-ridden
-ridden
  1. adj.suffix full of, controlled by s.t.: That crime-ridden city is a dangerous place to live.
-skinned
-skinned
  1. suffix related to skin: a fair-skinned person
-ware
-ware
  1. n.suffix things of the same general kind: Dishes, pots, and utensils make up kitchenware.
4-H Club
4-H Club
  1. n. a farm youth club set up by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: the H's stand for head, heart, hands, and health: The 4-H Club helps young people learn about modern farming.
401(k) plan
401(k) plan
  1. n. (in USA) a savings plan offered by some companies and institutions in which an untaxed portion of an employee's salary is invested and not used until retirement: Many employees take advantage of our company's 401(k) plan.
.com
.com
  1. suffix & abbr. for commercial enterprise in an Internet address for a business: www.heinle.com See: .gov, dot.com.
'd
'd
  1. contr.
    1 would: He said he'd eat with us.
    2 had: He said he'd already eaten.
    3 did: Where'd he eat?
.gov
.gov
  1. suffix & abbr. for government organization, used in Internet addresses: www.whitehouse.gov. See: .com.
.org
.org
  1. suffix & abbr. for the Internet address for non-profit organizations, such as public television stations and the United Nations (UN): www.un.org
'til or till
'til or till
  1. infrml. prep. short for until: We'll wait 'til six o'clock, then leave.
a
a
  1. or an indef. article
    1 used before a noun or noun phrase to show one person or thing: A man stopped me to ask what time it was.
    2 used before terms that show a general number, amount, or quantity (a few, a lot, etc.): A lot of people went to the concert.||That item costs $10 a pound (a dozen, a ton, etc.). See: an USAGE NOTE; APIECE.
a.m.
a.m.
  1. abbr. for ante meridiem, the time between 12:00 midnight and 11:59 in the morning: My meeting was at 9:00 A.M. today. See: ante meridiem.
aardvark
aardvark
  1. n. a small, strong African animal with long ears and a long nose (or snout): The aardvark digs for insects with its long snout.
aback
aback
  1. adv. taken aback:
    1 surprised, startled: He was taken aback when she ran suddenly into the room.
    2 unpleasantly surprised, offended,
    THESAURUS
    shocked: I was taken aback by his rudeness.
abacus
abacus
  1. n. -es a device made of beads and rods used for counting: The abacus has been used for solving arithmetic problems for thousands of years.
abandon
abandon
  1. v. [T]
    1 to stop: We abandoned the project because it was too expensive.
    2 to leave s.o. or s.t.: The people abandoned the village before the soldiers came. —n. [U] wildness,
    THESAURUS
    recklessness: The guests danced at the party with abandon. -n. [U] abandonment.
    THESAURUS
    abandon v.
    1 to discontinue, terminate. Ant. to maintain.
    2 to desert, leave (s.o./s.t.) forever. Ants. to keep, stay.
abandoned
abandoned
  1. adj.
    1 left behind,
    THESAURUS
    forsaken: The abandoned puppies were hungry.
    2 empty,
    THESAURUS
    deserted: Abandoned houses look sad.
abase
abase
  1. v.frml. [T] abased, abasing, abases
    1 to cause oneself or s.o. else to feel bad or ashamed: She won't abase herself by listening to his criticism.
    2 to lower in rank, office, or respect: The lazy soldier was abased by an officer. -n. abasement.
abashed
abashed
  1. adj.frml. ashamed or embarrassed: The student was abashed at failing the exam. -v. abash.
abate
abate
  1. v. abated, abating, abates
    1 [I] to lessen, decrease: The pain in my shoulder abated after a day.
    2 [T] (in law) to lower, reduce: The town abated taxes on new businesses. -n. abatement.
abbey
abbey
  1. n. a place where monks or nuns live, (syns.) a monastery, convent: We visited an old abbey near Westminster.
abbot
abbot
  1. n. the male head of the monks in an abbey
abbreviate
abbreviate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to shorten, esp. a word: This dictionary abbreviates the word "noun" by using "n." -n. abbreviation.
abdicate
abdicate
  1. v. [I;T] -cated, -cating, -cates to give up s.t., to step down as from a high office: The king abdicated his throne and left the country. -n.[C;U] abdication.
abdomen
abdomen
  1. n. the belly, stomach area: My abdomen hurts. -adj. abdominal.
abduct
abduct
  1. v. [T] to take away by force,
    THESAURUS
    to kidnap: A stranger abducted the child outside a store. -n.[C;U] abduction.
abed
abed
  1. adv.frml. old usage in bed: My grandfather's abed with the flu.
aberration
aberration
  1. n. an unusual happening,
    THESAURUS
    a deviation: The fact that he is late for our meeting is an aberration; he's normally on time.
abet
abet
  1. v.frml. [T] abetted, abetting, abets to help, encourage: That man was jailed because he aided and abetted a friend who robbed a bank.
abeyance
abeyance
  1. n.frml. [U] to hold in abeyance: delay,
    THESAURUS
    suspension: A decision is being held in abeyance until more information is available.
abhor
abhor
  1. v.frml. [T] -horred, -horring, -hors to hate,
    THESAURUS
    to detest: She abhors bad table manners. -n. [U] abhorrence.
abhorrent
abhorrent
  1. adj. hateful,
    THESAURUS
    detestable: His cruelty to animals is abhorrent.
abide
abide
  1. v. [T] abided, abiding, abides
    1 to suffer, stay in,
    THESAURUS
    to endure: I can't abide the hot weather.
    2 to abide by: to comply with, to agree to s.t.: I will abide by the judge's decision. -n. [U] abidance.
abiding
abiding
  1. adj. enduring, lasting: I have an abiding desire to become a teacher.
ability
ability
  1. n. -ties
    1 [U] skill: She has great ability at playing the piano.
    2 [C] power to do s.t.: He has many abilities, but he doesn't always use them.
    THESAURUS
    ability
    1 competence | talent, gift. Ant. unskilled
    2 capacity. Ant. inability.
abject
abject
  1. adj.
    1 in the worst condition, miserable,
    THESAURUS
    wretched: In a slum, people live in abject poverty.
    2 not worthy of respect: He is an abject liar.
ablaze
ablaze
  1. adj.frml.
    1 on fire, burning: The building is ablaze.
    2 fig. highly motivated, filled with strong emotion: My heart is ablaze with love for you.
able
able
  1. adj.
    1 skilled, competent: She is a very able teacher.
    2 having the power to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    capable: After the surgery, he was able to walk again.
    3 free to do s.t., ready: I am able to leave now; let's go. —n.pl. people who can move around and care for themselves: My grandparents are still among the able at the home for old people. See: ready.
ably
ably
  1. adv. in a skilled manner,
    THESAURUS
    competently: He fixed my car very ably.
abnormal
abnormal
  1. adj. not normal, unusual: The high temperatures are abnormal for this time of year. -adv. abnormally.
abnormality
abnormality
  1. n. -ties an unusual mental or physical condition: It is an abnormality to have six toes on one foot.
aboard
aboard
  1. prep. on a ship, train, airplane, or other vehicle: The train conductor says "All aboard" before the train leaves the station.
abode
abode
  1. n.frml. a place where one lives,
    THESAURUS
    a residence: The phone book lists his abode as 370 West 58th Street.
abolish
abolish
  1. v. [T] to end s.t.: The government abolished the tax on food.
    THESAURUS
    abolish to cancel, eliminate | to prohibit, ban. Ants. to establish | restore.
abolition
abolition
  1. n. [U] the stopping of s.t. by law,
    THESAURUS
    prohibition: The abolition of slavery in the USA occurred in the 19th century. -n. [U] (act) abolitionism; (person) abolitionist.
abominable
abominable
  1. adj.frml. hateful, disgusting: Her cruel treatment of others is abominable. -adv. abominably.
abomination
abomination
  1. n.frml. s.t. that causes disgust or hatred: The murder of those children was an abomination.
aborigine
aborigine
  1. n. a person whose ancestors were the original people living in a place, a native: The aborigines of Australia have lived there for thousands of years. -adj. aboriginal.
abort
abort
  1. v. [T]
    1 to end a pregnancy before the normal time of birth: The doctor aborted the baby to save the mother's life.
    2 fig. to stop an action before its end: The general aborted the attack and ordered his soldiers back to their camp. -n.[C;U] abortion.
abortive
abortive
  1. adj. failed, unsuccessful: The politician made an abortive attempt at running for mayor.
abound
abound
  1. v. [I] to exist in great numbers, (syns.) to teem, be abundant: Deer and rabbits abound in this forest.
about-face
about-face
  1. n.frml.
    1 (in the military) an order to soldiers to change direction to the reverse: On command, the soldiers did an about-face.
    2 fig. a complete change (of attitude, opinion, etc.): He did an about-face and became pleasant when his angry behavior hurt his business.
about
about
  1. prep.
    1 related to,
    THESAURUS
    concerning: The meeting was about a new product.
    2 occupied with, doing: He goes about his business every day. —adv.
    1 around,
    THESAURUS
    approximately: About 20 people attended the meeting.
    2 almost: Are you about done with that project?
    3 ready to: I'm just about to go out the door.
    4 How about: asking s.o. if he would like s.t.: How about a movie (dinner, drink, etc.) tonight?
    5 not about to: showing strong disagreement: I am not about to drive in a bad snowstorm.
    6 to come about: to change direction to the reverse: The ship came about and headed for home.
above
above
  1. prep.
    1 higher than: The sky above 10,000 feet is clear for flying.||She raised her hands above her head.
    2 more or greater than: We have only a few products priced above $100.
    3 above all: most important: Above all, we must do more business this year.
    4 above and beyond: in addition to, most importantly: Above and beyond everything else that's wrong with her, she has an angry attitude.
    5 above s.o.'s head: too difficult for s.o. to understand: Fixing computers is above my head!
    6 to be above it all: to be too important to deal with daily problems: The President doesn't have to cook his meals or clean the White House; he's above it all.
    7 to be above s.t.: to be too honest or moral to do s.t. wrong: He would never tell your secrets; he is above that. —adv.
    1 overhead, aloft: The clouds above are dark.
    2 upstairs: A family lives on the floor above. —n.frml. [U] an earlier part of a document: The above states that the contract lasts for one year.
    THESAURUS
    above prep.
    1 and
    2 over. Ants. below, under. —adv. 1 and 2 over, higher than (s.o./s.t.). Ant. below.
aboveboard
aboveboard
  1. adj. honest: He is an honest businessperson; he is aboveboard with everyone.
abrasion
abrasion
  1. n.
    1 [U] wear caused by rubbing: Constant abrasion from shoes wore down the wooden floor.
    2 [C] a small wound where skin has been rubbed off,
    THESAURUS
    a scrape: Her knees were covered with abrasions after she fell on the sidewalk.
abrasive
abrasive
  1. n.
    1 s.t. that is rough to the touch and can cause wear and tear: Concrete is an abrasive.
    2 a substance that causes a small amount of abrasion in order to clean (smooth, polish, grind, etc.): Use an abrasive, such as a strong soap with sand in it, to clean the kitchen sink. —adj.fig. rough, making people feel bad,
    THESAURUS
    irritating: His abrasive manner makes people want to stay away from him. -adv. abrasively.
abreast
abreast
  1. adv.
    1 aware of what is happening in the world or in an area of work or study, (syns.) current, up-to-date: She keeps abreast of what is happening by reading newspapers.
    2 side-by-side, together: Students walk into school two abreast.
abridge
abridge
  1. v. [T] abridged, abridging, abridges to shorten, remove parts, esp. from a written work: Reader's Digest abridges long books so that people can read them quickly. -n. [C] abridgment.
abridged
abridged
  1. adj. shortened: I read an abridged version of the report.
abroad
abroad
  1. adv.
    1 out of the country: Our company ships goods abroad.
    2 far and wide: The wind carried the seeds abroad.
    THESAURUS
    abroad adv.
    1 overseas, to a foreign country. Ants. at home | domestically.
abrupt
abrupt
  1. adj.
    1 quick and unfriendly, rude: He talks to everyone in an abrupt manner.
    2 sudden, happening by surprise: The bus came to an abrupt halt. -adv. abruptly; -n. abruptness.
abscess
abscess
  1. n. -es an infected sore or wound filled with a white liquid: He has an abscess in his mouth. —v. [I] to form an abscess
abscond
abscond
  1. v.frml. [I] to leave quickly to avoid being caught: The thief absconded with the jewels.
absence
absence
  1. n.
    1 [C] a situation of not being present: His absence from work was because of his illness.
    2 [U] a lack of s.t.: An absence of sleep left her tired.
    3 a leave of absence: an approved time of being absent: She took a three-month leave of absence from her job to have a baby.
absent
absent
  1. adj. not present: The student is absent from class. -n. absentee.
absenteeism
absenteeism
  1. n. [U]
    1 a condition of people being absent: The rate of absenteeism at that school is very high.
    2 being absent from work or school without a good reason: That worker was fired because of her high rate of absenteeism; she missed ten days of work in one month.
absentminded
absentminded
  1. adj. not remembering things, forgetful: He's so absentminded that he often forgets where he put his car keys. -adv. absentmindedly.
absolute
absolute
  1. n. s.t. that does not change, such as a rule (law, requirement): You must be at work from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; that is an absolute. —adj.
    1 complete, without question, total: The king has absolute authority over the kingdom.
    2 certain, definite: She told you the absolute truth. -adv. absolutely ; -n. [U] absolutism.
absolute monarchy
absolute monarchy
  1. n. the form of government in which a hereditary ruler (usually a king or queen) governed a country without any limits or restrictions: An absolute monarchy was based on the idea that the king or queen was chosen by God to rule.
absolution
absolution
  1. n. [U] the formal removal of guilt (sin, crime, etc.), forgiveness: In some religions, a priest can give absolution to s.o. who has done s.t. wrong.
absolve
absolve
  1. v. [T] -solved, -solving, -solves
    1 to free of responsibility or guilt: A judge absolved a woman of punishment for killing a man because she was protecting herself.
    2 (in religion) to forgive,
    THESAURUS
    to pardon: After praying for forgiveness, he was absolved of sin.
absorb
absorb
  1. v. [T]
    1 to soak up, take in: The sponge absorbed water from the sink.
    2 to accept a loss (expense, punishment): Sending the wrong refrigerator is our mistake, so we'll absorb the cost of sending the right one.
    3 fig. to learn and remember: She absorbs new ideas very quickly.
    4 to concentrate completely,
    THESAURUS
    to immerse oneself: He is absorbed in his work.
absorbent
absorbent
  1. adj. able to absorb liquids: That paper towel is very absorbent.
abstain
abstain
  1. v. [I]
    1 not to allow oneself to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to refrain from: He abstains from drinking alcohol (eating meat, smoking, etc.).
    2 (in politics) not to vote: Two senators abstained on the vote on the new law to raise taxes.
abstention
abstention
  1. n. not voting: The vote was 10 in favor of the plan, one against it, and two abstentions.
abstinence
abstinence
  1. n. [U]
    1 refusal to use s.t., such as alcohol or cigarettes: He must have total abstinence from drinking because of his heart problem.
    2 refusal to have sex: The Catholic Church demands abstinence of its priests. -adj. abstinent.
abstraction
abstraction
  1. n. a vague, general idea not related to concrete things: "Love" and "faith" are abstractions.
abstruse
abstruse
  1. adj.frml. difficult to understand, unclear: That writer's ideas are abstruse. -adv. abstrusely.
absurd
absurd
  1. adj. foolish, stupid: He made some absurd comments about taxes being too low.
    THESAURUS
    absurd adj. unreasonable, ridiculous. Ants. reasonable | wise.
abundance
abundance
  1. n. [U]
    1 many of s.t., plenty: Flowers grow in abundance in our garden.
    2 wealth,
    THESAURUS
    affluence: North America is a land of abundance.
abundant
abundant
  1. adj. plentiful,
    THESAURUS
    profuse: Food is in abundant supply in this country. -adv. abundantly.
abuse
abuse
  1. v. [T] abused, abusing, abuses
    1 to hurt badly, either physically or emotionally: The man abused his wife by yelling at her often.
    2 to give hard use to s.t.: He abused his car by not changing the oil, and now it needs major repairs.
    3 to take unfair advantage of: He abuses his job by coming to work late and leaving early. —n.
    1 [U] cruel treatment,
    THESAURUS
    neglect: The boy was beaten and starved; he was a victim of abuse.
    2 [C;U] misuse, such as cheating or stealing: There were several abuses of the honor system at the military academy last year.
    3 [U] vulgar language or criticism: He made a mistake, and the boss shouted abuse at him.
    THESAURUS
    abuse v.
    1 to mistreat, hurt, assault
    3 to exploit, misuse (privileges). Ants. to care for/about | respect.
abusive
abusive
  1. adj.
    1 using vulgar language or criticism: Two cars collided and the drivers shouted abusive language at each other.
    2 unfair,
    THESAURUS
    exploitative: He's abusive of his parents by borrowing money from them and not repaying it. -adv. abusively.
abut
abut
  1. v.frml. [T] to touch on one side, border on: In New York City, buildings abut each other and there's no open space between them. -n. abutment.
abuzz
abuzz
  1. adj. full of talk (noise, buzzing sound, etc.): The office is abuzz with the latest news.
abysmal
abysmal
  1. adj.frml.
    1 too deep to be measured
    2 fig. terrible, awful: That movie was an abysmal failure. -adv. abysmally.
abyss
abyss
  1. n. -es
    1 frml. a dark bottomless crack,
    THESAURUS
    a chasm: The earthquake opened up a huge abyss.
    2 fig. too deep to be measured: That event happened so long ago that it has been buried in the abyss of time.
academia
academia
  1. n. frml. [U] the world of students and teachers, esp. colleges and universities: She entered the world of academia as an assistant professor. -n. academe.
academic
academic
  1. adj. related to studying and learning: His academic work is excellent. —n. a professor: He is an academic at the university. -adv. academically; -n. [C] academician.
academy
academy
  1. n.
    1 a private school or college: My daughter attends the police (military, naval, etc.) academy.
    2 higher education
accede
accede
  1. v.frml. [I] -ceded, -ceding, -cedes to agree,
    THESAURUS
    to acquiesce: Her father finally acceded to her demands to move into an apartment of her own.
accelerate
accelerate
  1. v. [I] -ated, -ating, -ates to speed up, move faster: The automobile accelerated to a speed of 100 miles (160 km) per hour. -n. [U] acceleration.
accelerator
accelerator
  1. n. a device, usu. a floor pedal in a vehicle, that increases the speed of an engine: I stepped on the accelerator to increase my car's speed and pass another car.
accent
accent
  1. n.
    1 a particular sound in speech typical of a country or region: He speaks English with a Spanish accent.
    2 a mark on a word to show how it is pronounced: The accent is on the "i" in "sí" for "yes" in Spanish.
    3 a mark on part of a word to show where stress is put as it is spoken: In the word "accent" there is a heavier accent on the first part of the word. —v. [T]
    1 to show the importance of,
    THESAURUS
    to emphasize: The teacher accented her desire for quiet in the classroom by raising her voice.
    2 to decorate,
    THESAURUS
    to complement: Her hat was accented with flowers.
accentuate
accentuate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to show the importance of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to emphasize: The Mayor's speech accentuated the need to get rid of poverty and disease.
accept
accept
  1. v. [T]
    1 to take willingly: He accepted my apology for being late.
    2 to say "yes," that you will do s.t.: Are you going to accept his invitation to the party?
    3 to allow to join: They accepted the new girl as a member of their group of friends.
    4 to become used to s.t. that one cannot change: He finally accepted his wife's death (defeat in the election, etc.).
    5 to accept with open arms: to welcome,
    THESAURUS
    to embrace: Her boyfriend's parents accepted her with open arms when they met her.
    THESAURUS
    accept v.
    1 to receive, obtain
    2 to agree to s.t.
    3 to support, approve of
    4 to :understand, be convinced (of). Ant. to reject.
acceptable
acceptable
  1. adj.
    1 satisfactory: We received an acceptable price for our house.
    2 all right to do: Wearing a shirt without a tie is acceptable dress for dinner here. -adv. acceptably.
    THESAURUS
    acceptable
    1 sufficient, decent, tolerable
    2 permissible, civilized, decent. Ants. unacceptable | uncivilized.
acceptance
acceptance
  1. n.
    1 favor, approval: His work received acceptance by his peers.
    2 the act of accepting: She received an acceptance for admission to college.
accepted
accepted
  1. adj. agreed upon,
    THESAURUS
    standard: Calling the doctor's office is the accepted way of making an appointment.
access
access
  1. v. [T] to get into s.t., enter: He accessed the computer program by typing in the correct password. —n. [U]
    1 entrance, permission to use: I got access to the library by showing my identity card.
    2 a way or means of reaching or entering a place: The only access to the island is by boat or plane. —adj. related to entering: This is your access code for the computer.||Please use the access road behind the building.
accessible
accessible
  1. adj.
    1 able to be entered or reached: The opera house is accessible by bus, subway, or car.
    2 easy to get to,
    THESAURUS
    approachable: He is an important man, but always accessible to his workers. -n. [U] accessibility.
accessory
accessory
  1. n. -ries
    1 s.t. that adds to or enhances an item: Accessories to cars, like a stereo or telephone, make them more useful and enjoyable.
    2 small items of clothing, such as jewelry, shoes, belts, purses, and ties: She bought a new suit, then shopped for accessories, including shoes and a purse to go with it.
    3 a person who helps a criminal or takes part in a crime: The police charged him with being an accessory to a robbery.
accident-prone
accident-prone
  1. adj. likely to have accidents: She is always hurting herself by falling; she's accident-prone.
accident
accident
  1. n. s.t. harmful or unpleasant that happens by surprise: He had an accident on the way to work; he fell and broke an ankle.
    THESAURUS
    accident a mishap | crash, wreck. Ants. good luck | close call.
accidental
accidental
  1. adj. by chance,
    THESAURUS
    unforeseen: I didn't know she was on my plane; our meeting was accidental. -adv. accidentally.
acclaim
acclaim
  1. n.frml. [U] public congratulations, praise: The athlete received great acclaim for winning a medal in the Olympics. —v.frml. [I] to give congratulations, praise: She was acclaimed as the greatest writer of her generation. -n. [U] acclamation.
acclimate
acclimate
  1. v. [I;T] -mated, -mating, -mates to become used to a climate or place,
    THESAURUS
    to adapt: We acclimated ourselves to the hot weather in Florida. -n. acclimation ; -v. [I;T] acclimatize.
accolade
accolade
  1. n.frml. praise: The student was given accolades for her high grades.
accommodate
accommodate
  1. v. [T] -dated, -dating, -dates
    1 to have enough space: That hotel room accommodates four people.
    2 to make an extra effort to do what s.o. asks: The company accommodated the customer's wish and sent the delivery overnight.
accommodating
accommodating
  1. adj. helpful, cooperative: The hotel staff is very accommodating with its guests. -adv. accommodatingly.
accommodation
accommodation
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 pl. rooms and other parts (restaurants, swimming pool, etc.), esp. in a hotel; lodgings: The accommodations at that hotel are first-class.
    2 arrangements made for s.o.: We had to make special accommodations for food because our friend is a vegetarian.
accompaniment
accompaniment
  1. n. [U]
    1 s.t. that goes along with s.t. else
    2 music played to go with a soloist (another musician, singer, dancer, etc.): The singer's accompaniment was piano music.
accompanist
accompanist
  1. n. a musician who plays for others, such as a soloist: The singer's accompanist was a piano player.
accompany
accompany
  1. v.frml. [T] -nied, -nying, -nied
    1 to go with s.o. else,
    THESAURUS
    to escort: I accompanied my friends to the party.
    2 to play music in support of a singer or musician
accomplice
accomplice
  1. n. a partner in crime: The police caught the thief and his accomplice, who was driving the car.
accomplish
accomplish
  1. v. [T]
    1 to finish: We accomplished the job in an hour.
    2 to achieve, do important things: She has accomplished much in her short career.
    THESAURUS
    accomplish
    1 to complete, get s.t. done, pull s.t. off
    2 to do, attain. Ant. to fail.
accomplished
accomplished
  1. adj.
    1 finished, done: The task was accomplished in an hour.
    2 skilled, experienced, and honored: She is an accomplished musician who has won many prizes.
accomplishment
accomplishment
  1. n. a difficult task done well, success,
    THESAURUS
    an achievement: Climbing that high mountain was an accomplishment for the hikers.
accord
accord
  1. n.frml. [C] agreement: Two countries reached an accord and avoided war.||The politicians acted in accord with the President. —v.frml. [T] to give, grant,
    THESAURUS
    to bestow: Our host accorded us a warm welcome.
accordance
accordance
  1. n.frml. [U] agreement,
    THESAURUS
    harmony: The teams played the game in accordance with the rules.
according to
according to
  1. prep.
    1 in accordance with, in agreement with: According to the law, you must pay a small fine.
    2 as stated by, by the authority of: According to John, Sue was home at 8:00 P.M.||According to the teacher, all homework must be handed in on time.

    USAGE NOTE: According to is not used with me.
accordingly
accordingly
  1. adv. in agreement with what is already known or expected, therefore,
    THESAURUS
    consequently: Accordingly, now that you have completed your classes, the school will give you a diploma.
accordion
accordion
  1. n. a musical instrument played with the hands by forcing air out through holes that are opened and closed with the fingers: My father plays country music on the accordion.
accost
accost
  1. v.frml. [T] to come up to a stranger and speak in an unfriendly way: A man accosted a woman on the street, asking her for her name and phone number.
account
account
  1. n.
    1 money kept in a bank for present or future use: I have a checking and a savings account at Metropolitan Bank.
    2 a line of credit given by a business: I have an account at the big department store.
    3 a description, narrative: The police wrote an account of the accident.
    4 on account: to be extended a line of credit by a business, to make a partial payment: I paid some money on account, but still owe more at that clothing shop.
    5 on account of: because of: On account of bad weather, the picnic was cancelled.
    6 on no account: never, in no way: On no account will I let you go to that wild party.
    7 on one's own account: on one's own responsibility or
    THESAURUS
    behalf: I didn't go to visit my sick aunt out of kindness; I went on my own account.
    8 fig. to give a good account of oneself: to perform well: He played tennis against more experienced players, but he still gave a good account of himself.
    9 to hold s.o. to account or call s.o. to account: to hold s.o. responsible: He must pay the fine or the police will hold him (or) call him to account.
    10 to take into account: to consider with other matters in a decision: The judge took into account that the young man had never been in trouble before and let him go free. —v. [T] to explain: He accounted for the missing items as lost but found them later. See: no account.
account balance
account balance
  1. n. the amount of money in a bank account (checking, savings, etc.) at any time: Our checking account balance is $486.42.
account executive
account executive
  1. n. a person who takes care of a customer's account, a sales representative: The account executive from our insurance company called this morning to ask about our policy.
accountability
accountability
  1. n. [U] responsibility: The accountability for the project's success is hers.
accountable
accountable
  1. adj.
    1 responsible: He is accountable for the missing money.
    2 to be held accountable: to be obligated to answer for s.t. or s.o.: He will be held accountable for any missing money.
accountant
accountant
  1. n. a person who keeps records and provides information about a company's or person's money: She is an accountant who works for our company.|| My accountant prepares my tax returns every year. -n. accounting.
accredit
accredit
  1. v. [T]
    1 to approve, for meeting a set standard: A committee of professors accredits colleges and universities in the USA.
    2 to give s.o. credit for having or doing s.t.: She is accredited with writing that poem.
accreditation
accreditation
  1. n. [C;U] approval,
    THESAURUS
    endorsement: Our school received accreditation from the state education department.
accredited
accredited
  1. adj. approved,
    THESAURUS
    endorsed by an authority: That school is accredited to receive government funds for its students' financial aid.
accrue
accrue
  1. v. [I;T] -crued, -cruing, -crues
    1 to grow slowly,
    THESAURUS
    to accumulate: Interest accrues to my savings account monthly.
    2 to include in a business's financial accounts an expected earning or expense that has not yet been paid. -n. accrual.
accumulate
accumulate
  1. v. [I;T] -lated, -lating, -lates to add up, increase: Interest accumulates in my savings account month by month.
accumulation
accumulation
  1. n. [U] an increase, adding up: His accumulation of wealth amazes his friends.
accuracy
accuracy
  1. n. [U]
    1 s.t. that is correct and true, (syns.) exactness, precision: He is a professional, and the accuracy of what he says is not to be questioned.
    2 the ability to hit a target: Her accuracy with the gun surprised everyone.
accurate
accurate
  1. adj.
    1 exact, correct: The numbers in the report are accurate.
    2 able to hit a target, having good aim: She is extremely accurate with a bow and arrow, hitting the bull's-eye every time. -adv. accurately.
    THESAURUS
    accurate
    1 error free | true (story, description). Ants. inaccurate | untrue.
accusation
accusation
  1. n. a charge of crime or wrongdoing,
    THESAURUS
    an indictment: The judge read accusations of theft to the criminal.
accuse
accuse
  1. v. [T] -cused, -cusing, -cuses to charge s.o. with wrongdoing, to blame: The police accused him of theft. -adj. accusatory ; -adv. accusingly; -n. accuser.
    THESAURUS
    accuse to indict s.o. for s.t. frml. Ant. to support.
accused
accused
  1. n. a person charged with crime or wrongdoing: The accused sat in the courtroom with her lawyer. —adj. charged, blamed: The accused murderer's trial is set for next week.
accustom
accustom
  1. v. [T] to become used to s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to adapt: I will accustom myself to studying hard at the university.
accustomed
accustomed
  1. adj. used to,
    THESAURUS
    adapted to: I am accustomed to the cold in Alaska.
ace
ace
  1. n.
    1 in the USA, a playing card marked with a letter "A" for "Ace": In card games, the ace is often the card with the highest value.
    2 an expert, esp. the pilot of a fighter plane: He was a flying ace during World War II.
    3 ace in the hole (or) up one's sleeve: a secret advantage: The exam was supposed to be very difficult, but she had an ace up her sleeve; she had seen a copy of the questions before the exam. —v. [T] aced, acing, aces
    1 (in tennis) to make the first serve so that one's opponent cannot return the ball: My opponent aced me three times during the match.
    2 infrml.fig. to do s.t. very well,
    THESAURUS
    to excel: He aced his exam with a score of 98.
acerbic
acerbic
  1. adj.frml.
    1 harsh,
    THESAURUS
    biting: The critic wrote an acerbic review of the play.
    2 sour or bitter: Lemon has an acerbic taste. -adv. acerbically.
ache
ache
  1. n. a dull, lasting pain: I have an ache in my leg from walking too much.||a toothache, headache, etc. —v. [I] ached, aching, aches
    1 to feel a dull pain, hurt: My back aches every morning.
    2 fig. to desire: I am aching to go on vacation.
achieve
achieve
  1. v. [T] achieved, achieving, achieves to reach, gain (success, happiness, one's goals, etc.): The movie star achieved success and wealth.||He has achieved his goals in life by having a good job and raising a family.
    THESAURUS
    achieve to acquire, attain, accomplish. Ant. to fail.
achievement
achievement
  1. n. success,
    THESAURUS
    accomplishment: He had many achievements in his career.
achiever
achiever
  1. n. [C] a person who accomplishes things, a doer: She was a high achiever in college, always getting the best grades in her class.
achy
achy
  1. adj. having a dull pain: My body feels achy all over today, so I think I'll stay in bed.
acid
acid
  1. n.
    1 [C] (in chemistry) a substance or liquid that has a sour taste, makes blue litmus paper turn red, or can react with a base to make salt: Acids are widely used in industry.
    2 infrml. [U] slang for the dangerous illegal drug LSD: When he took acid, he could see, hear, and feel things that weren't really there. —adj.
    1 having a sour, acid taste: Vinegar has a strong acid taste.
    2 harsh,
    THESAURUS
    biting: She made some acid comments about the poor quality of his writing. -adj. acidic ; -n. [U] acidity.
acid test
acid test
  1. n.frml.
    1 fig.a test of the real worth or value of s.t.: The agreement to buy the house is signed, but the acid test is whether the buyer can make the first big payment on it.
    2 a test for the quality of gold
acknowledge
acknowledge
  1. v. [T] -ledged, -ledging, -ledges
    1 to respond: I acknowledged his offer by sending him a letter saying I had received it.
    2 to admit: He acknowledges the fact that he is wrong.
acknowledged
acknowledged
  1. adj. recognized: She is the acknowledged leader in her field of chemistry.
acknowledgment
acknowledgment
  1. n. answer, response: I received an acknowledgment of my order in the mail.
acme
acme
  1. n. the highest point of achievement, success, etc.: She reached the acme of perfection as an artist.
acne
acne
  1. n. [U] a skin condition of red spots (pimples), esp. on the face, common among teenagers: The doctor cured the boy's acne with a special cream.
acorn
acorn
  1. n. the nut of the oak tree: "Mighty oaks from little acorns grow."
acoustic
acoustic
  1. or acoustical adj. relating to a musical instrument whose sound is not electronically changed: She plays an acoustic guitar. -adv. acoustically.
acoustics
acoustics
  1. n.pl.
    1 used with a sing. verb the scientific study of sound: Acoustics is an interesting field for engineers.
    2 the effect of sound: The acoustics in the lecture hall are poor.
acquaint
acquaint
  1. v. [T]
    1 to learn about (usu. a place),
    THESAURUS
    to familiarize: I acquainted myself with my new neighborhood.
    2 to know s.o., but not well: We met several times and are acquainted.
acquaintance
acquaintance
  1. n. a person whom one knows, but not well: We are acquaintances and talk now and then.
acquainted
acquainted
  1. adj.
    1 familiar with (a person): We are acquainted with each other, but are not friends.
    2 familiar with, informed about (a subject): I am acquainted with the neighborhood (mathematics, the matter, etc.).
acquiesce
acquiesce
  1. v.frml. [I] -esced, -escing, -esces to agree to s.t. but usu. not willingly,
    THESAURUS
    to yield: He acquiesced to her demands for money. -n. [U] acquiescence.
acquire
acquire
  1. v. [T] -quired, -quiring, -quires
    1 to buy: She acquired property in the town.
    2 to build up: Over time, he acquired much wealth.
    3 to gain: She acquired a knowledge of Spanish while living in Latin America.
    THESAURUS
    acquire
    1 to purchase
    2 to accumulate
    3 to get, obtain frml. Ants. to do without, forgo.
acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
  1. n. a disease of the immune system caused by the HIV virus: The acquired immune deficiency syndrome is called AIDS in English and SIDA in Spanish and French.
acquisition
acquisition
  1. n.
    1 [C] the purchase, the process of getting ownership of s.t.: My parents' latest acquisitions are a dishwasher and a new car.
    2 (in business) a business or part of a business taken over or bought by another company: The software company's acquisition of Acme Company will help it compete in the hardware market.
    3 [U] building up of skill, knowledge, etc.,
    THESAURUS
    attainment: The acquisition of the knowledge of medicine takes years of study.
acquisitive
acquisitive
  1. adj.
    1 wanting to own things: She has an acquisitive nature and collects everything of value.
    2 greedy,
    THESAURUS
    avaricious: Some politicians are acquisitive of power. -n. [U] acquisitiveness.
acquit
acquit
  1. v. [T] -quitted, -quitting, -quits
    1 (in law) to clear s.o. of a crime,
    THESAURUS
    to exonerate: The jury acquitted a man accused of theft.
    2 frml. to perform or behave esp. well: She lost the game to a better tennis player but acquitted herself very well.
acquittal
acquittal
  1. n. (in law) the clearing of charges or accusations against s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    exoneration: His acquittal of all charges was a big victory for him.
acre
acre
  1. n. a square piece of land measuring 69.57 yards (63.57 m.) on each side: The farmer owns 150 acres of land.
acrid
acrid
  1. adj. irritating to the senses, harsh: Acrid smoke from the fire burned my throat and eyes.
acrimonious
acrimonious
  1. adj. angry,
    THESAURUS
    bitter feelings: The issue of raising taxes causes acrimonious arguments. -adv. acrimoniously; -n. [U] acrimony.
acrobat
acrobat
  1. n. a person who performs gymnastic movements, usu. in the air: Three acrobats swung high above the circus floor. -adj. acrobatic.
acrobatics
acrobatics
  1. n.pl. used with a sing. v. jumping, running, flying through the air, walking on wires, etc., in dangerous ways: A family of acrobats performs acrobatics in the circus.
acronym
acronym
  1. n. a word formed from the first letters or parts of other words: "SCUBA" is an acronym for "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus."
across-the-board
across-the-board
  1. adj. complete, including a whole group of things or people: The company gave an across-the-board salary increase of 5 percent.
across
across
  1. prep. in a motion on or over s.t.: We walked across the bridge. —adv. from one side to the other: We swam across the lake to get to the island. —v.
    1 infrml. [I] to come across as: to make people think about one in a certain way,
    THESAURUS
    to create an impression: He comes across as an honest guy.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come across: to encounter or find by chance: I came across a pen that I had lost last week.
acrylic
acrylic
  1. n.adj. [U] a type of plastic: Acrylic windows break less often than glass windows.
act
act
  1. v.
    1 [I] to take action, proceed: The boss acted right away on my suggestion.
    2 [I] to show, esp. an emotion: He acts as though he is pleased.
    3 [I;T] to perform a role: He acted in a Shakespeare play.
    4 [T] to work, to function: That medicine acts fast to relieve pain.
    THESAURUS
    act v.
    1 to do s.t. Ant. to ignore.
    2 to behave
    3 to have a part in, play in
    4 to operate. —n.
    1 an event, happening: Attacking another nation is an act of war.
    2 a part of a play: We especially enjoyed the third act of the play.
    3 (in acting) a routine: He is a comedian with a funny act.
    4 infrml. to get one's act together: to organize oneself and do s.t. useful: Tomorrow there will be an important meeting, so I'd better get my act together and prepare for it.
    5 to put on an act: to make believe, pretend,
    THESAURUS
    to feign: He put on an act of being sick so he could leave work early.
    6 phrasal v. sep. to act out s.t.: to perform, cary out: We acted out a story in English class.||We acted it out.
    7 phrasal v. to act up: a. to behave badly, inappropriately: The children acted up in class and broke a chair. b. to function badly: If your car is acting up again, take it back to the mechanic.
acting
acting
  1. n. [U] performing in plays or movies: She chose acting as a career.
action
action
  1. n.
    1 [U] happenings, movement: We watched the action of the football game on TV.
    2 [C] the effect or force of s.t. on s.t. else: The action of the waves hitting the beach made the sand wash away.
    3 to take action: to bring s.o. to court,
    THESAURUS
    to sue: The company took action against an employee who stole a computer.
activate
activate
  1. v. [T] -vated, -vating, -vates to put in motion, start: She activated the machine by pressing a button. -n. [U] activation.
active
active
  1. adj.
    1 busy,
    THESAURUS
    involved in: She is active in politics.
    2 up and about, moving: He was sick but is active again. -adv. actively.
activist
activist
  1. n. a person who works at changing s.t., esp. in politics: She is a political activist who works on lowering taxes. -n. [U] activism.
activity
activity
  1. n. -ties
    1 [U] the state of being busy,
    THESAURUS
    movement: There isn't much activity on the roads after midnight.
    2 [C] a planned event: The activities at the school include sports and dances.
    3 [U] rapid movement: People were running everywhere; there was a lot of activity.
actor
actor
  1. n. a person who acts in plays or movies: My friend is an actor in the movies.
actress
actress
  1. n. -es a female actor
actual
actual
  1. adj. real, exact: Our actual expenses for food and clothes for last year were much lower than we thought.
actuality
actuality
  1. n. [U] fact,
    THESAURUS
    reality: In actuality, our costs are higher than we thought.
actualize
actualize
  1. v. [T] to put into action,
    THESAURUS
    to realize: The government actualized its plan to stop crime. -n. [U] actualization.
actually
actually
  1. adv.
    1 in truth or in fact,
    THESAURUS
    really: Actually, that student needs to study more to pass the exams.||The Liberal Party actually has the power in that country.
    2 as surprising as it may seem, contrary to appearances: He seems so quiet, but actually he likes to talk.
acumen
acumen
  1. n.frml. [U] the ability to see opportunities and dangers,
    THESAURUS
    insight: She handles her business with much acumen.
acupuncture
acupuncture
  1. n. [U] a part of Chinese medicine that treats diseases and pain by putting needles into the body: I thought acupuncture would hurt, but I couldn't even feel the needles.
acute
acute
  1. adj. great,
    THESAURUS
    severe: An acute lack of food brought hunger to the people. -adv. acutely.
ad-lib
ad-lib
  1. v.n.adj.infrml. [I;T] to speak, sing, or act without a script, saying whatever words come into one's mind: When the actor forgot her lines, she ad-libbed her part.
ad
ad
  1. n.infrml. short for advertisement
ad hoc
ad hoc
  1. adj. (Latin for) put together for a purpose, temporary: The teacher created an ad hoc committee of five students to discuss the textbook.
adage
adage
  1. n. a saying that contains truths or helpful information: There is an adage that says: "When threatened, it is better to run away and live to fight another day."
adamant
adamant
  1. adj. not willing to change one's opinion, stubborn,
    THESAURUS
    unbending: She is adamant about not seeing her old boyfriend anymore. -adv. adamantly.
adapt
adapt
  1. v. [I] to change, to function in a new way, to adjust: She adapted herself (or) adapted quickly to her new job. -n.[C;U] adaptation.
adaptable
adaptable
  1. adj.
    1 capable of being changed and used for s.t. else: The movie producers think that book is adaptable because it's full of adventures; it should make a good movie.
    2 capable of handling changes, flexible: The child is very adaptable; she will be happy in her new house and school.
adapter
adapter
  1. n.
    1 s.o. or s.t. that adapts
    2 a device that allows s.t. to be used in a new way: My computer uses an adapter to change the type of electrical current that it runs on.
add
add
  1. v. [T]
    1 to combine two or more numbers into a total: The cashier added up the bill.
    2 to increase the size or amount of s.t.: We added a room to our house.
    3 to add insult to injury: to be insulted as well as harmed: A guy hit my car while it was parked, and to add insult to injury, he yelled at me.
    4 phrasal v. insep. to add up: to make sense, seem true: What he says does not add up.
addendum
addendum
  1. n. -da (Latin for) a piece of writing that is added to a larger one, such as at the end of a contract or book: The lawyer wrote an addendum to the contract that says how much money she will be paid.
addict
addict
  1. n.
    1 a person physically or emotionally dependent on a substance, such as a drug: He is a heroin addict.
    2 infrml.fig. a fan,
    THESAURUS
    a devotee: He is a golf addict; he plays every day. —v. [T] (of a substance) to make s.o. dependent: Heroin addicts many people. -n. [C;U] addiction ; -adj. addictive . See: drug, narcotic.
addition
addition
  1. n.
    1 [U] the arithmetic process of adding things or numbers: The addition of 2 + 2 = 4.
    2 [C] s.t. more, an extension: We built a one-room addition to our house. -adj. additional ; -adv. additionally.
    THESAURUS
    addition
    1 a counting up of s.t., a totaling of s.t. Ant. subtraction.
    2 s.t. extra | (building) a wing. Ant. exclusion.
additive
additive
  1. n. s.t. added, esp. to food or medicine: Food companies put vitamin additives in breakfast cereals.
address
address
  1. n. -es
    1 the specific location (street number, city, state, etc.) of a person, business, or institution: My business address is 2 Wall St., New York, NY 10002.
    2 a speech: She gave an address to the United Nations. —v. [T]
    1 to write an address: Our secretary addressed the envelopes before mailing them.
    2 to speak to: He addressed a large group of doctors.
    THESAURUS
    address v.
    2 to make a speech to s.o. | discuss, deal with (issues). Ant. to ignore.
addressee
addressee
  1. n. a person, business, etc. to whom s.t. is addressed: The addressee of that letter no longer lives here.
adept
adept
  1. adj. skillful, clever: She is adept at playing the guitar (swimming, solving problems, etc.). -adv. adeptly; -n. [U] adeptness.
adequate
adequate
  1. adj.
    1 enough,
    THESAURUS
    sufficient: He makes an adequate salary, enough to pay his bills.
    2 not bad, but not very good,
    THESAURUS
    minimal: Her work is only adequate; I'm not impressed. -n. [U] adequacy ; -adv. adequately.
adhere
adhere
  1. v. [I] -hered, -hering, -heres
    1 to hold, stick to a surface: That glue does not adhere to the wall.
    2 to obey, pay attention to: Car drivers must adhere to the rules of driving or be punished. -n. adhesion.
adherence
adherence
  1. n.frml. [U]
    1 ability to hold, such as glue,
    THESAURUS
    adhesion: The glue does not have enough adherence to stick to the surface of the wall.
    2 attention to laws, rules, etc.,
    THESAURUS
    obedience: He pays strict adherence to the rules in his work.
adherent
adherent
  1. n.frml. a believer, member: She is an adherent of Christianity (Judaism, Islam, etc.).
adhesive
adhesive
  1. adj. able to stick or join s.t. to s.t. else: I used adhesive tape to stick a note on the door. —n. a substance that sticks: Glue is an adhesive.
adjacent
adjacent
  1. adj. next to,
    THESAURUS
    neighboring: We live in the house adjacent to the church.
adjective
adjective
  1. n. a word that describes a noun: In the sentence "The boy made a large sandwich," the word "large" is an adjective. -adj. adjectival.
adjoin
adjoin
  1. v.frml. [T] to be next to,
    THESAURUS
    to abut: The bathroom adjoins the bedroom.
adjourn
adjourn
  1. v. [T] to stop a meeting for a while,
    THESAURUS
    to recess: The judge adjourned the trial so people could go to lunch. -n. [C;U] adjournment.
adjunct
adjunct
  1. n. an addition or attachment that is often not essential: That small building is an adjunct to the main library. —adj. attached to, connected: She is an adjunct professor at the law school; she's a lawyer and teaches one class a year.
adjust
adjust
  1. v.
    1 [I] to feel comfortable: I adjusted to the increased work load when my coworker went on vacation.
    2 [T] to change: I adjusted the air conditioner to stay cool.
    3 [T] to fix, repair: The mechanic adjusted the engine to make it work better. -adj. adjustable.
    THESAURUS
    adjust
    1 to adapt, become accustomed to | acclimate frml.
    2 to regulate (temperature) | modify (one's writing, one's behavior)
    3 to fine tune, tweak. Ant. to leave alone.
adjustment
adjustment
  1. n.
    1 [U] a change in feeling or behavior,
    THESAURUS
    an adaptation: I made the adjustment to life in the big city when I moved to Chicago.
    2 [C] a small change,
    THESAURUS
    a modification: The store made an adjustment to the price of meat by lowering it.
administer
administer
  1. v. [T]
    1 to give, (syns.) to dispense, mete out: The doctor administered medicine to the patient.
    2 to manage, supervise: She administered the committee meeting to make sure that everything worked smoothly. -v. [T] administrate.
administration
administration
  1. n.
    1 [C] in the USA, the executive branch of the federal government, esp. the President: The administration in Washington is usually criticized by the newspapers and TV.
    2 [U] control of the business, management: The administration of a company requires hard work.
administrative
administrative
  1. adj. managing, controlling the business of: The administrative work in the company is done by four men and women. -adv. administratively.
administrative assistant
administrative assistant
  1. n. a secretary who performs many clerical tasks: I work with an administrative assistant who answers the phone and organizes meetings for me.
administrator
administrator
  1. n. a person who supervises or manages: She is an administrator in the Department of Health.
admirable
admirable
  1. adj. worthy of approval or respect: The way she manages her company is admirable. -adv. admirably.
admiral
admiral
  1. n. the highest rank of naval officers: He is an admiral in the US Navy.
admiration
admiration
  1. n. [U] an attitude of approval or respect,
    THESAURUS
    awe: I have great admiration for the way he plays football.
admire
admire
  1. v. [T] -mired, -miring, -mires
    1 to respect, approve of: I admire how well she speaks English.
    2 to like, be pleased by s.t.: He admires her good looks.
    THESAURUS
    admire
    1 to think highly of s.o./s.t. Ants. to disrespect, hold a low opinion of.
    2 to be
    THESAURUS
    attracted to (a man/woman | nice things). Ant. to dislike.
admirer
admirer
  1. n. a person who thinks highly of another: He is an admirer of her fine writing.
admissible
admissible
  1. adj.
    1 (in law) according to rules, acceptable: The judge ruled that what the witness to the crime said is admissible in the court.
    2 allowable, following standards of good behavior: His jokes were admissible but not really proper.
admission
admission
  1. n.
    1 [U] entrance fee, the right to enter a place: Admission to the concert was $10 per person.
    2 [U] acceptance at a university or school: She was offered admission to the local university.
    3 [C] revealing s.t. secret, confession: He made an admission that he had stolen a candy bar. See: admittance.
admit
admit
  1. v. [I;T] -mitted, -mitting, -mits
    1 to confess, reveal s.t. held secret: He admitted that he had made a mistake.
    2 to allow to enter, pass through: We were admitted to the party by the hostess herself.
    3 to admit to s.t.: to accept responsibility: She admitted to stealing the money.
admittance
admittance
  1. n.frml. [U] entrance,
    THESAURUS
    admission: Admittance to the movie is only half price on Mondays. See: admission.
admittedly
admittedly
  1. adv. clearly, obviously: Admittedly, I made a mistake, and I'm sorry.
admonish
admonish
  1. v.frml. [T]
    1 to warn,
    THESAURUS
    to caution: The boy's mother admonished him to be careful crossing streets.
    2 to criticize,
    THESAURUS
    to scold: When he behaves badly, she admonishes him. -n.frml.[C;U] admonition.
adobe
adobe
  1. n. [U]
    1 a building material made of clay and straw hardened in the sunlight: We lived in New Mexico in a house made of adobe.
    2 a style of houses and other buildings common in the American Southwest.
adolescence
adolescence
  1. n. [U] the teenage years between puberty and adulthood: During her adolescence, she argued a lot with her parents.
adolescent
adolescent
  1. n.adj. a teenager, esp. ages 13-17: The person you are looking for is an adolescent (or) an adolescent boy of 15.
adopt
adopt
  1. v. [T]
    1 to take legal responsibility for acting as parents to a child: We adopted two children whose parents were killed in an accident.
    2 (in law) to make into a law: The legislature adopted a law to stop the sale of guns.
    3 to copy: The boy adopts the same way of talking that his father has.
    THESAURUS
    adopt
    1 to become the legal parent of
    2 to enact | formally approve s.t. (legislation)
    3 to imitate. Ant. to reject.
adoption
adoption
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 (in law) taking legal responsibility for parenting: The process of adoption can be lengthy.
    2 to put s.o. up for adoption: to offer a child or an animal for others to adopt: The young mother put her child up for adoption.
adoptive
adoptive
  1. adj. (in law) related to adoption as parent or child: The girl's adoptive parents take good care of her.
adorable
adorable
  1. adj. lovable, cute,
    THESAURUS
    darling: That little girl is just adorable! -adv. adorably.
adoration
adoration
  1. n. [U]
    1 religious worship,
    THESAURUS
    veneration: Adoration of God is an act of religious faith.
    2 frml. love,
    THESAURUS
    infatuation: She was so beautiful that she was an object of adoration by many men.
adore
adore
  1. v. [T] adored, adoring, adores
    1 to worship as a god or God, to love deeply: He simply adores his wife.
    2 fig. to like very much: I just adore roses!
    THESAURUS
    adore
    1 to idolize, revere, like very much | (religion) to worship, venerate frml.
    2 to relish, delight in. Ant. to hate.
adorn
adorn
  1. v.frml. [T]
    1 to make beautiful, to decorate: She adorned the dinner table with flowers.
    2 fig. to enliven,
    THESAURUS
    to ornament: Many interesting people adorned the party. -n.[C;U] adornment.
adrenaline
adrenaline
  1. n. [U] a natural chemical produced by the body because of danger or anger that makes one ready to fight or run away: That was some argument; your adrenaline was really flowing!
adrift
adrift
  1. adj.
    1 frml. without power and floating helplessly: The motor on our boat died, leaving us adrift in a calm sea.
    2 fig. without purpose, confused: The young man seems adrift in life, unsure of what to do.
adroit
adroit
  1. adj.frml. skillful, clever: She is adroit at getting people to do what she wants. -adv. adroitly.
adulation
adulation
  1. n.frml. [U] extreme praise, worship: The actor enjoyed the adulation of his audience. -v. [T] adulate.
adult
adult
  1. n. a person or animal who has finished growing physically and mentally: At 21 years of age, he is now an adult. —adj.
    1 able to make one's own decisions, mature: Her adult behavior made her parents feel she was ready to rent her own apartment.
    2 showing or using sex, violence, or dirty language: That nightclub features adult entertainment, such as nude dancing. -n. [U] adulthood .
    THESAURUS
    adult n. a grown-up | man | woman. Ant. child. —adj.
    1 self-directing, self-sufficient
    2 pornographic | obscene. Ant. childlike.
adulterate
adulterate
  1. v. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates to mix with harmful or unwanted substances: The orange juice was adulterated with insect poison. -n. [U] adulteration.
adultery
adultery
  1. n. [U] sex between a married person and s.o. other than his or her spouse: He committed adultery and his wife left him. -n. adulterer; (female) adulteress ; -adj. adulterous.
advance
advance
  1. n.
    1 an improvement,
    THESAURUS
    a breakthrough: New advances in medicine improve the quality of health care.
    2 a forward movement: Troops made an advance into enemy territory.
    3 an attempt at sexual contact, a pass: The young man made advances to the woman by asking if he could buy her a drink.
    4 a payment made to a writer before his or her book is published —v. -vanced, -vancing, -vances
    1 [I] to move forward: The hikers advanced up the mountain.
    2 [I;T] to improve, progress: Medical science advances by finding new treatments and medicines.
    3 [T] to make an early payment: My company advanced me a week's salary when I had to pay for emergency car repair.
    THESAURUS
    advance n.
    1 progress, innovation. Ants. a setback, decline.
    2 a thrust, an offensive. Ant. a retreat. —v.
    1 to progress. Ants. to retreat | be set back.
    2 to innovate.
advanced
advanced
  1. adj. difficult, complex: He took advanced courses in mathematics.
advancement
advancement
  1. n. [U]
    1 success, getting ahead, esp. in a career, promotion: His job advancement was rapid, with three promotions in five years.
    2 [C;U] progress, improvement: The advancement of medicine is based on discovering new medicines and techniques.
advantageous
advantageous
  1. adj. good to do,
    THESAURUS
    beneficial: I found it advantageous to combine a business trip with a vacation. -adv. advantageously.
advent
advent
  1. n.frml. [U] beginning,
    THESAURUS
    outset: Since the advent of modern science, many wonderful discoveries have been made.
adventure
adventure
  1. n. an exciting time (incident, event),
    THESAURUS
    an exploit: Our camping trip turned into an adventure when we became lost and had to be rescued.
adventurer
adventurer
  1. n. a person who looks for adventure: Most mountain climbers are adventurers, for they often must face danger.
adventurous
adventurous
  1. adj.
    1 daring, bold: She is an adventurous young woman who rode across the country alone on a motorcycle.
    2 exciting,
    THESAURUS
    stimulating: She had an adventurous time. -adv. adventurously.
adverb
adverb
  1. n. a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb: The word "truly" in the sentence "I can truly say I like her" is an adverb. -adj. adverbial.
adversarial
adversarial
  1. adj. against s.o., opposing: The two leaders are in adversarial positions over how to handle the problem.
adversary
adversary
  1. n. -ries an opponent,
    THESAURUS
    a foe: Two politicians (boxers, teams, etc.) are adversaries in the election.
adverse
adverse
  1. adj.
    1 angry,
    THESAURUS
    hostile: The politician has suffered adverse criticism in the newspapers.
    2 difficult, unfavorable: He lost all of his money and now lives in adverse circumstances as a poor man. -adv. adversely.
adversity
adversity
  1. n. -ties
    1 [C] bad luck,
    THESAURUS
    misfortune: She has suffered much adversity in her life.
    2 [U] a difficult situation (poverty, illness, etc.): She lives in adversity as a result of losing her job.
advertise
advertise
  1. v. -tised, -tising, -tises
    1 [I] to sell,
    THESAURUS
    to promote a product or service: Our company advertises on television and in newspapers.
    2 fig. [T] to announce, make known publicly: He advertised the fact that he is getting promoted.
advertisement
advertisement
  1. n. a notice of a product or service: We place advertisements about our products in the newspapers every week. See: commercial, USAGE NOTE.
advertising
advertising
  1. n. [U] the field of making print, radio, or TV descriptions to promote products and services: My friend who works in advertising makes TV commercials. —adj. related to advertising: She is an advertising manager at a big company.
advice
advice
  1. n. [U]
    1 opinion(s) given to s.o. about what to do: She took my advice and did not drop out of school.
    2 direction, warning: On the advice of her doctor, she no longer smokes cigarettes.
    THESAURUS
    advice
    1 guidance, useful suggestion, recommendation
    2 professional opinion (doctor, lawyer).
advisable
advisable
  1. adj. strongly suggested for good reasons, recommended: It is advisable that you do your homework.
advise
advise
  1. v. -vised, -vising, -vises [I;T]
    1 to give s.o. an opinion about what to do: My teacher advised me to go to college.
    2 to caution, warn: His doctor advises him not to take his medicine with alcohol.
    THESAURUS
    advise
    1 to counsel, suggest, recommend
    2 to counsel, urge (by a doctor/lawyer).
advised
advised
  1. adj. informed, notified: Please be advised that your rent is due.
advisor or adviser
advisor or adviser
  1. n. a person who gives opinions to s.o. on what to do,
    THESAURUS
    a counselor: My college advisor said I should take courses in mathematics.
advisory
advisory
  1. adj. helping by giving opinions,
    THESAURUS
    guiding: The personnel manager has an advisory role with company employees.
advocate
advocate
  1. n.
    1 a worker for a cause, a supporter: He is an advocate of human rights.
    2 an attorney, lawyer: She is an advocate for the poor. —v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to propose or support an idea: She advocates lower taxes. -n. advocacy.
aegis
aegis
  1. n. control,
    THESAURUS
    sponsorship: That school is operated under the aegis of a religious group.
aerial
aerial
  1. adj. taking place in the air: The airplane did aerial tricks such as flying upside down. -n. aerialist.
aerobic
aerobic
  1. adj. of hard exercise, such as running or swimming, that conditions the heart and lungs: He does an aerobic workout for 30 minutes four times per week.
aerodynamic
aerodynamic
  1. adj.
    1 of the science of air flowing against and over objects
    2 having the ability to move (through the air) smoothly: Automobiles with good aerodynamic designs save fuel. -adv. aerodynamically; -n. aerodynamics.
aerospace
aerospace
  1. n.
    1 the air surrounding the earth
    2 the earth's atmosphere and outer space —adj. related to flight in outer space: The country's aerospace program has made much progress.
aesthetic
aesthetic
  1. adj. related to understanding and liking beauty and art: As an artist, she has a well-developed aesthetic sense. -adv. aesthetically; -n. [U] aestheticism.
aesthetics
aesthetics
  1. n.pl. used with a sing. v.
    1 the study or philosophy of beauty and art: I took a course in aesthetics last semester.
    2 a sense of beauty: The carpenters just want to build the house and not worry about its aesthetics.
afar
afar
  1. adv.frml. a long way away: We had visitors who came from afar.
affable
affable
  1. adj.frml. friendly,
    THESAURUS
    approachable: He is an affable man, always willing to stop and talk. -adv. affably.
affect
affect
  1. v. [T]
    1 to change: Very hot weather affects my sleeping habits.
    2 to touch one's emotions: His mother's death deeply affected him.
    3 to behave in a fake way: She affects a French accent, but she doesn't speak French.
    THESAURUS
    affect v.
    1 to influence, have an impact on
    2 to have an emotional effect on, touch s.o. (emotionally), move s.o.
    3 to pretend. Ant. to bore.

    USAGE NOTE: The verb affect means to have an influence or cause a change. The noun effect means the result of this change: The flood affected the town. The effects were homelessness and disease. See: effect.
affectation
affectation
  1. n. [C;U] false behavior,
    THESAURUS
    pretension: He speaks with a British accent, but that is just an affectation, because he's not British.
affection
affection
  1. n. [U]
    1 a feeling close to love, warmth for s.o.: He feels affection for his grandchildren.
    2 tender actions, such as hugging and kind words: The child needs his mother's affection.
    THESAURUS
    affection
    1 love, tender feelings
    2 hug(ging), kiss(ing), caress(ing). Ant. hate.
affectionate
affectionate
  1. adj. loving, warm: She is an affectionate child and loves to be hugged and kissed. -adv. affectionately.
affidavit
affidavit
  1. n. a written statement that a person swears is true before a notary public or other official: I gave an affidavit to the judge about the accident I witnessed.
affiliate
affiliate
  1. n. a business or person associated with another business or person: Our New York company has an affiliate in Los Angeles. —v. [I] -ated, -ating, -ates to join with, become part of: We became affiliated with this company last year.
affiliation
affiliation
  1. n. [C;U] an association, relationship: There is no affiliation between our organization and theirs, even though our names are similar.
affinity
affinity
  1. n.frml. -ties
    1 [C] a liking, attraction to: He has an affinity for fine food.
    2 [C;U] a likeness, similarity: You can see the affinity in appearance between mother and daughter.
affirm
affirm
  1. v. [T] to repeat s.t. as being true, to confirm: He affirmed his plan to make payments on time. -n.[C;U] affirmation.
affirmative
affirmative
  1. adj. positive, saying "yes": He replied in the affirmative to my question. -adv. affirmatively.
affirmative action
affirmative action
  1. n. [U] employment practices that look for and encourage minorities, women, and the handicapped to apply for jobs: Our company has an affirmative action program to avoid discrimination in hiring.
affix
affix
  1. v.frml. [T] -ed, -fixing, -fixes to put on, attach: He affixed the sign to the wall.
afflict
afflict
  1. v.frml. [T] to cause pain, make suffer: Disease and poverty afflict many people. -n.[C;U] affliction.
affluence
affluence
  1. n. [U] wealth,
    THESAURUS
    prosperity: There is a lot of affluence in this part of the state because it has many businesses.
affluent
affluent
  1. adj. wealthy,
    THESAURUS
    prosperous: He is an affluent man. —n.pl. prosperous people: The affluent are located mainly in towns near big cities. -adv. affluently.
afford
afford
  1. v. [T]
    1 to be able to pay for s.t. without difficulty: We can't afford that expensive car.
    2 to risk: He can't afford to travel alone for fear of being kidnapped.
    3 frml. to provide, give: The tall building affords a beautiful view of the ocean.
affordable
affordable
  1. adj. capable of being paid for without difficulty, not too expensive: There are few affordable apartments in big cities.
affront
affront
  1. n.frml. an insult,
    THESAURUS
    an outrage: His refusal to see me was an affront. —v. frml. [T] to insult,
    THESAURUS
    to offend: I was affronted by his actions.
afield
afield
  1. adv. away, esp. from a familiar area: Once he starts talking, he will go far afield from his original topic.
afire
afire
  1. adj. on fire, burning,
    THESAURUS
    ablaze: The house is afire!
aflame
aflame
  1. adj.
    1 ablaze, in flames: The curtains are aflame!
    2 fig. full of emotion,
    THESAURUS
    impassioned: Her heart is aflame with love for him.
afloat
afloat
  1. adj. on or above the water: The boat is afloat in the lake. —adv. fig. not in bad trouble, surviving: His business is having difficulty, but it is staying afloat.
afoot
afoot
  1. adj.adv.
    1 on foot
    2 fig. happening, esp. s.t. dishonest, negative, or strange: There's s.t. afoot here, but I don't know what it is.
aforementioned
aforementioned
  1. adj.frml. stated before, said earlier in writing or speech: The aforementioned person was at the scene of the accident.
afraid
afraid
  1. adj.
    1 fearful: The child is afraid of dogs.
    2 feeling sorry, not wanting to tell s.o. s.t.: I'm afraid that I have bad news for you.
    THESAURUS
    afraid
    1 (to be) frightened about s.t., scared, apprehensive. Ant. brave.
    2 worried, hesitant, concerned about.
afresh
afresh
  1. adv. from the beginning,
    THESAURUS
    anew: I wrote a letter that I didn't like, so I started afresh on a new one.
after
after
  1. prep.
    1 in back of, behind: I told my dog to stay home, but he followed after me.
    2 in search of, toward: A police officer chased after the criminal.
    3 later in time: We had dinner after the movie. —conj. later than: She arrived at the party after I did. —adv. after all or after all is said and done: all things considered: He should do well at college; after all, he is a very smart boy.
aftereffect
aftereffect
  1. n. a problem directly resulting from an experience: He was at a party all night and felt the aftereffects, a headache and a stomach ache, the next day.
afterlife
afterlife
  1. n. [U] life after death: People of many religions believe in an afterlife.
aftermath
aftermath
  1. n. [U] the usu. bad result, or
    THESAURUS
    consequence, of s.t.: In the aftermath of the hurricane, many people's homes were destroyed.
afternoon
afternoon
  1. n. the time between noon and evening: At school, we play sports in the afternoon.
afterthought
afterthought
  1. n. idea(s) that s.o. thinks of after an event: After he wrote the report, he had several afterthoughts that were too late to put in it.
afterward
afterward
  1. or afterwards adv. after an event,
    THESAURUS
    subsequently: We went for a walk, and afterward we ate lunch.
again
again
  1. adv.
    1 another time, once more: Oh, it's raining again!
    2 again and again: repeatedly, frequently: I've told you again and again not to spend so much money!
against
against
  1. prep.
    1 touching, next to, near: The bookshelves are against the wall.
    2 in strong contact with: Hurricane winds hit against the buildings.
    3 in opposition to, feeling negative toward: The people voted against that new tax.
    4 subtracted from: I wrote two checks against my bank account.
    5 as against: in comparison to: I like my new car, as against the old one which did not run well.
age
age
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] how many years s.o. has lived: The boy is 15 years of age.
    2 [U] a time period in life: Middle age starts after 40.||That lady died of old age, not disease.
    3 [C] a historical time period: The ancient Greeks spoke of a Golden Age. —v. [I]
    1 to grow older: He is 60 years old but has aged well.
    2 to ripen, mature: Wine ages in barrels before it is put into bottles.
    THESAURUS
    age n.
    1 longevity | childhood, adolescence, young adult(hood), maturity
    2 childhood, youth, adulthood, maturity, middle age
    3 era, epoch, millennium. —v.
    1 to mature | get along in years
    2 to mellow with age (old people | wine, cheese).
age of consent
age of consent
  1. n. the legal age at which a person may agree to have sex: The age of consent in this state is 18.
agency
agency
  1. n. -cies
    1 a part of government: The Environmental Protection Agency tries to stop pollution.
    2 a type of business that helps people do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    a bureau: She found a job through an employment agency.
agenda
agenda
  1. n.
    1 a list of topics to be talked about: The three-day meeting of scientists covered a long agenda.
    2 a calendar or date book.
agent
agent
  1. n.
    1 a person who does business for others, representative: A travel agent makes airline and hotel reservations.||She is a literary agent who represents authors.
    2 a spy or special government employee: He is an FBI agent.
    3 a person or thing that causes an effect: People use chemical agents to clean things.
    THESAURUS
    agent
    1 a negotiator, intermediary
    3 a force/power (an agent of change).
aggravate
aggravate
  1. v. [T] -vated, -vating, -vates
    1 to irritate, annoy: He aggravates me by complaining all the time.
    2 to worsen,
    THESAURUS
    to exacerbate: I hurt my foot, then aggravated it by trying to walk on it too soon. -n. aggravation. See: angry, USAGE NOTE.
aggregate
aggregate
  1. n.[C;U] adj.v. -gated, -gating, -gates
    1 s.t. made of separate parts: The population of Los Angeles is an aggregate of people from nearly all the world's countries.
    2 in the aggregate: with all things considered: In the aggregate, I am happy with my life at this moment. -n. [U] aggregation.
aggression
aggression
  1. n. [U] unfriendly or harmful action against s.o.: He committed an act of aggression by walking up to the man and hitting him. -n. aggressor.
aggressive
aggressive
  1. adj.
    1 unfriendly,
    THESAURUS
    hostile: That dog always barks at strangers; he's very aggressive.
    2 competitive,
    THESAURUS
    assertive: Our company has several aggressive salespeople. -adv. aggressively; -n. aggressiveness.
aggrieved
aggrieved
  1. adj. wronged, esp. in a moral or legal way, mistreated: She is the aggrieved person whose fiancé did not show up for their wedding.
aghast
aghast
  1. adj. shocked, esp. with one's mouth open in surprise,
    THESAURUS
    horrified: He was aghast when he learned that all his retirement money was lost.
agile
agile
  1. adj. quick and skillful in moving,
    THESAURUS
    nimble: She is such an agile dancer! -adv. agilely; -n. [U] agility.
aging
aging
  1. n.
    1 the process of growing old: His aging does not permit him to work anymore.
    2 the process of growing mature or ripe: Wine growers put wine in a cellar for aging.
agitate
agitate
  1. v. -tated, -tating, -tates
    1 [I] to argue or fight for a cause,
    THESAURUS
    to incite: He is a politician who agitates constantly for change.
    2 [T] to irritate, disturb: Bad news agitates me. -n. [U] (act) agitation ; [C] (person) agitator.
aglitter
aglitter
  1. adj. shining brightly,
    THESAURUS
    sparkling: At night, the New York City skyline is aglitter with lights in tall buildings.
aglow
aglow
  1. adj.
    1 frml. giving off (light, warmth),
    THESAURUS
    radiating: The wood stove is aglow with heat.
    2 fig. happy,
    THESAURUS
    delighted: He is aglow with the feeling of success.
agnostic
agnostic
  1. n.adj. s.o. who believes God may exist but is unknowable: He was an agnostic until he was cured of cancer; then he became very religious. -n. [U] agnosticism.
ago
ago
  1. adv. in the past,
    THESAURUS
    previously: We met for the first time five years ago.
agonize
agonize
  1. v. [I] -nized, -nizing, -nizes
    1 to suffer great pain: He broke his leg and agonized for hours before s.o. found him.
    2 to suffer mental or emotional pain about s.t.: She agonized for days over whether to take a job in another city.
agonizing
agonizing
  1. n. [U] adj. the suffering of physical pain or indecision: He did a lot of agonizing before deciding to quit his job; it was an agonizing decision for him. -adv. agonizingly.
agony
agony
  1. n. [C;U] -nies great pain: She burned herself on the stove and was in agony.
agrarian
agrarian
  1. adj.frml. related to farming and farmland: People are leaving an agrarian way of life to go to the city. -n. [U] agrarianism.
agree
agree
  1. v. agreed, agreeing, agrees
    1 [I] to have the same idea or opinion: He agreed with what I said.
    2 [T] to approve, esp. after disagreeing: He agreed to buy the more expensive watch.
    THESAURUS
    agree
    1 to think alike | concur
    2 to consent to s.t. | OK/okay infrml. Ant. to disagree.
agreeable
agreeable
  1. adj.
    1 willing,
    THESAURUS
    amenable: The buyer is agreeable to paying the price that we asked.
    2 friendly,
    THESAURUS
    congenial: He is an agreeable man who always wants to make people happy. -adv. agreeably.
agreed
agreed
  1. adj.
    1 accepted, approved: Are you willing to pay that price? Yes, agreed.
    2 acceptable to everyone involved,
    THESAURUS
    in accord: I will pay the agreed-upon price.
agreement
agreement
  1. n.
    1 [C] a decision between two or more people, an understanding: We have an agreement not to talk about certain things.
    2 [C] a written arrangement: We reached an agreement and signed it yesterday.
    3 to be in agreement: sharing the same view or opinion
    THESAURUS
    agreement
    1 a mutual understanding, having like thoughts, accord
    2 a deal, contract. Ant. disagreement.
agriculture
agriculture
  1. n. [U] the science of growing food: Agriculture is a big business in North America. -adj. agricultural.
aground
aground
  1. adv.adj. stuck on or in sand, soil, rocks, etc.: Our ship ran aground on some rocks in the fog; it was aground for several hours.
ah
ah
  1. exclam. expression of surprise, disgust, pain, understanding, pleasure, etc.: (disgust) Ah! This is a waste of time!||(pleasure) Ahhhhh! The taste of a cold beer on a hot day is great!
ahead
ahead
  1. adv.
    1 forward: The traffic is bad, but I am moving ahead slowly.
    2 in the distance: There is a car accident ahead causing this traffic jam.
    3 to a better position: She works very hard to get ahead in life. —prep. ahead of: in front of: He stepped ahead of everyone else in line.
ahoy
ahoy
  1. exclam. (among sailors) a greeting, upon sighting another ship
aid
aid
  1. v. [T] to help financially or physically, to assist: I aided my friend by giving him some money. —n.
    1 [U] help, assistance: The Red Cross gives aid in the form of both money and material goods to those in need of it.
    2 [C] s.t. useful, such as tools or other equipment: A computer is an aid in writing.||She doesn't hear well and wears a hearing aid.
    THESAURUS
    aid v. to support, lend a hand to s.o. | provide money (or) credit. Ant. to hinder —n.
    1 support. aide or aid -n. a helper, assistant: She is a nurse's aide.
aide or aid
aide or aid
  1. n. a helper, assistant: She is a nurse's aide.
ail
ail
  1. v. [T]
    1 to be sick,
    THESAURUS
    to suffer illness: The patient is ailing from his fever.
    2 to be bothered by s.t., to be annoyed: I wonder what's ailing him today; he's so irritable.
ailment
ailment
  1. n. an illness, esp. a lasting condition: His ailments include a mild heart condition and arthritis.
aim
aim
  1. v.
    1 [T] to direct s.t., such as a gun or ball, at a certain point: He aimed the basketball at the net and shot the ball.
    2 fig. [I] to direct one's words or actions toward a person or group: The boss's comments were aimed at you.
    3 [I] to plan to do s.t.: She aims to go to college.
    THESAURUS
    aim
    1 to point (weapon)
    2 to address (one's comments to)
    3 to intend, have as a goal.
aimlessly
aimlessly
  1. adv.
    1 without purpose: She talked aimlessly, because she disliked silence.
    2 without direction: He walked around aimlessly trying to find a way out of the woods.||He went aimlessly through life. -adj. aimless.
ain't
ain't
  1. infrml.slang contr. of is not or are not: I (we, they, he, etc.) ain't ready to leave yet.

    USAGE NOTE: Ain't is common in some dialects of English: She ain't here yet.||I ain't seen her. Most people avoid using it in school or business situations.
air-condition
air-condition
  1. v. [T] to cool the air with an air conditioner; to install an air-conditioning system: We air-conditioned our house to stay cool during the hot summer. -n.(machine) air conditioner.
air-conditioning
air-conditioning
  1. n. [U] a machine or a system used to cool air in buildings
air
air
  1. n. [U]
    1 the gases that surround the earth and the gas we breathe: The air in the countryside is cleaner than the air of the city.
    2 the actions or appearance: She has the air of a lady.
    3 n.pl. false behavior: He sometimes puts on airs pretending that he's rich, when he is not.
    4 in the air: a general feeling, scent: Spring is in the air.
    5 on or off the air: to start or stop showing or playing on TV or radio: My favorite radio station goes on the air at 5:00 A.M. and goes off the air at 1:00 P.M.
    6 to be full of hot air: to speak foolishness, nonsense: He doesn't know what he's talking about; he's full of hot air.
    7 to take the air: to go for a walk: It's hot in here; I think I'll take the air.
    8 to walk on air: to be very happy,
    THESAURUS
    elated: When she heard about her acceptance to college, she was walking on air for days.
    9 up in the air: undecided,
    THESAURUS
    uncertain: We planned on leaving tomorrow, but our plans are up in the air because I feel sick. —v. [T]
    1 to put out in the air, esp. to dry or freshen: He hung his clothes in the yard to air.
    2 to speak about: He aired his feelings about love and marriage.
    3 to show or play on television or radio: Channel 7 aired a show about lions in Africa.
    THESAURUS
    air n.
    1 atmosphere | wind, breeze
    2 the manner
    3 affectations. —v.
    1 to ventilate (a room). Ant. to stagnate
    2 to express to others (feelings, beliefs)
    3 to broadcast. Ant. to remain silent.
air force
air force
  1. n. the part of a nation's military force that flies planes: The air force flies planes around the country's border.
air raid
air raid
  1. n. an attack by military airplanes dropping bombs and shooting at a ground target
airborne
airborne
  1. adj. moving in the air: Our plane has lifted off the runway and is now airborne.
aircraft
aircraft
  1. n. -craft an airplane, glider, or other flight vehicle: The Air Force maintains many kinds of aircraft.
aircraft carrier
aircraft carrier
  1. n. a large ship that acts as a military airport at sea: The aircraft carrier has 5,000 workers and 50 airplanes.
airfare
airfare
  1. n. the cost of an airline ticket
airfield
airfield
  1. n. an area from which airplanes take off and land, usu. smaller than an airport and without buildings
airing
airing
  1. n. [C;U] public discussion: Politicians gave the matter of a new health care plan an airing on television.
airlift
airlift
  1. n. a system that delivers goods or people by airplane: The government ordered an airlift of medical and food supplies to the disaster area because the roads were destroyed.
airline
airline
  1. n. a business that carries passengers and cargo by airplane: Airlines compete with each other for passengers.
airliner
airliner
  1. n. an airplane made especially to carry passengers, baggage, and light cargo
airmail
airmail
  1. n. [U] adj. letters, packages, etc. shipped by air: A letter sent airmail will get to Europe quickly.
airplane
airplane
  1. n. a machine for flying passengers or goods: The airplane allows people to travel large distances quickly.
airport
airport
  1. n. a place where planes take off and land with buildings for passengers and cargo
airs
airs
  1. n.pl. See: air, n., 3.
airspace
airspace
  1. n. the sky above a country: The nation reported that a foreign aircraft was in its airspace.
airstrip
airstrip
  1. n. a small path or field for planes to take off and land: We flew over the jungle to an airstrip near a river.
airtight
airtight
  1. adj.
    1 not allowing air to enter or leave s.t., sealed: The fish is packed in airtight cans.
    2 fig. completely believable, able to be proved: The police officer has an airtight case against the criminal.
airtime
airtime
  1. n. [U]
    1 the amount of time a pilot spends flying in the air: Student pilots must put in a lot of airtime before getting licensed.
    2 the amount of time that a radio or TV show is on the air: The government hearings on crime used a lot of airtime on TV.
airwaves
airwaves
  1. n.pl. all radio and television signals as a group: News that the war had ended was sent out over the airwaves.
airy
airy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest open,
    THESAURUS
    breezy: All the windows were open, giving the house an airy feeling. -adv. airily.
aisle
aisle
  1. n. a long open path between rows of seats: We walked down the aisle to our seats in the theater.
ajar
ajar
  1. adj. slightly open: The door was ajar, so the cat was able to come in.
akin
akin
  1. adj. like, similar to: He writes romantic adventure stories akin to those of earlier writers.
alarm
alarm
  1. n.
    1 [C] a warning device, such as a bell, siren, or buzzer: A prisoner set off an alarm as she tried to escape.
    2 [C] a warning call or signal: A guard shouted an alarm as he saw the prisoner running away.
    3 [U] shock, fear: The other guards saw the escape with alarm. —v. [T] to warn, signal danger: The escape of the dangerous prisoner alarmed people who lived in the area.
    THESAURUS
    alarm n.
    3 terror, anxiety, distress. Ant. calm.
alarm clock
alarm clock
  1. n. a clock that can be set to give a signal at a later time: I set the alarm clock to wake me up at 7:00 A.M.
alarmist
alarmist
  1. n. a person who gives others false or misleading alarms: She always talks about the worst that can happen; she's an alarmist.
alas
alas
  1. frml. exclam. of sadness, regret, or disappointment: Alas, my love, I must leave now.
albatross
albatross
  1. n. -es
    1 a large seabird
    2 fig. a problem, s.t. stopping progress: The man cannot read, which is an albatross around his neck.
albeit
albeit
  1. conj.frml. even though, despite: Albeit difficult, the job is getting done.
albino
albino
  1. n. -nos a person or animal without skin pigment: That albino horse has a white coat and blue eyes.
album
album
  1. n.
    1 a book with blank pages for holding photographs, newspaper articles, and other things: We have a photo album full of family pictures.
    2 a collection of musical pieces: My parents have a lot of Frank Sinatra's old record albums.
alchemist
alchemist
  1. n. a scientist of the Middle Ages who tried to change other metals into gold -n. [U] alchemy.
alcohol
alcohol
  1. n. [U]
    1 a colorless liquid that can be made naturally from grains or fruits: Alcohol burns easily and can be used as a fuel.
    2 the many beverages made from grains and fruits, such as wine, vodka, and gin: You should not drink alcohol and then drive.
alcoholic
alcoholic
  1. adj. related to alcohol: The alcoholic content of some beers and wines is as high as 12-13 percent. —n. a person who has great difficulty not drinking alcohol, because he or she suffers from the disease of alcoholism: He is a recovering alcoholic; he used to drink a lot of alcohol, but now he never drinks. -n. [U] alcoholism .
    THESAURUS
    alcoholic n. a heavy drinker | drunk.
alcove
alcove
  1. n. a small, partly enclosed area that opens off a room: We eat breakfast at a table in an alcove in our kitchen.
alderman
alderman
  1. n. -men a low-level government official, esp. an elected member of a city council: My brother won an election as alderman for our area in Wyoming. -n. alderwoman.
ale
ale
  1. n. [C;U] an alcoholic beverage similar to beer but with a higher alcohol content: I sometimes enjoy a pint of ale.
alert
alert
  1. adj.
    1 aware,
    THESAURUS
    attentive: The guard stayed alert to watch for anything unusual.
    2 bright, intelligent: Their son is an alert little boy.
algae
algae
  1. n.pl. simple tiny plants that live in water: The green covering on top of the water in that pond is algae. -n.sing. alga.
algebra
algebra
  1. n. [U] a branch of mathematics using signs and symbols to represent unknown numbers in a problem: The letter x represents 4 in the algebra problem x + 3 = 7. -adj. algebraic ; -adv. algebraically.
alias
alias
  1. n.adv. -es a name used to hide one's identity, esp. by criminals, a false name,
    THESAURUS
    a pseudonym: His real name is John Smith, but he lives under an alias, Johann Schmidt.
alibi
alibi
  1. n. (in law) proof that a person was not near a crime scene and therefore could not have committed the crime: The police think that he committed the crime, but he has a good alibi proving he was out of town at the time.
alienate
alienate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to make an enemy of s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to estrange: He alienated most of his friends by drinking too much.
    2 to make one feel that one does not belong, to separate: Many people feel alienated in new places. -n. [U] alienation.
alight
alight
  1. v. [I] alighted or alit , alighting, alights to land, descend upon: A bird flew through the air and then alit on the telephone wire.
align
align
  1. v. [T]
    1 to place one or more objects in line with another: The worker aligned the chairs in straight rows in the meeting hall.
    2 to join,
    THESAURUS
    to affiliate: Two small political parties aligned themselves so that together they would have more power. -n.[C;U] alignment.
alike
alike
  1. adj. similar, comparable: The two dresses look alike in shape, length, and color.
    THESAURUS
    alike adj. identical, the same. Ant. different.
alimony
alimony
  1. n. [U] regular payments a person makes to his or her former spouse: He paid alimony to his former wife until she married again.
alive
alive
  1. adj.
    1 living, functioning: After the accident, he was barely alive.
    2 fig. energetic, full of life: The football stadium is alive with excitement.
all-around
all-around
  1. adj. complete, total: He is an all-around athlete who can play many sports very well. See: well-rounded.
all-inclusive
all-inclusive
  1. adj. complete, including everything: The price of the vacation tour is allinclusive (of hotel, meals, and transportation).
all-purpose
all-purpose
  1. adj. with many uses: Swiss Army knives are all-purpose instruments, with a knife, screwdriver, saw, scissors, and other tools.
all-star
all-star
  1. adj. among the best players in sports or the best entertainers (movie stars, singers, etc.): The all-star football game will be played this weekend.
all-time
all-time
  1. adj.
    1 for all time, forever: The band is playing my all-time favorite song.
    2 the best, worst, highest, etc. so far: The temperature was at an all-time low last night; it has never been that cold before.
all-American
all-American
  1. adj.
    1 of an honor given to the best college athletes in the USA: He is an all-American football player from Notre Dame.
    2 a person who has all the best American qualities: She is an all-American girl. —n. a male athlete awarded such an honor: He is an all-American from Notre Dame.
all
all
  1. adj.
    1 of a total: All the students (adults, citizens, etc.) came to the meeting.
    2 regarding the most of s.t.: In all honesty, I hate my job.
    3 all in: to be exhausted, totally fatigued: The runner finished the race, but afterwards he was all in. —n.
    1 all or nothing: unless s.t. is done, all will be lost: We either put more money in the business or close it; it's all or nothing.
    2 adv. all the same: no difference: It's all the same to me if he leaves or stays.
    3 infrml.fig. and all that or and all that jazz: et cetera, and all else: We moved our furniture, books, refrigerator, and all that jazz to a new apartment.
    4 on all fours: a. (people) on both hands and knees: He got down on all fours to look for the pin that he had dropped. b. (animals) on all four legs: Dogs and cats walk on all fours.
    5 the be all and end all: (usu. ironic) a total solution, ultimate happiness: My boss has bought a new computer system, which he sees as the be all and end all of his problems.
    6 to give one's all: to give one's total energy (effort, commitment): She gave her all to finish the job on time. —pron.
    1 everyone, everything: My friends and I attended a party and all had a good time.
    2 all but: most, all except: All but a few people ran toward the speaker. —adv.
    1 totally, completely: Jack was upset because he came late and the beer was all gone.
    2 for a given time period: It rained all night (day, week, etc.).
    3 all along: at the same time, for the whole time s.t. else was happening: He knew all along that he was dying of cancer, but he stayed cheerful.
    4 all at once: suddenly, abruptly: The crowd was quiet; then all at once it began to applaud.
    5 infrml. all fired up: excited,
    THESAURUS
    eager: The audience is all fired up by what the speaker has said.
    6 all in all: considering everything: It rained for a while, but all in all we had a good time at the picnic.
    7 all in good time: eventually: Don't worry; that problem will be taken care of all in good time.
    8 all of a sudden: abruptly, by total surprise: We were driving in the country when all of a sudden a deer ran across the road.
    9 all out: with total effort,
    THESAURUS
    completely dedicated: We have to go all out to finish the job on time.
    10 all over: a. everywhere, covered completely: The dog knocked over the dish, and water spilled all over. b. finished,
    THESAURUS
    terminated: Our relationship is finished; it's all over between us.
    11 all right: a. well, healthy: I feel all right today. b. OK, yes: Would you like to join us? All right. c. satisfactorily: The motor in the car works all right. d. exclam.infrml. wonderful, great: The football team scored, and a fan shouted, "All right!"
    12 vulg. all the way: (to have) sex: The couple hugged and kissed, but she refused to go all the way.
    13 all things considered: taking everything into account: We made a profit this year, so all things considered, we did well.
    14 all told: in total, in sum: All told, five thousand people were at the concert.
    15 at all: (used with a negative) totally: I don't like the way that you are behaving at all, so stop it!
allay
allay
  1. v.frml. [T] to calm, to make (fears, doubts, etc.) less strong: The leader allayed the fears of his followers by telling them success was near.
allege
allege
  1. v. [T] -leged, -leging, -leges to claim but not yet prove that s.o. has committed a crime: The police allege that man stole the car, but they must go to court to prove it. -n. allegation.
allegiance
allegiance
  1. n. [C;U] loyalty, strong feeling for a country, leader, political cause: Some schoolchildren say the Pledge of Allegiance to the US flag every morning.
allegory
allegory
  1. n. [C;U] -ries a story, poem, or play in which the people, things, and events have a secondary or symbolic meaning, usu. religious or moral -adj. allegorical ; -adv. allegorically. See: fable.
allergic
allergic
  1. adj. very sensitive to some plants, chemicals, dust, or foods: When I go near plants that I'm allergic to, I start sneezing.
allergy
allergy
  1. n. -gies an unusually high sensitivity to substances such as certain plants, chemicals, foods, animals, or dust: She has an allergy to cats that makes her sneeze.
alleviate
alleviate
  1. v.frml. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to make less difficult (painful, etc.),
    THESAURUS
    to relieve: The medicine alleviated the pain. -n. [U] alleviation.
alley
alley
  1. n. -leys
    1 a path between or behind buildings: We walked down an alley and entered the building from the back door.
    2 infrml. to be up one's alley: (to have) a job or activity that one likes very much: Using computers is right up my alley; I love them! See: blind alley.
alliance
alliance
  1. n. [C;U] a group of countries (political parties, people, etc.) joined for a purpose: The two nations formed an alliance to make peace between them. See: ally.
allied
allied
  1. adj. united, joined for a purpose
alligator
alligator
  1. n. a large animal (reptile) of the crocodile family, but with a shorter, broader head: Both alligators and crocodiles have long bodies and tails, short legs, and strong jaws with sharp teeth.
alliteration
alliteration
  1. n. [U] the repetition of the same sound, usu. at the beginning of words: The sentence,"Happy Harry hates to hurry" uses alliteration. -adj. alliterative.
allocate
allocate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to plan to use an amount of money for a specific purpose,
    THESAURUS
    to allot: The city government allocated money for schools and the police in this year's budget. -n. [U] allocation.
allot
allot
  1. v. [T] -lotted, -lotting, -lots to allocate, plan on a sum of money for a specific use: I allotted money from my household budget for a new car. -n. allotment.
allow
allow
  1. v. [T]
    1 to let, permit: We allowed our son to use the family car.
    2 to agree reluctantly: The mother allowed her children to yell and scream at the birthday party.
    3 to assign; permit a certain amount of time or money for s.t.: Allow yourself four hours to get to New York from here. -adj. allowable.
    THESAURUS
    allow
    1 to agree to, consent to. Ant. to prohibit.
allowance
allowance
  1. n.
    1 money for everyday expenses: We give our son a weekly allowance.
    2 (in business) money set aside to cover a loss or debt: We set aside an allowance for bad debts this year.
    3 to make allowances for: to forgive s.o.'s weaknesses: She made a few mistakes playing the violin, but you should make allowances for her since she's only been playing for a year.
alloy
alloy
  1. n. -loys a mixture of metals: Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.
allude
allude
  1. v.frml. [T] -luded, -luding, -ludes to talk or write about s.t. indirectly,
    THESAURUS
    to intimate: The politician alluded to the idea that she might not run for office again.
allure
allure
  1. v.frml. [T] -lured, -luring, -lures to attract with s.t. desirable,
    THESAURUS
    to tempt: He was allured by the hope of making a lot of money easily. —n. [U] attractiveness: She is a woman with great allure.
allusion
allusion
  1. n. talking or writing about s.o. or s.t. indirectly: He made an allusion to his wife without saying her name.
ally
ally
  1. n. -lies a partner, friend: The USA and Great Britain were allies in World War II. —v. [I;T] -lies to combine, unite: Several political parties allied with each other against higher taxes. See: alliance.
    THESAURUS
    ally n. supporter | friendly country. Ant. enemy.
alma mater
alma mater
  1. n.
    1 (Latin for) the university, college, or high school where one studied: My alma mater is Williams College.
    2 the school song
almanac
almanac
  1. n. a book giving the days of the year, holidays, and the times, tides, and phases of the moon: The Old Farmer's Almanac is a favorite publication of many people, esp. for its weather forecasts.
almighty
almighty
  1. adj.infrml.fig. great,
    THESAURUS
    extreme: He is always in an almighty hurry to go somewhere. —n. All Mighty God, the Supreme Deity: He prays to the All Mighty every day.
almond
almond
  1. n.
    1 a nut tree first grown in Mediterranean countries
    2 the nut itself: In California, I ate fresh almonds right off the tree! —adj. a light brown color: He wore an almond sweater.
alms
alms
  1. n.pl.frml. money, food, etc. given to poor people: The Bible speaks of giving alms to the poor.
aloft
aloft
  1. adv.
    1 in flight, in the air: All the planes are aloft.
    2 up in a ship's sails: Sailors go aloft on a ship to set the sails.
alone
alone
  1. adv.
    1 by oneself, without anyone else: He is not married and lives alone.
    2 by itself, only: The cost of the hotel alone is very high; meals and air travel cost extra.
    3 to go it alone: to act or work by oneself: She had a business partner, but she's going it alone now.
    4 to leave s.o. or s.t. alone: not to disturb or bother s.o. or s.t.: Leave me alone; I don't feel well.
    5 to leave or let well enough alone: to avoid more action on s.t.: My car works all right, so I left well enough alone and did not try to make it work better.
    THESAURUS
    alone
    1 without others. Ants. with others, socially.
    2 separately.
along
along
  1. prep.
    1 by the side of: Cars are parked along the sides of the street.
    2 in the route or path of: Trucks are moving along the highway at high speed. —adv.
    1 forward, into the future: I have to move along now; see you later.
    2 with another person: Joe brought his girlfriend along to the party.
    3 to be along: to arrive: He's left his house; he'll be along soon.
    4 phrasal v. insep. to come or go along for the ride: to go with s.o. for the fun of it: She had to take a business trip to Chicago, so she asked her husband if he would like to come along for the ride.
    5 phrasal v. insep. to get along: a. to leave: I have to get along now; see you later. b. to be friendly with, to be on good terms with: My boss and I get along just fine together.
    6 phrasal v. insep. to go along with: a. to go with s.o.: I'll go along with you to do some shopping. b. to agree with, support: He goes along with my idea of starting a new business. c. to agree reluctantly,
    THESAURUS
    to acquiesce: I didn't want to argue, so I went along with his idea.
alongside
alongside
  1. prep.adv. beside, close to: Another boat pulled alongside . The boat is now alongside our boat.
aloof
aloof
  1. adj.
    1 distant, not willing to participate: The President should remain aloof from everyday politics, but often does not.
    2 emotionally distant,
    THESAURUS
    snobbish: She acts aloof toward people because she is very shy.
aloud
aloud
  1. adv. out loud, spoken: The student read her poem aloud in class.
alpha
alpha
  1. n. the first letter of the Greek alphabet See: omega.
alphabetical
alphabetical
  1. adj. in order of the alphabet (from A to Z): He put the words in the list in alphabetical order. -adv. alphabetically; -v. [T] alphabetize.
alpine
alpine
  1. adj. of or relating to high mountains, like the Swiss Alps: We stayed in an alpine cabin for a week.
already
already
  1. adv. earlier,
    THESAURUS
    previously: The planning has already been done, so we can begin work.
alright
alright
  1. adv.infrml. all right, OK
also
also
  1. adv. in addition, too: We bought a new sofa and also a new coffee table.
    THESAURUS
    also plus, as well.
altar
altar
  1. n. a raised flat surface like a table, where religious ceremonies are performed: The priest said a prayer at the altar.
alter
alter
  1. v. [T]
    1 to change,
    THESAURUS
    to falsify: A student altered the grade on his paper to make it seem higher than it actually was.
    2 to make small changes,
    THESAURUS
    to modify: The tailor altered the waistband on my pants because it was too tight. -adj. alterable.
alter ego
alter ego
  1. n. egos
    1 another side of one's personality: Although she is usually relaxed, her alter ego sometimes gets the best of her and she becomes anxious and tense.
    2 a companion, esp. one similar in personality and looks: John seems to have Ed, his alter ego, with him wherever he goes. See: ego.
alteration
alteration
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a small change,
    THESAURUS
    a modification: The dress didn't fit, so I took it to the tailor for alterations.
    2 s.t. changed falsely,
    THESAURUS
    a deception: The alteration of the amount of money on the check was obvious.
altercation
altercation
  1. n.frml. a struggle, such as a fight; a heated argument: Two men had an altercation about who should get the parking space.
alternate
alternate
  1. n.adj. another, s.t. different: If that business does not make what we want, we can always find an alternate one that does. —v. [I;T] -nated, -nating, -nates to move or switch back and forth: We alternate between living in Florida in the winter and Maine in the summer. -n. alternation.
alternating current
alternating current
  1. See: AC, 1.
alternative
alternative
  1. n. another choice (way, means, etc.): We can take a boat to Florida or, as an alternative, we can fly. —adj. different: An alternative way would be to travel by railroad. -adv. alternatively. See: lifestyle, USAGE NOTE.
although
although
  1. conj. even though: Although he is heavy, he can still run fast.
    THESAURUS
    although though, despite the fact that.
altitude
altitude
  1. n. distance above sea level: Our airplane is flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet (10,660 meters).
alto
alto
  1. n. a low, female singing voice: She sings alto in the chorus. —adj. having an alto musical range: He plays an alto saxophone.
altogether
altogether
  1. adv.
    1 completely, totally: He is altogether wrong in what he says.
    2 in total, counting all: Altogether, 200 people attended the conference.
    3 everything considered, on the whole: Altogether, the conference went well.
altruistic
altruistic
  1. adj. giving without thinking of oneself,
    THESAURUS
    charitable: That rich woman is altruistic; she pays the expenses for poor students to go to college. -adv. altruistically; -n. [U] altruism.
aluminum
aluminum
  1. n. [U] a light-weight, silver gray metal with many uses: Beer and soda cans are made of aluminum.
alumna
alumna
  1. n. -nae a female graduate of an educational institution: She is an alumna of Yale University.
alumnus
alumnus
  1. n. -ni a male graduate of an educational institution: He is an alumnus of Harvard University.
always
always
  1. adv.
    1 forever: I will be with you always.
    2 anytime: You can always leave the party if you get tired or bored.
    3 regularly, every time: We always go to the mountains for our vacation.
    THESAURUS
    always
    1 eternally
    2 certainly
    3 consistently, continually. Ants. never | seldom.
amalgamate
amalgamate
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -mated, -mating, -mates to combine, unite: Two labor unions amalgamated into one large one. -n.[C;U] amalgamation.
amass
amass
  1. v. [T] -es to put together,
    THESAURUS
    to accumulate: Over the years, she amassed a fortune making cosmetics.
amateur
amateur
  1. n.adj. a person who does activities, such as sports, for pleasure and without pay: He is an amateur at golf, but he loves the game; he is an amateur golfer. -n. [U] amateurism.
amateurish
amateurish
  1. adj. unprofessional, poorly done: His artwork is amateurish and not good enough to sell.
amaze
amaze
  1. v. [T] amazed, amazing, amazes to favorably impress: She plays tennis so well that she amazes me! -n. [U] amazement; -adv. amazingly.
    THESAURUS
    amaze to surprise, astonish, stun, take your breath away.
ambassador
ambassador
  1. n. the highest level official who represents a government in a foreign capital city: The United States ambassador to France works in Paris. -n. ambassadorship; -adj. ambassadorial.
amber
amber
  1. n. [U] a hard, clear substance of yellow or light brown color used in making jewelry: She is wearing a pin made of amber. —adj. the color of amber
ambiance or ambience
ambiance or ambience
  1. n. [U] atmosphere, the appearance and feeling of a place: The ambiance in that hotel is one of warmth and charm. -adj. ambient.
ambidextrous
ambidextrous
  1. adj. capable of doing things equally well with either hand: He's ambidextrous and can write with either hand.
ambiguous
ambiguous
  1. adj. confusing, able to be understood in different ways: The teacher's explanation was ambiguous, so the students still didn't understand the grammar point. -adv. ambiguously; -n.[C;U] ambiguity.
ambition
ambition
  1. n.
    1 [U] desire to succeed,
    THESAURUS
    drive: He has ambition and works hard to get a salary increase.
    2 [C] a goal, objective: Her ambition is to become a chef.
ambitious
ambitious
  1. adj. wanting success: He is very ambitious and wants to make more money. -adv. ambitiously; -n. ambitiousness.
    THESAURUS
    ambitious determined, eager to succeed, driven | industrious. Ant. unambitious.
ambivalent
ambivalent
  1. adj.frml. uncertain,
    THESAURUS
    ambiguous: Although she loves the man, she is ambivalent about marrying him, because she's not sure he's right for her. -n. [U] ambivalence; -adv. ambivalently.
amble
amble
  1. v. [I] -bled, -bling, -bles to walk in a slow, easy manner,
    THESAURUS
    to stroll: The two old men ambled along toward the lake. See: walk, USAGE NOTE.
ambulance
ambulance
  1. n. a vehicle used to bring sick or injured people to a hospital: An ambulance came to the car accident in two minutes.
ambulatory
ambulatory
  1. adj.frml. walking or capable of walking: Her parents are very old but are still ambulatory.
ambush
ambush
  1. n. -es an attack made from a hidden position: A soldier hid in a tree and set an ambush for any enemy soldiers passing below. —v. [T] -ed, -ing, -es to attack from a hidden position: The mugger ambushed them from behind.
ameba
ameba
  1. n. -bas or -bae var. of amoeba -adj. amebic.
ameliorate
ameliorate
  1. v.frml. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates to lessen the difficulty of s.t., improve: The government ameliorated the lives of the poor by giving them food. -n. [U] amelioration.
amend
amend
  1. v. [T] to change (especially a rule or law),
    THESAURUS
    to modify: The politicians amended the law to provide more money. -adj. amendable. See: amends.
amendment
amendment
  1. n. a change,
    THESAURUS
    a modification: It is difficult to make amendments to the US Constitution.
amends
amends
  1. n.pl.
    1 an apology or gift to pay back for s.t. wrong that one has done: No amends could take away the pain of the insult.
    2 to make amends: to do s.t. to pay back for s.t. wrong that one has done: I promised to make amends by taking him out to dinner.
amenity
amenity
  1. n.frml.pl. -ties
    1 a pleasant, polite introduction, esp. at the beginning of a social gathering: The host of the party began with the usual amenities of introducing himself and his guests.
    2 s.t. that adds to people's comfort, convenience, and pleasure (such as a restaurant, a swimming pool, air-conditioning): The only amenity at that hotel is a swimming pool.
amethyst
amethyst
  1. n. a violet or purple semiprecious stone often used in jewelry: The amethyst was set in a pretty gold ring.
amiable
amiable
  1. adj. friendly, cheerful: The owner of this candy store is always amiable to her young customers. -n. [U] amiability ; -adv. amiably.
amicable
amicable
  1. adj. friendly, esp. in resolving a disagreement: We had an argument, but eventually reached an amicable agreement. -adv. amicably.
amid
amid
  1. prep. amidst, among, in the middle of: Amid all her other troubles, she now has a bad back.
amino acid
amino acid
  1. n. a chemical that forms into chains of protein: Amino acids are necessary to life.
amiss
amiss
  1. adj. wrong, not in order: We were worried that s.t. was amiss when we came home and found our apartment door open.
ammo
ammo
  1. n. infrml. [U] short for ammunition
ammonia
ammonia
  1. n. [U] a strong-smelling gas that, when mixed with water, is used as a cleanser: He used ammonia to wash the bathroom floor.
ammunition
ammunition
  1. n. [U] objects that can be fired from a gun or made to explode, such as bullets, cannon shells, hand grenades, etc.
amnesia
amnesia
  1. n. [U] loss of memory, usually from shock or injury: The accident victim has amnesia and can't remember her name. -n. amnesiac.
amnesty
amnesty
  1. n.[C;U] -ties a pardon for a crime, esp. for political prisoners: The government granted amnesty to all protestors.
amoeba
amoeba
  1. n. [C] -bas or -bae a tiny one-celled animal, microorganism: Amoebas do not stay one shape, but change shape as they move. -adj. amoebic.
among
among
  1. or amongst prep.
    1 included within, in the midst of: Among her many friends, John is her favorite.
    2 with each other, between: In our family, we do not argue among ourselves.
amoral
amoral
  1. adj.
    1 having no idea of or interest in what is right or wrong: He has an amoral view of life in which anything he wants to do is all right.
    2 neither moral nor immoral
amorous
amorous
  1. adj.
    1 feeling love and affection for s.o.: He is feeling amorous toward his new girlfriend.
    2 of sexual love: She rejected his amorous advances. -adv. amorously; -n. amorousness.
amorphous
amorphous
  1. adj.frml.
    1 shapeless, without clear form
    2 fig. general,
    THESAURUS
    vague: An amoeba is amorphous, changing from one shape into another.
amortize
amortize
  1. v. [T] to repay a loan in monthly payments: We amortized our $30,000 loan into $300 per month for several years.
amount
amount
  1. n. a total, sum: The amount of the bill is $100. —v. [I]
    1 to total, add up: The bill amounts to $20.
    2 to amount to s.t.: to succeed,
    THESAURUS
    to flourish: I hope that my son amounts to s.t. when he grows up.
amperage
amperage
  1. n. [U] the strength of an electrical current -abbr. amp.
ampersand
ampersand
  1. n. the sign (&), meaning "and": Many people use the ampersand in note taking and informal letter writing.
amphibian
amphibian
  1. n.
    1 a type of animal that can live both in water and on land, such as frogs, toads, and newts
    2 an airplane that can land and take off on water or land; a vehicle that can go across land and in water: The military uses amphibians for landing troops on beaches. -adj. amphibious.
amphitheater
amphitheater
  1. n. a theater or arena with a central stage or playing field with rows of seats rising above it: The Coliseum in Rome is a famous amphitheater.
ample
ample
  1. adj. more than enough, plenty: We have an ample supply of food in the house to feed our guests. -adv. amply.
amplification
amplification
  1. n.[C;U]
    1 an increase in sound level: The amplification of the sound on the stereo was too high.
    2 more information about s.t., an explanation: The teacher gave an amplification of her thoughts to the class. -v. [I;T] amplify.
amplifier
amplifier
  1. n. a device that increases an electronic signal, esp. the level of sound: The amplifier in my stereo is very powerful.
amplitude
amplitude
  1. n. [U]
    1 the size of a radio wave See: AM.
    2 frml. size, space: The football stadium has seating space of great amplitude.
amputate
amputate
  1. v. [T] to cut off surgically: The doctor amputated the patient's leg, because it was too infected to cure. -n. [C;U] amputation.
amputee
amputee
  1. n. a person with arm(s) or leg(s) removed
amuck
amuck
  1. or amok adv. to run amuck: doing damage in an angry, violent way,
    THESAURUS
    (to be) on a rampage: The elephant escaped and ran amuck, destroying the village.
amulet
amulet
  1. n. a charm or object worn around the neck to prevent evil or harm: He wore an amulet of tigers' teeth around his neck.
amuse
amuse
  1. v. [T]
    1 to please, delight: Our friend's jokes amused us all evening.
    2 to hold the attention of s.o.: The little girl amuses herself for hours by playing with her toys.
    THESAURUS
    amuse
    1 to entertain | find funny
    2 to keep busy, occupy (one's time), engross. Ant. ore.
amusement
amusement
  1. n.
    1 [U] pleasure, delight: When our friend starts to tell jokes, our amusement doesn't stop.
    2 [C;U] entertainment, fun: For amusement, we go to the movies once a week. —adj. related to pleasure and entertainment: The amusement park has camel and elephant rides.
    THESAURUS
    amusement n.
    1 enjoyment
    2 recreation. Ant. boredom.
amusing
amusing
  1. adj. causing laughter or pleasure: We found the new movie very amusing.
an
an
  1. strong form indef. article one, some: I have an idea for a good vacation; let's go to the mountains.

    USAGE NOTE: Use an before vowel sounds: an apple||an expensive gift. Use a before consonant sounds: a door||a good book. Note that the sound of the following word, not its spelling, determines whether to use a or an: an umbrella but a unit; an hour (h is silent) but a historical novel (h is sounded); a YMCA but an RV. an indef. article one, some: I have an idea for a good vacation; let's go to the mountains.

    USAGE NOTE: Use an before vowel sounds: an apple || an expensive gift. Use a before consonant sounds: a door || a good book. Note that the sound of the following word, not its spelling, determines whether to use a or an: an umbrella but a unit ; an hour (h is silent) but a historical novel (h is sounded); a YMCA but an RV .
anachronism
anachronism
  1. n. s.t. out of its time and place,
    THESAURUS
    a throwback to another era: It is almost an anachronism to use a typewriter these days, since computers are used everywhere. -adj. anachronistic ; -adv. anachronistically.
anal
anal
  1. adj. related to the anus
analgesic
analgesic
  1. n.adj. a pain-relieving drug that allows one to stay awake while it works: Aspirin is an analgesic.
analogous
analogous
  1. adj.frml. similar, nearly the same: This summer is analogous to last summer, which was also hot and rainy.
analogy
analogy
  1. n.pl. -gies a situation or story similar to another that helps one to understand: An analogy works like this: As a reservoir stores water, the mind stores knowledge.
analysis
analysis
  1. n. -ses
    1 work done to find facts and solutions to problems, a study: We did an analysis of the problem and proposed solutions to it.
    2 a written report of that study
analyst
analyst
  1. n. a person who studies and gives information about analyses: She is an economic analyst for the government.
analytic
analytic
  1. or analytical adj. having the ability to understand problems,
    THESAURUS
    insightful: She has an analytical mind and can solve problems easily. -adv. analytically.
analyze
analyze
  1. v. [T] -lyzed, -lyzing, -lyzes to examine s.t. to understand what it is and means, to study: A scientist analyzed data from a study of cancer patients.
    THESAURUS
    analyze to look closely at, evaluate. Ants. to ignore | skim, scan.
anarchism
anarchism
  1. n. [U] a political belief that there should be no government -n. anarchist.
anarchy
anarchy
  1. n. [U] a condition without governmental control, laws, military, etc.: The nation experienced anarchy after the revolution.
anathema
anathema
  1. n. [U]
    1 a curse by a religious authority
    2 s.t. that is hated: The thought of changing to another religion is anathema to many people.
anatomy
anatomy
  1. n. -mies
    1 [U] the study of the structure of living things and their parts, such as bones, nerves, etc.
    2 [C] usu. sing. the structure of a living thing: Is the anatomy of a frog similar to that of a toad? -adj. anatomical ; -adv. anatomically.
ancestor
ancestor
  1. n. the persons from whom one is descended (great-grandmother, great-grandfather, etc.): She can name her ancestors all the way back to sixteenth-century England. -adj. ancestral.
ancestry
ancestry
  1. n. [U] one's descent, heritage,
    THESAURUS
    lineage: My grandfather came from Italy, so I am of Italian ancestry.
anchor
anchor
  1. n.
    1 a heavy metal device used to keep boats from moving: Sailors put the ship's anchor into the water.
    2 s.t. that gives stability, to set or fasten s.t.: She tied rocks to the kite strings to serve as anchors on a windy day.
    3 fig. something that gives emotional or mental support: He moved around the country often, but his family was an anchor for him. —v. [T]
    1 to use an anchor,
    THESAURUS
    to moor: They anchored their ship in the harbor.
    2 to coordinate and comment on a news show in which several reporters are participating: She anchors the 6:00 news.
anchorage
anchorage
  1. n. a place where boats can be anchored,
    THESAURUS
    a mooring: We used the mouth of a river as an anchorage, and we went on land.
anchorman
anchorman
  1. n. -men a man who reports news and coordinates and comments on the reports in a news show: Stanley Stunning is the anchorman on the television news program. -n. anchorwoman.
anchovy
anchovy
  1. n. [C] -vies a small fish that is often salted: I like anchovies in my salad and on pizza.
ancient
ancient
  1. adj.
    1 very old, usu. dating from more than 5,000 years ago to the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D.: In school, we studied the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.
    2 infrml. old, uninteresting: I used to date him, but that's ancient history now.
    THESAURUS
    ancient
    1 prehistoric | antique
    2 obsolete, passé. Ants. modern | current.
ancillary
ancillary
  1. adj.frml. subordinate: The poor economic situation was an ancillary cause of the war.
and
and
  1. strong form conj.
    1 in addition, plus: She likes to fish and to play tennis.
    2 added to, plus: 20 and 20 equals 40.
    3 then, thereafter: She stopped at the store and bought some groceries.
anecdotal
anecdotal
  1. adj. related to or based on stories, reports, or observations: His manner of speaking is anecdotal; he tells lots of little stories.
anecdote
anecdote
  1. n. a short story, esp. about one's own experiences: The sailor tells amusing anecdotes about his travels around the world.
anemia
anemia
  1. n. [U] a medical condition of not having enough oxygen-carrying red cells in one's blood: Anemia can be caused by not eating the right foods. -adj. anemic.
anesthesia
anesthesia
  1. n. [U] the loss of sensation or feeling in the body, esp. as produced by a drug: The patient was under anesthesia during the operation. -n. [U] anesthesiology.
anesthetic
anesthetic
  1. n. [C;U] a substance (often a gas) used by doctors to prevent a patient from feeling pain: The patient was given an anesthetic before surgery.
anesthetist
anesthetist
  1. n. a person trained to administer anesthetic: Before the surgeon began the operation, the anesthetist gave the patient a shot to numb the patient's leg. -v. [T] anesthetize.
anew
anew
  1. adv. over again,
    THESAURUS
    afresh: His report had incorrect numbers, so he began anew and did them correctly.
angel
angel
  1. n.
    1 a spiritual being, esp. a messenger of God: Angels of many kinds are found in the Bible.
    2 fig. a term of affection for a person who is well-behaved, beautiful, or as kind as an angel: That child is so wellbehaved; what an angel!
    3 fig. a financial supporter, esp. of a musical or theater production: The elaborate staging for the play was made possible by the many angels of the theatre troupe. -adj. angelic ; -adv. angelically.
anger
anger
  1. n. [U] a strong feeling often with a show of hate about what s.o. or s.t. is doing to you: After their argument, he expressed his anger by punching the other man in the face. See: aggravate; angry, USAGE NOTE. —v. [T] to enrage: Her constant criticism finally angered me.
    THESAURUS
    anger n. rage, fury | frustration. Ants. peace | calm. —v. to infuriate | frustrate.
angle
angle
  1. n.
    1 the figure formed by two or more straight lines coming together at one point: A 90-degree angle has one line that is straight up which meets with another line that is level with the floor.
    2 infrml.fig. to have an angle on s.t.: to hold an opinion or
    THESAURUS
    perspective on s.t.: What's your angle on this problem?
    3 infrml.fig. to have an angle: to have an improper method for gaining personal profit or advantage: That guy has an angle in everything he does. —v. [I] -gled, -gling, -gles
    1 to be shaped like an angle: One road angles to the left while the other continues in a straight line
    2 to fish: He angles in Bear Lake in the summer. See: angling.
angling
angling
  1. n. [U] sport fishing: My friend likes to go angling in the spring. -n. angler.
angry
angry
  1. adj. -grier, -griest feeling rage: His wallet was stolen, and he is very angry about it. -adv. angrily .
    THESAURUS
    angry mad, upset | furious. Ants. peaceful, calm | serene.

    USAGE NOTE: One becomes annoyed or irritated before one becomes angry. If one is very angry, one may be described as being infuriated or enraged.
angst
angst
  1. n.frml. [U] (German for) great anxiety, often accompanied by depression: Her angst about the future drove her to seek counseling.
anguish
anguish
  1. n. [U] painful sadness: She felt anguish when her 15-year-old dog died. —v. [I]
    1 to suffer painful sadness: She anguished over the death of her dog.
    2 to be unable to decide on s.t., which makes one feel pain: She anguished for days over whether or not she should try to keep the dog alive.
angular
angular
  1. adj. having angles: The roofs of the houses are not flat; they are angular. -n. [U;C] angularity.
animal
animal
  1. n.
    1 any creature, living or dead, that is not a plant or human: Horses are animals.
    2 infrml. a person of very bad habits or behavior: He's angry all the time, eats with his fingers, and is dirty; he's an animal!
animate
animate
  1. v.frml. [T] -mated, -mating, -mates
    1 to enliven, make s.o. or s.t. full of life and fun: He is so lively that he animated the party last evening.
    2 to draw, design, or produce (e.g., a cartoon) in a manner that creates motion: Walt Disney animated characters including Mickey Mouse and Snow White. -n. animator ; -adj. animated; -adv. animatedly. —adj.frml. alive, living: Creatures or things that have life are animate.
animation
animation
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the process of giving life, spirit, motion, or activity: Through animation, the newspaper comic strip became a popular cartoon on television.
    2 frml. [U] having life, liveliness: The animation of the figures in the toy store window was very cleverly done.
animosity
animosity
  1. n. [C;U] -ties hostility, hatred: The two men have a mutual animosity for each other.
ankle
ankle
  1. n. the joint connecting the foot and lower leg: She tripped on the sidewalk and twisted her ankle.
annals
annals
  1. n.pl.frml. a written record or collection of historical events, discoveries, etc., on a certain subject: He was the greatest player in the annals of football.
annex
annex
  1. n. -es
    1 an addition to an existing building
    2 a separate building of smaller size near a main building: Our rooms were in the annex close to the main hotel. —v. [T] -es to take possession of another country: Germany annexed Austria just before World War II. -n. annexation.
annihilate
annihilate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to eradicate by force, destroy totally: The army annihilated the enemy soldiers; all were killed. -n. [C] annihilation ; annihilator.
anniversary
anniversary
  1. n. -ries the date one year (and in following years) after the date on which an event took place: Our first wedding anniversary was last Tuesday.
anno Domini
anno Domini
  1. adv.frml. See: A.D.
annotate
annotate
  1. v. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates to write notes on s.t.: The businesswoman annotated the report with her comments and suggestions. -n. [C;U] annotation.
announce
announce
  1. v. [T] -nounced, -nouncing, -nounces
    1 to make public, declare: The parents announced the wedding of their daughter in the newspaper.
    2 to act as an announcer: He announces the Giants' football games, commenting on and explaining the players' movements. -n. announcement .
    THESAURUS
    announce
    1 to communicate (formally), proclaim
    2 to broadcast. Ant. to keep (a) secret.
announcer
announcer
  1. n. a person who tells what will happen or what is happening in an event, e.g., a parade, a sports event, etc.: He is the television announcer for football games.
annoy
annoy
  1. v. [T] to cause mild anger: The constant noise from the street traffic annoyed me. See: angry, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    annoy to bother, irritate. Ant. to please.
annoyance
annoyance
  1. n. [C;U] an irritation, bother: His constant complaining is an annoyance.
annual
annual
  1. adj. occurring every year: The annual rainfall in this area is light. —n. a yearly publication of important events, etc., from the past year: The annual of the Graphic Artist Society presents beautiful pictures and designs. -adv. annually.
annuity
annuity
  1. n. -ties an investment (often in the form of an insurance policy) that provides fixed payments for a lifetime or other specified amount of time: The businessman bought an annuity for his daughter that pays her a monthly income for life.
annul
annul
  1. v. [T] -nulled, -nulling, -nuls to declare s.t. nonexistent, state legally s.t. never existed or happened: The couple had their marriage annulled. -n. annulment.
anoint
anoint
  1. v. [T] to pour oil or an oily substance on s.o. as in a religious ceremony,
    THESAURUS
    to sanctify: The bishop anointed the priest's head with holy oil.
anomaly
anomaly
  1. n.frml. -lies a departure from the normal, a mystery: The flying machine was unlike any craft the engineers had ever seen; it was an anomaly. -adj. anomalous.
anonymous
anonymous
  1. adj. not being named, unknown: An anonymous person called the police and identified the thief. -adv. anonymously; -n. [U] anonymity.
anorexia
anorexia
  1. n. [U] prolonged loss of appetite, resulting in low body weight and possible death: Her weight loss and eating habits led the doctor to suspect she suffered from anorexia. -adj. anorectic ; -adj.n. anorexic.
another
another
  1. pron.
    1 a different person (animal, thing): She no longer loves him; she loves another.
    2 an additional thing (person, animal, etc.): He ate one hamburger, then ordered another. —adj. different,
    THESAURUS
    alternative: She loves another man now.
answer
answer
  1. n. a spoken or written response, reply: I received an answer to my letter yesterday. —v.
    1 [I;T] to reply: The company answered that it is interested in my offer.
    2 phrasal v. [I;T] to answer back: to reply: When the teacher told the student to be quiet, he answered back, "No!"
    3 phrasal v. [T] to answer for: to be held responsible for: The criminal will have to answer for his crimes by going to jail.
    4 phrasal v. [T] to answer to: to work for, be judged by: I do not have to answer to you, you're not my boss.
    THESAURUS
    answer n. a response, acknowledgement. -—v. to respond, acknowledge. Ant. to ignore.
answerable
answerable
  1. adj. responsible for,
    THESAURUS
    liable: He is answerable to society for his crimes.
ant
ant
  1. n. an insect with a narrow waist, two bent antennae, and biting jaws, noted for living in colonies and for working hard: Having left their food uncovered while they played softball, the picnickers returned to find the ants eating it.
antacid
antacid
  1. n.adj. a pill or liquid used to stop an acid, burning feeling: He took an antacid (or) antacid tablet for his upset stomach.
antagonism
antagonism
  1. n. [C;U] the state of acting against s.o. or s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    hostility: Our neighbor's antagonism toward us is obvious; he is always throwing things in our yard. -n. antagonist; -adj. antagonistic; -adv. antagonistically.
antagonize
antagonize
  1. v. [T] -nized, -nizing, -nizes to cause others to feel angry,
    THESAURUS
    to offend: He antagonizes his neighbors by playing his stereo loudly, day and night.
ante
ante
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 (in card games) money or chips put into a pot that the winner takes: We played poker with a $1 ante.
    2 infrml.fig. to up the ante: to raise the cost of s.t.: We made an offer to buy a house for $100,000, but the owner upped the ante to $125,000. —v. -ted or -teed, -teing, -tes
    1 [T] (in cards) to put money in a pot
    2 infrml.fig. [I;T] to ante up: to pay for s.t.: You owe me $10, so ante up.
ante meridiem
ante meridiem
  1. See: A.M.
antecedent
antecedent
  1. adj.frml. that which comes before,
    THESAURUS
    the preceding: The antecedent noise and smoke were signs that the volcano might explode. —n.
    1 (in grammar) the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers: "Scientist" is the antecedent of "he" in the sentence: The scientist became famous because he discovered a vaccine.
    2 pl. antecedents ancestors, forbears: Her antecedents came from England.
antedate
antedate
  1. v. [T] -dated, -dating, -dates to occur earlier, predate: The discovery of Africa antedated that of America.
antelope
antelope
  1. n. any of various fast, hoofed, four-legged animals with horns: Most antelopes are found in Africa, but some are found in Asia.
antenna
antenna
  1. n. -nas
    1 a rod, wire, dish, etc., used to receive or send electronic signals: The antenna for my car radio is a fine wire in the windshield.
    2 plural -nae a thread-like feeler on the heads of some animals: An ant has two antennae on its head.
anterior
anterior
  1. adj.frml. located in front: The head of an insect is located on the anterior part of its body.
anthem
anthem
  1. n.
    1 a song of devotion or admiration: The national anthem is sung before every baseball game.
    2 a religious song of praise, written for different types of voices
anthill
anthill
  1. n. a pile of earth made by ants as their house: Some anthills found in Africa are five feet high.
anthology
anthology
  1. n. -gies a collection of writings by one or many writers: She received an anthology of the works of 20th century American poets as a gift for her birthday. -v. [T] anthologize.
anthrax
anthrax
  1. n. [U] a disease, often deadly, of warm-blooded animals, esp. cattle and sheep: Countries take strong action against anthrax spreading among their sheep and cattle.
anthropology
anthropology
  1. n. [U] the study of humans and their cultures: In their anthropology course, the students learned about the Mayan civilization. -n. anthropologist; -adj. anthropological ; -adv. anthropologically.
anti-
anti-
  1. prefix against,
    THESAURUS
    contra: She is antismoking.
anti-Semite
anti-Semite
  1. n. a person who is hostile toward or discriminates against Jews: Hitler was an anti-Semite. -adj. anti-Semitic ; -n. [U] anti-Semitism.
antiabortion
antiabortion
  1. adj. opposed to the practice of terminating a pregnancy: The antiabortion group provided information on alternatives to abortions. See: abort, 1.
antiauthoritarian
antiauthoritarian
  1. adj. against authority: He has an antiauthoritarian attitude toward his boss.
antibiotic
antibiotic
  1. n. a type of medicine made from tiny microorganisms that are effective in fighting off other disease-causing microorganisms: Penicillin and tetracycline are widely used antibiotics. || I took an antibiotic for my ear infection.
antibody
antibody
  1. n. pl. -bodies a type of substance produced by the body against disease-causing germs: A mother's milk passes antibodies on to her baby.
anticipate
anticipate
  1. v. [T] -pated, -pating, -pates
    1 to await, expect: I anticipate that the weather will improve soon.
    2 to believe s.t. will happen in the future,
    THESAURUS
    to envision: I anticipate that the economy will improve next year. -n. [U] anticipation.
anticlimax
anticlimax
  1. n. -es a disappointing, uneventful result: Having seen the champion skate so well in the past, her poor performance was an anticlimax. -adj. anticlimactic.
antics
antics
  1. n.pl. foolish acts,
    THESAURUS
    clowning: The little boy danced on his chair, and the teacher punished him for his antics. -adj. antic.
antidote
antidote
  1. n. (in medicine) a substance that stops the action of a poison or other harmful substance: The doctor prescribed an antidote for the poison the boy had swallowed.
antifreeze
antifreeze
  1. n. [U] a liquid used in engine radiators to lower their freezing point: Because he forgot to put antifreeze in his car radiator, his car wouldn't start in the subzero weather.
antihistamine
antihistamine
  1. n. a type of medicine used to reduce the symptoms of allergies and colds: I took an antihistamine to relieve my hay fever.
antipasto
antipasto
  1. n.[C;U] -ti or -tos Italian-style snacks used to start a meal: Antipasto often includes sausage, cheese, and olives with bread.
antipathy
antipathy
  1. n.frml. [C;U] -thies a strong feeling ranging from dislike to hatred: The antipathy that exists between the two men has lasted for years. -adj. antipathetic.
antiquarian
antiquarian
  1. n.adj. a person who has to do with or deals in antiques or other old, rare objects: The antiquarians of Paris have their showrooms along the river Seine.
antiquated
antiquated
  1. adj. old, having been replaced by s.t. more advanced,
    THESAURUS
    obsolete: Our typewriter is not as efficient as a computer system, so it is antiquated. —v. [T] antiquate.
antique
antique
  1. n.adj. an object that has particular value because of its age: The clock in the hallway is an antique (or) an antique clock.
    THESAURUS
    antique n. a relic, a historical object. —adj. very old, rare. Ants. modern, new.
antiquity
antiquity
  1. n. -ties
    1 the time of ancient societies: In antiquity, Greek and Roman civilizations lasted for many hundreds of years.
    2 ancient objects, such as statues and vases: The museum has many antiquities from ancient Egypt.
antiseptic
antiseptic
  1. n.adj. a chemical, such as iodine or hydrogen peroxide, that stops harmful bacteria from causing disease: I put antiseptic on the cut on my hand. -adv. antiseptically.
antisocial
antisocial
  1. adj.
    1 preferring to be alone, (syns.) unfriendly, withdrawn: He seldom goes out and never goes to parties; he's antisocial.
    2 causing trouble in society: Riots and crime are antisocial.
antithesis
antithesis
  1. n.frml. -ses the opposite of s.t.: Good is the antithesis of evil. -adj. antithetical.
antitrust
antitrust
  1. adj. preventing one company from taking over all the sales of a certain good or service in an effort to control the price: The USA's antitrust laws have helped keep telephone rates down. See: monopoly.
antler
antler
  1. n. a branched horn grown in pairs on the heads of male deer, elk, etc.: We saw a deer with large antlers.
antonym
antonym
  1. n. a word that means the opposite of another word: "Happy" is an antonym of "sad." See: synonym.
anus
anus
  1. n. -es the opening in the lower colon between the human buttocks: Human waste is discharged through the anus.
anvil
anvil
  1. n. an iron or steel platform on which hot metal is hammered into desired shapes: A blacksmith hammers horseshoes into shape on an anvil.
anxiety
anxiety
  1. n. [C;U] -ties worry, nervous fear with or without reason about what will happen in the future: As the man waited to learn the extent of his wife's injuries, his anxiety rose.
    THESAURUS
    anxiety concern, fearfulness. Ants. peace, calm.
anxious
anxious
  1. adj.
    1 wanting to do s.t.: The student was anxious to finish the final examination.
    2 worried, nervously fearful: The examination was very difficult, and he was anxious that he may have failed it. -adv. anxiously.
    THESAURUS
    anxious 1 impatient
    2 concerned, apprehensive frml. Ant. calm.
any
any
  1. pron.
    1 some, an amount of s.t.: My friend asked me for some money, but I didn't have any with me.
    2 all, a total amount: I told him that later he could have any I have at home.
    3 each person or thing in a group: Among our friends, any could see I was poor. —adj.
    1 some: I don't have any money.
    2 all: I'm going fishing, and I will give you any fish that I catch.
    3 each of a group: Any student could pass that test; it was easy. —adv. at all: I was ill yesterday and don't feel any better today. See: at, 13.
anybody
anybody
  1. pron. anyone: Anybody can learn to sing.
anyhow
anyhow
  1. adv.
    1 in any way, by whatever means: He can pay for the purchase anyhow he wants.
    2 slang no matter, whatever (indicating unimportance): Anyhow, I don't care as long as he pays.
anymore
anymore
  1. adv.
    1 now, any longer: They moved away; they don't live here anymore.
    2 from now on,
    THESAURUS
    henceforth: I have done enough for today; I won't work anymore.
anyplace
anyplace
  1. adv. anywhere, somewhere: You can sit anyplace you would like.
anything
anything
  1. n.pron. [U]
    1 any object, occurrence, or matter: I would give anything to be beautiful.
    2 anything but: except, not that: I will eat anything but broccoli.
    3 anything goes: all behavior, even improper or illegal, is permitted: When they have a party and start drinking, anything goes!
    4 anything like: similar to: She looks old in that picture; it doesn't look anything like her!
anytime
anytime
  1. adv. whenever, at any time or moment: We can leave anytime you are ready.
anyway
anyway
  1. adv.
    1 either, in addition (to strengthen a decision): It's OK that we can't go for a walk because I didn't feel like going anyway.
    2 and so (to continue a discussion): Anyway, to make a long story short, we finally found out what the problem was.
anywhere
anywhere
  1. adv.
    1 at any place, wherever: You can sit (walk, go, etc.) anywhere you want.
    2 to not get anywhere: to get nowhere, to achieve nothing: We have had meeting after meeting, but we haven't gotten anywhere in reaching an agreement.
aorta
aorta
  1. n. the main blood artery coming from the left side of the heart: Blood flows from the aorta throughout the body.
apace
apace
  1. adv.
    1 at a fast pace,
    THESAURUS
    quickly
    2 according to a schedule: Our work on the project proceeds apace.
apart
apart
  1. adj. not together, separated: When my parents are apart, they telephone each other every day. —adv. in parts or pieces: The mechanic took the engine apart.
apartment
apartment
  1. n. a room or set of rooms designed as living space in a build-ing or house: We have a two-bedroom apartment in a building containing 100 apartments.
apathetic
apathetic
  1. adj. not interested,
    THESAURUS
    indifferent: The voters are apathetic about the candidates running for office. -adv. apathetically.
apathy
apathy
  1. n. [U] indifference, lack of interest: The apathy of voters was shown by the low number of votes cast.
aperitif
aperitif
  1. n. an alcoholic beverage taken before a meal: Sherry is a typical aperitif.
aperture
aperture
  1. n. a hole or other opening: The aperture controls the amount of light allowed in a camera.
apex
apex
  1. n. -es the top,
    THESAURUS
    the pinnacle: The climber reached the mountain's apex.
aphorism
aphorism
  1. n. a short saying containing a truth: "The great die young" is an aphorism.
aphrodisiac
aphrodisiac
  1. n. a substance thought to cause sexual excitement: In many parts of the world, alcohol is drunk as an aphrodisiac.
apiary
apiary
  1. n. -aries a place where honeybees are kept: The beekeeper has an apiary of 10 beehives from which he collects honey.
apiece
apiece
  1. adv. per piece, each: Those tennis balls cost $1 apiece.
    THESAURUS
    apiece individually, singly, for one (of s.t.). Ants. as a group, together.
aplenty
aplenty
  1. adv.frml. in great amount, much or many: In this lake, there are fish aplenty.
aplomb
aplomb
  1. n. [U] calm, esp. in a difficult situation,
    THESAURUS
    composure: People yelled at the speaker, but she never lost her aplomb.
apocalypse
apocalypse
  1. n. the end of the world: The earthquake was so terrible that many thought that the apocalypse had come. —adj. apocalyptic See: Armageddon.
apolitical
apolitical
  1. adj. not done for political reasons, nonpartisan: When the country is threatened, politicians become apolitical and agree with each other to defend it.
apologize
apologize
  1. v. [I] -gized, -gizing, -gizes to express regret for doing s.t. wrong and usu. to ask forgiveness: The young man apologized to the woman for spilling coffee on her dress. -adj. apologetic ; -adv. apologetically.
    THESAURUS
    apologize to say you are sorry, beg s.o.'s pardon.
apology
apology
  1. n. -gies an expression of regret for doing s.t. wrong: The woman accepted his apology for spilling coffee on her dress.
apoplectic
apoplectic
  1. adj.
    1 appearing to faint, become unconscious: When he heard the bad news, he became apoplectic.
    2 fig. very angry, furious -n. [U] apoplexy . See: stroke.
apostle
apostle
  1. n.
    1 a follower and missionary: Christ had 12 apostles who spread the word of Christianity.
    2 a leader of a new cause: She is an apostle for working parents' rights. -adj. apostolic.
apostrophe
apostrophe
  1. n. the punctuation mark ('): An apostrophe is used in contractions ("isn't," "doesn't") and in possessives ("that man's wife").
apothecary
apothecary
  1. n.frml. -caries
    1 a place where one can buy medicine, (syns.) a pharmacy, drugstore: The patient had his prescription filled at the apothecary.
    2 a person who mixes the medicine in such a store: The apothecary carefully counted out the prescribed number of pills.
appall
appall
  1. v. [T] to shock, deeply offend: The murder of the child appalled everyone in the city. -adj. appalling; -adv. appallingly.
apparatus
apparatus
  1. n.[C;U] -uses or -us a device or group of devices (machines, tools, wires, etc.) designed to perform a certain task: With their sophisticated apparatus, the scientists were able to determine the epicenter of the earthquake. See: device, appliance.
apparel
apparel
  1. n. [U] a general term for clothing, such as suits or dresses: XYZ Company is a manufacturer of ladies' apparel.
apparent
apparent
  1. adj. obvious, clear: He's very unhappy, and it is apparent that he wants to leave now. -adv. apparently.
    THESAURUS
    apparent evident, noticeable. Ant. unclear. apparently adv. clearly, obviously.
apparition
apparition
  1. n.frml. a spirit of the dead appearing to s.o., a ghost: The old man says that he saw an apparition in that cave.
appeal
appeal
  1. v.
    1 [I] to attract, please s.o.: The idea of spending two weeks on vacation appeals to me.
    2 [I] to ask for, plead for help: The Red Cross appealed for money to help people after the hurricane.
    3 [T] (in law) to bring a decision by a lower court to a higher court for review: He was found guilty but appealed the decision to a higher court.
    THESAURUS
    appeal v.
    1 to satisfy, please, gratify frml. Ant. to displease.
    2 to plea for. —n.
    1 [U] attractiveness, a pleasing aspect or quality: A winter vacation holds a lot of appeal for me.
    2 [C] a plea, request: The Red Cross made an appeal for money and clothing.
    3 [U;C] (in law) a request for higher court review: The decision in the case is now on appeal in a higher court.
appear
appear
  1. v. [I]
    1 to become visible: The sun suddenly appeared from behind a big cloud.
    2 to seem, be likely: It appears the weather will be nice.
    THESAURUS
    appear
    1 to come into view, arrive | emerge. Ant. to disappear.
    2 to seem like, look like, strike s.o. as.
appearance
appearance
  1. n.
    1 [C] the arrival, the coming into public view: The singer's appearance on the stage caused everyone to applaud.
    2 [U] how one looks and dresses: The woman has such a nice appearance.
    3 to make an appearance: to show oneself: The movie star made a brief appearance at the party and then left.
    THESAURUS
    appearance
    1 showing up, being present. Ant. disappearance.
    2 (a person's) image, looks (s.o.'s/s.t.'s) outward aspect.
appease
appease
  1. v. [T] -peased, -peasing, -peases
    1 to make s.o. feel better about being wronged,
    THESAURUS
    to placate: The man appeased his wife's anger about forgetting her birthday by taking her out to dinner.
    2 to surrender or to make concessions: The small, weak country appeased its strong neighbor by giving up part of its land. -n. [U] appeasement.
appellate
appellate
  1. adj. (in law) able to review and change a decision of a lower court: The attorneys submitted their briefs to the appellate court.
append
append
  1. v. [T] to add on,
    THESAURUS
    to affix: The lawyer appended two more pages to the contract.
appendage
appendage
  1. n. an extension of s.t.: Fingers and toes are appendages of the hand and foot.
appendectomy
appendectomy
  1. n. -mies the surgical removal of the human appendix: Our daughter had an appendectomy at the hospital.
appendicitis
appendicitis
  1. n. [U] infection of the appendix causing swelling and pain: Our daughter was suffering from appendicitis.
appendix
appendix
  1. n. -dixes or -dices
    1 a bodily organ located on the right side of the abdomen: The appendix is apparently a useless organ that, when infected, can cause serious illness.
    2 s.t. added on, esp. to the end of a book: The geography textbook has an appendix in which all the countries of the world and their capital cities are listed.
appetite
appetite
  1. n. [C;U] desire and capacity for food, drink, or pleasure: Our son is a football player and has a big appetite for steak.
appetizer
appetizer
  1. n. a small amount of food served before the main meal: We served some crackers and cheese as an appetizer. See: hors d'oeuvre.
appetizing
appetizing
  1. adj. stimulating or appealing to the appetite: The roast beef is very appetizing.
applaud
applaud
  1. v. [T]
    1 to clap one's hands in approval: The audience applauded the orchestra's performance.
    2 fig. to express admiration: The boss applauded my efforts by praising my work.
applause
applause
  1. n. [U] hand clapping in approval of a performance: The speaker was shocked at the lack of applause from the audience.
applesauce
applesauce
  1. n. [U] apples crushed and cooked into a soft and pulpy state: Before they get teeth, babies enjoy eating applesauce.
appliance
appliance
  1. n. a device used for a specific function, usu. electrical and used in the home: Major appliances include stoves, refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers.
applicable
applicable
  1. adj.
    1 belonging to, for the purpose of: This payment is applicable to my rent.
    2 having meaning, significance: His earlier comments were not applicable to our later discussion. See: apply, 4.
applicant
applicant
  1. n. a person seeking a specific job: We have 10 applicants for the position of secretary.
application
application
  1. n.
    1 [C] a document or blank form for writing down information for a specific purpose, such as requesting a job or a loan: I filled out an application for a job at the factory.
    2 [C] a use in s.t.: Mathematics has applications in science.
    3 [C;U] the act of putting s.t. on: An application of paint improved the appearance of the house.
    THESAURUS
    application
    1 a request for (job, driver's license)
    2 the relevance to (or) of, suitability of
    3 spreading on, a treatment with (paint, face cream).
applicator
applicator
  1. n. a tool, such as a sponge or stick, used to apply things: I used an applicator to put glue on the paper.
applied
applied
  1. adj. put to practical use, esp. in one's work: She studied applied science at college and is a computer programmer now. See: theoretical.
appliqué
appliqué
  1. n. a decoration made from cloth, then cut out and fastened to a larger piece of cloth: I put an appliqué of the moon and stars on my T-shirt.
apply
apply
  1. v. -plies
    1 [T] to request or seek admission or assistance: I applied for a visa to travel abroad.
    2 [T] to put on, or upon: The nurse applied a bandage to the wound.
    3 [T] to credit, enter into account: The bookkeeper applied a payment to a debt.
    4 [I;T] to be meaningful to, to be relevant to: His answer does not apply to the test question.
    THESAURUS
    apply
    1 to ask for, submit a form for (job, driver's license)
    2 to spread on, cover with (bandage, paint, face cream)
    4 to be suitable, relate to s.t. Ant. to misapply.
appoint
appoint
  1. v. [T] to choose s.o. for a position,
    THESAURUS
    to designate: The President appointed scientists to a committee on the environment.
appointee
appointee
  1. n. a person named to a position: The scientist is the President's new appointee to the committee on the environment.
appointment
appointment
  1. n.
    1 [C] a time, place, and date to see s.o.: I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.
    2 [C;U] the act of giving s.o. a job or position: The appointment of the new judge by the governor took place last week.
    THESAURUS
    appointment
    1 a meeting, a date | engagement frml. Ant. cancellation.
    2 a job offer, naming. Ant. dismissal.
apportion
apportion
  1. v. [T] to divide s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to allocate: The federal government apportioned money among the states. -n. [U] apportionment.
appraisal
appraisal
  1. n. [C;U] an estimate of the value of s.t., usu. made by an expert: The insurance company required a written appraisal before it would insure the jewels.
appraise
appraise
  1. v. [T] -praised, -praising, -praises to estimate the value of property: He appraised the necklace at $100,000. -n. appraiser.
appreciable
appreciable
  1. adj.
    1 capable of being estimated or perceived: I can find no appreciable differences in the witnesses' descriptions of the accident; they seem the same.
    2 capable of increasing (in value): We bought an appreciable piece of property. -adv. appreciably.
appreciate
appreciate
  1. v. -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 [T] to be thankful for: The elderly lady appreciated help in getting on the bus.
    2 [T] to understand the value or importance of s.t.: He appreciates modern art.
    3 [T] to sympathize with, have a feeling for: I can appreciate how sad you are because of your dog's death.
    4 [I] to increase in value: The value of our company's stock has appreciated greatly.
    THESAURUS
    appreciate
    1 to be grateful for. Ant. to be ungrateful.
    2 to admire, esteem. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    to disrespect.
    3 to identify with,
    THESAURUS
    understand. Ant. to be insensitive to.
appreciation
appreciation
  1. n. [U]
    1 gratitude, thankfulness: The man showed his appreciation to the waiter by leaving him a big tip.
    2 esteem for the beauty or complexity of s.t.: She has an appreciation of painting and sculpture.
    3 understanding,
    THESAURUS
    sympathy: He has an appreciation for how difficult it is to write well.
    4 increase in the value of s.t.
appreciative
appreciative
  1. adj.
    1 thankful, grateful: He is appreciative of the gift.
    2 understanding a reason for s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    sympathetic: I am appreciative of the fact that you were late because you were delayed in traffic. -adv. appreciatively.
apprehend
apprehend
  1. v.frml. [T] to capture, arrest: The police apprehended the criminal. -adj. apprehensible.
apprehension
apprehension
  1. n. [U;C] worry, fear: The parents were filled with apprehension about letting their 19-year-old daughter drive across country alone. -adj. apprehensive.
apprentice
apprentice
  1. n. one who is learning a skill or trade from an expert (usu. a master craftsman or artist): My son is an apprentice in a furniture maker's workshop.
apprenticeship
apprenticeship
  1. n. a period of time, often three to four years, spent working with a master craftsman or expert artist to learn a skill or trade: That great artist served an apprenticeship before becoming well-known.
apprise
apprise
  1. v.frml. [T] -prised, -prising, -prises to inform: I apprised my boss of my reasons for leaving my job.
approach
approach
  1. n. -es
    1 a course of action, a way of handling a situation: She took a quiet, friendly approach in dealing with her daughter about the problem.
    2 means of access: The pilot made a slow, gradual approach to the airport runway. —v. [T] -es
    1 to near, move toward: As I approached the house, I noticed that the door was open.
    2 to begin to handle a situation or work on s.t.: I approached the problem of reducing costs by making a list of them.
    THESAURUS
    approach n.
    1 a method of handling s.t., endeavor | proposal (to s.o.)
    2 a pathway. —v.
    1 to come toward (or) near (a person or place). Ant. to go away.
    2 to make a proposal to. Ant. to avoid.
approachable
approachable
  1. adj. friendly, willing to talk,
    THESAURUS
    accessible: Even though she is famous, she is still quite approachable.
approbation
approbation
  1. n.frml. [U] formal approval: The committee of professors gave approbation of my application to go to graduate school.
appropriate
appropriate
  1. adj. correct, suitable: That school is excellent, so she made the appropriate choice in going there. —v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to allocate, make (money) available: The government appropriated funds for the construction of a park.
    2 to take by force of law, confiscate: The state appropriated the farmer's land to build a highway on it. -n. [C;U] appropriation .
    THESAURUS
    appropriate adj. right, proper. Ant. inappropriate.
approval
approval
  1. n. [U]
    1 permission, consent: The owner gave his approval for a salary increase for all employees.
    2 admiration, praise: The violinist's performance met with the approval of the audience.
    THESAURUS
    approval
    1 (give one's) agreement to, consent to. Ants. disapproval, rejection.
    THESAURUS
    2 (one's) acceptance of, liking of (behavior,
    THESAURUS
    appearance). Ant. dislike.
approve
approve
  1. v. -proved, -proving, -proves
    1 [T] to consent, permit: The consulate approved my request for a travel visa.
    2 [I] to admire, praise: His mother approves of his new girlfriend's family. -adv. approvingly.
    THESAURUS
    approve
    1 agree to | endorse frml. Ants. to disapprove, reject.
    2 to like, accept (behavior, appearance). Ant. to dislike.
approximate
approximate
  1. adj. estimated, not exact: The builder gave an approximate cost for the roof repairs. —v. [T] -mated, -mating, -mates to estimate, guess: The mechanic approximated the cost of a new engine for my car. -adv. approximately; -n. [U;C] approximation.
apricot
apricot
  1. n. a small, peach-like fruit: I like apricots for dessert.
apron
apron
  1. n.
    1 a covering, usu. made of a piece of cotton cloth, worn over the front of one's body to keep one's clothes clean while cooking or cleaning: The cook was preparing spaghetti sauce and his apron was covered with tomato juice.
    2 n.pl.fig. apron strings: usu. used with "tied" to indicate s.o. is totally controlled and protected: The young man is still tied to his mother's apron strings and won't do a thing without consulting her.
apropos
apropos
  1. prep. about, regarding, concerning: Apropos your request for money, I agree to loan it to you. —adj. relevant: I felt that her comments were apropos.
apt
apt
  1. adj.
    1 appropriate, suitable for a situation: The speaker made apt remarks when answering questions from the audience.
    2 intelligent, capable: She is a very apt student and learns quickly.
    3 likely to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    liable: She is apt to make mistakes if you pressure her too much. -adv. aptly; -n. [U] aptness.
aptitude
aptitude
  1. n. [C;U] capacity for, to be good at doing s.t.: That student has an aptitude for mathematics.
aptitude test
aptitude test
  1. n. a test to determine the type of work and activities a person may be successful at or to determine a person's potential for learning: My brother took an aptitude test that showed that he is well suited for photography.
aqua
aqua
  1. adj. a light bluish green color: The ocean was a lovely shade of aqua.
aquamarine
aquamarine
  1. n. a jewel colored light blue to darkish blue: My wife wears a gold ring with a large aquamarine in it.
aquarium
aquarium
  1. n. -iums or -ia a glass tank of varying sizes used to house fish and other water creatures: The Boston Aquarium has many tanks of fish.
aquatic
aquatic
  1. adj. related to water: Aquatic sports include swimming, diving, and boating.
aqueduct
aqueduct
  1. n. a waterway made of stone blocks: Many aqueducts from ancient Roman times still stand today near the Mediterranean Sea.
arable
arable
  1. adj. fit for plowing: Farmers must have arable land in order to grow crops.
arbiter
arbiter
  1. n. s.o. with the power to decide, a judge; an arbitrator: The court named an arbiter to decide the disagreement between the factory's workers and owners.
arbitrary
arbitrary
  1. adj. unwilling to use reason or listen to others,
    THESAURUS
    dogmatic: He made an arbitrary decision to sell the house without asking his wife. -adv. arbitrarily.
arbitrate
arbitrate
  1. v. [I;T] -trated, -trating, -trates to help others reach a decision,
    THESAURUS
    to referee: The judge arbitrated a disagreement between workers and management.
arbitration
arbitration
  1. n. [U] the process of solving disagreements with the help of an impartial person or group: The wage disagreement is under arbitration.
arbitrator
arbitrator
  1. n. [C] a mediator, judge: The lawyer acts as an arbitrator in labor disagreements.
arbor
arbor
  1. n. a shaded place in a garden, often made by climbing vines or branches that have grown together or by latticework that has become covered with climbing vines or roses: The rose arbor was beautiful when the roses were in bloom.
arboretum
arboretum
  1. n. -tums or -ta a garden for the scientific study and public showing of trees and usu. other plants: The city has an arboretum that is nice to walk through on a sunny day.
arc
arc
  1. n.v. [I]
    1 a curved path, such as of electricity between two metal rods: An arc of electricity arced between the two points.
    2 (in geometry) a section of a curve: The diagram showed an arc between the two points.
arcade
arcade
  1. n. a building or covered passageway with many shops or amusements in it: We go to the amusement arcade on Saturdays to play the electronic games.
arch
arch
  1. n. arches
    1 (in architecture) a curved structure of stone or metal, usu. rounded or pointed in the middle: The arches inside a big church are marvelous to see.
    2 the middle portion of the underside of the foot, usu. raised: The poor man has fallen arches; that is, flat feet. —v. [I;T] to curve in the shape of an arch: The dancer arched her back then straightened it.
archaeology
archaeology
  1. n. [U] the study of human life and civilizations through items of the past such as buried houses, statues, pots, etc.: I took a course in archaeology before we traveled to Egypt. -adj. archaeological ; -adv. archaeologically; -n. archeologist.
archaic
archaic
  1. adj. old and useless,
    THESAURUS
    antiquated: The company does some things in archaic ways, such as not using computers for bookkeeping.
archdiocese
archdiocese
  1. n. (in Catholocism) the head office of a group of churches: The archdiocese is headed by an archbishop.
arched
arched
  1. adj. curved in the shape of an arch: The arched windows inside the church are beautiful.
archeology
archeology
  1. var. of archaeology
archer
archer
  1. n. a person who shoots arrows,
    THESAURUS
    a bowman: In the 12th century, warfare was often carried out by archers.
archery
archery
  1. n. [U] the sport of using a bow to shoot arrows at targets: I took a class in archery and learned to hit the bull's-eye.
archetype
archetype
  1. n. the most typical of a group: Old Mr. Higginbotham is the archetype of the elderly British gentleman.
archipelago
archipelago
  1. n. -gos or -goes a string of islands in a sea: Indonesia is a nation of archipelagos.
architect
architect
  1. n. a trained professional who designs buildings and is often in charge of their construction: My friend is an architect who designs school buildings.
architecture
architecture
  1. n.
    1 [U] the art and science of designing buildings and other structures: She studied architecture and art history at the university.
    2 a style of design and construction: The architecture of New York City is mostly tall buildings. -adj. architectural ; -adv. architecturally.
archives
archives
  1. n.pl. a place or collection of records and books of historical interest: The emperor's decrees and letters were in the national archives. -n. archivist.
archway
archway
  1. n. the passage under an arch or group of arches: We walked under the archway and into the palace.
arctic
arctic
  1. adj. very cold or related to the Arctic: An arctic wind blew during the snow storm.
ardent
ardent
  1. adj. full of devotion, passionate loyalty: She is a beautiful woman and has many ardent admirers. -adv. ardently.
ardor
ardor
  1. n. [U] passion, extreme devotion: He is full of ardor for her.
arduous
arduous
  1. adj. difficult, tiring: The refugees made an arduous journey through the mountains. -adv. arduously.
are
are
  1. strong form v. [I] present pl. of to be
area
area
  1. n.
    1 [C] a place, location: The picnic area is near the parking lot.||The New York area has high rents.
    2 [C] part of a room or a building: My kitchen has a dining area.||My apartment building has a storage area in the basement.
    3 [C] one's field of knowledge or expertise: Sales is not my area; I'm in accounting.
    4 [C;U] the size of a flat surface measured by multiplying the length by the width: What's the area of your garden?
    THESAURUS
    area
    1 locality, section, expanse | region (New York area)
    2 space
    3 subject, field (math, English)
    4 the measurement of (a rug/floor).
area code
area code
  1. n. [C] in USA and Canada, the first three numbers of a telephone number, used in making a long-distance call: My telephone number in Michigan is 555-6543, area code 313.
arena
arena
  1. n. a large building for the presentation of sports and other events, such as concerts: The sports arena has basketball games and rock concerts.
arguable
arguable
  1. adj. capable or worthy of being argued, doubted: That fellow has opinions about everything, but what he says is arguable.
argue
argue
  1. v. -gued, -guing, -gues
    1 [T] to fight with words: His mother and father argue with each other all the time.
    2 [I] to disagree, contest what s.o. says in a formal, logical way: The two lawyers argued their case in court. -adj. arguably.
    THESAURUS
    argue
    1 quarrel about (or) over, fight about, wrangle. Ant. to agree.
    2 to discuss formally, present logically.
argument
argument
  1. n.
    1 a difference of opinion, disagreement: There are at least two sides to every argument.
    2 a verbal fight,
    THESAURUS
    a wrangle: Every discussion with him turns into an argument.
argumentative
argumentative
  1. adj. liking to argue, combative: He is very argumentative.
aria
aria
  1. n. a song for a single voice in an opera: The audience applauded after the soprano sang the aria so beautifully.
arise
arise
  1. v.frml. [I] arose , arisen , arising, arises
    1 to get out of bed: He arose at noon.
    2 to occur, happen: Trouble arises when people have no food.
aristocracy
aristocracy
  1. n. -cies
    1 a group of people named as nobles by the king or queen in a country: Much of the aristocracy was killed during the French Revolution.
    2 the upper class: Doctors and lawyers are often considered the aristocracy in our city.
aristocrat
aristocrat
  1. n. a noble, member of the aristocracy: The countess is an aristocrat from an old family. -adj. aristocratic.
arithmetic
arithmetic
  1. n. [U] the branch of mathematics dealing with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division: All that most businesspeople need to know of mathematics is arithmetic.
ark
ark
  1. n. a large, ancient ship: Ancient Egyptians sailed in arks.
arm-twisting
arm-twisting
  1. n.fig. [U] pressuring or persuading s.o. to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    coercion: After much arm-twisting, the CIA was able to make the spy reveal his secret mission.
arm
arm
  1. n.
    1 one of two parts of the upper human body that extends from the shoulder to the hand: The mother wrapped her arms around her child.
    2 the sleeve of a shirt, blouse, jacket, dress, etc., designed to cover the human arm: Is the shirt long enough in the arms?
    3 the part of a chair or sofa designed to support the human arm: The arms of the chair were too high.
    4 any of the long, usu. narrow parts of a machine: The arm of the turntable is broken, so we can't listen to the old records on the stereo. —v. [T]
    1 to provide weapons to s.o.: The military arms its soldiers with modern weapons.
    2 to prepare for war: The citizens armed themselves against their enemies.
armada
armada
  1. n. a large fleet of warships: An armada of ships sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in World War II.
armadillo
armadillo
  1. n. -los an animal that digs for food and shelter in the ground and has tough skin made of hard plates: The armadillo is found in the American South and in Central America.
armament
armament
  1. n.
    1 military weapons and supplies: The unit had insufficient armament with which to do battle.
    2 pl. armaments: the weaponry owned or sold by a nation: A small number of nations provide the world with armaments.
armband
armband
  1. n. a piece of cloth worn around an arm, usu. black and worn to symbolize the death of s.o. or s.t.: He wore a black armband when his mother died.
armchair
armchair
  1. n. a chair with armrests: The armchair in the living room is very comfortable.
armed
armed
  1. adj. equipped with a weapon: The criminal is armed and dangerous.
armed forces
armed forces
  1. n.pl. the military of a nation: The armed forces in the USA are the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and the Coast Guard.
armistice
armistice
  1. n. a military truce, a temporary agreement to stop military fighting: The two nations signed an armistice.
armor
armor
  1. n. [U] a protective covering worn by a soldier or on a piece of military equipment: King Arthur's knights wore a suit of armor when going into battle. -v. armor.
armory
armory
  1. n. -ies a large building for keeping military equipment: An armory often serves as a military headquarters.
armpit
armpit
  1. n. the hollow under the arm where it joins the shoulder: He applies deodorant to his armpits after he showers.
arms
arms
  1. n.pl. weapons of war, such as rifles and cannons: Countries sell arms to other countries for defense and war.
army
army
  1. n. -mies
    1 a military land force of soldiers and tanks: The army gathered on the border to invade its neighbor.
    2 a great number (of people, ants, etc.): An army of helpers arrived to clean up after the hurricane.
aroma
aroma
  1. n. a pleasant smell, esp. of cooking: The aroma of coffee filled the air.
aromatic
aromatic
  1. adj. having an aroma, pleasant smell: The pipe tobacco that he smokes is aromatic.
arose
arose
  1. past tense of to arise
around-the-clock
around-the-clock
  1. adv. nonstop, going for 24 hours: They worked around-the-clock to finish the project on time.
around
around
  1. prep.
    1 in a circular motion: The teacher told the student to turn around in his seat and stop bothering the student behind him.||The crowd gathered around the movie star.
    2 infrml. approximately, about: I'll meet you at the restaurant around noon. —adv. about: We visited the shopping center and simply looked around.
arouse
arouse
  1. v. [T] aroused, arousing, arouses
    1 to awaken s.o.: I was aroused by traffic noises at 6:00 A.M.
    2 to excite, stimulate: The leader aroused the people to fight.
arraign
arraign
  1. v. [T] (in law) to force s.o. to appear before a court to answer a legal complaint: The young man was arraigned in criminal court for theft. -n. [C;U] arraignment.
arrange
arrange
  1. v. -ranged, -ranging, -ranges
    1 [I;T] to make specific plans: I arranged the airline reservations for my trip.||He arranged for a babysitter so we could go out to dinner.
    2 [T] to put in order: The manager arranged the papers on her desk and then began work.
    3 [T] to change a musical composition: The composer arranged the song, which was originally written for the piano, for the orchestra.
    4 [T] to come to an agreement: The lawyers arranged a purchase agreement between the two businesses.
    5 [T] to put s.t. in a pleasing way: He arranged the flowers in a vase.
    THESAURUS
    arrange
    1 to plan, schedule (meetings, parties)
    2 to organize, sort
    4 to agree,
    THESAURUS
    reach an understanding
    5 to group together, position (things, flowers).
arrangement
arrangement
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] agreement, understanding: By arrangement with our neighbor, our lawn will be mowed once a week while we are away.
    2 [C] something made by putting things together: The flower arrangements at the wedding were beautiful.
    3 [C] an adaptation, changed piece of music: The guitarist wrote a new arrangement of the old song.
    4 to make arrangements for s.t.: to schedule, prepare, such as hotel and airline reservations: I have made all the arrangements for our summer vacation.
    THESAURUS
    arrangement(s) plans, preparations.
array
array
  1. n. [C;U] a grouping, a way that things are put in order: An array of TV antennas stands on the roof. —v. [T] to form into a group: The military arrayed its soldiers against the enemy.
arrears
arrears
  1. n.pl.
    1 overdue payments, such as rent or car payments not made on time
    2 in arrears: The payments on that car loan are in arrears (or) are in arrears by three months. -n. [U] arrearage.
arrest
arrest
  1. n.
    1 the seizure or holding of a person, usu. by police, for breaking the law: She was placed under arrest after robbing the grocery store.
    2 [C;U] a stopping or delay: Strong medicine brought an arrest to the spread of his cancer. —v. [T]
    1 to seize or hold s.o. by legal authority: The policeman arrested the thief and took him to jail.
    2 to stop, delay: A bandage placed over the wound arrested the flow of blood.
    3 to seize the attention of s.o.: The beautiful sunset arrested our attention, and we stopped to watch it.
    THESAURUS
    arrest n.
    1 the capture of, apprehension of a suspect (or) criminal.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to take s.o. into custody, capture, apprehend. Ant. to release.
arrival
arrival
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the coming to a place, appearance: The arrival of my airline flight will be at gate 10.
    2 [C] a person who has recently reached a new destination: That student is a new arrival on campus.
arrive
arrive
  1. v. [I] -rived, -riving, -rives
    1 to reach a place or destination: We arrived in town yesterday.
    2 fig. to reach financial or social success: After years of hard work, she has finally arrived.
    THESAURUS
    arrive
    1 to come to (a place), get there | land. Ant. to depart.
arrogance
arrogance
  1. n. [U] self-importance usu. offensive to others,
    THESAURUS
    haughtiness: The arrogance of that man annoys everyone.
arrogant
arrogant
  1. adj. self-important: Ever since he met the Queen, he's been quite arrogant. -adv. arrogantly.
    THESAURUS
    arrogant overbearing, conceited. Ant. humble.
arrow
arrow
  1. n.
    1 a long thin piece of wood, metal, or plastic with a point at one end and feathers at the other: People shoot arrows at targets. See: archery.
    2 a sign or symbol shaped like an arrow to show direction: An arrow pointed to the building's exit.
arsenal
arsenal
  1. n. a storehouse of weapons and explosives: The military maintains arsenals all over the country.
arsenic
arsenic
  1. n. [U] adj. a type of deadly poison: Workers put out meat containing arsenic in order to kill the rats in the warehouse.
arson
arson
  1. n. [U] the deliberate setting of fires by s.o.: The store burned down, and the police suspected arson. -n. arsonist.
art
art
  1. n.
    1 [U] making or expressing of that which is beautiful: painting, sculpture, architecture, music, literature, drama, dance, etc.: That museum has a great collection of art.
    2 [U] the skill to do s.t. well: She knows the art of making good conversation with people. —n.pl.
    1 the arts: dance, music, painting, sculpture, poetry, plays, and other writings
    2 the liberal arts: literature, music, languages, etc., as distinguished from the sciences: He was a liberal arts major in college.
art gallery
art gallery
  1. n. a place, esp. a showroom, to display works of art, such as paintings, sculpture, etc.: The artist had a showing of her works in a well-known art gallery.
artery
artery
  1. n. -teries
    1 one of several large blood vessels going from the heart: One of the patient's heart arteries is blocked.
    2 a highway: The main arteries out of the city are filled with holiday traffic. -adj. arterial.
artful
artful
  1. adj.
    1 showing skill and ability: The new ballet is an artful combination of traditional ballet and modern dance.
    2 skilled in gaining one's purpose, esp. through cunning means: The thief was artful in hiding his loot before he was questioned.
arthritis
arthritis
  1. n. [U] inflammation of one or many joints, such as in the hands, hips, and knees, resulting in pain: My mother has arthritis in her knees and hips. -adj. arthritic.
artichoke
artichoke
  1. n. a small green plant with leaves, whose flower head is cooked and eaten as a vegetable: The growing of artichokes is a big business in California.
article
article
  1. n.
    1 a thing, object: Articles of clothing are kept in the dresser.
    2 a short written piece, such as a newspaper story: I read a magazine article on a new type of medicine.
    3 a part of a longer piece of writing, such as a contract or constitution: Article I of the contract names the buyer and the seller of the property.
    4 (in grammar) any of a set of words used to limit a noun: The English definite article is "the"; the English indefinite articles are "a" and "an".
articulate
articulate
  1. v. -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 [T] to express s.t. in clear and effective language: The leader articulated the needs of his group for better housing.
    2 [I] to speak distinctly: People cannot understand what he says because he does not articulate well. -adv. articulately; -n. [U] articulation . —adj. able to express oneself in clear, effective language; good with words
artifact
artifact
  1. n. an object used by humans a very long time ago: Archaeologists dig for artifacts, such as old pots and bones of ancient peoples.
artifice
artifice
  1. n.frml.
    1 a trick: Through artifice the magician created the illusion that he had sawed his assistant in half.
    2 a clever device or plan: The general's artifice enabled him to surprise the enemy.
artificial limb
artificial limb
  1. n. an arm, hand, leg, or foot made to replace the living one,
    THESAURUS
    a prosthesis: He lost his leg in an accident and wears an artificial limb.
artillery
artillery
  1. n. [U] large, powerful guns,
    THESAURUS
    cannonry: The artillery fired its shells against the enemy.
artisan
artisan
  1. n. a craftsman, one skilled in a trade, such as bricklaying, painting houses, etc.: The man is an artisan in a woodworking shop.
artist
artist
  1. n. a person who creates art, such as a painter or musician: The singer is a recording artist with Passion Records.
artistic
artistic
  1. adj.
    1 related to art or artists: Picasso's painting Guernica is an artistic impression of war's horrors.
    2 having ability in art or sensitivity to it: She loves to decorate and has an artistic sense of colors. -adv. artistically.
artistry
artistry
  1. n. [U] artistic expression: The violinist displayed her artistry in an exciting performance.
artsy or arty
artsy or arty
  1. adj.infrml. -ier, -iest wearing clothes or behaving in a way intended to be like an artist: She wears very arty clothes and likes to be around actors.
artwork
artwork
  1. n. [U] pieces of art, such as paintings and sculpture: The artwork in the museum is displayed with just the right lighting.
as
as
  1. strong form adv.
    1 to the same amount, just as much as s.o. or s.t. else: He is blind as a bat.
    2 for example, for instance: We enjoy playing sports, such as golf and tennis. —conj.
    1 to the same extent (degree, amount): She is as intelligent as she is pretty.
    2 because: He fell asleep on the sofa, as he was so tired.
    3 in the same way: Walk as fast as I am walking. —pron. that, which, or who, used after such or same: He thinks the same as I do. —prep.
    1 in the role of: He works as a business consultant.
    2 in the same way: We agree as a group on how to handle the matter.
    3 as far as it goes: to a limited extent, not enough: That report is acceptable as far as it goes, but it leaves out important ideas.
    4 as for: with regard to: As for raising salaries, we should discuss that next week.
    5 as if: in such a way that it would seem to be true (or not true); as though: (true) He is acting as if he's tired. ||(untrue) He's spending money as if he were a millionaire.
    6 as is: in its present condition, unchanged: I offered my car for sale as is, without any repairs.
    7 as it were: as if it is so, when it isn't: This so-called antique, as it were, is a fake.
    8 infrml.fig. as long as your arm: extensive, very lengthy: She has a shopping list as long as your arm.
    9 as such: the way it is, in its present state or condition: The plan is big and as such requires a lot of money to make it succeed.
    10 as though: apparently, as if: He acts as though he owns this company, but he doesn't.
    11 such as: for example, for instance: I need some supplies, such as pencils, a notebook, and a ruler.
asbestos
asbestos
  1. n. [U] a fibrous, fire-resistant material used in building materials (it is believed to cause cancer): Asbestos was used to cover pipes in old buildings.
ascend
ascend
  1. v.
    1 [I] to rise, climb: The airplane ascended into the sky.
    2 [T] to attain, gain a more important position: The prince ascended the throne after the king died.
ascendancy
ascendancy
  1. n.frml. [U] domination: The superpower's ascendancy in world trade was the topic of much debate among the world's struggling nations.
ascendant
ascendant
  1. adj.
    1 rising, climbing: The sun is ascendant in the eastern sky.
    2 frml. in control, superior: The young woman is in an ascendant position in the company. -n. ascendance.
ascension
ascension
  1. n. [U] the elevating of s.o. to s.t., ascent: The politician's ascension to power was slow but sure.
ascent
ascent
  1. n. [U;C] climb, upward path: His ascent up the mountain was slow and difficult.
ascetic
ascetic
  1. adj. severe in self-denial,
    THESAURUS
    austere: Ascetic practices include eating little, not drinking any alcoholic beverages, and living very simply. —n. a person who leads a life of severe self-discipline, esp. for religious reasons -adv. ascetically.
ascribe
ascribe
  1. v.frml. [T] -cribed, -cribing, -cribes to give s.t. as a reason for,
    THESAURUS
    to attribute: The politician ascribed the failing economy to high taxes.
asexual
asexual
  1. adj. nonsexual, having no sex: Some bacteria are asexual and multiply by cell division. -adv. asexually.
ash
ash
  1. n. ashes
    1 [U;C] the powdery substance left after s.t. has burned: He dropped his cigarette ash in the ashtray.
    2 [U] a type of hardwood tree: Baseball bats are made from ash.
ashamed
ashamed
  1. adj. feeling guilt, chagrined: He failed the test and was ashamed of himself.
    THESAURUS
    ashamed feeling guilty, feeling shame | embarrassed, humiliated. Ant. proud.
ashen
ashen
  1. adj. pale, having a white, sickly look: His illness made his face ashen for several weeks.
ashore
ashore
  1. adv. on shore: After arriving in port, the ship's passengers went ashore to see the sights.
ashtray
ashtray
  1. n. a type of dish for tobacco ashes: I put my cigarette out in the ashtray.
aside
aside
  1. adv. to one side, away: He put his newspaper aside and watched TV. —adv.phr. aside from: except for: Aside from the chilly weather, our vacation was fun. —n. a comment made off the main point,
    THESAURUS
    a digression: We are talking about costs, but, as an aside, the product quality is excellent.
asinine
asinine
  1. adj. stupid, completely foolish: His ideas about politics are asinine.
ask
ask
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to pose a question: I asked my friend how she felt.
    2 to ask for it or for trouble: to do s.t. that is sure to get one in trouble: By not paying her bills, she asked for it; I'm taking her to court!
    3 fig. to ask for the moon: to ask for too much: When the vice president demanded double his present salary, he was asking for the moon.
    THESAURUS
    ask
    1 to inquire, query frml. Ant. to answer.

    USAGE NOTE: To ask is the most common verb used to request information or an answer from s.o. To inquire is more formal and often used in writing. To question s.o. implies doubt, such as in: The police questioned a man about the theft.
askance
askance
  1. adv.frml. with disapproval, distrust, or suspicion: My father thinks I'm too young and looks askance at my drinking beer.
askew
askew
  1. adj.frml. crooked, out of position: That picture on the wall is askew and needs straightening.
asleep
asleep
  1. adj.
    1 sleeping, dozing: The baby is asleep now.
    2 infrml.fig. asleep on the job or asleep at the switch: lazy, not aware, not active: He never catches any mistakes; he's always asleep on the job.
asp
asp
  1. n. a small, poisonous snake of Africa and Asia: In ancient times, people committed suicide by having an asp bite them near the heart.
asparagus
asparagus
  1. n. [C;U] -gus a green vegetable with long pointy stems
aspect
aspect
  1. n.frml.
    1 [C] a feature, part of s.t.: What aspect of the show did you like the best, the dancing or the music?
    2 [U;C] point of view, consideration: From the cost aspect, the product is not expensive.
aspersion
aspersion
  1. n.frml. a remark that says s.t. bad about s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    a slur: He hates his competitor and casts aspersions on him constantly.
asphalt
asphalt
  1. n. [U] a black coal-based substance used for covering roads or roofs: Our driveway is made of asphalt. —v. [T] to coat with this substance: The new road was asphalted.
asphyxiate
asphyxiate
  1. v. [I;T] -ated, -ating, -ates to kill by cutting off s.o.'s supply of air,
    THESAURUS
    to suffocate: The mine roof fell in, and a miner was asphyxiated. -n. [U] asphyxiation.
aspic
aspic
  1. n. [U] a clear firm jelly made from fish, beef, or other gravy in which food is usu. placed: We enjoy eating chicken in aspic in the summer.
aspirant
aspirant
  1. n. [C] one who has a strong desire to advance or gain a higher position: All the aspirants for the directorship had superb qualifications.
aspiration
aspiration
  1. n.frml. a strong desire, a great ambition: She has aspirations to be company president some day.
aspire
aspire
  1. v.frml. [I] -pired, -piring, -pires to desire strongly, hope to do or to be: He aspires to be a great actor someday.
aspirin
aspirin
  1. n. [C;U] -rin or -rins a painkiller (salicylic acid) in tablet form: I had a headache and took two aspirin(s) for it.
ass
ass
  1. n. asses
    1 a donkey: The ass is often used as a pack animal in remote mountain terrains.
    2 vulg.slang the buttocks
    3 infrml.fig. to make an ass of oneself: to behave stupidly: When he drinks too much, he makes an ass of himself.

    USAGE NOTE: To describe a part of the body, ass is a vulgar term and should not be used in polite company. In American English, the terms posterior and buttocks are used in formal speech and writing: The firefighter was badly burned on his legs and buttocks. Bottom is an informal term used around friends and acquaintances: My mother spanked my bottom when I hit my baby brother.
assail
assail
  1. v.frml. [T]
    1 to attack physically, storm: Soldiers assailed the enemy.
    2 to criticize or attack verbally: The two politicians assailed each other with insults.
assailant
assailant
  1. n. a person who attacks s.o.: The police caught the victim's assailant.
assassin
assassin
  1. n. a person who kills another, usu. for a reward or political reasons: He is a hired assassin for a radical political group.
assassinate
assassinate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to murder s.o. in a planned way: President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. -n. [C;U] assassination.
assault
assault
  1. v. [T] to strike with force,
    THESAURUS
    to attack: A thief assaulted me with a club. —n.
    1 [C;U] a violent attack, physically or verbally: The knights' assault on the castle was successful.
    2 [U] assault and battery: (in law) an attack (assault) in which physical harm is done to s.o. (battery): A police officer caught the fleeing man and arrested him for assault and battery.
assemblage
assemblage
  1. n.
    1 [U] putting parts of s.t. together,
    THESAURUS
    construction: The assemblage of the motor parts took several hours.
    2 [C] frml. a grouping of people: The assemblage of important people at the political gathering was impressive.
assemble
assemble
  1. v. -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 [T] to put together, make: The workers in that factory assemble trucks.
    2 [I] to gather, come together: The crowd assembled in the meeting hall.
    THESAURUS
    assemble
    1 to construct, join, build. Ants. to take apart, disassemble
    2 to get together (people). Ant. to disband.
assembler
assembler
  1. n. a worker who puts together parts of an item being manufactured: She works as an assembler in a factory that manufactures computers.
assembly
assembly
  1. n. -blies
    1 [U] putting parts of s.t. together: The assembly of a rifle by a soldier can be done in seconds.
    2 [C] a grouping of people, gathering: The assembly of students takes place in the auditorium.
assemblyman
assemblyman
  1. n. -men a member of a local or state legislature: The assemblyman from our district has an office near city hall. -n. assemblywoman -women.
assent
assent
  1. v.frml. [I] to agree to, to approve: The father assented to his daughter's marriage. —n. [U] affirmative response, permission
assert
assert
  1. v. [T]
    1 to claim, say s.t. is true: The lawyer asserts that his client is not guilty.
    2 to put oneself forth forcefully, become aggressive: She asserted herself on the job and won a promotion.
assertion
assertion
  1. n.
    1 [C] a claim, statement s.t. is true: The lawyer made an assertion that his client was not guilty.
    2 [U] the aggressive use of s.t.: The President's assertion of his power to stop the fighting succeeded.
assertive
assertive
  1. adj. bold, confident, aggressive: His assertive nature helped him attain his goals. -adv. assertively; -n. [U] assertiveness.
assess
assess
  1. v. -es [T]
    1 to evaluate, analyze: I assessed how much it would cost to build a new house.
    2 to place a value on s.t., esp. as a basis for taxation: Our house is assessed at $50,000. -n. [C] assessor.
assessment
assessment
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 an evaluation, analysis: The planner made an assessment of what should be done next.
    2 a valuation, estimate of worth as a basis for taxation: We have a low assessment on our property.
asset
asset
  1. n.
    1 an advantage, an important person, thing, or quality: She is very talented and is a real asset to our company.
    2 assets: (in accounting) items of value to a person, business, or institution: The company assets include a building, equipment, and cash.
assiduous
assiduous
  1. adj.frml. hardworking,
    THESAURUS
    diligent: Being very assiduous, he completed the report well before the deadline. -adv. assiduously -n. [U] assiduousness.
assign
assign
  1. v. [T]
    1 to give a job or tasks to s.o. to do,
    THESAURUS
    to designate: My boss assigned me the task of finding new offices to rent.
    2 to transfer, sign over property, rights, or interests: I assigned the ownership (rights, deed, etc.) of the property to my son. —n. (in law) a person, business, etc., to whom one transfers rights and other assets,
    THESAURUS
    assignee: The contract that I signed transfers ownership of the property to my heirs and assigns.
assignable
assignable
  1. adj. capable of being given or sold to another: My house mortgage is assignable, meaning that my bank can assign it to another owner if I sell it. -n. [U] assignability.
assignment
assignment
  1. n.
    1 a task, duty, or other obligation given to s.o.: His manager gave him the assignment of planning the sales meeting.
    2 (in law) the transfer, signing over of rights, etc., to another: The assignment of the property deed will take place tomorrow.
assimilate
assimilate
  1. v.frml. -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 [T] to eat and absorb food,
    THESAURUS
    to digest: People assimilate nutrients from food.
    2 [T] to take in, absorb into the mind: The student assimilates knowledge rapidly.
    3 [I;T] to become part of a nation's culture or to absorb into a culture: The culture/nation assimilated the immigrants. -n. [C;U] assimilation.
assist
assist
  1. v. [I;T] to aid, help s.o. do s.t.: My friend assisted me in moving to a new apartment. —n. in sports, esp. baseball and ice hockey, the official credit given for helping a teammate (by throwing the ball or passing the puck) to score: His teammate was given an assist when he scored the winning goal.
assistance
assistance
  1. n. [U]
    1 aid, help in doing s.t.: My friend's assistance in helping me to move was much appreciated.
    2 public assistance: welfare; money or food given by the government to the homeless and other people in need of financial aid, such as the elderly or people living in an area struck by a disaster: He lost his job and is now living on public assistance.
assistant
assistant
  1. n. a person who helps another at work: Her assistant types letters and answers the telephone.
associate
associate
  1. n. a coworker or a person with whom one works as a partner: My associates and I work for the city government. —v. -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 [I] to work, socialize, or mingle with: We associate with our neighbors at church.
    2 [T] to connect in the mind, to correlate: I associate his bad behavior with his difficult childhood.
    THESAURUS
    associate v.
    1 to be with, mix with, join together with (people)
    2 to correlate, group with, link together (ideas). Ant. to disassociate.
association
association
  1. n.
    1 [C] a group with common interests,
    THESAURUS
    an alliance: Our company belongs to the National Association of Manufacturers.
    2 [U] relationship, affiliation: We work in association with our neighbors to improve the community.
    3 [C] a connection,
    THESAURUS
    a correlation: Experts have found an association between poverty and crime.
assorted
assorted
  1. adj. of different kinds, mixed: The bowl contains assorted hard candies. -v. [I;T] assort.
assortment
assortment
  1. n. a group of things of different kinds, a mixture: That store sells an assortment of shoes, boots, and sneakers.
assuage
assuage
  1. v.frml. [T] -suaged, -suaging, -suages to calm: The king assuaged the fears of his nobles about a war.
assumable
assumable
  1. adj. capable of being taken on by another: We have an assumable mortgage, so any qualified buyer can assume it.
assume
assume
  1. v. [T] -sumed, -suming, -sumes
    1 to believe s.t. is true without knowing, conjecture: I assume that the moving van will be here this morning.
    2 to presume, take for granted: He assumed that we would give money, so he put our names on the givers' list.
    3 to take on responsibility: The winner of the election assumed the office of senator.
    THESAURUS
    assume
    1 to suppose, believe, imagine. Ant. to know for sure.
assuming
assuming
  1. conj. thinking that s.t. will happen or has happened, or is a certain way,
    THESAURUS
    supposing: Assuming that he arrives on time, we can start our meeting soon.
assumption
assumption
  1. n.
    1 [C] a belief that s.t. will happen,
    THESAURUS
    a supposition: It is only an assumption on my part that what he says is true.
    2 [U] acceptance, a taking on of responsibility: His assumption of the duties of mayor takes place in January.
    3 based on the assumption that: based on the belief that: Based on the assumption that she does want to marry him, we can go ahead with the wedding plans.
assurance
assurance
  1. n. a guarantee, pledge: I give you my assurance that I shall pay you on time.
assure
assure
  1. v. [T] -sured, -suring, -sures to promise that s.t. is so,
    THESAURUS
    to guarantee: I assure you that I'm telling you the truth.
assured
assured
  1. adj. guaranteed, made certain: The policy offers an assured income of $800 per month upon retirement. -adv. assuredly.
aster
aster
  1. n. a flower with a round center button and white, pink, or purple petals: We grow asters in our garden.
asterisk
asterisk
  1. n. the symbol (*); the asterisk is often used in writing to show that there is a comment at the bottom of the page or that something has been omitted
astern
astern
  1. adv. of the back part of a boat: The captain has gone astern.
asteroid
asteroid
  1. n. any of thousands of usu. irregularly shaped heavenly bodies: Ceres is the largest asteroid in our solar system.
asthma
asthma
  1. n. [U] a chronic medical condition which causes difficulty in breathing: My friend suffers from asthma and must use an inhaler to relieve her breathing difficulties. -n. adj. asthmatic.
astonish
astonish
  1. v. [T] to greatly amaze, surprise overwhelmingly: I am astonished at how beautifully that little girl dances.
astonishment
astonishment
  1. n. [U] great amazement, surprise: The crowd reacted with astonishment when the speaker suddenly dropped dead.
astound
astound
  1. v. [T] to amaze, astonish: The high repair bill astounded me.
astray
astray
  1. adv.
    1 in a wrong (evil, bad) way: The boy is leading his younger brother astray by teaching him bad habits.
    2 to go astray: to fall into bad or evil ways: His younger brother has gone astray and has become a thief.
astride
astride
  1. prep. mounted on or over s.t. with one's legs on either side: The rider is astride her horse. -adv. astride.
astringent
astringent
  1. n.adj. a substance, esp. a liquid, capable of shrinking body tissues, such as the skin: These astringents are used to freshen and tighten facial skin.
astrology
astrology
  1. n. [U] a system of belief in the influence of heavenly bodies (stars, planets, sun, moon) upon human affairs and events: Millions of people believe in astrology and read their horoscope daily. -n. astrologer; -adj. astrological ; -adv. astrologically.
astronaut
astronaut
  1. n. a person who flies into outer space: The astronauts trained for years in how to navigate their spacecraft.
astronomer
astronomer
  1. n. a scientist who studies heavenly bodies and outer space: Many astronomers work at night, looking at the stars.
astronomical
astronomical
  1. adj.
    1 related to astronomy: The institute's budget for astronomical research was cut back as the institute refocused its research on the earth's environment.
    2 fig. huge, extremely high: The cost of the new government program is astronomical; it's billions of dollars! -adv. astronomically.
astronomy
astronomy
  1. n. [U] the science of outer space, of heavenly bodies, and related phenomena: I took a course in astronomy in college, because I was interested in the planets.
astute
astute
  1. adj. intelligent, keen in judgment: She is an astute investor in the stock market and always knows which stocks to avoid. -adv. astutely.
asunder
asunder
  1. adv.frml. torn or broken into parts or pieces: The bomb blew the building asunder.
asylum
asylum
  1. n.
    1 [U] a safe place, a refuge from harm: The refugee sought asylum in the Swiss embassy.
    2 [C] a type of hospital, esp. for people with mental illness: He became insane and was sent to an asylum.
asymmetrical
asymmetrical
  1. adj. not of equal size or similar shape: That rabbit has one ear missing, and it looks asymmetrical. -adv. asymmetrically.
at
at
  1. strong form prep.
    1 toward, in the direction of: I looked at her and smiled.
    2 during, while: He works at night.
    3 located in, in the position of: The important information is at the bottom of the page.
    4 in the location of: She is at her office.
    5 related to time: He leaves at five o'clock.
    6 doing, engaged in: She is hard at work on a project.
    7 in the condition of: The country is at peace now.
    8 in the manner of: The horse ran off at a gallop.
    9 in a superlative description: at most, at least, at best, at worst, etc.: At least you can tell me what's going on here!
    10 at all: most definitely not: I don't like what he says at all.
    11 at all costs: whatever is necessary: The company must increase its sales at all costs.
    12 at a loss: a. frml. at a price less than original cost: I had to sell my house at a loss of $5,000. b. fig. not knowing what to do: I am at a loss as to how to solve the problem.
    13 at any rate: anyhow, whatever the situation is: We lost some of our business in Chicago; at any rate, we made up for it with increases in California.
ate
ate
  1. v. [T] simple past tense of to eat: This morning, I ate eggs for breakfast.
atheism
atheism
  1. n. [U] a belief that God does not exist: She was raised as a Protestant, but as an adult she realized she believed in atheism.
atheist
atheist
  1. n. a person who does not believe in the existence of God: She is an atheist, and finds no need for religion in her life. -adj. atheistic.
athlete
athlete
  1. n. a person who is trained in or has a natural talent for exercises and sports: His son was an outstanding athlete who played several team sports.
athlete's foot
athlete's foot
  1. n. [U] a type of skin disease that causes cracking and itching in the skin between the toes: The doctor suggested he use a certain cream to alleviate the itching caused by his athelete's foot.
athletic
athletic
  1. adj.
    1 related to sports: She entered many athletic competitions just for fun.
    2 having ability in sports: Despite her advanced years, she is very athletic. -adv. athletically.
athletic supporter
athletic supporter
  1. n. a garment worn to support and protect the male genital area,
    THESAURUS
    jockstrap: He puts on an athletic supporter before he goes running.
athletics
athletics
  1. n.pl. sports in general: He was good in athletics in high school, where he played baseball and football.
atlas
atlas
  1. n. -es
    1 a collection of maps in book form: We have a world atlas that has maps of every country on earth.
    2 Atlas: a. (from Greek mythology) a Titan who was forced by Zeus to support the heavens on his shoulders b. a strong man: He can lift hundreds of pounds; he's an Atlas.
atmosphere
atmosphere
  1. n. [U;C]
    1 the air space above the earth: The atmosphere is becoming more polluted each day.
    2 the special tone or mood of a particular place or created by a place or thing: A reading room in a library has a quiet atmosphere. -adj. atmospheric .
    THESAURUS
    atmosphere
    1 the air we breathe, sky, environment
    2 a certain feeling, a mood | the ambiance frml., the milieu frml.
atom
atom
  1. n. the smallest unit of matter, a nucleus surrounded by protons and electrons: Atoms form into molecules that make up matter.
atom bomb
atom bomb
  1. n. a bomb of great destructive force powered by the splitting of atoms: Dropping atom bombs on Japan brought the end of World War II.
atomic
atomic
  1. adj.
    1 of or relating to an atom: He studied atomic reactions in his physics course.
    2 of or using nuclear energy: The atomic submarine was on patrol in the Pacific Ocean.
atomic bomb
atomic bomb
  1. n. See: atom bomb.
atomic energy
atomic energy
  1. n. [U] energy made from splitting atoms in a nuclear reactor, usu. for electricity: Atomic energy is a major source of electrical power for many nations.
atone
atone
  1. v. [I] atoned, atoning, atones to ask for forgiveness, esp. for sin, and to do good works to pay for it: The man atoned for his bad behavior by working for a charity. -n. [U] atonement.
atrium
atrium
  1. n. atria or atriums in modern buildings, an area often on the ground floor, with a high ceiling that has a skylight: The atrium in our building is open to the public for sitting and eating.
atrocious
atrocious
  1. adj.
    1 very cruel: The military committed atrocious acts of violence in shooting women and children.
    2 disgusting, sickening: His manners are atrocious. -adv. atrociously; -n. atrocity -ties.
atrophy
atrophy
  1. v. [I] -phied, -phying, -phies to harden, grow small and useless: From lack of exercise, the muscles in his legs atrophied.
attach
attach
  1. v. [T] -es
    1 to put s.t. on: I attached a note to my report with a paper clip.
    2 to affiliate with, associate with: That official is attached to the government's treasury.
    3 to be in love with, emotionally dependent upon: They are a loving couple and are quite attached to each other.
    4 to assign, attribute: I attach no importance to what he says.
    THESAURUS
    attach
    1 to fasten s.t., to, connect
    2 to be associated with. Ant. to unattach.
attachment
attachment
  1. n.
    1 [C] an accessory, s.t. added on: A vacuum cleaner has various attachments, such as a narrow nozzle and a brush.
    2 [U] the process of joining, putting s.t. together: The attachment of parts of the child's crib took a long time.
    3 [C] an emotional bond, love: His attachment to his dog was very strong.
attaché
attaché
  1. n. an embassy official responsible for reporting information in a specific area: My brother is the economics attaché at the British embassy.
attaché case
attaché case
  1. n. a case with a handle for carrying work-related papers,
    THESAURUS
    a briefcase: My attaché case is made of leather.
attack
attack
  1. v. [T]
    1 to assault, strike: The criminal attacked his victim with a club.
    2 to find fault with: The critics attacked the writer's latest book as weak.
    3 to make a serious effort to do s.t., to undertake: Relief organizations attacked the problem of hunger by seeking to increase the food supply. —n.
    1 [C;U] the use of violent force, an assault: The military attack began at dawn.
    2 [C] criticism, faultfinding: The critic's attack on the novel was sharp.
    3 [C] a serious undertaking, particular approach: The scientist made an attack on solving a difficult problem by running a simulation on his computer.
    THESAURUS
    attack v.
    1 to hit, fight
    2 to criticize severely, condemn, assail
    3 to take on, tackle. Ant. retreat. —n.
    1 a strike, an offensive
    2 severe criticism, condemnation. Ant. praise.
attacker
attacker
  1. n. a person or group, such as a military unit or gang, that assaults: The victim's attacker was caught by the police.
attain
attain
  1. v. [T] to achieve, reach: The salesperson attained her sales goal for the month. -adj. attainable; -n. [U] attainment.
attempt
attempt
  1. v. [T] to try to do s.t., strive for: He attempted to pass the examination and succeeded. —n. an effort, endeavor: She made an attempt to telephone, but no one was home.
    THESAURUS
    attempt v. to try, undertake, endeavor frml. —n. a try, an undertaking.
attend
attend
  1. v. [T]
    1 to be present at: I attended the wedding at the church.
    2 to take care of, see to: One secretary attends to all of the paperwork in my office.
    THESAURUS
    attend
    1 go to, be at. Ant. to miss.
attendance
attendance
  1. n. [U]
    1 presence: My attendance at my brother's wedding was required.
    2 to take attendance: to check on people's presence: Every morning the teacher takes attendance to determine who is absent.
    THESAURUS
    attendance
    1 one's presence at, one's appearance at.
attendant
attendant
  1. n. a person who performs a service, esp by waiting on others: The attendant in the washroom hands out towels and brushes off people's clothes. —adj.frml. accompanying or in connection with: The politician negotiated the peace settlement and its attendant problems.
attention
attention
  1. n. [U]
    1 looking and listening: His attention to his work was constantly interrupted by the ringing telephone.
    2 work, care: Sick people need attention from doctors and nurses.
    3 a military command to stand in a still, straight way: The sergeant ordered the troops to stand at attention.
    THESAURUS
    attention
    1 one's concentration on s.t., one's interest
    2 treatment. Ant. inattention.
attentive
attentive
  1. adj.
    1 paying attention,
    THESAURUS
    alert: Students should be attentive in class.
    2 concerned, considerate: As his parents age, he becomes more attentive to their needs. -adv. attentively.
attest
attest
  1. v. [I;T] to swear s.t. is true, certify: I attest to the fact that this is my signature on the contract.
attic
attic
  1. n. a space, often used as storage, under the roof of a house: We put trunks and old books in our attic.
attire
attire
  1. n.frml. [U] clothing, dress: We wear formal attire when we attend the opera.
attitude
attitude
  1. n. feeling about or toward s.o. or s.t.: She has a good attitude toward work; she's always cheerful.
    THESAURUS
    attitude a view toward s.o. or s.t., an outlook | stance.
attorney
attorney
  1. n. a legal counselor, lawyer: The attorneys for the company were present in court today.
attorney general
attorney general
  1. n. attorneys general the chief lawyer for a nation or state: Citizens were so upset by an investment scandal that they wrote to the state attorney general about it.
attract
attract
  1. v. [T] to draw interest: San Francisco attracts millions of tourists each year.
    THESAURUS
    attract to charm, enchant (people) | appeal, interest (things). Ants. to disgust | repel.
attraction
attraction
  1. n.
    1 [U] appeal: Because she is afraid of heights, the long trip by airplane had little attraction for her.
    2 [U;C] a popular place, entertainment: Niagara Falls is a major attraction for people visiting the United States.
    3 [U;C] the ability and quality in a person to attract,
    THESAURUS
    charm: His winning smile and easy manner were attractions that drew the public to him.
attractive
attractive
  1. adj.
    1 appealing, interesting: I have an offer of a new job at an attractive salary.
    2 causing interest, charming: She is a very attractive woman with many admirers. -adv. attractively.
    THESAURUS
    attractive 1 good, substantial
    2 pretty, good-looking, beautiful. Ants. unappealing, unattractive.
attributable
attributable
  1. adj. be the reason for, assignable to: Her success is attributable to her intelligence and hard work.
attribute
attribute
  1. n. a characteristic, quality of a person or thing: He is a handsome man with many other good attributes. —v. [T] -uted, -uting to credit, be the reason for: I attribute his success to his talent and hard work. -adj. attributable ; -n. [U] attribution.
attrition
attrition
  1. n. [U] a slow lessening in number or strength through resignation, retirement, or death: Through attrition, the police department went from 40 members to 23 members in one year.
attuned
attuned
  1. adj. aware and sensitive to s.o. or s.t.: The husband and wife are attuned to each other's needs.||The reporter is attuned to what is going on in the city. -v. [T] attune.
atwitter
atwitter
  1. adj. chirping rapidly like a bird or chattering nervously: The guests arrived late and were all atwitter about a bad car accident they had seen.
atypical
atypical
  1. adj. not typical, unusual: He is always on time; it is atypical of him to be late. -adv. atypically.
au gratin
au gratin
  1. adj. (French for) covered with melted cheese and bread crumbs: I had potatoes au gratin with fish for dinner.
au pair
au pair
  1. n. (French for) a young person who goes to live with a family (usu. in a foreign country) to care for the family's children in return for room, board, and usu. an opportunity to learn the family's language: Jane was an au pair for a year in Germany. See: nanny, USAGE NOTE.
auburn
auburn
  1. n. adj. reddish brown to brown in color: The color of her hair is auburn.
auction
auction
  1. n. a public sale of property in which items are sold to the person who bids the highest: When the old woman died, her son held an auction of her furniture. —v. [T] to sell property by auction: Her family auctioned off her jewels.
auctioneer
auctioneer
  1. n. a person who runs an auction: Some auctioneers repeat buyers' offers very rapidly.
audacious
audacious
  1. adj.
    1 bold, adventurous,
    THESAURUS
    brave: The buyer was audacious in his attempt to take over another company.
    2 offensive, brazen: The boy was audacious in yelling at his father.
audacity
audacity
  1. n. [U] brazenness, insolence: The son had the audacity to demand that his mother resign so that he could take over the company.
audible
audible
  1. adj. capable of being heard: The music and laughter were audible from the street outside the nightclub. -adv. audibly; -n. [U] audibility.
audience
audience
  1. n.
    1 the people who gather to listen to and watch an event: The audience at the rock concert was very enthusiastic.
    2 a group of customers who are likely to buy a particular book or other printed matter: The audience for her textbook is university students.
audio-lingual
audio-lingual
  1. adj. related to a method of learning a language that stresses intensive listening and speaking: My French teacher uses the audio-lingual approach to teaching.
audio
audio
  1. n. [U] adj.
    1 of or relating to sound, the transmission and production of recorded sound: The audio portion of the broadcast was not good.
    2 short for audio equipment: The audio is broken on that TV.
audiovisual
audiovisual
  1. adj. related to the educational use of a variety of teaching aids, such as charts, films, videos, television, overhead transparencies, and other forms of nonwritten instruction: During the 1940s, audiovisual education was introduced.
audiovisuals
audiovisuals
  1. n.pl. materials, such as charts, films, videos, and television programs, that combine sound and visual images: We made our own audiovisuals for use in our company training program.
audit
audit
  1. n. an official examination by an accountant or accounting firm of an individual's or company's financial records: An accountant did a year-end audit of our financial records. —v. [T] to officially examine the financial records of a person or company: The accounting firm audits the company every year.

    USAGE NOTE: Internal audit means a company is having its own financial records examined. An audit conducted by an outside organization is called an independent audit, and an audit by the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is called a tax audit.
audition
audition
  1. v. [I] (in the theater) to try out for a role: Fifty actresses auditioned for the lead in the new play. —n. a performance as a tryout: The dancer's audition for the ballet company went well.
auditor
auditor
  1. n. an accountant or public official who does auditing: The auditors from the accounting firm began looking at our books.
auditorium
auditorium
  1. n. a large room with seats and often a stage for delivering lectures and usu. entertainment: Our class was called to the auditorium to hear a speech on job opportunities.
auditory
auditory
  1. adj. related to hearing and sound: The auditory canal in my left ear is blocked.
augment
augment
  1. v. [T] to increase, add to: We augmented the advertising budget in order to increase sales. -n. [U] augmentation ; -adj. augmentative.
augur
augur
  1. v.frml. [I;T] to predict: All signs augur well for success in the future. -n. augury -ries.
august 
august 
  1. adj.frml. illustrious, renowned: A young professor was invited to dinner with an august group of scientists.
aunt
aunt
  1. n. one's father's or mother's sister, or one's uncle's wife: My aunt Betty, who is my mother's sister, visits us every Thanksgiving.
auntie
auntie
  1. n.infrml. aunt
aura
aura
  1. n. an effect or feeling that is given off or surrounds a thing or person: He has an aura of wealth, with his fine clothes and expensive car.
aural
aural
  1. adj. related to hearing and the ear: He has an aural disorder, so you need to speak clearly. -adv. aurally.
auspices
auspices
  1. n.pl. with the support,
    THESAURUS
    patronage: The concert is presented free under the auspices of the city government.
auspicious
auspicious
  1. adj. favorable, good: This party is an auspicious occasion to announce the marriage plans of my daughter. -adv. auspiciously.
austere
austere
  1. adj.
    1 (a person) cold and self-disciplined: The chairman has an austere appearance in his black suit.
    2 (a place) with no human warmth or comfort: The desert is an austere place, hot by day and cold by night. -adv. austerely; -n. [C;U] austerity.
authentic
authentic
  1. adj. genuine, real: That dealer in precious coins sells only authentic ones, not fakes. -adv. authentically.
authenticate
authenticate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to prove s.t. is genuine,
    THESAURUS
    to substantiate: Experts authenticated the painting as a Picasso. -n. [U] authentication.
authenticity
authenticity
  1. n. [U] the genuineness, validity of s.t.: The authenticity of the painting as one of Picasso's was proven by an expert.
author
author
  1. n. a person who writes a work (book, article, poem, etc.): Cervantes is one of the most famous authors in the Spanish language.
    THESAURUS
    author writer, novelist, poet, playwright, essayist.
authoritarian
authoritarian
  1. adj. demanding or requiring others to do exactly what you tell them to do without questioning that it is right or wrong: The authoritarian government has been in power for many years. —n. a person who demands that others do exactly what he or she says without questioning if the orders are right or wrong: The Commanding General was an authoritarian.
authoritative
authoritative
  1. adj. the most reliable,
    THESAURUS
    definitive: Dr. Harry Gray wrote the authoritative book on chemistry. -adv. authoritatively.
authority
authority
  1. n.
    1 [U] power, control: The company's owner granted each manager authority to spend up to $10,000 on travel and entertainment.
    2 [C] -ties expert, master: Professor Smith is an authority on chemistry.
    3 pl. authorities people in charge, specifically government: Government authorities arrested a swindler.
    4 to be in authority: to be in charge: Teachers are in authority in the classroom.
    5 to have the authority: to have permission (the power, right, etc.): Managers have the authority to use money from their budgets.
    THESAURUS
    authority
    1 the right, authorization. Ant. powerlessness.
    3 the police, powers that be.
authorization
authorization
  1. n. [U;C] the granting of permission (authority, the right, etc.): The company gave authorization to all managers to spend money as they wished.
authorize
authorize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to grant permission (authority, the right, etc.): Congress authorizes the government to tax the people.
authorship
authorship
  1. n. [U] the source of a piece of writing: The authorship of some of Shakespeare's works is still being questioned.
auto
auto
  1. n. -tos short for automobile, a four-wheel passenger vehicle: Too many autos are on the highways. —adj.infrml. short for automatic: The pilot put the airplane on auto control after takeoff.
autobiography
autobiography
  1. n. -phies the story of a person's life written by that person: The famous film star wrote her autobiography. -adj. autobiographical ; -adv. autobiographically.
autocracy
autocracy
  1. n.[C;U] -cies an extremely strict government run by one person, despotism: Before the revolution, the government of the country was an autocracy.
autocrat
autocrat
  1. n. s.o. who rules alone with unlimited power, (syns.) a despot, dictator: Louis XIV (1638-1715) was an autocrat who ruled France by himself. -adj. autocratic.
autograph
autograph
  1. n. one's signature given to an admirer: The boy asked a famous baseball player for his autograph. —v. [T] to write one's signature on s.t.: The player autographed the boy's baseball.
automaker
automaker
  1. n. a manufacturer of automobiles: American automakers face strong competition from both Japan and Europe.
automate
automate
  1. v. [T] -mated, -mating, -mates to use machinery to do jobs once done by hand: We automated our order department with computers.
automated teller machine
automated teller machine
  1. n.abbr. ATM [C] a computerized bank machine for obtaining cash, seeing one's account balances, and making deposits: Automated teller machines are very convenient, especially on weekends.
automatic
automatic
  1. adj. self-operating, working by itself: Once he turns on his computer, the appearance of the main menu is automatic. —n. an automatic weapon (pistol, rifle, machine gun): Once I pull the trigger, my automatic fires all nine bullets. -adv. automatically.
automation
automation
  1. n. [U] the use of machines, esp. computers, to do the work once done by people: Automation has taken over the car industry, causing some people to lose their jobs.
automobile
automobile
  1. n. a four-wheeled motor vehicle used to transport people from place to place: The invention of the automobile has resulted in great personal freedom to go places.
    THESAURUS
    automobile car | passenger vehicle.
automotive
automotive
  1. adj. related to the automobile: Many automotive parts are made overseas now.
autonomous
autonomous
  1. adj. indepen-dent, self-governing: Each of the 50 US states has an autonomous government that runs that state. -adv. autonomously; -n. [U] autonomy.
autopsy
autopsy
  1. n. -sies a medical examination of a dead human body to determine what caused death: The autopsy revealed that the man died of poisoning.
autoworker
autoworker
  1. n. an employee in the automobile industry: The autoworkers went on strike for higher wages.
autumn
autumn
  1. n. [U;C] the season between summer and winter,
    THESAURUS
    the fall: Maple trees turn bright red and yellow in autumn. -adj. autumnal.
auxiliary
auxiliary
  1. adj. kept for use in case another fails,
    THESAURUS
    standby: An auxiliary electricity generator is kept in working condition in case the main power unit fails. —n.pl. -ries a reserve unit: The police auxiliary works evenings and weekends to help the regular police force.
avail
avail
  1. n. [U] benefit, advantage, use, help: The old man's heart stopped, and a doctor tried to save him to no avail. —v.frml. to avail oneself of: to take advantage of, use: While working in Paris, I availed myself of the opportunity to visit the museums.
available
available
  1. adj.
    1 free, uncommitted: I am available tomorrow to see you.
    2 in good supply: Office supplies are available at many stores in the city. -n. [U] availability .
    THESAURUS
    available
    1 ready to meet, accessible (person)
    2 obtainable, on hand | vacant (property). Ant. unavailable.
avalanche
avalanche
  1. n.
    1 a sudden breaking away of snow, rocks, or mud down a hill or mountain: Several skiers were buried in the avalanche.
    2 fig. a response from a great number of people: An avalanche of protest came from those opposed to a tax increase.
avant-garde
avant-garde
  1. n.adj. [U] pathbreakers, people in the forefront (of art, fashion, literature, social thought, product development, etc.): The avant-garde in fashion this summer are wearing short skirts.
avarice
avarice
  1. n. [U] extreme desire for money,
    THESAURUS
    greed: The avarice of the country's dictator had no end.
avaricious
avaricious
  1. adj. desiring money,
    THESAURUS
    greedy: The avaricious politician used his position to become rich. -adv. avariciously.
avenge
avenge
  1. v. [T] avenged, avenging, avenges to seek revenge, repay s.o. for a wrong: He avenged his brother's murder by sending the murderer to jail.
avenue
avenue
  1. n. a wide street, often a main street and one lined with trees: People love to walk down the avenues of Paris. See: street, USAGE NOTE.
average
average
  1. n. the number found by adding all items in a group, such as test scores, and then dividing the total by the number of items: The average of the sum of 10, 16, and 4 is 10; that is, 10 plus 16 plus 4 equals 30, and 30 divided by 3 is 10. —adj. ordinary, common, neither very good nor very bad: He's not exceptional; he's just an average child. —v. [T] -aged, -aging, -ages to take an average: We bought 10 of those fasteners over the past year, and the price averaged $1.43 per item.
    THESAURUS
    average adj. everyday, run-of-the-mill. Ants. exceptional, superior. —v. to be about (a specific number, such as $5.00), approximate. Ant. to be exactly.
average Joe
average Joe
  1. n.infrml. an ordinary guy, the common man: The average Joe doesn't care about international politics.
averse
averse
  1. adj.frml. against, disinclined: I am averse to spending much money.
aversion
aversion
  1. n.frml.
    1 [C;U] dislike, disinclination: I have an aversion to traveling during the heat of August.
    2 [C] repugnance, revulsion: She has an aversion to eating cow liver; it makes her ill.
avert
avert
  1. v.frml. [T] to avoid, prevent from happening: We averted a loss in the stock market by selling our shares early, before the stock fell.
aviation
aviation
  1. n. [U] the manufacture and use of aircraft, esp. airplanes: My friend has a career in aviation; he is a pilot.
aviator
aviator
  1. n. a person working aboard an airplane, esp. in the military: My grandfather was an aviator during the war.
avid
avid
  1. adj. keenly dedicated, enthusiastic: My sister is an avid golfer; she golfs every weekend. -adv. avidly.
avocado
avocado
  1. n. -dos a pear-shaped tropical fruit with a green interior: I love California avocados stuffed with shrimp.
avocation
avocation
  1. n. a hobby: Her avocation is reading about history.
avoid
avoid
  1. v. [T]
    1 to stay away from: She avoids walking on dark streets at night.
    2 to elude, evade: The thief avoided capture by the police.
    3 to not do s.t., abstain from doing: We avoid eating fattening foods. -adj. avoidable; -adv. avoidably.
    THESAURUS
    avoid
    1 to bypass, keep away from, shy away from s.o. or s.t.
    3 to refrain from, shun frml. Ant. to seek out.
avoidance
avoidance
  1. n. [U]
    1 the act of bypassing s.t., going around s.t.: The avoidance of dangerous areas is a good idea.
    2 an evasion, escape: The criminal's avoidance of arrest mystifies the police.
    3 not using s.t., abstention from s.t.: His avoidance of cigarettes and alcohol has made him healthier.
avow
avow
  1. v.frml. to say openly and clearly,
    THESAURUS
    to declare: He avowed his innocence to the crime. -n. [C;U] avowal.
await
await
  1. v. [T] to wait for s.t., to anticipate: I am awaiting an answer to my application for admission to law school.
awake
awake
  1. v. awoke, or awoken, awaking, awakes
    1 [T] to get someone up from sleep: The mother awoke the baby from its afternoon nap so it would sleep through the night.
    2 [I] to wake up, to come out of a sleeping state: I awoke to find I was late for work. awake adj. to be alert, not sleeping: The baby is awake now and wants to eat.
awaken
awaken
  1. v. [T]
    1 to cause to wake up: I awakened her early so she would be sure to get her train.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to awaken to, to arouse, make others feel s.t.: The invasion by a foreign army awakened patriotism in people's hearts.
    3 to realize, become aware of: The athlete finally awakened to the fact that he was growing too old to compete.
    THESAURUS
    awaken
    1 to wake up. Ant. to sleep.
    3 to understand | see the light. Ants. t emain oblivious, unaware.
award
award
  1. v. [T]
    1 to give a prize (honor, praise, etc.) to s.o.: The school principal awarded a prize in history to the best student.
    2 to give, grant: A buyer awarded a contract to the supplier. —n. a prize (honor, praise, etc.) given to s.o. for outstanding performance: The teacher gave her best student an award.
aware
aware
  1. adj.
    1 conscious of, alert to: He is out of the coma, but he can't speak. He is aware of people around him though.
    2 knowledgeable about, understanding of: A newspaper reporter must be aware of current events. -n. [U] awareness.
awash
awash
  1. adj. flooded with, covered with: After the flood, the ground floors of houses were awash with water and mud.
away
away
  1. adv.
    1 somewhere else, afar: When no one answered the doorbell, the stranger went away.
    2 absent, not present: I was away on vacation for two weeks.
awe
awe
  1. n. [U] a feeling of great admiration or respect: The boy was in awe of the famous football player and couldn't believe he was going to meet him. —v. [T] awed, awing, awes to create a feeling of awe or admiration: The player awed the boy.
awesome
awesome
  1. adj. creating awe, worthy of great admiration: The size of the cathedrals in France is awesome.
awful
awful
  1. adj.
    1 bad, dreadful: We've been having awful weather lately.
    2 offensive, repugnant: What an awful odor is coming from that dump!
    THESAURUS
    awful
    1 terrible
    2 disgusting, horrible. Ant. wonderful.
awfully
awfully
  1. adv.
    1 badly, dread-fully: He lost his job, his wife left him, and his son had a bad accident; things have been going awfully for him.
    2 very, exceptionally: I must hurry; I'm awfully late for work!
awhile
awhile
  1. adv. for a short time, briefly: I'll stay awhile; then I must leave.
awkward
awkward
  1. adj.
    1 ungainly, clumsy: He runs with an awkward gait.
    2 embarrassing, disconcerting: The speaker experienced an awkward moment when people interrupted him. -adv. awkwardly; -n. [U] awkwardness.
    THESAURUS
    awkward
    1 uncoordinated (person)
    2 unpleasant (situation). Ant. graceful.
awning
awning
  1. n. a sunshade usu. hung outside at an angle to shield a window from the sun's rays: Stores in our area have awnings that they use on sunny days.
awoke
awoke
  1. v. past tense of awake
awry
awry
  1. adv. wrong,
    THESAURUS
    astray: Our flight has been cancelled, and our trip has gone awry.
axiom
axiom
  1. n. an obvious truth, a saying: "All that glitters is not gold" is an axiom. —adj. axiomatic.
axis
axis
  1. n. axes
    1 a straight line on which points are marked: I drew a horizontal and a vertical axis on a sheet of paper.
    2 a straight line around which an object turns: The earth rotates on its axis.
axle
axle
  1. n. a metal pole on which wheels turn: My car's rear axle needs grease.
ayatollah
ayatollah
  1. n. a male Shiite Muslim religious leader: The ayatollahs believe in basic Muslim teachings.
azalea
azalea
  1. n. a green shrub with brightly colored flowers: The azaleas burst into blossom in the springtime.
azure
azure
  1. adj. a bright blue: She wore a dress of azure.
babble
babble
  1. n.v. [I;T] -bled, -bling, -bles to talk without making sense: The baby can't really talk yet; she just babbles.
babe
babe
  1. n.
    1 frml. a baby: He held a young babe in his arms.
    2 a person as innocent or unknowledgeable as a baby: He had no idea that they were cheating him; he was just a babe (or) a babe in the woods.
    3 infrml.pej. an attractive young woman: Who is that babe I saw you with last night?
baboon
baboon
  1. n. a large primate that lives in Africa and southeast Asia: Baboons have sharp teeth and powerful jaws.
baby
baby
  1. n. -bies
    1 a child younger than two, an infant: His wife had a baby.
    2 a very young animal: Look at the young kangaroo; he is still a baby.
    3 infrml.fig. the youngest person in a group, esp. a family: She is the baby of the family.
    4 infrml. a favorite, important project or special interest: That old car is his baby; he works on it all the time. —v. [T] -bied, -bying, -bies to treat like a baby: This plant is very delicate; you have to baby it. -adj. babyish.
    THESAURUS
    baby n.
    1 a newborn, little one | kid infrml.
    4 a pet project, hobby. —v. to pamper, coddle.
babysit
babysit
  1. v. [I;T] -sat, -sitting, -sits infrml. to watch a child while the parents are away: She babysits her friends' daughter. -n. babysitter. See: nanny, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    babysit to look after s.o., watch out for s.o.
baccalaureate
baccalaureate
  1. n. See: B.A.
bachelor
bachelor
  1. n. an unmarried man: He was a bachelor for years, then finally married.
    THESAURUS
    bachelor a single man, unattached man. Ant. a married man.
back
back
  1. n.
    1 the side of the human body opposite the stomach and chest: I hurt my back when I lifted a heavy box.
    2 the top of an animal, from the neck to the tail: Cowboys ride on horseback.||The cat put her back up and hissed.
    3 backbone, spine: She broke her back.
    4 the rear part of s.t., opposite the front: The back of the house needs to be painted.
    5 behind s.o.'s back: to do or say s.t. without s.o.'s knowledge: They are nice to her when she is with them, but they say mean things about her behind her back.
    6 to break one's back: to work very hard: Workers broke their backs to get all the orders out on time.
    7 infrml. to get off s.o.'s back: to stop criticizing or annoying s.o.: I repaid the money that I owed my friend so he would get off my back.
    8 to get (or) put one's back up: to become (or) make angry or offended: Comments about losing his hair always get his back up.
    9 to have one's back to the wall: to have a bad problem, usu. with no solution: He can't find a job and has his back to the wall without any money.
    10 in back of: behind, at the back of: The garage is in back of the house.
    11 on one's back: a. to be sick and have to stay in bed: She's been on her back for a week with the flu. b. bothering, annoying s.o.
    12 to turn one's back on: a. to refuse to help s.o. in trouble: How can you just turn your back on those poor children? b. to show anger, rejection, disdain: When he married a woman that his parents disapproved of, they turned their backs on him and never spoke to him again. —adv.
    1 in the direction from which one came: A tree fell across the road and we had to drive back home.||Put things back where you found them!
    2 back and forth: from one side to another,
    THESAURUS
    to and fro: The tree moved back and forth in the wind. —v.
    1 [T] to support s.o., esp. by giving money: Some rich people backed a politician running for mayor. See: backer.
    2 phrasal v. [I] to back away: to move away from a position,
    THESAURUS
    to retreat: He backed away slowly from the snake.
    3 phrasal v. [I] to back down: to stop one's demands,
    THESAURUS
    to retreat: She demanded a bigger salary, but she backed down when her boss said, "No."
    4 phrasal v. [I] to back off: to move backwards, draw away: The dog barked at the man, and the man backed off.
    5 phrasal v. to back out: a. [T] to go backwards: She backed the car out of the garage. b. [I] to withdraw,
    THESAURUS
    to cancel: He backed out of the business agreement.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to back s.o. or s.t. up: a. s.o.: to support, help: Two police officers backed up another one who was arresting a criminal.||They backed him up. b. s.t.: to copy computer records: She backed up her day's work on the computer.||She backed it up. c. [I;T] s.o. or s.t.: to go backwards: The driver backed up his car and stopped.||He backed up.
    THESAURUS
    back v.
    1 to support, favor, sponsor.
back burner
back burner
  1. n.infrml. fig. inactive status: The company put its plans for a new building on the back burner until business gets better.
back order
back order
  1. v. [T] n. [C;U] to place an order for s.t. that is not available at the moment: Having no desks in his warehouse, the store owner back ordered two for me.||He put the desks on back order.
back taxes
back taxes
  1. n. overdue taxes: It took him two years to pay his back taxes of $20,000 to the government.
backbite
backbite
  1. v.infrml. [I;T] n. -bit -bitten -biting, -bites to criticize people cruelly, esp. when they are not present: The backbiting that goes on in that company is awful.
backbone
backbone
  1. n.
    1 lit. the spine
    2 fig. the moral strength to do the right thing,
    THESAURUS
    character: He has a lot of backbone; he always tells the truth.
    3 fig. the main support: Good citizens are the backbone of society.
backbreaking
backbreaking
  1. adj.infrml. fig. taking great effort: Picking vegetables by hand in the hot sun is backbreaking. -n. backbreaker.
backdrop
backdrop
  1. n.
    1 (in the theater) the scenery at the back of the stage: The backdrop for that play is the scenery of a forest.
    2 fig. the general events during which s.t. else, such as a person's life, happens: Her childhood happened against the backdrop of a war.
backer
backer
  1. n. a supporter, esp. s.o. who gives money: That politician has many wealthy backers. See: back v. 1.
backfire
backfire
  1. v. [I] -fired, -firing, -fires
    1 to go off, explode (backwards): He was injured when his gun backfired during target pratice.
    2 fig. to produce an undesired result: Her plan to steal her friend's boyfriend backfired; he married her friend, and the couple never spoke to her again.
backgammon
backgammon
  1. n. a game played by two people using dice to move pieces on a board: Many people play backgammon for money.
background
background
  1. n.
    1 s.t. behind s.t. else: The hunter waited in the background of the trees for deer to pass by.
    2 a person's family, education, and experience: What is your background? I was educated at Harvard and have 10 years' business experience. See: foreground.
    THESAURUS
    background
    1 the surroundings, backdrop | setting
    2 one's personal history,
    THESAURUS
    education,work history.
backhand
backhand
  1. v. [T] n. (in tennis, hockey, etc.) to hit a ball with the back of the hand pointed in the direction of the hit: The tennis player hit a backhand to her opponent.
backhanded
backhanded
  1. adj.
    1 (in sports) hit with a backhand
    2 not said directly: She paid me a backhanded compliment by telling me I was not as fat as I used to be.
backing
backing
  1. n. [U] support, esp. giving money: She started her own business and got backing from a bank.
backlash
backlash
  1. n. -es a strong action against s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    a reaction: There was a backlash of anger when the university closed the library on Sundays.
backlog
backlog
  1. n. unfinished work or unfilled orders: The factory has a 30-day backlog of orders to fill.
backpack
backpack
  1. n. a type of sack carried on the back with two shoulder straps and often with a metal frame,
    THESAURUS
    a knapsack: Backpacks are used to carry things like books, clothes, or food. —v. [I] to hike, go walking in the country wearing a backpack: We backpacked for two weeks in the mountains. -n. backpacker; backpacking.
backpedal
backpedal
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to try to pedal backwards
    2 fig. [I] to take back s.t. one said,
    THESAURUS
    to retract: She started to call him a mean person and backpedaled and said he was strict.
backroom
backroom
  1. adj. hidden, often dishonest (acts): Political decisions in that big city are backroom.
backscratching
backscratching
  1. n.infrml. fig. [U] doing a favor for s.o. and getting s.t. good in return: I'll buy your product if you give my son a job; that's backscratching.
backseat
backseat
  1. n.
    1 lit. the rear seat of a car or bus
    2 infrml. a backseat driver: s.o. who constantly tells a car's driver what to do: Most people are irritated by backseat drivers.
    3 infrml. to take a backseat to: to be less important than s.o. or s.t. else: The younger brother takes a backseat in that family to his older brother, a baseball star.
backside
backside
  1. n.infrml. the buttocks: She fell down and hurt her backside.

    USAGE NOTE: The part of the body upon which a person sits is called the buttocks; backside is a polite synonym.
backstabber
backstabber
  1. n.infrml. fig. a person who seems friendly but says bad things about people,
    THESAURUS
    a malicious gossiper: Paul is a horrible backstabber; George told him secrets, and then Paul used them to get George in trouble.
backstage
backstage
  1. n.adv. the area behind the stage in a theater: After the performance, I went backstage to meet the actors.
backtalk
backtalk
  1. n. [U] rude replies to a question,
    THESAURUS
    sass: I asked you five times for the reports and all you do is give me a lot of backtalk!
backtrack
backtrack
  1. v. [I]
    1 to return along the same path: The hunter got lost in the snow and had to backtrack home.
    2 to reverse or take back what one has said: When the politician realized that her new policy angered the voters, she backtracked, saying that it was only one approach to the problem.
backup
backup
  1. n.
    1 support, such as having more people help to do a job: A police officer saw a robbery happening and called for back-up (more officers).
    2 a copy of computer work: The computer operator has a backup of her work on a diskette. —adj. back-up: more information: The report had back-up information attached to it. See: back, v. 6.
backwoods
backwoods
  1. n.pl. used with a sing. v. forest land far from any village or town: Not many people live in the backwoods.
backyard
backyard
  1. n. the land behind and belonging to a house: We have a flower garden in our backyard.
bacon
bacon
  1. n. [U]
    1 salted, smoked meat from a pig's side: Bacon with eggs and toast is good for breakfast.
    2 to bring home the bacon: to earn a living: For 40 years, he brought home the bacon with a weekly paycheck.
bacteria
bacteria
  1. n.pl., sing. -terium tiny living things, microorganisms: Many bacteria cause diseases. -adj. bacterial. See: virus.
    THESAURUS
    bacteria germs | disease-causing agents. Ant. germfree.
bad
bad
  1. adj. worse worst
    1 evil: He lies and steals and does many other bad things.
    2 poorly behaved: She was bad, so her mother punished her.
    3 not of good condition or quality: He has some bad teeth.
    4 incorrect, wrong: The letter was returned because the address was bad.
    5 not good to eat or drink: The milk has gone bad; it is sour.
    6 with a feeling of guilt: I feel bad about the nasty things I said to you.
    7 with a feeling of sympathy: I feel bad that you are sick.
    8 s.t. extreme, severe, esp. very sick: She has a bad sore throat (toothache, cold, etc.).
    9 slang very good: Oh man, can that guy dance; he's bad!
    10 bad at: not to do s.t. well: She is bad at spelling words. 11 bad news: a. lit. information about s.t. disappointing: He learned the bad news that he failed the exam. b. slang an annoying or troublemaking person: She never pays back the money she owes; she's bad news!
    12 It's too bad: to feel sorry,
    THESAURUS
    to regret: It's too bad that you have to leave now.
    13 infrml. not (so) bad: fair, alright: That movie wasn't so bad. -n. [U] badness.
    THESAURUS
    bad
    1 wrong, criminal
    2 naughty, disobedient
    3 poor
    5 become spoiled
    THESAURUS
    6 ashamed, guilty
    7 sorry. Ant. good.
    9 excellent, wonderful.
badge
badge
  1. n.
    1 a sign or mark worn to show honor or membership, position, etc. in a group: The military officer wore a badge showing his rank.
    2 a name tag, such as a plastic plate with one's name on it: He pinned his name badge on his shirt.
badger
badger
  1. n.lit. an animal that digs and lives in the ground: Badgers have a wide, furry body, short legs, and long front claws. —v.fig. [T] to tell or criticize s.o. about s.t. repeatedly,
    THESAURUS
    to pester: Her boss badgered her to do the sales report early.
badlands
badlands
  1. n.pl. (in USA) areas where few plants grow and it is difficult to live: The badlands of North Dakota stretch to the Rocky Mountains.
badly
badly
  1. adv. worse worst
    1 in a bad way, not well: He sings badly.
    2 not well, doing poorly, such as with one's health, money, or life: She is very sick and doing badly.
    3 very much, a lot: He badly wants to be healthy again.
badminton
badminton
  1. n. [U] a court game like tennis in which one hits a small object across a high net: Badminton can be played by two or four people.
badmouth
badmouth
  1. v.slang [T] to say bad things about s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to slander: After he divorced her, she badmouthed him to everyone.
baffle
baffle
  1. v. -fled, -fling, -fles [T] not to understand s.t. at all, to confuse completely: His disappearance baffled the police. -n. [U] bafflement; -adj. baffling.
bag
bag
  1. n.
    1 a sack, a container made of paper, plastic, cloth, etc.: I carried the groceries home in a shopping bag.
    2 pej.slang disagreeable old woman
    3 slang my bag: an interest, favorite pastime,
    THESAURUS
    a hobby: I really like to play the guitar; it's my bag!
    4 in the bag: infrml.fig. a. certain, sure: That business deal is in the bag. b. drunk, intoxicated: After drinking five beers, Amy was in the bag.
    5 to let the cat out of the bag: to reveal a secret by mistake —v. bagged, bagging, bags
    1 [T] to bag groceries: to put food purchases in bags
    2 [T] to bag game: to kill animals by hunting
    3 [I] his pants bag: to hang loosely See: bag lady; mixed bag.
    THESAURUS
    bag n.
    1 a shopping bag, plastic bag, paper bag, sack.
bag lady
bag lady
  1. n.slang a homeless woman who lives on the street: A bag lady carries her belongings in shopping bags.

    USAGE NOTE: It is considered rude to call s.o. a bag lady; a more polite term is homeless person.
bagel
bagel
  1. n. a round piece of thick bread with a hole in its middle: I had a toasted bagel and tea for breakfast.
baggage
baggage
  1. n. [U] bags, suitcases, etc. used to carry clothing and other goods while traveling,
    THESAURUS
    luggage: I carried my baggage onto the train.
baggy
baggy
  1. adj. -gier, -giest loose fitting (clothes): His pants are so baggy that they are nearly falling off.
bagpipes
bagpipes
  1. n.pl. a musical instrument that makes sounds by forcing air from a bag out through pipes: Bagpipes are common in Scotland.
bailiwick
bailiwick
  1. n.
    1 a person's area of authority, importance, etc.
    2 not to invade s.o.'s bailiwick: I don't want to invade the accountant's bailiwick by giving you advice on money matters.
bait
bait
  1. n.sing. [U] animal food used to catch animals and fish,
    THESAURUS
    a lure: A fisherman used chopped fish as bait on his hooks. —v. [T]
    1 to use bait: He baited his fishhooks.
    2 to anger s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to torment: A soldier baited a captured enemy by laughing at him.
bake
bake
  1. n.v. [I;T] baked, baking, bakes to cook in an oven usu. slowly, for a long time: The baker bakes fresh bread every morning. See: clambake.
baker
baker
  1. n.
    1 a person who bakes bread, cakes, etc. for sale: Our supermarket has a butcher, a florist, and a baker who bakes wonderful cakes.
    2 baker's dozen: thirteen of s.t.: I bought a baker's dozen of bread rolls.
bakery
bakery
  1. n. -ies a business where bread, cakes, etc. are baked and offered for sale: I bought an apple pie at the bakery.
balance
balance
  1. n.sing. [U]
    1 the ability to stand, walk, etc. without falling down: She lost her balance and fell down.
    2 to keep in equal strength, weight, etc.: When his mother died, he tried to keep his emotions in balance. —v. [T] -anced, -ancing, -ances
    1 to keep s.t. from falling: For fun, he balanced a ball on his nose.
    2 (in accounting) to make sure that the financial records of a business, government agency, etc. are accurate: Every month the company balances the books. See: to hang in the balance.
    THESAURUS
    balance n.
    1 one's equilibrium, stability. Ant. imbalance.
balance of power
balance of power
  1. n. a condition where one country or group within a country is not stronger than the other: In the USA, there is a balance of power between the Congress and the President.
balance sheet
balance sheet
  1. n. statement of what a company owns, or assets (property, products, cash, etc.), and owes, or liabilities (loans, debts, etc.): The accountant prepared the company's balance sheet for the year. See: profit and loss statement.
balcony
balcony
  1. n. -nies
    1 a platform, such as a porch, built on the outside of a building: That hotel has balconies where people can sit outside their rooms.
    2 rows of seats upstairs in a theater or hall
bald-faced
bald-faced
  1. adj. fig. obvious; shameless,
    THESAURUS
    brazen: He told a bald-faced lie.
bald
bald
  1. adj.
    1 with little or no hair on the head: His bald head shines in the light.
    2 plain, undecorated: the bald truth -n. [U] baldness.
bald eagle
bald eagle
  1. n. a large, dark brown bird with a white head: The bald eagle is a symbol of the USA.
bale
bale
  1. n. a large bunch of s.t. tied together, esp. cotton, hay, cloth, etc.: The farmer put bales of hay into his barn for his horses.
baleful
baleful
  1. adj.frml. showing evil desire, esp. to harm s.o., (syns.) sinister, ominous: The criminal gave the man a baleful look before hitting him. -adv. balefully.
balk
balk
  1. n.v. [I] to stop, be unwilling to continue: He balked at the high price of the car and refused to buy it.||The horse balked at jumping the fence.
ball game
ball game
  1. n.
    1 lit. sporting event, such as baseball or football
    2 fig.infrml. situation: With a new product coming on the market, it is a new ball game (a new competitive situation).
ballad
ballad
  1. n.frml. a poem or song that tells a story with simple words including a group of words, called a refrain, repeated after each stanza
ballast
ballast
  1. n. [U] weights kept in the bottom parts of ships
ballerina
ballerina
  1. n. a female ballet dancer: Ballerinas dance on their toes.
ballet
ballet
  1. n. [C;U] a type of dancing with formal movements, usu. to classical music: We went to see the ballet (or) we went to the ballet last evening. -n. ballet dancer.
ballistics
ballistics
  1. n. the study of the flight of objects, such as bullets, that fly or are thrown through the air: Ballistics is a necessary science for the military. -adj. ballistic; -n. ballistic missile.
balloon
balloon
  1. n.
    1 a small bag of thin rubber filled with a gas: Children have fun with balloons at birthday parties.
    2 a large bag of soft material filled with gas so it can float through the air: We went on a balloon ride for my birthday. -n. balloonist.
ballot
ballot
  1. n.
    1 a piece of paper used in secret voting, sometimes with a list of candidates: People vote for politicians by marking their ballots.
    2 the system of secret voting -n. ballot box.
ballpark
ballpark
  1. n.
    1 baseball stadium, a place where ball games are played
    2 infrml.fig. ballpark figure: a guess, estimate: I don't need the exact cost of the computer, just a ballpark figure.
    3 infrml.fig. in the ballpark: s.t. in a general area or range, s.t. likely to be expected or acceptable: To pay one million dollars for that office building is in the ballpark.
ballpoint pen
ballpoint pen
  1. n. a writing instrument with a ball-shaped tip
ballroom
ballroom
  1. n. a large hall for dances —adj. a type of close dancing in which partners move together with set steps to the music: The waltz and the fox-trot are favorite ballroom dances.
balm
balm
  1. n.frml.
    1 [C;U] a cream that stops pain or heals the skin: He put a soothing balm on his cut.
    2 [C] fig. s.t. that makes one feel better: A good vacation is a balm for bad nerves.
balmy
balmy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 (of weather) pleasant, mild, and breezy
    2 infrml.fig. crazy,
    THESAURUS
    highly eccentric: He is under so much pressure that he's become balmy.
balsa
balsa
  1. n. [C;U] a light tropical wood: Model airplanes are made of balsa wood.
balsam
balsam
  1. n. [U] a substance from the balsam fir tree: Balsam is used in making cough medicine and perfumes.
bamboo
bamboo
  1. n. [U] a tall plant of the grass family used in construction and furniture: Bamboo is lightweight, hollow, and strong.
bamboozle
bamboozle
  1. v.infrml. [T] -led, -ling, -les to cheat,
    THESAURUS
    to swindle: I was bamboozled when I bought that bad used car.
ban
ban
  1. n. a stop, block: The government put a ban on the sale of that drug. —v. [T] banned, banning, bans to block,
    THESAURUS
    to forbid: They banned pornography in that city.
banal
banal
  1. adj. not interesting, boring: Life is banal in the town; all people do is eat, sleep, and watch television. -n. [U] banality.
band
band
  1. n.
    1 a group of s.t.: There was a great musical band at the party.||A band of thieves has been robbing the neighborhood.
    2 a strip of material (rope, tape, cloth): A worker tied cloth bands around a box.
    3 in radio, a range of wavelengths
    4 a ring: He wore a gold wedding band. —v.
    1 [I] to group together: The workers banded together to stop the sale of the company.
    2 [T] to tie together: He banded the box before mailing it.
    THESAURUS
    band n.
    1 a dance band, musical group, orchestra | group, crowd, party (of people), gang.
bandage
bandage
  1. n. a fabric covering for a wound or injury: A nurse put a bandage over the cut.
    THESAURUS
    bandage n. a dressing, Band-Aid™, compress. —v. [T] -daged, -daging, -dages to cover or tie up a wound with bandages: She bandaged the cut.
bandana
bandana
  1. n. a large, colorful handkerchief: That cowboy wears a red bandana around his neck to keep out the dust.
bandit
bandit
  1. n. an armed thief, esp. one who attacks travelers on the road: A group of bandits stole a truck on the highway.
bandstand
bandstand
  1. n. a platform on which a musical band plays, usu. outdoors: A small orchestra played on the bandstand in the park.
bandwagon
bandwagon
  1. n.
    1 a decorated truck with a flat open back on which a musical band can play
    2 infrml.fig. to jump on the bandwagon: a popular idea or cause, esp. political: When a cause like reducing taxes becomes popular, politicians jump on the bandwagon to support it.
bandy
bandy
  1. v. [T] -died, -dying, -dies
    1 to talk back and forth informally; to argue, disagree: They bandied several ideas about.
    2 to talk about s.o. unfavorably,
    THESAURUS
    to gossip: His arrest was bandied about in his neighborhood. —adj. curved outward at the knees,
    THESAURUS
    bowed: The cowboy had bandy legs from sitting on horses all his life.
bane
bane
  1. n.
    1 frml. one's ruin or death: Alcoholism was his bane.
    2 the bane of one's existence: one's worst problem: A bad, aching back is the bane of her existence.
bang-up
bang-up
  1. adj.infrml. very good, excellent: She did a bang-up job on her report.
bang
bang
  1. n.
    1 a loud noise: The gunshot made a loud bang.
    2 a hard blow, bump: The cars crashed into each other with a bang!
    3 infrml.fig. enjoyment, delight: The kids got a bang out of going to the circus.
    4 to go over with a bang: accepted with enthusiasm: His speech about workers' rights went over with a bang at the workers' meeting.
    THESAURUS
    bang n.
    1 an explosion, boom. —v.
    1 [I] to make a loud noise or hit: The door banged shut.
    2 [T] to hurt: She fell and banged her knees.
    3 phrasal v. [I;T] to bang away: a. to ask questions without stopping,
    THESAURUS
    to interrogate: The police banged away at the prisoner, but he wouldn't tell them anything. b. to work hard at s.t.: When I went by his office he was still banging away at the project.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to bang s.t. up: to damage, injure s.t.: When she fell, she banged up her leg. || She banged it up. bang v.
    1 to slam, clap
    2 to injure. —adv.infrml. exactly, directly: She called me bang in the middle of dinner.
bangle
bangle
  1. n. a metal band worn on the wrist as jewelry, a stiff bracelet: He bought her silver bangles for her birthday.
bangs
bangs
  1. n.pl. hair combed over the forehead: She has long brown hair and bangs.
banish
banish
  1. v.frml. [T] -ishes to send s.o. away (usu. from a country): The king banished the murderer from the land. -n. [U] banishment. See: exile.
banister
banister
  1. n. a railing next to stairs for people to hold onto: Children like to slide down a banister.
banjo
banjo
  1. n. -jos or -joes a musical instrument with strings: A banjo is played like a guitar in country and western music.
bank account
bank account
  1. n. an amount of money in a bank that one adds to or subtracts from: She has two bank accounts: a savings account and a checking account.
bankbook
bankbook
  1. n. a record of the activities of a bank account: I have a bank book for my savings account. See: checkbook, passbook.
banker
banker
  1. n. an officer or manager of a bank
banking
banking
  1. n. [U] the business of a bank: She entered banking right after college and is now a vice president.
bankroll
bankroll
  1. n. a sum of money, esp. cash to deposit in a bank —v. [T] to finance s.t., make money available for a purpose: A rich lady bankrolled a new business that a friend wanted to start.
bankrupt
bankrupt
  1. v.adj. without money or credit, unable to pay one's bills: That company is bankrupt.||The managers bankrupted the company by buying too much equipment.
    THESAURUS
    bankrupt (person) broke, ruined, wiped out | (business) insolvent, failed. Ants. solvent, prosperous.
bankruptcy
bankruptcy
  1. n. -cies [C;U]
    1 the legal state of being without money or credit, unable to pay bills
    2 to declare or file for bankruptcy: to file formal statements of bankruptcy with a legal court: The company declared bankruptcy when it ran out of money.
banner
banner
  1. n. a large flag or piece of cloth or plastic with writing on it used for decoration or business: The company banner is displayed at meetings. —adj. excellent, successful: Sales were up 40 percent; it was a banner year.
banquet
banquet
  1. n. a formal dinner with many people, often for a purpose: The wedding banquet seated 200 people.
banter
banter
  1. n. [U] lively, light conversation —v. [I] to talk in a lively way: The couple bantered with each other at the party.
baptism
baptism
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a religious ceremony in which a person is covered with or touched by water to join a church and considered cleansed of sin: The baby's baptism will be next Sunday.
    2 fig. baptism by fire: s.t. that tests one's abilities, courage, etc., esp. in war: The new soldiers went through a baptism of fire when they were ambushed. -adj. baptismal ; -v. [T] baptize.
barb
barb
  1. n.
    1 a sharp point that sticks out from the main point on an arrow, fishhook, etc.
    2 fig. sharp criticism: The irritated teacher shot barbs at the lazy student.
barbarian
barbarian
  1. n. a crude, uncivilized person -n. [C] barbarism [C;U] barbarity; -adv. barbarically.
barbaric
barbaric
  1. adj. wild, uncivilized,
    THESAURUS
    barbarous: Some people think capital punishment is barbaric.
barbed wire
barbed wire
  1. n. [U] a wire with sharp points on it used as a fence: Farmers use barbed wire to keep cattle and sheep in their pastures.
barbell
barbell
  1. n. a metal bar with weights at each end: People exercise with barbells to strengthen their muscles.
barber
barber
  1. n. a person who cuts the hair of and shaves men, a hairdresser: He goes to the barber every two weeks. —v. [I;T] to cut hair -n. barber shop.
    THESAURUS
    barber haircutter | hairdresser for men.
barbiturate
barbiturate
  1. n. a drug that calms, a sedative: Her doctor gave her a barbiturate to help her sleep
bard
bard
  1. n.frml. a poet: Shakespeare is known as the Bard of Avon.
bare
bare
  1. adj.
    1 uncovered, nude: The baby lies in bed as bare as the day he was born.
    2 plain, simple, without extras: Just give me the bare facts; I can find out the details later.||She earns enough money only to buy the bare necessities. —v. [T] bared, baring, bares to show: I don't usually tell my secrets, but I bared my soul to her.||He took off his shirt and bared his chest. -n. [U] bareness.
    THESAURUS
    bare adj.
    1 naked, undressed, in the buff infrml., uncovered (floor, table). Ants.
    THESAURUS
    dressed, clothed.
    2 essential, basic. Ants. complicated, elaborate. —v. to expose.
barebones
barebones
  1. adj.infrml.fig. with the basics,
    THESAURUS
    essentials only: The company is a barebones operation with a small staff, old furniture, and two telephones.
barefoot
barefoot
  1. adj.adv. without shoes: Holding hands, the couple walked barefoot on the beach.
bareheaded
bareheaded
  1. adj. without a hat: She went bareheaded in the sun and got sunburned.
barely
barely
  1. adv.
    1 almost not at all, just, hardly: I hurt my foot and can barely walk.
    2 in a bare way: The concert was barely attended.
    3 barely (do s.t.), let alone (do s.t. else): just able to do s.t. and unable to do s.t. more difficult: I can barely speak Spanish, let alone write a business letter in it.
barf
barf
  1. v. slang [I] to vomit: He drank so much beer that he barfed all night.
barfly
barfly
  1. n.infrml. -flies s.o. who spends a lot of time in bars, a heavy drinker
bargain
bargain
  1. n.
    1 a good, low price for s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    a deal: I got a bargain when I bought that suit for half price.
    2 an agreement: If you agree to sell me the car for $10,000, you and I have a bargain.
    3 to drive a hard bargain: to negotiate well: You drive a hard bargain; I'll give you the radio free with the car.
    4 into the bargain: as well, in addition —v. [I]
    1 to ask for a lower price, (syns.) to barter, haggle: In some cultures it is common for buyers and sellers to bargain.
    2 phrasal v. to bargain for: to expect: Her stay in the hospital cost her $30,000, which was a lot more than she bargained for.||I invited him to visit and he stayed for three weeks, which was longer than I had bargained for. —adj. very inexpensive: The goods were for sale at a bargain price.
bargaining chip
bargaining chip
  1. n. item to be offered or taken away in a negotiation: The threat of a strike is a strong bargaining chip that a union brings to a negotiation with management.
barge
barge
  1. n. a long, low boat that carries heavy loads: The load of wheat was carried up river by barge. —v. barged, barging, barges [I]
    1 to move by barge
    2 phrasal v. insep. to barge in or into s.t.: to interrupt often and rudely: He barged into our conversation and took over.
barhop
barhop
  1. v.slang [I] -hopped, -hopping, -hops to drink in one bar after another: After work on Friday we barhopped all over town.
baritone
baritone
  1. n. a male singer with a voice lower than tenor but higher than bass
barley
barley
  1. n. [U] a grain used for food and drink: I had mushroom barley soup for lunch.
barn
barn
  1. n. a building for storing crops and keeping animals and their food: We keep horses, sheep, and chickens in the barn.
barnacle
barnacle
  1. n. a small shellfish that grows on rocks and ships' bottoms: Barnacles slow down a ship.
barnstorm
barnstorm
  1. v. [I] to give many political speeches in different places: The politician barnstormed through the western part of the state.
barnyard
barnyard
  1. n. an area fenced off beside a barn for animals: Barnyards are often muddy in the springtime.
barometer
barometer
  1. n. an instrument that measures air pressure: A barometer shows possible changes in the weather. -adj. barometric
baron
baron
  1. n.
    1 the lowest ranking nobleman: A baron's wife is a baroness.
    2 fig.a powerful businessperson,
    THESAURUS
    a magnate: He is a newspaper baron. -adj. baronial.
barracks
barracks
  1. n.pl. building where soldiers live
barracuda
barracuda
  1. n. a fish with sharp teeth of warm (tropical) oceans that attacks meanly: Swimmers get out of the water quickly when they see barracudas.
barrage
barrage
  1. n.v. [T] -raged, -raging, -rages
    1 many weapons shot at the same time: Soldiers fired a barrage of machine guns at the enemy.
    2 fig. a heavy fast response: The politician's remarks caused a barrage of criticism.
barrel
barrel
  1. n.
    1 a large, round container made of metal or wood: Oil is sold by the barrel.
    2 the amount that a barrel holds, usu. between 117 and 159 liters (31 to 42 gallons)
    3 a cylinder, esp. the straight, hollow tube of a gun: The barrel of a gun guides the bullet.
    4 infrml.fig. to have s.o. over a barrel: to give s.o. no choice: The government had the man over a barrel by demanding that he sell his land for little money or they would take it for nothing. —adj. big like a barrel: Many well-fed workers are barrel-chested. —phrasal v. [I] to barrel along: to drive fast: He barrels along in his car at 80 mph on the highway.
barren
barren
  1. adj.
    1 having no life, no animals, plants, or people: Some deserts are barren, with no life.
    2 not able to have children: Because of an illness, she is barren.
    3 lacking s.t., such as interest or creativity. -n. barrenness. See: fertile.
barricade
barricade
  1. n. a barrier that stops people from passing: Firefighters put up barricades so traffic could not drive by the burning house. —v. [T] -caded, -cading, -cades to block entrance with a barricade: A criminal barricaded himself in a house.
barrier
barrier
  1. n. s.t. that blocks the way: A tree fell across the road and made a barrier to traffic.||Being a woman has not been a barrier to her success.
    THESAURUS
    barrier an obstacle, obstruction, blockage | fence, wall, (police) barricade.
barring
barring
  1. prep. unless, except: Barring bad weather (if it doesn't rain), we will have a picnic tomorrow.||Barring the boss, we all went out for drinks on Friday.
barrio
barrio
  1. n. -os a mainly Spanish-speaking neighborhood in a USA city: There are many barrios in Los Angeles and Miami.
barroom
barroom
  1. n. a business where alcohol is served: In the USA, you must be 21 years old to enter many barrooms.
bartender
bartender
  1. n. a person who makes and serves alcoholic drinks as a job: She is a bartender at a popular restaurant.
barter
barter
  1. v. [I;T] n. [U] the exchange of materials for other goods, not money: Years ago, hunters bartered furs for guns.
base
base
  1. n.
    1 the lower part of s.t., foundation: That vase is on a wooden base.
    2 the point where a part of s.t. is connected to the whole: The boxer hit the base of his opponent's neck.
    3 s.t. (a fact, an assumption, etc.) from which a start is made: We will begin with your salary as a base and give you a 5 percent increase.
    4 the main place where one works or lives,
    THESAURUS
    headquarters: They use their apartment in New York as a home base from which they travel frequently.
    5 (in chemistry) a bitter-tasting substance that turns litmus paper blue
    6 a military camp, building, airport, etc.: The Air Force planes flew back to their base.
    7 (in baseball) one of four squares touched by runners
    8 infrml. to get to first base: a. to start: He tried to get a new job but did not get to first base. b. slang to kiss
    9 infrml. off base: wrong: She is off base in her ideas about what is wrong with the economy.
    10 infrml. to touch all the bases: (from baseball) to address all major points: He touched all the bases in his talk about the new product. —phrasal v. insep. [T] based, basing, bases: to base s.t. on s.t.: to use as a reason for doing s.t.: She based her decision to marry him on love, not money. —adj. baser, basest:
    1 basic,
    THESAURUS
    fundamental: These are the base figures for the house's value.
    2 low,
    THESAURUS
    undesirable: That man operates from base desires: sex, drugs, and greed. -adv. basely; -n. [U] baseness.
basement
basement
  1. n. rooms under a house or building,
    THESAURUS
    a cellar: They keep old furniture in their basement.
bash
bash
  1. n.slang bashes a lively and usu. expensive party or celebration: For her 50th birthday, her husband threw a big bash. —v. [T] bashed, bashing, bashes
    1 to hit with a heavy instrument,
    THESAURUS
    to smash: Firefight-ers bashed in the door of the burning house with an ax.
    2 fig.infrml. to criticize: The newspapers bashed the politician daily.
bashful
bashful
  1. adj. afraid to talk to people, shy, timid: He was too bashful to ask her for a date. -n. [U] bashfulness; -adv. bashfully.
basic
basic
  1. adj.
    1 having the simple facts or ideas about s.t.: He has a basic understanding of the problem.
    2 (in chemistry) having to do with a base -adv. basically.
    THESAURUS
    basic
    1 essential, elementary, rudimentary frml. | required, necessary. Ants. unimportant, secondary.
basics
basics
  1. n.pl. the necessary parts, fundamentals of s.t.: She is just starting the job, so she has to learn the basics first.
basil
basil
  1. n. an herb with a sweet smell like mint, used in cooking: Pesto is a sauce made from basil.
basilica
basilica
  1. n. a type of church or public building in an oblong shape
basin
basin
  1. n.
    1 a hollow pan (for liquids): He put water in the basin to wash his hands.
    2 a sink, a bathroom washbasin
    3 a low, bowl-shaped, valley: The land in that basin is good for growing crops.
basis
basis
  1. n. bases
    1 the main reason(s) for s.t., foundation: What is the basis of your opinion?
    2 on the basis of s.t.: based on: On the basis of his research, he says that the earth is round.
    THESAURUS
    basis
    1 base, source.
bask
bask
  1. v. [I] to sit and enjoy heat, sun, or s.t. enjoyable: Birds and animals sit on the rocks and bask in the sun.||She basked in the admiration of her colleagues.
basket
basket
  1. n.
    1 an open, light-weight container made of straw, reeds, or strips of wood: He bought a basket of fruit.||She put dirty clothes in a laundry basket.
    2 a hoop, usu. metal, with an open-ended net (used in basketball). See: wastebasket.
basket case
basket case
  1. n.slang s.o. who is very tired and can't function: After her mother died, she was a basket case for a month.
basketball
basketball
  1. n. a game played by two teams of five players, each who throw a large ball through a basket to score points
bassoon
bassoon
  1. n. a musical instrument of the woodwind variety
bastard
bastard
  1. n.
    1 a child whose parents are not married,
    THESAURUS
    an illegitimate child
    2 vulg. a nasty, difficult person -v. [T] bastardize; -adj. bastardized.
baste
baste
  1. v. [T] basted, basting, bastes
    1 to pour cooking juices over s.t.: I basted the chicken roasting in the oven.
    2 to sew with long, loose, temporary stitches: You can baste the pants until you have time to hem them correctly.
bastion
bastion
  1. n.
    1 part of a fortress that stands out
    2 a fortress or other defense, esp. one near an enemy
    3 fig.a source of strength: He was a bastion of support to his wife while her father was dying.
batch
batch
  1. n. batches
    1 a group of people or things,
    THESAURUS
    a set: He made a batch of cookies.
    2 an amount of s.t. made at one time: Computers can work on a number of jobs in a batch.
bated
bated
  1. adj. with bated breath: anxious, hardly breathing from fear: She waited with bated breath to learn if she passed the exam.
bath
bath
  1. n. baths
    1 a washing, esp. all of one's body at one time: I took a hot bath last night. See: bathe.
    2 a tub in which to wash oneself: The faucet in the bath is dripping.
    3 infrml. to take a bath: to lose a lot of money: When the stock market crashed, he took a bath.
    4 baths: a building for bathing or swimming
bathe
bathe
  1. v. [I;T] bathed, bathing, bathes
    1 to wash, clean oneself: He bathes daily in the bathtub.
    2 to swim: The family likes to bathe in the ocean. -n. bather.
bathing suit
bathing suit
  1. n. clothing worn to go swimming,
    THESAURUS
    a swimsuit: She wears a bikini bathing suit at the beach.
bathrobe
bathrobe
  1. n. a long, loose-fitting piece of clothing to wear at home: After a bath, I put on my bathrobe and slippers.
bathroom
bathroom
  1. n. restroom, room with a bath and toilet: "Excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom."

    USAGE NOTE: In the USA, bathroom usu. means a room with a toilet and bathtub or shower in a house, but restroom refers to a toilet facility in a public building. See: ladies' room; men's room; powder room.
bathtub
bathtub
  1. n. a large basin for bathing: I tested the water and got into the bathtub.
baton
baton
  1. n.
    1 a short, thin piece of wood: The leader of the orchestra moves a baton so that the players can see the rhythm.
    2 a long, round club, stick: The police took out their batons to frighten the rioters, but they didn't hit anyone.
bats
bats
  1. adj.slang to go bats: to get upset or go crazy: That poor guy went bats when he heard the bad news. See: bat (1); batty.
battalion
battalion
  1. n.
    1 a unit of 500- 1000 soldiers
    2 fig.a large group of people: The politician brought a battalion of supporters to the demonstration.
battery
battery
  1. n. -ies
    1 a storage container for electricity: I put two batteries in my flashlight.
    2 a military unit with mounted guns
    3 a group of things used or put together,
    THESAURUS
    an array: Students take a battery of tests.
    4 a beating
    5 to recharge one's batteries: to rest, feel strong again: Tired, she took a three-week vacation to recharge her batteries. See: assault and battery.
battle
battle
  1. n.
    1 a fight between enemy soldiers (airplanes, warships, etc.)
    2 fig. a struggle: Our company is fighting a legal battle. —v. -tled, -tling, -tles
    1 [I] to fight: Two armies battled for days.
    2 [T] to struggle against: She has been battling cancer for years.
    THESAURUS
    battle n.
    1 (armies) a combat, conflict
    2 (people have) an argument, fight, dispute
    THESAURUS
    (over s.t., money).
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 (armies, nations) to attack, wage war. Ant. seek peace.
battlefield
battlefield
  1. n.
    1 a place where battles are fought
    2 fig. a place where people are always arguing: Arguments between employees turned the company into a battlefield.
battleground
battleground
  1. n. battlefield
battleship
battleship
  1. n. a large warship with long guns: A battleship can shoot its guns over 20 miles (32 km).
batty
batty
  1. adj.infrml. -tier, -tiest crazy,
    THESAURUS
    insane: She's quite batty; she talks to people who don't exist.
bauble
bauble
  1. n. a piece of cheap jewelry or decoration: Earrings and necklaces made of plastic are baubles.
bawdy
bawdy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest funny in a crude, indecent way, esp. about sex: They saw a bawdy movie. -n. [U] bawdiness.
bawl
bawl
  1. v.infrml.
    1 [I] to cry loudly: The baby bawled for her milk.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to bawl s.o. out: to scold, yell at s.o.: His boss bawled the manager out for his accounting mistake.||He bawled him out.
bay
bay
  1. n.
    1 a large body of water around which the land bends: Ships are anchored in the bay.
    2 a curved area set into or coming out of a wall,
    THESAURUS
    an alcove: There was a small couch and table in the bay.||a bay window
    3 a section set off from the other parts of a building,
    THESAURUS
    a wing
    4 a long, high sound a dog makes: The sound of the dog's baying filled the air.
    5 a reddish brown color, esp. of a horse: She rode a handsome bay mare.
    6 a tree with shiny, thick leaves used in cooking
    7 to bring to bay: to put s.o. in a situation from which there is no escape: The dogs brought the fox to bay.
bayou
bayou
  1. n. a stream that moves slowly through a swamp: There are many bayous in Louisiana.
bazaar
bazaar
  1. n.
    1 a group of outdoor shops: People shop for food in a bazaar.
    2 a fair, usu. for charity, where things are sold in booths: Our church had a bazaar last weekend.
beach
beach
  1. n. beaches a sandy area by a lake or ocean: We went to the beach yesterday. —v.
    1 [T] to pull or push a boat onto a beach.
    2 to get beached: to be left, stranded: The whales got beached on the shore.
    THESAURUS
    beach n. the shore, seashore, coast. Ant. the interior.
beach ball
beach ball
  1. n. a large, round ball: People play with a beach ball by throwing it to each other.
beachcomber
beachcomber
  1. n.
    1 a person who looks for pretty things on a beach: The beachcomber looks for seashells.
    2 a person who sells things he or she finds on the beach.
beacon
beacon
  1. n. a strong guiding light usu. on a tall tower: Tall buildings near airports have red beacons to warn airplanes away at night.
bead
bead
  1. n.
    1 a small round piece of material with a hole for stringing: Her necklace is made of red glass beads.
    2 a small amount of liquid: Beads of sweat fell from the tennis player's face. —v. [I] to form into beads: The sweat beaded up and fell into his eyes.
beady
beady
  1. adj. -ier, -iest (of the eyes) shiny, sharp, angry: The criminal gave the policeman a beady look and ran away.
beagle
beagle
  1. n. a type of short hunting dog usu. with three colors of hair
beak
beak
  1. n. the nose and mouth of a bird, turtle, etc.: Some birds have long beaks.
beaker
beaker
  1. n.
    1 a clear, glass container for liquids: Chemistry students use beakers to measure materials in laboratories.
    2 frml. a drinking glass
bean
bean
  1. n.
    1 an edible seed of many plants: I like to eat lima beans and black beans.
    2 infrml.fig. the head
    3 infrml. a hill of beans: a small, unimportant amount: That wet, sandy land isn't worth a hill of beans.
    4 infrml. full of beans: full of energy, very active: Those kids run all day; they're full of beans.
    5 infrml. to spill the beans: to tell a secret by mistake: He spilled the beans when he told her about her surprise party. —v.infrml.fig. [T] to hit s.o. on the head: A boy beaned his friend with a baseball.
bear market
bear market
  1. n. a financial market in which the value of stocks and bonds goes down: Investors usually lose money in a bear market.
bearable
bearable
  1. adj. able to be withstood, endurable,
    THESAURUS
    tolerable: The hot weather is uncomfortable but bearable. -adv. bearably. See: unbearable.
beard
beard
  1. n. hair on the face,
    THESAURUS
    whis-kers: My father has always worn a beard and moustache. -adj. bearded. See: sideburns.
bearer
bearer
  1. n. a carrier, person who brings s.t.: Paul was the bearer of bad news.
bearing
bearing
  1. n. [U]
    1 importance to s.t. else,
    THESAURUS
    influence: Good weather has a bearing on farmers' growing good crops.
    2 a direction on a compass: That ship is on a southerly bearing.
    3 the way one holds one's body: Dancers have a graceful bearing.
beast
beast
  1. n.
    1 frml. an animal: Donkeys are beasts of burden that carry heavy loads.
    2 fig. an evil, badly behaved person, esp. a man: That beast (of a man) punched the guard and robbed the bank. -adv. beastly.
beat
beat
  1. v. beat, beating, beats
    1 [T] to hit again and again: A man beat another man with a club.
    2 [T] to mix or blend: She beat the eggs with a spoon.
    3 [T] to move regularly: The bird beat its wings as it flew away.
    4 [T] to defeat an opponent: Our team beat the other team again.
    5 [T] to get around the rules: He beat the system by getting unemployment payments while he was still working.
    6 [I] to throb: He could hear his heart beat loudly as he ran.
    7 [T] to cause s.t. to make a sound by striking it: She beat a rhythm on the drum.
    8 [T] to flatten by hitting again and again: They had beaten a trail from the house to the lake.
    9 infrml. to beat it: leave quickly: You're not wanted here—beat it!
    10 infrml. it beats me: not to know: What is the answer? It beats me!
    11 infrml. to beat a dead horse: to do or say s.t. that will not succeed, a useless effort: She's beating a dead horse when she talks about opening foreign offices, because no one listens to her.
    12 phrasal v. sep. [T] to beat s.o. or s.t. back: to stop or make go backwards: Our competitors took sales away from us, but we beat them back with an improved product.
    13 infrml. to beat the bushes: to search: Salespeople beat the bushes for sales by visiting many customers.
    14 phrasal v. sep. [T] to beat s.t. down: to convince s.o. to lower a price: We beat down the price of the car to $6,000.||We beat it down.
    15 infrml. to beat one's brains out: to try very hard: She beat her brains out trying to solve the math problem.
    16 infrml. to beat s.o. to it or the punch: to do s.t. first: I beat my competitor to the punch by selling a new product first.
    17 infrml. [T] to beat s.t. out of s.o.: to cheat: The drug dealer beat his boss out of some profits and then was murdered.
    18 phrasal v. sep. [T] to beat s.o. up: to hurt badly: When I was little, the other kids used to beat up my brother and me.||They beat us up.
    19 off the beaten path or track: where few people go: We went off the beaten path to a small island for our vacation.
    THESAURUS
    beat v.
    1 to strike, pound
    2 to stir, whip
    3 to flap, flutter
    4 to conquer, triumph over. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    to lose.
    5 to go around, evade, circumvent frml.
    6 to pound, pulsate. —n. tempo, rhythm of music: The beat of the music makes me want to dance. —adj.infrml.fig. tired: I am really beat from working hard all week.
beater
beater
  1. n.
    1 a tool or machine used to mix and soften food: I used an egg beater to whip some cream.
    2 one who beats: That woman is a child beater.
beating
beating
  1. n.
    1 the act of hitting repeatedly
    2 to take a beating: a. to be hit or punched badly b. fig. to lose a lot of money: I really took a beating because I had to sell my house for much less than I paid for it.
beautician
beautician
  1. n. a person who cuts hair, gives manicures, etc.: A beautician put on the bride's makeup before the wedding.
beautiful
beautiful
  1. adj. pleasing to the sen-ses or the mind: The mountains are beautiful in the summer. See: handsome, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    beautiful (women) very pretty, stunning, gorgeous | (places/things) lovely,
    THESAURUS
    magnificent, wonderful. Ants. ugly, unattractive.
beautify
beautify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to make s.t. pretty: She beautified her garden by planting flowers.
beauty
beauty
  1. n. [C;U] -ties
    1 s.t. pleasing to the senses or the mind: People see beauty in paintings.
    2 an advantage: The beauty of leaving early is that we avoid traffic.
    THESAURUS
    beauty
    1 splendor, magnificence
    2 appeal. Ant. ugliness.
beaver
beaver
  1. n.
    1 an animal that looks like a large rat with a long flat tail: Beavers build dams by cutting down trees with their sharp teeth.
    2 infrml. eager beaver: a hard worker: He is an eager beaver who does every job with enthusiasm.
bebop
bebop
  1. or bop n.slang a style of jazz music
because
because
  1. conj. for the reason that, as: I cannot go to work today, because I am sick. —prep. because of: by reason of: I worked late because of a deadline.
beck and call
beck and call
  1. n. ready to obey: The servant was at the beck and call of his master.
beckon
beckon
  1. v. [I;T] to motion or call someone to come to you: The teacher beckoned the student to her desk.
become
become
  1. v. [T] -came, -coming, -comes
    1 to grow, come to be: She wants to become a doctor.
    2 to make s.o. look good, to flatter: The new hairstyle really becomes you.
    3 phrasal v. to become of: to happen to: What has become of John?
    THESAURUS
    become
    1 to turn into, develop into
    2 to suit s.o., look good on, flatter.
becoming
becoming
  1. adj. pleasing, attractive to the eye: That new dress is very becoming on you.
bed
bed
  1. n.
    1 a piece of furniture for sleeping: I have a single bed in my bedroom.
    2 a platform for other things: That house is built on a bed of cement.
    3 formations of the earth: The bottom of the ocean is called the seabed.
    4 a small area of land used for growing s.t.: Keep the dog out of the flower bed.
    5 infrml. a bed of roses: a good, easy situation in life: Working in a coal mine is no bed of roses.
    6 infrml. to get up on the wrong side of the bed: to be irritable, angry: She got up on the wrong side of the bed and was irritable all day.
    7 to make a bed: to put on or make neat the sheets, blankets, etc. of a bed: I make the bed every morning by smoothing the sheets and putting on the bedspread.
    8 to put to bed: to take a child to its bed
    9 to take to one's bed: to go to bed, esp. when sick: He had a terrible headache and took to his bed to rest. —v. bedded, bedding, beds phrasal v. [I] to bed down: to find or make a place to sleep for the night: Campers bed down in sleeping bags on the ground after they put up their tent.
bed and breakfast
bed and breakfast
  1. n. a private home that rents rooms to guests and serves breakfast: We stayed at a bed and breakfast last night. See: room and board.

    USAGE NOTE: A bed and breakfast (or B & B) is a private home that offers guests a bedroom, bathroom, and a full breakfast. B & Bs are usually located in the countryside. An inn is a small hotel, also often in the country. A hotel is usually larger than an inn, and may be located in the city or country. A motel is a small, usually one-story hotel along a highway where guests can park their cars in front of their rooms.
bedbug
bedbug
  1. n. a tiny insect that sucks blood and lives in beds,
    THESAURUS
    bed louse: The bite of a bedbug really itches!
bedclothes
bedclothes
  1. n.pl. sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. used to cover beds: I changed the bedclothes after I had slept in them for a week.
bedding
bedding
  1. n. [U]
    1 material that animals sleep on: A horse's bedding can be chips of wood.
    2 bedclothes: I put some fresh bedding on the bed.
bedeck
bedeck
  1. v.frml. [T] to decorate,
    THESAURUS
    to adorn: The walls were bedecked with flags and the tables with flowers.
bedevil
bedevil
  1. v. [T] to annoy s.o. a lot,
    THESAURUS
    to distress: She is bedeviled by a bad back that hurts often. -n. [U] bedevilment.
bedfellow
bedfellow
  1. n.
    1 a person who shares a bed with s.o. else
    2 fig. a partner, associate: Business makes bedfellows of people who would not usually work with each other.
bedlam
bedlam
  1. n. [U] a wild place full of noise and chaos,
    THESAURUS
    a madhouse: With three children, our house is bedlam sometimes.
bedpan
bedpan
  1. n. a shallow pan used as a toilet by people who cannot get out of bed: A nurse took the bedpan away to empty it.
bedraggled
bedraggled
  1. adj. messy, bad- looking from wrinkled clothes, etc.: He walked in the rain without an umbrella and looked bedraggled. -v. [T] bedraggle.
bedridden
bedridden
  1. adj. staying in bed because of illness or weakness
bedrock
bedrock
  1. n. [U]
    1 solid rock under the earth: That building is built on bedrock.
    2 a firm foundation
    3 the very bottom of s.t.
bedroll
bedroll
  1. n. a thick, soft piece of material used as a bed, esp. in camping
bedroom
bedroom
  1. n. a room for sleeping: The house has two bedrooms.
bedside
bedside
  1. n. the area near or to the side of a bed: The family came to the old man's bedside.
bedspread
bedspread
  1. n. a covering, usu. decorative, put over the bedding
bedtime
bedtime
  1. n. [C;U] the time to go to sleep: The parents told the babysitter that 9:00 P.M. is bedtime for the children.
bee
bee
  1. n.
    1 an insect with wings that stings and makes honey
    2 to have a bee in one's bonnet: always to be talking about a single idea, an obsession: She has a bee in her bonnet; she is always talking about the dangers of illegal drugs. See: busy bee.
beech
beech
  1. n. [C;U] beeches a tree with edible nuts and a smooth gray trunk
beef
beef
  1. n. [U]
    1 the meat of cattle: We had roast beef for dinner.
    2 fig.slang a beef: a complaint: He always has a beef about something. —phrasal v. sep. [T] to beef s.t. up: to strengthen, add more: Fearing war, the country beefed up its defenses.||It beefed them up.
beefy
beefy
  1. adj.slang -ier, -iest muscular, strong, sometimes fat: Football players are big, beefy guys.
beehive
beehive
  1. n.
    1 a home for bees: I stuck my hand in the beehive and was stung three times!
    2 fig. a very busy place: The office was a beehive of activity. See: hive.
beeline
beeline
  1. n. a path directly to s.t., esp. walked quickly: The boy makes a beeline for home after school every day.
been
been
  1. past part of to be
beep
beep
  1. n.v.infrml. [T] the sound of a car horn or electronic device: He beeped his horn, then heard a beep from his electronic beeper.
beeper
beeper
  1. n. an electronic device that beeps to tell you to call s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    a pager: He wears a beeper on his belt when he is away from his office.
beer
beer
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a bitter alcoholic drink usu. made from grain: She had a sandwich and a beer for lunch.
    2 a drink made from a plant or root: ginger beer, root beer —adj.infrml. beer belly: a big stomach,
    THESAURUS
    a paunch: That guy has a beer belly.
beeswax
beeswax
  1. n. [U] wax made by bees to hold honey in their hive, used in candles, furniture polish, etc.
beet
beet
  1. or beet root n.
    1 a plant with a thick red root eaten as a vegetable
    2 sugar beet: a variety of beet from whose white root sugar is made
beetle
beetle
  1. n. a hard-shelled, winged insect: Beetles crawl slowly on the ground.
befall
befall
  1. v.frml. [T] -fell, , -falling, -falls to have s.t. bad happen: A car accident befell him.
befit
befit
  1. v.frml. [T] -fitted, -fitting, -fits to be suitable and correct: As befits a wedding, the bride wore a white dress. -adj. befitting.
before
before
  1. prep. in front of: He stood before me. —adv.
    1 earlier than: It is 10 minutes before 12 o'clock.
    2 ahead of: The child ran before her classmates. —conj.
    1 ahead of in time: I hope he quits his job before it makes him crazy.
    2 rather than, instead of
beforehand
beforehand
  1. adv. before s.t. happens, earlier: We had decided to make airline reservations beforehand.
befriend
befriend
  1. v. [T] to become friends with s.o.: The man befriended the boy and showed him how to play chess.
beg
beg
  1. v. begged, begging, begs
    1 [I;T] to ask for s.t., usu. money, on the street: A poor woman begged for coins.
    2 [I;T] to ask strongly,
    THESAURUS
    to plead: He begged her to stay with him, but she left anyhow.
    3 frml. to beg the question: a. to know the answer to a question: "He has found a job hasn't he?" "The fact that he leaves at the same time every morning dressed for work begs the question." b. to try not to answer the question.
    THESAURUS
    to evade: When his mother asked him if he had finished his homework, the student begged the question by saying it was difficult.
    4 frml. to beg to differ: to disagree politely: I beg to differ with you, but it was not sunny last Thursday.
    5 phrasal v. [I] to beg off: to make excuses and not do s.t. one has agreed to: He agreed to work on Saturday, then begged off at the last moment.
began
began
  1. past part. of begin
beget
beget
  1. v.frml. [T] -got , -getting, -gets
    1 to produce: The mother begets a child.
    2 to cause to happen: War begets more war.
beggar
beggar
  1. n.
    1 a person who asks for money,
    THESAURUS
    a panhandler: The beggar stopped me on the street and asked for change.
    2 infrml. beggars can't be choosers: not to be too particular in an emergency: I ate the sandwich she made even though I hate ham, because beggars can't be choosers.
begin
begin
  1. v. [T] -gan , -ginning, -gins
    1 to start: We began our trip on August 1.
    2 to begin with: first of all, to start
    THESAURUS
    begin
    1 to start (on), commence | set s.t. in motion, initiate s.t. Ant. to stop.
beginner
beginner
  1. n.
    1 s.o. starting,
    THESAURUS
    a novice: He is a beginner at golf.
    2 infrml. beginner's luck: success the first time one does s.t.: She had beginner's luck by playing golf well her first time.
beginning
beginning
  1. n. [C;U] a start,
    THESAURUS
    the commencement: At the beginning, our business grew slowly.
begonia
begonia
  1. n. a garden plant with small, pretty flowers
begrudge
begrudge
  1. v. [T] -grudged, -grudging, -grudges to envy, not want s.o. else to have or do s.t.: I begrudge him his wealth because he did not earn it. See: grudge.
beguile
beguile
  1. v. [T] -guiled, -guiling, -guiles
    1 to cheat,
    THESAURUS
    to delude: She was beguiled by the man and lost all her money to him.
    2 to charm: She is so beautiful that she beguiles every man she meets.
begun
begun
  1. past part. of begin
behalf
behalf
  1. n.
    1 on behalf of: as the representative of: As her lawyer, I act on behalf of Mrs. Jones by going to court.
    2 in behalf of: for the benefit of: The couple gave to charity in behalf of disabled children.
behave
behave
  1. v. [I] -haved, -having, -haves
    1 to act in a certain way: As a manager, she behaves with competence.
    2 to act well: Children, behave yourselves! See: misbehave.
    THESAURUS
    behave
    1 to perform, conduct oneself | work. Ant. to misbehave.
behavior
behavior
  1. n. [U] a way of acting: She refused to work closely with anyone and was fired for bad behavior.
behead
behead
  1. v.frml. [T] to cut s.o.'s head off,
    THESAURUS
    to decapitate: The traitor was beheaded at the king's order.
behest
behest
  1. n.frml. command, order: At the behest of the captain, the soldiers began to march.
behold
behold
  1. v.frml. [T] -held , -holding, -holds to see, look at: Behold how beautiful the sunset looks! -n. beholder.
beholden
beholden
  1. adj. owing, obligated to s.o.: I feel beholden to my friend, because he loaned me money.
behoove
behoove
  1. v.frml. [T] -hooved, -hooving, -hooves to be required by duty: It behooves students to study.
beige
beige
  1. adj. a light-brown or tan color: His beige sweater did not look good with his orange pants.
being
being
  1. n. pres. part. of be
    1 in existence: The United States of America came into being with the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
    2 a living thing: Every being on earth depends on the environment.
    3 one's basic nature: He loves painting with his whole being. —adj. for the time being: for the present, meanwhile: They are looking for a house, but for the time being they are staying in a hotel.
    THESAURUS
    being n.
    2 a person, human being | life form, creature, organism.
belabor
belabor
  1. v.frml. [T] to work or talk too long, repeat a point too often: She belabored how angry she felt until no one listened anymore.
belated
belated
  1. adj. too late, after s.t. has happened: His birthday was last week, but I sent him a belated birthday card today. -adv. belatedly.
belch
belch
  1. v. belches
    1 [I] to have gas come out of the mouth,
    THESAURUS
    to burp: He belches after every meal.
    2 [T] to throw forcefully: The car's tail pipe belched black smoke. -n. belch.
beleaguer
beleaguer
  1. v. [T]
    1 to make many demands on s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to harass: That man is beleagued by debts.
    2 to surround with soldiers
belfry
belfry
  1. n. -fries
    1 bell tower: The belfry is in the top of the church.
    2 infrml.fig. to have bats in one's belfry: to be foolish or crazy: The man walks around the streets barefoot in all weather; they say he has bats in his belfry.
belie
belie
  1. v. [T] -lied, -lying, -lies to give a wrong idea: His soft words belied a hard heart.
belief
belief
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 an idea, condition, or way of behaving that one thinks is true: She has the belief that he loves her.
    2 trust: She has belief in her daughter's good judgment.
    3 a religious principle or moral standard: She is a woman with strong religious beliefs.
    4 beyond belief: untrue, incredible
    THESAURUS
    belief
    1 a conviction
    2 confidence
    3 faith. Ant. doubt.
believable
believable
  1. adj. capable of being thought true: His description of the crime was believable. -adv. believably.
    THESAURUS
    believable convincing, credible. Ant. unbelievable.
believe
believe
  1. v. -lieved, -lieving, -lieves [T]
    1 to be convinced of s.t., know or feel that an idea, situation, or way of behaving is true: She believed her son when he said he didn't start the fight.
    2 to think: I believe he is coming on Friday.
    3 phrasal v. insep. to believe in s.o. or s.t.: a. s.o.: to support, trust in s.o.: His mother believes in him and knows he would never hurt anyone. b. s.t.: to have faith, hold as a principle: Do you believe in God?||She doesn't believe in lying.
    4 to make believe: to pretend: The boys make believe they are cowboys.
    THESAURUS
    believe
    1 to trust, be certain | confident that. Ant. to doubt.
    2 to assume, presume, expect
    3 to have faith in s.o. Ant. to question.
believer
believer
  1. n.
    1 s.o. who has an idea or principle: He is a believer in working hard for a living.
    2 a follower, a supporter of s.o. or s.t., esp. in religion: She is a believer in the principles of Judaism.
belittle
belittle
  1. v. [T] -tled, -tling, -tles to make s.t. seem small or not important,
    THESAURUS
    to disparage: The father belittled his son's good grades in school.
bell-bottoms
bell-bottoms
  1. n.pl. a style of pants popular in the 60s and 70s that widen near the ankles
bell
bell
  1. n.
    1 a hollow metal object that makes pleasant sounds when hit: The mail carrier rang the doorbell.
    2 infrml. to ring a bell: to recognize, cause to remember: You mentioned his name, but it doesn't ring a bell as to who he is.
bellboy
bellboy
  1. n. a person, usu. male, who carries luggage to hotel guests' rooms
belle
belle
  1. n. a pretty and popular woman: She was the belle of the ball (dance) last night.
bellhop
bellhop
  1. n. See: bellboy.
bellicose
bellicose
  1. adj.frml. angry, ready to fight: That nation is bellicose, always threatening to go to war. -n.frml. [U] bellicosity.
belligerent
belligerent
  1. adj. angry, ready to fight: His belligerent attitude made it difficult to work with him. -n. [U] belligerence.
bellow
bellow
  1. v. [I;T] n. to shout or make noise loudly: The teacher bellowed orders at the students.
bellows
bellows
  1. n.pl. used with a sing.v. a tool used to blow air on a fire to make it bigger: I pumped the bellows to heat up the fire.
belly
belly
  1. n.infrml. -lies
    1 the abdomen, stomach: I lay on my belly all day at the beach and sunburned my back.
    2 a curved part of s.t.
    3 infrml. fire in one's belly: a strong desire to succeed: He has fire in his belly, because he wants badly to succeed.
    4 infrml.fig. to go belly up: to fail: That business had so many debts that it went belly up. See: beer belly.
belly button
belly button
  1. n.infrml. the navel
bellyache
bellyache
  1. n.infrml. stomach pains: I have a bellyache from eating too much. —v.fig. [I] -ached, -aching, -aches to complain,
    THESAURUS
    to whine: Every time you listen to her, she is bellyaching.
bellyful
bellyful
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a stomach full of s.t.
    2 fig. too much: He was working 18 hours a day before he finally had a bellyful and quit his job.
belong
belong
  1. v. [I]
    1 to be the property of, be owned by: That car (house, guitar, etc.) belongs to me.
    2 to go together naturally,
    THESAURUS
    to suit: That couple belongs together; they really get along well.
    3 to be a member of a group: He belongs to the health club.
    4 to be part of s.t., connected: That part belongs to the engine.
belongings
belongings
  1. n.pl. personal property, such as clothes, etc.: He packed his belongings in a suitcase and left.
beloved
beloved
  1. adj. (s.o. who is) highly loved: a beloved daughter
below
below
  1. prep.
    1 lower than, under: The foot is below the knee.||The gold ore was located below the earth's surface.
    2 on a later page or part of s.t.: See page 17 below for more information. —adv. to the lower part of s.t.: I went down below into the cellar.
    THESAURUS
    below prep.
    1 beneath, underneath. Ant. above.
belt
belt
  1. n.
    1 a piece of leather, plastic, etc. worn around the waist: Belts are used to hold up pants.
    2 an endless strap used as part of a machine: The conveyor belt took the packages to the loading platform.
    3 an area of land with special qualities: Most wheat grown in the USA is from the Grain Belt.
    4 to hit below the belt: to attack unfairly: Criticizing her accent is hitting below the belt; she speaks perfect English.
    5 to tighten one's belt: to economize, spend less money: When my father lost his job, we all had to tighten our belts. —v.slang [T] to strike, hit: If he says one more word, I'll belt him in the mouth.
bemoan
bemoan
  1. v.frml. [T] to feel sad about s.t., regret: She bemoans the fact that she did not finish high school.
bemused
bemused
  1. adj. a little annoyed and a little amused: The teacher was bemused by the fact that no one in the class could answer her question. -adv. bemusedly.
bench
bench
  1. n. benches
    1 a long seat, often made of wood: People sit on benches in the park.
    2 judicial authority: The lawyers went to the bench for a conference with the judge. —v. [T] benched, benching, benches to order s.o. to stop playing or working,
    THESAURUS
    to inactivate: He made so many mistakes in the game that the coach benched him.
benchmark
benchmark
  1. n.
    1 a point from which distances are measured
    2 fig. a level or standard of excellence or achievement: The company's first million dollars in sales was a benchmark. See: milestone.
bend
bend
  1. n.
    1 a turn, curve: I followed the bend in the road.
    2 pl. a. pains after coming up from deep water too quickly b. infrml.fig. exhausted, unable to work: He started up a new company by himself and now has the bends.
    3 infrml. to bend over backwards: to try very hard to please s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to accommodate: The director of personnel bends over backwards to help each new employee. See: bent. —v. bent bending, bends [I;T]
    1 to turn, make s.t. curved: I bent a stick and broke it in two.
    2 to lean over at the waist: She bent over and picked up a piece of paper.
    THESAURUS
    bend v.
    1 to twist
    2 to flex. Ant. to straighten.
beneath
beneath
  1. prep.
    1 below, under: Solid rock lies beneath the earth.
    2 not worthy of s.o.: He used to be a corporate manager, so he thinks driving a taxi is beneath him. —adv. below: The dog was sleeping beneath the front porch.
    THESAURUS
    beneath
    1 underneath
    2 undignified. Ant. above.
benediction
benediction
  1. n. a request for divine favor,
    THESAURUS
    a blessing: The priest gave the benediction on Sunday morning.
benefactor
benefactor
  1. n. a person who helps s.o. or s.t., esp. by giving money: A rich woman was a benefactor to a young artist. -n. [U] benefaction ; -adj. beneficent.
beneficial
beneficial
  1. adj. good, advantageous: The vacation was beneficial to his health. -adv. beneficially.
beneficiary
beneficiary
  1. n. -ries s.o. who receives s.t. good,
    THESAURUS
    a recipient, esp. from s.o. who dies: His wife was the beneficiary of his will and got all his money when he died.||I am the beneficiary of his kindness.
benefit
benefit
  1. n.
    1 gain, positive result: She received a benefit for her good work, which was a large raise.
    2 social event to raise money for charity: The fire department organized a benefit to raise money for poor children.
    3 to give s.o. the benefit of the doubt: not to judge s.o. too quickly: It looks as though she made a bad mistake, but let's give her the benefit of the doubt, until we talk with her. —v. [I] -fited, -fiting, -fits to gain from s.t.: The company benefited from selling a new product. See: fringe benefits.
    THESAURUS
    benefit v. to profit from, be helped by. Ant. be damaged by.
benevolence
benevolence
  1. n. [U] an act of generosity and kindness: As an act of benevolence, she helped her unemployed son pay his rent -adj. benevolent; -adv. benevolently.
benign
benign
  1. adj.
    1 harmless, gentle: Though he talks in a rough manner, his actions are benign.
    2 not having cancer: The doctor took out a benign tumor. -adv. benignly. See: malignant.
bequeath
bequeath
  1. v. [T] to give by a will after death, leave: The man bequeathed his house to his children. -n. bequeathal.
bequest
bequest
  1. n. a benefit from a will,
    THESAURUS
    a legacy: He left his house as a bequest to his wife.
berate
berate
  1. v.frml. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates to criticize s.o. severely, (syns.) to scold, rebuke.
bereave
bereave
  1. adj. experiencing the death of a loved one: She was bereaved when her husband died. -n. [U] bereavement.
bereft
bereft
  1. adj. without (s.o. or s.t.), lacking: The room is bereft of any furniture.
beret
beret
  1. n. a round, soft woolen cap common in France: He wears a beret in cold weather.
berry
berry
  1. n. -ries a small, juicy fruit, such as a strawberry or blueberry: I baked muffins with berries in them.
berserk
berserk
  1. adj. crazy, insanely violent: When his son was killed, the man went berserk.
berth
berth
  1. n.
    1 a place near a dock where a ship can stay: The ship needed fuel, so it spent an extra night in its berth before leaving.
    2 a bed on a ship or train: The berth was so narrow that I was afraid of falling out in the middle of the night.
    3 to give a wide berth to: to stay away from: You should give a wide berth to illegal drugs.
beseech
beseech
  1. v.frml. [T] -seeched or -sought -seeching, -seeches to ask strongly,
    THESAURUS
    to beg: The woman beseeched the thief not to steal her purse.
beset
beset
  1. v.frml. [T] -set, -setting, -sets
    1 to attack from all directions
    2 annoy
beside
beside
  1. prep.
    1 next to: He sat down beside her.
    2 apart from, other than: The fact that you like your old car is beside the point; it is so old that it does not work.
    3 compared with: Beside me, she seems tall.
    4 infrml. beside oneself: upset or excited: After she left him, he was beside himself with unhappiness. —adv.prep. besides: also, in addition to: Besides talking to him, she wrote him a letter.
    THESAURUS
    beside prep.
    1 alongside, at the side of, close to. Ant. away from.
besiege
besiege
  1. v. [T] -sieged, -sieging, -sieges to attack from all sides: An army besieged the fortress for days. See: seige.
besmirch
besmirch
  1. v.frml. [T] to ruin, make dirty,
    THESAURUS
    to soil: The scandal besmirched his reputation.
besotted
besotted
  1. adj.frml. foolish or drunk from alcohol, drugs, power, love, etc.: He was besotted with his girlfriend.
best-seller
best-seller
  1. n. a book or recording (music, comedy, etc.) that sells many copies: Her novel about life in Canada was a best-seller.
best man
best man
  1. n. the witness and attendant for the groom in a marriage ceremony: The best man carries the wedding rings for the groom. See: maid of honor.
bestial
bestial
  1. adj.
    1 like an animal: He is bestial; he runs around without any clothes on.
    2 fig. inhuman, cruel,
    THESAURUS
    brutal: The killing of the little girl was a bestial act. -n. [U] bestiality.
bestow
bestow
  1. v.frml. [T] to give s.t. formally: The President bestowed a medal on a soldier. -n. [C;U] bestowal.
betray
betray
  1. v. [T]
    1 to be disloyal to one's country,
    THESAURUS
    to commit treason: The spy betrayed his country by selling its military secrets to an enemy country.
    2 to harm people who count on your loyalty: The soldier betrayed his friends by telling the enemy where they were hiding.
    3 to show s.t., usu. without meaning to,
    THESAURUS
    to reveal: She tried to look calm, but her weak voice betrayed her fear.||His white hair betrays his age.
    4 to betray a confidence: to tell the secrets of others: He betrayed her confidence by talking about her secrets to his friends. -n. [C;U] betrayal, betrayer.
betrothal
betrothal
  1. n. [U] a promise to marry,
    THESAURUS
    an engagement: The couple announced their betrothal after dating for five years. -v. betroth; -adj. betrothed.
betterment
betterment
  1. n.frml. improvement: The government helps the poor for the betterment of society.
between
between
  1. prep.
    1 in the space separating two things: The cat was between the wall and the fence.||Airplanes fly people between New York and Washington every half hour.
    2 connected to, esp. in being in love: They seem to like each other, but there is nothing between them.
    3 infrml. between you and me: to show that s.t. is a secret: Between you and me, I know that John loves Mary.

    USAGE NOTE: between: In American English, many people say, "Between you and I" which is incorrect. "Between you and me" is correct.
bevel
bevel
  1. v. [T] to cut an edge so it is curved or sloped —n. a rounded or sloped edge: He used a file to make a bevel in the picture frame. -adj. beveled.
beverage
beverage
  1. n.frml. a drink, usu. not water: Restaurants and hotels serve hot and cold beverages.
    THESAURUS
    beverage a soft drink like Coke™, hot drink like coffee/tea | beer, wine (an alcohol beverage).
bewail
bewail
  1. v.frml. [T] to express great sadness,
    THESAURUS
    to lament: He bewailed the death of his wife. See: bemoan.
beware
beware
  1. v. [I;T] to be careful about s.t., aware of danger: "Beware of the dog" means that a dog might attack you.
bewilder
bewilder
  1. v. [T] to confuse greatly: He was fired without warning and is completely bewildered about the reason. -n. [U] bewilderment.
bewitch
bewitch
  1. v. [T] -ches to charm,
    THESAURUS
    to captivate: She is so charming that men are bewitched by her. -adj. bewitching.
beyond
beyond
  1. prep.
    1 on the other side of: The campground is beyond the next field.
    2 to a greater amount or degree: She is educated beyond everyone in her family.
    3 too difficult for: Understanding mathematics is beyond him.
    4 further in time than, later: Looking beyond this year, I see a good future.
    5 besides, in addition: I don't know anything about him beyond what I've told you.
bi
bi
  1. short for bisexual
biannual
biannual
  1. adj. happening twice a year, semiannual
bias
bias
  1. n. -es
    1 a general tendency: She has a bias against wasting money.
    2 prejudice: He has a bias against people who wear glasses.
    3 on the bias: (of clothing) on a slant, angled —adj. biased: inclined: He is biased against spending (glasses, the plan, etc.).
bib
bib
  1. n. a cloth with strings to tie around the neck: Babies wear bibs when they eat.
bible
bible
  1. n.
    1 (cap.) the holy writings of Christianity and Judaism,
    THESAURUS
    the Scriptures: She reads the Bible every day.
    2 a book or writings that cover a field expertly: That professor wrote the bible on European history. -adj. biblical.
bibliography
bibliography
  1. n. -phies a list of sources of information (author, title, publisher, date) often used as references in formal writing
bicameral
bicameral
  1. adj. (in government) referring to a legislative system that has two groups or houses of lawmakers
bicentennial
bicentennial
  1. n.adj. a 200-year anniversary: The USA's bicentennial celebration of independence from Britain was in 1976.
bicep
bicep
  1. n. the upper-arm muscle: The boy lifts weights to strengthen his biceps and shoulders.
bicker
bicker
  1. v.infrml. [I] to argue about little things,
    THESAURUS
    to quarrel: The couple bickers often about which roads to take to get to certain places.
bicycle
bicycle
  1. n. a two-wheeled vehicle moved by pedaling: I bought a new bicycle. —v. [I] -cled, -cling, -cles to travel by bicycle: The students bicycled through Europe last summer. -n. [U] bicycling; [C] bicyclist.
bid
bid
  1. v.frml. bid, bidding, bids
    1 [T] to ask or command: She bid the child stand still.
    2 [I] to make a monetary offer: We bid to sell at $10 per pound. —n.
    1 an offer to sell s.t. at a certain price: Our company made a bid to sell coffee beans at $10 per pound.
    2 an attempt, try: She bid for the job opening, but did not get the job.
bidding
bidding
  1. n. [U]
    1 offers to buy or sell things: The bidding at auctions can go very fast.
    2 instructions: I did my wife's bidding and changed the baby's diapers.
bide
bide
  1. v. [T] bided, biding, bides; to bide one's time: to wait until the right time to do s.t.: He is biding his time until he feels ready to ask her to marry him.
biennial
biennial
  1. n.adj. happening every two years: There is a biennial art exhibition in Venice. -adv. biennially.
bifocals
bifocals
  1. n.pl. eyeglasses with two sets of lenses, one for seeing close and the other for distance: When I reached age 45, I needed bifocals to read. -adj. bifocal.
big-hearted
big-hearted
  1. adj. generous, warm, and friendly,
    THESAURUS
    compassionate: She is always doing s.t. good for s.o.; she's big-hearted.
big-ticket item
big-ticket item
  1. n. s.t. that costs a lot of money: A new car is a big-ticket item
big-time
big-time
  1. adj.infrml. important: She is a big-time politician in the national government. —n. in the big time: at the top level of business, sports, etc: He began by playing guitar for fun and is now in the big time.
big
big
  1. adj. bigger, biggest
    1 large in size, shape, etc.: She has big feet.
    2 important: Our company has a big meeting next month.
    3 a big fish in a small pond: an important, powerful person out of place: Working in the regional county office, she is a big fish in a small pond.
    4 infrml. big on s.t.: enthusiastic: He is very big on baseball and goes to a game twice a week.
    5 infrml. bigger fish to fry: more important things to do: The company president has bigger fish to fry and can't be bothered by the problems of a little employee like me.
    6 big of (s.o.): generous: It's big of you to drive me home so late at night.
    THESAURUS
    big adj.
    1 (person) tall, fat, muscular | (area, building) large, huge, spacious. Ant. small.
    2 significant, vital. Ant. insignificant. —n.infrml. Mr. Big: important person: He is Mister Big in that company.
big cheese
big cheese
  1. n. fig.slang an important person: She is the big cheese in that bank.
big deal
big deal
  1. n.infrml.
    1 an important person or situation: She is a big deal in her company.||He is angry all the time and makes a big deal out of every little thing.
    2 an unimportant situation: "The queen is visiting town." "Big deal; I'm not interested."
big leagues
big leagues
  1. n.infrml. (from baseball) highest level of competition, major leagues: He worked in a small town, then moved to New York and hit the big leagues.
big name
big name
  1. adj.n. famous person or reputation: That musician works for big-name bands.||The young scientist made a big name for herself in the computer industry.
big shot
big shot
  1. n.slang a person who acts important or arrogant: He's just an office manager, but he acts like a big shot.
big talk
big talk
  1. n.infrml. untrue talk about important things: Buying his wife a new car and a second home is just big talk.
big thing
big thing
  1. n.
    1 great concern about small matters,
    THESAURUS
    a fuss: She made such a big thing about plans for her trip.
    2 a style that doesn't last,
    THESAURUS
    a fad: The big thing now is wearing red ties and socks. See: big deal.
big top
big top
  1. n.infrml. a circus: The main tent of a circus is called the "big top."
big wheel
big wheel
  1. n.infrml.fig. an important, powerful person: She is a big wheel in government.
bigamy
bigamy
  1. n. [U] being married to two people at the same time: Bigamy is illegal in the USA -n. bigamist; -adj. bigamous.
bigmouth
bigmouth
  1. n.slang s.o. who talks or says things too soon: That guy is a big-mouth. See: loudmouth.
bigot
bigot
  1. n. s.o. who has strong, unreasonable opinions or beliefs about others' race, religion, etc: He is a bigot who hates everyone not just like him. -n. bigotry. See: prejudiced.
bigwig
bigwig
  1. n.infrml. an important, powerful person: He's a bigwig in that bank.
bike
bike
  1. n.v. [I] biked, biking, bikes infrml. bicycle or motorcycle: I ride my bike to work every day. -n. biker.
bikini
bikini
  1. n. a small two-piece swimsuit for women or one-piece swimsuit for men —adj. small underpants: Some men wear boxer shorts for underwear, others wear bikini briefs.
bilateral
bilateral
  1. adj.frml. with or involving two sides equally: The officials of two countries held bilateral talks. -adv. bilaterally. See: unilateral.
bile
bile
  1. n. [U]
    1 a liquid from the liver that helps digest food: Bile breaks down fats.
    2 frml. anger,
    THESAURUS
    bitterness: She is unhappy and filled with bile. -adj. bilious.
bilge
bilge
  1. n.
    1 dirty water at the bottom of a ship
    2 fig. nonsense or foolish talk or writing
bilingual
bilingual
  1. adj.
    1 able to communicate well in two languages: She is bilingual in English and Chinese.
    2 written or spoken in two languages: Bilingual instructions are included in every page of the manual.
bilk
bilk
  1. v. [T] to trick s.o. for money, to cheat: He bilked the old lady out of her life savings.
bill of sale
bill of sale
  1. n. a piece of paper showing the change of ownership of property: When I bought my new car, the dealer gave me a bill of sale.
billboard
billboard
  1. n. a large, flat board for advertisements, usu. by the side of the road: That billboard near the highway is advertising a motel.
billfold
billfold
  1. n. a small case with pockets for carrying money, etc., a wallet: She took out her billfold and paid for lunch.
billiards
billiards
  1. n. [U] a game played with balls and (cue) sticks on a table: In billiards, players hit the balls off other balls and the inner cushions of the table.
billing
billing
  1. n. [U]
    1 sending out bills,
    THESAURUS
    invoicing
    2 pl. the amount of business that a company does in a month or year
billion
billion
  1. n.adj. (in USA) 1,000,000,000: That company sells a billion dollars of shoes a year. -adj. billionth.
billionaire
billionaire
  1. n. a person who has a billion dollars or property of that worth
billow
billow
  1. v. [I] to fill with air and become larger: The sails on the boat billowed in the wind. —n. a wave or gust (of water, smoke, etc.) -adj. billowy.
billy club
billy club
  1. n. a short, thick stick used to hit people, used by police officers: The police officer hit the criminal with her billy club.
billy goat
billy goat
  1. n. a male goat
bimbo
bimbo
  1. n.pej.slang -bos or -boes a person seen as stupid and mostly interested in sex, usu. a woman with a bad repu-tation: Her neighbors called her a bimbo, because she went out with many different men.
bimonthly
bimonthly
  1. n.adj.adv. every two months (approx. 60 days), or twice a month: They publish a bimonthly magazine.
bin
bin
  1. n. a large, open container: That store keeps nails and screws in bins.
binary
binary
  1. adj.
    1 having two parts, double
    2 using the numbers 0 and 1: Some computers use 0 and 1 as a binary system.
bind
bind
  1. v. [T] bound binding, binds
    1 to wrap with bandages: Doctors bind wounds.
    2 to tie, esp. with string: She bound the package.
    3 to stick together: Milk and eggs bind the flour in the cake batter.
    4 to obligate, compel: His duty to his parents binds him to live near them. —n.infrml. in a bind: in difficulty: He is in a bind for cash, because he lost his wallet.
binder
binder
  1. n.
    1 a firm removable cover for documents: A three-ring binder has rings inside that open and close to hold papers.
    2 a machine or person that binds books
    3 a sum of money given to hold property for a time period at a fixed price
binding
binding
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 the cover on a book or document: My textbook has a cloth binding.
    2 material put on the edge of s.t. to strengthen or decorate it —adj. permanent, unbreakable: A marriage agreement is considered binding for life.
binge
binge
  1. v. [I] binged, binging, binges to eat, drink, or do too much of s.t., esp. to consume alcohol or food, gamble, have sex: He binged and ate a whole chocolate cake by himself. —n. the act of binging,
    THESAURUS
    a spree: She went on a shopping binge and bought 10 pairs of shoes.
bingo
bingo
  1. n. [U] a gambling game in which players cover the numbers printed on their cards as s.o. calls out the numbers: When he had five numbers in a row, the player shouted "Bingo!" and won a prize.
binoculars
binoculars
  1. n.pl. glasses that make distant objects seem closer and larger: The biologist looked through his binoculars to see birds far off. See: telescope.
biochemistry
biochemistry
  1. n. [U] the science of the chemistry of living things
biodegradable
biodegradable
  1. adj. capable of breaking down to be absorbed by nature, esp. without harming it: Those paper plates are biodegradable. See: recycle.

    USAGE NOTE: Biodegradable means that the material in s.t. can break down naturally and be absorbed by the earth. Recyclable means that the materials in a product, such as paper, plastic, glass, aluminum, etc., can be recycled. Recycled means that the materials in a product have been processed to be used again.
biofeedback
biofeedback
  1. n. [U] a way of controlling the mind to lower the blood pressure and heartbeat
biography
biography
  1. n. [C;U] -phies the history of a person's life: He read a biography of a baseball hero. -n. biographer; -adj. biographical ; -adv. biographically. See: autobiography; fiction, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    biography a life story, memoir.
biology
biology
  1. n. [U] the science and study of life: In the biology class students looked at leaves under a microscope. -adj. biological -adv. biologically; -n. biologist.
bionic
bionic
  1. adj. using mechanical and/or electrical devices to increase a person's power
biopsy
biopsy
  1. n. -sies a piece of the body cut out and examined for disease: The doctor took a biopsy of a lump in her neck to test it for cancer.
biotechnology
biotechnology
  1. n. [U] the business of using biochemistry to develop new medicines and other advances to improve health: Biotechnology develops new drugs to fight cancer and AIDS.
bipartisan
bipartisan
  1. adj.frml. involving two political parties: The new law was passed with bipartisan support.
bipartite
bipartite
  1. adj.frml. in two parts or sides: The two countries made a bipartite agreement.
biped
biped
  1. n. s.t. that has two feet: Humans are bipeds. -adj. bipedal . See: quadruped.
biplane
biplane
  1. n. an airplane with two sets of wings: A biplane can go up and down easily with its four wings
birch
birch
  1. n. -es a northern tree with smooth white bark: Beautiful birches line the road.
bird
bird
  1. n.
    1 an animal with feathers, wings, and a beak: Most birds can fly.
    2 a bird's-eye view: a sight from a high place: On the hilltop, we had a bird's-eye view of the valley below.
    3 a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: s.t. of small value is worth more than s.t. that is unsure
    4 infrml. the birds and the bees: sex: The father told his son about the birds and the bees.
    5 early bird: s.o. who gets up or goes somewhere early
    6 infrml. for the birds: no good, inferior: That film was so boring; it's for the birds.
    7 to kill two birds with one stone: to do two things with one effort: I had a business appointment in the city, then met my friend there for lunch, so I killed two birds with one stone.
bird dog
bird dog
  1. n. a dog used for hunting birds —v.fig. [T] to watch s.t. very closely
birdbrain
birdbrain
  1. n.slang a stupid person: That birdbrain delivered the wrong box again. -adj. birdbrained.
birdseed
birdseed
  1. n. grain and other seeds used to feed birds: In the winter, I put birdseed in the bird feeder outside my window.
birth
birth
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a. the time and act when a baby comes out of its mother or an egg: The time of her birth was 3:00.||Our cat gave birth to three kittens. b. to cause or produce s.t.: The woman's courageous actions gave birth to a movement for freedom among her people.
    2 fig. the beginning of s.t.: Astronomers watched the birth of a star.
    3 one's origin or ancestry (parents, grandparents, etc.): He is German by birth, but is now a citizen of Venezuela.
    THESAURUS
    birth n.
    1 a. the delivery, childbirth, giving birth
    2 the beginning, commencement
    THESAURUS
    3 one's descent, descendants, family background. Ant. death.
birth certificate
birth certificate
  1. n. legal document stating when and where one was born
birth control
birth control
  1. n. [U] a method, such as a condom or medication that prevents pregnancy,
    THESAURUS
    contraception: She uses birth control regularly.
birthday
birthday
  1. n.
    1 the date when one was born: She bought me a present for my birthday.
    2 infrml. birthday suit: the naked body: Little children ran on the beach in their birthday suits.
birthmark
birthmark
  1. n. a spot on the body that one is born with: He has a birthmark, a red spot on his cheek.
birthplace
birthplace
  1. n. where one was born: Her birthplace is San Francisco, but she lives in New Orleans.
birthrate
birthrate
  1. n. the number of births for each 100, 1000, or 100,000 people in an area (country, city, region, etc.) in a time period: The birth rate is going up in this country.
biscuit
biscuit
  1. n. small airy roll: He had biscuits and gravy for breakfast.
bisect
bisect
  1. v. [T] to cut, cross, or divide into two equal parts: That road bisects a farm. -n. bisection.
bisexual
bisexual
  1. n.adj.
    1 attracted to both sexes: She is a bisexual who dates men and women.
    2 having the qualities of both sexes -n. [U] bisexuality . See: heterosexual; homosexual.
bishop
bishop
  1. n.
    1 a high-ranking official in Catholicism: A bishop supervises many priests or ministers.
    2 a piece in the game of chess that can only move in a diagonal direction -n. bishopric.
bison
bison
  1. n. bison or bisons a large four-footed animal with a shaggy coat and short, curved horns, like the buffalo: Thousands of bison once lived on the North American plains.
bisque
bisque
  1. n. a thick, rich soup made with cream: I had lobster bisque for lunch.
bistro
bistro
  1. n. -tros (French for) a small bar, nightclub, or restaurant that serves food and drinks
bit
bit
  1. n.
    1 a small amount of s.t.: She brushed a bit of dirt off of her pants.
    2 a little, some: I am having a bit of trouble (bad luck, difficulty, etc.) with my car.
    3 little-by-little: He is building a house bit-by-bit.
    4 one's part, contribution to a cause: Do your bit for your political party by working hard during the election.
    5 in computers, a unit of information in a language that has two units: Eight bits is equal to one byte.
    6 a bar (on a bridle) that goes into a horse's mouth to control it: He pulled on the reins, and the bit put pressure on the horse's mouth, causing it to stop.
    7 a small piece: The bowl broke into many bits.
    8 a grooved, pointed metal part of a tool: I lost one of the bits for my drill. See: two-bits.
bite-size or bite-sized
bite-size or bite-sized
  1. adj. a small piece of food that fits easily into the mouth: Those pieces of chocolate are bite-size and delicious!
bite
bite
  1. v. bit biting, bites
    1 [T] to cut, put teeth into: Some dogs will bite you.
    2 infrml.fig. [I] to cause pain, hurt: The increase in my rent payments is beginning to bite.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to bite s.t. back: to hold in, control: She bit back words of anger at her boss.||She bit them back.
    4 infrml. to bite off more than one can chew: to try to do s.t. that is too difficult: That course in physics was too hard for him; he bit off more than he could chew.
    5 to bite s.o.'s head off: to speak in anger, rudely: When I asked her to move, she bit my head off.
    6 infrml. to bite the bullet: to do an unpleasant job: We have to bite the bullet and fire 20 percent of our workers.
    7 infrml. to bite the dust: to die: We must cut expenses or the company will bite the dust.
    8 infrml. to bite the hand that feeds one: to anger or harm a person who gives you s.t. good: She argues with her boss so often that she bites the hand that feeds her. —n.
    1 an act of biting: The cat's bite hurt my hand.
    2 a small amount of food: I had a bite to eat for breakfast.
    3 a painful event: a tax bite, the bite of a cold wind
    4 to grab a bite to eat: to eat quickly, esp. a small, simple meal: I'm going to grab a bite to eat, a sandwich maybe, before we leave. -n. biter. See: bark (2), 2.
    THESAURUS
    bite v.
    1 to sink your teeth into s.t., chew off a piece | nibble (people, horses), gnaw (dog)
    2 to sting, pinch.
biting
biting
  1. adj. causing pain, bitter: I feel the biting cold wind on my face.
bitter
bitter
  1. adj.
    1 having a sharp, acid taste: That black tea has a bitter taste.
    2 giving pain, hurtful: It was a bitter cold winter.
    3 angry, hateful: The two friends became bitter enemies.
    4 until or to the bitter end: lasting until the end of an unpleasant experience: The man and wife argued and fought over their divorce until the bitter end. -adv. bitterly; -n. [U] bitterness.
bittersweet
bittersweet
  1. adj.
    1 having a mixture of good and sad feelings: She had bittersweet thoughts about moving to a new city.
    2 a type of chocolate that has little sugar —n. a plant, climbing vine with orange and yellow berries
biweekly
biweekly
  1. n.adj. every two weeks (14 days): They publish a biweekly newspaper. See: bimonthly.
bizarre
bizarre
  1. adj. very strange, (syns.) odd, weird: She died under bizarre circumstances—no one knows how. -adv. bizarrely.
blab
blab
  1. v. [T] blabbed, blabbing, blabs to tell a secret to everyone: His secretary blabbed his secret love affairs to the office.
blabbermouth
blabbermouth
  1. n.infrml. -mouths a person who gossips and/or tells secrets about others
black eye
black eye
  1. n.
    1 an eye discolored black and blue from an injury
    2 infrml.fig. a bad reputation: The scandal gave the politician a black eye among the voters.
black hole
black hole
  1. n.
    1 a body in outer space whose gravity draws everything into it including light
    2 fig. a hopeless, bad situation: After she made a bad mistake, her career fell into a black hole.
black magic
black magic
  1. n. [U] a demonic practice that tries to harm others,
    THESAURUS
    witchcraft: He used black magic to make his enemies get sick.
black market
black market
  1. n.adj. the illegal economy, not approved by a government: They buy radios on the black market.
black widow
black widow
  1. n. a spider of which the female is highly poisonous: Black widow spiders are found in the Americas.
blackball
blackball
  1. v. [T] not to allow s.o. to become a member or to do s.t.: A club member blackballed a man from joining the club. See: blacklist.
blackbelt
blackbelt
  1. n.
    1 the rank of expert, such as in martial arts
    2 a person holding that rank
    3 the black belt worn as the symbol of rank
blackberry
blackberry
  1. n. -ries a sweet berry, black in color when ripe: blackberry jam
blackbird
blackbird
  1. n. any of various small North American birds, the male of which has black feathers: Female blackbirds have brownish feathers.
blackboard
blackboard
  1. n. a flat surface to write on in classrooms, a chalkboard: The teacher wrote on the blackboard with chalk.
blacken
blacken
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to make s.t. become black: Cooking the meat for too long blackened it.
    2 to make others think badly of s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to slander: She blackened his reputation by telling lies about him.
blackhead
blackhead
  1. n. a small, black spot on the skin, like a pimple: As a teenager, he had blackheads on his face.
blackjack
blackjack
  1. n.
    1 a small club or stick: A thief hit me over the head with a blackjack.
    2 a card game, often played in gambling, also called 21: The goal in blackjack is to get the sum of the cards to reach 21 without going over it.
blacklist
blacklist
  1. v. [T] n. to put people's names on a list to stop them from doing certain activities, going places, or receiving benefits: In the 1950s, movie companies blacklisted some actors they thought were communists. See: blackball.
blackmail
blackmail
  1. v. [T] n. [U] to demand actions or money by threatening to tell a harmful secret about s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to extort: She had sex with a married man and then blackmailed him by saying that she would tell his wife. -n. blackmailer.
blackout
blackout
  1. n.
    1 controlled darkness, turning off electricity: The city used blackouts to hide from nighttime enemy bombings.
    2 an electrical power failure: The city had a blackout when one of the main power generators was hit by lightning.
blacksmith
blacksmith
  1. n. a skilled worker who makes and fixes things of iron: A blacksmith can make horseshoes.
blacktop
blacktop
  1. n. a thick black substance made from coal used to cover roads
bladder
bladder
  1. n.
    1 a small bag of skin that holds and forces out urine from the body: My bladder is so small that I constantly have to go to the bathroom.
    2 a small sack of rubber, leather, etc. that holds liquids or gas
blade
blade
  1. n. narrow, flat piece of s.t.: The blades of an airplane propeller turn very fast.||a blade of grass
blame
blame
  1. v. [T] blamed, blaming, blames to say s.o. is responsible for s.t. bad: I blame him for the accident. —n. [U]
    1 a charge, accusation of wrongdoing: I put the blame on him for causing the accident.
    2 to take the blame: (be forced to) accept guilt: Others were responsible too, but he took the blame for it. -adj. blameless; -adv. blamelessly.
    THESAURUS
    blame v. to hold s.o. responsible, find s.o. guilty, accuse. Ants. to clear, acquit. —n.
    1 guilt, responsibility. Ant. innocence.
blanch
blanch
  1. v. -ched, -ching, -ches
    1 [I] to become pale with shock: She blanched when she saw the dead man.
    2 [T] to boil vegetables quickly: He blanched the broccoli for five minutes.
    3 [T] to make s.t. colorless: blanched almonds
bland
bland
  1. adj.
    1 having little taste,
    THESAURUS
    mild: Some foods, like white rice, taste bland.
    2 mild, boring,
    THESAURUS
    nondescript: He has a very bland personality. -n. [U] blandness; -adv. blandly.
blanket
blanket
  1. n.
    1 a warm bed covering: To keep warm, she has two blankets on her bed.
    2 fig. any type of covering: A blanket of snow covered the ground.
    3 infrml. a wet blanket: a person who spoils the fun of others: He's such a wet blanket—he always wants to leave when the fun is just beginning. —v. [T] to cover completely: A heavy rain blanketed the fields with water. —adj. including everyone or everything, all cases: a blanket statement
blare
blare
  1. v. [I] blared, blaring, blares, to make a horn sound loudly: Car horns blared in the traffic jam.
blasphemy
blasphemy
  1. n. [C;U] -mies saying disrespectful things about God, religion, or anything sacred: Long ago, people were killed for blasphemy. -adv. blasphemously; -v. [T] blaspheme ; -adj. blasphemous.
blast-off
blast-off
  1. n. (of a rocket) leaving the ground
blast
blast
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to explode: A bomb blasted a hole in the road.
    2 infrml.fig. [T] to criticize harshly: My mother blasted me for staying out late.
    3 phrasal v. [I;T] to blast off: to leave the ground forcefully: The rocket blasted off the launch pad. See: blast-off. —n.
    1 an explosion: You could hear that blast for miles.
    2 a strong movement of air
    3 infrml. to have a blast: to have a great time: We had a blast at the beach with our friends.
    THESAURUS
    blast v.
    1 to blow, knock. —n.
    1 a detonation
    2 a gust.
blasé
blasé
  1. adj. (French for) not caring, without emotion,
    THESAURUS
    indifferent: She is blasé about her new job; she doesn't love it, she doesn't hate it.
blatant
blatant
  1. adj. obvious, going against one's sense of honesty (truth, reason),
    THESAURUS
    shameless: That report is full of blatant lies. -adv. blatantly.
blazer
blazer
  1. n. a type of jacket that does not match the pants worn, esp. by men: He wore a blue blazer to the party.
bleach
bleach
  1. v. [T] n. [U] -es a strong liquid chemical used to whiten clothes: Those pants were so dirty that he put some bleach in the washing machine with them.||The sun bleached the curtains hanging out to dry.
bleak
bleak
  1. adj.
    1 cold, gray, and unfriendly: On a cold, rainy day the beach area looks bleak.
    2 with little or no hope: He has no job and his future is bleak. -n. [U] bleakness; -adv. bleakly.
bleary
bleary
  1. adj. -ier, -iest unable to see well, unclear: When she wakes up in the morning, her eyes are bleary. -adv. blearily.
bleed
bleed
  1. v. bled bleeding, bleeds
    1 [I] to lose blood: She cut her hand and it is bleeding.
    2 [I] fig. to suffer or feel pain at another's suffering: My heart bleeds for those people in a civil war.
    3 [T] to take out or let out sap, juice, etc.: That plant has been damaged; it is bleeding sap.
    4 [I] (of colors) to run together: My red shirt bled onto my white socks in the washer; now my socks are pink.
    5 [I] to show through: They didn't put enough new paint on the wall, and the old color is bleeding through.
    THESAURUS
    bleed
    1 to hemorrhage
    3 to ooze. Ant. to coagulate.
bleeding
bleeding
  1. n. [U]
    1 the flowing of blood: The doctor stopped the bleeding with a bandage.
    2 fig. bleeding heart: a person who cares deeply about the poor and oppressed of society
bleep
bleep
  1. v. [I;T] n.
    1 to make a quick, sharp, usu. electronic sound
    2 to block out another sound: On the TV show, dirty words were bleeped out by a technician.
blemish
blemish
  1. v. [T] n. -ishes
    1 a spot or mark (pimple, scar, etc.): That pretty woman has a blemish on her cheek.
    2 a bad reputation: That report was so poor it will certainly leave a blemish on his record. -adj. blemished.
blend
blend
  1. v. [I;T] n.
    1 to mix together: I blended milk and butter into the flour.
    2 to fit well: She blends in well with other students in her class.
    THESAURUS
    blend v.
    1 to combine s.t. with s.t. else. Ant. to separate.
    2 to harmonize with.
blender
blender
  1. n. a small kitchen machine used to cut and mix foods together: I mixed eggs and milk in the blender.
bless
bless
  1. v. [T] blessed, blessing, blesses
    1 to make holy, esp. by asking God: The priest blessed the people in church.
    2 to be lucky, fortunate: She was blessed with a healthy long life.
blessing
blessing
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 an act of making s.t. holy: She asked for God's blessing for her new baby.
    2 a good event (situa-tion or condition): It is a blessing to have good health.
    3 approval: I have my teacher's blessing to do a special project.
    4 a blessing in disguise: a hidden, unexpected benefit: After he was fired, he found a better job, so his firing was a blessing in disguise.
blew
blew
  1. v. past of blow
blight
blight
  1. n. [U] v. [I;T]
    1 a disease of plants that makes them turn brown and die: The blight left no leaves on the trees.
    2 a bad condition: Houses in many cities suffer from urban blight.
blimp
blimp
  1. n. a long, rounded aircraft filled with gas: In the USA, blimps with advertising on their sides fly over outdoor sports events.
blind date
blind date
  1. n.fig. an arranged meeting with s.o. one has not met: I went out on a blind date with a friend of my sister.
blind spot
blind spot
  1. n.
    1 an area where one cannot see: Most cars have blind spots, so one has to be careful when passing other cars.
    2 being unreasonable, unwilling to see or do s.t.: The owner has a blind spot about paying people; he pays them poorly and many leave the company.
blinders
blinders
  1. n.pl. coverings placed next to the eyes of horses so they can only look straight ahead
blindfold
blindfold
  1. n. a piece of cloth tied over the eyes so a person cannot see —v. [T] to put a blindfold on s.o.: The thief blindfolded his victim.
blink
blink
  1. v.n.
    1 [I] to open and close the eyelids rapidly: If you don't blink, your eyes will dry out.
    2 [T] to go on and off quickly: The car blinked its lights to signal me.
blinker
blinker
  1. n. a light that goes on and off as a warning, such as a directional signal on a car
blip
blip
  1. n. a short electronic signal (sound, picture, etc.): An airplane makes a blip on a radar screen. See: bleep.
bliss
bliss
  1. n. [U]
    1 extreme happiness: After they got married, they lived in bliss.
    2 a state of extreme religious joy,
    THESAURUS
    ecstasy: She knelt, praying, in a state of bliss. -adj. blissful; -adv. blissfully.
blister
blister
  1. n.
    1 (in medicine) a pocket under the skin filled with liquid: A burn caused blisters on her hand.
    2 a swelling on a painted surface, etc.
blithe
blithe
  1. adj.
    1 happy, not worried
    2 not concerned, casual: He made some blithe remarks about the coming hurricane. -adv. blithely.
blithering
blithering
  1. adj. nonsensical: Don't be a blithering idiot!
blitz
blitz
  1. n. blitzes
    1 a rapid attack using great power: The bomber blitz flattened the city.
    2 fig. a lot of advertising: Before an election, politicians often do a media blitz to get lots of coverage.
blizzard
blizzard
  1. n. a severe snowstorm
bloated
bloated
  1. adj. too big as from eating too much food,
    THESAURUS
    swollen: After a big meal, his stomach felt bloated.
blob
blob
  1. n.
    1 a soft, shapeless drop or mass: A blob of butter fell onto the table.
    2 a small amount: a blob of ink, a blob of mashed potatoes
    3 pej.slang a fat, lazy person
bloc
bloc
  1. n. a group of nations or politicians acting together in a cause: The liberal bloc voted for the tax increase.
blockade
blockade
  1. v. [T] n. -aded, -ading, -ades to close off an area to stop supplies (food, weapons, etc.) and communication: Warships blockaded the seaport.
blockage
blockage
  1. n. [C;U] s.t. that prevents flow or movement,
    THESAURUS
    an obstruction: That man had a blockage in a blood vessel and almost had a heart attack.
blockbuster
blockbuster
  1. n.fig. a big surprise or great success: That new movie is a blockbuster.
blockhead
blockhead
  1. n.infrml. stupid person: That blockhead delivered the wrong box!
blog
blog
  1. n. [C] v. [T] blogged, blogging, blogs to provide information on a website, or simply to express one’s thoughts on it: I write my <n.> blog on politics. I <v.> blogged yesterday about the President. –adj. bloggable.
blond
blond
  1. adj.n. having light, yellowish hair: That man has blond hair.
blonde
blonde
  1. n. a woman with blond hair See: brunette, redhead.
blood
blood
  1. n. [U]
    1 the red liquid pumped by the heart through the body: Blood carries food to and takes waste away from the cells in our bodies.
    2 relatives,
    THESAURUS
    kin: She is my father's sister, so we are related by blood.
    3 national or racial family origins: He is of Scandinavian blood.
    4 interests or temperament: She gets angry easily; she has very hot blood.
    5 bad blood: long-lasting anger or hatred: The couple's divorce was very bitter; there is a lot of bad blood between them.
    6 blood is thicker than water: family ties are stronger than other ties (business, friendship, etc.)
    7 in cold blood: deliberately and without emotion: He walked up to the man and shot him in cold blood.
    8 new blood: new people with lots of energy: The company's owners are old and tired; the company needs some new blood.
    9 out for blood: wanting to kill or harm s.o.: When her daughter was murdered, she was out for blood to find the killer.
    10 to have s.o.'s blood on one's head or hands: to be responsible for s.o.'s injury or death: She sent the boy on a dangerous job, and he was killed; his blood is on her hands.
    11 to make one's blood boil: to make one angry or bitter: His cruelty to animals makes my blood boil.
    12 to make one's blood run cold: to fill one with fright and horror: The terrible screams made our blood run cold.
blood pressure
blood pressure
  1. n. [U] measurement of the force with which blood moves through the body: High blood pressure can cause heart attacks.
blood type
blood type
  1. n. one of four classes of blood a person can have: His blood is type A; hers is B.
blood vessel
blood vessel
  1. n. a small tube (artery, vein, capillary) that carries blood through the body: A blood vessel to his heart became blocked and caused a heart attack.
bloodbath
bloodbath
  1. n. the murder of many people at one time,
    THESAURUS
    massacre: Soldiers killed the people of that village in a bloodbath.
bloodhound
bloodhound
  1. n.
    1 a large dog with the ability to follow a person's or animal's smell: The police used a bloodhound to find the lost girl.
    2 fig. s.o. who pursues without giving up: That detective is a bloodhound; he always catches the criminal.
bloodless
bloodless
  1. adj. without blood or injury; The 1974 revolution in Portugal was bloodless; nobody died. -adv. bloodlessly.
bloodshed
bloodshed
  1. n. [U] acts of killing and injury: Soldiers shot the villagers, causing much bloodshed.
bloodshot
bloodshot
  1. adj. having a red look in the eyes: After staying up all night, her eyes were bloodshot.
bloodstain
bloodstain
  1. n. a spot of blood: Bloodstains on his shirt showed where he was knifed. -adj. bloodstained.
bloodstream
bloodstream
  1. n. the flow of blood through the vessels: Her bloodstream was blocked in her right leg.
bloodthirsty
bloodthirsty
  1. adj. liking or wanting to kill others: While laughing, the bloodthirsty soldiers murdered their enemies.
bloody
bloody
  1. adj. -ier, -iest covered with blood: After a fight, his face was bloody.
bloom
bloom
  1. v. [I] (of plants) to flower: Our apple tree bloomed last week. —n. a flower in bloom See: blossom.
blooper
blooper
  1. n. a mistake: The announcer on the radio made a blooper by saying "good morning" instead of "good evening."
blossom
blossom
  1. n. a flower as it opens: The blossoms on the apple tree appeared last week. See: bloom. —v. [I]
    1 to flower: The roses blossomed last week.
    2 fig.to develop into s.t. very good: She blossomed into a top student in school.
blot
blot
  1. n.
    1 a spot that makes s.t. dirty or stained,
    THESAURUS
    a blotch: an ink blot
    2 fig. a shameful event: The crime he committed is a blot on his record. —v. [T] blotted, blotting, blots
    1 to soak up a liquid: She blotted water off the table with a towel.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to blot s.t. out: to prevent from seeing, cover up: The fog blotted out our view of the road. See: blotter.
blotch
blotch
  1. n. -es a spot, such as an ugly stain: He has a blotch of ink on his shirt. -n. [U] blotchiness.
blotchy
blotchy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 having spots, badly stained
    2 discolored: Her skin is blotchy, with lots of red spots.
blotter
blotter
  1. n. a soft, flat sheet of thick paper that soaks up liquid and protects a surface: A blotter on his desk protects it from spills and scratches.
blouse
blouse
  1. n.frml. a woman's shirt: She wears white silk blouses.
blow-dry
blow-dry
  1. v. [T] -dried, -drying, -dries to dry hair with a hand-held machine that blows hot air -n. blow-dry; blow-drier.
blowhard
blowhard
  1. n.pej.infrml. a person who talks for a long time, but says little,
    THESAURUS
    a windbag: That blowhard never stops talking.
blowout
blowout
  1. n. a tire that becomes flat while a vehicle is moving: She had a blowout on the highway. —adj.n. a huge discount sale: Some stores have a blowout sale twice a year.
blowtorch
blowtorch
  1. n. -torches a hand-held tool that sends out a flame: He melted the metal with a blowtorch.
blowup
blowup
  1. n.
    1 a large photo: They have a blowup of their baby on their living-room wall.
    2 an explosion of anger: When the company lost money, there was a big blowup between the owner and some employees.
blubber
blubber
  1. n. [U]
    1 thick fat on ocean animals: whale blubber
    2 fat on a person: He can hardly squeeze all that blubber into his clothes. —v. [I] to cry,
    THESAURUS
    to sob: She blubbered when her pet dog died.
bludgeon
bludgeon
  1. n. a short, thick club used to hit people,
    THESAURUS
    a truncheon —v. [T] to hit with a bludgeon: The man was bludgeoned to death.
blue-chip
blue-chip
  1. adj.fig. high quality: Companies that have performed well for a very long time are called blue-chip companies.
blue
blue
  1. adj.
    1 having the color of: My car is blue.||Blue and yellow make green.
    2 sad,
    THESAURUS
    depressed: She is blue (or) feels blue today.
    3 once in a blue moon: almost never: He visits once in a blue moon; we almost never see him. —n.
    1 the sky: The bird flew off into the blue.
    2 the sea: She threw her wedding ring over the side of the ship and watched it sink into the blue.
    3 infrml. out of the blue: suddenly, unexpectedly: Out of the blue, I got a phone call from a friend I hadn't seen in years. -adj. bluish. See: blues.
blue blood
blue blood
  1. n.fig. a person from the upper classes,
    THESAURUS
    an aristocrat: She is a blue blood from the French aristocracy.
blue bonnet
blue bonnet
  1. n. a plant with small flowers, found in the Texas region
blue cheese
blue cheese
  1. n. a rich, sharp, thick white cheese with blue areas: Would you like blue cheese or Italian dressing on your salad?
blue jay
blue jay
  1. n. a bird with blue and gray feathers, common in North America: Bluejays are noisy birds.
blue jeans
blue jeans
  1. n. blue pants made of a thick cloth, usu. cotton: People wear blue jeans all over the world. See: jeans.
blue laws
blue laws
  1. n.pl. laws that make certain activities, such as working or selling alcoholic beverages on Sundays illegal
blue streak
blue streak
  1. n.fig. a stream of words: Once he gets started, he'll talk a blue streak for hours.
bluebell
bluebell
  1. n. a plant with blue flowers shaped like bells
blueberry
blueberry
  1. n. -ries
    1 a bush that produces small, dark berries
    2 the berries themselves: Blueberries taste delicious with cream and sugar.
bluebird
bluebird
  1. n.
    1 a small North American bird with blue feathers
    2 fig. symbol of happiness
bluefish
bluefish
  1. n. -fish or -fishes a large blue-colored fish with sweet, good-tasting meat: Bluefish are found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
bluegrass
bluegrass
  1. n. [U]
    1 a type of grass found in the southern USA, esp. Kentucky
    2 a type of country music: Bluegrass is lively music played on violins, guitars, and banjos.
blueprint
blueprint
  1. n.
    1 a detailed drawing of s.t. to show how to make it,
    THESAURUS
    a pattern: Workers read blueprints to see how to construct a building.
    2 fig. a plan: Our company has a blueprint for its future.
blues
blues
  1. n.pl.
    1 sadness, depression: He has the blues, because his girlfriend left him.
    2 slow jazz music about sad feelings: Blues music is popular in New Orleans and Memphis.
    3 to sing the blues: to complain about s.t.: She flunked a course and is singing the blues. See: blue adj., 2.
blunder
blunder
  1. n. a mistake, esp. a bad or stupid one: He made a blunder by calling his boss by the wrong name. —v. [I]
    1 to make a mistake: She blundered by entering the wrong room in the middle of the class period.
    2 to move as if one is blind: She blundered through the dark house.
blunt
blunt
  1. adj.
    1 direct in,
    THESAURUS
    frank: She is blunt, because she tells people exactly what she thinks.
    2 not sharp,
    THESAURUS
    dull: a knife with a blunt edge —v. [T] to reduce the effect of s.t.: His heavy drinking blunted his chances for success. -n. [U] bluntness.
blur
blur
  1. v. [I;T] blurred, blurring, blurs to make s.o. unable to see clearly, (syns.) to cloud, obscure: Her terrible headache blurred her eyesight.||Fog blurred our view of the hills. —n. s.t. unclear: Time has gone so quickly; this summer was just a blur.
blurb
blurb
  1. n. a brief piece of writing: The famous writer wrote a blurb about the new author to put on the book jacket.
blurt
blurt
  1. phrasal v. [T] to blurt out: to speak suddenly: He blurted out the truth, that he committed the crime.
blush
blush
  1. v. [I] -es to become red in the face from nervousness or shame: Some boys blush when a pretty girl smiles at them. —n.
    1 a reddened face
    2 red makeup put on the cheeks,
    THESAURUS
    rouge
boa
boa
  1. n.
    1 a long, powerful snake: Boa constrictors wrap themselves around animals and crush them.
    2 a long scarf of feathers or fabric: a feather boa
boar
boar
  1. n.
    1 a wild male pig
    2 a male farm pig that can father young
board
board
  1. n.
    1 [C] a thin, flat piece of wood: Workers nail boards together to build a house.
    2 [C] a group of people that oversees a business or institution: the company's board of directors, the school board
    3 [C] a flat piece of material: a blackboard, a bulletin board
    4 [U] meals: The cost of room and board at college is high.
    5 above board: totally honest and open in one's interactions
    6 across the board: in general, including everyone
    7 to go by the boards: to let an opportunity disappear without acting on it: He had several chances to go to college, but he let them go by the boards. See: drain, n., 3.
    8 on board: a. on a ship, airplane, train, etc.: There are 150 passengers on board this jet. b. included: We have a new employee on board. —v.
    1 [T] to enter a ship, train, etc.: Sailors boarded their ship.
    2 [I] to pay to live somewhere (not one's home): He boards at a friend's house.
    3 phrasal v.sep. [T] board s.t. up to cover with boards: During the storm, we boarded up the house's windows.
boarder
boarder
  1. n. a person who pays to live in another person's house: She has three boarders in her large house. See: tenant.
boarding school
boarding school
  1. n. a school where students live and study
boardinghouse
boardinghouse
  1. pl. -houses n. a private house where people rent rooms to live: She runs a boardinghouse where eight students live.
boardwalk
boardwalk
  1. n. a path made of wooden boards: The boardwalk is built above the sand next to the ocean. See: promenade.
boast
boast
  1. v. [T] n. [C]
    1 pej. to praise oneself,
    THESAURUS
    to brag: He boasted about how strong he is.
    2 to be proud of s.t.: He boasted about his three grandchildren. -adj. boastful; -adv. boastfully; -n. [U] boasting.
boat
boat
  1. n.
    1 an open vessel smaller than a ship that sails on water,
    THESAURUS
    a craft: We watched the boats sail by.||We went fishing on the river in a rowboat.
    2 fig. in the same boat: in the same situation or condition: When it started to rain at the picnic, we were all in the same boat; we all got wet.
bob
bob
  1. v. [I] bobbed, bobbing, bobs
    1 to move up and down on water: The little boat bobbed on the waves
    2 phrasal v. to bob up: to appear suddenly: A good opportunity to buy a car just bobbed up.
bobbin
bobbin
  1. n. a small roller that holds thread in a sewing machine
bobby pin
bobby pin
  1. n. a small metal clip with tight ends used to hold things: Bobby pins are used to hold your hair off your face. See: safety pin.
bobcat
bobcat
  1. n. a wild cat with light brown spotted fur and a short tail, native to North America
bobsled
bobsled
  1. n.v. [I] -sledded, -sledding, -sleds a small vehicle with blades that is shaped like a boat and goes down an icecovered race course: Bobsledding is a Winter Olympic sport.
bodice
bodice
  1. n.
    1 the front of a woman's dress that is buttoned
    2 a laced vest
bodily
bodily
  1. adj. of the body: no bodily harm —adv. the whole body: I'll move you bodily if I have to.
body
body
  1. n. -ies
    1 the physical form usu. of a human or animal, not including the mind or soul: The old man's body is healthy, but his mind is weak.
    2 a dead person: They buried the body in the graveyard.
    3 the main part of s.t.: The body of the newspaper article is quite long.
    4 an object in the sky: The stars and moon are heavenly bodies.
    5 a large amount: body of water
    6 body and soul: one's whole being: I love that woman with all my body and soul.
    7 to keep body and soul together: to survive: That elderly woman is so poor that it's all she can do to keep body and soul together.
    THESAURUS
    body
    2 a dead body, corpse | (at funerals) the remains, deceased | carcass (of an
    THESAURUS
    animal).
body odor
body odor
  1. n. [C;U] the unpleasant smell of sweat: Athletes create strong body odor as they exercise. See: B.O.
body shop
body shop
  1. n. an auto repair business: My car had a dent in it, so I took it to a body shop to get it fixed.
bodybuilding
bodybuilding
  1. n. [U] the sport of lifting weights and eating special foods to strengthen the body
bodyguard
bodyguard
  1. n. a person whose job is to keep another person safe: That famous movie star has a big bodyguard. See: lifeguard.
bodywork
bodywork
  1. n. [U] repairs on the body of a car, truck, etc: I took my car to the garage for bodywork.
bog
bog
  1. n. a wet, muddy area that is difficult to cross, (syns.) a swamp, a quagmire —v. [I;T] bogged, bogging, bogs bogged down: to have too much work,
    THESAURUS
    to be overburdened: She is bogged down in a big project.
bogeyman
bogeyman
  1. n. -men See: boogieman.
boggle
boggle
  1. v. [I;T] -gled, -gling, -gles to be difficult to understand, to confuse: The U.S. government's debt is so huge that it boggles the mind.
bogus
bogus
  1. adj. false,
    THESAURUS
    counterfeit: That $20 bill is bogus.
bohemian
bohemian
  1. n.adj. [C;U] an artist or musician and the unconventional lifestyle connected to them: Greenwich Village in New York is a bohemian place.
boil
boil
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to heat a liquid until it reaches the temperature of 212°F or 100°C: I boiled the water to cook the eggs.
    2 [T] to cook: I boiled the vegetables.
    3 phrasal v. [I] to boil away: to boil s.t. until it has disappeared: The milk boiled away and ruined the sauce.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to boil down to: to reduce s.t. to its basics: It boils down to the fact that I was injured and it wasn't my fault.
    5 phrasal v. [I] to boil over: to spread or spill over: Unhappiness with the government boiled over from the cities into the rest of the country.
    6 phrasal v. [I] to boil up: to get to a dangerous level: Frustration is boiling up in the workers who lost their jobs.
    7 [T] to make one's blood boil: to make s.o. very angry: Every time my brother takes s.t. of mine without asking me, he makes my blood boil. —n.
    1 [U] liquid when boiling: I heated the water to a boil.
    2 [C] a painful inflammation of the skin: I have a boil on my back.
    3 to bring to a boil: to heat liquid until it bubbles: I brought the water to a boil and dropped the vegetables in.
boiler
boiler
  1. n. a tank for heating water: Our boiler is in the cellar.
boilermaker
boilermaker
  1. n.
    1 a technician who fixes boilers
    2 slang a beer with whiskey: He drinks boilermakers after work.
boilerplate
boilerplate
  1. n.fig. standard legal language used in many contracts: The contract (lease) to rent the apartment was just boilerplate with a few blank lines to fill in one's name, date, and the rent.
boiling mad
boiling mad
  1. adj. to be very angry,
    THESAURUS
    enraged: She was boiling mad when her briefcase was stolen.
boiling point
boiling point
  1. n.
    1 the temperature at which a liquid boils: The boiling point of water is 212° Fahrenheit and 100° Celsius.
    2 fig. the time when s.t. violent happens: Her temper reached the boiling point and she started screaming.
boisterous
boisterous
  1. adj. noisy and playful,
    THESAURUS
    rowdy: Children in the classroom became boisterous. -adv. boisterously; -n. [U] boisterousness.
bold
bold
  1. adj.
    1 courageous, willing to take risks: Business leaders like to think of bold plans.
    2 pej. rude, too direct
    3 strong and clear (in art, buildings, ideas): a building with bold lines -adv. boldly; -n. [U] boldness.
    THESAURUS
    bold
    1 daring, adventuresome | brave. Ant. cowardly.
    2 brash, impolite (a bold child). Ant. timid.
boldface
boldface
  1. n.adj. heavy black print
bollix
bollix
  1. v. [T] to mess up, confuse: The sales clerk bollixed my order and gave me the wrong things.
bolster
bolster
  1. v. [T] to strengthen, improve,
    THESAURUS
    to enhance: By going to graduate school at night, the young manager bolstered her reputation. —n. a long, narrow pillow: She held up her neck with a bolster while she read in bed.
bomb
bomb
  1. n.
    1 an explosive device: A bomb blew up a building.
    2 infrml. a failure: The play was a bomb; everyone left at intermission. —v.
    1 [I;T] to damage or destroy with a bomb: Terrorists bombed the mayor's office.
    2 [I] infrml.fig. to fail: She bombed her driver's test.
    3 slang to get bombed: to get drunk: He got bombed last night at a party.
    THESAURUS
    bomb n.
    1 a time bomb, car bomb | grenade | land mine
    2 infrml. a flop, dud. Ant. a success.
bombard
bombard
  1. v. [T]
    1 to hit with explosive shells (from big guns, artillery, etc.): Cannons bombarded enemy lines.
    2 fig. to criticize heavily: The TV and newspapers bombarded the politicians with criticism. -n. [C;U] bombardment.
bombast
bombast
  1. n. speech or writing that sounds very important -adj. bombastic .
bomber
bomber
  1. n.
    1 a person who bombs
    2 a military airplane used for bombing: Bombers flew low over the city.
bombshell
bombshell
  1. n.
    1 a big explosion
    2 fig. a sudden shock: Their mother's death was a bombshell.
    3 fig.vulg. a sexy woman: That movie star was known as the "Blonde Bombshell."
bona fide
bona fide
  1. adj. (Latin for) real, honest,
    THESAURUS
    genuine: That painting is a bona fide original, not a fake.
bonanza
bonanza
  1. n. sudden riches: Oil was discovered under her property, which was a bonanza. See: gold mine.
bonbon
bonbon
  1. n. a candy with chocolate on the outside and nuts or sweet filling inside
bond
bond
  1. n.
    1 a relationship of trust (cooperation, friendship, love), connection: There is a strong bond between the two sisters.
    2 (in chemistry, physics) the forces that hold matter together: a chemical bond
    3 a certificate of debt: Companies sell bonds to raise money. —v.
    1 [I] to become friends, esp. to trust, like, or love s.o.: People often bond when they face danger together.
    2 [T] to insure against loss: Companies bond employees who handle money against their stealing it. -adj. bondable. See: bind.
    THESAURUS
    bond n.
    1 a tie, link. Ant. a separation. —v.
    1 to connect, tie together, link together. Ant. to separate.
bondage
bondage
  1. n. [U]
    1 lack of freedom,
    THESAURUS
    slavery: Slaves are in bondage to their masters.
    2 being physically tied up or restrained
bone-dry
bone-dry
  1. adj. very dry,
    THESAURUS
    arid: The desert is bone-dry, with no water at all.
bone
bone
  1. n.
    1 a hard, white part that makes up the frame of the body, the skeleton: Our bones give us our shape.
    2 a bone of contention: a point of disagreement, problem: His low salary is a bone of contention with his boss.
    3 a bone to pick: a complaint, problem: He told his boss that he has a bone to pick with her about his low salary.
    4 to make no bones about s.t.: to speak directly, complain: He made no bones about feeling that his salary was too low.
    5 to the bone: to the minimum,
    THESAURUS
    to the core: With the drop in sales, the company cut the number of employees to the bone.||chilled to the bone —v. [T] boned, boning, bones
    1 to remove bones: She boned the chicken before cooking it.
    2 phrasal v. insep. to bone up on s.t.: to study, review: He is boning up on chemistry for his exam tomorrow. -adj. boneless.
bonfire
bonfire
  1. n. a large fire made outside for pleasure: We built a bonfire to celebrate Independence Day.
bongo
bongo
  1. n. -goes or -gos a type of drum, often in pairs: Bongos are played with the hands.
bonkers
bonkers
  1. adj.infrml. crazy, confused, and upset: The boss is so nervous that he drives everyone bonkers.
bonnet
bonnet
  1. n.
    1 a soft hat that ties under the chin: The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes. See: bee.
    2 Brit. the hood of a car
bonus
bonus
  1. n. -nuses
    1 a payment, usu. in addition to regular pay: Our company pays everyone a bonus at the end of the year.
    2 something unexpected but positive: I didn't think anyone would remember my birthday, so when all my friends sent cards, it was a real bonus.
boob
boob
  1. n.slang
    1 a stupid person
    2 a woman's breast
boob tube
boob tube
  1. n.slang television: I watched the baseball game on the boob tube.
boobie
boobie
  1. n.slang var. of booby
booby
booby
  1. n.infrml. -bies
    1 a stupid person
    2 booby hatch: an insane asylum: He lost control of his life and ended up in the booby hatch.
    3 booby prize: a funny prize given to s.o. who finishes last in a competition
booby trap
booby trap
  1. n.v. [T] trapped, trapping, traps a hidden device or situation meant to harm or kill s.o.: A soldier was killed when a booby trap exploded in his face.
boogie
boogie
  1. n.v.slang [I] -ied, -ying, -ies dance, have a good time: We're going to boogie tonight!
boogieman
boogieman
  1. n.infrml. -men a frightening, evil, imaginary man: At night, the little boy is afraid that the boogieman is hiding under his bed.
book
book
  1. n.
    1 pages of words kept together with a paper or hard cover: We read two books for our English class.
    2 things put together in book form: a book of stamps
    3 by the book: strictly by the rules: That police officer goes by the book; when she sees s.o. doing s.t. wrong, she arrests the person.
    4 to keep the books: to record money going in and out of a business: The accountant keeps the company books.
    5 to throw the book at s.o.: to punish severely: The judge threw the book at the killer and gave her 100 years in jail.
    6 to write the book on s.t.: to be an expert: Katharine Hepburn wrote the book on acting. —v. [T]
    1 to save a seat, room: I booked an airline flight and a room at a hotel.
    2 to charge with a crime: The police booked her for shoplifting.
    THESAURUS
    book n.
    1 a paperback, hardback | textbook, workbook | cookbook. —v.
    1 to reserve.
bookcase
bookcase
  1. n. shelves with sides and usu. a back: My bookcase holds almost 100 books.
bookend
bookend
  1. n. one of a pair of objects used to hold up a row of books: Bookends on my desk keep my dictionary and reference books standing up.
bookie
bookie
  1. n. slang short for bookmaker
booking
booking
  1. n. [C;U] a place saved for s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    a reservation (hotel, flight, etc.): That passenger ship already has 1,000 bookings for its next trip. See: book v., 1.
bookish
bookish
  1. adj. liking books, intellectual,
    THESAURUS
    studious: He's a bookish guy who prefers reading to playing sports.
bookkeeper
bookkeeper
  1. n. a person who maintains the accounts of a business, accountant: A bookkeeper notes money received and paid in the company's books. -n. [U] bookkeeping.
booklet
booklet
  1. n. a small book with a paper cover,
    THESAURUS
    a pamphlet: That company's booklet describes its products.
bookmaker
bookmaker
  1. n. (in gambling) a person who takes illegal bets,
    THESAURUS
    a bookie: Bookmakers take bets on horse races, ball games, etc.
bookmark
bookmark
  1. n.
    1 a small item placed between pages of a book to remind one where one stopped reading
    2 an electronic shortcut to a location on the World Wide Web: I created a bookmark for my favorite website, so now I can easily visit the site every day. See: URL.
bookrack
bookrack
  1. n. shelves, usu. of metal, for displaying books: That bookstore has bookracks along its walls.
bookstore
bookstore
  1. n. a shop that sells books: That bookstore on the corner carries lots of books.
bookworm
bookworm
  1. n.
    1 fig. a person who reads books or studies most of the time: After she learned to read, she became a bookworm.
    2 insects that destroy books by eating the paste in the books' binding
boomerang
boomerang
  1. n. a flat, curved piece of wood used as a weapon that will return to the thrower if thrown correctly —v.fig. [I] to produce the opposite result from what one wanted: Her criticism of her boss boomeranged when she was fired.
boon
boon
  1. n. s.t. good, an important help: Having a good library at the school is a boon for the students.
boondocks
boondocks
  1. n.pl.infrml. usu. pej. a simple, country area far from city life,
    THESAURUS
    the sticks: They live in the boondocks far in the north.
boonies
boonies
  1. n.pl. infrml. short for boondocks
boor
boor
  1. n. a crude, unpleasant person: He's an insensitive boor. -adj. boorish; -adv. boorishly.
boost
boost
  1. v. [T] n.
    1 to lift or push up,
    THESAURUS
    to raise: The mother boosted her child into a high chair.
    2 to improve one's emotions: He was feeling sad, so his friends boosted his spirits by giving him a party.
booster
booster
  1. n.
    1 a supporter,
    THESAURUS
    enthusiast: She is a booster of the local girls' club.
    2 the part of a rocket that contains fuel and an engine to send it into space
    3 a later, additional dose of a vaccine that one has already received
boot camp
boot camp
  1. n. a place soldiers go for training: Boot camp can be a difficult experience for soldiers.
booth
booth
  1. n.
    1 a small closet-like place with a door: She went into a telephone booth to make a phone call.
    2 in a market, a table that displays products: That booth sells handmade jewelry.
    3 the space for such a display: Our company rented a booth at the big conference hall.
    4 in a restaurant, unmoveable cushioned benches on both sides of a table
bootie or bootee
bootie or bootee
  1. n. a small shoe for babies
bootleg
bootleg
  1. adj.v. [I;T] -legged, -legging, -legs to make and sell illegal goods, esp. liquor: That man sells bootleg whiskey. -n. bootlegger.
bootstraps
bootstraps
  1. n.pl.
    1 ties or laces on a boot
    2 fig. by one's (own) bootstraps: by one's own hard work: She started with no money and pulled herself up by her bootstraps to run her own company.
booty
booty
  1. n.
    1 [U] valuable things stolen, esp. in war,
    THESAURUS
    loot: Pirates took booty from ships they captured.
    2 slang the buttocks
booze
booze
  1. n.slang [U] alcoholic beverages: He went out to buy some booze. —v. slang [I] boozed, boozing, boozes to drink alcoholic beverages -n. boozer; -adj. boozy.
bordello
bordello
  1. -los n. a place where one pays to have sex, (syns.) a brothel, a house of prostitution: Bordellos are illegal in most parts of the USA.
border
border
  1. n.
    1 the edge of s.t.: The border of that rug is torn.
    2 the legal line separating two states or countries: We crossed the Mexican border into the USA. —v.
    1 [T] to make a line: Trees border the road on both sides.
    2 [I] phrasal v. insep. to border on/upon s.t.: to seem like s.t.: His behavior borders on being crazy.
    THESAURUS
    border n.
    1 the rim | frame
    2 the frontier, boundary. Ant. the center of s.t. —v.
    1 to rim, frame.
borderline
borderline
  1. adj. on the edge of, almost: He's borderline crazy.
boring
boring
  1. adj. uninteresting: He is so boring; he never says anything interesting but talks a lot.
    THESAURUS
    boring dull, fatiguing. Ant. interesting.
born
born
  1. past part. of to bear
    1 given life: The child was born on December 25.
    2 born out of: forced to do s.t.: The cost-cutting plan was born out of the need (necessity, requirement) to lower expenses. —adj.
    1 having a natural ability to do s.t.: She is a born out athlete.
    2 born and bred: raised from childhood: He is a born and bred New Yorker. See: silver spoon.
borne
borne
  1. past part of to bear
borough
borough
  1. n. a political division and geographical area of a city: Manhattan is one of the five boroughs of New York City.
borrow
borrow
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to receive a loan of s.t. with the promise to return it: She borrowed $2,000 from the bank.
    2 to copy or take words, ideas, etc.: English has borrowed many words from French. —adj. on borrowed time: time that one did not expect to have: Several years ago the doctor told her she would die from cancer in a few months; two years later, she is still alive and is living on borrowed time. -n. borrower.
borrowing(s)
borrowing(s)
  1. n. (in business) loans, usu. of money: The company's borrowings must be repaid to the bank.
bosom
bosom
  1. n.
    1 the human chest, esp. the breasts: She held her infant child to her bosom.
    2 fig. bosom buddy or friend: very close friend: Those guys have been bosom buddies since childhood.
boss
boss
  1. n. bosses
    1 the person in charge of others, manager, owner: She is the boss at that publishing company.
    2 pej. a politician who controls a political organization or party: Whatever the party boss wants gets done immediately. —v. [T] to give orders: She bosses everyone around.
    THESAURUS
    boss n.
    1 the supervisor, person over/above you | chief, superior | honcho infrml. Ant. a subordinate.
bossy
bossy
  1. adj. pej. -ier, -iest telling others what to do in a self-important way,
    THESAURUS
    domineering: He is bossy with everybody. -n. [U] bossiness.
botany
botany
  1. n. [U] the study of plant life -adj. botanical ; -adv. botanically; -n. botanist.
botch
botch
  1. v. [T] botched, botching, botches to do s.t. badly: The printer botched the job with spots on every page; he really botched it up.
both
both
  1. adj. of two things or people: Both friends arrived at the same time.||They had both traveled on the same plane.||He held her with both arms.
bother
bother
  1. v.
    1 [T] to give unwanted attention: She told him to stop bothering her.
    2 [T] to hurt, pain: My back (liver, throat, etc.) is bothering me today.
    3 [I;T] to pay attention to (usu. negative): The company president does not bother with small details. —n. [U] an annoyance, an irritation: For him, details are a bother. -adj. bothersome.
    THESAURUS
    bother v.
    1 to irritate, annoy s.o.
    2 to trouble
    3 to worry about, concern oneself (with s.t.).
    THESAURUS
    Ant. to please. —n. a worry, hassle, trouble. Ant. a pleasure.
bottle
bottle
  1. n.
    1 a round container for liquids: I bought a bottle of wine.
    2 infrml. to hit the bottle: to drink alcohol: He hit the bottle when he got laid off from work. —v. [T] -tled, -tling, -tles
    1 to put into bottles: That company bottles soft drinks.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to bottle up: to hold emotions inside oneself
bottleneck
bottleneck
  1. n.
    1 a narrow part of a road, passageway, etc.: The four-lane road narrows into a bottleneck as you get near the city.
    2 fig. a place where an activity slows or stops: An accident on the road caused a bottleneck in traffic.
bottom
bottom
  1. n.
    1 the lowest part of s.t.: There is mud on the bottom of the lake.
    2 the lowest point s.t. reaches: The price of oil hit bottom last week.
    3 infrml. the buttocks,
    THESAURUS
    the behind: She fell on her bottom.
    4 (at) the bottom: the cause, source of s.t.
    5 bottom of the barrel: the worst: Drug addicts and drunks are seen as the bottom of the barrel in society.
    6 Bottoms up!: a drinking toast: She poured wine for everyone and said, "Bottoms up!"
    7 from the bottom of my heart: most sincerely: I tell you that I love you from the bottom of my heart.
    8 to get to the bottom of s.t.: to learn the truth about s.t.: I don't know how my window was broken, but I will get to the bottom of this mystery. —v.
    1 [I] to reach the lowest level: A submarine bottomed on the ocean floor.
    2 phrasal v. [I] to bottom out: to reach the lowest point then begin to rise: The economy bottomed out in the spring.
bottom line
bottom line
  1. n.
    1 the line on a company's accounting statement that shows profit or loss: She cut $500,000 from the company's expenses, which went right to the bottom line.
    2 fig. the important,
    THESAURUS
    crucial point: The bottom line is that we have to increase our sales or take a cut in pay.
bottomless
bottomless
  1. adj.
    1 without a bottom, extremely deep: the bottomless ocean
    2 a bottomless pit: a. an opening in the earth that has no visible bottom,
    THESAURUS
    an abyss b. fig. a very difficult problem: The government's debt is a bottomless pit.
botulism
botulism
  1. n. [U] bad food poisoning caused by bacteria in some meat and vegetables
bough
bough
  1. n. a large tree branch: A bough of the pine tree broke and fell to the ground.
bought
bought
  1. adj. paid for,
    THESAURUS
    purchased: That crooked politician is a bought man; he takes bribes.
boulder
boulder
  1. n. a large rock: A boulder came down the mountain and crushed the car.
boulevard
boulevard
  1. n. a wide major street in a city, often with trees lining it See: street.
bounce
bounce
  1. v. bounced, bouncing, bounces
    1 [I;T] to spring off a surface,
    THESAURUS
    to rebound: A ball bounces off the sidewalk.
    2 [T] to move up and down: The mother bounced her little boy on her knee.
    3 slang [I;T] to have a check returned to the owner of a bank account for lack of money: My rent check bounced, because I'd forgotten to deposit my paycheck in my account.
    4 [I] to force s.o. to leave,
    THESAURUS
    to expel: She was bounced out of the bar for her wild actions. —n.
    1 a spring,
    THESAURUS
    a rebound
    2 liveliness, energy: She walks with a bounce in her step. -adj. bouncy; -adv. bouncily; -n. [U] bounciness.
bouncer
bouncer
  1. n. a strong person who makes people leave bars if they behave badly: A bouncer threw a drunk out on the street.
boundary
boundary
  1. n. -ries
    1 a legal line dividing two places, a border: The boundary between the two towns (countries, cities) is shown by a line on the map.
    2 a limit of s.t.: Some things are beyond the boundaries of human understanding.
    3 in sports, the limit of the court, field, etc.: A ball must be within the boundary, not "out of bounds," to be played.
    THESAURUS
    boundary
    1 city line, state line, frontier
    2 level | capacity.
boundless
boundless
  1. adj.
    1 unlimited: She is a worker with boundless energy.
    2 without limits,
    THESAURUS
    endless: The boundless universe is waiting to be explored. -adv. boundlessly.
bountiful
bountiful
  1. or bounteous adj. much of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    abundant: The harvest of wheat and corn was bountiful this year.
bounty
bounty
  1. n. -ties
    1 [C] a price or reward paid to kill or capture s.o. or s.t.: There were too many raccoons in the town, so the government paid a $25 bounty for each animal killed.
    2 [U] plenty, a generous amount: The bounty of wheat and cattle from the farms is great.
bouquet
bouquet
  1. n.
    1 a bunch of flowers: He sent her a beautiful bouquet of roses.
    2 a smell,
    THESAURUS
    a scent: The wine has a fine bouquet.
bourbon
bourbon
  1. n. [C;U] an American whiskey
bourgeois
bourgeois
  1. adj. (French for)
    1 middle-class
    2 pej. interested only in money and material things: That man is very bourgeois, only thinking about money. -n. [U] bourgeoisie .
bout
bout
  1. n.
    1 (in boxing) a fighting match: The boxer fought a 12-round bout.
    2 fig. a short, difficult time, esp. with illness: Every winter, I have a bout of the flu.
boutique
boutique
  1. n. a small, usu. fashionable, shop: He owns a women's clothing boutique.
bovine
bovine
  1. adj.frml. relating to cows or oxen
bow tie
bow tie
  1. n. a short necktie for men fastened into a bow: He wears bow ties with stripes.
bowel
bowel
  1. n.
    1 the tubes from the stomach where wastes are prepared to go out of the body,
    THESAURUS
    lower intestine
    2 bowel movement: an expelling of solid waste from the body —pl.fig. in the deepest inner places: The coal mines go into the bowels of the earth.
bowl
bowl
  1. n. a dish with upward curved sides: I'd like a bowl of soup, please. —v.
    1 [I;T] to roll a ball on a flat surface (bowling alley, green): We bowl every Thursday night.
    2 phrasal v. [T] to bowl over: to surprise: He was bowled over by the good news. -n. bowler.
bowlegged
bowlegged
  1. adj. having legs that curve outward: Some cowboys are bowlegged from riding horses.
bowling
bowling
  1. n. the game of rolling a ball on a flat surface: When I go bowling with my friends, I always try to get the highest score.
box number
box number
  1. n. an address, in a post office: She sent a letter to Mr. John Smith, Post Office Box Number 20, Radio City Station, New York, NY 10019.
box office
box office
  1. n. a place that sells tickets to entertainment and sports events,
    THESAURUS
    ticket office: We bought our movie tickets at the box office. ticket or box office -n. a place, such as in a theater, that sells tickets: The ticket office at the theater opens one hour before the performance begins.
box spring
box spring
  1. n. a base with hard sides and metal coils that goes under a mattress
boxcar
boxcar
  1. n. a large container shaped like a box used on railroads,
    THESAURUS
    freight car: Boxcars carry heavy loads of coal, wheat, and metals over long distances.
boxer
boxer
  1. n.
    1 a person who fights with his fists: Boxers try to knock each other down and out.
    2 a medium-sized dog with short golden-brown fur
boxer shorts
boxer shorts
  1. n.pl. men's underwear with loose legs: Boxer shorts are longer and looser than briefs.
boxing
boxing
  1. n. [U] the sport of fistfighting: Boxing is a rough sport in which one boxer tries to knock the other out in a boxing match.
boy
boy
  1. n.
    1 a young human male: When he was a boy, he loved sports.
    2 a son, esp. young —exclam. of delight, surprise, or disgust: Boy! This hot weather is too much for me! -n. [C;U] boyhood; -adj. boyish.
boycott
boycott
  1. n.v. [T] a refusal for political reasons to buy certain products or do business with a certain store or company: Protesters boycotted grapes and lettuce because of the bad treatment of the farm workers.
boyfriend
boyfriend
  1. n. male friend or companion, usu. romantic: Her boyfriend brings her flowers. See: girlfriend.
    THESAURUS
    boyfriend friend | companion | fiancé | lover.

    USAGE NOTE: A boyfriend can describe a man of any age who has a romantic friendship with s.o. Girlfriend can describe both a romantic friend and a platonic (nonromantic) friend who is female.
bozo
bozo
  1. n.infrml. -zos a fool: She dislikes her boss and tells everyone he is a bozo.
bra
bra
  1. n. short for brassiere
brace
brace
  1. n.
    1 a support, such as a heavy wooden beam, for part of a building, tunnel roof, etc.
    2 a piece of medical equipment used as support: She wears a brace on her bad knee.
    3 pl. wires made of metal or strong plastic used to straighten teeth —v. [T] braced, bracing, braces
    1 to put up a support: Workers braced the falling roof with metal poles.
    2 to prepare oneself to be strong: Sailors braced themselves before hitting a big wave.
bracelet
bracelet
  1. n. jewelry worn around the wrist or arm: She wears gold bracelets.
bracing
bracing
  1. adj. a feeling of freshness,
    THESAURUS
    invigorating: The cold air of autumn is bracing.
bracket
bracket
  1. n.
    1 a metal or wooden support used to hold things, such as wall shelves
    2 a pair of marks [ ] used to set off words: [This sentence is in brackets.]
    3 a level or range in which people (salaries, taxes, etc.) fit: That doctor's salary is in the top tax bracket. —v. [T]
    1 to support s.t., such as a shelf, with brackets
    2 to mark words with brackets
brackish
brackish
  1. adj. of a mixture of fresh and salt water: The water from a river becomes brackish when it meets the sea. -n. [U] brackishness.
brag
brag
  1. v. [I;T] bragged, bragging, brags to praise one's own successes,
    THESAURUS
    to boast: He brags about his own strength and good looks.
braggart
braggart
  1. n. a person who brags
braid
braid
  1. v. [T] to put pieces of hair (rope, grass, etc.) around and between each other,
    THESAURUS
    to weave: She braids her hair every morning. —n. a length of woven hair, rope, etc.,
    THESAURUS
    a plait: She wears her hair in a braid.||She has gold braid on her uniform.
braille
braille
  1. n. [U] a system of reading and writing for the blind that uses raised dots to show letters, numbers, and symbols: He reads braille with his fingertips.
brain
brain
  1. n.
    1 the organ in the head used for thinking and feeling: Humans have large brains.
    2 fig. intelligence: She is so bright; she's a real brain.||He has a lot of brains.
    3 infrml. on the brain: in one's mind
    4 infrml. to pick s.o.'s brain: to find out what s.o. knows or thinks: I picked my friend's brain about a good place to go on vacation.
    5 to wrack one's brain: to think very hard: I wracked my brain, trying to remember her telephone number. —v. infrml.fig. [T] to hit s.o. hard on the head: A branch fell off the tree and brained the child below. See: brainy.
brain trust
brain trust
  1. n. a group of experts (usu. serving a politician): The President has a brain trust of professors to help him with the economy.
brainchild
brainchild
  1. n.fig. an important project or idea of a person: That new product is the owner's brainchild.
brainless
brainless
  1. adj.fig. stupid: Walking on thin ice on a lake is a brainless thing to do. -adv. brainlessly.
brainstorm
brainstorm
  1. v. [T] to think of as many ideas as possible without criticizing them: Every month, we brainstorm ideas for new products. —n. a good idea that comes to s.o.'s mind suddenly: I just had a brainstorm about what to make for dinner.
brainwash
brainwash
  1. v. [T] to make s.o. think and act as one wants,
    THESAURUS
    to indoctrinate: Prisoners of war are often brainwashed by their enemy.
brainy
brainy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest very intelligent: She is brainy; she is first in her class. -n. braininess. See: brain.
    THESAURUS
    brainy brilliant, smart | intellectual | sharp, quick. Ant. dumb.
braise
braise
  1. v. [T] braised, braising, braises to cook the outside of s.t. fast over high heat, then slowly in liquid: We braised then ate the beef and potatoes for dinner; they were delicious.
brake
brake
  1. n.
    1 a device that stops a wheel from turning: I stepped on the brakes and slowed the car down.
    2 fig. to put the brakes on: to stop: The public put the brakes on using coins instead of paper money. —v. [I;T] braked, braking, brakes to put on the brakes: I braked suddenly and the car stopped.
bramble
bramble
  1. n. a type of bush with thorns: Raspberries and blackberries grow on brambles.
bran
bran
  1. n. [U] the outer covering of grains such as wheat, rye, etc.: This bread is made of flour with the bran still on it.
branch
branch
  1. n. branches
    1 a tree limb: A bird is standing on a branch of a tree.
    2 fig.a smaller office of a company or institution: Our New York company has a branch (branch office) in San Francisco. —v. [I] branched, branching, branches
    1 to divide into two or more directions: The river branches into two smaller rivers south of here.||The river branches (off) south of here.
    2 phrasal v. to branch out: to go in new directions: Our company branched out from making shoes to making suits as well.
    THESAURUS
    branch n.
    1 bough (of a tree) | twig. Ant. tree trunk.
    2 local office, subsidiary. Ants.
    THESAURUS
    main/home office, headquarters. —v.
    1 to fork.
brand-new
brand-new
  1. adj. new and never used before: That is a brand-new television, not secondhand.
brand
brand
  1. n.
    1 the commercial name of a product made: IvoryTM is a brand of soap known nationwide.
    2 a mark put on animals to identify their owner —v. [T] to call s.o. a name: The man branded her a liar.
    THESAURUS
    brand n.
    1 make (Ford, IBM), brand name, product line. —v. to label.
brand name
brand name
  1. n. a product often of excellent quality that costs more, because it is heavily advertised: Bayer AspirinTM is a pain reliever with a brand name. See: generic, name brand. trade name or brand name -n. the name a person, business, or product uses commercially: The trade name for George Smith's product is Sterofertilizers, but it is sold under other names to the public.
brandish
brandish
  1. v.frml. [T] -dished, -dishing, -dishes to wave s.t. in the air, to threaten with a weapon: A woman brandished a knife at a police officer.
brandy
brandy
  1. n. -dies [C;U] an alcoholic beverage made from boiled (distilled) wine or fruit juice: She likes apricot brandy.
brash
brash
  1. adj.
    1 pej. rude,
    THESAURUS
    pushy
    2 hasty, foolish: It was very brash to run out into the street without looking. -adv. brashly; -n. [U] brashness.
brass
brass
  1. n. [U]
    1 a hard bright metal made from zinc and copper
    2 decorations and railings made of brass: A worker polished the brass in the restaurant.
    3 musical horns (trumpet, French horn, etc.): He plays in the brass section of a jazz band.
    4 top officials: The military brass (or) brass hats (generals, admirals, etc.) arrived in Washington.
    5 too much self-confidence,
    THESAURUS
    gall: That young man has the brass to suggest that he run the company.
    6 (to get down to) brass tacks: to talk about specific points of business: We stopped talking about the weather and got down to the brass tacks about specific items on the contract. See: brassy.
brass knuckles
brass knuckles
  1. n.pl. a bar of metal that fits around the fingers, used to hurt s.o.: A criminal broke the man's jaw with brass knuckles.
brassiere
brassiere
  1. n.frml. a garment that supports a woman's breasts See: bra.
brassy
brassy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 like brass in color
    2 like the sound of brass instruments
    3 (a person) loud and pushy: New Yorkers have a stereotype as being loud and brassy, but I find them to be very friendly.
brat
brat
  1. n.pej. a spoiled, badly behaved child: Her children act like brats; they won't obey anyone. -adj. bratty.
bravado
bravado
  1. n. [U] unnecessary bravery,
    THESAURUS
    false courage: He is full of bravado about how he will climb that tall mountain someday.
brave
brave
  1. adj. unafraid of danger: Firefighters are brave in saving people from burning buildings. —n. a native American warrior -adv. bravely; -n. [U] bravery .
    THESAURUS
    brave adj. fearless, heroic, courageous | bold, daring. Ant. cowardly.
bravo
bravo
  1. exclam. of approval and admiration: After the singer performed, the audience shouted, "Bravo!"
brawl
brawl
  1. n.v. [I] a noisy fistfight: Two men were in a barroom brawl. -n. brawler.
brawny
brawny
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having strength, strong muscles: Two brawny men lifted the heavy furniture. -n. [U] brawn.
bray
bray
  1. v.[I] n. a loud sound of a donkey: The donkey brayed and would not move.
brazen
brazen
  1. adj. shocking and annoying,
    THESAURUS
    cheeky: What a brazen man! He got ahead of everyone in line for the bus. -adv. brazenly.
brazier
brazier
  1. n. a metal pan that holds hot coals: He poured hot coals out of the brazier to start a fire.
breach
breach
  1. v. [T] breaches
    1 to do s.t. wrong,
    THESAURUS
    to violate a contract: She breached her loan contract by not making payments.
    2 to make a large hole in s.t.: Workers breached a wall by driving a tank through it. —n. -es
    1 an act of not doing s.t. formally agreed on,
    THESAURUS
    a violation: He sued the company for breach of contract when it did not finish the work he had paid for.
    2 a large hole: The pounding waves made a breach in the sea wall.
    3 an interruption or breaking off of a good relationship: Their friendship developed a breach when she found out that he had lied to her.
bread
bread
  1. n. [U]
    1 a food made of baked flour (from grain such as wheat or rye), water or milk, and yeast: I baked a loaf of bread.
    2 food in general, the basics: They work hard just to put bread on the table.
    3 money and the things needed to live,
    THESAURUS
    livelihood: She earns her bread and butter.
    4 fig.slang money: Hey, man, can you give me some bread? —adj. bread and butter issue or matter: basic concerns: The workers talked about bread and butter issues, like a wage increase and vacation time. —v. [T] to cover with bread crumbs, flour, etc. for cooking: The cook breaded the fish and fried it. See: breadwinner; butter.
breadbasket
breadbasket
  1. n.fig. the region where a lot of food is produced,
    THESAURUS
    the heartland: The Midwest is the breadbasket of the USA.
breadboard
breadboard
  1. n. a flat piece of wood or plastic on which bread is sliced
breadline
breadline
  1. n. a line of poor people waiting to be given food
breadth
breadth
  1. n.
    1 [C] the size of s.t. from side to side,
    THESAURUS
    width
    2 [C;U] fig. an area of knowledge, character, etc.: The professor has great breadth of knowledge. See: length.
breadwinner
breadwinner
  1. n.fig. a person who works to support others: She is a breadwinner who supports two children.
break-in
break-in
  1. n. a forced entry into a building (house, store, etc.): During a break-in in our apartment, the TV was stolen. -v. break in.
break
break
  1. n.
    1 the act or result of breaking, a crack: He has a break in his leg from an accident.
    2 a change from s.t. usual: Going out to dinner is a nice break from cooking.
    3 a stop or interruption of s.t. constant: The light went out because of a break in the supply of electricity.||There was a break in the hot weather yesterday.
    4 an escape from prison: There was a break at the city jail last night; two prisoners escaped.
    5 a beginning to appear: The break of day started activity at the camp as people woke up.
    6 a quick, downward move: There was a break in the stock market (prices) today.
    7 the breaks: bad luck: I lost my wallet! Well, I guess that's the breaks.
    8 to get a break: to have good or bad luck: The factory fired 300 workers; they got a bad break. But I got a break (or) they gave me a break; I still have my job.
    9 infrml. to give s.o. a break: a. to stop annoying s.o.: Give me a break; stop criticizing me. b. a lower price, a discount: She gave me a break on the price, $20 off. c. to not punish s.o.: I'll give you a break this time, but if you steal again, I'll call the police.
    10 to take a break: to relax for a short time: We worked hard all morning, then took a break.
    THESAURUS
    break n.
    1 a fracture, separation | split, opening
    2 a change of pace, (take) a
    THESAURUS
    breather | respite frml.
    5 an emergence
    6 a sharp decline. —v. broke breaking, breaks
    1 a. [I;T] to turn into pieces: The dish broke when it hit the floor. b. [T] to crack: She broke the vase, so there's a crack in it now.
    2 [I;T] to damage s.t. so that it doesn't work: The refrigerator broke, because it was so old.
    3 [I] to fall apart: The dam finally broke and the waters flooded the land.
    4 [I] to push through: The child's tooth broke through the skin.||These flowers are the first to break through the ground each spring.
    5 [I;T] a. to stop constant activity: Bad storms break the flow of electricity to buildings.||The cold weather broke. b. to pause to relax: Let's break for lunch now.
    6 [T] to disobey the law: She broke the law by stealing that money.
    7 [T] to destroy s.o.'s spirit: His biggest customer did not pay him and that broke him financially and emotionally.
    8 infrml. break a leg! to wish s.o. good luck.
    9 to break a habit: to stop s.t.: He finally broke the habit; he stopped smoking cigarettes.
    10 phrasal v. [I] to break away: to escape: The child broke away from his mother's hand and ran out of the yard.
    11 to break cover: to come out of a hiding place: The hunters broke cover when ducks flew overhead.
    12 phrasal v. sep. to break s.t. or s.o. down: a. [I] to stop working,
    THESAURUS
    to malfunction: This old car breaks down all the time. b. [I] to lose control of one's feelings: When his mother died, he broke down and cried. c. [T] to separate s.t. into small steps or pieces: The cookbook breaks down how to cook the meal.||It breaks the process down.
    13 phrasal v. [I] to break in: a. to enter a building by force,
    THESAURUS
    to burglarize: A thief broke in and stole my TV. b. to interrupt: She broke in on the conversation.
    14 phrasal v. sep. [T] to break s.o. or s.t. in: a. s.o.: to become able to do s.t.: It took me a month to get used to my new job; my boss helped by breaking in all the new employees.||She broke us in. b. s.t.: to make s.t. more comfortable: I have to break in my new shoes; they hurt me.||I have to break them in.
    15 phrasal v. sep. to break s.t. off: a. [I] to snap off: That tree branch broke off and fell. b. [T] to stop doing s.t., to cease: That man and woman broke off their relationship.||They broke it off.
    16 phrasal v. [I] to break out: a. to develop a disease, esp. a rash: The child broke out with red spots (the measles, etc.). b. to escape: The prisoner broke out of jail.
    17 [I] to break right (or) badly: to have events go a certain way: If things break right for her, she will get a new job this month.||If things break badly for her at work, she will lose her job.
    18 phrasal v. insep. [T] to break through s.t.: a. to force through: Firefighters broke through the door to the house. b. to make a scientific discovery
    19 phrasal v. [I] to break up: a. to laugh or cry: His girlfriend made funny faces, and he broke up (laughing). b. to separate: Their marriage broke up after a year.
    20 phrasal v. insep. [T] to break with s.o. or s.t.: to stop being in agreement with, conforming to: It was a very unusual wedding; the couple broke with tradition.
    21 to go broke: to lose all of one's money: He went broke without even a penny. See: broke.
    THESAURUS
    break v. 1 a. to smash to pieces, shatter b. to fracture
    2 to stop working | go kaput infrml.
    THESAURUS
    3 to rupture, collapse
    4 to pierce (or) penetrate through s.t.
    5 a. to interrupt, stop
    THESAURUS
    b. to stop.
breakable
breakable
  1. adj. fragile: Those glass lamps are breakable, so pack them carefully.
breakdown
breakdown
  1. n.
    1 a stopping, ceasing to work,
    THESAURUS
    a malfunction: The truck had a breakdown on the highway.
    2 a collapse: She had a nervous breakdown.||He worked so hard that he had a complete physical breakdown.
    3 the separation of s.t. into parts to explain it, (syns.) an outline, a summary: I made a breakdown of this 200-page report.
breaker
breaker
  1. n.
    1 a large wave that comes close to or on a beach
    2 a device that stops the flow of electricity, water, etc.: An electrical circuit breaker blew out in the storm.
breakfast
breakfast
  1. n. [C;U] v. [T] the morning meal: We ate bacon and eggs for breakfast.
breaking point
breaking point
  1. n. the time when s.o. or s.t. will change or fall apart, a crisis: Her nerves are at the breaking point.
breakneck
breakneck
  1. adj. too fast, dangerous,
    THESAURUS
    risky: The car was going at breakneck speed.
breakthrough
breakthrough
  1. n.
    1 the act, result, or place of pushing past s.t. that blocks one's way: We finally had a breakthrough in negotiations with management.
    2 an advance: The discovery of penicillin was an important breakthrough in stopping many diseases.
breakup
breakup
  1. n.
    1 a coming apart,
    THESAURUS
    a split: In the spring, you can hear the breakup of ice on the lake.
    2 a separation,
    THESAURUS
    a dissolution: That man and woman had a breakup of their relationship.
breakwater
breakwater
  1. n. a wall of rocks, cement, or earth used to stop waves: A breakwater crosses part of the harbor.
breast-feed
breast-feed
  1. v. [T] -fed , -feeding, -feeds to give milk to a baby from a woman's breasts: She breast-feeds her baby several times a day. -n. [U] breastfeeding.
breast
breast
  1. n.
    1 one of a pair of glands on a woman's chest: The baby drank milk from her mother's breast.
    2 the front part of the body, between the neck and the stomach: The baby slept next to her father's breast.
    3 the front part of an animal: She cooked a chicken breast.
    4 to make a clean breast: to confess wrongdoing: He made a clean breast of things by telling the police he had robbed the store.
breastbone
breastbone
  1. n. the flat chest bone attached to the ribs
breaststroke
breaststroke
  1. n. a way of swimming like a frog, pulling the arms to the side then backwards: The breaststroke and freestyle are Olympic swimming races.
breath
breath
  1. n.
    1 a taking in of air,
    THESAURUS
    an inhalation: She opened her mouth and took a deep breath.
    2 the air taken in or let out while breathing: His breath smelled like coffee.
    3 a small amount: A breath of perfume came from the flowers.||Add just a breath of mint to the ice cream.
    4 a breath of fresh air: a new person who brings energy or a new viewpoint to a situation
    5 to catch one's breath: to try to breathe normally: He stopped and tried to catch his breath.
    6 out of breath: needing air: He ran so fast that he is out of breath.
    7 to take one's breath away: to be made unable to speak from surprise, love, etc.: The sunset took my breath away; it was so beautiful.
    8 under one's breath: in a whisper,
    THESAURUS
    muttering: She criticizes her boss under her breath, but not directly.
breathe
breathe
  1. v. breathed, breathing, breathes
    1 [I;T] to take air into and out of the lungs: She breathes deeply and slowly while she sleeps.
    2 [I] to live: "Is he breathing?" she asked, looking at the injured man.
    3 [T] to speak softly: She breathed a few words of love into her daughter's ear.
    4 [I] to rest, relax: Take some time to breathe before you begin your next paper.
    5 to breathe down s.o.'s neck: to put pressure on s.o. to do s.t.
    6 to breathe easy or freely: to stop worrying: The doctor says that you don't have cancer, so you can breathe easy now.
    THESAURUS
    breathe
    1 to inhale and exhale, draw in air
    2 to be alive
    3 to whisper, murmur
    4 to slow
    THESAURUS
    down, pause and relax. Ant. to rush. —adj. breathing room (or) space: time to work or live normally: The due date on the project has been moved to next month, so we have some breathing room to finish it.
breather
breather
  1. n.slang a break: We have worked for two hours; let's take a breather.
breathless
breathless
  1. adj. out of breath from running, hurrying, etc.
breathtaking
breathtaking
  1. adj. so beautiful one cannot breathe for a moment: The view from the mountaintop was breathtaking. -adv. breathtakingly.
breeches
breeches
  1. n.pl. or britches a knee-length style of pants usu. made of strong material: She wears breeches for horseback riding.
breed
breed
  1. n. a specific type of animal with characteristics passed down from generation to generation: A French poodle is a breed of dog. —v. bred , breeding, breeds
    1 [I;T] to have babies: Animals breed in the springtime.
    2 [T] to be the source of: Familiarity breeds contempt (a lack of respect).
    3 [T] to raise animals for fun or profit: That woman breeds dogs professionally. -n. breeder.
    THESAURUS
    breed n. a type, kind, sort of s.t. | variety. Ants. a mixed breed, mongrel (dog). —v.
    1 to procreate
    2 to engender.
breeding
breeding
  1. n. [U] good social conduct, manners: She is so polite; she has such good breeding.
breeding ground
breeding ground
  1. n.
    1 a place where animals raise their young: That park is a breeding ground for birds.
    2 fig. a place where ideas are born and behavior is formed: Universities are breeding grounds for new theories.||Caring communities are breeding grounds for good citizenship.
breeze
breeze
  1. n.
    1 a light wind: The breeze felt good on a hot day.
    2 fig. an easy task: That exam was a breeze. —v. [I] breezed, breezing, breezes fig.to move quickly and easily: She breezed by me without saying a word.
    THESAURUS
    breeze n.
    1 a gentle wind, puff of air | zephyr frml. Ant. a gale.
    2 a pushover, cinch
    THESAURUS
    infrml.
breezy
breezy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 windy,
    THESAURUS
    gusty: breezy weather
    2 fig.(said of people) light: He has a breezy manner; nothing bothers him. -adv. breezily; -n. [U] breeziness.
brethren
brethren
  1. n.frml. people who belong to the same group, including women and children: The brethren gathered in the church.
brevity
brevity
  1. n. [U] shortness, esp. of speech or writing: She says what she wants to with brevity. See: brief.
brew
brew
  1. v.
    1 [T] to make a beverage by boiling, mixing, or soaking solids, such as tea leaves or coffee beans: I brewed a pot of coffee in the coffeemaker.
    2 [I;T] to make beer
    3 [I] fig. to plan s.t. bad: The crowd began to get loud and angry; trouble was brewing. —n.
    1 a mixture, esp. a heated one
    2 fig. a bad combination: a witch's brew
    3 slang a beer: Let's go to the bar and have a few brews. -n. brewer.
brewery
brewery
  1. n. -ies a place where beer is made (brewed): That brewery brews light beer.
briar or brier
briar or brier
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a plant with needles
    2 a wood from the root of the briar: Fine pipes for smoking tobacco are made from briar.
bribe
bribe
  1. n. money or actions given illegally for s.t.: She gave the official a bribe so she could get a driver's license in another state. —v. [T] bribed, bribing, bribes to give or take (money, goods, etc.), to have s.o. act dishonestly or illegally: She bribed the official. -n. [U] bribery.
bric-a-brac
bric-a-brac
  1. n. used with a sing. or pl.v. small decorative items: The bric-a-brac on her table includes little vases and china animals.
brick
brick
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a block of hard clay used as building material: Apartment buildings are made of thousands of bricks.
    2 s.t. shaped like a brick: a brick of cheese
    3 a ton of bricks: with a lot of force or anger: That old tree fell on my car and crushed it like a ton of bricks.
    4 to run into or beat one's head against a brick wall: to be stopped: She ran into a brick wall when officials would not give her permission to leave the country. —phrasal v. sep. [T] to brick s.t. up: to fill in, block up with bricks: Workers bricked up the windows in that old house.
bricklayer
bricklayer
  1. n. a worker who puts down bricks: Bricklayers build walls. -n. [U] bricklaying.
bridal
bridal
  1. adj. of a bride or wedding: She wore a pretty bridal gown.
bride
bride
  1. n. a woman who is getting married, a female marriage partner: She became a bride at age 24.
bridegroom
bridegroom
  1. or groom n. a man who is getting married: The bridegroom waited for his bride in the church.
bridesmaid
bridesmaid
  1. n. the bride's unmarried attendant: There were six bridesmaids at the wedding. See: best man; maid of honor.
bridle
bridle
  1. n. leather straps on a horse's head to control it —v. -dled, -dling, -dles
    1 [T] to put a bridle on a horse
    2 [I] fig. to refuse to cooperate,
    THESAURUS
    to balk: She bridled at the idea of spending so much money. See: unbridled.
brief
brief
  1. adj.
    1 short, to the point: The manager made a brief statement to open the meeting.
    2 in brief: in summary —v. [T] to inform: The generals briefed the President on the military situation. -n. briefing. —n. a legal document: Our lawyer filed a brief with the court. -adv. briefly. See: debrief.
    THESAURUS
    brief adj.
    1 concise, succinct | quick. Ant. lengthy.
briefcase
briefcase
  1. n. a soft, flat piece of luggage for holding books and papers: She put her laptop computer and papers in her briefcase.
briefs
briefs
  1. n.pl. short, tight-fitting underwear used by both men and women See: boxer shorts; panties.
brig
brig
  1. n. a military prison: The navy sailor was put in the brig for stealing.
brigade
brigade
  1. n.
    1 a group of soldiers, smaller than a division and larger than a regiment
    2 a group organized for a purpose: a fire brigade, a workers' brigade
bright-eyed
bright-eyed
  1. adj.fig.
    1 quick and eager: He is a bright-eyed child.
    2 bright-eyed and bushy-tailed: quick of mind and eager to work: Companies like workers who are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
bright
bright
  1. adj.
    1 having a strong shine or glow: The sun is so bright that it hurts my eyes.
    2 having strong colors, vivid, radiant: She wears bright red dresses.
    3 intelligent: He has a bright mind.
    4 promising: With an accounting degree, she has a bright future.
    5 the bright side: the positive part of a situation -adv. brightly; -n. [U] brightness.
    THESAURUS
    bright
    1 brilliant, dazzling
    2 bold, colorful, intense
    3 brainy, smart
    4 exciting, rosy. Ant. dull.
brighten
brighten
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to become lighter (or) clearer: The clouds left and the sky brightened.
    2 to become cheerful, happy: His face brightened with a smile.
brilliant
brilliant
  1. adj.
    1 having a very bright surface,
    THESAURUS
    sparkling: Diamonds are brilliant.
    2 extremely intelligent: She has a brilliant mind.
    3 perfect: The violinist gave a brilliant performance.
    4 extremely successful, (syns.) magnificent, illustrious: She has a brilliant future as a musician. -n. [U] brilliance; -adv. brilliantly.
brim
brim
  1. n.
    1 the top of a glass, pot, jar, etc.: She filled the glass full to the brim.
    2 the bottom outer edge of a hat: His hat has a wide brim. —v. [I] brimmed, brimming, brims
    1 to be full to the top: The baskets were brimming with wheat and potatoes.
    2 phrasal v. to brim over: to be full of happiness, excitement, etc.: He's brimming over with stories about his recent trip. -adj. brimful.
brine
brine
  1. n. [U]
    1 a mixture of salt, water: Pickles are soaked in brine.
    2 the ocean: He fell off the ship, into the brine. -adj. briny.
bring
bring
  1. v. [T] brought , bringing, brings
    1 to carry s.t.: I bring an umbrella with me in case it rains.
    2 to go with s.o.: She brought a friend to the party.
    3 to cause to happen: He brought the conversation to a close (the water to a boil, grief to his parents).
    4 to sell for: That house will bring $100,000.
    THESAURUS
    bring
    1 to take s.t. | lug. Ant. to leave s.t.
    2 to accompany, escort s.o. Ant. to go alone.
    THESAURUS
    3 to make s.t. begin or end, initiate
    4 to bring in (money), produce, result in.
brink
brink
  1. n.
    1 the top edge of a steep incline, such as a cliff: She looked over the brink at the water below.
    2 on the brink of disaster: a point after which s.t. terrible may happen: The economy is in such bad shape that it is on the brink of disaster.
brinkmanship
brinkmanship
  1. n. the art of threatening one's opponent to gain an advantage: The Cold War was full of Russian and American brinkmanship about using nuclear weapons.
brisk
brisk
  1. adj.
    1 rapid and energetic: We took a brisk walk around the block.
    2 sharp and cool,
    THESAURUS
    invigorating: A brisk wind blew through our hair. -n. [U] briskness; -adv. briskly.
brisket
brisket
  1. n. meat cut from the chest of an animal: brisket of beef
bristle
bristle
  1. n. [C;U] short, stiff hair: Some brushes are made from pigs' bristles. —v. [I] -tled, -tling, -tles (of hair) to stand up from anger: The dog bristled at the sight of the cat.
britches
britches
  1. n.infrml.
    1 pants made of strong material,
    THESAURUS
    breeches
    2 too big for one's britches: acting too important,
    THESAURUS
    arrogant: That young man is too big for his britches; he thinks he's smarter than he is in business.
brittle
brittle
  1. adj. hard and easy to break,
    THESAURUS
    fragile: The bones of elderly people become brittle and easily broken. -n. [U] brittleness.
broach
broach
  1. v. [T] broaches to introduce a topic of conversation: My manager broached the subject of when I planned to retire.
broad-minded
broad-minded
  1. adj. open to different ideas,
    THESAURUS
    tolerant: She is broad-minded and accepts the customs, traditions, habits, etc. of all the people she meets. -n. [U] broad-mindedness. See: narrow-minded.
broad
broad
  1. adj.
    1 big from side to side; wide: The avenues of big cities are often broad.
    2 covering a large amount, many topics, etc., large in scope: That professor has a broad knowledge of history. —n.pej.slang a woman -adv. broadly.
    THESAURUS
    broad
    1 large, expansive
    2 vast, extensive. Ant. narrow.
broadcast
broadcast
  1. v. [T] -cast or -casted, -casting, -casts
    1 to send over the air (radio, TV): Some radio and TV stations broadcast programs 24 hours a day.
    2 to make widely known: She broadcasted her marriage plans to all her friends. —n. an act of broadcasting,
    THESAURUS
    a transmission: I heard the good news on the TV broadcast. -n. broadcaster.
broaden
broaden
  1. v. [T] to make s.t. wider or larger: Workers broadened the road.||She broadened her knowledge of accounting by taking more courses. See: narrow.
broadside
broadside
  1. adv. from (or) against the side: The car hit the bus broadside. —n. an angry verbal or written attack: He jumped up and began a broadside against the government.
broccoli
broccoli
  1. n. [U] a vegetable with thick green flowers and stems: He eats boiled broccoli with cheese on it.
brochure
brochure
  1. n. a small, short, printed booklet describing a company's products or services: The travel agency mails out brochures about trips to wonderful places.
brogue
brogue
  1. n. an accent, esp. Irish: The man from Dublin speaks with a brogue.
broil
broil
  1. v. [T] to cook (meat, fish) with direct heat,
    THESAURUS
    to grill in an oven: She broiled a steak in her new oven.
broiler
broiler
  1. n.
    1 the part of an oven that has a direct source or heat: He put the steak under the broiler.
    2 a medium-sized chicken: We cooked a broiler for dinner.
broke
broke
  1. past tense of break —adj.infrml.
    1 without money: I am broke (or) stone cold broke.||That company went broke last month.
    2 to go for broke: to risk all to accomplish s.t., try very hard: She started a new business, and she went for broke by investing all of her money in it. See: broken.
broken-down
broken-down
  1. adj. not working,
    THESAURUS
    in disrepair: My car is a broken-down mess; the wheel fell off.
broken
broken
  1. adj.
    1 s.t. that is cracked, smashed, or is not working: His arm is broken.
    2 not kept: He reminded her of her broken promise.
    3 extremely sad, crushed in spirit: She has a broken heart.
    4 (of a language) imperfect: When I lived in Costa Rica, my Spanish was not good; I spoke broken Spanish.
    THESAURUS
    broken
    1 shattered, fractured | ruined, gone, kaput infrml. Ants. whole, in working order.
    2 unfulfilled, violated. Ant. fulfilled.
brokenhearted
brokenhearted
  1. adj. extremely sad,
    THESAURUS
    crushed: He was brokenhearted when his wife died. -adv. brokenheartedly.
broker
broker
  1. n. a person who matches buyers and sellers,
    THESAURUS
    an agent: She works as a real estate broker (a stockbroker, cattle broker, etc.).
brokerage
brokerage
  1. n. the business of a broker: He runs a coffee brokerage in the city.
bromide
bromide
  1. n. a boring saying that is used too often,
    THESAURUS
    a platitude: "Have a nice day" is a bromide.
bronchitis
bronchitis
  1. n. a disease of the bronchial tubes that go from the windpipe to the lungs
bronco
bronco
  1. n. -cos a wild horse of the USA's western region See: mustang.
bronze
bronze
  1. n. [U] a gray to reddish-brown metal made of tin and copper: a bronze statue —v. [T] bronzed, bronzing, bronzes
    1 to make or cover with bronze
    2 frml.fig. to suntan: She was bronzed by the sun.
brooch
brooch
  1. n. -es a pin that is worn near the neck
brood
brood
  1. n.
    1 a group of young, esp. of birds: There is a brood of chickens in the barn.
    2 fig. children: A husband and wife took their brood to the circus. —v. [I]
    1 to sit on eggs (a hen)
    2 to think deeply and worry: He brooded over whether or not to quit his job.
brook
brook
  1. n. a small stream: A brook runs in front of their house in the country. —v.frml. [T] to agree to,
    THESAURUS
    to tolerate: She would brook no delay in the repairs to her car.
broom
broom
  1. n. a cleaning tool made of long, stiff bristles attached to a handle: He used a broom to sweep the floor.
broth
broth
  1. n. [C;U] a clear soup made from vegetables, fish, or meat: On a cold day, he likes to eat a bowl of beef broth for lunch.
brothel
brothel
  1. n. a place where sex is bought, (syns.) a bordello, a house of prostitution: In some countries, brothels are legal.
brother-in-law
brother-in-law
  1. n. brothersin-law a brother of one's husband or wife or the husband of one's sister: My brother-in-law Ken married my sister Maria in 1996.
brother
brother
  1. n.
    1 the male of two or more children of the same parents: My brother Richard lives in New York.
    2 a male member of a religious order but not a priest,
    THESAURUS
    a monk: Most of the brothers are working in the fields.
    3 slang (in USA) a close male friend -n. [U] brotherliness; -adj. brotherly.
brotherhood
brotherhood
  1. n.
    1 [U] the state of being a brother
    2 [C;U] a group with a common interest: the brotherhood of street cleaners
brow
brow
  1. n. the front upper area of the head between the eyes and hairline,
    THESAURUS
    the forehead: He has wrinkles in his brow from worry.
browbeat
browbeat
  1. v. [T] -beat, -beating, -beats to demand s.t. from s.o. again and again,
    THESAURUS
    to nag: The husband browbeats his wife about not working late every night.
brown
brown
  1. n. [C;U] the color that is a mixture of red, yellow, and black: Chocolate and dirt are both brown. —v. [T] make s.t. look brown: He browned the potatoes in a pan.
brownbag
brownbag
  1. v. [T] -bagged, -bagging, -bags to bring one's lunch to work (in a paper bag): That man is a millionaire, but he still brownbags his lunch every day.
brownie
brownie
  1. n.
    1 a small, flat piece of chocolate cake: American children love brownies and cookies with milk.
    2 Brownies an organization for young girls, ages 6-10, which they join before Girl Scouts
brownstone
brownstone
  1. n.
    1 a reddish-brown rock used in building
    2 a house made of that rock: New York City has many brownstones.
browse
browse
  1. v. browsed, browsing, browses
    1 [I] to look over in a slow, relaxed way: She browsed through some books in the library.
    2 [I] to feed on (grass, leaves, etc.),
    THESAURUS
    to graze
    3 [T] (in computers) to go from place to place on the World Wide Web without a clear goal,
    THESAURUS
    to surf the Web: I browsed the Web looking for interesting Web sites.
bruise
bruise
  1. n.
    1 a discoloration of the skin made by a blow that does not break the surface of the skin,
    THESAURUS
    a contusion: He fell on the sidewalk and got a bruise on his arm.
    2 a similar mark on plants, fruit, etc.: This banana has a bruise on it. —v. [T] bruised, bruising, bruises
    1 to make bruises: He bruised his knee.
    2 fig. to hurt s.o.'s feelings: Her boss yelled at her and bruised her feelings.
brunch
brunch
  1. n. [C;U] brunches (a combination of breakfast and lunch) a meal in the late morning: We had brunch on Sunday morning at 11:00 A.M.
brunet(te)
brunet(te)
  1. n. a person with dark hair See: blonde, redhead.
brunt
brunt
  1. n. the main part of s.t., usu. unpleasant: The sales manager took the brunt of the criticism for low sales.
brush-off
brush-off
  1. n. a refusal without an explanation,
    THESAURUS
    an abrupt rejection: She gave him the brush-off.
brush
brush
  1. n. brushes
    1 a tool made of bristles (of nylon, wire, hair, etc.) on a hard back: Brushes can be used to clean, polish, smooth, or paint.
    2 a light touch in passing —v. [T] brushed, brushing, brushes
    1 to use a brush: She brushed her teeth with a toothbrush.
    2 to touch or bump s.o. or s.t. lightly while passing: Her coat brushed me as she ran past.
    3 phrasal v. sep. to brush s.o. or s.t. away or aside: to ignore, esp. problems: She brushed aside our concerns.||She brushed them aside.
    4 phrasal v. sep. to brush s.o. off: to reject: He brushed off his boss at the company picnic.||He brushed her off.
    5 phrasal v. sep. to brush s.t. up (on): to improve one's knowledge of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    review: He needs to brush up on his math before taking the exam.||He needs to brush up on it.
brutal
brutal
  1. adj.
    1 violent without feeling, cruel: It was a brutal murder.
    2 difficult to bear,
    THESAURUS
    harsh: Last winter was so cold that it was brutal. -n. [U] brutality ; -v. [T] brutalize ; -adv. brutally.
brute
brute
  1. n.
    1 a large animal,
    THESAURUS
    a beast
    2 a violent person who does not care about hurting others —adj. involving strength, not intelligence: He used brute force to knock down the door.
btw
btw
  1. adv. & abbr. for by the way, for adding a new thought to the message: Btw, you were right.
bubble
bubble
  1. n. a small ball of gas, esp. air, found in or on top of a liquid: Bubbles in soft drinks don't last long. —v. -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 [T] to make bubbles: Boiling water bubbles.
    2 to blow bubbles: to make bubbles for fun: Children blow bubbles with soapy water.
    3 phrasal v. [I] to bubble over: to be cheerful or enthusiastic: She bubbles over with enthusiasm. See: bubbly.
bubble gum
bubble gum
  1. n. [U] a chewing gum that can make bubbles: People blow bubbles with bubble gum.
bubbly
bubbly
  1. adj. -blier, -bliest
    1 having bubbles: Soda pop, beer, and champagne are all bubbly.
    2 fig. cheerful,
    THESAURUS
    enthusiastic: She has a bubbly personality. —n.infrml.fig. champagne: Can I pour you some bubbly?
bucket
bucket
  1. n.
    1 a round container with an open top,
    THESAURUS
    a pail: He filled a bucket with water.
    2 in buckets: a lot (of rain)
    3 infrml. to kick the bucket: to die
buckle
buckle
  1. n. a metal fastener, esp. for a belt —v. -led, -ling, -les
    1 [I;T] to close a buckle: I buckled the seat belt in the car.
    2 [I] to bend, (syns.) to give way, yield: A wooden beam in the tunnel buckled, then fell.||The thief finally buckled under pressure from the police and told them where to find the stolen car.
    3 phrasal v. infrml. [I] to buckle down: to start to work hard: As the deadline got closer, we really buckled down on the project. See: unbuckle.
bucktoothed
bucktoothed
  1. adj. having teeth that stick out over the lower lip
bud
bud
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a young, not fully grown leaf or flower
    2 infrml.short for buddy —v. [I] budded, budding, buds to grow buds: Trees and flowers bud in the springtime.
buddy
buddy
  1. n. -dies a friend,
    THESAURUS
    a pal: My buddies and I go fishing every Saturday.
budge
budge
  1. v. [I;T] budged, budging, budges to move a little, give way: This door is stuck; it won't budge.
budget
budget
  1. n.
    1 a plan of expected income and expenses over time (one year, five years, etc.): Our company does a budget every year.
    2 an amount of money set aside for a purpose: We try not to spend more than is in our food budget. —v. [I] to make financial predictions: We budget how much money we expect to make and to spend. -adj. budgetary.
    THESAURUS
    budget n.
    1 a financial plan, financial statement
    2 money, resources.
    THESAURUS
    —v. to plan income and expenses, allocate (money).
buff
buff
  1. v. [T] to rub s.t. to make it shiny,
    THESAURUS
    to polish: I buffed my shoes with a cloth. —n.
    1 s.o. who enjoys and knows a lot about a subject: Ask her anything about movies; she's a big film buff.
    2 a shine: I gave my shoes a buff.
    3 a soft, thick, pale-yellow leather made from the skin of buffalo, oxen, or elk
    4 infrml. in the buff: without any clothes,
    THESAURUS
    nude: She likes to sunbathe in the buff. —adj. a brownish-yellow color: He wore a buff jacket.
buffalo
buffalo
  1. n. -los, -loes or -lo
    1 a large, four-legged, hoofed animal: In Asia, farmers use water buffalos to pull plows.
    2 the North American bison
buffer
buffer
  1. n.v. [T]
    1 s.o. or s.t. (a layer, an area, etc.) that softens or stops a blow,
    THESAURUS
    a cushion: The mountains are a buffer against the storms from the sea.
    2 a tool used to shine: a fingernail buffer —adj. buffered: a chemical that stops (neutralizes) the effect of an acid or a base: Buffered aspirin is supposed to avoid damage to the stomach.
buffoon
buffoon
  1. n. a loud and foolish person
bug
bug
  1. n.
    1 an insect: There are bugs in that dirty kitchen.
    2 infrml.fig. a tiny organism that causes diseases,
    THESAURUS
    a germ: I'm sick; I've caught a flu bug.
    3 fig. a hidden listening device: The spy hid a bug in the lamp.
    4 fig. a fault in an electrical or mechanical device or system: My computer program has a bug in it; every time I type "n", it goes to the bottom of the page.
    5 infrml.fig. an interest, fad: the travel bug —v. bugged, bugging, bugs
    1 infrml. [T] to annoy: His boss keeps bugging him to work faster.
    2 fig. [T] to use a listening device,
    THESAURUS
    to eavesdrop: Police bugged the criminal's telephone.
    3 phrasal v. [I] to bug off: to leave, go away: Bug off! You annoy me!
    4 phrasal v. [I] to bug out: to leave quickly: As the police arrived, the thief bugged out.
    5 infrml. a bug in s.o.'s ear: a suggestion
buggy
buggy
  1. n. -gies a horse-drawn carriage —adj. -ier, -iest
    1 full of insects: The garden at sunset is buggy.
    2 fig. very worried, crazy: She is driving herself buggy about preparing for the exam.
bugle
bugle
  1. n.v. -gled, -gling, -gles type of musical horn without keys: A soldier plays a bugle at military funerals. -n. [C] bugler; [U] bugling.
build
build
  1. v. built , building, builds
    1 [T] to make s.t. from parts, materials, etc.: Workers built a house (car, airplane, etc.).
    2 [I] to base on: Theories should be built on facts.
    3 [T] to create: He built an industrial empire.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to build s.t. up: a. to add to over time: She built up a successful business.||She built it up. b. to improve an image or reputation through advertising or publicity: The local newspapers really built up the state fair this year.||They built it up. c. to add buildings: Developers have built up this area in recent years.||They've built it up. —n. the shape of a person's body: He has a strong (fat, short, weak, etc.) build. See: bodybuilding.
    THESAURUS
    build v.
    1 to construct, put up | erect (buildings, bridges)
    2 to establish, ground (syn.THESAURUS
    .t. on s.t.
    3 to develop. Ants. to tear down, destroy. —n. physique.
builder
builder
  1. n. a company or person who builds (buildings, houses, organizations): He is a big builder of houses in this area. See: contractor; developer.
building
building
  1. n.
    1 [C] a permanent structure, such as a house or office building: She owns some office buildings in this area.
    2 [U] the business of making buildings
    3 [U] growth: The building of a country (business, career) can take many years.
    THESAURUS
    building
    1 structure, edifice frml. | a house, store, office building.
buildup
buildup
  1. n.
    1 growth,
    THESAURUS
    an increase: There was a heavy buildup of dust in our house when we came back from vacation.
    2 improving an image or reputation through advertising,
    THESAURUS
    a publicity campaign: The British rock stars got a big buildup before their tour.
built-in
built-in
  1. adj. constructed into or onto a wall, not movable
built-up
built-up
  1. adj. crowded with buildings: We live in a built-up part of the city.
bulb
bulb
  1. n.
    1 the round root of some plants: a tulip bulb
    2 the glass in an electric light, of this shape: The bulb in that lamp has burned out. -adj. bulbous.
bulge
bulge
  1. n.v. [I] bulged, bulging, bulges to swell or stick out,
    THESAURUS
    to protrude: Her stomach bulged, because she was pregnant.
bulk
bulk
  1. n. [U]
    1 large size: Big animals, such as elephants and whales, have huge bulk.
    2 the most of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    the majority: The bulk of the students passed the exam. —adj. a bulk shipment: a large quantity: The bulk shipment was 500 boxes of shoes.
bulky
bulky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest large and difficult to handle,
    THESAURUS
    unwieldy: A mattress is bulky for one person to carry.
bull
bull
  1. n.
    1 the male of cattle that can produce young: A bull is feeding in a field.
    2 the male of some other animal types: a bull elephant
    3 vulg.slang nonsense: What he says is a lot of bull.
    4 a person who believes that the stock market will go up,
    THESAURUS
    an optimist
    5 like a bull in a china shop: a careless person in a delicate situation, (syns.) clumsy, tactless: He makes big mistakes; he's like a bull in a china shop.
    6 to take the bull by the horns: to face a difficult or dangerous situation boldly: She took the bull by the horns and told her family that she had lost her job.
bull's-eye
bull's-eye
  1. n.
    1 the center of a circular target: People shot arrows at the bull's-eye.
    2 to hit the bull's-eye: to produce an excellent idea, point, or job: Her solution to the problem hit the bull's-eye.
bulldog
bulldog
  1. n. a dog with big jaws and short legs: Bulldogs don't let go easily when they bite.
bulldozer
bulldozer
  1. n. a large, powerful machine with a shovel and a blade in front: Bulldozers move earth for the building of roads, buildings, etc. -v. [T] bulldoze.
bullet
bullet
  1. n.
    1 a round, usu. pointed piece of metal shot out of a gun: A bullet hit the man in the leg.
    2 the metal casing used to hold the bullet,
    THESAURUS
    the cartridge See: bite, 6.
bullet train
bullet train
  1. n. a very fast passenger train: Bullet trains run in Japan and France.
bulletin
bulletin
  1. n.
    1 a short public announcement (on television, radio, etc.): A TV news bulletin said there was a big earthquake in California.
    2 a small periodical publication: The college bulletin lists all of the classes offered this semester.
    THESAURUS
    bulletin
    1 a news report, news flash | official statement, communiqué
    2 a newsletter, flyer, posted notice.
bulletin board
bulletin board
  1. n.
    1 a board on a wall where notices, information, etc., are displayed: I saw our class schedule on the school bulletin board.
    2 an electronic mail system that allows computer users to leave general messages for anyone to read
bulletproof
bulletproof
  1. adj. capable of stopping bullets: The police wear bulletproof vests.
bullfight
bullfight
  1. n. a fight between a bull and a man (matador) as sport in an arena: In a bullfight, the matador tries to kill the bull with a sword. -n. [C] bullfighter, [U] bullfighting. See: bullring.
bullfrog
bullfrog
  1. n. a large male frog
bullheaded
bullheaded
  1. adj. determined to have one's way,
    THESAURUS
    stubborn: He won't cooperate; he's bullheaded.
bullion
bullion
  1. n. [C;U] bars of precious metals (gold, silver, platinum): The bank keeps bullion locked in its cellars.
bullish
bullish
  1. adj.fig. believing s.t. will succeed,
    THESAURUS
    optimistic: She is bullish on the stock market now. See: bull; bear.
bullring
bullring
  1. n. a flat area surrounded by rows of seats used for bullfighting,
    THESAURUS
    an arena: A bullring is a dangerous place.
bully
bully
  1. n. -lies a person who forces others to do things by using fear or strength: That big boy is a bully in the schoolyard. —v. [T] -lied, -lying, -lies to force others to do things: He bullies smaller boys into giving him money and food.
bulwark
bulwark
  1. n.
    1 a wall or high pile of earth, etc. used for defense,
    THESAURUS
    rampart
    2 fig. s.t. that protects: The law is a bulwark for a person's freedoms.
bum
bum
  1. n.
    1 pej. a person who asks for money, food, etc., (syns.) beggar
    2 pej. a bad person: He drinks and does not take care of his family; he's a bum.
    3 vulg. the buttocks —adj.
    1 infrml. bad, no good: Those cheap shoes are of bum quality.
    2 infrml. a bum rap: an unfair accusation: She was accused of stealing, but got a bum rap because she didn't do it.
    3 infrml. bummed out: disappointed: She was bummed out when I said, "I don't have any cigarettes." See: bummer. —v. bummed, bumming, bums
    1 [T] to ask for s.t. without repaying it: Can I bum a cigarette from you?
    2 phrasal v. [I;T] to bum around: to wander from place to place: He bummed around the country for the summer.
bumble
bumble
  1. v. [I] -bled, -bling, -bles to do s.t. in a stupid, clumsy way,
    THESAURUS
    to blunder -n. [C] bumbler, [U] bumbling.
bumblebee
bumblebee
  1. n. a large, flying insect that makes honey: Bumblebees fly from flower to flower.
bummer
bummer
  1. n. slang a bad or disappointing experience: She complains so much that talking with her is a bummer.
bump
bump
  1. n.
    1 a rounded piece of s.t. (earth, skin, etc.): There is a bump on my arm where a mosquito bit me.
    2 the feeling of a bump or bang: Bumps in the road make driving uncomfortable. —v. [T]
    1 to hit with force: I bumped my leg on the table.
    2 phrasal v. insep. to bump into s.o.: to meet by accident: Two friends bumped into each other on the street.
    THESAURUS
    bump n.
    1 a lump | swelling
    2 a jolt. —v.
    1 to hit, knock against s.t. or s.o.
bumper
bumper
  1. n. a bar on the back or front of a vehicle to protect it: The car bumper hit the wall. —adj. bumper-to-bumper: crowded and close together: Bumper-to-bumper traffic made us all late.
bumper sticker
bumper sticker
  1. n. a strip of paper with a message on it put on a car bumper: The bumper sticker on my car says "I'd rather be sailing than working."
bumpkin
bumpkin
  1. n. a simple person from the country
bumpy
bumpy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 covered with bumps, having an uneven surface: The dirt road was very bumpy.
    2 moving suddenly up and down, (syns.) rough, jerky: The airplane flight was bumpy.
bun
bun
  1. n.
    1 a small, roundish bread: I had an egg on a bun for breakfast.
    2 hair coiled into a round shape, usu. at the back of the head
    3 fig.vulg. a buttock. See: muffin.
bunch
bunch
  1. n.pl. -es
    1 a group of s.t. growing or put together: She bought a bunch of bananas and a bunch of carrots at the store.
    2 infrml.fig. a large amount of s.t.: That dress cost a bunch.||They bought a bunch of things at the store. —v. [I;T] to crowd together: People bunched together (or) up in the crowded bus.
    THESAURUS
    bunch n.
    1 a handful, cluster | pack
    2 a large quantity of s.t., large number | group, crowd. —v. to pack, cluster, cram together.
bundle
bundle
  1. n.
    1 things close together, usu. tied or fastened: I put a bundle of clothes in the washing machine.
    2 fig. a lot of money: A new car costs a bundle. —v. [I;T] -dled, -dling, -dles
    1 to put together, to wrap up: She bundled dirty clothes in a bag.
    2 phrasal v. [I;T] to bundle up: to dress warmly: Bundle up; it's cold outside!
bung
bung
  1. n. a short, round piece of wood (cork, rubber) put in a hole in a jug or barrel: A worker closed a beer barrel with a bung. -n. bunghole.
bungalow
bungalow
  1. n. a small house on one level,
    THESAURUS
    a cottage: We have a bungalow by the sea.
bungle
bungle
  1. n.v. [T] -gled, -gling, -gles to do s.t. badly,
    THESAURUS
    to botch: He bungled a report; it had many mistakes. -n. bungler.
bunion
bunion
  1. n. a painful swelling of the big toe: A foot doctor operated on her bunions.
bunk
bunk
  1. n.
    1 [C] a narrow bed, often placed one above the other: Soldiers sleep in bunks.
    2 [U] nonsense: What he says is bunk! —v. [I] to sleep at s.o.'s house as a guest: Don't go to a hotel; bunk with us in our guest room. See: bunkhouse.
bunker
bunker
  1. n. a room, usu. underground, with thick walls: When the enemy came near, the soldiers ran into their bunker.
bunkhouse
bunkhouse
  1. n. a simple building with beds for workers, cowboys, etc.
bunkum
bunkum
  1. n.infrml. nonsense, esp. by politicians: The mayor's plan to bring new jobs to the city was pure bunkum.
bunny
bunny
  1. n.infrml. -nies
    1 a baby rabbit, small rabbit: She petted the bunnies in the children's zoo.
    2 infrml.fig.pej. an active, attractive young woman: She is a ski bunny in winter and a beach bunny in summer.
bunting
bunting
  1. n. decorations made of cloth or paper: Bunting hangs on the stage where the politicians are speaking.
buoy
buoy
  1. n.
    1 a marker floating in the water used to warn of danger or mark a passageway (channel): Don't swim out beyond the red buoy.
    2 a device made from material that floats, used to keep a person from sinking,
    THESAURUS
    a life preserver: She threw the drowning man a buoy. —v. [T]
    1 to lift up, to keep afloat in the water
    2 fig.to make s.o. feel good: The good news buoyed his spirits.
buoyant
buoyant
  1. adj.
    1 able to float: Fallen trees are buoyant in water.
    2 fig. cheerful, happy: She has a buoyant personality. -n. buoyancy; -adv. buoyantly.
burden
burden
  1. n.
    1 a heavy weight: Elephants can carry heavy burdens, such as tree logs.
    2 fig. a worry, trouble: Having cancer is a burden on both body and mind.
    3 fig. a responsibility: She has the burden of running a business.
    4 burden of proof: the responsibility of s.o. to prove s.t.: He has paid his phone bill, but he must show his canceled check, because the burden of proof is on him. —v. [T]
    1 to weigh down: He was burdened with two big suitcases.
    2 fig. to worry, trouble: She is burdened by money troubles and she burdens others with them. -adj. burdensome .
    THESAURUS
    burden n.
    1 a heavy load, heavy pack | cargo
    2 strain, stress, hardship
    3 worry, care.
    THESAURUS
    Ant. freedom. —v.
    1 to load s.o. down
    2 to saddle s.o. with (syn.THESAURUS
    .t. Ant. to free s.o. from s.t.
bureau
bureau
  1. n. bureaus or bureaux
    1 a piece of furniture with drawers, a dresser: She keeps her towels and sheets in a bureau.
    2 a government agency: the Federal Bureau of Investigation
    3 a business with a purpose: travel bureau
    THESAURUS
    bureau
    1 a chest of drawers
    2 an administration (usu. of government), agency, department, division.
bureaucracy
bureaucracy
  1. n. -cies a group of government or business departments with complex rules and slow decision making: Her application for citizenship has not gotten through the bureaucracy.
bureaucrat
bureaucrat
  1. n.
    1 an employee of a bureaucracy
    2 pej. a slow person without imagination: He is a nice guy, but he thinks like a bureaucrat. -adj. bureaucratic ; -adv. bureaucratically.
    THESAURUS
    bureaucrat
    1 a civil servant, government employee, federal/state/city worker. Ant. entrepreneur.
burgeon
burgeon
  1. v.frml. [I] to grow quickly,
    THESAURUS
    to mushroom: Our company's business is burgeoning now.
burger
burger
  1. n.infrml. short for hamburger
burglar
burglar
  1. n. a thief who illegally enters a building to steal: A burglar broke the door lock and stole my TV. -v. [I;T] burglarize ; -n. [C;U] burglary.
burial
burial
  1. n. putting a dead person in a grave,
    THESAURUS
    interment See: bury; cremate.
burlap
burlap
  1. n. [U] a rough cloth used to make bags for holding coffee beans, onions, etc.
burlesque
burlesque
  1. n. a type of theater comedy that makes fun of people and events
burly
burly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest (of men) with strong muscles,
    THESAURUS
    tough
burner
burner
  1. n.
    1 the part of a stove, heater, furnace, etc. that creates a flame: There is a pot boiling on the front burner.
    2 on the back burner: stopped, delayed,
    THESAURUS
    on hold: The owner put plans for building a new factory on the back burner until the company's sales improve.
burning
burning
  1. n. [C;U] an act of burning,
    THESAURUS
    combustion: the burning of candles in a church —adj.
    1 on fire: The burning house (forest, building, etc.) attracted a large crowd.
    2 fig. having a strong wish: She has a burning desire to succeed in business.
    3 fig. causing arguments or worry: High taxes are a burning issue.
burnish
burnish
  1. v. [T] -es to polish: He burnished the metal on his rifle.
burnout
burnout
  1. n.
    1 [C] the failure of a machine, esp. because of heat from too much friction: Don't run the engine without oil, or you'll have a burnout.
    2 [U] extreme fatigue: Many students have burnout after taking exams.
    3 [C] a person who is burned out
burnt
burnt
  1. adj. about s.t. that is burned: He made a burnt offering to God.
burp
burp
  1. n.v. [I;T] gas coming from the stomach through the mouth,
    THESAURUS
    a belch: The man burped after eating lunch.
burro
burro
  1. n. -ros a donkey: Even small burros can carry heavy loads.
burrow
burrow
  1. n. a hole in the ground where animals live,
    THESAURUS
    a den: Rabbits live in burrows. —v. [I] to dig into the ground: Some animals burrow with their paws.
bursar
bursar
  1. n. the person in charge of finances, esp. at a college: I paid my tuition at the bursar's office.
bursitis
bursitis
  1. n. a painful condition of the joints: He has bursitis in his shoulder.
burst
burst
  1. n.
    1 a sudden outpouring: There was a burst of laughter from the audience.||A cloud burst got us wet on our way home.
    2 a fast action: She ran by me in a burst of speed. —v. [I;T] burst, bursting, bursts
    1 to break open suddenly, esp. because of inside pressure: A pipe burst, shooting water into the air.
    2 to burst at the seams: to overflow: Her suitcase is so full that it is bursting at the seams.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [T] to burst in on s.o. or s.t.: to interrupt, esp. noisily: The children burst in on our conversation.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to burst into or onto s.t.: a. to enter or come to notice, suddenly and forcefully:|| The young actor burst onto the Hollywood scene. b. to suddenly express s.t., such as an emotion: She burst into laughter.
    5 phrasal v. [I] to burst out: to begin doing s.t. suddenly: She burst out laughing when I told her a funny joke.
    THESAURUS
    burst n.
    1 an explosion | downpour (rain), rupture, split (pipe, blood vessel)
    2 sudden
    THESAURUS
    move. —v.
    1 to explode, split open, rupture.
bury
bury
  1. v. [T] -ied, -ying, -ies
    1 to put a dead person in a grave,
    THESAURUS
    to inter: He buried his father yesterday.
    2 to hide, esp. in the ground: A dog buried a bone.
    3 fig.not to tell s.t., (syns.) to cover up, to conceal: They buried the scientist's discoveries, because they didn't want to believe them.||She buried a secret deep inside herself.
    4 to sink into,
    THESAURUS
    to imbed: The dog buried its teeth in the steak.
    5 fig. to give one's full attention,
    THESAURUS
    to immerse: She buried herself in her reading.
    6 fig. to forgive: The business partners buried their differences and shook hands.
bus
bus
  1. n. buses or busses a large, often public vehicle used to carry passengers: He takes the bus to work every day. —v. [T] bused or bussed, busing or bussing, buses or busses to travel by bus: Schoolchildren are bused from their home to school and back. See: busing.
bus stop
bus stop
  1. n. a specific place usu. marked with a sign where buses let off and pick up passengers
busboy
busboy
  1. n. a person who takes away dishes in a restaurant: First I worked as a busboy, and then I became a waiter.
bush-league
bush-league
  1. adj.
    1 (from baseball) teams that are worse than top professional ones
    2 weak, (syns.) inferior, second-rate: He runs a bush-league business.
bush
bush
  1. n. bushes
    1 a plant shorter than a tree, usu. with branches and leaves, (syns.) shrub, hedge: I trimmed the bushes in the front yard.
    2 [U] the bush: land far from towns and cities,
    THESAURUS
    wilderness, esp. in Africa and Australia
    3 pl. an area of land with many shrubs: Birds hide in the bushes.
    4 to beat around the bush: to talk about s.t. without getting to the point,
    THESAURUS
    to hint: Say what you have to say and stop beating around the bush.
bushed
bushed
  1. adj. very tired,
    THESAURUS
    worn out: I worked fourteen hours today; I'm bushed.
bushel
bushel
  1. n.
    1 a unit of dry measure equal to 2,150.42 cubic inches (35.24 liters) in the USA
    2 an amount equal to a bushel or a large basket: She bought a bushel of corn.
bushwhack
bushwhack
  1. v. [I;T] to make a path through bushes and trees -n. bushwhacker; [U] bushwhacking.
bushy
bushy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 covered with bushes: The path went down a bushy hillside.
    2 thick: He has a bushy moustache. -n. [U] bushiness.
business
business
  1. n. -es
    1 [U] activities of people buying and selling goods and services: Business is good in today's economy.
    2 [C] an organization of people, buildings, and products or services, a commercial enterprise: The businesses on Main Street include a supermarket, a candy store, and a dry cleaners.
    3 [C;U] a type of work, an occupation: She is in the furniture (real estate, fashion, etc.) business.
    4 sing. activities necessary for daily living, such as shopping, eating, working, and paying bills: People attend to (or) go about the business of daily living.
    5 [U] the amount of money coming into a business: Our business is increasing (going down, etc.).
    6 [U] one's own interest or responsibility, a duty: It is the parents' business to care for their children.
    7 [U] matter, event: That murder last month was a strange business.
    8 funny or monkey business: s.t. illegal or dishonest: That house has strange people coming and going; I think there is funny business there.
    9 to get down to business: to start talking about business: After talking about the weather, we got down to business about the contract details.
    10 to mean business: to be serious, to be earnest: They really mean business. If you don't pay them by next week, they're going to take you to court.
    11 to mind one's own business: not to interfere in the lives of others: You mind your own business and stay out of mine!
    12 no business: no right (to do s.t.): You have no business reading my mail!
    13 none of your business: not of concern to you
    14 to take care of business: to discuss business before pleasure: We met at his office to take care of business, then went for a pleasant lunch.
    THESAURUS
    business
    1 commerce, trade, industry. Ants. inactivity, unemployment.
    2 big business, (syn.THESAURUS
    mall business, e-business | private sector, public sector | company, store, factory,
    THESAURUS
    office
    3 job, line of work, career | calling (clergy, teaching)
    4 tasks, duties, chores
    THESAURUS
    5 sales volume
    6 affair, concern, obligation
    7 affair.
business card
business card
  1. n. a small paper with a person's name, business address, and telephone number, etc.: Business cards are often given to customers so that they remember you.
business suit
business suit
  1. n. a man's or woman's suit that is often dark-colored and well-made: That lawyer always wears a business suit to court.
businesslike
businesslike
  1. adj. working carefully and seriously: The owner is very businesslike and never talks about the weather or her weekend activities.
businessman
businessman
  1. n. -men a man who does business: Business-men travel all over the world.

    USAGE NOTE: Businessperson is used to discuss both men and women in business.
businesswoman
businesswoman
  1. n. -women a woman who does business: Businesswomen can earn high salaries in Los Angeles.
busing
busing
  1. n. (in USA) transporting public school students by bus to schools in other neighborhoods for racial integration of white with nonwhite students
buster
buster
  1. n.
    1 a person who stops s.t.: He is a crime buster.
    2 a form of address to men, usu. impolite: Hey, buster, what do you think you're doing?
bustle
bustle
  1. v. [I] -tled, -tling, -tles to hurry, do s.t. with energy: At mealtime, that restaurant bustles with activity. See: hustle. —n. a frame, pad, or bunch of material used to make a skirt stick out: Women rarely wear bustles today.
busybody
busybody
  1. n.pej. -ies a person too interested in other people's lives: He is always asking others what they are doing; what a busybody! See: gossip.
busywork
busywork
  1. n. [U] easy work that takes a lot of time: Folding invoices and putting them in envelopes is busywork.
but
but
  1. strong form conj.
    1 in contrast, on the other hand: She is pretty, but he is ugly.
    2 except for, save: No one but John saw the accident happen.
    3 except that: We wanted to buy that house, but the price was too high.
    4 instead of the expected,
    THESAURUS
    however: It rained all day, but we still had a good time.
    5 without the result that,
    THESAURUS
    unless: It never rains, but it pours.
    6 that (after a negative): I don't doubt but you're telling the truth.
    7 other than: She has no goal but to win the tennis match. —prep. with the exception of,
    THESAURUS
    save: I want nothing but the truth from you. —adv.
    1 frml. only: If you had but told her in time.
    2 only,
    THESAURUS
    merely: She's but a baby. —n. no ifs, ands, or buts: no excuses or exceptions: Let's get the job done now with no ifs, ands, or buts.
butcher
butcher
  1. n.
    1 a person or business that cuts and sells meat: I went to the butcher to buy a chicken.
    2 fig. a violent killer,
    THESAURUS
    a mass murderer: He's killed 24 people; that man is a butcher! —v. [T]
    1 to kill animals and cut their meat
    2 to kill violently
    3 infrml. to do s.t. badly: A person with a bad singing voice can butcher even the most beautiful music. -n. [U] butchery.
butler
butler
  1. n. the main male servant in a household: The butler poured the wine.
butte
butte
  1. n. a hill with a flat top and steep sides: Buttes are found in the USA's Southwest.
butter
butter
  1. n. [U] a yellowish fat made from milk or cream and used in cooking: I spread some butter on my bread. —v. [T]
    1 to put butter: She buttered her toast.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to butter s.o. up: to get s.o.'s help by being nice,
    THESAURUS
    to flatter: The boss butters up his assistant to work late by buying her theater tickets.||He butters her up.
    3 fig. to know which side one's bread is buttered on: to know who and what is good for one's best interests: He knows which side his bread is buttered on, so he is nice to his boss.
butterball
butterball
  1. n.pej. a fat person: He's a butterball from eating too much ice cream.
buttercup
buttercup
  1. n. a wild plant with small, round yellow flowers
butterfingers
butterfingers
  1. n.pl. s.o. who cannot hold on to things,
    THESAURUS
    clumsy person: He is always dropping things on the floor; he's a butterfingers.
butterfly
butterfly
  1. n. -flies
    1 an insect with a narrow body and four wings: There are many types of butterflies, most of which are very pretty and colorful.
    2 pl.fig. nervousness, often causing an unsettled feeling in the stomach,
    THESAURUS
    the jitters: Before she sings to an audience, she gets butterflies in her stomach.
buttermilk
buttermilk
  1. n. the thick, sour milk left over after butterfat has been removed from whole milk
butterscotch
butterscotch
  1. adj.n. [U] a candy of melted butter and brown sugar: I like butterscotch sauce on vanilla ice cream.
buttocks
buttocks
  1. n.pl. the part of the body where one sits, the behind, the posterior See: bottom; butt (2).
    THESAURUS
    buttocks the behind, bottom, butt slang.
button
button
  1. n.
    1 a small round fastener for holding clothing together: A button on his shirt fell off.
    2 a part of a machine that is pushed: Press that button on the answering machine to listen to the messages.
    3 a pin or badge with a message: The candidate gave out campaign buttons. —adv. right on the button: accurately, exactly right: She hit the answers to the exam questions right on the button; she got all of them correct. —v. [T]
    1 to fasten a button: He buttoned his shirt.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to button s.t. up: a. to fasten with buttons: He buttoned up his shirt. ||He buttoned it up. b. to finish s.t.: Let's button up the business deal by signing the contract.||Let's button it up.
buttonhole
buttonhole
  1. n. an opening on fabric for a button —v.fig. [T] -holed, -holing, -holes to prevent s.o. from leaving by talking to them: I was walking down the hallway, and my boss buttonholed me.
buttress
buttress
  1. n. -tresses a structure that supports a wall or building —v. [T] to support as with a buttress: Workers buttressed the weak wall with steel beams.
buxom
buxom
  1. adj. large-chested: Marilyn Monroe was a buxom blonde.
buy
buy
  1. n.
    1 s.t. that one buys, a purchase
    2 infrml. s.t. bought at a low price: That house (car, TV, etc.) is a great buy. —v. bought , buying, buys
    1 [I;T] to pay for s.t.: I buy a newspaper every morning.
    2 [T] fig. to agree: John says to Paul, "I think the economy is in trouble." Paul says, "I'll buy that."
    3 infrml. [T] to pay s.o. to do s.t. illegal or dishonest: The criminal was let go, because his friends bought the judge.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to buy in or into s.t.: to be convinced s.t. is good or true: I bought into his plan to start a restaurant; I liked the opportunity, so I bought in.
    5 phrasal v. sep. [T] to buy s.o. off: to pay s.o. not to talk or complain: He buys off his children with expensive toys, because he never spends any time with them.||He buys them off.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to buy s.o. out: to purchase another's share of s.t. so that one owns all or most of it: She bought out her partners' shares in the business.||She bought them out.
    7 phrasal v. sep. [T] to buy s.t. up: to purchase all that is available: She bought up all the shrimp in the store for her party.|| She bought it up.
    THESAURUS
    buy n.
    2 a bargain.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to purchase s.t., to get | invest in, put
    THESAURUS
    money into. Ant. to sell.
    2 to believe, accept as true
    3 to bribe, influence, pay off.
buyer
buyer
  1. n.
    1 a person who buys s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    a purchaser: I have a meeting with the buyer of my house.
    2 a person whose job is to purchase items for a business,
    THESAURUS
    a purchasing agent: She is a women's shoes buyer for a department store.
    3 a buyer's market: a market condition of low prices: If you're buying a house, you would rather have a buyer's market than a seller's market.
buyout
buyout
  1. n.v. [T] the purchase of a controlling interest in a business
buzzard
buzzard
  1. n.
    1 a large bird that eats dead meat,
    THESAURUS
    a vulture: Buzzards gathered around the dead deer.
    2 fig.pej. an old man, usu. irritable: That old buzzard complains about everything.
buzzword
buzzword
  1. n. popular words from a particular field or industry that people use to impress others: People use buzzwords from the business and computer worlds, like "bottom line," "input," and "output."
by-product
by-product
  1. n.
    1 a product created while making another product: Molasses is a by-product of making sugar from sugar cane.
    2 s.t. that happens as a result of s.t. else: His red face is a by-product of his being angry all the time.
by
by
  1. prep.
    1 next to: The chair is by the door.
    2 through the action of s.t.: She was hit by a car.||The letter was brought by a messenger.
    3 across or past: The bird flew by the window.||The highway runs by the town.
    4 not later than: You must wake up by 8 o'clock.
    5 during: They traveled by night.
    6 according to: He's five minutes late by my watch.
    7 in the authority or presence of: If you hurt her, by God, I'll kill you!
    8 for,
    THESAURUS
    in behalf of: She's done well by her children.
    9 in the amount, extent, or degree of: He takes pills by the dozen.||That star in the sky is brighter by far.
    10 adding one direction of measurement to another: The room is 8' by 10', meaning that it is eight feet long and ten feet wide. —adv.
    1 by and by: after a short period of time,
    THESAURUS
    after a while: He's not ready yet, but he'll be here by and by.
    2 by and large: looking at the whole situation, (syns.) on the whole, overall: He made a few mistakes, but by and large he did a good job.
    3 by the by: by the way,
    THESAURUS
    incidentally: By the by, have you seen her today?
    4 infrml. by the seat of one's pants: casually, thoughtlessly: He runs the company by the seat of his pants.
    5 by the way: introducing a new topic of conversation See: large.
bye-bye
bye-bye
  1. interj. good-bye, so long: Bye-bye, I'll see you tomorrow.
bygone
bygone
  1. adj.
    1 in the past, long ago: In bygone years (or) days, people traveled by horse or paddle boats.
    2 to let bygones be bygones: to not blame s.o. about past injuries anymore: We used to argue all the time, but now we have let bygones be bygones and are friends.
bylaw
bylaw
  1. n. a law for special purposes in a business or other organization (not a national or state law): The bylaws of our business say that we can sell only furniture.
bypass
bypass
  1. n. -passes
    1 a temporary road around a road being repaired
    2 a blood vessel going around a blocked vessel in the heart: He had a bypass (or) bypass surgery. —v. [T] to find a way around: The problem is so difficult that we must find a way to bypass it.
bystander
bystander
  1. n. s.o. near but not participating in s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    an onlooker: My brother was an innocent bystander when he saw a robbery happening across the street.
byte
byte
  1. n. a unit of measurement for computer data, equal to eight bits: One character (such as the letter "a") takes up one byte of space.
byway
byway
  1. n. a smaller, unimportant path or road: We traveled on the highways and byways of eastern Canada.
c/o
c/o
  1. abbr.for (in) care of (used in an address so that s.o. will pass it on to the right person): You can write to Mr. Jones in care of his company. Address the letter: Mr. John Jones, c/o XYZ Company, 123 Main St., Anywhere, USA.
c.v.
c.v.
  1. abbr. for curriculum vitae
cab
cab
  1. n.
    1 a car that carries passengers for a fare (price), a taxicab: Let's take a cab to the office.
    2 a closed-in section where the driver sits in a large vehicle or piece of machinery: Trucks, train engines, bulldozers, etc., have cabs.
    THESAURUS
    cab
    1 a taxi | limo.
cabaret
cabaret
  1. n.
    1 [C] a type of nightclub where people eat and drink during a performance: We went to a cabaret last night.
    2 [U] a type of music and dance entertainment
cabbage
cabbage
  1. n. [C;U] a large, round, green or purple leafy vegetable similar to lettuce, eaten cooked or raw: Coleslaw is a kind of salad made of finely chopped cabbage and mayonnaise.
cabdriver
cabdriver
  1. n. a person who drives a taxicab: Cabdrivers work long hours in some cities.
cabin
cabin
  1. n.
    1 a small, usu. inexpensive, simply built house: We own a cabin in the mountains.
    2 a room for sleeping on a ship: We had a pleasant cabin on the cruise ship.
    3 an enclosed section of a boat or plane: The passengers and crew (pilot, copilot, etc.) are in the cabin.
    THESAURUS
    cabin
    1 a cottage, hut, small house | shelter. Ant. mansion.
    2 sleeping quarters.
cabin cruiser
cabin cruiser
  1. n. a boat with a cabin or cabins for sleeping: They sailed down the coast in their cabin cruiser.
cabin fever
cabin fever
  1. n. [U] a feeling of restlessness and a desire to be outdoors: By the end of winter, many people suffer from cabin fever.
cabinet
cabinet
  1. n.
    1 a piece of furniture with shelves and doors used to store dishes, food, supplies, etc.: We keep dishes and canned food in the cabinets over the kitchen sink.
    2 a group of high-level government officials who give advice to the nation's leader, such as to the President of the USA: The Secretary of State, Secretary of Education, and Secretary of Transportation are all members of the President's cabinet.
    THESAURUS
    cabinet
    1 a cupboard
    2 a board of advisors.
cable
cable
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] strong, thick rope, usu. made of many wires twisted together: Steel cables support that bridge.
    2 [C;U] a covered bundle of wires that carries electronic messages
    3 [C] a message sent by underwater cable: I received a cable from London this morning.
    4 [U] a type of television service: Do you get cable? See: cable television. —v. [T] -bled, -bling, -bles to send a message electronically: The newspaper reporter cabled a story to his newspaper.
cable car
cable car
  1. n. a type of trolley car pulled by a cable up and down hills as it carries passengers: San Fran-cisco is famous for its cable cars.
cablecast
cablecast
  1. v. -cast, -casting, -casts to send TV broadcasts by cable television: That TV station cablecasts news events.
caboose
caboose
  1. n. the last car on a freight train
cabstand
cabstand
  1. n. a place where taxis wait for passengers: There is a cabstand in front of our hotel.
cacao
cacao
  1. n. [C;U] -os a tree of Latin America that bears seeds (beans) from which chocolate and cocoa are made: Cacao beans are made into fine soaps, medical products, and chocolate.
cache
cache
  1. n.
    1 a hidden storage place, esp. for valuable items: She kept the jewelry in a cache under the stairs.
    2 an amount of valuable things (jewels, money, guns, etc.) hidden away: She had a cache of gold hidden in the wall.
cachet
cachet
  1. n.
    1 [C] a seal on an official letter or document
    2 [U] a special quality, a mark of distinction: That fine jewelry store has a certain cachet; many wealthy people buy jewelry there.
cackle
cackle
  1. n.v. [I] -led, -ling, -les
    1 to make a sound like that of a hen: The hen cackled after she laid an egg.
    2 a loud, high-pitched laugh: The old witch whispered, then let out a cackle.
cactus
cactus
  1. n. -ti or -tuses a green desert plant with sharp needles: There are many cactuses in the deserts of Mexico.
cad
cad
  1. n.frml. a man with bad manners,
    THESAURUS
    an ungentlemanly fellow: That cad knocked over the old woman and never even looked back!
cadaver
cadaver
  1. n.frml. a dead human body,
    THESAURUS
    a corpse: Medical students study cadavers at medical school.
cadence
cadence
  1. n. a balanced rhythm and flow (of poetry, voice, dance, etc.): That poetry has a pleasing cadence.
cadet
cadet
  1. n. a student in military school: Cadets must wear military uniforms to class.
cadre
cadre
  1. n. a group of trained personnel who manage and teach others: A cadre of military officers trains new soldiers.
caesarean
caesarean
  1. or caesarian section n. See: cesarean.
cafeteria
cafeteria
  1. n. a restaurant where customers serve themselves: Our college has a big cafeteria. See: café, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    cafeteria a lunch counter, snack bar.
caffeine
caffeine
  1. n. [U] an ingredient in coffee and tea that energizes the heart and breathing,
    THESAURUS
    a stimulant: The caffeine in coffee makes me nervous. See: decaffeinate.
cage
cage
  1. n. an area enclosed with metal bars to keep animals from escaping: At the zoo, you can see many animals in cages. —v. [T] caged, caging, cages
    1 to enclose an animal in a cage: Birds are caged to keep them from flying away.
    2 infrml.fig. to rattle s.o.'s cage: to startle s.o. into action or a change in behavior: I'm going to rattle his cage about that problem and get him to fix it.
    THESAURUS
    cage v.
    1 to lock up, fence in, enclose. Ant. to release.
cahoots
cahoots
  1. n.pl.infrml. in cahoots (with): working or acting together, often secretly on s.t. dishonest: The two men are in cahoots to cheat on taxes.
cajole
cajole
  1. v. [T] -joled, -joling, -joles to persuade s.o. gently, usu. with humor and charm: Her boyfriend cajoled her into giving him a kiss.
cake
cake
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a sweet baked food made of a mixture of flour, eggs, milk, sugar, etc.: He ate some chocolate cake.
    2 [C] s.t. shaped like a cake: She bought a cake of soap.
    3 [C] a flat, round baked or fried portion of batter (potatoes, chopped fish, etc.): We had pancakes (fishcakes, etc.) for dinner.
    4 a piece of cake: s.t. that is simple to do, an easy task: That job is so easy; it's a piece of cake!
    5 to have one's cake and eat it too: to want to keep s.t., like money, but also want to spend or use it: He wants to save money, but he buys fancy cars and expensive clothes; he wants to have his cake and eat it, too. —v. [T] caked, caking, cakes to put s.t. on s.t. in large amounts or layers that harden: Mud (was) caked on the farmer's boots.
calamity
calamity
  1. n.frml. [C;U] -ties a major disaster,
    THESAURUS
    a catastrophe: An earthquake that kills people is a calamity.
calcium
calcium
  1. n. [U] a white, metallic mineral that is found in bones, shells, and milk: People need calcium to have strong bones.
calculate
calculate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 to do math (to add, subtract, etc.), figure s.t. (cost, price, equation, problem): The businesswoman calculated the cost of producing a car.
    2 to estimate: Her sales manager calculates the number of cars that must be sold each year.
    THESAURUS
    calculate
    1 to add (up)
    2 to evaluate, assess, work out. Ant. to guess.
calculated
calculated
  1. adj. carefully planned: The politician made a calculated attempt to persuade the voters to accept more taxes.
calculating
calculating
  1. adj. coldly and carefully arranging things or manipulating people for one's own selfish purposes,
    THESAURUS
    manipulative: She is a calculating woman, always trying to get other people to do what she wants.
calculation
calculation
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 an act of doing math: Scientists use computers to help them make their calculations.
    2 careful planning, often for selfish purposes
calculator
calculator
  1. n. a small electronic device for doing math: Calculators let you do calculations fast and accurately.
calculus
calculus
  1. n. [U] a type of advanced mathematics
calendar
calendar
  1. n. a chart of the days and months of a year or years: She writes the names and times of her meetings in her appointment calendar.
    THESAURUS
    calendar a datebook, agenda.
calf
calf
  1. n. calves
    1 a baby cow or bull: The young of some large animals, such as the cow and hippopotamus, are called "calves."
    2 the back part of the lower leg: He is a ballet dancer and has big calves.
caliber
caliber
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 the measurement of the size of the hole in the barrel of a pistol, rifle, etc.: She has a .25 caliber pistol.
    2 [C;U] the size of a bullet
    3 fig.sing. [U] the quality of s.t.: He is a lawyer of high caliber.
calibrate
calibrate
  1. v. [T] -brated, -brating, -brates to check, adjust, or measure s.t. exactly: The worker calibrated a cutting tool. -n. calibrator; calibration.
calico
calico
  1. n. [U] adj. rough cotton cloth usu. printed with bright designs: She wore a red and white calico dress.
calisthenics
calisthenics
  1. n.pl. exercises done to strengthen the body: Push-ups and sit-ups are forms of calisthenics.
call
call
  1. n.
    1 a telephone conversation: I will give you a call at home tonight.
    2 a shout: He gave a call to his friend across the street.
    3 a short visit: I made a call at my aunt's house before going home.
    4 a sound made by animals: Bird calls filled the air.
    5 a close call: a. almost an accident, injury, or death: That car almost hit me; that was a close call! b. (in sports) a difficult decision for a referee: It was difficult to see who got to the base first; it was a close call.
    6 to be on call: ready to work if needed: Firefighters are always on call to respond to any emergency.
    THESAURUS
    call n.
    1 a phone call, telephone call
    2 a yell, cry frml. Ant. a whisper.
    3 a stop (on your
    THESAURUS
    way)
    4 a cry, song (birds). —v.
    1 [I,T] to telephone: I called you yesterday.
    2 [T] to shout or say s.t. loudly: She called her friend's name.
    3 [I] to cry out: A swimmer in difficulty called for help.
    4 [T] to ask s.o. to come to you: The mother called her children inside the house.
    5 [T] to order to appear: He was called before a court of law.
    6 [T] to name s.o. or s.t.: We live in a town called San Marcos.
    7 to be called on the carpet: to be held responsible and harshly corrected for s.t.: A worker made a bad mistake and was called on the carpet for it.
    8 phrasal v. insep. [T] to call for: to need,
    THESAURUS
    to require: This situation calls for immediate action.
    9 to call into question: to question the value or authenticity of s.t.: His honesty was called into question.
    10 to call it a day: to stop doing s.t.: We've been working for ten hours and we're tired; let's call it a day.
    11 phrasal v. insep. [T] to call on or upon s.o.: a. to visit s.o.: We called on our new neighbors. b. frml. to request that s.o. do s.t.: The governor called on state residents to conserve water.
    12 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to call s.o. or s.t. back: a. s.o.: to ask to come back: The director called back two actors.||She called them back. b. s.o.: to return a telephone call: I called you back, but there was no answer. c. s.t.: to ask that s.t. be returned for repairs: The car manufacturer called back some cars to fix the brakes.
    13 phrasal v. sep. [I] to call s.o. or s.t. in: a. to telephone into a place (office, home, etc.): During your trip, please call in once a day. b. [T] s.o.: to ask s.o. for help: They called in an expert.||They called her in. c. [T] s.t.: to ask for the return of s.t.: Our company called in the orders from last week.
    14 phrasal v. sep. [T] to call s.o. out: to (officially) request s.o.'s assistance: The President called out the National Guard to help stop the flooding.||He called them out.
    15 to call s.o.'s bluff: to challenge s.o. to prove s.t. or carry out a threat (when you think the person is faking): I called his bluff when he pretended to have a winning hand (in cards).
    16 phrasal v. sep. [T] to call s.o. up: a. to telephone s.o.: I called up the police for help.||I called them up. b. to tell s.o. to come for military duty,
    THESAURUS
    to draft: He was called up for duty last week.
    17 phrasal v. sep. [T] to call s.t. down: to ask a higher power to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to invoke: The preacher called down the power of God.||He called it down.
    18 phrasal v. sep. [T] to call s.t. forth: to bring into being or action,
    THESAURUS
    to evoke: The music called forth memories of my childhood.
    19 phrasal v. sep. [T] to call s.t. off: a. to order away,
    THESAURUS
    to restrain: The owner called off his dog when it barked at the child. b. to stop or put off, (syns.) to cancel, postpone: We called off the picnic when it began to rain.
    20 to call the shots: to have the power to say what will be done: The owner calls all the shots in that company.
    21 to call to account: to demand that s.o. explain and be responsible for his or her actions: He stole money and the owner called him to account and had him arrested.
    22 to call to mind: to cause to remember,
    THESAURUS
    to remind s.o. of: The sight of my old house called to mind my childhood days.
    THESAURUS
    call v.
    1 to phone, call up, give a call
    2 to yell, shout, holler infrml.
    3 to shout, yell,
    THESAURUS
    holler infrml. Ant. to whisper.
    4 to summon frml.
    5 to summon frml.
    6 to be known as, eferred to as.
call girl
call girl
  1. n. a woman who is paid to have sex,
    THESAURUS
    a prostitute
call waiting
call waiting
  1. n. [U] one or two sounds made in a telephone receiver to tell a person speaking that another caller is waiting to speak with him or her: My call waiting makes two beeps in my ear and lets me know that another caller is trying to reach me.
callback
callback
  1. n. a return telephone call or return visit: You left 10 phone messages yesterday. Did you receive any callbacks today?
caller
caller
  1. n.
    1 a person who telephones another person: The caller on the phone is from your bank.
    2 a visitor: Come downstairs, you have a caller.
calligraphy
calligraphy
  1. n. [U] the art of fine, elegant handwriting
calling
calling
  1. n.
    1 one's life's work (or) great desire: Buddhist ministry is his calling in life.
    2 to go calling: to go visit s.o.: We went calling on our friends.
calling card
calling card
  1. n. See: business card, cash card.
callous
callous
  1. adj. not caring about others, (syns.) unfeeling, insensitive: She has a callous attitude toward the suffering of others. -adv. callously; -n. callousness.
callus
callus
  1. n.v. [I] -luses a hard place on the skin of the hands or feet: I have calluses on my hands from working in the garden.
calm
calm
  1. adj.
    1 peaceful: I feel calm now that my exams are over.
    2 almost or totally motionless, tranquil: The ocean is calm today; it looks like a mirror. —n.
    1 sing. [U] peace,
    THESAURUS
    tranquillity: At night, a calm settled over the battlefield.
    2 the calm before the storm: a time of quiet before s.t. bad happens —v. [T] to make quiet, peaceful: She calmed her nerves with a cup of tea. -adv. calmly; -n. [U] calmness.
    THESAURUS
    calm adj.
    1 untroubled, composed, relaxed. Ant. agitated.
    2 quiet, still | inactive. Ant. stormy.
caloric
caloric
  1. adj.
    1 related to heat and calories
    2 fattening: Red meat and chocolate cake are highly caloric; both are fattening.
calorie
calorie
  1. n.
    1 a unit used to measure the amount of heat in s.t.
    2 a unit used to measure the amount of energy produced by food: Potatoes with gravy and butter have a lot of calories.
    3 calorie conscious: being careful not to eat fattening foods: She's trying to lose weight; she's very calorie conscious.
calve
calve
  1. v. [I;T] calved, calving, calves to give birth to a calf: The cow calved today.
calves
calves
  1. n.pl. of calf
calypso
calypso
  1. n. -sos or -soes a type of lively music originally from the Caribbean (Trinidad): I love dancing to calypso music.
camaraderie
camaraderie
  1. n. [U] a good feeling of togetherness, friendship
came
came
  1. v. past tense of come
camel
camel
  1. n. a large, four-legged animal with a long neck and hump(s) on its back: Camels can live in the desert without water for a long time.
camellia
camellia
  1. n. a plant with large white flowers: She wore a camellia in her hair.
cameo
cameo
  1. n. -os
    1 a piece of jewelry made of a picture cut from a gemstone: She wears a cameo on her blouse.
    2 a brief appearance by a famous person in a movie or play: Alfred Hitchcock made cameo appearances in several of the movies he directed.
camera
camera
  1. n. a device used to take pictures, such as photographs, movies, or pictures for TV: She used her camera to take pictures on her vacation.
cameraman
cameraman
  1. or camerawoman n. -men or -women a person who uses a camera professionally: In the TV studio, the cameraman stands behind the camera.
camouflage
camouflage
  1. n. [C;U] a way of hiding s.t. by making it look like its surroundings: Soldiers put camouflage over a big gun to hide it from the enemy. —v. [T] -flaged, -flaging, -flages to cover s.t. to hide it,
    THESAURUS
    to conceal: Soldiers camou-flaged themselves to blend in with the jungle by wearing green uniforms.
camp
camp
  1. n.
    1 a place outdoors where people live in tents: Lisa and Rumi set up camp in the woods.
    2 a cabin in the countryside: Her parents have a camp by a lake in Canada.
    3 an organized program set in cabins or other simple living shelters (tents, huts): The children were looking forward to summer camp.
    4 a group of people that support a particular cause, idea, or movement: That whole camp is sure to vote for him. —v. [I]
    1 to set up a camp and sleep outdoors: People camp (out) in the woods in the summer.
    2 to go camping: They like to go camping. —adj. related to an obviously fake manner or style: Movies that are camp are meant to be funny. — campy.
    THESAURUS
    camp n.
    1 (one's) campsite, (one's) campground
    4 a faction.
    THESAURUS
    campaign n.v. [I] an organized effort by people to reach a goal: A politician runs a political campaign to get elected to office.
    THESAURUS
    campaign a movement, operation | battle, fight, drive.
campaign
campaign
  1. -n. v. an organized effort by people to reach a goal: A politician runs a political campaign to get elected to office.
camper
camper
  1. n.
    1 a person who goes camping: Campers enjoy the outdoors.
    2 a ve-hicle used for camping trips that usu. includes a place to sleep
campground
campground
  1. n. a place or area for camping: The campground is located in the woods.
campus
campus
  1. n. [C;U] the land and buildings of a college, university, or some business headquarters: I study on campus in the college library.
can-do
can-do
  1. adj.infrml. enthusiastic, willing: She has a can-do attitude.
can't
can't
  1. aux.v. contr. of cannot: I can't speak French. See: cannot.
canal
canal
  1. n.
    1 a waterway, often dug by workers, for boats to carry goods and passengers: The Panama Canal connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean.
    2 (in medicine) a tube in the body that holds or carries fluid: the ear canal
    THESAURUS
    canal
    1 a manmade waterway, passage.
canary
canary
  1. n. -ies a small, usu. yellow bird that sings: People keep pet canaries in cages.
cancel
cancel
  1. v. [T]
    1 to stop s.t. previously agreed on or planned, to nullify: I canceled my airline (hotel, dinner) reservations.
    2 to mark a check as paid: A canceled check is proof that it was paid.
    3 phrasal v. sep. to cancel s.t. out: to make two things equal in strength, importance, etc., (syns.) to neutralize, to counterbalance: The team got a new player and canceled out their rivals' advantage.||They canceled it out.
    THESAURUS
    cancel
    1 to call off, put a stop to | postpone, abandon. Ant. to confirm (reservation).
cancellation
cancellation
  1. n. [C;U] stopping s.t. previously agreed on: The restaurant had some cancellations of reservations because of bad weather.||The doctor had a cancellation, so she can see you today.
cancer
cancer
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a disease that causes lumps (tumors) to grow in the body and which may be fatal: Smoking causes lung cancer.
    2 [C]fig. a dangerous, quickly spreading condition: The use of illegal drugs is a cancer on society.
candid
candid
  1. adj.
    1 saying what one thinks even if it is unpleasant, (syns.) frank, forthright: The owner was candid with her employees about the financial problems the company was having.
    2 natural, not practiced or posed: The photographer took some candid shots of the wedding.
    3 not favoring one side or view over another, (syns.) unbiased, impartial: The judge will give a candid opinion. -adv. candidly. See: candor.
candidate
candidate
  1. n.
    1 a person running for a political office: She and two other politicians are candidates for mayor.
    2 a person or thing ready for s.t.: He is a candidate for a job promotion. -n. candidacy
    THESAURUS
    candidate
    1 a contender, nominee
    2 an applicant, aspirant frml.
candle
candle
  1. n.
    1 a round, usu. long piece of wax with a wick (piece of string) that is burned for light: The candles lit the dining room with a soft glow.
    2 not to hold a candle to s.o.: not to compare favorably with s.o.: A man named Pele was the greatest soccer player ever; no one can hold a candle to him.
    3 to burn the candle at both ends: to tire oneself out with too much work or play: She stays up late partying and gets up early for class; she's burning the candle at both ends.
candlestick
candlestick
  1. n. a holder for a candle: Candlesticks are often made of metal, like brass, silver, or gold.
candor
candor
  1. n. [U] saying what one thinks even if it is unpleasant,
    THESAURUS
    frankness: The manager spoke of the company's mistakes with great candor. See: candid, 1.
candy
candy
  1. n. [C;U] -dies sweet food made with sugar and often with chocolate, nuts, or fruits: I ate some chocolate candy. —v. [T] -died, -dying, -dies to cook or cover with sugar: He candied the plums for Christmas.
    THESAURUS
    candy n. sweets, chocolate.
cane
cane
  1. n.
    1 a stick made of wood or metal used to help a person walk: The old man walks with the aid of a cane.
    2 any of a variety of plants with thin, woody, usu. flexible and hollow stems: Bamboo and rattan are types of cane.
    3 dried pieces of these plants used to weave baskets and chairs: The furniture on our porch is made of cane.
    4 a tall green plant used to make sugar, molasses, and rum: Workers cut the cane and crush it to get the juice out to make sugar. —v. [T] caned, caning, canes to beat s.o. with a cane: Some countries cane criminals as punishment.
    THESAURUS
    cane
    1 a walking stick.
canine
canine
  1. n.adj.
    1 one of two long, sharp teeth: People have two canines (or) canine teeth in their mouth.
    2 frml. a dog: All canines in the city of San Diego must have a license.
canister
canister
  1. n. a metal or plastic container for dry goods: There is a canister of flour (coffee, bubble bath, etc.) on the shelf.
cannabis
cannabis
  1. n.frml. [U] hemp, the plant dried and smoked as a drug (marijuana): Cannabis grows wild in many places. See: joint, 4.
canned
canned
  1. adj. & past part. of can (2)
    1 sealed in a can: I bought some canned fruit, canned beans, etc.
    2 slang fired from a job: She got canned yesterday.
    3 fig. prepared beforehand, not real: That TV program uses canned laughter recorded from other shows.
cannery
cannery
  1. n. -ies a business where food is prepared and put in cans: a fish cannery
cannibal
cannibal
  1. n. a person who eats other people: Cannibals once lived on islands south of the USA, including Cuba and Haiti. -n. [U] cannibalism.
cannibalize
cannibalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes fig. to destroy s.t. for use in s.t. else: The sales of the company's new product cannibalized the sales of their old product.
cannon
cannon
  1. n. -nons or -non a large gun, usu. mounted or attached to wheels, used to fire shells long distances: A ship fired its cannons against soldiers on land.
    THESAURUS
    cannon artillery.
cannonball
cannonball
  1. n. a heavy metal ball fired from a cannon
cannot
cannot
  1. aux. v. negative of can (1)
    1 to be unable to do s.t.: I cannot play the piano.
    2 to not have permission: Her boss told her that she cannot take the day off from work. See: can't.
canny
canny
  1. adj. -nier, -niest careful and intelligent, esp with money,
    THESAURUS
    shrewd: She has a canny sense for finding bargains.
canoe
canoe
  1. n.v. [I;T] -noed, -noing, -noes a light, narrow type of boat: Native Americans used canoes to travel on rivers. See: kayak.
canon
canon
  1. n.frml.
    1 a law or body of laws, esp. in a religion: Priests obey religious canons.
    2 a basic standard of behavior: His bad behavior violates the canons of good conduct. -adj. canonical.
canonize
canonize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to declare a dead person to be a saint
canopy
canopy
  1. n. -pies a cloth covering usu. held up by poles: The canopy over the bed is made of red cloth. -adj. canopied.
cant
cant
  1. n. [U]
    1 words and talk special to a field of work: They speak in the cant of computer experts.
    2 meaningless, insincere talk, (syns.) trite phrases, clichés: The politician's speech didn't contain anything important; it was just cant.
cantaloupe
cantaloupe
  1. n. [C;U] a round melon with rough skin and sweet, light-orange insides: Cantaloupe tastes good for dessert on a hot day.
cantankerous
cantankerous
  1. adj. bad-tempered, always wanting to argue,
    THESAURUS
    grumpy: The cantankerous old man won't pay his rent.
canteen
canteen
  1. n.
    1 a container for liquid: When we take a long walk, we carry water in our canteens.
    2 a military store or snack bar: Soldiers buy sandwiches and cigarettes in the canteen.
    3 an area for relaxing and eating in an institution, such as a school: We had lunch in the canteen.
canter
canter
  1. n.v. [I] the smooth run of a horse, faster than a trot, slower than a gallop: Horses cantered around the show ring.
canvas
canvas
  1. n. -vases
    1 [U] a thick, rough cloth used for ships' sails, tents, and coverings: The canvas in sails is so strong that it lasts for years.
    2 [C;U] cloth stretched over a wooden frame for painting pictures: She paints with oil on canvas.
    3 [C] a painting itself: She has many canvases for sale.
canvass
canvass
  1. v. [I;T] -vassed,-vassing, -vasses
    1 to ask people their opinions about other people and products,
    THESAURUS
    to conduct a poll: Workers canvassed 1,000 people by telephone to get their opinion of the President's performance.
    2 to go around asking people for their votes: Politicians canvass voters for their votes. -n. canvasser; [U] canvassing. See: opinion poll.
canyon
canyon
  1. n. a long, deep crack in the earth's surface: The Colorado River flows through the Grand Canyon.
    THESAURUS
    canyon a gorge, deep valley.
cap
cap
  1. n.
    1 a removable top to a bottle, jar, etc.: Please put the cap back on the medicine bottle.
    2 a soft hat, often with a visor: She wears a baseball cap when she runs.
    3 a soft hat with no visor: a nurse's cap, a soldier's cap
    4 a limit on s.t.: The government put a cap on its spending. —v. [T] capped, capping, caps
    1 to cover with a cap: Workers capped an oil well to prevent oil from spilling.
    2 to add s.t. special at the end of (one's career, a special occasion, etc.): The businesswoman capped her career by starting another successful company just before she retired.
    THESAURUS
    cap n.
    4 a restriction.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to plug, top s.t.
    2 to finish off s.t., round off, top off.
capability
capability
  1. n. [C;U] -ties the ability or power to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    competence: He has the capability to speak four languages.
capable
capable
  1. adj. having the ability or power to do s.t., or things in general, well: She is a very capable doctor. -adv. capably.
    THESAURUS
    capable able, competent, proficient. Ant. incapable.
capacity
capacity
  1. n. -ties
    1 sing. [U] the ability to contain, hold, or absorb: That restaurant has a 100-seat capacity.
    2 sing. [U] the greatest amount that s.t. can contain, the maximum volume: There is no more room in the bottle; it is filled to capacity.
    3 [C;U] the ability to do s.t.: He has the capacity to work long hours.
    4 [C;U] the power to learn and remember knowledge: She has a great capacity for learning.
    5 [C] the power that goes with a certain position or role: She signs the company checks in her capacity as owner.
    6 [U] the best or maximum amount of production: That factory is working at capacity.
    THESAURUS
    capacity
    1 the capability
    2 the limit
    4 the mental ability, intelligence, power
    5 the
    THESAURUS
    position, job
    6 the limit.
capillary
capillary
  1. n. -ies (in medicine) a tiny blood vessel: Capillaries feed blood to the smallest parts of the body.
capital asset
capital asset
  1. n. property owned by a business: Land, offices, warehouses, factories, equipment, and furniture are capital assets.
capital gain
capital gain
  1. n. the increase in value of an asset above its purchase price: When the price of a stock goes up above the cost you paid for it, that is a capital gain.
capitalism
capitalism
  1. n. [U] an economic system based on private ownership, competition, and a free market: After the Soviet Union broke up, the government there began to move from communism toward capitalism. -adj. capitalistic . See: communism; socialism.
    THESAURUS
    capitalism free enterprise, private enterprise. Ant. socialism.
capitalist
capitalist
  1. n. a wealthy person, esp. one who loans money to businesses for interest payments,
    THESAURUS
    an investor
capitalization
capitalization
  1. n. [U] the value of the stock shares in a company: The capitalization of that company is $10 million.
capitalize
capitalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 to provide a business with capital (money): The bank capitalized the new business with $10 million.
    2 phrasal v. insep. to capitalize on s.t.: to take advantage of an opportunity: She started a successful store, then capitalized on its success by opening more of them in other cities.
    3 to make a letter uppercase: Don't forget to capitalize the first letter of an English sentence.
capitol
capitol
  1. n.
    1 the building in which the governing body of a state meets: Elected representatives discussed new laws in the capitol.
    2 the Capitol: the building where the Congress of the USA meets in Washington, DC See: capital (1), USAGE NOTE.
capitulate
capitulate
  1. v.frml. [I] -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 to surrender on agreed terms: The owners capitulated to the workers' demands by giving them a 5% pay increase.
    2 to give up, stop resisting,
    THESAURUS
    to acquiesce: She finally capitulated and agreed to go to the party. -n. [C;U] capitulation.
cappuccino
cappuccino
  1. n. a frothy, Italian-style coffee drink: I love cappuccino with pastries for breakfast.
caprice
caprice
  1. n.frml. [C;U]
    1 a foolish change of behavior, usu. without a good reason
    2 a sudden desire to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    a whim: They went on an unplanned trip to the mountains as a caprice last weekend.
capricious
capricious
  1. adj.frml.
    1 doing s.t. unexpected, (syns.) undependable, unreliable: He changes his mind in a capricious manner.
    2 changing frequently: The weather has been capricious this winter; one day it is cold and rainy, the next day it is hot and sunny. -adv. capriciously.
capsize
capsize
  1. v. [I;T] -sized, -sizing, -sizes to tip over: The ship capsized and sank in the storm.
capsule
capsule
  1. n.
    1 a dose of medicine contained inside a soft, clear, usu. rounded coating: Capsules dissolve in your stomach, releasing the medicine.
    2 the part of a vehicle that usu. contains people and/or special equipment for air or space flight: a space capsule —adj. small, short, or brief: She gave a capsule summary of the long report.
    THESAURUS
    capsule
    1 a pill, tablet.
captain
captain
  1. n.v. [T]
    1 the top officer in command of a ship: The captain went on board his ship.
    2 in the USA, a military officer rank in the Army, Air Force, or Marines, below major and above first lieutenant; in the Navy, below rear admiral and above commander
    3 general head of a group or team: The captain of the football team encouraged the players.
    THESAURUS
    captain
    1 the skipper
    3 a leader, boss, chief. Ant. a follower.
caption
caption
  1. n.v. [T] an explanation written above, below, or beside a picture: Newspapers have captions that name the people in the pictures.
captivate
captivate
  1. v.frml. [T] -vated, -vating, -vates to capture the admiration or love of s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to charm: Her beauty and intelligence have captivated many men. -adj. captivating; -n. captivation.
captive
captive
  1. n.adj. s.o. taken and held by force against their will, prisoner: Soldiers put an enemy captive in prison.||fig. The rock star had a captive audience.
    THESAURUS
    captive a hostage.
captivity
captivity
  1. n. [U] a condition of holding s.o. or s.t. by force against their will, (syns.) confinement, imprisonment: The zoo holds animals like lions and tigers in captivity.
captor
captor
  1. n. s.o., such as a police officer or a soldier, who captures another: His captors are enemy soldiers.
capture
capture
  1. v. [T] -tured, -turing, -tures
    1 to take s.o. or s.t. by force: The police captured a criminal.
    2 to hold the attention of: The thought of going to the moon captured her imagination.
    3 to preserve information: Cameras capture special memories. —n. [U] an act of capturing s.o. or s.t.: The capture of the criminal involved a fight.
    THESAURUS
    capture
    1 to seize, trap, arrest
    2 to catch
    3 to catch. Ant. to release.
car
car
  1. n.
    1 an automobile: I drive my car to work every day.
    2 a vehicle that runs on tracks or wires: a railroad car, a subway car, a cable car, an elevator car
    THESAURUS
    car an auto, motor vehicle | convertible, station wagon, SUV.
car pool
car pool
  1. n.v. [T] a travel arrangement to and from work (school, etc.) in which the riders share a car and travel expenses: My high-school son car pools to school with two of his friends.
car wash
car wash
  1. n. washes a business where cars are washed, polished, etc.: We took our car to the car wash to have it cleaned and waxed.
caramel
caramel
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a candy made with sugar, butter, and milk or cream: Caramel candy is smooth, rich, and chewy.
    2 burnt sugar used as a flavoring in cooking
carat
carat
  1. n. a measurement of the weight of precious stones (diamonds, rubies, etc.) or gold equal to 200 milligrams: Her diamond is five carats. See: karat.
caravan
caravan
  1. n. a group of people making a trip together: A caravan of merchants and their camels crossed the desert.
carbohydrate
carbohydrate
  1. n. any of a group of nutrients, such as sugar and starch, that provide the body with energy: Grains and fruits are high in carbohydrates.
carbon
carbon
  1. n. [U] the chemical element found in coal, graphite, and diamonds: The black lead in pencils is made of soft carbon.
carbon copy
carbon copy
  1. n. -ies
    1 a duplicate copy of s.t. made with carbon paper: He made carbon copies of the company's reports in the 1970s; today he uses a copy machine.
    2 s.t. that looks just like s.t. else,
    THESAURUS
    an imitation: His style of playing tennis is a carbon copy of his teacher's. See: carbon paper; photocopy.
carbon dioxide
carbon dioxide
  1. n. [U] a gas with no color, taste, or smell, formed when people and animals exhale, and used in fire extinguishers and carbonated drinks: About 1% of the air around the earth is made up of carbon dioxide.
carbon monoxide
carbon monoxide
  1. n. an extremely poisonous gas with no color, taste, or smell, and occurring esp. in the exhaust from gasoline engines: Breathing too much carbon monoxide can kill a person in a few minutes.
carbon paper
carbon paper
  1. n. [U] a paper covered on one side with dry ink and put between pieces of paper to make duplicate copies of written documents: Before photocopy machines, carbon paper was used to make copies.
carbonated
carbonated
  1. adj. containing carbon dioxide gas bubbles: Soft drinks, like Coca-Cola™, are carbonated. See: fizz.
carburetor
carburetor
  1. n. a device on an engine that mixes fuel and air so the engine can burn it: When the carburetor is not working, a car won't run.
carcass
carcass
  1. n. -casses the body of a dead animal: Lions fed on the carcass of a zebra.
card
card
  1. n.
    1 a piece of stiff paper or plastic used for many purposes, such as a credit card, business card, greeting card, or postcard
    2 a playing card: There are 52 cards in a deck.
    3 fig. a person who makes others laugh: He is always joking; he's a card.
    4 a piece of lined paper for keeping score in a game or sport: At the end of play, the golfer handed in her card.
    5 to lay one's cards on the table: to say what one thinks, reveal all, be frank: After many meetings, she finally laid her cards on the table and offered me the job. —v. slang [T] to be carded: to be asked to prove that one is old enough to drink, usu. at a bar: If you're carded at a bar, you must show an I.D. card such as a driver's license to prove your age.
    THESAURUS
    card
    3 a comedian, joker, funny person.
cardboard
cardboard
  1. n.adj. [U] flat, stiff, thick paper: The gift arrived in a cardboard box.
cardiac
cardiac
  1. adj. related to the heart
cardiac arrest
cardiac arrest
  1. n. [C;U] heart failure,
    THESAURUS
    a heart attack: The man died of cardiac arrest.
cardigan
cardigan
  1. n. a type of long-sleeved sweater that buttons up the front: He wears a wool cardigan in winter.
cardinal
cardinal
  1. n.
    1 a Roman Catholic clergyman ranking below the Pope: Cardinals from all over the world meet in Rome.
    2 a red songbird common in North America —adj.
    1 related to numbers used in counting: Some cardinal numbers are 1, 2, 3, and 200.
    2 of great importance: This is a matter of cardinal importance. See: ordinal.
cardiology
cardiology
  1. n. [U] medical treatment or study of the heart and its disease
care
care
  1. v. cared, caring, cares
    1 [I;T] to worry about the well-being of others: She cares about everyone; she is interested in and concerned about people.||He doesn't care about anyone but himself.
    2 [I;T] to be concerned about s.t.: She cares about the quality of her work.||I really want to buy that car; I don't care if it costs too much!
    3 not to care for: not to like or love: (love) I don't care for her.||(like) He doesn't care for carrots or beans.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to care for s.o. or s.t.: to look after s.o.'s health: When she was sick, he cared for her day and night.
    5 to not care less: to not care at all: He is such a bad manager; I could not care less if he leaves the company. —n.
    1 [U] concern for others: He shows care for every one of his children.
    2 [U] supervision of s.o.'s health or well-being: The nurses and doctors took good care of me in the hospital.
    3 [U] close attention: She did her school report with great care.
    4 concern not to damage: You should handle those dishes with care.
    5 to take care: a. to be careful: Take care not to break any glasses. b. to stay safe and well: I will talk to you again tomorrow; take care (of yourself).
    6 to take care of: to do, handle, or solve: I'll take care of the problem myself. -adj. caring.
    THESAURUS
    care v.
    1 to feel concerned about
    2 to worry about s.t., take pains with. Ants. to hate, put (s.o. or s.t.) down.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 kindness
    2 pay close attention to s.o.
    3 thought, precision, attention to detail
    4 gentleness.
careen
careen
  1. v. [I] to go fast and usu. out of control: The car careened down the hill and hit a wall.
career
career
  1. n. a life's work, esp. in business or in a profession: I have a great career. I teach high school English.
    THESAURUS
    career one's profession, occupation, job.
carefree
carefree
  1. adj. without worry or cares: He always seems happy; he has a carefree attitude.
careful
careful
  1. adj.
    1 being aware of danger, cautious: Be careful when you cross the street.
    2 attentive to detail: He was very careful to say exactly what he meant in his report.
    3 good with money: She is very careful; she never goes out to restaurants for dinner, and always takes the bus instead of a taxi. -adv. carefully; -n. [U] carefulness.
    THESAURUS
    careful adj.
    1 watchful, alert, wary
    2 thorough, meticulous | well-organized
    3 frugal, thrifty. Ant. careless.
careless
careless
  1. adj.
    1 not caring enough about danger: She is careless when she drives a car.
    2 not caring enough about detail, sloppy: That report is full of mistakes; he did a careless job on it.
    3 thoughtless: That was careless of you to make a joke about cancer, since her mother died of cancer. -adv. carelessly; -n. carelessness.
    THESAURUS
    careless adj.
    1 reckless, heedless, uncaring. Ants. cautious, careful.
    2 slapdash | messy,
    THESAURUS
    inaccurate. Ants. careful, methodical.
    THESAURUS
    3 insensitive, inconsiderate. Ants. sensitive, considerate, thoughtful.
caress
caress
  1. n. -resses a gentle touch or pat, showing affection: She gave the baby a caress on the cheek. —v. [T] -ressed, -ressing, -resses to rub lightly or pat tenderly: He caressed her shoulders with his hands.

    USAGE NOTE: Compare caress, massage, and rub, which are all ways of touching people. A caress is a soft touch to show s.o. that he or she is liked or loved. A massage is a firm squeezing of muscles, often used to make painful muscles feel better: The athlete massaged her sore leg. Rub is a way of touching in which the hand is moved back and forth firmly and regularly: The child rubbed her eyes because she was tired.||The cat rubbed against his legs.
caretaker
caretaker
  1. n.
    1 a person who takes care of a piece of property,
    THESAURUS
    a custodian: Large houses often have a caretaker who does the gardening and repairs.
    2 a person who does a job temporarily until s.o. permanent takes over
careworn
careworn
  1. adj. tired from worry, or showing signs of worry and tiredness,
    THESAURUS
    haggard: He is careworn from all the trouble in his life.
carfare
carfare
  1. n. money to pay for rides on subways, buses, taxis, etc.: Make sure you take enough money for carfare.
cargo
cargo
  1. n. -goes or -gos [C;U] goods usu. in large amounts, freight: Cargo is carried on ships, airplanes, and trucks.
    THESAURUS
    cargo n. a load, shipment.
caribou
caribou
  1. n. -bou or -bous a large reindeer of North America
caricature
caricature
  1. n. [C;U] -tured, -turing, -tures
    1 a drawing or imitation of s.o. or s.t. that exaggerates distinctive features, either as a joke or to point out faults: Cartoonists in the USA like to draw caricatures of the Presidents.
    2 an imitation so poor that it is laughable: She tries to dress and act like that movie star, but the result is so funny; it's a caricature.
carload
carload
  1. n. a full load of cargo on a truck or train: That truck is carrying a carload of coal.
carnage
carnage
  1. n. [U]
    1 the killing of many people or animals,
    THESAURUS
    a massacre
    2 the dead bodies of a massacre: The carnage after the battle was horrifying.
carnal
carnal
  1. adj.frml. related to bodily or worldly desires, esp. related to sex,
    THESAURUS
    sensual: To have carnal knowledge of s.o. means to have had sex with that person.
carnation
carnation
  1. n. a sweet-smelling, long-stemmed flower with white, red, yellow, or pink blossoms: He wore a red carnation in the buttonhole of his suit.
carnival
carnival
  1. n.
    1 a celebration with singing, dancing, and usu. a parade, festival: The carnival in Rio in Brazil is world-famous.
    2 a group of entertainers, including salespeople and amusement rides, that goes from place to place: The carnival is coming to town next week. See: festival.
    THESAURUS
    carnival n.
    1 a street party, fair, festivities
    2 a fair.
carnivore
carnivore
  1. n. an animal that eats meat to live: Lions are carnivores who like to eat zebras. -adj. carnivorous.
carol
carol
  1. n.v. [I] -oled or -olled, -oling or -olling, -ols a song of joy and praise, esp. for Christmas: We sang carols in church.
carouse
carouse
  1. n.v. [I] -roused, -rousing, -rouses to have a good time, esp. to drink heavily: They caroused all night, going from one bar to another. -n. carouser.
carousel
carousel
  1. n. See: merry-go-round.
carpal
carpal
  1. adj. (in medicine) related to the wrist: She has a carpal injury and moves her wrist with difficulty.
carpenter
carpenter
  1. n. a person who earns a living by making and building things with wood: A team of 12 carpenters built that house. -n. [U] carpentry.
carpet
carpet
  1. n. [C;U] a floor covering of woven fabric or other material,
    THESAURUS
    a rug: The carpet needs cleaning; someone dropped food on it. —v. [T] to cover with or as if with a carpet: The field was carpeted with flowers.
carrel
carrel
  1. n. a desk in a library used for quiet, individual study: I am studying at a carrel on the third floor of the library.
carriage
carriage
  1. n.
    1 [C] a wooden, four-wheeled vehicle: Long ago, people traveled in horse-drawn carriages.
    2 [C] a four-wheeled vehicle for a baby, pushed by s.o. on foot: He put the baby in her carriage and took her for a walk.
    3 [U] the manner of carrying one's head and body, (syns.) posture, bearing: She is very graceful; she has excellent carriage.
    4 [C] a part of a machine that moves another part: The carriage in my old typewriter holds the roller that moves the paper.
    5 [U] old usage the cost of carrying,
    THESAURUS
    the transport charge: Carriage for that item will be $12.
carrier
carrier
  1. n.
    1 a means of transportation, esp. by truck, airline, or railroad: We used a trucking company as the carrier to ship our products.
    2 a person or animal that is not ill from a disease, but gives it to others: Some mosquitoes are carriers of malaria.
    3 a warship that carries aircraft,
    THESAURUS
    an aircraft carrier: A dozen fighter jets took off from the aircraft carrier.
carrion
carrion
  1. n. [U] the flesh and bones of a dead animal that is unfit for human food: After the lion ate the zebra, birds fed on the carrion.
carrot
carrot
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a plant whose orange-colored root is eaten as a vegetable
    2 fig. a reward offered, often falsely, to get s.o. to do s.t.: The director waved a carrot in front of the young actress by telling her that he would make her famous if she took a role in his horror movie.
carry-on
carry-on
  1. adj. describing a bag that is carried on an airplane, bus, etc., instead of being stored in the luggage compartment: I took two small bags as carry-on luggage on my plane trip.
carry
carry
  1. v. [T] -ried, -rying, -ries
    1 (syns.) to transport, bring, take s.o. or s.t. somewhere: The bus carries people to work. The bus transports people to work.||The diplomat carried a letter from the President to the Prime Minister. The diplomat brought (or) took a letter from etc.
    2
    THESAURUS
    to support, esp. a heavy load: Those thick wires carry the weight of that bridge. Those thick wires support the weight of that bridge.
    3 (syn.) to bring s.t. (along) with one: She always carries her purse. She always carries her purse (or) brings her purse along with her.
    4 (syn.) to influence s.o.: Management always listens to her; her opinions carry a lot of weight with them. Management always listens to her; her opinions influence them a lot.
    5
    THESAURUS
    to include, esp. a guarentee, warranty, or penalty: That car carries a five-year warranty. That car includes a five-year warranty.||The parking ticket carries a $50 fine. The parking ticket includes a $50 fine.
    6
    THESAURUS
    bear, esp. worries: He is very sick; he carries a heavy load on his shoulders. He is very sick; he bears a heavy load on his shoulders.
    7 (syns.) to win, convince s.o., esp. voters: In the election, the President carried the South. In the election, the President won the South.
    8 (syns.) to move, walk (one's body in a certain way): She carries herself with poise. She walks with poise.
    9 to become or get carried away: to do too much of s.t. and lose control of oneself: He got carried away and talked for hours.
    10 phrasal v. sep. [T] to carry s.o. through: to help s.o. to do s.t. despite trouble, illness, etc.: Her friends and family carried her through her breakdown, they were a great support to her.
    11 phrasal v. sep. [T] to carry s.t. forward or over: a. to move ahead: We carried our plans forward and started the new project. b. (in accounting) to move money into a later time period
    12 phrasal v. sep. [T] to carry s.t. off: a. to take away: The thief carried off the TV.||He carried it off. b. to succeed: Despite the bad weather, we still carried off the family picnic.
    13 phrasal v. sep. to carry s.t. on: a. [T] s.t.: to bring s.t. on: She carried her bag on the airplane. b. [I] s.t.: to continue an activity despite an interruption or change: Ms. Valdez told her assistant, Mr. Khan, to carry on while she was away. c. [I] (with s.o.): to conduct a love affair: They have carried on an affair for years. d. [I] to flirt: Ed and Nora carry on during coffee breaks. e. [I] to behave badly: As soon as their parents left, the children began to carry on.
    14 phrasal v. sep. [T] to carry s.t. out: a. to remove s.t.: He carried his groceries out of the supermarket. b. to do s.t. completely,
    THESAURUS
    to fulfill: She carried out her plans to get a divorce.||She carried them out. —n. the distance traveled by a voice, ball, bullet, etc.
carryout
carryout
  1. n. [U] a restaurant meal that is packaged and carried out to eat at home, (syns.) take-out: That Chinese restaurant does a lot of carryout business.
carryover
carryover
  1. n. (in accounting) money that is transferred to a later time period: That debt is a carryover from last year.
cart
cart
  1. n. a small, light vehicle: Shopping carts are pushed by hand. —v. [T]
    1 to carry s.t. by hand, cart, truck, etc.: Trucks carted garbage to the dump.
    2 to carry s.t. heavy in a rough or awkward manner: I had to cart my luggage from one end of the airport to the other.
carte blanche
carte blanche
  1. n. [U] (French for) freedom to do whatever needs to be done, esp. with authority and money: Her company gave her carte blanche to start a new project; she has carte blanche to spend whatever she needs to spend.
cartel
cartel
  1. n. a group of companies working together to control prices and markets: The oil cartel controls the prices of crude oil.
cartilage
cartilage
  1. n. [C;U] a tough but flexible substance found in parts of the body: Parts of our ears and nose are made of cartilage.
cartography
cartography
  1. n. [U] the art and science of making maps: He learned cartography at the university. -n. cartographer.
carton
carton
  1. n. a container made of stiff, usu. thick paper or cardboard: I bought a carton of milk.
cartoon
cartoon
  1. n.v. [I;T]
    1 a picture or group of pictures, often with words, drawn to make people laugh: I like to look at the cartoons in the morning newspaper.
    2 a short usu. funny film containing animated characters. -n. cartoonist.
    THESAURUS
    cartoon n. comics, a comic strip.
cartridge
cartridge
  1. n.
    1 a bullet with gun powder inside a round, metal case: She loaded the cartridges into the gun.
    2 a small, removable container in a larger device: I changed the ink cartridge in my ballpoint pen.||The film for some cameras comes in a cartridge.
cartwheel
cartwheel
  1. n.
    1 a jump in which one puts one's hands on the ground and one's legs in the air and turns sideways in a circle, moving like a wheel: Many children learn to do cartwheels in gym class.
    2 to turn cartwheels: to feel delighted, joyful: When he heard the good news, he turned cartwheels.
carve
carve
  1. v. carved, carving, carves
    1 [I;T] to cut (meat, vegetables) into pieces: She carved the turkey at the table.
    2 [T] to shape s.t. by cutting it with artistry and exactness, sculpt: She carves jewelry out of precious stones.
    3 [T] to cut designs, letters, etc., into the surface of s.t.: He carved his name on the tree.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to carve s.t. up: to divide s.t., esp. in order to favor oneself: After their father died, the children carved up the family business.||They carved it up. -n. carver.
    THESAURUS
    carve
    1 to slice, cut up
    2 to fashion
    3 to engrave.
carving
carving
  1. n. [C;U] an art object that has been carved: There is a wood carving of a man's head on my table.
cascade
cascade
  1. v. [I] -caded, -cading, -cades to fall fast and steeply: After a rainfall, water cascades down from the mountains. —n. a steep waterfall, often one in a series of waterfalls
case study
case study
  1. n. -ies a study in detail of a person or event for its educational value, esp. in business and medicine: A case study of the family showed that they all had too much fat in their diet.
casework
casework
  1. n. [U] (in social work) working to solve the problems of a specific person (case): Casework with the elderly man involved helping him with his health and rent. -n. caseworker.
cash
cash
  1. n. [U]
    1 paper currency, such as dollar bills, and metal coins used in making daily purchases: I am going to the bank to get some cash.||Will you pay in cash or by credit card? ||I will pay cash.
    2 (in business) money in a company's bank account(s) that can be used to pay bills —v. cashes
    1 [T] to exchange a check for currency: I cashed a $100 check at the bank.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [I] to cash in (on s.t.): to make a lot of money: He bought some houses at low prices and waited for their value to go up; then he cashed in.
    3 to cash in one's chips: to stop investing or gambling: She bought stocks for 10 years, then cashed in her chips.
cash bar
cash bar
  1. n. a bar where drinks are paid for by each person rather than being for free, usu. at a big party: Our company paid for the dinner, but we had a cash bar before the meal.
cash cow
cash cow
  1. n. a highly profitable business or product: Ivory Soap™ sells all over the world and is a cash cow for its manufacturer.
cash flow
cash flow
  1. n. [U] the amount of money coming into a person's, a business's, or an institution's account(s), minus the amount of money being spent: The cash flow in our company is good, because we take in much more money than we spend.
cashew
cashew
  1. n.
    1 a tree of the tropical Americas that produces curved edible nuts
    2 the nut itself: Cashews are shaped like the letter "C".
cashier
cashier
  1. n. a person responsible for accepting payment from customers in a store, restaurant, etc.: The cashiers at the supermarket ring up sales, take your money, and give you change. See: teller.
cashmere
cashmere
  1. n.adj. [U]
    1 wool from a type of goat found in Kashmir and Tibet
    2 the cloth made from this wool: Cashmere sweaters are soft and expensive.
casing
casing
  1. n. a covering around s.t.: The electric wires in the wall have a protective metal casing around them.
cask
cask
  1. n. a type of barrel, esp. made of wood: Wine casks sit in rows in the wine cellar.
casket
casket
  1. n. a box-shaped container for burying the dead,
    THESAURUS
    a coffin: Six men carried the casket into the church.
casserole
casserole
  1. n.
    1 [C] a deep dish for baking and serving mixed foods
    2 [C;U] the food contents of a casserole: We had a casserole of pasta and cheese.
cassette
cassette
  1. n. a container (cartridge) with photographic tape or sound tape used to record or play back sights or sounds: I put a cassette in the tape player and listened to some jazz. -n. cassette player.
cast iron
cast iron
  1. n. [U] a hard metal often used in making heavy cooking pots and pans —adj. cast-iron
    1 not to be changed,
    THESAURUS
    rigid: This is a cast-iron rule.
    2 a cast-iron stomach: the ability to eat almost anything without trouble: He eats hot, spicy food every day; he must have a cast-iron stomach.
castanets
castanets
  1. n.pl. a musical instrument made of a pair of ivory or hardwood shells, held in one hand by a cord or ribbon over the thumb: The Spanish dancer clicked her castanets in rhythm to the music.
castaway
castaway
  1. n. a person from a wrecked ship, forced to live in a strange land: The castaways swam ashore to a deserted, tropical island.
caste
caste
  1. n. [C;U] a social class of people, membership in which is passed from parents to children: She belongs to the highest caste in India, the Brahmins.
castigate
castigate
  1. v.frml. [T] -gated, -gating, -gates to criticize or punish severely,
    THESAURUS
    to rebuke: A judge castigated a vicious criminal and sent him to jail. -n. [U] castigation.
casting
casting
  1. n.
    1 [C] s.t. shaped in a mold: Workers poured metal in a mold and made castings of little statues.
    2 [U] the selection of actors for a play, film, etc.: She is in charge of casting for the new film.
castle
castle
  1. n.
    1 a large building or group of buildings with thick walls and other defenses against attack: Europe has many old castles.
    2 fig. a place of peace, privacy, and comfort: "A man's home is his castle."
    3 a playing piece in chess, shaped like the tower on a castle
    THESAURUS
    castle n.
    1 a palace, fortress.
castoff
castoff
  1. n.adj. anything cast aside as useless or unwanted: She wears castoff clothes unwanted by others.
castor oil
castor oil
  1. n. [U] a thick oil made from seeds of the castor tree, used to reduce friction (lubricate) or to help empty the bowels: He took a teaspoon of castor oil to help clean out his digestive system.
castrate
castrate
  1. v. [T] -trated, -trating, -trates to remove the sex organs, esp. of a male: Animal doctors sometimes castrate male horses. -n. [C;U] castration.
casual
casual
  1. adj.
    1 informal: In the summer, people dress in casual clothes, like T-shirts and shorts.
    2 not very serious, relaxed, slang laid back: He has a casual attitude toward his work. -adv. casually; -n. [U] casualness.
    THESAURUS
    casual adj.
    1 sporty, untailored. Ant. formal.
    2 easygoing, unconcerned, low-pressure. Ant. serious.
casual Friday
casual Friday
  1. n. a practice in some businesses of dressing informally on Fridays, instead of wearing suits and dresses: On casual Friday, I wear jeans, sneakers, and a polo shirt to work.
casualty
casualty
  1. n. -ties a person hurt or killed in an accident, a war, or by epidemic disease, esp. a soldier, sailor, etc. wounded, captured, or killed in battle: We won the battle, but had several hundred casualties.
cat
cat
  1. n.
    1 a general term for a group of four-legged, furry animals with sharp teeth and claws: Cats include lions, tigers, leopards, house cats, etc.
    2 a small cat with soft fur,
    THESAURUS
    a house cat: People love having cats as pets.
    3 the cat's meow: the very best: They love their new house; they think it's the cat's meow.
    4 to let the cat out of the bag: to reveal a secret, usu. by mistake: He let the cat out of the bag when he accidentally told his wife about her surprise birthday party.
    5 to rain cats and dogs: to rain very heavily: I wouldn't go out right now; it's raining cats and dogs.
cataclysmic
cataclysmic
  1. adj.frml. relating to a violent event, such as an earthquake, flood, or revolution,
    THESAURUS
    catastrophic: The huge fire was a cataclysmic event that destroyed the town. -n. cataclysm.
catacombs
catacombs
  1. n.pl. underground passages for burying the dead: The ancient catacombs under Rome are a tourist attraction.
catalyst
catalyst
  1. n.
    1 a chemical that changes or speeds up a reaction between other chemicals
    2 a person, idea, or event that creates important changes: The invention of the telephone was a great catalyst in improving communications.
catapult
catapult
  1. n. long ago, a machine used in war to shoot big rocks against an enemy —v. [T] to throw or propel suddenly and with great force or speed: Her role in the movie catapulted her to fame.
cataract
cataract
  1. n.
    1 a disease of the eye that clouds its lens and causes blindness if not treated
    2 the cloudy spots caused by the disease: He had his cataracts operated on and can see now.
    3 a huge waterfall, or a downpour like a waterfall: The melting snow caused water to come rushing down the mountain in cataracts.
catastrophe
catastrophe
  1. n.
    1 a great disaster: Strong earthquakes are catastrophes that kill thousands of people.
    2 a great defeat, failure: The company lost its biggest customer and that was a catastrophe for its future. -adj. catastrophic .
    THESAURUS
    catastrophe n.
    1 and
    2 a great misfortune, tragedy | calamity frml. Ant. a success.
catbird
catbird
  1. n.
    1 a gray North American songbird
    2 the catbird's seat: to have choices that are very desirable: She sits in the catbird's seat because she has two excellent job offers.
catcall
catcall
  1. n.v. [I;T] a whistle or shout of disapproval or insult: The audience disliked the performance and made catcalls at the singer.
catch-as-catch-can
catch-as-catch-can
  1. n.adj. doing s.t. by whatever way is possible: We ran out of paper for the photocopier; it was catch-as-catch-can, so we used company stationery instead.
catch
catch
  1. n. catches
    1 an act of taking hold of s.t. in motion, (syns.) a grasp, snatch: One player threw the ball and the other made a good catch.
    2 a fastener: I opened the catch on the door.
    3 a hidden difficulty or unpleasant requirement: There is a catch in that contract where you have to pay all the money now, but wait six months for delivery of the product.
    4 s.t. that has been caught: The catch of the day is bluefish.
    5 a good catch: a. s.o. who is very desirable to marry: He married a beautiful, rich woman; she was a good catch. b. the prevention of a mistake: She found and corrected a big mistake in an order before it was shipped; it was a good catch.
    6 to play catch: to throw a ball back and forth between people: The children are playing catch in the playground.
    THESAURUS
    catch n.
    2 hook, clasp, lock
    3 a problem with s.t., drawback to. Ant. an advantage. —v. caught / catching, catches
    1 [I;T] (syn.) to grab (s.t. in motion): Here, catch the ball! Here, grab the ball!
    2 [I] (syns.) to overtake s.o., close the distance with s.o. else: A runner caught up with the others and passed them. A runner overtook the others. A runner closed the distance with the others.
    3 [T] (syns.) to come down with, get (a sickness): I catch a cold every winter. I come down with a cold every winter.
    4 [T] (syn.) to get (somewhere on time): Hurry, we have a plane to catch! Hurry, we have a plane to get!
    5 [T] (syns.) to capture, seize: The police catch criminals every day. The police capture (or) seize criminals every day.
    6 [T] (syns.) to trap, capture: We caught a skunk by putting food in a cage. We trapped (or) captured a skunk.
    7 [T] (syns.) to snag, hook s.t.: I caught my sleeve on a door handle. I snagged (or) hooked my sleeve.
    8 [T] (syn.) to understand: Did you catch what he said? Did you understand what he said?
    9 [I] (syns.) to close, latch: Did the lock catch? Did the lock close?
    10 [T] (syns.) to discover, find: I caught a mistake in his report and corrected it. I discovered (or) found a mistake in his repoirt.
    11 [T] (syns.) to reach, contact s.o., esp. suddenly: I caught her just as she was leaving the office. I reached her just as she was leaving the office.
    12 fig. not or never to catch s.o. (doing s.t.): to never see s.o. doing s.t. because one dislikes and avoids it: I hate carrots (TV, big cities, etc.); you won't catch me eating them (watching it, visiting there, etc.).
    13 to catch hold: to grab s.t. suddenly: The boat rolled, but he caught hold of the rail.
    14 to catch it (or) catch hell: to be punished: You are always late; you are going to catch it or catch hell from the boss!
    15 phrasal v. [I] to catch on: a. to understand,
    THESAURUS
    to comprehend: She is a bright student; she catches on to new things quickly. b. to become popular: That new product (actor, film, etc.) has really caught on.
    16 to catch one's breath: a. to begin to breathe normally: The runner stopped and caught her breath. b. fig. to rest: I've been doing so many things that I haven't had time to catch my breath.
    17 to catch s.o. in the act: to capture s.o. as he or she commits a crime: The police caught the thief in the act of robbing the bank.
    18 to catch s.o. off guard: to surprise s.o. when he or she is distracted or relaxed: The thief stole her pocketbook while she was looking in a store window; he caught her off guard.
    19 to play catch-up: to try to complete late work or catch up to a competitor: He is out of the office so often that he has to play catch-up on his paperwork all the time.
catch phrase
catch phrase
  1. n. a saying, idea, etc. in popular use: "You know" is a catch phrase in this sentence: "New York is an exciting place, you know." See: catchword; buzzword.
catching
catching
  1. adj. likely to go from one person to another, as a disease,
    THESAURUS
    contagious: I have the flu and it's catching, so stay away from me.||Her enthusiasm is catching.
catchword
catchword
  1. n. a word or phrase expressing a shallow thought, (syns.) a cliché, slogan: The man did not know how to manage a company; all that he offered was catchwords, like "Time is money." See: catch phrase; buzzword.
catchy
catchy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest lively and pleasant: She played a catchy song on the piano.
catechism
catechism
  1. n. a question and answer book used to teach the basic ideas of a religion: To understand her husband's church better, she read their catechism.
categorical
categorical
  1. adj. with complete certainty, (syns.) absolute, unequivocal: He made a categorical statement that he did not commit the crime.
categorize
categorize
  1. v. [T] -rized, -rizing, -rizes to place (things, ideas, etc.) into categories: Would you categorize the company's problems as financial? -n. categorization.
category
category
  1. n. -ries a group or type of thing (idea, problem, etc.): I place him in the category of being a troublemaker.
    THESAURUS
    category n. a class, grouping.
cater
cater
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to provide food and beverages as a business for parties: The Good Food Company catered our high school graduation party with a chicken dinner and ice cream.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to cater to s.o. or s.t.: to satisfy s.o.'s special needs and desires: He caters to his wife by buying her flowers and jewels. -n. caterer.
caterpillar
caterpillar
  1. n. a small, usu. fuzzy worm-like creature with many legs: A caterpillar turns into a butterfly or moth at a later stage in its life. See: larva.
catfish
catfish
  1. n. [C;U] -fish a scaleless, edible freshwater fish with whisker-like feelers around the mouth: I had broiled catfish for lunch.
cathedral
cathedral
  1. n. the main church in the area (called a "diocese") that a bishop is responsible for: St. Patrick's Cathedral stands tall and gray on New York's Fifth Avenue.
Catholic
Catholic
  1. n.adj. of or belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, one of the branches of the Christian religion: She is Catholic (or) a Catholic. -n. [U] Catholicism.
catnap
catnap
  1. n.v. -napped, -napping, -naps a short, light sleep: I take a 20-minute catnap in the afternoon.
catnip
catnip
  1. n. [U] a type of intoxicating herb containing an oil that some cats love to rub their noses against
catsup
catsup
  1. n.var. [U] of ketchup
cattle
cattle
  1. n.pl. cows, bulls, and oxen as a group: Cattle are raised for meat, milk, and leather.
    THESAURUS
    cattle n. pl. livestock, farm animals.
catty-cornered
catty-cornered
  1. adv.adj. at an angle, in a diagonal position: The car skidded in the snow and got stuck cattycornered in the street.
catty
catty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest saying bad things about s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    spiteful: She made catty remarks about how much weight I've gained.
catwalk
catwalk
  1. n.
    1 a narrow walkway like those on the sides of a bridge: Workers stood on the catwalk and painted the bridge.
    2 the platform where models walk at a fashion show,
    THESAURUS
    the runway: The models walked down the catwalk in very fashionable dresses.
caucus
caucus
  1. n.v. [I;T] -cused, -cusing, -cuses a meeting of a special group of people, closed to all others, for policy making, esp. in politics: The political party's caucus met to decide what issues they would concentrate on.
caught
caught
  1. v. past tense & past part. of catch phrasal v. to be caught up: a. to have all one's work done: I am caught up on all my studying. b. to be trapped in s.t.: He was caught up in the scandal (lawsuit, bad situation). c. to want to do only one thing, (syns.) to be absorbed, engrossed: She was so caught up in the project that she worked night and day on it.
cauliflower
cauliflower
  1. n. [C;U] a plant in the cabbage family whose white, densely flowered head is eaten as a vegetable: Boiled cauliflower tastes good with melted cheese on it.
caulk
caulk
  1. v. [T] n. [U] to put a type of cement in cracks: The plumber caulked the sides of the bathtub to keep water from going into the wall.
causal
causal
  1. adj. related to or being a cause or reason for s.t.: Icy roads are a causal factor in some auto accidents.
cause
cause
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a reason why s.t. happens: The cause of fire was a broken electric wire.
    2 an effort concentrated on a goal, movement: She works for a political cause against higher taxes. —v. [T] caused, causing, causes to make s.t. happen: His carelessness caused the car accident.
    THESAURUS
    cause n.
    1 the source, origin. Ant. the effect.
    2 a campaign, crusade. —v. to lead to, be the cause of, bring about.
causeway
causeway
  1. n. an elevated road or walkway: Many cars travel on the causeways over the wetlands outside of New Orleans.
caustic
caustic
  1. adj.
    1 able to burn, wear away, or dissolve things,
    THESAURUS
    corrosive: Lye is a caustic substance.
    2 humorous in a cruel way, (syns.) biting, sarcastic: She makes caustic remarks about the people she works with.
cauterize
cauterize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to close a wound by burning it shut: The doctor cauterized a mole on my nose because it was bleeding a lot.
caution
caution
  1. n.
    1 [U] concern about not making a mistake: He uses caution when he puts money into the stock market.
    2 [C;U] warning about danger: A big sign blocking the road says, "Caution! Danger Ahead." —v. [T]
    1 to warn s.o. about s.t. The street sign cautions people to be careful when crossing the street.
    2 to criticize, usu. gently: The father cautioned his son about using dirty language. -adj. cautionary .
    THESAURUS
    caution n.
    1 care, prudence
    2 beware, watch out.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to put s.o. on their guard | advise, notify.
cautious
cautious
  1. adj.
    1 careful: He has a cautious attitude about spending money.
    2 concerned about danger, wary: She is very cautious when she goes out alone at night. -adv. cautiously.
    THESAURUS
    cautious
    1 prudent
    2 alert, on one's guard. Ant. reckless.
cavalcade
cavalcade
  1. n. a line of cars, horses, or carriages,
    THESAURUS
    a procession: A cavalcade of black, expensive cars and police on motorcycles took the President to the airport.
cavalier
cavalier
  1. n.
    1 an armed man on horseback,
    THESAURUS
    a knight
    2 a stylish and well-mannered gentleman —adj.
    1 not caring,
    THESAURUS
    arrogant: He has a cavalier attitude toward people he doesn't know.
    2 free and easy, (syns.) nonchalant, offhand: This is a serious problem; stop treating it in such a cavalier manner.
cavalry
cavalry
  1. n. [U]
    1 soldiers trained to fight on horseback
    2 a military unit with armored vehicles that can move fast: The cavalry attacked the enemy with lightning speed.
cave
cave
  1. n. a hole in the ground, usu. with an opening in the side of a hill or mountain: People lived in caves long ago. —v. caved, caving, caves phrasal v. [I] to cave in: a. to fall in, collapse: The tunnel caved in on the workers. b. to stop resisting, surrender, give in: After arguing a lot, he finally caved in to her demands for money.
    THESAURUS
    cave n. a cavern, grotto.
caveman
caveman
  1. n. -men old usage humans as they first lived long ago: Cavemen lived thousands of years ago and hunted wild animals.
cavern
cavern
  1. n. a large cave: We stood in the cavern and shined a flashlight on its high ceiling.
caviar
caviar
  1. n. [U] the eggs of various fish, esp. the sturgeon: Caviar tastes salty and costs a lot.
cavity
cavity
  1. n. -ties
    1 a hole or hollow place: The explosion left a cavity in the ground.||Your intestines are in your abdominal cavity.
    2 a hole caused by decay in a tooth: I went to the dentist to have two cavities filled.
cavort
cavort
  1. v.frml. [I] to run and jump in a happy way,
    THESAURUS
    to frolic.
cayenne
cayenne
  1. n. a hot-tasting seasoning for food,
    THESAURUS
    red pepper
cease-fire
cease-fire
  1. n. a stop to shooting in a war,
    THESAURUS
    the cessation of military hostilities: The two countries agreed to a cease-fire while they discuss a peace plan.
cease
cease
  1. v.frml. [I;T] ceased, ceasing, ceases to stop an action: The government ordered the company to cease selling the bad medicine. See: cessation.
ceaseless
ceaseless
  1. adj. without stopping, continuous: The ceaseless noise from the city streets makes sleeping difficult. -adv. ceaselessly.
cedar
cedar
  1. n. [C;U] a type of tree with green needles and a reddish good-smelling wood: We have a chest of drawers made of cedar.
cede
cede
  1. v. [T] ceded, ceding, cedes
    1 to give, (syns.) to surrender, yield by necessity: After losing the war, the country ceded land to the winner.
    2 to leave to s.o., esp. in a will: He ceded the property to his nephew.
ceiling
ceiling
  1. n.
    1 the top part of a room: The ceilings in our house are covered with white plaster.
    2 an upper limit: The congress put a ceiling on government spending.
    THESAURUS
    ceiling
    2 a restriction | maximum, maximum amount. Ant. the floor.
celebrate
celebrate
  1. v. [I;T] -brated, -brating, -brates
    1 to do something special (like having a party) to mark an occasion: I celebrated my birthday with friends in a restaurant.
    2 to honor: Many people celebrate Christmas by going to church. -n. [C;U] celebration .
    THESAURUS
    celebrate
    1 and
    2 to commemorate frml.
celebrity
celebrity
  1. n. -ties a famous, living person: Popular movie stars are celebrities, recognized wherever they go.
    THESAURUS
    celebrity a star, big name.
celery
celery
  1. n. [U] a pale green plant whose crunchy, juicy stalks are eaten as a vegetable: Celery makes a crunching noise when you eat it raw.
celestial
celestial
  1. adj. of the sky or heavens: Celestial navigation uses the positions of the stars to chart the course of ships and airplanes.
celibacy
celibacy
  1. n. [U] the condition of not having sex,
    THESAURUS
    sexual abstinence: In Roman Catholicism, priests and nuns take a vow of celibacy. -adj. celibate.
cell
cell
  1. n.
    1 the basic unit of living things: Our bodies are made up of cells.
    2 a small room locked from the outside: The police put the thief in a prison cell.
    3 a unit for making or storing electricity: Some cells change chemical energy into electrical energy.
cellar
cellar
  1. n. the space below ground level under a building: We keep canned food and some old furniture in the cellar of our house.
    THESAURUS
    cellar a basement.
cellist
cellist
  1. n. a musician who plays the cello: Pablo Casals was perhaps the greatest cellist of the twentieth century.
cellmate
cellmate
  1. n. a person sharing a prison cell with another: The two cellmates planned an escape.
cello
cello
  1. n. -los a stringed musical instrument held between the knees and played with a bow: The cello produces lower sounds than the viola, and higher sounds than the double bass.
cellophane
cellophane
  1. n. [U] a clear, thin, flexible wrapping material that keeps moisture in: Meat is wrapped in cellophane to keep it fresh.
cellular
cellular
  1. adj. of the cell: Doctors must study the cellular structure of a disease in order to cure it.
celluloid
celluloid
  1. n.adj. [U] photographic film made from natural substances: Old movies were made on celluloid film.
cellulose
cellulose
  1. n.adj. [U] a basic substance in nearly all plant cells: Cellulose is important in the manufacture of paper and explosives.
cement
cement
  1. n. [U]
    1 a building material that can be poured or spread when mixed with water, then hardens like rock: That sidewalk is made of cement.
    2 a soft substance that holds things together when it hardens, glue: rubber cement —v. [T]
    1 to cover with cement: They're cementing the sidewalk today.
    2 to make s.t. firm, bind (a relationship): The couple cemented their friendship.
    THESAURUS
    cement v.
    2 to make stronger, strengthen, reinforce. Ant. to weaken.
cemetery
cemetery
  1. n. -ies a burial place for the dead, graveyard: His parents are buried in a cemetery near the center of town.
    THESAURUS
    cemetery n. a burial ground, memorial park.
censor
censor
  1. v. [T]
    1 to remove parts of printed or filmed materials that are considered offensive: School (government, church, etc.) officials disapproved of certain parts of the book and censored it.
    2 to stop publication,
    THESAURUS
    to ban s.t.: Some governments censor books that point out faults in the government. —n. a person, committee, or institution that censors: A government censor removed parts of the book. -n. [U] censorship.
censure
censure
  1. v. [T] n. -sured, -suring, -sures to disapprove of s.o. officially,
    THESAURUS
    to rebuke: The Congress censured one of its members for bad behavior.
census
census
  1. n. -suses a count of the people in a country by the government: The census is taken in the USA every ten years.
cent
cent
  1. n.
    1 1/100 of a dollar, a penny: That pen costs just 20 cents to make.
    2 fig. two cents' worth: advice given without being asked: I know that you have made up your mind, but I'd like to put in my two cents' worth.
centenary
centenary
  1. n.adj. -ries a 100th anniversary,
    THESAURUS
    a centennial: The company celebrated the centenary of its founding.
centennial
centennial
  1. n.adj. a year that is 100 years after the date that s.t. happened or began, a 100th anniversary: The town celebrated its centennial with a parade and fireworks. See: bicentennial.
center
center
  1. n.
    1 a point that is equally far from all the points on the outer limits of s.t., the middle: the center of the earth (of a target, of a crowd)
    2 the main location of some activity: Hollywood is the center for American filmmaking.
    3 a position in politics between extremes, a moderate
    4 (in sports) a player that occupies a middle position: He's the center on that football team. —v.
    1 [T] to put s.t. in a central position: She centered the picture on the wall.
    2 [I;T] to concentrate or focus around a point: Their argument centered around money issues.
    THESAURUS
    center n.
    1 the core, midst | heart. Ant. the perimeter.
    2 the headquarters, hub, focal point. —-v.
    2 to focus (on), revolve around s.t.
centerpiece
centerpiece
  1. n.
    1 a decoration placed in the center of a table: The centerpiece was a bowl of flowers.
    2 fig. the most important feature of s.t.: Cutting taxes was the centerpiece of the politician's campaign.
centigrade
centigrade
  1. n. See: Celsius.
centimeter
centimeter
  1. n. a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1/100 of a meter: One centimeter is .3937 inch long. -abbr. cm.
centipede
centipede
  1. n. a worm-like creature with many body segments, each of which has a pair of legs: Centipedes crawl along the ground.
central
central
  1. adj.
    1 in, at, near, or forming the center: That store has a central location in the town square.
    2 main, most basic or important: The Prime Minister is the central figure (or) central force in the government. -adv. centrally.
    THESAURUS
    central
    2 dominant, ruling, pivotal. Ant. unimportant.
central air conditioning
central air conditioning
  1. n. a system using a central machine to produce cool air that is spread evenly throughout a building: The central air conditioning in our house cools upstairs and downstairs.
central heating
central heating
  1. n. [U] a furnace to produce heat that is spread evenly throughout a building by pipes: Central heating makes our house comfortable in winter.
centralize
centralize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 to move to a central location: Brazil centralized its government offices from different areas into the city of Brasilia.
    2 to concentrate in one place, esp. power: The power in that company was centralized; now all decisions are made by its president. -n. [U] centralization.
centrifuge
centrifuge
  1. n.v. [T] -fuged, -fuging, -fuges a machine that separates materials with different densities by spinning them at high speed: The outward spinning (centrifugal) force of a centrifuge can also be used to create an effect similar to gravity. -adj. centrifugal.
centurion
centurion
  1. n. an army officer of ancient Rome: A centurion commanded a company of about 100 soldiers.
century
century
  1. n. -ries
    1 a time period of 100 years
    2 one of the 100-year time periods before or after the birth of Christ: Many scientific discoveries were made during the twentieth century (1901-2000). See: A.D.; B.C..
ceramic
ceramic
  1. adj. of or related to a hard, baked material usu. made of clay, used in industry and art: Square ceramic tiles cover the bathroom walls.
ceramics
ceramics
  1. n.
    1 [U] the art of making vases, pots, and other things out of clay: Ceramics is difficult to learn but fun to do.
    2 used with a pl.v. the objects themselves (vases, pots, etc.): Ceramics are on sale at the store.
cerebral
cerebral
  1. adj.
    1 (in medicine) of the brain or cerebrum: The cerebral cortex covers the two parts of the cerebrum.
    2 very intelligent,
    THESAURUS
    intellectual: Our physics professor is a very cerebral woman.
cerebrum
cerebrum
  1. n. -brums or -bra the large, front part of the brain that is involved in thinking and other conscious processes
ceremonial
ceremonial
  1. adj. involving or used in a ceremony, (syns.) formal, ritualistic: The new mayor's swearing into office was a ceremonial occasion attended by many officials.
ceremony
ceremony
  1. n. -nies [C;U] a formal event usu. with rituals (customary words and actions done many times before): The priest performed a marriage ceremony. -adj. ceremonious .
    THESAURUS
    ceremony a rite, observance.
certain
certain
  1. adj.
    1 definite, without any doubt: Are you certain you saw him leave?
    2 sure to happen: If he jumps off the bridge, he goes to a certain death.
    3 not specific, but real: She has a certain charm about her.
    4 one who is not named, but is usu. known: A certain person has been stealing cookies from the kitchen.
    5 some, a limited amount: There is a certain amount of truth to what he says.
    6 of a certain age: roughly 45-70 years old: He is a man of a certain age who has a lot of experience.
    7 to make certain: to make sure: I made certain that I had my keys before I left the house.
    THESAURUS
    certain
    1 sure, positive. Ants. uncertain, doubtful.
    2 definite, guaranteed, indisputable. Ant. questionable.
    3 special
    4 particular.
certainly
certainly
  1. adv.
    1 of course, yes: "Will you help me with my homework?"—"Certainly, I will."
    2 for sure, definitely: It is so cold outside that you will certainly freeze unless you wear a heavy coat.
    THESAURUS
    certainly
    1 absolutely, by all means, no question
    2 surely, no doubt, undoubtedly.
certainty
certainty
  1. n. -ties [C;U] s.t. that is certain,
    THESAURUS
    a certitude: With the bad weather, it is a certainty that the planes will not fly.
certificate
certificate
  1. n. a formal document that states, under oath, a fact, qualification, or promise: I showed my birth certificate when I applied for a passport.
    THESAURUS
    certificate documentation, credential, official document.
certification
certification
  1. n. [C;U] formal recognition, usu. with a printed license, of having met requirements to perform a function: He has his certification as a math teacher.
certified check
certified check
  1. n. a check stamped (certi-fied) by your bank, showing that funds have been set aside in your account to guarantee its payment: I went to the bank and got a certified check for payment on a new car.
certified mail
certified mail
  1. n. [U] in the USA, mail that is signed for by the person who receives it, using a green postcard attached to the piece of mail (letter, package) that is then returned to the sender to show that the mail was delivered: I sent an important check payment to my bank by certified mail.
certify
certify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to state formally that s.t. is true, esp. in writing: The witness signed a document certifying that what she had said about the accident was true.
    2 to provide an official document about s.o.'s or s.t.'s qualifications and rights: The State of New York certified that the secretarial school is allowed to do business in the state.
    3 to certify mail, to send mail in a special package that must be signed for by the person receiving it -adj. cert-ifiable.
certitude
certitude
  1. n.frml. [U] the state of knowing that s.t. is sure or true,
    THESAURUS
    certainty: I can say with certitude that the man has died.
cervix
cervix
  1. n. -vices or -vixes
    1 the neck
    2 the neck-shaped outer opening of the uterus, the female reproductive organ: During childbirth, a woman's cervix widens so the baby can pass through it. -adj. cervical.
cesarean
cesarean
  1. or cesarean section n. a surgical operation in which a baby is delivered by cutting open the mother's stomach and uterus: The doctor delivered the baby girl by cesarean.
cessation
cessation
  1. n.frml. [C;U] a stop to an activity, a halting: The cessation of war between the two countries brought peace.
cesspool
cesspool
  1. n. a covered hole in the ground to receive human waste (urine, feces, etc.): The cesspool is located behind the farmhouse.
chafe
chafe
  1. v. chafed, chafing, chafes
    1 [I;T] to rub together so as to irritate: My shoes are too tight; they're chafing my feet.
    2 [T] to irritate, annoy,
    THESAURUS
    to vex: The slow traffic chafed her as she hurried to work.
chaff
chaff
  1. n. [U]
    1 the outer covering of a seed of grain (wheat, oats, etc.) separated from the edible insides
    2 to separate the wheat from the chaff: to separate unwanted, useless things (chaff) from useful ones (wheat): The manager separated the wheat from the chaff by dropping unpopular products and selling only the good ones.
chagrin
chagrin
  1. n. [U] v. [T] extreme embarrassment or disappointment: He made a bad mistake, much to his chagrin.
chain
chain
  1. n.
    1 a flexible line of (usu. metal) rings or loops locked inside each other: The dog pulled on its chain but could not get loose.||She wore a pretty silver chain around her neck.
    2 a series of related things or events: The king's murder started a chain of events that led to a war.
    3 a group of stores, restaurants, etc., owned by the same person or company: That restaurant is part of a large chain; you can find it in cities all over the country. —v. [T] to limit with or as if with a chain: The owner chained her dog to a fence.||The accountant was chained to her desk during tax season.
    THESAURUS
    chain n.
    1 a leash (dogs), fetters (criminals)
    2 a succession, string
    3 a set, collection. —v. to tie, leash.
chain reaction
chain reaction
  1. n.
    1 a chemical or physical action that creates other actions
    2 a series of events in which one event causes the next: The revolution in that country set off a chain reaction of other revolutions in neighboring countries.
chain saw
chain saw
  1. n. a saw driven by a motor: Lumberjacks use chain saws to cut down trees.
chain smoker
chain smoker
  1. n. a person who smokes one cigarette after another: Chain smokers often don't live long.
chain store
chain store
  1. n. a store owned by a person or company that has others by the same name in many locations: Chain stores buy products in large amounts to offer cheaper prices.
chair
chair
  1. n.
    1 a piece of furniture with a back, for one person to sit on: We bought some new chairs for the apartment.
    2 an office or seat of authority and importance —v. [T] to be in charge of a meeting, committee, or school department: We would like you to chair this committee.
    THESAURUS
    chair v. to preside over, lead, manage.
chairperson
chairperson
  1. n. -persons a male or female head of a meeting, committee, or school faculty: She is the chairperson of the history department at the University of South Florida. -n. chairman ; chairmanship; chairwoman.
chaise longue
chaise longue
  1. or chaise lounge n. a type of chair with a long flat part to support the legs
chalet
chalet
  1. n.
    1 (French for) a Swiss mountain cabin: The sheep herder left his chalet early each morning.
    2 a country house with a sharply sloping roof: They have a chalet in the woods near a lake.
chalice
chalice
  1. n.
    1 a type of drinking cup with a stem that spreads into a base,
    THESAURUS
    goblet: Chalices are often made of gold or silver with jewels.
    2 (in Christianity) the cup used to hold the wine for Holy Communion: The priest raised a golden chalice from the altar.
chalk
chalk
  1. n.
    1 [U] a soft, white type of rock made from ancient seashells and used to make lime
    2 [U] a stick (of chalk) used for writing and marking: The teacher writes on the blackboard with chalk. —v.
    1 phrasal v. [I] to chalk s.t. up: to earn,
    THESAURUS
    to score: She chalked up a lot of points with her manager when she saved a failing project.
    2 to chalk up s.t. to experience: to learn from one's mistakes: He failed in his new store; but his friends told him to chalk it up to experience and try s.t. different. -adj. chalky.
chalkboard
chalkboard
  1. n. a blackboard used to write on with chalk: In the USA, many classrooms have a chalkboard.
challenge
challenge
  1. v. [T] -lenged, -lenging, -lenges
    1 to ask or dare s.o. to play a game or sport: I challenged her to a game of tennis.
    2 to test one's abilities: The difficult courses at school challenged his ability to make good grades.
    3 to question: The police challenged the suspect's story. —n.
    1 an invitation to play a game or sport: I accepted her challenge to a tennis match.
    2 a difficult job: She found her new sales job to be quite a challenge. -n. challenger.
    THESAURUS
    challenge v.
    1 to invite to do s.t.
    2 to try (s.o.'s ability) frml., to tax s.o. frml.
    3 to dispute,
    THESAURUS
    object to, argue with. Ant. to agree with. —n.
    1 a dare
    2 a test, trial, difficult task.
chamber
chamber
  1. n.
    1 often pl. chambers a judge's private room: Two lawyers talked with the judge in her chambers.
    2 a hall where politicians hold formal meetings: the legislative chambers of Congress
    3 an opening in the barrel of a gun, or in the body of a person or animal: He put the bullets into the gun's chamber.||The heart has four chambers.
    4 old usage a room: a bedchamber
chamber of commerce
chamber of commerce
  1. n. an association to which businesses belong in a town, city, or region: Business people talk about increasing their business at chamber of commerce meetings.
chambermaid
chambermaid
  1. n. a cleaning woman, esp. in a hotel: The chambermaids in the hotel clean the rooms and make the beds.
chameleon
chameleon
  1. n.
    1 a small lizard that can change its skin color to match the color of the things around it: The chameleon changed to green while sitting on green leaves.
    2 a person who adopts the behaviors of others around him or her: He's a real chameleon; when he's with liberal friends, he says he's a liberal, but when he's with conservative friends, he tells them he's conservative.
chamois
chamois
  1. n. chamois
    1 a goat-like animal living in the mountains of Europe
    2 a soft leather made from the skin of a chamois: He used a chamois to clean his car.
champ
champ
  1. v. to champ at the bit: a. to chew hard and nervously: Horses champed at the bit before the race. b. fig. to be impatient and eager to do s.t.: She is champing at the bit to get started on her new job. —n.infrml. short for champion: Joe Louis was boxing champ of the world for many years.
champagne
champagne
  1. n. [U] a type of wine with bubbles in it: People drink champagne to celebrate New Year's Eve.
champion
champion
  1. n. the winner of a final contest: She is the national champion in tennis. —v. [T] to support eagerly: He championed the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
    THESAURUS
    champion a victor, title holder, champ. infrml.
championship
championship
  1. n. the last in a series of contests, the winner of which will be champion: He won the championship in golf.
    THESAURUS
    championship the finals.
chance
chance
  1. n.
    1 [U] the way some things happen for no obvious reason, by accident, etc., luck: When she arrived late for her train, chance was on her side; the train was running late and had not yet left.
    2 [C;U] the possibility of s.t. happening, probability: There is a good chance that it will snow tomorrow.
    3 [C] an opportunity: I had the chance to go to San Francisco on vacation.
    4 as chance would have it: luck was (or) was not helping me: As chance would have it, my old girlfriend and my new girlfriend live in the same apartment building.
    5 by chance: accidentally: We met by chance at the library.
    6 [U] games of chance: games of luck: Some people like to play games of chance, such as cards, dice, and slot machines.
    7 on the (off) chance that: on the possibility that: On the chance that he was going to the store, I asked him to buy toothpaste.
    8 [C] to take a chance: to take a risk: She took a chance by crossing the busy street against the traffic light, but was not hurt. —v. chanced, chancing, chances
    1 [I] to happen accidentally: I chanced to run into her at the library.
    2 to chance it: to risk s.t.: I know that snow has made the roads very bad, but I am going to chance it and try to drive anyway. -adj. chancy.
    THESAURUS
    chance n.
    1 (one's) fate, fortune, destiny
    2 prospect
    3 possibility.
chancellor
chancellor
  1. n.
    1 the president of some American universities
    2 a high government official: The Chancellor of Germany runs the government.
chandelier
chandelier
  1. n. a fancy, decorative holder hung from a ceiling with metal branches for lights or candles: The crystal candlesticks on the chandelier sparkle in the light.
change
change
  1. v. changed, changing, changes
    1 [I;T] to become s.t. different, transform: I changed my life by going back to college, because doing so helped me get a better job.
    2 [T] to make s.t. different: The painter changed the color from red to green.
    3 [T] to exchange, switch: The two people changed places with each other.
    4 [T] to convert money: a. to give or receive an equal amount of money for bills or coins that are smaller: "Can you change (or) make change for a $20 bill?"—"Yes, I have two $10s." b. to give one country's money for an amount of another's: I changed my dollars into Euros at the bank.
    5 [I;T] to put on different clothes: I went home and changed from jeans to a suit.||After work, I changed into my jeans.
    6 to change hands: to have a new owner: That store on the corner has changed hands often.
    7 to change one's mind: to think differently: I changed my mind and stayed home instead of going out.
    THESAURUS
    change v.
    1 to modify, adjust, reorganize
    2 to modify, alter, turn
    3 to reverse, swap infrml.
    THESAURUS
    4 a. and b. to exchange. —n.
    1 [C;U] s.t. different, a transformation: There was a change in the weather from sun to rain (change of government, administration).
    2 [C] an exchange, switch: He removed one painting and replaced it with another, but no one noticed the change.
    3 [U] coins: I have a pocket full of change; can you give me dollar bills for these quarters?
    4 small change: a small,
    THESAURUS
    insignificant amount: The cost of operating that expensive car is small change compared with its purchase price. -n. changer.
    THESAURUS
    change n.
    1 a shift, transition, turn
    2 an alteration, revision, swap infrml.
change of life
change of life
  1. n. See: menopause.
changeable
changeable
  1. adj. becoming different,
    THESAURUS
    variable: The weather is very changeable in the springtime.
changeover
changeover
  1. n. a change (from one group of people, procedures, machinery to another): The company bought a new telephone system and the changeover from the old one to the new took two months.
channel
channel
  1. n.
    1 a television station's place on the dial and its broadcasts of news, sports, etc.: We watch the news on Channel 2 every evening.
    2 a waterway: The English Channel separates England from France.
    3 a pathway of communications: Our government opened a channel of communications with the top officials of a foreign government.
chant
chant
  1. n.v. [I;T]
    1 a short, simple song, often religious in nature
    2 a short saying,
    THESAURUS
    a slogan: "No more war! No more war!" is a war protesters' chant.
chaos
chaos
  1. n. [U] extreme, usu. violent disorder,
    THESAURUS
    mass confusion: After the earthquake, the area was in chaos: there was no electricity, roads were blocked, and there were injured people everywhere. -adj. chaotic.
chap
chap
  1. n.infrml. Brit. a man or boy,
    THESAURUS
    fellow: He's a good chap. —v. [T] chapped, chapping, chaps to dry and crack, such as the skin on lips or hands: In the winter my lips get chapped from the cold.
chapel
chapel
  1. n. a small church: At that school, students go to chapel every evening.
chaplain
chaplain
  1. n. a member of the clergy, esp. in a college or military post: The college chaplain led the church service on Sunday.
chaps
chaps
  1. n.pl. leather coverings worn over a cowboy's trousers: Cowboys wear chaps to protect their legs against scratches and bruises.
chapter
chapter
  1. n.
    1 a section of a book: I read Chapter 11 of my history book.
    2 fig. a time period: Starting a new job opens a new chapter in one's life.
    3 a local branch of a large organization: She is president of her chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
    THESAURUS
    chapter
    2 a phase, part | section
    3 a section, division.
char
char
  1. v. [T] charred, charring, chars to blacken by burning,
    THESAURUS
    to scorch: The fire in the house charred the walls and furniture.
character
character
  1. n.
    1 [U] the combination of qualities or features that make one person, place, or thing different from others: the character of a neighborhood
    2 [U] the general tendency of a person's behavior: He is a man of good (bad, strong, etc.) character.
    3 [U] honesty, moral strength: She has a lot of character; I admire her.
    4 [C] infrml. one whose behavior is very strange or funny, an eccentric: He's quite a character; you never know what to expect from him.
    5 [C] a single letter or mark used in writing: "Letter" is a word with six charac-ters.||Chinese characters
    6 [C] a person in a novel, play, or film: I didn't like the main character in that book.
    7 [U] in or out of character: like or unlike a person's usual behavior: It was out of character for her to be so rude. See: cast (1).
    THESAURUS
    character
    1 the nature | spirit
    2 temperament
    3 integrity
    4 an oddball.
characteristic
characteristic
  1. adj. typical: It is characteristic of him to say positive things. —n. a special quality,
    THESAURUS
    a trait: The ideal person for the job has these characteristics: ten years' experience and an advanced degree. -adv. characteristically.
characterize
characterize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 to describe the character of: Right now, the situation can be characterized as excellent.
    2 to be a special quality or typical feature of: writing that is characterized by its clarity -n. [C;U] characterization.
charade
charade
  1. n.
    1 a faked situation,
    THESAURUS
    a pretense: The couple pretended to be happy, but it was just a charade.
    2 pl. charades used with a sing. v. a game in which players try to guess a word described only with the face and gestures (in pantomime)
charcoal
charcoal
  1. n.adj.
    1 [U] a black form of carbon made by partially burning wood in an airless container: Charcoal can be used as a fuel, a filter, a gas absorbent, etc.
    2 [C;U] a pencil or crayon made from charcoal, or a drawing done with such a pencil: He did a drawing of a house in charcoal.
    3 dark gray: She wore charcoal pants.
charge
charge
  1. n.
    1 [C] price: What is the charge for a night in that hotel?
    2 [C] a purchase made on credit: Will you pay cash or will this be a charge?
    3 [C] a fast move forward, surge: The soldiers made a charge up the hill.
    4 [C;U] a. an ability in some substances to cause electrical events: There are two types of electrical charges, negative and positive. b. a measure of the amount of this ability in s.t.: The charge in my car battery is low.
    5 [C] a statement of blame against s.o.: a charge against s.o. in a court of law||The charge of drunk driving, if one is found guilty, carries a large fine.
    6 [C] s.o. put in another's care: The baby-sitter took her two young charges to the park.
    7 [C] frml. a responsibility, mission: As sales manager, my charge is to hire 20 new sales representatives.
    8 sing.infrml. excitement: She gets a charge out of cliff diving.
    9 to be in charge (of): to be in control or command (of): I'm leaving you in charge while I'm gone.||She's in charge of the new project.
    THESAURUS
    charge n.
    1 a cost, fee, rate
    3 an attack
    5 an allegation, accusation
    7 a requirement, role. —v. charged, charging, charges
    1 [I;T] to put a price on: They're charging $25 for these jeans.
    2 [T] to purchase on credit: I charged a new pair of shoes on my credit card.
    3 [T] to ask for payment from: The store is charging her for the glass that she broke.
    4 [T] to give s.o. a responsibility: She charged him with watching the children while she was gone.
    5 [T] to blame s.o. for s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to accuse: She was charged with drunk driving.
    6 [I;T] to rush forward,
    THESAURUS
    to surge: Soldiers charged at the enemy.
    7 [T] to put the ability to produce electricity back into s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to energize: to charge a dead battery
    8 phrasal v. sep. [T] to charge s.o. or s.t. up: a. to make s.o. enthusiastic, to excite: The football coach charged up the team to win the game. b. to fill with electricity: The mechanic charged up my dead battery.
charge account
charge account
  1. n. the right and privilege to buy things from a business and pay for them later: I opened a charge account at the department store.
charge card
charge card
  1. n. a type of credit card that must be paid completely each month: American Express offers a charge card. See: credit card.
chargeable
chargeable
  1. adj.
    1 (of an expense) capable of being charged: The cost of business travel is an expense chargeable to the company.
    2 (in law) able or likely to bring punishment: Theft is a chargeable crime punishable by time in prison.
chariot
chariot
  1. n. in ancient times, a two-wheeled vehicle drawn by horse(s): Roman soldiers rode chariots into battle -n. charioteer.
charisma
charisma
  1. n. [U] the attractiveness of a person for others; charm and appeal: That popular movie star has charisma. -adj. charismatic ; -adv. charismatically.
charitable
charitable
  1. adj.
    1 giving help or money to those who need it: He puts a great deal of his time and money into helping needy children; he is a very charitable man.
    2 of or for charity: Charitable organizations help the poor.
    3 not judging, forgiving: He was charitable in his gentle criticism of the man. -adv. charitably.
    THESAURUS
    charitable
    1 generous, kindly, compassionate. Ant. uncharitable.
    2 benevolent, humanitarian.
charity
charity
  1. n. -ities
    1 [C] an organization that helps poor people: People give money to charities to help the homeless.
    2 [U] an act or condition of giving without thinking of being paid back: He believes in charity and gives generously.
    3 [U] the act of stopping oneself from judging others,
    THESAURUS
    forgiveness: She showed a lot of charity by not saying anything bad about the woman who stole her husband.
charlatan
charlatan
  1. n.pej. a person who tricks others, esp. one who claims to have special knowledge, (syns.) a quack, fake: Charlatans trick people out of their money.
charley horse
charley horse
  1. n.infrml. a cramp or stiffness in a muscle, esp. in the leg, from injury or too much exercise
charm
charm
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the ability to please, attractiveness: She is a woman with a great deal of charm.
    2 [C] s.t. worn because it is thought to be magical: He wore a charm to protect himself from evil spirits.
    3 [C] a little ornament (figure, etc.) hanging on a bracelet: The silver charms on her bracelet jingle when she moves her arm.
    4 [C] a set of actions or words thought to produce a magical effect, a spell: The witch cast a charm on the prince to make him fall in love.
    5 to work like a charm: (of a plan, idea, etc.) to be very successful or effective —v. [T] to please s.o. with warmth and pleasantness: He charms everyone he meets. -n. charmer.
    THESAURUS
    charm n.
    1 (one's) allure, charisma
    2 a good-luck piece.
charming
charming
  1. adj. pleasing, attractive, delightful: We vacationed in a charming little village.||a charming man
    THESAURUS
    charming pleasant, appealing, sweet. Ant. dull.
chart
chart
  1. n.
    1 a map, esp. one of the oceans
    2 a display of information in the form of a diagram, graph, etc.: The accountant made a chart comparing the company's sales over the last five years. —v. [T]
    1 to record information on a chart: He charted their progress on a graph.
    2 to chart a course: to plan the way to go: The ship's captain charted a course to China.
    THESAURUS
    chart n.
    2 a graphic representation.
charter
charter
  1. n.
    1 a document from a government or other authority giving rights to others to do certain things: The United Nation's charter states its activities and powers.
    2 (the hiring or leasing of) a plane, boat, or other vehicle for special use: a fishing charter —v. [T]
    1 to officially give power to (a corporation, organization, etc.)
    2 to purchase seats as a group for special trips on airplanes, buses, trains, etc.: Our church group chartered a plane to go to Jerusalem for the holidays.
charter flight
charter flight
  1. n. an airplane rented or hired for a special trip and not part of a regular airline: We took a charter flight from San Francisco to Tokyo.
charter member
charter member
  1. n. one of the first members of an organization, club, etc.: In the 1950s, people became charter members of the American Express charge card.
chary
chary
  1. adj.frml. -ier, -iest worried about danger,
    THESAURUS
    cautious: She is chary about losing money in the stock market. -n. [U] chariness.
chase
chase
  1. v. chased, chasing, chases
    1 [I;T] to hurry quickly after s.o. or s.t. to catch them: The police chased (after) the thief and caught her.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to chase s.o. or s.t. away or off: to frighten or force away: The farmer used a rifle to chase off tres-passers.||He chased them off. —n.
    1 an act of chasing: The movie began with a police chase through the streets of San Francisco.
    2 the chase: a. hunting animals as a sport: He loves the chase. b. the animal being hunted: Hunters followed the chase deep into the forest.
    3 phrasal v. sep. to give chase: to chase after: A criminal robbed a bank and the police gave chase.
    THESAURUS
    chase v.
    1 to run after, follow, pursue.
chaser
chaser
  1. n. a milder drink taken after a strong one: She drank a chaser of water after a whiskey.
chasm
chasm
  1. n.
    1 any deep break in the earth,
    THESAURUS
    a rift: The Grand Canyon is a long, deep chasm.
    2 fig. a big difference of opinion or belief between people or nations: There is a great chasm between those two systems of government.
chassis
chassis
  1. n. chassis the rectangular frame on which a vehicle's body rests: The chassis of that car is made of steel.
chaste
chaste
  1. adj. not having had sexual intercourse,
    THESAURUS
    virginal: That couple was chaste until their marriage. -adv. chastely.
chasten
chasten
  1. v.frml. [T] to punish so as to improve: His loss of a lot of money in real estate chastened him.
chastise
chastise
  1. v.frml. [T] -tised, -tising, -tises
    1 to punish, as by beating
    2 to criticize severely: The newspaper chastised the politician for bad behavior. -n. [C;U] chastisement.
chastity
chastity
  1. n. [U]
    1 the condition of not having sexual intercourse
    2 the practice of avoiding sexual activity: Members of some religious orders take vows of chastity.
chat
chat
  1. n. casual, friendly talk: My friend and I have a little chat every day. —v. [I] chatted, chatting, chats to talk informally: We chatted on the phone this morning.
    THESAURUS
    chat n. small talk, gossip, chitchat frml. —v. to chitchat, shoot the breeze infrml.
chat room
chat room
  1. n. (in computers) a place on the Internet where you can communicate directly with people through typed conversation: I met my friend John in a chat room for people interested in world travel.
chateau
chateau
  1. n. -teaus or -teaux
    1 a French castle
    2 a large French country house,
    THESAURUS
    a manor: They grow wine grapes around their chateau.
chatter
chatter
  1. n. [U]
    1 informal conversation about unimportant matters: The teacher told her students to stop their chatter.
    2 rapid sounds made by some animals: The chatter of monkeys filled the zoo.
    3 the sound of teeth clicking from shivering in the cold or from fear —v. [I]
    1 to talk rapidly about unimportant matters,
    THESAURUS
    to jabber: At the party, people chattered about the weather and movies.
    2 to click the teeth from shivering in the cold or from fear: The winter weather makes my teeth chatter.
chatterbox
chatterbox
  1. n.infrml. -boxes a person who talks much about little: She is such a chatterbox that no one else can speak when she talks.
chatty
chatty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest inclined to talk in a friendly, informal way,
    THESAURUS
    talkative: I sat next to a very chatty man on the plane.
chauffeur
chauffeur
  1. n.v. [T] a person whose job is driving others in a vehicle: Their chauffeur drove the rich couple to the opera.
chauvinist
chauvinist
  1. n. [T] a person who believes their sex (male or female) or nation is superior to others': He regards women as weak; he is a male chauvinist. -n. [U] chauvinism; -adj. chauvinistic.
cheap
cheap
  1. adj.
    1 costing very little, inexpensive: The hotel room was cheap, so we could afford to stay an extra night.
    2 of poor quality, shoddy: The clothes from that store are cheap; they fall apart.
    3 not generous with money, stingy: Everything that he buys has to be a bargain; he's really cheap.
    4 infrml.fig. a cheap shot: an unfair, hurtful criticism: One politician called his opponent's wife an alcoholic; that was a cheap shot. -adv. cheap; cheaply; -n. cheapness. See: cheapskate.
    THESAURUS
    cheap adj.
    1 low-cost, economical. Ant. expensive.
    2 inferior, substandard
    3 mean, tightfisted. Ant. generous.
cheapen
cheapen
  1. v. [T] to lower the quality of s.t.: The manufacturer used lower quality cloth in the dresses and cheapened them.
    THESAURUS
    cheapen to devalue.
cheapskate
cheapskate
  1. n.infrml. a person who is not generous with money,
    THESAURUS
    a miser: He is such a cheapskate that he refuses to tip waiters.
cheat
cheat
  1. v.n.
    1 [I] to do s.t. dishonest for gain: She cheated on her examinations; she is a cheat.
    2 [T] to take from (s.o.) unfairly: That store cheated me out of $10 on that sweater by charging me too much. -n. cheater.
    THESAURUS
    cheat v.
    1 to deceive
    2 to defraud s.o., swindle, trick.
check-in
check-in
  1. n.adj. a registration area or counter, as in a hotel or airport: The hotel check-in is in the lobby.
check
check
  1. n.
    1 [C] a piece of printed paper used as an order to a bank to pay s.o. the amount of money one writes on it,
    THESAURUS
    a bank draft: Every month, I write checks to pay my bills.||I pay them by check.
    2 [C] a type of ticket, such as for storing things: I lost my luggage claim check.
    3 [C] the bill in a restaurant or bar: The waiter handed me the lunch check.
    4 [C] a mark as with a pen or pencil, usu. (Ã), (syns.) a checkmark, Brit. a tick: I put a check by each item on my grocery list as I took it from the shelf.
    5 [C] an examination to see that s.t. is correct or in good condition: I added up some figures, then asked my coworker to give my answer a check (for accuracy).
    6 [C;U] a. a pattern of small squares b. material with such a pattern on it: Her dress was a black and white check.
    7 a stop,
    THESAURUS
    restraint: She was eating too much and now keeps her eating in check. See: checking account; checks and balances. —v.
    1 [I;T] to test to see if s.t. is correct: I checked my report for any errors.
    2 [I] to ask about: Oh, I was just checking to see how you are feeling.||I checked for messages at the office.
    3 [T] to give for safekeeping: She checked her coat in the restaurant coatroom.
    4 [T] to put a checkmark beside s.t.: I checked (off) each item on the list.
    5 [I] to agree: The printed list of items checks with what we received.
    6 [T] to stop, hold back: She was about to speak but checked herself and waited.
    7 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to check in or into s.t.: to register at a hotel, motel, airport, etc.: The tourist checked into the hotel.||She checked us in this morning.
    8 phrasal v. insep. to check into s.t.: to find out if s.t. is true,
    THESAURUS
    to investigate s.t.: The company checked into the worker's background before hiring him.||They checked into it.
    9 phrasal v. insep. [T] to check on s.o. or s.t.: to look at or investigate briefly: I checked on my facts before going to the meeting.
    10 phrasal v. insep. [I] to check out: to pay the bill and leave a hotel: He checked out (of his hotel) in the morning.
    11 phrasal v. sep.infrml. [T] to check out s.o. or s.t.: a. to look at s.o. or s.t.: Have you checked out the new teacher?||Check her out. b. to ask many questions so as to investigate s.t. thoroughly: The police checked out the man's story with witnesses before they would let him go.||They checked it out. c. (of library books, tapes, etc.) to borrow: I checked out two novels from the library.||I checked them out.
    12 phrasal v. insep. [T] to check up on s.o. or s.t.: to examine, usu. with suspicion: When the owner saw that items were missing from the store shelves, he checked up on them and found that they had been stolen. -n. checker. See: check-in; checkout.
    THESAURUS
    check v.
    1 to review, inspect, examine
    2 to inquire, look in on s.o. | call
    5 to conform with | verify, confirm
    6 to restrain, curb.
checkbook
checkbook
  1. n. a folder containing checks: When I write checks to pay my bills, I keep a list of those checks in my checkbook.
checkered
checkered
  1. adj.
    1 divided into squares
    2 marked by both good and bad luck or behavior: He has a checkered past, including time in prison but is a good citizen now.
checkers
checkers
  1. n.pl. used with a sing.v. a game played by two people, each with 12 small, round black or red pieces (checkers) moved on a board divided into squares of two different colors: Checkers is easy to learn and fun to play. -n. checkerboard.
checking
checking
  1. n. [U] the service provided by a bank to accept or pay checks: That bank does not offer checking; it is a savings bank only.
checking account
checking account
  1. n. an account at a bank against which checks can be written: I opened a checking account with a $500 deposit. See: savings account.
checklist
checklist
  1. n. a list of items reviewed by checking them off: Students in computer repair use a checklist to be sure that they have all of their equipment.
checkmate
checkmate
  1. n. a winning move in the game of chess: When players win, they say "Checkmate." —v. [T] -mated, -mating, -mates
    1 to make a winning move in chess
    2 fig. to totally block and ruin s.o.'s plans,
    THESAURUS
    to defeat
checkout
checkout
  1. n.adj. [C;U]
    1 an area for making payment before leaving a hotel or store: The checkout (or) checkout counter is near the front door.
    2 an examination of a machine before operating it: The repairman did a checkout of the copier before leaving.
    THESAURUS
    checkout
    1 a cashier
    2 an inspection.
checkpoint
checkpoint
  1. n. an area for examining identity cards: The military in that country maintains checkpoints at all border crossings.
checks and balances
checks and balances
  1. n.pl. a system in which one group limits the power of another: In the USA, the Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Executive Branch limit each other's power in a system of checks and balances.
checkup
checkup
  1. n. a medical examination of a person by a doctor: I am going to my doctor for a checkup.
cheekbone
cheekbone
  1. n. the bone below and beside each eye: She put some makeup on her cheekbones.
cheer
cheer
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to shout with delight, admiration, or support: The crowd cheered when their team scored.||They cheered for their team.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to cheer up (s.o.): a. [I] insep. to become happier: He cheered up when he heard the good news. b. [T] sep. to make s.o. feel happier: Her visit to the hospital cheered up the patients.||It cheered them up. —n.
    1 [C] a shout of delight, approval, or support: The crowd gave a cheer for their team.
    2 [U] a feeling of warmth and good spirits among people: There is a feeling of good cheer during the holidays.
    3 n.pl. cheers a toast to good health: They lifted their drinks and said "Cheers" to each other.
    THESAURUS
    cheer v.
    1 to applaud, root for 2a. to be
    THESAURUS
    comforted, be encouraged 2b. to comfort, encourage.
cheerful
cheerful
  1. adj.
    1 happy, pleasant: She whistled a cheerful tune.
    2 believing the future will be good: She has a cheerful attitude toward life. -adv. cheerfully; -n. [U] cheerfulness.
    THESAURUS
    cheerful
    1 jolly, cheery, merry
    2 positive, optimistic. Ant. unhappy.
cheerleader
cheerleader
  1. n.
    1 one who leads a crowd in cheering for a sports team
    2 fig. a leader who strongly encourages others: The company president is the cheerleader for her employees.
cheery
cheery
  1. adj. -ier, -iest showing joy or good spirits: She's always cheery on her birthday.
cheese
cheese
  1. n.
    1 [U] a solid or soft food made from the thickest part of milk: She likes Cheddar cheese.
    2 infrml.fig. a big cheese: an important person: That man is a big cheese at Empire Bank.
cheeseburger
cheeseburger
  1. n. a hamburger with melted cheese on top, served on a roll: I'll have a cheeseburger with fries, please.
cheesecake
cheesecake
  1. n. [C;U] a cake made from cream cheese or cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, etc.: I ordered chocolate cheesecake for dessert.
cheesecloth
cheesecloth
  1. n. [C;U] a cotton cloth with spaces between the threads, often used to pour foods and liquids through to catch unwanted pieces
cheetah
cheetah
  1. n. a large, fast African cat with spotted fur: Cheetahs are among the fastest animals in the world.
chef
chef
  1. n. a cook, esp. the head cook in a restaurant: The chef changes items on the menu each day.
chef's salad
chef's salad
  1. n. a salad made with lettuce and pieces of ham and cheese
chemical
chemical
  1. adj.
    1 having to do with chemistry: She is studying chemical engineering.
    2 having to do with chemicals: There was a chemical fire at a warehouse last night.||"Chemical abuse" refers to the use of illegal drugs or too much alcohol. —n. a substance made from or used in a chemical process: Many household cleaners contain dangerous chemicals. -adv. chemically.
chemistry
chemistry
  1. n. [U]
    1 the science of matter, how it is structured, and how it combines and changes: She took a course in chemistry in college.
    2 fig. a. the quality of personal relationships: There is good chemistry between the teacher and her students. b. sexual attraction: She says he's a nice guy, but there's just no chemistry between them. -n. chemist.
chemotherapy
chemotherapy
  1. n. [U] strong chemical medications given esp. as a treatment for cancer
cherish
cherish
  1. v. [T] -ishes
    1 to love most dearly: She cherishes her children and does everything for them.
    2 to hold dear in one's mind: He cherishes the idea of retiring to Florida someday.
cherry
cherry
  1. n. -ries a small, round, usu. dark-red fruit that grows on a tree: Ripe cherries taste sweet.
cherub
cherub
  1. n. -ubs or -ubim a winged child in paintings and sculptures often chubby and rosy: In old paintings, cherubs are seen floating like angels in the sky. -adj. cherubic.
chess
chess
  1. n. [U] a board game for two players, each starting with 16 pieces (chessmen) that are moved across a board divided into squares (chessboard) in an attempt to capture the other player's pieces: You have won the game of chess when your opponent has nowhere to safely move his king. See: checkmate.
chest
chest
  1. n.
    1 the front of the human body above the stomach
    2 a strong box used for storing or shipping goods
    3 a small cabinet, usu. hanging on a wall: There's some aspirin in the medicine chest in the bathroom.
    4 to get s.t. off one's chest: to say what is troubling you: He was upset about his low salary and got that off his chest by telling his boss about it.
chestnut
chestnut
  1. n. a tree and its brown nut: Many people like to roast chestnuts and eat them. —adj. deep reddish-brown: chestnut hair||a chestnut horse
chesty
chesty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having a large chest
chew
chew
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to move the lower jaw to grind (food) with the teeth: She chewed on a piece of meat.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to chew s.o. out: to criticize s.o. severely: She chewed out her assistant when he forgot to send an important package.||She chewed him out.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to chew s.t. over: to spend time thinking about s.t.: Let's chew over this idea.||Let's chew it over.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to chew s.t. up: a. to destroy by chewing: My dog chewed up my shoe and ruined it.||He chewed it up. b. fig. to waste, squander: That project chewed up too much time and money before it was finally finished.
    5 infrml. to chew the fat: to talk in a friendly way: Two friends chewed the fat about football. —n. [U] a piece of tobacco chewed in the mouth: It is very rude to spit chew on the sidewalk. -n. chewer; [U] chewiness; -adj. chewy.
    THESAURUS
    chew
    1 to nibble, eat, consume
    2 to scold, tell s.o. off, yell at. Ant. to praise s.o.
chewing gum
chewing gum
  1. n. [U] a soft, sweet substance made for chewing: She put a stick of chewing gum in her mouth.
chic
chic
  1. adj.n. [U] having an attractive, stylish look: Her little black dress and pretty hat made her look chic. -n. [U] chicness.
chicanery
chicanery
  1. n.frml. [U] trickery or deceit, usu. illegal: A politician accused his opponent of using chicanery to win the election.
chichi
chichi
  1. adj. fashionable, often in a showy way: People going to that fancy party wore chichi clothes.
chick
chick
  1. n.
    1 a baby bird, esp. a baby chicken
    2 slang a young woman: She is a cool chick!
chickadee
chickadee
  1. n. a small North American bird, esp. a light gray bird with a black cap: The name of the chickadee sounds like its call.
chicken
chicken
  1. n.
    1 [C] a farm bird raised for its eggs and meat: The chickens pecked at their food.
    2 [C;U] its meat: We had fried chicken for dinner.
    3 [U] infrml.fig. a person without courage: I asked him to go skiing with me, but he's a chicken; he's afraid he might get hurt.
    4 to count one's chickens before they hatch: to rely on s.t. that may not happen: She spent a lot of money before she knew whether her bank loan was approved; she counted her chickens before they hatched. —phrasal v. slang [I] to chicken out: to agree to do s.t., then not do it because of fear: He said he would go skiing, but he chickened out at the last minute. See: chick, 1; hen; rooster.
    THESAURUS
    chicken
    1 a hen, rooster, poultry
    3 a sissy, coward.
chicken feed
chicken feed
  1. n. [U]
    1 grain (corn, soybeans, etc.) given to chickens to eat
    2 fig. a small, unimportant amount of money: The cost of the computer equipment is chicken feed in comparison with the salaries of the people needed to run it.
chicken pox
chicken pox
  1. n. [U] a mild disease, mainly of children, with fever and itchy, red, pus-filled spots (a rash) on the skin: Our little girl had the chicken pox for 10 days.
chicory
chicory
  1. n. [U]
    1 a plant with blue flowers and leaves that are used in making salads
    2 its dried and roasted root, used in making tea or coffee: Chicory in that coffee gives it a special flavor.
chide
chide
  1. v.frml. [T] chided or chid , chiding, chides to criticize s.o. to improve their behavior,
    THESAURUS
    to reprimand: The mother chided her son about the necessity of washing his hands before eating.
chief
chief
  1. n. the top person in an organization: The leader of a Native American tribe is known as the chief. —adj. most important: What is that country's chief export?
    THESAURUS
    chief the boss, leader, head.
    THESAURUS
    —adj. main, leading, principal.
chiefly
chiefly
  1. adv.
    1 most importantly, especially: We are chiefly concerned for your safety.
    2 mostly but not completely: This fruit drink is chiefly made from apple juice.
chieftain
chieftain
  1. n. the head of a tribe or tribal nations, a chief: Chieftains met to discuss peace among their tribes.
chiffon
chiffon
  1. n. [U] a light cloth made of thin silk or rayon: That pretty scarf is made of chiffon.
child
child
  1. n. children
    1 a very young person, who is no longer a baby but not yet an adolescent
    2 a son or daughter: The couple has three children, all married and in their thirties now.
    3 a person with a bad temper or little experience: When the company's owner does not get what he wants, he behaves like a child.
    4 frml. with child: pregnant: She is with child now.
    THESAURUS
    child
    1 a youngster, youth, kid. Ant. an adult.
    2 an offspring.
child's play
child's play
  1. n.fig. [U] s.t. easy to do: Fixing that door handle is not difficult; in fact, it is child's play.
childbearing
childbearing
  1. adj. (of women) capable of having children: At 38, she is still of childbearing age. —n. [U] an act of giving birth to a child
childbirth
childbirth
  1. n. [U] the act of giving birth: Childbirth was difficult with her first baby.
childhood
childhood
  1. n. [C;U] the period from birth to about age 13: She had a happy childhood.
    THESAURUS
    childhood (one's) youth, upbringing.
childish
childish
  1. adj. unreasonable, failing to be adult,
    THESAURUS
    immature: Oh, don't be so childish! Take your medicine! -adv. childishly; -n. [U] childishness.
childless
childless
  1. adj. not having had a child: Theirs is a childless marriage.
childlike
childlike
  1. adj. looking or acting like a child: She looked up at him with large, childlike eyes.
childproof
childproof
  1. adj. unable to be opened by a child: Her medicine bottles are childproof, so her kids cannot poison themselves accidentally.
children
children
  1. n.pl. of child
    THESAURUS
    children the youngsters, kids, youths.
chili
chili
  1. n. -ies or chili pepper
    1 any of a variety of peppers with a hot, spicy taste, used fresh or dried in cooking
    2 a dish made with beans in a hot, spicy sauce made with chili powder. See: chili con carne.
chili con carne
chili con carne
  1. n. a dish of bits of meat and often beans in a hot, spicy sauce made with chili peppers or chili powder
chilly
chilly
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 a little cold: We have chilly weather in the early winter.
    2 unfriendly: She doesn't like him and gave him a chilly hello. -n. [U] chilliness.
    THESAURUS
    chilly
    1 nippy, cool | icy, frosty. Ant. warm.
    2 unwelcoming, cool, indifferent.
chime
chime
  1. n.
    1 a set of bells, each of which makes a different note when struck
    2 an electronic device that produces a bell-like sound: I heard the chime of the doorbell. —v. chimed, chiming, chimes
    1 [I;T] to make the sound of chimes: Our doorbells chime.
    2 phrasal v. [I] to chime in: to suddenly join a conversation,
    THESAURUS
    to interrupt: The husband and wife were arguing when one of their children chimed in that it was time to leave.
chimney
chimney
  1. n. -neys the large metal pipe or hollow brick structure for passing smoke from a fire or furnace into the open air: The chimneys of that factory rise high into the air. —n. chimney sweep.
chimpanzee
chimpanzee
  1. n. a type of African ape with long arms: Chimpanzees are intelligent animals.
chin
chin
  1. n.
    1 the front of the lower jaw beneath the lips
    2 to do chin-ups: to exercise by pulling oneself up on a bar until one's chin is just above it
    3 to keep one's chin up: to keep (up) one's courage: Keep your chin up; you will do well on the exam.
    4 to take it on the chin: to suffer a bad loss: He took it on the chin when he lost all his savings in the stock market crash.
china
china
  1. n. [U]
    1 fine dishes, cups, plates, and bowls: We use our best china only for Sunday dinner.
    2 the white clay used in making fine china
chinchilla
chinchilla
  1. n. a small South American animal like a squirrel, or its soft valuable fur: a chinchilla coat
chink
chink
  1. n.
    1 a narrow opening, like a crack,
    THESAURUS
    fissure: Light came through a chink in the wooden wall.
    2 a short metallic sound
chinos
chinos
  1. n.pl. pants made of a soft, long-wearing cotton cloth: He wears chinos to school every day.
chintz
chintz
  1. n. [U] cotton cloth printed with bright patterns: Those red and yellow curtains are made of chintz.
chintzy
chintzy
  1. adj.infrml. cheap and bright: Do not buy that chintzy dress; you can see right through it.
chip
chip
  1. n.
    1 a piece of wood, paint, etc. knocked or fallen off s.t.: Chips of paint fell on the floor from the old wall.
    2 a crisp, usu. salty slice of fried food: a bag of potato chips
    3 a round piece of plastic used for money in gambling: She counted her chips before placing her bet.
    4 short for microchip, the part of an electronic device that controls it: A computer chip allows the computer to store and process information.
    5 a chip off the old block: s.o. who is very much like one of his or her parents
    6 to have a chip on one's shoulder: to be bitter or resentful and become angry easily: He has a chip on his shoulder and will argue about the littlest thing.
    THESAURUS
    chip n.
    1 a fragment, bit, small portion. —v. chipped, chipping, chips
    1 [I;T] to break or cut off a small piece or small bits: I've chipped a tooth.||The hunter chipped pieces of wood off a branch to use in a fire.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to chip away at s.t.: to reduce s.t. slowly: She chipped away at the man's authority until he had none left.
    3 phrasal v. [I;T] to chip in: to put in one's share of money: We all chipped in and bought the boss a birthday present. chip v.
    1 to crack
    3 to contribute, pitch in.
chipmunk
chipmunk
  1. n. a small squirrel-like animal with brown fur and black stripes on its back: Chipmunks like to eat seeds and nuts.
chipper
chipper
  1. adj.infrml. happy and full of energy,
    THESAURUS
    cheerful: My uncle is 80 years old and still as chipper and active as ever.
chiropractor
chiropractor
  1. n. a licensed professional who lines up people's bones, esp. the spine, with pressure of the hands: Chiropractors try to free people of back pain. -n. chiropractic.
chirp
chirp
  1. n.v. [I] a high, short, sharp sound: Birds chirped in the early morning.
chisel
chisel
  1. n. a metal tool with a V-shaped point for cutting wood or stone: Sculptors use chisels to carve statues. —v.
    1 [T] to carve with a chisel: A worker chiseled stones to fit together to make a wall.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to chisel s.o. out of s.t.: to cheat or trick s.o. and take their money: That man chiseled me out of $100. -n. chiseler.
chit
chit
  1. n.
    1 a note signed for money owed for food and drink in a restaurant or bar
    2 a printed piece of paper used as a substitute for money: That government paid its soldiers in chits, not real cash.
chitchat
chitchat
  1. n.v. [I] -chatted, -chatting, -chats [U] friendly conversation about unimportant matters: Entering the house, we could hear the chitchat at the party.
chivalrous
chivalrous
  1. adj.frml.
    1 having good manners, esp. toward women,
    THESAURUS
    gallant: That chivalrous gentleman helped the elderly lady across the street and into a taxi.
    2 related to the rules of good behavior among male nobility (knights) in the Middle Ages -n. [U] chivalry.
chive
chive
  1. n. a small, onion-like plant with long, thin, green leaves used to flavor food: I put chives in my salad for flavor.
chlorinated
chlorinated
  1. adj. treated with chlorine to kill germs: Our drinking water is chlorinated. -v. [T] chlorinate.
chlorine
chlorine
  1. n. [U] a yellowish, poisonous gas used to kill germs, in industry, etc. —adj. containing chlorine: I used chlorine bleach to whiten my laundry.
chloroform
chloroform
  1. n.v. [T] [U] a colorless, heavy liquid chemical: Chloroform can be used in refrigeration, pressured cans, and as an anesthetic.
chlorophyll
chlorophyll
  1. n. [U] the green substance in plants
chock
chock
  1. n. a thick piece of wood or metal used to block s.t. from moving: She put a chock under the rear tire while she changed a flat in the front.
chockfull
chockfull
  1. adj.infrml. full to overflowing,
    THESAURUS
    crammed: The football stadium is chockfull of people.
chocolate
chocolate
  1. n.
    1 [U] a light to dark brown candy, powder, or syrup made from roasted cacao beans: He sent a box of chocolates to his sweetheart.
    2 hot chocolate: a drink made from sweet chocolate powder and hot milk —adj. a reddish brown: He wore a chocolate-colored sweater.
choice
choice
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the power or right to choose: The choice is yours; tell us what you decide.
    2 [C] a variety of things from which to choose: The college offers a wide choice of courses.
    3 [C] s.o. or s.t. chosen: His first choice for a vacation would be Disney World. —adj. choicer, choicest
    1 special, very desirable: They bought a choice piece of property near the water.
    2 being a high grade of meat below prime meat: choice steak See: choose.
    THESAURUS
    choice n.
    1 a decision
    2 a selection, assortment, array
    3 an option, pick, alternative.
choir
choir
  1. n. a group of singers: Our neighbors sing in the church choir.
choke
choke
  1. v. choked, choking, chokes
    1 [I] to stop breathing because of a block in the air passage in the throat: He choked on a piece of meat that stuck in his throat.
    2 [T] to cut off s.o.'s air supply by squeezing the neck, strangle: The murderer choked his victim to death.
    3 [I;T] to be unable to speak, esp. because of sadness: She choked on her tears at her mother's burial.
    4 [I] infrml. to become so nervous under pressure as to fail: In the final game, the tennis player choked (or) choked up and lost by repeatedly missing the ball.
    5 phrasal v. sep. [T] to choke s.t. back: to control anger, etc.: He choked back his anger.||He choked it back.
    THESAURUS
    choke
    1 to gag
    2 to suffocate, smother.
cholera
cholera
  1. n. [U] a serious, often deadly disease of the stomach and intestines found mainly in tropical countries: Those poor people caught cholera from bad drinking water.
cholesterol
cholesterol
  1. n. [U] a slippery white crystal-like substance found in the body, including the blood and the brain: Too much cholesterol can block the blood vessels and cause a heart attack.
choose
choose
  1. v. [I;T] chose or chosen , choosing, chooses
    1 to pick (one or more) out of a greater number, to make a choice: I had to choose between two job offers.
    2 to decide: I chose to go to the movies alone.
    THESAURUS
    choose
    1 to select, decide between
    2 to opt for s.t., prefer, want | elect.
choosy
choosy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest selecting only what one wants, and often difficult to please,
    THESAURUS
    finicky: He is very choosy about what he eats.
chop
chop
  1. v. [T] chopped, chopping, chops
    1 to cut with hard, sharp blows: She chops wood for the fire with an ax.
    2 to cut into small pieces: She chopped carrots and onions with a knife. —n.
    1 a sharp blow: the chop of an ax, a karate chop
    2 a cut of meat, usu. on a bone: She had lamb (pork, veal) chops for dinner.
    3 slang the lower part of the face, jaw: He punched the man right in the chops.
    THESAURUS
    chop v.
    1 to split, chop up s.t.
    2 to slice, dice.
chopper
chopper
  1. n.
    1 a sharp metal tool for cutting
    2 slang a helicopter: The army uses choppers to carry soldiers by air.
choppy
choppy
  1. adj. -pier, -piest
    1 (said of oceans and lakes) having waves, esp. high ones: We had a rough boat ride on a choppy sea.
    2 not smooth,
    THESAURUS
    jerky: choppy movements||choppy speech -adv. choppily; -n. [U] choppiness.
chopsticks
chopsticks
  1. n.pl. two thin sticks of wood, ivory, etc., used to take hold of food and put it in the mouth: Chopsticks are commonly used in China and Japan.
choral
choral
  1. adj. having to do with a chorus or choir (singing group): She sings in a church choral group.
chord
chord
  1. n.
    1 (in music) three or more musical notes played together
    2 fig. a feeling: The sound of her voice on the telephone struck a chord (of love) with him.
    3 a straight line connecting two points on a circle or curve
chore
chore
  1. n. a boring but necessary act: I have to do the chores at home, like taking out the garbage and washing the dishes.
choreography
choreography
  1. n. [U] the art of arranging dance steps for dancers to perform: The choreography of that ballet was done by a famous choreographer. -v. choreograph ; -n. choreographer.
chortle
chortle
  1. v. [I] n. -tled, -tling, -tles to laugh softly with delight: I chortled at his funny joke.
chorus
chorus
  1. n.v. [I;T] -ruses
    1 a usu. large group of singers,
    THESAURUS
    a choir: My daughter sings in the high-school chorus.
    2 a piece of music for a chorus
    3 a part of a song that is repeated after each verse,
    THESAURUS
    refrain: The audience joined the folksinger in singing the chorus.
    4 a group of people who sing and dance together, esp. in a musical comedy: She started her career as a chorus girl on Broadway.
    5 words spoken by a group at the same time: Everyone complained all at once about the new taxes; there was a chorus of protest.
chose
chose
  1. v. past tense of choose
chosen
chosen
  1. v. past part. of choose
chow
chow
  1. n. slang food —phrasal v. slang [I] to chow down: to eat: It's lunchtime and I'm going to chow down.
chowder
chowder
  1. n. [U] a thick soup, usu. made with some type of fish, milk, and vegetable: She ordered a bowl of fish (corn, clam) chowder.
christen
christen
  1. v. [T]
    1 to make s.o., usu. a child, a Christian and/or give them a first name in a church ceremony,
    THESAURUS
    to baptize: The minister christened our son and we named him Joseph.
    2 to formally name and launch a new ship -n. [C;U] christening.
chrome
chrome
  1. n. [U] v. [T] chromed, chroming, chromes
    1 a shiny, hard, steel-gray metal,
    THESAURUS
    chromium: Chrome is used to make stainless steel.
    2 a shiny coating of chromium on metal: The bumpers on that car are made of steel covered with chrome. -adj. chrome-plated.
chromium
chromium
  1. n. [U] a basic metal that is shiny, hard, and gray: Chromium has many uses, including to harden steel and as a shiny coating over metal.
chromosome
chromosome
  1. n. the part of a plant or animal's cells that contains the characteristics that are passed on from parent to offspring: Chromosomes look like tiny threads and contain the DNA in each cell.
chronic
chronic
  1. adj.
    1 long lasting,
    THESAURUS
    persistent: She has had chronic pain in her back for years.
    2 failing to change,
    THESAURUS
    habitual: He is a chronic troublemaker. -adv. chronically.
chronicle
chronicle
  1. n. a written and/or photographic record of events as they happen —v. [T] -cled, -cling, -cles to record (historical events): Newspapers and television chronicle world events each day.
chronological
chronological
  1. adj. of the order of events as they happen over time,
    THESAURUS
    sequential: A television reporter gave a chronological description of the football game. -adv. chronologically.
chronology
chronology
  1. n. -ogies a list or description of events in the order in which they happen: That history book gives a chronology of battles in World War II.
chrysanthemum
chrysanthemum
  1. n. a plant with large, showy flowers in late summer and fall: They planted many different colors of chrysanthemums in their garden.
chubby
chubby
  1. adj. -bier, -biest fat,
    THESAURUS
    plump: Many babies are chubby.
chuck
chuck
  1. v.infrml. [T]
    1 to throw: I chucked the ball to him.
    2 to gently pat in an upward motion: He chucked the baby under the chin.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to chuck s.o. or s.t. out: a. s.o.: to force to leave: They chucked out the protestor.||They chucked him out. b. s.t.: to throw out,
    THESAURUS
    to discard: She chucked out some old shoes. —n.infrml.
    1 [C] a gentle pat in an upward motion: He gave the baby a chuck under the chin.
    2 [C] a throw
    3 [C] a holder for a tool
    4 [U] a cut of beef from the neck and shoulder
    5 [U] infrml. (in Western USA) food
chuckle
chuckle
  1. v. [I] n. -led, -ling, -les to laugh softly: He does not laugh out loud; he only chuckles.
chug
chug
  1. v.n. chugged, chugging, chugs
    1 [I] to make short, explosive sounds, like an engine working hard
    2 [I] to move while making these sounds: The train chugged through the mountains.
    3 infrml. [T] to drink rapidly, causing the throat to make chugging sounds as one swallows: He felt ill after chugging a beer.
chum
chum
  1. n. a good friend, esp. among boys — chummed, chumming, chums phrasal v. insep. to chum around together or with: to go places with one's chums: Those boys chum around with each other after school.
chummy
chummy
  1. adj. -mier, -miest friendly: They are very chummy (with each other).
chump
chump
  1. n. slang s.o. easily tricked by others,
    THESAURUS
    a fool: He was a chump to believe those lies.
chunk
chunk
  1. n. a thick piece: He cut off a chunk of meat from the roast turkey. -adj. chunky.
church
church
  1. n. churches
    1 a building for worship, esp. a Christian one: I go to church every Sunday.
    2 sing. [U] the church: the whole of a Christian institution including all its churches, members, and beliefs: the Catholic church||the Protestant church

    USAGE NOTE: Jews go to worship in a synagogue or schul, and Muslims go to a mosque.
churchyard
churchyard
  1. n. the area around a church: Part of a churchyard is often used as a cemetery.
churlish
churlish
  1. adj.frml. rude, unpleasant,
    THESAURUS
    surly: His churlish behavior annoys everyone. -adv. churlishly; -n. [U] churlishness.
churn
churn
  1. v.
    1 [T] to beat cream or milk until it becomes butter
    2 [I] to mix and move violently: Water churns under a waterfall.
    3 phrasal v. sep. to churn s.t. out: to produce in large amounts: That newspaper reporter churns out many stories each week.||He churns them out. —n. a device used to churn cream or milk into butter: a butter churn
chute
chute
  1. n. an open slide with sides,
    THESAURUS
    an inclined trough: In some apartment buildings, people throw waste down a garbage chute.
chutzpah
chutzpah
  1. n. [U] infrml. boldness without shame,
    THESAURUS
    brazenness: He had the chutzpah to ask for a raise after working here one week!
cider
cider
  1. n. [U]
    1 juice squeezed from fruit, esp. apples
    2 hard cider: an alcoholic beverage made from apple cider
cigar
cigar
  1. n. a round, wrapped roll of tobacco leaves made for smoking: Some cigars are very expensive.
cigarette
cigarette
  1. n. a round roll of finely cut tobacco wrapped in paper for smoking: She lit a cigarette.
cinch
cinch
  1. n. cinches
    1 [C] a type of belt usu. made of thick leather: The cinch on a saddle holds it tight on the horse.
    2 sing.infrml. an easy task: Passing that driver's test was a cinch.
    3 sing.infrml. s.t. certain to happen: It's a cinch that our team will win the tournament. —v. [T] cinches
    1 to tighten a belt
    2 infrml. to make secure or certain: We offered to pay what they asked and cinched the deal right there.
cinder
cinder
  1. n. a piece of burned substance (coal, wood) not completely burned to ashes: He cleaned out cinders of coal from the stove.
cinder block
cinder block
  1. n. a large gray block made of concrete and cinders, used in building: The walls of that factory are made of cinder blocks.
cinema
cinema
  1. n. the cinema: the industry of making movies: He is an actor in the cinema in Hollywood.
cinematographer
cinematographer
  1. n. a person who operates the camera in making a movie
cinnamon
cinnamon
  1. n. [U] a brown spice from Asia: The baker put cinnamon on the doughnuts.
cipher
cipher
  1. n.
    1 [C] the number zero
    2 [U] a secret code for written messages: The spy sent the information in cipher.
    3 [C] pej. a person who is not good for much of anything
circa
circa
  1. prep.frml. (used with dates) about,
    THESAURUS
    approximately: The war ended circa 1917 (or) c. 1917. -abbr. c.
circle
circle
  1. n.
    1 a closed curved line whose every point is equally far from the center: The teacher drew a circle on the blackboard.
    2 a group of people with a shared interest: a circle of friends||political circles
    3 a seating area in a theater above the main floor
    4 to go in or around in circles: to be confused and make no progress: I have been going around in circles all day trying to solve that problem.
    5 to come full circle: to return to the starting point: The company started out as a small one, grew large, then had to cut back sharply; it has come full circle. —v. -cled, -cling, -cles
    1 [T] to draw a circle around: The student circled the answers on the test.
    2 [I;T] to go around: The soldiers circled around their enemy to avoid them.
    THESAURUS
    circle n.
    1 a ring, sphere
    2 the crowd, bunch, set.
circuit
circuit
  1. n.
    1 a closed path for an electrical current: electrical circuits
    2 a route with regular stops: That truck driver makes a circuit of the stores in this area.
circuitous
circuitous
  1. adj. taking a long, indirect course,
    THESAURUS
    roundabout: We took a circuitous route to avoid driving through the center of the city.
circular
circular
  1. adj.
    1 having a round shape or design: The dancers made circular movements.
    2 marked by reasoning in a circle: His circular argument persuaded no one.
    3 infrml. the circular file: a wastebasket: I threw that letter in the circular file. —n. a printed advertising piece: A boy handed out circulars on sales items for the local grocery store.
circulate
circulate
  1. v. -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 [T] to pass around: I circulated the report to everyone on the committee.
    2 [I;T] to flow: Blood circulates in the body.
    3 [I] to move around: The hostess circulated among her guests at the party. -adj. circulatory.
circulation
circulation
  1. n.
    1 [U] the motion of s.t. about a circular path
    2 [C;U] the motion of the blood as it is pumped through the body by the heart: For an old man, he has good circulation.
    3 [C] the number of copies of a newspaper, magazine, etc., sold at one time: The circulation of the Sunday newspaper is over one million.
    THESAURUS
    circulation
    1 the flow, movement.
circumcise
circumcise
  1. v. [T] -cised, -cising, -cises to cut the tip of the skin off the human male sex organ (penis) or cut the clitoris of the female: The doctor circumcised the baby boy shortly after birth. -n. [C;U] circumcision.
circumference
circumference
  1. n.
    1 the distance around a circle
    2 the distance around the outer boundary of s.t. round or circular: The circumference of the earth is over 40,000 km (nearly 25,000 miles).
circumstance
circumstance
  1. n.
    1 a condition (fact, situation, etc.) that affects s.t. else: Icy roads and a bad storm are circumstances that may lead to car accidents.
    2 in difficult circumstances: in trouble, such as with money: He is in difficult circumstances because he has no job.
    3 under no circumstances: never, in no way: The mother told her daughter that under no circumstances is she to go out alone at night.
    4 under the circumstances: because the situation requires it: His father was having his eyes operated on; so under the circumstances, the son stayed with him until he could see. -adj. circumstantial .
    THESAURUS
    circumstance n.
    1 an event, issue, occurrence
    4 thus, therefore, consequently.
circumstantial evidence
circumstantial evidence
  1. n. [U] indirect evidence about a crime that no one actually saw happen: Police found the man's knife at the murder scene, but that was only circumstantial evidence.
circumvent
circumvent
  1. v.frml. [T]
    1 to find a way around, avoid: The company was going bankrupt and the owner circumvented the problem by getting a bank loan.
    2 to go around s.t., esp. by dishonest means: to circumvent the law -n. [U] circumvention.
circus
circus
  1. n. -cuses
    1 a traveling show of performers (clowns, acrobats) and trained animals
    2 fig. a busy, often funny situation: With 25 children at the birthday party, the house was a circus.
cirrhosis
cirrhosis
  1. n. [U] a disease of the liver that finally causes it to fail: He died of cirrhosis of the liver.
cistern
cistern
  1. n. a container or tank for holding water: A cistern in the village catches and holds rainwater.
citadel
citadel
  1. n. a military fortress in or near a city: A citadel overlooks the old city.
citation
citation
  1. n.
    1 an order to appear in court to answer charges,
    THESAURUS
    a summons
    2 praise for doing s.t. good,
    THESAURUS
    a commendation: The police officer received a citation for saving a man's life.
    3 frml. a mention or quotation of s.o. else's words
cite
cite
  1. v. [T] cited, citing, cites
    1 to issue a citation (legal summons): A policeman cited her for illegal parking (drunk driving, speeding, etc.).
    2 to honor s.o. officially: A policewoman was cited for bravery.
    3 to mention or quote as an example or authority: In his report, the scientist cited the work of other researchers.
citify
citify
  1. v. [T] -fied, Öfying, Öfies to make s.o. behave like city people with fine clothes and interests in city entertainments
citizen
citizen
  1. n.
    1 a legal member of a country, state, or city: She is a US citizen.
    2 a non-military person: ordinary citizens -n. citizenry.
citizens band
citizens band
  1. n. in the USA, radio frequencies available to ordinary citizens to communicate with each other: Truck drivers often talk with each other on their CB radios. -abbr. CB.
citizenship
citizenship
  1. n. [U] the legal status of belonging to a country, usu. including the right to vote: I had to wait five years, but I now have my US citizenship.
citric acid
citric acid
  1. n. [U] the acid found in citrus juice
citrus
citrus
  1. n. [U] -ruses
    1 a general term for trees bearing citrus fruits
    2 the fruits themselves, such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit: A lot of citrus is grown in Florida and California.
city
city
  1. n. -ies
    1 an area with many thousands of people living and working close together,
    THESAURUS
    a metropolis: Many tourists visit the city of London.
    2 the city: the part of a city where people work and shop, usu. its center: I live in a suburb and commute to the city every day.
    3 infrml.fig. fat city: an excellent, secure life with money: He has a high-paying job; he's sitting in fat city.
    4 the big city: city life with entertainment, restaurants, and bright lights: She is a city girl; she likes (the life of) the big city.
city hall
city hall
  1. n.
    1 [C] a building where a city's government is located
    2 [C;U] a center of power that will force you to do or not do s.t.: You can't fight city hall (and win); I tried for years to build a garage next to my house, but they wouldn't let me do it.
city slicker
city slicker
  1. n.infrml. s.o. who is used to the comforts of the city, and is not used to country life: City slickers go everywhere in the country during vacation.
civic
civic
  1. adj. of a city, citizenship, or a citizen: It is your civic duty to vote.
civics
civics
  1. n. [U] a branch of political science that deals with the rights and responsibilities of citizens: She took a course in civics at her high school.
civil
civil
  1. adj.
    1 of citizens in general, not religious or military: A judge married the couple in a civil ceremony at City Hall.
    2 (in law) of a citizen's rights and responsibilities: Civil courts deal with cases like divorce and business disagreements, not criminal matters.
    3 polite, esp. without being friendly,
    THESAURUS
    courteous: to behave in a civil manner -adv. civilly; -n. civility.
civil disobedience
civil disobedience
  1. n. [U] peaceful noncooperation with governmental policy and laws, as a way of saying that you disagree with them: As an act of civil disobedience, protesters blocked traffic to the capitol.
civil law
civil law
  1. n. [U] the body of law dealing with the rights of individual citizens (not criminal law)
civil rights
civil rights
  1. n.pl. in the USA, the rights of each citizen guaranteed by the US Constitution, such as the rights to vote and not be discriminated against because of race, ethnic background, etc.: The political movement for civil rights was strongest during the 1950s and 1960s. See: nonviolent, USAGE NOTE.
civil service
civil service
  1. n. [C;U] government employees and the governmental work that they do: The civil service does not include the lawmaking, military, or judicial parts of government. See: bureaucracy. -n. civil servant.
civil war
civil war
  1. n.
    1 a war between groups in a country
    2 the Civil War: in the USA, the war between the North and the South: The Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865.
civilian
civilian
  1. n.adj. s.o. who is not a member of the military or police forces, an ordinary citizen: He has left the army; he's a civilian again.
civilization
civilization
  1. n. [C;U] a high level of government, laws, written language, art, music, etc., within a society or culture: Ancient Greek civilization had important effects on Roman culture.
    THESAURUS
    civilization n. a society, culture.
civilize
civilize
  1. v. [T] -lized, -lizing, -lizes
    1 to improve the behavior or manners of, (syns.) to refine, polish: A good education civilizes people.
    2 to bring from a lower level of human social organization to a higher one
clack
clack
  1. v. [I;T] n. to make a sharp, loud sound: A worker clacked two wooden boards together to knock the dust off them.
clad
clad
  1. adj.
    1 litr. clothed: He was clad only in his underwear.
    2 suffix covered with s.t.: a copperclad frying pan See: ironclad.
claim
claim
  1. v. [T]
    1 to state s.t. as being true, esp. when there is some doubt, maintain: She claims that she has a college degree.
    2 to take possession of as a right: After the airplane landed, I claimed my luggage. See: claim check. —n.
    1 a right to s.t.: He has a claim on part of the money left by his dead father.
    2 a demand for s.t. that one has a right to: He filed an insurance claim after his car was stolen.
    3 a statement that s.t. is true: The police don't believe her claim that she knows who the thief is.
    4 infrml. a claim to fame: s.t. important about a person or place: His claim to fame is that he played professional football years ago. -n. claimant .
    THESAURUS
    claim v.
    1 to allege, assert
    2 to find. —--n.
    3 an assertion, allegation.
clairvoyant
clairvoyant
  1. adj.n. able to tell what will happen in the future: She was clairvoyant when she said that she would later marry the man that she had just met. -n. clairvoyance.
clam
clam
  1. n.
    1 a sea creature with two hard shells: In New England, many people eat fried clams.
    2 slang a US dollar: That shirt cost me 50 clams. —v. [I] clammed, clamming, clams
    1 to dig for clams
    2 phrasal v. to clam up: to shut one's mouth and not speak: When I asked him where he had heard the news, he clammed up.
clambake
clambake
  1. n. a party where clams, lobster, corn, etc., are baked and served, usu. on a beach: We celebrated the end of summer with a big clambake by the sea.
clamber
clamber
  1. v. [I] to climb with difficulty: The baby clambered onto the sofa.
clammy
clammy
  1. adj. -mier, -miest
    1 moist, damp: clammy weather
    2 unpleasantly wet: He has a clammy handshake.
clamor
clamor
  1. v. [I;T] to make loud, noisy demands or protests: Outside the factory, the protesters clamored for higher pay. —n. a loud protest: They created quite a clamor.
clamp
clamp
  1. n. a tool used to hold things tightly: I used a clamp to hold the board still while I sawed it in half. —v.
    1 [T] to put a clamp on s.t.: She clamped the two pieces of wood together while the glue dried.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [I] to clamp down on s.t.: to stop s.t., esp. by use of authority or force: The police clamped down on crime. -n. clampdown.
clan
clan
  1. n. a large group of relatives or families, usu. with the same ancestor: The Highlanders of Scotland have many clans.
clandestine
clandestine
  1. adj. done in secret,
    THESAURUS
    covert: The government carries on clandestine activities, like spying. -adv. clandestinely.
clang
clang
  1. v. [I;T] n. to make a loud sound of metal hitting metal: The heavy prison door clanged shut.
clangor
clangor
  1. n. a loud or continuing clanging sound: The clangor coming from the street woke me early in the morning.
clank
clank
  1. v. [I] n. to make a loud, dull sound of metal hitting s.t. hard, not as loud as a clang: A hammer clanked as it hit the floor.
clannish
clannish
  1. adj. loyal to family members and usu. showing dislike of strangers: That family is very clannish and distrustful of outsiders. -n. [U] clannishness.
clap
clap
  1. v. clapped, clapping, claps
    1 [I;T] to strike the hands together in approval, applaud: The audience clapped after the concert.
    2 [T] to slap with the open hand in a friendly way: I clapped him on the back and said, "Congratulations!"
    3 infrml. [T] to put or send quickly: The police clapped the thief in jail. —n.
    1 a very loud noise: I heard a clap of thunder in the distance.
    2 the sound of hands being struck together: There was not a single clap from the audience.
    3 a friendly slap
    THESAURUS
    clap v.
    1 to give a round of applause. —n.
    1 a crash, boom, crack.
clapboard
clapboard
  1. n. [C;U] a long, narrow board that overlaps with others to form the outer walls of a building: Clapboards are used to cover the outside of houses.
clapper
clapper
  1. n. the piece of metal with a ball-shaped end found inside a bell: The clapper struck and made the bell ring.
clarification
clarification
  1. n. [C;U] an explanation or correction: Government officials often issue clarifications of their earlier statements.
clarify
clarify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to make clear, explain: The student was confused and the teacher clarified the idea.
    2 (of liquids) to make pure
    THESAURUS
    clarify
    1 to make s.t. understandable, spell s.t. out
    2 to filter, purify, refine.
clarinet
clarinet
  1. n. a usu. wooden musical instrument shaped like a long, narrow black tube with a bell-shaped end
clarion
clarion
  1. n.adj. a loud, high, clear sound, usu. made by a trumpet or bugle, calling people to action:(fig.) A politician sounded the clarion call to reform the government.
clarity
clarity
  1. n. [U]
    1 clearness of ideas, writing, or situations: She speaks with great clarity on difficult matters.
    2 clearness or purity of physical things: the clarity of a diamond, the clarity (purity) of water
    THESAURUS
    clarity
    1 precision | lucidity frml. Ant. ambiguity.
clash
clash
  1. v. [I] n. clashes
    1 to hit together violently,
    THESAURUS
    to strike: the clash of armies in battle
    2 to argue heatedly,
    THESAURUS
    to quarrel: The man and wife clashed over spending too much money.
    3 to not look good with: That bright red tie clashes with his green suit.
clasp
clasp
  1. n.
    1 a fastener made of two parts that lock together: She fastened the clasp on her necklace.
    2 a firm hold of the hands —v. [T]
    1 to hold tightly: He clasped his hands together and prayed.
    2 to lock together with a clasp: She clasped her necklace.
class-conscious
class-conscious
  1. adj. aware of what part of society one belongs to: He's so class-conscious that he feels too good to associate with some people, and he worries that he isn't good enough for others.
class
class
  1. n. classes
    1 [C;U] a level in society based on money, education, and family standing: There are four social classes in the USA, namely the upper class, middle class, working class, and lower class.
    2 [C] a group whose members have at least one similarity,
    THESAURUS
    category: A motorcycle belongs to a different class of vehicle from cars and trucks.
    3 [C] a. a meeting between teacher and students for educational purposes: My English class meets at 10:00 A.M. b. the students in such a meeting: The class listened and took notes.
    4 [C] a group of students who will finish school in the same year: He graduated with the class of 1995.
    5 in a class by itself: much better than everything else of its kind
    6 slang to have class: to show high quality in appearance and manners: She always looks great and knows the right thing to say; she has a lot of class. See: classy.
    THESAURUS
    class
    1 (one's) socioeconomic group, rank, station
    2 a classification, kind, type 3a a course, lesson.
class action suit
class action suit
  1. n. a lawsuit brought against s.o. or s.t. by a group of people with the same complaint: When the chemical plant blew up and killed thousands of people, a lawyer brought a class action suit against it.
classic
classic
  1. n.
    1 an object regarded as an example of the best of s.t.: That 1950 Mercedes is a classic.
    2 a musical or literary work (novel, play, etc.) that has been regarded as important for a long time, timeless: The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a classic of American literature.
    3 pl. classics: the literature of ancient Greece, and of Rome: Homer's Odyssey is considered one of the classics. —adj.
    1 among the best of its kind: He collects classic cars.
    2 of the highest order: a classic novel
    3 typical of its kind: a classic example
    THESAURUS
    classic n.
    2 a standard, masterpiece. —adj.
    1 superior, excellent, top-notch infrml.
    2 timeless
    3 classical, ideal, model.
classical
classical
  1. adj.
    1 proven and accepted: classical methods of raising children
    2 related to 18th-century European music: Beethoven and Mozart were classical composers.
    3 related to the literature, art, architecture, etc., of ancient Greece and Rome: classical literature -adv. classically; -n. classicism ; classicist.
classification
classification
  1. n. [C;U] a category, esp. one used for formal purposes by government or science: The classification of steel is as a metal.
classified ad
classified ad
  1. n. a brief advertisement printed in a special section of a newspaper or magazine with others of the same kind, offering or asking for goods or services, jobs, etc.
    THESAURUS
    classified ad a want ad.
classify
classify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to put (things, ideas, etc.) in groups with similar characteristics,
    THESAURUS
    to categorize: The biologist classified that big plant as a flower, not a tree.
    2 to mark as secret: Governments classify military plans, so only a few know about them.
classmate
classmate
  1. n. a student with whom one attends school: She was one of my classmates in high school.
classroom
classroom
  1. n. a room where students are taught by a teacher: My classroom is on the fourth floor.
classy
classy
  1. adj. infrml. -ier, -iest among the best in appearance or behavior, elegant: They live in a very classy neighborhood.
    THESAURUS
    classy stylish, fashionable, chic.
clatter
clatter
  1. n.sing. v. [I;T] a loud sound of hard things hitting other hard things: I heard the clatter of horses' hoofs on the street.
clause
clause
  1. n.
    1 a part in a document that requires s.t. to be agreed on and/or done,
    THESAURUS
    a stipulation: The rent clause in my apartment lease says I must pay on the first day of each month.
    2 one part, with its own subject and verb, of a complex or compound sentence: There are two clauses in this sentence, and they are divided by a comma.
claustrophobia
claustrophobia
  1. n. [U] a fear of small, closed-in places: She gets claustrophobia in elevators and closets. -adj. claustrophobic.
clavicle
clavicle
  1. n. the collarbone: He fell and broke his clavicle.
claw
claw
  1. n.
    1 one of the sharp nails on an animal's paw or toe: a bear claw, a lion's claws
    2 the pincers of certain sea animals, used to catch and hold things: a lobster claw —v.
    1 [I;T] to scratch or strike with claws: My cat clawed me on the hand.
    2 fig. to claw one's way: to work very hard,
    THESAURUS
    to struggle: He clawed and fought his way to the top and lost many friends in the process.
    THESAURUS
    claw v.
    1 to scrape, tear, graze.
clay
clay
  1. n.adj.
    1 a type of fine-grained ma-terial from the ground that can be shaped when wet, and will hold the shape when dried or baked: She likes to make dishes out of clay.
    2 to have feet of clay: to have bad characteristics while seeming to be perfect: That politician seemed so fine, yet his personal life was a mess; he has feet of clay.
clean-cut
clean-cut
  1. adj. (said of men and boys) with shaved face, well-cut short hair, and neat clothes
clean
clean
  1. adj.
    1 free of dirt, dust, or soil: I just finished the wash, so now I have clean clothes.
    2 without any marks: Please get me a clean piece of paper to write on.
    3 with everything in the proper order: His desk hasn't been clean in months.
    4 slang to come clean: to confess the truth: The thief came clean and admitted that he stole the watch. —v.
    1 [I;T] to free from dirt, such as by wiping or washing: She cleaned her eyeglasses with a handkerchief.
    2 [I;T] to put in proper order: The boy cleaned his room by putting his toys and clothes back where they belong.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to clean s.o. or s.t. out: a. s.o.: to leave s.o. without any money: His friends won all his money playing cards; they really cleaned him out. b. s.t.: to remove dirt or objects from s.t.: After seven years, we finally cleaned out our closets in our apartment. c. s.o. or s.t.: to steal everything from: The robbers cleaned out the store.||They cleaned it out.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to clean (s.o. or s.t.) up: a. s.o. or s.t.: to make a place or oneself cleaner: After the party, I cleaned up (the glasses, ashtrays, etc.).||I cleaned them up. b. to make a lot of money: She invested in good stocks and really cleaned up.
    5 slang to clean up one's act: to get free of bad habits: He was on drugs, but finally cleaned up his act. —adv.infrml. completely: I didn't buy bread because I clean forgot.
    THESAURUS
    clean adj.
    1 washed, spotless, unsoiled, infrml. clean as a whistle. Ants. dirty, filthy.
    THESAURUS
    2 blank
    3 neat, tidy. Ant. messy.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to wash, cleanse | vacuum, dust. Ants. to soil, get s.t. dirty | pollute (the environment).
    THESAURUS
    2 to pick up, tidy, neaten, straighten up s.t.
cleaner
cleaner
  1. n.
    1 a substance, like strong soap, used to clean surfaces,
    THESAURUS
    a cleanser
    2 a person who cleans (offices, houses, etc.)
    3 a cleaning business for clothes,
    THESAURUS
    a dry cleaner: I took my suit to the cleaner (or) cleaners to be cleaned and pressed.
    4 fig.infrml. to take s.o. to the cleaners: to charge s.o. too much money or cheat s.o.: My car broke down, and the garage that fixed it took me to the cleaners.
cleaning
cleaning
  1. n. [U]
    1 the ordinary household and office work of making bathrooms and kitchens clean, vacuuming rugs, etc.: That couple shares the cooking and the cleaning.
    2 clothes taken to the cleaner: She picked up her cleaning on the way home from work. See: cleaner, 3.
cleanse
cleanse
  1. v. [T] cleansed, cleansing, cleanses
    1 to remove dirt from: The nurse cleansed a bloody cut in the patient's hand.
    2 to make pure and free from guilt: She asked God to forgive her sins and cleanse her soul.
cleanser
cleanser
  1. n. [C;U] a substance, like strong soap, used to clean surfaces: I used a strong cleanser to clean the bathroom.
cleanup
cleanup
  1. n. the cleaning of any mess and/or putting things back in their proper places: For the cleanup after the party, we washed the glasses and vacuumed the rugs.
clear-cut
clear-cut
  1. adj. definite, without question: The criminal's guilt was clear-cut because two people saw him steal.
clear-headed
clear-headed
  1. adj. having a clear mind: He was out all night drinking and is not clear-headed.
clear
clear
  1. adj.
    1 easy to understand, lucid: clear writing, clear instructions
    2 easy to see through, transparent: clear glass||clear water
    3 having no rain or snow and few clouds: clear weather
    4 free of objects that block the way: The road is now clear after the storm.
    5 to make it clear or oneself clear: to state strongly so that there is no misunderstanding: He made it quite clear what he wanted. —adv.
    1 free from s.t.: She finally got clear of legal difficulties.
    2 infrml. completely: He hit the baseball clear out of the park. —v. [T]
    1 to remove things that block the way: Workers cleared fallen trees from the road.||They cleared the road.
    2 to get approval for or from: He cleared the project with his boss.||She cleared customs at the airport.
    3 to gain as a profit: We cleared $15,000 on the sale of our house.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to clear s.t. away: to remove: A waiter cleared away dirty dishes from the table.||He cleared them away.
    5 phrasal v. to clear off: to leave a place, usu. quickly: When they heard the police car coming, they decided to clear off.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to clear s.t. out: to clean out: She cleared out her desk drawers.||She cleared them out.
    7 phrasal v. insep. [I] to clear out (of some place): to leave suddenly: When a fire started, people cleared out (of the building) quickly.||They cleared out of there.
    8 phrasal v. (sep.) [T] to clear (s.t.) up: a. to become free of bad weather: The sky is clearing up and the sun is coming out. b. sep. to clarify or explain s.t.: She cleared up the misunderstanding.||She cleared it up. c. sep. to finish, put in order,
    THESAURUS
    to tidy: He decided to clear up his desk before going on vacation.||He cleared it up. —n. to be in the clear: to be free of danger or blame: The judge said that she is not guilty, and she is now in the clear. -n. [U] clearness.
    THESAURUS
    clear adj.
    1 straightforward, understandable, evident. Ant. unclear.
    2 crystal clear. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    opaque.
    3 cloudless, fair, fine
    4 open.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to clean, tidy
    2 to get clearance (for or on), O.K. infrml.
    3 to make, earn, net.
clearance
clearance
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a statement that s.t. will be allowed, approval: The airport gave the airplane clearance to land.
    2 enough space, headroom: There was enough clearance for the big truck to go under the bridge.
    THESAURUS
    clearance
    1 permission, authorization, (one's) consent.
clearing
clearing
  1. n. an open space, as in the woods: There is a cabin in a clearing in the forest.
clearinghouse
clearinghouse
  1. n. -houses an office in which checks, accounts, or information is processed: Banks maintain clearinghouses to settle checks drawn between them.
clearly
clearly
  1. adv.
    1 without being blocked or blurred: After I hit my head, I could not see clearly.
    2 it is obvious that: Clearly, she must improve her grades in school.
    THESAURUS
    clearly
    2 obviously, without a doubt, undoubtedly.
cleat
cleat
  1. n. a short, pointed piece of metal or plastic,
    THESAURUS
    spike: Baseball and golf shoes have cleats to keep the player from slipping.
cleavage
cleavage
  1. n.
    1 [C] a separation: a cleavage in a rock
    2 [C;U] the space between a woman's breasts: When women wear low cut dresses, they show cleavage.
cleave
cleave
  1. v. [T] cleaved or cleft or clove cloven , cleaving, cleaves to divide into two parts by or as if by cutting forcefully: The boat cleaved the water as it sped across the lake.
cleaver
cleaver
  1. n. a heavy, hand-held cutting tool: A butcher uses a meat cleaver to cut meat.
clef
clef
  1. n. a symbol put on a set of lines of music (a staff) to show what pitch the lines and spaces represent
cleft
cleft
  1. adj.n. & past tense and past part. of cleave: split, divided: Children born with a cleft palate can be operated on successfully.
clemency
clemency
  1. n. [U]
    1 a show of forgiveness, esp. to a criminal: The governor gave clemency to the murderer and stopped the order for his death.
    2 mildness, esp. of weather: The clemency of the winter surprised us. -adj. clement.
clench
clench
  1. v. [T] clenches to force together, grip tightly: She clenched her fists and teeth in anger.
clergy
clergy
  1. n.pl. the group of ministers, priests, rabbis, mullahs, etc., as a whole: The government asks advice from members of the clergy.
clergyman
clergyman
  1. n. -men a minister, priest, rabbi, mullah, or other religious leader: The clergyman blessed the church members.
clergywoman
clergywoman
  1. -women a woman who is a member of the clergy
cleric
cleric
  1. n. a member of the clergy
clerical
clerical
  1. adj.
    1 of basic office work, such as answering the telephone, writing down orders, etc.: He is a clerical worker with a clerical job.
    2 of the clergy: a clerical collar
clerk
clerk
  1. n.
    1 a person who keeps records, accounts, etc., in an office
    2 a salesperson in a store: My friend is a (sales)clerk in the store's shirt department. —v. [I] to work or serve as a clerk
    THESAURUS
    clerk n.
    1 a bookkeeper, secretary
    2 a cashier, sales associate.
clever
clever
  1. adj.
    1 intelligent and quick at understanding: She is a clever student.
    2 skillful, esp. in solving problems, ingenious: He solves computer problems that no one else can; he is clever. -adv. cleverly; -n. cleverness.
    THESAURUS
    clever
    1 bright, sharp, smart
    2 skilled, competent | adroit frml.
cliché
cliché
  1. n.pej. a saying or idea used too often to be meaningful: Her report is full of clichés, and contains no useful ideas. -adj. clichéd.
click
click
  1. n. a light, snapping sound: the click of a camera shutter —v.
    1 [I] to make a clicking sound: The key clicked as it turned in the lock.
    2 [T] to move s.t. that makes a click: He clicked the light switch on.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [T] to click with s.o.: to get along well with or be a success with s.o.: The young couple clicked with each other the first time that they met.||The product (idea, solution, etc.) clicked with customers and became popular.
client
client
  1. n. a customer of s.o. who provides a professional service, such as a lawyer, tailor, hairdresser, etc.: He likes to take his clients to lunch. See: customer, USAGE NOTE.
clientele
clientele
  1. n. a group of customers: That expensive store has a rich clientele.
cliff
cliff
  1. n. a high rock formation with a steep drop: She stood on the cliff and looked down at the ocean below.
    THESAURUS
    cliff n. a precipice, bluff.
cliffhanger
cliffhanger
  1. n. a situation or story where the result is not known until the last moment: That basketball game was a real cliffhanger, won by one point in the last second of play.
climactic
climactic
  1. adj. producing a climax: The graduation ceremony was a climactic moment after four years of hard work.
climate
climate
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 the type of weather that a place or region has: Places can have cold, warm, or hot climates.
    2 a general condition: The business climate is very good (bad, uncertain, etc.) now.
climatic
climatic
  1. adj. of a climate: During the summer, the climatic conditions in southern California are warm and sunny.
climax
climax
  1. n. -maxes
    1 [C] the most exciting or intense point in a series of events: The game came to a climax with our team winning in the last second of play.
    2 [C;U] the most intense moment of pleasure during sexual activity,
    THESAURUS
    an orgasm —v. [I] -maxes to reach the most exciting moment: The game climaxed with a winning score in its final seconds.
climb
climb
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to move upward: The airplane took off and climbed above (or) climbed up above the clouds.||Prices climbed higher on the stock exchange.
    2 [I] to rise slowly and steadily in power, rank, etc.: He climbed from selling newspapers on the street to owning several newspaper companies.
    3 [I] to slant up: The ground climbed steadily toward the mountains.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to climb down: to go down, esp. using the hands and feet, descend: The painter climbed down the ladder to the ground.
    5 to climb out on a limb: to put oneself in a position where one can easily be criticized or harmed: He climbed out on a limb when he told his boss that she could fire him if he did not make a sales increase. —n. an upward movement on land or into the air,
    THESAURUS
    an ascent: Our group made the climb up the mountain.
    THESAURUS
    climb v.
    1 to rise, go up, ascend 2 and 3 to ascend. Ant. to descend.
climber
climber
  1. n.
    1 a person who climbs: a mountain climber
    2 a plant or animal that climbs
    3 social climber: a person who tries to move into a higher social class, such as by marrying s.o. with money
clinch
clinch
  1. v. [T] n. clinches fig. to finish an agreement finally and definitely: Her boss congratulated her on clinching the deal.
cling
cling
  1. v. [I] clung , clinging, clings
    1 to hold closely, tightly: The baby clings to her mother.
    2 to refuse to release or let go: The sick woman clung to the idea that she would be well again.
clinic
clinic
  1. n.
    1 a medical building: In that health clinic, doctors treat patients who go back home afterwards.
    2 a group of doctors in the same field
    3 a meeting for educational purposes: I'm going to a clinic on money management next week.
    THESAURUS
    clinic
    1 a health center, small hospital
    3 a training session.
clinical
clinical
  1. adj.
    1 related to a clinic
    2 involving direct examination of s.o. or s.t.: The doctor made a clinical evaluation of the sick man.
    3 done scientifically, usu. without emotion, analytical: a clinical approach -adv. clinically; -n. clinician.
clink
clink
  1. v. [I;T] n. to make a short, light, high sound: The glasses clinked together as the waiter picked them up.
clip
clip
  1. n.
    1 a device that holds things together, a fastener: a paper clip, a hair clip
    2 infrml. speed, pace: He ran past me at a good clip.
    3 a short part of a film: Before the showing of the movie, we saw clips from other films. —v. clipped, clipping, clips
    1 [T] to fasten with a clip: I clipped my papers together with a paper clip.
    2 [I;T] to cut with short strokes: The hairdresser clipped her hair with scissors.
    3 infrml. [T] to hit with a short, sharp blow: That car clipped our bumper as it sped by.
clipboard
clipboard
  1. n. a flat board with a clip at the top to hold papers
clippers
clippers
  1. n.pl. a cutting tool in many shapes and sizes: Barbers use electric clippers to cut people's hair.
clipping
clipping
  1. n. an article cut out of a newspaper, magazine, etc.: My friend showed me a clipping about her school.
clique
clique
  1. n. a group of people who keep others out: A clique runs the local school district and they all vote for each other. -adj. cliquish.
clitoris
clitoris
  1. n. -rises a small place on a woman's outer sexual organ where she can experience sexual pleasure
cloak-and-dagger
cloak-and-dagger
  1. adj. mysterious and full of adventure, esp. spying: He writes cloak-and-dagger stories about spies.
cloak
cloak
  1. n.
    1 [C] a loose-fitting outer garment that hangs from the shoulders: Cloaks are open in the front.
    2 sing.fig. s.t. that hides or covers: The thieves worked under a cloak of darkness. —v. [T] to hide or keep secret,
    THESAURUS
    to conceal: How the woman disappeared is cloaked in mystery.
cloakroom
cloakroom
  1. n. a room in a public place where coats and other articles are left for a short time: I checked my hat in the cloakroom.
clobber
clobber
  1. v. [T]
    1 slang to strike with s.t. heavy: A thief clobbered his victim with a club.
    2 slang to defeat decisively: Our basketball team clobbered the other team 112 to 70.
clock
clock
  1. n.
    1 an instrument for showing the time (that is not a wrist or pocket watch): an alarm clock, a wall clock
    2 around the clock: all day and night without stopping: Rescue workers worked around the clock to help victims of the earthquake.
    3 to punch the clock: to record the time, usu. on a card, when one starts and stops work: Workers at that factory punch the clock when they arrive and leave.
    4 to race the clock: to work against a deadline: Workers raced the clock to finish the job by five o'clock.
    5 infrml.pej. to watch the clock: to have little interest in one's work: He watches the clock and leaves with work not done. —v.
    1 [T] to measure time: Officials clocked the races at the Olympics.
    2 to clock in/out: to record the time that one starts and stops work See: o'clock.
clockwise
clockwise
  1. adv. in the direction that the hands of a clock move: Starting at 12, looking at the clock, the hands move clockwise to the right. See: counter-clockwise.
clockwork
clockwork
  1. n. [U]
    1 like clockwork: smoothly, according to plan: The whole operation went like clockwork.
    2 the insides of a clock, its mechanism: The clockwork needs oil.
clod
clod
  1. n.
    1 a lump of earth: The horse kicked a clod of earth into the air.
    2 fig. a clumsy, stupid person, lacking good manners: He may be a great football player, but he behaves like a clod.
clog
clog
  1. n.
    1 a blockage: a clog in a water pipe
    2 a type of shoe, usu. with a thick wooden bottom —v. [I;T] clogged, clogging, clogs to block: My nose is all clogged up from a cold.
cloister
cloister
  1. n.
    1 a covered walkway along the wall of a building, one side of which is open to a garden or courtyard
    2 a place, esp. a monastery or convent, for religious peace and prayer —v. [T] to put in a place away from the ordinary world: While writing her book, she cloistered herself in a small cabin in the woods.
clone
clone
  1. v. [T] n. cloned, cloning, clones
    1 to make a duplicate copy of a living thing
    2 fig. to make a copy of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to imitate: Many cars look like clones of each other, because their makers cloned their competitors' designs. See: knockoff.
clop
clop
  1. n.v. [I] clopped, clopping, clops a loud, dull click like the sound made by a horse's hoofs: I can hear the clop of horses on the street below.
close-fitting
close-fitting
  1. adj. fitting tightly around the body: Professional bicycle riders wear close-fitting clothes.
close-knit
close-knit
  1. adj.
    1 (of cloth) with the threads very close together
    2 (of people) bound together, trusting and helping each other: That family is close-knit, and they help each other when trouble strikes.
close-mouthed
close-mouthed
  1. adj. saying little,
    THESAURUS
    secretive: He is close-mouthed about his past.
close-up
close-up
  1. n.
    1 a picture taken close to the subject: The photographer took a close-up of the woman's face.
    2 a detailed look at s.t.
close quarters
close quarters
  1. n.pl.
    1 a very close, face-to-face position: Soldiers fought at close quarters with knives.
    2 crowded conditions: Sailors live in close quarters on submarines.
close shave
close shave
  1. n.fig. a close call See: close (1), 6.
closed-circuit television
closed-circuit television
  1. n. [U] TV broadcasts sent out over wires, instead of through the air: That big university holds some of its classes over closed-circuit television.
closed shop
closed shop
  1. n. a business where only union members can work: Only a small part of the US workforce is in closed shops.
closeout
closeout
  1. n.adj. a special sale of reduced prices to sell the last pieces of some product: The store had a closeout of summer dresses as the fall fashions arrived.
closet
closet
  1. n.
    1 a small room for storing clothes, towels, sheets, etc.: We keep our coats and umbrellas in the closet by the front door.
    2 to come out of the closet: to make known s.t. that was secret, esp. one's homosexuality: When he was 20, Julio came out of the closet by telling his family that he was gay. See: gay.
closure
closure
  1. n. [C;U] frml. a finish of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    a conclusion: We achieved closure on an agreement after months of talks.
clot
clot
  1. v. [I] n. clotted, clotting, clots to form a semifirm mass of s.t., esp. blood: The blood clotted in the cut.
cloth
cloth
  1. n. [C;U] cloths material woven from synthetic (nylon, rayon) or natural (cotton, wool) threads: That suit is made of woolen cloth.
    THESAURUS
    cloth fabric, material.
clothe
clothe
  1. v. [T] clothed or clad , clothing, clothes to provide with clothing: Parents feed and clothe their children.
    THESAURUS
    clothe v. to dress, outfit | dress up. Ant. to unclothe.
clothes
clothes
  1. n.pl. coverings for a person's body, (syns.) garments, apparel: She likes to wear expensive clothes.
clothesline
clothesline
  1. n. a line or rope on which washed clothes are hung out to dry: The wash is hung on the clothesline in the backyard.
clothespin
clothespin
  1. n. a pin used to fasten clothes to a line to dry them
clothing
clothing
  1. n. [U] clothes in general,
    THESAURUS
    attire: Food and clothing are basic necessities.
cloud
cloud
  1. n.
    1 a mass of water droplets in the sky: The sky is full of gray clouds today.
    2 a mass of smoke, fog, or dust: A dust cloud followed the galloping horses.
    3 many rapidly moving things close together: A cloud of bees came out of the hive.
    4 fig. s.t. causing sadness, gloom: Each year, on the date that her son died, a cloud of sadness hangs over her.
    5 to be on cloud nine: to be very happy: They are in love and are on cloud nine.
    6 to have one's head in the clouds: to be a dreamer,
    THESAURUS
    to be idealistic: He has his head in the clouds, because he is always dreaming of becoming famous.
    7 under a cloud: under suspicion, out of favor: After he was caught in a lie, he worked under a cloud (of suspicion) because no one trusted him. —v.
    1 [I] to become covered with clouds: The sky is clouding up now.
    2 [I;T] to make s.t. difficult to see or understand: Mud has clouded the water.||The new plan is clouded with difficult problems.
    THESAURUS
    cloud v.
    1 to darken, become overcast, foggy
    2 to blur (objects), muddy, taint (plans, ideas). Ant. to (become) clear.
cloudburst
cloudburst
  1. n. a sudden, hard rainfall
cloudy
cloudy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 covered with clouds: The weather is cloudy today.
    2 unclear: The mud in the water made it cloudy.||It is not clear who is right; the issue is still cloudy.
    THESAURUS
    cloudy adj.
    1 overcast, gray, hazy
    2 blurry (water), murky (ideas). Ant. clear.
clout
clout
  1. n.
    1 [C] a heavy blow: He gave him a clout on the head.
    2 [U] fig. power and influence: As a rich woman in a small town, she has a lot of clout with the mayor. —v. [T] to strike with a heavy blow
clove
clove
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 the brown, dried flower bud of a tropical tree, used as a spice
    2 a section of a bulb of a plant, esp. garlic: a clove of garlic
clover
clover
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a small green plant, usu. with three heart-shaped leaves
    2 infrml. in clover: living a comfortable, easy life: His uncle died and left him a lot of money, and now he is in clover.
cloverleaf
cloverleaf
  1. n. -leafs or -leaves a connected set of roads that allow vehicles to circle on and off of a main highway,
    THESAURUS
    an interchange: Cars go on the cloverleaf to go in a different direction.
clown
clown
  1. n. a performer in colorful clothes who makes people laugh by doing funny things: She liked the circus clown with the big red shoes and the red nose. —v. [I]
    1 to act like a clown: Don't mind him; he's just clowning.
    2 phrasal v. to clown around: a. to amuse others: He likes to clown around by putting on a funny hat and dancing. b. to act stupidly or foolishly: Stop clowning around and get to work! -adj. clownish; -adv. clownishly; -n. [U] clownishness.
cloying
cloying
  1. adj. causing sickness or distaste from too much sweetness or pleasure: She saw five movies in five nights, and she found the experience was cloying.||a cloying dessert -v. cloy [I;T].
club
club
  1. n.
    1 a group of people who meet because of a common interest: He belongs to a book club that reads and discusses one book each month.
    2 a social gathering place where people pay for sport, food, etc.: a tennis club
    3 a long, round, thick stick used to hit people: Police officers carry billy clubs.
    4 (in golf) a stick with a specially shaped head for hitting the ball
    5 in the USA, a playing card with black cloverleafs on it
    THESAURUS
    club n.
    1 a group, organization | guild
    2 an association, union. —v. [T] clubbed, clubbing, clubs to strike with a club: Police clubbed the rioters.
club sandwich
club sandwich
  1. n. -wiches a thick sandwich made with three pieces of bread
club soda
club soda
  1. n. [C;U] soda water, clear water with bubbles
clubhouse
clubhouse
  1. n. -houses a building where players of a sport gather: a golf clubhouse
cluck
cluck
  1. v.n.
    1 [I] to make a sound like a chicken: Chickens clucked in the hen house.
    2 [I;T] (of people) to make a sound of disapproval: She clucked her tongue as she watched the couple arguing loudly.
clue
clue
  1. n.
    1 a thing or fact that helps provide an answer to a question, evidence: Police look for clues at the scene of a crime, like the criminal's gun or fingerprints.
    2 infrml. not to have a clue: not to understand at all: Why did she do it? I don't have a clue. —v. clued, cluing, clues phrasal v. insep. [T] to clue s.o. in on s.t.: to tell s.o. what is happening, usu. s.t. that is important and not well known: My friend clued me in on a job opportunity.
    THESAURUS
    clue n.
    1 a sign, hint, indication.
clueless
clueless
  1. adj. describing a person who does not know or understand s.t. important that he or she should know: That woman is clueless about the fact that her husband is seeing another woman.
clump
clump
  1. n.
    1 a group or mass,
    THESAURUS
    a cluster: a clump of bushes (trees, flowers)
    2 the dull sound of s.t. heavy falling onto a hard surface: We could hear the clump of boots on the street. —v. [I]
    1 to make a dull, heavy sound, esp. when walking,
    THESAURUS
    to thud: The tired man clumped up the stairs.
    2 to group together in a clump: The child's toys are clumped together in a box.
clumsy
clumsy
  1. adj. -sier, -siest not able to do things in careful way,
    THESAURUS
    awkward: He is so clumsy that he is always bumping into people. -adv. clumsily; -n. [U] clumsiness.
clung
clung
  1. v. past tense & past part. of cling
clunk
clunk
  1. v. [I;T] n. to make a dull, heavy sound,
    THESAURUS
    to thump: He dropped a hammer, and it clunked on the floor.
cluster
cluster
  1. n. a tight grouping of s.t.: a cluster of grapes||a star cluster —v. [I;T] to bring or come into a tight grouping: The children clustered around the teacher.
clutch
clutch
  1. v. clutches
    1 [T] to grasp tightly with the hand(s): She clutched her pocketbook as she walked.
    2 [I] to reach for s.t. quickly and desperately,
    THESAURUS
    to snatch: The man in the water clutched at a rope to save himself. —n. clutches
    1 the grip of a hand
    2 a handful of s.t.: a clutch of flowers
    3 a device for shifting gears: the clutch in a car
    4 s.o.'s clutches: the control or possession of s.o., esp. s.o. evil: We can't let this information fall into the clutches of the enemy.
    5 in the clutch: in an important situation where what you do means winning or losing: Our basketball star came through in the clutch by scoring the winning basket in the last seconds of the game.
clutter
clutter
  1. n. [C;U] a mess: There is a clutter of papers on his desk. —v. [T]
    1 to mess up: People have cluttered the street with papers and cans.
    2 to confuse: Her mind is cluttered with bad ideas.
co-
co-
  1. prefix together with, joint: coauthor, cochairman
co-op
co-op
  1. n.adj. short for cooperative: She owns a co-op (or) a co-op apartment.
co-opt
co-opt
  1. v. [T]
    1 to take control of s.t. from s.o. else: The president gradually co-opted the power of the vice president.
    2 to put s.o. on a committee without electing that person,
    THESAURUS
    to appoint s.o.
coach
coach
  1. n. coaches
    1 a person who leads, teaches, and trains people in sports or in acting, singing, etc.: a football coach||a voice coach
    2 Brit. a railroad passenger car or bus —v. [T] coaches to lead, train, and teach others in sports, singing, etc.: He coaches a baseball team.
    THESAURUS
    coach n.
    1 a trainer, teacher, tutor (for individuals).
coagulate
coagulate
  1. v. [I;T] -lated, -lating, -lates to change from liquid to firm or hard form: Blood coagulates and closes a cut. -n. [U] coagulation.
coal
coal
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a mineral made of carbon, black or dark brown, dug from the ground and burned for heat, that also provides gas for burning: That stove burns coal, not wood.
    2 to carry coals to Newcastle: to do s.t. unnecessary or unwanted by providing s.t. that there is already a lot of (A great deal of coal can already be found in Newcastle.): I took her a bunch of flowers when I went to visit, but then I saw her beautiful gardens and realized that I'd carried coals to Newcastle.
    3 to rake or haul s.o. over the coals: to criticize s.o. severely: The worker made a mistake, and his boss raked him over the coals.
coalesce
coalesce
  1. v.frml. [I] -lesced, -lescing, -lesces to come together and form a whole: Our plans for a long trip finally coalesced when we mapped out exactly where to go. -n. [U] coalescence.
coalition
coalition
  1. n. two or more groups who get together for a common purpose: Three political parties formed a coalition against higher taxes.
coarse
coarse
  1. adj. coarser, coarsest
    1 of poor quality: The poor woman could only afford coarse clothing.
    2 rough, not smooth: That sweater is made of coarse wool.
    3 made of large particles: coarse sand
    4 lacking good manners, crude, rude: He is a coarse man who uses dirty language. -v. [I;T] coarsen .
    THESAURUS
    coarse adj.
    1 poorly made, rough
    4 offensive, vulgar, ill-mannered.
coast
coast
  1. n.
    1 land near the ocean: the coast of Panama
    2 infrml. the coast is clear: there is no danger of being seen or stopped: When the guard fell asleep, the coast was clear and we escaped. —v. [I]
    1 to move without power: The sled coasted down the hill.
    2 to work without pressure: He worked day and night for a year, then coasted for several months. -adj. coastal.
    THESAURUS
    coast n.
    1 the shore, seaside, coastline. Ant. the interior. —v.
    1 to slide
    2 to take it easy infrml.
coaster
coaster
  1. n. a small, round, flat piece of metal, paper, etc., put under a glass containing a drink: I put my beer glass on a coaster to prevent the wet glass from marking the tabletop.
coastline
coastline
  1. n. the land along an ocean: The Maine coastline is beautiful on a sunny day.
    THESAURUS
    coastline n. the shore, seaside, coast. Ant. the interior.
coat
coat
  1. n.
    1 an outer garment: She is wearing a fur coat.
    2 a covering spread over a surface: A worker put a coat of paint on the walls. —v. [T] to cover with s.t.: The furniture was coated with dust.
coax
coax
  1. v. [T] coaxes to try patiently to ask s.o. to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to persuade: The mother coaxed her child to take some badtasting medicine.
cob
cob
  1. n.
    1 an ear of corn without any corn left on it, a corncob: After the meal, I threw the cobs in the garbage.
    2 a male swan
cobalt
cobalt
  1. n. [U] a hard but easily breakable metal combined with others for industrial purposes, or used in blue dyes —adj. bright blue: Her shoes are cobalt blue.
cobble
cobble
  1. v. -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 [T] to make or fix shoes and boots
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to cobble s.t. together: to put together in a crude way: He cobbled together a living by working three part-time jobs.||He cobbled it together. -n. cobbler.
cobblestone
cobblestone
  1. n. a stone shaped like a small loaf of bread and used to cover streets: Most of the cobblestone streets are covered over with tar now.
cobra
cobra
  1. n. a highly poisonous snake of Asia and Africa: A bite from a cobra can kill in minutes.
cobweb
cobweb
  1. n. a net of thin, sticky threads made by spiders to catch food: She cleaned away the dust and cobwebs in the old house.
coca
coca
  1. n. [U] the shrub and leaves from which cocaine is made: Coca is grown in many places high in the mountains.
cocaine
cocaine
  1. n. [U] the drug made from coca leaves: Cocaine is used by doctors as a painkiller but mainly by people as an illegal drug.
cock
cock
  1. n.
    1 a male chicken,
    THESAURUS
    a rooster
    2 infrml. a cock-and-bull story: a false story or excuse: He has never repaid the money that he owes me, because he always has some cock-and-bull story about having to pay medical expenses. —v.
    1 [T] to pull back a gun's hammer before shooting: She cocked the pistol.
    2 infrml. to go off half-cocked: to do things without thinking,
    THESAURUS
    to be impulsive: He goes off half-cocked when he is in a panic and often does foolish things.
cocker spaniel
cocker spaniel
  1. n. a type of small dog with long ears and long, soft fur
cockeyed
cockeyed
  1. adj.fig.
    1 hopelessly wrong, foolish: He has a lot of cockeyed ideas.
    2 crooked: The photos on that page are cockeyed, and some are even upside down.
cockpit
cockpit
  1. n.
    1 the front area of an airplane where the pilot sits and flies it: The pilot climbed into the cockpit.
    2 a sunken area for cockfighting
cockroach
cockroach
  1. n. -roaches a type of brown, flat-bodied insect found esp. in dark wet places and houses that are not properly cleaned: We kill cockroaches with traps and an insecticide.
cocktail
cocktail
  1. n.
    1 an alcoholic drink made by mixing several liquors: She likes to have a cocktail before dinner.
    2 a type of food presentation: A shrimp cocktail has several shrimp in a glass with sauce.
cocky
cocky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest feeling very sure of one's importance and abilities,
    THESAURUS
    arrogant: The young boxer won his first fight; now he's cocky. -n. [U] cockiness.
cocoa
cocoa
  1. n. [U]
    1 chocolate powder made from crushed cacao: The cake recipe called for 2/3 cup of cocoa.
    2 a hot chocolate-flavored drink,
    THESAURUS
    hot chocolate: She had some cocoa for breakfast.
coconut
coconut
  1. n. [C;U] the large nut of the palm tree: The juice inside coconuts is called coconut milk.
cocoon
cocoon
  1. n. a silk-like protective covering of some insects when young: The butterfly came out of its cocoon.
cod
cod
  1. or codfish n. [C;U] cod or cods a fish found in the North Atlantic Ocean: For hundreds of years, the cod was an important food for North Americans.
coddle
coddle
  1. v. [T] -dled, -dling, -dles to treat in a loving and (too) protective way, to baby: He accused his wife of coddling their son.
code
code
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a way of hiding the true meaning of communications from all except those people who have the keys to understand it: Spies use secret codes.
    2 [C] a written set of rules of behavior: That school has a dress code requiring boys to wear shirts and ties but no jeans.
    3 [C] a formal group of principles or laws: a code of ethics for doctors||the legal code in a country —v. [T] coded, coding, codes to put s.t. into code,
    THESAURUS
    to encode: A spy coded a message.
    THESAURUS
    code n.
    1 secret writing, a cipher
    2 (pl.) regulations, a policy
    3 standard, system.
codeine
codeine
  1. n. [U] a drug and painkiller made from opium
cod
cod
  1. or codfish -n. [C;U] cod or cods a fish found in the North Atlantic Ocean: For hundreds of years, the cod was an important food for North Americans.
coeducational
coeducational
  1. adj. referring to the education of both male and female students in the same school or college: My son and daughter both go to coeducational colleges. -n. [U] coeducation.
coefficient
coefficient
  1. n. In an algebraic quantity or term, the number or symbol that is multiplied by a variable: The coefficient of 4ab is 4.
coequal
coequal
  1. n.adj. a person who is equal to another (in importance, rank, authority, etc.): Heads of governments regard themselves as coequals in discussing agreements between their countries.
coerce
coerce
  1. v. [T] -erced, -ercing, -erces to make s.o. do s.t. against their will by force or threats,
    THESAURUS
    to compel: The son coerced his elderly mother into selling her house. -n. [U] coercion ; -adj. coercive.
coexist
coexist
  1. v. [I]
    1 to exist at the same time or place
    2 to live peacefully with a person (or people) with whom one has differences in opinion, religious beliefs, lifestyle, political policy, etc.: We hope that someday all people can coexist. -n. coexistence.
coffee
coffee
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a dark brown, energy-giving drink made by brewing the ground-up beans (seeds) of a tropical tree, usu. served hot: She drinks coffee for breakfast each morning.
    2 [U] the beans themselves, often ground up into a powder
coffee shop
coffee shop
  1. n. a type of restaurant for serving coffee and usu. inexpensive food. See: café, USAGE NOTE.
coffee table
coffee table
  1. n. a long, low table often set in front of a sofa: After dinner, we drank coffee and put the cups on the coffee table.
coffeehouse
coffeehouse
  1. n. -houses a type of restaurant for serving and drinking coffee See: café, USAGE NOTE.
coffer
coffer
  1. n.frml.
    1 a type of box that can be locked to keep coins, jewels, etc.: The treasure was locked away in coffers.
    2 fig. the money available to a government or business: The government's coffers are empty and it must raise taxes.
coffin
coffin
  1. n. a box-like container in which a dead person is put for burial: Workmen lowered the dead man's coffin into a grave.
    THESAURUS
    coffin n. a casket | tomb.
cog
cog
  1. n.
    1 one of many teeth on a wheel that fit into teeth on another wheel and turn it: I have an old-fashioned wristwatch where cogs inside turn its hands.
    2 infrml. a cog in a wheel: s.o. with a low-level job in a large organization
cogent
cogent
  1. adj. well-presented and creating belief in s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    convincing: My lawyer's statement to the judge was so cogent that the judge dismissed the complaint against me. -n. [U] cogency; -adv. cogently.
cogitate
cogitate
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -tated, -tating, -tates to think,
    THESAURUS
    to reflect: The professor cogitated about a difficult problem. -n. [U] cogitation.
cognac
cognac
  1. n. brandy, esp. from France: She had a glass of cognac after dinner.
cognition
cognition
  1. n. [U] the process of thinking or perceiving -adj. cognitive.
cognizant
cognizant
  1. adj.frml. having knowledge, aware: He is cognizant of the fact that he must pay back the money he borrowed. -n. [U] cognizance.
cohabit
cohabit
  1. v. [I] to live together as partners or husband and wife, although unmarried: That couple has cohabited for many years. -n. [U] cohabitation.
coherent
coherent
  1. adj.
    1 clear, logical: His plan is a coherent presentation of each step that we need to take.
    2 awake and clear-headed: After the accident, the driver was hurt but coherent. -v. [I;T] cohere; -n. [U] coherence.
coil
coil
  1. n. s.t. wrapped in a circle or spiral: a coil of wire||a spring shaped in a coil —v. [I;T] to wind or wrap into a circle: A workman coiled the garden hose. See: spiral.
coin
coin
  1. n. a piece of metal money, usu. small, round, and flat: She has some old silver coins. —v. [T]
    1 to make coins
    2 to coin a phrase: to invent a special way of describing s.t.
    3 on the other or the flip side of the coin: considering the opposite side of the same situation: That artist is difficult to work with, but on other side of the coin, his art is beautiful. -n. coinage.
coincide
coincide
  1. v. [I] -cided, -ciding, -cides
    1 to happen at the same time: My trip to New York coincided with Thanksgiving, so I had a big turkey dinner there.
    2 to agree: Two different people saw the accident, and their stories coincide about what happened.
coincidence
coincidence
  1. n. [C;U] the happening of two or more events at the same time by chance: By coincidence, she met an old friend on the street whom she had not seen in years. -adj. coincidental ; -adv. coincidentally.
coke
coke
  1. n. [U]
    1 coal with the gases removed: Coke is used as fuel and in making steel. 
    2  slang cocaine: He’s been snorting coke.
COLA
COLA
  1. n.abbr. for cost of living adjustment: an increase in wages and pensions usually given each year
colander
colander
  1. n. a type of bowl with many small holes, used to let water fall through when rinsing fruit, vegetables, pasta, etc.: I washed some lettuce and put it in the colander to drain.
cold-blooded
cold-blooded
  1. adj.
    1 having a body temperature that varies with the outside temperature: Snakes and insects are cold-blooded animals.
    2 pej. having no feeling or emotion: a cold-blooded murder||a killing in cold blood
cold-hearted
cold-hearted
  1. adj. having no feeling for the needs of others,
    THESAURUS
    insensitive: He is a cold-hearted businessman who shows no kindness to others.
cold
cold
  1. adj.
    1 having a low temperature: Many people do not like cold weather.
    2 feeling uncomfortable because of a lack of warmth, feeling chilled
    3 lacking warmth, not friendly: He has a cold personality in his dealings with people.
    4 infrml. out cold: unconscious: The boxer lay on the floor, out cold.
    5 to get cold feet: to agree to do s.t., then not do it, because of fear or nervousness: He agreed to marry her, then got cold feet and left her.
    6 to give s.o. the cold shoulder: to avoid s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to snub s.o.: She left her boyfriend and now gives him the cold shoulder every time they happen to be near each other.
    7 to have s.t. (down) cold: to know s.t. perfectly: The actor had his part down cold.
    8 to leave s.o. cold: to fail to interest or impress s.o. —n.
    1 [C] an illness, usu. with a blocked runny nose, fever, and general achiness, also called the common cold: He has a bad cold.
    2 [C] to catch cold or a cold: to get this illness: She caught cold yesterday.
    3 [U] the cold: a condition of low temperature: I don't like the cold.
    4 to be out or to get left out in the cold: to be left with nothing: When the owner closed his company, the employees got left out in the cold with no jobs. -adv. coldly; -n. [U] coldness.
    THESAURUS
    cold adj.
    1 wintry, frigid, chilly. Ant. hot.
    2 shivering, freezing. Ant. hot.
    3 aloof, snobbish.
cold cream
cold cream
  1. n. [C;U] a creamy beauty product for cleaning and softening the skin: She used some cold cream to take makeup off her face.
cold cuts
cold cuts
  1. n.pl. cold slices of meat, such as bologna, salami, or beef: She put some cold cuts on the table for the family to make sandwiches.
cold front
cold front
  1. n. a wave of cold air moving into a region: New York experienced a cold front moving down from Canada.
cold sore
cold sore
  1. n. a sore on or near the lips produced by a virus
cold turkey
cold turkey
  1. n.adv. fig.slang to quit or go cold turkey: to stop a bad habit (cigarettes, drugs, alcohol) suddenly and completely: I smoked cigarettes for 20 years; then one day I quit cold turkey.
cold war
cold war
  1. n. a competition between great nations, such as in building powerful weapons, that does not go into real fighting: The cold war between the USA and the Soviet Union began after World War II.
coleslaw
coleslaw
  1. n. [U] a salad containing raw cut cabbage in a mayonnaise dressing
colic
colic
  1. n. [U] an illness of severe pain in the stomach area, esp. suffered by babies -adj. colicky.
coliseum
coliseum
  1. n. a large round or oval building with seats that rise gradually away from the open area in the center, used for holding sports events or other exhibitions: We saw a basketball game at the coliseum last night.
collaborate
collaborate
  1. v. [I] -rated, -rating, -rates
    1 to work with s.o.: Two writers collaborated in writing a textbook.
    2 to help an enemy,
    THESAURUS
    to commit treason: The army officer collaborated with the enemy, giving them information about the army's plans. -n. [U] collaboration ; collaborator; -adj. collaborative.
collage
collage
  1. n. [C;U] pieces of paper, cloth, and photos glued on a flat surface to make a picture: The artist made a collage that showed pictures of her family.
collapse
collapse
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a falling into ruin,
    THESAURUS
    a caving in: Heavy rainfall caused the collapse of the roof.
    2 a loss of strength: She worked so hard that she suffered a collapse. —v. [I] -lapsed, -lapsing, -lapses
    1 to fall into ruin: The stock market collapsed, and many people lost a lot of money.
    2 to lose strength and fall down: The runner collapsed at the finish line.
    3 to fold up s.t. so it needs less space: to collapse an umbrella -adj. collapsible.
    THESAURUS
    collapse v.
    1 to fall, cave in
    2 to drop, fall, break down. Ant. to strengthen.
collar
collar
  1. n.
    1 the material around the neck of a shirt, coat, etc.
    2 a round leather or cloth strap or chain: He puts a collar on his dog before walking it.
    3 slang an arrest by police —v. [T]
    1 to place a collar on: to collar a dog
    2 slang to suddenly stop or arrest s.o.: She collared the boy, who was running wildly around the house.
    THESAURUS
    collar n.
    1 a lapel, neckline.
collarbone
collarbone
  1. n. a bone on each side of the lower neck running to the top of the shoulder,
    THESAURUS
    the clavicle: He fell and broke his right collarbone.
collate
collate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to place papers in correct order: The photocopy machine collated the report as it printed it. -n. collator.
collateral
collateral
  1. n. [U] money or property signed over to a bank to insure that a loan will be repaid,
    THESAURUS
    loan security: I took out a loan at the bank and gave them my savings passbook as collateral. —adj. related to s.t. but not the main point: a collateral issue
colleague
colleague
  1. n. a person with whom one works, esp. in a profession: My colleagues in the office (university, club, etc.) agree to the proposal.
collect
collect
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to come or bring together as a group, assemble: The teacher collected the homework.||A crowd collected in front of the burning building.
    2 [T] to get and keep things as a hobby: He collects stamps.
    3 [I;T] to ask for and receive money: Businesses have workers who collect payments from their customers.
    4 [T] to get back control of: to collect one's thoughts (emotions, oneself)
    5 to call collect: to telephone s.o. who pays the cost: The student called her mother collect from college.
    THESAURUS
    collect
    1 to gather. Ant. to scatter.
    2 to save
    4 to compose, rein in.
collectible
collectible
  1. n.adj.
    1 s.t. that is worth being collected: Paintings and stamps are among many collectibles.
    2 money owed that can be collected: That debt is not collectible, as the company is out of business.
collection
collection
  1. n.
    1 [C] a group of similar objects brought together by s.o. as a hobby or by a museum: I have a coin collection.||That museum has a collection of Chinese paintings.
    2 [C;U] a request for payment of money owed a business
    3 [C;U] the act of collecting money, or the money given, for some good cause: a church collection See: collection agency.
    THESAURUS
    collection
    1 an assortment, compilation.
collection agency
collection agency
  1. n. -cies a business that collects money owed other businesses who are unable to collect it themselves: Some of our customers refuse to pay, so we gave their names to a collection agency.
collective
collective
  1. n. an organization where people and businesses group together to help each other: The farm collective stores their grain in a big warehouse that they bought together. —adj. of a group: the people's collective concern about high taxes, poverty, etc.
collective bargaining
collective bargaining
  1. n. [U] negotiations between representatives of workers and management over wages, working conditions, and extra benefits: Collective bargaining started between officials of the workers' union and management.
collector
collector
  1. n. a person, business, or museum that collects objects or money: The Internal Revenue Service in the USA is a collector of taxes.
college degree
college degree
  1. n. in the USA, a diploma from a university or four-year college: She has a college degree in chemistry.
collide
collide
  1. v. [I] -lided, -liding, -lides to hit against s.t. with force, to crash: Two cars collided on the street. ||They collided with each other.
collie
collie
  1. n. a large dog with a thin, pointed nose and long, light-brown, black, and white fur: Some farmers use collies to control sheep.
collision
collision
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a crashing together: Two cars were involved in a collision.
    2 to be on a collision course: a. to be headed toward crashing together: two cars on a collision course b. to be headed for an argument or other conflict: The two politicians are on a collision course over raising taxes.
collocate
collocate
  1. v.frml. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates (of two words) to be used together regularly, to sound correct together: The word "heavy" collocates with "rain," but "weighty" does not; we say "a heavy rain," not "a weighty rain." -n. [U] collocation.
colloquial
colloquial
  1. adj. typical of informal spoken or written language: Talk among friends uses colloquial language. -n. colloquialism; -adv. colloquially.
colloquium
colloquium
  1. n. -quiums or -quia a meeting, such as among professors, to exchange ideas: The chemistry department held a colloquium on new developments.
collusion
collusion
  1. n. [U] a secret agreement to cheat or steal,
    THESAURUS
    a conspiracy to defraud: Two employees were in collusion to steal money from the company. -v. [I] collude.
cologne
cologne
  1. n. [C;U] a type of perfume: He puts cologne on his face after he shaves.
colon
colon
  1. n.
    1 the lower intestine: He had cancer of the colon.
    2 the punctuation mark (:): Colons are used in this dictionary to introduce the sample sentence.
colonel
colonel
  1. n. a military rank below general and above lieutenant colonel: In the USA, there are colonels in the Army, Air Force, and Marines, but not in the Navy.
colonial
colonial
  1. adj.
    1 related to colonies (nations governed by other nations): Colonial America was controlled mainly by the Spanish, French, and British.
    2 Colonial: related to the 13 original American colonies
    3 in the style, esp. of buildings, common during the time that people lived in colonies in America: They live in a four-bedroom colonial house.
colonization
colonization
  1. n. [U] the process of gaining control of another country or land, esp. by sending groups of people, who are still governed by their home countries, to live there: The colonization of the Americas by the Spanish took many years.
colonize
colonize
  1. v. [I;T] -nized, -nizing, -nizes
    1 to send people to live in another area of land or country, while still governing them from the home country: The Spanish, British, and French colonized the Americas.
    2 to go live in a colony
    THESAURUS
    colonize
    1 to inhabit, settle, take possession of.
colony
colony
  1. n. -nies
    1 a group of people who have moved to another area of land, but are still governed by their home country
    2 a region, country, or land of colonization, esp. one controlled by a foreign power: the (former) French colonies of North Africa
    3 a group of people with similar backgrounds or interests living in one area: That seaside resort is an artists' colony. -n. (a person) colonist.
    THESAURUS
    colony
    1 a protectorate, settlement, outpost.
color
color
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a shade, hue, or tint: Red, yellow, and blue are colors.
    2 [C;U] paint, ink, pastel, chalk, etc., used to create color: She paints with watercolors.
    3 [U] skin color as related to race: Some people are discriminated against because of their color.
    4 [U] the look of one's skin, esp. the face, that shows one's health: That little boy is almost well again; he's getting his color back.
    5 [U] liveliness, brightness: Your decorations certainly add color to the room.
    6 to show one's true colors: to show what one is really like: He seems pleasant but shows his true colors by becoming angry when he does not get what he wants.
    7 with flying colors: very well: She passed the exam with flying colors, a perfect score. —v.
    1 [T] to apply color to: The child colored the picture yellow and red.
    2 [T] to give a special effect to, influence: A bad car accident has colored his attitude, and he is very cautious while driving now.
    3 [T] to present in an unfair or untrue way: She colors her group's reports so that it sounds as if she does all the work.
    4 [I] to have one's face, esp. the cheeks, turn red,
    THESAURUS
    to blush: She colored with embarrassment as she realized her mistake. See: colored.
colorblind
colorblind
  1. adj.
    1 not able to see the difference between some or all colors: He could not fly for the Air Force because he was colorblind.
    2 not concerned by s.o.'s skin color and race,
    THESAURUS
    unprejudiced: Most people like to think of themselves as colorblind. -n. [U] colorblindness.
colored
colored
  1. adj.
    1 having color: The invitations can be printed on white or colored paper.
    2 containing incorrect information, (syns.) slanted, biased: This report is colored, because the authors put in only the information that they agreed with.
colorful
colorful
  1. adj.
    1 having bright colors: She wore a colorful dress with red and orange flowers on it.
    2 full of interesting behavior or activity: She is a colorful person who is a pilot, explorer, and writer.
    THESAURUS
    colorful
    1 vivid, vibrant, lively. Ant. colorless.
    2 dramatic.
coloring
coloring
  1. n.
    1 [U] the color of the skin, esp. of the face, indicating good or poor health
    2 [C;U] a substance added to s.t., such as food, to give it a color
colossal
colossal
  1. adj. huge,
    THESAURUS
    immense: Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.
colt
colt
  1. n. a young male horse: The mare gave birth to a colt. See: filly.
column
column
  1. n.
    1 in some buildings, a tall, thick beam used as support or decoration, pillar: Those stone columns hold up the roof.
    2 a row, esp. a vertical one: He added up a column of numbers.||A column of ants crawled through the yard.
    3 an article in a newspaper or magazine written regularly by a writer (called a columnist): She writes a weekly column about politics for The New York Times.
    THESAURUS
    column
    3 a feature, editorial, piece.
coma
coma
  1. n. a medical condition like a long, deep sleep,
    THESAURUS
    unconsciousness caused by disease or injury: He injured his head in a fall and fell into a coma for a month. -adj. comatose.
comb
comb
  1. n. a flat piece of plastic (wood, metal) with teeth used to neaten the hair: —v. [T]
    1 to pass a comb through the hair: I washed my face and combed my hair.
    2 to search thoroughly: The police combed our neighborhood for a thief who was hiding.
    THESAURUS
    comb v.
    1 to untangle
    2 to search, scour.
combat
combat
  1. n. [C;U] a violent struggle: Soldiers shoot at each other in combat. —v. [T] -bated or -batted, -bating or -batting, -bats to fight against: Police combat crime. -n. combatant.
combative
combative
  1. adj. eager to fight or argue,
    THESAURUS
    pugnacious: The young boys were combative; they argued about everything with everyone. -n. [U] combativeness.
combination
combination
  1. n. two or more things, ideas, or events put together: Chicken soup is a combination of pieces of chicken, vegetables, and water.
    THESAURUS
    combination n. a mixture, blend | union.
combustible
combustible
  1. adj. capable of burning: Wood and coal are combustible substances.
combustion
combustion
  1. n. [U] the act or process of burning
come-hither
come-hither
  1. adj. inviting s.o. to come over, esp. by a sexy look: She gave the handsome guy a come-hither look.
come-on
come-on
  1. n. slang
    1 s.t. offered to get s.o. to do s.t.: The offer of a free clock by that store was just a come-on to get you to buy an expensive TV.
    2 a sexual invitation: She flirts and laughs with him; she is giving him a big come-on.
come
come
  1. v. [I] came , come, coming, comes
    1 to move toward the speaker or a certain place: Come here and look at this!||He came to my party.
    2 to arrive: The train comes at 9:09.||Labor and management finally came to an agreement.
    3 to be located in a certain position: Five comes before six.||That law comes under article 3 on page 10.
    4 to reach: The coat comes down to my knees.||That typist does not come up to our standards of accuracy.
    5 to be available: Ice cream comes in many flavors.||Do those shoes come in my size?
    6 to result in: All my work came to nothing when it burned up in the office fire.
    7 to become: My shoelaces have come untied.||A button on my jacket came loose and fell off.
    8 to have importance, to rank: For him, his job always comes first.||His family comes before anything else.
    9 to begin: I hope you will come to like your new school.
    THESAURUS
    come
    1 to approach (s.o. or s.t.), show up. Ants. to leave, depart.
    2 to reach (a destination, ending), draw near
    3 to be positioned
    4 to meet
    5 to be offered
    6 to add up to, total, amount to
    7 to get
    9 to grow to (like/dislike).
    10 Come on: a. an expression of encouragement: Come on, you can do it! b. an expression of skepticism: Oh come on, you don't really believe that! c. an expression of impatience: Come on, we're going to miss the train!
    11 Come off it: an expression of annoyance: Oh, come off it! Stop talking that nonsense!
    12 infrml. How come: why: How come you got a salary increase and I didn't?
    13 in the days (weeks, months, etc.) to come: in the future: In the years to come, I hope to stay healthy.
    14 phrasal v. [I] to come about: a. to happen: How did the accident come about? b. to turn around: The ship came about and headed home.
    15 phrasal v. insep. to come across (s.t.): a. infrml. [I] to make an impression: He comes across badly in meetings, but he is really just shy. b. [I] s.t.: to do or give what is wanted: He finally came across with the money. c. [T] s.t.: to find, discover: In cleaning out a desk, I came across (or) came upon some $100 bills.
    16 phrasal v. [I] to come along: to progress: How is your mother coming along after her operation?
    17 to come and go: to come into and go out of fashion quickly: Wide neckties, then thin ones; they come and go.
    18 phrasal v. [I] to come apart: to fall into pieces: That car is so old that it is coming apart.
    19 phrasal v. [I] to come around: a. to visit: She came around to my place at eight o'clock. b. to come back to consciousness,
    THESAURUS
    to come to: He came around a few hours after the surgery. c. to agree after a time of disagreement: She will come around to our way of thinking.
    20 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come at s.o. or s.t.: to approach in a threatening way, to attack: The dog came at me with its teeth bared.
    21 phrasal v. [I] to come back: a. to return to one's memory: I can't remember his name at the moment, but it'll come back to me. b. to return to a good level of success: The singer was unpopular for many years; then he came back as a big success. See: comeback.
    22 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come between s.o. or s.t.: to divide or cause trouble between people, or between a person and a thing: They were a happy couple until money problems came between them.
    23 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come by (s.t.): a. to visit: Come by my office when you have time to talk. b. s.t.: to get,
    THESAURUS
    to acquire: How did you come by that new car (information, idea, etc.)?
    24 to come down in life or in the world: to make less money and live less well than before
    25 phrasal v. insep. [I] to come down on s.o. or s.t.: to punish: The attorney general has promised to come down hard on fraud.
    26 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come down to s.t.: to re-sult in, be reduced to: Her concerns come down to worries about losing money.
    27 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come down with s.t.: to get an illness, to contract a disease: I came down with a cold yesterday.
    28 phrasal v. [I] to come forward: to present or offer oneself: He came forward and told the police that he saw the crime happen.
    29 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come from s.t.: a. to be a native or resident of: He comes from London (Texas, Japan, etc.). b. to be produced by: Honey comes from bees.
    30 phrasal v. insep. [I] to come in (on s.t.): to begin to participate in, to join: Another company came in on the project, and a third company may come in and join us as well.
    31 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come into s.t.: to inherit: When her rich uncle died, she came into a lot of money.
    32 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come of s.t.: to be the result of: What do you think will come of your investigation?
    33 phrasal v. [I] to come off: to happen, esp. to succeed: The big party we gave came off well; everyone liked it. See: come, 11.
    34 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come on to s.o.: to make sexual advances to s.o.: While we were having dinner at the restaurant, he kept coming on to me.
    35 phrasal v. [I] to come out: a. to state one's beliefs: The politician came out in favor of (for, against, etc.) lower taxes. b. to become known: When the truth about his past came out, everyone was shocked. c. to appear: The sun will come out tomorrow at 6:15 A.M. d. to be presented to society at a dance: The young lady came out at the December ball. e. to announce one's homosexuality: He came out to his parents after college.
    36 phrasal v. insep. to come over (s.o.): a. [I] to pay a visit: My friend came over (to my house) to play cards. b. [T] s.o.: to become clear to, be understood by: It suddenly came over me that I had forgotten my keys.
    37 to come s.o.'s way: to happen for s.o. (after a long wait): After ten years of being alone, love finally came my way.
    38 phrasal v. [T] to come through: to do what is needed or expected, esp. after a wait: My citizenship papers finally came through.
    39 phrasal v. insep. to come to: a. [I] to come back to consciousness,
    THESAURUS
    to come around: She fainted, then slowly came to. b. [T] s.o.: to return to s.o.'s memory: His name? Wait a minute and it will come to me.
    40 phrasal v. [I] to come up: a. to come to s.o.'s attention, be spoken of: The topic of money came up in our conversation. b. to approach: A man came up (to me) on the street and asked for money.
    41 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come up against s.t.: to meet or face difficulty or trouble: She came up against a stone wall when she asked her boss for a raise; he just said, "No."
    42 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come up with s.t.: to think of, invent, discover: She came up with a good solution to the problem.
    43 phrasal v. insep. [T] to come upon s.t.: to find,
    THESAURUS
    to come across: A man on a bicycle came upon a dead body by the road.
comeback
comeback
  1. n.
    1 a return to the top level of success: That singer retired at 35, then made a comeback at 50 with a new hit song.
    2 a quick, funny reply,
    THESAURUS
    a retort: People tease her a lot, but she always has a comeback.
comedian
comedian
  1. n.
    1 a man or woman who says and often does funny things for a living: The comedian made the audience laugh.
    2 a person who does or tries to do funny things: Juan is always joking around; he's quite the comedian.
comedown
comedown
  1. n. a lowering of one's standard of living: It was a big comedown for him when he had to sell his house and move into a tiny apartment.
comedy
comedy
  1. n. [C;U] -dies
    1 a funny movie, play, piece of writing, etc.: That movie I saw was a really good comedy.
    2 s.t. so wrong as to become very amusing: He did everything wrong; it was a comedy of errors.
    THESAURUS
    comedy
    1 humor, jokes, wit. Ant. tragedy.
comely
comely
  1. adj.frml. -lier, -liest good-looking, (syns.) pretty, handsome: She is a comely child.
comet
comet
  1. n. a fast-moving heavenly body with a solid head surrounded by a glowing cloud of gases that circles the sun: As a comet gets closer to the sun, a long, glowing tail of gas forms behind it.
comeuppance
comeuppance
  1. n. [C;U] well-deserved punishment: That man has been cheating people for years; he got his comeuppance when s.o. finally caught him and had him arrested.
comfort
comfort
  1. n.
    1 a peaceful feeling of freedom from pain or worry: People like to live in comfort.
    2 kind and gentle care: Nurses give comfort to sick people.
    3 s.o. or s.t. that gives comfort: She is a comfort to her parents in their old age.||It is a comfort to know that our son will be well taken care of while we're out of town.
    4 s.t. that makes life easier or more comfortable: Today, we enjoy many comforts that people did not have in the past (cars, air conditioning, microwave ovens, etc.). —v. [T] to soothe s.o. in pain or worry: Mothers comfort their sick children.
    THESAURUS
    comfort v. to calm, reassure. Ant. to upset.
comfortable
comfortable
  1. adj.
    1 relaxed and restful: I sat on the big, soft sofa and made myself comfortable.
    2 s.t. that provides comfort: The big, soft sofa is very comfortable.
    3 enough to be satisfied and happy: She earns a comfortable living.||The front runner has a comfortable lead.
    4 feeling s.t. is all right: She is comfortable with the idea of moving to a new city. -adv. comfortably.
    THESAURUS
    comfortable
    1 at ease, snug, comfy infrml. Ant. on edge.
    2 snug, cozy, comfy infrml.
    THESAURUS
    Ant. uncomfortable.
    3 satisfactory, decent. Ants. inferior, poor.
    4 content, satisfied,
    THESAURUS
    pleased.
comfy
comfy
  1. adj.infrml. -fier, -fiest short for comfortable: She took off her shoes and made herself comfy.||This is a comfy chair.
comic
comic
  1. n. a comedian: We watched a comic on TV. —adj. funny,
    THESAURUS
    amusing: a comic opera
comic book
comic book
  1. n. a book of comic strips (color drawings that tell a story): Children love to read about the adventures of their favorite superheroes in comic books.
comic strip
comic strip
  1. n. a picture story, amusing or adventurous, by one artist: The comic strips are in the back of my newspaper.
comical
comical
  1. adj.
    1 funny, amusing: Everyone laughed at her comical remarks.
    2 stupid but amusing, ludicrous: It was comical watching the thief with the stolen wallet trying to tell the police that he'd found it.
    THESAURUS
    comical
    1 humorous, comic, hilarious. Ant. tragic.
    2 laughable.
comics
comics
  1. n.pl. picture stories of fun and adventure in newspapers: He reads the comics every morning.
    THESAURUS
    comics n. pl. comic strips, cartoons.
coming
coming
  1. n.
    1 sing.a formal arrival,
    THESAURUS
    advent: We look forward to the coming of peace after five years of war.
    2 to have it coming: a. to deserve a reward: She works so hard that she deserves a vacation; she has it coming to her. b. to deserve punishment: He robbed a store and is going to jail; he has it coming to him. —adj.
    1 arriving next: I am leaving on a trip this coming Sunday.
    2 up and coming: seeming likely to be successful: She is an up and coming young lawyer.
comma
comma
  1. n. the punctuation sign (,): The comma is used to separate parts of a sentence.
command
command
  1. n.
    1 [C] an instruction on what to do, an order: An army officer gave a command to the soldiers to shoot at the enemy.
    2 [U] the act of using one's authority over a person, group, etc.: The officer is in command, and the soldiers must obey on (his) command.
    3 [C] a group of officers in charge of the military: the army's high command
    4 [C;U] one's skill or ability to do s.t. well: She has a good command of English.
    5 [C] a signal containing instructions given to a machine or device: She typed a command into the computer (alarm system, VCR, etc.). —v.
    1 [I;T] (in the military) to have control over a person or group: The general commands the Third Army.
    2 frml. [T] to demand with authority that s.o. do s.t.: He commanded the dog to leave the house.
    3 [T] to be skilled at or able to use s.t.: She commands a broad knowledge of history.
    4 [T] to be worth s.t.: That car is so well built that it commands a very high price.||She has accomplished many things, and commands a great deal of respect.
    THESAURUS
    command n.
    1 a mandate, directive
    2 control, power
    4 a mastery, grasp of.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to control, be in charge of
    2 to instruct, order | tell
    3 to possess
    4 to require, demand.
commandant
commandant
  1. n. the chief military officer of a fort or military post
commandeer
commandeer
  1. v. [T] to take s.t. suddenly without permission or payment, esp. by police or military authority: The police officer commandeered a taxi cab to chase the bank robbers.
commander
commander
  1. n. a person in charge, esp. of military personnel or police: In the USA, the President is the commander in chief of all military forces.
commanding
commanding
  1. adj.
    1 in command,
    THESAURUS
    in charge: The officer responsible for directing you is your commanding officer.
    2 looking important and powerful,
    THESAURUS
    impressive: The President is a man with a commanding presence (appearance).
    3 in a position of control,
    THESAURUS
    dominating: Our team has a commanding lead of 50 to 10.
commandment
commandment
  1. n.
    1 an order,
    THESAURUS
    a mandate
    2 any of the Ten Commandments in the Bible: God gave Moses the Ten Commandments.
commando
commando
  1. n. -dos or -does a highly trained soldier used to make quick, deadly attacks against an enemy: Commandos swam ashore and captured an enemy general as he slept.
commemorate
commemorate
  1. v. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates to celebrate the memory of s.o. or some event: In the USA, they commemorate Independence Day on July 4th. -n. [U] commemoration ; -adj. commemorative.
commence
commence
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -menced, -mencing, -mences to begin: Our company commenced business on January 2 last year.
commencement
commencement
  1. n.frml.
    1 [C;U] a beginning: a commencement of political negotiations
    2 [C] graduation ceremonies at a school or college: Parents attended the commencement of their sons and daughters from high school.
commend
commend
  1. v. [T]
    1 to praise: The teacher commended the students for doing well on the exam.
    2 to say that s.o. or s.t. is worthy and good,
    THESAURUS
    to recommend: She commended the hotel in her letter to me.
    3 to place in s.o. else's care: The minister commended the dead man's spirit to heaven. -adj. commendable; -n. commendation.
comment
comment
  1. n. a remark, opinion (often criticism): The teacher wrote a comment on the student's paper about how good it was. —v. [I;T] to express an opinion about s.t., to remark: The boss commented on how poorly the work had been done.
    THESAURUS
    comment n. an observation, statement, note.
commentary
commentary
  1. n. [C;U] -ies a written or spoken opinion about s.t., explaining and/or criticizing it: A TV sports announcer gave the commentary on the football game, explaining what the players were doing, and how well they were doing it. -v. [I] commentate.
commentator
commentator
  1. n. a person, esp. on TV or radio, who explains and/or criticizes events
commerce
commerce
  1. n. [U] business in general in the buying and selling of goods and services within a country and with other countries: Commerce between the USA and Asia is good.
commercial
commercial
  1. adj. related to business: He is a Chinese businessman with commercial interests in both China and New York.||There are only businesses, no homes, in this area; it is a commercial district. —n. a radio or television advertisement: Television programs are often interrupted by commercials.
    THESAURUS
    commercial adj. for profit, money-making | industrial, business.

    USAGE NOTE: Compare commercial and advertisement. Commercials are a kind of advertising on TV or radio. Advertisements in newspapers, magazines, billboards, and on the World Wide Web are not called commercials.
commercial bank
commercial bank
  1. n. in the USA, a bank offering checking and savings accounts, and mortgages for both individuals and businesses: There is a commercial bank, like Citibank, on nearly every corner in New York City.
commercialize
commercialize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 to change s.t. so that making money is its main goal: This used to be a quiet beach that few people knew about, but it's been commercialized, and is now covered with hotels.
    2 to cheapen the quality of s.t. for larger profits: A large company commercialized that wonderful mustard to make more money from its good name.
commiserate
commiserate
  1. v.frml. [I] -ated, -ating, -ates to share feelings of sadness with s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to sympathize with s.o.: When my friend's mother died, I commiserated with her. -n. [C;U] commiseration.
commission
commission
  1. n.
    1 [C] an amount of money paid, esp. to a sales representative, for making sales of products and services: Our company pays the salespeople a 10-percent commission.
    2 [U] a doing, a committing,
    THESAURUS
    perpetration: The commission of the crime was quick.
    3 [C] a. authorization (permission) to do a certain duty or task: I have a commission to paint a picture of the mayor. b. the document giving s.o. this permission: I have the commission to organize a new committee for the president. c. the task so given: What is your commission?
    4 [C] a group of people authorized, usu. by a government, to do s.t.: The town council created a commission to protect its historical landmarks.
    5 [C] a formal document of acceptance as an officer into the military: She received her commission as a lieutenant in the Navy today. —v. [T]
    1 to set up a group of people as a commission: They commissioned a group of engineers to study the problem.
    2 to accept a person as an officer in the military
    3 to ask formally for s.t. to be done: to commission a painting or study. See: commitment, USAGE NOTE.
commissioned officer
commissioned officer
  1. n. an officer in the military with the rank of lieutenant, captain, colonel, or general
commissioner
commissioner
  1. n.
    1 an official in charge of a government department or an athletic association: The police commissioner of New York||the baseball commissioner
    2 a member of a commission
commit
commit
  1. v. [T] -mitted, -mitting, -mits
    1 to do s.t.: He committed a crime.
    2 to give money for a purpose: to commit funds to a project
    3 to commit oneself: to promise to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to dedicate oneself: The priest committed himself to a life of poverty.
    4 to obligate or bind by a promise: My aunt feels committed to go to my wedding, but she does not want to.
    THESAURUS
    commit
    1 to perpetrate
    2 to pledge, hand over, entrust.
commitment
commitment
  1. n.
    1 [C] a promise: The mayor made a commitment to speak at the celebration.
    2 [C] a decision: The company made a commitment to spend a million dollars on advertising.
    3 [C;U] deep loyalty to a person or cause, dedication: That husband and wife have a strong commitment to each other.
    4 to honor or meet one's commitment(s): to do what one promises to do,
    THESAURUS
    to fulfill one's obligations: She honors her commitments.
    THESAURUS
    commitment
    1 a pledge, vow
    2 a pledge, choice
    3 devotion.

    USAGE NOTE: When a crime has been committed, one speaks of the commission of a crime; commitment is not used in this sense.
committee
committee
  1. n. a group of people organized for a purpose: The company has a committee to handle complaints from employees.
    THESAURUS
    committee n. a team | board.
commodity
commodity
  1. n. -ties a general word for items or substances for sale, like grains and metals: Some important commodities are wheat and corn, or silver and gold.
commodore
commodore
  1. n. a former Navy rank above captain and below rear admiral: The commodore was in charge of a group of ships.
common
common
  1. adj.
    1 happening or appearing often: Car accidents are a common occurrence.||"Smith" is a very common name.
    2 ordinary, having no special position or quality: The common people go to work and raise families.
    3 shared by two or more people or things: They became friends because of their common interest in bird watching.||The two countries share a common border.
    4 related to the people in general, involving the whole community: During the war, people made sacrifices for the common good.
    5 common ground: what people agree on, esp. when they disagree about other things: They disagreed on many issues, but found some common ground in their concern for poor children.
    6 pej. rude and unpolished in looks, manners, or speech,
    THESAURUS
    vulgar: She is very common; she needs to be taught some manners. —n. to have s.t. in common: to share the same interests, experiences, or qualities: I hardly ever talk to my brother; we just don't have anything in common. -adv. commonly.
    THESAURUS
    common
    1 everyday, normal, regular. Ant. rare.
    2 everyday, commonplace, unexceptional.
    THESAURUS
    Ant. exceptional.
    3 joint
    4 universal, general. Ant. individual.
common knowledge
common knowledge
  1. n. what most people know: It is common knowledge that the national debt is huge.
common law
common law
  1. n. [U] unwritten law based on customs and previous court judgments, rather than laws passed by Parliament or Congress: British common law was developed over hundreds of years and brought to North America in the 17th century.
common property
common property
  1. n. [U] property belonging to both husband and wife: For their divorce, the couple agreed to divide common property on a 50-50 basis.
common sense
common sense
  1. n. [U] the understanding of s.t. from thinking intelligently and from everyday experience,
    THESAURUS
    good judgment: He knows about the harmful effects of smoking cigarettes, so it is common sense to stop.
common stock
common stock
  1. n. [U] shares of a company that have a claim on that company's assets after all other debts are paid: The New York Stock Exchange trades the common stock of thousands of companies.
commonplace
commonplace
  1. adj. frequent or usual: Car accidents are commonplace in the city.
commonwealth
commonwealth
  1. n.
    1 a state or a nation governed by the people for the common good (commonwealth),
    THESAURUS
    republic: Virginia and Massachusetts are commonwealths, as is the nation of Australia.
    2 the Commonwealth: the free association of former British colonies and dominions: Canada, India, and Kenya are all members of the Commonwealth.
commotion
commotion
  1. n. [C;U] a disturbing confusion: Two men made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theater.
communal
communal
  1. adj. for a community,
    THESAURUS
    public: Parks are communal property for all the people to enjoy.
commune
commune
  1. v. [I] -muned, -muning, -munes to feel as one with s.t., to communicate: to commune with God||She goes to the country to commune with nature. See: communion. —n.
    1 a group of people and property organized for their common purpose: a religious commune
    2 (in France, Italy, Spain) the smallest political area with a mayor and council
communicable
communicable
  1. adj. capable of being communicated or given to others: The common cold and the plague are communicable diseases.
communicate
communicate
  1. v. -cated, -cating, -cates
    1 [I;T] to give information to others: People communicate with each other by spoken or written language or by gestures.
    2 [I] to understand one another: My boss and I communicate well with each other.
    3 [I] to contact others: People can communicate by telephone easily.
    THESAURUS
    communicate
    1 to correspond with, convey information to
    2 to convey meaning/information
    THESAURUS
    to s.o.
    3 to talk, be in touch/contact with, converse frml.
communication
communication
  1. n.
    1 [U] an act of passing on information, feelings, etc.: the communication of the news on TV
    2 [C] the message itself: That communication is clear.
    3 [U] understanding: There is no communication in this company; no one knows what is going on.
communicative
communicative
  1. adj.
    1 willing and able to communicate: She is communicative about how she feels.
    2 about the ability to communicate: one's communicative skills, like speaking and writing
communion
communion
  1. n.
    1 [U] a feeling of oneness: I feel a sense of communion with my cousin; we both love nature.
    2 [C] a religious grouping,
    THESAURUS
    a denomination
    3 Holy Communion: the Christian religious act (church rite) of taking wine and bread as a sign of one's faith in Christ and God,
    THESAURUS
    the Eucharist: He takes Holy Communion every Sunday. -n. communicant.
communiqué
communiqué
  1. n. an official communication,
    THESAURUS
    bulletin: The government issued a communiqué giving the military officers their instructions.
community
community
  1. n. -ties
    1 the people as a group in a town, city, or other area: The community is concerned about crime.
    2 people forming a group in a racial, religious, occupational, etc., way: The Dominican community in New York City is very large. —adj. to have community spirit: to think about and work for the good of a community: The children in that neighborhood pick up the garbage in the park every weekend; they have a lot of community spirit.
community college
community college
  1. n. in the USA, a two-year college,
    THESAURUS
    junior college: She is studying at a community college.
commute
commute
  1. v. -muted, -muting, -mutes
    1 [I] to travel to and from one's work or school regularly: He commutes between his house in the country and his office in the city every day.
    2 [T] to make punishment less severe: The official commuted the criminal's sentence from death to life in prison. —n. a regular trip, usu. between home and workplace: He has a long commute to work from home. -n. commutation.
commuter
commuter
  1. n. a person who travels regularly, esp. between home and the workplace: At five o'clock, commuters leave their offices and rush to buses and trains.
compact
compact
  1. adj.
    1 small compared with others, taking up little space: That compact suitcase is easy to carry.
    2 close together,
    THESAURUS
    dense: The equipment in that case is packed in a compact way. —n. a small case used to hold women's face powder and a mirror —v. [T] to pack or pound tightly: to compact garbage —adv. compactly: It fits compactly behind the door for storage. -n. [U] compactness; (machine) compactor.
compact disc
compact disc
  1. or CD n. a disc used to record music, other sounds, images, and other information that is read by a laser: We use compact discs to play music on our stereo.
companion
companion
  1. n.
    1 a person who goes with another person: a traveling companion|| a working companion|| John was her companion at the party.
    2 a thing that goes with another to form a pair: a companion volume (book) -adj. companionable.
companionship
companionship
  1. n. [U] a condition of being together with s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    friendship: She has a pet dog for companionship.
company
company
  1. n. -nies
    1 [U] visitors, guests, often to a home: We had company over for dinner.
    2 [C] a business: She owns a company that makes fancy clothes.
    3 [U] companionship: He likes her company.
    4 [C] a military unit: a company of 50 soldiers
    5 to keep company: to go with, associate with: He keeps bad company with rough guys.
    6 to keep s.o. company: to go with s.o. for companionship: He kept her company while she went to the doctor.
    7 to part company: to no longer spend one's time with s.o.: She and her boyfriend had an argument and parted company.
comparable
comparable
  1. adj.
    1 similar to: The two cars are comparable in appearance.
    2 equal to in value: They are also comparable to each other in price.
comparative
comparative
  1. adj.
    1 as compared with s.t. else, whether that thing is mentioned or not,
    THESAURUS
    relative: The comparative worth of a car is much greater than that of an old bicycle.
    2 being the form of an adjective or adverb that compares one thing with another: "Taller" (not "tall" or "tallest") is the comparative form of "tall."
    3 comparing things in order to study them: I'm taking a course in comparative literature. -adv. comparatively.
compare
compare
  1. v. [T] -pared, -paring, -pares
    1 to look for similarities and differences between two or more things, ideas, people, etc.: The company's sales this year are excellent compared to (or) compared with last year's.
    2 to compare apples and oranges: to attempt to compare things that are not at all alike: Comparing s.o. who uses heroin to s.o. who smokes cigarettes is like comparing apples and oranges.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [T] to compare with s.o. or s.t.: to be worth a comparison: His cooking is good, but it can't compare with yours.
    THESAURUS
    compare
    1 to contrast, evaluate against
    3 to match, measure up to/against.
comparison
comparison
  1. n. [C;U] an analysis of similarities and differences between things, ideas, people, etc.: The student made a comparison between what people do at Christmastime in her country and what people do in the USA.
compartment
compartment
  1. n. an enclosed space within s.t. larger, often with a cover or door: Some trains have sleeping compartments.
compartmentalize
compartmentalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to put s.t. or s.o. into a category: Students are compartmentalized into separate classes for beginning, intermediate, and advanced speakers of English.
compass
compass
  1. n. -passes
    1 a device to determine direction (north, south, east, west, etc.): Sailors use a compass to know in which direction their ship is headed.
    2 A v-shaped device for drawing circles, arcs, or other geometric figures: She used a compass to draw a perfect circle.
compassion
compassion
  1. n. [U] sympathy for s.o., esp. in doing s.t. kind for him or her: She suffered cold, starvation, and the death of her family during the war, so she has great compassion for other people who suffer, too. -adj. compassionate.
compatible
compatible
  1. adj. capable of working or living well together,
    THESAURUS
    harmonious: That husband and wife are very compatible; they'll never get divorced.||Those computer programs are compatible with each other; they can run at the same time. -n. compatibility.
compel
compel
  1. v. [T] -pelled, -pelling, -pels to force s.o. to do s.t.: His illness compelled him to stay in bed.
compensate
compensate
  1. v. -sated, -sating, -sates
    1 [T] to pay s.o.: That company compensates its employees well.||The insurance company compensated the man for his injuries.
    2 [I] to overcome a weakness with a strength: He is not intelligent, but he compensates for that with his warmth and charm. -adj. compensatory.
compensation
compensation
  1. n.
    1 sing. [U] payment in money: Her compensation from the company is $50,000 per year.
    2 [U] payment in satisfaction: That teacher is not paid much, but he gets compensation from his love of teaching.
    THESAURUS
    compensation
    1 a salary, wage
    2 a reward.
compete
compete
  1. v. [I] -peted, -peting, -petes to participate in a contest,
    THESAURUS
    to vie: Our basketball team competed against another team and won.
competent
competent
  1. adj. having the ability to do s.t. well, having good or excellent skills: She is competent in accounting.||He is a competent manager. -n. competence; -adv. competently.
competition
competition
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 an organized event in which people try to do a specific activity better than everyone else: She is an excellent runner, and she enters every competition that she can.
    2 [U] the competition: the people, as a group, that one is trying to do better than, esp. in business: The competition in the computer field is made up of hundreds of companies.
competitive
competitive
  1. adj.
    1 s.o. who likes to compete: He is very competitive in football; he likes to win.
    2 s.t. that is as good or better than s.t. else, esp. worthy of purchase: Our company's soap products are competitive with other companies'. -n. [U] competitiveness.
    THESAURUS
    competitive
    1 aggressive. Ant. passive.
    2 viable, equal to.
competitor
competitor
  1. n.
    1 a person or team that participates in sports: The Olympic Games attract competitors from all over the world.
    2 a product or company that competes with others for the same customers: He's losing business to his competitors.
compile
compile
  1. v. [T] -piled, -piling, -piles to put s.t. together item by item: She compiled a list of things to take on vacation. -n. [C;U] compilation.
compiler
compiler
  1. n.
    1 a central computer program that translates other programs into usable ones
    2 a person who compiles: She is a compiler of dictionaries.
complacent
complacent
  1. adj.
    1 [T] quiet, satisfied: He likes his job and has a complacent attitude toward life.
    2 feeling superior and not worried,
    THESAURUS
    smug: He remained complacent even though the lawyer threatened to sue him. -n. [U] complacency; -adv. complacently.
complain
complain
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to express dissatisfaction, such as with pain or s.t. that is wrong: She complains that her back hurts.
    2 [I] to annoy others with complaints, gripe: He is always complaining about the weather or the government. -n. complainer.
    THESAURUS
    complain
    1 to whine, grumble. Ant. to tolerate.
    2 to whine, grumble.
complaint
complaint
  1. n.
    1 an expression of unhappiness or irritation about s.t.: I went to the doctor with a complaint about my bad back.
    2 criticism: That customer has a complaint about a bad product.
    THESAURUS
    complaint
    1 a problem
    2 grievance, dissatisfaction.
complement
complement
  1. n. a useful, appropriate addition to s.t.: The new lamps are a beautiful complement to the living room. —v. [T] to be an appropriate addition that makes s.t. more effective or complete: The delicate sauce perfectly complemented the fish.
complementary
complementary
  1. adj. An angle that, when added to a second angle (or angles), will combine to form a 90-degree angle: A 31-degree angle is complementary to a 59-degree angle, because their sum is 90 degrees. See: compliment.
complete
complete
  1. adj.
    1 finished, done: Repair of the bridge is now complete.
    2 whole, having all its parts: He has a complete collection of Elvis Presley records. —v. [T] -pleted, -pleting, -pletes to finish s.t.: He completed the report yesterday.
    THESAURUS
    complete adj.
    1 accomplished
    2 entire, inclusive, unabridged frml. Ant. partial.
completion
completion
  1. n. [U] the finishing of s.t., its end: The completion of the work is scheduled for next week.
complex
complex
  1. adj.
    1 having many parts or details that make s.t. hard to understand or deal with: Finding a cure for cancer involves complex scientific research.
    2 having many related parts: That powerful computer has complex wiring inside. —n. -plexes
    1 a group of buildings and parking lots: That shopping complex has five restaurants, ten stores, and a day-care center.||My apartment complex contains 20 separate units.
    2 a psychological problem, a constant concern with s.t.: He has a complex about cleanliness, and he washes his hands 20 times a day.
    THESAURUS
    complex adj.
    1 intricate, involved. Ant. simple.
    2 multipart, multifaceted.
complex fraction
complex fraction
  1. n. a fraction that contains another fraction or fractions in its numerator or denominator: The complex fraction 3 + 5/8/9 can be simplified to 9.
complexion
complexion
  1. n.
    1 the appearance and condition of the skin of the face: She has a good (clear, bad, reddish, etc.) complexion.
    2 fig. the appearance or condition of a situation: Bad weather put a different complexion on our picnic plans; we didn't go.
complexity
complexity
  1. n. -ties a situation or condition with many difficult parts to it: He prefers the simplicity of checkers to the complexity of chess.
compliance
compliance
  1. n. [U] cooperation with a requirement (law, wish): When you pay your taxes according to the rules, you are in compliance with the tax regulations. -adj. compliant.
complicate
complicate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to make more difficult, more complex: He complicated our agreement by asking for many more changes before he would sign it.
complication
complication
  1. n. difficulty, problem: A serious complication came up during the operation; her heart stopped beating.
complicity
complicity
  1. n. [U] participation in s.t. bad: The police suspect him of complicity in several recent crimes. -adj. complicit.
compliment
compliment
  1. n.
    1 to pay s.o. compliments: an expression of praise, admiration, or congratulations: People paid her compliments on her pretty dress.
    2 with one's compliments or compliments of the house: s.t. given free as a courtesy or repayment: The restaurant owner gave me a glass of wine with her compliments for being a good customer. —v. [T] to express praise, admiration, etc., to s.o.: She complimented the nine-year-old boy on his good manners.
    THESAURUS
    compliment n.
    1 an admiring comment. Ant. a criticism. —v. to praise, congratulate | flatter.
complimentary
complimentary
  1. adj.
    1 expressing praise,
    THESAURUS
    admiring: She made complimentary remarks to the restaurant owner about the good food.
    2 free, without charge: The owner gave her a complimentary glass of wine.
comply
comply
  1. v.frml. [I] -plied, -plying, -plies to cooperate with a requirement (law, wish): Her husband complied with her wishes that he stop drinking.||Our company complies with governmental regulations on paying taxes every three months.
component
component
  1. n. a part of a whole of s.t.: Tires, the engine, the body, and the seats are components of a car.
comportment
comportment
  1. n. [U] frml. behavior, manners -v. comport.
compose
compose
  1. v. -posed, -posing, -poses
    1 [T] frml. to put together with care, esp. writing: She composed a letter to her lawyer.
    2 [I;T] to create art: to compose music or poetry
    3 [T] to calm oneself: He cried at his wife's funeral but was able to compose himself after a few minutes.
composer
composer
  1. n. a person who writes music: The music of great composers, like Beethoven and Mozart, is played around the world.
composite
composite
  1. adj. grouping together different pieces or elements to form a whole: Police talked to witnesses and came up with a composite picture of how the accident happened.
composition
composition
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the writing of s.t.: She began the composition of a letter to her mother.
    2 [U] the artistic creation of music, poetry, literature
    3 [C] a written report, esp. an essay: A student wrote a composition for her English class.
    4 [C;U] how s.t. is put together,
    THESAURUS
    its makeup: That medicine is a composition of three different drugs.
compost
compost
  1. n. [U] v. decayed grass, leaves, or manure, etc., usu. used for fertilizer: I put compost in the garden to make the flowers grow.
composure
composure
  1. n. [U] control of one's emotions: She lost her composure and cried at her mother's funeral.
compound
compound
  1. n.
    1 s.t. made by combining two or more parts or elements: Water is a chemical compound made from hydrogen and oxygen.
    2 an area with a fence around it: The soldiers live inside a military compound. —v. [T]
    1 to make s.t. more difficult,
    THESAURUS
    to complicate: Our car broke down, and heavy rain compounded our problem of getting help.
    2 to add s.t. on top of s.t. else,
    THESAURUS
    to accumulate: Interest compounds monthly in my savings account. —adj. made up of two or more parts: The compound word "bookstore" is formed from the words "book" and "store."
comprehend
comprehend
  1. v. [I;T] to get the meaning of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to understand: That student comprehends that he must improve his work, or fail the course.
comprehensible
comprehensible
  1. adj. capable of being understood, (syns.) clear, intelligible: Her writing is quite comprehensible.
comprehension
comprehension
  1. n. [U]
    1 an event of understanding
    2 the ability to get the meaning of s.t.: His comprehension of what is said in class is good.
comprehensive
comprehensive
  1. adj. that which includes everything, (syns.) all encompassing, total: Our company has a comprehensive health plan that covers expenses for doctors, hospital, medicine, and dental care.
compress
compress
  1. v. [T] -presses to press together,
    THESAURUS
    to compact: That big garbage truck compresses cartons and tin cans until they are flat. —n. -presses a soft pad used to cover a wound, soothe a headache, etc: She put a cold compress on her aching head.
compression
compression
  1. n. [U] a pressing together: The compression of gases in the earth can cause a volcano.
comprise
comprise
  1. v. [T] -prised, -prising, -prises to include, contain: Our company's product line comprises 2,500 different items.
compromise
compromise
  1. n. [C;U] an agreement reached where each side gets some, but not all, of what it wants, while the other side also gets some, but not all, of what it wants: My boss and I reached a compromise on my salary increase where I get what I asked for, but I have to wait six months for it. —v. -mised, -mising, -mises
    1 [I] to reach a compromise: We compromised, so I get the increase I asked for, but I have to wait for it.
    2 [T] to put s.o. in a position of harm or difficulty
comptroller
comptroller
  1. n. the chief accountant in a business: Comptrollers usually work for the treasurer in a company. See: controller.
compulsion
compulsion
  1. n. [C;U] a need to do s.t. that cannot be stopped,
    THESAURUS
    an obsession: He has a compulsion to smoke cigarettes.
compulsive
compulsive
  1. adj. needing to do s.t. and not being able to stop : She has a compulsive need to talk a lot.
compulsory
compulsory
  1. adj. related to s.t. that must be done,
    THESAURUS
    required: It is compulsory for children to attend school until the age of 16 in the USA.
compunction
compunction
  1. n. [C;U] a sense of feeling bad (guilty) about s.t.: He has no compunctions about lying; he does it all the time.
compute
compute
  1. v. [I;T] -puted, -puting, -putes to do arithmetic or other calculations: He computed the cost of building a new house. -n. [C;U] computation.
computer
computer
  1. n. an electronic device that stores and allows changes in information through the use of instructions (programs) to do various types of tasks, like word processing and accounting: She uses her computer to write her books. See: PC.
computer language
computer language
  1. n. a set of instructions that tells the computer what to do with information
computerize
computerize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 to equip a business (or person) with computers: The owner computerized his business; now, all of the accounting is done automatically.
    2 to put information into a computer: We did our accounting by hand for years, then we computerized it.
    THESAURUS
    computerize v.
    1 to automate, mechanize.
comrade
comrade
  1. n.
    1 a soldier or worker in one's group: During the war, he fought with his comrades.
    2 a form of address in groups such as Communist societies: Good morning, comrade. -n. [U] comradeship.
con man
con man
  1. n.infrml. men short for confidence man
concave
concave
  1. adj. curving inward: The inside of those eyeglasses is concave. See: convex.
conceal
conceal
  1. v. [T]
    1 to hide s.t.: The thief concealed a pistol under his coat.
    2 to keep s.t. secret, esp. to trick s.o.: The owners of the company concealed last year's finan-cial losses from the new buyer. -n. [U] concealment.
concede
concede
  1. v. -ceded, -ceding, -cedes
    1 [I;T] to admit that s.t. is true: The person who caused the accident finally conceded to the police that he had done it.
    2 [T] to give over as s.t. justly deserved,
    THESAURUS
    to yield as a right: to concede victory to an opponent
conceit
conceit
  1. n. [U] too high an opinion of oneself,
    THESAURUS
    vanity: His conceit about being so intelligent annoys everyone.
conceited
conceited
  1. adj. too high an opinion of oneself,
    THESAURUS
    vain: He is so conceited that he acts like he's a movie star.
conceivable
conceivable
  1. adj. possible, believable,
    THESAURUS
    imaginable: My grandmother left her glasses somewhere in the house; we have looked for them in every conceivable place but have not found them. -adv. conceivably.
conceive
conceive
  1. v. -ceived, -ceiving, -ceives
    1 [T] to think of s.t.: I can't conceive of why he did such a stupid thing!
    2 [I;T] frml.to become pregnant: She conceived and had a son.
concentrate
concentrate
  1. v. -trated, -trating, -trates
    1 [I] to think hard about s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to focus one's attention: During exams, students concentrate hard on answering the questions.
    2 [T] to reduce the amount of s.t. and increase its strength,
    THESAURUS
    to condense: Orange juice that is concentrated can be stored in the freezer. —n. [C;U] a condensed form of s.t.: a chemical concentrate
concentration
concentration
  1. n.
    1 [U] total attention to s.t.: He studies his textbook with complete concentration.
    2 [C] a close grouping of s.t.: There is a concentration of five Japanese restaurants on 14th Street.
concentration camp
concentration camp
  1. n. a type of prison camp where captured soldiers or ordinary people thought to be enemies of the state are kept: Millions of people died in Nazi concentration camps.
concentric
concentric
  1. adj. having the same center.
concept
concept
  1. n. a general idea that usu. includes other related ideas: Democracy is a concept that includes, among other things, the ideas of individual freedom and the right to vote. -adj. conceptual ; -v. [I;T] conceptualize.
conception
conception
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the creation of life: The conception of a baby happens when a man's sperm fertilizes a woman's egg.
    2 [U] a beginning: At the conception of this project, our company had five employees; now, three years later, the company has 20 employees.
    3 [C;U] an idea,
    THESAURUS
    an understanding: Most people have no conception of how difficult it is to write a book.
concern
concern
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] care, attention: He shows constant concern about how his mother is feeling.
    2 [U] worry: When she was sick, he regarded her condition with great concern.
    3 a going concern: a business that is successful: He opened a business last year, and it is now a going concern.
    4 no concern: When you want to tell s.o. to mind their own business, you can say, "That is no concern of yours." —v. [T]
    1 to be about: This letter concerns payment for my new TV.
    2 a. to deal with, care about, or worry about: His mother's sickness concerns him a great deal. b. to concern oneself: She concerns herself with her business and nothing else.
    THESAURUS
    concern n.
    1 interest, regard
    2 anxiety, alarm, unease. Ant. indifference.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to involve, relate to 2 a. to feel anxious about, be distressed about.
concerning
concerning
  1. prep. about, with regard to: I am writing concerning my order for shoes that have not arrived yet.
concert
concert
  1. n.
    1 a musical event: I went to a rock concert last night.
    2 in concert (with): together with: Two countries acted in concert (or) in concert with each other to stop a war.
    THESAURUS
    concert n.
    1 a performance, recital, show.
concerted
concerted
  1. adj. strong,
    THESAURUS
    intense: He made a concerted effort to finish the job on time.
concerto
concerto
  1. n. -tos or -ti a piece of classical music, shorter than a symphony, with a soloist and orchestra: We listened to a wonderful violin concerto.
concession
concession
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] (a surrender to) a special demand by s.o.: To sell our house, we made a concession to the buyer by agreeing to put on a new roof.
    2 [C] a right to do business, esp. on government land or other area (sea): She owns the restaurant concession that sells food in the public park.
concierge
concierge
  1. n. a person in a hotel who sits in the lobby and helps guests with problems or answers questions: The concierge at the hotel suggested a wonderful Korean restaurant.
conciliate
conciliate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to win back the good feelings of s.o., (syns.) to soothe, placate: The owner conciliated the anger of her employees at having to work longer hours by giving them wage increases. -n. [U] conciliation.
conciliatory
conciliatory
  1. adj. seeking to please, esp. to stop s.o.'s anger: After arguing with her, he made conciliatory remarks about how much he loves her.
concise
concise
  1. adj. said in few words with much meaning,
    THESAURUS
    succinct: The speaker made a concise statement of his ideas. -adv. concisely; -n. [U] conciseness.
conclave
conclave
  1. n. a meeting held in secret: Generals held a conclave to plan a surprise attack.
conclude
conclude
  1. v. -cluded, -cluding, -cludes
    1 [I;T] to bring to an end: The concert concluded with an exciting song.
    2 [T] to form an opinion: After not getting a salary increase, I concluded that I must find a new job.
    3 to reach or come to a conclusion: to come to an agreement: The agreement was concluded and signed in 1945.
    THESAURUS
    conclude v.
    1 to end, finish, wind up infrml. Ant. to begin.
    2 to determine, figure out, deduce.
conclusion
conclusion
  1. n.
    1 the end of s.t., the finish: At the conclusion of the show, everyone clapped their hands.
    2 an opinion, a judgment: The police reached (or) came to the conclusion that the murder was done by a friend of the dead man.
    THESAURUS
    conclusion n.
    1 an ending, close. Ant. a start.
    2 a decision, determination.
conclusive
conclusive
  1. adj. without doubt,
    THESAURUS
    convincing: The police have conclusive proof about who stole the money.
concoct
concoct
  1. v. [T]
    1 to mix together, usu. in a strange way: He concocted a drink made from five different liquors.
    2 to invent a story or excuse that is not true: He concocted a story about why his homework wasn't done. -n. concoction.
concordance
concordance
  1. n.frml.
    1 an agreement: The two countries signed a concordance on trade.
    2 an alphabetical list of important words and their meanings -n. [U] concord.
concourse
concourse
  1. n. an open place or building hall where people can gather or walk through: The concourse in the railroad station leads to the trains and the street.
concrete
concrete
  1. n. [U] a building material made of cement and small rocks: Workers poured concrete to build the bridge. —adj.
    1 dealing with facts and certainties: The police have concrete evidence (proof, facts) about who committed the crime.
    2 about real, specific things and situations, not general ideas: She gave some concrete examples of how to put their new knowledge to use.
    3 made of concrete: This is a concrete sidewalk.
    THESAURUS
    concrete adj.
    1 solid, existing
    2 actual, specific, real.
concur
concur
  1. v.frml. [I] -curred, -curring, -curs
    1 to have the same opinion,
    THESAURUS
    to agree: Two doctors concurred that the man needs a heart operation.
    2 to happen at the same time: Jonah's wedding anniver-sary concurs with his parents' anniversary. -n. [C;U] concurrence; -adj. concurrent.
concussion
concussion
  1. n.
    1 a violent shock: A bomb was dropped nearby, and the concussion knocked us off our feet.
    2 an injury to the head and brain: He got a concussion while playing football.
condemn
condemn
  1. v. [T]
    1 to find legally guilty or unfit: The judge condemned the criminal to life in prison.||He condemned the old house as unfit to live in.
    2 to express disapproval of s.o. or s.t. strongly: The wife condemned her husband for drinking too much. -n. [C;U] condemnation.
condensation
condensation
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a piece of writing made shorter,
    THESAURUS
    an abridgment: This 10-page summary is a condensation of a 100-page report.
    2 [U] liquid formed from a gas: In cold weather, condensation forms on the kitchen window.
condense
condense
  1. v. -densed, -densing, -denses
    1 [T] to shorten: The writer condensed his letter from six pages to two pages.
    2 [T] to make thicker, esp. by removing water
    3 [I;T] to form liquid from a gas: Moisture condensed (out of the air) on the window. -n. condenser.
condescend
condescend
  1. v. [I]
    1 to act toward others in a self-important manner,
    THESAURUS
    to patronize: She owns a big hotel and condescends to the workers who dislike working for her.
    2 to agree to do s.t. that one thinks is below one's importance or rank: The queen condescended to speak to the peasant. -n. [U] condescension.
condescending
condescending
  1. adj. having a self-important manner toward others, (syns.) disdainful, patronizing: He has a condescending attitude toward everyone.
condiment
condiment
  1. n. seasoning for food: Condiments, like mustard and soy sauce, add flavor to food.
condition
condition
  1. n.
    1 [U] the state of s.t. (good, bad, weak, strong): The condition of his health is excellent.||The condition of that machinery is bad.
    2 [C] a disease, medical problem: My grandmother has a heart condition.
    3 [C] a requirement: Our book contract has two special conditions in it; we must pay $10,000 in advance, and we must renew the contract annually.
    4 [C] external factors: My living conditions were terrible at my old apartment building; I had no running water or heat for two months.
    5 on the condition that: provided that: Yes, we will renew the contract next year on the condition that we make money on the deal. —v. [T] to shape the attitudes or behavior of: We conditioned our children to not watch TV during the week.
    THESAURUS
    condition n.
    1 the status
    2 a disorder, ailment
    3 a provision, clause.
conditional
conditional
  1. adj. dependent upon, requiring that (s.t. be done): Our purchase of the house is conditional upon our making the first payment on it by tomorrow.
conditioner
conditioner
  1. n. [C;U] a cream for the hair that makes it easier to comb: She puts conditioner on her long hair every time she washes it.
condo
condo
  1. n. -dos short for condominium
condolence
condolence
  1. n. [C;U] expression of sympathy upon s.o.'s death: I wish to express my condolences on your father's death.
condominium
condominium
  1. n. housing, usu. in an apartment building, in which each apartment is privately owned: She owns a two-bedroom condominium in that building. See: co-op, cooperative.
condone
condone
  1. v. [T] -doned, -doning, -dones to accept, but not approve of s.t., esp. s.o.'s bad behavior: The boss condoned her lateness to work because of her family problems.
condor
condor
  1. n. a very large bird of the western Americas: Most condors live high in the mountains of South America.
conducive
conducive
  1. adj. helping to produce: Exercise is conducive to good health.
conduct
conduct
  1. n. [U]
    1 behavior, comportment: Good conduct is expected of students in school.
    2 the process of doing s.t.: the conduct of diplomacy||the conduct of business —v.
    1 [T] to behave: The students conducted themselves well in class today.
    2 [T] to do s.t.: That store conducts business from 9:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.
    3 [I;T] to direct an orchestra, band, etc.: He conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
    THESAURUS
    conduct n.
    1 one's manners | demeanor frml.
    2 the ways, handling, administration.
conductor
conductor
  1. n.
    1 a person who sells and checks tickets on a train, bus, etc.
    2 a person who directs an orchestra: The conductor told the musicians how he wanted the music to be played.
cone
cone
  1. n. an object pointed at one end and then becoming wider at the other end: An ice-cream cone is wide at the top but may be pointed at the bottom.
confection
confection
  1. n.frml. s.t. sweet: Candy is a confection. -n. confectionery.
confederacy
confederacy
  1. n. -cies
    1 a union of people or states
    2 the Confederacy: in the USA, the 11 southern states that separated from the United States in 1860 and 1861: The Civil War began with the Confederacy against the North.
confederate
confederate
  1. n.
    1 a person or state that joins in a confederacy
    2 a partner in crime or a plot,
    THESAURUS
    accomplice: His confederate is a tall man with red hair and a mustache; that's all they know about him.
confederation
confederation
  1. n. an organization of people, states, etc., united in a common purpose: A confederation of workers formed a labor union.
confer
confer
  1. v.frml. -ferred, -ferring, -fers
    1 [I] to talk to, discuss s.t. in a formal way: The judge conferred with the two lawyers.
    2 [T] to give an honor to s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to bestow: The queen conferred a knighthood on the man in honor of his brave deeds.
conference
conference
  1. n.
    1 [C] a professional meeting, convention, usu. at a big hotel: Members of every profession, from architects to zoologists, go to conferences to learn about the newest ideas and equipment in their field.
    2 [C;U] a private business meeting among people: Mr. Smith cannot talk to you now; he is in a conference with his boss.
conference call
conference call
  1. n. a telephone call made between three or more people: We organized a conference call among employees in New York, Chicago, and Denver.
confess
confess
  1. v. [I;T] -fesses to admit s.t., esp. guilt, for s.t. bad: The criminal confessed his guilt in committing the robbery.
    THESAURUS
    confess to own up to, declare, plead guilty. Ant. to deny.
confession
confession
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] an admission of guilt: The criminal gave (or) made a confession of guilt.
    2 [U] the religious act of confessing sin: Catholics go to confession as part of their religion.
confetti
confetti
  1. n. [U] little bits of brightly colored paper: Guests threw confetti as the newlyweds left the church.
confidant
confidant
  1. n. a special friend one can talk to about secret and personal matters: The President's lawyer is also a friend and confidant.
confide
confide
  1. v. [I;T] -fided, -fiding, -fides to tell secrets to s.o.: Throughout his lifetime, the owner confided only in his wife.
confidence
confidence
  1. n.
    1 [U] belief in one's abilities, self-esteem: That salesman has a lot of confidence in his ability to sell to difficult customers.
    2 [C;U] a secret, esp. one told to another person that one trusts: I told my friend in confidence (as a secret) how much money I have in the bank.||He kept that confidence (a secret) and told no one. See: betray.
    THESAURUS
    confidence
    1 self-assurance, self-confidence.
confidence man
confidence man
  1. n. men a person who cheats others out of their money, (syns.) a con man, a swindler: A confidence man swindled the old lady out of her savings. See: con man.
confident
confident
  1. adj. with strong belief in one's ability or that s.t. will definitely happen: She behaves in a confident manner.||He is confident that next year's sales will be excellent.
    THESAURUS
    confident positive, self-confident (manner) | sure, certain (about a fact). Ant. unsure.
confidential
confidential
  1. adj. intended for only a few people to know, almost secret: The doctor keeps his patients' health records confidential; only his nurse and the patient can see them. -n. [U] confidentiality ; -adv. confidentially.
    THESAURUS
    confidential private, restricted. Ant. public.
configuration
configuration
  1. n. an arrangement of things, usu. related to each other: With the furniture in this configuration, we have much more space. -v. [T] configure.
confine
confine
  1. v. -fined, -fining, -fines [T] to keep within certain limits,
    THESAURUS
    to restrict: You should stop making jokes and confine your attention to what the teacher is saying.||The police confined the criminal to a jail cell. —n. confines pl. the limit(s) of s.t.: The criminals must stay within the confines of the prison.
confinement
confinement
  1. n. [U] the state of being kept within certain limits: When a prisoner is kept in solitary confinement, he or she is the only one in a prison cell.
confirm
confirm
  1. v. [T]
    1 to make sure s.t. is right by checking it again: I made my airline reservations last month, and I called the airline to confirm them today.
    2 to make s.t. certain that was only suspected before: The police came to our house and confirmed my worst fears that my son was injured in a car accident.||The rumor that the President is resigning is not confirmed.
    3 to make s.t. legal: The Senate confirmed the judge as the new member of the Supreme Court.
    4 a confirmed bachelor: a man who never intends to get married
    THESAURUS
    confirm v.
    1 to verify, double-check
    2 to prove, corroborate, validate. Ant. to deny.
confirmation
confirmation
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 written or spoken proof that s.t. is done,
    THESAURUS
    verification (of an order, reservation, fact, etc.): The store sent me written confirmation of my order for a new sofa.
    2 an act of making s.t. legal or formally accepted: the confirmation by the Senate of a judge to the Supreme Court||the confirmation of a rumor as true
confiscate
confiscate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to legally take s.t. away without getting permission from the owner,
    THESAURUS
    to seize: The police confiscated the criminal's pistol. -n. [C;U] confiscation.
conflagration
conflagration
  1. n.frml. a large, destructive fire: The conflagration destroyed the entire town.
conflict
conflict
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a difference, disagreement: There is a conflict between what you are saying and what the contract says.
    2 [C] an argument: The two men had a conflict over who would run the company.
    3 [C;U] a war: The Persian Gulf War was an armed conflict between Iraq and a group of other nations. —v. [I] to differ, disagree: What the contract says and what you say conflict.
    THESAURUS
    conflict n.
    1 an inconsistency, variance
    2 a quarrel, dispute, clash. Ant. an agreement.
conflict of interest
conflict of interest
  1. n. conflicts of interest one activity that conflicts with another, thereby questioning the person's ability to act honestly: He's a government official who sets controls for the auto industry, so his owning stock in that industry represents a conflict of interest.
confluence
confluence
  1. n. [C;U] the place where two or more streams of water flow together: Pittsburgh built Three River Stadium near the confluence of three rivers.
conform
conform
  1. v. [I]
    1 to obey legal re-quirements: Our company conforms to government regulations on worker safety.
    2 to act in the same way as others do: Many of those students walk, talk, and dress alike; they conform to each other rather than picking an individual style. -n. [U] conformity.
conformist
conformist
  1. n. a person who acts in the same way that most others do: She is a conformist who dresses and talks like all of her friends in school.
confound
confound
  1. v. [T] to make a person or group surprised or worried as to why they are wrong: The great football player's critics said that his career was over, but he confounded them by playing an exciting game.
confront
confront
  1. v. [T]
    1 to demand that s.o. explain s.t. that he/she may have done wrong: The owner confronted the employee with the stolen supplies found in his desk.
    2 to deal boldly with s.t. difficult or dangerous: I confronted the problem of losing my job by working hard to find another one.||The letter carrier confronted the growling dog and made it move away. -n. [C;U] confrontation.
confuse
confuse
  1. v. [T] -fused, -fusing, -fuses
    1 to mix things up: He sent the wrong reports because he confused them with other ones.
    2 to mix up mentally so that one cannot understand or think clearly: The teacher's question confused him.
    THESAURUS
    confuse
    1 to make a mistake
    2 to puzzle, bewilder, baffle.
confusion
confusion
  1. n. [U]
    1 a mixed-up situation: We went to the wrong classroom, so there was confusion as to which room was the correct one.
    2 disorder, (syns.) commotion, panic: When the bomb went off in the center of Paris, there was confusion everywhere. -adj. confused; confusing.
congeal
congeal
  1. v. [I] to become solid, harden: When water freezes, it congeals into ice.
congenial
congenial
  1. adj. friendly, warm: She's very congenial, always smiling and saying nice things.
congestion
congestion
  1. n. [U]
    1 a condition of overcrowding: Traffic congestion caused us to be late.
    2 a condition of overfilling: I have congestion in my nose and chest from a cold. -v. [I;T] congest.
conglomerate
conglomerate
  1. n. a large corporation, usu. with many different kinds of businesses: That conglomerate has some companies that make clothing, some that make candy, and others that make cigarettes.
congratulate
congratulate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to praise for s.t. well done or important: I would like to congratulate you on your promotion to manager.
congratulations
congratulations
  1. n.pl. an expression of praise or pleasure for s.t. well done or important: Congratulations on the new baby! -adj. congratulatory .
    THESAURUS
    congratulations Best wishes! Many happy returns! Well done!
congregate
congregate
  1. v. [I] -gated, -gating, -gates to gather together: People congregated to watch the house burn.
congregation
congregation
  1. n. a group of people, esp. those at a church service: The minister spoke to the congregation.
congress
congress
  1. n. -gresses
    1 in the USA, a governing group made up of the elected members of the House of Representatives and the Senate: Congress passes laws that must be obeyed by the people.
    2 a group of people chosen to represent organizations: The Congress on Racial Equality reported that very few African-Americans are presidents of companies in the USA. -adj. congressional ; -n. congressman ; congresswoman.
congruent
congruent
  1. adj.
    1 (in math) having a similar size and shape: congruent triangles
    2 frml. agreeing with: Martin and I have the same philosophy on life; we share congruent beliefs. -adj. congruous.
conic
conic
  1. adj.n. (s.t.) cone-shaped: Most ice-cream cones are conic. -adj. conical.
conifer
conifer
  1. n. a general term for trees, such as pines and firs, that bear seeds on cones and don't lose their leaves in the winter time
conjecture
conjecture
  1. n. [C;U] v. [I;T] -tured, -turing, -tures the forming of an opinion or conclusion without having enough evidence, (syns.) guesswork, speculation: The police have few real facts about the crime, so all they have is conjecture about who did it.
conjugal
conjugal
  1. adj.frml. related to marriage: conjugal happiness
conjugate
conjugate
  1. v. [T] -gated, -gating, -gates to give the forms of a verb: I conjugated "to be" as "I am, you are, he/she/it is." -n. [C;U] conjugation.
conjunction
conjunction
  1. n.
    1 a type of word that joins other words, phrases, etc.: "And," "but," and "whereas" are conjunctions.
    2 in conjunction with: together with: We are working in conjunction with a builder in planning our new house.
conjure
conjure
  1. v. [I;T] -jured, -juring, -jures
    1 to do magic tricks
    2 to conjure up: to imagine: I have never met your girlfriend, but from your stories I can conjure up a picture of her. -n. conjurer.
connect
connect
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to attach, join together: I connected the TV antenna to the TV.
    2 [T] to plug into an electrical supply: Then, I connected the TV to an outlet. See: to disconnect.
    3 [I] to reach s.o. by telephone: After waiting 10 minutes, I was connected with my boss.
    4 [I] (transportation) to join for another part of a trip: The bus line connects with the trains at the railroad station.||I fly from New York to Chicago, and then connect on another flight to San Francisco.
    5 [T] to make an association with: The police connected that man to the robbery.
    6 [I] infrml. to make s.o. understand: We talked and talked, then I finally connected with the guy; he now understands that I want my money back.
    THESAURUS
    connect
    1 to hook up, join, link. Ant. to disconnect.
    2 to plug s.t. in
    3 to be put through
    4 to link
    5 to associate.
connected
connected
  1. adj.
    1 related, linked: There were several unanswered questions connected with the accident.||The two events were not connected.
    2 well-connected: knowing many important people: She is well-connected with officials in the government.
connection
connection
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] an attachment, a joining together: I fixed the loose connection between the TV antenna and the TV.
    2 [C] a wire or line that joins two telephones or other modes of communication: I telephoned my office from my car phone, but we had a bad connection, and I couldn't hear what they were saying.
    3 [C] a change to another vehicle or mode of transportation: She got off the bus and made her connection with the train.
    4 [C] a relationship (between people, actions, ideas): (people) She has connections with officials in the government. ||(actions) The police found a clear connection between that man and the murder. -adj. connective.
    THESAURUS
    connection
    1 a link
    4 a contact (people), association, link.
connivance
connivance
  1. n. [U] secret cooperation with s.o.: The soldier's connivance with the enemy caused many deaths. -v. connive; -n. conniver.
connoisseur
connoisseur
  1. n. a person with much knowledge of fine things: He is a connoisseur of fine wines (art, rare books, etc.).
connotation
connotation
  1. n. the meaning(s) that a word can have beyond its basic one: The color red has connotations of warmth and passion. -v. connote.
conquer
conquer
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to fight and take control, vanquish: A huge army conquered that country.
    2 [T] to defeat, to overcome (fears, illness, bad habits): She conquered her fear of heights; now she works on the 28th floor of that building. -n. conqueror.
    THESAURUS
    conquer
    1 to defeat, overpower
    2 to triumph over, beat | surmount frml. Ants. to give in to, yield to.
conquest
conquest
  1. n.
    1 [U] a military victory: the Roman conquest of Gaul (early France)
    2 [C] the winning of s.o.'s love: He is so charming that he has made many conquests; many women have fallen in love with him.
    THESAURUS
    conquest
    1 a take-over, invasion, capture.
conscience
conscience
  1. n. [C;U] one's sense of right and wrong, esp. feelings of guilt: After he stole the money, he had a guilty conscience and returned it.
conscientious
conscientious
  1. adj. careful about doing things one is supposed to do and doing them well, (syns.) thorough, painstaking: She does all her work in a conscientious manner. -adv. conscientiously; -n. [U] conscientiousness.
conscious
conscious
  1. adj.
    1 awake: The boxer was knocked out, but he was conscious again after one minute.
    2 knowing or noticing s.t.: The salesman is conscious of the fact that he must increase sales.||He felt very conscious of his foreign accent.
    3 with deliberate intention: She made a conscious effort to do her homework nightly. -adv. consciously.
    THESAURUS
    conscious adj.
    1 aware, alive to. Ant. unconscious.
    2 aware, mindful, cognizant frml.
    3 strong, deliberate.
consciousness
consciousness
  1. n.adj. [U]
    1 the state of being awake: The boxer regained consciousness after a minute.
    2 awareness: Minority groups in the USA have consciousness-raising events to make others aware of their concerns and problems.
consecrate
consecrate
  1. v. [T] -crated, -crating, -crates
    1 to make or announce that s.t. is holy: The ground in the church's cemetery is consecrated.
    2 to set aside for a special purpose: The priest consecrated his life to religion. -n. [C;U] consecration.
consecutive
consecutive
  1. adj. following one after the other in regular order: She had a pain in her stomach for three consecutive days—Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
consensus
consensus
  1. n. agreement reached among members of a group: The three owners of the company reached a consensus that they must sell it.
consent
consent
  1. v. [I]
    1 to agree to s.t.: She consented to marry John.
    2 to approve, sanction: Her father consented to her marrying John. —n. [U]
    1 agreement: She gave John her consent.
    2 approval, sanction: John asked for her father's consent. See: age of consent.
    THESAURUS
    consent v.
    1 to say yes. Ant. to refuse.
    2 to permit, allow, let (s.o. do s.t.).
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    2 (one's) permission, okay infrml. | blessing. Ant. (one's) refusal.
consequence
consequence
  1. n.
    1 [C] the result of doing s.t.: He drank heavily and died as a consequence.
    2 [U] importance: World War II was an event of great consequence in human history.
    3 to pay the consequences of: to suffer for: Henry paid the consequences of his drinking by dying at the age of 45. -adj. consequent; consequential.
consequently
consequently
  1. adv. following as a result: She lost a lot of weight and consequently feels better.
conservation
conservation
  1. n. [U]
    1 keeping s.t. from getting into bad condition,
    THESAURUS
    preservation, esp. of nature: Conservation of forests by law keeps them looking beautiful.
    2 protecting s.t. from becoming weak: conservation of one's energy, wealth, etc. See: conserve.
conservative
conservative
  1. adj.
    1 having a political view toward keeping old and often proven ways of doing things: In the USA, Republicans are the conservative party.
    2 slow to change, cautious
    3 not too much or too high: She is conservative in her spending.||He made a conservative estimate of the costs.
    4 not showy, restrained in manner and dress: Tomiko is a banker who wears a conservative business suit to work. —n. a person who is a conservative -adv. conservatively. See: Republican, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    conservative
    2 conventional, old-fashioned, wary
    3 careful, prudent, moderate
    4 traditional, dark-colored. Ant. showy.
conservator
conservator
  1. n. a person appointed to administer a trust or to settle a dead person's estate: The old man's daughter is the conservator of his estate.
conservatory
conservatory
  1. n. -ries
    1 a school for music: She studied the piano at a conservatory.
    2 a glass greenhouse structure, usu. attached to a house: On summer evenings they dined in the conservatory.
conserve
conserve
  1. v. [T] -served, -serving, -serves
    1 to save: In winter, some people conserve energy by lowering the heat at night.
    2 to keep from becoming weak, less, or bad: The sick man conserves his strength by resting in bed.
consider
consider
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to think about s.t.: I will consider your offer and tell you my decision tomorrow.
    2 [T] to debate: Congress considered the new tax and voted it down.
    3 [T] to have an opinion about s.t.: He considers this to be the best book on the subject.
    4 all things considered: in view of everything: All things considered, our old car is no good, so we should buy a new one now. See: considering.
    THESAURUS
    consider
    1 to weigh, reflect on
    3 to regard, think, believe. Ant. to ignore.
considerable
considerable
  1. adj. much, a lot: That family owns a considerable amount of land. -adv. considerably.
considerate
considerate
  1. adj. sensitive to the feelings and comfort of others: He is always considerate of others; he is kind and sympathetic. -adv. considerately.
consideration
consideration
  1. n.
    1 [U] careful thought: The buyer gave the offer careful consideration and said, "Yes."
    2 [U] careful attention to the feelings and wishes of others: After my mother's death, many people showed consideration for my sadness.
    3 to take into consideration: to treat s.o. or s.t. specially,
    THESAURUS
    to make allowances for: We must take the rainy weather into consideration and allow more time to travel to the airport.
    4 to take s.t. under consideration: to think about seriously: I asked my boss for a raise, and she said she will take the matter under consideration.
    5 in consideration of: because of, in view of: In consideration of my good work, she gave me a raise.
    6 for (a) consideration: payment of money: The lawyer said that he would handle the company's legal problem for a consideration, that is, $500 an hour.
considering
considering
  1. prep. in view of,
    THESAURUS
    having evaluated s.t.: Considering the large amount of work involved, the study should take a year to complete.||Considering how sick he is, he should go to the doctor.
consignment
consignment
  1. n. [U] the act of leaving in care of, usu. for sale: Our company shipped 12 chairs on consignment to a store; the store will pay us after the chairs are sold. -v. consign.
consist
consist
  1. phrasal v. insep. [T] to be made up of,
    THESAURUS
    to be composed of: The problem consists of two parts.
consistency
consistency
  1. n. -cies
    1 [C;U] the degree of thickness, softness, etc., of s.t.: The consistency of a steak is firm and thick.
    2 [U] the condition of doing things in the same way: The consistency of the teacher's making the students work hard helps them learn a lot.
consistent
consistent
  1. adj.
    1 in accord with: His description of the accident is consistent with what the police reported.
    2 repeated in the same way: His high performance is consistent day after day. -adv. consistently.
consolation
consolation
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] comfort from a loss: Her car was wrecked, but she received consolation from the fact that the insurance company paid for a new one.
    2 [C] a prize awarded to a loser: He lost the final t ennis match, but received a prize of $100 as consolation.
consolidate
consolidate
  1. v. [I;T] -dated, -dating, -dates to group together to reduce in number: I had so many bank accounts at different banks that I consolidated them all into one. -n. [C;U] consolidation.
consommé
consommé
  1. n. [C;U] a clear soup made from meat and/or vegetables: I heated up some chicken consommé for lunch.
consonance
consonance
  1. n. [U]
    1 harmony
    2 frml. in consonance with: in agreement with: In consonance with your request for more information, I am enclosing a copy of our catalog.
consonant
consonant
  1. n. any letter of the alphabet that is not a vowel: The letters "b," "c," "d," "f," etc., are consonants. —adj.frml. in agreement,
    THESAURUS
    consistent
consort
consort
  1. n. the wife or husband of a king or queen: Prince Philip is Queen Elizabeth II's consort. —phrasal v. insep. [T] to associate with: She consorts with bad people.
consortium
consortium
  1. n. -tia a group of companies, schools, or other organizations joined in a common purpose: A consortium of oil companies agreed to cooperate in finding oil in Siberia.
conspicuous
conspicuous
  1. adj. evident, noticeable, often causing negative comments or suspicion: Everyone at the wedding was well-dressed, but she was conspicuous in jeans and a cowboy hat. -adv. conspicuously.
conspiracy
conspiracy
  1. n. [C;U] -cies a secret plan to do s.t. (harm, fraud, revolt): The generals joined in a conspiracy to overthrow their country's dictator.
conspire
conspire
  1. v. [I] -spired, -spiring, -spires
    1 to join in a plan to harm, defraud, or revolt: The generals conspired to take over the government.
    2 to work together,
    THESAURUS
    to combine for an effect: He made a fortune in real estate, then events conspired against him as the market crashed and he lost everything. -n. conspirator ; -adj. conspiratorial.
constable
constable
  1. n. a police officer, esp. in a small town: The constable arrested a driver for speeding.
constancy
constancy
  1. n.frml. [U] loyalty to a person or purpose,
    THESAURUS
    faithfulness: The constancy of that couple's love for each other is admirable.
constant
constant
  1. adj.
    1 happening all the time, continuous: I can't sleep because of the constant noise of the cars and trucks on the street.
    2 unchanging: For 15 years, I have had a constant problem with a bad back.
    3 frml. faithful: He is constant in his love for her. —n.
    1 a quantity or quality that does not change: In Rhode Island, the speed limit is a constant at 55 miles per hour.
    2 a quantity in a mathematical equation or expression that has a fixed value and no variable: In the equation y = 3x + 5, the number 5 is a constant. -adv. constantly
    THESAURUS
    constant adj.
    1 steady, unending, continual. Ant. irregular.
    2 regular, consistent, (the) (syn.THESAURUS
    ame. Ant. irregular.
    3 loyal, true.
constellation
constellation
  1. n. a grouping of stars that looks like an animal or other thing: The Big Dipper and Little Dipper are constellations that we see in the sky at night.
consternation
consternation
  1. n. [U] surprise, confusion, and often anger: We were full of consternation when the speaker failed to appear at our celebration.
constipation
constipation
  1. n. [U] difficulty in moving waste from one's bowels: He suffers from constipation, because he eats too much bread and meat, but he doesn't eat fruit. -v. [T] constipate ; -adj. constipated.
constituency
constituency
  1. n. -cies
    1 a group of people who are loyal to a politician
    2 the voters in a politician's area, district, or state: The Senator sent a newsletter to her constituency about what she had accomplished. -n. adj. constituent.
constitute
constitute
  1. v.frml. [T] -tuted, -tuting, -tutes
    1 to make up, compose: Crime and illegal drugs constitute the city's major problems.
    2 (legal) to give lawful form to: The mayor constituted a committee to study the city's problems.
constitution
constitution
  1. n.
    1 the principles and rules, set forth in a written document, governing a country: The American constitution guarantees that the people have certain rights.
    2 one's body and its strength: He has a strong constitution and is seldom sick. -adj. constitutional.
constrain
constrain
  1. v. [T] to limit, control: A law constrains the government from spending more money than it takes in.
constraint
constraint
  1. n. [C;U] s.t. that holds back or controls,
    THESAURUS
    a limitation: That manager works under a lot of constraints, because he cannot do anything without the owner's approval.
constrict
constrict
  1. v. [T] to narrow, make smaller: Cholesterol constricts his blood vessels. -n. [C;U] constriction; -adj. constrictive.
construct
construct
  1. v. [T] to build, to put together piece by piece: Builders construct buildings.||Managers construct plans for businesses. -n. constructor. See: contractor.
    THESAURUS
    construct to put up (buildings | make, assemble, (objects) | form (plans). Ant. to destroy.
construction
construction
  1. n.
    1 [U] the act(s) of building s.t.: That house has been under construction for two months now.
    2 [U] the way in which s.t. is built: The finest materials are being used, so the house will be of solid construction.
constructive
constructive
  1. adj.
    1 useful: The office manager has a lot of constructive ideas for solving problems.
    2 helpful, positive: She always has a constructive attitude; whenever I have a problem, she helps me find a solution.
construe
construe
  1. v. [T] -strued, -struing, -strues to understand s.t. in a certain way,
    THESAURUS
    to interpret it: He construed my joke as a serious comment, not as a funny comment. See: misconstrue.
consul
consul
  1. n. an official who represents his or her country's citizens and trade in a foreign city and is the head of a consulate: The Brazilian consul in San Francisco likes his assignment. -adj. consular . See: ambassador.
consulate
consulate
  1. n. the offices (and sometimes living quarters) of a consul: Most countries have consulates in New York to help their citizens and to increase tourism and business.
consult
consult
  1. v. [T]
    1 to ask or seek the opinion of s.o.: The President consults his top officials.
    2 to act as a consultant: My husband consults for many major corporations.
    3 to look s.t. up, esp. in a reference book: I consulted the telephone directory for his phone number.
    THESAURUS
    consult
    1 to confer with, discuss (issues) with
    2 to advise, counsel.
consultant
consultant
  1. n. a person who provides advice for pay: The professor acts as a consultant to the government.
    THESAURUS
    consultant an advisor, expert.
consultation
consultation
  1. n.frml. [C;U]
    1 the act of consulting with s.o.: Doctors have consultations with their patients.
    2 a private talk with s.o.: Mr. Jones is in consultation and cannot be disturbed.
consume
consume
  1. v. [T] -sumed, -suming, -sumes
    1 to eat and drink: That big guy consumed six bottles of beer and three hamburgers. See: eat.
    2 to use up, (syns.) to spend, deplete: Her work consumes most of her time and energy.
    3 to destroy: Fire consumed the building.
    4 to be consumed: to be controlled by strong emotion,
    THESAURUS
    to be obsessed: He is consumed by his hatred of others.
consumer
consumer
  1. n. the ordinary person who buys and uses goods and services: Companies do research on what the consumer thinks about their products. —adj. related to the consumer: Advertising reports are referred to as "research in consumer preference."
    THESAURUS
    consumer n. a user, buyer, purchaser.
consumer credit
consumer credit
  1. n. [U] the funds (money) made available to the public by banks and businesses through credit cards and delayed payments to finance the purchase of consumer goods (TV's, cars, etc.): Last year, the amount of consumer credit that was not paid was $50 billion.
consumer goods
consumer goods
  1. n.pl. articles necessary for daily living, such as food, clothes, and everyday things: The market for consumer goods is huge, but so is the competition.
consummate
consummate
  1. v. [T] -mated, -mating, -mates
    1 to finish,
    THESAURUS
    to bring to a conclusion: We consummated an agreement after a year of negotiation.
    2 frml. to have sex after a marriage ceremony: José and Antonia consummated their marriage at a beautiful hotel in Miami. —adj. perfect: consummate happiness -n. [C;U] consummation.
consumption
consumption
  1. n. [U] the process of consuming (eating, drinking, using things): The consumption of alcohol in that country is high.
contact
contact
  1. n.
    1 [U] touch: My clothes come in contact with my skin.
    2 [C] a person one knows, esp. who can get s.t. done: She has contacts with top officials in the government.
    3 [C] an electrical point: The contact on the car battery is broken.
    4 communication with s.o.: He made contact by telephone with his friend. —v. [T] to communicate with, to get in touch with: He contacted his friend by telephone. -adj. contactable.
    THESAURUS
    contact n.
    2 a relationship, connection.
contagious
contagious
  1. adj. (a disease) capable of being given to others through physical contact or by air: The common cold is a contagious disease. -n. [U] contagion.
    THESAURUS
    contagious communicable, infectious.
contain
contain
  1. v. [T]
    1 to hold within s.t.: That can contains peanuts.||The story contains a lot of action.
    2 to hold back, stop: The students could not contain their laughter in class.
    THESAURUS
    contain v.
    1 to be full of
    2 to control.
container
container
  1. n. an object for holding things, such as a can, carton, box, or bottle: I went to the store to buy a container of milk.
contaminate
contaminate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to make unclean, impure, unfit for use or consumption: The drinking water was contaminated with gasoline. -n. [U] contamination.
contemplate
contemplate
  1. v.frml. [T] -plated, -plating, -plates
    1 to think about s.t. seriously: The manager contemplated the results of the report for hours.
    2 to look forward to,
    THESAURUS
    to anticipate: She contemplates a good future in business after her graduation from college. -n. [U] contemplation ; -adj. contemplative.
contemporaneous
contemporaneous
  1. adj.frml. occurring at the same time as s.t. else: Two scientists at the university worked on separate but contemporaneous experiments.
contemporary
contemporary
  1. adj. of today,
    THESAURUS
    modern: We like contemporary furniture in our apartment. —n. -ies another person of the same age or sharing the same time period: George was a contemporary of mine at my old job; we both worked there in the 1980s.
contempt
contempt
  1. n. [U] a low opinion of s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    scorn: She has contempt for anyone who is not as intelligent as she is. -adj. contemptuous.
contemptible
contemptible
  1. adj. worthy of contempt: He is so cowardly that he behaves in a contemptible manner.
contend
contend
  1. v.
    1 [T] to state formally that s.t. is true,
    THESAURUS
    to assert: The lawyer contends that the criminal is guilty.
    2 [I;T] to fight,
    THESAURUS
    to struggle: The two armies contended for possession of the fort.||Young doctors have to contend with long hours and hard work. -n. contender.
contention
contention
  1. n.
    1 argument, controversy: There is some contention over who should get the award.
    2 competition, esp. for s.t. important: Our team is in contention to win the championship.
    3 a point that one is trying to prove: It is my contention that these new taxes will only hurt the city.
contentious
contentious
  1. adj.frml. ready to disagree,
    THESAURUS
    argumentative: He is a contentious man, always arguing with everyone.
contentment
contentment
  1. n. [U] a feeling of satisfaction, happiness: He gets great contentment from gardening.
contest
contest
  1. n.
    1 a competition: The teacher organized a spelling contest in her English class.
    2 a struggle or fight —v. [T]
    1 to fight for: The two armies contested every inch of ground.
    2 to disagree formally,
    THESAURUS
    to dispute: to contest a dead person's will in court
contestant
contestant
  1. n. a competitor in a competition: She is the youngest contestant in the piano competition.
context
context
  1. n. the information surrounding a word or phrase that determines exactly how it was meant: Repeating a statement out of context can change its meaning.
contiguous
contiguous
  1. adj.frml. touching, having a common boundary: In the USA, 48 of the 50 states are contiguous.
contingency
contingency
  1. n. -cies a surprise event, esp. one causing difficulty: A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.
contingent
contingent
  1. adj.frml.
    1 likely but not certain to happen,
    THESAURUS
    possible: After days of heavy rain, we were on guard for contingent flooding.
    2 depending upon s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    conditional: We will buy this house contingent on selling our current home. —n. a group: a contingent of soldiers
continual
continual
  1. adj.
    1 occurring again and again: That dog's barking is a continual annoyance.
    2 never stopping, incessant: The continual ticking of the grandfather clock could be heard throughout the house. See: continuous. -adv. continually.
    THESAURUS
    continual adj.
    1 ongoing, repeated
    2 unending, constant.
continuance
continuance
  1. n.
    1 the continuing of s.t.: The continuance of business at our company depends on our getting a bank loan.
    2 (legal) the postponement of s.t. (a hearing, trial date, etc.) until a later date: The company lawyer asked the judge for a continuance of a month on the trial so he could locate his most important witness.
continuation
continuation
  1. n.
    1 [U] unbroken activity: Continuation of business was not interrupted by the bad storm.
    2 [C] the continuing of s.t., esp. after a pause: Part 2 of the movie on TV was a continuation of Part 1.
continue
continue
  1. v. [I;T] -ued, -uing, -ues
    1 to carry on for a period of time: The storm continued for three days.
    2 to proceed after a pause: The movie on TV continued after the commercial break.
    THESAURUS
    continue v.
    1 to go on, persist. Ant. to stop.
    2 to resume, carry on.
continuity
continuity
  1. n. [U] the fact or quality of continuing without change over a period of time, esp. in a way that makes sense, (syns.) logical sequence, coherence: People in the State Department change so often that there is no continuity in how the USA treats foreign nations.
continuous
continuous
  1. adj. continuing without pause: Our homes and offices need a continuous supply of electricity. -adv. continuously.
contort
contort
  1. v. [I;T] to twist the body in an unnatural manner -n. contortion.
contour
contour
  1. n. the shape, esp. curves of s.t.: The contours of cars are smooth, but those of trucks are mostly square.
contraband
contraband
  1. n. [U] adj. goods that are brought illegally into a country or state: Those American cigarettes secretly trucked into Canada without payment of the import tax are contraband.
contraception
contraception
  1. n. [U] the use of any method that prevents a woman from becoming pregnant,
    THESAURUS
    birth control: That couple practices contraception by using a condom.
contraceptive
contraceptive
  1. n.adj. a device or drug such as a condom, diaphragm, or pill used to prevent pregnancy (making babies): She takes the (birth-control) pill, which is an oral contraceptive.
contraction
contraction
  1. n.
    1 a shortened word or words, as in "can't" for "cannot" and "I'm" for "I am": Contractions are common in spoken English.
    2 a pain, often muscular, esp. starting the birth of a baby,
    THESAURUS
    spasm: Elaine is having contractions every two minutes.
    3 [U] the act of contracting, as a muscle
contractor
contractor
  1. n. a business or person who agrees to do s.t. under contract, esp. a builder: He is a contractor who builds small houses.
contractual
contractual
  1. adj. related to a contract: Our business has a contractual agreement with a company to provide us with office supplies.
contradict
contradict
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to tell s.o. what he or she says isn't true,
    THESAURUS
    to dispute: They contradict each other all the time: when he says, "It's white," she says, "It's black."
    2 [T] to be different,
    THESAURUS
    to disagree: The police report about the crime contradicts what a witness says about it. -n. [C;U] contradiction; -adj. contradictory.
contralto
contralto
  1. n. -tos adj. the lowest level of a woman's voice, below soprano,
    THESAURUS
    alto: She is a contralto in the singing group.
contraption
contraption
  1. n. a device put together in a strange or awkward way: He made a fan to cool himself out of a car battery tied to some old wires; it was quite a contraption but it worked well.
contrary
contrary
  1. adj.
    1 different from, opposite: He holds an opinion contrary to mine.
    2/ difficult, uncooperative: She has a contrary attitude and disagrees with everything that you say. —n. on the contrary: the opposite of what has been said: "You hate jazz." "On the contrary, I love it." -n. (person) contrarian ; [U] (attitude) contrariness.
contrast
contrast
  1. n.
    1 [C] a difference in color or meaning: The photograph has good contrast between the blue lake and green hills.||There is a big contrast between what that man says and what he does.
    2 [U] a comparison between two objects, etc., which shows a difference: Her work shows the contrast between the artist's early and late works. —v. [I] to differ in color or meaning: The blue and gold colors in the painting contrast beautifully with each other.
contravene
contravene
  1. v.frml. [T] -vened, -vening, -venes to cancel or violate: The general contravened the captain's order to attack. -n. [C;U] contravention.
contribute
contribute
  1. v. -uted, -uting, -utes
    1 [I;T] to give (money, one's time, etc.): She contributes money to her church.
    2 [I] to participate positively in s.t.: Everyone on the team contributed to winning the game. -n. contributor.
    THESAURUS
    contribute v.
    1 to donate
    2 to add, be a factor. Ant. to subtract.
contribution
contribution
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a giving of money, one's time, etc., donation: That rich man makes big contributions to charity.
    2 positive or helpful participation: She made an important contribution to the company's success.
    THESAURUS
    contribution n.
    1 a gift, payment
    2 (to play) a role/part, (to have) a say, (to have) input/ involvement in s.t.
contributory
contributory
  1. adj.
    1 involving or requiring a contribution: Our company has a contributory health plan where each employee must pay 20 percent of the cost.
    2 helping to make s.t. happen: Bad weather was a contributory factor in the accident.
contrite
contrite
  1. adj.frml. feeling sorry for having done s.t. hurtful or bad: The boy was contrite after he broke the lamp. -adv. contritely; -n. [U] contrition.
contrive
contrive
  1. v. [T] -trived, -triving, -trives
    1 to plan or act with evil intent: He contrived a plan to cheat people out of their money.
    2 to make s.t. up that is not true: Then he contrived excuses for why the money had disappeared.
    3 to manage to do s.t., often by cleverness or scheming: She somehow contrived to get tickets to the Academy Awards.
control
control
  1. n.
    1 [U] the power and authority to decide or tell others what to do: The owner has control over (or) of the company.
    2 [C] a device used to guide a vehicle or aircraft: The pilot is at the controls of the airplane.
    3 in control: a. in charge: She is in control of the company. b. managing one's behavior: She gets upset but keeps her anger in (or) under control.
    4 out of control: a. behaving badly: When he gets angry, he gets out of control. b. not in one's authority or power: After that package is put on a truck, when it is delivered is out of my control.
    5 (to get, have, or keep) under control: to manage s.t. properly: The pilot kept the plane under control during the storm.
    6 to take control: to put oneself in power or authority: The military took control of the government. —v. [T] -trolled, -trolling, -trols
    1 to have power or authority: Mr. Shin controls the company, but he cannot control his anger.
    2 to guide s.t.: The pilot controls the airplane from the cockpit. -adj. controllable.
    THESAURUS
    control v.
    1 to be in charge of, run, manage s.t.
    2 to be in command of, manipulate.
controller
controller
  1. n.
    1 the chief accountant in a business See: comptroller.
    2 a person who directs or controls s.t.: He works as an air-traffic controller.
controversial
controversial
  1. adj. causing disagreement: Religion and politics are very personal and controversial subjects.
controversy
controversy
  1. n. [C;U] -sies public disagreement, usu. involving strong opinions and an important subject: There is a lot of controversy about the effect of television violence on children. -v. [T] controvert.
convalescence
convalescence
  1. n. [C;U] usu. used in the sing. a time of rest to recover from an illness,
    THESAURUS
    recuperation: After his heart attack, he went through a long convalescence at home. -v. [I] convalesce; -adj. n. convalescent.
convection
convection
  1. adj.n. [U] the transfer of heat in the air or in a liquid: My new convection oven cooks food much faster than my old oven, because it has a fan that circulates the heat.
convene
convene
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -vened, -vening, -venes to call (or) gather together for a meeting: The manager convened the committee members at 9:00 A.M.||The committee members convened for a meeting at 9:00 A.M.
convenience
convenience
  1. n.
    1 [U] a situation suitable to one's time or needs: She has the convenience of being able to walk to work.
    2 at your convenience: at a time and place suitable to you: We can meet at your convenience any time next week.
    3 [C] s.t. useful that helps make life more comfortable, such as a household appliance: The apartment has a microwave oven, a dishwasher, and other modern conveniences.
convenience store
convenience store
  1. n. a store that stays open late into the evening for the convenience of its customers: That convenience store sells beer and cigarettes as well as basic groceries, like bread and milk.
convenient
convenient
  1. adj.
    1 acceptable and suitable to one's time or needs: Is it convenient that I meet you in your office at noon today?
    2 easy and comfortable to do or get to: We live in a neighborhood that is convenient to the stores and subway. See: inconvenient. -adv. conveniently
    THESAURUS
    convenient
    1 agreeable
    2 close to, near to, handy to. Ant. inconvenient.
convent
convent
  1. n.
    1 a group of unmarried religious women (nuns) who live and often work together: She belongs to the Convent of the Sacred Heart.
    2 the building(s) where nuns live and often work
convention
convention
  1. n.
    1 [C] a gathering of people of similar interests who listen to speakers: We always go to the yearly convention of English teachers at a big hotel.
    2 [C;U] rule of behavior, a standard custom: Guests observe the conventions at parties by always speaking first with the person(s) giving the party.
    3 [C] a formal agreement among countries: Countries agreed in the Geneva Conventions on how prisoners of war should be treated.
    THESAURUS
    convention
    1 a meeting, conference, symposium.
conventional
conventional
  1. adj. based on or conforming to accepted ways of doing things,
    THESAURUS
    traditional: People give conventional greetings to each other, like, "Hi, how are you?" -adv. conventionally.
converge
converge
  1. v. [I] -verged, -verging, -verges to meet at a common point: On hot days, people converge on the beach to cool off. -adj. convergent.
conversant
conversant
  1. adj.frml. to be familiar with s.t.: He is very conversant with computers and can answer any questions you may have.
conversation
conversation
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a talk: I had a conversation about the party with my friend.
    2 to make conversation: to talk to be friendly and polite: While waiting at the bus stop, I made conversation with a stranger about the weather. -adj. conversational.
    THESAURUS
    conversation
    1 a chat, discussion.
converse
converse
  1. v.frml. [I] -versed, -versing, -verses to talk: Two officials conversed about their government's interests.
conversion
conversion
  1. n. [C;U] a change from one condition or status to another: The conversion of that hotel to an apartment building required a lot of construction work.||They were upset by their son's conversion to another religion.
convert
convert
  1. v. [I;T] to change the condition or status of s.t.: The owner converted the hotel into an apartment building.||He wants to convert to Catholicism. —n. a person who changes status, esp. religions: He was Catholic, but now he is a convert to Buddhism.
convertible
convertible
  1. adj. capable of being changed from one form to another: That bond is convertible into common stock. —n. a car that has a top that can be rolled or folded down
convex
convex
  1. adj. curved outward: The outside surfaces of my eyeglasses are convex, and the insides are concave.
convey
convey
  1. v.frml. [T]
    1 to carry from one place to another: A messenger conveyed a message from the king to his nobles.
    2 (legal) to transfer: to convey ownership of property from one person to another -n. [C] conveyance.
convict
convict
  1. v. [T] to find s.o. guilty of a crime in a court of law: The jury convicted him of murder. —n. a person sentenced to jail for a crime,
    THESAURUS
    a prisoner: The police are searching the area for an escaped convict.
conviction
conviction
  1. n.
    1 [C] the act of finding s.o. guilty in a court of law for committing a crime: He received a murder conviction from the jury.
    2 [C;U] a strong belief: She has strong convictions about being honest and working hard.
    THESAURUS
    conviction
    1 a guilty verdict
    2 an idea, principle. Ant. a doubt.
convince
convince
  1. v. [T] -vinced, -vincing, -vinces to cause s.o. to believe s.t. is worth doing or true,
    THESAURUS
    to persuade: The young man convinced the beautiful woman to marry him.||He convinced her that he loves her.
convivial
convivial
  1. adj.frml. friendly, cheerful: During the holidays, people are in a convivial mood.
convocation
convocation
  1. n. [C] a formal calling together: The priest spoke at a convocation of church members, opening with a prayer. -v.frml. [T] convoke.
convoluted
convoluted
  1. adj.
    1 twisted in form, (syns.) coiled, like a snake
    2 difficult to understand, complex: That lawyer presented a convoluted argument to the judge, who rejected it. -n. [C] convolution.
convoy
convoy
  1. n. an organized group or formation, esp. of ships or trucks: When we drove from San Diego to Phoenix, we passed a convoy of trucks on the highway.
convulsion
convulsion
  1. n., usu. used in the pl. a violent movement of the body,
    THESAURUS
    a spasm: He began to choke and went into convulsions. -v. [I] convulse ; -adj. convulsive.
coo
coo
  1. n. a soft sound made by pigeons and doves —v.
    1 [I] to make such a sound
    2 [I;T] fig. to talk in a soft, breathy way, usu. about love: The man and woman cooed about their love for each other.
cook
cook
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to prepare food either cold or by heating it in various ways (frying, boiling, etc.): She cooks dinner for us every evening.
    2 infrml. to cook s.o.'s goose: to ruin s.o.: First, he lost a lot of money in the stock market, and then when his house burned down, that really cooked his goose.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to cook s.t. up: to cheat,
    THESAURUS
    to scheme: That man is so tricky that he's cooking up a plan to give us trouble.||He's cooking it up.
    4 slang to cook the books: to enter false numbers in a company's accounting records: The owner cooked the books to give the impression that the company has made no profit. —n. a person who prepares and cooks food: My mother is a terrific cook!
    THESAURUS
    cook
    1 to heat, roast, bake.
cookbook
cookbook
  1. n. a book of recipes for preparing food to eat: I looked in the cookbook for a recipe for apple pie.
cookie
cookie
  1. n. a small, flat, sweet, often crisp cake: I like chocolate chip cookies.
cooking
cooking
  1. n. the art and practice of preparing and serving food: She studied cooking in Paris.
cookout
cookout
  1. n. a meal prepared and eaten outside with a group of people, often including hamburgers, hot dogs, and potato salad: On Labor Day, we have a cookout for friends and family in our back yard; we grill hamburgers and hot dogs, and then eat watermelon for dessert. See: barbecue. —v. [I;T] to cook out: to prepare a meal outside: If the weather is good tonight, we can cook out on the back porch. See: barbecue, USAGE NOTES.
cool-headed
cool-headed
  1. adj. calm and able to think or work under pressure: She works in a hospital emergency room, but she always stays cool-headed.
cool
cool
  1. adj.
    1 neither warm nor very cold, but more cold than hot: San Francisco has a cool climate.
    2 calm, composed: My boss never gets nervous or upset; she has a cool manner.
    3 not friendly: He made a cool reply to a question.
    4 slang excellent, admirable: He's a cool guy! —n.
    1 one's calm,
    2 to keep one's cool: to stay calm,
    THESAURUS
    to remain unruffled: The house was on fire, but the mother kept her cool and led her kids to safety. —v.
    1 [I;T] to lose or take away heat: The beer is cooling in the refrigerator.
    2 [I] to become unfriendly, distant: Relations between the two countries cooled.
    3 [T] slang Cool it: to stop or calm down: Cool it! Stop shouting for a second while I explain!
    4 phrasal v. to cool down or off: a. [I;T] to stop sweating: Let's go for a swim and cool off. b. [I] to calm down: Two men in a bar argued, and the bartender told them to go outside and cool off. See: cool-headed.
    THESAURUS
    cool adj.
    1 chilly, nippy, cold
    2 easygoing, tranquil, serene
    3 unfriendly, distant
    THESAURUS
    4 awesome infrml. —n.
    1 one's composure.
    THESAURUS
    —v. 1 and 2 to chill.

    USAGE NOTE: Americans of all ages understand the word cool when it means "very good". Sometimes people use cool to respond to good news:"I bought a new CD by your favorite band." "Cool!" Cool also describes a thing in a positive way: He was wearing a really cool T-shirt. Cool can also refer to a person's behavior: My dad was really cool when I wrecked the car. Instead of yelling at me, he hugged me and said he was glad I was safe.
cooler
cooler
  1. n. a container with ice for cooling food and beverages: The beer is in the cooler.
coop
coop
  1. n.
    1 a small house for chickens and small animals: Seven chickens live in the chicken coop on my farm.
    2 a small uncomfortable place
    3 fig. to fly the coop: to leave hurriedly or escape —phrasal v. sep. [T] to coop s.o. or s.t. up: to enclose or limit s.o. or s.t., to feel uncomfortable in a small place: The bad snowstorm had us cooped up in a small apartment for three days.
cooperate
cooperate
  1. v. [I] -ated, -ating, -ates to agree to help s.o. toward a common goal: The two workers cooperated with each other to fix the broken pipe.
    THESAURUS
    cooperate to help, collaborate, work together.
cooperation
cooperation
  1. n. [U] the act of working with s.o. toward a common goal: It takes cooperation between employees to make a business run well.
    THESAURUS
    cooperation teamwork, collaboration.
cooperative
cooperative
  1. adj. willing to do what is needed or being asked: He has a cooperative attitude. —n.
    1 an apartment building owned by the people who live there: She owns a twobedroom cooperative. See: co-op.
    2 a business owned jointly with others: I have five cousins in Wisconsin who have formed a farm cooperative; their five small farms are now one big farm.
    THESAURUS
    cooperative adj. helpful, obliging, accommodating. Ant. uncooperative.
coordinate
coordinate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates
    1 to bring together various people and activities for a common purpose: She coordinated a research project by telling each scientist what to do and sharing the results with all of them.
    2 to harmonize: We coordinated the colors of wall paint and furniture in our living room. —n.
    1 a point of location on a map or graph: The teacher asked us to find the coordinates of Iceland on a map.
    2 coordinates a set of two or more numbers used to determine the position of a point (or other geometricalfigure): Point A was defined by coordinates (3, 2) on the x-axis and y-axis. -n. coordinator.
    THESAURUS
    coordinate v.
    1 to direct, manage, organize
    2 to match, synchronize frml.
coordination
coordination
  1. n. [U]
    1 the act of making arrangements for a purpose: The coordination of that project is done by the teacher.
    2 harmony of various elements
    3 the ability to move the body well, basic athletic ability: Baseball players need to have good coordination; their eyes, arms, and legs need to work together.
coot
coot
  1. n.
    1 a gray ducklike waterbird of North America and Europe
    2 pej. a foolish, stupid, or senile person, esp. a man: That old coot forgets where he lives.
cootie
cootie
  1. -n. slang a blood-sucking insect, a louse: Don't put his hat on your head because it will give you cooties.
cooties
cooties
  1. n.pl.slang A term meaning a blood-sucking insect, a louse, used often by children to offend s.o.: Don't sit next to Chris, he has cooties.
cop-out
cop-out
  1. n.slang a weak excuse: What a cop-out! He promised to help us in the office, but then he called in sick. See: to cop-out.
cop
cop
  1. n.slang a police officer: After he hit me, I called the cops to come get him. —v.slang copped, copping, cops
    1 [T] to steal s.t.
    2 phrasal v. [I] to cop out: to agree to do s.t., then not do it: He promised to help us with the work, but didn't show up, so he copped out on us. See: cop-out. —v. to cop a plea: (in law) to plead guilty to a lesser charge to be free of a more severe one: He copped a plea, so the judge let him off with a small fine.
copacetic
copacetic
  1. adj.slang excellent, in good shape: "How are things going? Great! Everything is copacetic."
cope
cope
  1. v. [I] coped, coping, copes to face difficulties and try to overcome them: He coped with the pain of cancer and finally got well again.
copier
copier
  1. n. a machine used to make copies of s.t., a photocopier: The copier in our office gets heavy use. See: Xerox.
copilot
copilot
  1. n. the second pilot on an airplane
copious
copious
  1. adj.frml. many, much,
    THESAURUS
    abundant: She took copious notes of the professor's lecture.
copper
copper
  1. n. [U]
    1 a brownish red metal and basic chemical element: The pipes in that building are made of copper.
    2 slang a police officer See: cop. —adj. related to or made of copper: a copper mine||a copper kettle
copperhead
copperhead
  1. n. a brown poisonous snake of North America
copter
copter
  1. n. short for helicopter
copulate
copulate
  1. v.frml. [I] -lated, -lating, -lates to perform sexual intercourse: Animals copulate during their mating seasons. -n. [U] copulation.
copy
copy
  1. n. -ies
    1 [C] a duplicate of s.t., esp. a photocopy: I made three copies of my report on the copy machine.
    2 [C] an imitation of s.t., esp. a fake: What a mistake! That museum paid $1,000,000 for a copy of a painting by Monet; the museum thought that the painting was an original.
    3 one of a number of identical books, magazines, newspapers, etc.: This book has sold over 50,000 copies.
    4 [U] material to be printed: She sent her copy to the editor. See: cc, USAGE NOTE. —v. -ied, -ying, -ies
    1 [I;T] to duplicate s.t.: I copied into my notebook what the teacher said.
    2 [T] to imitate s.t.: The art student copied a great painting for practice.
    3 [I;T] to steal someone else's written work,
    THESAURUS
    to plagiarize: The student copied part of his paper from a textbook and did not credit the author.
    4 to copy down: to write down: Students copy down what professors say and write in class.
    THESAURUS
    copy v.
    1 to reproduce, photocopy
    2 to replicate. Ant. to originate.
copyright
copyright
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 ownership of written or visual material (books, music, paintings) by authors, composers, and painters
    2 an act of registering the copyright: Publishers register their copyrights with the US Library of Congress in Washington, DC. —v. [T] to register a copyright under protection of the copyright laws
coquette
coquette
  1. n. a girl or woman who teases men with sexual talk and facial expressions: That coquette makes eyes at men.
coral
coral
  1. n. [U] a type of brightly colored stone made of tiny sea animals, used in making jewelry: My sister has a coral necklace. —adj. having a reddish-pink color
cord
cord
  1. n.v.
    1 [C;U] strong string or rope: I tied the package with some cord.
    2 a pile of wood measuring 4 x 4 x 8 feet: She bought a cord of wood for use in her fireplace.
cordial
cordial
  1. adj. warm, friendly: Everyone at the party was cordial to each other. —n. an alcoholic drink, such as fruit brandy or sweet sherry: We had a cordial before dinner. -n. [U] cordiality ; -adj. cordially.
cordless
cordless
  1. adj. being a device powered by batteries: When I talk on my cordless telephone, I can walk around my house.
cordon
cordon
  1. n. a line of police, soldiers, etc., placed around an area as protection: There was a cordon of police between the protestors and the museum entrance. —phrasal v. sep. [T] to cordon s.t. off: to enclose an area: The soldiers cordoned off the military base.||They cordoned it off.
corduroy
corduroy
  1. n.adj. [U] strong, thick cloth with soft raised lines, used to make pants, jackets, and suits: Those corduroy pants will last for years.
core
core
  1. n.
    1 the hard center of some fruits, containing the seeds: an apple core
    2 the center of anything: a computer's memory core
    3 the most important part of s.t.: At the core of the problem is the fact that the company needs a bank loan to grow.
    4 rotten to the core: totally corrupt, bad: He lies, steals, and is rotten to the core. —v. [T] cored, coring, cores to remove a core: I cored some apples to make an apple pie.
    THESAURUS
    core n.
    2 the nucleus, foundation, central part
    3 the heart, nucleus, focal point.
cork
cork
  1. n.v. a bottle stopper: The waiter pulled the cork out of the wine bottle.
corkscrew
corkscrew
  1. n. a device with a twisting metal piece that ends in a point, used to pull a cork out of a bottle
cormorant
cormorant
  1. n. a large black seabird with a long neck: Fishermen can train cormorants to catch fish for them.
cornbread
cornbread
  1. n. a type of sweet cake made of ground corn (cornmeal): He likes cornbread and coffee for breakfast.
cornea
cornea
  1. n. the outer covering lens of the eye: She had an operation on her corneas and can see better now.
corner
corner
  1. n. the area where two streets, walls, etc., meet: I will meet you on the corner of Main St. and 3rd Ave. at noon. —v. [T] to force s.o. or s.t. into a position from which escape is impossible: The police chased a criminal down a narrow street and cornered him so he could not escape.
    THESAURUS
    corner v. to trap, block s.o. | bring s.o. to bay frml.
cornerstone
cornerstone
  1. n.
    1 a stone placed in the corner of a building with its date of completion
    2 fig. the centerpiece or foundation of s.t.: The cornerstone of the President's plan is a tax cut for everyone.
cornflakes
cornflakes
  1. n.pl. breakfast cereal made from corn cooked into dry flakes: He eats cornflakes with milk and sugar.
cornice
cornice
  1. n. the decorative top of a building or wall: cornices of carved wood
cornmeal
cornmeal
  1. n.adj. [U] coarsely ground corn: I had a yellow cornmeal muffin and some coffee for breakfast.
cornrow
cornrow
  1. n. a narrow braid of hair —v. [T] to arrange the hair in rows of narrow braids close to the head: Many Jamaicans cornrow their hair.
cornstalk
cornstalk
  1. n. the long narrow (stem) part of a corn plant: Farmers cut down cornstalks to feed cattle.
cornstarch
cornstarch
  1. n. [U] a white, tasteless powder made from corn and used in cooking: She put some cornstarch in the gravy to make it thicker.
cornucopia
cornucopia
  1. n.
    1 a horn-shaped basket flowing over with good things to eat, used as a symbol for good times, prosperity
    2 a large supply,
    THESAURUS
    abundance: American farmers grow a cornucopia of food for people.
corny
corny
  1. adj. -ier, -iest too obvious, old-fashioned, or unsophisticated to be effective, esp. relating to jokes that are meant to be funny but are not: He tells corny jokes and bores everyone.
corollary
corollary
  1. n. -ies an expected result or outcome of s.t.: Disease is a corollary of poverty.
coronary
coronary
  1. adj. related to arteries and veins of the heart: a blocked coronary artery —n. -ies a heart attack,
    THESAURUS
    a coronary thrombosis: He was taking the train home from work and had a coronary.
coronation
coronation
  1. n. the ceremony of crowning a king or queen: When Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II, England celebrated her coronation.
coroner
coroner
  1. n. the city or town official who investigates suspicious deaths for possible murder
corporate
corporate
  1. adj. related to a business, esp. one that is incorporated: The owner opened a corporate checking account at the bank.
corporate culture
corporate culture
  1. n.phr. the values, behavior, and success stories especially important in a particular company: Making high quality products in a relaxed, friendly way is central to our company's corporate culture.
corporation
corporation
  1. n. a business with a legal status (incorporated) where the assets and debts belong to shareholders who are not responsible for them beyond the value of their stock: When a corporation becomes bankrupt, its stock is of no value anymore.
corps
corps
  1. n. [C] corps an organized and usu. highly trained group: The Marine Corps is trained to fight.||A fife and drum corps makes music. See: esprit de corps.
corpse
corpse
  1. n. a lifeless human body (as opposed to a carcass of an animal),
    THESAURUS
    a cadaver: The murder victim's corpse lay in the street.
corpulent
corpulent
  1. adj.frml. fat, very overweight: He weighs 350 lbs; he is so corpulent that he can hardly walk. -n. [U] corpulence.
corpus
corpus
  1. n. frml. [C] -pora or -puses a body of written work: There is a large corpus of literature on medicine.
corpuscle
corpuscle
  1. n. [C] a red or white blood cell: White corpuscles in the blood kill germs.
corral
corral
  1. n. an area with a fence around it to keep horses, cattle, etc., inside: Cowboys leave their horses in the corral after work.
correct
correct
  1. v. [T]
    1 to make (s.t.) accurate: The teacher corrected the student's spelling mistake.
    2 to change s.o.'s or one's own behavior to the right way: He was lazy and irresponsible, but two weeks in army camp corrected his behavior. —adj.
    1 accurate: The student gave the correct answer to the question.
    2 honest, proper: She found the man's wallet and returned it to him, because that is the correct thing to do. -adj. corrective; -adv. correctly; -n. correctness.
    THESAURUS
    correct adj.
    1 right, exact, perfect. Ants. incorrect, wrong.
    2 right, decent | truthful. Ant. wrong.
correction
correction
  1. n.
    1 a change made to correct a mistake: I spelled that word incorrectly, but have made the correction now.
    2 an adjustment: The ship made a correction in its course.||The stock market made a correction by dropping 100 points.
    THESAURUS
    correction
    2 an alteration, modification.
correlate
correlate
  1. v. [I;T] -lated, -lating, -lates to show or see how one thing relates meaningfully to another: We can correlate the increase in profits to the increase in our sales.
correlation
correlation
  1. n. a meaningful connection between things: There is a direct correlation between an increase in sales volume and an increase in profits.
correspond
correspond
  1. v. [I]
    1 to write to s.o.: I correspond regularly with a friend in Seoul.
    2 to agree, match: The article in the newspaper does not correspond to what the politician actually said.
correspondence
correspondence
  1. n.
    1 [U] letters or E-mail sent between people: She answers the correspondence from her customers every day.
    2 [C] an agreement, matching: There is a correspondence between spending less money and being able to save more.
    THESAURUS
    correspondence
    1 communication, mail, messages
    2 a correlation.
correspondent
correspondent
  1. n.
    1 a reporter for a publication or TV: The news report was made by the TV's correspondent in Rio de Janeiro.
    2 a business that cooperates with another located elsewhere: The Bank of New York has a correspondent in Tokyo.
    3 a person to whom you write letters: My correspondent in Chicago is named Talani Smith. —adj. related to s.t., corresponding: An increase in the amount of time that you study brings a correspondent (or) corresponding improvement in your grades.
corridor
corridor
  1. n. a hallway: That corridor leads to the classrooms.
corroborate
corroborate
  1. v.frml. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates to indicate s.t. that another person said is true: A witness to the robbery corroborated the victim's description of what happened. -n. [U] corroboration.
corrosive
corrosive
  1. adj.
    1 wearing away by chemical action: The corrosive effect of air pollution on great buildings and statues eventually turns them to powder.
    2 fig. having a negative attitude,
    THESAURUS
    abrasive -v. [I;T] corrode ; -n. [U] corrosion.
corrugated
corrugated
  1. adj. having a wavy surface: Corrugated boxes are stronger than others.
corrupt
corrupt
  1. adj. dishonest: That official is corrupt because he takes bribes. —v. [T]
    1 to make dishonest: He corrupts everyone around him.
    2 to change s.t. to a bad state or wrong purpose,
    THESAURUS
    to pervert: The French are very concerned that their language is being corrupted by the use of foreign words. -adj. corruptible; -n. [U] corruption.
corsage
corsage
  1. n. a flower or small group of flowers worn by a woman on special occasions
corset
corset
  1. n.v. [T] an old-fashioned, tight-fitting undergarment, worn esp. by women, to shape and support the hips and stomach: She wears a corset every day.
cosign
cosign
  1. v. [T] to add one's signature to, and guarantee one's responsibility for, a contract, loan, or check signed by s.o. else: My daughter wanted to buy a car, so I cosigned her bank loan to guarantee that I would repay the loan if she could not. -n. cosigner.
cosine
cosine
  1. n. abbr. cos a basic ratio in trigonometry between of the length of the side adjacent to a given acute angle in a right triangle and the length of the hypotenuse, or longest side: cosine of 45 degrees.
cosmetic
cosmetic
  1. n. a beauty preparation, like makeup, lipstick, and skin cream, used on the body, esp. on the face: She likes European brands of cosmetics. —adj.
    1 meant to hide s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    superficial: The wooden house was rotting, but the owner gave it a cosmetic coat of paint in order to sell it.
    2 related to improving one's appearance: He had cosmetic surgery done to straighten his nose.
cosmetology
cosmetology
  1. n. [U] the art and science of beauty care, including hair dressing, manicuring, and skin care
cosmic
cosmic
  1. adj. throughout the universe (cosmos), universal: An exploding star is a cosmic event.
cosmonaut
cosmonaut
  1. n. an astronaut, esp. a Russian: Russian cosmonauts were the first people in space.
cosmopolitan
cosmopolitan
  1. adj. from or of many parts of the world,
    THESAURUS
    international: Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city with people from all over the world. —n. [C] a sophisticated person who is comfortable anywhere: She is a cosmopolitan who speaks seven languages and has apartments in several foreign cities.
cosmos
cosmos
  1. n. the cosmos all space, stars, planets, etc.,
    THESAURUS
    the universe: Astronomers study the cosmos.
cost-benefit analysis
cost-benefit analysis
  1. n.phr. the cost of goods or services in comparison to the money and/or good will they bring to a business: We did a cost-benefit analysis on building new offices compared with refurnishing our old ones, and decided to build new ones.
cost-effective
cost-effective
  1. adj. worth its cost (goods and services): We found that building a new building was more cost-effective than fixing up the old one.
cost-of-living index
cost-of-living index
  1. n. (in USA) a measurement by the government each year of the cost-of-living: The cost-of-living index went up 5% this year.
cost
cost
  1. n.
    1 the price of s.t.: What is the cost of a loaf of bread in Vancouver?
    2 usu. used in the sing. the sacrifice of time, effort, or hurt of s.t.: That terrible war was won at a cost of 50 million lives.
    3 at all costs: regardless of the money or sacrifice involved: We must rescue those lost sailors at all costs. —v. [T] cost, costing, costs
    1 to have a certain price: That car costs $30,000.
    2 to cause a loss: That car accident cost five lives.
    3 to figure out a group of costs to find a total cost or price of s.t.
    THESAURUS
    cost n.
    1 the asking price, price tag | fee.
cost of living
cost of living
  1. n. the cost of necessities of life, such as food, housing, clothes, transportation, etc.: The cost of living in cities like New York, Paris, and Tokyo is very high.
costar
costar
  1. n.v. [I] -starred, -starring, -stars a star in a movie, play, or concert who is of equal importance to another star: Clark Gable costarred with Vivien Leigh in "Gone with the Wind."
costly
costly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest
    1 expensive: Their dinner was costly but delicious.
    2 hurtful in time, effort, money, or pain: That was a costly mistake. -n. [U] costliness.
    THESAURUS
    costly
    1 high-priced, pricey. Ants. inexpensive, cheap.
costume
costume
  1. n.v. [T] -tumed, -tuming, -tumes a style of clothes worn esp. by an actor or for entertainment: We went to a Halloween party where everyone wore historical costumes.
    THESAURUS
    costume an outfit, attire.
cot
cot
  1. n. a simple bed that usu. can be folded up and moved easily: I took a cot out of the closet for my friend to sleep on.
cottage
cottage
  1. n. a small, simple house usu. in the country: She lives in a cottage by the lake.
cottage cheese
cottage cheese
  1. n. [U] a soft, white cheese made of sour milk: He had cottage cheese and fruit for lunch.
cottage industry
cottage industry
  1. n. -tries work that can be done at home, such as typing, knitting, etc.: Making clay pots is a cottage industry in that small town.
cotton-picking
cotton-picking
  1. adj.infrml. no good, unwanted: Keep your cotton-picking hands off my money!
cotton
cotton
  1. n. [U]
    1 a plant whose seeds are covered with soft, white fiber that is made into thread and cloth
    2 cloth made from this fiber: His shirts are made of cotton. —phrasal v. insep. [T] to cotton to s.o. or s.t.: to like s.o. or s.t.: Cowboys cotton to cowgirls.
cottontail
cottontail
  1. n. a rabbit with a short white tail: Cottontails live in the western USA.
cottonwood
cottonwood
  1. n. a tree with white cotton-like seeds: Cottonwoods grow by rivers and streams.
couch
couch
  1. n. couches a piece of furniture for sitting or lying on, a sofa: The couch in our living room is soft and comfortable. —v.frml. [T] couches to say s.t. in a certain way, express: She couched her complaint in a pleasant way.
cougar
cougar
  1. n. a large cat found in mountains of western North, Central, and South America: Cougars attack sheep and cows.
cough
cough
  1. v.
    1 [I] to push air out of the throat suddenly with a sharp sound
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to cough s.t. up: infrml. to produce s.t. unwillingly: He had to cough up the money to pay the fine or go to jail.||He coughed it up. —n. a pushing of air from the throat because of irritation or sickness: She has a bad cough from a cold.
could
could
  1. auxiliary v. & past tense of can
    1 used to indicate that s.t. is possible: The volume was on high so everyone could hear the radio program.
    2 used to make a suggestion or give permission: You could go to the movie, if you want to.
    3 used to make a request: Could you pass me the salt and pepper, please? See: can (1); may; would.
council
council
  1. n. a group of officials or advisors, esp. to a politician: The city council advises the mayor on what to do. -n. councilor.
counsel
counsel
  1. n. [U]
    1 advice, usu. given by an expert
    2 a lawyer —v. [T] (usu. of an expert) to give advice: My lawyer counseled me not to start a lawsuit over my car accident.
countdown
countdown
  1. n.
    1 a counting of numbers from higher to lower: The countdown for a space rocket goes, "... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Blastoff!"
    2 the time period and actions just before an important event: The countdown for the election next Tuesday begins as politicians go on TV for the last time.
countenance
countenance
  1. n.frml.
    1 the face and its expression: The countenance on the father's face brightened when he saw his child emerge from the group of other children.
    2 approval —v.frml. [T] -nanced, -nancing, -nances to give approval of s.t.: I will not countenance your stealing that money!
counteract
counteract
  1. v. [T] to stop or neutralize s.t., esp. with an opposite force: The doctor counteracted the poison by giving the patient medicine (an antidote). -n. [C;U] counteraction.
counterattack
counterattack
  1. v. [I;T] n. to attack an attacker: When the enemy attacked our army, our soldiers counterattacked with cannon fire.
counterbalance
counterbalance
  1. n.
    1 a weight equal to another,
    THESAURUS
    counterweight
    2 fig. an action, force, or influence equal to another —v. [T] -anced, -ancing, -ances to give a counterbalance: The President, Congress, and Supreme Court counterbalance each other in sharing the power of the U.S. government.
counterclaim
counterclaim
  1. n.v. [I;T] an accusation or charge made against s.o. who has made an accusation: Our company says that a customer owes us money, but that customer makes the counterclaim that we owe him money. See: to countersue.
counterclockwise
counterclockwise
  1. adv.adj. moving in the direction opposite to which the hands of a clock move: I turn my key counterclockwise to open my door.
counterculture
counterculture
  1. n. people who are against the traditional values and lifestyles of most people: The counterculture of the 1960s rejected the North American desire for money and property. See: bohemian; hippie.
counterfeit
counterfeit
  1. adj. fake, false, esp. referring to a copy of s.t., such as money or a work of art: Counterfeit money in fake $20 bills was found in stores all over the city. —v. [T] to copy s.t. to deceive: Criminals counterfeited the $20 bills by printing them secretly -n. counterfeiter. See: forge.
countermove
countermove
  1. n.v. [I] -moved, moving, -moves a move made to match or defeat an opponent's move: An unfriendly company tried to buy our company, but our boss made a countermove by finding a friendly buyer.
counteroffer
counteroffer
  1. n. a different offer made as a response to s.o. else's offer: I offered to sell my house for $100,000 and the buyer made a counteroffer of $90,000. See: counterproposal.
counterpart
counterpart
  1. n. a person or thing that is like another or does the same type of job: The owner talked with her counterpart, the owner of another company.
counterproductive
counterproductive
  1. adj. not useful, damaging: Correcting every mistake students make can be counterproductive by making them nervous.
counterproposal
counterproposal
  1. n. a different plan, offer, idea, etc, made in response to one made earlier: My company offered to buy another company, but they made a counterproposal that we buy some of their products, not their whole company.
countersign
countersign
  1. v. [T] n.
    1 to sign s.t. again, esp. a check to show that the signature is real: I signed the check on the front, then with a bank official watching me, I countersigned it on the back.
    2 to sign a contract, will, etc. signed by s.o. else: I signed a contract to buy the apartment and the seller countersigned it. -n. countersignature.
counterspy
counterspy
  1. n. -spies a spy who tries to find and to work against enemy spies.
countersue
countersue
  1. v. [T] -sued, -suing, -sues (in law) to sue s.o. who has sued (you) first: An employee sued us for firing him and our company countersued him for stealing our secrets. -n. countersuit.
countess
countess
  1. n. -esses a noblewoman ranked above a baroness
countless
countless
  1. adj. too many to be counted, without number: The mother told the child countless times to stop sucking his thumb.
countrified
countrified
  1. adj.
    1 (land) looking like areas outside cities with fields, woods, usu. farms
    2 (people) simple,
    THESAURUS
    unsophisticated: He has a countrified look with jeans, boots, and a cowboy hat.
country
country
  1. n. -tries
    1 [C] a nation: the country of Canada
    2 [C] a rural area outside cities and towns: We drive to the country to relax.
    3 [U] land suitable for a particular purpose: farm country —adj. typical of the country, esp. in being simple, rough, or old-fashioned: country furniture
countryman
countryman
  1. n. -men a citizen of the same nation: When I traveled to South America, I met some of my countrymen from New York at the hotel. -n. countrywoman.
countryside
countryside
  1. n. [U] the land outside a city or town with trees, farms, and few houses: The countryside near our city is full of hills and farms.
county
county
  1. n. -ties adj. (in USA) a smaller political and geographical area within states: County governments are often responsible for some of a state's highways.
coup
coup
  1. n. coups
    1 taking control suddenly of a government,
    THESAURUS
    a coup d'état
    2 a big, unexpected success: When the movie star decided to make a film with a small new company, it was a coup for them.
coup d'état
coup d'état
  1. n. coups d'état taking control suddenly of a government by force
couple
couple
  1. n.
    1 two people (usu. of the opposite sex) who are married, living together, or on a date: Jane and Tom are a couple that love to go dancing.
    2 several, usu. two or three: Can you lend me a couple of dollars? Yes, for a couple of days. See: pair. —v. -pled, -pling, -ples
    1 [T] to put or link together: to couple railroad cars
    2 [I] (said of animals) to have sex,
    THESAURUS
    to mate
    THESAURUS
    couple n.
    1 a pair, twosome
    2 a few.
coupon
coupon
  1. n.
    1 a piece of paper that offers a payment, service, or reduction in the price of goods, esp. food: to clip coupons from the newspaper||He gives coupons to the supermarket cashier who takes money off the price of the food.
    2 an order form to write in one's name, address, credit card number, etc.,
    THESAURUS
    order blank: to fill in the coupon and mail it to buy a pair of shoes See: rebate.
courage
courage
  1. n. [U] bravery, the strength of mind and/or body to face and overcome danger and/or difficulties: The police officer showed great courage by jumping into the cold lake to save a drowning boy. -adj. courageous ; -adv. courageously.
    THESAURUS
    courage daring, valor, guts infrml., mettle frml.
courier
courier
  1. n. a messenger, esp. one on important business: The jeweler sent a courier to pick up the diamonds.
course
course
  1. n.
    1 a series of lessons in a subject, usu. at a school: I took a college course in English literature.
    2 an area for sports events: a race course, a golf course
    3 a planned route: That ship headed for China is on course/off course.
    4 a period of time: In the course of events (time, progress), we finally learned the truth about the crime.
    5 as a matter of course: routinely: As a matter of course, the judge told the jury to listen equally to both sides.
    6 course of action: a way of doing s.t.: Our company faces a lawsuit, so what course of action will we take—to pay the money or fight it in court?
    7 in due course: eventually, finally: In due course, we decided to fight the lawsuit in court.
    8 of course: naturally, clearly: Of course, I'll come to your wedding. —v.frml. [I] coursed, coursing, courses to travel or run fast: Water courses over a waterfall.
    THESAURUS
    course n.
    1 a class
    2 a track, path
    3 an itinerary
    4 a chain, order (of events).
court-martial
court-martial
  1. n. courtsmartial or court-martials [C;U] v. [T]
    1 a military court to judge those who may have broken military law
    2 a trial in a military court
    3 to try someone in a military court: That soldier received a court-martial for stealing and was put in jail.They court-martialed him.
courteous
courteous
  1. adj. having good manners, polite: The taxi driver is very courteous to his customers. -adv. courteously.
    THESAURUS
    courteous adj. well-mannered, considerate, civil. Ant. rude.
courtesy
courtesy
  1. n. [U] -sies
    1 good manners, politeness: The telephone operator treats all callers with courtesy.
    2 to do s.o. a courtesy: to do s.o. a favor: Please do me the courtesy of calling my office to say I'll be late.
    THESAURUS
    courtesy n.
    1 respect, good behavior, civilty.
courthouse
courthouse
  1. n. -houses the building in which courts of law and other legal activities are located: I went to the court-house to get a copy of my birth certificate.
courtier
courtier
  1. n. a person who is often present at the court of a king or queen
courtly
courtly
  1. adj. polite, dignified
courtroom
courtroom
  1. n. the room in which a court of law meets: The judge sits at the back of the courtroom behind a high desk.
courtship
courtship
  1. n. [C;U] a period of getting to know s.o. you are planning to marry as the relationship develops, formal dating: The couple had a two-year courtship before marrying.
courtyard
courtyard
  1. n. an enclosed outdoor area next to a house or building: Cars drove into the courtyard to let people out at the building's front door. See: patio.
cousin
cousin
  1. n. a child of an aunt or uncle: My cousins live in Florida.
couth
couth
  1. n.adj. (often used in the negative) good manners and good taste in clothes and actions: That rude young man has no couth. See: uncouth.
cove
cove
  1. n. a small bay, a sheltered area in the coastline of a sea, lake, or river: Our boat waited in the safety of a cove for the storm to pass.
coven
coven
  1. n. a group of witches: She is the head of a coven.
covenant
covenant
  1. n.
    1 (in law) a contract, formal written agreement
    2 a part of a formal agreement: We sued that company for breaking three of the covenants in our contract.
    3 (in religion) one of God's agreements with the human race or an agreement among members of a congregation
cover-up
cover-up
  1. n. an act of hiding s.t. bad,
    THESAURUS
    concealment (of the truth): Officials managed a cover-up of scandal.
cover letter
cover letter
  1. n. a letter sent to explain s.t.: I sent a cover letter with my résumé to apply for a job.
coverage
coverage
  1. n. [U]
    1 reporting by TV, newspapers, or other media: When important politicians speak, there is a lot of coverage in the press and on television.
    2 insurance: My policy gives coverage against fire and theft.
covering
covering
  1. n. s.t. put on or over s.t. else: Bushes and grass make a ground covering.
covert
covert
  1. adj. secret,
    THESAURUS
    concealed: Spies had a covert plan to steal secrets.
covet
covet
  1. v. [T] to want s.t. with great desire and envy: She covets her neighbor's big house and fancy car. -adj. covetous ; -n. [U] covetousness.
coward
coward
  1. n. a person without courage: She was a coward when she ran out of the burning house and left her children to die. -adj. cowardly.
cowardice
cowardice
  1. n. [U] lack of courage, the shameful behavior of a coward: When the boat turned over, the man showed cowardice by saving himself while leaving his wife to drown.
    THESAURUS
    cowardice n. weakness of character, fear. Ant. heroism.
cowboy
cowboy
  1. n.
    1 a man who works on a cattle ranch or rodeo, taking care of the cattle
    2 fig.slang a person who drives too fast and usu. recklessly: The cowboy driving that subway train scared the passengers. See: cowgirl.
cower
cower
  1. v. [I] to move back in fear and submission,
    THESAURUS
    to cringe: The little boy cowered in fear when his father yelled at him.
cowgirl
cowgirl
  1. n. a woman who works on a cattle ranch or rodeo, taking care of cattle See: cowboy.
cowhide
cowhide
  1. n.adj. the thick, strong leather made from the skin of a cow: He wears boots made of cowhide.
cowl
cowl
  1. n.
    1 a long, loose robe with a hood, as worn by a monk
    2 the hood itself: The monk pulled the cowl over his head as it started to rain.
    3 (on women's clothes) a neckline style with loose folds of material
coworker
coworker
  1. n. a person with whom one works, (syns.) colleague, fellow worker: My coworkers and I went out for a beer after work.
cowslip
cowslip
  1. n. a wild plant with small, sweet-smelling yellow flowers: Cowslips flower in the springtime.
coxswain
coxswain
  1. n. a person who steers a rowboat in races: After winning the race, the crew threw the coxswain in the water to celebrate.
coy
coy
  1. adj. pretending to be shy, evasive esp. in a playful, mocking manner: She likes him, but is coy about telling him so. -adv. coyly; -n. [U] coyness.
coyote
coyote
  1. n. -tes or -te a kind of wolf similar to a medium-sized dog found mainly in western North and Central America: Coyotes often hunt rats and mice at night.
cozy
cozy
  1. adj. -zier, -ziest
    1 warm, friendly, and comfortable: We had dinner at a cozy restaurant with a fireplace.
    2 involving a close relationship, esp. a dishonest one —phrasal v. insep. [I] -zied, -zying, -zies to cozy up to s.o.: to try to become friendly with s.o.: The politician cozied up to some rich people so they would give him money.
    THESAURUS
    cozy adj.
    1 snug, pleasant, welcoming.
crab
crab
  1. n.
    1 a shellfish with a flat shell, four pairs of legs, and two claws
    2 [U] the meat of crabs: We ate crab (or) crab meat.
    3 infrml.fig. a difficult, irritable person: That man is such a crab, angry all the time. —v. crabbed, crabbing, crabs
    1 [I] to fish for crabs
    2 infrml.fig. [I;T] to complain -adj. crabby.
crack
crack
  1. n.
    1 a line of separation in a material, a split: That drinking glass has a crack in it.|| a wall with cracks
    2 a small amount of space: He opened the window a crack.
    3 a break in a surface, fissure: After the earthquake, the ground had wide cracks running through it.
    4 a sudden, very loud noise: the crack of a whip
    5 a funny and/or critical remark See: wisecrack.
    6 slang a strong, highly addictive form of cocaine: He smokes crack.
    7 to fall between the cracks: to become lost or ignored: She had a great idea for a new product; but no one would listen to her, so it fell between the cracks.
    THESAURUS
    crack n.
    1 a break, fracture
    2 a little, a bit
    3 a split, fracture
    4 a snap, bang, pop
    5 a joke, comment. —v.
    1 [I;T] to break without coming apart: A small stone hit the window and cracked it.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [I] to crack down or s.o. or s.t.: to take strong actions to stop s.t., to discipline severely: The government cracked down on drug dealers by putting them in jail.||It cracked down on them. See: crackdown.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to crack s.t. open: to break apart with force: He cracked open the coconut with a knife.||He cracked it open.
    4 phrasal v. sep. to crack up: a. [I] to have a nervous breakdown: She was under so much pressure at work that she cracked up. b. [I] s.o.: (used negatively) not to be as good as one's reputation: That singer is not all that she is cracked up to be. c. [I;T] sep. s.o.: to break out into laughter: That comedian is so funny that he cracks up his audiences every time.||He cracks them up. d. [T] to ruin, wreck: He cracked up his car by hitting a tree.
    5 to get cracking: to begin work with energy: We know what we have to do, so let's get cracking! crack v.
    1 to split
    2 to clamp down. —adj. excellent; expert: a crack shot with a rifle
crackdown
crackdown
  1. n. strong actions taken to stop s.t., severe discipline: The government began a crackdown on crime by hiring more police.
cracker
cracker
  1. n.
    1 a small, thin piece of unsweetened baked dough: She likes to eat cheese on crackers.
    2 pej. a poor, white person of the southern USA
crackerjack
crackerjack
  1. adj.n. having excellent ability, the best: He is a crackerjack mechanic.
crackle
crackle
  1. v. [I] n. -led, -ling, -les usu. used in the sing. a sound like that of small things breaking, snapping: The oil crackles in the hot frying pan.
crackpot
crackpot
  1. n. a person with strange ideas or behavior,
    THESAURUS
    an eccentric: That crackpot thinks he will lead a world revolution.
crackup
crackup
  1. n.
    1 a bad accident with a vehicle: She had a crackup in her car on the highway.
    2 a nervous breakdown: He has so many problems that he finally had a crackup last month.
cradle
cradle
  1. n.
    1 a baby's bed, esp. one that moves back and forth on rockers
    2 the place where s.t. begins, origin: Ancient Greece was the cradle of western civilization.
    3 from the cradle to the grave: from birth to death —v. [T] -dled, -dling, -dles to hold gently: She cradled the baby in her arms.
craft
craft
  1. n.
    1 a skilled trade: the craft of carpentry
    2 skill in making things by hand: the craft of basketweaving, the craft of making pottery.
    3 a boat, airplane, or space vehicle: watercraft, aircraft, spacecraft
    4 skill in tricking people See: crafty. —v. [T] to make s.t with skill: He crafts fine furniture by hand. -n. craftsman ; [U] craftsmanship.
crafty
crafty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest good at tricking people: The criminal was crafty and hid his crimes well. -adv. craftily; -n. [U] craftiness.
crag
crag
  1. n. a high, steep rock formation: He stands on a crag and looks out to sea.
craggy
craggy
  1. adj. -gier, -giest
    1 rocky, steep
    2 rough, rugged: He has a craggy face. -n. [U] cragginess.
cram
cram
  1. v. crammed, cramming, crams
    1 [T] to force s.t. into a small space, stuff: She crammed clothes into her suitcase.||He crammed food into his mouth.
    2 [I] to study quickly and hard: He crammed all night for the exam the next day. —adj. a cram course: a course that teaches or reviews a lot of material quickly in preparation for a test: She took a one-week cram course for a real estate license.
cramp
cramp
  1. n.
    1 a painful tightening of a muscle,
    THESAURUS
    a spasm: After running, he got a cramp in his leg.
    2 to have cramps: to have pains in the stomach or abdomen —v.
    1 [I;T] to have muscle spasms: His leg muscles cramped up.
    2 to cramp s.o.'s style: to prevent s.o. from doing s.t. freely
cramped
cramped
  1. adj. small and uncomfortable: She lives in a cramped little apartment.
cranberry
cranberry
  1. n. -ries a small, sour red berry grown in wetland esp. in New England, or the plant it grows on: Cranberries are cooked and made into a kind of jelly that is served with turkey on Thanksgiving.
crane
crane
  1. n.
    1 a large waterbird with long legs and neck
    2 a large machine used to lift heavy loads —v. [I;T] craned, craning, cranes to lift one's head and stretch one's neck like a crane: People craned their necks to see the accident scene as they passed by.
cranium
cranium
  1. n. -niums or -nia the bones of the head around the brain: He has an injury to the cranium. -adj. cranial.
crank
crank
  1. n.
    1 a metal rod used for starting an engine or lifting heavy objects
    2 fig. an eccentric, a person who complains all the time —v.
    1 [I;T] to use a crank: He cranked the engine to get it started.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to crank s.t. out: to produce quickly, manufacture a lot of: She cranked out cakes for the party. ||She cranked them out. —adj. a crank call: an anonymous telephone call made to bother or scare s.o.
cranky
cranky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest angry and complaining, irritable: That child is cranky and needs to sleep.
cranny
cranny
  1. n. -nies an opening or crack in a wall See: nooks and crannies.
crap
crap
  1. n.vulg.slang
    1 useless nonsense: What he says is a lot of crap.
    2 useless or poorly made things,
    THESAURUS
    junk
    3 excrement, feces —v. [I] crapped, crapping, craps to defecate -adj. crappy.
crash-land
crash-land
  1. v. [T] to land an airplane in an emergency: The airplane's engines failed and the pilot crash-landed it (or) made a crash landing. -n. crash landing.
crash
crash
  1. n. crashes
    1 a violent hit against s.t., usu. with damage, an accident, smashup: a car crash, a plane crash
    2 the loud, violent sound of a crash: Cars hit together with a loud crash.
    3 a failure or collapse, esp. an economic ruin: the stock market crash of 1929 —v. crashes
    1 [I] to smash against s.t. violently: The bus went out of control and crashed against cars and telephone poles.
    2 [I;T] to fail or collapse: The computer crashed and all its data was lost.
    3 fig. [T] to enter a party, concert, etc. without an invitation or ticket See: gate crasher. —adj. using speed and concentrated effort to get quick results: He took a crash course in Spanish before a vacation to Mexico.
    THESAURUS
    crash n.
    1 a collision, wreck
    2 a bang, smash, slam
    3 a bust infrml.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to collide against, bump into, hit
    2 to break down
    3 to sneak in.
crass
crass
  1. adj.
    1 stupid and insensitive,
    THESAURUS
    coarse: He was drunk and made crass remarks about a woman being too fat.
    2 obvious, outrageous, or deceitful: She made a crass attempt to sell me a coat that was too big for me. -adv. crassly; -n. crassness.
crate
crate
  1. n.
    1 a box made of wood used to ship things: That store has crates of oranges and tomatoes.
    2 slang an old car,
    THESAURUS
    a jalopy —v. [T] crated, crating, crates to put in crates: Farmers crated lettuce and apples to ship to stores.
crater
crater
  1. n. a large hole in the ground: the crater of a volcano||A meteor hit the earth and made a huge crater.
cravat
cravat
  1. n.frml. a colorful cloth worn as a necktie,
    THESAURUS
    ascot: He wears silk cravats.
crave
crave
  1. v. [T] craved, craving, craves to desire greatly or uncontrollably: She craves chocolate.||He craves to be loved. -n. craving.
craw
craw
  1. n.
    1 the stomach of some animals
    2 an area above the stomach of some birds where food is stored
crawfish
crawfish
  1. n. -fish or -fishes var. of crayfish
crawl
crawl
  1. v. [I]
    1 to move slowly and close to the ground,
    THESAURUS
    to creep: Ants and spiders crawl along the ground.||Babies crawl on their hands and knees.
    2 to be covered with s.t.: The ground was crawling with ants.
    3 fig. to ask for forgiveness,
    THESAURUS
    to grovel: He made his girlfriend angry, but he crawled back to her. —n.
    1 a slow movement: Traffic is moving at a crawl today.
    2 the crawl: the fastest swimming stroke in which one lifts the arms over the head and kicks the feet
crayfish
crayfish
  1. n. -fish or -fishes a small, lobster-like animal with a hard shell, or its meat: Crayfish live in freshwater streams and lakes.
crayon
crayon
  1. n.v. [I] a stick made of colored wax used for drawing: Children love to draw with colored crayons.
craze
craze
  1. n. a popular style that passes soon,
    THESAURUS
    fad: Wearing black shoes with thick soles was the craze during my last year of high school. —v. [I;T] crazed, crazing, crazes to become insane, crazy: Fighting in the jungle crazed many soldiers.
crazed
crazed
  1. adj. crazy, insane: A crazed man killed the child.
crazy
crazy
  1. adj. -zier, -ziest
    1 sick in the mind, insane: The crazy man talked to himself all the time.
    2 making no sense, foolish: He is crazy if he thinks that he is going to make $1 million next year.
    3 wildly enthusiastic: When she saw that new car, she went crazy over it.||John is crazy about Jane.
    4 like crazy: actively, hard: She ran like crazy to catch the bus. -adv. crazily; [U] -n. craziness.
    THESAURUS
    crazy
    1 mentally handicapped, mad | loony infrml. Ant. sane.
    2 stupid, silly, unwise. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    practical.
    3 wild, passionate. Ant. indifferent.
creak
creak
  1. n. the sound of s.t. that cannot move freely,
    THESAURUS
    a squeak —v. [I] to make a creaking sound: That old wooden floor creaks when we walk on it.
creaky
creaky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 making creaking noises: a creaky door
    2 feeling old and full of aches: After playing football, I feel creaky today.
cream
cream
  1. n.
    1 [U] the fatty part of milk that goes to its surface: Butter is made from cream.
    2 [U] the yellowish-white color of cream: a cream-colored shirt
    3 [C;U] a thick, smooth substance used in cosmetics and medicine: She put cold cream on her face.
    4 fig. the cream of the crop: the best among people: That college admits only the cream of the crop of high school students. —v. [T]
    1 to blend or mix, usu. with cream: He creamed the spinach and carrots.
    2 slang to defeat or harm badly: Our basketball team got creamed 110 to 70.
cream cheese
cream cheese
  1. n. a soft, white, smooth cheese made of milk and cream: She put cream cheese on her toast.
creamery
creamery
  1. n. -ries a business that makes cheese and butter and processes milk and cream: That farmer runs a creamery. See: dairy.
creamy
creamy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 (food) smooth and thick like cream: I like a creamy salad dressing.
    2 (appearance) light colored and smooth like cream: She has a creamy complexion.
    THESAURUS
    creamy
    1 rich, velvety. Ant. watery.
crease
crease
  1. n.v. [T] creased, creasing, creases a fold in cloth or paper,
    THESAURUS
    a wrinkle: The cleaners put a crease in my pants with an iron.
create
create
  1. v. [T] -ated, ating, ates
    1 to give life to: Parents create their children.
    2 to make s.t. in a special way, usu. with skill or artistry: That company created a new product.||That artist created great paintings.
    3 to create a scene: to do s.t. bad or rude in front of others: He created a scene at the party by drinking too much and acting crazy.
    THESAURUS
    create
    1 to produce, make. Ant. to destroy.
    2 to compose, craft, invent/form (a product).
creation
creation
  1. n.
    1 [U] the beginning of existence of s.t.: the creation of the universe
    2 the Creation: (in religion) the creating by God of the world
    3 [C] the making of s.t. often using special skill or artistry: That statue of Venus is a great artistic creation.
creative
creative
  1. adj.
    1 showing artistic skill and imagination: That artist has the creative ability to paint beautiful pictures.
    2 having the ability to think well and solve problems, clever: a creative solution to a problem -adv. creatively; -n. [U] creativity .
    THESAURUS
    creative
    1 artistic, inventive, imaginative. Ant. unimaginative.
    2 innovative esourceful.
creator
creator
  1. n.
    1 a person who creates s.t.: He was the creator of television many years ago.
    2 the Creator: God
creature
creature
  1. n. a living being: The creatures on earth include humans and animals.
credence
credence
  1. n.frml. [U]
    1 belief
    2 to give or lend credence to: to support a belief: The bank records give (or) lend credence to his story that he borrowed the money and did not steal it.
credentials
credentials
  1. n.pl.
    1 identity papers: That government inspector carries his credentials with him to show who he is.
    2 papers (diplomas, awards, references of good employment) that show one's accomplishments: She has excellent credentials for the job.
credibility
credibility
  1. n. [U] the quality of making other people trust you and feel confident that you will do what you say: She treats her workers well and she has credibility with them.
credible
credible
  1. adj. believable: That student told the teacher a credible story that she missed classes because she was sick.
credit card
credit card
  1. n. a small, flat plastic card that allows a person to buy goods and services on credit: I used my credit card to pay for dinner. See: charge card; cash card, USAGE NOTE.
credit limit
credit limit
  1. n. a limit on the amount of money available on credit: The credit limit on my Visa card is $7,000.
credit line
credit line
  1. n. an amount of money available at a bank or on a credit card for a person or business to use when needed and repay with interest: Our company has a $1 million credit line at Commercial Bank.
credit rating
credit rating
  1. n. the amount of credit that can be given to a person or business without too much risk: That company has a good credit rating, because it pays all its bills on time.
creditor
creditor
  1. n. a person, bank, or business that gives credit: My creditors are Visa credit card and my bank for a car loan. See: debtor.
credo
credo
  1. n. -dos
    1 system of beliefs
    2 a statement of one's beliefs,
    THESAURUS
    motto: Our company's credo is: "Quality Products—Customer Education—Service."
credulous
credulous
  1. adj.frml. believing too quickly or easily in s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    naive: She was credulous when she listened to the salesman and bought the car for too much money. -n. [U] credulity.
creed
creed
  1. n.frml.
    1 a formal statement of one's religious beliefs: The church published its creed about belief in God.
    2 a system of beliefs, principles, etc.
creek
creek
  1. n.
    1 a small stream: We went fishing in the creek.
    2 fig. to be up the creek (without a paddle): to be in a difficult situation: When he lost his job and could not pay his bills, he was up the creek without a paddle.
creep
creep
  1. v. [I] crept , creeping, creeps
    1 to move slowly and quietly, usu. with care or fear: The husband came home very late and he crept by his wife so he would not wake her up.
    2 to move slowly: Cars creep through a traffic jam.
    3 to move or grow close to the ground —adj. growing close to the ground: creeping plants —n.
    1 a slow movement
    2 a person with offensive usu. sneaky behavior, a jerk: That creep has been following me from the train station.
    3 to give s.o. the creeps: to cause a feeling of disgust or fear: That man is so dirty that he gives me the creeps.
creeper
creeper
  1. n.
    1 a plant, like ivy, that grows and spreads along the ground or over walls
    2 an animal, such as an insect, that moves along with its body close to the ground: Spiders are creepers.
creepy
creepy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest causing fear and disgust, scary: a creepy movie full of horror scenes||He is a creepy guy with an evil look.
cremate
cremate
  1. v. [T] -mated, -mating, -mates to burn a dead body to ashes for burial: My father wanted to be cremated after his death. -n.[C;U] cremation.
crematorium
crematorium
  1. n. -riums or -ria a building or furnace in which dead bodies are cremated
crepe
crepe
  1. n. [C] a thin fabric with a wrinkled surface
crepe paper
crepe paper
  1. n. paper with a wrinkled surface that comes in strips and is used for decoration: They hung colored balloons and crepe paper for the party.
crept
crept
  1. v. past tense and past part. of creep
crescendo
crescendo
  1. n. -dos
    1 a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music
    2 a high-energy ending: Our talks ended with a crescendo of agreement and friendliness.
crescent
crescent
  1. adj. shaped like part of a circle: A full moon changes to a crescent moon. —n. a crescent-shaped area or object: a parking crescent in front of a building
cress
cress
  1. n. [U] a plant of the mustard family with strong flavor: I put cress in my lettuce salad. See: watercress.
crest
crest
  1. n.
    1 the top of s.t.: the crest of a hill, the crest of a wave
    2 feathers that stick up from the top of a bird's head or a soldier's helmet
    3 a shield with the special markings of one's ancestors: the family crest —v. [I;T] to reach the top of s.t.: After the heavy rain, the river crested at 20 feet, then went down to 10 feet.
crestfallen
crestfallen
  1. adj. sad, disappointed: When she failed her exams, she was crestfallen.
cretin
cretin
  1. n.
    1 a person who is deformed and mentally retarded because of a thyroid disease
    2 fig. a person who is stupid or offensive, an idiot: That cretin stole my car!
crevasse
crevasse
  1. n. a deep crack, esp. in ice or a snow-covered mountain: The mountain climbers fell into a crevasse.
crevice
crevice
  1. n. a narrow crack in rock: Water dripped from a crevice in the cave.
crew
crew
  1. n.
    1 the workers (often except the officers) on a ship, airplane, train, space vehicle, etc.: the captain and crew on a cruise ship
    2 a group of workers: the stage crew in a theater
    3 rowers on a racing boat —v. [I] to work as a sailor: to crew for s.o.
crew cut
crew cut
  1. n. a haircut with the hair cut very short: He wears a crew cut.
crib sheet
crib sheet
  1. n. a copy of answers or information used to cheat on an examination: He hides a crib sheet up his sleeve so he can crib on his exams.
crick
crick
  1. n. a pain or muscle cramp: I have a crick in my neck this morning.
cricket
cricket
  1. n.
    1 a small, dark brown insect that makes a high-pitched noise: I can hear the crickets chirp at night.
    2 an outdoor ball game popular in the British Commonwealth played by two teams using a ball, bat, and a set of sticks
crier
crier
  1. n. old usage an official who makes public announcements by speaking in a loud voice
crime
crime
  1. n.
    1 [C] a serious, illegal act: the crime of murder
    2 [C] serious illegal acts in general: The police fight crime, murder, theft, and drug dealing.
    3 [C] a bad situation that should not happen, s.t. shameful: It is a crime that such a nice man has so much trouble in his life. See: misdemeanor.
criminal
criminal
  1. n. a person who commits a serious crime, like theft or murder, felon —adj. related to crime: Robbery is a criminal act.
    THESAURUS
    criminal n. a robber, crook, lawbreaker.
criminology
criminology
  1. n. [U] the study of crime and criminals
crimp
crimp
  1. v. [T] to press or shape into small, regular folds,
    THESAURUS
    to pleat —n.
    1 a small, regular fold
    2 fig. to put a crimp in s.t.: to make s.t. difficult,
    THESAURUS
    to hinder: He had to work late, and that put a crimp in his dinner plans.
crimson
crimson
  1. adj. a deep, dark red: Red roses have crimson flowers.
cringe
cringe
  1. v. [I] cringed, cringing, cringes to show distress in one's face and move back in fear,
    THESAURUS
    to cower: She cringed when the dirty man touched her.
crinkle
crinkle
  1. v. [I;T] n. -kled, -kling, -kles to form into folds or thin lines: The leaves of the plant crinkled up because it needed water.
cripple
cripple
  1. n. a person or animal unable to walk or use limbs normally: The taxi driver had a bad car accident and now he is a cripple. —v. [T] -pled, -pling, -ples
    1 to injure so that one cannot walk or use one's limbs normally,
    THESAURUS
    to disable: He was crippled during the war.
    2 fig.to hurt or weaken s.t. so that it cannot function normally: The city was crippled by the big snowstorm. -adj. crippled. See: handicapped.
crisis
crisis
  1. n. -ses an emergency: The hurricane caused a crisis because there was no shelter or food for people.
    THESAURUS
    crisis a disaster, catastrophe.
crisp
crisp
  1. adj.
    1 having a fresh, firm feel: crisp lettuce||crisp, new $1 bills
    2 cool, refreshing: crisp sea air
    3 done in a quick, sure way: The student gave a clear, crisp answer to the teacher's question. -adv. crisply; -n. [U] crispness; -adj. crispy.
    THESAURUS
    crisp
    1 crispy. Ants. soggy, worn out.
    2 brisk
    3 clear, articulate, clear-cut.
crisscross
crisscross
  1. v. [T] n. -crosses to make lines that cross each other: Roads and highways crisscross the country.
criterion
criterion
  1. n. -ria , -rions a rule used to judge s.t., standard of measurement: Our company must make a 10% profit; that is the criterion of success that we use.
critic
critic
  1. n.
    1 a person who reviews and gives opinions about art, music, film, etc.: She is the movie critic for our local newspaper.
    2 a person who criticizes s.t. or s.o.: That critic of government policies was put in jail.
    THESAURUS
    critic
    1 a reviewer | pundit frml.
    2 an opponent, detractor.
critical
critical
  1. adj.
    1 pointing out faults, derogatory, disparaging: The teacher wrote critical remarks on my paper about mistakes that I made.
    2 very important: It is critical that you study for the exam or you will fail it.
    3 dangerous, urgent: Her illness is at the critical stage where she may die.
    4 analytical: That reviewer published his critical comments on art in the newspaper. -adv. critically.
    THESAURUS
    critical
    1 criticizing, unfavorable, faultfinding
    2 crucial, urgent, key
    3 very serious, grave,
    THESAURUS
    life-threatening. Ant. stable.
criticism
criticism
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 evaluation, esp. as a profession, of the good and bad points of art, music, film, etc.: He takes a class on film criticism.
    2 the pointing out of bad points about s.o. or s.t.: The teacher's criticism was very helpful.
criticize
criticize
  1. v. -cized, -cizing, -cizes
    1 [I;T] to evaluate art, music, theater, etc. as a profession: The newspaper's theater critic criticized the new play as dull.
    2 [T] to point out faults in s.o. or s.t: The teacher criticized the student's poor spelling.
    THESAURUS
    criticize
    1 to judge, assess, review | knock infrml.
    2 to find fault with. Ant. to praise.
critique
critique
  1. n. [C;U] v. [T] -tiqued, -tiquing, -tiques a formal evaluation of s.t. (a book, plan, proposal, s.o.'s work, etc.): I wrote a critique of a book for my English class.
critter
critter
  1. n.slang (used humorously) an insect or animal,
    THESAURUS
    a creature: That old house has critters in it, mostly mice and cockroaches.
croak
croak
  1. n. a deep sound such as that made by a frog —v.
    1 [I;T] to make such a sound: Frogs croaked in the pond.
    2 [I] fig.slang to die: The old man was sick and finally croaked yesterday.
crochet
crochet
  1. v. [I;T] -cheted , -cheting , -chets n. [U] to make sweaters, scarves, etc. with a hooked needle and thread: She crocheted a tablecloth. See: knit.
crock
crock
  1. n.
    1 a pot or jar made of clay
    2 fig.vulg. nonsense: What that guy says is a crock!
crocked
crocked
  1. adj.slang drunk: He got crocked again last night.
crockery
crockery
  1. n. [U] dishes, pots, jars, etc. made of clay
crocodile
crocodile
  1. n.
    1 a very long, thin reptile with hard skin and a long mouth with sharp teeth
    2 fig. crocodile tears: pretended sadness or regret: He fired one employee after another and each time cried crocodile tears about having to do it. See: alligator.
crocus
crocus
  1. n. -cuses a small plant with purple, white, or yellow flowers: The crocuses are the first flowers to bloom in the spring.
croissant
croissant
  1. n. (French for) a light, flaky pastry shaped in a crescent
crony
crony
  1. n. -nies (often used negatively) a good friend in business or government to exchange favors with: The mayor always gives city business to one of his cronies. -n. cronyism.
crooked
crooked
  1. adj.
    1 bent, not straight: a crooked stick (nose, path, piece of wire, etc.)
    2 criminal, dishonest: a crooked businessman||a crooked deal
    THESAURUS
    crooked
    1 curved, winding, twisted. Ant. straight.
    2 corrupt, untruthful, deceptive. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    honest.
croon
croon
  1. v. [I;T] n. to sing softly: Frank Sinatra crooned about love. -n. crooner.
crop
crop
  1. n.
    1 a planting and harvest of grain, vegetables, or fruit: Farmers had a good crop of rice this year.
    2 fig.a group of things or people: Our school had a good crop of freshman students this fall.
    3 a short haircut
    4 a short whip used in riding horses —v. cropped, cropping, crops
    1 [T] to chew the tops off plants: Sheep cropped the grass in the pasture.
    2 to cut hair short
    3 phrasal v. [I] to crop up: to appear unexpectedly: Some problems cropped up in our new computer system but we fixed them.
    THESAURUS
    crop n.
    1 yield
    2 collection, assembly.
croquet
croquet
  1. n. [U] a game played on short grass where one hits a ball through wickets (metal arches) with a mallet (long hammer): Croquet is fun to play on a summer's day.
cross-examine
cross-examine
  1. v. [I;T] -ined, -ining, -ines (in law) to ask a witness questions about what she or he has said in a court of law: My lawyer cross-examined the witness to the accident to show that she did not actually see it happen. -n. [C;U] cross-examination.
cross-eyed
cross-eyed
  1. adj. having one or both eyes pointed toward the nose: She has a cross-eyed cat.
cross-legged
cross-legged
  1. adj. with one leg placed over the other: She sat cross-legged on the floor.
cross-purposes
cross-purposes
  1. n.pl. at cross-purposes: doing or saying s.t. that conflicts with or involves misunderstanding of what s.o. else is doing or saying: working at cross-purposes||talking at cross-purposes
cross-reference
cross-reference
  1. v. [T] n. -enced, -encing, -ences to tell s.o. about related information in another part of a book, file, index, etc.: The English textbook cross-references nouns and verbs to the section on grammar. -v. cross-refer.
cross
cross
  1. n. crosses
    1 a vertical wooden pole with a horizontal piece of wood running across it near the top, on which people were killed in ancient times
    2 the Cross: (in Christianity) the cross on which Jesus Christ was killed (crucified)
    3 a representation of the Cross as jewelry or a medal
    4 a sign made like a + or an X
    5 such a sign written as a signature by people
    6 such a sign made as a gesture by Christians in religious devotion
    7 a mix of two different things,
    THESAURUS
    hybrid: That dog is a cross between a collie and a Great Dane.
    8 to have a heavy cross to bear: to have many problems, worries: She has a bad heart and her husband is an alcoholic; so she has a heavy cross to bear. —adj.
    1 horizontal: a cross bar used in building
    2 angry, bad-tempered: She is very cross today; she complains about everything. -n. [U] crossness.
    THESAURUS
    cross adj.
    2 mad, annoyed, irritable. —v. crosses
    1 [I;T] to go over or across s.t.: I crossed the street to catch the bus.
    2 [I] to pass while going in opposite directions: Our letters crossed in the mail.
    3 [T] to oppose, to anger s.o.: He crossed his friend by not paying back the money that he owed him. See: to double-cross.
    4 to cross one's fingers: to wish for good luck: I have my fingers crossed that I pass the exam today.
    5 to cross one's heart: to promise, swear s.t. is true: I cross my heart that I will not tell anyone your secret.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to cross s.t. off: to remove, draw a line through: I make a list of things to do, then cross off the ones that are done.||I cross them off.
    7 to cross one's mind: to be a brief thought: The thought never crossed my mind to tell anyone about your secret.
    8 to cross oneself or to make the sign of the cross: to touch the head, heart, and shoulders with the hand: In the Catholic church, worshipers make the sign of the cross before approaching the altar.
    9 phrasal v. sep. [T] to cross s.t. out: to draw a line through: Please cross out the spelling mistakes.||Cross them out.
    10 phrasal v. insep. [T] to cross over s.t.: a. to go across s.t.: I crossed over the bridge. b. to vote for the candidate of a different political party from one's own: In the last election, many Democrats crossed over and voted for a Republican President. See: crossover.
    11 to cross that bridge when one comes to it: to deal with a problem later: I know that we will need to buy a new computer, but not for six months; so let's cross that bridge when we come to it.
    12 to cross swords: to argue with s.o.: Two politicians crossed swords about raising taxes.
    THESAURUS
    cross v.
    1 to traverse
    2 to crisscross
    6 to strike out, mark off, check off, eliminate. Ant. to add.
cross section
cross section
  1. n. a part or sample that is typical of a larger group or body: The mayor asked a cross section of business owners and workers for their opinions on the city's transportation system.||The biology teacher showed us a cross section of a tree. -v. [T] cross-section.
crossbeam
crossbeam
  1. n. a strong piece of metal or wood resting on two support beams used in making buildings: Floors are built on crossbeams.
crossbow
crossbow
  1. n. a bow-like weapon used long ago that shoots arrows
crossbreed
crossbreed
  1. n.v. [T] -bred , -breeding, -breeds a combination of two types of plants or animals,
    THESAURUS
    a hybrid: A farmer made a crossbreed between an orange and a grapefruit; he crossbred them.
crosscheck
crosscheck
  1. v. [T] n. to check one thing against another for accuracy: I crosschecked the list of goods delivered with the list of what I ordered.
crossfire
crossfire
  1. n. [U] shooting (such as by soldiers, police, or criminals) that comes from two sides and crosses the same point: The soldiers were caught in the crossfire from enemy soldiers shooting from buildings on opposite sides of the square.
crossing
crossing
  1. n.
    1 a place where a street, river, etc. can be crossed,
    THESAURUS
    an intersection: The river crossing is about a mile south of here.||The school crossing is on the next corner.
    2 a trip, usu. across the ocean
crossover
crossover
  1. adj.
    1 (a vote) changed from one political party's candidate to another: There was a big crossover vote by Republicans voting for the Democratic candidate for Senate.
    2 moved from one group or category to another: Her country and western song was a crossover hit in rock music too.
crossroad
crossroad
  1. n. or crossroads n.pl. used with a sing. v.
    1 the place where one road crosses another road: I will meet you at the crossroads of Main St. and First Ave.
    2 fig. a time of decision about what to do next: At age 65, she is at a crossroads about whether to retire or keep on working.
crosswalk
crosswalk
  1. n. a place on a street marked with lines for people to cross while vehicles stop: School children are told to cross the street only at the crosswalks.
crossword puzzle
crossword puzzle
  1. n. a printed word game with numbered squares to be filled in with answers from numbered clues: Crossword puzzles are fun to do if you like words.
crotch
crotch
  1. n. crotches
    1 the area at the top of the human legs,
    THESAURUS
    genital area
    2 the place where two branches of a tree meet: Birds built their nest in the crotch of a tree.
crotchety
crotchety
  1. adj. irritable, complaining,
    THESAURUS
    crabby: That crotchety man will not listen to anyone.
crouch
crouch
  1. v. [I] n. crouches to bend down at the knees: The grandfather crouched down to talk to his small granddaughter.
crow
crow
  1. n.
    1 a large black bird with a loud cry
    2 the cry made by a rooster
    3 to eat crow: to have to admit that one was wrong —v. [I]
    1 to make the sound of a rooster: The rooster crows every morning at sunrise.
    2 fig. to brag or boast about s.t.: She is crowing about how beautiful her new baby is.
crowbar
crowbar
  1. n.v. [T] -barred, -barring, -bars a thick, heavy metal bar used to open things: A worker pushed a crowbar into the stuck door and forced it open.
crowd
crowd
  1. n.
    1 a large group of people close together: the crowd at the football game||Some people push their way through the crowd.
    2 a group of friends, similar people: That crowd takes illegal drugs!
    3 to gather a crowd: to attract many people: That movie star gathers a crowd wherever she goes. —v.
    1 [I;T] to form into a crowd: The people crowded into the theater.
    2 [T] to pressure s.o.: She likes her freedom and her boyfriend crowded her so much that she left him.||Don't crowd me! I'll make up my mind when I'm ready!
    THESAURUS
    crowd n.
    1 a mob, pack, throng
    2 a bunch, gang, clique.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to pack, jam, shove, squeeze.
crowded
crowded
  1. adj. full of people packed: That subway train is so crowded that no one else can get on.
    THESAURUS
    crowded full, congested, jam-packed. Ant. empty.
crown
crown
  1. n.
    1 a decoration for the head usu. made of gold and jewels to show high position: The queen of England wears her crown for special ceremonies.
    2 usu. used in the sing. the title held by the winner or top player in a sport: He wears the boxing crown.
    3 the top back part of the head or a hat —v. [T]
    1 to place a crown on s.o.'s head: The high priest crowned the new king.
    2 to declare s.o. a winner: She was crowned Miss Universe in a beauty contest.
    3 slang to hit s.o. on the head —adj. crowning achievement: the best after many other good actions: Winning the Nobel Prize was the crowning achievement of her brilliant scientific career.
crown jewels
crown jewels
  1. n.pl. the jewels of a king or queen: The queen wears some of the crown jewels on special occasions.
crucial
crucial
  1. adj. extremely important, (syns.) critical, decisive: It is of crucial importance that we sign that contract for our future success. -adv. crucially.
crucible
crucible
  1. n. [C]
    1 (in chemistry) a pot in which metals are melted
    2 fig. a situation where strong action changes things: The political scandal became public in the crucible of people searching for the truth.
crucifix
crucifix
  1. -fixes n. a cross with the image of Christ on it: She wears a crucifix on a chain around her neck.
crucifixion
crucifixion
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 an act of killing by nailing or tying s.o. to a cross: In ancient times, officials killed criminals by crucifixion.
    2 the Crucifixion: the killing of Christ on the Cross
crucify
crucify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to nail or tie s.o. to a cross as punishment
    2 fig. to punish s.o. severely
crud
crud
  1. n.slang dirt, filth: His clothes are covered with crud from working on his car. -adj. cruddy.
crude
crude
  1. adj. cruder, crudest
    1 rough, unfinished: He lives in a cabin with crude chairs and a table made of unpainted wood.
    2 ill-mannered, offensive: The child was sent to his room because of his crude behavior -adv. crudely; -n. [C;U] crudity ; [U] crudeness.
    THESAURUS
    crude
    1 basic, simple | imperfect. Ant. polished.
    2 rude, vulgar. Ant. polite.
cruel
cruel
  1. adj.
    1 willing to cause others mental or physical pain, mean, vicious: She makes cruel remarks about her husband being too fat.
    2 painful, very difficult: Cancer is a cruel disease because of the suffering it causes. See: kind adj.
    THESAURUS
    cruel
    1 nasty, harsh, unkind. Ant. kind.
    2 grim, severe, merciless. Ant. benign frml.
cruelty
cruelty
  1. n. -ties an act of causing others mental or physical pain: His cruelty to his dog by beating and not feeding it is sad.
cruet
cruet
  1. n. a small glass bottle of oil, vinegar, etc: I poured oil and vinegar from cruets onto my salad.
cruise
cruise
  1. n. a pleasure trip on a boat or ship: We took a cruise in the Caribbean. —v. cruised, cruising, cruises
    1 [I] to sail on a boat or ship in a pleasant, comfortable manner: We cruised down the coast in our sailboat.
    2 [I] to move in a vehicle or airplane at its best, fast, comfortable speed: Jet planes cruise at 600 miles (960 km) per hour.
    3 [I;T] infrml. to walk or drive around, sometimes looking for a sexual partner
cruise ship
cruise ship
  1. n. a large ship that offers entertainment to its passengers: The cruise ship had music, dancing, sports, and good food.
cruiser
cruiser
  1. n.
    1 (in USA) a police car: A cruiser came right after the accident.
    2 a fast powerful warship
crumb
crumb
  1. n.
    1 a small piece of dry bread, cake, or other baked foods: She feeds bread crumbs to the pigeons.
    2 fig. a small amount of s.t., bit: The article contained only a few crumbs of real information.
    3 slang an unimportant, offensive person: That crumb borrowed my radio and then disappeared.
    THESAURUS
    crumb
    1 a morsel, scrap
    2 a scrap, fragment, tidbit.
crumble
crumble
  1. v. -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 [I;T] to fall into pieces, esp. from age: Over many years, that old church crumbled into ruins.
    2 that's the way the cookie crumbles: bad things do happen: I lost my job, then had a car accident; oh, well, that's the way the cookie crumbles. -adj. crumbly.
crummy
crummy
  1. or crumby adj. slang -mier, -miest
    1 no good, cheap: Those shoes are crummy; they fell apart in three weeks.
    2 acting in a bad way (unfair, cheating, etc.): The shoe store refused to give me my money back, which was a crummy thing to do.
crummy
crummy
  1. or crumby adj.slang -mier, -miest
    1 no good, cheap: Those shoes are crummy; they fell apart in three weeks.
    2 acting in a bad way (unfair, cheating, etc.): The shoe store refused to give me my money back, which was a crummy thing to do.
crumple
crumple
  1. v. [I;T] -pled, -pling, -ples to crush or press, usu. by hand: The teacher crumpled (or) crumpled up a piece of paper into a ball and threw it away.
crunch
crunch
  1. n. crunches
    1 a sound like teeth biting an apple: You hear the crunch when she bites into a raw carrot.
    2 a difficult, high-pressure situation or a tight deadline: Two employees did not come to work today, so we are in a crunch to do their work too. —v. [I;T] crunches to make a crunching sound: Her teeth crunched into the apple. -adj. crunchy.
crusade
crusade
  1. n.v. -saded, -sading, -sades
    1 [I;T] an organized effort to reach an idealistic goal: a crusade for world peace||He crusades for peace by marching in front of the United Nations building.
    2 pl. the Crusades: religious wars made by European Christians against Muslims in the eastern Mediterranean in the 11th to 13th centuries: The Crusades began in 1096 and lasted for hundreds of years.
crush
crush
  1. v. [I;T] crushes
    1 to push, press hard: She crushed a piece of paper in her hand.
    2 to smash violently: The roof fell in and crushed the furniture in the building.
    3 to make s.o. feel very bad, devastate: When her business failed, she was crushed.||When his wife left him, he was crushed.
    4 to defeat badly: Our basketball team crushed the other team with a score of 110 to 75. —n. crushes
    1 a moving crowd of people: the crush in the subway of people going to work
    2 a brief love, infatuation: He has a crush on the girl next door.
    THESAURUS
    crush v.
    1 to squeeze, compress, crumple
    2 to squash, mash
    3 to mortify, to feel
    THESAURUS
    terrible
    4 to beat, kill, trounce frml.
crust
crust
  1. n.
    1 a hard covering: the earth's crust
    2 a firm outer layer (of food): a pie crust ||Bread crust is brown and often crunchy.
    3 the upper crust: the top class in a society
crustacean
crustacean
  1. n. an animal with a hard outer shell, such as a lobster, shrimp, or crayfish: Most crustaceans live in the water.
crusty
crusty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 having a hard crust: crusty bread
    2 fig. irritable, or rude: No one can talk to that crusty old man.
crutch
crutch
  1. n. crutches
    1 a support made of metal or wood to put under the arm of injured or handicapped people to help them walk: He broke his foot and is on crutches now.
    2 fig.(used negatively) s.t. used for support: He drinks alcohol as a crutch to face life.
crux
crux
  1. n. usu. used in the sing. the central point, main issue: The crux of the matter is that he must find a job to pay his rent.
cry
cry
  1. n. cries
    1 a loud sound made by living things: a cry of pain, a cry for help
    2 a normal sound made by some animals and birds: the cry of a bird
    3 an act or period of tears running from the eyes from strong emotion: She had a good cry when the heroine died at the end of the movie.
    4 a far cry: very different, far from: His life as a dishwasher here is a far cry from his job as a doctor in his own country. —v. cried, crying, cries
    1 [I] to have tears running from the eyes because of sadness, pain, or strong emotion: He cried when his mother died.||fig.He cried his eyes out.
    2 [I;T] to make a loud sound from the mouth in pain or fear: The swimmer cried out for help.
    3 For crying out loud: an expression of annoyance: For crying out loud, will you stop complaining!
    4 to cry for joy: to weep from happiness: When her lost son was found, the mother cried for joy.
    5 phrasal v. insep. [T] to cry out against s.t.: Voters are crying out against new taxes.
    6 phrasal v. insep. [T] to cry out for s.o. or s.t.: to demand, need: That problem is crying out for attention. See: milk.
    THESAURUS
    cry n.
    1 a shout, howl, call. Ant. a whisper.
    2 a call, song (birds).
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to weep, shed tears, sob.
    2 to shout, call.
crybaby
crybaby
  1. n. -bies fig. a person who complains frequently without good reason.
    THESAURUS
    a wimp: He is such a crybaby that every time he catches cold, he thinks he is going to die.
crying
crying
  1. adj. bad, needing attention: It's a crying shame they don't fix those stairs.
crypt
crypt
  1. n. an underground room of a church, a chamber used for burying the dead,
    THESAURUS
    a vault: The family has a crypt where 10 of its ancestors are buried.
cryptic
cryptic
  1. adj. containing a hidden meaning: The criminal left a cryptic message as to where the dead body can be found. -adv. cryptically.
crystal
crystal
  1. n.
    1 [U] clear, high quality glass: Those fine wine glasses are made of crystal.
    2 [U] a clear mineral
    3 [C] a small regular shape of some substance: ice crystals —adj.
    1 made of crystal: crystal glasses
    2 fig. crystal clear: a. very clear,
    THESAURUS
    transparent: The water is crystal clear; we can see the ocean bottom. b. clear, obvious: It is crystal clear what we must do.
    3 a crystal ball: s.t. that tells the future, as a fortuneteller's ball: I wish I had a crystal ball to tell me how our actions will work out.
crystallize
crystallize
  1. v. [I;T] -lized, -lizing, -lizes
    1 to form into a crystal: Cold rain crystallized into snow.
    2 fig. to come together clearly,
    THESAURUS
    to jell: After weeks of work, our plan for a vacation trip crystallized. -n. [U] crystallization.
cub
cub
  1. n.adj.
    1 the young of some wild animals (bear, wolf, fox, etc.): Lion cubs depend on their mother to feed them.
    2 a beginner: a cub reporter for a newspaper
cube
cube
  1. n. a square object with four sides, a top and a bottom: an ice cube —v. [T] cubed, cubing, cubes
    1 to cut into cubes: The cook cubed a piece of cheese to put on a salad.
    2 to multiply a number by itself twice: Two cubed is 2 x 2 x 2 = 8, or 23. -adj. cubic.
cubicle
cubicle
  1. n. a small area with walls on three sides for work or study: She studies in a cubicle in the school library. See: carrel.
cuckold
cuckold
  1. n.v. [T] a man whose wife has had sexual relations with another man: He was cuckolded by his best friend.
cuckoo
cuckoo
  1. n. -oos
    1 a gray bird whose call sounds like "cuckoo"
    2 slang a crazy person —adj. slang
    1 crazy, foolish
    2 to go cuckoo or drive s.o. cuckoo: to become or to make s.o. insane: The noise on the street is so loud that it is driving me cuckoo.
cucumber
cucumber
  1. n.
    1 a long, round fruit with green skin and crisp white flesh, or the plant it grows on: Cucumbers are used to make pickles or are cut in slices for salads.
    2 as cool as a cucumber: calm, composed: Her boss was yelling at her, but she was as cool as a cucumber.
cuddle
cuddle
  1. v. [I;T] n. -dled, -dling, -dles to hold tenderly and close, to hug gently: The mother cuddled her baby in her arms. -adj. cuddly.
cuff
cuff
  1. n.
    1 an upward fold at the bottom of a pair of pants
    2 the bottom part of a long sleeve: I unbuttoned my shirt cuffs.
    3 pl. infrml. cuffs handcuffs
    4 infrml. a blow with the open hand, a slap
    5 off the cuff: without planning: She gave a speech off the cuff. —v. [T]
    1 to make cuffs on shirts or trousers
    2 to put handcuffs on s.o.: A police officer captured a thief and cuffed him.
    3 infrml. to hit s.o. with the open hand, to slap: The boy cuffed a younger boy on the ear and was sent to the principal's office.
cuff links
cuff links
  1. n.pl. jewelry used to hold shirt cuffs together: He wears gold cuff links.
cuisine
cuisine
  1. n. [U]
    1 the art and science of cooking
    2 a style of cooking: He likes French cuisine and his wife enjoys Mexican cuisine.
cul-de-sac
cul-de-sac
  1. n. cul-de-sacs or culs-de-sac a dead-end street or path
culinary
culinary
  1. adj. related to the kitchen and cooking: She is studying culinary arts, like baking fine cakes, in school.
cull
cull
  1. v. [T]
    1 to select, gather from various sources: I culled information for this report from newspapers, magazines, and the Internet.
    2 to remove unwanted things from those that are wanted: Farmers cull herds of cattle by killing sick cows and leaving the healthy ones.
culminate
culminate
  1. v. [I;T] -nated, -nating, -nates
    1 to reach the highest point of an activity
    2 to result in: All our hard work culminated in a good year for our business. -n. [C] culmination.
culpable
culpable
  1. adj.frml. guilty, esp. of committing a crime,
    THESAURUS
    blameworthy: The judge found the man culpable and put him on trial. -n. [U] culpability.
culprit
culprit
  1. n. a person guilty of doing wrong, esp. committing a crime: The police put the culprit in jail.
cult
cult
  1. n.adj.
    1 a religious group considered extreme or false: The members of that cult do anything their leader says.
    2 extreme devotion to a person or idea: That rock musician has a cult following. See: religion; sect.
cultivate
cultivate
  1. v. [T] -vated, -vating, -vates
    1 to prepare the land to grow food crops, trees, and flowers; to plow, plant seed, water, and fertilize the land: From ancient times, people have cultivated crops, like wheat, for food.
    2 to study and develop a fine understanding, such as of art, music, books, etc.: She has cultivated her knowledge of art.
    3 to develop friendships with people: He cultivates important people. —adj. She is a cultivated woman.
    THESAURUS
    cultivate
    1 to farm, grow, tend to
    2 to develop, refine
    3 to pursue, court.
cultivation
cultivation
  1. n.
    1 preparation of land, such as plowing, planting seed, etc. to grow crops
    2 growth in understanding fine things (art, music, books, etc.)
    3 fine manners and tastes
cultural
cultural
  1. adj. related to culture and its activities: In New York City, there are many cultural events, such as the ballet, concerts, and plays. -adv. culturally.
culture
culture
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 the ideas, activities (art, foods, businesses), and ways of behaving that are special to a country, people, or region: In North American culture, men do not kiss men when meeting each other. They shake hands.
    2 [U] the achievements of a people or nation in art, music, literature, etc.: The Chinese have had a high culture for thousands of years.||She is a person of culture and refinement.
    3 [C] (in medicine) a small piece of material from the body tested for a disease: The doctor took a culture from my sore throat to see if I have a strep throat.
    THESAURUS
    culture
    1 society, way of life.
cultured
cultured
  1. adj.
    1 having knowledge of art, music, books, etc.: He is a cultured man who knows a lot about music and dance.
    2 grown with the help of people: Cultured pearls are grown by putting grains of sand in oysters.
cumbersome
cumbersome
  1. adj.
    1 heavy and difficult to handle, (syns.) awkward, bulky: That new TV is in a big, cumbersome box.
cumulative
cumulative
  1. adj. adding amounts gradually over time: The cumulative effects of drinking too much alcohol finally killed him.||Seven percent cumulative interest on $100 = $7 in the first year and $7.49 in the second.
cunning
cunning
  1. n. [U] careful deception, (syns.) slyness, shrewdness: A spy used cunning to find out secrets. —adj. cute, lovable,
    THESAURUS
    precious: a cunning little girl
cup
cup
  1. n.
    1 a small, round, open container, usu. with a handle, for drinking liquids: She drinks coffee from a cup.
    2 a measure of 8 fluid ounces or 16 tablespoons: The recipe called for a cup of flour.
    3 a prize for winning a sports competition,
    THESAURUS
    a trophy
    4 either side of a brassiere
    5 one's cup of tea: (often used negatively) a favorite thing: Driving in a bad snowstorm is not my cup of tea.
    6 to be in one's cups: to be drunk —v. [T] cupped, cupping, cups to form one's hands into a cup: The farmer cupped his hands to drink water from the stream.
cupboard
cupboard
  1. n. a piece of furniture or a closet with shelves and doors, esp. for dishes and canned food: I put the cans of beans in the cupboard.
cupful
cupful
  1. n. -fuls the amount of s.t. held in a cup: She put two cupfuls of milk in the cake batter.
cupidity
cupidity
  1. n. [U] frml. greed, a strong desire for money and property: Her cupidity for owning cars, houses, and bank accounts is well-known.
cur
cur
  1. n. old usage a bad-tempered, often ugly dog,
    THESAURUS
    a mongrel: That cur tried to bite me!
curable
curable
  1. adj. capable of being cured: Tuberculosis is a curable disease.
curate
curate
  1. n. (in religion) a clergyman or clergywoman who helps run a parish: The curate helped the minister prepare for Sunday services.
curator
curator
  1. n. the person in charge of a museum, library, or a collection within it: The curator of paintings put on an exhibition of some of them.
curb
curb
  1. n.
    1 the edge and border area of a sidewalk, a curbstone: Two boys sat on the curb and watched the cars go by.
    2 a check, s.t. (an idea, law, order) that stops or slows an activity, a restraint: She put a curb on her spending. —v. [T] to restrain or restrict: I went on a diet and curbed my appetite for food and drink.
    THESAURUS
    curb v. to control, limit | cut back, reduce. Ant. to expand.
curbstone
curbstone
  1. n. the curb, border area of a sidewalk: Years ago, curbstones were long narrow pieces of stones laid next to each other. See: curb.
curd
curd
  1. n. [C;U] a soft lump made when milk turns sour: Curds are used to make cheese.
curdle
curdle
  1. v. [I;T] -dled, -dling, -dles to thicken, turn into curds: The sour milk curdled.
cure
cure
  1. v. [T] cured, curing, cures
    1 to make s.o. healthy by using medicines and treatments, to heal: A doctor cures sick people.
    2 to solve problems or bad conditions: The government cured poverty by giving jobs to poor people.
    3 to preserve food by cooking, salting, etc. it so it will last a long time: He cured fish by smoking them over a fire. —n.
    1 the healing of a disease: a cure for cancer
    2 a solution to a problem or bad condition: a cure for poverty
    THESAURUS
    cure v.
    1 to make (s.o.) well, treat
    2 to resolve (a problem).
curfew
curfew
  1. n. a period of time when people may not go outdoors, usu. imposed by the government: Some cities enforce a 10 P.M. curfew for teenagers.
curio
curio
  1. n. -os a small, unusual decoration: That store in Paris sells curios of the Eiffel Tower.
curiosity
curiosity
  1. n. -ties
    1 [U] interest in knowing about things: He has a natural curiosity about how machines work.
    2 [U] asking too much about s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    inquisitiveness: The old man shows curiosity about everything his neighbors are doing.
    3 [C] s.t. unusual, strange, or worthy of interest: That huge, old house is a curiosity for all who pass by it.
    4 curiosity killed the cat: being too curious can be dangerous: When you walk in the woods, stay away from those dangerous caves; remember, curiosity killed the cat!
curious
curious
  1. adj.
    1 interested in knowing about things: I am curious; where did you buy that beautiful dress?
    2 too interested in the lives of others, nosy: She is always curious about what her neighbors are doing.
    3 strange, unusual, puzzling: His curious behavior has many people worried. -adv. curiously.
    THESAURUS
    curious
    1 wondering
    2 inquisitive, snooping, prying
    3 odd, weird, peculiar.
curl
curl
  1. n.
    1 hair formed into a spiral: Her hair is full of pretty curls.
    2 s.t. formed like a coil: a curl of ribbon||a curl of smoke —v.
    1 [I;T] to form hair into curls: The hairdresser curled her hair.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to curl around s.t.: to wrap around s.t.: That plant curls around the tree branch.
    3 phrasal v. [I] to curl up: a. to fold up: She curls up (her legs) in bed and reads a book. b. to dry up: Without water, the plant curled up and died.
    THESAURUS
    curl v.
    2 to twist, bend, wind around 3b. to wither.
curly
curly
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having curls: The little boy has curly hair. -n. [U] curliness.
currant
currant
  1. n.
    1 a small, dark type of raisin (dried grape), used esp. in baking
    2 a small black, red, or white berry, or the bush it grows on: I like jam made of black currants on bread.
currency
currency
  1. n. -cies
    1 [C;U] the money used to pay for goods and services in a country: The currency in the USA is made up of dollar bills and coins.
    2 [U] frml. wide acceptance,
    THESAURUS
    relevance: Socialist ideas have little currency in the USA.
current
current
  1. n.
    1 a flow of s.t., such as electricity or water: The current in the river is slow.
    2 a way of doing things, tendency: the currents of change in countries —adj.
    1 belonging to present time, contemporary: The current situation is peaceful.
    2 knowing what has happened, up-to-date: She reads the newspaper to stay current with what is happening in the world.
    3 having all one's bills paid: All our bills are current and we owe no one anything.
    THESAURUS
    current adj.
    1 present, existing
    2 aware of, knowledgeable about.
currently
currently
  1. adv. at this time, now: We are currently fixing up our old house.
curriculum
curriculum
  1. n. -la , or lums the courses offered at an educational institution (school, college, etc.): The curriculum at that college is heavy on science and engineering.
curriculum vitae
curriculum vitae
  1. n.frml. usu. used in the sing. a résumé of one's personal information (name, address, telephone number, education, etc.) and work history: In the business world, you send in your résumé for a job opening and in the world of education, you send a curriculum vitae. See: c.v.
curse
curse
  1. n.
    1 a request or prayer to God, the Devil, etc., for harm to be done to s.o.: That evil man put a curse on his neighbor.
    2 s.t. that causes harm: Those flies are a curse in the kitchen.
    3 dirty word(s), swear word(s) —v. cursed, cursing, curses
    1 [T] to put a curse on s.o.
    2 [I] to speak or write swear words: That guy curses all the time! See: cuss.
    3 to be cursed with or by: to have bad luck: She is cursed with a bad back that hurts her all the time.
cursor
cursor
  1. n. an arrow, black line or other sign on a computer screen that shows where you are writing: I put the cursor on the word I want to correct.
cursory
cursory
  1. adj. quick, without paying attention,
    THESAURUS
    superficial: She gave the newspaper a cursory look, then put it down.
curt
curt
  1. adj. rude and short (in manner),
    THESAURUS
    abrupt: He asked his boss a question, but got a curt reply, "I have no time for you now!" -adv. curtly.
curtail
curtail
  1. v. [T] to cut back, (syns.) to diminish, shorten: After his heart attack, he curtailed all his activities and worked only a few hours a day.
curtain
curtain
  1. n. a cloth covering usu. hanging in front of a window, bathtub, shower stall, or theater stage: We have a plastic shower curtain to keep water in the bathtub.
curvaceous
curvaceous
  1. adj.frml. curvy, shapely: That young woman has a curvaceous figure.
curvature
curvature
  1. n. a curved line or surface: From outer space you can see the curvature of the earth's surface.
curve
curve
  1. n.
    1 a line or surface that bends without angles: There is a curve in the road ahead.
    2 (from baseball) to throw s.o. a curve (ball): to surprise, deceive s.o.: He threw me a curve ball by telling me the meeting was at three when it was at two and I missed it. —v. [I;T] to bend in a curved line: The highway curves to the left about a mile from here. -adj. curvy.
    THESAURUS
    curve n.
    1 a bend, turn. —v. to turn.
cushion
cushion
  1. n.
    1 a type of soft pillow: The cushions on the sofa are covered with silk.
    2 fig. s.t. extra, a margin of safety,
    THESAURUS
    a reserve: We keep an extra $3,000 in our checking account as a cushion for emergencies. —v. [T] to soften the force or harm of s.t.: Her company fired her, but cushioned the blow by paying her for six months while she looks for another job.
cushy
cushy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest easy, comfortable, and not demanding: He has a cushy job working for his father.
cusp
cusp
  1. n. a point: The cusp of his tooth is broken.
cuss
cuss
  1. v.infrml. [I] cusses to curse, speak, or write dirty words,
    THESAURUS
    to swear: That woman cusses like a truck driver. —n. infrml. cusses an odd or unpleasant person or animal: That man is an old cuss. -n. cussword.
custard
custard
  1. n. [U] a soft, yellowish dessert made of baked milk, eggs, sugar, and flavorings: I like a sweet custard for dessert.
custodian
custodian
  1. n.
    1 a person who cleans and makes repairs in a building, janitor
    2 a person, bank, etc. that keeps valuables safe for s.o. else: That bank is the custodian of the woman's stock certificates and savings. -adj. custodial.
custody
custody
  1. n. [U]
    1 safekeeping, protection: After the parents divorced, the mother got custody of the children.
    2 into and in custody: being held under arrest by the police: The police found the criminal and took him into custody; he is in custody in jail now.
custom-built
custom-built
  1. adj. made the way s.o. wants it, made to one's specifications: Their house is custom-built with a large kitchen.
custom-made
custom-made
  1. adj. made the way s.o. wants it: She wears custom-made suits that she has made by a tailor.
custom
custom
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a habitual way of behaving that is special to a person, people, region, or nation: It is his custom to smoke a cigar after dinner.||It is British custom to drink tea at four o'clock each afternoon.
    2 customs taxes on goods brought into a country,
    THESAURUS
    duties: I paid the customs on some wine and perfume from France.
    3 used with a sing.v. customs the branch of government and its workers who keep track of the goods brought into a country: I had to go through customs when I came to this country.
    THESAURUS
    custom
    1 a habit, ritual, routine | tradition.
customary
customary
  1. adj. expected and traditional way to behave: It is customary to thank the people who invite you to their party.
customer
customer
  1. n. a person or business that buys from another person or business, client: Our company treats its customers well with fast service and good products.
    THESAURUS
    customer a buyer, shopper, purchaser.

    USAGE NOTE: Businesses have customers. Providers of services, such as lawyers have clients. Doctors, dentists, etc. have patients. A person who stays at a hotel or motel is a guest. Business people and companies that sell to others are called vendors or suppliers.
customize
customize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make s.t. to the way s.o. wants it, often by hand: That company customizes kitchens by making cabinets just the way you want them. See: custom-built; custom-made.
customs
customs
  1. n.pl. See: custom 2, 3.
cut-and-dried
cut-and-dried
  1. adj.
    1 done earlier and not going to be changed
    2 without surprises, routine: The yearly meeting of that company is cut-and-dried, because they elect the same people to run it each year.
cut-rate
cut-rate
  1. adj.
    1 sold at a lower price
    2 of poor quality, cheap: Those cut-rate shoes will fall apart quickly.
cut and paste
cut and paste
  1. v. phr. [T] to move text and/or graphics from one place to another in a document on a computer screen: Cut and paste that quotation from the first paragraph into the middle of your essay.
cutback
cutback
  1. n. a reduction in s.t.: Business is not good, so the company made a cutback in workers from 50 to 25.
cute
cute
  1. adj. cuter, cutest
    1 pleasing to look at, darling: a cute baby
    2 attempting to deceive s.o., shrewd, clever: She was being cute with the boss trying to get a raise. -adv. cutely; -n. [U] cuteness. See: handsome, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    cute
    1 adorable, charming, pretty
    2 coy, cunning.
cuticle
cuticle
  1. n. a hard layer of skin at the bottom of a fingernail or toenail
cutlery
cutlery
  1. n. [U] knives, forks, and spoons: We keep the cutlery in the kitchen.
cutlet
cutlet
  1. n. a small slice of meat: I had veal cutlets for dinner. See: chop n. 2.
cutoff
cutoff
  1. n. an interruption or stopping of s.t.: After the accident, there was a cutoff of electricity to the train tracks. —adj. related to a limit or deadline when s.t. must stop: The cutoff date for the talks to finish is tomorrow.
cutter
cutter
  1. n.
    1 a person or tool that cuts things
    2 a small, fast boat with one large sail
cutthroat
cutthroat
  1. n. a murderer: That mean man is a cutthroat. —adj. very competitive, (syns.) vicious, dog-eat-dog: That chemistry course is cutthroat; none of the students will help each other.
cutting
cutting
  1. adj.
    1 sharp, painful: a cold, cutting wind
    2 meant to hurt s.o.'s feelings,
    THESAURUS
    sarcastic: He made cutting comments about his wife being too fat. —n. [C]
    1 editing, taking out pieces of film: An editor does the cutting of film to shorten a movie.
    2 a piece of a plant used to grow a new plant: She gave me a cutting of her plant that I liked.
cyanide
cyanide
  1. n. [U] a white, poisonous chemical: Cyanide is used to kill insects.
cyberspace
cyberspace
  1. n. the world (space) of communications, information, and entertainment created by the use of computers: She turns on her computer and travels in cyberspace by sending messages to friends around the world. See: virtual reality.
cycle
cycle
  1. n.
    1 an event or activity that changes from time to time from one characteristic to another and then back to the first one: We have weather cycles of good rainfall, then dry weather, then rain again.||a business cycle
    2 a bicycle or motorcycle —v. [I] -cled, -cling, -cles
    1 to go through a cycle (weather, business)
    2 to ride on a bicycle or motorcycle: He cycles to work on his motorcycle. -adj. cyclical ; cyclic.
    THESAURUS
    cycle n.
    1 a sequence, phase.
cyclist
cyclist
  1. n. a person who rides a bicycle or motorcycle: Cyclists pedal around the park.
cyclone
cyclone
  1. n. a violent windstorm: A cyclone tore up trees and houses. See: tornado.
cylinder
cylinder
  1. n.
    1 a shape or object with a flat, circular top and bottom and straight sides
    2 a usu. hollow metal object with this shape, esp. a mechanical part: One of the cylinders in my car engine does not work. -adj. cylindrical.
cymbal
cymbal
  1. n. one of a pair of thin, round, metal plates used in music by hitting them together
cynic
cynic
  1. n. a negative person, s.o. who thinks others do things only for money and pleasure: She is a cynic about politics and politicians. -n. [U] cynicism.
cynical
cynical
  1. adj. having the negative attitude of a cynic, (syns.) mocking, sneering: The manager has a cynical attitude toward everyone. -adv. cynically.
cypress
cypress
  1. n. -presses a tall tree (evergreen) with small dark needles instead of leaves: Cypresses grow in places with warm, humid climates, like Florida and Louisiana.
cyst
cyst
  1. n. a growth that contains liquid: He has a harmless cyst in his mouth.
czarina
czarina
  1. n. a Russian empress
dab
dab
  1. n. a small amount of s.t.: I put a dab of butter on my bread. —v. dabbed, dabbing, dabs
    1 [T] to apply a small amount of s.t.: She dabbed paint on a canvas (antiseptic on a cut, makeup on her nose, etc.).
    2 [I;T]to touch with quick strokes: He dabbed at the spot on his tie with a napkin. -n. dabber.
dabble
dabble
  1. v. [I] -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 to do or engage in an activity in a casual manner, to play at: She dabbles in painting as a hobby.
    2 to invest money in small amounts: They dabble in the stock market (in real estate, in art, etc.). -n. dabbler.
dachshund
dachshund
  1. n. a small dog, usu. brown or black, with a long body and very short legs
dad
dad
  1. n.infrml. short for daddy, one's father: Dad, can I have some money? See: daddy.
daddy
daddy
  1. n.infrml. -dies one's father, a word usu. used in the Southern USA or by small children: My daddy works for the government. See: dad; granddaddy.
    THESAURUS
    daddy dad, papa. Ant. mommy.
daffodil
daffodil
  1. n. a yellow flower: Daffodils are among the first flowers to bloom in the spring.
daffy
daffy
  1. adj.infrml. -fier, -fiest
    1 strange, (syns.) eccentric, zany: That comedian sometimes acts a bit daffy.
    2 foolish: Buying an old car like that was a daffy thing to do!
dagger
dagger
  1. n. a short knife used as a weapon in the past: Long ago, pirates carried daggers.
daguerreotype
daguerreotype
  1. n. an early form of photography co-invented by Jacques Daguerre: Some families have daguerreotypes in picture albums from the mid-1800s.
dahlia
dahlia
  1. n. a brightly colored flower native to Central America: Dahlias make beautiful table decorations.
daily
daily
  1. adv. each day: I take a walk daily. —adj. related to a day: Do you read a daily newspaper?
    THESAURUS
    daily adv. every day, once a day | routinely.
dainty
dainty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest
    1 small and finely made,
    THESAURUS
    delicate: They drank tea in dainty cups.
    2 small and beautiful: The little girl wore a dainty dress. -adv. daintily.
daiquiri
daiquiri
  1. n. a rum drink made with lime and ice: Daiquiris are popular drinks in hot weather.
dairy
dairy
  1. n. -ies
    1 a building in which cows are kept and milked: Cows are milked at the dairy each morning.
    2 a business that produces milk, cheese, butter, etc. —v. [I] to engage in the dairy business -n. [U] dairying.
dairy farm
dairy farm
  1. n. a farm for raising and keeping milk cows: He runs a dairy farm in Illinois.
dais
dais
  1. n. -ises a platform, usu. with chairs, a long table, and a podium for speakers (at a banquet, lecture, etc.): There are 20 people sitting on the dais, but only the guest of honor will speak.
daisy
daisy
  1. n. -sies a flower with a flat wheel of long, thin white or yellow petals: Daisies grow wild in many places.
dale
dale
  1. n.frml.
    1 a valley
    2 fig. up hill and down dale: in many directions: He had me running up hill and down dale, looking for his lost wallet.
dalliance
dalliance
  1. n. a love relationship, usu. a brief and casual one: Their dalliance lasted only a month.
dally
dally
  1. v. [I] -lied, -lying, -lies
    1 to toy with an idea: He dallied with the idea of becoming an actor.
    2 to waste time,
    THESAURUS
    to dillydally: She dallied in the stores instead of going back to work.
    3 to undertake a casual love affair See: dalliance.
dalmatian
dalmatian
  1. n. a white dog with black spots often kept as a pet by firefighters
dam
dam
  1. v. [T] dammed, damming, dams to build a barrier across a river to stop or limit its flow, often to produce electrical power: Governments often dam large rivers to generate electrical power. —n. the barrier itself: Beavers build dams with logs and sticks.
    THESAURUS
    dam v. to block, stop up | obstruct, hinder. Ant. to unblock.
damage
damage
  1. v. [T] -aged, -aging, -ages
    1 to hurt, injure (s.o.'s property, business, reputation, etc.): They damaged the car badly in the crash.
    2 to ruin: The hurricane damaged the entire island. —n.
    1 harm: How much damage did the storm do?
    2 to sue for damages or to seek damages: (in law) to ask in court for compensation: That newspaper hurt our business with its story, so we are suing it for damages. -adj. damaging.
    THESAURUS
    damage v.
    1 to hurt, harm | break. Ant. to repair.
    2 to wreck. —n.
    1 injury, destruction.
dame
dame
  1. n.
    1 in England, a title given to a lady: Dame Margot is Margot Fonteyn, the great ballerina.
    2 a title assumed by the wife of a knight: Dame Elizabeth, wife of Sir John Winters
    3 slang a woman
damn
damn
  1. v. [T]
    1 to condemn to hell: Christians believe the Lord damns sinners.
    2 to curse with bad luck: Bad weather has damned farmers' chances for good crops this year. —n.exclam.
    1 a strong, offensive expression of anger: Damn! I hurt my finger!
    2 slang to not give a damn: to not care: I don't give a damn what you say! -adj. damning.
damnable
damnable
  1. adj. shameful, deserving strong blame: Killing that child was a damnable act.
damnation
damnation
  1. n. [U] condemning to hell or to a bad fate: They believe he will suffer damnation for his sins.
damned
damned
  1. adj.
    1 cursed, condemned: That woman is damned with endless bad luck.
    2 vulgar trouble-causing: Get that damned dog out of here!
    3 slang I'll be damned!: a phrase indicating surprise or disbelief
damp
damp
  1. adj. a little wet,
    THESAURUS
    moist: He wiped the tables with a damp cloth. -n. [U] dampness.
dampen
dampen
  1. v. [T]
    1 to wet,
    THESAURUS
    to moisten: to dampen a cloth with water
    2 to dampen s.o.'s spirits: to sadden,
    THESAURUS
    discourage: The bad news dampened our spirits.
damper
damper
  1. n.
    1 a flat, movable metal plate used to block or open the flow of air, as in a chimney: When the fire is cool, close the damper in the chimney.
    2 to put a damper on s.t.: to block, discourage: Their child is sick, and that puts a damper on their vacation plans.
damsel
damsel
  1. n.litr. damsel in distress a girl or young woman in trouble: The hero in an old silent movie always saves the damsel in distress.
dance
dance
  1. v. [I;T] danced, dancing, dances to move the body rhythmically, usu. in tune with music: I danced for joy on hearing the good news. —n.
    1 an act of dancing: He did a little dance of joy.
    2 the art of dance: She teaches dance.
    3 a dance lasting the length of one piece of music: Please save the next dance for me.
dancing
dancing
  1. n. [U] dance as recreation: Dancing is my favorite nighttime activity.
dandelion
dandelion
  1. n. a weed with a yellow blossom and green leaves that can be eaten: I want to remove all the dandelions from my lawn.
dander
dander
  1. n. [U]
    1 loose, dry skin on cats, dogs, and horses
    2 to get s.o.'s dander up: to become angry: Losing money gets his dander up.
dandruff
dandruff
  1. n. [U] dry skin that flakes from the scalp: Every winter he has a problem with dandruff in his hair.
dandy
dandy
  1. n. -dies a man who dresses in extravagantly fine clothes: That man is quite a dandy; he always wears expensive new clothes. —adj.infrml. excellent, wonderful (often used ironically to mean awful, bad): That's just dandy! The baby broke a vase! -adj. dandified ; -v. [T] dandify.
danger
danger
  1. n.
    1 [U] a harmful situation, peril: Driving too fast puts people in danger.
    2 [C;U] risk, hazard: There is danger in borrowing too much money.
    THESAURUS
    danger
    1 jeopardy, threat, menace. Ant. safety.
dangerous
dangerous
  1. adj.
    1 harmful: Smoking is dangerous to your health.
    2 risky, hazardous: It can be dangerous to gamble in Las Vegas. -adv. dangerously.
    THESAURUS
    dangerous adj.
    1 threatening, unsafe, menacing | perilous frml. Ant. safe.
    2 chancy.
dangle
dangle
  1. v. [I;T] -gled, -gling, -gles
    1 to hang down, swing freely: She likes earrings that dangle.
    2 to dangle s.t. (money or another attraction) in front of s.o.: to tempt,
    THESAURUS
    to entice: The saleswoman dangled a 5,000-mile warranty in front of them to get them to buy the car. -adj. dangling.
danish
danish
  1. n.sing. or pl. a type of pastry made of sweet dough baked with a sugary topping and filled with cheese or fruit: I'll have a danish and coffee, please.
dank
dank
  1. adj. -er, -est unpleasantly damp and cool: They went downstairs into the dank cellar. -n. dankness.
dapper
dapper
  1. adj. (said of men) dressed with style,
    THESAURUS
    natty: I enjoyed watching the dapper gentlemen strolling down the avenue.
dappled
dappled
  1. adj. spotted, covered with spots: He rode a white horse dappled with gray.||We sat in the dappled shade under the trees.
dare
dare
  1. n. a challenge to do s.t. that is dangerous or difficult, a bet: He walked along the top of a fence on a dare. —v. dared, daring, dares
    1 [T] to challenge, bet s.o.: His friend dared him to do it.
    2 [I] to have enough courage, nerve: His mother said, "Don't you dare do that again!"
    THESAURUS
    dare v.
    1 to provoke, taunt s.o.
    2 to risk.
daredevil
daredevil
  1. n. s.o. who risks harm or death in performing difficult acts,
    THESAURUS
    a stunt person: The daredevil rode his motorcycle over 15 parked cars. —adj. daring, courageous: The firefighter made a daredevil attempt to save the boy from the fire.
daring
daring
  1. adj.n. [U] courageous, risky: The policewoman made a daring leap from one building to another.
dark
dark
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 without light, unlit: a dark cave
    2 shadowy, with little light: a dark movie theater
    3 not light in color: He wore a dark blue suit.||She has dark eyes.
    4 without hope: He takes a dark view of life. —n.
    1 nighttime, darkness: Don't try to work in the dark.
    2 in the dark: in ignorance, unknowing: I didn't know that the owners were selling the business; they kept me in the dark about it.
    THESAURUS
    dark
    1 black. Ant. light.
    2 dim
    3 a deep shade of color
    4 pessimistic. Ant. optimistic.
dark horse
dark horse
  1. n.adj.fig. a person who is not well-known and then becomes a possible winner, esp. in an election: The Senator from Oregon was a dark horse (or) a dark-horse candidate who nearly won the Presidential election.
darken
darken
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to lose light: Each day darkens into night.
    2 [T] to make (draw, paint) dark in color: The artist darkened the sea in her painting.
    3 [I] to show anger, pain: His eyes darkened at the news of the war.
darkness
darkness
  1. n. [U]
    1 nighttime, a condition without light: We enjoyed sitting outdoors in the darkness of night.
    2 ignorance, unfamiliarity: They grew up in the darkness of ignorance and poverty.
    THESAURUS
    darkness
    1 the dark, blackness, shadows. Ant. daylight.
darkroom
darkroom
  1. n. a room for developing film: A photographer works in a darkroom.
darling
darling
  1. adj.
    1 adorable, sweet: a darling little girl
    2 adored, beloved: my darling son —n.
    1 a loved one: His wife is his darling.
    2 a favorite, pet: Their youngest son is the darling of the family.
    THESAURUS
    darling adj.
    1 cute, delightful
    2 dearest, precious. —n. a sweetheart.
darn
darn
  1. v. [T] to mend, to sew repairs in worn or torn cloth: You should darn those socks. —n.v.exclam. a mild expression of anger or dismay: Darn! I burned the toast!|| Darn it! I forgot my keys!
dart
dart
  1. v. [I] to move quickly: A child darted out in front of the car. —n.
    1 [C] a small object with a sharp point to be thrown, blown, or shot: Some tribes in South America blow poison darts to kill animals for food.
    2 darts: [U] a game of throwing darts at a target: Darts is his favorite game. See: dartboard.
dartboard
dartboard
  1. n. a circular board used as a target for the game of darts
dash
dash
  1. v. -es
    1 [I] to run quickly over a short distance,
    THESAURUS
    to sprint: I dashed into the house to get out of the rain.
    2 [I] to leave quickly: I have to dash now; see you later!
    3 [T] to throw down with violence, smash: The storm at sea dashed many boats against the rocks.
    4 to dash off: a. to leave hurriedly: Sorry, but I have to dash off now. b. to write s.t. hurriedly: I dashed off a letter to my mother to tell her when I would arrive. —n. dashes
    1 a short, rapid run,
    THESAURUS
    a sprint: Let's make a dash across the street while there's no traffic.
    2 an athletic event: He runs the 100-meter dash.
    3 a short, horizontal line used for punctuation in writing or printing: (—)
    4 a small amount of s.t.: Put a dash of pepper in the soup.
    5 the dash: the dashboard of a car See: dashboard.
    6 to make a dash for it: to move fast to try to avoid danger or discomfort: The soldiers were nearly surrounded, and they made a dash for it through enemy lines.
dashboard
dashboard
  1. n. in a vehicle, the front panel covered with instruments: On the dashboard of a car, you can see the gas gauge, the mileage, etc.
dashing
dashing
  1. adj. stylish, dynamic: a dashing young man
data
data
  1. n.pl. used often with a sing. v. [U] raw or organized information: Scientists gather data, then study it for its meaning. ||Computers process data to create information.
    THESAURUS
    data statistics, known facts, evidence.
data entry
data entry
  1. n. -tries the preparing and typing of information into a computer: Our data entry department has 10 operators who input data.
data processing
data processing
  1. n. [U] the encoding (preparation), inputting (typing), and retrieval (printing out) of data by computer: The data processing department of a bank processes the information about accounts.
database
database
  1. n. information on a general topic stored in a computer system,
    THESAURUS
    a data bank: When I go to the bank, the teller checks the customer database for information about my account.
dated
dated
  1. adj.
    1 marked with a date: The letter was dated June 10, 1997.
    2 old and so no longer valid,
    THESAURUS
    obsolete: Information that is dated is not useful.
daub
daub
  1. v. [T] n. to coat or apply (grease, paint, cement, etc.), usu. quickly, on a surface: He daubed some grease on the door hinge.
daughter-in-law
daughter-in-law
  1. n. daughters-in-law the wife of one's son: She became our daughter-in-law last year.
daughter
daughter
  1. n. a female child: They are married and have two daughters. See: son.
daunt
daunt
  1. v. [T] to make afraid, discourage,
    THESAURUS
    to intimidate: The thought of starting a business daunted him, but he decided to try it anyway. -adj. daunting.
dauntless
dauntless
  1. adj. courageous and unstoppable: She was dauntless in fighting cancer.
dawdle
dawdle
  1. v. [I] -dled, -dling, -dles to delay, waste time: I dawdled over a cup of coffee instead of working. -n. dawdler.
dawn
dawn
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 sunrise: We see the light of dawn in the east.
    2 fig. a beginning: She is studying the dawn of civilization in ancient Egypt. —v.
    1 [I] (used with "the sun" ) to come up: The sun is dawning over the land.
    2 fig. to dawn on: to become clear to: It dawned on him that he was safe at last. -n. [U] dawning.
    THESAURUS
    dawn n.
    1 daybreak, sunrise
    2 birth, start, origin.
day-to-day
day-to-day
  1. adj. related to the daily routine of usual living and business affairs: My partner takes care of the day-to-day operations of the company.
day
day
  1. n.
    1 the time period between sunrise and sunset: Most people work during the day and sleep at night.
    2 the 24-hour period from midnight to midnight: There are seven days in a week.
    3 not to give s.o. the time of day: to treat s.o. with no respect: She won't give him the time of day because she doesn't like him.
    4 to call it a day: to stop working: We've done enough, so let's call it a day.
    5 infrml. to make s.o.'s day: to make s.o. very happy: Receiving your letter really made my day. —adv.
    1 day in and day out: all the time, in a steady, dedicated way: He works hard day in and day out.
    2 days: during the day: She works days and her husband works nights.
    3 (just) the other day: one day recently: I saw that movie (just) the other day.
    4 these days: now (but not in the past): These days many students have personal computers.
day care
day care
  1. n. [U] a service of caring for preschool-aged children while the parents work: She drops her child off at day care on her way to work.
day care center
day care center
  1. n. a school-like place where parents pay to have small children cared for while the parents work: He takes his child to the day care center each morning.
daybreak
daybreak
  1. n. [U] dawn, sunrise: They left on their trip at daybreak.
daydream
daydream
  1. n. thoughts that are pleasant but not real,
    THESAURUS
    a fantasy: The boy has daydreams about being a baseball star. —v. [I] to allow the mind to think pleasantly,
    THESAURUS
    to fantasize: I daydream about winning the lottery. -n. daydreamer.
daylight
daylight
  1. n. [U]
    1 the light from the sun during the day: She opened the curtains to let the daylight in.
    2 to see (day)light at the end of the tunnel: to see the end of a long process (difficult job, task, etc.): We have worked for months to solve that problem, and now we are happy to see (day)light at the end of the tunnel.
daytime
daytime
  1. n.sing. [U] the daylight hours: During the daytime, I play golf and at nighttime, I work in a restaurant.
daze
daze
  1. v. [T] dazed, dazing, dazes to make semiconscious,
    THESAURUS
    to stun: A blow on the head dazed him. —n. in a daze: unable to think clearly (after a shock, a blow, etc.): She was in a daze after learning the bad news.
dazzle
dazzle
  1. v. [T] -zled, -zling, -zles
    1 to blind with bright light: The sunlight dazzles me.
    2 to amaze, (syns.) to awe, astound: The Olympic athletes dazzled the audience. —n.sing. the quality of creating a bright light or amazing effect: The dazzle of her smile left him unable to speak. -adj. dazzling.
de-escalation
de-escalation
  1. n. [C;U] a lowering of intensity: The deescalation of the war made peace talks possible.
de facto
de facto
  1. adj. true or real, but not recognized or spoken of: Everyone knows that the General, not the President, is the de facto leader of that government.
de rigueur
de rigueur
  1. adj. (French for) required of everyone who wishes to be considered fashionable: Red ties (this style of shoes, earrings like those, etc.) are de rigueur now.
deacon
deacon
  1. n. a person who assists the minister or pastor in some Christian churches: He has the honor to be a deacon in the local Baptist Church. -n. deaconess.
deactivate
deactivate
  1. v. [T] -vated, -vating, -vates to take out of active service: They deactivated that military unit and sent the soldiers home. -n. deactivation.
dead
dead
  1. adj.
    1 lifeless, no longer living: The old man is dead; he died yesterday.
    2 not working, without power: The batteries in this flashlight are dead.
    3 infrml. lacking activity, lifeless: That small town is dead on Saturday nights.
    4 dead (and buried): not important anymore: Don't waste time discussing it; that issue is dead and buried.
    5 infrml. dead (tired) or dead on one's feet: very tired
    6 dead to the world: in a deep sleep —n.pl. the dead: people who have died: We bury the dead in cemeteries. —adv.
    1 directly in the middle of: He hit the target dead center.||There's s.t. standing in the road dead ahead.
    2 slang exactly: You're dead right about that.
    3 wouldn't be caught dead: would never agree to doing s.t. thought horrible: He hates to dance so much that he wouldn't be caught dead on a dance floor.
    THESAURUS
    dead adj.
    1 deceased, departed | six feet under infrml., late. Ant. alive.
    2 gone, out
    3 lifeless, dull. Ant. lively.
dead duck
dead duck
  1. n.slang a person who is sure to be punished: If I drive without a driver's license and the police catch me, I'll be a dead duck.
dead end
dead end
  1. n.adj.
    1 a road without an exit: We live on a dead end (or) dead-end street.
    2 a situation that leads nowhere: We tried all sorts of solutions to that problem, and they all came to a dead end.
dead heat
dead heat
  1. n. [C;U] a tie among competitors in an athletic event: The two horses finished the race in a dead heat.
dead weight
dead weight
  1. n.
    1 a heavy, motionless weight: A load of bricks is all dead weight.
    2 fig. a difficult, hopeless situation: Thoughts of the coming exam were a dead weight on her mind.
deadbeat
deadbeat
  1. n.adj.slang a person or business that does not pay their bills: I loaned him some money last month and that deadbeat has not paid me back.|| "Deadbeat dads" are fathers who leave their families and don't support their children.
deaden
deaden
  1. v. [T]
    1 to make less, reduce: I take aspirin to deaden the pain of a headache.
    2 to make less noisy: We put soundproofing in the walls to deaden the noise from the road outside.
deadeye
deadeye
  1. n. an expert shot: She's a deadeye who hits her target every time.
deadline
deadline
  1. n. a time or date by which s.t. must be finished: The deadline for the project is two o'clock tomorrow.
    THESAURUS
    deadline time limit, due date.
deadlock
deadlock
  1. n. total disagreement between parties in a negotiation,
    THESAURUS
    an impasse: The management and the workers have reached a deadlock in contract talks. —v. [I;T] to bring to or arrive at a deadlock: The owners and the union have deadlocked over the pay increase.
deadly
deadly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest
    1 so dangerous as to cause death: deadly weapons, deadly poison
    2 fig.destructive, terrible: His deadly remark about her work made her want to quit her job.
    3 slang very boring: It was a deadly lecture.
    THESAURUS
    deadly
    1 lethal, fatal, poisonous
    2 mean, awful
    3 very dull, tedious. Ant. lively.
deadpan
deadpan
  1. adj.n.v. [I;T] showing an expressionless face while saying s.t. funny or shocking: He is famous for his deadpan humor.
deadwood
deadwood
  1. n. [U]
    1 dead trees, fallen tree branches: There is a lot of deadwood in that forest.
    2 fig. employees who no longer perform well or who do little: The company has too much deadwood on its staff.
deaf
deaf
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 unable to hear: He is deaf in one ear.
    2 to turn a deaf ear: to pay no attention: The boy wants a new car, but his mother turns a deaf ear to his wishes. See: disabled, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    deaf
    1 hearing-impaired | hard-of-hearing
    2 to ignore, be oblivious to.
deafen
deafen
  1. v. [T] to cause an inability to hear, esp. for a short time: I was deafened by the noise of the train passing by. -adj. deafening.
deal
deal
  1. v. dealt , dealing, deals
    1 [I;T] to give, esp. cards to players of a card game: First, deal each player five cards.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to deal in s.t.: to buy s.t. from producers and sell it to customers: This business deals in furniture (toys, watches, etc.).
    3 frml. to deal s.o. a blow: to hit hard: Life dealt her a blow when her son died.
    4 infrml. to deal s.o. in: to include or involve s.o.: You can deal me in; your plan sounds like a great opportunity.
    5 infrml. to deal s.o. out: to exclude, to keep out: Deal him out; he's not interested in the project.
    6 phrasal v. insep. [T] to deal with s.o. or s.t.: a. to interact with s.o. or s.t., esp. in business: Have you ever dealt with this company before? b. to treat, to manage: Her job is dealing with customer complaints. c. to concern, to be about: This book deals with tax laws. —n.
    1 an agreement, trade, or transaction, esp. in business: We have made a deal to buy that building.
    2 infrml. a good transaction: You paid only $5 for this? Wow, what a deal!
    3 a turn to give out the playing cards in a game: Give me the cards; it's my deal.
    4 infrml. a big deal: s.t. important: Don't worry about that; it's no big deal.
    5 a good or great deal (of): a lot: He has a great deal of money (experience, free time, etc.).||The price was a good deal higher than I expected. See: wheel and deal.
    THESAURUS
    deal v.
    1 to distribute, hand out
    2 to handle, buy and sell.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a contract, pact, understanding
    2 a bargain.
dealer
dealer
  1. n.
    1 a person who deals cards: She's a dealer in a casino in Las Vegas.
    2 a businessperson who buys from producers and sells to customers: a car dealer, a drug dealer
    THESAURUS
    dealer
    2 a merchant, retailer | trafficker (esp. illegal business).
dealership
dealership
  1. n. the business of a dealer, esp. the store or other place where the products are shown and sold: I bought my car at a dealership on Main Street.
dealings
dealings
  1. n.pl. discussions and transactions, esp. in business: I have had some dealings with those people (ABC Company, that governmental agency, etc.), and they have been very helpful.
dealt
dealt
  1. v. past part. of deal
dean
dean
  1. n.
    1 an academic administrator: He is the Dean of Students at a small college.
    2 a well-known, senior authority in a field or area of study: She is called the dean of architecture in the USA.
dean's list
dean's list
  1. n. a listing of students who have earned high grades: She made the dean's list in her first year at the university.
dear
dear
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 loved, cared for: She's a dear friend.
    2 dear to: important to: He's an old friend and very dear to me.
    3 Brit. expensive, costly —n.
    1 a sweet, good person: You brought me flowers? What a dear you are!
    2 my dear: an expression of affection and caring for s.o.: Angela, my dear, how are you?
    THESAURUS
    dear adj.
    1 close, beloved
    2 precious to. —n.
    1 darling, sweetheart. —exclam. Oh, dear! or Dear me!: expressions of surprise or dismay: Oh, dear! What a sad situation. —salutation a polite word to greet s.o. in a letter: Dear Mr. Lee, I am writing this letter to ask for your help.
dearly
dearly
  1. adv.
    1 with strong (good) feeling: I dearly hope you will succeed.
    2 to pay dearly: to pay a high price (in money, time, trouble, etc.): I paid dearly for not checking the map; we were lost for two hours.
dearth
dearth
  1. n.sing. little or none of s.t.: The dearth of information made it hard for me to write my report.
death
death
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the end of life: His death came in his sleep.
    2 [C] an occurrence of death: There were two deaths in that accident.
    3 sing. end, destruction: In 1989 we saw the death of communism in East Germany.
    4 a matter of life or death: a serious emergency: He's having a heart attack! Call an ambulance; it's a matter of life or death!
    5 to catch one's death of cold: to become very sick: Dress warmly, or you will catch your death of cold!
    6 to death: very, extremely: I was worried to death when you didn't come home.
    THESAURUS
    death
    1 passing away, demise. Ant. life.
    2 loss of life
    3 defeat, annihilation. Ant. birth.
death penalty
death penalty
  1. n. -ties the punishment of death for a crime: He was given the death penalty for killing a police officer.
death rate
death rate
  1. n. the number of people who die in a nation or other area in relation to its total population, usu. measured on a yearly basis: The US death rate from cancer increased last year.
death wish
death wish
  1. n. wishes a desire to die or to do dangerous things, risking death: He keeps trying to commit suicide; he has a death wish.
deathbed
deathbed
  1. n. the last stage before death: The old lady lay on her deathbed for a week before dying.
deathblow
deathblow
  1. n.
    1 a hard hit that causes death: The deathblow came from a rock that hit him on the head.
    2 fig. the final act that makes s.t. end: They had several problems, but the bank's refusal of more credit was the deathblow to the business.
deathtrap
deathtrap
  1. n. a very dangerous situation: Terrorists set a deathtrap for the President.
deathwatch
deathwatch
  1. n. -watches the act of waiting (usu. near the bedside) as a person is dying: When news spread that the rock star was dying, fans held a deathwatch outside the hospital.
debacle
debacle
  1. n.
    1 a sudden, terrible event, destruction: The country was beaten in a two-week war; it was a total debacle.
    2 a complete failure: The new automobile was laughed at by the public; it is a debacle for the company.
debark
debark
  1. v.frml. [I;T] to leave a ship,
    THESAURUS
    to disembark: The passengers debarked at noon. -n. [U] debarkation.
debase
debase
  1. v. [T] -based, -basing, -bases
    1 to lower in value: Our government debased our money by printing too much of it.
    2 to lower the quality of: The manufacturer debased their products by using cheaper materials in them.
    3 to lower the opinion of other people: She debased the reputation of the company when she accused them of dishonesty. -n. [U] debasement.
debatable
debatable
  1. adj. open to debate, questionable,
    THESAURUS
    doubtful: His innocence of the crime is debatable.
debate
debate
  1. v. [I;T] -bated, -bating, -bates
    1 to argue, present differing views on a question: The two political parties debated the merits of the bill before voting it into law.
    2 to consider, discuss: She debated with herself about going to college. —n.
    1 a formal argument: The two presidential candidates agreed to hold a debate on TV.||US high schools often have debating teams.
    2 an argument, discussion: There was a debate during the committee meeting about the new budget.
    THESAURUS
    debate v.
    1 to take sides on, dispute, contest
    2 to deliberate.
debauch
debauch
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -es to have a bad influence on the morals and usually the health of s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to corrupt: Drugs debauch the youth of this nation.
debauchery
debauchery
  1. n. [U] too much participation in physical pleasures: That rock star led a life of debauchery.
debilitate
debilitate
  1. v. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates to weaken, esp. by disease or neglect: His health is debilitated from not getting enough good food. -adj. debilitating; -n. [U] debilitation.
debility
debility
  1. n. [C;U] -ties a weakness,
    THESAURUS
    a frailty: He suffers from the debility of old age.
debit
debit
  1. v. [T] to enter an amount of money owed on a personal or business account: When the XYZ Co. bought fuel oil, the oil company debited XYZ's account for the cost. —n. a debt charged against s.o.'s account: The XYZ Co. has a debit of $1200.
debit card
debit card
  1. n. a plastic card that looks like a credit card, but is used instead of checks to make purchases and to withdraw cash from ATMs: I pay my monthly bills by check and do all my shopping with my debit card.
debonair
debonair
  1. adj. well-dressed and cheerful (usu. a man),
    THESAURUS
    dapper: He's a debonair gentleman! -adv. debonairly.
debrief
debrief
  1. v. [T] to ask and usually record what s.o. knows about a particular event or subject: They debriefed the spy when she returned from her mission. -n. [C;U] debriefing.
debris
debris
  1. n. [U] ruins, remains of s.t. broken,
    THESAURUS
    refuse: Old newspapers, dead leaves, and tin cans formed the debris in the park.
debt
debt
  1. n.
    1 a sum of money owed to another: He owes a debt of $50 to a friend.
    2 an obligation: I owe a debt of gratitude to you for helping me.
    3 in debt: owing money
    4 out of debt: having paid money owed
    THESAURUS
    debt
    1 money due, charge, note | loan.
debtor
debtor
  1. n. a person, business, or government that owes money: The debtors of the bank had trouble making payments. See: creditor.
debug
debug
  1. v. [T] -bugged, -bugging, -bugs to find and correct errors, esp. in a computer program: I've debugged the program and now it runs well. -n. [U] debugging.
debunk
debunk
  1. v. [T] to show the falseness of s.t.: He wants to debunk the story of ghosts being in that old house. -n. [C;U] debunking.
debut
debut
  1. v. [I;T] to appear for the first time, esp. a play, film, or artist: The actress debuted on Broadway last year. —n. a first appearance: The debut of the play was a great success.
debutante
debutante
  1. n. a young woman who is presented to upper-class society at a special ball or party: She was a debutante early this year.
decade
decade
  1. n. a period of 10 years: the decade of the 1990s||The development of the park took a decade to complete.
decadence
decadence
  1. n. [U]
    1 a low level of moral behavior: Decadence among the leadership was widespread.
    2 a period of lowering or worsening standards,
    THESAURUS
    the decline, decay: Their immoral behavior led to the decadence of the Empire itself. -n. [U] decadency.
decadent
decadent
  1. adj.
    1 showing decadence, (syns.) degenerate, dissolute: The decadent lifestyle of the leaders led to a revolution by their people.
    2 weakened, in decline: As the nation became decadent, its power and influence lessened. -adv. decadently.
decaf
decaf
  1. n. [U] decaffeinated coffee: Would you like regular coffee or decaf?
decaffeinate
decaffeinate
  1. v. [T] adj. -nated, -nating, -nates to remove or lessen the caffeine, esp. in coffee: He drinks decaffeinated coffee in the evening.
decal
decal
  1. n. a picture or design usu. on plastic and stuck to s.t. as a decoration or permit: The decal on my car window is my parking permit.
decanter
decanter
  1. n. a fancy container often of clear crystal used to hold wine or other alcohol: The host poured a fine sherry from the decanter. -v. decant.
decapitate
decapitate
  1. v. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates to cut the head off: The guillotine decapitated French King Louis XVI.
decathlon
decathlon
  1. n. a track-and-field competition of 10 events with the highest combined score determining the winner: The Olympic Decathlon is a very difficult event.
decay
decay
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to rot: Fallen leaves and trees decay into the ground over time.
    2 to fall into ruin or poor condition: The Roman Empire slowly decayed and lost its power. —n. [U]
    1 rot or breakdown of a substance: Tooth decay can result from poor care of your teeth.
    2 ruin: That old house is in complete decay.
    3 lowering of standards of behavior, decline, decadence: The moral decay of the leadership destroyed the nation.
    THESAURUS
    decay v.
    1 to decompose, break down, disintegrate
    2 to collapse, crumble, decline.
deceased
deceased
  1. v. past part. of decease —adj. dead —n. the deceased: the dead person(s): The body of the deceased was removed from his home.
    THESAURUS
    deceased n. the dead, departed one.
deceit
deceit
  1. n. [U] dishonesty, trickery: The salesman disappeared before people learned of his deceit.
    THESAURUS
    deceit cheating, deception, fraud. Ant. honesty.
deceitful
deceitful
  1. adj. dishonest,
    THESAURUS
    deceptive: She used deceitful promises of big profits to attract the investors she cheated. -adv. deceitfully.
deceive
deceive
  1. v. [T] -ceived, -ceiving, -ceives to fool: He deceived me when he said he loved me because he really doesn't.
    THESAURUS
    deceive to trick, mislead, dupe s.o.
decelerate
decelerate
  1. v. [I;T] -rate, -rating, -rates to slow down, move more slowly: The train decelerated as it ap-proached a station. -n.[C;U] deceleration.
decency
decency
  1. n. [U]
    1 respectful concern for doing the right thing,
    THESAURUS
    propriety: As a matter of common decency, you should tell him the truth.
    2 to have the decency to do s.t.: to be polite enough to do s.t.: When he could not attend the wedding, he had the decency to call and apologize.
decent
decent
  1. adj.
    1 proper, correct (behavior, attitude): To help the poor is the decent thing to do.
    2 well-behaved and kind: a decent human being
    3 properly clothed: Wait outside until I put some clothes on; I'm not decent.
    4 infrml. good enough: It's not a great job, but the pay is decent. -adv. decently.
    THESAURUS
    decent
    1 honorable, respectable. Ant. indecent.
    2 good, virtuous
    3 dressed
    4 adequate, acceptable.
decentralize
decentralize
  1. v. [T] -ized, izing, -izes to move from one large center of activity, authority, etc., out into several smaller centers: The large corporation decentralized its manufacturing operations into five regional facilities. -n. [U] decentralization.
deception
deception
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] s.t. that causes s.o. to believe what is not true: She spread false information as a deception to mislead investors.
    2 [U] trickery,
    THESAURUS
    betrayal: His deception of the people who trusted him was a shock to them all.
deceptive
deceptive
  1. adj. causing s.o. to believe what is not true,
    THESAURUS
    misleading: She made deceptive remarks about the property to persuade us to buy it. -adv. deceptively; -n. deceptiveness.
decibel
decibel
  1. n. a unit of measurement of sound levels: A sound level of 90 decibels is extremely loud.
decide
decide
  1. v. -cided, -ciding, -cides
    1 [I;T] to reach a conclusion (opinion, choice, plan, etc.), to make up one's mind: We've decided to go on vacation August 1.
    2 [T] to determine, to bring to a certain end: One point decided the football game.
    THESAURUS
    decide
    1 to make a decision, choose, elect frml.
    2 to conclude, settle.
decided
decided
  1. adj.
    1 definite, clearly seen: The medicine made a decided difference in the patient's health.
    2 without hesitation or doubt: She has a decided manner of giving her opinion. -adv. decidedly.
deciding
deciding
  1. adj. decisive, key: The deciding factor (reason, vote) in his keeping the job was the big increase in pay.
deciduous
deciduous
  1. adj. related to shedding or falling off: Maples, oaks, and elms are deciduous trees, because their leaves fall off in the autumn.
decimal
decimal
  1. n. a fraction expressed in tens to the right of a dot: .1=1/10, .01=1/100, .001=1/1000 —adj. related to decimals: a decimal fraction
decimal point
decimal point
  1. n. a dot placed to the left of a decimal: In .23, the dot to the left of the 2 is a decimal point.

    USAGE NOTE: The number .23 is read as "point two three."
decimate
decimate
  1. v. [T] -mated, -mating, -mates to destroy much of s.t. (a population, army): Smallpox decimated half of the army. -n. decimation.
decipher
decipher
  1. v. [T] to puzzle out, figure out the meaning of s.t., esp. a code: In the military, he deciphered messages written in numbers.||His handwriting is so bad that I can't decipher his note.
decision
decision
  1. n.
    1 a choice made, conclusion: She made a decision to go on vacation.
    2 a determination: The jury has come to the decision that the accused man is not guilty.
    3 the ability to make judgments and act on them: She was a poor leader because she lacked decision.
    THESAURUS
    decision
    1 a choice
    2 a finding | result
    3 firmness, resolution.
decision maker
decision maker
  1. n. a person who has the power to make decisions: The decision makers in government have great influence on policy.
decisive
decisive
  1. adj.
    1 showing a clear result, unquestionable: The team had a decisive victory by winning 20 to 2.
    2 determining, with great influence: a decisive factor (event, battle, vote) that changed public opinion.
    3 bold, able to make decisions quickly and follow them firmly: a decisive leader -adv. decisively.
    THESAURUS
    decisive
    1 conclusive, definitive
    2 crucial, pivotal, significant
    3 unwavering. Ant. indecisive.
deck
deck
  1. n.
    1 the various horizontal levels of a ship: the main deck, quarter deck
    2 a pack of playing cards: A deck has 52 cards.
    3 a wooden platform attached to a house: Let's have lunch out on the deck.
    4 a double or triple-decker: s.t. with two or three layers or levels: a double-decker sandwich ||We live on the top floor of a triple-decker (house).
    5 on deck: ready and waiting for one's turn to do s.t. —adj.slang decked out: decorated, dressed especially well —v. [T]
    1 to decorate: We decked (out) the room with balloons for the party.
    2 slang to knock s.o. down, usu. with a punch: The boxer decked his opponent in the third round.
declaim
declaim
  1. v.frml. [I;T] to speak loudly and often critically about: The Senator declaimed his opposition. -n. declamation.
declaration
declaration
  1. n.
    1 a serious oral or written statement: He made a quiet declaration of his love for her.
    2 an important statement, esp. a formal written one: the Declaration of Independence, a declaration of war
    3 a written statement to Customs of taxable goods
    4 (in law) a statement of complaint by s.o. bringing a case to court
    THESAURUS
    declaration
    1 an announcement
    2 a decree, edict, proclamation.
declarative
declarative
  1. adj. related to making a statement: "Today is July 10" is a declarative sentence.
declare
declare
  1. v. -clared, -claring, -clares
    1 [T] to state s.t., usu. formally: She declared her love for him in a letter.
    2 [I;T] to state publicly and officially: The President declared May 1 a national holiday.
    3 [I;T] to make a declaration of taxable goods: At the airport, the customs officer asked if I had anything to declare.
    THESAURUS
    declare
    1 to assert, avow
    2 to proclaim, decree.
declassify
declassify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to remove the classification, esp. from secret documents: The government declassified the papers, so they are available to the public now.||They are now declassified.
decline
decline
  1. v. -clined, -clining, -clines
    1 [I;T] to refuse, usu. politely: He declined our invitation to dinner.
    2 [I] to move downward: Prices (the markets for goods, wages, etc.) have declined to record lows.
    3 [I] to weaken,
    THESAURUS
    to deteriorate: My grandfather's health (strength, mind, etc.) is declining.
    4 [I] to descend, to slope downward: From the hilltop, I walked down a path that declined toward a lake. —n.
    1 a lowering (of prices, markets, temperature, etc.): The decline in the stock market scared investors.
    2 a weakening,
    THESAURUS
    deterioration: The old woman's health is in decline.
    3 a downward slope: The steep decline of the road down the mountain made me nervous.
    4 a refusal, usu. polite, of an offer
decode
decode
  1. v. [T] -coded, -coding, -codes
    1 to translate a message from code into plain language: The spy decoded the secret message and read it.
    2 to figure out a mystery,
    THESAURUS
    to decipher: Scientists are trying to decode the structure of human genes.
decolonize
decolonize
  1. v. [T] -nized, -nizing, -nizes to remove a nation's colonial status, to permit (a colony) self-government: Several African nations were decolonized by European powers after World War II. -n. [U] decolonization.
decompose
decompose
  1. v. [I;T] -posed, -posing, -poses to rot, decay: Over time, dead leaves (bodies, plants, etc.) decompose into the ground. -n. [U] decomposition.
decompress
decompress
  1. v. [I;T] to lessen pressure so it returns to normal: Deep-sea divers decompress by returning to the surface of the water slowly. -n.[C;U] decompression.
decongestant
decongestant
  1. n. a medication used to lessen nasal congestion: I use a decongestant to clear my nose when I have a cold or allergy. -v. decongest.
decontamination
decontamination
  1. n. the process of removing contaminants (poisons, radiation, germs, etc.) from s.t.: After being exposed to radiation, the workers had to go through decontamination. -v. [T] decontaminate.
decontrol
decontrol
  1. v. [T] n. -trolled, -trolling, -trols to remove (governmental) controls: The minister of finance decontrolled prices.
decorate
decorate
  1. v. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates
    1 to beautify, make festive: We decorated our house for the holidays.
    2 to present a mark or medal of merit to s.o.: They decorated the soldier for his bravery. -n. [U] decorating; decorator.
    THESAURUS
    decorate
    1 to make attractive | adorn, deck out infrml.
decoration
decoration
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] s.t. added to create a beautiful effect: The decoration on the picture frame consists of pretty flowers on gold paint.||We had balloons and colored paper decorations for the party.
    2 [C] a mark or medal of merit: The soldier wore many decorations.
decorative
decorative
  1. adj.
    1 making more beautiful and attractive: The balloons, bright-colored hats, and streamers for the party are very decorative.
    2 related to the style of a room, house, etc.: The decorative plan for the building is conservative. -adv. decoratively.
decorum
decorum
  1. n. [U] proper behavior: Children are instructed to be quiet in order to maintain decorum in church. -adj. decorous.
decoy
decoy
  1. v. [T] n. to mislead or deceive s.o. (with a fake model or other attraction): The hunter set out duck decoys meant to decoy live ducks into flying near to be shot.
decrease
decrease
  1. v. [I;T] -creased, -creasing, -creases
    1 to grow smaller in number: The population (prices, sales, rainfall, etc.) decreased last year.
    2 to lessen in strength or intensity: Light decreases at sunset. —n.
    1 a reduction of an amount: a decrease in temperature (salary, prices, economic activity, etc.)
    2 a lessening in strength or intensity: a decrease in light (interest, popularity, etc.)
    3 to be on the decrease: in the process of decreasing: The crime rate is on the decrease compared with last month.
    THESAURUS
    decrease v.
    1 to go down, decline, diminish
    2 to fade, weaken. Ant. to increase. —n.
    1 a fall, decline
    2 reduction.
decree
decree
  1. n. an order given by an authority: We were shocked by the governmental decree banning all public meetings. —v. [T] -creed, -creeing, -crees to give out a decree: The dictator decreed that no one could leave the country.
decrepit
decrepit
  1. adj.
    1 (person) very weak, usu. from bad health or old age: His illness has made him decrepit.
    2 (structure) in terrible condition, run-down,
    THESAURUS
    delapidated: a house in a decrepit state -n. [U] decrepitude.
decriminalize
decriminalize
  1. v. [T] -lized, -lizing, -lizes to make s.t. no longer illegal or criminal: Some states may decriminalize the use of marijuana.
decry
decry
  1. v. frml. [T] -cried, -crying, -cries to condemn or criticize publicly: He is a rebel who decries society as it is.
dedicate
dedicate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates
    1 to give completely: She dedicated herself to her career (to religion, to her children, etc.).
    2 to formally open in honor of s.o.: The park is dedicated to a poet named Walt Whitman.
    3 to put aside, give for a special purpose: We must dedicate funds to house the poor.
    THESAURUS
    dedicate
    1 to commit to, devote
    2 to name s.t in honor of s.o.
    3 to set aside.
dedicated
dedicated
  1. adj.
    1 given completely to s.o. or s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    devoted: She is a dedicated athlete who practices every day.
    2 (in technology) used only for one purpose: The modem is on a dedicated phone line, so you can't use the phone to make a call.
dedication
dedication
  1. n.
    1 [U] personal devotion, commitment to s.t.: That doctor has great dedication to her work.
    2 [C] a formal ceremony to open a building, etc.: The mayor will attend the dedication of the new park.
deduce
deduce
  1. v. [T] -duced, -ducing, -duces to reach a conclusion by reasoning from the general to the specific: My friend becomes quiet when his girlfriend is angry with him; today he is quiet and so I deduce she is angry.
deduct
deduct
  1. v. [T] to take away, subtract: They offered a discount: they said they would deduct 20 percent from the retail price.
    THESAURUS
    deduct to take out, remove.
deductible
deductible
  1. adj. capable of being deducted: Interest charges on a mortgage are deductible from your income tax payments. —n. (in insurance) the amount a person must pay before their insurance company makes a payment: The damage done to my car cost $5,000 to fix, so with the $500 deductible, the insurance paid $4,500 and I paid $500.
deduction
deduction
  1. n.
    1 an amount taken away, a subtraction: Can I get a tax deduction if I give money to The Cancer Fund?
    2 a conclusion deduced: I think we will find that your deduction is correct.
deductive
deductive
  1. adj. based on deduction (reasoning): He used deductive reasoning to reach his conclusion.
deed
deed
  1. n.
    1 the official paper showing ownership of real estate: This is a photocopy of the deed to my house and land.
    2 frml. an act done by s.o.: The man was hated for his evil deeds. —v. [T] to transfer property by a deed: She deeded her land to her daughter.
    THESAURUS
    deed n.
    1 a legal document
    2 an action | accomplishment, achievement.
deem
deem
  1. v.frml. [I;T] to consider, believe: Do you deem him an honest man?
deep-fry
deep-fry
  1. v. [T] -fried, -frying, -fries to fry food, such as chicken or fish, in hot oil: I deep-fried some potatoes to make French fries.
deep-rooted
deep-rooted
  1. adj.
    1 with deep roots: Oak trees are deep-rooted.
    2 fig. strongly fixed in place: She has deep-rooted loyalties to her family (nation, land, etc.).
deep-sea
deep-sea
  1. adj. related to the deeper or deepest parts of an ocean or sea: He goes deep-sea fishing (diving, exploring, etc.) in the Caribbean.
deep-seated
deep-seated
  1. adj.fig. deep-rooted: Deep-seated loyalties (customs, practices, etc.) change very slowly.
deep-six
deep-six
  1. v.slang [T] to dispose of, throw in the waste basket: You should deep-six that silly letter of complaint (stupid idea, expensive proposal, etc.).
deep
deep
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 going far below or back from the surface of s.t.: a deep river, a deep hole, a deep closet
    2 serious, intense: in deep thought, in deep trouble, a deep sleep
    3 hidden, mysterious: a deep secret
    4 difficult to understand: a deep thinker
    5 (of sound) low: a radio announcer with a deep voice, a deep note from a cello
    6 (of color) rich and dark: the deep green of the forest
    7 in deep water: in trouble
    8 infrml. to go off the deep end: to become crazy, act careless of danger: He was very successful until he began drinking and went off the deep end. -adv. deeply. See: deep-rooted; deep-seated.
    THESAURUS
    deep adj.
    1 far down. Ant. shallow.
    2 profound
    3 buried
    4 unfathomable
    5 resonant
    6 vivid, intense. —adv.
    1 below the surface of s.t.: The water here is only two feet deep.
    2 far down or in: They live deep in the jungle.||We talked deep into the night.
    3 to dig deep: a. to pay or give a lot of money: The mother dug deep to help her son start a business. b. to investigate, examine very carefully: The police are digging deep into this case to solve it.
    4 to run deep: to be intense, go to great depth (feelings, ties, etc.): The love of opera runs deep in Italy. —n. the deep: the deep part of an ocean: The ship was lost in the deep and never found.
deepen
deepen
  1. v.
    1 [T] to make deeper: We deepened the hole by digging more.
    2 [I] to become deeper: A boy's voice deepens as he grows older.
    3 [I;T] to extend, make larger: The student deepened her knowledge of mathematics.
deer
deer
  1. n. deer a hoofed, four-footed mammal, usu. with antlers: There are many deer in the woods behind our house.
deerskin
deerskin
  1. n. soft leather made from the hide (or skin) of a deer: The Indian woman made deerskin clothes.
deface
deface
  1. v. [T] -faced, -facing, -faces to damage the appearance of: The protesters defaced the government building with spray paint. -n. defacement.
defamation
defamation
  1. n.frml. [U] hurting the reputation of s.o. with lies: When a newspaper accused him of cheating on his taxes, the businessman took the paper to court for defamation of character. -adj. defamatory ; -v. [T] defame.
default
default
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to fail to pay an obligation on time: He defaulted on the loan by missing three payments.
    2 to fail to perform: They defaulted on our contract when they didn't deliver the materials promised. —n. [C;U]
    1 an act of defaulting: The unpaid loan is now in default.
    2 to win by default: to win because the opposing team or player can't or won't compete
defeat
defeat
  1. v. [T]
    1 to beat, win a victory over: They defeated the enemy after a long war.
    2 to make fail: Taking work with you defeats the purpose of a vacation. —n.
    1 a victory over: They celebrated their defeat of the enemy.
    2 a failure, loss: We suffered many small defeats before our business finally succeeded.
    THESAURUS
    defeat v.
    1 to conquer | get the better of s.o.
    2 to thwart.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a win, conquest, rout
    2 a setback, reverse.
defeatism
defeatism
  1. n. [U] an attitude of feeling unable to progress in life: She has had so many disappointments that she has an attitude of defeatism. -n.adj. defeatist.
defecate
defecate
  1. v.frml. [I] -cated, -cating, -cates to move the bowels: The hospital patient defecated into the toilet.
defective
defective
  1. adj. imperfect: A defective part stopped the machine from working.
    THESAURUS
    defective flawed, faulty.
defend
defend
  1. v. [T]
    1 to protect against attack: The army defended the city.
    2 (in law) to protect the rights of s.o. accused of a crime: You'll need a lawyer to defend you in court.
    3 to explain, argue in support of: to defend one's views (opinion, position, etc.)
    THESAURUS
    defend
    1 to keep safe, guard, secure
    2 to stand up for s.o. or s.t.
    3 to justify. Ant. to attack.
defendant
defendant
  1. n. a person or group (business, organization, etc.) accused of wrongdoing and called into court: The defendant in this trial is accused of stealing a car. See: plaintiff.
defense
defense
  1. n.
    1 [C] a protection against attack: This soccer team has a strong defense.
    2 [C] (in law) the protection of a defendant: The lawyer presented an effective defense of her client.
    3 [C;U] an explanation, an argument to support a position, a choice, etc.
defense mechanism
defense mechanism
  1. n. a response, either instinctive or learned, to protect oneself against danger: She immediately tells you that you are wrong as a defense mechanism to give her time to think.
defenseless
defenseless
  1. adj. without a defense, unprotected: Soldiers were killed and so were defenseless civilians.
defensible
defensible
  1. adj.
    1 capable of being defended: The military has a good defensible position behind high walls to protect the city.
    2 deserving defense,
    THESAURUS
    justifiable: Is there any defensible argument for the bad thing he did?
defensive
defensive
  1. adj.
    1 good for defense: defensive weapons, defensive players on a team
    2 protective of oneself (from criticism): She's so defensive that it's hard to discuss her ideas with her. -adv. defensively. —n. on the defensive: ready to protect oneself against criticism
defer
defer
  1. v.frml. [T] -ferred, -ferring, -fers
    1 to delay, move to a later time,
    THESAURUS
    to postpone: We wish to defer our decision for a week.
    2 to defer to: to give preference to or accept the opinion (wishes, advice, etc.) of another person over one's own: I defer to your judgment.||He defers to his wife in matters involving the children. -n.[C;U] deferral. See: deference.
deference
deference
  1. n. [U] respect for another's preferences, polite concern: She showed deference to the wishes of her parents in planning her wedding.
deferential
deferential
  1. adj. respectful, considerate: He has a deferential attitude toward important visitors. -adv. deferentially.
deferment
deferment
  1. n. [C;U] a delay,
    THESAURUS
    a postponement: The lawyer got a deferment of the trial to a later date.||I have a deferment from military service while I am a student.
deferred
deferred
  1. adj. delayed,
    THESAURUS
    postponed: The meeting (decision, party, etc.) has been deferred until tomorrow.
defiance
defiance
  1. n. [U]
    1 open refusal to obey (an authority),
    THESAURUS
    rebelliousness: The people marched in the streets in defiance of the new military government.
    2 an attitude showing lack of fear or respect: His defiance toward the boss cost him his job. -adj. defiant; -adv. defiantly.
deficiency
deficiency
  1. n. -cies 1 [C;U] a lack, an amount that is not enough: The child grew poorly because of a vitamin deficiency in her diet.
    2 [C] a failing, substandard quality: to have a deficiency in the quality of work
deficient
deficient
  1. adj.
    1 not enough,
    THESAURUS
    insufficient: Her diet is deficient in protein.
    2 of poor quality, substandard: They fired him because his work was deficient. -adv. deficiently.
deficit
deficit
  1. n. a lack of money created by spending more than one's income: Our business did poorly last year; we must reduce our deficit this year! See: surplus.
deficit financing
deficit financing
  1. n. [U] a government practice of borrowing money to cover the deficit: Deficit financing pushes up interest rates.
deficit spending
deficit spending
  1. n. [U] a government practice of spending more money than it takes in and so creating a deficit: Deficit spending stimulates the economy, then creates inflation.
defile
defile
  1. v.frml. [T] -filed, -filing, -files
    1 to make unclean and so unusable (s.t. that is sacred): Someone used paint to defile the church (synagogue, monument, etc.).
    2 to destroy in the opinion of others: They have tried to defile her reputation.
defilement
defilement
  1. -n. a narrow rocky place through which soldiers pass in a line
define
define
  1. v. [T] -fined, -fining, -fines
    1 to explain the meaning of: Dictionaries define words.
    2 to describe exactly: Please define the terms of the agreement.
    3 to show the shape of: Can you define the limits of the property on this map?||She defined her eyes with make-up.
    THESAURUS
    define
    2 to specify
    3 to outline.
definite
definite
  1. adj.
    1 sure, without doubt: Do you have a definite date for their arrival?
    2 clear, easy to see: a definite improvement in his health
    3 clearly explained, precise: definite wording for a contract
    THESAURUS
    definite
    1 certain, exact. Ant. indefinite.
    2 obvious, marked
    3 clear-cut.
definitely
definitely
  1. adv. clearly, without doubt: He is definitely right (the best, going out, etc.).
definition
definition
  1. n.
    1 [C] an exact explanation: The teacher gave definitions of the new words.
    2 [U] clearness of an image (picture, photo, etc.): a small TV screen with poor definition
definitive
definitive
  1. adj.
    1 clear and leaving no further question: I received a definitive answer to my question.
    2 complete and without equal: She has written the definitive book on modern poetry. -adv. definitively.
deflate
deflate
  1. v. -flated, -flating, -flates
    1 [T] to let the air out of s.t.: Someone deflated the tires of our car; we're stuck!
    2 [I] to lose air or gas: The balloon deflated and went flat.
    3 [T] fig. to cause a loss of self-confidence or sureness: Any criticism quickly deflates him.
    4 [T] to lower the prices of goods and services: The economic recession has deflated prices.
deflation
deflation
  1. n. [C;U] a drop in prices of goods and services: We have seen a sharp deflation in the price of oil. See: disinflation.
deflator
deflator
  1. n. s.t. that causes a deflation: The end of fighting in the Middle East is a deflator of oil prices.
deflect
deflect
  1. v.
    1 [T] to turn away, redirect: He deflects criticism from himself by blaming others.
    2 [I;T] to change direction: A bullet deflected off the wall and hit the table. -n.[C;U] deflection.
defogger
defogger
  1. n. an electronic heating device, as in a car, that clears mist, frost, and ice from a window: Turn on the rear window defogger.
defoliant
defoliant
  1. n. a chemical that causes trees and other plants to drop their leaves: Planes dusted trees with a defoliant to destroy hiding places for the enemy. -v. [I;T] defoliate.
deforest
deforest
  1. v. [T] to remove the trees from an area as by fire, flood, logging, etc.: Loggers deforested a valley by cutting its trees. -n. [U] deforestation.
deform
deform
  1. v. [T] to force s.t. out its nor-mal shape or appearance: An earthquake deformed steel beams in a bridge.||The child was born deformed because of a genetic problem. -n. [U] deformation.
deformity
deformity
  1. n. -ties s.t. not normal in a person's appearance, such as a harelip or missing fingers caused by a birth defect, accident, etc.: The baby suffers two deformities from birth defects.
defraud
defraud
  1. v. [T] to steal money by trickery or deceit,
    THESAURUS
    to swindle: He defrauded the government by cheating on his taxes.
defray
defray
  1. v. [T] to arrange to pay the costs of s.t.: He defrayed the costs of a new car by taking a second job.
defrock
defrock
  1. v. [T] to remove the right of a clergyman (lawyer, doctor, etc.) to work at his or her profession: A Catholic priest was defrocked because he married.
defrost
defrost
  1. v. [I;T] to cause frost and ice to melt, such as from a freezer or frozen food: You can defrost a frozen cake by putting it in a microwave oven on low power.
defroster
defroster
  1. n. a blower system used to clear mist, frost, or ice from windows of a car or other vehicle: Turn on the defroster to clear the windshield.
deft
deft
  1. adj. -er, -est skillful and quick: What a deft typist you are! -adv. deftly; -n. [U] deftness.
defunct
defunct
  1. adj. no longer functioning or living: That company is now defunct; it closed last month.
defuse
defuse
  1. v. [T] -fused, -fusing, -fuses
    1 to remove the fuse from: They defused the bomb, so it couldn't explode.
    2 fig. to reduce the danger of: to defuse the threat of a riot (conflict, war, scandal, etc.) by calming the people involved
defy
defy
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to oppose openly, refuse to obey: The union defied management and went on strike.
    2 fig. to resist: The lock defied all my efforts to open it.
    3 to dare or challenge s.o. to do s.t. thought impossible: I defy you to find anything wrong with this plan.
degeneration
degeneration
  1. n. [U] the process of falling to a lower condition or standard: They left New York because of the degeneration in the quality of city life.
degradable
degradable
  1. adj. capable of being decomposed or broken down: This garbage is degradable into compost for the garden.
degrade
degrade
  1. v. [T] -graded, -grading, -grades
    1 to lower in the opinion of others or in self-respect: Don't degrade yourself by accepting such a poor job offer.
    2 to lower the quality or worth of s.t.: They degraded the value of the house by letting it fall into ruin.
    3 to break down and lose effectiveness: Medicine (chemicals, materials, etc.) can degrade over time. -n. [U] degradation.
degrading
degrading
  1. adj. causing shame,
    THESAURUS
    humiliating: The new soldiers suffered degrading comments about their abilities.
degree
degree
  1. n. 1 [C] a unit of measurement, such as for temperature, angles, or geographical direction and location: Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (32° F).||The corner of a square is a 90-degree angle.
    2 [U] amount or intensity: a high degree of intelligence (skill, respect for s.o., etc.)
    3 [C] a diploma from a college or university: She has a degree in chemistry.
    4 [U] measurement of the seriousness of s.t.: second-degree burns, first-degree murder
    5 by degrees: little by little,
    THESAURUS
    gradually
    6 to give s.o. the third degree: to question sharply,
    THESAURUS
    to interrogate: The young man had a car accident and his father gave him the third degree as to what happened.
dehumanization
dehumanization
  1. n. [U] a removal of civilized human qualities,
    THESAURUS
    a degradation: The dehumanization of work can turn people into machines. -v. [T] dehumanize.
dehumidify
dehumidify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to remove water from the air: An air conditioner cools and dehumidifies the air. -n. dehumidifier.
dehydrate
dehydrate
  1. v. [T] -drated, -drating, -drates to remove moisture: Too much heat dehydrates the body.
dehydration
dehydration
  1. n. [U] a lack of water, esp. in the body: Long distance runners often suffer from dehydration.
deice
deice
  1. v. [T] -iced, -icing, -ices to remove ice: It's important to deice a freezer (airplane wings, windshield). -n. deicer.
deify
deify
  1. v.frml. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to make into a god: The Roman Senate deified Emperors after death. -n. [U] deification.
deign
deign
  1. v. [I] to lower oneself to do s.t. considered below one's status or dignity,
    THESAURUS
    to condescend: He deigned to visit his poor relatives.
deism
deism
  1. n. [U] the belief in a god who created the physical universe but since then has had no more influence over it or life: Christians do not believe in deism.
deity
deity
  1. n. -ties
    1 a god or goddess: Jupiter was the most powerful of the Roman deities.
    2 Supreme Deity: God: Many people believe in a Supreme Deity. -adj. deistic.
dejected
dejected
  1. adj. sad, in low spirits: A man with a dejected look sat waiting for a bus. -adv. dejectedly.
dejection
dejection
  1. n. [U] a feeling of sadness or tiredness, as from overwork or failure: We could see the dejection on the faces of the losing players of the baseball team. -v. [T] deject.
delay
delay
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to slow or stop for a time: We must delay our decision for a day.
    2 [T] to cause to be late: Her late arrival delayed the start of the meeting.
    3 [T] to move to a later time: They have delayed the court hearing until next month. —n.
    1 a time that s.t. is slowed or stopped: a brief delay in finishing the job, a long delay in traffic
    2 a stopping or slowing of s.t.: This delay puts us behind schedule.
    3 (in law) a postponement: The lawyers asked for a delay in the trial date.
    THESAURUS
    delay v.
    1 to put off, defer. Ant. to hurry, hasten.
    2 to hold s.t. back
    3 to postpone. —n.
    1 a wait
    3 a stay.
delectable
delectable
  1. adj. tasty, delicious: What a delectable meal!
delegation
delegation
  1. n.
    1 [C] a group of official representatives: He is a member of the Brazilian delegation to the United Nations.
    2 [U] the act of giving (power or authority to s.o. to act in one's place): Her delegation of so much authority to her assistant upset her business partners.
delete
delete
  1. v. [T] -leted, -leting, -letes to take out, to eliminate: By mistake, the secretary deleted a paragraph from the letter he was typing.
    THESAURUS
    delete to erase, remove.
deleterious
deleterious
  1. adj.frml. harmful, unhealthy: Smoking cigarettes can be deleterious to your health.
deletion
deletion
  1. n. [C;U] erasing or taking out of a word or words: I have made deletions in the document.
deli
deli
  1. n.infrml. short for delicatessen: I'm going to the deli for some cheese.
deliberation
deliberation
  1. n. [C;U] an act of discussing or debating: The Senate began its deliberations yesterday.
deliberative
deliberative
  1. adj. characterized by deliberation: The United Nations is a deliberative body.
delicacy
delicacy
  1. n. -cies
    1 [C] special food that tastes great and is hard to get: Caviar is a delicacy.
    2 [U] careful, sensitive attention not to upset or offend: Diplomats must treat difficult matters with delicacy.
    THESAURUS
    delicacy
    1 a treat, luxury
    2 sensitivity, tact.
delicate
delicate
  1. adj.
    1 easily broken or hurt: This teacup is made of delicate china.
    2 made in a fine, sensitive manner: These china plates have a lovely, delicate flower pattern.
    3 needing sensitive treatment: He is upset at failing the course, so talking to him about it is a delicate matter. -adv. delicately.
    THESAURUS
    delicate
    1 fragile, breakable
    2 dainty, exquisite
    3 awkward, tricky.
delicious
delicious
  1. adj.
    1 good-tasting: Thank you for the delicious meal.
    2 Brit. pleasing or exciting: a delicious rumor -adv. deliciously.
    THESAURUS
    delicious
    1 tasty, appetizing, scrumptious | yummy infrml.
    2 titillating.
delight
delight
  1. v. [T]
    1 to make happy, bring joy to: Their beautiful gift delighted her.
    2 phrasal v. insep. to delight in s.t.: to enjoy greatly: She delights in telling funny stories. —n.
    1 [C;U] happiness, pleasure: He finds delight in giving to others.
    2 [C] s.t. that gives pleasure, joy: The child is so loving and sweet that she's a delight.
    THESAURUS
    delight v.
    1 to thrill, please, enchant. —n.
    1 enjoyment, joy | satisfaction
    2 a treasure.
delighted
delighted
  1. adj. very happy, pleased: I am delighted to accept your invitation to dinner.
delightful
delightful
  1. adj.
    1 very enjoyable, thrilling: We had a delightful time at your party.
    2 very pleasing: He has a delightful personality. -adv. delightfully.
    THESAURUS
    delightful
    1 lovely, pleasant, wonderful
    2 agreeable, attractive. Ant. horrid.
delimit
delimit
  1. v. [T] to set the limits or boundaries of s.t.: Company policy delimits a supervisor's spending authority to $1,000 and no more.
delineate
delineate
  1. v.frml. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to describe, usu. in specific detail: You must delineate exactly what you want in a contract.
    2 to show by drawing,
    THESAURUS
    to depict: The buyer delineated the kind of house she wants on a sheet of paper.
delinquency
delinquency
  1. n. [U] lawbreaking, esp. by young people: Juvenile delinquency means antisocial actions and crimes by children and teenagers.
delinquent
delinquent
  1. adj. late in paying a bill: The company has too many delinquent customers. —n. a lawbreaker, esp. a youth: Juvenile delinquents can be sent to a special school by the courts. -adv. delinquently.
delirious
delirious
  1. adj.
    1 suffering from confusion and wild imaginings: She was delirious from a high fever.
    2 wildly excited,
    THESAURUS
    ecstatic: delirious with joy -adv. deliriously.
delirium
delirium
  1. n.
    1 a state of confusion and wild imaginings, usu. from fever: The patient was very sick and in a delirium.
    2 great excitement,
    THESAURUS
    ecstasy: in a delirium over wonderful news
delirium tremens
delirium tremens
  1. delirium trem-ens or D.T.'s n.pl. A violent delirium with tremors caused by drinking too much alcohol: Alcoholics with delirium tremens should go to the hospital.
deliver
deliver
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to take goods to a place of business, a home, etc.: Trucks deliver food to supermarkets.
    2 [T] to give, pass on: to deliver a speech, deliver a message
    3 [T] to help (a baby) to be born: Which doctor delivered your baby?
    4 [I;T] infrml.fig. to produce good results: I'd call her a great salesperson because she really delivers!
    5 frml. to deliver from: to free, save from (danger)
    6 to deliver on one's promises: to do what one has promised: The voters were angry that the man they elected failed to deliver on his promises.
deliverance
deliverance
  1. n.frml. [U]
    1 saving from danger,
    THESAURUS
    liberation: We hope for deliverance from the enemy.
    2 (in religion) salvation: Many Christians pray to Jesus for deliverance. -n. deliverer.
delivery
delivery
  1. n. -ies
    1 [C;U] the taking of goods to a place of business, a home, etc.: This company promises fast delivery.
    2 [C;U] the giving or passing on of s.t.: delivery of a message
    3 [C] the act of giving birth: She had a difficult delivery, but the baby is fine.
dell
dell
  1. n. a small valley with grass and trees: There is a farmer in the dell with his cows.
delta
delta
  1. n. a flat, low area shaped like a triangle made by a river entering a sea: The Mississippi delta and the delta of the Nile are huge areas.
delude
delude
  1. v. [T] -luded, -luding, -ludes to fool or mislead, esp. oneself: He deluded himself into thinking that he is an important man.
deluge
deluge
  1. n.
    1 a heavy rain, usu. brief and sudden: The deluge caused flooding.
    2 fig. a great outpouring: a deluge of praise for a great achievement —v.fig. [T] -luged, -luging, -luges to come down on in a heavy outpouring,
    THESAURUS
    to inundate: Reporters deluged the President with questions.
delusion
delusion
  1. n. an unrealistic thought or expectation,
    THESAURUS
    self-deception: That poor woman has delusions of fame and fortune.
deluxe
deluxe
  1. adj. representing the finest quality: They had deluxe rooms in an expensive hotel.
    THESAURUS
    deluxe luxurious, elegant, first-class.
delve
delve
  1. v. [T] delved, delving, delves to look deeply into, examine: Good students delve into a subject to understand it thoroughly.
demagogue
demagogue
  1. n. a political leader who gets power by exciting the people's emotions, esp. fears and prejudices: Hitler was a demagogue. -adj. demagogic.
demagoguery
demagoguery
  1. n. [U] acting like a demagogue: Watch out for politicians who engage in demagoguery.
demand
demand
  1. v. [T]
    1 to ask for very strongly: They demand payment today.
    2 to require, have a strong need for: This problem demands immediate attention. —n.
    1 a command, claim: This is our second demand for payment.
    2 in demand: much wanted: After two successful films, that actor is in great demand in Hollywood.
    3 to make demands on: to have strong need of, make claims on: Small children make great demands on parents' time and energy.
    THESAURUS
    demand v.
    1 to insist on, order, command
    2 to necessitate, call for s.t.
demanding
demanding
  1. adj.
    1 requiring high performance,
    THESAURUS
    exacting: My boss is very demanding of others.
    2 requiring great effort,
    THESAURUS
    arduous: Climbing a mountain is a demanding task.
demarcation
demarcation
  1. n. [U] a line of separation drawn to show a boundary or limit: A line of demarcation has been drawn between the two countries. -v. demarcate [T].
demean
demean
  1. v.frml. [T] to treat in a way that hurts one's pride or dignity,
    THESAURUS
    to humiliate: The soldiers demeaned their prisoners by giving them dirty jobs to do. -adj. demeaning.
demeanor
demeanor
  1. n.frml. manner, way of behaving: I like his gentlemanly demeanor.
demented
demented
  1. adj. insane, crazy: Don't listen to her advice, because she's talking like a demented person.
demerit
demerit
  1. n. a bad mark against a person's record: The sergeant gave a soldier 10 demerits for not cleaning his rifle properly.
demilitarize
demilitarize
  1. v. [T] -rized, -rizing, -rizes to remove the military from an area: The two nations at war agreed to demilitarize a zone between them.
demise
demise
  1. n.frml. [U]
    1 death: He met his demise in an accident.
    2 end,
    THESAURUS
    ruin: The demise of the business left 100 workers without jobs.
demission
demission
  1. n. a resignation from a position: The Prime Minister accepted the demission of the Minister of Justice. -v. demit.
demitasse
demitasse
  1. n. (French for) a small cup: I had a demitasse of coffee after dinner.
demo
demo
  1. n. short for demonstration: Our sales people do demos of our new equipment for customers.
demobilize
demobilize
  1. v. [T] -lized, -lizing, -lizes to return members of the military to civilian life: After the war, the army was demobilized and the soldiers came home. -n. [C;U] demobilization.
democracy
democracy
  1. n. [C;U] a gov-ernment based on a written constitution and laws made by representatives elected by the people: Democracy guards and respects the rights of the individual. -v. [T] democratize .
    THESAURUS
    democracy a republic | constitutional government.
democratic
democratic
  1. adj.
    1 related to a democracy and democratic ideas
    2 treating people as equals: Even though she comes from a very rich family, she treats others in a democratic manner. -adv. democratically.
    THESAURUS
    democratic
    1 popular, representative, self-governing | constitutional. Ants.
    THESAURUS
    authoritarian, undemocratic.
    2 unsnobbish | common, populist.
demographics
demographics
  1. n.pl. demographic information about groups of people used esp. in politics and marketing: The demographics of New York show a great variety of people.
demography
demography
  1. n. [U] the study of characteristics of large groups of people (local, regional, or national), analyzing size, growth, age, sex, income, etc.: Experts in demography advise politicians and advertisers. -adj. demographic ; -adv. demographically.
demolish
demolish
  1. v. [T]
    1 to pull down,
    THESAURUS
    to raze: A wrecking team demolished the old building.
    2 to destroy: They demolished the enemy. -n.[C;U] demolition.
demon
demon
  1. n.
    1 a supernatural evil creature, a devil: demons in a nightmare
    2 infrml.fig. a person known for very special abilities: That runner is a speed demon. -adj. demonic.
demonstrable
demonstrable
  1. adj. able to be shown or demonstrated: Our company's product has demonstrable advantages over theirs. -adv. demonstrably.
demonstrate
demonstrate
  1. v. [I;T] -strated, -strating, -strates
    1 to show (how s.t. works, its advantages, etc.): I'll demonstrate for you how our new computer works.
    2 to march in protest: Students demonstrated in the streets outside the Capitol.
    THESAURUS
    demonstrate
    1 to describe, illustrate | prove
    2 to protest publicly.
demonstrative
demonstrative
  1. adj.
    1 showing feelings openly, esp. affection: She's quiet and reserved, not a demonstrative person.
    2 showing, (syns.) indicative of, suggestive of: Their written offer of a job is demonstrative of their very real interest.
demonstrator
demonstrator
  1. n.
    1 a protester: Demonstrators carried signs as they marched and shouted.
    2 a person who explains s.t.: a demonstrator of a new product
    3 a product used as an example: a demonstrator model of a new car
demoralize
demoralize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to lower the spirits or morale of s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to discourage: Poor leadership demoralized the workers.
demote
demote
  1. v. [T] -moted, -moting, -motes to lower in position or rank: The editor was angry when the general manager demoted her to assistant editor.
demotion
demotion
  1. n. [C;U] a lowering in position or rank: He was given a demotion because of his poor performance on the job.
demur
demur
  1. v.frml. [I] -murred, -murring, -murs to object, speak against: She demurred when asked to take a salary cut.
demure
demure
  1. adj. quiet, modest: The demure young man waited to be asked to dance. -adv. demurely.
demystify
demystify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to make s.t. clear, to remove the mystery from: We must demystify science by improving people's understanding of it.
den
den
  1. n.
    1 the home of certain animals: a bear's (lion's, fox's) den
    2 a room for relaxation and study: Our family watches TV in the den.
denationalize
denationalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, izing, izes to sell to private businesses, to remove government ownership: France and England have denationalized much of their industry.
deniable
deniable
  1. adj. capable or worthy of denial: All the accusations made in court against the defendant were deniable. -adv. deniably.
denial
denial
  1. n.
    1 [C] a statement saying that s.t. is not true: The Senator issued a denial of the story connecting her to organized crime.
    2 [C] refusal, rejection: I was angry at his denial of my request for a day off.
    3 [C;U] refusal to accept s.t. as true: Her denial of her heart condition keeps her from getting the medical care she needs for it.
denigrate
denigrate
  1. v. [T] -grated, -grating, grates to speak against the value, importance, character, or quality of, (syns.) to disparage, belittle: Some players denigrated the abilities of the other team.
denim
denim
  1. n.adj. [U] a strong fabric made of cotton and used in jeans: The cowboy wore a denim jacket and jeans.
denizen
denizen
  1. n. s.o. or s.t. living in a particular place: A bear is a denizen of the forest.
denomination
denomination
  1. n.
    1 a religious group with its own set of beliefs within a larger religion: Within Christianity, there are many denominations, such as Catholocism, Methodist, and Lutheran.
    2 an amount (of money): The bank robbers got only bills in small denominations, such as fives and tens. -v. [T] denominate; -adj. denominational.
denominator
denominator
  1. n.
    1 the number below the line in a fraction: In the fraction 1/4, 4 is the denominator.
    2 (lowest) common denominator: an indicator of a quality shared by all the members of a group: Although my sisters and brothers are always fighting, they have one common denominator: they all belong to the same political party.
denote
denote
  1. v. [T] -noted, -noting, -notes to show clearly, signify: The high quality of her writing denotes clear thinking.
denounce
denounce
  1. v. [T] -nounced, -nouncing, -nounces to speak strongly against, condemn: The Presidential candidate denounced his opponent as a liar. -n. [U] denouncement.
dense
dense
  1. adj. denser, densest
    1 stupid: He's too dense to understand our plan.
    2 crowded together: a dense forest, dense traffic -adv. densely.
density
density
  1. n. [C;U] -ties a degree of concentration: The population density in Tokyo is very high.
dent
dent
  1. n.
    1 a hollow or depression made by a blow or impact: The accident left a dent in my car door.
    2 infrml.fig. to make a dent in: to progress a little: We finally made a dent in our competitor's market, and we have 5 percent more market share now. —v. [T] to make a dent in s.t.: Another car hit mine and dented the back fender.
dental
dental
  1. adj. related to teeth and dentistry: She runs a dental office (practice, clinic, etc.).
dentist
dentist
  1. n. a person qualified in dentistry: The dentist examined my teeth.
dentistry
dentistry
  1. n. [U] the branch of medicine specializing in care and treatment of the teeth and gums: He practices dentistry in Chicago.
denture
denture
  1. n. false teeth, an artificial dental plate: She wears a denture in her lower jaw. —n. pl. dentures: a complete set of false teeth: My seventy-year-old father has dentures.
denude
denude
  1. v. [T] -nuded, -nuding, -nudes to remove the covering from s.t.: The hurricane denuded the trees of their leaves.
denunciation
denunciation
  1. n. [C;U] strong statement against, condemnation (usu. in public): The government issued a denunciation of the terrorist group.
deny
deny
  1. v. [T] -nied, -nying, -nies
    1 to say s.t. is not true: The defendant denied the accusations made against her in court.
    2 to refuse, reject: They denied their son permission to go.
    THESAURUS
    deny
    1 to contradict, refute, disavow. Ant. to admit.
    2 to turn down.
deodorant
deodorant
  1. n. [C;U] a substance that contains a perfume to hide unpleasant smells, esp. of the human body: I wish he would use an underarm deodorant! —adj. related to deodorants: a deodorant product. See: antiperspirant, USAGE NOTE.
deodorize
deodorize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to cover the odor of s.t., to use a disinfectant that removes a bad smell: The cleaning woman deodorized the bathroom with Lysol™.
depart
depart
  1. v. [I]
    1 to leave, begin a trip: The plane to Paris will depart at 3:00.
    2 to depart from: to move away from: The secretive author departed from his custom of privacy when he agreed to give an interview.
    3 to die: The old woman departed in her sleep last night. —n. the departed: a dead person: The departed will be buried tomorrow.
    THESAURUS
    depart
    1 to go, start off, go away. Ant. to arrive.
    2 to deviate from s.t. frml.
department
department
  1. n.
    1 a division (of a business, college, organization, etc.) with a specific function: He works for a newspaper in the art (editorial, advertising, etc.) department.
    2 a branch of government: the Department of Defense -adj. departmental ; -adv. departmentally.
department store
department store
  1. n. a store that carries a wide variety of goods, such as clothes, furniture, dishes, etc.: Macy's in New York City is a famous department store.
    THESAURUS
    department store a retail outlet | discount store.
departmentalize
departmentalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to organize into departments: They departmentalized the military into the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, etc.
departure
departure
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] an act of departing, a leaving: My departure for Los Angeles is at 8:00 A.M. tomorrow.
    2 [C] a different way from the usual way of doing s.t.: We were surprised by their departure from their normal practice.
    THESAURUS
    departure
    1 start, take off. Ant. arrival.
    2 a deviation frml.
depend
depend
  1. v. [I]
    1 to rely on, trust: I depend on you to be on time.
    2 to need (for support): Her family depends upon her salary from that job.
    3 to vary with, be controlled by: Tomorrow's picnic depends on our having good weather.
    THESAURUS
    depend
    1 to count on, put one's trust in
    2 to be dependent on
    3 to hinge on, rest on | be contingent on frml.
dependable
dependable
  1. adj. responsible, reliable, trustworthy: A good friend must be dependable. -adv. dependably.
    THESAURUS
    dependable steady, sure, tried and true.
dependence
dependence
  1. n.
    1 sing. [U] reliance, a need for support: The son has a dependence on his parents for money.
    2 [C;U] addiction: She has a dependence on alcohol.
dependency
dependency
  1. n. -cies
    1 [C;U] a strong need for, an addiction: He has a dependency on drugs.
    2 [C] a nation or territory dependent on another power: The island of Guam is a dependency of the United States.
dependent
dependent
  1. adj.
    1 in need of support from: A dog is dependent upon its owner for food.
    2 controlled by, varying with: Our bonuses are dependent on good profits. —n. a person who depends on another for food, clothes, housing, etc.: He has three dependents, his wife and two children.
    THESAURUS
    dependent adj.
    1 reliant upon. Ant. independent.
    2 subject to, contingent on frml.
depersonalize
depersonalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 to make impersonal,
    THESAURUS
    to dehumanize: The use of computers can depersonalize service by treating people as mere numbers.
    2 to change the focus of a situation from a person to the issue: We must depersonalize this discussion and focus on the problem, not on who is to blame.
depict
depict
  1. v.frml. [T]
    1 to paint, draw: The artist depicted a landscape in bright colors.
    2 to describe,
    THESAURUS
    to portray: Her letters depict the situation as wonderful. -n.[C;U] depiction.
depilatory
depilatory
  1. n. -ries a product that removes hair: She uses a depilatory to remove unwanted body hair.
deplane
deplane
  1. v. [I] -planed, -planing, -planes to leave an airplane: We deplaned in Chicago and then drove to Milwaukee.
deplete
deplete
  1. v. [T] -pleted, -pleting, -pletes to reduce by using much of: That country has depleted its natural resources completely. -n. [U] depletion.
deplorable
deplorable
  1. adj.
    1 very bad,
    THESAURUS
    distressing: Poor people live in deplorable conditions.
    2 worthy of strong criticism or condemnation: the deplorable actions of a dictator -adv. deplorably.
deplore
deplore
  1. v. [T] -plored, -ploring, -plores
    1 to feel or express sadness or regret over: Every citizen must deplore the poor housing conditions in the city.
    2 to strongly disapprove of, condemn: The newspaper printed an editorial deploring police brutality.
deploy
deploy
  1. v. [T] to spread out for use, esp. for military action: The general deployed his forces along the battlefront. -n.[C;U] deployment.
depoliticize
depoliticize
  1. v. [T] -cized, -cizing, -cizes to remove the politics from a situation: The President depoliticized poverty issues and has all parties working together on solving their causes.
depopulate
depopulate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to remove the population from an area, usu. by a disaster: A long period without rain depopulated the region. -n. [U] depopulation.
deport
deport
  1. v. [T] to force s.o., usu. a foreigner or criminal, to leave a country, esp. by taking away his or her citizenship: The government deported the spy. -adj. deportable .
    THESAURUS
    deport to expel, exile, banish.
deportation
deportation
  1. n. [C;U] forced removal of s.o. from a country by law: Prison officials took her to the airport for deportation.
deportee
deportee
  1. n. a person who is deported: Deportees must find a country prepared to take them.
    THESAURUS
    deportee an exile | refugee.
deportment
deportment
  1. n.frml. [U] conduct, behavior: His deportment in college was excellent; he worked hard and never got into trouble.
depose
depose
  1. v. [T] -posed, -posing, -poses
    1 to remove s.o. from power, such as a dictator, king, or other powerful person: The army deposed the dictator.
    2 (in law) to take a deposition, usu. oral testimony put in writing by a stenographer, to discover facts from a person in a lawsuit before a court trial: A lawyer deposed a witness in her office.
deposit
deposit
  1. v.
    1 [T] to place s.t. valuable, such as money, in a bank or brokerage account: I deposit my paycheck in the bank.
    2 [T] to place valuables for safekeeping: to deposit jewelry in a safe; to deposit your children with a baby sitter
    3 [I;T] to come down, settle: Sediment deposits slowly on the ocean bottom. —n.
    1 the act of placing money in an account: I made a deposit at the bank this morning.
    2 a partial payment to hold goods or property until the buyer makes complete payment: to make (or) leave a deposit on a new TV set
    3 s.t. put down or left through a natural process: deposits of sand at the mouth of a river
deposition
deposition
  1. n.
    1 (in law) statements sworn to be true that are recorded before a trial: I gave a deposition to the court, because I was excused from testifying at the trial.
    2 a deposing (from power)
depository
depository
  1. n. -ies
    1 a place of safekeeping,
    THESAURUS
    a repository: Stock certificates are kept in a depository at the brokerage house.
    2 a vault-like container for safekeeping, such as those found outside banks: A store employee puts the day's receipts in the bank depository at night.
depot
depot
  1. n.
    1 a bus or train station: Meet me at the bus depot.
    2 a place to store goods, a warehouse: Military supplies are stored at the depot.
depraved
depraved
  1. adj. of low moral character: That depraved man abused children.
depravity
depravity
  1. n. [U] moral corruption,
    THESAURUS
    degeneracy: After he lost his job, he fell slowly into a life of drugs and depravity.
deprecate
deprecate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates
    1 to express disapproval of: She doesn't like to hear her parents deprecate her husband.
    2 to speak of s.t. as if it is of little value,
    THESAURUS
    to belittle: She is a modest person, so she deprecates her musical talent. -adj. deprecatory.
depreciable
depreciable
  1. adj. capable of being reduced in value, esp. for tax deduction purposes: They were wise to invest in depreciable real estate.
depreciate
depreciate
  1. v. -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 [I] to go down in value: This house has depreciated since we bought it.
    2 [T] to take a deduction from taxes for the loss over time in value of property and equipment: Our accountant advised us to depreciate the office building at 3 percent a year.
    3 [T] to speak of as not valuable or important, (syns.) to disparage, belittle: The boss depreciated the abilities of a worker.
depreciation
depreciation
  1. n. [U] reduction in value, esp. for tax purposes: How do you calculate the rate of depreciation for taxes?
depredation
depredation
  1. n.frml. [C;U] robbing and destruction: World leaders protested the depredations of the invading army on the civilian population.
depress
depress
  1. v. [T]
    1 to sadden, dismay: The loss of his job depressed him.
    2 to press down: To stop, you must depress this button (lever, computer key, etc.).
    3 to make less active, weaken: Uncertainty about the coming Presidential election depressed the stock market. -adj. depressing; -adv. depressingly.
    THESAURUS
    depress
    1 to discourage, dishearten, weigh down
    2 to push down. Ant. to lift up.
depressant
depressant
  1. n. s.t. that depresses (the mind, spirit, bodily systems): Too much alcohol acts as a depressant, esp. on the heart and nerves. -adj. depressive.
depressed
depressed
  1. adj.
    1 saddened, in low spirits: I feel depressed in bad weather.
    2 suffering from little business activity and high unemployment: a depressed region in the state
    THESAURUS
    depressed
    1 blue, dejected | down in the dumps, infrml.
    2 poor.
depression
depression
  1. n.
    1 a feeling of temporary sadness: She's in a depression over the death of her husband.
    2 a mental illness: The doctor is treating him for depression.
    3 a long period of economic slowdown and much unemployment: the Great Depression of the 1930s
    4 a great decline in business activity
depressor
depressor
  1. n. a tool for pressing down: Doctors use tongue depressors to examine your throat.
deprivation
deprivation
  1. n. [C;U] a condition of want and need: The people of that country live in a state of deprivation without freedom or enough food.
deprive
deprive
  1. v. [T] -prived, -priving, -prives
    1 to take s.t. away from,
    THESAURUS
    to dispossess: The military dictatorship deprived people of their freedom (rights, peace of mind, etc.).
    2 to keep s.t. from,
    THESAURUS
    to deny: Her illness deprived her of a chance to go to college.
deprived
deprived
  1. adj. prevented from having basic rights or necessities: He is away from home and feels deprived of his loved ones.
depth
depth
  1. n.
    1 a distance below a surface: The swimmer went down to a depth of five meters.
    2 a large amount: I respect her depth of knowledge (understanding, feeling, etc.).
    3 a distance on a horizontal flat surface: a building lot with a depth of 100 feet
    4 in depth: carefully and completely, in detail: The accountant studied the company's financial position in depth.
    5 out of one's depth or beyond one's depth: beyond one's understanding: I am out of my depth when it comes to understanding higher mathematics.
deputize
deputize
  1. v. [T] -tized, -tizing, -tizes to give power to an assistant to act in one's place: A sheriff can deputize ordinary citizens to find and arrest a criminal. -n. [U] deputation.
deputy
deputy
  1. n. -ties a person, usu. in a police function, given power to act as an official: The deputy sheriff arrested a thief.
derail
derail
  1. v. [I;T] to go off the track: The train derailed after it hit another train. -n. [C;U] derailment.
deranged
deranged
  1. adj.
    1 crazy, insane: Traffic was stopped by a deranged man shouting at the sky.
    2 in disorder, confused: deranged papers spread across the floor -n. [U] derangement.
derby
derby
  1. n. -bies
    1 a race: That horse won the Kentucky Derby.
    2 a type of man's hat that is stiff and round: He wears a black derby.
deregulate
deregulate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to take away governmental rules and limits on,
    THESAURUS
    to decontrol: The government deregulated the airlines and allowed them to compete with each other on prices and routes. -n. [U] deregulation.
dereliction
dereliction
  1. [U] n. failure to take proper care, esp. of one's duty or work: The soldier went to prison for dereliction of duty.
deride
deride
  1. v.frml. [T] -rided, -riding, -rides to make fun of, to speak of as foolish,
    THESAURUS
    to ridicule: That newspaper columnist derides the mayor whenever she can.
derision
derision
  1. n. [U] speech or actions showing s.o. or s.t. is considered foolish, (syns.) ridicule, belittling: His idea was greeted with derision; people laughed at him.
derisive
derisive
  1. adj. showing derision, (syns.) mocking, belittling: That controversial artist has suffered many derisive comments about her paintings. -adv. derisively.
derivative
derivative
  1. n. s.t. that comes from s.t. else: The English word "derelict" is a derivative of the Latin "derelictus." —adj. copying s.t. else (instead of showing new ideas): That poet doesn't interest me; his poems are too derivative.
derive
derive
  1. v. -rived, -riving, -rives
    1 [T] to get,
    THESAURUS
    to obtain: She derives her income from freelance work.
    2 [I] to come from,
    THESAURUS
    to originate: The word "apple" derives from the Old English word "aeppel." -n. derivation.
dermatology
dermatology
  1. n. [U] the branch of medicine dealing with disorders and diseases of the skin: She studied dermatology to treat acne and rashes. -n. dermatologist.
derogate
derogate
  1. v.frml. [I] -gated, -gating, -gates to lessen, take away from: His bad behavior derogates from his reputation. -n. [U] derogation.
derogatory
derogatory
  1. adj. showing lack of respect, (syns.) critical, disparaging: The two candidates for mayor criticized each other's ideas, but without making derogatory remarks.
derrière
derrière
  1. n.infrml. (French for) the buttocks: He slipped and fell on his derrière.
descend
descend
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to go down: He descended the stairs.||A plane descends in preparation for landing.
    2 [I] to slope downward: This road descends to the river.
    3 to descend from: to be a descendant of: She says she's descended from the first English settlers in America.
    4 fig. to descend on: to arrive suddenly, as in an attack: The opera star's fans descended on him, begging for autographs.
    5 to descend to: to lower oneself to unacceptable behavior: The couple descended to arguing over even the smallest expense.
    THESAURUS
    descend
    1 to come down, climb down. Ant. to ascend.
    2 to drop, drop down, dip | sink. Ant. to rise.
descendant
descendant
  1. n. s.o. born into a certain family line: She is a descendant of our first President.
descendent
descendent
  1. adj. moving downwards: He threw the baseball low with a descendent curve.
descent
descent
  1. n.
    1 a move downward: The airplane made a long descent before landing.
    2 family origin: She is of Chilean descent.
describe
describe
  1. v. [T] -scribed, -scribing, -scribes
    1 to explain: The teacher described how to do the experiment.
    2 to tell what s.t. looks like, to report: The reporter described the event as it was happening.
    THESAURUS
    describe
    1 to state, detail, outline
    2 to depict frml., relate, recount.
description
description
  1. n.
    1 an explanation: His book gives a description of how a house is built.
    2 a report: You can hear a description of the ball game on the radio.
    THESAURUS
    description
    1 an account, depiction frml. | sketch
    2 a narrative.
descriptive
descriptive
  1. adj. giving an explanation of s.t. (people, events, places, etc.): The book is full of descriptive passages about life in Russia. -adv. descriptively.
desecrate
desecrate
  1. v. [T] -crated, -crating, -crates to damage or misuse (s.t. considered sacred),
    THESAURUS
    to defile: The invading army desecrated this holy place when they camped here. -n.[C;U] desecration.
desegregation
desegregation
  1. n. the ending by law of racial segregation or separation of races, esp. in public places: Desegrega-tion of the school system brought black and white students into the same public schools. -v. desegregate [T].
desensitize
desensitize
  1. v. [T] -tized, -tizing, -tizes to lessen or remove the sen-sitivity: Does watching violence on TV desensitize people to violence so that it disturbs them less? -n. [U] desensitization.
desertion
desertion
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] an abandonment, esp. of one person by another: The father's desertion of the family left them with no support.
    2 [C;U] leaving military service without permission: During a war, there are often desertions from the losing army.
deserve
deserve
  1. v. [T] -served, -serving, -serves to merit, be worthy of: A good worker deserves good pay.
    THESAURUS
    deserve to be entitled to s.t., earn | warrant frml.
deserving
deserving
  1. adj.
    1 worthy, meriting: A job well done is deserving of praise.
    2 worthy of special consideration: She's a deserving young woman and should be given a college scholarship.
desiccant
desiccant
  1. n. [U] a substance that absorbs moisture: My stereo was shipped with little bags of desiccant to keep it dry.
design
design
  1. n.
    1 style, form: Their house was built in a modern design.
    2 a picture or layout to show how s.t. will be made: Here is the design (or layout design) for our next magazine cover.
    3 the art of making designs: She studies fashion design.
    4 a pattern that decorates: I like the design on his tie.
    5 a mental plan: a grand design for a new social order
    6 to have designs on: to make secret plans for getting s.t. or s.o.: I think he has designs on her job, so she should be careful of him. —v.
    1 [I;T] to draw sketches or plans for: They've designed a new airplane.
    2 [I;T] to form mental plans for: We must design a better advertising campaign.
    3 [T] to intend for a certain goal or purpose: a movie designed to appeal to teenagers
    THESAURUS
    design n.
    1 a motif | pattern
    2 a drawing, blueprint, sketch.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to create, draw up
    2 to conceive, devise, plan
    3 to create, fashion.
designate
designate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates
    1 to appoint: An official designated his aide to represent him at the conference.
    2 to mark or point out, indicate: Some cars on the train are designated as no smoking areas. -n. [U] designation.
designer
designer
  1. n. a person who creates and draws plans for things, usu. beautiful objects: She is a great designer of women's clothes (book covers, home interiors, etc.).
designing
designing
  1. adj. tending to make secret plans,
    THESAURUS
    calculating: He is a designing individual, always trying to figure out how he can get others to do his work for him.
desirable
desirable
  1. adj.
    1 worthwhile, valuable: They own a desirable piece of property by the sea.
    2 attractive, appealing: She is a beautiful and intelligent woman; any man would think she is desirable. -adv. desirably; -n. [U] desirability .
    THESAURUS
    desirable
    1 worth having | in demand, sought after
    2 alluring.
desire
desire
  1. v.frml. [T] -sired, -siring, -sires
    1 to wish, want: The President desires that we leave tomorrow.
    2 to want very strongly: She desires to succeed in business, no matter the cost. —n.
    1 a wish, want: She expressed a desire to go on vacation.
    2 a strong wish: The refugees were filled with the desire to see their homeland again.
    3 a strong sexual want, lust: The sight of him filled her with desire.
    THESAURUS
    desire v.frml.
    2 to aspire, long for, yearn | covet, hunger for. —n.
    1 a fancy
    2 a craving
    3 longing, passion.
desirous
desirous
  1. adj.frml. wanting, longing for: The President is desirous of your presence at dinner this Tuesday.
desist
desist
  1. v.frml. [I] to stop doing s.t., discontinue: The court has ordered him to desist from bothering his neighbor.
desk
desk
  1. n. a piece of furniture like a table, usu. with drawers and used to write on: She reads, writes, thinks, and works at her desk every day.
desolate
desolate
  1. adj.
    1 empty of people,
    THESAURUS
    barren: After the terrible fire, we looked out over the desolate landscape.
    2 depressed, lonely and sad: The death of his wife left him desolate. -adv. desolately. —v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 to cause great destruction of,
    THESAURUS
    to ravage: War has desolated the city of Beirut.
    2 to depress, deeply sadden: Her death desolated him. -n. [U] desolation.
despair
despair
  1. n. [U] sadness without hope of relief: When she learned that she had cancer, she fell into the depths of despair. —v. [I] to completely lose hope: His family despaired for him when he was lost at sea.
    THESAURUS
    despair n. hopelessness, depression, misery. Ant. hope.
despatch
despatch
  1. v. See: dispatch.
desperado
desperado
  1. n. -does or -dos a desperate, dangerous criminal: Tourists were afraid to travel outside the city for fear of attacks by desperadoes on lonely roads.
desperate
desperate
  1. adj.
    1 in immediate, very strong need: The refugees are desperate for food (money, help, etc.).
    2 wild and dangerous: a desperate criminal willing to kill anyone to escape -adv. desperately; -n. desperation.
despicable
despicable
  1. adj. shamefully bad, (syns.) contemptible, vile: He was drunk and his behavior at the party was despicable. -adv. despicably.
despise
despise
  1. v. [T] -spised, -spising, -spises to hate, detest: The two teenage gangs despised each other.
despite
despite
  1. prep. even though, in spite of: Despite the fact that she is short, she is an excellent basketball player.
    THESAURUS
    despite notwithstanding | regardless of.
despondent
despondent
  1. adj. sad and without hope,
    THESAURUS
    melancholy: He is despondent over his inability to find a job. -adv. despondently.
despot
despot
  1. n. a dictator, tyrant: The king was a despot and his people lived in terror of him. -adj. despotic ; -n. [U] despotism.
dessert
dessert
  1. n. the last course in a meal, usu. a sweet dish, such as cake, fruit, etc.: We had apple pie and coffee for dessert.
destabilize
destabilize
  1. v. [T] -lized, -lizing, -lizes to upset the stability of and make open to a change of political leadership: Revolutionaries destabilize a government by forcing leaders to resign. -n. [U] destabilization.
destination
destination
  1. n. the place where s.o. is going or s.t. is being sent: The destination of our trip is San Francisco.
    THESAURUS
    destination an end | goal, target.
destined
destined
  1. adj. intended by fortune or heavenly forces, fated: She was destined to be a great singer (failure, writer, etc.) from childhood.
destiny
destiny
  1. n. -nies
    1 [U] the influence of uncontrollable forces on the course of life and its events, fate: It was destiny, not an accident, that brought the two lovers together.
    2 [C] the future, final result: The destiny of the planet depends on how humans control themselves.
destitute
destitute
  1. adj. without money or hope of having any,
    THESAURUS
    penniless: With no inheritance, he left his family destitute. -n. [U] destitution.
destroy
destroy
  1. v. [T]
    1 to pull or break down: The storm destroyed every house on the coast.
    2 to ruin, put an end to: to destroy one's reputation, hopes, chances
    THESAURUS
    destroy
    1 to wipe out, demolish, smash
    2 to wreck, spoil. Ant. to restore s.t.
destroyer
destroyer
  1. n.
    1 a heavily armed warship: Destroyers fought in the Atlantic in World War II.
    2 s.o. or s.t. that destroys: Disease is a destroyer of lives.
destruct
destruct
  1. v. [I;T] to fall apart, usu. by force, such as an explosion: A bomb destructs when it explodes.||A missile that is off course self-destructs.
destructible
destructible
  1. adj. capable of being destroyed: The army wanted vehicles that were not easily destructible.
destruction
destruction
  1. n. [U]
    1 terrible and complete ruin: A hurricane causes great destruction to buildings and trees.
    2 the act of pulling or breaking down: The destruction of the old building will take two weeks.
    THESAURUS
    destruction
    1 devastation, desolation, havoc
    2 demolition | downfall (of people). Ant. construction.
destructive
destructive
  1. adj. causing great damage: Hurricanes bring the destructive force of high winds.||A destructive drug habit ruined her career. -adv. destructively.
    THESAURUS
    destructive devastating, ruinous | deadly. Ant. constructive.
desultory
desultory
  1. adj. aimless in moving from one thing to another without completion: She works in a desultory way and completes nothing.
detach
detach
  1. v. [T] -taches
    1 to remove, disconnect: We need a carpenter to detach this bookshelf from the wall.
    2 to move away, distance: The Board of Directors tried to detach themselves from the company president and his illegal actions.
    THESAURUS
    detach
    1 to separate, unfasten | loosen, take apart
    2 to isolate, disassociate oneself.
detached
detached
  1. adj.
    1 removed from, distant: The company president is detached from the day-to-day operations of the business.
    2 free from emotional involvement,
    THESAURUS
    aloof: Through all the arguments among other committee members, she kept a detached attitude.
detachment
detachment
  1. n.
    1 [U] emotional distance,
    THESAURUS
    aloofness: Her attitude of detachment toward the problem hides the real concern that she feels.
    2 [U] an act of removal, separation, disconnection: The detachment of cables from the computer will take an hour.
detail
detail
  1. n.
    1 a small point: There is one detail in the plan (contract, agreement, etc.) that is unclear to me.
    2 a small item of little or no importance: Forget the details for now so we can focus on the overall plan.
    3 small, fine parts (of a work of art): This painting is rich with detail.
    4 in detail: with specifics: She explained the problem in detail to the store manager. —v. [T]
    1 to describe fully, with all the fine points: The letter detailed the company's requirements for a new product.
    2 to choose s.o. to do a job, esp. in the military: They have detailed a squad of soldiers to guard the prisoner.
    THESAURUS
    detail n.
    1 a particular, item, component
    2 a technicality
    3 intricacies.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to go over, spell out, enumerate
    2 to assign.
detain
detain
  1. v. [T]
    1 to keep waiting, delay: I am late because I was detained in traffic.
    2 to hold at a police station: The police detained a man for questioning in the crime. -n. [U] detainment.
detect
detect
  1. v. [T]
    1 to uncover, find: They detected a problem in the computer program and fixed it.
    2 to notice, observe: I detect a sense of frustration among my employees.
detection
detection
  1. n.
    1 [U] a discovery: The city worker won praise for his detection of a break in a water pipe.
    2 [U] close watching,
    THESAURUS
    surveillance: The store has a detection system for security.
detective
detective
  1. n. a police officer whose work is getting information about crimes: a police detective || I will do some detective work to find out what is happening.
    THESAURUS
    detective n. an investigator, agent, private eye infrml.
detector
detector
  1. n. a device used to locate the presence of s.t.: Metal detectors are used in airports to find guns.
detention
detention
  1. n. [U]
    1 holding or keeping from moving freely or going away: The man was held in detention by immigration authorities until his citizenship was known.
    2 jail: a prisoner held in detention or in a house of detention
deter
deter
  1. v. [T] -terred, -terring, -ters to stop or prevent from acting: A woman deterred a criminal from attacking her by yelling for the police.
detergent
detergent
  1. n. [C;U] a strong synthetic soap made to remove dirt and stains caused by grease, tea, blood, etc.: This laundry detergent can remove grass stains from clothes.
deteriorate
deteriorate
  1. v. [I;T] -rated, -rating, -rates to fall into bad condition, become weak: The old man's health has deteriorated. -n. [U] deterioration.
determinant
determinant
  1. n.adj. s.t. that influences or decides, an important consideration: The salary that a new job offers is the determinant (or) the determinant factor in my changing jobs.
determinate
determinate
  1. adj.frml. precisely limited, counted, or defined: They have a determinate amount of money to invest.
determination
determination
  1. n.
    1 [U] strong will, resoluteness: She has great determination to succeed.
    2 [C] a finding, conclusion: The detective made a determination as to the cause of the car accident; he found that the brakes had failed.
    THESAURUS
    determination
    1 drive, resolve | backbone, conviction
    2 a judgment.
determine
determine
  1. v. [T] -mined, -mining, -mines
    1 to conclude, decide,
    THESAURUS
    to ascertain: The judge determined that the defendant was guilty.
    2 to influence or control: The weather will determine if we have the party outdoors or not. -n. determiner.
determined
determined
  1. adj. of strong will,
    THESAURUS
    resolute: The workers are determined to finish the job on time.
deterrence
deterrence
  1. n. [U] prevention, usu. by frightening with force: By threatening a nuclear attack, they achieved their goal, the deterrence of an invasion.
deterrent
deterrent
  1. n. s.t. that prevents (an attack, a crime, etc.): Police serve as a deterrent to crime.||a nuclear deterrent
detest
detest
  1. v. [T] to hate,
    THESAURUS
    to loathe: The two political rivals detest each other. -n.frml. [U] detestation.
detestable
detestable
  1. adj. deserving hatred, (syns.) odious, repulsive: He deserves life in prison for his detestable act.
dethrone
dethrone
  1. v. [T] -throned, -throning, -thrones to remove from power, depose: The palace guard dethroned the emperor. -n. dethronement.
detonate
detonate
  1. v. [I;T] -nated, -nating, -nates to explode or cause to explode: The bomb detonated.||They detonated a bomb.
detonation
detonation
  1. n. [C;U] an explosion: The detonation of the bomb blew the house up.
detonator
detonator
  1. n. s.t. used to set off an explosive: Police bomb squads know how to remove the detonator from a bomb so that it will not explode.
detour
detour
  1. n.
    1 a temporary road opened while the main road is under repair: Signs directed traffic to a detour.
    2 a move away from the direct or planned way to go: On the way home, she made a detour to the store for milk. —v. [I;T] to make a detour: Let's detour around the downtown traffic.
    THESAURUS
    detour n.
    1 and
    2 an alternate route, bypass. —v. to skirt, bypass | circumvent frml.
detox
detox
  1. n.v. [T] adj.infrml.short for detoxification (from drug use): The patient is in detox now in a detox facility; he detoxes each time he overdoses.
detoxification
detoxification
  1. n. [U]
    1 the cleaning out of drugs from a drug user's body: Drug addicts go to that clinic for detoxification.
    2 the removal of poisons: the detoxification of an area that was used as a dump -v. detoxify.
detract
detract
  1. v. [I;T] to take s.t. good from, lower the value of s.o. or s.t.: Her heavy makeup detracts from her good looks. -n. detraction.
detractor
detractor
  1. n. s.o. who speaks against (s.o. or s.t.), a critic: His detractors say that he is handsome but not smart.
detriment
detriment
  1. n.
    1 [C] s.t. that causes damage or loss: Being unable to write well is a detriment to professional success.
    2 [C;U] harm, injury: She failed to eat and sleep enough, to the detriment of her health. -adj. detrimental.
detritus
detritus
  1. n.frml. [U]
    1 debris: The road was blocked by the detritus from a rock slide.
    2 remains, waste: the detritus found in an archaeological dig
deuce
deuce
  1. n.
    1 a playing card with the number two: I have a pair of deuces in my hand.
    2 on dice, the surfaces with two spots
    3 exclam.infrml. the deuce: expression used to show anger or frustration: What the deuce are you doing to my car?!
devaluate
devaluate
  1. v. [I;T] -ated, -ating, -ates to lower the value of money: The Canadian government has devaluated the dollar by 10 percent. -n.[C;U] devaluation.
devalue
devalue
  1. See: devaluate.
devastate
devastate
  1. v. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates
    1 to destroy completely, lay waste to: A storm devastated the island.
    2 to crush emotionally (spiritually, financially, etc.): Her father's sudden death devastated her.||It was a devastating loss.
devastation
devastation
  1. n. [U] complete, widespread ruin: War and famine bring devastation to a country.
develop
develop
  1. v.
    1 [T] to make into s.t. more complete, greater or bigger: They developed a program to stop teenage drinking.
    2 [I] to happen, occur,
    THESAURUS
    to transpire: Before making any plans, let's see what develops when the storm hits (business increases, etc.).
    3 [T] to change a place by building: They're going to develop this open land into a shopping center.
    4 [T] to process: to develop photographic film
    5 to develop from/into: to grow, progress,
    THESAURUS
    to evolve: A girl develops into a woman.||This giant corporation developed from a small business.
    6 to develop on: to make larger or fuller: The professor gave a short overview of his thoughts and then developed on them at length.
developer
developer
  1. n.
    1 a person or company that develops land: She's a real estate developer.
    2 the chemicals used to develop photographic film: to put film in the developer
developing
developing
  1. adj.
    1 in process, moving towards completion or maturity: We must keep close watch on the developing situation (storm, opposition, etc.).
    2 economically weak, but growing: A developing nation often wants trade with superpowers. —n. [U] film processing: The developing of the film will take two days.
development
development
  1. n. [U]
    1 growth, progress: We are responsible for the development of our children's bodies (our students' minds, the country's economy, etc.).
    2 [C] an important event or occurrence: the latest development in computer technology||TV news reports of further developments in a murder case
    3 [U] making larger or fuller amplification: the development of an idea
    4 [C] a housing or business complex of buildings, roads, etc.: They live in a new development (or) housing development.
    5 [U] under development: in the process of being analyzed or created: A new computer is under development in the laboratory.
    THESAURUS
    development
    1 the advancement
    2 an advance, progression, evolution
    3 an elaboration
    4 a community | neighborhood.
deviant
deviant
  1. n.adj. a person who deviates from socially accepted standards of behavior: As a pornographer, he is a deviant.|| sexually deviant behavior -n. deviance; -adv. deviantly.
deviate
deviate
  1. v. [I] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to act in a socially unacceptable way: He deviated from society by becoming a drug addict.
    2 to vary from the rule or standard: He deviated from his normal good habits by becoming drunk once.
deviation
deviation
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a move away or a difference (from what is expected): The storm caused a deviation from the plane's planned route.||The girl's friendliness is a deviation from her parents' shyness.
    2 [C] an antisocial act: Drug-taking is a deviation from accepted norms.
    3 (in statistics) the difference between a number and the mean of the set it is in
device
device
  1. n.
    1 an electrical or mechanical machine: The computer is an electronic device.
    2 a tool or implement: An electric can opener is also a device.
    3 a trick or secret means to an end: His outbursts of anger are just a device to move everyone's attention from his guilt.
    4 to leave to one's own devices: to leave s.o. alone without help or interference
    THESAURUS
    device
    1 an instrument, mechanism
    2 an appliance, contraption, gadget
    3 a scheme, stratagem.
devil
devil
  1. n.
    1 (in Judaism and Christianity) Satan, the most powerful of evil spirits and enemy of God: The Devil rules in Hell.
    2 a person who has caused mischief or trouble, esp. a boy: That little devil has eaten all the cookies again!
    3 between the devil and the deep blue sea: in an impossible situation: She may be killed if she tells what she saw, but she'll go to prison if she doesn't, so she's between the devil and the deep blue sea.
    4 like the devil: with great energy: work like the devil to finish on time
    5 to give the devil his due: to admit s.t. good about s.o. who is disliked: I must give the devil his due and say that my opponent did an excellent job.
    6 exclam. the devil: expression of annoyance: Where the devil did I put my reading glasses?
    7 the devil to pay: serious trouble as a result: If the company is late with this shipment, we'll have (or) there'll be the devil to pay.
    8 the devil you know is better than the devil you don't: it is better to stay with a known difficulty than to risk a possibly worse one: The workers dislike their manager but they don't want a new one, because the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. -n. [U] deviltry.
    THESAURUS
    devil
    2 a wicked person | demon, fiend.
devil's advocate
devil's advocate
  1. n.
    1 a person who tests an idea (plan, argument, etc.) by asking critical questions of another person to uncover possible weaknesses in it
    2 to play the devil's advocate: to act as a friendly critic: When I proposed an expensive project, a coworker played the devil's advocate to show what could go wrong with it.
devilish
devilish
  1. adj.
    1 evil, like the devil: She is a devilish enemy.
    2 fig. complex and risky: We have a devilish problem in disposing of nuclear waste.
devilishly
devilishly
  1. adv. in a very frustrating way: I had a devilishly difficult problem to solve.
devious
devious
  1. adj. not direct or honest, (syns.) underhanded, deceitful: Their accountant used devious methods to cheat them out of a lot of money. -adv. deviously.
devise
devise
  1. v. [T] -vised, -vising, -vises
    1 to create, develop: She has devised a plan for company expansion.
    2 to invent (s.t. clever), dream up: to devise a scheme to get rich quick
devoid
devoid
  1. adj. empty, lacking: Her writing is clear, but her ideas are devoid of substance.
devolve
devolve
  1. v. [I;T] -volved, -volving, -volves frml. to pass or be passed: These responsibilities will devolve on the next President. -n. [U] devolution.
devote
devote
  1. v. [T] -voted, -voting, -votes
    1 to give: He devotes a great deal of time (money, effort, etc.) to his garden (church, politics, etc.).
    2 to use for a special purpose: to devote an area to housing for the poor
    THESAURUS
    devote
    1 to dedicate, commit, spend
    2 to set apart, assign.
devoted
devoted
  1. adj.
    1 attentive, loving: They are a devoted couple.
    2 dedicated, showing great care: This doctor is devoted to her work. -adv. devotedly.
devotee
devotee
  1. n.frml. s.o. who greatly admires s.t.: She is a devotee of the opera.
devotion
devotion
  1. n. [U]
    1 dedication, loyalty: The soldier won praise for his devotion to duty.
    2 loving attention: She is full of devotion to her family.
devotional
devotional
  1. adj. religious: The priest reads only devotional literature.
devour
devour
  1. v. [T]
    1 to eat quickly and completely: The lions devoured a zebra in a short time.
    2 to use up, usu. in a wasteful manner: The heavy spending of the dictator devoured the country's resources.
devout
devout
  1. adj.
    1 deeply religious: She is a devout Catholic (Baptist, Jew, Muslim, etc.).
    2 serious, deeply felt: a devout wish to help the poor -adv. devoutly; -n. [U] devoutness.
dew
dew
  1. n. [U] drops of water, esp. on grass and other plants, that come from the night air: You'll wet your shoes walking through the morning dew.
dexterity
dexterity
  1. n. [U] skill or ability, esp. with the hands: She plays the guitar with great dexterity.
dexterous
dexterous
  1. or dextrous adj. skillful or clever, esp. with the hands: His fingers are very dexterous in carving figures out of wood. -adv. dexterously.
dextrose
dextrose
  1. n. [U] a form of glucose (plant sugar) contained esp. in fruits and used in making candies, jams, and other foods: Dextrose is a good source of energy for humans.
dexterous
dexterous
  1. or dextrous -adj. skillful or clever, esp. with the hands: His fingers are very dexterous in carving figures out of wood.-adv. dexterously.
diabetes
diabetes
  1. n. [U] a disease involving a body's inability to absorb sugar properly: She has had diabetes since childhood but controls it with insulin.
diabetic
diabetic
  1. n.adj. a person with diabetes: He is a diabetic.||She had a diabetic reaction but is okay now.
diabolic
diabolic
  1. adj. evil, devilish: He has a diabolic mind, always making evil plans. -adj. diabolical; -adv. diabolically.
diagnose
diagnose
  1. v. [T] -nosed, -nosing, -noses to discover or identify (as disease, sickness): Doctors diagnose illnesses.
    THESAURUS
    diagnose to figure s.t. out, pinpoint, recognize.
diagnosis
diagnosis
  1. n. -ses a finding, conclusion: The doctor has made a diagnosis of the illness as diabetes.
    THESAURUS
    diagnosis an explanation, analysis.
diagnostic
diagnostic
  1. n.adj. an analysis made to find the cause of an illness or the source of a problem: The medical laboratory ran a diagnostic analysis (or) a complete diagnostic on the patient.
diagonal
diagonal
  1. n.adj.
    1 a line connecting two opposite corners of a four-sided figure, such as a square
    2 a straight line that slants or slopes: It's much easier to park in a parking lot with diagonal paking spaces. -adv. diagonally.
diagram
diagram
  1. n.v. [T] -grammed, -gramming, -grams a drawing with markings to show how s.t. is put together or works: The engineer drew a diagram of a telephone circuit (a machine, ventilation system, etc.). ||He diagrammed it. -adj. diagrammatical .
    THESAURUS
    diagram n. a plan of s.t., illustration, chart.
dial
dial
  1. n. a surface, usu. round, divided into markings with meaning: the dial of a watch (telephone, radio, water meter, etc.) —v. [T] to make a call (usu. using a rotary telephone): If you want to phone long distance, dial the Operator. See: dial tone.
    THESAURUS
    dial n. a control, face, gauge, indicator.
dial tone
dial tone
  1. n. a humming sound made when a telephone receiver is picked up: There's no dial tone, so I guess the phone isn't working.
dialect
dialect
  1. n. a regional variety of language differing from other varieties in pronunciation, grammar, and/or word usage: The characters in the movie spoke in a Scottish dialect that was strange to the American audience.
dialectic
dialectic
  1. n.adj. a method of argument for discovering the truth of ideas: He is a student of dialectics (or) of Marxian dialectic materialism.
dialog or dialogue
dialog or dialogue
  1. n.v. [I;T] -logged, -logging, -logs
    1 conversation between people in a book, play, etc.: You should read this story; the dialogue is very funny.
    2 discussion, esp. of differing ideas and opinions: When the fighting is stopped, a dialogue between the two countries can begin. Their representatives can dialog about the problems.
dialysis
dialysis
  1. n.adj. [U] a process used to clean the blood: A patient with kidney disease undergoes dialysis on a dialysis machine.
diameter
diameter
  1. n. the width of a circle, measured by a straight line through its center from side to side: She drew a circle two inches in diameter.
    THESAURUS
    diameter breadth, width (of a circle).
diametrically
diametrically
  1. adv. directly (opposite or opposed): She is diametrically opposed to everything he says.
diamond
diamond
  1. n.adj.
    1 [C;U] the hardest gemstone, made of colorless carbon and very valuable: What a beautiful diamond ring!
    2 [C] a figure with four straight sides and pointed at the top, bottom, and sides
    3 [C] a playing card with one or more red diamonds: the six (king, ace, etc.) of diamonds
    4 [C] a baseball playing field
diaper
diaper
  1. n. a soft thick cloth (or thick paper with a plastic covering) used to cover the area between the legs, esp. for babies: Parents can put cloth diapers or disposable diapers on their babies.
diaphanous
diaphanous
  1. adj.
    1 light and see-through fabric: The movie star wore a diaphanous gown.
    2 not strong or long-lasting: diaphanous dreams of riches and fame
diaphragm
diaphragm
  1. n.
    1 the muscle separating the chest and lungs from the stomach: Do deep breathing to exercise your diaphragm.
    2 a small device worn inside a woman to prevent pregnancy: She went to a doctor to get fitted for a diaphragm.
diarist
diarist
  1. n. a person who keeps a diary, esp. an author who publishes diaries: Samuel Pepys is a famous English diarist.
diarrhea
diarrhea
  1. n. [U] a disorder in which bowel movements are too watery and too frequent: He ate too much unripe fruit and has diarrhea now.
diary
diary
  1. n. -ries a personal record written about one's daily activities and feelings or with accounts of important events: She has kept a diary since she was a child.
    THESAURUS
    diary a daily journal, chronicle.
diatribe
diatribe
  1. n. very strong criticism, an attack with words: The politician launched into a diatribe against the government policy.
dibs
dibs
  1. n.slang a right to have (s.t.): I have dibs on that last piece of cake.
dice
dice
  1. n.pl. of die
    1 small cubes with a set of one to six dots on each side and rolled in games of chance: With one roll of the dice, he won $50.
    2 infrml. no dice: an expression meaning "no" (strongly): I wanted to go to the movies, but my father said, "No dice!"
dicey
dicey
  1. adj.infrml. uncertain, risky: His chances of living after the accident are dicey.
dichotomy
dichotomy
  1. n.frml. -mies a division into two parts, esp. opposing ones: We have a dichotomy of opinion about what to do: I want to go and he wants to stay.
dicker
dicker
  1. v. [I] to argue about the price of s.t., (syns.) to haggle, bargain: The woman dickered with the salesman over the price of a camera.
dictate
dictate
  1. v. -tated, -tating, -tates
    1 [T] to speak s.t. to be recorded or written down exactly by s.o.: He dictated a letter to his secretary.
    2 [I;T] to command, say what s.o. must do: The winner of a war can dictate to the loser the terms for peace. —n. a demand, absolute requirement: He accepts the dictates of his job and works the long hours required by it.
dictation
dictation
  1. n. [U] a communication (letter, memorandum, etc.) spoken so that it can be written down: The manager gave dictation to her secretary for an hour.
dictator
dictator
  1. n. a ruler with total power, (syns.) a despot, tyrant: The leader of that country is a dictator and no one dares to speak against him.
dictatorial
dictatorial
  1. adj. using power like a dictator, (syns.) domineering, high-handed: The owner has a dictatorial way of dealing with people. -adv. dictatorially.
dictatorship
dictatorship
  1. n. a form of government with complete power in the hands of one person: The dictatorship in that country has lasted for 30 years.
diction
diction
  1. n. [U] the ability of a person to pronounce words clearly: Actors must have excellent diction so that the audience can understand them.
dictionary
dictionary
  1. n. -ies a book or computer program listing words in alphabetical order with their meanings: For a definition of that word, consult the dictionary.
    THESAURUS
    dictionary a lexicon, glossary, vocabulary.
dictum
dictum
  1. n. dicta a command, an order that must be obeyed: Tyrants issue dicta that limit their people's rights and freedoms.
did
did
  1. v.
    1 past tense of do: I did all my work yesterday.
    2 past auxiliary verb: Did she go home?
    THESAURUS
    did
    1 completed, finished. Ant. did not, didn't.
diddle
diddle
  1. v.infrml. -dled, -dling, -dles
    1 [I] to waste time: He diddled for days trying to fix the motor, but couldn't.
    2 [T] to cheat, get s.t. from s.o. by tricking them: The repairman diddled me out of $50 but didn't fix my car.
didn't
didn't
  1. short for did not
diehard
diehard
  1. n. a person who does not change old habits (ideas, ways) easily, despite pressure to change: He's a diehard who always votes Conservative even though the party keeps losing.
diesel
diesel
  1. n. a vehicle, usu. a truck or bus, with a diesel engine: That truck is a diesel.
diet
diet
  1. n.v. [I]
    1 one's regular foods: The boy lives on a diet of junk food.
    2 a weight loss program: I have to go on a diet to lose 15 pounds.||My friend diets all the time.
    3 a formal law-making assembly, a congress
dietary
dietary
  1. adj. related to diet: People with diabetes must follow certain dietary rules, like not eating sugar.
dietician
dietician
  1. n. a person who specializes in planning food combinations for healthy meals: Most hospitals employ a dietician to prescribe meals for the patients.
differ
differ
  1. v. [I]
    1 to vary, be different from: Our new product differs from the earlier model in many ways.
    2 to hold a different opinion, disagree: The second doctor differed with the first on the reason for the patient's condition.
    3 frml. to beg to differ: to disagree: Oh, my good friend, I beg to differ with you on that point.
difference
difference
  1. n.
    1 a way of being different,
    THESAURUS
    a dissimilarity: What is the difference between the new model and the old one?
    2 the amount by which two numbers differ: The difference between 7 and 9 is 2.
    3 a difference of opinion: a disagreement, argument: He quit his job after a difference of opinion with his boss.
    4 it makes no difference: it doesn't matter, it's not important
    5 to have their (our) differences: to have arguments or an unfriendly relationship: She and her sister have had their differences, but now they're close.
    6 to make a difference: to bring a change (for the better): She received an increase in pay and it has made a big difference in her attitude.
different
different
  1. adj.
    1 unlike, not the same: The new and old models are very different from each other.
    2 varied, several: This model comes in different colors; which one would you like?
    3 strange, unusual: I agree that he's different, but I like him. -adv. differently.
    THESAURUS
    different
    1 dissimilar, distinct
    2 assorted, various, diverse
    3 odd, peculiar, unique. Ant. similar.
differential
differential
  1. n.adj.
    1 the amount of a difference, esp. in comparisons of money (pay, cost of living, rates of interest, etc.): We must consider the differential in the cost of living between New York and New Orleans.
    2 the mathematics of variations: differential calculus
    3 differential rate: a difference in rates of pay to workers: The company pays a differential rate in wages, more for employees in New York than in Alabama.
differentiate
differentiate
  1. v. -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 [I;T] to describe or show differences: The speaker differentiated between a partnership and a corporation as types of business ownership.
    2 [I;T] to see, or
    THESAURUS
    to discern, differences: These two plans seem the same; I can't differentiate between them.
    3 [T] to make (develop, manufacture, etc.) differences: We have differentiated our product from the competition by its higher quality.
difficult
difficult
  1. adj.
    1 hard, requiring effort (mental or physical): We have a difficult problem to solve (job to do, race to run, etc.).
    2 causing trouble or worry: She's having a difficult time finding a job.
    3 unwilling to agree or cooperate: a difficult person to work with, a difficult child
    THESAURUS
    difficult
    1 challenging, not easy, tough | arduous frml. Ant. easy.
    2 tough | problematic,
    THESAURUS
    taxing
    3 troublesome, uncooperative, hard to deal with. Ant. easy.
difficulty
difficulty
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] s.t. requiring effort or time: I had difficulty understanding the directions.
    2 [C] s.t. that creates problems: There's one difficulty in the plan you propose, and that is it costs too much.
    3 [C;U] trouble: in difficulty with the law, in financial difficulties
    THESAURUS
    difficulty
    1 a hard time, trouble
    2 an obstacle, snag | hardship
    3 to be in a jam, in a mess. Ant. ease.
diffident
diffident
  1. adj. showing little self-confidence, shy about giving one's ideas: He is a diffident student; he never speaks in class. -n. diffidence; -adv. diffidently.
diffraction
diffraction
  1. n. [U] the changing of light waves: We studied the diffraction of light through various openings.
diffuse
diffuse
  1. v. [I] -fused, -fusing, -fuses to spread, or cause to spread,
    THESAURUS
    to scatter: The sunlight was diffused in the darkness of the room. —adj.
    1 spread out widely or thinly: Don't read in such diffuse light.
    2 using too many words so that the ideas are not clear: a diffuse paper, speech, etc. -n. [U] diffusion.
dig
dig
  1. v. dug , digging, digs
    1 [T] to make (a hole or opening) by taking away earth: They used heavy equipment to dig a hole for the building foundation (a tunnel through a mountain, etc.).
    2 [I;T] to break up or turn over earth: She's digging in the garden.
    3 [T] slang a. to like: Hey, man, I dig this music! b. to understand: So that's the plan, do you dig?
    4 to dig deep: to give money generously: When they asked me to give to the fund for hungry children, I dug deep.
    5 to dig for: a. to look for by digging: to dig for gold, oil, coal, etc. b. to look for (information),
    THESAURUS
    to investigate: A newspaper reporter digs for the facts.
    6 phrasal v. [I] to dig in: a. to begin eating or working with great energy: Lunch is ready, so dig in! b. to fix oneself in a certain position: The soldiers dug themselves in for battle.
    7 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to dig (s.t.) into s.o. or s.t.: to push s.t. into: A woman dug her elbow into my side.
    8 phrasal v. [T] to dig (s.o. or s.t.) out: a. to escape by digging: The coal miners dug themselves out of the fallen tunnel to safety. b. to find out (by looking for information): Reporters try to dig out the truth.
    THESAURUS
    dig v.
    1 to excavate
    2 to shovel, hoe, scoop. —n.
    1 a place where archaeologists dig: They're on a dig in Egypt. See: diggings.
    2 infrml. s.t. said that is both funny and critical,
    THESAURUS
    a gibe: She got in a few digs at her husband as she told us the funny story of their vacation trip.
digest
digest
  1. n. a collection of articles in short form: Here is a digest of today's news.||Do you know the magazine called the Reader's Digest? —v.
    1 [I;T] to process in the stomach: Meat digests slowly.||He can't digest milk.
    2 [T] to think over and come to understand: He received the report, but wanted to digest it slowly before commenting on it. -adj. digestible.
    THESAURUS
    digest v.
    1 to absorb into, transform food
    2 to consider, absorb (mentally), ponder frml.
digestion
digestion
  1. n. [U] the process of breaking down food in the body: She has good digestion; she can eat anything! -adj. digestive.
digger
digger
  1. n.
    1 a person who digs: He found work as a grave digger.
    2 a machine, esp. a backhoe, used to dig: The construction team uses a digger.
diggings
diggings
  1. n.pl. a dig; a place where digging occurs: We visited archaeological diggings near the pyramid.
digit
digit
  1. n.
    1 one of the Arabic numerals from 0 to 9: The sum 1,234 is a four-digit number.
    2 frml. a finger or toe: The hand has five digits. -adj. digital.
digital recording
digital recording
  1. n. the recording of sound, esp. music, by a series of numbers (digits) producing clarity close to the original sound: Digital recording does not get worse in quality as copies are made.
digitalis
digitalis
  1. n. [U] a strong heart stimulant made from the plant foxglove: Doctors prescribe digitalis for people with heart trouble.
digitize
digitize
  1. v. [T] -tized, -tizing, -tizes to put into digital form: We digitized the files to make them easier to use.
dignified
dignified
  1. adj. with a formal, serious, and calm manner: The students at the graduation listened in dignified silence to the college president.
dignify
dignify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to give dignity, honor, or prestige to: The presence of the ambassador dignified the party (occasion, reception).
dignitary
dignitary
  1. n. -ies an important person, esp. a high official: The dignitaries from the foreign ministries dined with the President.
dignity
dignity
  1. n. [U] self-respect, a calm and formal manner: My doctor is a woman of great dignity.
digress
digress
  1. v. [I] to move away from the main point in speaking or writing: The speaker talked about modern art, then digressed into a discussion of a painter from 500 years ago.
digression
digression
  1. n. [C;U] a move away from the main topic: The writer made a digression from discussing politics to discussing rock music. -adj. digressive.
digs
digs
  1. n.pl.slang short for diggings, or one's place of living (room, apartment, etc.): I'm going back to my digs to change clothes.
dike
dike
  1. n. s.t. built to hold back sea water, a river, etc.: We visited the dikes of Holland.
dilapidated
dilapidated
  1. adj. falling apart, in disrepair: Those poor people live in a dilapidated house with holes in the roof and broken windows. -v. [I;T] dilapidate.
dilate
dilate
  1. v. [I;T] -lated, -lating, -lates to make larger, widen: When there is less light, the pupils in our eyes dilate. -n. [U] dilation; dilator.
dilatory
dilatory
  1. adj.frml. slow in doing s.t.: The company has no patience for employees with dilatory work habits.
dilemma
dilemma
  1. n. a difficult choice between two (usu. undesirable) alternatives,
    THESAURUS
    a quandary: She was in a dilemma over staying in her tiny apartment or taking the time and trouble to move.
dilettante
dilettante
  1. n. a man or woman with some understanding of and a taste for the arts and fine things: His occasional trips to the opera show he is a dilettante in the arts. -adj. dilettantish; -n. dilettantism.
diligence
diligence
  1. n. [U] continuous effort and dedication, esp. to one's work,
    THESAURUS
    perseverance: She works with diligence because she loves her work.
diligent
diligent
  1. adj. hard-working, (syns.) persevering, dedicated: He raised his grades by being a very diligent student. -adv. diligently.
dilly-dally
dilly-dally
  1. v. [I] -lied, lying, -lies
    1 to waste time,
    THESAURUS
    to dawdle: My children try to dilly-dally before going to bed.
    2 to delay,
    THESAURUS
    to procrastinate: She dilly-dallied for weeks before deciding.
dilute
dilute
  1. v. [T] -luted, -luting, -lutes
    1 to weaken by adding s.t.: My tea was too strong, so I diluted it with more water.
    2 to reduce the value of: The corporation issued more stock and diluted the shareholders' equity.
dilution
dilution
  1. n. [U]
    1 the weakening of the force of a liquid: Follow the instructions for the dilution of the acid with water.
    2 a reduction in value: Stockholders protested the dilution of their equity in the corporation.
dim
dim
  1. v. [I;T] dimmed, dimming, dims
    1 to lower the force of, esp. a light: The driver dimmed the headlights.
    2 to make less possible: Rebellion dims the chances for peace. —adj.
    1 (of light) weak: Don't work in dim light.
    2 not very possible: His chances of recovery (from illness) are dim. -adv. dimly.
    THESAURUS
    dim adj.
    1 dull, faint | lackluster. Ant. bright.
    2 unlikely.
dim sum
dim sum
  1. n. a Chinese meal made up of small portions of steamed foods, such as dumplings: I often eat dim sum at a Chinese restaurant near my office.
dime
dime
  1. n.
    1 in USA, a 10-cent coin: Ten dimes equal one dollar.
    2 to not be worth a dime: to have very little value: The house burned down and isn't worth a dime now.
dimension
dimension
  1. n.
    1 [C] a measurement of s.t. in one direction: The dimensions of a room (package, building lot, etc.) are its length, width, and depth (or height).
    2 [C;U] size: a problem of great dimension
diminish
diminish
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to lessen in force: The need to take action has diminished.
    2 to lessen in number: The supply of oil in that country has diminished.
    3 to lessen in quality: The company's reputation for quality has diminished; it has a diminished reputation.
diminishing returns
diminishing returns
  1. n.pl. an economic idea that, after a certain point, continued investment brings smaller profits: Our investment and sales have tripled, but our profits have stayed the same; we have reached the point of diminishing returns.
diminution
diminution
  1. n.frml. [C;U] a lessening, reduction: The company is experiencing a diminution in productivity.
diminutive
diminutive
  1. adj.
    1 frml. very small: a diminutive child
    2 a form of a word used to show small size, affection, or informality: A diminutive for "Robert" is "Bobby."
dimmer
dimmer
  1. n. a device used to lower the intensity of light: We have dimmers on our living room lights; we dim the lights when we watch TV.
dimple
dimple
  1. n. a little dent or hollow in the skin, esp. of the face: She has lovely dimples when she smiles.
dimwit
dimwit
  1. n.infrml. a stupid person: That dimwit sent the wrong form!
din
din
  1. n. [U] a loud, annoying, persistent noise: There was a terrible din made by the crowd waiting for the rock concert.
dine
dine
  1. v.frml. dined, dining, dines
    1 [I] to eat a meal, esp. a special or formal one: They dined at a fancy restaurant.
    2 [T] to dine on: to eat (a particular food): We dined on lobster at the Ritz Hotel.
    THESAURUS
    dine
    1 to have supper, feast | do lunch, eat out.
diner
diner
  1. n.
    1 a person who dines: There are few diners in the restaurant tonight.
    2 a type of restaurant with low prices, fast service, and simple food: Truck drivers stop to eat at diners on the highway.
    THESAURUS
    diner
    1 a patron, paying guest
    2 a coffee shop, sandwich shop, lunch counter.
dinette
dinette
  1. n.
    1 a small informal dining area: We usually eat in the dinette in the kitchen.
    2 a dinette (set): table and chairs used in a dinette: Come see our new dinette (set).
ding-a-ling
ding-a-ling
  1. n.
    1 the sound of a small bell: Did you hear that ding-a-ling?
    2 infrml. a stupid person: Sometimes he acts like a ding-a-ling.
ding-dong
ding-dong
  1. n. the sound of a bell: The doorbell went ding-dong when I rang it.
ding
ding
  1. n.v. [I;T] a sharp metallic ringing sound: The ding of the bell at the hotel's front desk brought s.o. to serve the people waiting there.
dingbat
dingbat
  1. n.
    1 a small symbol used esp. to decorate chapter openings in books
    2 slang a stupid person
dinghy
dinghy
  1. n. -ghies a small rowboat often carried on a larger boat: The captain uses the dinghy to go from the ship to the shore.
dingy
dingy
  1. -gier, -giest adj. gray and dirty-looking: He could find only a dingy room in an old rundown hotel.
dining
dining
  1. adj. related to eating: We ate in the dining room (a dining car on a train, etc.).
dinky
dinky
  1. adj.slang -kier, -kiest foolishly small: My clothes won't fit in this dinky little suitcase.
dinner
dinner
  1. n. the main meal of the day (in USA, usu. in the evening): We go out to dinner one evening a week. See: supper.
    THESAURUS
    dinner a supper | feast, banquet, buffet.
dinosaur
dinosaur
  1. n.
    1 any of a variety of small to huge reptiles that lived millions of years ago: Tyranno-saurus Rex was a large, meat-eating dinosaur.
    2 infrml. s.o. who stubbornly keeps to old ways and ideas: He is an old dinosaur; he won't touch a computer.
dint
dint
  1. n. [U]
    1 force, effort
    2 by dint of: by means of: By dint of hard work, she rose in her profession.
diocese
diocese
  1. n. an area or the churches under the care of a (Catholic) bishop: The dioceses of New York raised money to help refugees. -adj. diocesan.
diode
diode
  1. -n. a semiconductor device used in electronic circuits: There are many diodes in a transistor radio.
diorama
diorama
  1. n. a small to life-size model of some event or scene: The museum displayed a diorama of the battle fought in this town.
dioxin
dioxin
  1. n. [U] a cancer-causing chemical: We must clean up the dioxin found in chemical waste dumps.
dip
dip
  1. n.
    1 a small drop: There has been a dip in the price of sugar.
    2 a short swim: We took (or) went for a dip in the ocean.
    3 a creamy mixture for dipping chips, crackers, vegetables, etc.: Try this delicious dip!
    4 slang a jerk, a stupid person —v. dipped, dipping, dips
    1 [I] to go down a little: The price of oil dipped today by $1.00 a barrel.
    2 [T] to put (s.t.) into a liquid for a moment: The artist dipped his brush in the paint.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [T] to dip into s.t.: to use some of: She dipped into her savings to buy him a present.
    THESAURUS
    dip n.
    1 a fall, reduction, slip. Ant. a rise.
    2 a plunge, soak
    3 a sauce.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to drop, fall, slip
    2 to dunk, plunge, submerge.
diphtheria
diphtheria
  1. n. [U] a serious contagious disease affecting the throat and breathing: Diphtheria has almost disappeared in the USA.
diphthong
diphthong
  1. n. a unified sound made from two vowel sounds: The "æw" in "cow" is a diphthong.
diploma
diploma
  1. n. an academic certificate, an official paper stating that s.o. has passed a course of study: He has a high school (trade school, college, etc.) diploma.
diplomacy
diplomacy
  1. n. [U]
    1 skill in handling personal, business, or governmental relationships: You must use diplomacy in convincing s.o. to do a difficult job.
    2 the formal conduct of relations between countries: Officials in the U.S. Department of State practice the art of diplomacy with foreign nations.
    THESAURUS
    diplomacy
    1 tact, finesse, discretion
    2 statesmanship, international relations, statecraft | negotiation.
diplomat
diplomat
  1. n.
    1 a person who acts as a diplomatic representative of a nation: Diplomats from many countries met in Geneva for a conference on world peace.
    2 a person who acts with care and sensitivity towards others: She is a diplomat with all her friends and business contacts.
    THESAURUS
    diplomat
    1 an envoy, attaché, foreign service officer | ambassador, member of the diplomatic corps.
diplomatic
diplomatic
  1. adj.
    1 related to diplomacy: a diplomatic service (mission, channel, corps, etc.)
    2 showing skill at handling people sensitively: She gave a diplomatic response to a hostile question and brought calm to the situation. -adv. diplomatically.
diplomatic corps
diplomatic corps
  1. n. an organized group of diplomats and other governmental employees responsible for managing relations with other countries: The diplomatic corps of the USA has its central office in Washington, DC.
diplomatic immunity
diplomatic immunity
  1. n. [C;U] protection given to foreign diplomats by a government so they cannot be arrested for certain crimes: Under diplomatic immunity, the diplomat could tear up tickets he received for parking violations.
dipper
dipper
  1. n.
    1 a large spoon that looks like a cup or small bowl with a long handle: I used a dipper to drink water from a barrel.
    2 the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper: constellations of stars in the shape of cups (in Ursa Major and Ursa Minor)
dippy
dippy
  1. adj.slang -pier, -piest foolish, silly: She often acts a little dippy.
dipsomaniac
dipsomaniac
  1. n. a person who can't stop drinking alcohol after he or she begins: He is a dipsomaniac (or) a dipso; once he starts drinking, he doesn't stop until he passes out. -n. dipsomania.
dipstick
dipstick
  1. n.
    1 a long metal rod put into a liquid to measure its level: I used the dipstick to check how much oil there was in my car's engine.
    2 slang a jerk, a stupid person: Don't be such a dipstick!
diptych
diptych
  1. n. a painting in two panels, often hinged together: A beautiful diptych hangs behind the altar in that church.
dire
dire
  1. adj. grave, very serious: His business is bankrupt and he is in dire trouble.
direct
direct
  1. v. [T]
    1 to guide, control: The police officer directed traffic.
    2 to manage and guide in the arts: She directed a film (orchestra, play).
    3 to lead, manage: Chief Executive Officers direct the affairs of large corporations.
    4 to order, command: An officer directed the soldiers to attack.
    5 to focus, turn: We directed our attention to the speaker.
    6 to point, aim: A computer directs a missile to its target.
    7 to send, route: The government directs aid to a disaster zone. —adj.
    1 straight, without interruptions: We have little time, so we must go the most direct route.
    2 open and honest: She liked his direct answers to her questions.
    3 without anyone or anything coming between: direct sunlight, a direct result, direct knowledge of an event
    THESAURUS
    direct v.
    1 to supervise | handle
    3 to administer, conduct | steer
    4 to instruct, tell.
    THESAURUS
    —adj.
    1 straightforward. Ant. indirect.
    2 frank, plain
    3 firsthand.
direct action
direct action
  1. n. an act, like a labor strike, work slowdown, or sabotage, meant for such goals as wage and benefit increases: The union took direct action and called a strike.
direct current
direct current
  1. n. [U] electrical current that flows in only one direction: Direct current is used in Europe. See: AC; DC.
direct flight
direct flight
  1. n. a flight with one or more stops on its way, but no change of plane: She took a direct flight from New York to Denver with a short stop in Chicago. See: nonstop.
direct mail
direct mail
  1. n. [U] advertising, political literature, requests for donations, etc., mailed to many people: Their company has had great success in selling their products by direct mail.
direct object
direct object
  1. n. usu. a noun or pronoun acted on by a verb: The word "ball" in the sentence "The boy hit the ball" is a direct object.
direction
direction
  1. n.
    1 [C] a route, line of movement geographically: We walked (flew, ran, drove) in a northerly direction.
    2 [C;U] leadership, guidance toward goals: The new manager gave direction to the company's efforts.
    3 [U] artistic management and control: The orchestra is under the direction of Sir George Smith.
    4 [U] an approach, a line of thought, or action: What direction would you like to take in solving this problem?
    5 n.pl. directions: a. instructions (how to do s.t.), guidance: The teacher gave me directions for the experiment. b. instructions (how to go somewhere): We followed the policeman's directions and got to the museum.
    6 sense of direction: the ability to sense where one is and which way to go: Because of her good sense of direction, she got us there even without a map.
directional
directional
  1. adj.
    1 showing direction: Drivers use the directional signals to show that they are going to make a right or left turn.
    2 coming from or going to a geographical point: The airplane was helped by a directional signal from the airport.
directive
directive
  1. n.frml. an order, command: An administrator (military commander, government agency, etc.) issues directives to personnel to do s.t. or to follow certain rules.
directly
directly
  1. adv.
    1 in a direct manner: Go directly to school and do not stop on the way.
    2 openly and honestly: He answers questions directly and without hesitation.
    THESAURUS
    directly
    1 at once, instantly, immediately. Ant. indirectly.
    2 candidly, bluntly.
director
director
  1. n.
    1 the manager, head: She is the director of personnel (operations, the computer department, etc.).
    2 artistic manager and guide: a film director, the director of the Metropolitan Opera
    3 a member of the Board of Directors of a corporation
directorate
directorate
  1. n.frml. a board of directors, a group that governs or controls an organization, corporation, or institution: That decision will be made by the directorate of the United Nations.
directorship
directorship
  1. n. the position of director: His directorship ends next year.
directory
directory
  1. n. -ries a listing of items, such as names, addresses, businesses, etc., usu. in alphabetical order: You can find my phone number in a telephone directory.
    THESAURUS
    directory an index, guide | inventory.
dirge
dirge
  1. n. slow, sad music to honor the dead: A band played a funeral dirge at the service for the dead President.
dirigible
dirigible
  1. n. an airship filled with a lighter-than-air gas,
    THESAURUS
    a blimp: A pilot flies a dirigible from a cockpit attached under it.
dirt-cheap
dirt-cheap
  1. adj. very inexpensive: I think I will buy that rug; it is dirt-cheap.
dirt
dirt
  1. n. [U]
    1 loose soil, earth: I planted flowers in the dirt.
    2 s.t. unclean: What's that dirt on your shirt?
    3 information about bad behavior, esp. about sex: I can't believe they print that dirt in the newspaper.
    THESAURUS
    dirt
    1 clay, loam, dust
    2 stain, filth
    3 gossip, sensationalism.
dirt bike
dirt bike
  1. n. a motorbike made for use off roads: They rode their dirt bikes up the mountain trail.
dirty
dirty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 unclean: The girl came home from the playground wearing a dirty shirt.
    2 dishonest: Your hiding his book when he needed it was a dirty trick to play on him.
    3 impolite and offensive: dirty jokes, dirty language —adv. phr. to play dirty: to play unfairly, without respect for rules: The opposing team played dirty, but the referee didn't see it. —v. [T] -tied, -tying, -ties to make or become dirty: She dirtied her hands in the garden.
    THESAURUS
    dirty adj.
    1 soiled, grimy, stained. Ant. clean.
    2 underhanded, devious
    3 rude | filthy, obscene, pornographic. —v. to soil. Ant. to clean.
dirty old man
dirty old man
  1. n.infrml. men a man, esp. an old one, with too strong an interest in sex: He is 80 years old and chases young women; he's a dirty old man.
dirty pool
dirty pool
  1. n.slang fig. [U] dishonest, tricky acts intended to harm: The company promised him a raise, then fired him with no notice; that was dirty pool.
dirty tricks
dirty tricks
  1. n.pl. dishonest or tricky practices, esp. in politics: The campaign manager put out false information about the opposing candidate; he played dirty tricks on him.
dirty word
dirty word
  1. n. a curse word, bad language: I don't like it when she uses dirty words in the presence of my children.
dirty work
dirty work
  1. n. [U]
    1 work that causes the hands and clothes to get dirty: Being a mechanic is dirty work.
    2 fig. work that is esp. disagreeable (unpleasant or demeaning): The manager decided to fire 50 people, so now I have to do the dirty work of telling them.
disability
disability
  1. n. -ties
    1 s.t. that takes away a normal ability, esp. as a result of a birth defect, accident, or disease: She lost her hearing as a child, but she has led a happy, successful life despite that disability.
    2 short for disability insurance payments: After he broke his foot, he couldn't work, and his family lived on disability for six months.
disable
disable
  1. v. [T] -bled, -bling, -bles to make (esp. a person) unable to do s.t. anymore: The accident disabled her so she lost the use of her legs.
disabuse
disabuse
  1. v. [T] -bused, -busing, -buses to correct s.o.'s wrong idea or illusion: He thinks that he can say whatever he wants, but I will disabuse him of that idea.
disaccord
disaccord
  1. n. [U] v.frml. disagreement, lack of harmony: There was a long argument because of the disaccord among committee members.
disaccustom
disaccustom
  1. v.frml. [T] to stop a habit or custom: She disaccustomed herself to smoking gradually; she finally stopped.
disadvantage
disadvantage
  1. n.
    1 s.t. that hurts or gets in the way (of success): The high cost of living is a disadvantage to living in a big city.
    2 at a disadvantage: in a bad position: The team was at a disadvantage because their star player was sick.
    THESAURUS
    disadvantage
    1 a drawback, downside | problem, obstacle.
disadvantaged
disadvantaged
  1. adj. without the normal benefits of society, esp. because of poverty or racial prejudice: He comes from a disadvantaged family and had to quit school at 16 to get a full-time job. —n. the disadvantaged: poor people: The disadvantaged are helped by government programs.
disadvantageous
disadvantageous
  1. adj. related to a disadvantage or drawback,
    THESAURUS
    detrimental: A bad storm has started, so it is disadvantageous for us to travel. -adv. disadvantageously.
disaffected
disaffected
  1. adj.
    1 no longer satisfied, content, or loyal: She has become disaffected by her work (situation, pay, etc.).
    2 feeling set apart,
    THESAURUS
    alienated: He is disaffected from his coworkers because of their unfriendliness.
disagree
disagree
  1. v. [I] -greed, -greeing, -grees
    1 to differ, hold a different opinion: I disagree with what you say.
    2 to show different opinions: They never disagree in public.
    3 to make sick, upset: That meal disagreed with me; I feel ill.
    THESAURUS
    disagree
    1 to dispute, oppose, take issue with
    2 to argue, clash. Ant. to agree.
    3 to nauseate.
disagreeable
disagreeable
  1. adj.
    1 unfriendly (uncooperative, difficult to deal with): She is so disagreeable that no one will work with her.
    2 unpleasant: a disagreeable job to do -adv. disagreeably.
disagreement
disagreement
  1. n.
    1 a difference of opinion: We are in disagreement about what to do.
    2 an argument, conflict: They had a violent disagreement over money.
    3 a difference, a failure to be the same: There is a disagreement between the two descriptions of what happened.
    THESAURUS
    disagreement
    1 a misunderstanding. Ant. an agreement.
    2 a dispute, clash, falling out
    3 a disparity frml.
disallow
disallow
  1. v. [T] to refuse to accept, reject: The controller for the company disallowed my travel expenses, so I had to pay them myself.
disappear
disappear
  1. v. [I]
    1 to go out of sight: The little dog was just here, then he disappeared.
    2 to pass out of existence: Dinosaurs disappeared from the earth long ago.
    THESAURUS
    disappear
    1 to leave, vanish, leave no trace of | dissolve, evaporate. Ant. to appear.
    2 to die (off).
disappearance
disappearance
  1. n. [C;U] an act of disappearing: The disappearance of the diamond necklace is still a mystery.
disappoint
disappoint
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to sadden s.o. by failing to meet their expectations or hopes: I was disappointed when she cancelled our date.
    2 to keep s.t. from happening: Our hopes for a picnic were disappointed by the rain storm. -adj. disappointing.
    THESAURUS
    disappoint
    1 to let down, upset
    2 to frustrate, block.
disappointment
disappointment
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] sadness over the loss of s.t. expected or hoped for,
    THESAURUS
    disillusionment: He suffered disappointment when she refused to marry him.
    2 [C] s.t. that disappoints: It was a disappointment when rain prevented the family picnic.
disapprobation
disapprobation
  1. n.frml. strong moral disapproval,
    THESAURUS
    condemnation: After he got out of prison, the criminal had to leave town because of the disapprobation of the community.
disapproval
disapproval
  1. n. [U]
    1 bad opinion, objection: The teacher showed her disapproval by making the class stay after school.
    2 criticism, condemnation, rejection: widespread disapproval of the government's programs
    3 refusal, rejection: His request for a larger office met with disapproval.
disapprove
disapprove
  1. v. -proved, -proving, -proves
    1 [I] have a bad opinion of: Her father disapproved of her behavior.
    2 [I] to express a bad opinion of, criticize: The public disapproves of that government program.
    3 [T] to refuse to accept, reject: The agency disapproved his request for money.
    THESAURUS
    disapprove
    1 to frown on, object to | deprecate frml. Ant. to approve.
    2 to condemn, denounce
    3 to turn down s.o., deny.
disarm
disarm
  1. v.
    1 [T] to take away weapons: The policeman disarmed the criminal by taking away his gun.
    2 [I] to lay down or destroy arms (weapons, armed forces, etc.) voluntarily, esp. by treaty: The two nations agreed to disarm.
    3 [T] to drive away (s.o.'s) anger or distrust: She disarmed her opponent with her friendly manner.
disarmament
disarmament
  1. n. [U] the process of reducing or destroying weapons and armed forces: The two nations began negotiations on disarmament.
disarming
disarming
  1. n. [U] an act of removing weapons: the disarming of the criminal by the police —adj. charming, tending to make s.o. less angry or distrustful: I was very angry when his car hit mine, but he apologized so nicely that I found it disarming.
disarrange
disarrange
  1. v. [T] -ranged, -ranging, -ranges to disorder, disorganize: A thief broke into the house and disarranged the contents of the drawers while looking for valuables.
disarray
disarray
  1. n.frml. [U] disorder, disorganization: Her hair and clothes were in disarray after she fell.
disassemble
disassemble
  1. v. [T] -bled, -bling, -bles to take apart: I had to disassemble the bookshelves in order to move them.
disassociate
disassociate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to separate, esp. oneself: He disassociated himself from a group of bad people (a dishonest act, an organization, etc.). -n. [U] disassociation.
disaster
disaster
  1. n.
    1 a sudden great act of destruction and loss: The earthquake created a disaster.
    2 fig. a total failure: The party was a disaster; the food was bad and the band was lousy.
    THESAURUS
    disaster
    1 a catastrophe, calamity | tragedy, emergency
    2 a big mistake, flop.
disastrous
disastrous
  1. adj.
    1 related to a disaster,
    THESAURUS
    catastrophic: The island was in a disastrous situation because of the hurricane.
    2 fig. related to a total failure: The results of the election were disastrous for the Republican Party. -adv. disastrously.
disavow
disavow
  1. v. [T]
    1 to deny,
    THESAURUS
    to disclaim: She disavowed any knowledge of the crime.
    2 to reject, refuse: He disavows any further connection with what we now know is a criminal organization. -n. disavowal.
disband
disband
  1. v. [I;T] to separate, dissolve: The group (army, meeting, etc.) disbanded and everyone went home. -n. disbanding.
disbar
disbar
  1. v. [T] -barred, -barring, -bars to officially force (a lawyer) out of the legal profession: The state bar association disbarred that lawyer for dishonest uses of his clients' money. -n. [U] disbarment.
disbelief
disbelief
  1. n. a refusal or unwillingness to believe: When the nuclear disaster was first announced, the public received the news with shock and disbelief.
disbelieve
disbelieve
  1. v. [I;T] -lieved, -lieving, -lieves to doubt or refuse to believe: She disbelieves what he says because he often lies.
disbursal
disbursal
  1. n.frml. a payment: The business makes monthly disbursals to its creditors. -n. [U] disbursement.
disburse
disburse
  1. v.frml. [T] -bursed, -bursing, -burses to give out,
    THESAURUS
    to dispense: The federal government disburses tax money to the states. -n. disburser.
disc
disc
  1. var. of disk, a thin flat circular plate: Her collection includes old phonograph records and compact discs.
disc jockey
disc jockey
  1. n. See: disk jockey.
discard
discard
  1. v. [T] to throw away, dispose of as useless: We must discard this trash (those old ideas, etc.).
discern
discern
  1. v.frml. [T]
    1 to see (differences between),
    THESAURUS
    to differentiate: He discerned major differences between the two job offers.
    2 to see and understand: He discerned the importance of those differences.
    3 to see, spot: to discern a ship in the distance -n. [U] discernment.
discerning
discerning
  1. adj. intelligent,
    THESAURUS
    perceptive: She has a discerning mind and quickly understood how to solve our problem.
discharge
discharge
  1. v. -charged, -charging, -charges
    1 [T] to ask or allow (s.o.) to leave: Management discharged 100 workers.||The navy discharged the sailor.
    2 [T] to fulfill, perform (a responsibility): Management discharged its obligation by reducing the workforce.
    3 [I;T] to fire, explode (guns, cannons, bombs, etc.): A rifle discharged by accident.
    4 [I;T] to let or send out (s.t. from within): The cut discharged blood.||The volcano (chimney, fire) discharged smoke.
    5 [T] frml. to pay (s.t. owed): I must discharge my debt to him. —n.
    1 [U] a fulfillment of responsibility: She completed the discharge of her obligations under the contract.
    2 [C] a release from military service: The sailor received his discharge and went home.
    3 [C;U] a firing of a weapon, explosion: the discharge of a gun
    4 [C;U] s.t. that is let out or sent out: the discharge of pollution from a factory
disciple
disciple
  1. n. a student of a teacher or school of thought who spreads their teachings: She is a disciple of the British school of economics.
disciplinarian
disciplinarian
  1. n. a person who believes in and demands obedience to rules: The teacher is a strict disciplinarian in his classroom.
disciplinary
disciplinary
  1. adj. characterized by punishment: The university administration took disciplinary action against the students on strike.
discipline
discipline
  1. n.
    1 [U] obedience to rules of good behavior and order: The students were quiet because their teacher insisted on discipline in the classroom.
    2 [U] control of the mind and body: College students need self-discipline to succeed in their studies.
    3 [C] a field of study: In which discipline does that teacher work? She teaches mathematics. —v. [T] -plined, -plining, -plines
    1 to punish for breaking the rules: The student disrupted the class, so the teacher disciplined him by giving him extra work to do.
    2 to train to control the mind and body: He disciplined himself to keep to a demanding work schedule.
    THESAURUS
    discipline n.
    1 strictness, orderliness | rules
    2 will-power, self-control
    3 field, area (of (syn.THESAURUS
    tudy), subject matter. —v.
    1 to penalize
    2 to condition (oneself).
disciplined
disciplined
  1. adj. showing control resulting from training of mind and body: The military training school produced highly disciplined soldiers.
disclaim
disclaim
  1. v.
    1 [T] to deny,
    THESAURUS
    to disavow: She disclaimed any knowledge of the missing money.
    2 [I] (in law) to give up a right or to deny an obligation: The defendant disclaimed his right to trial by jury and chose instead trial before a judge.
disclaimer
disclaimer
  1. n.
    1 a statement that s.t. is not true: The man accused of murder issued a disclaimer of any knowledge about the crime.
    2 (in law) the giving up of a right, esp. to sue: Before the operation, the doctor's patient signed a disclaimer of any right to sue.
    3 a denial of legal responsibility: The doctor's disclaimer gave her legal protection against a suit by a patient.
disclose
disclose
  1. v. [T] -closed, -closing, -closes to tell or show, esp. that which was kept hidden or secret,
    THESAURUS
    to divulge: He disclosed new information on the project (his secrets, his innermost feelings, etc.).
disclosure
disclosure
  1. n. [C;U] the telling of s.t. that was secret: The disclosure in the newspapers of a scandal involving the Senator ruined her career.
discolor
discolor
  1. v. [I;T] to change (to a worse) color,
    THESAURUS
    to stain: Smoking has discolored my teeth. -n. [U] discoloration.
discombobulate
discombobulate
  1. v.infrml. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to confuse, upset,
    THESAURUS
    to disorient: The noise discombobulates him so that he can't think.
discomfit
discomfit
  1. v.frml. [T] -fitted, -fitting, -fits to distress, upset: The king was discomfitted by the loss of the battle. -n. discomfiture.
discomfort
discomfort
  1. n. [U] (mental or physical) pain that is not serious: The patient suffered discomfort in her legs.||He felt some discomfort about asking his boss for a raise in pay. —v. [T] to make uncomfortable, upset: The bad news discomforted her.
disconcert
disconcert
  1. v. [T] to cause to feel doubt and nervousness, disturb: I was disconcerted by the sight of a strange man at my door. -adj. disconcerting.
disconnect
disconnect
  1. v. [T] to break a connection: Disconnect the wires from the machine before you try to fix it.
    THESAURUS
    disconnect to detach, separate | uncouple, disengage. Ant. to connect.
disconnected
disconnected
  1. adj.
    1 removed, detached: The machine doesn't work because of a disconnected wire.
    2 having lost contact during a telephone call: We were disconnected during our conversation.
    3 (of ideas) unclear because of poor connections between parts,
    THESAURUS
    incoherent: a disconnected story (set of remarks, presentation, etc.) -n.[C;U] disconnection.
disconsolate
disconsolate
  1. adj.frml. hopelessly sad,
    THESAURUS
    melancholy: She was disconsolate over the death of her dog. -adv. disconsolately.
discontent
discontent
  1. n. [U] dissatisfaction, unhappiness: She suffers discontent with her life and wants a major change. adj. discontent or discontented: dissatisfied, unhappy: He is discontented (or) discontent with his small pay increase. -v. [T] discontent.
discontinue
discontinue
  1. v. [T] -ued, -uing, -ues
    1 to stop, end: The company has discontinued manufacturing that item.
    2 to stop for a period of time, interrupt: to discontinue peace talks for a week -n. [U] discontinuation.
discontinuity
discontinuity
  1. n. -ties
    1 [C;U] a lack of continuity or logical order: I was confused by the discontinuity in his argument.
    2 [C;U] interruption, break: Mechanical problems caused discontinuities in the production process.
discontinuous
discontinuous
  1. adj. not continuous, interrupted: A discontinuous supply of steel caused a slowdown in automobile production. -adv. discontinuously.
discord
discord
  1. n.
    1 [U] disagreement, conflict: A meeting full of discord left everyone with headaches.
    2 [C;U] an unpleasant combination of notes or sounds: The children trying out musical instruments produced a terrible discord.
discordant
discordant
  1. adj.
    1 full of conflict and disagreement: A discordant meeting ended without agreement.
    2 harsh-sounding, disagreeable in sound: They live in a discordant household full of arguing.
discotheque
discotheque
  1. n. See: disco.
discount
discount
  1. n. an amount subtracted from a price: The discount on this item is 10 percent off the retail price. —v. [T]
    1 to reduce a price by an amount: The store discounted the item by 10 percent.
    2 to doubt, not accept completely as true: You have to discount what he says, because he exaggerates often.
    THESAURUS
    discount n. a markdown, reduction, percentage off s.t. | rebate.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to mark down, lower the price, slash, take off | rebate.
    2 to disregard, ignore.
discount rate
discount rate
  1. n. the interest rate charged by the US Federal Reserve Bank to other banks: The discount rate has a big effect on interest rates in general.
discount store
discount store
  1. n. a store that offers discounts on all or most merchandise in order to attract many customers: This chain of discount stores has sales every week.
discourage
discourage
  1. v. [T] -aged, -aging, -ages
    1 to take away one's confidence or hope: Poor grades on her exams discouraged her.
    2 to advise against, try to prevent: I discouraged him from staying in college any longer. -n. discouragement; -adj. discouraging.
    THESAURUS
    discourage
    1 to dishearten, demoralize, depress.
    2 to urge against, dissuade. Ant. to encourage.
discouraged
discouraged
  1. adj. feeling a loss of confidence or hope,
    THESAURUS
    disheartened: He felt discouraged after receiving bad grades.
discourse
discourse
  1. n.frml. [C;U] spoken or written (formal) communication: College students become familiar with academic discourse.
discourteous
discourteous
  1. adj. impolite, rude: I spoke to the manager after a salesperson was quite discourteous to me. -adv. discourteously.
discourtesy
discourtesy
  1. n. [C;U] impoliteness, rudeness: The discourtesy of the taxi driver made me angry.
discover
discover
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to learn, find out: When she got to her door, she discovered she had lost her key.
    2 [T] to find, see, or learn of (s.t. no one knew before): Galileo discovered the planet Jupiter.
    3 [T] to invent: Scientists in England discovered penicillin.
    THESAURUS
    discover
    1 to realize, recognize, see | come across s.t.
    2 to identify, detect, locate, uncover.
discovery
discovery
  1. n. -ries
    1 the finding of s.t. new: Since the discovery of penicillin, millions of lives have been saved with it.
    2 s.t. that is discovered or learned: His discoveries in physics made him famous.
discredit
discredit
  1. v. [T]
    1 to show that s.t. is of little or no truth or value: Scientists have discredited many popular beliefs, like the belief the world was flat.
    2 to cause a loss of trust or belief (in s.o.): After the scandal, the Minister was discredited and he then resigned from the government.
discreet
discreet
  1. adj.
    1 careful not to tell embarrassing or secret information: People tell her their secrets and she is very discreet; she never speaks about them.
    2 (in general behavior) polite, modest: He never shouts or does anything wild; he's discreet. -adv. discreetly.
discrepancy
discrepancy
  1. n. -cies a disagreement between what s.t. should be and what it appears to be: The published price is $100, but your check is made out for $90; there is a discrepancy there. -adj. discrepant.
discrete
discrete
  1. adj. separate, apart, having a distinct identity or existence: That company is a discrete entity from the others, which are all owned by the parent company. -adv. discretely.
discretion
discretion
  1. n. [U]
    1 the quality of being discreet, (syns.) prudence, caution: Lawyers and doctors must act with discretion and not speak to others about their clients.
    2 at (s.o.'s) discretion: as (s.o.) chooses or decides: Use the money at your own discretion.
discretionary
discretionary
  1. adj. allowing to the responsible use of one's own judgment: A discretionary account is one where the owner allows a stockbroker to make and act on decisions to trade.
discriminate
discriminate
  1. v. -nated, -nating, -nates
    1 [I;T] to see the differences (between): The expert discriminated between two periods of art.
    2 [I] to discriminate (against): to treat (s.o.) unfairly, esp. because of prejudice based on race, sex, age, religion, etc.: Some whites discriminate against blacks.
discriminating
discriminating
  1. adj. having good taste or judgment, (syns.) discerning, refined: She dresses beautifully and is a woman of discriminating tastes.
discrimination
discrimination
  1. n. [U]
    1 unfair treatment, esp. because of race, sex, age, religion, etc.: There is much racial discrimination in the world.
    2 the ability to appreciate small differences, (syns.) discernment, refinement: He is a man of discrimination in his tastes.
discriminator
discriminator
  1. n. a person who treats others unfairly: That employer is a discriminator against women; he pays them less than men.
discriminatory
discriminatory
  1. adj. resulting in unfair treatment (due to prejudice): That business was taken to court for discriminatory practices against minorities in its hiring procedures.
discursive
discursive
  1. adj. (of a person or s.t. written) passing with many words from one subject to another: Her writing is discursive but thorough. -adv. discursively.
discus
discus
  1. n. [T] -cuses a heavy plate thrown in an athletic competition: The discus is hurled as far as possible by a discus thrower, as a sport.
discuss
discuss
  1. v. [T] -es to talk about, examine: Please discuss the problem with the other employees.
    THESAURUS
    discuss to talk over, review, confer about frml.
discussion
discussion
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a talk, serious conversation: We had a discussion about solving the problem.
    2 a formal conference: They are holding a discussion in Geneva about international banking.
    3 under discussion: being talked about: A new contract is now under discussion.
disdain
disdain
  1. n. [U] the feeling that s.o. or s.t. deserves no attention or respect,
    THESAURUS
    contempt: I left my job because my boss treated the workers with disdain. —v. [T]
    1 to refuse because of disdain: He disdained going to the office party.
    2 to consider or treat with disdain: He disdains his coworkers and avoids speaking to them.
disdainful
disdainful
  1. adj. showing no respect,
    THESAURUS
    contemptuous: The oldest students sometimes have a disdainful attitude toward the newly arrived students. -adv. disdainfully.
disease
disease
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a sickness or serious disorder that is inherited or caused by infection or bad living conditions: Disease destroys many lives in poor parts of the world.
    2 fig.an abnormal social condition: The love of money can spread like a disease.
    THESAURUS
    disease
    1 illness, ailment, infirmity | disorder, syndrome. Ant. health.
diseased
diseased
  1. adj. sick, suffering from disease: The refugee camps were filled with hungry and diseased people.
disembark
disembark
  1. v. [I;T] to leave a ship or airplane after a voyage: They disembarked in Amsterdam after crossing the Atlantic Ocean. -n. [U] disembarkation.
disembody
disembody
  1. v. [T] -died, -dying, -dies to free the human soul or spirit from the body: Many people believe that at the moment of death, a person's soul becomes disembodied.
disembowel
disembowel
  1. v. [T] to cut the bowels out: The hunter disemboweled the deer that he had killed.
disenchanted
disenchanted
  1. adj. no longer believing in (s.t. that was valued),
    THESAURUS
    disillusioned: Her boss made her promises but didn't keep them; now she is disenchanted with him. -n. [U] disenchantment.
disenfranchise
disenfranchise
  1. v. [T] -chised, -chising, -chises to take away s.o.'s rights, esp. the right to vote: The white majority disenfranchised the black minority by creating a poll tax they could not pay, so they could not vote. -n. [U] disenfranchisement.
disengage
disengage
  1. v. -gaged, -gaging, -gages
    1 [I;T] to take apart: The technician disengaged the wiring from a large device.
    2 to disengage the gears (on a vehicle's transmission): to shift a clutch: Be sure to disengage the gears when you park the car.
    3 [I] to stop fighting and move apart: The two armies disengaged.
disentangle
disentangle
  1. v. [I;T] -gled, -gling, -gles
    1 to clear away knots from and make straight: The hairdresser disentangled the woman's hair.
    2 fig. to free from confusion,
    THESAURUS
    to extricate: The bookkeeper disentangled the records and cleared up mistakes.
disequilibrium
disequilibrium
  1. n. [U] lack of balance, instability: This chemical solution (government, financial situation, etc.) is in disequilibrium.
disestablish
disestablish
  1. v. [T] to remove s.t. from an official position: The new government disestablished the church (as the official church of the state).
disfavor
disfavor
  1. n. [U] frml. disapproval, dislike: The politician (representative, businessman, etc.) is in disfavor with his colleagues for acting against their wishes. —v.frml. [T] to disapprove of, dislike: Some businesspeople disfavor that approach to marketing.
disfigure
disfigure
  1. v. [T] -ured, -uring, -ures to spoil or hurt the appearance of: In the car accident, she hit the windshield and it disfigured her face. -n. [U] disfigurement.
disgorge
disgorge
  1. v. [T] -gorged, -gorging, -gorges
    1 to throw out from the throat: A mother bird disgorged food for her young.
    2 to pour or put out forcefully: A volcano disgorges smoke and dust.
disgrace
disgrace
  1. n.
    1 [U] dishonor, a state of rejection (for an offense): He suffered disgrace for stealing.
    2 [C;U] a cause of shame or dishonor: She's a disgrace to her family.
    3 in disgrace: in a state of dishonor, public rejection: The official left office in disgrace. —v. [T] to dishonor, bring shame to: The official disgraced himself (his family name, his country, etc.) by his dishonesty.
disgraceful
disgraceful
  1. adj.
    1 shameful, shocking: Her parents were angered and embarrassed by her disgraceful behavior.
    2 dishonorable,
    THESAURUS
    ignominious: The idea of winning-at-any-cost led to disgraceful actions by some competitors. -adv. disgracefully.
disgruntled
disgruntled
  1. adj. discontented and dissatisfied: He is disgruntled about not receiving an increase in pay.
disguise
disguise
  1. v. [T] -guised, -guising, -guises
    1 to change one's appearance to fool others: The secret agent disguised his identity (or) disguised himself to look like a farmer.
    2 to hide, cover up: She disguised her evil intentions by pretending to be friendly. —n.
    1 a change of appearance made to hide one's true identity: The robber wore a ski mask as a disguise.
    2 s.t. that hides the truth,
    THESAURUS
    a ruse: His friendly manner was just a disguise for his brutal intentions.
disgust
disgust
  1. v. [T] to cause feelings of strong dislike: Garbage on the streets disgusts everyone. —n. [U] a feeling of strong dislike: The terrible smell filled me with disgust.
    THESAURUS
    disgust v.
    1 to offend, revolt | sicken, nauseate —n. revulsion | aversion, distaste.
disgusted
disgusted
  1. adj.
    1 feeling strong dislike and impatience,
    THESAURUS
    offended: She is disgusted with dirty politics.
    2 sickened,
    THESAURUS
    nauseated: The neighbors are disgusted by the smell from his pigs. -adv. disgustedly.
disgusting
disgusting
  1. adj.
    1 causing strong dislike and impatience,
    THESAURUS
    offensive: The politicians can't solve anything; it's disgusting!
    2 sickening,
    THESAURUS
    nauseating: That garbage in the streets is disgusting.
disharmony
disharmony
  1. n. [C;U] -nies lack of agreement, (syns.) discord, friction: There is constant disharmony among members of that family; they're always arguing.
dishcloth
dishcloth
  1. n. a cloth used to wash dishes, dishrag: Leave the dishcloth to dry on the sink.
dishearten
dishearten
  1. v. [T] to take away the will to continue, discourage: A lack of cooperation disheartened him in his effort to find a solution to the problem.
dishevel
dishevel
  1. v. [T] to disorder,
    THESAURUS
    to muss: The wind disheveled her hair.
disheveled
disheveled
  1. adj. to have one's appearance (hair, clothes, etc.) in disorder: After falling down, he was all disheveled.
dishonest
dishonest
  1. adj. not honest, untruthful: That company is dishonest; it cheats on its taxes. -adv. dishonestly.
    THESAURUS
    dishonest lying, crooked infrml., deceitful | untrustworthy. Ant. honest.
dishonesty
dishonesty
  1. n. [U] the failure or refusal to be honest or truthful,
    THESAURUS
    deceit: The liar is guilty of dishonesty in what he says and does.
dishonor
dishonor
  1. v.frml. [T]
    1 to cause a loss of honor, bring shame to,
    THESAURUS
    to disgrace: The scandal dishonored him in polite society.
    2 to insult, treat without respect: Burning a nation's flag dishonors its citizens. —n. [U]
    1 disgrace, public shame: She brought dishonor on her family by defecting to the enemy.
    2 an insult, lack of respect: to show dishonor to a nation by burning its flag
dishonorable
dishonorable
  1. adj. disgraceful, shameful, offensive to moral standards: His stealing money that was entrusted to him was dishonorable. -adv. dishonorably.
dishpan
dishpan
  1. n. a pan for washing dishes: I soaked the dishes in the dishpan, then washed them.
dishrag
dishrag
  1. n. See: dishcloth.
dishtowel
dishtowel
  1. n. a cloth towel used to dry dishes after washing: Pass me the dishtowel, so I can dry the dishes.
dishware
dishware
  1. n. [U] dishes in general (plates, bowls, cups, etc.): We store the dishware in a kitchen cabinet.
dishwasher
dishwasher
  1. n.
    1 a machine used to wash dishes: Our dishwasher uses a lot of water.
    2 a person whose job is washing dishes: He's a dishwasher in a Chinese restaurant.
dishwater
dishwater
  1. n. [U]
    1 the water in which dishes were washed: I poured the dishwater out of the dishpan.
    2 s.t. unpleasant or undesirable, esp. to the taste: This soup tastes like dishwater.
disillusion
disillusion
  1. v. [T] to take away (s.o.'s) pleasant belief or faith: He did not keep his promises and that fact disillusioned her. -n.[C;U] disillusionment.
disillusioned
disillusioned
  1. adj. unhappy from a loss of belief or faith: He doesn't vote anymore because he's disillusioned with politics.
disinclined
disinclined
  1. adj. unwilling, reluctant: She is disinclined to accept the job offer because the pay is too low.
disinfect
disinfect
  1. v. [T] to clean by killing germs or bacteria: He disinfected the bathroom with a germicide.
disinfectant
disinfectant
  1. n. [C;U] a germ killer: Hospitals use strong disinfectants to keep the rooms clean.
disinflation
disinflation
  1. n. [U] a slowing of the increase in prices of goods and services (as contrasted with deflation, which is a drop in prices): We are in a period of disinflation during this recession.
disinformation
disinformation
  1. n. [U] false information spread on purpose, esp. by a government to confuse an enemy: The military spread disinformation that it was going to attack from the south, when it really planned to attack from the west.
disingenuous
disingenuous
  1. adj. not open and honest, insincere: She is disingenuous when she says that she loves him; she doesn't. -adv. disingenuously.
disinherit
disinherit
  1. v. [T] to take away rights of inheritance, remove (s.o.) from one's will so that person gets nothing when one dies: The old man disinherited his son after years of disagreements and arguments.
disintegrate
disintegrate
  1. v. [I] -grated, -grating, -grates to break into small pieces, fall apart: The papers were so old that they disintegrated when touched.
disintegration
disintegration
  1. n. [U] a breakdown into small pieces: Autumn leaves begin a process of disintegration after they fall.
disinter
disinter
  1. v. [T] -terred, -terring, -ters to dig up (a body that was buried): A gravedigger disinterred a body by court order.
disinterest
disinterest
  1. n. [U] freedom from self-interest or bias,
    THESAURUS
    impartiality: Her disinterest in the case means that she can judge it fairly.
disinterested
disinterested
  1. adj. not influenced by the chance of personal gain: We need a disinterested person to decide what is fair. -adv. disinterestedly.
disinvestment
disinvestment
  1. n. [U] a reduction of capital investment by selling off assets or by not investing further: A recession is often a period of disinvestment when companies sell assets.
disjointed
disjointed
  1. adj.fig. not well connected, awkward: Feeling confused and embarrassed, he made a disjointed speech (argument, presentation). -adv. disjointedly.
disjunction
disjunction
  1. n. a condition of being disjointed: A disjunction in computer logic caused the problem. -adj. disjunctive.
disk
disk
  1. n.
    1 var. of disc, a thin flat circular plate: A computer disk is for data storage and retrieval. See: diskette.
    2 a pad between two bones in the spine: A slipped disk is causing the pain in her back.
disk drive
disk drive
  1. n. the place (in a computer or compact disc player) where the disk is inserted
diskette
diskette
  1. n. (in computers) a portable, plastic plate on which computer data is stored and read magnetically: We still use three-inch diskettes in our computer systems. floppy disk or diskette -n. a square piece of plastic used to store computer information: His computer has two openings for 3.5-inch floppy diskettes.
dislike
dislike
  1. v. [T] -liked, -liking, -likes to not like or enjoy: He dislikes pickles, so he never eats them. —n. a feeling of not liking: She has a dislike for fruits and vegetables.
    THESAURUS
    dislike v. to not care for, object to, mind | disapprove of. Ant. to like.
    THESAURUS
    —n. a distaste for, aversion to | disinclination frml.
dislocate
dislocate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to move s.t. out of its normal place: The skier fell and dislocated a shoulder.
dislocation
dislocation
  1. n. [C;U] the movement of s.t. from its normal place: He suffered a dislocation of his knee in an accident.
dislodge
dislodge
  1. v. [T] -lodged, -lodging, -lodges to force s.o. or s.t. from its present place: They tried to dislodge the enemy from its position (a rock from a cliff, a bureaucrat from his job, etc.).
disloyal
disloyal
  1. adj. unfaithful, not loyal: Giving away secrets is disloyal to one's friends (company, boss, country, etc.). -adv. disloyally.
disloyalty
disloyalty
  1. n. [U] unfaithfulness, lack of loyalty: Her disloyalty to her friend ended their friendship.
dismal
dismal
  1. adj. causing sadness or depression, (syns.) dreary, gloomy: Dismal weather (rain and fog) brought everyone's spirits down. -adv. dismally.
dismantle
dismantle
  1. v. [T] -tled, -tling, -tles to take apart, break down into pieces: A mechanic dismantled the engine to replace one part.
dismay
dismay
  1. v. [T] to shock and discourage,
    THESAURUS
    to dishearten: The loss of his job dismayed him.
dismember
dismember
  1. v. [T] to cut off the arms and legs (of a human or animal): The mad killer dismembered his victim with an axe. -n. [U] dismemberment.
dismiss
dismiss
  1. v. [T]
    1 to send away: The teacher dismissed the students at the end of class.
    2 frml. to end s.o.'s employment: The company dismissed the employees.
    3 to ignore as unimportant,
    THESAURUS
    to brush off: She dismissed the accusation (proposal, idea, etc.) as not worth thinking about.
dismissal
dismissal
  1. n.
    1 [U] end of the school day: Dismissal is at 3:00 P.M.
    2 frml. [C;U] the end of (s.o.'s) employment: His dismissal took place yesterday.
    3 [U] rejection as unimportant: His dismissal of her idea angered her.
dismount
dismount
  1. v. [I;T] n. to get off s.t., such as a horse or motorcycle: The horseman dismounted and walked to the stable.||It was a graceful dismount.
disobedience
disobedience
  1. n. [U] refusal to follow an order or rule: Disobedience of orders is a serious offense in the military. -adj. disobedient; -adv. disobediently.
    THESAURUS
    disobedience defiance, insubordination, noncompliance. Ant. obedience.
disobey
disobey
  1. v. [T] to refuse to follow an order, not to do what one is told: The girl disobeyed her mother and broke the rule.
    THESAURUS
    disobey to defy, resist | disregard. Ant. to obey.
disorder
disorder
  1. n.
    1 [U] a state of rebellion and confusion: Mass demonstrations threw the nation into disorder.
    2 [U] lack of order, a mess: a room in a state of disorder
    3 [C] a sickness or disturbance (of the mind or body): a stomach disorder —v.frml. [T] to disturb, throw into disorder: The experience disordered her mind.
disordered
disordered
  1. adj.
    1 lacking order, messy: We couldn't understand her disordered presentation.
    2 physically or mentally ill
disorderly
disorderly
  1. adj.
    1 using violence in public,
    THESAURUS
    rowdy: The protesters became disorderly and were arrested.
    2 disorganized, messy: His disorderly manner of leading a meeting causes confusion.
disorderly conduct
disorderly conduct
  1. n. [U] (in law) behavior in public that disturbs the peace: He became drunk and noisy, so the police arrested him for disorderly conduct.
disorganize
disorganize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to confuse, put out of proper order: The late airline flight disorganized her plans.
disorganized
disorganized
  1. adj. confused, not in order: She is so disorganized that she can never find anything.
    THESAURUS
    disorganized disorderly, messed up infrml. (people) | out of place, jumbled, chaotic (things). Ant. organized.
disorient
disorient
  1. v. [T] to confuse, esp. as to where one is and what to do: A fall disoriented him for a few minutes.
disown
disown
  1. v. [T]
    1 to reject all connection with,
    THESAURUS
    to disinherit: The woman disowned her two children.
    2 frml. to refuse to accept, deny: He disowned any responsibility for making a mistake.
disparage
disparage
  1. v. [T] -aged, -aging, -ages to speak of (s.o. or s.t.) as having little value or importance,
    THESAURUS
    to belittle: He called his opponent a fool and disparaged his abilities. -n. [U] disparagement.
disparaging
disparaging
  1. adj. making (s.o. or s.t.) seem of little value or importance, (syns.) belittling, deprecating: She is too polite to ever make disparaging remarks about another person.
disparate
disparate
  1. adj. different, unconnected: He had no speech prepared, so he only made disparate remarks.
disparity
disparity
  1. n. -ties a difference or inequality: There is a disparity between what he says and what he does (between their ages, between their salaries, etc.).
dispassion
dispassion
  1. n. [U] neutrality, disinterest without emotion: A judge must consider matters objectively, with dispassion.
dispassionate
dispassionate
  1. adj. neutral, calm and fair: The judge takes a dispassionate attitude toward matters before her. -adv. dispassionately.
dispatch or despatch
dispatch or despatch
  1. v. [T] -es
    1 to send (s.o. or s.t.): The Ministry dispatched a message (representative, car, etc.).
    2 frml. to kill quickly: The injured horse was suffering, so we dispatched it with a shot to the head. —n. -es
    1 a message or report sent with speed: An officer brought the general the dispatches from the battlefront.
    2 with dispatch: with efficiency: He performs his duties with dispatch by quickly doing what his boss asks.
dispatcher
dispatcher
  1. n. a person who sends and keeps track of people, vehicles, messages, etc.: She works as a taxi dispatcher, using a radio to tell the taxis where to go.
dispel
dispel
  1. v. [T] to cause to go away,
    THESAURUS
    to dissipate: The wind dispels a fog.||He dispelled her fears by telling her he was faithful to her.
dispensable
dispensable
  1. adj.
    1 not necessary,
    THESAURUS
    expendable: We have too much luggage now; let's leave anything that's dispensable at home.
    2 capable of being given out: dispensable drugs, dispensable candy (from a vending machine)
dispensary
dispensary
  1. n. -ries a place from which medical supplies are given out: I went to the hospital dispensary for some bandages.
dispensation
dispensation
  1. n. [C;U] a right or permit given as an exception to a rule, law, or custom: The town gave the school a dispensation to allow school buses to park in the no-parking zone.
dispense
dispense
  1. v. [T] -pensed, -pensing, -penses
    1 to distribute, give out: The Red Cross dispensed medical supplies to the refugees.
    2 to administer, deal out: The judicial system dispenses justice to the people.
    3 phrasal v. insep. to dispense with s.o. or s.t.: to do or manage without,
    THESAURUS
    to eliminate: The participants in the meeting dispensed with the usual formalities and started negotiating immediately.
dispenser
dispenser
  1. n. a device used to give out s.t.: There's a soap dispenser next to the sink.
dispersal
dispersal
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 giving out, distribution: She is responsible for the dispersal of funds to each department in the company.
    2 a breaking up and sending or going away: Police began the dispersal of the crowd around the scene of the accident.
disperse
disperse
  1. v. -persed, -persing, -perses
    1 [T] to give out, dispense: The federal government disperses funds to the states.
    2 [I] to break up and send or go away,
    THESAURUS
    to scatter: The crowd dispersed after the demonstration.
dispersion
dispersion
  1. n.
    1 [U] flow or movement, esp. in a scientific sense: The experiment showed the dispersion of particles in a liquid.
    2 [C;U] a breaking up, scattering in different directions: the dispersion of light into its spectrum of colors
    3 [U] a spread over an area: He studied the dispersion of plants throughout that region.
dispirited
dispirited
  1. adj.frml. discouraged, disheartened: She feels dispirited by the loss of her job.
displace
displace
  1. v. [T] -placed, -placing, -places
    1 to remove, take the place of: The younger executive displaced his boss as department head.
    2 to make a refugee: The war displaced her and her whole family. -adj. displaced; -n. [U] displacement.
display
display
  1. v. [T]
    1 to place in a position to be seen: The store displays merchandise in glass cases.
    2 to allow to be seen: He displayed his bad temper by shouting at me. —n. [C;U]
    1 a presentation: What a beautiful display of clothing in that store window!
    2 a demonstration: The child's display of bad temper surprised his teacher.
    THESAURUS
    display v.
    1 to show, exhibit | feature
    2 to expose, reveal. Ant. to hide.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a show, exhibit
    2 an act, exhibition frml.
displease
displease
  1. v. [T] -pleased, -pleasing, -pleases frml. to cause displeasure, (syns.) to offend, annoy: Her little boy's lack of good manners displeased her. -adj. displeased.
displeasure
displeasure
  1. n. [U] annoyance, irritation: She showed her displeasure at his bad manners by frowning at him.
disposable
disposable
  1. adj.
    1 capable of being thrown away after use: Paper napkins are disposable.
    2 disposable income: money one is free to spend after taxes are taken out
disposal
disposal
  1. n.
    1 [U] the throwing away or dumping of: the disposal of trash
    2 at (s.o.'s) disposal: available for (s.o's) use: I was at her disposal whenever she needed my advice.
    3 [C] garbage disposal: a small machine attached under a kitchen sink for cutting up food waste as it passes through
dispose
dispose
  1. v. [T] -posed, -posing, -poses
    1 to make, be ready for s.t.: The police were disposed to enter the criminal's house.
    2 phrasal v. insep. to dispose of: a. to throw away, put in a trash container: After your picnic, please dispose of the trash (garbage, litter, etc.). b. to deal with s.t. and bring to a conclusion: At the meeting, the committee quickly disposed of the first matter on the agenda.
disposed
disposed
  1. adj.frml.
    1 willing: I think the President is disposed to listen to our idea.
    2 disposed toward: friendly toward, favoring: The people in both countries were well disposed toward the peace plan.
dispossess
dispossess
  1. v.frml. [T] -es to force out of a home or land by legal action or by wrongful act: The court dispossessed the family from their house for not paying their taxes.
disproportion
disproportion
  1. n. [U] s.t. that is too large or small in relation to s.t. else,
    THESAURUS
    an imbalance: The price that he wants is in disproportion to the property's value; it's too high. -adj. disproportional.
disproportionate
disproportionate
  1. adj. too large or small compared to s.t. else: The size of the mirror is disproportionate to that of the dresser, so we should get a smaller one. -adv. disproportionately.
disprove
disprove
  1. v. [T] -proved, -proving, -proves to prove that s.t. is untrue
    THESAURUS
    to refute: The lawyer disproved her opponent's claim, so her client went free.
disputable
disputable
  1. adj. questionable, doubtful: What he says is disputable; I don't believe it.
dispute
dispute
  1. n.
    1 an argument, quarrel: The couple had a dispute over money.
    2 a lawsuit, court case: The two landowners have a dispute over water rights.||These two disputants will meet in court. —v. -puted, -puting, -putes
    1 [T] to argue against, quarrel over: One person disputes what the other says.
    2 [I;T] to question the truth of: The two people disputed each other's claims in court.
disqualification
disqualification
  1. n. [C;U] a forcing out of a person or group, such as a sports team, from participation: When the soccer team suffered a disqualification for breaking the rules, they couldn't play for the rest of the season.
disqualify
disqualify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to take away the right to participate: The referee disqualified the player after tests showed he had used drugs.
disquiet
disquiet
  1. v.frml. [T] to make uneasy or anxious: City life disquieted the poet, so she returned to the countryside. -adj. disquieting.
disregard
disregard
  1. v. [T] to pay no attention to,
    THESAURUS
    to ignore: Please disregard my last letter, as I now have new information for you. —n. [U] lack of attention to or care for: He has complete disregard for the needs of others.
disrepair
disrepair
  1. n. [U] a condition of being broken down and needing to be fixed: The house has fallen into disrepair with broken windows and a leaky roof.
disreputable
disreputable
  1. adj. having a bad reputation, not to be trusted: She advised us not to do business with that disreputable company. -adv. disreputably.
disrepute
disrepute
  1. n. [U] disgrace, bad reputation: Dishonest dealings have brought that company into a state of disrepute.||The owner is considered to be dishonest, and he is in disrepute.
disrespect
disrespect
  1. n. [U] lack of respect: The customer treated the waiter with disrespect by shouting at him. -adj. disrespectful; -adv. disrespectfully.
    THESAURUS
    disrespect rudeness, impoliteness, discourtesy. Ant. politeness.
disrobe
disrobe
  1. v. [I] -robed, -robing, -robes frml. to remove clothing, undress: The patient disrobed in the doctor's examination room.
disrupt
disrupt
  1. v. [T]
    1 to interrupt, cause a break in the flow of: The storm disrupted our telephone service, so we could not make phone calls for two days.
    2 to cause a disorder in, upset: A protester disrupted a meeting of the Board of Directors by shouting slogans. -n.[C;U] disruption.
disruptive
disruptive
  1. adj. upsetting, disturbing: The angry young man has a disruptive influence on the work of others. -adv. disruptively.
dissatisfaction
dissatisfaction
  1. n. [U] lack of satisfaction, discontent: There is much dissatisfaction with the low salaries at our company.
dissatisfactory
dissatisfactory
  1. adj.frml. not good enough, unsatisfactory: Since the student's performance is dissatisfactory, she received low grades. -adv. dissatisfactorily.
dissatisfy
dissatisfy
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to displease, discontent: The violin performance dissatisfied the critical audience. -adj. dissatisfied; dissatisfying.
    THESAURUS
    dissatisfy to disappoint, make unhappy, frustrate, vex. Ant. to satisfy.
dissect
dissect
  1. v. [T]
    1 to cut apart for analysis: The biology student dissected a frog in the laboratory.
    2 fig. to examine s.t. piece by piece with great care: The lawyer dissected the story told by the witness. -n. [C;U] dissection.
dissemble
dissemble
  1. v. [I] -bled, -bling, -bles frml. to hide the truth, pretend: He dissembled about his past employment history.
disseminate
disseminate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates frml. to make known,
    THESAURUS
    to promulgate: The newspapers disseminate information to the public. -n. [U] dissemination.
dissension
dissension
  1. n. [C;U] a difference of opinion, esp. resulting in argument: There was a great deal of noisy dissension among the arguing committee members.
dissent
dissent
  1. v. [I]
    1 to have or give a different opinion: One member of the Supreme Court dissented from the majority opinion.||She wrote a dissenting opinion.
    2 to speak in protest, esp. politically: Students dissented against the government. —n. [U] opposition, disagreement: The people rose in dissent over food shortages. -n. dissenter.
dissertation
dissertation
  1. n. a long formal treatment of a subject, esp. one written for a higher university degree: After years of writing her doctoral dissertation, it was accepted and she received her Ph.D.
disservice
disservice
  1. n.sing. an action that creates a problem for s.o.: That company did me a great disservice when they made a mistake that hurt my credit rating.
dissidence
dissidence
  1. n. [U] disagreement, opposition: He started a campaign of political dissidence.
dissident
dissident
  1. n. one who dissents: Political dissidents are often put in jail in that country.
dissimilar
dissimilar
  1. adj. different, unlike in some way: The girls are identical twins, but dissimilar in that one likes sports and the other does not.
dissimilarity
dissimilarity
  1. n. -ties a difference: The two products are much alike, but they do have dissimilarities.
dissipate
dissipate
  1. v. -pated, -pating, -pates
    1 [I] to disappear or to lessen in intensity,
    THESAURUS
    to disperse: The fog slowly dissipated in the morning sunlight.
    2 [T] to spend or use up carelessly,
    THESAURUS
    to squander: The dictator dissipated the riches of his country.
dissipated
dissipated
  1. adj. foolish and careless in living only for pleasure: Her dissipated lifestyle has destroyed her health. -n. dissipation.
dissociate
dissociate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates frml. to separate, set apart: The candidate tried to dissociate himself in the minds of the voters from the past failures of his party. -n. [U] dissociation.
dissoluble
dissoluble
  1. adj. capable of being dissolved: Aspirin is dissoluble in water.
dissolute
dissolute
  1. adj. lacking good character and morals,
    THESAURUS
    immoral: He is dissolute; he cheats on his taxes every year. -adv. dissolutely.
dissolution
dissolution
  1. n.
    1 a breaking down into parts or pieces,
    THESAURUS
    disintegration: Sadly, we watched the dissolution of the government (the team's spirit, the patient's courage, etc.).
    2 [C;U] a formal breaking of an association, group, or contract: the dissolution of a marriage
    3 [U] immoral behavior,
    THESAURUS
    degeneracy: Drinking and using drugs, she fell into dissolution.
dissolve
dissolve
  1. v. -solved, -solving, -solves
    1 [I;T] to put s.t., like sugar or powder, into a liquid and make it seem to disappear: The powder dissolved in water.
    2 [T] to end (an association, group, or contract): to dissolve a marriage (a formal meeting, business, etc.)
    3 [I] fig. to break down emotionally: She dissolved into tears at the news.
dissonance
dissonance
  1. n.frml. [U]
    1 discord, harsh sound: I dislike the dissonance in serious modern music.
    2 conflict, lack of agreement: They ended their marriage because of the dissonance in their relationship. -adj. dissonant.
dissuade
dissuade
  1. v. [T] -suaded, -suading, -suades frml. to persuade s.o. not to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to deter: My father dissuaded me from taking a job in another city. -n. [U] dissuasion.
distance
distance
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 amount of space between two points: What is the distance between the earth and the moon (or) the distance from the earth to the moon?||The distance between Boston and New York is 250 miles (400 km.).
    2 sing. an unfriendly relation,
    THESAURUS
    an aloofness: There is a distance now between those two friends.
    3 in the distance: far away: We saw dark clouds in the distance.
    4 to keep one's distance: a. to stay away because of safety: When I'm out walking, I keep my distance from strange dogs. b. to be unfriendly, aloof: Since our argument, she's kept her distance from me and never even says hello. —v. [T] -tanced, -tancing, -tances to put or keep at a distance: After he became rich, he distanced himself from old friends.
distant
distant
  1. adj.
    1 far away: She's studying the distant stars (the distant past, her distant relatives, etc.).
    2 not friendly, cold: She used to have a close relationship with her sister, but now they are distant toward each other. -adv. distantly.
    THESAURUS
    distant
    1 far off, remote, outlying. Ant. close.
    2 aloof, cool, unfriendly. Ant. friendly.
distaste
distaste
  1. n.sing. [U] a dislike: He has a distaste for red meat (opera, arguing, etc.).
distasteful
distasteful
  1. adj. unpleasant, causing dislike: I find his loud voice in public to be distasteful. -adv. distastefully.
distemper
distemper
  1. n. [U] a viral disease, esp. suffered by dogs: Our dog had distemper, but is OK now.
distend
distend
  1. v.frml. [I;T] adj. to grow large because of pressure inside: The starving children had distended stomachs. -n. [U] distention.
distill
distill
  1. v. [T]
    1 to make (a liquid) into gas by boiling it and then collecting the condensation, esp. to make alcohol: Whisky is distilled from grain.
    2 to reduce s.t. to its central or most important quality: The student distilled the general ideas of the course into a few pages of notes. -n. [C;U] distillation.
distillate
distillate
  1. n. the product of distillation: Vodka is a distillate of wheat, corn, or potatoes.
distillery
distillery
  1. n. -ies a business or factory where drinking alcohol, esp. whiskey, is distilled: They own a whiskey distillery in Scotland. -n. distiller.
distinct
distinct
  1. adj.
    1 clear, easy to see: Medical care has made a distinct improvement in his health.
    2 separate, different: Those two types of birds are quite distinct (from each other). -adv. distinctly.
distinction
distinction
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a clear difference: The history teacher made (or) drew a distinction between the customs of the past and present.
    2 [U] excellence: She achieved distinction in the field of history.
    3 sing. s.t. that sets s.o. apart, esp. an honor: She had the distinction of graduating first in her class.
distinctive
distinctive
  1. adj. different from others, special: Spices give that dish its distinctive flavor. -adv. distinctively.
distinguish
distinguish
  1. v. -es
    1 [I;T] to see or understand differences,
    THESAURUS
    to discriminate: That child cannot distinguish between right and wrong!
    2 [T] to show as different, set apart: What distinguishes our company from our competitors is our excellent record of customer satisfaction.
    3 [T] to distinguish oneself: to gain notice, honor, or respect: He distinguished himself as a leading writer of books.
distinguished
distinguished
  1. adj. famous for excellent achievement: She is a distinguished novelist.
distort
distort
  1. v. [T]
    1 to twist, bend out of shape: Anger distorted his face.
    2 to change so as to make false,
    THESAURUS
    to misrepresent: He distorts the truth.
distortion
distortion
  1. n. [C;U] a change that makes (s.t.) false,
    THESAURUS
    a misrepresentation: The story she told was a distortion of the truth.
distract
distract
  1. v. [T] to pull (s.o.'s) attention away: Noise distracts him, so he can't study for exams.
distracted
distracted
  1. adj.
    1 having one's attention pulled away: Distracted from her reading by a noise outside, she ran to the window.
    2 very upset or troubled: The distracted father ran looking for his lost child. -adv. distractedly.
distraction
distraction
  1. n.
    1 s.t. that interrupts, a disturbance: Noise is a distraction when I'm trying to study.
    2 entertainment, pleasing places and events: He goes to London on business, but finds many pleasant distractions there as well.
distraught
distraught
  1. adj. very upset, extremely troubled: She was distraught by the death of her aunt.
distress
distress
  1. n. -es [U]
    1 emotional pain or suffering: We could see her distress over the death of her aunt.
    2 difficulty, danger: That ship is in distress; it is sinking. —v. [T] to cause emotional pain: Her aunt's death distressed her deeply.
distribute
distribute
  1. v. [T] -uted, -uting, -utes
    1 to give out or deal out: The government distributes free food to the poor.
    2 to spread out, place at separate points: The population in the desert is distributed over a wide area.
    THESAURUS
    distribute
    1 to hand out, issue | allocate, dispense, dole out
    2 to scatter, divide up.
distributing
distributing
  1. n. [U] the business and occupation of a distributor, esp. of goods: He is in distributing; he distributes office supplies.
distribution
distribution
  1. n.
    1 [U] a giving or dealing out (of s.t.): The Red Cross was responsible for the distribution of medical supplies.
    2 [C;U] a supplying of (s.t.), a shipment: the distribution of goods from a factory
    3 [C;U] spread, placement (over an area): War brought change in the distribution of population over the country. -adj. distributive.
distributor
distributor
  1. n.
    1 a person or business that distributes goods, usu. at wholesale prices: She is a distributor of cosmetics to stores locally.||She has her own distributorship.
    2 a small device that passes electric current to the spark plugs in an engine
district
district
  1. n.
    1 an area of special character: Wall Street is in the financial district of New York.
    2 an area officially marked for a purpose: a postal district, a political district —v. [T] to divide into districts: The legislature districts the state, and each district elects a representative.
    THESAURUS
    district n.
    1 quarter, region, community
    2 locality, precinct.
district court
district court
  1. n. a Federal court in the USA, usu. with power over a wide area: The case is being tried before a jury in the District Court for the Southern District of New York.
distrust
distrust
  1. v. sing. [T] to lack trust in, doubt the honesty, intentions, or ability of: The two nations (people, relatives, etc.) have distrusted each other for years. —n.sing. [U] doubt, lack of trust: Enemies have a distrust for each other.
    THESAURUS
    distrust v. to mistrust, have misgivings | suspect. Ant. to trust.
distrustful
distrustful
  1. adj. doubtful, suspicious: The two business partners are now distrustful of each other. -adv. distrustfully.
disturb
disturb
  1. v. [T]
    1 to interrupt: Bad dreams disturbed her sleep.
    2 to worry, upset: The bad news disturbed him.
    THESAURUS
    disturb
    1 to bother, intrude on, butt in infrml.
    2 to concern, trouble, perturb frml.
disturbance
disturbance
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a break in the peace or quiet: I heard a disturbance in the hallway outside my apartment; two people were arguing.
    2 an interruption: a disturbance in telephone service
disturbed
disturbed
  1. adj.
    1 worried, upset: She is disturbed about her mother's poor health.
    2 mentally ill or not normal: He is emotionally disturbed and needs a doctor's care.
disunite
disunite
  1. v. [I;T] -nited, -niting, -nites
    1 to move apart: The two political parties broke their coalition and disunited.
    2 to break apart: The country became disunited and fell into a state of disorder and lawlessness. -n. [U] disunion.
disunity
disunity
  1. n. [U] lack of agreement or organization,
    THESAURUS
    discord: The leaders do not agree, so there is disunity in their political party.
disuse
disuse
  1. n. [U]
    1 lack of use: After he broke his leg, his muscles became weak from disuse.
    2 to fall into disuse: to gradually stop being used: I never hear that word anymore, so I guess it has fallen into disuse.
ditch
ditch
  1. n. -es a long narrow hole dug in the earth, esp. to hold or carry water: I fell into the ditch that runs by the side of the road. —v. [T]
    1 infrml.fig. to throw away quickly: The thieves ditched the stolen goods, so the police won't find them.
    2 slang to suddenly break a relationship with: She ditched her boyfriend for another man.
    THESAURUS
    ditch n. a trench, gutter, furrow.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to abandon, discard, cast off
    2 to dump infrml.
dither
dither
  1. v. [I] to hesitate in a confused way, delay: The manager dithered over the decision for days. —n.sing. a state of confusion and nervousness: He is always in a dither about s.t.; he should try to calm down.
ditto
ditto
  1. n. -tos exclam.
    1 [U] an expression of agreement: "He thinks she's a terrific worker!"—"Ditto!" (meaning that I do, too)
    2 the symbol (") placed under a word (phrase, another symbol, etc.) to indicate that it repeats itself
ditty
ditty
  1. n. -ties a short song: We sang little ditties last night.
diuretic
diuretic
  1. n.adj. a chemical that reduces the water content of the blood and causes an increase in urine: He uses a diuretic to control his blood pressure.
diurnal
diurnal
  1. adj.frml. daily: Sunlight affects the diurnal rhythms of life. -adv. diurnally.
diva
diva
  1. n. a female opera star: She was a famous diva for many years.
divan
divan
  1. n. a sofa: We sit on the divan and watch television at night.
dive
dive
  1. v. [I] dove , or dived, diving, dives
    1 to jump (into the water) head first: The swimmer dove into the pool.
    2 to go down sharply: The plane (submarine, stock market) dove suddenly.
    3 infrml. to dive into: to begin with energy: She dives into her work early each morning. —n.
    1 a headfirst jump into the water: She made a graceful dive.
    2 a fast downward movement: a dive in the stock market
    3 slang a cheap, not respectable nightclub
    4 to take a dive: (in boxing) to pretend to be knocked out: The boxer was paid to take a dive.
    THESAURUS
    dive v.
    1 to plunge, jump headlong
    2 to plunge, fall, drop.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a headlong jump
    2 a fall, drop, plunge.
diver
diver
  1. n. a person who goes down into deep water or jumps from an airplane: He is a deep-sea diver (or) skydiver.
diverge
diverge
  1. v. [I] -verged, -verging, -verges to separate and go in different directions, esp. in conflict: The nation was united, then political opinion diverged and several political parties were formed. -n. divergence.
divergent
divergent
  1. adj. moving apart and differing: She and I hold divergent opinions.
diverse
diverse
  1. adj. varied, different from each other: New York City has a diverse population, including many Asians, African-Americans, and Puerto Ricans.
diversification
diversification
  1. n. [U] a spreading of assets among different investments to lessen the risk by remaining in one or a few: Many businesses follow a program of diversification to reduce the chance of a big loss.
diversify
diversify
  1. v. [I;T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to make or become varied: The college biology department has diversified by adding new courses in biotechnology.
    2 to enter new types of businesses See: diversification.
diversion
diversion
  1. n.
    1 a break from normal activity (esp. work), entertainment: While on business in Chicago, I went to a football game as a diversion.
    2 an action designed to distract and trick s.o.: Two men pretended to fight as a diversion while their friend stole wallets from people watching them.
diversity
diversity
  1. n. [U] -ties
    1 variety: Diversity in one's diet—such as eating vegetables, fruit, fish, and grains—is important for good health.
    2 [U] differences among people in race, ethnic group, religion, etc.: the diversity of the American people
    3 [C] a diversity of opinion: disagreement: There is a diversity of opinion about what to do.
divert
divert
  1. v. [T]
    1 to distract, cause to turn away: A loud noise diverted everyone's attention from their work.
    2 to direct away, esp. from an intended purpose: The bookkeeper diverted company funds to his own bank account.
    3 frml. to amuse, entertain: She diverted the child with a game.
divest
divest
  1. v. [T]
    1 frml. to take away (rights or property): He was divested of all parental rights by the court.
    2 to divest oneself of (assets, investments, etc.): to sell off: The corporation divested itself of realestate holdings.
    3 frml. to undress: The knight divested himself of his armor.
divestiture
divestiture
  1. n. [U] an instance of selling off an asset: They advised the divestiture of real-estate holdings.
divide
divide
  1. v. -vided, -viding, -vides
    1 [T] to separate (s.t. into shares): Divide the candy between the two children.
    2 [I;T] to separate (into parts), break up: They have divided the first floor into five rooms.||The huge corporation divided into smaller companies.
    3 [T] to break up, cause to disagree: Arguments over politics divided the two brothers.
    4 [I;T] to figure how many times one number contains another: 4 divided by 2 is 2. —n. mountains that divide watersheds: The Rocky Mountains form the Great Divide in North America.
    THESAURUS
    divide v.
    1 to split s.t. up, distribute, measure out
    2 to split up, partition | carve
    3 to split up, alienate.
dividend
dividend
  1. n.
    1 money paid to stockholders in a company as a share of company profits: The board of directors of this company declares a quarterly dividend, then sends out checks.
    2 infrml. a benefit or advantage, usu. surprising: He went there just for a vacation, so meeting his true love was an unexpected dividend.
    3 a number to be divided: In dividing 20 by 5, the number 20 is the dividend and 5 is the divisor.
divider
divider
  1. n. anything used as a separator, esp. as to divide a room into two parts: The carpenter built a divider to make two rooms out of one.
divine
divine
  1. adj.
    1 heavenly, related to a godly force: Do you believe in a divine power that controls all life?
    2 fig. excellent, wonderful: We attended a divine party last night. -adv. divinely. —v. [I;T] -vined, -vining, -vines to guess, know by intuition: The wise man divined the truth. —n.frml. a Christian minister or priest
divine right
divine right
  1. n. [U] the belief that a king's right to rule came from God: The Bourbon kings ruled France by divine right.
diving
diving
  1. n. [U] various (under)water sports: My friend has gone scuba diving in the Caribbean Sea.
diving board
diving board
  1. n. a flat, flexible board used for the fun or sport of springing into water: Swimmers run onto the diving board and jump into the pool.
diving suit
diving suit
  1. n. a tough, flexible covering with equipment for breathing used for work and exploration: The deep-sea diver put on his diving suit.
divining rod
divining rod
  1. n. a forked stick used to find underground water: Some people have special talent for finding water with a divining rod.
divinity
divinity
  1. n. -ties
    1 a god
    2 the Divinity: God: Many people pray to the Divinity. —adj. related to religion: She is a divinity student.
divisible
divisible
  1. adj. capable of being divided: All even numbers, such as four and eight, are divisible by two.
division
division
  1. n.
    1 [C] a separation, breaking up (into parts, shares, etc.): We need to agree on a fair division of labor.
    2 [C] a unit within a larger organization: The marketing division is the largest unit in this company.
    3 [U] the mathematical operation of dividing one number by another: An example of division is "4 divided by 2 equals 2."
    4 a large military unit: an army division of 30,000 men
    5 a separation, esp. through disagreement: There is a division in the union membership over accepting the new contract.
    THESAURUS
    division
    1 a split, allotment, apportionment
    2 a part, section, group.
divisive
divisive
  1. adj. causing disagreement and division between people: He spreads false information and is a divisive force among the workers.
divisor
divisor
  1. n. a number by which another one is divided: In 4 divided by 2, the number 2 is the divisor and 4 is the dividend.
divorce
divorce
  1. n. [C;U] a legal ending of a marriage: She sued her husband for divorce. —v. -vorced, -vorcing, -vorces
    1 [I;T] to end a marriage by law: He divorced his wife.
    2 [T] to separate: She believes in divorcing her personal life from her work life.
    THESAURUS
    divorce n. a break-up, split-up, parting of the ways | separation, annulment.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to break up, split, call it quits infrml. | annul
    2 to detach.
divorcé
divorcé
  1. n. a divorced man: He became a divorcé last year.
divorcée
divorcée
  1. n. a divorced woman: She is a divorcée now.
divulge
divulge
  1. v. [T] -vulged, -vulging, -vulges to tell (s.t. that was secret),
    THESAURUS
    to disclose: He divulged his feelings to his closest friend.
divvy up
divvy up
  1. v. [T] -vied, -vying, -vies infrml. to divide into shares: The partners divvied up the profits from the sale.
dizziness
dizziness
  1. n. [U] lightheadedness, a feeling of losing consciousness and balance: Her high fever caused dizziness and she fell.
dizzy
dizzy
  1. adj. -zier, -ziest
    1 lightheaded, faint: He felt dizzy from the heat (turning in circles, looking down from the top of the building).
    2 infrml.fig. foolish, silly: She changes her mind constantly; she's just a dizzy person.
dizzying
dizzying
  1. adj. highly exciting: I went on a roller coaster ride and it was a dizzying experience.
do-it-yourself
do-it-yourself
  1. adj. requiring planning and work with one's own hands, rather than having s.t. done for you: Many Americans like do-it-yourself projects, from putting together furniture to repairing their own cars.
do-nothing
do-nothing
  1. adj. not active or effective: At work she talks and reads the newspaper; she's a do-nothing employee.
doable
doable
  1. adj. possible, capable of being done: Building a dam across that river will take a great effort, but it is doable.
docile
docile
  1. adj. easy to teach, lead, or command: Some teachers prefer docile students, but others prefer students with creative minds. -n. [U] docility.
dock
dock
  1. n.
    1 a type of wharf or pier where boats or ships stop for (un)loading or repairs: We got on our boat at the dock.
    2 the place where a prisoner stays in court: The accused man stood in the dock. —v. [T]
    1 to approach and then tie a boat to a dock: We carefully docked our boat.
    2 to attach a space vehicle to another one: The two spacecraft docked high above Africa.||The docking in space was successful.
    3 to take away money from, usu. as punishment or to force repayment of a debt: The company docked his pay because he was late to work.
    THESAURUS
    dock n.
    1 a boat landing, slip, quay | marina.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to moor, maneuver s.t. into s.t.
    2 to couple s.t. (in space)
    3 to cut, reduce, penalize.
docket
docket
  1. n. a listing (of people, court cases to be called up): Our case was the third one on the court docket.
dockworker
dockworker
  1. n. a person who works on the docks, esp. at loading and unloading ships' cargo: The dockworkers unloaded the large crates and moved the freight to the warehouse.
dockyard
dockyard
  1. n. a business concerned with selling, repairing, and storing boats: We plan to have our boat stored at the dockyard for the winter.
doctor
doctor
  1. n.
    1 a physician: I visited the doctor yesterday for a medical examination.
    2 a person with an advanced university degree: The English professor's name is Dr. Smith. See: PhD. —v. [T]
    1 infrml.to treat medically: Who doctors the players on the team?
    2 to change, esp. to make false: The job of the observers was to stop anyone from doctoring the results of the election.
    THESAURUS
    doctor n.
    1 an M.D., medical practitioner | doc infrml. | surgeon
    2 a Ph.D. —v.
    2 to tamper with.
doctorate
doctorate
  1. n. an advanced university degree: She has a doctorate in physics. See: Ph.D.
doctrinaire
doctrinaire
  1. adj. keeping stubbornly to a way of thinking (doctrine, idea, etc.), without caring about practical matters: He is a conservative (liberal, radical, etc.) and quite doctrinaire in his opinions.
doctrine
doctrine
  1. n. a statement of beliefs or principles made to guide human behavior or relations between countries: The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 says that no foreign power may create a colony on the American continents.
document
document
  1. n.
    1 a paper, such as a formal letter, contract, record, etc.: The official documents showing who owns land are kept in the courthouse.
    2 a letter, report, etc., created on a computer: Documents can be stored on diskettes or on the computer's hard drive. —v. [T] to provide written evidence: The police documented their case with accounts of the accident by people who saw it.
documentary
documentary
  1. n. -ries a film or television program based on facts and historical records: We saw a television documentary on the Civil War. —adj. related to documents: The police have documentary evidence.
documentation
documentation
  1. n. [U]
    1 evidence (written documents, tape recordings, photographs, etc.) to prove s.t. is true: We have documentation in the form of canceled checks to show that we paid the bill.
    2 a record, usu. written, of a business meeting, agreement, or transaction
    3 (in computers) a written description of a computer program, made to help s.o. using the program
dodder
dodder
  1. v.adj. to move in a shaky way as from old age: The doddering old man almost fell on the stairs.
dodge
dodge
  1. v. dodged, dodging, dodges
    1 [I;T] to move quickly out of the way: The boxer dodged the punch.
    2 [T] to avoid (a responsibility): Politicians dodge hard questions from reporters. —n.infrml. a trick,
    THESAURUS
    a deception: That telephone call was an offer for a free vacation, but it was just a dodge to sell me s.t. -n. dodger.
dodgy
dodgy
  1. adj.Brit. -ier, -iest risky, dangerous: Hiking in those mountains could be dodgy; be careful!
dodo
dodo
  1. n. -does or -dos
    1 a flightless bird that no longer exists
    2 infrml.fig. a stupid person: He's so stupid; he's a dodo.
    3 dead as a dodo bird: clearly finished, no longer possible: That building is as dead as a dodo (or) dodo bird!
doe
doe
  1. n.
    1 a female deer: Does give birth to fawns.
    2 doe-eyed: with large beautiful brown eyes: She is a lovely doe-eyed girl.
doer
doer
  1. n.infrml. s.o. who takes action rather than just talking: She is a doer; she gets things done.
does
does
  1. third person sing., pres. tense of do: He does carpentry for a living.
doesn't
doesn't
  1. aux. verb, contr. of does not: She doesn't like spinach.
doff
doff
  1. v. [T] to take off: The man doffed his hat to the woman.
dog-ear
dog-ear
  1. v. to turn down the corner of a page in a book: My favorite paperback books have lots of dog-eared pages.
dog-eat-dog
dog-eat-dog
  1. adj. fiercely competitive, trying to win with no care for what is fair: It's a dog-eat-dog world in the printing business now.
dog
dog
  1. n.
    1 any of a variety of four-legged meat-eating animals usu. kept as pets or to work (for farmers, police, etc.): Americans have a saying, "A dog is man's best friend."
    2 infrml. a guy: He won Lotto? What a lucky dog he is!
    3 infrml.pej. s.o. who is not good-looking
    4 dog days of summer: very hot summer weather: August usually brings the dog days of summer.
    5 infrml. to go to the dogs: to get into bad condition: No one has taken care of the grass or equipment at our local playground, so it's gone to the dogs.
    6 fig. to let sleeping dogs lie: to leave things as they are, so as not to start up trouble: I know we should get her to do more of the work, but I'd rather let sleeping dogs lie.
    7 infrml. top dog: the winner or person with most power: In the competition among the salespeople, she came out as top dog. See: underdog.
    8 fig. to teach an old dog new tricks: to get s.o. to change old ways and habits: I've tried to show him how much easier his job would be with a computer, but you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
    9 infrml. to work like a dog: to work hard without rest: We worked like dogs to finish the job on time. —v. [T] dogged, dogging, dogs to follow closely,
    THESAURUS
    to pursue: Her new friend dogs her footsteps wherever she goes.
dogfight
dogfight
  1. n.
    1 a loud, hard fight between dogs: The owners stopped a dogfight.
    2 fig. a fight in the air between warplanes: In World War II, there were dogfights between German and American aircraft.
dogged
dogged
  1. adj. not giving up easily, (syns.) determined, tenacious: She finished a difficult job because of her dogged devotion to it. -adv. doggedly.
doggerel
doggerel
  1. n. [U] bad poetry, usu. with awkward rhymes: He writes doggerel, not real poetry.
doggie bag or doggy bag
doggie bag or doggy bag
  1. n. a bag to hold and carry away leftover food from a meal at a restaurant: I couldn't eat all of my meal, so I asked the waiter for a doggie bag.
doggone
doggone
  1. exclam.of annoyance or surprise: Doggone it! I've lost my pen (or) my doggone pen!
doghouse
doghouse
  1. n.
    1 a small house, usu. in a backyard, used for a dog
    2 fig. in the doghouse: to be treated with dislike, usu. because one has done s.t. wrong: He forgot his wife's birthday and now he's in the doghouse.
dogma
dogma
  1. n. [C;U] a statement of belief (principle, custom, etc.) made by an authority that people are supposed to accept without question: Church dogma has remained unchanged for many, many years.
dogmatic
dogmatic
  1. adj. insisting on one's own belief as the only truth, opinionated: She is dogmatic about there being only one way to win an election. -adv. dogmatically; -n. [U] dogmatism; dogmatist.
dogooder or do-gooder
dogooder or do-gooder
  1. n. a person who works for the good of others in society but is unrealistic: She's a do-gooder who thinks she can change the world by doing volunteer work among the poor.
dogwood
dogwood
  1. n. a tree with pink or white flowers: The dogwoods are lovely in the spring.
doily
doily
  1. n. -lies a small, round, or rectangular pretty cloth: There is a lace doily under the flower vase on the dinner table.
doings
doings
  1. n.pl. parties and other social events: There are a lot of doings at school graduation time.
dolce vita
dolce vita
  1. n.sing. (Italian for) a carefree, pleasure-filled lifestyle: He dreams about living la dolce vita on the French Riviera.
doldrums
doldrums
  1. n.pl. used with a sing. v.
    1 an area of the ocean with little or no wind
    2 infrml. in the doldrums: in low spirits: Her career is going nowhere and she's feeling depressed; she's in the doldrums.
dole
dole
  1. v. [T] doled, doling, doles to give in small amounts (money, food, clothes): The boy's mother doles out an allowance to him. —n. Brit. on the dole: receiving money from the government because of being out of work: He lost his job and now he's on the dole.
doleful
doleful
  1. adj. sad: She has a doleful expression on her face. -adv. dolefully.
doll
doll
  1. n.
    1 a child's toy that looks like a small person or baby: Many little girls play with dolls.
    2 infrml.fig. a pretty girl or woman: Your baby is very pretty; she's a doll!
dollar
dollar
  1. n.
    1 the unit of money used by USA, Canada, and Australia: The price of oil is given in US dollars.
    2 dollars and cents: thought of only in terms of money: Her choice of a career was simply a matter of dollars and cents, not one of personal desires.
    3 the almighty dollar: a. (symbol of) a love of money: He'll do anything for the almighty dollar. b. (symbol of) financial strength: Governments try to lower its value, but the almighty dollar stays strong!
    THESAURUS
    dollar
    1 a dollar bill, a buck infrml. | currency, legal tender.
dollar diplomacy
dollar diplomacy
  1. n. [U] the use of US foreign aid and other economic support to influence world events: The USA often uses dollar diplomacy with foreign nations to persuade them to take certain actions.
dollar sign
dollar sign
  1. n. the symbol ($) used to mean the US dollar: I bought that coat for $100.
dollop
dollop
  1. n.infrml. a small mass of s.t., such as from a serving spoon: My father put a dollop of mashed potato on my plate.
dolly
dolly
  1. n. -lies
    1 (used by or with children) a doll: Do you like to play with your dolly?
    2 a platform on wheels for moving heavy things: The delivery man wheeled the sofa into the house on a dolly.
dolphin
dolphin
  1. n. an intelligent ocean mammal that can swim at great speed: Dolphins are a delight to watch as they perform in an aquarium. See: porpoise.
dolt
dolt
  1. n.infrml. a stupid person: That guy is a dolt!
domain
domain
  1. n.
    1 a land area controlled by s.o.: The lion (king, principal, etc.) looks out over his domain.
    2 an area of responsibility or knowledge: Deciding on accounting procedures is (in) the comptroller's domain.
dome
dome
  1. n. a rounded roof: The dome on the capitol building in Boston is painted gold.
domestic
domestic
  1. adj.
    1 related to one's home life: The couple has a happy domestic life.
    2 related to national concerns (not foreign relations): The President excels at domestic matters. -adv. domestically. —n. a person employed as a household servant: She works as a domestic for a rich family. -n. [U] domesticity .
    THESAURUS
    domestic
    1 family, personal | household
    2 homeland, internal. Ant. foreign.
domesticate
domesticate
  1. v. [T] to tame (an animal that was wild), esp. for human use or life in a household: Cats and dogs are domesticated animals.
domicile
domicile
  1. n.frml. the place where s.o. lives: He has a house in the country, but his legal domicile is in the city.
dominant
dominant
  1. adj.
    1 having greater power, commanding: She is dominant in her relationship with her younger brother.
    2 holding the most important position or greatest influence: Football, basketball, and baseball are the dominant sports in the USA. -n. dominance.
dominate
dominate
  1. v. -nated, -nating, -nates
    1 [I;T] to have the most important place or greatest influence in: She is the greatest opera singer in the world; she dominates the field.
    2 [T] to have or use power or command over: He dominates his company with an iron hand. -n. domination.
domineer
domineer
  1. v. [I;T] adj. to force to obey,
    THESAURUS
    to tyrannize: She is a domineering mother whose children are afraid of her.
dominion
dominion
  1. n. [U]
    1 the right to rule or control: The King holds dominion over the people of his nation.
    2 [C] a selfgoverning country within the British Commonwealth: The Queen pays visits to the Dominions.
domino
domino
  1. n. -noes or -nos a black rectangular game piece with one to six white dots on each half of one surface: We like to play dominoes during a quiet evening.
domino effect
domino effect
  1. n. a series of events like the fall of one domino causing others to fall after it in a chain reaction: The closing of a large manufacturing plant led to a domino effect, causing the closure of other businesses dependent upon it.
domino theory
domino theory
  1. n. (in politics) the idea that the fall of one government to Communism would cause the fall of others: The domino theory held that if South Vietnam fell to the Communists, then the rest of Southeast Asia would soon follow.
don
don
  1. v.frml. [T] donned, donning, dons to put on, dress: She donned a beautiful dress and went to the opera.
don't
don't
  1. aux. v.,contr. of do not: Don't forget to call!
donate
donate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to give without charge: She donated blood when the Red Cross held a blood drive.
    THESAURUS
    donate to give away, contribute, present.
donation
donation
  1. n. a gift: The company makes donations of its products and also gives money for poor families.
    THESAURUS
    donation a contribution, offering, present.
done
done
  1. adj.v. past part. of do
    1 finished, completed: The task is done.
    2 cooked: My steak is too well-done.
    3 done for: ruined, dying: He's been shot; he's done for.
    4 done to a turn: perfectly cooked
    5 it isn't done: it is not socially acceptable: You can't ask them to invite you; it just isn't done.
    6 (over and) done with: completely finished: Don't keep thinking about the game we lost; it's over and done with.
donkey
donkey
  1. n. a type of horse, a long-eared animal, also called an ass: Donkeys are used for transportation and for carrying loads.
donor
donor
  1. n. a person who gives s.t. without charge: Blood donors visit the hospital to donate (or) give blood.
donut
donut
  1. See: doughnut.
doodad
doodad
  1. n.infrml. a small thing of any kind: He pins little doodads on his hat as souvenirs.
doodle
doodle
  1. n. a casual drawing: Her school notebook is covered with doodles that look like flowers. —v. [I;T] -dled, -dling, -dles to draw casually, often while doing s.t. else: He doodles while he talks on the telephone.
doohickey
doohickey
  1. n.infrml. a small thing of any kind, esp. one whose name is forgotten or not known: My stereo has a doohickey on it that lets me change stations fast.
doom
doom
  1. v. [T] to send to an unhappy, inescapable end (failure, ruin, destruction, etc.),
    THESAURUS
    to condemn: Heavy rains and floods doomed the corn harvest to failure. —n. [C;U] a terrible fate, an unhappy end, esp. death: A sense of doom to come spread across the land at the start of war.
doomsayer
doomsayer
  1. n. a person who expects and often speaks about future troubles and misfortune: The doomsayers predict that the economy will get worse.
doomsday
doomsday
  1. n.
    1 the end of the world: According to the Bible, God judges all humans on Doomsday.
    2 a time when an important bad event occurs: When notice of the plant closing appeared, it was doomsday for the employees.
    3 infrml. till doomsday: forever: The memory of that terrible day will be with me till doomsday.
door
door
  1. n.
    1 a movable panel to permit entrance to or exit from a building, room, vehicle, etc.: I opened the refrigerator door and took out the milk.
    2 (a number of) doors away/up/down: (a number of) houses away: My sister lives in the blue house just three doors down the street.
    3 door-to-door: from house to house: Children sometimes sell candy door-to-door to raise money for their school.
    4 next door: in the next house or apartment: We have wonderful neighbors next door.
    5 to answer the door: to go to open the door when s.o. knocks or rings the doorbell
    6 fig. to open or close the door to: to make possible or impossible (progress, advances, etc.): The new trade agreement opens the door to better relations between the two nations.
    7 to show s.o. to the door: to go to the door with a guest who is leaving: Thank you for coming; let me show you to the door.
doorbell
doorbell
  1. n. a bell rung to show s.o. is at a door: I rang the (door)bell and waited for s.o. to come to the door.
    THESAURUS
    doorbell a buzzer, chime, ringer.
doorknob
doorknob
  1. n. a round handle used to open and close a door: I turned the doorknob and entered the room.
doorman
doorman
  1. n. -men an apartment-building, theater, or hotel employee, usu. in uniform, who opens doors (and announces visitors): The doorman in our building helps me with packages and calls taxis for me.
doormat
doormat
  1. n.
    1 a small rug placed before a door to catch dirt: We have "Welcome" written on our doormat.
    2 infrml.fig. s.o. who lets himself or herself be treated badly: When other children hit you or call you names, don't be such a doormat; tell them to stop.
doorstep
doorstep
  1. n.
    1 the top step of a staircase, esp. to a house
    2 infrml.fig. to arrive on one's doorstep: to enter one's life unexpectedly, esp. as a new responsibility: I wasn't looking for a new job; it simply arrived on my doorstep when I was talking to a friend about my skills, and she told me about a great job at her company.
doorway
doorway
  1. n. the opening through a door: The doorway is blocked by a guard.
    THESAURUS
    doorway an entrance, entry | gateway.
dope
dope
  1. n.
    1 infrml. [U] an illegal drug (cocaine, heroin, marijuana, etc.): He takes dope; in fact he's on dope now.
    2 [C] infrml.fig. a fool, a stupid person: I was a dope to forget my luggage at the airport.
    3 slang information: So what's the dope on this new guy? —v. doped, doping, dopes 1 [T] to give drugs to: His friends doped him by putting drugs in his drink.
    2 to be doped or doped up: to be under the influence of narcotics: She just had surgery and she's doped up from the anesthetic.
dopey
dopey
  1. adj.infrml. -ier, -iest 1 half asleep from the influence of drugs: She is feeling dopey after her surgery.
    2 foolish: He forgot his luggage; that was a dopey thing to do!
dorm
dorm
  1. n. short for dormitory dormitory or dorm -n. -ities a college or university building where students live: The dormitories can be noisy places to live because many students play loud music.
dormant
dormant
  1. adj. inactive: In winter, the plants are dormant; then they come to life again in the spring.
dormitory
dormitory
  1. or dorm n. -ities a college or university building where students live: The dormitories can be noisy places to live because many students play loud music.
dorsal
dorsal
  1. adj. related to the back: We were terrified to see the dorsal fin of a shark coming through the water.
dosage
dosage
  1. n. the giving of medicine in doses: The doctor decided on the dosage for the patient and counted out the pills for the dose. See: dose, 1.
dose
dose
  1. n.
    1 an amount (of medicine): The doctor prescribed a large dose of 20 pills for the infection
    2 an amount (of s.t. bad) that one receives: an accidental dose of radiation||a dose of hard luck
dossier
dossier
  1. n. a file containing written information: Interpol keeps dossiers on well-known criminals.
dot
dot
  1. n.
    1 a small point, mark: the dot over an "i"
    2 a round figure, either large or small, in a pattern: She wore a blouse with large polka dots on it.
    3 the period used for punctuation in an Internet address, when spoken as in: The President's address is www dot whitehouse dot gov.
    4 infrml. on the dot: exactly on time: He arrived at 9:00 on the dot. See: .gov. —v. [T] dotted, dotting, dots
    1 to mark with a dot or dots: The writer dotted an "i."||Small towns dot the map in farm country.
    2 to dot the i's and cross the t's: to finish the details: We have the general agreement; now it is time to dot the i's and cross the t's.
    THESAURUS
    dot n.
    1 a pin point
    2 a circle, spot, speck.
dotage
dotage
  1. n. [U] time of weakness of mind and body because of old age: The senile woman is in her dotage.
dotcom
dotcom
  1. n. adj.
    1 a company that does business mainly over the Internet: Amazon.com is a well-knowndot-com. Stock of many dot-com companies went way up in price, then crashed.
    2 a company that provides computer products that help other companies do business over the Internet.
dote
dote
  1. v. [T] doted, doting, dotes to pay too much loving attention to s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to fawn: The grandfather doted on his grandson.
double-breasted
double-breasted
  1. adj. (of a suit or jacket) with one side of the front covering a row of buttons and fastening to a second row of buttons: The executive wears double-breasted suits.
double-check
double-check
  1. v. [T] to look carefully at s.t. twice for correctness: I double-checked the numbers and found no mistakes.
double-cross
double-cross
  1. v.infrml. [T] to betray by agreeing to do s.t. but then not doing it, esp. to cause s.o. harm: The criminal's partner agreed not to talk to the police, then she did talk; she double-crossed her partner.
double-dealing
double-dealing
  1. n. [U] a dishonest act, cheating: The buyer made a good salary at his company, but was taking secret payments from suppliers; that was double-dealing.
double-decker
double-decker
  1. adj.n. having two similar layers: A double-decker bus has two levels for passengers.||My house is a double-decker; I live on the first floor and rent out the second-floor apartment.
double-digit
double-digit
  1. adj. characterized by a number between 10 and 99: Our company has had a double-digit sales increase this year; it is up 20 percent.
double-dip
double-dip
  1. v. [I] -dipped, -dipping, -dips to receive a pension from a company or the government as a retired employee, but continue to work for it and earn more money from it in another position: The retired military officer works for a civilian branch now as a consultant, so he's double-dipping. -n. double-dipper.
double-jointed
double-jointed
  1. adj. having joints that allow fingers, arms, or legs to move with unusual flexibility: She is double-jointed; she can wrap a leg around the back of her neck.
double-park
double-park
  1. v. [I;T] to park a vehicle in the street beside another one already parked at the curb: He double-parked his car, and the police gave him a parking ticket.
double-space
double-space
  1. v. [I;T] -spaced, -spacing, -spaces to leave two spaces between lines: The professor expects all student papers to be typed and double-spaced.
double
double
  1. v. -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 [I;T] to make or become two times as much: She doubled her investment in a year.||In summer the demand for electricity doubles because of air conditioners.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to double as: to serve in two ways: She doubles as the company's lawyer and tax advisor.
    3 phrasal v. [I] to double back: to turn back in the direction one came from: The escaped prisoner led police toward the airport, but then doubled back into the city.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to double for: to look like s.o. else and take their place: A stand-in is s.o. who looks like an actor in a movie and doubles for him or her at times during the filming.
    5 phrasal v. [I] to double over (in laughter or pain): to bend over helplessly: He doubled over with laughter at the joke.
    6 phrasal v. [I] to double up: a. to share a room with s.o.: When he went to New York on business, he doubled up at the hotel with another salesman from the company. b. See: double over.
    7 to see double: to see two things where there is only one, to have double vision: She was hit on the head and saw double for a few moments.
    THESAURUS
    double v.
    1 to increase twice as much, duplicate. Ant. to halve. —n.
    1 s.o. who looks like s.o. else: Without his glasses, he's a double for the President, don't you think?
    2 a hotel room for two people: We reserved a double at the hotel.
    3 in baseball, a two-base hit
    4 doubles: a game (such as tennis) with two teams of two players each
    5 on the double: very quickly: The sergeant ordered the soldiers to hurry out on the double. —adj.
    1 two times as much: I'd like a double order of mashed potatoes.
    2 made for two people: a double bed, a double room
    3 having two parts: a double door, a double-barreled shotgun, a word with a double meaning
double agent
double agent
  1. n. a person who is employed as a spy for one government but in reality works for another: The head of the secret service was discovered to be a double agent working for the enemy.
double bass
double bass
  1. n. bass or basses a musical instrument, the largest in the violin family: She plays the double bass with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
double chin
double chin
  1. n. a layer of fat from the chin to the throat: The fat man loves to eat and has a double chin to prove it.
double entendre
double entendre
  1. n. (French for) a word or phrase with a double meaning: His question "Are you free?" sounded to her like a double entendre; she wasn't sure if he was just asking if she had some free time or really asking if she was free to start a relationship with him.
double entry
double entry
  1. n. entries related to double entry bookkeeping: Our bookkeeper does double entries for each purchase and sale, so that each is entered both as a debit and as a credit.
double indemnity
double indemnity
  1. n. [U] an agreement in an insurance policy to pay double if the holder dies accidentally: I have a double indemnity clause in my life insurance policy.
double jeopardy
double jeopardy
  1. n. [U] (in law) putting s.o. on trial twice for the same crime: It is illegal in the USA to put a person in double jeopardy.
double negative
double negative
  1. n. the use of two negatives in speaking or writing: "I don't have no money" contains a double negative.

    USAGE NOTE: Use of the double negative is considered incorrect in English.
double standard
double standard
  1. n. a set of principles or a moral rule used in one case but not in another: The government will not allow trade with some countries because of human rights violations, but it allows trade with others who also violate those rights; that policy is a double standard.
double talk
double talk
  1. n. [U] talk that seems serious but means nothing, usu. to fool s.o.: She says that she doesn't have any money, but will pay me soon; all I get is double talk from her.
doubt
doubt
  1. v. [T]
    1 to be unsure but tend not to believe: I doubt that interest rates will come down soon.
    2 to question the truth of, disbelieve: I doubt the newspaper reports. —n.
    1 uncertainty, lack of sureness: Our doubts about the weather made us cancel the picnic.
    2 disbelief, distrust: There's a lot of doubt that he's telling the truth.
    3 beyond or without (a) doubt: certainly, without question: He is without a doubt the best-looking man I've ever seen!
    4 to have one's doubts: to be doubtful: I have my doubts about the health of the economy.
    THESAURUS
    doubt v.
    1 to be uncertain, wonder if | be skeptical
    2 to distrust, discredit, be skeptical | dispute. Ant. to believe.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 misgivings, reservations
    2 mistrust, skepticism.
doubtful
doubtful
  1. adj.
    1 questionable, causing doubt: The accuracy of that information is doubtful.
    2 hesitant, distrustful: She is still doubtful about investing her money with them.
    THESAURUS
    doubtful
    1 uncertain, debatable, dubious
    2 skeptical, up in the air | dubious.
doubting Thomas
doubting Thomas
  1. n. s.o. who doubts until he or she sees proof: No one can convince him of anything; he's a doubting Thomas.
doubtless
doubtless
  1. adj. without doubt, certainly: She will doubtless keep her promise. -adv. doubtlessly.
douche
douche
  1. v. [T] douched, douching, douches to clean with a spray of liquid: The nurse douched the surgical wound. —n. a liquid used by women for personal cleaning: Women can buy douches at the drugstore.
dough
dough
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a mixture of flour, liquid(s), and other ingredients to be baked: A baker makes dough for pie crusts (bread, pizza, etc.).
    2 slang money, wealth: He's a guy with a lot of dough.
doughnut or donut
doughnut or donut
  1. n. a small O-shaped cake deep-fried in oil: This morning we went out for coffee and doughnuts.
doughy
doughy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest like dough, thick and pasty: The bread was not baked enough; it tasted doughy.
dour
dour
  1. adj. unsmiling, (syns.) gloomy, sullen: A man with a dour look on his face lives alone in that house. -adv. dourly.
douse
douse
  1. v. [T] doused, dousing, douses
    1 to throw water on: The firemen doused the fire and it went out.
    2 frml. to put out (a light or fire): Please douse the lights.
dovetail
dovetail
  1. v. [I;T] to fit together closely: The joints of wood in that cabinet dovetail nicely.
dowager
dowager
  1. n.frml. an older woman usu. with property: Her husband died and now she is a dowager living in a great big house.
dowdy
dowdy
  1. adj. -dier, -diest poorly dressed in old-fashioned clothes: Why does that girl wear such dowdy clothes?
dowel
dowel
  1. n. a pin or peg usu. of wood: The cabinet is held together with dowels instead of screws.
down-home
down-home
  1. adj. informal, friendly: She is a big star but still has a down-home personality.
down-to-earth
down-to-earth
  1. adj. practical, realistic (in a friendly, informal way): The banker gives down-to-earth advice to his clients.
down payment
down payment
  1. n. a part payment at the time of buying s.t.: We made a down payment on the refrigerator and agreed to monthly payments on the rest.
    THESAURUS
    down payment an installment, partial payment, portion.
down under
down under
  1. adv.n.infrml. (in or to) Australia or New Zealand: He left London and sailed down under to breed kangaroos.
downcast
downcast
  1. adj.
    1 pointing downward: with downcast eyes
    2 sad, low in spirits: The downcast look on her face told me that she had failed the test.
downer
downer
  1. n.slang
    1 a tranquilizing drug that slows down the mind, heart, etc.: He takes downers to relax.
    2 a depressing experience: That movie about the war was a downer.
downfall
downfall
  1. n. s.t. that causes a fall from power or a high position: Her downfall was making too many promises she couldn't keep. -adj. downfallen.
downgrade
downgrade
  1. v. [T] -graded, -grading, -grades to lower in status (quality, rank, importance): When it was clear that the patient would live, the hospital downgraded his status from critical to serious.
downhearted
downhearted
  1. adj. feeling sad,
    THESAURUS
    discouraged: After failing the exam, she felt downhearted.
downhill
downhill
  1. adv.
    1 in a downward direction: We walked downhill toward the river.
    2 it's all downhill from here: from this point, it will all be easier: We have finished the biggest repairs to our house, so it's all downhill from here.
    3 to go downhill: to become worse,
    THESAURUS
    to degenerate: The quality of service is going downhill.
download
download
  1. v. [T] (in computers) to get computer files on a network or with a modem from a server
downplay
downplay
  1. v. [T] to speak of or treat as less important or serious: To keep us from worrying, he downplayed the dangers of his job.
downpour
downpour
  1. n. a sudden heavy rain, a cloudburst: We were caught in a downpour and ran for cover under a tree.
downrange
downrange
  1. adv. located in a gunnery area: The target is located 500 yards downrange.
downright
downright
  1. adj.infrml. completely, wholly: That idea is downright stupid!
downscale
downscale
  1. v. [T] -scaled, -scaling, -scales (in business) to lower the quality of products or services: In order to attract more customers, the expensive department store decided to downscale.
downsize
downsize
  1. v. [I;T] -sized, -sizing, -sizes to make smaller, esp. a work force or business: The management downsized (the work force) from 2,700 to 400 employees.
downstairs
downstairs
  1. adv. in the direction of or located on floors below: I walked downstairs to answer the doorbell.
downstate
downstate
  1. adj.adv. to or in the southern part of a state: I moved downstate last year; I now live in a downstate location.
downstream
downstream
  1. adv. in the direction of the water's flow, away from a stream's source: The town is located five miles downstream from here.
downswing
downswing
  1. n. a downward curve, esp. of prices or economic activity: There was a temporary downswing in stock prices last month.
downtime
downtime
  1. n. [U] the amount of productive time lost because a person, machine, or activity is forced to be inactive: Her computer is not reliable, so she has a lot of downtime while it is being repaired.
downtrend
downtrend
  1. n. a movement downward seen over time in prices or activity: The price of copper (stocks, bonds, silver, etc.) is on a downtrend.
downtrodden
downtrodden
  1. adj. treated badly by people in power,
    THESAURUS
    oppressed: She dreams of returning home to help the downtrodden people of her country. —n. [U] the downtrodden: oppressed people in general: The downtrodden of the world must not be forgotten.
downturn
downturn
  1. n. the beginning of a downward movement in prices or activity: There was a downturn in interest rates this week.
downward
downward
  1. adv. toward a lower place: Prices moved downward.
downwind
downwind
  1. adv. in the direction that the wind is blowing: The wind carried the smell of the hunter downwind to the deer, who then ran away.
dowry
dowry
  1. n. -ries in some cultures, money or other valuables brought to a marriage by a woman: The bride's father could provide only a small dowry.
dowse
dowse
  1. v. var. of douse
doyenne
doyenne
  1. n. the oldest leading woman, esp. in a social group: She is the doyenne of Washington society. -n.(man) doyen.
doze
doze
  1. v. [I] dozed, dozing, dozes to sleep lightly for a short time: At home, he dozes (off) after dinner for an hour.
dozen
dozen
  1. n.
    1 a group of 12: I bought a dozen eggs (apples, doughnuts, etc.).
    2 a baker's dozen: a group of 13
drab
drab
  1. adj. drabber, drabbest
    1 dull brown or gray green: People in the army often wear olive drab uniforms.
    2 dull in color, uninteresting: She doesn't like bright colors, so she wears drab clothes.
    3 gloomy, depressing: He lives in a drab city neighborhood.
draconian
draconian
  1. adj. extremely severe or harsh: The invading army used draconian measures to control the people; they cut off the hands and feet of anyone who opposed them.
draft
draft
  1. n.
    1 one version of s.t. written: the first draft of a letter, the final draft of a report
    2 a system of requiring people by law to serve in the military,
    THESAURUS
    conscription: The army relies on volunteers now, not on the draft.
    3 air currents that chill the body: This room has a cold draft in it. —v. [T]
    1 to write a version of s.t.: I drafted a letter and showed it to my lawyer.
    2 to draw the plans for s.t.: The architect drafted the blueprints for the building.
    3 to require military service of s.o.: The government drafted him into the army; he is a draftee now. —adj.
    1 (of beer) poured from a barrel or keg: I'd like a draft beer (or) a draft, please.
    2 used for pulling heavy loads: draft horses -n. [U] drafting.
draftsman
draftsman
  1. n. -men a person who draws such things as blueprints: He works as a draftsman for an architectural firm.
drafty
drafty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest with unwanted cool air currents: Please close the window; this room is too drafty for me!
drag
drag
  1. v. dragged, dragging, drags
    1 [T] to pull with difficulty s.t. or s.o. that resists: I dragged the sofa across the room.||His wife drags him to the store to buy clothes.
    2 [I] to have s.t. touch the ground: The belt of her coat is dirty, because it was dragging on the ground all day.
    3 [I] to search or sweep the bottom (of a lake, river, etc.): They dragged the river for the sunken car.
    4 phrasal v. [I] to drag on: to continue for too long: The meeting dragged on for two hours.
    5 to drag one's feet or heels: to act slowly and unwillingly: The manager is dragging her heels on announcing the layoffs, because she doesn't want to face the workers' anger.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to drag s.t. out: to make s.t. last too long: Everyone grew impatient when he dragged out the story with unnecessary details.||He dragged it out.
    7 phrasal v. sep. [T] to drag s.t. out of s.o.: to force s.o. to tell s.t.: She didn't want to talk about the accident, but I dragged the story out of her. —n.sing.
    1 [U] infrml. s.t. that is boring or disliked, a chore: She hates to shop, so shopping is a drag for her.
    2 [C] s.t. or s.o. that holds s.o. back from advancing or progressing, a burden: He refused to marry, thinking that a wife would only be a drag on his career.
    3 [C] slang a taking in of breath on a cigarette: Let me have a drag on your cigarette, OK?
    4 slang a street or road: You'll find a lot of stores on the main drag in our town.
    5 infrml. in drag: (of a man) wearing women's clothes
    THESAURUS
    drag v.
    1 to lug, tug, yank | tow
    3 to search.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a bother, annoyance, bore
    2 a burden, obstacle
    3 a puff.
drag queen
drag queen
  1. n.slang a male homosexual who wears women's clothes
drag race
drag race
  1. n. a car race from a standstill with the winner being the first one across the finish line: We went to the drag strip and watched some exciting drag races.
dragnet
dragnet
  1. n.
    1 police checkpoints combined with searches to catch a criminal: After the murder, the police set up a dragnet to catch the criminal.
    2 a fishnet used by trawlers
dragon
dragon
  1. n.
    1 a large fierce, imaginary reptile usu. able to fly and breathe fire: Children's stories sometimes tell of firebreathing dragons.
    2 s.o. who frightens people by being fierce and severe: When she's angry, she is a dragon.
drain
drain
  1. v.
    1 [I] (of a liquid) to pass or flow out: The water drained slowly out of the sink.
    2 [T] to remove (liquid from s.t.): The mechanic drained the oil from the engine.
    3 [I] fig. (to cause) to pass or flow out, leaving s.o. weakened: With illness, her strength drained away.||The constant disagreement between the two men drained all their energy. —n.
    1 a pipe that carries away liquid waste: With all the rain, the drains in the streets have overflowed.
    2 s.t. that uses up strength, energy, or resources: Emergency repairs to my car have been a drain on my bank account.
    3 infrml.fig. to go down the drain: to be wasted or lost: We worked for months on that project, and when it was stopped, all that time and effort went down the drain. -adj. draining.
    THESAURUS
    drain v.
    1 to empty, seep out of | trickle
    2 to empty, draw off | pump
    3 to decrease, reduce, deplete.
drainage
drainage
  1. n. [U]
    1 the system of draining away water, esp. rainfall, from an area: Our back yard is flooded by heavy rain because the drainage is poor.
    2 s.t. that is drained: drainage from a wound
drainpipe
drainpipe
  1. n. a pipe used to carry off waste water and other liquids: The drainpipe under the sink is leaking and needs repair.
dram
dram
  1. n.
    1 a small amount of liquid: I like a dram of whiskey before dinner.
    2 a unit of weight: There are 16 drams in an ounce.
drama
drama
  1. n.
    1 [C] a play, esp. a serious one, for acting on a stage: Our theater group is producing a drama by Shakespeare.
    2 [U] the writing and performance of plays: She's studying drama.
    3 [U] an event that excites strong emotion: Watching the drama of firemen battling the huge fire made many onlookers cry.
dramatic
dramatic
  1. adj.
    1 related to drama: He has written dramatic works for the stage.
    2 related to a high emotional point: a dramatic scene in a play
    3 making a big impression,
    THESAURUS
    striking: She wore an amazing dress for a dramatic entrance into the theater. -adv. dramatically.
dramatics
dramatics
  1. n. [U]
    1 the art and practice of presenting plays: Students who are interested in dramatics can take theater department courses.
    2 behavior or speech that is exaggerated: Don't pay any attention to his dramatics; he's not really as sick as he says.
dramatist
dramatist
  1. n. s.o. who writes plays,
    THESAURUS
    a playwright: Shakespeare was a brilliant dramatist.
dramatization
dramatization
  1. n. [C;U] a theatrical presentation (on film, radio, television, etc.) of a real-life situation: The play is a dramatization of her family's difficult move from Europe to Argentina.
dramatize
dramatize
  1. v. -tized, -tizing, -tizes
    1 [I] to present as a play: Their adventures in Africa will be dramatized in a TV series.
    2 [T] to describe in a startling way, exaggerate to impress others: He dramatizes events as important when they really are not.
drank
drank
  1. v. past tense of drink
drape
drape
  1. n.
    1 the flow of cloth: The drape of her long dress is beautiful.
    2 n.pl.infrml. drapes: draperies, curtains: In the morning we open the window drapes to let the sunlight in. —v. [T] draped, draping, drapes to hang s.t. loosely: He draped his coat over the back of a chair.
drapery
drapery
  1. n. -ies [C;U]
    1 cloth arranged in loose folds: The drapery made a beautiful effect behind the display in the store window.
    2 n.pl. draperies: long heavy curtains: We have red velvet draperies over the windows in the living room.
drastic
drastic
  1. adj. sudden, extreme, and severe: We must take drastic steps to stop the disease. -adv. drastically.
drat
drat
  1. exclam.of annoyance: Oh, drat, I dropped an egg!
draw
draw
  1. v. drew or drawn , drawing, draws
    1 [I;T] to make a picture: The artist drew a pencil sketch of a boat.
    2 [T] to take out, remove: He drew a gun from his pocket (a playing card from the deck, $50 from his account, etc.).
    3 [T] to take out (a liquid): The nurse drew blood from the patient for testing.
    4 [I;T] to take in (air): He drew a deep breath and announced he was getting married.||The fire died because the chimney drew poorly.
    5 [T] to pull closer: The woman drew her husband to her for a kiss.
    6 [I] to move steadily: I was surprised when the police car drew alongside my car.
    7 [T] to attract: The sidewalk musician drew a crowd to hear him play his violin.
    8 to draw a blank: to not find or remember s.t.: I tried to remember her name but drew a blank.
    9 to draw and quarter: a. to tie s.o.'s hands and feet to four horses that pull the person apart and then cut him or her into four pieces b. fig. to punish severely: I am so mad at that man that I'll have him drawn and quartered!
    10 phrasal v. insep. [T] to draw away (from s.o. or s.t.): a. to move back, usu. quickly,
    THESAURUS
    to recoil: She drew away from the fire, when it started sparking. b. to gradually move ahead: One runner drew away from the rest and went on to win the race.
    11 phrasal v. [I] to draw back: a. to move back to avoid: The boy drew back in fear of the snake. b. to refuse to complete or fulfill: At the last minute, the union drew back from signing the contract.
    12 to draw blood: to wound with a weapon or with severe criticism: She spoke so harshly to the boy that she finally drew blood: he cried.
    13 phrasal v. [T] to draw down: to reduce or use up: The company is drawing down the money in its checking account.
    14 phrasal v. insep. [T] to draw even with s.o. or s.t.: to move up to the same level or place: The runner in second place drew even with the leader and then passed her.
    15 to draw fire: to do s.t. that brings criticism on oneself: His proposal to close the school drew fire from the community.
    16 phrasal v. sep. to draw near: a. [T] to move toward: The frightened girl drew near her mother.||Her mother drew the little girl near. b. [I] to come close (in time), approach: The deadline for paying taxes is drawing near.
    17 to draw one's own conclusions: to decide for oneself from the facts given: He arrives late, leaves early, and his work is full of mistakes, so draw your own conclusions about his future at this job.
    18 to draw s.o. a picture: to explain in clear detail (usu. said with impatience): The company is nearly bankrupt, so do I have to draw you a picture about our future there?
    19 phrasal v. insep. [T] to draw on (s.t.): to use s.t. as a resource,
    THESAURUS
    to rely on s.t.: She drew on her knowledge of American history to write the novel.
    20 phrasal v. sep. [T] to draw s.o. out: to get s.o. to talk by encouraging them: He's very shy and never speaks about himself, so I was surprised at how well she drew him out.
    21 to draw straws: to choose s.o. to do s.t. by pulling out straws (matchsticks, slips of paper, etc.), with the person who chooses the longest or shortest one getting the job: Let's draw straws to see who will have to give the boss the bad news.
    22 to draw the line: to fix a limit on what one is willing to do: I'll help her organize her term paper, but there I draw the line; I won't write it for her.
    23 phrasal v. sep. [T] to draw up: a. to prepare (s.t. written): The lawyer drew up a contract for the sale of the property.||She drew it up. b. (of a vehicle) to arrive and stop: A taxi drew up in front of the hotel.
    24 phrasal v. insep. [T] to draw upon s.t.: to make use of: The artist drew upon childhood memories in creating his paintings.
    THESAURUS
    draw v.
    1 to sketch, depict, trace | paint
    2 to bring out, pull out, produce
    3 to take, extract
    4 to inhale
    6 to pull up (beside s.o.). —n.
    1 a tie in a competition: The game ended in a draw, with a score of 12 to 12.
    2 the removal of a playing card from a deck: It was my draw, so I took a card from the deck.
    3 s.t. that attracts customers: There are four good films at that theater, but the horror movie is the biggest draw.
    4 quick on the draw: fast with a gun, or quick-witted: You'll see how intelligent she is when you talk with her; she's really quick on the draw.
    5 the luck of the draw: a bad or good result determined by chance: My brother inherited our father's height, while I ended up being short like Mom; it's just the luck of the draw.
    THESAURUS
    draw n.
    1 a deadlock, stalemate, standoff
    3 an attraction, appeal | drawing power.
drawback
drawback
  1. n. s.t. that can create a problem, (syns.) a disadvantage, a minus: The house is far from public transportation, which is a drawback since I don't own a car.
drawbridge
drawbridge
  1. n. a bridge over a waterway that can be lifted to allow tall ships to pass under it: We had to stop our car while the drawbridge was being lifted.
drawer
drawer
  1. n. a box-like compartment that slides in and out of a piece of furniture: The letters are in the top drawer of that desk (filing cabinet, bureau, etc.).
drawers
drawers
  1. n.pl.infrml. (men's) underpants: I can't go to the door; I'm in my drawers!
drawing
drawing
  1. n.
    1 a sketch: The artist did a drawing in pencil of a house.
    2 a random selection to choose a winner: After the dinner, there was a drawing of names from a barrel to choose winners of prizes.
    THESAURUS
    drawing
    1 a picture, illustration | depiction, plan | artwork.
drawing board
drawing board
  1. n.
    1 a flat surface made of wood or other material used to draw sketches, blueprints, etc.: The designer has a portable drawing board that he works on.
    2 (to go) back to the drawing board: to remake one's plans after a failed attempt: The customer rejected our proposal, so it's back to the drawing board to try again.
drawing card
drawing card
  1. n. a special attraction that brings an audience to an event: She is a well-known singer, so her name is a big drawing card.
drawl
drawl
  1. v. [I] n. to speak in a slow manner, lengthening words: He drawls when he speaks; he speaks with a Southern drawl.
drawn
drawn
  1. past part. of draw —adj. looking very tired or worried,
    THESAURUS
    haggard: She stayed up all night and looked drawn in the morning.
dread
dread
  1. v. [T] to fear (some future event or experience): I always dread going to the dentist to have a tooth pulled. —n. [U] a strong fear (of s.t. that is coming in the future): She is full of dread about moving to a strange city.
dreadful
dreadful
  1. adj.
    1 frightening, terrible: We had a dreadful time driving on the icy roads.
    2 offensive, disgusting: He is so rude; he's a dreadful man! -adv. dreadfully.
dream
dream
  1. v. dreamed or dreamt
    1 [I;T] to experience fantasies while asleep: I dreamed last night that I was on an ocean voyage.
    2 [I;T] to imagine and hope for: She dreams of (or) about owning her own business.
    3 [T] to think of, consider: He would not dream of disappointing his mother.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to dream s.t. away: to spend time in dreaming: We dreamed away the afternoon, watching the clouds.||We dreamed it away.
    5 phrasal v. insep. [T] to dream up: to invent or imagine: Who dreamed up that crazy idea? —n.
    1 a fantasy experienced while asleep: The child has bad dreams.
    2 s.t. hoped for, aspiration: She has a dream about being an engineer.
    3 a beautiful person or thing: They're building their dream house. See: American Dream; daydream.
    THESAURUS
    dream v.
    2 to long for, daydream, picture
    3 to conceive.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a reverie | nightmare
    2 a vision of s.t., longing for, aspiration frml.
    3 ideal, idyllic.
dreamboat
dreamboat
  1. n.fig. a very desirable person: That pretty woman is his dreamboat.
dreamer
dreamer
  1. n. a person with unrealistic plans or ideas: I think he's just a dreamer and will never produce any of the inventions he describes.
dreamland
dreamland
  1. n.fig. a state of sleep: Little children go off to dreamland each night.
dreamy
dreamy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 soft and pleasant as in a good dream: That tropical island has a dreamy atmosphere.
    2 tending to daydream: Her teacher calls her a dreamy child.
dreary
dreary
  1. adj. -ier, -iest dark and sad,
    THESAURUS
    gloomy: That old house has such a dreary look.
dredge
dredge
  1. n.v. [T] dredged, dredging, dredges
    1 a large machine or type of ship used to dig up sand, mud, and debris from a harbor, river, etc.: The dredge is work-ing in the harbor; it has dredged sand to increase the depth so ships can pass.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to dredge up s.t.: to uncover information about the past: The politician dredged up old scandals to make his opponent look bad.||He dredged them up.
dregs
dregs
  1. n.pl.
    1 unwanted material in the bottom of a container of liquid,
    THESAURUS
    sediment: No one drinks the dregs in a bottle of old wine.
    2 fig. s.t. or s.o. undesirable: Some people think of homeless people on city streets as the dregs of society.
drench
drench
  1. v. [T] -es to make completely wet, (syns.) to soak, saturate: The heavy rain drenched our clothes. -n. drenching.
dress
dress
  1. v. -es
    1 [I;T] to put clothes on, get dressed: I dressed quickly.||She dresses her twin boys in matching clothes.
    2 [I] to choose and wear clothes: He always dresses informally.
    3 [T] to clean, treat, and bandage: The nurse dressed the wound.
    4 [T] to prepare for eating or cooking: dress a salad, dress a turkey
    5 phrasal v. sep. [T] to dress s.o. down: to criticize, usu. severely: The boss dressed down the worker for making a mistake.
    6 to dress in one's Sunday best: to put on one's best clothes: When they go to see their grandfather, they dress in their Sunday best.
    7 phrasal v. to dress up or play dress up: a. to put on special, more formal clothes: She dressed up in her nicest outfit to attend the wedding. b. (usu. of (children) to put on adult clothes or costumes for fun: Little children love dressing up (or) playing dress-up. c. to make s.t. prettier or more interesting: dress up the room, dress up one's story —n. -es
    1 [C] an article of girl's or woman's clothing
    2 [U] a style of clothes: Soldiers parade in military dress. —adj. (of clothing) formal: a dress shirt, a dress suit, a dress uniform
    THESAURUS
    dress v.
    1 to get changed, slip on clothes
    2 to clothe s.o., outfit s.o.
    3 to bind, tend.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 an outfit, gown, shift | skirt
    2 fashion, mode.
dress rehearsal
dress rehearsal
  1. n. the final practice before a performance: Actors wear their full costumes and make-up for a dress rehearsal.
dresser
dresser
  1. n.
    1 a large piece of bedroom furniture for storing clothes: I keep underwear and sweaters in my dresser.
    2 a person judged on his or her style of dressing: He is a sharp dresser.
    THESAURUS
    dresser
    1 a chest of drawers, bureau, cabinet.
dressing
dressing
  1. n. [C]
    1 a bandage: The nurse put a dressing on the wound.
    2 [C;U] sauce for salad: That restaurant bottles their "house" (own special) salad dressing.
    3 [U] stuffing cooked in chicken, fish, etc.: dressing for a Thanksgiving turkey
dressing room
dressing room
  1. n. a room or an area for dressing: The movie star is in her dressing room.
dressmaker
dressmaker
  1. n. a person who makes dresses: He is a dressmaker to celebrities.
dressy
dressy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest formal, stylish: The opening night at the opera is always a dressy occasion.
drew
drew
  1. v. past tense of draw
dribble
dribble
  1. v. [I;T] -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 to pour out in small amounts: The baby dribbled milk from its mouth.
    2 to bounce (a basketball): The basketball player dribbled the ball down the court.
dribs and drabs
dribs and drabs
  1. n. small, irregular amounts: The agency gives out news by dribs and drabs, now and then.
drier
drier
  1. adj. comparative of dry —n. See: dryer.
drift
drift
  1. v. [I]
    1 to float, carried by wind or water currents: An empty boat drifts with the current.
    2 to catch or get the drift: to understand the meaning in a discussion or other communication: After a few minutes, I caught the drift of what the speaker was saying. —n.
    1 [C;U] a floating movement: A high wind is causing a drift in the airplane's course.
    2 [C] snow or sand blown into a pile by the wind: We had to dig the car out of the snow drift.
drifter
drifter
  1. n. a person who moves from place to place without regular work or goals in life: I hope she doesn't fall in love with that drifter; he'll never hold a good job or stay in one place.
driftwood
driftwood
  1. n. [U] logs and other pieces of wood afloat in a body of water: Boaters must be careful not to hit driftwood in the lake.
drill
drill
  1. n.
    1 [C] a tool with a long, sharp metal shaft that turns to bore holes: a carpenter's drill, a dentist's drill
    2 [C;U] a repetitive practice exercise: School children do arithmetic drills. —v. [I;T]
    1 to bore (holes) with a drill: A carpenter drills holes for screws with an electric drill.
    2 to perform practice exercises: Soldiers drill with their rifles.
    3 to drill s.t. into s.o.: to force s.o. to learn s.t. by constant repetition: The coach drilled into his players the importance of a strong defense.
drink
drink
  1. n.
    1 an amount of liquid for drinking: I need a drink of water.
    2 an alcoholic beverage: She's had too many drinks. —v. drank or drunk , drinking, drinks
    1 [I;T] to swallow a liquid: He drinks water with his meals.
    2 [I;T] to drink alcoholic beverages: It's dangerous to drink and drive.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to drink s.t. in: to take s.t. in through the senses: She drank in all of her grandmother's stories.||She drank them in.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to drink to s.o. or s.t.: to wish success, good luck, etc. to s.o. or s.t.: We drank to their new business.
    THESAURUS
    drink n.
    1 a glass of s.t., sip | beverage
    2 liquor, booze infrml, hard stuff infrml.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to have a glass, take (a drink of s.t.) | sip, gulp
    2 to have a few infrml., indulge | get drunk.
drinkable
drinkable
  1. adj. OK to drink,
    THESAURUS
    potable: Is this drinkable water?
drinker
drinker
  1. n. a person who drinks alcoholic beverages, usu. too much: She's a heavy drinker.
drip-dry
drip-dry
  1. adj.v. [I] -dried, -drying, -dries wash-and-wear, wearable without ironing: I washed my drip-dry shirt and hung it to dry.
drip
drip
  1. n.
    1 a series of small drops of liquid or one of these drops: The kitchen faucet has a drip.
    2 infrml.fig. a weak and annoying person, a jerk: That guy is a drip. —v. [I;T] dripped, dripping, drips to pour in drips: The faucet has dripped water for a week now. —adj. dripping wet: completely wet,
    THESAURUS
    saturated: The dog got soaked in the rain and is dripping wet.
drive-in
drive-in
  1. n. an outdoor movie theater: We used to go to the drive-in on Saturday nights in the summer.
drive-up window
drive-up window
  1. n. a service area of a restaurant, bank, etc., for customers who remain in their cars: We drove up to the drive-up window at the fast-food restaurant and ordered a meal.
drive
drive
  1. v. drove or driven , driving, drives
    1 [I;T] to control and steer (a vehicle): She's 16 and learning to drive the family car.
    2 [I;T] to travel or take s.o. in a vehicle: We drove across the country on vacation.||He's driving her home.
    3 [T] to force in some direction: The increase in prices has driven away customers.||The carpenter drove a nail into the wood with a hammer.
    4 [T] to force into some (bad) state: His complaints drive me crazy (to drink, out of my mind, etc.).
    5 [T] to cause forcefully: Her parents have driven her to study hard.
    6 [T] to herd: Cowboys on horseback drove the cattle to market.
    7 phrasal v. insep. [I] to drive at s.t.: to mean s.t. without openly saying it,
    THESAURUS
    to imply: I don't understand what you're driving at (when you say that).
    8 phrasal v. sep. [T] to drive s.t. home: to make a point, message, etc. well understood, state forcefully: The doctor drove home the importance of good nutrition.||He drove his point home.
    9 phrasal v. sep. [T] to drive s.o. or s.t. off: a. s.o.: to force away: The army drove off the attackers.||It drove them off. b. s.t.: to leave in a vehicle: They drove off in a hurry.||They drove the car off.
    10 to drive a hard bargain: to settle an agreement without giving up anything: Union members were nervous about the coming contract talks, knowing that management would drive a hard bargain.
    THESAURUS
    drive v.
    1 to operate a vehicle
    2 to go, give s.o. a lift or ride | chauffeur, go for a spin
    THESAURUS
    infrml.
    3 to push, prod, steer | hammer
    4 to make s.o. upset, incite
    5 to pressure, compel frml.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a ride, run, spin infrml. | joyride
    2 a route, way
    3 determination, initiative, enterprise. —n.
    1 [C] a trip in a vehicle: We went for (or) took a drive into the mountains.
    2 [C] a road or driveway: a scenic drive
    3 [U] high energy, force of mind and spirit: He works very hard; he has a lot of drive.||He's a harddriving man.
    4 [C] a strong instinctive need or urge: the sex drive
    5 [C] a strong, organized group effort to gain s.t.: The Red Cross held a blood drive.
    6 [C;U] the means for turning power from an engine into movement: a car with four-wheeled drive
    7 a herding of animals: a cattle drive
    8 the part of a computer where a disk goes: the disk drive
drivel
drivel
  1. n. [U] nonsense, stupid talk: What he says is drivel; don't believe him.
driven
driven
  1. v. past part. of drive —adj.
    1 acting on a strong need or desire,
    THESAURUS
    obsessed: She works seven days a week; she is a driven woman.
    2 suffix influenced or dominated by: The computer business (economy, society, etc.) is innovation-driven (price-driven, cost-driven, etc.).
driver
driver
  1. n.
    1 the person in control of a vehicle: The driver of the car sits behind the steering wheel.
    2 in the driver's seat: having the power of decision: She decides what will be done; she is in the driver's seat.
    THESAURUS
    driver n.
    1 a motorist, operator, licensed operator | chauffeur.
driveway
driveway
  1. n. a paved or unpaved roadway leading to a garage or house: We parked the car in the driveway and walked into the house.
driving
driving
  1. adj.
    1 striking with force: I can hear the driving rain against the window.
    2 forceful, energetic: Her driving personality sometimes overpowers people.
drizzle
drizzle
  1. n. a light rain: There is a fine drizzle this morning. —v. [I] -zled, -zling, -zles to rain lightly: It drizzled all day.
droll
droll
  1. adj. -er, -est funny in a mild, odd way: He makes droll remarks that always make me laugh. -n. drollery.
drone
drone
  1. n.
    1 a low humming sound: We could hear the drone of a distant plane.
    2 a male honeybee who mates with the queen bee: Drones gather no honey and do no work. —v. [I] droned, droning, drones to make a sound like a low hum: The speaker seemed to drone on endlessly.
drool
drool
  1. v. [I]
    1 to let saliva pass from the mouth: The dog drooled when he smelled his dinner.
    2 fig. to show great desire: That lady drools over the idea of vacationing in Europe. —n. [U] liquid in the mouth, (syns.) saliva, spittle: The baby has drool on his chin.
droop
droop
  1. v. [I] to lean over or hang down with tiredness or weakness: The flowers drooped from lack of water. —n. a hanging down,
    THESAURUS
    a sag: The droop of her shoulders told me that her spirits were low.
drop-in
drop-in
  1. adj. without an appointment: She hurt her hand and went to a drop-in clinic for medical attention.
drop-off
drop-off
  1. n. a sharp descent: That mountain road is dangerous because of the steep drop-off. —adj. related to a place where s.t. is left for further transport: The school is a drop-off point for donations of clothing for refugees.
drop
drop
  1. v. dropped, dropping, drops
    1 [I] to fall: Apples drop from trees.
    2 [T] to let fall by mistake: She dropped her purse on the floor.
    3 [T] to cause to fall: The plane dropped bombs.
    4 [T] to suddenly stop and leave unfinished: I dropped what I was doing and ran to help.||This conversation is getting too personal, so please drop it.
    5 phrasal v. insep. [I] to drop by or drop in (on s.o.): to make an informal visit without an appointment: Drop by whenever you can.
    6 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to drop (or) fall behind s.o. or s.t.: to move ahead more slowly than others are moving: His teacher says he has dropped behind in the class.
    7 phrasal v. [I] to drop out: to leave or stop taking part in: She dropped out of the race because of an injury. See: dropout.
    8 phrasal v. [I] to drop off: a. infrml. to fall asleep: I dropped off on the sofa while watching TV. b. to lessen, decrease: Sales have dropped off sharply. See: drop-off, n.
    9 phrasal v. sep [T] to drop s.o. or s.t. off: a. s.o.: to take s.o. to a place in a vehicle: The bus dropped off its passengers in front of the library.||It dropped them off. b. s.t.: to deliver: We dropped off their order at noon.||We dropped it off.
    10 infrml. to drop s.o. a line: to write s.o. a note: I usually drop her a line on her birthday.
    11 to drop dead: to die suddenly (often used in insults): He's trying to threaten me, but he can just drop dead.
    12 fig. to drop the ball: to make a mistake or to fail to do something: He was supposed to set up a meeting, but he dropped the ball and now it's too late. —n.
    1 a very small amount of liquid: I put a drop of medicine in my eye.
    2 a fall or a sharp movement down: There was a 20-degree drop in the temperature last night.
    3 a distance down: There's a 12-foot drop from that window.
    4 a delivery of supplies by parachute: The plane made a food drop to the refugee camp.
    5 a small candy: A lemon cough drop eased my sore throat.
    6 fig. (only) a drop in the bucket: a small unimportant amount: We have saved $1000, but that's only a drop in the bucket because we need $500,000.
    THESAURUS
    drop v.
    1 to fall off, plop
    2 and
    3 to let go of s.t.
    4 to quit, call off | cut s.t. short infrml.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a droplet, splash, drip
    2 a decline, decrease, dip, plunge
    3 a fall, descent.
droplet
droplet
  1. n. a small drop: I felt a few droplets of rain on my shoulder.
dropout
dropout
  1. n. a student who leaves school without graduating: He is a high school (college, trade school) dropout.
drought
drought
  1. n. a time of little or no rainfall: The farming region is experiencing a two-year drought.
drove
drove
  1. v. past tense of drive —n.pl. in droves : in large crowds: The people lined up in droves to buy tickets to the concert.
drown
drown
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to die by breathing in water or other liquid: The swimmer drowned in the lake.
    2 fig. [I] to be overpowered or overwhelmed (with work, strong feelings, disorder, etc.): That company is drowning in debt.
    3 to drown one's sorrows: to drink alcohol in order to forget one's problems: She went out to a bar to drown her sorrows.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to drown s.o. or s.t. out: to cover (a sound) by making a louder one: We turned up the volume on the TV to drown out the sound of the neighbors' arguing.||We drowned it out.
drowning
drowning
  1. n. [C;U] an act of death by breathing in water or other liquid: The drowning took place in the swimming pool.
drowse
drowse
  1. v. [I] drowsed, drowsing, drowses to sleep lightly,
    THESAURUS
    to doze: The old man is drowsing in his chair.
drowsy
drowsy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest feeling the need for sleep,
    THESAURUS
    sleepy: I'm feeling drowsy, so I'm going to bed.
drudge
drudge
  1. n. a person who performs boring, low-level work: She is a drudge in a large accounting firm. —v. [I;T] drudged, drudging, drudges to work very hard at boring work: She drudges away at clerical work all day long.
drudgery
drudgery
  1. n. -ies [U] boring, low-level work: I fasten screws on an assembly line and the work is pure drudgery.
drug
drug
  1. n.
    1 a medication: The doctor gave the patient a new drug.
    2 a narcotic, esp. an illegal one: Cocaine is a hard drug.
    3 on drugs: addicted to, or under the influence of, drugs: She is on drugs for the pain. —v. [T] drugged, drugging, drugs to place under the influence of a drug: The kidnapper drugged his victim to keep her quiet.||He kept her drugged (up).
    THESAURUS
    drug n.
    1 a medicine, pill, prescription, remedy
    2 dope | pills.
drug dealer
drug dealer
  1. n. a person who buys and sells illegal narcotics: He is a major drug dealer in North America.
drug pusher
drug pusher
  1. n.infrml. a person who sells illegal drugs, usu. in small amounts: Police have arrested drug pushers near the school.
druggist
druggist
  1. n. the owner of a drugstore or the pharmacist at a drugstore: I'm going to ask the druggist for her advice about that new medicine.
drugstore
drugstore
  1. n. in the USA, a store with a registered pharmacy to sell medicine prescribed by doctors, as well as health and beauty supplies: She went to the drugstore to fill a prescription and buy some cosmetics.
drum
drum
  1. n.
    1 a musical instrument made of a round, hollow vessel with a skin stretched tightly over one or both ends, to be struck with a drumstick or by hand: My brother plays the drums in a band.
    2 a large drum-shaped container: an oil drum —v. drummed, drumming, drums
    1 [I] to play the drums: He drummed loudly.
    2 [T] to create a rhythmic sound: When she's thinking, she drums her fingers on her desk.
    3 phrasal v. [T] to drum s.t. into s.o.: to put an idea, etc. into s.o.'s mind by repetition, practice, etc.: My mother drummed good manners into all her children.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to drum s.t. up: to get or increase (sales, interest, support, etc.): We need to drum up some new clients; let's increase advertising.||We need to drum them up.
drumbeat
drumbeat
  1. n. the rhythmic sound of a drum: The band is playing with a fast drumbeat.
drummer
drummer
  1. n.
    1 a person who plays the drums: the drummer in a band
    2 infrml.fig. a sales representative, esp. a traveling salesman: He is a drummer with a furniture manufacturer.
drunk
drunk
  1. v. past part. of drink —adj. -er, -est under the influence of alcohol: She has had too much to drink; in fact, she's drunk. —n. a person addicted to alcohol: He's never sober; he's a drunk. -n. drunkard.
    THESAURUS
    drunk adj. drunken, intoxicated | loaded infrml., plastered infrml., smashed infrml. Ant. sober. —n. an alcoholic, heavy drinker.
drunken
drunken
  1. adj. related to drinking too much alcohol: Our neighbors had a drunken party last night. -adv. drunkenly.
druthers
druthers
  1. n.pl.infrml.
    1 preferences
    2 to have one's druthers: to be free to choose: If I had my druthers, I'd be at the beach and not at work.
dry-clean
dry-clean
  1. v. [I;T] to clean clothes, curtains, etc. by passing a cleaning fluid through them: The dry cleaner dry-cleans men's and women's suits without shrinking them.
dry
dry
  1. adj. drier, driest
    1 without water or moisture: I have dry skin in the winter.
    2 amusing but expressed in a serious manner: You have a dry sense of humor; I never know when you're serious or joking.
    3 where alcoholic drinks are not permitted, esp. in public places: In a dry town, stores can't sell alcohol.
    4 (of wine) not sweet or fruity: dry champagne —v. [I;T] dried, drying, dries
    1 to remove moisture from s.t.: Dry the dishes with a dish towel.
    2 to preserve by drying: Fishermen dry fish in order to eat them at a later time without refrigeration.
    3 phrasal v. sep. to dry (s.o.) out: (to cause s.o.) to stop drinking alcohol: He decided to try to dry out his roommates.||He tried to dry them out.
    THESAURUS
    dry adj.
    1 bone-dry, dried up | arid, dehydrated, parched. Ant. wet.
    2 deadpan, droll, subtle.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to dry off, wipe off, soak up | dehydrate. Ant. to wet.
    2 to cure, smoke.
dry dock
dry dock
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a shipyard where boats can be stored out of the water: Each autumn, I put my boat in dry dock.
    2 an enclosed area on land in which a boat can be repaired: My boat is in dry dock now for repairs.
dry goods
dry goods
  1. n.pl. fabrics, clothing, bedding, and other textile articles: In the USA, most dry goods stores have been replaced by department stores.
dry ice
dry ice
  1. n. [U] ice made from solid carbon dioxide: We caught some fish and packed them in dry ice for transport.
dry measure
dry measure
  1. n. [C;U] a system of measurement by volume, not weight, used esp. for vegetables, fruits, and grains: The USA uses pints, quarts, pecks, and bushels as volumes of dry measure.
dry rot
dry rot
  1. n. [U] a disease that destroys wood: Dry rot turned the wooden roof beams to powder, and the roof fell in.
dry run
dry run
  1. n.
    1 an experimental test or rehearsal: We first drove the truck over difficult ground without a load as a dry run.
    2 a military exercise without live ammunition: The soldiers did a dry run with their new rifles.
dryer
dryer
  1. n. any of several electrical devices used to dry (hair, clothes, etc.): Hand-held blow dryers are popular for drying hair.
    THESAURUS
    dryer a hair dryer, clothes dryer.
dryness
dryness
  1. n. [U] a condition without moisture: The dryness of the soil in this area is a problem for farmers.
dual
dual
  1. adj. double, having two parts: He uses his van for a dual purpose, namely for business and personal use. -n. [U] duality.
dub
dub
  1. v. [T] dubbed, dubbing, dubs
    1 to replace the original spoken language of (a film): The voices in that English film were dubbed into French (Spanish, Chinese, etc.).
    2 to copy a recording, usu. from the original: The studio dubbed the soundtrack of the film and sold it as a CD.
    3 to name, describe as: The 1950s were dubbed as the "Age of Anxiety."
dubious
dubious
  1. adj.
    1 causing doubt about its value or truth: She gave a dubious excuse for her absence from class.
    2 having doubts, (syns.) suspicious, skeptical: I am dubious about what he says. -adv. dubiously.
duchess
duchess
  1. n. -es a woman holding a high hereditary rank, or the wife or widow of a duke: She is the Duchess of Kent.
duck
duck
  1. n.
    1 any of a variety of water birds with short, plump bodies, rounded beaks, and webbed feet: There are mallard ducks nesting in the pond nearby.
    2 lame duck: in the USA, a political official soon to leave office: If he is not reelected in November, the President will be a lame duck and have little influence during the rest of his term. —v.
    1 [I;T] to lower (one's head or body) quickly to avoid being hit by s.t.: The tall man ducked his head to avoid a low tree branch.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to duck out (of) s.t.: to leave hurriedly and unnoticed: She ducked out the back door before the meeting began.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [T] to duck s.o.: infrml. to avoid contact with s.o.: I keep trying to make an appointment to see him, but he has been ducking me.
    THESAURUS
    duck v.
    1 to bend over, dodge, stoop
    2 to escape, sneak out.
duckling
duckling
  1. n. a baby duck: The ducklings are swimming close to their mother.
duct
duct
  1. n.
    1 a tube in living things: Tears pass through tear ducts near the eyes.
    2 in buildings, a tube or passage, esp. for air: a ventilation duct in the ceiling
ductile
ductile
  1. adj.frml. (of metal) capable of being easily shaped,
    THESAURUS
    malleable: Lead and silver are ductile metals.
dud
dud
  1. n.
    1 a bomb or bullet that fails to explode
    2 infrml.fig. a failure, disappointment: That lousy play we saw last night was a dud. See: duds.
dude
dude
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a person from the city not tough enough for cowboy life: The dudes from New York can't ride horses all day.
    2 slang a man, guy: Ask that dude over there what time it is.
dude ranch
dude ranch
  1. n. -es a vacation resort like a ranch where city people can experience an outdoor life, esp. horseback riding: Every summer, we spend two weeks on a dude ranch in Wyoming.
duds
duds
  1. n.pl. slang clothes: I'm going home to change my duds.
due
due
  1. adj.
    1 required to be finished, submitted, paid, etc. (at the stated time): The report is due next week.||The rent is due tomorrow.
    2 expected, scheduled: The plane is due to arrive at 4:00.
    3 due to: because of, as a result of: Her good grades are due to her hard work.
    4 frml. in due time or course: at the proper time: The boss said to be patient, and I'll get a raise in due time.
    THESAURUS
    due adj.
    1 payable | mature, outstanding, unpaid. —n. [U] to give s.o. their due: to give s.o. what he or she deserves: I thought he would make a mess of it, but to give him his due, he did a good job. See: dues. —adv. due north (south, east, etc.): exactly (in the direction given): We'll fly due west from here.
due process
due process
  1. n. [U] (in law) the full use by an individual or institution of the legal system, including the right to a fair hearing and trial: The right to appeal the decision of a lower court is part of (the) due process (of law).
duel
duel
  1. n.
    1 in the past, a fight with swords or guns between two men over a question of honor: The nobleman who had been insulted challenged the other to a duel.
    2 fig. a competition or fight between two rivals: The two companies are fighting a duel to dominate the market. —v.
    1 [I;T] to fight a duel: The noblemen will duel at dawn.
    2 [I] fig.to compete, fight: The companies dueled over market share.
dues
dues
  1. n.pl.
    1 the cost of membership in some organizations: Doctors, lawyers, and teachers pay yearly dues to their professional associations.
    2 to pay one's dues: to suffer before achieving success and respect: She paid her dues by singing in smoky nightclubs in small towns before becoming a big star.
    THESAURUS
    dues
    1 a contribution, assessment, initiation fee.
duet
duet
  1. n. music sung by two voices or played by two performers: The sopranos sang a duet in the opera.
duff
duff
  1. n. slang the buttocks, rear end: He finally got off his duff and finished the job.
duffel bag
duffel bag
  1. n. a large, heavy cloth bag used for luggage: Soldiers and athletes use duffel bags to carry their clothes and belongings.
dug
dug
  1. v. past tense and part. of dig
dugout
dugout
  1. n.
    1 a type of canoe made from a log with the passenger area dug or burned out: Native Americans fish from dugouts in the lake.
    2 a shelter dug in the ground: Soldiers crowded into the dugout.
    3 (in baseball) a team's shelter at the side of the field
duke
duke
  1. n. a man with a high hereditary rank below a prince: The Duke of Kent waved to the people outside the palace.
dukes
dukes
  1. n.pl. slang the fists, in boxing: One angry man said to another, "Put up your dukes and defend yourself!" —v.slang to duke it out: to fight: The two boys duked it out on the playground.
dulcet
dulcet
  1. adj.frml. soft, musical: Poets write of ladies who speak in dulcet tones.
dull
dull
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 not shiny or bright: I need to polish that dull table top.
    2 not sharp: a dull knife, a dull pain
    3 boring, tiresome: That movie (lecture, party, etc.) was very dull.
    4 unintelligent, slow-witted: He has a dull mind; it takes him a long time to learn new things.
    THESAURUS
    dull adj.
    1 drab, faded | lackluster, washed-out
    2 blunt (knife)
    3 uninteresting, tedious.
    THESAURUS
    Ant. lively.
    4 dumb, dim-witted, slow. Ant. sharp. —v. [I;T] to make less bright or sharp: Does watching too much TV dull the mind? -n. dullard.
duly
duly
  1. adv. frml. in the correct way, properly: The prisoner was duly advised of her rights by the arresting police officer.
dum-dum
dum-dum
  1. adj. slang a stupid person,
    THESAURUS
    a dumbbell: He does stupid things; he's a dum-dum.
dumb
dumb
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 incapable of speaking
    2 stupid: He's too dumb to succeed.
    THESAURUS
    dumb
    1 mute | silent, inarticulate, tongue-tied
    2 dense, dull-witted, slow. Ant. smart.
dumbbell
dumbbell
  1. n.
    1 a metal weight used to exercise the muscles
    2 fig. a stupid person: That person can't do anything right; what a dumbbell!
dumbfound
dumbfound
  1. v. [T] to confuse or shock and make speechless,
    THESAURUS
    to bewilder: She dumbfounds people with her outrageous opinions.
dumbstruck
dumbstruck
  1. adj. made speechless: I am dumbstruck by the crazy things that he says sometimes.
dumbwaiter
dumbwaiter
  1. n. a small elevator for carrying food between a kitchen and a higher floor: The cook puts food on the dumbwaiter and sends it to the upstairs dining room.
dummy
dummy
  1. n. -mies
    1 a stuffed figure or model of a person: a ventriloquist's dummy, a dressmaker's dummy
    2 fig. a stupid person, often used in a friendly way: That's not the right answer, you dummy!
dump
dump
  1. n.
    1 a place where trash is put: We put our garbage out by the street for a truck to pick up and take to the town dump.
    2 fig. a dirty, messy place: This apartment (room, house) is a dump!
    3 output of computer data: I did a dump of our inventory records.
    4 fig. down in the dumps: sad, depressed: He failed his exam and is down in the dumps about it. —v. [T]
    1 to drop or unload suddenly or carelessly: The truck dumped a load of sand in the road.
    2 infrml.fig. to suddenly end a personal relationship with: She dumped her boyfriend for another guy.
    3 to sell (goods) in large quantity at a low price to reduce an oversupply or to win a greater share of the market from competitors: That company is dumping their products there, trying to secure a place in that market.
    THESAURUS
    dump n.
    1 a garbage dump, junk pile
    2 a pigsty, trash heap.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to empty, deposit, discharge
    2 to ditch s.o.
    3 to flood the market.
dump truck
dump truck
  1. n. a truck that drops its cargo by lifting its rear bed up: The dump truck poured gravel onto the street.
dumpling
dumpling
  1. n.
    1 a ball of mashed food, cooked with soup or served with dessert: We had chicken dumplings for dinner last night.
    2 fig. a term of affection, esp. for a well-fed person: I'm crazy about my daughter; she's my little dumpling!
dumpster
dumpster
  1. n. a very large container for trash: We throw our trash into the dumpster behind our apartment building.
dumpy
dumpy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest infrml.
    1 messy and in poor condition: What a dumpy place!
    2 (of a person) short and fat: She has a dumpy figure.
dunce
dunce
  1. n. a stupid person: He's such a dunce, with no brains at all!
dunce cap
dunce cap
  1. n. a tall pointed hat that shows the wearer is stupid: Many years ago, a bad student would have to wear a dunce cap and sit in the corner.
dune
dune
  1. n. a small hill of sand: The sand dunes on the desert are formed by the wind.
dune buggy
dune buggy
  1. n. -gies a car designed to travel on sand: She loves racing her dune buggy on the beach.
dung
dung
  1. n. animal manure,
    THESAURUS
    excrement: Farmers and gardeners use cow dung to enrich the soil for vegetables.
dungarees
dungarees
  1. n.pl. a type of blue jeans: Before the 1960s, people wore dungarees.
dungeon
dungeon
  1. n. a prison or cell in the cellar, esp. of a castle: The king had prisoners thrown into a dungeon for displeasing him.
dunk
dunk
  1. v. [T]
    1 to dip into a liquid: I like to dunk a doughnut in my coffee.
    2 (in basketball) to drop the ball through the hoop from above: She's not very tall, but she can jump high enough to dunk the ball. —n.fig. a swim: I go for a dunk in hot weather.
duo
duo
  1. n. duos a pair of people, usu. musicians: She and her husband are a singing duo in nightclubs.
duodenum
duodenum
  1. n. the first 10 inches of the small intestine below the stomach: Liver and pancreatic juices mix with food in the duodenum. -adj. duodenal.
dupe
dupe
  1. v. [T] dupped, duping, dupes to trick and cheat: The dishonest bookkeeper duped his victim by making her trust him, then stealing her money. —n. a person who is tricked: She was a dupe.
duplex
duplex
  1. n. -es an apartment or house that has two living quarters: Our house is a duplex, and we rent the other half to some students. —adj. having two sections of living quarters: A duplex apartment has rooms on two floors with an inside connecting staircase.
duplicate
duplicate
  1. n. an exact copy: I'll make a duplicate of his letter and send it to you. —v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates
    1 to make an exact copy: I duplicated that letter for him.
    2 to repeat: I duplicated the original experiment, and it worked. -adj. duplicative. See: photocopy.
    THESAURUS
    duplicate n. a double of s.t., twin, reproduction, replica. —v.
    1 to copy, reproduce, replicate.
duplication
duplication
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a copy of an original: The vase is a duplication of a very expensive original.
    2 a repetition: Her work is an unnecessary duplication of my effort.
duplicity
duplicity
  1. n.frml. [U] actions disguised as friendly, but designed to trick s.o., (syns.) deceit, double-dealing: He acted with duplicity when he asked for my help only to use my information against me. -adj. duplicitous.
durable
durable
  1. adj. long-wearing, sturdy: The soles on those shoes have lasted a year; they are quite durable. -n. pl. durables. See durable goods; -n. [U] durability.
durable goods
durable goods
  1. n.pl. items, such as automobiles and kitchen appliances, that last a long time: The market for durable goods (or) durables is very, very big.
duration
duration
  1. n. [U]
    1 the time that s.t. continues or exists: We hope that the business recession (illness, rainy season, etc.) will be of short duration.
    2 for the duration: for as long as s.t. lasts: He entered the military at the start of the war and stayed for the duration.
duress
duress
  1. n.frml. [U] force or threats used to get s.o.'s cooperation: She signed a loan agreement with high interest payments under duress.
during
during
  1. prep.
    1 for all the time of: We took shelter in a store during the rainstorm.
    2 at some point (in a period of time): I hope to see him during the next few days.
    THESAURUS
    during
    1 at the time of, throughout
    2 in the course of, over.
dusk
dusk
  1. n. [U] the time of day between sunset and total darkness: It's hard to see at dusk, so I drive carefully.
dusky
dusky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest shadowy, rather dark: Even on sunny days, this room is dusky.
dust
dust
  1. n. [U]
    1 fine dry particles like powder: There's dust on the bookshelves.
    2 to turn to dust: to end as nothing, to be ruined: All of his dreams have turned to dust. —v.
    1 [I;T] to remove dust: I dusted my bookshelves.
    2 [T] to cover with a light coat of s.t.: The baker dusted the cake with powdered sugar.
    THESAURUS
    dust n.
    1 dirt, grime, soot. —v.
    1 to clean, wipe
    2 to sprinkle, powder.
duster
duster
  1. n. a cloth or brush used to dust s.t.: I use a feather duster to dust my bookshelves.
dustpan
dustpan
  1. n. a flat pan used when sweeping to pick up dust and refuse: I emptied the dustpan into a garbage pail.
dusty
dusty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest covered with dust: My clothes are dusty from cleaning my apartment.
    THESAURUS
    dusty dirty, filthy, unswept.
dutiful
dutiful
  1. adj. devoted to fulfilling one's responsibilities: He is a dutiful son to his parents. -adv. dutifully.
    THESAURUS
    dutiful obedient, responsible, respectful.
duty-free
duty-free
  1. adj. not requiring payment of duty fees: Perfume, if bought at the airport for an international flight, is duty-free.
duty
duty
  1. n. -ties 1 [C;U] responsibility, obligation: Her duty is to see that the business runs well.
    2 [U] special service: jury duty, military duty
    3 [C;U] a tax, esp. on imported goods See: duty-free.
    4 on or off duty: working or not working (in a position of responsibility): A police officer usually wears a uniform when on duty.
    THESAURUS
    duty
    1 assignment, job, mission, charge
    3 an assessment, tariff.
dwarf
dwarf
  1. n. dwarfs or dwarves a small person with dwarfism: That man is a dwarf. He is only four feet tall. —v. [T] to make s.t. seem small by comparison: California giant redwood trees dwarf the people who come to admire them.
dwarfism
dwarfism
  1. n. [U] smallness in size in humans due to abnormal development before birth: Not all short people suffer from dwarfism.
dwell
dwell
  1. v. [I] dwelt or dwelled, dwelling, dwells
    1 frml. to live,
    THESAURUS
    to reside: The princess dwells in a castle.
    2 to dwell on: to continue thinking or speaking about: The teacher dwelt on the topic too long.
dwelling
dwelling
  1. n.litr. a place where people live: She lives in an old dwelling on the edge of town.
dwelt
dwelt
  1. v. past tense & past part. of dwell
dwindle
dwindle
  1. v. [I] -dled, -dling, -dles to lessen in number or intensity: By the end of the boring football game, the crowd had dwindled to a few fans.
dye
dye
  1. n. [C;U] a solution used to color cloth or hair: He used a blue dye to color the curtains. —v. [T] dyed, dyeing, dyes to color with dye: She dyes her hair red. -n. [U] dyestuff.
    THESAURUS
    dye n. a pigment, shade, tint, stain. —v. to tint, stain.
dyed-in-the-wool
dyed-in-the-wool
  1. adj.
    1 dyed before being made into cloth
    2 fig. completely, deeply: He is a dyed-in-the-wool conservative.
dying
dying
  1. v. pres. part of die
dyke
dyke
  1. n. pej. a lesbian
dynamic
dynamic
  1. adj. energetic, very active: She is a dynamic executive and will bring lots of energy and ideas to our company. -adv. dynamically.
dynamics
dynamics
  1. n.pl.
    1 the study of force and motion
    2 the factors that shape a personal relationship: Their love and devotion are the key dynamics in their marriage.
dynamism
dynamism
  1. n. [U] (in a person) high energy and activity: He is full of dynamism, on the go all day long.
dynamite
dynamite
  1. n. [U] an explosive: a stick of dynamite —adj.infrml. fig. wonderful, excellent: She is a dynamite rock star. —v. [T] -mited, -miting, -mites to blow up with dynamite: They dynamited the bridge and completely destroyed it.
dynamo
dynamo
  1. n. -mos
    1 an electrical generator
    2 infrml.fig. a forceful and very energetic person: He teaches gymnastics and is a dynamo at work.
dynasty
dynasty
  1. n. -ties a series of family members who hold power in politics or business: The Kennedys have a dynasty in American politics.
dysentery
dysentery
  1. n. [U] any of several intestinal infections marked by diarrhea, cramps, and weakness: I suffered from dysentery when traveling because I drank unclean water.
dysfunction
dysfunction
  1. n. [U] imperfect or abnormal functioning (of a system, a body part, etc.): The doctor is treating her for a dysfunction of the kidneys. -adj. dysfunctional.

    USAGE NOTE: A dysfunctional family is a family with serious emotional problems. The problems are often caused by alcoholism, drug abuse, or violence in the family.
dyslexia
dyslexia
  1. n. [U] a disorder marked by a difficulty recognizing written words: The reason he has trouble reading is that he has a learning disability called dyslexia. -adj. dyslexic.
dyspepsia
dyspepsia
  1. n. [U] indigestion: She suffered from dyspepsia and had trouble digesting her food. -n.adj. dyspeptic.
déclassé
déclassé
  1. adj. related to the lower class and unfashionable: That restaurant has become déclassé; we wouldn't be seen there.
décolletage
décolletage
  1. n. (French for) a low neckline of a woman's dress: The décolletage on that evening gown is too revealing.
décor
décor
  1. n. [C;U] the style of a room, house, etc.: Their office has a modern décor.
déjà vu
déjà vu
  1. n. the feeling that one is repeating an experience even though it is actually happening for the first time: When I entered the house, I had a strong sense of déjà vu, but I had never been there before.
dénouement
dénouement
  1. n. the final moment or outcome after a climax in action, as in a play or opera: In the death scene, the dénouement is the moment of death.
détente
détente
  1. n. [C;U] (French for) a period of calm between hostile nations when problems can be discussed: The USA and Soviet Union reached détente, and the arms race is over.
e.g.
e.g.
  1. abbr. for exempli gratia, (Latin for) for example: Our university offers strong programs in the sciences, e.g., chemistry, biology, and physics.
e pluribus unum
e pluribus unum
  1. adv. phr. Latin for "out of many, one"; used as the motto of the USA to express the ideal of unity among the many peoples living in the country
each
each
  1. adv. for one, per piece: Those toys cost $1.00 each. —adj. every: Each toy is a different color. —pron. every one: Each of the toys has a different shape. See: each other, every, all.

    USAGE NOTE: Always use a singular verb with each because it refers to one of a group of things or people: Each of the students has to meet with the teacher.||Each of the cars is blue.
each other
each other
  1. pron. an expression showing that each one in a pair or group (of people, animals, or things) does s.t. to the other one(s): The two friends smiled at each other.||The puppies all chased each other.
eager
eager
  1. adj. full of desire or interest: We are eager to go on our vacation. -adv. eagerly; -n. eagerness.
    THESAURUS
    eager enthusiastic, raring to go | ambitious, industrious. Ants. uneager | unmotivated.
eager beaver
eager beaver
  1. n.infrml. an enthusiastic person, esp. a hard worker who wants a better job, salary, and life: She works 12-hour days; she is a real eager beaver.
eagle-eyed
eagle-eyed
  1. adj. having excellent eyesight: That hunter is eagle-eyed; he can see animals a mile away.
eagle
eagle
  1. n. a large strong bird that kills smaller animals for food and can be found in the wilderness areas of North America and elsewhere: The symbol of the USA is the bald eagle.
ear
ear
  1. n.
    1 one of the two organs for hearing and balance, located on either side of the head: Rabbits have big ears.
    2 ear of corn: corn on the cob, the part of the corn plant that holds the kernels of corn together: At American barbecues, people eat hamburgers, hot dogs, and ears of corn with butter.
    3 to be all ears: to be eager to hear news or gossip: My friend was all ears when I told her about my new boyfriend.
    4 to go in one ear and out the other: for s.o.'s words or instructions to be heard but ignored or disregarded: She tells her children what to do, but it goes in one ear and out the other.
    5 to have a good or tin ear: to have good or poor ability to understand sounds: He has a good ear for music.
    6 to have an ear to the ground: to be aware of what is going on: He knows all the latest news; he always has his ear to the ground.
    7 to lend an ear: to listen carefully to s.o.
    8 to play by ear: to play (an instrument) without following written music
    9 to play it by ear: to react as events happen without planning: We can't plan for this meeting, so let's just go and play it by ear.
    10 to turn a deaf ear: not to listen: When I tell him to stop drinking, he turns a deaf ear to me.
    11 infrml. up to one's ears: having too much work or trouble: She's up to her ears in work.
earache
earache
  1. n. a pain inside the ear
eardrum
eardrum
  1. n. the part inside the ear that moves so that one can hear sound
earful
earful
  1. n.sing. to get or be an earful: to hear complaints, criticism, or gossip: The boss was angry with me; I really got an earful when she criticized me.
earl
earl
  1. n. a British rank of nobility: the Earl of Somerset
earlobe
earlobe
  1. n. the soft lower part of the outer ear where some people hang earrings
early
early
  1. adv. -lier, -liest
    1 at the beginning: early in the morning||early in the program
    2 before the expected time: The plane landed 15 minutes early. —adj. -ier, -iest
    1 happening before the expected time: I was early for my appointment.
    2 happening toward the beginning of a period of time: Early morning is a good time to exercise.
    3 happening far back in time: Early civilizations discovered fire.
early bird
early bird
  1. n.fig.
    1 s.o. who gets up early or arrives early: She is at work before the others; she's an early bird.
    2 The early bird catches the worm.: the person who is early is usu. rewarded and has an advantage over other people
earmark
earmark
  1. n.fig. the sign of s.o.'s work or quality: That music has the earmark of excellence on it. —v.fig. [T] to set aside or reserve for a special purpose: The city has earmarked funds for street repairs.
earmuffs
earmuffs
  1. n.pl. coverings placed over the ears to keep them warm in cold weather: He wears earmuffs in winter. See: hat; scarf.
earn
earn
  1. v. [T]
    1 to get (money) by working: She earns her living as a doctor.
    2 to get s.t. one deserves as the result of action or effort: She earned highest honors at school.
    3 to produce, esp. on an investment: His savings account earns 8 percent interest per year. See: salary; invest.
    THESAURUS
    earn
    1 to work as (a secretary, doctor, clerk, etc.) | make (money), take home, be paid
    2 to deserve, merit
    3 to yield. Ant. to lose.
earnest
earnest
  1. adj.
    1 eager to do right,
    THESAURUS
    sincere: She is earnest in her desire to help the poor.
    2 in earnest: seriously, intensively: They began to work in earnest when the boss arrived. -adv. earnestly; -n. earnestness.
earnings
earnings
  1. n.pl. wages, salary, or income from work or investments: Our earnings are taxed at the rate of 30 percent.
    THESAURUS
    earnings one's compensation, pay, take home pay | profit, proceeds. Ant. expenses.
earphone
earphone
  1. n. a device placed over or in the ear to provide sound: I use earphones to listen to tapes on my Sony Walkman™.
earplug
earplug
  1. n. a small object placed in the ears to keep out water or sound: She wears earplugs when she swims.
earring
earring
  1. n. jewelry worn on or hanging from the earlobe: She wore silver earrings along with a silver necklace.
earshot
earshot
  1. n. [U] the normal distance at which a human can hear sounds: I called to him, but he could not hear me because he was out of earshot.
earsplitting
earsplitting
  1. adj. extremely loud, so loud as to cause pain: The rock music was earsplitting and gave me a headache.
earth
earth
  1. n.sing.
    1 Earth or earth: the planet we live on: Earth is the third planet from the sun.
    2 the land masses surrounded by oceans: Plants grow in the oceans and on the earth of our planet.
    3 [U] soil, the surface layer: The workers dug a hole in the earth.
    4 down to earth: honest and simple in personality and behavior: She is really down to earth; she says what she thinks.
    5 exclam. Why (What, Who, How, etc.) on earth?: Why (what, who, how), of all possible choices: Why on earth did you say a stupid thing like that!||What on earth were you thinking?
    THESAURUS
    earth
    1 world, planet | globe
    2 and
    3 land, soil | dirt, ground, terrain. Ant. sky.

    USAGE NOTE: In formal writing, esp. in astronomy or geology, Earth is often spelled with a capital E to note that it is the planet Earth.
earthbound
earthbound
  1. adj. restricted to stay on earth: The ostrich is an earthbound bird that cannot fly at all.
earthen
earthen
  1. adj. made of earth or clay: She makes earthen jars in her pottery class.
earthling
earthling
  1. n. s.o. who lives on the planet Earth: Earthlings are trying to explore outer space.
earthly
earthly
  1. adj.
    1 related to everyday concerns on Earth, not heavenly: Most people worry about earthly concerns such as earning a living.
    2 (used in questions and negative statements) possible: It does no earthly good to complain! See: heavenly.
earthquake
earthquake
  1. n. sudden, violent movements of the earth's surface: The west-ern area of North America suffers from earthquakes.
earthshaking
earthshaking
  1. adj.fig. extremely important (often used in the negative): The President did not say anything earthshaking at his news conference.
earthworm
earthworm
  1. n. See: worm, 1.
earthy
earthy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest vulgar in language and behavior, crude: The comedian uses earthy jokes in his act. -n. [U] earthiness.
ease
ease
  1. n. [U]
    1 a lack of difficulty: She climbed the mountain with ease.
    2 lack of worry, comfort: He is rich and lives a life of ease.
    3 ill at ease: uncomfortable or worried: The student felt ill at ease when he gave his report to the class. —v. eased, easing, eases
    1 [I;T] to move gently and slowly: He eased into a comfortable bed and fell asleep.
    2 [I;T] to make or become less difficult or severe: Her son's phone call eased her worry.
    3 phrasal v. infrml. [I] to ease up or off: to do s.t. with less effort: She decided to ease up on her studies for a while; instead of taking five courses this semester, she will take three. -adj. easeful.
easel
easel
  1. n. a stand with three long legs and a narrow shelf in front used to hold a display or an artist's canvas
easily
easily
  1. adv. without difficulty, effortlessly: She can fix that motor easily.
    THESAURUS
    easily with no trouble, without problems.
east
east
  1. n.sing.
    1 the direction straight ahead when facing a sunrise: The sun rises in the east.
    2 the eastern part of the world or a country
    3 the East: in the USA, usu. the east coast: New York is in the East.
    4 back East: in the USA, how people on the west coast refer to the east coast: My brother lives back East in Providence, Rhode Island. —adv. moving toward the east: We are heading (sailing, flying, etc.) east. —adj.
    1 located in the east: The east side of Manhattan has some very fancy apartments.
    2 coming from the east: I feel the chill of that east wind off the ocean.
easterly
easterly
  1. adj.adv. from or to the east: Easterly winds blow from the east.
eastern
eastern
  1. adj. located in the east: Denver, Colorado, is on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains.
easterner
easterner
  1. n. a person from an eastern area: He is an easterner from Boston.
eastward
eastward
  1. adj.adv. toward the east: We are driving in an eastward direction.
easy
easy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 simple to do: Fixing the lock was easy.
    2 relaxed, smooth: She is very pleasant; she has an easy manner.
    3 pleasant, calm: He has an easy life with few worries.
    4 infrml. as easy as pie: very easy to do: The test was as easy as pie.
    5 easier said than done: easy to talk about but hard to do: To climb a mountain is easier said than done.
    6 easy money: money made with little effort: I made easy money on that job; I just sat around reading all day.
    7 infrml. easy on the eye: pleasant to look at: The view from the mountain was easy on the eye and so relaxing.
    8 infrml. on easy street: financially secure and content: He has been on easy street since he won the lottery. -n. [U] easiness; -adv. easily. —adv.
    1 to go easy on: a. to be less strict or be gentle with: The judge went easy on the teenagers, because they had never been in trouble before. b. to use less of: Go easy on the salt; it's not good for you.
    2 to take it easy: to relax: After work, I watch TV and take it easy.
    THESAURUS
    easy adj.
    1 uncomplicated, straightforward, effortless
    2 friendly, laid-back
    3 comfortable, worry free. Ant. difficult.
easy chair
easy chair
  1. n. a soft, comfortable chair meant for relaxation: He reads in his easy chair by the fireplace.
easy mark
easy mark
  1. n.infrml. a person who can be easily stolen from (manipulated, cheated, etc.): Thieves look for easy marks to steal from.
easygoing
easygoing
  1. adj. relaxed, unhurried: Nothing annoys him; he is easygoing.
eat
eat
  1. v. ate , eaten , eating, eats
    1 [I;T] to take (food) into the mouth, chew, and swallow: He eats anything put in front of him.
    2 [I] to have a meal: Let's go out to eat.
    3 [I] fig. to annoy, irritate: He's angry; I wonder what's eating him?(syn.)eat
    1 to consume (food) | munch on, chew on | devour, wolf (down). Ant. to hunger for.
    3 to bother.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to eat away at or into s.t.: to corrode, waste away: The metal is eaten away by rust.
    5 to eat crow or eat dirt or eat humble pie or eat one's hat or eat one's words: to be forced to admit defeat or being wrong: Now that they've proved him wrong, he's eating crow (his words, etc.).
    6 to eat high off the hog: to dine or live very well: They are going out to dinner nearly every night; they are eating high off the hog.
    7 to eat like a bird or like a horse: to eat very little or a lot
    8 to eat one's heart out: to have strong and painful desires or regret: When his wife left him, he ate his heart out.
    9 to eat oneself up with s.t.: to be overcome with a negative feeling, such as jealousy, desire, guilt, etc.: He feels responsible for his son's death and is eating himself up with guilt.
    10 phrasal v. [I] to eat out: to dine in a restaurant: He is a bachelor and eats out frequently.
    11 to eat out of s.o.'s hand: to be controlled or influenced by s.o.: She has the group eating out of her hands; they agree with everything she says.
    12 to eat s.o. alive: to destroy in some way: He didn't know how to do the job and was eaten alive by his boss when he made mistakes.
    13 to eat s.o. out of house and home: to eat all the food in the house: When our cousin came to visit, he was so hungry that he ate us out of house and home.
    14 infrml.slang to eat s.t. up: to delight in s.t.: When his girlfriend praises him, he just eats it up.
    15 to have one's cake and eat it too: to spend s.t. or use it up, but also try to keep it: She wants to save money but also have expensive cars, vacations, and parties; she wants to have her cake and eat it too.
eatable
eatable
  1. adj.infrml. clean and good enough to be eaten: The food at that restaurant is eatable but not very good. See: edible.
eaten
eaten
  1. v. past part of eat
eau de cologne
eau de cologne
  1. n. [U] a diluted form of perfume: She wears eau de cologne since it is not as strong as perfume.
eaves
eaves
  1. n.pl. the overhang of a roof: Birds make their nests under the eaves and along the drainpipe.
eavesdrop
eavesdrop
  1. v. [I] -dropped, -dropping, -drops to listen secretly to other people's conversation: He liked to eavesdrop on his neighbors' conversations. -n. eavesdropper. See: overhear, USAGE NOTE.
ebb
ebb
  1. n. [U]
    1 a flowing away, esp. the ocean's water moving away from the shore: The tide is on the ebb now.
    2 ebb tide: the period when the tide flows out —v. [I] to flow away, decline,
    THESAURUS
    to recede: The tide ebbed early this morning.||The old man's strength ebbed as his illness got worse.
ebony
ebony
  1. n. [U] a black Asian hardwood: The dark keys on the piano were made of ebony. —adj. a dark, lustrous black
ebullient
ebullient
  1. adj.frml. lively,
    THESAURUS
    exuberant: She has an ebullient personality, always very happy and smiling. -n. ebullience.
eccentric
eccentric
  1. adj. odd, unusual: The students are amused by the professor's eccentric habit of pulling his hair while he talks. —n. an eccentric person: He is the neighborhood eccentric. -adv. eccentrically; -n. eccentricity.
ecclesiastic
ecclesiastic
  1. n.adj. a priest or minister: He is a strict ecclesiastic who closely follows tradition.
ecclesiastical
ecclesiastical
  1. adj. related to church matters: ecclesiastical laws, music, architecture, etc.
echelon
echelon
  1. n. a level of authority, power, or importance within a type of organization: That news reporter interviews people in the highest echelons of government.
echo
echo
  1. n. -oes the repetition of a sound caused by its bouncing off a hard surface: The echoes of our voices in the caves were scary. —v. -oed, -oing, -oes
    1 [I] to be repeated as an echo: Our shouts echoed in the canyon.
    2 [T] to repeat s.t. that s.o. else has said: That official's assistant echoes all his opinions.
    3 [T] to show the influence of, to imitate: Some modern paintings echo the work of primitive artists.
eclectic
eclectic
  1. adj. choosing from a variety of sources or styles: She has eclectic tastes in collecting art. -n. [U] eclecticism.
eclipse
eclipse
  1. n. the partial or complete blocking out of one object when another passes in front: We saw a partial eclipse of the sun by the moon. —v. [T] eclipsed, eclipsing, eclipses
    1 to cause an eclipse: The moon eclipsed the sun.
    2 to fade, diminish: His reputation slowly eclipsed with age.
    3 to be much better than, (syns.) to surpass, outshine: Great runners of the past have been eclipsed by today's top runners.
ecology
ecology
  1. n. [U] the study of the natural connections among plants, animals, people, and the environment: An understanding of ecology is central to keeping our planet safe from destruction. -n. ecologist; -adj. ecological.
economic
economic
  1. adj. related to economics: Investors watch the rate of economic growth closely.
economical
economical
  1. adj. getting good value for money spent, thrifty: That car burns so much gasoline that it is not economical to own it. -adv. economically.
    THESAURUS
    economical inexpensive, reasonably-priced, cost-effective | cheap, low-priced. Ants. uneconomical | expensive.
economics
economics
  1. n. [U] used with a sing.v. the study of how society uses resources, such as money, labor, raw materials, and factories: Economics is at the center of most governmental concerns.
economist
economist
  1. n. a person who specializes in economics: She is an economist who works for the government.
economize
economize
  1. v. [I] -mized, -mizing, -mizes to spend less than before: He lost his job, so he has to economize by not buying expensive things.
economy
economy
  1. -mies n. [C;U]
    1 the economic conditions on a worldwide, national, or regional scale: The national economy is strong now.
    2 careful use of time, money, resources, etc.: The design of the offices emphasizes economy of space. —adj. with a lower price: economy class airfares||large economy-size cereal boxes
ecosystem
ecosystem
  1. n. an ecological unit in nature: A swamp and its plants, animals, and water supply form an ecosystem.
ecstasy
ecstasy
  1. n. [U] great delight,
    THESAURUS
    rapture: When she agreed to marry him, he went into a state of ecstasy. -adj. ecstatic ; -adv. ecstatically.
ecumenical
ecumenical
  1. adj. concerning the unity of Christianity throughout the world: The ecumenical movement is strongly supported by the Pope. -n. ecumenicalism.
eczema
eczema
  1. n. [U] a skin condition with itching and redness, most often caused by an allergic reaction to s.t.: She wore gloves to cover her hands, because she had a bad case of eczema.
eddy
eddy
  1. n.v. [I] -died, -dying, -dies a turning or swirling, esp. of water, into a pool that hardly moves: The river formed eddies near its banks.
edge
edge
  1. n.
    1 the border where two surfaces meet: He looked over the edge of the cliff.
    2 a sharp, thin side of a blade or cutting tool: She tested the edge of the knife blade.
    3 fig.sing. a small advantage: That horse can run fast; it has an edge over the others in the race.
    4 on the edge: in a dangerous state: He's a race car driver who likes living on the edge.
    5 to be on edge: to feel nervous or apprehensive: The patients are on edge waiting for the test results. —v. edged, edging, edges
    1 [I;T] to move slowly and carefully: He edged toward the door, then ran for help.
    2 [T] to put a border or edge on: She edged the garden with tiny pink flowers.
    THESAURUS
    edge n.
    1 the rim | border, boundary line. Ant. the center.
    3 a plus. Ant. disadvantage.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to inch, creep
    2 to border, trim, fringe (with s.t.).
edgewise
edgewise
  1. adv.
    1 with the edge forward or first, toward the edge: I kept the door open by pushing a book under it edgewise.
    2 to get a word in edgewise: to get a chance to speak when s.o. else is speaking nonstop: On the phone, my friend talks so much I can hardly get a word in edgewise.
edging
edging
  1. n. [U] a border: The edging around the curtain is made of lace.
edible
edible
  1. adj. can be eaten, eatable: The fruit of that tree is not edible. —n.pl. food: There are edibles in the refrigerator; help yourselves!
edict
edict
  1. n. a formal order given with the force of law, a command: A dictatorial government issues edicts on every aspect of life.
edification
edification
  1. n.frml. [U] improvement of one's understanding, enlightenment: For my edification, the teacher explained the idea. -v. edify [T].
edifice
edifice
  1. n.frml. a large, impressive building: Politicians like to build large edifices to honor one another.
edit
edit
  1. v. [T]
    1 to correct and clarify written or recorded works: A copy editor edits the manuscripts of books.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to edit s.t. out: to remove or delete s.t.: The filmmaker edited out some of the violent scenes in the movie.||He edited them out.
edition
edition
  1. n. a specific printing of a book or periodical: the evening edition of the daily newspaper||a new edition of a textbook
editor
editor
  1. n.
    1 a person in charge of publishing a periodical, a newscast, or a book series: She is an editor at The Washington Post.
    2 a person who corrects, clarifies, and shapes written and recorded works: He is the editor of a series of dictionaries. -n. editor-in-chief.
editorialize
editorialize
  1. v. [I] -ized, -izing, -izes to give one's opinion on a topic, not just the facts or news about it: That journalist can't tell a simple story without editorializing.
educate
educate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to give s.o. knowledge through schooling: He was educated in the public schools of Chicago. -n. educator; -adj. educable .
    THESAURUS
    educate to teach, instruct s.o. (about s.t.) | train, coach s.o. in s.t. | be schooled in s.t.
educated
educated
  1. adj.
    1 literate, having education, esp. the basic abilities to read, write, and do math: She went to school through the tenth grade and considered herself educated.
    2 having knowledge and powers of reasoning based on a good education: She has gone to the finest universities and is an educated person.
education
education
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] basic instruction or training in schools: The public schools in our neighborhood offer a good education.
    2 [U] the institutions for teaching and learning: He's in education; he works as a physics teacher.
    3 [U] the field of learning to teach, pedagogy: She is majoring in education at the teacher's college. -adj. educational; -adv. educationally.
    THESAURUS
    education
    1 teaching | instruction, schooling | training, coaching. Ant. illiteracy.
eel
eel
  1. n.
    1 a snake-like saltwater or freshwater fish: Many people like to eat eels.
    2 slippery as an eel: tricky, deceitful: That guy is as slippery as an eel; don't trust him.
efface
efface
  1. v. [T] -faced, -facing, -faces
    1 to erase,
    THESAURUS
    to eradicate, obliterate: The worker effaced the writing on the wall by painting over it.
    2 to efface oneself: to act so as not to attract attention or praise: That talented young man is too quick to efface himself; he's too self-effacing. See: deface.
effect
effect
  1. n.
    1 a result: One effect of being poor is not having enough food for your family.
    2 an influence: Lowering taxes had a strong effect on the taxpayers, who definitely liked it!
    3 pl. one's belongings: The retiree removed her personal effects from her office before leaving.
    4 in effect: a. active,
    THESAURUS
    operative: The new law is in effect as of today. b. in reality,
    THESAURUS
    actually: This law is, in effect, an increase in taxes.
    5 to take effect: to begin to be active: The new law takes effect today at 9:00 A.M. —v. [T] to cause, esp. by law: The governor effected many changes to improve the tax situation. See: affect, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    effect n.
    1 consequence, outcome | upshot
    2 impact | end product. Ant. cause.
    3 pl.
    THESAURUS
    possessions. —v. to bring about s.t.
effective
effective
  1. adj.
    1 having the result that one wants, productive: The medication is quite effective; it relieves pain quickly.
    2 in use, current: The law was effective on January 1. -adv. effectively; -n. [U] effectiveness.
    THESAURUS
    effective
    1 successful, useful, helpful. Ant. ineffective.
    2 in operation, in force, in effect. Ant. inoperative.
effectual
effectual
  1. adj. producing the desired effect: The President was effectual in getting people to vote for his re-election. -adv. effectually.
effeminate
effeminate
  1. adj.pej. showing behavior in men that is more typical of women than of men -n. [U] effeminacy.
effervescent
effervescent
  1. adj.
    1 bubbly, sparkling with tiny bubbles: Champagne is effervescent.
    2 fig. cheerful, laughing, high-spirited: That lady has an effervescent personality. -v. [I] effervesce; -n. [U] effervescence; -adv. effervescently.
effete
effete
  1. adj.frml. weak, self-absorbed, and decadent: The young writer's book was too effete to interest readers.
efficacious
efficacious
  1. adj.frml. effective, practical: The improvements in the way we work proved efficacious. -adv. efficaciously; -n. [U] efficacy.
efficiency
efficiency
  1. n. -cies good productivity or performance: Management praised the workers for their efficiency.
efficient
efficient
  1. adj. productive, economical: She performs her job well and quickly; she is very efficient. -adv. efficiently.
    THESAURUS
    efficient competent, capable. Ant. inefficient.
effigy
effigy
  1. n. -gies a representation, such as a crude dummy, of a person hated by others: The demonstrators hanged an effigy of the politician outside the embassy.
effort
effort
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 physical or mental work, exertion: The workers made a great effort to finish the building on time.
    2 an attempt, a try, endeavor: Most students made an effort to improve their test scores.
    THESAURUS
    effort
    1 struggle, labor
    2 (to take) pains to do s.t., (take) the trouble to do s.t. Ant. laziness.
effortless
effortless
  1. adj. easy, not difficult: She skis beautifully; she makes it look effortless. -adv. effortlessly; -n. effortlessness.
effrontery
effrontery
  1. n.frml. [U] rudeness, (syns.) audacity, gall: That idiot had the effrontery to push ahead of everyone else waiting in line. See: affront.
effusive
effusive
  1. adj. with too much feeling,
    THESAURUS
    gushy: The critic was effusive in his praise of the movie. -adv. effusively; -n. effusiveness.
egalitarian
egalitarian
  1. n.adj. a believer in equal economic opportunity and equal legal and political rights for all people: He is an egalitarian, not an elitist. -n. [U] egalitarianism.
egg
egg
  1. n.
    1 a round or oval-shaped shell in which a baby bird, reptile, or insect grows: Chickens lay eggs, as do other birds.
    2 a bad egg: a bad or dishonest person: Don't trust your new friend; she is really a bad egg.
    3 to have egg on one's face: to make a fool of oneself: Our team was completely unprepared to answer questions at the meeting; when it was over, we had egg on our faces.
    4 to lay an egg: to fail miserably: The audience did not laugh at the comedian; he laid an egg.
    5 to put or have all of your eggs in one basket: to risk all that one has in one investment or situation: We were warned not to invest all our money in one stock so we wouldn't have all of our eggs in one basket.
egg roll
egg roll
  1. n. a small shell of egg-based dough stuffed with chopped vegetables and often with bits of meat, then deep-fried: We order egg rolls as an appetizer at Chinese restaurants.
egghead
egghead
  1. n.infrml.fig.pej. a person who thinks about intellectual ideas most of the time: Her mind is in another world; she is an egghead who spends hours studying everyday. See: bookish.
eggnog
eggnog
  1. n. [U] a traditional drink usu. made with light cream, eggs, sugar, liquor, and nutmeg: We serve eggnog at Christmastime.
eggplant
eggplant
  1. n. [C;U] a plant with edible fruit shaped like a pear, usu. with purple skin
eggshell
eggshell
  1. n.
    1 the hard outer covering of an egg
    2 to walk on eggshells: to behave with extreme caution: Everyone is afraid of him; they walk on eggshells when he's around. —n.adj. off-white or pale yellow: The apartment walls are painted in an eggshell white.
ego
ego
  1. n. egos
    1 one's feeling about one's self: The awards he received for his talent as a painter strengthened his ego.
    2 a feeling of self-importance: He has a big ego; he thinks he's important.
ego trip
ego trip
  1. n.slang self-centered speech or behavior that adds to one's sense of importance: He's on an ego trip, because he won the scholarship to study in London for two years.
egocentric
egocentric
  1. adj. selfcentered, selfish: She doesn't consider the feelings of other people; she's an egocentric person.
egoism
egoism
  1. n.
    1 the belief that morality is based on self-interest
    2 too much concern with one's own interest or importance: His egoism made him think only about his own needs.
egomaniac
egomaniac
  1. n. a person who is completely self-centered: An egomaniac thinks only he or she is a great human being. -n. [U] egomania.
egotism
egotism
  1. n. [U] self-importance, self-centered behavior, such as boastfulness or conceit: Her egotism offends many; she's always talking about herself. -n. egoist ; -adj. egoistical ; -adv. egotistically.
egregious
egregious
  1. adj.frml. extremely bad, outrageous: Our supervisor unfortunately made an egregious mistake in the report and it had to be rewritten. -adv. egregiously.
egret
egret
  1. n. a tall waterbird with white feathers: Egrets increased in numbers in the USA in the 1950s after being hunted nearly to extinction.
eiderdown
eiderdown
  1. n. See: down, 2.
eight
eight
  1. adj.n. the cardinal number 8: An octopus has eight legs.||She wanted children and now has eight.
eight ball
eight ball
  1. n.
    1 the black ball with an eight on it in the game of pool: You must hit the eight ball last in order to win.
    2 behind the eight ball: blocked or having bad luck: With no job, he is stuck behind the eight ball and can't do anything to help himself.
eighteenth
eighteenth
  1. adj.n. the ordinal number 18: She is the eighteenth (or) 18th person in line.||She is eighteenth.
eighth
eighth
  1. adj.n. the ordinal number 8: She is the eighth (or) 8th child in the family.||He is the eighth (or) 8th in line.
eightieth
eightieth
  1. adj.n. the ordinal number 80: his eightieth (or) 80th birthday
eighty
eighty
  1. adj.n. -ies the cardinal number 80: She is eighty years old.
either
either
  1. adj.
    1 one or the other: We can follow either route to go there.
    2 one and the other, each: Wildflowers bloomed on either side of the road.
    3 an either-or situation: a situation with only two opposite choices: It's an either-or situation; that is, we both go or neither of us goes. —pron. one or the other: I'll take tea or coffee; either is fine. —conj. either . . . or used to introduce two or more possibilities: Either we vacation this month or not at all. —adv. (used with a negative) also, likewise: He doesn't smoke and she doesn't either.
ejaculate
ejaculate
  1. v. [I;T] -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 to throw out semen from the penis with sudden force: Men ejaculate when they have sex.
    2 frml. to speak or cry out suddenly -n. [C;U] ejaculation.
eject
eject
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to go out rapidly and with force: The pilot ejected from the falling airplane.
    2 [T] to throw out or force out: A troublemaker was ejected from the theater. -n. [C;U] ejection.
eke
eke
  1. v. [T] eked, eking, ekes to manage to make enough money to survive (usu. used with "a living"): He eked out a living by selling newspapers on the street.
el
el
  1. n. short for elevated railway: In Chicago, many people ride the el to work.
elaborate
elaborate
  1. v. [I] -rated, -rating, -rates to give more detail, explain: The manager elaborated on the plan to expand the business. —adj. complex, detailed: It was an elaborate plan involving many steps. -adv. elaborately; -n. [U] elaboration.
    THESAURUS
    elaborate v. to add details, expand on s.t. | clarify. Ant. to condense.
    THESAURUS
    —adj. complicated, intricate | fancy, elegant (dinner, party preparations). Ant. simple.
elapse
elapse
  1. v. [I] n. elapsed, elapsing, elapses to go by, pass: Three years have elapsed since I saw my friends in Boston; that is a long time. See: lapse.
elastic
elastic
  1. adj.
    1 capable of being stretched, (syns.) flexible, pliant: These rubber gloves are elastic and will fit any size hand.
    2 elastic price: demand varies up or down with price: A market with elastic prices appears if the demand for goods goes down when the price is raised and vice versa. —n. [C;U] a flexible fabric that can be stretched, or s.t. made of this fabric: These pants have an elastic sewn into the waistband. -n. [U] elasticity . elastic band or elastic -n. a rubber band: I put an elastic (band) around the package to hold it together.
elate
elate
  1. v. [T] elated, elating, elates to make happy, delight: The good news elated him. -adj. elated.
elation
elation
  1. n. [U] delight, happiness: How happy she looks; you can see the elation in her face.
elbow
elbow
  1. n.v. [I;T]
    1 the middle joint in the arm between the wrist and shoulder
    2 the back point of that joint: He hurt his elbow playing tennis.
    3 to elbow or give s.o. the elbow: to push with an elbow: He was in a hurry, and he elbowed people aside as he made his way through the crowd.
elbow grease
elbow grease
  1. n.infrml.fig. [U] hard work, esp. by scrubbing and cleaning: The floor was filthy, but with some elbow grease, I made it shine.
elbow room
elbow room
  1. n. [U] enough space to work or act freely: Our little apartment is too small; we need a place with some elbow room.
elder
elder
  1. adj.n. older than another person: Hans is the elder brother (or) the elder of the two brothers. —n.pl. the village elders: the older people in positions of respect and usu. power in a community: The town mayor is one of the village elders.
elderly
elderly
  1. adj. old, aged: My aunt is elderly; she is 88 years old now. See: old. —n.pl. the elderly: old people: The elderly are taken care of by their children in most parts of the world.
    THESAURUS
    elderly adj. getting on (in years), along in years. Ant. young.
    THESAURUS
    —n. pl. senior citizens, retirees. Ant. the young.
eldest
eldest
  1. adj. oldest: She is the eldest child in the family.
elect
elect
  1. v.
    1 [T] to select by voting: The people elected her to the Senate.
    2 frml. [I] to choose, decide: The student elected to attend a university in Germany. —n. the elect: the chosen people, the elite: She is among the elect, chosen to attend the national conference. —adj. suffix -elect: chosen but not yet in office: the president-elect
electioneer
electioneer
  1. v. to try to get votes; to act as a candidate: The candidates for office electioneered for a month before election day.
elective
elective
  1. adj.
    1 filled or decided by election: The mayor's office is an elective one.
    2 having power to elect: an elective assembly
    3 n.adj. (a course) not required in school or college: The course on current films is an elective.
electoral
electoral
  1. adj. related to elections: The electoral system in the USA is part of the democracy. -n. elector.
electorate
electorate
  1. n. those citizens who can vote: The electorate voted the Democrats into office in 1996.
electric
electric
  1. adj.
    1 related to electricity: an electric charge (current, power plant, etc.)
    2 powered by electricity: electric lights (guitars, stoves, etc.)
    3 fig. charged with emotion, exciting: The atmosphere at the sports stadium was electric with excitement.
electric eye
electric eye
  1. n. a device that sends out an invisible electric beam that, when broken, sets off an alarm or opens a door
electrical
electrical
  1. adj. related to electricity: electrical engineering -adv. electrically.
electrician
electrician
  1. n. a person trained in putting in and repairing electrical wiring and devices: He is an electrician who works for the telephone company.
electricity
electricity
  1. n. [U]
    1 flow of energy used as a power source: Before moving into the new house, we had the electricity turned on.
    2 fig. intense excitement: There was electricity in the air at the big rock concert.
electrify
electrify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to provide with electricity: The government electrified farm areas in the USA in the 1930s.
    2 to excite: The singer electrified her audience. -n. [U] electrification; -adj. electrifying.
electrocardiogram
electrocardiogram
  1. n. a graph made by an electrocardiograph showing a patient's pattern of heartbeats and used by doctors to detect heart disease: An electrocardiogram is also called an EKG, ECG, or cardiogram.
electrocardiograph
electrocardiograph
  1. n. a device used to track heart activity
electrocute
electrocute
  1. v. [T] -cuted, -cuting, -cutes to kill with a powerful charge of electricity: The fallen power line electrocuted and killed the workers when they touched it by mistake. -n. [C;U] electrocution.
electrode
electrode
  1. n. the points at which a current enters or leaves an electrical device: The nurses put electrodes on the patient to test his heartbeat.
electrolysis
electrolysis
  1. n. [U] a method of permanently removing hair roots by applying electricity to them: She had hair removed from her face by electrolysis.
electron
electron
  1. n. a part of the atom with a negative charge: Electrons are parts outside the nucleus of an atom.
electron microscope
electron microscope
  1. n. a microscope using electrons to produce enlarged images of objects: The Biology Department has an electron microscope.
electronic
electronic
  1. adj.
    1 related to electronics: TVs and radios are electronic devices.
    2 related to a flow of electrons -adv. electronically.
electronic banking
electronic banking
  1. n. [U] the deposit, withdrawal, and transfer of money done with computerized machines: You can get your money 24 hours a day with electronic banking. See: ATM.
electronic music
electronic music
  1. n. [U] sounds produced electronically, such as by an electric guitar
electronics
electronics
  1. n. [U] used with a sing.v.
    1 the science that deals with electrons: With the study of electronics, the company continues to improve the quality of their products.
    2 the use of electrons in products like televisions and musical equipment: the electronics industry
electroplate
electroplate
  1. v. [T] -plated, -plating, -plates to coat with a layer of metal: That steel plate is electroplated with copper. -n. [U] electroplating.
elegant
elegant
  1. adj.
    1 stylish in appearance, graceful, refined: The living room of the model apartment has elegant furniture.
    2 refined in behavior: She has elegant manners. -n. [U] elegance; -adv. elegantly.
    THESAURUS
    elegant
    1 tasteful, attractive | exquisite
    2 refined, well-bred, polished | classy. Ant. crude.
elegy
elegy
  1. n. -gies a poem or song full of sadness for the dead,
    THESAURUS
    a lament: The choir sang elegies for the dead man at the funeral service.
element
element
  1. n.
    1 a part, aspect: The most negative element of the project is its high cost.
    2 a particular group of people: He belongs to a bad element in this city.
    3 any of more than one hundred basic chemical substances: The elements hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water.
    4 pl. the elements aspects of weather (wind, temperature, storms, etc.): People live in houses as protection against the elements.
    5 to be in or out of one's element: to be in or away from one's familiar and comfortable role or area of expertise: The farmer was out of her element in the big city.
elemental
elemental
  1. adj. basic,
    THESAURUS
    fundamental: The wheel is an elemental part of any vehicle.
elementary
elementary
  1. adj.
    1 simple, basic: She is studying elementary mathematics.
    2 beginning: We are still in the elementary stage of making our decision.
    THESAURUS
    elementary
    1 beginning
    2 starting, initial. Ant. advanced.
elementary school
elementary school
  1. n. in USA, the lower grades of schooling, (syns.) grammar school, grade school: He has two young children in elementary school; one is in the first grade and the other is in sixth grade. See: grade school.
elephant
elephant
  1. n. the largest earthbound mammal, with four legs, usu. gray skin, a trunk, and long tusks -adj. elephantine. See: white elephant.
elevate
elevate
  1. v. [I;T] -vated, -vating, -vates
    1 to raise: The machine elevated the heavy load off the ground.
    2 to promote, raise in rank: The company president elevated two employees to the position of vice president. -adj. elevated.
elevation
elevation
  1. n.
    1 [C] a place or height above sea level: Mountain goats live in the higher elevations above the valley.
    2 [C] an upward angle: The line is drawn at an elevation of 45 degrees.
    3 [U] frml. a move up in rank, a promotion: His elevation to company secretary pleased him.
    4 [C] a drawing of one side of a building
elevator
elevator
  1. n. a box-like car used to carry people and freight between floors in a building: We took the elevator to the tenth floor.
eleven
eleven
  1. adj.n. the cardinal number 11: She is eleven years old.||There were eleven of us at the meeting.
eleventh
eleventh
  1. adj.n. the ordinal number 11: She is the eleventh person in line.||She is the eleventh or the 11th.
eleventh hour
eleventh hour
  1. n.fig. the last possible moment for acting before difficulty or disaster: Labor and management reached an agreement at the eleventh hour and avoided a nationwide strike.
elf
elf
  1. n. elves a small, mischievous, imaginary person in folktales -adj. elfish. See: leprechaun.
elfin
elfin
  1. adj. small and mischievous like an elf, elfish: The little boy had an elfin smile.
elicit
elicit
  1. v.frml. [T] to get, bring out: Her letter of complaint elicited a quick response from the company.
eligible
eligible
  1. adj.
    1 having the right to do or be chosen for s.t., qualified: He graduated from high school with good grades, so he is eligible to enroll in the state college.
    2 not married and with good qualities for marriage: He is unmarried and has a good job, so he is an eligible bachelor. -n. [U] eligibility.
eliminate
eliminate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates
    1 to remove from consideration, to exclude: The losing team was eliminated from further competition.
    2 to remove or get rid of: The government eliminated the unpopular new tax. -n. [U] elimination.
    THESAURUS
    eliminate
    1 to erase, weed out
    2 to abolish, reject, throw out. Ant. to include.
elite
elite
  1. n. the leaders and professionals in the highest levels of a society: The ruling elite in that country is made up of political leaders and heads of large corporations.
elitist
elitist
  1. adj. related to the belief that an elite group in society should be recognized as superior: She has an elitist attitude that government should be run only by college graduates. -n. [U] elitism.
elixir
elixir
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] an imaginary medicine with the power to cure all ills
    2 fig. s.t. that makes s.o. feel strong: A two-week vacation was an elixir for him; he returned full of energy.
elk
elk
  1. n. elk a large member of the deer family: Those elk are over six feet (two meters) tall at the shoulder.
ellipse
ellipse
  1. n. a symmetrical oval: The path of the earth around the sun is an ellipse. -adj. elliptical.
elm
elm
  1. n. a tall, leafy shade tree: The elms of New England are dying from Dutch elm disease.
elocution
elocution
  1. n.frml. [U] the study and practice of public speaking: As a young man, he took lessons in elocution. -n. elocutionist. See: speech.
elongate
elongate
  1. v. [I;T] -gated, -gating, -gates to make longer, stretch: The mirror was curved so that it elongated my image, making me look tall and thin. -n. [C;U] elongation.
elope
elope
  1. v. [I] eloped, eloping, elopes to marry secretly and simply without the permission or presence of one's parents: The couple eloped to Las Vegas, because they did not want a fancy church wedding. -n. [C;U] elopement.
eloquence
eloquence
  1. n. clear and persuasive speech or writing: The senator often speaks with eloquence before the Senate. -adj. eloquent; -adv. eloquently.
else
else
  1. adj.
    1 other, different: I did not do that; someone else did.
    2 more, additional: I haven't finished shopping yet; I have s.t. else to buy. —adv.
    1 in a different time, way, or location: When else can I leave?||How else can I travel?||Where else can I go?
    2 or else: a. or suffer bad results: You do what I say, or else! b. used to introduce an undesirable possibility: We have to leave now or else we'll be late.
elsewhere
elsewhere
  1. adv. in some other place: She doesn't live here; she must live elsewhere.
elucidate
elucidate
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -dated, -dating, -dates to explain and make clear: The professor elucidated the main topics of the course.
elude
elude
  1. v. [T] eluded, eluding, eludes
    1 to escape capture by: The criminal eluded the police by hiding in the woods.
    2 to escape s.o.'s efforts to remember or understand: I knew her name, but it eludes me now. -adj. elusive ; -adv. elusively.
elves
elves
  1. n.pl. of elf
emaciate
emaciate
  1. v. [I;T] -ated, -ating, -ates to make very thin and weak, esp. through lack of food: The captured soldier had not eaten in two weeks and became emaciated. -n. [U] emaciation.
emanate
emanate
  1. v.frml. [I] -nated, -nating, -nates to come from: The sounds emanated from a room down the hall. -n. [U] emanation.
emancipate
emancipate
  1. v. [T] -pated, -pating, -pates to free from slavery, liberate: The Civil War emancipated the slaves in the USA.
emancipation
emancipation
  1. n. [C;U] a freeing,
    THESAURUS
    a liberation: The emancipation of slaves was announced in President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclama-tion in 1863.
emasculate
emasculate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 to remove a male's sexual organs,
    THESAURUS
    to castrate
    2 fig. to weaken: Politicians emasculated the new law by making the penalties too light to stop criminals. -n.[C;U] emasculation. See: geld.
embalm
embalm
  1. v. [T] to preserve a dead body with chemicals: He embalmed the body so it wouldn't decay. -n. embalmer; [C;U] embalmment.
embankment
embankment
  1. n. a mound of earth or rocks built to support the sides of a roadway or to hold back flood waters: The rising water in the river will not flow over the embankment.
embargo
embargo
  1. n.v. [T] -goed, -going, -goes a restriction or total ban on trade with another nation: The USA placed an embargo on all imports from and exports to that country.||The United Nations voted to embargo that country.
embark
embark
  1. v. [I]
    1 to go onboard a ship or airplane: We embarked on the cruise ship in the Caribbean.
    2 to begin a journey, venture, or new activity: She quit her job and embarked on a new venture, her own business. -n. [C;U] embarkation.
embarrass
embarrass
  1. v. [T] to cause s.o. to feel self-conscious or ashamed: Her boyfriend embarrassed her by teasing her about her new hairstyle in front of others. -adj. embarrassing.
    THESAURUS
    embarrass to humiliate, make s.o. feel ill at ease | shame | mortify frml. Ant. to put s.o. at ease.
embarrassment
embarrassment
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a feeling of shame, discomfort, or self-consciousness: His face turned red with embarrassment.
    2 s.t. or s.o. that embarrasses: The child's bad behavior made her an embarrassment to her parents.
embassy
embassy
  1. n. -sies the offices of a country's ambassador and staff in a foreign country: I visited the US Embassy in Paris.
embattled
embattled
  1. adj. in a fight with one's enemies or critics,
    THESAURUS
    besieged: The embattled Prime Minister finally resigned.
embed
embed
  1. v. [T] -bedded, -bedding, -beds to put into another substance: The gardener embedded stones in the earth around each tree. See: implant.
embellish
embellish
  1. v.
    1 [T] to add decorations or details to, to make more beautiful: The artist embellished the design by adding flowers to it.
    2 [I;T] to add to (a story, a report, etc.), to exaggerate: The witness embellished the truth with her own opinions. -n. [C;U] embellishment.
ember
ember
  1. n. a glowing piece (coal, wood) remaining after a fire: The embers of the fire glowed red in the dark.
embezzle
embezzle
  1. v. [I;T] -zled, -zling, -zles to steal money one is trusted to care for: He embezzled company funds to pay for his vacation in Europe. -n. [U] embezzlement; embezzler.
embitter
embitter
  1. v. [T] to make s.o. feel bitter, hostile, angry: He was embittered by his company's refusal to pay his health insurance. -n. [U] embitterment.
emblazon
emblazon
  1. v. [T] to display in a bold manner: The company name is emblazoned in big letters on their office building.
emblem
emblem
  1. n. a sign or symbol for decoration or for a purpose: Her shirt has the company emblem on it. -adj. emblematic.
embodiment
embodiment
  1. n. [U] s.t. that represents the best, worst, or most typical of s.t. else: The devil is the embodiment of evil.
embody
embody
  1. v. [T] -ied, -ying, -ies to express, symbolize: The Statue of Liberty embodies the hope of a better life for all.
embolden
embolden
  1. v. [T] to make bold, encourage: His early success emboldened him to take even greater risks.
embolism
embolism
  1. n. a block in a blood vessel: Her heart attack was caused by an embolism.
emboss
emboss
  1. v. [T] to decorate with a raised pattern: Her writing paper is embossed with her name in gold.
embrace
embrace
  1. v. [T] -braced, -bracing, -braces
    1 to hold in one's arms as a sign of love or affection: He embraced his wife when she came home from work.
    2 to accept an idea: He embraced religion late in life. —n. a hug: She gave her son a warm embrace.
embroider
embroider
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to decorate with fine needlework: She embroiders handkerchiefs.
    2 fig. to exaggerate with fanciful ideas: She often embroiders the truth. -n. [U] embroidery.
embroil
embroil
  1. v. [T] to involve in a complicated situation,
    THESAURUS
    to entangle: He became embroiled in a scandal that lasted for months.
embryo
embryo
  1. n. -os a fertilized egg, the early stage of growth before birth: The chicken embryo is growing inside the eggshell. -n. [U] embryology.
embryonic
embryonic
  1. adj.frml.
    1 related to the embryo
    2 fig. early, beginning: Our new business is in its embryonic stages of development.
emcee
emcee
  1. n.v. [I;T] -ceed, -ceeing, -cees short for master of ceremonies, the host of an event, esp. on a radio or television program: He emceed the television game show for years; he was its emcee.
emend
emend
  1. v. [T] to make improvements, esp. corrections, to a written document,
    THESAURUS
    to revise: We emended the contract before signing it. -n. [U] emendation.
emerald
emerald
  1. n.adj. a precious, green gemstone: She wore a ring of diamonds and emeralds.
emerge
emerge
  1. v. [T] emerged, emerging, emerges
    1 to appear: The hunter emerged from the forest and walked toward us.
    2 to become known or important: She emerged as the winner among those who tried out for the part in the play. -n. [U] emergence.
    THESAURUS
    emerge
    1 to come into view, come forth
    2 to develop into s.t., become apparent. Ant. to disappear.
emergency
emergency
  1. n. -cies a crisis, disaster: Call the police; this is an emergency! —adj. related to an emergency: emergency exit
    THESAURUS
    emergency a crisis, dangerous situation | exigency frml. Ant. a routine situation.
emergent
emergent
  1. adj. new to come out or become noticeable: The personal digital assistant (PDA) is one of many products from emergent technologies.
emeritus
emeritus
  1. or emerita -adj. retired with honors: He is a professor emeritus from Princeton University; his wife is a professor emerita from Yale.
emeritus
emeritus
  1. or emerita adj. retired with honors: He is a professor emeritus from Princeton University; his wife is a professor emerita from Yale.
emery board
emery board
  1. n. a cardboard nail file coated with fine hard emery powder: A manicurist uses an emery board to file down long fingernails.
emetic
emetic
  1. n.adj. a substance that causes vomiting: The child ate poison, so the doctor gave her an emetic to bring it up.
emigrant
emigrant
  1. n. a person who leaves their country to live in another: My assistant is an emigrant from Romania. -n. émigré . See: immigrant.

    USAGE NOTE: Compare emigrant and immigrant. A person who goes to live permanently in another country becomes both an emigrant and an immigrant. This person is an emigrant from the homeland left behind and an immigrant to the new country.
emigrate
emigrate
  1. v. [I] -grated, -grating, -grates to leave one's country to live in another -n.[C;U] emigration.
eminent
eminent
  1. adj. widely recognized as important,
    THESAURUS
    distinguished: She is eminent in the field of linguistics. -n. [U] eminence; -adv. eminently.
eminent domain
eminent domain
  1. n. [U] the right of the government to take and pay for private property for better use by the public: The town took most of our land by eminent domain to build a high school.
emir or emeer
emir or emeer
  1. n. a prince or governor usu. in Islamic countries: the Emir of Kuwait -n. emirate.
emissary
emissary
  1. n. -ies a representative on a special mission, esp. from one government to another government: The President sent his personal emissary to the Middle East to talk to the leaders there.
emission
emission
  1. n. [C;U] s.t. that is sent out,
    THESAURUS
    a discharge: Automobiles and trucks produce emissions that pollute the air.
emit
emit
  1. v. [T] emitted, emitting, emits
    1 to send out, transmit (radio waves, radiation, sound, etc.): The siren emitted a warning sound.
    2 frml. to let out (a cry, yell, sound, etc.): The victim emitted a scream.
emollient
emollient
  1. n. a substance used to soften or heal the skin: dishwashing liquid with emollients
emote
emote
  1. v.frml. [I] -ted, -ting, -tes to express emotion in a theatrical or exaggerated way: The grandmother emoted when she talked about the wonderful time of her youth. -adj. emotive.
emotion
emotion
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a feeling, such as love, hate, happiness, or sorrow: He felt mixed emotions when he thought of her.
    2 to deal with one's emotions: to control oneself: He struggled to deal with his emotions when his wife died.
    THESAURUS
    emotion
    1 a feeling, sentiment | reaction. Ants. apathy, coldness.
emotional
emotional
  1. adj.
    1 related to feelings: Her emotional health is good; she's happy.
    2 full of strong feelings, excited with emotion: When he disagrees with you, he becomes quite emotional. -n. [U] emotionalism; -adv. emotionally.
    THESAURUS
    emotional
    1 mental, psychological
    2 excitable, volatile | warm | hotheaded. Ants. cold, apathetic.
empathize
empathize
  1. v. [I] -thized, -thizing, -thizes to understand another's feelings (attitudes, reasons, etc.): He's fearful about his illness, and I empathize with him; it's scary when you're that ill. -adj. empathetic.
empathy
empathy
  1. n.sing. [U] the ability to share or understand another person's feelings (attitudes, reasons, etc.): I have empathy for you in your fear about speaking in front of a group.
emperor
emperor
  1. n. the male ruler of an empire: The ancient Roman Empire was ruled by emperors.
emphasis
emphasis
  1. n. -ses special importance placed on s.t.: She put great emphasis on beginning work immediately.
emphasize
emphasize
  1. v. [T] -sized, -sizing, -sizes to place importance on,
    THESAURUS
    to stress: The manager emphasized the need to reduce expenses.
emphatic
emphatic
  1. adj. stressed to the point of leaving no doubt, clear: Her explanation was detailed; she was emphatic about the need to cut expenses. -adv. emphatically.
emphysema
emphysema
  1. n. [U] a lung disease causing extreme difficulty in breathing: He got emphysema from smoking cigarettes.
empire
empire
  1. n.
    1 a group of nations ruled by a central government and usu. an emperor: the ancient Roman Empire
    2 fig. a very large business operation: The new organization has created a publishing empire.
empirical
empirical
  1. adj. based on knowledge or experience of the real world, observable: The paintings on cave walls are empirical proof that people were on Earth many thousands of years ago. -n. [U] empiricism; -adv. empirically.
employ
employ
  1. v. [T]
    1 to provide paid work to people: That company employs 1,000 workers.
    2 to use: The company employs computers to keep track of expenses.
    THESAURUS
    employ
    1 to hire, put s.o. on the payroll | engage the services of s.o. frml. Ants. to fire,
    THESAURUS
    dismiss, let go | lay off.
    2 to make use of, utilize.
employable
employable
  1. adj.
    1 ready and able to be employed: She has computer skills and a positive outlook; she's employable.
    2 frml. usable, workable: That computer is employable for accounting purposes. -n. employability.
employee
employee
  1. n. s.o. who works for a person, business, or government: She is an employee of this company.
    THESAURUS
    employee a worker, wage earner | staff member. Ants. employer, boss.
employer
employer
  1. n. a person, business, or government that employs people: My employer is United Chemical.
    THESAURUS
    employer a company, business, government | the boss, owner, department head. Ant. an employee.
employment
employment
  1. n. [U]
    1 a job paying a salary or wages: He is out of work and looking for employment.
    2 frml. use: The employment of force will lead to greater violence.
    THESAURUS
    employment a job, work | occupation, business, profession | trade, field. Ant. unemployment.
emporium
emporium
  1. n. -riums or -ria
    1 a center of trade: Chicago was a livestock emporium.
    2 old usage a large store with different types of goods, a department store
    3 a shopping mall: We bought some shoes and some CDs, and then had lunch at the emporium.
empower
empower
  1. v. [T] to give power to,
    THESAURUS
    to authorize: The judge empowered the police to search the house for stolen goods. -n. empowerment.
empress
empress
  1. n. -presses
    1 the wife of an emperor: Napoleon's Empress Josephine
    2 the female ruler of an empire
empty-handed
empty-handed
  1. adj. with nothing, without result: He tried to make a sale but came up empty-handed.
empty-headed
empty-headed
  1. adj. lacking in good sense or knowledge,
    THESAURUS
    vacuous: Some people never have anything to say; they seem empty-headed.
empty
empty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest
    1 without contents, having nothing or no one inside: There is nothing in the box; it is empty.||There is no one in the room; it is empty.
    2 fig. having no meaning, purpose, or emotion: He felt empty after his family left him. —v. -tied, -tying, -ties
    1 [T] to remove the contents of: I emptied the drawer by taking my clothes out of it.
    2 [I;T] to become empty or cause to become empty: People emptied the movie theater after the film ended. -n. emptiness.
    THESAURUS
    empty adj.
    1 bare, void | vacant, unoccupied, uninhabited. Ants. full |
    THESAURUS
    occupied.
    2 meaningless, without substance. Ant. meaningful.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to pour out, drain out
    2 to leave, evacuate. Ant. to fill.
empty nest syndrome
empty nest syndrome
  1. n. feelings of loneliness and uselessness experienced by parents after their children grow up and move away from home: Their youngest son has gone away to college, and they're suffering from empty nest syndrome.
emulate
emulate
  1. v.frml. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to try to speak, act, or write like,
    THESAURUS
    to imitate: The boy tried to emulate the famous baseball player. -n. [U] emulation; emulator.
emulsion
emulsion
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a combination of liquids that do not mix well together: an emulsion of oil and water
    2 a coating on photographic film that forms a picture when exposed to light -v. emulsify.
en masse
en masse
  1. adv. as a group, in a mass of people or things: The crowd moved en masse from Amy's house to the city square.
en route
en route
  1. adj.adv. on the way, traveling: He is en route to a meeting in London.
enable
enable
  1. v. [T] -bled, -bling, -bles to make possible for,
    THESAURUS
    to empower: Their earnings enabled them to retire early. -adj. enabling.
enact
enact
  1. v. [T] to make or pass (a law), to legislate: The Congress enacted a new law. -n. enactment.
enamel
enamel
  1. n. [U]
    1 a hard, shiny substance used for decoration and as a coating: The sink is covered in white enamel.
    2 the outer covering of teeth: The enamel protects the inside part of the tooth. —v. [T] to coat with enamel
enamored
enamored
  1. adj. filled with love for: He is enamored of the beautiful girl next door.
encamp
encamp
  1. v. [I;T] to set up camp: The soldiers encamped near the river. -n. encampment.
encapsulate
encapsulate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 to enclose in capsule form: The manufacturer encapsulates the medicine in jelly capsules.
    2 to summarize, make brief: The speaker encapsulated his main thoughts first, then gave details. -n. [U] encapsulation.
encase
encase
  1. v. [T] -cased, -casing, -cases to cover with protective material: The worker encased the pipe in a layer of cement. -n. [U] encasement.
enchant
enchant
  1. v. [T]
    1 to charm, delight: That lovely beach enchants everyone who sees it.
    2 to use magic to control: The witch enchanted the forest animals to do as she told them. -n. enchanter; [U] enchantment; -adj. enchanting; -adv. enchantingly.
encircle
encircle
  1. v. [T] -cled, -cling, -cles to make a circle around, surround: The soldiers encircled the enemy camp. -n. [U] encirclement.
enclave
enclave
  1. n. a small area controlled by people who differ in culture, social status, ethnic background, etc., from those in the surrounding area: Chinatown is an enclave in New York City.||an enclave of the rich. See: ghetto.
enclose
enclose
  1. v. [T] -closed, -closing, -closes
    1 to place within, put inside: I enclosed a check in the envelope with my rent bill.
    2 to shut in, close in: The animals were enclosed by a fence.
    THESAURUS
    enclose
    1 to include s.t., insert s.t.
    2 to encircle, fence in, rope in.
enclosure
enclosure
  1. n.
    1 an area with a fence or other barrier around it: During the day, the cattle are kept in an enclosure next to the barn.
    2 s.t. put in an envelope with a letter: The report is an enclosure with a letter explaining it.
encode
encode
  1. v. [T] -coded, -coding, -codes
    1 to change written material into secret symbols: During World War II, he encoded secret messages sent to the allies.
    2 to put s.t. into a computer language: She encoded the material so the computer could read it. -n. encoder.
encompass
encompass
  1. v. [T]
    1 to include: My history course encompasses the 19th and 20th centuries.
    2 frml. to encircle, surround: The wall encompasses the entire college campus.
encounter
encounter
  1. v. [T]
    1 to meet by chance, run into: We encountered some strangers on the road.
    2 to come face-to-face with,
    THESAURUS
    to confront: Our army encountered the enemy at the river and fought them. —n. a meeting, usu. unplanned: She had an encounter with a drunk on the subway.
encourage
encourage
  1. v. [T] -aged, -aging, -ages to give strength or hope to s.o., urge: She encouraged her son to go to college. -n. [U] encouragement; -adj. encouraging.
    THESAURUS
    encourage to inspire, give confidence to s.o. | hearten. Ant. to discourage.
encroach
encroach
  1. v. [T] to go beyond proper limits, (syns.) to intrude, trespass: Soldiers from the neighboring nation crossed our border and encroached upon our territory. -n. [C;U] encroachment.
encrust
encrust
  1. v. [I;T] to cover with a hard layer (a crust): His boots were encrusted with dried mud. -n. [C;U] encrustation.
encumber
encumber
  1. v. [T] to burden so as to make action difficult, handicap,
    THESAURUS
    to hinder: Too much debt encumbers her business. -n. encumbrance.
encyclopedia
encyclopedia
  1. n. a group of informative articles on general and specific topics that comes in book form or on CD-ROM (usu. arranged in alphabetical order): I like the Microsoft Encarta™ multimedia encyclopedia, because it has great pictures and video clips for many subjects. -adj. encyclopedic; -n. encyclopedist.
end
end
  1. n.
    1 the last part of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    the extremity: the end of a stick (wire, street, etc.)
    2 the last part in time, the finish, (syns.) the termination, conclusion: the end of a story (a class, a year, etc.)
    3 a serious conclusion, such as destruction or death: the end of all hope (one's marriage, a life, etc.)
    4 frml. a goal, purpose: The company wanted to improve its image, so to that end, it hired a popular athlete to appear in its advertisements.
    5 at s.o.'s end: in s.o.'s area of responsibility: Have there been any problems at your end of the project?
    6 at the end of one's rope: totally blocked and frustrated: He has tried everything to stop smoking, but he cannot do it, and now he is at the end of his rope.
    7 (at) the end of the line: (at) the final point of an activity or relationship where there can be no more progress: We argue all the time, so this is the end of the line. Good-bye!
    8 end to end: with the ends of objects touching each other: We put two tables end to end to make one long table.
    9 infrml. no end of: a lot of: The boy caused no end of trouble for his parents.
    10 on end: a. placed on an extremity, upright: A worker stood the table on end so that he could paint its underside. b. (of time) for a long time without stopping: She waited for days on end before his letter finally arrived.
    11 to bring to an end: to conclude, terminate: The manager brought the meeting to an end.
    12 infrml. to go off the deep end: to do s.t. that is very foolish or risky: He bought a boat he cannot afford; he went off the deep end!
    13 to hold up or keep up one's end: to do what one agreed to do: You promised to pay half the cost, so give me a check and hold up your end of the bargain.
    14 to make ends meet: to get enough money to pay for necessities and survive financially: I make just enough money to make ends meet, to pay the rent and buy food.
    15 to put an end to: to stop (usu. s.t. that is annoying): I put an end to her complaints by simply telling her to stop! —v.
    1 [I;T] to make stop, bring to an end: We ended our conversation with a promise to see each other again.
    2 [I] to come to a stop, finish: The sandy beach ends two miles north of here.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [I] to end in s.t.: to result in: The meeting ended in a confrontation.
    4 to end it all or to put an end to it all: to kill oneself, commit suicide: He had cancer and decided to end it all by shooting himself.
    5 phrasal v. [I] to end up: to come finally to a particular place or position: She ended up owning the company where she had gotten her first job. See: dead end.
    THESAURUS
    end v.
    1 to finish, conclude, terminate
    2 to leave off, run out. Ant. to begin.
endanger
endanger
  1. v. [T] to place in danger,
    THESAURUS
    to jeopardize: They went boating on the ocean in stormy weather and endangered their lives. -n. endangerment.
endangered species
endangered species
  1. n. used with a sing. or pl.v. a plant or animal whose population is so low that it is in danger of extinction: We give money to the wildlife fund to protect endangered species.
endear
endear
  1. v. [T] to create a liking or affection for (esp. oneself): She is so warm and generous that she endears herself to everyone. -adj. endearing; -n.[C;U] endearment.
endeavor
endeavor
  1. v.frml. [I;T] to try, attempt: He endeavors to do his best work all the time. —n.
    1 frml.an effort, attempt: Despite his best endeavors, the company failed.
    2 a project, affair,
    THESAURUS
    a venture: She has many business endeavors; she is a partner in three businesses.
endemic
endemic
  1. adj.frml. often found within a particular area or group of people: Ill health is endemic to the poor.
ending
ending
  1. n. [C;U] the end, the finish: The ending of the novel (relationship, story, etc.) was quite sad.
endive
endive
  1. n. a plant with crisp, whitish leaves used in salads
endless
endless
  1. adj.
    1 without limits,
    THESAURUS
    infinite: Seen through a telescope at night, the universe appears endless.
    2 without stopping, continuous: The traffic on the highway makes an endless noise. -adv. endlessly.
endorse
endorse
  1. v. [T] -dorsed, -dorsing, -dorses
    1 to sign one's name on the back of a check or note: He endorsed his paycheck and deposited it in his bank.
    2 to approve an idea, act, or product: Famous athletes endorse sports equipment and other products. -n. [C;U] endorsement.
endow
endow
  1. v. [T]
    1 to give money or property for the support of (a school, organization, etc.): Graduates endow their colleges with funds to support their operation.
    2 to give a good quality or ability: Her parents endowed their daughter with high intelligence. -n. [C;U] endowment.
endurance
endurance
  1. n. [U] the ability to function (work, run, swim, etc.) properly over a long period of time,
    THESAURUS
    stamina: Olympic athletes have great endurance.
endure
endure
  1. v. -dured, -during, -dures
    1 [I] to last, survive: Great art endures for centuries.
    2 [T] to bear, tolerate: Athletes endure pain to win races. -adj. endurable; enduring.
endways
endways
  1. or endwise -adv.
    1 standing up, upright: We turned the sofa endways so it would fit through the door.
    2 with the end first
enema
enema
  1. n. liquid put into the rectum to clear out feces: The nurse gave the patient an enema before the operation.
enemy
enemy
  1. n. -mies a person, military, or nation that intends harm to another: During the Civil War in the USA, the Northern and Southern states were enemies.
    THESAURUS
    enemy an opponent, foe, antagonist | hostile nation | the bad guy slang. Ants. friend, ally.
energetic
energetic
  1. adj. having energy, active, vigorous: She is a very energetic woman with many interests. -adv. energetically.
energize
energize
  1. v. [T] -gized, -gizing, -gizes
    1 to fill with energy,
    THESAURUS
    to motivate: The sales manager energized her sales force with enthusiasm.
    2 to provide power to: The battery energized the motor and made it run. -n. energizer. See: enervate.
energy
energy
  1. n. [U]
    1 the power to do work: Energy to run machines sometimes comes from electricity.
    2 the capacity or power to be active (work, play): He is full of energy and is active all the time.
    THESAURUS
    energy
    1 electric power, hydroelectric/solar/ nuclear/atomic/coal power
    2 vitality, vim
    THESAURUS
    and vigor, get-up and go. Ant. inertia.
enervate
enervate
  1. v.frml. [T] -vated, -vating, -vates to drain of energy, weaken: The hot weather enervates me; I don't move around very much and am tired all the time. See: energize.
enfeeble
enfeeble
  1. v. [T] -bled, -bling, -bles to weaken, make feeble: His long illness enfeebled him.
enfold
enfold
  1. v.frml. [T] to wrap, encircle: The mother tenderly enfolded the child in her arms.
enforce
enforce
  1. v. [T] -forced, -forcing, -forces to make people obey (laws, rules, etc.): The police enforce the law by arresting lawbreakers. -adj. enforceable; -n. [U] enforcement; enforcer.
enfranchise
enfranchise
  1. v. [T] -chised, -chising, -chises to provide with a right, esp. to vote: The voting rights bill enfranchises thousands who could not vote before. -n. [U] enfranchisement.
engage
engage
  1. v.frml. -gaged, -gaging, -gages
    1 [I;T] to make things fit and move together, interlock: The driver engaged the car's gears.
    2 [I;T] to employ, hire: The company engaged 50 new workers.
    3 [I] to be involved, participate: She didn't want to engage in conversation.
    4 [T] to get and hold the attention of: The professor engaged his students in discussion.
    THESAURUS
    engage
    1 to put s.t. in motion | make s.t. work
    2 to take on
    3 to busy oneself with,
    THESAURUS
    enter into, embark on s.t.
    4 to engross s.o. | absorb. Ant. to let go.
engaged
engaged
  1. adj.
    1 having a formal agreement to get married: The engaged couple plan to get married in the spring.
    2 busy, occupied: My boss is engaged right now, but she should be free in an hour.
    THESAURUS
    engaged
    1 engaged to be married | betrothed frml. Ants. available, free.
    2 absorbed in s.t. (one's work). Ant. free.
engagement
engagement
  1. n.
    1 an agreement to marry: We announced our engagement last week.
    2 a meeting, appointment: I have an engagement this evening.
    3 a battle: The two armies fought an engagement.
engagement ring
engagement ring
  1. n. a gold or platinum ring with a diamond given to a woman by a man to show their agreement to marry
engaging
engaging
  1. adj. charming, captivating: She has an engaging personality. -adv. engagingly.
engender
engender
  1. v.frml. [T] to produce, bring into being: Poverty often engenders disease.
engine
engine
  1. n.
    1 a machine that produces force and motion: The engine in my car drives the wheels to make it move.
    2 a machine that pulls a train, a locomotive
engineer
engineer
  1. n.
    1 a person highly trained in science and mathematics who plans the making of machines (mechanical engineer, electrical engineer), roads and bridges (civil engineer), etc.: He is an electrical engineer who works for a computer company.
    2 the person who drives a train: The engineer slowed the train as it neared the station. —v. [T]
    1 to plan the making of s.t. by using the skills of engineering: He engineered a tiny computer.
    2 to put together in a skillful or forceful way, manage: My boss engineered the purchase of another company.
engineering
engineering
  1. n. [U]
    1 the profession of an engineer: She studies automotive engineering.
    2 the scientific planning of a machine, road, bridge, etc.
engorge
engorge
  1. v. [T] -gorged, -gorging, -gorges to fill to the limit, swell: His wound was engorged with blood.
engrave
engrave
  1. v. [T] -graved, -graving, -graves to cut or carve words, pictures, or designs in metal, stone, etc.: She engraved a winter scene on a copper plate for printing. -n. engraver; [C;U] engraving.
engross
engross
  1. v. [T] to keep one's attention completely,
    THESAURUS
    to captivate: He engrossed himself in his writing for many months. -adj. engrossed; engrossing.
engulf
engulf
  1. v. [T] to enclose and swallow up, overwhelm: The flood waters engulfed the town.
enhance
enhance
  1. v. [T] -hanced, -hancing, -hances to improve, add to: She enhanced the value of her house by painting it.
enigma
enigma
  1. n. a mystery, puzzle: No one knows what happened to the airplane; its disappearance is an enigma. -adj. enigmatic; -adv. enigmatically.
enjoin
enjoin
  1. v.frml. [T] to stop, prevent: The court enjoined the prosecution from convicting an innocent man.
enjoy
enjoy
  1. v.
    1 [T] to get pleasure from, like: He enjoys music.
    2 frml. [T] to have, esp. s.t. that is good: She enjoys good health; she is very healthy.
    3 [I] to enjoy oneself: to have fun: We enjoyed ourselves at their wedding. -n. enjoyment.
    THESAURUS
    enjoy
    1 to be pleased with, delight in s.t., find happiness with
    2 to have the benefit of s.t., be blessed with. Ants. to dislike, hate.
enjoyable
enjoyable
  1. adj. pleasurable, pleasant: We had an enjoyable day at the zoo.
    THESAURUS
    enjoyable delightful | satisfying. Ant. unpleasant.
enlarge
enlarge
  1. v. [I;T] -larged, -larging, -larges
    1 to make larger, expand the size of: We enlarged our house by adding two new rooms.
    2 (in photography) to make a picture bigger -n. [C;U] enlargement; enlarger.
enlighten
enlighten
  1. v. [T] to make (s.o.) understand for the first time: The instructor enlightened his students on how to use adjectives in English. -adj. enlightened; enlightening.
enlightenment
enlightenment
  1. n. [U]
    1 an explanation: The professor provided enlightenment on the subject.
    2 the Enlightenment a movement in 18th-century Europe that emphasized scientific and rational thought, also known as the Age of Reason
enlist
enlist
  1. v.
    1 [I] to join the military voluntarily: I enlisted in the army when I was 18.
    2 [T] to ask for and receive (support, assistance, etc.): He enlisted the help of his friends in moving his furniture. -n. [C;U] enlistment.
enliven
enliven
  1. v. [T] to make lively, brighten up: Her funny stories enlivened the party.
enmesh
enmesh
  1. v. [T] to catch as in a net: The politician became enmeshed in a scandal.
enmity
enmity
  1. n.frml. [U] hatred,
    THESAURUS
    animosity: There is enmity between those two men; they once had a fight.
enormity
enormity
  1. n. [U] great evil,
    THESAURUS
    wickedness: People were appalled by the enormity of the crime; many people were hurt and killed.
enormous
enormous
  1. adj. extremely big, huge: The Sears Tower in Chicago is enormous; it's more than 100 stories tall! -n. enormousness; -adv. enormously.
    THESAURUS
    enormous immense, tremendous | gigantic, colossal. Ants. small, tiny.
enough
enough
  1. adj. as much or as many as needed, sufficient: We have enough money to pay the bills.||Do we have enough books to go around (or) enough books for everyone? —adv. to the amount or degree necessary, (syns.) adequately, sufficiently: She plays the piano well enough. —n. [U] an adequate amount, a sufficiency: The basketball game was boring; we saw enough and went home. —exclam. Stop!: Enough! I don't want to hear anymore!
    THESAURUS
    enough adj. plenty, adequate. Ants. inadequate, insufficient.
    THESAURUS
    —n. a sufficient amount, ample supply, full measure. Ant. a lack of s.t.
enquire
enquire
  1. v. [I] -quired, -quiring, -quires var. of inquire
enquiry
enquiry
  1. n. -ries var. of inquiry
enrage
enrage
  1. v. [T] -raged, -raging, -rages to make very angry, (syns.) to infuriate, incense: The lies said about him enraged him. See: angry, USAGE NOTE.
enrapture
enrapture
  1. v. [T] -tured, -turing, -tures to fill with delight,
    THESAURUS
    to enthrall: The beautiful music enraptured her; what lovely sounds! See: rapture, ecstasy.
enrich
enrich
  1. v. [T]
    1 to make rich or richer: The growth of industry enriched the small town.
    2 to add good things to: The farmer enriched the soil with fertilizer. -adj. enriching; -n. [U] enrichment.
enroll
enroll
  1. v. [I;T] to join officially: I enrolled in college this autumn; I will graduate in four years. -n. enrollee .
    THESAURUS
    enroll to register for s.t., sign up | enlist (in the military). Ant. to drop out of.
enrollment
enrollment
  1. n.
    1 [U] an act of joining, as in a school or class: My enrollment in the fall classes took two hours.
    2 [C] the number of students enrolled in a class or school: My English course has an enrollment of 200 students.
ensconce
ensconce
  1. v. [T] -sconced, -sconcing, -sconces to place (esp. oneself) in a comfortable, secure position: She has ensconced herself in front of the TV for the evening.
ensemble
ensemble
  1. n.
    1 a musical group: a singing ensemble
    2 frml. a set of matching clothes: The model is wearing an attractive ensemble; a suit with matching shoes and belt.
enshrine
enshrine
  1. v. [T] -shrined, -shrining, -shrines to keep so as to honor the memory of (a person, event, or god): The remains of Napoleon Bonaparte are enshrined in Paris.
enshroud
enshroud
  1. v. [T] to cover with s.t. dark or sad: Gray clouds enshrouded the city. See: shroud, envelop.
ensign
ensign
  1. n.
    1 the lowest-ranking naval officer: She is an ensign, soon to be made a lieutenant.
    2 a national flag, emblem, or insignia
ensnare
ensnare
  1. v. [T] -snared, -snaring, -snares
    1 to catch as in a net, trap, or snare: The hunter ensnared a rabbit.
    2 to trap in difficult circumstances,
    THESAURUS
    to entrap: The criminal ensnared his victims in a scheme to steal their money.
ensue
ensue
  1. v. [I] -sued, -suing, -sues to result after an event, happen in sequence: As a result of heavy rain, bad flooding ensued.
ensure
ensure
  1. v. [T] -sured, -suring, -sures to make sure: He ensured that all the doors were locked before he left his apartment.||Your passport ensures your entry into your home country. See: insure.
    THESAURUS
    ensure to make certain, assure oneself | guarantee s.t. is so. Ant. to leave s.t. in doubt.
entail
entail
  1. v. [T] to make necessary, require: The loss of your wallet entails getting all new documents.
entangle
entangle
  1. v. [T] -gled, -gling, -gles
    1 to cause to mix in with and be caught by s.t. else: The comb became entangled in her hair.
    2 fig. to involve others in a difficult situation or problem,
    THESAURUS
    to enmesh: She entangled her friends in foolish schemes to get rich. -n. [C;U] entanglement.
enter
enter
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to go into: I entered the classroom.
    2 [I] to begin, engage in: She will enter college in the autumn.
    3 [T] to write down, record: The command on the computer screen told me to enter my name, so I typed it in.
    4 [T] phrasal v. insep. to enter into s.t.: to contract for, cooperate with: Our company entered into an agreement with a foreign government.
    THESAURUS
    enter
    1 to walk into, come in
    2 to start. Ant. to leave.
    3 to insert.
enterprise
enterprise
  1. n.
    1 [U] an act that requires courage, hard work, and intelligence, esp. in business: Her business has prospered because of her enterprise.
    2 [C] a business, company, esp. a new one: His enterprise is located in the financial district. -adj. enterprising.
entertain
entertain
  1. v.
    1 [T] to amuse, provide entertainment to: She is a singer who entertains at a local nightclub.
    2 [I;T] to give parties (dinners, cookouts, etc.): That couple often entertains on weekends.
    3 [T] to have in mind, consider: He refused to entertain my suggestion. -n. entertainment.
    THESAURUS
    entertain
    1 to give enjoyment to s.o., please, delight. Ant. to bore s.o.
    2 to have guests,
    THESAURUS
    play host, offer hospitality
    3 to think about, contemplate. Ant. to ignore.
entertainer
entertainer
  1. n. a person who entertains professionally: The singer, Frank Sinatra, was a well-known entertainer.
entertaining
entertaining
  1. adj. amusing, delightful: I enjoyed the movie that we saw last night; it was very entertaining. -adv. entertainingly.
enthrall
enthrall
  1. v. [T] to hold s.o.'s attention completely, (syns.) to captivate, spellbind: The dancer enthralls her audiences with the beauty of her movements.
enthuse
enthuse
  1. v.infrml. [I;T] -thused, -thusing, -thuses to fill with enthusiasm, excite: The thought of going to Europe enthused her greatly.
enthusiasm
enthusiasm
  1. n. [U]
    1 eagerness, zeal: He loves his job; he works with enthusiasm every day.
    2 strong interest, general good feeling: You can see the enthusiasm of the employees of that company.
    THESAURUS
    enthusiasm
    1 and
    2 excitement, passion, love for s.t. Ant. apathy.
enthusiast
enthusiast
  1. n. a person full of eagerness for s.t. or s.o.: He is a skiing enthusiast; in the winter, he skis every weekend.
enthusiastic
enthusiastic
  1. adj. eager, excited: She is enthusiastic about beginning her new job. -adv. enthusiastically.
entice
entice
  1. v. [T] -ticed, -ticing, -tices to attract or persuade: He enticed her into marrying him with promises of a house, car, and money. -n. [C;U] enticement; -adj. enticing.
entire
entire
  1. adj. complete, whole: Of course he is our landlord; he owns the entire building. -adv. entirely.
entirety
entirety
  1. n. [U] all of s.t., the whole: He painted the building in its entirety.
entitle
entitle
  1. v. [T] -tled, -tling, -tles
    1 to allow, authorize: That pass entitles you to enter the concert for free.
    2 to call, name: That book is entitled Gone with the Wind.
entitlement
entitlement
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 legal authorization: She has an entitlement to one half of her husband's property.
    2 a right, esp. for governmental aid: The man has entitlements to Social Security and medical care.
entity
entity
  1. n. -ties a group viewed as a whole: All the buildings in this area are for sale as a single entity.
entomb
entomb
  1. v.frml. [T] to bury in a tomb: The dead queen is entombed near the palace. -n. [C;U] entombment.
entomology
entomology
  1. n. the study of insects: He's a professor of entomology; spiders are his specialty. -n. entomologist.
entourage
entourage
  1. n. a group of people who follow s.o. important,
    THESAURUS
    a retinue: The movie star has an entourage of employees and admirers.
entrails
entrails
  1. n.pl. the insides (intestines, liver, heart, kidney), esp. of an animal: Smaller animals feed on the entrails of zebras killed by lions.
entrance
entrance
  1. n.
    1 a door, gate, or other opening allowing one to enter: We walked through the entrance to the museum.
    2 the area around an entrance: We had waited for a friend at the entrance.
    3 an act of entering: He has formally announced his entrance into the race for President.
    4 to make an entrance: to appear, often in a dramatic fashion: The princess waited for all the other guests to arrive, then made an entrance in a beautiful gown. —v. [T] -tranced, -trancing, -trances to hold s.o.'s attention and give delight,
    THESAURUS
    to enchant: Her beauty and intelligence entranced him. -adj. entrancing.
    THESAURUS
    entrance n.
    1 an entry, entrance way, entryway
    2 the foyer, lobby, reception area. Ant. exit.
entrant
entrant
  1. n. a person who enters a competition: She was one of 50 entrants in the race.
entrap
entrap
  1. v. [T] -trapped, -trapping, -traps
    1 to attract into difficulty or trick into harm: A criminal entrapped an elderly man in a bad investment and stole his money.
    2 to catch as in a trap: Workers were entrapped when the roof fell in on them. -n. [C;U] entrapment.
entreat
entreat
  1. v.frml. [T] to ask very seriously, to plead: The sick man entreated the doctor to ease his pain. -n. [C;U] entreaty.
entrench
entrench
  1. v. [T] to put in a firm and protected position: The owner's son entrenched himself in a job given him by his father. -n. [U] entrenchment.
entrepreneur
entrepreneur
  1. n. a person who starts a business with an idea, makes it grow, and takes the risk of failure: She was an entrepreneur who built a company around a new type of beauty product.
entrepreneurial spirit
entrepreneurial spirit
  1. n. [U] a positive attitude toward risking time and money on new business ideas or on better ways of doing business
entrust
entrust
  1. v. [T] to give for safekeeping, place in trust: Airline passengers entrust their safety to the pilot.
entry
entry
  1. n. -tries
    1 an act of entering: Many people opposed the entry of the USA into the war.
    2 a record of a transaction or event, such as a birth: The clerk made an entry of the sale in the company books.
    3 a word and its definition in a dictionary: College dictionaries have about 200,000 entries.
    4 entry-level: (of a job) in the lowest category See: data entry.
    THESAURUS
    entry
    1 an entrance. Ant. exit.
    2 an insertion, notation. Ant. omission.

    USAGE NOTE: Jobs that require the least experience are called entry-level positions. Many people begin their careers at entry-level positions and work their way up the ladder, or advance into high-level positions. She began at the entry level as a clerk and worked her way up the ladder to become president of the company.
entryway
entryway
  1. n. a place or way to go in, an access: There is only one entryway to the building.
entrée
entrée
  1. n.
    1 in USA, the main part of the meal at dinner or lunch: We started with soup and had steak as the entrée.
    2 special permission to enter a place: My friend is the secretary to the president of that company, so I have an entrée there.
    THESAURUS
    entrée
    1 the main course, main dish
    2 (to have an) in.
entwine
entwine
  1. v. -twined, -twining, -twines to wrap around: A climbing plant has entwined itself around that tree.
enumerate
enumerate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to count off, list: She enumerated five things that she liked about the new apartment. -n. [C;U] enumeration.
enunciate
enunciate
  1. v. -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 [I;T] to speak clearly: He enunciated his words so the foreigner could understand him.
    2 [T] to express, state: The buyer enunciated her conditions for buying the house. -n. [U] enunciation.
enure
enure
  1. v. [T] -ured, -uring, -ures var. of inure
envelop
envelop
  1. v. [T] to surround, enclose, cover completely: Fog enveloped the airport. -n. [U] envelopment. See: enshroud.
envelope
envelope
  1. n.
    1 a paper cover for letters (documents, computer disks, products, etc.): We put our bills in envelopes to mail to our customers.
    2 to push the envelope: to extend the limits of human achievement in an area: Test pilots push the envelope by setting faster speed records.
enviable
enviable
  1. adj. very desirable, worthy of envy, admiration: She is in the enviable position of having two excellent job offers.
envious
envious
  1. adj. wanting to have what s.o. else has: He is envious of my new car and wants one like it. -adv. enviously. See: envy; jealousy.
environment
environment
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the air, land, water, and surroundings that people, plants, and animals live in: The environment in big cities is usually polluted.
    2 [C] a set of social conditions that affect people, an atmosphere: That child is growing up in a bad environment. -adj. environmental; -adv. environmentally.
    THESAURUS
    environment
    1 the surroundings, habitat, locale
    2 atmosphere, condition | milieu frml.
environmentalist
environmentalist
  1. n. a person devoted to or employed in environmental concerns: She is an environmentalist working for the Pure Water Coalition. -n. environmentalism.
environs
environs
  1. n.pl.frml. a local area, neighborhood: She is living somewhere in the environs of Miami.
envisage
envisage
  1. v. [T] -aged, -aging, -ages See: envision.
envision
envision
  1. v. [T] to have in mind, (syns.) to envisage, foresee: What kind of career do you envision for yourself?
envoy
envoy
  1. n. a messenger, esp. a diplomatic representative of a government: The President sent a special envoy to the trade talks.
envy
envy
  1. v. [T] -vied, -vying, -vies to want the same things s.o. else has: He has a wonderful job (wife, house, life, etc.); I envy him. —n.
    1 [U] a desire to have what belongs to another: She is full of envy of her friend's good looks. See: jealous.
    2 the envy of s.o.: s.o. or s.t. envied by others: The boy's new bicycle was (or) made him the envy of all his friends.
    THESAURUS
    envy n.
    1 jealousy | greed. Ant. admiration.
enzyme
enzyme
  1. n. a natural chemical in living cells that helps make them work: Enzymes in the mouth help digest food.
eon
eon
  1. n.
    1 an extremely long period of time, thousands or millions of years: The layers of rock on the ocean floor took eons to develop.
    2 in eons: in a long time: Where have you been? I haven't seen you in eons.
epaulet
epaulet
  1. n. a shoulder ornament, worn esp. on dress military uniforms
ephemeral
ephemeral
  1. adj.frml. of little importance and lasting only a short time: He had an ephemeral career as a professional ski racer: -n.pl. ephemera.
epic
epic
  1. n.adj. a poem, story, or adventure of heroic proportions: The journey of the Jews from Egypt was an epic (or) an epic event.
epicenter
epicenter
  1. n. the exact center of an important event, esp. a violent one: The epicenter of the earthquake that shook Los Angeles was 50 miles away.
epicure
epicure
  1. n. s.o. who greatly en-joys fine food and drink, esp. wines -adj. epicurean.
epidemic
epidemic
  1. n.adj. a disease that spreads quickly among many people: There are epidemics of influenza nearly every winter.
    THESAURUS
    epidemic n. an outbreak, widespread infection, contagion.
epidermis
epidermis
  1. n. -mises the outer layer of the skin
epigram
epigram
  1. n. a brief, wise saying, often in poetic form: "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" is an epigram. -adj. epigrammatic.
epilepsy
epilepsy
  1. n. [U] a disorder of the nervous system with uncontrolled movements and sometimes loss of consciousness: Julius Caesar suffered from epilepsy.
epileptic
epileptic
  1. n.adj. a person who has epilepsy: He is an epileptic; he suffers from epileptic seizures.
epilogue
epilogue
  1. n. an addition at the end of a literary work or play, usu. about what has happened or will happen afterward: The book is about a terrible disease, and the author added an epilogue about recent research into a cure.
episode
episode
  1. n. one in a series of events: I watched an episode of a soap opera on television. -adj. episodic.
epistle
epistle
  1. n.frml. a letter,
    THESAURUS
    a missive: The Christian Bible includes the epistles of the apostles.
epitaph
epitaph
  1. n. an inscription on a gravestone about the dead person: His epitaph reads "John Smith, Born 1930—Died 1993." See: in memoriam.
epithet
epithet
  1. n.frml. a word of phrase used to describe s.o., often negatively or offensively: The enemies hurled epithets at each other.
epitome
epitome
  1. n. the ultimate of s.t., usu. the best but can be used to mean the worst: She sings beautifully; she's the epitome of what a singer should be.||Her singing is terrible; she's the epitome of what a singer should not be. -v. [T] epitomize.
epoch
epoch
  1. n. a period in geologic time or in history with a special character: The end of the nuclear arms race began a new epoch of peace and cooperation. -adj. epochal.
epoxy
epoxy
  1. n. -ies a very strong glue: I glued the handle back on the teacup with epoxy.
equable
equable
  1. adj. calm, eventempered: His equable manner makes him a good boss. -n. equability; -adv. equably.
equal
equal
  1. n. the same, an equivalent (in amount, size, appearance, power, etc.): Those two managers are equals; both are vice presidents of the company. —adj.
    1 [T] being the same, equivalent, alike: The two tables are of equal length (importance, height, etc.).
    2 to be equal to: (of a person) to be strong or skilled enough for: It's a big responsibility to take on, so I hope she's equal to the task.
    THESAURUS
    equal adj.
    1 identical (to), on a par with s.o. or s.t. Ants. unequal, different. —v. [T]
    1 to be the same as, match,
    THESAURUS
    to correspond to: The two horses equal each other in speed.
    2 to result in (from adding, multiplying, etc.): Two plus two equals four. -adv. equally.
equal opportunity employer
equal opportunity employer
  1. n. a business that hires people based on their ability to do a job, not on their age, skin color, race, national origin, or any mental or physical disability: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 required all businesses to become equal opportunity employers.
equal sign
equal sign
  1. n. [U] the symbol (=) that means terms on either side of it are equivalent: 2 + 2 = 4.
equality
equality
  1. n. [U] a condition of being equal (in importance, rank, power, etc.): Some countries are working toward economic equality.
    THESAURUS
    equality fairness, impartiality, justice. Ant. inequality.
equalize
equalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make equal (in weight, appearance, size, power, etc.): One boxer equalized his weight with his opponent's weight by losing ten pounds. -n. equalizer.
equanimity
equanimity
  1. n.frml. [U] peace of mind, calmness: to have equanimity of mind
equate
equate
  1. v. [T] equated, equating, equates to compare two things in importance (meaning, value, etc.),
    THESAURUS
    to liken: He equates wealth with success in life.
equation
equation
  1. n. a mathematical statement that two amounts are equal: The following is a simple equation: 2 + 2 = 4.
equator
equator
  1. n. a theoretical line around the middle of the earth that is equal in distance from the North and South Poles: The nations located on or near the equator have very hot climates. -adj. equatorial.
equestrian
equestrian
  1. n.adj. a person who rides horses: She is an equestrian, and she competes in equestrian events.
equidistant
equidistant
  1. adj. located halfway between two points: New York City is about equidistant from Boston and Washington, DC. -adv. equidistantly.
equilateral
equilateral
  1. adj. having sides of the same length: The four sides of a square are equilateral.
equilibrium
equilibrium
  1. n. [U] one's sense of balance: She lost her equilibrium and fell down.
equine
equine
  1. adj. related to horses
equinox
equinox
  1. n. -es the two days each year (around March 21 and September 22) when day and night are of equal length
equip
equip
  1. v. [T] equipped, equipping, equips to provide with equipment, to outfit: Our office is equipped with two powerful computers.
    THESAURUS
    equip to supply (with), furnish with, provide with. Ant. to take s.t. away.
equipment
equipment
  1. n. [U] useful items needed for a purpose (work, sports, etc.): I have sports equipment that includes golf clubs, tennis rackets, and ice skates.
    THESAURUS
    equipment gear | machines, tools.
equitable
equitable
  1. adj. reasonable to everyone concerned, fair: We made an equitable arrangement; the two of us will split the profits in half. -adv. equitably.
equity
equity
  1. n. [U]
    1 fairness, justice
    2 (in business, esp. real estate) the difference between the value of s.t. and the money owed against it: My equity in my brokerage account is $15,000 because I have $20,000 in stock but owe $5,000 as a loan.
equivalent
equivalent
  1. adj. equal, the same: The two computers are equivalent in speed. —n. [U] s.t. that is the same: What is the equivalent of one US dollar in Japanese yen? -n. equivalence.
equivocal
equivocal
  1. adj.
    1 undecided, uncertain: He still remains equivocal about going ahead with the project.
    2 ambiguous, unclear: I asked him yesterday, and his answer was equivocal: "Maybe we will; maybe we won't." -v. [I] equivocate.
eradicate
eradicate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to destroy completely,
    THESAURUS
    to eliminate: Modern medicine has eradicated some diseases. -n. [U] eradication.
erase
erase
  1. v. [T] erased, erasing, erases
    1 to clean off: The teacher erased the blackboard.
    2 to remove completely, eradicate: I erased the music on the audiotape before recording on the tape again.
    THESAURUS
    erase
    1 to wipe away s.t., rub s.t. off
    2 to delete, remove | expunge frml. Ants. to write, print, mark s.t.
eraser
eraser
  1. n. a stub or small block of rubber or felt used to erase pencil, chalk, or other marks: I like to use pencils with erasers on top. -n. erasure.
erect
erect
  1. adj. standing up, straight: She is elderly, but she stands erect. —v. [T]
    1 to raise into position: Workmen erected a ladder against the building.
    2 to build, construct: A construction company erected a building across the street. -n. [C;U] erection; -adv. erectly.
ergonomics
ergonomics
  1. n. [U] the study of the best way to design machines for human comfort, convenience, and business efficiency: She is an expert in computer ergonomics.
erode
erode
  1. v. [I;T] eroded, eroding, erodes
    1 to wear away, wash away: Rain and wind eroded the topsoil from the farmland.
    2 to become worn away: The beach has eroded since the hurricane.
    3 to weaken, lessen: People demanded rights and eroded the king's power.
erogenous
erogenous
  1. adj. sexually excitable: The sex organs are among the erogenous zones of the body.
erosion
erosion
  1. n. [U]
    1 a wearing away,
    THESAURUS
    a deterioration: Erosion has washed away the earth from the hill.
    2 a weakening, lessening: The Presidency has suffered a steady erosion of power taken by the legislature.
erotic
erotic
  1. adj. about sexual desire: That store has a large section of erotic literature. -n.pl. erotica; -n. [U] eroticism ; -adv. erotically. See: sexual; sensual; sensuous.
err
err
  1. v.frml. [I] to make a mistake,
    THESAURUS
    to blunder: He erred when he added the numbers incorrectly.
errand
errand
  1. n. a short trip made for a specific purpose: I have to deposit money in the bank, pick up a package, and run (or) do some other errands.
    THESAURUS
    errand a chore, task.
errant
errant
  1. adj.frml.
    1 old usage looking for adventure
    2 in the wrong direction,
    THESAURUS
    off course: While golfing, he hit an errant shot into the woods.
errata
errata
  1. n.pl. errors, mistakes, usu. in printed material: We corrected the errata in the book before the new printing.
erratic
erratic
  1. adj. not working or performing consistently, irregular: Her heartbeat is erratic; it misses beats. -adv. erratically.
erroneous
erroneous
  1. adj. incorrect, wrong: He has the erroneous idea that I'm going to lend him money; I'm not. -adv. erroneously.
error
error
  1. n.
    1 [C] a mistake, an inaccuracy: He made an error in arithmetic.
    2 frml. [U] in error: mistaken: She was in error when she thought the meeting was today; it's tomorrow.
    3 frml. the error of one's ways: the wrong in one's behavior or lifestyle: The young man was always in trouble until he saw the error of his ways and made changes in his life.
    THESAURUS
    error
    1 a mistake, miscalculation, slip-up | fault, blunder, boo-boo infrml.
ersatz
ersatz
  1. adj.frml. substitute, artificial: That leather on the sofa is ersatz, not genuine. See: fake.
erstwhile
erstwhile
  1. adj.frml. former: He is her erstwhile boyfriend; she doesn't talk to him now.
erudite
erudite
  1. adj. learned, scholarly: an erudite professor -adv. eruditely; -n. [U] erudition.
erupt
erupt
  1. v. [I] to explode: A volcano erupts.||The audience erupted with laughter. -n. [C;U] eruption.
escalate
escalate
  1. v. [I;T] -lated, -lating, -lates (of prices, wages, or conflicts) to raise in level: The minor disagreement between the two countries escalated into war. -n. [U] escalation.
escalator
escalator
  1. n.
    1 a moving conveyor belt of steps: The escalators in the department store run to all six floors.
    2 an increase made on some agreed-upon basis: The wage contract has an escalator of a 5 percent wage increase on July 1.
escapade
escapade
  1. n. an adventure, esp. an illegal or dangerous one: Their last escapade got them a weekend in jail.
escape
escape
  1. v. [I;T] -caped, -caping, -capes
    1 to get away (from prison or another place of confinement): The lion escaped from its cage.
    2 to get free temporarily: We escaped to an island in the Pacific for our vacation.
    3 to manage to stay free of, to avoid: He escaped military service because of his bad eyesight.
    4 [T] to resist one's efforts to remember: Her name escapes me at the moment. —n.
    1 an act of escaping: The criminal made an escape from prison.
    2 a temporary break from cares or worries: They enjoyed an escape from the city at their country house. -n. escapee.
    THESAURUS
    escape v.
    1 to break out of s.t., run away, flee
    2 to vacation, get away from it all
    3 to
    THESAURUS
    keep away from, steer clear of s.t. Ant. to remain confined.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a breakout, flight from, getaway
    2 a vacation | respite frml. Ant. confinement.
escape clause
escape clause
  1. n. a part of a contract stating conditions that would free a person, company, etc., from it: The actor insisted on an escape clause releasing him if filming did not begin by June 1.
escapist
escapist
  1. n.adj. s.o. who escapes boring or unpleasant realities of life through fantasy or entertainment: She prefers escapist romances for reading at the beach. -n. [U] escapism.
escargot
escargot
  1. n. an edible snail
escarole
escarole
  1. n. [U] a leafy green vegetable with frilled edges: Escarole tastes good in salads.
eschew
eschew
  1. v.frml. [T] to avoid He eschews arguments; he is quite a shy person.
escort
escort
  1. v. [T] to guide, lead: I escorted my guest to my office. —n. s.o. who goes with another as a guide, guard, or companion: The Prime Minister's car has a police escort.
escrow
escrow
  1. n.
    1 money or property kept by s.o. until after two other persons, companies, etc., meet the conditions of an agreement between them: The lawyer held the escrow until the sale was complete.
    2 in escrow: in trust: The money was placed in escrow.
esophagus
esophagus
  1. n. -gi the tube running from the mouth to the stomach: Food passes down the esophagus to the stomach.
esoteric
esoteric
  1. adj. rare, specialized: That branch of mathematics is so esoteric that few study it. -adv. esoterically.
especially
especially
  1. adv.
    1 just (for a special purpose): I bought this present especially for you.
    2 to a very great degree, uncommonly: He is especially fond of Swiss cheese.
    THESAURUS
    especially
    1 solely, only, exclusively
    2 particularly, extraordinarily, above all. Ant. not especially.
espionage
espionage
  1. n. [U] an act of spying: The official was put in jail for espionage.
espouse
espouse
  1. v. [T] -poused, -pousing, -pouses
    1 to believe in and support: She espouses the view that the state should own all businesses.
    2 to speak in favor of, (syns.) to advocate, promote: He espouses socialism to all who will listen. -n. [U] espousal.
espresso
espresso
  1. n.adj. [U] a strong coffee: I like an espresso after dinner.
esprit de corps
esprit de corps
  1. n. [U] group enthusiasm,
    THESAURUS
    camaraderie: The ballet group has esprit de corps. See: élan.
essay
essay
  1. n. a short, written work on a topic presented as the author's opinion: I wrote an essay on Shakespeare for my English class. —v.frml. [T] to attempt, try -n. essayist. See: fiction, USAGE NOTE.
essence
essence
  1. n.
    1 [U] the central point (issue, idea, etc.) of a subject, its substance: The essence of the matter is that the two people really love each other.
    2 [C;U] a pure substance made by crushing or boiling s.t., (syns.) a concentrate, an extract: The liquid from crushed rose petals is the essence we use.
essential
essential
  1. adj.
    1 central, major: The essential point is we must do what the contract says.
    2 necessary, required: It is essential that you deliver the message this morning. —n.pl. the essentials: the things necessary to s.t.: The essentials of life are food, shelter, and clothing.
    THESAURUS
    essential adj.
    1 crucial, vital, important
    2 mandatory, obligatory. Ant. unnecessary. —n.pl. the basics.
establish
establish
  1. v. [T]
    1 to found, create: The English established a colony in Africa.
    2 to build in a secure, solid way: Over a period of years, she established a reputation as a fine lawyer.
    3 to prove, substantiate: The tourist established her identity by showing her passport.
    THESAURUS
    establish
    1 to set s.t. up, start | launch. Ant. to dissolve.
    2 to solidify, secure
    3 to verify, validate. Ant. to invalidate.
establishment
establishment
  1. n.
    1 [U] the creation or founding of s.t.: The establishment of a new business takes many years.
    2 [C] a place of business: He runs a clothing establishment in Boston.
    3 [U] the Establishment: the people with the power, influence, and money to control a society: Government officials and business leaders are part of the Establishment.
estate
estate
  1. n.
    1 a large house with much land
    2 the wealth (money, property) left by a dead person: His estate was worth a million dollars.
esteem
esteem
  1. n. [U] honor, respect, admiration: These students hold their English professor in high esteem. —v.frml. [T] to honor, admire
esthetic
esthetic
  1. adj. related to art and beauty: She has a strong esthetic sense of color and texture. —n.
    1 a principle of art and beauty: Harmony is an esthetic in music.
    2 pl. used with a sing. v. a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of art and beauty: He took a course in esthetics at the university. -adv. esthetically.
estimable
estimable
  1. adj. valuable, worthy of respect: She has an estimable reputation for choosing wise investments.
estimate
estimate
  1. v. [T] -mated, -mating, -mates
    1 to make a judgment about (the price of s.t.): The dealer estimated the value of my painting at $1,000.
    2 to figure the amount or extent of, calculate: I estimated that the trip will take about two hours. —n. a calculation or approximation of the value of s.t.: The mechanic gave me a rough estimate of two or three hundred dollars for the repairs to my car.
    THESAURUS
    estimate v.
    1 to evaluate, appraise, value s.t. at
    2 to figure, reckon. Ant. to know exactly. —n. an appraisal, evaluation | estimation.
estimation
estimation
  1. n. [U] evaluation of worth,
    THESAURUS
    appraisal: In my estimation, she is a good administrator.
estrange
estrange
  1. v. [T] -tranged, -tranging, -tranges to make unfriendly and distant,
    THESAURUS
    to alienate: He estranges people by his odd behavior. -n. [U] estrangement.
estranged
estranged
  1. adj. (of a married per-son or family member) separated: His estranged wife won't speak to him anymore.
estrogen
estrogen
  1. n. [U] a body chemical that regulates the production of eggs and determines other female characteristics
estuary
estuary
  1. n. -ies the place where a river meets the sea; the saltwater part of such a river: We sailed our boat down the estuary to the sea.
et al.
et al.
  1. n.pl.abbr. for et alia, (Latin for) and others: I sent a letter to everyone concerned, the chairperson, et al.
et cetera
et cetera
  1. adv. See: etc.

    USAGE NOTE: The term et cetera is used in this full-length form in speaking but not in writing. Its abbreviation, etc., is used in writing.
etc.
etc.
  1. adv.abbr. for et cetera, (Latin for) and other similar things, and so on: I told him all about the table that I need: the color, the width, the height, etc.
etch
etch
  1. v. [T] etched, etching, etches
    1 to cut lines in wood, metal, stone, or other hard substances, by using acid: The artist etched flowers in metal.
    2 fig. to leave a clear impression: Her beauty was etched deeply in his memory.
eternal
eternal
  1. adj. lasting forever, timeless: People of many religions believe that God is eternal. -adv. eternally.
eternity
eternity
  1. n.sing. [U]
    1 a time period without end: A billion years is an eternity.
    2 life after death, immortality: Many people wonder about eternity.
    3 fig. a boring time that seems endless: That play was so dull that it lasted an eternity.
ether
ether
  1. n. [U]
    1 an anesthetic (pain reliever) and agent with wide industrial uses, made from a distillation of ethyl alcohol and sulfuric acid: The doctor anesthetized the patient with ether before surgery.
    2 the highest atmosphere of the earth: The balloon flies to the upper ether.
ethereal
ethereal
  1. adj.
    1 delicate, light in weight: The ethereal ballet dancer seemed to float across the stage.
    2 not real, distant: He has vague, ethereal thoughts (ambitions, dreams, etc.). -adv. ethereally.
ethic
ethic
  1. n.
    1 moral or correct behavior: The priest spoke about the Christian ethic: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
    2 pl. a system of moral or correct conduct, moral principles: Her ethics in business are excellent.
ethical
ethical
  1. adj. related to moral or correct behavior: He found a woman's purse and did the ethical thing; he returned it to her. -adv. ethically.
ethnic
ethnic
  1. adj. related to group characteristics, such as race, country of origin, religion, or culture: The ethnic makeup of the USA is incredibly varied. -n. [C;U] ethnicity.
ethnocentric
ethnocentric
  1. adj. related to belief in the superiority of one's own people and culture
ethnology
ethnology
  1. n. [U] the study of human cultures See: anthropology.
etiquette
etiquette
  1. n. [U] the correct and expected way to behave,
    THESAURUS
    manners: Proper etiquette requires a bride to write thank-you notes for wedding gifts.
etymologist
etymologist
  1. n. an expert in the origin and history of words: She is an etymologist as well as an English professor. -n. [U] etymology.
eucalyptus
eucalyptus
  1. n. -tuses or -ti [C;U] a tall tree originally from Australia that provides wood, oil, and gum
eulogy
eulogy
  1. n.frml. -gies a speech or piece of writing full of praise for s.o. (usu. a dead person): The Vice President gave the eulogy at the general's funeral. -v. [T] eulogize.
eunuch
eunuch
  1. n. a human male whose sex organs have been removed
euphemism
euphemism
  1. n. [C;U] a mild (indirect, poetic, etc.) word or description used to replace a strong, hurtful, or offensive one: "Pass away" is a euphemism for the word "die." -adj. euphemistic; -adv. euphemistically.
euphoria
euphoria
  1. n. [U] great delight, happy excitement: He was full of euphoria when he heard the good news. -adj. euphoric; -adv. euphorically.
eureka
eureka
  1. interj. an expression of delight, esp. for a discovery: Eureka! I've found the answer!
euthanasia
euthanasia
  1. n. [U] the killing of a person who is suffering from an incurable illness,
    THESAURUS
    mercy killing
evacuate
evacuate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to leave or take people away from (because of danger),
    THESAURUS
    to vacate: The people evacuated the town because of the flood.||Soldiers helped evacuate the town.
    2 to empty, drain: The patient evacuated his bowels. -n. [C;U] evacuation; evacuee.
evade
evade
  1. v. [T] evaded, evading, evades
    1 to avoid (s.t. that one should do),
    THESAURUS
    to dodge: She evaded answering the reporter's question by changing the subject.
    2 to escape,
    THESAURUS
    to elude: The criminal evaded the police by hiding.
evaluate
evaluate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to study and make a judgment about: The committee evaluated the reports and reached a conclusion.
    2 to estimate worth, determine the value of s.t.: The buyer evaluated the property and offered $200,000 for it.
    3 to find the value of, often by substituting numbers for variables: Jeff evaluated the expression 3x to be equal to 15 when x equals 5.
    THESAURUS
    evaluate
    1 to think about s.t., judge s.t.
    2 to appraise (the value of).
evaluation
evaluation
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 an analysis, study: An accountant did an evaluation of the company's financial health.
    2 estimate of worth (ability, value, etc.): My boss did an evaluation of my job performance.
evangelical
evangelical
  1. adj. related to the preaching of the Gospel in the Bible: Evangelical ministers teach about Jesus Christ in their sermons. -n. [U] evangelism ; evangelist.
evaporate
evaporate
  1. v. -rated, -rating, -rates
    1 [I,T] to change from a liquid into a vapor: Water evaporates from lakes and oceans.
    2 [I] fig. to disappear, vanish: Without a job, her savings evaporated. -n. [U] evaporation.
evasion
evasion
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a statement or action that avoids what should be said or done: tax evasion||an evasion of the truth
    2 [U] escape, avoidance: The criminal's evasion of the police lasted for days.
evasive
evasive
  1. adj.
    1 not direct, clear, or frank,
    THESAURUS
    ambiguous: He's always evasive and seldom gives a clear answer.
    2 designed to deceive or elude: An enemy airplane appeared, and we took evasive action to get away from it. -n. evasiveness; -adv. evasively.
eve
eve
  1. n.sing.
    1 the evening before an event, esp. a holiday: We celebrated on New Year's Eve.
    2 a period just before an event: In 1917, Russia was on the eve of revolution.
even-tempered
even-tempered
  1. adj. not easily angered, calm: Our family dog is very even-tempered, even if the children hurt her.
even
even
  1. adj.
    1 the same in measurement (distance, height, etc.): The pieces of wood are even in length.||The two children are of even height.
    2 the same (in place, score, etc.) in a contest, tied: The two runners were even at the finish line.
    3 smooth, level: The table has an even finish, with no bumps.
    4 (of numbers) exactly divisible by 2: The numbers 2, 4, and 6 are even; 1, 3, and 5 are odd numbers.
    5 fig. on equal terms after repayment of a debt: Here's the $20 that I owe you; now we're even.
    6 fig. on equal terms after repayment of some hurt or insult: One man insulted the other, and the other insulted him back; then they were even.
    7 to break even: to neither win nor lose: We finally broke even on the deal, as we got back the amount we invested in it.
    8 to get even: to (try to) punish s.o. for some hurt or insult: When the outlaw shot my brother, I vowed to get even.
    9 to get or give s.o. an even break: to treat s.o. fairly and honestly: With the new employment law, minorities will finally get an even break in being hired.
    THESAURUS
    even adj.
    1 the same
    2 tied, neck-and-neck
    3 clear, without imperfections
    5 paid up. Ants. uneven, unequal. —adv.
    1 more, to a greater extent: He makes things even better (worse, harder, etc.) than they were by acting the way he does.
    2 so little as: She left him without even a word of explanation.||She didn't even call her mother on Mother's Day.
    3 used to give force to a comparison: Even a child would have known what to do (so that adult should have known).
    4 even if: no matter if, although: He says he'll finish the job even if it kills him!
    5 even so: nonetheless, despite that: I know you are tired, but even so, you have to go to school. —v.
    1 [I;T] to make equal, the same (height, length, etc., or smooth, flat, etc.): I'll even the surface of this table by sanding it down.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to even s.t. out: to come into balance or stability: He had some bad luck; then he evened out his business, and he's doing well now.||He evened it out.
    3 to even the odds: to put competitors on a more equal basis: Their team has beaten ours every year, but we have a new star player now, and that will even the odds.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to even up: a. to become equal: Our team evened up the score in the last half of the game.||We evened it up. b. to make the same: I evened up the length of those pieces of wood.||I evened them up. -adv. evenly; -n. evenness.
evenhanded
evenhanded
  1. adj. treating people justly, fair: The judge is evenhanded; she treats the poor and the rich with equal justice. -adv. evenhandedly.
evening
evening
  1. n. [C;U] the period generally between 6:00 P.M. and midnight: We went to a movie yesterday evening. —adv. evenings usually or regularly in the evening: Evenings, we sit at home and watch television.
    THESAURUS
    evening n. (after) sundown, twilight hours, (after) dusk. Ant. morning.
event
event
  1. n.
    1 a happening, esp. an important one: The events that led to the war were complex and numerous.
    2 a competition, contest: I entered the 10K run, an event in which I specialize.
    3 an entertainment, gathering: The showing of Impressionist paintings at the museum is quite an event.
    THESAURUS
    event
    1 an occurrence, incident
    2 race, match, game
    3 activity, amusement.
eventful
eventful
  1. adj.
    1 full of important happenings: The evening was quite eventful, full of pleasant surprises.
    2 historic,
    THESAURUS
    momentous: The political meetings were eventful because of the agreements signed during them. -adv. eventfully.
eventual
eventual
  1. adj. happening later,
    THESAURUS
    ultimate: The tennis match was long, but he was the eventual winner. -adv. eventually.
eventuality
eventuality
  1. n. -ties a possible happening, situation, or result: In the eventuality that you are able to get tickets, would you buy one for me, too?
ever
ever
  1. adv.
    1 at any time: Is he ever on time?||Don't ever do that again!||It was the best movie I've ever seen.
    2 always, at all times: The instructor is ever patient with her students.
    3 (used to add force to a question): Where ever have you been all this time? ||Who ever would do such a crazy thing? —prefix ever- always: the ever-popular chocolate chip cookie
everglade
everglade
  1. n. a flat, swampy area full of marsh grass and waterways: The Everglades in south Florida are famous for their beautiful pink birds called flamingos.
evergreen
evergreen
  1. n.adj. a conifer tree with needles as leaves that stay green all year: The pine on our lawn is an evergreen; it's an evergreen tree.
everlasting
everlasting
  1. adj.
    1 timeless,
    THESAURUS
    eternal: I love the everlasting beauty of nature.
    2 fig. boring without end,
    THESAURUS
    tedious: No one can stand his everlasting stories.
evermore
evermore
  1. adv.frml. from now on, forever: You should be thankful now and evermore for what he did for you. See: forever.
every
every
  1. adj.
    1 each: Every driver must have a license.
    2 once in each (period of time): You must take your medicine every two hours.
    3 every bit as: just as, equally: She is every bit as worried as you are.
    4 every man for himself: caring for one's own safety without regard for others: The ship is sinking! It's every man for himself!
    5 every now and then or every so often: once in a while, occasionally: She stops by to see me every now and then.
    6 every other: choosing one of each two in a sequence: The mayor serves a two-year term, so elections are held every other November.
    7 every Tom, Dick, and Harry: all ordinary people: Every Tom, Dick, and Harry wears jeans now.
    8 every which way: mixed up, out of order: No one can find anything on his desk, because he leaves his papers and files every which way.
everybody
everybody
  1. pron. everyone, all persons: Everybody who wants to go fishing should let me know.
    THESAURUS
    everybody one and all, every person. Ant. nobody.
everyday
everyday
  1. adj. ordinary, common, routine: She takes care of everyday decisions for her boss.
everyone
everyone
  1. pron. everybody, all persons: Everyone must eat in order to live.
    THESAURUS
    everyone one and all, every person. Ant. no one.
everything
everything
  1. pron.
    1 all things: Everything in the kitchen was destroyed by the fire.
    2 all that is important in life: Her health is everything to her.
    THESAURUS
    everything
    1 all, the whole lot
    2 the whole world, the main thing or concern. Ant. nothing.
everywhere
everywhere
  1. adv. in all places: I lost my keys and looked everywhere for them.
    THESAURUS
    everywhere all over, all over the place, far and wide. Ant. nowhere.
evict
evict
  1. v. [T] to force out of a property by threat, law, or physical force: They did not pay the rent on their apartment for three months, so the landlord evicted them. -n. [C;U] eviction.
evidence
evidence
  1. n.
    1 [U] words or objects that support the truth of s.t., proof: The lawyer presented the murder weapon as evidence in court.
    2 in evidence: present and easily seen: There were reporters in evidence at the scene of the crime. —v.frml. [T] -denced, -dencing, -dences to show, demonstrate: The murder suspect evidenced surprise upon seeing the weapon in court. -adj. evidential .
    THESAURUS
    evidence n.
    1 support, confirmation | facts, data. —v. to display, express.
evident
evident
  1. adj. plain, clear, obvious: It is evident that he is guilty; his fingerprints were found at the crime scene.
evidently
evidently
  1. adv. as it appears, seemingly,
    THESAURUS
    apparently: Evidently, he likes music so much that he's taking piano lessons.
evil-minded
evil-minded
  1. adj. thinking of how to harm people,
    THESAURUS
    malicious: Criminals scheme to hurt people; they are evil-minded.
evil
evil
  1. adj. extremely bad, wicked: He tries to hurt people; he's evil. -adv. evilly. —n. [C;U] extremely bad behavior, wickedness, corruption: The world is full of both good and evil.
    THESAURUS
    evil adj. immoral, sinful. Ant. good. —n. badness, immorality, sin. Ant. goodness.
eviscerate
eviscerate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to cut the insides out of, to gut: The hunter eviscerated the dead deer. -n. evisceration.
evoke
evoke
  1. v. [T] evoked, evoking, evokes to bring out a feeling, response,
    THESAURUS
    to elicit: The poetry evoked a feeling of love in the reader. -adj. evocative.
evolution
evolution
  1. n. [U] the development of living things (cultures, ideas, etc.): The evolution of the computer was rapid. -adj. evolutionary.
evolve
evolve
  1. v. [I;T] evolved, evolving, evolves to develop, change: Agriculture evolved slowly over thousands of years.
ewe
ewe
  1. n. a mature female sheep: The ewes have a full coat of wool now.
ex
ex
  1. n. exes
    1 the letter x
    2 slang short for ex-wife or ex-husband, one's former spouse: My ex and I are still friends. —prefix ex- former: She is ex-treasurer of the company, now retired.
ex post facto
ex post facto
  1. adv.adj.phr. (Latin for) after the fact: He should have stated his views first, rather than ex post facto, when it was too late.
exacerbate
exacerbate
  1. v. [T] -bated, -bating, -bates to make worse,
    THESAURUS
    to aggravate: I hurt my foot, and walking on it exacerbated the pain.
exact
exact
  1. adj. accurate, precise: He gave me the exact cost (measurements, requirements, etc.) of the item. —v.frml. [T] to demand and get, extract: The law exacts severe penalties for not paying one's taxes. -n. exactness; [U] exactitude.
    THESAURUS
    exact adj. correct, specific. Ant. incorrect.
exactly
exactly
  1. adv.
    1 accurately, precisely: The job must be done exactly as she wants it done.||The race is exactly ten kilometers long.
    2 exclam. Right! I agree!: Exactly! You've said just what I was thinking.
exaggerate
exaggerate
  1. v. [I;T] -ated, -ating, -ates to say s.t. is better, worse, more important, etc., than it really is, overstate: He said he caught a fish as long as his arm, but I think he was exaggerating. -n. [U] exaggeration.
    THESAURUS
    exaggerate to inflate s.t., magnify, tell tall tales | make a mountain out of a molehill. Ant. to downplay s.t.
exalt
exalt
  1. v. [T] to praise highly, honor: The nobles exalted the king by telling him how wonderful he was. -n. [U] exaltation . See: exult.
exam
exam
  1. n.short for examination: I have to take a science exam (driver's license exam, medical exam, etc.) tomorrow.
    THESAURUS
    exam examination, test, final | quiz, assessment.
examination
examination
  1. n.
    1 [C] a test of one's knowledge: I took an examination in English yesterday.
    2 [C;U] an inspection and analysis: The doctor gave me a physical examination. See: test, USAGE NOTE.
examine
examine
  1. v. [T] -ined, -ining, -ines
    1 to look at closely, scrutinize: The mechanic examined the motor for defects.||The doctor examined a patient.
    2 to question (s.o.) to test their knowledge or to get information: Lawyers examine witnesses in court.
    THESAURUS
    examine
    1 to inspect, study s.t. closely. Ant. to ignore.
    2 to probe into s.t., interrogate s.o.
examiner
examiner
  1. n.
    1 a person who gives spoken or written examinations to others: She is an examiner for the state government.
    2 an inspector: He is an insurance examiner and visits damaged property.
example
example
  1. n.
    1 a sample, case, or instance illustrating s.t.: The sales representative showed an example of her new product.
    2 for example: as a model of the kind of person or thing I mean: He wants a luxury car, a Mercedes, for example.
    3 to make an example of s.o.: to punish s.o. in order to make others behave correctly: The boy talked in class, and the teacher made an example of him by making him stand in the corner.
    4 to set an example or a good example: to behave in the way others should: She is an excellent worker; she sets an example for others in her company.
    THESAURUS
    example
    1 a sample, specimen | illustration, model.
exasperate
exasperate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to anger and frustrate: Time after time, he refused to cooperate; he exasperated me completely. -n. [U] exasperation; -adj. exasperating.
excavate
excavate
  1. v. [I;T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to remove the earth from an area: The workers excavated the earth to make a foundation for the building.
    2 to uncover by digging: Archeologists excavated ancient ruins in Egypt. -n. [C;U] excavation.
excavator
excavator
  1. n. a machine used to dig holes in the earth: A bulldozer is one kind of excavator.
exceed
exceed
  1. v. [T]
    1 to be more than (what is expected): Sales of the new product exceeded our estimates.
    2 to do or say more than (what is needed, allowed, etc.): The manager exceeded the bounds of her authority by spending too much money.
exceedingly
exceedingly
  1. adv. very, extremely: We had an exceedingly good (bad, boring, etc.) time at the party.
excel
excel
  1. v. [I] -celled, -celling, -cels
    1 to do very well: She excels at swimming (solving problems, singing, etc.).
    2 to perform much better than others: He excels in running; he's the fastest on the team.
excellent
excellent
  1. adj. very high in quality: The violinist gave an excellent performance; everyone applauded loudly. -n. [U] excellence; -adv. excellently.
    THESAURUS
    excellent outstanding, superior | first-rate, first-class | wonderful, awesome. Ants. inferior, second-rate.
except
except
  1. prep. excluding: Everyone was invited except me. —conj. but: I would lend you the money except that I don't have any. —v. [T] to exclude, leave out, omit: The army called men to serve, but they excepted men with wives and children.
exception
exception
  1. n. [C]
    1 s.t. unusual: He is usually on time; his lateness today is an exception.
    2 [C;U] s.o. or s.t. that is left out: Everyone is here with the exception of one person.
    3 an exception to the rule: s.o. or s.t. that is different from what is expected: Most basketball players are very tall, but he's an exception to the rule; he's short.
    4 to make an exception (to the rule): to depart from the usual practice: No one is allowed to enter without written permission, but we'll make an exception and let you go in.
    5 to take exception to s.t.: to disagree with s.t.
    THESAURUS
    exception
    1 a special case, rarity, oddity
    2 an omission, exclusion. Ant. a regularity.
exceptional
exceptional
  1. adj. unusual and excellent, (syns.) outstanding, admirable: The pianist gave an exceptional performance; it was great! -adv. exceptionally.
excerpt
excerpt
  1. n. a part quoted from a larger written or spoken work: The newspaper gave a short excerpt from the speech. —v. [T] to quote such a part: The paper excerpted parts of her speech.
    THESAURUS
    excerpt n. a quotation, selection, extract, section of s.t. —v. to quote, select, extract s.t.
excess
excess
  1. n.
    1 an amount that is more than what is needed or wanted: We have an excess of paperwork under the present system.
    2 [C;U] an act of doing too much of s.t.: He spends too much money; his excesses put him into debt.
    3 in excess of: more than: Trucks weighing in excess of five tons cannot use this bridge.
    4 to be given to excess: to tend to do too much without considering the risks, to be reckless: She is given to excess; she goes on shopping binges she can't afford.
    5 to excess: too much: They drink to excess.
excessive
excessive
  1. adj. too much, beyond acceptable limits: Their drinking is excessive; they are drunk every night. -adv. excessively.
exchange
exchange
  1. n.
    1 [C] a place where transactions are made: At the stock exchange, securities are bought and sold.
    2 [C;U] a trade, transaction: I gave him $50 for his power saw, and the exchange was made at his house.||I gave him $50 in exchange for his saw.
    3 [C] a giving and receiving of words, ideas, etc., in speaking or writing: There was an exchange of opinion between the speakers. —v. [T] -changed, -changing, -changes
    1 to give and receive (one thing in place of another), to trade: People exchange money for goods in stores.
    2 to return (s.t.) to a store and get another in its place: She went back to the store and exchanged the shirt, because her husband didn't like the color.
    3 to communicate: We exchanged ideas during the meeting.
    THESAURUS
    exchange v.
    1 to trade, swap, barter (s.t. for s.t. else)
    2 to switch, substitute (s.t. for s.t. else)
    3 to discuss, have a give-and-take.
exchange rate
exchange rate
  1. n. the price at which one country's money may be traded for another's: What is today's exchange rate for the Japanese yen?
exchange student
exchange student
  1. n. a student from another country or college who studies in a foreign country: That woman from Spain is now an exchange student at California State University, Northridge.
excise
excise
  1. v.frml. [T] -cised, -cising, -cises to remove, usu. by cutting: The doctor excised the man's appendix with a scalpel. -n. [C;U] excision.
excise tax
excise tax
  1. n. taxes in USA, a fee or tax on certain products or licenses: Governments place excise taxes on tobacco and liquor.
excitable
excitable
  1. adj. easily excited, (syns.) temperamental, emotional: He is very excitable; he gets angry very quickly.
excite
excite
  1. v. [T] -cited, -citing, -cites
    1 to cause s.o. to feel delight: The band played louder and excited the audience.
    2 to cause s.o. to act: The politician's speech to the crowd excited them into a frenzy. -adj. exciting; -n. [U] excitation .
    THESAURUS
    excite
    1 to thrill s.o., electrify
    2 to arouse s.o., inspire, provoke. Ant. to bore s.o.
excited
excited
  1. adj.
    1 filled with a strong pleasant feeling, (syns.) enthusiastic, eager: She is excited about going on vacation.
    2 thrilled, delighted: She was excited by the surprise party. -adv. excitedly.
excitement
excitement
  1. n. [U] a strong, pleasant feeling
    THESAURUS
    exhilaration: The children felt great excitement on the rollercoaster ride.
exclaim
exclaim
  1. v.frml. [I;T] to cry out, shout: "I'm insulted!" he exclaimed. -n. exclamation -adj. exclamatory.
exclamation point
exclamation point
  1. n. a punctuation symbol (!) used for emphasis or forceful expression (anger, surprise, delight, etc.): Ouch! I hit my finger with the hammer!
exclude
exclude
  1. v. [T] -cluded, -cluding, -cludes
    1 not to include, leave out,
    THESAURUS
    to omit: I put all but one ingredient into the soup; I excluded the hot peppers.
    2 to keep out, (syns.) to prohibit, ban: The restaurant excludes anyone who is not properly dressed from entering. -n. [U] exclusion.
exclusive
exclusive
  1. adj.
    1 limited to people with a lot of money and high social position, (syns.) restricted, prestigious: an exclusive club||an exclusive neighborhood
    2 belonging to one person, company, or contract: Our company has the exclusive rights to distribute that product.
    3 exclusive of: not including or considering —n.fig. a sole right: We have an exclusive on that product; no one else can sell it. -adv. exclusively; -n. [U] exclusivity.
excommunicate
excommunicate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to prohibit from receiving the holy blessings, esp. in the Roman Catholic Church: When the divorced man remarried, he was excommunicated. -n. [C;U] excommunication.
excrement
excrement
  1. n.frml. [U] solid waste matter from the body, feces: Excrement is flushed away in toilets.
excrete
excrete
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -creted, -creting, -cretes
    1 to eliminate waste, esp. feces
    2 to send out, esp. waste products: Sweat is excreted through pores in the skin. -n. [C;U] excretion.
excruciating
excruciating
  1. adj. extremely painful,
    THESAURUS
    agonizing: I have an excruciating stomachache (headache, back pain, etc.). -adv. excruciatingly.
excursion
excursion
  1. n. a trip, esp. a short one, for pleasure: We took an excursion to Alaska on a cruise ship.
excuse
excuse
  1. v. [T] -cused, -cusing, -cuses
    1 to pardon: She excused him for being late.
    2 to allow to leave: The teacher excused the students, and they left class.
    3 to give acceptable reasons for a wrong: His being sick excused his absence from work.
    4 Excuse me: an expression used to get s.o.'s attention, esp. a stranger's, or to apologize for a small offense: Excuse me, is this seat free?||Oh, excuse me! I stepped on your toe!
    5 to excuse oneself: to leave a group of people politely: I excused myself from the dinner table to make a phone call. —n. [C;U]
    1 a reason given to explain a wrong or an offense: He had a good excuse for not doing his report; his father had died.
    2 a poor excuse for: an inferior substitute for: What a poor excuse for a report; a child could have written a better one!
    3 to make excuses: to give reasons (usu. untrue or unacceptable ones) for not doing s.t. expected: She made excuses about being sick and not being able to pay her bills.
    THESAURUS
    excuse v.
    1 to forgive s.o. | overlook, disregard
    2 to dismiss s.o., release s.o.
    3 to
    THESAURUS
    justify s.t. Ants. to blame, accuse s.o. —n.
    1 justification, acceptable explanation.
exec
exec
  1. n.infrml.short for executive: After the meeting, the execs all went out to lunch.
execrable
execrable
  1. adj.frml. very bad,
    THESAURUS
    abominable: He made an execrable decision and was fired for it.
execute
execute
  1. v. [T] -cuted, -cuting, -cutes
    1 to put to death, kill, esp. by government or military: Soldiers executed the traitor by shooting him.
    2 to perform, carry out: A computer executes the commands given to it.
    3 to make s.t. legal, esp. by signing it: We executed the contract by signing it yesterday.
    THESAURUS
    execute
    1 to carry out capital punishment
    2 to put into effect, do | accomplish
    3 to sign, administer, fulfill.
execution
execution
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the act of putting s.o. to death: The execution of the murderer will take place tomorrow.
    2 [U] the performance or carrying out, such as of a contract or order: The execution of the plan will take weeks. See: capital punishment.
executioner
executioner
  1. n. a person who puts another to death
executive
executive
  1. n. a manager or administrator in a company or institution who has the power to spend money, hire, and fire employees, etc.: She is an executive with a bank. —adj.
    1 related to the responsibilities of an executive: As a bank officer, she has the executive authority to approve loans.
    2 in USA, related to the President, his or her powers, cabinet, and staff: the Executive branch of government
    THESAURUS
    executive n. decision-maker, officer. Ant. worker.
    THESAURUS
    —adj.
    1 decision-making, managerial, administrative.
executive officer
executive officer
  1. n.
    1 a business executive in charge of day-to-day business: The executive officer in our company has all department heads reporting to her.
    2 a military officer second in command
executive secretary
executive secretary
  1. n. -ies a secretary with superior skills who works for an executive and often does important projects: My executive secretary writes all my letters and places purchase orders for the company. See: administrative assistant.
executor
executor
  1. n. a person appointed in the will of a dead person or by a court to carry out the wishes expressed in the will: The son is the executor of his father's estate.
exemplary
exemplary
  1. adj. outstanding, worthy of imitation: The young girl's playing at the piano recital was exemplary.
exemplify
exemplify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to serve as an example, illustrate: Her willingness to accept more responsibility exemplifies her desire to succeed. -n. exemplification.
exempt
exempt
  1. v. [T] adj. to exclude or free from a duty, restriction, etc.: The court exempted me from jury duty because I'm a minister.||My being a minister made me exempt.
exemption
exemption
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 freedom from a duty, requirement, or restriction: He received an exemption from military duty because he is disabled.
    2 s.t. that frees a person from owing tax money: You can claim these expenses as exemptions when you file your income taxes.
exercise
exercise
  1. v. -cised, -cising, -cises
    1 [I;T] to do physical activities to strengthen the body: I exercise by lifting weights and jogging.
    2 [T] frml. to use (one's rights, power, etc.): In a democracy, the people can exercise their right to vote. —n.
    1 [C;U] physical movements to train and strengthen the body: Every morning, I do sit-ups and other exercises.||He doesn't get much exercise.
    2 [C] a question or task for mental training: The teacher gives the students exercises in math.
    3 sing. [U] a use of power: She stopped smoking cigarettes by an exercise of willpower.
    4 an exercise in futility: a useless activity: He tries to lose weight but puts it back on again; his dieting is an exercise in futility.
    THESAURUS
    exercise v.
    1 to work out, keep fit, be physically active. Ant. to be sedentary.
    2 to utilize, take advantage of.
exert
exert
  1. v. [T]
    1 to act with power, force, influence, etc.: The manager exerted her authority and demanded better performance from her employees.
    2 to exert oneself: to try hard, esp. physically: He exerted himself to get good grades (or) to reach the top of the mountain.
exertion
exertion
  1. n.
    1 [U] physical work: Walking up stairs requires exertion.
    2 [C;U] a use or an act of power, influence, force, etc.: The exertion of authority is to tell others what to do.
exhale
exhale
  1. v. [I;T] -haled, -haling, -hales to let out air from the lungs: The doctor told me to exhale as she listened to my heartbeat. -n.[C;U] exhalation.
exhaust
exhaust
  1. v. [T]
    1 to use completely, run out of: We have exhausted our supply of pencils and must order more.
    2 to treat thoroughly: We exhausted one topic of discussion and started another.
    3 to make very tired, wear s.o. out: Waking up several times a night to feed her baby exhausted the new mother. —n. discharge in the form of smoke, steam, etc.: Exhaust from a car's engine escapes through the tailpipe.
    THESAURUS
    exhaust v.
    1 to deplete, use s.t. up, finish s.t. | consume. Ants. to build s.t. up, amass.
    2 to
    THESAURUS
    run through s.t., complete s.t.
    3 to fatigue, overtire s.o. Ant. to energize s.o.
exhausted
exhausted
  1. adj. & v.past part. extremely tired: After the long race, the runners felt exhausted.
exhausting
exhausting
  1. adj. very tiring: I've had an exhausting day, so I'm going to bed.
exhaustion
exhaustion
  1. n. [U] complete tiredness, fatigue: She worked all night and is suffering from exhaustion.
exhaustive
exhaustive
  1. adj. complete, thorough: A committee made an exhaustive study of the labor problem and gave recommendations. -adv. exhaustively.
exhibit
exhibit
  1. v. [T]
    1 to show, display: A museum exhibits paintings for people to see.
    2 frml. to demonstrate, perform: She exhibited great patience by not becoming angry with the noisy child. —n. a display: We visited an art exhibit at the museum. -n. exhibitor.
    THESAURUS
    exhibit v.
    1 to put s.t. on view | make s.t. public
    2 to show, display s.t. Ant. to hide s.t. —n. a show, an exposition, public display.
exhibition
exhibition
  1. n.
    1 a display (of art, products, etc.): I enjoyed the art exhibition at the museum.
    2 to make an exhibition of oneself: to behave in a way that causes embarrassment: He drank too much and made an exhibition of himself at the wedding.
exhibitionist
exhibitionist
  1. n. a person who behaves or dresses in an unusual way to get attention: He dresses in bright pink clothes to shock people; he's an exhibitionist. -n. [U] exhibitionism.
exhilarate
exhilarate
  1. v. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates to make s.o. feel strong and happy, (syns.) to invigorate, enliven: The cold autumn air exhilarates me. -adj. exhilarating; -n. [U] exhilaration.
exhort
exhort
  1. v.frml. [T] to urge with strong argument: The politician exhorted the people to vote for her. -n.[C;U] exhortation.
exhume
exhume
  1. v. [T] -humed, -huming, -humes to remove s.t., usu. a dead body, from its burial place -n. [C;U] exhumation.
exigency
exigency
  1. n. -cies an urgent need, emergency -adj. exigent.
exile
exile
  1. v. [T] -iled, -iling, -iles to force s.o. out of his or her home country,
    THESAURUS
    to deport: The government exiled him because of his radical politics. —n.
    1 a forced absence from one's country: Napoleon died in exile in 1821.
    2 s.o. who has been exiled, (syns.) a deportee, a refugee: She fled her country and became an exile in Canada.
exist
exist
  1. v. [I]
    1 to be present physically or emotionally: Poverty and hatred exist all over the world.
    2 to live with difficulty, subsist: Poor people exist on very little money. -adj. existing.
    THESAURUS
    exist
    1 to occur, happen, take place. Ant. to disappear.
    2 to survive on, get by on. Ant. to prosper.
existence
existence
  1. n.
    1 [U] the presence of s.t. in the real world: The existence of poverty in America surprises many foreign visitors.
    2 sing. a type of life: People in the mountains lead a simple existence. -adj. existent.
    THESAURUS
    existence
    1 reality, actuality
    2 life | survival, subsistence. Ant. nonexistence.
exit
exit
  1. v. [I;T] to leave, depart: We exited the building through a side door. —n. a door or passageway leading outside: A movie theater has exits on three sides.
exit poll
exit poll
  1. n. a survey asking voters as they leave the polling places which candidates and propositions they voted for: The exit polls done by the television stations indicate that the President will be reelected.
exodus
exodus
  1. n. -es
    1 a departure or withdrawal of large numbers of people: The exodus of the Jews from Egypt was a slow and dangerous journey.
    2 sing. a hurried escape by many people: When the people in the town learned their water was poisoned, there was a mass exodus from the area.
exonerate
exonerate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to clear a person from guilt,
    THESAURUS
    to absolve: He was charged with fraud, but the trial exonerated him. -n. [U] exoneration.
exorbitant
exorbitant
  1. adj. much too high, (syns.) excessive, outrageous: During the lettuce shortage, many stores charged exorbitant prices for it. -n. [U] exorbitance.
exorcise
exorcise
  1. v. [T] -cised, -cising, -cises to remove evil from s.o.: The priest exorcised the devil from the young woman. -n. [U] exorcism; exorcist.
exotic
exotic
  1. adj. unusual and attractive, esp. from other countries: The exotic plants from the tropics are especially beautiful.
expand
expand
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to grow larger, (syns.) to enlarge, swell: The balloon expanded, then exploded.
    2 to increase, or make larger (in size, number, etc.): The company expanded its sales force from 10 to 20 representatives.
    3 phrasal v. insep. to expand on or upon s.t.: to explain or add details to,
    THESAURUS
    to elaborate: The speaker made a brief introduction, then expanded upon her subject. -adj. expanded.
expanse
expanse
  1. n. a large, wide open area: We left the mountains and entered the vast expanse of farmland.
expansion
expansion
  1. n. [C;U] an en-largement, increase: The company is hiring more people and is going through an expansion. -adj. expansionary; expansionist.
expansive
expansive
  1. adj. friendly and generous: The father was in an expansive mood and gave presents to all of his children. -adv. expansively.
expatriate
expatriate
  1. n.
    1 a person from one country who lives in another country
    2 a person who gives up (renounces) his or her country: A group of expatriates from the USA live in Paris.
expect
expect
  1. v. [T]
    1 to think (s.t. will hap-pen or s.o. will come): I expect him (to arrive) very soon.
    2 to want and believe (that s.o. will do s.t.): The mother told her little boy that she expected him to behave in school.
    3 to be expecting (a baby): to be pregnant: She is expecting a baby in May.
    THESAURUS
    expect
    1 to plan on s.t., look forward to | envision frml.
    2 to demand, require | count on. Ant. to disbelieve.
expectant
expectant
  1. pregnant: She is six months pregnant; she's an expectant mother. -n. [U] expectancy.
expectation
expectation
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 hope, desire: He has expectations that he will make a lot of money.
    2 to live or come up to s.o.'s expectations: to be as good as s.o. expected: He tries hard to live up to his parents' expectations.
expedient
expedient
  1. adj.
    1 effective in quickly solving an urgent problem: My car broke down, so I rented one; it was the expedient thing to do so I could attend the meeting.
    2 based on one's interest rather than on what is right or just: The politician made an expedient decision to vote for the tax cut. -adv. expediently; -n.[C;U] expediency.
expedite
expedite
  1. v. [T] -dited, -diting, -dites to do s.t. faster than usual, process rapidly: The company expedited the shipment by sending it overnight by air. -n. expediter.
expedition
expedition
  1. adj. a journey usu. made by a group organized and equipped for a special purpose: Admiral Byrd made an expedition to reach the North Pole. -adj. expeditionary.
expeditious
expeditious
  1. adj.frml. done quickly and well: The airline handled my luggage in an expeditious manner; I got it back quickly. -adv. expeditiously.
expel
expel
  1. v. [T] -pelled, -pelling, -pels
    1 to send away for a reason, (syns.) to dismiss, eject: The principal expelled the troublemaking student from school.
    2 frml. to force out, (syns.) to emit, discharge: The volcano expels smoke.
expend
expend
  1. v. [T] to spend or use (resources such as money, time, energy, etc.): The company expends funds on purchases each week.||She expended a great deal of effort to learn French.
expendable
expendable
  1. adj. not needed,
    THESAURUS
    dispensable: When traveling, things that seem necessary at home may become expendable.
expenditure
expenditure
  1. n. [C;U] the spending or using (of resources such as money, time, energy, etc.): The company has made several big expenditures on new equipment.||The expenditure of so much time on that project was worthwhile; it's a success.
expense
expense
  1. n.
    1 [U] a cost, price: The expense of moving from one house to another is high.
    2 [C] s.t. that must be paid, (syns.) a disbursement, expenditure: The company expenses are increasing.
    3 at s.o.'s expense: with harm, suffering, or financial cost to s.o.: He got the praise at her expense, because she did most of the work.
    4 at the expense of: causing a loss to: He succeeded in business at the expense of his personal life.
expense account
expense account
  1. n. a budget to pay for s.o.'s business expenses, such as travel and entertainment: Advertising executives have large expense accounts they use for travel and taking clients to dinner.
expensive
expensive
  1. adj. costly, high-priced: He gives expensive gifts to his family at Christmastime. -adv. expensively.
    THESAURUS
    expensive pricey, dear frml. | overpriced, unreasonable. Ants. cheap, inexpensive.
experience
experience
  1. n.
    1 [U] an event, a happening: Our visit to Alaska was a pleasant experience.
    2 [U] understanding gained through doing s.t.: She has years of experience in teaching. —v. [T] -enced, -encing, -ences to feel or know by personal involvement in: She has experienced difficulties (satisfaction, success, etc.) in her new job.
    THESAURUS
    experience n.
    1 an affair, episode, occurrence
    2 practice, training, personal
    THESAURUS
    knowledge. Ant. inexperience. —v. to be involved in s.t., sense, feel. Ant. to miss s.t.
experienced
experienced
  1. adj. having background in an area: She is an experienced secretary.
    THESAURUS
    experienced qualified, well-versed in s.t., skilled, veteran. Ant. inexperienced.
experiment
experiment
  1. n.
    1 a test done to see if s.t. works or happens: We do experiments in chemistry class each week.
    2 a test project undertaken to see whether more of s.t. should be done: We marketed the product in five cities as an experiment to see if we should market it nationwide. —v. [I]
    1 to test: We experimented with magnetism in the physics laboratory.
    2 to try s.t.: The company experimented with different sales techniques. -n. [U] experimentalism; [U] experimentation.
    THESAURUS
    experiment n.
    1 a procedure, research
    2 a tryout, an exploration.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to research, follow procedures
    2 to try s.t. out, explore s.t. Ant. to remain inactive.
experimental
experimental
  1. adj. related to experiments: Our company opened an office in London on an experimental basis, then closed it after low sales. -adv. experimentally.
expert
expert
  1. n. a master at s.t., authority: She is an expert with computers. —adj. very knowledgeable or skilled, highly competent: He is an expert shot with a pistol. -adv. expertly; -n. [U] expertness.
    THESAURUS
    expert n. an authority, specialist, whiz at s.t. —adj. highly trained, authoritative, professional. Ant. inexperienced.
expertise
expertise
  1. n. [U] a special skill in doing s.t.: He has expertise in computer programming.
expiration
expiration
  1. n. [U] a date at which s.t. is no longer valid: The expiration of my passport (driver's license, credit card, etc.) meant I had to get a new one.
expire
expire
  1. v. [I] -pired, -piring, -pires to cease to be valid,
    THESAURUS
    to lapse: My driver's license expires in June.
explain
explain
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to give information about, make clear, to explicate: The instructor explained the causes of the French Revolution.
    2 to give reasons for: He explained why he was late.
    THESAURUS
    explain
    1 to describe in detail, make s.t. plain, spell s.t. out | expound upon s.t. frml.
    THESAURUS
    2 to account for s.t., justify. Ant. to gloss over s.t.
explanation
explanation
  1. n. informa-tion given to help s.o. understand: The computer salesperson gave an explanation of how to use that computer. -adj. explanatory.
expletive
expletive
  1. n.frml. an obscene word or remark, usu. made in anger: That film is full of expletives.
explicable
explicable
  1. adj. capable of being explained: That situation is explicable if you understand the motives of the people involved.
explicate
explicate
  1. v.frml. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to explain, make clear: The instructor explicated the theory of relativity. -n. [C;U] explication.
explicit
explicit
  1. adj.
    1 precise, clear: She gave explicit directions on how to get to the train station.
    2 giving every detail openly: That film has explicit sex scenes in it. -adv. explicitly; -n. [U] explicitness.
explode
explode
  1. v. -ploded, -ploding, -plodes
    1 [I;T] to blow apart with force, burst: A bomb exploded on the battlefield.||Terrorists exploded a bomb.
    2 fig. [I] to express sudden violent anger: He exploded when he heard the bad news.
    THESAURUS
    explode
    1 to blow up, go off, detonate
    2 to become enraged, furious. Ant. to remain calm.
exploit
exploit
  1. v. [T]
    1 to use or develop to a good purpose: The country exploits its natural resources in coal and timber.
    2 to treat unfairly, take advantage of: He exploited workers by paying them very little. —n. an adventure, feat: Her exploits as a safari guide are legendary. -adj. exploitive; -n. [U] exploitation.
exploration
exploration
  1. n.
    1 [C] a journey of discovery, a search: the exploration of space (the moon, the oceans)
    2 [C;U] an examination, study: We began an exploration of ideas for new products. -adj. exploratory.
explore
explore
  1. v. -plored, -ploring, -plores
    1 [I;T] to travel into in order to learn about: The children went to explore the playground.
    2 [T] to investigate, study: Scientists explore theories of the beginning of the universe. -n. explorer.
    THESAURUS
    explore
    1 to scout s.t., travel over s.t., survey
    2 to look into s.t., examine, delve into. Ant. to ignore.
explosion
explosion
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a blowing apart with force,
    THESAURUS
    a blast: A bomb explosion damaged the building.
    2 [C] a sudden large increase: There has been an explosion of growth in the computer industry.
    3 an expression of violent anger: An explosion came from the crowd of angry people.
explosive
explosive
  1. n. a substance, such as dynamite, used to make explosions: Soldiers used explosives to blow up a bridge. —adj. related to an explosion: A hurricane tore apart houses with explosive force. -adv. explosively.
expo
expo
  1. n.short for exposition, a public show
exponent
exponent
  1. n.
    1 a person who believes in s.t., (syns.) an advocate, proponent: She is an exponent of vegetarianism.
    2 (in math) a number or symbol above and beside another indicating a mathematical operation: In 102, the 2 is an exponent meaning to square the 10. -adj. exponential ; -adv. exponentially.
export
export
  1. v. [I;T] to ship from one country to another, market in foreign countries: Canada exports wheat and lumber in great quantities. —n. [C;U] an act of exporting or the item that is exported: Wheat is a big export for Canada. -n. exporter.
    THESAURUS
    export v. to sell s.t. abroad, ship or send s.t. overseas. Ant. to import.
    THESAURUS
    —n. a foreign sale, commodity shipped abroad | selling abroad or overseas. Ant. an import.
exportation
exportation
  1. n. [U] an act of exporting: The exportation of goods employs many workers in the seacoast cities.
expose
expose
  1. v. [T] -posed, -posing, -poses
    1 to make known, reveal: A politician ex-posed a plot to overthrow the government.
    2 to leave unprotected: By swimming alone, he exposed himself to danger.
    3 to bare, uncover: By taking off his shirt, he exposed the hair on his chest.
    4 to allow light to reach (photographic film)
exposition
exposition
  1. n.
    1 [C] a show where manufacturers display their products: We attended a computer exposition (or) expo at the Trade Center.
    2 [C;U] a written work of explanation, an essay: She wrote an exposition of her views on politics.
expository
expository
  1. adj. serving to explain, explanatory: The students are taking a course in expository writing.
exposure
exposure
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] being unprotected, esp. from cold weather: The lost mountain climbers suffered from exposure.
    2 [U] risk of loss: We limit our exposure by investing only one quarter of the money.
    3 [C] a section of photographic film: That roll of film contains 36 exposures.
    4 [C] a position or view in relation to a direction on the compass (north, south, east, or west): The living room has a southern exposure.
exposé
exposé
  1. n. a disclosure that makes public a scandal: The newspaper ran an exposé on corruption at City Hall.
expound
expound
  1. v.frml. [I;T] to comment or talk, usu. at length: The professor expounded on the events leading up to the revolution.
express
express
  1. v. [T] -pressed, -pressing, -presses
    1 to speak about, declare: She expressed her worries about money to her friend.
    2 infrml. to send s.t. the fastest way: I expressed the package overnight.
    3 to express oneself: to demonstrate one's ability to communicate: She expresses herself well in French. —adj.
    1 nonstop, rapid: an express train
    2 definite, clearly stated: His express wish is that you go with him to the house.
    THESAURUS
    express v.
    1 to state s.t., make s.t. known, verbalize frml.
    2 to overnight s.t.
    3 to put s.t.
    THESAURUS
    into words, articulate (one's thoughts). Ant. to remain silent.
expression
expression
  1. n.
    1 [C] the look on one's face: You should have seen his expression when we gave him a surprise party.
    2 [C;U] a sign, demonstration: He sent her roses as an expression of his love.
    3 [C] a group of words, a statement,
    THESAURUS
    an idiom: When you tell s.o. to "break a leg," it is just an expression meaning "good luck."
    4 in math, a phrase that defines a quantity that is not a complete equation: The expression 9/5 C + 32 tells the temperature.
expressive
expressive
  1. adj. showing obvious emotion: His gestures (speech, laughter, etc.) were very expressive of the happiness he felt. -adv. expressively.
expressly
expressly
  1. adv. with one clear purpose,
    THESAURUS
    explicitly: He sent flowers expressly for you (or) expressly to please you.
expressway
expressway
  1. n. a superhighway usu. with six to eight lanes and few roads leading to it: The expressway takes you into Boston quickly and avoids all those back streets.
expropriate
expropriate
  1. v.frml. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to take s.o.'s property by law, decree, or theft: The state expropriated the criminal's property as payment of a fine. -n. [C;U] expropriation.
expulsion
expulsion
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a sending out by force,
    THESAURUS
    an ejection: The expulsion of dust from the volcano was visible from miles away.
    2 a sending away for a reason, dismissal: The child's bad behavior resulted in her expulsion from school.
expunge
expunge
  1. v.frml. [T] -punged, -punging, -punges to erase, remove: His offense was expunged from the prison records because of his good behavior.
expurgate
expurgate
  1. v.frml. [T] -gated, -gating, -gates to remove unwanted writing, esp. offensive words or errors: The author complained because the editor expurgated certain words from her manuscript. -n. [U] expurgation.
exquisite
exquisite
  1. adj.
    1 delicate, finely made: The detail on the watch face is exquisite.
    2 perfect, outstanding: Her singing of the opera was exquisite. -adv. exquisitely.
ext.
ext.
  1. n.short for (telephone) extension
extant
extant
  1. adj. still existing, used of s.t. that is rare: The few extant copies of the Gutenberg Bible are in museums.
extemporaneous
extemporaneous
  1. adj. not written down, unrehearsed: The politician made some extemporaneous remarks before his formal speech. -adv. extemporaneously; -v. [I;T] extemporize.
extend
extend
  1. v.
    1 [T] to make longer in space or time: I extended the antenna on my radio to its full length.||We're extending our vacation from two to three weeks.
    2 [I;T] to continue in space or time, reach: The roof extends a foot beyond the wall of the house.||The President's term extends until January.
    3 frml. [T] to offer or give: extend an invitation (a helping hand, a word of advice, etc.) -adj. extended; extendible.
    THESAURUS
    extend
    1 to stretch s.t. out, lengthen (vacation, meeting, etc.). Ant. to shorten.
    THESAURUS
    2 to continue beyond s.t.
    3 to bestow, hold s.t. out to s.o.
extended family
extended family
  1. n. an entire family includ-ing many generations and relatives who may live in other households: Our entire extended family will be here for Thanksgiving dinner. See: nuclear family.
extension
extension
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] more time: The businessman asked the bank for an extension on his bank loan.
    2 [C] an addition to a building: We added an extension for an extra bedroom onto our house.
    3 [C] any one of many connected telephone lines: Call the company's main number, 555-2000, and ask for my office extension, 245 (said "extension 2-4-5").
extensive
extensive
  1. adj. great in amount or area, considerable: She has extensive knowledge of Chinese history.||He owns extensive property. -adv. extensively.
extent
extent
  1. n.sing. [U] an amount, degree: Inflation has slowed to a great (small, certain, etc.) extent.
extenuating
extenuating
  1. adj. making (wrongdoing) seem less serious by pro-viding an excuse: The judge did not send the man to jail; there were extenuating cir-cumstances since the man had never broken the law before. -n.[C;U] extenuation.
exterior
exterior
  1. n.
    1 the outside of s.t., surface: The exterior of the house needs painting.
    2 appearance, looks: He has a rough exterior, but inside, he has a heart of gold. —adj. outside: The exterior walls of the building are made of glass and steel.
exterminate
exterminate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to kill all (of a group or type of people or other living things),
    THESAURUS
    to eradicate: Some people exterminate garden insects by spraying poison on the plants. -n. [U] extermination.
exterminator
exterminator
  1. n. a person or business that exterminates: An exterminator comes to our building every week to kill insects and rodents.
external
external
  1. adj.
    1 outside, exterior: The external surface of the airplane is very smooth and shiny.
    2 coming from the outside: Children's experiences in school are affected by many external influences. -adv. externally; -n. externality.
extinct
extinct
  1. adj. no longer in existence, esp. a kind of plant or animal: The passenger pigeon is an extinct species. -n. [U] extinction.
extinguish
extinguish
  1. v. [T] to stop, put out: Firefighters extinguished a fire.
extinguisher
extinguisher
  1. n.short for a fire extinguisher, a device that shoots out liquid to stop a fire
extol
extol
  1. v. [T] -tolled, -tolling, -tols to praise,
    THESAURUS
    to laud: The speaker extolled the accomplishments of the political candidate.
extort
extort
  1. v. [T] to force payment (of money) by threatening s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to coerce: Gang members extorted money from store owners by threatening to burn their stores. -n. [U] extortion; extortionist.
extortionate
extortionate
  1. adj. much too high in price, excessive: The rent she is demanding is extortionate!
extra
extra
  1. adj.
    1 more than the usual, additional, further: That store charges an extra amount for home delivery.
    2 spare, duplicate: We keep extra light bulbs in the closet.
    3 more than needed,
    THESAURUS
    superfluous: After the party was over, we had extra food. —adv. very, exceptionally: That knife is extra sharp. —n.
    1 pl. an addition, an add-on: The basic service costs $100, plus 20 percent for the extras.
    2 a spare, a duplicate: I used almost all the nails and left the extras in a box.
    3 an actor hired for a small role in a film: The movie director hired 1,000 extras for the battle scene.
extract
extract
  1. v. [T]
    1 to remove, pull out (s.t. firmly fixed): The dentist extracted a bad tooth.
    2 to get by using force or coercion: The police extracted a confession from the criminal. —n.
    1 [C;U] a concentration or essence of a food or other substance: I use vanilla extract in baking cakes.
    2 [C] an excerpt from a written work: She used an extract from a novel in her term paper.
extraction
extraction
  1. n. [C;U] removal of a tooth: The dentist did the extraction quickly.
extradite
extradite
  1. v. [T] -dited, -diting, -dites (in law) to transfer a prisoner from one legal jurisdiction to another: The State of New York extradited a prisoner from Florida back to New York. -adj. extraditable; -n. [U] extradition.
extramarital
extramarital
  1. adj. outside of marriage: He had an extramarital affair with a woman he met at work.
extraneous
extraneous
  1. adj. unneeded,
    THESAURUS
    superfluous: The report contained extraneous information of no use to anyone. -adv. extraneously.
extraordinary
extraordinary
  1. adj.
    1 outstanding, wonderful: The violinist gave an extraordinary performance.
    2 unusual, uncommon: She is a woman of extraordinary strength (ability, intelligence, etc.). -adv. extraordinarily.
    THESAURUS
    extraordinary
    1 amazing, phenomenal, fantastic
    2 rare, unique, exceptional. Ants. ordinary, common.
extrapolate
extrapolate
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -lated, -lating, -lates to infer a meaning or result from a few facts: That product has sold five units a month for six months, so I extrapolate 60 units for the year's sales. -n. [C;U] extrapolation.
extraterrestrial
extraterrestrial
  1. adj. related to outer space: Scientists search for extraterrestrial life.
extravagance
extravagance
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] wastefulness, esp. of money: He is known for his extravagance when shopping for sports equipment.
    2 [C;U] a too-expensive item or act: That family cannot afford any extravagances; they're not rich.
extravagant
extravagant
  1. adj.
    1 too generous or expensive: She gives extravagant gifts to her family for their birthdays.
    2 unreasonable, excessive: He made an extravagant demand on his employer by asking for a huge raise. -adv. extravagantly.
extravaganza
extravaganza
  1. n. a spectacular event: The carnival was a three-day extravaganza of parades, dancing, and eating.
extreme
extreme
  1. adj.
    1 the farthest away, outermost: You will find our house at the extreme end of the road.
    2 (of ideas) far from what is generally accepted, (syns.) radical, fanatical: She holds extreme political views.
    3 the greatest possible, (syns.) drastic, severe: The government took extreme measures to put down the rebellion. —n.
    1 an extreme degree or amount: The climate there is mild, without extremes of heat or cold.
    2 to go to or be driven to extremes: to act in an exaggerated way: He was driven to extremes by financial pressures, and in the end he killed himself.
extremely
extremely
  1. adv. very: That movie was extremely funny (violent, sad, etc.).
    THESAURUS
    extremely exceptionally, exceedingly, unusually. Ant. not very.
extremism
extremism
  1. n. [U] extreme radicalism in thought or action,
    THESAURUS
    fanaticism: The group's policies are based on religious extremism. -n. extremist.
extremity
extremity
  1. n.
    1 the far end of something: the extremities of the earth
    2 pl. the feet and hands: The man was so cold that he lost feeling in his extremities.
extricate
extricate
  1. v.frml. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to free: She extricated herself from financial difficulty by working two jobs. -n. [U] extrication.
extrinsic
extrinsic
  1. adj. external, outside of: What he says is extrinsic to the main idea. -adv. extrinsically. See: intrinsic.
extrovert
extrovert
  1. n. a person who likes others and social activities: She is a real extrovert, a cheerleader and president of her class. -n. [U] extroversion. See: introvert.
extroverted
extroverted
  1. adj. liking other people and outside events, sociable,
    THESAURUS
    outgoing: She is very extroverted, always talking with friends.
exuberant
exuberant
  1. adj. high-spirited, enthusiastic: She is exuberant about her new job offer. -n. [U] exuberance; -adv. exuberantly.
exude
exude
  1. v. -uded, -uding, -udes
    1 [I;T] to send out (a liquid) slowly,
    THESAURUS
    to ooze: As the weight lifter trained with heavier weights, moisture slowly exuded from his skin.
    2 fig. [T] to show in one's face and behavior,
    THESAURUS
    to display: She exuded happiness (confidence, pride, etc.).
exult
exult
  1. v.frml. [I] to feel great happiness, rejoice: The people exulted when their country won the war. -adj. exultant; -n. [U] exultation.
eye-catching
eye-catching
  1. adj. interesting and attractive: That's an eye-catching tie you're wearing.
eye-opener
eye-opener
  1. n. s.t. that surprises or shocks: The scandal at the bank was an eye-opener.
eye
eye
  1. n.
    1 the organ of sight: She has beautiful brown eyes.
    2 the center of s.t.: the eye of a hurricane
    3 the hole in a needle
    4 an eye for an eye: hurting s.o. in the same way they hurt s.o. else: That kid broke my brother's nose, so I broke that kid's nose; it's an eye for an eye!
    5 in the eyes of: in the opinion of, according to: I think you did the right thing, but in the eyes of the law, it was wrong.
    6 infrml. My eye! or In a pig's eye!: I don't believe it; I disagree.
    7 to catch s.o.'s eye: to get s.o.'s attention: I tried to catch the waiter's eye.
    8 infrml. to give s.o. the eye or to make eyes at: to show admiration, flirt: As soon as she walked into the room, he started giving her the eye.
    9 to have an eye for: to be a good judge of (esp. s.t. requiring a sense of beauty): She has an eye for color, and her house and clothes are very attractive.
    10 to keep an eye on s.o. or s.t.: to watch in a protective way: When we went away on vacation, I asked the neighbors to keep an eye on our house.
    11 infrml. to keep an eye on the ball: to pay close attention to what one is doing so as not to make mistakes: He makes mis-takes in his work; he needs to keep his eye on the ball.
    12 to keep an eye out for: to watch for,
    THESAURUS
    to be on the lookout for: We need a new sofa, so I'm keeping an eye out for a good sale on furniture.
    13 infrml. to keep one's eyes open or peeled: to watch carefully: We're going into a dangerous neighborhood, so keep your eyes peeled.
    14 to only have eyes for: to be interested only in (a person): Lots of men are attracted to her, but she only has eyes for her husband.
    15 to see eye to eye (with s.o.): to agree: We see eye to eye on the matter, so let's sign a contract.
    16 with an eye to: with a plan in mind to: He's buying land with an eye to building a house on it someday.
    17 with one's eyes open: knowing the risks of s.t.: It's a difficult job, but she went into it with her eyes open, so she has no right to complain now. —v. eyed, eyeing or eying, eyes [T] to look at, esp. with interest or suspicion: The old man eyed his new neighbor with distrust.
    THESAURUS
    eye v. to gaze at s.t., observe, stare at (s.o. or s.t.)
eye shadow
eye shadow
  1. n. [U] cosmetics used mainly on the upper eyelid to highlight the eyes: She uses blue eye shadow.
eyeball
eyeball
  1. n. the entire ball-shaped eye: The eyeball is a delicate organ. —v.slang [T] to look at closely, examine: What you are telling me about the place is interesting, but I want to go there and eyeball it for myself.
eyebrow
eyebrow
  1. n.
    1 the line of hair over the eye
    2 eyebrow pencil: a cosmetic pencil: She uses an eyebrow pencil to color her eyebrows.
eyed
eyed
  1. adj.suffix having eyes as described (bright-eyed, one-eyed, etc.): He is brown-eyed. See: cross-eyed.
eyeful
eyeful
  1. n.sing. a startling view: Two men had a fistfight right in front of us; we really had an eyeful.
eyeglasses
eyeglasses
  1. n.pl. a pair of lenses in a frame used for better sight: She wears eyeglasses for reading.
eyelash
eyelash
  1. n. -lashes a hair from the row of hairs on the eyelids: She wears false eyelashes that are long and black.
eyelet
eyelet
  1. n. a round opening usu. in clothing: He wears shoes with eyelets for the laces.
eyelid
eyelid
  1. n. the folds of skin over the eyeballs: She carefully applied make-up to her eyelids.
eyeliner
eyeliner
  1. n. [U] a cosmetic used to draw a line around the eye: She uses black eyeliner in pencil form.
eyesight
eyesight
  1. n. [U] ability to see,
    THESAURUS
    vision: He lost his eyesight in an accident.
eyesore
eyesore
  1. n. an unpleasant sight, esp. a building in ruins: That burned-out house is the eyesore of the neighborhood.
eyetooth
eyetooth
  1. n. -teeth
    1 one of two long, sharp teeth located beside the four upper front teeth
    2 to give one's eyeteeth for s.t.: to desire greatly: I'd give my eyeteeth for a vacation in Paris.
eyewitness
eyewitness
  1. n. -nesses a person who saw an event happen, esp. a crime: The two eyewitnesses to the theft testified in court.
fable
fable
  1. n. a story or poem, usu. with animals acting out a moral truth: The students discussed the meaning of the fable.
fabric
fabric
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] cloth, material: The sofa is covered with a soft cotton fabric.
    2 fig. [U] the composition, substance of s.t.: The fabric of our society has been torn by crime and a bad economy.
    THESAURUS
    fabric
    1 material, textile
    2 framework, structure.
fabricate
fabricate
  1. v.frml. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates
    1 to put together or make s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to manufacture: The furniture was fabricated from pieces of old wood.
    2 to lie,
    THESAURUS
    to falsify: The witness's statement to the police was fabricated.
fabrication
fabrication
  1. n. [U]
    1 the act of making s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    manufacture: The fabrication of auto parts is a worldwide industry now.
    2 a lie,
    THESAURUS
    falsehood: The child's story is a complete fabrication.
fabulous
fabulous
  1. adj. great, wonderful: We had a fabulous time on our vacation!
facade
facade
  1. n.
    1 the front or outer covering of a building: The facade of that building is made of wood.
    2 a false appearance,
    THESAURUS
    veneer: He puts on a facade of being a rich man, but he is not.
face-lift
face-lift
  1. n. cosmetic surgery used to regain a youthful appearance: At age 60 the actor had a face-lift that made him look much younger.
face-saving
face-saving
  1. n. [U] an action designed to keep one's self-respect in an embarrassing situation: Face-saving is an important part of many Asian and other cultures. —adj. keeping one's self-respect: The government allowed the man to resign as a facesaving measure; he didn't have to go to prison.
face
face
  1. n.
    1 the front of a being's head: That young woman has a pretty face.
    2 the front part of a structure: The face of that building (cliff, mountain, etc.) is gray and flat.
    3 on the face of it: on the surface: On the face of it, his offer seems genuine, but does he have the money to pay?
    4 to keep a straight face: to hold oneself back from smiling or laughing when s.t. is funny: When he tried to explain why he was late, she couldn't keep a straight face.
    5 to lose face: to lose status or the respect of others: When the man went to jail for stealing, he lost face among his family members.
    6 to make a face: to express dislike or disapproval by the expression on one's face: My son makes a face when I tell him to eat his vegetables.
    7 to save face: to keep one's dignity in an embarrassing situation: Instead of firing him, the company let him quit to save face.
    8 to show one's face: to appear somewhere when in difficulty or embarrassment: After failing his exams at college, he didn't dare show his face at home.
    9 to s.o.'s face: directly to s.o.: She could never tell him to his face that his jokes aren't funny.
    THESAURUS
    face n.
    1 features | a visage frml., countenance frml.
    2 the façade.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to be opposite | look out onto | have a view of (buildings)
    2 to confront, meet | deal with. Ant. to avoid. —v. faced, facing, faces
    1 [T] to present a front to s.o. or s.t.: I sat in the first row and faced the teacher.||The building that we work in faces a park.
    2 [T] to meet with courage: I decided finally to stand up and face my enemy.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to face down: to meet an enemy with courage,
    THESAURUS
    to intimidate: The king faced down his enemies on the battlefield.||He faced them down.
    4 to face facts or to face the fact: to understand a bad situation and do s.t. about it: We have to face the fact that the business is losing money.
    5 phrasal v. [I] to face off: to get into position prior to a fight or athletic event: The two boxers faced off before the fight started.
    6 infrml. to face the music: to step forward and accept punishment: The business is losing so much money that we must face the music and close it.
    7 phrasal v. insep. [T] to face up to s.t. or face up to the fact(s): to accept a bad situation and be willing to suffer the consequences: We have to face up to the fact that he's not doing the job and fire him.
face cloth
face cloth
  1. n. a small towel used to wash one's face,
    THESAURUS
    washcloth: I wash my face with a face cloth every morning.
face mask
face mask
  1. n. a covering used to protect the face in sports or to hide one's identity: She couldn't describe the thief, because he had worn a face mask.
face value
face value
  1. n.frml.
    1 [U] the truthfulness of s.t. as it appears on the surface: I accept what he says at face value because he is an honest man.
    2 [C] the value written on a stock or bond versus its market value: The face value of the bond is $1,000, but its market value is only $900.
facet
facet
  1. n.
    1 one of many small, flat surfaces cut in a stone or jewel: A jeweler cuts facets in a rough diamond.
    2 fig. a part,
    THESAURUS
    aspect: The problem that we face now has many legal and financial facets.
facetious
facetious
  1. adj.frml. humorous in a way that can be rude or disrespectful: Many people at the party were offended by his facetious comments. -adv. facetiously; -n. [U] facetiousness.
facial
facial
  1. adj. related to the face: Her facial expression changed to happiness when she heard the good news. —n. a treatment of the face's skin: She went to a beauty salon to have a facial.
facile
facile
  1. adj.
    1 done easily,
    THESAURUS
    skillful: The dancer's facile movements were beautiful to watch.
    2 smooth but untruthful: He has a facile tongue when he explains his mistakes.
facilitate
facilitate
  1. v. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates to help,
    THESAURUS
    to expedite: The tourist office sent us a guide who facilitated our travel through Japan.
facility
facility
  1. n. -ties
    1 [C] service(s), including the physical area, provided by an organization: The sports facility at that club includes tennis courts, a golf course, and a swimming pool.
    2 [U] ease, expertise: The facility with which she explains difficult topics is amazing.
    THESAURUS
    facility
    1 pl. the amenities
    2 one's skill, competence | readiness. Ant. inability.
facing
facing
  1. n. outside covering,
    THESAURUS
    facade: The facing on that building is made of stone.
facsimile
facsimile
  1. n.
    1 an exact copy,
    THESAURUS
    duplicate: That print is a facsimile of the original painting.
    2 an electronic transmission of printed materials via telephone wires: I sent my letter by facsimile to Mexico City this morning. See: fax.
fact-finding
fact-finding
  1. adj.n. related to finding out accurate information about s.t.: The President sent a diplomat on a fact-finding mission to the disaster area.||He finished his fact-finding in two days.
fact
fact
  1. n.
    1 a reality (as opposed to an opinion), such as an event, date, physical object, or number: The facts are that sales are up by 10%, but profits are down by 5%.
    2 the facts of life or a fact of life: a. usually an unpleasant reality that one must accept: Having to work for a living is a fact of life for most people. b. fig. information about sex: She knew it was time to explain the facts of life to her daughter.
    3 to get the facts: to find out accurate information about s.t.: The detective questioned the victim and witnesses to get the facts about the accident.
    THESAURUS
    fact
    1 the truth, actuality. Ants. fiction, fantasy.
faction
faction
  1. n. a group of people within a larger group,
    THESAURUS
    bloc: One faction within the Liberal Party wants a tax freeze.
factor
factor
  1. n.
    1 a fact to be considered: The high cost of labor is an important factor in the price of steel.
    2 a number by which a larger number can be divided: Two and four are factors of eight. —v. [T] to consider, include in one's reasoning: We factored in all of the company's needs and decided to locate the office in Florida.
    THESAURUS
    factor n.
    1 an issue in, cause of. —v. to take into account. Ant. to ignore.
factory
factory
  1. n. -ries a building or group of buildings where goods are produced: The furniture factory has five buildings with a fence around them.
    THESAURUS
    factory plant, manufacturing plant | shop, workshop, mill.
factual
factual
  1. adj. true, based on facts: A reporter checked out the story and found it to be factual.
faculty
faculty
  1. n. -ties
    1 an ability, esp. of the mind: She has the faculty to express herself well.
    2 pl. mental powers: The old man has lost his faculties and cannot take care of himself.
    3 used with a sing. or pl. v. the teaching staff at a school or college: That university has an excellent faculty.
    THESAURUS
    faculty
    1 the aptitude to (or ) for s.t., flair for, power to
    2 awareness, mental capacity.
fad
fad
  1. n. a fashion that lasts a short time: The current fad among young people is to wear baseball caps.
    THESAURUS
    fad a trend, craze | whim.
faddish
faddish
  1. adj. related to a fashion that lasts a short time: Some students dress in a faddish manner.
fade
fade
  1. v. faded, fading, fades
    1 [I;T] to lose the original color, grow pale: The wallpaper has faded from red to pale pink.
    2 [I] to disappear gradually: The horseman passed by me and faded into the distance.
    3 [I] to appear or disappear gradually, esp. in films and television —n.v. [I]
    1 fade-in: a gradual appearance, esp. in films and television: The camera operator did a fade-in of the next scene.
    2 fade-out: a gradual disappearance: The camera operator did a fade-out of a scene in a house; she faded out to pick up action occurring outdoors.
    THESAURUS
    fade v.
    1 to lighten, become paler. Ant. to darken.
    2 to melt away, dissolve. Ant. to appear.
fag
fag
  1. n.
    1 pej.slang a male homosexual
    2 slang a cigarette: Can you give me a fag?

    USAGE NOTE: Many people consider the terms fag and faggot offensive. Gay is the preferred alternate term for homosexual.
faggot
faggot
  1. n. pej.slang a male homosexual
fail-safe
fail-safe
  1. adj. served by a device or action that saves s.t. from major or total failure: As a fail-safe action, my computer automatically copies my work every two minutes, so almost nothing can be lost.
fail
fail
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to not succeed: He failed his test in math.
    2 [I] to not operate when needed: The brakes failed on his automobile when he tried to stop.
    3 [I] to break: A wire failed on a bridge and fell over the roadway.
    4 [I] to lose strength and ability: The old man is failing rapidly and may die soon.
    THESAURUS
    fail
    1 to not pass, flunk infrml. Ant. to pass.
    2 to not work, stop working
    3 to crack, be (syn.THESAURUS
    evered | stop working. Ant. to mend.
    4 to weaken, decline, deteriorate. Ant. to improve.
failing
failing
  1. n. a fault,
    THESAURUS
    shortcoming: The student's failing is that he does not study enough.
failure
failure
  1. n.
    1 [C] a person who fails: He cannot keep a job, so he feels he is a failure in life.
    2 [C] an activity or project that does not succeed: That new play was a failure on Broadway.
    3 [C] a breakdown: A failure in the electrical system caused the lights to go out.
    4 [C;U] neglect, not caring about one's responsibilities: Her failure to act in time caused the company to suffer a big loss.
    THESAURUS
    failure
    1 a loser. Ant. a success.
    2 a disaster, flop, dud infrml.
    3 a collapse, malfunction
    4 negligence.
faint-hearted
faint-hearted
  1. adj. lacking courage, fearful,
    THESAURUS
    cowardly: He was too faint-hearted to climb the mountain with the others.
faint
faint
  1. v. [I] to fall unconscious, pass out: The summer sun was so strong that she fainted. —adj.
    1 unclear, weak: The image on the photograph is too faint to see what it is.||The radio signal is too faint to be heard clearly.
    2 dizzy, weak: I feel faint from the heat.
    THESAURUS
    faint v.
    1 to black out, lose consciousness.
    THESAURUS
    —adj.
    1 faded, dim. Ants. clear, strong.
    2 light-headed, woozy. Ant. strong.
fair-haired
fair-haired
  1. adj.frml.
    1 with blond hair
    2 fair-haired boy: a favored boy or man: In his class, he is the teacher's fair-haired boy.
fair-minded
fair-minded
  1. adj. without showing favor to anyone,
    THESAURUS
    just, impartial: After hearing his decision, everyone agreed that the judge had been fair-minded.
fair-weather
fair-weather
  1. adj.
    1 related to good weather conditions: I wear a cap, sweater, and jeans as fair-weather clothing on our sailboat.
    2 fig. referring to people who are one's friends only in good times: After I lost my job and became ill, my fair-weather friends disappeared.
fair
fair
  1. adj.
    1 just, equitable: The judge's decision was fair to both sides.
    2 light-haired and light-skinned: Both she and her brother are fair.
    3 bright, sunny: We are having fair weather this week, so we will be able to work in our garden.
    4 neither good nor bad, average: The student's grades were just fair this semester.
    5 (in baseball) inside the foul line: The baseball player hit a fair ball to right field.
    6 a fair deal: an arrangement or purchase satisfactory to both sides: The couple felt they had gotten a fair deal on their new house.
    7 a fair shake: just treatment: He's an honest man and will give you a fair shake in his dealings with you.
    8 to be fair game: to be in danger of being taken advantage of: If you are careless and leave your purse open in public, you are fair game for a thief. —n. an event at which goods are shown and sold: One of our pigs won first prize at the county fair.||There is a famous book fair in Frankfurt, Germany, every year. —adv.
    1 fair and square: justly and honestly: I won the race fair and square.
    2 to play fair: to play a game and behave generally by the rules: That team uses dirty tricks to win; they don't play fair.
    THESAURUS
    fair adj.
    1 impartial, reasonable. Ant. unfair.
    2 blond, fair-haired, pale. Ant. dark.
    3 clear,
    THESAURUS
    pleasant. Ant. stormy.
    4 ordinary, adequate, so-so infrml. —n. a trade exhibition, trade event.
fair play
fair play
  1. n. [U] behaving according to commonly accepted rules of fairness: In the interest of fair play, you should hear both sides of the story.
fair trade agreement
fair trade agreement
  1. n. an agreement between a manufacturer and its distributors that its products will be sold at or above an agreed-upon price: Fair trade agreements prevent one store from selling a product at a much lower price than another.
fairground
fairground
  1. n. usu. used in pl. a large outdoor area, usu. with barns, to display farm animals and amusements: The fairgrounds have a place for animals on one side and some rides for children on the other.
fairly
fairly
  1. adv.
    1 justly,
    THESAURUS
    impartially: The boss acts fairly toward all her employees.
    2 moderately, not extremely: He should arrive here fairly soon. See: kind of, USAGE NOTE.
fairness
fairness
  1. n. [U]
    1 lightness of complexion and hair: The fairness of her skin prevents her from staying in the sun too long.
    2 justness,
    THESAURUS
    impartiality: The fairness of the judge's decision was admired by all.
fairway
fairway
  1. n. an area of carefully cut grass between tee and green: The golfer hit the golfball in a perfect line, straight down the fairway.
fairy
fairy
  1. n. -ies
    1 a small, imaginary creature with magical powers: When children lose their baby teeth, the tooth fairy puts money under their pillows.
    2 fig.pej. a male homosexual

    USAGE NOTE: Many people consider this term offensive. Gay is the preferred alternate term for homosexual.
fairy tale
fairy tale
  1. n.
    1 a children's story with magical creatures and interesting adventures: Parents read fairy tales to their children before bedtime.
    2 fig. a polite term for an untrue story: His adventures in Alaska are fairy tales; he's never been there.
fairyland
fairyland
  1. n. an imaginary place where fairies live: The little girl dreamed that she traveled to fairyland.
fait accompli
fait accompli
  1. n. sing.frml. (French for) a completed action that cannot be changed: Your daughter's marriage to that fellow whom you dislike is a fait accompli, so accept it.
faith
faith
  1. n.
    1 [U] belief in a favorable result with no factual proof, conviction: I have faith that my surgery will turn out well.
    2 [C] a specific religion: He belongs to the Jewish faith.
    3 to have faith in: to believe in s.t., esp. in God: My husband has faith in God.
    4 to keep the faith: a. to remain devoted to one's religion: He goes to church each Sunday to keep the faith. b. to remain devoted to one's efforts or goals: Whenever my work becomes too difficult, I tell myself to keep the faith.
    THESAURUS
    faith
    1 confidence, hope. Ant. disbelief.
    2 a denomination, sect.
faithful
faithful
  1. adj.
    1 devoted to a religion: Churchgoers are faithful to their religious beliefs.
    2 loyal to one's spouse by not having a sexual relationship with s.o. else: He has always been faithful to his wife.
    3 factual, accurate: Her book was a faithful account of the years she spent in jail as a political prisoner. -adv. faithfully.
    THESAURUS
    faithful
    1 loyal to, steadfast in
    2 true, devoted | trustworthy. Ant. unfaithful.
    3 exact, truthful. Ants. unrealistic, fake.
faithless
faithless
  1. adj. immoral, disloyal: The wife rejected her faithless husband.
fajitas
fajitas
  1. n.pl. a dish created in Texas and influenced by Mexican-style food, usu. with grilled meat or chicken placed inside a thin bread called a "tortilla": When I eat at Mexican restaurants, I always order fajitas. See: tortilla.
fake
fake
  1. n.
    1 a copy, imitation: That painting is a fake.
    2 person claiming to be s.o. or s.t. he or she is not, impostor, phony: That guy pretends to be a cop, but he's a fake. —v. faked, faking, fakes
    1 [T] to make or write s.t. in order to deceive, forge: He faked his wife's signature on a check.
    2 to fake it: to do s.t. without preparation, out of necessity, (syns.) to improvise, to wing it: She was called upon suddenly to make a speech, so she had to fake it.
    THESAURUS
    fake n.
    1 a counterfeit, replica. Ant. an original.
    2 a fraud, faker. —v.
    1 to falsify, simulate.
falcon
falcon
  1. n. a bird that can be trained to hunt small animals: He spent the summer training the falcon. -n. [C] falconer; [U] falconry.
fall
fall
  1. n.
    1 a sudden move to the ground from a standing position, tumble: He took a bad fall and broke his ankle.
    2 a severe loss of status or power: The political leader had a fall from power.
    3 a decline, loss of value: The housing market experienced a fall in prices.
    4 the season between summer and winter,
    THESAURUS
    autumn: In the fall, the leaves change to bright colors.
    5 to be headed for a fall: to be on a dangerous path to ruin: We knew he was headed for a fall when the boss kept calling him into his office. See: rainfall; snowfall.
    THESAURUS
    fall n.
    1 a spill, tumble, header infrml.
    2 a decline, descent
    3 a drop, plunge, reduction. Ants. an increase, rise, hike infrml. —v. fell , fallen , falling, falls
    1 [I] to move suddenly to the ground from a standing position, tumble: She fell and hurt her head.||He fell over the low table.
    2 [I] to come down from a higher place: Some dishes fell off the table and broke.||He fell into the pool (out of the window, down the stairs etc.).
    3 fig. [I] to suffer a severe loss of status or power: The government fell and was replaced by another.
    4 [I] to decline: The price of oil fell sharply.
    THESAURUS
    fall v.
    1 to topple over, plunge, fall down
    2 to tumble, come crashing down infrml. | trip, stumble, topple over (a person)
    3 to be toppled, collapse. Ant. to triumph.
    4 to drop, plunge. Ants. to increase, rise.
    5 [I] to pass into a new state or condition: He fell asleep while watching TV.||She fell ill for a month.||He fell into alcoholism and was rejected by his friends.
    6 to fall all over oneself: to try hard, be eager: When he first got the job, he fell all over himself trying to please his new boss.
    7 to fall all over s.o.: to flatter s.o. in an attempt to please: He falls all over his girlfriend every time he sees her.
    8 phrasal v. [I] to fall back: to retreat, withdraw: The enemy forces fell back under the counterattack.
    9 phrasal v. insep. [T] to fall back on s.o. or s.t.: to depend on in case of need: When she lost her job, she fell back on piano playing for money.
    10 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to fall behind s.o. or in/on s.t.: not to keep pace: One marcher fell behind the others.||The woman fell behind in her rent payments.
    11 to fall by the wayside: to disappear, no longer be of interest: He had big plans about starting a new business, but they fell by the wayside.
    12 to fall down on the job: to fail to perform in a satisfactory way: He fell down on the job and did not complete his assignment on time.
    13 to fall flat: to fail, meet disapproval: The new play fell flat and closed in a week.
    14 to fall flat on one's face: a. infrml. fig. to move completely to the ground from a standing position: He was ice skating and fell flat on his face. b. fig. to fail completely: She tried acting in New York but fell flat on her face.
    15 phrasal v. insep. [T] to fall for s.o.: a. to fall in love with: She was so charming that he fell for her right away. b. to be deceived by a trick: He told the teacher he hadn't done the assignment because he was sick, and she fell for it.
    16 to fall from favor or grace: to be no longer favored by s.o.: The count fell from favor with the queen, and she sent him away.
    17 phrasal v. [I] to fall in: (military) to join in a military formation: The sergeant ordered the troops to fall in.
    18 to fall in battle: to be killed or wounded: The soldier fell in battle.
    19 to fall in line: to cooperate with others after being unwilling to do so: The Senator first refused to cooperate, but she fell in line after meeting with the President.
    20 to fall in love: to suddenly form deep feelings of affection for s.o. or s.t.: He fell in love with her the first time that he met her.||She fell in love with California on a trip there.
    21 phrasal v. insep. [T] to fall in with s.o.: to join a group of people, esp. with troublemakers: In high school, he fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up in jail.
    22 to fall into (debt, trouble, difficulty, etc.): to suffer problems by poor management or bad luck: When her business failed, she fell into debt.
    23 phrasal v. [I;T] to fall into s.t.: to experience good fortune by pure luck: He made a small fortune on a business deal that he just fell into on information from a friend.
    24 phrasal v. [I] to fall off: to decline, decrease: Business has fallen off lately.
    25 phrasal v. insep. [T] to fall on/upon: to attack suddenly: The robber fell on him and stole his money.
    26 phrasal v. insep. [I] to fall out (with s.o.): to have an argument (with s.o.): They were best friends for years before they fell out over a business decision.
    27 to fall prey to: to be hurt by s.o. or s.t.: While traveling, he fell prey to some dishonest people who took his money.
    28 to fall short: to be lacking,
    THESAURUS
    inadequate: The trip fell short of our expectations and was not much fun.
    29 phrasal v. [I] to fall through: to fail to happen: The deal that we made fell through at the last minute.
    30 phrasal v. insep. [I] to fall to s.o. or s.t.: a. to begin to do s.t. energetically: When he sat down at the table, he fell to eating like a starving man. b. frml. to be conquered by: The city fell to the invading army.
    31 phrasal v. insep. [I] to fall under s.o. or s.t.: to be classified as: The matter fell under the authority of the lower court.
fall guy
fall guy
  1. n.infrml. s.o. chosen to take the blame for the wrongdoing of others,
    THESAURUS
    a dupe: My boss made a big mistake, but I was the fall guy, so they fired me!
fallacious
fallacious
  1. adj.frml.
    1 false, deceitful: The witness made several fallacious statements to the police officer.
    2 incorrect,
    THESAURUS
    erroneous: Some facts in the newspaper article were fallacious and later corrected.
fallacy
fallacy
  1. n. -cies a false belief, (syns.) misconception, misinterpretation: It is a fallacy that everyone is equal before the law, because people with money hire expensive lawyers to keep them out of jail.
fallen
fallen
  1. past part. of fall
fallible
fallible
  1. adj. capable of making errors, imperfect: All humans are fallible.
falling-out
falling-out
  1. n. a disagreement between people resulting in an end to their friendship: The two men had a falling-out over a woman and didn't speak to each other for many years.
falloff
falloff
  1. n. a slow period of activity,
    THESAURUS
    a decline: Our business had a falloff in sales in April and May.
fallopian tube
fallopian tube
  1. n. one of two tubes connecting the uterus with the ovaries: The woman had a blocked fallopian tube.
fallout
fallout
  1. n. [U]
    1 radioactive particles falling slowly to earth after a nuclear explosion or accident: The fallout from the nuclear power plant accident traveled 800 miles over Europe.
    2 unplanned side effects: Raising taxes produced negative fallout for the politicians responsible.
fallow
fallow
  1. adj.
    1 referring to farmland that is plowed but not planted with crops: to lie fallow: The farmer lets some of his land lie fallow each year.
    2 fig. unproductive,
    THESAURUS
    dormant: The new product design is just lying fallow until there is money to produce it.
false-hearted
false-hearted
  1. adj. deceitful, disloyal: He was a false-hearted man who only pretended to love her.
false
false
  1. adj. falser, falsest
    1 incorrect, untrue: The test consisted of questions that had to be answered as either true or false.
    2 disloyal, unfaithful: She pretended to be my friend, but her friendship was false.
    3 not real, made to deceive: She wears false eyelashes. -n. [U] falsity.
    THESAURUS
    false
    1 wrong. Ant. true.
    2 insincere, untrue. Ants. loyal, faithful.
    3 artificial, fake. Ant.
false alarm
false alarm
  1. n. an alarm sounded without the existence of a real emergency: False alarms anger firefighters, who have to respond to them.
false bottom
false bottom
  1. n. a section in a container, such as luggage, where things can be hidden: The box of oranges had a false bottom where stolen art objects were hidden.
false pretense
false pretense
  1. n. an action meant to deceive, (syns.) deceit, duplicity: He borrowed money from friends under the false pretense of needing to buy food, and then he spent it on a party.||He borrowed the money under false pretenses.
falsehood
falsehood
  1. n.frml. a lie, untruth: The boy's father punished him for telling a falsehood.
falsetto
falsetto
  1. n. [C;U] -tos an artificially high singing voice: The male quartet has a style of singing in falsetto.
falsie
falsie
  1. n.slang a padded bra: She wears falsies to improve her figure.
falsification
falsification
  1. n. an act of falsifying: The falsification of the documents was proved in a court of law.
falsify
falsify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to make s.t. false by changing it, doctor, tamper with: The teacher falsified the student's records to protect himself.
    2 to present in a false way, lie about: He falsified his past in order to get the job.
    THESAURUS
    falsify
    1 to alter, rig | fake, misrepresent
    2 to make up, fib about, fabricate frml.
falter
falter
  1. v. [I]
    1 to walk, speak, or move in an unsteady way: The old man started to falter as he climbed the steps.
    2 to become weak, decline: The economy faltered last year but has now started to improve. -adj. faltering.
fame
fame
  1. n. [U] the state of being well-known and talked about, renown: Charles Darwin won fame throughout the world because of his theories.
    THESAURUS
    fame celebrity, recognition | notoriety. Ant. anonymity.
familial
familial
  1. adj.frml. related to the family: The couple's familial responsibilities are considerable because they have ten children.
familiar
familiar
  1. adj.
    1 knowing about, acquainted: I'm familiar with that neighborhood because I lived there for many years.
    2 more friendly than is proper, overbearing: When he tried to kiss her, she told him that he was getting too familiar.
    3 a familiar face: s.o. that one knows: After being alone in a strange city for two weeks, he was happy to see a familiar face. -adv. familiarly.
    THESAURUS
    familiar
    1 well-informed about, conversant about, aware of. Ant. unfamiliar.
    2 too friendly, forward | intimate.
familiarity
familiarity
  1. n. [U] knowledge of s.t.: My familiarity with the French language was helpful during my trip to France last year.
familiarize
familiarize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to learn about, to become acquainted with: I familiarized myself with a map of the city before visiting Boston.
family
family
  1. n. -lies
    1 one's closest relatives, usu. parents, children, brothers, and sisters: His family consists of his mother, a sister in Florida, and himself.
    2 a group of people related by blood or marriage: Most of my family lives on the West Coast, but I have some cousins in Chicago.
    3 a group of related plants or animals: A wolf is a member of the dog family.
    4 a group of similar things: That company produces a family of household products.
    THESAURUS
    family
    1 and
    2 one's relatives, relations, kin
    4 a set, range, host.
family name
family name
  1. n.
    1 one's last name: His family name is Cruz.
    2 a symbol of one's position in society: When he went to jail, he shamed the family name.
    THESAURUS
    family name
    1 a last name, surname
    2 reputation, status.
family planning
family planning
  1. n. [U] the use of birth control methods to limit the number of children one has: One can learn about family planning by reading books or by visiting social service clinics.
family tree
family tree
  1. n. a drawing that shows the relationship of a large number of family members: The couple has their family tree hanging on a wall in their living room.
famine
famine
  1. n. [C;U] a serious lack of food: Famine is sometimes caused by a long period without rainfall.
famished
famished
  1. adj. very hungry,
    THESAURUS
    starved: I am famished; I haven't eaten all day!
famous
famous
  1. adj.
    1 very well-known, renowned: She is a famous Hollywood actress.
    2 well-known in a bad way, notorious: Her husband is famous for his bad manners. -adv. famously. See: infamous, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    famous
    1 famed, prominent, recognized. Ant. unknown.
    2 legendary.
fan
fan
  1. n.
    1 an admirer: When the rock star appeared on stage, her fans went wild.
    2 a handheld or mechanical device that creates a current of air in order to cool: In the summer, we turn on the fan to keep cool. —v. fanned, fanning, fans
    1 [T] to move air with a fan: I fanned the flames in the fireplace.
    2 [I;T] to spread out: The villagers fanned out across the countryside in search of the lost child.
    THESAURUS
    fan n.
    1 a supporter, follower | groupie infrml., enthusiast frml.
fan letter
fan letter
  1. n. a letter expressing admiration: Movie stars often receive fan letters.
fan mail
fan mail
  1. n. [U] letters sent by admirers to famous people: Rock stars receive tons of fan mail.
fanatic
fanatic
  1. n. a person who shows excessive enthusiasm for s.t., (syns.) a zealot, extremist: He is a political fanatic who is in favor of violent revolution.
fanatical
fanatical
  1. adj. showing excessive enthusiasm for s.t., (syns.) extremist, radical: She is fanatical in her political beliefs.||He is a vegetarian and fanatical about eating things such as brown rice.
fanaticism
fanaticism
  1. n. [U] excessive enthusiasm for s.t.: The political leader's increasing fanaticism has caused him to lose many of his followers.
fancier
fancier
  1. n. a person with a strong interest in s.t., such as a certain type of plant or animal: She is a cat fancier and has three cats of her own.
fanciful
fanciful
  1. adj. imaginative rather than real, (syns.) whimsical, playful: She has some fanciful ideas about becoming a movie star someday.||The artist was famous for his fanciful drawings.
fancy-free
fancy-free
  1. adj. See: footloose.
fancy
fancy
  1. adj. -cier, -ciest
    1 not plain or simple, elegant, elaborate: They wear fancy clothes and live in a fancy neighborhood.
    2 of superior quality, special: He enjoys eating and buys fancy foods at gourmet shops. —v. [T] -cied, -cying, -cies
    1 to desire, find pleasing: I fancy eating out tonight.
    2 to imagine, fantasize about: He fancies himself a great storyteller. —n. -cies a desire for s.t.: I have a fancy for some lobster for dinner.
    THESAURUS
    fancy adj.
    1 ornate, lavish, decorative (décor, clothes) | upscale (location). Ant. simple.
    2 gourmet, choice.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to want to
    2 to think, believe, consider.
fanfare
fanfare
  1. n. [C;U] a loud, showy introduction to an event, such as the sound of trumpets: The national political convention was opened with a fanfare of marching bands and cheering crowds.
fang
fang
  1. n. a long, sharp, pointed tooth, such as those of lions and wolves: Some snakes have long fangs that inject poison into the animals they kill. -adj. fanged.
fanny
fanny
  1. n.slang -nies the part of the body on which a person sits: I slipped while roller skating and fell on my fanny.
fanny pack
fanny pack
  1. n. a small bag worn around the waist for carrying money, keys, etc.: When Pedro rides his bike, he puts his money and some crackers in his fanny pack.
fantasize
fantasize
  1. v. [I;T] -sized, -sizing, -sizes to have imaginary desires and experiences: She fantasizes that she is a famous singer.
fantastic
fantastic
  1. adj.
    1 infrml. wonderful, fabulous: We had a fantastic time on our vacation in the Rocky Mountains.
    2 imaginative, strange, and unreal: The movie was filled with fantastic, strange-looking animals. -adv. fantastically.
    THESAURUS
    fantastic
    1 excellent, terrific. Ants. boring, bad.
    2 bizarre, extraordinary, out of this world infrml. Ants. ordinary, everyday.
fantasy
fantasy
  1. n. -sies
    1 a product of the imagination, daydream: He has fantasies about dating a beautiful movie star.
    2 the product of a creative imagination: This science fiction writer has created wonderful space fantasies.
    THESAURUS
    fantasy
    1 a dream, illusion | vision. Ant. reality.
far-fetched
far-fetched
  1. adj. not likely to happen, (syns.) improbable, ridiculous: He has some far-fetched ideas about building a huge company in only a year's time.
far-flung
far-flung
  1. adj. covering a wide area: Her travels have taken her to the most far-flung countries of the world.
far-off
far-off
  1. adj. distant, faraway: He dreams of visiting far-off lands.
far-out
far-out
  1. adj.slang very strange, incredible, (syns.) outlandish, mind-boggling: He has some far-out ideas on how to save the world. See: groovy, USAGE NOTE.
far-reaching
far-reaching
  1. adj. having a strong effect or influence: The head of state proposed some far-reaching changes in government.
far-sighted
far-sighted
  1. adj.
    1 able to see clearly only at a distance: He is far-sighted, so he needs glasses for reading.
    2 fig. able to plan effectively for the future: The political leader has far-sighted programs to benefit the country's future.
far
far
  1. adv. farther or further , farthest or furthest
    1 to a great distance: We had to walk far to get to the nearest gas station.
    2 to a great extent: The effects of the disaster will last far into the future.
    3 to a greater extent, much: He failed the test but promises to do far better next time.
    4 to a certain distance or extent (usu. used in questions): How far away is the nearest subway station?
    5 as far as: a. to a specific point in space: From the hill, we could see as far as the nearest village. b. to the extent that: As far as I know, the trains are running on time.
    6 by far: greatly, very much: He is by far the best football player in the league.
    7 far and away: without any doubt, (syns.) absolutely, unequivocally: She is far and away the best teacher on campus.
    8 far and wide: everywhere, all over the place: He looked far and wide for his lost wallet.
    9 far be it for me to say: I cannot say because I have the same or worse fault: Far be it for me to say that you should get married; I've been divorced twice.
    10 far from: not at all: We are far from happy with the results of the election.
    11 far from it: definitely not, not the way it is: I don't want to go on vacation; far from it, I need to look for a new job.
    12 far off: a. in the distant future: The date of our departure is not far off. b. incorrect: He is not far off when he says that the economy is improving.
    13 on the far right/left: (in politics) holding extreme views: Some politicians on the far right are becoming more powerful in that country.
    14 so far, so good: everything has been fine until now: I was worried that my math course was going to be difficult, but so far, so good.
    15 to go far: to succeed: She is a hard worker and will go far in her profession. —adj.
    1 distant: Flying to China is a far journey.
    2 a far cry: very different, a long way from: That textbook is a far cry from being readable; no one can understand it.
    THESAURUS
    far adv.
    1 a long way. Ant. near.
    2 well, way
    3 much, considerably, significantly
    4 distant, far off, remote. Ant. near. —adj.
    1 long, lengthy. Ant. short.
faraway
faraway
  1. adj. very far,
    THESAURUS
    remote: On his vacations, he likes to go to faraway places.
farce
farce
  1. n.
    1 (in the theater) a type of humorous play filled with ridiculous situations: I thought the farce was funny, but my friend found it silly.
    2 [C] a ridiculous situation or event: That man's presentation was a farce; he was not prepared at all. -adj. farcical.
fare
fare
  1. n.
    1 [C] the cost of a ride, such as on a bus, train, or boat: You pay the fare when you get on the bus.
    2 [C] a passenger: The bus has 20 fares on it.
    3 [U] frml. food and drink: That restaurant has excellent fare. —v. [I] fared, faring, fares to result in s.t. good or bad, make out: He fared well on his trip because he did some good business.
    THESAURUS
    fare n.
    1 the price, cost, fee. —v. to manage, do | get along.
farewell
farewell
  1. interj.old usage good-bye (for a long time or forever): The retiree said farewell to his co-workers and moved to Florida. —adj. relating to a person's departure: We had a farewell party or dinner for him before he left.
farm-er
farm-er
  1. n. a person who farms: The farmer drove to the city each week to sell his fruits and vegetables.
    THESAURUS
    farmer a planter, grower, cultivator.
farm
farm
  1. n. a piece of land for raising crops and animals, usu. with a farmhouse, barn(s), and equipment: As a boy, I lived on a farm in Maine. —v. [I;T] to raise crops and animals: Her family has farmed their land for a hundred years.
farming
farming
  1. n. [U] the business and practice of raising crops and animals: That man has been in farming all of his life.
farmland
farmland
  1. n. [U] land used in farming: The farmland in Iowa is so rich that it is called "black gold."
fart
fart
  1. n. slang
    1 gas coming from the anus
    2 an annoying or foolish person v.
    1 [I] to send out gas from the anus, (syn.) to break wind: In American culture, farting is considered impolite.
    2 to fart around: to waste time, fool around: After school, I fart around for an hour and then start my homework.
farther
farther
  1. adj. comp. of far: more distant: He moved farther away from the table and stood up.
    THESAURUS
    farther further | beyond.
farthest
farthest
  1. adj. superlative of far: Of all our friends, the Nelson family lives farthest away.
    THESAURUS
    farthest furthest, furthest away.
fascinate
fascinate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates
    1 to interest greatly, hold the attention of s.o., engross: The customs and traditions of other cultures often fascinate people.
    2 to strongly attract: She fascinates friends with her intelligence and charm.
    THESAURUS
    fascinate
    1 to intrigue, enthrall, mesmerize
    2 to charm, captivate | entice. Ants. to turn off, repel.
fascinating
fascinating
  1. adj.
    1 very interesting, (syns.) absorbing, engrossing: I find the study of history fascinating.
    2 attractive, (syns.) charming, captivating: She met a fascinating man at the party. -adv. fascinatingly.
fascination
fascination
  1. n. [U]
    1 s.t. that powerfully holds one's attention: I have a fascination for books on history.
    2 strong attraction,
    THESAURUS
    captivation: She creates a fascination in every man she meets.
fascism
fascism
  1. n. [U] a political system in which one party, run by a person with great power, has total control over industry, banking, and the military: She authored a book on the rise of fascism in Europe in the 1930s.
fascist
fascist
  1. n.adj. a follower of fascism: The fascist governments in Europe fell as a result of World War II.
fashion plate
fashion plate
  1. n.fig. a person who dresses in the latest style: He is a fashion plate, always dressed like a model.
fashionable
fashionable
  1. adj. in the latest style, stylish: Her clothes are very fashionable.
    THESAURUS
    fashionable stylish, chic, trendy | in, hip infrml., in vogue frml. Ants. unfashionable, dowdy.
fast
fast
  1. adv.
    1 rapidly, quickly: That athlete can run fast.
    2 faster than normal speed: My watch is running five minutes fast.
    3 deeply, soundly: The baby is fast asleep now.
    4 firmly, tightly: That door won't open; it is stuck fast.
    5 to live life hard and fast: to enjoy bad habits: He lives life hard and fast: drinking, smoking, and partying every night.
    THESAURUS
    fast adv.
    1 swiftly, speedily. Ant. slowly.
    2 ahead of time
    3 sound.
    THESAURUS
    —adj.
    1 speedy. Ant. slow.
    2 quick. Ant. slow.
    3 very good, devoted. —adj.
    1 rapid, quick: We took a fast train from New York to Boston.
    2 done quickly: He finished the job in half an hour, which was fast work!
    3 loyal, faithful: The two men have been fast friends for years.
    4 (of colors in fabric) firmly fixed, permanent: The colors in that sweater are fast, so they won't run when it's washed.
    5 acting freely in sexual relationships: He is fast and likes fast women.
    6 hard and fast rule: a strict rule: There is a hard and fast rule that no one may enter the library without showing an identification card.
    7 on the fast track: making rapid advancement in one's career: She is the youngest manager in the company and on the fast track to a top executive position.
    8 to live in the fast lane: to live one's life with high intensity: He lives life in the fast lane with a high-pressure Wall Street job and a fast-paced night life.
    9 to make a fast buck: to make some money rapidly, often in a dishonest way: The owner made a fast buck by selling his business before it failed. —v. [I] to eat and drink little or nothing: From time to time, I fast for a day to lose weight. —n. a period of fasting: The religious leader went on a fast for a week to protest the war in his country.
fasten
fasten
  1. v. [T]
    1 to attach, affix: He fastened pictures on the wall with hooks.
    2 to close (button, tie, etc.): She fastened the buttons on her blouse.
    3 fig. to direct one's eyes or attention to: The student fastened his attention on the teacher. -n. fastener.
    THESAURUS
    fasten
    1 to put, secure
    2 to do up (zip, button, snap). Ant. to undo.
    3 to focus, direct.
fastening
fastening
  1. n. [C;U] s.t. that joins together two things: The fastening on the window is broken.
fastidious
fastidious
  1. adj.
    1 very careful, paying (too) close attention to details,
    THESAURUS
    meticulous: Our English teacher is fastidious about our spelling.
    2 hard to please,
    THESAURUS
    fussy: He is so fastidious about cleanliness that he always wipes his glass before drinking even though it's clean.
fat
fat
  1. adj. fatter, fattest
    1 overweight, heavy: She exercises every day to avoid getting fat.
    2 thick: The thief began to follow the man with the fat wallet.
    3 a fat check: a check for a large amount of money: I received a nice fat check in the mail this morning.
    4 fat chance: (used ironically) no chance at all: I told my friend that I'm going to win the lottery this week, and he said, "Fat chance!" See: overweight, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    fat adj.
    1 chubby, stout, plump | obese. Ants. thin, skinny. —n.
    1 the layer of flesh under the skin: He has a lot of fat around his middle.
    2 a soft solid or liquid oily substance found in animals or plant seeds: Some beef has a lot of fat in it.
    3 this substance specially prepared for use in cooking: There's a lot of butter in the cream sauce, so it's high in fat.
    4 to live off the fat of the land: to live well without having to work: That man has no intention of looking for a job; he's just going to live off the fat of the land as long as he can.
fatal
fatal
  1. adj.
    1 causing death: The poor man had a fatal heart attack.
    2 disastrous, tragic: She made the fatal mistake of returning to her country just as the war began. -adv. fatally.
    THESAURUS
    fatal
    1 deadly, lethal | mortal
    2 serious, catastrophic, ruinous frml.
fatalistic
fatalistic
  1. adj. related to the belief that everything that happens is determined in advance and cannot be changed by human effort: He has a fatalistic attitude about life and is never happy. -n. [U] fatalism.
fatality
fatality
  1. n. -ties a death resulting from accident, disease, natural disaster, or war: On long holiday weekends there is always a rise in the number of fatalities due to auto accidents.
fate
fate
  1. n.
    1 [U] a force or power believed to determine in advance everything that happens: Fate brought the two leaders together so that they might bring peace to the world.
    2 [C] a tragic end: It was while mountain climbing in Nepal that he fell and met his fate.
    3 as fate would have it: as a result of good or bad luck: As fate would have it, our flight was canceled because of a snowstorm and we missed an important meeting.
    THESAURUS
    fate
    1 destiny, fortune. Ants. chance, luck.
    2 doom.
fated
fated
  1. adj. determined by fate,
    THESAURUS
    destined: The ill-fated airliner crashed in heavy fog, and there were no survivors.
fateful
fateful
  1. adj. determined by fate, important, usu. involving harm or death: The fateful moment arrived when the two great armies met in battle for the last time.
fathead
fathead
  1. n.infrml. a stupid person: He's such a fathead; he won't listen to anybody. -adj. fatheaded; -n. [U] fatheadedness.
father-in-law
father-in-law
  1. n. fathers-in-law the father of either one's husband or one's wife: He and his father-in-law often have disagreements.
father
father
  1. n.
    1 one's male parent: His father lived to be 90 years old.
    2 Father: a. God: Oh Father, please listen to my prayer. b. the form of address for a Catholic or Anglican priest: Father Tomkins conducted the service.
    3 a person who starts s.t. new, (syns.) originator, founder: He was the father of modern medicine. —v. [T]
    1 to cause a woman to become pregnant and give birth to a child: He fathered two children.
    2 to start s.t. new, (syns.) to originate, found: The leaders fathered a new nation. -n. [U] fatherhood.
father figure
father figure
  1. n. a man to whom others look for advice and support: Since the death of the boy's father, his uncle has acted as a father figure.
fatherly
fatherly
  1. adj. having the ideal characteristics of a father: That teacher has a fatherly attitude towards his students, and they often seek his advice.
fathom
fathom
  1. n. a measurement of six feet of water depth: A sailor measured the water depth at five fathoms. —v. [T] to understand after deep thought,
    THESAURUS
    to comprehend: I cannot fathom why he would leave such a good job. See: unfathomable.
fatigue
fatigue
  1. n.
    1 [U] great tiredness: He is suffering from fatigue and wants to go to bed early.
    2 pl. military clothes: Soldiers wear fatigues. —v. -[T] tigued, -tiguing, -tigues to make tired,
    THESAURUS
    to exhaust: The child has so much energy that she fatigues her mother.
    THESAURUS
    fatigue n.
    1 weariness, exhaustion. Ants. energy, pep.
fatten
fatten
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to make fat, esp. farm animals used for food: The farmer started to fatten the turkey in preparation for the Thanksgiving Day meal.
    2 to grow fat: That baby has really started to fatten up.
fatty
fatty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest containing a lot of fat: I didn't buy the meat because it was too fatty.
fatuous
fatuous
  1. adj. stupid without appearing to know it: Everybody is always laughing behind his back at his fatuous statements. -adv. fatuously.
faucet
faucet
  1. n. a device through which the flow of water or other liquids is controlled, (syns.) a tap, spigot: The plumber said that I needed to buy a new faucet.
fault
fault
  1. n.
    1 an imperfection, flaw: There is a fault in the computer system.
    2 a weak point in s.o.'s character, shortcoming, foible: He has some faults, such as sometimes talking too much.
    3 blame, responsibility (for a mistake): Nobody knew who was at fault for the train accident.
    4 a large crack in the surface of the earth: The San Andreas fault lies near San Francisco, where the fault line runs north and south.
    5 to a fault: more than is necessary: That man is careful in his business dealings to a fault.
    6 to find fault with: to criticize usu. too often,
    THESAURUS
    to carp about: He complained that his boss was always finding fault with his work. —v. [T] to criticize, blame: I fault him for not delivering the product on time. -adj. faultless; -adv. faultlessly.
    THESAURUS
    fault n.
    1 an error, defect
    2 a weakness, flaw. Ants. strong point, attribute.
    3 (to have the) responsibility for s.t.
    4 a split, fissure.
faulty
faulty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 not working properly, defective: The fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring.
    2 incorrect, flawed: Faulty thinking on his part caused the mistake.
    THESAURUS
    faulty
    1 damaged, broken down, defective. Ant. fine.
    2 wrong, erroneous. Ant. correct.
faun
faun
  1. n. an ancient Roman god of the woods and fields that was half-man, half-goat: The fauns liked to play tricks on people.
fauna
fauna
  1. n.frml. [C;U] -nas or -nae the animals in a specific place or time period: She spent a year studying the fauna of the Amazon.

    USAGE NOTE: Fauna is often used in the phrase flora (plants) and fauna. See: flora.
faux pas
faux pas
  1. n.frml. faux pas (French for) a socially awkward mistake: He made a faux pas when he called his new boss by the wrong name.
favor
favor
  1. v. [T]
    1 to prefer: I favor leaving today instead of tomorrow.
    2 to give preference to s.o., often unfairly: The mother favors her youngest daughter among all her children.
    3 to look like: Our daughter favors her mother's side of the family.
    THESAURUS
    favor v.
    1 to choose, opt for
    2 to have a special liking for | indulge, pamper, spoil
    3 to resemble, be like. Ant. to differ. —n.
    1 a helpful act, a good turn: He did me a favor by helping me get a loan.
    2 a little gift, usu. given out at parties: The children's table was covered with party favors, such as funny hats and candies.
    3 pl. favors intimate affections of a woman: He longs for her favors.
    4 in favor or out of favor with s.o.: (not) having the approval of s.o.: That union leader is currently out of favor with the mayor.
    5 in favor of: on the side of, in support of: The hospital workers voted in favor of the new contract.
    6 frml. to be looked upon with favor: to be approved of or supported: The nobleman's request for land was looked upon with favor by the king.
    7 to seek favor with: to attempt to gain the approval of s.o.: The new employee seeks favor with the boss by working late every night.
    THESAURUS
    favor n.
    1 (act of) kindness, good deed.
favorable
favorable
  1. adj.
    1 approving, positive: I received a favorable report from the doctor.
    2 pleasing: The first day of class, the instructor made a favorable impression on the students.
    3 advantageous, conducive: We have favorable weather for our sailing trip now.
    THESAURUS
    favorable
    1 good, encouraging. Ant. negative.
    2 good, positive
    3 good, fair. Ants. unfavorable, bad.
favorably
favorably
  1. adv.
    1 approvingly, positively: The bank looks favorably on your request for a loan.
    2 in an advantageous way,
    THESAURUS
    beneficially: I hope that your job interview turns out favorably for you.
favored
favored
  1. adj. preferred over others: Tea is favored over coffee in England.||The youngest is the favored child in that family.
favorite
favorite
  1. adj. most preferred: Mozart is his favorite composer. —n.
    1 most preferred, chosen one: The father's older son is his favorite.
    2 the most likely to win: Last year's winner is the favorite in this year's race.
    3 favorite son: a politician preferred as a presidential candidate by his own state: As a candidate, he was the favorite son from Missouri.
favoritism
favoritism
  1. n. [U] preferential treatment, esp. when it is unfair: The owner of the company is guilty of favoritism in promoting her son because he is not qualified for the job.
fawn
fawn
  1. n. a young deer: Fawns are born in the springtime. —v. [T] to seek s.o.'s favor through flattery and false humility,
    THESAURUS
    to grovel: He's always fawning over his rich uncle.
fax
fax
  1. n. faxes
    1 a document sent electronically through telephone lines: I sent a fax of my letter (order, illustration, etc.) to our Hong Kong office.
    2 a machine used to send an electronic document, a fax machine —v. [T] faxed, faxing, faxes to send a fax: I faxed it this morning. See: facsimile.
faze
faze
  1. v. [T] fazed, fazing, fazes to disturb, worry,
    THESAURUS
    to disconcert: The bad news did not faze him at all.
fear
fear
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a strong feeling of fright about danger (harm, trouble, etc.): The hunter was filled with fear when he saw the bear running toward him.
    2 [C] worry or anxiety that s.t. bad will happen: He has a fear that the economy will become worse.
    3 [C] a specific cause of fright or anxiety: She has had a fear of dogs ever since she was bitten as a child. —v. [T]
    1 to feel a strong fright: He fears snakes.
    2 to view with anxiety: She fears that her son may be harmed on his way to school.
    THESAURUS
    fear n.
    1 fright, terror, alarm | dread
    2 worry, qualms | panic
    3 phobia | hang-up. Ant. calm. —v.
    1 to be afraid of. Ant. to like.
    2 to worry, be anxious about.
fearful
fearful
  1. adj.
    1 feeling afraid: He was fearful when he saw the elephant approaching him.
    2 anxious, worried,
    THESAURUS
    apprehensive: She is fearful of losing her job. -n. [U] fearfulness; -adv. fearfully.
fearless
fearless
  1. adj. without fear, (syns.) courageous, bold: Even though her fight for women's rights is unpopular, she is fearless in continuing it. -adv. fearlessly; -n. [U] fearlessness.
feasible
feasible
  1. adj.
    1 workable, possible: Your work plan is feasible, so we can build the bridge immediately.
    2 suitable, acceptable: There is no feasible alternative. -adv. feasibly; -n. [U] feasibility.
feast
feast
  1. n. a large, rich meal,
    THESAURUS
    a banquet: Every Thanksgiving, my whole family gets together and has a feast. —v.
    1 [I] to have a feast: We feasted on turkey, sweet potatoes, and corn bread.
    2 to feast one's eyes on s.t.: to look at s.t. with admiration: Jane, feast your eyes on those diamonds in the store window.
feat
feat
  1. n. an impressive act, showing strength, courage, or unusual ability,
    THESAURUS
    an exploit: The soldier's feats of courage in battle were extraordinary.||Passing that exam without studying was a real feat!
feather
feather
  1. n.
    1 one of the many soft, thin growths that cover a bird's body: The feathers of the local pigeons are gray.
    2 a feather in one's cap: an honor for others to admire: His graduating first in his class is a feather in his cap.
    3 birds of a feather flock together: people with similar backgrounds and interests spend time with each other: I thought he was a good guy until I saw him with those troublemakers; as people say, birds of a feather flock together.
    4 as light as a feather: very light: The moving men lifted the heavy sofa as if it were as light as a feather.
    5 to ruffle s.o.'s feathers: to annoy, disturb: Her mother-in-law's negative comments about her cooking really ruffle her feathers. —v. to feather one's nest: to profit by using s.o. else's money: We were shocked to discover that our local Congressman had been feathering his nest for years.
featherbedding
featherbedding
  1. n. [U] under a labor union rule, the hiring of more workers than are actually needed: The owner of the newspaper blamed featherbedding for the price increase.
featherbrain
featherbrain
  1. n. a stupid person,
    THESAURUS
    birdbrain: She is such a featherbrain that she doesn't know what day it is.
featherhead
featherhead
  1. n. a stupid person,
    THESAURUS
    dunce: What a featherhead!
featherweight
featherweight
  1. n.
    1 a boxer who weighs 118 to 127 pounds
    2 fig. a person of limited ability and importance,
    THESAURUS
    lightweight: Sally's boss is such a featherweight; nobody listens to him.
feathery
feathery
  1. adj.
    1 covered with feathers: Some men's hats have feathery headbands.
    2 light and soft: That plant has feathery leaves.
feature
feature
  1. n.
    1 an important part or characteristic of a product or service: The salesman described to us the car's many features.
    2 pl. features the mouth, chin, nose, eyes, etc. of the human face: That model has beautiful features.
    3 an important article in a newspaper or magazine: There was a feature in the local newspaper about the high cost of housing.
    4 a full-length movie: We saw a feature about a plane crash in the Amazon jungle. —v. [T] -tured, -turing, -tures to advertise as important, (syns.) to highlight, promote: The department store featured lamps and rugs in its annual sale.
    THESAURUS
    feature n.
    1 a quality, highlight | trait, attribute
    3 a column, story, piece.

    USAGE NOTE: One can also say feature film or feature-length film or movie.
febrile
febrile
  1. adj.frml.
    1 having a fever,
    THESAURUS
    feverish: The patient is febrile.
    2 fig. very active, (syns.) feverish, hectic: The pace of business here is febrile.
feces
feces
  1. n.pl. solid waste sent out from the bowels,
    THESAURUS
    excrement: A laboratory tested the feces for blood. -adj. fecal.
feckless
feckless
  1. adj. ineffective, irresponsible: The father was angry at his son's feckless performance in college. -adv. fecklessly.
fecund
fecund
  1. adj.frml. productive,
    THESAURUS
    fertile: The soil in this area is fecund. -n. [U] fecundity.
federal
federal
  1. adj. (in USA) related to the national government: The federal court system is large and spread out over the nation. -adv. federally.
    THESAURUS
    federal national. Ant. regional.
federalism
federalism
  1. n. [U] a political system in which power is divided between a central government that has control over foreign affairs, defense, etc., and state governments that decide local issues: Federalism is based on the concept of a strong federal government having superiority over the states. -n.adj. federalist.
federate
federate
  1. v. [I;T] -ated, -ating, -ates to unite as in a group of states or unions: The states federated but left defense and foreign policy to the central government.
federation
federation
  1. n. a union of organizations or states: A federation of teachers' unions is working hard to improve the educational system.
fee-splitting
fee-splitting
  1. n. [U] a practice, usu. among lawyers and physicians, of sending clients to other members of their profession and then dividing the fees: I stopped going to that doctor when I discovered that he practiced feesplitting.
fee
fee
  1. n. a charge, cost,
    THESAURUS
    payment: We pay all sorts of fees: a parking fee, a license fee for driving a car, a registration fee, tuition fees, lawyers' fees, and doctors' fees.
feeble-minded
feeble-minded
  1. adj.
    1 having below-normal intelligence: The poor man has been feeble-minded since birth.
    2 mentally weak because of old age,
    THESAURUS
    senile: We knew the old woman was becoming feeble-minded when she started getting lost in her own neighborhood.
feeble
feeble
  1. adj. weak, without power or energy: The elderly lady has become feeble and unable to care for herself.||His feeble attempts at solving the problem are worthless. -adv. feebly.
feed
feed
  1. n.
    1 [U] grain or other food supplied to animals: Each morning the farmer gives the cows their feed.
    2 [U] infrml. a meal, esp. a large one: We've worked hard all day, so let's go have a good feed.
    3 [C] material supplied to a machine
    4 [C] the device used to supply material to the machine: The feed on the printer is broken.
    5 [U] chicken feed: a small amount of money (said with strong disapproval): He's crazy to think we will work on Sundays for chicken feed. —v. fed , feeding, feeds
    1 [T] to provide with food: She gets up early every morning to feed her baby.||The farmer feeds his cows.
    2 [I] to take in as food: Big fish feed on smaller fish.
    3 fig. [T] to supply with s.t., such as information or material: The accounting department feeds information to the other departments in the company.||A worker feeds wood into the machine.
    4 to spoon feed: to inform s.o. in little steps as one feeds a baby with a spoon: Whenever he has a computer problem, I have to spoon feed him the solution. See: bite (the hand that feeds).
    THESAURUS
    feed v.
    1 to nourish
    2 to eat, consume | dine on
    3 to furnish, provide (information).
feedback
feedback
  1. n. [U]
    1 the return of some computer output into input in order to control a process: The feedback in the order process function updates inventory levels.
    2 the response to one's ideas (proposals, actions, etc.) in the form of approval, disapproval, suggestions, etc.: The radio station decided to cancel the show after receiving negative feedback from its listeners.
feedbag
feedbag
  1. n.
    1 a bag containing food placed over a horse's nose: Our horse is eating oats from a feedbag.
    2 infrml. to tie on the feedbag: to have a meal: Let's tie on the feedbag before doing any more work.
feeder
feeder
  1. n.
    1 a device that supplies food: We have a bird feeder in our backyard.
    2 a device used to feed material into a machine: The feeder on the printer isn't working properly. —adj. a local transportation service (airline, railroad, etc.) that leads into a national one: The feeder airlines in Texas connect to the major airlines in Dallas-Fort Worth.
feeding
feeding
  1. n. [C;U] a meal, when referring to babies and animals: The baby is ready for her midnight feeding. —adj. related to a meal: It is feeding time for the cats.
feel
feel
  1. v. felt , feeling, feels
    1 [I] to experience a sensation (warmth, cold, pain, hunger, etc.): I feel a little cold.
    2 [I] to touch in order to find or learn s.t.: He felt around in his pocket for the key.||The doctor could feel that the bone was broken.
    3 [I] to experience a condition: The patient feels better today.||She felt ill yesterday.
    4 [I] to experience an emotion (to feel afraid, angry, happy, etc.): She felt nervous on her wedding day.
    5 [I] to produce a certain sensation: Mountain air feels cool and fresh.
    6 [T] to experience a need or desire: After a few days in Mexico, he felt the need to improve his Spanish.
    7 [I;T] to have an opinion: He feels that smoking is bad for his health, so he quit.
    8 to feel for s.o.: to have sympathy for: I really felt for Tom when his wife died.
    9 to feel free: to be invited to do s.t.: My host told me, "Feel free to help yourself to coffee or tea."||A businessman wrote me a letter saying "Feel free to contact me with any questions that you have."
    10 to feel like: to have a desire for s.t.: I feel like having some ice cream.
    11 to feel like a million dollars: to feel unusually well: Having passed all of my examinations, I feel like a million dollars.
    12 to feel one's way: a. to move ahead without being able to see, using one's sense of touch: I felt my way down the stairs. b. to act with great care, usu. because of a lack of knowledge or experience: The first year our store was open, we were still feeling our way.
    13 phrasal v. sep. [T] to feel (s.o.) out: to try to get information, esp. from s.o., in an indirect way: I felt out his intentions in asking me for help.||I felt them out.
    14 phrasal v. slang [T] to feel s.o. up: to excite s.o. sexually by touching: He felt her up in the back seat of his car.
    15 phrasal v. [I] to feel up to s.t.: to be ready to do s.t. difficult or unpleasant: He feels up to cleaning out the garage today.||She is still not well and doesn't feel up to going out. —n.
    1 a touch: I gave the paint a feel to see if it was still wet.
    2 an understanding, a special skill: My daughter does well in math; she seems to have a real feel for numbers.
    3 the sensation produced by s.t.: The feel of fine leather is smooth and soft.
    4 to get the feel of s.t.: to become accustomed to: She drove around to get the feel of the new car.
feeler
feeler
  1. n.
    1 fig. a suggestion, polite question to determine s.o.'s interest: My friend is sending out feelers to see if other companies have a job opening for him.
    2 lit. a long, hair-like part of some animals used for feeling: Insects have feelers on their heads.
feeling
feeling
  1. n.
    1 [U] physical sensation, recognition of touch: His hands are so cold that he has lost feeling in them.
    2 [C] an emotion: The mother has a strong feeling of love for her family.
    3 [C] a belief that s.t. is true: My feeling is that he's an excellent teacher.
    4 pl. one's general sensitivity: Her strong criticism hurt her daughter's feelings.
    THESAURUS
    feeling
    1 a sensation, sensitivity, response
    2 a sentiment | passion
    3 an impression | opinion.
feet
feet
  1. n.pl. of foot
feign
feign
  1. v. [T] to pretend, to fake: He feigned illness so he would not have to work.
feint
feint
  1. v. [I;T] to make an action designed to distract or deceive an opponent: The fighter feinted with his left hand and then hit his opponent with his right hand instead.
feisty
feisty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest full of energy, tending to argue: She's a feisty child who isn't afraid of anyone.
felicitations
felicitations
  1. n.pl.frml. congratulations: Felicitations on your promotion!
felicitous
felicitous
  1. adj.frml. appropriate in an agreeable way: The speaker made a number of felicitous remarks that pleased his audience. -adv. felicitously.
felicity
felicity
  1. n.frml. [U] happiness: The children brought much felicity into their parents' lives.
feline
feline
  1. adj. related to cats: The feline world includes lions, tigers, panthers, jaguars, and house cats.
fellow
fellow
  1. n.
    1 infrml. a man or boy: Charles is a friendly fellow.
    2 frml. (at a university) a person who receives an award of money and a position for advanced study: She is a fellow at Yale University. —adj. referring to people with whom one has something in common: He lunches with some of his fellow workers (students, scientists, etc.) each day.
fellow man
fellow man
  1. n. men other humans, (syns.) mankind, humankind: She shares the same everyday problems as her fellow man.
fellowship
fellowship
  1. n.
    1 [C] a group of people joined together by common interests: We belong to a Christian fellowship and meet once a week.
    2 [U] the feeling of friendship gained through shared interests: After graduating from the university, she missed the warmth and good fellowship of her college roommates.
    3 [C] (at a university) an award of money and a position for advanced study: My professor is away on a fellowship to Oxford.
felon
felon
  1. n. (in law) a person guilty of a major crime, such as murder or rape: The company didn't want to hire him when they found out he had served time in prison as a felon.
felony
felony
  1. n. -nies adj. a major crime, such as murder or rape: He was sentenced to jail for committing two felonies (or) sentenced on two felony counts. -adj. felonious.
female
female
  1. adj.n. a human or animal of the sex that can produce young: Male and female students live in separate housing.||In the past, females were not permitted to join that club.

    USAGE NOTE: Many people avoid the use of female as a noun for a person and use woman instead.
feminine
feminine
  1. adj.
    1 having characteristics traditionally considered typical of women, such as warmth and softness: The dress she wore to the party made her look very feminine.
    2 (in grammar) referring to a certain class of words: The word for "house" is feminine in Spanish. -adv. femininely.
    THESAURUS
    feminine
    1 womanly, ladylike. Ant. masculine.
femininity
femininity
  1. n. [U] the characteristics traditionally considered typical of women: She does not believe that working as a police officer has caused her to lose her femininity.
feminism
feminism
  1. n. [U] the belief that women should have the same rights, opportunities, and treatment as men: Feminism is a strong movement in the USA.
feminist
feminist
  1. n.adj. a person who believes that women should have the same rights, opportunities, and treatment as men: Both she and her husband are active feminists.||They are active in the feminist movement.
femme fatale
femme fatale
  1. n. (French for) a woman who is very attractive and can easily seduce men: She is a femme fatale; men always fall in love with her.
femur
femur
  1. n. femurs or femora the bone in the leg that is above the knee: The skier broke his femur. -adj. femoral.
fence
fence
  1. n.
    1 a structure made of various materials, such as wood or wire, designed to prevent people or animals from entering or leaving an area: The fence around the factory is ten feet tall.
    2 slang a person who sells stolen property for thieves: He is a fence for stolen jewelry.
    3 on the fence or straddling the fence: undecided: She was on the fence about buying a new car. —v. fenced, fencing, fences
    1 [T] to put a fence around an area: We fenced the property around the lake.
    2 slang [T] to sell stolen property: He fenced famous artwork before he was arrested.
    3 [I] to fight with a sword as a sport: He liked to fence for exercise.
    4 fig. [I] to argue with s.o.: The two of you should stop fencing and try to work together.
    5 to fence in: to limit s.o.'s freedom: My boss fenced me in so much that I couldn't do my job.
    THESAURUS
    fence n.
    1 a barrier, railing.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to enclose, fence off
    3 to duel
    4 to debate s.o., quibble with s.o.
fence sitter
fence sitter
  1. n.fig. a person who will not commit to either side of an issue: That politician is a fence sitter on the subject of raising taxes.
fencing
fencing
  1. n. [U]
    1 a fence or fences: Workers put up fencing around the house in one day.
    2 fighting with swords as a sport: Many students enjoy fencing as a university sport.
fend
fend
  1. v. [T]
    1 to defend oneself: He fended off the blows of his attacker.
    2 [I] to take care of oneself without anybody's help: When her parents died, she had to fend for herself.
fender
fender
  1. n. the outer covering above the tire of a car: The right front fender on my car needs to be repaired.
fennel
fennel
  1. n. [U] a tall plant with feathery green leaves whose seeds can be used as a seasoning: The cook flavored the soup with some fennel.
fens
fens
  1. n.pl. a low wet area of land: Fens are not good areas to walk in after it rains.
feral
feral
  1. adj.frml. wild, in the natural state: After living in the woods for many years, the dog had become feral.||We admired the feral beauty of the rain forest.
ferment
ferment
  1. v. [I;T] to mix together substances, esp. natural sugars and grains, which turn into alcohol: A winemaker ferments grapes into wine. —n. [U] excitement, unrest,
    THESAURUS
    agitation: The sudden death of the political leader created ferment among his followers.
fermentation
fermentation
  1. n. [U] the changing of substances through the action of certain chemical processes: Grain changes into alcohol through fermentation.
fern
fern
  1. n. a type of flowerless green plant with feathery leaves: The ferns in her garden grow in the cool area under the trees.
ferocious
ferocious
  1. adj. violently cruel, (syns.) fierce, savage: The ferocious attack of the hungry lions left three zebras dead. -adv. ferociously.
ferocity
ferocity
  1. n. [U] violent cruelty, (syns.) fierceness, savagery: The storm (wild animal, soldier, etc.) attacked with ferocity.
ferret
ferret
  1. n. a small, dark brown, furry animal that can be kept as a pet and used to hunt rats and rabbits: I had a pet ferret when I was a child. —v. to ferret out: to search and find s.o. or s.t., (syns.) to uncover, reveal: The detective ferreted out the truth by questioning many people.
ferrous
ferrous
  1. adj. containing iron: Steel is a ferrous metal.
ferry
ferry
  1. n. -ries a type of boat used to transport passengers and goods between two or more locations that are close to each other: You can take a ferry to the Statue of Liberty from lower Manhattan. -n. ferryman . —v. [T] -ried, -rying, -ries to transport people and goods a short distance: The boat ferried the soldiers from the ships to the island.
ferryboat
ferryboat
  1. n. a boat used to ferry passengers on short trips: The ferryboat leaves every hour.
fertile
fertile
  1. adj.
    1 able to produce offspring or new plants, productive: The farmland in Iowa is very fertile.||The doctor performed some tests to see if she was fertile.
    2 filled with new ideas,
    THESAURUS
    inventive, creative: The author of that book has a fertile imagination.
fertility
fertility
  1. n. [U]
    1 the ability to produce offspring or new plants: The fertility of the desert soil is poor.
    2 fig. the ability to produce new ideas,
    THESAURUS
    creativity: The fertility of his mind is impressive.
fertilization
fertilization
  1. n. [U]
    1 the union of egg and sperm that starts the development of new life: The fertilization of many plants is done by bees.
    2 the adding of a chemical or natural substance to soil to make plants grow well: Fertilization of the soil is done in the fall before snow falls. See: sperm; ovum.
fertilize
fertilize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 to add fertilizer: Most farmers fertilize their farmland with chemicals.
    2 to start the development of new life: Male fish fertilize the eggs of female fish.
fertilizer
fertilizer
  1. n. [C;U] a chemical or natural substance used to make the soil richer and increase the productivity of plants: That farmer uses natural fertilizer from his cows.
fervent
fervent
  1. adj. intense,
    THESAURUS
    impassioned: Fervent cries for help came by radio from the disaster area. -adv. fervently.
fervid
fervid
  1. adj.frml. having intense beliefs or feelings,
    THESAURUS
    impassioned: The political leader gave a fervid speech calling for the government to end the war. -adv. fervidly; -n. fervor.
fester
fester
  1. v. [I]
    1 (of a wound) to become irritated, infected: The soldier's wound festered in the jungle heat.
    2 (of bad feelings) to become worse over time: The people's anger toward the dictatorship festered for many years. -adj. festering.
festival
festival
  1. n.
    1 a public celebration or feast, usu. of some special occasion: On Norwegian independence day, the Norwegians in my town hold a festival with singing and dancing.
    2 a series of events, such as films, plays, or concerts, occurring for a limited period of time: The New York Film Festival takes place every spring.
festive
festive
  1. adj. joyful, with feasting and good spirits: Our birthday parties are festive occasions with food, wine, and friends.
    THESAURUS
    festive happy, jolly, merry. Ant. sad.
festivity
festivity
  1. n. -ties
    1 the joyful celebration of a special occasion: There is a great festivity at Christmas time.
    2 pl. ways of celebrating a special occasion: Every New Year's Eve the festivities include a big dinner and dancing.
feta
feta
  1. n.adj. [U] white cheese made from the milk of a goat or sheep: My daughter loves feta (or) feta cheese in salads.
fetal position
fetal position
  1. n. having the knees bent up toward the head like a fetus, often when lying on one's side: He was asleep in the fetal position.
fetch
fetch
  1. v. [T] fetches
    1 to get s.t. and bring it back: If I throw a stick in the air, my dog will fetch it.
    2 to be worth: That painting will fetch $100,000 on the market.
fetching
fetching
  1. adj. attractive: She looked fetching in her new dress.
fete
fete
  1. n. a big party, usu. held outside
fetid
fetid
  1. adj. having a very bad smell, (syns.) stinking, foul: The polluted lake has a fetid smell.
fetish
fetish
  1. n. -ishes
    1 an object believed to have magical power,
    THESAURUS
    a talisman: The tri-bal leader wore a rabbit's foot around his neck as a fetish.
    2 s.t. to which one devotes an excessive amount of care and attention: She has a fetish about neatness and cleans her apartment every day.
    3 to make a fetish of: to devote an excessive amount of care and attention to s.t.: He makes a fetish of always being on time to meetings.
fetter
fetter
  1. n. a chain put on the ankle of a prisoner: The ship's captain put the prisoner in fetters. —v. [T]
    1 to chain
    2 fig. to restrict s.o.'s freedom of action: He felt fettered by his having to care for a family.
fetus
fetus
  1. n. -tuses the developed embryo in humans and other mammals: The pregnant woman went to the doctor to make sure that the fetus was healthy. -adj. fetal.
feud
feud
  1. n. a long-lasting dispute, hatred (between persons, families, groups, etc.): The feud between the families has gone on for almost seventy years. —v. [I] to have a feud: The two countries have been feuding over that island for years.
feudal
feudal
  1. adj. related to the feudal era or system: The feudal lords of Europe had to serve their king in times of war.
feudalism
feudalism
  1. n. [U] a political and social system in which a king and the people of the upper classes owned the land and people of the lower classes worked it: Feudalism existed in Europe from the ninth century to the fifteenth century.
fever
fever
  1. n.
    1 higher than normal body temperature, usu. due to infection: I have a fever and a terrible headache.
    2 a state of nervous excitement: There is a fever for freedom in many countries. See: headache, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    fever
    1 a temperature
    2 passion, enthusiasm, zeal.
fever pitch
fever pitch
  1. n.fig. high intensity,
    THESAURUS
    fervor: The enthusiasm of the crowd reached a fever pitch before the appearance of the star performer.
feverish
feverish
  1. adj.
    1 having a fever: The baby has been feverish for several days.
    2 fast, excited,
    THESAURUS
    vigorous: There was a lot of feverish activity before the opening of the new store. -adv. feverishly.
few
few
  1. adj.n. [U]
    1 (with "a") a small number: Those plastic rings cost only a few cents to make.||Most students come on time, but a few are always late.
    2 (without "a") not many, not enough: Few people registered for the course, so the college canceled it.
    3 few and far between: rare: Shoppers are few and far between today because of the bad weather.
    4 quite a few: a satisfactory number: She has received quite a few job offers.
    5 infrml. to have a few: to have too many alcoholic drinks: He has had a few.
    THESAURUS
    few adj.n.
    1 a couple | some, not many. Ant. many.
    2 hardly any | scarcely any. Ant. a lot.

    USAGE NOTE: Compare: He has a few friends with he has few close friends. We use "a" before "few" if we want to say that he has at least some friends, though not many. We omit "a" if we want to stress that he has almost no close friends.
fez
fez
  1. n. fezzes or fezes a round felt hat with a flat top, usu. dark red: The fez was a popular hat for men in the Mediterranean region at one time.
fiancé
fiancé
  1. n. a woman's future husband: Her fiancé is Brazilian.
fiancée
fiancée
  1. n. a man's future wife: His fiancée works as a lawyer.
fiasco
fiasco
  1. n. -cos or -coes a complete and usu. embarrassing failure: Her attempt to run for Senator was a fiasco.
fiat
fiat
  1. n.frml. [C;U] an order, (syns.) a dictate, decree: He runs his company by fiat, never discussing his decisions with anyone.
fib
fib
  1. v. [I] fibbed, fibbing, fibs to tell a harmless lie: The student fibbed when she said she was late to class because of an accident; actually, she overslept. —n. a harmless lie,
    THESAURUS
    a white lie: She told the teacher a fib. -n. fibber.
fiber
fiber
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] threads from a natural (plant or animal) or synthetic source used for making cloth or rope: The fiber from the hemp plant makes good rope.
    2 [U] the material made from these threads: cotton, wool, nylon, silk fiber
    3 [U] the part of a plant taken in as food that cannot be absorbed by the body: Doctors say you should eat food that is high in fiber.
    4 [U] character: She is a woman of strong moral fiber.
fiberboard
fiberboard
  1. n. [U] building material made of plant fibers pressed into flat sheets: The inside walls of the house are lined with fiberboard.
fiberglass™
fiberglass™
  1. n. [U] a material made from glass fibers, with many commercial uses: Boats are sometimes made of fiberglass.
fibrous
fibrous
  1. adj. having fiber: Sugar cane plants are fibrous.
fibula
fibula
  1. n. -lae or -las the smaller of two bones in the lower leg: A skier broke the fibula in her right leg.
fiche
fiche
  1. n.abbr. of microfiche.
fickle
fickle
  1. adj. changeable,
    THESAURUS
    flighty: She is young and fickle, liking one boy this week and a different one next week.
fiction
fiction
  1. n. [U]
    1 a type of literature based upon the author's imagination as opposed to true stories: The author's new novel is a fine work of fiction.
    2 s.t. unreal, a lie: What that man says about his past is pure fiction.
    THESAURUS
    fiction
    1 creative writing, invented story. Ant. nonfiction.
    2 a falsehood, invention. Ants. the truth, a fact.

    USAGE NOTE: Novels and short stories are works of fiction. The class of nonfiction includes essays, biographies, and history books.
fictional
fictional
  1. adj.
    1 related to fiction, works of the imagination: Most of her fictional work consists of short stories.
    2 untrue, false: A suspect gave a purely fictional account of his activities at the time of the crime.
fictitious
fictitious
  1. adj. false,
    THESAURUS
    imaginary: The criminal used a fictitious name. -adv. fictitiously.
fiddle
fiddle
  1. n.
    1 a violin used for folk or popular music: My friend plays the fiddle in a country band.
    2 to play second fiddle: to be the less important person in a situation or activity: She was tired of always playing second fiddle to her talented older sister. —v. [I] -dled, -dling, -dles
    1 to play the fiddle: She fiddles in that band.
    2 to change s.t. in order to deceive: Some investors fiddled with the price of the stock to make money.
    3 to move s.t. around a little with one's fingers,
    THESAURUS
    to tinker: He fiddled with the wires and got the radio to work again.
    4 to waste time on useless activities: He fiddled around with going to college, and then dropped that to become a mechanic.
fiddlesticks
fiddlesticks
  1. interj.old usage a polite expression of displeasure at s.t.: Oh, fiddlesticks, I dropped an egg on the floor!
fidelity
fidelity
  1. n. [U]
    1 faithfulness, devotion to duty: His fidelity to his wife is very strong.
    2 the quality of a copy as compared to the original: The fidelity of that recording of the concert is excellent.
fidget
fidget
  1. v. [I] to move one's body, esp. the hands, in a nervous fashion: He fidgeted by tapping his desk with his fingers.
fidgety
fidgety
  1. adj. showing nervousness,
    THESAURUS
    restless: The boy becomes fidgety if he has to sit still for even a few minutes.
fiduciary
fiduciary
  1. n. a person or business that controls property or money for s.o. else: As the widow's fiduciary, he was responsible for the sale of her late husband's company.
field-test
field-test
  1. v. [T] n. to test s.t., such as a product or military weapon, under actual conditions: The automaker field-tested the new car on rough roads.||The field-test was successful.
field
field
  1. n.
    1 an area of land used for a specific purpose: a field of corn||an oil field||a baseball (football, soccer) field
    2 an area of activity, interest, or study: He works in the field of international law.||His daughter has always been interested in the field of medicine. —v. [T]
    1 to answer questions: The politician fielded questions from reporters.
    2 (in baseball) to catch a ball: The pitcher fielded the ball.
    THESAURUS
    field n.
    2 a discipline, domain, subject.
field day
field day
  1. n.
    1 a day of festivities, esp. including outdoor contests such as footraces: We have a field day every Fourth of July.
    2 to have a field day: to have a good time: The reporters had a field day when they discovered the Senator's secret love affair.
field trip
field trip
  1. n. a trip taken outside the classroom, laboratory, or office for the purpose of study: The students went on a field trip to study the ocean.
fieldstone
fieldstone
  1. n. any of the large rocks found in fields: Farmers make stone walls from fieldstones.
fieldwork
fieldwork
  1. n. [U] work done on location: A social worker does fieldwork by visiting clients at their houses.
fiend
fiend
  1. n.
    1 an evil person, (syns.) monster, demon: The man who committed those terrible crimes is a fiend.
    2 a person with a very strong interest in s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    fanatic: He is a football fiend.
fiendish
fiendish
  1. adj. evil, cruel,
    THESAURUS
    monstrous: She takes fiendish delight in hurting people. -adv. fiendishly.
fierce
fierce
  1. adj. fiercer, fiercest
    1 cruelly violent,
    THESAURUS
    ferocious: Fierce animals, such as the lion and bear, are very frightening when they attack.
    2 powerful, intense: A fierce storm struck the coastline.||The government ran into fierce opposition to its proposal. -adv. fiercely; -n. [U] fierceness.
fiery
fiery
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 full of flames: The building became a fiery trap for the firefighters.
    2 passionate: The Senator gave a fiery speech against his opponent.
fiesta
fiesta
  1. n. a public celebration frequently of a religious nature in Latin countries, with food, music, and dancing: During the fiesta, there was dancing in the street every day.
fife
fife
  1. n. a musical instrument similiar to a small flute: He played the fife in the military parade.
fifteen
fifteen
  1. adj.n. the cardinal number 15: The wine is fifteen years old.|| Fifteen of those books are mine.
fifteenth
fifteenth
  1. adj.n. the ordinal number 15: Luiza's office is on the fifteenth floor.
fifth
fifth
  1. adj.n.
    1 the ordinal number 5: She is the fifth child in the family (or) the fifth.
    2 a liquid measure of one fifth of a gallon: He bought a fifth of Scotch for the celebration.
fifth wheel
fifth wheel
  1. n.fig. an unwanted person: He was invited out by two couples, but he refused, saying that he would feel like a fifth wheel.
fiftieth
fiftieth
  1. adj.n. the ordinal number 50: We celebrated his fiftieth birthday.
fifty
fifty
  1. adj.n. -ties
    1 the cardinal number 50: She gave me fifty dollars to add to my fifty.
    2 fifty-fifty: an equal share or chance: The plan has a fifty-fifty chance of succeeding.||My business partner and I divide the profits fifty-fifty.
fig
fig
  1. n.
    1 a soft, sweet fruit with many small seeds: Figs grow in the Mediterranean region.
    2 fig leaf: a leaf used in art to cover male and female sex organs
fig.
fig.
  1. abbr. for
    1 figurative, not real
    2 figure, as in a picture in a book: See fig. 4 on page 237.
fight
fight
  1. v. fought , fighting, fights
    1 [I] to argue, quarrel: That couple fights continually over (or) about money.
    2 [I;T] to make a great effort to get s.t.: Political parties fight each other for votes.||Women fought for the right to vote.
    3 [I;T] to make a great effort to stop s.t.: That organization was formed to fight racism.
    4 [I;T] to use physical force: The two children fought each other with sticks.||As a soldier, he fought bravely for his country.
    5 to fight a losing battle: to fight with no chance of winning: She fought a losing battle against drug addiction.
    6 phrasal v. to fight back: a. [I] to defend oneself: When the company accused her of stealing, she fought back by hiring a lawyer. b. [T] to hold back: She fought back her tears.
    7 phrasal v. [T] to fight it out: to argue or struggle until the matter is resolved: The two managers can fight it out until one agrees with the other.
    8 to fight like a tiger: a. to use strong physical force: During the attack, the father fought like a tiger to save his son. b. to make a very strong effort: She fought like a tiger to keep her job.
    9 phrasal v. [I] to fight on: to continue fighting in spite of obstacles: The soldier's companions were all killed, but he fought on alone. —n.
    1 an argument, quarrel: Two friends had a fight over money.
    2 a struggle for or against s.t.: The politicians had a fight over legislation.
    3 a physical struggle, battle: The two teenagers had a knife fight.
    4 a boxing match: The championship fight took place in Manila.
    5 to put up a fight: to struggle mentally or physically: After discovering she had cancer, she put up a fight, but died six months later.
    6 a fight to the finish: to fight until one side can fight no longer: Neither fighter would give up: it was a fight to the finish.
    THESAURUS
    fight v.
    1 to bicker about infrml., clash over
    2 to battle for (or) over s.t. or s.o., struggle for
    THESAURUS
    3 to battle against, combat
    4 to beat, battle | wage war. Ant. to agree.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a dispute, disagreement
    2 a battle, contest
    3 a brawl, scrape. Ant. an agreement.
fighter
fighter
  1. n.
    1 a person who fights as a sport,
    THESAURUS
    boxer: He has been a fighter for many years.
    2 a courageous person: She was severely hurt in an accident, but she is a fighter and is fully recovered now.
    3 aircraft used to fight other aircraft: The fighters circled over the enemy lines.
fighting
fighting
  1. n. [U] an act of battle: The fighting on the border lasted for days.
fighting chance
fighting chance
  1. n. a possibility to succeed with great effort: Our team is way behind in the score but still has a fighting chance to win.
figment
figment
  1. n. fantasy: He says he saw some people from Mars, but that was a figment of his imagination.
figurative
figurative
  1. adj. related to a word or phrase that expresses meaning in a colorful way, usu. through comparison,
    THESAURUS
    metaphorical: When you call a timid, fearful person a mouse, you are using figurative language. -adv. figuratively.
figure
figure
  1. n.
    1 a number, sum: The figure for that project is a million dollars.
    2 a person's shape: That actor has a good figure.
    3 the form of a person: In the moonlight, we could see two figures in the distance.
    4 an important person: Martin Luther King, Jr. is a famous historical figure.
    5 a drawing in a book: The figure on page 63 shows how a car engine works. —v. -ured, -uring, -ures
    1 [T] to believe, predict: I figure that the seller wants a better price than my first offer.
    2 [I] to be a part of: He figures largely in her dreams for the future.
    3 That figures!: to be expected, logical: That figures! He's always late.
    4 phrasal v. [I] to figure in: to add in, include: I figured in an extra 5% in the budget for possible additional costs.
    5 phrasal v. [T] to figure on: to plan, expect: You can figure on spending $800 for the plane fare.
    6 phrasal v. infrml. [T] to figure out: to solve, understand: The student figured out the solution to the math problem.
    THESAURUS
    figure n.
    1 an amount, cost
    2 a body, build
    3 an outline, shape
    4 personality, character
    5 an illustration. —v.
    1 to estimate, reckon
    2 to play a part in.
figure of speech
figure of speech
  1. n. a word or phrase that expresses meaning in a colorful way, usu. through comparison: A typical figure of speech is "They danced until the cows came home," which means they danced for a very long time.
figure skating
figure skating
  1. n. [U] the sport of ice skating in various patterns (or figures): People love to go figure skating on frozen lakes. -n. figure skater.
figurehead
figurehead
  1. n. a leader without power: The president is only a figurehead: the prime minister has the real power.
figurine
figurine
  1. n. a small statue of a person or animal: She collects figurines of horses.
filament
filament
  1. n. the thin metal thread of a light bulb: The light bulb has gone out because the filament is broken.
filch
filch
  1. v. [T] filches to steal s.t. of little value, (syns.) to pinch, swipe: He constantly filched pencils, paper, and tape from the supply room.
file clerk
file clerk
  1. n. a person employed to get files for use and then put them back: Computers have replaced file clerks in some businesses.
file name
file name
  1. n. the name of a computer file: The file name for that report is "Work.1A."
filet
filet
  1. n.v. [T] var. of fillet
filet mignon
filet mignon
  1. n. [C;U] a high-quality cut of beef: Filet mignon is very expensive.
filial
filial
  1. adj.frml. relating to relationships of children to parents: Their eldest son has a filial responsibility to care for his parents.
filigree
filigree
  1. n. detailed ornamentation, usu. of gold or silver: The picture has filigree on its frame.
fill-in
fill-in
  1. n. a substitute: The TV show's host was ill, so a comedian acted as a fill-in for him.
fill
fill
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to use all available space: Children filled the hole with sand.||The church was filled with people.
    2 [T] to pour liquid or pack a substance into a container: A machine fills cartons with milk.||A waiter filled my glass with water.
    3 [T] to cause s.o. to experience intense emotion: The child fills her mother's heart with joy.
    4 [T] to supply what is needed: A clerk fills orders for a product.||A pharmacist fills a prescription.
    5 phrasal v. infrml. [T] to fill 'er up or fill it up: to fill a gasoline tank in a car or truck: I told the gas station attendant to fill 'er up for our trip.
    6 phrasal v. to fill in: a. [I] to replace s.o. temporarily: The boss was ill, so his assistant filled in for him at the meeting. b. [T] to complete, supply information as on a form: I filled in the blanks on a job application.
    7 phrasal v. to fill out: a. [T] to complete: I filled out a form to apply for a driver's license. b. [I] to mature, become full-bodied
    8 phrasal v. [T] to fill s.o. in on: to give s.o. information, (syns.) to inform about, apprise: He missed the meeting, so I filled him in on all the details.
    9 to fill s.o.'s shoes: to replace s.o., esp. a highly successful person: The office manager does such a good job that no one will be able to fill her shoes when she leaves. —n. [U]
    1 loose earth used to build up low-lying land,
    THESAURUS
    landfill: A construction company put fill into the low, wet land so they could build on it.
    2 to eat or drink one's fill: to eat or drink to one's capacity: After work, he drank his fill of beer and went home.
    3 to have had one's fill of s.o. or s.t.: to be dissatisfied,
    THESAURUS
    to be fed up: I have had my fill of bad weather and am going to Florida for a vacation.
    THESAURUS
    fill v.
    1 to seal, block, plug (object) | fill up, pack, jam (a room, building with people).
    THESAURUS
    Ant. to empty.
    2 to fill up
    3 to spread throughout
    4 to satisfy, complete (an order).
filler
filler
  1. n. material or food added to s.t. to increase the amount: The cook added bread to the meatballs as filler.
fillet or filet
fillet or filet
  1. n. a boneless piece of fish or meat: Fillet of sole is my favorite fish recipe. —v. [T] filleted or fileted, filleting or fileting, fillets or filets
    1 to cut into thin pieces: The cook filleted the steak into thin slices.
    2 to remove bones: I filleted the fish before cooking. fillet or filet -n. a boneless piece of fish or meat: Fillet of sole is my favorite fish recipe. _v. filleted or fileted, filleting or fileting, fillets or filets
    1 to cut into thin pieces: The cook filleted the steak into thin slices.
    2 to remove bones: I filleted the fish before cooking.
filling
filling
  1. n.
    1 a usu. soft food put inside a cake, candy, or sandwich: Those chocolate candies have a creamy filling.
    2 a substance used to fill a cavity in a tooth: The dentist replaced two fillings I had lost. —adj. (of food) making one feel full: Spaghetti is very filling.
filly
filly
  1. n. -lies a young, female horse: There was a special race for fillies.
film
film
  1. n.
    1 a thin coating: I washed away a film of grease on the frying pan.
    2 material used in photography: A tourist bought some film for his camera.
    3 a movie, motion picture: The movie theatres on Broadway show the latest films. —v. [I;T]
    1 to cover with a coating of film
    2 to make a movie: The cameraman filmed a scene for a motion picture.
filming
filming
  1. n. [U] the act of making movies (TV shows, etc.): The filming of the motion picture took place in Kenya.
filmmaker
filmmaker
  1. n. a person or studio that makes movies: Orson Welles was a great filmmaker.
filmy
filmy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 covered with a film: The water at the beach was filmy with oil from passing ships.
    2 very thin and light: The curtains were made of a filmy material.
filter
filter
  1. n. a device used to trap unwanted matter as liquids and gases pass through it: I use a filter in my coffee machine. —v.
    1 [T] to pass through a filter: We filter our drinking water.
    2 [I] to move gradually: The audience slowly filtered into the concert hall.
    3 phrasal v. [T] to filter out: to remove through a filter: The fisherman filtered out the small fish with the net. -adj. filterable.
filth
filth
  1. n. [U]
    1 an excessive amount of dirt: The city streets were filled with filth.
    2 fig. offensive books, pictures, and films, usu. related to sex: That magazine contains filth.
    3 fig. indecent or immoral behavior, (syns.) vice, depravity: The police vice squad fights filth in that area of town.
filthy
filthy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 covered with filth, disgustingly dirty: The beggar's clothes are filthy.
    2 fig. offensive, usu. in a sexual way: That store sells filthy magazines.
    3 fig. immoral, indecent: People do filthy things in that place.
    4 filthy rich: very rich: Her family is filthy rich. -n. [U] filthiness.
    THESAURUS
    filthy
    1 very soiled, grubby, muddy. Ant. clean.
    2 obscene, pornographic
    3 depraved.
filtrate
filtrate
  1. v. [T] -trated, -trating, -trates to filter s.t.: This machine filtrates the water. —n. the substance that is filtered: The filtrate is an improved product. -n. filtration.
fin
fin
  1. n.
    1 the flat wing-like part of a fish that it uses for movement and balance: One of the fish's fins got caught in a net.
    2 a guidance device (for aircraft): The pilot checked the tail fins on his plane.
finagle
finagle
  1. v.infrml. [I;T] -gled, -gling, -gles to achieve one's goal through trickery and deception: He finagled his way into an exclusive club by lying about his past. -n. finagler.
final
final
  1. n.
    1 the last contest in a series (often pl. finals): The world tennis final will be played tomorrow.
    2 end of term examination: I have my chemistry final tomorrow. —adj.
    1 last: I sat in the final row of the airplane.
    2 unchangeable,
    THESAURUS
    absolute: The judge's decision is final. -adv. finally.
finale
finale
  1. n. the last part of a musical piece, performance, or public event: The orchestra played some marching music as the grand finale.
finalist
finalist
  1. n. a participant in the last contest of a series of competitions: She was a finalist in the tennis tournament but lost to the champion.
finality
finality
  1. n. [U] a condition of definiteness about s.t.: Coming from the chairman himself, the company's announcement about closing the factory had an air of finality about it.
finalize
finalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to finish, complete in a definite fashion: We finalized the details of our contract and signed it.
finally
finally
  1. adv. in the end, at last: He finally arrived after driving for ten hours.
finance
finance
  1. n.
    1 [U] the science and art of raising and managing large sums of private and public money: My friend works in finance at an international bank.
    2 pl. finances the money that an individual, company, or institution has: He has difficulty managing his finances and is always in debt. —v. [T] -nanced, -nancing, -nances to provide money: His bank just financed a large construction project in India.||She is financing her child's college education.
    THESAURUS
    finance n.
    1 money management, investment
    2 money, personal finances, accounts. —v. to fund, invest in s.t., pay for s.t.
finance charge
finance charge
  1. n. the interest charge on a loan, plus any fees: The finance charge on the loan is 10%, plus a $50 application fee.
financial
financial
  1. adj. related to finance: She was always careful with her money in order to have financial security when she retired. -adv. financially.
    THESAURUS
    financial economic | fiscal.
financial institution
financial institution
  1. n. a bank or company that handles money for business and individuals: Financial institutions in the USA are regulated by the government.
financial markets
financial markets
  1. n.pl. the bond markets, stock markets, commodities markets, etc. that accept money and turn it into equity instruments: The financial markets suffered in the recession.
financial statement
financial statement
  1. n. a report showing profit and loss for a business or institution: We received the financial statement of the company that is for sale.
financial year
financial year
  1. n. See: fiscal year.
financier
financier
  1. n. a person who provides money for a business: A well-known financier arranged for the funding of the new hotel.
financing
financing
  1. n. [U] money and credit needed by businesses and individuals: Financing for the company comes from individual investors.
finch
finch
  1. n. finches a type of small bird, such as canaries, sparrows, and house finches: Finches generally feed on seeds.
find
find
  1. v. [T] found , finding, finds
    1 (syns.) to come across (in discovery by chance), stumble on (or) across, chance upon: I found $10 on the sidewalk. I came across $10 on the sidewalk.
    2 (syns.) to realize, notice, as in learning from experience: She finds that she can lose weight just by eating less. She realizes that she can lose weight just by eating less. She notices that she can lose weight just by eating less.
    3
    THESAURUS
    to search for s.t. (and find it): He found a new job (apartment, school, etc.). He searched for a new job.
    4 (syns.) to reach s.t. or somewhere | regain, recover (one's way): The arrow found its target. The arrow reached its target.
    5
    THESAURUS
    to meet s.o.: We found our friends waiting for us at the restaurant. We met our friends as they waited for us at the restaurant.
    6
    THESAURUS
    to describe, as a reaction to s.o. or s.t.: She found the museum was fascinating. She described the museum as fascinating.
    7 to find for or against s.o.: (in law) to decide that s.o. is guilty or not guilty: The jury found for the defendant (or) found the defendant not guilty.
    8 to find it in one's heart: to search deeply within oneself for kind feelings: He could not find it in his heart to forgive her.
    9 to find it (odd, unusual, unlikely, etc.) that: to make an observation that s.t. is strange: I find it odd that my friend hasn't called recently; I hope he's not ill.
    10 to find oneself: to discover one's true abilities and be at peace with oneself: She is doing well as a lawyer and has finally found herself.
    11 to find one's way clear to do s.t.: to agree to do s.t. unlikely or difficult: After much discussion, the bank found its way clear to give me a loan.
    12 phrasal v. sep. [T] to find s.o. out: to discover s.o. is guilty of a wrongdoing,
    THESAURUS
    to unmask: He was stealing from the company, but the manager found him out.
    13 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to find s.t. out: to learn,
    THESAURUS
    to uncover: I just found out that the payment is due tomorrow.||I found it out.
    14 to find the use of: to be able to use again, esp. an arm, leg, or sense: He was hurt but gradually found the use of his injured legs. —n. a valuable discovery: The deep sea treasure was an exciting find.||The new secretary in my office is a real find.
finder
finder
  1. n. a device used to determine position: The military uses a range finder to determine the distance of a target from a weapon.
finder's fee
finder's fee
  1. n. a sum of money paid to s.o. for performing a service, such as finding a job or apartment: A company in Hong Kong paid a finder's fee to an agent in New York for finding new customers.
finding
finding
  1. n. a decision made after an investigation: The finding of the Senate committee is that the program should not be continued.
fine-tooth(ed) comb
fine-tooth(ed) comb
  1. n.fig. to go over with a fine-tooth(ed) comb: to examine carefully and closely: She went over the contract with a fine-toothed comb and asked many questions before signing it.
fine
fine
  1. n. money paid as punishment for wrongdoing: He paid a fine for parking illegally. —v. [T] fined, fining, fines to order payment for wrongdoing: The court fined the company for dumping garbage illegally. —adj. finer, finest
    1 excellent,
    THESAURUS
    advantageous: Now is a fine time to buy property.
    2 of superior quality: That store sells fine jewelry.||She has fine taste in furnishings (clothes, music, restaurants, etc.).||She is a person of fine character.
    3 deeply felt (senses, perception), heightened: He has a fine sense of hearing (smell, touch, etc.).
    4 sharp, pointed: That knife has a fine edge on its blade (or) a fine point on its tip.
    5 composed of thin threads or very small pieces: That scarf is made of a fine silk.
    6 well, healthy: I feel fine today.
    7 the fine print: a contract's small print which could alter the meaning of a document as a whole: They did not read the fine print in the written agreement and lost all their money. —adv.infrml.
    1 well: You did fine on your exam.
    2 in small pieces, finely: Chop the nuts fine. -n. [U] fineness.
    THESAURUS
    fine adj.
    1 very good, terrific. Ants. poor, bad.
    2 classic, elegant | outstanding (one's
    THESAURUS
    taste)
    3 keen, sharp. Ant. dull.
    5 delicate. Ant. rough.
    6 all right, OK. Ant. unwell.
fine arts
fine arts
  1. n.pl. the arts of painting, drawing, music, dance, literature, drama, and architecture: She has a degree in fine arts from Columbia University.
finely
finely
  1. adv.
    1 well and delicately: The plates were finely painted.
    2 in small pieces: Chop the nuts finely.
finery
finery
  1. n.frml. [U] elegant, expensive clothes: Men and women dressed in their finery for the concert.
finesse
finesse
  1. n. [U] fine skill, smoothness,
    THESAURUS
    deftness: The chef makes elegant desserts with great finesse.||The owner handles complaints with finesse.
finger
finger
  1. n.
    1 one of the movable parts of the hand,
    THESAURUS
    digit: A hand has four fingers and a thumb (or) five fingers.
    2 infrml. a finger in the pie: to be involved, have influence: The sales manager is in charge of the project, but his boss has his finger in the pie.
    3 to give s.o. the finger: (a vulgar act) to show a strong dislike for s.o. by displaying the middle finger: When he passed the car in front of him, the driver gave him the finger.
    4 to keep one's fingers crossed: to wish strongly for s.t.: I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow; let's keep our fingers crossed.
    5 to not lift a finger: to make no effort to help: She made all the preparations for the party; her husband didn't lift a finger.
    6 to put one's finger on s.t.: to identify, say exactly what s.t. is: There's something strange about that man, but I can't put my finger on it.
    7 to slip through one's fingers: to miss or lose an opportunity: She had a chance to get a promotion, but she let it slip through her fingers. —v. [T]
    1 to touch or rub with the fingers: The buyer fingered the cloth to check the quality.
    2 fig. to choose: The president of the company fingered his assistant to run the new project.
finger printing
finger printing
  1. n. the process of getting fingerprints: The finger printing of the suspect took place at the police station.
fingernail
fingernail
  1. n. the hard covering at the end of each finger: She puts red polish on her fingernails.
fingerprint
fingerprint
  1. n.v. [T] the fine pattern made by a person's fingertips when covered with ink and pressed against paper: The police fingerprint suspects and keep these fingerprints for their records.
fingertip
fingertip
  1. n.
    1 the end of the human finger including the nail and flesh on the bottom: The fingertip has many nerve endings that are very useful in the sense of touch.
    2 to have s.t. at one's fingertips: to have instantly available: With the aid of a computer, I have all the information I need at my fingertips.
finicky
finicky
  1. adj. difficult to please, unpredictable, (syns.) fussy, persnickety: Children can sometimes be finicky eaters.
finis
finis
  1. n. the end: The last page in the book says "Finis."
finish
finish
  1. v. -ishes 1 [I;T] to complete, accomplish: I finished my assignment in three hours.
    2 [T] to coat the surface of s.t.: The carpenter finished the table with furniture oil. —n. -ishes
    1 the end, termination of an activity or event: We were present at the finish of the race.
    2 a covering or surface: That table has a smooth and shiny finish.
    THESAURUS
    finish v.
    1 to do, end, conclude. Ants. to begin, start.
finish line
finish line
  1. n. the line that marks the end of a race: Our horse crossed the finish line far ahead of the others.
finished
finished
  1. adj. no longer able to function,
    THESAURUS
    ruined: She's finished as a politician.||The business is out of money; it's finished.
finishing school
finishing school
  1. n. a two-year school for young rich women as preparation for taking their place in society: She went to finishing school in New England and then returned to Michigan to marry.
finite
finite
  1. adj. limited in number (quantity, availability), countable: The company has finite resources that must be divided among a limited number of projects.
fink
fink
  1. n.infrml. s.o. who tells about the wrongdoing of others,
    THESAURUS
    informer: That fink told the teacher that s.o. cheated on the exam. —v.infrml. [I] to inform on s.o.: He finked on his friends.
fiord
fiord
  1. n. var. of fjord
fir
fir
  1. n. a type of tall pine tree with thin pointed leaves found in cool climates: Firs are often used as Christmas trees.
fire-eater
fire-eater
  1. n.
    1 an entertainer who creates the illusion of swallowing fire: At the circus the children especially enjoyed the fire-eater.
    2 fig. an angry person who likes to argue: People avoid him; he's a fire-eater when the subject is politics.
fire
fire
  1. n.
    1 [C] the process of burning, which produces heat and light: The fire in the stove is hot enough to cook now.
    2 [C] flames,
    THESAURUS
    a blaze: We sat around the fire to keep warm.||The restaurant was closed because of a fire.
    3 [U]fig. passion, intensity: His speeches are full of fire.
    4 on fire: burning, in flames,
    THESAURUS
    ablaze: The house next door is on fire.
    5 on the fire: to be cooking: The hamburgers are on the fire and will be ready soon.
    6 to be under fire: a. to be under attack: The soldiers on the bridge are under fire from enemy aircraft. b. fig. to suffer criticism: The politician is under fire from his conservative opponents.
    7 to catch (on) fire: a. to start to burn, (syns.) to ignite, become ablaze: If you're not careful, the rug will catch fire. b. fig. to become popular, widely accepted: After her great speech, the politician's election campaign caught fire with the people.
    8 to fight fire with fire: to use the same methods as s.o. else: He complains to the boss about us, so we'll fight fire with fire and complain to the boss about him.
    9 to have fire in one's eye: to be angry: I know she's determined to do what she wants; I can see the fire in her eyes.
    10 to have fire in the belly: to have a strong desire for advancement,
    THESAURUS
    to be ambitious: He has a real fire in his belly; he is so determined to succeed.
    11 to set a fire under s.o.: to pressure s.o. to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to prod: He has been delaying action for months; I'm going to set a fire under him to start the project.
    12 to set fire to or to set on fire: to start s.t. burning, (syns.) to torch, set ablaze: She accidentally set the bed on fire (or) set fire to the bed with a cigarette.
    13 to set the world on fire: to enjoy great success (usu. used negatively): She did not set the world on fire at college, but she did make some good grades. —v. fired, firing, fires
    1 [I;T] to shoot a weapon: The soldier fired his rifle (missile, cannon, etc.) at the enemy.
    2 [T] to start a fire,
    THESAURUS
    to ignite
    3 fig. [T] to talk or shout at s.o. with intensity: The detective fired questions at the suspect.
    4 [T] to dismiss from employment,
    THESAURUS
    to terminate: The boss fired two workers.
    5 [T] to excite,
    THESAURUS
    to inspire: That speaker fires the imagination of his listeners.
    6 infrml. to be fired up: to be enthusiastic, highly motivated: He is fired up about his new job and wants to get started.
    7 phrasal v. insep. [I] to fire away at s.o. or s.t.: a. to shoot at s.o. with full force: The officer gave the signal, and the soldiers fired away at the enemy. b. infrml.fig. (you) go ahead: I'm listening to your idea; fire away!
    8 phrasal v. sep. [T] fire s.t. off: to speak or write quickly: She fired off three letters in ten minutes.||She fired them off. See: quit, USAGE NOTE.
fire alarm
fire alarm
  1. n. a device that makes a loud sound to warn people of a fire: Everyone left the building when the fire alarm went off. See: smoke detector.
fire department
fire department
  1. n. the organization responsible for putting out unwanted fires in a city or town: The fire department put out a blaze in the building next door to my house.
fire drill
fire drill
  1. n. a procedure in which all people leave a building as practice for a real fire: The schools in our town have fire drills every month.
fire engine
fire engine
  1. n. a truck with equipment used to put out fires: A fire engine with six firefighters arrived and put out the grass fire.
fire escape
fire escape
  1. n. a series of platforms and ladders attached outside a building to let its occupants climb down and escape a fire: We can reach the fire escape by going out our living-room window.
fire extinguisher
fire extinguisher
  1. n. a container containing chemicals under pressure that are shot through a hose to put out fires: We keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
fire hydrant
fire hydrant
  1. n. an upright metal container holding a pipe connected to an underground water supply,
    THESAURUS
    fireplug: Firefighters connected their hoses to the fire hydrant and sprayed water on the blaze.
fire sale
fire sale
  1. n.
    1 a sale at very reduced prices of goods damaged in a fire
    2 fig. any sale at very reduced prices: We bought some new dishes at a fire sale.
fire station
fire station
  1. n. See: firehouse.
firearm
firearm
  1. n. any of a variety of guns (pistols, rifles, machine guns, etc.): In order to use a firearm, you have to have a permit.
fireball
fireball
  1. n.
    1 any round mass on fire: Fireballs of burning grass rolled down the hill from the fire above.
    2 fig. a very energetic person: That woman is a fireball of energy; she's always full of good ideas.
firebomb
firebomb
  1. n.v. [T] a bomb that spreads fire: The airplanes firebombed the city.
firebrand
firebrand
  1. n.fig. a person very involved in a political cause: He was a firebrand in the civil rights movement.
firebug
firebug
  1. n.slang a person who maliciously sets fires,
    THESAURUS
    arsonist: The store fires were set by a firebug.
firecracker
firecracker
  1. n. a light, often colorful explosive intended for celebration: Some people like to set off firecrackers on Independence Day. See: fireworks.
firefighter
firefighter
  1. n. a person employed to put out fires: The firefighter went into the burning building to save the child.
firefly
firefly
  1. n. -flies a flying insect that sends out a light that can be seen at night: We enjoy watching fireflies flashing their lights in the early evening.
firehouse
firehouse
  1. n. a building where fire engines and equipment are kept, often with living space for firefighters,
    THESAURUS
    fire station: The new firehouse in this town holds three fire engines and ten firefighters.
fireman
fireman
  1. n. -men var. of firefighter

    USAGE NOTE: Many people find the term fireman sexist and prefer firefighter.
fireplace
fireplace
  1. n. a space built into the wall of a building, made of brick or stone, in which fires are set,
    THESAURUS
    hearth: Our family sits around the fireplace on cold winter nights.
fireplug
fireplug
  1. n. See: fire hydrant.
firepower
firepower
  1. n. the amount of weapons that a military unit can put into action: With its many fighter planes and guns, an aircraft carrier has enormous firepower.
fireproof
fireproof
  1. adj.v. [T] (to make) incapable of being harmed by fire: That building is fireproof, because the builders fireproofed it with steel doors, cement floors, and brick walls.
fireside
fireside
  1. n.adj. the area near or beside a fire, esp. a fireplace: I'll never forget those fireside talks we used to have on cold winter nights.
firetrap
firetrap
  1. n. a building that is dangerous during a fire because it burns easily or has few exits: That old theater is a firetrap and should be closed down.
firewater
firewater
  1. n.infrml.old usage [U] an alcoholic drink, such as cheap whiskey: The cowboy said to the bartender, "Give me some more of that firewater!"
firewood
firewood
  1. n. [U] wood used to start a fire or to keep it burning: They cut down the trees for firewood.
fireworks
fireworks
  1. n.pl. light, colorful explosives used for celebrations: The Independence Day fireworks are beautiful to see in the night sky. See: firecracker.
firing line
firing line
  1. n.
    1 a practice area or a battle line from which weapons are fired: Fresh troops moved up to the firing line to help the others.
    2 on the firing line: (of a person) in the position of having to defend against criticism: As the head of the company, he's always on the firing line.
firing squad
firing squad
  1. n. a small unit of soldiers who shoot to kill a prisoner on command: The firing squad consisted of five young soldiers commanded by a lieutenant.
firm
firm
  1. adj.
    1 (syns.) hard, solid: His muscles are firm from exercise. His muscles are hard (or) solid from exercise.||The mattress is firm. The mattress is hard.
    2 (syns.) definite, fixed: Her decision is firm and won't be changed. Her decision is definite and won't be changed.
    3 (syns.) strong, stable: That house is built on a firm foundation. That house is built on a strong, stable foundation.
    4 (syns.) definite, unyielding: The boy's mother was firm with him about not crossing the street alone. The boy's mother was definite (or) unyielding with him about not crossing the street alone.
    5 to be on firm ground: to know one's facts: My manager is on firm ground when she describes the costs of production. —phrasal v. [T] to firm up: to become stable, solid: Food prices finally stopped falling and firmed up. —n. a business of professionals: He belongs to a law firm (or) an accounting firm. —adv. to hold or remain firm: to remain steady, dedicated: She holds firm to (or) remains firm in her religious beliefs. -adv. firmly; -n. [U] firmness.
firmament
firmament
  1. n.frml. [U] the sky,
    THESAURUS
    the heavens: He raised his eyes to the firmament and prayed for forgiveness.
first-born
first-born
  1. n. [U] adj. a couple's first child: He was their first-born or their first-born child.
first-class
first-class
  1. adj. referring to the best quality, usu. of service: They stayed at a first-class hotel.
first-generation
first-generation
  1. adj. being the first children of immigrants to be born in the new country: My parents came from Italy to America, and I was born in America; I am a first-generation American.
first-rate
first-rate
  1. adj. excellent, among the best: She is a first-rate lawyer; all the well-known criminals want her to represent them.
first-string
first-string
  1. adj. referring to athletes on a team who play regularly, as opposed to second-string players who act as substitutes: Martin Marvelous is the first-string quarterback for our football team.
first-time
first-time
  1. adj. occurring for the first time: She is a first-time lottery winner and hopes to win again.
first
first
  1. adj.
    1 located as number one in a series: She is the first person in line.
    2 at first glance: viewed quickly, on the surface,
    THESAURUS
    superficially: At first glance, the jewels looked real.
    3 first thing: at the beginning of a time period: I will do it first thing in the morning.
    4 first things first: The most important or necessary things must be done before any others: First things first, you must earn the money to pay for the trip before you go.
    5 in first place: the winner, the best: I thought my baseball team was in first place, but it turned out we finished second.
    6 in the first place: to be considered before other matters (often used to express frustration): In the first place, I don't understand what you are talking about, so how can I make a decision? —pron.
    1 number one in a series: She was the first to hear the news.
    2 at first: in the beginning in comparison to later events: At first, I thought he was lying, but I later learned that he was telling the truth.
    3 first come, first served: those who arrive first are attended to first, and later arrivals wait: First come, first served is how the free clothing is given out at the church. —adv.
    1 occurring before any other action, person, or thing: He cleaned the floors first before doing the windows.||The horse I picked finished first in the race.||This meeting will cover three issues: First, we shall discuss last year's sales; second, this year's new products; third, strategies for selling our product line.
    2. first, last, and always: forever: First, last, and always, she is the best dancer of our time.

    USAGE NOTE: Some prefer to use firstly, secondly, thirdly, etc. Either is correct.
first aid
first aid
  1. n. [U] emergency medical treatment given before the injured person receives whatever further treatment may be necessary: When the worker received a bad cut on his hand, a co-worker administered first aid and then took him to the hospital.
first base
first base
  1. n. [U]
    1 (in baseball) the base that must be reached first by the runner: The player hit the ball and ran to first base.
    2 to get to first base: a. to successfully complete the first step of a plan of action: He tried to sell that company a new health plan but could not get to first base with them. b. fig. to kiss s.o. on a romantic date: Carlos got to first base last night with Laura.
first cousin
first cousin
  1. n. the son or daughter of one's aunt or uncle: Two of my first cousins live in Chicago.
first edition
first edition
  1. n. the first printing of a book: I have a first edition of Gone with the Wind signed by the author.
first mate
first mate
  1. n. a ship's officer second in rank to the captain: The captain gave an order to the first mate.
first name
first name
  1. n. the name given one at birth, as opposed to one's family name: His first name is Thomas, but I can't remember his last name. —adj. first-name basis: referring to a friendly, informal relationship: The owner and I are on a first-name basis.
first person
first person
  1. n. [U]
    1 (in grammar) the form of a pronoun or verb that refers to the speaker(s): For the verb "to be," "I am" is the firstperson singular form and "we are" is the first-person plural form.
    2 a style of storytelling in which the narrator is a participant in the story: The novel, told in the first person, began, "My father died before I was born."
firsthand
firsthand
  1. adj. direct, based on direct experience and knowledge of s.t.: She has worked with computers for years and has firsthand knowledge of how they work.
firstly
firstly
  1. adv. occurring before all others: Firstly, I would like to welcome you; secondly, let's discuss some serious matters.
fiscal
fiscal
  1. adj.
    1 related to taxation and spending of government money: The country's fiscal policy is to lower taxes and increase spending in order to stimulate the economy.
    2 fiscal year: related to a 12-month period of business activity: Our company's fiscal year is the calendar year, January 1 to December 31. -adv. fiscally.
fish
fish
  1. n. fish or fishes [C;U]
    1 an animal usu. with scales that lives in water and uses gills to breathe: I love to eat fish that I catch in the ocean.
    2 a big fish in a small pond: an important, usu. powerful person in a work or social setting where there is little competition: The well-known professor chose to stay at the small college rather than teach at a large university because he wanted to be a big fish in a small pond.
    3 a cold fish: a person who does not show warmth or affection: That man is such a cold fish; he never smiles!
    4 to be or feel like a fish out of water: to feel awkward, in the wrong place: I felt like a fish out of water at that fancy restaurant since I usually eat at fast-food places.
    5 to be neither fish nor fowl: not to fit into a clear category, confusing: The owners decided to make the newspaper less serious, but now it is neither fish nor fowl, because it limits its serious articles and still has too few of the lighter ones.
    6 to drink like a fish: to drink large amounts of alcohol: He used to hate beer, but now he drinks like a fish.
    7 to have other fish to fry: to have more important things to do: I cannot spend any more time on that project; I have other fish to fry. —v. fishes
    1 [I] to try to catch fish: When I was little, my uncle used to fish with me.
    2 fig. [I;T] to search for s.t. with the hand, (syns.) to grope, fumble around: She fished in her bag for a pen.
    3 fig. [I;T] to search, inquire (often indirectly): The detective fished for information by asking neighbors if they had seen the crime.
    4 to fish for compliments: to ask questions to invite praise: The girl asked her boyfriend if he liked her hair and her dress; she was fishing for compliments.
    5 to fish or cut bait: to make a definite decision: He has been deciding whether or not to buy my car for a month now; he has to fish or cut bait because I need to sell it.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to fish s.o. or s.t. out: to pull out: Two women fished a little boy out of the water.||They fished him out.
fish and chips
fish and chips
  1. n. fried pieces of fish served with French fries: Every Friday, he enjoys fish and chips for lunch.
fish story
fish story
  1. n. -ries a story that is hard to believe,
    THESAURUS
    a tall tale: He wears a cowboy hat and tells fish stories about his former career as a movie actor.
fishbowl
fishbowl
  1. n.
    1 a bowl in which pet fish are kept: There are two goldfish in the fishbowl.
    2 fig. a place with little or no privacy: The President lives in a fishbowl; he has no privacy.
fishcake
fishcake
  1. n. a fried mixture of ground fish and potato, often with light spices: We're having fishcakes for lunch.
fishery
fishery
  1. n. -ies
    1 an area where fish are caught: The boats were headed towards the fisheries off the East Coast.
    2 the business of catching, processing, and selling fish: The fisheries in our state are now owned by one group.
    3 a place where fish are raised: That fishery sells to expensive restaurants in the city.
fishhook
fishhook
  1. n. a curved piece of thin metal with a sharp, pointed end designed to catch fish by the mouth: I put a worm on the end of the fishhook.
fishing
fishing
  1. n. [U]
    1 the sport of fishing: We like to go fishing during our vacation.
    2 the business of catching and selling fish: Fishing can be a difficult way to make a living.
fishing rod
fishing rod
  1. n. a long, metal stick, fitted with cord or plastic line and used to catch fish: We use a very strong fishing rod to go deep-sea fishing.
fishmonger
fishmonger
  1. n. a person who sells fish: My mother is a fishmonger at the outdoor market in Seattle.
fishnet
fishnet
  1. n. an open fabric of nylon, wire, or other material designed to capture fish: Some fishnets are so huge that they catch every creature in their path.
fishpond
fishpond
  1. n. a body of water smaller than a lake in which fish are kept: There's a fishpond in the park.
fishstick
fishstick
  1. n. finger-sized processed pieces of fresh or frozen fish: We have fishsticks for dinner once a week.
fishtail
fishtail
  1. v. [I] to move back and forth: Our airplane fishtailed as we landed in a strong wind.
fishy
fishy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 having an odor of fish: The garbage has a fishy smell that is making me sick.
    2 fig. strange, possibly dishonest,
    THESAURUS
    suspicious: Strangers keep going in and out of that house; there is s.t. fishy going on there.
fission
fission
  1. n. [U] the splitting of an atom, producing a release of energy: Nuclear fission releases a powerful explosion of energy.
fissure
fissure
  1. n. a split, crack, (syns.) crevice, cleavage: Water has gotten into fissures in the rock.
fist
fist
  1. n. the closed hand, esp. when used for striking: He hit the table with his fist to get everyone's attention.
fistfight
fistfight
  1. n. a fight in which fists are used: An argument between two men outside a disco soon turned into a fistfight.
fistful
fistful
  1. n. a handful: The child grabbed a fistful of cookies and ran outside.
fisticuffs
fisticuffs
  1. n. (frequently used humorously) a fistfight: The fight between the two children began as an argument and ended in fisticuffs.
fit
fit
  1. v. fitted, or fit, fitting, fits
    1 [I;T] to be the right size and shape: These shoes fit well; I'll buy them.||The key fits into the lock.
    2 [I;T] to be suitable for a specific purpose: That telephone system fits our needs.
    3 if the shoe fits, wear it: if the description of s.o. is true, then it has to be accepted: My friend said, "My girlfriend just told me that I lived like a pig." I said, "Well, if the shoe fits, wear it; your apartment is a complete mess."
    4 to fit like a glove: to fit closely and comfortably, almost perfectly: These shoes fit like a glove.
    5 to fit the bill: to satisfy, provide just what is needed: The new paint job really fits the bill in brightening up the house. —n.
    1 [C] a sudden strong display of anger,
    THESAURUS
    a temper tantrum: He nearly had a fit when he got a parking ticket.
    2 [U] the suitability of s.t.'s size and shape to its purpose: That suit looks good on you; it has a nice fit.
    3 [C] a sudden attack of a disease: a coughing fit
    4 to give s.o. fits: to worry,
    THESAURUS
    to exasperate: He gives me fits because he never does what he is supposed to do. —adj. fitter, fittest
    1 in good physical condition, healthy: He looks fit after his vacation.
    2 suitable, proper: Because of his dishonesty, he isn't fit to be mayor.
    3 fit as a fiddle: to be healthy, in good condition: I've been jogging a lot lately, and I feel as fit as a fiddle!
    4 fit to be tied: very frustrated,
    THESAURUS
    exasperated: When she heard that her son had crashed the car again, she was fit to be tied.
fitful
fitful
  1. adj. irregular, disturbed: I slept badly; I had a fitful night. -adv. fitfully.
fitness
fitness
  1. n. [U]
    1 a person's physical condition: As part of her desire for fitness, she jogs two miles every day.
    2 suitability: His poor performance as assistant manager made us question his fitness for the position of manager.
fitting
fitting
  1. n. the act of trying on clothing in order to get the proper size: The costume designer asked the actor to come in for a fitting this week. —adj. suitable,
    THESAURUS
    proper: It was a fitting end to the story.
five-and-dime
five-and-dime
  1. n.adj. See: five-and-ten.
five-and-ten
five-and-ten
  1. n.adj. a general store selling inexpensive household items: We did some shopping at the five-and-ten (or) at the five-and-ten store.
five
five
  1. adj.n. the cardinal number 5: He gave me five dollars.|| Five of the children lived on the same street.
fix
fix
  1. v. [T] fixes
    1 (syn.) to repair s.t.: A mechanic fixed the brakes on my car. A mechanic repaired the brakes.
    2 (syn.) to correct s.t.: She fixed the mistakes in the report. She corrected the mistakes in the report.
    3 (syn.) to rig, as in to arrange in advance who will win a competition: The horse race was fixed. The horse race was rigged.
    4 (syn.) to prepare: He fixed dinner for his wife. He prepared dinner for his wife.
    5 (syn.) to neuter, as to cut out an animal's sex organ so it can't produce young: He didn't want his cat to have any more kittens, so he had her fixed. He had his cat neutered. —n. fixes
    1 difficulty, a troublesome situation: He used his credit card too freely and has gotten himself into a fix with high payments.
    2 slang an amount of narcotic: The drug addict started to shake because he needed a fix so badly.
    THESAURUS
    fix n.
    1 a dilemma.
fixate
fixate
  1. v. -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 [I;T] to focus one's attention intensely on s.t.: As she looked at jewelry in the window, she fixated on a beautiful ring.
    2 [T] to spend an excessive amount of time thinking about s.o. or s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to obsess: The young girl fixated on the handsome movie star as the man of her dreams.
fixation
fixation
  1. n. s.o. or s.t. one cannot stop thinking about, an obsession: He has a fixation on one of his professors.
fixative
fixative
  1. n.
    1 a substance used to hold two things together: People who wear false teeth use a fixative to hold them in place.
    2 a substance used to make s.t. permanent: The artist uses a fixative on her drawings to preserve them.
fixed
fixed
  1. adj.
    1 firmly in place: The computer is locked in a fixed position, so it can't be moved.
    2 definite, stable: That product is sold at a fixed price with no discounts.
    3 not able to be changed, (syns.) unyielding, insistent: She has fixed ideas on how to cook.
fixture
fixture
  1. n.
    1 internal part of a building, such as a faucet, a sink, or a bathtub: We are planning to replace the bathroom fixtures next year.
    2 fig. a person or thing connected to a place for a long time and unlikely to leave it: Mr. Kim is a fixture at the company; he's worked there for over thirty years.
fizz
fizz
  1. v. [I] fizzes to bubble: Champagne fizzes when it is poured into a glass.
fizzle
fizzle
  1. v. [I] -zled, -zling, -zles
    1 to fizz
    2 fig. to fail in a disappointing way,
    THESAURUS
    to peter out: Her interest in going back to college fizzled.||The new movie fizzled after it received bad reviews.
fjord
fjord
  1. n. a narrow body of sea water between tall cliffs: The fjords in Norway are a famous tourist attraction.
flab
flab
  1. n. loose, fatty flesh: That man has flab around his waistline.
flabbergast
flabbergast
  1. v. [T] to shock into disbelief: The news that he had won a million dollars flabbergasted him.
flabby
flabby
  1. adj. -bier, -biest having loose, fatty flesh: He is flabby from eating too much chocolate.
flaccid
flaccid
  1. adj. flabby: He is flaccid from lack of exercise.
flack
flack
  1. n.v. [I] a person employed to manage public relations for s.o., a press agent: John is a flack (or) he flacks for a local politician. See: flak.
flag
flag
  1. n.
    1 a piece of fabric, usu. with a design, used as a symbol: The flags of many countries fly near the United Nations building.
    2 to fly the flag: a. to display a flag in support of one's country: On Independence Day, we fly the flag in front of our house. b. fig. to indicate one's participation in a group gathering: We attended the trade show this year just to fly the flag. —v. flagged, flagging, flags
    1 [I] to slow down, become weak, falter: My interest in poetry began to flag after I studied it for five years.
    2 phrasal v. [T] to flag down: to make s.t. (usu. a vehicle) stop by waving: I flagged down a cab to take me to the airport.
    THESAURUS
    flag n.
    1 the national emblem, the colors | a banner, pennant | (in the USA) Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to weaken, diminish, wilt. Ants. to strengthen, increase.
flagellate
flagellate
  1. v. -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 frml. [T] to whip, esp. as religious punishment or for sexual pleasure
    2 [I] to move like a whip: The hair-like parts of some microorganisms flagellate to produce motion. -n. [U] flagellation.
flagging
flagging
  1. adj. becoming less,
    THESAURUS
    faltering: The bicyclist's energy is flagging as he struggles up a hill.
flagon
flagon
  1. n.
    1 a large bottle for wine or other liquids: People bought wine by the flagon and filled smaller bottles from it.
    2 a serving container with handle and lid: The host poured wine from a flagon.
flagpole
flagpole
  1. n. a tall pole from which flags are hung: The flagpole in the center of town flies the country's flag every day.
flagrant
flagrant
  1. adj. openly bad, (syns.) blatant, brazen: A trucker dumped toxic waste in a lake in flagrant violation of the law. -n. [U] flagrancy; -adv. flagrantly.
flagship
flagship
  1. n.
    1 (in military) the ship of a group's commander displaying his flag
    2 the major unit of a group: The New York Times newspaper is the flagship of a large publishing company.
flagstone
flagstone
  1. n. a flat section of stone used to make paths, patios, or floors: The flagstones in our patio are gray and black.
flagwaving
flagwaving
  1. n. [U]
    1 the waving of flags
    2 fig. an excessive display of strong loyalty or patriotism: The President's speech included a great deal of flagwaving.
flail
flail
  1. n. a machine used to separate the seed or grain from the rest of the plant —v.
    1 [T] to use a flail
    2 [T] to whip,
    THESAURUS
    to flog: A cruel owner flailed the dog for disobedience.
    3 [I] to move the arms or legs in an uncontrolled way: The skater slipped and then flailed his arms as he tried to regain balance.
flair
flair
  1. n. [U]
    1 a special talent: He has a flair for speaking well.
    2 good taste: She dresses with flair.
    THESAURUS
    flair
    1 a special skill, knack
    2 (with) style.
flak
flak
  1. n. [U]
    1 guns fired against aircraft
    2 the explosions from such a gun's shells
    3 infrml. strong criticism: My boss is always giving me flak about coming to work late.
flake
flake
  1. n.
    1 a small piece of s.t., light in weight with a rough or smooth surface: Americans love breakfast cereals in the form of flakes.
    2 slang a strange, crazy, or unpredictable person: My math professor is a flake; he always forgets to give us homework. See: snowflake. —v. [I] flaked, flaking, flakes
    1 to fall off in flakes: The paint on the wall is flaking.
    2 phrasal v. slang to flake out: to be forgetful or behave in an unusual way: She told me she would help me, but she flaked out and went to the movies instead.
flaky
flaky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 in the form of flakes: The wall paint is flaky and is peeling off.
    2 slang strange, crazy, or unpredictable: He's a flaky guy.
flamboyant
flamboyant
  1. adj. showy, colorful, (syns.) dashing, bold: The rock star acts and dresses in a flamboyant manner. -n. [U] flamboyance; -adv. flamboyantly.
flambé
flambé
  1. adj. referring to main dishes and desserts that are set on fire briefly before serving: My favorite flambé dish is crepes suzettes.
flame-retardant
flame-retardant
  1. adj. resistant to fire by not burning quickly: The materials used in some rugs (clothing, curtains, etc.) are treated with a flame-retardant chemical.
flamenco
flamenco
  1. n. -cos or -coes a spirited Spanish dance with foot stamping, handclapping, and castanets: That dancer performs the flamenco at a local nightclub.
flameproof
flameproof
  1. adj. completely resistant to fire: The high-quality steel used to make that door is flameproof. See: fireproof.
flamethrower
flamethrower
  1. n. a weapon that shoots fire: Soldiers fired flamethrowers into the enemy camp to force the enemy out.
flaming
flaming
  1. adj.
    1 in flames, burning: We could see the flaming ruins of the house for hours after the fire was under control.
    2 very bright: Her flaming red dress caught everyone's attention.
flamingo
flamingo
  1. n. -gos or -goes a tall, long-legged, bright pink water bird associated with Florida: Flamingos are colorful, attractive birds.
flammable
flammable
  1. adj. capable of catching fire: That company keeps flammable liquids in a special fireproof area. -n. [U] flammability.
flan
flan
  1. n. [U]
    1 a baked dessert made with milk, eggs, and sugar
    2 a pastry filled with custard, cheese, or fruit: We had flan for dessert with our coffee.
flange
flange
  1. n. an extended edge on various construction materials: The flange on the metal wheel kept it on the track.
flank
flank
  1. n.
    1 the side area of a human's or animal's body between the ribs and hip
    2 the outer sides or ends of a military formation: The enemy went around our right flank. —v. [T]
    1 to be on one or both sides of s.o. or s.t.: Two police officers flanked the prisoner on either side.
    2 to go around the side of a military formation: Our soldiers flanked the enemy on their right. -n. flanker.
flannel
flannel
  1. n. [U] adj. a soft wool or cotton fabric: He wears gray flannel suits.
flap
flap
  1. v. [I;T] flapped, flapping, flaps to move up and down, or sideways: Birds flap their wings. —n.
    1 an up-and-down or side-to-side motion: The bird took off with a flap of its wings.
    2 a piece of material used as a covering: The flaps on my jacket pockets keep things from falling out.
    3 infrml.fig. a dispute, minor scandal,
    THESAURUS
    controversy: Every year, there is a flap in Washington over salary increases for government employees.
flapjack
flapjack
  1. n. a pancake: He likes to eat flapjacks for breakfast.
flapper
flapper
  1. n.infrml. in the 1920s, a woman who didn't follow traditional standards of behavior: In her youth, she was a flapper and went out dancing every night.
flare-up
flare-up
  1. n.
    1 a sudden burst of light
    2 a rapid, intense build-up such as of light, anger, rebellion, or disease: I had a flare-up of my back problem yesterday.
flare
flare
  1. n. a flame-producing chemical device used to light up an area: The police put flares around the scene of the car accident. —v. [I] flared, flaring, flares
    1 to burst forth with intense light: The fire flared when gasoline was poured on it.
    2 fig. to show sudden anger or to rebel: The argument grew heated, and tempers suddenly flared.
flash
flash
  1. n. -es
    1 a sudden burst of light: That flash of lightning startled us.
    2 (in photography) a device for adding light: The flash on my camera needs batteries.
    3 fig. a burst of mental activity: Suddenly, she had a flash of insight.
    4 a flash in the pan: a success that happens only once: Her first film won many awards, but it turned out to be only a flash in the pan.
    5 in a flash: very quickly: I'll be back in a flash. —v. -es
    1 [I;T] to burst forth suddenly, esp. light or fire: Lightning flashed in the distance.
    2 [T] to display very briefly: The gambler flashed a roll of $100 bills.
    3 [I] to move rapidly: The race cars flashed by us.
flash card
flash card
  1. n. a small card with writing on both sides, used for memorizing information: Those flash cards have a question on one side and the answer on the other.
flash point
flash point
  1. n.
    1 the lowest temperature at which a substance produces fire
    2 fig. the moment at which a situation becomes serious, usu. resulting in violence: Events reached the flash point in the conflict, and both sides decided to go to war.
flashback
flashback
  1. n. (in literature and film) a movement in time from the present to the past: Film directors and novelists use flashbacks to explain earlier events.
flashbulb
flashbulb
  1. -n. a bulb that gives off a brief, intense light used for photography: As soon as the president walked into the room, many flashbulbs went off.
flasher
flasher
  1. n.
    1 a light that goes on and off repeatedly: Road workers place flashers near holes to warn drivers to avoid them.
    2 infrml.fig. a man who briefly displays his sexual parts to strangers: The police arrested the flasher; he was wearing a raincoat but no other clothes.
flashlight
flashlight
  1. n. a hand-held light operated by batteries: When the lights went out, we used a flashlight to find the exit.
flashy
flashy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest showy,
    THESAURUS
    ostentatious: He wears flashy clothes and drives an expensive sports car.
flask
flask
  1. n. a small container used for a variety of liquids: Her companion carries a flask of brandy in his pocket.
flat-chested
flat-chested
  1. adj. with small breasts: The sweater is too big for her because she's flat-chested.
flat-footed
flat-footed
  1. adj. with fallen arches of the feet: He is flat-footed and must wear special shoes.
flat
flat
  1. adj. flatter, flattest
    1 level: The farmland near the river is very flat.
    2 lying full length: He is flat on his back with the flu.
    3 fig. uninteresting: This dinner party has gone flat.
    4 fig. (business activity) the same as the previous period: Sales are flat this month; there has been no increase over last month's sales.
    5 referring to a drink that has lost its bubbles: The beer is flat.
    6 a flat tire or a flat: a tire that has lost air: During our trip across the country, we had a flat (or) a flat tire.
    7 as flat as a pancake: very flat: The land near the Mississippi River is as flat as a pancake in many areas. —adv.
    1 completely, firmly: When I asked him for a favor, he turned me down flat.
    2 (of time) exactly: He ran the race in six minutes flat.
    3 to fall flat: to fail totally: The comedian's jokes fell flat; no one laughed.
    4 flat out: at top speed: We drove flat out for hours just to arrive in New York on time. -adv. flatly; -n. [U] flatness.
    THESAURUS
    flat adj.
    1 horizontal, even. Ants. uneven, hilly.
    2 stretched out
    3 unexciting, boring dull. Ants. interesting, lively.
    4 level. Ant. up.
flatcar
flatcar
  1. n. a railroad car with a flat bottom, no roof, and usu. no sides: Cars and trucks are transported by rail on flatcars.
flatland
flatland
  1. n. [C;U] level land without hills or valleys: The farmland in this area is flatland with a few streams.
flatten
flatten
  1. v. [T] to make horizontal: The cook flattens the ground beef into hamburgers.
    THESAURUS
    flatten to level, press down, compress.
flatter
flatter
  1. v. [T]
    1 to compliment s.o. usu. in order to win favor: He flatters his boss by telling her how intelligent she is.
    2 to increase one's feeling of self-importance: He was flattered when she told him that he looked young for his age. -n. flatterer.
    THESAURUS
    flatter
    1 to praise, sweet-talk | butter s.o. up infrml. Ant. to criticize.
flattery
flattery
  1. n. [U] praise or compliments that are excessive or insincere: She was never fooled by his flattery.
flattop
flattop
  1. n. something with a flat surface: The barber cut the marine's hair in a flattop.
flatulence
flatulence
  1. n. [U]
    1 gas sent out from the bowels
    2 fig. speech filled with unnecessary words and showy language: The professor was famous for his flatulence. -adj. flatulent.
flatware
flatware
  1. n. [U] tools for eating, such as knives, spoons, and forks,
    THESAURUS
    silverware: The flatware in that restaurant is rather elegant, but the plates are plastic!
flaunt
flaunt
  1. v. [T] to display in a showy way: She flaunts her wealth by driving big cars and wearing expensive jewelry.
flavor
flavor
  1. n.
    1 a specific taste: That steak has an excellent flavor.
    2 fig. a quality, impression: The furniture and artwork give that room the flavor of Spain. —v. [T] to add a specific taste to s.t.: She flavored the sauce with salt, pepper, and garlic.
    THESAURUS
    flavor n.
    2 a feel, character | essence. —v. to season.
flavorful
flavorful
  1. adj. tasty,
    THESAURUS
    savory: The sauce on the fish is quite flavorful.
flavoring
flavoring
  1. n. any ingredient added to food to give it a specific taste: The company added vanilla flavoring to its ice cream.
flaw
flaw
  1. n. s.t. that is not perfect, a fault, imperfection: She noticed that there was a flaw in the diamond.
flawed
flawed
  1. adj.
    1 faulty,
    THESAURUS
    defective: He presented a flawed argument.
    2 imperfect,
    THESAURUS
    blemished: The decoration on those dinner plates is flawed.
flawless
flawless
  1. adj. perfect: The actor gave a flawless performance. -adv. flawlessly.
flax
flax
  1. n. [U]
    1 a plant with blue flowers, grown for its stem, from which linen is made
    2 the fibers of this plant, used for making linen cloth
flaxen
flaxen
  1. adj.
    1 woven from the flax plant
    2 light yellow, blond: The poet spoke of women with flaxen hair.
flay
flay
  1. v. [T]
    1 to pull the skin off: The company flays lambs to make lambskin gloves.
    2 to criticize strongly: The critics flayed Mr. Stark's writing.
flea
flea
  1. n. a very small jumping insect that feeds on blood: His dog has fleas.
flea market
flea market
  1. n. an informal outdoor marketplace where goods are sold at low prices: The flea market in our area sells used clothing and furniture.
fleabag hotel
fleabag hotel
  1. n. a cheap hotel,
    THESAURUS
    flophouse: He is a poor man who lives in a fleabag hotel.
fleck
fleck
  1. n. a very small spot or piece of s.t.: I wiped flecks of dust off the mirror. —v. [T] to mark with very small spots or pieces of s.t.: A carpenter flecked the coffee table with paint to give it an antique look.
fledgling
fledgling
  1. n.
    1 a young bird ready to fly
    2 fig. a beginner,
    THESAURUS
    neophyte: He just joined the company and is the fledgling of our sales staff.
flee
flee
  1. v. [I;T] fled , fleeing, flees to run away, escape: After criticizing certain government leaders, the writer had to flee the country or go to prison.
fleece
fleece
  1. n. [U] the coat of wool of an animal, such as a sheep: The coat's lining was made of fleece. —v. [T] fleeced, fleecing, fleeces
    1 to cut the woolly coat from an animal
    2 fig. to rob or cheat s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to swindle: A clever thief fleeced an old man out of his savings.
fleet
fleet
  1. n.
    1 all the ships in a navy or a group of ships: Honolulu is a major port for the U.S. naval fleet.
    2 a number of airplanes, trucks, or cars grouped together: American Airlines has a large fleet of planes. —adj.frml. fast, quick: The runner is fleet of foot.
fleeting
fleeting
  1. adj. passing quickly: I saw a shooting star for a fleeting moment. -adv. fleetingly.
flesh
flesh
  1. n. [U]
    1 the skin and the soft substance beneath it: The doctor cut into the flesh to remove the bullet.
    2 the body as opposed to the mind or spirit: He enjoys pleasures of the flesh, such as food and sex.
    3 the soft inside of a fruit or vegetable: He bit into the sweet flesh of the ripe mango.
    4 flesh and blood: a. the human body: Those soldiers are made of flesh and blood; be careful with their lives. b. one's closest relatives (parents, brothers, sisters, children): I must help those children, for they are my own flesh and blood.
    5 in the flesh: the actual person,
    THESAURUS
    in person: She was very excited about finally seeing the famous movie actor in the flesh.
    6 to press the flesh: to meet voters and shake their hands: The politician felt the need to press the flesh, so he spent Saturday meeting many people. —v. to flesh out: to add details, fill out: She wrote a brief report and then fleshed it out later with details.
fleshy
fleshy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 related to flesh: A bullet entered the fleshy part of his leg.
    2 having a lot of flesh, fat: He is a tall, fleshy man who eats a lot and never exercises.
flew
flew
  1. v. past tense of fly
flex
flex
  1. v. flexes
    1 [I;T] to stretch or bend one's limbs: She flexed her legs and yawned as she woke up.
    2 to flex one's muscles: a. to show one's muscles as a show of strength: He flexed his upper arm muscles to show how strong he is. b. fig. to perform an act to show one's power or authority: The manager flexed her muscles when she eliminated her employees' coffee break.
flexible
flexible
  1. adj.
    1 capable of bending easily: Rubber and plastic are flexible materials.
    2 fig. able to change easily in response to the situation: She is flexible and always open to new ideas. -n. [U] flexibility .
    THESAURUS
    flexible
    1 bendable, elastic. Ant. rigid.
    2 cooperative, accommodating. Ant. inflexible.
flextime
flextime
  1. n. [U] a system in which employees can choose their work schedule, as long as they work the required number of hours: I was very pleased when our company went on flextime; now I work 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. so that I can be with my children after school.
flibbertigibbet
flibbertigibbet
  1. n.infrml. a silly, talkative person: Everyone thought of her as a flibbertigibbet; no one took her ideas seriously.
flick
flick
  1. n.
    1 a quick movement of a finger or wrist: He removed the piece of dust from the chair with a flick of his finger.
    2 infrml. a movie: Did you catch that 1930s flick on TV last night?
    3 to go to the flicks: to see a movie: I went to the flicks last weekend. —v. [I] to leaf through s.t.: She flicked through a photo album of her vacation.
flicker
flicker
  1. n. an unsteady movement of a light: The candle burned with a flicker in the wind. —v. [I] to shine unsteadily,
    THESAURUS
    to glimmer: The flames of the campfire flickered in the night.
flier or flyer
flier or flyer
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a person who travels on an airplane: Frequent fliers receive free flights from airlines.
    2 a pilot: He is a flier in the Air Force.
    3 a small printed notice that gives information or advertises s.t.
    THESAURUS
    flier
    3 a leaflet, handout, circular.
flight-test
flight-test
  1. v. [T] to test an airplane's performance in the air: The pilot flight-tested a new airplane at high speed.
flight
flight
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the act of traveling through the air: The flight of birds seems very elegant.
    2 [C] a trip by air: Our flight from Chicago to Seattle was pleasant.
    3 [C;U] escape,
    THESAURUS
    exodus: The television news program showed the flight of families from the war.
    4 [C] a set of stairs,
    THESAURUS
    a staircase: The women's dress department is up one flight.
    5 in flight: a. to run away, esp. to escape punishment: The escaped prisoner is in flight from the law. b. to be in the air: We arrived late at the airport; our plane was already in flight.
    6 to take flight: a. to fly: Birds take flight in the morning to look for food. b. fig. to go far beyond the ordinary: Poets can make one's spirit (imagination, thoughts, etc.) take flight.
flight attendant
flight attendant
  1. n. a person who serves passengers on a plane and is responsible for their safety: The flight attendants served dinner on our flight from Los Angeles to Dallas.
flighty
flighty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest unsteady (usu. of behavior), (syns.) unpredictable, impulsive: My cousin is flighty; she has a different job every month.
flimflam
flimflam
  1. v.infrml. [T] -flammed, -flamming, -flams to trick, deceive, (syns.) to swindle, bamboozle: The politician flimflammed the public into voting for him by promising not to raise taxes, but he did raise them once in office. —n.infrml. trickery, nonsense: What he says is just flimflam.
flimsy
flimsy
  1. adj. -sier, -siest
    1 poorly made, thin: The jacket is made of flimsy cloth.
    2 not strong, (syns.) unstable, rickety: That house was constructed with flimsy materials.
    3 fig. weak,
    THESAURUS
    feeble: Erika gave a flimsy excuse for being late. -n. [U] flimsiness.
flinch
flinch
  1. v. [I] flinches to move back suddenly without thinking, such as from a threat of being hit: The boy flinched when the ball flew by his face. —n. a sudden backward movement: He reacted with a flinch.
fling
fling
  1. v. [T] flung, flinging, flings to throw, toss forcefully: When he is angry, he flings his jacket off. —n.
    1 a forceful throw: He gave the ball a fling toward his friend.
    2 infrml. to have a fling: a. a brief, intense time of enjoyment: She had a one-week fling in New York going to nightclubs and discos every night before returning to Iowa. b. a brief romantic relationship: She was angry with her husband after discovering he had had a fling with her best friend.
flint
flint
  1. n. [U] a hard gray stone, used to make fire -adj. flinty.
flintlock
flintlock
  1. n. an old-fashioned rifle that uses flint to light the gunpowder: Flintlocks were used long ago by soldiers in the American Revolutionary War.
flip-flop
flip-flop
  1. v. [I] -flopped, -flopping, -flops to announce one decision now, but a different one later: The politician flip-flopped on taxation; first she was for the new tax, then against it. —n.
    1 an act of flip-flopping: She did a flip-flop on the tax issue.
    2 an open summer shoe usu. made of rubber: I wore my flip-flops to the beach so that I could walk in the water.
flip
flip
  1. v. flipped, flipping, flips
    1 [T] to turn end over end: He flipped a coin into the air.
    2 [T] to throw lightly and quickly: He flipped the ball to me.
    3 [I;T] to turn over suddenly: The truck flipped over on its side on the icy road.
    4 [I;T] infrml.fig. to explode in anger, lose self-control: He flipped when the teacher told him that he had failed the exam.
    5 infrml.fig. [I;T] to react with intense pleasure or delight: She flipped when she learned that she had won the prize.
    6 to flip a coin: to decide a matter by each person choosing one side of a coin, tossing the coin in the air, and seeing how it lands: We flipped a coin to decide who would pay for dinner.
    7 to flip one's wig: to become very angry: If you wreck your mother's car, she'll flip her wig.
    8 to flip out: a. to become insane b. to be astounded: He flipped out when he won the lottery
    9 phrasal v. insep. [I] to flip through s.t.: to turn the pages quickly: She flipped through the magazine. —n. a quick throw: He gave the ball a flip. —adj.infrml. to be flip: to be disrespectful: I tried to talk to her, but she was flip with me.
flip chart
flip chart
  1. n. a display used by turning one large page over the other: The president used a flip chart with diagrams to illustrate her ideas.
flip side
flip side
  1. n.infrml. the other or opposite side of s.t.: The flip side of accepting this new job is I have to move away from my family.
flippant
flippant
  1. adj. not showing proper respect,
    THESAURUS
    impertinent: He made flippant remarks when I tried to discuss the problem. -n. [U] flippancy; -adv. flippantly.
flipper
flipper
  1. n.
    1 a wide flat limb on certain sea animals, used for swimming: Dolphins have front flippers.
    2 a large flat rubber attachment for the foot to help in swimming: The scuba diver put on his flippers before jumping in the sea.
flirt
flirt
  1. v.
    1 [I] to smile and talk with s.o. in a way that invites romantic interest: He flirts with every woman he meets.
    2 [I] to treat s.t. serious in a light manner: He flirted with disaster when he bet a lot of money at the horseraces. —n. a person who flirts: Her brother is still a real flirt even though he's married.
flirtation
flirtation
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 an act of flirting
    2 a brief, usu. unimportant love affair: Their love affair was just a harmless flirtation.
flirtatious
flirtatious
  1. adj. related to behavior that invites romantic interest: She is flirtatious at parties. -adv. flirtatiously.
flirty
flirty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest var. of flirtatious.
flit
flit
  1. v. [I] flitted, flitting, flits to move quickly,
    THESAURUS
    to dart: Some birds flit from flower to flower.
float
float
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to rest or move on the top of water or other liquid: Logs floated downstream on the river.
    2 [I;T] to rest or move in the air: A balloon floats by us.
    3 fig. [I;T] move lightly and gracefully: The dancer floats through the air.
    4 to float s.o. a loan: to lend s.o. money: When I had no money last week, my friend floated me a loan of $100. —n.
    1 an object resting on the surface of the water that holds a fishline or net: The fisherman left early in the morning to set up his floats.
    2 a flat, unmovable structure in a lake or pond: People sun themselves on a float near the beach.
    3 a colorful display mounted on wheels in a parade: Clowns wave from a float in the Easter parade.
    4 (in banking) the period of time between when a check is issued and when it is credited: The float for checks within the city is three days.
    THESAURUS
    float v.
    1 to drift, bob (up and down)
    2 to drift, glide | hover. Ant. to sink.
    3 to glide, soar. Ant. to sink.
floating
floating
  1. adj.
    1 capable of riding on top of water,
    THESAURUS
    buoyant: We will buy a floating raft to use at the beach this summer.
    2 moving from place to place: He is the floating accountant for three offices.
flock
flock
  1. n.
    1 a group of certain animals, such as sheep, goats, chickens, and geese: A flock of sheep came down from the mountain.
    2 fig. a group of many people: A flock of people crowded into the hall. —v. [I] to gather or crowd together,
    THESAURUS
    to congregate: Thousands of people flocked to see the famous religious leader.
flog
flog
  1. v. [T] flogged, flogging, flogs
    1 to hit with a whip or stick, usu. as punishment: A guard flogged a prisoner.
    2 infrml.fig. to sell s.t. aggressively: I hate that store because the salespeople flog their products as soon as I walk in the door. -n. [C;U] flogging.
flood
flood
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to cover dry land with water, to overflow: The river ran over its banks and flooded the town.
    2 fig. to provide too much of s.t.: Several large manufacturers flooded the market with cheap goods. —n.
    1 covering of dry land with water, an overflow: The flood caused great damage.
    2 fig. a large amount: The mayor received a flood of complaints from voters.
    THESAURUS
    flood v.
    1 to inundate
    2 to inundate, overwhelm.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a deluge, flooding, inundation. Ant. a drought.
    2 a deluge, large (or) huge number | a ton of s.t. infrml.
floodgate
floodgate
  1. n. a barrier, like a dam, allowing the level of water behind it to be raised or lowered: Workers opened the floodgates so that the spring rains could pass through.
floodlight
floodlight
  1. n.v. [T] -lit or -lighted, -lighting, -lights a type of powerful light used at night to light the outside of buildings or ground areas for security purposes: We use floodlights when we play baseball at night. -adj. floodlit.
floor
floor
  1. n.
    1 the bottom surface area inside a building: The floor in her apartment is made of wood.
    2 a level of a building,
    THESAURUS
    story: That skyscraper has 50 floors.
    3 a bottom limit placed on a price: The government placed a floor on the price of milk.
    4 to have the floor: to have the opportunity to speak at a public meeting: Right now Susan has the floor; please don't interrupt her. —v.infrml.fig. [T] to shock s.o. so that he or she cannot speak: He was floored by all the good news.
    THESAURUS
    floor v. to stun, flabbergast.
floor plan
floor plan
  1. n. an architectural drawing showing the size and location of walls, doors, and windows of a building or a specific space within a building: We took a floor plan of our new apartment with us when we went to buy furniture.
floor sample
floor sample
  1. n. a piece of furniture or other item put on display for customers: The furniture store encourages you to sit on the floor samples to see how comfortable they are.
floor show
floor show
  1. n. nightclub entertainment, such as singers, dancers, and comedians: We had dinner and stayed for the floor show.
flooring
flooring
  1. n. [U]
    1 the bottom surface of a room or other area of a building: The wood flooring needs to be replaced.
    2 a covering on floors: The flooring is made of cement covered with industrial carpeting.
floozy
floozy
  1. n.infrml. -zies a woman with loose morals, esp. one who is a prostitute: She dresses like a floozy.
flop
flop
  1. v. [I] flopped, flopping, flops
    1 to move awkwardly,
    THESAURUS
    to thrash about: A fish flopped about on the beach.
    2 to drop heavily,
    THESAURUS
    to collapse: He was so tired that he flopped on the sofa and fell asleep.
    3 fig. to fail: The new play flopped and was closed promptly. —n.fig. a failure: The play was a flop.
flophouse
flophouse
  1. n.infrml. -houses a cheap hotel: Arriving in town with very little money, he was forced to stay in a flophouse.
floppy
floppy
  1. adj. -pier, -piest
    1 loose and usu. oversized: She wears floppy hats, and her dog has big, floppy ears.
    2 easily bent, very flexible: We used to use floppy disks in our computer. —n. -pies a computer diskette. See: floppy disk.
flora
flora
  1. n.frml. [C;U] -ras or -rae the plants in a specific place or time period: The flora in this part of the desert consists mainly of cactus. See: fauna, USAGE NOTE.
floral
floral
  1. adj. related to flowers: The restaurant has two beautiful floral arrangements in the dining room.
florid
florid
  1. adj.
    1 having a reddish color: He has a florid complexion from working outdoors in the cold.
    2 fig. very or too detailed,
    THESAURUS
    flowery: His novel is filled with florid descriptions of the Amazon rain forest. -adv. floridly.
florist
florist
  1. n. a person who owns or runs a flower shop: The florist sent flowers for Mother's Day.
floss
floss
  1. n. [U] soft thread used to clean teeth: I bought some dental floss at the drugstore. —v. [I;T] flosses to use dental floss: He flosses twice daily.
flotation
flotation
  1. n. [U] the condition of floating
flotilla
flotilla
  1. n. a group of ships: A flotilla of war ships moved slowly up the coast of India.
flotsam
flotsam
  1. n. [U] the floating remains of a sunken ship and its cargo: We found an old boot among the flotsam. See: jetsam.
flounce
flounce
  1. v. [I] flounced, flouncing, flounces to walk or dance with showy movements: She flounced down the sidewalk in a tight dress.
flounder
flounder
  1. v. [I]
    1 to move about awkwardly and usu. with difficulty: He cannot swim, so he floundered even in the shallow water.
    2 to be unsure about what to say or do: When we asked him about his past, he floundered for a moment and then answered. —n. [C;U] a common type of flatfish: In New England many people eat flounder.
flour
flour
  1. n. [U] finely ground grain: We use wheat flour to bake bread.
flourish
flourish
  1. n. -ishes a showy movement: The conductor ended the symphony with a great flourish of her baton. —v. -ishes
    1 [I] to become rich, grow strong: People have flourished in America for centuries.||Many plants flourish in warm, humid climates.
    2 [T] to wave s.t. in a showy way: The soldier flourished his sword.
flout
flout
  1. v. [T] to openly oppose, (syns.) to defy, scoff at: She flouted nineteenth century standards of behavior by living with a man and not marrying him.
flow
flow
  1. v. [I] to move smoothly, stream: The river flows gently to the sea. —n. [U] a steady movement: The flow of the water from the pipe is slow.
    THESAURUS
    flow v. to run to somewhere, pour into. Ant. to be blocked up.
flow chart
flow chart
  1. n. a drawing showing steps in a process: We drew a flow chart of our banking procedures.
flower
flower
  1. n.
    1 the colorful part of a plant or the plant itself: We planted flowers—roses and tulips—in the garden.
    2 frml. in the flower of youth: young and attractive: The photograph, taken on their wedding day, showed them in the flower of youth. —v. [I]
    1 to produce flowers: The plant flowered overnight.
    2 to fully develop: At the Academy of Art my son flowered as a painter.
    THESAURUS
    flower n.
    1 a bloom, blossom.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to blossom, bloom, bud
    2 to flourish, blossom.
flowery
flowery
  1. adj.
    1 having flowers: She wears flowery dresses.
    2 showy,
    THESAURUS
    elaborate: After receiving the award, she gave a flowery acceptance speech.
flown
flown
  1. past part. of fly
flu
flu
  1. n. [U] short for influenza: He is sick with the flu.
    THESAURUS
    flu n. the grip (or) grippe, a virus | bug, the flu bug infrml.
flub
flub
  1. v. [I;T] flubbed, flubbing, flubs to make a mistake: The football player flubbed the ball as it was passed to him; he dropped it.
fluctuate
fluctuate
  1. v. [I] -ted, -ting, -tes to change, move up and down: During this past week, temperatures have fluctuated 50 degrees. -n. [C;U] fluctuation.
flue
flue
  1. n. the opening in a chimney: Smoke from the fireplace goes up the flue.
fluency
fluency
  1. n. [U] the ability to easily speak and write a language: She improved her fluency in both French and Mandarin by taking extra classes.
fluent
fluent
  1. adj. able to easily speak or write a language: She speaks fluent Japanese. -adv. fluently.
fluff
fluff
  1. n. [U]
    1 a soft loose particle on the surface of fabric
    2 the soft airiness of s.t., esp. pillows: The fluff in the pillow makes it very comfortable. —v. [T]
    1 to pat so as to make s.t. soft and full of air: She fluffed the pillows on the sofa.
    2 to make a mistake, esp. to forget memorized lines,
    THESAURUS
    to botch: The actor became nervous and fluffed his lines.
fluffy
fluffy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest soft and airy: The pillows are fluffy.||The new snow is fluffy.
fluid
fluid
  1. n. [C;U] a liquid: The mechanic put fluid in the brake system. —adj. smooth, graceful: The dancer's fluid movements were a pleasure to watch. -n. [U] fluidity .
    THESAURUS
    fluid adj. flowing, fluent, graceful. Ant. awkward.
fluke
fluke
  1. n.
    1 [C] a lucky surprise: That football player never scores, but today he did; what a fluke!
    2 [C;U] a commonly eaten type of flatfish, such as flounder -adj. fluky.
flummox
flummox
  1. v. [T] -moxes to confuse,
    THESAURUS
    to baffle: The test was so difficult that she was flummoxed by it.
flung
flung
  1. v. past tense and past part. of fling
flunk
flunk
  1. v.infrml.
    1 [I;T] to not pass, to fail: He flunked a test in history.
    2 phrasal v. [I] to flunk out: to be dismissed from school for poor performance: He flunked out of college in his first year.
flunky
flunky
  1. n. -kies a person who performs tasks for another person, (syns.) factotum, gofer: The politician arrived at the meeting with several flunkies.
fluorescent
fluorescent
  1. adj. bright and glowing: There is a fluorescent pink sign in the window that reads "RESTAURANT." -n. [U] fluorescence.
fluoride
fluoride
  1. n. [U] a combination of fluorine and another chemical element: Manufacturers add fluoride to toothpaste to reduce cavities.
flurry
flurry
  1. n. -ries
    1 a rush of activity: A flurry of buying took place in the stock market today.
    2 a strong rush of wind
    3 a light snowfall: A snow flurry left a thin layer of snow on the ground. —v. [I;T] -ried, -rying, -ries to briefly intensify: The wind flurried and then died down.
flush
flush
  1. v. flushes
    1 [I;T] to wash with water,
    THESAURUS
    to rinse away: A doctor will flush the man's injured eye.||A child flushed the toilet.
    2 [I] to become red in the face,
    THESAURUS
    to blush: His face flushed after working in the heat. —n. flushes
    1 an act of washing with a rush of water: John gave the toilet a flush.
    2 reddening of the face, a blush: After she has been dancing, her face has a light flush.
    3 (in poker) a hand of cards all of the same suit: One player has a flush of five hearts. —adj.
    1 fitting tightly against s.t.: The bookcases are flush with the wall.
    2 proud and excited: He won the championship and is flush with success.
fluster
fluster
  1. v. [I;T] to upset s.o. so that he or she behaves awkwardly,
    THESAURUS
    to unnerve: The teacher's question flustered the little boy.
flute
flute
  1. n. a long, tube-shaped musical instrument made of metal with holes along the side
flutist
flutist
  1. n. a person who plays the flute: He's a flutist with the symphony orchestra.
flutter
flutter
  1. v.
    1 [I] to wave very quickly and lightly: The flag fluttered in the wind.
    2 [I] to shake: Her heart fluttered with excitement.
    3 [I;T] to move wings up and down rapidly: You could hear birds' wings flutter in the tree. —n. rapid movement: I could also hear the flutter (or) the fluttering in that tree. -adj. fluttery.
flux
flux
  1. n. [U]
    1 a flow
    2 to be in flux or to be in a state of flux: to be always changing: Because our son is sick, our vacation plans are in flux.
fly-by-night
fly-by-night
  1. adj. a person or situation of uncertain honesty: His business is a fly-by-night operation.
fly
fly
  1. v. flew , flown , flying, flies
    1 [I;T] to move through the air: Birds fly north in the spring.
    2 [I;T] to guide an aircraft: He flies planes for Swissair.
    3 fig. [I] to move quickly, hurry: He was late and flew out the door to his next appointment.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to fly at s.o.: to attack physically or verbally: She didn't like what he said and flew at him in anger.
    5 to fly blind: a. fig. to fly (an aircraft) without being able to see where one is going: The pilot was flying blind in the fog. b. fig. to act without proper information: With no one to guide her, she was flying blind when she opened her business.
    6 to fly by the seat of one's pants: to act by guessing rather than by specific rules or behavior: He flies by the seat of his pants when he makes decisions.
    7 to fly in the face of: to be in direct opposition to, (syns.) to contradict, defy: Her lifestyle is odd and flies in the face of socially acceptable behavior.
    8 to fly into a rage or off the handle: to explode in anger: When he doesn't get what he wants, he flies into a rage (or) off the handle.
    9 to fly the coop: to leave hurriedly, escape: When the police arrived at the scene, the criminal had already flown the coop.
    THESAURUS
    fly v.
    1 to wing
    2 to pilot
    3 to take off, run, dash. Ants. to move slowly | walk | crawl. —n.pl. flies
    1 a small, usu. two-winged insect: A fly landed on the table.
    2 an opening in pants held together by a zipper or buttons: He zipped up the fly on his jeans.
    3 a fly in the ointment: a single negative factor that destroys a good situation: Everything was agreed on; then his refusal to cooperate became a fly in the ointment.
    4 to be a fly on the wall: to be an unseen observer: When the managers are deciding who will get a raise, I would like to be a fly on the wall at their meeting.
    5 to be on the fly: to be in a hurry: I'm on the fly and can't talk to you now.
flyby
flyby
  1. n. -bys the path of an aircraft or spacecraft past a specific location: The Voyager spacecraft did a flyby of Mars to take pictures of its surface.
flying
flying
  1. n. [U] guiding an aircraft or being a passenger on one: He likes flying as a hobby.||She has a fear of flying and prefers to take trains. —adj.
    1 moving through the air: She took a flying jump and landed on top of the wall.
    2 with flying colors: very successfully: She passed her exams with flying colors.
flying saucer
flying saucer
  1. n. a spacecraft from another world: People frequently report seeing flying saucers.
flying start
flying start
  1. n. an excellent beginning: She made excellent grades at college her first semester and is off to a flying start.
flyswatter
flyswatter
  1. n. a device with a long handle attached to a flat piece of flexible material, used for killing flies
foal
foal
  1. n. a newborn horse —v. [I] to give birth to a foal: The mare foaled in the springtime.
foam
foam
  1. n. a liquid substance full of air bubbles acting as a covering: Ocean waves are covered with white foam. —v. [I] to form into a foam: Shaving cream foams when it comes out of the can.
    THESAURUS
    foam n. froth, bubbles, spray | suds.
foam rubber
foam rubber
  1. n. [U] rubber filled with small pockets of air: There is foam rubber inside the chair to make it comfortable.
foamy
foamy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having a bubbly covering,
    THESAURUS
    frothy: That beer is foamy.
focal
focal
  1. adj. related to focus: The focal length is 6 1/2 feet between your face and the camera lens.
focal point
focal point
  1. n.
    1 a point at which an object is in focus in a lens system
    2 s.t. on which attention is focused: Democracy in that country is the focal point of political discussion.
focus
focus
  1. n. -cuses or -ci
    1 an adjustment (of the eye, camera lens, microscope, etc.) to a clear picture: I adjusted the focus of the camera to 6 feet.
    2 an object of attention: The focus of the news report was the state of the economy. —v. [I;T] -cuses
    1 to adjust in order to get a clear picture: A scientist focused her microscope on the bacterium.
    2 to center one's attention on: The Senator's speech focused on health care reform.
    3 to be in or out of focus: to have a clear or unclear picture: We couldn't see their faces because the photograph was out of focus.
    THESAURUS
    focus n.
    2 the center, central point, focal point. Ants. detail | trivia. —v.
    1 and
    2 to center on, concentrate on.
fodder
fodder
  1. n. [U] food for farm animals: The farmer grows corn as fodder for his cattle.
foe
foe
  1. n. s.o. who is against you, (syns.) enemy, opponent: The conservative party is a foe of higher taxes.
fog
fog
  1. n. [U]
    1 a heavy gray vapor near the ground that makes it difficult to see: The heavy morning fog made driving difficult.
    2 to be in a fog: to be unable to think clearly: She is so tired from studying that she is in a fog. —v. fogged, fogging, fogs
    1 [I;T] to cover or become covered with a gray vapor: The roads are fogged tonight; it will be difficult to drive.||The front window is fogged up, so the driver can't see well.
    2 fig. [T] to cause confusion: Heavy drink fogged his mind.
    3 to be fogged in: to be unable to travel because of fog: The airport in Chicago is fogged in, so no flights are leaving.
    THESAURUS
    fog n.
    1 a mist, haze.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to mist over, cloud up
    2 to cloud, confuse. Ant. to clear.
fogbound
fogbound
  1. adj. prevented from traveling because of fog: The plane is fogbound at the airport; we will leave tomorrow.
foggy
foggy
  1. adj. -gier, -giest
    1 covered with fog, full of fog: The weather is foggy tonight.
    2 fig. unclear, incomplete (one's memory, understanding, etc.): His memory of the accident is foggy.
    3 to not have the foggiest (idea): to have no understanding, information, etc. about s.t.: I don't have the foggiest idea what you are trying to say.
foghorn
foghorn
  1. n. a powerful air horn used to warn ships away from land or dangerous waters during foggy weather: The foghorn on Long Island can be heard from many miles away.
foible
foible
  1. n. a minor weak point in a person's character,
    THESAURUS
    shortcoming: One of her foibles is being disorganized, but she's very intelligent.
foil
foil
  1. v. [T] to prevent the success of s.t. or s.o.: Her plan to steal money from the company was foiled by a co-worker. —n.
    1 [U] a very thin sheet of metal used to wrap or line things: The cook wrapped the chicken in foil.
    2 [C] a thin sword with a softened point to prevent injury
    3 pl. foils fighting with these swords for sport,
    THESAURUS
    fencing: We practice foils each day in the gym.
    4 [C] a person or an object used to show contrast: The princess kept an ugly servant woman as a foil to emphasize her own beauty.
foist
foist
  1. v. [T] to force s.t. on s.o.: My brother and sister-in-law went away for the weekend and foisted their children on me.
fold
fold
  1. v.
    1 [T] to turn one part of s.t. over another part: I folded a piece of paper in half.
    2 [T] to push movable parts of s.t. together: We folded the chairs together and set them against the wall.
    3 [T] to bend inward until against the body: The man folded his arms on his chest.
    4 [I] infrml.fig. to quit, stop completely: She played tennis so badly yesterday that she folded and went home.
    5 infrml. [I] (of a business) to fail: Sorry. We can't eat at that restaurant; it folded last year. —n.
    1 one part of s.t. folded over another part: The folds in that napkin give it an elegant shape.
    2 a group of sheep: The shepherd watches over his fold.
    3 fig. the members of a church: A pastor greets his fold in church.
    4 to return to the fold: to return to one's earlier family, church, friends, home, beliefs, etc.: After serving as a Republican mayor for many years, he decided to return to the fold and become a Democrat again.
    THESAURUS
    fold v.
    1 to crease, bend. Ant. to unfold.
    2 to close up. Ant. to open.
    3 to cross
    4 to give
    THESAURUS
    up. Ant. to continue on.
    5 to close, go bankrupt. Ant. to open.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a crease, pleat, tuck
    2 a flock
    3 a congregation.
folder
folder
  1. n. a container for documents, made of a folded piece of heavy paper: The folder contained information on the company's investments.
foliage
foliage
  1. n. [U] leaves of plants and trees: The foliage in the jungle is very thick.
folio
folio
  1. n.
    1 a sheet of large paper folded in two: Expensive books are often published in folios.
    2 a page number: The folios in that book are on the bottom center of each page.
folk
folk
  1. n. folks or folk
    1 used with pl. v. ordinary people: The common folk are mostly farmers in this part of the country.
    2 used with pl. v. a certain group of people: His family are country folk; hers are city folk.
    3 pl.infrml. folks parents: Her folks live in New England.
    4 pl.infrml. folks used when speaking directly to friends, guests: You folks come in and sit down and make yourselves comfortable.
    THESAURUS
    folk n.
    1 the people, population, public
    2 and
    3 one's relatives. Ant. strangers.
folk dance
folk dance
  1. n. a traditional dance of a people, country, or region: The jig is a folk dance typical of Ireland.
folk singer
folk singer
  1. n. a person who sings folk songs: The most common instrument of the folk singers in the USA is the acoustic guitar. -n. folk song.
folklore
folklore
  1. n. [U] the traditional customs, beliefs, stories, etc. of a people, country, or region: People are fascinated by Native American folklore. -adj. folkloric -n. [C] folklorist.
folks
folks
  1. n.pl. See: folk.
folksy
folksy
  1. adj. -sier, -siest friendly, informal: That restaurant has a folksy atmosphere; the people are warm and friendly.
folktale
folktale
  1. n. a well-known story, often by an unknown author, passed down through earlier generations: Folktales make good bedtime stories for children.
follicle
follicle
  1. n. a very small hole from which a hair grows: There are thousands of hair follicles on top of your head.
follow-through
follow-through
  1. n. [U]
    1 (as in golf, tennis, and baseball) the arm movement that continues after a ball is hit: She plays tennis well and has a good follow-through.
    2 step(s) to completion: He has creative ideas, but is weak on the follow-through.
follow-up
follow-up
  1. n.adj. additional action, steps to be taken to finish s.t.: I gave my customer some ideas and have to do a follow-up (or) follow-up call to find out what she thinks about them.
follow
follow
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to go after s.o. or s.t., to chase: A dog followed its owner down the street.
    2 [T] to go along a path, road, trail, etc.: We followed the dirt road until we reached the lake.
    3 [I;T] to happen after another event: Rain followed the dark clouds and lightning.
    4 [I;T] to replace (or come after) s.o. or s.t.: A younger professor followed the department chairperson in that position.
    5 fig. [I;T] to understand: I follow what you are saying.
    6 [T] to obey, cooperate with: Most members of the political party followed the orders of their leader.
    7 [T] to pay attention to: She follows the news closely.
    8 as follows: to introduce a particular order of actions or list of items: Her qualifications are as follows; an excellent education, previous experience in the field, and an excellent performance record.
    9 so it follows that: it is logical that, (syns.) hence, therefore: The company has no cash, so it follows that it must borrow money or go out of business.
    10 to follow in s.o.'s footsteps or tracks: to do the same as the person before you: She followed in her mother's footsteps and became a musician.
    11 to follow one's intuition: to act on feeling, rather than according to facts and reason: He wasn't sure what to do, so he decided to follow his intuition.
    12 to follow one's nose: to go in the direction in which you are pointed: The bookstore is located straight ahead, so just follow your nose.
    13 to follow suit: to do the same as another person: He asked for a raise, and soon other employees followed suit.
    14 to follow the crowd: to do the same as everyone else: She has an unusual style of dressing; she doesn't follow the crowd.
    15 phrasal v. sep. to follow s.t. through: a. [I] (as in golf, tennis, and baseball) to continue an arm movement after a ball is hit: She has a good golf swing; she follows through nicely. b. fig. [I;T] to complete a task once it is begun: He always follows through on projects he begins.||He follows them through.
    16 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to follow s.t. up: to take additional steps to further a previous action: You start with sales visits, and then you should follow up with telephone calls.||You should follow them up.
    THESAURUS
    follow
    1 to pursue, trail, tag along after. Ant. to precede.
    2 to walk along
    3 to come after (syn.THESAURUS
    .t. | succeed
    4 to take the place of, succeed
    5 to know, comprehend
    6 to heed, abide by | support
    7 to keep up with s.t.
follower
follower
  1. n. person who follows a leader, supporter: The religious leader and his followers entered the temple.
    THESAURUS
    follower an admirer, disciple, devotee | fan.
following
following
  1. adj. next,
    THESAURUS
    succeeding: She then moved to Mexico the following year.||Write down the following address; 123 Center Street. —n.
    1 a group of admirers or followers: The writer has a following among college students.
    2 people or items (in a list): Bring one of the following as identification; a passport, birth certificate, or a driver's license. —prep. after: Following the graduation ceremony, there was a party.
folly
folly
  1. n. [C;U] -lies foolishness, a thoughtless act,
    THESAURUS
    recklessness: Buying such an expensive car on your small salary was pure folly.
foment
foment
  1. v.frml. [T] to cause trouble (unrest, unhappiness, etc.), (syns.) to stir up, agitate: The political leader fomented rebellion against the government.
fond
fond
  1. adj.
    1 having warm feelings toward s.o. or s.t.: She is fond of children.||He has fond memories of his childhood.
    2 having a liking, preference for: He is fond of food and drink.
    THESAURUS
    fond
    1 attached to, mad about, hooked on (s.t. or s.o.) infrml. | warm, tender,
    THESAURUS
    warmhearted (thoughts, feelings)
    2 partial to, hooked on infrml.
fondle
fondle
  1. v. [T] -led, -ling, -les to touch tenderly, gently: The mother fondled her baby in her arms.
fondly
fondly
  1. adv.
    1 in a friendly, loving way: He fondly placed his children's photograph on his desk.
    2 in a hopeful way, sometimes without good reason: I fondly hoped that my brother would lend me his new car.
fondness
fondness
  1. n. [U]
    1 a warm feeling: He has a fondness for his nephew and helps him with loans.
    2 a liking, preference: She has a fondness for silk blouses.
fondue
fondue
  1. n. [C;U] cheese or chocolate melted in a heated pot: We dipped pieces of bread in the cheese fondue.
font
font
  1. n.
    1 a style of print: We changed the font to make the report easier to read.
    2 frml.fig. a source: He is a font of wisdom (knowledge, information, etc.).
food
food
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 s.t. to eat, nourishment: She likes to eat spicy food.
    2 food for thought: ideas to think about: The speaker gave us much food for thought about the future of planet Earth.
food poisoning
food poisoning
  1. n. [U] a stomach illness caused by eating contaminated food: A traveler got food poisoning from eating bad shellfish.
food processor
food processor
  1. n. a machine that cuts and mixes food: My father uses a food processor to make soup.
foodstuff
foodstuff
  1. n. any substance used as food: Flour, milk, and butter are several basic foodstuffs.
fool
fool
  1. v.
    1 [T] to deceive, trick: He fooled her into paying a large sum of money for the fake necklace.
    2 [T] to surprise, do s.t. unexpected: I thought that the exam would be difficult, but it fooled me—it was easy.
    3 [I;T] to pretend, feign: He appeared to be angry but said he was only fooling.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [I] to fool around with s.o. or s.t.: a. to play with,
    THESAURUS
    to mess around with: On weekends he fools around with old cars for fun. b. to be unfaithful in marriage: Everyone but his wife knows that he fools around. c. to joke, have fun: Stop fooling around and do some work.
    5 phrasal v. infrml. [T] to fool with: to handle s.t. dangerous: Guns are dangerous; don't fool with them. —n.
    1 a person with poor judgment: He is a fool who gambles his money away.
    2 a person who makes a silly mistake: I was a fool to buy that used car; it's no good.
    THESAURUS
    fool v.
    1 to mislead, dupe, con | cheat
    2 to mislead | throw (me, you) infrml.
    3 to tease, joke, clown around. —n.
    1 an idiot, moron, half-wit.
fool's gold
fool's gold
  1. n. [U]
    1 a mineral that looks like gold
    2 fig. s.t. that looks valuable but is not: The stock of that company turned out to be fool's gold and a total loss.
fool's paradise
fool's paradise
  1. n. a state of happiness based on an illusion: She's living in a fool's paradise if she thinks her job is secure.
foolhardy
foolhardy
  1. adj. risky, (syns.) reckless, rash: He was foolhardy to try to drive his car through a snowstorm. -n. [U] foolhardiness.
foolish
foolish
  1. adj.
    1 showing poor judgment: She was foolish to spend all her savings on an expensive vacation.
    2 stupid, risky: He does foolish things like climbing trees and not being able to get down again. -adv. foolishly; -n. [U] foolishness.
    THESAURUS
    foolish
    1 dumb, unwise. Ant. wise.
    2 dumb, reckless, idiotic. Ant. safe.
foolproof
foolproof
  1. adj.
    1 easily understood, not capable of going wrong: The computer comes with foolproof instructions on how to use it.
    2 safe, not capable of being misused: The bank has a foolproof security system.
foot-dragging
foot-dragging
  1. n. [U] deliberate slowness in doing s.t., delaying: He applied for a travel visa long ago, but because of foot-dragging the consulate has not approved it yet.
foot
foot
  1. n. feet
    1 the body part attached to the lower leg and used for walking: My right foot hurts.
    2 a length of measurement equal to 12 inches (approx. 26 cm.): That table is seven feet (or) 7' long.
    3 the lowest part: He stood at the foot of the stairs (mountain, hill, etc.).
    4 on foot: by walking: We took a train to the town and went the rest of the way on foot.
    5 to get a foot in the door: a get a chance on the first job opportunity of a career: He wanted to be an actor, but nobody would hire him; he couldn't get his foot in the door.
    6 to get cold feet: to become too nervous to act: She was about to ask her boss for a raise but then got cold feet.
    7 to get to one's feet: to stand up: She got to her feet and made a speech.
    8 to have one foot in the grave: to be old and sickly, near death: I didn't realize your father was so ill; he looks like he has one foot in the grave.
    9 to put one's best foot forward: to make one's best effort: He put his best foot forward and took his guests to the fanciest restaurant in town.
    10 to put one's foot down: to insist on s.t., demand obedience: When her son was getting poor grades in school, she put her foot down and made him study every night.
    11 to put one's foot in one's mouth: to say the wrong thing, usu. by mistake: He put his foot in his mouth by calling his mother-in-law by the wrong name.
    12 to sit at s.o.'s feet: to admire and learn from s.o.: He was a great teacher, and the students used to sit at his feet. See: inch. —v. to foot the bill: to pay the cost of s.t.: I footed the bill for my daughter's wedding.
footage
footage
  1. n. [U]
    1 a measurement, esp. of property in feet: There is enough footage behind the house to plant a garden.
    2 a length of film (movie, videotape, etc.): The television news program showed footage of the plane crash.
football
football
  1. n.
    1 [U] in USA, a sport played by two 11-person teams with the object of carrying or passing the ball over the opponent's goal line: My friends and I watch football on TV on weekends.
    2 [U] (non-USA) soccer: Football is an international sport followed by millions of fans.
    3 [C] the ball used in either sport
foothill
foothill
  1. n. usu. pl. a hill at the base of a mountain: They traveled through the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
foothold
foothold
  1. n.
    1 a firm position for one or both feet: The climber lost his foothold and fell down the mountain.
    2 fig. a small, but firm position in a situation as a means for progressing further: Our company's success in Taiwan gave us a foothold in the Asian market.
footing
footing
  1. n. [U]
    1 the firmness (or lack of it) of the ground under one's feet: She lost her footing on the icy steps.
    2 the solidity of a position: Our business in Asia is now on a firm footing.
footlights
footlights
  1. n.pl. lights in the floor at the front of a stage: The footlights went down and the curtain went up as the play began.
footlocker
footlocker
  1. n. a box, usu. made of metal, used for clothing and other belongings: The soldier keeps a footlocker at the end of his bed.
footloose
footloose
  1. adj. usu. in the phrase footloose and fancy-free: without responsibilities and free to travel: After military service, he was footloose and fancy-free, so he toured Europe.
footnote
footnote
  1. n. an explanation or some added information placed at the bottom of a page of a text: The footnote explained where the author had found this information. —v. [T] -noted, -noting, -notes to place in a text a number or letter that refers to a corresponding number or letter on a footnote: She footnoted her text throughout.
footpath
footpath
  1. n. a narrow path for walking: We walked down a footpath from the house to the garden.
footrace
footrace
  1. n. a running or speedwalking competition, esp. of an informal nature: My friend and I had a footrace from our car to the beach.
footsie
footsie
  1. n. to play footsie: to secretly touch s.o.'s legs or feet under a table in a flirting way
footsore
footsore
  1. adj. pained in the feet: I was footsore from walking around Paris all day.
footstep
footstep
  1. n.
    1 the sound of feet moving on a surface: We could hear footsteps in the hallway.
    2 fig. the length of a step: The shop that we want to visit is a few footsteps away from our hotel.
footwear
footwear
  1. n. [U] shoes and boots, etc.: This shoe store has a large selection of footwear for both men and women.
footwork
footwork
  1. n. [U]
    1 movement of the feet, esp. in dancing and sports: He is a figure skater and practices his footwork every morning.
    2 fig. work done in preparation for s.t.: Wayne did a lot of footwork before the president's visit.
fop
fop
  1. n. a man who is very or too interested in clothes,
    THESAURUS
    a dandy: He is a fop and wears a new suit almost every day. -adj. foppish.
for
for
  1. strong form prep.
    1 with the purpose of: I am cutting some wood for fire.||She needs glasses for reading.
    2 in exchange, instead of: I'll give you twenty dollars for that watch.
    3 in relation to: The child is tall for his age.||Exercise is good for you.
    4 because of: San Francisco is famous for its fog.
    5 in the interest of: Mr. Chen speaks for all of us.||I baked a cake for you.
    6 in favor of: The Senator is for raising taxes.
    7 as long as (used to express time): She has lived in Miami for five years.
    8 as far as (used to express distance, length): We walked for many miles.
    9 in the direction of, as a destination: Our plane is headed for Taipei.
    10 for nothing: a. with no payment in return: I did some work for a friend for nothing. b. with no gain, uselessly: My computer failed, so I did a lot of work today for nothing. —conj. for the reason that, because: The government provided food, for the people were hungry.
    THESAURUS
    for prep.
    1 used for, meant for, designed for
    2 as a price for
    3 with respect to
    4 on
    THESAURUS
    account of
    5 for the benefit of, on behalf of/on s.o.'s or s.t.'s behalf
    6 supportive of,
    THESAURUS
    on the side of
    7 during the past
    8 a distance of
    9 to.
forage
forage
  1. v. [I] -aged, -aging, -ages (esp. of animals) to search for food: The deer foraged for food beneath the snow.
foray
foray
  1. n.v. [I;T] an attack with the purpose of taking away food, animals, and weapons: Armed rebels made a foray on the town at dawn.||They forayed for horses and guns.
forbear
forbear
  1. v.frml. [I] -bore , -borne , -bearing, -bears to hold back, be patient: Although she was very angry, she forbore from taking any action. See: forebear.
forbearance
forbearance
  1. n. [U] self-control, patience: He is a politician who is often attacked for his views, but he always acts with forbearance.
forbid
forbid
  1. v. [T] -bade -bidden , -bidding, -bids to not permit, prohibit: The law forbids selling alcohol to anyone under the age of twenty-one.
    THESAURUS
    forbid to bar, ban, outlaw | stop. Ants. to allow, permit.
forbidding
forbidding
  1. adj. uninviting, possibly dangerous, (syns.) intimidating, daunting: The old house had a forbidding appearance, and we were afraid to enter.
force-feed
force-feed
  1. v. [T] -fed, -feeding, -feeds to force food into an animal or person: Farmers force-feed ducks to make them fat and tasty.
force
force
  1. n.
    1 [U] a source or instrument of power or energy: The force of the wind knocked over a tree.
    2 [U] the use of power to make s.o. do s.t., compulsion: The police took the suspect to jail by force.
    3 [C] a military, police, or other unit organized to use physical power: New York City has a large police force.
    4 [C] political power, influence: The Congresswoman is a force for reform in the government.
    5 [U] persuasiveness, power of mind or personality: The force of his argument (logic, reasoning, etc.) is convincing.
    6 force of habit: repetition of s.t. done out of habit, without thinking: He smokes cigarettes by (or) from force of habit.
    7 in force: (in law) to be in effect, active: The law that says one cannot smoke in public buildings is in force (or) is no longer in force. —v. [T] forced, forcing, forces
    1 to use power or energy: Strong winds forced boats onto the beaches.
    2 to use power to make s.o. do s.t.: The police forced a confession from a suspect.
    3 to use physical strength to open s.t.: The police forced open the door and entered the apartment.
    4 to push beyond normal limits: The singer forced his voice and now has a sore throat.
    THESAURUS
    force n.
    1 strength, might. Ant. weakness.
    4 important figure of, authority of
    5 strength | effectiveness. Ant. weakness.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to push, throw, hurl
    2 to coerce
    3 to force s.t. open, to break s.t. open, thrust open
    4 to strain.
force field
force field
  1. n. a field of energy: The spacecraft produces a force field that protects it against enemy attack.
force majeure
force majeure
  1. n. (French for) an act of God, referring to damage to goods by flood, fire, accident, etc.: According to the agreement, the company is not responsible for force majeure.
forced
forced
  1. adj.
    1 unconvincing,
    THESAURUS
    artificial: His arguments sound forced.
    2 s.t. done out of necessity: The plane had to make a forced landing because of the storm.
forceful
forceful
  1. adj.
    1 using force, strength: The police used forceful methods to get the suspect to confess to the crime.
    2 powerful, effective: That woman has a forceful personality. -adv. forcefully; -n. [U] forcefulness.
forceps
forceps
  1. n.pl. (in medicine) an instrument used to hold firmly and pull, such as one occasionally used in childbirth: Sometimes doctors use forceps when a baby has difficulty being born.
forcible
forcible
  1. adj. referring to the use of force: The broken lock on the door showed that there had been forcible entry. -adv. forcibly.
ford
ford
  1. n.
    1 a shallow crossing place in a river or stream: The ford in the river is a mile away.
    2 Ford™: the name of an automobile manufacturer: We drive a Ford. —v. [T] to cross the shallow part of a river or stream: The soldiers forded the river with little difficulty.
fore
fore
  1. n.
    1 the front
    2 the public's attention: Portable telephones have come to the fore in recent years.
fore and aft
fore and aft
  1. adv. regarding the front and back (of a boat): The sailors searched fore and aft for the missing boxes.
forearm
forearm
  1. n. the part of the arm between the wrist and elbow: She exercises a lot and has big, strong forearms.
forebear or forbear
forebear or forbear
  1. n.frml. ancestor: His forebears came to America from Japan. See: forbear.
foreboding
foreboding
  1. n. a fear that s.t. bad is going to happen: He thought of the sea voyage ahead with foreboding. -v. [I;T] forebode.
forecast
forecast
  1. n. a statement about what one thinks will happen in the future,
    THESAURUS
    a prediction: According to the weather forecast, it's going to snow tonight. —v. [T] -cast, -casted, -casting, -casts to try to say what will happen in the future: The President's advisers forecast that the economy will improve this year.
foreclose
foreclose
  1. v. [I] -closed, -closing, -closes
    1 to stop s.t. before it happens,
    THESAURUS
    to preclude: His death forecloses the possibility of changing his will.
    2 (in real estate) to take possession of a property by court order for nonpayment of a mortgage: The bank foreclosed on his house -n.[C;U] foreclosure.
forefather
forefather
  1. n. ancestor (usu. pl.): Our forefathers founded a great democracy.
forefinger
forefinger
  1. n. the first finger beside the thumb,
    THESAURUS
    index finger: The tips of each forefinger contain very sensitive nerves.
forefront
forefront
  1. n. [U] the most advanced part,
    THESAURUS
    vanguard: She is in the forefront of scientific research on cancer.
forego
forego
  1. v. [T] See: forgo.
foregoing
foregoing
  1. adj. referring to what has just come before,
    THESAURUS
    preceding: The foregoing information is accurate as of this date.
foreground
foreground
  1. n. [U] the part of a picture or photograph that seems closest to the viewer: In the foreground of the photo we can see a young couple sitting on a bench.
forehead
forehead
  1. n. the part of the face above the eyebrows
foreign
foreign
  1. adj.
    1 (from) outside one's own country: This country imports a great variety of foreign goods.
    2 fig. not typical of s.o. or s.t., uncharacteristic: Being late is foreign to him; he is usually on time.
    THESAURUS
    foreign adj.
    1 overseas, international, nonnative. Ants. domestic, native.
    2 unusual,
    THESAURUS
    abnormal, uncommon. Ants. characteristic, common.
foreign exchange
foreign exchange
  1. n.
    1 payments made between foreign governments, countries, and businesses
    2 the process of changing the type of money used in one country into that of another's
    3 the system for this: The value of the dollar has gone down on the foreign exchange.
foreign policy
foreign policy
  1. n. -cies the set of beliefs guiding a government's relations with other countries: Many people disagree with the President's recent foreign policy decisions.
foreign service
foreign service
  1. n. [U] the government department representing the interests of the nation in foreign countries: She began her career in the foreign service working at the American Embassy in Tokyo.
foreigner
foreigner
  1. n. s.o. from outside one's own country: Many foreigners from Europe and Asia enjoy visiting Disneyland in California.
foreknowledge
foreknowledge
  1. n. [U] knowledge about s.t. before it happens: He made the trip into the jungle with the foreknowledge that the area was dangerous.
foreman
foreman
  1. n. -men a boss of a group of workers: He is a foreman in that factory.
foremost
foremost
  1. adj.
    1 most important, best: She is the world's foremost authority on tropical diseases.
    2 first, most urgent: Finishing that project is foremost in my mind.
forensic
forensic
  1. adj.
    1 related to using scientific, medical methods to get information about a crime: He has a degree in forensic medicine.
    2 related to public debate
foreplay
foreplay
  1. n. [U] activities such as kissing and touching that come before sexual intercourse: Always in a hurry, he never engaged in foreplay when he made love to his wife.
forequarters
forequarters
  1. n.pl. the chest, shoulders, and legs of an animal: The forequarters of that racehorse are welldeveloped.
forerunner
forerunner
  1. n.
    1 fig. ancestor,
    THESAURUS
    predecessor: The wolf was a forerunner of the dog.
    2 fig. a first step that leads to better things: The invention of the transistor was the forerunner of great advances in electronics, such as the development of better computers.
    3 lit. a person who goes before another to announce him or her: The king sent his forerunner ahead to the next town.
foresee
foresee
  1. v. [T] -saw , -seen , -seeing, -sees to have knowledge of future events, (syns.) to predict, foretell: She foresaw the troubles ahead and took steps to avoid them. -adj. foreseeable.
foreshadow
foreshadow
  1. v. [T] to be a sign of future events,
    THESAURUS
    to portend: The failure of that bank foreshadowed a general financial crisis.
foreshortening
foreshortening
  1. n. [U] (in drawing or painting) the technique of making a figure short to show depth and distance: Ancient Greek artists discovered foreshortening. -v. [T] foreshorten.
foresight
foresight
  1. n. [U] the ability to be prepared for future events,
    THESAURUS
    prudence: She had the foresight to pack some warm clothes as they were needed for her summer trip.
foreskin
foreskin
  1. n. the piece of skin over the end of a penis: The foreskin is sometimes removed soon after birth in a process called circumcision.
forest
forest
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a large area with many trees: In some national parks, the forest continues for miles and miles.
    2 to not see the forest for the trees: to see only details and not understand their larger meaning: The owner of the company couldn't see the forest for the trees; he was so busy dealing with the daily problems of running the factory that he didn't realize that the business was headed towards failure. —v. [T] to plant trees, cover with trees: Workers forested the land to improve the soil.
    THESAURUS
    forest n.
    1 woods, wooded area, woodland | jungle.
forestall
forestall
  1. v. [T] to prevent an unwanted event by taking action before it happens: She forestalled the closing of her company by getting a loan from the bank.
forester
forester
  1. n. a person who works in forestry: He is a forester for the National Parks Service.
forestland
forestland
  1. n. [C;U] land covered with trees: The farmer has forestland behind his fields.
forestry
forestry
  1. n. [U] the scientific field of forest management: Her son went to Yale University to study forestry.
foretaste
foretaste
  1. n. an advance experience of s.t.: Those beautiful days in March are a foretaste of spring.
foretell
foretell
  1. v. [T] -told , -telling, -tells to know and tell about future events,
    THESAURUS
    to predict: The religious leader foretold the arrival of an age of peace.
forethought
forethought
  1. n. [U] the ability to prepare for future events,
    THESAURUS
    prescience: Although it was sunny in the morning, he had the forethought to take an umbrella.
forever
forever
  1. adv.
    1 always, for an unlimited time: Our love will last forever.
    2 continually, constantly: The little boy is forever asking questions.
    THESAURUS
    forever adv.
    1 eternally. Ant. temporarily.
    2 endlessly, perpetually, without end.
forevermore
forevermore
  1. adv.frml. always, for an unlimited time,
    THESAURUS
    eternally: A stranger saved her life, and she is thankful to him forevermore.
forewarn
forewarn
  1. v. [T] to warn in advance,
    THESAURUS
    to caution: The guide forewarned tourists about dangers in the jungle.
foreword
foreword
  1. n. an introductory statement in a book: The author wrote a foreword to be used as the first page of her book.
forfeit
forfeit
  1. v. [T] n. to give up s.t. because of a failure to perform according to the rules, agreement, etc.: When he failed to appear, the tennis player forfeited the match to his opponent.||The tennis match was won by forfeit.
forfeiture
forfeiture
  1. n. [C;U] the act of giving up s.t. because of a failure to perform according to the rules, agreement, etc.: When he failed to repay the loan, the bank repossessed his car as forfeiture.
forge
forge
  1. n.
    1 a machine or apparatus used for melting and shaping metals
    2 a place where such equipment is used —v. forged, forging, forges
    1 [I;T] to falsify, produce a fake copy of s.t.: She forged her husband's signature on the check.||An artist forged a painting.
    2 [T] to set up: The two countries have recently forged a new trade agreement.
    3 [T] to melt, soften, and shape metals: A metalworker used a hammer to forge a sword from heated steel.
    4 to forge ahead: to proceed with strength or speed despite problems or difficulties: Despite problems, she forged ahead with her plans to have her own business. See: forging.
forger
forger
  1. n. a person who fakes s.t., such as money, a signature, or piece of art: The $100 bills were made by a forger.
forgery
forgery
  1. n. -es 1 [C] a false copy of s.t. made and offered as real, a fake: The painting, which sold for $500,000, turned out to be a forgery; it was only really worth $10,000.
    2 [U] an act of forgery: He was put in jail for forgery; he had been printing false bank notes.
forget-me-not
forget-me-not
  1. n. a small plant with blue flowers
forget
forget
  1. v. -got , -gotten , -getting, -gets
    1 [I;T] to not remember, drop from memory without intending to: I've forgotten how to play the piano.||I forgot my keys (my purse, a ten o'clock appointment, etc.)!
    2 [I;T] to stop thinking about s.t.: You should forget about going to Europe on vacation; it costs too much.
    3 to forget oneself: to lose one's self-control: He generally follows a strict diet, but forgets himself when he goes out to eat.
    THESAURUS
    forget
    1 to not recall how to | fail to remember (s.t. or s.o.)
    2 to disregard (an idea) | overlook.
forgetful
forgetful
  1. adj. often not remembering things,
    THESAURUS
    absent-minded: He is forgetful and leaves behind umbrellas or even his briefcase. -adv. forgetfully; -n. [U] forgetfulness.
forging
forging
  1. n. [U] the science and craft of melting and shaping metals: Forging is an ancient craft dating back to 4,000 B.C. in Egypt and Asia.
forgive
forgive
  1. v. [I;T] -gave , -given , -giving, -gives
    1 to pardon, excuse: He forgot his wife's birthday, but she forgave him.
    2 to free s.o. from repaying a loan: She still owed $1,000 to her father, but he forgave the debt.
    THESAURUS
    forgive v.
    1 to disregard, overlook s.t. wrong
    2 to release s.o. from, waive.
forgiveness
forgiveness
  1. n. [U] freeing from guilt or obligation, pardon: He told a lie but later asked his friend for forgiveness.
forgo
forgo
  1. v. [T] -went , -gone , -going, -goes to do without,
    THESAURUS
    to abstain from: Let's forgo dessert; I'm full.
fork
fork
  1. v.
    1 [I] to divide into two parts at a certain point,
    THESAURUS
    to branch: The road forks about a mile from here.
    2 phrasal v. sep.slang [T] to fork s.t. over: to give to s.o. or s.t.: I want you to fork over the money that you owe me.||Fork it over now! —n.
    1 a division into two parts,
    THESAURUS
    branching: To get to the town, turn left at the fork in the road.
    2 an instrument for eating, with a handle and at least two long points: The dinner table is set with knives, forks, and spoons.
forked
forked
  1. adj. divided into two parts at a certain point,
    THESAURUS
    branched: The trunk of that tree is forked near its base.
forklift
forklift
  1. n. a vehicle with two long narrow pieces of steel in front used to lift and carry heavy loads: The forklift carried the boxes from the truck to the factory.
forlorn
forlorn
  1. adj.frml. sad and alone without hope, (syns.) wretched, miserable: Victims of the earthquake sat forlorn outside their ruined homes. -adv. forlornly.
form
form
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to shape, make an object: She formed a dish from clay.
    2 [I;T] to become the shape of: The children formed a circle.
    3 [T] to arrange s.t., put it together: The manager formed a committee to study the project.
    4 [T] to produce, cause to happen: I haven't yet formed an opinion about this.
    5 [I] to come into existence: Ice forms on the river in the winter.
    6 [T] to make up, constitute: Good eating habits form the basis of a healthy diet. —n.
    1 [C] the shape of s.t.: The human form can be quite graceful.
    2 [C] a type, kind: People live under different forms of government, such as democracies or dictatorships.
    3 [C] a printed paper with spaces to be filled in: When you apply for a visa, you must fill out some forms.
    4 [U] a way of doing s.t.: The political leader responded to the criticism in the form of a letter to the newspaper.
    5 [C] an empty container used for creating shapes, a mold: A company made a form to produce a new toy.
    6 fig. [U] correct and proper behavior: Good form requires you to attend the funeral.
    7 in good (bad, great, etc.) form: the quality of a performance, such as in athletics, music, or acting: The singer is in good form tonight.
    THESAURUS
    form v.
    1 to mold, create, fashion. Ants. to destroy, ruin.
    2 to make
    3 to start, organize
    THESAURUS
    4 to develop, formulate
    5 to develop, appear
    6 to create.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a figure
    2 sort, variety | structure
    3 an application, document, paper
    5 a pattern, configuration
    6 etiquette.
form letter
form letter
  1. n. a general letter from a company or organization sent to many people, usu. to sell a product or ask for money: We receive form letters all the time from companies trying to sell their merchandise.
formal
formal
  1. adj.
    1 according to rules, laws, customs, etc.: I received a formal invitation to the wedding today.
    2 very or too proper: He's a difficult person to get to know because he's always so formal.
    3 official: A formal meeting between the President and the Prime Minister will take place today.
    4 elegant, typical of official occasions: They wore formal clothes to the dinner party.
    5 (of written or spoken language) used in serious writing, such as literature, or in official situations rather than in common speech: Formal words in this dictionary are marked "frml." —n. a dance where one wears elegant clothes: Many high school students go to a formal at the end of the school year. -adv. formally.
    THESAURUS
    formal adj.
    1 official, proper
    2 reserved, dignified | stiff
    3 ceremonial
    4 black-tie and
    THESAURUS
    evening gown, dressed-up. Ants. informal, casual.
formaldehyde
formaldehyde
  1. n. [U] an unpleasant-smelling gas with many industrial uses: Formaldehyde is used in making plastics and fertilizers.
formalism
formalism
  1. n. [U] strict observance of forms of conduct, style, procedure, etc.: In his lecture the professor discussed the formalism of the artist's early work.
formality
formality
  1. n. [C;U] -ties
    1 customary behavior, observances, procedures (usu. to observe the formalities): We must observe the formalities and introduce ourselves to the other guests at the party.
    2 the meaningless observance of a rule or custom: All visitors must sign in at the front desk as a formality.
formalize
formalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make s.t. definite and official: We formalized the business deal with a written agreement. -n. [U] formalization.
format
format
  1. n.
    1 the visual style of a publication: That magazine's new format makes it easier to read.
    2 any general arrangement of s.t.: The format of the lesson was a short lecture followed by a discussion. —v. [T] -matted, -matting, -mats to design or arrange s.t.: The designer formatted the pages of a magazine.
formation
formation
  1. n.
    1 [U] a bringing together, creation: The formation of a committee on health issues took several days.
    2 [C;U] a group of people or things arranged a certain way: Soldiers marched by in military formation.
formative
formative
  1. adj. in the process of growing or being shaped or organized: Children must have good nutrition during their formative years.
former
former
  1. adj.
    1 previous, past: He is a former employee of this company.
    2 referring to the first thing or person named in a pair —n. the first thing or person named in a pair: We eat lots of fish and chicken, but we prefer the former (meaning "the fish"). See: latter.
formerly
formerly
  1. adv. in the past, some time ago,
    THESAURUS
    previously: She was formerly president of that organization.
formfitting
formfitting
  1. adj. fitting close to the body: Those biking shorts are made of formfitting material.
formidable
formidable
  1. adj. strong, difficult to defeat,
    THESAURUS
    daunting: The people of that country must overcome formidable obstacles to win their freedom. -adv. formidably.
formless
formless
  1. adj. without form, shapeless: That report is a formless collection of facts; it needs to be rewritten. -adv. formlessly; -n. [U] formlessness.
formula
formula
  1. n. -las or -lae
    1 (in math) a rule expressed in symbols
    2 (in chemistry) a group of symbols representing a chemical
    3 a fixed combination of ingredients: Each manufacturer of cough syrup has its own formula.
    4 a formula for (success, defeat, etc.): a combination of factors leading to a result: Lee Iaccoca wrote a book about his formula for success at Chrysler Motors. -adj. formulaic.
formulate
formulate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 to create, combine: The manager formulated a marketing plan for the year.
    2 to state in a clear way: She formulated her ideas about solving the drug problem.
    3 to prepare, blend: The chemist formulated various ingredients into an effective cold medication.
formulation
formulation
  1. n. [U] careful preparation, creation of s.t.: The formulation of a new environmental policy required months of study.
fornication
fornication
  1. n.frml. [U] an act of sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons: Religious warnings against fornication are not often obeyed. -v. [I] fornicate.
forsake
forsake
  1. v.frml. [T] -sook , -saken , -saking, -sakes to leave, give up, (syns.) to abandon, desert: He forsook his homeland and emigrated to a new country.
forswear
forswear
  1. v.frml. [T] -swore , -sworn , -swearing, -swears
    1 to give up s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to renounce: The partner sold his half of the company and forswore any further interest in the business.
    2 to not tell the truth in a court of law: The judge determined that the witness's testimony was forsworn and rejected it.
forsythia
forsythia
  1. n. [C;U] a bush that produces bright yellow flowers: Forsythias bloom early in the spring.
fort
fort
  1. n.
    1 a group of buildings surrounded by high walls and used for military purposes: Enemy soldiers attacked the fort.
    2 fig. to hold (down) the fort: to handle another person's responsibilities for a short time: The store manager asked her assistant to hold the fort while she was away.
forte
forte
  1. n. a skill, s.t. that a person does well: His forte is money management; hers is sales.
forth
forth
  1. adv.
    1 frml. forward, ahead: Explorers went forth to discover a new world.
    2 and so forth: and other similar things, (syns.) et cetera, and so on: She complained that the city was dirty, dangerous, expensive, crowded, and so forth.
    3 back and forth: between two points: She flies back and forth between Chicago and Los Angeles for her work.
    4 to come forth: to present oneself: Several witnesses came forth to give a description of the criminal.
forthcoming
forthcoming
  1. adj.frml.
    1 arriving in the future, due to be delivered: More information will be forthcoming shortly.
    2 helpful,
    THESAURUS
    cooperative: The neighbors were forthcoming in helping us settle in our new house.
    3 usu. used in the negative willing to provide information: She was not forthcoming about the source of her sudden wealth.
forthright
forthright
  1. adj. honest, open,
    THESAURUS
    frank: The politician was forthright in stating his views on the issues. -n. [U] forthrightness.
fortieth
fortieth
  1. adj.n. the ordinal number 40: He celebrated his fortieth birthday with a party (or) the birthday was his fortieth.
fortification
fortification
  1. n.
    1 [U] an act of strengthening a military position or fort: Fortification of the town went ahead quickly.
    2 [C] usu. plural the walls and other structures of a military position: The fortifications were ten feet thick.
fortify
fortify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to strengthen with fortifications: Workers fortified the castle by building an outer wall.
    2 to strengthen oneself, usu. with food or drink: He fortified himself with a glass of whisky before going out in the cold weather.
fortitude
fortitude
  1. n. [U] courage in the face of difficulties: He showed fortitude in his battle against cancer.
fortnight
fortnight
  1. n.frml. a period of two weeks: He issued a report on his activities each fortnight.
fortress
fortress
  1. n. -tresses a building, group of buildings, or town well-protected against attack: Soldiers attacked the fortress high on a hill. See: fort.
fortuitous
fortuitous
  1. adj.frml.
    1 by chance, accidental: Meeting my mother at the train station was completely fortuitous.
    2 lucky, fortunate: By fortuitous circumstances, we were able to take a bus after our car had broken down. -adv. fortuitously.
fortunate
fortunate
  1. adj.
    1 lucky at a particular time: We were fortunate to escape the accident without injury.
    2 lucky in general: We are fortunate to have money and good health.
    THESAURUS
    fortunate
    1 blessed with luck, in luck
    2 blessed, happy. Ants. unfortunate, unlucky.
fortunately
fortunately
  1. adv. luckily: Fortunately, I found my passport.
fortune
fortune
  1. n.
    1 [C] wealth, riches: He made a fortune in the oil business.
    2 [U] chance, (good or bad) luck,
    THESAURUS
    fate: Then he had the bad fortune to fall ill.
fortune cookie
fortune cookie
  1. n. a cookie containing a small piece of paper that gives advice or tells one's future: Chinese restaurants offer fortune cookies as dessert.
fortune teller
fortune teller
  1. n. a person who tells one's future: The fortune teller said that I would live to be a hundred.
forty-five
forty-five
  1. n. a powerful handgun that shoots .45 caliber bullets: He was shot dead with a forty-five.
forty
forty
  1. n. -ties the cardinal number 40 —adj. forty of s.t.: He is forty years old.
forum
forum
  1. n.
    1 a square in ancient Rome where public business was conducted: The forums were busy places.
    2 a place for the open exchange of ideas, opinions, and information: This radio talk show is a forum for political discussions.
forward
forward
  1. or forwards adv. ahead (in space or time): We are moving forwards with our plans to open a new store.||Walk three steps forward and turn left. —adj.
    1 front: Our cabin is in the forward section of the ship.
    2 bold, brazen: The little boy is forward in asking for favors even from strangers.
    3 forwarding address: a new address to which mail should be sent: She moved without leaving a forwarding address. —v. [T] to send ahead to s.o.'s address, ship to another: While we are away in the summer, our neighbor forwards our mail to us. -n. [U] forwardness.
    THESAURUS
    forward adv.
    1 onward. Ant. backward. —adj.
    2 pushy, brash, overfamiliar. Ant. shy. —v. to transmit, send s.t. on. Ant. to hold.
forwarder
forwarder
  1. n. a business that ships goods to a new destination: Our company uses a freight forwarder for overseas shipments.
forward
forward
  1. or forwards -adv. ahead (in space or time): We are moving forwards with our plans to open a new store. || Walk three steps forward and turn left. _adj.
    1 front: Our cabin is in the forward section of the ship.
    2 bold, (syn.) brazen: The little boy is forward in asking for favors even from strangers.
    3 forwarding address: a new address to which mail should be sent: She moved without leaving a forwarding address. _v. to send ahead to s.o.'s address, ship to another: While we are away in the summer, our neighbor forwards our mail to us.-n. [U] forwardness.
fossil
fossil
  1. n.
    1 the remains of ancient animal or plant life preserved in rock: We know about dinosaurs from the fossils that they left behind.
    2 fig.pej. an old person with oldfashioned ideas: He's the fossil in the English department that nobody listens to; he hasn't had a new idea since 1963.
fossil fuel
fossil fuel
  1. n. fuel, such as coal and oil, produced by the change of ancient plant and animal life into carbon: Fossil fuels produce substantial air pollution.
fossilize
fossilize
  1. v. -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 [I;T] to turn into a fossil: The remains of dinosaurs have fossilized in rock.
    2 fig. [I] to become fixed, rigid: As he became older, his political ideas fossilized.
foster
foster
  1. v. [T] to help to develop, (syns.) to encourage, nurture: Her trainer fostered her career as a champion skater. —adj. related to a system in which adults receive money from the government to take care of children who are not their own: That woman cares for three foster children.
fought
fought
  1. v. past tense & past part. of fight
foul-up
foul-up
  1. n.infrml. a mistake often resulting in a serious problem: The foul-up in the computer system will take several weeks to fix.
foul
foul
  1. v.
    1 [T] to dirty, often with mud, bodily waste, etc.: The farmer fell in the mud and fouled his clothes.
    2 [T] (of rope, string, etc.) to get twisted together and not be able to work: The two little boys fouled the lines of their fishing rods.
    3 [I;T] to make an improper move in certain sports: A basketball player fouled an opponent.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to foul s.t. up: to make a mistake, often one causing serious problems: The repairman attached the wrong wires and fouled up our telephone system.||He fouled it up. —adj.
    1 very dirty,
    THESAURUS
    filthy: His clothes were foul with mud.
    2 rude, offensive, (syns.) vulgar, obscene: When she gets angry, she sometimes uses foul language.
    3 bad-smelling,
    THESAURUS
    rank: His muddy clothes smelled foul.
    4 very unpleasant,
    THESAURUS
    mean: She's been in a foul mood all day. —n.
    1 an improper move in certain sports: The basketball player committed a foul.
    2 (in baseball) a ball hit outside the foul lines: The batter hit a foul. -adv. foully; -n. [U] foulness.
foul play
foul play
  1. n. [U] a criminal act, esp. murder: A man was found dead; I think that he was a victim of foul play.
foundation
foundation
  1. n.
    1 [C] a base on which a physical structure is built: The foundation for our house is made of cement.
    2 [C] the basis on which an institution or system of beliefs is founded: The right to vote is one of the foundations of a democracy.
    3 [U] the creation of s.t., such as an institution,
    THESAURUS
    establishment: She contributed money towards the foundation of a new library.
    4 [C] an organization, usu. nonprofit, that provides money for projects in education, politics, science, and the arts: The Ford Foundation supports many educational projects.
founding father
founding father
  1. n.
    1 a person who sets up or originates s.t.: He is the founding father of that law firm.
    2 Founding Fathers: in the USA, the people who created the country's political system, esp. a signer of the Declaration of Independence: The Founding Fathers met at the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
foundling
foundling
  1. n. a child left by his or her mother, usu. in a public place, for others to find and take care of: He was a foundling who was left on the doorstep of a church.
foundry
foundry
  1. n. -ries a workshop or factory in which metal is melted and shaped: Machine parts can be made in foundries.
fountain
fountain
  1. n.
    1 an ornamental structure that sends water into the air for display: The water fountain in the square attracts tourists each summer.
    2 a device usu. found in public buildings that provides water for drinking: There's a water fountain outside the restrooms.
    3 fig. an active source of information, ideas, etc.: The librarian is a fountain of knowledge about the community. See: font.
fountain pen
fountain pen
  1. n. a pen that contains an ink container or is filled from an ink bottle: She always uses a fountain pen for her personal letters.
fountainhead
fountainhead
  1. n. source of a river or stream,
    THESAURUS
    wellspring: The fountainhead of that river lies deep in the jungle.
four-footed
four-footed
  1. or four-legged adj. describing animals with four feet: Horses and dogs are four-footed animals.
four-leaf clover
four-leaf clover
  1. n. a small green plant with four leaves, seen as a symbol of good luck: It's difficult to find a four-leaf clover.
four-footed
four-footed
  1. or four-legged -adj. describing animals with four feet: Horses and dogs are four-footed animals.
four-letter word
four-letter word
  1. n. any of several rude, offensive words in general typically containing four letters: He uses four-letter words constantly.
four-wheel
four-wheel
  1. adj. related to vehicles in which all four wheels have power: Vehicles with four-wheel drive are used in mountainous areas.
four
four
  1. adj.n. the cardinal number 4: The child had four toys.
fourfold
fourfold
  1. adj. four times s.t.: The sale of that product has had a fourfold increase in the last ten years.
fourposter
fourposter
  1. n.adj. a bed whose frame has four tall posts for curtains: The couple bought a four-poster made of wood.
fourscore
fourscore
  1. adj.old usage 80 (4 times 20): Lincoln began his Gettysburg Address with "Fourscore and seven years ago . . . "
foursome
foursome
  1. n. a group of four people: Golfers play in foursomes.
foursquare
foursquare
  1. adj.
    1 frml. having four equal sides
    2 fig. direct, honest,
    THESAURUS
    forthright: In dealing with him, you will find him foursquare and dependable.
fourteen
fourteen
  1. n.adj. the cardinal number 14: The meal cost 14 dollars.||Only fourteen (of the passengers) survived the plane crash.
fourteenth
fourteenth
  1. adj.n. the ordinal number 14th: He is the fourteenth person on the list (or) he is fourteenth.
fourth
fourth
  1. adj.n. the ordinal number 4th: She is the fourth child in the family (or) she is the fourth.
fourth dimension
fourth dimension
  1. n. (in physics) time in addition to the three dimensions of height, width, and depth: Science fiction writers sometimes explore the fourth dimension.
fourth estate
fourth estate
  1. n. newspapers and magazine journalists: The fourth estate has great influence on public opinion.
fowl
fowl
  1. n. fowls or fowl birds such as chickens, ducks, and geese: Hunters shoot fowl in the autumn.
fox
fox
  1. n. foxes or fox
    1 [C] a variety of small dog-like animal with a thick furry tail, considered to be clever: In the UK, people hunt foxes (or fox) on horseback.
    2 [U] the fur of a fox: Women often wore coats made of red fox in the 1940s.
    3 fig. [C] a clever, tricky person: In business matters, he is a smart fox. —v. [T] foxes to gain s.t. through cleverness and trickery, to confuse others,
    THESAURUS
    to outwit: In business, he foxed his competition. See: outfox.
foxhole
foxhole
  1. n. a hole dug in the ground where soldiers stay for protection against enemy gunfire: It is necessary for a foxhole to be deep so it can protect a soldier.
foxhound
foxhound
  1. n. a large, short-haired hunting dog: Foxhounds were used originally to hunt foxes or rabbits.
foxtrot
foxtrot
  1. n.v. [I] a ballroom dance with quick steps: The foxtrot was a popular dance in the 1940s.
foyer
foyer
  1. n. an entrance room of a house, apartment, or public building: I met my guest in the foyer of our office building.
fracas
fracas
  1. n. -cases a noisy fight,
    THESAURUS
    commotion: Two men started a fracas in a barroom.
fraction
fraction
  1. n.
    1 a portion of s.t.: A large fraction of the workforce is employed.
    2 a small portion of s.t.: She spoke so quickly that I understood only a fraction of what she said.
    3 a portion less than a whole number, expressed in symbols: The fraction one-half can also be expressed as .5 or 1/2. -adj. fractional; -adv. fractionally.
    THESAURUS
    fraction
    1 a part | section
    2 a little bit, small part. Ants. all, a whole.
fractious
fractious
  1. adj.
    1 easily upset, (syns.) petulant, cranky
    2 unwilling to obey rules, (syns.) rebellious, unruly: That little boy is a fractious child. -adv. fractiously; -n. [U] fractiousness.
fracture
fracture
  1. v. [I;T] -tured, -turing, -tures to break, crack: She fractured her leg while skiing. —n. a break, crack: They found a small fracture in the wing of the plane.
fragile
fragile
  1. adj. easily broken, delicate: That dish is fragile, so be careful. -n. [U] fragility.
fragment
fragment
  1. n. a bit or piece of s.t.: The clay pot broke into fragments long ago. —v. [I;T] to break, divide into bits and pieces: His eyeglasses fragmented as they hit the ground.
fragmentary
fragmentary
  1. adj. partial, incomplete: The witness could give only a fragmentary description of the accident.
fragmentation
fragmentation
  1. n. [U] the process of breaking into pieces: The fragmentation of political parties makes governing difficult.
fragrance
fragrance
  1. n.
    1 [U] pleasant smell, bouquet: The fragrance of roses filled the air.
    2 [C] perfume: She uses an expensive fragrance.
    THESAURUS
    fragrance
    1 a scent, aroma
    2 cologne.
fragrant
fragrant
  1. adj. pleasant smelling, perfumed: Freshly cut grass has a fragrant smell. -adv. fragrantly.
frail
frail
  1. adj. physically weak: His mother has grown old and frail.
frailty
frailty
  1. n. -ties
    1 [U] the condition of being physically weak: Her frailty prevents her from going out to shop.
    2 [C] human moral weakness,
    THESAURUS
    fallibility: Jealousy and selfishness are common human frailties.
frame-up
frame-up
  1. n.infrml. the arrangement of proof of a crime so that an innocent person appears guilty: The thief put some stolen jewels in my pocket as a frame-up to save himself.
frame
frame
  1. n.
    1 a border placed around s.t.: She put the photo in a plastic frame.||The window frames need painting.
    2 a supporting structure on which s.t. is built: The frame of the sailboat was constructed in two weeks.
    3 the human body: He is a man with a large frame.
    4 pl. the part of a pair of eyeglasses into which the lenses are set: Her reading glasses have red frames.
    5 the section of a roll of film that develops into a picture: Several frames didn't come out clearly.
    6 frame of mind: one's mental attitude at a specific time: She's ill, but in a good frame of mind today.
    7 frame of reference: the knowledge and beliefs that affect one's understanding of new information: The philosophy professor's introductory lecture gave us a frame of reference for our first assigned readings. —v. [T] framed, framing, frames
    1 to place a frame around s.t.: She framed the painting and hung it in the living room.
    2 to put together, devise: She framed her response in the form of a question.
    3 fig. to arrange the proof of a crime so that an innocent person appears guilty: The accused murderer said that he was framed by his brother.
    THESAURUS
    frame v.
    1 to encase, enclose s.t.
    2 to prepare, draft, construct
    3 to falsely accuse s.o., railroad s.o.
framework
framework
  1. n.
    1 a structure used to support other things: The framework of that house is made of wood.
    2 fig. an organization of ideas: The framework for our project is described in this 10-page proposal.
framing
framing
  1. n. [U] a frame: The framing around that painting is made of metal.
franc
franc
  1. n. unit of money formerly used in France, Switzerland, and Belgium, replaced by the euro
franchise
franchise
  1. n. a legal agreement giving an individual or company the right to sell another company's goods or services: He bought a McDonald's franchise.
franchisee
franchisee
  1. n. the person or business who buys a franchise: My friend is a franchisee of a fast-food restaurant.
franchiser
franchiser
  1. n. the company that sells franchises: McDonald's is the franchiser of hundreds of fast-food restaurants.
frankfurter
frankfurter
  1. n. a meat mixture usu. made with beef or pork in the shape of a tube; a hot dog: Hamburgers and frankfurters are two popular American foods.
frankincense
frankincense
  1. n. [U] a substance found in certain trees and used to make incense and perfume: Frankincense has been used in religious ceremonies since ancient times.
frankly
frankly
  1. adv.
    1 with openness and honesty,
    THESAURUS
    candidly: The official spoke frankly about the region's problems.
    2 stated directly and honestly but not necessarily politely: Frankly, he thinks that your ideas are completely wrong.
frantic
frantic
  1. adj.
    1 very rushed,
    THESAURUS
    frenzied: Rescuers made a frantic effort to save the drowning man.
    2 almost crazy with fear (grief, anxiety, etc.): The mother was frantic after she lost her child. -adv. frantically.
frat
frat
  1. n.infrml. a college fraternity
fraternal
fraternal
  1. adj.
    1 related to the relationship between brothers, like a brother: He belongs to a fraternal order of firemen.
    2 fraternal twins: non-identical twins -adv. fraternally.
fraternize
fraternize
  1. v. [I] -nized, -nizing, -nizes to be friendly with people from a different, sometimes opposing group: He was arrested during the war for fraternizing with the enemy.
fratricide
fratricide
  1. n. [U] the murder of one's brother: In the Bible, Cain committed fratricide by killing his brother, Abel.
fraud
fraud
  1. n.
    1 [U] deceit with the purpose of gaining another's money or property: The company offered property for sale in Arizona, but it was a fraud; the property didn't exist.
    2 [C] s.o. or s.t. that is not what he, she, or it appears to be: He said he was an Italian prince, but he was a fraud.
    THESAURUS
    fraud
    1 a scam, sham, hoax
    2 an impostor, phony.
fraudulent
fraudulent
  1. adj. dishonest, false,
    THESAURUS
    deceitful: The company made fraudulent statements in its television commercials for its shampoo. -n. [U] fraudulence; -adv. fraudulently.
fraught
fraught
  1. adj.frml. full of, filled: That plan is fraught with difficulties.
fray
fray
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to cause a small piece of cloth to become thin from rubbing: The cuffs on his shirt (raincoat, pants, etc.) have frayed.
    2 fig. [T] to irritate, annoy: The constant noise has frayed her nerves. —n. [U] a fight that can be either physical or verbal, a battle: Two men started to fight, and others jumped into the fray.
frazzle
frazzle
  1. v. [I;T] -zled, -zling, -zles n. to make very tired, upset, or nervous: The summer heat frazzled her (or) she is in a frazzle from the heat.
freak
freak
  1. n.
    1 a person or animal with an abnormal shape: The animal was a freak, born with two heads.
    2 infrml. a person with a very strong interest in s.t.: She's an exercise freak and goes to the gym every day. —adj. strange, as in a very unusual happening: In New York, there was a freak snowstorm last year in June. —phrasal v. infrml. [I;T] to freak out: to lose self-control, become crazy, esp. as a result of taking drugs: When a stranger insulted him in a bar, he freaked out and started screaming.
freckle
freckle
  1. n.v. [I;T] -led, -ling, -les, a small light brown spot on the skin, often from being in the sun: She develops freckles in the summer. -adj. freckled; freckle-faced.
free-floating
free-floating
  1. adj. (in finance) responding to natural market forces without government interference: The exchange rates between currencies are free-floating as they change hourly.
free-for-all
free-for-all
  1. n.
    1 a noisy fight involving a group of people,
    THESAURUS
    a melee: A fight started between two men at a football game and then turned into a free-for-all.
    2 a disorganized discussion: The town meeting became a free-for-all, with everyone talking at once.
free-form
free-form
  1. adj. done without restrictions, loose and informal: The meeting turned into a free-form discussion.
free-living
free-living
  1. adj. always seeking pleasure,
    THESAURUS
    hedonistic: He is a free-living guy who enjoys nightclubs, good food, and long vacations.
free
free
  1. adj. freer, freest
    1 not under the control of another person or institution: After twenty years in prison, he was a free man.
    2 without political, religious, or economic restrictions: We live in a free country.
    3 completely without: The property is free of any debt.||The river is not yet free of pollution.
    4 without payment: Admission to the concert is free.
    5 not in use, available: The telephone (hotel room, bathroom, etc.) is free now.
    6 not busy: Are you free to talk now, or should I come back later?
    7 generous: She is free with help and advice for those who need it.
    8 giving or spending (too) easily, careless: She is free with her money when she has it.
    9 free and clear: without financial obligations, such as debt: The property is free and clear for you to buy.
    10 free and easy: relaxed, without worries: Your father is feeling free and easy today, so you can ask him for money.
    11 free hand: complete control over s.t.: The couple gave the architect a free hand in designing their new house.
    12 to have free rein: to have the power to take any action one wishes: The owner has given her free rein to reorganize the company. —v. [T] freed, freeing, frees
    1 to let go, release from s.t. unpleasant, liberate: The jailer freed the prisoner.||Winning the lottery freed him of financial worries forever.
    2 to clear away, remove an obstacle: The workers freed the road of the fallen trees.
    3 to free s.o.'s mind: The mother learned that her lost son was safe, and that freed her mind of fear.
    4 phrasal v. sep. to free s.o. or s.t. up: to make available: The state government freed up funds to build housing for the poor.||It freed them up. —adv.
    1 moving around without restrictions: The children can run free in the park.
    2 for free: without payment: You can visit the museum for free on Tuesdays.
    3 to set free: to let go, release,
    THESAURUS
    to liberate: The judge set the prisoner free.||We opened the cage and set the bird free. -adv. freely.
    THESAURUS
    free adj.
    1 liberated
    2 democratic, independent, self-governing
    3 devoid of.
    THESAURUS
    Ant. full of.
    4 complimentary, free of charge, on the house infrml.
    5 empty, unoccupied,
    THESAURUS
    vacant. Ants. occupied, taken.
    6 available
    7 liberal, bighearted. Ant. stingy. —v.
    1 to turn loose, discharge
    2 to unblock.
free agent
free agent
  1. n. a person without ties to any company or institution: The baseball team's owner made their star a free agent.
free associate
free associate
  1. v. [I] -ated, -ating, -ates (in psychiatry) to say all the things that come to mind on a given topic: The therapist encouraged the client to free associate on all the things he remembered about his mother.
free enterprise
free enterprise
  1. n. [U] an economic system in which individuals and companies conduct business with minimal government control: Free enterprise encourages competition between businesses.
free fall
free fall
  1. n. a rapid downward movement, (syns.) a plunge, dive: The skydiver went into a long free fall before opening his parachute.||During the stock market panic, prices went into a free fall for several days.
free lunch
free lunch
  1. n.fig. There is no such thing as a free lunch: a saying that means one always has to pay for s.t. of value
free market
free market
  1. n.adj. an economic market, both domestic and international, that is allowed to compete freely without government restriction: Free markets allow the most efficient manufacturer to succeed.||We live in a free market economy.
free port
free port
  1. n. a ship's port or a section of an airport where goods are sold tax-free: The ship stops at free ports in the Caribbean so that passengers can buy perfume, watches, and other luxury items.
free ride
free ride
  1. n.fig. a service or favor done for s.o. without payment: The sales manager's wife goes to conferences with him at company expense; she gets a free ride.
free trade
free trade
  1. n.adj. the movement of trade between countries with few government restrictions, such as import duties: Free trade among nations results in increased competition and lower prices.||The United States signed a free trade agreement with Mexico in 1994.
free will
free will
  1. n. [U] the power to make one's own choices: He joined the Army of his own free will.
free zone
free zone
  1. n. a tax-free area in a city or port: Goods can be brought into a free zone in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and then shipped to many countries in Latin America.
freebie or freebee
freebie or freebee
  1. n.infrml. a gift, s.t. free: My friend gave me a concert ticket and other freebies.
freedom
freedom
  1. n.
    1 [U] the condition of being free, having the power to act and speak without restrictions: The boy has the freedom to go where he wants to go.
    2 [C] a set of legal rights protected by the government, such as freedom of speech or religion: Our various freedoms are the foundation of our nation.
    3 [U] release from prison or slavery: The jury found the suspect not guilty, and the judge gave him his freedom.
    4 [U] protection against, release from s.t.: The medication gave him freedom from pain.
    5 [U] ability to move s.t.: His leg was broken, but he gradually regained freedom of movement.
freehand
freehand
  1. adj.adv. (of drawing) by hand, without the aid of mechanical devices: The artist did a freehand drawing of the building (or) drew the building freehand.
freelance
freelance
  1. v. [I] -lanced, -lancing, -lances to work as an independent, selfemployed person who performs jobs usu. for a variety of companies: She is a writer who freelances for several health magazines. —adj. related to freelancing: He is a freelance artist (journalist, photographer, etc.). -n. freelancer. See: moonlight.
freeload
freeload
  1. v.infrml. [I] to accept the food, money, and housing offered by others without repayment: He's been freeloading off his sister for years. -n. freeloader.
freestanding
freestanding
  1. adj. standing without attachment to a wall or supporting device, unattached: There are several freestanding bookshelves in the living room.
freestyle
freestyle
  1. n.adj.
    1 (in gymnastics or skating competitions) the participant's choice of moves
    2 (in swimming) the swimmer's choice of a stroke: She does the crawl in the freestyle or the freestyle competition.
freethinker
freethinker
  1. n. a person who develops his or her own beliefs independently of accepted beliefs and tradition: He is a freethinker who has many exciting ideas about educational reform. -adj.n. [U] freethinking.
freeway
freeway
  1. n. a wide road for high-speed travel: Los Angeles is famous for its many freeways. See: expressway; highway.
    THESAURUS
    freeway a throughway, thruway, interstate.
freewheeling
freewheeling
  1. adj.fig. acting boldly, without concern for rules or proper behavior: His freewheeling style of doing business caused him to lose many customers. -v. [I] freewheel; -n. freewheeler.
freeze-dry
freeze-dry
  1. v. [T] -dried, -drying, -dries to preserve s.t. (food, coffee, etc.) by freezing it and then removing its water: Coffee makers freeze-dry beans to make instant coffee. -adj. freeze-dried.
freeze
freeze
  1. v. froze , frozen , freezing, freezes
    1 [I;T] to change into a solid state due to low temperature: The water in the pond freezes in winter.
    2 [I;T] to have the temperature drop below the freezing point: It's going to freeze tonight.
    3 [I;T] to preserve food by keeping it very cold: We froze the soup we made yesterday.
    4 [I] to stop and stand completely still: A man pointed a gun at me and told me, "Freeze or I'll shoot!"
    5 [T] to stop the movement of s.t.: The Senator wants to freeze government spending.||The bank froze my account for two days, so I couldn't use it.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to freeze s.o. or s.t. out: to prevent from participating,
    THESAURUS
    to exclude: He froze out his competition by lowering his prices.||He froze them out.
    7 phrasal v. [I;T] to freeze over: to solidify into ice: The surface of the pond froze over last night.
    8 phrasal v. [I] to freeze up: a. to be unable to move or function because of ice: We had no water last night because the pipes froze up. b. to be unable to perform because of nervousness: As soon as she saw the large audience, she froze up and couldn't make her speech. —n.
    1 a condition of freezing by low temperature: The freeze last night destroyed the farmer's tomatoes.
    2 an action that stops movement: The company put a freeze on salaries; nobody is going to get a raise.
    THESAURUS
    freeze v.
    1 and
    2 to ice over, ice up, freeze up. Ant. to thaw.
freezer
freezer
  1. n. a compartment or a separate unit in a refrigerator designed to freeze food and to keep it frozen: We put some steaks in the freezer for future use.
freezing
freezing
  1. adj. very cold: It's freezing outside; put on your winter coat.
freezing point
freezing point
  1. n. the point at which water freezes: The freezing point is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius.
freight
freight
  1. n. [U] transported goods,
    THESAURUS
    cargo: A truck brought a load of freight to the warehouse. —v. [T] to ship, transport: We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.
freight car
freight car
  1. n. a railroad car designed to carry freight: For years, freight cars were painted brown.
freight train
freight train
  1. n. a train with one or more powerful engines pulling a large number of freight cars: Some freight trains have so many freight cars that they are a mile long.
freightage
freightage
  1. n. [U]
    1 a technical term for transportation of freight in general
    2 the cost of freight: The freightage for those goods was minimal, because they went by ship and not by air.
freighter
freighter
  1. n. a ship designed to carry freight: The freighter carries a few passengers in addition to its cargo.
frenetic
frenetic
  1. adj. very rushed, nervously excited,
    THESAURUS
    frenzied: The activity backstage before the show was frenetic. -adv. frenetically.
frenzied
frenzied
  1. adj. very rushed, panicked, (syns.) frantic, frenetic: The boy's friends made a frenzied attempt to save him from drowning. -adv. frenziedly.
frenzy
frenzy
  1. n. -zies [C;U]
    1 a state of panic, causing a wild display of emotion,
    THESAURUS
    hysteria: When she learned of her son's death, she went into a frenzy, tearing at her hair and screaming.
    2 very great excitement: When the singer finally appeared on stage, the crowd was in a frenzy.
frequency
frequency
  1. n. -cies
    1 [U] the rate at which s.t. happens, occurs: The buses stop here with regular frequency.
    2 [U] s.t. that happens often: The article discussed the reasons for the frequency of violent crime in urban areas.
    3 [C] the number given to a transmission wave, esp. of a radio station: The various frequencies on the radio are crowded together in large areas such as New York.
frequent
frequent
  1. adj. often: Car theft is a frequent occurrence in this area. —v. [T] to visit: He frequents the local restaurants often. -adv. frequently.
    THESAURUS
    frequent adj. regular, common, repeated. Ant. rare. —v. to patronize, go to, hang out at infrml.
fresco
fresco
  1. n. -coes or -cos a wall painting: The frescoes in these churches are magnificent.
fresh
fresh
  1. adj.
    1 recently picked, (prepared, produced, etc.), not canned or frozen: We enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit, straight from the garden: fresh orange juice, fresh fish, fresh bread.
    2 bright, new: The house has a fresh coat of paint.
    3 different, exciting, original: New people with fresh ideas joined the company.
    4 pleasantly cool: A fresh breeze feels wonderful on a hot day.
    5 rude, impudent: The little boy was fresh to the teacher.
    6 having recently arrived from: She's fresh out of college and looking for work. -adv. freshly; -n. freshness.
    THESAURUS
    fresh
    1 raw (fruit, vegetables), unprocessed | healthy. Ants. canned, frozen.
    2 brand new,
    THESAURUS
    clean. Ant. old.
    3 modern, up-to-date, innovative
    4 refreshing
    5 bold, sassy,
    THESAURUS
    cheeky. Ants. polite to, respectful of.
    6 just, newly arrived.
freshen
freshen
  1. v.
    1 [T] to make or become fresher: I'll freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to freshen s.o. or s.t. up: to make s.o. or s.t. feel or look better by washing, cleaning, etc.: She freshened up the room with some flowers.||She freshened it up.
freshman
freshman
  1. n. -men adj. a student in the first year of high school or college: She is a freshman at the University of Notre Dame; she lives in the freshman dormitory.

    USAGE NOTE: First-year high school and college students are called freshmen; second-year students are sophomores; third-year students are juniors; and fourth-year students are seniors.
freshwater
freshwater
  1. adj. of inland water, such as lakes, rivers, and ponds: Trout and bass are two types of freshwater fish.
fret
fret
  1. v. [I] fretted, fretting, frets to worry, express anxiety: She fretted when her children came home late from school.
fretful
fretful
  1. adj. complaining and irritable: The baby was fretful because he didn't sleep. -adv. fretfully.
friable
friable
  1. adj.frml. breaking apart easily: The pages of the old book are yellowed and friable.
friar
friar
  1. n. a male member of a usu. Roman Catholic religious order: He is a Dominican friar.
fricassee
fricassee
  1. n. meat cut into pieces and cooked slowly in its own juices: We like to eat chicken fricassee.
friction
friction
  1. n.
    1 [U] resistance that results when two surfaces are rubbed together,
    THESAURUS
    abrasion: When you rub your hands together rapidly, the friction produces heat.
    2 [C;U] conflict,
    THESAURUS
    strife: The friction between the two secretaries created tension in the office.
fridge
fridge
  1. n.infrml.short for refrigerator: I put the milk and meat in the fridge.
fried
fried
  1. past tense & past part. of fry —adj.infrml.fig. drunk,
    THESAURUS
    inebriated: He got really fried at the party last night.
friend
friend
  1. n.
    1 a person whom one likes and trusts, pal: She's a good (=close) friend of mine.||Anna and Paul are just friends (=not lovers).
    2 a person who supports one's cause or group: The Senator, who is from an agricultural state, is a friend of the farmer.
    3 a person who gives money to support an institution, such as a college, museum, or hospital, benefactor: The new chemistry lab was paid for by friends of the college.
    4 to make friends with s.o.: to form a relationship with s.o. one likes and trusts: She made friends with some of her co-workers. -adj. friendless; -n. [C;U] friendship.
    THESAURUS
    friend
    1 buddy, mate, confidante | acquain-tance. Ant. stranger.
    2 ally, supporter. Ant. enemy.
    3 a donor, contributor.
friendly
friendly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest
    1 helpful, pleasant, agreeable: She has a friendly manner with customers.||This bar has a friendly atmosphere.
    2 referring to a relationship of mutual fondness and trust: He is friendly with his supervisor; they often go out to lunch together.
    3 friendly fire: a situation in which soldiers are accidentally killed or wounded by other soldiers from their own side: She discovered that her brother was killed by friendly fire. -n. [U] friendliness.
    THESAURUS
    friendly
    1 warm, welcoming, hospitable. Ant. unfriendly.
    2 close with, sociable with, on good terms with. Ant. distant.
fries
fries
  1. n.pl.infrml. French fries: A hamburger and fries are my favorite meal.
frieze
frieze
  1. n. architectural wall ornamentation consisting of a band of designs: The living room has a frieze of flower designs carved in wood.
frigate
frigate
  1. n. a fast warship: The British navy was famous for the power and speed of its frigates.
frigging
frigging
  1. adj.slang terrible,
    THESAURUS
    damnable: What a frigging mess he's made of things!
fright
fright
  1. n. [C;U] sudden fear, shock: A tree fell on the house and gave him a fright.
frighten
frighten
  1. v. [T] to cause fear, shock: Strange sounds in the night frightened the child.
    THESAURUS
    frighten to scare s.o., terrify | startle, upset. Ants. to calm, soothe.
frightened
frightened
  1. adj. afraid: The child is frightened of dogs.
frightening
frightening
  1. adj. causing fear: The horror movie was very frightening. -adv. frighteningly.
frightful
frightful
  1. adj.
    1 causing fear, shocking: The boat trip in the storm was frightful.
    2 offensive, terrible: His behavior at the wedding party was frightful. -adv. frightfully.
frigid
frigid
  1. adj.
    1 freezing, very cold: Dress warmly; it's frigid out there.
    2 unfriendly, distant: The atmosphere at the meeting was frigid.
    3 sexually unresponsive, cold: He is a frigid man. -adv. frigidly; -n. [U] frigidity.
frill
frill
  1. n.
    1 an ornamental border on a piece of clothing: She wore a dress with frills on the sleeves.
    2 no frills: basic, without extras or luxuries: The airline offered a flight with no frills: food service, drinks, or movies. -adj. frilly.
fringe
fringe
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the border of a piece of clothing, rug, tablecloth, etc., made of hanging threads or other material: His jacket had fringes on the arms.
    2 [C] the outer edge or limit of s.t.: The building is located on the fringes of the city.||The criminal lives on the fringes of society.
    3 to be on the fringe: to have very odd behavior, be mentally ill: He's on the fringe; he just sits alone in his room all day with the lights off.
    4 the lunatic fringe: a group of people who want to completely change or destroy society: A member of the lunatic fringe planted bombs on the subway. —adj. minor, very unlike most of the other members of a particular group: She is a member of a liberal fringe group within the Republican Party. —v. [T] fringed, fringing, fringes to add, be a border: Trees fringe the park.
fringe benefit
fringe benefit
  1. n. a valuable service or privilege provided to an employee by an employer in addition to salary, such as medical, dental and life insurance, or a retirement plan: The fringe benefits at that company are excellent.
frippery
frippery
  1. n.frml. [U] very showy clothes: The men and women arrived at the party in their frippery.
frisk
frisk
  1. v.
    1 infrml. [T] to search a person for hidden weapons: The police frisked the suspect for a knife or pistol.
    2 [I] to run in a playful manner,
    THESAURUS
    to gambol: The kittens frisked about on the kitchen floor.
frisky
frisky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest lively, playful: My cat feels frisky this morning. -adv. friskily.
fritter
fritter
  1. phrasal v. [I;T] to fritter away (time, money, opportunity): to waste, spend unwisely: He fritters away his money on silly things.
frivolity
frivolity
  1. n. -ties [C;U] lighthearted fun, high spirits: The atmosphere of frivolity grew as friends told jokes.
frivolous
frivolous
  1. adj.
    1 unimportant, unnecessary: She spends money on frivolous things.
    2 silly, stupid: He often makes frivolous comments. -adv. frivolously; -n. [U] frivolousness.
frizz
frizz
  1. v. [T] frizzes (of hair) to become very curly: Her hair frizzes (or) frizzes up in the rain. -adj. frizzy.
fro
fro
  1. adv.frml. usu. in the phrase to and fro: first in one direction and then back again,
    THESAURUS
    back and forth: In the park, there were children running to and fro.
frock
frock
  1. n.
    1 a long robe, usu. of heavy material with a hood, worn by monks: The monk's frock is made of brown woolen cloth.
    2 old usage a woman's dress: She was dressed in a blue cotton frock. See: defrock.
frog
frog
  1. n.
    1 a small usu. green or brown animal with a large mouth and long, powerful legs: The children like to catch frogs at the pond.
    2 fig. difficulty in speaking caused by a sore throat: I can't speak clearly, because I have a frog in my throat.
frolic
frolic
  1. v. [I] -icked, -icking, -ics to play about happily: Children went on a picnic and frolicked in a field. —n. a happy, carefree time: They had a frolic in the country.
from
from
  1. strong form/ prep.
    1 showing a starting location, source: She moved from Los Angeles to Chicago.||This beer is imported from Mexico.||The letter is from my sister.
    2 showing a beginning point in time: We worked on the project from May to July.||I'll meet with you again a week from Friday (=showing a future time).||The two of them have been friends from that day on (=since that day).
    3 showing origin, material s.t. is made of: Coffee comes from beans.||Those gloves are made from leather.
    4 showing distance: Those boats are two miles from the shore.||Boston is 250 miles from New York.
    5 showing a range, esp. of sizes and numbers: That type of fish measures from three to six feet in length.
    6 showing a reason or cause: His death from heart failure was shocking news.
    7 showing difference: I don't know one type of computer from another.
    8 showing separation: He removed his hand from her arm.
frond
frond
  1. n. leaf of a fern plant or palm tree
front-runner
front-runner
  1. n. in a competition, the person who is in the lead: A Democrat is the front-runner in the race for governor.
front
front
  1. n.
    1 [C] the forward area or side of s.t.: The front of the store has a toy display.||To enter the building, you have to go around to the front.
    2 [U] outward appearance, demeanor: He is a funny, relaxed man, but always puts on a serious front for strangers.
    3 [C] in war, the area where there is fighting: The general sent fresh troops to the front.
    4 [U] a political movement with popular support: They started a reform movement called the Popular Front.
    5 [U] a strip of land bordering on a body of water: The restaurant is located on the beachfront.
    6 [C] a person, organization, business, etc. acting as a cover for an illegal activity: That store is a front for an illegal gambling operation.
    7 [C] a mass of air of the same temperature: A warm or cold front will arrive in our area tomorrow.
    8 false front: to appear to be what one is not: He gives the impression of wealth, but that is a false front.
    9 to put on a brave front: to act bravely when one is actually fearful: The soldier put on a brave front as he went into battle. —adj.
    1 forward: The front windows of our house overlook the park.||The front row of seats in the theater is full.
    2 in front: ahead of all others, first: The fastest runner is very far in front.||In the race for governor, the Republican candidate is in front.
    3 in front of: a. directly ahead of: In the class photo, Maria is sitting in front of Tony.||There are some trees in front of the building. b. facing: He stood in front of the mirror. c. in the presence of: Don't talk about that in front of the children.
    THESAURUS
    front n.
    1 entrance. Ant. back.
    2 fa&phon30;ade, face
    3 battle line, front line
    4 coalition party
    5 waterfront
    6 disguise, cover.
front man
front man
  1. n. -men a person who acts for another individual or for a group, often to hide the other's identity: The lawyer is a front man for big investors.
front office
front office
  1. n. (in business) office where the most important decisions are made: Orders came from the front office to change accounting procedures.
frontage
frontage
  1. n.
    1 the forward part of a building or piece of land: The frontage of the factory is on a main street.
    2 the amount of land in front of a building: The factory has a 50 foot (15.15 m) frontage from the front entrance to the street.
    3 the width of that frontage: The frontage is 300 feet (95m) wide.
frontal
frontal
  1. adj. toward or from the front: The enemy made a frontal attack on our troops. -adv. frontally.
frontier
frontier
  1. n.
    1 the outer edge of land exploration: The American West was still a frontier a century ago.
    2 unknown area of a field of knowledge: She is a biochemist who works on the frontiers of biology.
    3 the border between two countries: There have been reports of fighting on the frontier.
    THESAURUS
    frontier
    1 wilderness, unexplored land
    2 the cutting edge, front line.
frontiersman
frontiersman
  1. n. -men a man living on a frontier: He is a frontiersman who lives alone in a cabin in the woods.
frontispiece
frontispiece
  1. n. an illustrated page at the beginning of a book: The frontispiece has a picture of the Queen and a dedication to her.
frosh
frosh
  1. n.pl.infrml. college or university freshmen: The frosh have arrived at the university and are at the dorm.
frost
frost
  1. n.
    1 [U] white icy covering on a surface formed when water vapor in the air freezes: There was frost on my window this morning.
    2 [C;U] weather condition when the temperature drops below freezing: An early frost destroyed much of the orange crop. —v.
    1 [I] to form frost: The car windows have frosted over in the autumn air.
    2 [T] to apply a sugary covering to a cake: After frosting the cake, we put it in the refrigerator.
frostbite
frostbite
  1. n. [U] a condition of frozen flesh, with blood circulation having stopped: A mountain climber suffered frostbite in his toes. -adj. frostbitten.
frosting
frosting
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a sugary covering, such as on cakes: That cake has delicious chocolate frosting.
    2 frosting on the cake: s.t. especially pleasing in a pleasant situation: I found a new job, but the frosting on the cake is that I get six weeks' vacation in the first year.
frosty
frosty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 related to cold weather: It is frosty out today.
    2 covered with frost: The kitchen windows are frosty this morning.
    3 cool, distant in manner: She was very frosty to him when they met. -adv. frostily; -n. [U] frostiness.
froth
froth
  1. n. [U]
    1 a coating of white bubbles,
    THESAURUS
    foam: Froth on the waves contrasts with the ocean's blue color.
    2 unimportant, empty talk: Political speeches contain a lot of froth. —v. [I] to produce froth: The dog growled and frothed at the mouth. -adj. frothy.
frou-frou
frou-frou
  1. n.infrml. unnecessary ornamentation, showiness, esp. of clothing: She always dresses with a lot of frou-frou.
frown
frown
  1. n. a look of disapproval (doubt, annoyance, etc.) made by pulling the eyebrows downward and tightening the mouth: He had a frown on his face after being unfairly criticized. —v.
    1 [I] to have a frown on one's face: She frowned when she heard the bad news.
    2 phrasal v. [T] to frown on: to disapprove of: The teacher frowns on talking in the classroom.
    THESAURUS
    frown n. a scowl | glare, grimace. Ant. a smile. —v.
    1 to scowl.
froze
froze
  1. past tense of freeze
frozen
frozen
  1. adj. & past part. of freeze
    THESAURUS
    frozen adj. icy, freezing | unfriendly.
fructose
fructose
  1. n. [U] a natural sugar found in fruit and honey: Fructose gives you quick energy.
frugal
frugal
  1. adj.
    1 careful about spending money or wasting things,
    THESAURUS
    thrifty: Having been frugal all their lives, they can now live on their savings.
    2 small and costing little: We had a frugal meal. -adv. frugally; -n. [U] frugality.
fruit
fruit
  1. n.
    1 the part of a plant that contains the seed, esp. when used as food: Apples, pears, and oranges are some common types of fruit.||You should eat at least three servings of fruit a day.
    2 often pl. result, product: The fruits of his labors resulted in a large fortune.
    3 pej. slang a male homosexual
    4 to bear fruit: to produce s.t.: Years of research finally bore fruit with the development of a new drug for treating cancer.
fruit cup
fruit cup
  1. n. a serving of mixed fruit cut into small pieces: We had a fruit cup for dessert.
fruit fly
fruit fly
  1. n. flies a type of tiny fly that feeds on and lays its eggs in fruit: Fruit flies are an annoyance in households where fruit is left in the open.
fruitcake
fruitcake
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a heavy, rich cake made with chopped nuts and candied fruit: We have fruitcake only at Christmastime.
    2 infrml. a crazy person: That old lady is a fruitcake.
fruitful
fruitful
  1. adj. productive, profitable: Representatives from the hospital and labor union had a fruitful discussion concerning the new contract. -adv. fruitfully; -n. [U] fruitfulness.
fruition
fruition
  1. n. [U] production of favorable results: After months of hard work, our efforts finally came to fruition with the development of a new and exciting product.
fruitless
fruitless
  1. adj. without benefit, useless: After several fruitless attempts to start his own business, he went to work for his father. -n. [U] fruitlessness; -adv. fruitlessly.
fruity
fruity
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having the sweet taste of a fruit: That drink has a fruity taste.
frump
frump
  1. n.pej. a woman who wears plain, unstylish clothes and has a generally sloppy appearance: She's such a frump; it's hard to believe she used to be a fashion model. -adj. frumpy.
frustrate
frustrate
  1. v. [T] -trated, -trating, -trates
    1 to prevent s.o. from doing s.t., thwart: Their attempts to climb the mountain were frustrated by winter storms.||Her husband frustrated all her attempts to be happy.
    2 to have the feeling (of irritation, disappointment, anger, etc.) that results from this: She felt frustrated when she didn't get a promotion after all her hard work.||It was frustrating to work for such a demanding boss.
    THESAURUS
    frustrate
    1 to discourage, upset. Ants. to achieve, fulfill.
    2 (to be) annoyed, discouraged, upset. Ant. to encourage.
frustration
frustration
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the feeling (of irritation, disappointment, anger) that results when one is prevented from doing s.t. one wants to do: She suffered frustration in trying to find happiness.
    2 [U] interference, obstruction: He found only frustration in searching for a new job.
fry
fry
  1. v. [I;T] fried, frying, fries
    1 to cook in a fatty substance, such as butter or vegetable oil: He fried eggs in a frying pan.
    2 infrml. to feel very hot: We really fried at the beach today.
    3 slang to die, esp. in the electric chair: He's going to fry for that murder.
    THESAURUS
    fry
    1 to stir-fry, fry up, sauté
    2 to sizzle, get burnt, get cooked infrml.
fryer
fryer
  1. n.
    1 a deep pan used to fry foods: We cooked some chicken in the fryer.
    2 a chicken for frying: She bought a fryer for dinner.
frying pan
frying pan
  1. n.
    1 a shallow pan with a handle used for frying food: She used the frying pan to cook some onions and potatoes.
    2 out of the frying pan and into the fire: from one difficult situation to an even worse one: First he lost his job, and then he was called into court for nonpayment of debts; he really went out of the frying pan and into the fire.
fuchsia
fuchsia
  1. n.
    1 [C] a garden plant that produces usu. pink, purplish-red, or red hanging flowers
    2 [U] a purplish-red color
fuddy-duddy
fuddy-duddy
  1. n.pej. -dies a dull person with old-fashioned ideas: He's an old fuddy-duddy who does nothing but complain.
fudge
fudge
  1. n. [U] a rich sweet made of sugar, butter, and milk, usu. with chocolate: We had chocolate fudge with coffee for dessert. —v. [T] fudged, fudging, fudges to respond in an indirect way, falsify, usu. to avoid blame: The Senator fudged when the reporter asked him why he had broken his campaign promise to cut taxes.
fuel
fuel
  1. n. [C;U] a substance, such as coal, oil, or gasoline, that when burned releases heat to provide energy and power: Gasoline is the fuel used in most motor vehicles. —v.
    1 [I;T] to provide with fuel, fill with fuel: The plane is being fueled right now.
    2 fig. [T] to provide energy, intensify: Her desire to help the poor was fueled by her strong religious beliefs. -n. [U] fueling.
    THESAURUS
    fuel v.
    2 to increase, heighten, boost.
fuel cell
fuel cell
  1. n. a device that provides continuous electricity: The fuel cells in the space vehicle lasted the entire flight.
fugitive
fugitive
  1. n. a person who is running away,
    THESAURUS
    an escapee: The prisoner escaped from prison and is now a fugitive.
fugue
fugue
  1. n. a musical form in which a basic melody is repeated and developed in different ways: Bach's fugues are a delight to hear.
fulcrum
fulcrum
  1. n. -crums or -cra
    1 a point on which a lever is supported
    2 fig. a person, organization, or object used to apply power and get results: He is considered the fulcrum in the company and the reason for its success.
fulfill
fulfill
  1. v. [T]
    1 to perform, complete: He fulfilled his obligations by making loan payments on time.
    2 to satisfy, accomplish: She fulfilled her dreams of becoming an actress.
    THESAURUS
    fulfill
    1 to carry out, finish. Ant. to neglect.
    2 to realize, achieve.
fulfillment
fulfillment
  1. n. [U]
    1 performance or completion of s.t.: The fulfillment of obligations under the contract will take two years.
    2 a feeling of satisfaction, success: She found great fulfillment in her acting career.
full-blooded
full-blooded
  1. adj. having a single ethnic ancestry: The writer is a full-blooded Comanche Indian.
full-blown
full-blown
  1. adj. complete with everything, in the final stage of development: The storm turned into a full-blown hurricane.||He has full-blown AIDS.
full-bodied
full-bodied
  1. adj. rich with flavor: That red wine has a full-bodied taste.
full-length
full-length
  1. adj.
    1 complete, of the appropriate length: This is her first full-length novel (film, play, etc.).
    2 floor-length, from head to toe: She wore an elegant full-length dress to the dance.
full-scale
full-scale
  1. adj.
    1 (of a drawing or other representation) of the actual size of the original object: The sales representative showed us a full-scale drawing of the new product.
    2 with the most power or force possible: The generals were planning a full-scale invasion of the neighboring country.
full-tilt
full-tilt
  1. adv.infrml. at maximum speed, as fast as one can go: The schoolboy was hungry, so he ran home full-tilt.
full-time
full-time
  1. adj.adv. 35-40 hours a week: He works full-time (or he is a full-time employee) during the day and goes to school at night. See: part-time.
full
full
  1. adj.
    1 filled to the limit: That bottle won't hold any more water; it's full.||I'm not going to order dessert; I'm full.
    2 containing a large amount of s.t., filled with: The report is full of errors.||That meat is full of fat.
    3 complete: We've already spent a full week on this project.||I need to get a full night's sleep.
    4 to the maximum: The ship traveled at full speed.
    5 having as its most important characteristic: That argument is full of nonsense.||His speech was full of hope about the future.
    6 to go full blast: to do s.t. with the most possible energy (speed, dedication, etc.): My co-workers and I worked full blast for a week to finish the plan.
    7 to be full of baloney (it, beans, slang bull, crap, etc.): to be all wrong: He's full of it; he doesn't know what he's talking about.
    8 to be full of oneself: to have too high an opinion of one's abilities: He's so full of himself that no one can stand him. —adv.
    1 forcefully, completely,
    THESAURUS
    squarely: A bullet hit the soldier full in the chest.
    2 full well: with certainty: He knows full well that it's his turn to cook dinner tonight.
    3 in full: with the complete amount: I've repaid the loan in full.
    THESAURUS
    full adj.
    1 filled, brimming (a container) | bursting, stuffed, sated (one's appetite). Ant.
    THESAURUS
    empty.
    2 packed with, packed full of
    3 entire
    4 top
    5 jam-packed with, packed with,
    THESAURUS
    bursting with. Ants. empty of, void of.
full dress
full dress
  1. n. [U] adj. formal dress for formal and ceremonial occasions: The officers were in full dress (or in full-dress uniforms) for the party at the embassy.
full house
full house
  1. n. a theater that is full: The musical played to full houses every night.
full moon
full moon
  1. n. the moon when fully lit by the sun so that it appears completely round: Some believe that the full moon makes people do strange things.
full plate
full plate
  1. n.fig. a full workload, too much to do: The manager has a full plate and cannot take on any additional responsibilities.
full stop
full stop
  1. n.
    1 a complete stop: Your car must come to a full stop at the red light.
    2 a period at the end of a sentence
fully
fully
  1. adv. completely: I didn't fully understand your question.
fulminate
fulminate
  1. v. [I;T] -nated, -nating, -nates to criticize strongly and at length: The politician fulminated against corruption. -n. [U] fulmination.
fulsome
fulsome
  1. adj.frml. excessive, insincere, or offensively flattering: His fulsome comments about her dress annoyed her.
fumble
fumble
  1. v. -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 [I;T] to struggle with s.t., handle in an awkward fashion: She fumbled with the keys as she tried to open the front door.
    2 [T] to drop, lose control of: The baseball player fumbled the ball. —n. (in football) a drop, loss of control: He made a fumble. -n. fumbler; [U] fumbling.
fume
fume
  1. v. [I] fumed, fuming, fumes
    1 to give off gas, smoke, or strong odors: Clouds of black smoke fumed from the burning building.
    2 fig. to feel and/or show great anger: When s.o. insulted her, she fumed and walked out of the room. —n. usu. pl. fumes the gas, smoke, or odor given off usu. from a chemical: The gas fumes from the broken stove were very strong.
fumigate
fumigate
  1. v. [T] -gate, -gating, -gates to destroy (disease, insects, etc.) with chemicals: Workers fumigated the house to kill cockroaches. -n. fumigator; [U] fumigation.
fun
fun
  1. n. [U]
    1 pleasurable activity, enjoyment: We had fun at the picnic.
    2 a source of pleasure: She's a lot of fun at parties.||Going to the dentist is no fun.
    3 for the fun of it: to do s.t. for pure enjoyment, without a serious purpose: When we went on the picnic, we decided to have some footraces just for the fun of it.
    4 fun and games: pure pleasure: Life is not just fun and games, but a lot of work and some grief.
    5 to make fun of s.o. or s.t.: to laugh at s.o. or s.t. in an unkind way: He often makes fun of his sister by imitating her. —adj.infrml. giving pleasure or enjoyment: Waterskiing is a fun sport.
    THESAURUS
    fun n.
    1 a good time. Ant. a bad time.
    THESAURUS
    —adj. entertaining, enjoyable. Ants. boring, uninteresting.
fun house
fun house
  1. n. a building at an amusement park where one walks through a series of rooms with strange noises and frightening man-made creatures that move: Children like to visit the fun house because it's so scary.
function
function
  1. v. [I]
    1 to perform a task, serve as: She functions as both administrator and teacher.
    2 to work (well, poorly, etc.): The new computer has been functioning well. —n.
    1 purpose, use: The computer has a number of important functions.
    2 a formal social occasion: They attended a function at the museum last night.
    3 A pair (or set) of variables that have a relationship in which defining a value for one of the variables determines the value for the second variable (or others): The graph of y = 2x + 1 is a function because each value for x corresponds to a unique y value.
    THESAURUS
    function v.
    1 to operate as, work as
    2 to run, operate, go.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a duty, task, operation
    2 a party, event, reception.
functional
functional
  1. adj.
    1 useful, practical: The furniture is not fancy, just functional.
    2 capable of working,
    THESAURUS
    operative: The elevator was out of order, but is functional now. -adv. functionally.
functionary
functionary
  1. n. -ies a person with an official position but not a lot of power, esp. in a large organization: The President visited Europe and brought functionaries along.
fund
fund
  1. n.
    1 a sum of money for a specific purpose: The company pension fund is well-managed.||I'm short of funds at the moment; I can't buy that new car.
    2 a large amount of s.t.: We were impressed by his fund of knowledge about foreign trade.
    THESAURUS
    fund n.
    1 portfolio | savings, nest egg
    2 wealth. —v. to support, subsidize, sponsor. —v. [T] to provide money for a purpose: The school lunch program is funded by the government.
fund raiser
fund raiser
  1. n.
    1 a person who collects money for public, charitable, or political purposes: She is an excellent fund raiser for her political party.
    2 a party held to raise funds for public, charitable, or political purposes: We attended the fund raiser held at the governor's mansion. -n. [U] fund-raising.
fundamental
fundamental
  1. adj.
    1 basic, primary: Honesty is a fundamental principle in dealing with others.
    2 essential, necessary: Food, shelter, and clothing are fundamental needs. —n.
    1 a basic, primary principle (matter, concept): Openness to new ideas is a fundamental in business.
    2 an essential, necessity: Having work is a fundamental in life.
    THESAURUS
    fundamental adj.
    1 primary, elementary. Ant. secondary.
    2 indispensable, crucial. Ant. unnecessary.
fundamentalism
fundamentalism
  1. n. (in religion) an insistence on a traditional interpretation of basic religious documents, such as the Bible, and strict obedience to their teachings and laws: Fundamentalism has had a rebirth in many parts of the world. -n.adj. fundamentalist.
funeral
funeral
  1. n. the ceremony that accompanies the burial or burning of a dead person: His aunt's funeral will be held tomorrow.
    THESAURUS
    funeral memorial service, wake (1).
funereal
funereal
  1. adj. serious, sad like a funeral: The day before the company closed, the atmosphere in the office was funereal.
fungible
fungible
  1. adj.frml. (in business) exchangeable (goods, merchandise): The goods were damaged in shipment, but the manufacturer says they are fungible.
fungicide
fungicide
  1. n. a substance that kills a fungus: Farmers sometimes use fungicides on their crops.
fungus
fungus
  1. n. fungi or funguses an organism that feeds on living or dead plants or animals and cannot survive apart from them: Mushrooms are a type of fungus. -adj. fungal.
funicular
funicular
  1. n. a small railroad used to travel up and down hills and mountains: The funicular takes tourists up the mountain.
funk
funk
  1. n. [U]
    1 in a funk: feeling sad and low,
    THESAURUS
    depressed: She's been in a funk since she found out she didn't get a promotion.
    2 a type of popular music with a heavy beat and strong emotional effect that has elements of jazz, blues, and soul music
funky
funky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 referring to a fashionable style with an often boldly original, unusual look: It's a funky restaurant with very interesting art on the walls.
    2 referring to funk music: They were playing some funky music at the party last night.
    3 infrml. having an unpleasant odor,
    THESAURUS
    smelly: These sneakers smell really funky.
funnel
funnel
  1. n. a utensil with a wide opening on top leading into a narrow bottom and used to control the flow of a liquid: She used a funnel to pour water from a pitcher into a bottle. —v. [I;T] to use a funnel or to control as if with a funnel: The bank funnels loans into small businesses.||Small streams funnel water into the river.
funnies
funnies
  1. n.pl. a section of some newspapers containing a number of humorous hand-drawn picture stories, often with a familiar set of characters,
    THESAURUS
    funny pages: Sometimes I turn to the funnies first before reading the serious news.
funny
funny
  1. adj. -nier, -niest
    1 humorous, comical: Her story was so funny that we couldn't stop laughing.||She's a funny person.
    2 odd, strange: Something funny is going on in that house next door.
    3 a little sick: I started to feel funny about an hour after I ate lunch.
    4 referring to a coincidence, s.t. interesting: Funny that you should mention that, I was thinking about doing the same thing myself. -n. [U] funniness.
    THESAURUS
    funny
    1 amusing, comical, entertaining. Ant. serious.
    2 mysterious, suspicious, curious
    3 strange, queasy, nauseated
    4 odd, strange.
funny bone
funny bone
  1. n.infrml. a sensitive spot in the elbow: Ouch! I hit my funny bone against the door!
funnyman
funnyman
  1. n. -men a comedian: We saw a funnyman at the show.
fur
fur
  1. n.adj.
    1 [U] the hairy coat of an animal: The cat's fur is soft and shiny.
    2 [C] clothing made from this: She always wears her fur (or) fur coat on cold winter days.
    3 to see or watch the fur fly: to see a heated argument: While we were waiting in the long line to buy tickets, one person tried to get ahead of another; you should have seen the fur fly.
    THESAURUS
    fur n.
    1 a coat, pelt
    2 a fur coat.
furbish
furbish
  1. v.frml. [T] -bishes to put s.t. into better condition, make s.t. look brighter or fresher: She furbished the house before trying to sell it. See: refurbish.
furious
furious
  1. adj.
    1 very angry, (syns.) enraged, infuriated: He is furious over the theft of his wallet.
    2 very rushed, intensive, (syns.) frantic, all out: Rescuers made a furious attempt to save the trapped child. -adv. furiously.
furl
furl
  1. v. [T] to roll up: Two soldiers furled the flag. See: unfurl.
furlong
furlong
  1. n. 220 yards: A furlong is an old unit of linear measurement today used mainly in horse racing.
furlough
furlough
  1. n. (in the military) a vacation: Some soldiers went on furlough for two weeks. —v. [T] to put on vacation, esp. to dismiss with the possibility of being recalled: The Navy furloughed him and never called him back to active duty.
furnace
furnace
  1. n. a heavy container for burning fuel esp. to provide heat: That old house has a coal furnace.
furnish
furnish
  1. v. [T] -nishes
    1 to provide, give s.t.: The travel agency furnished me with the information that I needed for my trip.
    2 to provide with furniture, lamps, curtains, etc.: She furnished the apartment with modern furniture.
    THESAURUS
    furnish
    1 to supply with. Ant. to take away.
    2 to equip, outfit.
furnishings
furnishings
  1. n.pl.
    1 furniture, curtains, rugs, and other objects for homes and offices: The furnishings in that house are quite elegant.
    2 clothing
furniture
furniture
  1. n. [U] articles such as tables, chairs, beds, sofas, and other objects for homes and offices: The house is filled with antique furniture.
    THESAURUS
    furniture furnishings | stuff infrml.
furor
furor
  1. n. an angry disturbance,
    THESAURUS
    uproar: The government's attempt to raise taxes created a furor across the country.
furrow
furrow
  1. n.
    1 the line cut into a layer of soil by a plow
    2 a deep line in the skin of the face: He has furrows in his forehead from worry.||He has a furrowed brow. —v. [T] to plow or make furrows: The plow furrowed the garden.
furry
furry
  1. adj. -rier, -riest
    1 having a coat of fur: Furry animals grow long coats in winter.
    2 having a soft fur-like covering: The child received a furry toy rabbit for her birthday.
further
further
  1. adv.
    1 more, additionally: We can discuss the plan further tomorrow.
    2 comp. of far more ahead, more distant: I can't walk any further.||He is further away from his goals than ever before. —adj. more, additional: Have you received any further news about the accident? —v. [T] to help move forward, progress: He is taking business courses to further his career.
    THESAURUS
    further adv.
    1 in greater detail
    2 farther —v. to advance.

    USAGE NOTE: Further (and furthest) may be used instead of farther (and farthest) to express physical distances, as in "He has moved his business farther (or) further from town." However, you cannot substitute farther for further to express abstract meanings, as in "After further consideration, he rejected the plan."
furtherance
furtherance
  1. n.frml. [U] continuation, advancement: In furtherance of meeting sales objectives, we are increasing our advertising budget.
furthermore
furthermore
  1. adv. in addition, also,
    THESAURUS
    moreover: You have arrived late to the office every day this week; furthermore, your work has been unsatisfactory.
furthermost
furthermost
  1. adj. most distant, farthest away: Hurting anyone is furthermost from his mind.
furthest
furthest
  1. adj. superlative of far: most distant, farthest away: Lowering salaries is the furthest option in the company's plan.||Pluto is the furthest planet from the sun. See: further.
    THESAURUS
    furthest most extreme | farthest (distance).
furtive
furtive
  1. adj. hidden from public view, secret, and possibly deceitful: The teacher was suspicious of the student's furtive behavior during the exam.||He gave her a furtive smile. -adv. furtively -n. [U] furtiveness.
fury
fury
  1. n. violent anger,
    THESAURUS
    rage: The storm attacked the coast with the fury of a hurricane.
fuse
fuse
  1. n.
    1 a safety device designed to break if an excessive amount of electricity passes through it: The air conditioner caused a fuse to blow.
    2 a flammable string or other device used to set off an explosive: The miner lit the fuse that set off the dynamite.
    3 to blow a fuse: a. to cause a fuse to break: When we had the electric heater and the microwave on at the same time, we blew a fuse. b. fig. to become angry suddenly,
    THESAURUS
    to lose one's temper: He blew a fuse when his flight was canceled.
    4 to have a short fuse: short-tempered, to become angry quickly: You have to be careful with him, because he has a short fuse. —v. [I;T] fused, fusing, fuses to melt together, become one: A worker fused together two hot metals into an alloy.
fuse box
fuse box
  1. n. -boxes a box set into the wall of a house, apartment, or other building that contains the structure's fuses: The fuse box is in the basement.
fuselage
fuselage
  1. n. the main body of an aircraft: The passenger section of an airplane is contained within the fuselage.
fuselage
fuselage
  1. n. the main body of an aircraft: The passenger section of an airplane is contained within the fuselage.
fusillade
fusillade
  1. n. a burst of shots from weapons: The gangster was killed in a fusillade of gunshots.
fusion
fusion
  1. n. [C;U] the fusing or melting together of such things as metals, ideas, or cultures: The fusion of ideas results from trade between nations.
fuss
fuss
  1. n. [U]
    1 a show of great concern over s.t. unimportant: What a fuss over such a small mistake!
    2 to make a fuss: to show great annoyance, complain noisily about s.t. unimportant: He makes a fuss if his breakfast eggs aren't cooked right. —v.
    1 [I] fusses to act anxious, to handle s.t. nervously: Stop fussing with your hair; it's time to go.
    2 phrasal v. [T] to make a fuss over (or) fuss over s.o.: to pay a lot of attention to,
    THESAURUS
    to dote on: Every time her son comes to dinner, his mother makes a fuss over (or) fusses over him.
fussbudget
fussbudget
  1. n. See: fusspot.
fusspot
fusspot
  1. n.infrml. a person who is never satisfied with anything: She is a fusspot and is constantly complaining.
fussy
fussy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 critical, difficult to please,
    THESAURUS
    picky: He is so fussy about what he eats that nothing pleases him.
    2 very careful, selective, (syns.) particular, choosy: She is quite fussy about her clothes and shops only in the most elegant stores. -adv. fussily; -n. [U] fussiness.
futile
futile
  1. adj. useless, unsuccessful: He made a second and futile attempt to pass the examination. -adv. futilely.
futility
futility
  1. n. [U]
    1 hopelessness, uselessness,
    THESAURUS
    pointlessness: She finally saw the futility of trying to save her marriage.
    2 an exercise in futility: a useless act: Searching for peace in that part of the world is an exercise in futility.
future
future
  1. n.
    1 [U] the state of life and events ahead, things to come: No one knows what will happen in the future.
    2 [C] one's life ahead in time, esp. a career: She is planning for a future in medicine.
    3 [U] the possibility of success: He has no future with this company. —adj. related to the future: Future relations between the two countries should im-prove.||She introduced him as her future husband.
    THESAURUS
    future n.
    1 the coming years, the years to come. Ant. the past.
    2 career
    3 potential, prospects, hope. Ant. the past. —adj. upcoming, potential. Ant. past.
futuristic
futuristic
  1. adj. very modern, advanced
fuzz
fuzz
  1. n. [U]
    1 a layer of short, soft hair or threads: The baby's hair is fuzz.||A peach has fuzz on it.
    2 slang used with "the": the police: The fuzz picked up his friend for selling drugs.
fuzzy
fuzzy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 covered with short soft hair or threads: The surface of that cloth feels fuzzy.
    2 unclear, blurry: The image in that picture is fuzzy. -adj. fuzzily; -n. [U] fuzziness.
    THESAURUS
    fuzzy
    1 fluffy, furry
    2 indistinct, blurred, dim. Ant. clear.
führer
führer
  1. n. (German for) leader: The Führer was the title of Adolf Hitler.
gab
gab
  1. v. [I] gabbed, gabbing, gabs to talk informally,
    THESAURUS
    to chat: Students like to gab while they eat lunch.
gabby
gabby
  1. adj. -bier, -biest talkative,
    THESAURUS
    chatty: My friend is gabby; he loves to talk.
gable
gable
  1. n. the triangular section of a house formed under a pointed roof: Gables make a house look elegant. —adj. gabled: That house has a gabled roof.
gadfly
gadfly
  1. n. -flies
    1 a type of fly that sucks blood from animals
    2 fig. a person who offers many critical, but also helpful comments and questions: He is a political gadfly who always asks difficult questions that make politicians think hard.
gadget
gadget
  1. n. any small or unusual and useful object (an electronic device, machine, tool, etc.): She has many electronic gadgets in her house, from computers to an electric toothbrush.
    THESAURUS
    gadget a gismo | whatchamacallit infrml., thingamabob infrml.
gadgetry
gadgetry
  1. n. a group of small or unusual and useful objects: The engineer has a house full of gadgetry.
gaff
gaff
  1. n.v. [T] a pole with a hook on one end: A fisherman stuck a gaff in a fish's gill and hauled it aboard his boat.
gaffe
gaffe
  1. n. an embarrassing social mistake,
    THESAURUS
    a faux pas: A guest made a gaffe at the wedding; he called the bride by the wrong name.
gag
gag
  1. v. gagged, gagging, gags
    1 [I] to choke for a moment,
    THESAURUS
    to retch: The child gagged on the strong medicine.
    2 [T] to put s.t. into the mouth to stop s.o. from speaking: The robber gagged his victim with a towel.
    3 fig. [T] to stop s.o. from speaking freely: The police gagged people who did not agree with the president. —n.
    1 tape or other material that covers, or is put into, the mouth: The burglar covered the man's mouth with a gag made of tape.
    2 infrml. a joke,
    THESAURUS
    a prank: A friend told some funny gags at lunch today.
gag order
gag order
  1. n. (in law) a court decision not permitting discussion and reporting of a court case: In the trial of a well-known criminal, the judge issued a gag order to stop reporters from writing about the story.
gag rule
gag rule
  1. n. an order that stops discussion for a limited time: The Senate made a gag rule; for two days lawmakers could not talk about a new tax proposal.
gaga
gaga
  1. adj.pej.
    1 slightly crazy, (syns.) insane, senile: He is so old that he has gone gaga.
    2 to go gaga over: to be very excited about,
    THESAURUS
    to be infatuated with: From the moment they met, he was gaga over her.
gage
gage
  1. n. See: gauge. gauge or gage -n.
    1 an object for measuring size, fuel, pressure, etc.: The gauge showed that the steam temperature is normal.
    2 a standard of measurement: As a gauge of our success, we want sales volume to increase each month. _v. gauged, gauging, gauges
    1 to measure, (syn.) to evaluate: We gauge our progress by increasing company profits.
    2 to gauge s.o.'s reaction: to find out how s.o. feels about s.t., (syns.) to assess, determine: I told him just a little about the problem to gauge his reaction.
gaggle
gaggle
  1. n. a number of geese together,
    THESAURUS
    a flock of geese: A gaggle of Canadian geese swam in the lake.
gaiety
gaiety
  1. n. [U] high spirits,
    THESAURUS
    merriment: The laughter and gaiety at the party made everyone feel good.
gain
gain
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to obtain, acquire: Students gain useful knowledge by taking a computer course.
    2 [I;T] to make money, profit: An investor gains by buying stocks that go up in value.
    3 [T] to come closer to s.o. or s.t.: The runner gained on her opponent and finally won the race.
    4 [I;T] to go up: Prices gained yesterday on the stock exchange.
    5 nothing to gain: no benefit from doing s.t.: You have nothing to gain by becoming angry; anger will not solve the problem.
    6 to gain ground: a. frml. to move ahead,
    THESAURUS
    to advance: The soldiers gained ground by pushing the enemy back. b. fig. to move closer to s.o. or s.t. in a spirit of competition: To gain ground on his opponent, the politician promised to cut taxes.
    THESAURUS
    gain v.
    1 to get, collect, pick up s.t.
    2 to earn, win
    3 to overtake, close with (or) on (syn.THESAURUS
    .o.
    4 to increase, advance, grow. Ants. to decrease, fall. —n.
    1 a profit: A banker made a big gain on his investment.
    2 an increase, advance: The discovery of a new kind of star was a gain for science.||Stocks made a gain in today's trading.
    3 one man's gain is another man's loss: one person benefits from the loss of another person: When two people bet money against each other, one man's gain is another man's loss.
gainful
gainful
  1. adj. related to earning a living,
    THESAURUS
    profitable: My friend found gainful employment in another city. -adv. gainfully.
gains
gains
  1. n.pl.
    1 winnings: When she won money in the lottery, the woman took her gains and bought a new car.
    2 ill-gotten gains: money made illegally or by clever practices: The dishonest banker used his ill-gotten gains to buy a vacation house.
gait
gait
  1. n. the way a person (or horse) walks (runs, gallops, etc.): He walks with a slow, uneven gait because of a bad leg.
gal
gal
  1. n.old usage (used in a friendly context) a girl or woman: She's a wonderful gal; everyone loves to talk with her.
gala
gala
  1. n. a special public event (social, artistic, sporting, etc.), usu. with famous people: Opera stars from all over the world sang at the gala last night.
galaxy
galaxy
  1. n. -ies a large system of stars: Our galaxy is called the Milky Way. -adj. galactic.
gale
gale
  1. n.adj.
    1 a strong wind (of approx. 60 miles per hour): The gale knocked over trees in our area.
    2 gale-force winds: The gale-force winds knocked down the old tree in the garden.
gall
gall
  1. n.
    1 a liquid produced by the liver,
    THESAURUS
    bile
    2 fig. rudeness, (syns.) nerve, cheek: After nearly knocking me down, she had the gall to demand an apology. —v. [T] to annoy,
    THESAURUS
    to humiliate: It galled me when my best friend stopped speaking to me.
gallant
gallant
  1. adj.
    1 (of a man) polite to women, considerate,
    THESAURUS
    frml. chivalrous: Women like him because he is gallant; he always asks them what they want to do.
    2 brave: The man's gallant act saved my life. -adv. gallantly.
gallantry
gallantry
  1. n. -ries
    1 politeness toward women
    2 bravery, courage: The soldier was honored for gallantry in battle.
gallbladder
gallbladder
  1. n. an organ attached to the liver that stores and sends out bile: The gallbladder helps the body digest fat.
gallery
gallery
  1. n. -ies
    1 a room or building used to display or sell art, usu. smaller than a museum: He saw many art galleries in the Soho area of New York City.
    2 a raised section of a theater or public hall where people watch a performance or event: Visitors sat in the gallery to watch the Senate debate.
galley
galley
  1. n.
    1 the kitchen of a ship: The cook serves excellent meals from a small galley.
    2 a sailing ship in former times, rowed by many men: Galleys sailed the seas in ancient times.
gallivant
gallivant
  1. v.infrml. [I] (used humorously) to look for fun by going from one place to another: On Saturday nights, he likes to go gallivanting around to different bars.
gallon
gallon
  1. n. in the USA, a liquid measurement equal to four quarts of 32 ounces each: Yesterday, I bought five gallons of juice for the party.

    USAGE NOTE: A gallon is equal to 3.8 liters: Gasoline, paint, wine and other liquids are commonly sold in gallons: My car is old, but gets about 20 miles to the gallon. A quart equals one-fourth of a gallon or .95 liters: We need eggs, bread, and a quart of milk.
gallop
gallop
  1. n. the fastest run of four-legged animals, esp. horses: The horse raced to the rescue at full gallop. —v. [I] (usu. of horses) to run at a gallop: Race horses gallop around the race track.
gallows
gallows
  1. n. -lows a raised, wooden structure used to hang criminals: A murderer was sent to the gallows to die.
gallstone
gallstone
  1. n. a hard stone formed in the gallbladder: The sick man is in pain from gallstones.
galore
galore
  1. adj. plenty of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    in abundance: There are flowers galore in the garden every spring.

    USAGE NOTE: Galore is placed after the word that it modifies.
galoshes
galoshes
  1. n.pl. rubber overshoes that protect ordinary shoes from the rain or snow: He wears galoshes when it rains.
galvanize
galvanize
  1. v. [T] -nized, -nizing, -nizes
    1 to cover metal (usu. iron or steel) with zinc
    2 fig. to stimulate, make s.o. act: The politician's ideas galvanized the opposition against him.
gambit
gambit
  1. n.
    1 an opening move in a chess game where one piece is given up to gain a more important piece later
    2 a statement or an action designed to gain an advantage over s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    a ploy: The businessman's gambit is to say that his investment will double in value.
gamble
gamble
  1. n.
    1 the playing of games of chance: A gamble on a horse at the racetrack costs as little as $2.00.
    2 a risk: She took a gamble that it would not rain when she decided to go camping in cloudy weather. —v. -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 [I] to play games of chance: He gambles on the stock market.
    2 [I;T] to take a risk: She gambled that he would fall in love with her.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to gamble s.t. away: to lose money in games of chance or by taking bad risks: He gambled away all his money on dog races.||He gambled it away.
    THESAURUS
    gamble n.
    1 a wager on s.t., bet
    2 a chance | speculation. Ant. a sure thing.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to wager, speculate on s.t. | try one's luck at s.t.
    2 to take a chance on s.t. Ant. to
    THESAURUS
    play it safe.
gambling
gambling
  1. n.
    1 betting of money in games of chance,
    THESAURUS
    wagering: His wife put a stop to his gambling.
    2 risk-taking: She likes gambling in real estate. See: casino.
gambol
gambol
  1. v. [I] n. to run and jump in a playful way,
    THESAURUS
    to cavort: The sheep gamboled happily in the field.
game
game
  1. n.
    1 an activity or sport, often with rules, that people play: A favorite children's game is hide-and-seek.
    2 Games pl. athletic events: The Summer Olympic Games take place every four years.
    3 wild animals, birds, and fishes captured or killed for sport: The hunters captured deer and other wild game.
    4 to be fair game: to be a person or institution that may with reason be criticized or attacked: Politicians are fair game for criticism from reporters.
    5 to give the game away: to reveal information by accident: The chocolate around the little boy's mouth gives the game away; he ate all the chocolate cookies.
    6 to play games: to try to get people to do what one wants by changing decisions, tricks, etc.: At first, he said that he would sell at that price and now he's playing games to see if he can get more money from us.
    7 to play the game: to act or play according to the rules: She didn't like the company's methods of doing business, but she played the game because she needed the job. —adj.
    1 related to hunting animals: Game animals like deer and ducks are hunted for food.
    2 to be game: to be ready and willing to do s.t. new, unusual, or difficult: I wanted to climb a tall mountain nearby, and my grandmother said she was game to do it too.
    THESAURUS
    game n.
    1 an amusement, pastime, recreation. Ant. work. | (in sports) a match,
    THESAURUS
    contest, competition.
game plan
game plan
  1. n.
    1 a number of steps and goals planned by a team in a sporting event: The football team's game plan is to control the ball as much as possible.
    2 fig. a plan of action, esp. in business: Our game plan is to make a low first offer and then to increase it until we have an agreement.
game show
game show
  1. n. a television program featuring a game for prizes: Her friend won a new car on the game show.
gamekeeper
gamekeeper
  1. n. an employee who watches over wild game animals and protects them from danger: The gamekeeper on the African preserve worries about hunters shooting the elephants there.
gamesmanship
gamesmanship
  1. n. the method of winning a game (in business, life, etc.) by disturbing the other players, but without breaking the rules: It is gamesmanship to make a loud noise when the other player is trying to play. See: sportsmanship.
gamma ray
gamma ray
  1. n. high energy radiation often from nuclear sources: Gamma rays can come from the waste of nuclear power plants.
gamut
gamut
  1. n.
    1 a range of things,
    THESAURUS
    spectrum
    2 to run the gamut: to have examples of a wide range of possibilities: The many colors in her dress run the gamut of the rainbow from red to yellow to blue.
gamy
gamy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest tasting or smelling like wild animals killed for food: That bear meat has a gamy taste.
gander
gander
  1. n.
    1 a male goose
    2 infrml. a quick look: This new magazine may interest you; give it a gander.
gang
gang
  1. n.
    1 a group of (young) people (usu. used in a negative way) joined together for support and protection: She joined a street gang when she was 12 years old.
    2 a group of criminals
    3 a group of friends: Where is the gang going on Friday night?
    THESAURUS
    gang n.
    1 a crowd, pack
    2 a mob, the mob, band (of thieves)
    3 one's companions | one's
    THESAURUS
    pals, buddies, the guys, the gals. —v.
    1 [I;T] to join together and act against s.o. or s.t.: The boys ganged together to take control of their neighborhood.
    2 [T] to group things together: We ganged the order forms and worked on them all at one time. -n. gangland.
gangbuster
gangbuster
  1. n.
    1 infrml. an officer of the law
    2 like gangbusters: with force, vigor: Our sales have started off the new year like gangbusters.
gangling
gangling
  1. adj. tall, thin, and awkward: He is tall with gangling arms.
gangplank
gangplank
  1. n. a wooden or metal board that is used as a bridge between a ship and the land: The sailors walked up the gangplank to get on their ship.
gangrene
gangrene
  1. n. death of tissue in the body usu. requiring surgical removal: Gangrene developed in the boy's fingers from the cold. -adj. gangrenous.
gangster
gangster
  1. n. a member of an organized group of criminals: The police arrested three gangsters after the shooting in Las Vegas yesterday.
gangway
gangway
  1. n.
    1 a passageway in a ship: Passengers walked a gangway to their cabins.
    2 a gangplank
gantry
gantry
  1. n. -tries a tall metal structure used to support and service space rockets or support a crane that moves heavy loads: A crane operator moved the gantry to unload the ship's cargo.
gap
gap
  1. n.
    1 an empty space between two things: He has a gap between his two front teeth.
    2 an unfilled period of time: After a gap of five years, she returned to school to finish her college degree.
    3 a pass between mountains: The climbers walked through the gap in the mountains to the next valley.
    4 to bridge the gap: a. to fill an empty moment: He bridged the gap in the conversation by offering some drinks. b. to fill an empty place: The teacher bridged the gaps in the textbook with her own lectures.
gape
gape
  1. v. [I] gaped, gaping, gapes
    1 to look at s.o. or s.t. with the mouth open, usu. in surprise: The children gaped at the big elephant in the zoo.
    2 to open wide or come apart: After the earthquake, holes in the walls of the house gaped open. -adj. gaping.
garage
garage
  1. n.
    1 a building where a vehicle is kept: I keep my car in the garage next to my house.
    2 a place where cars can be repaired —v. [T] -raged, -raging, -rages to park in a garage: We garaged our car for the winter.
garb
garb
  1. n.frml. type of clothing,
    THESAURUS
    attire: The soldiers paraded in their military garb (uniforms).
garbage
garbage
  1. n.
    1 things you do not want any more, (syns.) trash, refuse: I put the garbage from last night's party in the trash can this morning.
    2 ideas and opinions that are considered stupid or worthless, (syns.) nonsense, foolishness: What he says is just garbage!
    3 garbage can: a container that you put trash into, usu. in the kitchen
    4 to take out or put out the garbage: to remove trash from a household: I take out the garbage every day.
garbled
garbled
  1. adj. mixed up, confused (words, message, thoughts, etc.): I couldn't read the garbled message on my computer screen. -v. [T] garble.
garden-variety
garden-variety
  1. adj. ordinary, common: It's just your ordinary garden-variety mystery novel, nothing special.
garden
garden
  1. n. an area of land used to grow flowers and vegetables: We have a small flower garden behind our house. —v. [I] to work in a garden -n. gardener; gardening.
    THESAURUS
    garden n. a plot, flower garden, vegetable garden | a small park, botanical garden | a
    THESAURUS
    paradise. Ant. a wasteland.
gardenia
gardenia
  1. n. a plant with large white or yellow flowers: Gardenias are pretty flowers.
gargantuan
gargantuan
  1. adj. very big, huge,
    THESAURUS
    colossal: The statues of past presidents were gargantuan in size.
gargle
gargle
  1. v. [I] -gled, -gling, -gles to soothe and clean the throat and mouth: Each morning, he gargles with mouthwash. -n. gargling.
gargoyle
gargoyle
  1. n. an ugly animal made of stone used as a decoration on many old European buildings: The gargoyles on the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris are famous.
garish
garish
  1. adj. showy,
    THESAURUS
    ostentatious: The chairs and rugs in that apartment are garish: red, orange, and purple.
garland
garland
  1. n. a circle of flowers usu. worn in the hair: The little girl wore a garland on her birthday.
garlic
garlic
  1. n. a member of the onion family used as seasoning in food: We put garlic in our spaghetti sauce. -adj. garlicky.
garment
garment
  1. n.adj. a general term for an article of clothing: That company makes garments, mainly dresses, and is located in the garment district in New York City. See: apparel.
garment bag
garment bag
  1. n. a thin luggage bag with a zipper used to carry suits and dresses: She carries a garment bag right on the airplane when she travels.
garner
garner
  1. v.frml. [T] to collect or store (information, knowledge, wealth),
    THESAURUS
    to amass -n. garnering.
garnet
garnet
  1. n. a red stone used in jewelry: My new ring has three garnets in it.
garnish
garnish
  1. n. a food decoration: Restaurants often use parsley and lemon as a garnish for fish. —v. [T] (in law) to take part of a person's wages/salary in repayment of a debt
garret
garret
  1. n. a small room at the top of a house: The author lived in a garret while writing his book.
garrison
garrison
  1. n.
    1 a group of soldiers who guard a town or building
    2 a camp or post where soldiers live: The garrison consisted of 50 soldiers to protect the town. —v. [T] to provide a place with soldiers and supplies: The government garrisoned the fort with a company of soldiers.
garrulous
garrulous
  1. adj.frml. talking too much, talkative,
    THESAURUS
    loquacious: The crowd grew garrulous before the speaker arrived. -adv. garrulously.
garter
garter
  1. n.
    1 an elastic band worn around the leg to hold up socks or stockings: His socks were too big, so he wore garters to keep them up.
    2 a decorative band worn usu. around the upper leg: The nightclub dancers wore pink garters.
gas
gas
  1. n. gases [C;U]
    1 any air-like substance, which usu. cannot be seen, that is not a liquid or solid: Oxygen is a gas that exists in large quantities in the air.
    2 a substance used for cooking and heating: She turned on the gas (or) gas stove to boil some water.
    3 infrml.short for gasoline: I stopped the car for gas at the local gas station.
    4 infrml. wind from the stomach or intestine: Eating onions gives me gas.
    5 a substance (e.g., nitrous oxide) given to you by a dentist or doctor to prevent pain,
    THESAURUS
    an anesthetic: The dentist gave me gas before he pulled out my tooth.
    6 infrml. a very funny thing: The new comedy show is a real gas.
    7 to run out of gas: a. to have no more gasoline: Our car ran out of gas on the highway. b. fig. to become very tired, unable to continue: I worked very late last night; then I ran out of gas and went to bed. —v. [T] gassed, gassing, gases
    1 to kill or injure with poisonous gas: The army gassed the village with mustard gas and killed many people.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to gas s.t. up: to fill s.t. with gasoline: I'm going to gas up the car for our long trip.||I'm going to gas it up.
gas main
gas main
  1. n. a pipe carrying gas under the streets
gas station
gas station
  1. n. a place that sells gasoline and repairs vehicles: I stopped at the gas station to fill up the tank.
    THESAURUS
    gas station a filling station | garage, repair shop.
gaseous
gaseous
  1. adj. in the form of gas: Gaseous clouds are released from the factory into the atmosphere every day.
gash
gash
  1. n.v. [T] a long, deep cut,
    THESAURUS
    a slash: The boy fell and gashed his cheek.
gasket
gasket
  1. n.
    1 a soft, flat piece of material placed between two surfaces (usu. metal), so that liquids and gases cannot come out: That engine was so old that the gaskets needed replacing.
    2 infrml. to blow a gasket: to become very angry, explode with anger: When a salesclerk was rude, the customer blew a gasket and complained to his manager.
gaslight
gaslight
  1. n.
    1 light from burning gas
    2 an old-fashioned lamp that uses gas: Gaslights were used on streets and in houses before electricity replaced them.
gasohol
gasohol
  1. n. a fuel made from a mixture of gasoline and alcohol: Some vehicles can use gasohol instead of gasoline.
gasoline
gasoline
  1. n. a liquid produced from petroleum, used as an engine fuel. See: gas, 3.
    THESAURUS
    gasoline regular (gasoline), premium, unleaded.
gasp
gasp
  1. v. [I] n.
    1 to breathe in quickly, usu. from surprise or shock: I heard a gasp from the crowd when the speaker made the surprising announcement.
    2 to take short quick breaths usu. with difficulty: She gasped for air after she finished the marathon.
gassy
gassy
  1. adj. -sier, -siest full of gas, esp. bubbles in liquids: The soda was very gassy; it had a lot of bubbles.
gastric
gastric
  1. adj. related to the stomach and the system that breaks down food in the stomach: He has a gastric ulcer.
gastronomy
gastronomy
  1. n. [U] the art and study of fine food and drink: My father is an expert in French gastronomy. -adj. gastronomic.
gasworks
gasworks
  1. n.pl. a place that provides gas to the public for use in the home: The gasworks is located outside of the city.
gate
gate
  1. n.
    1 a moveable barrier that closes an open space in a wall, fence, city, etc.: A gate in the fence opens into a flower garden.
    2 an entrance or exit, usu. at an airport: My flight to Paris is leaving from gate number four.
    3 the total number of people who attend a concert or sports game, or the total amount of money paid by them
    4 suffix -gate: a political scandal often named for the place it is connected with: Watergate, Irangate
    THESAURUS
    gate
    1 a door, entrance, gateway
    2 boarding area (airplanes, busses, etc.). Ant. an exit.
gatecrasher
gatecrasher
  1. n. a person who enters a private social event, usu. a party, without an invitation or ticket: There were about 20 gatecrashers at my party; it was terrible. I'd never met any of them before.
gatekeeper
gatekeeper
  1. n. a person who is in charge of opening and closing a gate to control who enters: The gatekeeper at the rich family's estate keeps strangers away.
gatepost
gatepost
  1. n. a wooden or metal post on which a gate is hung: The gatepost in front of the house has a lamp on it.
gateway
gateway
  1. n.
    1 a passage where there is a gate
    2 fig.a way of reaching s.t., usu. better opportunities: A good education can be the gateway to a good job.
    3 a machine that connects two networks and passes information between them
gather
gather
  1. v.
    1 [T] to bring together: He gathered his clothes together and packed them in the suitcase.
    2 [I] to meet: Townspeople gathered in the town hall to talk about the new school.
    3 [T] to understand: I gather from what I hear that your business is doing well.
    4 [T] (in sewing) to pull together material into small folds: She wore a gathered skirt.
    5 [T] to bring in, pick: Farmers gather their corn when it is ready.||We gathered flowers by the river.
    6 to gather steam or momentum: to become quicker, speed up: Our sales of the new product are gathering steam (or) momentum with new increases every month.
    THESAURUS
    gather
    1 to collect, pile s.t. up. Ant. to scatter.
    2 to assemble, get together. Ant. to
    THESAURUS
    disperse.
    3 to conclude, think, assume (s.t. to be true). Ant. to doubt.
    5 to harvest. Ant. to
    THESAURUS
    plant.
gathering
gathering
  1. n.
    1 a group of people: A gathering of fans formed near the movie star's hotel.
    2 a meeting, social function: We had a social gathering at the church last night.
    THESAURUS
    gathering
    1 a crowd | throng
    2 a party, get-together | assembly, conference.
gauche
gauche
  1. adj.
    1 uncomfortable in social situations, (syns.) clumsy, awkward: He's gauche; he doesn't know how to behave at formal meetings.
    2 doing or saying the wrong things, (syns.) tactless, insensitive: She made several gauche remarks about how fat I've become.
gaudy
gaudy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest too brightly colored,
    THESAURUS
    ostentatious: At the Mardi Gras carnival, dancers were wearing gaudy costumes in the parade. -adv. gaudily; -n. [U] gaudiness.
gaunt
gaunt
  1. adj. thin and unhealthy, (syns.) emaciated, haggard: The prisoners were gaunt after many years in prison. -n. [U] gauntness.
gauntlet
gauntlet
  1. n.
    1 a metal glove worn by soldiers in former times
    2 a long, heavy glove that protects the hand, usu. worn for sports or industry
    3 to pick up or take up the gauntlet: to accept s.o.'s invitation to fight or disagree: I picked up the gauntlet when she challenged my new health care plan.
    4 to run the gauntlet: to be open to, suffer an unpleasant or violent experience: After making an expensive mistake, the manager must run the gauntlet of questions from his superiors.
    5 to throw down the gauntlet: to invite s.o. to fight or disagree with you: The Democrat threw down the gauntlet to the Republican over her new health care plan.
gauze
gauze
  1. n. a very thin, light material with very small holes, usu. used as a covering in medicine or as a curtain: The doctor covered the cut with a piece of gauze.
gave
gave
  1. past tense of give
gavel
gavel
  1. n. a small wooden hammer used by officials to get attention or to bring order to a gathering: The judge banged the gavel to bring silence to the court.
gawk
gawk
  1. v. [I] to look at s.o. or s.t. with the mouth open, usu. in a stupid or rude way: The crowd gawked at the man with blue hair.
gawky
gawky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest awkward, uncomfortable in the way one moves,
    THESAURUS
    ungainly: The boy from the country looked gawky in the big city.
gay
gay
  1. adj.
    1 relating to the lives and concerns of homosexual people: There are large communities of gay people in New York and San Francisco.||My friends Amy, Sally, and Michael volunteer at the Miami Lesbian and Gay Center.
    2 old usage: merry, happy: Everyone at the party is having a gay time. —n. a person who is homosexual, usu. a man: American gays have formed a political organization called the Human Rights Campaign. See: lesbian, homosexual, bisexual.

    USAGE NOTE: The term gay applies to both male and female homosexuals, but many gay women prefer the term lesbian: She is active in the Gay and Lesbian Alliance. The term queer is pej.
gaze
gaze
  1. v. [I] n. gazed, gazing, gazes
    1 to look steadily at s.o. or s.t. for a long time, usu. without giving it much attention: The students gazed out of the window because their class was boring.
    2 to look steadily at s.o. or s.t., usu. with pleasure or admiration: She gazed at her beautiful new diamond ring.
gazebo
gazebo
  1. n. -bos a small building, usu. in a pleasant place, away from a main building: The lady has a gazebo in her garden where she reads in the summer.
gazelle
gazelle
  1. n. -zelles or -zelle an animal like a small deer: Most gazelles are found in African plains.
gazette
gazette
  1. n. a newspaper or periodical: The Police Gazette is published once a week.
gazpacho
gazpacho
  1. n. [U] a cold soup made from tomato, onion, cucumber, and pepper: Gazpacho is a favorite soup in the summer.
gear
gear
  1. n.
    1 a flat, round piece of metal with teeth around the edge that turns other gears in machinery: The gears in my old clock need repair.
    2 one of several speeds in a vehicle: I put the car into high gear and drove away.
    3 equipment, usu. connected with sports: The climber gathered up his gear and headed toward the mountain. —v.
    1 [T] to provide with gear, equip
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to gear s.t. to: to make s.t. suitable: Educational programs should be geared to the ages of children who watch them.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [I] to gear up for s.t.: to get ready for s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to prepare: We're all geared up for our trip.
    THESAURUS
    gear n.
    3 equipment, machines, tools.
gearshift
gearshift
  1. n. a handle used to change from one gear to another: The gearshift in this car is located on the floor to the driver's right.
gee
gee
  1. exclam. an expression of wonder or surprise: Gee, I didn't know that you found a new job!
gee whiz
gee whiz
  1. exclam. a mild expression of surprise (dismay, annoyance): Oh, gee whiz, my computer isn't working right again!
geese
geese
  1. n.pl. of goose: One goose, two geese
geezer
geezer
  1. n.infrml.pej. an old man: That old geezer is always in the coffee shop.

    USAGE NOTE: It is better not to use geezer to describe a difficult old man, because this word is impolite. Elderly man is the term of respect: An elderly man gave us directions to the park. It is also polite to refer to old people as elderly folks or senior citizens.
geisha
geisha
  1. n. a type of Japanese waitress who also sings and dances: The traditional tea ceremony was performed by five elegantly dressed geishas.
gel
gel
  1. n. a soft, clear substance between a liquid and a solid state, such as jelly: She uses gel in her hair to keep the style in place. —v. [I] gelled, gelling, gels
    1 to form into a gel
    2 to come together,
    THESAURUS
    to coalesce: All our work finally gelled into an excellent new product. See: jell.
gelatin
gelatin
  1. n.
    1 a clear substance made from boiled animal bones that has no taste, usu. used to make jellies, medicines, and glue: Gelatin has many food and industrial uses.
    2 Jello™ or other gelatins used for desserts: The salad contained pieces of orange-flavored gelatin. -adj. gelatinous.
geld
geld
  1. v. [T] to remove the testicles (male sexual organs), usu. of animals,
    THESAURUS
    to castrate
gelding
gelding
  1. n. a castrated male horse: That gelding has won many competitions.
gem
gem
  1. n.
    1 a jewel or precious stone, usu. cut into a shape: The rich lady keeps her gems, mostly diamonds and rubies, in the bank.
    2 fig. a thing or person that is esp. pleasing or valuable: The baby is a real gem; he never cries.
gemstone
gemstone
  1. n. a jewel or precious stone, usu. before it is cut into a shape: South America exports many gemstones, such as diamonds and emeralds.
gender
gender
  1. n.
    1 the grouping of words into masculine, feminine, or neuter classes: The gender of "la maison" is feminine.
    2 The classification of male and female living things: Most companies do not discriminate based on race, age, gender, or sexual orientation. See: sex.
gene
gene
  1. n. the basic part of a living cell that contains characteristics of one's parents: You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time.
genealogy
genealogy
  1. n. -gies the names and history of one's family: My uncle is the expert in our family's genealogy. -n. genealogist; -adj. genealogical.
genera
genera
  1. n.pl. of genus
general anesthetic
general anesthetic
  1. n. a substance that stops the feeling of pain throughout the whole body: The patient was given a general anesthetic for major surgery on his stomach.
general election
general election
  1. n. an election (as opposed to a primary) in which citizens choose members of local, state, and national governments: The general election for Congress is held in November every other year.
general partner
general partner
  1. n. one of two or more partners in a company who are responsible for any financial problems in that company: The general partners in that law firm make a lot of money.
generalist
generalist
  1. n. a person who has knowledge and ability in many areas: She is a generalist in management.
generalization
generalization
  1. n. a general statement about s.t. without reference to details or important differences: Politicians are famous for making speeches full of generalizations.
    THESAURUS
    generalization a generality, sweeping statement, an all-encompassing statement |
    THESAURUS
    imprecise thinking. Ant. a specific.
generalize
generalize
  1. v. [I] -ized, -izing, -izes to make general statements without reference to details, important differences, etc.: He generalizes when he speaks and leaves out important details.
generally
generally
  1. adv.
    1 usually: We generally take the bus to work.
    2 by most people: The bad news was generally accepted well, but some people were unhappy.
    3 without referring to details, in general: Generally speaking, the weather has been mild this winter.
    THESAURUS
    generally
    1 ordinarily, as a rule, typically. Ants. rarely, seldom.
    2 for the most part, in
    THESAURUS
    the main
    3 all things considered.
generate
generate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to produce, create: The local power station generates electricity.
    2 to make happen, to produce,
    THESAURUS
    to initiate: The sales force has generated a big sales increase.
generation
generation
  1. n.
    1 the making of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    production: The generation of electricity is done with nuclear power.
    2 any of the different age levels in a family, such as grandparents, children, and grandchildren
    3 a group of people of approximately the same age: The older generation is always complaining about the younger generation.
generation gap
generation gap
  1. n. the differences in interests and ideas between older and younger people
generator
generator
  1. n. a machine used to produce electricity: The hospital has two emergency generators in case of a power cut.
generic
generic
  1. adj.
    1 shared by a group of things: The generic term for bananas, apples, oranges, etc. is "fruit."
    2 referring to a basic product that does not have a trademark: We buy generic cola, if possible, because it is cheaper than Coca-Cola™. -adv. generically.
generosity
generosity
  1. n. [U]
    1 readiness to give, giving: Her generosity in support of the arts allowed the museum to buy many new paintings.
    2 big-heartedness, a forgiving nature: His generosity toward those people who attacked him is wonderful.
    THESAURUS
    generosity
    1 openhandedness. Ant. stingi-ness.
    2 kindness | magnanimity frml.
    THESAURUS
    Ant. meanness.
generous
generous
  1. adj.
    1 ready to give, giving: My brother is very generous; he gave me $20,000 to buy a new car.
    2 given freely, plentiful, ample: The cook gave us generous portions of food.
    3 not unkind, forgiving: He was generous to his enemies and released them from prison. -adv. generously.
    THESAURUS
    generous
    1 openhanded, willing to give | charitable. Ant. stingy.
    2 large, copious,
    THESAURUS
    bountiful
    3 kind, magnanimous frml.
genesis
genesis
  1. n.frml. -ses
    1 a beginning, origin: Many people disagree about the genesis of life.
    2 Genesis: the first book of the Old Testament
genetic
genetic
  1. adj. related to genes or genetics -adv. genetically.
genetic code
genetic code
  1. n. the organization of genes that controls the development of living things: His heart problems are a result of his genetic code; his father also had heart problems.
genetics
genetics
  1. n.pl. used with a sing.v. the scientific study of the passing of physical characteristics from parents to children -n. geneticist.
genitalia
genitalia
  1. n.pl. genitals
genitals
genitals
  1. n.pl. the external sexual organs: The doctor examined the boy's genitals for infection.
genius
genius
  1. n. -iuses
    1 a person of great intelligence and ability: Albert Einstein was a genius in physics.
    2 a special ability: I have a genius for learning languages; I can speak 10 languages fluently.
    THESAURUS
    genius
    1 a brilliant intellect, prodigy
    2 a natural talent, gift for doing s.t. Ant. an idiot.
genocide
genocide
  1. n. the systematic killing of a population, such as a country, race, or local group: Genocide still takes place in many parts of the world.
genre
genre
  1. n. a specific type of literature, art, or music grouped according to a style or subject: Comedy and horror movies are different genres.
gent
gent
  1. n.infrml. short for gentleman
genteel
genteel
  1. adj. characterized by being very polite: She is a genteel lady of fine breeding. -n. gentility.
gentile
gentile
  1. n. a person who is not Jewish (esp. a Christian or Muslim)
gentle
gentle
  1. adj. -tler, -tlest
    1 kind, soft, not rough: The mother is very gentle with her newborn baby.
    2 well-behaved, docile: My dog is very gentle; he would never bite.
    3 light, slow: A gentle breeze comes from the ocean.
    4 gentle slope: a slanted area that is not steep: It was easy to go up the gentle slope on our bicycles. -n. gentleness; -adv. gently.
    THESAURUS
    gentle
    1 tender, loving. Ant. rough.
    2 tame, friendly, harmless. Ant. vicious.
    3 soft,
    THESAURUS
    balmy. Ant. violent.
gentleman
gentleman
  1. n. -men
    1 a polite and honorable man: He is a real gentleman; he always helps me carry the heavy bags to my car.
    2 a man who does not have to work for a living, usu. of a high social position: He is a gentleman who inherited all his money and land from his family.
    3 n.pl. used as a form of address: "Gentlemen, thank you for coming this evening."
gentleman's agreement
gentleman's agreement
  1. n. a spoken, unwritten agreement made between people who trust each other: We have a gentleman's agreement to share expenses for a summer house with five others.
gentrification
gentrification
  1. n. the process of changing a poor (housing) area into a middle-class area by people with money who move there and make the area too expensive for poorer people to live in: Gentrification is taking place in parts of Harlem, New York, and rent prices are going up quickly. -v. [T] gentrify.
gentry
gentry
  1. n. people of a high social position and with lots of money: Many of the gentry from Newport, Rhode Island, live in very large, famous houses.
genuflect
genuflect
  1. v.frml. [I] to bend the knee in respect,
    THESAURUS
    to kneel: The people in the church genuflected in prayer.
genuine
genuine
  1. adj.
    1 true, real: That old vase is a genuine antique.||We ate genuine Egyptian food in Cairo.
    2 honest: Her sadness over the death of her cat is genuine; she cried all night. -adv. genuinely; -n. genuineness.
    THESAURUS
    genuine
    1 authentic, bona fide. Ant. fake.
    2 sincere, heartfelt. Ant. insincere.
genus
genus
  1. n. genera (in biology) a type of classification: Humans belong to the genus Homo.
geography
geography
  1. n.
    1 the scientific study of the earth's surface, features, climate, people, etc.: I bought a new atlas for my geography class.
    2 the way parts of a place are positioned within it,
    THESAURUS
    layout: I can't meet you inside the mall, because I don't know the geography of the place, and I might get lost. -adj. geographic.
geology
geology
  1. n. the scientific study of the earth through its rocks, soil, etc.: In geology we studied the rocks and deserts of California. -n. geologist; -adj. geologic.
geometric
geometric
  1. adj. with regular shapes and lines: The mosque's walls are decorated with geometric designs.
geometry
geometry
  1. n. the study in mathematics of lines, angles, shapes, etc.: It is important to study geometry if you want to be an architect.
geophysics
geophysics
  1. n.pl. used with a sing.v. the study in geology that uses physics to examine the movements and activities of the earth
geopolitics
geopolitics
  1. n.pl. used with a sing.v. the study of how geography affects the politics of a country
geothermal
geothermal
  1. adj. related to heat found deep inside the earth: The geysers in Yellowstone National Park are geothermal because of hot water coming from inside the earth. See: geyser.
geranium
geranium
  1. n. a garden plant with attractive red, pink, or white flowers: His mother grows geraniums in window boxes.
geriatrics
geriatrics
  1. n.pl. used with a sing. v. the branch of medicine that specializes in illnesses and cures of elderly people: Many doctors in Florida specialize in geriatrics, because so many elderly people live there. -adj. geriatric.
germ
germ
  1. n.
    1 a very small living thing or organism that can cause illnesses or disease: She washes her hands with soap before cooking to kill any germs.
    2 a very small living thing or organism from which another may grow: Apple seeds have a germ from which apple trees grow.
    3 fig. the beginning or seed of s.t., such as an idea, that may grow: The technician has the germ of an idea for a new computer program.
    THESAURUS
    germ
    1 a microorganism, bacterium, pl. bacteria, virus
    2 a bud, sprout, seed (of a
    THESAURUS
    plant)
    3 a spark, seed, first stage (of an idea). Ant. an outcome.
germane
germane
  1. adj. connected in an important way, (syns.) pertinent, relevant: My new hairstyle is not germane to this discussion about politics.
germicide
germicide
  1. n. a substance used to kill germs: We use a germicide to clean the bathroom.
germinate
germinate
  1. v. [I;T] -nated, -nating, -nates
    1 (in biology) to make s.t. begin growing from a seed,
    THESAURUS
    to sprout: In the springtime, plants germinate.
    2 fig. to begin developing, growing: The early success of television germinated into a multi-billion-dollar industry. -n. germination.
gerontology
gerontology
  1. n. the scientific study of elderly people: Boston City Hospital does a lot of research in gerontology.
gerrymander
gerrymander
  1. v. [I;T] to redraw the lines of a political district to give one political party an advantage over another -n. gerrymandering.
gestation
gestation
  1. n.
    1 the time a baby or young animal is carried in the mother's body before birth, pregnancy: Baby elephants have a long gestation period; it is 23 months before they are born.
    2 gestation period: the period of time in which an idea (plan, project, etc.) develops: The concept for a new product went through a long gestation period of testing before it reached the market. -v. [I;T] gestate.
gesticulate
gesticulate
  1. v.frml. [I] -lated, -lating, -lates to make movements with your arms and hands, usu. when talking,
    THESAURUS
    to gesture: The speaker gesticulated to stress the importance of the point. -n. gesticulation.
gesture
gesture
  1. n.
    1 a body movement to show s.t. (a feeling, an idea, etc.): She made a gesture to the right with her hand to show the direction of the park.
    2 s.t. you do or say to show your feelings: We gave some money to the hospital as a gesture of support. —v. [I] -tured, -turing, -tures to make a movement with your hand or head to show s.t.: He gestured to me to sit down.
get-together
get-together
  1. n. an informal meeting for fun, a gathering: After work, some of us had a get-together at a friend's apartment.
get-up
get-up
  1. n.infrml. an unusual set of clothes: He wore a strange cowboy get-up for work yesterday.
get
get
  1. v. got , gotten or got, getting, gets
    THESAURUS
    1 [T] (syns.) to go for, fetch frml.: The hunter got some water from the river. The hunter went for (or) fetched some water from the river.
    3 [T] (syns.) to buy, purchase, obtain frml.: She got some food at the supermarket. She bought (or) purchased some food at the supermarket. She also [T] (syns.) to go, arrive: When you get home, please call me. After you [T] (syns.) to catch (or) come down with an illness: I got the flu. I caught the flu. I came down with the flu yesterday.
    8 [T] (syns.) to have s.t. done, arrange for s.t.: I [I; T] (syn.) to be allowed to do s.t.: When I was a boy, I got to go to the movies by myself. When I was a boy, I was allowed to go to the movies by myself.
    14 [T] (syn.) to affect s.o., usu. to delight: The beauty of the mountains really gets (to) me, beautiful! The beauty of the mountains [T] (syns.) to hit, hurt (or) punish s.o.: The bullet got him in the leg. The bullet hit him in the leg.||He got four months in jail for the robbery. He was punished with four months in jail for the robbery.
    17 to get going or cracking: to begin work on s.t.: Let's get going on the new contract
    18 to get nowhere or somewhere: to see no results/progress: I am getting nowhere with this math homework; I don't understand anything.||After my friend explained it to me, I really got somewhere and understood it.
    19 phrasal v. [I] to get about: See: to get around.
    20 phrasal v. sep [T] to get s.t. across: to cause s.t. to be understood: The speaker was able to get her point across to the audience.
    21 phrasal v. [T] to get ahead: to succeed, improve oneself: She got a good job and is getting ahead in life.
    22 phrasal v. [I] to get along: a. to leave, depart: I must get along now; I'll talk to you later. b. insep. to have a friendly relationship with: My coworkers and I get along well together.
    23 phrasal v. to get around: a. [I] to circulate, spread: The rumor has gotten around that you are leaving. b. insep. [T] s.o. or s.t.: to find a way to do s.t.in spite of a problem: You can get around your parking problem by using my permit.
    24 phrasal v. insep. [T] to get (a)round to s.t.: to find the time to do s.t., usu. after a delay: I finally got around to replying to your letter; I am sorry it took so long.
    25 phrasal v. insep. [T] to get at s.o. or s.t.: a. to reach s.t.: The book is on the top shelf and I can't get at it. b. to try to say, explain s.t.: It is often difficult to understand what politicians are getting at.
    26 phrasal v. insep. [I] to get away (from s.o. or s.t.): a. to escape: The criminal got away from the police. b. to go on vacation: I got away for a week in the Caribbean.
    27 phrasal v. insep. [T] to get away with s.t.: to escape punishment for doing s.t. bad: That driver got away with speeding because the police didn't see him.
    28 phrasal v. to get back: a. [I] to return: She got back from vacation last week. b. [T] to reply, respond: I will get back to you with an answer tomorrow.
    29 phrasal v. insep. [T] to get back at s.o.: to hurt s.o. who has hurt you: He hurt her feelings, so she got back at him by not speaking to him for a week.
    30 phrasal v. insep. to get behind: a. [T] s.o. or s.t.: to support, help succeed: Many people got behind the politician and helped her win the election. b. [I] in s.t.: to be late with, one's work, payments, etc.: He got behind in his rent payments and had to leave the apartment.
    31 phrasal v. [I] to get by: a. to have enough room to pass s.o. or s.t.: I'll move my chair so that you can get by. b. to have just enough of s.t. to manage: My grandmother gets by on her social security check.
    32 phrasal v. sep. [T] to get s.o. or s.t. down: a. s.o.: to make one feel unhappy, to depress: Her work is really boring and it is starting to get her down. b. s.t.: to write down, to record: He spoke too quickly; I couldn't get the number down.
    33 phrasal v. insep. [T] to get down to s.t.: to begin doing s.t., usu. seriously: After talking about the job in general, we got down to the specifics, such as the salary.
    34 phrasal v. insep. [I] to get in s.t.: a. to enter: We got in the house by the back door.||She got in her car. b. to arrive: I got in at 9:00 A.M.||The bus gets in at 4 o'clock. c. (in politics) to be elected: A Republican mayor got in at the last election.
    35 phrasal v. insep. [T] to get in on s.t.: to join in, participate: Our company got in on buying a building with another company.
    36 phrasal v. insep. [T] to get into s.t.: a. to enter (a vehicle): She got into her car. b. to put oneself or s.o. else into a certain situation, usu. bad: The children are always getting into trouble.||He has gotten himself into debt with the bank. c. to become used to s.t.: I can't get into this new style of music.
    37 phrasal v. insep. to get off s.t.: a. [T] to leave (a vehicle): They got off the bus/train/plane. b. [T] to step down from: He got off the horse/bicycle/roof. c. [I;T] to (cause to) escape punishment: The lawyer got me off and I didn't go to prison.
    38 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to get off with s.t.: to escape serious punishment: The robber got off with only one year in prison.
    39 phrasal v. insep. to get on s.t.: a. [I;T] to enter (a vehicle): She got on the bus/train/plane. b. [I;T] to step up and sit on: He got on the horse/bicycle. c. [I] to leave, depart: I must get on now; I'll talk to you later. d. [I] to become more advanced in time, age, etc.: My grandfather is getting on in years now.||It's getting on; we should leave soon.
    40 phrasal v. insep. to get onto s.t.: a. [I;T] to enter (a vehicle): She got onto the bus/train/airplane. b. [T] to begin talking about a particular topic: Suddenly, she got onto the topic of new software for her computer.
    41 phrasal v. insep. to get on with s.t. or s.o.: a. [T] s.t.: to start doing or continue with s.t., often after interruption: Stop watching television and get on with your homework! b. [I;T] s.o.: to have a friendly relationship with: How do you get on with your boss?
    42 phrasal v. to get out: a. [I] to leave: He will get out at 4 P.M., when his classes are finished. b. sep. [T] s.t.: to re-move: This new soap gets chocolate stains out. c. [I] to become known (as of news),
    THESAURUS
    to leak out: The news of his secret marriage has gotten out. d. sep. [T] s.t.: to produce: Our company got the new product out before our competitors.
    43 phrasal v. insep. [T] to get out of s.t.: a. to escape from: The prisoner got out of jail by hiding in a truck. b. to escape from the responsibility or obligation for s.t.: I got out of washing the car by saying I had work to do. c. to receive a benefit from s.t.: I didn't get anything out of that computer course I took. d. to obtain or learn s.t. by force: She finally got the truth out of her son.
    44 phrasal v. [T] to get over (s.o. or s.t.): a. insep. to return to a normal state after a bad experience or illness,
    THESAURUS
    to overcome: She still hasn't gotten over her mother's death. b. insep. can't get over: to be very surprised: I can't get over how quickly he recovered after the accident. c. sep. with: to come to the end of s.t.: Hurry up! Let's get this trial over with! d. sep. to make s.t. clear or understood: The professor got her ideas over to the students.
    45 phrasal v. insep to get through: a. [I] to s.o.: to make contact, reach: I was finally able to get through to my friend on the telephone. b. [T] to s.o. to: cause s.o. to understand: The doctor finally got through to him that smoking was dangerous for his health. c. [I;T] with s.t.: to finish: After I got through with my work, I went to bed. d. sep. [T] s.t.: to come through a difficult situation or experience: My sister helped me get through the difficult days after our mother's death.
    46 phrasal v. [I] to get together: to meet,
    THESAURUS
    to socialize: Let's get together for lunch next week.
    47 phrasal v. to get up: a. [I;T] to awaken, arise: I get up at 6 A.M. every morning.||She got up from her seat and left the room. b. [T] to s.t.: to reach a certain point: I got up to page 200 in the textbook.
    48 phrasal v. insep. [T] to get with s.t.: to become aware, alert, to show an interst in s.t.: Get with the program and do your work!
    49 to have got: See: have.
getaway
getaway
  1. n.
    1 an escape: The thief made his getaway in a stolen car.
    2 a vacation: A week in the mountains is a great getaway.
geyser
geyser
  1. n. a natural hot spring that sends water into the air from time to time: Many tourists come to photograph the geysers in the state park.
ghastly
ghastly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest
    1 very bad, terrible: a ghastly dinner
    2 causing horror or shock: We saw a ghastly accident on the highway.
    3 very pale, sickly: Right after the operation, he looked ghastly, but he is okay now.
gherkin
gherkin
  1. n. a small green cucumber, usu. pickled in vinegar See: pickle.
ghetto
ghetto
  1. n. -tos an area in a city where many people of a particular nationality, race, or religion live, usu. a poor area: There are many types of ghettos in New York City.
ghost
ghost
  1. n.
    1 the spirit of a dead person: People say ghosts haunt that old house.
    2 a ghost of a chance: to have no chance, or a very small chance, of success: The other runners are too fast; he doesn't have a ghost of a chance of winning the race.
    3 a ghost of s.t.: a very small or slight amount of s.t.: After her illness, she was a ghost of her former self.||a ghost of a smile
    THESAURUS
    ghost
    1 a phantom, an apparition | demon
    3 a shadow, remnant.
ghost town
ghost town
  1. n. a town that is now empty because people no longer live there: The Old West has many ghost towns.
ghostly
ghostly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest with a strange light or shape like a ghost: The ghostly lights in that empty old house frightened children at night.
ghostwrite
ghostwrite
  1. v. [I;T] -wrote , -written , writing, writes to write s.t. (article, books, speech) for s.o. and not accept any personal credit for it: He ghostwrites books for famous people. -n. ghostwriter.
ghoul
ghoul
  1. n. a bad or evil spirit: That old horror movie has ghouls living in a castle. -adj. ghoulish.
giant
giant
  1. n.
    1 a person, animal, plant, or object much larger than normal: This tomato plant is a giant.
    2 (in fairy stories) an imaginary person who is very big and strong
    3 fig. a very big company: IBM is a giant in the computer industry. —adj. much larger than normal: The giant redwood trees in California are very beautiful.
gibberish
gibberish
  1. n. words without meaning,
    THESAURUS
    nonsense: He is speaking gibberish.
gibe
gibe
  1. n. a remark that makes fun of s.o., or points out s.o.'s faults: The speaker made gibes at his political opponent's statement. See: jibe.
giblets
giblets
  1. n.pl. the liver, heart, etc. of a turkey, chicken, or other bird: My mother makes soup from chicken giblets.
giddy
giddy
  1. adj. -dier, -diest
    1 lightheaded, a little dizzy: The summer heat makes me feel giddy.
    2 lightheaded from enjoyment, lighthearted: We had some giddy moments at the party. -adv. giddily; -n. giddiness.
gift
gift
  1. n.
    1 s.t. given freely to another, a present: My father gave me a watch as a birthday gift.
    2 a special natural ability: She has a gift for languages; she can speak 10 different languages.
    THESAURUS
    gift
    1 a present | reward, award, prize. Ant. nothing.
    2 talent, aptitude, flair for s.t. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    inability.
gifted
gifted
  1. adj. having a special natural ability: She is a gifted violinist.
gig
gig
  1. n.
    1 infrml. a performance by musicians or comedians: The group had a gig last night at a local club.
    2 short for gigabyte
gigantic
gigantic
  1. adj. very large, huge: Elephants are gigantic creatures.
    THESAURUS
    gigantic very tall or big, colossal | titanic. Ant. miniature.
giggle
giggle
  1. v. [I] n. -gled, -gling, -gles to laugh in a silly, uncontrolled way, usu. when nervous, amused, or embarrassed, titter: The schoolchildren giggled when the famous football player walked into their classroom.
    THESAURUS
    giggle v. to laugh nervously, chuckle | snicker. Ant. to frown.
gigolo
gigolo
  1. n. -los a man whom a woman pays for romantic companionship
gild
gild
  1. v. [T] gilded or gilt , gilding, gilds to cover with gold: He gilded the picture frame.
gilt-edged
gilt-edged
  1. adj.
    1 with a border of gold
    2 fig. of the highest quality
    3 gilt-edged stocks or securities: stocks or securities sold by the government for people to invest in for a fixed time at a fixed interest rate; therefore considered very safe
gimlet
gimlet
  1. n. a small tool for making holes in wood
gimmick
gimmick
  1. n.
    1 a clever or unusual method or object used to attract attention: The sales assistant gave me a free shopping bag as a sales gimmick when I entered the store.
    2 s.t. used to trick s.o. into believing s.t. and/or buying it -n. gimmickry ; -adj. gimmicky.
gin
gin
  1. n.
    1 a strong, clear alcoholic beverage made from grain and berries: Gin and tonic is a popular before-dinner drink.
    2 a machine used to separate seeds from cotton fiber
gin rummy
gin rummy
  1. n. a card game for two or more people: We like to play gin rummy with friends once a week.
ginger
ginger
  1. n. the root of a plant from Asia used in cooking for a hot, spicy flavor: I like slices of ginger with Japanese food. —adj. n. a bright orange-brown color: She has ginger hair.
ginger ale
ginger ale
  1. n. a carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger: A glass of cool ginger ale is refreshing on a hot day.
gingerbread
gingerbread
  1. n.adj. a cake or cookie flavored with molasses and ginger: My mother makes gingerbread cookies in the shape of little people.
gingerly
gingerly
  1. adv. in a careful and controlled way: She picked up the expensive glass vase gingerly.||He gingerly walked around the snakes.
gingersnap
gingersnap
  1. n. a flat, dry gingerbread cookie
gingham
gingham
  1. n.adj. a cotton or linen material, usu. woven in checks: Diane made a yellow and white gingham dress.
gingivitis
gingivitis
  1. n. (in dentistry) a disease of the gums
gipsy
gipsy
  1. n. -sies See: gypsy.
giraffe
giraffe
  1. n. an African animal with long legs, a very long neck, and a spotted coat: Giraffes eat leaves located high in trees.
gird
gird
  1. v.frml. girded or girt , girding, girds
    1 [T] to put on a belt, strap, etc.
    2 [I;T] to get ready for a difficult task: Soldiers girded themselves for battle.
girder
girder
  1. n. a horizontal or vertical metal or wooden beam used in building: The steel girders support the roof of the new building.
girdle
girdle
  1. n. an elastic piece of women's underwear that fits very tightly around the hips and stomach to change her shape. See: corset. —v. [T] -led, -ling, -les to go around,
    THESAURUS
    to encircle: The equator girdles the globe.
girl
girl
  1. n.
    1 a female child
    2 a daughter: They have two boys and a girl. -adj. girlish.
girlfriend
girlfriend
  1. n.
    1 a female friend: His wife goes bowling with her girlfriends once a week.
    2 a male's female friend with whom he has a romantic relationship: He bought his girlfriend a gold watch.
    THESAURUS
    girlfriend
    2 a lady friend, sweetheart, fiancée | lover, woman.

    USAGE NOTE: Women may use girlfriend to refer to any female friend, but when men use the term, it usu. indicates a romantic relationship: Bill said his girlfriend made him a sweater. The term boyfriend always indicates a romantic relationship: Mary's new boyfriend is very good-looking.
girth
girth
  1. n.
    1 the measurement around the body of s.t.: He is a man of large girth.
    2 a (leather) band put around a horse's stomach to keep the saddle in place: The cowboy tightened the saddle girth before riding off.
gist
gist
  1. n. the general idea (of a discussion, situation, writing, etc.): The speaker gave many details and examples, but the gist of her presentation was that the economy will get better soon.
give-and-take
give-and-take
  1. n. a willingness of people on both sides to listen to each other and to accept (some of) the other's wishes or opinions,
    THESAURUS
    a compromise: There must be give-and-take from both countries if this war is to end.
give
give
  1. v. gave , given , giving, gives
    THESAURUS
    1 [T] (syns.) to hand (or) pass s.t. to s.o.: I gave my friend a birthday present. I handed a birthday present to my friend.|| Please [T] (syn.) to provide: Good food gives you energy. Good food provides you with energy.
    3 [T] (syn.) to cause s.o. to get or to have s.t.: He gave his wife the flu. He caused his wife to get the flu.
    4 [T] (syns.) to make (or) do s.t.: I will give a phone call to my doctor for an appointment. I will make a phone call to my doctor for an appointment.
    5 [T] (syns.) to allow (or) permit (esp. time): You should give yourself an hour to drive to the meeting. You should allow yourself [T] (syn.) to pay: That savings account gives a good return of 5%. That savings account pays a good return of 5%.
    7 [T] (syn.) to perform: Musicians give concerts. Musicians perform [I] (syns.) to loosen (or) compromise: These shoes are so tight they won't give. These shoes are so tight they won't loosen up.||Manage-ment is so tough that they won't give on a wage increase for workers. Management is so tough that they won't [I;T] (syn.) to have a view of s.t.: The front of our house gives onto the park. The front of our house has a view of the park. s.o.: to present a woman to her husband at a wedding: The mother and father both gave away the bride.||They gave her away. b. s.t.: to offer s.t. freely, to make a gift of: They are giving away prizes at the new store.||They are giving them away. c. s.o. or s.t.: to reveal a secret, usu. unintentionally: The children said they didn't eat the cake, but the chocolate around their mouths gave them away.||It gave them away.
    12 to give away the store: to pay too much for s.t.: He wanted to buy his competitor's business so badly that he gave away the store to get it.
    13 phrasal v. sep. [T] to give s.t. back: to return s.t.: The labor union gave back last year's wage increase in order to keep their jobs.||They gave it back.
    14 phrasal v. insep. [I] to give in (to s.o. or s.t.): to surrender,
    THESAURUS
    to yield: The little boy cried so much that his mother finally gave in to him and bought some candy.
    15 phrasal v. insep. [T] to give off s.t.: to send out (a smell, heat, light, etc.): She gives off a smell of roses.||She gives it off.
    16 to give one's life for/to: a. to die for a cause: The soldier gave his life for his country. b. to spend one's life doing s.t., to dedicate oneself to s.t.: The priest gave his life to the service of God.
    17 give or take: more or less, approximately: Boston is 250 miles (400 km) from New York City, give or take a few miles.
    18 phrasal v. sep. to give (s.t.) out: a. [T] s.t.: to hand out: Our volunteer group gives out free food to the homeless.||We give it out. b. [I] to come to an end,
    THESAURUS
    to wear out: The air conditioner gave out, so we bought a new one. c. See: to give off .
    19 to give rise to: to cause to happen: Electricity gave rise to the electronic age of computers, TVs, and telephones.
    20 infrml. to give s.o. a hard time: to make things difficult for s.o.: She gave the police officer a hard time by not answering any questions.
    21 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to give s.o. or s.t. up: a. to stop doing s.t.: I gave up smoking last year.||I gave it up. b. to surrender: After weeks of fighting, the rebels gave up the fortress.||They gave it up.
    22 phrasal v. insep. [T] to give up on s.o. or s.t.: to stop hoping or wishing for s.o. or s.t. to arrive, happen, etc.: We gave up on the missing mountain climber after he had been missing for 13 days.
    23 phrasal v. insep. to give way: a. [I] to fall down, collapse: The ceiling in the tunnel gave way and killed a worker. b. [T] to s.o.: to let others pass,
    THESAURUS
    to yield: Before I drive onto the highway, I give way to the cars already on the highway, so that they don't hit me. c. [T] to s.t.: to let s.t. through, esp. emotions: When the baby saw the candy, her cries gave way to smiles. —n. willingness or ability to bend or yield: These shoes are too tight; there is no give in them.||Both negotiators are firm; there is no give in their positions.8
giveaway
giveaway
  1. n.
    1 a sign or s.t. that shows the truth of a situation, usu. that s.o. is trying to hide: The shoes under the curtain were a giveaway that the man was hiding there.
    2 s.t. given away, usu. for free: Our company provides small product samples as giveaways to customers.
given name
given name
  1. n. first name(s): The given names of Mr. and Mrs. Smith's daughters are Jane and Nicole.
gizzard
gizzard
  1. n. the second stomach of a bird, where food is broken up
glacial
glacial
  1. adj.
    1 related to ice or glaciers: A glacial mass is moving slowly down to the sea.
    2 cold, silent: The man made her angry and she looked at him with a glacial stare.
glacier
glacier
  1. n. a large mass of ice that moves slowly, usu. down a mountain: Glaciers are similar to slow-moving rivers of ice. -v. glaciate.
glad
glad
  1. adj. gladder, gladdest pleased: I am glad that you had a good time at the party. See: happy, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    glad happy, delighted | elated. Ant. sad.
glad hand
glad hand
  1. n. a warm (and often insincere) handshake: The candidate for governor gave everyone a glad hand. -v. [I;T] glad-hand.
gladden
gladden
  1. v. [T] to please, make happy: It gladdened her to be home after traveling for so long.
glade
glade
  1. n.frml. an open space in the woods or forest,
    THESAURUS
    a clearing
gladiator
gladiator
  1. n. (in ancient Rome) a man (usu. a slave or prisoner) who fought with other men or animals for show: Gladiators fought before large crowds in ancient Rome.
gladiola
gladiola
  1. n. -li a garden plant with orchid-like flowers growing out of a single long, vertical stalk: We keep gladioli in a vase in the living room.
gladly
gladly
  1. adv. with enthusiasm, (syns.) willingly, eagerly: I'll gladly help you with your French homework; I studied French for many years.
glance
glance
  1. v. glanced, glancing, glances
    1 [I] to take a quick short look at s.t.: I glanced at the newspaper in the elevator this morning.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to glance off s.t.: to hit s.t. and then bounce away immediately: The bullet glanced off the wall and broke the window. —n.
    1 a quick, short look at s.t.: She took a quick glance at her watch.
    2 at a glance: at once, with one look: I could tell at a glance that the numbers were wrong.
    3 at first glance: at first, initially: At first glance I thought I had lost an important file, but then I found it in my desk drawer.
    THESAURUS
    glance v. to look quickly at s.t., skim, scan s.t. Ant. to stare at s.o. or s.t.
gland
gland
  1. n. one of the many small organs in the body that sends out substances to change body chemistry: The sweat glands produce perspiration. -adj. glandular.
glare
glare
  1. n.
    1 a strong, blinding, reflected light: The sun's glare on the car's windshield made driving difficult.
    2 a look of anger or hatred, a harsh stare —v. [I] glared, glaring, glares
    1 to shine with a strong, blinding light: The sun glared off the metal.
    2 to look hard at s.o. with anger or hatred: The woman glared at the man after he shouted rudely at her.
glaring
glaring
  1. adj.
    1 very bright, shiny: I put on my sunglasses because of the glaring lights.
    2 (of a color) too bright: He wore a glaring green tie with a red shirt.
    3 very clear, noticeable: She made a glaring mistake in her calculations. -adv. glaringly.
glass
glass
  1. n. glasses
    1 [U] a hard transparent material used in windows (buildings, ornaments, objects, etc.): Be careful with that vase; it is made of glass.
    2 [U] objects that are made of glass; glassware: She collects antique glass.
    3 [C] a drinking container made of glass: I had toast and two glasses of milk for breakfast.
    4 pl. glasses two pieces of glass or plastic in a frame that one wears in front of the eyes to see better, eyeglasses,
    THESAURUS
    spectacles: She wears glasses (or) eyeglasses for reading.
    5 people who live in glass houses should not throw stones: people who are not perfect should not say bad things about other people
glassblowing
glassblowing
  1. n. the art of forming glass into bottles, glasses, ornaments, etc., by blowing through a tube into a ball of hot liquid glass: Glassblowing is a famous industry in Italy.
glassful
glassful
  1. n. the volume contained in a glass: The child had a glassful of milk at lunch.
glassware
glassware
  1. n. [U] used with a sing.v. household objects, such as drinking glasses and ornaments, made of glass: She has glassware made of fine crystal.
glassy-eyed
glassy-eyed
  1. adj. with eyes showing signs of dullness, tiredness, or illness: After the accident she was glassy-eyed from shock.
glaucoma
glaucoma
  1. n. [U] an eye disease that can end in loss of sight if left untreated: Medication helped reduce the pressure on her eyes due to glaucoma.
glaze
glaze
  1. v. glazed, glazing, glazes
    1 [T] to cover or fit with glass: We glazed the windows with new glass.
    2 [T] to put a thin (usu. shiny) cover over s.t.: I glazed the donut with sugar.||After making the ceramic plate, he glazed it to protect it.
    3 to glaze over (of eyes): to look uninterested, dreamy, usu. when tired or bored: The audience was so bored that you could see their eyes glaze over. —n. a thin, shiny cover on s.t. (ceramics, food, etc.) -n. glazing.
glazier
glazier
  1. n. a worker who fits and repairs windows and doors made of glass or plastic: The store window was broken, so the owner called a glazier to repair it.
gleam
gleam
  1. v. [I] to shine brightly: Diamonds gleam. —n.
    1 a bright light
    2 fig. a sudden light in a person's face or eyes that shows a strong feeling for s.t.: You could see the gleam in the writer's eye as he thought of an idea for a new book. See: glimmer.
glean
glean
  1. v. [T] to collect (usu. with difficulty) in small amounts: Reporters gleaned information by conducting numerous interviews.
glee
glee
  1. n. a feeling of delight, joy: He jumped up and down with glee when he won the prize. -adj. gleeful.
glee club
glee club
  1. n. a chorus of singers: The glee club practices every Thursday night.
glib
glib
  1. adj. glibber, glibbest
    1 able to talk easily and well with little thought or preparation: a glib salesperson
    2 spoken quickly and easily without thought, usu. not true: He gave the police officer a glib excuse for not stopping at the red light. -adv. glibly; -n. glibness.
glide
glide
  1. v. [I] glided, gliding, glides
    1 to fly through the air without power: Birds and kites glide in the air.
    2 to move easily and quickly over a surface: Skaters glided across the ice. —n. a smooth motion or movement: The airplane reached a high altitude, then went into a glide.
    THESAURUS
    glide v.
    1 to float, soar, coast. Ants. to fall, plummet.
    2 to sail across s.t. (ice), float, (syn.THESAURUS
    kim. Ant. to stumble.
glider
glider
  1. n. a type of airplane that rides air currents without an engine
glimmer
glimmer
  1. n.
    1 a weak, unsteady light: The glimmer of candlelight made the restaurant romantic.
    2 fig. a small, weak sign of an idea (fact, information, etc.): I don't have a glimmer of an idea as to what is wrong with that machine. —v. [I] to give out a weak, unsteady light: Moonlight glimmered through the clouds.
glimpse
glimpse
  1. n.
    1 a short look at s.t., often not very clear
    2 to catch a glimpse of s.t.: to see briefly: I only caught a glimpse of the thief before he ran away. —v. [T] glimpsed, glimpsing, glimpses to see s.t. quickly, often not very well: I glimpsed the house through the trees. See: glance.
glint
glint
  1. v. [I] to produce or reflect small flashes of light: The diamond glinted in the sunlight. —n.
    1 a small flash of light
    2 fig. (to have) a glint in one's eye: (of eyes) to shine showing a particular feeling: There was an angry glint in his eye when he saw the report wasn't finished.
glisten
glisten
  1. v. [I] to shine, usu. as if from wetness: After he stopped crying, his eyes glistened.
glitch
glitch
  1. n.infrml. glitches a small (technical) problem: A glitch in the computer is stopping the printer from working.
glitter
glitter
  1. v.
    1 [I] to shine brightly with flashes of light,
    THESAURUS
    to sparkle: Her jewels glittered.
    2 all that glitters is not gold: everything that looks or seems attractive is not always attractive in reality: You can be rich and still be unhappy because all that glitters is not gold. —n. sparkle, (syns.) glamour, showiness: The glitter of Hollywood attracts tourists. -adj. glittering.
glitz
glitz
  1. n. a show of fancy clothes, cars, glamour, etc. (usu. used in a negative way),
    THESAURUS
    ostentation: Some actors dislike the glitz of Hollywood; they choose to live in San Francisco, New York, or another city. -adj. glitzy.
gloat
gloat
  1. v. [I] to take or show great pleasure in oneself: The young boxer gloated over his defeat of the champion. -n. gloating.
glob
glob
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a portion of s.t. soft, often a thick liquid, with a round or undefined shape,
    THESAURUS
    a blob: Globs of oil washed up on the beach from passing ships.||a glob of lotion
    2 short for globule
global
global
  1. adj. relating to all the world, worldwide: We have a global economy today. -n. globalization; -adv. globally.
    THESAURUS
    global international, universal. Ant. local. | total, comprehensive, large scale. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    limited.
globalization
globalization
  1. -n. the spread of s.t. worldwide: The globalization of illegal drug use has taken only several decades.-v. globalize /
globe
globe
  1. n.
    1 the earth, world: Airplanes circle the globe in hours these days.
    2 a circular shell with a map of the world on it: The students used a globe to measure the distance between two cities.
globetrotter
globetrotter
  1. n. a person who travels overseas frequently: The Secretary of State is a globetrotter who visits foreign countries constantly.
globule
globule
  1. n. a very small drop of liquid or melted solid: Globules of water fell from the umbrella to the floor. -adj. globular.
gloom
gloom
  1. n.
    1 a feeling or atmosphere of sadness or depression: After the child's death, the house was full of gloom.
    2 darkness
gloomy
gloomy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 sad, depressed: After the death, the family felt gloomy.
    2 dark: After the light went out, the house looked gloomy.
    3 with little hope: With the recession, the economic outlook is gloomy.
    THESAURUS
    gloomy
    1 unhappy, melancholy, despondent
    2 dim, dreary
    3 depressing, pessimistic,
    THESAURUS
    bleak. Ants. bright, cheerful.
glop
glop
  1. n.slang a thick liquid mass of s.t.: The cook put a glop of mashed potato on the plate.
glorify
glorify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to give honor, fame, and admiration: Poets glorified the Roman emperors in their poems.
    2 to make s.t. or s.o. seem more important than is true: He glorified the description of his house as a castle, but it is just an old stone house. -n. glorification .
    THESAURUS
    glorify
    1 to sing the praises of s.o. or s.t., pay homage to s.o. | venerate s.o. frml. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    to criticize.
    2 to exaggerate, overstate, inflate s.t. Ant. to understate.
glorious
glorious
  1. adj.
    1 full of great honor and fame,
    THESAURUS
    illustrious: The Roman Empire had a glorious history.
    2 wonderful: We went for a picnic because it was a glorious day. -adv. gloriously.
glory
glory
  1. n. -ries
    1 [U] great honor, fame, and admiration: The candidate accepted the glory of winning the Presidency.
    2 pl. glories great beauty, special attraction: The Empire State building is one of New York's glories. —v. [I] ried, -rying, -ries to glory in: to enjoy the feeling of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to revel in: The writer gloried in the public's admiration.
gloss
gloss
  1. n. glosses
    1 a shiny appearance: I put a gloss on the table by waxing it.
    2 an explanation of a word or idea: A chemistry textbook is full of glosses. —v. glossed, glossing, glosses
    1 [T] to put a shiny coating on s.t.
    2 to gloss over: to hide the truth, make s.t. seem acceptable by not giving all of the important information: In his job interview, he glossed over the fact that he had been in prison for five years, and they gave him the job.
glossary
glossary
  1. n. -ries an alphabetical list of terms and their definitions: A glossary at the end of the book gives explanations of foreign words.
glossy
glossy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest smooth and shiny: I washed and polished my car and now the metal is glossy. —n. -ies a photograph on shiny paper: I had several glossies made of my favorite photo.
glove
glove
  1. n.
    1 a covering for the hand with a separate part for each finger and thumb: In the winter, she wears leather gloves.
    2 to go hand in glove: to be closely related to s.t.: How well a person lives goes hand in glove with a good job that pays well.
    3 to fit like a glove: to fit perfectly: She wears body suits that fit like a glove.
glove compartment
glove compartment
  1. n. a small box in front of the passenger's seat in a car that holds small items and has a door that opens and closes: We store maps in the glove compartment.
glow
glow
  1. n.
    1 a reflection of light and heat: The warm glow of a fire in the fireplace on a cold night gives comfort.
    2 a slightly reddish color to the skin, usu. in the face: After her vacation, she has a glow of good health. —v. [I] to give off light, usu. without a flame: The cigarette glowed in the dark.
    THESAURUS
    glow n.
    1 a soft light, glimmer | soft heat, low flame. Ant. a blaze.
    2 a healthy look,
    THESAURUS
    radiance. Ant. paleness. —v. to burn softly, smolder | warm. Ant. to
    THESAURUS
    blaze.
glower
glower
  1. v. [I] n. to look at s.t. angrily: The teacher glowered at the students who arrived late for class. -adj. glowering.
glowing
glowing
  1. adj. showing enthusiasm for s.t.: We loved our visit to Boston, and we gave a glowing report of the city to all our friends.
glowworm
glowworm
  1. n. an insect that gives off light in the dark
glucose
glucose
  1. n.
    1 a type of natural sugar found in plants and animals: Glucose is the main source of energy for your body cells.
    2 a sugar mixture used in baking
glue
glue
  1. n. a sticky liquid or solid that joins things together,
    THESAURUS
    an adhesive: I use glue to stick pictures on paper. —v. [T] glued, gluing, glues
    1 to join things together with glue: I glued the pictures to a piece of paper.
    2 fig. to watch s.t. with all your attention for a long period: The children stay glued (or) glue themselves to the television set.
    THESAURUS
    glue v.
    1 to paste s.t. to s.t. else, stick, attach. Ant. to unattach.
glum
glum
  1. adj. glummer, glummest sad, unhappy: She failed the exam and was glum for several days.
glut
glut
  1. n. a supply of more goods on a market than is necessary,
    THESAURUS
    an excess: There is a glut of office space available now as many buildings are empty. —v. glutted, glutting, gluts
    1 [T] to supply too much of s.t.
    2 [I;T] frml. to overeat,
    THESAURUS
    to gorge: Lions glutted on a newly killed zebra.
gluten
gluten
  1. n. a substance found in wheat and corn, used as glue and as flour
glutton
glutton
  1. n.
    1 a person or animal that eats too much, (syns.) slang a pig, hog: That man is a glutton; he eats three portions of everything.
    2 a glutton for s.t.: a person who is always ready for more of s.t. difficult or unpleasant: She is a glutton for hard work; she works every weekend. -n. gluttony.
gnarled
gnarled
  1. adj. twisted with a rough surface: Old trees have gnarled branches.
gnash
gnash
  1. v. [T] gnashes to rub s.t. (usu. one's teeth) together, usu. with noise to show anger, worry, or pain: The man was so angry that he gnashed his teeth. -n. gnashing.
gnat
gnat
  1. n. a small fly that bites: There are many gnats in the woods in early summer.
gnaw
gnaw
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to keep biting at s.t. over a period of time: Rats gnaw through cartons to get at food inside.
    2 [T] to cause worry or pain: My money problems are gnawing (away) at me. -n. adj. gnawing.
gnome
gnome
  1. n. (in stories) a short person, usu. a man, living under the ground
go-ahead
go-ahead
  1. n. permission to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    approval: The manager gave the go-ahead to buy new computers.
go-around
go-around
  1. n.
    1 an argument: My boss and I had a big go-round today; I got angry and then I quit.
    2 See: run-around.
go-between
go-between
  1. n. a person who carries information or messages between two or more people or groups who cannot meet,
    THESAURUS
    an intermediary: The diplomat acts as a go-between between his government and foreign representatives.
go-cart
go-cart
  1. n. a small toy wagon that children pull or push: The boy pulled his little sister in a go-cart.
go-getter
go-getter
  1. n.infrml. an energetic person who is determined to be successful: As the company's best salesperson, he's a real go-getter.
go-go
go-go
  1. adj.infrml. related to discotheques or the music or dancing performed at discotheques: She is a go-go dancer at a local disco.
go
go
  1. v. went , gone , going, goes
    THESAURUS
    1 [I] (syns.) to run (or) operate: The engine is still going; shut it off. The engine is still running (or) operating; shut it off.
    5 [I] (syn.) to become: He went crazy. He became crazy.||The value of the dollar went down. The value of the dollar [I] (syns.) to reach (or) extend somewhere: That high-way goes from Minnesota to Washington. That highway reaches from Minnesota to Washington. That highway extends from [I] (syns.) to perform (or) to be: My business is going well now. My business is performing [I] (syns.) to belong (or) be placed (in, on, with s.t.): This cap goes on the bottle. This cap belongs on that bottle.||Empty bottles go in this barrel for recycling. Empty bottles are placed in this barrel for recycling.
    10 [I] (syn.) to continue in the same way: That hole in the roof went unnoticed until the rain came in. That hole in the roof [I] (syns.) to spread or circulate: The flu goes from one person to the next. The flu spreads (or) circulates from [I] (syn.) to say or read (with specific words): The famous speech in Shakespeare's Hamlet goes, "To be, or not to be; that is the question." The famous speech in Shakespeare's Hamlet [I] (syn.) to die: The old man went last night. The old man died last night.
    19 anything goes: anything is possible or acceptable (often referring to behavior that is usu. restricted): You can wear jeans or shorts to school; at this school anything goes.
    20 to be going to do s.t.: shows the future, what is planned or determined: It's going to snow tomorrow.||They're going to get married next year.
    21 Go, man, go!: exclam.infrml. showing that one likes s.t., giving encouragement, said esp. to a musician: Hey, he can really play that guitar. "Go, man, go!"
    22 to go: a. to remain (of time): I have four days to go before my vacation ends. b. to take out (of food) for eating at home: I got some Chinese food to go and ate it at home.
    23 that (just) goes to show: that proves: He didn't do his homework again; that just goes to show (you) how lazy he really is.
    24 phrasal v. [T] to go about: a. to move or spread from place to place: A rumor went about that he had lost all his money. b. with: See: to go around (c). c. s.t.: to work at s.t.: I talked with my friends for a while, then I went about my business.
    25 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go after s.o. or s.t.: to try (hard) to obtain, chase: The police went after the thief.
    26 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go against s.t.: a. to place against: That bookshelf goes against the wall. b. to disagree,
    THESAURUS
    to oppose: She went against her mother's wishes by staying out late.
    27 phrasal v. insep. [I] to go ahead: a. of: to go before,
    THESAURUS
    to precede: My father went ahead of us and made hotel reservations before we arrived. b. with: to begin or continue to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to proceed: We went ahead with our plans for a vacation.
    28 phrasal v. [I] to go along: to do s.t. at the same time as one is doing s.t. else: She tried to calculate the total as she went along.
    29 phrasal v. insep. [I] to go along with s.o. or s.t.: a. to accompany: I will go along with you to the bus stop. b. to agree with: I go along with what you are saying.
    30 to go and do s.t.: to do s.t. (said in surprise or shock, often showing disapproval): She went and bought two new gold watches!
    31 phrasal v. insep. [I] to go around: a. See: to go about (a). b. s.o. or s.t.: to avoid s.o. or s.t.: We avoided the city traffic by going around it. c. with: to spend time with, socialize: I go around with my friends from college on weekends d. to be enough of s.t.: There aren't enough computers to go around in the class; the students are sharing.
    32 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go at s.o. or s.t.: a. to attack with words or physically: The senator really went at the journalist when he asked her another personal question. b. to work hard: He went at it until he had finished his math homework.
    33 phrasal v. [I] to go away: to leave, depart: My son went away to college this year.
    34 phrasal v. insep. [I] to go back: to return: He went back home after the game.
    35 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go back on s.t.: to break one's promise (agreement, deal, etc.): He promised to pay back my money, but he went back on his word and didn't pay.
    36 phrasal v. insep. to go by s.t.: a. [I] to pass by: We went by our favorite restaurant but it was too crowded. b. [T] to be directed or guided by s.t., to follow: You can't go by what he says; he lies sometimes.
    37 phrasal v. [I] to go down: a. to go lower, descend: I went down the stairs and out the door.||House prices are going down. b. to stop working or functioning: The air-conditioning in our office went down and it became very hot. c. to sink: The boat went down after it was hit. d. slang to happen: There is a police raid going down at that club tonight. e. to be received (of a reaction): My proposal for the new L.A. office went down very well/badly.
    38 phrasal v. [I] to go far: to succeed: He is very smart and will go far in life.
    39 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go for s.o. or s.t.: a. to do s.t., fetch s.t.: I went for a driver's license test this morning. b. See: to go at (a). c. infrml. to like, adore: He really goes for blonde women. d. to be sold for: That antique vase went for $15,000. e. See: to go after.
    40 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go in s.t.: to enter: The swimmer went in the water.
    41 phrasal v. insep. [I] to go in for s.t.: a. to enter a competition: She went in for the college tennis tournament. b. to do s.t. often, esp. for pleasure: She doesn't go in for cooking; she usually eats in restaurants.
    42 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go into s.t.: a. to enter (a place): She went into town. b. to enter a profession: He went into the law. c. to look at closely: I went into the contract in detail before signing it.
    43 phrasal v. to go off: a. [I] to leave, depart: My friend went off and left me alone. b. [I] to shut off, go out (said of mechanical devices): The lights went off. c. [I] to explode: A bomb went off in the post office. d. [T] insep. s.t.: to lose interest in s.t.: I went off cigarettes last week.||I went off the idea of a picnic when it began to rain.
    44 phrasal v. insep. [I] to go off with s.o. or s.t.: to leave with s.o. or s.t., usu. without permission: He went off with the keys to my new car.||She went off with another woman's husband.
    45 phrasal v. insep. [I] to go on: a. to happen: What's going on in that meeting? b. to continue (a trip, journey): After visiting Paris, we went on to Berlin.||She will go on working, even after her car accident. c. to turn on, begin working (said of mechanical devices): The alarm went on when he left the house. d. to talk too much: He went on and on about their wonderful trip. e. to have useful information (facts, evidence): The police could not solve the crime, because they have nothing to go on. f. to pass (said of time): As life goes on, I find money more important.
    46 phrasal v. [I] to go out: a. to stop working or operating: The power went out because of the storm.||The fire went out in the rain. b. to leave one's home or office: Miss Jones has gone out to lunch. c. to leave one's home in order to have fun: That evening, she and a friend went out (to a movie, play, dinner, dance, etc.). d. to spend time with s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to date: They went out for two years before getting married. e. no longer to be fashionable: Wide neckties went out in the 70s.
    47 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go out for s.t.: to try out in hope of being chosen as a player or member of a team, society, etc.: He went out for the college football team.
    48 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go over: a. s.t.: to climb or jump over s.t.: The horse went over a fence. b. to visit: I went over to my friend's house. c. s.t.: to look at s.t. carefully: I went over the contract, then signed it. d. to: to change one's preference for s.t. (e.g., a political party, football team, etc.): She's gone over to the Democrats.
    49 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go through s.o. or s.t.: a. to pass through: The needle goes through the cloth easily. b. to be processed, approved: Laws go through the Congress to the President. c. to experience, usu. s.t. painful,
    THESAURUS
    to endure: He went through a difficult time after his wife died. d. See: to go over (c).
    50 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go through with s.t.: to finish s.t. (a difficult event or situation): She was nervous about getting married, but finally she went through with the marriage ceremony.
    51 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go to s.t.: to cause oneself to experience s.t.: My new company went to a lot of trouble to make me feel welcome.
    52 phrasal v. [I] to go together: a. to be suitable, match: Those blue shoes and that blue skirt go well together. b. to have a personal relationship: That man and woman have been going together with each other for a year now.
    53 to go too far: to do s.t. unacceptable (not good manners): He went too far when he asked to borrow his boss's new car.
    54 phrasal v. [I] to go under: to fail, go bankrupt: The corporation went under last year.
    55 phrasal v. [I] to go up: to rise,
    THESAURUS
    to ascend: The sun is going up at the moment.
    56 phrasal v. insep. [T] to go with s.t.: to be suitable, match: Those blue shoes go well with your blue dress.
    57 to go without saying: to be obvious, evident: The President is visiting and it goes without saying that everyone wishes to see him.
    58 to have s.t. going: a. to have good business or other exciting opportunities: I met the company owner, and we really have something going with that new product. b. to have a love affair: He has something going with her.
    59 to have to go: to need to go to the toilet: I have to go badly. Where's the men's room?
    60 to tell s.o. where to go: to tell s.o. to go or leave: He annoyed her, so she told him where to go.
    61 what goes around, comes around: when you do wrong to s.o., the wrong will come back to hurt you: When he was the boss, he was mean to everyone. Now that he's out of work, no one will hire him. What goes around, comes around. —n. goes
    1 a try, attempt at s.t.: I couldn't solve the problem, so I asked my friend to have a go at it.
    2 to be on the go: to be very busy: I've been on the go all week and am very tired.
    3 to have a go situation: to be free to proceed: Our new budget is approved, so we have a go situation in hiring more people.
    4 to have get-up-and-go: to be energetic, vigorous: She is very athletic; she has a lot of get-up-and-go.
    5 to make a go of (things, it, etc.): to succeed: She started a new company and is making a go of it.
goad
goad
  1. v. [T] to cause s.o. to do s.t. by making him or her angry with words or actions,
    THESAURUS
    to incite: The woman goaded her husband into getting a job by calling him "lazy." —n. a pointed stick used for making animals go forward
goal
goal
  1. n.
    1 a score in some sports, such as soccer or hockey: The player scored two goals during the last game.
    2 the place used for scoring points: In both soccer and hockey, the goal is a metal frame with a net.
    3 an objective, purpose: Our goal is to increase company sales by 10 percent this year.
    THESAURUS
    goal
    1 a score, point, run (baseball), field goal (football)
    2 the finish line, goal line,
    THESAURUS
    tape, wire
    3 an aim, purpose, target.
goal post
goal post
  1. n. one of two upright pieces of wood or metal used to mark the scoring area: The football player kicked the ball between the goal posts for a score.
goalie
goalie
  1. n.infrml. a goalkeeper
goalkeeper
goalkeeper
  1. n. a player who stands in the goal and tries to stop the other team from scoring,
    THESAURUS
    goaltender: Our goalkeeper stopped 20 of the other team's shots today, and we won the game.
goaltender
goaltender
  1. n. See: goalkeeper.
goat
goat
  1. n.
    1 a small four-legged animal, related to a sheep, that has horns and a rough coat and gives milk: Many wild goats live in the mountains.
    2 an unpleasant old man, esp. one who is active sexually,
    THESAURUS
    a lecher
    3 to get s.o.'s goat: to make s.o. angry,
    THESAURUS
    to annoy, provoke: He really gets my goat; he never stops talking.
goatee
goatee
  1. n. a small beard on the point of the chin: He doesn't like long beards; he just has a goatee. See: sideburns, USAGE NOTE.
gob
gob
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a small amount or lump of s.t.: The server put a gob of mashed potato on my plate.
    2 pl. gobs a lot of s.t.: She has gobs of money. —slang v. [T] gobbed, gobbing, gobs to place in gobs: He gobbed the potato onto my plate.
gobbledygook
gobbledygook
  1. n.infrml. language used by specialists that is difficult to understand and usu. has no important meaning: The company report was mostly gobble-dygook; it didn't give any useful information.
gobbler
gobbler
  1. n. a male turkey
goblet
goblet
  1. n. a drinking container (usu. for wine) made of glass or metal with a long stem and often decorated: She serves wine in silver goblets.
goblin
goblin
  1. n. (in stories) a small, ugly person or spirit who does bad things to people
god-awful
god-awful
  1. adj.infrml. terrible,
    THESAURUS
    dreadful: The traffic was so bad that we had a god-awful time getting here.
god
god
  1. n.
    1 God: the Supreme Being, Creator in many religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism)
    2 any of a number of beings or spirits worshipped in various cultures: Mars was the ancient Roman god of war.
    3 God forbid (that): to hope that s.t. will not happen: God forbid that he lose his job again.
    4 God knows: infrml. it is difficult or impossible to say: God knows what time she will finally come home.
    5 God willing: if all goes well: He is going to have major surgery today, and, God willing, we'll visit him tomorrow.
    6 to play God: to think you have power to do anything you want: She's the boss and thinks that she can play God with her workers' lives.
    THESAURUS
    god
    1 God, the Father, Lord, the Almighty, the Supreme Being, Allah
    2 a god, deity, divinity. Ant. the devil.
godchild
godchild
  1. -children n. the child (godson or goddaughter) of s.o. else for whom one promises to take responsibility if the natural parents die: My best friend's daughter is my godchild.
goddaughter
goddaughter
  1. n. See: godchild.
goddess
goddess
  1. n. -desses
    1 a female god
    2 a beautiful woman: Marilyn Monroe was a goddess among film stars.
godfather
godfather
  1. n.
    1 See: godparent.
    2 fig. the head or leader of a criminal organization, esp. in the Mafia
godforsaken
godforsaken
  1. adj. (of a place) far from civilization with very little of interest or attraction, usu. depressing,
    THESAURUS
    desolate, bleak: The travelers rode their horses for weeks through the godforsaken land before arriving at the farm.
godless
godless
  1. adj.frml. without religion,
    THESAURUS
    pagan: Athiests don't believe in a supreme being; they believe in a godless world.
godlike
godlike
  1. adj. looking like a god: The statue was huge and represented the dictator as godlike.
godly
godly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest believing in God, very religious,
    THESAURUS
    devout
godmother
godmother
  1. n. See: godparent.
godparent
godparent
  1. n. a person (godfather or godmother) who promises to take responsibility for s.o. else's child if the child's parents die: My godparents are my mother's best friend and her husband.
godsend
godsend
  1. n. unexpected help often needed in an emergency: Fresh water and food sent quickly to earthquake victims was a godsend.
godson
godson
  1. n. See: godchild.
gofer
gofer
  1. n.infrml. a person or employee who carries things and messages for other people: He does some paperwork and acts also as the company gofer.
goggle
goggle
  1. v.infrml. [I] -gled, -gling, -gles to look at s.t. with one's eyes wide open, usu. in surprise: The children goggled at the man's blue hair.
goggles
goggles
  1. n.pl. plastic glasses that protect the eyes: In the laboratory, she wears goggles to protect her eyes from chemicals.
going-over
going-over
  1. n. goings-over complete examination: The doctor gave me a good going-over and found nothing wrong.
going
going
  1. adj.
    1 related to the rate or fee charged at that moment: The going rate for a lawyer is $150 an hour.
    2 a going concern: a successful, profitable business: He started his business three years ago and now it's a going concern.
    3 going on: almost approaching: My mother is 50 years old, going on 51. —n.
    1 the act of leaving, departure: His going means we need to find a new salesperson.
    2 the condition of the ground, the road, etc. for walking, driving, etc.: When it rains, the going is hard on this old road.
    3 while the going's good: while it is still possible: The storm is coming closer; let's leave now while the going's good.
goings-on
goings-on
  1. n.pl. happenings, events, often used negatively: Some people were selling drugs on our street and the neighbors reported those goings-on to the police.
gold-plated
gold-plated
  1. adj. covered with gold -n. gold plating.
gold
gold
  1. n.
    1 a precious yellow metal used for jewelry, coins, etc.: Her bracelet and rings are made of gold.
    2 s.t. of great value: The land in Minnesota is so rich that the farmers call it "black gold."
    3 to have a heart of gold: to be a kind and generous person: She gives the impression of being tough, but she has a heart of gold.
    4 worth one's or its weight in gold: of great value: She is an incredibly good worker; she's worth her weight in gold. See: glitter. —adj. made of or related to gold
gold digger
gold digger
  1. n.infrml. a person, esp. a woman, who tries to attract rich people, usu. men, to get money and presents from them: She is a gold digger who goes out with men just for their money.
gold leaf
gold leaf
  1. n. a very thin layer of gold: That picture frame is covered with gold leaf.
gold mine
gold mine
  1. n.
    1 a place, usu. underground, from which gold is taken
    2 fig. a business or activity that is very successful: That business of his is a gold mine.
gold rush
gold rush
  1. n. a sudden rush of people into a newly discovered gold mining area: The California gold rush of 1849 made some people millionaires. See: prospector, USAGE NOTE.
golden
golden
  1. adj.
    1 yellow, gold colored: The sunset turned from a golden yellow to orange.
    2 made of gold or gold leaf: That picture has a golden frame.
    3 very valuable, excellent: She was accepted by Harvard University; she has a golden opportunity to receive an excellent education.
    4 senior, late middle age: The couple spent their golden years living in a mountain village.
    THESAURUS
    golden
    1 bright yellow, gilt
    2 gilt, gilded (with gold)
    3 splendid, terrific, promising.
    THESAURUS
    Ant. disappointing.
golden oldie
golden oldie
  1. n.infrml. a song, movie, or idea remaining popular for many years: Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is a golden oldie.
goldenrod
goldenrod
  1. n. a plant with small yellow flowers: In late August I love to see the goldenrod blooming along the sides of the roads.
goldfish
goldfish
  1. n. -fish or -fishes small tropical, usu. yellow-orange, fish kept in a bowl or tank by people: Her hobby is collecting goldfish.
goldfish bowl
goldfish bowl
  1. n.
    1 a bowl in which goldfish are kept
    2 fig. a small place without privacy: My office is like a goldfish bowl; people can see everything I do.
goldsmith
goldsmith
  1. n. a person who makes jewelry, etc. out of gold: A goldsmith made my wife a gold ring.
golf
golf
  1. n. a game in which people try to hit a small hard ball with a special stick (a club) into a small hole over a large outdoor course: I like to play golf on weekends. -n. golfer.
golf club
golf club
  1. n.
    1 one of 14 standard sticks used to hit a golf ball: I carry my golf clubs in a leather bag.
    2 a social club organized for playing golf: I belong to a local golf club.
golf course
golf course
  1. n. the outdoor area where golf is played, with 9 or 18 holes: The local golf course is public, so anyone can play.
golly
golly
  1. exclam. an expression of surprise
gonad
gonad
  1. n. a sexual organ that produces sperm or eggs
gondola
gondola
  1. n.
    1 a long narrow boat with a flat bottom used on canals in Venice
    2 the passenger cabin on a suspended cable of a cable car or airship: We took the gondola to the top of the mountain and then skied down. -n. gondolier.
gone
gone
  1. past part. of go —adj.infrml. in love with,
    THESAURUS
    , infatuated: He's gone on the girl next door.
goner
goner
  1. n.infrml. a person or thing that will die soon or be in a hopeless situation: He is very sick—he's a goner.
gong
gong
  1. n. a large, flat, round musical instrument made of metal: A slave hit the gong to announce the king's entrance.
gonorrhea
gonorrhea
  1. n. a sexually transmitted disease: Gonorrhea can be treated with an antibiotic medication.
goo
goo
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a thick, sticky substance: The baby dropped his food and now there's goo on the floor.
    2 a sound made by a baby
goober
goober
  1. n.infrml. a peanut: Farmers grow goobers near Atlanta, Georgia.
good-bye
good-bye
  1. n. an expression used when one is leaving: When we finished our conversation, I said good-bye to her and left. See: bye-bye.
    THESAURUS
    good-bye bye now, so long, see you soon, see you later, bye-bye infrml. | farewell,
    THESAURUS
    adieu frml. Ants. hello, hi.
good-for-nothing
good-for-nothing
  1. n. a lazy, undependable person: He never keeps his promises; he's a good-for-nothing.
good-humored
good-humored
  1. adj. feeling or sharing happiness, cheerfulness, often about s.t. unpleasant: My manager was goodhumored about the mistakes in my report. -n. good humor.
good-looking
good-looking
  1. adj. attractive, handsome: She is a good-looking woman.
    THESAURUS
    good-looking (a man) handsome, clean-cut | sexy, cute | (a woman) pretty, beautiful | (syn.THESAURUS
    exy, cute. Ant. unattractive.
good-natured
good-natured
  1. adj.
    1 having or showing kindness and friendliness: Our babysitter is very good-natured; all the children love her.
    2 gentle,
    THESAURUS
    docile: That dog is very good-natured; he has never attacked anybody.
good-sized
good-sized
  1. adj. fairly large: The portions of food at that restaurant are good-sized.
good
good
  1. adj. better , best
    1 (syns.) pleasant, nice | (in general) having a pleasant, appealing quality: She had a good time on her vacation. She had a pleasant time . . .||You look good; I like your new hairstyle. You look nice; I like your new hairstyle.
    2 (syns.) reasonable, beneficial to s.o., having the right quality: Housing prices are (syns.) talented, skillful: He's good at playing the piano. He is talented at playing the piano.||I am no good at numbers; I always need help with my taxes. I am not skillful with (syns.) wholesome or beneficial for one's body or mind: Milk and cheese are good for your teeth and bones. Milk and cheese are beneficial for (syns.) useful or suitable for s.t.: This software program is good for doing financial documents. This software program is useful for doing financial documents.
    8 (syns.) fresh, not spoiled: The bread from yesterday is still good. The bread from yesterday is still fresh.
    10 (syns.) valid, in force, able to be used legally: Her driver's license is good for five years. Her driver's license is valid for five years.
    12 (syns.) genuine, authentic: That gold coin is good, not fake. That gold coin is genuine, not fake.
    13infrml. a good deal: a sizeable amount of s.t.: There was a good deal of anger when the employees lost their jobs.
    14 all in good time: when s.t. is ready, unhurried: You will learn the answer all in good time.
    15 as good as: almost, practically: I washed those old curtains and now they look as good as new.
    16 as good as done (finished, taken care of): s.t. that will be done quickly: We will start immediately; you can consider the job as good as done.
    17 for good: forever: He is gone for good and won't be back.
    18 good and ready: expressing firmness about acting only when one wants to: I'll answer your question when I'm good and ready.
    19 good enough: adequate, satisfactory: That dress is simple but good enough just to wear around the house.
    20 no good: useless, worthless: It's no good turning the computer on; the system is down.
    21 that's a good one: a phrase usu. said about a joke or funny situation: That's a good one! That joke is very funny! —n.
    1 not evil, that which is considered good: In many movies, good always beats evil.||There is some good in him; don't send him to jail.
    2 s.t. that is beneficial: Her long summer vacation did her good.||The government works for the good of the people.
    3 for your own good: in one's own best interest (said to s.o. who should do s.t. difficult for their own benefit): You should stay away from those troublemakers for your own good.
    4 It's no good: it's useless, there is no point in doing s.t.: It's no good trying to run; the police will catch you.
    5 to come to no good: to develop into a bad situation or person: He runs around with bad people and he will come to no good someday.
    6 to do good: to benefit others, perform a kindness: The church does good by helping the poor. —exclam.
    1 wonderful, excellent: Good! The rain has stopped.
    2 Good for you: congratulations: Good for you; I'm really happy that you won the tournament! —adv.
    1 to make good: to succeed: She made good in a banking career.
    2 to make up for s.t.: The printer made a mistake on my order, but they made good on their mistake by giving me a discount. See: dogooder, soft goods.

    USAGE NOTE: Good should not be used as an adverb in formal speech or writing, such as in, He did good on the test. It should be: He did well on the test.
good luck
good luck
  1. n. said to wish s.o. well: "Good luck! Call me when you get back from your trip."||He wished me good luck in my new job.
    THESAURUS
    good luck I hope all goes well, I wish you well | May the wind be at your back. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    bad luck.
goodhearted
goodhearted
  1. adj. kind,
    THESAURUS
    generous: She is a goodhearted woman.
goodly
goodly
  1. adj. old usage large in amount,
    THESAURUS
    substantial: I pay a goodly amount of money in taxes every year.
goodness
goodness
  1. n.
    1 the quality or state of being good: The goodness of the life in that region was the reason we moved there.
    2 the part of s.t., esp. food, that is good or healthy: There is a lot of goodness in fresh fruits and vegetables.
    3 kindness —exclam. My goodness! or Goodness!: used to express surprise: "My goodness! You're two hours early!"
    THESAURUS
    goodness n.
    1 worth, value
    2 benefit, wholesomeness, nourishment
    3 thoughtfulness, consideration. Ant. badness.
goods
goods
  1. n.pl.
    1 items that can be bought or sold: The goods that you ordered have arrived in the warehouse.
    2 to deliver the goods: to do what is expected of you, usu. under difficult circumstances: We worked all night to finish the job and we delivered the goods at 9:00 A.M.
    3 to get the goods on s.o.: to prove that s.o. did wrong: The police got the goods on the bank robber by finding his picture on the bank's video camera.
goody-goody
goody-goody
  1. or goody-two-shoes n.infrml. goody-goodies a person who behaves very well in order to make other people happy, not because he or she is really good, often used negatively: He's a real goody-goody and so is his sister.
goody-goody
goody-goody
  1. or goody-two-shoes -n. infrml. goody-goodies a person who behaves very well in order to make other people happy, not because he or she is really good, often used negatively: He's a real goody-goody and so is his sister.
gooey
gooey
  1. adj.infrml. gooier, gooiest sticky: The chocolate became gooey in the sun.
goof-off
goof-off
  1. n.infrml. a person who does not work hard,
    THESAURUS
    a shirker, loafer: He's a big goof-off and doesn't study.
goof
goof
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a stupid, careless mistake: He made a goof and ordered the wrong part.
    2 a foolish or stupid person: He's a big goof; he always forgets our meetings. —v.infrml. [I]
    1 to make a stupid mistake, blunder: He goofed when he ordered the wrong part for the computer.
    2 phrasal v. to goof off: not to work hard, to waste time: He goofs off all day when the boss is away.
goofy
goofy
  1. adj.infrml. -ier, -iest silly, often in a strange way: He wore a goofy yellow tie with a red jacket.
goon
goon
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a violent person, often a criminal employed to attack or frighten people: The company owner hired goons to try to make the striking employees go back to work.
    2 a silly person: Stop making that stupid face! Stop being such a goon!
goon squad
goon squad
  1. n.infrml. a group of goons
goose-step
goose-step
  1. v. [I] -stepped, -stepping, -steps a special way of marching in which one does not bend the knees: Soldiers goose-stepped down the boulevard. -n. goose step.
goose
goose
  1. n. geese
    1 a water bird with a long neck, larger than the duck: Geese fly south for the winter.
    2 the female of this bird See: gander.
    3 infrml. to be a silly goose: to make a mistake or hold a foolish opinion: He's such a silly goose; he always says the wrong thing to his manager.
    4 infrml. to cook s.o.'s goose: to ruin s.o., get s.o. in trouble: A witness cooked the thief's goose by telling the police where the thief was hiding. —v. [T] goosed, goosing, gooses
    1 vulg.slang to touch s.o. on the buttocks: He goosed her and she hit him.
    2 to cause s.t. to increase suddenly: High discounts goosed sales this week.
goose bumps
goose bumps
  1. n.pl.infrml. very small raised points on the skin caused by cold, fear, or disgust: The horror movie gave me goose bumps.
goose pimples
goose pimples
  1. n.pl. goose bumps
gopher
gopher
  1. n.
    1 a small animal of North America that makes holes in the ground: Many gophers live in the flat grasslands of the USA.
    2 Gopher: a program that makes it easier for computers on the Internet to link to information sources all over the Internet
gore
gore
  1. v. [T] gored, goring, gores to make a hole and injure with the horn or tusk of an animal: The bull gored the bullfighter and he had to go to the hospital. —n. blood from a person or animal, esp. after an accident: There was a lot of blood and gore in the horror movie. -n. goring.
gorge
gorge
  1. n. a high, narrow opening between mountains, usu. with a stream: After the heavy rain, the stream rushed through the mountain gorge. —v. [T] to fill oneself quickly with a lot of food until one cannot eat anymore,
    THESAURUS
    to stuff oneself: The hungry children gorged themselves on chocolate until they felt sick.
gorgeous
gorgeous
  1. adj. beautiful: She is a fashion model and a gorgeous woman.||The flowers in the window have a gorgeous color.
    THESAURUS
    gorgeous stunning, magnificent. Ant. ugly.
gorilla
gorilla
  1. n. the largest of the great apes (man-like monkeys) and native to western Africa: There are only a few mountain gorillas left in the world.
gory
gory
  1. adj. -ier, -iest bloody, full of gore: The accident scene was gory with broken bodies and bloody clothing. -n. goriness.
gosh
gosh
  1. exclam. expression of surprise or disappointment: Gosh, that exam was difficult.
gosling
gosling
  1. n. a baby goose
gospel
gospel
  1. n.
    1 an idea that cannot be questioned: In that company, the owner's wishes are the gospel (or) gospel truth that everyone must follow.
    2 Gospel: any of the first four books of the New Testament in the Bible
gospel music
gospel music
  1. n. a type of American religious music with strong rhythms and harmonies: My mother sings gospel music in the church choir.
gossamer
gossamer
  1. n.
    1 very thin silky threads made by spiders
    2 a very soft, thin material: The nightgown looks as though it is made of gossamer.
gossip
gossip
  1. v. [I] to talk or write about other people's actions or lives, sometimes in an untruthful way: The whole country was gossiping about the recent political scandal. —n.
    1 talk or writing about other people's actions or lives, sometimes untruthful: "Did you hear the gossip about the new manager?"
    2 a person who likes to gossip: The old man is the town gossip. -adj. gossipy.
    THESAURUS
    gossip v. to spread rumors. Ant. to keep quiet.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 the grapevine, rumor mill | rumor(s), idle talk
    2 a rumormonger.
gossipmonger
gossipmonger
  1. n. a person who spreads gossip: She is a gossipmonger; she will tell you about everyone's business.
got
got
  1. v.past tense & part. of get
    1 to be necessary, must do s.t.: I have got to leave now; it is very late.
    2 to have s.t. or s.o.: I've got $100 to spend this evening.
gotten
gotten
  1. v.past part. of get
gouge
gouge
  1. v. [T] gouged, gouging, gouges
    1 to press, shape, or force out of s.t.: The children gouged out a big hole in the old tree and played in it.
    2 to overcharge: That storekeeper gouges his customers; I never shop there.
goulash
goulash
  1. n. a stew of vegetables, meat, and seasonings, usu. paprika, cooked together: We had beef goulash with potatoes for dinner.
gourd
gourd
  1. n. a fruit with a hard outer shell that usu. cannot be eaten: People use gourds to hold drinking water.
gourmet
gourmet
  1. n.adj. a person who knows a lot about and enjoys fine food and drink: He is a gourmet of French food.||This restaurant serves gourmet Italian food.
gout
gout
  1. n. a disease that makes joints, esp. toes and fingers, big and painful
govern
govern
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to rule a country, city, etc.: The President governs the USA.||The mayor governs any new policies in the city.
    2 [T] to have influence over s.t.: The weather governs the prices of fresh fruit and vegetables every year.
    3 [T] to control the actions or behavior of s.t.: She tried to govern her temper when she heard about the car crash.
    4 [T] (in grammar) to require, make necessary
    THESAURUS
    govern
    1 to administer, direct, exercise power over s.o. or s.t.. Ant. to misrule.
    2 to
    THESAURUS
    control, determine
    3 to restrain s.t., rein s.t. in, hold s.t. in check. Ants. to let s.t. loose,
    THESAURUS
    give free rein to s.t.
government
government
  1. n.
    1 a system of political and social representation and control: Governments are classified by who holds power, such as a dictator.
    2 the people who rule: The government decided to cut taxes for the middle classes. -adj. governmental .
    THESAURUS
    government
    1 the political system, the state
    2 the administration, politicians | members of
    THESAURUS
    Congress. Ant. the people.
governor-general
governor-general
  1. n. a governor of a large territory to whom other governors report
governor
governor
  1. n.
    1 a government official in charge of a state in the USA: The state governors meet annually to discuss common problems.
    2 a manager or head of a business or institution: The hospital board of governors decided to open a new building.
governorship
governorship
  1. n. the office or term of a governor: The governorship of our state belongs to a Democrat.
gown
gown
  1. n.
    1 a long, formal evening dress for women: She wore a blue silk gown to the opera.
    2 a long, usu. black coat worn in special ceremonies by judges, professors, etc.
grab
grab
  1. v. [T] grabbed, grabbing, grabs
    1 to take quickly and roughly: A thief grabbed the woman's purse and ran.
    2 to take an opportunity with enthusiasm: She grabbed the chance to work for the company and accepted the job immediately. —n.
    1 an attempt to take s.t. roughly: He made a grab for her purse and ran.
    2 infrml. up for grabs: available for anyone to take or win: This election year, the mayor's office is up for grabs because the present mayor is not running for reelection.
    THESAURUS
    grab v.
    1 to snatch, seize, catch hold of s.t. Ant. to release.
    2 to seize an opportunity,
    THESAURUS
    jump at the chance to do s.t. Ant. to not act.
grab bag
grab bag
  1. n.
    1 a container filled with a mixture of small items that people choose from at a social occasion
    2 a collection of varied things: The economic plan was a grab bag of politicians' favorite projects.
grace
grace
  1. n.
    1 beauty of motion or style: She dances with grace.||He writes with grace.
    2 kindness: My mother had the grace not to tell my father that I had crashed his car.
    3 a short prayer of gratitude said before a meal: I said grace before Thanksgiving dinner.
    4 favor,
    THESAURUS
    mercy: The prisoners asked for the King's grace.
    5 a form of address of a duke, duchess, archbishop, or bishop: What is your wish, Your Grace?
    6 to be in the good/bad graces of s.o.: to be on good/bad terms with: She is an excellent student and in the good graces of all her teachers.
    7 with good grace: nicely, willingly: He took his daughter's bad exam results with good grace. —v. [T] graced, gracing, graces to favor, decorate: The beautiful lady graced us with her company.||Flowers graced the dinner table.
grace period
grace period
  1. n. a time period after a payment is due in which that payment may be made with or without penalty but no legal action: Most mortgage and insurance contracts have grace periods in which late payments can be made without the contract being canceled.
graceful
graceful
  1. adj. with beauty of motion or style: She is a graceful dancer. -adv. gracefully.
    THESAURUS
    graceful elegant, fluid. Ants. awkward, clumsy.
graceless
graceless
  1. adj. without grace, tasteless
gracious
gracious
  1. adj. kind and polite: She is a gracious hostess who provides her guests with everything they need. -adv. graciously; -n. graciousness.
    THESAURUS
    gracious friendly, generous. Ants. cold, distant.
grad
grad
  1. n.infrml. short for graduate: He is a Harvard grad.
grad school
grad school
  1. n. short for graduate school: Juan is in grad school at Cal State, Fullerton.
gradation
gradation
  1. n. gradual progressions or degrees of s.t.: Different gradations in the strength of steel are needed according to building requirements.
grade
grade
  1. n.
    1 an educational class level: Her son goes into the 7th (1st, 12th, etc.) grade this year.
    2 an academic mark, score: He makes good grades in school.
    3 a level of quality: That store sells an excellent grade of fruits and vegetables.
    4 a degree of incline or decline as in a road: The road goes up a steep grade from the valley to the mountaintop.
    5 to make the grade: to achieve proficiency, prove oneself, succeed: She has made the grade as a professional singer. —v. [T] graded, grading, grades
    1 to score, mark: The teacher grades tests every week.
    2 to separate into groups according to quality or size: The chicken farmer grades eggs by color and size.
gradient
gradient
  1. n.
    1 the degree of change in a slope, as in a road: The railroad rises in a small gradient.
    2 a rate of change, as in temperature: The pressure gradient in the water heater is rising.
gradual
gradual
  1. adj. happening slowly or by small steps: A gradual increase in prices has slowed inflation. -adv. gradually; -n. gradualness.
    THESAURUS
    gradual slow-but-steady, incremental frml. Ants. rapid, steep.
graduate
graduate
  1. v. [I] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to receive a degree from an academic institution: He graduates from high school in June.
    2 to increase or progress gradually: The housing development graduates up a hillside. —n. a person who has received a degree: She is a college graduate.||She is a graduate of UCLA.
    THESAURUS
    graduate v.
    1 to receive a diploma, complete one's studies. Ant. to drop out.
    THESAURUS
    —n. an alumnus (man), alumna (woman), recipient of a degree/diploma. Ant. a
    THESAURUS
    dropout.
graduate school
graduate school
  1. n. an academic institution where students study for a higher degree (M.A., M.S., etc.) after they have received a first college degree: Sylvia is in graduate school at Georgia State University.
graduation
graduation
  1. n.
    1 the awarding of an academic degree; the ceremony at which diplomas are presented to graduating students of colleges or high schools: My family came to my college graduation in the summer.
    2 a degree of increase or decrease in s.t.
graffiti
graffiti
  1. n.pl. used with a sing. or pl.v. writings and drawings on walls, often rude, funny, or political
graft
graft
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to join part of one living thing to another: A farmer grafts branches on fruit trees to produce better crops.||The doctor grafted new skin onto the burned leg.
    2 to gain money or influence by illegal methods often for political purposes —n.
    1 an implantation: Doctors do bone grafts.
    2 money or influence gained illegally: Graft in the mayor's office is a serious problem.
grain
grain
  1. n.
    1 a single seed of a plant (wheat, corn, oats, etc.)
    2 [U] the grasses from plants which produce such seeds, esp. wheat and corn: Europe imports a lot of grain from Russia every year.
    3 a very small, hard piece of s.t.: Grains of sand form a beach.
    4 a small amount of s.t.: There is not a grain of truth in what he says.
    5 the natural flow of a surface: You can feel the grain of the wood (leather, grass, etc.) by its smoothness.
    6 to go against the grain: to be unnatural, s.t. that one is not comfortable doing: It goes against the grain for her to accept help from her parents.
    7 to take s.t. with a grain of salt: not to believe all that is said, to doubt: You have to take what he says with a grain of salt, because he doesn't always tell the truth.
    THESAURUS
    grain
    3 and
    4 a granule, particle, speck. Ants. a chunk, hunk.
grainy
grainy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 rough, having a grain: The wood in those shelves is unfinished and very grainy.
    2 (said of pictures) cloudy, not very clear: That old picture of my grandmother is grainy. -n. graininess.
gram
gram
  1. n. a measure of weight equal to one 1,000th of a kilogram or about .04 oz.
grammar
grammar
  1. n. a system of rules that apply to a language: We study grammar in order to write good sentences.
    THESAURUS
    grammar language rules, sentence structure | syntax.
grammar school
grammar school
  1. n.old usage elementary school
grammarian
grammarian
  1. n. a person who studies and knows a lot about grammar
grammatical
grammatical
  1. adj.
    1 related to the rules of grammar: My grammatical knowledge of Spanish is very poor.
    2 correct according to the rules of grammar: This sentence is grammatical. -adv. grammatically.
granary
granary
  1. n. -ries a storage area for grain: After the harvest, the granaries are full.
grand
grand
  1. adj.
    1 large and impressive in size: We had our party in the grand ballroom.
    2 splendid in appearance, wonderful: There is a grand view of Manhattan from the Empire State Building.
    3 frml. pleasant, enjoyable: We had a grand time on our vacation. -adv. grandly. —n. infrml.
    1 a grand piano: We have a baby grand in our living room.
    2 slang $1,000: That computer cost me two grand.
    THESAURUS
    grand adj.
    1 big, huge, mammoth. Ant. small.
    2 magnificent, majestic. Ant. ordinary.
    THESAURUS
    3 wonderful, delightful. Ant. unpleasant.
grand jury
grand jury
  1. n. (in law) a group of 12-23 citizens who review evidence against s.o. accused of a crime and decide if a trial is necessary: The grand jury dismissed the charges against the company because there was not enough evidence.
grand piano
grand piano
  1. n. a large, concert-type piano.
grand prix
grand prix
  1. n.
    1 a racing event for sports cars: Mario won the Grand Prix in Monte Carlo this year.
    2 the top prize: The pianist won the grand prix in the competition in Moscow.
grand slam
grand slam
  1. n.
    1 in baseball, a home run hit with players on all three bases
    2 in tennis and golf, the winning of all the major championships in the same year: Pete Sampras has won the grand slam in tennis.
granddad
granddad
  1. n.infrml. grandfather
granddaddy
granddaddy
  1. n.infrml. -dies
    1 grandfather
    2 fig. the oldest and most impressive of s.t.: That huge alligator is the granddaddy of them all.
granddaughter
granddaughter
  1. n. a daughter of one's child
grandeur
grandeur
  1. n. splendor, beauty on a large scale: The grandeur of the mountain scenery is wonderful.
grandfather
grandfather
  1. n. the father of one's father or mother
grandfather clock
grandfather clock
  1. n. a clock in a tall wooden frame that stands on the floor: The grandfather clock standing in the corner chimes every hour.
grandiose
grandiose
  1. adj.
    1 magnificent, splendid: Many palaces in France were built on a grandiose scale.
    2 s.t. that is bigger or more impressive than is necessary, often used negatively,
    THESAURUS
    pretentious: He has grandiose plans for his future.
grandma
grandma
  1. n.infrml. grandmother
grandmother
grandmother
  1. n. the mother of one's father or mother: My grandmother lives in Houston.
grandpa
grandpa
  1. n.infrml. grandfather
grandparent
grandparent
  1. n. a parent of one's father or mother
grandson
grandson
  1. n. the son of one's daughter or son
grandstand
grandstand
  1. n. rows of seats outdoors sometimes covered with a roof, for watching sporting events: We sat in the grandstand to watch the baseball game.
granite
granite
  1. n. a hard, gray rock: That building is made of granite and will last for centuries.
granny
granny
  1. n.infrml. -nies grandmother
granola
granola
  1. n. a breakfast food or snack made of whole oats, nuts, dried fruits, and honey
grant
grant
  1. v.frml. [T]
    1 to give or allow what is asked for: The governor granted my request for an interview for my newspaper.
    2 to accept as true: I grant what you say is correct, but you still owe me the money. —n.
    1 money given for a specific purpose: The Ford Foundation gave the writer a grant for research.
    2 a formal transfer of ownership: The king gave the lord a land grant in the new colony.
    THESAURUS
    grant v.
    1 to consent to s.t., agree to s.t. Ant. to refuse.
    2 to concede, admit. Ant. to deny.
    THESAURUS
    —n.
    1 a gift (of money), subsidy. Ant. a loan.
granular
granular
  1. adj. shaped in granules: Sand has a granular texture.
granulate
granulate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to form into granules: Workers granulate sugar so that it will pour easily. -n. granulation.
granule
granule
  1. n. a tiny, grain-like piece,
    THESAURUS
    particle: The machine crushes salt into granules.
grape
grape
  1. n. a small round fruit, usu. green or dark purple, that grows in bunches and can be used to make wine: Grapes are grown in great quantities in California and New York.
grapefruit
grapefruit
  1. n. -fruits or -fruit a large round citrus fruit, usu. yellow with a thick skin, that has a tart taste: I have a half grapefruit for breakfast.
grapevine
grapevine
  1. n.
    1 the climbing plant on which grapes grow
    2 to hear s.t through/on the grapevine: to hear news unofficially: I heard through the grapevine that you are planning to get married.
graph
graph
  1. n.v. [T] a drawing that shows changes in quantities: I made a line graph that shows sales increases from year to year.
graph paper
graph paper
  1. n. paper with horizontal and vertical lines on which graphs can be drawn: We use graph paper to show our monthly sales figures.
graphic
graphic
  1. adj.
    1 related to graphs
    2 concerned with drawing See: graphics.
    3 described in a very clear and detailed way: The victim explained the attack in graphic detail. -adv. graphically.
    THESAURUS
    graphic
    3 vivid, realistic, lifelike. Ant. unclear.
graphics
graphics
  1. n.pl.
    1 illustrative, decorative parts of s.t. (photographs, drawings, etc.): The graphics in that art book (computer program, etc.) are beautiful.
    2 engineering and architectural drawings: Engineers take a course in graphics in college.
graphite
graphite
  1. n. a black substance that is a form of carbon: Graphite is used to make pencil lead.
graphology
graphology
  1. n. the study of handwriting as a guide to personality: Some companies use graphology to help them choose new employees. -n. graphologist.
grapple
grapple
  1. v. -pled, -pling, -ples
    1 [I;T] to take hold of and fight or struggle with s.o. or s.t.: The two wrestlers grappled with each other.
    2 [I] to try hard to solve a problem,
    THESAURUS
    to struggle: The technicians grappled with the broken computers all day.
grasp
grasp
  1. v. [T]
    1 to hold firmly, take hold of: I grasped the door handle with both hands and pulled hard.
    2 to succeed in understanding s.t. often complex: After reading the text again, I finally grasped the main points of the story.
    3 phrasal v. to grasp at: to try to take hold of, to reach for s.t.: As she fell, she grasped at the window to try to stop her fall.
    4 to grasp at straws: to hope for miracles: He is grasping at straws if he thinks his money problems will be solved by winning the lottery. —n.
    1 a firm hold on s.t.: I got a grasp on the stuck faucet and forced it open.
    2 understanding, comprehension: She has a good grasp of the facts in the situation.||This problem is beyond her grasp.
    THESAURUS
    grasp v.
    1 to seize, grab, grip s.t. Ant. to let loose.
    2 to comprehend, catch on to s.t. | get
    THESAURUS
    it infrml. Ant. to not understand. —n.
    1 a grip, handhold. Ant. a slip.
    THESAURUS
    2 knowledge, mastery. Ant. ignorance.
grasping
grasping
  1. adj. wanting more, usu. money,
    THESAURUS
    greedy, avaricious: He is a grasping person, always after money.
grass
grass
  1. n. grasses
    1 [U] any of a variety of green plant that covers the ground: I like to play tennis on grass.
    2 [C] a tall green plant with flat leaves
    3 slang marijuana: He stopped smoking grass because it made him feel sick.
    THESAURUS
    grass
    1 and
    2 lawn | field, meadow, pasture, prairie. Ant. desert.
grass roots
grass roots
  1. adj.fig. located with ordinary people, not with the leaders or those in power: Some politicians have grass roots support.
grasshopper
grasshopper
  1. n. a plant-eating insect that can jump high and that makes a loud noise: A swarm of grasshoppers got into our flower garden and ruined it.
grassland
grassland
  1. n. flat land covered with wild grass: The cows feed themselves on the grassland in the summer months.
grassy
grassy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest covered with grass: The grassy areas around the building make it an attractive place to work.
grate
grate
  1. v. grated, grating, grates
    1 [I] to make a sharp unpleasant sound by rubbing against s.t.: When one piece of metal grates against another, it produces a terrible noise.
    2 [T] to make into small pieces by rubbing against a rough surface: The cook grated a piece of cheese.
    3 [I;T] to make s.o. annoyed, (syns.) to irritate, rankle: That rude fellow grates on my nerves. -n. grater. —n.
    1 bars that hold the wood and coal in a fireplace
    2 bars put over a window to keep out thieves
grateful
grateful
  1. adj. thankful: I am grateful for the help that you have given to me. -adv. gratefully.
    THESAURUS
    grateful appreciative, full of gratitude | obliged, indebted. Ant. ungrateful.
gratification
gratification
  1. n. a sense of pleasure and satisfaction: Teachers find gratification in the success of their students.
gratify
gratify
  1. v.frml. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to give pleasure and satisfaction: His children's success gratified him.
    2 to satisfy a desire: She gratified her hunger by eating chocolate cake.
grating
grating
  1. adj. annoying, usu. related to a loud, unpleasant noise: That singer has a grating voice. —n. a covering of metal bars over a window, hole, etc.: The grating over the hole in the road stops large objects from falling in.
gratis
gratis
  1. adv.adj. without charge, free: He did the work gratis.||When he told me that the work was gratis, I couldn't believe it.
gratitude
gratitude
  1. n. thankfulness,
    THESAURUS
    appreciation: She showed her gratitude by saying, "Thank you!"
gratuitous
gratuitous
  1. adj. unnecessary, unasked for: He made gratuitous comments about my clothes that I didn't like at all.
gratuity
gratuity
  1. n. -ties a gift of money for service,
    THESAURUS
    a tip: The standard gratuity at good restaurants is 15 percent of the bill.
grave
grave
  1. adj. graver, gravest serious, worrying: The patient is very ill and in grave condition. —n.
    1 a place in the ground for placing a dead person: He is buried in a grave next to his wife's.
    2 to dig one's own grave: to harm one's own interests: He is digging his own grave by complaining about his boss so openly.
    3 to drive s.o. to an early grave: to constantly make s.o. do s.t. that is often bad for the health, (syns.) to hound, harass: His friends are always pushing him to smoke cigarettes with them; they'll drive him to an early grave.
    4 to have one foot in the grave: to be close to death: He's 95 and has cancer; he has one foot in the grave.
    5 to turn over in one's grave: said of a dead person who would not be happy with the actions of the living: Their mother would be turning over in her grave if she could see how badly her children behave. -adv. gravely.
    THESAURUS
    grave adj. dangerous, precarious frml. Ant. good.
grave robber
grave robber
  1. n. a person who steals bodies or valuables from graves: Grave robbers stole gold from many Egyptian tombs.
gravedigger
gravedigger
  1. n. a person who digs holes in the ground for dead people's graves
gravel
gravel
  1. n. rock crushed into very small pieces: The gardener put gravel along the walkway.
graveyard
graveyard
  1. n. an area of land, sometimes near a church, where dead people are buried: We visited the graveyard where my grandmother was buried.
    THESAURUS
    graveyard cemetery, burial ground | church yard.
gravitate
gravitate
  1. v. [I] -tated, -tating, -tates
    1 to react to the force of gravity: Objects gravitate naturally downward toward the ground.
    2 to feel attracted to s.t. or s.o.: The major industries gravitated toward the outer parts of the city where rents were cheap. -n. gravitation.
gravity
gravity
  1. n.
    1 a natural force pulling objects to the ground: Objects fall to earth because of the force of gravity.
    2 seriousness, severity: When the shooting started, the gravity of the situation became clear.
gravy
gravy
  1. n.
    1 a warm liquid made of the juices and fats from cooked meat, combined with a thickener, such as flour: I like brown gravy on my mashed potatoes.
    2 infrml.fig. extra money, a bonus: After we pay off our expenses, the rest is gravy for us.
    3 gravy train: a job requiring little effort and offering good compensation: He has a gravy train as he works part-time for his father at a full-time salary.
gray matter
gray matter
  1. n.infrml. intelligence, brain power: You should use your gray matter to help you solve that problem.
grayscale
grayscale
  1. n. the use of different shades of gray rather than different colors, e.g. in television, computer graphics, etc.
graze
graze
  1. v. grazed, grazing, grazes
    1 [I;T] to feed on grass: The sheep graze in the field.
    2 [T] to touch lightly against s.t. and injure the skin: The child fell and grazed her hand.
    3 [T] to touch s.t. lightly as it passes: I grazed the side of the car when I tried to park. —n. a light wound, scrape on the surface of the skin
grease
grease
  1. n.
    1 animal fat that has been softened by cooking: There was too much grease on the plate; I couldn't eat my dinner.
    2 any thick oily substance, esp. used to make moving parts of machines work more smoothly: The mechanic put grease on the bike's wheels. —v. [T] greased, greasing, greases
    1 to put grease on: He greased the wheels.
    2 infrml. to grease s.o.'s palm: to give money to s.o. in order to persuade them to do s.t. for you: I greased the headwaiter's palm and he gave us a good table.
grease monkey
grease monkey
  1. n. pej.fig. a mechanic: Oh, he's just a grease monkey at the local garage.
grease paint
grease paint
  1. n. makeup used by actors: Clowns cover their faces with grease paint.
greasy
greasy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having grease: That sausage is very greasy.
great
great
  1. adj.
    1 large, huge: A great big bear blocked our path.
    2 renowned, monumental: Alexander the Great never saw the Great Wall of China.
    3 excellent, superior: That company has a great reputation.
    4 infrml. pleasant, wonderful: We had a great time on our vacation. -n. greatness.
    THESAURUS
    great
    1 immense, enormous. Ant. small.
    2 famous, distinguished. Ant. unknown.
    THESAURUS
    3 marvelous, splendid, first-rate. Ant. weak.
    4 outstanding, fantastic | cool, awesome.
    THESAURUS
    infrml. Ant. bad.
great aunt
great aunt
  1. n. the sister of one's grandparent
great uncle
great uncle
  1. n. a brother of one's grandparent
greatly
greatly
  1. adv. very much: Crime has increased greatly in the city over the last year.
    THESAURUS
    greatly immensely, enormously. Ant. a little.
greed
greed
  1. n. a strong desire for money, food, etc.: Greed made the child take the last piece of cake.
greedy
greedy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest wanting more of money, food, etc., than one has or is fair,
    THESAURUS
    avaricious: He overcharges customers because he is greedy.
green-eyed
green-eyed
  1. adj. having green eyes: She has a green-eyed cat.
greenback
greenback
  1. n.infrml. old usage the US dollar: There are $80 billion in greenbacks floating around the world as an unofficial currency.
greenery
greenery
  1. n. plants and trees in general: We like the greenery in the mountains.
greengrocer
greengrocer
  1. n. a shop where fruits and vegetables are sold: I'm going to the greengrocer to buy some carrots.
greenhorn
greenhorn
  1. n.infrml. a beginner, esp. in an outdoor activity, such as hiking, riding, etc.: He doesn't know how to ride a horse; he's a greenhorn.
greenhouse
greenhouse
  1. n. -houses a building with glass walls and a glass roof, used to grow and protect plants: Those flowers were grown in a greenhouse during the winter.
greet
greet
  1. v. [T]
    1 to say hello to s.o.: When I met the president, she greeted me in a very friendly way.
    2 to meet, welcome: The host of the party greets his guests at the door. -n. greeter.
    THESAURUS
    greet
    1 to speak to s.o., address s.o. frml. Ant. to ignore s.o.
greeting
greeting
  1. n.
    1 the first words or actions used on meeting s.o., such as "Hello" or "Hi": We passed on the street and gave each other a friendly greeting.
    2 pl. greetings good wishes, usu. written: "Greetings on your birthday and Congratulations!"
    THESAURUS
    wishes, best regards. Ant. a snub.
greeting card
greeting card
  1. n. a card, usu. folded and printed with a message inside, such as "Get well" or "Happy Birthday": I sent my friend a greeting card for her birthday.
gregarious
gregarious
  1. adj. liking to be with other people, friendly,
    THESAURUS
    sociable: He is a very gregarious fellow who enjoys company.
gremlin
gremlin
  1. n. an imaginary little creature who causes problems: That computer has got gremlins; there is always s.t. wrong with it!
grenade
grenade
  1. n. a hand-sized, small bomb: A soldier threw a grenade into a building.
grew
grew
  1. past tense of grow
greyhound
greyhound
  1. n. a thin racing dog with long legs: People love to watch greyhounds race at the track.
grid
grid
  1. n.
    1 a group of vertical and horizontal lines: In many cities, the streets form a grid.
    2 a group of powerful electrical wires over a region: The electrical grid was overloaded in the hot August weather.
griddle
griddle
  1. n.v. [T] -dled, -dling, -dles a flat iron surface used for cooking: I put some bacon and eggs on the griddle.
griddlecake
griddlecake
  1. n. a hotcake, pancake: We eat griddlecakes for breakfast once a week.
gridiron
gridiron
  1. n.
    1 a frame of metal bars used to cook (grill) foods over a fire
    2 fig. an American football field: In high school, my friend became a hero on the gridiron.
gridlock
gridlock
  1. n. the traffic that blocks an intersection: Cars are blocking the main intersections because of the accident, and the central city is in gridlock.
grief
grief
  1. n.
    1 great sadness, sorrow, anguish: Her brother's sudden death caused her grief.
    2 to give s.o. grief: to make trouble for s.o.: My boss gives me a lot of grief about my poor computer skills.
    THESAURUS
    grief
    1 heartache, misery, heartbreak. Ant. joy.
grievance
grievance
  1. n. a complaint, esp. of being treated unfairly: Labor has a grievance over low wages.
grieve
grieve
  1. v. [I;T] grieved, grieving, grieves to feel great sadness over s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to mourn: She grieved for weeks over the death of her mother.
grievous
grievous
  1. adj. causing pain, suffering, or sorrow; very serious: The death of her brother was a grievous loss.
grill
grill
  1. n. a frame of metal bars on which food is cooked, usu. outside: I put some hamburgers on the grill. —v.
    1 [I;T] to cook on a grill: I grilled some burgers for lunch.
    2 [T] to ask s.o. many questions for a long period of time: Police grilled the suspect for hours until he confessed that he had robbed the bank. See: barbecue, USAGE NOTE.
grim
grim
  1. adj. grimmer, grimmest
    1 serious, solemn: The prisoner has a grim look on his face.
    2 expecting the worst, foreboding: He suffered a severe injury and his prospects for living are grim. -adv. grimly; -n. grimness.
    THESAURUS
    grim
    1 hard, severe, or stern (look). Ant. pleasant.
    2 bleak, dismal, depressing. Ants.
    THESAURUS
    bright, good.
grimace
grimace
  1. v. [I] -aced, -acing, -aces to twist the face,
    THESAURUS
    to wince: He grimaced at hearing the bad news. —n. a twisting of the face often in pain,
    THESAURUS
    a wince: He has a grimace on his face.
grime
grime
  1. n. [U] dirt or grease on the surface of s.t.: The city's buildings are covered with grime. -adj. grimy.
grin
grin
  1. n. a big smile: He greeted his friend with a big grin. See: smile, USAGE NOTE. —v. grinned, grinning, grins
    1 [I] to give a big smile: He grinned at his girlfriend.
    2 to grin and bear it: to suffer pain or embarrassment without complaining
grind
grind
  1. v. ground , grinding, grinds
    1 [T] to make into small pieces or powder by rubbing: The worker is grinding metal.||I ground the coffee beans.
    2 [T] to rub two hard surfaces together, usu. to make smooth: He grinds his teeth together when he sleeps.
    3 fig. [I] to work very hard, usu. for a long time without pleasure: She grinds at her studies, day and night. —n.
    1 the process of grinding
    2 infrml.fig. a tiring job: Her job is a daily grind; she works on the computer eight hours a day.
    THESAURUS
    grind v.
    1 to mill | file, sharpen, polish.
grinder
grinder
  1. n.
    1 any device used to grind substances: We put leftover pork in a meat grinder to make sausages.
    2 a sandwich on a long crusty roll, often served hot: I had a steak and cheese grinder for lunch.
grindstone
grindstone
  1. n.
    1 a piece of stone or other material used to smooth or sharpen metal
    2 to keep one's nose to the grindstone: to work very hard and steadily
gringo
gringo
  1. n.slang -gos a foreigner in Latin America, esp. one who is white and speaks English (usu. used in a negative way)
grip
grip
  1. n.
    1 a strong hold: The thief had a firm grip on the money.
    2 command, control: He has a good grip on his emotions.
    3 See: grippe. —v. [I;T] gripped, gripping, grips to hold firmly: He gripped the club with both hands.
    THESAURUS
    grip n.
    1 a grasp, grab. Ant. a release.
    2 hold on, grasp of. —v. to grasp, hold, clench. Ant. to release. grippe or grip -n. influenza: I have the grippe and will stay home today.
gripe
gripe
  1. n.infrml. a complaint,
    THESAURUS
    a grievance: The worker has a gripe with the boss. —v. [I] griped, griping, gripes to complain: He gripes all the time about the bad weather.
grisly
grisly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest frightening or disgusting, usu. because of the connection with death,
    THESAURUS
    gruesome: She told a grisly story about a murder.
gristle
gristle
  1. n. tough part of meat that is difficult to eat: I don't like meat with a lot of gristle. -adj. gristly.
grit
grit
  1. n.
    1 very small pieces of stone or sand: The desert sand left a layer of grit on our car.
    2 infrml. courage,
    THESAURUS
    spunk: He broke his finger, but continued to play; he has grit. —v. [T] gritted, gritting, grits, to grit one's teeth: to press one's teeth together hard, usu. during difficult moments: He gritted his teeth and lifted the heavy box. -adj. gritty.
grizzled
grizzled
  1. adj. with gray parts, usu. of hair: As he became older, his hair became grizzled.
grizzly
grizzly
  1. adj. -zlier, -zliest quite gray, grizzled: He has a grizzly beard. —n. -zlies See: grizzly bear. grizzly bear or grizzly -n. -zlies a large gray and brown bear of western North America: The grizzly bear frightens people because of its power and aggressive nature.
groan
groan
  1. v. [I] n. (to make) a deep sound from the throat to show pain, worry, disapproval, etc.: He groaned when the other team scored another goal.
grocer
grocer
  1. n.
    1 a person who sells food and other household things
    2 a grocery store: I'm going to the grocer to buy some groceries.
groceries
groceries
  1. n.pl. food and other household things: I buy groceries at the supermarket.
grocery
grocery
  1. n. -ies a food store: The local grocery (or) grocery store is open seven days a week.
    THESAURUS
    grocery grocery store, supermarket, market. Ants. restaurant, deli.
groggy
groggy
  1. adj. -gier, -giest unsteady and with an unclear mind, as from illness, shock, etc.: The hit on the head made her groggy. -adv. groggily.
groin
groin
  1. n. the area of the body around the sex organs: The athlete pulled a muscle in his groin.
groom
groom
  1. n.
    1 a bridegroom: The groom wore a tuxedo to the wedding. See: bride; best man.
    2 a man who takes care of horses —v.
    1 [I;T] to dress well, keep the hair neat: She grooms herself well; she is a well-groomed woman.
    2 [T] to help s.o. improve, esp. for a better job: The boss groomed his son to take over the family business.
    3 [T] to brush and care for horses: The boy grooms the horses every morning. groom -n.
    1 a bridegroom: The groom wore a tuxedo to the wedding. See : bride; best man
    2 a man who takes care of horses _v.
    1 to dress well, keep the hair neat: She is a well-groomed woman.
    2 to help s.o. improve, esp. for a better job: The boss groomed his son to take over the family business.
    3 to brush and care for horses: The boy grooms the horses every morning.
groove
groove
  1. n. a long narrow hole for s.t. to move smoothly in: The doors on that cabinet slide open on grooves. —v. grooved, grooving, grooves
    1 [T] to make grooves
    2 slang [I] to delight in, find appealing: That band plays well together; they really groove with each other.
grope
grope
  1. v. [I] groped, groping, gropes to feel about, search for s.t. with the hands as if in darkness or with difficulty: The room was completely dark and I groped for the light switch.
gross domestic product
gross domestic product
  1. n. a measure of the total value of goods and services produced by a nation
grotesque
grotesque
  1. adj.
    1 very ugly, (syns.) hideous, repugnant: The grotesque monster frightened the children.
    2 not natural, (syns.) deformed, bizarre: The burned and leafless trees presented a grotesque landscape.
grotto
grotto
  1. n. -toes or -tos
    1 a small cave
    2 a holy place cut out of rock
grouch
grouch
  1. n. grouches a person who complains often: That man is an old grouch; he never likes the food I cook. —v.infrml. [I] grouched, grouching, grouches to complain often about s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to grumble: He grouches at everyone. -adj. grouchy.
ground crew
ground crew
  1. n. workers who support an airline by doing work on the ground at airports, such as reservation agents, baggage handlers, and maintenance workers: She is a member of the Northwest Airlines ground crew in Seattle.
ground floor
ground floor
  1. n.
    1 in the USA, the first floor, one at ground level: The reception is on the ground floor.
    2 to get in on the ground floor: to be present at the beginning of an excellent opportunity: He got in on the ground floor with that small company and grew with it.
ground rules
ground rules
  1. n.pl. (originally from baseball) a set of rules, such as for a sport or formal discussion, particularly for an specific occasion or place: As ground rules, the lawyers agreed that each could speak for five minutes without interruption.
ground zero 
ground zero 
  1. n. 
    1 [C] the place where a nuclear bomb explodes: After the bomb exploded, all that was left at ground zero was a huge crater.
    2 [U] usu. as: Ground Zero the site of the World Trade Center after it was destroyed on September 11, 2001: The names of the victims are listed on the memorial at Ground Zero.
    3 [U] the starting point or most basic level.  After all the students failed the test on fractions, the teacher returned to ground zero and started again from the beginning.
grounding
grounding
  1. n. education and usu. experience in some area: She has a good grounding in computers.
groundless
groundless
  1. adj. without good reason or basis in fact,
    THESAURUS
    baseless: He made groundless accusations.
groundswell
groundswell
  1. n.
    1 a rising or rolling of the ocean as caused by a storm or an earthquake
    2 fig. a sudden increase of s.t.: After the politician announced his candidacy, there was a groundswell of support from across the nation.
group
group
  1. n.
    1 a number of people or things placed together: A group of people protested against the new law.
    2 two or more singers, musicians, etc.: A singing group performed at the local theater.
    3 (in mathematics) a type of set: He is an expert in group theory. —v. [I;T]
    1 to put together in a group, assemble: The grocer groups apples by variety: Golden Delicious, McIntosh, etc.
    2 to come together, gather: People grouped on the street to watch the parade.
    THESAURUS
    group n.
    1 a crowd | mob. Ant. an individual.
    2 an ensemble frml.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to put together, sort. Ant. to scatter.
    2 to crowd together, cluster. Ant. to disperse.
groupie
groupie
  1. n.infrml. a person, esp. a girl, who follows rock stars, movie stars, etc. in a group of admirers: Groupies shouted with delight as the rock group arrived.
grouping
grouping
  1. n.
    1 a group of s.t.: A grouping of roses looks pretty by the door.
    2 a category, classification: The authorities placed immigrants into different groupings by country.
grouse
grouse
  1. n. grouse
    1 a medium-sized bird with dark, spotty coloring: Grouse run into the woods when frightened.
    2 infrml. a complaint —v. [I] groused, grousing, grouses to complain,
    THESAURUS
    to gripe: He grouses all the time about his low salary.
grove
grove
  1. n. a small grouping of trees: A pine grove grows near the farmhouse.
grovel
grovel
  1. v.
    1 [I] to lie flat on the ground to show fear or obedience before s.o. or s.t.: The servant groveled before his master.
    2 fig. to behave in a way that shows one has no self-respect, usu. in order to obtain s.t.: He groveled in front of his boss so he could leave work early.
grow
grow
  1. v. grew , grown , growing, grows
    1 [I;T] to plant and harvest: A farmer grows corn and wheat.
    2 [I] to develop, mature: The boy has grown into a man.
    3 [I] to become: She grew impatient (sad, angry, etc.) with the delays.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [I] to grow away from s.o.: to feel less close to s.o.: We were friends in school, but we grew away from each other.
    5 to grow by leaps and bounds: to increase rapidly: Our business is growing by leaps and bounds.
    6 phrasal v. insep. [T] to grow into s.t.: a. to develop into, become: He's grown into a delightful person. b. to become big enough for s.t.: She's grown into her new bicycle.
    7 phrasal v. insep. [T] to grow on s.o.: to become more pleasing to s.o. over time: Living in the country grows on you after a while.
    8 phrasal v. insep. [T] to grow out of s.t.: a. to become too old for s.t.: She sucked her thumb as a baby, but she grew out of it. b. to become too large for s.t.: He has to buy new shoes, because he's grown out of the old ones.
    9 phrasal v. insep. [I] to grow to (understand, appreicate, etc.): to change one' understanding over time: He grew to understand why his immigrant parents missed the old country.
    10 phrasal v. [I] to grow up: a. to mature: Our daughter has grown up now. b. to live in a place during one's youth: She grew up in the San Francisco area. c. to act responsibly (said in anger): Oh, why don't you grow up and behave?!
    THESAURUS
    grow
    1 to produce, cultivate, raise. Ant. to plow s.t. under.
    2 to become, get bigger/
    THESAURUS
    taller/older. Ant. to decline.
    3 to feel | experience, suffer s.t.
grower
grower
  1. n. a person or business that raises food plants: He's a coffee grower from Brazil.
growing pains
growing pains
  1. n.pl. difficulties resulting from growth, esp. of a business: We have growing pains because our warehouse is too small and can't keep up with the orders.
growl
growl
  1. n. a low sound made in anger,
    THESAURUS
    a snarl: The dog let out a growl when the stranger came near. —v. [I] to give a growl: The boss growls when things aren't going well. -n. growler.
grown-up
grown-up
  1. n. an adult: Many grown-ups have dinner after the children are asleep.
    THESAURUS
    grown-up a mature person, man, woman. Ant. child.
growth
growth
  1. n.
    1 an increase: The growth of US exports overseas was 10% last year.
    2 s.t. in the process of growing: The growth of the corn crop was hurt by lack of rain.||There is a growth of pine trees near the highway.
    3 an abnormal lump on or in the body: He has a growth on his neck.
    THESAURUS
    growth
    1 expansion. Ant. a decline.
    2 natural development, maturation. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    death.
    3 a tumor, cyst.
growth fund
growth fund
  1. n. a mutual fund dedicated to growth of capital, instead of its preservation: Growth funds carry greater risk.
growth rate
growth rate
  1. n. the amount of change in a financial area of a company
grub
grub
  1. n.
    1 an insect that looks like a small worm: I killed the grubs in the garbage can.
    2 infrml. food: Let's get some grub for lunch.
grubby
grubby
  1. adj. -bier, -biest dirty,
    THESAURUS
    grimy: The children's hands are grubby from playing in the garden.
grudge
grudge
  1. n. a feeling of anger toward s.o. for s.t. a person did wrong to you,
    THESAURUS
    resentment: He has a grudge against me for stealing his girlfriend.||He holds a grudge against his former boss for firing him. -adj. grudging.
gruel
gruel
  1. n. oatmeal that is watery and not tasty: The prisoner was given only gruel to eat.
grueling
grueling
  1. adj. very difficult and tiring,
    THESAURUS
    harsh: The trip through the desert was grueling.
gruesome
gruesome
  1. adj. horrifying, usu. because it is connected with death,
    THESAURUS
    grisly: The murder scene was gruesome.
gruff
gruff
  1. adj. rude,
    THESAURUS
    curt: That truck driver has a gruff manner. -adv. gruffly; -n. gruffness.
grumble
grumble
  1. v. [I] -bled, -bling, -bles n. to complain in a quiet, unhappy manner: He grumbled about having to clean the bathroom.
grump
grump
  1. n. a person who complains often: He's an old grump!
grumpy
grumpy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest badtempered,
    THESAURUS
    irritable: He's grumpy in the morning.
grunt
grunt
  1. v. [I] n. (to make) a short deep sound from the throat, usu. to show great effort, disgust, or boredom: He grunted as he lifted the heavy rock.
guacamole
guacamole
  1. n. a creamy green food made from avocados: Guacamole tastes good with tortilla chips. See: enchilada, USAGE NOTE.
guano
guano
  1. n. bird or bat excrement
guarantee
guarantee
  1. n.
    1 a written promise of satisfaction with a product or service, or that s.t. is genuine: Under the courier's guarantee, if I send the letter today, he'll have it tomorrow.
    2 a document stating conditions of a guarantee See: warranty. —v. [T] -teed, -teeing, -tees to give a guarantee: The shipper guaranteed next-day delivery.
    THESAURUS
    guarantee n.
    1 a guaranty, promise, one's word
    2 a warranty, written assurance, pledge. —v. to guaranty, give a written promise (of quality) | give one's word.
guarantor
guarantor
  1. n. the person or business giving a guarantee: Ford is the guarantor of its cars' quality.
guaranty
guaranty
  1. n. -ties v. [T] -tied, -tying, -ties See: guarantee.
guard
guard
  1. n. a protector of property: The headquarters has guards at each entrance. —v.
    1 [I;T] to protect property: They guard against entry by unauthorized persons.
    2 [I;T] to be very careful: Banks guard against making risky loans.
    3 to catch s.o. off guard: to catch s.o. unprepared: The exam caught me off guard; I hadn't studied at all.
    4 to stand guard: a. to perform guard duty: A policeman stood guard at the door. b. to watch carefully for wrongdoing: The public stands guard against corruption in government.
    THESAURUS
    guard n. a security guard, security | soldier | bodyguard. Ant. an attacker.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to watch over s.t., safeguard. Ant. to attack.
    2 to take precautions.
guarded
guarded
  1. adj.
    1 protected by a guard: The President lives in a guarded building.
    2 fig. careful,
    THESAURUS
    cautious: The senator made some guarded comments about the scandal. -adv. guardedly.
guardian
guardian
  1. n.
    1 a person legally responsible for another, esp. a child: After the girl's parents died, her uncle became her guardian.
    2 a guard: Guardians watch over the museum's galleries. -n. guardianship.
guardrail
guardrail
  1. n. a railing or barrier used to stop falls: Guardrails on the ship's deck stop people from falling into the water.
guardsman
guardsman
  1. n. -men in the USA, a member of the National Guard: Guardsmen were called in to stop the rioting.
gubernatorial
gubernatorial
  1. adj. related to governors: The gubernatorial election is held every four years.
guck
guck
  1. n.slang any sticky, messy substance,
    THESAURUS
    goop: The engine is covered with guck; I have to clean it.
guerrilla
guerrilla
  1. n. a member of a nonregular military group that is trying to attack and defeat the regular military: Guerrillas hide in the jungle and attack government installations.
guess
guess
  1. n. guesses
    1 a try at saying what might happen or is true: I made a guess at the cost of that computer.
    2 an educated guess: an estimate or prediction based on experience or special knowledge: The sales manager made an educated guess that she would sell 5,000 units next year. —v. guessed, guessing, guesses
    1 [I;T] to make a guess: I guess that it will rain today.
    2 [I;T] to say politely what one will do: "Oh, I guess I'll go home now."
    3 to keep s.o. guessing: to not tell s.o. what is true or will happen: She keeps him guessing by not saying whether she loves him.
    THESAURUS
    guess n.
    1 an estimate, guesstimate, prediction | speculation. Ant. a certainty.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to predict s.t. (about the future), speculate | estimate. Ant. to know (for sure).
guesstimate
guesstimate
  1. n.infrml. an estimate or prediction made mostly by guessing: He made a guesstimate that he would sell 100 cars this year because he had sold 90 last year. —v. [I;T] -mated, -mating, -mates to make an educated guess
guesswork
guesswork
  1. n. the process of guessing: The team did a lot of guesswork before they found the answer.
guest
guest
  1. n.
    1 a visitor who comes to s.o.'s home for a short time, or to stay for a short time: We had guests for dinner last night.
    2 s.o. who stays in a hotel, patron: Guests check out of the hotel each morning.
    3 a person who is invited to a restaurant, the movies, etc., and who is paid for by the host: "I'll pay; you're my guest this evening."
    THESAURUS
    guest
    1 company, friend(s)
    2 customer, client. Ant. host.
guff
guff
  1. n.infrml. rude talk,
    THESAURUS
    insolence: Don't give me any of your guff!
guffaw
guffaw
  1. v. [I] n. (to give) a loud laugh: He guffawed when I told him a joke.
guidance
guidance
  1. n.
    1 advice: The teacher gave the student guidance on how to pass the exam.
    2 an electronic mechanism used to direct space vehicles (weapons, computers, etc.): The missile operates by the guidance of radar and computers.
    THESAURUS
    guidance
    1 help, recommendations | counsel. Ants. wrong (or) bad advice, misguidance.
guide
guide
  1. n.
    1 a person who shows the way and often gives information, esp. to tourists: A tour guide gave some history as we passed each important building.
    2 a reference book: We looked at a map in our city guide to find the museum. an idea, rule, or measure used to do s.t.: Being honest is my guide to dealing with people. | I use a ruler as a guide for drawing a straight line. —v. [T] guided, guiding, guides
    1 to show the way, give information: A professor guided us through the museum.
    2 to direct, define: Religious teaching guides us to be kind to others. See: guidelines.
    THESAURUS
    guide n.
    1 a group leader, escort | counselor, advisor. Ant. a follower.
    2 a
    THESAURUS
    handbook, manual
    3 a principle, motto, guiding light. Ant. intuition.
    THESAURUS
    —v.
    1 to lead, direct, point s.t. out. Ant. to mislead.
    2 to instruct, inform. Ant. to
    THESAURUS
    misguide.
guidebook
guidebook
  1. n. a book with detailed information about a place or subject: Tourists use guidebooks to find their way around cities.
guided missile
guided missile
  1. n. a rocket directed by such devices as radar, videocameras, and computers: The pilot fired a guided missile at a target.
guidelines
guidelines
  1. n.pl. ideas or rules on what to do (or not to do): The teacher gave us guidelines for writing our paper; it had to be typed, double-spaced, and 10-12 pages long.
guidepost
guidepost
  1. n. See: signpost.
guild
guild
  1. n. a group of skilled workers organized to control the way their work is practiced: The guilds controlled business in Northern Europe in the Middle Ages (1400-1700).
guile
guile
  1. n. clever trickery, (syns.) cunning, deceit: The swindler used guile to cheat people out of their money.
guileless
guileless
  1. adj. straightforward, without deceit: He is guileless, almost childlike in his behavior.
guillotine
guillotine
  1. n.v. [T] -tined, -tining, -tines (to use) a machine that cuts off a criminal's head with a large, sharp blade
guilt
guilt
  1. n.
    1 the state of having broken the law: A jury decides the guilt or innocence of an accused person.
    2 fault: The guilt for the breakdown of the talks lies with the lawyers.
    3 a feeling of having done s.t. wrong or shameful, remorse
    THESAURUS
    guilt
    1 criminality | misconduct, misdeeds. Ant. innocence.
    2 blame, responsibility |
    THESAURUS
    burden
    3 the feeling of shame, self-disgust, regret (for doing s.t. wrong). Ants. pride, (syn.THESAURUS
    elf-respect.
guiltless
guiltless
  1. adj. not guilty, innocent
guilty
guilty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 having broken a law, at fault, culpable: The jury found the man guilty of the murder.
    2 having or showing a feeling of shame, of having done s.t. wrong: He feels guilty about hurting his friend. -adv. guiltily.
    THESAURUS
    guilty
    1 responsible (for). Ant. innocent.
    2 guilt-ridden, remorseful. Ant. proud.
guinea pig
guinea pig
  1. n.
    1 a small animal resembling a big rat with short ears and no tail, often kept as a pet
    2 fig. a person or animal used for scientific or medical tests: People were used as guinea pigs without their knowledge to test effects of a new drug.
guise
guise
  1. n.
    1 frml. appearance, look
    2 fig. disguise, camouflage: Under the guise of night, the soldiers marched forward.
guitar
guitar
  1. n. a musical instrument with strings: She plays the guitar beautifully.
gulch
gulch
  1. n. gulches a narrow valley cut by a river: Cowboys chased cattle down a dry gulch.
gulf
gulf
  1. n.
    1 a large area of a sea or ocean surrounded on three sides by land: The Gulf of Mexico goes from Florida over to Texas and down to Mexico.
    2 a deep, wide hole in the ground,
    THESAURUS
    a chasm
    3 fig.a wide difference, esp. between opinions: There was a wide gulf between my ideas for the new plan and my manager's ideas.
gull
gull
  1. n. a type of common seabird usu. white in color with white, gray, or black wings: Sea gulls stay near the ocean.
gullet
gullet
  1. n. the tube between the throat and the stomach: A gull swallowed a fish down its gullet.
gullible
gullible
  1. adj. easily tricked,
    THESAURUS
    naive: My sister is very gullible; she believes everything I tell her. -n. gullibility.
gully
gully
  1. n. -lies a long, narrow hole in the earth: Rainwater ran off the hill into the gullies.
gulp
gulp
  1. v. [I;T] n. to swallow whole mouthfuls, usu. quickly: The thirsty man gulped (down) the water.||The bird swallowed an insect in one gulp.
gum
gum
  1. n.
    1 a sticky substance from inside a tree
    2 chewing gum: He likes to chew gum and watch TV.
    3 the pink flesh surrounding the teeth: Her gums are swollen. —v. [T] gummed, gumming, gums to stick s.t. together with gum: A worker gummed the address labels on envelopes.
gumbo
gumbo
  1. n. -bos a thick soup (stew) made with okra and often meat, fish, or vegetables: I like shrimp gumbo.
gumdrop
gumdrop
  1. n. a small, sugar-coated, fruit-flavored candy: I like orange gumdrops.
gummy
gummy
  1. adj. -mier, -miest soft, usu. sticky
gumption
gumption
  1. n.
    1 common sense,
    THESAURUS
    initiative
    2 the will to do s.t. difficult, courage: She had the gumption to start her own business.
gun-shy
gun-shy
  1. adj.
    1 afraid of loud noises, such as the sound of a gunshot: My horse is gun-shy and runs when a rifle is shot.
    2 fig. fearful about certain situations: He lost money in the stock market and is gun-shy about investing again.
gun
gun
  1. n.
    1 a weapon that fires bullets or cannon shells: Hunters use guns to kill animals.
    2 any device with barrels that shoot substances: A worker used a paint gun to paint the wall.
    3 infrml. big gun: an important person: He is a big gun in city government.
    4 to go great guns: to make great progress: Our new product is going great guns.
    5 to jump the gun: to act too soon: He jumped the gun in advertising the new product, because it is not ready for market yet.
    6 to stick to one's guns: to keep one's opinion or position in spite of oppo-sition
    7 son of a gun: a. exclam. expression of surprise, gee whiz, gosh: Son of a gun, what a success! b. rascal, devil: You son of a gun, I didn't think you could win, but you did. —v. [T] gunned, gunning, guns
    1 to cause an engine to run very quickly: Racers gunned the engines of their cars.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to gun s.o. or s.t. down: to shoot s.o. or s.t. with a gun, causing a fall to the ground or death: The police gunned down a criminal in the street.||They gunned him down.
    3 phrasal v. insep. to gun for s.o. or s.t.: to chase, follow,
    THESAURUS
    to pursue: She's gunning for a promotion.
    THESAURUS
    gun n.
    1 a weapon, firearm | pistol, rifle, shotgun.
gunfire
gunfire
  1. n. a shooting of guns (rifles, pistols, etc.): The sound of gunfire was heard in the hills.
gung ho
gung ho
  1. adj.infrml. very enthusiastic: He is gung ho to join the army.
gunk
gunk
  1. n.infrml. any thick, unpleasant greasy substance: The car leaked oil and made a pool of gunk on the floor.
gunman
gunman
  1. n. -men a criminal using a gun: A gunman held up the bank.
gunner
gunner
  1. n. a soldier trained to use a heavy gun: The gunners on our ship fire machine guns. -n. gunnery.
gunpoint
gunpoint
  1. n.
    1 the end of a gun
    2 at gunpoint: being forced to do s.t. by s.o. who is pointing a gun at s.o.: I was robbed at gunpoint in the city.
gunpowder
gunpowder
  1. n. a mixture of chemicals that explodes to shoot bullets and cannon shells
gunrunning
gunrunning
  1. n. illegal trade and transport of weapons -n. gunrunner.
gunshot
gunshot
  1. n.
    1 the loud sound of a gun (rifle, pistol, etc.) being fired: The po-lice heard a gunshot and ran after the criminal.
    2 the range of a gun: She fired the gun when the bear came within gunshot.
gunsmith
gunsmith
  1. n. a person who repairs and sells guns
gurgle
gurgle
  1. v. [I] -gled, -gling, -gles n. (to make) a sound of bubbling liquid: The baby gurgled when she saw her father. -n. adj. gurgling.
guru
guru
  1. n.
    1 an Indian spiritual leader
    2 a leader or expert in a field or cause: She is a guru to artists from all over the world.
gush
gush
  1. v. [I;T] gushed, gushing, gushes
    1 (of liquids) to rush or flow out suddenly in large quantities: Water gushed out of the broken pipe.
    2 to show too much enthusiasm or emotion over s.t.: Everyone gushed over the new baby. —n. gushes a sudden rush or flow of s.t.: a gush of oil, emotion, interest, etc. -n. adj. gushing.
gusher
gusher
  1. n. an oil well that suddenly shoots a lot of oil into the air
gushy
gushy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest emotional,
    THESAURUS
    effusive: The hostess was gushy in welcoming her guests.
gusset
gusset
  1. n. a triangular piece of cloth placed in a garment to make it stronger or bigger: a gusset on the back of a jacket
gust
gust
  1. n. a sudden strong wind: A gust of wind knocked over the sailboat. -adj. gusty.
gusto
gusto
  1. n. enthusiasm,
    THESAURUS
    zest: He ate the delicious meal with gusto.
gut
gut
  1. n.
    1 the food canal, esp. the intestines or stomach
    2 slang stomach area: He overeats and has a big gut.
    3 a strong thread, esp. used for strings of musical instruments, made from this part of ani-mals
    4 pl.infrml. guts: the intestines
    5 courage, determination: He's got guts to fight a man bigger than he is.
    6 to hate s.o.'s guts: to dislike, hate s.o. very much: I hate his guts because he crashed my new car. —v. [T] gutted, gutting, guts
    1 to cut out the inside of s.t., esp. an animal,
    THESAURUS
    to eviscerate: The hunter gutted the deer.
    2 to completely empty or destroy the inside or contents of a building: The fire gutted the office building. —adj.infrml. (of a reaction or fleeing) strong, often unexplained,
    THESAURUS
    intuitive: I can't explain it but I have a gut feeling that she's telling the truth.||My gut reaction to the news was one of horror.
gutless
gutless
  1. adj. having no courage, (syns.) cowardly, spineless: He's gutless and won't fight for his rights.
gutsy
gutsy
  1. adj.infrml. -ier, -iest brave,
    THESAURUS
    courageous: She is gutsy; she defended herself against a robber.
gutter
gutter
  1. n.
    1 a low, narrow area on the side of a street, or open pipe on a roof for water to run off: Water runs along the gutter into the sewer.
    2 a lowly or poor place: He uses language of the gutter.
guttural
guttural
  1. adj. related to the throat: "Grrr" as in "growl" is a guttural sound.
guy
guy
  1. n.infrml. a man: He is a nice guy; he always helps me with my taxes.

    USAGE NOTE: In speaking informally to a group (male, female, or mixed) of two or more people, you may say, "Do you guys know what time it is?" In referring to the group, however, you may say, "I asked some guys to tell me the time," only if they were all men.
guzzle
guzzle
  1. v. [I;T] -zled, -zling, -zles to drink or eat greedily, often quickly: He guzzled all the beer at the party before he left. -n. guzzler.
gym
gym
  1. n. short for gymnasium: I'm going to the gym to play basketball.
gymnasium
gymnasium
  1. n. a large sports hall, usu. with seats for people to watch games: The college gymnasium has seats for 15,000 spectators.
    THESAURUS
    gymnasium gym, sports center | fitness center, exercise room.
gymnast
gymnast
  1. n. a person who does gymnastics: She is a gymnast on the Olympic team.
gymnastics
gymnastics
  1. n.pl. used with a sing.v. the sport of doing various acrobatic exercises to develop strength, balance, etc.: Gymnastics is his favorite sport.
gynecology
gynecology
  1. n. the branch of medicine that specializes in human females' sex organs: Her doctor studied gynecology in medical school. -n. gynecologist; -adj. gynecological.
gyp
gyp
  1. v.infrml. [T] gypped, gypping, gyps to cheat: That store gypped me by charging me too much.
    THESAURUS
    gyp to con s.o., rip s.o. off infrml.
gyrate
gyrate
  1. v. [I] -rated, -rating, -rates to move in circles around a fixed point,
    THESAURUS
    to revolve: The space rocket gyrated as it returned to earth. -n. gyration.
gyroscope
gyroscope
  1. n. a device that helps airplanes and ships to stay level
ha or hah
ha or hah
  1. exclam.
    1 used to express laughter, surprise, delight: Ha, ha, ha, that's a very funny joke!
    2 used to make fun of s.t.: Ha! What a stupid thing to say.
haberdashery
haberdashery
  1. n. [C;U] -ies a store that sells men's clothing: Harry Truman, former President of the USA, once owned a haberdashery. -n. [C] haberdasher.
habit
habit
  1. n. [C;U] a repeated behavior: He has the bad habit of lighting a cigarette every time that his telephone rings.
    THESAURUS
    habit a custom, routine, tendency.
habitable
habitable
  1. adj. fit to live in: Their old cabin in the woods is habitable but not very comfortable.
habitat
habitat
  1. n. (in biology) the area in which an animal or plant normally lives: The habitat for deer is mainly the valley, not the mountains.
habitation
habitation
  1. n.frml. [U]
    1 the act of making one's home in, (syns.) inhabiting, dwelling, occupancy: The buildings in this area are in bad shape; they are unfit for human habitation.
    2 a place to live,
    THESAURUS
    a dwelling
habitual
habitual
  1. adj. done as a habit; constant: She is a habitual liar (smoker, drinker).
habituate
habituate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to make s.o. used to s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to accustom: He is habituated to eating breakfast in the morning and does not leave the house without eating it. -n. [U] habituation.
hacienda
hacienda
  1. n. (Spanish for) a large ranch or estate: Rich families in Latin America own haciendas.
hacker
hacker
  1. n.
    1 a person who plays golf or tennis poorly: She plays golf every day, but is still a hacker.
    2 a computer fanatic, often s.o. who illegally enters computer systems: He's a hacker who often stays up all night working on a project.
hackles
hackles
  1. n.pl.
    1 hairs that angry animals can raise on their necks and backs: The dog raised its hackles, growled, and attacked the robber.
    2 to raise the hackles: to make s.o. feel angry,
    THESAURUS
    to enrage: When politicians promise to lower taxes and then don't, it always raises my hackles.
hackney
hackney
  1. n. a horse-drawn carriage that one pays to ride in: We hired a hackney and rode around the park.
hackneyed
hackneyed
  1. adj. dull, uninteresting: She writes hackneyed stories for a local newspaper. See: trite.
hacksaw
hacksaw
  1. n.v. [T] a saw used to cut metal: The prisoner used a hacksaw to cut the bars of his cell.||He hacksawed through the cell's bars.
had
had
  1. weak form/ past tense & part. of have
    1 I had a good time at the party.
    2 infrml. to be had: to be victimized, taken advantage of: When the cab driver charged me 20 dollars to go one mile, I knew that I had been had.
haddock
haddock
  1. n. [C;U] an edible whitefish
hag
hag
  1. n.pej. an ugly old woman: The witch in the movie is an old hag.
haggard
haggard
  1. adj. tired and weary, (syns.) drawn, gaunt: The student looked haggard after studying all night.
haggle
haggle
  1. v. [I] -gled, -gling, -gles to argue about price,
    THESAURUS
    to bargain: The salesman and customer haggled over the price of a coat. -n. [C] haggler; [U] haggling.
hail
hail
  1. n. [U] rain that freezes and falls as balls of ice: Hail ruined the farmer's wheat crop. —v.
    1 [T] to greet, esp. with enthusiasm: The President hailed the astronauts when they returned from space.
    2 [I] to pour down hail: It hailed this morning for a few minutes.
    3 [T] to speak loudly to get attention: Standing on the sidewalk, I hailed a passing cab.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [I] to hail from: to come from: The cowboy hails from Texas.
    5 phrasal v. insep. [T] to hail s.o. or s.t. as s.t.: to praise s.o. or s.t. for good qualities: He hailed his new boss as a fair woman.
hailstone
hailstone
  1. n. a ball of hail, an ice pellet: Hailstones sounded like small rocks when they fell.
hair-raising
hair-raising
  1. adj.fig. scary, (syns.) frightening, terrifying: Being trapped in an elevator was a hair-raising experience.
hair
hair
  1. n.
    1 [U] a thin, fine growth on the skin of a person or an animal: Most people have lots of hair on their heads.
    2 [C] one strand, or piece, of the growth found on the body of a person or an animal: I found a cat hair in my food.
    3 sing.a very small amount or distance: Move the picture a hair to the right.
    4 to be or get in one's hair: to annoy: That boy won't leave me alone; he's really getting in my hair.
    5 to let one's hair down: to relax, act naturally, not formally: The business executive let her hair down at the office party and was friendly with everyone.
    6 to make one's hair stand on end: to frighten: That horror movie was so scary that it made my hair stand on end.
    7 to split hairs: to disagree about very small and usu. unimportant differences,
    THESAURUS
    to quibble: He likes to argue by splitting hairs.
    THESAURUS
    hair
    1 locks, mop infrml. | beard, whiskers, moustache
    3 a whisker, sliver.
hairbrush
hairbrush
  1. n. -brushes a brush for taking care of the hair: She uses a hairbrush every morning to do her hair.
haircut
haircut
  1. n. the cutting and usu. styling of hair: I went to the barber for a haircut today.
    THESAURUS
    haircut a trim | hairdo, hairstyle, coiffure frml.
hairdo
hairdo
  1. n. -dos See: hairstyle.
hairdresser
hairdresser
  1. n. a person who cuts and styles hair: My brother works as a hairdresser in a local salon.
    THESAURUS
    hairdresser a hair stylist, stylist, barber | beautician.
hairline
hairline
  1. n. the dividing line between the hair and the face: His hairline recedes as he grows bald. —adj. extremely narrow, fine: The vase has a hairline crack down its center.
hairnet
hairnet
  1. n. a netting or mesh placed over the hair: Food workers often wear hairnets.
hairpiece
hairpiece
  1. n. a covering of hair that is not one's own used to cover baldness or to make one's natural hair look thicker,
    THESAURUS
    a toupee: He wears a hairpiece to look younger than he is. See: wig.
hairpin
hairpin
  1. n. a U-shaped wire used to hold hair in place: When women began to use hair sprays, they stopped using hairpins. —adj. (of a road) having a sharp curve like a hairpin: The road made several hairpin turns going up the mountain.
hairsplitting
hairsplitting
  1. n. [U] adj. arguing over small or unimportant differences,
    THESAURUS
    quibbling: He argued with me for four hours about whether we save money with our new phone company; his hairsplitting drives me crazy!
hairstyle
hairstyle
  1. n. the way that one's hair is cut and shaped: Her hairstyle is simple, but her clothing is wild! -n. hairstylist.
    THESAURUS
    hairstyle a hairdo | coiffure.
hairy
hairy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 covered with hair: That man has a hairy chest.
    2 fig.slang difficult or dangerous: The situation got hairy when a bad storm shook the airplane from side to side. -n. [U] hairiness.
hale
hale
  1. adj.
    1 healthy,
    THESAURUS
    vigorous
    2 to feel hale and hearty: She feels hale and hearty after her long vacation. —v. [T] haled, haling, hales to order s.o. to go,
    THESAURUS
    to summon: She was haled into court to tell the judge what she saw.
half-and-half
half-and-half
  1. adj. being equal parts of s.t.: I'd like my tea half-and-half, half milk and half tea. —n. [U] a mixture of half milk and half cream: Put a little half-and-half in my coffee.
half-baked
half-baked
  1. adj.fig. without good judgment or common sense,
    THESAURUS
    ill-conceived: She has these half-baked ideas on how to make money.
half-hearted
half-hearted
  1. adj. without interest or energy,
    THESAURUS
    feeble: He made a half-hearted attempt at solving the problem, then gave up. -adv. halfheartedly.
half-hour
half-hour
  1. n. 30 minutes: A flight to New York leaves from Washington every half-hour.
half-mast
half-mast
  1. n.
    1 a position approx. halfway between the top and bottom of a mast or flagpole
    2 to fly at half-mast: to show respect for the dead by lowering the flag: Flags flew at half-mast when the mayor died.
half-truth
half-truth
  1. n. a statement that leaves out some facts: He told a half-truth when he said that he worked on Saturday; in reality, he worked only for one hour on Saturday morning.
half-wit
half-wit
  1. n. a stupid person,
    THESAURUS
    an idiot: He must be a half-wit to suggest such a silly idea! -adj. half-witted.
half
half
  1. n. halves
    1 one of two equal parts of s.t.: I ate half a sandwich.
    2 half a loaf is better than none: part of what one wants is better than nothing: The bank gave me only a small loan, but half a loaf is better than none.
    3 to do s.t. by halves: to do s.t. halfway, incompletely: He's lazy; he always does things by halves.
    4 to go halves: to split s.t. (usu. the price) in half, to go fifty-fifty: My girlfriend and I went halves on a new TV.
half brother
half brother
  1. n. a brother with whom s.o. shares only one biological parent: My half brother and I have the same father but different mothers.
half shell
half shell
  1. n.
    1 one part of a two-part shell, usu. of an oyster, clam, mussel, etc.
    2 on the half shell: in one part of the opened shell: She likes to eat oysters on the half shell.
half sister
half sister
  1. n. a sister related through only one biological parent: My half sister usually visits her mother in New York for the holidays.
halfway
halfway
  1. adv.adj.
    1 in the middle, between two points: New York is approximately halfway between Boston and Washington, D.C.
    2 to meet s.o. halfway: to reach an agreement where each person gives up part of what he or she wanted: You want $1000 for the car, and I offered $500. I will meet you halfway; will you take $750?
    THESAURUS
    halfway adv.adj.
    1 half the distance, equidistant | in the midst of s.t. | fifty percent of s.t. adv.
    2 to compromise.
halibut
halibut
  1. n. [C;U] -but or -buts a fish of the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans: I like the taste of halibut, but many people do not.
halitosis
halitosis
  1. n.frml. [U] bad breath: Her dentist suggested that she use a mouthwash because she has halitosis.
hall
hall
  1. n.
    1 a large room usu. used for classes, meetings, or entertainment: The concert hall was filled with people who came to see the show.
    2 a hallway: Your friend is waiting for you out in the hall.
    3 a large building where students live: What residence hall do you live in?
    THESAURUS
    hall
    1 an auditorium, meeting room | building
    2 a corridor, passageway | lobby
    3 a dormitory.
hallelujah
hallelujah
  1. exclam. used to express joy, lit. Praise be to God!: The church chorus sang "Hallelujah."||Hallelujah! I finally finished my college degree!
hallmark
hallmark
  1. n.
    1 a mark to indicate purity in silver or gold: My grandmother's gold plate has a hallmark on the bottom.
    2 a sign of excellence: A hallmark of a good tennis player is the ability to hit the ball from both sides.
hallowed
hallowed
  1. adj. holy, sacred: Many people died in battle on this hallowed ground. -v. [T] hallow.
hallucinate
hallucinate
  1. v. [I] -nated, -nating, -nates to imagine unreal things, esp. scary or horrifying events: His high fever made him hallucinate last night.
hallucination
hallucination
  1. n. [C;U] unreal events imagined by s.o., esp. scary or horrifying things: She has hallucinations that demons are chasing her.
hallucinogen
hallucinogen
  1. n. a drug that causes hallucinations: The drug LSD is a strong hallucinogen. -adj. hallucinogenic.
hallway
hallway
  1. n. a passageway between rooms: That hallway goes to the president's office.
    THESAURUS
    hallway a hall, corridor.
halo
halo
  1. n. -los or -loes
    1 a circle of light around the head: Angels are often shown with halos around their heads.
    2 a halo effect: when one good action makes a person look better in a general, overall way: The President's visit to the fire victims had a halo effect, because now everyone thinks he is a kinder, better person.
halt
halt
  1. v. [I;T] to stop: The marching soldiers halted when their sergeant shouted, "Halt!"||The car halted at the traffic light. —n.sing.
    1 an end
    2 to bring to a halt: to stop: The cowboy brought his horse to a halt.
    3 to put a halt to: to stop s.t. by using authority: The police put a halt to robberies in the town.
    THESAURUS
    halt v. to come to a stop, come to a standstill | wait. Ants. to start, proceed. —n.
    1 a stop, cessation.
halter
halter
  1. n.
    1 an article of women's clothing worn around the upper body and tied behind the neck, leaving the shoulders and arms bare: In summer, she wears a halter and shorts.
    2 a type of strap put on a horse's head: We put halters on horses' heads to control them.
halting
halting
  1. adj. uncertain,
    THESAURUS
    hesitant: He spoke in a halting way, as if he wasn't sure what to say. -adv. haltingly.
halve
halve
  1. v. [T] halved, halving, halves
    1 to cut in half: He halved the apple with a knife.
    2 to make smaller by half: The boss halved the budget for this year.
    THESAURUS
    halve
    1 to cut s.t. in two, divide equally, split in half | bisect
    2 to reduce by fifty percent.
halves
halves
  1. n.pl. of half
ham
ham
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the meat of a pig, usu. from the thigh: I would like a sandwich of sliced ham with cheese.
    2 [C] s.o. who overacts or draws attention to himself or herself in a funny way: My daughter would make a good comedian; she's such a ham! —v. [T] hammed, hamming, hams to ham it up: to make s.t. funny by overdoing or exaggerating it: You should see him pretend he's the teacher; he really hams it up!
hamlet
hamlet
  1. n. a little village: We drove through hamlets in the German countryside.
hammer
hammer
  1. n. a tool with a handle and metal head used for pounding: Carpenters use a hammer to pound nails. —v.
    1 [I;T] to strike with a hammer: He hammered nails into the plywood.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hammer s.t. home: to say something over and over, in different ways: The speaker hammered home her point by giving us many different facts that showed she was right.||She hammered it home.
    THESAURUS
    hammer n. a mallet, sledgehammer. —v.
    1 to pound s.t., bang, beat.
hammock
hammock
  1. n. a net or strong material that is hung between two poles or trees and used for sleeping: After lunch, she likes to nap in her hammock in the yard.
hamper
hamper
  1. v. [T] to make s.t. hard to do,
    THESAURUS
    to hinder: Rescue work was hampered by heavy rains.
hamster
hamster
  1. n. a small animal in the mouse family that some people keep as a pet: My hamster likes to eat carrots.
hamstring
hamstring
  1. n. a large tendon at the back of the knee —v. [T] -strung , -stringing, -strings
    1 to cut the hamstring tendon and prevent from walking (usu. a horse)
    2 fig. to make s.t. hard to do,
    THESAURUS
    to impede: The student president tried to hamstring the school senate, because she didn't agree with its decision.||The senate was hamstrung by the president's refusal to help.
hand-me-down
hand-me-down
  1. n.adj. a used article, esp. of clothing, given to another person: The youngest boy in a big family usually wears hand-me-downs from his older brothers.||He wears hand-me-down clothes.
hand-to-hand
hand-to-hand
  1. adj. involving close body contact, usu. in battle: Soldiers were fighting in hand-to-hand combat with fists and knives.
hand
hand
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] one of two parts of the human body below the wrist made up of four fingers, a palm, and a thumb: I write with my left hand.
    2 [C] a pointer, as on a dial or clock: On a watch, when the little hand is on 11 and the big hand is on 12, the time is 11 o'clock.
    3 [U] a promise, esp. in marriage or business: She gave her hand in marriage to a wonderful man.
    4 [C] one play in a game of cards: We played a few hands of cards (poker, bridge, etc.), then went home.
    5 [C] the cards that one is dealt in a game of cards
    6 [C] an ordinary worker: The farmer hires field hands to pick corn.
    7 [U] handwriting: She is 90 years old, but still writes in a clear hand.
    8 all hands: all members of a group, esp. a ship's crew: All hands on deck!
    9 at hand: ready to use,
    THESAURUS
    nearby: He keeps a radio close at hand to listen to the news.
    10 at the hands of: done by s.o.: A poor old man died at the hands of a robber, who stabbed him.
    11 by hand: done by hand: He washes his car by hand.
    12 clean hands: free of guilt, blameless: The police chief has clean hands even though some of the police officers are dishonest.
    13 hand in hand or in glove: closely connected: A good education goes hand in hand with getting a good job.
    14 hand over fist: quickly and in large amounts (handfuls): He is making money hand over fist in his new business.
    15 hand over hand: using one hand after the other hand to hold s.t.: She climbed up the rope hand over hand.
    16 Hands up!: to surrender by putting one's hands in the air: Police caught the thief and shouted,"Hands up or we will shoot!"
    17 hand to mouth: when one spends all of one's pay just on necessities with nothing left for fun: She lives hand to mouth; all of her salary goes to pay for food and rent.
    18 off one's hands: to be free of a responsibility or problem: I have too much work to do; could you take some of it off my hands?
    19 on hand: a. taking part in some activity, to be present: Thirty guests were on hand to sing "Happy Birthday" at my birthday party. b. (to have) available,
    THESAURUS
    in stock: The store has plenty of merchandise on hand for the holiday sale.
    20 on the one hand . . . on the other hand: viewed one way, then another way: On the one hand, he is very intelligent, but on the other hand, he does not work very hard.
    21 One hand washes the other: cooperation benefits both parties: The owner is very good to her employees and, as one hand washes the other, they work hard for her.
    22 out of hand: a. immediately, without thinking about s.t.: He said,"No!" out of hand to my offer. b. out of control,
    THESAURUS
    disorderly: The kids were so noisy that order in the classroom got out of hand.
    23 to bite the hand that feeds you: to do wrong to s.o. you depend on for your life's basic necessities: She is hateful to her boss, and she is biting the hand that feeds her.
    24 to give s.o. a hand: a. to help,
    THESAURUS
    to give assistance: Let me give you a hand with your bags. b. applause, clapping: The audience gave the singer a big hand.
    25 to have a hand in: to have a role or part: His wife had a hand in starting his business.
    26 to have in hand: a. to control: Students rioted, but the police now have the situation in hand. b. to own,
    THESAURUS
    to possess: The store has the art pieces in hand and will sell them.
    27 to have one's hands full: to have too much to do, (syns.) to be overburdened, overwhelmed: She has her hands full with three unruly children to take care of.
    28 to keep one's hand in: to stay active in s.t., esp. in a former job or skill: The owner left the company, but still keeps her hand in by visiting once a month.
    29 to throw up one's hands: to give up in frustration: He tried to fix the motor, but threw up his hands and walked away.
    30 upper hand: power over s.o: She has the upper hand with her husband, because she will leave him unless he does what she wants.
    31 with a heavy hand: with hard demands, insensitively: He runs the company with a heavy hand and simply fires anyone who disagrees with him.
    THESAURUS
    hand n.
    1 a fist
    3 a pledge
    4 a round | turn. —v.
    1 [T] to give s.t. to s.o. with your hands, to pass, transfer: I handed the contract to my lawyer.||The thief handed the stolen jewels over to the police.
    2 infrml. [T] to hand it to s.o.: to admire, praise: I have to hand it to him; he's done a wonderful job!
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hand s.t. down: a. (in law) to announce, declare: The judge handed down her decision yesterday.||She handed it down. b. to transfer to one's children or other heirs upon one's death: His parents handed down a big house and land to their son.||They handed it down to him.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hand s.t. in: to submit, present: The student handed in her term paper right on time.||She handed it in.
    5 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hand s.t. on: to give s.t. to s.o. else: When you're finished, please hand on this memo.||Hand it on.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hand s.t. out: to give out,
    THESAURUS
    to distribute: A person handed out free samples of a "new cigarette on a street corner.
    7 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hand s.o. or s.t. over: to turn in, surrender: A criminal handed over his pistol to the police officer.||He handed it over. —suffix related to the hand(s): She is left-handed.
    THESAURUS
    hand v.
    1 to deliver s.t., pass, turn over s.t. to s.o.
hand basket
hand basket
  1. n.
    1 a basket, usu. woven, used to carry small things: We filled a hand basket with soda and sandwiches for a picnic.
    2 to go to hell in a hand basket: to fall apart rapidly: After the owner died, that company went to hell in a hand basket.
handbag
handbag
  1. n.
    1 a woman's purse: She carries her handbag wherever she goes.
    2 a small carrying case
    THESAURUS
    handbag
    1 a pocketbook, shoulder bag, evening bag.
handball
handball
  1. n. [U] a game in which players hit a ball off the wall, using their hands: In handball, you try to hit the ball in a way that makes it hard for your opponent to return it.
handbook
handbook
  1. n. a manual of information: The Boy Scout Handbook is sold in many countries.
handcraft
handcraft
  1. v. to make by hand, not machine: We handcrafted everything in the store, including the candles, the pottery, and the holiday decorations. See: handicraft.
handcuff
handcuff
  1. n.v. [T] a short chain with round rings on each end that open and close around a prisoner's hand; used to hold a prisoner's hands together: A policeman put handcuffs on a criminal. He handcuffed him.
handful
handful
  1. n.
    1 an amount of s.t. held in the hand: I ate a handful of popcorn at the movies.
    2 fig. a difficult person: That child is a handful; he screams all day long!
    3 fig. a small number of s.t.: Only a handful of people attended the concert.
handgun
handgun
  1. n. a pistol: Police officers usually carry handguns.
handhold
handhold
  1. n. a strong hold,
    THESAURUS
    a grip: The climber got a handhold on a rock and pulled herself up.
handicap
handicap
  1. n.
    1 a disability: He lost a leg in an accident and now has a handicap.
    2 (in horse racing, golf) a calculation made to give each player a chance to win: He has a low handicap in golf because he is such a good player. —v. [T] -capped, -capping, -caps
    1 to cause a disability: A bad accident handicapped him for life.
    2 to calculate handicaps in sports: He handicaps the horseraces. -adj. handicapped; -n. handicapper.
    THESAURUS
    handicap n.
    1 a physical or mental impairment, chronic disorder, challenge. —v.
    1 to disable, impair.
handicraft
handicraft
  1. n.
    1 skilled work with the hands: My grandmother does handicrafts.
    2 objects made with skill by hand: Some of the handicrafts that she makes are woven baskets and holiday decorations.
handily
handily
  1. adv. easily,
    THESAURUS
    effortlessly: She won the tennis match handily.
handiwork
handiwork
  1. n. [U]
    1 work done by hand: The boy built a doghouse and asked his father to come see his handiwork.
    2 s.t. done or made by s.o.: Who made such a mess? It must be the cat's handiwork!
handkerchief
handkerchief
  1. n. a square of cloth usu. used for cleaning the nose or mouth: He wiped his nose with a handkerchief.
    THESAURUS
    handkerchief a hankie | tissue.
handknit
handknit
  1. v. [I;T] -knit or -knitted, -knitting, -knits to knit by hand: She handknits sweaters for her children. —adj. referring to s.t. knit by hand: That sweater is handknit. See: knit.
handle
handle
  1. n. a part on an object used to pick it up or open it: I took hold of the knife handle and cut the meat.||I pulled the handle and opened the refrigerator door. —v. [T] -dled, -dling, -dles
    1 to take in one's hands: Workers handle objects in the museum very carefully.
    2 to take care of s.t.: I will handle some business, then go home early today.||She handles all of the billing for the law firm.
    3 infrml. to get a handle on s.t.: to gain control or understanding of s.t.: I have to get a handle on the problem before I can do anything about it.
    THESAURUS
    handle n. a knob, grip, shaft. —v.
    1 to touch, grasp, hold
    2 to deal with, manage.
handler
handler
  1. n. a trainer, esp. of animals: The handler of elephants in the circus is highly skilled.
handmade
handmade
  1. adj. fashioned by hand: Those sweaters are handmade from the best materials.
handout
handout
  1. n.
    1 information given out on paper, usu. informally, such as a flyer or photocopy: The professor gave the class handouts that explained the homework.
    2 s.t. given free,
    THESAURUS
    charity: The beggar on the corner receives handouts of money from people who walk by him.
handpick
handpick
  1. v. [T]
    1 to gather by hand: Raspberries are handpicked.
    2 fig. to choose with great care: The manager handpicked each member of the special research team. -adj. handpicked.
handrail
handrail
  1. n. a railing held on to by people for support: Be sure to hold the handrail when you come down the stairs.
hands-off
hands-off
  1. adj. left alone, not to be touched: The mayor told the police to have a hands-off policy toward beggars; in other words, not to arrest them.
hands-on
hands-on
  1. adj. active in the day-to-day work of a job or activity: He is a hands-on manager; he pays close attention to every part of his business.
handshake
handshake
  1. n. a way people greet or leave each other, or agree on a decision, by grasping each other's hand: The two men greeted each other with a handshake.
handsome
handsome
  1. adj.
    1 good-looking, attractive (usu. of a man): He is a handsome man, tall and slim.
    2 (of things) large: She was paid a handsome price for her jewels. -adv. handsomely.
    THESAURUS
    handsome
    1 fine-looking, elegant | gorgeous. Ant. ugly.
    2 generous, ample, considerable. Ants. skimpy, frugal.

    USAGE NOTE: While many male movie stars are described as handsome, female stars are usually called beautiful or pretty. People who are handsome, beautiful, or pretty may also be called good-looking. The word attractive may be used to describe anyone who looks nice, but not beautiful: I wouldn't say she's pretty, but she's a very attractive person. Cute is often used to describe children or animals, but may also describe an adult whose face has a child-like quality: Is he handsome? Well, not really, but he's cute.
handstand
handstand
  1. n. a movement in which one places one's hands on the ground and feet up in the air: He does a handstand every morning as part of his exercises.
handwoven
handwoven
  1. adj. woven by hand: He sells small, handwoven rugs.
handwriting
handwriting
  1. n. [U] writing produced by hand (rather than by machine): She has very clear handwriting.
handwritten
handwritten
  1. adj. written by hand: She sent a handwritten note of thanks to her boss.
handy
handy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 close at hand, ready for use: He keeps his tools handy in a toolbox.
    2 infrml. good at fixing or making things: My sister is handy; she always fixes broken things in her house.
    3 to come in handy: to be useful: A map sure would come in handy right now; I'm lost!
handyman
handyman
  1. n. -men s.o. who knows how to fix many things: We called the handyman to fix our broken fence.
hang-up
hang-up
  1. n.infrml. s.t. that a person finds very difficult, usu. for emotional reasons: He has a hang-up about flying; he would rather drive hundreds of miles than get into a plane.
hang
hang
  1. v. hung , hanging, hangs
    1 [I;T] to attach s.t. from the top: I hang my clothes in the closet every night.
    2 [I;T] to swing while attached from above: Wires are hanging loose from telephone poles after the storm.
    3 [I;T] to put on a wall or window: A worker hung new wallpaper on the living room wall.||I am hanging new curtains on the windows.
    4 past hanged: to put a rope around the neck to kill s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to execute: The authorities hanged a murderer.
    5 [I;T] to stay in one place,
    THESAURUS
    to float: Smoke hangs in the air in most barrooms.
    6 to hang around: a. to attach,
    THESAURUS
    to drape: A pearl necklace hangs around her neck. b. fig. to spend time doing nothing, (syns.) to loiter, idle: He hangs around the street corner every evening.
    7 to hang back: to be slow to decide or act, (syns.) to hesitate, remain cautious: She does not make decisions quickly, but hangs back before deciding.
    8 to hang in the balance: to be uncertain about an important situation that must be decided,
    THESAURUS
    to be at stake: Can the doctor save the sick woman? Her life hangs in the balance.
    9 infrml. to hang in there: to keep going in a difficult situation,
    THESAURUS
    to persist: My business is very slow, but I'm hanging in there, hoping it will improve.
    10 infrml. to hang loose: to relax in a tense situation: The company will come out of its slow period, so you should hang loose and stop looking for another job.
    11 phrasal v. [I] to hang on: to wait: Hang on a minute while I change my shoes.
    12 phrasal v. [I] to hang on (to): to hold tightly, (syns.) to clutch, grasp: The swimmer hung on to the rope and was pulled to safety.||Hang on! This road is really bumpy!
    13 phrasal v. insep. [T] to hang onto s.o. or s.t.: to (try to) keep: She wants to sell their old car, but her husband wants to hang onto it.
    14 to hang out: infrml. to spend time with others informally: He hangs out at the local bar in the evening.
    15 to hang s.o. or s.t. up: a. to attach s.t. from the top,
    THESAURUS
    to suspend: He hung his coat up on a hook. b. to stop or delay s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to obstruct: The owner will simply not decide on the budget, so he's hung up the entire project.
    16 to hang up: to put down the telephone to end a conversation: He said good-bye and hung up.||She was angry yesterday and hung up on me.
    17 to leave s.o. hanging: to leave s.o. waiting for an answer: She promised to marry him but would not set a date, so she left him hanging. —n. [U]
    1 the way in which s.t., esp. clothes hangs: The hang of that skirt is loose and comfortable.
    2 slang to get the hang of s.t.: to understand, be able to do: It took me a while to get the hang of how to do word processing.
    THESAURUS
    hang v.
    1 to put on a hanger or hook, suspend
    2 to dangle, droop
    3 to put s.t. up.
hang gliding
hang gliding
  1. n. [U] the sport in which a person flies through the air attached to a large set of wings: She loves the thrill of hang gliding. -n. [C] hang glider.
hangar
hangar
  1. n. a large, covered area for airplanes: The planes in the hangar are being repaired.
hanger-on
hanger-on
  1. n. hangers-on s.o. who stays around a group that he or she is not part of: He is one of the hangers-on around the university; he wants people to think he belongs here.
hanger
hanger
  1. n. a device used to suspend clothes from: She keeps her suits on hangers in the closet.
hanging
hanging
  1. adj. suspended, dangling: apples hanging from an apple tree —n. [C;U] a way of killing by suspending a person from the neck with a rope: Hanging was a commonly used method of putting people to death in the 1800s.
hangout
hangout
  1. n. a place where people gather informally to talk, drink, and eat: The café on Main Street has become a hangout for basketball players.
hangover
hangover
  1. n. headache and sickness from drinking too much alcohol: The morning after the party, she woke up with a bad hangover.
hanker
hanker
  1. v.infrml. [T] to desire,
    THESAURUS
    to crave: Europeans in America often hanker for a good cup of coffee. -n. hankering.
hankie
hankie
  1. n.infrml. a handkerchief: She keeps a hankie in her purse.
hanky-panky
hanky-panky
  1. n. [U] dishonest behavior, usu. related to sex or corruption: All sorts of hanky-panky are going on in that company.
haphazard
haphazard
  1. adj. by chance, without planning: He works in such a haphazard way that no one can figure out what he has done. -adv. haphazardly.
hapless
hapless
  1. adj.frml. unlucky,
    THESAURUS
    unfortunate: He drowned in a hapless way, with no one near to help.
happen
happen
  1. v.
    1 [I] to take place: The accident happened this morning.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to happen on or upon s.o. or s.t.: to see or discover s.t. by chance: We happened upon the accident on our way to work.
    THESAURUS
    happen
    1 to occur, come about, transpire frml.
    2 to come upon s.t., stumble upon s.t.
happening
happening
  1. n.
    1 s.t. that happens, an event
    2 an informal or improvised performance or event: The musicians had a happening at a friend's house by playing music together for fun.
happenstance
happenstance
  1. n. [U] a chance occurrence: It was just happenstance that I saw her at the party; I didn't know she would be there.
happiness
happiness
  1. n. [U]
    1 a state of contentment: The U.S. Constitution guarantees people the right to pursue happiness.
    2 delight, joy: Their wedding was a time of true happiness for both of them.
    THESAURUS
    happiness
    1 satisfaction, tranquility
    2 bliss, gladness, merriment. Ant. unhappiness.
happy-go-lucky
happy-go-lucky
  1. adj. carefree, easygoing: He's a happy-go-lucky guy, always relaxed and cheerful.
happy
happy
  1. adj. -pier, -piest
    1 joyful: His birthday party was a happy occasion.
    2 pleased: I am happy to meet you. -adv. happily.
    THESAURUS
    happy
    1 cheerful, joyous, jovial | ecstatic. Ant. unhappy.
    2 delighted, gratified.

    USAGE NOTE: A happy person is positive, light-hearted, and good-humored: I'm really happy in my new job; it's just what I wanted. If you accept things without complaint and don't wish for what you don't have, you are content: Some people look for excitement, but my parents are content to stay at home and read. Glad describes how we feel about s.t. specific: I'm glad I brought my umbrella.||I'm very glad to meet you. The words ecstatic and overjoyed both describe extreme happiness: He was ecstatic when he won the lottery.||They were overjoyed by the birth of their first grandchild.
happy hour
happy hour
  1. n. one or more hours between 4:00 and 7:00 P.M. in which people get together and drink alcoholic beverages at a lower price than usual
harangue
harangue
  1. n.v. [T] -rangued, -ranguing, -rangues a long, loud speech,
    THESAURUS
    a tirade: A candidate for mayor harangued his opponent about governmental injustice.
harass
harass
  1. v. [T] to criticize or attack s.o. again and again,
    THESAURUS
    to badger: She harassed me for days about the mistake I made. -n. [U] harassment.
harbinger
harbinger
  1. n.frml. s.t. that announces the beginning,
    THESAURUS
    a messenger, forerunner: Warm weather is a harbinger of spring.
harbor
harbor
  1. n. a port: Ships sail into the harbor at night. —v. [T]
    1 to hide s.o. in order to protect him or her: She harbored a criminal in her house to hide him from the police.
    2 to harbor a grudge: to hold a bad feeling about s.o.: She harbored a grudge against the authorities for putting him in jail.
    THESAURUS
    harbor n. an anchorage. —v.
    1 to conceal, shelter.
hard-bitten
hard-bitten
  1. adj. tough, determined: She is a hard-bitten fighter against crime.
hard-boiled
hard-boiled
  1. adj.
    1 (said of eggs) cooked solid: We take hard-boiled eggs on picnics.
    2 fig. tough, unsentimental: He is a hard-boiled police officer.
hard-hitting
hard-hitting
  1. adj. very effective, forceful: The journalist wrote a hard-hitting article against government bureaucracy.
hard-line
hard-line
  1. adj. following rules or dogma exactly: She is a hard-line socialist from the old school. -n. hard-liner.
hard-nosed
hard-nosed
  1. adj. tough, resistant to pressure: He is a hard-nosed police captain who allows no joking among his officers.
hard-working
hard-working
  1. adj. diligent, industrious: She is a hard-working employee.
hard
hard
  1. adj.
    1 firm, solid: The surface of stone is hard and cold.
    2 difficult: Poverty is a hard problem to solve.
    3 true, unquestionable: The hard fact of the case is that a murder was committed.
    4 of s.o. who requires people to work a lot but shows them little kindness: The officer is a hard man on his troops.
    5 joyless: She has led a hard life on a small farm.
    6 hard and fast: unbreakable: We have a hard and fast rule that no one may smoke in this office.
    7 hard as nails: an uncompromising, demanding person: That drill sergeant is as hard as nails.
    8 hard luck: bad luck: She had hard luck when she lost her job and then her house burned down.||She told a hard luck story about her situation.
    9 hard of hearing: deaf, a hearing loss: The old man is hard of hearing.
    10 hard times: when a person or an economy is not doing well: Many people are jobless in these hard times.
    11 hard to take: difficult to believe or accept: The news of her death is very hard to take.
    12 hard up: to be without money: He lost everything in a flood and is hard up now.
    13 hard water: water containing minerals
    14 to be hard at it: working: He started fixing the roof this morning and has been hard at it all day.
    15 to be hard on: a. to treat harshly or severely: Don't be too hard on him; he didn't know any better. b. to be especially difficult or unpleasant for: The cold weather was hard on the elderly.
    16 to do things the hard way: to make things more difficult than they need to be: Why are you retyping your paper instead of just correcting your mistakes? Do you always do things the hard way?
    17 to drive a hard bargain: to insist on an agreement that meets one's demands: He always wants lower prices; he drives a hard bargain on everything he buys.
    18 to have hard feelings or no hard feelings: anger, bad feelings,
    THESAURUS
    resentment: If you decide not to buy my product, I will have no hard feelings toward you.
    19 to play hard to get: to refuse to respond to flirting or attention: I have asked her for a date often, but she plays hard to get.
    20 to take a hard line: to follow rules exactly: Congress wanted to increase spending, but the President took a hard line and said, "No."
    21 to take a hard look: to examine closely and critically: The top manager took a hard look at the company's budget to see where she could cut costs. —adv.
    1 with much effort: She works hard every day.
    2 with great force, a large amount: It was snowing hard last night, and now there are 13 inches of snow on the ground.
    3 to be hard put: not to know, to be unable to answer: That question is difficult, and I am hard put to give you an answer.
    THESAURUS
    hard adj.
    1 rigid, inflexible, stiff. Ant. soft.
    2 complicated, tough, daunting, thorny. Ant.
    THESAURUS
    easy.
    3 undeniable, irrefutable
    4 rough, severe
    5 harsh, austere.
hard copy
hard copy
  1. n. copies a printed copy of computerized or spoken material: After I edited the report on my computer screen, I printed a hard copy of it.
hard drive
hard drive
  1. n. (in computers) a disk drive and disk that can store a lot of information
hard hat
hard hat
  1. -n.
    1 in USA, a helmet worn by construction workers to keep them from being hurt
    2 fig. a construction worker _adj. n.fig. having conservative values, esp. patriotism: Hard hats place an American flag atop skyscrapers after they finish building them.
hard rock
hard rock
  1. n. [U] loud, driving rock music: I prefer hard rock to soft rock. See: rock and roll.
hard sell
hard sell
  1. n. high-pressure salesmanship: That car dealership gives everyone the hard sell by making you feel you've made a mistake if you don't buy a car.
hardball
hardball
  1. n. [U]
    1 (in U.S. sports) baseball (versus softball)
    2 to play hardball: to act to destroy an opponent: Our competitor is playing hardball by lowering his prices below ours and advertising widely.
hardcover
hardcover
  1. n.adj. a book bound with a stiff cover: Hardcover books cost more than paperbacks but last longer.||I bought the hardcover.
harden
harden
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to make hard, firm: To fix a broken vase, first use glue, then hold the vase together until the glue hardens.
    2 phrasal v. insep. to harden s.o. to s.t.: to toughen mentally: Difficulties, like having little money, only hardened her desire to succeed. -n. hardener.
    THESAURUS
    harden
    1 to set, solidify. Ant. to soften. hard hat n.
    1 in USA, a helmet worn by con-struction workers to keep them from being hurt
    2 fig. a construction worker —adj.n.fig. having conservative val-ues, esp. patriotism: Hard hats place an American flag atop skyscrapers after they finish building them.
hardheaded
hardheaded
  1. adj. tough-minded,
    THESAURUS
    stubborn: The boss is hardheaded about office policies; she will not change the rules for anyone. -n. hardhead.
hardhearted
hardhearted
  1. adj. without feelings of kindness, (syns.) insensitive, cruel: He is a hardhearted man who won't even help his own parents.
hardly
hardly
  1. adv.
    1 almost no, (syns.) scarcely, barely: We have hardly any money left.
    2 most certainly not: He's so stupid; I hardly think I'll want to talk with him!
hardness
hardness
  1. n.
    1 firmness: The hardness of oak wood makes it a good choice for floors.
    2 harshness, grimness: The hardness of life in the desert is well-known.
hardship
hardship
  1. n. [C;U] difficulty related to one's living conditions: He suffered financial hardship after he lost his job.
hardware
hardware
  1. n. [U]
    1 tools and small building supplies (not wood): She bought some hardware at a store.
    2 machines, esp. computer equipment: That store sells computer hardware, such as PCs, printers, and modems. See: software.
hardwood
hardwood
  1. n. [U] adj. wood, such as oak, maple, or apple, with a hard surface and texture (versus softwoods like pine): We have hardwood oak floors in our house.
hardy
hardy
  1. adj. -dier, -diest strong, able to survive bad weather, illness, etc.,
    THESAURUS
    robust: New Englanders are a hardy people; their winters can be very cold. -n. [U] hardiness.
hare
hare
  1. n. hares or hare an animal that is very similar to a rabbit, but larger: Hares run rapidly through the fields.
harebrained
harebrained
  1. adj. stupid, foolish: He has these harebrained ideas for getting rich that always fail.
harelip
harelip
  1. n. a split upper lip: The child was born with a birth defect, a harelip.
harem
harem
  1. n.
    1 (in Muslim culture) a part of a house reserved for women, where men are not allowed: Traditional Muslim households have harems, where men cannot enter.
    2 (popular) a group of women associated with one man: Romantic stories often involve adventure and harems.
hark
hark
  1. v.frml. [I]
    1 to listen: "Hark, I hear the sound of horses," shouted a castle guard.
    2 phrasal v. insep. to hark back to s.t.: to refer to things which happened in the past: The priest's sermon harked back to biblical days.
harken
harken
  1. var. of hearken
harlequin
harlequin
  1. n. a type of clown: The harlequin is dressed in a costume with black diamond shapes on a white surface.
harlot
harlot
  1. n. a woman who trades sex for money,
    THESAURUS
    prostitute
harm
harm
  1. n. [U] hurt: No harm came to the girl as she crossed a busy highway. —v. [T] to injure, or damage: A speeding car could harm her.
    THESAURUS
    harm n. injury, damage, misfortune | abuse. —v. to hurt, wound | mistreat, abuse.
harmful
harmful
  1. adj. causing hurt or damage: Smoking cigarettes can be harmful to your health. -adv. harmfully.
    THESAURUS
    harmful bad, damaging, hurtful | toxic, poisonous. Ant. harmless.
harmless
harmless
  1. adj. not harmful,
    THESAURUS
    benign: Don't be afraid; that snake is harmless. -adv. harmlessly.
harmonica
harmonica
  1. n. a musical instrument played with the mouth,
    THESAURUS
    a mouth organ: He plays the harmonica in a country band.
harmonious
harmonious
  1. adj.
    1 (in music) having harmony: That music is harmonious and pleasant to listen to.
    2 in agreement, working well together: The departments within the company have a harmonious relationship. -adv. harmoniously.
harmonize
harmonize
  1. v. -nized, -nizing, -nizes
    1 [I] (in music) to play or sing in harmony: Our school's choral group loves to harmonize.
    2 [I;T] to blend together well: She dresses beautifully and harmonizes her colors well.
harmony
harmony
  1. n. -nies
    1 [C;U] (in music) the art and science of relationships among musical sounds: In her course in harmony, she learned how a Beethoven symphony works.
    2 [U] peaceful cooperation,
    THESAURUS
    accord: Harmony among the races exists throughout most of this city.
harness
harness
  1. n. -nesses straps and a collar that horses and other animals wear to pull loads: I put the harness on the horse so he can pull the wagon. —v. [T]
    1 to put a harness on an animal: Napoleon's army harnessed horses to pull cannon and supplies.
    2 to capture the power of s.t.: When we built a dam across the river, we harnessed the river's power to produce electricity.
harp
harp
  1. n. a musical instrument with 46 strings going from top to bottom in a frame and played with the fingers: She plays the harp in a symphony orchestra. —phrasal v. insep. [T] to harp on or about s.t.: to talk about continually, in a way that annoys others: He keeps harping on how much money he has lost. -n. harpist.
harpoon
harpoon
  1. n.v. [T] a type of spear thrown by hand or shot from a cannon to kill fish and whales: A sailor threw a harpoon at a whale.||He harpooned it.
harpsichord
harpsichord
  1. n. a musical instrument like a piano, whose strings are pulled rather than pushed
harrow
harrow
  1. n. a farming tool with spikes used to make the ground smooth after it has been plowed —v. [T] to use a harrow: The farmer harrowed his fields after he plowed them.
harrowing
harrowing
  1. adj. extremely upsetting: We ran into a bad storm at sea, and it was a harrowing experience.
harry
harry
  1. v. [T] -ried, -rying, -ries to upset by constant attacks,
    THESAURUS
    to harass: Fighter planes harried ground troops with continuous attacks. -adj. harried.
harsh
harsh
  1. adj.
    1 causing pain or irritation: The soap is too harsh for my skin.
    2 severe: Winter in the Arctic is harsh.||The punishment was too harsh for such a young child. -adv. harshly; -n. [U] harshness.
harvest
harvest
  1. v. [T] to gather crops: We harvest corn in the early autumn. —n. the gathering of crops: This year's harvest was a very good one; we picked hundreds of oranges. -n. harvester.
    THESAURUS
    harvest v. to pick, collect, reap. —n. a crop, yield, output.
has-been
has-been
  1. n. a person who was, but is not now, successful: He was a top manager in banking, but is a has-been now.
has
has
  1. weak form v. third person singular, present tense of have: He has lots of money.
hash
hash
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 chopped-up potatoes and meat, usu. beef: I enjoy eating some corned beef hash once in a while.
    2 infrml. the drug hashish
    3 to make a hash of: to make a situation complicated and messy: He has made a hash of that project. —v.infrml.fig. -es
    1 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hash s.t. over: to discuss, talk about: We sat down and hashed over what we need to do.|| We hashed it over.
    2 to hash things out: to discuss all sides of a problem until a solution is found: We met for hours and finally hashed things out.
hash browns
hash browns
  1. n.pl. chopped, fried potatoes: He likes fried eggs with hash browns for breakfast.
hashish
hashish
  1. n. [U] a narcotic drug made from marijuana plants: The authorities put her in jail for smoking hashish.
hassle
hassle
  1. n.infrml. an unpleasant task or chore that is harder than it should be: Her car broke down in the country, and getting it fixed was a big hassle. —v. [T] -sled, -sling, -sles to annoy, give s.o. a hard time: An employee of the bank hassled me about correcting an error in my account.
haste
haste
  1. n. [U]
    1 speed,
    THESAURUS
    rapidity: He left in haste to catch a train.
    2 the act of going too fast,
    THESAURUS
    recklessness: He made that decision in haste and now wishes he could change it.
    3 frml. to make haste: to move rapidly: We have to make haste if we are going to catch the train.
hasten
hasten
  1. v. [I] to move or act quickly: His mother said she is ill, so he hastened to her house to help.
hasty
hasty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest too fast, done without thought,
    THESAURUS
    reckless: He made a hasty decision about investing his money and lost thousands of dollars. -adv. hastily.
hat
hat
  1. n.
    1 a head covering: He wears a warm hat in wintertime.
    2 to keep s.t. under one's hat: to keep s.t. secret: Keep this under your hat; don't tell the boss, but I am looking for a new job.
    3 to pass the hat: to collect money: When Sara left the company, we all passed the hat and collected some money for a going-away present.
    4 to take one's hat off: to praise, admire: I take my hat off to her; she has done a wonderful job.
    5 to talk through one's hat: to speak in a stupid way: He doesn't know what he's talking about; he's talking through his hat.
    6 to toss one's hat in the ring: to enter a contest: A local businessman tossed his hat in the ring to run for election.
    THESAURUS
    hat
    1 a cap | headgear, hood.
hatch
hatch
  1. v. -es
    1 [I;T] (birds, chickens) to bring a bird's eggs to life by sitting on them: The hen hatched three eggs this week.
    2 [I;T] to come out of an egg: Four chicks hatched yesterday.
    3 [T] fig. to create,
    THESAURUS
    to conceive (an idea): He hatched a plan to get more business. —n. -es a door that opens by going up, esp. on boats: A sailor opened a hatch and climbed onto the deck.
hatchback
hatchback
  1. n. a small car with a back door that swings up: We bought a hatchback because it is so easy to put things in the back.
hatcheck
hatcheck
  1. n.adj. a room for coats in a restaurant or public hall: I left my hat and coat at the hatcheck and sat down in the restaurant.||The hatcheck girl gave me a ticket for my coat.
hatchet
hatchet
  1. n. a small ax: I use a hatchet to chop wood for the fire.
    THESAURUS
    hatchet a short-handled ax, tomahawk.
hatchway
hatchway
  1. n.
    1 an opening with a hatchdoor: I opened the hatchway and climbed on deck.
    2 a passageway leading to a hatch
hate
hate
  1. v. [T] hated, hating, hates to dislike strongly, to loathe: The two peoples have hated each other since the war began. —n. [U] a feeling of strong dislike,
    THESAURUS
    loathing: Hate between two men can lead to murder.
    THESAURUS
    hate v. to detest, despise, abhor. Ant. to love. —n. hatred, contempt, animosity. Ant. love.
hateful
hateful
  1. adj. causing strong dislike,
    THESAURUS
    odious: She has a hateful attitude toward anyone who disagrees with her. -adv. hatefully.
hatemonger
hatemonger
  1. n. a person who creates and spreads hate: Hate-mongers are often racists, too.
hatred
hatred
  1. n. [U] hate,
    THESAURUS
    loathing: The couple lived with feelings of hatred for many years before getting a divorce.
haughty
haughty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest proud in a snobbish way,
    THESAURUS
    arrogant: That rich, haughty woman thinks she is better than everyone else. -n. [U] haughtiness; -adv. haughtily.
haul
haul
  1. v. [I;T] to carry a load: Trucks haul sand to build a new road. —n. distance: It is a long haul between Chicago and San Francisco.
    THESAURUS
    haul v. to transport s.t., tow | drag, pull. —n. way.
haunches
haunches
  1. n.pl. the buttocks of an animal: The lion sat on its haunches and looked around.
haunt
haunt
  1. v. [T]
    1 to visit in a ghostly form: When a ghost haunts a house, strange things can happen.
    2 to think about continually and be bothered by continually: He is haunted by his son's death. —n. a favorite place, hangout: When she is home from college, she likes to visit her old haunts, such as restaurants and movie houses. -adj. haunted; haunting.
haute cuisine
haute cuisine
  1. n. [U] the very best cooking, esp. French: That restaurant serves only haute cuisine.
have-not
have-not
  1. n.
    1 a person with little or no money
    2 pl. the poor as a social class: The have-nots usually vote for the Democrats.
have
have
  1. weak form/ ; before "to" v. [T] had weak form / , having , has weak form / ; before "to" /
    THESAURUS
    1 (syns.) to own, possess frml.: I (syns.) to be sick with, suffer from s.t.: He has a bad cold. He is sick with (or) suffering from (syns.) to enjoy, meet, as in experiencing life in general: We have fun (syn.) to feel, as an emotion: She has a lot of sadness in her house after her mother's death. She feels a lot of sadness in her house after her mother's death.
    5 (syn.) to arrange for s.t., as in cause to happen: I had my house painted last month. I arranged for (syns.) to order, choose (often food or drink): At the restaurant, I had the chocolate cake for dessert. At the restaurant, I ordered (or) chose the chocolate cake for dessert.
    8 (syns.) to give birth to, deliver (a child): She had a baby boy yesterday. She gave birth to (or) delivered a baby boy yesterday.
    9 had better: must, ought to: We had better get going, or we will be late.
    10 to be had: to be cheated: He bought some gold coins and then learned they were fake—he's been had.
    11 infrml.fig. to have a ball: to have a wonderful time: We had a ball at the party.
    12 to have a feel for: to have a good sense of: The salesperson has a good feel for what customers like.
    13 to have a fit: to be angry or lose control: He had a fit when he heard the bad news.
    14 to have a gift for: to have a natural ability for s.t.: She has a gift for playing the piano.
    15 to have a go at: to try s.t., take a turn: I can't loosen this screw; you have a go at it.
    16 to have a heart: to show pity or sympathy: Have a heart; don't kill that little mouse!
    17 to have a knack for: to have a special ability: He has a knack for fixing things around the house.
    18 to have all one's marbles or buttons: to function well mentally: He may be old, but he still has all his marbles.
    19 to have an eye for: a. to have a special visual ability: The artist has an eye for color. b. to enjoy the good looks of members of the opposite sex, esp. a man for women: He has an eye for the ladies.
    20 to have an eye on: a. to watch, observe: I have an eye on that guy to be sure he doesn't cause trouble. b. to desire: I have my eye on a great pair of shoes at the shoe store.
    21 phrasal v. insep. [T] to have at s.o. or s.t.: to attack physically or verbally: He made a big mistake, and his boss really had at him for it.||When I asked if I could help clean the kitchen, he said, "Have at it!"
    22 to have a way with: to get along well with: She has a way with animals.
    23 to have done with: to finish, esp. s.t. unpleasant: This project has taken too long, so let's have done with it and move on.
    24 to have had it: to have reached one's limit, to be disgusted: I have had it with this old car breaking down all the time!
    25 to have had one's day or have seen better days: to be worse now than before: She used to be a great lawyer, but she's had her day (or she has seen better days).
    26 to have it: to possess talent, ability, etc.: She sings beautifully; she really has it!
    27 to have it coming: to deserve punishment: He is mean to everyone, so when that guy hit him, he had it coming.
    28 to have it in for: to wish to harm s.o.: Ever since I was robbed, I've had it in for the guy who robbed me.
    29 to have it made: to be in a good financial situation: He has it made; he just sold his business for a million dollars and retired.
    30 to have it out with s.o.: to discuss or argue until agreement is reached: He says the job must be done his way, but he's wrong—I am going to have it out with him.
    31 to have it your (his, her, etc.) way or to have your way: to get what one wants: I want to vacation in Spain, but have it your way; we will go to Paris instead.
    32 to have kittens: to become upset, panic: She had kittens when she found out her house was robbed.
    33 to have on: a. to wear: He has on a ski jacket and ski boots. b. to have plans for: What do you have on this evening? I have a party with friends on tonight.
    34 to have one's day in court: to have one's chance to appear before a judge: Even a thief should have his day in court.
    35 to have s.t. going: a. to be close to making a business deal: He has s.t. going now; two people made offers to buy his house. b. to have a love affair: The two of them have s.t. going.
    36 to have s.t. or be on the ball: to be intelligent, hard-working: He's a smart kid and has a lot on the ball.
    37 phrasal v. sep. [T] to have s.t. out (with s.o.): a. to remove s.t., usu. through surgery: He had out his appendix last week.||He had it out. b. to resolve a problem, etc. by discussing it openly, often angrily: She and her roommate had out their disagreement about cleaning.||She had it out.
    38 to have the last laugh: to win at the end of a struggle: Her boss gave her a hard time day after day, but she had the last laugh when she found a better job and left.
    39 to have things well in hand: to have things under control: She is new on the job, but already has things well in hand.
    40 to have to: to be required to: I have to pay the rent on the first of the month.
    41 to have to do with: to be about: That letter has to do with the new rental agreement.
    42 to have to go: to need to urinate: I have to go, or I'll wet my pants.
    43 infrml. to let s.o. have it: to attack s.o. physically or with words: I was so angry with him that I wanted to let him have it. —auxiliary verb
    1 auxiliary verb used with a past participle to show completed action: She has learned an important lesson today.
    2 to have been around: a. to have existed for a long time: That old chair has been around for many years. b. fig. to have experienced a lot in life: He has been around; he was a truck driver, then a carpenter, and now he's a salesman.
haven
haven
  1. n. a place of safety, such as a harbor: A ship sought a haven from the storm.
haves
haves
  1. n.pl. people with money, the wealthy: The new government gives to the haves and forgets the poor.
havoc
havoc
  1. n. [U]
    1 general destruction:
    2 to wreak havoc: to cause destruction: The hurricane wreaked havoc in central Florida.
haw
haw
  1. v. to hem and haw See: hem, v., 4.
hawk-eyed
hawk-eyed
  1. adj. able to see at a great distance: That hunter is hawk-eyed; he can see a deer from a mile away.
hawk
hawk
  1. n.
    1 a large bird that hunts animals and birds: Hawks fly overhead looking for rabbits to catch and eat.
    2 fig. a person in favor of military action: This President is a hawk who believes in using force. —v. [T] to sell, esp. by loud presentation: To make a living, she hawks jewelry in the street, by shouting, "Bargains, check it out!" -n. hawker.
hay
hay
  1. n. [U]
    1 grass cut and dried for animal food: The horses have plenty of hay to eat this winter.
    2 infrml.fig. a small amount of money: He won $10,000 in the Lotto, and that's not hay!
    3 make hay while the sun shines: get as much as possible from a good opportunity: The newspaper just advertised her new products, and she is looking for new customers. She is making hay while the sun shines.
    THESAURUS
    hay
    1 dried grass, straw, fodder.
hay fever
hay fever
  1. n. [U] reaction to some trees and flowers, consisting of sneezing and a runny nose: She has hay fever, and her nose won't stop running.
haystack
haystack
  1. n. a pile of hay: After mowing the hay, the farmer piled it into haystacks.
haywire
haywire
  1. adj.infrml.fig. to go haywire: to go wrong, badly: A power outage caused all our computers to go haywire.
hazard
hazard
  1. n. a danger: A road under construction is full of hazards to drivers. —v. to hazard a guess: to give an opinion that is not based on facts -adj. hazardous.
haze
haze
  1. n. [C;U] a condition in the air similar to light fog, caused by water, dust, or smoke: There is always a blue haze on the Virginia mountains. —v. [T] hazed, hazing, hazes to make fun of, embarrass, or hurt people when they join a club or fraternity: At our school it is illegal to haze freshmen. -n. [C;U] hazing.
hazel
hazel
  1. n. a small tree that produces edible nuts called hazelnuts —adj. light brown or greenish brown in color: She has lovely hazel eyes.
hazy
hazy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 filled with haze: The air in Los Angeles is nearly always hazy with smog.
    2 vague, unclear: His memory is hazy about the details of the accident.
he
he
  1. weak form pron. third-person singular masculine: Do you know Antonio? Yes, he lives near me. See: who, USAGE NOTE.
head-on
head-on
  1. adv. with the front parts meeting or hitting: One car drove head-on into another. —adj. front-to-front: It was a terrible head-on collision.
head-to-head
head-to-head
  1. adj.
    1 knocking heads: The two football players are going at each other head-to-head.
    2 direct,
    THESAURUS
    confrontational: The two politicians are in an intense head-to-head campaign.
head
head
  1. n.
    1 [C] the part of the body that contains the face, ears, hair, skull, and brain: That boy shaved his head.
    2 [C] the place where thinking happens: I can't seem to get this idea out of my head.
    3 [C] ability: She has a good head for numbers.
    4 [C] intelligence: She used her head in solving that difficult problem.
    5 [C] leader, chief: She is the head of the finance committee.||The heads of state met to discuss the peace plan.
    6 [U] the position at the beginning, top, or front: He is standing at the head of the line.||She is at the head of her class.
    7 [U] each person: The entrance fee is $10.00 per head.
    8 [U] foam on beer: German beer produces a thick head.
    9 head and shoulders above: much better than: He is head and shoulders above the other students.
    10 head over heels: a. to fall down: He fell head over heels down the stairs. b. fig. to fall in love: He fell head over heels in love with her.
    11 heads or tails: the side of a coin showing a person's face and head, as opposed to the other side: Which do you choose, heads or tails?
    12 Heads up! Watch out!: Heads up; I'm coming through with boiling hot water!
    13 not to make head or tail of or out of: not to be able to figure out, comprehend: This map is so confusing that I can't make head or tail of where we are.
    14 over one's head: beyond one's abilities: That project is too technical for him; it's over his head.
    15 to come to a head: to reach a critical point, require action: He has not paid his rent, and things have come to a head; his landlord is evicting him.
    16 to give s.o. his or her head: to give s.o. freedom to act: He has acted responsibly, and it is time to give him his head to run the business on his own.
    17 to go to one's head: a. to make s.o. drunk, intoxicated: The beer has gone to his head. b. to cause s.o. to become overly proud or arrogant: His promotion has gone to his head; now he thinks he's better than everyone else.
    18 to have a good head on one's shoulders: to act intelligently: Many smart people do stupid things, but this girl has a good head on her shoulders.
    19 to keep one's head: to stay calm: The doctor keeps her head in an emergency.
    20 fig.infrml. to lose one's head: to act irrationally, recklessly: He lost his head and started a fight. —adj. first or most important: She is sitting at the head table next to the head man. —v.
    1 [T] to lead, be in charge of: My father heads a large corporation.
    2 [I;T] to move in a certain direction: Let's head for home (Canada, port, etc.).||Our ship is headed west.
    3 [T] to move toward a condition or result: That fellow is headed for trouble.||She is a great swimmer and is headed for victory.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to head for s.t.: to go in the direction of: Instead of going to the beach, we headed for the mountains.
    5 phrasal v. sep. to head s.o. or s.t. off: a. [I] to leave: I have to head off now and will see you tomorrow. b. [T] to prevent: He headed off financial trouble by selling his stocks before the crash.||He headed it off.
head count
head count
  1. n. the number of people in a group: The sergeant called the soldiers by name to get a head count of those present.
head start
head start
  1. n.
    1 an advantage over a competitor or an opponent: She gave her younger brother a head start in the race.
    2 Head Start: in USA, a government program for young children: Head Start has helped many inner city children with early education.
head wind
head wind
  1. n. a wind blowing against the direction s.o. or s.t. is moving: The head wind was so strong that our boat had difficulty sailing against it.
headache
headache
  1. n.
    1 a pain in the head: I have a headache and need to lie down.
    2 a difficult problem: Fixing the roof is a real headache.
    THESAURUS
    headache
    1 a splitting headache | migraine
    2 a hassle, nuisance, burden.

    USAGE NOTE: A headache is a common physical complaint. Others are stomachache, sore throat, stuffy nose, and a temperature. (Everyone has a body temperature, but Americans say, "He has a temperature," when they mean, "He has a fever.") None of these ailments is serious in itself, but may suggest another illness: "My son has a stomachache and a temperature, so I'm keeping him home from school today."
headband
headband
  1. n. a piece of cloth wrapped around one's head: That athlete wears a headband to keep sweat out of his eyes.
headfirst
headfirst
  1. adv. with the head leading the body's movement: He dove headfirst into the water.
headgear
headgear
  1. n. [C;U] helmets, hats, and other items worn on the head: Motorcyclists are required to wear headgear to protect themselves.
headhunter
headhunter
  1. n. [C]
    1 a person who hunts other humans and keeps their heads
    2 fig.infrml. a person who tries to find good jobs for well-qualified people,
    THESAURUS
    an executive search firm: The headhunter offered the banker a better job at a different bank. -n. [U] headhunting.
heading
heading
  1. n.
    1 [C] the words used to summarize writing,
    THESAURUS
    title: I can't think of a heading for this page.
    2 [U] a direction: The ship is on a northeast heading.
headland
headland
  1. n. a high, narrow point of land overlooking the sea: From our ship the headland appeared on the horizon.
headlight
headlight
  1. n. a light used for night driving on cars or other vehicles: The headlights of the cars are very bright.
headline
headline
  1. n. the title of a news article, esp. a title printed in large type on the front page: The headline in today's Times says "Peace declared!"
headlock
headlock
  1. n. in wrestling, a hold in which one wrestler's arm is locked around the other's head: He got his opponent in a headlock and threw him to the mat.
headlong
headlong
  1. adv.
    1 headfirst: He fell headlong down the stairs.
    2 without thought: She jumped headlong into the project without stopping to think about its high cost.
headmaster
headmaster
  1. n. the male principal of a private school: The headmaster of our prep school comes from a wealthy family.
headmistress
headmistress
  1. n. the female principal of a private school: Our headmistress spoke at the graduation ceremony.
headphones
headphones
  1. n.pl. two earphones connected over the top of the head with a band,
    THESAURUS
    a headset: Radio personalities wear headphones while they are on the air.
headquarters
headquarters
  1. n.pl. used with a sing. or pl. v.
    1 a military commander's office: The military headquarters is near the airfield.
    2 a central place for an activity: My office is the headquarters for our company's work on that project.
headrest
headrest
  1. n. the part of a chair or seat that the head rests upon: She put her head on the headrest, and the dentist cleaned her teeth.
headroom
headroom
  1. n. [U] (in vehicles) the space between an occupant's head and the inside roof: Some small cars don't have enough headroom for tall people.
heads-up
heads-up
  1. adj.infrml. alert, quick acting (from sports): She made a great catch; what a heads-up ball player.
headset
headset
  1. n. two earphones connected by a band,
    THESAURUS
    headphones: I wore a headset to listen to music.
headstone
headstone
  1. n. a marker for a grave in a cemetery, a gravestone: Carved on his headstone is "Rest in Peace."
headstrong
headstrong
  1. adj. stubborn, willful: The boy is headstrong and won't obey his mother.
headwaiter
headwaiter
  1. n. the waiter in charge in a restaurant's dining room: The headwaiter showed us to a cozy table in the corner. -n. headwaitress.
headwaters
headwaters
  1. n.pl. the place where a river begins: Finding the headwaters of the Nile was a great discovery.
headway
headway
  1. n. [U]
    1 forward movement
    2 to make headway: to progress: We are making headway in building a new factory.
heady
heady
  1. adj. -ier, -iest thrilling, exciting: Winning the championship is a heady experience.
heal
heal
  1. v.
    1 [T] to cure, restore s.o.'s health: A doctor heals patients.
    2 [I] to become healthy, recover: The soldier's wounds gradually healed. -n. healer.
    THESAURUS
    heal
    1 to treat, attend to, mend. Ant. to harm.
    2 to feel better, improve, recuperate.
health
health
  1. n. [U] the condition of a living thing's body and mind: Although she is 84 years old, my mother's health is good. —adj. related to well-being: The drugstore has hundreds of health and beauty products.
    THESAURUS
    health n. well-being | fitness, soundness of mind and body. Ant. infirmity.
health care
health care
  1. n. [U] medical care: Health care in the USA is very expensive. See: health maintenance organization.
health club
health club
  1. n. a place where people pay to exercise: I belong to a health club that has weight machines and two locker rooms.
healthful
healthful
  1. adj. good for the health, wholesome: Walking and swimming are healthful activities. -adv. healthfully.
healthy
healthy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest in good health: His wife had a healthy baby boy.
    THESAURUS
    healthy strong, sound, fit | in good shape. Ant. unhealthy.
heap
heap
  1. n. a pile of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    a mound: The garbage dump contains heaps of trash. —v. [T] to pile up: The party guests heaped gifts on the table.
hear
hear
  1. v. heard , hearing, hears
    1 [I;T] to receive sound with the ears: I hear the sound of traffic on the street.
    2 infrml. [I;T] to understand s.o.'s meaning: I hear what you are saying, but I disagree.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to hear about s.o. or s.t.: to learn about, become acquainted with: He was surprised when he heard about my promotion.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to hear from s.o.: to have news from s.o.: She heard from her parents this morning.
    5 phrasal v. insep. [T] to hear of s.o. or s.t.: to know about s.o. or s.t.: I've never heard of Grand Island before.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hear s.o. out: to listen to what s.o. says from beginning to end: She was very angry, but she agreed to hear out our side of things.||She heard us out. See: listen, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    hear
    1 to listen to, perceive, detect
    2 to comprehend, know.
hearing-impaired
hearing-impaired
  1. adj.n.
    1 having a reduced sense of hearing, but not deaf: Jonah has a very hard time understanding me when I speak; he's <adj.> hearing-impaired.
    2 unable to hear,
    THESAURUS
    deaf: My mother works as a sign-language interpreter for the hearing-impaired.
hearing
hearing
  1. n.
    1 [U] the sense of receiving sound through the ears: His hearing is not good; he's becoming deaf.
    2 [C] a discussion of a subject, usu. in a formal, public setting: a hearing on proposed tax increases
    3 [C] a legal session: The lawyers asked the witness questions during the hearing.
hearing aid
hearing aid
  1. n. a very small device placed in or near the ear to make sound louder: Since she wears a hearing aid, my grandmother can hear the phone ring in another room.
hearsay
hearsay
  1. n. [U] information heard from s.o. else: My neighbor said he heard that the burglar drove a blue car, but that is just hearsay.
hearse
hearse
  1. n. the funeral car carrying a dead person: The black hearse entered the cemetery.
heart-rending
heart-rending
  1. adj. causing distress, sadness: The death of their child is a heart-rending tragedy.
heart-to-heart
heart-to-heart
  1. adj.n. telling one's true feelings, honest: My boss and I had a heart-to-heart talk, and I told him that I'm leaving the company for a better-paying job.
heart
heart
  1. n.
    1 [C] the organ in the chest that pumps blood through the body: He has a weak heart and must not exercise too hard.
    2 [C;U] kindness, goodness: She has a kind heart; she helps the poor.
    3 [U] courage: You must have the heart to overcome difficult situations.
    4 [C;U] the important or central issue: Let's avoid the minor topics and get to the heart of the matter.
    5 pl. a card game
    6 [C] one of the four suits of playing cards: I had three clubs and two spades but no diamonds or hearts.
    7 [C] one's deepest feelings: He knew in his heart that he was wrong.
    8 a light or heavy heart: happy or sad: When she heard the good news, she left with a light heart.||He has a heavy heart after learning of his friend's death.
    9 by heart: by memory: She learned the names of all 50 states by heart.
    10 from the heart: from one's deepest emotions: She spoke from the heart, but her argument was still logical.
    11 heart and soul: with total belief, dedication: She believes heart and soul in her artistic career.
    12 heart of gold: great human warmth, generosity: He gives money to poor people; he has a heart of gold.
    13 in one's heart of hearts: from one's deepest beliefs and desires: In her heart of hearts, she does not love him enough to marry him.
    14 one's heart goes out to s.o.: to sympathize deeply with s.o.: I am so sorry your husband died; my heart goes out to you.
    15 to have a heart: have compassion, be kind: Try to have a heart and forgive the impolite child.
    16 to have one's heart in the right place: to be well-intentioned, decent: He has rough manners, but his heart is in the right place.
    17 to lose heart: to become discouraged: His job became so boring that he lost heart and stopped trying.
    18 to one's heart's content: as much as one likes: He is retired now and plays golf to his heart's content.
    19 with all one's heart: totally, in all sincerity: With all my heart, I hope you believe me.
heart attack
heart attack
  1. n. a heart seizure,
    THESAURUS
    infarction: He had a mild heart attack but won't need an operation.
heartache
heartache
  1. n. [U] sorrow, grief: They felt such heartache when their daughter ran away.
heartbreak
heartbreak
  1. n. [U] a great disappointment or sorrow: Their child's death is a heartbreak for them.
heartbroken
heartbroken
  1. adj. emotionally hurt, (syns.) devastated, brokenhearted: The couple was heartbroken over their dog's death.
heartburn
heartburn
  1. n. [U] pain in the chest caused by acid in the stomach,
    THESAURUS
    indigestion: Every time he eats spicy food, he later has heartburn.
hearten
hearten
  1. v. [T] to encourage, to make optimistic: He was heartened by the good test results.
heartfelt
heartfelt
  1. adj. very sincere, true: She made a heartfelt apology for her mistake.
hearth
hearth
  1. n.
    1 a fireplace, esp. used for cooking: The hearth glowed red from the wood fire.
    2 symbol for the pleasures of daily life: Away at sea for months, the sailor missed hearth and home.
heartily
heartily
  1. adv. strongly,
    THESAURUS
    earnestly: I heartily agree with what you say.
heartland
heartland
  1. n. the part of a country that represents its basic values, typical image, and usu. food production: The USA's midwest is the heartland of the country.
heartless
heartless
  1. adj. unfeeling, cruel: He is heartless in that he will not talk to his own parents.
heartsick
heartsick
  1. adj. very saddened, feeling great pain: She was heartsick over the death of her husband.
heartthrob
heartthrob
  1. n.fig. s.o. one loves romantically,
    THESAURUS
    an idol: Elvis Presley was the heartthrob of millions of people.
heartwarming
heartwarming
  1. adj. causing good feelings,
    THESAURUS
    gratifying: The whole family was together for Thanksgiving dinner, and the gathering was heartwarming.
hearty
hearty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 large, plentiful: We ate a hearty breakfast before starting the trip.
    2 with feeling, warm: Our friends gave us a hearty welcome when we arrived.
heat
heat
  1. n. [U]
    1 high temperature: The heat from the fire is intense.
    2 intense, busy activity: In the heat of battle, soldiers fight for their lives.
    3 (of female animals) ovulation: The dog is in heat; she is ready to become pregnant.
    4 slang the authorities, esp. the police: The heat is on; the cops are after us.
    5 a stage of an athletic competition to reduce the number of people in the next round: He didn't do well in this heat, so he won't go on in the bicycle race.
    6 dead heat: a tie, a race with no single winner
    7 If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen: If you cannot deal with problems (pressure, criticism, etc.), then do not become involved.
    8 to give or throw off heat: to send out heat: The fireplace gives off lots of heat.||That engine throws off a lot of heat.
    9 infrml. to give s.o. heat: to criticize, pressure, or threaten: My boss is giving me heat about high expenses.
    10 to take or stand the heat: a. to be comfortable in high temperatures in the weather: It is so hot outside that I can't take the heat. b. infrml.fig. to get criticism (disapproval, threats, etc.): I am taking the heat from the company president over a mistake one of my workers made. —v.
    1 [I;T] to warm, raise the temperature: We heat our house with an oil burner.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to heat s.t. up: a. [T] to warm up, reheat: I'll heat up some coffee for you.||I'll heat it up. b. [I] to increase in temperature: It was cool outside this morning, but now it is heating up.
    THESAURUS
    heat
    1 hotness, warmth
    2 excitement, fervor, passion.
heat wave
heat wave
  1. n. a period of unusually hot weather: Last August we had a heat wave of ten days when temperatures were above 90°.
heated
heated
  1. adj.
    1 warmed: That empty house is not heated in the winter.
    2 intense: Two men are having a heated argument. -adv. heatedly.
heater
heater
  1. n. a machine that produces warmth: In winter, we use electric space heaters under our desks.
heath
heath
  1. n. open fields with small plants: Hikers love to walk on the heaths of Scotland.
heathen
heathen
  1. n. -thens or -then a person not believing in one's religion,
    THESAURUS
    a pagan: The missionaries thought that the natives were heathens because they did not believe in Christianity. —adj. pagan: The missionaries criticized the heathen religious ceremonies.
heather
heather
  1. n. [U] a wild, short plant with pink flowers: When the heather is in bloom in Ireland, it's a beautiful sight.
heave-ho
heave-ho
  1. n.infrml. dismissal, ejection: The nightclub bouncer gave a drunk customer the heave-ho.
heave
heave
  1. v. heaved, heaving, heaves
    1 [T] to lift or throw with great effort: Two strong men heaved a big rock onto a truck.
    2 slang [I] to vomit,
    THESAURUS
    to retch: He was sick and went to the bathroom and heaved.
    3 phrasal v. [I] to heave to: (of ships) to stop moving: Yachts heave to at the harbor entrance. —n.
    1 a lift, a hurl: They gave the rock a heave over the cliff.
    2 slang the act of retching
heaven
heaven
  1. n.
    1 [U] (in some religions) the place of God, angels, and the souls of dead people who have been given eternal life: The woman died and went to heaven.
    2 [U] s.t. wonderful: Our vacation in the mountains was heaven.
    3 pl. the sky above the earth: Astronomers watch the heavens for new stars.
    4 Good Heavens! or Heavens to Betsy!: expression of surprise: Good heavens! Those children make a lot of noise!
    5 Thank heaven: Thank God or good fortune: Thank heaven you haven't left yet.
heavenly
heavenly
  1. adj.
    1 related to God's home
    2 wonderful: The weather during our vacation was heavenly.
heavily
heavily
  1. adv. very seriously, in a large amount: His business is heavily in debt.||She drank heavily, but has stopped.||This part of the city is heavily populated during the day.
heavy-duty
heavy-duty
  1. adj.
    1 strong, durable: He has heavy-duty tires on his truck.
    2 slang serious, impressive: The lawyers working on the case are heavy-duty.
heavy-handed
heavy-handed
  1. adj. unkind, insensitive,
    THESAURUS
    overbearing: She gave orders to people in a heavy-handed manner.
heavy
heavy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 having a lot of weight: The rock is very heavy.
    2 fat, overweight: He eats too much and has become heavy.
    3 infrml. dealing with a serious topic: We had a heavy discussion about our relationship.
    4 of a large amount: He's a heavy smoker and drinker.||There is always heavy traffic in the morning in my town. -n. [U] heaviness.
heavy metal
heavy metal
  1. n. [U] adj. loud rock music: The words to most heavy metal rock groups are hard to understand. See: rock and roll.
heavyweight
heavyweight
  1. n.adj.
    1 (in boxing) the heaviest of the classes of weight, at 175 pounds (80 kilos) or more: Joe Louis was a great heavyweight, and he was heavyweight champion of the world.
    2 fig. a person with a lot of knowledge and power: He is a heavyweight in the banking business.
heck
heck
  1. exclam. mild expression of dismay: Ah, heck, I forgot my keys!
heckle
heckle
  1. v. [T] -led, -ling, -les to interrupt a public speech by s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to jeer at: Two protesters heckled the speaker at a political demonstration. -n. heckler.
hectic
hectic
  1. adj. rushed, fast-paced,
    THESAURUS
    frenzied: I had a very hectic week; I worked late every night, and my child was sick.
hector
hector
  1. v.frml. [I;T] to harass, bully,
    THESAURUS
    to badger: The mayor was hectored by her critics.
hedge
hedge
  1. n.
    1 a row of bushes, shrubs: The hedge in front of the house keeps out the sun.
    2 a protection or defense: Buying real estate is a hedge against bad times. —v. hedged, hedging, hedges
    1 [I] to withhold information, evade,
    THESAURUS
    to equivocate: He hedged when asked his opinion about who should be elected President.
    2 [T] (in business) to invest money in various ways to avoid the financial risk of only one investment
    3 to hedge one's bets: (in stock market, gambling, etc.) to take action to prevent a loss: He hedged his bets by taking two jobs in case one didn't work out well.
hedgehog
hedgehog
  1. n. a small insect-eating animal covered with sharp hairs: Hedgehogs make tunnels near fields.
hedonism
hedonism
  1. n. [U] the placing of great importance on seeking pleasure,
    THESAURUS
    self-indulgence: Hedonism is a way of life for many people. -n. [C] hedonist; -adj. hedonistic.
heed
heed
  1. v. [T] to follow the advice of s.o., obey: I heeded my doctor's advice and stopped smoking. —n. to pay heed: to give attention: I paid heed to his advice.
heedless
heedless
  1. adj. not paying attention, reckless
heel
heel
  1. n.
    1 the rounded back part of the foot: My heels hurt from walking so far.
    2 the bottom back part of a shoe or boot: The heels on my shoes are worn down.
    3 s.t. similar to the heel of the foot: I pushed the door with the heel of my hand.
    4 infrml.fig. a bad man,
    THESAURUS
    a scoundrel: He's a heel who can't be trusted with anything.
    5 (close) on the heels of: quickly, right after: The police followed close on the heels of the criminal.
    6 down at the heels: to look shabby, have hard luck: Since he lost his job, he looks down at the heels.
    7 to cool one's heels: to wait for a long time: I had to cool my heels in the doctor's office while she took care of an emergency patient.
    8 to fall head over heels in love: to fall suddenly and deeply in love: He met her just once and fell head over heels in love.
    9 to kick up one's heels: to dance, have fun: She went to a party and kicked up her heels. —v.
    1 [T] to put a new heel on a shoe or boot: I had my shoes heeled.
    2 well-heeled: to be well dressed, wealthy
heft
heft
  1. n. weight, bulk: Those sacks have a lot of heft. —v. [T]
    1 to check the weight of by lifting: He hefted a sack of wheat to see how heavy it was.
    2 to lift: He hefted it onto the truck. -adj. hefty.
hegemony
hegemony
  1. n. [U] rule, area of influence: Former colonies lived under the hegemony of Great Britain for more than a century.
heifer
heifer
  1. n. a young female cow that has not had a calf
height
height
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] vertical measurement: The building has a height of six stories (of 60', approx. 19 meters, etc.).||The space capsule flies at a height of 200 miles (320 km) above the earth.
    2 [C] the top, the apex: She is at the height of her career in law.
    3 sing. the ultimate, extreme: That action is the height of stupidity.
    4 heights: (in geography) high points, such as cliffs or hills: The heights above the city provide a beautiful view.
    THESAURUS
    height
    1 elevation | altitude
    2 the peak, pinnacle, zenith
    3 the epitome, definition.
heighten
heighten
  1. v. [I;T] to intensify, increase: The storyteller heightened the suspense in the mystery story.||Workers heightened the building by adding two stories on top of it.
    THESAURUS
    heighten to boost, add to, raise.
heinous
heinous
  1. adj. bad, wicked, monstrous: A madman committed a heinous crime when he killed four people in a restaurant.
heir
heir
  1. n. the person legally in line to receive property (or title of nobility) when s.o. dies: John D. Rockefeller's sons were heirs to a great fortune.||Prince William is heir to the British throne.
heir apparent
heir apparent
  1. n. heirs apparent
    1 the child first in line to become king or queen: The Prince of Wales is the heir apparent to the British throne.
    2 a person in business most likely to replace the president or CEO: The company owner's son-in-law is his heir apparent.
heiress
heiress
  1. n. a female heir
heirloom
heirloom
  1. n. an object of real or sentimental value passed from one generation to another: The silver tea set is a family heirloom.
heist
heist
  1. n.slang a robbery or holdup —v. [T] to steal at gunpoint, hold up: Thieves heisted the jewels from the shop.
held
held
  1. past tense & part. of hold
    THESAURUS
    held clutched, grasped | believed.
helicopter
helicopter
  1. n. an aircraft with one or two motorized blades on its top: A police helicopter rescued passengers on a sinking boat.
heliport
heliport
  1. n. a landing place or airport for helicopters
helium
helium
  1. n. [U] a gaseous element lighter than air: We filled balloons with helium and watched them fly into the sky.
helix
helix
  1. n. helices or helixes a three-dimensional object in the shape of a spiral: DNA is called "the double helix" because of its shape.
hell-bent
hell-bent
  1. adj.infrml.fig. totally determined to do s.t., obsessed: He is hell-bent on joining the Marine Corps.
hell
hell
  1. n. [U]
    1 (in religion) the place where the souls of bad people are sent to after death
    2 infrml.fig. a place of suffering or misery: It was hell working for my old boss because he often lost his temper and shouted at workers.
    3 expression of anger and disgust: Oh, hell! I lost my watch!
    4 infrml. Come hell or high water: No matter what happens: Come hell or high water, he is going to climb Mt. Everest!
    5 for the hell of it: for no reason, for fun: I didn't need anything; I just went shopping for the hell of it.
    6 infrml. Go to hell!: Leave me alone! Go away!
    7 infrml. hell-on-wheels: unstoppable, awesome: He is a terrific football player; he's hell-on-wheels.
    8 infrml. like a bat out of hell: very quickly: When the fire started, he ran like a bat out of hell.
    9 infrml. like hell: a. very quickly: When the shooting started, I ran like hell. b. absolutely not: Like hell I'm going to pay you!
    10 infrml. snowball's chance in hell: no chance of success: She doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of passing that math exam she didn't study for.
    11 infrml. to catch or get hell: to be punished, reprimanded: If you come home late, you will catch hell from your mother.
    12 infrml. to give s.o. hell: a. to criticize severely,
    THESAURUS
    to scold: My father gave me hell for crashing his car. b. to beat an opponent: A soccer player shouted to his teammates, "Let's give'em hell!"
    13 to go through hell: to survive a difficult experience: She had cancer and went through hell from the radiation and chemotherapy.
    14 infrml. to go to hell and back: to push oneself to the limit: He went to hell and back to prove his innocence.
    15 to have a hell of a time: a. to have much difficulty: He had a hell of a time finding this place; it's so far away. b. to have fun
    16 infrml. to have hell to pay: to be punished: You will have hell to pay if you are caught cheating on your taxes.
    17 infrml. to raise hell: a. to criticize severely,
    THESAURUS
    to upbraid: The boss raised hell with the staff for working too slowly. b. to make noise, cause a commotion: On Saturday night, beer drinkers raise hell in the barroom.
    18 exclam.infrml. What the hell: of surprise, disgust, anger: What the hell are you doing here?
    19 infrml. when or until hell freezes over: never, forever: He can wait until hell freezes over before I forgive him.
hellfire
hellfire
  1. n. [U]
    1 the fires of hell
    2 fig. strong punishment for sin: The minister warned the congregation about damnation and hellfire if they behaved badly.
hellhole
hellhole
  1. n. a place of corruption, decay, and danger: Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction, poverty, and murder.
hellish
hellish
  1. adj. similar to hell, terrible,
    THESAURUS
    dreadful: Traffic leaving the city on a holiday weekend is hellish.
hello
hello
  1. exclam. a greeting: Hello, how are you today?
helluva
helluva
  1. adj.slang intensifier used in positive or negative sense: He is a helluva nice guy.||We had a helluva time getting through traffic.
helm
helm
  1. n.
    1 the steering mechanism of a ship,
    THESAURUS
    the tiller
    2 at the helm: in control: Who's at the helm in this office?
helmet
helmet
  1. n. a protective head covering: Bicyclists wear helmets to protect their heads.
helmsman
helmsman
  1. n. -men the person at a ship's helm: The helmsman steered the ship into the wind.
help
help
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to aid, assist, support: My neighbor helped me fix my roof.
    2 [I;T] to improve, make better: What will help my upset stomach?
    3 [I;T] to prevent, refrain from: He is depressed and cannot help crying.
    4 cannot help but: to do s.t. unavoidable: When I think of all my mother has done for me, I cannot help but say I love her.
    5 It can't be helped: It's unavoidable: I don't want to leave early, but it can't be helped.
    6 not to be able help oneself: unable to change or stop doing s.t.: I know I shouldn't eat so much chocolate, but I can't help myself.
    7 phrasal v. insep. [T] to help oneself to s.t.: to serve oneself: She helped herself to food in the refrigerator.
    8 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to help s.o. out: to aid, support: My father helped out our neighbors by mowing their lawn.||He helped them out. —n.
    1 [C;U] aid, support: I gave my friend help with his homework.
    2 [U] rescue: Help was sent to the hurricane victims.
    3 [U] employees, esp. servants: The boss doesn't pay the help very well.
help desk
help desk
  1. n. [C] (in computers) a web site or telephone site with answers to questions about software or equipment: Some big companies have help desks with technical support people to help solve your computer problems.
helper
helper
  1. n. an assistant: The plumber's helper passes him tools and gets new parts.
helpful
helpful
  1. adj. aiding, useful: The lawyer gave me some helpful advice. -adv. helpfully.
    THESAURUS
    helpful valuable, worthwhile, constructive.
helping
helping
  1. n. a portion, serving: The cook gave me a helping of mashed potatoes. —adj. to give s.o. a helping hand: to be supportive: She gave the old lady a helping hand off the bus.
helpless
helpless
  1. adj. unable to do s.t., defenseless: The accident victim fell helpless on the street.||He's helpless at changing a tire. -adv. helplessly.
helter-skelter
helter-skelter
  1. adj. confused, rushed: She does things in a helter-skelter way; she should try to be better organized.
hem
hem
  1. n.
    1 the lower edge of a piece of cloth, turned up and sewn: The hem on her skirt needs sewing.
    2 a short cough —v. hemmed, hemming, hems
    1 [T] to sew a hem: She hemmed her skirt.
    2 [T] to surround, enclose: The soldiers were hemmed in on all sides.
    3 [I] to cough or clear one's throat
    4 to hem and haw: to go back and forth in one's ideas about s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to hesitate: He hemmed and hawed about which suit to buy.
hematology
hematology
  1. n. [U] the medical science and study of blood -n. [C] hematologist.
hemisphere
hemisphere
  1. n.
    1 half of a sphere or a ball
    2 half of the earth: The earth is divided by the equator into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
hemline
hemline
  1. n. the bottom edge of a skirt or dress: Hemlines go up and down depending on the fashion.
hemlock
hemlock
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a type of evergreen tree
    2 [U] the poison made from the hemlock tree: People drank hemlock to commit suicide in ancient times.
hemoglobin
hemoglobin
  1. n. [U] the component of blood that carries oxygen
hemophilia
hemophilia
  1. n. [U] a disease, usu. of males, in which the blood does not stop flowing after a cut: People who have hemophilia can bleed to death. -adj. hemophilic.
hemophiliac
hemophiliac
  1. n. a person with hemophilia
hemorrhage
hemorrhage
  1. n. [C;U] a large flow of blood that cannot be stopped: Because of the car accident, he had a hemorrhage. —v. [I] -rhaged, -rhaging, -rhages to bleed uncontrollably: He hemorrhaged to death.
hemorrhoid
hemorrhoid
  1. n. swollen blood vessels in the rectal area: Her hemorrhoids make sitting uncomfortable.
hemp
hemp
  1. n. [U] a tall, annual herb grown for the manufacture of rope, cloth (canvas), and as a source of marijuana: The heavy ropes used in ships are made from hemp.
hen
hen
  1. n. a female fowl (chicken, pheasant, etc.): Hens lay the eggs we eat for breakfast.
hence
hence
  1. adv.frml.
    1 therefore, for this reason: It is raining outside; hence, I will wear my raincoat.
    2 from now, from this time: Two weeks hence we are meeting at the club.
henceforth
henceforth
  1. adv.frml. from now on: Henceforth, all students must have ID cards.
henchman
henchman
  1. n. -men a helper, supporter of an evil person: The gangster and his henchmen collected money from shopowners every month.
henna
henna
  1. n. [U] a reddish-brown dye made from the leaves of a small Asian tree or shrub: Henna is used as a hair dye and conditioner.
hepatitis
hepatitis
  1. n. [U] liver disease, usu. caused by a virus
her
her
  1. weak form / pron.
    1 the objective form of she: I saw her leave the room.
    2 the possessive form of she: She took her purse when she left.
herald
herald
  1. n. a messenger, announcer,
    THESAURUS
    a proclaimer: Shorter days are the herald of wintertime.
heraldry
heraldry
  1. n. [U] the study of coats of arms and family history: Heraldry is still studied in Europe.
herb
herb
  1. n.
    1 a soft-stem plant used as seasoning or medicine: People use herbs to season food and to heal.
    2 slang marijuana
    THESAURUS
    herb
    1 a flavoring, seasoning, spice | natural remedy.
herbal
herbal
  1. adj. related to herbs: She loves to drink herbal teas, such as peppermint and cinnamon.
herbalist
herbalist
  1. n. a person who grows and sells herbs for health
herbicide
herbicide
  1. n. a weed killer: We put an herbicide on our lawn to kill the weeds.
herbivore
herbivore
  1. n. an animal that eats only plants: Cows and horses are herbivores. -adj. herbivorous.
herd
herd
  1. n.
    1 a group of animals of one kind: Herds of horses run wild in the American West.
    2 pej. a crowd of people who think the same: She follows the herd and never thinks for herself.
    THESAURUS
    herd
    1 a pack, brood, drove
    2 a group, pack, mob.
herdsman
herdsman
  1. -men or herder n. an owner or keeper of a herd of animals, esp. cattle, sheep, or goats: Herdsmen guard their sheep.
here
here
  1. adv.
    1 at or in this place: We have lived here (in this house) for ten years.
    2 used to present or show s.t.: Here are the keys to my car.
    3 here and there: in different places
    4 Here's to: offering a toast for someone: Here's to a long and happy life together.
    5 neither here nor there: not relevant or important: Who broke the window is neither here nor there; we must fix it.
    6 the here and now: the immediate, this time and place: We have to deal with the problems of the here and now before we think about future problems.
hereabouts
hereabouts
  1. adv. in this area: That company has had various offices hereabouts for years.
hereafter
hereafter
  1. adv. in the future, at a later date: I will excuse your mistake this time, but hereafter be more careful. —n. in the hereafter: after death: In the hereafter, she hopes to go to heaven.
hereby
hereby
  1. adv.frml. by this means, in this manner: In the marriage ceremony, the minister said, "I hereby pronounce you husband and wife."
hereditary
hereditary
  1. adj.
    1 (in biology) related to the passing of physical characteristics through genes: Some disorders, such as hemophilia, are hereditary.
    2 related to the inheritance of property and rights: The oldest son of a nobleman has a hereditary right to his title.
heredity
heredity
  1. n. [U] the passing of genes and their characteristics from parents to children: People argue about whether heredity or the environment has more influence on a person's behavior.
herein
herein
  1. adv. in this: The national debt is too large, and herein lies our worst problem.
heresy
heresy
  1. n. [C;U] -sies a belief that goes against accepted practice, esp. religious belief: Her belief that taxes should be higher was heresy.
heretic
heretic
  1. n. a person who commits heresy: Heretics were burned at the stake long ago.
heretical
heretical
  1. adj. characterized by heresy, unorthodox: The minister's beliefs were heretical against the state religion.
heretofore
heretofore
  1. adv.frml. before now: Heretofore, we sent out bills on the first of each month; now we bill continually.
herewith
herewith
  1. adv.frml. with this
heritage
heritage
  1. n. [U]
    1 beliefs, traditions, history, etc. passed from one generation to the next: This country has a heritage of freedom and independence.
    2 inheritance: That family has a heritage of wealth and power.
    THESAURUS
    heritage
    1 a legacy, birthright, culture
    2 legacy.
hermaphrodite
hermaphrodite
  1. n. a plant, animal, or person with both male and female reproductive organs: Most flowering plants are hermaphrodites. -adj. hermaphroditic.
hermetic
hermetic
  1. adj. sealed so that air cannot enter, airtight: Canned foods have a hermetic seal.
hermit
hermit
  1. n. a person who avoids society,
    THESAURUS
    a recluse: The hermit lives in the woods in a log cabin.
hernia
hernia
  1. n. [C;U] an opening in the muscles of the abdomen: He had a hernia operated on and is now well.
hero sandwich
hero sandwich
  1. n. -es a large bread roll with cold meats, cheese, and other ingredients: For lunch today, I ate a hero sandwich with Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, turkey, salami, pastrami, and bologna! See: grinder.
heroin
heroin
  1. n. a strong, addictive, narcotic drug that is illegal in the USA
heroine
heroine
  1. n.
    1 a woman who performs great actions: Amelia Earhart was a courageous pilot and heroine to many.
    2 the main female character in a novel, film, play, etc.: In the movie Gone With The Wind, the actress Vivien Leigh plays the heroine.
heroism
heroism
  1. n. [U] an act of courage or great skill: The daily heroism of firefighters is remarkable.
heron
heron
  1. n. a wading bird with a long neck, legs, and beak: White herons in the pond are graceful.
herpes
herpes
  1. n. [U] any of several infections of the skin that are sometimes transmitted sexually from one person to another
herring
herring
  1. n. -rings or -ring any of a variety of small fishes such as sardines and anchovies: I enjoy eating pickled herring once in a while. See: red herring.
hers
hers
  1. possessive pron. of she belonging to her: The coat in the closet is hers.||Hers was the best test result.
herself
herself
  1. weak form/ feminine pron. of she
    1 as a reflextive: She does all the work herself.
    2 for emphasis: I spoke with the actress herself.
    3 one's usual manner of being: She doesn't feel herself today.
hertz
hertz
  1. n. hertz unit of frequency of one cycle per second: This computer has a processing speed of 33 megahertz.
hesitancy
hesitancy
  1. n. [U] reluctance, delay because of doubt or fear: His hesitancy about buying the house is based on his poor job opportunities.
hesitant
hesitant
  1. adj.
    1 unsure, reluctant: She is hesitant about marrying him.
    2 indecisive,
    THESAURUS
    diffident: He has a hesitant manner in his speech.
hesitate
hesitate
  1. v. [I] -tated, -tating, -tates
    1 to pause, delay: He hesitated before crossing the street.
    2 to pause out of politeness, doubt, or fear: She hesitated to criticize the child who was trying so hard.
    3 he or she who hesitates is lost: a person who doesn't take an opportunity as it comes up will miss out
    THESAURUS
    hesitate
    1 to wait, stall, think twice
    2 to balk from, demur from.
hesitation
hesitation
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a pause, delay: Each hesitation in his speech bored the audience even more.
    2 [U] doubt, fearfulness: Her hesitation about signing the contract was based on financial concerns.
heterogeneous
heterogeneous
  1. adj. mixed, made up of different parts (objects, ideas, etc.): People of all races made a heterogeneous group at the conference. See: homogeneous.
heterosexual
heterosexual
  1. n.adj. attracted to the opposite sex,
    THESAURUS
    straight: He is a heterosexual and dates heterosexual women.
heuristics
heuristics
  1. n.pl. used with a sing. verb learning through investigation and discovery: Heuristics is called the discovery approach in education. -adj. heuristic.
hew
hew
  1. v. [I:T] hewed, hewed or hewn, hewing, hews
    1 to cut, esp. with an ax, to fell: The woodsman hewed down the tree with his ax.
    2 to follow, conform: Followers hewed to the political party's program.
hewn
hewn
  1. adj. & past part. of hew, cut: Hewn trees lie on the ground.
hex
hex
  1. v. [T] hexes to prevent, stop by using witchcraft,
    THESAURUS
    to jinx: He hexed the deal by saying it would never work. —n. a spell or curse put on s.o. or s.t. by using witchcraft: She put a hex on her old boyfriend's new girlfriend.
hexagon
hexagon
  1. n. a geometric figure with six sides -adj. hexagonal.
hey
hey
  1. exclam.
    1 used to get s.o.'s attention: Hey, Joe, come look at this.
    2 an expression of surprise, happiness, etc.: Hey, I didn't know that you won first prize!
heyday
heyday
  1. n. a period of success (health, power, wealth, etc.): In his heyday, he was the best lawyer in town.
hi-tech
hi-tech
  1. See: high-tech.
hi
hi
  1. exclam.infrml. a greeting, hello: Hi, how are you today?
hiatus
hiatus
  1. n.frml. -tuses a gap, pause, break: The miners' strike caused a hiatus in coal production.
hibernate
hibernate
  1. v. [I] -nated, -nating, -nates to enter a period of long sleep: Bears hibernate during the winter. -n. [U] hibernation.
hiccup or hiccough
hiccup or hiccough
  1. n.v. [I] a small, involuntary spasm in breathing accompanied by a sharp sound: He had the hiccups from eating too fast.||She hiccuped for a few minutes, then stopped.
hick
hick
  1. n.pej. an unsophisticated country person,
    THESAURUS
    a yokel: He is a hick with no education.
hickey
hickey
  1. n.infrml. a bruise made by sucking or biting in lovemaking: She had two hickeys on her neck.
hickory
hickory
  1. n. [C;U] -ries a northeastern American tree with edible nuts and useful wood: We have furniture made out of hickory.
hid
hid
  1. v. [I;T] past tense & past part. of hide (1), to conceal: She hid candy in a closet so the children could not find it.
hidden
hidden
  1. adj. & past part. of hide, concealed: Guests were hidden behind the door at the surprise party.
    THESAURUS
    hidden adj.and past part. of unseen, out of sight, secluded | secret.
hide-and-seek
hide-and-seek
  1. n. [U] a game in which children hide while one child closes his or her eyes, then tries to find the other children: The children played hide-and-seek at the birthday party.
hideaway
hideaway
  1. n. a secluded place, a refuge: We have a hideaway, a cabin in the mountains, where we go on weekends. See: hideout.
hideous
hideous
  1. adj. frightening in looks,
    THESAURUS
    repulsive: The horror film was about a hideous monster. -adv. hideously.
hideout
hideout
  1. n. a secret place,
    THESAURUS
    a refuge: The criminals have a hideout in the swamp.
hiding
hiding
  1. n. in hiding: in concealment: Bandits are in hiding in the woods.
hierarchy
hierarchy
  1. n. [C;U] -chies organization from higher to lower by rank, social status, or function: Generals and admirals are at the top of the military hierarchy. -adj. hierarchical.
hieroglyph
hieroglyph
  1. n. a picture of a word or idea: Mayan hieroglyphs are difficult to decode.
hieroglyphic
hieroglyphic
  1. n.adj. a system of writing using hieroglyphs as symbols: Some Egyptian hieroglyphics are beautiful works of art.||They are hieroglyphic symbols for words.
high-class
high-class
  1. adj. related to upper social classes: That restaurant has a high-class clientele.
high-flown
high-flown
  1. adj. unrealistic,
    THESAURUS
    pretentious: He has high-flown ideas about becoming rich.
high-grade
high-grade
  1. adj. of the purest or highest amounts of s.t.: High-grade ore produces the most gold.
high-handed
high-handed
  1. adj. overbearing, not thinking of the rights of others: He speaks to others in a high-handed manner.
high-minded
high-minded
  1. adj. devoted to high ideas or principles, such as of religion, civic responsibility, and justice: He is a high-minded politician and always does what is morally right.
high-pitched
high-pitched
  1. adj. loud and high,
    THESAURUS
    shrill: The factory whistle lets out a high-pitched signal at noon.
high-powered
high-powered
  1. adj.
    1 having much force: His car has a high-powered engine.
    2 having much power (talent, ability, influence): She is a high-powered lawyer in Washington; even the President asks her for advice.
high-pressure
high-pressure
  1. adj. pushy, insistent: I don't like to do business with him because he is a high-pressure salesman.
high-priced
high-priced
  1. adj. costly, having a large price tag: That store carries only high-priced merchandise.
high-rise
high-rise
  1. n.adj. a tall building: We live in a high-rise or a high-rise apartment building in New York.
high-sounding
high-sounding
  1. adj. lofty, pretentious: That politician proposes high-sounding solutions to the nation's problems.
high-spirited
high-spirited
  1. adj. lively, full of fun: That horse is very high-spirited, so only experienced riders should ride him.
high-strung
high-strung
  1. adj. tense, energetic in a nervous way: She is very high-strung and cannot relax.
high-tech
high-tech
  1. adj. using complex engineering, usu. in the latest technology: Advances in computer technology need high-tech solutions.
high-tension
high-tension
  1. adj. related to wires carrying high-voltage electricity: High-tension wires run across miles of open country to big cities.
high-toned
high-toned
  1. adj. elegant, high-class: The social gathering was a high-toned party with well-known people.
high-water mark
high-water mark
  1. n. the highest point a flood or tide reaches: The river overflowed and left a high-water mark on the cliffs next to it.
high-wire
high-wire
  1. n. a wire stretched high above the ground, on which acrobats perform —adj. risky, thrilling: He made some high-wire investments in foreign currencies.
high
high
  1. adj.
    1 describing vertical measure: The statue is 10 feet high (3 m).
    2 related to great intensity: Emotions at the protest rally were high.
    3 having an elevated rank: She is a high official in the government.
    4 intoxicated, usu. referring to illegal drug use: He got high on marijuana last night.
    5 high as a kite: drunk, intoxicated: He drank all night and got high as a kite.
    6 high horse: arrogance, snobbery: I told him to get off his high horse and act normally. —adv. 1 with an elevated location: Cliffs stand high above the ocean.
    2 high and dry: abandoned, deserted,
    THESAURUS
    stranded: When her secretary quit suddenly, she was left high and dry.
    3 high and low: everywhere: I looked high and low for my eyeglasses, but could not find them.
    4 high on the hog: well, richly: Since they won the lottery, they have lived high on the hog. —n.
    1 a feeling of excitement, elation: He felt a high from winning the race.||She won the tennis match and was on a high.
    2 intoxication: She got a high from drinking wine.
    3 from on high: from God, heaven, or a person of high rank: The writer gets inspiration from on high.
    4 highs and lows: happy and sad times, ups and downs: He has had highs and lows in his life.
    5 to come off a high: to return to reality, become normal: After winning, he came off that high and felt that his usual life was boring.
high beams
high beams
  1. n.pl. vehicle headlights that are brighter and more intense than low beams: I use the high beams on country roads at night.
high chair
high chair
  1. n. a tall chair for feeding a young child: The baby loves to throw food on the floor from his high chair.
high jinks
high jinks
  1. n.pl. jokes, harmless pranks, and laughter: The children's high jinks were all in good fun.
high life
high life
  1. n. a luxurious lifestyle: My friend married a rich woman and lives the high life of parties and exotic vacations.
high noon
high noon
  1. n.
    1 exactly 12 o'clock noon
    2 a time of decisive confrontation: The two superpowers reached high noon in their conflict and faced nuclear war.
high road
high road
  1. n.
    1 a road that goes over hills: We drove along the high roads to see the scenery.
    2 fig. a glamorous, direct path to success: Her brother took the high road as a successful banker, while she became a high school teacher.
high roller
high roller
  1. n. a person who takes big financial risks: He is a high roller in real-estate investing.
high school
high school
  1. n. [C;U] in USA, a school for grades 9-12 or 10-12: He graduated from high school in 1996. See: grade school, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    high school a secondary school.
high tide
high tide
  1. n. [C;U] the time each day when the ocean is at the highest place on the shore: Sailors wait for high tide before sailing from the harbor.
high time
high time
  1. n.
    1 sing. fun: We had a high time at the party.
    2 [U] It's high time: an expression of impatience: It's high time you got a job and started supporting yourself.
highball
highball
  1. n. a tall glass of liquor and soda or water: I like a highball before dinner.
highborn
highborn
  1. adj. born into the nobility or upper class: She is a highborn lady from London whose family owns many beautiful houses.
highboy
highboy
  1. n. a tall chest of drawers: We keep clothes in a highboy in our bedroom.
highbrow
highbrow
  1. adj. well educated and cultured, refined: He has very highbrow tastes in music and literature. See: lowbrow.
higher-up
higher-up
  1. n. one's superior in business or government: He sent the proposal to the higher-ups in his company for approval.
higher education
higher education
  1. n. [U] education after high school,
    THESAURUS
    postsecondary education: Higher education in the USA is composed mainly of universities, four-year colleges, and two-year colleges.
highfalutin
highfalutin
  1. adj.infrml. pretentious, affected: She has the highfalutin idea that she's a great singer, when in reality she's terrible.
highjack
highjack
  1. v. [T] See: hijack.
highland
highland
  1. n. hills and level fields in mountain areas: The Highlands of Scotland are world famous.
highlander
highlander
  1. n. a person from the highlands
highlight
highlight
  1. v. [T] -lighted, -lighting, -lights to single out, emphasize: Students highlight important parts of their textbooks.||The speaker highlighted the important ideas in his talk with a diagram.
highlighter
highlighter
  1. n. a thick pen with transparent ink, usu. used for marking important parts of text
highly
highly
  1. adv. to a high level or degree: A highly placed source in government gave the newspaper secret information.||She is highly respected as an excellent lawyer.
hightail
hightail
  1. v.infrml. to hightail it out of here: to run rapidly: The students hightailed it out of the classroom when the fire alarm went off.
highway
highway
  1. n. a major, usu. longdistance road: An interstate highway passes near our town.
    THESAURUS
    highway an expressway, freeway, turnpike | beltway.
highway patrol
highway patrol
  1. n. the police who travel in cars on major roads
hijack
hijack
  1. v. [T] to control an airplane or vehicle by threatening its pilot, usu. with a weapon: A desperate man hijacked a plane from New York to Cuba. -n. [C] hijacker; [C;U] hijacking.
hijinks
hijinks
  1. n.pl. See: high jinks.
hike
hike
  1. n.
    1 a long walk in the country: We went for a hike (or) we took a hike in a national park.
    2 infrml. a sudden increase (in prices): The manufacturers gave wholesalers a hike in the price of all products.
    3 infrml. to take a hike: (to tell s.o.) to stop, go away: The salesman tried to get me to buy a car, and I told him to take a hike. -n. hiker. —v. hiked, hiking, hikes
    1 [I;T] to take a long walk: We hiked through the hills of Yosemite Park.
    2 infrml. [T] to raise (prices): Manufacturers hiked prices this month.
hilarious
hilarious
  1. adj. extremely funny,
    THESAURUS
    uproarious: The new comedy was absolutely hilarious. -n. [U] hilarity.
hill
hill
  1. n.
    1 (in geology) an elevation of land shorter than a mountain: The hills above the city offer a lovely view.
    2 a pile, mound: A truck deposited a hill of earth in the yard.
    3 a hill of beans: s.t. unimportant,
    THESAURUS
    inconsequential: That political scandal doesn't amount to a hill of beans.
    4 over the hill: old, ineffective: He was a great lawyer at one time, but he's over the hill now.
    THESAURUS
    hill
    1 a slope, bluff, foothill | mountain
    2 a load, pile.
hillbilly
hillbilly
  1. n.infrml.pej. -lies a coun-try person, (syns.) a hick, yokel (esp. from the U.S. southern hill country): He's a hillbilly from a small mountain town.
hillock
hillock
  1. n. a small mound or hill: The hillocks of New England make farming difficult.
hillside
hillside
  1. n. the side of a hill: Trees cover the hillsides in this area.
hilltop
hilltop
  1. n. the top of a hill: There is a good view of the lake from the hilltops above the town.
hilly
hilly
  1. adj. hillier, hilliest having many hills: Parts of West Virginia are very hilly.
    THESAURUS
    hilly full of hills, rolling, sloping | mountainous.
hilt
hilt
  1. n.
    1 the crossbar between the handle and blade of a sword or knife: He pushed the knife into the animal to the hilt.
    2 to the hilt: to the extreme, completely: When she criticizes s.o., she does it to the hilt.
him
him
  1. weak form / object pron. of he: I gave him the book.
himself
himself
  1. weak form / masculine pron. of him:
    1 as a reflexive: He did all the work himself (or) by himself.
    2 for emphasis: I spoke with the President himself.
    3 one's usual manner of being: He doesn't feel himself today; he might have the flu.
hind
hind
  1. adj. related to the rear or posterior part: the hind legs of a dog See: fore. —n. the female red deer: A hunter shot a hind.
hinder
hinder
  1. v. [T] to slow the progress of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to impede: Lack of modern equipment hinders efficient manufacturing.
hindmost
hindmost
  1. adj. last, at the farthest end of s.t.: A worker fixed the hindmost part of the fence.
hindquarters
hindquarters
  1. n.pl. posterior of animals,
    THESAURUS
    the haunches: The farmer hit the horse's hindquarters to make it move faster.
hindrance
hindrance
  1. n. obstacle, handicap: She won't cooperate with us, which is a hindrance in our work.
hindsight
hindsight
  1. n. [U] an opinion about s.t. after it has happened: The stock market has dropped so badly that in hindsight, I should never have bought stock. See: foresight.
hinge
hinge
  1. n. a metal device with two parts that act like a joint: The hinges on doors allow them to open and close. —v. [T] hinged, hinging, hinges phrasal v. insep. to hinge on or upon: to depend on, result from: Peace between the two nations hinges on the result of their negotiations.
hint
hint
  1. v. [I;T] n. to make reference to s.t. in an indirect way,
    THESAURUS
    to intimate: He hinted to his wife that he wanted a new watch for his birthday.||She took the hint and bought one.
hinterland
hinterland
  1. n. a remote region: We lived in the city, then moved to the hinterland of northern Vermont.
hip
hip
  1. n.
    1 the part of the body where the leg joins the pelvis: He fell and hurt his hip.
    2 the area around the hip joint: She has wide hips. —adj. slang informed, aware, esp. of youthful fashions: Hey, man, that guy is really hip!
hippie or hippy
hippie or hippy
  1. n. -pies a person, esp. of the 1960s, who is against traditional values and lifestyles: In the 1960s my father was a hippy who lived in San Fran-cisco, played the guitar on the streets, and cooked food for poor people.
hippo
hippo
  1. n. -pos short for hippopotamus
hippopotamus
hippopotamus
  1. n. -muses or -mi a large African animal with a heavy body, gray skin, and a very large head and mouth: Hippopotamuses live near rivers.
hippy
hippy
  1. n. var. of hippie
hire
hire
  1. v. [T] hired, hiring, hires
    1 to pay for the services of, employ: The company hired her last week.
    2 to rent, pay a fee for: I hired a limousine to take me to the airport.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hire s.o. out: to do work for money: Temporary agencies hire out workers to other companies.||They hire workers out. —n. a person who is hired: New hires go through a training program.
hired hand
hired hand
  1. n. a low-level employee hired for simple jobs: He is a seasonal hired hand on a ranch.
hireling
hireling
  1. n. pej. a low-level employee usu. hired for temporary or unskilled work: The man brought along several hirelings to clean up the mess.
hirsute
hirsute
  1. adj.frml. hairy: His chest is hirsute.
his
his
  1. weak form / possessive pron. of he: He hung his coat in the closet.||He tried his hardest on the test.
hiss
hiss
  1. n. hisses a low-pitched sound of air forced from the mouth: The cat hissed at the dog. —v. [I] hisses to make the sound of a hiss: The snake hissed at the mouse, then attacked it.
histology
histology
  1. n. [U] the microscopic study of plant and animal tissues: Dermatologists study the histology of the skin.
historian
historian
  1. n. a person who teaches, studies, and writes about history: The professor is a historian at the University of Chicago.
historic
historic
  1. adj. important in history, famous: We visited places of historic interest in Paris.
historical
historical
  1. adj. related to history: The French Revolution was of great historical importance. -adv. historically.
    THESAURUS
    historical historic, concerning the past | ancient, non-fictional.
history
history
  1. n. -ies
    1 [C;U] the study of past events (people, civilizations, etc.): She studied European history at college.
    2 [C] past events, a written account of past events: My family history is very interesting; I plan to write it all down some day.||She read a history of Peru.
    3 that's history or past (ancient) history: s.t. that is no longer important: His bad behavior is past history; he's a good boy now.
    4 to make history: to do s.t. memorable, important
    THESAURUS
    history
    1 the past of | antiquity
    2 the past, an account, narrative, chronicle | memoir.
histrionics
histrionics
  1. n.pl. frml. dramatic emotional behavior used to make others do what one wants: His histrionics do not work on those who know him; they just ignore his yelling and crying. -adj. histrionic.
hit-or-miss
hit-or-miss
  1. adj. by chance,
    THESAURUS
    unpredictable See: hit, adj. 2.
hit
hit
  1. v. [T] hit, hitting, hits
    THESAURUS
    v.
    1 (syns.) to pound, strike: He hit the nail with a hammer. He pounded the nail with a hammer.
    2 (syns.) to punch, slap: The boxer hit his opponent with his right fist. The boxer punched his opponent with his right fist.
    3 (syns.) to collide with, crash into: One car hit the other. One car collided with the other (or) crashed into the other.
    4 (syns.) to upset badly, stun: The death of his mother hit him hard. The death of his mother upset him badly (or) stunned him.
    5 (syn.) to score (points in sports): The player hit the goal for two points. The player scored a goal for two points.
    6 (syn.) to strike (a target): A bullet hit the soldier in the leg. A bullet struck the soldier in the leg.
    7 (syns.) to reach, attain: The stock market hit a new high. The stock market reached a new high.
    8 (syn.) infrml. to kill: A gangster hit another gang member. A gangster killed another gang member.
    9 to be hit with: to be shocked, surprised by: My father was hit with a big dental bill.
    10 to hit it off: to like one another: My two friends met for the first time yesterday and hit it off.
    11 phrasal v. insep. to hit on or upon s.o. or s.t.: a. slang to flirt, make a pass at s.o.: All the men at the party hit on her. b. to discover, find s.t. useful: My boss hit on a new way of making our product.
    12 to hit pay dirt: to reach success, be rewarded: The salesman talked to many possible customers before he hit pay dirt with a big order.
    13 to hit s.o. like a ton of bricks: to stun,
    THESAURUS
    to overwhelm: His boss fired him suddenly, and it hit him like a ton of bricks.
    14 phrasal v. insep. to hit s.o. up for s.t.: to ask s.o. for s.t.: My friend John hit me up for a loan that I can't really afford.
    15 to hit the books: to study hard: I'm going to hit the books this weekend to study for my exams.
    16 to hit the bottle or sauce: to drink too much alcohol: Since his girlfriend left him, he has been really hitting the bottle.
    17 infrml. to hit the brakes: To stop a car quickly: When a dog ran in front of my car, I hit the brakes.
    18 to hit the bull's-eye: a. to strike a target's center b. fig. to be accurate, very good in describing s.t. or solving a problem: She hit the bull's-eye when she described him as a jerk.
    19 infrml. to hit the deck (dirt, floor): to fall to the ground to avoid danger: I hit the deck when the shooting started.
    20 infrml. to hit the hay or sack: to go to bed: I hit the hay early last night.
    21 to hit the nail on the head: to describe s.t. accurately: You hit the nail on the head when you said that debt will destroy the economy.
    22 infrml. to hit the panic button: to panic, alarm others: When sales went down, the manager hit the panic button and told all the workers to sell more.
    23 infrml. to hit the road: to leave, go on a trip: The sales manager told the salespeople to hit the road and sell.
    24 infrml. to hit the roof: to become mad: When sales went down, she hit the roof and started yelling at everyone.
    25 to hit the spot: to satisfy well: An ice-cold drink on a hot day in August really hits the spot. —n.
    1 a blow, impact: The fighter plane got a hit from enemy fire.
    2 a great success: The new movie was a big hit.
    3 slang a murder: One gang made a hit on the leader of another gang.
    4 to score a hit: to succeed greatly: The good food and nice decorations scored a hit with our guests.
    5 (in computers) a response to an Internet site by an interested person: The Heinle dictionary site receives thousands of hits a year. —adj.
    1 hit-and-run: leaving the scene of an accident: I was in a hit-and-run accident where the car that hit me took off right away.
    2 hit-and-miss: unreliable,
    THESAURUS
    erratic: The buses never run on time here; their schedules are hit-and-miss.
hit list
hit list
  1. n.infrml. a list of people to be hurt or killed: That gangster has a hit list of his enemies.
hit man
hit man
  1. n.infrml. men a hired murderer, esp. a gangster: The mob sent a hit man to kill a police detective.
hitch
hitch
  1. v. -es
    1 [T] to attach, connect, esp. to harness an animal: The farmer hitched the horse to a wagon.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hitch s.t. up: a. to pull up quickly: She hitched up her pants. b. to attach s.t. by hitching: The boy hitched up his pony to the cart and drove away.
    3 [T] to hitch a ride: to hitchhike: I hitched a ride with a truck driver to get here.
    4 slang to get hitched: to marry: Susan and I are planning to get hitched in June. —n. hitches
    1 a harness or device used as a hitch: The railroad cars' hitches locked together.
    2 a difficulty: The seller is demanding more money and caused a hitch in the sale.
hitchhike
hitchhike
  1. v. [I] -hiked, -hiking, -hikes to stand on the road and ask for a ride from others, to thumb a ride: I hitchhiked from Baltimore to Washington. -n. hitchhiker.
hither
hither
  1. adv.frml.
    1 to here, toward s.o.
    2 hither and thither or yon: here and there, all over: We traveled hither and thither on vacation.
hive
hive
  1. n.
    1 a box-like structure where bees live: Beekeepers keep bees in hives.
    2 fig. a busy place: The stock exchange is a hive of activity. —v. [I] hived, hiving, hives (of bees) to gather into hives
hives
hives
  1. n.pl. a rash or bumps on the skin: I have a food allergy that gives me hives.
ho-hum
ho-hum
  1. exclam. of tiredness, boredom —adj. boring: We attended a ho-hum concert.
ho
ho
  1. exclam. a laugh or expression of disapproval: Santa Claus laughs, "Ho, ho, ho!"
hoagie
hoagie
  1. -n. a long sandwich with meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato, (syn.) grinder
hoard
hoard
  1. v. [T] to hide a lot of s.t. for future use or sale: People hoard gold when their national currency is weak. —n. a group of hoarded items: They keep their hoard of gold in a safe place. -n. [C] hoarder, [U] hoarding.
hoarse
hoarse
  1. adj. hoarser, hoarsest having a scratchy, husky voice caused by overuse or a virus: The politician is hoarse from giving speeches. -adv. hoarsely; -n. [U] hoarseness.
hoary
hoary
  1. adj. -ier, -iest old and gray: The graveyard has a hoary look. -n. [U] hoariness.
hoax
hoax
  1. n.v. [T] hoaxes s.t. false, a deception, trick: The bomb threat turned out to be a hoax.
hobble
hobble
  1. v. -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 [I;T] to restrain, handicap: Our efforts are hobbled by a lack of funds.
    2 [I] to limp: He broke his leg and hobbles along on crutches. —n.
    1 a restraint, such as a rope tying a horse's legs together: The farmer put a hobble on his horse to keep it from walking off.
    2 a limp, an awkward gait: She walks with a hobble because of a leg injury.
hobby
hobby
  1. n. -bies an activity done often for pleasure: His hobby is gardening.
    THESAURUS
    hobby a pastime, favorite pursuit, avocation.
hobbyhorse
hobbyhorse
  1. n.
    1 a child's toy rocking horse: Our little boy loves to ride his hobbyhorse.
    2 fig. a subject or idea that s.o. continually talks about
hobgoblin
hobgoblin
  1. n. a scary ghost, evil spirit: Hobgoblins are said to come out on Halloween.
hobnob
hobnob
  1. v. [I] -nobbed, -nobbing, -nobs to socialize with, be friendly with: He hobnobbed with rich friends on vacation last summer.
hobo
hobo
  1. n. -boes or -bos a homeless wanderer,
    THESAURUS
    a vagabond: Old Joe is a hobo who rides the trains from place to place.
hock
hock
  1. n.
    1 the ankle area of an animal
    2 a cut of meat from this area: My mother cooks a ham hock in the pea soup to give it flavor.
    3 in hock: in debt: He looks rich, but he's in hock up to his ears. —v. [T] to pawn: He hocked his watch to pay the rent.
hockey
hockey
  1. n. [U] a sport played on ice with a puck or on a field with a ball: The team that makes the most goals in hockey wins the game.
hockshop
hockshop
  1. n.infrml. a pawnshop
hocus-pocus
hocus-pocus
  1. n. [U] words or tricks used to deceive or to pretend to do magic: What fortune tellers do is just a lot of hocus-pocus.
hodgepodge
hodgepodge
  1. n. a mixture of different things,
    THESAURUS
    a jumble: His ideas are a hodgepodge of unproved theories.
hoe
hoe
  1. n.v. [I;T] hoed, hoeing, hoes a digging tool with a metal blade on a long handle: I use a hoe to hoe weeds from my garden.
hog-tie
hog-tie
  1. v. [T] -tied, -tying, -ties
    1 to tie the legs together
    2 to prevent from acting, obstruct: We were hog-tied by laws preventing us from buying the land.
hog-wild
hog-wild
  1. adj. to go hog-wild: to act crazy, reckless: She went hog-wild and bought risky stocks.
hog
hog
  1. n.
    1 a large domesticated pig: Hogs are raised for ham, pork, bacon, and lard.
    2 fig. s.o. who eats or takes a lot of s.t.: He's a real hog with the ice cream.
    3 infrml. to go whole hog: to do s.t. completely —v. [T] hogged, hogging, hogs to take more than one's share of s.t.
    THESAURUS
    hog n.
    1 a swine
    2 a pig, greedy person, glutton.
hogback
hogback
  1. n. (in geology) a geologic formation of a sharp ridge with steep sides: Hogbacks create barriers that can make travel difficult.
hogwash
hogwash
  1. n. [U]
    1 leftover food used to feed pigs
    2 infrml.fig. nonsense: His ideas are pure hogwash.
hoi polloi
hoi polloi
  1. n.pl. (Greek for) the masses, ordinary people: He's a snob and doesn't mix with the hoi polloi.
hoist
hoist
  1. v. [T] to lift and move an object: The father hoisted his small child onto his shoulders. —n. a device used to pick up and place s.t.: A mechanic used a chain hoist to lift an engine from an automobile.
hoity-toity
hoity-toity
  1. adj. snobbish, snooty: She puts on hoity-toity airs and thinks she is better than other people.
hokey
hokey
  1. adj.infrml. -ier, -iest
    1 corny, unsophisticated: Her jokes are hokey.
    2 phony, fake: He has these hokey schemes that never work.
hokum
hokum
  1. n. [U] nonsense, empty talk
holder
holder
  1. n.
    1 a device to hold s.t.: I put the pen in the holder on my desk.
    2 the person who controls a place or possessions: The bank is the mortgage holder on the house.
holding
holding
  1. n. ownership of an asset, s.t. valuable: She has holdings (buildings, land) in real estate.
holding company
holding company
  1. n. -nies a company that owns stock in and usu. controls other companies: The businessman formed a holding company to control all his assets.
holdout
holdout
  1. n. a person who does not agree to do s.t., usu. waiting for s.t. better: Everyone agreed to the plan, except for one holdout who wanted more money.
holdover
holdover
  1. n. a person or thing from the past that exists in new times: The whole management team was new except for one holdover from the old group.
holdup
holdup
  1. n. a robbery with a weapon (gun, knife, etc.), a stickup: A holdup at gunpoint happened in the local grocery store.
    THESAURUS
    holdup n. an armed robbery, mugging.
hole-in-the-wall
hole-in-the-wall
  1. n. a small place, usu. dark and run-down: His store is a hole-in-the-wall, but he does good business.
hole
hole
  1. n.
    1 an opening in a surface: I repaired a hole in my shirt.
    2 an animal's home or nest: A rabbit jumped into its hole.
    3 an unclear point: The witness's story had holes in it.
    4 infrml. an unpleasant place: His small, messy apartment is a hole.||The police threw the prisoner into a hole.
    5 (in golf) a. the cup into which the ball is hit b. one of 18 links: We played 18 holes of golf today. —adj.
    1 slang in the hole: in debt: He is in the hole to his landlord for three months' rent.
    2 to poke holes in s.t.: to criticize too much —v. holed, holing, holes
    1 [I;T] to make a hole in s.t.: The workman holed the garden for plants.
    2 phrasal v. [I] to hole out: to finish a hole in golf
    3 phrasal v. [I;T] to hole up: to hide: The criminal holed up in a mountain cabin.
    THESAURUS
    hole n.
    1 a tear, crack, split | cavity, space
    2 a burrow, den, tunnel
    3 a gap
    4 a mess.
holiday
holiday
  1. n.
    1 a day of celebration or rest: Many companies in the USA give their employees ten legal holidays.
    2 usu. Brit. a vacation: We go on holiday in August.
    THESAURUS
    holiday
    1 a day off, vacation day.
holiness
holiness
  1. n. [U]
    1 the quality of being holy: The holiness of a church is widely respected.
    2 Holiness a title of the Pope: His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, visited the cathedral.
holistic
holistic
  1. adj. related to a total being, such as the body and mind: Many doctors practice holistic medicine and focus on their patients' emotions as well as their illnesses.
holler
holler
  1. v.infrml. [I;T]
    1 to yell, shout: My friend hollered at me to come over to her quickly.
    2 to complain,
    THESAURUS
    to bellyache: He started hollering that he hurt his ankle. -n. [U] hollering.
hollow
hollow
  1. n. (in geology) a shallow depression in the ground: Deer were eating down in the hollow. —v. [T] to remove the contents of s.t.: We hollowed out a pumpkin and made a jack-o'-lantern. —adj.
    1 empty, with no center: The tree trunk was hollow from insects feeding inside.
    2 fig. false, empty: His arguments are hollow.
    THESAURUS
    hollow adj.
    1 not solid, unfilled
    2 inadequate, unsound, meaningless.
holly
holly
  1. n. -lies any of a family of trees and shrubs with shiny, pointed leaves and red berries, used for Christmas decorations: The leaves and berries of holly make beautiful decorations.
hollyhock
hollyhock
  1. n. a tall plant with large flowers along a tall stem
holography
holography
  1. n. [U] a process of forming three-dimensional images by using light waves: Companies use holography to create special images on credit cards. -n. hologram ; -adj. holographic.
holster
holster
  1. n. a leather holder for a gun: The cowboy drew his pistol from his holster.
holy
holy
  1. adj. -lier, -liest sacred, coming from or connected with God: Christmas is a holy day. See: holiness. —exclam. Holy cow or Holy smoke: expression of surprise: Holy cow! What a great play that team made!
    THESAURUS
    holy adj. blessed, hallowed, consecrated | spiritual. Ant. unholy.
homage
homage
  1. n. [U] to pay homage: to show great respect, esp. publicly: The nobles paid homage to the queen by bowing to her.
home-grown
home-grown
  1. adj. grown locally or in one's garden: Home-grown tomatoes taste better than any sold in the grocery store.
home
home
  1. n.
    1 the place where one lives: My home is an apartment in Manhattan.
    2 one's birthplace: My home was originally in Boston (in America, North America, etc.).
    3 a place where s.t. comes from: New Orleans is the home of jazz music.
    4 (in baseball) home plate
    5 at home: a. comfortable and welcome, as you would feel in your own house: I feel at home at my friend's house.||When she visits me, I tell her to make herself at home. b. comfortable with s.t.: She's at home working with computers.||He's at home with horses; he's ridden them for years.
    6 there's no place like home (or) home sweet home: related to one's sense of belonging or comfort: I am so sick of traveling for a month; there's no place like home. —adj.
    1 related to or prepared at home: When I went away to college, I really missed my mother's home cooking.
    2 related to or being a base of operations: The company's home office is in Chicago. —adv.
    1 to hit home: to disturb, affect deeply: His wife's criticism of his bad habits hit home, and he changed them.
    2 towards home: where one lives: We were driving towards home when we saw the accident. —v. homed, homing, homes
    1 [I] (said of pigeons) to head to one's place of origin: Homing pigeons released into the air far away home for their nests.
    2 phrasal v. insep. [T] to home in on s.t.: to move toward, sight on: Guided missiles home in on their target and hit it.
home page
home page
  1. n. (in computers) the main page on the Internet about a person, product, or organization, often with a listing of contents: She has a home page on the Internet describing her business. See: Web site.
home plate
home plate
  1. n. (in baseball) the fourth base, where the batters stand to hit the ball and then cross after they run around all bases to score: He hit a home run and crossed home plate to win the game.
home room
home room
  1. n. in USA, the room to which students go first in a school day
home run
home run
  1. n. (in baseball) hitting a ball within bounds, allowing the batter to run around all the bases and back home; usu. the ball goes over the fence around the outfield: The batter hit a home run, and the fans started yelling.
home shopping
home shopping
  1. n. buying goods and services without leaving the home, via the Internet, TV, telephone, and mail order: Home shopping has spread from mail order to the Internet.
homebody
homebody
  1. n. -ies a person who prefers to stay at home and not travel or go out: He's a real homebody who would rather read a good book than go out at night.
homeland
homeland
  1. n. one's native country: The USA (China, Poland, etc.) is my homeland.
    THESAURUS
    homeland one's native land, nation.
homeless
homeless
  1. n.pl. people who have no home, formerly (in USA) called vagrants: The government built shelters for the homeless. —adj. without a home: The earthquake left hundreds of people homeless.
homely
homely
  1. adj. -lier, -liest not good-looking, ugly: He is a homely guy; she is a homely girl.
homemade
homemade
  1. adj. made at home or by hand: That bread is homemade.
homemaker
homemaker
  1. n. a person who takes care of his or her family's house and children: Zora is a homemaker, and her husband is a teacher.

    USAGE NOTE: The term homemaker describes anyone who creates and cares for a home. It is a more contemporary term than housewife or househusband.
homeopathic
homeopathic
  1. adj. (in medicine) related to the treatment of an illness by giving a small dose of a medicine that, in a larger dose, would cause the symptoms of that illness -n. [U] homeopathy.
homeowner
homeowner
  1. n. a property owner, esp. of a house or apartment: She is a homeowner; she owns a condominium.
homesick
homesick
  1. adj. feeling sad when away, missing one's home: After traveling for a month, I was homesick.
    THESAURUS
    homesick longing for home, pining for home, sentimental.
homespun
homespun
  1. adj.
    1 referring to thread spun in a home
    2 fig. folksy, plain: Her homespun humor is dry, but funny.
homestead
homestead
  1. n. a piece of land with a simple house, often given by a government to settlers in return for working on the land: He has a 150-acre homestead in Alaska. [C] homesteader; [U] homesteading.
homestretch
homestretch
  1. n.
    1 the final distance on a racetrack before the finish line: The horses have made the final turn and are in the homestretch.
    2 the time just prior to the end of an activity: We're almost finished with our work; we're in the homestretch.
hometown
hometown
  1. n. the city or town where one grew up, often one's birthplace: Seattle is my hometown.
homeward
homeward
  1. adv.adj. toward home: We walked homeward after the concert.
homework
homework
  1. n. [U] schoolwork for students to do at home: Our math teacher gives us a lot of homework.
    THESAURUS
    homework an assignment, schoolwork | outside reading.
homey
homey
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having the comfort or familiarity of one's home: That restaurant has a homey atmosphere.
homicidal
homicidal
  1. adj. likely to commit homicide, kill s.o.
homicide
homicide
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] the killing of one person by another, murder: Her death was a homicide from a knife wound to the heart.
    2 [C] a person who kills s.o., a murderer
homily
homily
  1. n. -lies a sermon, talk: The priest talked about good works in his homily.
homo
homo
  1. n. -mos pej.short for homosexual See: gay USAGE NOTE.
homogeneous
homogeneous
  1. adj. of the same kind: The population of Japan is homogeneous, with few foreigners. -n. [U] homogeneity See: heterogeneous.
homogenize
homogenize
  1. v. [T] -nized, -nizing, -nizes to make the same throughout: The milk is homogenized so that the cream is mixed evenly throughout the carton.
homonym
homonym
  1. n. a word spelled the same as another but with different meanings: "Wind" is a homonym that as a noun means the motion of the air and as a verb means to turn s.t., as in winding a watch.
homosexual
homosexual
  1. n. a person who is emotionally and sexually attracted to people of the same sex: Scientists estimate that 10% of the people in the world are homosexual. See: gay USAGE NOTE. —adj. related to being homosexual or gay: He has homosexual preferences. -n. homosexuality.
honcho
honcho
  1. n.infrml. -chos the boss, head person: He is the head honcho in that company.
hone
hone
  1. n. a stone used to sharpen knives, razors, etc. —v. [T] honed, honing, hones
    1 to sharpen: He honed the blades on his hunting knife to a fine edge.
    2 fig. to improve, sharpen: She honed her piano playing by practicing eight hours a day.
honest
honest
  1. adj.
    1 truthful and trustworthy: He is honest in his business with others.
    2 solid, real: She did an honest day's work on the project. -adv. honestly.
    THESAURUS
    honest
    1 ethical, sincere, virtuous. Ant. dishonest.
    2 genuine, good.
honesty
honesty
  1. n. [U] truthfulness and trustworthiness: You can trust her honesty both in what she says and in her business dealings. See: dishonesty.
honey
honey
  1. n.
    1 [U] the sweet, syrupy liquid produced by bees from plant nectar: I like honey on toast in the morning.
    2 [C] a term of affection similar to "dearest" or "sweetheart": Honey, would you pass me the salt, please? -adj. honeyed.
    THESAURUS
    honey
    2 dear, sweetie, darling | one's girlfriend or boyfriend, sweetheart.

    USAGE NOTE: Honey is a common term of affection between two people. Names like sweetie, darling, pumpkin, and angel are also used as affectionate terms by adults or by an adult speaking to a child.
honeybunch
honeybunch
  1. n.infrml. a term of affection: My daughter is my little honeybunch.
honeycomb
honeycomb
  1. n. a group of cells that bees make of wax to keep honey and to plant pollen and their eggs: Beekeepers take honeycombs out of the hives to get honey.
honeydew melon
honeydew melon
  1. n. [C;U] a large, light-green sweet fruit: Honeydew melons are delicious for dessert.
honeymoon
honeymoon
  1. n.
    1 a trip people take after they get married: We went to Paris on our honeymoon.
    2 fig. a period when one's opponents do not attack: The President went through a month-long honeymoon before the press criticized him.
honeysuckle
honeysuckle
  1. n. [C;U] any of a variety of climbing plants with small, trumpet-shaped, sweet-smelling flowers: The honeysuckle shrubs in our backyard flower in June.
honk
honk
  1. v. [I;T] n.
    1 to make a sound like a goose: Geese honk on their way south each autumn.||You can hear their honks.
    2 to blow a car horn: I honked at a pedestrian to warn him, and he heard my honk and stopped.
honky-tonk
honky-tonk
  1. n.
    1 [C] a cheap nightclub: She sings in honky-tonks.
    2 [U] a kind of music played at such nightclubs
honor
honor
  1. n.
    1 [U] one's good reputation (for honesty, integrity, etc.): He is a man of honor and is totally trustworthy.
    2 [U] (for a woman) virtue, morality: Her honor is above question.
    3 [C;U] praise, recognition from others: She has the honor of being given an award.
    4 sing. privilege, distinction: The mayor has the honor of introducing the President to the audience.
    5 [U] a term of address for a mayor or a judge: His Honor the Mayor attended the meeting.
    6 on one's honor: an agreement to do s.t. based on one's word, integrity: You may take the examination without supervision, and you are on your honor not to cheat.
    7 with honors: with high academic marks: He graduated with honors. —v. [T]
    1 to praise, give recognition to: She was honored by the mayor with a good citizenship award.
    2 to show respect: The son honors his parents by caring for them.
    3 to fulfill a promise or obligation: She honored her student loans by paying them.
honor roll
honor roll
  1. n. an academic honor given to students who achieve high enough grades at the end of a school term: She is an honors student and is on the honor roll.
honorable
honorable
  1. adj. respectable, reputable: He is an honorable man who keeps his promises. -adv. honorably.
honorarium
honorarium
  1. n. -iums or -ia a one-time fee paid for work: The company paid the teacher an honorarium for the speech she gave to its workers.
honorary
honorary
  1. adj.
    1 elated to an honor given to s.o. who has not earned it the normal way: The university gave an honorary degree to a politician.
    2 of an unpaid position: the honorary president of the theater club
hooch
hooch
  1. n.slang [U] homemade alcoholic drinks: He sold hooch out of his car.
hood
hood
  1. n.
    1 a cloth covering for the head and neck (as part of a robe, coat, or jacket): It started to snow, and she put up the hood on her jacket.
    2 the metal cover of the front of a car
    3 infrml.short for hoodlum —v. [T] to cover with a hood: Monks hooded their heads as they left the church. -adj. hooded.
hoodlum
hoodlum
  1. n. s.o. who is violent and rough, and often young, (syns.) a thug, gangster: Hoodlums robbed the store.
hoodwink
hoodwink
  1. v. [T] to trick, deceive,
    THESAURUS
    to swindle: A swindler hoodwinked an old man into buying counterfeit coins.
hooey
hooey
  1. n.infrml. [U] nonsense,
    THESAURUS
    hogwash: What he says is a lot of hooey; don't believe it.
hoof
hoof
  1. n. hooves or hoofs
    1 the hard part of certain mammals' feet, such as cattle and horses: The hooves of horses are protected by horseshoes.
    2 on the hoof: (of animals) unbutchered, alive: The price of cattle on the hoof is low. —v.infrml. to hoof it: to walk: We could not find a taxi, so we hoofed it to the park.
hoofed
hoofed
  1. adj. having hooves: Hoofed animals include cattle, horses, and many wild species.
hook
hook
  1. n.
    1 a tool with a shaft and curved end: We catch fish with hooks and worms.
    2 by hook or by crook: by one means or another: I will fix that computer for you by hook or by crook.
    3 hook, line, and sinker: the whole thing: The teacher believed my story hook, line, and sinker.
    4 on one's own hook: by one's own actions: I paid my way through college on my own hook with no help from anybody.
    5 to be off the hook: a. to be thought not responsible for s.t., to have a problem fixed: His father paid his rent, and that got him off the hook with the landlord. b. (said of telephones) to be disconnected: Her telephone is off the hook; it doesn't ring. —v. [T]
    1 to catch with a hook: We hooked some fish in the pond.
    2 to close, fasten with a hook: She hooked her jacket closed.
    3 phrasal v. insep. to hook on to s.t.: a. to place on, attach to: He took off his jacket and hooked it on to the coat rack. b. fig. to get s.t. good: Your new job is high paying and interesting; you've really hooked onto something!
    4 phrasal v. sep. to hook s.t. or s.o. up: to connect: He hooked up the radio antenna and listened to broadcasts.||She hooked two friends up who were both interested in theater.
hooked
hooked
  1. adj.
    1 shaped like a hook, curved: He has a hooked nose.
    2 addicted, obsessed: She is hooked on television; she watches it 12 hours a day.||He is hooked on drugs.
hooker
hooker
  1. n.vulg.slang a prostitute: Hookers look for customers near the big hotels.
hookup
hookup
  1. n. a connection, linkage: Stock exchanges have a satellite hookup to send data between countries.
hooligan
hooligan
  1. n. a thug, troublemaker: Hooligans turned over cars and set them on fire.
hoop
hoop
  1. n. a circular tube or band: Basketball players shoot the ball through a hoop.
hoopla
hoopla
  1. n. [U] loud excitement,
    THESAURUS
    ballyhoo: Band music and speeches created hoopla at the political rally.
hoot
hoot
  1. n.
    1 the cry made by an owl or a ship's horn
    2 a shout of contempt
    3 infrml. not to give a hoot: not to care, to disdain: I don't give a hoot what he says; he's wrong. —v. [I;T]
    1 to let out such a cry: Owls hoot at night.
    2 to make a sound of contempt: The audience hooted the performer off the stage. -n. hoot owl.
hooves
hooves
  1. n.pl. of hoof
hop
hop
  1. n.
    1 a forward jump: The girl took little hops down the sidewalk.
    2 a quick trip: San Diego is a short hop from Los Angeles. —v. [I] hopped, hopping, hops to move with a hopping motion: Rabbits hop very quickly.
hope
hope
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] faith that a situation will improve: He has hope that his cancer will not be fatal.
    2 [C] s.o. or s.t. that can improve a situation: That doctor is my last hope.
    3 [C;U] desire that s.t. will happen: Her hopes center on having a successful career in law.
    4 to have high hopes: to have high expectations: He is doing well at college, and he has high hopes of graduating this June. —v. [I;T] hoped, hoping, hopes
    1 to wish, desire: I hope that you feel better soon.
    2 to aspire, desire success: She hopes to be a doctor someday.
    THESAURUS
    | dream.
hopeful
hopeful
  1. adj.
    1 having faith that s.t. good will happen: She is hopeful that she will be cured soon.
    2 optimistic, positive: There are hopeful signs that she will recover completely. -adv. hopefully; -n. [U] hopefulness.
hopeless
hopeless
  1. adj. without hope,
    THESAURUS
    dire: The situation with his bad health is hopeless. -adv. hopelessly; -n. [U] hopelessness.
hopper
hopper
  1. n.
    1 a container that receives and sends out things: Farmers pour grain into hoppers, which release the grain into railroad cars.
    2 s.t. that hops: Grasshoppers and frogs are hoppers.
    3 in the hopper: in the works, in process: Our company has some excellent new projects in the hopper for future sales.
hops
hops
  1. n.pl. the dried flowers of a plant of the hemp family: Hops are used in the brewing of beer.
hopscotch
hopscotch
  1. n. [U] a children's game of hopping across numbered squares to pick up a stone that has been tossed onto them: Youngsters play hopscotch on the sidewalk. —v. [I] -scotches to move or act as though playing hopscotch: Our airplane flight hopscotched at stops all over the Northeast before landing in Boston.
horde
horde
  1. n. a mass of people: Hordes of people came to hear the President speak.
horizon
horizon
  1. n.
    1 the place in one's view where the earth's surface forms a line with the sky: Sailors could see another ship coming over the horizon.
    2 a person's chances for success: She is so smart that her future holds unlimited horizons.
    THESAURUS
    horizon
    1 skyline | vista, boundary
    2 pl. prospects, possibilities, limits.
horizontal
horizontal
  1. adj. parallel to the ground: When horizontal and vertical lines meet, they form angles. -adv. horizontally. See: vertical.
    THESAURUS
    horizontal flat, level, straight across.
hormone
hormone
  1. n. a chemical from body organs that stimulates activity in living systems: Testosterone is the male sex hormone.
horn
horn
  1. n.
    1 a pointed growth on the heads of some animals: Goats have horns.
    2 a musical instrument, usu. made of metal, that creates sounds with air: The French horn has a beautiful sound.
    3 a device that gives a warning sound: a car horn
    4 to take the bull by the horns: to take control, struggle: My father could not solve the difficult problem, so I took the bull by the horns and solved it for him. —phrasal v. insep. [T] to horn in on s.t.: to interupt against the wishes of others, (syns.) to intrude, butt in: He horned in on our conversation and monopolized it. -adj. horned.
hornet
hornet
  1. n. a type of wasp noted for its aggressiveness and sting
horny
horny
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 rough, hard: His feet were horny from walking barefoot.
    2 vulg.slang wanting sex,
    THESAURUS
    lustful
horology
horology
  1. n. [U]
    1 the making of watches and other timepieces
    2 the study of time -n. horologist; -adj. horological.
horoscope
horoscope
  1. n. (in astrology) prediction of a person's future by interpreting the positions of the stars and planets around the time she or he was born: My horoscope for today is full of good news.
horrendous
horrendous
  1. adj. extreme, terrible: He is having horrendous difficulty with his health.
horrible
horrible
  1. adj.
    1 causing horror, terrifying: A horrible snake came out of the jungle.
    2 infrml. very unpleasant or annoying: We had a horrible time getting through traffic. -adv. horribly.
horrid
horrid
  1. adj.
    1 monstrous, repulsive: That snake is horrid.
    2 very annoying: We had a horrid time with customs authorities.
horrific
horrific
  1. adj.
    1 frml. terrifying
    2 infrml. very annoying: We had horrific difficulties in fixing the computer. -adv. horrifically.
horrify
horrify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to terrify, sicken with fear: The sight of his murdered friend horrified him.
horror
horror
  1. n.
    1 [U] fear (terror, revulsion) caused by ugliness or s.t. lifethreatening: The sight of that monster created horror in the crowd.
    2 [C] s.t. causing terror: That monster was a horror to see.
    3 [C] infrml. a terrible situation, incident: Driving through terrible traffic was a horror. -adj. horror-stricken.
    THESAURUS
    horror
    1 fearfulness, panic, alarm
    2 a fright, shock | disgust, hatred.
hors d'oeuvre
hors d'oeuvre
  1. n. d'oeuvres (French for) an appetizer,
    THESAURUS
    a canape: We served hors d'oeuvres to our guests before dinner.
horse
horse
  1. n.
    1 a large, four-footed, domesticated animal with hard hooves used for riding, work, and in some places for meat: The Arabian horse is one of the earth's most beautiful creatures.
    2 a dark horse: s.o., usu. a politician, who has little chance of winning: She was a dark horse in the race for mayor, but she won.
    3 a horse of a different color: s.t. different from what one expected: We wanted to go on vacation in Hawaii, but when the tickets were twice as expensive as we had thought, that was a horse of a different color!
    4 not to look a gift horse in the mouth: don't examine or criticize s.t. too much if you get it for free: My parents gave me their old car, and I did not look a gift horse in the mouth by asking if it needed repairs.
    5 straight from the horse's mouth: directly from the person who said s.t.: The boss told me she is going to give everyone a good salary increase; I heard it straight from the horse's mouth (the boss).
    6 to be on a high horse: to be too proud, arrogant: I wish that he would get off his high horse and act sensibly.
    7 to hold one's horses: to wait, not act carelessly: Hold your horses; we're not ready to leave yet!
    8 to put the cart before the horse: to do s.t. before the right time for it: At the meeting, our sales manager started talking about the design of the company's product catalog before we decided what to include in it, so he put the cart before the horse. —v. horsed, horsing, horses, phrasal v. infrml. [I] to horse around: to play,
    THESAURUS
    to roughhouse: Those boys are always horsing around with each other. See: horseplay.
horsefly
horsefly
  1. n. -flies a kind of large, blood-sucking fly: Horseflies can really be annoying.
horseplay
horseplay
  1. n. [U] noisy play, wild behavior,
    THESAURUS
    roughhousing: Boys engage in horseplay after school.
horsepower
horsepower
  1. n. [U] adj.
    1 a force equal to 746 watts or lifting 550 pounds a distance of one foot in one second
    2 a measurement of engine power: His car has a 200-horsepower engine.
horseradish
horseradish
  1. n. [U] a plant with a hot-tasting root that is made into a sauce: He likes to put horseradish on his roast beef sandwiches.
horseshoe
horseshoe
  1. n. a U-shaped piece of metal nailed to horses' hooves for protection
horticulture
horticulture
  1. n. [U] the science of growing plants: The city's botanical garden is a center of horticulture. -adj. horticultural ; -n. [C] horticulturist.
hose
hose
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a flexible tube: I use a garden hose to water the lawn.
    2 pl. stockings or socks: That store sells hose for both men and women.||Her pantyhose are ripped. —v. [T] hosed, hosing, hoses to use a hose: I hosed down my car with water.
hosiery
hosiery
  1. n. [U] socks or stockings: My wife went to the store to buy some hosiery.
hospice
hospice
  1. n.
    1 a facility or program for the care of terminally ill people: Hospice work is difficult because people are very sick and usually do not get well again.
    2 a place of rest and healing: Monks provide hospices for the poor and ill.
hospitable
hospitable
  1. adj. friendly, welcoming, esp. with food, drink, and comfort: They are a very hospitable couple to both friends and strangers.
hospital
hospital
  1. n. a medical institution that gives health care: He went to the hospital to have an operation.
    THESAURUS
    hospital a clinic, medical center | infirmary.
hospitality
hospitality
  1. n. [U] friendly treatment of others, esp. in giving food, drink, and a comfortable place to be: We enjoyed the hospitality of friends at their country home.
    THESAURUS
    hospitality kindness, graciousness, generosity.
hospitalization
hospitalization
  1. n. [C;U] a stay at a hospital: His hospitalization was necessary so the doctors could perform tests.
hospitalize
hospitalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to place in a hospital: She was hospitalized for appendicitis.
host
host
  1. n.
    1 a person in charge of a social or other event: He is the host of a party tonight.||She is the host of a TV talk show.
    2 the victim of a bacteria: Humans are the host of the parasite E. coli. —v. [T] to act as a host: He hosts the nightly news program on TV. See: hostess.
hostage
hostage
  1. n.
    1 a person taken and held for money or other ransom: He is a political hostage.
    2 to be held or to hold hostage: a. to be kidnapped or to kidnap s.o. for money or other ransom: He was held hostage to trade for another country's spy.||The rebels held her hostage until her country met their demands. b. fig. having to do things for a special reason: He is a politician held hostage to his promise not to raise taxes.
hostel
hostel
  1. n. an inexpensive place to sleep, esp. for youths: He travels by bicycle and stays at youth hostels.
hostelry
hostelry
  1. n.old usage -ries a hotel, hostel
hostess
hostess
  1. n.
    1 a female host
    2 old usage a worker on an airplane: She works as a hostess for American Airlines.
    3 a woman who greets customers in a restaurant See: flight attendant.
hostile
hostile
  1. adj.
    1 hateful, angry: That driver has a hostile attitude; he blows his horn and yells at other drivers.
    2 opposing,
    THESAURUS
    antagonistic: Our troops ran into hostile forces.
hostile takeover
hostile takeover
  1. n. (in business) taking control of a company against the wishes of its management
hostility
hostility
  1. n. -ties
    1 [U] hatred, anger: You can feel the hostility coming from that man.
    2 [U] strong opposition,
    THESAURUS
    antagonism: There was open hostility between the political parties.
    3 pl. hostilities acts of war: Hostilities continue between the two countries' armies.
hot-tempered
hot-tempered
  1. adj. related to a person who gets angry easily: He is a hot-tempered man, always yelling.
hot-wire
hot-wire
  1. v. [T] -wired, -wiring, -wires to go around a vehicle's normal ignition system by connecting starting wires directly to each other: Thieves hot-wire cars and steal them without using keys.
hot
hot
  1. adj. hotter, hottest
    1 having a high degree of heat, burning: The water is very, very hot.
    2 warm, sultry: The weather is hot today.
    3 spicy, highly seasoned: My food is hot because I added lots of red peppers to it.
    4 angry, agitated: We started to argue, and tempers got hot.
    5 infrml. sexually aroused: The couple started kissing, then got hot.
    6 popular, sought after: Short skirts are the hot fashion this season.
    7 selling fast: Cowboy boots are a hot item in our store.
    8 infrml. stolen: He was arrested for selling hot merchandise.
    9 doing or performing well: That comedian is really funny; he's hot tonight.
    10 hot and bothered: easily upset, worried by s.t.: When she gets lost driving her car, she gets all hot and bothered but won't ask for directions.
    11 infrml. hot on s.o.'s trail: close behind, in pursuit of s.o.: The police were hot on the bank robber's trail.
    12 infrml. hot under the collar: angry,
    THESAURUS
    agitated: He gets hot under the collar if you don't agree with him.
    13 infrml. in hot water: in trouble, difficulty: He stole a car and is in hot water with the law.
    14 to blow hot and cold: to go back and forth,
    THESAURUS
    to vacillate: She blows hot and cold about changing jobs. See: warm, USAGE NOTE. —n.pl.infrml. to have the hots: to be attracted to: They have the hots for each other.
hot air
hot air
  1. n. fig. [U] nonsense, loose talk: He doesn't know what he's talking about; he's full of hot air.
hot dog
hot dog
  1. n.
    1 a sausage made of ground, spiced meat: We had hot dogs for lunch today.
    2 infrml.fig. a show-off: He is a hot dog on the ski slopes.
    THESAURUS
    hot dog
    1 a frankfurter, weiner, dog infrml.
    2 a ham.
hot flash
hot flash
  1. n. flashes
    1 a sudden hot feeling, usu. during menopause: She told her doctor she often has hot flashes.
    2 a sudden, important news story: A reporter interrupted the broadcast with a hot flash from Washington.
hot line
hot line
  1. n. a telephone line for emergencies: The hot line between Moscow and Washington is a red telephone that sits on the President's desk.||She works at a suicide hot line.
hot plate
hot plate
  1. n. a small stove with a metal burner for heating food: My small apartment has no kitchen, but I have a hot plate to heat soup.
hot potato
hot potato
  1. n.infrml.fig. -toes a difficult situation, sensitive dilemma: The abortion issue in the USA is a political hot potato.
hot seat
hot seat
  1. n. to put s.o. in the hot seat or to sit in the hot seat: a position where one must answer difficult and embarrassing questions: His boss put him in the hot seat, because his department was making mistakes and losing money.
hot spot
hot spot
  1. n. an area where there is trouble or likely to be trouble: Hot spots in the world are places where war happens.
hot tub
hot tub
  1. n. a large tub filled with hot water for relaxation: The couple has a hot tub in their backyard.
hot water bottle
hot water bottle
  1. n. a rubber bag filled with hot water: When I hurt my foot, I put a hot water bottle on it to ease the pain.
hotbed
hotbed
  1. n.fig. an environment that helps create s.t.: That political party is a hotbed of revolution.
hotblooded
hotblooded
  1. adj. easily angered, hotheaded: She is hotblooded and gets mad at any little thing.
hotcake
hotcake
  1. n.
    1 a pancake: I like to eat hotcakes and sausages for breakfast.
    2 to sell like hotcakes: to sell rapidly: Those new shoes are selling like hotcakes.
hotel
hotel
  1. n. a building with bedrooms for rent and usu. food and other services: We stayed in a big hotel in Montreal.
    THESAURUS
    hotel a lodge, inn, resort | motel.

    USAGE NOTE: An inn is a small hotel, often in the country, offering rooms and food to travelers; a B&B, or bed and breakfast, is usually a large home with few rooms to rent, that serves only breakfast. A youth hostel offers young people military-style accomodations for a low price. A motel or motor inn is less expensive than a hotel. The rooms often open onto the parking lot. The category of pension is not used in the USA.
hotfoot
hotfoot
  1. n.infrml. the prank of lighting a match in a person's shoe —v.infrml. to hotfoot it: to run or move quickly: I hotfooted it over to the department store to go to their one-day sale.
hothead
hothead
  1. n. a person who does things without thinking and gets angry easily: He's a hothead who starts yelling if you disagree with him. -adj. hotheaded.
hotly
hotly
  1. adv.
    1 heatedly, passionately
    2 closely: The cat was hotly pursued by the dog.
hotshot
hotshot
  1. n.adj.infrml. an excellent performer, esp. one who shows off: She is a young hotshot or hotshot stockbroker.
hound
hound
  1. n. any of approx. 17 breeds of hunting dogs: Foxhounds have a sharp sense of smell. —v. [T] to bother, chase, worry: My mother hounded me until I washed the dishes.
hour
hour
  1. n.
    1 a time period of 60 minutes, 1/24th of a day: My train ride to work takes an hour.
    2 a special moment in time: The fall of the Berlin Wall was one of history's finest hours.
    3 pl. a time period designated for certain activity: Our office hours are from 9 to 5.
    4 after hours: after usual business hours
    5 at the eleventh hour: at the last minute, almost too late
    6 on the hour: at exactly one o'clock, two o'clock, etc.: A bus leaves for New York on the hour.
hour hand
hour hand
  1. n. the smaller hand on a watch: When both the minute hand and hour hand are on 12, it is either noon or midnight.
hourglass
hourglass
  1. n. a device for measuring time by the falling of sand from a top globe to a bottom globe: I use a small hourglass as a timer for boiling eggs.
hourly
hourly
  1. adv. happening every hour: A train leaves for San Francisco hourly from here.
house-sit
house-sit
  1. v. [I] -sat, -sitting, -sits to stay in a house while its owners or tenants are away -n. (person) house sitter; (act) house-sitting.
house
house
  1. n. houses
    1 a place to live for one or a few families: Our house is located on the corner.
    2 a building for various purposes: Firefighters work in the local fire house.||That publishing house has an excellent reputation.
    3 a legislative body or its chambers: The House of Representatives is located in Washington, DC.
    4 the audience in a theater: There was a full house on the opening night of the ballet.
    5 a noble or important family: Queen Elizabeth II belongs to the House of Windsor.
    6 like a house afire or on fire: quickly: He ran out of here like a house afire.
    7 on the house: paid for by a bar or restaurant (usu. of food, drinks) —v. [T] housed, housing, houses to have shelter, stay somewhere: Refugees are housed temporarily in tents.
    THESAURUS
    house
    1 a home, residence, dwelling
    2 a company, organization, establishment
    3 a governing body, congress, parliament. —v. to put s.o. up, shelter s.o.
house arrest
house arrest
  1. n. [U] forcing s.o. to stay in a house: Soldiers put the minister under house arrest by surrounding his home.
house of cards
house of cards
  1. n.fig. a fragile, shaky situation or structure: His business dealings were a house of cards, so his company soon went out of business.
house of correction
house of correction
  1. n. houses of correction a prison for people who have committed minor offenses: The teenage thief was sent to a house of correction by the judge.
house organ
house organ
  1. n. a newsletter, magazine, etc. published internally by a business or institution: The museum sends its house organ to employees and members.
houseboat
houseboat
  1. n. a boat that functions as a home: We turned an old barge into a houseboat with a bedroom, kitchen, etc.
housebound
housebound
  1. adj. unable to go out, usu. because of age or illness: My grandmother broke her leg and is housebound.
housebreaking
housebreaking
  1. n. [U]
    1 forcing one's way into a house to steal s.t.: The burglar was convicted of housebreaking.
    2 training an animal to excrete outdoors or in a box
housebroken
housebroken
  1. adj. (said of an animal) trained to do its excretion outdoors or in a box: Our cat was housebroken quickly. -v. [T] housebreak.
housecleaning
housecleaning
  1. n.
    1 [U] chores needed to keep a house clean: She has a maid who does the housecleaning.
    2 [C;U] fig. a replacement of many employees with new ones: The new boss did a housecleaning by hiring a whole new staff.
housecoat
housecoat
  1. n. a casual dress worn around the house: She wears a thick housecoat to keep warm in winter.
household
household
  1. n. the person or people living together in one home: The national survey counts the number of households in the country. -n. householder.
household word
household word
  1. n. a well-known person or the brand name of a product that is used to mean the product itself: Coke is a household word for a cola soft drink.
househusband
househusband
  1. n. a man who keeps the house while the wife works outside the house: He is a househusband who cleans, cooks, and takes care of their children. See: homemaker, USAGE NOTE.
housekeeper
housekeeper
  1. n. a person hired to take care of a private house or supervise workers in hotel rooms: Our housekeeper cleans, does the laundry, and makes the beds.
housekeeping
housekeeping
  1. n. [U] housecleaning, the chores needed to keep a house or hotel in order: Housekeeping in a big hotel can involve hundreds of maids and maintenance workers.
houselights
houselights
  1. n.pl. theater lights that can be made brighter or dimmer
housemaid
housemaid
  1. n. a maid, domestic servant
housemother
housemother
  1. n. a woman in charge of a group house, usu. in a school: My aunt is a housemother at a college dormitory.
housewares
housewares
  1. n.pl. dishes, glasses, and other articles used in a house, esp. the kitchen: Large stores have a department that sells housewares.
housewife
housewife
  1. n. -wives a woman who does not work outside of the home: She is a housewife who is very active in civic affairs. See: homemaker, USAGE NOTE.
housework
housework
  1. n. [U] work done to keep a house in order,
    THESAURUS
    chores: Housework consists of cleaning, cooking, and doing the laundry.
housing
housing
  1. n. [U] a general term for houses, apartments, etc. that people live in,
    THESAURUS
    dwellings: Housing in this area is expensive.
hovel
hovel
  1. n. a small, open, dirty shelter: A homeless man built a hovel out of tin sheets and cardboard cartons.
hover
hover
  1. v. [I] to stay suspended in the air over an area: Hawks hover over fields, searching for rabbits and mice.
how-to
how-to
  1. adj. giving the practical steps needed to do s.t.: a how-to book on home repairs —n. [U] a set of practical instructions for doing s.t.
how
how
  1. adv.
    1 in what manner: How do you fix this broken faucet?
    2 for what reason: How can you say such an awful thing?
    3 in what condition: How do you feel?
    4 to what extent, cost: How much does this sofa cost?
    5 by what description, designation: How do you describe this object?
    6 as part of a greeting: How do you do?
    7 infrml. how about: what do you think about (s.t.): I couldn't decide what to wear, then asked her, "How about this dress?"
    8 infrml. How come?: Why?: How come you didn't call me yesterday? —conj. the way in which: I remember how she laughed at his jokes.
howdy
howdy
  1. exclam.infrml. Hello, how are you?: Cowboys say "Howdy!" when they greet each other.
however
however
  1. conj. in spite of, but: He is intelligent; however, he is also difficult. —adv.
    1 to whatever degree, extent: You may stay there however long you wish.
    2 said in surprise: However did the cat get up that tree?
    THESAURUS
    however conj. yet, though, nonetheless.
howitzer
howitzer
  1. n. a cannon of intermediate length and firepower: The army used howitzers against the enemy hiding in the hills.
howl
howl
  1. v. [I]
    1 to cry loudly, (syns.) to wail, yowl: Monkeys howl in the treetops.
    2 infrml.fig. to laugh heartily: The audience howled at the comedian's jokes.
    3 to complain loudly: He's always howling about something. —n. a howling sound: The cat gave out a howl. -n. howler.
howling
howling
  1. adj.
    1 making the noise of a howl
    2 extreme,
    THESAURUS
    glaring: a howling mistake
howsoever
howsoever
  1. adv. in whatever manner: Howsoever you wish to do the job is up to you.
hub
hub
  1. n.
    1 a wheel's center where the axle is inserted
    2 a center of much activity: Chicago is a hub of airline traffic.
hubbub
hubbub
  1. n. [U] noisy confusion: The train station is full of hubbub at Christmastime.
hubby
hubby
  1. n.infrml. -bies husband
hubcap
hubcap
  1. n. a decorative and protective metal plate put on a wheel's hub
hubris
hubris
  1. n.frml. [U] pride and arrogance: His hubris prevented him from asking for help on the project, so it was late.
huckleberry
huckleberry
  1. n. -ries a dark-blue edible berry: We had huckleberry pie with ice cream for dessert.
huckster
huckster
  1. n. s.o. who sells using questionable, tricky methods: He is a huckster who tells people that the land they are buying is better than it really is.
huddle
huddle
  1. v. -dled, -dling, -dles
    1 [I;T] to press closely together: Baby rabbits huddle together next to their mother.
    2 [I] (in US football) to meet in a tight group to plan the next move: The Atlanta Falcons huddled, then threw a long pass.
    3 fig. [I] to consult, meet: Our department huddled on how to meet the deadline.
hue
hue
  1. n. graduation of color, as in red to yellow: The hues of the leaves in autumn are beautiful against a blue sky.
huff
huff
  1. v. [I] to breathe heavily, blow or puff air: He huffed and puffed as he climbed the mountain. —n. in a huff: in a state of anger or indignation: She felt insulted and left in a huff.
huffy
huffy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest angry, indignant: She gets huffy often. -adv. huffily.
hug
hug
  1. n. an embrace, the act of putting one's arms around s.o.: He gives his children a hug and a kiss as they leave for school. —v. hugged, hugging, hugs
    1 [I;T] to encircle s.o. with the arms: She hugged her children.
    2 [T] to stay near the shoreline: The sailboat hugged the coast in the strong wind.
huge
huge
  1. adj. huger, hugest
    1 very large, enormous: The country suffers from a huge debt.
    2 very large, bulky: Football players are huge men. -adv. hugely.
huh
huh
  1. exclam.
    1 expressing a question: Huh? What did you say?
    2 expressing indifference: Oh, huh, I don't care what we do.
    3 expressing surprise: Huh! What a great idea!
hula
hula
  1. n. [C;U] a Hawaiian dance with movement of the hips and hands
hulk
hulk
  1. n.
    1 s.t. or s.o. large and awkward: He is a hulk of a man.
    2 the remains of an abandoned ship: The hulk lay on its side in the harbor. —v. [I] to appear as a hulk: A giant of a man hulked into our living room. -adj. hulking.
hull
hull
  1. n.
    1 the shell of a ship, without its sails and inside rooms: The ship's hull is made of steel.
    2 the outer shell of some nuts and fruits: We removed the hulls from the walnuts. —v. [T] to remove hulls: We hulled the nuts before eating them.
hullabaloo
hullabaloo
  1. n.infrml. [U] -loos a loud noise,
    THESAURUS
    uproar: He created a big hullabaloo about being treated unfairly.
hum
hum
  1. v. hummed, humming, hums
    1 [I] to make a continuous sound of "M": Bees hum when they fly.
    2 [I;T] to sing with the mouth closed: He hummed a tune as he walked to work.
    3 fig. [I] to work smoothly and well: Our business is humming right along. —n. a humming sound, the sound of a smooth operation: You can hear the hum of activity in that business.
human
human
  1. or human being n. a person: Humans live in almost every part of the world. —adj. having human traits, characteristics: It is only human to cry for dead loved ones.
    THESAURUS
    human or human being n. an individual, somebody | man, woman, child | soul.
human
human
  1. or human being -n. a person: Humans live in almost every part of the earth. _adj. having human traits, characteristics: It is only human to cry for dead loved ones.
human nature
human nature
  1. n. [U] general characteristics both good and bad of human behavior: It is human nature to want love and affection.
humane
humane
  1. adj. concerned for others,
    THESAURUS
    compassionate: The Humane Society tries to prevent cruelty to animals.
humanism
humanism
  1. n. [U] belief in human values and in science, in contrast to religious ideas: Humanism has flourished in this century. -n.adj. humanist.
humanitarian
humanitarian
  1. n. [C]
    1 a person devoted to improvement of the human condition
    2 s.o. who gives money to charity,
    THESAURUS
    a philanthropist —adj. devoted to improvement of humanity: She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them. -n. [U] humanitarianism.
humanity
humanity
  1. n. -ties
    1 [U] human beings as a group: Humanity was threatened by nuclear war.
    2 [U] the state or condition of being human: He showed his humanity by helping his neighbor.
    3 pl. humanities fields of study such as literature, arts, languages, and history. See: man, USAGE NOTE.
humanize
humanize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make kind, humane: He was a brutal warrior who was humanized by becoming religious. -n. [C] humanizer; [U] humanization.
humankind
humankind
  1. n.frml. [U] humans as a group
humanly
humanly
  1. adv.
    1 in a human way
    2 if at all possible: She will help you in every way humanly possible.
humanoid
humanoid
  1. adj.n. having human characteristics: That robot is so realistic that it is humanoid.
humble
humble
  1. adj. -bler, -blest
    1 meek, weak: He has a humble manner in the presence of important people.
    2 modest,
    THESAURUS
    unassuming: She is a great athlete, but is humble about her accomplishments.
    3 poor, unimportant: He came to power from humble circumstances as a poor boy. —v. [T] -bled, -bling, -bles to lower in selfesteem or position: Failure humbled her.
humble pie
humble pie
  1. n.fig. [U] to eat humble pie: to feel bad (guilty, ashamed) about losing,
    THESAURUS
    to be humiliated: He boasted that he could win, but he lost, and now has to eat humble pie.
humbug
humbug
  1. n. [U]
    1 nonsense, expression of contempt: Dickens's Scrooge said "Bah, humbug!" to the needs of others.
    2 a deception or deceptive person
humdinger
humdinger
  1. n.infrml. s.t. excellent, outstanding: His new guitar is a real humdinger.
humdrum
humdrum
  1. adj. boring,
    THESAURUS
    monotonous: She leads a humdrum life.
humectant
humectant
  1. n.adj.frml. a moisturizer: Skin-care specialists recommend the use of humectants.
humid
humid
  1. adj. having damp air (and uncomfortable weather): Oh, it's so humid today; it's hard to breathe!
    THESAURUS
    humid muggy, steamy, sticky. Ant. dry.
humidify
humidify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to put moisture into the air: We humidify the air in winter with a humidifier.
humidity
humidity
  1. n. [U] the amount of moisture in the air: The humidity is high today.
humiliate
humiliate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to embarrass,
    THESAURUS
    to humble: The actor forgot his lines, and that mistake humiliated him.
    2 to disgrace, shame: A prison sentence humiliated the thief and his family. -n. [C;U] humiliation.
humility
humility
  1. n. [U]
    1 weakness,
    THESAURUS
    meekness: His humility before the king was clear.
    2 modesty, lack of self-importance: The humility of the great artist impressed everyone.
hummer
hummer
  1. n. a person or thing that hums: That car of mine is beautiful; that little hummer runs like a gem.
hummingbird
hummingbird
  1. n. any of a variety of tiny, colorful birds that beat their wings very quickly: Hummingbirds move from flower to flower, drinking their nectar.
hummock
hummock
  1. n. a hillock, a rise in the landscape: A hunter stood on a hummock above the field.
humor
humor
  1. n.
    1 [U] s.t. comical in written, oral, or graphic form: That comedian's humor is often childish, so I don't think he's very funny.
    2 good- or bad-humored: having a cheerful or irritable state of mind, mood: He's always smiling and good humored. —v. [T] to make s.o. happy by doing what he or she wants: I humored my mother by going shopping with her. -n. [C] humorist.
    THESAURUS
    humor n.
    1 wit, comedy, wisecracks. —v. to indulge, gratify, oblige.
humorous
humorous
  1. adj. funny, comical: A reporter wrote humorous comments about the politician. -adv. humorously.
    THESAURUS
    humorous witty, hilarious, entertaining. Ants. dull, uninteresting.
hump
hump
  1. n.
    1 a bulge: He has a hump on his back.
    2 over the hump: past the hardest part or time of s.t. —v.
    1 [T] to form into a bulge: He humped his shoulders in lifting the weight.
    2 fig. [I;T] to work very hard: We really humped to finish that job.
humpback
humpback
  1. or humpbacked adj. having a hump on the back: The humpback whale was hunted almost to extinction.
hunch
hunch
  1. n. hunches an idea, feeling s.t. is so,
    THESAURUS
    an intuition: I have a hunch that it will rain this afternoon. —v. hunches [I] to form into a hump: The student hunched over her desk as she studied.
hunchback
hunchback
  1. n. a person with a hump on the back
hundred
hundred
  1. n. -dreds or (after a number) -dred
    1 the cardinal number between 99 and 101: I have a hundred dollars in my wallet.
    2 pl. hundreds a. designation of a century: When we say that the author lived in the eighteen hundreds, we mean between the years 1801 and 1899. b. lots of s.t.: Hundreds of people were on the beach last weekend.
hundredth
hundredth
  1. adj.n.
    1 being the ordinal number between 99th and 101st: His was the hundredth application for the job.
    2 being one of a hundred equal parts of s.t.
hung
hung
  1. adj. past tense & past part. of hang
    1 not unanimous: A hung jury is one that cannot decide on a verdict.
    2 hung over: suffering the effects of too much alcohol: He drank too much beer last night and is hung over this morning.
    3 hung up: a. delayed, detained: I got hung up in traffic; sorry I'm late. b. infrml.fig. obsessed, psychologically blocked: She's hung up about working for a big company, and won't take a job at a small firm.
hunger
hunger
  1. n. [U] the need for food: The population of that country suffers from hunger. —v. [I] to desire s.t. very much: He hungered for her love.
hunger strike
hunger strike
  1. n. the refusal to eat as a protest: Prisoners went on a hunger strike to protest bad conditions in the prison. -n. hunger striker.
hungry
hungry
  1. adj. -grier, -griest
    1 feeling the lack of food: I haven't eaten all day and feel very hungry.
    2 fig. eager, wanting s.t.: She is a student hungry for knowledge. -adv. hungrily.
hunk
hunk
  1. n.
    1 a piece of s.t., chunk: I put a hunk of earth in a pot.
    2 infrml.fig. a big, strong, attractive man: Some women prefer hunks to intellectual types.
hunker
hunker
  1. v. [I]
    1 to bend at the knees,
    THESAURUS
    to squat
    2 phrasal v. to hunker down: to work hard: He hunkered down and studied hard.
hunt
hunt
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to search for: I hunted for my hat and finally found it.
    2 to chase and capture or kill: Every autumn, many people hunt deer in this area. —n.
    1 a search: We went on a hunt for the lost document.
    2 a pursuit, such as of animals or criminals: Police started a hunt for the murderer.
    THESAURUS
    hunt v.
    1 to look for, seek, scour a place for
    2 to track, pursue, stalk.
hunter
hunter
  1. n. a person who hunts, mainly game: Hunters kill deer in the fall.||A fortune hunter tries to marry a wealthy person.
hunting
hunting
  1. n. [U] the sport of killing game (animals, birds): Hunting is a popular sport in many areas.
hurdle
hurdle
  1. n.
    1 a low barrier: Runners jump over hurdles.
    2 an obstacle,
    THESAURUS
    hindrance: In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. —v. [T] -dled, -dling, -dles to jump over a hurdle or other barrier: The runner hurdled the fence. -n. [C] hurdler; [U] hurdling.
hurl
hurl
  1. v.
    1 [T] to throw with great force: Protesters hurled rocks at the police.
    2 [I] slang to vomit -n. [U] hurling.
hurly-burly
hurly-burly
  1. n. [U] noisy commotion,
    THESAURUS
    turmoil: The hurly-burly of a political protest resulted in the arrests of some demonstrators.
hurrah
hurrah
  1. or hurray exclam. expression of triumph, pleasure: Hurrah! Our team won!
hurricane
hurricane
  1. n. a large, violent rain and wind storm: Hurricanes have winds up to 150 miles (240 km) per hour.
hurried
hurried
  1. adj. rushed,
    THESAURUS
    harried: My boss is always hurried; she has too much work and not enough help. -adv. hurriedly.
hurry
hurry
  1. v. [I;T] -ried, -rying, -ries to rush: We hurried, so as not to be late. —n. [U] a rush, fast pace: He is always in a hurry.
    THESAURUS
    hurry v. to hasten, hustle, run, be quick. Ants. to dawdle, stall.
hurt
hurt
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to feel pain, ache: I fell, and my leg hurts.
    2 [I;T] to feel distress or anguish: They still hurt from the money they lost in the stock market.
    3 [T] to cause pain, injure: The accident hurt him badly.
    4 [T] to cause pain that isn't mental or physical: News of the scandal hurt his chances of winning the election. -adj. hurtful ; -adv. hurtfully.
    THESAURUS
    hurt v.
    1 to be sore, be in pain, smart | suffer
    2 to be upset, smart infrml. | be saddened by s.t., grieve for s.t.
    3 to harm, wound, damage
    4 to harm | damage, spoil, upset. Ant. to help.
hurtle
hurtle
  1. v. [I] -tled, -tling, -tles to rush with great speed, plunge: A meteor hurtled through the night sky.
husband
husband
  1. n. a man who is married: He became her husband last year. —v. [T] to save,
    THESAURUS
    to conserve: The couple husbanded their resources and bought a house.
    THESAURUS
    husband n. a spouse, mate, hubby infrml.
husbandry
husbandry
  1. n. [U]
    1 farming, cultivation: He majored in animal husbandry in college.
    2 conservative use of resources: Husbandry of their food reserves prevented starvation.
hush-hush
hush-hush
  1. adj. secret, confidential: Our boss told us that the new project is hush-hush.
hush
hush
  1. v. -es
    1 [I;T] to become or make quiet: The mother hushed her noisy children.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to hush s.t. up: to hide information from the public: The mayor hushed up the news that $1 million was missing from the city.||She hushed it up. —n.sing. [U] a quieting of noise: A hush came over the audience when the play began.
husk
husk
  1. n. a dry outer leaf-like covering, esp. on corn: You shuck the corn's husks before cooking it. —v. [T] to remove husks,
    THESAURUS
    to shuck: We husk corn after the autumn harvest.
husky
husky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest strong and solid, stocky: He is a husky boy. —n. -ies a type of work dog: Alaskan huskies pull dogsleds. -n. huskiness.
hussy
hussy
  1. n.pej.old usage -sies a woman with low moral standards
hustings
hustings
  1. n.pl. platforms, places where speeches are made: Politicians speak from the hustings at election time.
hustle
hustle
  1. v. -tled, -tling, -tles
    1 [I;T] to go rapidly, rush: I hustled over to my friend's place.
    2 [I] to work energetically: He really hustled to finish the job on time.
    3 [I;T] to do business in a sneaky or overly aggressive way: He hustled stolen cars for a living.
    4 infrml. [I] to sell one's body as a prostitute —n.
    1 [U] energetic action: She showed a lot of hustle to get that new customer.
    2 [C] a sneaky scheme,
    THESAURUS
    a scam: That deal is a hustle.
    3 the hustle and bustle: energy, much activity: All the hustle and bustle of the big city is too much for me. -n. [C] hustler; [U] hustling.
hut
hut
  1. n. a cabin, a small, shabby shelter: People live in huts in that poor area. See: hovel; hutch, 2.
    THESAURUS
    hut a shack, shanty, hovel | bungalow, cottage.
hutch
hutch
  1. n. hutches
    1 a box or coop for small animals: He used chicken wire to make a rabbit hutch.
    2 a makeshift shelter: She built a hutch from branches and leaves.
hyacinth
hyacinth
  1. n.
    1 a plant with a cluster of sweet-smelling flowers that grows from a bulb: Hyacinths bloom in the spring.
    2 a bluish color
hydrant
hydrant
  1. n. a water outlet, fireplug: Firefighters put hoses on water hydrants to get water to fight fires. See: fire hydrant.
hydraulics
hydraulics
  1. n. [U] the science of fluids and their practical uses: Engineers use hydraulics in designing brake systems. -adj. hydraulic.
hydroelectric
hydroelectric
  1. adj. related to creating electricity from water power: Huge amounts of hydroelectric power are generated in Canada's St Lawrence River. -adv. hydroelectrically.
hydrofoil
hydrofoil
  1. n.
    1 a long, narrow blade used to lift a vessel off the water
    2 the vessel itself: Hydrofoils can travel at speeds over 70 miles (112 km) per hour.
hydrogen
hydrogen
  1. n. [U] adj. the lightest gaseous chemical element: The hydrogen bomb has huge destructive power.
hydrology
hydrology
  1. n. [U] the science of water, its properties, and distribution in the world
hydroplane
hydroplane
  1. v. [I] -planed, -planing, -planes to move across the surface of water: In a rainstorm, cars can hydroplane dangerously and lose control. —n.
    1 a high-powered motorboat: A hydroplane race is exciting to watch.
    2 an airplane that can land or take off from water
hydrotherapy
hydrotherapy
  1. n. [U] use of water for healing
hyena
hyena
  1. n. a meat-eating, wild, dog-like animal of Africa and southeast Asia that is active at night: Hyenas feed on small dead animals and birds.
hygiene
hygiene
  1. n. [U] the science of personal and public health: Personal hygiene includes cleanliness, eating healthy foods, and exercising. -adj. hygienic ; -adv. hygienically; -n. [C] hygienist.
hymen
hymen
  1. n. a membrane partly covering the vaginal opening of a virgin: The hymen can be broken during exercise.
hymn
hymn
  1. n. a religious song of praise
hymnal
hymnal
  1. n. a religious songbook: The congregation sings hymns from the hymnal.
hype
hype
  1. n. [U] exaggerated advertising claims,
    THESAURUS
    hoopla: People went to see the movie because of all the hype. —v. [T] hyped, hyping, hypes
    1 to make excessive advertising claims: Promoters really hyped the movie.
    2 phrasal v. sep. slang to hype s.o. up: a. to stimulate with drugs: The injection hyped up the patient.||It hyped him up. b. to excite, enthuse: The prospect of making money hyped up my assistant.||It hyped her up.
hyper
hyper
  1. prefix excessive, overly: He is a hyperactive child. —adj.slang high-strung, nervously energetic: Drinking too much coffee makes me hyper.
hyperactive
hyperactive
  1. adj. nervously energetic,
    THESAURUS
    high-strung: He was a hyperactive child. -n. [U] hyperactivity.
hyperbole
hyperbole
  1. n.frml. [C;U] exaggeration used for dramatic effect: He used hyperbole by describing the wrestler as a giant of a man.
hyperbolic
hyperbolic
  1. adj.
    1 having the shape of a hyperbola: She drew a hyperbolic figure on the blackboard.
    2 frml. characterized by exaggeration: The speaker made hyperbolic claims for his product.
hypercritical
hypercritical
  1. adj. too critical: He is so hypercritical that he corrects every mistake his students make.
hypersensitive
hypersensitive
  1. adj.
    1 (in medicine) overreaction of the body's defenses: He is hypersensitive to dust.
    2 easily hurt by others, touchy: She is hypersensitive to criticism of any kind.
hypersonic
hypersonic
  1. adj. related to speeds five or more times the speed of sound: Jet fighters are hypersonic aircraft.
hypertension
hypertension
  1. n. [U] high blood pressure: He takes medicine to lower hypertension.
hypertext
hypertext
  1. n. [C] (in computers) electronic text that allows you to browse different sources of computer files on a subject: I used hypertext to search on the Internet for information about gold and found articles about its history, use in jewelry, and how it is mined.
hyperventilate
hyperventilate
  1. v. [I] -lated, -lating, -lates to breathe fast, usu. causing numbness and dizziness: He started to hyperventilate when he thought he was having a heart attack. -n. [U] hyperventilation.
hyphen
hyphen
  1. n. the punctuation mark (-): A hyphen connects the parts of many words, such as "how-to."
hyphenate
hyphenate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to divide into syllables with a hyphen: I have now hyphenated the word "hy-phen-ate."
    2 to join two words with a hyphen -adj. hyphenated; -n. [C] hyphenation.
hypnosis
hypnosis
  1. n. [U] a sleep-like state where a person's mind is open to suggestions: Many people use hypnosis to stop bad habits, such as smoking cigarettes.
hypnotic
hypnotic
  1. adj. causing hypnosis: The mother's voice had a hypnotic effect on her baby.
hypnotize
hypnotize
  1. v. [T] -tized, -tizing, -tizes to put s.o. under hypnosis: The therapist hypnotized her patient. -n. [U] hypnotism ; [C] hypnotist.
hypochondria
hypochondria
  1. n. [U] a condition of imagining illness that one does not have: That patient bothers his doctor with his hypochondria.
hypochondriac
hypochondriac
  1. n. a person who suffers from hypochondria -adj. hypochondriacal.
hypocrisy
hypocrisy
  1. n. [U] saying one holds one belief while really believing s.t. else: Her hypocrisy was clear when she talked about loving old people; I know she never visits her own grandmother.
hypocrite
hypocrite
  1. n. a person who acts with hypocrisy: He is a hypocrite, pretending to care and not really doing so. -adj. hypocritical ; -adv. hypocritically.
hypotenuse
hypotenuse
  1. n. the longest side of a right triangle: Side AB is the hypotenuse of triangle ABC.
hypothalamus
hypothalamus
  1. n. -mi the basic part of the brain that controls breathing, heartbeat, etc.: The hypothalamus is located at the brain stem.
hypothermia
hypothermia
  1. n. [U] a condition of low body temperature and feeling cold: You can get hypothermia from being outside too long in cold weather.
hypothesis
hypothesis
  1. n. -ses
    1 a working theory: Scientists do experiments to see if their hypotheses work.
    2 an unproved assumption: His statement is simply a hypothesis. -v. [I;T] hypothesize ; -adj. hypothetical.
hysterectomy
hysterectomy
  1. n. -mies the removal of the uterus (womb)
hysteria
hysteria
  1. n. [U]
    1 uncontrollable emotional outbursts: He suffers from hysteria occasionally.
    2 panic, excitement: News of the stock market crash caused hysteria among the population.
hysterical
hysterical
  1. adj.
    1 panicked, emotionally out of control: The mother became hysterical when she realized her child was lost.
    2 fig. hilarious, very funny: The jokes that he tells are hysterical. -adv. hysterically.
hysterics
hysterics
  1. n.pl.
    1 an uncontrollable emotional outburst: The mental patient was overcome with hysterics.
    2 fig. an outburst of laughter: The audience went into hysterics at the clown's tricks.
i-Phone™
i-Phone™
  1. n. a handheld cell phone with many computer applications, including Internet and GPS.
i.e.
i.e.
  1. abbr. for the Latin id est, meaning "that is": I like bright colors, i.e., red and yellow.
ice-cream cone
ice-cream cone
  1. n. a cookie-like object used to hold ice cream: I'd like a chocolate ice-cream cone, please.
ice cap
ice cap
  1. n. a large area of ice, such as those found at the North and South Poles: The polar ice caps are very thick.
ice cream
ice cream
  1. n. [U] a frozen mixture of cream, milk, flavors, and sweeteners: We enjoy eating vanilla ice cream for dessert.
    THESAURUS
    ice cream a frozen dessert, frozen custard | sherbet, frozen yogurt.
ice hockey
ice hockey
  1. n. [U] an ice-skating sport in which one team uses curved sticks to shoot a small, round disk into the other team's goal: Ice hockey is a fast and rough sport.
ice pick
ice pick
  1. n. a long, pointed tool used to chip and crack ice: I broke bits of ice off a block with an ice pick.
ice skate
ice skate
  1. n. a boot with a sharpened steel blade used to move over ice: I wear my ice skates when I play ice hockey. —v. [I] ice-skate: to move over ice with ice skates: I ice-skate early each morning in winter. -n. ice skater.
ice water
ice water
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 water made cold with ice cubes: American restaurants often serve ice water with meals.
    2 to have ice (water) in one's veins: to be calm or not easily upset: She is a brave firefighter who has ice water in her veins when she faces danger.
iceberg
iceberg
  1. n. a large piece of frozen ice in the sea: Most of an iceberg is under water.
icebreaker
icebreaker
  1. n.
    1 a powerful ship used to break paths in icy seas: The cruise ship sailed in the path made by an icebreaker.
    2 infrml.fig. s.t. said or done to help people start talking or feel comfortable: John's funny story was a good icebreaker at the party. See: ice, 2.
icicle
icicle
  1. n.
    1 a pointed piece of ice formed by water that freezes as it falls in small drops: Icicles hang from tree branches in winter.
    2 infrml.fig. a person who is cold or unfriendly: His wife complains that her husband is an icicle.
icing
icing
  1. n. [U]
    1 a sweet, creamy covering on cakes,
    THESAURUS
    frosting: The icing on my birthday cake is made of chocolate.
    2 infrml. the icing on the cake: s.t. extra, special: I received a raise in salary, but the extra week of vacation was the icing on the cake.
icky
icky
  1. adj.infrml. -ier, -iest
    1 sticky in an unpleasant way: I spilled spaghetti on my shirt, and it was all icky.
    2 unpleasant: The weather was so icky that I stayed at home.
icon
icon
  1. n.
    1 in Eastern Christianity, a religious painting of a holy person
    2 one who is greatly admired,
    THESAURUS
    idol: Marilyn Monroe is an icon of American popular culture.
    3 a symbol or picture on a computer screen that stands for a command, program, etc.: Click on the red icon to start the program. -n. [U] iconography.
icy
icy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 covered with ice: The roads are icy during a snowstorm.
    2 cold and unfriendly: He has an icy personality.
idea
idea
  1. n.
    1 a thought: The speaker had very interesting ideas.
    2 a plan, a way to do s.t.: She has an idea of how to solve the problem.
    3 a sudden wish or urge: I have an idea; let's go to a movie tonight!
    4 not to have the faintest idea: to have no knowledge or information: We're lost, and I don't have the faintest idea of where we are.
    5 to have an idea in mind: to have an uncertain plan
    THESAURUS
    idea
    1 an opinion, theory, view
    2 a concept, proposal, suggestion
    3 a whim, notion, fancy.
ideal
ideal
  1. n.
    1 the highest standard, s.t. perfect: A great ideal would be for the world to have no disease or hunger.
    2 to have ideals: to wish for perfection: The philosopher has high ideals about saving the world. —adj. most desirable, perfect: Good weather has provided ideal conditions for the boat race today. -adv. ideally; -n. [U] idealism; [C] idealist.
    THESAURUS
    ideal n.
    1 a goal, model, paragon. —adj. the best, optimum, exemplary.
idealistic
idealistic
  1. adj.
    1 having ideals
    2 wishing for perfection in an imperfect world: She is very idealistic about bringing peace to the world.
idealize
idealize
  1. v. [T] to think of s.t. as better than it really is: He idealizes his job, even though it isn't perfect.
identical
identical
  1. adj. exactly alike: The boys are identical twins.
identification
identification
  1. n.
    1 [U] s.t., such as a passport or driver's license, that proves who one is: I showed my passport as identification at the airport.
    2 [C;U] recognition of s.o. or s.t.: The police officer made an identification of the criminal after talking to witnesses.
    THESAURUS
    identification
    1 credentials | driver's license, passport
    2 naming s.o. or s.t. | classifying s.o. or s.t.
identification card
identification card
  1. n. See: ID.
identify
identify
  1. v. -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 [T] to recognize the identity of s.o. or s.t.: The children identified the bird from its picture in the book.
    2 to identify with: to feel connected to s.o. or s.t.: I identified with the girl in the movie.
identity
identity
  1. n. -ties
    1 who s.o. is or what s.t. is: The police described his identity as a white male weighing 200 pounds (90 kilos), with gray hair.
    2 a sense of oneself: When she quit her job to raise her children, she lost her identity as a career woman.
identity crisis
identity crisis
  1. n. not being sure about who one is: When he lost his job and could not find another, he went through an identity crisis.
ideological
ideological
  1. adj. about beliefs, doctrines that influence action in society: The ideological structure of capitalism is often attacked. -n. ideologist ; ideologue.
ideology
ideology
  1. n. -gies [C;U] a set of beliefs shared by a political or social group: In the USA, Democrats and Republicans have different ideologies.
idiocy
idiocy
  1. n. -cies
    1 [U] a mental condition of low intelligence: The poor child suffers from idiocy.
    2 [C;U] stupidity, foolishness: The idiocy of war never stops.
idiom
idiom
  1. n.
    1 an expression that does not mean the same as the individual words: The words "to hit the roof" say "to hit against the top of a house", but the idiom actually means "to become very angry."
    2 the speech or dialect of a certain area: They speak the idiom of their small town. -adj. idiomatic.
idiosyncrasy
idiosyncrasy
  1. n. -sies an odd habit or characteristic: One of her idiosyncrasies is that she sleeps in her clothes. -adj. idiosyncratic.
idiot
idiot
  1. n.
    1 a person of little intelligence: The poor child was born an idiot.
    2 infrml.fig. a stupid, foolish person: He was an idiot to go mountain climbing alone in bad weather. -n. [C;U] idiocy; -adj. idiotic .
    THESAURUS
    idiot
    1 a moron, dimwit, imbecile
    2 a fool, blockhead.
idle
idle
  1. adj.
    1 not working, unemployed: The factory has been closed for a year now, leaving its workers idle.
    2 lazy: She likes to be idle and watch TV all day.
    3 worthless: Don't listen to that idle talk. —v. idled, idling, idles
    1 [I] to run at lowest speed: She lets her car engine idle to warm it up.
    2 [I;T] to take it easy: He idles away his time by watching television.
    THESAURUS
    idle adj.
    1 jobless, out of work, inactive
    2 passive, shiftless, slothful. Ant. busy.
    3 unimportant, useless, frivolous. Ant. important. —v.
    2 to loaf, waste time, dawdle.
idleness
idleness
  1. n. [U]
    1 inactivity: The manufacturing plant lies in idleness, with no workers.
    2 laziness: He spends his days in idleness without work. -n. [C] idler.
idol
idol
  1. n.
    1 an object of religious worship, such as a statue: Ancient peoples worshiped idols of their gods.
    2 a celebrity, such as a film or music star: Popular singers are idols for millions of people.
    THESAURUS
    idol
    1 an icon, symbol, image | false god.
idolatry
idolatry
  1. n. [U] the worship of idols: Idolatry was practiced in ancient civilizations by making offerings to the gods the idols represented. -adj. idolatrous.
idolize
idolize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 to worship: Ancient people idolized gods.
    2 to admire greatly, look up to: Jane idolizes her older sister.
idyll or idyl
idyll or idyl
  1. n.
    1 a short poem or prose piece describing a simple, happy scene: Her poem was an idyll about her life on a farm.
    2 a happy event of rural life: Their honeymoon was an idyll of camping and hiking in a national park. -adj. idyllic.
if
if
  1. conj.
    1 in case that: If you want to leave, let's go now.
    2 on the condition that: I will pay for the movie if you pay for dinner.
    3 whether: Please see if the children are dressed for school.
    4 assuming that: If I have enough money, I shall go on vacation this summer.
    5 as if: as though: He acts as if he's smarter than anyone else.
    6 even if: accepting that s.t. is true: Even if he is smarter, he could act nicer.
    7 if only: used to state a wish: If only I had a million dollars! —n. no ifs, ands, or buts: without excuses: You must finish your homework: no ifs, ands, or buts.
    THESAURUS
    if conj.
    1 in the event that, supposing
    2 provided (that)
    3 whether or not
    4 provided that, on the condition that.
iffy
iffy
  1. adj.infrml. -fier, -fiest doubtful, uncertain: The weather looks iffy today, as though it might rain.
igloo
igloo
  1. n. -loos a house made of icy snow blocks: The Inuit make igloos for shelter.
ignite
ignite
  1. v. [I;T] -nited, -niting, -nites to set on fire: He ignited the wood with a match.
ignition
ignition
  1. n.
    1 [U] setting on fire,
    THESAURUS
    combustion: Ignition of the rocket's engine took place after a countdown from ten.
    2 [C] a mechanical switch for ignition: The car's ignition requires a key to operate it.
ignorance
ignorance
  1. n. [U]
    1 lack of education: Without schooling, children will suffer from ignorance.
    2 lack of knowledge: Her ignorance of the speed limit made her drive faster than 55 miles per hour.
    THESAURUS
    ignorance
    1 illiteracy
    2 unfamiliarity, naivete, unawareness. Ants. knowledge, familiarity.
ignorant
ignorant
  1. adj.
    1 without education
    2 unknowing, uninformed: I am totally ignorant of what happened at home while I was on vacation.
ignore
ignore
  1. v. [T] -nored, -noring, -nores
    1 to pay no attention to, overlook: The teacher ignored my spelling mistakes and looked only for my meaning.
    2 to avoid, disdain: She ignored her old boyfriend.
    THESAURUS
    ignore
    1 to disregard, take no notice of, pass over. Ant. to notice.
    2 to disregard, neglect, snub.
iguana
iguana
  1. n. a large tropical lizard: Iguanas can look frightening.
ilk
ilk
  1. n. [U] kind or type: Those men are nasty, and I don't associate with people of that ilk.
ill-bred
ill-bred
  1. adj. without good manners, rude: He is an ill-bred young man who is rude, vulgar, and dirty.
ill-equipped
ill-equipped
  1. adj.
    1 badly prepared, poorly equipped: The campers were ill-equipped, with little food and no warm clothing.
    2 unable,
    THESAURUS
    incompetent: He is ill-equipped to handle more responsibility.
ill-mannered
ill-mannered
  1. adj. rude,
    THESAURUS
    impolite: He always behaves in an ill-mannered way when he drinks a lot.
ill-suited
ill-suited
  1. adj. not useful for a purpose: Those heavy clothes are ill-suited for hot weather.
ill-tempered
ill-tempered
  1. adj. angry,
    THESAURUS
    irritable: Martin has an ill-tempered dog that barks at strangers.
ill
ill
  1. adj.
    1 sick, unwell: He is ill; he has a bad cold.
    2 to be ill at ease: to feel awkward or uncomfortable: She is often ill at ease with strangers.
    3 to fall or be taken ill: to become sick
    4 evil, terrible, used esp. as a prefix: A bomb exploded, and the ill-fated plane crashed. —adv. badly, unfavorably: He is a bad man, and others think ill of him.
    THESAURUS
    ill adj.
    1 not well, ailing, under the weather. Ant. well. —adv. poorly.
illegal
illegal
  1. adj. against the law: Stealing is illegal. -n. [C;U] illegality .
    THESAURUS
    illegal unlawful, criminal, prohibited | not allowed. Ant. legal.
illegible
illegible
  1. adj. difficult to read: The writing is illegible; I cannot read what it says. -n. [U] illegibility.
illegitimate
illegitimate
  1. adj.
    1 not legal: He is running an illegitimate business.
    2 born to unmarried parents -n. [U] illegitimacy.
illicit
illicit
  1. adj.
    1 unlawful, illegal: Sale of illicit drugs is a problem in that city.
    2 secretive: The married man ended an illicit love affair. -n. [U] illicitness.
illiterate
illiterate
  1. adj. unable to read or write: He once was illiterate, but later he learned to read. -n. [U] illiteracy.
    THESAURUS
    illiterate uneducated, unlettered. Ant. literate.

    USAGE NOTE: The word illiterate generally describes someone who can't read or write. Today people also speak of being computer literate or computer illiterate. People who have a very low level of literacy may be called functionally illiterate, because they can't get jobs that involve much reading or writing.
illness
illness
  1. n. [C;U] sickness, disease: Her illness kept her out of work for a month.
    THESAURUS
    illness an ailment, disorder, bug infrml. Ant. good health.
illogical
illogical
  1. adj. without logic,
    THESAURUS
    unsound: The politician lost the debate because his ideas were illogical.
illuminate
illuminate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates
    1 to give light to: Streetlights illuminated the roads.
    2 to make clear, explain: Our teacher illuminates ancient history in his lectures.
    3 to decorate with lights: We illuminated the lights in the yard for the birthday party. -n. [U] illumination.
illusion
illusion
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a false impression of reality, fantasy: My 12-year-old daughter is so tall that she gives the illusion of being much older than she really is.
    2 [C] a mistaken idea: He has this illusion of himself as a great actor. -n. [C] illusionist.
illusory
illusory
  1. adj. based on a fantasy or illusion: Her dream of being famous is illusory.
illustrate
illustrate
  1. v. [T] -trated, -trating, -trates
    1 to give examples, explain: The teacher illustrated the history lesson by telling a story about George Washington.
    2 to provide with pictures, drawings, etc.: The history book was illustrated with many maps and photographs. -adj. illustrative .
    THESAURUS
    illustrate
    1 to make clear, elucidate
    2 to adorn with pictures.
illustration
illustration
  1. n.
    1 [C] artwork, photography, or other pictures: The art book has many beautiful color illustrations.
    2 [C;U] an example: A teacher gave illustrations of twentieth-century violence by describing several wars.
illustrator
illustrator
  1. n. an artist, s.o. who draws: Illustrators create pictures and charts for magazine articles.
illustrious
illustrious
  1. adj. famous,
    THESAURUS
    distinguished: He has had an illustrious career as a writer.
image
image
  1. n.
    1 a mental picture of s.o. or s.t.: He formed an image of the countryside in his mind.
    2 picture, copy: The image on the photograph is not clear.
    3 one's appearance to others, reputation: She is very concerned about her image as a good lawyer.
    THESAURUS
    image
    1 an idea, concept, view
    2 a likeness, portrayal
    3 one's status, standing, name.
imagery
imagery
  1. n. [U] use of images, esp. in art and literature: The imagery in his writing is so detailed that the characters seem real.
    THESAURUS
    imagery mental pictures, figurative language | similes, metaphors.
imaginable
imaginable
  1. adj. capable of being imagined: In her painting, she has used every color imaginable.
imaginary
imaginary
  1. adj. existing only in the mind, unreal: The child has an imaginary friend.
    THESAURUS
    imaginary made-up, invented, fictitious. Ant. real.
imagination
imagination
  1. n.
    1 [U] the act of forming images in the mind: His imagination comes through in the stories he creates.
    2 [C;U] ability to think creatively: It will take a lot of imagination to solve the problem. -adj. imaginative .
    THESAURUS
    imagination 1 and 2 creativity, inspiration, inventiveness | vision.
imagine
imagine
  1. v. [T] -ined, -ining, -ines
    1 to form (a picture, idea) in one's mind: She imagined what it would be like to be rich and famous.
    2 to fool oneself, fantasize: The little boy imagined he saw ghosts at night.
    THESAURUS
    imagine
    1 to picture, visualize
    2 to dream up, daydream | make believe, pretend.
imbalance
imbalance
  1. n. a lack of balance or equality: There is an imbalance in my diet; I should eat more fruit and less fat.
imbecile
imbecile
  1. n. a stupid or foolish person -adj. imbecilic.
imbibe
imbibe
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -bibed, -bibing, -bibes to drink: He only imbibes alcoholic beverages on special occasions. -n. imbiber.
imbue
imbue
  1. v.frml. [T] -bued, -buing, -bues to fill with a strong feeling, inspire: A preacher imbued his listeners with religious passion.
imitate
imitate
  1. v. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates
    1 to act the same way as another: The boy imitates his father's way of talking.
    2 to copy, duplicate: That manufacturer imitates the designs of a competitor.
    3 to mimic: Some comedians imitate celebrities and make fun of them. -n. imitator.
    THESAURUS
    imitate
    1 to emulate, mirror, parrot
    2 to reproduce, replicate
    3 to impersonate, ape | parody.
imitation
imitation
  1. n.
    1 [C] a copy, a duplication, esp. a fake copy: She bought an imitation of a famous painting.
    2 [C;U] copying of s.o.'s behavior: My friend does a funny imitation of me. -adj. imitative.
immaculate
immaculate
  1. adj.
    1 clean, spotless: She wore an immaculate white dress.
    2 fig. without fault, flawless: She has an immaculate reputation.
immaterial
immaterial
  1. adj. not important: That information is immaterial to solving the problem.
immature
immature
  1. adj.
    1 not ripe or fully formed: When oranges are green, they are immature; when they are orange, they are ripe.
    2 childish, not adult: His immature behavior annoys people. -n. [U] immaturity.
immeasurable
immeasurable
  1. adj.
    1 not capable of being measured, infinite: Some distances in space are so long that they are immeasurable.
    2 limitless, great: The consultant was of immeasurable help in solving our problems.
immediate
immediate
  1. adj.
    1 prompt, right now: Earthquake victims have an immediate need for help.
    2 nearby, close to: Damage occurred in the immediate area of the earthquake's starting point.
    3 soon, near: The victims will also need help in rebuilding their houses in the immediate future. -n. [U] immediacy.
    THESAURUS
    immediate
    1 instant, instantaneous
    2 near, proximate.
immediately
immediately
  1. adv. right away, promptly: We have to help them immediately.
    THESAURUS
    immediately right now, now, at once.
immemorial
immemorial
  1. adj. beyond memory, forever: Customs practiced by tribes have been handed down from time immemorial.
immense
immense
  1. adj. huge: There is an immense statue in the park. -n. [U] immensity.
immerse
immerse
  1. v. [T] -mersed, -mersing, -merses
    1 to put s.t. in water until it's covered: The cook immersed the potatoes in boiling water.
    2 to become absorbed in,
    THESAURUS
    to delve into: Students immerse themselves in their studies. -n. [U] immersion ; -adj. immersible.
immigrant
immigrant
  1. n. a person who moves to another country to live: Millions of immigrants came to the USA for religious freedom. See: emigrant, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    immigrant a newcomer, settler | adoptive citizen, naturalized citizen.
immigrate
immigrate
  1. v. [I] -grated, -grating, -grates to leave one's own country to live in another: John F. Kennedy's grandparents immigrated to the USA from Ireland. -n. [U] immigration .
    THESAURUS
    immigrate to migrate, move from abroad, come to a country to live. Ant. to emigrate.
imminent
imminent
  1. adj.frml. ready to happen soon,
    THESAURUS
    impending: The wedding date is imminent, so we must send invitations. -n. [U] imminence.
immobile
immobile
  1. adj. not capable of being moved, stationary: The boat is immobile, frozen in the ice. -n. [U] immobility ; -v. [T] immobilize.
immodest
immodest
  1. adj.
    1 saying too many good things about oneself, boastful, vain: An immodest politician brags about his or her accomplishments.
    2 showing too much,
    THESAURUS
    lewd: The girl's father thinks her bikinis are immodest. -n. [U] immodesty.
immoral
immoral
  1. adj.
    1 against most people's moral principles: Murder is immoral and is a crime in almost every country.
    2 sexually wrong: The prostitute went to jail for immoral behavior. -n. immorality .
    THESAURUS
    immoral
    1 evil, sinful, wrong | amoral. Ant. moral.
    2 indecent, degenerate, debauched.
immortal
immortal
  1. adj.
    1 living forever: Ancient Greeks believed their gods were immortal.
    2 lasting forever, eternal: Beauty and truth are immortal qualities. -n. immortality.
immovable
immovable
  1. adj. fixed, not able to be moved: Mountains are immovable.
immune
immune
  1. adj.
    1 not affected by disease: Children are immune to measles after they receive the proper vaccine.
    2 protected from: The criminal was immune from strong punishment, because he helped the police find the bank robber.
immunity
immunity
  1. n. -ties
    1 [C;U] protection from disease: Today there is more immunity to chicken pox than there was in the 1950s.
    2 [U] protection from (punishment): US presidents have immunity if they are pardoned by the new president. -v. [T] immunize.
immutable
immutable
  1. adj.frml. unchangeable, fixed: The laws of physics are constant and immutable. -n. [U] immutability.
imp
imp
  1. n.
    1 a little devil: Some people think imps make us lie or steal.
    2 fig. a naughty person, usu. young: That boy is an imp, always up to mischief. -adj. impish.
impact
impact
  1. n.
    1 a forceful contact: The meteor made a large impact when it crashed to earth.
    2 effect, impression: Poverty has a bad impact on people's health. —v.infrml. [I;T] to affect: Lack of food impacted the starving nation.
    THESAURUS
    impact n.
    1 a shock, jolt, collision
    2 an influence.
impair
impair
  1. v. [T] to weaken, damage: A blow to the ear impaired her hearing. -n. [C;U] impairment.
impale
impale
  1. v. [T] -paled, -paling, -pales to make a hole through s.t. or s.o. with a pointed object: Warriors impaled their enemies with spears.
impalpable
impalpable
  1. adj. not able to be felt by touch: The tiny bird's heartbeat was almost impalpable.
impart
impart
  1. v. [T]
    1 to give (information): The English teacher imparts knowledge of verb tenses to his students.
    2 to give,
    THESAURUS
    to bestow: Her vast knowledge of history imparts a special richness to her writing.
impartial
impartial
  1. adj. treating all sides fairly: The judge gave an impartial verdict that did not favor either side. -n. [U] impartiality ; -adv. impartially.
impassable
impassable
  1. adj. not able to be traveled because of an obstacle, blocked: A mudslide made the road impassable to cars and people.
impasse
impasse
  1. n. a lack of agreement, blockage: The two countries tried to divide the land equally, but reached an impasse.
impassioned
impassioned
  1. adj. full of emotion: The senator had tears in his eyes as he gave an impassioned speech.
impassive
impassive
  1. adj. showing no emotion: His face was impassive as the judge sentenced him to death.
impatient
impatient
  1. adj. not wanting to wait: She was impatient to hear where her lost son was. -n. impatience.
impeach
impeach
  1. v. [T] to accuse a public official of a crime or wrongdoing: The legislature impeached the governor for lying about his background.
impeccable
impeccable
  1. adj. without fault, flawless: The fashion designer was admired for her impeccable clothes.
impede
impede
  1. v. [T] -peded, -peding, -pedes to get in the way of, slow down: A large ship in the port impeded the movement of many smaller boats.
impediment
impediment
  1. n. s.t. that slows or stops movement or progress, obstacle,
    THESAURUS
    hindrance: Conflict between the two nations is an impediment to reaching a peace agreement.
impel
impel
  1. v.frml. [T] -pelled, -pelling, -pels to make s.o. do s.t., (syns.) to motivate, prompt: Hunger impelled him to seek food.
impending
impending
  1. adj. about to happen: The impending law will help poor families by the end of the year.
impenetrable
impenetrable
  1. adj. not able to be gone through or entered: The castle has thick, impenetrable walls. -n. [U] impenetrability.
imperative
imperative
  1. adj. necessary, urgent: It is imperative that you call home immediately, because your child is ill. —n. (in grammar) a command form: "Go home immediately!" shows the imperative of the verb "to go."
imperceptible
imperceptible
  1. adj.frml. not able to be sensed, very tiny: The difference between their opinions is imperceptible.
imperfect
imperfect
  1. adj.
    1 having mistakes, flawed: The diamond is pretty, but that crack makes it imperfect.
    2 a verb tense indicating past action in progress: "We were talking when you arrived" shows the imperfect tense of "talk."
imperfection
imperfection
  1. n.
    1 [C] a flaw, defect: The vase has several imperfections that make it unable to hold water.
    2 [C;U] a general lack of perfection: Imperfections spoil his writing.
imperialism
imperialism
  1. n. [U]
    1 rule of a nation by an emperor or empress: Imperialism existed in France under the Emperor Napoleon.
    2 one nation controlling the political or economic life of other nations: Great Britain's imperialism spread to Africa long ago. -adj. imperial.
imperil
imperil
  1. v.frml. [T] to put in danger,
    THESAURUS
    to jeopardize: A fierce storm imperiled the passenger ship.
imperious
imperious
  1. adj.frml. having an attitude of superiority, (syns.) arrogant, haughty: The strict father showed an imperious attitude toward his children. -n. [U] imperiousness.
impersonal
impersonal
  1. adj.
    1 not showing personal opinion or preference, unemotional, fair: She is impersonal in her hiring of employees.
    2 lacking in feeling or compassion, unfriendly: Many taxpayers feel the IRS is an impersonal government agency.
impersonate
impersonate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to imitate, act like s.o. else, sometimes using clothes, voices, or makeup: That comedian impersonates famous politicians. -n.[C;U] impersonation.
impertinent
impertinent
  1. adj. rude, disrespectful: His impertinent behavior shocked the nice old lady. -n. [U] impertinence.
impervious
impervious
  1. adj.
    1 not allowing anything to pass through or cause damage,
    THESAURUS
    impenetrable: Two coats of paint make the house impervious to bad weather.
    2 not affected by s.o. or s.t. because of inner strength or confidence: The child seems impervious to the teacher's criticism.
impetigo
impetigo
  1. n. [U] a serious, contagious skin disease: Impetigo is less common today than in the past.
impetuous
impetuous
  1. adj. done quickly often without thinking,
    THESAURUS
    impulsive: She made an impetuous decision in marrying so young. -adv. impetuously.
impetus
impetus
  1. n. [C;U] the encouragement needed to do s.t.: The President's enthusiasm was an impetus for Congress to pass the new law.
impinge
impinge
  1. v.frml. [T] -pinged, -pinging, -pinges
    1 to affect, change: His writings have impinged upon (or) on liberal thinking.
    2 to advance into a new or forbidden area,
    THESAURUS
    to trespass: That fence impinges on our property.
implacable
implacable
  1. adj.frml. not able to be satisfied or changed: The parents are implacable enemies, but the children are friends. -n. [U] implacability.
implant
implant
  1. v. [T]
    1 to insert or place in s.t., usu. a living body: A doctor implanted a small tube under the patient's skin.
    2 to put (information) firmly into s.o.'s mind: My teacher implanted ideas that have stayed with me all my life. -n. [C;U] implantation.
implausible
implausible
  1. adj. not believable, unlikely to be true: His version of the story is implausible, because it changes every time he tells it. -n. [C;U] implausibility.
implement
implement
  1. v. [T] to start, put into action: The meat company implemented a new advertising plan for low-fat beef. —n. a tool or piece of equipment: With the right implements, I can unlock a door without a key. -n. [U] implementation.
implicate
implicate
  1. v.frml. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to show that s.o. participated or was involved, esp. in a crime: The drug addict implicated the man who sold her the cocaine.
implication
implication
  1. n.
    1 [U] an indication of participation or involvement of others, esp. in a crime: The woman's implication of her brother sent him to jail.
    2 [C] an indirect suggestion: John made implications that Mr. Lu had faked his wife's signature.
implicit
implicit
  1. adj. understood but not directly written or stated: Polite conversation is implicit at a formal dinner party.
implode
implode
  1. v. [I] -ploded, -ploding, -plodes to collapse inwardly from some force: The volcanic mountain seemed much smaller after it erupted and imploded. -n. [C;U] implosion.
implore
implore
  1. v.frml. [T] -plored, -ploring, -plores to beg,
    THESAURUS
    to beseech: He implored his son not to take drugs.
imply
imply
  1. v. [T] -plied, -plying, -plies to indicate or suggest only indirectly: The Secretary of the Treasury implied that interest rates would go down.
    THESAURUS
    imply to hint at, suggest, intimate.
impolite
impolite
  1. adj. showing bad manners, rude: The clerk was impolite to the customer. -n. [U] impoliteness.
import
import
  1. v. [T]
    1 to bring products into one country from another: The jeweler buys diamonds from Africa and imports them into the USA.
    2 (in computers) to move data from one system to another: I imported information from Microsoft Word to my database. —n.frml. meaning, significance: It is of little import whether we go by bus or train. -n. [U] importation.
    THESAURUS
    import v.
    1 to transport into the country, bring in (goods), introduce from another country. Ant. to export.
important
important
  1. adj. having great meaning or significance, weighty: Important news is broadcast instantly over radio and television. -n. [U] importance.
    THESAURUS
    important significant, major, key. Ant. unimportant.
impose
impose
  1. v. -posed, -posing, -poses
    1 [T] to place upon, burden: Inheriting money imposes new taxes on people.
    2 [I] to make inconvenient, take advantage of: Relatives imposed upon us when they stayed for a whole week.
imposing
imposing
  1. adj. having a strong or powerful effect, grand: An imposing statue dominates the square.
imposition
imposition
  1. n.
    1 [U] placement of s.t., usu. a burden or difficulty: The imposition of new rules in the middle of the school year confused the children.
    2 [C] inconvenience, burden: Having to drive 150 miles (240 km) was an imposition on our time.
impossible
impossible
  1. adj.
    1 not able to be done: Flying by flapping your arms is impossible.
    2 not acceptable, ridiculous: He knows our limits, but still makes impossible demands.
    3 extremely difficult, unbearable: She is impossible to talk to when she's angry. -n. [U] impossibility; -adv. impossibly.
    THESAURUS
    impossible
    1 unworkable, unachievable, out of the question. Ant. possible.
    2 absurd, impractical, outrageous. Ant. acceptable.
impostor
impostor
  1. n. a person who pretends to be s.o. else: The impostor had a false passport, but the customs department knew his real name.
impotence
impotence
  1. n. [U]
    1 (of men) the condition of not being able to have sexual intercourse or activity: Sometimes doctors can treat impotence so that men can become fathers.
    2 lack of strength: The tiny country's impotence was extreme when compared to the power of the large country. -adj. impotent.
impound
impound
  1. v. [T] to seize and keep by law,
    THESAURUS
    to confiscate: The police impounded a vehicle for blocking the fire exit.
impoverish
impoverish
  1. v. [T] to make poor: The cruel regime's unfair taxes impoverished the people.
impractical
impractical
  1. adj. not realistic, not sensible: He has imaginative solutions, but their cost makes them impractical.
imprecise
imprecise
  1. adj. not exact, vague: The price of the trip is an imprecise estimate until we know the cost of airplane tickets.
impregnable
impregnable
  1. adj. not able to be attacked because of strength: The city was impregnable to the enemy's army because of its high stone walls.
impregnate
impregnate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to fertilize, make pregnant: The male cat impregnated the female, and she had five kittens.
impress
impress
  1. v. [T]
    1 to create and give an image of s.o. or s.t.: He impresses me as a decent man.
    2 to cause others to admire: Her brilliant ideas impressed her boss.
    3 to emphasize, stress: She impressed on us all how important it is to be kind.
    4 to make a mark by stamping or pressing: Workers impress words and symbols in leather.
impression
impression
  1. n.
    1 a feeling about s.o. or s.t., impact: She makes a good impression on everyone she meets.
    2 a stamp, seal: The impression of the company's trademark must appear on all letters.
    3 a printing: The novel went through 20 impressions.
impressionable
impressionable
  1. adj. easily influenced (usu. referring to young people): The impressionable boy was awed by his rich cousins.
impressive
impressive
  1. adj. causing admiration: That athlete's ability is impressive; she can jump as high as her older brother.
    THESAURUS
    impressive awesome, striking, grand. Ant. unimpressive.
imprint
imprint
  1. v. [T]
    1 to make a mark by pressing or printing: A publisher imprints its logo on book covers.
    2 fig. to put permanently in the mind: The Holocaust imprinted terrible images in the survivors' memories. —n.
    1 a publishing company that is owned by a larger one: That publisher has an imprint that produces only cookbooks.
    2 a mark made by pressure: The new parents made an imprint of their baby's hand in clay.
imprison
imprison
  1. v. [T] to send to jail,
    THESAURUS
    to incarcerate: The judge imprisoned the criminal for theft.
improbable
improbable
  1. adj. unlikely,
    THESAURUS
    farfetched: Scientists think that the earth's collision with an asteroid is highly improbable. -n. [U] improbability.
impromptu
impromptu
  1. adj. done without preparation, not rehearsed: We were at a party and had an impromptu sing-along.
improper
improper
  1. adj.
    1 without good manners, inappropriate, impolite: The man's improper remarks embarrassed his wife.
    2 incorrect, not suitable: Jeans are improper for a formal occasion.
impropriety
impropriety
  1. n.frml. [C;U] -ties s.t. that lacks proper behavior or standards: His improprieties include laughing at funerals.
improve
improve
  1. v. [I;T] -proved, -proving, -proves
    1 to make better, enhance: He improved his appearance by dressing more carefully.
    2 to become better: Her health improved when she began eating fruits and vegetables.
    3 to advance, progress: He improved himself by getting a better job.
    4 to improve upon: to make s.t. better: The actors were already good, but they improved upon their performance by rehearsing more.
    THESAURUS
    improve
    1 to help, upgrade
    2 to pick up, take a turn for the better infrml., progress. Ant. to worsen.
    3 to better oneself.
improvement
improvement
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 s.t. that is better or makes s.t. else better: They made improvements to the house by building a fancy kitchen and a new roof.
    2 better health: The patient has shown improvement after her chemotherapy.
    THESAURUS
    improvement
    1 an enhancement, refinement | advance, correction
    2 a recovery, progress | upswing.
improvise
improvise
  1. v. [I;T] -vised, -vising, -vises
    1 to create and perform (a song, speech, etc.) with no preparation or rehearsal,
    THESAURUS
    to extemporize: A piano player improvised a song using suggestions from the audience.
    2 to make or invent s.t. with what is available: The hikers improvised by making a tent from tree branches. -n. [C;U] improvisation.
imprudent
imprudent
  1. adj. unwise, thoughtless,
    THESAURUS
    rash: He made some imprudent banking decisions and lost money. -n. [U] imprudence.
impudent
impudent
  1. adj. not respectful, rude,
    THESAURUS
    insolent: The child was impudent to her mother when she stuck out her tongue. -n. [U] impudence.
impulse
impulse
  1. n.
    1 a sudden urge, whim: He had an impulse to run, but he kept on walking.
    2 on impulse: People who buy on impulse often return purchases later.
impulsive
impulsive
  1. adj. acting on sudden urges,
    THESAURUS
    impetuous: She is impulsive and often says things that she doesn't mean.
impunity
impunity
  1. n. [U] without risk or fear of punishment: The cruel queen ordered killings with impunity, for she knew no one could stop her.
impure
impure
  1. adj.
    1 mixed with s.t., usu. bad or dirty,
    THESAURUS
    contaminated: That gasoline is impure; it's full of sand.
    2 morally or sexually wrong: The priest didn't want children to read the novel because he thought it contained impure ideas. -n. [C;U] impurity.
in-depth
in-depth
  1. adj. very detailed, thorough,
    THESAURUS
    exhaustive: We had an in-depth discussion of the problem and every possible solution to it.
in-house
in-house
  1. adv.adj. located or performed inside a business: This publishing company does its artwork in-house; it has an in-house artist.
in-law
in-law
  1. n. a person related by marriage: My wife's father and mother are good in-laws; they treat me like a real son.
in-service
in-service
  1. n.adj. a short educational course about one's job, taught during the day at work: The nurses went to an in-service class about AIDS.
in
in
  1. prep.
    1 used to show s.t. is contained: We put the gift in a box.
    2 used to show location: Students are in the classroom. —adv.
    1 present, here: Dr. Smith is in today.
    2 in between: located or existing in the middle of two or more things: Hartford is in between Boston and New York.
    3 in for: a. about to experience: He is in for a big surprise. b. in jail: The prisoner is in for robbery.
    4 in on: aware of s.t. others are not: She is in on the secret.
    5 in the know: aware of, having information: Newspaper reporters are always in the know about current events.
    6 in with: a. lit. in the same place or room: He is in with (in the office of) his boss. b. infrml.fig. a friend or confidante of: She is in with important people in the auto industry, so she gets free cars.
    7 to have it in for: to want to harm s.o.: She has it in for her old boss because he fired her. —adj. the in crowd: fashionable social group: The less popular students cannot join the in crowd. —n.
    1 the ins and outs of: complications, details of s.t.: That lawyer is familiar with all the ins and outs of divorce law.
    2 infrml. to have an in with s.o. or s.t.: to have special privileges because of knowing s.o.: Her best friend is the mayor, so she has an in with city government.
    THESAURUS
    in prep.
    1 inside of, enclosed in, within
    2 inside (of), within. Ant. out.
in memoriam
in memoriam
  1. adv. phr. (Latin for) in memory of (usu. used to mark graves): I saw a baby's gravestone that read "In Memoriam Robert White 1950-1951."
in toto
in toto
  1. adv.frml. (Latin for) in all, in sum: In toto, we have everything that we need.
inability
inability
  1. n. [U] lack of power or capacity to do s.t.: He needed a wheelchair because of his inability to walk.
    THESAURUS
    inability incapacity, incapability. Ant. ability.
inaccessible
inaccessible
  1. adj. impossible or difficult to reach: The road is blocked, so the town is now inaccessible. -n. [U] inaccessibility.
inaccuracy
inaccuracy
  1. n. [C;U] -cies s.t. that is not correct, an error, mistake: The inaccuracy of the numbers makes the estimates useless.
inaccurate
inaccurate
  1. adj. incorrect,
    THESAURUS
    erroneous: Inaccurate newspaper reports gave the wrong date and time of the fire.
inaction
inaction
  1. n. [U] lack of activity, doing nothing: Inaction by the workers left the house half built.
inactive
inactive
  1. adj.
    1 not working or moving, (syns.) idle, dormant: He has been inactive since his retirement.
    2 not doing military duty: Although she is in an inactive National Guard unit, she still wears her uniform.
inadequate
inadequate
  1. adj.
    1 not enough, insufficient: There is an inadequate supply of water, so people are thirsty.
    2 not good enough, unsatisfactory,
    THESAURUS
    deficient: His homework is inadequate, but it will improve if he asks for help -n. [C;U] inadequacy.
inadmissible
inadmissible
  1. adj. (in law) unacceptable: The evidence submitted by the prosecution is inadmissible. -n. [U] inadmissibility.
inadvertent
inadvertent
  1. adj. not on purpose, done without thinking, unintentional: I'm sorry; not inviting you to the party was an inadvertent mistake. -n. [U] inadvertence.
inadvisable
inadvisable
  1. adj. not a good idea, unwise: It is inadvisable to spend one's rent money on alcohol.
inalienable
inalienable
  1. adj. not able to be taken away: Freedom is an inalienable right in the USA.
inalterable
inalterable
  1. adj. not able to be changed,
    THESAURUS
    immutable: It's an inalterable fact that the sun always sets in the west.
inane
inane
  1. adj. without sense, stupid: His inane comments made him seem silly next to his serious sister. -n. [C;U] inanity.
inanimate
inanimate
  1. adj.
    1 lifeless: Rocks and other inanimate objects were placed among the plants in the garden.
    2 not moving: The actors were inanimate until the music started.
inapplicable
inapplicable
  1. adj. not usable for a particular purpose: The money from state taxes is inapplicable to national education programs.
inappropriate
inappropriate
  1. adj.
    1 not suitable for the situation, incompatible: His dark wool suit was inappropriate in the Florida heat.
    2 not proper, impolite: Some people thought the film was inappropriate for television because it contained nudity.
    THESAURUS
    inappropriate
    1 not right, ill-suited. Ant. appropriate.
    2 improper, unsuitable, indecorous. Ants. appropriate, suitable.
inarticulate
inarticulate
  1. adj. not able to speak clearly or express oneself well: He is intelligent but inarticulate when he tries to explain his ideas.
inasmuch as
inasmuch as
  1. conj.frml. because of the fact that, since,
    THESAURUS
    insofar as: Inasmuch as the patient is now feeling strong, he can leave the hospital.
inaudible
inaudible
  1. adj. too soft to be heard, almost silent: The words that he whispered were inaudible.
inaugurate
inaugurate
  1. v. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates
    1 to put in public office with a ceremony: The governor was inaugurated two months after her election.
    2 to open, begin with a ceremony: A jazz band inaugurated the festivities with a lively song. -adj. inaugural.
inauspicious
inauspicious
  1. adj.frml. showing bad luck or difficulty, unfavorable: His son's death was an inauspicious event to begin the year.
inbound
inbound
  1. adj.adv. headed toward or into a place from the surrounding area: The inbound trains to Manhattan from Connecticut run often.
inbounds
inbounds
  1. adv.adj. (in sports) within a playing area: The tennis ball landed inbounds.
inbred
inbred
  1. adj.
    1 having (an ability or characteristic) from birth,
    THESAURUS
    innate: Plow horses have inbred strength.
    2 mated with close relatives, sometimes causing genetic defects or disease: Popular dog breeds are so inbred that some some puppies are born insane.
incalculable
incalculable
  1. adj.
    1 not able to be counted, limitless: The number of stars in the universe is incalculable.
    2 great, immense: The hurricane did incalculable damage to the coastal area.
incandescent
incandescent
  1. adj. giving light when heated, glowing: My family uses incandescent light bulbs in our lamps. -n. [U] incandescence.
incantation
incantation
  1. n. [C;U] the repeated speaking or singing of certain words to make magic: The witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth utter incantations that foretell the future.
incapable
incapable
  1. adj.
    1 not able: Our small garage is incapable of holding three cars.
    2 without ability or talent, incompetent: He is incapable of adding 2 + 2.
    THESAURUS
    incapable
    1 unable to, inadequate for, unequipped to. Ant. capable.
    2 inept at doing s.t., unskilled, untrained.
incapacitate
incapacitate
  1. v. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates to make helpless, cripple: A head-on collision in an auto accident incapacitated her -n. [U] incapacity.
incarcerate
incarcerate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates (in law) to put in jail,
    THESAURUS
    to imprison: They incarcerated the woman, but many people believed that she was innocent. -n. [C;U] incarceration.
incarnation
incarnation
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a living being that represents s.t. else: Christians believe Jesus was the incarnation of God.
    2 [C] a different version or form: That is the same story in another incarnation. -adj. incarnate.
incendiary
incendiary
  1. n. -ies s.o. who sets fires,
    THESAURUS
    arsonist: Incendiaries caused great damage when they started fires in government buildings. —adj.
    1 relating to fire or burning: Arsonists planned for the incendiary bombs to blow up the building.
    2 fig. causing anger or excitement: The parents were upset when the cult gave incendiary literature to their teenagers.
incense
incense
  1. n. [U] substance (often in a stick or cone form) that releases a pleasant smell when burned: I went to a Catholic funeral where the priest used sweet incense. —v. [T] -censed, -censing, -censes to make very angry, (syns.) to enrage, infuriate: The child's lies incensed his babysitter so much that she slapped him.
incentive
incentive
  1. n. s.t. that makes s.o. work harder, motivation: The man promised his nephew $100 as an incentive for good grades. —adj. causing hard work, motivating, rewarding: Incentive awards go to salespeople who sell the most insurance.
inception
inception
  1. n. beginning, start: The day-care center has been a success since its inception.
incessant
incessant
  1. adj. without stop, continuing, persistent: Incessant noise makes me appreciate silence.
incest
incest
  1. n. [U] illegal sexual relations between close family members, such as parent and child or brother and sister: When the father had sex with his daughter, he committed in-cest. -adj. incestuous.
incidence
incidence
  1. n. [U] frequency of s.t. happening: The incidence of terrorism is increasing in big cities.
incident
incident
  1. n. an event, occurrence, esp. a bad one: There was an incident in a downtown bar where two men got into a fist fight.
incidental
incidental
  1. adj.
    1 minor,
    THESAURUS
    inconsequential: The budget did not include incidental costs, such as paper and pens.
    2 secondary to, less important than: My new CD has incidental music along with the main songs.
incidentally
incidentally
  1. adv. by the way (used to introduce a new thought): Yes, I know she's from Germany. Incidentally, did you know that I speak German?
incinerate
incinerate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to burn to ashes, destroy by fire: Huge bombs incinerated the enemy village.
    2 to burn in an incinerator: Some cities incinerate large amounts of trash. -n. [U] incineration.
incinerator
incinerator
  1. n. a machine used to burn things, esp. trash: The smoke from our town's incinerator causes pollution.
incision
incision
  1. n. [C;U] a narrow cut, usu. in the skin: The patient's incision is healing well. -v. [T] incise.
incisive
incisive
  1. adj. smart and direct, (syns.) sharp, penetrating: The book critic made incisive comments about the new novel.
incisor
incisor
  1. n. a sharp front tooth used for cutting: Rats tore into the meat with their strong incisors.
incite
incite
  1. v. [T] -cited, -citing, -cites to cause s.t. to happen, make s.o. do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to provoke: The baseball fans' screams incited the team to play hard and win. -n. [U] incitement.
inclement
inclement
  1. adj.frml. referring to bad weather, such as rain or snowstorms: Inclement weather forced the graduation ceremony to be held inside.
inclination
inclination
  1. n. desire to do s.t., preference, leaning: I have an inclination to see a movie tonight, but my wife doesn't want to.
incline
incline
  1. v. [I;T] -clined, -clining, -clines
    1 to tilt at an angle: He inclined his easy chair to a nearly flat position and rested.
    2 to bend forward or backward: Listeners inclined forward to better hear the speaker. —n. a hill or slope, usu. of land: A train went up an incline through the mountains.
inclined
inclined
  1. adj.
    1 slanted, tilted: The road is inclined steeply upward.
    2 fig. preferring, likely to: I am inclined to be very careful about what bank I use.
include
include
  1. v. [T] -cluded, -cluding, -cludes
    1 to make s.t. a part of s.t. else: She included some of her friends on the party guest list.
    2 to put with, to insert, attach: She included some chocolate in each child's lunch bag.
    THESAURUS
    include
    1 to add, incorporate. Ant. to exclude.
    2 to put in, enclose.
inclusion
inclusion
  1. n. [U] the act of making s.t. a part of s.t. else: The inclusion of her book on the reading list made the author happy.
inclusive
inclusive
  1. adj.
    1 allowing everyone or everything to be part of, making no exceptions,
    THESAURUS
    comprehensive: This class is inclusive of all ages; one student is 19, another is 45, and a third is 70.
    2 along with: Send in your application inclusive of the application fee.
incognito
incognito
  1. adj.frml. using another name or in disguise: The rock star wore dark glasses and traveled incognito so no one would bother her.
incoherent
incoherent
  1. adj. not able to be understood,
    THESAURUS
    unintelligible: The little girl was so scared that her speech was incoherent. -n. [U] incoherence.
incombustible
incombustible
  1. adj. not able to burn or be burned: Do not throw incombustible materials in this trash can.
income
income
  1. n. [C;U] money earned from working or investments: Her income increased when she changed jobs and bought stock.
    THESAURUS
    income earnings, salary, pay | revenue, interest, dividends.
income tax
income tax
  1. n. a percentage of individuals' and businesses' earnings paid to the government: North Carolina uses state income taxes to build roads and highways.
incoming
incoming
  1. adj. coming toward a place from farther away: Incoming mail from other countries arrives in the USA by plane and boat.
incomparable
incomparable
  1. adj. unlike anything else, unique: The dinosaur fossil is incomparable to the fossils of all other animals.
incompatible
incompatible
  1. adj. not able to work or be together: This new word processing program is incompatible with my computer. -n. [C;U] incompatibility.
incompetent
incompetent
  1. adj. without the skill or talent to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    bungling: He is an incompetent vicepresident; he is not very smart, and he has only two years of experience in the business. -n. [U] incompetence.
incomplete
incomplete
  1. adj. lacking, s.t. unfinished: My mother feels her life is incomplete without grandchildren.
    THESAURUS
    incomplete imperfect, deficient, wanting | partial. Ant. complete.
incomprehensible
incomprehensible
  1. adj. not able to be understood: I understand algebra, but calculus is incomprehensible. -n. [U] incomprehension.
inconceivable
inconceivable
  1. adj. not able to be imagined, shocking: It is inconceivable that your nice brother would hit his child.
inconclusive
inconclusive
  1. adj. not leading to a sure result, not complete enough, indefinite: The results of Angela's medical tests were inconclusive, showing no cause for her pain.
incongruous
incongruous
  1. adj. not matching, not appropriate to the situation,
    THESAURUS
    incompatible: His radical ideas are incongruous with his family's conservative traditions. -n. incongruity /
inconsequential
inconsequential
  1. adj. not important, insignificant: A few inconsequential details remain, but most of the book is written.
inconsiderate
inconsiderate
  1. adj. not polite, rude,
    THESAURUS
    insensitive: He is inconsiderate of my feelings when he shouts at me.
inconsistent
inconsistent
  1. adj. not matching, different from: Her statements are inconsistent with the facts. -n.[C;U] inconsistency.
inconsolable
inconsolable
  1. adj. not able to be comforted,
    THESAURUS
    devastated: The mother was inconsolable after the death of her child.
inconspicuous
inconspicuous
  1. adj. not obvious or noticeable, unobtrusive: He is of medium height and weight, quite inconspicuous in a crowd.
inconstant
inconstant
  1. adj.frml. variable, changeable: The direction of the wind is inconstant. -n. [U] inconstancy.
incontestable
incontestable
  1. adj. true, certain: The earth is round, not flat; this is an incontestable fact.
inconvenient
inconvenient
  1. adj. not at a good time, difficult: Seeing you tomorrow is inconvenient because I have another appointment. -n. [C;U] inconvenience.
    THESAURUS
    inconvenient awkward, unmanageable, untimely. Ant. convenient.
incorporate
incorporate
  1. v. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates
    1 to include, contain: The spending agreement incorporates ideas from both Democrats and Republicans.
    2 to form a corporation: Many people incorporate their businesses to avoid certain taxes. -adj. incorporated; -n. [U] incorporation.
incorrect
incorrect
  1. adj.
    1 containing mistakes, wrong: The sum of those numbers is incorrect; they need to be added again.
    2 not appropriate, improper: His loud behavior in church was incorrect.
    THESAURUS
    incorrect
    1 inaccurate, inexact | untrue, false, mistaken. Ant. correct.
    2 out of place, faulty. Ant. proper.
incorrigible
incorrigible
  1. adj. not able to behave correctly, always bad: Some criminals are incorrigible and will be in jail all their lives.
increase
increase
  1. n. [C;U] a larger amount: Mr. Kim got a salary increase of 10 percent; he was earning $40,000 per year, so now he will earn $44,000. —v. [I;T] -creased, -creasing, -creases
    1 to go up in number, rise: The temperature increased ten degrees this afternoon.
    2 to make bigger, enlarge: Architects increased the size of our house by adding a bigger kitchen.
    THESAURUS
    increase n. a raise, boost, enlargement | growth. Ant. a decrease. —v.
    1 to mount, jump, shoot up infrml. Ant. to decrease.
    2 to expand, add to, augment.
incredible
incredible
  1. adj.
    1 wonderful, fabulous: We had an incredible time on our vacation!
    2 unbelievable, not true: He tells incredible lies. -adv. incredibly.
    THESAURUS
    incredible
    1 amazing, fantastic, great
    2 inconceivable, improbable, preposterous. Ants. credible, believable.
incredulous
incredulous
  1. adj. not believing,
    THESAURUS
    surprised: I was incredulous when you told me your cat can swim. -n. [U] incredulity.
increment
increment
  1. n. a small segment of s.t., a step: Temperature is measured in increments called degrees. -adj. incremental.
incriminate
incriminate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to show that s.o. was involved in a crime: The woman incriminated her neighbors who were growing marijuana. -n. [U] incrimination.
incubate
incubate
  1. v. [I;T] -bated, -bating, -bates
    1 to keep eggs warm until babies are born: Birds incubate eggs by sitting on them.
    2 to put a newborn baby in a special machine so it can grow: The hospital incubates premature babies until their mothers can take care of them. -n. [U] incubation.
incubator
incubator
  1. n. a special hospital bed with a cover, used to shelter and warm babies: The father took his son out of the incubator to hold him.
incumbent
incumbent
  1. n. a politician who is trying to be elected again: Senator Chen is an incumbent; he has been in the Senate for six years and wants to be elected for six more years.
incur
incur
  1. v. [T] -curred, -curring, -curs to take on (responsibilities, obligations, etc.): He incurred debts when he started a new business.
incurable
incurable
  1. adj. impossible to heal or cure, fatal: He has incurable cancer and will die within six months.
incursion
incursion
  1. n. an aggressive or forceful entrance into another country or s.o. else's area: We don't like the neighbors' incursion when they park their car in our driveway.
indebted
indebted
  1. adj. obligated because of receiving a favor, grateful: I am indebted to you for saving my life. -n. [U] indebtedness.
    THESAURUS
    indebted obliged, beholden.
indecent
indecent
  1. adj.
    1 not good or proper: It was indecent of him to lie to his mother.
    2 sexually wrong, (syns.) obscene, lewd: The man took off his clothes in public and was arrested for indecent behavior. -n. [U] indecency.
indecisive
indecisive
  1. adj. not able to choose or make a decision, (syns.) vacillating, wavering: She is indecisive about wearing pants or a skirt. -n. [U] indecision.
indecorous
indecorous
  1. adj.frml. improper, bad: Her drunken behavior at the dance was indecorous. -n. [U] indecorum.
indeed
indeed
  1. exclam. used to express surprise or disbelief: I will earn a million dollars next year—indeed? —adv.
    1 truly, factually: It was indeed the largest elephant in the world.
    2 used to express s.t. strongly: Do I love my husband? Yes, indeed!
indefensible
indefensible
  1. adj. so bad that there is no justification, inexcusable: She tried to apologize, but we still felt her rude behavior was indefensible.
indefinable
indefinable
  1. adj. not able to be explained, mysterious: That slow violin music has a certain indefinable quality to it.
indefinite
indefinite
  1. adj. not specific about time, place, or detail: We know the meeting is on July 12, but the time is indefinite.
indefinite article
indefinite article
  1. n. (in grammar) "a" or "an," used before a noun when "the" is too specific: A tree fell in the forest.
indefinite pronoun
indefinite pronoun
  1. n. a word, such as "either," "any," or "some," that replaces a noun in a nonspecific way: He needs some (money) because he doesn't have any.
indelible
indelible
  1. adj.
    1 not able to be erased, permanent: The letter was written in indelible ink.
    2 fig. unforgettable, lasting: Her intelligence makes an indelible impression on others.
indelicate
indelicate
  1. adj.frml. in bad taste, (syns.) coarse, tactless: His indelicate behavior included banging his fist on the table and swearing. -n. [C;U] indelicacy.
indemnify
indemnify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to agree to pay s.o. for loss or damage if loss or damage occurs: The insurance contract indemnifies my company in case of flood or fire. -n. [U] indemnification.
indemnity
indemnity
  1. n. [C;U] protection or insurance against loss or damage: I was glad I had an indemnity when my house burned down.
indent
indent
  1. v. [T] n. to start writing or typing a short distance in from the margin: When I begin a new paragraph, I indent five spaces.
indentured
indentured
  1. adj. having a work contract or agreement with a more powerful person, enslaved: indentured workers, servants -v. n. [U] indenture.
independence
independence
  1. n. [U]
    1 freedom: Many former African colonies fought for independence from France, Portugal, and other European countries.
    2 state of taking care of oneself: She felt a sense of independence when she left home to go to college.
    THESAURUS
    independence
    1 liberty, autonomy, self-governance
    2 self-sufficiency, self-reliance. Ant. dependence.
independent
independent
  1. adj.
    1 free: The USA became an independent nation after 1776.
    2 taking care of oneself: He is financially independent of his parents but still asks for their advice.
    THESAURUS
    independent
    1 self-governing, liberated, autonomous
    2 self-sufficient, self-reliant, self-supporting. Ant. dependent.
indescribable
indescribable
  1. adj. not able to be put into words, (syns.) overwhelming, mind-boggling: The water in the Caribbean is an indescribable blue!
indestructible
indestructible
  1. adj.
    1 not able to be destroyed: That metal ship is indestructible.
    2 durable, lasting: My boots are nearly indestructible because the leather is so thick.
indeterminate
indeterminate
  1. adj. not known yet, unspecified: Telephone lines are still down on the island, so the hurricane damage is indeterminate.
index
index
  1. n. -dexes or -dices
    1 in a book, a list of topics in alphabetical order with page numbers: Look for "World War II" in the index of your history book.
    2 an indicator, such as labels on a graph or other symbols, esp. about money and economics: The economic indices published in my business magazine suggest that the economy is improving. —v. [T] to create an index or include in an index: An editor indexed the main topics of the book. -n. indexer.
    THESAURUS
    index v. to sort, order, categorize.
indicate
indicate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates
    1 to show where or what s.t. is: The girl indicated her choice of dessert by pointing to the chocolate cake.
    2 to mean, symbolize: Those black clouds indicate that it might rain soon.
    THESAURUS
    indicate
    1 to communicate, point out | signal, denote
    2 to be a sign of s.t., point to the fact, imply.
indication
indication
  1. n.
    1 [C] a sign, signal: The arrows in the elevator give an indication of whether it is going up or down.
    2 [C;U] meaning, hint: An increase in rain gives us an indication that grass will be greener soon. -n. [C] indicator ; -adj. indicative.
indict
indict
  1. v. [I;T] (in law) to formally charge s.o. or be charged with a crime or wrongdoing: The court indicted the man for murder, but he's not in jail yet. -n. [C;U] indictment.
indifferent
indifferent
  1. adj. not caring, without feeling,
    THESAURUS
    apathetic: His indifferent attitude toward food made him lose weight. -n. [U] indifference.
indigenous
indigenous
  1. adj. born in, native to: The Navajo tribes are indigenous to Arizona.
indigent
indigent
  1. adj.frml. without money, poor,
    THESAURUS
    destitute: Some indigent people beg for money and food.
indigestion
indigestion
  1. n. [U] pain in the stomach because of s.t. one has eaten: He ate three hot dogs with chili and had indigestion. -adj. indigestible .
    THESAURUS
    indigestion a stomachache, heartburn | dyspepsia.
indignant
indignant
  1. adj. angry because s.t. is unfair or not right, (syns.) offended, insulted: She became indignant when a store clerk said she stole a ring. -n. [U] indignation.
indignity
indignity
  1. n. [C;U] -ties feeling of shame, (syns.) humiliation, affront: Falling on the ice in public caused him some indignity.
indigo
indigo
  1. adj. a purple-blue color: My dark blue jeans have an indigo shade.
indirect
indirect
  1. adj.
    1 not going straight toward s.t., (syns.) circuitous, roundabout: We left the highway and took an indirect route on little back roads.
    2 not definite, (syns.) subtle, implied: Eva's criticism of her child was indirect but still hurtful. -n. [U] indirection; indirectness.
indirect object
indirect object
  1. n. (in grammar) a noun receiving indirect action from a verb—for example, "him" in this sentence: I loaned him money.
indiscreet
indiscreet
  1. adj. not showing wise or good behavior, esp. in telling the secrets of others,
    THESAURUS
    untrustworthy: Don't tell private things to an indiscreet person, or everyone will know about them.
indiscretion
indiscretion
  1. n. [C;U] bad or unwise behavior, esp. s.t. socially wrong or revealing: Drinking too much and telling dirty jokes are two of his indiscretions.
indiscriminate
indiscriminate
  1. adj. lacking care or wisdom, without thought for the future or result,
    THESAURUS
    rash: His indiscriminate spending on fancy cars left him with no money. -n. [U] indiscrimination.
indispensable
indispensable
  1. adj. necessary, essential: Warm clothing is indispensable in cold weather.
indisposed
indisposed
  1. adj.frml.
    1 not able to do s.t., usu. because of sickness: The opera star has a cold and is indisposed today.
    2 not interested: Those rich people are indisposed toward helping their poor neighbors.
indisputable
indisputable
  1. adj. definite, unquestionable: Police have indisputable proof that the gun is yours.
indistinct
indistinct
  1. adj. not easy to be seen or heard, (syns.) blurred, fuzzy: His voice was indistinct because of the loud music. -adj. indistinctive.
indistinguishable
indistinguishable
  1. adj. just the same as, alike: One twin brother is indistinguishable from the other.
individual
individual
  1. n. one person: Three individuals walked away from the crowd. —adj. different from others, single, separate,: When Frida speaks, she has an individual accent, because as a child she lived for five years in Mexico, five years in the USA, and five years in Korea.
    THESAURUS
    individual n. a human being, mortal | creature, entity. —adj. distinct, particular, singular.
individualist
individualist
  1. n. a person who thinks and behaves according to his or her own beliefs,
    THESAURUS
    a nonconformist: Be an individualist; don't be a doctor like the rest of your family. -adj. individualistic; -n. [U] individualism.
individuality
individuality
  1. n. [U] a separate style, one's way of being different from others: Her individuality shows in her colorful scarves and interesting jewelry.
individualize
individualize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make s.t. for a person's special needs: That company is huge, but it individualizes its services for each customer.
indivisible
indivisible
  1. adj. not able to be forced apart, solid, unified: That family is indivisible; they stay together even during troubled times.
indoctrinate
indoctrinate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to teach s.o. that certain opinions and customs are the right ones: The Marines indoctrinate new soldiers into the ways of military life.
indolence
indolence
  1. n.frml. [U] laziness: His indolence made him lose his job, since he didn't work hard enough. -adj. indolent.
indomitable
indomitable
  1. adj. not able to be discouraged or stopped, (syns.) irrepressible, undaunted: The indomitable spirit of the firefighters helped save many lives.
indoor
indoor
  1. adj. located inside a building: Some rich people have indoor swimming pools.
indoors
indoors
  1. adv. inside a building: When it started to rain, we moved our picnic indoors.
    THESAURUS
    indoors inside, within. Ant. outdoors.
indubitable
indubitable
  1. adj.frml. without doubt, certain: Death is an indubitable fact of life.
induce
induce
  1. v. [T] -duced, -ducing, -duces
    1 to make s.o. do s.t., (syns.) to persuade, coax: His wife's love of the ocean induced him to take a vacation at the seashore.
    2 to cause, make happen: The nurse induced a lower fever by bathing the man in cool water.
inducement
inducement
  1. n. [C;U] s.t. that makes s.o. want to do s.t., (syns.) motive, incentive: The company promised her a big office as an inducement to take the job.
induct
induct
  1. v. [T] to put in public office or the military with a formal ceremony: When he was inducted into office, the mayor promised to always tell the truth.||Our son was inducted into the army last week. -n. [C;U] induction.
inductive
inductive
  1. adj. using logic or math to solve a puzzle or problem: The police knew the robber's shoe size and used inductive reasoning to connect the footprints to the man.
indulge
indulge
  1. v. -dulged, -dulging, -dulges
    1 [I;T] to take or eat s.t. good (sometimes too much): I indulged and had chocolate cake for dessert.
    2 [T] to allow s.o. to do s.t., even if it is not good or wise: Carlos indulged his son's wish to learn to fly an airplane.
indulgence
indulgence
  1. n.
    1 [U] patience, tolerance: I ask your indulgence while I tell you this long, boring story.
    2 [C] s.t. one enjoys, even though it may be bad or wrong: Two glasses of wine at dinner is my only indulgence.
indulgent
indulgent
  1. adj. tolerant,
    THESAURUS
    pampering: He is indulgent in buying his children all that candy.
industrial
industrial
  1. adj. related to industry (esp. manufacturing): Industrial production is up this year, but agriculture is weak.
industrial park
industrial park
  1. n. a piece of land with buildings for businesses, esp. those that make new products,
    THESAURUS
    office park: The industrial park on the edge of town has three office buildings and two small factories.
industrialism
industrialism
  1. n. [U] the growth or present state of industry within a nation or region: That developing country changed its economy from farming to industrialism.
industrialize
industrialize
  1. v. [I;T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make a nation or region use and develop industry: Many developing countries wish to industrialize their economies by building factories. -n. [U] industrialization.
industrious
industrious
  1. adj. hardworking, busy: She started her own business and is now very industrious.
industry
industry
  1. n. -tries
    1 [U] the making and selling of products: Industry grew quickly after the discovery of electricity.
    2 [C] a specific type of manufacturing: The US auto industry is centered in Detroit.
    3 [U] hard work: His industry in college resulted in high grades.
    THESAURUS
    industry
    1 business, business activity, commerce
    2 business, trade
    3 effort, diligence, perseverance.
inebriated
inebriated
  1. adj.infrml. drunk: He drank too much beer and is inebriated. -n. [U] inebriation.
ineffective
ineffective
  1. adj.
    1 not good enough to make s.t. happen,
    THESAURUS
    fruitless: Yelling at teenagers is ineffective; talking works better.
    2 not good at doing s.t., (syns.) ineffectual, incompetent: She is ineffective at speaking another language and has decided to stop trying to learn one. -n. [U] ineffectiveness.
inefficient
inefficient
  1. adj. not using time well: The factory is inefficient because its machinery is slow and old. -n. [U] inefficiency.
inelegant
inelegant
  1. adj. without grace,
    THESAURUS
    awkward: The young dancers' movements were inelegant.
ineligible
ineligible
  1. adj. not able to do s.t. for some reason (too young, not skilled, etc.),
    THESAURUS
    unqualified: He is ineligible to enter college, because he has not finished high school. -n. [U] ineligibility.
inept
inept
  1. adj. not good at, (syns.) clumsy, awkward: His inept singing made us put our hands over our ears. -n. [U] ineptness; ineptitude.
inequality
inequality
  1. n. [C;U] -ties
    1 a condition in which s.t. is greater or less than s.t. else: There is an issue of inequality here; I make $20,000 a year and you make $30,000, but we do the same job.
    2 a different amount of opportunity or resources from s.t. else: Inequality among nations can cause war.
    THESAURUS
    inequality
    1 a disparity, unevenness, irregularity
    2 a disparity, imbalance. Ant. equality.
inequitable
inequitable
  1. adj. not equal, unfair, unjust: Some people believe that Africa receives an inequitable amount of Western support compared to Southeast Asia.
inequity
inequity
  1. n. -ties an unfair thing: Many inequities in life are caused by poverty and lack of education.
inert
inert
  1. adj.
    1 lacking the power to move, (syns.) immobile, stationary: A car without an engine sat inert in the garage.
    2 (in chemistry) not active: inert gas
inertia
inertia
  1. n. [U] lack of movement, resistance to change: Social changes often do not happen due to governmental inertia.
inescapable
inescapable
  1. adj. not avoidable: Drug abuse is an inescapable problem that must be solved.
inessential
inessential
  1. adj. not necessary,
    THESAURUS
    dispensable: Those topics are inessential, so leave them out of the report.
inevitable
inevitable
  1. adj. definitely going to happen, unavoidable, certain: Gaining weight is inevitable when you eat too much and don't exercise.
inexact
inexact
  1. adj. not precise, vague: Those numbers are too inexact to base decisions on. -n. [U] inexactness.
inexhaustible
inexhaustible
  1. adj. without end, limitless: The sun seems to have an inexhaustible supply of energy.
inexpensive
inexpensive
  1. adj. not costly, low-priced, cheap: The cost of living in Kansas City is inexpensive compared to that of Los Angeles.
    THESAURUS
    inexpensive low-cost, economical, reasonable. Ant. expensive.
inexperience
inexperience
  1. n. [U]
    1 lack of experience in the world,
    THESAURUS
    naiveté: His inexperience with big-city life showed when he didn't know how to use the subway.
    2 limited knowledge: We laughed at her inexperience in the kitchen; she can't boil water.
inexplicable
inexplicable
  1. adj. not able to be explained, mysterious: The strange voices you hear are inexplicable; they must be in your mind.
inexplicit
inexplicit
  1. adj. not clear, inexact,
    THESAURUS
    vague: His directions are inexplicit; we'll get lost.
infallible
infallible
  1. adj. never making a mistake, faultless: Calculations from that computer are infallible.
infamous
infamous
  1. adj. famous because of s.t. bad: That murderer is infamous for his cruelty.

    USAGE NOTE: Compare infamous, notorious, famous, and well-known. Use infamous and notorious to indicate that s.o. or s.t. is famous for a negative reason: Adolf Hitler was notorious for his cruelty.||The airplane disappeared over the infamous Bermuda Triangle. Use famous and well-known when s.o. or s.t. is familiar to many people: Pablo Picasso was a famous Spanish artist.||McDonald's is a well-known chain of fast-food restaurants.
infamy
infamy
  1. n.frml. [U] evil or bad reputation: The infamy of Hitler lives on in history books.
infancy
infancy
  1. n. [U]
    1 the part of a baby's life just after birth and before walking: Many parents choose to work at home during their child's infancy.
    2 fig. early time, beginning: That business is still in its infancy; it opened last week.
infant
infant
  1. n. a baby: A mother held an infant in her arms.
    THESAURUS
    infant a newborn, very young child, little one.
infantile
infantile
  1. adj. childish, stupid: His infantile remarks like "Me first!" annoy everyone. -n. [U] infantilism.
infantry
infantry
  1. n. [C;U] -tries soldiers who fight on foot: The infantry moved forward behind tanks.
infarction
infarction
  1. n. (in medicine) clotting and blockage of a blood vessel, esp. in the heart, a heart attack: That patient died of an infarction before she could have heart surgery.
infatuated
infatuated
  1. adj. in love in a brief, often unthinking way: He was infatuated with (or) by a model one week, an artist the next. -v. [T] infatuate; -n.[C;U] infatuation.
infect
infect
  1. v. [T]
    1 to give s.o. a sickness or disease: A flu virus has infected everyone in the office.
    2 fig. to spread through a place: Crime has infected the entire neighborhood.
    THESAURUS
    infect
    1 to spread to s.o., contaminate, pass disease to s.o.
    2 to contaminate, infest, taint.
infection
infection
  1. n. [C;U] a disease or sickness received by s.o. or s.t.: One rat bite can start the spread of infection. -adj. infectious.
infer
infer
  1. v. [T] -ferred, -ferring, -fers to guess by having some information, (syns.) to surmise, deduce: I infer from your smile that you are happy.
inference
inference
  1. n. [C;U] an educated guess based on some information: I made an inference about the child's height when I met her tall parents. -adj. inferential.
inferior
inferior
  1. adj. lower in quality: Most wine from Switzerland is inferior to wine from France. —n. a person of lower rank or ability: The general is unkind to his inferiors. -n. [U] inferiority .
    THESAURUS
    inferior adj. second-rate, mediocre, substandard | of poor quality. Ant. superior.
inferiority complex
inferiority complex
  1. n. a serious feeling of not being good enough: That boy has an inferiority complex, but his psychologist helps him feel better about himself.
inferno
inferno
  1. n.
    1 a fiery place, hell: The inside of a live volcano is an inferno.
    2 a very hot place: Turn on the air conditioner! This office is an inferno. -adj. infernal.
infertile
infertile
  1. adj.
    1 not able to have children,
    THESAURUS
    barren: She was infertile as a young woman, then had a baby in her forties.
    2 not good for growing plants or crops: The Sahara Desert is dry and infertile. -n. [U] infertility.
infest
infest
  1. v. [T]
    1 to fill with insects or animals that cause trouble: Mosquitoes infested hot, wet areas.
    2 fig.to grow in population and have a bad effect: Crime infests that poor neighborhood. -adj. infested; -n.[C;U] infestation.
infidel
infidel
  1. n.adj. a person who doesn't believe in a particular religion: The radical cult leader called all nonbelievers infidels.
infidelity
infidelity
  1. n. [C;U] -ties having sex with s.o. besides a husband or wife: She divorced her husband for infidelity after she found him in bed with another woman.
infield
infield
  1. n. (in baseball) the area within the bases and baselines: The young boy wasn't strong enough to hit the ball beyond the infield. -n. infielder.
infiltrate
infiltrate
  1. v. [I;T] -trated, -trating, -trates to join or enter s.t. for a secret purpose: The police infiltrated the drug dealer's house by pretending to want some cocaine. -n. [U] infiltration.
infinite
infinite
  1. adj. going on forever, never-ending, limitless: There is an infinite number of stars in the night sky.
infinitesimal
infinitesimal
  1. adj. extremely small, (syns.) minute, tiny: Those crackers have an infinitesimal amount of salt, so you won't be thirsty.
infinitive
infinitive
  1. n. (in grammar) the main form of a verb, usu. used with "to": "To go" is the infinitive form of the verb "go."
infinity
infinity
  1. n. [U] a limitless number, thing, or place, such as outer space and time: Astronomers study the infinity of the universe.
infirm
infirm
  1. adj. physically weak,
    THESAURUS
    feeble: My 90-year-old uncle is infirm with old age. -n. [C;U] infirmity.
infirmary
infirmary
  1. n. -ries a place where people get medical care, usu. at a university or other institution: I fell playing hockey and had to go to the infirmary.
    THESAURUS
    infirmary a clinic, small hospital, sick room.
inflame
inflame
  1. v. [T] -flamed, -flaming, -flames
    1 to cause great emotions, usu. anger or excitement: The king's evil actions inflamed the slaves.
    2 to make red and sore: The boy's knee became inflamed when he fell on it.
inflammable
inflammable
  1. adj. able to burn,
    THESAURUS
    flammable: Materials in these curtains are inflammable, so don't light a match.
inflammation
inflammation
  1. n. [C;U] a physical reaction to an injury or disease, usu. with redness, heat, and swelling: He has an inflammation in his right eye from too much dust.
inflammatory
inflammatory
  1. adj. causing strong emotion,
    THESAURUS
    provocative: That politician makes inflammatory speeches that people talk about for days.
inflate
inflate
  1. v. -flated, -flating, -flates
    1 [I;T] to fill with air: A mechanic inflated the car's tires.
    2 [T] to raise above the normal or proper level: During shortages, some merchants inflate prices.
    3 fig. [T] to pump up, swell: Praise inflates his ego.
inflation
inflation
  1. n. [U] a rise in prices and lowering of currency's value: Inflation was so great that bread cost twice as much in June as it did in May. -adj. inflationary.
inflection
inflection
  1. n. [C;U] a change in the voice's sound or tone: The inflection in her voice goes up when she asks a question.
inflexible
inflexible
  1. adj.
    1 rigid, unbending: The metal bars of a jail are inflexible.
    2 with strong, unchanging opinions, stubborn,
    THESAURUS
    unyielding: He is very inflexible in his habits, reading the same newspaper every morning. -n. [U] inflexibility.
inflict
inflict
  1. v. [T] to cause s.t. bad, give s.o. a problem: My father inflicts his boring war stories on the whole family. -n. [C;U] infliction.
influence
influence
  1. n. [C;U] the power to change or persuade others: The President's wife has a strong influence on his thinking. —v. [T] -enced, -encing, -ences to change s.o.'s mind, have an effect on: Lenin's ideas influenced the Russians during the 1917 Revolution. -adj. influential .
    THESAURUS
    influence n. effect, impact | sway, clout. —v. to have an influence on s.t. or s.o., make an impression on s.o., inspire.
influenza
influenza
  1. n. [U] a contagious illness spread by viruses: Influenza killed millions in 1918, but now we can prevent it.
    THESAURUS
    influenza the flu, a virus | the grippe, a bug infrml.
influx
influx
  1. n. the sudden arrival of many people or things: An influx of immigrants has made Miami's population grow rapidly.
infomercial
infomercial
  1. n. an advertisement for a product, presented as a full-length program on TV or radio: They watched a long infomercial on TV for an exercise machine.
inform
inform
  1. v. [T]
    1 to tell s.o.: I informed my friends of my new address.
    2 to report s.o.'s wrongdoing: He is a spy who informs on others to the government.
    THESAURUS
    inform
    1 to notify, let s.o. know, announce (to)
    2 to betray, tell | snitch, tattle.
informal
informal
  1. adj. casual, ordinary: Dress at the party was informal, with no neckties or fancy dresses. -n. [U] informality .
    THESAURUS
    informal relaxed, easy-going, unfussy | unofficial. Ant. formal.
informant
informant
  1. n.
    1 a person who collects and gives information about s.o. or s.t.: Newspaper reporters use informants to gather news.
    2 a spy: The government informant spied on two people by hiding behind a door.
information
information
  1. n. [U] knowledge, news, facts: Newspapers carry useful information about current events.
    THESAURUS
    information data, evidence, statistics | intelligence.
information technology
information technology
  1. n.phr. [U] the applied science of communicating information electronically: In information technology, computer specialists design large computer systems to make sure other employees can use the computers, too. -abbr. IT.
informative
informative
  1. adj. providing knowledge: The stock market report is very informative to businesspeople.
    THESAURUS
    informative educational, instructive, enlightening. Ant. uninformative.
informed
informed
  1. adj. knowing a lot, esp. about current events: She reads many books and magazines to stay informed.
informer
informer
  1. n. a spy: He was a police informer during the revolution.
infraction
infraction
  1. n. the breaking of a rule or law: He parked his car in a no-parking zone and had to pay a fine for the infraction.
infrastructure
infrastructure
  1. n. [C;U] roads, water, electricity, and other basic things that help a country's people and economy: Many tax dollars in the USA pay for infrastructure, such as the national highway system.
infrequent
infrequent
  1. adj. seldom, not often: His visits to his parents are infrequent because he lives far away.
infringe
infringe
  1. v. [T] -fringed, -fringing, -fringes to go where s.o. or s.t. doesn't belong,
    THESAURUS
    to encroach: Our neighbor's fence infringes on our land. -n. [C;U] infringement.
infuriate
infuriate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to make very angry, (syns.) to incense, enrage: He infuriates me because he won't return my phone calls. See: angry, USAGE NOTE.
infusion
infusion
  1. n. [C;U] an inflow, addition: An infusion of money into the business saved it from bankruptcy. -v. [I;T] infuse.
ingenious
ingenious
  1. adj. very good at making things or solving problems, clever, brilliant: The campers thought of an ingenious way to cross the river without a bridge.
ingenuity
ingenuity
  1. n. [U] skill at solving problems,
    THESAURUS
    cleverness: Great ingenuity goes into building rockets.
ingest
ingest
  1. v.frml. [T] to eat, swallow: A baby ingested poison, and the doctor had to pump her stomach.
ingrain
ingrain
  1. v. [T] to soak into: The paint ingrained itself into the surface of the wood. —adj. ingrained done so often as to be part of s.o. or s.t., habitual: Farmers have many ingrained habits: they get up early, they milk the cows, etc.
ingrate
ingrate
  1. n. s.o. who doesn't show thanks, an ungrateful person: He is an ingrate who takes his parents' money without saying "Thank you."
ingratiate
ingratiate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to get respect by doing nice things (usu. expecting s.t. back): He ingratiates himself with important people by inviting them to his parties.
ingratitude
ingratitude
  1. n. [U] not showing thanks,
    THESAURUS
    ungratefulness: Your son's ingratitude toward his aunt and uncle showed when he didn't send them a thank-you card.
ingredient
ingredient
  1. n.
    1 a food item in a recipe: Flour, milk, butter, and yeast are some ingredients in bread.
    2 a part of s.t.: Hard work is an ingredient of success.
    THESAURUS
    ingredient
    1 a component
    2 a component, factor, element.
inhabit
inhabit
  1. v. [T] to live in an area, dwell: People inhabit even the most difficult climates, such as in Siberia. -adj. inhabited.
    THESAURUS
    inhabit to occupy, reside in, populate.
inhabitant
inhabitant
  1. n. a person who lives in a certain area: The inhabitants of San Francisco enjoy a view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
inhale
inhale
  1. v. [I;T] -haled, -haling, -hales to breathe in: Patients inhale painkilling medicine before an operation. -n. [U] inhalation.
inhaler
inhaler
  1. n. a small container of medicine, with a hole to breathe through: She sneezes around cats, but her inhaler helps.
inherent
inherent
  1. adj. naturally belonging to or part of s.t.: Love is inherent in a good marriage.
inherit
inherit
  1. v. [T] to receive after one dies: He inherited his grandfather's watch.
    THESAURUS
    inherit to be left s.t. by s.o., be willed, come into.
inheritance
inheritance
  1. n. [C;U] money, land, etc. received by s.o. when s.o. (usu. a relative) dies: The uncle left a large inheritance to his nephew.
inhibit
inhibit
  1. v. [T] to make an action or behavior difficult: Her shyness inhibits her social life. -n. inhibitor; -adj. inhibitive.
inhibition
inhibition
  1. n. s.t. that makes a certain behavior difficult, usu. psychologically: He has so many inhibitions about his body that he went on a strict diet.
inhospitable
inhospitable
  1. adj.
    1 not welcoming, unfriendly: Some people in this big city are inhospitable to tourists.
    2 difficult to live in because of bad weather or geography: The climate of the North Pole is inhospitable to humans.
inhuman
inhuman
  1. adj. without good human qualities,
    THESAURUS
    cold: Torture of prisoners is inhuman treatment.
inhumane
inhumane
  1. adj. not kind to animals or people, cruel, uncivilized: Some people think that doing scientific experiments on animals is inhumane. -n. [C;U] inhumanity.
initial
initial
  1. adj. beginning, first: My initial good opinion of him changed with time. —n.pl. initials the first letters of one's names: John Smith's initials are J.S. —v. [T] to write one's initials on s.t.: He initialed a page to show that he had read it.
    THESAURUS
    initial adj. original, earliest, introductory. Ant. final. —n. one's monogram. —v. to mark with one's initials.
initiate
initiate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to cause s.t. to start, to begin: The group was quiet until she initiated conversation by asking a question.
    2 to bring s.o. into an organization with a ceremony or activity: The young man was initiated into a club with a special handshake. -n. initiation.
initiative
initiative
  1. n. [C;U] the first step, usu. showing strength,
    THESAURUS
    ambition: He showed initiative by learning Spanish before moving to Colombia.
inject
inject
  1. v. [T] to force a substance, usu. liquid, into a person or thing: The doctor injected some medicine into the patient with a needle.
injection
injection
  1. n. [C;U] a liquid passed through a needle or small opening: My car's engine gets an injection of gas when I step on the pedal.
    THESAURUS
    injection a shot of s.t. | vaccination, immunization, inoculation.
injunction
injunction
  1. n. (in law) a stop, an ending: A court issued an injunction to stop the man from harassing his former wife.
injure
injure
  1. v. [T] -jured, -juring, -jures
    1 to hurt, cause damage: He injured his knee when he ran in a long race.
    2 to hurt (feelings): Her unkind words injured my pride. -adj. injurious .
    THESAURUS
    injure
    1 to harm, wound, ruin.
    2 to offend, insult, sting.
injury
injury
  1. n. [C;U] -ries a wound, damage: The basketball player had a foot injury and missed three games.
injustice
injustice
  1. n. [C;U] an unfair thing, a broken law: During the Civil War, many fought against the injustice of slavery.
ink
ink
  1. n. [U] a colored liquid used in pens: My teacher uses red ink to correct papers. —v. [T] to cover with ink: Long ago, printers had to ink their machines to print newspapers. -adj. inky.
inkblot
inkblot
  1. n. a spot of ink, usu. with uneven edges: His pen leaked and made inkblots on the paper.
inkling
inkling
  1. n. an idea about s.t., (syns.) a hint, clue: I had an inkling that she might be pregnant when she bought some baby clothes.
inlaid
inlaid
  1. adj. a substance, such as wood or metal, set into another substance: That jewelry box is made of silver with inlaid gold flowers.
inland
inland
  1. adv.adj. away from the seashore: We moved inland, from the California coast to the Nevada desert.
inlet
inlet
  1. n.
    1 part of an ocean, lake, or pond that cuts into the land,
    THESAURUS
    a bay: The water is calmer in the inlet, so we keep our boat there.
    2 a pipe or other opening that allows liquid to enter
inmate
inmate
  1. n. a person in jail, a prisoner: That prison has a section for violent inmates, such as rapists and killers.
inn
inn
  1. n. a small hotel, usu. in the country, often serving meals: We like to stay at small rural inns. See: bed and breakfast.
    THESAURUS
    inn a lodge, bed and breakfast, B & B | motel.
innards
innards
  1. n.pl.infrml. one's internal body parts, such as intestines or stomach: My innards hurt from eating too much pie.
innate
innate
  1. adj. part of s.o. from birth, natural: He has an innate sense of how to fix things.
inner
inner
  1. adj.
    1 existing or located within: She doesn't show her inner feelings.
    2 located inside, farther away from walls or doors: You can walk through six rooms before you reach the inner courtyard.
inner city
inner city
  1. n. a city's central area, esp. a poor area or slum: Mayor Perez is trying to help the inner city with neighborhood police and better playgrounds.
innermost
innermost
  1. adj.
    1 deepest within: Searchers found the missing child in the innermost part of the cave.
    2 fig. most secret, private: He reveals his innermost feelings only to his best friend.
inning
inning
  1. n. (in baseball) a period when each team is allowed three outs: A baseball game usually has nine innings.
innkeeper
innkeeper
  1. n. a person who owns or manages an inn: The innkeeper hired a cook and a maid to help her serve guests.
innocence
innocence
  1. n. [U]
    1 lack of guilt: You proved your innocence by showing you were at home when the robbery happened.
    2 lack of sin,
    THESAURUS
    naiveté: Small children have a wonderful innocence before they learn about evil.
innocent
innocent
  1. adj.
    1 not guilty (of a crime): The lawyer defended the woman because he believed she was innocent.
    2 sinless, pure: Innocent children are often harmed during a war.
    THESAURUS
    innocent
    1 blameless, faultless, in the clear infrml. Ant. guilty.
    2 naïve, faultless, guiltless.
innocuous
innocuous
  1. adj. harmless,
    THESAURUS
    unobjectionable: The teacher's innocuous words don't make me angry, but they also don't teach me much.
innovate
innovate
  1. v. [I;T] -vated, -vating, -vates to improve s.t., create s.t. new: The company innovated by creating instant voice messaging.
innovation
innovation
  1. n. [C;U] s.t. new made or improved with creativity: Cellular telephones were an innovation in the 1990s, but now they are very common. -adj. innovative.
innuendo
innuendo
  1. n. [C;U] -does indirect remark that hints at s.t. bad: She doesn't say, "You're ugly," but I hear the innuendoes in her voice.
innumerable
innumerable
  1. adj. very many, countless, frequent: He has picked me up at the bus station innumerable times.
inoculate
inoculate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to give a shot of medicine through a needle to prevent disease: The nurse inoculated my baby against polio. -n. [C;U] inoculation.
inoffensive
inoffensive
  1. adj. not causing anger or other bad feelings, (syns.) innocuous, unobjectionable: I let my little boy watch an inoffensive TV show on Saturday morning.
inoperable
inoperable
  1. adj. not able to be cured with surgery, fatal: He has inoperable cancer.
inoperative
inoperative
  1. adj. not working, broken: The telephones are inoperative due to a bad storm.
inopportune
inopportune
  1. adj. at a bad or wrong time: The visitors arrived at an inopportune moment; we were still in bed.
inordinate
inordinate
  1. adj. great, large, more than necessary: He takes an inordinate amount of time in the morning, so we're always late to school.
inpatient
inpatient
  1. n. a person who stays overnight for medical care in a hospital: She is an inpatient, but she's going home Friday. —adj. related to overnight patients: That hospital has an inpatient clinic for people with AIDS.
input
input
  1. v. [T] -putted or -put, -putting, -puts to type information into a computer: My assistant inputs the company's sales figures every month. —n.
    1 [C;U] information typed into a computer: My daily input includes letters, checks, and dates from my calendar.
    2 [C;U] information or advice from s.o.: We would like your input because you always have good ideas.
    THESAURUS
    input v. to type in, key in, record data. —n.
    1 data entry
    2 contribution, suggestions, feedback.
inquest
inquest
  1. n. (in law) a meeting, esp. before a jury, to find out the facts about a death: At the inquest, we learned that the woman drowned.
inquire
inquire
  1. v. [I;T] -quired, -quiring, -quires
    1 to ask about s.t.: My friend inquired about my health because I was sneezing.
    2 to ask for (public or official) information, to investigate, look into: A neighborhood group inquired into the plans for a new park. See: ask, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    inquire
    1 to question s.o., quiz, make inquiries about s.t.
    2 to check into, examine s.t., check up on s.t.
inquiry
inquiry
  1. n. [C;U] -ries
    1 a question, query: An old friend made an inquiry about your health.
    2 a request for (public or official) information,
    THESAURUS
    an investigation: A citizens' group made an inquiry into police behavior.
inquisition
inquisition
  1. n. a formal investigation into s.o.'s beliefs -n. inquisitor.
inquisitive
inquisitive
  1. adj. asking lots of questions, curious, nosy: My brother is too inquisitive about my private life. -n. [U] inquisitiveness.
inroads
inroads
  1. n.pl. progress toward or into s.t.: We have made inroads into our painting job; we finished the kitchen already!
insane
insane
  1. adj.
    1 mentally ill, crazy: The doctors knew the man was insane when he heard voices in an empty room.
    2 fig. ridiculous, foolish: She has insane ideas about how to get rich overnight. -n. [U] insanity .
    THESAURUS
    insane
    1 crazed, psychotic, deranged | disturbed. Ant. sane.
    2 crazy, absurd, nutty infrml., wacky.
insatiable
insatiable
  1. adj. not able to get enough of s.t., not satisfied with a normal amount: His insatiable hunger made him eat three hamburgers and want more.
inscribe
inscribe
  1. v. [T] -scribed, -scribing, -scribes to write or carve words: I inscribed my name in the guest book. -n. inscription.
inscrutable
inscrutable
  1. adj. not easy to be understood, mysterious
insect
insect
  1. n. a small (invertebrate) animal with six legs, three body segments, and sometimes wings: We have a lot of ants and other insects in our garden in the summer.
    THESAURUS
    insect a bug, pest, creepy crawler infrml.
insecticide
insecticide
  1. n. a chemical or other substance used to kill insects: Farmers use insecticides to protect their corn and wheat fields.
insecure
insecure
  1. adj.
    1 not confident, afraid, uncertain: He feels insecure about his body, so he wears a shirt at the beach.
    2 not steady, unsafe: The fire escape is insecure; it moves in the wind.
inseminate
inseminate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to make pregnant by putting male semen into a female body: My aunt was inseminated with her husband's sperm. -n. [C;U] insemination.
insensitive
insensitive
  1. adj.
    1 unkind because s.o. is not aware of others' feelings,
    THESAURUS
    tactless: She said insensitive things to the overweight woman.
    2 not able to feel s.t. physically: After living in Alaska, I am almost insensitive to cold.
inseparable
inseparable
  1. adj. unable to be separated: The two women were best friends in high school and are still inseparable.
insert
insert
  1. v. [T] to put s.t. in s.t. else: She inserted the letter into an envelope. -n. [C;U] insertion.
inset
inset
  1. n. a small picture or map placed inside a larger one: The map of New York State has an inset of New York City.
inside
inside
  1. n.
    1 the part (of a building) within walls: The inside of the house looks better than the outside.
    2 pl. the body's internal parts, esp. near the stomach: My insides hurt from laughing too much. —prep. into: We like the painting inside the museum. —adv.
    1/ toward the interior: We walked inside to get out of the rain.
    2 inside out: (of clothing) reversed so that the wrong or inner side is showing: Her jacket was inside out; I could see the label. —adj.
    1 related to the interior of s.t.: The inside pockets of the coat are made of silk.
    2 the inside story: the secret or true information: The writer heard the inside story of the robbery from a neighbor.
    3 infrml. the inside track: an advantage: She is the owner's daughter, so she has the inside track on becoming company president.
    THESAURUS
    inside n.
    1 the interior. Ant. the outside.
    2 guts infrml. —adv. indoors, in, within. Ant. outside. —adj.
    1 s.t. in s.t., s.t. within s.t. Ant. s.t. outside (of) s.t.
insider
insider
  1. n. a person belonging to a group in power: Anwar is an insider with the mayor; Anwar and the mayor have been good friends for many years.
insidious
insidious
  1. adj. bad or harmful without being obvious or easy to see: The doctor found the insidious cancer before my friend felt pain. -n. [U] insidiousness.
insight
insight
  1. n. [C;U] ability to see or know the truth, intelligence about s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    perception: By moving to Washington, the senator gained insight into how politics really work. -adj. insightful.
insignia
insignia
  1. n. [C;U] an official mark or design showing membership, rank, or honor: I have a sweatshirt with my university's insignia.
insignificant
insignificant
  1. adj. not important, without meaning: We thought the book had too many insignificant details about George Washington's life and not enough history. -n. [U] insignificance.
insincere
insincere
  1. adj. not showing true feelings or opinions,
    THESAURUS
    hypocritical: He said he was happy you won the tennis match, but I think he was insincere. -n. [U] insincerity.
insinuate
insinuate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to hint about s.t. bad in an indirect way: One worker insinuated that another employee was dishonest. -n. [C;U] insinuation.
insipid
insipid
  1. adj.
    1 tasteless,
    THESAURUS
    bland: Oatmeal has an insipid taste, so I add sugar.
    2 not interesting, lacking exciting qualities,
    THESAURUS
    vapid: That insipid movie had dull characters and no plot.
insist
insist
  1. v. [I]
    1 to demand, show strong opinion: I insist that you go to the hospital immediately; you are very ill!
    2 phrasal v. insist on: to accept only certain things, to require: The cook insists on the finest meat and fish.
    THESAURUS
    insist
    1 to urge, stress, put one's foot down fig.
insistence
insistence
  1. n. [U] strong pressure to do s.t.: Her insistence on quality keeps her employees hard at work. -adj. insistent.
insofar as
insofar as
  1. conj. as much or as long as (possible): Insofar as my grandfather is able to walk, he won't use a wheelchair.
insole
insole
  1. n.
    1 the part of a shoe that one's foot rests on: My shoes are very old; there is a hole in my insole.
    2 a piece of leather or other material placed inside a shoe for comfort: I wear insoles so my feet don't get so tired.
insolent
insolent
  1. adj. too bold for one's age or situation, rude: The insolent daughter slammed the door in her parents' face. -n. [U] insolence.
insoluble
insoluble
  1. adj.
    1 not able to be dissolved in liquid: Oil is insoluble in water.
    2 not able to be solved: That math problem is insoluble.
insolvent
insolvent
  1. adj. with no money left,
    THESAURUS
    bankrupt: My friend lost her job and became insolvent. -n.[C;U] insolvency.
insomnia
insomnia
  1. n. [U] not able to sleep on a regular basis: My father's insomnia went away when he stopped drinking coffee. -n. [C] insomniac.
inspect
inspect
  1. v. [T] to look at s.t. closely: Automakers inspect their cars to make sure they are safe.
    THESAURUS
    inspect to quality check, examine, check out | look into, go through, scrutinize frml.
inspection
inspection
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a close, careful look, examination,
    THESAURUS
    scrutiny: Inspection of the new house shows that it needs a new roof.
    2 to pass inspection: to receive approval: Soldiers must pass inspection to make sure their uniforms are clean.
inspector
inspector
  1. n.
    1 a person who has a job looking for mistakes or flaws: The electrical inspector looked at our outlets and fuses.
    2 a high-level police officer or firefighter: We called the inspector with facts about a murder case.
inspiration
inspiration
  1. n. [C;U] s.o. or s.t. that makes a person work hard or be creative,
    THESAURUS
    motivation: She is a writer who gets her inspiration from the novels of Hemingway and Fitzgerald. -adj. inspirational.
inspire
inspire
  1. v. [T] -spired, -spiring, -spires to cause to work hard or be creative, to motivate, stimulate: My grandmother inspires us with stories of her difficult childhood.
instability
instability
  1. n. [U]
    1 lack of firmness,
    THESAURUS
    shakiness: The instability of that old bridge caused it to fall.
    2 fig. emotional weakness, lack of unity,
    THESAURUS
    unpredictability: The instability of the government may lead to war. See: unstable.
install
install
  1. v. [T]
    1 to put s.t. (such as a piece of machinery) in place and make it work: Our technical expert installed a new computer Wednesday, and we began using it Friday.
    2 to employ s.o., put s.o. in a job: The new mayor was installed in office last week. -n. installer; -n.[C;U] installation.
    THESAURUS
    install
    1 to set up s.t., connect s.t.
    2 to inaugurate, put in office.
installment
installment
  1. n.
    1 s.t. divided into parts: The biography of Elizabeth Taylor appeared in three installments in three separate issues of the magazine.
    2 a partial payment: He is paying off a $1,200 debt in twelve monthly installments of $100.
    THESAURUS
    installment
    1 a part, portion | episode of s.t.
    2 a periodic payment, monthly payment, layaway plan.
instance
instance
  1. n.
    1 a single occurrence or happening, a situation, case: In this instance, we will lend you money, but usually we can't.
    2 for instance: for example: There are many things I would like to learn; for instance, how to swim.
instant
instant
  1. n. a very quick period of time, less than a second: Lightning struck a tree, and it fell in an instant. —adj.
    1 very fast, immediate: We can't give instant answers to such difficult questions.
    2 easily mixed or prepared: He added water and ice to the instant tea. -adv. instantly.
    THESAURUS
    instant n. a moment, second, flash. —adj.
    1 quick, instantaneous, on-the-spot | urgent, pressing.
instant replay
instant replay
  1. n. (in television) a filmed or taped moment, esp. in sports, shown just after it happens: You were in the kitchen when the goal was scored in the soccer game, but you can see the instant replay.
instantaneous
instantaneous
  1. adj. with no delay, sudden, immediate (occurrence, reaction, etc.): The pain was instantaneous when I bumped my head.
instead
instead
  1. prep. in place of, rather than: The bride chose roses instead of tulips for her bouquet.
    THESAURUS
    instead as an alternative to s.t., in lieu of s.t.
instep
instep
  1. n. the top part of a shoe or foot between the toes and the ankle
instigate
instigate
  1. v. [T] -gated, -gating, -gates to make s.t. happen,
    THESAURUS
    to incite: In the 1960s, students instigated demonstrations against the Vietnam War. -n. [U] instigation.
instill
instill
  1. v. [T] to give (an emotion or quality) by example or teaching: Her athletic parents instilled the girl with a love of baseball. -n. [U] instillation.
instinct
instinct
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a natural, unlearned behavior or ability: Birds migrate south each winter by instinct.
    2 often pl. feelings, not thoughts: She used her instincts in deciding which man to date.
instinctive
instinctive
  1. adj. done from feeling, not from reason or learned behavior: His instinctive reaction to the falling rock was to run from it.
institute
institute
  1. v.frml. [T] -tuted, -tuting, -tutes to begin,
    THESAURUS
    to initiate: Since we instituted the new rule, fewer people have been late to work. —n. an organization, esp. one for education or research: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has courses in engineering and computing.
institution
institution
  1. n.
    1 [C] an organization that helps or serves people in the area of health, education, or work: My aunt cannot pay for a private nurse, so she lives in a state institution.
    2 [C;U] a function in society: The institution of marriage is important in most Western religions.
    3 [C] s.t. or s.o. that is a necessary, longtime part of s.t.: Big Sunday dinners are an institution at Mom's house.
    THESAURUS
    institution
    1 an establishment, organization | hospital, school
    2 a tradition, custom
    3 a tradition, fixture, custom.
institutionalize
institutionalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to put s.o. in an institution: After his car accident, he was institutionalized in a special hospital.
instruct
instruct
  1. v. [T]
    1 to teach: The Spanish professor instructs her students in the language and culture of Mexico.
    2 to direct, tell s.o. what to do: My sister instructed me to take out the garbage.
    THESAURUS
    instruct
    1 to educate, tutor | train, coach
    2 to order, command, bid s.o. to do s.t. frml. Ant. to ask.
instruction
instruction
  1. n.
    1 [U] education, teaching: Hearing-impaired students receive instruction in sign language.
    2 pl. information about how to do s.t., directions: The mechanic gave us instructions on how to fix our car's brakes.
    THESAURUS
    instruction
    1 classes, lessons, training
    2 directions, advice.
instructive
instructive
  1. adj. with useful information, educational: I saw a TV show about the US Civil War that was very instructive.
instructor
instructor
  1. n.
    1 a teacher: My swimming instructor showed us how to dive into the water.
    2 the lowest level of college teacher: When she completes her Ph.D., her title will change from instructor to assistant professor. See: teacher, USAGE NOTE.
instrument
instrument
  1. n.
    1 a tool that helps s.o. do work: The doctor used an instrument to look in the girl's ears.
    2 an object for making music, such as a violin, piano, or horn: She plays two musical instruments and is now learning to sing.
    THESAURUS
    instrument
    1 a device, implement, piece of equipment.
instrumental
instrumental
  1. adj.
    1 helpful, causing s.t. to happen: Her good grades were instrumental in getting her a scholarship to Harvard.
    2 of or for musical instruments, not voices: Mozart wrote instrumental music as well as operas. -n. instrumentalist.
insubordination
insubordination
  1. n. [U] not following directions or orders from a high-ranking person,
    THESAURUS
    disobedience: The young soldier did not salute the general and was punished for insubordination. -adj. insubordinate.
insubstantial
insubstantial
  1. adj. not strong or solid,
    THESAURUS
    flimsy: A headache is an insubstantial reason for missing a week of school.
insufferable
insufferable
  1. adj. extremely annoying, (syns.) unbearable, intolerable: When that insufferable man speaks, I get so angry that I have to leave the room.
insufficient
insufficient
  1. adj. not enough,
    THESAURUS
    inadequate: We had an insufficient amount of flour to bake bread. -n. [C;U] insufficiency.
insular
insular
  1. adj.
    1 related to islands: Hawaii is an insular state.
    2 having certain ideas because of being alone or isolated, provincial: His insular opinions come from growing up in a small town. -n. [U] insularity.
insulate
insulate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 to put material in walls and roofs to keep buildings warmer: After we insulated the walls and attic, our heating costs went down.
    2 fig. to keep s.o. away from, to protect: Some city parents insulate their children by sending them to private schools. -n. insulator.
insulation
insulation
  1. n. [U] any material that keeps out cold, heat, and/or sound: My winter jacket has goose feathers as insulation.
insulin
insulin
  1. n. [U] a hormone from a person's pancreas that helps control sugar in the bloodstream and is taken as medicine by people with diabetes: My diabetic sister gets insulin shots and follows a low-sugar diet.
insult
insult
  1. n. a very unkind remark about s.o.: It was an insult to tell your brother that he's stupid. —v. [T] to do or say bad, unkind things to s.o.: You insulted me by saying I have ugly clothes. -adj. insulting.
    THESAURUS
    insult n. a slur, slight, slap in the face fig. | rudeness, slander. Ant. a compliment. —v. to be rude to, hurt s.o.'s feelings, offend s.o. Ant. to be kind to s.o.
insurance
insurance
  1. n. [U]
    1 an agreement with a company in which the company will pay for a loss or accident in exchange for regular premiums (payments): I have insurance, so I can buy another car if mine is stolen.
    2 any protection against a possible problem: Do you carry an umbrella as insurance against getting wet?
    THESAURUS
    insurance
    1 insurance policy, coverage, indemnity
    2 a safeguard, guarantee.
insurance policy
insurance policy
  1. n. the legal contract or agreement that explains the type, details, and conditions of insurance: I have a health insurance policy that tells me which doctors I can use.
insure
insure
  1. v. -sured, -suring, -sures
    1 [I;T] to buy insurance for protection: The company has insured all the workers who use dangerous machines.
    2 [T] to make sure, make certain: I insured that the house was protected by locking all the doors. See: ensure.
    THESAURUS
    insure
    1 to bond, underwrite
    2 to ensure, check, double-check.
insured
insured
  1. adj. having insurance: Our house is insured against fire and flood. —n. the person or business having insurance: My life insurance policy shows me as the insured and my wife as the person who will receive money if I die.
insurer
insurer
  1. n. the company providing insurance: My insurer is a big company in Boston.
insurgency
insurgency
  1. n. [C;U] the state of being or acting against a government or political power, (syns.) a rebellion, revolt: Radical party members started an insurgency against their leaders. -n. [C;U] insurgence; -adj. insurgent.
insurmountable
insurmountable
  1. adj. too difficult, impossible: The man thought his problems were insurmountable, so he killed himself.
insurrection
insurrection
  1. n. [C;U] the act of going against a government, (syns.) a revolt, rebellion: The people started an insurrection against the king.
intact
intact
  1. adj. whole, not in pieces: The eggs were in the bottom of the bag, but they did not break; they remained intact.
intangible
intangible
  1. adj. not able to be felt with touch, sight, or hearing, but still sensed: My grandmother, who died last year, is an intangible presence in my life.
integer
integer
  1. n. any positive or negative whole number, including 0 (zero), but not fractions: If you add 1.5 and 1.5, you will get an integer, 3.
integral
integral
  1. adj. necessary, essential: Rice is an integral part of the Chinese diet.
integrate
integrate
  1. v. [T] -grated, -grating, -grates to put different groups of people together: My school is integrated; I have African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic classmates. -n. [U] integration.
integrity
integrity
  1. n. [U]
    1 strong morals, honesty: Her integrity made her call the police when she found drugs in her son's room.
    2 completeness, strength: The integrity of our nation depends on working together.
intellect
intellect
  1. n. [C;U] the ability to think logically and remember knowledge: My sister has a great intellect; she teaches economics and advises the President.
intellectual
intellectual
  1. adj. related to thinking (not emotion) and learned knowledge: If you read more books, you will have more intellectual powers. —n. a thinker, person who studies and uses his or her mind: That bar near the university is full of intellectuals talking about politics. -n. [U] intellectualism; -v. [T] intellectualize.
intelligence
intelligence
  1. n. [U]
    1 the ability to learn, understand, and use information; smartness: He used his intelligence to win the chess game.
    2 secret information about a country or an enemy: The USA has intelligence about other countries' nuclear weapons.
    THESAURUS
    intelligence
    1 intellect, aptitude, head fig., brains infrml.
intelligent
intelligent
  1. adj.
    1 able to learn, understand, and use information well, smart: We knew you were very intelligent when you wrote two music books and an opera in one year.
    2 showing good judgment, wise: Eating well and exercising are intelligent things to do.
    THESAURUS
    intelligent
    1 bright, clever, sharp | intellectual. Ant. unintelligent.
    2 sensible, sound.
intelligible
intelligible
  1. adj. able to be heard and understood: There was loud noise from the burning building, but the firefighters' shouts were still intelligible.
intemperate
intemperate
  1. adj.
    1 not wise, out of control,
    THESAURUS
    hotheaded: His intemperate opinions were too strong for small-town politics.
    2 drinking too much: Alcoholics are often sorry about their intemperate habits. -n. [U] intemperance.
intend
intend
  1. v. [T]
    1 to plan to do s.t.: I intend to visit Australia this year.
    2 to mean to be: Don't read that letter; it is intended for my boyfriend.
    THESAURUS
    intend
    1 to aim, have s.t. in mind, mean to do s.t.
    2 to be meant for s.o.
intense
intense
  1. adj.
    1 strong (in feeling or emotion),
    THESAURUS
    concentrated: She felt intense pain when the bone broke in her leg.
    2 bright, rich: an intense red||intense sunlight
intensifier
intensifier
  1. n. words that give strength or intensity to meanings, such as "very" or "awfully," as in: I am awfully sorry.
intensify
intensify
  1. v. [I;T] -fied, -fying, -fies to get stronger, make s.t. stronger, to increase: The noise from the party intensified as the clock struck midnight.
intensity
intensity
  1. n. [U] the degree, strength of s.t.: He showed the intensity of his love with roses and poems.
intensive
intensive
  1. adj. a lot in a short time,
    THESAURUS
    concentrated: I took an intensive Russian course and learned the language in three months.
intent
intent
  1. n.
    1 [U] purpose, plan,
    THESAURUS
    intention: It was his intent to leave at 6:30, but he stayed until 8:00.
    2 for all intents and purposes: as things really are: For all intents and purposes, the company lost money last year.
intention
intention
  1. n. [C;U] purpose, plan: He had no intention of wearing a tie to the casual party.
    THESAURUS
    intention a desire, wish, goal | intent.
intentional
intentional
  1. adj. done on purpose,
    THESAURUS
    deliberate: Meeting for dinner at a vegetarian restaurant was intentional; I am a vegetarian.
inter
inter
  1. v. [T] -terred, -terring, -ters to bury, put in a grave: My friend died Friday and was interred yesterday. -n. [C;U] interment.
interact
interact
  1. v. [I] to communicate with s.o. through conversation, looks, or action: The couple interacted wordlessly with their eyes. -adj. interactive; -n. interaction.
intercede
intercede
  1. v. [I] -ceded, -ceding, -cedes to do s.t. for or act on behalf of s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to intervene: You are telling lies about my sister; I must intercede on her behalf.
intercept
intercept
  1. v. [T] to stop or catch s.t. while it is in the air or going toward s.t.: She intercepted the mail before her parents could find the letter. -n. [C;U] interception.
interchange
interchange
  1. n. a place where highways meet and cars can go from one highway to another: I drove onto Route 66 at an interchange.
interchangeable
interchangeable
  1. adj. able to be used in the same way: The keyboard for that computer is interchangeable with mine.
intercom
intercom
  1. n. a small machine that lets people talk to each other from different rooms or areas of a building: From the kitchen, I heard my baby cry on the intercom.
interconnect
interconnect
  1. v. [I] to relate to s.t., connect: Railroad tracks interconnect at the train station. -n. [C;U] interconnection.
intercontinental
intercontinental
  1. adj. between or relating to more than one continent: Intercontinental airplane flights between the USA and Asia take 12 hours or more.
intercourse
intercourse
  1. n. [U]
    1 the act of having sex,
    THESAURUS
    copulation: That couple is trying to have a baby, so they have intercourse often.
    2 frml. talk or discussion between people or groups: Before television, families spent more time in social intercourse.
interdependent
interdependent
  1. adj. needing s.t. from s.o. who also needs s.t. in return: The farmer and his cows have an interdependent relationship; he gives them food and shelter, and they give him milk. -n. [U] interdependence.
interest
interest
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] s.t. one wants to know more about, curiosity: I have an interest in learning about computers.
    2 [C;U] an activity or thing that one likes: He plays the piano well; it has become a real interest for him.
    3 [U] right to know: She is my daughter, so I have an interest in where she goes to college.
    4 [U] a percentage paid on an amount of money: The bank paid me 3% on my savings of $100, so I made $3 in interest.
    5 [C;U] financial relationship, part ownership: Along with several other families, they have an interest in an ice-cream shop and a bakery. —v. [T] to make s.o. curious, attract s.o.'s attention: Does chemistry interest you, or do you prefer biology?
    THESAURUS
    interest n.
    1 a desire (to learn), curiosity (about learning), passion for. Ant. a disinterest.
    2 a pastime, hobby, pursuit
    3 a concern
    5 a share, percentage, stake. —v. to appeal to s.o., intrigue s.o., hold s.o.'s attention.
interested
interested
  1. adj. having curiosity, wanting to know more: He is interested in travel, so he visits a different country every year.
    THESAURUS
    interested engaged by s.t., absorbed by s.t., drawn in by s.t. Ant. uninterested.

    USAGE NOTE: If s.o. or s.t. excites your interest, you are interested: I'm interested in reading more of her books. The person or thing itself is interesting: Her ideas are interesting.||She's an interesting writer.
interesting
interesting
  1. adj. causing curiosity or a wish to know more: I think American kids find TV to be more interesting than books.
    THESAURUS
    interesting intriguing, compelling, absorbing. Ant. uninteresting.
interface
interface
  1. n. the place where objects, people, or ideas connect: The only interface between the girls' school and boys' school is at dances. —v. [I] -faced, -facing, -faces to connect, interact: Our two computers can interface because we have the same software.
interfere
interfere
  1. v. [I] -fered, -fering, -feres to enter or interrupt a situation or discussion, usu. without permission, disrupt: Sandra didn't want to interfere in family problems, but she had important information about Shu-min's sick son.
    THESAURUS
    interfere to meddle, pry, butt in.
interference
interference
  1. n. [U]
    1 the entering or interruption of a situation or discussion, usu. without permission,
    THESAURUS
    disruption: His interference in our lives includes calling every day and visiting every week.
    2 noise on an electrical line, static: Interference on the telephone line was caused by a storm.
intergalactic
intergalactic
  1. adj. between or about other regions of space and our galaxy: Intergalactic space travel is not yet possible.
interim
interim
  1. n.
    1 a time period between events: There was an interim between the time he received the money and spent it.
    2 in the interim: meanwhile, in the meantime: I shall see you again next week; in the interim, email me.
interior
interior
  1. n.
    1 the inside of s.t.: From the outside, the house looks terrible, but the interior is beautiful.
    2 an area of land away from the ocean or a border: Australia's interior is almost all desert. —adj. of or about the inside of s.t.: The interior walls are painted white.
    THESAURUS
    interior n.
    1 the inner part, indoors | core. Ant. the exterior.
    2 inland, heartland. Ants. the coast, seaside. —adj. the inside, inner. Ant. exterior.
interior decorator
interior decorator
  1. n. a person who gives ideas about color, style, and placement of furniture, art, and other items in a building: An interior decorator helped us choose our couch and curtains.
interior design
interior design
  1. n. [U]
    1 the way furniture, art, and other items are arranged, with a focus on color, style, and placement: Some modern interior design uses a lot of mirrors and metal.
    2 the profession or subject: He studied interior design at an art school.
interject
interject
  1. v. [I;T] to make a comment in the middle of a discussion, interrupt: She was quiet for a long time, then interjected a few remarks at the end of the day.
interjection
interjection
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a comment in the middle of or that interrupts a conversation: My teacher likes our questions and interjections during class.
    2 [C] an exclamation, such as Oh! or Ouch!
interlace
interlace
  1. v. [I;T] -laced, -lacing, -laces to join by placing any long, thin items (such as shoelaces) one over the other: The lovers' fingers interlaced as they held hands.
interlock
interlock
  1. v. [I;T] to connect items so that one can't move without the other: The children interlocked arms and crossed the street as a group. -adj. interlocking.
interloper
interloper
  1. n. a person who goes where he or she has no right to go or doesn't belong,
    THESAURUS
    an intruder: Who are these interlopers? They weren't invited!
interlude
interlude
  1. n.
    1 a period of time between two events: There was an interlude of good weather between the two snowstorms.
    2 a short piece of music played between longer parts of a play, concert, church service, etc.: There was a brief musical interlude before each new group of singers appeared on stage.
intermarry
intermarry
  1. v. [I] -ried, -rying, -ries to marry s.o. of a different race, religion, etc.: A Jewish man and a Catholic woman intermarried against their parents' wishes. -n. [U] intermarriage.
intermediary
intermediary
  1. n. -ies a person who acts as the communicator between people or groups, (syns.) a go-between, mediator: My lawyer was the intermediary between my former wife and me during our divorce.
intermediate
intermediate
  1. adj. between or in the middle of two extreme points, such as highest and lowest, or beginning and end: She took swimming lessons last year and is now in an intermediate class.
interminable
interminable
  1. adj. seemingly endless because of being boring or tedious: The play was interminable; we all fell asleep in Act II.
intermingle
intermingle
  1. v. [I;T] -gled, -gling, -gles to mix together, mingle: The guests at the large party intermingled with friends and strangers.
intermission
intermission
  1. n. [C;U] the time between acts (of a play, opera, etc.): During intermission, I went to the lobby for a drink of water.
    THESAURUS
    intermission a break, pause | interval, interlude.
intermittent
intermittent
  1. adj. happening with stops and starts, periodic: There will be intermittent rain showers today in Los Angeles.
intern
intern
  1. n.
    1 a new or young doctor: The interns learned a lot from doctors who had worked for many years.
    2 a person who works for little or no money in order to gain experience in a business or profession: During her college years, she was a summer intern in a Washington law office. —v. [T] to contain in an area, usu. as a prisoner of war: Japanese Americans were interned in California during World War II. -n. [U] internment.
internal
internal
  1. adj.
    1 inside, within: His internal organs, including his heart and liver, are damaged from smoking and drinking.
    2 related to an organization's or country's own rules and interests: Some Presidents think more about internal affairs, such as unemployment and education, than about foreign policy.
internalize
internalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 to keep things (ideas, teaching, values) inside oneself and make them part of one's life: She internalized religious lessons so strongly as a child that she later became a nun.
    2 to keep thoughts or feelings inside and not let them out: Don't internalize your anger; if you are angry with your mother, tell her. -n. [U] internalization.
international
international
  1. adj. of or about two or more nations: At an international conference on the environment, five South American leaders discussed the rain forest. -adv. internationally.
    THESAURUS
    international worldwide, global.
internationalism
internationalism
  1. n. [U] a view toward cooperation among nations: The United Nations promotes internationalism around the world. -v. [T] internationalize.
internist
internist
  1. n. a doctor who practices general medicine, esp. treatment of the internal organs: Their family doctor is an internist.
interpersonal
interpersonal
  1. adj. between people: She makes her friends happy by using her good interpersonal skills, such as smiling and asking questions.
interplanetary
interplanetary
  1. adj. of or among planets: She wants to be an astronaut and make interplanetary flights between Earth and Mars.
interplay
interplay
  1. n. [U] v. [I] action between people or things: The interplay of different spices gives Indian food a special flavor.
interpolate
interpolate
  1. v.frml. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to add information to a written work: The newspaper writer interpolated incorrect facts into her story. -n. [C;U] interpolation.
interpose
interpose
  1. v.frml. [T] -posed, -posing, -poses
    1 to go or place oneself between,
    THESAURUS
    to insert: The soldier interposed his body between his friend and a flying bullet.
    2 to put in the middle of: Stop talking so I can interpose a different idea.
interpret
interpret
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to translate (usu. orally) from one language into another: She interprets the French museum guide's words for American tourists.
    2 [T] to decide on the meaning of s.t. that is not very clear: I interpret your nod to mean that you agree with me.
    3 [T] to show one's own artistic ideas and ability through painting, music, writing, etc.: She is a violinist who interprets Bach brilliantly. -adj. interpretative; interpretive.
    THESAURUS
    interpret
    1 to explain to, decipher
    2 to understand, read, construe frml. Ant. to misinterpret.
interpretation
interpretation
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] an explanation, decision about what s.t. means: My interpretation of the Bible is different from my priest's.
    2 [C;U] performance or other piece of art showing one's own ideas and ability: His interpretation of Shakespeare's Hamlet made the audience cry.
interpreter
interpreter
  1. n.
    1 a person who translates (usu. orally) from one language into another: This interpreter hears Chinese in one moment and gives the Spanish words in the next.
    2 an artist: That painter is a fine interpreter of the human face.
interrelated
interrelated

  1. 1 connected or related to one another: The families are interrelated by marriage.
    2 having s.t. in common, interconnected: The social problems of poverty and disease are interrelated. -n. [C;U] interrelation.
interrelationship
interrelationship
  1. n. a connection, link: There is an interrelationship between exercising and good health.
interrogate
interrogate
  1. v. [T] -gated, -gating, -gates to ask questions, often in a strong or aggressive way: The police officer interrogated the man in a very loud voice. -n. [C;U] interrogation; [C] interrogator.
interrupt
interrupt
  1. v. [T]
    1 to stop s.t. from continuing: A bad storm interrupted telephone communications between the two islands.
    2 to start talking or doing s.t. in the middle of s.o.'s conversation or activity, to break in: Our little boy always interrupts our conversations by asking questions. -n. [C;U] interruption.
    THESAURUS
    interrupt
    1 to cut off, discontinue, suspend
    2 to disturb, barge in on, butt in on.
interscholastic
interscholastic
  1. adj. of or between schools: Our school plays interscholastic volleyball against teams from other towns.
intersect
intersect
  1. v. [I;T] to join by passing through, to cross one another: Ninth Street and Elm Avenue intersect near the park.
intersection
intersection
  1. n.
    1 a crossing of roads: Traffic lights control the movement of cars at intersections.
    2 a point or area that two geometric figures share: The intersection of two lines can form four angles.
intersperse
intersperse
  1. v. [T] -spersed, -spersing, -sperses to place or mix s.t. among other things: The city planners interspersed a few apartment buildings among the houses.
interstate
interstate
  1. adj. in the USA, of or between states: You can travel on Interstate Highway 20 from Atlanta, Georgia, to Columbia, South Carolina. —n. a numbered superhighway: We drove off a small country road onto the interstate.
    THESAURUS
    interstate n. a highway, thruway, turnpike.
intertwine
intertwine
  1. v. [I;T] -twined, -twining, -twines to wind around each other,
    THESAURUS
    to twist: The tree's branches intertwined as they grew. -n. [U] intertwining.
interval
interval
  1. n.
    1 a time period between events: I always get hungry in the interval between breakfast and lunch.
    2 an amount of distance or time, occurring regularly: We stopped at 100-mile intervals to rest.
intervene
intervene
  1. v. [I] -vened, -vening, -venes to stop an action happening between other people: Would you intervene if you saw a parent hit a child? -n. [C;U] intervention.
interview
interview
  1. v. [T]
    1 to get information by questioning s.o.: A TV reporter interviewed the mayor about the city's problems.
    2 to meet with and question s.o. to decide if that person is right for a job: She interviewed 12 people before she found a good secretary. —n.
    1 a meeting where information is gathered from s.o.: In the interview, the writer said he was working on a new book.
    2 a published report of such a meeting: Did you read the interview with the rock star in this magazine?
    THESAURUS
    interview v.
    1 to ask questions, converse with s.o., question
    2 to meet with, talk to, consult with. —n.
    1 a question-and-answer session, q and a | press conference.
interviewer
interviewer
  1. n. a person who asks people questions to gain information: The interviewer asked me where I was born.
interweave
interweave
  1. v. [I;T] -wove , -woven , -weaving, -weaves to blend together,
    THESAURUS
    to entwine: The author interweaves historical events into her novels.
intestate
intestate
  1. adj. (in law) without a will at death: The old man died intestate, so a court had to decide how to divide his money.
intestine
intestine
  1. n. the part of the body that carries food from the stomach to the anus (including the small and large intestines): Drinking water helps your food move more easily through the intestines. -adj. intestinal.
intimacy
intimacy
  1. n. -cies
    1 [U] emotional closeness: I feel great intimacy with my brother; I tell him everything.
    2 [U] a good feeling of warmth and privacy,
    THESAURUS
    coziness: I like the intimacy of candlelight and soft music in restaurants.
intimate
intimate
  1. adj.
    1 emotionally close: We have had an intimate friendship since we were young.
    2 warm and private,
    THESAURUS
    cozy: That little café has an intimate atmosphere.
    3 involved sexually: I just want to be a friend; I don't want to be intimate with you.
    4 deep, profound: He has an intimate knowledge of plants and how to grow them. —n. -mated, -mating, -mates to hint, suggest: By not letting me speak, he intimated that my ideas weren't important.
intimidate
intimidate
  1. v. [T] -dated, -dating, -dates to make s.o. fearful or timid by showing power or making threats: An older boy intimidated the little children when he took their lunch money. -n. intimidation.
into
into
  1. prep.
    1 to the inside of s.t.: We walked down the street and into the movie theater.
    2 applied to s.t., showing involvement: She puts a lot of effort into her piano playing.
    3 showing a change toward a condition or state: The seed grew into a huge tree.
    4 against, having contact with: The car ran into a fence.
    5 (in math) showing division: 4 into 12 is 3.
    6 infrml. very interested in: He is really into playing basketball.
intolerable
intolerable
  1. adj.
    1 too difficult, painful, unbearable: The heat in August is intolerable.
    2 objectionable, offensive: Her bad language is intolerable to her parents.
intolerance
intolerance
  1. n.
    1 [U] lack of kindness or understanding toward people who are different, (syns.) bigotry, prejudice: The parents' intolerance made the children hate foreigners too.
    2 [C;U] physical sensitivity to s.t., such as food: He has an intolerance for milk; it makes him sick. -adj. intolerant.
intonation
intonation
  1. n. [U]
    1 the level of the voice (high or low): Even though they both speak English, their intonation is different, because Mary comes from London and Gina comes from New York.
    2 the ability to sing the right note: Your intonation is terrible; you're hurting my ears! -v. [I;T] intone.
intoxicate
intoxicate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates
    1 to make drunk,
    THESAURUS
    to inebriate: Drinking beer and whiskey intoxicates him.
    2 to excite greatly: The queen was intoxicated with her own power. -n. [U] intoxication.
intractable
intractable
  1. adj.
    1 not able to be changed or persuaded: You keep saying, "No, no"; you're intractable.
    2 hard to control: We couldn't teach the intractable dog to sit or come. -n. [U] intractability.
intramural
intramural
  1. adj. within an organization, esp. a school or college: The freshmen played intramural football against the sophomores.
intranet
intranet
  1. n. a network of computers for use only by selected people: We have an intranet in our company for employee use only.
intransigent
intransigent
  1. -adj. not able or willing to change one's opinions, stubborn: If you were not so intransigent, you would learn to agree with me.-n. [U] intransigence.
intransitive
intransitive
  1. n.adj. related to a verb that does not take a direct object: The verb "to go" is intransitive: In the summer, we go to the beach every chance we get. See: transitive.
intravenous
intravenous
  1. adj. into or within a vein: The patient got food through an intravenous tube because he couldn't swallow.
intrepid
intrepid
  1. adj.frml. without fear, brave: The intrepid hunter lived alone in Africa.
intricacy
intricacy
  1. n. [C;U] -cies the condition of being detailed, complicated, and difficult to understand: In medical school, aspiring doctors learn about the intricacies of brain surgery.
intricate
intricate
  1. adj.
    1 complex, sometimes with many small details: My sweater has an intricate design.
    2 difficult because of detail and depth: The mystery novel has an intricate plot.
intrigue
intrigue
  1. n. [C;U] secret, interesting plans: There was intrigue in the palace when the queen decided to steal power from the king. —v. [T] -trigued, -triguing, -trigues to cause interest or curiosity: The man intrigued me, so I asked him to my house for dinner.
intriguing
intriguing
  1. adj. interesting, causing curiosity,
    THESAURUS
    fascinating: Psychologists find human emotions intriguing.
intrinsic
intrinsic
  1. adj. belonging naturally to s.o. or s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    inherent: Hunting mice is intrinsic behavior in most cats.
introduce
introduce
  1. v. [T] -duced, -ducing, -duces
    1 to present one person to another for the first time: A friend introduced me to the woman I later married.
    2 to put in s.t. new: The math teacher introduced some geometry into the lesson.
    THESAURUS
    introduce
    1 to present s.o., make s.o. known to s.o. else
    2 to include, insert, throw in infrml.
introduction
introduction
  1. n.
    1 [C] a first meeting, in which people learn each other's names: She wants to meet that guest; will you make the introduction?
    2 [C;U] s.t. new put in or presented: The introduction of new car engines caused excitement in the automobile or at the start of business.
    3 [C] an opening statement before or at the start of a speech, paper, or performance: The vice president made an introduction before the president spoke. -adj. introductory.
    THESAURUS
    introduction
    2 a presentation of s.t., launch, debut
    3 opening remarks, lead-in | preface. Ant. the end.
introspection
introspection
  1. n. [U] looking inside oneself and thinking carefully: After long introspection, we decided to have a baby. -v. [I] introspect; -adj. introspective.
introvert
introvert
  1. n. a shy, quiet person: He is an introvert who goes to movies alone and doesn't like parties. -n. [U] introversion.
intrude
intrude
  1. v. [I] -truded, -truding, -trudes
    1 to break into the conversation or activity of others, to interrupt: My mother often intrudes on my work by phoning me at my office.
    2 to enter without permission, (syns.) to trespass, encroach: A stranger intruded by climbing over our fence and into our yard. -n. [C;U] intrusion; -adj. intrusive.
intruder
intruder
  1. n. a person who goes somewhere he or she doesn't belong: An intruder entered our house and took our TV.
intuit
intuit
  1. v.frml. [T] to guess, feel s.t. will happen without certain facts: My friend intuited that the weather would turn bad, and the next day it rained.
intuition
intuition
  1. n. [U] a feeling, a guess about s.t. without certain facts: He used his intuition, not a map, to find my house.
intuitive
intuitive
  1. adj. related to feeling, not learned knowledge: He never took lessons, but he has an intuitive knack for playing the piano.
inundate
inundate
  1. v. [T] -dated, -dating, -dates
    1 to cover with water, (syns.) to flood, overflow: The river inundated the farmland after too much rain.
    2 to give too much or too many,
    THESAURUS
    to overwhelm: The post office was inundated with thousands of holiday cards in December. -n. [U] inundation.
inure
inure
  1. v.frml. [T] -ured, -uring, -ures to get used to (usu. s.t. bad or difficult): Garbage collectors become inured to the smell of trash.
invade
invade
  1. v. [I;T] -vaded, -vading, -vades
    1 to enter by force: Napoleon's armies invaded Russia.
    2 to enter without permission,
    THESAURUS
    to intrude: Loud music from next door invaded the privacy of our home. -n. invader.
invalid
invalid
  1. adj.
    1 not correct, lacking proof: Your ideas about the first humans are interesting but invalid.
    2 not able to be used, illegal: His driver's license is too old and hence invalid. —n. a person unable to care for himself or herself because of sickness or disability: A bad car accident made him an invalid.
invalidate
invalidate
  1. v. [T] -dated, -dating, -dates
    1 to make illegal or unusable: Airport workers invalidated the drug dealer's passport so he could not leave the country.
    2 to show to be wrong: People who saw you steal the money invalidated your story about being home at the time. -n. [U] invalidation.
invaluable
invaluable
  1. adj. extremely valuable, worth a great deal: Your help in moving the big refrigerator was invaluable.
invariably
invariably
  1. adv. without exception or change: Invariably, her advice is excellent; we always do what she says. -adj. invariable.
invasion
invasion
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 an attack, entrance by force: Napoleon's invasion of Russia was stopped by the bad winter.
    2 s.t. bad or hurtful coming in,
    THESAURUS
    intrusion: It was an invasion of my rights for the police to arrest me without cause.
invasive
invasive
  1. adj.
    1 having to do with entering or cutting into the body, esp. by surgery: The doctors need to do an invasive procedure to find the cancer.
    2 too personal and probing,
    THESAURUS
    intrusive: The newspaper article was invasive; we don't need to know those private things about the senator.
invent
invent
  1. v. [T]
    1 to create s.t. new: Trains were invented long before cars.
    2 to make up a story, to lie: A little girl invented an imaginary friend to play with. -n. inventor.
    THESAURUS
    invent
    1 to think up, devise | come up with, originate
    2 to dream s.t. up, fabricate, concoct.
invention
invention
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] s.t. useful created by s.o.: After the invention of the wheel, people could travel faster.
    2 [C] an untrue story, a lie: His stories about his adventure in Rome are inventions; he's never been there.
    THESAURUS
    invention
    1 a creation, brainchild | innovation
    2 a fabrication, fantasy.
inventive
inventive
  1. adj. able to make things or solve problems in a smart, clever way, (syns.) creative, resourceful: Her way of fixing her kids' toys is often quite inventive.
inventory
inventory
  1. n. -ries the items that are available for sale in a store: The bookstore has a large inventory of novels and cookbooks. —v. [T] -ried, -rying, -ries (or) to take inventory to count the items in a store to find out what has been sold and what needs to be replaced: When I worked in a grocery store, I inventoried spices and canned foods.
inverse
inverse
  1. n.adj. in a different position, direction, or order; opposite: 2/3 is the inverse of 3/2.||Your pay is in inverse proportion to your work; you work too much and earn too little.
invert
invert
  1. v. [T] to turn upside down or inside out: The baby inverted the cup and spilled her juice. -n. [C;U] inversion.
invertebrate
invertebrate
  1. n.adj. an animal without a backbone: Ants are invertebrates or invertebrate insects.
invest
invest
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to put money into a business idea or activity in the hope of making more money if it is successful: We invested in a hamburger restaurant and became rich when it expanded to Europe.
    2 [T] to put effort (time, money, energy, etc.) into s.t.: We invested a lot in our garden, and now we have flowers and vegetables.
investigate
investigate
  1. v. [I;T] -gated, -gating, -gates
    1 to look at s.t. carefully, examine: My car was stolen last week; the police are investigating.
    2 to look at (choices), evaluate: We investigated various towns before we decided where to buy a house.
    THESAURUS
    investigate
    1 to look into s.t., probe, make inquiries
    2 to consider, research, scrutinize.
investigation
investigation
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a search for facts and information, esp. by people with power: Police began an investigation of the rape.
    2 a close look: An investigation of various investment possibilities suggested real estate as a good choice now.
    THESAURUS
    investigation
    1 an inquiry, probe
    2 an evaluation, analysis, exploration.
investigator
investigator
  1. n. a person (esp. the police) who investigates: An investigator questioned the family of the dead person.
investment
investment
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] money spent on s.t. in the hope of making more money: His investments in the stock market have made him a millionaire.
    2 [C;U] s.t. one pays for with the future in mind: The diamond was a good investment; it is worth more now than when I bought it.
    3 [U] money, time, energy, etc. toward s.t.: Her investment of hard work and love has made her children good, honest people.
investor
investor
  1. n. a person who puts money into a business idea or activity in the hopes of making more money if the idea is successful: We need three other investors before we can buy that computer company.
inveterate
inveterate
  1. adj.frml. longtime, habitual: He is an inveterate sailor who spends all his time on his boat.
invigorate
invigorate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to give s.o. energy,
    THESAURUS
    to stimulate: Cold weather invigorates my brother and makes him work harder. -n. [U] invigoration.
invincible
invincible
  1. adj. too strong (smart, etc.) to be beaten: The invincible soccer team won every game. -n. [U] invincibility.
inviolate
inviolate
  1. adj.frml. very well respected, secure,
    THESAURUS
    sacred: My garden is inviolate; children and dogs must stay out of it.
invisible
invisible
  1. adj. not able to be seen: Music is invisible; we can hear it and feel it, but not see it. -n. [U] invisibility.
invitation
invitation
  1. n. a card or spoken request asking s.o. to come to an event: The couple sent out wedding invitations to family and friends.
invitational
invitational
  1. n.adj. an event, esp. in sports, to which participants are invited: Tennis has a number of invitationals or invitational tournaments to which players are asked to attend.
invite
invite
  1. v. [T] -vited, -viting, -vites
    1 to ask s.o. to come to an event: I invited my friends to a birthday party.
    2 to attract attention and a reaction: The violin player's beautiful solo invited loud applause.
    THESAURUS
    invite
    1 to ask, request the presence of, summon frml.
    2 to encourage, draw, provoke.
inviting
inviting
  1. adj. causing desire, tempting,
    THESAURUS
    alluring: The chocolate cake looked inviting, but it was also very fattening.
invocation
invocation
  1. n. an opening prayer: A minister gave the invocation at the university graduation ceremony.
invoice
invoice
  1. n. (in business) a list of items or services and their cost, a bill: Our company sends invoices to customers after they order from us. —v. [T] -voiced, -voicing, -voices to prepare and send a bill: We invoice our customers after we send them the books they have ordered.
    THESAURUS
    invoice n. a statement, accounts payable. —v. to bill s.o.
invoke
invoke
  1. v. [T] -voked, -voking, -vokes
    1 to call upon for help,
    THESAURUS
    to summon: Through prayer, she invoked the help of God to cure her sick brother.
    2 to put into effect, to use: When they saw the girl buy wine, the police invoked a law that forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages to people under 21.
involuntary
involuntary
  1. adj.
    1 not done by choice, forced: He didn't want to move when his wife got a new job, so his leaving was involuntary.
    2 done without thinking, automatic: The heartbeat is involuntary. -adv. involuntarily.
involve
involve
  1. v. [T] -volved, -volving, -volves
    1 to need s.t. in order to complete an action: Getting a driver's license involves learning how to drive, studying the rules of the road, and taking a test.
    2 to cause to participate: If you have problems with money, don't involve your relatives by borrowing from them. -n. [U] involvement.
    THESAURUS
    involve
    1 to include, entail, mean
    2 to draw s.o. in, entangle, embroil | implicate.
involved
involved
  1. adj.
    1 with many complex details,
    THESAURUS
    intricate: That mystery novel is very involved; I can't explain the plot in five minutes.
    2 with s.o. romantically: Are you two involved? I thought you were just friends!
    3 participating in: He was involved in a car accident in which the other driver was drunk.
invulnerable
invulnerable
  1. adj. not able to be conquered, or hurt: That fortress is invulnerable to attack. -n. [U] invulnerability.
inward
inward
  1. adv. toward the inside: When he read the hate-filled letter, he stayed quiet and directed his anger inward. —adj. located on the inside, within s.t.: The inward side of the fence needs painting. -n. [U] inwardness.
inwardly
inwardly
  1. adv. within oneself, privately: Inwardly, he loves her, but he can't tell her.
iodine
iodine
  1. n. a chemical element used in medicine and photography: Some people put iodine on their cuts to prevent infection. -v. [T] iodize; -adj. iodized.
iota
iota
  1. n. a tiny amount (usu. used in the negative): That man does not care one iota about other people's feelings.||There is not one iota of salt in this food.
irascible
irascible
  1. adj. easily angered,
    THESAURUS
    hot-tempered: The old man is irascible, shouting and waving his cane when kids ride bicycles on his lawn. -n. [U] irascibility.
irate
irate
  1. adj. very angry, (syns.) infuriated, incensed: The governor received irate letters and phone calls from people who didn't want higher taxes. -n. [U] irateness.
iridescent
iridescent
  1. adj. showing colors of the rainbow, usu. shiny: She wore an iridescent dress that seemed to change color in the lamplight.
iris
iris
  1. n.
    1 the colored part of the eye around the pupil: His irises are a pretty blue.
    2 a tall plant with a large flower, often yellow or purple: We planted irises in our garden.
irk
irk
  1. v. [T] to make angry (but not extremely angry), irritate, annoy: I was irked by the loud talk at the dining table next to mine. -adj. irksome.
iron
iron
  1. n.
    1 [U] a common metal, used in making tools, machinery, furniture, and other strong, durable items; also present in small amounts in the blood and some foods: Eat more spinach to get more iron.
    2 [U] n.adj. fig. great strength and courage: The brave hunter had a will of iron or an iron will.
    3 [C] a small household machine used to smooth wrinkles: My mother uses an iron to press my cotton shirts.
    4 pl. chains, shackles: The prisoners were put into irons and thrown into jail.
    5 infrml. to have irons in the fire: to have a number of projects or interests happening now: Sam doesn't have a job, but four companies are interested in interviewing him; he has several irons in the fire.
    6 infrml. to pump iron: to lift weights to get stronger: She goes to the gym to pump iron every day.
    7 to strike while the iron is hot: to act while the opportunity is there: The movie is leaving that theater tomorrow, so let's strike while the iron is hot and go tonight. —v.
    1 [I;T] to smooth with an iron: She irons sheets and pillowcases.
    2 infrml.phrasal v. sep. [T] to iron s.t. out: to solve problems, reach agreement: My sister and I were angry, but we ironed out our differences.||We ironed them out. —adj. with an iron hand or fist: with strength, with strict rules: The father ran the house with an iron hand, and his wife and children were always afraid.
    THESAURUS
    iron n.
    1 cast iron, wrought iron
    2 steel fig. —v. to press (clothes).
ironclad
ironclad
  1. adj.
    1 covered with iron plates
    2 fig. firm, unchangeable,
    THESAURUS
    guaranteed: We wanted an ironclad agreement, in writing, before we bought the house.
ironic
ironic
  1. adj. having a meaning opposite to what actions or words are showing: I find it ironic that you don't like children, but you teach kindergarten. See: irony.
ironing
ironing
  1. n. [U] the activity of smoothing out clothes, etc. with an iron: My mother did the washing and ironing once a week.
ironing board
ironing board
  1. n. a flat, covered surface on legs, used to spread out items for ironing: After ironing the sheets, I folded the ironing board's legs and put it in a closet.
irony
irony
  1. n. -ies
    1 [C;U] the use of words or actions that mean the opposite of what they say literally: My friend used irony when he said, "You were so smart to paint your fence on a rainy day!"
    2 [C;U] a situation that shows the opposite of what one would expect: There is irony in the fact that the USA is a rich country with so many poor people.
    3 [U] the use of irony in writing or theater for humorous or dramatic reasons: The reader understands the irony, but the book's characters don't.
irrational
irrational
  1. adj.
    1 done without thinking,
    THESAURUS
    illogical: I had the irrational wish to laugh loudly in church.
    2 crazy, insane: Your fears are irrational; no one is going to hurt you. -n. [U] irrationality.
irreconcilable
irreconcilable
  1. adj. not able to be agreed upon: The couple had irreconcilable differences about money and children, so they got a divorce.
irrefutable
irrefutable
  1. adj. definitely true, convincing: Police found her fingerprints on the knife, which is irrefutable proof that she was in the kitchen.
irregular
irregular
  1. adj.
    1 below normal or accepted standards, perhaps wrong or illegal: Taking money from your father's wallet was quite irregular.
    2 not smooth or even, crooked, bumpy: The paper was torn, not cut, with an irregular edge.
    3 not perfect, flawed: That store sells irregular blue jeans; some are missing zippers and buttons. -n.[C;U] irregularity.
irrelevant
irrelevant
  1. adj. not important to the situation,
    THESAURUS
    extraneous: It is irrelevant to me whether you are rich or poor, as long as you are kind. -n. [U] irrelevance.
irreparable
irreparable
  1. adj. not able to be fixed or repaired: The storm did irreparable damage to the little houses near the beach.
irreplaceable
irreplaceable
  1. adj. without equal, so special as to be unlike any other: My antique Chinese vase is irreplaceable.
irrepressible
irrepressible
  1. adj. not able to be controlled or kept down,
    THESAURUS
    unrestrained: Her happiness was irrepressible at her wedding; she smiled and laughed all day.
irreproachable
irreproachable
  1. adj. extremely good (behavior, etc.), faultless: The way you do business is irreproachable; you're always smart, honest, and on time.
irresistible
irresistible
  1. adj. not able to be refused, very tempting: That apple pie is irresistible; I had three slices.
irrespective
irrespective
  1. adj. regardless: Irrespective of his strange way of talking, he's an excellent worker.
irresponsible
irresponsible
  1. adj. not wise about one's tasks, obligations, or behavior, (syns.) reckless, careless: The irresponsible mother left her baby alone for two hours. -n. [U] irresponsibility.
irretrievable
irretrievable
  1. adj. not able to be gotten back or recovered: Live life well, because the past is irretrievable.
irreverent
irreverent
  1. adj. not showing respect, esp. for religious beliefs: The rabbi thought his daughter was irreverent when she didn't go to temple on Yom Kippur. -n. [U] irreverence.
irreversible
irreversible
  1. adj. not able to be changed or put back to original form,
    THESAURUS
    irrevocable: My decision to move to Italy is irreversible; I have bought my ticket and left my job.
irrigate
irrigate
  1. v. [T] -gated, -gating, -gates
    1 to supply with water collected in another location: Farmers irrigated their corn by sending river water through pipes to their fields.
    2 to fill with water in order to remove s.t.: A doctor irrigated my eye because there was dirt in it. -n. [U] irrigation.
irritable
irritable
  1. adj. annoyed, bothered by s.t., irascible: She felt impatient and irritable after waiting an hour for a bus in the rain. -n. [U] irritability.
    THESAURUS
    irritable cranky, crabby, testy. Ant. cheerful.
irritant
irritant
  1. n.
    1 s.t. that bothers or annoys: Loud noise outside my window was an irritant when I was trying to sleep.
    2 s.t. that makes a physical condition bad or worse: This wool sweater is an irritant to my sensitive skin.
irritate
irritate
  1. v. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates
    1 to annoy: Your messy bedroom irritates your mother.
    2 to make s.t. worse, esp. a physical condition: She irritated her skin by scratching too much. -n. irritation. See: angry, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    irritate
    1 to bother s.o., get on s.o.'s nerves infrml. | vex frml., bug s.o. infrml.
    2 to make s.t. sore, aggravate s.t. Ant. to soothe.
island
island
  1. n. a piece of land completely surrounded by water: She lived on an island that was connected to the coast by a bridge.
isle
isle
  1. n. an island: He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.
ism
ism
  1. n.infrml. a collection of knowledge and/or beliefs ending with the suffix "-ism": Socialism is one of the twentieth-century isms.
isolate
isolate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to separate from others, cause to be alone: The snobby students isolated themselves from the rest of the class. -n. [U] isolation.
isolationism
isolationism
  1. n. [U] a political idea of ignoring or not getting involved with other countries: Isolationism is easier for countries surrounded by water.
issue
issue
  1. v. [T] -sued, -suing, -sues
    1 to give or send out: Between 1941 and 1945, the White House issued news about the war nearly every day.
    2 to give or provide in a formal or official way: The motor vehicle office issues drivers' licenses after people pass a test.
    THESAURUS
    issue v.
    1 to distribute, put out, release | publish
    2 to give out. —n.
    1 [C] a topic or matter of concern: The main issues we are discussing today are tax increases and military spending.
    2 [C] a dated copy of a magazine or newspaper: The Sunday issue of the newspaper has the comics in color.
    3 [C;U] a special supply of s.t., given out or made available at a certain time: The government will put on sale a special issue of coins today.
    4 to be at issue: to be of present concern: We know you're going to Florida; what is at issue is whether you are driving or flying.
    5 to force the issue: to force a decision: If they can't decide between planting beans or tomatoes, you should force the issue by buying the seeds yourself.
    6 to make an issue of s.t.: to take a problem or topic and make it bigger by talking and arguing: This is just a small decision; don't make an issue out of it.
    7 to take issue with: to disagree, argue: The Republican senator took issue with the Democrat senator's speech. -n. [U] issuance.
    THESAURUS
    issue n.
    1 a subject, point, problem, question
    2 an edition, copy, version
    3 an offering.
isthmus
isthmus
  1. n. a narrow strip of land connecting two larger pieces of land: The Isthmus of Panama connects Central and South America.
IT
IT
  1. abbr. for information technology
italic
italic
  1. n.adj. a style of type in which the letters slant to the right: The sentence you are reading is in italic type or in italics. -v. [T] italicize.
itch
itch
  1. n.
    1 a feeling on the skin causing an urge to scratch: He has an itch on his leg from a flea bite.
    2 a desire, wish: I have an itch to play softball tonight. —v. [I] to have an itch: His head itches from the new shampoo. -adj. itchy.
    THESAURUS
    itch n.
    1 a prickly feeling, tingling
    2 an urge, craving.
item
item
  1. n.
    1 a general term for a thing or object: Department stores have a wide choice of items for sale.
    2 s.t. on a list, a separate topic: We have four items to discuss today; we'll start with item one.
    3 a short piece of news: an item in the newspaper
    4 slang a couple in love: They met last year and have been an item for six months.
    THESAURUS
    item
    1 an article, piece | ingredient
    2 a matter, point
    3 an article, piece.
itemize
itemize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to list thing by thing: I itemized the equipment that we will need for the new office.
    THESAURUS
    itemize to count, enumerate, catalog.
itinerant
itinerant
  1. n. s.o. who travels from place to place and job to job: That guy is an itinerant who does odd jobs all over the state. —adj. traveling from place to place or job to job: My uncle was an itinerant farm worker, in California one month and Oregon the next.
itinerary
itinerary
  1. n. -ies a travel plan, showing places to visit and transportation times: Look on our vacation itinerary to find out when we are flying to London.
itself
itself
  1. pron.
    1 third-person singular pronoun used to refer back to a subject: The problem solved itself; we did nothing.
    2 used to make a noun stronger or more definite: The neighborhood is dangerous, but the house itself is safe.
    3 in and of itself: without being affected by other things: Money in and of itself is not bad, but too much of it can ruin some people.
ivory
ivory
  1. n. [C;U] -ries the hard, white-yellow substance of elephant, walrus, and other animal tusks: My grandmother has some jewelry made of ivory. —n. [U] adj. a white-yellow color: My shirt is more ivory (or) more of an ivory color than white.
    THESAURUS
    ivory adj. cream-colored, creamy, off-white.
ivory tower
ivory tower
  1. n.fig. a place or attitude removed from practical, everyday life, usu. referring to a college or university: You live in an ivory tower; you read about poverty and war, but you never see them.
ivy
ivy
  1. n. [C;U] ivies a green plant with shiny leaves that can cover the ground or climb the walls of buildings: The walls of my cousin's brick house are green with ivy.
jab
jab
  1. v. [I;T] jabbed, jabbing, jabs to hit with a quick, sharp blow: She jabbed me in the arm with her umbrella. —n. a quick, sharp blow: The boxer threw a jab at his opponent's face. See: poke.
jabber
jabber
  1. v. [I] n. to talk quickly without making much sense: Some people jabber about nothing. See: chatter.
jack-in-the-box
jack-in-the-box
  1. n. -boxes a toy made of a doll-like figure that pops out of a box when it is opened: The child laughed when the jack-in-the-box jumped out at him.
jack-o'lantern
jack-o'lantern
  1. n. an empty pumpkin shell with a funny or ugly face cut into it: The Halloween jack-o'lantern contains a lighted candle to show its funny eyes and teeth. See: pumpkin.
jack-of-all-trades
jack-of-all-trades
  1. n. jacks- a person who can do many different jobs, such as repair cars and wash windows: He is a jack-of-all-trades but does none of them well.
jack
jack
  1. n.
    1 a tool for lifting: We carry a jack in our car in case we have a flat tire.
    2 a small electrical device: a telephone jack —v.phrasal v. sep. [T] to jack s.t. up
    1 to lift with a jack: She jacked up the car to fix the flat tire. ||She jacked it up.
    2 fig. to raise: to jack up prices
jack rabbit
jack rabbit
  1. n. a large, fast rabbit with long ears, found in the southwestern USA: That boy can run fast like a jack rabbit.
jackal
jackal
  1. n. a type of wild dog found in Africa and Asia: Jackals hunt mostly at night.
jackass
jackass
  1. n. -asses
    1 a male donkey
    2 infrml.fig.pej. a stupid, usu. offensive person: That jackass delivered the wrong box again!
jacket
jacket
  1. n.
    1 a short coat made of cloth or leather, etc.: He wears a leather jacket every day.
    2 a cover: a book jacket
jackhammer
jackhammer
  1. n. a powerful, handheld tool used to break up rocks and cement: The sound of a jackhammer is very loud.
jackknife
jackknife
  1. n. -knives a knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle —v.fig. [I] -knifed, -knifing, -knifes to bend like a blade folding into a knife handle: A truck jackknifed on the highway in the rain.
    THESAURUS
    jackknife n. a pocketknife, penknife | switchblade.
jackpot
jackpot
  1. n.
    1 a sum of money won as the biggest prize in many forms of gambling, such as a slot machine or lottery
    2 to hit the jackpot: to win the big prize: Many gamblers try to hit the jackpot in Las Vegas.
    THESAURUS
    jackpot
    1 the grand prize, top prize.
jade
jade
  1. n. [U] a usu. green or white semi-precious stone used for jewelry or ornaments: She wears earrings made of jade.
jaded
jaded
  1. adj.
    1 tired,
    THESAURUS
    worn-out: She is jaded from too much work.
    2 tired from doing s.t. too much: He felt jaded after visiting 25 countries in 15 days.
jag
jag
  1. n.slang a period of doing s.t. without being able to stop, (syns.) a binge, spree: He's on a jag, buying everything that he likes in the store.
jagged
jagged
  1. adj. having an uneven, pointed edge: I cut my finger on the jagged edge of a broken mirror. -n. jaggedness.
jaguar
jaguar
  1. n. a large wild cat of Latin America that has a tan coat with black spots: Jaguars are strong and fast hunters.
jail
jail
  1. n. a building where criminals are kept as punishment, a prison: The thief was sent to jail. —v. [T] to put s.o. in a jail, to sentence s.o. to jail: The criminal was jailed by the police. See: penitentiary.
    THESAURUS
    jail n. a lockup, penitentiary.
jailbreak
jailbreak
  1. n. an escape from prison: There was a jailbreak last night, and two prisoners ran away.
jailer
jailer
  1. n. a person who guards prisoners, a jailkeeper: That jailer treats the prisoners badly.
jalopy
jalopy
  1. n.infrml. -ies an old car that does not run well: He drives a jalopy to work each day.
jamb
jamb
  1. n. the sides of a window or door frame: The door jamb is too small, so the door won't close.
jamboree
jamboree
  1. n. an enjoyable time for a large crowd, a festival: Thousands of Boy Scouts get together each summer to have a jamboree.
jangle
jangle
  1. n. the sound of metal hitting metal —v. -gled, -gling, -gles
    1 [I;T] to make a sharp, unpleasant noise, as of metal hitting metal
    2 [T] to make s.o. angry, nervous, or impatient: The sound of car horns jangles his nerves.
janitor
janitor
  1. n. a person in charge of cleaning and fixing things in a building,
    THESAURUS
    custodian: In many parts of the USA, a janitor is called a "super" or "superintendent."
jar
jar
  1. n.
    1 a round container made of glass, plastic, etc. with a removable top: a jar of grape jelly (face cream, mustard, etc.)
    2 a forceful hit,
    THESAURUS
    a jolt —v. jarred, jarring, jars
    1 [I;T] to bump hard against s.t.: She moved her chair backwards, and it jarred against the wall.
    2 [T] to shock: to jar s.o. back to reality
    3 [I;T] to make s.o. angry, nervous, or impatient: Loud talk jars her nerves (or) on her nerves.
    THESAURUS
    jar v.
    1 to bang against, hit
    2 to jolt
    3 to grate on (s.o.).
jasmine
jasmine
  1. n. [C;U] a plant with sweet-smelling white flowers: Most people like the sweet smell of jasmine.
jaundice
jaundice
  1. n.v. [T] a yellow coloring of the skin caused by liver disease
jaundiced
jaundiced
  1. adj.
    1 colored yellow by liver disease
    2 fig. a bad opinion about s.o. or s.t.: He has a jaundiced view (or) attitude toward popular music.
jaunt
jaunt
  1. n.v. [I] a short trip for pleasure: I took a jaunt to the Caribbean to relax for a few days.
jaunty
jaunty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest feeling confident, happy: The well-dressed man gave a jaunty laugh. -adv. jauntily.
javelin
javelin
  1. n. a type of spear used in sports: An athlete threw the javelin 100 meters.
jaw
jaw
  1. n. the lower and upper bones of the mouth, including the teeth: She couldn't eat because of her broken jaw. —v.infrml. [I] to gossip, chat: We jawed about the stock market all afternoon.
jawbone
jawbone
  1. n. the jaw in the skull —v.infrml. [T] -boned, -boning, -bones to demand that s.o. do s.t., to bully verbally: The President jawboned Congress into not raising taxes.
jay
jay
  1. or jaybird n. a blue and gray bird common in North America: Jays have a loud, unpleasant cry.
jay
jay
  1. or jaybird -n. a blue and gray bird common in North America: Jays have a loud, unpleasant cry.
jaywalk
jaywalk
  1. v. [I] to cross a street illegally: A police officer stopped her when she jaywalked across Main Street. -n. jaywalker.
jazz
jazz
  1. n. [U]
    1 a form of American popular music, such as slow New Orleans jazz or fast Dixieland jazz
    2 infrml.fig. all that jazz: and everything else: We talked about our vacation, the places we went, and all that jazz. -n. jazzman. —phrasal v.sep. [T] to jazz s.t. up: to make s.t. look more attractive or bright: The company jazzed up its offices by painting the walls.||It jazzed them up.
jazzy
jazzy
  1. adj.infrml. -ier, -iest
    1 lively, exciting: They gave a really jazzy party.
    2 bright, showy: She is wearing a jazzy dress.
jealous
jealous
  1. adj.
    1 afraid of having a loved one taken away by another, possessive: He gets jealous when other men talk to his girlfriend.
    2 wanting s.o. or s.t. belonging to another person, envious: She is jealous of her friend's wealth. -adv. jealously.
    THESAURUS
    jealous
    1 protective, distrustful, wary
    2 green with envy, covetous frml.
jealousy
jealousy
  1. n. [C;U] -ies
    1 fear that another person will take away a loved one
    2 the feeling of envy, of wanting what another person has: Jealousy over his neighbor's wealth made him angry.
jeans
jeans
  1. n.pl. pants made of cotton denim and worn informally: Blue jeans are worn by people of all ages.
    THESAURUS
    jeans denims | pants, khakis, slacks.
jeer
jeer
  1. v. [I;T] to hurt s.o.'s feelings by laughing rudely,
    THESAURUS
    to mock: The crowd jeered when the boxer was knocked down. —n. a loud insult: They shouted jeers at him. -n. jeering.
jell
jell
  1. v. [I]
    1 to become firm, harden
    2 fig. to take shape, to become definite: Her plans for a summer vacation finally jelled today. See: gel.
jelly
jelly
  1. n. [U]
    1 a soft, sweet food made from fruit juice and sugar boiled together, used as a topping: She spread grape jelly on her toast.
    2 any jelly-like substance: petroleum jelly See: jell, jam (1).
    THESAURUS
    jelly
    1 jam, fruit preserves.
jellybean
jellybean
  1. n. a small, fruit-flavored candy in the shape of a bean: He keeps a jar of jellybeans on his desk.
jellyfish
jellyfish
  1. n. -fish or -fishes
    1 a sea animal with a soft body and no internal skeleton: A dangerous jellyfish floated near the beach.
    2 fig. a weak or cowardly person
jeopardize
jeopardize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make it easy for s.t. bad to happen, to put in danger,
    THESAURUS
    to endanger: She jeopardized her job by always being late.
jeopardy
jeopardy
  1. n. [U] danger, risk: He put his health in jeopardy by smoking too many cigarettes.
jerk
jerk
  1. n.
    1 a quick, sharp pull on s.t.: The rope was stuck, and he gave it a jerk to loosen it.
    2 fig.slang a stupid, annoying person: He's a real jerk! —v.
    1 [I;T] to pull sharply on s.t.: He jerked on the fishing line.
    2 [I;T] to move away suddenly: She jerked her hand away from the fire.
    3 infrml. to jerk s.o. around: to mislead and confuse s.o.: The airline really jerked us around by canceling our flight, putting us on another one, and canceling that one too.
jerkwater
jerkwater
  1. adj.slang small, unimportant, and uncivilized: They live in some jerkwater town.
jerky
jerky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 s.t. done with short, jumpy movements: She walks with jerky steps.
    2 foolish, stupid: Making a funny face at the teacher was a jerky thing to do.
jerrybuilt
jerrybuilt
  1. adj. cheaply and poorly built: That jerrybuilt house is falling apart.
jersey
jersey
  1. n. a light, soft shirt worn informally: He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.
jest
jest
  1. v.frml. [I] to say s.t. funny, to joke —n. a funny remark, a joke: I said you look terrible in jest; actually, you look very pretty.
jester
jester
  1. n. a person paid to tell jokes: A long time ago, kings had jesters to tell them funny stories.
jet-propelled
jet-propelled
  1. adj. having jet engines: Jet-propelled airplanes travel very fast. -n. jet propulsion.
jet
jet
  1. v. [I] jetted, jetting, jets
    1 to fly by jet airplane
    2 to come out of a small opening with great force: Water jets from the fountain. —n.
    1 a jet-propelled airplane: He takes a jet from London to Paris.
    2 a steady, controlled stream of gas, steam, liquid, etc. —adj. (said of colors) completely, deep: jet black hair
jet engine
jet engine
  1. n. an engine that moves an airplane by shooting streams of hot gas backwards: Jet engines are powerful enough to carry huge planes.
jet lag
jet lag
  1. n. a tired feeling caused by longdistance travel into different time zones: Every time that I travel from London to Asia, I suffer from jet lag.
jet set
jet set
  1. n. [U] rich people who travel internationally in search of pleasure: As a member of the jet set, she goes to parties all over the world. -n. [C] jet setter.
jet stream
jet stream
  1. n. a high-speed wind very high in the sky: Our plane had the jet stream pushing it, so we arrived an hour early.
jetsam
jetsam
  1. n. [U]
    1 items of cargo thrown overboard to lighten a ship in danger of sinking
    2 flotsam and jetsam: useless garbage from some activity: A huge storm left the water full of flotsam and jetsam—trees, mud, and wood.
jettison
jettison
  1. v.frml. [T] to throw s.t. away, esp. over the side of a ship or from an airplane: Sailors jettisoned big boxes in the storm to make the ship lighter.
jetty
jetty
  1. n. -ties a wall usu. made of large rocks built into the water and used as a place to get on and off boats, or to protect a harbor from storm waves: People waited on the jetty for their boat to arrive.
jewel
jewel
  1. n.
    1 a precious or semi-precious gemstone: Diamonds, rubies, and emeralds are beautiful jewels.
    2 fig. a person or thing of very special qualities: He gave me a surprise party for my birthday; he's such a jewel! -adj. jeweled.
    THESAURUS
    jewel
    1 a gem, precious stone
    2 a gem, treasure.
jeweler
jeweler
  1. n.
    1 a person who makes, repairs, and/or sells jewelry
    2 a jewelry store: I am taking my watch to the jeweler to be fixed.
jewelry
jewelry
  1. n. [U] body decorations, such as rings, bracelets, and necklaces: Her favorite piece of jewelry is her diamond ring.
jib
jib
  1. n. a triangular sail on a boat: The storm tore the boat's jib.
jibe
jibe
  1. v. [I] jibed, jibing, jibes to agree with s.t.: What he says happened does not jibe with what others say.
jiffy
jiffy
  1. n.infrml. [U] a brief moment, an instant: Please stay on the phone; I'll be back to you in a jiffy.
jig
jig
  1. n.
    1 a quick, lively dance
    2 in jig time: quickly, rapidly: He did that job in jig time! —v. [I] jigged, jigging, jigs to dance a jig
jigger
jigger
  1. n. a small glass for measuring liquor, usu. 1 to 1.5 oz: He poured a jigger of rum in the glass.
jiggle
jiggle
  1. v. [I;T] -gled, -gling, -gles to move up and down or from side to side: The fat man's stomach jiggles as he walks.
jigsaw
jigsaw
  1. n. a handheld tool with a thin, narrow blade, used to cut curves: He cut a toy out of wood with a jigsaw.
jigsaw puzzle
jigsaw puzzle
  1. n.
    1 a game made of a picture on cardboard or wood, cut into pieces and put back together again for fun
    2 fig. a problem or situation not easily understood: Our company has to find all the possible customers for our new product, and that task is a real jigsaw puzzle.
jilt
jilt
  1. v. [T] to desert a friend or loved one without warning: He saw her every day, then jilted her.
jimmy
jimmy
  1. n. -mies a short metal bar used to force open windows (doors, etc.) —v. [T] -mied, -mying, -mies to use a jimmy: The burglar jimmied open the window and stole my TV.
jingle
jingle
  1. v. [I;T] -gled, -gling, -gles to make or cause to make a light, metallic ringing sound: Small bells jingled as the door opened. —n.
    1 a short advertising message, usu. with music and rhyming words
    2 the sound of jingling: My keys make a jingle in my pocket when I walk.
jingoism
jingoism
  1. n. [U] a feeling of strong love for one's country, usu. with a hatred of foreigners: Jingoism is a problem in many parts of the world. -n. jingoist; -adj. jingoistic.
jinx
jinx
  1. v. [T] jinxes to cause s.o. or s.t. to have bad luck: John has jinxed his football team; they have lost every game this season. —n. jinxes
    1 a person or thing that brings bad luck
    2 a mild curse: He has a jinx.
    3 to put a jinx on s.o.: to bring bad luck to s.o.: I could not give my speech, because my friend made me laugh and put a jinx on me.
jitters
jitters
  1. n.pl. nervousness, worry: He has the jitters about going to a job interview. -adj. jittery.
job
job
  1. n.
    1 work that one is paid to do every day, permanent employment: She has a good job.
    2 a specific task, piece of work: I have a job to do now, a long report.
    3 slang to do a job on s.o.: to make others think badly of s.o., to criticize s.o.: The people at his former company really did a job on him by saying bad things about his past. —v. jobbed, jobbing, jobs: to job s.t. out: to have a job done outside of a business by another business, subcontract: Our company does not do any of its own printing; we job it out to local printers.
    THESAURUS
    job n.
    1 an occupation, career, position
    2 a task, assignment, project.
job action
job action
  1. n. a workers' protest, such as stopping work for a short time: The union started a job action to force management to pay the workers more.
job lot
job lot
  1. n. a number of cheap goods, usu. mixed items: Stores that buy in job lots often have low prices.
jobless
jobless
  1. adj. without a job, unemployed: She has been jobless for two months now.
jock
jock
  1. n.slang
    1 an athlete: In college, he was a jock because he played football and baseball.
    2 a jockstrap
jockey
jockey
  1. n. a person who rides horses in races: Jockeys try to win every race. —v. [I;T]
    1 to ride horses in races
    2 to go around things that are in the way: He jockeyed his car around holes in the road. See: disk jockey.
jockstrap
jockstrap
  1. n. tight-fitting underwear worn around a man's sexual organs for support and protection: When he plays football, he wears a jockstrap.
jocular
jocular
  1. adj.frml. full of fun, joking: He is a man with a jocular attitude. -n. jocularity.
jog
jog
  1. v. [I] to run at a slow pace: He jogged around the park.
    2 to jog s.o.'s memory: to cause s.o. to remember s.t.: I jogged his memory by reminding him of our meeting tomorrow. —n. a slow run: I go for a jog every evening.
jogging
jogging
  1. n. [U] the sport of running at a slow pace: go jogging -n. jogger.
john
john
  1. n.slang
    1 a bathroom, toilet
    2 a prostitute's male customer
join
join
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to become a member of an organization: She joined a health club (a church, Girl Scouts, the American Medical Association, etc.).
    2 [T] to get together with others: I joined my friends for a party.
    3 [T] to put s.t. together, assemble: A worker joined two pieces of wood with glue.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [I] to join in s.t.: to do s.t. with others, to participate: She joins in the fun (conversation, task, etc.) with the others.
    5 phrasal v. sep. [T] to join s.o. together: to marry: A judge joined the man and woman together in marriage.
    6 phrasal v. [I;T] to join up: to go into military service,
    THESAURUS
    to enlist: After talking with an Army officer, he joined up.
joint
joint
  1. adj.
    1 used by several people together, shared: They have a joint checking account; both can sign checks.
    2 done together united: Many countries made a joint effort to fight hunger. —n.
    1 a point at which two pieces of material (wood, metal, etc.) come together: You can see the joints in that wooden bookcase.
    2 the connection point between moving parts in a living body: The leg has the knee joint.
    3 slang a cheap nightclub or restaurant,
    THESAURUS
    a dive: There is a beer joint on the corner.
    4 infrml. a marijuana cigarette
    5 out of joint: out of the correct position,
    THESAURUS
    dislocated: He hurt himself playing football; his knee is out of joint.
    6 infrml. to have one's nose out of joint: to be annoyed: He did not get what he wants, so his nose is out of joint.
    THESAURUS
    joint adj.
    1 combined
    2 common, cooperative. Ant. individual.
joint venture
joint venture
  1. n. a business arrangement made by two or more companies: An American and a Japanese auto maker agreed to form a joint venture to build trucks.
jointly
jointly
  1. adv.
    1 together,
    THESAURUS
    mutually: We hold a checking account jointly.
    2 acting together: The two countries acted jointly to fight hunger.
joke
joke
  1. n.
    1 a funny idea or story with a surprise ending: He has a great sense of humor and loves to tell jokes.
    2 to play a joke on s.o.: to trick,
    THESAURUS
    to play a prank: His friends played a joke on him by sewing his pant legs together.
    3 a ridiculous, situation: That salary increase was so small that it was a joke! —v. [I] joked, joking, jokes
    1 to tell a joke: When she gets together with her friends, they joke a lot.
    2 to act playfully: They dance and sing and joke around together. -adv. jokingly.
joker
joker
  1. n.
    1 a playing card of no use in most card games and given special importance in others
    2 a person who likes to joke
jolly
jolly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest happy, cheerful: He is a jolly old man. —n.pl. -lies
    1 pleasure, fun
    2 slang to get one's jollies: to have fun: They get their jollies by driving very fast on the highway. -n. jolliness.
jolt
jolt
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to strike with a heavy, sudden blow: Earthquakes jolt buildings.
    2 fig. to fill with fear, to shock: She was jolted by the bad news. —n.
    1 a blow: The jolt of an earthquake shook the house.
    2 fig. an emotional shock: He got a jolt on learning of his friend's death.
    3 fig. a sudden shock of electricity: If you stick s.t. into an electrical socket, you will get a jolt.
josh
josh
  1. v.infrml. [I;T] joshes to joke with s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to tease: He joshes his friend about her green hair.
jostle
jostle
  1. v. [I;T] -tled, -tling, -tles to knock off balance, push, esp. in a crowd of people: People jostled me on the bus, and I nearly fell.
jot
jot
  1. v. [T] jotted, jotting, jots to write short notes quickly: I jotted down her name and telephone number.
journal
journal
  1. n.
    1 a written record, a diary: He keeps a journal of daily events.
    2 a magazine, periodical: The New England Journal of Medicine is for doctors and nurses.
    3 a newspaper: The Wall Street Journal has news about business.
    4 an accounting ledger: He keeps a journal of expenses.
journalese
journalese
  1. n. [U] special words and phrases used often by journalists: "Have the politicians begun to address the issues?" is journalese for "Are politicians doing s.t. about the country's problems?"
journalism
journalism
  1. n. [U]
    1 the gathering and reporting of news
    2 the study of that field: She is studying journalism so that she can write for a newspaper.
journalist
journalist
  1. n. a person whose job is to gather and report the news: Journalists write news stories for magazines and newspapers. -adj. journalistic.
    THESAURUS
    journalist a reporter, columnist, correspondent.
journey
journey
  1. n. a trip, esp. a long one —v. [I] to take a long trip: Many Irish immigrants journeyed to America by sea in the 1840s.
    THESAURUS
    journey n. a voyage, expedition. —v. to travel, voyage, trek.
journeyman
journeyman
  1. n. -men a worker whose work is acceptable but not the best: He is a good journeyman, but his partner's work is better.
joust
joust
  1. v.frml. [I] (long ago) to ride a horse toward an opponent and knock him off his horse with a lance (a long stick): Knights jousted against each other centuries ago. -n. jouster; jousting.
jovial
jovial
  1. adj. full of laughter, cheerful: He is a jovial person who makes others feel happy, too. -adv. jovially.
jowls
jowls
  1. n.pl. loose skin on the cheeks that hang down below the chin, usu. on a fat person or animal
joy
joy
  1. n. [U]
    1 a moment of great happiness, delight: The parents felt joy at seeing their child begin to walk.
    2 having a good time: We experienced the joy of having a wonderful vacation.
    3 well-being over a long period, happiness: She knew the joy of being in good health and having no problems in life.
    THESAURUS
    joy
    1 happiness, pleasure, elation. Ant. sorrow.
joy ride
joy ride
  1. n.v.infrml. [I] a ride, often fast and dangerous, sometimes in a stolen car for fun: Someone took our car for a joy ride and left it in a parking lot. -n. joy riding.
joyful
joyful
  1. adj.
    1 causing happiness, delightful: We had a joyful experience at seeing an old friend.
    2 full of laughter, merry: a joyful family dinner
    3 happy: The first months of our marriage were a joyful time. -adv. joyfully.
joyless
joyless
  1. adj. without pleasure: That job turned into a joyless, boring experience. -adv. joylessly.
joyous
joyous
  1. adj. happy, cheerful: Our first family reunion after many years was a joyous occasion. -adv. joyously; -n. joyousness.
joystick
joystick
  1. n. device used to control the movements and direction of a model airplane, a video-game character, etc.: The first airplanes were controlled with joy sticks.
jubilant
jubilant
  1. adj. full of great joy,
    THESAURUS
    ecstatic: She was jubilant when she won the race. -adv. jubilantly.
jubilation
jubilation
  1. n. [U] a joyful celebration: When the war ended, there was jubilation all over the country.
jubilee
jubilee
  1. n. a celebration, esp. of an anniversary: The couple celebrated their golden jubilee, 50 years of marriage.
judge
judge
  1. n.
    1 a public official in charge of a court of law who determines what the law is and gives penalties to guilty persons and rewards those who have been wronged: Alexander Smith is a judge on the State Supreme Court.
    2 an expert whose opinion is accepted by others as official: Ms. Jones is an expert on French paintings and an excellent judge of their value.
    3 s.o. who enforces the rules, esp. of a sporting event, referee: the line judge in football
    4 a person who evaluates others: Your father is a good judge of your character. —v. judged, judging, judges
    1 [T] to make an official decision in a court of law: The jury judged the man to be guilty.
    2 [T] to consider s.t. and give an opinion as an authority or expert: She judged the painting to be authentic, not a fake.
    3 [I;T] to make decisions in a game, to referee: He judged that the ball was out.
    4 [I;T] to express a personal opinion: I judge the contract to be a good one for us.
judgeship
judgeship
  1. n. the position or job of a judge in the public legal system: Judge Smith has held a judgeship for over 20 years.
judgment or judgement
judgment or judgement
  1. n.
    1 a decision (verdict, ruling) in a court of law: The judgment of the court is that she is not guilty.
    2 knowledgeable opinion, estimation: The judgment of the experts is that the vase is authentic, not a fake.
    3 personal evaluation, decision about what to do: She made a judgment to buy a new car.
    4 to have good judgment: the ability to decide well and correctly: She does excellent work, because she has good judgment on what is important and what is not important.
judgmental
judgmental
  1. adj. quick to make decisions about s.o. or s.t., usu. negative: Don't be so judgmental; today is his first day on the job.
judicial
judicial
  1. adj. 1. related to courts and judges: The judicial system settles arguments over how laws are interpreted. 2. in USA, three branches (or parts) of the central government, including the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch: The judicial branch of the federal government is the Supreme Court which meets in Washington, DC. -adv. judicially.
judiciary
judiciary
  1. n. -ies
    1 the court system: The judiciary is a branch of government.
    2 judges as a group
judicious
judicious
  1. adj.frml. showing good sense,
    THESAURUS
    wise: She made a judicious decision to save money for her old age. -adv. judiciously.
judo
judo
  1. n. [U] a type of self-defense that uses one's body, a modern type of jujitsu: Judo can be used to defend oneself. See: jujitsu.
jug
jug
  1. n. a container for liquid with a handle: She put a jug of milk on the table.
    THESAURUS
    jug a pitcher | bottle.
juggernaut
juggernaut
  1. n. a great, unstoppable force: That army is a juggernaut that crushes its enemies.
juggle
juggle
  1. v. -gled, -gling, -gles
    1 lit. [I;T] to throw and catch two or more objects in the air quickly: He juggled five tennis balls.
    2 fig. [T] to deal with many things at the same time: She juggled six college classes and a job.
    3 fig. [I;T] to change s.t. in order to give a false impression or to cheat: He juggled the company's accounts to show a profit.
    4 [T] fig.to put things in a different order, such as to change meeting times: I juggled my schedule in order to see a surprise visitor.
juggler
juggler
  1. n. a person who juggles for entertainment: Jugglers perform in a circus.
jughead
jughead
  1. n.infrml.fig. a stupid person: That jughead sent our baggage to the wrong hotel.
jugular
jugular
  1. adj.
    1 related to the throat and neck: the jugular vein
    2 to go for the jugular: to try to destroy s.o. or s.t.: A wolf goes for the jugular to kill a deer.
jugular vein
jugular vein
  1. n. the large neck vein: Jugular veins return blood from the head to the heart.
juice
juice
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 the liquid in fruits, vegetables, or meat: orange juice
    2 slang gas, electricity, etc.: There is no juice in that electrical wire.
    THESAURUS
    juice
    1 fruit juice, fruit drink
    2 power, energy.
juicer
juicer
  1. n. a machine used to make juice from fruit: She put some oranges in the juicer.
juicy
juicy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 full of juice, succulent: He bit into a juicy pear.
    2 fig. causing embarrassment, scandalous: Newspapers love to print juicy stories about movie stars.
    THESAURUS
    juicy
    1 ripe, dripping, moist. Ants. dry, hard.
    2 spicy, sensational. Ant. uninteresting.
jukebox
jukebox
  1. n. -boxes a machine that plays recorded music: If you put four quarters in this jukebox, you can choose three songs.
julep
julep
  1. n. a sweet alcoholic drink,
    THESAURUS
    mint julep: Juleps have mint leaves and bourbon whiskey in them.
jumble
jumble
  1. v. -bled, -bling, -bles
    1 [T] to mix things up,
    THESAURUS
    to disarrange: He jumbled the pages in the report.
    2 [I;T] to confuse: He does not understand; he has the instructions all jumbled up. —n. a mess: He has a jumble of papers on his desk.
jumbo
jumbo
  1. adj. very large, huge: Jumbo jets carry hundreds of people.
jump
jump
  1. v.
    1 [I] to push one's feet against the ground to go into the air, spring: The basketball player jumped up to catch the ball.
    2 [I] to go down, descend: She jumped off/ down from the horse and walked away.||There was a fire in the building, and the man jumped out of the window.
    3 [I] to go up quickly and suddenly: The price of oil jumped when the war started.
    4 [I] to make a quick movement when one is frightened suddenly: I jumped when I heard the gunshot.
    5 fig. [I] to follow orders: He jumps when the boss gives an order.
    6 [I] to jump horses (over fences, streams, etc.)
    7 [T] fig. to attack s.o. without warning: A thief jumped me yesterday and took all my money.
    8 phrasal v. insep. [T] to jump at s.o. or s.t.: a. to attack: The guard dog jumped at the stranger. b. to accept s.t. eagerly: When she was offered a new job, she jumped at the chance/opportunity and took it immediately.
    9 fig.infrml. to jump down s.o.'s throat: to answer s.o. angrily before he or she has finished speaking
    10 phrasal v. insep. [T] to jump on s.o.: to speak angrily to s.o., criticize severely: Her father jumped on her when he learned she had failed her exam.
    11 to jump out of one's skin: to be frightened suddenly, to be startled: When the alarm bell started to ring, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
    12 to jump to (the) conclusion: to make a decision about s.t. quickly and without thinking carefully: She jumped to the conclusion that the boy was crying, but he only had s.t. in his eye. —n.
    1 an increase: There was a big jump in prices.
    2 to get the jump on s.o. or s.t.: to do s.t. faster than s.o. else: Our company got the jump on our competitors by getting our product into the market first.
jump rope
jump rope
  1. n. a strong cord, often with handles, used for recreation or exercise: Children have fun playing with a jump rope.
jump seat
jump seat
  1. n. a small seat that folds down in a limousine or airplane: An airline attendant sits in a jump seat as the plane is landing.
jumper
jumper
  1. n.
    1 a sleeveless dress worn over other clothes: She wore a blue jumper over a white shirt.
    2 a person or horse that jumps
jumper cable
jumper cable
  1. n. a thick wire that transfers electricity from a live car battery to help start a dead one: I used a jumper cable to start my friend's car. See: jumpstart.
jumping-off place
jumping-off place
  1. n. a meeting location, a place where people gather to move off as a group: Soldiers gathered on the beach as a jumping-off place for their attack.
jumping
jumping
  1. n. [U]
    1 (in sports) jumping out of a plane with a parachute
    2 horse jumping: Some horse riding contests include jumping. —adj.infrml. fig. lively, exciting: After the band started to play, the nightclub was a jumping place.
jumping bean
jumping bean
  1. n. a bean that moves because a live insect is inside it: Children have fun playing with Mexican jumping beans.
jumpstart
jumpstart
  1. v. [T] to start a car by pushing it or by using a jumper cable —n. to give s.o. or s.t. a jumpstart: to help s.t. or s.o. get started: The teacher gave her students a jumpstart on their homework by doing the first two problems for them.
jumpsuit
jumpsuit
  1. n. light, one-piece clothing that covers the entire body from neck to ankle: She wears a jumpsuit because it is comfortable.
jumpy
jumpy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest nervous,
    THESAURUS
    jittery: She is very jumpy today because she's worried about her sick father.
junction
junction
  1. n. a place where two roads or railroad lines meet: The train stopped at the junction.
juncture
juncture
  1. n.
    1 a point in time, esp. a turning point
    2 at this juncture: at this important time: Our store is doing well, and at this juncture we want to hire more people.
jungle
jungle
  1. n.
    1 a hot, humid area with many trees and plants close together: He visited the jungles of Guatemala.
    2 fig. a crowded and highly dangerous place: This city is so full of crime that it is a jungle.
    THESAURUS
    jungle
    1 a rain forest, tropical rain forest | wilderness
    2 the pits, a snake pit.
junior
junior
  1. adj.
    1 abbreviated as Jr. to show that the son has the same first and last names as his father: Philip Jones, Jr. is the son of Philip Jones, Sr.
    2 with fewer years of service: He is a junior employee. —n. a student in his or her third year (out of four years) of college or high school: Phil is a junior in high school. See: freshman, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    junior adj.
    1 the younger
    2 subordinate. Ant. senior.
junior college
junior college
  1. n. in the USA, a two-year college that offers the first two years of a four-year curriculum along with other courses of study: My son attends Santa Rosa Junior College.
junior high school
junior high school
  1. n.
    1 in USA, usu. grades seven through nine in a 12-year curriculum
    2 a building used as a junior high school: Our 13-year-old son goes to Kennedy Junior High School. See: grade school; secondary school.
junior varsity
junior varsity
  1. n. -ties a team that plays at an easier level of competition than varsity: Last year, she played soccer on the junior varsity.
juniper
juniper
  1. n. types of bushes and shrubs with gray berries: Junipers have berries that smell good.
junk food
junk food
  1. n. [U] food that tastes good but is bad for your health: He eats junk food, such as potato chips and ice cream.
    THESAURUS
    junk food snack food, fast food.
junket
junket
  1. n. a trip or tour, esp. one made by a politician at government expense: The politician went on a junket to England.
junkyard
junkyard
  1. n.
    1 a business that resells unwanted items, esp. car parts and other items made of metal
    2 a place where people leave their junk
    3 fig. an untidy, messy place: His garage is so full of old furniture that it looks like a junkyard.
junta
junta
  1. n. a group of military officers that rules a country, usu. after a takeover of the government: The junta rules the country by military law.
jurisdiction
jurisdiction
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 the right or the authority to say what the law means and require that it be obeyed: The Supreme Court holds jurisdiction over lower court decisions.
    2 a specific area of such authority: The city police have jurisdiction only in the city where they work.
jurisprudence
jurisprudence
  1. n. [U] the study of law: Lawyers study jurisprudence in law school.
jurist
jurist
  1. n. s.o. who has studied the law, such as a judge or lawyer: Mr. Smith is a jurist, first as a lawyer and now as a judge.
juror
juror
  1. n. [C] a person who serves on a jury to decide the guilt or innocence of a person, business, or institution: The jurors in a trial meet in the jury room to make their decision.
jury
jury
  1. n. -ries
    1 a group of usu. 12 citizens who are asked to sit in a court of law, listen to information about the problem or crime, receive instructions from the judge, and decide the guilt or innocence of the person, business, or institution (defendant) on trial: The jury decided that the defendant was not guilty.
    2 a group of people who judge a competition: The jury gave her painting first prize.
    THESAURUS
    jury
    1 jurors
    2 judges, a panel of judges | an award committee.
jury duty
jury duty
  1. n. the duty of a citizen to act as a juror when called and chosen to do so by a court of law: I was called for jury duty, and I will have to go for a week. See: juror.
justice
justice
  1. n. [U]
    1 the law when it is applied or carried out in a fair way, fairness: The judge seeks justice for everyone.
    2 to do justice to: to do s.t. well, the right way: He has two jobs, but he cannot do justice to them both.
    THESAURUS
    justice
    1 impartiality. Ant. injustice.
justice of the peace
justice of the peace
  1. n. -tices a low-level official who can marry people, judge small offenses (such as driving too fast), and send more serious crimes to higher courts: My wife and I were married by a justice of the peace.
justifiable
justifiable
  1. adj.
    1 having a good reason for doing s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    valid: Spending a lot of time on doing a good job is justifiable.
    2 lawful,
    THESAURUS
    ethical -adv. justifiably.
justification
justification
  1. n. [U]
    1 having a good reason for doing s.t.: We have justification for moving to a larger house, because this house is too small for us.
    2 proof that an action is not against the law: The police officer shot the man with justification, because the man shot at him first.
justify
justify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to give acceptable reasons for an action: He justified buying a car by showing how useful it would be.
    2 not to blame s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to absolve: The law justifies killing s.o. to defend oneself.
    3 to line up typewritten words so that each line is the same length: to justify a page on both the left and right sides
jut
jut
  1. v. [I] jutted, jutting, juts to stick out or rise sharply: Mountain peaks jut into the sky.
jute
jute
  1. n. a plant woven into a type of thread and used to make ropes and sacks: Coffee sacks are made of jute.
juvenile
juvenile
  1. adj.
    1 childlike, immature: The actions of some adults are juvenile.
    2 related to young people: The 15-year-old thief was sent to juvenile court. —n. a youth or child, esp. one under the age of 16: Juveniles must have an adult to take care of them.

    USAGE NOTE: Young adult is a more common way of referring to people aged 12-18: My 14-year old daughter reads books from the young adult section of the library.
juvenile delinquent
juvenile delinquent
  1. n. a youth, usu. under the age of 16, who has done an illegal act: Juvenile delinquents painted obscene words on the school walls.
juxtapose
juxtapose
  1. v. [T] -posed, -posing, -poses to place side-by-side, esp. for comparison: She juxtaposed two dresses to decide which one she liked better. —n. juxtaposition.
kaleidoscope
kaleidoscope
  1. n.
    1 a toy you look into, made of a small tube in which mirrors and colored pieces of glass are used to make patterns: If you turn the tube of the kaleidoscope, you can make the patterns change.
    2 fig. s.t. with many bright and changing colors: During the fall, the leaves in New England are a beautiful kaleidoscope of orange, red, and brown.
kangaroo
kangaroo
  1. n. -roos a two-legged animal from Australia that hops very fast and has a long tail: Baby kangaroos live in a pocket or "pouch" on their mothers' stomachs.
kangaroo court
kangaroo court
  1. n.fig. an illegal court quickly set up to punish s.o.: A person judged by a kangaroo court will not be treated fairly.
kaput
kaput
  1. adj.infrml. not working,
    THESAURUS
    broken: Our refrigerator is kaput, and all the food is getting warm.
karat
karat
  1. n. a unit of measurement of pure gold; one karat equals 1/24th of the total weight of the object: Pure gold is 24 karat gold, but an 18 karat gold ring has 18 karats of gold and 6 karats of another metal mixed in. See: carat.
karate
karate
  1. n. [U] a traditional Asian way of fighting: He used karate to defend himself from the thieves who attacked him.
karma
karma
  1. n.fig.
    1 [C;U] in Buddhism and Hinduism, the total effect of one's behavior during one's life: If you have done good things, your karma will be good.
    2 [U] infrml. a feeling caused by a person, place, or situation: People enjoy being around her because she's nice; she has good karma.
kayak
kayak
  1. n.v. [I;T]
    1 a light, narrow, covered Inuit boat: There is an opening in the middle of a kayak where one person can sit and paddle.
    2 a store-bought variety of this boat, usu. made from fiberglass: In the summer, we kayak on rivers and lakes. -n. kayaking.
keel
keel
  1. n.
    1 a strong piece of metal or wood that runs along the bottom of a boat and supports its sides: The keel of our boat hit a rock when we were sailing in shallow water.
    2 fig. on an even keel: stable, working well: We are so busy that we had to hire more workers to keep our office on an even keel. —v. phrasal v. insep. [I] to keel over: a. fig.to fall down,
    THESAURUS
    to collapse: The poor man keeled over from a heart attack. b. to turn over,
    THESAURUS
    to capsize: The sailboat keeled over in the wind.
keen
keen
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 intelligent, shrewd: She has a keen mind (intellect, wit, etc.).
    2 fine-edged: That knife has a keen edge.
    3 strong: She has a keen desire to get a job with our company.
    4 infrml. to be keen on: to desire greatly: I am keen on going to the party tonight. -adv. keenly.
    THESAURUS
    keen
    1 sharp, quick, clever. Ant. dull.
    2 sharp, razorlike. Ant. dull.
    3 acute, intense.
keep
keep
  1. v. kept , keeping, keeps
    THESAURUS
    1 [T] (syns.) to hold on to s.t. | retain frml. Ant. to give away: I kept $20 for myself and gave $10 to my friend. I held on to $20 for myself and gave $10 to my friend.
    2 [T] (syns.) to store s.t., as in to put s.t. away | file (papers, documents): He keeps his tools in his garage. He stores his tools in his garage.
    3 [T] (syn.) to raise, as in to take care of animals: That farmer keeps chickens and cattle. That farmer raises chickens and cattle.
    4 [T] (syns.) to maintain, care for: He keeps his clothes in good condition, always clean. He maintains his clothes in good condition, always clean.
    5 [T] (syns.) to write, record (events, information): She kept a diary of what she did everyday. She wrote in a diary what she did everyday.
    6 [I] (syns.) to continue, go on (doing s.t.): He keeps working while his children play. He continues working (or) goes on working while his children play.
    7 [T] (syn.) to withhold, as in not to reveal s.t.: She kept her secret marriage from her parents. She withheld her secret marriage from her parents.
    8 [T] (syn.) to prevent s.t. from happening, as in to stop it: He kept his son from falling into the lake. He prevented his son from falling into the lake.
    9 [I] (syn.) to stay fresh | preserve (the freshness, quality of s.t.): Put the milk in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. Put the milk in the refrigerator, so it will stay fresh.
    10 to keep at it: to continue doing s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to persist: She is an excellent worker; she keeps at it day after day.
    11 phrasal v. insep. [T] to keep after (s.o. or s.t.): to ask s.o. to do s.t. repeatedly,
    THESAURUS
    to nag: The mother kept after him until he cleaned his room.
    12 phrasal v. insep. [T] to keep at (s.o. or s.t.): a. See: keep after. b. s.t.: to continue doing s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to persist: She is an excellent student; she keeps at her assignments day after day.||She keeps at them.
    13 phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to keep s.t. back: to refuse to tell or give s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to withhold: He kept back the whole story because he didn't want to offend us.||He kept it back.
    14 phrasal v. sep. [T] to keep s.o. or s.t. down: a. to control, prevent from spreading or increasing: Doctors are trying to keep down the epidemic.||They are keeping it down. b. to keep in a degraded state,
    THESAURUS
    to oppress: I think management is keeping down some of the best workers at this factory.||They are keeping them down.
    15 to keep house: to be responsible for the cooking, cleaning, etc. in s.o.'s home: He keeps house for the family.
    16 phrasal v. insep. [I] to keep on s.t.: to continue to do s.t., esp. despite difficulties,
    THESAURUS
    to persevere: She kept on driving, even though she didn't know where she was.
    17 phrasal v. sep. [T] to keep s.o. or s.t. out: to prevent from entering or joining: We had a hard time keeping strangers out of our yard.
    18 fig. to keep one's head above water: to barely be able to do s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to struggle to do s.t.: I have a great deal of work, but I manage to keep my head above water.
    19 to keep one's sanity: to stay calm, in control: I have so much work to do that it's difficult to keep my sanity.
    20 to keep safe: to avoid harm: The enemy invaded the city, but we kept safe by hiding from them.
    21 to keep the ball rolling: to make sure that s.o. or s.t. continues to do well: You're doing well in school, so keep the ball rolling by studying hard.
    22 to keep the books: to work as a bookkeeper, writing down how a company spends its money: He keeps the books for a small business.
    23 to keep the faith: to remain dedicated, to not give up: I have to leave you now, but keep the faith while I'm away.
    24 to keep to oneself: to avoid others: She is very shy and keeps to herself most of the time.
    25 phrasal v. to keep up: a. insep. [I] with s.t.: to stay equal with: You must keep up with your work so that it is finished on time. b. sep. [T] s.t.: to maintain in good condition: We keep our house up by having things fixed when they break. c. [I;T] to continue doing s.t., either good or bad: You are doing wonderful work; keep it up!
    26 to keep well: to wish that s.o. stays in good health: I'll see you next week; until then, keep well.
    27 infrml. to keep your eyes peeled: to watch for s.o. or s.t., stay alert: Our friend should arrive any minute, so keep your eyes peeled for her.
    28 infrml. to keep your nose clean: to avoid trouble, to remain honest: When he left for college, his mother told him to keep his nose clean and to stay away from trouble. —n. to earn one's keep: to pay for the cost of meals and a room: He earned his keep by cleaning the house. —adv. for keeps:
    1 forever, permanently: She has left her boyfriend for keeps.
    2 seriously, with great desire: Our team is trying hard to win; they are playing for keeps.
keeper
keeper
  1. n.
    1 a person in charge of s.t.: A goal keeper stops the ball from going into the goal.
    2 a person paid to take care of s.t. (a house, park, etc.): A grounds keeper cuts the grass and keeps the flowers healthy.
keeping
keeping
  1. n. [U]
    1 care, control: He left his gold coins in the bank's keeping.
    2 in keeping with: right for the situation: In keeping with the blue color of his room, he bought a blue table.
keepsake
keepsake
  1. n. s.t. kept because it reminds you of a loved one or an enjoyable event,
    THESAURUS
    a memento: That bracelet is a keepsake from her husband.
keg
keg
  1. n. a small barrel made of metal or wood: He bought a keg of beer for the victory party.
kelp
kelp
  1. n. [U] large, brown plants that grow below the sea: People and animals can eat kelp.
kelvin
kelvin
  1. n. [U] a unit of temperature measurement: Water freezes at 273 degrees kelvin (273 K).
kennel
kennel
  1. n. a place where dogs are kept, usu. while their owners are away: When I go on vacation, I put my dog in a kennel.
kept
kept
  1. v.past tense & past part. of keep:
    1 held, retained for oneself: He kept the money that he found on the street.
    2 a kept woman or man: a person supported by another: Since he only stays with her because she is rich, he is a kept man.
kerchief
kerchief
  1. n. a small, square scarf, usu. made of cotton: The cowboy wore a kerchief around his neck.
kernel
kernel
  1. n.
    1 a seed, esp. one that can be eaten: a kernel of corn (wheat, rice, etc.)
    2 fig. a bit,
    THESAURUS
    a trace: There is not a kernel of truth in what she says.
kerosene
kerosene
  1. n. [U] a thin, colorless oil made from petroleum and used for fuel: People used kerosene lamps before the light bulb was invented.
ketchup
ketchup
  1. n. [U] var. of catsup, a thick, red sauce made from tomatoes and spices: He poured ketchup on his hamburger.
kettledrum
kettledrum
  1. n. a large bowl-shaped copper or brass drum tightly covered with a thin material (parchment): The kettledrum sounds like thunder when you hit it hard.
key
key
  1. n.
    1 a thin piece of metal used to lock or unlock a door, start or stop an engine, etc.: I opened the front door with my key.
    2 fig. the most important part of s.t.: The key to success is hard work.
    3 a written guide that explains the meaning of s.t.: This key explains how to read the symbols on the map.
    4 in music, a group of notes related to and named after the lowest note in the group: That song is written in the key of B flat.
    5 a part of a machine or musical instrument that is pressed down to make it work: She pressed a computer key and typed a letter.
    6 a small low island: We went camping in the Florida Keys last summer. —v.
    1 [T] to test musical instruments to make sure that they will sound good together: Musicians in the band keyed their guitars before playing.
    2 to be keyed up: to be excited or nervous: She is always keyed up before a test. —adj. very important, essential: Cotton is a key industry in the South.
key ring
key ring
  1. n. a ring on which keys are kept: I keep my car keys on a key ring.
keyboard
keyboard
  1. n. a row or rows of keys (on a piano, computer, etc.): The row of black and white keys on a piano is called a keyboard. —v. [I;T] to type information on a keyboard: He keyboarded his report into the computer.
keyhole
keyhole
  1. n. the hole for the key in a lock: In some old locks, the keyholes are so large that you can look through them.
keynote address
keynote address
  1. n. -es the first speech, made by the guest of honor, describing the main ideas of the event: Our business college asked a successful businesswoman to give the keynote address at our graduation.
keystone
keystone
  1. n. the top, center stone in an arch: The keystone in an arch keeps the other stones in place.
keystroke
keystroke
  1. n.
    1 the pressing down of a key on a machine
    2 a basic unit of measurement of information going into a computer: Our typist does 20,000 keystrokes a day.
kibbutz
kibbutz
  1. n. a farm in Israel where a group of people live and work together: My sister and her family live on a kibbutz.
kibitz
kibitz
  1. v.infrml. [I] -itzes to look over the shoulder of others and give unwanted advice: My friend kibitzes when we play cards.
kibosh
kibosh
  1. n.sing.infrml.
    1 a halt, a stop
    2 to put the kibosh on: to put a stop to s.t.: When his mother learned how dangerous her son's plans were, she put the kibosh on them.
kick
kick
  1. n.
    1 a blow with the foot or feet: He gave the football a kick.
    2 strength, force: That coffee is strong; it has a real kick.
    3 a sudden, hard move backwards, recoil: Be careful, this rifle has a strong kick.
    4 infrml. for kicks or just for kicks: just for fun: We go to Las Vegas once a year just for kicks.
    5 infrml.fig. to get a kick out of s.t.: to enjoy doing s.t.: He gets a kick out of listening to rock music (seeing a good movie, eating hamburgers, etc.).
    THESAURUS
    kick n.
    1 a boot
    2 a jolt, wallop infrml. —v.
    1 [T] to strike with the foot or feet: The football player kicked the ball down the field.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to kick s.o. or s.t. around: a. to treat s.o. badly,
    THESAURUS
    to abuse: The older men kick the boy around by giving him all the dirty jobs to do. b. to talk about s.t. informally: We kicked the idea of moving to California around, but we were never serious about it.
    3 to kick back: a. sep. s.t.: to pay money to s.o., often in a dishonest situation,
    THESAURUS
    to bribe: If you want my company to buy paper only from you, you will have to kick back 7 percent of what we pay you. ||You will have to kick it back. b. to relax by stopping work: She likes to kick back and read the newspaper when she gets home from work.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to kick s.t. in: to join others in giving to s.o. or s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to contribute: Each of the four children kicked in $10 to buy their mother a gift.||They kicked it in.
    5 phras-al v. insep. [I;T] to kick off: to start s.t., esp. a game: The team captain kicked off to the opposing team.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to kick s.o. out: to throw s.o. out,
    THESAURUS
    to eject: Our landlord kicked out the people downstairs because they weren't paying the rent.||He kicked them out.
    7 infrml. to kick the bucket: to die: The old man finally kicked the bucket last year.
    8 to kick the habit: to stop doing s.t. that is bad for you, such as using drugs, alcohol, or tobacco: He smoked cigarettes for thirty years, but finally kicked the habit.
    9 phrasal v. insep. to kick up: a. [I] to start hurting, become aggravated: My arthritis has kicked up again; it's painful. b. [T] s.t.: to make trouble: When she discovered that her food was burnt, she kicked up a fuss by shouting at the cook.
    10 infrml. to kick up one's heels: to spend a lot of money having a good time: The couple flew to an island hotel and kicked up their heels for a week. -n. kicker. kick v.
    1 to boot | punt | dribble.
kickback
kickback
  1. n. money paid dishonestly to a person, usu. in a business or government situation,
    THESAURUS
    a bribe: If your company buys all of its office supplies from me, I'll give you a kickback of 5 percent of all the money your company pays me.
kickoff
kickoff
  1. n.
    1 the kicking of a football to start play
    2 fig. the beginning of s.t., esp. an exciting project: Every fall, the football players celebrate the kickoff of a new season.
kid glove
kid glove
  1. n.
    1 fine gloves made of leather from the skin of young goats (kidskin)
    2 to handle or treat s.o. with kid gloves: to treat s.o. with special care, delicately: She is very rich and everyone handles her with kid gloves.
kiddy
kiddy
  1. n.infrml. -dies a child: Look at all the little kiddies playing on the playground. —adj. related to children: They play kiddy games, like jump rope or playing with dolls.
kidnap
kidnap
  1. v. [T] -napped, -naps to illegally take s.o. away by force, and usu. to demand money for that person's safe return: A young woman kidnapped the baby while the baby's mother was not looking.||The story of the kidnapping was in all the newspapers. -n. kidnapping.
    THESAURUS
    kidnap to abduct, take hostage, take prisoner. Ant. to release.
kidney
kidney
  1. n. one of the two organs that clean our blood and are located in the lower back near the hips
kidney bean
kidney bean
  1. n. a red, oval-shaped bean: People often put kidney beans in a spicy meat dish called chili.
kill
kill
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to cause the death of any living thing: Soldiers killed the enemy.
    2 [T] to stop,
    THESAURUS
    to cancel: She killed our weekend plans to go to the beach when she decided she wanted to stay home.
    3 fig. [T] to hurt badly: My back (tooth, foot, etc.) is killing me.
    4 fig. [T] to cause to laugh loudly: Your jokes are killing me.
    5 [T] to use s.t. up, esp. time: It's 7:00; we have two hours to kill before the movie starts at 9:00.||He killed the whole bottle of wine in two hours.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to kill s.o. or s.t. off: to kill in large numbers, usu. one at a time: The hot summer killed off my roses.||It killed them off. —n. an animal that has been killed: A lion eats its kill.
    THESAURUS
    kill v.
    1 to put s.o. or s.t. to death, slay, take the life of, murder, assassinate. Ant. to revive.
    2 to put an end to
    3 to ache, throb
    4 to slay infrml.
    5 to waste, spend.
killer
killer
  1. n.
    1 s.o. who kills other people,
    THESAURUS
    a murderer: A killer is on the loose in the city.
    2 an animal that attacks others,
    THESAURUS
    a predator: Lions are killers.
    3 a disease that kills people: Cancer is a killer.
    4 fig. a difficult task or situation: He has a job that is a killer; it's so difficult.
killing
killing
  1. n.
    1 [U] the act of ending a life: In a war, the killing continues day after day.
    2 [C;U] murder: The killing of the young woman happened yesterday.
    3 to make a killing: to make a lot of money very quickly: He makes a killing selling umbrellas when it rains.
killjoy
killjoy
  1. n. a person who ruins the happiness and fun of others: At my party, my father shut off the music and sent everyone home. What a killjoy!
kiln
kiln
  1. n. a special oven used esp. for baking clay objects (pots, vases, etc.): She put the pot in the kiln for two hours.
kilo
kilo
  1. n. short for kilogram
kilobyte
kilobyte
  1. n. abbr. k. approx. 1,000 bytes, a measure of computer memory space: The size of a computer file can be measured in kilobytes. See: megabytes.
kilogram
kilogram
  1. n. 1,000 grams, or 2.2 pounds (lbs.): She bought two kilograms (kg) (or) kilos of bananas.
kilometer
kilometer
  1. n. 1,000 meters, or 0.62137 mile: The distance to the next town is 10 kilometers (km).
kilowatt
kilowatt
  1. n. 1,000 watts
kilt
kilt
  1. n. a knee-length, plaid skirt worn traditionally by Scottish men: When he is in Scotland, the Prince of Wales wears a kilt.
kilter
kilter
  1. n. [U] to be out of kilter: to be out of order, or not working properly: The clock is not running right; it is out of kilter.
kimono
kimono
  1. n. -nos a long Japanese dress: Some traditional Japanese women wear colorful, pretty kimonos.
kin
kin
  1. n.pl. relative: My mother is my next of kin; my father's dead.
kind
kind
  1. n.
    1 a similar type of person or thing: He has the same kind of leather jacket as mine.
    2 in kind: to pay with s.t. other than money, such as service, food, etc.: He fixed my roof and I fixed his car; we paid each other in kind.
    3 kind of: a little bit, somewhat: I am kind of tired; let's go home.
    4 to be with one's own kind: to prefer people similar to oneself: She is an actor, and she feels most comfortable with her own kind: other actors. —adj.
    1 friendly, helpful, and generous: She is very kind to her friends and helps them with their problems.
    2 feeling sorry for those in trouble, tenderhearted: He is kind to lost and hurt animals by taking care of them. -n. [C;U] kindness.
    THESAURUS
    kind n.
    1 sort, class, variety | brand. —adj.
    1 warm, kindly, sympathetic. Ant. unkind.
    2 gentle, tender.

    USAGE NOTE: Both kind of and sort of mean "a little bit" before adjectives: That restaurant is kind of expensive.||His grammar is good, but his intonation is strange, so he's sort of difficult to understand. The words fairly and rather mean "moderately": I got up fairly early, so I had time to eat a good breakfast.||It's rather cool this morning.
kindergarten
kindergarten
  1. n. classes that four- and five-year-old children go to the year before the first grade of school: Our little boy goes to kindergarten.
kindhearted
kindhearted
  1. adj. feeling friendly and helpful toward others,
    THESAURUS
    compassionate: She is a kindhearted woman; she takes care of sick neighbors.
kindle
kindle
  1. v. [I;T] -dled, -dling, -dles
    1 to light a fire: He used paper to kindle a fire in the stove.
    2 to excite: His kindness and intelligence kindled love in her heart.
kindliness
kindliness
  1. n. [U] kindness and concern for others,
    THESAURUS
    compassion: His kindliness toward animals is well-known.
kindling
kindling
  1. n. [U] s.t. that burns easily (sticks, leaves, paper, etc.) and is used to start a fire: She started the fire with kindling before adding a big piece of wood.
kindly
kindly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest friendly and gentle: He is a kindly old man. —adv.
    1 please: Would you kindly hold the door for me?
    2 to take kindly to s.t.: to feel agreeably about: I do not take kindly to people who scream and shout at me.
kindred
kindred
  1. adj.
    1 belonging to the same family or group: Wolves and dogs are kindred species.
    2 kindred spirits: people who have the same interests or goals: My friend and I are kindred spirits who love books.
kinetic
kinetic
  1. adj. moving,
    THESAURUS
    dynamic: Kinetic art is made of parts that move, such as motors and lights. -adv. kinetically.
kinfolk
kinfolk
  1. n.pl. one's family, people who are related: Some people call their relatives "kinfolk."
king-size
king-size
  1. or king-sized adj.
    1 larger than queen-sized: A king-sized bed is large enough to hold three people.
    2 larger than the regular size: He smokes king-sized cigars.
    THESAURUS
    king-size or king-sized
    2 large, oversized, big. Ant. small.
king-size
king-size
  1. or king-sized -adj.
    1 larger than queen-sized: A king-sized bed is large enough to hold three people.
    2 larger than the regular size: He smokes king-sized cigars.
king
king
  1. n.
    1 the male ruler of a country: the King of England
    2 the main person in a field of activity: That actor is the king of the entertainment business.
    3 a playing card with a picture of a king
    4 the most important piece in chess -n.[C;U] kingship.
    THESAURUS
    king
    1 ruler, sovereign | emperor.
kingdom
kingdom
  1. n.
    1 a country ruled by a king and/or queen: The Queen of England rules the kingdom of Great Britain.
    2 a group of living things: the animal kingdom
    3 to blow s.o. or s.t. to kingdom come: to completely and violently destroy: She pointed a gun at the bottle and blew it to kingdom come.
    4 until kingdom come: forever,
    THESAURUS
    for an eternity: You can work on that job until kingdom come and never get it done.
kingfish
kingfish
  1. n. -fish or -fishes
    1 a type of fish that lives in the Atlantic Ocean and can be eaten
    2 infrml.fig. a powerful person who can influence what others do: The President is a kingfish in US politics.
kingfisher
kingfisher
  1. n. a type of colorful bird: Kingfishers dive into the water to catch fish.
kingpin
kingpin
  1. n. the most important person in a certain field or area: He owns several large oil companies and is the kingpin of the oil business.
kink
kink
  1. n.
    1 a sharp curve or curl in a piece of hair, rope, thread, etc.: There is a kink in the rope that I can't straighten out.
    2 a sudden tightening of a muscle,
    THESAURUS
    a spasm: I have a kink in my leg.
    3 fig. a small problem or difficulty: My project is almost done, but it still has some kinks in it.
    4 to get or to (iron) the kinks out of s.t.: a. to straighten or stretch s.t. out: Stretch your arms to get the kinks out of your muscles. b. to remove problems: There are problems with our new computer system; we need to get the kinks out of it.
kinky
kinky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 tightly curled, having lots of wiggles: That man has kinky hair.
    2 infrml. having to do with unusual sexual activities
kinship
kinship
  1. n.
    1 [U] relationship by blood or marriage: The two sisters proved their kinship by showing their identification cards.
    2 [C] a friendship, based esp. on common interests,
    THESAURUS
    a fellowship: A strong kinship grew between the two children.
kiosk
kiosk
  1. n.
    1 a stand or stall where newspapers or food and drink are sold, esp. in Europe: I bought a newspaper at the kiosk.
    2 a thick, round pole on which notices, advertisements, etc. can be put up
kismet
kismet
  1. n. [U] s.t. that was meant to happen,
    THESAURUS
    destiny: It was kismet that the couple met, then fell in love.
kiss
kiss
  1. n. -es
    1 a touch with the lips to show that one likes or loves s.o. or s.t., or as a sign of greeting, etc.: He gave her a kiss on the cheek (lips, hand, etc.).
    2 a small candy: He brought a bag of chocolate kisses. —v. kisses
    1 [I;T] to press the lips against s.o. or s.t.: She kissed the baby's cheek.
    2 [T] to touch lightly: The wind kissed her hair.
    3 to kiss good-bye: a. to kiss s.o. as he or she leaves: Before she left on the airplane, her friend kissed her good-bye. b. fig. to think of as lost forever: When he forgot his wallet on the bus, he kissed the money that was in it good-bye.
kisser
kisser
  1. n.
    1 s.o. who kisses: He's a really good kisser.
    2 infrml. the face, esp. the mouth: The boxer hit his opponent in the kisser.
kissoff
kissoff
  1. n. a sudden, harsh way of telling s.o. to leave you alone: She gave her boyfriend the kissoff.
kit
kit
  1. n.
    1 a group of tools, supplies, etc. kept together, often in a box, and used for a certain purpose: a mechanic's kit, a carpenter's kit, a make-up kit
    2 a group of parts or materials to be put together to make s.t.: We sell model airplane (car, train, etc.) kits.
kitchen
kitchen
  1. n. a room where meals are prepared, usu. having a stove, sink, and refrigerator: Some kitchens also have a table and chairs where people eat their meals.
kitchenette
kitchenette
  1. n. a small kitchen: Some hotel rooms have kitchenettes.
kitchenware
kitchenware
  1. n. [U] utensils used for cooking (pots, pans, etc.): That store is having a sale on kitchenware.
kite
kite
  1. n. a toy made of a light wooden frame covered with brightly colored paper, plastic, etc.: Children fly kites in the air for fun.
kitten
kitten
  1. n. a baby cat: Our cat just gave birth to four kittens.
    THESAURUS
    kitten kitty, kitty cat.
kitty
kitty
  1. n. -ties
    1 infrml. a cat
    2 money set aside for some purpose: My wife and I are putting money in a vacation kitty, so we can go to Disneyworld.
kitty litter™
kitty litter™
  1. n. a special gray clay put in a box inside the house to absorb the waste of cats: Our indoor cat Ernie pees in the kitty litter box.
kiwi
kiwi
  1. n.
    1 [C] a flightless bird of New Zealand: The kiwi has brown, hairlike feathers and a long beak.
    2 [C;U] a fruit that is fuzzy and brown on the outside and green on the inside: Kiwis are a good source of vitamin C.
kleptomania
kleptomania
  1. n. [U] an uncontrolled desire to steal: He is always stealing things; I think he has kleptomania. -n. kleptomaniac.
klutz
klutz
  1. n.infrml. klutzes a clumsy person: That klutz spilled soup on me.
knack
knack
  1. n. to have a knack for: a. a special talent or ability, but not necessarily a great talent: She has a knack for painting (cooking, drawing, making people laugh). b. a quick, clever way of doing s.t.: He has a knack for getting the baby back to sleep; when he holds the baby, she stops crying and falls asleep.
knapsack
knapsack
  1. n. a closed bag carried on one's back: When I go to the beach, I carry my lunch, a book, and a towel in my knapsack.
    THESAURUS
    knapsack a backpack, daypack, rucksack | shoulder bag, bag.
knead
knead
  1. v. [T] to press with the fingers and hands: A baker kneads flour and milk together to make bread dough.
knee-deep
knee-deep
  1. adj.
    1 being in s.t. up to one's knees: The fisherman was knee-deep in the water.
    2 fig. knee-deep in trouble: to be in a lot of trouble: She is going to be knee-deep in trouble when her parents find out where she's been.
knee-high
knee-high
  1. adj. approx. two feet high: The grass has grown knee-high. —n.pl. knee-high socks or knee-highs: a type of stocking that usu. fits up to the knee
knee
knee
  1. n. the joint that connects the upper and lower parts of the leg: She fell and twisted her knee. —v. [T] kneed, kneeing, knees to strike s.o. with the knee: She kneed him in the stomach.
kneecap
kneecap
  1. n. a small movable bone in the front of the knee,
    THESAURUS
    the patella: He hurt his kneecap when he fell.
kneel
kneel
  1. v. [I] knelt or kneeled, kneeling, kneels to place the weight of the body upon the knees: Gardeners kneel on the ground.
knell
knell
  1. n. the sound of a bell, esp. at a funeral: The bells tolled a death knell.
knelt
knelt
  1. v.past tense & past part. of kneel
knew
knew
  1. v.past tense of know
knickers
knickers
  1. n.pl. a pair of pants worn from the waist to just below the knee, usu. with long socks: When he was a boy, he wore knickers to school.
knickknack or nicknack
knickknack or nicknack
  1. n. an inexpensive decorative object, such as a little animal or vase made of china: My grandmother keeps knickknacks on tables in her living room.
knife
knife
  1. n. knives a tool with a handle and sharp blade for cutting things: He used a knife to cut the vegetables. —v. [T] knifed, knifing, knifes to stab or cut s.o. with a knife: The murderer knifed the man and ran away.
    THESAURUS
    knife n. a blade, dagger, stiletto | carving knife, penknife, pocketknife.
knight
knight
  1. n.
    1 a gentleman who, hundreds of years ago, was a soldier on horseback in the service of another noble (baron, duke, etc.) or a king: The Knights of the Round Table
    2 a chess piece, usu. with a horse's head. See: chess. —v. [T] to make s.o. a knight: The King knighted several brave soldiers.
knit
knit
  1. v. knit or knitted, knitting, knits
    1 [I;T] to make clothes by connecting loops of yarn (thick, twisted thread) with long needles: She knitted socks for her grandson.
    2 [I] to grow together: He broke his arm and the broken bone knit back together slowly. —n.
    1 [U] the pattern made by knitting: This sweater has a tight knit.
    2 n.pl. knits: a type of clothing that is knitted, such as sweaters and socks: I like to wear knits.
    3 close-knit: closely related and helpful to each other: They are a close-knit family who take good care of each other.
knitting
knitting
  1. n. s.t. being knitted: Her knitting is stored in a bag. -n. knitting needle.
knives
knives
  1. n.pl. of knife
knob
knob
  1. n.
    1 a round handle, usu. on a door: He turned the door knob and opened the door.
    2 a bump: She fell and has a knob on her head now. -adj. knobby.
knock-kneed
knock-kneed
  1. adj. having knees that rub together when a person walks: That knock-kneed man can't run fast.
knock
knock
  1. n.
    1 a light hit, such as a tap with the knuckles or a tool: He gave a knock on the door.
    2 the sound of a tap: I hear the sound of a knock at the door.
    3 a cracking, banging sound in a car engine: That old engine has a knock.
    4 a criticism: She's been getting knocks all day about that ugly hat.
    5 infrml. the school of hard knocks: to learn from life's difficult experiences: As a youth, he was in trouble frequently; but he learned from the school of hard knocks and he is a good citizen now.
    THESAURUS
    knock n.
    1 a tap, rap, bang
    2 a tap, rap, bang
    4 a barb. —v.
    1 [I] to hit lightly, as with the knuckles or a tool: He knocked on the door.
    2 [I;T] to strike with a sharp, heavy blow: The worker knocked through a wall with a heavy hammer.
    3 [I] to criticize, disparage: He knocks his company for paying him too little.
    4 [I] to make a cracking, banging sound: The car's oil ran out and the engine began to knock.
    5 to knock against: to hit against,
    THESAURUS
    to collide: She tripped and knocked her head against the wall.
    6 phrasal v. to knock around: a. [I] insep. to wander: As a young woman, she knocked around, doing odd jobs all over the country. b. [T] sep. s.o.: to hit, treat badly,
    THESAURUS
    to abuse: He worked with rough men, who knocked him around because he was new.
    7 phrasal v. sep. [T] to knock s.t. back: to drink, usu. alcohol, quickly: He's really knocking back those drinks. ||He's knocking them back.
    8 to knock dead: to please very much, often with surprise: She is a beautiful and talented actress; she knocks her audiences dead.
    9 to knock for a loop: to make speechless, to shock: When he heard the bad news, it knocked him for a loop.
    10 infrml. to knock heads: to criticize in order to persuade s.o.: Those two people would not listen to me, so I knocked heads and now they do.
    11 to knock into: to bump,
    THESAURUS
    to collide with: He slipped and knocked into another person.
    12 phrasal v. to knock off: a. insep. [I] s.t.: to stop doing s.t., such as working: We knocked off work at two o'clock today. b. sep. [T] s.t.: to make an illegal copy of s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to fake: They knocked off copies of videotapes of famous movies. c. sep. [T] s.o.: to kill: The gangster knocked off his rival.||He knocked him off. d. [T] to rob: The robber knocked off a bank.
    13 to knock oneself out: to work very hard: He knocked himself out by staying up all night to finish the job.
    14 phrasal v. sep. [T] to knock s.o. out: a. (of drugs, etc.) to cause sleep: My cold medication knocks me out. b. (in boxing, etc.) to cause s.o. to become unconscious: After he was knocked out in a fight, he was taken to a hospital. c. to be removed from competition: We were knocked out of the band contest by a group from Indiana.
    15 phrasal v. sep. [T] to knock over: to cause to fall down,
    THESAURUS
    to upset: The baby knocked his cup over and spilled the milk.
    16 phrasal v. sep. [T] to knock s.o. or s.t. down: to cause s.o. to fall on the ground: The big dog knocked down the little boy.||He knocked him down.
    17 to knock (some) sense into s.o.'s head: to tell s.o. strongly that what that person is doing is foolish and wrong: She is going to parties instead of studying; you should knock some sense into her head.
    18 phrasal v. sep. [T] to knock s.t. together: to build quickly and carelessly: Those houses were knocked together in only two weeks.
    19 phrasal v. sep. slang [T] to knock s.o. up: to make a woman pregnant
knockdown-dragout
knockdown-dragout
  1. adj. related to a long, angry disagreement or fight: The two men had a knockdown-dragout fight.
knocker
knocker
  1. n. a door knocker, usu. pieces of metal hung on a door used to show s.o. is at the door: She tapped the door knocker to let him know that she had arrived.
knockoff
knockoff
  1. n.infrml. an imitation, usu. a cheap one: That watch is a knockoff of an expensive one.
knockout
knockout
  1. n.
    1 (in boxing) the hitting of an opponent to the floor to end the fight,
    THESAURUS
    a victory See: KO.
    2 infrml.fig. a very attractive or impressive person: That lady is an absolute knockout.
knoll
knoll
  1. n. a small hill,
    THESAURUS
    a hillock: The farmer stood on a knoll and looked out over his fields.
knot
knot
  1. n.
    1 a fastening made of pieces of thread (rope, wire, etc.) purposely wrapped around each other in tight loops: She wrapped the box with string and tied it with a knot.
    2 string, etc., twisted and tied in many tight loops,
    THESAURUS
    a tangle: It's impossible to sew if there are knots in the thread.
    3 a round, dark spot on a tree where a branch used to come out: There are quite a few knots in the wood of this table.
    4 infrml. to be tied up in knots: a. to be in a difficult situation, a tangle: This project is tied up in knots; there are many problems with it. b. to be emotionally upset: The person responsible for the accident is all tied up in knots; she is sick to her stomach.
    5 infrml. to tie the knot: to get married: Those two have been dating for years, and now they're finally tying the knot. —v. [T] knotted, knotting, knots to tie a knot, make s.t. secure so it won't move: The cowboy knotted the reins of his horse around a tree branch.
knotty
knotty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest having many knots: That cabin is made of knotty pine.
know-how
know-how
  1. n. [U] the knowledge, skills, and ability to do s.t. well,
    THESAURUS
    expertise: Our company has the know-how to make great computers.
know-it-all
know-it-all
  1. n. a self-important person who thinks he or she knows everything: He is such a know-it-all that it is impossible to tell him anything.
know
know
  1. v. knew, known, knowing, knows
    1 [I;T] to understand the importance of s.t., comprehend: She knows she is intelligent, and she uses her mind to solve problems.
    2 [I;T] to have information about s.t.: The police know how the robbery happened.
    3 [T] to have met s.o.: She knows the people who live next door.
    4 [I;T] to have learned a lot about and to enjoy: He knows fine wines (modern art, old coins, etc.).
    5 infrml. to be in the know: to be well-informed: She is always in the know because her friends tell her everything.
    6 to know a thing or two or to know one's p's and q's: to have learned a great deal about a certain area, to be an expert: The people in our computer department know their p's and q's; you can ask them about that problem.
    7 to know how to: to be skilled at: She knows how to run computers (speak French, fly airplanes, etc.).
    8 phrasal v. insep. [T] to know of: to be familiar with but not know everything about s.t. or s.o.: I know of the man, but I have never met him.
    9 to know one's own mind: to know what one wants: He knows his own mind; he will not change his decision.
    10 to know right from wrong: to understand the difference between good and evil: The boy stole money, but is too young to know right from wrong.
    11 to know s.t. cold: to have learned everything one can about a subject: He has been doing that job for twenty years and knows his work cold.
knowing
knowing
  1. adj. having learned a great deal about many things, (syns.) knowledgeable, wise: Everyone asks her questions because she is a knowing person. -adv. knowingly.
knowledge
knowledge
  1. n. [U]
    1 an area of learning: The study of English (math, history, etc.) is a field of knowledge.
    2 an understanding of s.t. and the ability to use that understanding through study and experience: She has a knowledge of mechanical things and knows how to fix cars.
    3 information about or familiarity with s.t.: He has knowledge of the accident and how it happened.
    4 to one's knowledge: according to the information that one has: Has he finished the report? To my knowledge, he has.||Not to my knowledge; I don't think he has.
    5 with my knowledge or without my knowledge: with or without s.o.'s awareness: She left on vacation without my knowledge, so I don't know where she is. -adj. knowledgeable.
known
known
  1. v.past part. of know —adj. recognized: He is a known criminal.
    THESAURUS
    known adj. famous, celebrated, well-known. Ant. unknown.
knuckle
knuckle
  1. n. any of the joints in the finger: He knocked on the door with his knuckles. —v. [I]
    1phrasal v. to knuckle down: to begin working hard at a task: She knuckled down and finished her paper quickly.
    2 phrasal v. to knuckle under: to do what s.o. demands, give in: When the teacher told the boy to be quiet, he knuckled under and was silent.
koala
koala
  1. n. a small furry animal from Australia that looks like a little bear and lives in trees: The koala, with its sweet eyes and big ears, is a symbol of Australia.
kook
kook
  1. n.infrml. a person with strange behavior,
    THESAURUS
    a weirdo: That man acts like a kook.||He does kooky things like shout nonsense. -n. kookiness; -adj. kooky.

    USAGE NOTE: We use terms like kook, nut, and weirdo, to describe s.o. whose behavior is a little crazy: He's a real nut about cleanliness; he takes five showers a day. We use moron, idiot, fool, and jerk to suggest that s.o. is stupid: That idiot doesn't know who the President of the country is.
kosher
kosher
  1. adj.
    1 (from Jewish religious law, esp. regarding food) clean, pure: He eats only kosher meat.
    2 infrml. honest, done according to correct behavior: That business is not kosher; it sells cheap clothes, but charges high prices.
kowtow
kowtow
  1. v. [I] to obey s.o. without question, often unwillingly: He kowtows to his older brother's wishes.
kudos
kudos
  1. n.sing. praise,
    THESAURUS
    acclaim: The manager received kudos for his outstanding work.
kumquat
kumquat
  1. n. the tree and its small, orange fruit: The inside of a kumquat is sour, but its skin is sweet.
kung fu
kung fu
  1. n. [U] a Chinese method of fighting with the hands and feet: He is a master of kung fu.
kw
kw
  1. abbr. of kilowatt(s)
la
la
  1. n. the name for the sixth note of the musical scale: She sang up the scale from do to la.
lab
lab
  1. n. See: laboratory.
label
label
  1. n.
    1 any of a variety of markers, such as a small piece of paper or cloth attached to s.t. to identify it: The label on this shirt says, "Made in USA."
    2 a marker on a product used to give its name and contents: Labels on cans of soup give the brand name, ingredients, and nutritional values.
    3 any word or phrase describing or classifying s.o. or s.t. —v. [T]
    1 to mark with a label: The teacher labeled file folders by attaching a label with a student's name on each one.
    2 fig. to apply a descriptive word or phrase to s.o. or s.t.: His teachers have labeled him a troublemaker.
labor-saving
labor-saving
  1. adj. reducing the amount of work necessary to do a job: Washing machines and computers are labor-saving devices.
labor
labor
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] work, esp. difficult or tiring physical work: He is well paid for his labor.
    2 [U] the work force, workers in general
    3 a labor of love: work done not for pay but out of dedication to s.o. or s.t.
    4 sing. [U] to go into or be in labor: to begin or be in the process of giving birth: Her baby was born ten hours after she went into labor. —v. [I] to work: We labored for weeks on a big project.
labor camp
labor camp
  1. n. a type of prison where prisoners (inmates) work: During the war, prisoners were sent to work in labor camps.
labor union
labor union
  1. n. an organization of workers dedicated to the interests of its members: Officials of the labor union bargain with management for better pay and benefits.
laboratory
laboratory
  1. n. -ries a specially equipped room for doing experiments and other exploratory work: Scientists develop new products in the laboratory.
labored
labored
  1. adj. forced,
    THESAURUS
    strained: After she climbed the stairs, her breathing was labored.
laborer
laborer
  1. n. a worker who does unskilled physical work: The farmer hired several day laborers.
laborious
laborious
  1. adj. requiring a lot of effort or work: Preparing fields for planting without using machines is a laborious job.
labyrinth
labyrinth
  1. n. a complicated set of paths or passages where s.o. is easily lost,
    THESAURUS
    maze: Just for amusement, a rich man had a labyrinth made of bushes in his garden.
lace
lace
  1. n.
    1 [U] material, such as silk, woven by hand or machine into fine decorative patterns: She has a tablecloth made of beautiful lace for her dining room table.
    2 [C] strings used to fasten shoes and boots: The little boy is learning to tie the laces on his shoes. —v. [T] laced, lacing, laces to close together or fasten with laces: I laced up my boots and went out into the rain.
laceration
laceration
  1. n. a cut,
    THESAURUS
    a slash: He received lacerations on his face in the accident. -v. [T] lacerate.
lack
lack
  1. n.sing. [U]
    1 the state of being without s.t.: There has been no rain, and the lack of it has ruined the crops.
    2 not enough of s.t., a shortage: A lack of attention to his diet resulted in a heart attack. —v. [T]
    1 to be without (s.t. needed): The villagers lacked food and medicine during the war.
    2 to have too little of (s.t. desirable): He lacks care in his work; it's never well-done.
    3 phrasal v. insep. frml. to lack for s.t.: to have a need for s.t.: His parents are very wealthy; they lack for nothing.
lackadaisical
lackadaisical
  1. adj. lacking interest, careless: A lackadaisical attitude toward her studies brought low grades.
lackluster
lackluster
  1. adj. ordinary, dull: The performance of the symphony was not good, it was lackluster.
lacquer
lacquer
  1. n. [C;U] a liquid that hardens into a shine: That beautiful tray was painted with black lacquer.
lacrosse
lacrosse
  1. n. [U] a ball game played on a field by two ten-player teams using sticks with nets for catching and throwing the ball: Lacrosse is a very fast and often rough sport.
lactate
lactate
  1. v.frml. [I] -tated, -tating, -tates to produce milk: Female mammals lactate and nurse their young. -n. [U] lactation.
lacy
lacy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest looking like or made of lace: She likes to wear beautiful lacy dresses.
lad
lad
  1. n.infrml.old usage a boy or young man: He was just a lad when he went to sea as a cabin boy.
ladder
ladder
  1. n.
    1 a piece of equipment used for climbing: A carpenter climbed a ladder to fix the roof.
    2 fig. a series of upward steps: She climbed the ladder of success at her company.
laden
laden
  1. adj.frml. full of,
    THESAURUS
    burdened with: The truck is laden with goods for market.
ladies' man
ladies' man
  1. n. a man who likes women, esp. one liked by women: He is a real ladies' man who loves to be with women.
ladies' room
ladies' room
  1. n. a toilet facility for women: She asked the waiter where to find the ladies' room. See: bathroom, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    ladies' room (women's) rest room, (public) bathroom.
ladle
ladle
  1. n.v. [T] -dled, -dling, -dles a type of large spoon: I used a ladle to pour soup from the pan into my dish.
lady
lady
  1. n. -dies
    1 (polite word for) a woman, esp. of good social standing: "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please."
    2 a title for women of British nobility: Lady Walpole visited the Queen.
ladybug
ladybug
  1. n. a small beetle, usu. with red wings and black spots: People say that when a ladybug lands on you, it brings good luck.
ladylike
ladylike
  1. adj. having the polite manners of a lady: That little girl is ladylike.
lag
lag
  1. n. a delay, slowness: There was a lag in communications, so he did not hear the news until many days later. —v. [I] lagged, lagging, lags to not keep up, to delay,
    THESAURUS
    to straggle: The little boy lagged behind the others on the walk.
lager
lager
  1. n. [C;U] a German-type beer: Lager has a stronger taste than American beer.
laggard
laggard
  1. n. a person who is usually slower than others: He is a laggard in his work.
lagoon
lagoon
  1. n. an area of sea water nearly surrounded by land: The lagoon acted as a harbor for small boats.
laid-back
laid-back
  1. adj.infrml. relaxed, easygoing: The employees liked their boss's laid-back style of management.
laid
laid
  1. past tense & past part. of lay
lain
lain
  1. past part. of lie (2)
lair
lair
  1. n. a wild animal's home: The fox escaped from the dogs by hiding in its lair.
laissez-faire
laissez-faire
  1. adj.n. [U] a policy of little or no interference by government in the functioning of the free market: The USA is known for laissez-faire capitalism.
lake
lake
  1. n. a large body of fresh water: The lakes of Minnesota and Maine are famous vacation spots.
lakefront
lakefront
  1. n. land next to and around a lake: They have a cottage on the lakefront.
lam
lam
  1. n.slang to be on the lam: to run away, escape: When the police caught the robber, he had been on the lam for three weeks.
lamb
lamb
  1. n. [C;U] a young sheep or the meat from one: The family had roast leg of lamb for dinner.
lambaste
lambaste
  1. v. [T] -basted, -basting, -bastes to criticize strongly: A newspaper editorial lambasted the government program as useless. -n. [U] lambasting.
lambskin
lambskin
  1. adj.n.
    1 a soft leather: She wears lambskin gloves.
    2 the soft, fleecy fur of lamb: She also wears a gray coat made of lambskin.
lame
lame
  1. adj. lamer, lamest
    1 unable to walk normally due to some injury or disability: The lame horse walks with a limp.
    2 fig. weak, unsatisfactory: He makes lame excuses for being late for work, like saying the train was late.
lame duck
lame duck
  1. n. See: duck, 2.
lamebrain
lamebrain
  1. n.infrml. a stupid person, idiot: He is such a lamebrain that he locked his car keys inside his car.
lament
lament
  1. v.frml. [I;T] to feel sadness or cry for,
    THESAURUS
    to mourn: Her friends lamented the death of the dear old lady. —n. an expression of sorrow, esp. a song: He wrote a lament for his dead friend. -n. [C;U] lamentation.
lamentable
lamentable
  1. adj.frml. involving sadness, regret, or sorrow: His accidental death was most lamentable.
laminate
laminate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to join together thin layers of material: In the factory, they laminate layers of wood to make strong plywood. —n. [C;U] material made from thin layers joined together: Plastic laminate is used for kitchen countertops. -n. [U] lamination.
lamp
lamp
  1. n. any of a variety of lighting devices using electricity, oil, or gas: We have lamps on the end tables next to our sofa.
lampoon
lampoon
  1. n. a piece of writing or a cartoon that attacks s.o. or s.t. with humor or ridicule, (syns.) satire, spoof: The magazine's lampoon of the rock star was very funny. —v. [T] to attack with humor, (syns.) to spoof, satirize: The magazine lampooned him.
lance
lance
  1. n.
    1 a long spear: Men on horses used to charge the enemy with lances.
    2 a sharp medical tool used to cut the skin open: The doctor used a lance to draw blood. —v. [T] lanced, lancing, lances to cut with a lance: Doctors lance boils.
land
land
  1. n.
    1 [U] soil, earth: The land in this area is good for farming.
    2 [U] an area owned as property: We own our house and the four acres of land around it.
    3 [C] a nation, country: The boy dreamed of travel to a foreign land.
    4 n.pl. (in law) property: The parks in the town are public lands—open to all. —v.
    1 [I;T] to reach land: Our airplane landed at New York's Kennedy Airport.
    2 infrml. [T] to put or be put: The boy's joke about the teacher landed him in trouble.
    3 to land on one's feet: to be in difficulty, then succeed: He lost his job but landed on his feet by finding a better one.
    4 to land s.t.: a. lit. to bring to land: He landed the plane. b. fig. to secure or win: She landed a new job (a big contract, a special assignment, etc.). -adj. landed.
landfill
landfill
  1. n. a low-lying area filled in, often with garbage: The landfills in many big cities are already full.
landholder
landholder
  1. n. a person who owns property: Any landholder in the center of town must be rich.
landing
landing
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] touchdown of an aircraft or a boat on land: The landing of our airplane was smooth and on time. See: takeoff.
    2 [C] a place on shore where boats land, such as a pier, wharf, or shallow area: People walked to the landing to get on the ferryboat.
    3 [C] a platform set into a staircase or the area at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs: Climbing the stairs with our suitcases, we stopped to rest on the landing.
landing strip
landing strip
  1. n. a long, narrow area used for landing aircraft: A small airplane touched down on the dirt landing strip.
landlady
landlady
  1. n. a woman who owns or manages real estate, esp. that is rented to others: The landlady lives downstairs in our apartment building. See: landlord.
landlocked
landlocked
  1. adj. surrounded on all sides by land: A landlocked country like Switzerland has no seaports.
landlord
landlord
  1. n. a man or business that owns real estate, esp. that is rented to others: The landlord of our apartment building is a huge real estate company. See: landlady.
    THESAURUS
    landlord a property owner | proprietor frml.

    USAGE NOTE: People who rent apartments are called tenants, and they have certain rights that landlords must honor. Landlords must, for example, supply (but not necessarily pay for) electricity, heat, and water, keep the property in good condition, and provide light in the halls outside the apartments.
landlubber
landlubber
  1. n. a person not used to boats or the sea: Don't ask me about sailing; I'm a complete landlubber!
landmark
landmark
  1. n.
    1 s.t. easily seen, such as a tall building or mountain: The tallest mountain in the area is a famous landmark.
    2 a historical building or other point of interest: The old church in the center of town is a historical landmark.
    3 fig. an important event: The invention of the radio is a landmark in technology.
landowner
landowner
  1. n. a person who owns land, esp. undeveloped land or farmland: He is a large landowner in Louisiana.
landscape
landscape
  1. n.
    1 a broad view of the land: The landscape seen from the mountains is green and beautiful.
    2 a picture showing such a view: She paints landscapes.
    3 fig. a field of activity: The political landscape in this city is varied and ever-changing. —v. [I;T] -scaped, -scaping, -scapes to improve (the ground around a building) with trees, plants, etc.: Construction of their new house is complete, so they can start landscaping.
    THESAURUS
    landscape n. 1 and 2 a scenic view, panorama, vista frml.
    3 scene.
landscape gardener
landscape gardener
  1. n. a skilled worker who designs and works on landscaped areas: The landscape gardener planted a new lawn, trees, and flowers around our house.
landslide
landslide
  1. n.
    1 a large collapse of rocks and earth down a slope: A landslide blocked the coastal road.
    2 fig. a very big win, esp. in an election: The new President won by a landslide.
lane
lane
  1. n.
    1 a short street, often narrow with little traffic: They live on a little country lane outside of town.
    2 one of several paths marked by painted lines on a highway: He drives slowly in the right lane of the highway.
    3 one pathway in a swimming pool or bowling alley: The swimmer in lane four won the race. See: street, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    lane
    1 a country road, narrow path, byway.
language
language
  1. n.
    1 [U] human communication by systems of written symbols, spoken words, and movements: She is a psychologist who studies language development in children.
    2 [C] a particular communication system shared by a people: He knows three languages: French, English, and American Sign Language.
    3 [U] a type of speech or wording: He uses bad language.
    4 [C;U] any system for giving instructions to a computer: PASCAL and COBOL are computer programming languages.
languid
languid
  1. adj. with little energy or spirit,
    THESAURUS
    listless: Tropical climates can make you feel languid. -n. [U] languor ; -adj. languorous.
languish
languish
  1. v.frml. [I]
    1 to be without energy or spirit: He languishes in the noonday heat.
    2 to suffer in terrible conditions: He languished in prison for years before his release.
lanky
lanky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest thin, ungraceful, and usu. tall: He is a tall and lanky basketball player. -n. [U] lankiness.
lanolin
lanolin
  1. n. [U] fat taken from sheep's wool and used in cosmetics and ointments: I use lanolin on my dry skin in winter.
lantern
lantern
  1. n. a light or flame inside a container usu. of metal and glass: They took a lantern on their camping trip. See: jack-o'lantern.
lap
lap
  1. v. lapped, lapping, laps
    1 [T] to lick with the tongue as in taking up liquid: A cat laps milk from a bowl.
    2 [I;T] (in racing) to go ahead of a competitor by a complete circuit: The leader lapped the others.
    3 [I] (of water) to hit against s.t. with small movements and soft sounds: The waves lapped against the side of the ship.
    4 phrasal v. sep.infrml. [T] to lap s.t. up: to receive eagerly,
    THESAURUS
    to relish: She lapped up all his flattery.||She lapped it up. —n.
    1 the area formed by the top of the legs in a seated position: The baby sat on his mother's lap.
    2 a circuit around a track or a length of a swimming pool: The runner (or swimmer) did 20 laps for practice.
    3 in the lap of luxury: to be in a position of great wealth: We stayed in the lap of luxury in our expensive deluxe hotel.
lapel
lapel
  1. n. the front area of a jacket, blouse, etc. that is folded back, then extends to the back collar: He wears a flower in his lapel.
lapse
lapse
  1. v. [I] lapsed, lapsing, lapses
    1 to fall gradually: The patient lapsed into unconsciousness.
    2 to make a mistake, esp. a fall from good behavior: He lapsed when he spoke too freely.
    3 (of agreements, rights, benefits) to end or be no longer valid: It's too late to take the problem to the manufacturer because the car's warranty has lapsed. —n.
    1 a fall from correct behavior: It was a lapse on his part when he forgot to pay the rent.
    2 the passing of a period of time: There was a lapse of 9 years before he saw her again.
larceny
larceny
  1. n. [C;U] (in law) stealing of property: The fellow stole a car and was arrested for grand larceny. -adj. larcenous.
lard
lard
  1. n. [U] pig fat used for cooking: Some people fry foods in lard.
large-scale
large-scale
  1. adj. big, broadly planned or made: Auto makers are large-scale manufacturers with many big operations.
large
large
  1. adj. larger, largest
    1 big in size, amount, etc.: He wears extra large shirts.
    2 important, on a grand scale: That company is a large computer maker.
    3 at large: a. free to move around, uncontrolled: The escaped prisoners are still at large. b. in general, as a whole: The country at large supports the peace plan.
    4 by and large: in general, speaking generally: By and large, I think that the economy is doing well.
    THESAURUS
    large
    1 very big, bulky, sizable | huge, immense. Ant. small.
    2 significant.
large intestine
large intestine
  1. -n. See : intestine
largely
largely
  1. adv. mostly, to a great degree: He is largely responsible for the success of the business.
    THESAURUS
    largely mainly, chiefly, for the most part.
largess or largesse
largess or largesse
  1. n. [U] great generosity, esp. with money: The university built its new science center thanks to the largess of a rich industrialist.
lariat
lariat
  1. n. a rope for capturing horses and cattle,
    THESAURUS
    lasso: Cowboys carry lariats on their saddles.
lark
lark
  1. n.
    1 a songbird with gray and brown markings
    2 fig. a carefree good time,
    THESAURUS
    fling: They decided just this morning to go on a weekend lark in the mountains.
larva
larva
  1. n. -vae the second stage between egg and pupa in the development of many types of insects: Ugly larvae later become beautiful butterflies.
laryngitis
laryngitis
  1. n. [U] a painful condition caused by inflammation of the larynx in the throat and affecting speech: The speaker had laryngitis and canceled his talk.
larynx
larynx
  1. n. larynges the voice box, located in the throat: The larynx is vital to human communication.
lascivious
lascivious
  1. adj.frml. related to strong sexual desire, lustful: His lascivious desires lead to disgusting behavior.
laser
laser
  1. n. a device that focuses a powerful light in a specific place for many uses, from surgery to metal cutting: The operation on his eye was done with a laser.
lash
lash
  1. v.
    1 [T] to hit with a whip: The man lashed the horse to make it run faster.
    2 [T] to tie down, bind: Sailors lashed down boxes with strong ropes before the storm.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [I] to lash out at s.o. or s.t.: a. lit. to suddenly strike or hit violently with a hand or weapon: The prisoner lashed out at the guard. b. fig. to attack with words: She lashes out at anyone who criticizes her. —n.
    1 a type of short whip: He used a lash to punish the prisoner.
    2 a stroke of a whip or lash: The captain ordered the sailor to get 20 lashes as punishment for stealing.
    3 a tongue-lashing: a severe scolding: Her mother gave her a tongue-lashing for coming home so late.
    4 lashes: See: eyelash.
lass
lass
  1. n.infrml.old usage a girl or young woman: The old song described "the lass he loved."
lassitude
lassitude
  1. n.frml. [U] tiredness, lack of energy,
    THESAURUS
    listlessness: His lassitude was because of a long illness.
last-ditch
last-ditch
  1. adj. done or made as a frantic final attempt: Negotiators made a last-ditch effort to reach an agreement before the fighting began again.
last-minute
last-minute
  1. adj. at the final moment before an important event: He made a last minute effort to make her stay, but she left him.
last
last
  1. adj.
    1 behind all others in position: He was the last in line because he arrived very late.
    2 (of a time period) the most recently passed: All the bills were paid last month (week, year).
    3 final, at the end: His last days before his death were peaceful.
    4 least desirable: Washing windows is the last thing that I want to do.
    5 said of the only one left: He spent his last dollar.
    6 last but not least: at the end but still important —adv.
    1 behind all others: My favorite horse ran last in the race.
    2 in the recent past: When he last visited his mother, she was well.
    3 at the end: You should answer each question on the test, check your answers, and, last, hand the test in to the teacher. —n.
    1 a person or thing after all others: He was the last to arrive.
    2 the last moment: He fought to save his life right up until the last.
    3 [C] a form used to make things: Shoes are made on a last.
    4 at (long) last: after a long wait or delay: They're here at last! —v.
    1 [I] to continue to exist: The pyramids have lasted for thousands of years.
    2 [I] to remain in good condition: Well-made shoes last a long time.
    3 [I;T] to survive: The sick patient is not expected to last the night.
    4 [I;T] to remain in supply: That supply of wood should last the winter.
last hurrah
last hurrah
  1. n.infrml.fig. a last appearance or moment of glory at the end of a sporting event, political term, career, or life: The President's last hurrah was a farewell speech to the nation.
last name
last name
  1. n. a surname, family name: His last name is Jones.
last straw
last straw
  1. n.fig. the final displeasing event in a series of events that causes s.o. to take action: He is always late, and when he was late for a very important meeting, that was the last straw; he was asked to leave the company.
last word
last word
  1. n.sing.
    1 the final statement: He must have the last word in every discussion.
    2 the final decision: She insists on having the last word on which person we hire.
lasting
lasting
  1. adj. continuing for a long time,
    THESAURUS
    enduring: She makes a good, lasting impression on people.
latch
latch
  1. n. a type of lock, such as for a door or cabinet: The latch on the gate is broken.
late
late
  1. adj. later, latest
    1 arriving after the expected time: She was late for our meeting.
    2 happening near the end (of a period of time): in the late afternoon, the late 1800s
    3 dead: A church service was held for the late Mr. Jones. —adv. after the expected time: The movie started five minutes late.
lately
lately
  1. adv. recently: Lately, her health has been much better.
    THESAURUS
    lately currently, in recent times.
latent
latent
  1. adj.
    1 present but inactive,
    THESAURUS
    dormant: The boy has latent athletic ability; it needs to be developed more.
    2 present but not seen,
    THESAURUS
    concealed: The virus lies latent for years before the person becomes sick from it. -n. [U] latency.
lateral
lateral
  1. adj.
    1 to the side: The ballerina made a lateral movement.
    2 located on the side of s.t.: The lateral section of the upper body contains the ribs.
latest
latest
  1. adj.infrml.
    1 most recent: We just heard the latest news.
    2 most modern or current: She wears the latest fashions.
latex
latex
  1. n.adj. [U]
    1 a thick liquid, such as from the rubber tree, that produces natural rubber
    2 a rubbery liquid, such as used in paint: We painted our house with a latex paint.
lathe
lathe
  1. n.v. [T] lathed, lathing, lathes a machine used to cut out objects with precision: He makes machine parts on a lathe.||He lathes percision parts for machines.
lather
lather
  1. n. [U] a foamy substance, such as soapsuds or sweat on a horse: He covers his beard with lather in order to shave it. —v. [I;T]
    1 to cover with lather: He lathered his face with soap.
    2 to produce a lot of sweat.
latitude
latitude
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] an imaginary line of measurement of the earth's surface running parallel to the equator: New York City is located at a latitude of about 41 degrees north of the equator and at a longitude of 74 degrees west of Greenwich, England.
    2 pl. regions of the world: Many Canadians travel to the southern latitudes in winter.
    3 [U] freedom to act: Her boss gives her wide latitude to do her job as she thinks best.
latrine
latrine
  1. n. a toilet, esp. in the military
latte
latte
  1. n. a strong espresso coffee with bubbly milk on top: I like a latte in the morning to wake me up.
latter
latter
  1. n.sing. the second of two people or things named: We eat lots of fish and poultry, but we prefer the latter. See: former. —adj.
    1 later, nearer the end: I disliked the latter part of the book.
    2 latter-day: of recent times: Some long-time conservatives distrust the latter-day conservatives now coming into power.
lattice
lattice
  1. n. [U] a pattern of crossed lines (wood, metal, crystals, etc.)
laud
laud
  1. v.frml. [T] to praise: The teacher lauded the student for her excellent work. -adj. laudatory.
laudable
laudable
  1. adj.frml. deserving of praise,
    THESAURUS
    praiseworthy: Helping an old person cross the street is a laudable act.
laugh
laugh
  1. n.
    1 a sound of amusement, happiness, disrespect, etc. made with the voice: When he heard my funny story, he gave a loud laugh.
    2 fig. s.t. that deserves no respect: That performance was so bad that it was a laugh.
    3 to have the last laugh: to succeed after seeming to have lost: My competitor took my customer away from me, but then that customer did not pay him, so I had the last laugh. —v.
    1 [I] to voice sounds of amusement, happiness, disrespect, etc.: I laughed when I heard about his crazy plan.
    2 no laughing matter: serious: This letter from their lawyer is no laughing matter.
    3 to die laughing: to laugh uncontrollably: That comedian was so funny that the audience nearly died laughing.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [T] to laugh at s.o. or s.t.: a. to respond with sounds of amusement, delight, etc.: She laughs at funny jokes. b. to express disrespect for, ridicule, (syns.) to scoff at, mock: He laughed at the stupid idea.
    5 phrasal v. sep. [T] to laugh s.t. off: to make (s.t. bad) seem unimportant by laughing: He slipped on some ice, but got up and laughed off his fall.||He laughed it off. See: smile, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    laugh n.
    1 a burst of laughter | giggle, chuckle | guffaw
    2 a joke, farce.
laughable
laughable
  1. adj. deserving no respect, ridiculous: The offer to buy that he made was so low that it was laughable.
laughingstock
laughingstock
  1. n. a person laughed at for doing s.t. bad or stupid: His poor acting made him the laughingstock of the theater.
laughter
laughter
  1. n. [U] the sound of laughing: Laughter from the audience inspired the comedian.
launch
launch
  1. v. [T]
    1 to push into the water: We launched our boat into the lake.
    2 to send up into the air: The spacecraft will be launched tomorrow.
    3 fig. to start, put into operation, etc.: Our company launched an advertising campaign for our new product. —n.
    1 sing. the start, the process of putting into action: The launch of the new advertising campaign will be next week.
    2 [C] the sending of s.t. up into the air: The space launch took place this morning.
    3 [C] a small powerboat used for travel between land and other boats: The captain took a launch from shore to his ship.
launch pad
launch pad
  1. n. an area with a hard surface and supporting equipment from which spacecraft are launched: The missile roared off the launch pad into the sky.
launder
launder
  1. v. [T]
    1 to clean with soap and water: She launders her clothes at the Laundromat each week.
    2 fig. to hide the source of money gotten illegally by passing it through a legitimate business: A large bank laundered money from drug sales.
    THESAURUS
    launder
    1 to wash, wash out | wash and iron.
laureate
laureate
  1. n. a person honored with an award: The professor is a Nobel laureate in chemistry.
laurel
laurel
  1. n.
    1 a family of mostly evergreen trees and shrubs prized for their fruits, bay leaves, and oils
    2 [C] a symbol of victory and honor, often shown as a crown of laurel
    3 to rest on one's laurels: to be satisfied with what one has achieved already: She does not rest on her laurels but rather is always working towards new goals.
lava
lava
  1. n. [U] hot liquid, volcanic rock: Lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.
lavatory
lavatory
  1. n.frml. -ries a room with toilets and sinks, bathroom: The school has lavatories on each floor.
lavender
lavender
  1. adj. a pale violet color: She writes letters on lavender paper. —n. [U] any of a variety of Mediterranean shrubs belonging to the mint family, used for its scent and as a flavoring: This soap has a lovely smell of lavender.
lavish
lavish
  1. adj. done in very large and generous amounts: She gives lavish parties with wonderful food, flowers, and music. —v. [T] to give (affection, gifts, etc.) in large amounts: He lavishes affection on his wife.
law-abiding
law-abiding
  1. adj. well behaved, respectful of the law: Law-abiding citizens are the backbone of a community.
law
law
  1. n.
    1 [C] a rule made by a government body that must be followed by the people in a nation, state, etc.: In the USA, laws are written by Congress and by state legislatures.
    2 [U] such rules as a group: Lawyers must know the law.
    3 [U] the officials and courts of the legal system: The man is in jail, because he got into trouble with the law.
    4 [C] (in many religions) a commandment from God
    5 [C] a statement describing what happens under certain conditions: the law of gravity
    6 to lay down the law: to demand obedience to one's rules: He laid down the law to his children that they had to be home by 11:00 P.M.
    7 to take the law into one's own hands: to take for oneself the power of a legal authority: Instead of waiting for the police, an angry group took the law into their own hands by catching and beating the thief. —adj. related to law: She has a law degree.
lawbreaker
lawbreaker
  1. n. a person who disobeys a law: The police want to catch lawbreakers.
lawful
lawful
  1. adj. permitted by law, according to law: Citizens have the lawful right to use public places.
lawless
lawless
  1. adj. full of crime, without effective legal action: In the USA in the 1800s, parts of the Wild West were lawless areas where crimes went unpunished.
lawmaker
lawmaker
  1. n. a legislator: Lawmakers in Washington, DC, pass new laws in Congress.
lawn
lawn
  1. n. an area of cut grass: The lawn in the front yard is kept very neat.
lawn mower
lawn mower
  1. n. a machine used to cut grass: He uses a riding lawn mower to cut his large yard.
lawsuit
lawsuit
  1. n. a legal action bringing a problem or claim to a court of law: John's lawyer filed a lawsuit against the company where he had an accident.
    THESAURUS
    lawsuit a suit, case, (legal) claim | dispute.
lawyer
lawyer
  1. n. a professional who practices law: I depend on my lawyer for her sharp mind and knowledge of law.
    THESAURUS
    lawyer an attorney, counselor | legal advisor.
lax
lax
  1. adj.
    1 lacking in strict attention to details: His bookkeeping is lax.
    2 careless, lacking control,
    THESAURUS
    negligent: Enforcement of some laws in this city is lax. -n. [U] laxity.
laxative
laxative
  1. n.adj. a medicine to relieve constipation: The doctor recommended an effective laxative with a gentle laxative effect.
layaway
layaway
  1. n.adj. a system of making payments to hold s.t. for future purchase: I used a layaway plan to pay for our living room furniture; I put it on layaway.
layer
layer
  1. n.
    1 a coating, covering: A layer of mud lies on the lake bottom.
    2 a thickness, usu. one of several: The birthday cake had two layers of chocolate cake with chocolate icing between them. —v. [T] to arrange in layers: She layered a vest over two shirts for a stylish look. -n. [U] layering.
    THESAURUS
    layer n.
    1 a coat, sheet
    2 a level, tier | stratum frml.
layman
layman
  1. n. -men
    1 a person who is not expert in a field: He is a complete layman in the computer field.
    2 a member of the laity within a religion (not a religious official): Laymen perform important functions in churches.
layoff
layoff
  1. n. a dismissal from employment, sometimes temporary: In a recession, there are often mass layoffs of factory workers.
    THESAURUS
    layoff a firing, discharge (from work), termination (of workers). Ant. hiring.
layout
layout
  1. n.
    1 a drawing or design, such as for a building or an advertisement,
    THESAURUS
    a schematic: The artist showed me the layout for the magazine cover.
    2 an arrangement, such as of rooms or furniture, etc.: The layout of that apartment is spacious.
layover
layover
  1. n. a short stay, such as to change airplanes,
    THESAURUS
    stopover: We had a two-hour layover in Chicago between flights.
laywoman
laywoman
  1. n. See: layman.
lazy
lazy
  1. adj. -zier, -ziest
    1 disliking and avoiding work: He's so lazy that he avoids any kind of work.
    2 lacking energy or activity: He spent a lazy afternoon reading and sleeping.
lazybones
lazybones
  1. n.infrml. a lazy person: He is a lazybones with no plans to look for work.
lb(s).
lb(s).
  1. abbr. for pound(s): I bought a 2-lb. cut of beef.

    USAGE NOTE: A pound is equal to 16 ounces, which is abbreviated as oz.: She gave birth to a healthy baby girl, who weighed seven pounds and six ounces (7 lbs. 6 oz.).
leach
leach
  1. v. [I;T] leached, leaching, leaches to pass from s.t. or cause (elements) to pass from s.t. because of liquid moving through: Valuable minerals leached from the soil because of heavy rains.
lead-in
lead-in
  1. n. an introduction: He told a funny story as a lead-in to his speech.
lead time
lead time
  1. n. [C;U] the amount of time between the start of s.t. and when it must be finished: We have several weeks' lead time to finish the advertisement.
leaden
leaden
  1. adj.
    1 made of lead: Leaden pipes are used at the work site.
    2 fig. heavy, from tiredness, sadness, etc.: After he walked three miles, his legs felt leaden.
    3 fig. gray like lead: leaden skies
leader
leader
  1. n.
    1 a person who directs others: Our leader tells us what to do.
    2 one who is in front of others: The Senator is the leader in the Presidential race. -n. [U] leadership.
leaf
leaf
  1. n. leaves
    1 [C] a part of a plant, usu. flat and green, growing from its stem or a branch
    2 [C] a sheet of paper with both sides used: The front leaf in the book has the title and author on one side and the copyright notice on the back side.
    3 [U] a thin sheet of metal, such as gold: The frame of the mirror is covered with richlooking gold leaf.
    4 in full leaf: fully grown, with complete foliage: In midsummer, trees are in full leaf. See: turn, 21. —v. phrasal v. insep. [T] to leaf through s.t.: to turn the pages of: He leafs through books before he buys them.
leaflet
leaflet
  1. n. a folded paper printed with information or advertising, (syns.) flyer, pamphlet: I got a leaflet in the mail about a sale at a neighborhood store.
leafy
leafy
  1. adj. having leaves, esp. in large amounts: Oaks and maples are leafy trees.
league
league
  1. n.
    1 a group of sports teams that compete against each other: Our local team belongs to the National Football League.
    2 a group of people, businesses, or nations joined together in a shared interest: The League of Nations was founded in 1919 to promote world peace.
    3 in league with: in connection with, esp. in s.t. illegal or immoral: The terrible crimes that man has committed put him in league with the devil.
    4 in the same league with s.o. or in s.o.'s league: at the same level of excellence: He plays the piano very well, and I am just not in his league.
leak
leak
  1. n.
    1 an unwanted drip or rush of liquid or gas: The boat has a leak and is filling up with water.
    2 a letting out of secret information: A leak from inside the government spread the news of the President's decision. —v.
    1 [I;T] to let in or out a drip or rush of liquid or gas: The kitchen sink leaks water onto the floor.
    2 [T] to reveal information secretly: An official inside the government leaked a story to journalists. -n. [U] leakage; -adj. leaky.
    THESAURUS
    leak n.
    1 a leakage, seepage | hole, crack
    2 a disclosure (news, facts) | revelation.
lean-to
lean-to
  1. n. -tos a shelter made of tree branches leaned against a rectangular frame: The hunter made a lean-to in the forest.
lean
lean
  1. v.
    1 [I] to rest against for support: He leaned against a wall.
    2 [I] to bend from the waist: He then leaned over and picked a flower.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [T] to lean on or upon s.o.: to depend on for help: Her children lean on her, even though they are adults.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [I] to lean toward(s): to favor, prefer: She leans toward going on vacation in July, not August. —adj. -er, -est
    1 (of a person) thin, not fat: Professional dancers are usually lean.
    2 (of meat) with little fat: They eat lean meat with the fat cut off.
    3 producing little, meager: The country is going through lean times now because of the recession.
    4 infrml.fig. lean and mean: hungry and aggressive, esp. to increase business or to win a sports competition: The company laid off 1,000 workers and is now lean and mean and ready to make money.
leaning
leaning
  1. n. a preference,
    THESAURUS
    inclination: She has a leaning toward vacationing in Europe this summer.
leap
leap
  1. n.
    1 a jump into the air: The dancer made a series of leaps around the stage.
    2 by leaps and bounds: with fast progress: That company is growing by leaps and bounds. —v. leaped or leapt , leaping, leaps
    1 [I] to spring into or through the air: Monkeys leaped from branch to branch.
    2 [I;T] to jump over: The boy leaped the puddle.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [T] to leap at s.t.: to accept quickly,
    THESAURUS
    to seize: She leaped at the opportunity to take a new job.
    THESAURUS
    leap n.
    1 a bound, spring. —v.
    1 to jump, bound
leap year
leap year
  1. n. a year of 366 days (by adding February 29) occurring every fourth year: The year 2008 will be a leap year.
leapfrog
leapfrog
  1. v.fig. [I;T] to progress rapidly, jump over s.t. that blocks the way: She leapfrogged over her co-workers to become the general manager of the company. —n. [U] a children's game of one jumping over the other: Children like to play leapfrog.
learn
learn
  1. v. learned or learnt , learning, learns
    1 [I;T] to gain knowledge of: She learned some American history in high school.
    2 [I;T] to gain skill in: He is learning how to use a computer.
    3 [T] to become informed about, find out: They learned about the accident from a friend.
    4 to learn a lesson or to learn the hard way: to learn by suffering from a mistake: She lost so much money in the stock market that she learned a lesson (or) she learned the hard way about avoiding high risks.
    5 to learn the ropes: to learn how to do a job by doing it
learned
learned
  1. adj. having much knowledge,
    THESAURUS
    erudite: Great universities have many learned professors.
learning
learning
  1. n. [U] knowledge or understanding gained through study: He is a man of great learning.
    THESAURUS
    learning education, scholarship | erudition frml.
learning curve
learning curve
  1. n. the amount of time and effort required to learn to do s.t.: The learning curve for mastering a complicated computer program is long and steep.
learning disability
learning disability
  1. n. a condition related to the functioning of the brain that makes learning difficult: He was slow to learn to read because of a learning disability.
lease
lease
  1. n.v. [T] leased, leasing, leases
    1 a contract to pay to use property (a building, equipment, etc.) for a period of time: Our business has leased its offices for five years.
    2 a new lease on life: an improved situation: Bypass surgery on his heart gave him a new lease on life.
    THESAURUS
    lease v.
    1 to rent (equipment, land, buildings), let, charter | hire.
leash
leash
  1. n. a cord used to hold a dog: She walks her dog on a leash. —v. [T] to tie up with a leash: She leashed her dog to a tree while she shopped.
least
least
  1. n. [U] adj.
    1 the smallest amount of s.t.: She is paid the least (or) the least amount of all the office employees.
    2 in the least: in the smallest amount, at all: I don't care about that matter in the least.
    THESAURUS
    least n.
    1 the smallest amount (or) number | smallest in size | most unimportant.
least common denominator
least common denominator
  1. n. See: lowest common denominator, 1.
leather
leather
  1. n. the skin of cattle, sheep, etc.: His shoes are made of leather. -adj. leathery.
leave
leave
  1. v. left , leaving, leaves
    1 [I;T] to go away (from): I leave at 8:00 to go to work.
    2 [I;T] to go away from permanently: He has left his wife (his job, college, etc.).
    3 [T] to cause to stay when one goes away: They left their children with a babysitter.
    4 [T] to fail to bring when one goes away: Oh, no, I left the keys inside the car!
    5 [T] to put in the care of: I'll leave a message with your secretary.
    6 [T] to have as a result: Coffee will leave stains on your teeth.
    7 to leave a bad taste in s.o.'s mouth: to leave s.o. feeling annoyed or disturbed: While on vacation, he was cheated several times, and that left a bad taste in his mouth.
    8 to leave for: to leave to go to (a destination): The plane leaves for New York at 9:15.
    9 to leave much to be desired: to be lacking in quality: I can't recommend that hotel, because the service there leaves much to be desired.
    10 to leave no stone unturned: to make every possible effort: The police left no stone unturned to solve the crime.
    11 phrasal v. [T] to leave off s.t.: a. sep. not to include,
    THESAURUS
    to omit: The airline left off several passengers' names, so they had no seats.||It left them off. b. insep. to stop (talking, reading, writing, etc.): He surprised me by leaving off in mid-sentence.
    12 to leave oneself wide open: to make oneself vulnerable, such as to criticism, loss, or harm: He makes unnecessary mistakes and leaves himself wide open to being fired.
    13 phrasal v. sep. [T] to leave s.o. or s.t. alone: to keep from touching, bothering s.o. or. s.t.: Please leave the cat alone; she doesn't feel well.
    14 to leave s.o. cold: to fail to interest s.o.: The idea of a longer work day leaves me cold.
    15 to leave s.o. hanging, swinging, or twisting in the wind: to fail to complete an agreement, arrangement, etc.: Two businessmen signed a contract, but one disappeared and left the other one hanging.
    16 to leave s.o. in the dark: See: dark n., 2.
    17 to leave s.o. in the lurch: See: lurch, 2.
    18 to leave s.o. out in the cold: to abandon or exclude s.o.: He was due for a promotion, but his boss decided against it and left him out in the cold without any explanation.
    19 phrasal v. sep. [T] to leave s.o. or s.t. behind: to fail to bring or take, usu. by accident: I can't believe I left behind my reading glasses!||I left them behind.
    20 phrasal v. sep. [T] to leave s.o. or s.t. out: not to include,
    THESAURUS
    to omit: a. To shorten the lecture, the professor left out the less important parts.||He left them out. b. to fail to take s.o. or s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to abandon: The plane took off and left him behind.
    21 to leave s.t. at that: to keep from continuing with s.t.: The two friends argued over whose turn it was to pay for lunch, but finally they agreed to split the bill and left the matter at that.
    22 to leave s.t. on or running: to allow a machine to continue working: I left the lights on all night.
    23 to leave s.t. to s.o.: a. to give s.t. to s.o. after one's death: In her will, she left all her property to her children. b. to depend on s.o. to manage s.t.: Just leave the travel arrangements to me.
    24 phrasal v. insep. [T] to leave s.t. up to s.o.: to allow s.o. else to decide: He often leaves matters involving the children up to his wife.
    25 to leave the best for last: to present the best of s.t. after everything else has been done: The comedian left the best for last, telling his funniest jokes at the end of his act.
    26 to leave well enough alone: to avoid interfering when s.t. is satisfactory: The children were playing quietly, so their parents decided to leave well enough alone and not suggest going for a walk.
    27 to leave word: to leave a message: I telephoned Jane, but she wasn't in, so I left word with her secretary for Jane to return my call. —n.
    1 [C] a period away from work or the military: She took a leave (of absence) when she had her baby.
    2 frml. [U] permission: He has been given leave to speak to the Queen.
    3 on leave: temporarily away from work or the military by official permission: The soldier went on leave for two weeks.
    4 frml. to take one's leave: to say good-bye and go away
    THESAURUS
    produce.
leaven
leaven
  1. v. [T]
    1 to add an agent, such as yeast, that lightens and expands dough: A baker leavens bread with yeast.
    2 fig. to improve by making livelier,
    THESAURUS
    to enhance: Her speeches are leavened with humor. -n. [U] leavening.
lecher
lecher
  1. or lech n. a man with continual thoughts of sex -adj. lecherous; -n. lechery.
lectern
lectern
  1. n. a type of tall table at which a speaker stands: The professor stood at the lectern and gave her lecture.
lecture
lecture
  1. n.v. -tured, -turing, -tures
    1 [I] (to give) a speech on a topic: The professor delivered a one-hour lecture on modern art.
    2 [T] (to give) a long, serious talk with a warning: The boy's mother lectured him on bicycle safety. -n. lecturer. See: teacher, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    lecture v.
    1 to give a talk, speak (to an audience)
    2 to scold, reprimand frml.
ledge
ledge
  1. n.
    1 a narrow platform below the window areas of a building: Birds often land on my window ledge.
    2 a flat area like a shelf in rock formations: Climbers reached a narrow ledge on the cliff.
ledger
ledger
  1. n. a journal in which numbers are recorded: Every business should keep a ledger of its income and expenses.
leech
leech
  1. n.
    1 any bloodsucking worm: He walked through the swamp and came out of the water with several leeches on his legs.
    2 fig. a person who takes from others and gives nothing in return: He is a leech who uses his friends when they let him do so. —phrasal v. insep. [T] to leech off: to take from without giving in return: He leeches off his friends by staying with them without paying any rent.
leek
leek
  1. n. a vegetable of the onion family: I like leeks in my salads.
leer
leer
  1. n. a look that shows sexual desire or cruel satisfaction: He looked at her with a leer and laughed. —v. [I] to look at s.o. with a leer: He leered at her and whispered dirty words.
leery
leery
  1. adj. -ier, -iest cautious and distrustful, (syns.) wary, suspicious: She is leery of investing in stocks.
leeward
leeward
  1. adj. protected from the wind, rain, etc.: We camped on the leeward side of the hill.
leeway
leeway
  1. n. [U]
    1 extra time in which to act: We have several weeks of leeway in the production schedule in case of delays.
    2 liberty to act: The boss gave us plenty of leeway on how we want to handle the problem.
left-handed
left-handed
  1. adj. favoring the use of the left hand: She is a left-handed tennis player. -n. left-hander.
left field
left field
  1. n.
    1 (in baseball) the left part of the outfield: He caught the ball in left field.
    2 infrml. way out in left field: wrong, impractical, far from the truth or reality: His ideas on how to do things are way out in left field.
left wing
left wing
  1. n. [U] left-wing adj. the liberal to radically liberal side of politics: She belongs to the left wing or a left-wing political party.
leftie
leftie
  1. n.infrml. See: lefty.
leftovers
leftovers
  1. n.pl. what remains, such as some food after a meal: We eat leftovers on Sunday evening.
    THESAURUS
    leftovers remaining food | odds and ends.
lefty
lefty
  1. n.infrml. a person who tends to use the left hand: He's a lefty and cannot write with his right hand.
leg
leg
  1. n.
    1 one of the lower limbs of humans and many animals, used for walking, running, etc.: Runners need strong legs.
    2 one of the supports of a piece of furniture: Don't sit on that chair; one of the legs is broken.
    3 a part of a journey: She flew first to Rome, then to Pisa, then made the last leg of her trip by taxi.
    4 infrml. Break a leg!: an expression meaning "good luck!" used mostly in a theater setting
    5 infrml. not to have a leg to stand on: to have no basis for a claim, demand, etc.: The law is entirely against him; he doesn't have a leg to stand on.
    6 infrml. to be on one's last legs: to be worn out, close to failure or death: This old car is on its last legs.
    7 infrml. to cost an arm and a leg: to cost much more than expected: The lawsuit cost her an arm and a leg, but she won.
    8 infrml. to give s.o. a leg up or to have a leg up (on s.t.): to put s.o. or be in a good position (in a competition): He has a leg up on getting that job, because he has a friend in the personnel section who recommended him.
    9 infrml. to pull s.o.'s leg: to play a trick on s.o., to tease s.o.: She was pulling my leg when she said she had won $1 million in the lottery.
    10 infrml. to shake a leg: a. to hurry, move fast: His boss told him to shake a leg and deliver the package. b. to dance: Tonight, we're going to shake a leg.
    11 to stretch one's legs: to take a walk, esp. after sitting or staying indoors a long time: I'm going outside to stretch my legs.
legacy
legacy
  1. n.
    1 money, property, etc. given in the will of s.o. who has died,
    THESAURUS
    inheritance: His uncle left him a generous legacy when he died.
    2 s.t. passed on or left by an earlier generation, event, etc.: We must not let destruction of the environment be our legacy to the next generation.
legal
legal
  1. adj.
    1 related to law: The legal system is slow to function.
    2 permitted or created by law: He has a legal right to vote.
    3 slang to make it legal: to marry s.o. with whom one has been living: He lived with his girlfriend for eight years, and now they are going to make it legal.
    THESAURUS
    legal
    1 judicial
    2 lawful, legitimate | permissible. Ant. illegal.
legal holiday
legal holiday
  1. n. a holiday declared by the federal or state government on which businesses, institutions, etc. often close: Christmas and New Year's Day are legal holidays in the USA.
legalese
legalese
  1. n. written material full of legal terms that make it hard to understand: That contract is full of legalese.
legality
legality
  1. n. -ties
    1 the state or quality of being legal: I question the legality of that contract.
    2 n.pl. legalities legal requirements: We must take care of the legalities before we buy the land.
legalize
legalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make legal that which was illegal: Many states in the USA have legalized gambling.
    THESAURUS
    legalize to legitimize | authorize, permit.
legend
legend
  1. n.
    1 a story from the distant past,
    THESAURUS
    myth: Each country has its legends about the past.
    2 an explanation of the symbols on a map: The legend on this map shows that a star is the symbol for a capital city.
legendary
legendary
  1. adj.
    1 based on legend,
    THESAURUS
    mythical: Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.
    2 famous,
    THESAURUS
    renowned: Great Olympic athletes have become legendary.
leggings
leggings
  1. n.pl. coverings for the legs: In winter, she wears woolen leggings to keep warm.
leggy
leggy
  1. adj. having long legs: Newborn horses are leggy.
legible
legible
  1. adj. capable of being read, clear: The photocopy is faint but legible.
legion
legion
  1. n.
    1 a Roman fighting unit of up to 6,000 men with cavalry
    2 a mass of people or things: Legions of people filled the streets to celebrate independence.
    3 a fighting unit, social group, or honorary society: He belongs to the French Legion of Honor.
legislate
legislate
  1. v. [I] -lated, -lating, -lates to write, debate, and pass laws: Congress has legislated a new minimum wage for workers.
legislation
legislation
  1. n.
    1 a proposed law or laws: Congress is debating legislation on a new trade agreement.
    2 a law or laws already passed: New legislation has raised taxes on people's incomes and on businesses.
    3 the act of making laws: Legislation of a new trade agreement will take time.
legislative
legislative
  1. adj. related to making laws: Congress is the legislative branch of the US government.
legislator
legislator
  1. n. a person elected to propose and vote on new laws: In the US Congress, the legislators are Senators and Representatives.
legislature
legislature
  1. n. a governmental body with the power to make laws for a nation or state: The legislature meets to pass laws affecting the nation.
    THESAURUS
    legislature a congress, governing body | parliament.
legit
legit
  1. adj.slang short for legitimate
legitimate
legitimate
  1. adj.
    1 legal, lawful: He has a legitimate claim to part of the profits.
    2 honest, genuine: She runs a legitimate business.
    3 reasonable, justified: She has a legitimate concern about her daughter's health.
    4 born to parents legally married to each other -n. legitimacy.
legitimize
legitimize
  1. v. [T] -mized, -mizing, -mizes to make legitimate: By getting married, the couple legitimized their young child. -v. [T] legitimate.
legroom
legroom
  1. n. space to stretch out one's legs when sitting in an airplane, car, etc.: There is lots of legroom in a big car.
legume
legume
  1. n. a plant such as beans, peas, and related seed foods: Legumes are healthy foods.
legwork
legwork
  1. n. work requiring looking for and collecting information, such as by a reporter or detective: Lawyers hire detectives to do legwork in investigating crimes.
leisure
leisure
  1. n.adj.
    1 relaxation free from work: They enjoy their leisure or leisure time at the seashore.
    2 at s.o.'s leisure: in an unhurried way: There's no need to rush that report, so you can write it at your leisure.
    THESAURUS
    leisure n.
    1 spare time, free time, time off (from work).
leisurely
leisurely
  1. adj. without hurry: She enjoyed a leisurely bath.
lemon
lemon
  1. n. a sour yellow citrus fruit: Lemons are squeezed for juice to make lemonade. -adj. lemony.
lemon law
lemon law
  1. n. a law that protects people from having to suffer with a badly made product (a lemon) by requiring the manufacturer to fix or replace it: Because of the state's strong lemon laws, the company quickly replaced my computer when it broke down soon after I bought it.
lemonade
lemonade
  1. n. a drink made of lemon juice, water, and sugar: We like lemonade on hot days.
lemur
lemur
  1. n. an animal with a monkey-like body and long bushy tail, found only in Madagascar: Lemurs leap through the trees in search of food.
lend
lend
  1. v. [T] lent , lending, lends
    1 to permit the use of for a period of time: Banks lend money to people.
    2 to lend a hand: to help: When they moved to another apartment, their friends came to lend a hand.
    3 to lend an ear: to listen: She lends an ear to her friends' troubles.
    THESAURUS
    lend
    1 to loan (money), let s.o. use s.t. temporarily. Ant. to borrow.
lending library
lending library
  1. n. a library that loans books, esp. a public library: The USA has public lending libraries nationwide.
length
length
  1. n.
    1 the measurement of s.t. from end to end: The length of the highway is 100 miles (160 km). See: width, depth.
    2 the duration of s.t.: The length of the trip was four hours.
    3 arm's length: on strict legal or financial terms, not personal terms: I now keep my neighbor at arm's length, because he has been rude to me many times in the past.
    4 at length: in great detail, over a long time: The speaker talked at length about his political views.
    5 to go to any length or great lengths: to do anything necessary: She's so afraid of him that she'll go to any length to avoid him.
    THESAURUS
    length
    1 span, distance end to end, extent
    2 extent (time).
lengthen
lengthen
  1. v. [I;T] to become or make longer (in space or time): In summer, the number of daylight hours lengthens.
lengthwise
lengthwise
  1. adv. in the direction of the length of s.t.: We measured the table lengthwise at six feet and across at three.
lengthy
lengthy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest long in distance, time, or coverage: The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.
    THESAURUS
    lengthy very long, of great length, prolonged. Ant. short.
leniency
leniency
  1. n.
    1 tolerance of misbehavior: The judge treated the young man with leniency.
    2 mildness of punishment: The leniency of the sentence the judge gave him surprised many people.
lenient
lenient
  1. adj. mild in responding to bad behavior: That mother is too lenient with her noisy children.
lens
lens
  1. n. lenses a circular or rectangular device made of glass, plastic, etc., with curved surfaces designed so that it forms images: Cameras and eyeglasses have lenses.
lentil
lentil
  1. n. a legume plant whose seeds are cooked and eaten: Lentil soup is very thick and nourishing.
leopard
leopard
  1. n.
    1 a large member of the cat family, often tan with black spots 2 a leopard can't change its spots: a person can't change his character: That criminal is in jail again, which proves that a leopard can't change his spots.
leotard
leotard
  1. n. a tight, stretchy piece of clothing for the upper body, worn esp. by dancers: She exercises in a white leotard.
leper
leper
  1. n. a person who has leprosy: In the past, lepers were isolated from other people.
leprechaun
leprechaun
  1. n. in stories about Ireland, a little elf-like man: It is said that leprechauns have hidden pots of gold.
leprosy
leprosy
  1. n. a disease that destroys skin and nerves: Leprosy is usually found in tropical countries. -adj. leprous.
lesbian
lesbian
  1. n.adj. a female homosexual: Lesbians are physically and romantically attracted to other women. -n. [U] lesbianism. See: gay, USAGE NOTE.
lesion
lesion
  1. n. a diseased or injured area of tissue: Her skin lesions showed where she hit the ground when she fell.
less
less
  1. adj.adv. not so much (in amount): She makes less money at her new job but also has to work less.
    THESAURUS
    less adj. not as much, smaller (size, amount). Ant. more.
lessen
lessen
  1. v. [I;T] to make less, reduce,
    THESAURUS
    to diminish: The medicine lessened the patient's pain.
lesser
lesser
  1. adj.comp. of less
    1 not as much: We ordered a lesser amount of goods this month.
    2 the lesser of two evils: the one that is not so harmful, bad, etc. as the other choice: We could lay off employees, but cutting everyone's hours seems the lesser of two evils.
lesson
lesson
  1. n.
    1 s.t. to be learned: Pupils learn lessons in reading, writing, and arithmetic.
    2 a class or period of instruction: Her piano lesson is at 4:00.
    3 to learn a lesson or to teach s.o. a lesson: to learn or teach s.o. correct behavior from a bad experience: He was nearly hit by a car and learned a lesson about being careful when crossing the street.
lessor
lessor
  1. n.frml. the person or business that leases property to a lessee: The lessor offered a five-year lease on the office.
lest
lest
  1. conj.frml. for fear that: Hold on to the railing lest you fall.
let
let
  1. v. let, letting, lets
    1 [T] to allow, permit: I let my dog run free in the yard.
    2 [T] to rent, lease: The landlord lets apartments to tenants.
    3 let alone: even less: I can't afford a nice apartment, let alone a house!
    4 to let go: a. to set free, release: Because they had no evidence, the police had to let the suspect go. b. infrml. to release emotions, act freely: She let go and danced wildly to the music.
    5 to let go of: to release one's hold on: A monkey let go of a branch and dropped to the ground.
    6 slang to let it all hang out: to act without reserve, show all that is on one's mind: My friend was deeply troubled, and she finally let it all hang out.
    7 slang to let it rip: to allow s.t. (forceful, dangerous, loud, etc.) to happen: We wanted loud music to dance to, so I told the band leader to let it rip.
    8 infrml. to let off steam: to release one's frustrations: She had a hard day at the office and let off steam at home by talking about it.
    9 phrasal v. [I] to let on: to tell that one knows s.t. secret: She learned about the surprise party planned for her but didn't let on that she knew.
    10 to let oneself go: to stop taking care of one's appearance: Since he lost his job, he has stopped shaving and has generally let himself go.
    11 phrasal v. [T] to let out: a. to allow to go out: I let the cat out at night. b. to allow (a sound) to come out, express: I let out a yell when I hurt my finger. c. (in sewing) to make larger: The waist in these pants needs to be let out. See: take, 32b.
    12 to let s.o. in on: a. to allow s.o. to participate: We let a friend in on a good business deal. b. to tell s.o. a secret: I let others in on the fact that the factory is closing down soon.
    13 to let s.o. know: to tell or inform s.o.: Please let me know if you'll be late.
    14 to let s.o. off: to release with little or no punishment: The judge let the young man off with a short prison sentence.
    15 to let s.o. or s.t. down: a. to disappoint, fail to meet the expectations of: When they lost, the players felt they had let their coach down. b. (in sewing) to make longer: These pants need to be let down an inch. See: take, 56a.
    16 to let s.o. or s.t. go by: a. to allow to pass: I stepped aside and let others go by me. b. to pay no attention to,
    THESAURUS
    to ignore: I just let his stupid insult go by.
    17 to let s.o. or s.t. in: to allow to enter: She opened a window to let some fresh air in.
    18 phrasal v. infrml. [I] to let up: to become less intense or forceful: The rain is letting up now. —n. (in tennis or volleyball) a serve that touches the net and is invalid
let's
let's
  1. contr. of let us (used to make a suggestion or proposal): Let's go out for lunch!
letdown
letdown
  1. n. a disappointment, discouragement: She was not offered the job after two good interviews, and that was a big letdown.
lethal
lethal
  1. adj. able to kill, (syns.) deadly, fatal: Nuclear weapons are lethal to whole populations.
lethargic
lethargic
  1. adj.
    1 sleepy, tired, (syns.) drowsy, listless: Some medicines make people lethargic.
    2 slow, with little energy,
    THESAURUS
    sluggish: That organization acts in a lethargic manner.
lethargy
lethargy
  1. n.
    1 sleepiness,
    THESAURUS
    drowsiness: The patient's lethargy after surgery is normal.
    2 lack of energy,
    THESAURUS
    sluggishness: That fellow's lethargy is in fact laziness.
letter
letter
  1. n.
    1 a symbol of an alphabet: The letter M follows the letter L.
    2 a written message, usu. sent by mail: She sent a letter to her mother.
    3 a formal document ensuring certain conditions: The king gave the ambassador a letter of safe passage for his trip home.
    4 pl. distinction in learning: The professor is a man of letters.
    5 the letter of the law: the exact written requirements of s.t. (as opposed to its intent or purpose): The judge decided the case according to the letter of the law.
    6 to follow to the letter: to obey precisely, with attention to detail: He told me to follow the instructions to the letter. —v.
    1 [T] to draw or write letters on
    2 [I] to earn an athletic award: He lettered in three sports in high school.
    THESAURUS
    letter n.
    1 a character, written symbol
    2 a note | missive, epistle frml.
letter carrier
letter carrier
  1. n. See: mail carrier.
letter of credit
letter of credit
  1. n. a bank document guaranteeing to a supplier that its bill will be paid (up to a certain amount for a specified period): Our company bought a letter of credit to guarantee payment for supplies from China.
letterhead
letterhead
  1. n. sheets of writing paper with a person's or business's name, address, and telephone number printed at the top: I write letters to customers on the company letterhead.
lettering
lettering
  1. n.
    1 the writing of letters and numbers: Children learn to do lettering in school.
    2 letters as a group: The lettering on the office door gave the doctor's name and specialization.
lettuce
lettuce
  1. n. any of a variety of leafy salad plants: I like a salad made with romaine lettuce.
letup
letup
  1. n. a slowdown, lessening of intensity: It has been raining steadily all day with no letup.
leukemia
leukemia
  1. n. cancer of the white blood cells, often leading to death: The unfortunate child died of leukemia.
levee
levee
  1. n. a raised area beside a river designed to prevent flooding: A levee burst on the Mississippi River, and much farmland was flooded.
level
level
  1. adj.
    1 horizontal, flat: We can't put the picnic table here because the ground isn't level.
    2 at the same height, even: The building is level with its neighbor.
    3 to do or try one's level best: to try hard (to do s.t. well): I'll try my level best to do a good job. —n.
    1 height, vertical distance: The land around here is mainly at sea level.
    2 a position on a scale or in relation to others: a low level of production, a government official at a very high level
    3 a worker's tool used to test if s.t. is horizontal: Bricklayers use a level to see if their work is level.
    4 to be on the level: to be honest and sincere: He is not on the level when he says that he'll be able to pay because he owes everyone money. —v. [T]
    1 to pull down to the ground, flatten, raze: Bulldozers leveled houses to make way for a new building.
    2 to direct an accusation or criticism: He has leveled charges of dishonesty against the other candidate.
    3 infrml. to level with s.o.: to tell s.o. what the real situation is, frankly and completely: He finally leveled with me that he has no money and is desperate.
    THESAURUS
    level adj.
    1 even | smooth. Ant. uneven.
    2 on a line with, aligned.
levelheaded
levelheaded
  1. adj. sensible and calm,
    THESAURUS
    prudent: She is a levelheaded girl and won't do anything foolish.
lever
lever
  1. n.
    1 a bar positioned on a fixed point (the fulcrum) and pressed to move s.t.: A worker used a crowbar as a lever to lift a rock.
    2 fig. a means to apply pressure or influence: A politician used his vote as a lever to get what he wanted from the party's leaders. —v. [T] to use a lever: The worker levered the rock out of the ground.
leverage
leverage
  1. n.
    1 use, action, or power of a lever: A longer lever will give us more leverage.
    2 fig. power to accomplish s.t.: Unions have the leverage of a strike in negotiations with management. —v. [T] -aged, -aging, -ages
    1 to use s.t. to force a change or movement: Union leaders were able to leverage a wage increase in the new contract.
    2 fig. to buy securities or property by using borrowed money to purchase them: He leveraged his investment in stock by borrowing lots of money to buy it.
levitate
levitate
  1. v. [I] -tated, -tating, -tates to (cause to) rise in the air: A magician levitated a chair on the stage by waving his hands. -n. [U] levitation.
levity
levity
  1. n.frml. lack of seriousness, (syns.) frivolity, merrymaking: Levity at the party grew louder and louder.
levy
levy
  1. v. [T] -ied, -ying, -ies to require to pay (taxes, customs duties, etc.),
    THESAURUS
    to assess: The government levied a new tax on the people. —n. -ies a tax or other assessment: The new customs levies on travelers go into effect now.
lewd
lewd
  1. adj. related to sex in an offensive way,
    THESAURUS
    obscene: Pornographic magazines are full of lewd pictures. -n. [U] lewdness.
lexicographer
lexicographer
  1. n. a person who compiles dictionaries: Lexicographers define the meanings of words. -n. [U] lexicography.
lexicon
lexicon
  1. n.
    1 a dictionary: He has an old lexicon of Latin words and their English equivalents.
    2 a group of words of a particular field: "Liberal" and "Conservative" are words with different interpretations in the lexicon of politics. -adj. lexical.
liability
liability
  1. n.
    1 a legal obligation, such as to pay debts and damages: Insurance companies had huge liabilities to pay because of the hurricane damage.
    2 disadvantage, drawback: The store has excellent products, but its bad location is a big liability. See: asset.
liable
liable
  1. adj.
    1 legally obligated, responsible: Rental contracts state that tenants are liable for damages that they cause to the property.
    2 likely (to do or experience): If you drive in a bad storm, you are liable to have an accident.
liaison
liaison
  1. n.
    1 a coordination, an exchange between individuals, businesses, or governments, esp. of information: The liaison between the two governments is carried out personally by the Prime Minister and the President.
    2 a love affair: The two enjoyed their liaison while it lasted. -v. [I] liaise.
liar
liar
  1. n. a person who doesn't tell the truth: He's such a liar that you can't believe a word he says.
lib
lib
  1. n. short for liberation.
libel
libel
  1. n. (in law) a published statement or picture that unfairly damages a person's good name or reputation: The newspaper story about the movie star was false, and she sued for libel. —v. [T] to print libel about,
    THESAURUS
    to defame: The tabloid newspaper libeled a movie star. -adj. libelous.
liberal arts
liberal arts
  1. n.pl. (in education) study of the humanities, social and natural sciences, and mathematics: She studied liberal arts at college before beginning her professional training.
liberalism
liberalism
  1. n. a set of beliefs favoring change in politics, religion, etc.: His liberalism led him to join a community action group.
liberalize
liberalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make more liberal and less strict, such as to extend government programs to benefit more people: The tax laws have been liberalized to make it easier to save money for retirement.
liberate
liberate
  1. v. [T]
    1 to free from oppression: The American Civil War liberated many people from slavery.
    2 slang (said ironically) to steal,
    THESAURUS
    to make off with: Thieves liberated goods from stores during a riot.
liberation
liberation
  1. n. an act of freedom from oppression: The peace agreement called for the liberation of all prisoners of war.
libertarian
libertarian
  1. n.adj. a person who believes in freedom of thought and responsibility for one's own path in life: The Libertarians are a small political party.
libertine
libertine
  1. n. a person of unrestrained desires: He was a libertine, always chasing after women. -n. [U] libertinism.
liberty
liberty
  1. n. -ties
    1 freedom, right: Peoples of many countries enjoy liberties guaranteed by their constitutions.
    2 freedom from prison, control, etc.: Prisoners gain their liberty after serving their sentences.
    3 at liberty: a. free to act, speak, etc.: He is not at liberty to reveal secret information. b. free from duty: The sailors were at liberty in the port.
    4 to take liberties (with): a. frml. to behave in a way that offends by being too friendly: He made a serious mistake by taking liberties with the boss's daughter. b. to make changes too freely: That English translation was criticized for taking liberties with the original French novel.
    THESAURUS
    liberty
    1 a freedom, privilege
    2 independence, autonomy frml.
libido
libido
  1. n. -dos sexual desire, sex drive: He has a very strong libido. -adj. libidinous.
librarian
librarian
  1. n. a person who directs or works in a library, esp. s.o. with a degree in library science: The head librarian approves all book purchases.
library
library
  1. n.
    1 a collection of books and other reference materials: The couple has a library of novels and reference books in their house.
    2 a building that houses books and other reference materials: Public libraries are found all over the USA.
library science
library science
  1. n. the academic discipline concerned with the management and development of libraries: Library science requires several years of academic training.
libretto
libretto
  1. n. -tos or -ti the words of a musical piece that is sung, esp. an opera: He has written both the music and the libretto for an opera. -n. librettist.
lice
lice
  1. n.pl. of louse. blood-sucking insects: The child had lice in his hair.
license
license
  1. n.
    1 a permit given by an official body, usu. to s.o. who passes an examination: She has a driver's license (hairdresser's license, license as a registered nurse, etc.).
    2 fig. liberty to break accepted norms, such as the license to break rules of grammar when writing poetry: He used poetic license in describing the dictator as the greatest hero since Julius Caesar. —v. [T] to give a permit to or for, authorize: This restaurant is licensed to sell alcohol. -n. [U] licensure.
licensee
licensee
  1. n. a person or business that has received a license: All barber shops in the city are licensees of the City Board of Health. See: franchisee.
lichen
lichen
  1. n. a small plant formed of fungus and algae: Lichen can live even under snow and provide food for animals in winter.
lick
lick
  1. v. [T]
    1 to rub the tongue over: Children like to lick ice cream cones.
    2 infrml.fig. to beat decisively: The hockey team licked their opponents 5 to 0.
    3 infrml. to lick one's chops or lips: to look ahead with delight: He is just licking his chops to go out with that pretty girl.
    4 to lick one's wounds: to recover from a defeat (like an animal that has been hurt in a fight): He lost the election and is licking his wounds at home.
    THESAURUS
    lick v.
    1 to stroke with the tongue | lap (up)
    2 to defeat | trounce infrml., clobber slang. —n.
    1 a stroke of the tongue: I gave the stamp a lick and stuck it on the envelope.
    2 infrml.fig. a punch, blow: The boxers gave each other some hard licks.
    3 infrml.fig. to get one's licks in: to take the chance to fight for one's cause: The politician gave an impassioned speech to get his licks in against the tax legislation.
    4 to give s.t. a lick and a promise: to do a job quickly and carelessly: He did a poor job of repairing the stove; he just gave it a lick and a promise, then left.
lickety-split
lickety-split
  1. adv.infrml. very fast, quickly: The children ran lickety-split to the ice cream truck.
licking
licking
  1. n.infrml.fig. a beating in a fight: Someone should give that big bully a good licking.
licorice
licorice
  1. n. a substance used in medicine and in a red or black candy: Children love to suck and chew on licorice.
lid
lid
  1. n.
    1 a covering of a container, a top: I took the lid off the coffee can and scooped some coffee out.
    2 short for eyelid, the skin over the eye: The baby closed her lids and went to sleep.
    3 infrml. to blow the lid off: to suddenly expose (s.t. that was secret): The story in the newspaper blew the lid off the company's plan to buy the land.
    4 infrml. to keep the lid on: to prevent (rioting, trouble, scandal, etc.): The police patrolled the city to keep the lid on any rioting or looting.
lie detector
lie detector
  1. n. a device that registers changes in blood pressure and breathing in response to questions to determine if s.o. is telling the truth: The accused murderer passed two lie detector tests, indicating that she was not the killer.
lien
lien
  1. n. a creditor's legal claim on property that may be seized if the principal and interest are not paid: A mortgage on a house is a lien owned by the bank that loaned the buyer the money to purchase the house.
lieu
lieu
  1. n. place, usu. in place of: In lieu of cash, the buyer offered to trade another property for the new house.
lieutenant
lieutenant
  1. n.
    1 (in the USA) an officer of the lowest military rank
    2 (in many civil positions) a rank below: He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana.
life-and-death
life-and-death
  1. adj. with living or dying as the result: He has cancer and is in a life-and-death struggle to survive.
life-size
life-size
  1. n. equal in size to a living thing: The artist painted a life-size portrait of my mother.
life-support system
life-support system
  1. n.
    1 any combination of oxygen, food, or light systems, used to enable (plant or animal) life to continue: Astronauts depend on life-support systems in space.
    2 any of a number of devices used to sustain life for the sick, such as heart-lung, kidney dialysis, or oxygen machines: Doctors removed the life-support system from the dying patient.
life-threatening
life-threatening
  1. adj. capable of killing s.o.: Wars are life-threatening situations.
life
life
  1. n. lives
    1 the state of being of a functioning plant or animal: When the doctor arrived, the life had already gone out of the old man.
    2 living things: Is there life on other planets?
    3 one's existence from birth to death: He lived a long and productive life.
    4 a dog's life: a boring, hard existence: He leads a dog's life, with a demanding job and no friends.
    5 for dear life: as if one's life depended on it: When the alligator charged at us, we ran for dear life.
    6 for the life of me: (an expression of extreme disbelief): For the life of me, I can't understand why he quit his job!
    7 life of the party: a person who is the center of activity in a group, providing laughter, jokes, stories, etc.: George was really the life of the party last night when he danced on the piano.
    8 life (in prison) or a life sentence: the punishment of spending the rest of one's life in prison: The judge gave him a life sentence for the killings.
    9 not on your life: (an expression of strong disapproval): My young daughter asked if she could go out in a bad storm, and I said, "Not on your life!"
    10 to bring to life: a. to bring back to consciousness,
    THESAURUS
    to resuscitate: The old man fell unconscious, and a paramedic brought him to life. b. to create, make possible: The product lay untouched for years until a new engineer brought it to life with a new design.
    11 to come to life: to awaken, spring into being: He was quiet at first, then came to life with a joke and laughter.
    12 to risk life and limb: to put one's life in danger: He risked life and limb to save the drowning child.
    13 exclam. What a life!: (an expression of sorrow or happiness): What a life; I love it here in the Caribbean!
life buoy
life buoy
  1. n. flotation equipment used to hold s.o. up in water: A sailor threw a life buoy to the man who fell off the ship.
life expectancy
life expectancy
  1. n. the average age to which people can expect to live: In the USA, the life expectancy of women is longer than that for men.
life history
life history
  1. n. a person's story from birth to the present: I asked him where he was from, but he gave me his entire life history!
life insurance
life insurance
  1. n. a contract paying money after the death of its owner: His life insurance provided for his family after he died.
life jacket
life jacket
  1. n. a piece of equipment worn around the upper body to keep a person afloat in water
life preserver
life preserver
  1. n. equipment, esp. a doughnut-shaped ring, used to keep a person above water: He held onto a life preserver until he could be pulled into the boat.
life raft
life raft
  1. n. an air-filled lifeboat: When the ship hit the rocks, the crew took to life rafts for safety.
life vest
life vest
  1. n. See: life jacket.
lifeblood
lifeblood
  1. n.fig. s.t. basic to sustain and give strength to a business, economy, culture, etc.: A constant flow of successful new products is the lifeblood of most businesses.
lifeboat
lifeboat
  1. n. a small boat used in emergencies: The ship started to sink, so the passengers climbed into the lifeboats to save themselves.
lifeguard
lifeguard
  1. n. a person whose job is to save swimmers from drowning: Lifeguards patrol the beaches and rescue swimmers in trouble.
lifeless
lifeless
  1. adj. dead: Lifeless bodies from the airplane crash lay on the ground.
lifelike
lifelike
  1. adj. so real as to seem alive: The painter's portraits are so lifelike that they seem like photographs.
lifeline
lifeline
  1. n.
    1 a rope used to save people and animals in danger of death: A sailor threw a lifeline to passengers washed off the ship in the storm.
    2 fig. any form of lifegiving help: International food supplies provide a lifeline for starving refugees.
lifelong
lifelong
  1. adj. lasting through one's lifetime: Jane and June have been lifelong friends.
lifer
lifer
  1. n. a prisoner sentenced to life in prison: That murderer is a lifer and will never be released.
lifesaver
lifesaver
  1. n.
    1 anything that preserves life: A supply of food from the Red Cross was a lifesaver for the starving population.
    2 Lifesaver™ a small, ring-shaped candy -adj. lifesaving.
lifetime
lifetime
  1. n. the duration of a person's life: During his lifetime, he experienced two world wars and the Great Depression.
lift-off
lift-off
  1. n. the launching of a space vehicle from Earth: The space probe is scheduled for lift-off at 7:03 A.M.
lift
lift
  1. v.
    1 [T] to raise to a higher level: He lifted his little girl up to his shoulders.
    2 [T] to remove, end: The government lifted some restrictions on imported goods.
    3 [I] to go up and disappear: The fog lifted in the morning sun.
    4 infrml.fig. [T] to steal: Someone lifted my coat from the rack.
    5 to not lift a finger: not to make any effort at all: He did not lift a finger to help his hurt neighbor. —n.
    1 an act of raising to a higher level: A worker gave the box a lift onto a shelf.
    2 fig. a raising of spirits: The good news gave us all a lift.
    3 infrml. a free ride in a vehicle: My friend gave me a lift to the store in his car.
    4 Brit. an elevator
ligament
ligament
  1. n. a strong, flexible band holding bones or other body parts in place: The football player hurt the ligaments of his right knee.
ligation
ligation
  1. n. the surgical tying of a vein, artery, etc.: The doctor made ligations to repair the artery. -v. [T] ligate; -n. ligature.
light-headed
light-headed
  1. adj. feeling faint or dizzy: The hot weather sometimes makes him feel light-headed.
light-year
light-year
  1. n.
    1 the distance that light travels in a year, or approx. 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion km): Astronomers measure the distance to stars in light-years.
    2 fig. (indicating superiority) a great distance: That company's product is light-years ahead of the competition in quality.
light
light
  1. n.
    1 radiation, as from the sun or electric lights, that allows vision: I need more light to take a picture with this camera.
    2 sunshine, daylight: He walked out of the house and into the light.
    3 s.t. that produces light, such as lightbulbs or lamps: When it is dark, we turn on the lights.
    4 s.t. that can start a fire, such as a match: She took out a cigarette and asked her friend for a light.
    5 a traffic signal: Turn right at the next light.
    6 fig. a way of understanding: He now looks back on his life and sees it in a new light.
    7 in light of: considering, in relationship to: We need to rethink our plan in light of this new information.
    8 not to see the light of day: not to appear or happen: That project is so slow and costly that it will never see the light of day.
    9 to bring or come to light: to make or become known, bring or come to public attention: New information about the presidential candidate's past has come to light.
    10 to make light of: to treat as if unimportant: He made light of his illness, but we knew it was serious.
    11 infrml. to see the light: to realize that action needs to be taken, usu. in a situation where it was already obvious to others: His stomach hurt for weeks before he finally saw the light and visited a doctor.
    12 to throw or shed (some) light on: to make clear, explain: She saw the accident happen, so maybe she can throw some light on what caused it. —v. lighted or lit , lighting, lights
    1 [T] to set on fire: We light a fire in the fireplace on cold winter nights.
    2 [T] to give light to: At night, we light the sides of the house to keep burglars away.
    3 [I] to land gently: The bird lighted on a tree branch.
    4 phrasal v. infrml. [T] to light into: to attack with words or blows: He'll light into anyone who criticizes his work.
    5 phrasal v. slang [I] to light out: to leave quickly: When the police arrived, the thief lit out down the street, but they lit out right after him.
    6 phrasal v. [I;T] to light up: a. to brighten, as with happiness: Her eyes lit up at the good news. b. phrasal v. infrml. to ignite a cigarette: He waited to light up until after everyone had finished eating.
    THESAURUS
    light v.
    1 to set s.t. burning | ignite, kindle
    2 to light up, illuminate frml.
    3 to descend on | alight frml. —adj.
    1 lightweight, nearly weightless. Ant. heavy.
    2 light-toned, light-hued
    3 moderate, gentle. Ant. hard.
    4 graceful, light-footed. —adj. -er, -est
    1 having little weight, not heavy: An empty suitcase is light.
    2 pale in color, not dark: She wore a light blue dress.
    3 not forceful, intense, or serious: a light rain, a light sleep, light reading
    4 gentle, delicate: Ballet dancers move with light steps. —adv. to travel light: to take few possessions when traveling: She usually travels light.
light bulb
light bulb
  1. n.
    1 the round glass part of an electric light: The light bulb in the lamp is burned out.
    2 infrml. to have a light bulb go on: a sudden understanding: A light bulb went on when she found the solution to the math problem.
light housekeeping
light housekeeping
  1. n. the less difficult work in a house, such as washing dishes, vacuuming, and dusting furniture: She does the light housekeeping herself and has her children do the rest.
lighten
lighten
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to reduce the weight of: He lightened the horse's load by using a smaller saddle.
    2 [I;T] to become or make a lighter color or less dark: The painter lightened the color by adding some white.
    3 [T] to reduce the intensity of s.t., esp. worry: The arrival of springtime lightens people's spirits.
lighter
lighter
  1. adj. comp of light: not as heavy in weight or dark in color as s.t. else —n. a device for igniting cigarettes, etc.: She carries a cigarette lighter in her purse.
lighthearted
lighthearted
  1. adj. cheerful, carefree: He is a lighthearted boy, always joking.
lighthouse
lighthouse
  1. n. a tall building housing a light to guide ships
lighting
lighting
  1. n.
    1 the system for producing light in a room or the quality of that light: The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.
    2 starting of a fire: The lighting of a wood fire begins with small pieces of wood.
    THESAURUS
    lighting
    1 illumination
    2 igniting, ignition.
lightly
lightly
  1. adv.
    1 with gentleness: She touched the cat's fur lightly.
    2 to take s.t. lightly: to treat with a lack of seriousness or concern: He took his illness lightly.
lightness
lightness
  1. n.
    1 a small degree of weight or color: The lightness of furnishings in the room made it cheerful.
    2 lack of seriousness,
    THESAURUS
    frivolity: The lightness of the conversation pleased everyone.
lightning
lightning
  1. n.
    1 an electrical discharge in the sky or between sky and earth, esp. during a thunderstorm: Lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder clapped.
    2 lightning never strikes twice in the same place: very unusual accidents never happen a second time to the same person: You have had a bad accident, but remember that lightning never strikes twice in the same place.
    3 like or as fast as lightning: extremely fast: Those jet planes flew over the battlefield like lightning.
lightning rod
lightning rod
  1. n. a device for directing lightning harmlessly into the ground: Houses and barns in rural areas have lightning rods on their roofs.
lights-out
lights-out
  1. n. a time when lights are turned off: Eleven o'clock is lights-out in that prison.
lightweight
lightweight
  1. n.
    1 a boxer between a featherweight and a welterweight (127 to 135 pounds): He boxed in the Olympics as a lightweight.
    2 a person of little ability, influence, or intelligence: The other editors at his newspaper consider him a lightweight.
likable
likable
  1. adj. (of a person) easy to like, pleasant: He's a likable boy, always friendly.
    THESAURUS
    likable appealing, nice, amiable frml.
like-minded
like-minded
  1. adj. (of people) sharing the same values: Some like-minded people got together and formed a political discussion group.
like
like
  1. v. [T] liked, liking, likes
    1 to enjoy, find pleasant: He likes to watch television.
    2 to be fond of: The boy and girl like each other very much.
    3 would like: want, desire: I would like coffee, please. —adj.
    1 similar to: The girl is like her mother.
    2 suffix -like seeming to be, typical of: homelike, childlike —n.pl. likes and dislikes: personal preferences: We all have our likes and dislikes.
like terms
like terms
  1. n. in math, terms that can be algebraically summed because they contain the same variables with the same exponents: The sum of like terms 4x2y + 3x2y is 7x2y.
likelihood
likelihood
  1. n. probability (of s.t. happening): In all likelihood, it will rain today.
likely
likely
  1. adj. -lier, -liest probable, to be expected: Accidents are likely to happen.
liken
liken
  1. v. [T] to think of as being similar to, compare: She admired her father so much that she likened him to a saint.
likeness
likeness
  1. n.
    1 sameness or similarity,
    THESAURUS
    resemblance: The daughter has a likeness to her mother.
    2 image, as in painting: That painting of your uncle is a good likeness of him.
likewise
likewise
  1. adv.
    1 in addition, also: My friend ordered a lemonade, and I did likewise.
    2 in the same way or manner: I told my friend to enjoy her vacation, and she said, "Likewise, I hope you enjoy yours, too."
liking
liking
  1. n. [C;U] fondness, taste: She has a liking for French perfume.
    THESAURUS
    liking a preference for s.t. | penchant, predilection for s.t. frml. | affection for s.o.
lilac
lilac
  1. n. [C] a bush or shrub, noted for its white or purple flowers and pleasant smell: Lilacs are popular in the USA as a yard flower.
lilt
lilt
  1. n.v. [I;T] a pleasing rhythmic style in singing or speech: Her musical style has a pleasing lilt. -adj. lilting.
lily
lily
  1. n. lies any of over 2,000 flowering plants that usu. have trumpet-shaped flowers
lily pad
lily pad
  1. n. leaf of a water lily: A tiny frog sat on a lily pad.
limb
limb
  1. n.
    1 frml. an arm, leg, or wing of an animal: Diabetes limits blood circulation in the limbs.
    2 a tree branch: A broken limb fell on the road.
    3 out on a limb: alone in a risky position (in a discussion, argument, etc.): I don't dare go out on a limb to predict a winner in this election.
    4 frml.suffix -limbed having limbs, such as legs: He's a long-limbed basketball player. See: life, 12.
    THESAURUS
    limb
    1 an extremity frml., member frml.
    2 a bough | twig.
limber
limber
  1. adj. (of a person) able to move easily, (syns.) supple, flexible: She is limber from regular exercise. —phrasal v. sep. [T] to limber up s.t.: to loosen, make flexible: She limbers up her muscles by stretching before she runs.||She limbers them up.
lime
lime
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a small green citrus fruit: He drinks soda with a dash of lime (juice).
    2 [U] calcium oxide in a whitish earthy form, often mixed in cements: Bricklayers put lime in mortar to cement bricks.
limelight
limelight
  1. n. [U]
    1 the strong light directed onto a performer on stage: The stage was dark except for a singer in the limelight.
    2 fig. the center of attention: He is a well-known athlete and enjoys being in the limelight.
limerick
limerick
  1. n. a short, humorous poem of five lines: He writes and recites limericks for fun.
limestone
limestone
  1. n. [U] a type of rock composed of calcium carbonate: Limestone is often used in building construction.
limit
limit
  1. n.
    1 the greatest amount or extent allowed: The speed limit is 55 MPH in many states.
    2 the farthest point of, border: The limits of the property are marked by a fence.
    3 off limits: where s.o. is not permitted to go: The children understand that the river is off limits when there's no adult with them.
    4 the limit: s.o. or s.t. shocking or unacceptable: That's the limit! That child is so badly behaved he'll have to stay home!
    5 (to go) to the limit: (to go) to the greatest extent, esp. of one's ability: He ran to the limit of his strength and then dropped, exhausted. —v. [T] to keep within limits, restrict: The committee limited spending for the project to $1 million. -adj. limiting.
    THESAURUS
    limit n.
    1 a limitation (in amount, in extent), maximum, ceiling
    2 an end, edge, boundary.
limitation
limitation
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a restriction in amount or extent: The limitation on spending for new equipment is now set.
    2 [C] restrictions in one's ability: That employee has limitations on what work he can do.
limited
limited
  1. adj. restricted in extent or amount: He is old and has limited use of his legs.
limited edition
limited edition
  1. n. a manufacturing run of a fixed, small number to increase the value of each copy: The artist did a limited edition of his prints and signed each of them.
limo
limo
  1. n.short for limousine
limousine
limousine
  1. n. a large, expensive car, usu. with a driver: The movie star arrived at the theater in a chauffeured limousine.
limp
limp
  1. adj. -er, -est lacking firmness or stiffness: The flowers are limp from lack of water. —n. an uneven walk as from an injury to the leg or foot: After the truck ran over his foot, he walked with a limp. —v. [I]
    1 to walk with a limp,
    THESAURUS
    to hobble: He limped after his skiing accident.
    2 phrasal v. to limp along: to progress slowly and weakly: The project is in bad shape and just limps along from day to day.
limpid
limpid
  1. adj.frml. clear,
    THESAURUS
    lucid: The author wrote in a limpid style.
linchpin
linchpin
  1. n.
    1 a strong pin used to hold a wagon or carriage wheel in place: The linchpin came loose, and the wheel fell off.
    2 fig. s.t. very important that holds other things together, such as a key person or part of a plan: She is the linchpin of her organization.
line
line
  1. n.
    1 a narrow, continuous mark, such as on a piece of paper: My notebook has thin blue lines printed on each page.
    2 a stripe: Two yellow lines painted on a highway means that drivers should not pass cars ahead of them.
    3 a row of people or things: A line of people waited outside the passport office.
    4 a limit or border: A sign at the state line said, "Welcome to Florida."
    5 a rope or cord: We hang clothes on the line to dry them in the sun.
    6 a wire: Transmission lines carry electricity.
    7 an electronic connection, such as a telephone line: Mr. Jones is on the line and wants to talk with you.
    8 a wrinkle in the skin: She has lines in her forehead.
    9 a manufacturer's product: The store carries several different lines of shoes from Italy.
    10 a connected series of ideas: a line of thought, a line of questioning
    11 a series of members of a family: The king's line ended when he died with no son or daughter to take his place.
    12 a direction, course: The line for the parade was down Fifth Avenue.
    13 a written sentence or phrase for an actor to speak: Actors sometimes forget their lines.
    14 a company running a system of ships, planes, or buses: She works for Delta Air Lines.
    15 infrml. a factory assembly line: He works on the line at General Motors.
    16 between the lines: in an indirect way, not written or said openly: The memo from his boss didn't say he was fired, but reading between the lines he knew his job was not secure.
    17 in line for: likely to get,
    THESAURUS
    destined for: She is an excellent employee and is in line for a promotion.
    18 in the line of duty: while performing one's work, esp. as a police officer or firefighter: A firefighter was injured in the line of duty.
    19 on line: See: online.
    20 infrml. on the line: in a dangerous position, at risk: Her plan had better succeed, or her job will be on the line.
    21 out of line: (of words or actions) unexpected and unacceptable,
    THESAURUS
    improper: His rude remark was out of line, and he should apologize.
    22 to bring into line: to change s.t. so as to make it agree,
    THESAURUS
    to align: The company lowered its costs and brought them into line with the budget.
    23 to draw the line: See: draw, 22.
    24 infrml. to drop s.o. a line: to write s.o. a short letter
    25 infrml. to feed, give, or hand s.o. a line: to speak to s.o. in a way that is meant to trick or mislead: He loves to feed girls a line about how much money he has, when in fact he has very little.
    26 infrml. to get a line on: to find information about: A reporter got a line on the politician's plans from a secret source within the government.
    27 to get in line: a. to join with others in a line: I got in line and waited to buy my ticket for the movie. b. fig. to act in the desired or approved way,
    THESAURUS
    to conform: After the teacher punished the student, he got in line and behaved well.
    28 to hold the line: a. to wait for s.o. on the telephone: The bank clerk asked the customer to hold the line while he checked the account. b. fig. to make strong efforts (against s.t.): The company is trying to hold the line on costs and not let them rise. —v. lined, lining, lines
    1 [T] to mark lines on: I lined the page so that my young son could practice forming his letters.
    2 [T] to form a border: Tall trees line the street.
    3 [T] to put an inner layer on: Her fur coat is lined with silk.
    4 infrml. to line one's pockets: to make money by cheating: The politician lined his pockets by taking bribes.
    5 phrasal v. sep. [T] to line s.t. up: a. to place s.t. in line with s.t. else: A worker lined up rows of chairs for the audience.||He lined them up. b. fig. to organize and make ready,
    THESAURUS
    to arrange: Employment agencies line up job interviews for their clients.
    6 phrasal v. [I] to line up: to form a line: People lined up to buy tickets to the concert.
line of credit
line of credit
  1. n. a fixed amount of money that can be borrowed by a business: Our business has a line of credit at the local bank to pay for new shipments of goods.
lineage
lineage
  1. n.frml. members of a family through history,
    THESAURUS
    ancestry: She is a New Yorker who traces her lineage back to England.
linear
linear
  1. adj.
    1 of (or) in a line (or) lines: a linear measurement of one meter
    2 direct, connected: There is a linear relationship between the company's losses and its poor-quality products. -n. [U] linearity.
linen
linen
  1. n.adj.
    1 cloth woven of flax: She wore a summer dress made of linen.
    2 fabric product such as bedsheets and tablecloths: You can buy towels in the linen department of this store.
    3 infrml. to wash one's dirty linen in public: to tell one's personal and embarrassing problems in public: The two movie stars washed their dirty linen in public when they talked to reporters about their divorce.
liner
liner
  1. n.
    1 a ship or airplane: An ocean liner can carry hundreds of people.
    2 an inner layer in clothing: In winter, he puts the liner into his coat for warmth.
lineup
lineup
  1. n.
    1 (in baseball) a list of players in the order in which they will come to bat: The starting lineup includes the team's best players.
    2 fig. any listing of people, events, products, etc.: The fall lineup of television programs (new fashions, social events, etc.) looks interesting.
    3 a group of people, including criminal suspects, presented by police to witnesses who try to identify the criminal(s) in the group: The man who was robbed picked out the thief from the police lineup.
linger
linger
  1. v. [I]
    1 to remain, as if not wanting to go: Some guests lingered after the others had left.
    2 to stay, persist: Her perfume lingered even after she had gone.
    3 to continue living but in a weak condition: He was badly hurt in the crash but lingered a day before dying. -adj. lingering.
lingerie
lingerie
  1. n. [U] women's bras, slips, panties, and stockings: She buys her lingerie at an expensive store.
    THESAURUS
    lingerie women's underwear.
lingo
lingo
  1. n.infrml. -goes or -gos language difficult for outsiders to understand: The computer experts spoke to each other in a lingo I couldn't decipher.
linguist
linguist
  1. n. a person who knows several languages and their structure: She is a linguist on the faculty at Harvard University -adj. linguistic.
linguistics
linguistics
  1. n. [U] used with a sing. v.: the study of the nature and structure of languages: I studied linguistics in college.
liniment
liniment
  1. n. [C;U] a liquid or cream pain reliever spread on the skin: After exercise, he spreads liniment on his legs to ease the pain.
lining
lining
  1. n.
    1 an internal layer, such as in a jacket or coat: She has a wool lining in her winter coat.
    2 every cloud has a silver lining: an expression that means that a source of hope or a benefit can be found in a bad situation: My car got a new paint job because of the accident; every cloud has a silver lining.
link
link
  1. n.
    1 one connection in a series, such as a ring in a chain: Links in a chain can break.
    2 part of a communication or transport system: The company has telephone links to its branch offices.
    3 a relationship: That crime has a link to other crimes committed by the same person.
    4 pl. links a golf course
    5 missing link: a. (in human history) a species linking apes to human beings: Anthropologists continue to look for the missing link. b. a missing part or idea needed to complete a function: An experienced marketing manager is the missing link in our company.
    6 infrml. weak link: a connection likely to break and thus endanger a whole process: Our accounting system is slow; it's a weak link in our business. —v. [T]
    1 to connect: Workers linked the railroad cars together.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to link s.t. up: to form a business venture: We linked up our business with a distributor in Hong Kong.
linkage
linkage
  1. n.
    1 [U] the act or process of connecting: Steel provides strong linkage in a chain.
    2 [C] a connection between two points: The rail linkages between Boston and New York are used by passenger traffic.
    3 fig. [U] (in diplomacy) agreement on shared interests between nations: The USA and China achieved linkage on mutual trade.
linkup
linkup
  1. n. a connection,
    THESAURUS
    a hookup: Technicians achieved a communications linkup between the ground and the satellite.
linoleum
linoleum
  1. n. [U] a smooth, strong floor covering: We have linoleum on our kitchen floor.
lint
lint
  1. n. [U] very small bits of cloth, fluff: She tried to brush the lint from her jacket.
lion
lion
  1. n.
    1 a large member of the cat family, found mainly in Africa
    2 infrml. the lion's share: the most of s.t.: The owner takes the lion's share of profits from the company.
lionhearted
lionhearted
  1. adj.fig. courageous, fearless like a lion: For his bravery, King Richard of England was called "the Lionhearted."
lionize
lionize
  1. v.frml. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to honor, raise s.o. to the stature of a great person: The prime minister was lionized in newspapers for his success with the economy.
lip-read
lip-read
  1. v. [I;T] -read , -reading, -reads to watch the words formed on s.o.'s lips so as to understand without hearing them, as hearing-impaired people often do: He lip-reads what others say.
lip-synch
lip-synch
  1. v. [I;T] to move the lips along with recorded music as if singing the words: He did a funny imitation of the singer while lip-synching one of her songs.
lip
lip
  1. n.
    1 one of two fleshy borders of the human mouth: She put red lipstick on her lips.
    2 the top edge of s.t.: There is gold trim around the lip of the teacup.
    3 suffix -lipped: having lips as described: She was white-lipped with fear.
    4 infrml. to give s.o. lip: to speak to s.o. without respect,
    THESAURUS
    to sass: The supervisor criticized the worker, who then gave the supervisor a lot of lip.
    5 to keep a stiff upper lip: to hold in one's feelings during a difficult time: Through all his bad luck, he kept a stiff upper lip.
    6 to smack one's lips: a. to press together and open one's lips noisily: He smacked his lips when he saw the delicious food. b. fig. to express delight: He smacked his lips over the big profit he would make.
    THESAURUS
    lip
    2 a rim (of a container, opening), projecting edge, brim | spout.
lip service
lip service
  1. n. infrml. [U] to pay lip service to s.t.: to agree with s.t. in words but not in actions: He pays lip service to his need for exercise but does nothing about it.
lipstick
lipstick
  1. n. [C;U] a cosmetic coloring for the lips: She wears pink lipstick.
liquefy or liquify
liquefy or liquify
  1. v. [I] -fied, -fying, -fies to change into liquid form: Ice liquefies as it melts.
liqueur
liqueur
  1. n. a sweet alcoholic drink with a flavoring such as fruit: They like to sit together after dinner and drink a liqueur.
liquid
liquid
  1. n. [C;U] the fluid state of matter that is neither a gas nor a solid: Water is a liquid that covers most of the earth. —adj.
    1 free-flowing, fluid: When it is frozen, water is no longer liquid.
    2 (in finance, said of assets) readily available and usable as cash: That company has no liquid assets.
    THESAURUS
    liquid n. a fluid | a drink, beverage.
liquor
liquor
  1. n. a strong alcoholic drink: Vodka, whiskey, and scotch are types of liquor.
    THESAURUS
    liquor an alcoholic beverage, alcohol, spirits | booze slang.
lisp
lisp
  1. n. a speech abnormality in which the sound // is pronounced as /s/: Because of her lisp, the word "sing" sounds like "thing." —v. [I] to speak with a lisp: She lisped as a child but doesn't now.
list
list
  1. n.
    1 a series of items written in a column: I made a list of things to buy at the store.
    2 a tilt to one side: The ship has a list to one side because the cargo is not balanced. —v.
    1 [T] to make a list of: I listed the terms to be included in the contract.
    2 [I] to lean to one side, tilt: The ship listed during the storm.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [T] to list for s.t.: to have a regular price of: That item lists for $20 but is now on sale at $14. See: list price.
list price
list price
  1. n. the regular retail price of an item: No one likes to pay the list price for an item; everyone wants a discount.
listen
listen
  1. v. [I]
    1 to hear, sense with the ears: I like to listen to birds sing in the trees.
    2 to pay attention to and act in accord with: I listened to the advice of my friend.
    3 phrasal v. insep. to listen in (on s.t.): a. to listen to,
    THESAURUS
    to eavesdrop: She listens in on the private conversations of others. b. to listen, such as to a radio program: Thousands listen in each morning to their favorite radio program.
    4 phrasal v. slang to listen up: to pay attention: Listen up, children! See: hear.

    USAGE NOTE: We hear (passively) because we have ears, and we listen (actively) when we focus our attention on s.t.: I was listening to the radio, so I didn't hear you come in.
listener
listener
  1. n.
    1 a member of an audience, such as for a radio program: Classical music stations have a limited number of listeners.
    2 a good listener: a sympathetic, supportive person: Her friends love her; she is a good listener to their problems.
listing
listing
  1. n.
    1 a list of items: I made a listing of the new clothes that I need.
    2 an advertisement: We looked through the newspaper listings of apartments for rent.
listless
listless
  1. adj. lacking energy or interest: The summer heat makes people feel listless. -n. [U] listlessness.
litany
litany
  1. n.
    1 [U] a form of prayer spoken by a priest or minister and answered by the churchgoers: The familiar litany of the church service comforted her.
    2 [C] a long speech listing complaints: He was forced to listen to a litany of the old man's aches and pains.
lite
lite
  1. adj.slang a nonstandard spelling of light used mainly in advertising low-calorie products: lite beer, lite yogurt
liter
liter
  1. n. or Brit. litre
    1 a liquid measure equal to 33.824 ounces or 1.057 quarts: He bought a liter of milk for the children.
    2 a metric measure of capacity equal to the volume of one kilogram of water at four degrees Celsius under normal pressure: That motor has a five-liter capacity.
literacy
literacy
  1. n. [U] the ability to read and write: The literacy rate in that country is low.
literal
literal
  1. adj.
    1 keeping to the exact meaning of a word or words: We translate the French "S'il vous plaît" as "Please," but a literal translation would be "If it pleases you."
    2 (of word meanings) basic, usual: The literal meaning of "dawn" is "sunrise," but it is used figuratively to mean "a beginning."
    3 concerned with facts and lacking in imagination: literal-minded
literally
literally
  1. adv. according to the exact words: I know he told you to get lost, but he didn't mean it literally; he just wanted you not to bother him.

    USAGE NOTE: Literally is sometimes used to give force to words when the meaning is not literal, as in "Her eyes literally popped out of her head at the sight of all that money."
literary
literary
  1. adj. related to literature and writing: Literary magazines have few readers compared to news magazines.
literate
literate
  1. adj.
    1 able to read and write: The percentage of literate adults in that country is approximately 60 percent.
    2 well-educated: She is a very literate woman.
    THESAURUS
    literate
    1 educated, schooled
    2 well-read, learned, well-informed. Ant. illiterate.
literati
literati
  1. n.pl. the writers, critics, and learned people of a city, nation, or era: The class studied the literati of nineteenth-century London.
literature
literature
  1. n. [U]
    1 written works, such as novels, poems, and plays, and commentary about them: She is a professor of French literature.
    2 written information about a specific field: The current literature on medicine is highly technical.
lithe
lithe
  1. adj. lither, lithest able to move and bend easily, (syns.) flexible, supple: Dancers are lithe.
lithography
lithography
  1. n. [U] a printing process using a smooth surface treated so image areas can absorb ink and surrounding areas cannot: Lithography is a popular type of printing. -n. [C] lithograph.
litigant
litigant
  1. n. (in law) a person involved in a legal action as a defendant or plaintiff: Litigants met in court before the judge.
litigate
litigate
  1. v. [I;T] -gated, -gating, -gates (in law) to argue (a case) in court: We litigated the dispute in Superior Court.
litigation
litigation
  1. n.
    1 [C] a lawsuit: We began a litigation against that firm.
    2 [U] the process of litigating: The litigation came to an end after many years. -adj. litigious.
litmus test
litmus test
  1. n.
    1 a chemical test for acidity: The paper used in the litmus test turned red, showing a high level of acid in the soil.
    2 fig. a test for truth, genuineness, or sincerity: Belief in the role of government in solving social problems is a political litmus test.
litre
litre
  1. Brit. See: liter.
litter
litter
  1. n.
    1 [U] pieces of trash on the ground: Empty bottles, newspapers, and other litter lay on the sidewalks.
    2 [C] a group of animals born together: Our dog had a litter of puppies.
    3 [C] a frame covered with strong cloth for carrying s.o.: Soldiers carried the injured man on a litter. —v. [I;T] to drop trash on the ground: People who litter may have to pay a fine.
litterbag
litterbag
  1. n. a small bag used to collect trash: We keep a litterbag in our car.
litterbug
litterbug
  1. n.infrml. a person who litters: Litterbugs leave cans and cigarette butts on the beach.
little
little
  1. adj.
    1 small in size: Little children played in the school yard.
    2 small in amount: He gets little pay for the work he does.
    3 short in time: a little while
    4 young or younger: their little boy, her little brother
    5 unimportant: She leaves the little decisions to her assistants.
    6 the little guy or man: an ordinary citizen, esp. a low-level employee or single investor as opposed to s.o. with power or influence See: few. —adv. less , least
    1 not much: He cared little about his job.
    2 not at all: Little did I know what trouble lay ahead.
    3 to some degree: I was a little upset.
    4 little by little: in small amounts or by small steps, gradually: They have added rooms onto their house little by little.
    5 to make little of: to treat as unimportant: He is very modest and makes little of the prizes he has won.
    6 to think little of: a. to consider unimportant: She thinks little of driving two hours to work each day. b. to consider as not deserving respect: The boss thought little of my idea and refused to discuss it. —pron.
    1 a small amount: She has little to do.
    2 a short distance or time: I moved my chair a little to the left.
little toe
little toe
  1. n. the outer toe on the foot: She has a blister on her little toe from walking.
liturgy
liturgy
  1. n. the prayers, songs, etc. of a church service: The minister plans the liturgy for each Sunday's service. -adj. liturgical.
livability
livability
  1. n. the degree of comfort and convenience of a place: That small city is known for its livability.
livable
livable
  1. adj.
    1 comfortable and convenient: With hard work, they made the old house livable.
    2 acceptable, bearable: He's depressed and feels his life is not livable.
live-in
live-in
  1. adj. (of domestic employees) living in the house where one works: The couple has a live-in maid who cleans and cooks.
live
live
  1. v. lived, living, lives
    1 [I] to have life, be or stay alive: He is badly hurt, but the doctors say he'll live.
    2 [I] to have one's home located (in a place): She lives in Boston.
    3 [I;T] to lead one's life in a certain way: He's a racecar driver who likes to take risks and live dangerously.
    4 to live and learn: to learn from one's mistakes: After losing money on his first venture into the stock market, he sighed and said, "Live and learn!"
    5 to live and let live: to have tolerance for others: She criticized the lifestyle of the new neighbors, but her sister advised her to live and let live.
    6 phrasal v. [I] to live in: (of a servant) to live in the house where one works: They have a woman who lives in and takes care of the children.
    7 infrml. to live it up: to enjoy oneself, esp. in spending freely: We decided to really live it up on vacation and stay in an expensive hotel.
    8 phrasal v. insep. [T] to live off s.o. or s.t.: to get money for one's support: He lives off his friends (his savings, etc.).
    9 infrml. to live off the fat of the land: to live in comfort without effort: After winning the lottery, they retired to live off the fat of the land.
    10 phrasal v. insep. to live on s.t.: a. [T] to have as one's only means of support,
    THESAURUS
    to subsist on: The refugees lived on little food. b. fig. [I] to continue to live: After her death, she lived on in our hearts.
    11 to live or die by s.t.: to believe in s.t. very strongly: He is so religious that he lives or dies by what his minister says.
    12 phrasal v. sep. [T] to live s.t. down: to have a bad action from one's past be forgiven or forgotten: He has never been able to live down wrecking his father's car.||He can't live it down.
    13 phrasal v. insep. [T] to live up to s.t.: a. to satisfy, not disappoint: She was an excellent student and lived up to her parents' expectations for her. b. to fulfill, carry out (responsibilities, obligations, etc.): He lived up to his promises and paid the money he owed. —adj.
    1 living, alive: The cook dropped the live lobsters into boiling water.
    2 capable of exploding: live ammunition
    3 (of a performance) viewed or heard by an audience as it happens, not prerecorded: We watched a live broadcast of the opera on TV.
    4 infrml.fig. a live one: a. a fool easily tricked: The card cheat knew he had a live one when the young stranger started losing heavily. b. s.o. who is excited and enthusiastic: She is a live one who can dance all night.
    5 a live wire: a. a dangerous wire carrying electricity: That's a live wire, so don't touch it. b. infrml.fig. s.o. full of energy: He's a live wire and a super salesman.
livelihood
livelihood
  1. n. way of earning money to live: He makes his livelihood as a carpenter.
lively
lively
  1. adj. quick and full of energy, spirited: She is a lively young girl, always laughing and doing things.
liven
liven
  1. phrasal v. sep. [I;T] to liven s.t. up: to make spirited, joyful: She livened up the party by putting on fast music.||She livened it up. See: enliven.
liver
liver
  1. n.
    1 the organ in the body that helps in digestion and cleaning the blood: The liver is a vital organ.
    2 this organ from certain animals as a food: calf's liver, chicken livers
liverwurst
liverwurst
  1. n. ground liver in roll form: Liverwurst is used in sandwiches.
livery
livery
  1. n. -ies [C;U]
    1 uniforms, esp. those of servants: The English lord's footmen wore colorful livery.
    2 a place where horses are cared for: Our friend keeps his riding horse at a livery stable. -adj. liveried.
livestock
livestock
  1. n. [U] farm animals, such as cattle, sheep, and chickens: In winter, the farmer keeps his livestock in the barn.
livid
livid
  1. adj.
    1 extremely angry, furious: He was livid when he was refused entry to the building.
    2 pale, esp. from anger: He turned livid when the guard stopped him.
    3 bluish gray: There was a livid bruise on her face where he had hit her.
living
living
  1. n.
    1 sing. way of making money to live on: He earns his living as a cook.
    2 [U] the getting of things necessary for life, such as food and housing: the high cost of living, a rising standard of living —adj. alive: Who is the world's greatest living artist?
    THESAURUS
    living n.
    1 a livelihood, source of income | job, career.
living room
living room
  1. n. the room in a home where people sit, often to talk, read, or entertain: He sits in the living room and watches TV.
living will
living will
  1. n. a written request not to be kept alive by any medical life-support system when one is dying: Before her illness became serious, she wrote a living will.
lizard
lizard
  1. n. a type of four-legged reptile: Lizards include the chameleon, which changes colors, and the 10-foot Komodo dragon of Southeast Asia.
llama
llama
  1. n. a South American animal, like a small camel without a hump, used to carry loads: Llamas can work at high altitudes in the Andes.
load
load
  1. n.
    1 an amount to be carried, lifted, etc.: Trucks can carry heavy loads of materials.
    2 an amount of work, responsibility, etc.: That department has a heavy load of paperwork.
    3 (of explosives) the amount to be exploded at one time: A sailor got a load of powder for the cannon.
    4 the amount of electricity from a power source
    5 slang to get a load of: to look at (s.o. or s.t.) with admiration or disgust: As the photographer developed the film for the news story, she said to the editor,"Get a load of this!"
    6 infrml.fig. loads of: a lot of, plenty: Don't hurry; we have loads of time.
    THESAURUS
    load n.
    1 (a) cargo, freight
    2 a burden (worries, troubles), weight
    3 a charge. —v.
    1 [I;T] to put a load into or on: Workers loaded the truck with sand.
    2 [T] to put ammunition into a weapon or film into a camera: Soldiers loaded their guns.
    3 [T] to put into position, install: A programmer loads software onto a computer.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to load (s.o. or s.t.) up: a. to fill (with cargo): The driver loaded up his van and left.||He loaded it up with his tools. b. to give too much work,
    THESAURUS
    to overload: The boss loaded her up with extra work.
    5 phrasal v. insep. [T] to load up on s.t.: to get a large supply of: The store manager was afraid of shortages, so he loaded up on extra inventory. -adj. loading.
loaded
loaded
  1. adj.
    1 filled with s.t. to carry: The heavily loaded truck carried sand.
    2 (of a weapon) filled with ammunition: The gun is loaded and ready to fire.
    3 infrml.fig. very rich: She is loaded (with money).
    4 slang drunk: He got loaded on beer.
    5 a loaded question: a question that is unfairly worded to trick s.o.: He saw that it was a loaded question and refused to answer it.
    6 loaded dice: dice that are weighted to give the owner an unfair advantage
loading dock
loading dock
  1. n. a platform onto which cargo is unloaded and moved into or out of a warehouse: Trucks pull up and unload their freight onto the loading dock.
loadstone
loadstone
  1. n. See: lodestone.
loaf
loaf
  1. n. loaves a standard portion of baked bread: We buy loaves of bread at the bakery. —v. [I]
    1 to spend time in a carefree way, (syns.) to idle, dawdle: During vacation we loafed at the beach a lot.
    2 to waste time instead of working: He loafs on the job by talking all day.
loafer
loafer
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a person who avoids work: She is a loafer who works as little as she can.
    2 TM for a type of shoe with no laces: Loafers are comfortable footwear.
loam
loam
  1. n. [C;U] a type of soil rich in oxygen and nutrients for growing crops: The loam in some farmlands is deep and fertile.
loan
loan
  1. n.
    1 [C] a sum of money borrowed at a rate of interest: I applied at the bank for a mortgage loan at 7% interest.
    2 [C;U] the act of lending s.t.: I thanked him for the loan of his car. —v. [T] to lend: I loaned my car to a friend for the weekend.
    THESAURUS
    loan n.
    1 an advance (of money) | credit.
loan shark
loan shark
  1. n. a person or business that lends money at extremely high interest rates, esp. money provided by organized crime: Loan sharks operate outside the law. -n. [U] loan sharking.
loaner
loaner
  1. n. a car or other piece of equipment given to s.o. to use while his or hers is being repaired: My auto dealership gives me a loaner when it keeps my car overnight for repair.
loath
loath
  1. adj.frml. loath to: unwilling to,
    THESAURUS
    reluctant to: He is loath to lend anyone money.
loathe
loathe
  1. v. [T] to hate, detest: Those two people loathe each other.
loathing
loathing
  1. n. [U] hatred, detestation: The loathing between the two people is clear.
loathsome
loathsome
  1. adj. extremely unpleasant, (syns.) abhorrent, repugnant: His behavior is so loathsome that people can't stand him.
lob
lob
  1. v. [T] lobbed, lobbing, lobs n. to hit or throw (a ball) high and gently: The father lobbed the ball to the child.
lobby
lobby
  1. n. -bies
    1 an entrance area to a building, such as where people are greeted and wait to be seen, etc.: We sat in the lobby until we were led to an office by a secretary.
    2 a person or group working to influence people (esp. politicians) whose decisions affect their special interests: Our union's lobby is very active in Washington, DC. —v. [I;T] -bied, -bying, -bies to try to influence s.o. in power (esp. politicians) to support one's interests and needs: All major industries lobby for favor in the nation's capital. -n. lobbyist.
    THESAURUS
    lobby n.
    1 an entrance hall, foyer, waiting room.
lobe
lobe
  1. n. a rounded part, as of the human ear: She had the lobes of her ears (or) her earlobes pierced for earrings.
lobotomy
lobotomy
  1. n. -mies an operation now not often performed that cuts away parts of the brain to relieve mental disorders: He had a lobotomy in 1947 to stop his psychotic behavior.
lobster
lobster
  1. n. [C;U] any of a variety of ocean shellfish with large claws and an extended abdomen: New England lobsters are delicious.
local
local
  1. adj.
    1 located nearby, as in a neighborhood, town, or area: We have plenty of local stores to choose from.
    2 affecting or limited to a certain area: a local anesthetic —n.
    1 a train or bus that makes all stops: That train is a local.
    2 infrml. s.o. who lives in a certain area: The tourists asked one of the locals for directions to the best beach.
    THESAURUS
    local adj.
    1 neighborhood, neighboring | regional.
local color
local color
  1. n.fig. buildings, people, and customs that make an area special: The narrow streets, old buildings, and people with strong accents are part of the local color in Boston.
locale
locale
  1. n. a place, location for s.t. that happens: The movie director chose a new locale to shoot the final scenes of the film.
locality
locality
  1. n. -ties a location, area: The rich people live in a locality north of town.
localize
localize
  1. v. -ized, -izing, -izes
    1 [T] to limit to a local area: Police localized the riot to a small area of the city.
    2 [I;T] (in medicine) to limit to an area or part of the body: The infection was localized around the knee joint.
locate
locate
  1. v. -cated, -cating, -cates
    1 [T] to find the location of: The student located Moscow, Paris, and London on a map.
    2 [I;T] to place, establish: The company located its new office building in a suburb.
location
location
  1. n.
    1 the place where s.t. is located: The location of the capital is in the center of the state.
    2 a piece of property: We moved our offices to a new location in the city.
    3 on location: (of a film) in a city, town, outdoors, etc., instead of in a film studio: The movie was filmed on location in Canada.
    THESAURUS
    location 1 and 2 a site, position (in space), whereabouts | spot, locale, locality.
lock
lock
  1. n.
    1 a mechanism for securing a door, suitcase, etc. so that only a key or a code will open it: The lock on our front door opens with an ordinary key.
    2 an area in a waterway where the water level can be raised and lowered so that ships can pass through it: They opened the gates to the next lock in the canal.
    3 a curling group of hairs: The child had curly blond locks.
    4 lock, stock, and barrel: everything included, completely: Thieves broke in and stole everything, lock, stock, and barrel.
    5 to have a lock on s.t.: to have control or a guarantee of s.t.: That candidate has a lock on his party's nomination for President.
    6 under lock and key: a. safely put away: She keeps important papers under lock and key. —v.
    1 [T] to secure with a lock: I locked my apartment door before leaving for work.
    2 locked itself into: unable to change one's situation or an agreement, etc.: Our business locked itself into a contract to buy the merchandise even though the market price has fallen.
    3 phrasal v. sep. [T] to lock s.o. or s.t. away: a. to put s.o. in jail: The judge locked away the murderer for life.||He locked him away. b. to store s.t. safely: She locked away her jewels in a safe.||She locked them away.
    4 phrasal v. sep. [T] to lock s.o. or s.t. in: to put s.o. or s.t. into an enclosure, a room, etc. and lock it: She locks in the animals at night.||She locks them in.
    5 phrasal v. sep. [T] to lock s.o. out: a. to keep s.o. from entering a place: She locked out her brother because she was mad at him.||She locked him out. b. to keep employees from entering their place of work so as to force them to accept an agreement: Management responded to a protest about low wages by locking out the workers.||Management locked them out.
    6 phrasal v. sep. [T] to lock (s.o. or s.t.) up: a. to close and lock a house, office, store, etc.: I was the last to leave the warehouse, so I locked up. b. to put s.o. in jail: The judge ordered the thief locked up.||She locked him up. c. to gain complete control over s.t., such as a business deal, the market for a product, etc.: That company has the market for supercomputers locked up.||The company has locked it up.
locker
locker
  1. n.
    1 a storage compartment, such as one in a row of metal cabinets used for keeping work clothes, athletic equipment, etc.: Each student at the high school has a locker.
    2 any of a great variety of storage containers, such as food lockers or military uniform lockers: The crew of the fishing boat stored the fish in food lockers.
locker room
locker room
  1. n. a room with lockers for athletes: The team changes clothes in a locker room.
locket
locket
  1. n. small case, usu. containing a picture or message from a loved one, worn on a necklace: She wears a gold locket from her boyfriend.
lockout
lockout
  1. n. a management action of locking protesting employees out of a business to force a settlement: After the wage protest, management began a lockout of labor.
locksmith
locksmith
  1. n. s.o. who installs and repairs locks: When the lock on our front door broke, we called a locksmith to fix it.
lockstep
lockstep
  1. n. sing. in lockstep: fig. in accord with rules so rigid that people must follow them closely and in exact order: The school curriculum requires the students to follow lessons in lockstep without any changes.
lockup
lockup
  1. n.infrml. a jail: The sheriff put the suspect in the lockup for the night.
loco
loco
  1. adj.slang crazy: He's loco to think he can walk on water.
locomotive
locomotive
  1. n.adj. a large railroad vehicle with an engine: Several locomotives can pull a string of freight cars a mile long. -n. [U] locomotion.
locus
locus
  1. n. -ci a point on a line, in space, etc.: Two lines cross at a locus on the chart.
locust
locust
  1. n. an insect of the grasshopper family noted for flying in large groups and destroying crops: Historical records describe terrible plagues of locusts.
locution
locution
  1. n.frml. [U] a person's style of speaking: She has excellent locution.
lode
lode
  1. n.
    1 a deposit of gold, silver, etc. in harder surrounding rock: Geologists discovered a lode of lead.
    2 the mother lode: a source of great natural riches: The adventurers were in search of the mother lode of gold to make them rich.
lodestar
lodestar
  1. n. a star used as a guide to navigation, esp. the North Star: The North Star served as the lodestar for sailing for centuries.
lodestone
lodestone
  1. n.
    1 magnetite, which points to magnetic north as a guide to navigation: Sailors used a lodestone as a compass to help find their way at sea.
    2 fig. s.t. that attracts, s.t. magnetic: The chance to find gold was the lodestone that drew people to California in the 1800s.
lodge
lodge
  1. n.
    1 a cabin or other small country house: On vacation, we stayed at a ski lodge in the woods.
    2 a hotel, motel, etc.: Yosemite National Park has some wonderful old lodges.
    3 a local group of certain organizations or the building used for the group's meetings: The Odd Fellows Lodge is a big, old building. —v. lodged, lodging, lodges
    1 frml. [I;T] to stay for a short while: The travelers lodged in an inn for the night.
    2 [I;T] to enter and stop: Bullets lodged in the walls.
    3 [T] to present formally or officially: A dissatisfied customer lodged a complaint about a faulty product.
    4 frml. [I;T] to place in the control of,
    THESAURUS
    to confer upon: Power was lodged with the new head of state.
lodger
lodger
  1. n. a paying guest, esp. of a rooming house: The professor and his wife have three students as lodgers in their house.
lodging
lodging
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a temporary place to stay for pay (as in a hotel or motel): We found lodging for the night in a small motel.
    2 n.pl.frml. one's place of living (room, apartment): His lodgings are in a quiet section of town.
loft
loft
  1. n.
    1 an open work area or part of one in a factory: Many lofts in New York have been changed to artists' apartments.
    2 a platform above a main floor, such as a sleeping loft in an apartment: A narrow staircase leads to a loft with a bed.
    3 a space under the roof of a barn: The farmer keeps hay for his cows in the loft. —v. [I;T] to send or be sent into the air: The golf ball lofted into the air.
lofty
lofty
  1. adj.
    1 high in elevation: The eagle's nest is on a lofty perch on the mountain.
    2 fig. high in relation to others,
    THESAURUS
    elevated: She has lofty ambitions to be rich and famous. -n. [U] loftiness.
log
log
  1. n.
    1 a tree trunk or large branch that has either fallen or been cut: The man cut trees into logs with a chain saw.
    2 a journal or other record of information: He keeps a computerized log of all shipments that enter and leave the warehouse.
    3 infrml. a bump on a log: a stupid, lazy person: He just sat in class like a bump on a log and never passed the course. —v. logged, logging, logs
    1 [I;T] to cut trees into logs: He works as a lumberjack, logging trees for a big paper company.
    2 [T] to enter into a written record: The sergeant logs (in) the name of each soldier as he arrives at camp.
    3 [T] to earn credit for time spent working, distance traveled, etc.: During her training, the pilot logged 100 hours on planes of this type.
    4 phrasal v. insep. [I] to log on to s.t.: to enter into a computer system, usu. with a password: I logged on to an information service by using my modem.
    THESAURUS
    log n.
    1 timber, lumber
    2 a register, official record (flight, voyage). —v.
    1 to timber
    2 to register, record
    3 to spend, record.
logarithm
logarithm
  1. n. the power to which a base number must be raised to produce a given number: Logarithms are shown in long numerical tables. -adj. logarithmic.
loge
loge
  1. n. a section of the balcony in a theater or stadium: We sat in the left loge and had a good view of the baseball field.
loggerhead
loggerhead
  1. n.fig. at loggerheads: arguing, in disagreement: The two partners are always at loggerheads with each other and may split up.
logging
logging
  1. n. [U] the work or industry of cutting trees: Logging can be a dangerous job.
logic
logic
  1. n. [U]
    1 a system of reasoning: She uses logic—not emotion—in all her decisions.
    2 the study of principles of inference and reasoning: A course in mathematical logic can be quite difficult.
    THESAURUS
    logic
    1 reason, good judgment, common sense
    2 inductive reasoning.
logical
logical
  1. adj.
    1 using a system of reasoning: She has a very logical mind.
    2 showing good sense: It is logical that people protect themselves when they feel threatened.
logistics
logistics
  1. n.pl. sometimes used with a sing. verb the organization and distribution of goods, services, and personnel, esp. in large amounts: The logistics of moving an army into combat are very complex. -adj. logistical.
logjam
logjam
  1. n.
    1 a mass of logs that does not move in a stream: A logjam formed from logging operations near the river.
    2 fig. a blockage, such as from an overload of work: Complicated new tax laws caused a logjam in the accounting department.
logo
logo
  1. -gos n. a design symbol of a business, an institution, or a product: IBM's logo, with its silver streaks, is recognized the world over.
logotype
logotype
  1. n. See: logo.
logrolling
logrolling
  1. n. [U]
    1 transport of logs by water: Lumbermen use logrolling down a river to move logs to a port.
    2 a sport between two opponents, each one trying to roll the other off a log placed in water
loin
loin
  1. n.adj. (in animals) the section from the lower back to the upper leg: The butcher cut a section of the loin for the restaurant to serve as loin chops.
loincloth
loincloth
  1. n. a cloth wrapped around the groin and hips: In hot climates, some men wear loincloths.
loiter
loiter
  1. v. [I] to stand or sit doing nothing, esp. in a public place,
    THESAURUS
    to idle: Homeless men loitered in the park. -n. loiterer.
loll
loll
  1. v. [I]
    1 to hang loosely, esp. the tongue: The dog's tongue lolled out of its mouth during the hot weather.
    2 to lie or sit in a lazy manner: Vacationers lolled (about) on the beach.
lollipop
lollipop
  1. n. a ball or flat round piece of hard candy on a stick: Children enjoy lollipops.
lone
lone
  1. adj. only, (syns.) solitary, sole: He was the lone person to discover the secret.
lone wolf
lone wolf
  1. n.fig. a person who lives and acts alone: George is a lone wolf who keeps to himself.
loneliness
loneliness
  1. n. [U] a condition of being alone and feeling sad: Most people experience loneliness sometimes.
    THESAURUS
    loneliness solitude, isolation (from others), seclusion.
lonely
lonely
  1. adj. -lier, -liest
    1 alone and feeling sad: Without friends, he felt lonely in a new city.
    2 empty of people: The downtown area was a lonely place at night.
lonely hearts
lonely hearts
  1. n.pl. lonely people looking for love, esp. by advertising in the personal sections of newspapers: Many people read the column for lonely hearts in the local paper.
loner
loner
  1. n. a person who avoids the company of others and prefers to be and act mostly alone: John is a loner and keeps apart from his co-workers.
lonesome
lonesome
  1. adj. feeling sad and in need of a friend: She was alone on Saturday night and feeling lonesome.
    THESAURUS
    lonesome lonely, friendless.
long-distance
long-distance
  1. adj. between distant places: Long-distance moves from one part of the country to another are difficult.||I had to make many long-distance (telephone) calls when I was in college.
long-lived
long-lived
  1. adj. living a long time: His parents were long-lived; they died when they were well into their nineties.
long-range
long-range
  1. adj.
    1 covering a time period lasting far into the future: The company must make long-range plans.
    2 operating over long distances: long-range missiles
long-standing
long-standing
  1. adj. in effect for a long time,
    THESAURUS
    customary: The celebration of Thanks-giving is a long-standing tradition in North America.
long-suffering
long-suffering
  1. adj. patient in spite of suffering for a long time,
    THESAURUS
    oppressed: The long-suffering poor people were helped by the new government.
long-term
long-term
  1. adj. extending over a long period, lasting: He suffers from a long-term disability. —n. sing. in or over the long term: after several years: Over the long term, the economy will be healthy.
long-winded
long-winded
  1. adj. speaking for a long period of time: Politicians can make long-winded speeches.
long
long
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 having a certain length: The table is six feet long, or about two meters long.
    2 lasting a certain amount of time: Our conversation was only five minutes long.
    3 (in distance or time) having great length or duration: It is a long way from New York to Hong Kong.||The senator made a long speech on taxes.
    4 in the long run: over many months or years: The economy is weak now, but in the long run it will improve.
    5 to be long on: to have (too) much of: That young company is long on ideas but short of the money to put them into production. —adv.
    1 (for) a long time: Have you been waiting long?
    2 all day (morning, night, etc.) long: for or throughout a certain amount of time without stopping: Noise from the construction site continued all day long.
    3 as or so long as: if, provided that, on condition that: So long as it does not rain, we can have a picnic.
    4 exclam. Long live (the King, the Republic, etc.)!: May (the King, etc.) endure for a long time: The crowd outside the palace shouted, "Long live the Queen!"
    5 infrml. So long: Good-bye: So long for now! See you tomorrow! —n.
    1 (in clothes) a length and cut for a tall person: In suits, he wears a long.
    2 before long: soon, shortly: Clouds appeared, and before long it began to rain.
    3 the long and short of s.t.: the main point, the substance,
    THESAURUS
    the gist: We talked for an hour, but the long and short of it is that he won't lower the price. —v. [I] to want very much (s.o. or s.t. that is not available): He longed for his girlfriend, who lived far away.||She longs to take a vacation.
long ago
long ago
  1. adv. in the distant past: Long ago, people believed the earth was flat.
    THESAURUS
    long ago a long time ago, in ancient times.
long face
long face
  1. n.fig. an expression of sadness or disappointment: She had a long face after she failed the examination.
long haul
long haul
  1. n. over the long haul: during or after a long period of time: Real estate is a good investment over the long haul.
long johns
long johns
  1. n.pl. underwear covering the entire body from neck to wrists and ankles: People wear long johns during cold winters.
long shot
long shot
  1. n.infrml.fig.
    1 s.t. that has little chance of success, esp. a horse with a weak record of winning: At the racetrack, she bet on a long shot and lost.
    2 not by a long shot: not at all, not even close: He didn't pass the test, not by a long shot.
longer
longer
  1. adj.adv.
    1 comp. of long
    2 adv. no longer or not any longer: not now, not anymore: He no longer works there; he retired.||I won't wait any longer; I'm leaving.
longevity
longevity
  1. n. [U]
    1 the length of life: The marine biologist studied the longevity of sea turtles.
    2 a long lifetime: The people in that family live a long time; they are known for their longevity.
longhand
longhand
  1. n. [U] ordinary writing by hand: She writes letters in longhand to her friends.
longing
longing
  1. n. [C;U] a strong desire or emotional need,
    THESAURUS
    yearning: She has a longing to see her old friends.
longitude
longitude
  1. n. [C;U] the distance from an imaginary line called the Prime Meridian, which runs north and south through Greenwich, England and divides the earth's surface into east and west: Sailors can measure their location by determining their exact longitude and latitude. -adj. longitudinal.
longshoreman
longshoreman
  1. n. -men a dock worker responsible for moving cargo on and off ships: Longshoremen use machines to move heavy loads.
look-alike
look-alike
  1. n. a person who closely resembles another, a double: She is a look-alike for a famous movie star.
look
look
  1. v.
    1 [I] to use one's eyes to see: Look! There's a beautiful bird in that tree.
    2 [I] to inspect, examine: The accountant looked closely at the company's financial records.
    3 [I] to appear, seem to be: She looked tired after the race.
    4 [I] to face, have a view of: These windows look south.
    5 It looks like or It looks as if: it seems probable that: It looks like (it's going to) rain.
    6 exclam. Look or Look here: an expression used in anger to get s.o.'s attention: Look here, stop making so much noise!
    7 phrasal v. insep. [T] to look after s.o. or s.t.: to take care of s.o. or s.t.: She stayed home to look after the baby.
    8 phrasal v. [I] to look ahead: to think about and plan for the future: The company president asked the management team to look ahead.
    9 infrml. to look alive: to move or act quickly or energetically: We'll have to look alive if we want to catch that train!
    10 phrasal v. insep. [I;T] to look around (s.t.): a. to examine an area: Getting off the train, he looked around to see if his friends were there. b. infrml. at s.t.: to consider a number of choices, esp. before buying s.t.: We looked around at many houses before we found this one.
    11 phrasal v. insep. [T] to look at s.o. or s.t.: a. to examine or give one's close attention to s.o. or s.t.: She wanted the doctor to look at her son. b. to think about and form an opinion of s.o. or s.t., (syns.) to regard, view: His father said, "You'll look at things differently when you're older."
    12 phrasal v. [I] to look back: to think about or remember the past: She looked back at her childhood.
    13 phrasal v. insep. [T] to look down on s.o. or down one's nose at s.o.: to feel or show a lack of respect for s.o.: Some rich people look down on the poor as inferior.
    14 phrasal v. insep. [T] to look forward to s.t.: to be eager for s.t. enjoyable in the future: I'm looking forward to my vacation next month.
    15 to look high and low: to search everywhere: He looked high and low for his keys until he found them.
    16 phrasal v. insep. [T] to look in on s.o.: to visit s.o. as to check his or her condition: Nurses look in on patients regularly.
    17 phrasal v. insep. [T] to look into s.t.: to try to find the truth about s.t,,
    THESAURUS
    to investigate: The police looked into the crime and solved it.
    18 infrml. to look like death warmed over: to appear very sick or upset: He has a bad case of the flu and looks like death warmed over.
    19 infrml. to look like hell: to be badly disordered: I've had no sleep, and I look like hell!
    20 phrasal v. [I] to look on: to stand by and watch: A crowd looked on as two men fought.
    21 phrasal v. insep. [T] to look on or upon s.o. or s.t.: to think of or consider s.o. or s.t., (syns.) to view, regard: His new job pays poorly, but he looks on it as a learning experience.
    22 phrasal v. insep. [I] to look out (for s.o. or s.t.): a. to be careful: Look out! You'll fall! b. to be careful about s.o. or s.t. dangerous: Look out for that car! c. to care for or protect s.o. or s.t.: A mother needs to look out for her children when they play outside.
    23 infrml. to look out for Number One: to think of one's own interests (not those of others): He's a selfish man, always looking out for Number One.
    24 phrasal v. insep. [I] to look out on or over s.t.: to face or have a view of s.t.: Our apartment looks out on a park.
    25 phrasal v. sep. [T] to look over s.t.: to examine s.t.: We looked over the contract before signing it.||We looked it over.
    26 to look the other way: to permit s.t. illegal or immoral by pretending not to see it or know about it: The authorities knew about the illegal d rug traffic, but they looked the other way.
    27 phrasal v. insep. [T] to look to s.o. or s.t.: a. to depend on or rely on s.o.: The boy looks to his big brother for help. b. to take care of or attend to an obligation: The girl looked to finishing her homework before going out to play.
    28 phrasal v. sep. to look (s.o. or s.t.) up: a. fig. [I] to improve: Now that I have a better job, things are looking up. b. infrml.fig. [T] to locate s.o. and then call or visit: When I was in Chicago, I looked up an old school friend.||I looked him up. c. [T] to try to find s.t. in a dictionary or other reference: Look up the number in the telephone book.||Look it up.
    29 phrasal v. insep. [T] to look up to s.o.: to respect or admire s.o.: The boy looks up to his father as a kind man and a good coach. —n.
    1 an act of looking, a glance: The girl gave a look in my direction.
    2 an appearance: That couple has a fashionable look.
    3 a facial expression, esp. one used to communicate a feeling: He gave me an angry look.
    4 pl. one's general appearance, esp. a good one: That actor is known more for his looks than for his acting ability.
    5 infrml. a dirty look: a facial expression that shows anger directed at s.o.: When the man said something rude to her, she gave him a dirty look.
    6 a good look: a careful examination: We'll take a good look at the house before we decide whether to buy it.
lookout
lookout
  1. n.
    1 a person who watches and warns others of danger: The thief has a lookout to warn him if the police arrive.
    2 a place to watch from: The church tower made a good lookout.
    3 to be on the lookout for: to expect and watch for: You should be on the lookout for that package to arrive soon.
loom
loom
  1. v.
    1 [I] to appear large and dangerous: The storm loomed on the horizon and then struck.
    2 [T] to weave on a loom: Workers loomed fabric made of cotton.
    3 to loom large: to be important, have great influence: That senator looms large in national politics. —n. a frame or machine used to weave cloth and rugs: She makes pretty things on her loom.
loon
loon
  1. n.
    1 a water bird with a laugh-like cry: We sat at the edge of the lake and listened to the strange cry of the loon.
    2 infrml. crazy as a loon: not sensible, mad: That fool is as crazy as a loon.
loony
loony
  1. infrml.fig. adj. -ier, -iest n. -ies crazy, mad: He's loony, always talking and laughing to himself.
loony bin
loony bin
  1. n. slang.fig.pej. a hospital for mentally ill people: He's so crazy that his family sent him off to a loony bin.
loop
loop
  1. n.
    1 a circular shape formed by a line, string, wire, etc.: The cowboy threw a loop of his rope over the horse's neck.
    2 in the loop: informed, consulted, participating in a discussion (decision, project, etc.): My boss is very good about keeping me in the loop on what's happening.
    3 infrml. to throw s.o. for a loop: to shock and confuse s.o.: When he heard the bad news, it threw him for a loop. —v. [I;T] to make a loop (in, over, or with): The cowboy looped his rope over the cow's horns.
loophole
loophole
  1. n.fig. a way out (of an agreement), esp. a fault in a law that allows people to avoid following it: There is a loophole in the new tax law that allows the rich to escape paying higher taxes.
loose-leaf
loose-leaf
  1. adj. containing individual sheets of paper that can usu. be removed or replaced: Students keep notes in a loose-leaf binder.
loose
loose
  1. adj. looser, loosest
    1 not firmly fixed or attached: A button came loose and fell off my jacket.
    2 escaped, free: The farmer's horse got loose, and he had to catch it.
    3 not tight-fitting: She wears loose clothing in summer.
    4 careless, too relaxed: The bookkeeping (attendance, discipline, etc.) in that company is loose.
    5 without strict morals: He called her a loose woman.
    6 a loose cannon: a careless person who is a danger to others in a group, institution, etc.: The other officers saw him as a loose cannon and wanted him off their ship.
    7 a loose end: a point that has not yet been agreed on or taken care of: We just need to tie up a few loose ends before we can write up the contract.
    8 on the loose: escaped and moving freely, esp. a prisoner or an animal: He escaped from jail and is on the loose in the city.
    9 infrml. to be at loose ends: a. to be without a job or anything useful to do: She is at loose ends and does little all day. b. confused, not knowing what to do: She is at loose ends, not knowing whether to look for a job or go to school.
    10 infrml. to have a screw loose: to be crazy, not sensible: You can't depend on him; sometimes he acts as though he has a screw loose.
    11 to let loose: a. to release, set free: She let loose a cry of excitement when her team won. b. infrml. to act without reserve or restraint: It's the weekend at last, and we're going to let loose tonight! —v.frml. [T] to release, untie: He believes no one can ever loose the bonds of marriage. -n. [U] looseness.
loosen
loosen
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] make or become less tight or firm: A technician loosened the screws on the TV and opened the back of it.||My hold on the rope loosened, and it slipped through my hands.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to loosen s.o. or s.t up: a. [I;T] to get ready for an activity: Athletes need to loosen up their muscles before competing.||They loosen them up. b. [I] to relax: After that six-hour meeting, I felt the need to loosen up.
    THESAURUS
    loosen
    1 to undo | relax.
loot
loot
  1. v. [I;T] to rob, steal from: People looted stores during the riot. —n. [U] stolen goods or money: Thieves hid their loot in an empty building.
lop
lop
  1. v. [T] lopped, lopping, lops to cut, chop: A farm worker lopped the green tops off carrots with a knife.
lope
lope
  1. v. [I] n. to run in a smooth, graceful way: A dog loped through the field toward home.||He ran with an easy lope.
lopsided
lopsided
  1. adj. with one side much larger or heavier than the other: Our team had a lopsided victory of 10 to 0 over our opponent.
lord
lord
  1. n.
    1 a nobleman: She reads books about English lords and their ladies.
    2 the Lord: term for the Christian God: O Lord, hear my prayer. —phrasal v. insep. [I] to lord it over s.o.: to act like s.o.'s master,
    THESAURUS
    to domineer: After winning the competition, he tried to lord it over his classmates, but they refused to listen.
lordly
lordly
  1. adj.
    1 formal and dignified: He manages his business with a lordly air.
    2 showing too high an opinion of one's importance,
    THESAURUS
    haughty: The workers disliked their supervisor's lordly manner.
lore
lore
  1. n. [U] informal history, often stories, customs, and beliefs: The sportswriter is an expert on the lore of baseball.
lose
lose
  1. v. lost , losing, loses
    1 [T] to become unable to find: He lost his wallet.
    2 [I;T] to be defeated (in a competition or war): Our team lost the basketball game.
    3 [T] to have s.t. valuable taken away: Because of the storm, they lost time (their ship, their lives, etc.).
    4 [T] to be unable to keep, no longer control (one's balance, patience, etc.): She lost her temper and began shouting.
    5 [T] to have less of: to lose weight, lose interest in s.t.
    6 [T] to escape from (s.o. who is following): The thief managed to lose the police in the crowded street.
    7 [T] to fail to make s.o. understand: I'm afraid you've lost me; would you repeat the instructions?
    8 a losing battle: an effort that cannot succeed: She stopped trying to change his mind when she saw that it was a losing battle.
    9 to lose heart: to have less hope, become discouraged: After the other team scored, our team lost heart and played poorly.
    10 infrml. to lose one's cool: to become angry, upset, emotional, etc.: The thief lost his cool and started fighting with the police.
    11 infrml. to lose one's shirt: to suffer a large financial loss: He invested his money foolishly, and when stock prices dropped, he lost his shirt.
    12 to lose one's touch: to no longer have the same high level of skill (as a performer, an artist, etc.): She has been a very successful writer, but her newest book is selling poorly; maybe she's losing her touch.
    13 phrasal v. insep. [I] to lose out (on s.t.): to miss an opportunity: He arrived too late for the interview and lost out on any chance at the job.
    14 to lose sight of: a. to become unable to see: We lost sight of land as our ship moved out to sea. b. fig. to no longer consider, forget: She is following her own idea and has lost sight of what her boss wants her to do.
loser
loser
  1. n.
    1 a person or team that has lost a competition: Our team was the loser in the volleyball game.
    2 infrml.pej. a person who is a failure, esp. one whose actions harm others: He is a loser who won't get off drugs.
loss
loss
  1. n. -es
    1 [C] a failure to win: Our team has a record of five wins, two losses, and one tie.
    2 [C] an amount of money that is lost or taken away: She suffered large losses when stock prices dropped.
    3 [C;U] the fact of losing s.o. or s.t. valued, esp. because of a death: The loss of his mother caused him great pain.
    4 at a loss: not knowing what to do or say: When his business failed, he was at a loss as to what to do.
    5 to be at a loss for words: to not know what to say: When she learned she had won a big prize, she was at a loss for words and could only smile.
lost
lost
  1. v. past tense & part. of lose —adj.
    1 unable to be found, misplaced: His wallet is lost.
    2 not knowing where one is located: The lost child asked a police officer for help.
    3 killed or destroyed: Several seamen were lost at sea in the storm.
    4 a lost cause: a project or effort that cannot be successful: He decided that losing weight was a lost cause and stopped trying to diet.
    5 exclam.slang Get lost!: angry request for others to leave: Get lost and stop annoying me!
    6 lost in thought: thinking deeply and so not aware of people or things around one: She was lost in thought and didn't hear my question.
lot
lot
  1. n.
    1 [C] a piece of land: We own a small lot next to our house.
    2 [U] one's condition in life, fate: It was his lot to become priest.
    3 infrml. a lot (of) or lots (of): a large amount or number: I like her a lot.||He has lots of money, problems, etc.
    4 to draw lots: to use chance to make a choice, such as by picking straws of differing lengths: We drew lots to decide who would go first, second, and third.
    THESAURUS
    lot
    1 a plot, parcel (land)
    2 destiny, fortune.
lotion
lotion
  1. n. [C;U] a liquid used to clean, soften, moisturize, or protect skin: People use suntan lotion to protect against sunburn.
    THESAURUS
    lotion skin cream, moisturizer | ointment, balm frml.
lottery
lottery
  1. n. -ies a game of chance in which people buy tickets with numbers and the winner is the one whose numbers match those drawn by the lottery organizer: Many states have a lottery to raise money.
lotto
lotto
  1. n. a lottery: I play lotto once a week.
lotus
lotus
  1. n. -es any of a variety of land or water plants having large white, pink, or yellow flowers: The lotus is a beautiful plant with special religious meaning.
loud
loud
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 having an intense sound, noisy: The sound of city traffic is loud.
    2 unpleasantly bright in color: He wears bright reds and other loud colors. -n. loudness.
    THESAURUS
    loud
    1 deafening, earsplitting | shrill, strident frml.
    2 flashy, garish, gaudy.
loudmouth
loudmouth
  1. n.infrml. -mouths
    1 a person who speaks in a loud voice: That loudmouth is always saying how tough he is.
    2 s.o. who tells the secrets of others: Don't tell that loudmouth anything that you want to keep secret. -adj. loudmouthed.
loudspeaker
loudspeaker
  1. n. a device for amplifying sound: Loudspeakers in the train station are used to announce departures and arrivals.
lounge
lounge
  1. n.
    1 a place with seats where people can wait, read, etc.: We waited in the airline's lounge.
    2 (cocktail) lounge: a barroom often with comfortable seats and tables: We met in the lounge for a drink before dinner. —v. [I] lounged, lounging, lounges to rest in a relaxed position: We lounged on the beach.
louse
louse
  1. n. lice
    1 any of a variety of bloodsucking insects that live on people and animals: Lice cause itching and carry diseases.
    2 infrml.fig. a bad person who cannot be trusted: She finally divorced that louse! —v. loused, lousing, louses phrasal v. sep. slang [I;T] to louse s.t. up: to make a mess of, spoil: That idiot loused up all our plans!||He loused them up!
lousy
lousy
  1. adj. slang
    1 awful, no good: That repair shop did a lousy job of fixing my car.
    2 in poor health, miserable: She has the flu and feels lousy.
lout
lout
  1. n. stupid, offensive man: That lout annoys everyone he meets. -adj. loutish.
lovable
lovable
  1. adj. easy to love: That little girl is a lovable child.
    THESAURUS
    lovable adorable, lovely | endearing, winning (personality).
love
love
  1. v. [T] loved, loving, loves
    1 to like with great intensity: I love my wife with all my heart.
    2 to enjoy very much, take great pleasure in: He loves to play golf, but his wife loves gardening. —n.
    1 [U] very strong liking and affection: She shows her love for her children every day.
    2 [C] strong enjoyment or pleasure: a love of music
    3 [C] an endearing person: That little boy is such a love!
    4 [U] sexual desire or passion: He is full of love for his new wife.
    5 [U] (in tennis) a score of zero
    6 a labor of love: a job or project done for idealistic reasons rather than for money: The professor wrote his book on Shakespeare as a labor of love.
    7 a love-hate relationship: a strong emotional connection that involves both caring for and disliking s.o.: That couple has a love-hate relationship.
    8 Give s.o. my love: say hello for me in a loving way: Give my love to your mother when you see her.
    9 neither for love nor money: not for any reason: Neither for love nor money will he give up smoking.
    10 to fall or be in love (with s.o.): to begin to feel or to have strong romantic feelings for s.o.: He fell in love with her the moment he saw her; it was love at first sight.
    11 to make love: to have sexual intercourse: They made love on their wedding night.
love child
love child
  1. n.old usage a child born to a couple not married to each other: The king kept his love child a secret from the public.
love seat
love seat
  1. n. a small sofa seating two people: We have a love seat against the wall opposite the sofa.
lovebird
lovebird
  1. n.
    1 any of several small parrots that seem to talk to and touch each other with affection
    2 fig. an affectionate couple: The lovebirds kissed in public on their honeymoon.
loveless
loveless
  1. adj. without love: That couple suffers from a loveless marriage.
lovelorn
lovelorn
  1. adj.frml. sad from lack of love or the absence of one's lover: He is lovelorn; his wife has left him.
lovely
lovely
  1. adj. -lier, -liest
    1 attractive, pretty: The girl on the magazine cover is lovely.
    2 pleasant, delightful: We had a lovely time at the wedding. -n. [U] loveliness.
    THESAURUS
    lovely
    1 beautiful, glamorous
    2 very enjoyable, pleasing.
lover
lover
  1. n.
    1 a person in a sexual relationship outside marriage: Two lovers met for dinner at a cozy restaurant.
    2 s.o. who very much enjoys s.t.: a music lover
    3 a gay person's romantic partner
lovesick
lovesick
  1. adj. sad and depressed from love that is not returned: He is so lovesick since his girlfriend left him that he can't eat or sleep.
loving
loving
  1. adj. showing love, esp. attentive and affectionate: The children's mother is a loving woman.
    THESAURUS
    loving warm, caring.
low-cal
low-cal
  1. adj.infrml. low in calories: She drinks low-cal diet sodas.
low-grade
low-grade
  1. adj. poor in quality: The ore from that mine is low-grade and yields little gold.
low-key
low-key
  1. adj. quiet, calm, and controlled: He is a low-key guy who never raises his voice.
low-pressure
low-pressure
  1. adj. calm, not pushing people to work faster: She has a low-pressure job and friendly co-workers.
low
low
  1. adj. -er, -est
    1 below s.t. else in level: The land is low in this area; it is near sea level.||I was glad to pay such a low price for the car.
    2 near the floor or ground: There was a low table in front of the sofa.
    3 (of a sound) quiet or deep: They spoke in low voices so as not to disturb anyone.||The radio announcer had a low voice.
    4 fig. morally bad, dishonest: He stole from his friend, and that was a low thing to do.
    5 fig. sad, depressed: She is feeling low about the death of her father.
    6 to be low on s.t.: to have only a little of s.t. left: We were low on gas, so we drove into a gas station to buy some. —adv.
    1 in, at, or to a negligible position or level: She scored low on the test.
    2 near the floor or ground: He bent low to pick up the child. —n.
    1 a depth: Winter temperatures there reach extreme lows.
    2 to hit a new low: to reach the lowest point so far: The price of that stock hit a new low yesterday. —v. to make a sound like a cow, to moo: The cows are lowing in the field.
low profile
low profile
  1. n. a way of behaving that does not draw attention: He is a diplomat who maintains a low profile and works quietly with others.
low tide
low tide
  1. n. [C;U] one of two daily periods during which the tide is lowest: Small fishing boats lie in the mud during low tide.
lowbrow
lowbrow
  1. adj.n. common, not cultured,
    THESAURUS
    undiscriminating: He has lowbrow tastes and is happiest when drinking beer and watching football.
lowdown
lowdown
  1. adj.infrml. lacking honor or fairness, mean: He did a lowdown, nasty thing when he cheated his friend. —n. sing.infrml.fig. the most recent information about s.t.: My friend gave me the lowdown on the current office rumors.
lower
lower
  1. adj. comp. of low —v.
    1 [T] to let down to a reduced level or position: A sailor lowered a rope over the side of the ship.
    2 [I;T] to make less in amount, degree, or intensity: The dealer lowered the price of the car.
    3 to lower oneself: to act beneath one's dignity or self-respect: He needed money but would not lower himself to picking up coins on the street.
lowercase
lowercase
  1. adj.n. [U] in small rather than capital letters: This sentence is in lowercase letters, except for the capital "T" of "This."
lowest common denominator
lowest common denominator
  1. n.
    1 (in mathematics) the lowest number that is a multiple of each denominator in a set of fractions
    2 fig. the people lowest in ability in a society: Critics claim that the public school system is run for the benefit of the lowest common denominator.
lowlands
lowlands
  1. n.pl. a region near sea level: The mountains slope down into lowlands near the ocean.
lowly
lowly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest from a low or humble position: She comes from lowly origins but is a brilliant student.
lox
lox
  1. n. [U] smoked salmon: Many people enjoy lox and cream cheese on bagels.
loyal
loyal
  1. adj. faithful to others, esp. one's friends or country: He is a loyal soldier.
    THESAURUS
    loyal true, steadfast, trustworthy. Ants. disloyal, unfaithful.
loyalist
loyalist
  1. n. a person loyal to a government, king, or queen: Many loyalists were driven out of the country during the revolution.
loyalty
loyalty
  1. n. [C;U] -ties faithfulness, devotion,
    THESAURUS
    allegiance: The loyalty of dogs to their owners is well-known.
    THESAURUS
    loyalty trustworthiness, reliability, fidelity frml.
lozenge
lozenge
  1. n. a small medicated candy: He sucked on a throat lozenge to relieve his sore throat.
lubricant
lubricant
  1. n. [C;U] an oil, grease, or other substance used to smooth friction between rubbing surfaces: Oil is used as a lubricant in engines.
lubricate
lubricate
  1. v. [T] -cated, -cating, -cates to apply a lubricant to: Oils lubricate moving parts of engines and other machines. -adj. lubricating.
lucid
lucid
  1. adj.
    1 clear, easily understood: She wrote a lucid explanation of the problem.
    2 clear-headed, not confused: That man is very old, but he is still lucid in conversation. -n. lucidity.
luck
luck
  1. n. [U]
    1 chance, fortune: She had good luck in finding a new job quickly.
    2 good fortune: He wished me luck.
    3 as luck would have it: by chance or fate,
    THESAURUS
    coincidentally: Our car broke down, but as luck would have it, a police car was nearby and helped us.
    4 in or out of luck: to have or not have good fortune
    5 infrml. to luck out: to have good fortune
    6 to push (one's) luck: to act too confidently
    THESAURUS
    luck
    1 fate, destiny, lot
    2 success | victory, triumph, prosperity frml.
lucky
lucky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having or bringing good luck: He was lucky not to hurt himself when he fell.||Seven is my lucky number.
    THESAURUS
    lucky fortunate, in luck. Ants. unlucky, unfortunate.
lucrative
lucrative
  1. adj. producing a lot of money, profitable: The business of selling luxury goods, such as furs and fancy cars, can be quite lucrative when the economy is strong.
ludicrous
ludicrous
  1. adj. causing laughter, ridiculous,
    THESAURUS
    absurd: What a ludicrous idea that such an idiot could become President!
luggage
luggage
  1. n. [U] suitcases and bags used to carry clothing while traveling,
    THESAURUS
    baggage: We checked our luggage in at the airport ticket counter.
lugubrious
lugubrious
  1. adj.frml. sad, (syns.) sorrowful, mournful: The losing players sat with lugubrious faces while the winners celebrated.
lukewarm
lukewarm
  1. adj.
    1 (of a liquid) mildly warm,
    THESAURUS
    tepid: The tea is lukewarm and not very tasty.
    2 lacking strong interest or admiration: The critics gave the new play lukewarm reviews. See: warm, USAGE NOTE.
lull
lull
  1. n. a lessening or temporary stopping of activity: The store was very busy, but now there is a lull. —v. [T]
    1 to quiet, calm,
    THESAURUS
    to soothe: She lulled her baby to sleep by singing a lullaby.
    2 to lull s.o. (into doing s.t.): to dishonestly gain s.o.'s trust (so he or she will do s.t.), as by giving false assurances: The company treasurer lulled creditors into thinking that he would pay overdue bills, but then he declared bankruptcy and cheated them.
lullaby
lullaby
  1. n. -ies a quiet song for lulling a child to sleep: She sang sweet lullabies to her baby at bedtime.
lumber
lumber
  1. n. [U] wood cut to various lengths and sizes for building houses, furniture, etc.: I bought some lumber at the lumberyard to make bookshelves. —v. [I]
    1 to cut trees for lumber: People lumber for a living in the Pacific Northwest.
    2 to walk or run in an awkward, heavy way: The bear lumbered along the forest trail. -n. adj. lumbering.
lumberjack
lumberjack
  1. n. a person who cuts down trees or transports them: His father was a Canadian lumberjack.
lumberman
lumberman
  1. n. -men a person working in the lumber industry, such as a mill owner or lumberjack: Lumbermen gather at the local coffee shop each morning before work.
lumberyard
lumberyard
  1. n. a business that sells lumber: I bought shingles at the lumberyard to repair my roof.
luminary
luminary
  1. n.frml. -ies a respected person, esp. in the arts or academia: That professor is a luminary in the field of biology.
luminescence
luminescence
  1. n. [U] light without heat, a glow: The glow in the sea at night was produced by the luminescence of certain algae. -adj. luminescent.
luminous
luminous
  1. adj. giving or reflecting light: The full moon is luminous in the night sky. -n. [U] luminosity.
lump
lump
  1. n.
    1 a round mass: An artist molded a lump of clay.
    2 a hard abnormal growth: She felt a lump in her breast and called the doctor.
    3 a small block of sugar: One lump or two in your coffee?
    4 a lump in the throat: a tight feeling in the throat caused by strong emotion
    5 to take one's lumps: to suffer punishment or bad luck when trying s.t. difficult: If you play ice hockey, you have to take your lumps; it's a rough sport. —v. [T]
    1 to put together and treat as the same: He lumps all those who disagree with him into one category: stupid.
    2 infrml. to like it or lump it: to accept s.t. that one dislikes: Like it or lump it, we have to follow orders.
    3 phrasal v. sep. to lump s.t. together: to put two or more things together, usu. randomly: She lumped together all the files on her desk.||She lumped them together. —adj. a lump sum: an amount of money paid at one time : We paid for the car on the installment plan, because we couldn't afford to pay in a lump sum.
lumpy
lumpy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having lumps, not smooth or even: The mashed potatoes are terribly lumpy.
lunacy
lunacy
  1. n. [U] -cies
    1 madness, insanity: The poor man suffers from lunacy.
    2 foolishness, stupidity: It was lunacy to go out in that storm!
lunar
lunar
  1. adj. related to the moon: The astronauts returned from the moon with lunar rocks.
lunatic
lunatic
  1. adj.n. crazy, insane: He has these lunatic ideas about becoming rich; he's a lunatic!
lunatic fringe
lunatic fringe
  1. n.infrml. the most extreme members of a political group or believers in a cause: The people responsible for the bombing belong to the lunatic fringe.
lunch counter
lunch counter
  1. n. a restaurant counter with stools where one sits for quick service: We sat at the lunch counter today rather than at a table.
luncheon
luncheon
  1. n.frml.
    1 lunch
    2 an event that includes lunch and usu. speeches: We went to a luncheon given in honor of the ambassador.
luncheonette
luncheonette
  1. n. a restaurant that serves inexpensive meals: We stopped for a sandwich at a luncheonette and then went right back to work.
lunchroom
lunchroom
  1. n. an area in a business or school where employees or students can eat: We had lunch in the company lunchroom today.
lung
lung
  1. n.
    1 one of two breathing organs in the chest that supply oxygen to the blood: Her lungs are in bad condition from smoking.
    2 at the top of one's lungs: very loudly: He yelled at the top of his lungs when cheering for his favorite team.
lunge
lunge
  1. v. [I] lunged, lunging, lunges to move forward with sudden force: She lunged at the basketball and stole it from the opposing player. —n. a fast, forward movement: The criminal made a lunge with a knife at his victim.
lupus
lupus
  1. n. [U] any of several serious diseases that involve the skin: She suffers from lupus.
lurch
lurch
  1. n. -es
    1 a sudden, awkward motion: The drunken man moved with a lurch and fell.
    2 to leave s.o. in the lurch: to desert s.o., putting him or her in a difficult situation: His fiancée left him in the lurch by failing to come to their wedding. —v. [I] to move with a sudden, unsteady motion: The ship lurched from side to side in the storm's waves.
lure
lure
  1. n.
    1 [C] bait used to attract and catch animals: Fisherman use lures to attract and hook fish.
    2 sing. the power of s.t. that attracts: the lure of money —v. [T] lured, luring, lures to attract, usu. with dishonest promises,
    THESAURUS
    to entice: People were lured to invest in the scheme with promises of huge profits.
lurid
lurid
  1. adj. shocking, causing horror: Today's newspaper has the lurid details of the murder.
lurk
lurk
  1. v. [I]
    1 to wait in hiding: The robbers lurked in the woods near the house as they waited for darkness to fall.
    2 to read computer messages on an electronic news group or mailing list, esp. on the Internet, without stating one's presence or adding to the discussion: He never shares his opinions in the online discussion; he just lurks. -n. lurker.
luscious
luscious
  1. adj. juicy and delicious: Ripe pears have a luscious taste.
lush
lush
  1. adj. (of plants) having thick, healthy growth: The garden is lush with new spring growth. —n.slang a person who is often drunk: The poor woman has become a lush.
lust
lust
  1. n. [U]
    1 strong sexual desire: Some people confuse love with lust.
    2 [C;U] an intense desire: Dictators have a lust for power. —v. [I]
    1 to desire sexually: That man constantly lusts after women.
    2 to have a strong desire: Some people lust for power and riches. -adj. lustful; lusty.
luster
luster
  1. n. [U]
    1 sing. a shine, such as bright polish on a surface: The luster of wax made the table shine.
    2 a special quality, (syns.) brilliance, splendor: Wonderful costumes and scenery added luster to the performance of the opera. -adj. lustrous.
lute
lute
  1. n. a stringed musical instrument from the past, having a softer, sweeter tone than the guitar
luxuriant
luxuriant
  1. adj.
    1 having dense, full texture or growth: Expensive oriental rugs have a luxuriant feel and look.
    2 abundant
luxuriate
luxuriate
  1. v. [I] -ated, -ating, -ates to enjoy oneself very much, esp. in a costly way: She luxuriated in her beautiful new apartment overlooking the ocean.
luxurious
luxurious
  1. adj. characterized by luxury, wasteful spending, and great comfort: Their house is full of luxurious furniture.
luxury
luxury
  1. n. -ries
    1 [U] great comfort at great expense: That family lives in luxury, enjoying costly clothes, high-priced cars, and a beautiful house.
    2 [C] s.t. pleasant that is expensive and not a necessity: We can't afford luxuries, such as overseas vacations.
    THESAURUS
    luxury
    1 wealth, opulence frml.
    2 extravagance frml. Ant. a necessity.
lye
lye
  1. n. [U] a strong alkaline liquid: Lye has a very strong cleaning action.
lying
lying
  1. v. pres. part. of lie —n. [U] saying s.t. that is not true: His lying will get him into trouble someday.
lymph
lymph
  1. n. [U] adj. the clear fluid in the lymphatic system, used mainly to eliminate bacteria from the body: Lymph passes through lymph nodes throughout the body. -adj. lymphatic.
lynch
lynch
  1. v. [T] (of a crowd) to attack and hang s.o. accused of a crime, without any legal process: Cowboys lynched the cattle thief after they caught him.
lyre
lyre
  1. n. an ancient type of musical instrument like a harp with a U-shaped frame in which strings are fixed
lyricist
lyricist
  1. n. a person who writes words for songs: He was a lyricist for Broadway musicals.
lyrics
lyrics
  1. n.pl. the words of a song: The lyrics to that song are clever. lyric adj.
    1 having a light quality: That singer has a lyric tenor voice.
    2 related to expression of feelings in poetry: Much of romantic poetry is lyric in quality.
ma'am
ma'am
  1. n. Short for madam: (in a store) Yes, ma'am. How would you like to pay for this?
macabre
macabre
  1. adj. frightening, because of showing death and decay: The car accident scene with dead bodies on the road was macabre.
machete
machete
  1. n. a long knife used in farm work or as a weapon: Workers cut sugarcane with machetes.
machinations
machinations
  1. n.pl.frml. methods used to trick others, esp. in business and politics: The cheat used various machinations, such as fake addresses and documents, to fool people and steal their money.
machine
machine
  1. n.
    1 a piece of equipment that uses power to do work: An automobile is a machine used for transportation.
    2 a powerful organization: The political machine in New York has a lot of influence in the elections. —v. [T] -chined, -chining, -chines to make or change s.t. on a machine, esp. parts of things: That factory machines metal parts for tractors. -n. machinist.
machine gun
machine gun
  1. n. a weapon that fires bullets in a fast, constant action when its trigger is pressed: Soldiers shoot machine guns at the enemy.
machinery
machinery
  1. n. [U] machines as a group: Machinery in that textile mill is used to make fabric.
    THESAURUS
    machinery equipment, apparatus, gear.
machismo
machismo
  1. n. [U] an attitude or behavior that values male strength and courage: He believes in machismo and acts like a tough guy.
macho
macho
  1. adj. strong, tough,
    THESAURUS
    virile (said of men): He is a big macho man from a tough neighborhood.
mackerel
mackerel
  1. n. -el or -els [C;U] any of some 60 types of edible deep-ocean fishes, such as the Atlantic mackerel
macro
macro
  1. n. -ros (in computers) a stroke or group of strokes on a keyboard or group of them used to do frequent but long functions: The typist uses a macro to tell the computer when to exit. —adj. general,
    THESAURUS
    overall: Many economists take a macro view of the economy and don't look at individual business performance. —prefix indicating largeness or length: Some environmentalists take a macroscopic view of the world's pollution.
macrobiotics
macrobiotics
  1. n. [U] pl.
    1 natural foods, esp. whole grain cereals and vegetables grown without chemicals
    2 the philosophy of eating such foods to be healthy: She studied macrobiotics and became a vegetarian. -adj. macrobiotic.
macrocosm
macrocosm
  1. n. a large system, such as the world or the universe: Scientists study the earth's atmosphere as a macrocosm.
macroeconomics
macroeconomics
  1. n. [U] the study of national economies: Macroeconomics is an important field to help countries' governments improve their economies.
mad
mad
  1. adj. madder, maddest
    1 angry, upset: She was mad when her boyfriend was late without calling her.
    2 strongly attracted to s.t. or s.o.: He is mad about fast cars.
    3 crazy: He went mad when his wife died.
    THESAURUS
    mad
    1 furious, irate | annoyed, irritated. Ant. pleased.
    2 crazy about, wild about | in love with. Ant. uninterested.
    3 insane, mentally ill. Ant. sane.
madam
madam
  1. also ma'am n.
    1 pl. mesdames a polite way to speak to a woman: The store clerk said, "Madam, how may I help you?"
    2 a woman who runs a house of prostitution
madcap
madcap
  1. adj. funny and foolish,
    THESAURUS
    absurd: That comedian does madcap tricks on stage.
madden
madden
  1. v. [T] to make angry,
    THESAURUS
    to enrage
maddening
maddening
  1. adj. annoying: I find it maddening that my car breaks down a lot.
made-to-order
made-to-order
  1. adj.
    1 created to a customer's specifications: His suits are made-to-order to fit his measurements.
    2 just right, perfect: We found a lamp made-to-order for our furniture; it has the same color.
made-up
made-up
  1. adj.
    1 false, untrue: Her story about where she was last night was made-up.
    2 having cosmetics put on, usu. on the face: The made-up actor was ready to perform.
made
made
  1. adj. & past part. of make
    1 manufactured, created: My TV set was made in the USA.||I don't know when that painting was made.
    2 composed of s.t.: Those new sheets are made of cotton.
    3 infrml. to have it made: to be successful, secure, free from worry: When you win the big prize in the lottery, you have it made for life.
    THESAURUS
    made adj.
    1 produced | assembled. Ant. destroyed.
    2 manfactured from s.t. | formed, constructed of s.t.
madhouse
madhouse
  1. n.infrml.
    1 old usage an insane asylum: His family sent their insane relative to live in a madhouse.
    2 fig. a confusing, noisy place: Our apartment was a madhouse on the weekend; there were ten children playing games in one room.
madly
madly
  1. adv. totally: He is madly in love with her.
    THESAURUS
    madly insanely, obsessively | utterly.
madman
madman
  1. or madwoman n. -men or -women a crazy, dangerous person,
    THESAURUS
    a maniac: A madman is loose in the city.
madness
madness
  1. n. [U]
    1 severe mental disorder: In his madness, he thought he was the President.
    2 fig. a foolish, crazy idea: It was madness to drive in that terrible snowstorm.
    THESAURUS
    madness
    1 insanity, mental illness, craziness infrml. Ant. sanity.
    2 stupidity, foolishness.
madman
madman
  1. or madwoman -n. -men or -women a crazy, dangerous person, (syn.) a maniac: A madman is loose in the city.
maelstrom
maelstrom
  1. n.frml.
    1 a powerful whirlpool
    2 fig. a dangerous situation: Soldiers fight in the maelstrom of war.
maestro
maestro
  1. n. -stros a master in the arts, esp. music: Mozart was a maestro of classical music.
magazine
magazine
  1. n.
    1 a small weekly, or monthly, publication that usu. includes news articles, stories, essays, and photos: We read Time, a weekly news magazine.
    2 a storage place for bullets and weapons
    THESAURUS
    magazine
    1 a periodical, journal.
magenta
magenta
  1. n. [U] a red color mixed with purple: Some plants have magenta flowers.
maggot
maggot
  1. n. a creature that looks like a worm, esp. the larva of the common housefly: Maggots live in the garbage in the heat of summer.
magic
magic
  1. n. [U] adj.
    1 the use of supernatural forces to control s.t.: She used magic to create a thunderstorm.
    2 the use of tricks to entertain people: That magician uses magic to pull rabbits out of a hat.||He does magic tricks.
    3 an enchanting quality about s.t.: The singer filled the evening with the magic of her voice. -adj. magical.
    THESAURUS
    magic n.
    1 witchcraft, sorcery, a charm
    2 sleight-of-hand | wizardry, sorcery
    3 enchantment, charm.
magician
magician
  1. n.
    1 a person who does magic tricks: Magicians make impossible things seem real, such as cutting people in half.
    2 fig. a person who can do wonderful things: She is a magician with food and can turn simple ingredients into delicious meals.
    THESAURUS
    magician
    1 a sleight-of-hand artist, prestidigitator frml. | sorcerer, wizard
    2 a whiz.
magisterial
magisterial
  1. adj.frml.
    1 related to a magistrate's power: The judge put on her black robe and did her magisterial duties.
    2 haughty, arrogant
magistrate
magistrate
  1. n. a low-level government official with power to enforce the law: The traffic magistrate heard the man's explanation for getting a parking ticket.
magma
magma
  1. n. [U] hot, liquid rock below the earth's surface: Magma moves up to the surface and becomes lava in volcanoes.
magnanimous
magnanimous
  1. adj.frml. generous in spirit, not showing resentment or meanness: He was magnanimous in forgiving those who injured him. -adv.frml. magnanimously; -n. [U] frml. magnanimity.
magnate
magnate
  1. n. an important businessperson, a big industrialist: She is a coal and iron magnate from Australia.
magnet
magnet
  1. n.
    1 an object, esp. metal, with a magnetic field that attracts iron and steel: I have a magnet on my desk that holds paper clips.
    2 anything that attracts people: The Caribbean is a magnet for tourists in the winter. -v. [T] magnetize ; -adj. magnetic.
magnetism
magnetism
  1. n. [U]
    1 the study of magnets and their forces
    2 personal attractiveness: He is an actor with a lot of personal magnetism. See: magnet.
magnification
magnification
  1. n. the power to make s.t. appear larger: With the magnification on the photocopier, you can make a document up to 125 percent larger than its original size.
magnificent
magnificent
  1. adj. very beautiful or impressive,
    THESAURUS
    splendid: The Taj Mahal in India is a magnificent building. -n. [U] magnificence.
magnify
magnify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to make s.t. look larger: His eyeglasses magnify words so he can read them.
    2 to make s.t. seem greater than it is: Nervousness magnified her fears about failing the exam.
magnifying glass
magnifying glass
  1. n. an optical lens, usu. framed, used to make images look larger, esp. for reading: He uses a magnifying glass to look at his stamp collection.
magnitude
magnitude
  1. n. [U]
    1 the size or importance of s.t.: The economy is slowing down, but economists don't know the magnitude of this change yet.
    2 (in science) the degree of brightness of a star or force of an earthquake: The magnitude of the earthquake in California was 5.0 on the Richter scale.
magnolia
magnolia
  1. n. a tree with large flowers, esp. in the USA, from lower New York State down through the South: The white and pink magnolia blossoms in the spring are beautiful.
magnum
magnum
  1. n. a bottle containing 1.5 liters of wine or liquor: We celebrated my wife's birthday with a magnum of champagne.
magpie
magpie
  1. n. a bird with a loud, rapid call, of black color with white, blue, or green markings and a long tail: Magpies annoy people with their loud call.
mahogany
mahogany
  1. n. [U] the hard, reddish brown wood of a Caribbean tree: Furniture made of mahogany was popular in the 19th century.
maid
maid
  1. n.
    1 a female servant, esp. a cleaning woman: Maids clean the rooms and make the beds in hotels.
    2 pej. an old maid: an older woman who has never married: She never married and is now an old maid.
    THESAURUS
    maid
    1 a housekeeper | domestic servant.
maid of honor
maid of honor
  1. n. a bride's main unmarried attendant at her wedding: I asked my best friend to be the maid of honor at my wedding. See: matron of honor, best man.
maiden
maiden
  1. n.frml.
    1 an unmarried girl or woman: Maidens were summoned to the royal court.
    2 old usage a virgin
    3 maiden voyage: a first trip: A new passenger ship made her maiden voyage across the Atlantic. -n. maidenhood. See: maiden name.
maiden name
maiden name
  1. n. a woman's family name before she marries: Mrs. Silveri's maiden name was Rodriguez.
mail carrier
mail carrier
  1. n. a person who delivers mail: Our mail carrier arrives around 10:00 A.M.
mail order
mail order
  1. n. the system of selling products by mail: She shops for clothes by mail order.
mailbox
mailbox
  1. n. -boxes a metal box in which people put mail: She dropped a letter into the mailbox.
mailer
mailer
  1. n.
    1 a large envelope, usu. strong, used for mailing things: I put the computer diskette into a cardboard mailer and sent it.
    2 a person or business that mails things: Businesses are big mailers of brochures that describe their products.
    3 (in computers) a program that sends electronic mail
mailing
mailing
  1. n. [C;U] a group of the same letters, brochures, etc., sent to customers at the same time: Our company did a mailing about our new products on sale.
mailing list
mailing list
  1. n. a list of names, addresses, etc., esp. of possible customers: Our mailing list has 5,000 names and addresses.
mailman
mailman
  1. n. -men a male letter carrier
maim
maim
  1. v. [T] to injure and ruin the looks of s.o. or s.t. so that some part of it cannot be used: The car accident maimed him; he will not be able to walk again.
main
main
  1. adj. central, most important: Our teacher talked about the main idea in the essay. —n. a large pipe that carries water or gas under a street: The water main broke and flooded the street.
    THESAURUS
    main adj. primary, principal, biggest infrml. Ants. least important, trivial.
main clause
main clause
  1. n. The main clause in a sentence is a clause with a subject, verb, and often an object that can stand by itself as a sentence: The main clause in the above sentence goes from: "The main clause" to "an object."
main line
main line
  1. n. the main railway track on a railroad: The main line from Grand Central Terminal in New York heads north.
mainframe
mainframe
  1. n. a powerful, central computer: The mainframe (or) mainframe computer serves the company's entire headquarters.
mainland
mainland
  1. n.sing.adj. land on a continent, not including islands: People from Taiwan visit the mainland (or) mainland China.
mainly
mainly
  1. adv. usually, for the most part: Farmers plant seeds mainly in the spring.
    THESAURUS
    mainly primarily, mostly, chiefly.
mainstay
mainstay
  1. n. the key person or activity that supports others in a family, team, or organization: The mother takes care of her five children and is the mainstay of the family.
mainstream
mainstream
  1. n. the group of ideas accepted by the majority of people, the most popular way of thinking: Her ideas are in the mainstream of American political thought. —adj. accepted by most people,
    THESAURUS
    conventional: The politician has a mainstream political view (or) her ideas are in the mainstream. —v. [T] to mix a person into a main group: Some non-native students take bilingual classes and are mainstreamed into regular classes later.
maintain
maintain
  1. v. [T]
    1 to keep in good condition, good repair: People maintain their houses well in this neighborhood.
    2 to keep s.t. going, continue: She maintains a friendship with her college friend who lives in another state.
    3 to say that s.t. is true, believe: The man who saw the accident maintains that he told the truth about what happened.
    THESAURUS
    maintain
    1 to keep s.t. up, take care of (a place, an object). Ant. to neglect.
    2 to keep up s.t., sustain (a relationship, connection). Ants. to discontinue, drop infrml.
    3 to declare, assert. Ant. to withdraw.
maintenance
maintenance
  1. n. [U] keeping s.t. in good condition, such as by cleaning, painting, and fixing it: The maintenance in that building is excellent, as the paint is new and the halls are always clean.
    THESAURUS
    maintenance upkeep, care. Ant. neglect.
maize
maize
  1. n. [U] See: corn (1).
majestic
majestic
  1. adj.
    1 magnificent, spectacular: The Rocky Mountains in the western United States are majestic.
    2 proud, dignified,
    THESAURUS
    regal: The Queen acts in a majestic manner. -adv. majestically.
majesty
majesty
  1. n. -ties
    1 [U] magnificence, splendor: The majesty of the Alps in Switzerland takes people's breath away.
    2 [C] a title for a king or queen and the power connected to the position: Her Majesty the Queen will visit a hospital today.
major
major
  1. adj. main, most important: The major reason for working is to make money to live. —n.
    1 a military rank above captain and below colonel: She is a major in the Air Force.
    2 one's primary subject of study in college: My major is Spanish literature. —v. [T] to study as one's major field in college: He majored in economics at the university.
    THESAURUS
    major adj. important, leading | greater, larger. Ant. minor.
major league
major league
  1. n.
    1 (in baseball) the highest-level organization of teams in professional baseball: He plays baseball in the major league.
    2 fig. in the major league(s): a high level of success or importance in a field: In her important new job, she's really in the major leagues now. -adj. major-league.
majority
majority
  1. n. [C]
    1 more than half, but not all of s.t.: A majority of the people voted for the President.
    2 [U] the age of legal adulthood and responsibility: All of their children have reached their majority.
    THESAURUS
    majority
    1 the greater part, the bulk of s.t. Ant. a minority.
make-believe
make-believe
  1. n. [U] not real, pretend: The boy told make-believe stories to his sister.
    THESAURUS
    make-believe made-up, imagined, invented | fabricated. Ants. true, real.
make
make
  1. v. made , making, makes
    THESAURUS
    1 [T] (syns.) to manufacture, produce: Our company makes computers. Our company manufactures (or) produces computers.
    2 [T] (syns.) to perform, do: A doctor made a cut in the patient's stomach. A doctor performed (or) did a cut in the patient's stomach.
    3 [T] (syns.) to earn, bring in, get: She makes a good salary (living, income) as an accountant. She earns (or) brings in (or) gets a good salary (living, income) as an accountant.
    4 [T] (syns.) to cook, prepare: He made chicken with rice for dinner. He cooked (or) prepared chicken with rice for dinner.
    5 [T] (syns.) to promote, appoint: The boss made her national sales manager. The boss promoted (or) appointed her national sales manager.
    6 [T] (syns.) to reach, attain frml.: The army private made the rank of sergeant. The army private reached (or) attained the rank of sergeant.
    7 [T] (syns.) to enact, put into effect: Congress makes laws for the country. Congress enacts laws for the country (or) puts laws into effect for the country.
    8 [T] (syns.) to force, order, require: Her mother made her brush her teeth. Her mother forced (or) ordered (or) required her to brush her teeth.
    9 [T] (syns.) to deliver, give: He made a speech before an audience. He delivered (or) gave a speech before an audience.
    10 to make a big deal of s.t.: to make s.t. seem more important than it is, (syns.) to exaggerate, blow out of proportion: He makes a big deal out of everything and is always in a panic.
    11 to make a decision: to decide: He made a quick decision to buy the TV.
    12 to make a difference: to change s.t. in an important way: Her volunteer work at the hospital makes a difference to the children she helps.
    13 to make a go of s.t.: to succeed: The couple opened a new restaurant and is making a go of it.
    14 slang to make as if (or) as though: to act as though s.t. is so: He doesn't speak French, but he makes as though he does.
    15 phrasal v. insep. [T] to make away with s.t.: to steal s.t.: Thieves made away with our silver and china.
    16 to make believe: to pretend that s.t., usu. s.t. unrealistic, is true: The father makes believe that he is a dog and tells his children stories in a funny voice.
    17 to make by hand or machine: referring to how s.t. is made: All her sweaters are made by hand by her grandmother.
    18 to make do: to function at a minimum level: He makes do on a small income.
    19 to make ends meet: to have enough money to pay one's bills, but with little left over: She makes ends meet by working two jobs.
    20 phrasal v. insep. [I] to make for s.t.: a. to create, make possible: She earns a big salary, and that makes for a good life for her family. b. to go in a certain direction: The ship made for home port.
    21 to make fun of s.o.: to ridicule, tease s.o. Comedians like to make fun of politicians.
    22 to make good: a. to succeed: He graduated from college, then made good as a salesperson. b. to fulfill a promise: A customer returned a broken radio and the store made good on it by giving him a new one.
    23 to make good time: to travel rapidly: Our airplane flight made good time from Seattle to Chicago.
    24 to make hay: to take advantage of a good opportunity while one can: The singer became successful, and she made hay by giving many performances while she was popular.
    25 infrml. to make it: to succeed: She owns a good business and has made it (or) made it big in life.
    26 to make love: to have sex with s.o.: The couple made love on their wedding night.
    27 phrasal v. [T] to make off with s.t.: See: to make away with s.t.
    28 phrasal v. [I] to make out: a. to see s.t. and recognize it: The sailors could not make out the shore through the fog. b. to result in s.t., succeed: A woman had a job interview and later her husband asked how she made out. c. infrml.fig. to kiss and hug: A couple was making out on a park bench.
    29 phrasal v. [T] to make over: to renew,
    THESAURUS
    to renovate: Workers made over the inside of the house.
    30 to make sense: to be reasonable, logical: Teachers create lesson plans that make sense for teaching the subject.
    31 to make time for: to set aside time for s.o. or s.t.: Although the father is the president of a large company, he always makes time for his kids.
    32 phrasal v. sep. [T] to make s.t. up: to lie, say s.t. untrue: The criminal made up a story about where he was when the crime happened.||He made it up.
    33 to make it up to s.o.: to do s.t. good for s.o. after having done s.t. bad: The husband could not take his wife out to dinner on her birthday, so he made it up to her later by taking her on a weekend vacation.
    34 phrasal v. to make up: a. [I] to agree to be friends again,
    THESAURUS
    to reconcile: The couple had a fight, but then made up and kissed. b. [T] to apply cosmetics: The model makes up her face before a job.
    35 to make up for lost time: a. to tell stories about one's past: Two friends had not seen each other for ten years and made up for lost time by talking all night. b. to do s.t. faster: He had a flat tire that delayed his trip, so he made up for lost time by driving faster. —n.
    1 the name of a product: Ford is the make of my car.
    2 infrml. to be on the make: a. to be aggressive about business, improving one's situation: She works very hard at her job and is on the make for a salary increase. b. to seek sex: He is on the make with every woman he meets.
maker
maker
  1. n.
    1 a manufacturer: That company is a furniture maker.
    2 to meet one's Maker: to die: The old man died and went to meet his Maker.
makeshift
makeshift
  1. adj. done in a temporary way, sloppy: The cabin was made in a makeshift way of old cartons and pieces of tin.
makeup
makeup
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] cosmetics, esp. used by women and actors: She wears light makeup that looks natural.
    2 [C] character, personality: He has a very relaxed makeup.
    THESAURUS
    makeup
    2 s.o.'s nature, temperament, disposition.
making
making
  1. n. [U]
    1 the process of doing or manufacturing s.t.: The making of toys is a big business.||Bread making requires a lot of time.
    2 in the making: in process, being done now: The plan is in the making and will be finished tomorrow.
maladjusted
maladjusted
  1. adj. poorly adapted: The boy is maladjusted to school and cannot concentrate on his work.||The gear shift on my bicycle is maladjusted. -n. maladjustment.
malady
malady
  1. n.frml. -dies a sickness, illness: She suffers from a rare malady.
malaise
malaise
  1. n. [C;U] frml.
    1 a feeling of illness, unhappiness: He suffers from a general malaise with pains and depression.
    2 a social problem: Poverty and crime are two social malaises.
malapropism
malapropism
  1. n.frml. a funny misuse of language, esp. a word (or words) that sounds similar to the correct word but means something different: It was a malapropism when he said he was afraid of "revolting doors" instead of "revolving doors."
malaria
malaria
  1. n. [U] a tropical disease, transmitted by a type of mosquito, that causes weakness, fever, etc.: Malaria is still a dangerous disease in some parts of the world.
male
male
  1. n. the member of any species that produces sperm to fertilize eggs: Human males mature physically at approximately 13 years of age. —adj.
    1 related to the male: Male goats are called billy goats.
    2 the part of a machine designed to be put inside another part
    3 infrml. male chauvinist (pig): a man who oppresses women: He is a male chauvinist who thinks women cannot be as good as men in business and politics. See: man, USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    male n. a man, boy (people) | bull, rooster, ram, etc. (animals). Ant. female.
malevolence
malevolence
  1. n. [U] frml. an evil desire or act: He stole money from a homeless person in an act of malevolence. -adj. malevolent.
malfunction
malfunction
  1. v. [I] to work improperly: A rocket malfunctioned and exploded in the air. —n. [C;U] an act of working improperly: The rocket's malfunction caused a big explosion.
malice
malice
  1. n. [U]
    1 an evil attitude, desire to hurt others: The boy broke his neighbor's window out of malice.
    2 to bear s.o. malice: to want to harm s.o.: She bore her boss malice after she was fired. -adj. malicious ; -adv. maliciously.
malign
malign
  1. v. [T] to speak or write evil things about s.o., to defame s.o.'s character,
    THESAURUS
    to slander: The politician maligned her opponent as dishonest.
malignancy
malignancy
  1. n. [C;U] -cies a cancerous tumor or condition: Doctors found a malignancy in the patient's stomach. -adj. malignant.
mall
mall
  1. n.
    1 a building or group of buildings with connected hallways with shops, restaurants, theaters, etc.: We can shop at many different stores at the mall.
    2 often called a pedestrian mall, a street with shops, restaurants, theaters, etc., closed to automobile traffic: Main Street has been turned into a pedestrian mall.
    THESAURUS
    mall 1 and 2 shopping mall, shopping center.
mallard
mallard
  1. n. a type of wild duck: There are mallards in the lake at the center of town.
malleable
malleable
  1. adj.frml.
    1 referring to s.t. that can be shaped, such as gold or silver: Silver is malleable and can be shaped into jewelry.
    2 referring to a person whose opinions can be changed: He is malleable and will change his ideas when you talk to him. -n. malleability.
mallet
mallet
  1. n. a type of hammer with a short handle
malnourished
malnourished
  1. adj. poorly fed, starved: The children were malnourished and got sick often.
malnutrition
malnutrition
  1. n. [U] a condition caused by a lack of food: Malnutrition is common in some poor countries.
malpractice
malpractice
  1. n. [U] wrong treatment by a professional, esp. a doctor: The physician was sued for malpractice after the patient died.
malt
malt
  1. n. [U] adj. grain, usu. barley, esp. used in brewing beer and distilling alcoholic beverages: Malt is used to make whiskey and other malt liquors.
mama or mamma
mama or mamma
  1. n.infrml.
    1 mother: Mama, would you please hold my hand to cross the street?
    2 mama's boy: a man thought to be spoiled by his mother: Joe is a mama's boy who won't leave home.
mambo
mambo
  1. n. a Latin American dance: I like to dance the mambo and the samba.
mammal
mammal
  1. n. a warm-blooded animal, the female of which feeds its own milk to its young: Mammals range from whales at sea to mice and humans on land. -adj. mammalian.
mammary
mammary
  1. adj. related to the milk-producing organ of mammals, such as breasts, used to feed the young: The mammary glands in humans are located in the chest area.
mammogram
mammogram
  1. n. a picture made by an x-ray of the breast, esp. to find cancer: A mammogram can show a cancer early so it can be treated. -n. [U] mammography.
mammoth
mammoth
  1. n. a type of extinct hairy elephant: Mammoths once lived in parts of the USA. —adj. huge in size: The national debt is mammoth.
man-made
man-made
  1. adj. artificial, not natural: Plastic is a man-made substance.
man-sized
man-sized
  1. adj. large, big enough for a large man: That restaurant serves man-sized meals.
manacle
manacle
  1. n.v. [T] -cled, -cling, -cles s.t. used as a restraint, such as a chain or handcuffs, a shackle: Police manacle criminals so they cannot escape.
manage
manage
  1. v. [I;T] -aged, -aging, -ages
    1 to direct the business of an organization: She manages a legal department in a large company.
    2 to struggle but succeed at doing s.t.: He managed to carry the heavy suitcase into the house alone.
    THESAURUS
    manage
    1 to run s.t., be in charge of s.t., oversee | supervise, administer. Ants. to work for s.o., report to s.o.
    2 to deal with (doing) s.t., cope with (doing) s.t. Ant. to fail to do s.t.
manageable
manageable
  1. adj. able to be done, doable: Cleanup after a hurricane is difficult, but manageable. -n. [U] manageability.
    THESAURUS
    manageable possible | viable, workable. Ant. unmanageable.
managed care
managed care
  1. n. [U] an insurance business that organizes a system of providing medical services in which a doctor, called a primary care physician, treats some of a person's illnesses and refers that person to specialists for others, all of whom are paid by the insurance company: My managed care is provided in a building with many different doctors located in one place. See: HMO.
management
management
  1. n.
    1 [U] the art and science of directing the business of an organization: Some types of management need a scientific education.
    2 [C] the people who make up the management group in an organization: Management and the labor union meet yearly to negotiate about workers' wages and benefits.
    THESAURUS
    management
    1 administration, oversight | supervision
    2 the administration, directors. Ants. labor, the staff, workers.
manager
manager
  1. n.
    1 a person who sets goals and policies in an organization, and usu. supervises others: Some managers are strict; others are more relaxed.
    2 a person who runs a business on a day-to-day basis for the owner(s), or manages the career of a performer, athlete, etc.: Customers complain to the manager of the store when the owner is away. -adj. man-agerial .
    THESAURUS
    manager 1 and 2 a boss, an administrator | supervisor, foreman, an overseer. Ant. a worker.
mandarin
mandarin
  1. n.
    1 [C] a high official, originally in old China
    2 [U] Mandarin the official language of China: Mandarin is taught in the schools.
mandate
mandate
  1. n. a written order or command —v. [T] -dated, -dating, -dates to order: The voters mandated change in the last election.
mandatory
mandatory
  1. adj. required, dictated by law,
    THESAURUS
    compulsory: The law makes it mandatory for students to go to school until they reach the age of 16.
mandible
mandible
  1. n. (in anatomy) a jaw that can move, esp. the lower jaw in humans and apes: The archaeologists are studying the mandible and skull of prehistoric man.
mandolin
mandolin
  1. n. a high-pitched six- or eight-stringed musical instrument like the lute: The mandolin has a high, sweet sound.
mane
mane
  1. n. a strip of long hair on the neck of some animals, such as the lion or horse: The mane around the head of male lions makes them look scary.
maneuver
maneuver
  1. n.
    1 a motion made in a particular direction: The pilot turned the jet to the west in a maneuver to get back on course.
    2 an act meant to deceive or defeat s.o. else: He made maneuvers to get the best assignments at work.
    3 to go on maneuvers: to do a military exercise: Each summer, the army goes on maneuvers to test its equipment and its readiness to fight. —v. [I;T] to make a maneuver: The basketball player maneuvered around the other team's players.
manger
manger
  1. n. a long box or container for animal feed,
    THESAURUS
    a trough: The farmer puts hay in the manger for her cows each day.
mangle
mangle
  1. v. [T] -gled, -gling, -gles to damage badly, (syns.) to mutilate, deform: Our photocopy machine mangles pieces of paper when it is not working correctly.
mango
mango
  1. n. -goes a sweet, slightly acid, tropical fruit with yellow flesh: Scientists say that mangoes have many nutrients.
mangrove
mangrove
  1. n.adj. a large tropical tree found along ocean shorelines and swamps: Wood from the mangrove is so heavy that it won't float.
manhandle
manhandle
  1. v. [T] -dled, -dling, -dles to treat s.o. roughly, use force: Police manhandled the criminal by pushing him against a wall.
manhole
manhole
  1. n. a hole in a street used to reach utilities, such as gas and water pipes or telephone lines: Workers went down a manhole to fix a leak in the gas pipeline.
manhood
manhood
  1. n. [U] the age and condition of being an adult human male: He reached manhood after he finished high school.
manhunt
manhunt
  1. n. a search by police for s.o: When a prisoner escaped, police began a manhunt for him.
mania
mania
  1. n.
    1 [U] a mental disorder shown by great excitement: In his mania, he sang and shouted at people in the library.
    2 [C;U] infrml.fig. an obsession for s.t., an uncontrollable desire: She has a mania for chocolate; she eats a chocolate bar every day. -adj. manic.
maniac
maniac
  1. n. an insane person; a wild, dangerous person: A maniac broke out of jail and killed a man.
manic depressive
manic depressive
  1. n. a person with mental depression, sometimes suicidal, who also experiences periods of extreme excitement
manicure
manicure
  1. n.v. [T] -cured, -curing, -cures care and beautification of the fingernails and hands: My wife had a manicure at the beauty salon. -n. manicurist.
manifest
manifest
  1. v.frml. [T] to appear, arrive: The illness manifested itself with a high fever and a cough. —n. a shipping document listing passengers, items, and destinations: A clerk checked off the items on the manifest that she had received.
manifestation
manifestation
  1. n. [C;U] frml. a sign, symbol: Warm temperatures and budding flowers are manifestations of spring.
manifesto
manifesto
  1. n.v. [I] -tos or -toes a public statement of the political or economic principles of a group: Revolutionaries issued a manifesto for political change.
manifold
manifold
  1. n. the part of an exhaust pipe that lets gases escape from an engine: I had my car repaired, then a crack developed in the engine manifold. —adj.frml. many: Society faces manifold problems.
manikin
manikin
  1. n. See: mannequin.
manipulate
manipulate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates
    1 to handle, change the position of s.t.: A worker manipulates the levers of the bulldozer.||A musician manipulated the strings of a guitar.
    2 to influence s.o. or s.t. secretly, esp. for one's own advantage: He manipulated the price of a stock so he could buy it cheaply. -n. [C;U] manipulation ; -adj. manipulative.
mankind
mankind
  1. n. [U] humanity, people in general: Mankind has existed for thousands of years. See: man, 2.
    THESAURUS
    mankind human beings, humankind, man. Ants. an individual, a person.

    USAGE NOTE: Many people consider the use of mankind (meaning all people) to be sexist because it does not include women; a more general term is humankind or humanity.
manly
manly
  1. adj. -lier, -liest having positive characteristics, such as strength and courage, that are associated with men,
    THESAURUS
    virile: The boy performed a manly act by saving an old woman from a robber.
manna
manna
  1. n. [U]
    1 food from heaven
    2 fig. an unexpected gift or good event: When the poor man won the lottery, the money was like manna from heaven to him.
mannequin
mannequin
  1. n. a plastic model of a human body: Mannequins in department store windows are dressed in clothes in the latest styles.
manner
manner
  1. n.
    1 behavior, a way of acting: Some children have good (or bad) manners.
    2 sing. a type of action, a way of doing s.t.: "Hit the ball in this manner," said the tennis coach as she showed her student how to do it.
    3 all manner of: all kinds of: There was all manner of food at the party.
    THESAURUS
    manner
    1 conduct | comportment frml.
    2 a way | style, fashion, mode.
mannerism
mannerism
  1. n. a particular gesture, facial expression, etc., that s.o. often uses: His special mannerism is waving his hands when he talks.
mannerly
mannerly
  1. adj.frml. having good manners,
    THESAURUS
    courteous
mannish
mannish
  1. adj. (of a woman) having the characteristics of a man: She has a short, mannish hair style.
manor
manor
  1. n. a large, elegant house and land: Wealthy English people live in manors.
manpower
manpower
  1. n. [U] labor, workers as a group: Building the railroads required a lot of manpower. See: workforce.
mansion
mansion
  1. -n. a large, expensive house with land: Mansions in rich neighborhoods have a lot of land around them.
manslaughter
manslaughter
  1. n. [U] an act of killing s.o., usu. by accident: He killed two people in an automobile accident and was sent to jail for manslaughter.
mantel
mantel
  1. n. a shelf and any of its supporting parts on a fireplace: They keep pictures of their family on the mantel. -n. mantelpiece.
mantle
mantle
  1. n. a covering, such as a scarf worn over the shoulders: A mantle of snow covers the mountaintop.
mantra
mantra
  1. n. a word or saying repeated in meditation or prayer: She meditates every morning by repeating the word "om" as a mantra.
manual
manual
  1. n. a handbook or guidebook often of step-by-step procedures on how to do s.t.: The manual for my computer shows how to set it up and program it. —adj. done using the hands rather than by machine: My car has a manual gear shift, not an automatic transmission. -adv. manually.
manufacture
manufacture
  1. v. [T] -tured, -turing, -tures
    1 to make s.t. for sale using machinery: Our company manufactures furniture.
    2 to deceive, make up false information: She manufactured her previous work history that she wrote on her résumé. —n. [U] the act of making products using machinery: The manufacture of that type of gun is illegal now.
    THESAURUS
    manufacture v.
    1 to produce, fabricate | assemble
    2 to invent, fabricate, concoct.
manufacturer
manufacturer
  1. n. a business that makes things: That corporation is a manufacturer of medicines.
manufacturing
manufacturing
  1. n. [U] the part of industry that makes things: Manufacturing has left the big cities and relocated overseas.
manure
manure
  1. n. [U] animal waste,
    THESAURUS
    dung: Farmers use cow manure as fertilizer.
manuscript
manuscript
  1. n. a handwritten or typed document before it is printed: The author's book manuscript was sent to the editor.
many
many
  1. adj. more , most
    1 related to a lot of s.t., numerous: Many people attended the concert.
    2 a good or great many: a lot of: A good many people should exercise more.
    3 how many: used with countable nouns to ask about the number of s.t.: How many books do you have?||How many do you have? —n. sing. used with a pl.v. used with of, a large number of s.t.: Many of us eat too much sugar. —pron. a large number of s.t.: When the babies heard a loud noise, many began to cry.||How many cried?
    THESAURUS
    many adj.
    1 plenty of s.t., a large number of, countless. Ants. few, not many.

    USAGE NOTE: Many is used with or in place of countable nouns: many books. Use much with or in place of uncountable nouns: much work.
map
map
  1. n. a graphic representation or plan of geographic locations: We looked at a map to find the best roads from Boston to Chicago. —v. [T] mapped, mapping, maps
    1 to make a map of s.t.: Engineers mapped the area for a road.
    2 phrasal v. sep. to map s.t. out: to plan in detail: They mapped out exactly what to study for the examination.||They mapped it out.
    THESAURUS
    map n. a chart | layout.
maple
maple
  1. n. a tall shade tree that produces a sugary liquid: The maple next to our house protects it from the afternoon sun.
maple leaf
maple leaf
  1. n.
    1 a symbol for the country of Canada: The red maple leaf is on the Canadian national flag.
    2 a gold coin minted in Canada
maple syrup
maple syrup
  1. n. [U] a sweet, brown syrup made by boiling maple sap (liquid that comes out of maple trees): We pour maple syrup on pancakes.
mar
mar
  1. v. [T] marred, marring, mars to damage; to make a cut, bruise, or dent in s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    to deface: A scratch in the side of the car marred its appearance.
marathon
marathon
  1. n.
    1 a foot race of over 26 miles (41.3 km): Thousands of runners come to the Boston Marathon every April.
    2 any event or test that lasts a long time: To meet the deadline, negotiators held marathon meetings all night long. -n. marathoner.
marble
marble
  1. n.
    1 [U] a type of stone that is cut and polished for use in floors, walls, statues, and decoration: The floors of the Capitol building are made of different colored marble.
    2 [C] pl. marbles a game children play by rolling small balls of marble or glass on the floor: When it rains, the children stay in and play marbles.
    3 to lose one's marbles: to go insane: I almost lost my marbles studying for that test.
marbling
marbling
  1. n. [U] a pattern of stripes and spots in different colors, made to look like marble: The cover of the book had green and blue marbling on it.
mare
mare
  1. n. a mature, female horse or donkey: A mare won the horse race.
margarine
margarine
  1. n. [U] a substitute for butter made from vegetable oils: Margarine spreads easily on toast.
margarita
margarita
  1. n. an alcoholic drink of tequila and lime juice: She likes to drink a margarita with Mexican food.
margin
margin
  1. n.
    1 the side border of a printed page: The margins on a newspaper are blank.
    2 the amount of profit that a business earns: Last quarter, our company had a high profit margin.
    3 the degree or amount more than what is needed: She won the election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
    THESAURUS
    margin
    1 an edge | rim. Ant. center.
    2 a surplus
    3 an excess.
marginal
marginal
  1. adj.
    1 located on a margin: Authors make marginal corrections to their writing.
    2 of little importance or worth: Desert is marginal land for farming, because its soil is of poor quality.
marginalia
marginalia
  1. n.pl. comments or notes written in the margin, esp. of a book: Professors write marginalia in textbooks to use in their lectures.
marginalize
marginalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to make s.o. less important or s.t. less valuable: The new computers marginalize the value of older, slower ones.
marigold
marigold
  1. n. a small orange or yellow flower: Marigolds keep insects away from the tomato plants in our garden.
marina
marina
  1. n. [C;U] a boatyard or harbor that has docks and other facilities for boats: We keep a small sailboat at the marina on the river.
marinade
marinade
  1. n. a flavoring sauce used to soak meat, fish, and other food in before cooking: My brother soaks chicken in a marinade of soy sauce and herbs before he barbecues it. See: barbecue.
marinate
marinate
  1. v. [T] -nated, -nating, -nates to soak (food) in a marinade
marine
marine
  1. adj. related to the ocean and ships: She studied marine biology in college. —n. marine or Marine a member of the Marine Corps
mariner
mariner
  1. n.frml. a sailor
marionette
marionette
  1. n. a doll or figure moved by strings to entertain people: Marionettes make people laugh.
marital
marital
  1. adj. related to marriage: He is not married, so his marital status is single.
maritime
maritime
  1. adj. related to the sea: Maritime laws govern international shipping.
mark
mark
  1. n.
    1 a scrape, stain, or spot: There is a mark on the wall where I hit it with a ball.||fig. Fighting in the war left its mark on him.
    2 a grade, such as on an examination or for a course: She got high marks in high school.
    3 a symbol, a sign of distinction: Chanel™ is a mark of perfume known all over the world.||Young people stand up as older people enter the room as a mark of respect.
    4 a target, such as a bull's-eye: He shot an arrow and it hit the mark.
    5 a place where racers begin: The starter for the race said to the runners, "On your mark, get set, go!"
    6 a symbol used by an illiterate person as a signature: He made his mark as an "X" on the contract.
    7 to be off the mark or to miss the mark: wrong, inaccurate: The weather reporter missed the mark when she said it would rain today, because it's sunny!
    8 to give s.o. high marks: to praise, admire s.o. for doing s.t. well: She did excellent work and I give her high marks for it!
    9 to make one's mark: to prove oneself as very good at s.t., to accomplish good things: He made his mark as a super salesperson at his company. —v. [T]
    1 to stain, leave a mark: The broken plate marked the floor where it broke.
    2 to show a specific place: I marked my page in the book with a bookmark.
    3 to write down, note: He marked the price on a piece of paper.
    4 to grade homework or examinations: The teacher marked the students' exams.
    5 to celebrate: The USA marks its independence from Britain with Fourth of July celebrations.
    6 phrasal v. sep. to mark s.t. down: a. to note down: I marked down her telephone number on a piece of paper.||I marked it down. b. to lower the price of s.t., discount: That store marked down prices on its shoes by 40 percent.||It marked them down.
    7 phrasal v. sep. to mark s.t. up: to increase the price of s.t.: In that business, he marks up all his products by 100 percent.
    THESAURUS
    mark n.
    1 a streak, blot | scratch, bruise
    2 a (test) score, rating
    3 an emblem | badge, stamp | label, brand. —v.
    1 to spot, streak | scrape, scratch, bruise
    2 to indicate.
markdown
markdown
  1. n. a lowered price of s.t., esp. to put it on sale: The markdown on shoes on sale is 20 percent off the regular price.
marked
marked
  1. adj.
    1 clear, definite: Colder weather in the fall is a marked difference from the heat of summer.
    2 fig. singled out for punishment: He is a marked man for criticizing his boss who will fire him as soon as she can.
marker
marker
  1. n.
    1 a post, sign, or other noticeable object: Workers placed little orange flags as markers to show where the road will be built.
    2 a thick pen or other tool to make marks: The girl has markers in all colors to draw pictures with.
market
market
  1. n.
    1 a place or store that sells things: Supermarkets are large stores that sell food.
    2 the combination of makers, sellers, and buyers of a product or service on a local, national, or international level: There is a good market for healthy foods these days.
    3 buyer's or seller's market: conditions good for the buyer or seller: Real estate is a buyer's market right now, because there are many houses and apartments available to choose from. —v. [T]
    1 to offer goods and services for sale: That company markets cosmetics in the New York area.
    2 to promote goods and services: Our marketing department markets our products nationally.
    3 to be in the market for: to want to purchase s.t.: I am in the market for a new car and have looked at many different models.
    4 to play the market: to look for the highest profit by buying and selling stocks: She is comfortable with taking risks to play the market.
    THESAURUS
    market n.
    1 a grocery store, supermarket, farmers' market
    2 a marketplace for s.t., sales opportunity. —v. 1 and 2 to sell, to merchandise.
market economy
market economy
  1. n. an economy that depends on market forces, such as supply and demand, to determine how many goods will be produced and at what price they will be sold
market research
market research
  1. n. [U] the study of what products and services customers might like to buy: Market research helped us design our products to sell better.
market share
market share
  1. n. the percentage of industry sales of a certain product or company
marketable
marketable
  1. adj. capable of being sold, salable: That new computer is highly marketable, because there are no competing products for it. -n. marketability.
marketer
marketer
  1. n. a person, department, or business that sells goods or services: That huge corporation is a marketer of soap and other personal care products.
marketing
marketing
  1. n. [U]
    1 the purchase of daily food and household items: My husband does the marketing for our family once a week.
    2 the art and science of designing, advertising, and selling goods and services: She has a master's degree in marketing from Stanford University.
marketplace
marketplace
  1. n.
    1 an open area in a city or town for selling products, esp. food: Marketplaces in many European cities are located in central places.
    2 the combination of all makers, sellers, and buyers of a product or service: Our new product was well received in the marketplace.
    THESAURUS
    marketplace
    1 a shopping district, shopping area, town square
    2 the market.
marking
marking
  1. n. [U] a mark of some kind or coloring, esp. of an animal: Our dog has brown and white markings.
markup
markup
  1. n. an increase in the price of s.t. above its cost: The markup on clothes can be five times their cost.
marmalade
marmalade
  1. n. [U] a fruit mixture that is spread on bread, rolls, etc.: I put orange marmalade on my toast for breakfast.
maroon
maroon
  1. adj.n. [U] a dark purplish red: He wears a maroon baseball cap. —v. [T] to leave s.o. in a distant place with no or little hope of escape: Our ship was wrecked and we were marooned on an island.
marquee
marquee
  1. n. a large display above the front entrance to a theater that tells what is playing: The theater's marquee said that the movie Casablanca was playing.
marriage
marriage
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a legal union of a man and woman: The couple enjoyed a long and happy marriage.
    2 a wedding: My sister's marriage was small and private.
    3 fig. a strong bond between people or things: One business bought another in a marriage of similar interests.
    THESAURUS
    marriage
    1 matrimony, wedlock frml. Ant. a divorce.
    2 a marriage ceremony, nuptials frml.
    3 a union, merger. Ant. a separation.
marriage broker
marriage broker
  1. n. a person who sets up marriages: A man went to a marriage broker and asked her to find him a wife.
married
married
  1. adj. having a husband or wife: She is married with two children.
marrow
marrow
  1. n. [U] a soft jelly-like substance inside bones that makes new blood cells: Dogs love to chew on bones to taste the marrow.
marry
marry
  1. v. [I;T] -ried, -rying, -ries to join in marriage: Jane and Joe were married last Saturday.
    THESAURUS
    marry to get married, wed frml. | tie the knot infrml., get hitched slang.
marsh
marsh
  1. n. [C;U] marshes a wet, low-lying area with thick plant growth: Marshes have ponds where ducks and geese build nests and feed. -n. marshland ; -adj. marshy.
marshal
marshal
  1. n.
    1 a sheriff or officer of the US government: A US marshal arrested a criminal.
    2 the leader of an event: The mayor was the grand marshal leading the parade. —v. [T] to gather one's forces together: The old man marshaled his strength to endure major heart surgery.
marshmallow
marshmallow
  1. n. a soft, white candy made of sugar: We toasted marshmallows over a fire when we camped in the woods.
marsupial
marsupial
  1. n. an animal, such as a kangaroo or an opossum, whose female members have a pouch to carry their young in: Marsupials are common in Australia.
mart
mart
  1. n.frml. a market or trading place: The convenience store on the corner is called Mini Mart.
martial
martial
  1. adj. related to the military and war: A court-martial is a military court that tries soldiers for crimes.
martial art
martial art
  1. n. a skill used for self-defense and military attack, such as karate or judo: He is an expert in the martial arts and has a black belt in karate.
martial law
martial law
  1. n. [U] emergency powers of the military to govern the civilian population to maintain order: After mass demonstrations, martial law was imposed on the country to prevent rioting.
martini
martini
  1. n. an alcoholic drink made of gin or vodka and a small amount of vermouth: They drink dry gin martinis before dinner.
martyr
martyr
  1. n. a person who dies for a cause and whose death inspires others to continue it: Joan of Arc (1412-1431) was a French martyr who tried to save France from the English. —v. [T] to kill s.o. and make a martyr of that person: The Romans martyred early Christians for their religious beliefs.
martyrdom
martyrdom
  1. n. [U] an act or condition of being a martyr: The martyrdom of early Christians inspired others to bear suffering.
marvel
marvel
  1. v. [I;T] to regard with wonder and admiration: He marvels at the strength of professional athletes. —n. a wonder, amazement: The girl is so smart that she is a marvel to her teachers.
marvelous
marvelous
  1. adj.
    1 wonderful, excellent: We had a marvelous time on vacation.
    2 amazing, admirable: He has a marvelous ability to play the violin.
    THESAURUS
    marvelous
    1 terrific, fantastic, great. Ant. terrible.
    2 awesome, remarkable. Ant. mediocre.
marzipan
marzipan
  1. n. [U] a soft candy made from almonds and sugar: Marzipan is made into shapes of animals and fruits.
mascara
mascara
  1. n. [U] a dark cosmetic applied to the eyelashes: Mascara makes her eyes look bigger.
mascot
mascot
  1. n. a person or an animal or its image kept for good luck by a sports team or other organization: Our football team keeps a mule as its mascot to show its strength and determination.
masculine
masculine
  1. adj.
    1 related to male qualities: That actor projects a masculine image in his films.
    2 related to the male gender of nouns in some languages: The words for "work" in French and Spanish are masculine: le travail and el trabajo. See: feminine.
mash
mash
  1. v. [T] mashes to press into a mass: She mashed bananas to feed to her baby.||Mashed potatoes taste good with butter or gravy. —n. [C;U] mashes a wet mixture, such as grain and water: Distillers use a mash to make alcohol.
mask
mask
  1. n. a covering for the face used esp. to hide one's identity or for a ceremony: We saw many people wearing funny and scary masks at the Halloween party. —v. [T]
    1 to hide one's identity: Robbers masked themselves to avoid being identified.
    2 to hide one's feelings: She masked her unhappiness when she was not invited to the party.
    THESAURUS
    mask n. a disguise, veil | face guard.
masking tape
masking tape
  1. n. [U] a tape used to mark areas, such as places not to be painted, that is easy to remove: A worker put masking tape over the door frame in the room to be painted.
masochism
masochism
  1. n. [U] any pain or discomfort deliberately experienced for pleasure: The masochism of running every day in cold and heat gives joggers satisfaction. -n. masochist; -adj. masochistic.
mason
mason
  1. n.
    1 a skilled worker in brick or stone: A stonemason is repairing the old church.
    2 Mason a member of the Freemasons, a secret organization of men
masonry
masonry
  1. n. [U] brickwork or stonework in buildings: The masonry on the outside of the school needs to be fixed.
masquerade
masquerade
  1. n.adj.
    1 a party or dance where people wear costumes and masks
    2 a costume worn to pretend to be s.o. else: We went to a masquerade (or) a masquerade party. —v. [I] -raded, -rading, -rades to pretend to be s.o. else: He masquerades as a big businessman, but he really isn't one.
mass
mass
  1. n. masses
    1 [U] the amount of matter of an object: Spaceships have no weight in space but do have mass and could cause damage if they hit each other.
    2 [C] a group of people, things, etc.: A mass of people were in the town square for the concert.
    3 [C] a shapeless amount of similar matter: A mass of rock fell down the mountain. —v. [I;T] masses to come together in a mass: Sports fans massed in front of the stadium before the game.
    THESAURUS
    mass n.
    2 a bunch | crowd, mob, throng
    3 a pile, heap.
mass media
mass media
  1. n. [U] used with a sing. or pl.v. television, radio, and large urban newspapers used to communicate with people daily: The mass media is constantly watching what the President says and does.
mass production
mass production
  1. n. [U] the manufacture of products in large amounts using modern machinery: Mass production of automobiles means that almost everyone can own one. -v. [T] mass-produce.
massacre
massacre
  1. n. [C;U] the brutal killing of many people or animals,
    THESAURUS
    slaughter: The massacre of the American buffalo almost made them extinct. —v. [T] -cred, -cring, -cres to slaughter, kill brutally: Hunters massacred elephants to get ivory from their tusks.
massage
massage
  1. n. [C;U] the act of rubbing and moving the muscles of the body for relaxation and relief of pain: A masseuse gave me a relaxing massage for half an hour. —v. [T] -saged, -saging, -sages to give a massage: She massaged me skillfully. See: caress.
masseur
masseur
  1. n. a man who gives massages professionally: Masseurs have to go to school and be licensed to work in most states.
masseuse
masseuse
  1. n. a woman who gives massages professionally: That masseuse has a firm, but gentle touch.
massive
massive
  1. adj. huge, great: A massive amount of information is available now with computers.
mast
mast
  1. n. on a ship, a vertical pole to which sails are connected: The main mast on old ships was made from tall trees.
mastectomy
mastectomy
  1. n. -mies the surgical removal of a breast: She had a mastectomy to remove a cancerous tumor from her breast.
master
master
  1. n.
    1 a person who can order others: The dog's master ordered it to lie down.
    2 a very competent, skilled person: He is a master at the game of tennis.||She is a master of intrigue. —v. [T] to learn how to do s.t. well: He finally mastered typing.
    THESAURUS
    master n.
    1 an owner | ruler | boss, commander. Ants. a slave, servant.
    2 an expert | ace, whiz infrml. | virtuoso, genius. Ant. an amateur.
master of ceremonies
master of ceremonies
  1. n. a person who introduces others, esp. entertainers at a public event: The master of ceremonies introduced each singer in the voice contest.
masterful
masterful
  1. adj.
    1 able to do things well, very competent,
    THESAURUS
    masterly: He is masterful at handling horses.
    2 having a strong personality, able to dominate others -adv. masterfully.
masterly
masterly
  1. adj. showing the skill of a master: He is a masterly tennis player.
mastermind
mastermind
  1. n.v. [T] a person who plans s.t. completely: She was the mastermind behind the plan to rob the museum of famous paintings.||She masterminded the robbery.
masterpiece
masterpiece
  1. n. one of the best works of art, music, literature, etc.: The painting Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is considered a masterpiece.
masterwork
masterwork
  1. n. the best work done by an artist, composer, etc.: I think Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is his masterwork.
mastery
mastery
  1. n. [U] the ability to do s.t. extremely well, complete competence: She has complete mastery of using a computer to do accounting.
masthead
masthead
  1. n.
    1 the top of a mast: The sailor climbed up to the masthead to look for land.
    2 a list of a newspaper's or magazine's owners, editors, other employees, and address: The masthead of the local newspaper is on the second page.
masticate
masticate
  1. v.frml. [I;T] -cated, -cating, -cates to chew: Cows masticate their food.
mastiff
mastiff
  1. n.frml. a large, strong dog with short tan fur: Mastiffs are good guard dogs.
mat
mat
  1. n. a piece of material often of rectangular shape with many uses, such as under plates on tables, in front of doors, on floors, etc.: We wipe our feet on the mat in front of our door to remove dirt from our shoes. —v. [I;T] matted, matting, mats to tangle, press down: The rain matted the dog's hair.
match
match
  1. n. matches
    1 a contest, game between participants: We played a tennis match and then watched a soccer match on TV.
    2 a similarity, harmony: There is a nice match between the color of his suit and his tie.
    3 a unity, bond: The couple started dating and found that they have a love match.
    4 a small stick used to light fires: He struck a match and lit a candle.
    5 to meet one's match: to compete with s.o. equal to or better than you are: The boxer met his match as his opponent knocked him out in the first round. —v. [I;T] matches
    1 to be similar to s.t. else: One of his socks is blue and the other is brown; they don't match.
    2 to equal: Federal governments match funds to those given by states for large construction projects.
    THESAURUS
    match v.
    1 to go well together, fit together, harmonize | correspond. Ant. to clash (with).
matchbook
matchbook
  1. n. a thin piece of cardboard covering a set of matches: Businesses advertise their products on matchbook covers.
matchbox
matchbox
  1. n. -boxes
    1 a small box containing matches
    2 fig. a small house
matchless
matchless
  1. adj. without equal, unique: That opera singer has a matchless voice.
matchmaker
matchmaker
  1. n. a person who makes introductions between people interested in marriage: A matchmaker interviews men and women, then matches them with the kind of person they like. -n. matchmaking.
mate
mate
  1. n.
    1 one of a pair of animals: The male bird found food for its mate.
    2 a husband or wife: The elderly woman's mate died last week.
    3 either of a matched pair: I lost the mate to my glove.
    4 (-)mate: friend, companion, usu. with other words: roommate, classmate, housemate —v. [I] mated, mating, mates to become a pair to produce offspring: Animals mate in the springtime.
    THESAURUS
    mate n.
    2 one's spouse
    3 twin
    4 a partner | buddy, pal.
material
material
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] cloth, fabric: Her suit is made out of fine wool material.
    2 [C;U] any physical substance, such as rock, wood, glass, plastic, etc.: Building materials, including wood, bricks, and pipes, are available at lumber yards.
    3 [C;U] tools and supplies: Art materials include paint, brushes, and canvas.
    4 [U] information in many forms that can be used, such as for a book or a speech: Our teacher put together material for a textbook. —adj.
    1 related to the physical, not the spiritual: The material world makes a lot of demands on us.
    2 related to a situation in an important way, crucial: Evidence by a witness is material to the prosecution of a crime.
    THESAURUS
    material n.
    1 textile
    2 matter, things, stuff infrml.
    3 equipment, gear
    4 data, facts | evidence.
materialism
materialism
  1. n. [U]
    1 a philosophy that physical reality is most important, not spirituality: She did not go to church because she believed in materialism.
    2 the idea that having a lot of wealth is the goal in life: Materialism is an important part of western culture. -n. materialist; -adj. materialistic.
materialize
materialize
  1. v. [I] -ized, -izing, -izes to happen, become real: Her plans to become a professional singer materialized when she received offers to give performances.
maternal
maternal
  1. adj.
    1 related to a mother: Maternal instinct makes mothers protect their children.
    2 related through one's mother: My maternal grandparents raised my mother in Idaho.
maternity
maternity
  1. adj.n. related to the condition of pregnancy and caring for a child: She took three months' maternity leave from work to have a baby.
    THESAURUS
    maternity adj. parental —n. motherhood.
math
math
  1. n. [U] short for mathematics: I have a math exam today at school.
mathematical
mathematical
  1. adj. related to mathematics: Computers can do mathematical calculations very quickly. -adv. mathematically.
mathematics
mathematics
  1. n. [U] pl.used with a sing.v. the study of numbers, symbols, and forms that follow strict rules and laws: Mathematics is a difficult field of study. -n. mathematician .
    THESAURUS
    mathematics arithmetic, geometry, algebra, calculus.
matinee
matinee
  1. n. an afternoon film or theater performance: We saw the Wednesday matinee of a new musical comedy.
matriarch
matriarch
  1. n. the female head of a family or society: After Grandfather died, Grandmother became the matriarch of our family. -adj. matriarchal.
matriarchy
matriarchy
  1. n. -chies a family or society in which women have most of the power: Long ago, some societies were matriarchies led by women.
matriculate
matriculate
  1. v. [I] -lated, -lating, -lates to enroll officially as a student in an educational institution, esp. a college: She matriculated into the state university last fall.
matrimony
matrimony
  1. n. [U]
    1 the state of marriage: Religions see matrimony as a relationship blessed by God.
    2 the marriage ceremony: The couple went through matrimony in a church wedding. -adj. matrimonial.
matrix
matrix
  1. n. matrices or matrixes
    1 an arrangement of numbers, symbols, items, etc., that have a relationship to each other and are often arranged in columns and rows: If supplies cost too much in the matrix of production expenses to make a profit, then other costs must be reduced.
    2 material that surrounds minerals, etc.: Gold ore is sometimes found in a matrix of rock.
matron
matron
  1. n.
    1 a respected older, married woman: My aunt is a matron who organizes volunteers to read to children in the schools.
    2 a female guard in a court or prison: A matron escorted a female prisoner into court.
    3 a housekeeper in a hospital or prison: The matron has the keys to the laundry room in the hospital.
matron of honor
matron of honor
  1. n. a bride's main married attendant at her wedding: The bride's matron of honor was her best friend. See: maid of honor.
matronly
matronly
  1. adj.
    1 (about women) dignified, stately: My grandmother has a matronly air about her.
    2 euphemism for fat or middle-aged: That dress makes you look matronly.
matted
matted
  1. adj. & past part. of mat, tangled, pressed down: Her hair was matted after she got caught in rain.
matter
matter
  1. n.
    1 [U] physical substance that has weight and takes up space: Matter is composed of atoms and molecules.
    2 [C] a concern, subject of interest: We met to discuss business matters.
    3 [U] s.t. to read: The doctor's office has reading matter (magazines, books) in the waiting room.
    4 a matter of: a. an unknown but small amount: The train arrives in a matter of minutes. b. a decision, a situation: It's a matter of whether you want to get home early or late.
    5 for that matter: as far as (a topic being discussed) is concerned: My sister doesn't like television, and for that matter, neither do I.
    6 n.adj. matter of fact: a. based on fact, not dreams: Police detectives have a matter-of-fact attitude to finding information about crimes. b. actually, in reality: As a matter of fact, I do speak Spanish.
    7 a matter of life and death: a serious situation that could end in death: Whether enough blood is donated could be a matter of life and death for the accident victims.
    8 a matter of opinion: a question open to different ideas: It's a matter of opinion whether chemistry or physics is more difficult.
    9 no laughing matter: s.t. serious: Dressing warmly in winter is no laughing matter.
    10 no matter: without regard to,
    THESAURUS
    irrespective of: No matter what my boss says, I'm still going to check these numbers twice.
    11 What's the matter?: What's the problem?: "You're crying; what's the matter?" "Oh, my dog just died." —v. [I] to be of importance, concern: What you think matters.
    THESAURUS
    matter n.
    1 material | stuff
    2 a topic, point, issue.
matting
matting
  1. n. [U] a rough mat or combination of them: We put matting on the floor under the kitchen table.
mattress
mattress
  1. n. -tresses a rectangular pad of wool, cotton, etc., to put on a bed for sleeping: I like a firm mattress to support my back.
mature
mature
  1. v. [I] -tured, -turing, -tures to grow to full size or full mental abilities: Human babies mature slowly. —adj.
    1 adult, fully grown: There are mature oak trees on each side of our street.
    2 capable of doing what is right, responsible: Mature teenagers can be excellent caretakers for small children.
    THESAURUS
    mature v. to develop | ripen. Ants. to retard, stunt (growth).
maturity
maturity
  1. n. [U]
    1 the state of being fully grown, adulthood: Girls reach sexual maturity earlier than boys do.
    2 (in finance) the state of being ready to be collected or due: The bank charges a penalty fee if you withdraw money from a certificate of deposit before its maturity date.
    THESAURUS
    maturity
    1 manhood, womanhood | full development. Ant. immaturity.
maudlin
maudlin
  1. adj. extremely sentimental, tearful: Romantic novels can be maudlin if the hero dies.
maul
maul
  1. v. [T] to treat roughly, beat: A bear mauled a tourist in the woods. —n. a type of hammer with a wooden head
mausoleum
mausoleum
  1. n. a large burial tomb: Wealthy families used to build mausoleums.
mauve
mauve
  1. n. [U] adj. a light purple color: Her favorite color is mauve, and she is wearing a mauve dress.
maven
maven
  1. n. an expert: He is a computer maven.
maverick
maverick
  1. n.
    1 cattle or a horse without its owner's brand: The cowboy tried to catch the mavericks on his land.
    2 fig. a very independent person,
    THESAURUS
    an eccentric: That scientist is a maverick who doesn't care what others think.
mawkish
mawkish
  1. adj. maudlin, very sentimental
maxim
maxim
  1. n. a saying that states a principle of behavior or living: "Birds of a feather flock together" is a maxim that similar people like to be with each other.
maximize
maximize
  1. v. [T] -mized, -mizing, -mizes to get or demand the most from s.t.: The boss maximizes profits by paying his employees very little. -n. maximization.
maximum
maximum
  1. n.adj. the ultimate, most of s.t.: Race cars speed at the maximum (or) maximum speed.
    THESAURUS
    maximum n. adj. highest, greatest, top. Ants. minimum, lowest.
may
may
  1. auxiliary verb used with other verbs without the infinitive "to" might or may have, may  1  expressing possibility of s.t. happening: I may go to the movies tonight if I’m not too tired. 
    2 asking or giving permission: May I go to the movies?||You may go to the movies, but you have to wash the dishes first.
    3 may as well: having no reason not to do s.t.: We may as well go home, this party is so boring.  See: can, might, modal auxiliary.

    USAGE NOTE:     May is used with the base form of another verb (for example, "go") to express the possibility that something might happen: I may go away for the weekend.
maybe
maybe
  1. adv. about s.t. that could happen: My friend is not here yet; maybe she missed the bus.||Maybe it will rain today; I'll bring my umbrella.
    THESAURUS
    maybe possibly, perhaps | conceivably frml. Ants. positively, definitely.
mayday
mayday
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a call for help sent over a radio from boats and planes in trouble: The pilot shouted, "Mayday, mayday, this is flight 101 and we are going to crash into the sea!"
    2 May Day a holiday that celebrates labor in many countries: May Day is a festival of workers.
mayhem
mayhem
  1. n. [U] serious destruction of property or harm to s.o.: He drank too much alcohol and committed mayhem in nearly destroying the furniture in the bar.
mayo
mayo
  1. n. [U] slang short for mayonnaise
mayonnaise
mayonnaise
  1. n. [U] a food sauce made of eggs, oil, and lemon juice: She puts mayonnaise on her turkey sandwich.
mayor
mayor
  1. n. the elected head of a city's government: The mayor holds a regular news conference with newspaper reporters.
maypole
maypole
  1. n. a pole, symbol of fertility, decorated with ribbons and flowers around which children dance on May 1: Maypoles are fun at May Day festivals.
maze
maze
  1. n. a system of passages designed to confuse people or animals as they move through it,
    THESAURUS
    a labyrinth: Psychologists test the ability of rats to go through a maze.
maître d'
maître d'
  1. -n. maître d's short for maître d'hôtel, a headwaiter: The maître d' at the restaurant gave us a table near the window. maître d' n. maître d's short for maître d'hôtel, a headwaiter: The maître d' at the restaurant gave us a table near the window.
me
me
  1. pron. the object form of "I": The teacher praised me for my speech.
meadow
meadow
  1. n. a pasture, land with grass and few trees: Cows eat grass in the meadows near the farm.
    THESAURUS
    meadow a field | grassland.
meager
meager
  1. adj. very little,
    THESAURUS
    skimpy: He makes a meager living from his small farm.
meal
meal
  1. n.
    1 a daily time for eating, known as breakfast, lunch, supper, or dinner, or all the food served at such a time: Everyone in our family gets together for the evening meal.||I feel tired after a large meal.
    2 [U] coarsely ground grain: I make corn bread with cornmeal.
    3 meal ticket: a. a ticket permitting s.o. to eat a meal: Students give their meal tickets to the cashier in the cafeteria. b. fig. a means of living: He doesn't work and lives off his girlfriend; she's his meal ticket.
    THESAURUS
    meal
    1 a spread infrml. | feast, repast frml.
mealtime
mealtime
  1. n. a time at which meals are eaten: Noon is our usual mealtime for lunch.
mealy-mouthed
mealy-mouthed
  1. adj.infrml.fig. not stating matters clearly and directly,
    THESAURUS
    equivocal: He would not say if he would pay for dinner; he just got mealy-mouthed and didn't say "yes" or "no."
mealy
mealy
  1. adj. having a coarse, grainy texture: I expected the custard to be smooth, but it was mealy.
mean
mean
  1. v. meant , meaning , means
    1 [T] to indicate, have significance: That flashing red light means to stop your car and wait for the train to go by.||What does this word mean?
    2 [T] to intend to, want to do s.t.: I meant to call home, but forgot to do it.
    3 to mean business: to be serious, ready to do s.t.: The frustrated mother said, "I mean business" to her children who wouldn't go to sleep.
    4 to mean well: to make a mistake, do s.t. wrong, but not plan to harm s.o.: She uses rough language, but she means well. The value obtained by dividing the sum of a set of quantities by the number of quantities in the set. Also called arithmetic mean or average: The mean of 5, 7, 8, and 12 is 8, that is, 5 + 7 + 8 + 12 = 32 (the sum) ÷ 4 (four quantities: 5, 7, 8, 12), thus 32 ÷ 4 = 8 —adj.
    1 wanting to hurt s.o.: That boy is mean, a real bully.
    2 frml. extremely bad in quality: During dry periods, poor farmers can lead a mean existence.
    THESAURUS
    mean v.
    1 to stand for s.t., symbolize s.t. | denote, signify frml.
    2 to have in mind, plan, aim. —adj.
    1 unkind, hurtful | cruel, abusive | vicious, dangerous. Ant. kind.
    2 poor, wretched.
meander
meander
  1. v. [I] to move and turn slowly: The river meanders through the countryside. -n. [U] adj. meandering.
meanie
meanie
  1. n.infrml. an aggressive person, who likes to hurt others: That bully is a meanie.
meaning
meaning
  1. n.
    1 [C] interpretation, explanation: Can you tell me the meaning of that word?
    2 [U] significance, importance of s.t.: The meaning of the President's speech is that taxes are going to go up.
    THESAURUS
    meaning
    1 the sense, definition | drift, implication
    2 the result, upshot.
meaningful
meaningful
  1. adj.
    1 significant, important: That scientist has made meaning-ful contributions to her field of science.
    2 having a powerful effect on the mind,
    THESAURUS
    weighty: Poetry contains meaningful images.
meaningless
meaningless
  1. adj.
    1 without meaning, unimportant: Those birds make meaningless sounds.
    2 without effect or impact on the mind: The speaker made a few meaningless comments and left the meeting.
means
means
  1. n.
    1 pl. wealth, resources, and influence: They are a family of means in this town.
    2 [C] the skill, tools, money, etc., necessary to do s.t.: Our company has the means to develop new products and market them well.
    3 sing. a way that is used to do s.t.: A bus is a means of public transportation.
    4 by all means: a. definitely, absolutely: By all means, I would like to see you this evening! b. using everything and everyone available to get s.t. done: Citizens of the town put out the fire by all means available.
    5 by any means: a. often used negatively to mean absolutely not: Not by any means will I allow you to travel across the country alone; it's dangerous! b. using everything available to get s.t. done: We have to put that fire out by any means that we can.
    6 by no means: certainly not: He is by no means poor; in fact, he's rich.
    THESAURUS
    means
    1 the wherewithal (to do s.t.), funds
    2 the know-how, equipment (to do s.t.)
    3 a mechanism | method, mode.
meantime
meantime
  1. n. [U] the period between two events, meanwhile: I'll talk to you tomorrow; in the meantime, have a good evening.
measles
measles
  1. n. [U] used with a sing.v. rubeola, a contagious viral disease that causes red spots on the body: Measles makes children very uncomfortable and itchy.
measly
measly
  1. adj. very little, of poor quality,
    THESAURUS
    miserly: He received a measly raise in his salary.
measure
measure
  1. v. -ured, -uring, -ures
    1 [T] to calculate, find the size, weight, speed, etc., of s.t.: I measured the size of the floor for a new rug.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to measure s.t. out: to measure s.t. carefully step-bystep: I measured out the room with a yardstick.||I measured it out.
    3 phrasal v. insep. [I] to measure up to s.t.: to meet standards: The new student's work measures up to the level of the other students. —n.
    1 determination of the size, weight, speed, etc., of s.t.: The measure of the floor is 15' by 20' (approx. 4.6 m x 6.1 m).
    2 a portion of s.t.: I asked the worker at the garden store to give me a ten-pound (approx. 4.5 kilos) measure of grass seed.
    3 a legislative act: Our state legislature passed a measure to increase property taxes.
    4 for good measure: for additional safety, insurance: The weather looked as though it might rain, so for good measure, I took my umbrella.
    5 to take measures: to perform a specific action, a step to do s.t.: Officials took the measures of placing police and emergency vehicles in the park to help people during a huge outdoor concert. -adj. measurable.
    THESAURUS
    measure v.
    1 to determine | gauge, assess. —n.
    1 a calculation of s.t.
    2 an amount of s.t.
    3 a law.
measurement
measurement
  1. n. [C;U] a determination of the size, weight, speed, etc., of s.t.: A tailor took the man's measurements for a new suit.
    THESAURUS
    measurement n.pl. dimensions, size | configuration frml.
meat
meat
  1. n.
    1 the muscle and flesh of animals: We eat meat, either pork or beef, for dinner.
    2 fig. s.t. important, meaningful: Our meetings were not just talk; there was some meat to them. See: meaty.
meatball
meatball
  1. n. a small ball of chopped beef often mixed with bread crumbs: We had spaghetti and meatballs for lunch.
meatloaf
meatloaf
  1. n. [C;U] ground beef with spices formed into a loaf, baked, and served in slices: We ate meatloaf and gravy with mashed potatoes and carrots for dinner.
meatpacking
meatpacking
  1. n. [U] the industry of slaughtering and preparing meat for market: Meatpacking is a big industry in the USA.
meaty
meaty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 containing lots of meat: That lamb stew is very meaty with few vegetables.
    2 infrml.fig. meaningful, having substance: His suggestions are meaty and worth considering.
mechanic
mechanic
  1. n. a person who repairs and maintains machinery: Do you know a good car mechanic?
mechanical
mechanical
  1. adj.
    1 related to machines and systems: The air conditioning system stopped because of a mechanical breakdown.
    2 automatic, done without thinking: She danced mechanically, with no sense of style.
    THESAURUS
    mechanical
    1 a parts (failure), component (breakdown). Ant. manual.
    2 unconscious, unthinking | routine, impersonal. Ant. inspired.
mechanics
mechanics
  1. n. [U]
    1 used with a sing.v. any of a variety of scientific fields that study the laws of motion and the design and manufacture of mechanical devices: The study of mechanics is basic to science and engineering students.
    2 used with a pl.v. the motions and technical aspects of an activity: The mechanics of sports, such as running or hitting a baseball, are studied scientifically.
mechanism
mechanism
  1. n.
    1 parts of a machine that move and perform a function: A lock has a mechanism that opens and closes.
    2 a means of doing s.t.: A stock exchange is a mechanism that brings investors and companies together to provide capital to businesses.
    THESAURUS
    mechanism
    1 an apparatus, device | component
    2 a system.
mechanize
mechanize
  1. v. [I;T] -nized, -nizing, nizes to change tasks done by hand to having machines do them: A shoe manufacturer mechanized the factory by installing power machinery.
medal
medal
  1. n. an award shaped in a circle: Olympic athletes can win gold, silver, or bronze medals. -n. medalist.
medallion
medallion
  1. n.
    1 a metal shield usu. shaped like a medal: Taxicabs have medallions on their hoods to show they are legally registered.
    2 a circular portion of food: We had medallions of veal for dinner.
meddle
meddle
  1. v. [I] -dled, -dling, -dles to interfere in the affairs of others,
    THESAURUS
    to butt in: He meddles in his neighbors' business. -n. meddler.
meddlesome
meddlesome
  1. adj. related to s.o. who interferes with others: Meddlesome people are often told to mind their own business.
media
media
  1. n. [U]
    1 used with a pl.v. means of sending information or expressing ideas: She is an artist whose media are painting and sculpture.
    2 used with a sing. or pl.v. used with "the" to mean the combination of television, radio, news magazines, and large circulation newspapers: The media report on every little thing that the President does. —adj. related to communications media: Media relations are often handled by professional press agents.
media event
media event
  1. n. an event that attracts media attention: Whenever the President travels, it is a media event.
median
median
  1. n.
    1 the halfway point in an ordered array of numbers: The income of people in this city ranges from zero to $250,000 per year; the median is $125,000. in statistics, the middle value of a set of numbers that has an equal number of members both greater than itself and less than itself: Ten is the median for the following set of numbers: 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 20; that is, there are three numbers greater than and less than 10.
mediate
mediate
  1. v. [I;T] -ated, -ating, -ates to help both sides in negotiations reach agreement: The mayor mediated in a salary dispute between the teachers' union and the board of education. -n. [U] mediator; mediation.
medic
medic
  1. n. a person trained to give emergency medical help to the sick or injured until they can see a doctor: Medics bandaged the injuries of the accident victim, then drove him to the hospital.
medical
medical
  1. adj. related to medicine: She visited a medical clinic for a flu shot. -adv. medically.
medical examiner
medical examiner
  1. n. an official who guards public health and performs autopsies on corpses to find the cause of death: The chief medical examiner has many physicians working for her.
medication
medication
  1. n. [C;U] drugs, such as pills, shots, or ointments, used to treat or cure an illness: He has to take medication for high blood pressure twice a day. -v. [T] medicate .
    THESAURUS
    medication medicine, (a) treatment.
medicinal
medicinal
  1. adj. related to the healing properties of medicine and natural substances,
    THESAURUS
    curative: The medicinal effects of many plants have been known for centuries.
medicine
medicine
  1. n.
    1 [U] the art and science of curing sick people and preventing disease: Modern medicine can cure many diseases that used to kill many people.
    2 [C] medication: She gave her baby cough medicine.
    THESAURUS
    medicine
    1 medical science, the art of healing
    2 drugs, pills | remedy.
medieval
medieval
  1. adj. related to the Middle Ages: Medieval times lasted approx. 1,000 years, from about 476 to 1450 A.D.
mediocre
mediocre
  1. adj. second-rate, not good or bad: He got mediocre grades in high school. -n. [C;U] mediocrity.
meditate
meditate
  1. v. [I] -tated, -tating, -tates to sit quietly and think freely: She meditates each morning to relax and clear her mind. -n. [C;U] meditation.
medium
medium
  1. n. -iums or -ia
    1 a means of doing s.t.: Language is a medium of expression. See: media.
    2 an environment in which s.t. develops or lives: Our classroom is a comfortable medium in which to work.
    3 s.o. who claims to be able to speak with spirits: The police sometimes use mediums to look for missing children.
    4 to strike a happy medium: to find a balance: He strikes a happy medium in exercising by taking fast walks, but not jogging or just sitting at home. —adj. average-sized: He wears medium-sized sweaters.
medley
medley
  1. n.
    1 melodies from different tunes that are played one after the other: The orchestra played a medley of songs from great Broadway musicals.
    2 a mixture of things or people: She served a fruit medley for dessert.
meek
meek
  1. adj. mild, passive: When he was young, he was loud and outspoken; now he is old and meek. -adv. meekly; -n. [U] meekness.
meet
meet
  1. v. met , meeting, meets
    1 [I;T] to see s.o. accidentally: On the street, I met an old friend whom I had not seen in years.
    2 [I;T] to see s.o. at a certain time and place: I will meet you tonight at your place at 8 (8:00 P.M.).
    3 [I;T] to wait for s.o., greet s.o.: I met my friends at the airport and took them to their hotel.
    4 [I;T] to join, come together: Two highways meet near the town.
    5 [I;T] to be introduced to s.o. for the first time: You will meet some new people at school.
    6 [I;T] to reach a desired goal: Our department met its sales goal for the year.
    7 [I;T] to satisfy: Governments try to meet the needs of their people for law and order.
    8 [I;T] to pay a debt: He couldn't meet all of the expenses of a large house.
    9 phrasal v. insep. [T] to meet on s.t.: to discuss a specific topic: Let's meet on how we can improve profits in our company.
    10 infrml. to meet s.o. halfway: to compromise with s.o., try to agree: He wanted to buy the plants for $5 each and I wanted $10 for them, so we met each other halfway at $7.50 each.
    11 to meet the competition: to do s.t. equal to or better than a competitor: She lowered her prices, so we'll meet the competition by reducing our prices, too.
    12 phrasal v. insep. [I] to meet up with s.o. or s.t.: a. s.o.: to see s.o. at a specific place and time: I'm going home now, but I'll meet up with you at 8:00 tonight at the restaurant. b. s.t.: to encounter, experience: As we got close to the city, we met up with a huge traffic jam. —n. an athletic competition, match, or event: Our college had a track meet with another college.
    THESAURUS
    meet v.
    1 to run into s.o., encounter s.o., come across
    2 to get together with s.o. endezvous with frml. Ant. to avoid.
    3 to welcome
    4 to intersect, converge | unite. Ants. to separate, diverge.
    5 to become acquainted with s.o.
    6 to make, achieve, accomplish s.t. Ant. to miss.
    7 to fulfill | follow, comply with. Ant. to fail s.o.
meeting
meeting
  1. n.
    1 a conference or encounter of two or more people: Our department holds a meeting every Monday morning.
    2 to have or reach a meeting of the minds: to agree, come to an understanding: Two businesspeople met and had a meeting of the minds on a new project.
    THESAURUS
    meeting
    1 a conference, session, gathering | get-together infrml.
meetinghouse
meetinghouse
  1. n. -houses a place where religious and public meetings are held: Old New England towns have buildings that serve as meetinghouses for the townspeople to vote on town business.
megabucks
megabucks
  1. n.pl.slang large sums of money, thousands to millions of dollars: She's earning megabucks in her new job.
megahertz
megahertz
  1. n. -hertz one million cycles per second, esp indicating the processing speed of a computer: My computer is extremely fast at 125 megahertz.
megalith
megalith
  1. n. a large stone, esp. one used by ancient peoples: Priests in ancient England placed megaliths in a circle for religious worship.
megalomania
megalomania
  1. n. [U] false ideas of grandeur and power: The dictator suffers from megalomania in planning to construct large palaces with armies that he does not have. -n. megalomaniac ; -adj. megalomaniacal.
megaphone
megaphone
  1. n. a hollow tube placed against the mouth used to make the voice louder: The politician used a megaphone to speak to a large crowd of people.
megaton
megaton
  1. n. the explosive force of one million tons of TNT, used as a measure of nuclear bombs: One nuclear warhead of several megatons can destroy a whole city.
melancholy
melancholy
  1. n. [U] adj. a deep sadness, depression: Listening to the sad music on a rainy day made her feel melancholy.
meld
meld
  1. v. [I;T] to blend together: Two groups of workers were melded together to help each other finish a job.
melee
melee
  1. n. a disorderly, noisy fight,
    THESAURUS
    a brawl: Two men started an argument in a bar, and their fight turned into a melee with lots of people punching each other.
mellow
mellow
  1. adj.
    1 smooth and richtasting: Some coffees have a mellow taste.
    2 infrml. in a relaxed, friendly mood: After a good meal, the couple feels mellow and contented. -n. [U] mellowness.
melodic
melodic
  1. adj. having melody, pleasant: The violin piece they played was melodic.
melodious
melodious
  1. adj. pleasing to the ear: She has a melodious voice.
melodrama
melodrama
  1. n. [C;U] a play, film, novel, or situation of intense emotion, usu. about love, danger, and death: We saw a melodrama on TV where war separates a couple forever.
melodramatic
melodramatic
  1. adj. showing strong emotions about love, danger, death, etc.: The boss makes melodramatic announcements about how sales must go up or everyone will lose their jobs. -n.pl. melodramatics.
melody
melody
  1. n. -dies
    1 [C] a tune or song: He plays Irish melodies on the flute.
    2 [U] a musical idea expressed in notes: The soprano sang the melody while the tenor sang in harmony with her.
melon
melon
  1. n. a sweet, juicy, thick-skinned fruit of the gourd family, such as cantaloupe, honeydew, or watermelon: A cool slice of melon makes an excellent dessert in hot weather.
melt
melt
  1. v.
    1 [I;T] to change from a solid to liquid state, liquefy: Ice melts to water quickly in warm weather.
    2 fig. [I] to feel affection: He melts when he sees a beautiful baby.
    3 phrasal v. [I] to melt away: to disappear, leave: Her fatigue melted away when she reached the top of the mountain.
    4 to melt in one's mouth: to taste smooth and wonderful: The steak is so tender that it almost melts in your mouth. —n. a period of melting, such as winter ice turning to water, a thaw: a spring melt See: meltdown.
    THESAURUS
    melt v.
    1 to thaw | dissolve. Ant. to freeze.
    2 to be moved, be touched. Ant. to harden.
meltdown
meltdown
  1. n. (in nuclear reactors) the melting down of uranium rods and safety walls, releasing nuclear radiation: Cooling water escaped accidentally from the reactor, leading to a meltdown.
member
member
  1. n.
    1 a person who belongs to an organization, club, family, etc.: She is a member of a tennis club.
    2 frml. a limb, such as an arm or leg
membership
membership
  1. n.
    1 the state of being a member: My membership in the health and fitness club ends next month.
    2 all members of a group: The president asked the club membership to vote on a fee increase.
    THESAURUS
    membership
    1 an affiliation with
    2 the association.
membrane
membrane
  1. n. a thin covering of living tissue: Membranes of cells allow food to go in and waste to go out.
memento
memento
  1. n. -tos or -toes an object that reminds one of s.o. or s.t.,
    THESAURUS
    a souvenir: The couple has maps and photos as mementos of their vacation in London.
memo
memo
  1. n. -os short for memorandum
    THESAURUS
    memo a note, message.
memoir
memoir
  1. n.frml. the written account of one's life: Famous men and women often write memoirs about their lives and accomplishments.
memorabilia
memorabilia
  1. n.pl. things that remind one of past events or famous people, such as photos, souvenirs, etc.: She has a collection of memorabilia of her grandfather, who was a famous general.
memorable
memorable
  1. adj. unforgettable, worthy of being remembered: We took some memorable vacations in Alaska in the past. -adv. memorably.
memorandum
memorandum
  1. n. frml. -dums or -da a written note used inside a company to inform others, ask for information, record meetings, etc.: Our company president sent us a memorandum announcing the purchase of another company.
    THESAURUS
    memorandum a message | report, record.
memorial
memorial
  1. n.
    1 a monument dedicated to the memory of the dead: The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, has a big statue of President Abraham Lincoln.
    2 a service held to remember the dead: He went to a memorial for the president of the company, who died last week. —adj. related to remembrance of the dead: Memorial services were held at the church for the man killed in the accident. -v. [T] memorialize.
memorize
memorize
  1. v. [T] -rized, -rizing, -rizes to remember s.t. exactly, learn s.t. by heart: Students memorize the verb forms of a new language.
    THESAURUS
    memorize to know s.t. backwards and forwards, commit s.t. to memory.
memory
memory
  1. n. -ries
    1 [C;U] the ability of the brain to remember: He has an excellent memory for faces.
    2 [C] recollection of past events: She has pleasant memories of her summer vacations as a child.
    3 [U] the capacity of a computer to hold information: My computer has a 500-megabyte memory.
    4 in memory of s.o. or to the memory of: to pay respect to s.o. who is dead: Many university buildings are dedicated in memory of important people.
    THESAURUS
    memory
    1 one's recall
    2 a reminder
    3 storage, capacity.
men
men
  1. n.pl. of man: human males in general: Men wear suits to work.
    THESAURUS
    men gentlemen, fellows | guys infrml.
men's room
men's room
  1. n. a public toilet for men: After the movie, he went to the men's room.
    THESAURUS
    men's room a restroom, bathroom | lavatory (in school).

    USAGE NOTE: Men's room is a polite term for restroom, a bathroom in a public place. Bathroom and toilet are considered less polite terms.
menace
menace
  1. v. [T] -aced, -acing, -aces
    1 to threaten s.o. with harm: A thief menaced the store owner with a gun.
    2 to endanger, be harmful: Heavy rainstorms menace the farmers' crops. —n. s.t. that threatens with danger: That nasty dog is a menace to the children in the neighborhood.
menagerie
menagerie
  1. n. a group of animals held in captivity: That family keeps a menagerie of dogs, cats, ducks, goats, and other animals.
mend
mend
  1. v.
    1 [T] to repair, such as holes in fences or clothes: He mended a hole in his sock with a needle and thread.
    2 to be on the mend: to heal, esp. after surgery or an accident: My friend is on the mend after his auto accident.
    3 to mend fences: to become friendly to s.o. whom you wronged: A politician visited voters to mend fences after he voted for a tax increase.
    4 to mend one's ways: to show better behavior, improve: After she failed the math quiz, she mended her ways and studied more.
    THESAURUS
    mend
    1 to sew, fix | fill s.t. in. Ant. to tear.
mending
mending
  1. n. [U] sewing, repair of holes in clothes with needle and thread: These old clothes need mending and ironing.
menfolk
menfolk
  1. n.pl.infrml. men in a family or gathering: At the party, the menfolk gathered near the barbecue grill while the women went for a walk.
menial
menial
  1. adj. lowly, related to boring or unpleasant tasks: He does menial chores, such as sweeping floors and washing windows.
meningitis
meningitis
  1. n. [U] a life-threatening infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord: The baby had a mild case of meningitis but is better now.
menopause
menopause
  1. n. [U] the time of the permanent stopping of menstruation of women around ages 45 to 50: She went through menopause recently.
menorah
menorah
  1. n. a candlestick with seven branches: Jewish people light the menorah at Hanukkah, the festival of lights.
mensch
mensch
  1. n.infrml. (Yiddish for) a nice, sensitive person: My dad helps everyone in the neighborhood; he's a real mensch.
menstruate
menstruate
  1. v. [I] -ated, -ating, -ates to have one's period, menstruation: Women menstruate about once a month. -adj. menstrual.
menstruation
menstruation
  1. n. [U] in females, the monthly discharge of the lining of the uterus and accompanying bleeding: Menstruation begins in many girls at the age of 11 or 12.
mental
mental
  1. adj.
    1 related to the mind: He's old, but his mental abilities are still strong.
    2 slang a mental case: a troubled or crazy person: She was exhausted and a mental case after taking final examinations. -adv. mentally.
    THESAURUS
    mental
    1 intellectual, thinking | cognitive frml.
mental retardation
mental retardation
  1. n. [U] a condition of lowered mental abilities caused by birth defects, disease, genetics, etc.: The baby has mental retardation because of a birth defect. -adj. mentally retarded.
mentality
mentality
  1. n. [C;U] -ties
    1 a way of thinking, attitude toward life or a situation: She has a very positive mentality about the future.
    2 [U] level of intelligence: Students in that class are of average mentality.
menthol
menthol
  1. n. [U] adj. a substance from peppermint with a refreshing coolness used in medications, to flavor cigarettes, etc.: He smokes menthols (or) menthol cigarettes.
mention
mention
  1. v. [I]
    1 to say or write s.t. briefly or casually: I mentioned to my friend that he needed a haircut.
    2 Don't mention it.: You're welcome; it's no trouble: He thanked the librarian for her help and she said, "Don't mention it."
    3 not to mention: s.t. obvious: He's rich and, not to mention, he's handsome too!
    4 to make mention of: to speak of in passing: She made mention of how much she likes living in Florida, but didn't give any details.
    THESAURUS
    mention
    1 to tell s.o. s.t., remark.
mentor
mentor
  1. n. a teacher and friend: My former boss is my mentor, who gives me advice in my career.
menu
menu
  1. n. -us
    1 a list of foods available in a restaurant: We read the menu and chose an appetizer and a main dish.
    2 (in computers) a display of functions or files: I chose a file from the main menu.
    3 to be or have on the menu: to have s.t. planned: What do you have on the menu for this weekend? Fishing? Hiking?
mercantile
mercantile
  1. adj.n. a system of business by merchants, esp. in foreign trade: Cotton, wheat, corn, etc., were traded on the mercantile exchange. -n. [U] mercantilism.
mercenary
mercenary
  1. adj.frml. greedy, concerned mainly with money: He's very mercenary and won't do anything unless he gets paid for it. —n. -ies a professional soldier paid to fight for another country's army: Britain hired German mercenaries to fight the Americans in the Revolutionary War.
merchant
merchant
  1. n. a person or business that buys and sells goods at wholesale, to other businesses, or at retail, to customers: Clothing merchants often have their stores in shopping malls. —adj. related to buying and selling goods: Merchant ships travel to Asia and return with products to sell in western countries.
merciful
merciful
  1. adj. showing mercy, kind: He suffered so much pain from cancer that his death was merciful. -adv. mercifully.
    THESAURUS
    merciful compassionate | sympathetic, forgiving. Ant. merciless.
merciless
merciless
  1. adj. without mercy, cold-blooded: The cat was merciless, playing with the mouse until he killed it. -adv. mercilessly.
mercury  
mercury  
  1. n. [U] a metallic element, known as quicksilver for its liquid shiny appearance at room temperature: In thermometers, the level of mercury rises as the temperature goes up.
mercy
mercy
  1. n.
    1 forgiveness, willingness to let s.o. avoid punishment: The governor showed mercy to the prisoner on death row and allowed him to live.
    2 at the mercy of: in a situation where s.o. or s.t. can harm you and you are helpless: Farmers are at the mercy of bad weather that can destroy their crops.
    3 It's a mercy: a piece of good luck, a fortunate event: It was a mercy that the old woman died before she could see her farm turned into a shopping mall.
    THESAURUS
    mercy
    1 sympathy, compassion. Ant. cruelty.
mercy killing
mercy killing
  1. n. [U] the killing of a person or animal who is suffering greatly and unlikely to recover,
    THESAURUS
    euthanasia: A race horse broke its leg, and its owner did a mercy killing by shooting it.
mere
mere
  1. adj.
    1 only, nothing more than: She was a mere child when she learned to sing beautifully.
    2 the merest: the smallest, the least thing: The merest noise makes her dog bark.
merely
merely
  1. adv. only, nothing more than: I merely asked how he felt, and he started yelling at me.
    THESAURUS
    merely just, simply.
merengue
merengue
  1. n. [C;U] a fast Caribbean dance: I like to dance the merengue even more than the rumba.
merge
merge
  1. v. [I;T] merged, merging, merges
    1 to combine or become combined: Our company merged two sales forces into one.
    2 to blend together: The colors of the sunset merged gradually into each other.
merger
merger
  1. n. (in business) combining two companies into one larger company: Two banks underwent a merger and combined into one huge operation.
meridian
meridian
  1. n. on a map or globe, a line of longitude that makes a half circle of the earth from the North to the South Pole: The prime meridian runs through Greenwich, England.
meringue
meringue
  1. n. [C;U] a topping made of whipped egg whites, sugar, and flavoring for pies and cakes: She loves lemon meringue pie for dessert.
merit
merit
  1. v. [T] to be worthy of, deserve attention because of the quality of s.o. or s.t.: That business proposal merits careful consideration. —n.
    1 [U] high quality, excellence: Her poetry is of great merit.
    2 [C] an award for excellence: Boy and Girl Scouts earn badges for merit.||Employees receive merit increases in their salaries.
    3 on one's or its own merits: judged by itself: Teachers judge students on their own merits and not on how rich their parents are. -adj. meritorious.
meritocracy
meritocracy
  1. n. an organization or society in which success and rewards are based on performance: Our company is a meritocracy in which young employees who work well can be promoted over older ones.
mermaid
mermaid
  1. n. a mythical being that is half woman, half fish: Mermaids are described in stories about the sea.
merry-go-round
merry-go-round
  1. n.
    1 a carousel, a type of carnival ride with models of horses on a platform that goes around to music: Children and adults love the motion of a merry-go-round.
    2 fig. any busy activity that leads nowhere: The diplomatic negotiations were just a merry-go-round that got nothing done.
merry
merry
  1. adj. -rier, -riest
    1 happy, lively: We had a merry time at the party last night.
    2 to make merry: to celebrate cheerfully: We made merry at my brother's wedding. -n. [U] merriment.
merrymaking
merrymaking
  1. n. [U] frml. laughter, singing, having a good time: On New Year's Eve, merrymaking lasts all night.
mesh
mesh
  1. n. [U] a loose woven material of string, rope, wire, etc.: Fishermen use nets made of mesh to catch fish. —v. [I] meshes to fit together: Gears in a machine mesh together.
mesmerize
mesmerize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to hypnotize, entrance: The birds in the tree mesmerized the cat. -n. [U] mesmerism.
mess
mess
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a clutter, disorder: His office is always a mess because he never throws anything away.
    2 [C;U] a dirty condition, filth: An egg fell on the floor and made a mess.
    3 [C] trouble, a difficult situation: She's in a mess because she quit school but has to pay off her student loans. —v. messes
    1 infrml. [I] to mess around: to loaf, goof off: She doesn't work and just messes around watching TV and reading magazines.
    2 phrasal v. to mess around with s.o. or s.t.: a. [T] to deal with s.o. or s.t. casually, play around with it: He messed around with trying to fix his car himself, then took it to a mechanic. b. [T] to get sexually involved with s.o.: She won't mess around with married men.
    3 phrasal v. sep. to mess up s.t.: a. [T] to dirty, spoil: He messed up his report by spilling coffee on it. b. [I;T] to make a mistake, spoil,
    THESAURUS
    to goof up: She messed up her report by leaving a lot of mistakes in it.
    THESAURUS
    mess n.
    1 a shambles, jumble
    3 a fix, pickle infrml., muddle.
mess hall
mess hall
  1. n. a building used as an eating place for soldiers or children at summer camp: Soldiers go to the mess hall to eat.
message
message
  1. n.
    1 a short written or spoken note: I left a message on her answering machine to call me.
    2 the central meaning: The message of that lecture was that drugs are dangerous.
    3 infrml. to get the message: to understand s.t., esp. s.t. implied: He finally got the message (that she did not like him) when she refused many times to go out with him.
    THESAURUS
    message
    1 a communication | letter, memo | voice message
    2 a point, theme | moral.
messenger
messenger
  1. n. a person who brings a message, letter, package, etc.: A messenger came to my door with a package from my office.
messiah
messiah
  1. n. any savior of humanity; to Christians, Jesus Christ: Jews believe that the messiah has not come to Earth yet.
messy
messy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 cluttered, disorderly: Her room is always messy with magazines and clothes everywhere.
    2 dirty, soiled: The kitchen floor is messy with spilled food.
    3 troubled, difficult: Their divorce was a messy legal battle.
    THESAURUS
    messy
    1 untidy, disorganized | sloppy. Ants. neat, organized.
    2 grubby | disgusting, gross infrml. Ants. clean, spotless.
    3 complicated, tangled | ugly. Ant. straightforward.
met
met
  1. v. past tense & past part. of meet: We met in the park last week.
metabolism
metabolism
  1. n. all the processes in the body that digest, use, and expel nourishment: She has a fast metabolism that burns food quickly. -adj. metabolic ; -v. [I;T] metabolize.
metal
metal
  1. n. [C;U] any of the basic metallic elements, usu. hard, shiny substances that can be melted, shaped, and cut to make things: Steel is a metal that is used a lot in building and manufacturing. —adj. made of metal: Ships are made of metal plates welded together.
metallic
metallic
  1. adj. related to metal (iron, steel, copper, etc.): He painted his car with metallic paint.
metallurgy
metallurgy
  1. n. [U] the study of metals, the extraction of them from ores and their preparation for use: Metallurgy is a field of engineering. -n. metallurgist.
metalwork
metalwork
  1. n. [U] metal shaped for particular uses, such as ventilation ducts, or decorative shapes, such as wrought iron fences -n. [U] metalworker; metalworking.
metamorphosis
metamorphosis
  1. n. [U] -ses
    1 (in biology) a dramatic change from one stage of life to another, as in the butterfly's change from a cocoon to a winged insect: Ancient people believed that humans could undergo metamorphosis from human form to animal form.
    2 [C] fig. a dramatic change in character, appearance, etc.: He underwent a real metamorphosis in his teenage years from a weak boy to a strong young man. -v. [I;T] metamorphose.
metaphor
metaphor
  1. n. [C;U] a figure of speech that suggests similarity between one thing and another: "All that glitters is not gold" is a metaphor for saying that things are not always what they appear to be. -adj. metaphorical.
metaphysics
metaphysics
  1. n. [U] pl. used with a sing.v. (in philosophy) the study of the nature of reality and knowledge: Metaphysics is a difficult and deep field of study. -adj. metaphysical.
metastasize
metastasize
  1. v. [I] -sized, -sizing, -sizes usu. of cancer, to spread from a local tumor throughout an organism: Her cancer has metastasized from the lungs all through her body. -n. [U] metastasis.
mete
mete
  1. v. [T] meted, meting, metes to give out,
    THESAURUS
    to dispense: The father meted out punishment when his son came home late at night.
meteor
meteor
  1. n. a small body of matter from outer space that burns up when it enters the earth's atmosphere: On clear nights, meteors often can be seen streaking across the sky.
meteoric
meteoric
  1. adj.
    1 related to meteors: Geologists found pieces of meteoric rock in a field.
    2 fig. speedy, rapid: He had a meteoric rise in politics, from local mayor to President.
meteorite
meteorite
  1. n. a small meteor that lands on Earth: Meteorites have been found and studied by scientists.
meteorology
meteorology
  1. n. [U] the study of the earth's atmosphere and weather conditions: Meteorology includes the study of weather. -n. meteorologist; -adj. meteorological.
meter
meter
  1. n.
    1 a linear measurement of 39.37 inches (3.37 inches more than a yard): Most countries measure distance in meters and kilometers.
    2 a machine that measures things, such as the use of water, electricity, and gas: A parking meter shows how much time a car can stay in a parking space.
    3 the rhythmic pattern of music or poetry: Poetry is written in different meters. —v. [T] to measure with a meter: The use of electricity is metered in each house.
    THESAURUS
    meter n.
    2 a gauge
    3 rhythm, beat | cadence.
methadone
methadone
  1. n. [U] a substitute for heroin that can help cure drug addiction: She takes methadone in a program to stop using drugs.
methane
methane
  1. n. [U] a colorless, odorless, flammable gas: Methane is widely used for cooking and heating.
methanol
methanol
  1. n. wood alcohol, a colorless liquid used for fuel and as a solvent: Methanol is a very flammable liquid.
method
method
  1. n. a way of doing s.t.: That business uses trucks as its method of moving goods.
    THESAURUS
    method a means (of doing s.t.), manner, technique | process, system, procedure.
methodical
methodical
  1. adj. systematic, careful, in a step-by-step manner: He is very methodical in his work habits.
methodology
methodology
  1. n. the manner in which tasks are performed, methods as a group: Teachers use different methodologies to teach language to students. -adj. methodological.
meticulous
meticulous
  1. adj. careful and thorough, painstaking: She is meticulous in spelling every word correctly in her papers.
metier
metier
  1. n.frml. (French for) one's occupation, specialty: Her metier is painting portraits of children.
metric
metric
  1. adj.
    1 related to the metric system: Most of the world uses the metric system of measurement.
    2 related to a rhythmic pattern of poetry: Iambic pentameter is a metric pattern in much of Shakespeare's poetry.
metric system
metric system
  1. n. the system of measurement based on the meter, kilogram, and second: The metric system is based on the use of decimals and is easier to use than the English system.
metro
metro
  1. adj.infrml. short for metropolitan, referring to a city and its surrounding area: Rain showers will cross the metro area today. —n. -ros (French for) subway: People in Paris go to work on the metro.
metropolis
metropolis
  1. n.frml. a large, important city: New York City is a metropolis.
metropolitan
metropolitan
  1. adj. related to a city and its suburbs: Metropolitan Miami covers a much larger area than the city of Miami itself.
mettle
mettle
  1. n. [U] courage and endurance, character: She takes the hardest courses that she can to test her mettle as a good student -adj. mettlesome.
mew
mew
  1. n.v. [I] var. of meow: The kitten mews when it is hungry.
mezzanine
mezzanine
  1. n. the floor or balcony above the main floor in a store or hotel: Business offices of the hotel are located on the mezzanine.
mica
mica
  1. n. [U] a mineral found in thin layers, used as insulating material
mice
mice
  1. n.pl. of mouse
miconstrue
miconstrue
  1. v. frml. -strued, -struing, -strues to misunderstand, to be confused by: I misconstrued what the teacher said to me and did the wrong assignment.
microbe
microbe
  1. n. germs, bacteria, or viruses too small to be seen without a microscope: Microbes cause disease.
microbiology
microbiology
  1. n. [U] the study of microorganisms: Biology students must take at least one course in microbiology.
microchip
microchip
  1. n. a tiny integrated circuit used in computers and other electrical equipment: Microchips are manufactured in Silicon Valley, California.
microcosm
microcosm
  1. n. a small, complete version of s.t. larger, a sample: The style of life in Pittsburgh is a microcosm of how people live in America in general.
microeconomics
microeconomics
  1. n. [U] the study of types of businesses in an economy, rather than the overall economy: The study of microeconomics is done with computers and mathematics. See: macroeconomics.
microfilm
microfilm
  1. n. [C;U] a small film of highly reduced images of things: In spy novels, secret documents are saved on microfilm.
micrometer
micrometer
  1. n. a machine used to measure distances in fractions of an inch: A micrometer can measure the accuracy of parts of a machine.
microorganism
microorganism
  1. n. a tiny creature, such as viruses and bacteria, so small that it can be seen only under a microscope: There are many thousands of kinds of microorganisms.
microphone
microphone
  1. n. an electronic device that changes sound into electric current, usu. for recording on magnetic or digital tape, or for making the sound louder through amplifiers and speakers: The rock singer picked up a microphone and started to sing.
microprocessor
microprocessor
  1. n. a computer chip that performs the basic calculations and processing of a computer: Microprocessors are used in digital wristwatches, as well as computers.
microscope
microscope
  1. n. an optical instrument that uses lenses to make small objects appear larger: Under the microscope, the students could see tiny organisms. -n. [U] microscopy.
microscopic
microscopic
  1. adj. very small, visible only with a microscope: Germs are microscopic in size.
microsurgery
microsurgery
  1. n. [U] surgery done with small instruments and laser beams while the doctor views the process on a television screen: Microsurgery reduces the size of the wound created when the surgeon cuts the skin.
microwave
microwave
  1. n.
    1 a short frequency electromagnetic wave: Radar uses microwaves.
    2 a microwave oven —v. [T] -waved, -waving, -waves to cook with a microwave oven: She microwaved her dinner when she came home from work. See: nuke, USAGE NOTE.
mid or mid-
mid or mid-
  1. prefix referring to the middle of s.t.: The temperature was in the mid-90s.||She paused in mid-sentence.
midair
midair
  1. n. a location in the air: Two airplanes hit each other in midair.
midday
midday
  1. adj. around noon, the middle of the day: The man eats a midday meal.
middle-of-the-road
middle-of-the-road
  1. adj.fig. having moderate opinions: He's a middle-of-the-road kind of guy without strong beliefs.
middle
middle
  1. n.
    1 the center of s.t.: The core of an apple is in its middle.
    2 infrml. the waistline: He wears a belt around his middle.
    3 in the process of doing s.t.: We were in the middle of a meeting when the phone rang. —adj. between two other things: The girl is the middle child in her family.
    THESAURUS
    middle n.
    1 the central part | nucleus
    2 midsection
    3 the midst (of s.t.).
middle age
middle age
  1. n. [U] the period of human life approx. between the ages of 40 and 65: In middle age, the body slows down. -adj. middle-aged.
middle class
middle class
  1. n. the social level of people between the working class and upper class: The USA has a large middle class.
middle school
middle school
  1. n. in USA, a school between elementary and high school, usu. with grades five through eight: Our town has several middle schools but only one high school. See: grade school, secondary school, USAGE NOTE.
middleman
middleman
  1. n. -men a person or business that negotiates or buys products from a manufacturer and sells with a price increase to retailers: Our company sells only through middlemen and not at retail.
midget
midget
  1. n. a very small, short person: Children do not like to be called midgets.
midlife
midlife
  1. n. [U] middle age: At midlife, she felt as healthy as she had felt in her youth.
midnight
midnight
  1. n.
    1 12:00 A.M., the end of the day: A new day begins at one second after midnight.
    2 to burn the midnight oil: to work through the night: I burned the midnight oil getting my presentation ready for the meeting.
midriff
midriff
  1. n. the area from the waist to the chest: She wore a shirt that showed her midriff.
midshipman
midshipman
  1. n. -men a student in school to become a naval officer: Midshipmen throw their hats in the air when they graduate from the US Naval Academy.
midst
midst
  1. n. [U]
    1 the middle of a place or activity: We were in the midst of discussing a contract when the fire alarm rang.
    2 a position among or with others: We have a new student in our midst.
midstream
midstream
  1. n. [U]
    1 the middle of a river: We stopped our boat in midstream.
    2 fig. the midst of an activity: The project was canceled in midstream.
midwife
midwife
  1. n. -wives a person who is not a doctor but is trained to assist women in giving birth to babies: Some people prefer to have a midwife rather than a doctor present when their babies are born. -n. [U] midwifery.
mien
mien
  1. n.frml. a person's expression and general appearance,
    THESAURUS
    demeanor: The nurse has a kind-looking mien.
miffed
miffed
  1. adj. annoyed, mildly angry: He was miffed that his girlfriend did not show up for a date.
might
might
  1. auxiliary verb & past tense of may
    1 helping verb used to express possibility: I might go shopping this afternoon if I have time.||She might have been a good doctor if she hadn't quit school.
    2 as a suggestion: You might visit the Metropolitan Museum when you go to New York. See: may, modal auxiliary. —n. strength, power: The might of that athlete is impressive.

    USAGE NOTE: Might is used with the base form of another verb (for example, "go") to express possibility in the present, future, or past. It shows that something is less likely to happen than using may does: I might go to the beach tomorrow, if my friends don't come from out of town. Also might can be used as a polite alternative to may, should, or ought to.
mighty
mighty
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having great strength, power: Mighty armies fought in World War II. —adv.infrml.fig. very, greatly: I'm mighty pleased to see you.
migraine
migraine
  1. n. a severe headache that some people get frequently: She gets migraines once a week.
migrant
migrant
  1. n. an animal, bird, or person who moves from one place to another, esp. workers who harvest seasonal crops: Migrant workers pick fruit in Florida each year.
migrate
migrate
  1. v. [I] -grated, -grating, -grates to move from one place to another, as animals, birds, and fish do: Some whales migrate from the northern Pacific Ocean to the waters near Baja, California each winter. -n. migration . See: emigrate.
migratory
migratory
  1. adj. related to migration: The migratory routes of birds go on for thousands of miles.
mike
mike
  1. n.infrml. short for microphone
mild
mild
  1. adj.
    1 moderate, not cold or hot: We have had mild weather this summer, except for one week of heat.
    2 not sharp or strong-tasting: That mustard is mild, not spicy or hot.
    3 gentle, calm: She is good with children because she has a mild nature. —adv. to put it mildly: to state s.t. that is very obvious: The temperature is warm today, to put it mildly; it's over 100 degrees.
    THESAURUS
    mild adj.
    1 comfortable, pleasant | balmy, temperate. Ant. harsh.
    2 lightly seasoned | bland, weak. Ant. spicy.
    3 nice, agreeable, friendly | tame. Ant. severe.
mildew
mildew
  1. n. [U] v. [I] a small fungus that can destroy things (clothes, food, plants, etc.): Mildew has ruined the potatoes in our basement; they have mildewed.
mile
mile
  1. n. a distance equal to 5,280 feet (1.6 km): A marathon is 26.8 miles (1,852 km) long.||A nautical mile of 6,076 feet is used in air and sea navigation.
mileage
mileage
  1. n. [U]
    1 the distance in miles between two points: The mileage between San Francisco and L.A. is approx. 400 miles (640 km).
    2 an accumulation of use, as in a car: She got a lot of mileage out of that old coat.
    THESAURUS
    mileage
    2 wear, use.
milestone
milestone
  1. n.
    1 a marker, such as a stone that indicates the distance in miles: Many years ago, the main road between Boston and New York had milestones next to it.
    2 fig. an important achievement, event: Getting her college degree was a milestone in her life.
milieu
milieu
  1. n.frml. -lieus or -lieux (French for) environment, surroundings: A city milieu is too noisy and crowded for him. See: ambiance.
militant
militant
  1. adj.
    1 aggressive, strongly dedicated as to a cause: Militant labor unions will go on strike to support their demands.
    2 aggressive militarily: Militant nations often start wars. —n. a dedicated, aggressive person: He is a militant in the cause for government reform. -n. [U] militancy.
militarism
militarism
  1. n. [U] a government policy of military aggression -adj. militarist.
militarize
militarize
  1. v. [I;T] -rized, -rizing, -rizes to build up military capability (army, navy, air force, weaponry, etc.): The country militarized to get ready for making war.
military
military
  1. n. [U] a group of armed forces (army, air force, navy, etc.) of a nation: He plans to join the military after finishing high school. —adj. related to armed forces: Military bases are located all over the country.
militate
militate
  1. v. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates to work against s.t., make s.t. worse: The prisoner's past crimes militated against his getting early release.
militia
militia
  1. n. a military force, with local, volunteer members: In colonial times, a town's militia gathered to fight invaders.
milk
milk
  1. n. [U] a white liquid produced from the breasts of female mammals: Cows' milk nourishes their young and is food for humans, too. —v. [T]
    1 to take milk from (cows, goats, etc.): Farmers milk their cows every morning.
    2 to drain, draw s.t. valuable from s.t. usu. in a bad way: The owners milked their company of its profits then sold it.
    3 to cry over spilled milk: to be angry over s.t. one cannot change: A flood ruined our furniture, but there's no use crying over spilled milk; we'll buy some new furniture.
milk of magnesia
milk of magnesia
  1. n. [U] a medication made from magnesium hydroxide, used as an antacid and laxative: He took milk of magnesia to calm his upset stomach.
milk shake
milk shake
  1. n. a drink made with milk and ice cream: A chocolate milk shake is delicious in the summer.
milkman
milkman
  1. n. -men a man who delivers milk: The milkman left bottles of milk at the door of our house.
milky
milky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest having the whitish color or consistency of milk: I cleaned my paintbrush in water and the water turned milky.
mill
mill
  1. n.
    1 a factory where grain is ground into meal or metal is made: The steel mills in Pittsburgh were famous for their large size.
    2 a small machine for grinding: She puts beef through a mill to make hamburger meat.
    3 the rumor mill: a group of people who gossip about others: News that the TV actress was pregnant went through the rumor mill but was found to be false. See: (the) grapevine, 2. —v.
    1 [T] to grind grain into flour or meal, to refine metal: A worker milled wheat into flour for making bread.
    2 phrasal v. [I] to mill about or around: to move around at random: The party was filled with people milling about.
    3 to put s.o. through the mill: to require a lot of effort and trouble from s.o.: A man was accused of war crimes, and the legal system put him through the mill for seven years before he was found not guilty. -n. miller.
    THESAURUS
    mill n.
    2 a grinder, food processor.
millennium
millennium
  1. n. -niums or -nia
    1 one thousand years: On January 1, 3000, this millennium will end.
    2 (in Christianity) a period of paradise of 1,000 years after the second coming of Christ: Many Christians hope to see the millennium.
milligram
milligram
  1. n. 1/1,000th of a gram: Salt in foods is measured in milligrams. -abbr. mg.
milliliter
milliliter
  1. n. 1/1,000th of a liter: Some medicines are measured in milliliters. -abbr. ml.
millimeter
millimeter
  1. n. 1/1,000th of a meter: Tiny distances are measured in millimeters. -abbr. mm.
milliner
milliner
  1. n. a hat maker and seller: Milliners are located in the garment district.
millinery
millinery
  1. n. [U] adj.
    1 the business of making hats
    2 a hat shop: She works as a clerk in a millinery (or) millinery shop.
milling
milling
  1. n. [U]
    1 the measurement and cutting of metals, cloth, etc.: Milling is an exact, skilled craft.
    2 the grinding of grain into flour or meal: Milling wheat into bread flour is a big industry.
million
million
  1. n.adj. -ion or -ions 1,000,000 of s.t.: She made a million dollars (or) $1,000,000 last year. -adj. millionth.

    USAGE NOTE: The plural of million is not used after a number: He has six million dollars. BUT Millions of people love rock and roll.
millionaire
millionaire
  1. n. a rich person who has a million dollars or more: He is a millionaire from Texas.
millisecond
millisecond
  1. n. 1/1,000 of a second: A millisecond is a very brief period of time.
millstone
millstone
  1. n.
    1 one of two round, flat stones between which grain is ground into flour: Millstones turn rapidly as they grind.
    2 fig. a burden: His debts that he can't pay are a millstone around his neck.
millstream
millstream
  1. n. a stream that gives power to a mill: His farm has an old mill built over a millstream.
mime
mime
  1. n.
    1 [C] an entertainer who imitates actions and moods without speaking
    2 [U] the art of acting without language: There is a famous school of mime (or) for mimes in Paris. —v. [I;T] mimed, miming, mimes to imitate, act as a mime: The children laughed when he mimed being inside a room with no door. See: mimic.
mimic
mimic
  1. n.v. [T] -icked, -icking, -ics a person who imitates the speech and mannerisms of others, esp. to make fun of them: My sister is a very funny mimic; she mimics our friends and famous people. -n. [U] mimicry.
mince
mince
  1. v. minced, mincing, minces
    1 [T] to cut, chop, or grind s.t. into little pieces: My mother minces onions and mixes them with tomatoes for a pasta sauce.
    2 [I] to walk with short steps
    3 not to mince words: to speak directly, to the point: He is very outspoken; he's a man who does not mince words.
mince pie
mince pie
  1. n. [C;U] a pastry filled with finely chopped fruit and spices: Mince pie tastes very rich and sweet.
mincemeat
mincemeat
  1. n. [U]
    1 finely chopped meat or fruit and spices used as a pie filling: We had pies filled with mincemeat after Christmas dinner.
    2 to make mincemeat of: to defeat s.o. easily: Our basketball team made mincemeat of the other team by winning with a score of 110 to 75.
mind-blowing
mind-blowing
  1. adj.slang
    1 incredible, unbelievable: The crazy things that guy says are mind-blowing.
    2 (said of drugs) hallucinogenic, harmful: Taking acid can be mind-blowing.
mind-boggling
mind-boggling
  1. adj. difficult to imagine or understand: There are 100 billion stars in our galaxy, which I find mind-boggling.
mind
mind
  1. n.
    1 the awareness of being alive and of one's surroundings: He is very old, but his mind is still clear.
    2 the mental processes of learning, thinking, and applying knowledge: She has a good mind and is an excellent student.
    3 beliefs, ideas, feelings: He speaks his mind and lets you know what he thinks.
    4 infrml. to blow s.o.'s mind: to shock, overwhelm: He tells lies so often that he blows people's minds.
    5 to change one's mind: to change a plan, intention: He keeps changing his mind about which car to buy.
    6 to give s.o. a piece of one's mind: to criticize s.o., tell s.o. off: He tried to cheat me twice, and I really gave him a piece of my mind.
    7 to have a mind of one's own: to be an independent thinker: She may be young, but she has a mind of her own.
    8 infrml. to have a mind to do s.t.: to want to do s.t., lean toward: I have a mind to go to the movies tonight.
    9 infrml. to have a one-track mind: to think only of one thing, usu. sex or money: He'll do anything to earn money; he has a one-track mind.
    10 to keep in mind: to remember: Keep in mind what I'm telling you.
    11 to know one's own mind: to stay with one's beliefs and values and not change one's opinion: She knows her own mind and will not go out with any man she does not like.
    12 to lose one's mind: a. to go insane, crazy: He lost his mind and is in a mental hospital now. b. to like or desire greatly: He has lost his mind over his new girlfriend; he acts crazy about her.
    13 infrml. to take a load off one's mind: to stop worrying: He was unemployed and when he finally found a new job, it took a load off his mind.
    THESAURUS
    mind n.
    1 one's brain, one's faculties, mental capacity
    2 one's brains, intellect
    3 one's opinion, views | outlook. —v.
    1 [T] to take care of, watch over: I mind the children at home while my wife goes shopping.
    2 [I;T] to pay attention to s.t.: Mind how you pronounce your words; say them correctly.
    3 [T] not to like s.t.: He minds the noise of sirens and trucks in the street; but I don't mind it at all.
    4 [T] to obey: The boy's mother told him to mind the teacher while he was at school.
    5 never mind: it doesn't matter; don't worry: Never mind the dishes, we'll wash them later.
    6 infrml. to mind one's P's and Q's: to behave properly, pay attention to detail: The children minded their P's and Q's at the formal party their parents took them to.
    THESAURUS
    mind v.
    1 to look after s.o.
    2 to be careful (about s.t.)
    3 to object to s.o. or s.t., be annoyed (at s.o. or s.t.)
    4 to do as one is told by s.o. | heed frml.
mindful
mindful
  1. adj. attentive, careful in doing things: She is mindful of her need to study hard, and she does so every evening. -n. mindfulness.
    THESAURUS
    mindful adj. aware, conscious. Ants. heedless, uncaring.
mindless
mindless
  1. adj.
    1 thoughtless, stupid: He says mindless things once in a while.
    2 not paying attention to danger,
    THESAURUS
    heedless: He is mindless of the dangers of driving too fast. -adv. mindlessly.
mindset or mind-set
mindset or mind-set
  1. n. a general attitude, belief(s) about s.t.: The mindset of people who live in the big city is that they know everything; that's simply not true!
minefield
minefield
  1. n.
    1 an area where explosives are hidden: Minefields are very dangerous places to cross.
    2 fig. a situation that can lead to conflicts, lawsuits, etc.: Any politician who talks about taking away programs for elderly people is walking on a political minefield.
mineral
mineral
  1. n. an inorganic substance, such as copper, iron, sulfur, etc., found naturally in the earth: Discovering minerals in the soil can make a country wealthy.
mineral water
mineral water
  1. n. [U] a natural or prepared water containing minerals: He drinks mineral water because he thinks it's good for his health.
minestrone
minestrone
  1. n. [U] a type of Italian vegetable soup with pasta and beans: A bowl of minestrone for lunch is good on a cold day.
mingle
mingle
  1. v. -gled, -gling, -gles
    1 [I] to move around in a group of people: I mingled at the party and talked with many people.
    2 [I;T] to blend together, mix: A businessperson should not mingle business funds with personal funds.
mini
mini
  1. n. a small version of s.t., such as a miniskirt: In winter, she wears long skirts and in summer, she wears minis. —prefix mini- miniature, referring to a small or short version of s.t.: We took a minicourse on English grammar.
miniature
miniature
  1. n.adj. a small original or copy of s.t.: She paints miniatures (or) miniature portraits of people. -v. [T] miniaturize.
minimal
minimal
  1. adj. related to a least amount of s.t.: He spends a minimal amount of time watching television because he needs to study. -adv. minimally.
    THESAURUS
    minimal limited, scant | nominal.
minimize
minimize
  1. v. [T] -mized, -mizing, -mizes
    1 to reduce s.t. to the limit, lessen: She minimizes the amount of money that she spends on clothes in order to pay for her college tuition.
    2 to make s.t. seem unimportant, downplay: The teacher minimized the importance of the quiz.
minimum
minimum
  1. n.adj. the least amount of s.t.: The couple cut their household expenses to the minimum.
    THESAURUS
    minimum adj. lowest, bottom —n. smallest amount. Ants. highest | maximum.
minimum wage
minimum wage
  1. n.sing. in the USA, the minimum hourly rate that employers must pay to workers: It is difficult to support a family on the minimum wage.
mining
mining
  1. n. [U] the business and process of taking minerals out of the earth: Mining requires a big investment in land, equipment, and labor.
    THESAURUS
    mining drilling, excavating, digging.
miniseries
miniseries
  1. n. -ries a television program with a limited number of shows: Public television showed a miniseries of five episodes on the Civil War.
miniskirt
miniskirt
  1. n. a short skirt from the waist to above the knee: Miniskirts have been in fashion for the past few years.
minister
minister
  1. n.
    1 a Protestant clergyman or clergywoman: The new minister of the local Methodist church is a woman.
    2 a high government official (not in the USA): The Minister of Public Housing belongs to the Prime Minister's Cabinet. —v.frml. [T] to help, take care of: Volunteers ministered to the needs of the flood victims. -adj. ministerial .
    THESAURUS
    minister n.
    1 a pastor, reverend.
ministry
ministry
  1. n. -tries
    1 [U] the profession of the clergy: He wanted to join the ministry at an early age.
    2 [C] a branch of government (not in the USA): The Ministry of Housing oversees public and low-income housing in that government.
mink
mink
  1. n. [C;U] minks or mink
    1 a small animal, a type of weasel, with soft, shiny fur used to make fur coats: Minks in captivity are raised on mink farms.
    2 the fur of minks: She owns an expensive mink coat.
minnow
minnow
  1. n. a small fish often used as bait to catch larger fish: Minnows swim together in groups (schools) in fresh water.
minor
minor
  1. adj.
    1 not important: We agreed on everything in the contract, even minor points.
    2 not well known, obscure: Minor poets are not read much by students.
    3 related to the minor key in music: Sad music is often written in a minor key. —n. a person under a legal age, such as 18, to vote, drink alcohol in bars, etc.: In the USA, minors may not purchase or drink alcoholic beverages in public places.
    THESAURUS
    minor adj.
    1 unimportant, inconsequential frml. | lesser, smaller. Ant. important.
    2 lesser.
minor league
minor league
  1. n. a sports organization, such as baseball, that ranks below the highest professional level: A friend of mine from high school plays baseball in the minor leagues. —adj. fig. minor-league unimportant, not very good: He thinks he's very powerful, but he's minor-league. See: major league; bush-league
minority
minority
  1. n. -ties
    1 [C] a number or group that is less than half of the total: The Senator's "no" vote was in the minority, as the law was passed by a vote of 63 to 37.
    2 [C] people of a different race, ethnic background, or religion from those of the majority of people in a nation: New York City has been a home to minorities for centuries.
    3 [U] old usage the state of being under legal age: As long as the children are in their minority, they must obey their parents. —adj. related to a minority: Blacks in the city formed a minority political party.

    USAGE NOTE: As American society becomes more and more ethnically diverse, many people think the term minority—often used to refer to blacks, Asians, Hispanics, and other non-white people—is inaccurate. Some people use people of color instead of minority to refer to non-white Americans. Note that some Hispanics do not consider themselves to be of color.
minstrel
minstrel
  1. n.
    1 in medieval times, a singer and poet who traveled around to perform: The minstrel entertained the people with his songs and guitar playing.
    2 a song-and-dance entertainer: Al Jolson was a 20thcentury minstrel. —adj. old usage related to light entertainment from the African American culture by (usu. white) performers made up to look black: Singers and dancers put on minstrel shows in the early 20th century.
minuet
minuet
  1. n. a slow, graceful 17th-century French dance and its music: Long ago, people danced the minuet.
minus
minus
  1. n. -nuses
    1 a minus sign (-): The accountant put a minus beside the $100 expense.
    2 s.t. missing or bad: Not having a college degree is a minus for him in looking for a job. —prep. to subtract, take away s.t.: Seven minus three equals four.||4 - 2 = 2.
    THESAURUS
    minus n.
    1 a subtraction sign
    2 a disadvantage, drawback, deficiency.
minus sign
minus sign
  1. n. See: minus, 1.
minuscule
minuscule
  1. adj. related to the least, minimal amount of s.t.: The pay for working as a clerk in that store is minuscule.
minute
minute
  1. n.
    1 60 seconds: I like an egg boiled for three minutes.
    2 a moment, brief time period: When you have a minute, I would like to talk with you.
    3 a unit of measurement equal to 1/60th of a degree, in an angle
    4 pl. minutes the official record of a meeting: The secretary took minutes at the town meeting.
    5 hold on or wait a minute!: to stop or wait: Hey, wait a minute; don't leave without me! —adj. very small, tiny: Bacteria are minute organisms.
minute hand
minute hand
  1. n. the larger hand on a clock or watch that shows minutes: When the minute hand is on six, it is half past the hour.
minuteman
minuteman
  1. n. -men during the American Revolution, a citizen who was ready to fight the British on a minute's notice: Minutemen fought the British all over New England.
minutia
minutia
  1. n. -tiae a small detail: We agreed on everything, including the minutiae of the contract.
miracle
miracle
  1. n. an event that cannot be explained by the laws of nature: All the passengers in a sinking boat drowned except one who was saved by a miracle. -adj. miraculous ; -adv. miraculously.
    THESAURUS
    miracle an act of God | fluke, lucky break | wonder, marvel.
mirage
mirage
  1. n. the sight of s.t. that does not exist, created by hot-air conditions,
    THESAURUS
    an optical illusion: The thirsty travelers saw a mirage of a water hole in the desert.
mire
mire
  1. n.
    1 a muddy, wet place where it is easy to become stuck,
    THESAURUS
    a bog: Dirt roads in the valleys turn into mires in the spring rains.
    2 a difficult situation: He spent too much on his credit cards and got into a mire of debt. —v. [I;T] mired, miring, mires to become stuck,
    THESAURUS
    to bog down: Trucks got mired in the mud.
mirror
mirror
  1. n. a highly polished surface or glass that reflects light and images: She looks in the mirror each morning as she puts on makeup. —v. [T] to copy, agree with: He mirrors his wife's opinions about most things.
mirth
mirth
  1. n.frml. laughter, fun: As the party went on, you could hear the mirth coming from the house. -adj. mirthful.
mis-
mis-
  1. prefix indicating s.t. negative: The clerk miscalculated the customer's bill.
misadventure
misadventure
  1. n. a bad experience, bad luck: I wanted to spend a weekend playing golf in the country, but my car broke down, the hotel lost my reservation, and it rained; what a misadventure!
misalignment
misalignment
  1. n. [U] a mismatch of two things: The front wheels on my car point to the right, causing a misalignment. -adj. misaligned.
misalliance
misalliance
  1. n. a connection between nations, organizations, or people in a marriage that does not work well: That marriage is really a misalliance, as the husband and wife do not get along well.
misappropriate
misappropriate
  1. v. [T] -ated, -ating, -ates to use wrongly, steal,
    THESAURUS
    to embezzle: He misappropriated company funds and was arrested on vacation in the Caribbean. -n. [C;U] misappropriation.
misbegotten
misbegotten
  1. adj.frml. illegitimate: A misbegotten child has unmarried parents.
misbehave
misbehave
  1. v. [I] -haved, -having, -haves to act badly, be impolite: When her son misbehaves, she yells at him instead of telling him why his actions are wrong. -n. [U] misbehavior .
    THESAURUS
    misbehave to be naughty, disobey, act up. Ants. to behave, obey.
misc.
misc.
  1. adj. abbr. for miscellaneous
miscarriage
miscarriage
  1. n.
    1 accidental birth of a fetus (a baby before it is born) before the proper time, whereby the fetus does not survive: Sadly, Yvonne had a miscarriage last year when she was four months pregnant.
    2 an injustice, a wrong done to s.o.: He was innocent, but sent to jail in a miscarriage of justice. -v. [I] miscarry.
miscellaneous
miscellaneous
  1. adj. referring to various objects or ideas: She keeps all sorts of miscellaneous items in her garage, such as a statue, a shovel, and a broken TV. -n. miscellany .
    THESAURUS
    miscellaneous assorted, sundry | different, diverse. Ants. homogenous, identical.
mischief
mischief
  1. n. [U] small, irritating acts or behavior, usu. by children: On April Fools' Day, children make mischief by changing the salt and sugar on the kitchen table. -adj. mischievous.
misconception
misconception
  1. n.frml. a misunderstanding: The sculptor had a misconception of what the city wanted and made a sculpture that the city rejected. -v. [T] misconceive.
misconduct
misconduct
  1. n. [U] misbehavior, not acting according to the rules: The student fought with other students and was expelled from school for misconduct.
    THESAURUS
    misconduct wrongdoing. Ants. good behavior, obedience.
misconstrue
misconstrue
  1. v.frml. [T] -strued, -struing, -strues to misunderstand, to be confused by: I misconstrued what the teacher said to me and did the wrong assignment.
miscue
miscue
  1. n.v.frml. [I] -cued, -cuing, -cues a mistake, s.t. done wrong accidentally: I made a miscue when I told a friend to meet me at two o'clock and I went there at three o'clock.||I miscued when I said that.
misdemeanor
misdemeanor
  1. n. a minor legal offense usu. punished by a fine, not prison: Parking violations are misdemeanors.
misdiagnose
misdiagnose
  1. v. [I;T] -nosed, -nosing, -noses to identify a disease or injury incorrectly: The doctor misdiagnosed the patient's stomach pain as cancer, but it was only an ulcer. -n. [C;U] misdiagnosis.
miser
miser
  1. n. a person who tries not to spend any money, even on necessities,
    THESAURUS
    a tightwad: When the old miser died, his relatives found a million dollars in a box under his bed. -adj. miserly.
miserable
miserable
  1. adj.
    1 sad, heartbroken: After their dog died, the couple felt miserable for weeks.
    2 feeling physical pain: She feels miserable with a bad cold.
    3 poor quality or bad conditions, wretched: Poor children lead miserable lives. ||She made a miserable attempt at passing the mathematics exam. -adv. miserably.
    THESAURUS
    miserable
    1 unhappy, deeply upset, sorrowful | despondent, melancholy, dejected. Ant. happy.
    2 extremely uncomfortable | distressed.
    3 pathetic, deplorable | wretched. Ants. respectable, good.
misery
misery
  1. n. [U] -ies
    1 sadness, a state without hope: Ever since his wife died, he's been in misery.
    2 physical suffering, bad conditions: Starving people live in misery.
    THESAURUS
    misery
    1 sorrow, anguish, distress. Ant. happiness.
    2 hardship, deprivation, wretchedness. Ant. comfort.
misfit
misfit
  1. n. a person who does not fit in with other people or in a job,
    THESAURUS
    an oddball: With his elitist attitudes, he is a misfit among construction workers.
misfortune
misfortune
  1. n.
    1 [U] bad luck: Misfortune follows her wherever she goes.
    2 [C] a terrible event,
    THESAURUS
    a calamity: The earthquake was a misfortune for thousands of people.
misgivings
misgivings
  1. n.pl. doubt, suspicion: He has misgivings about the man his daughter wants to marry, but he says nothing.
mishap
mishap
  1. n. [C;U] frml. an accident, misfortune: He had a mishap with his car during his vacation.
mishmash
mishmash
  1. n.infrml. a mess, confused situation: Negotiations broke down into a mishmash of disagreements.
mislead
mislead
  1. v. [T] -led , -leading , -leads to lead one to the wrong idea, action, or direction, deceive: The book's title misled me into thinking it was a mystery novel, but it was about cars. -adj. misleading.
    THESAURUS
    mislead to lie to s.o., delude, dupe.
mismatch
mismatch
  1. n. -matches s.t. unequal in ability, personality, strength, etc.: The champion boxer knocked out the younger boxer in 30 seconds; it was a total mismatch.
misnomer
misnomer
  1. n. a wrong name for s.t. or s.o.: Her name is Joy, but it's a misnomer; she's a very unhappy person.
misogynist
misogynist
  1. n.frml. a person who hates women: He is a misogynist who is openly hostile to women. -n. misogyny.
misperception
misperception
  1. n. a misunderstanding of what is true: He has a misperception about how intelligent he is, because he's not. -v. [T] misperceive.
misplace
misplace
  1. v. [T] -placed, -placing, -places to put s.t. where you can't find it,
    THESAURUS
    to mislay: I misplaced my keys somewhere in the house.
misprint
misprint
  1. n. a printed error, as in spelling or typing: The newspaper article has many misprints. —v. [T] to make a mistake in printing: They misprinted "times" as "tomes."
misquote
misquote
  1. n.v. [T] -quoted, -quoting, -quotes an incorrect reporting or copying of s.o. else's words: The newspaper misquoted what the mayor said about taxes.||He complained about a misquote in the newspaper.
misread
misread
  1. v. [T] -read , -reading , -reads
    1 to read s.t. incorrectly, misunderstand: I misread today's date on my calendar as August 23 when it is in fact the 24th.
    2 to misjudge a person or situation: I misread her because I thought she could do the job well, but she apparently can't. -n. misreading.
misrepresent
misrepresent
  1. v. [T] to mislead s.o., say s.t. incorrect or untrue on purpose: He misrepresented the job as working in an office when it is actually an outside sales position. -n. [C;U] misrepresentation.
miss
miss
  1. v. misses
    1 [I;T] to fail to hit s.t.: The baseball player missed the ball.
    2 [I;T] to fail to catch or stop s.t.: The goaltender missed the ball.
    3 [T] to fail to understand: She missed the main point the teacher made.
    4 [T] to feel a sense of loss: When the student went to college in a new city, he missed his family.
    5 [T] not to recognize or notice s.t.: The shoe store is on the corner straight ahead; you can't miss it.
    6 phrasal v. [I] to miss out: not to participate in s.t., not enjoy: Be sure to come to the picnic because if you don't, you will miss out on the fun.
    7 to miss the boat: to lose an opportunity to benefit: He missed the boat by buying stocks well after the prices went up. See: hit-and-miss. —n.
    1 the failure to hit s.t.
    2 miss or Miss a form of address for an unmarried woman or girl, used alone or before her last name: The store clerk said, "How may I help you, miss?"||How do you do, Miss Jones? See: Ms., USAGE NOTE.
    THESAURUS
    miss v.
    3 to not get (an idea). Ants. to grasp, get.
    4 to feel homesick for, long for
    5 tooverlook, skip.
missile
missile
  1. n.
    1 an object that is thrown or shot, such as a bullet, arrow, stone: The missile that broke the window turned out to be a rock.
    2 a cigar-shaped rocket with explosives: A missile struck the ship and sank it. -n. [U] missilery.
missing
missing
  1. adj. not there, absent: He is missing from class; maybe he's sick.
mission
mission
  1. n.
    1 the purpose of the business that a person or organization conducts: The ambassador's mission is to work for peace with other countries.
    2 a group of people sent to another country for a specific purpose: A trade mission left Washington to conduct negotiations about business in China.
    3 a religious settlement: Many towns in California were originally missions of the Catholic church. —v.frml. [T] to send on a mission
missionary
missionary
  1. n. -ries a person, esp. a member of the clergy, sent on a religious mission to convert others to a faith: Christian missionaries are sent all over the world.
missive
missive
  1. n.frml. a letter or document, usu. formal: She received a missive from the tax collector asking for the payment of an overdue bill.
misstep
misstep
  1. n.
    1 a wrong step,
    THESAURUS
    a false step: If you make a misstep when you climb a mountain, you can fall.
    2 fig. a social mistake,
    THESAURUS
    a faux pas: He made a misstep at the party when the hostess heard him say her food was bad.
mist
mist
  1. n.
    1 [U] fog, very fine drops of water forming a cloud near the ground: Mist rises from the fields in the morning.
    2 [C] a fine spray: She sprayed a mist of perfume on her arms. —v. [I] to form mist, esp. a very fine rain: It is misting outside now. -adj. misty.
mistake
mistake
  1. n. an error: The waiter made a mistake in adding up the bill. —v. [T] mistook , mistaken, mistaking, mistakes to have a wrong idea, to identify s.o. incorrectly: I mistook that woman for a friend of mine, but she's a stranger.
    THESAURUS
    mistake n. a slip-up, mix-up, inaccuracy | blunder, gaffe, faux pas | goof infrml.
mistaken
mistaken
  1. adj. & past.part of mistake, incorrect, wrong: He was mistaken when he thought I was on vacation; I wasn't.
    THESAURUS
    mistaken adj. in error | inaccurate, erroneous. Ants. right, correct.
mister
mister
  1. n. a form of address for a man: Excuse me, mister, can you tell me what time it is?||Mr. Smith is in his office. abbr. Mr.
mistletoe
mistletoe
  1. n. [U] an evergreen parasitic plant with poisonous pearl-like berries: At Christmastime in some countries, people must kiss when they walk under the mistletoe.
mistress
mistress
  1. n. -tresses
    1 the female head of a household: Is the mistress of the house at home?
    2 a woman in a sexual relationship with a man, usu. married, who is not her husband: She is the mayor's mistress, but no one knows it.
mistrial
mistrial
  1. n. a trial that a judge says is not valid and must be canceled because of mistakes or misconduct: Several witnesses lied about the defendant's guilt, so the judge declared the case a mistrial.
misunderstanding
misunderstanding
  1. n.
    1 a mistaken idea: We had a misunderstanding about the time of our meeting.
    2 an argument, disagreement: We had a misunderstanding over salary, but later agreed.
    THESAURUS
    misunderstanding
    1 a mix-up, misinterpretation
    2 a quarrel, dispute.
mite
mite
  1. n.infrml.
    1 a bit, small amount: There's a mite of coldness in the air today.
    2 a tiny parasitic insect: That cat has mites in its ears.
miter
miter
  1. n. a pointed religious ceremonial hat: The bishop wore his miter to Christmas Mass.
mitigate
mitigate
  1. v.frml. [T] -gated, -gating, -gates to lessen, reduce the intensity or pain of s.t.: Cool weather from Canada mitigated the heat wave in New York. -adj. mitigating; -n. [U] mitigation.
mitt
mitt
  1. n.
    1 a baseball glove: The catcher held up his mitt to show he was ready to play baseball.
    2 a mitten
    3 slang one's hand: When I get my mitts on my paycheck this week, I'll have some fun.
mitten
mitten
  1. n. a glove that covers the fingers together and the thumb separately: Children wear mittens in winter because they are easier to put on their hands.
mix-up
mix-up
  1. n. a confused situation: There was a mix-up at the hospital where two babies were given to the wrong mothers.
    THESAURUS
    mix-up a misunderstanding, mistake.
mix
mix
  1. v. mixes
    1 [I;T] to blend together, stir: I mixed the lettuce and tomatoes with salad dressing.
    2 [I] to mingle with other people, socialize: Guests mixed with each other at the party.
    3 to get mixed up with or in: to be involved, esp. in s.t. that gets one into trouble: She got mixed up with some bad people and almost went to jail.
    4 phrasal v. [T] to mix it up: to fight: Two foot-ball players mixed it up and were thrown out of the game.
    5 phrasal v. sep. [T] to mix s.o. or s.t. up: to confuse, replace one thing with another by mistake: My teacher mixed my test up with another person's who has the same last name.||She mixed them up! See: mix-up. —n. mixes
    1 a blend of different things: That bread is made of a mix of wheat and oatmeal.
    2 a food preparation that is sold already packaged: She made a cake from a mix by adding water and an egg and then baking it. —adj. mixed up: confused: In a hurry, I got all mixed up and left my keys at home.
mixed bag
mixed bag
  1. n.slang a combination of good and bad ideas or things: College is a mixed bag for him; he likes some of his courses, but not others.
mixed marriage
mixed marriage
  1. n. a marriage between two people of different races, religions, or cultures: He is African American and she is Asian; they have a mixed marriage.
mixed number
mixed number
  1. n. a number that contains both a whole number and a fraction or decimal: The carrot was 63/8 inches in length.
mixture
mixture
  1. n. a combination of elements: That salad is a mixture of fruits on lettuce.
    THESAURUS
    mixture a blend, mix | medley, compound.
mmm
mmm
  1. an expression of pleasure, used especially when s.t. tastes good: Mmm, that ice cream is delicious!
mnemonic
mnemonic
  1. n. [C;U] s.t., as a phrase or short poem, that helps you to remember s.t. else: "Every Good Boy Does Fine" is a mnemonic for the order of the musical notes E G B D F.
moan
moan
  1. v.
    1 [I] to make low sounds of pain or pleasure: He cut his thumb with a knife and moaned in pain.
    2 [I;T] to complain: She is always moaning about how much work she has. —n. the sound of moaning: He let out a moan when he hit his thumb.
moat
moat
  1. n. a ditch filled with water for defense of a building, such as a castle: A bridge goes over the castle's moat.
mob
mob
  1. n. a disorderly, violent mass of people: A mob gathered in the town square to protest new tax increases. —v. [T] mobbed, mobbing, mobs to act like a mob: Shoppers mobbed the stores for big holiday sales.
    THESAURUS
    mob n. a noisy crowd, horde, rabble. —v. to swarm into, rush.
mobbed
mobbed
  1. adj. & past part. of mob, crowded: The grocery store was mobbed on Saturday morning.
mobile
mobile
  1. n. a hanging sculpture or toy: A mobile of paper birds hangs over the baby's bed. —adj. movable, capable of going from one place to another: She broke her leg but is now mobile and can walk with a cane.
mobile home
mobile home
  1. n. a small house made of metal that can be pulled by a car or truck: The retired couple lives in a two-bedroom mobile home near a lake. See: trailer; motor home.
mobility
mobility
  1. n. [U] the ability to be mobile: Gradually old age limited his mobility, and he became more dependent on others.
mobilize
mobilize
  1. v. [I;T] -lized, -lizing, -lizes to organize and get ready to move: After the earthquake, the Red Cross mobilized many workers to help people -n. mobilization.
moccasin
moccasin
  1. n. a soft shoe without a heel: Moccasins are often decorated with pret-ty beads.
mock-up
mock-up
  1. n. a model of what s.t. will look like: Architects make mock-ups of what their buildings will look like.
mock
mock
  1. v. [I;T] to make fun of s.o., usu. by imitating,
    THESAURUS
    to ridicule: The older children mocked the way the baby tried to speak. —adj. in imitation, fake: Soldiers fought a mock battle in training exercises.
mockery
mockery
  1. n.
    1 [U] ridicule, expressed with disrespect: The crowd's mockery of the speaker made him leave the room.
    2 sing. an insincere imitation: His trial was a mockery of justice; everyone knew he was guilty, yet he was found innocent.
mockingbird
mockingbird
  1. n. a North American songbird with grayish tan feathers: Mockingbirds imitate the songs of other birds.
modal auxiliary
modal auxiliary
  1. n. (in grammar) a verb that indicates a mood (the likelihood or factuality of s.t.) or a tense and is always used with another verb: Some modal auxiliaries are "can," "may," and "might." See: mood, 2; tense, n.

    USAGE NOTE: The modal auxiliaries in English are: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would. The modal auxiliary is used before the base form of the main verb: I will be home late tonight. Can you make dinner for me?
mode
mode
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 a manner, way, condition of doing s.t.: We were in a panic mode when the computer crashed.
    2 [U] fashion: She always dresses in the latest mode; she's very stylish.
model
model
  1. n.
    1 a small version of s.t.: An architect made a one-foot-tall model of the new office building.
    2 a person who poses for artists or with products for sale: She is a model and often appears in fashion magazines. —adj. a good example: He is a model student and always does his homework. —v.
    1 [I;T] to serve as a model for artists' products: He models for painting students.
    2 [T] to shape as with the hands: She models clay into pots.
    3 [T] to make a model of s.t.: He models designs of buildings for architects.
    4 to model on or after: to take s.o. as an example: She modeled herself after her successful mother. See: role model.
    THESAURUS
    model n.
    1 a prototype, mock-up | copy, replica.
modem
modem
  1. n. (in computers) an electronic device for sending or receiving computer data over telephone lines: We send product orders from our office to the warehouse via modem.
moderate
moderate
  1. v. -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 [I] to become less in strength or severity: The hurricane's high winds moderated as it reached the shore.
    2 [I;T] to be in charge of a discussion group: The senior news reporter moderated a discussion between politicians. -n. moderator. —adj.
    1 in the middle, not large or small, modest: He makes a moderate income.
    2 not high or low, comfortable
    THESAURUS
    moderate v.
    1 to calm (down), lessen, weaken. Ants. to intensify, increase.
    2 to chair, host.
moderation
moderation
  1. n. [U] nonextreme behavior: She drinks alcohol only in moderation.
modern
modern
  1. adj.
    1 related to today's life, current: Most modern women work outside the home.
    2 new: Modern computers keep getting faster and faster. —n. a person, esp. an artist, doing what is new: The moderns in art paint mostly abstractions. -n. [U] modernism; modernity .
    THESAURUS
    modern adj.
    1 contemporary. Ant. historical.
    2 the latest, state-of-the-art | up-to-date. Ant. outdated.
modernize
modernize
  1. v. [T] -ized, izing, izes to improve s.t., bring up to date: We modernized our computer systems with the newest equipment. -n. [U] modernization .
    THESAURUS
    modernize to update, renovate, revamp | recondition, refurbish.
modest
modest
  1. adj.
    1 describing a person who does not brag or boast: She has won many athletic prizes, but she is so modest that she rarely talks about them.
    2 not large: He lives on a modest income in a modest house. -n. [U] modesty.
    THESAURUS
    modest
    1 humble, unpretentious, unassuming | shy, self-conscious. Ants. immodest, boastful.
    2 limited, moderate.
modicum
modicum
  1. n.frml. a small amount of s.t.: He gives only a modicum of attention to his studies.
modification
modification
  1. n. [C;U] a change,
    THESAURUS
    an alteration: Architects made modifications in the building by taking down walls to make larger rooms.
modifier
modifier
  1. n. (in grammar) a word or phrase that describes another: Adjectives are modifiers that describe nouns, such as "good" in "We had a good time."
modify
modify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies
    1 to change s.t., alter: He was loud and angry, and his friends told him to modify his behavior.
    2 (in grammar) to describe s.t.: An adjective such as "blue" modifies a noun, such as "dress."
modulate
modulate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, lates to change the level, strength, or tone of s.t.: Her teacher taught the singer how to modulate her voice in singing a difficult passage.
modulation
modulation
  1. n. [C;U] the change in the type of radio waves: I listen to both AM (amplitude modulation) and FM (frequency modulation) radio programs.
module
module
  1. n.
    1 a part of a whole, such as a section in a course: Our English course is divided into modules on poetry, drama, and novels.
    2 a section of a space vehicle: The passenger module released from the rocket after takeoff. -adj. modular.
mogul
mogul
  1. n. an important, powerful person,
    THESAURUS
    a magnate: Years ago, moguls ran the movie studios in Hollywood.
mohair
mohair
  1. n. [U] the soft hair of the Angora goat and wool cloth made from it: In winter, he wears a warm mohair scarf.
moist
moist
  1. adj. slightly wet: From working hard, she became moist with sweat.
    THESAURUS
    moist damp | misty, drizzling (weather).
moisten
moisten
  1. v. [I;T] to make a little bit wet, dampen: He moistened a sponge with water and wiped the table.
moisture
moisture
  1. n. [U] dampness, small amount of liquid on s.t.: The moisture in the air makes it humid today.
    THESAURUS
    moisture humidity, mugginess | wetness | dew, mist, drizzle. Ant. dryness.
moisturize
moisturize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to add liquid: She moisturizes her hands with cream. -n. moisturizer.
molar
molar
  1. n. a large back tooth, used for chewing: The dentist took a bad molar out of my mouth.
molasses
molasses
  1. n. [U]
    1 a thick, dark sweet liquid made from sugarcane: He adds molasses to the bread he bakes.
    2 as slow as molasses: very slowly: He walks as slow as molasses.
molding
molding
  1. n. [U] a strip of decorative wood or plaster at the tops and bottoms of walls
mole
mole
  1. n.
    1 a small, dark, raised growth on the skin: A mole on one's cheek is sometimes called a beauty mark.
    2 a small rodent that digs in the earth: Moles dig little tunnels in the ground.
    3 a chemical measurement
    4 infrml.fig. a spy: There is a mole in the intelligence agency who is sending secrets to the enemy.
molecule
molecule
  1. n. (in chemistry) the smallest unit of the elements of a substance: The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. -adj. molecular.
molest
molest
  1. v. [T]
    1 to annoy, bother with comments, etc.: The bigger children in the neighborhood molested the younger ones.
    2 to abuse sexually: He molested children and was sent to jail for 30 years. -n. [U] molestation.
mollify
mollify
  1. v.frml. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to calm, reduce s.o.'s anger or discomfort: A customer was unhappy, and the store manager mollified her by returning her money.
mollusk
mollusk
  1. n. any of a class of soft, boneless animals living inside hard shells, such as clams, oysters, and scallops: Fishermen can make a good living by fishing for mollusks.
molt
molt
  1. v. [I] n. in animals, to lose old skin, feathers, shells, etc.: Birds molt in the late summer and grow their winter feathers.||Their summer molt (or) molting season has passed.
molten
molten
  1. adj.& past part. of melt, melted by a great heat: Molten lava flows from the volcano.
mom-and-pop store
mom-and-pop store
  1. n.infrml.fig. a small family business: He runs the mom-and-pop drugstore on the corner.
    THESAURUS
    mom-and-pop store infrml. a corner store, convenience store.
mom
mom
  1. n.infrml. short for mommy, mother: Mom, can I go to the movies tonight?
moment
moment
  1. n.
    1 a brief period of time, such as a few seconds to several min-utes: I am on the telephone, but will be with you in a moment.
    2 a short period: World War II was a terrible moment in world history.
    3 moment of truth: when s.t. important will be known: The moment of truth came when the jury gave its verdict. -adv. momentarily ; -adj. momentary .
    THESAURUS
    moment
    1 a minute, jiffy, instant
    2 a time, point.
momentous
momentous
  1. adj. greatly significant, very important: Presidents of countries make momentous decisions that affect the lives of millions of people.
momentum
momentum
  1. n. [U] the speed at which s.t. moves,
    THESAURUS
    impetus: The big ship started to move, then gradually reached full momentum.
momma
momma
  1. n.infrml. mother
mommy
mommy
  1. n.infrml. -mies mother
monarch
monarch
  1. n. a ruler by birth, such as a king or queen: Monarchs ruled England for centuries. -adj. monarchal ; monarchical.
monarchism
monarchism
  1. n. [U] the belief in government by monarchs: Monarchism is less common now than it used to be.
monarchy
monarchy
  1. n. a government run by a monarch, usu. with limited powers: The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.
monastery
monastery
  1. n. -ies a place where monks live, work, and pray: Some monasteries are open to the public as a place to rest and meditate. See: convent.
monastic
monastic
  1. adj.
    1 related to monks: He joined a monastic order.
    2 referring to a plain, simple lifestyle: He leads a monastic life; he works hard and doesn't go out.
monetarism
monetarism
  1. n. [U] a policy of influencing a nation's economy by the government's controlling its money supply: Monetarism is a controversial economic theory. -n.adj. monetarist.
monetary
monetary
  1. adj. related to money, fiscal: He doesn't have much monetary sense; he's always wasting his money.
monetize
monetize
  1. v. [T] -tized, -tizing, -tizes
    1 to print or coin money
    2 to convert government bonds and other debt into currency, liquidate: The government monetized its bonds and spent the money on new projects.
money-grubber
money-grubber
  1. n.infrml. a greedy person who tries to make money from every activity: He is such a money-grubber that he won't answer a question unless you tell him how much you will pay him. -adj.n. money-grubbing.
money-market fund
money-market fund
  1. n. a fund that sells shares invested in short-term debt and pays interest to buyers: Many people put money in money-market funds to get higher interest payments than banks offer. See: mutual fund.
money
money
  1. n. [U]
    1 a medium of exchange, such as paper currency: Money can't buy you love.
    2 infrml. for my money: in my opinion: For my money, that movie we saw last night was great.
    3 money's worth: to receive good value: I have worn these shoes for two years and really got my money's worth.
    4 to make money: to earn money or profit: Her investments make money every year.
    THESAURUS
    money
    1 cash, coins, bills | funds, revenue, capital | bucks infrml., dough infrml.
money belt
money belt
  1. n. a belt with pockets for money to hide under clothes: When he travels, he keeps his cash in a money belt around his waist. See: fanny pack.
money market
money market
  1. n. a financial market where short-term debt instruments, such as government treasury bonds, are traded: Big money-market centers are New York, London, and Tokyo.
money order
money order
  1. n. a check to a specific person, business, etc., that one can buy with cash: I bought a $300 money order at the post office and sent it to my mother.
moneyed
moneyed
  1. adj. having money, rich: She married a man from a moneyed family.
moneymaker
moneymaker
  1. n. a product or person who makes a good profit for a business: That new saleswoman is already a moneymaker for our company.
mongrel
mongrel
  1. n.adj. a dog of mixed breed: Our family dog is a mongrel we got at the animal shelter.
moniker
moniker
  1. n.slang a nickname: One cowboy told another that his moniker was Red.
monitor
monitor
  1. n.
    1 a screen, as on a television or computer, that displays information: I looked at the monitor in the airport to see when my plane leaves.
    2 a person or machine that checks on the performance of s.t.: When the teacher leaves the room, she tells a student to be a monitor so all the children will behave well. —v. [T] to observe the actions of others: The boss monitors the quality of her employees' work.
monk
monk
  1. n. a member of an all-male religious order who lives in a monastery: The Buddhist monk meditated all day.
monkey
monkey
  1. n.
    1 any of a variety of primates with human-like faces, long tails, and excellent climbing ability: Monkeys spend most of their lives in trees.
    2 to have a monkey on one's back: a. to be addicted to drugs: He has a monkey on his back and can't get it off. b. to be greatly troubled and burdened: She has a monkey on her back, because she's in a bad marriage and poor health.
    3 infrml. to make a monkey out of s.o.: to make a fool of s.o., embarrass: One lawyer made a monkey out of another by showing that he did not know the law. —v. -keyed, -keying, -keys phrasal v. infrml. [I] to monkey around: to handle s.t. in a casual way, to play with: I monkeyed around with trying to fix my car, but I finally took it to a mechanic.
monkey business
monkey business
  1. n.infrml. illegal or dishonest actions: There is monkey business with tax money going on in the state capitol.
monkey wrench
monkey wrench
  1. n.
    1 a tool with one fixed end and one movable end
    2 infrml. to throw a monkey wrench into s.t.: to mess s.t. up badly: A snowstorm threw a monkey wrench into our vacation plans; we could not leave.
mono
mono
  1. adj. prefix single, one —n.infrml. short for mononucleosis
monochrome
monochrome
  1. n. [U] adj. s.t. in only one color or shades of it: Early photographers worked only in monochrome (or) monochrome film. -adj. monochromatic.
monogamist
monogamist
  1. n. a person who has only one husband or wife at a time: In California, the law says that you must be a monogamist. See: polygamist.
monogamy
monogamy
  1. n. [U] the custom or practice of having only one husband or wife at one time: Catholic tradition requires monogamy. -adj. monogamous.
monogram
monogram
  1. n.v. [T] -grammed, -gramming, -grams a symbol of identity, usu. one's initials,
    THESAURUS
    an insignia: He has his monogram on his bath towels.
monolingual
monolingual
  1. adj. knowing or using only one language: Most Americans are monolingual in English. See: bilingual.
monolith
monolith
  1. n.
    1 a large, thick piece of rock that stands alone: Ancient peoples put up monoliths as religious monuments.
    2 fig. referring to s.t. large, solid, and hard to get inside: The government is such a monolith that I don't want to deal with it. -adj. monolithic.
monologue
monologue
  1. n. a long talk by only one person, usu. in drama: The comedian gave a long monologue of jokes. See: dialog.
mononucleosis
mononucleosis
  1. n. [U] an infectious viral disease with fatigue and swollen glands, called the "kissing disease": Many students get mononucleosis and must rest in bed.
monopolize
monopolize
  1. v. [T] -lized, -lizing, -lizes
    1 to control a market completely: An electric power company monopolizes the power supply in this area.
    2 infrml.fig. to dominate s.o. or s.t.: When she is at a party, she monopolizes the conversation and won't let others speak. -n. monopolization.
monopoly
monopoly
  1. n. -lies the control of an entire market by only one person, business, or organization: The government has laws against monopolies in many industries.
monorail
monorail
  1. n. a train that moves on a single rail: A monorail takes people up the mountain.
monosyllable
monosyllable
  1. n. a word that has one syllable: She used three important monosyllables: I love you. -adj. monosyllabic.
monotheism
monotheism
  1. n. [U] belief in a single supreme god: Monotheism is a fundamental belief of Judaism. -adj. monotheistic.
monotone
monotone
  1. n. a tone of voice that stays the same: The speaker's monotone bored the audience and many people fell asleep.
monotonous
monotonous
  1. adj. boring and without change: She thought life in a small town was monotonous. -adv. monotonously; -n. [U] monotony.
monsoon
monsoon
  1. n.
    1 a heavy rain storm, esp. of southeast Asia: A monsoon struck the coastline.
    2 a seasonal wind in southeastern Asia that changes direction: The monsoons from April to October bring rain to the area.
monster
monster
  1. n.
    1 a scary, imaginary creature, usu. a person, animal, or plant: Some films show monsters, such as a giant lizard or gorilla.
    2 a very cruel person or animal: The murderer is a monster who cuts his victims up. —adj.fig. s.t. unusually big or violent: A monster hurricane destroyed the coastline.
monstrous
monstrous
  1. adj.
    1 extremely ugly,
    THESAURUS
    hideous: Monstrous reptiles lived millions of years ago.
    2 outrageously bad: The killer committed monstrous acts.
    3 very large, huge -n. monstrosity.
montage
montage
  1. n.
    1 (in art) things, such as pictures, cut out and placed near or overlapping each other,
    THESAURUS
    a collage: An artist did a montage of pictures from city life.
    2 a collection of short pieces of film: The movie was a montage of scenes of life in New York City.
month
month
  1. n. a time period of approx. 30 days as one of 12 months that make a year: His rent costs $500 a month, and he pays it on the first of the month.
monthly
monthly
  1. adv. done each month: She washes her car monthly. —n.adj. -lies a magazine published monthly: I subscribe to several monthlies (or) monthly magazines.
monument
monument
  1. n. a statue, building, etc., built in memory of a person or historical event: The Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC is a monument to the soldiers who died in the Vietnam War.
monumental
monumental
  1. adj. having large proportions, endurance, or importance: Tolstoy's War and Peace is a monumental book.
moo
moo
  1. n. the sound made by a cow —v. [I] to make a sound like a cow's moo: Cows mooed in the pasture. -adj.n. mooing.
mooch
mooch
  1. n.infrml. mooches a person who always asks for money, food, and things from other people: He is a real mooch who is always asking for money and cigarettes. -n. moocher.
mood
mood
  1. n.
    1 an emotional state or feeling, such as happiness or sadness: She is in a good mood today and smiles a lot.
    2 (in grammar) verb forms that show if the speaker regards s.t. as a fact, possibility, or command, etc.; the moods include the indicative, imperative, and conditional: "Do your homework every day" expresses the imperative mood.
    THESAURUS
    mood an attitude, outlook | frame of mind.
moody
moody
  1. adj. -ier, -iest changing one's moods often, including feeling sad, irritable, or angry: He is a moody guy, one day happy, the next day sad. -adv. moodily.
moon
moon
  1. n.
    1 the natural satellite that orbits earth: The moon is Earth's nearest neighbor in space.
    2 any celestial body that orbits around another celestial body
    3 once in a blue moon: rarely, almost never: She works all the time and takes a vacation once in a blue moon.
    4 to ask for the moon: to ask for too much: All I want is a small salary increase; I'm not asking for the moon. —v. [I] to miss s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to pine for s.o.: He moons for his girlfriend while she's away.
moonbeam
moonbeam
  1. n. a ray of light from the moon: Moonbeams shine in through my window at night.
moonlight
moonlight
  1. n. [U] light from the moon, esp. a full moon: When the moon is full, you can see well in the moonlight. -adj. moonlit . —v.infrml. [I] -lighted, -lighting, -lights to have a second job (often at night) in addition to regular work: She works for a company as a computer technician and she moonlights for individual computer owners. -n. [U] moonlighting. See: freelance.
moonshine
moonshine
  1. n.
    1 moonlight: He kissed her under the moonshine.
    2 infrml.fig. whisky made and sold illegally: Moonshine was made when alcohol was illegal in the USA. -n. moonshiner.
moor
moor
  1. v. [I;T] to tie a boat or other vehicle to a pier, to drop anchor, etc.: Sailors moored their boat to a dock and went onshore.
mooring
mooring
  1. n. a place where s.t., esp. a boat, can be tied and made secure: In the harbor, there are moorings at docks and buoys.
moose
moose
  1. n.pl. moose the largest member of the deer family with a dark brown coat, short neck, and long nose, living in northern North America, Europe, and Asia: A male moose is over 2 meters (6') high at the shoulder.
moot
moot
  1. adj. a moot point or question: open to discussion: It's a moot question where to go on vacation this year.
mop
mop
  1. n. cleaning equipment made of a sponge or rope-like pieces at the end of a long handle: A worker wet the mop and mopped the floor to clean up the spill. —v. [T] mopped, mopping, mops phrasal v. sep. to mop s.t. up: a. to use a mop: A worker mopped up the floor this morning.||He mopped it up. b. fig. to finish a job: The army won the battle, and soldiers mopped up a few areas of resistance that were left.||They mopped them up.
mope
mope
  1. v. [I] moped, moping, mopes to act dull, without energy, in low spirits: He feels sad and mopes around his apartment all day. —n. a person who mopes: She has become a mope lately.
moped
moped
  1. n. a type of bicycle with a small motor: He rides a moped to work.
moral
moral
  1. adj. related to what is right or wrong: She is a very moral person who acts correctly all the time; she never steals or lies. -adv. morally. —n. an idea about correct living, esp. an idea shown by a story: "The truth will out" is a moral that means that the truth will eventually be told.
    THESAURUS
    moral adj. ethical, principled, upright | upstanding, law-abiding. Ant. immoral.
morale
morale
  1. n. [U] the level of enthusiasm and confidence a person or group has for what they are doing: Morale in our company is high after good sales last year.
    THESAURUS
    morale the team spirit | camaraderie, esprit de corps.
moralist
moralist
  1. n.
    1 a person who teaches morals and ethics
    2 a person concerned about the moral behavior of other people: That minister is a moralist with strict standards of behavior. -adj. moralistic.
morality
morality
  1. n. [U] standards, beliefs about what is right and wrong behavior, esp. regarding sex: Religious people talk about the need for greater morality in every era.
    THESAURUS
    morality values, ethics, principles. Ant. immorality.
morass
morass
  1. n. -rasses
    1 a swampy area where it is easy to get stuck: The dog got caught in a morass and had to be saved.
    2 fig. a difficult or dangerous situation like a swamp: Congress turned into a legislative morass where nothing could become law.
moratorium
moratorium
  1. n. -riums or -ria a delay or ban on s.t.: A group of nations agreed on a moratorium on the sale of nuclear weapons.
morbid
morbid
  1. adj.
    1 referring to a person who has sad or bad thoughts, esp. about death: He has a morbid sense of humor about human nature.
    2 related to disease: The stray dog was taken to the animal hospital because of its morbid condition. -n. [U] morbidity.
mordant
mordant
  1. adj.frml. biting, bitter: The critic writes mordant reviews about the plays he sees.
more
more
  1. adj.comp. of many and much: additional, added: She needs to make more money if she wants to buy a car. —adv.
    1 additionally, to a greater degree: He should study more than he does.
    2 more and more: to an increasing degree: She is becoming more and more interested in going into politics.
    3 more often than not: usually, frequently: More often than not, he goes to church on Sunday.
    4 more or less: approximately, about: That table is more or less 6 feet (2 m) long. —n. a greater number, degree, etc.: The more who come to the party, the more fun we'll have, or as they say, "The more, the merrier." See: less.
moreover
moreover
  1. adv. in addition: She is rich; moreover, she is beautiful and generous.
mores
mores
  1. n.pl.frml. customs of a people or culture, such as ideas about the family, sex, etc: Anthropologists study the mores of various cultures.
morgue
morgue
  1. n. a public place where the bodies of people found dead are kept for identification before burial: The police took an unidentified dead man to the morgue for an autopsy to discover the cause of death. See: mortuary.
morn
morn
  1. n.litr. morning
morning
morning
  1. n. [C;U] adj. the hours between sunrise and noon: Children go to school in the morning.
morning sickness
morning sickness
  1. n. [U] sickness to the stomach and vomiting in the first few months of pregnancy: She is two months pregnant and has morning sickness when she gets up each day.
moron
moron
  1. n.slang a stupid, foolish person: That moron drove past a stop sign and almost hit us! -adj. moronic.
morose
morose
  1. adj. sad, angry,
    THESAURUS
    sullen: He is a morose man who can find no good in the world.
morphine
morphine
  1. n. [U] a strong drug made from opium: The doctor gave her patient morphine to kill the pain.
morphology
morphology
  1. n. [U]
    1 the structure of living organisms and the study of it: Medical students study human morphology.
    2 the study of word formations: Linguists study morphology and syntax. -adj. morphological.
morsel
morsel
  1. n. a small piece of s.t., usu. food: A morsel of cake was left on the plate.
mortal
mortal
  1. adj. subject to death: All of us are mortal and will die one day. -adv. mortally.
mortality
mortality
  1. n. [U]
    1 the condition of being mortal: In middle age, he felt his own mortality and became religious.
    2 sing. the rate of death from illness or disaster: The infant mortality rate in some countries is very high.
mortar
mortar
  1. n.
    1 [U] cement, plaster, etc., used to hold stone or brick together: The library is made of red brick and white mortar.
    2 [C] a type of weapon: Soldiers fired mortars at the enemy. —v. [T]
    1 to join with mortar
    2 to shoot mortars: Soldiers mortared enemy lines.
mortarboard
mortarboard
  1. n. a flat black hat worn for graduation ceremonies: Students rent their mortarboards and robes for graduation.
mortgage
mortgage
  1. n. a long-term loan from a bank for buying property, which is used as security: We make monthly payments on our house mortgage. —v. [T] -gaged, -gaging, -gages
    1 to borrow money against one's house: Our house is mortgaged.
    2 to put oneself into heavy debt: She mortgaged her future by having to repay big debts for many years.
mortician
mortician
  1. n. a person who organizes funerals and prepares the dead body,
    THESAURUS
    an undertaker: Most morticians work in funeral homes. See: undertaker.
mortify
mortify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to make s.o. feel shame or embarrassment: He was mortified when he called his wife by the wrong name -n. [U] mortification.
mortuary
mortuary
  1. n. -ies a place, usu. in a hospital, where dead bodies are kept before burial: When the patient died, her body was sent to the mortuary. See: morgue.
mosaic
mosaic
  1. n. [C;U] a picture or design made of little colored stones: Old mosaics show scenes from ancient Greece and Rome.
mosque
mosque
  1. n. a Muslim building of worship: Muslims pray in the mosques five times a day.
mosquito
mosquito
  1. n. -toes or -tos small, biting, blood-sucking insects: Mosquitoes spread malaria in some parts of the world.
moss
moss
  1. n. [C;U] a short, soft plant that grows on the ground and on trees: Moss grows on trees in our backyard. -adj. mossy.
most
most
  1. n.
    1 the highest degree, amount, number, etc.: I like to vacation in Paris the most of all the cities I have visited.
    2 at most: at the greatest degree, amount, etc.: Those fancy shoes should cost at most $100.
    3 to make the most of s.t.: to take advantage of an opportunity: I had not been to Tokyo in ten years, so I made the most of my trip and saw everything. —adj.superlative of many, much, more
    1 related to the highest degree, amount, number, etc.: Last year, he made the most money that he has ever made.
    2 most of all: regarding the greatest amount, degree, etc.: I like to eat ice cream most of all. -adv. mostly. —adv. for the most part, usually: I like to vacation mostly in the fall.
motel
motel
  1. n. a hotel next to a highway where motorists park their cars in front of the rooms: On our vacation, we stayed at a new motel every night. See: USAGE NOTES at bed and breakfast, hotel.
    THESAURUS
    motel a motor inn | roadside inn.
moth-eaten
moth-eaten
  1. adj.
    1 with holes eaten by moths: My best woolen shirt is moth-eaten.
    2 fig. old, out of style: That couch is moth-eaten and stained.
moth
moth
  1. n. moths any of many insects with wings that are active at night: Moths got into the closet and made holes in the wool clothes.
mothball
mothball
  1. n. a small ball of chemicals that keeps moths away: I put mothballs in the closet to keep the moths away from the clothes.
mother-in-law
mother-in-law
  1. n. mothers-inlaw the mother of one's spouse: His mother-in-law comes to visit every year.
mother
mother
  1. n.
    1 the female parent: My mother lives in New Hampshire.
    2 the head of a female religious order or organization
    3 infrml.fig. the greatest, most important of s.t.: The she-bear that we saw in the park was the mother of all bears; she was so big! —v. [T] to care for, nurture: She mothers her two children with loving care. -adj. motherly.
    THESAURUS
    mother n.
    1 mom, mommy, mama infrml.
mother superior
mother superior
  1. n. a woman in charge of a religious organization, such as a convent or school: Mothers superior are often teachers as well as religious leaders.
mother tongue
mother tongue
  1. n. the first language one speaks as a child: Her mother tongue is Spanish.
    THESAURUS
    mother tongue one's native language.
motherboard
motherboard
  1. n. (in computers) a board that holds the main circuit of a computer: To upgrade my computer, I have to replace the expensive motherboard.
motherhood
motherhood
  1. n. [U] the state of being a mother: Motherhood came late to her, as she had her first child at age 40.
mothering
mothering
  1. n. [U] care and nurturing given by mothers: Her child is sickly, so he needs a lot of mothering.
motif
motif
  1. n.frml. a theme or design element used repeatedly in literature, music, art, and architecture: The building was decorated with a motif of flowers and circles.
motion
motion
  1. n.
    1 [U] movement, going from one place to another: That child is always in motion; she never sits still.
    2 [C] a gesture, movement of the hand, arm, etc.: I made a motion with my hand to get the attention of the waiter.
    3 [C] a formal request to suggest a proposal to be voted on at a meeting: The moderator at the town meeting made a motion to vote on new taxes. —v. [I;T] to direct by, move the hand, arm, etc.: The queen motioned with her hand to dismiss her visitors.
    THESAURUS
    motion n.
    1 action, mobility. Ants. stillness, immobility.
    2 a sign, signal | action. —v. to gesture.
motion sickness
motion sickness
  1. n. [U] feelings of upset stomach, dizziness, etc., when riding in a moving vehicle: He takes pills for motion sickness when he rides in a car.
motivate
motivate
  1. v. [T] -vated, -vating, -vates to give a reason to do s.t.: A desire to go to medical school motivates her to study hard every day. -n. motivation ; -adj. motivational.
    THESAURUS
    motivate to encourage, stimulate, prompt | urge. Ants. to discourage, deter.
motive
motive
  1. n. a reason, purpose for doing s.t.: Money was the thief's motive in robbing the bank.
motley
motley
  1. adj.frml. varied in color, type, etc.: The party was a motley mixture of well-dressed businesspeople and poor students.
motor
motor
  1. n. a machine that creates power, such as the engine in a car: An air conditioner uses an electric motor to cool the air and turn a fan. —v. [I;T] to travel in a vehicle: For our vacation, we motored through California. —adj. related to movement of the muscles: She has good motor coordination.
motor home
motor home
  1. n. a metal house on wheels pulled by another vehicle or driven by itself: We traveled across the country in a motor home. See: mobile home.
motor inn
motor inn
  1. n. a motel, where motorists stay overnight: On our trip, we stayed at motor inns along the route. See: hotel, USAGE NOTE.
motor mouth
motor mouth
  1. n.infrml.fig. a talkative person, esp. one who won't let others talk: She is a real motor mouth; once she starts talking, she won't let anyone else say anything.
motor vehicle
motor vehicle
  1. n. a general term for a car, bus, truck, etc: All motor vehicles must be registered with the state.
motorbike
motorbike
  1. n. a lightweight motorcycle similar to a bicycle, often with a powerful motor: Bikers race motorbikes over rough ground.
motorboat
motorboat
  1. n. a boat powered by motors usu. without sails: Our friends have a motorboat that they take on the lake on weekends.
motorcade
motorcade
  1. n. a line of cars for important people: The President rides in a motorcade surrounded by Secret Service agents.
motorcycle
motorcycle
  1. n.v. [I] -cled, -cling, -cles a two-wheeled vehicle larger than a motorbike, with a powerful engine: To ride on a motorcycle gives you a feeling of freedom and speed.
motorist
motorist
  1. n. a person who drives or rides in a car, truck, or motorcycle: Motorists crowd the highways during rush hour.
motorize
motorize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to equip with engines or motor vehicles: Armies switched to motorized weapons, such as tanks and airplanes, in World War I.
mottled
mottled
  1. adj. having different colored marks: Our dog is mottled with white and brown spots.
motto
motto
  1. n. -toes or -tos a short saying that states a basic belief of a nation, organization, etc.: The motto on the US dollar says "In God we trust."
mound
mound
  1. n. a rounded pile, heap: A mound of dirt is in the garden waiting to be spread for planting. —v. [T] to pile into a mound: A gardener mounded soil around each plant.
mount
mount
  1. v.
    1 [I] to increase, go up: Costs of products are mounting every week.
    2 [T] to climb on: The cowboy mounted his horse and rode away.
    3 [T] to put on display, hang up: We mounted new pictures on the wall.||The theater mounted a production of Romeo and Juliet.
    4 [T] (of animals) to mate, make babies: The bull mounted the cow. —n.
    1 a horse: "Where is my mount?" asked the jockey.
    2 Mount mountain (used in place names): Mount McKinley
mountain
mountain
  1. n.
    1 a tall formation of land and rock higher than a hill: The mountains south of San Francisco make a pretty picture.
    2 fig. a large amount: There is a mountain of dishes to wash.
    3 infrml. to make a mountain out of a molehill: to become angry over a small issue: She made a mountain out of a molehill about getting a B on her paper instead of an A . -adj. mountainous.
    THESAURUS
    mountain
    1 a peak, high hill | range
    2 a pile, mound.
mountain lion
mountain lion
  1. n. a large cat with a long tail and tan coat, found from western Canada to the tip of South America,
    THESAURUS
    a cougar: Mountain lions avoid humans as their greatest natural enemy.
mountain range
mountain range
  1. n.
    1 a group of mountains in a general area: New York State has several mountain ranges, including the Adirondacks.
    2 a mountain chain
mountaineer
mountaineer
  1. n. a mountain guide or person who climbs mountains for fun: He is a mountaineer who lives in the Rockies.
mounting
mounting
  1. n.
    1 [U] the act of climbing on s.t.: Mounting a horse from the ground requires strength.
    2 [C] the support structure, such as metal bars for a motor or backing for a picture: The mounting for the motor has rusted and needs to be replaced.
mourn
mourn
  1. v. [I;T]
    1 to feel sad at the death of s.o.: The family mourned the death of their grandfather.
    2 to show one's sadness through a traditional act of sorrow for the dead: Jewish people mourn by reading a prayer called the Kaddish. -n. mourner.
mournful
mournful
  1. adj.
    1 of mourning, sorrow for the dead: Funerals are mournful events.
    2 having a sad sound: The boat's horn gave off a low, mournful sound. -adv. mournfully.
mourning
mourning
  1. n. adj.
    1 [U] a traditional way of expressing sorrow for a dead person: Wearing black clothes is a sign of mourning.
    2 [C] a time of sorrow for the dead: He went through a long period of mourning (or) a mourning period after the death of his wife.
mouse
mouse
  1. n. mice
    1 any of many types of small gray or brown rodents, found worldwide: Mice steal food and carry diseases.
    2 fig. a quiet, shy person: He is a little mouse who can't talk to anyone.
    3 (in computers) a small device for controlling computer functions: I use a mouse to choose documents from my files.
mousetrap
mousetrap
  1. n. a device used to catch mice: We put mousetraps in the kitchen to catch a mouse that was eating our food.
mousse
mousse
  1. n. [C;U] a cold dessert usu. made of whipped cream, eggs, and flavorings: I love chocolate mousse.
mousy
mousy
  1. adj.fig. -ier, -iest dull, shy, unattractive: One of my sisters is lively and cute, the other is mousy.
mouth-to-mouth
mouth-to-mouth
  1. adj. related to putting one's mouth on s.o. else's: A woman almost drowned and a firefighter did mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to revive her.
mouth
mouth
  1. n. mouths
    1 the opening on the face used for eating food: With a spoon, the mother put food in her baby's mouth.
    2 an entrance or opening: People entered the mouth of the cave.||The mouth of the Mississippi River is near New Orleans.
    3 by word of mouth: through oral communication: That new store has not advertised; its business comes by word of mouth.
    4 infrml. to have a big mouth: to annoy by speaking loudly and offensively: He has a big mouth and is always telling his friends what to do.
    5 infrml. to open one's big mouth: to tell secrets or say s.t. harmful: My boss was going to give me a raise, but I opened my big mouth and said I didn't need it, so she didn't give it to me!
    6 to put words into s.o.'s mouth: to speak for s.o. else
    7 to take the words out of s.o.'s mouth: to say the same thing s.o. else is about to say —v. [T] /
    1 to move one's mouth as if speaking, but without making any sound: He could not hear her through the glass, so she mouthed the words.
    2 to speak insincerely: She mouthed the words her mother told her to say as an apology.
mouthful
mouthful
  1. n.
    1 an amount equal to the size of one's mouth: The little boy took mouthfuls of cereal and chewed them one after another.
    2 fig. s.t. difficult to pronounce: The teacher's last name is a mouthful, so the children call her Mrs. B.
    3 to say a mouthful: to say s.t. important: When the teacher told us what would be on the test, he said a mouthful.
mouthpiece
mouthpiece
  1. n.
    1 a part of s.t., such as a musical instrument, that is placed in or near the mouth
    2 fig. a spokesperson, representative: The mayor sent his mouthpiece to talk to the reporters.
mouthwash
mouthwash
  1. n. [C;U] washes a rinse that cleans and freshens the mouth: I use a mint-flavored mouthwash each morning.
mouthwatering
mouthwatering
  1. adj. stimulating the appetite: The smell of good food cooking on the stove is mouthwatering.
movable
movable
  1. adj. capable of being moved: Those heavy boxes on wheels are movable.
    THESAURUS
    movable portable, mobile.
move
move
  1. v. moved, moving, moves
    THESAURUS
    1[I;T] (syns.) to advance, proceed: Traffic moved slowly out of the city during rush hour. Traffic advanced (or) proceeded slowly out of the city during rush hour.
    2[I;T] (syns.) to relocate, transfer (a home or office): We moved from Chicago to New Orleans. We relocated from Chicago to New Orleans.
    3[I;T] (syns.) to shift (a position), stretch: I moved my arms over my head. I shifted [T] (syns.) to touch (with strong emotion), affect: The singer moved the hearts of the audience with her love songs. The singer touched the hearts of the audience, etc.
    5[I;T] (syn.) to shift a piece in a game: I moved my queen down the chessboard. I shifted[I;T] (syn.) to sell: Air conditioners [I] (syns.) to socialize with, circulate among: She moves among the famous in Hollywood. She socializes with (or) circulates among the famous in Hollywood.
    8 [I] (in a formal meeting or court of law) to make a motion: I move that this meeting be adjourned. See: motion.
    9 [I;T] to empty the bowels: The hospital patient moved his bowels this morning.
    10 phrasal v. sep. to move (s.o.) along: a. [I] to move farther away: After a few weeks, we decided to move along on our trip. b. [T] s.o.: to force s.o. to move: Police moved the protesters along.
    11 phrasal v. sep. to move (s.o. or s.t.) around: a. [I] to (cause to) move without stopping: She makes me nervous because she moves around so much. b. [T] s.o. or s.t.: to rearrange: He decided to move his books around so he could find the ones he needed.
    12 phrasal v. [I] to move away: a. to live someplace else: We moved away from New York and live in Florida now. b. to step back: Firefighters told people to move away from the fire.
    13 infrml. to move heaven and earth: to try with all one's power: The son got sick and his parents moved heaven and earth with the hospital to try to save him.
    14 phrasal v. [I] to move in: to go live in: We bought a new house and moved in last week.
    15 phrasal v. insep. [I] to move in on s.o. or s.t.: a. to go closer to s.o. or s.t., approach: The police moved in on the criminal and captured her. b. to take s.o. or s.t. away from s.o., displace: Another guy moved in on my girlfriend and now she and he are dating.
    16 phrasal v. [I] to move off: to go away, leave,
    THESAURUS
    to depart: As we walked closer, the deer moved off.
    17 phrasal v. insep. [I] to move on s.t.: to finish s.t., conclude it: The deal is all clear and settled, so we can move on it now.
    18 phrasal v. [I] to move out: to leave a place permanently, usu. a home: We moved out of our old house into a small apartment.
    19 phrasal v. sep. [I] to move up: to advance, improve one's position: She is moving up in that company to a better job. —n.
    1 a change of position: The policeman told the thief not to make a move or he would shoot.
    2 a change of homes: We made a move from a city apartment to a suburban house.
    3 a player's action: In chess, each player makes one move at a time.
    4 Don't make a move!: Stand still!: The police officer told the criminal, "Don't make a move while I handcuff you!"
    5 on the move: a. to go to different places: I have been on the move all day, from work to the supermarket to the post office to the cleaners. b. to be functioning well, in action: Our plans are really on the move now for marketing our new product.
    6 infrml. to get a move on: to hurry, move fast: We should get a move on, or we'll be late for the movie.
    7 to make a move: a. to take action: We should make a move now and offer money for that house. b. to change space: We made a move downtown to a new set of offices.
    8 to make the move: a. to change jobs: I made the move to a new job (or) company last month. b. to take a specific action: I am thinking about going back to school and I should make the move now.
    9 slang to put a move on s.o.: to make sexual advances to s.o.: This guy put a move on my girlfriend and asked her for a date, but she said, "No!"
movement
movement
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] going from one place to another, motion: Movement of traffic is very slow during rush hour.
    2 [U] the ability to move: The worker injured his hand and has no movement in it.
    3 [C] a political or social cause: A reform movement is underway in government.
    4 [C] (in music) a major division of a symphony or sonata: The second movement of that symphony is slow and sounds sad.
    5 [C] emptying of the bowels: The patient had a bowel movement this morning.
    THESAURUS
    movement
    1 progress
    2 mobility | action
    3 a program | crusade.
mover
mover
  1. n.
    1 a business or person who moves furniture, etc.: Movers came in and moved our things to a new apartment.
    2 infrml. an important person who makes things happen, a doer: She is a mover in finance, always working on some big deal.
mover and shaker
mover and shaker
  1. n.infrml.fig. an important person with the power to make big deals happen: He is a mover and shaker who wants to build a big new convention center in Chicago.
movie
movie
  1. n.
    1 a motion picture, film: I saw a great movie last night about cowboys.
    2 pl. the movies: films in general: We like to go to the movies once a week.
    THESAURUS
    movie a picture, show, feature | flick infrml.
moving
moving
  1. adj.
    1 in motion: The planets are moving objects in the sky.
    2 creating strong emotions: The preacher's sermon was very moving.
moving picture
moving picture
  1. n. old usage a motion picture: "Moving picture" is an old-fashioned term for a movie or film.
mow
mow
  1. v. mowed, mowed or mown , mowing, mows
    1 [I;T] to cut with a mower or blade: Farmers mow hay to feed cattle.||I mowed the lawn yesterday.
    2 phrasal v. sep. [T] to mow s.t. down: to kill in great numbers, slaughter: A machine gun mowed down soldiers by the dozens.||It mowed them down.
mower
mower
  1. n. a machine with sharp blades used to cut grass or hay: I use an electric mower to cut my lawn.
mozzarella
mozzarella
  1. n. [U] a soft, mild cheese: I like my pizza made with mozzarella.
much
much
  1. adj. more , most
    1 related to a lot of s.t.: We haven't had much snow this winter.
    2 a bit much: too much, excessive: Sometimes he finds the summer heat a bit much and must stop playing.
    3 how much: used with uncountable nouns to ask about the amount of s.t.: How much jam is left?||How much is left?
    4 not much of a s.t.: not very good at s.t.: She likes golf, but is not much of a player.
    5 to make much of: to give importance to: He made much of how happy he is to be retired. —n. a lot, plenty of s.t.: There was much food on the table at the party; I had too much to eat! —adv.
    1 a great deal, a lot: She is feeling much better.
    2 often, frequently: I asked him if he played golf much.
    3 to the degree, extent that: He said that he plays as much as he wants to.
    THESAURUS
    much adj.
    1 a lot of, plentiful, considerable.

    USAGE NOTE: Much is used with or about uncountable nouns: much fun. Use many with or about countable nouns: many boys.
muck
muck
  1. n. [U]
    1 deep, sticky mud: Our car got stuck in the muck on a country road.
    2 mud and manure mixed together: The barnyard is full of muck when it rains.
muckrake
muckrake
  1. v. [I] -raked, -raking, -rakes to search for and publish scandals about public officials: Reporters from that newspaper muckrake about the candidates for mayor to sell more newspapers. -n. muckraker.
mucous
mucous
  1. adj.
    1 related to mucus
    2 moist, slippery: Mucous membranes line the lungs. See: mucus.
mucus
mucus
  1. n. [U] a moist substance that protects mucous membranes, lining the nasal passages, lungs, etc: When you have a chest cold, you cough up mucus from the lungs.
mud
mud
  1. n. [U]
    1 a sticky mixture of water and dirt: Dirt roads turn to mud when it rains.
    2 one's name is mud: to be disgraced: His name is mud since cheating on his math exam.
    THESAURUS
    mud
    1 muck, slime, filth | ooze, mire.
muddle
muddle
  1. n. a mix-up, confused situation: My taxes are in such a muddle, I'll have to get help with them. —v. [I] -dled, -dling, -dles to act in a confused way: Computers are difficult to learn to use, but we muddle through and get the job done.
muddy
muddy
  1. adj. -dier, -diest
    1 full of or covered with mud: My boots are muddy after walking in the woods.
    2 unclear, confused: Her writing is muddy and hard to understand. —v. [T] -died, -dying, -dies
    1 to stain, make dirty with mud: The little girl muddied the kitchen floor after walking in the rain.
    2 infrml. to muddy the waters: to confuse, make unclear: He muddied the waters by saying that many new conditions must be added to the contract that we had agreed to sign.
    THESAURUS
    muddy adj.
    1 filthy, slimy. Ant. clean.
    2 murky, obscure. Ant. clear.
mudslide
mudslide
  1. n. the falling of a dirt cliff or hillside after rain has turned it to mud: A mudslide blocked the road.
mudslinging
mudslinging
  1. n. [U] accusing an opponent, esp. another politician, of doing s.t. wrong: Both Democrats and Republicans engage in mudslinging in their campaigns.
muff
muff
  1. n. a piece of fur worn to warm the hands: Women don't wear muffs anymore. —v.infrml. [T] to do s.t. badly,
    THESAURUS
    to flub: The actor muffed his lines and needed help.
muffin
muffin
  1. n. a small, sweet bread often made of corn, bran, oats, etc.: I had a bran muffin for breakfast. See: English muffin.
muffle
muffle
  1. v. [T] -fled, -fling, -fles to quiet, lower the sound of s.t.: I put my hand over my mouth to muffle my words, so only my friend could hear.
muffler
muffler
  1. n.
    1 a device that lowers sound as in a motor's exhaust system: The muffler on my car has a hole and makes a loud noise.
    2 a warm, woolen scarf: My neck gets cold in winter, so I wear a muffler.
mug
mug
  1. n.
    1 a thick cup with a handle: She broke my favorite coffee mug.
    2 infrml. one's face: When you are arrested, the police take a mug shot—a photograph—of you. —v. [T] mugged, mugging, mugs to attack s.o. to rob him or her: He was mugged in the park. -n. [U] mugging.
    THESAURUS
    mug v. to hold s.o. up, stick s.o. up | beat s.o. up, assault s.o.
mugger
mugger
  1. n. a criminal who robs others in public: A mugger in the park hit me on the head and stole my wallet.
muggy
muggy
  1. adj. -gier, -giest of damp, warm air,
    THESAURUS
    very humid: Muggy weather makes people feel uncomfortable.
mulatto
mulatto
  1. n.adj. old usage -toes or -tos a person of mixed racial parentage, usu. one black and one white parent,
    THESAURUS
    biracial: Angela is a mulatto whose mother is African American and whose father is white.

    USAGE NOTE: Mulatto is old usage. If race needs to be mentioned, the term biracial is preferable.
mulch
mulch
  1. n. [U] sing. a layer of material, usu. leaves, grass clippings, etc., put on the earth around plants to protect them: I put mulch around my tomato plants to protect them from weeds and freezing.
mule
mule
  1. n. an animal that comes from a female horse bred with a donkey: Mules are very strong and surefooted.
mull
mull
  1. v. [T]
    1 to heat a drink with spices: We mull wine and spices in the winter.
    2 to mull over: to think about s.t. long and seriously,
    THESAURUS
    to ponder: I mulled over the idea of going back to college for weeks.
multi-
multi-
  1. prefix indicating many of s.t.: Her cosmetics business has made her a multimillionaire.
multicultural
multicultural
  1. adj. representative of many peoples' cultures, nationalities, or ethnic groups: American food isn't just hot dogs and potato chips; it's truly multicultural with Italian pizza, Mexican tacos, and Chinese dishes.
multifaceted
multifaceted
  1. adj. having many sides or aspects: She has multifaceted talents as both a singer and a dancer.
multilateral
multilateral
  1. adj. of s.t. done by or involving many sides: Multilateral peace talks took place among five nations.
multimedia
multimedia
  1. adj.n.
    1 a combination of several media, such as newspapers, radio, and TV
    2 (in computers) the use of text, sound, graphics, and video in a single computer program: Ordinary computers can play multimedia (or) multimedia programs on laser discs.
multiple-choice
multiple-choice
  1. adj. having many choices for answers, as on a test: The multiple-choice questions on that test had four possible answers.
multiple
multiple
  1. adj. many, numerous: She has multiple reasons for not marrying him.
multiplex
multiplex
  1. adj. of an electronic system that sends and receives multiple messages over the same wire: Some military communications equipment is multiplex. —n. -plexes a theater with many separate movie theaters within it
multiplication
multiplication
  1. n. [U]
    1 the arithmetic operation of multiplying one number by another: 2 times 2 equals 4 is an act of multiplication.
    2 an increase in number, intensity, variety, etc.: The multiplication of problems at the company continues.
    THESAURUS
    multiplication
    2 growth, spread, proliferation frml.
multiplicity
multiplicity
  1. n.sing.frml. a great number, a variety: The new government has a multiplicity of problems to solve.
multiplier
multiplier
  1. n.adj. a number used to multiply another number
multiply
multiply
  1. v. -plied, -plying, -plies
    1 [T] in arithmetic, to increase a number (the multiplicand) by a certain number of times (the multiplier) for a result (the product): If you multiply 20 five times, you get 100.
    2 [I;T] to increase in number: Mice multiply very rapidly by having babies every three weeks.
    THESAURUS
    multiply
    2 to grow, spread, proliferate frml. | propagate.
multitude
multitude
  1. n. a large number of s.t., esp. people: The politician spoke to a multitude of 300,000 gathered to hear her. -adj.frml. multitudinous.
mum
mum
  1. adj.
    1 quiet, silent: I have a secret to tell you, and I'd like you to stay mum about it.
    2 mum's the word: a request or a promise to keep silent —n.
    1 short for chrysanthemum, a flower: For her birthday, I sent a bunch of mums.
    2 n.infrml.Brit. mother —v. [I] mummed, mumming, mums to pantomime: He mums for the fun of it. -n. mummer.
mumble
mumble
  1. n.v. [I;T] -bled, -bling, -bles to speak unclearly in a low voice, mutter: He mumbles (or) speaks in a mumble when he talks, so it's hard to understand him. -n. mumbler.
mumbo jumbo
mumbo jumbo
  1. n.infrml. [U] meaningless talk, nonsense,
    THESAURUS
    gibberish: I asked her a question and all that she said to me was mumbo jumbo.
mummy
mummy
  1. n. -ies
    1 a dead body that has been preserved by an injection of chemicals and wrapped in material: We saw an ancient Egyptian mummy at the museum.
    2 infrml. mother -v. [I;T] mummify.
mumps
mumps
  1. n. [U] a contagious viral disease of the glands: The mumps are a very painful disease that makes your face and throat swell.
munch
munch
  1. v.infrml. [I;T] munches to chew strongly on s.t.: He munches on potato chips while he watches TV.
munchies
munchies
  1. n.pl.infrml.
    1 snack foods, such as potato chips, pretzels, raw carrots, etc.: He served beer and munchies at his party.
    2 a craving, sudden hunger: At midnight, we got the munchies and ordered a pizza. See: junk food.
mundane
mundane
  1. adj.frml. referring to the events of everyday living,
    THESAURUS
    commonplace: Her life is filled with mundane work.
municipal
municipal
  1. adj. related to a city, town, etc.: There is a municipal parking lot near the town hall.
municipality
municipality
  1. n. -ties a city, village, or town legally organized for self-government: This municipality has a professional city manager.
mural
mural
  1. n. a painting or mosaic done directly on a wall: Two huge murals were painted by Marc Chagall on the walls of the opera house. -n. muralist.
murder
murder
  1. n. [C;U]
    1 the intentional killing of s.o. illegally: A criminal committed murder when he shot his victim.
    2 infrml. to get away with murder: to escape punishment for doing s.t. outrageous: The mayor did not pay his income taxes, but got away with murder because the people re-elected him anyway. See: manslaughter. —v. [T] to kill s.o. (not in military battle): The criminal murdered his victim for her money and jewels. -n. murderer; -adj. murderous. See: to assassinate.
    THESAURUS
    murder n.
    1 a homicide, an assassination | massacre, slaughter, butchery. —v. to slaughter s.o., butcher, massacre | assassinate.
murky
murky
  1. adj. -ier, -iest unclear and dark: I looked into the murky water of the river and could see nothing but mud. -n. murk; -adv. murkily.
murmur
murmur
  1. n.
    1 a low, unclear sound: A murmur of conversation went through the classroom after the teacher announced the date of the exam.
    2 (in medicine) an irregular beating of the heart: The doctor says that the child has a heart murmur. —v. [I;T] to sound or speak with a low unclear tone: My husband murmured, "Let's leave this boring party."
muscle-bound
muscle-bound
  1. adj. awkward and stiff from having overdeveloped muscles: His arms are so muscle-bound from lifting weights that he can hardly comb his hair.
muscle
muscle
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] body tissues on the bones that make the body move and give it bulk: The muscles in my legs ache after walking a long distance.
    2 [U] fig. power, force: Help me move this sofa, and let's put some muscle into it!
    3 Don't move a muscle.: stay still, don't move —v. [I;T] -cled, -cling, -cles to force one's way into s.t.: A coworker muscled in on a conversation I was having with my boss.
    THESAURUS
    muscle n.
    2 strength | beef infrml.
muscular
muscular
  1. adj. having well developed, strong muscles: She is a strong, muscular athlete.
    THESAURUS
    muscular burly, strapping (of men).
muscular dystrophy
muscular dystrophy
  1. n. a disease that weakens the muscles so a person gradually cannot move: Muscular dystrophy is an uncommon hereditary disease.
muse
muse
  1. n.
    1 (with a capital M, in Greek mythology) any one of the nine sisters who inspired the arts and sciences: Erato was the Muse of love poetry.
    2 an inspiration: His wife served as the painter's muse. —v.frml. [I] mused, musing, muses to think about s.t., imagine what it would be like: He mused about his life and his future. See: musing.
museum
museum
  1. n. a place that displays rare, valuable, and important art or historical objects: The art museum has a beautiful collection of ancient gold and silver coins.
    THESAURUS
    museum a gallery, an archive | exhibition hall.
mush
mush
  1. n. [U]
    1 a soft, wet mass, esp. corn or oat meal: The farmer had cornmeal mush and coffee for breakfast.
    2 infrml. s.t. sentimental, such as a soap opera, novel, etc.: That play was full of mush. —v. [I] mushes
    1 to travel by dog sled: An Eskimo mushed across the snow.
    2 the command that tells sled dogs to move: "Mush!" said the sled driver to her dogs.
mushroom
mushroom
  1. n. any of the thousands of kinds of small fungi with a stem and fleshy cap: The morel is a popular, edible mushroom. —v.fig. [I] to grow rapidly and in great numbers: In an economic boom, houses mushroomed in the desert near Las Vegas.
mushy
mushy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest
    1 soft, wet, and grainy: In the sunlight in winter, snow on the sidewalks becomes mushy.
    2 very sentimental: I saw a mushy movie about a couple in love.
music
music
  1. n. [U] adj.
    1 the art of putting sounds in a rhythmic sequence: I prefer classical music to jazz.
    2 music to my ears: to learn good news: When my wife told me we were going to have a baby, I told her it was music to my ears.
    THESAURUS
    music n.
    1 songs, tunes, melodies.
musical
musical
  1. adj.
    1 related to music: Mozart wrote many musical compositions in his short life.
    2 pleasant-sounding: Her voice has a musical quality.
musician
musician
  1. n. a person who writes, sings, or plays music: One hundred musicians play in that orchestra.
musing
musing
  1. n. [C;U] deep thought, meditation: He spent a lot of time in musing about his career.
musk
musk
  1. n. [U] a sticky substance with a rich, strong smell, used in making perfume: Many people like the scent of musk.
musket
musket
  1. n. an old-fashioned gun: George Washington's troops used muskets to fight the British. -n. musketeer ; [U] musketry.
muskrat
muskrat
  1. n. a North American rodent with brown, shiny fur living in wetlands: The fur of muskrats is made into fur coats.
muslin
muslin
  1. n. [U] adj. a type of plain cotton fabric: My bed sheets are of muslin (or) muslin fabric.
muss
muss
  1. v. [T] musses to mess up, esp. hair: The wind mussed her hair. -adj. mussy.
mussel
mussel
  1. n. any of a variety of shellfish, some of which are edible: Mussels are found on the sea rocks on the shores of America and Europe.
mustang
mustang
  1. n. a strong, small wild horse of the American West: Mustangs run in herds.
muster
muster
  1. v. [T] to collect, gather, summon: The diver mustered his courage and dove off a high cliff. —n.
    1 a gathering, as of troops, for inspection or battle
    2 to pass muster: to be thought acceptable: She passed muster in a job interview and got the job.
mutable
mutable
  1. adj.frml. capable of being changed: Some parts of the contract are mutable; others are not. -n. mutability.
mutant
mutant
  1. n.adj. a person or organism with an accidental change from its species,
    THESAURUS
    a freak: Science-fiction stories describe mutants who have two heads. -v. [I] mutate ; -n. [C;U] mutation.
mute
mute
  1. n.adj.
    1 unable or unwilling to speak: He was born mute, and he has been a mute since birth.
    2 silent: She was mute when the teacher asked her a question. -adv. mutely. —v. [T] muted, muting, mutes to reduce or stop the sound of s.t.: A jazz musician muted her horn by putting her hand over its opening.
mutilate
mutilate
  1. v. [T] -lated, -lating, -lates to cut, rip s.o. or s.t. apart, disfigure: A madman mutilated his victims by cutting off their hands. -n. [C;U] mutilation.
mutiny
mutiny
  1. n. [C;U] -nies a revolt against authority, esp. by sailors against their captain: In the mutiny aboard a battleship, the captain was killed. —v. [I] -nied, -nying, -nies to revolt against authority: The ship's sailors mutinied and took over the ship. -adj. mutinous.
mutt
mutt
  1. n.infrml. a dog with parents of different breeds,
    THESAURUS
    a mongrel: They have a funny-looking mutt for a pet.
mutter
mutter
  1. v. [I;T] n. to speak unclearly and quietly, usu. to complain: The taxi driver muttered about the bad traffic. -n. muttering.
mutton
mutton
  1. n. [U] meat from a mature sheep (not lamb): Mutton can be tough, but it tastes good with gravy.
mutual
mutual
  1. adj.
    1 having similar feelings, ideas, tastes: I was happy to see my friend, and he said the feeling was mutual.
    2 sharing business or other interests: We have a mutual interest in a bakery that is managed by a mutual friend.
mutual fund
mutual fund
  1. n. a type of financial investment run by a company that sells shares and invests the money in stocks, bonds, etc.: In the USA, thousands of mutual funds are offered to the public. See: money-market fund.
muzzle
muzzle
  1. n.
    1 the nose and jaw of a dog, bear, or other animal: Our dog stuck his muzzle in his food dish to eat.
    2 a piece of leather put around a muzzle to keep an animal from biting or eating: In some places, dogs must wear a muzzle in public.
    3 fig. s.t. that prevents s.o. from telling the truth: The government put a muzzle on the newspapers to keep them quiet about the scandal.
    4 the end of the barrel of a gun: Smoke came out of the rifle's muzzle after it was fired. —v. [T] -zled, -zling, -zles
    1 to put a muzzle on an animal
    2 to prevent s.o. from expressing opinions: During the war, officials muzzled the newspaper, TV, and radio.
my
my
  1. poss.pron. of I: My head aches; I'm going to my room. —exclam. to express surprise: My goodness (my word, oh my, etc.), it's starting to rain again!
myopic
myopic
  1. adj.
    1 unable to see things in the distance,
    THESAURUS
    near-sighted: He is myopic but can see well with glasses.
    2 fig. unable to plan ahead,
    THESAURUS
    short-sighted: The building's owner is myopic; he will only make small repairs while the building is slowly falling apart.
myriad
myriad
  1. adj.n.frml. many, referring to a great number of things: An accounting department must take care of a myriad of details.
myrrh
myrrh
  1. n. [U] a sticky gum or resin used in making perfume and incense: Myrrh is burned as incense in church services.
myrtle
myrtle
  1. n. [C;U] any of various tropical trees with good-smelling leaves: Myrtles sometimes have large, fancy blossoms.
myself
myself
  1. reflexive pron. of I
    1 done by oneself: I poured myself a glass of milk.||After my promotion, I gave myself a present.
    2 alone: I live by myself.
    3 one's usual condition: I'm not feeling myself today; I didn't sleep well last night.
mysterious
mysterious
  1. adj. having no known cause, such as s.t. supernatural or secret: For some mysterious reason, she left last week without saying good-bye to anyone.
    THESAURUS
    mysterious inexplicable, puzzling, unusual.
mystery
mystery
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] an event that has no known cause, a supernatural event, a problem with no solution: How the universe was created is still a mystery.
    2 [C] a secret: Why she left home without saying where she was going is still a mystery.
    3 [C] a crime story that leaves the reader in suspense until the end: My friend likes to read murder mysteries (or) mystery stories.
    THESAURUS
    mystery n.
    1 a puzzle, enigma | wonder.
mystic
mystic
  1. n. a person who through meditation communicates directly with the spiritual: Mystics can see visions and hear voices. -adj. mystical.
mysticism
mysticism
  1. n. [U] the practice of placing oneself in direct relationship with the spiritual: Mysticism is practiced by many people all over the world. -adj. mystical.
mystify
mystify
  1. v. [T] -fied, -fying, -fies to confuse, puzzle: Everyone was mystified by his sudden disappearance. -n. mystification.
mystique
mystique
  1. n.sing. a mysterious and usu. attractive image: That island has a mystique about it as a vacation spot of the rich.
myth
myth
  1. n.
    1 [C;U] a story from ancient cultures about history, gods, or heroes: Students learn about the myths of ancient Greece and Rome.
    2 [C] an untrue or unproved story: His stories about his great successes in sports are myths.
    THESAURUS
    myth
    1 a legend, tale, fable
    2 a fib, fantasy.
mythical
mythical
  1. adj. related to mythology, unreal: Many mythical creatures were ugly, like the giant one-eyed Cyclops.
mythology
mythology
  1. n. [U]
    1 the stories of ancient peoples: The Iliad is one of the most famous stories in Greek mythology.
    2 the study of myths and cultures: She took a course in Roman mythology. -v.frml. [I;T] mythologize; -adj. mythological.
mélange
mélange
  1. n.frml. (French for) a mixture, esp. of different things,
    THESAURUS
    infrml. a mixed bag: That restaurant serves a mélange of American and Chinese food.
nab
nab
  1. v.infrml. [T] nabbed, nabbing, nabs to seize s.o., esp. a criminal,
    THESAURUS
    to capture: The police nabbed the thief after he robbed the bank.
nadir
nadir
  1. n.frml. [C] the lowest and usu. the worst point, as in one's life, career, etc.: The day his wife died was the nadir of his life.
nail
nail
  1. n.
    1 a small, thin, metal rod with a sharp point on the end, used to hold things together or to keep them in place: She used nails to put the bookshelves up on the wall.
    2 the hard smooth surface at the end of a finger or toe: She has long nails.
    3 the claws of an animal: The nails in a cat's paw are sharp.
    4 hard as nails: tough, not sensitive or sympathetic: Her son complained that she was hard as nails when she refused to help him.
    THESAURUS
    nail n.
    1 a tack, brad, fastener
    2 a fingernail, toenail
    3 a talon. —v. [T]
    1 to attach with a nail: Carpenters nailed wooden boards together to build a fence.
    2 infrml. to nail s.o.: to prove s.o. guilty of a crime: The police nailed the thieves by finding the stolen money in their car.
    3 phrasal v. sep. to nail s.o. down: to get s.o. to make a definite statement: His wife seemed interested in selling the boat, but we couldn't nail the captain down as to an exact price.||We couldn't nail him down.
    4 phrasal v. sep. to nail s.t. down: to make certain, to make sure s.t. isn't going to change: Please repeat the price of those items; I want to nail down the cost before I commit to buying them.||I want to nail it down. nail v.
    1 to hammer.
nail clipper
nail clipper
  1. n. a small steel tool with sharp edges for cutting fingernails or toenails
nail file
nail file
  1. n. a thin, flat piece of metal with a rough surface used to smooth and shape fingernails
nail polish
nail polish
  1. n. [U] paint used to cover and beautify fingernails and toenails: She put red nail polish on before she went out to dinner.
naive
naive
  1. adj. having or showing a childlike, simple view of the world, due to a lack of experience,
    THESAURUS
    unsophisticated: She was naive to trust even a friend with so much money. -adv. naively.
naiveté
naiveté
  1. n. [U] the act or condition of being naive: He loved her with such naiveté that he could not believe it when she left him.
naked
naked
  1. adj.
    1 without clothes, bare: He was as naked as a newborn baby.
    2 fig. not hidden or disguised: naked ambition||naked greed
    THESAURUS
    naked
    1 undressed, nude, in the buff infrml. Ant. clothed.
    2 plain, undisguised.
naked eye
naked eye
  1. n. [U] normal eyesight without a device to make things look larger (such as a microscope) or closer (such as a telescope): Most stars and planets are too far away to be seen with the naked eye.
name-dropping
name-dropping
  1. n. the practice or habit of mentioning important or famous people as if one knew them personally: She tries to impress people by name-dropping. -n. name-dropper.
name
name
  1. n.
    1 [C] a word by which a person, place, or thing is known: Her name is Diane Daniel.||What is the name of that flower?
    2 [C] usu. sing an important person: He is a big name in banking (entertainment, city politics, etc.).
    3 [C] usu. sing the way in which one is thought of by others: She has a good name in the local community.
    4 in name only: giving only the appearance of,
    THESAURUS
    superficially: The young man is president of the company in name only; his father makes all the decisions.
    5 in the name of: by the authority of: You are under arrest in the name of the law.
    6 not a penny to one's name: very poor: Born with not a penny to his name, he's now a rich man.
    7 the name of the game: the most important thing: In this business, increasing sales is the name of the game; everything else is less important.
    8 to call s.o. names: to address s.o. using an offensive word,
    THESAURUS
    to insult: He became angry and called me names like "stupid" and "jerk."
    9 to drop names: to talk about important or famous people as if one knew them personally: He drops the names of actors and politicians that he has never met. —v. [T] named, naming, names
    1 to give s.o. a name: She named her daughter Mary.
    2 to put s.o. in a certain job or position: The governor named a judge to a court.
    3 to identify, call by name: Police named him as the killer.||She can name all the state capitals.
    4 to name names: to tell about or accuse people whose names one was supposed to have kept secret: Under police questioning, he started to name names.
    THESAURUS
    name n.
    1 a first name, last name, surname (for people)
    2 a celebrity, prominent person
    3 reputation. —v.
    1 to call, christen | dub
    2 to appoint, select, designate
    3 to label, specify.
name brand
name brand
  1. n. a product by a well-known maker (as opposed to an unknown brand): He only buys name brands like Kodak™ film.

    USAGE NOTE: The brand names of some products are sometimes used to refer to all products of that type. For example, adhesive tape is called by the name brand Scotch Tape™, and tissue is called by the name brand Kleenex™: Please hand me a Kleenex. I have to blow my nose.
nameless
nameless
  1. adj.
    1 without a name or with an unknown name: A nameless man without any identification was brought into the hospital.
    2 impossible to describe: a nameless fear
    3 to remain nameless: to not identify by name: Some members of the group, who shall remain nameless, refused to help in any way.
namely
namely
  1. adv. to be exact, specifically: I would like to buy a new car, namely a Mercedes.
nameplate
nameplate
  1. n. a plastic or metal plate with the name of a person, location, or company on it: The company nameplate is on the door.
namesake
namesake
  1. n. a person named after or with the same name as another person: He left all his money to his only child and namesake, Charles Randall III.
nana
nana
  1. n.infrml. grandmother: The children just love their nana.
nanny
nanny
  1. n. -nies a person hired to take care of a child: She works as a nanny for a wealthy family.

    USAGE NOTE: Compare nanny, babysitter, au pair. A nanny is a professional child care provider who gives full-time child care and often lives with the family. A babysitter provides part-time child care and does not live with the family. Teenagers often work as babysitters for families in their neighborhood. An au pair comes from another country to live with an American family and learn English. The au pair takes care of the children in exchange for a room, meals, and a little money.
nanny goat
nanny goat
  1. n. a mature female goat: Nanny goats are popular in children's stories.
nanosecond
nanosecond
  1. n. one billionth (1/1,000,000,000) of a second: The speed at which computers work is measured in nanoseconds.
nap
nap
  1. v. [I] napped, napping, naps to sleep for a short period of time: I napped for a while this afternoon. —n. a short sleep, infrml. a snooze: I took a short nap.
    THESAURUS
    nap v. to doze, rest | snooze infrml. —n. (to take) a rest, cat nap infrml, siesta.
napalm
napalm
  1. n. [U] gasoline in jelly form used in flamethrowers and bombs: Buildings burst into flames as the enemy plane dropped napalm.
nape
nape
  1. n. the back of the neck: The mother cat carried her kittens by the nape of the neck.
napkin
napkin
  1. n. a square piece of paper or cloth used when eating to wipe the mouth, protect the lap, and clean up spills: Take some paper napkins for the picnic.
narcissist
narcissist
  1. n. a person who is only concerned with his or her own feelings, ideas, experiences, or appearance: The famous artist was a narcissist who neglected his family. -n. [U] narcissism; -adj. narcissistic.
narcissus
narcissus
  1. n. -cissus or -cissi or -cissuses a plant with white or yellow flowers that grows from a bulb in the spring: A daffodil is a type of narcissus.
narcolepsy
narcolepsy
  1. n. [U] a disease causing an uncontrollable desire for sleep: He suffers from narcolepsy.
narcosis
narcosis
  1. n. [U] a state of unconsciousness caused by drugs: He suffered from narcosis after taking too many drugs.
narcotic
narcotic
  1. n. a drug that reduces pain and causes sleep: He is on narcotics. —adj. related to drugs: Marijuana has a narcotic effect.
    THESAURUS
    narcotic n. a sedative | dope, drug. —adj. numbing, dulling, sedating.
narrate
narrate
  1. v. [T] -rated, -rating, -rates to tell a story in writing or speech: He narrated a television show on the history of Mexico. -n. [C;U] narration ; narrator.
narrative
narrative
  1. adj. related to storytelling, in the form of a story: a narrative tale —n. a story, a description of events: The police asked her for a narrative of her activities the day of the murder.
narrow-minded
narrow-minded
  1. adj. showing or having no interest in the ideas and opinions of others: No one accepted his narrow-minded political views.
narrow
narrow
  1. adj.
    1 not wide, less wide than usual: The big truck could hardly fit in the narrow street.||Little light came through the narrow windows.
    2 thin, slim: That fence is made of narrow pieces of metal.
    3 limited in number: a narrow choice of desserts
    4 almost unsuccessful: a narrow escape —v. [I;T]
    1 to make or become less wide: The growth of bushes narrowed the path to the garden.
    2 to reduce, limit: They talked and narrowed the differences between the two parties.||Having no education narrows the opportunities available to us. -adv. narrowly; -n. narrowness.
    THESAURUS
    narrow adj.
    1 tight, cramped | thin, slender. Ant. wide.
    2 thin, skinny
    3 limited, small
    4—v.
    1 to limit.
nary
nary
  1. adj.infrml. not one, no: We walked in the woods and nary a person was there.
nasal
nasal
  1. adj.
    1 related to the nose: My nasal passages are stuffed up from a cold.
    2 having a sound that comes through the nose: He kept complaining in a nasal voice. -adv. nasally.
nascent
nascent
  1. adj.frml. about beginning to form or grow: The author had only a few ideas written down; his book was still in its nascent stages.
nasty
nasty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest
    1 unkind: a nasty person||a nasty comment
    2 harsh, unpleasant: nasty weather||a nasty temper||a nasty smell
    3 harmful: I have a nasty cut (injury, burn, etc.) on my hand. -adv. nastily; -n. [U] nastiness.
    THESAURUS
    nasty
    1 offensive, unpleasant. Ant. nice.
    2 bad, disgusting, foul. Ant. pleasant.
    3 bad, injurious.
natal
natal
  1. adj. (in medicine) related to birth: The child suffered a natal injury.
natch
natch
  1. adv.infrml. short for naturally; yes, of course: "Would you like to go to the show tonight?"—"Natch, let's go!"
nation
nation
  1. n.
    1 a people living in and having a common loyalty to a country or region: When the war ended, there was joy throughout the nation.
    2 an independent country with its own government, esp. considered together with its people, culture, government, etc.: Spain is one of many nations in the European Union.
    3 a group of Native American tribes that together form a union: the Sioux nation
    THESAURUS
    nation
    1 the country, population, society
    2 a country, kingdom, republic.
national
national
  1. adj.
    1 related to a nation: national pride||national holidays
    2 all over the country: The story about the murder received national coverage on the news. —n. a person who is a citizen of a particular country: She is an American national living in Brazil. -adv. nationally.
    THESAURUS
    national adj.
    1 civic, federal | domestic
    2 nationwide, countrywide.
national monument
national monument
  1. n. a structure with historical importance, such as a statue or building, owned and managed by the national government for the people: The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, is a national monument.
nationalism
nationalism
  1. n. [U]
    1 a feeling of loyalty to a country on the part of its people and leaders: Nationalism reached its peak when war was declared.
    2 a movement for political independence by an ethnic or religious group within a country or by a country under the control of another: There has been a rise in nationalism in the former Soviet republics. -n. adj. nationalist; -adj. nationalistic .
    THESAURUS
    nationalism
    1 patriotism, national loyalty, love of country
    2 national consciousness, regional autonomy.
nationality
nationality
  1. n. -ties [C;U] the state of being a citizen of a particular country: "What nationality is she?"—"Peruvian."
    THESAURUS
    nationality citizenship | background, ethnicity.
nationalize
nationalize
  1. v. [T] -ized, -izing, -izes to transfer ownership of a private business to the government with or without paying the owners: Britain nationalized the steel industry. -n. nationalization.
nationhood
nationhood
  1. n. the condition of being a nation: The people on that island are fighting to keep their nationhood.
nationwide
nationwide
  1. adj. national, across a whole country: The phone company has a nationwide network of phone lines.
nativity
nativity
  1. n.frml. -ties
    1 an act of birth
    2 the Nativity: The birth of Jesus Christ is called the Nativity.
natty
natty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest Brit. stylish, well-dressed (said usu. of men): He is a natty dresser in his well-designed suit and blue hat. -adv. nattily.
natural
natural
  1. adj.
    1 related to or formed by nature, not made or changed by humans: We admired the natural beauty of the forest.
    2 as in nature: The zoo displayed animals in their natural surroundings.
    3 true to life, not fake: The star of the show was praised for her natural acting style.
    4 born with a particular ability, without need of education or training: He is a natural athlete who excels at many sports.
    5 understood and accepted as normal: They are in love, and it is natural that they should marry. —n. s.o. who is just right or well-suited for s.t. -n. naturalness.
    THESAURUS
    natural adj.
    1 wild, unaffected, unspoiled. Ant. artificial.
    2 native, authentic. Ant. unnatural.
    3 genuine, unaffected, sincere. Ant. affected.
    4 true, instinctive
    5 normal.
natural childbirth
natural childbirth
  1. n. [U] the method of giving birth to a child with a minimum of modern medical procedures and usu. without anesthesia: She had both of her children by natural childbirth.
natural food
natural food
  1. n. [C;U] food grown without the use of chemicals (fertilizer or pesticides): Many people enjoy the fresh taste of natural foods. See: organic food, USAGE NOTE.
natural history
natural history
  1. n. the study of animals, plants, and natural objects, such as rocks: My children love to look at the dinosaurs in the Museum of Natural History.
natural number
natural number
  1. n. a whole number without a minus sign in front of it: The numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., are natural numbers.
natural resources
natural resources
  1. n.pl. raw materials found in nature, such as minerals, trees, fresh water, and oil that are useful to humans: Some countries are rich in natural resources.
naturalist
naturalist
  1. n. a person who studies plants and animals
naturalize
naturalize
  1. v. [I;T] -ized, -izing, -izes to become a citizen of a country: Born and raised in Hong Kong, she moved to the USA and was naturalized in 2002. -n. naturalization.
naturally
naturally
  1. adv.
    1 in a natural way: Animals grow up naturally in a forest (not in a zoo).
    2 as to be expected, of course: Naturally, I would like to go to bed; I'm tired.
    THESAURUS
    naturally
    1 normally. Ant. artificially.
    2 of course, absolutely, yes indeed.
nature
nature
  1. n.
    1 [U] the part of our world not made by humans, such as the sky, trees, fields, streams, plants, animals, etc.
    2 [U] the forces that control this part of the world: Hurricanes and earthquakes show the destructive power of nature.
    3 [C;U] a person's character, personality: It is his nature to be kind and forgiving.
    4 [C, usu. sing.] type, kind: The discussion was of a personal nature.
    5 Mother Nature: the forces that control the natural environment: We had bad weather this year; Mother Nature has not been kind to us.
    6 second nature: a habit, s.t. done without thinking: Driving (a car) has become second nature to her.
    THESAURUS
    nature
    1 the natural environment, earth, outside world | creation
    2 natural forces, the forces of Mother Nature
    3 one's disposition, makeup, temperament
    4 sort, type.
naught
naught
  1. n.frml. [C;U] zero, nothing: All his work has come to naught.
naughty
naughty
  1. adj. -tier, -tiest badly behaved: That boy is a naughty child. -n. [U] naughtiness.
    THESAURUS
    naughty bad, disobedient, mischievous. Ant. obedient.
nausea
nausea
  1. n. [U] a feeling that one is going to vomit, sick to one's stomach: She has a feeling of nausea from eating too much.
    THESAURUS
    nausea an upset stomach, heartburn, acidity | queasiness.
nauseate
nauseate
  1. v. [I;T] -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 to cause nausea: The smell of paint nauseated him.
    2 infrml.fig. to be very distasteful to s.o.,
    THESAURUS
    to disgust: It was nauseating to see my ex-husband with his new wife.
nauseous
nauseous
  1. adj.
    1 infrml. feeling nausea,
    THESAURUS
    nauseated: She felt nauseous from the boat ride.
    2 causing nausea: The nauseous smell of the garbage made me feel sick.
nautical
nautical
  1. adj. related to ships, sailors, or navigation: a nautical map
nautical mile
nautical mile
  1. n. 6,076 feet or 1,852 meters, used in sea and air travel: The airplane is traveling at 600 nautical miles per hour.
nautilus
nautilus
  1. n. -luses or -li a sea animal with a beautifully curved shell
naval
naval
  1. adj. related to the navy and sailors: He is in charge of the naval officers.
    THESAURUS
    naval nautical, maritime, seafaring.
nave
nave
  1. n. the main part of a church where people sit: She joined her family in the nave.
navel
navel
  1. n. the little hole in the stomach area,
    THESAURUS
    infrml. the belly button: He had a stomach pain and rubbed his navel.
navigable
navigable
  1. adj. capable of being used by boats: A navigable river is deep and wide enough for boats to pass through it.
navigate
navigate
  1. v. [I;T] -gated, -gating, -gates
    1 to figure out the course of a ship or airplane, using maps and mechanical aids
    2 to steer a ship or airplane: The captain navigated his boat carefully up the river.
    THESAURUS
    navigate
    1 to plot a course
    2 to guide, pilot, operate.
navigation
navigation
  1. n. [U] the sci-ence or practice of figuring out a correct course (path, route) for a ship or airplane: Navigation of a ship across the ocean requires skill. -adj. navigational.
navigator
navigator
  1. n. a person who navigates ships or airplanes: The navigator tells the pilot the correct course.
navy
navy
  1. n. -vies a country's sailors and fighting ships with their related equipment: The US Navy played an important role in World War II. —adj. See: navy blue.
    THESAURUS
    navy n. a naval force, fleet. navy blue or navy -adj. dark blue: Many businesspeople wear navy blue suits.
nay
nay
  1. n.adv. no, esp. in voting: Fifty-one senators voted nay and defeated the proposal.
ne'er-do-well
ne'er-do-well
  1. n.pej. -wells a lazy, unsuccessful person,
    THESAURUS
    a loafer: He's a ne'er-do-well who can't keep a job.
near
near
  1. adj.
    1 close in distance or time: Go to the nearest hospital.||I'll see you in the near future.
    2 almost happening: a near accident (loss, disaster, etc.)
    3 to have a near miss: to barely escape harm or injury: I had a near miss when a speeding car almost hit me as I crossed the street.
    4 one's nearest and dearest: (often used humorously) one's closest friends and relatives: I invited only my nearest and dearest to the wedding.
    5 to be so near and yet so far: to almost but not quite reach a goal: She lost the election by only three votes; she was so near and yet so far. —adv. prep.
    1 close to: As he came nearer, I could see he had changed.||There's a supermarket near my house.||It was near midnight when we arrived.||She received the news that her brother was near death.
    2 near at hand: close by in distance or time: When I am ill, I want you near at hand to help me.||Their arrival is near at hand. —v. [I;T] to come close or closer to a point in space or time: As we neared the shore, I saw that there was no one there to greet us.||He is nearing the end of his story (task, life, etc.).
    THESAURUS
    near adj.
    1 closest, neighboring, adjacent | not too distant. Ant. far.
    2 almost s.t. (almost an accident), not quite s.t. —adv.
    1 close by, not far from. Ant. far. —v. to approach, come near, close in on s.t.
nearby
nearby
  1. adj.adv. close: We walked to a nearby town.||Is there a post office nearby?
    THESAURUS
    nearby adj. adjacent, neighboring. —adv. around, close by.
nearly
nearly
  1. adv. almost, not quite or completely: He has nearly finished his meal.||That item cost nearly $500.
    THESAURUS
    nearly just about, all but done (or) finished s.t. | approximately, roughly, thereabouts.
nearsighted
nearsighted
  1. adj. unable to see things that are far away,
    THESAURUS
    myopic: She wears glasses because she's nearsighted.
neat
neat
  1. adj.
    1 in good order, tidy: His house is always neat and clean.
    2 skillfully done: a neat phrase
    3 infrml. great, wonderful: We had a neat time at the party. -adv. neatly; -n. neatness.
    THESAURUS
    neat
    1 orderly, uncluttered, spic-and-span infrml. Ant. messy.
    2 deft, stylish | adroit frml.
    3 cool, super, marvelous.
neaten
neaten
  1. v. [T] to put in order,
    THESAURUS
    to tidy: She neatened her living room.
nebula
nebula
  1. n. -las, -lae in space, a cloud of gas or dust that sometimes appears bright
nebulous
nebulous
  1. adj.frml. not clear,
    THESAURUS
    vague: What he said was too nebulous to understand.
necessarily
necessarily
  1. adv. as is always true, as must be: Traveling in that country isn't necessarily expensive; you can find moderately priced hotels and restaurants.
necessary
necessary
  1. adj.
    1 required: It is necessary that you attend the meeting today.
    2 needed: You must provide the necessary money to do the project.
    THESAURUS
    necessary
    1 essential, obligatory, mandatory. Ant. unnecessary.
    2 enough, sufficient.
necessitate
necessitate
  1. v.frml. [T] -tated, -tating, -tates to make necessary, to require: The changes in the contract necessitate that you sign a new one.
necessity
necessity
  1. n. -ties
    1 a basic need or requirement in order to live: Water is a necessity for all life.
    2 s.t. that must be done: It is a necessity that he have an operation to remove his appendix.
    3 by or of necessity: unavoidably: By necessity, I must have a car, because there is no other way that I can go to work.
    THESAURUS
    necessity
    1 a must, essential, condition
    2 a matter of life and death | an imperative. Ant. an option.
neck
neck
  1. n.
    1 the part of the body that joins the head and the shoulders: She wore a scarf around her neck.
    2 a narrow part of s.t.: This bottle has a long neck.
    3 infrml. a pain in the neck: a bother, an annoyance: That job is a pain in the neck.||That guy is a pain in the neck with his constant demands.
    4 neck and neck: even or very close in a competition, such as a race: The horses ran neck and neck toward the finish line.||Both toy companies are doing well; their sales are neck and neck.
    5 infrml. neck of the woods: the area where one lives: There are no public buses in my neck of the woods.
    6 to nearly break one's neck: to nearly get seriously hurt: I tripped on the stairs and nearly broke my neck.
    7 to risk one's neck: to put oneself in danger, esp. physical harm: That man jumped into a frozen lake to save a drowning boy; the man risked his neck to save him.
    8 infrml. up to one's neck in: very occupied with, struggling to manage: She's up to her neck in financial problems. —v. old usage [I] to kiss and touch lovingly: A young couple is necking in the car over there.
neckerchief
neckerchief
  1. n. a light scarf often made of silk
necklace
necklace
  1. n. a string of beads, pearls, etc. or a chain of gold, silver, etc., worn around the neck: She always wears pearl necklaces when she goes out in the evening.
neckline
neckline
  1. n. a line formed by clothing about the neck: She likes sweaters with a V-shaped neckline.
necktie
necktie
  1. n. a long, narrow piece of cloth placed under one's shirt collar and knotted in front, a tie: She bought him some neckties for Christmas.
nectar
nectar
  1. n. [U]
    1 a sweet liquid made in plant flowers and collected by bees to make honey
    2 a fruit juice: I had some peach nectar for breakfast.
nectarine
nectarine
  1. n. a type of peach with a smooth skin
need
need
  1. n.
    1 [C] usu. sing. a lack of s.t. that is required or wanted: The company has a need for computer programmers.||The country is badly in need of rain now.
    2 [C] usu. sing. a desire, wish: He feels a need for love (a new car, vacation, etc.).
    3 [C] usu. sing. a duty, requirement: There's no need for you to sign this.
    4 pl. necessities of life (food, clothes, etc.): Our needs are simple.
    5 if need be: if necessary: If need be, I'll lend you the money.
    6 [U] in need: requiring help, usu. because of poverty: She always sends money to children in need. —v. [T]
    1 to require as a necessity for life: Everyone needs food.
    2 to want, desire: The baby needs love and affection.
    THESAURUS
    need n.
    1 a shortage of s.t., demand for s.t., deficiency.
    2 desire, hunger
    3 a necessity, obligation
    4 (need for the) essentials. —v.
    1 to must have
    2 to demand, yearn for, crave.
needle
needle
  1. n.
    1 a thin, pointed piece of metal or plastic for sewing or knitting: She looked for a needle and thread to sew on the button.
    2 any of various objects shaped like a needle, such as on a measurement dial, a record player, etc.: The needle on my thermostat is stuck, so I can't turn up the heat. 3 a hypodermic needle, used to put liquid into or take liquid out of one's body: The nurse used one hypodermic needle to give the patient some medicine, and another to take a sample of her blood.
    4 the pointed leaf of a pine tree —v.infrml.fig. [T] -dled, -dling, -dles to make fun of s.o.: They needle him about the way he always gets lost. See: pin, 4.
    THESAURUS
    needle n.
    2 a gauge, indicator
    3 a syringe. —v. to tease, kid s.o. infrml., mock.
needless
needless
  1. adj.
    1 unnecessary, pointless: This long meeting is a needless waste of time.
    2 needless to say: unnecessary to say, obviously: It rained while we were at the picnic; needless to say, we went home. -adv. needlessly.
    THESAURUS
    needless
    1 inessential, purposeless, superfluous. Ant. necessary.
needlework
needlework
  1. n. [U] sewing: The tailor does fine needlework.
needy
needy
  1. n.adj. -ier, -iest
    1 lacking the basic necessities, such as food, clothing, and housing; poor, impoverished: That needy man has no money, food, medicine, or clothes.
    2 n. pl. the needy: poor people in general: The needy are helped by the charities in our town.
    THESAURUS
    needy adj.
    1 poverty-stricken, destitute, indigent. —n. pl.     the needy the poor, the homeless, the poverty-stricken.
nefarious
nefarious
  1. adj.frml. evil, wicked: One of his nefarious crimes was the bombing of a busy train station.
negate
negate
  1. v. [T] -gated, -gating, -gates
    1 to make s.t. useless,
    THESAURUS
    to nullify: By suddenly leaving the discussions about wages, the workers negated all of the work done up to that point.
    2 to say that s.t. is not true (real, in existence, etc.), to deny: She negated the accusations of murder. -n. [U] negation.
negative
negative
  1. adj.
    1 against s.t., not for it: He received a negative response to his question.
    2 doubtful about the value of s.t., critical: The film received mostly negative reviews.
    3 showing a dislike of s.o. or s.t.: She has a negative attitude toward other people.
    4 always feeling that s.t. bad will happen: He has a negative way of looking at life.
    5 negative number: a number less than zero
    THESAURUS
    negative adj.
    1 against s.t., disapproving, not affirmative | contrary, opposing. Ant. positive.
    2 unfavorable
    3 antagonistic
    4 pessimistic, fatalistic. —n.
    1 saying "no" to a request, a refusal, denial: She received a negative in response to her request.
    2 a problem, a drawback: One of the negatives of this plan is that it costs a great deal of money.
    3 (in photography) film that shows light images as dark and dark images as light: Photographs are made from negatives. -adv. negatively.
neglect
neglect
  1. v. [T]
    1 to not give enough care or attention to s.o. or s.t.: Working every weekend, he neglected his family.
    2 to forget to do s.t.: She neglected to pay a bill (mail a letter, telephone her mother, etc.).
    3 to not do s.t. out of laziness, irresponsibility: He neglected to make repairs in his house. —n. [U] a state of neglect: That house stands in neglect, with peeling paint and broken windows. -adj. neglectful.
    THESAURUS
    neglect v.
    1 to ignore, disregard, pay no attention to s.o. or s.t.,
    2 to overlook, let s.t. slip infrml., not remember
    3 to fail to do s.t. | procrastinate.
negligee
negligee
  1. n. a light nightgown worn by women: She wore a lacy negligee to bed.
negligence
negligence
  1. n. [U] a lack of care or attention, irresponsibility: She is guilty of negligence for driving while she was drunk.||Their negligence resulted in a forest fire. -adj. negligent; -adv. negligently.
negligible
negligible
  1. adj. small, not important: The cost of fixing your shoes will be negligible.
negotiable
negotiable
  1. adj.
    1 capable of being talked about and changed: The owner says that the price of his house is negotiable.
    2 capable of being changed into cash: Traveler's checks are negotiable in foreign countries.
negotiate
negotiate
  1. v. -ated, -ating, -ates
    1 [I] to talk in order to reach an agreement on prices, wages, conditions, etc.: The labor union is currently negotiating with the company.
    2 [T] to reach an agreement through discussion: The labor union negotiated a wage increase. -n. negotiator.
    THESAURUS
    negotiate
    1 to bargain with s.o., haggle infrml.
    2 to arrange s.t., work s.t. out.
negotiation
negotiation
  1. n. [C;U] a talk between people to reach an agreement on s.t.: The negotiations between the two countries resulted in a new trade agreement.
neigh
neigh
  1. n.v. [I] a loud, high sound made by a horse,
    THESAURUS
    a whinny
neighbor
neighbor
  1. n.
    1 a person or family that lives next to or near one's house, apartment, etc.: Our neighbors are very friendly.
    2 the person next to another person: Please pass the paper to your neighbor.
    3 a country sharing a border with another country: Mexico is the USA's neighbor to the south. —v. [I;T] to be next to: The countries that neighbor the USA are Canada and Mexico. -adj. neighboring.
    THESAURUS
    neighbor n.
    1 a nearby resident, next-door neighbor | home boy slang. —v. to border on, abut, adjoin | touch.
neighborhood
neighborhood
  1. n.
    1 the people, buildings, land, etc., where one lives: We are friends with many of the families who live in our neighborhood.
    2 in the neighborhood of: about,
    THESAURUS
    approximately: That item costs in the neighborhood of $100.
    THESAURUS
    neighborhood
    1 a community, section of town, district.
neighborly
neighborly
  1. adj. friendly, helpful: Helping elderly people do their shopping is a neighborly thing to do.
neither
neither
  1. conj.
    1 neither . . . nor: not one and not the other: Neither you nor I can attend tonight's meeting.||She has neither friends nor relatives to help her.
    2 not also: "I don't know the answer."—"Neither do I."
    3 neither here nor there: not important,
    THESAURUS
    irrelevant: We haven't received the official report yet, but that's neither here nor there; we all know what it's going to say. —adj. pron. not either of two: Neither plan is acceptable.||We invited both of them, but neither can come.|| Neither of us prepared for the exam.
nemesis
nemesis
  1. n. -ses
    1 [U] a source of great difficulty, frustration, or harm to s.o.: Chemistry was my nemesis in college.
    2 [C] an opponent who cannot be defeated: The tennis champion's nemesis was a 16-year-old newcomer from Florida.
neon
neon
  1. n. [U] a rare natural gas used to light up gas tube signs: The centers of many cities are full of neon signs for restaurants, bars, and clubs.
neophyte
neophyte
  1. n.frml. a beginner: He is a neophyte at playing the piano.
nephew
nephew
  1. n. the son of one's brother or sister, or the son of one's husband or wife's brother or sister: My nephew Luke is my sister's son.
nepotism
nepotism
  1. n. [U] favoritism shown to relatives in giving them jobs, whether or not they are qualified: She was guilty of nepotism when she hired her son over other applicants who were more experienced and better educated.
nerd
nerd
  1. n.infrml. a socially unskilled person: Why did you invite that nerd to the party? -adj. nerdy.
nerve-racking
nerve-racking
  1. adj. stressful, causing fear and tiredness: The flight was nerve-racking because of the storm.
nerve
nerve
  1. n.
    1 [C] a long fiber that carries messages between the brain and other parts of the body: Nerves can carry messages from the brain to move a muscle, or send feelings of pleasure or pain back to the brain.
    2 [U] courage: It takes nerve to skydive.
    3 to have a lot of or some nerve: to act in a rude way, take advantage: He had a lot of (or) some nerve stealing my parking space.
    4 to get on s.o.'s nerves: to annoy, irritate s.o.: His constant complaining gets on my nerves.
    5 to hit a nerve: to bring up a painful subject for s.o.: I hit a nerve when I asked him how his wife was; she divorced him last month.
    THESAURUS
    nerve
    2 backbone, grit, guts infrml. | determination.
nerve gas
nerve gas
  1. n. [U] a poisonous gas used as a weapon in war: They bombed the village with nerve gas.
nervous
nervous
  1. adj.
    1 worried about a future event: The student is very nervous about taking her exams next week.
    2 easily upset, always worried and tense: He's a nervous person who can't sit still for a minute.
    3 related to the nerves: the nervous system||a nervous disorder
    4 infrml. nervous Nelly: a person who is always worried that s.t. will go wrong: She's such a nervous Nelly that she refused to let her daughter go away to college. -adv. nervously; -n. nervousness.
    THESAURUS
    nervous
    1 anxious, jittery, apprehensive
    2 agitated, on edge, high-strung.
nervous breakdown
nervous breakdown
  1. n. [C] a medical condition in which a person cannot work or live normally due to worry, sadness, and tiredness: She suffered a nervous breakdown after losing her family in a plane crash.
nervous system
nervous system
  1. n. also called the central nervous system, the system of the body made up of the brain, the spine, and nerves that send messages to the brain about pain, pleasure, movement, etc.
nervy
nervy
  1. adj. -ier, -iest taking advantage of other people,
    THESAURUS
    pushy: Stepping ahead of everyone else in line is a nervy thing to do.
nest
nest
  1. n.
    1 a place made of twigs, grass, or leaves where birds or other animals, such as squirrels, raise their young: Nests are often located in places where it is difficult for the animal's enemies to reach them.
    2 infrml.fig. a person's home, esp. one's parents' house: Just when their youngest child had moved out, their oldest decided to return to the nest for a while. —v. [I] to build a nest and raise young in it: Birds nest in the spring.
nest egg
nest egg
  1. n. a sum of money saved for a specific purpose, such as retirement: The young man started to build a nest egg when he was in his 30s.
nestle
nestle