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usa Six 9S
 THE
Oxford
American
Dictionary
of
Current
English
 THE
Oxford
American
Dictionary
of
Current
English

New York Oxford

Oxford University Press
1999
 Oxford University Press

New York Oxford

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The Oxford American dictionary of current English,

p. cm.
ISBN 0-19-513374-9 (he : alk. paper)
1. English language Dictionaries. 2. English language —United
States Dictionaries. Americanisms Dictionaries.
3.
PE1628. 08617 1999
423—dc21 99-39972
CIP

This book includes some words that are, or are asserted to be, proprietary names or
trademarks. Their inclusion does not imply that they have acquired for legal purposes
a nonproprietary or general significance, nor is any other judgment implied concern-
ing their legal status. In cases where the editor has some evidence that a word is used
as a proprietary name or trademark this is indicated by the designation trademark, but
no judgment concerning the legal status of such words is made or implied thereby.

5 7 9 8 6
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
 Contents

Preface vi

How to Use This Dictionary vii

Key to Pronunciation xii

The Oxford American Dictionary of Current English 1-950

Biographical Entries 951

Geographical Entries 967
Special Reference Appendices: 985
Presidents of the United States of America 986
States of the United States of America 987
Standard Weights and Measures with Metric Equivalents 988
Conversion from Standard to Metric Measurements 989
Metric Weights and Measures with Standard Equivalents 990
Conversion from Metric to Standard Measurements 991
Chemical Elements 992
Countries of the World 993
 Preface
The Oxford American Dictionary of Current English covers an extensive range of contemporary
American English vocabulary. The text was specially compiled for this edition by Oxford's U.S.
Dictionaries Program, in keeping with the renowned lexicographic tradition of Oxford Univer-
sity Press. Oxford's unrivaled language research, including the North American Reading Pro-
gram (NARP), constantly monitors growth and change in American English. Using computer-
ized search-and-analysis tools developed originally for the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary,
our American lexicographers can quickly explore more than 45 million words of citation text
collected by NARP, and consult many other massive English language databases. The result is
a more sharply refined picture of the language of today, elucidating many complex aspects of
meaning, grammar, and usage.
This dictionary reflects the scholarly guidance of Oxford's academic advisors, as well as the
experience of specialist consultants in many fields of endeavor. And with the Internet and the
World Wide Web, Oxford lexicographers are now able to stay in daily contact with expert sources
worldwide, receiving answers to their queries almost instantly.
The text is accompanied by hundreds of examples, illustrations, usage notes, and word his-
tories that clarify definitions and provide guidance on the subtleties of appropriate usage. Bio-
graphical and geographical sections in the back of the book offer essential information on the
key people and places of the world. Finally, special reference appendices provide quick-refer-
ence information for a variety of subjects that are of frequent interest.
The Oxford American Dictionary of Current English is an excellent choice for business people,
students, and all those who wish to use English with clarity and style. With its attention to ac-
curacy, currency, and thoroughness, this new American dictionary builds on the tradition of
Oxford —the world's most trusted name in dictionaries.

Frank R. Abate
Editor in Chief, U.S. Dictionaries
Oxford University Press, Inc.

Project Staff
Editor in Chief: Frank R. Abate
Managing Editor: Elizabeth J. Jewell
Associate Editors: Christine A. Lindberg
Laurie H. Ongley
Pronunciation Editor: Rima McKinzey
Art Editor: Deborah Argosy
Illustrator: Mike Malkovas
Proofreaders: Linda Ciacchi
Linda Costa
Archie Hobson
Mark LaFlaur
Katherinc C. Sietscma
Sue Ellen Thompson
Dawn Thornton
Editorial Assistants: Karen Fisher
Alexandra Abate
Data Entry: Kimberly Roberts
 .

How to Use This Dictionary

1 MAIN ENTRIES
Each main entry is printed in bold roman type:

ad*um*brate /adumbrayt/ v.tr. 1 indicate faintly. 2 rep-

resent in outline. 3 foreshadow; typify. 4 overshadow.

dd ad«um«bra»tion /-brayshsn/ n.

Main entries are arranged in letter-by-letter alphabetical order. Different words that are spelled the same way
(homographs) are distinguished by raised numerals:
font /font/
1
n. 1 a receptacle in a church for baptismal
water. 2 the reservoir for oil in a lamp.
font 2 /font/ n. Printing a set of type of one face or size.

2 PRONUNCIATION
Guidance on the pronunciation of a main entry will be found in most cases immediately after the main entry,
enclosed in oblique strokes / /. In some cases, more than one pronunciation is given: that given first is the more
frequent or preferred pronunciation. Guidance on the pronunciation of derivatives of the main entry is limited
to cases in which the main entry pronunciation would be of no help in establishing the correct pronunciation
of the derivative. The dictionary uses a simple respelling system to represent pronunciation. This is meant to be
self-explanatory and easily readable by the lay person without constant recourse to a table of special characters.
For details on the pronunciation symbols, see the "Key to Pronunciation" below.

3 PART OF SPEECH
The grammatical identity of words as noun, verb, adjective, and so on, is given for all main entries and deriva-
tives, and for compounds and phrases when necessary to aid clarity. The same part-of-speech labeling is used
for groups of more than one word when the group has the function of a particular part of speech, e.g., ad hoc;
vacuum cleaner. When a main entry has more than one part of speech, a list is given at the beginning of the en-
try, and the treatment of the successive parts of speech is introduced by a bullet in each case:
ac*ci*den*tal /aksident'l/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 happening
by chance or unexpectedly. 2 not essential to a con-
ception. • «. 1 Mus.a sign indicating a momentary de-
parture from the key signature. 2 something not essen-
tial to a conception, dd ac»ci»den»tal«ly adv.

The standard part-of-speech names are used, and the following additional explanations should be noted:

• Nouns used attributively are designated attrib. when their function does not include predicative use (e.g.,
model in a model student; but the student is very model is not acceptable usage; see also at "Adjectives", next).
• Adjectives are labeled attrib. (= attributive) when they are normally placed before the word they modify
(e.g., acting in acting manager), and predic. (= predicative) when they normally occur (usually after a verb)
in the predicate of a sentence (e.g., afraid in he was afraid). When an adjective can occur either attributive-
ly or predicatively, the simple designation adj. is used.
• The designation absol. (= absolute) refers to uses of transitive verbs with an object implied but not stated
(as in smoking kills and let me explain)
• The designation "in comb." (= in combination), or "also in comb." refers to uses of words (especially ad-
jectives and nouns) as an element joined by a hyphen to another word, as with crested (which often appears
in forms such as red-crested, large-crested) or footer (as in six-footer).

4 VARIANTS
Variant spellings are given before the definition; in all such cases the form given as the main entry is the pre-
ferred form. Variant forms are also given at their own places in the dictionary when these are three or more en-
tries away from the main form.
Variant spellings given at the beginning of an entry normally apply to the whole entry, including any phras-
es and undefined derivatives. When variants apply only to certain functions or senses of a word, these are giv-
en in parentheses at the relevant point in the entry.
Variant British spellings are indicated by the designation Brit. These variants are often found in British use
in addition to or instead of the main forms given.
Pronunciation of variants is given when it differs significantly from the pronunciation of the main entry.
 .

How to Use This Dictionary viii

5 INFLECTED FORMS
Inflected forms of words (i.e., plural, past tenses, etc.) are given after the part of speech concerned:

broadcast /brawdkast/ v., n., adj., & adv. mv. (past

broadcast or broadcasted; past part, broadcast) 1 tr.
a transmit by radio or television, b disseminate
(information) widely. 2 intr. undertake or take part in
a radio or television transmission. 3 tr. scatter (seed,
etc.) over a large area. •n. a radio or television pro-
gram or transmission, •adj. 1 transmitted by radio or
television. 2 widely disseminated. *adv. over a large
area, dd broad*cast*er n. broad*cast*ing n.

The forms given are normally those in use in American English. Pronunciation of inflected forms is given
when it differs significantly from the pronunciation of the main entry. The designation "pronunc. same" denotes
that the pronunciation, despite a change of form, is the same as that of the main entry. In general, the inflec-
tion of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs is given when it is irregular (as described further below) or when,
though regular, it causes difficulty (as with forms such as budgeted, coos, and taxis)

Plurals of nouns
Nouns form
that their plural regularly by adding -s (or -es when they end in -5, -x, -z, -sh, or soft -ch) receive no
comment. Other plural forms are given, notably in cases where the singular is a noun that:

• ends in -i or -o.
• ends in -y.
• is a Latinate form ending in -a or -urn, etc.
• has more than one plural form, e.g., fish and aquarium.
• has a plural involving a change in the stem, e.g., foot, feet.
• has a plural form identical to the singular form, e.g., sheep.
• ends in -ful, e.g., handful.

Forms of verbs
The following verb forms are regarded as regular:

• third person singular present tense forms adding -5 to the stem, or -es to stems ending in -s, -x, -z, -sh, or
soft -ch (e.g., bite /bites; pass /passes)
• past tenses and past participles adding -ed to the stem, dropping a final silent -e (e.g., changed; danced).
• present participles adding -ing to the stem, dropping a final silent -e (e.g., changing; dancing).

Other forms are given, notably those that involve:

• doubling of a final consonant, e.g., bat, batted, batting.
• strong and irregular forms involving a change in the stem, e.g., come, came, come, and go, went, gone.
• irregular inflections of borrowed words, e.g.,polka'd.

Comparative and superlative of adjectives and adverbs

Words of one syllable adding -er or -est and those ending in silent -e dropping the -e (e.g., braver, bravest) are
regarded as regular. Most one-syllable words have these forms, but participial adjectives (e.g., pleased) do not.
Those that double a final consonant (e.g., hot, hotter, hottest) are given, as are two-syllable words that have com-
parative and superlative forms in -er and -est (of which very many are forms ending in -y, e.g., lucky, luckier, luck-
and their negative forms (e.g., unluckier, unluckiest). It should be noted that specification of these forms in-
iest),

dicates only that they are available; it is usually also possible to form comparatives with more and superlatives
with most (as in more lucky, most unlucky), which is the standard way of proceeding with adjectives and adverbs
that are not regularly inflected.

Adjectives in -able formed from transitive verbs

These are given as derivatives when there is sufficient evidence of their currency; in general they are formed as
follows:

• verbs drop silent final -e except after c and g (e.g., movable but changeable).
• verbs of more than one syllable ending in -y (preceded by a consonant or qu) change v to / (e.g., tltviabki
undeniable).
• a final consonant is often doubled as in normal inflection (e.g., conferrablc, regrettable).

6 DEFINITION
Definitions are listed in a numbered sequence in order of relative familiarity and importance, with the most
current and important senses given first. They are subdivided into lettered senses (a, b, etc.) when thetC lit
closely related or call for collective treatment.
 ix How to Use This Dictionary

7 GRAMMAR NOTES
Definitions are often accompanied by explanations in parentheses of how the word or phrase in question is
used in context. Often, the comment refers to words that usually follow ("foil, by") or precede ("prec. by") the
word being explained:
aocrecHt /akredit/ v.tr. (accredited, accrediting) 1

(foil, by to) attribute (a saying, etc.) to (a person). 2

(foil, by with) credit (a person) with (a saying, etc.). 3

(usu. foil, by to or at) send (an ambassador, etc.) with

credentials, dd ac*cred»hta»tion /-tayshsn/ n.

The formula by to + infin." means that the word is followed by a normal infinitive with to, as after want
"foil,
in wanted to and after ready in ready to burst. The formula "foil, by that + clause" indicates the routine ad-
leave
dition of a clause with that, as after say in said that it was late or after warn in warned him that he was late too
often. The formulas "pres. part." and "verbal noun" denote verbal forms in -ing that function as adjectives and
nouns respectively, as in set him laughing and tired of asking.

8 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES
Examples of words in use are given to support or clarify the definitions. These appear in italics following the
definition, enclosed in parentheses. They are meant to amplify meaning and (especially when following a
grammatical point) illustrate how the word is used in context.

9 USAGE AND LABELS

If the use of a word is restricted in any way, this is indicated by one of several labels printed in italics, as ex-
plained in the following.

Geographical labels
US indicates that the use is found chiefly in American English (often including Canada), but not in British
English except as a conscious Americanism.
Brit, indicates that the use is found chiefly in British English (and often also in Australian and New Zealand
English, and in other parts of the British Commonwealth), but not typically in American English.
Other geographical labels (e.g., Austral., NZ, S.Afr.) indicate that usage is largely restricted to the areas des-
ignated.
These usage labels should be distinguished from comments of the type "(in the UK)" preceding definitions,
which denote that the thing defined is associated with the country named. For example, Parliament is a British
institution, but the term is not restricted to British English.

Register labels
Levels of usage, or registers, are indicated as follows:

• formal indicates uses that are normally restricted to formal (esp. written) English, e.g., commence.
• colloq. (= colloquial) indicates a use that is normally restricted to informal (esp. spoken) English.
• si. (= slang) indicates an informal use (typically a word that is equivalent in meaning to a "standard" word),

unsuited to written English and often restricted to a particular social group, while coarse si. is used to show
that an expression is regarded as vulgar or unacceptable even in spoken use in most social contexts.
• archaic indicates a word that is obsolete in general use and is restricted to special contexts such as legal or
religious use, or is used for special effect.
• literary indicates a word or use that is found chiefly in literature.
• poet. (= poetic) indicates uses confined to poetry or other similar contexts.
• joe. (= jocular) indicates uses that are intended to be humorous or playful.
• derog. (= derogatory) denotes uses that are intentionally disparaging.
• offens. (= offensive) denotes uses that cause offense, whether intentionally or not.
• disp. (= disputed) indicates a use that is disputed or controversial. When further explanation is needed a us-
age note (see below) is given as well or instead.
• hist. (= historical) denotes a word or use that is confined to historical reference, normally because the thing

referred to no longer exists.

• propr. (= proprietary) denotes a term that is asserted to have the status of a trademark (see the Note on
Proprietary Status, below).

Subject labels
Subject labels, e.g., Law, Math., Nam., show that a word or sense is used in a particular field of activity, and
is not in widespread general use.

Usage notes
These give extra information not central to the definition, and to explain points of grammar and style. They
are introduced by the symbol .The
purpose of these notes is not to prescribe usage but to alert the user to a
difficulty or controversy attached to particular uses.
 .

How to Use This Dictionary x

10 PHRASES AND IDIOMS

These are listed (together with compounds) in alphabetical order after the treatment of the main senses and in-
troduced by the symbol o The words a, the, one, and person do not count for purposes of alphabetical order.
.

They are normally defined under the first key word in the phrase, except when a later word is more clearly the
key word or is the common word in a phrase with variants.

11 DERIVATIVES
Words formed by adding a standard suffix to another word are in many cases listed at the end of the entry for
the main word, introduced by the symbol aa These are not defined since they can be understood from the
.

sense of the main entry plus that of the suffix concerned. When further definition is called for they are given
main entries in their own right (e.g., changeable).

12 PREFIXES, SUFFIXES, AND COMBINING FORMS

A large selection of these is given in the main body of the text; prefixes are given in the form ex-, re-, etc., and
suffixes in theform -ion, -ness, etc. These entries should be consulted to explain the many routinely formed
derivatives given at the end of entries (see 11 above). Combining forms (e.g., bio-, -graphy) are semantically
significant elements that can be attached to words or elements as explained in the usage note at the entry for
combining form

13 WORD HISTORIES
Brief paragraphs explaining the origin of a word are given as boxed features accompanying certain entries in
the dictionary. Generally speaking, these word histories tell a particularly interesting story about how a word
originated or developed, and are often helpful in understanding and remembering the meaning.

14 CROSS REFERENCES
Cross references appear in small capitals if the reference is to a main entry and in italics if the reference is to
a compound, idiom, or phrase within an entry. References in italics to compounds and defined phrases and id-
ioms are to the entry for the first word, unless another word is specified.
 Abbreviations
Listed below are abbreviations that occur within the text of entries, except for those in general use (such as etc.
and i.e.), which have their own entries in the dictionary itself.

abbr. abbreviation exclam. exclamation part. participle

ace. according fam. familiar past part. past participle
adj. adjective fern. feminine Pathol. Pathology
adv. adverb fig. figurative (ly) pejor. pejorative
Aeron. Aeronautics fl. flourished pers. person(al)
Amer. America, American foil. followed, following Pharm. Pharmacy, Pharmacology
Anat. Anatomy gen. general Philol. Philology
anc. ancient Geog. Geography Philos. Philosophy
Anthropol. Anthropology Geol. Geology Phonet. Phonetics
Antiq. Antiquities, Antiquity Geom. Geometry Photog. Photography
Archaeol. Archaeology Gk Greek phr. phrase
Archit. Architecture Gk Hist. Greek History Phrenol. Phrenology
Arith. Arithmetic Gram. Grammar Physiol. Physiology
assoc. associated, association Hist. History pi. plural
Astrol. Astrology hist. with historical reference poet. poetical
Astron. Astronomy Horol. Horology Polit. Politics
Astronaut. Astronautics Hort. Horticulture pop. popular, not technical
attrib. attributive imper. imperative poss. possessive
Austral. Australia, Australian impers. impersonal prec. preceded, preceding
aux. auxiliary incl. including, inclusive predic. predicate, predicative(ly)
back-form. back-formation ind. indirect prep. preposition
Bibl. Biblical indef. indefinite pres.part. present participle
Bibliog. Bibliography infin. infinitive pron. pronoun
Biochem. Biochemistry int. interjection pronunc. pronunciation
Biol. Biology interrog. interrogative(ly) propr. proprietary term
Bot. Botany intr. intransitive Psychol. Psychology
Brit. British iron. ironical (ly) RCCh. Roman Catholic Church
c. century irreg. irregular (ly) ref. reference
c. circa joe. jocular(ly) refl. reflexive (ly)
Can. Canada, Canadian lang. language rel. related, relative
cf. compare lit. literal(ly) Relig. Religion
Ch. Church masc. masculine rhet. rhetorical (ly)
Chem. Chemistry Math. Mathematics Rom. Roman
Cinematog Cinematography Mech. Mechanics Rom. Hist. Roman History
coarse si. coarse slang Med. Medicine S.Afr. South Africa, South African
collect. collective(ly) med. medieval S.Amer. South America, South
colloq. colloquial(ly) metaph. metaphorical American
comb. combination, combining Meteorol. Meteorology Sci. Science
compar. comparative Mil. Military sing. singular
compl. complement Mineral. Mineralogy si. slang
Conchol. Conchology mod. modern Sociol. Sociology
conj. conjunction Mus. Music spec. special (ly)
contr. contraction Mythol. Mythology Stock Exch . Stock Exchange
corresp. corresponding n. noun subj. subject, subjunctive
Criminol. Criminology N.Amer. North America, North superl. superlative
Crystallog. Crystallography American syll. syllable
def. definite Nat. National symb. symbol
Demog. Demography Naut. Nautical syn. synonym
demons. demonstrative neg. negative(ly) techn. technical (ly)
deriv. derivative neut. neuter Telev. Television
derog. derogatory N.Engl. New England Theatr. Theater, Theatrical
dial. dialect(al) No. of Eng . North of England Theol. Theology
disp. disputed (use or north. northern tr. transitive
pronunciation) n.pl. noun plural transf. in transferred sense
Eccl. Ecclesiastical num. numeral Typog. Typography
Ecol. Ecology NZ New Zealand univ. university
Econ. Economics obj. object, objective US United States; in use in the
Electr. Electricity obs. obsolete United States
ellipt. elliptical(ly) Obstet. Obstetrics usu. usual (ly)
emphat. emphatic(ally) occas. occasional (ly) V. verb
Engin. Engineering offens. offensive var. variant (s)
Engl. England, English opp. (as) opposed (to), v.aux. auxiliary verb
Entomol. Entomology opposite (of) Vet. Veterinary
erron. erroneous(ly) orig. origin, original (ly) v.intr. intransitive verb
esp. especial(ly) Ornithol. Ornithology v.refl. reflexive verb
euphem. euphemism Paleog. Paleography v.tr. transitive verb
Eur. Europe, European Pari. Parliament, Parliamentary Zool. Zoology
 Key to Pronunciation
This dictionary uses a simple respelling system to show how entries are pronounced, using the following symbols:

a, a as in pat /pat/, fasten /fassn/

aa, a'a as in father /faathar/, barnyard /baarnyaard/
air, air as in share /shair/, heir /air/
fair /fair/,

aw, aw as in law caught /kawt/, thought /thawt/

/law/,

ay, ay as in day /day/, raid /rayd/, made /mayd/, prey /pray/

ch as in church /charch/, picture /pikchsr/

e, e as in men /men/, said /sed/
ee, e'e as in feet /feet/, receive /riseev/

3 as in along /along/, soda /sods/, civil /sival/

sr, ar as in parade /parayd/, bitter /bitar/, person /parsan/

g as in get /get/, exhaust /igzawst/, egg /eg/

i,i as in pin /pin/, guild /gild/, women /wimin/

hi as in time /tim/, fight /fit/, guide /gid/

ir, lr as in fire /fir/, desire /dizir/

J
as in judge /juj/, carriage /karij/

kh as in loch /lokh/, Bach /baakh/

N as in en route /on root/ (preceding vowel is nasalized)
ng as in sing /sing/, anger /anggsr/
o, 6 as in rob /rob/, pocket /pokit/
o, 6 as in go /go/, promote /pramot/
6,6 as in jeu /zho/, schon /shon/
00, 00 as in wood /wood, football /footbawl/
oo, do as in food /food/, music /myobsik/
ow, ow as in mouse /mows/, coward /kowgrd/
oy, 6y as in boy /boy/, noisy /noyzee/
r as in run /run/, fur /far/, spirit /spirit/

sh as in shut /shut/, social /soshal/, action /akshan/

th as in thin /thin/, truth /trooth/
th as in then /then/, mother /muthsr/
u, u as in cut /kut/, blood /blud/, enough /inuf/

y as in yet /yet/, accuse /akyobz/

Y as in apercu /aapersy/
zh as in measure /mezhar/, vision /vizhan/

More than one acceptable pronunciation may be given, with commas between the variants; for example:

news /nooz, nyooz/

If the pronunciations of a word differ only in part, then the syllable or syllables affected are shown as follows:

bedroom /bedroom, -room/, forest /fawrist, for-/

The same principle applies to derivative forms that are given within the main entry; lor example:

complete /komple'et/, completion /-ple'eshon/

STRESS
The mark that appears over the vowel symbol in words of more than one syllable indicates the part of the word
that carries the stress. Where a word has two or more stress markers then the main stress may vary at 01 ding c

to the context in which a word is used; for example:

afternoon /aftnrnobn/

In the phrase "afternoon tea" the main stress falls on the first syllable /aft or /, but in the phrase "all atici
noon" the main stress falls on the last syllable / nOOn/.
 . . . . . ..

A
A 1
/ay/ n. (also a) (pi. As or A's) 1 the first letter of the
alphabet. 2 Mus. the sixth note of the diatonic scale of
C major. 3 the first hypothetical person or example.
4 the highest class or category (of academic grades,
yield oneself completely to a passion or impulse. •«.
lack of inhibition or restraint, no a*ban*don*ment n.
a*ban*doned /abandand/ adj. 1 a (of a person or an-
imal) deserted; forsaken (an abandoned child) b (of a .

etc.). 5 (usu. a) Algebra the first known quantity. 6 a building, vehicle, etc.) left empty or unused (an aban-
human blood type of the ABO
system. doned car). 2 (of a person or behavior) unrestrained;
A2 /ay/ abbr. (also A.) 1 ampere(s). 2 answer. 3 Asso- profligate.
ciate of. 4 atomic (energy, etc.). a*base /abays/ v.tr. &
refl. humiliate or degrade, nn a«

a /a, ay/ adj. (also an before a vowel) 1 (as an unem-

1
base*ment n.
phatic substitute) one; some; any. 2 one like (a Judas). a*bash /abash/ v.tr. (usu. as abashed adj.) embarrass;
3 one single (not a thing in sight) 4 the same (all of a
. disconcert, an a«bash»ment n.
size) 5 in, to, or for each (twice a year)
. a«bate /abayt/ v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become less
a 2 1^1 prep. (usu. as prefix) 1 to; toward (ashore). 2 (with strong, severe, etc. 2 tr. Law a quash (a writ or action).
verb in pres. part, or infin.) in the process of; in a spec- b put an end to (a nuisance), nc a»bate«ment n.
ified state (a-hunting) 3 on (afire) 4 in (nowadays)
. . ab*at*toir /abatwaar/ n. a slaughterhouse.
A abbr. angstrom(s). ab»ax«i«al /abakseeal/ adj. Bot. facing away from the
a- /ay, a/ prefix not; without (amoral; apetalous) stem of a plant, esp. of the lower surface of a leaf (cf
-a /a/ suffix colloq. 1 of (kinda; coupla). 2 have (mighta; adaxial).
coulda) 3 to (oughta)
. ab«bess /abis/ n. a woman who is the head of certain
AA abbr. 1 Alcoholics Anonymous. 2 Associate of Arts. communities of nuns.
3 Mil. antiaircraft. ab»bey /abee/ n. (pi. «beys) 1 the building(s) occupied
kkAabbr. 1 American Automobile Association. 2 Am- by a community of monks or nuns. 2 the community
ateur Athletic Association. 3 antiaircraft artillery. itself.
aard*vark /a'ardvaark/ n. a nocturnal mammal of south- ab«bot /abat/ n. a man who is the head of an abbey of
ern Africa, Orycteropus afer, with a tubular snout and monks, no ab*bot*ship //.
a long tongue, that feeds on termites. ab«bre»vi»ate /abre'evee-ayt/ v. tr. shorten (a word, etc.)
aard»wolf /aardwoolf/ n. (pi. aardwolves /-woolvz/) an ab»bre»vi»a»tion /abre'evee-ayshan/ n. 1 an abbreviated
African mammal, Proteles cristatus, of the hyena fam- form, esp. a shortened form of a word or phrase. 2 the
ily, with gray fur and black stripes, that feeds on insects.
process or result of abbreviating.
AAU abbr. Amateur Athletic Union. ABC /aybeese'e/ n. 1 the alphabet. 2 (also ABC's) the
AB /aybe'e/ n. a human blood type of the ABO system. rudiments of any subject. 3 an alphabetical guide.
1

AB 2 abbr. Bachelor of Arts. ab«di*cate /abdikayt/ v.tr. give up or renounce (a

a*back /abak/ adv. archaic backward; behind. take
aback surprise; disconcert (/ was greatly taken aback ab*do*men abdaman, abd6-/ n. 1 the part of the body-
by the news)
ab*a*cus /abakas, abakas/ n. (pi. abacuses) an oblong
frame with rows of wires or grooves along which beads
are slid, used for calculating.
throne, duty, etc.). an ab*di*ca*tion -kayshan/ n.
containing the stomach, bowels, reproductive organs,
etc. 2 Zool. the hind part of an insect, crustacean, spi-
der, etc. dd ab*dom*i*nal abdominal/ adj.
ab»duct /abdukt/ v.tr. carry off or kidnap (a person) il-
legally by force or deception, dd ab«duc*tion
/-dukshan/ n. ab»duc»tor //.
a*beam /abe'em/ adv. on a line at right angles to a ship's
or an aircraft's length.
a*bed /abed/ adv. archaic in bed.
a*bele /abeel, aybal/ n. the white poplar, Populus alba.
A»be»na»ki /abana'akee/ n. (also Ab»na»ki abna'akee/)
1 a a N.American people native to northern New Eng-

land and adjoining parts of Quebec, b a member of

this people. 2 either of the two languages of this
people.
ab«er»rant /aberant, aba-/ adj. 1 esp. Biol, diverging
abacus from the normal type. 2 departing from an accepted
standard, dd dd ab*er*rance /-rans/ n. ab«er«rarvcy ;/.
a*baft /abaft/ adv. &
prep. Nam. • adv. in the stern half ab*er*ra*tion /abarayshan/ n. 1 a departure from what
of a ship.* prep, nearer the stern than; aft of. is normal or accepted or regarded as right. 2 a moral
ab»a»lo«ne /abalOnee/ n. any mollusk of the genus or mental lapse. 3 Biol, deviation from a normal type.
Haliotis, with a shallow ear-shaped shell having res- 4 Optics the failure of rays to converge at one focus be-
piratory holes, and lined with mother-of-pearl. cause of a defect in a lens or mirror.
a*ban*don /abandan/ v. &n. mv.tr. 1 give up complete- a*bet /abet/ v.tr. (abetted, abetting) (usu. in aid and
ly or before completion (abandoned hope; abandoned abet) encourage or assist (an offender or offense).
the game). 2 a forsake or desert (a person or a post of a»bet»tor /abetar/ n. (also a»bet»ter) one who abets.
responsibility) b leave or desert (a motor vehicle, ship, a*bey*ance /abayans/ n. (usu. prec. by in) temporary
.

etc.). 3 a give up to another's control or mercy, b refl. disuse or suspension.

 .

abhor ~ about 2 abnormal quality, occurrence, etc. 2 the state of being

abnormal.
ab»hor /abhawr/ v.tr. (abhorred, abhorring) detest; re- a*board /abawrd/ adv. & prep, on or into (a ship, air-
gard with disgust and hatred, do ab»hor«rer n. craft, train, etc.).
ab»hor«rence /abhawrans, -hor-/ n. 1 disgust; detesta- a»bode> /abod/ n. a dwelling; one's home.

tion. 2 a detested thing. a*bode 2 past of abide.

ab»hor»rent /abhawrant, -hor-/ a<#. (often foil, by to) a*bol«ish /abolish/ v.tr. put an end to (esp. a custom or
(of conduct, etc.) inspiring disgust; repugnant; hate- institution), dd a*bol*ish*ment n.
ful; detestable. ab«o»li»tion /abalishan/ n. the act or process of abolish-
a*bide /abid/ v. (past abode /abod/or abided) 1 tr. (usu. ing or being abolished.
in neg. or interrog.) tolerate; endure (can't abide him). ab a O*li*tion*ist /abalishanist/ n. one who favors the ab-
2 intr. (foil, by by) a act in accordance with (abide by olition of a practice or institution, esp. of capital pun-
the rules), b remain faithful to (a promise). 3 intr. ishment or slavery, dd ab*o*li*tion*ism n.
archaic dwell, an a*bid*ance n. A-bomb /aybom/ n. - atom bomb.
a*bid*ing /abiding/ adj. enduring; permanent (an abid- a»bom»i»na»ble /abominabal/ adj. 1 detestable; loath-
ing sense of loss), dd a«bid»ing»ly adv. some. 2 colloq. very bad or unpleasant (abominable
a«bil»i»ty /abilitee/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 (often foil, by to + weather), dd a*bom*i*na*bly adv.
infin.) capacity or power. 2 cleverness; talent; mental a»bom«i»na»ble snow»man n. a humanoid or bearlike
power (a person of great ability; has many abilities). animal said to exist in the Himalayas; a yeti.
-ability /abilitee/ suffix forming nouns of quality from, a»bom«i«nate /abominayt/ v.tr. detest; loathe.
or corresponding to, adjectives in -able (capability; vul- a»bom»i«na«tion /abominayshan/ n. 1 loathing. 2 an
nerability) . odious habit or act. 3 an object of disgust.
a»bi«o»gen»e»sis/aybiojenisis/n. 1 the formation of liv- ab*0*rig*i*nal /abarijinal/ adj. n. *adj. 1 inhabiting &
ing organisms from inanimate substances. 2 the sup- or existing in a land from the earliest times or before
posed spontaneous generation of living organisms. the arrival of colonists. 2 (Aboriginal) of the Austral-
dd a»bi»o»gen«ic /-jenik/ adj. ian Aborigines. •«. 1 an aboriginal inhabitant. 2 (Ab-
ab»ject/abjekt,abjekt/ad/. 1 miserable; wretched. 2 de- original) an aboriginal inhabitant of Australia.
graded; self-abasing; humble. 3 despicable, dd ab*jec* ab*o*rig*i*ne /abarijinee/ n. (usu. in pi.) 1 an aborigi-
tion /abjekshan/ n. ab»jecWy adv. ab*ject«ness n. nal inhabitant. 2 (Aborigine) an aboriginal inhabitant
ab»jure /abjobr/ v.tr. renounce under oath (an opinion, of Australia. 3 an aboriginal plant or animal.
cause, claim, etc.). an ab*ju*ra*tion /-rayshan/ n. a»bort /abawrt/ v. 1 intr. a (of a woman) undergo abor-
ab*la*tion /ablayshan/ n. 1 the surgical removal of body tion; miscarry, b (of a fetus) undergo abortion. 2 tr.
tissue. 2 Geol. the wasting or erosion of a glacier, ice- a effect the abortion of (a fetus), b effect abortion in
berg, or rock by melting, evaporation, or the action of (a mother). 3 a tr. cause to end fruitlessly or prema-
water. 3 Astronaut, the evaporation or melting of part turely, b intr. end unsuccessfully or prematurely. 4 a tr.
of the outer surface of a spacecraft through heating by abandon or terminate (a space flight or other technical
friction with the atmosphere, nn ab*late v.tr. project) before its completion, b intr. terminate such
ab*la*tive /ablativ/ n. &
adj. Gram. *n. the case (esp. an undertaking.
in Latin) of nouns and pronouns (and words in a«bor»ti»fa»cient /abawrtifayshant/ adj. n. »adj. &
grammatical agreement with them) indicating an effecting abortion. • n. a drug or other agent that ef-
agent, instrument, or location. madj. of or in the ab- fects abortion.
lative. a*bor*tion /abawrshan/ n. 1 the expulsion of a fetus
ab*laut /ablowt/ n. a change of vowel in related words (naturally or esp. by medical induction) from the
or forms, e.g., in sing, sang, sung. womb before it is able to survive independently, esp.
a*blaze /ablayz/ predic.adj. &
adv. 1 on fire. 2 (often in the first 28 weeks of a human pregnancy. 2 a stunt-
foil, by with) glittering; glowing; radiant. ed or deformed creature or thing.
a»ble /aybal/ adj. (abler, ablest) 1 (often foil, by to + a«bor*tion*ist /abawrshanist/ n. a person who carries
infin.) having the capacity or power (was not able to out abortions, esp. illegally.
come). 2 having great ability; clever; skillful. a»bor»tive /abawrtiv/ adj. 1 fruitless; unsuccessful; un-
-able /abal/ suffix forming adjectives meaning: 1 that finished. 2 resulting in abortion, dd a»bor»tive«ly adv.
may or must be (forgivable; payable). 2 that can be ABO sys»tem /aybee-6/ n. a system of four types (A,
made the subject of (dutiable). 3 that is relevant to or AB, B, and O) by which human blood may be clas-
in accordance with (fashionable; seasonable). 4 (with sified.
active sense, in earlier word formations) that may (com- a«bound /abownd/ v.intr. 1 be plentiful. 2 (foil, by in)
fortable; suitable) be rich.
a*ble-bod*ied adj. fit; healthy. a*b0Ut /abowt/ prep. &
adv. mprep. 1 a on the subject
a*bloom /abloom/ predic. adj. blooming; in flower. of; in connection with (a book about birds), b relating
ab«lu-tion /ablobshan/ n. (usu. in pi.) 1 the ceremoni- to (something funny about this). C in relation to (sym-
al washing of parts of the body or sacred vessels, etc. metry about a plane), d so as to affect (can </<• not linn:
2 colloq. the ordinary washing of the body, na ab*lu* about it). 2 at a time near to (conic about lour). 3 a in;
tion»ar«y adj. around; surrounding (wandered about tin town), b all
a«bly /ayblee/ adv. capably; cleverly; competently. around from a center (look about you)- 4 at points
-ably /ablee/ suffix forming adverbs corresponding to throughout (toys lying about the house). 5 at a pomi or
adjectives in -able. points near to (fighting going on about us), madv. 1 a ap
ABM abbr. antiballistic missile. proximately, b colloq. used to indie ItC mulei siaieim-ni
ab*ne«gate /abnigayt/ v.tr. 1 give up or deny oneself (a (just about had enough). 2 here and there; ii points net!
pleasure, etc.). 2 renounce or reject (a right or belief). by (a lot of flu about). 3 all around; m every direction
no ab»ne«ga»tor n. (look about). 4 on the move; in action (out and about).
ab»ne*ga»tion/abnigayshan/n. 1 the rejection of a doc- 5 in partial rotation or alteration from a given position
trine. 2 = SELF-ABNEGATION. (the wrong way about) 6 in rot ai ion 01 IUC4 rssion (mm
.

ab»nor»mal /abnawrmal/ adj. deviating from what is and turn about). 7 Nam. on or to the opposite tat. k (put
normal or usual; exceptional, ab*nor*mal*ly adv.
ii i
about). :be about to be on the point ol filoniK souk
i

ab«nor»mal«i»ty /abnawrmalitee/ n. (pi. 'ties) 1 an thing).

 .

a»bOlit-face /abowtfays/ n.,v.,& int. • n. 1 a turn made 3 about-face ~ abstain

so as to face the opposite direction. 2 a change of opin-
ion or policy, etc. •v.intr. make an about-face. •int. ab*SCOnd /abskond/ v.intr. depart hurriedly, esp. un-
Mil. a command to make an about-face. lawfully, an ab»scond»er n.

a*bove /abiiv/ prep., adv., adj., &

n. •prep. 1 over; on ab«sence /absans/ n. 1 the state of being away from a
the top of; higher than. 2 more than {above average). place or person. 2 the time or duration of being away.
3 higher in rank, position, importance, etc., than. 3 (foil, by of) the nonexistence or lack of. n absence
4 a too great or good for (is not above cheating) b be- . of mind inattentiveness.
yond the reach of; not affected by (above my under- ab»sent adj. &
v.* adj. /absant/ 1 not present. 2 not ex-
standing) • adv. 1 at or to a higher point; overhead (the
. isting. 3 inattentive, •v.refl. /absent 1 stay away.
floor above; the clouds above) 2 upstairs (lives above)
. 2 withdraw, dd ab«senMy adv. (in sense 3 of adj.).
3 (of a text reference) further back on a page or in a ab»sen»tee /absante'e/ n. a person not present, esp. one
book (as noted above). 4 in addition (over and above). who is absent from work or school.
5 rhet. in heaven (Lord above!) • adj. mentioned ear-
. ab»sen»tee baMot n. a ballot, usu. returned by mail,
lier; preceding (the above argument). •«. (prec. by the) for a voter who cannot be present at the polls.
what is mentioned above (the above shows). above all ab»sen»tee«ism absanteeizam- n. the practice of
most of all; more than anything else. absenting oneself from work or school, etc., esp. fre-
a*bOve*board /abuvbawrd/ adj. & adv. fair or fairly; quently or illicitly.

open or openly. ab«sen«tee landlord n. a landlord who rents out a

ab»ra»ca«dab»ra /abrakadabra/ n. 1 a word used by property while living elsewhere.
magicians in performing a trick. 2 jargon or gibberish. ab«sent»mind»ed absantmmdid adj. habitually for-
a*brade /abrayd/ v.tr. scrape or wear away by rubbing. getful or inattentive, dd ab«sent»mind»ed»ly adv. ab»
dd a«brad«er n. sent*mind*ed*ness n.
a*bra*sion /abrayzhan/ n. 1 scraping or wearing away. ab«sinthe absinth/ n. (also ab*sinth) a green anise-fla-
2 a damaged area resulting from this. vored liqueur based on wormwood.
a*bra*sive /abraysiv/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 a tending to rub ab*so*lute /absalobt/ adj. &
n.madj. 1 complete; utter
or abrade, b capable of polishing by rubbing. 2 harsh (an absolute foot) 2 unconditional; unlimited (absolute
.

in manner •«. an abrasive substance. authority). 3 ruling arbitrarily or with unrestricted

ab»re«ac»tion /abreeakshan/ n. Psychol, the free expres-
sion and consequent release of a previously repressed
emotion, dd ab«re«ac»tive adj.
a*breast /abrest/ adv. 1 side by side and facing the same
way. 2 a (often foil, by with) up to date, b (foil, by of)
well-informed (abreast of all the changes).
a*bridge /abrij/ v. tr. shorten (a book, movie, etc.) do a*
bridg*a*ble or a*bridge*a*ble adj. a«bridg»er
abridgement /abrijmant/ n. a»bridgernent)
(also
1 shortened version, esp. of a book. 2 the process of ab*so»lute»ly
producing this.
a*broad /abrawd/ adv. 1 in or to a foreign country or
power (an absolute monarch). 4 (of a standard or other
concept) universally valid; not relative or comparative.
5 Gram. B (of a construction) syntactically independ-
ent of the rest of the sentence, as in dinner being over,
we left the table, b (of an adjective or transitive verb)
used or usable without an expressed noun or object
. (e.g., the deaf, guns kill). 6 (of a legal decree, etc.) fi-
nal. • //. Philos. a value, standard, etc., which is objec-
n.
tive and universally valid, dd al>so«lute«ness ;/.
absalobtlee/ adv. 1 completely; utterly
(absolutely marvelous). 2 (foil, by neg.) (no or none) at
all (absolutely no chance). 3 Gram, in an absolute way,

countries. 2 over a wide area; in different directions esp. (of a verb) without a stated object. 4 coOoq. (used
(scatter abroad) 3 in circulation (there is a rumor
. in reply) quite so; yes.
abroad). ab»so»lute ze»ro n. a theoretical lowest possible tem-
ab*ro*gate /abragayt/ v.tr. repeal or abolish (a law or perature, calculated as zero on the Kelvin scale, equiv-
custom), dd ab«ro«ga«tion /-gayshan/ n. alent to -273.1 5°C.
ab«rupt /abrupt/ adj. 1 sudden and unexpected; hasty ab*so«lu*tion /absalobshan/ n. 1 a formal release from
(his abrupt departure). 2 (of speech, manner, etc.) lack- guilt, obligation, or punishment. 2 an ecclesiastical
ing continuity; curt. 3 steep; precipitous, dd ab*rupt* declaration of forgiveness of sins.
ly adv. ab*rupt*ness n. ab'SO'lut-ism absalobtizam ;/. the acceptance of or
ABS abbr. antilock brake (or braking) system. belief in absolute principles in political, philosophical,
ab»scess /abses/ n. a swollen area accumulating pus ethical, or theological matters, dd ab*so*lut*ist ;/. dr
within a body tissue, dd ab«scessed adj. adj.
ab*scis*sa /absisa/ n. (pi. abscissae /-ee/ or abscis- ab»solve abzolv, -solv/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by from, of)
sas) Math, (in a system of coordinates) the shortest set or pronounce free from blame or obligation, etc.
distance from a point to the vertical or j'-axis (cf or- 2 pardon or give absolution for (a sin, etc.).
.

dinate). ab*Sorb /absawrb, -zawrb v.n: 1 include or incorpo-

rate as part of itself or oneself. 2 take in; suck up (liq-
y-axis
uid, heat, knowledge, etc.). 3 reduce the effect or in-
tensity of; deal easily with (an impact, sound, difficulty,
abscissa
etc.).4 consume (income, time, resources, etc.). 5 en-
gross the attention of. dd ab*sorb*a*ble adj. ab«sorb«
er n.
ab»sorbed absawrbd, -zawrbd/ adj. intensely engaged
ordinate or interested, dd ab*sorb*ed*ly /-bidlee/ adv.
ab»sorb»ent /absawrbant, -zawr-/ adj. &
n. • adj. hav-
ing a tendency to absorb (esp. liquids) • //. an absorb-
ent substance, dd ab»sorb«en«cy /-bansee >/.
ab*sorp*tion /absawrpshan, -zawrp-/ n. 1 the process
x-axis
or action of absorbing or being absorbed. 2 mental en-
abscissa grossment, dd ab*sorp*tive adj.
ab«stain /abstayn/ v.intr. 1 a (usu. foil, by from) refrain
ab*scis*sion /absizhan/ n. the act or an instance of cut-
ting off. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

abstemious ~ acceptance 4 aoa»deme /akadeem/ n. 1 the world of learning. 2 uni-

versities collectively.
from indulging in {abstained from candy) b refrain aoa»de»mi»a /akadeemeea/ n. the academic world.
.

from drinking alcohol. 2 formally decline to use one's ac*a*dem«ic /akademik/ adj. n. •adj. 1 a scholarly; &
vote, dd ab»stain»er n. to do with learning, b of or relating to a scholarly in-
ab*ste*mi*OUS /abste'emeeas/ adj. moderate, esp. in eat- stitution (academic dress) 2 abstract; not of practical
.

ing and drinking, nn ab«ste«mi»ous«ly adv. ab»steTni«
ous*ness n.
ab*sten*tion /abstenshan/ n. the act of abstaining from
voting.
ab*sti«nence /abstinans/ n. the act of abstaining, esp.
from food, alcohol, or sexual relations.
ab*Sti*nent /abstinsnt/ adj. practicing abstinence.
relevance. 3 Art conventional; overly formal »w. a
teacher or scholar in a university or college, nn ac»a»
denvi»caMy adv.
a«cad»e»my /akadamee/ n. (pi. 'mies) 1 a place of study
or training in a special field (military academy). 2 (usu.
Academy) a society or institution of distinguished
scholars, artists, scientists, etc. (Royal Academy) 3 a .

abstract adj., v., &

n. *adj. /abstrakt/ 1 a to do with secondary school, esp. one that is private.
or existing in thought rather than matter, or in theo- A»ca«di»an /skaydeean/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 a native or in-
ry rather than practice, b (of a word, esp. a noun) de- habitant of Acadia in Nova Scotia. 2 a descendant of
noting a quality or condition or intangible thing rather French-speaking Nova Scotian immigrants in Loui-
than a concrete object. 2 (of art) achieving its effect siana • adj. of or relating to Acadians.
by shapes and colors rather than by the recognizable a*can*thus /akanthas/ n. 1 any herbaceous plant of the
representation of physical reality. • v. /abstrakt/ 1 tr. genus Acanthus, with spiny leaves. 2 Archit. a conven-
(often foil, by from) take out of; extract; remove. 2 tr. tionalized representation of an acanthus leaf.
summarize (an article, book, etc.). •«. /abstrakt/ 1 a a cap»peMa /a'a kapeta/ adj. &
adv. (also aMa cap*pel*
summary or statement of the contents of a book, etc. la /ala/) Mus. (of choral music) unaccompanied.
2 an abstract work of art. dd ab-stracWy adv. ab«stract» a*car*pous /akaarpos/ adj. Bot. (of a plant, etc.) with-
or n. (in sense 2 of v.). out fruit or that does not produce fruit.
ab*stract*ed /obstraktid/ adj. inattentive; preoccupied. ac»cede /akseed/ v.intr. (often foil, by to) 1 assent or
nn ab«stract«ed»ly adv. agree. 2 take office, esp. become monarch. 3 formally
abstraction /abstrakshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance subscribe to a treaty or other agreement.
of abstracting or taking away. 2 an abstract or vision- ac*cel*er*an*do /sksebrando, aachebraan-/ adv. &
ary idea. 3 abstract qualities (esp. in art). 4 absent- adj. Mus. with a gradual increase of speed.
mindedness. ac»cel»er»ate /aksetarayt/ v. 1 intr. a (of a moving body)
ab*Struse /abstroos/ adj. hard to understand, nn ab» increase speed, b (of a process) happen more quickly.
struse-ly adv. ab-struse-ness n. 2 tr. a cause to increase speed, b cause to happen more
ab*surd /absard/ adj. wildly unreasonable, illogical, or quickly.
ludicrous, nn ab*surd*ly adv. ab*surd*ness n. ac*cel*er*a*tion /aksebrayshan/ n. 1 the process or act
ab*surd*i*ty /sbsarditee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 wild inappro- of accelerating. 2 (of a vehicle, etc.) the capacity to
priateness or incongruity. 2 an absurd statement or act. gain speed (the car has good acceleration)
a*bun*dance /sbundsns/ «. 1a great quantity; more ac«cel*er*a*tor /aksebraytsr/ n. 1 a device for increas-
than enough. 2 wealth; affluence. ing speed, esp. the pedal that controls the speed of a
a*bun*dant /abundant/ adj. 1 existing or available in vehicle's engine. 2 Physics an apparatus for imparting
large quantities; plentiful. 2 (foil, by in) having an high speeds to charged particles. 3 Chem. a substance
abundance of. nn a»burvdant»ly adv. that speeds up a chemical reaction.
a*buse v. &n. •v.tr. /abyooz/ 1 use to bad effect or for ac»cel»er«om»e»ter/3ksel3romit3r/«. an instrument for
a bad purpose. 2 insult verbally. 3 maltreat; assault measuring acceleration.
(esp. sexually) •«. /abyoos/ 1 incorrect or improper ac»cent n.&v.* n. /aksent/ 1 a mode of pronunciation,
use (the abuse of power) 2 insulting language (a torrent
. esp. one associated with a particular region or group.
of abuse). 3 unjust or corrupt practice. 4 maltreatment 2 prominence given to a syllable by stress or pitch. 3 a
(child abuse), nn a*bus*er /abyoozar/ n. mark on a letter or word to indicate pitch, stress, or
a*bu*sive /obyoosiv/ adj. 1 using insulting language. the quality of a vowel. 4 emphasis (an accent on com-
2 (of language) insulting. 3 given to physical abuse. fort). 5 Mus. emphasis on a particular note or chord
nn a*bu*sive«ly adv. a*bu*sive*ness n. • v.tr. also /aksent/ 1 pronounce with an accent; em-
a»but /abut/ v. (abutted, abutting) 1 intr. (foil, by on) phasize. 2 write or print accents on (words, etc.).
(of countries, etc.) adjoin (another). 2 intr. (foil, by on) 3 Mus. play with an accent.
(of part of a building) touch or lean on (another) with ac«cen»tu»ate /aksenchooayt/ v.tr. emphasize; make
a projecting end or point. 3 tr. abut on. prominent, nn ac»cen»tu«a»tion / ayshon/ n.
a«butTnent /obutmont/ n. the lateral supporting struc- ac»cept /aksept/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) consent to receive
ture of a bridge, arch, etc. (a thing offered). 2 (also absol.) give an affirmative an
a»buzz /abuz/ adv. &
adj. in a state of excitement or swer to. 3 regard favorably (her mother-in-lau ntvn ./
activity. cepted her). 4 a receive (an opinion, explanation, etc.)
a*bys*mal /obizmal/ adj. 1 colloq. extremely bad (abys- as valid, b be prepared to subscribe to (a belieT, philoi
mal weather). 2 profound; utter (abysmal ignorance). ophy, etc.). 5 receive as suitable (the hotel tpti /'•' >i< i

nn a*bys*maMy adv. eler's checks). 6 tolerate; submit 10 (acctptsdttu Utnpin Si

a-byss /obis/ «. 1a deep or seemingly bottomless decision), u ac»cept»er

i i //.

chasm. 2 a an immeasurable depth (abyss of despair). Accept, which means 'to lake thai which is offi >* <l

b a catastrophic situation as contemplated. may be confused with the verb except, which nu ans
a«byss»al /obisol/ adj. at or of the ocean depths or floor. 'to exclude. 'Thus: / accept your terms, hut I with tO l

AC abbr. 1 (also ac) alternating current. 2 air condi- cept the clause catting repayment <>/ the deposit
l<>>
tioning. ac»cept«a»ble /akseptobDl/ adj. 1 a worthy <>i beinfl a*
Ac symb. Chem. the element actinium. cepted. b pleasing; welcome. 2 adequate] saiislac tOTJ
a/c abbr. account. 3 tolerable (an acceptable risk), nn ac*cept*a*bil*i»ty
a«ca»cia /akaysho/ n. 1 any tree of the genus Acacia, / bilitee/ //. ac»cept»a»ble»ness //. ac-cept«a»bly ./,/
with yellow or white flowers. 2 (also false acacia) the ac*cept*ance /nkscptons/ //. 1 willingness to receive or
locust tree, Robinia pseudoacacia. accept 2 an affirmative answer tO an invitation 01 DTO
 .

posal. 3 a approval; belief {found wide acceptance). 5 acceptor ~ account

b willingness or ability to tolerate.
aocep»tor /akseptar/ n. 1 Commerce a person who ings; a place to live. 2 a an adjustment or adaptation
accepts a bill. 2 Physics an atom or molecule able to to suit a special or different purpose, b a convenient
receive an extra electron, esp. an impurity in a sem- arrangement; a settlement or compromise.
iconductor. 3 Chem. a molecule or ion, etc., to which ac»convpa»ni»ment /akumpanimant/ n. 1 Mus. an in-
electrons are donated in the formation of a bond. strumental part supporting a solo instrument, voice,
4 Electr. a circuit able to accept a given frequency. or group. 2 an accompanying thing.
access /akses/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a way of approaching or aocom»pa»nist /akumpanist/ n. a person who provides
reaching or entering (a building with rear access). a musical accompaniment.
2 a (often foil, by to) the right or opportunity to reach ac«corrvpa»ny /akumpsnee/ v.tr. («nies, -nied) 1 go
or use or visit; admittance (has access to secret files) with; escort. 2 (usu. in passive; foil, by with, by) be
b accessibility, •v.tr. Computing gain access to (data, a done or found with; supplement. 3 Mus. support with
file, etc.). accompaniment.
ac«ces«si«ble /aksesibsl/ adj. (often foil, by to) 1 that ac*com*plice /akomplis, skum-/ n. a partner or helper,
can readily be reached, entered, or used. 2 (of a per- esp. in a crime.
son) readily available (esp. to subordinates). 3 (in a
accomplice mid- 1 6th cent.: alteration (probably by-
form) easy to understand, dd ac»ces»si«bil»i»ty /-bili-
association with accompany) of Middle English com-
tee/ n. aoces«si»bly adv.
plice 'an associate,' via Old French from late Latin com-
aoces»sion /akseshgn/ n. &v. mn. A entering upon an
plex, compile- 'allied,' from com- 'together' + the root
office (esp. the throne) or a condition (as adulthood).
of plicare 'to fold.'
2 (often foil, by to) a thing added (e.g., a book to a li-
brary). 3 assent; the formal acceptance of a treaty, etc. ac*COm*plish /akomplish v. tr. perform; complete; suc-
• v.tr. record the addition of (a new item) to a library ceed in doing.
or museum. ac*com*plished /skomplisht/ adj. clever; skilled; well
ac*ces*so«rize /aksesariz/ v.tr. provide (clothing, etc.) trained or educated.
with accessories. ac*COm*plish*ment /akomplishmant/ n. 1 the fulfill-
aoces»sory /aksesaree/ n. & adj. • n. (pi. -ries) 1 an ment or completion (of a task, etc.) 2 an acquired
. skill,

additional or extra thing. 2 (usu. in pi.) a a small at- esp. a social one. 3 a thing done or achieved.
tachment or fitting, b a small item of (esp. a woman's) ac»COrd /akawrd/ v. & n. »v. 1 intr. (often foil, by with)
dress (e.g., shoes, gloves, etc.). 3 (often foil, by to) a (esp. of a thing) be in harmony; be consistent. 2 tr.
person who helps in or knows the details of an (esp. a grant (permission, a request, etc.). b give (a wel-
illegal) act, without taking part in it. •adj. additional; come, etc.). »n. 1 agreement; consent. 2 harmonious
aiding in a minor way; dispensable. ac«ces*so«ri»al correspondence in pitch, tone, color, etc. of one's
/aksesawreeal/ adj. own accord on one's own initiative; voluntarily.
aocess time n. Computing the time taken to retrieve ac»cord»ance /okawrd'ns/ n. harmony; agreement.
data from storage. ac»cord»ing /akawrding/ adv. (foil, by to) 1 as stated by
ac«ciac»ca»tu»ra /acha'akotobra/ n. Mus. a grace note or in (according to my sister) 2 in a manner correspond-
.

performed as quickly as possible before an essential ing to; in proportion to (he lives according to his princi-
note of a melody. ples).
ac*ci*dent /aksictant/ n. 1 an event that is without ac«cord»ing»ly akawrdinglee/ adv. 1 as suggested or
apparent cause, or is unexpected. 2 an unfortunate required by the (stated) circumstances. 2 consequent-
event, esp. one causing physical harm or damage, ly; therefore.
brought about unintentionally. 3 occurrence of things ac»cor»di»on /akawrdeean/ n. a portable musical in-
by chance; the working of fortune (accident accounts strument with reeds blown by bellows and played by
for much in life). by accident unintentionally. means of keys and buttons, an ac*cor»di»on»ist ;/.
ac*ci*den*tal /aksident'l/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 happening
by chance or unexpectedly. 2 not essential to a con-
ception. • n. 1 Mus.a sign indicating a momentary de-
parture from the key signature. 2 something not essen-
tial to a conception, dd ac*ci*den*tal*ly adv.

ac»ci»dent-prone adj. (of a person) subject to frequent

accidents.
acclaim /aklaym/ v. & n. •v.tr. 1 praise publicly. 2
(foil, by compl.) hail as (was acclaimed the winner). »n.
1 applause; public praise. 2 a shout of acclaim.
ac*cla*ma*tion /aktamayshan/ n. 1 loud and eager as-
sent. 2 (usu. in pi.) shouting in a person's honor. 3 the accordion
act or process of acclaiming.
accli-mate /aklimayt, aklimit/ v.tr. acclimatize. ac»cost /akawst, akost/ v.tr. approach and address (a
ac*cli*ma«tion /aklomayshan/ n. acclimatization. person), esp. boldly.
ac*cli«ma*tize /aklimatiz/ v. 1 tr. accustom to a new cli- ac*couche*ment /akooshmoN/ n. 1 childbirth. 2 the
mate or to new conditions. 2 intr. become acclima- period of childbirth.
tized, dd aocli*ma*ti*za*tion /-tizayshan/ n. account /akownt/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a narration or descrip-
aoclivi*ty /oklivitee/ n. (pi. -ties) an upward slope. tion. 2 a an arrangement or facility at a bank, etc., for
do acclivi-tous adj. commercial or financial transactions, esp. for depos-
aoco*lade /akalayd/ n. an acknowledgment of merit. iting and withdrawing money, b an arrangement at a
aocom«mo»date /akomadayt/ v.tr. 1 provide lodging store for buying goods on credit. 3 (often in pi.) a rec-
or room for. 2 adapt; harmonize; reconcile 3 do a serv- ord or statement of money, goods, or services received
.

ice or favor to. or expended, with the balance, •v.tr. (foil, by to be or

ac«convmo»dat»ing /akomadayting/ adj. obliging; compl.) consider; regard as (account him wise; account
compliant, dd aocom*mo*dat*ing*ly adv.
aocom»mo«da«tion /akomadayshan/ n. 1 (inpZ.)lodg- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

accountable ~ achene 6 accusing or being accused. 2 a statement charging a

person with an offense or crime.
him to be guilty), o account for 1 serve as or provide an ac«CU«sa»tive /akyobzativ/ n. &
adj. Gram. • n. the case

explanation or reason for {that accounts for their misbe- of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives expressing the ob-
havior). 2 a give a reckoning of or answer for (money, ject of an action or the goal of motion madj. of or in
etc., entrusted), b answer for (one's conduct). 3 suc- this case.
ceed in killing, destroying, or defeating. 4 make up a ac*cu*sa*to*ri*al /akyobzatawreeal/ adj. Law (of pro-
specified amount or proportion of (rent accounts for 50 ceedings) involving accusation by a prosecutor and a
percent of expenditures) call to account require an ex-
.
verdict reached by an impartial judge or jury.
planation from (a person) keep account of keep a rec-
. ac»cu»sa»tO»ry /akyoozatawree/ adj. of or implying ac-
ord of; follow closely, of no account unimportant, on cusation.
account 1 (of goods or services) to be paid for later. ac*cuse /akyobz/ v.tr. 1 (foil, by of) charge (a person,

2 (of money) in part payment, on account of because etc.) with a fault or crime (accused them of murder).
of. on no account under no circumstances, on one's 2 lay the blame on. dd ac*cus*er n. ac*cus*ing*ly adv.
own account for one's own purposes, take account of ac*CUS*tom /akustam/ v.tr. &
refl. (foil, by to) make (a

(or take into account) consider along with other fac- person or thing or oneself) used to (the army accus-
tors (took their age into account). tomed him to discipline)
Use with as (we accounted him as wise) is considered ac»CUS»tomed /akustamd/ adj. 1 (foil, by to) used to.
incorrect. 2 customary.
ac*COunt*a*ble /akowntabal/ adj. responsible; required ace /ays/ n. &adj. *n. 1 a playing card, domino, etc.,

to account for one's conduct (accountable for one's with a single spot. 2 a a person who excels in some
actions), dd ac«count»a»biM»ty /—bilitee/ n. ac«count«a» activity, b Mil. a pilot who has shot down many en-
bly adv. emy aircraft. 3 (in tennis) a service too good for the
ac»count»an«cy /akownt'nsee/ n. the profession or du- opponent to touch. 4 Golf a hole in one. • adj. si. ex-
ties of an accountant. cellent.
ac*count*ant /akownt'nt/ n. a professional keeper or a»ce»di»a /ase'edia/ n. laziness; sloth; apathy.
inspector of accounts. a«cel»lu»lar/ayselyoolar/a<i/. Biol. 1 having no cells; not
ac*COunt*ing /akownting/ n. the process of or skill in consisting of cells. 2 (esp. of protozoa) consisting of
keeping accounts. one cell only; unicellular.
ac»cou»tre»ment /akobtramant, -tarmant/ n. (also ac» a*ceph*a*IOUS /asefalas, akef-/ adj. 1 headless. 2 hav-
cou»ter»ment /-tarmant) (usu. in pi) 1 equipment; ing no chief. 3 Zool. having no part of the body spe-
trappings. 2 Mil. a soldier's outfit other than weapons cially organized as a head.
and garments. a*cer*bic /aserbik/ adj. 1 astringently sour. 2 bitter in
accredit /akredit/ v.tr. (accredited, accrediting) 1 speech, manner, or temper, dd a»cer»bi»caMy adv. a»
(foil, by to) attribute (a saying, etc.) to (a person). 2 cer»bi»ty n. (pi. -ties).

(foil, by with) credit (a person) with (a saying, etc.). 3 ac*e*tab*u*lum /asitabyoolam/ n. (pi. acetabulums or
(usu. foil, by to or at) send (an ambassador, etc.) with acetabula /-la/) Zool. 1 the socket for the head of the
credentials, dd ac»cred»i»ta»tion /-tayshan/ n. thighbone, or of the leg in insects. 2 a cup-shaped suck-
ac»cred»it»ed /akreditid/ adj. (of a person or organiza- er of various organisms.
tion) officially recognized. a«ce»ta«min»0»phen /aseetaminafan/ n. a crystalline
ac»crete /akre'et/ v. 1 intr. grow together or into one. substance, C 8 Q H N0
2 that is used
, medically to reduce
2 intr. (often foil, by to) form around or on, as around fever and relieve pain.
a nucleus. 3 tr. attract (such additions). ac*e*tate /asitayt/ n. 1 a salt or ester of acetic acid. 2 a
ac»cre»tion /akre'eshan/ n. 1 growth by organic enlarge- fabric made from cellulose acetate.
ment. 2 a the growing of separate things into one. a»ce»tic /ase'etik/ adj. of or like vinegar.
b the product of such growing. 3 extraneous matter a»ce»tic ac»id n. the clear liquid acid that gives vinegar
added to anything, an ac*cre*tive adj. its characteristic taste.
ac*crue /akrob/ v.intr. (accrues, accrued, accru- ac*e«tone /asiton/ n. a colorless, volatile liquid valua-
ing) (often foil, by to) come as a natural increase ble as a solvent of organic compounds, esp. paints.
or advantage, esp. financial, dd ac*cru*al n. ac*crued a*ce*tOUS /asitas, ase'e-/ adj. 1 having the qualities of
adj. vinegar. 2 producing vinegar. 3 sour.
ac*cul*tur*ate /akiilcharayt/ v. 1 intr. adapt to or adopt a»ce»tyl»cho»line /asitilkoleen, asitil-/ n. a compound
a different culture. 2 tr. cause to do this, dd ac*cul*tur* serving to transmit impulses from nerve fibers.
a«tion /-rayshan/ n. ac*cul*tur*a*tive /-rativ/ adj. a*cet*y*lene /asetileen/ n. a colorless hydrocarbon gas,
ac*CU*mu*late /akyobmyalayt/ v. 1 tr. a acquire an in- burning with a bright flame, used esp. in welding.
creasing number or quantity of. b produce or acquire a«ce»tyl«sal»i»cyl»ic ac»id /asitilsalisilik/ n. - aspirin.
(a resulting whole) in this way. 2 intr. form an increas- A»chae«an /ake'ean/ adj. Of n. •ad). 1 of or relating to
ing mass or quantity. Achaea in ancient Greece. 2 literary Greek. •;/. 1 an
ac*CU*mu*la*tion /akyoomyalayshan/ n. 1 the act or inhabitant of Achaea. 2 literary a Greek.
process of accumulating or being accumulated. 2 an ache/ayk/n. &v. *n. 1 a continuous or prolonged dull
accumulated mass. pain. 2 mental distress •v.intr. 1 sutler from or be the
ac*cu«mu*la«tive /akyobmyalaytiv, -lativ/ adj. 1 arising source of an ache. 2 (foil, by to + infin.) desire great-
from accumulation; cumulative (accumulative ev- ly, dd ach»ing»ly adv.
idence). 2 arranged so as to accumulate.
ac«cu»mu»la»tor /akyobmyalaytar/ n. a person who ache Old Hn^lish <ccc (noun), acan (verb). In Middle
accumulates things. and early modern English the noun was spelled «//<//«
ac»cu»ra»cy /akyarasee/ n. exactness or precision. and pronounced so as to rhyme with 'bat< h,' the verb
ac«cu«rate /akyarat/ adj. 1 careful; precise; lacking was spelled and pronounced as it is todf) The nOUfl
errors. 2 conforming exactly with a qualitative stand- began to be pronounced like the verb BTOUnd 700. I

ard, dd ac*cu*rate*ly adv. The modern spelling is largely dm- to Dr. |i>hnson,
ac»curs»ed 'nkorsid, nkarst/ adj. 1 under a curse; ill- who mistakenly assumed its derivation to DC from
1

fated. 2 coUoq. detestable; annoying. Greek akhos 'pain.

ac*CU*sa*tion /akya/.ayshan/ n. 1 the act or process of a«chene /ake'en/ n. Hot. a small, dry, one-seeded hint
 .

that does not open to liberate the seed (e.g., a straw- 7 Acheulian - acrobat
berry pip).
A»cheu»li»an /ashoblian/ adj. &n. (also Acheule- a»COn»i»tine /akoniteen/ n. Pharm. a poisonous alkaloid
an)» adj. of the Paleolithic period in Europe, etc., fol- obtained from the aconite plant.
lowing the Abbevillian and preceding the Mousteri- a«corn /aykorn/ n. the fruit of the oak, a smooth nut in
an.««. the culture of this period. a rough cuplike base.
a»chieve /ache'ev/ v.tr. 1 a reach or attain by effort a»cot»y»le*don /akotile'ed'n' n. a plant with no distinct
{achieved victory), b acquire; gain {achieved notoriety). seed leaves, no acotyledonous adj.
2 accomplish or carry out (a feat or task). 3 absol. at- a*COUS*tic /akobstik/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 relating to sound

tain a desired level of performance, an a«chiev«a»ble or hearing. 2 (of a musical instrument or recording)
adj. a«chiev»er n. not having electrical amplification. 3 (of building
a»chievernent/3che'evm3nt/«. 1 something achieved. materials) used for soundproofing. • n. 1 (usu. in pi.)
2 the act of achieving. the properties or qualities (esp. of a room or hall) in
A*chiMes heel /akileez/ n. a person's weak or vulner- transmitting sound. 2 (in p/.; usu. treated as sing.) the
able point. science of sound, an a»cous«ti»cal adj. a»cous»ti»caMy
A*chil*les tervdon /akileez/ n. the tendon connecting adv.
the heel with the calf muscles. a*COUS*tic COU»pler n. Computing a modem that con-
a»chro»mat»ic /akrOmatik/ adj. Optics 1 that transmits verts digital signals into audible signals and vice ver-
lightwithout separating it into constituent colors {ach- sa.
romatic lens). 2 without color, dd a»chromat»i»caMy ac*OUS*ti*cian akoostishgn/ n. an expert in acoustics.
adv. a«chroma»tism /skrOmatizgm/ n. aoquaint skwaynt v. tr. & refl. (usu. foil, by zvith) make

ach»y /aykee/ adj. (achier, achiest) full of or suffering (a person or oneself) familiar with.
from aches. aoquaint*ance akwayntans, //. 1 (usu. foil, by with)
aoid /asid/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 Chem. any of a class of sub- knowledge. 2 the fact of being acquainted. 3 a
slight
stances that liberate hydrogen ions in water, are usu. person one knows slightly. aoquaint»ance»ship n. :
sour and corrosive, turn litmus red, and have a pH of aoqui»esce /akwee-es v.intr. 1 agree, esp. tacitly. 2
less than 7.2 (in general use) any sour substance. 3 si. (foil, by in) accept (an arrangement, etc.). an aoqui*

the drug LSD. • adj. 1 sharp-tasting; sour. 2 biting; es»cence n. aoqui»es»cent adj.
sharp {an acid wit). 3 Chem. having the essential prop- aoquire akwir/ v.tr. 1 gain by and for oneself; obtain.
erties of an acid. 4 (of a color) intense; bright, an a* 2 come into possession of. aa ac*quir-a»ble adj. ao
cid»ic /asidik/ adj. aoi»dim»e«try /asidimitree/ n. aoid* quirernent n.
ly adv. aoquired char»aoter»is»tic n. Biol, a characteristic
aoid»head /asidhed/ n. si. a user of the drug LSD. caused by the environment, not inherited.
a«cid»i*fy /asidifi/ v.tr. & intr. («fies, «fied) make or be- aoquired invmune dofi»cien»cy syn»drome >/. Med.
come acid, dd a»cid»i»fi»ca«tion /-fikayshan/ n. see .aids.

{pi. -ties) an acid quality or state,

a«cid»i»ty /asiditee/ n. aoqui»si«tion akwizishsn ;/. 1 something acquired,
esp. an excessively acid condition of the stomach. esp. if regarded as useful. 2 the act or an instance of
aoid rain n. acid formed in the atmosphere, esp. from acquiring.
industrial waste gases, and falling with rain. aoquis*i*tive okwizitiv/ adj. eager to acquire things.
aoid test n. 1a severe or conclusive test. 2 a test in aa aoquis»i«tive»ly adv. aoquis«i«tive»ness ;/.
which acid is used to test for gold, etc. aoquit akwit v. (acquitted, acquitting) 1 tr. (often foil,
a*cid*u*late /asidyoolayt/ v.tr. make somewhat acid. by of) declare (a person) not guilty. 2 refl. a conduct
do a*cid*u*la*tion /-layshan/ n. oneself in a specified way {we acquitted ourselves weS).
a*cid*u*lous /asidyootas/ adj. somewhat acid. b (foil, by of) discharge (a duty or responsibility).
aoi-nus /asinas/ n. {pi. acini /-ni/) 1 any of the small aoquiMal okuit'l ;/. 1 the process of freeing or being
elements that make up a compound fruit of the black- freed from a charge, esp. by a judgment of not guilty.
berry, raspberry, etc. 2 the seed of a grape or berry. 2 performance of a duty.
3 Anat. a any multicellular gland with saclike secret- aoquiMance akwit'ns n. 1 payment of or release
ing ducts, b the terminus of a duct in such a gland. from a debt. 2 a written receipt attesting settlement of
ack-ack /akak/ adj. colloq. antiaircraft. a debt.
aoknowl*edge /aknolij/ v.tr. 1 a recognize; accept. a»cre aykor n. 1 a measure of land, 4,840 sq. yds.,
b (often foil, by to be + compl.) recognize as. C (often 4047 sq. m. 2 (in pi.) a large area, aa a*cred adj. (al-
foil, by that + clause or to + infin.) admit that some- so in comb. )
thing is so. 2 confirm the receipt of. 3 a show that one
acre Old English cecer (denoting the amount of land
has noticed, b express appreciation of (a service, etc.).
a yoke of oxen could plough in a day), of Germanic
dd aoknowl*edge*a*ble adj.
origin; related to Dutch akkcr and German Acker
aoknowl»edg»ment /aknolijmant/ n. (also aoknowl*
'field,' from an Indo-European root shared by San-
edgernent) 1 the act or an instance of acknowledging.
skrit ajra 'field,' Latin ager, and Greek agros.
2 a a thing given or done in return for a service, etc.
b a letter confirming receipt of something. 3 (usu. in a*cre«age /aykarij, aykrij n. 1 a number of acres. 2 an
pi.) an author's statement of indebtedness to others. extent of land.
ACLU abbr. American Civil Liberties Union. aorid /akrid/ adj. (acrider, acridest) 1 bitterly pungent;
aome /akmee/ n. the highest point or period; the peak irritating; corrosive. 2 bitter in temper or manner, aa a»
of perfection. crid»i»ty -riditee/ n. aorid-ly adv.
aone /aknee/ n. a skin condition characterized by red aori»mo«ni»OUS akrimOneeas/ adj. bitter in manner or
pimples, a a aoned adj. temper, aa aori«mc-ni«ous»ly adv.
aoolyte /akalit/ n. 1 a person assisting a priest. 2 an aori«mo«ny /akrimonee/ n. {pi. «nies) bitterness of tem-
assistant; a beginner. per or manner; ill feeling.
aoonite /akanit/ n. 1 a any poisonous plant of the ge- aoro»bat /akrabat/ //. a performer of spectacular gym-
nus Aconitum. b the drug obtained from this. Also nastic feats, aa aorobat«ic /-batik/ adj. aorobat»i»cal»
called aconitine. 2 (in full winter aconite) any ranun- ly adv.
culaceous plant of the genus Eranthis, with yellow
flowers. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

acrobatics ~ acupressure 8 ac»tion /akshan/ n. &

v. • n. 1 the fact or process of do-

ing or acting (put ideas into action). 2 forcefulness or

aoro»bat»ics /akrabatiks/ n.pl. 1 acrobatic feats. 2 (as energy as a characteristic (a woman of action). 3 the ex-
sing.) the art of performing these. 3 a skill requiring ertion of energy or influence (the action of acid on met-
ingenuity {mental acrobatics) al). 4 something done; a deed or act (not aware of his

ac«ro»gen /akrajan/ n. Bot. any nonflowering plant hav- own actions). 5 a a series of events represented in a sto-
ing a perennial stem with the growing point at its apex, ry, play, etc. b si. exciting activity (arrived late and
e.g., a fern or moss, no a«crog«e«nous /akrojinas/ adj. missed the action) 6 a armed conflict; fighting (killed in
.

aoro»nym /akranim/ n. a word formed from the initial action), b an occurrence of this. 7 a the way in which
letters of other words (e.g., laser, NATO). a machine, instrument, etc., works (explain the action
a»crop»e»tal /akropit'l/ adj. Bot. developing from below of an air pump) b the mechanism that makes a ma-
.

upwards, dd a»crop»e«taMy adv. chine, instrument, etc., work. C the mode or style of
ac»ro»pho»bi»a /akrafobeea/ n. Psychol, an abnormal movement of an animal or human (usu. described in
dread of heights, an ac»ro»pho«bic /-fobik/ adj. some way) (a runner with good action) 8 a legal proc- .

a«crop»o»lis /akropalis/ n. a citadel of an ancient Greek ess; a lawsuit (bring an action) 9 (in imper. ) a word of .

city. command to begin, esp. used by a film director, etc.

a*cross /akraws, akros/ prep. &
adv. mprep. 1 to or on • v. tr. bring a legal action against. out of action not
the other side of (lives across the river) 2 from one side
. working.
to another side of (a bridge across the river) 3 at or form-
. ac*tion*a*ble /akshanabal/ adj. giving cause for legal
ing an angle (esp. a right angle) with (deep cuts across action.
his legs), madv. 1 to or on the other side (ran across). ac'tion paint*ing n. an aspect of abstract expressionism
2 from one side to another (a blanket stretched across) with paint applied by the artist's random or sponta-
3 forming a cross (with cuts across) 4 (of a crossword
. neous gestures.
clue or answer) read horizontally, d across the board ac*ti*vate /aktivayt/ v.tr. 1 make active; bring into ac-
applying to all. tion.2 Chem. cause reaction in; excite (a substance,
Avoid pronouncing across with a r-sound at the end molecules, etc.). 3 Physics make radioactive, an ac»ti»
of the word; many regard this as uneducated va*tion /-vayshan/ n. ac»ti»va»tor n.
pronunciation. ac»ti ve /aktiv/ a<i/. &n. madj. 1 a consisting in or marked
a»cros«tic /akrawstik, akros-/ n. 1 a poem in which cer- by action; energetic; (leads an active life) b able to move .

tain letters in each line form a word or words. 2 a word about or accomplish practical tasks. 2 working. 3 orig-
puzzle constructed in this way. inating action; not merely passive (active support) 4 ra- .

a»cryl»ic /akrilik/ adj. &

n. • adj. 1 made with a synthet- dioactive. 5 Gram, designating the voice that attribut-
ic polymer derived from acrylic acid. 2 Chem. of or de- es the action of a verb to the person or thing from
rived from acrylic acid. • n. an acrylic fiber. which it logically proceeds (e.g., of the verbs in guns
a»cryl»ic ac»id n. pungent liquid organic acid.
a kill; we saw him) • n. Gram, the active form or voice of

ACT abbr. American College Test. a verb, dd ac»tive«ly adv. ac»tive«ness n.

act /akt/ n. &
v. • n. 1 something done; an action. 2 the ac»tive service n. service in the armed forces during
process of doing something (caught in the act) 3 a a a war.
.

piece of entertainment, b the performer(s) of this. 4 a ac»tiv»ism /aktivizam/ n. a policy of vigorous action in
pretense (it was all an act) 5 a main division of a play
. a cause, esp. in politics, dd activist n.
or opera. 6 a a written ordinance of a legislative body. ac»tiv»i»ty /aktivitee/ n. (pi. »ties) 1 a the condition of
b a document attesting a legal transaction. 7 (often in being active or moving about, b the exertion of energy.
pi.) the recorded decisions or proceedings of a 2 (often in pi.) a particular occupation or pursuit (out-
committee, etc. 8 (Acts) (in full Acts of the Apostles) door activities) 3 = RADIOACTIVITY. .

the New Testament book relating the growth of the act of God n. the operation of uncontrollable natural
early Church. • v. 1 intr. behave. 2 intr. perform actions forces.
or functions; take action (act as referee; we must act ac»tor /aktar/ n. 1 the performer of a part in a play, mov-
quickly). 3 intr. (also foil, by on) exert energy or in- ie, etc. 2 a person whose profession is performing such
fluence (alcohol acts on the brain) 4 intr. a perform a
. parts.
part in a play, movie, etc. b pretend. 5 tr. a perform ac»tress /aktris/ n. a female actor.
the part of (acts the fool), b perform (a play, etc.). C por- ac*tu*al /akchooal/ adj. (usu. attrib.) 1 existing in fact;
tray (an incident) by actions, d feign. act for be the real (often as distinct from ideal) 2 existing now. dd ac« .

representative of. act out 1 translate (ideas, etc.) into tu*al*ize v. tr. ac*tu*al*i*za*tion / lizayshan/ n. Redun-
action. 2 Psychol, represent (one's subconscious dant use, as in tell me the actual facts, is disputed, but
desires, etc.) in action, act up colloq. misbehave; give common.
trouble, get one's act together 5/. become properly or- ac»tu»al»i»ty /akchOO-alitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 reality. 2 (in
ganized, get in on the act 5/. become a participant (esp. pi.) existingconditions.
for profit), put on an act colloq. carry out a pretense. ac*tu*aMy /akchooalee/ adv. 1 as a fact; really (tun, ,;<
&
acMng /akting/ n. attrib. *n. 1 the art or occupation tually worked on a job). 2 emphasizing that something
of an actor. 2 in senses of act v. • attrib. adj. serving someone has said or done is surprising (//(• actually ><
temporarily or on behalf of another or others (acting fused!).
manager) ac»tu»ar»y /akchOoeree/ n. (pi. «ies) M3 expert in statis-
ac*ti*nide /aktinid/ n. Chem. any of the series of 15 ra- tics, esp. one who calculates insurance risks, i n i
ac*tu*
dioactive elements having increasing atomic numbers ar»i«al / chooaireeal/ adj. ac»tu»ar»i«aMy adv.
from actinium to lawrencium. ac»tu»ate /akchoo ayt/ v.tr. 1 communicate motion to
ac«tin»i»um /aktineeam/ n. Chem. a radioactive metal- (a machine, etc.). 2 cause the operation of (an elc
lic element of the actinide series, occurring naturally trical device, etc.). 3 cause fa person; to act. H ac«tu» | I

in pitchblende. <[ Symb.: Ac. a*tion / ayshan/ ;/. ac»tu»a«tor //.

ac«ti»nom»e»ter /aktinomitar/ n. an instrument for a*CU*i*ty /akyobitee/ n. sharpness; acuteness.
measuring the intensity of radiation, esp. ultraviolet a»cu»men /akyaman/ >/. keen insight 01 discernment
radiation. a*CU*mi*nate /akyoominoi, nayl aaj. BioL tapering to
ac»tin»o»mor-phic /aktinamawrfik/ adj. Biol, radially a point.
symmetrical. ac*u«pres*sure 'akyapreshar/ ;/. a form <>f therapy in
 .

which symptoms are relieved by applying pressure 9 acupuncture ~ adiantum

with the fingers to specific points on the body.
aC'U*punc«ture /akyapungkchar/ n. a method (orig. dition to the team) a in addition moreover; furthermore;
.

Chinese) of treating various conditions by pricking the as well.

skin or tissues with needles, dd ac»u»punc»tur»ist n. ad*di*tion*al /adishanaL' adj. added; extra; supplemen-
a*cute /akyobt/ adj. &
n. •adj. (acuter. acutest) 1 a (of tary, do ad*di*tion*al*ly adv.
senses, etc.) keen; penetrating, b (of pain) intense; se- ad»di»tive /aditiv/ n. a thing added (food additive).
vere; sharp. 2 shrewd; perceptive. 3 (of a disease) com- ad*dle /ad'l/ v. &
adj. mv. 1 tr. muddle; confuse. 2 intr.

ing sharply to a crisis; severe. 4 (of a difficulty) crit-
ical; serious. 5 a (of an angle) less than 90°. b sharp;
pointed. 6 (of a sound) shrill. • n. = acute accent, do a»
cute«ly adv. a»cute«ness n.
a*cute aocent n. a mark (') placed over letters in some
languages to show quality, vowel length, pronuncia-
tion (e.g., mate), etc.
AD abbr. (of a date) of the Christian era.
Strictly, ad should precede a date (e.g., ad 4 1 0), but
uses such as the tenth century ad are well established.
ad /ad/ n. colloq. an advertisement.
ad»age /adij/ n. a traditional maxim; a proverb.
(of an egg) become addled, madj. muddled; unsound.
ad*dled /ad'ld/ adj. 1 (of an egg) rotten, producing no
chick. 2 muddled.
ad*dress adres/ n. &v. •«. 1 (also /adres/) a the place
where a person lives or an organization is situated.
b particulars of this, esp. for postal purposes. C Com-
puting the location of an item of stored information.
2 a discourse delivered to an audience. 3 skill; desx-
terity; readiness, • v.tr. 1 write directions for delivery
on (an envelope, package, etc.). 2 direct in speech or
writing (remarks, a protest, etc.). 3 speak or write to,
esp. formally (addressed the audience) 4 direct one's .

a*da*gio /adaazheeo/ adv., adj., n. Mus. • adv. & adj. &

attention to. 5 Golf take aim at or prepare to hit (the
in slow time. •«. an adagio movement or passage. ball)
Ad*am /adam/ n. the first man, in the biblical and ad»dress»ee adrese'e/ n. the person to whom some-
Koranic traditions. thing is addressed.
ad»a»mant /adamant/ adj. stubbornly resolute dd ad«a» ad*duce /adobs, adyobs v.tr. cite as an instance or as
mance n. ad«a»manMy adv. proof or evidence, dd ad*duc*i*ble adj.
Ad»am's ap*ple n. a projection of the thyroid cartilage ad»e»nine ad'neen, -in; n. a purine derivative found in
of the larynx. all living tissue as a component base of DNA or RXA.
a*dapt /adapt/ v. 1 tr. a (foil, by ad*e*noids ad'noydz/ n.pl. Med. a mass of enlarged
to) fit; adjust (one thing
to another), b (foil, by to, for) make suitable for a lymphatic tissue between the back of the nose and the
purpose. C alter or modify (esp. a text). 2 intr. refl. &
throat, often hindering speaking and breathing in the
(usu. foil, by to) become adjusted to new conditions. young, dd ad»e«noi»dal -noyd'l adj.
dd a«dap*tive adj. Avoid confusing adapt with adopt. ad»e»no»ma ad'nQma/ n. (pi. adenomas or adenoma-
Trouble sometimes arises because in adapting to ta -mata/) a glandlike benign tumor.
new conditions an animal or plant can be said to a»den»o«sine adenaseen n. a compound of adenine
adopt something, e.g., a new color or behavior pat- and ribose present in all living tissue in a combined
tern. form (see AMP, atp).
a*dapt*a*ble /adaptabal/ adj. 1 able to adapt oneself to a»dept adj. &
n. •adj. /adept (foil, by at, in) thorough-
new conditions. 2 that can be adapted, dd a»dapt»a»bil» ly proficient. »n. adept a skilled performer; an ex-
i»ty /-bilitee/ n. a*dapt*a*bly adv. pert, dd a»depMy ado. a»dept»ness //.
ad*ap*ta*tion /adaptayshan/ n. 1 the act or process of ad*e»quate adikwat adj. 1 sufficient; satisfactory. 2
adapting or being adapted. 2 a thing that has been (foil, by to) proportionate. 3 barely sufficient, dd ad»
adapted. e*qua*cy ;/. ad*e*quate«ly adv.
a*dapt*er /adaptor/ n. (also a*dap*tor) 1 a device for ad fin. ad fin abbr. at or near the end. [L ad finem]
making equipment compatible. 2 a person who ADHD abbr. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
adapts. ad«here adheer v.imr. 1 (usu. foil, by to) (of a sub-
ad*ax*i*al /adakseeal/ adj. Bot. facing toward the stem stance) stick fast to a surface, another substance, etc.
of a plant, esp. of the upper side of a leaf (cf. abaxial). 2 (foil, by to) behave according to (adhered to our plan)
ADD abbr. attention deficit disorder. 3 (foil, by to) give support or allegiance.
add /ad/ v. tr. 1 join (one thing to another) as an increase ad»her»ent adhe'erant, -her- n. &
adj. • n. 1a sup-
or supplement. 2 put together (numbers) to find their porter of a party, person, etc. 2 a devotee of an activ-
combined value. 3 say in addition, d add in include. ity. • adj. (often foil, by to) (of a substance) sticking
add to increase (this adds to our difficulties), add up fast, dd ad»her»ence -rans/ n.
1 find the total of. 2 (foil, by to) amount to (adds up to ad«he*sion adhe'ezhan n. 1 the act or process of ad-
a disaster). 3 colloq. make sense, dd add*er adj. hering. 2 the capacity of a substance to stick fast.
ad*den*dum /adendam/ n. (pi. addenda /-da/) a thing 3 Med. an unnatural union of surfaces due to inflam-
(usu. something omitted) to be added, esp. (in pi.) as mation. 4 the maintenance of contact between the
additional matter at the end of a book. wheels of a vehicle and the road. 5 the giving of sup-
ad»der /adar/ n. any of various small venomous snakes. port or allegiance. More common in physical sens-
ad'dict v. & n. mv.tr. &
refl. /adikt/ (usu. foil, by to) de- es (e.g., the glue has good adhesion) with adherence used ,

vote or apply habitually or compulsively; make addict- in abstract senses (e.g., adherence to principles).
ed. • n. /adikt/ 1 a person addicted to a substance or a ad«he*sive adheesiv, -ziv/ adj.
/ &
n. • adj. enabling sur-
habit (drug addict) 2 colloq. an enthusiastic devotee of
. faces or substances to adhere to one another. • n. an
a pastime (movie addict). adhesive substance, dd ad«he«sive«ly adv.
ad»dict»ed /adiktid/ adj. (foil, by to) 1 dependent on; ad»hib«it adhibit v.tr. (adhibited, adhibiting) 1 affix.
unable to do without (addicted to heroin; addicted to 2 apply or administer (a remedy), dd ad*hi*bi*tion
smoking). 2 devoted (addicted to football). /adhibishan/ n.
ad*diotion /adikshan/ n. the fact or process of being ad hoc /ad hok/ adv. &
adj. formed or done for a par-
addicted. ticular purpose only (an ad hoc committee).
ad»dic»tive /adiktiv/ adj. (of a drug, habit, etc.) caus- ad ho«mi«nem /ad hOminem, ho-/ adv. adj. relating&
ing addiction. to or associated with a particular person.
ad»di«tion /adishan/ n. 1 the act or process of adding
or being added. 2 a person or thing added (a useful ad- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

adieu ~ adolescent
a*dieu /adyob, adob/ int. &
n. mint, good-bye. •n. (pi.
adieus or adieux /adyobz, adooz/) a good-bye.
ad irvfi»ni«tum /ad infinitam/ adv. without limit; for-
ever.
ad*i*os /a'adee-bs, adee-7 int. good-bye.
ad»i»po»cere /adiposeer/ n. a grayish fatty or soapy sub-
stance generated in dead bodies subjected to mois-
ture.
ad*i*pose /adipos/ adj. of or characterized by
i»pos»i»ty /-positee/ n.
ad*ja*cent /ajaysant/ adj. (often foil, by to) lying near
or adjoining, dd ad»ja«cervcy /-sansee/ n.
ad»jec«tive /ajiktiv/ n. a word or phrase naming an at-
tribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun.
dd ad»jec»ti«val /ajiktival/ adj. ad»jec»ti«val«ly adv.
ad«join /ajoyn/ v.tr. (often as adjoining adj.) be next to
and joined with.
ad*journ /ajarn/ v. 1 tr. a put off; postpone, b break off
(a meeting, discussion, etc.) with the intention of re-
suming later. 2 intr. (of persons at a meeting): a break
off proceedings and disperse, b (foil, by to) transfer the
meeting to another place, dd ad»journ»ment
adjudge /ajuj/ v.tr. 1 adjudicate (a matter). 2 (often
foil, by that + clause, or to + infin.)
cially. 3 (foil, by to) award judicially.
ad*ju*di*cate /ajobdikayt/ v. 1 intr. act as judge in a
competition, court, tribunal, etc. 2 tr. decide judicial-
ly regarding (a claim, etc.). dd ad*ju*di*ca*tion /-dikay-
shan/ n. ad*ju*di*ca*tive adj. ad»ju»di»ca»tor n.
adjunct /ajungkt/ n. 1 (foil, by to, of) a subordinate or
incidental thing. 2 an assistant,
/ajiingktiv/ adj.
ad*jure /ajobr/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by to + infin.) charge or
request (a person) solemnly or earnesdy, esp. under
oath, dd ad*ju*ra*tion /ajoDrayshan/ n.
ad«just /ajust/ v. 1 tr. a arrange; put in the correct or-
der or position, b regulate, esp. by a small amount.
2 tr. (usu. by to) make suitable. 3 tr. harmonize
foil,
(discrepancies). 4 tr. assess (loss or damages). 5 intr.
(usu. foil, by to) make oneself suited to; become famil-
iar with, an ad*just*a*ble adj. ad*just*a*bil*i*ty
/ajustabilitee/ n. ad*just»er n. ad*just*ment n.
ad*ju*tant /ajat'nt/ n. 1 a Mil. an officer who assists
superior officers by communicating orders, conduct-
ing correspondence, etc. b an assistant. 2 a giant In-
dian stork.
ad &
n. mv.intr. (ad libbed, ad
lib /ad lib/ v., adj., adv.,
libbing) speak or perform without preparation; impro-
vise, madj. improvised. *adv. as one pleases; to any de-
sired extent, •n. something spoken or played extem-
pore.
ad libitum /ad libitam/ adv. =adub adv.
ad li*tem /ad litem/ adj. (of a guardian, etc.) appointed
for a lawsuit.
ad*man /adman/ n. (pi. admen) colloq.
produces advertisements commercially.
ad*min*is*ter /administar/ v. 1 tr. attend to the running
of (business affairs, etc.). 2 tr. a be responsible for the
implementation of (the law, punishment, etc.). b Eccl.
perform the rites of (a sacrament), c (usu. foil, by to)
direct the taking of (an oath). 3 tr. a provide; apply (a
remedy), b give; deliver (a rebuke). 4 intr. act as ad-
ministrator, an ad»min«is»tra»ble adj.
ad*min*is*trate administrayt/ v.tr. intr. & administer 4 (foil, by of) warn,
(esp. business affairs).
adTnin«is»tra»tion /administrayshan/ n. 1 man-
agement of a business. 2 the management of public
affairs; government. 3 the government in power. 4 a a
President's period of office, ba President's advisers,
cabinet officials, and their subordinates. 5 Law the
management of another person's estate. 6 (foil, by of)
.
10 a the administering of justice, an oath, etc. b applica-
tion of remedies.
ad»min»is»tra»tive /administraytiv, -trativ/ adj. con-
cerning or relating to the management of affairs, dd ad»
min«is»tra»tive«ly adv.
ad»min»is«tra»tor /administraytar/ n. {fern. ad*min*i*
person who administers
stra*trix /administratriks/) 1 a
a business or public affairs. 2 a person capable of or-
ganizing. 3 Law a person appointed to manage the es-
tate of a person who has died intestate.
fat. dd ad» ad*mi*ra*ble /admarabal/ adj. 1 deserving admiration.
2 excellent, dd ad*mi*ra*biy adv.
ad*mi*ral /admaral/ n. 1 a the commander in chief of a
country's navy, b a naval officer of high rank, the com-
mander of a fleet or squadron. 2 any of various but-
terflies (red admiral).
admiral Middle English (denoting an emir or Sara-
cen commander): from Old French amiral, admirail,
via medieval Latin from Arabic 'amir 'commander'
(from 'amara 'to command'). The ending -al was from
Arabic -al- in the sense 'of the' used in forming tides
(e.g. 'amir-al-'umara 'ruler of rulers'), later assimilated
to the familiar Latinate suffix -al.
n.
ad»mi«ral«ty /admaraltee/ n. (pi. «ties) Law trial and
pronounce judi- decision of maritime questions and offenses.
ad*mi*ra*tion /admirayshan/ n. 1 pleased contempla-
tion. 2 respect; warm approval. 3 an object of this (was
the admiration of the whole town)
ad*mire /admir/ v.tr. 1 regard with approval, respect,
or satisfaction. 2 express one's admiration of.
ad»mir»er /odmirar/ h. 1a person's suitor. 2 a person
dd adjunctive who admires.
ad«mir«ing /admiring/ adj. showing admiration, dd ad«
mir*ing*ly adv.
ad*mis*si*ble /admisibal/ adj. 1 (of an idea) worth con-
sidering. 2 Law allowable as evidence. 3 (foil, by to)
capable of being admitted, dd ad*mis*si*bil«i*ty /-bili-
tee/ n.
ad*mis*sion /admishan/ n. 1 an acknowledgment
(admission of error). 2 a the right of entering, b a charge
for this. 3 a person admitted to a hospital.
Admission traditionally referred to the price paid
for entry or the right to enter: Admission was S5. Ad-
mittance more often referred to physical entry: We were
denied admittance by a large man with a forbidding scowl.
In the sense of 'permission or right to enter,' these
words have become almost interchangeable, although
admittance is more formal and technical.
ad*mit /admit/ v. (admitted, admitting) 1 tr. a (often
foil, by to be, or that + clause) acknowledge; recognize
as true, b accept as valid. 2 intr.(fo\\. by to) acknowl-
edge responsibility for (a deed, fault, etc.). 3 tr. a al-
low (a person) entrance or access, b allow (a person)
to be a member of (a group, etc.) or to share in (a priv-
ilege, etc.). C (of a hospital, etc.) bring in (a person)
a person who for inpatient treatment. 4 tr. (of an enclosed space)
have room for. 5 intr. (foil, by of) allow as possihle.
ad*mit*tance /admit'ns/ n. the right of admitting.
ad«mit«ted«ly /admitidlee/ adv. as an acknowledged
fact.
ad*mix*ture /admikschar/ n. 1 a thing added. 2 the at t
of adding this.
ad*mon*ish /admonish/ v.tr. 1 reprove. 2 (loll, bv to %
infin., or that + clause) urge. 3 give earnest ad\ u C i"
ad»mon»ish»ment n. ad»mc-ni»
i ii
tionadmonishan n. ad»mon-i»to«ry </.//
ad nau*se*am /ad naw/.ecam/ adv. to an excessive <>r
disgusting degree.
a»dO /adob/ n. (pi. ados) fuss; busy activity; trouble.
a»do»be r>dobee/ n. 1 a sun-dried brick of elav ami
straw. 2 the clay used for making such bricks.
ad»o«les«cent adalesant/aJ;. &n. •</<//. between hild- <.
 . .
hood and adulthood. • n. an adolescent person, dd ad»
oles»cence /-sans/ n.
A*don*is /adonis, ado-/ n. a handsome young man.
a*dopt /adopt/ v.tr. 1 take (a person) into a relation-
ship, esp. another's child as one's own. 2 choose to fol-
low (a course of action, etc.) 3 take over (a name, idea,
. favorable circumstance). 2 exploit (a person), esp. un-
etc.). 4 accept; formally approve (a report, etc.). dd a»
dop'tion /-dopshan/ n.
See note at adapt.
a*dop*ti ve /adoptiv/ adj. due to adoption {adoptive son)
a»dor«a»ble /adawrabal/ adj. 1 deserving adoration.
2 colloq. delightful; charming, dd a«dor»a«bly adv.
a*dore /adawr/ v. tr. 1 regard with honor and deep af-
fection. 2 worship as divine. 3 colloq. like very much.
dd ad»o»ra«tion /adarayshan/ n. a*dor*ing adj. a»dor«
ing»ly adv.
a*dor*er /adawrar/ n. 1a worshiper. 2 an ardent ad-
mirer.
a*dorn /adawrn/ v. tr. 1 add beauty or luster to; be an
ornament to. 2 furnish with ornaments; decorate, dd a»
dorrvment n.
ADP abbr. automatic data processing.
ad rem /ad rem/ adv. &
adj. to the point; to the pur-
pose.
ad*re*nal /adre'enal/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 at or near the kid-
neys. 2 of the adrenal glands. • n. (in full adrenal gland)
either of two ductless glands above the kidneys, secret-
ing adrenaline.
a*dren*a«line /adrenalin/ = epinephrine.
a»drift /adrift/ adv. &predic.adj. 1 drifting. 2 at the mer-
cy of circumstances.
a*droit /adroyt/ adj. dexterous; skillful, dd a*droit*ly adv.
a*droit*ness n.
ad*sorb /adsawrb, -zawrb/ v.tr. (usu. of a solid) hold
(molecules) to its surface, causing a thin film to form.
dd ad*sorb*a*ble adj. ad«sorb-ent adj. &
n. ad*sorp*
tion n. (also ad*sorb*tion)
ad*SOrb*ate /adsawrbayt, -bit, -zawr-7 n. a substance
adsorbed.
ad*u*late /ajalayt/ v.tr. flatter obsequiously, dd ad*u*la*
tlon /-layshan/ n. ad*u*la*to*ry /-latawree/ adj.
a*dult /adult, adult/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 mature; grown-
up. 2 a of or for adults, b euphem. sexually explicit
{adultfilms) • n. 1 an adult person. 2 Law a person who
has reached the age of majority, dd a*dult*hood n.
a*dul*ter«ate /adultarayt/ v.tr. debase (esp. foods) by
adding other substances, dd a*dul*ter*a*tion /-rayshan/
n. a*dul*ter*a*tor n.
a»dul»ter»er /adultarar/ n. {jem. adulteress
person who commits adultery.
a«dul»ter»y /adultaree/ n. voluntary sexual intercourse
between married person and a person other than his
a describe a person's attitude, e.g., / would not be averse
or her spouse, dd a*dul*ter*ous /adultaras/ adj.
ad»um»brate /adumbrayt/ v.tr. 1 indicate faintly. 2 rep-
resent in outline. 3 foreshadow; typify. 4 overshadow.
dd ad*um*bra*tion /-brayshan/ n.
ad*vance /advans/ v., n., & adj. mv. 1 tr.
or put forward. 2 intr. make progress. 3 tr. a pay (mon-
ey) before it is due. b lend (money). 4 tr. give active
support to (a person, cause, or plan). 5 tr. put forward
(a claim or suggestion). 6 tr. cause (an event) to occur
at an earlier date. 7 tr. raise (a price). 8 intr. rise (in
price). 9 tr. (as advanced adj.) a far on in progress.
b ahead of the times. «n. 1 an act of going forward.
2 progress. 3 a payment made before the due time. 4 a
loan. 5 (esp. in pi; often foil, by to) an amorous ap-
proach. 6 a rise in price, •attrib.adj. done or supplied
beforehand {advance warning) d advance on approach
. ad»vise /adviz/ v. 1 tr. (also absol.) give advice to. 2 tr.
threateningly. In advance ahead in place or time.
ad*vance*ment /advansmant/ n. the promotion of a
person, cause, or plan.
ad*van*tage /advantij/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a beneficial fea-
ture. 2 benefit; profit {to your advantage) 3 (often foil.
11 Adonis ~ advised
by over) a better position. 4 (in tennis) the next point
won be beneficial to. 2 further;
after deuce, •v.tr. 1
promote, d take advantage of 1 make good use of (a
fairly. 3 euphem. seduce, dd ad*van*ta*geous
/advantayjas/ adj. ad«van*ta*geous*ly adv.
ad«vec*tion /advekshan/ n. 1 Meteorol. transfer of heat
by the horizontal flow of air. 2 horizontal flow of air
or water, dd ad«vec»tive adj.
Ad»vent /advent/ n. 1 the season before Christmas.
2 the coming or second coming of Christ. 3 (advent)
the arrival of an important person or thing.
Ad»vent cal*en*dar n. a calendar for Advent, usu. of
cardboard with flaps to open each day revealing a pic-
ture or scene.
Ad»vent»ist /adventist/ n. a member of a Christian sect
that believes in the imminent second coming of Christ.
dd Ad«vent»ism n.
ad*ven*ti*tious /adventishas/ adj. 1 accidental; casual.
2 added from outside. 3 Biol, formed accidentally or
under unusual conditions, dd ad*ven«ti*tious*ly adv.
ad»ven«ture /advenchar/ n. v. *n. &
an unusual and
"\
exciting experience. 2 a daring enterprise. 3 enterprise
{the spirit of adventure). 4 a commercial speculation.
• v.intr. 1 (often foil, by into, upon) dare to go. 2 (foil,
by on, upon) dare to undertake. 3 engage in adventure.
dd ad»ven«ture»some adj.
ad»ven»tur»er /advencharar/ «. la person who seeks
adventure. 2 a financial speculator.
ad«ven»tur»ism advencharizam/ n. a tendency to take
risks, esp. in foreign policy, dd ad«ven«tur»ist n.
ad»ven»tur»ous advencharas/ adj. 1 rash; venture-
some; enterprising. 2 characterized by adventures.
dd ad«ven«tur»ous«ly adv. ad«ven»tur»ous«ness n.
ad»verb /advarb/ n. a word or phrase that modifies or
qualifies another word or a group of words, expressing
a relation of place, time, manner, degree, etc. {e.g., gen-
tly, quite, then, there), dd ad»ver»bi«al advarbeeal/ adj.
ad»ver«sar»i»al /advarsaireeal/ adj. 1 involving conflict.
2 opposed; hostile.
ad«ver»sar»y /advarseree n. {pi. «ies) 1 an enemy. 2 an
/
opponent in a sport.
ad»verse /advars, ad-/ adj. (often foil, by to) 1 contrary;
hostile. 2 harmful, dd ad«verse«ly adv.
Adverse means 'hostile, unfavorable, opposed,' and
is usually applied to situations, conditions, or events,
/-taris/) a not people, e.g., The dry weather has had an adverse ef-
fect on the garden. Averse is related in origin and also
has the sense of 'opposed,' but is usually employed to
to making the repairs myself.
ad«ver»si»ty /advarsitee/ n. {pi. 'ties) 1 adverse fortune.
2 a misfortune.
ad»vert /advart/ v. intr. (foil, by to) literary refer in speak-
& intr. move ing or writing.
ad«ver»tise /advartiz/ v. 1 tr. promote (goods or ser-
vices) publicly to promote sales. 2 tr. make generally
or publicly known. 3 intr. (foil, by for) seek by public
notice, dd ad«ver»tis«er n.
ad«ver»tise«ment /advartizmant/ n. a public notice,
esp. one advertising goods or services.
ad»vice /advis/ n. 1 words offered as a recommenda-
tion about future action. 2 information given.
ad»vis»a«ble /advizabal/ adj. 1 to be recommended.
2 expedient, dd ad«vis»a»bil»i«ty /-bilitee/ n.
recommend {they advise caution). 3 tr. inform; notify.
ad«vised /advizd/ adj. deliberate; considered, dd ad»vis«
ed»ly /-zidlee/ adv.
. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

adviser ~ affidavit 12 aer»ol«0«gy /airolajee/ n. the study of the upper levels

of the atmosphere, dd aer»o«log»i»cal /airalojikal/ adj.
ad*vis*er /advi'zgr/ n. (also ad»vis»or) a person who aer»o«nau»tics /airgnawtiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.)
advises, esp. one appointed to do so. the science or practice of motion or travel in the air.
Either spelling of the word is acceptable, although dd aer»o»nau«tic adj. aer»o»nau»ti»cal adj.
adviser may be seen as less formal, while advisor sug- ae»ron»o»my /aironamee/ n. the science, esp. the phys-
gests an official position. ics and chemistry, of the upper atmosphere.

ad*vi*SO*ry /sdvizaree/ adj. 1 giving advice; constituted aer*o*plane esp. Brit. var. of airplane.

to give advice {an advisory body) 2 consisting in giv-

. aer*0*SOl /airasawl, -sol/ n. 1 a container used to hold
ing advice. a substance packed under pressure with a device for
ad*vo*ca*cy /advokasee/ n. 1 (usu. foil, by of) verbal releasing it as a fine spray. 2 a system of colloidal par-
support or argument for a cause, policy, etc. 2 the func- ticles dispersed in a gas (e.g., fog or smoke).

tion of an advocate. aer*o*space /airospays/ n. 1 the earth's atmosphere

ad«vo«cate n. &
v. •n. /advakgt/ 1 (foil, by of) a per- and outer space. 2 the technology of aviation in this
son who supports or speaks in favor. 2 a person who region.
pleads for another. 3 a professional pleader in a court aesthete /es-theet/ n. (also es-thete) a person who has
of justice, mv.tr. /advakayt/ 1 recommend or support or professes to have a special appreciation of beauty.
by argument (a cause, policy, etc.). 2 plead for; de- aes«thet«ic /es-thetik/ adj. &
n. (also es»thet»ic) madj.

fend, dd ad»vo»cate«ship n. ad»voc«a»to»ry /advoka- 1 concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beau-

tawree, advaks-, advakayt9ree/ adj. ty. 2 having such appreciation. 3 in accordance with

adze /adz/ n. & v. • (also adz) n. a tool for cutting away good taste. »n. 1 (in pi.) the philosophy of the beau-
the surface of wood, like an ax with an arched blade tiful. 2 a set of principles of good taste and the appre-

at right angles to the handle. 9V.tr. dress or cut with ciation of beauty, dd aes*thet*i*cal*ly adv. aes»thet»i»
an adze. cism /-tisizam/ n.
ad*zu*ki /adzobkee/ n. 1 an annual leguminous plant,
aesthetic late 18th cent, (in the sense 'relating to
Vigna angularis, native to China and Japan. 2 the small,
perception by the senses'): from Greek aisthetikos,
round, dark red edible bean of this plant.
from aistheta 'perceptible things,' from aisthesthai 'per-
ae*gis /e'ejis/ n. d under the aegis of under the aus-
ceive.' The sense 'concerned with beauty' was coined
pices of.
in German in the mid- 18th cent, and adopted into
ae*o*li*an harp /eeoleean/ n. a stringed instrument or
English in the early 19th cent., but its use was contro-
toy that produces musical sounds when the wind pass-
versial untilmuch later in the century.
es through it.

Ae*o*li*an mode /ee6lee9n/ n. Mus. the mode repre- a»far /afaar/ adv. at or to a distance.
sented by the natural diatonic scale A-A. AFB abbr. Air Force Base.
ae«on var. of eon. AFC abbr. American Football Conference.
aer*ate /airayt/ v.tr. 1 expose to the mechanical or af»fa»ble /afgbal/ adj. approachable and friendly, dd af»
chemical action of the air. 2 Brit. = carbonate, an aer* fa»bil»i»ty /-bilitee/ n. af»fa»bly adv.
action /-rayshan/ n. aer*a*tor n. concern; a business {that is my af-
aMair /sfair/ n. 1 a
aer*i*al /aireeal/ n. & adj. •n. - antenna 2. • adj. 1 by fair) . happening. 3 = love
2 a celebrated or notorious
or from or involving aircraft {aerial photography). affair. 4 (in pi.) a ordinary pursuits of life, b business
2 a existing, moving, or happening in the air. b of or dealings. C public matters {current affairs).
in the atmosphere; atmospheric, an aer*i*al*ly adv. aMect /sfekt/ v.tr. 1 produce an effect on. 2 touch the
1

aer*i*al*ist /aireealist/ n. a high-wire or trapeze artist. feelings of {affected me deeply)

aer*ie /airee, aree/ n. (also eyrie) 1 a nest of a bird of Both affect and effect are both verbs and nouns, but
prey, esp. an eagle, built high up. 2 a house, etc., only effect is common as a noun, usually meaning 'a
perched high up. result, consequence, impression, etc.,' e.g.. My father's
aer»i»form /airifawrm/ adj. 1 of the form of air; gase- warnings had no effect on my adventurousness. As verbs
ous. 2 unsubstantial; unreal. they are used differently. Affect means 'to produce an
aero- /airo/ comb.form 1 air. 2 aircraft. effect upon,' e.g., Smoking during pregnancy can affect
aer»o«bat»ics/airabatiks/n.p/. 1 feats of expert and usu. the baby's development. Effect means 'to bring about,'
spectacular flying and maneuvering of aircraft. 2 (as e.g., The negotiators effected an agreement despite many
sing.) a performance of these. difficulties.
aer*obe /airob/ n. a microorganism usu. growing in the aMect 2 /afekt/ v. tr. 1 pretend to feel {affected indiffer-
presence of oxygen, or needing oxygen for growth. ence). 2 (foil, by to + infin.) pretend. 3 assume the
aer*0*bic /airobik/ adj. 1 existing or active only in the manner of {affect the freethinker).
presence of oxygen. 2 of or relating to aerobes. 3 of or aMect 3 /afekt/ n. Psychol, a feeling, emotion, or desire,
relating to aerobics. esp. as leading to action.
aer«o»bics /airobiks/ n.pl. vigorous exercises de- aMec»ta»tion /afektayshon/ n. 1 an assumed Of COfl
signed to increase the body's heart rate and oxygen trived manner of behavior, esp. in order to impress 2
intake. (foil, by of) a studied display. 3 pretense.
aer»o»bi»ol»o«gy /airobiotajee/ n. the study of airborne aMect»ed /nfektid/ adj. 1 artificially IStumedj pre-
microorganisms, pollen, spores, etc. tended (an affected air of innocena 2 <>t ;i person) full
aer*o*dy*nam*ics /airodinamiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as of affectation, nn af»fect»ed»ly adv.
sing.) the study of the interaction between the air and aMec»tion/r>fekshnn///. (often foil. byfor, toward) good-
solid bodies moving through it. an aer*o*dynam*ic will; fond feeling.
adj. aer«o»dynam»i»caMy adv. aer«o»dynanvi«cist aMec*tion*ate /nfekshrm.-u/ adj. loving; tender, no af»
/-misist/ n. fec»tion»ate»ly adv.
aer«o«enrbo»lism /airoembnlizom/ n. a condition aMec»tive/r>fektiv/tf<//. concerning the tfife< doni;emo
caused by the sudden lowering of air pressure and tional.oo aMec«tlvi»ty /afektivitei n.
formation of bubbles in the blood. aMi»ance /offnns/ v. tr. (usu. in passive) literary promtoH
aer*o*gram /aimgram/ n. an airmail letter in the form solemnly to give (a person) in marriage
of a single sheet that is folded and sealed. aMi»da»vit /afidayvit/ a written statement confirmed
;/.

aer»0«lite /airnlit/ n. a stony meteorite. under oath, for use as evidence in court.
 .

aMil*i*ate v. & n. mv. /afileeayt/ 1 tr. (usu. in passive; 13 affiliate ~ aftereffect

foil, by to, with) attach or connect (a person or soci-
ety) with a larger organization. 2 tr. (of an institution) air. 2 at sea; on board ship. 3 out of debt or difficulty.
adopt (persons as members, societies as branches, 4 in general circulation; current.
etc.). 3 intr. a (foil, by to) associate oneself with a soci- a*f OOt /afoot/ adv.& predic. in operation; progress-
adj.

ety, b (foil, by with) associate oneself with a political ing.

party, •n. /afileeat, -leeayt/ an affiliated person or a*fore /afawr/ prep. & adv. archaic & before; pre- dial,

organization. viously; in front (of).

aM il"i*a*tion /afileeayshan/ n. the act or process of af- afore- /afawr/ comb.form before; previously (aforemen-
filiating or being affiliated. tioned; aforesaid).
af•fined /afind/ adj. related; connected. a«fore«thought /afawrthawt/ adj. premeditated (fol-
af»fin»i»ty /afinitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a natural attraction lowing a noun: malice aforethought).
to a person or thing. 2 relationship, esp. by marriage. a*foul /afowl/ adv. a run afoul of come into conflict with.
3 resemblance in structure between animals, plants, a*fraid /afrayd/ predic.adj. 1 frightened. 2 reluctant for
cr languages. 4 a similarity of character suggesting a fear of the consequences (afraid to go in), n be afraid
relationship. 5 Chem. the tendency of certain sub- (foil, by that + clause) colloq. admit or declare with re-

stances to combine with others. gret (I'm afraid there's none left).
aMirm /afarm/ v. 1 tr. assert strongly; state as a fact. a»f resh /afresh/ adv. anew; with a fresh beginning.
2 intr. a Law make an affirmation, b make a formal Af»ri«can /afrikan/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a native of Africa. 2 a
declaration. person of African descent. »adj. of or relating to Af-
aMir»ma*tion /afarmayshan/ n. 1 the act or process of rica.
affirming or being affirmed. 2 Law a solemn declara- Af»ri«ca»na /afrikaana/ n.pl. things connected with Af-
tion by a person who declines to take an oath. rica.
af»firm»a»tive/3f3rm3tiv/ a^'.&n. •adj. 1 asserting that Af»ri»can-A»mer»i»can n. adj. •«. an American cit- &
a thing is so. 2 (of a vote) expressing approval. • n. 1 an izen of African origin or descent. • adj. of or relating
affirmative statement, reply, or word. 2 (prec. by the) to American blacks or their culture.
a positive or affirming position, do aM irm«a»tive«ly adv. See note at black.
af»firm»a»tive aotion n. action favoring those who of- Af»ri»can vi»0»let n. a tropical plant, Saintpaulia ionan-
ten suffer from discrimination. tha, with heart-shaped velvety leaves and blue, purple,
aMix v. &
n. •v.tr. /afiks/ 1 (usu. foil, by to, on) attach; or pink flowers.
fasten. 2 add in writing. 3 impress (a seal or stamp). Af*ri*kaans /afrikaans/ n. the language of the Afrikaner
• n. /afiks/ 1 an appendage; an addition. 2 Gram, an people.
addition placed at the beginning (prefix) or end (suf- Af»ri«ka»ner afrika'anar n. an Afrikaans-speaking white
fix) of a root, stem, or word to modify its meaning. person in S. Africa, esp. one of Dutch descent.
nn af*fix*a*tion /afiksayshan/ n. Af«ro /afro/ adj. &
n. • adj. (of a hairstyle) full and bushy,
aMIict /aflikt/ v.tr. inflict suffering on. o afflicted with as naturally grown originally by blacks. • n. (pi. «ros)
suffering from. an Afro hairstyle.
af»f Motion /aflikshan/ n. 1 physical or mental distress. Afro- /afro/ comb.form African (Afro-Asian).
2 a cause of this. Af»ro-A»mer»i»can /afroamerikan/ adj. &n. = African-
af»flu«ent /aflooant/ adj. 1 wealthy; rich. 2 abundant. AVIERICAN.
d af«flu«ence aMlu*ent*ly adv.
n. See note at black.
aMord /afawrd/ v. tr. 1 (prec. by can or be able to) a have aft /aft/ adv. Nam. & Aeron. at or toward the stern or
enough money, means, time, etc., for; be able to spare tail.

(can afford $50; can we afford to buy a new television?) &1»\er /afiar/ prep., conj., adv., & adj. »prep. 1 a following
b be in a position to do something (can h afford to let in time; later than (after midnight) time . b in specifying
him think so). 2 provide (affords a view of the sea), dq af» (a quarter after eight). 2
view of (after your behavior
in
ford»a*ble adj. aMord»a«bil«i»ty n. tonight what do you expect?). 3 in spite of (after all my
af»for»est /afawrist, afor-/ v.tr. 1 convert into forest. efforts I'm no better off). 4 behind (shut the door after
2 plant with trees, dd aMor»est«a»tion /-stayshan/ you). 5 in pursuit or quest of (run after them). 6 about;
n. concerning (asked after her). 7 in allusion to (named
aMray /afray/ n. a breach of the peace by fighting or him William after his uncle). 8 in imitation of (a paint-
rioting in public. ing after Rubens) 9 next in importance to (the best book
.

aM ri»cate /afrikat/ n. Phonet. a combination of a stop, on the subject after mine). 10 according to (after a fash-
or plosive, with an immediately following fricative or ion). • conj. in or at a time later than that when (left af-
spirant, e.g., ch. ter we arrived) • adv. 1 later in time (soon after) 2 be-
. .

aM ront /afrunt/ n. & v. an open insult (feel it an af-

• n. hind in place (followed on after), madj. 1 later; following
front). mv.tr. 1 insult openly. 2 offend the modesty or (in after years) 2 Naut. nearer the stern (after mast).
.

self-respect of. after all 1 in spite of all that has happened or has
Af»ghan /afgan/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a a native or inhabitant been said, etc. (after all, what does it matter?). 2 in spite
of Afghanistan, b a person of Afghan descent. 2 the of- of one's exertions, expectations, etc. (so you have come
ficial language of Afghanistan. 3 (afghan) a knitted or after allf).
crocheted shawl or throw. • adj. of or relating to Af- af»ter»birth /aftarbarth/ n. Med. the placenta and fetal
ghanistan or its people or language. membranes discharged from the womb after child-
Af»ghan hound n. a tall hunting dog with long silky birth.
hair. aMer»burn»er /aftarbarnar/ n. an auxiliary burner in a
a*fi*cio*na*do /afisheeana'ado, afisee-/ n. (pi. »dos) a jet engine to increase thrust.
devotee of a sport or pastime. af«ter»care /aftarkair, -ker/ n. care of a patient after a
a»f ield /afe'eld/ adv. away from home; to or at a distance stay in the hospital or of a person on release from pris-
(esp. far afield). on.
a»fire /afir/ adv. & predic.adj. 1 on fire. 2 intensely af«ter»eMect /aftarafekt/ n. an effect that follows after
roused or excited. an interval or after the primary action of something.
a»flame /aflaym/ adv. & predic.adj. = afire.
a»float /afiot/ adv. & predic.adj. floating in water or
1 See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

afterglow ~ aghast 14
3 intr. mature. 4 tr. cause or allow to age. a come of
age reach adult status.
af»ter«glow /aftarglo/ n. a light or radiance remaining aged adj. 1 /ayjd/ a of the age of (aged ten) b that has .

after its source has disappeared or been removed. been subjected to aging. 2 /ayjid/ having lived long;
af-ter-invage /aftarimij/ n. an image retained by a sense old.
organ, esp. the eye, and producing a sensation after age*ism /ayjizam/ n. (also ag*ism) prejudice or
the cessation of the stimulus. discrimination on the grounds of age. no age*ist adj.
aMeHife /aftarlif/ n. 1 life after death. 2 life at a later &n. (also ag-istj.
time. age*less /ayjlis/ adj. 1 never growing or appearing old
af»ter»math /aftarmath/ n. consequences; aftereffects. or outmoded. 2 eternal; timeless.
af«ter«most /aftarmost/ adj. 1 last. 2 Nam. farthest aft. a»gen»cy /ayjansee/ «. (pi. «cies) 1 a the business or es-
af»ter«noon /aftarnoon/ n. the time from noon to eve- tablishment of an agent (employment agency), b the
ning (this afternoon; during the afternoon) function of an agent. 2 a active operation; action, b in-
af«ter»shave /aftarshayv/ n. an astringent lotion for use tervening action (fertilized by the agency of insects) C ac- .

after shaving. tion personified (an invisible agency) 3 a specialized .

af»ter«shock /aftarshok/ n. a lesser shock following the department, as of a government.

main shock of an earthquake.
af»ter»taste /aftartayst/ n. a taste remaining after eat-
ing or drinking.
af»ter-tax /aftartaks/ adj. (of income) after the deduc-
tion of taxes.
af«ter»thought /aftarthawt/ n. an item or thing that is
thought of or added later.
aMer-ward /aftarward/ adv. (also af»ter«wards) later;
subsequently.
aMer-word /aftarward/ n. concluding remarks in a
book.
Ag symb. Chem. the element silver.
a*gain /agen/ adv. 1 another time; once more. 2 as in a
previous position or condition (back again; healthy
again) 3 in addition (as much again) 4 further; besides
. .
(again, what about the children?) 5 on the other hand
. ag*glom*er*ate v., n.,
a*gen*da /ajenda/ n. 1 (pi. agendas) a list of items of
business to be considered at a meeting. 2 a series of
things to be done. 3 an ideology or underlying moti-
vation.
a*gent /ayj ant/ n. 1 a a person who acts for another in
business, politics, etc. (insurance agent), ba spy. 2 a
person or thing that exerts power or produces an ef-
fect.
A*gent Or*ange n. a dioxin-containing herbicide used
as a defoliant by the US during the Vietnam War.
a*gent pro»vo«ca»teur /a'azhoN pravokator/ n. (pi.
agents provocateurs pronunc. same) a person
employed to detect suspected offenders by tempting
them to overt self-incriminating action.
age-old adj. having existed for a very long time.
&
adj. •v.tr. &
intr. /aglomarayt/

(/ might, and again I might not) 1 collect into a mass. 2 accumulate in a disorderly way.
a*gainst /agenst/ prep. 1 in opposition to (fight against • w. /aglomarat/ a mass or collection of things. • adj.
the invaders; arson is against the law) 2 into collision or
. /aglomarat/ collected into a mass, dd ag*glom*er*a*tion
in contact with (ran against a rock; lean against the wall)
/-rayshan/ n. ag»glonver»a»tive /aglomarativ/ adj.
3 to the disadvantage of age is against him) 4 in ag*glu*ti*nate /agloot'nayt/ v. 1 tr. unite as with glue.
(his .

contrast to (against a dark background) 5 in anticipa- 2 tr. &intr. Biol, cause or undergo adhesion (of bacte-
.

tion of or preparation for (protected against the cold) ria, erythrocytes, etc.). dd ag*glu*ti*na*tion /-nayshan/
6 as a compensating factor to (income against expen- n. ag*glu*ti*na*tive /aglobt'nativ, -aytiv/ adj.
diture) 7 in return for (issued against a later payment)
. ag*gran*dize /agrandiz/ v.tr. 1 increase the power,
a*gam*ic /agamik/ adj. characterized by the absence of rank, or wealth of. 2 cause to appear greater than is
sexual reproduction. the case, dd ag*gran*dize«ment /-dizmant/ n.
ag*a*mo*gen*e*sis /agamajenisis, agamo-/ n. Biol. ag*gra*vate /agravayt/ v.tr. 1 increase the seriousness
asexual reproduction. agamogenetic /-jinetik/ adj. of (an illness, offense, etc.). 2 disp. annoy; exasperate
ag*a*pan*thus /agapanthas/ n. any African plant of the (a person), dd ag*gra*va*tion /-vayshan/ n.
genus Agapanthus, esp. the ornamental African lily, Aggravate is used informally to mean 'to annoy or
with blue or white flowers. exasperate,' rather than 'to make worse or more seri-
a*gape' /agayp/ adv. &
predic.adj. gaping; open- ous.' An example of more correct usage is Heavy lift-
mouthed, esp. with wonder. ing aggravated the strain on my back.
2
a»ga»pe /agaapay, aga-/ n. 1 a Christian feast in token ag*gre*gate n.,adj.,& v. • n. /agrigat/ 1 a collection of,
of fellowship. 2 love for one's fellow humans, esp. as or the total of, disparate elements. 2 pieces of crushed
distinct from erotic love. stone, gravel, etc., used in making concrete. 3 a Geol
a*gar /aygaar/ n. a gelatinous substance obtained from a mass of minerals formed into solid rock, b a mass of
any of various kinds of red seaweed and used in food, particles. *adj. /agrigat/ 1 (of disparate elements) col-
microbiological media, etc. lected into one mass. 2 constituted by the collection
ag*a*ric /agarik, agar-/ n. any fungus of the family of many units into one body. »v. /agrigayt/ tr. intr. &
Agaricaceae, with cap and stalk, including the com- collect together; combine into one mass, u in the ag-
mon edible mushroom. gregate as a whole, a ag»gre*ga»tion / gayshan/ n. ag»
i j

ag*ate /agat/ n. any of several varieties of hard usu. gre*ga*tive / gaytiv/ adj.
streaked chalcedony. ag*gres*sion /agreshan/ n. 1 the act or practice of at-
a*ga*ve /agaavee, agay-/ n. any plant of the genus Aga- tacking without provocation. 2 an unprovoked attack.
ve, e.g., the aloe. 3 forcefulness. 4 Psychol, hostile or destructive leu
a*gaze /agayz/ adv. gazing. dency or behavior.
age /ayj/ n. & • n. 1 a the length of time that a per-
v. ag»gres»sive /agresiv/ adj. 1 of a person: a given t»> ag-
son or thing has existed, b a particular point in or part gression, b forceful. 2 (of an act) offensive; hostile. 3 of
of one's life (old age; voting age). 2 a colloq. (often in aggression, uu ag-gres»sive»ly adv. ag»gres»sive«nes8
pi. ) a long time (took an age to answer; have been wait- n.
ing for ages), b a distinct period of the past (golden age; ag*gres*SOr /agresar/ n. a person who attacks without
Middle Ages). C Geol. a period of time, d a generation. provocation.
3 the latter part of life; old age (the infirmity of age). aggrieved /agreevd/ adj. having a grievance, dd 1
• v. (pres.part. aging, ageing) 1 intr. show signs of ad- grieved«ly / vidlee/ adv.
vancing age (has aged a lot recently). 2 intr. grow old. a«ghast /a^ast/ adj. (usu. predic.) filled with dismay
 . . .

aghast late Middle English: past participle of the ob- 15 agile ~ aileron
solete verb agast, gast 'frighten,' from Old English
gcesten.The spelling with gh (originally Scots) became willing to agree (was agreeable to going) . 3 conforma-
general by about 1 700, probably influenced by ghost; ble,dd a*gree«a*ble*ness n. a*gree*a*bly adv.
compare with ghastly. a»gree»ment /agreemant/ n. 1 the act of agreeing; the
holding of the same opinion. 2 mutual understanding.
ag*ile /ajal, ajil/ adj. nimble; active. ag»ile*ly adv. a« 3 an arrangement between parties as to a course of ac-
gi l-i-ty /ajilitee/ n. tion, etc. 4 Gram, having the same number, gender,
ag*ing /ayjing/ n. (also age«ing) 1 growing old. 2 giv- case, or person. 5 mutual conformity of things; har-
ing the appearance of advancing age. mony.
ag*i*tate /ajitayt/ disturb or excite. 2 intr. stir up
v. 1 tr. ag*ri*busi*ness /agribiznis/ n. 1 agriculture conduct-
interest or concern, esp. publicly {agitated for tax re- ed on strictly commercial principles, esp. using ad-
form). 3 tr. shake or move, dd ag»i»tat«ed»ly adv. vanced technology. 2 an organization engaged in this.
ag»i»ta»tion /ajitiyshan/ n. 1 agitating or being agitated. ag*ri*cul*ture /agrikulchar/ n. the science or practice
2 mental anxiety. of cultivating the soil, raising crops, and rearing ani-
a*gi*ta*tO /ajita'ato/ adv. & adj. Mus. in an agitated man- mals, dd ag*ri*cul«tur*al -kulcharaL adj. ag«ri«cul«tur«
ner. al*ist n. ag*ri*cul*tur*al*ly adv. ag«ri«cul»tur»ist n.
ag»i»ta»tor /ajitaytar/ n. 1a person who agitates, esp. agro- /agro/ comb. form agricultural (agrochemical)
publicly for a cause, etc. 2 an apparatus for shaking or ag*ro*chem«i*cal /agrokemikal/ n. a chemical used in
mixing liquid, etc. agriculture.
ag*it*prop /ajitprop/ n. the dissemination of Com- a»gron»o»my /agronamee/ n. the science of soil man-
munist political propaganda, esp. in plays, movies, agement and
crop production, dd ag»ronom«ic
books, etc. /agranomik/ adj. a»gron»o«mist -gron-/ n.
a*glow /agl6/ adv. & adj. »adv. glowingly, •predic.adj. a*ground /dgrownd/ predic.adj. &
adv. (of a ship) on or
glowing. on to the bottom of shallow water (be aground; run
ag*ma /agma/ n. 1 the sound represented by the aground)
pronunciation /ng/. 2 a symbol (ji) used for this sound. a«gue /aygyoO/ n. 1 hist, a malarial fever, with cold, hot,
ag*nos*tic /agnostik/ n. &
adj. mti. a person who and sweating stages. 2 a shivering fit. dd a*gued adj. a»
believes that nothing is known of the existence or na- gu*ish adj.
ture of God, or of anything beyond material phenom- AH abbr. in the year of the Hegira (ad 622); of the Mus-
ena. • adj. of or relating to agnostics, dd ag»nos»ti»cist lim era.
n. ah /aa/ int. expressing surprise, pleasure, resignation,
Ag*nus De»i /agnas dayee, de'e-i, a'anyoos/ n. 1 a figure etc.
of a lamb bearing a cross or flag, as an emblem of a»ha /aaha'a, aha'a/ int. expressing surprise, triumph,
Christ. 2 the prayer in the Mass beginning with the mockery, irony, etc.
words "Lamb of God." a*head /ahed/ adv. 1 further forward in space or time.
a«go /ago/ adv. earlier; before the present (ten years ago; 2 in the lead; further advanced (ahead on points). 3 in
long ago). the line of one's forward motion (road construction
a*gog /agog/ adv. & adj. madv. eagerly; expectantly. ahead). 4 straight forward.
•predic.adj. eager; expectant. a»hem ohem wit used to attract attention, gain time,
a»go»go /agogo/ adv. in abundance (whiskey dgogo). [F] or express disapproval.
ag»o»nis«tic /aganistik/ adj. polemical; combative. a»him»sa ahimsaa ;/. (in the Hindu, Buddhist, etc.,
dd ag*o*nis*ti*cal*ly adv. traditions) respect for all living things and avoidance
ag*o*nize /aganiz/ v. 1 intr. (often foil, by over) under- of violence in both thought and deed.
go (esp. mental) anguish. 2 tr. (as agonized adj.) a»hoy /ahoy int. Kaut. a call used in hailing.
expressing agony (an agonized look), do ag*o*niz«ing* Al abbr. 1 artificial insemination. 2 artificial intel-
ly adv. ligence.
ag»OTiy /aganee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 extreme suffering. 2 a aid /ayd/ n. &v. *n. 1 help. 2 financial or material help,
severe struggle. esp. given by one country to another. 3 a person or
ag*o*ra*phobe /agarafob/ n. a person who suffers from thing that helps. • v. tr. 1 (often foil, by to + infin.) help.
agoraphobia. 2 promote or encourage (sleep will aid recovery).
ag*o*ra*pho*bi*a /agarafobeea/ n. Psychol, an abnor- aide ayd/ n. 1 an aide-de-camp. 2 an assistant.
mal fear of open spaces or public places, dd ag»ora» aide-de-camp ayd-dakamp/ n. (pi aides-de-camp
pho«bic adj. n. & pronunc. same) an officer acting as a confidential assis-
a»grar»i»an /agraireean/ adj. 1 of or relating to the land tant to a senior officer.
or its cultivation. 2 relating to the ownership of land. AIDS /aydz/ n. acquired immune deficiency syndrome,
a*gree /agree/ v. intr. (agrees, agreed, agreeing) 1 hold a fatal disorder caused by a virus transmitted in the
a similar opinion (I agree with you). 2 (often foil, by to, blood and other bodily fluids, marked by severe loss
or to + infin.) consent (agreed to the arrangement; agreed of resistance to infection.
to go). 3 intr. (often foil, by with) a become or be in ai»ki»do /ikeedo/ n. a Japanese form of self-defense mak-
harmony, b suit; be good for (caviar didn 't agree with ing use of the attacker's own movements without caus-
him), c Gram, have the same number, gender, case, or ing injury.
person as. 4 (foil, by on) decide by mutual consent ail /ayl/ v. 1 tr. archaic trou-
(agreed on a compromise) ble or afflict (what ails
Note the distinction between agreeing to something him?). 2 intr. be ill.
like a plan, scheme, or project; and agreeing with some- ai»ler»on /aylaron/ n. a
body: / agree to the repayment schedule suggested. Danielle hinged surface in the trail-
agrees with Eric that we should all go hiking on Saturday. ing edge of an airplane
Humid weather does not agree with me. Agree with is al- wing, used to control lat-
so used regarding two things that go together: That eral balance and to initi-
story does not agree with the facts. The verb must agree ate banking for turns, etc. aileron
with the noun in person and number.
a»gree»a-ble /agre'eabal/ adj. 1 pleasing. 2 (of a person) See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 )
.

ailing ~ airy 16 airfreight cargo carried by an air-

/airfrayt/ n. (sfv.mn.
craft.* transport by air.
v.tr.

aiNing /ayling/ adj. 1 ill, esp. chronically. 2 in poor con- air-glow /airglo/ n. radiation from the upper atmos-
dition. phere, detectable at night.
ail-ment /aylmant/ n. an illness, esp. a minor or chron- air gun n. a gun using compressed air to propel pellets.
ic one. air-head /airhed/ n. si. a silly or stupid person.
aim /aym/ v. & n. mv. 1 intr. intend or try {aim at win- air-ing /airing/ n. 1 exposure to fresh air, esp. for ex-
ning; aim to win). 2 tr. direct or point (a weapon, re- ercise. 2 esp. Brit, exposure (of laundry, etc.) to warm
mark, etc.). 3 intr. take aim. 4 intr. (foil, by atjor) seek air. 3 public expression of an opinion, etc. 4 a broad-

to attain or achieve, m. la purpose; a design; an ob- cast.

ject aimed at. 2 the directing of a weapon, missile, etc., a i Mess /airlis/ adj. 1 stuffy. 2 without wind or breeze.
at an object, d take aim direct a weapon, etc., at an ob- dd air-less-ness n.

ject. airlift /airlift/ n. &

v. *n. the transport of troops, sup-

ainvless /aymlis/ adj. without purpose, dd aim-less»ly or passengers by air, esp. in a blockade or other
plies,
adv. ainvless-ness n. emergency. • v. tr. transport in this way.
ain't /aynt/ contr. colloq. 1 am not; are not; is not {she air-line /airlm/ n. an organization providing a regular
ain't nice). 2 has not; have not {we ain't seen him). public service of air transport on one or more routes.
Although this form has been used for hundreds of air-lin-er /airlinar/ n. a passenger aircraft, esp. a large
years, it is generally thought incorrect, and should be one.
avoided in formal contexts. air-lock /airlok/ n. 1 a stoppage of the flow in a pump
air /air/ n. &v. • n. 1 an invisible gaseous substance sur- or pipe, caused by an air bubble. 2 a compartment
rounding the earth, a mixture mainly of oxygen and with controlled pressure and parallel sets of doors, to
nitrogen. 2 a the earth's atmosphere, b the free space permit movement between areas at different pressures.
in the atmosphere {in the open air). C the atmosphere airmail /airmayl/ n. &v. • «. 1 a system of transporting
as a place where aircraft operate. 3 a a distinctive mail by air. 2 mail carried by air. • v. tr. send by air-
characteristic {an air oj absurdity) b one's manner, esp. . mail.
a confident one {with a triumphant air) C (esp. in pi. . air-man /airman/ n. {pi. -men) 1 a pilot or member of
an affected manner; pretentiousness {gave himself airs) the crew of an aircraft. 2 a member of the USAF be-
4 Mus. a melody. 5 a breeze or light wind. •v.tr. 1 esp. low commissioned rank.
Brit, warm (washed laundry) to dry, esp. at a fire or air maMress n. an inflatable mattress.
in a heated closet. 2 expose (a room, etc.) to the open air-plane /airplayn/ n. a powered heavier-than-air fly-
air; ventilate. 3 express publicly (an opinion, griev- ing vehicle with fixed wings.
ance, etc.). 4 broadcast, esp. a radio or television pro- air-play /airplay/ n. broadcasting (of recorded music).
gram, d in the air (of opinions, feelings, etc.) preva- air pock-et n. an apparent downdraft in the air caus-
lent; gaining currency, on (or off) the air in (or not in) ing an aircraft to drop suddenly.
the process of broadcasting, up in the air (of projects, air-port /airpawrt/ n. a complex of runways and build-
etc.) uncertain; not decided, walk on air feel elated. ings for the takeoff, landing, and maintenance of civ-
air bag n. a safety device that fills with nitrogen on im- il aircraft, with facilities for passengers.

pact to protect the occupants of a vehicle in a colli- air pow»er n. the ability to defend and attack by means
sion. of aircraft, missiles, etc.
air base /air bays/ n. a base for the operation of mil- air raid n. an attack by aircraft.
itary aircraft. air ri»fle n. a rifle using compressed air to propel pel-
air blad-der n. a bladder or sac filled with air in fish or lets.
some plants. air-ship /airship/ n. a power-driven aircraft that is

air»borne/airbawrn/a<i7. 1 transported by air. 2 (of air- lighter than air.

craft) in the air after taking off. air-sick /airsik/ adj. affected with nausea due to travel
air brake n. 1 a brake worked by air pressure. 2 a mov- in an aircraft, dd air-sick-ness n.
able flap or spoiler on an aircraft to reduce its speed. air-space /airspays/ n. the air available to aircraft to fly
air-brush /airbrush/ n. &
v. *n. an artist's device for the part subject to the jurisdiction of a partic-
in, esp.
spraying paint by means of compressed air • v. tr. paint ular country.
with an airbrush. air-speed /airspeed/ n. the speed of an aircraft relative
air-con-di-tion-ing n. a system for regulating the to the air through which it is moving.
humidity, ventilation, and temperature in a building. air-strip /airstrip/ n. a strip of ground suitable for the
nn air-con-di-tioned adj. air con-di-tion-er n. takeoff and landing of aircraft but usu. without other
aircraft /airkraft/ {pi. same) a machine capable of
n. facilities.
an airplane or helicopter.
flight, esp. air-tight /airtit/ adj. 1 not allowing air to pass through.
aircraft car»ri»er n. a warship that carries and serves 2 having no visible or apparent weaknesses {an airtight
as a base for airplanes. alibi).
air cushion an inflatable cushion. 2 the layer of air-time /airtim/ n. time allotted for a broadcast.
n. 1
air supporting a hovercraft or similar vehicle. air-traMic con»trol»ler n. an airport official who con-
Aire-dale /airdayl/ n. a large terrier of a rough-coated trols air traffic by giving radio instructions to pilots
breed. concerning route, altitude, takeoff, and landing.
airfare /airfair/ n. the price of a passenger ticket for air-waves /airwayvz/ n.pl. colloq. radio waves used in
travel by aircraft. broadcasting.
airfield /airfeeld/ n. an area of land where aircraft take air-way /airway/ n. 1 a a recognized route followed by
off and land, are maintained, etc. aircraft, b (often in pi.) - AIRLINE. 2 Med. the passage
air-foil /airfoyl/ n. a structure with curved surfaces (e.g.,
through which air passes into the lungs.
a wing, fin, or horizontal stabilizer) designed to give air-wom«an /airwoomon/
n. {pi. «women) 1 a woman
lift in flight.
pilot or member of the crew oi an aircraft. 2 I mem-
air force n. a branch of the armed forces concerned ber of the USAF orWRAF below commissioned rank.
with fighting or defense in the air. air-wor«thy /airworthee/ adj. (of an aircraft) fit to fly.
airframe /airfrayrn/ n. the body of an aircraft as dis- air»y/airccW/. (airier, airiest) 1 well ventilated; brcc/v
tinct from its engine (a).
2 flippant; superficial. 3 a light as air. b graceful; del-
 . . .

icate. 4 insubstantial; ethereal; immaterial. air«i«ly 17 aisle ~ Aleut

adv. air«i»ness n.

aisle 11/ n. 1 part of a church parallel to the nave, choir, hair (which are white), and the eyes (which are usu.
or transept. 2 a passage between rows of pews, seats, pink), dd al»bi»nism /albinizam/ n.
etc. 3 a passageway, an aisled adj. al»bum /albam/ n. la blank book for the insertion of

aitch /aych/ n. the name

of the letter H.
aitch»bone /aychbon/ n. the buttock or rump bone.
a»jar /aja'ar/ adv. &predic.adj. (of a door) slightly open.
AK abbr. Alaska (in official postal use).
a.k.a. abbr. also known as.
AKC abbr. American Kennel Club.
a*kim*bo akimbo/ adv. (of the arms) with hands on
the hips and elbows turned outwards.
a»kin /akin/ predic.adj. 1 related by blood. 2 of similar
or kindred character.
AL abbr. Alabama (in official postal use).
Al symb. Chem. the element aluminum.
Ala. abbr. Alabama.
a la /a'a laa/ prep, after the manner of (a la russe)
al*a*bas*ter /alabastar/ n. &
adj. • n. a translucent usu.
white form of gypsum, often carved into ornaments.
• adj. 1 of alabaster. 2 like alabaster in whiteness or
smoothness.
a la carte /a'a laa ka'art/ adv. &
adj. ordered as separate-
ly priced item(s) from a menu, not as part of a set meal.
a*lack /alak/ int. (also a»lack-a-day /alakaday) archaic
an expression of regret or surprise.
a»laori»ty /alakritee/ n. briskness or cheerful readiness.
a la mode /a'a laa mod/ adv. &
adj. 1 in fashion; fash-
ionable. 2 served with ice cream.
a«lar /aylar/ adj. 1 relating to wings. 2 winglike or wing-
shaped. 3 axillary.
a*larm /ala'arm/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a warning of danger, etc.
2 a a warning sound or device, b = alarm clock.
3 frightened expectation of danger or difficulty, mv.tr.
1 frighten or disturb. 2 arouse to a sense of danger.
a*larm clock n. a clock with a device that can be made
to sound at a time set in advance.
a*larm*ing /ala'arming/ adj. disturbing; frightening.
dd a*larm*ing*ly adv.
a*larm*ist /ala'armist/ n. &
adj. •«. a person given to
spreading needless alarm. %adj. creating needless
alarm, nn a*larm*ism n.
a»lar»um /ala'aram/ n. archaic = alarm.
Alas. abbr. Alaska.
a*las /alas/ int. an expression of grief, pity, or concern.
a«late /aylayt/ adj. having wings or winglike appendages.
alb /alb/ n. a usu. white vestment reaching to the feet,
worn by some Christian priests at church ceremonies.
al*ba*core /albakawr/ n. 1 a long-finned tuna, Tkunnm
alalunga. 2 any of various other related fish.
Al»ba»ni»an /albayneean, awl-/ n. &
adj. mn. 1 a a na-
tive or inhabitant of Albania in SE Europe, b a per-
son of Albanian descent. 2 the language of Albania.
• adj. of or relating to Albania or its people or lan-
guage.
al*ba*tross /albatraws, -tros/ n. 1 a any long-winged
stout-bodied bird of the family Diomedeidae, inhab-
iting the Pacific Ocean, b a source of frustration or
guilt. 2 Golf= DOUBLE EAGLE.
photographs, stamps, etc. 2 a long-playing phono-
graph, audio cassette, or compact disc recording.
al»bu»men /albyobmin/ n. 1 egg white. 2 Bot. the sub-
stance found between the skin and embryo of many
seeds.
al*bu*min /albyobmin/ n. any of a class of water-solu-
ble proteins found in egg white, milk, blood, etc. nn al«
bu*mi*nous adj.
al«bu»mi»nu»ri»a albyobminobreea, -nyobr-' n. the
presence of albumin in the urine, usu. as a symptom
of kidney disease.
al»che»my /alkamee/ n. (pi. -mies) 1 the medieval fore-
runner of chemistry, esp. seeking to turn base metals
into gold or silver. 2 a miraculous transformation or
the means of achieving this, dd al»chem»i»cal
/-kemikal/ adj. al»che»mist n.
al*co*hol alkahawl, -hoi/ n. 1 (in full ethyl alcohol) a
colorless volatile flammable liquid forming the intox-
icating element in wine, beer, liquor, etc., and also
used as a solvent, as fuel, etc. Also called ethaxol. 2 any
liquor containing this. 3 Chem. any of a large class of
organic compounds that contain one or more hydrox-
yl groups attached to carbon atoms.
alcohol mid- 16th cent.: French (earlier form of
alcool), or from medieval Latin, from Arabic al-kuhl'xhe
kohl.' In early use the term denoted powders, specifi-
cally kohl, and especially those obtained by sublima-
tion; later 'a distilled or rectified spirit' (mid- 1 7th cent)
al»co«hol»ic alkahawlik, -hoi- adj. c>' n. •adj. of, re-
lating to, containing, or caused by alcohol. »n. a per-
son suffering from alcoholism.
al»CO«hol»ism alkahawlizam, -ho- n. 1 an addiction
to the consumption of alcoholic liquor. 2 the diseased
condition resulting from this.
al»cove alkov/ n. a recess, esp. in the wall of a room or
of a garden.
al dervte aal dentay, al dentee adj. (of pasta, etc.)
cooked so as to be still firm when bitten.
al*der awldor ;/. any tree of the genus Alnus, related
to the birch, with catkins and toothed leaves.
al»der»man awldarman //. (pi. -men, u»i. alderwom-
an, pi. •women) an elected municipal official serving
on the governing council of a city, oc al»der»man»ic
/-manik/ adj.
ale /ayl/ n. 1 beer. 2 a similar beverage with a more pro-
nounced, often bitter taste.
a»le»a»tor»ic /ayleeatawrik, -tor-/ adj. depending on
chance.
a»le*a«to«ry ayieeatawree/ adj. = aleatoric.
a»lee /alee/ adv. &
predic.adj. 1 on the lee or sheltered
side of a ship. 2 to leeward.
ale*house aylhows/ n. a tavern.
a»lenvbic /alembik/ n. hist, an apparatus formerly used
in distilling.

albatross
a«leph /a'alif/ n. the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
17th cent.: alteration (influenced by
late
Latin albus 'white') of 16th-cent. alcatras, applied to
a»lert /alart/ adj., n., & v. *adj. 1 vigilant; ready to take
action. 2 quick (esp. of mental faculties); attentive. • //.
various seabirds including the frigate bird and pelican,
a warning or alarm, mv.tr. (often foil, by to) make
call
from Spanish and Portuguese alcatraz, from Arabic al-
alert; warn (were alerted to the danger). on the alert
gattas 'the diver.'
on the lookout against danger or attack, dd a»lert»ly
al*be*do /albe'edo/ n. (pi. «dos) the proportion of light adv. a»lert»ness n.
or radiation reflected by a surface, esp. of a planet or Al»eut /aleeobt, alobt/ n. 1 a a N. American people na-
moon. tive to the Aleutian Islands and the western Alaskan
al-be-it /awlbe'eit/ conj. formal though (he tried, albeit Peninsula, b a member of this people. 2 the language
without success) of this people, dd A*leu«tian adj.
al«bi*no /albino/ n. (pi. «nos) a person or animal hav-
ing a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

Alexandrian ~ all 18 al*ien«ate /ayleeanayt/ v. tr. 1 a cause (a person) to be-

come hostile, b (often foil, by from) cause (a person)
Al«ex»an»dri»an/aligzandree3n/ad>. 1 of or characteris- to feel estranged from (friends, society, etc.). 2 trans-
tic of Alexandria in Egypt. 2 a belonging to or akin to
fer ownership of (property) to another person, etc.

the schools of literature and philosophy of Alexandria. dd al«ien»a»tion /ayleeanayshan/ n.

b (of a writer) derivative or imitative; fond of recon- al»i»form /alifawrm/ adj. wing-shaped.
dite learning. alight 1
/slit/ v.intr. 1 esp. Brit, a descend from a ve-
al»ex»arvdrine /aligzandrin, -dreen/ adj. n. •adj. (of &hicle, b dismount from a horse. 2 come to earth from

a line of verse) having six iambic feet. • n. an alexan-
drine line.
a«lex»i«a /alekseea/ n. the inability to see words or to
read, caused by a condition of the brain.
al*fal*fa /alfalfa/ n. a. leguminous plant, Medicago sati-
the air. 3 (foil, by on) find by chance; notice.
a»light 2 /alit/ predic.adj. 1 on fire; burning. 2 lighted up;
excited.
a»lign /9lin/ v.tr. 1 put in a straight line or bring into
line (three books were neatly aligned on the shelf) 2 (usu. .

va, with cloverlike leaves and flowers used for fodder. foil, by with) bring (oneself, etc.) into alliance with (a

al»fres»CO /alfresko/ adv. &

adj. in the open air (we
lunched alfresco; an alfresco lunch)
al»ga /alga/ n. (pi. algae /aljee/ also algas) (usu. in pi.)
a nonflowering stemless water plant, esp. seaweed and
phytoplankton. do al«gal adj.
al*ge«bra /aljibra/ n. the branch of mathematics that
uses letters to represent numbers and quantities in for-
mulae and equations, dd al«ge»bra»ic /aljibrayik/ adj.
al»ge«bra»i»caMy adv.
algebra late Middle English: from Italian, Spanish,
and medieval Latin, from Arabic al-jabr 'the reunion
of broken parts,' 'bone-setting,' from jabara 'reunite,
restore.' The original sense, 'the surgical
fractures,' probably came via Spanish, in which it sur-
vives; the mathematical sense comes from the title of
a book, 'Urn al-jabr wa'l-mukdbala 'The Science of Re-
storing What Is Missing and Equating Like with Like,'
by the mathematician al-Kwarizmi (see .algorithm).
cause, policy, political party, etc.). dd a»lign«ment n.
a*like /alik/ adj. &
adv. madj. (usu. predic.) similar; like
one another; indistinguishable, madv. in a similar way
or manner (all were treated alike)
al»i»men«ta»ry /alimentaree/ adj. of, relating to, or pro-
viding nourishment.
al»i»men«tary ca*nal n. Anat. the passage along which
food is passed from the mouth to the anus during di-
gestion.
al»i»men»ta«tion /alimentayshan/ n. 1 nourishment.
2 maintenance; support.
al«i»mo»ny /alimonee/ n. money payable to a spouse af-
ter divorce or legal separation.
treatment of
A-line /aylin/ adj. (of a garment) having a narrow waist
or shoulders and somewhat flared skirt.
al*i*phat*ic /alifatik/ adj. Chem. of, denoting, or relat-
ing to organic compounds in which carbon atoms form
open chains, not aromatic rings.
al*i*quot /alikwot/ adj. &
n. •adj. (of a part or portion)

-algia /alja/ comb.form Med. denoting pain in a part spec- contained by the whole an integral or whole number
ified by the first element (neuralgia), dd -algic of times. • n. 1 an aliquot part; an integral factor. 2 a
comb.form forming adjectives. known fraction of a whole; a sample.
al*gi*cide /aljasid/ n. a preparation for destroying al- a»live /aliv/ adj. (usu. predic.) 1 (of a person, animal,
gae. plant, etc.) living. 2 a (of a thing) continuing; in opera-
al*gid /aljid/ adj. Med. cold; chilly, dd al*gid*i*ty /aljidi- tion or action (kept his interest alive) b provoking in- .

tee/ n. terest (the topic is still very much alive). 3 lively; active.
al*gin*ic aoid /aljinik/ n. an insoluble carbohydrate 4 charged with an electric current; connected to a
found (chiefly as salts) in many brown seaweeds. (foil, by to) alert or responsive
source of electricity. 5
A!*gol /algawl, -gol/ n. a high-level 6 (foil, by with) a swarming or teeming with, b full
computer pro- to.
gramming language. of. nn a»live»ness n.
AI*gon*qui*an /algongkweean/ n. any of the languages al*ka*li /alkali/ n. (pi. alkalis) 1 a any of a class of sub-
or dialects used by the Algonquin peoples. stances that liberate hydroxide ions in water, usu. form
AI»gon»quin /algongkwan/ n. 1 a N. American people caustic or corrosive solutions, turn litmus blue, and
native to the Ottawa River valley and the northern St. have a pH of more than 7, e.g., sodium hydroxide.
Lawrence River valley. 2 a member of this people. b any other substance with similar but weaker prop-
algorithm /algaritham/ n. Math, a set of rules used erties, e.g., sodium carbonate. 2 Chem. any substance
for calculation or problem-solving, dd al*go*rith*mic that reacts with or neutralizes hydrogen ions.
/algarithmik/ adj. al*ka*line /alkalin/ adj. of, relating to, or having the na-
a»li»as /ayleeas/ adv. &
n. »adv. also known as. •«. a ture of an alkali, dd al»ka*lin-i«ty /alkolinitee/ n.
false name. al*ka*loid /alkoloyd/ n. any of a series of nitrogenous
al»i»bi /alibi/ n. (pi alibis) 1 a claim or piece of evidence organic compounds of plant origin, many of which are
that one was elsewhere when an act, usu. a criminal used as drugs, e.g., morphine, quinine.
one, is alleged to have taken place. 2 an excuse of any al*ka*lo*sis /alkalosis/ n. Med. an excessive alkaline
kind. condition of the body fluids or tissues.
The chief meaning of this I^tin word
'evidence is al»kane /alkayn/ >/. Chem. any of a series of saturated
that when something took place one was elsewhere, '

aliphatic hydrocarbons having the general formula

e.g., He has no alibi for the evening in question. It is al- C n H 2n+2 including methane, ethane, and propane.
>

so used informally, however, to mean 'an excuse, pre- al'kene /alkeen ;/. Chem. any of a series of unsaturated
text, or justification'; many consider this incorrect. aliphatic hydrocarbons containing a double bond and
al»ien aylcenn' adj. &
n. •ad). 1 a (often foil, by to) un- having the general formula (' n H 2n .

familiar; not in accordance; unfriendly; hostile; repug-
nant (army discipline was alien to him; struck an alien
note), b different or separated. 2 from a foreign coun-
try. 3 of or relating to beings supposedly from other
worlds. 4 lint, (of a plant; introduced from elsewhere
al»kyd 'alkid' //. any of the group ol lyntfaetu K-sms de-
rived from various alcohols and auds.
al»kyl alkii ;/. Chem. any radical derived from an ;>i
kane by the removal of a hvdrogen atom
all /awl </<//., ;/. Qf adv. •</<//. 1 a the whole amount,
,

and naturalized. • >/. 1 one who is not

a foreigner, esp. quantity, or extent of (waited ./// </</v; all hn hi, .

a naturalized citizen of the country where he or she is

why), b (with pi.) the entire number of (all the
living. 2 a being supposedly from another world. 3 Hot.
othen left; all ten men). 2 any whatever (b yondaB doubt),
an alien plant, r. al«ien-ness >/
3 greatest possible {with all tpetd). •n. 1a all In |ui l
 .

sons or things concerned {all were present), b every- 19 alia breve ~ allow
thing {that is all). 2 (foil, by of) a the whole of {take all
of it), D every one of {all of us). C colloq. as much as {all AMen screw /alan/ n. a screw with a hexagonal sock-
of six feet tall) d colloq. in a state of {all of a dither)
. et in the head.
3 one's whole strength or resources (prec. by my, your, AMen wrench
/alan/ n. a hexagonal wrench designed
etc.)- 4 (in games) on both sides {the score was two all). and turn an Allen screw.
to fit into
• adv. 1 a entirely {dressed all in black; all around the aMer*gen /alarjan/ n. any substance that causes an al-
room) b as an intensifier {a book all about ships; stop all
. lergic reaction, dd aMer*gen*ic /-jenik/ adj.
this grumbling). 2 (foil, by the + compar.) a to that ex- aMer*gic /alarjik/ adj. 1 (foil, by to) a having an allergy
tent {if they go, all the better) b in the full degree to be
. to. b colloq. having a strong dislike for (a person or

expected {that makes it all the worse), a all along all the thing). 2 caused by or relating to an allergy.
time {he was jo king all along), all and sundry everyone. aMer»gy /alarjee/ n. {pi. *gies) 1 Med. a condition of re-
all but very nearly {it was all but impossible), all for col- acting adversely to certain substances. 2 colloq. an an-
loq. strongly in favor of. all in colloq. exhausted, all In tipathy or dislike, dd al*ler*gist n.
alleverything considered, all manner of many differ- aMe»vi«ate /ale'eveeayt/ v.tr. lessen or make less severe
ent kinds of. all one (or the same) a matter of indif- (pain, suffering, etc.). dd aMe«vi«a»tion -ayshan/ n.
ference {it's all one to me), all over 1 completely fin- aMey /alee/ n. {pi. »leys) 1 (also aMeyway) a a narrow
ished. 2 in or on all parts of (esp. the body) {went hot street, b a narrow passageway between or behind
and cold all over) 3 colloq. typically {that is you all over)
. buildings. 2 a path in a park or garden. 3 an enclosure
4 5/. effusively attentive to (a person), all the same nev- for bowling, etc.
ertheless; in spite of this {he was innocent but was pun- AllFools' Day n. = April Fool's Day.
ished all the same), all set colloq. ready to start, all there aMi*a*ceous /alee-ayshas/ adj. 1 of or relating to the
colloq. mentally alert, all together all at once; all in one genus Allium. 2 tasting or smelling like onion or gar-
place or in a group {they came all together) (cf. alto- lic.

gether), all told in all. all very well colloq. an expres- aMied /slid, alidV adj. 1 united or associated in an alli-

sion used to imply skepticism about a favorable or con- ance. 2 connected or related.
soling remark {your plan is all very well in theory, but it aMi*ga*tor /aligaytar/ n. la large reptile of the croc-
won't work), all the way the whole distance; complete- odile family native to the Americas and China, with a
ly, at all (with neg. or interrog.) to any extent {did not head broader and shorter than that of the crocodile.
swim at all; did you like it at all?), in all in total number 2 (in general use) any of several large members of the
{there were 10 people in all). crocodile family. 3 the skin of such an animal or mate-
aMa bre»ve /ala brev, a'alaa brevay/ n. Mus. a time sig- rial resembling it.
nature indicating 2 half-note beats in a bar. aMi*ga*tor clip n. a clip with teeth for gripping.
aMa cap«peMa var. of a cappella. aMi*ga*tor pear n. an avocado.
AMah /ala, a'alaa/ n. the name of God in Islam. aMit*er*ate alitarayt/ v. 1 intr. a contain alliteration.
all-A»mer»i»can adj. 1 representing the whole of (or on- b use alliteration in speech or writing. 2 tr. construct
ly) America or the US. 2 truly American {ail-American or pronounce (a phrase, etc.) with alliteration, dd al«
boy). 3 Sports recognized as one of the best in a par- lit»er«a»tive alitaraytiv, -rativ/ adj.
ticular sport. aMit»er»a«tion alitarayshan/ n. the occurrence of the
all-a»round adj. 1 versatile, having many uses or abili- same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or
ties {an all-around artist; a lightweight, all-around saw). closely connected words {e.g., calm, cool, and collected).
2 in many or all respects her all-around excellence). aMi«um /aleeam/ n. any plant of the genus Allium, usu.
aMay /alay/ v.tr. 1 diminish (fear, suspicion, etc.). 2 re- bulbous and strong smelling, e.g., onion and garlic.
lieve or alleviate (pain, hunger, etc.). alio- /alo, alo/ comb.form other {allophone; allogamy).
all clear n. a signal that danger or difficulty is over. aMo»cate 'alakayt/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by to) assign, appor-
al«le«ga»tion /aligayshan/ n. 1 an assertion, esp. an tion, ordevote to (a purpose, person, or place), dd a I*
unproved one. 2 the act or an instance of alleging. lo*ca*ble /-kabal/ adj. aMo«ca»tion -kayshan/ n.
aMege /alej/ v.tr. 1 declare to be the case, esp. without aMo»ciMion /alakyobshan/ n. formal or hortatory
proof. 2 advance as an argument, dd alleged adj. speech or manner of address.
aMeg»ed»ly /alejidlee/ adv. as is alleged or said to be aMog*a*my /alogamee/ n. Bot. cross-fertilization in
the case. plants.
aMe«giance/ale'ejans/tt. 1 loyalty (to a person or cause, aMo«path /alapath/ n. one who practices allopathy.
etc.). 2 the duty of a subject to his or her sovereign or aMop«a»thy -alopathee/ n. the treatment of disease with
government. drugs, etc., having opposite effects to the symptoms
aMe»gor«i»cal /aligawrikal, -gor-/ adj. consisting of or (cf. HOMEOPATHY), dd aMo«path-ic /alapathik/ adj.
relating to allegory; by means of allegory, dd aMe*gor* aMo»phone /alafon/ n. Linguistics any of the variant
i«cal«ly adv. sounds forming a single phoneme, dd al»lo«phon»ic
al»le«go»rize /aligariz/ v.tr. treat as or by means of an /-fonik/ adj.
allegory, dd aMe*go*ri*za*tion /-rizayshan/ n. aMot /alot/ v.tr. (allotted, allotting) 1 give or apportion
aMe»go«ry /aligawree/ n. {pi. «ries) 1 a story, picture, to (a person) as a share or task; distribute officially to
etc., in which the meaning is represented symbolical- {they allotted us each a pair of boots). 2 (foil, by to) give
ly. 2 the use of such symbols. 3 a symbol. or distribute officially {money allotted to each charity).
aMe»greMo /aligreto/ adv., adj.,& n. Mus.* adv. adj. &
aMot»ment /alotmant/ n. 1a share allotted. 2 the ac-
in a fairly brisk tempo.* n. {pi. «tos) an allegretto pas- tion of allotting.
sage or movement. aMo*trope /alatrop/ n. any of two or more different
aMe»gro /aleggro, alay-/ adv., adj., n. Mus. madv. & & physical forms in which an element can exist.
adj. in a brisk tempo. • n. {pi. *gros) an allegro passage all out adj. involving all one's strength; at full speed (al-
or movement. so (with hyphen) attrib.: an all-out effort).
aMele /ale'el/ n. one of the (usu. two) alternative forms aMow /alow/ v. 1 tr. permit {smoking is not allowed). 2 tr.
of a gene, dd al-lel-ic /ale'elik/ adj. give or provide; permit (a person) to have (a limited
aMe«lu*ia /alilobya/ int. &
n. (also aMe*lu*ya, hal*le*lu* quantity or sum) {we were allowed $500 a year). 3 tr.
jah /hal-) mint. God be praised. •«. 1 praise to God.
2 a song of praise to God. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

allowance ~ already 20 the fruit from the tree Prunus dulcis. 2 the tree itself,
of the rose family and related to the peach and plum.
provide or set aside for a purpose; add or deduct in al»most /awlmost/ adv. all but; very nearly.
consideration of something {allow 10% for inflation). alms /aamz/ n.pl. hist, the charitable donation of mon-
4 tr. a admit; concede (he allowed that it was so), b be ey or food to the poor.
of the opinion. 5 refl. permit oneself; indulge oneself almshouse /a'amz-hows/ n. esp. Brit, hist.a house
in (conduct) (allowed herself to be persuaded). 6 intr. founded by charity for the poor.
(foil, by of) admit of. 7 intr. (foil, by for) take into con- al*oe /alo/ n. 1 any plant of the genus Aloe, usu. having
sideration; make addition or deduction correspond- toothed fleshy leaves. 2 (in pi.) (in full bitter aloes) a
ing to (allowing for waste), dd al»low»a»ble adj. strong laxative obtained from the bitter juice of vari-
aMovvance /alowans/ n. &v. • n. 1 an amount or sum ous species of aloe. 3 (also A»mer«i»can al*oe) an aga-
allowed to a person, esp. regularly. 2 an amount al- ve native to Central America.
lowed in reckoning. 3 a deduction or discount. 4 (foil, a*loft /alawft, aloft/ predic. adj. &
adv. 1 high up; over-
by of) tolerance of. • v. tr. 1 make an allowance to (a head. 2 upwards.
person). 2 supply in limited quantities. a»lo»ha /alohaa, aa-/ int. a Hawaiian salutation at meet-
al»loy /aloy, aloy/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a mixture of two or more ing or parting.
chemical elements, at least one of which is a metal. a»\one /d\6n/ predic. adj. &
adv. 1 a without others pres-
2 an inferior metal mixed esp. with gold or silver. • v. tr. ent, b without others' help. C lonely and isolated (felt
1 mix (metals). 2 debase (a pure substance) by admix- alone). 2 (often foil, by in) standing by oneself in an
ture. opinion, etc. (was alone in thinking this). 3 only; exclu-
all-pur*pose adj. suitable for many uses. sively (you alone can help me), dd a*lone*ness n.
all right adj., adv. &int. madj. (predic.) satisfactory; safe a*long /alawng, along/ prep. &
adv. mprep. 1 from one
and sound. madv. satisfactorily (it worked out all right). end to the other end of (a handkerchief with lace along
• int. 1 expressing consent or assent to a proposal or the edge) 2 on or through any part of the length of (was
.

order. 2 as an intensifier (that's the one all right). walking along the road) 3 beside or through the length
.

Although found widely, alright remains nonstand- of (shelves stood along the wall) • adv. 1 onward; into a .

ard, even where standard spelling leads to awkward- more advanced state (come along). 2 at or to a partic-
ness, e.g., / wanted to make sure it was all all right. ular place; arriving (I'll be along soon). 3 in company
all-right attrib.adj. colloq. fine; acceptable (an all-right with a person, esp. oneself (bring a book along) 4 be- .

guy). side or through part or the whole length of a thing.

All Saints' Day n. a Christian festival in honor of all d along with together with.
the saints, held (in the Western Church) on Nov. 1 a*long*shore /alawngshawr, along-/ adv. along or by
All Souls' Day n. a festival in some Christian church- the shore.
es with prayers for the souls of the dead, held on Nov. a*long*side /alawngsid, along-/ adv. &prepmadv.at or
2. to the side (of a ship, pier, etc.). mprep. close to the side
all»spice /awlspis/ n. 1 the aromatic spice obtained of; next to. n alongside of side by side with.
from the ground berry of the pimento plant, Pimenta a*loof /alobf/ adj. &
adv. • adj. distant; unsympathetic.
dioica. 2 the berry of this. 3 any of various other aro- • adv. away; apart (he kept alooffrom his colleagues) dd a» .

matic shrubs. looMy adv. a*loof*ness n.

all-time adj. (of a record, etc.) hitherto unsurpassed. a*loud /alowd/ adv. 1 audibly; not silently or in a whis-
aMude /alobd/ v.intr. (foil, by to) 1 refer, esp. indirect- per. 2 archaic loudly.
ly, 2 mention.
covertly, or briefly, to. alp /alp/ n. 1 a high mountain. 2 (the Alps) the high
aMure /alobr/ v. &
n. mv.tr. attract, charm, or fascinate. range of mountains in Switzerland and adjoining
• n. attractiveness; personal charm; fascination, dd al» countries.
lurernent n. aMur*ing adj. al*paoa /alpaka/ n. 1 a S. American mammal, Lama
al*lu«sion /aloozhan/ n. a reference, esp. a passing or pacos, related to the llama, with long shaggy hair. 2 the
indirect one. Often confused with illusion, dd aMu» wool from the animal. 3 fabric made from the wool,
sive /aloosiv/ adj. with or without other fibers.
al*lu*vi*on /alobveean/ n. 1 the wash of the sea against al»pen»horn /alpanhawrn/ n. a long wooden horn used
the shore, or of a river against its banks. 2 a a large by Alpine herdsmen to call their cattle.
overflow of water, b matter deposited by this, esp. al- al*pha /alfa/ n. 1 the first letter of the Greek alphabet
luvium. 3 the formation of new land by the movement (A, a). 2 a beginning; something that is primary or
of the sea or of a river, dd al*lu*vi*al adj. first.
aMu«vi»um/al6bveeam/n. (pi. alluviums or alluvia /-a/) al*pha*bet /alfabet/ n. the set of letters used in writing
a deposit of usu. fine fertile soil left during a time of a language.
flood, esp. in a river valley or delta. al*pha*bet*i*cal /alfabetikal/ adj. (also al-pha»bet«ic
aMy /ali/ n. &v. • w. (pi. «lies) 1 a government formal- /-betik) 1 of or relating to an alphabet. 2 in the order
ly cooperating or united with another for a special pur- of the letters of the alphabet, ui al»pha»bet»i»cal»ly afln
i

pose, esp. by a treaty. 2 a person or organization that al»pha«bet»ize /alfoboti/./ tf.tr. arrange (words, names,
cooperates with or helps another, mv.tr. also /ohV (-lies, etc.) in alphabetical order, dg al»pha»bet»i»za»tion
•lied; Soften foil, by with) combine or unite in alliance. l/.ayshan/ n.
al«ma ma»ter /a'almn ma'atnr/ n. (also Al»ma Ma«terj al*pha*nu*mer*ic /Al&noomerik, nyoo ./<//. con-
1 the university, school, or college one attends or at- taining both alphabetical and numerical symbols.
tended. 2 the official anthem or song of a university, al»pha par*ti*cle //. (also al»pha ray) ;/. a helium mi
school, or college. cleus emitted by a radioactive substance, mi
al«ma»nac awlmnnak, al ;/. an annual calendar of
'
garded as a ray.
months and days, usu. with astronomical data and al»pine Upm ./<//. &
n. •udj. 1 a of OX relating to high
other information. mountains, b growing or found on high mountains
al«might»y awlmitec adj. &
adv. madj. 1 having com- 2 (Alpine; of Of relating to the Alps. •//. a plant native
plete power; omnipotent. 2 (the Almighty; (
rod. 3 tl or suited to a high mountain h.ilnt ai
very great (an ahnii^hiv cra^h). madv. si. extremely; very al»read»y
/awlredee <i(h. 1 before the time in question
much. (7 hue?': thai ahtady). 2 as early or as soon as this (<//-
al»mond aamnnd, am --/ n. 1 the oval nutlike seed of ready it
UKU past four o'clock).
 .

al*right /awlrit/ adj., adv., & int. disp. = all right. 21 alright ~ amass
See note at all right.
Al*sa*tian /alsayshan/ n. a native of Alsace, a region of or. 3 (attrib.) denoting the member of a family of
E. France. instruments pitched next below a soprano of its type.
al»so /awlso/ adv. in addition; likewise; besides. al»to»geth»er /awltagethar/ adv. 1 totally; completely
al*so-ran n. 1 a horse or dog, etc., not among the win- (you are altogether wrong). 2 on the whole (altogether it
ners in a race. 2 an undistinguished person. had been a good day). 3 in total.
al»tar /awltar/ n. 1 a table or flat-topped block, often of Altogether and all together are used in different con-
stone, for sacrifice or offering to a deity. 2 a table at texts. Altogether means 'in total,' e.g., The hotel has
which a Christian service, esp. the Eucharist, is cele- twenty rooms altogether. Altogether, I spent five years on
brated. the island. All together means 'all at once' or 'all in one
al*tar*piece /awltarpees/ n. a piece of art, esp. a paint- place or in one group,' e.g., The packages arrived all to-
ing, set above an altar. gether. We managed to get three bedrooms all together (i.e.,
alt»az»i»muth /altazimath/ n. a telescope or other in- near each other).
strument mounted so as to allow both vertical and hor- al*to-re«lie*vo /altorileevo/ n. (also al»tori»lie»vo
izontal movement, esp. one used for measuring the al- /altorilyayvo/) (pi. form of relief in
«vos) Sculpture 1 a
titude and azimuth of celestial bodies. which the sculptured shapes stand out from the back-
al«ter /awltar/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become different; ground to at least half their actual depth. 2 a sculp-
change. 2 tr. castrate or spay, an al»ter«a«ble adj. al»ter» ture characterized by this.
action /-rayshan' n. al«tru»ism /altrooizam/ n. 1 regard for others as a prin-
al*ter*cate /awltarkayt/ v.intr. (often foil, by with) dis- ciple of action. 2 unselfishness; concern for other peo-
pute hotly; wrangle, dd al«ter«ca»tion /-kayshan/ n. ple, dd al*tru*ist n. al«tru»is»tic /— istik/ adj. al»tru«is«ti«
al»ter e»go /awltar e'ego, ego/ n. (pi. alter egos) 1 an in- caMy adv.
timate and trusted friend. 2 a person's secondary or a*lum /alam/ n.a double sulfate of aluminum and potas-
alternative personality. sium.
al*ter*nate v., adj., &n. »v. /awltarnayt, al-/ 1 intr. (of- a»lu»mi»na /alobmina/ n. the compound aluminum ox-
ten foil, by with) (of two things) succeed each other ide occurring naturally as corundum and emery.
by turns (elation alternated with depression) 2 intr. (foil, . a*lu*mi*num /alobminam n. (Brit, aluminium
by between) change repeatedly (between two condi- /alyamineeam/) a silvery light and malleable metallic
tions) (the patient alternated between hot and cold fevers) element resistant to tarnishing by air. r Symb.: Al.
3 tr. (often foil, by with) cause (two things) to succeed a*lum*nus /alumnas/ n. (pi. alumni /-nl';fem. alumna,
each other by turns (the band alternated fast and slow pi. alumnae /-nee, ni/) a former pupil or student of a

tunes) • adj. /awltarnat, al-/ 1 (with noun in pi. ) eve-

. particular school, college, or university.
ry other (comes on alternate days) 2 (of things of two
. al»ve»0»lar alveeolor adj. 1 of an alveolus. 2 Phonet. (of
kinds) each following and succeeded by one of the a consonant) pronounced with the tip of the tongue in
other kind (alternate joy and misery). 3 (of a sequence, contact with the ridge of the upper teeth, e.g., m, s3 r.
etc.) consisting of alternate things. 4 = alternative. • n. al*ve*o*lus /alveeslas/ n. (pi. alveoli -li ) 1 a small cav-
/awltarnat, al-/ something or someone that is an alter- ity, pit,or hollow. 2 any of the many tiny air sacs of the
native; a deputy or substitute, dd al«ter»nate-ly adv. lungs which allow for rapid gaseous exchange. 3 the
In both American and British English alternate bony socket for the root of a tooth. 4 the cell of a hon-
means 'every other,' e.g., There will be a dance on al- eycomb, dd al»veo«late adj.
ternate Saturdays, and alternative means 'available as always /awlwayz/ adv. 1 at all times (they are alzvjys
another choice,' e.g., an alternative route. In American late). 2 whatever the circumstances (/ can akoays sleep
usage, however, alternate can also be used to mean on the floor). 3 repeatedly; often (they are akoays com-
'available as another choice,' e.g., An alternate plan plaining). 4 forever (/ am with you ahvays).
called for construction to begin immediately rather than a»lys»sum /alisam/ n. any plant of the genus Alyssum,
waiting for spring. usu. having yellow or white flowers.
al»ter«nate an*gles n.pl. two angles, not adjoining one Alz«heiTner's dis*ease aalts-himarz, alts-, awlts-,
another, that are formed on opposite sides of a line awlz-/ n. a serious disorder of the brain manifesting
that intersects two other lines. itself in premature senility.
al«ter«nat»ing current n. an electric current that AM abbr. 1 amplitude modulation. 2 Master of Arts.
reverses its direction at regular intervals. Am symb. Chem. the element americium.
al»ter«na«tion /awltarnayshan, al-/ n. the action or re- am 1st person sing, present of BE.
sult of alternating. a.m. abbr. (also A.M. or AM) between midnight and
a l«ter«n active /awltarnativ, al-/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 (of one noon.
or more things) available or usable instead of another AMA abbr. American Medical Association.
(an alternative route). 2 (of two things) mutually exclu- a»mal»gam /amalgam/ ;;. 1 a mixture or blend. 2 an al-
sive. 3 of or relating to practices that offer a substitute loy of mercury with one or more other metals, used
for conventional ones (alternative theater) . • n. any of esp. in dentistry.
two or more possibilities, dd a*mal«ga*mate /amalgamayt/ v. 1 tr.
al*ter*na*tive*ly adv. intr. combine &
See note at alternate. or unite to form one structure, organization, etc. 2 intr.
al*ter«na*tor /awltarnaytar, al-/ n. a generator that pro- (of metals) alloy with mercury, dd a»mal»ga»ma»tion
duces an alternating current. /-mayshan/ n.
alt»horn /alt-hawrn/ n. Mus. an instrument of the sax- a*man*u*en*sis /amanyoo-ensis/ ;;. (pi. amanuenses
horn family, esp. the alto or tenor saxhorn in E flat. /-seez/) 1 a person who writes from dictation or cop-
although /awltho/ conj. = though conj. 1-3. ies manuscripts. 2 a literary assistant.
al*tim*e*ter /altimitar, altimeetar/ n. an instrument for am»a»ret»tO /amareto/ n. an almond-flavored liqueur.
showing height above sea or ground level, esp. one fit- anva«ryl«lis /amarilis/ n. Amaryllis belladonna, a bul-
ted in an aircraft. bous lily-like plant with white, pink, or red flowers.
al*ti*tude /altitoDd, -tyoDd/ n. the height of an object in a*mass /amas/ v.tr. 1 gather or heap together. 2 accu-
relation to a given point, esp. sea level or the horizon. mulate (esp. riches), oa a*mass«er n. a»mass«ment ;/.

dd al*ti*tu*di*nal /-tobdin'l, -tyob-/ adj.

al'tO /alto/ n. (pi. «tOS) 1 = CONTRALTO. 2 = COUNTERTEN- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . ..

amateur ~ amethyst 22 and from a hospital. 2 hist, a mo-

the sick or injured to
an army.
bile hospital following

am»a«teur /amachoor, -char, -tar, -tar/ n. &

adj. • n. anvbiHant /ambyalant/ adj. Med. 1 (of a patient) able
1 a person who engages in a pursuit as a pastime rather to walk about; not confined to bed. 2 (of treatment)
than a profession. 2 derog. a person who does some- not confining a patient to bed.
thing unskillfully. •adj. for or done by amateurs; un- am«bu»la»tO»ry /ambyalatawree/ adj. &n. madj. 1 = am-
skillful (amateur athletics; did an amateur job), dd am* bulant. 2 of or adapted for walking. • n. (pi. »ries) a
a*teur*ism n. place for walking, esp. in a monastery.
am»a»teur»ish /amachobr, -charish, tar-, -tar-/ adj. am*bush /ambOOsh/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a surprise attack by

characteristic of an amateur, esp. unskillful or inexpe- persons (e.g., troops) in a concealed position. 2 a the
rienced, dd am«a»teur»ish»ly adv. am»a«teur«ish«ness n. concealment of troops, etc., to make such an attack.
am«a»to»ry /amatawree/ adj. of or relating to sexual love b the place where they are concealed. • v. tr. attack by
or desire. means of an ambush.
a*maze /amayz/ v.tr. (often foil, by at, or that + clause, a*me*ba var. of amoeba.
or to + infin.) surprise greatly, dd a«maze»ment n. a» a«mel«io»rate /ame'elyarayt/ v.tr. intr. make or be- &
maz»ing adj. a»maz«ing»ly adv. a»maz»ing«ness n. come better; improve, dd a*mel*io*ra*tion /-rayshan/
Anva»zon /amazon, -zan/ «.1a member of a mythical n. a»mel«ioTa»tive adj. a«mel»io«ra«tor n.

race of female warriors. 2 (amazon) a very tall or a»men /a'amen, ay-/ int. &
n. • int. 1 uttered at the end

athletic woman, dd Am«a»zoni»an /-zoneean/ adj.
anvbas«sa»dor /ambasadar, -dawr/ n. 1 an accredited
diplomat sent by a nation on a mission to, or as its per-
manent representative in, a foreign country. 2 a rep- a»me»na»ble /ame'enabal, amen-/ adj. 1 responsive;
resentative or promoter of a specified thing (an ambas-
sador of peace), dd anvbas«sa»do»ri»al /-dawreeal/ adj.
anvbas«sa»dor«ship n.
anvber /ambar/ n. & adj. *n. 1 a a yellowish translu-
cent fossilized resin deriving from extinct trees and
used in jewelry, b the honey-yellow color of this. 2 a
yellow traffic signal meaning caution, madj. made of
or colored like amber.
am*ber*gris /ambargris, -grees/ n. a strong-smelling
waxlike secretion of the intestine of the sperm whale,
used in perfume manufacture.
am*bi*dex*trous /ambidekstras/ adj. able to use the
right and left hands equally well, dd am»bi«dex»ter»i»ty
/-steritee/ n. am*bi*dex*trous*ly adv. am»bi»dex»trous«
ness n.
am»bi»ence /ambeeans, aaNbeeaaNs/ n. (also am«bi«
ance) the surroundings or atmosphere of a place.
am»bi»ent /ambeeant/ adj. surrounding.
am»bi«gu»i»ty /ambigyobitee/ n. (pi. »ties) 1 double
meaning. 2 an expression able to be interpreted in
more than one way (e.g., fighting dogs should be
avoided)
am*big*u*OUS /ambigyooas/ adj. having an obscure or
double meaning, dd am*big«u*ous*ly adv. am*big*u*
ousTiess n.
anvbit /ambit/ n. the extent or bounds of something.
anvbi»tion /ambishan/ n. 1 the determination to
achieve success or distinction, usu. in a chosen field.
2 the object of this determination.
am*bi*tious /ambishas/ adj. 1 full of ambition. 2 show-
ing ambition (an ambitious attempt), dd am*bi*tious*ly
adv. am»bi»tiousTiess n.
am«biv»a»lence /ambivalans/ n. 1 the coexistence in
one person's mind of opposing feelings, esp. love and
hate, in a single context. 2 uncertainty over a course
of action or decision, an am»biva»lent adj. am*biv*a*
lenWy adv.
am»bi»vert /ambivert/ n. Psychol, a person who fluctu-
ates between bein^ an introvert and an extrovert.
dd am«bi»ver«sion ver/.han/ n.
am»ble ambnl/ v. & n. •v.mrr. 1 move at an easy pa-
ce. 2 (of a horse, etc.; move by lifting the two feet on
one side together. 3 ride an ambling horse; ride at an
of a prayer or hymn, etc., meaning 'so be it.' 2 (foil,
by to) expressing agreement or assent (amen to that)
• n. an utterance of 'amen' (sense 1).
tractable. 2 (of a person) responsible to law. dd a»me«
na*bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n. a»me»na«bly adv.
a*mend /amend/ v. tr. 1 make minor improvements in
(a text or a written proposal). 2 correct an error or
errors in (a document). Often confused with emend,
a more technical word used in the context of textual
correction, dd a*mend«a*ble adj. a»mend»er n.
a»mend»ment /amendmant/ n. 1 a minor change in a
document (esp. a legal or statutory one). 2 an article
added to the US Constitution.
a*mends /amendz/ n. u make amends (often foil, by
for) compensate (for).
a»men«i«ty /amenitee, ame'e-/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 (usu. in
pi.) a pleasant or useful feature. 2 pleasantness (of a
place, person, etc.).
a»men»or»rhe»a /aymenare'ea/ n. Med. an abnormal ab-
sence of menstruation.
Am»er»a»sian /amarayzhan/ n. a person of American
and Asian descent.
a«merce /amars/ v.tr. 1 Law punish by fine. 2 punish
arbitrarily, dd a«merce«ment n. a«merce«a»ble adj.
A»mer»i»can /amerikan/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of, relating to,
or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants.
2 (usu. in comb.) of or relating to the continents of
America (Latin-American). •«. 1 a native or citizen of
the United States. 2 (usu. in comb.) a native or inhab-
itant of the continents of America (North Americans)
3 (also A»mer»i«can English) the English language as
it is used in the United States.
A«mer»i«ca»na /amerikana, -ka'ana, -kayna/ n.pl.
things connected with America, esp. with the United
States.
A»mer»i»can ln*di*an n. a member of the aboriginal
peoples of America or their descendants.
See note at Indian.
A»mer»i«can»ism /amerikani/am/ //. 1 a a word or
phrase peculiar to or originating from the United
States. Da thing or feature characteristic of or pecu
liar to the United States. 2 attachment to or lympath)
for the United States.
A»mer»i»can»ize /amerikamz/ v. 1 tr. a make Anui ictfl
b naturalize as an American. 2 inn. In-
in character,
come American in character, n A«mer»i«can«i-za»tion
i
i

easy pace. •;;. an easy pace; the gait of an ambling / nizayshan/ n.

horse. anrer»i»ci«um /amarisheeam ;/. Chtm. an artificially
am»bro-sia ambrozha. "• 1 (in Greek and Roman my- made transuranic radioactive metallic element "
thology; the food of the gods. 2 anything very pleas-
Symb.: Am.
ing to taste or smell. 3 a dessert made with oranges Am»er»in»di«an /amarindeean/ adj. is' n. (also Am-er»
and shredded coconut. arrvbro-sial adj. am»bro« ind amarind/) = AMERICAN Indian, do Am-er»in»dic
sian adj.
rindik </<//.
anvbylance ambyatons/ n. 1 a vehicle for conveying am«e«thyst /amithist >/. a predoui itone <>f a violet or
 .

purple variety of quartz, dd am»e«thys»tine /-thisteen/ 23 amiable - amphitheater

adj.
a«mi»a»ble /aymeeabal/ adj. friendly and pleasant in amok run about wildly in an uncontrollable violent
temperament, no a»mi»a»bil«i«ty /—bilitee/ n. a»mi»a»bly rage.
adv. a»mong /arming/ />re/>. (also a*mongst /amungst/) 1 sur-
rounded by; in the company of. 2 in the number of
amiable late Middle English (originally in the senses
{among us were those who disagreed) 3 in the class or
.

'kind,' and 'lovely, lovable'): via Old French from late

category of {is among the richest men alive) 4 between;
.

Latin amicabilis 'amicable.' The

current sense, influ-
shared by {had $5 among us). 5 with one another; by
enced by modern French aimable 'trying to please,'
the reciprocal action of {talked among themselves)
dates from the mid- 18th cent.
See note at between.
am»i»ca»ble /amikabal/ adj. showing a friendly spirit. a»mor»al /aymawral, -mor-/ adj. 1 not concerned with
dd am»i*ca»bly adv. morality (cf. immoral). 2 having no moral principles.
arrvice /amis/n. a white linen cloth worn on the neck dd a»mor«al«ism n. a«mo«ral»i«ty /-ralitee/ n.
and shoulders by a priest celebrating the Eucharist. See note at immoral.
a*mid /amid/ prep, (also a«midst /amidst/) 1 in the mid- a»mo»ro»so /amaroso/ adv. & adj. Mus. in a loving or
dle of. 2 in the course of. tender manner.
arrnde /aymid, am-/ n. Chem. a compound formed am»o»rous /amaras/ adj. 1 showing, feeling, or inclined
from ammonia. to sexual love. 2 of or relating to sexual love, dd am«o«
a*mid*ships /amidships/ adv. (also a*mid*ship) in or rousMy adv. anro«rous«ness n.
into the middle of a ship. a*mor*phous /amawrfas/ adj. 1 shapeless. 2 vague; ill-
a*mi*go /ame'ego/ n. {pi. «gos) a friend, esp. in Span- organized. 3 Mineral. & Chem. having neither definite
ish-speaking areas. form nor structure, dd a«mor»phous»ly adv. a«mor«
a»mine /ame'en, ameen/ n. Chem. z compound formed phous*ness n.

from ammonia. am»or*tize /amartiz, amawr-/ v.tr. Commerce 1 gradu-

a»mi»no aoid /ame'eno/ Biochem. any of a group of
n.
organic compounds containing both the carboxyl and
amino groups, occurring naturally in plant and an-
imal tissues and forming the basic constituents of pro-
ally extinguish (a debt) by money regularly put aside.
2 gradually write off the initial cost of (assets), dd am*
or»ti»za»tion /-tizayshan/ n.
a*mount /amownt/ n. & v. »n. a quantity, esp. the to-

teins. tal of a thing or things in number, size, value, extent,

a»mir var. of emir. etc. {a large amount of money), •v.intr. (foil, by to) 1 be
a*miss /amis/ predic.adj. &adv. mpredic.adj. wrong equivalent to in number, size, significance, etc.
{something was amiss).* adv. wrong {everything went {amounted to $100). 2 (of a person) become {might one
amiss). take amiss be offended by. day amount to something).
am»i»trip»ty»line /amitriptileen/ n. Pharm. an antide- a»mour /amobr/ n. a love affair, esp. a secret one.
pressant drug that has a mild tranquilizing action. a»mour pro»pre /a'amoorr prawpra/ n. self-respect.
am»i»ty /amitee/ n. friendship; friendly relations. amp /amp/ n. Electr. an ampere.
1

am»me»ter /am-meetar/ n. an instrument for meas- amp 2 /amp/ n. colloq. an amplifier.

uring electric current in amperes. am»per»age /amparij/ n. Electr. the strength of an elec-
anvmo /amo/ n. colloq. ammunition. tric current in amperes.
am»mo«nia /amOnya/ n. la colorless gas with a anvpere ampeer/ n. Electr. the SI base unit of electric
characteristic pungent smell. 2 (in general use) a solu- current.
tion of ammonia gas in water. am»per»sand amparsand/ ;*. the sign & (= and).
am«mo»ni»a»cal /amaniakal/ adj. of or containing am«phet»a»mine /amfetameen, -min/ n. a synthetic
ammonia or sal ammoniac. drug used esp. as a stimulant.
am»mo»ni«at»ed /amoneeaytid/ adj. combined or treat- amphi- /amfee/ comb, form 1 both. 2 of both kinds. 3 on
ed with ammonia. both sides. 4 around.
am»mo»nite /amanit/ n. any extinct cephalopod mol- am»phib«i»an /amfibeean/ adj. &
n. %adj. 1 living on
lusk of the order Ammonoidea, with a flat coiled spi- land and in water. 2 Zool. of or relating to the class
ral shell found as a fossil. Amphibia. 3 (of a vehicle) able to operate on land and
am»moni»um /amOneeam/ n. the univalent ion NH
4
+ water. • n. 1 Zool. any vertebrate of the class Amphibia,
,

formed from ammonia. with an aquatic gill-breathing larval stage followed by

am*mu*ni*tion /amyanishan/ n. 1 a supply of projec- a terrestrial lung-breathing adult stage, including
tiles (esp. bullets, shells, and grenades). 2 points used frogs, toads, and salamanders. 2 (in general use) a
or usable to advantage in an argument. creature living on land and in water. 3 an amphibian
am*ne*sia /amne'ezha/ n. a partial or total loss of mem- vehicle.
ory, dd am*ne*si*ac /-zeeak, -zheeak/ n. am*ne*sic adj.
amphibian mid- 17th cent, (in the sense 'having two
&n.
modes of existence or of doubtful nature'): from mod-
am»nes«ty /amnistee/ n. & v. • n. {pi. «ties) a general
ern Latin amphibium 'an amphibian,' from Greek
pardon, esp. for political offenses, mv.tr. («ties, 'tied)
amphibian (noun use of amphibios 'living both in wa-
grant an amnesty to.
ter and on land,' from amphi 'both' + bios 'life').
am»ni»o»cen«te»sis /amneeosente'esis/ n. {pi. amnio-
centeses /-seez/) Med. the sampling of amniotic flu- am«phib*i*ous /amfibeeas/ adj. 1 living on land and in
id to determine certain abnormalities in an embryo. water. 2 relating to or suited for land and water. 3 Mil.
am»ni»on /amneean/ n. {pi. amnia /-neea/) Zool. &
a (of a military operation) involving forces landed
Physiol, the innermost membrane that encloses the from the sea. b (of forces) trained for such operations.
embryo of a reptile, bird, or mammal, on am*ni*ot*ic dd am*phib*i*ous*ly adv.
/amneeotik/ adj. am»phi»the»a»ter /amfitheeatar/ n. 1a round, usu. un-
a»moe»ba /ame'eba/ n. (also a«me«ba) {pi. amoebas or roofed building with tiers of seats surrounding a cen-
amoebae /-bee/) any usu. aquatic protozoan of the ge- tral space. 2 a semicircular gallery in a theater. 3 a large
nus Amoeba, esp. A. proteus, capable of changing shape. circular hollow. 4 die scene of a contest.
dd a*moe*bic adj. a*moe*boid adj.
a»mok /amuk, amok/ adv. (also a-muck /amuk/) o run See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
amphora ~ analysis 24 an- /sn, an/ prefix not; without (anarchy) (cf. A-).
-ana /ana, aana, ayna/ suffix forming plural nouns
am*pho*ra /amfarg/ n. (pi. amphorae /-red or ampho- meaning 'things associated with' (Victoriana; Ameri-
ras) a Greek or Roman vessel with two handles and a cana).
narrow neck. An»a»bap»tism /anabaptizam/ n. the doctrine that bap-

am»pi»ciMin/ampisilin/n. Pharm. a semisynthetic pen-
icillin used esp. in treating infections of the urinary
and respiratory tracts.
anvple /ampgl/ adj. (ampler, amplest) 1 a plentiful;
abundant; extensive, b euphem. (esp. of a person) large;
stout. 2 enough or more than enough, nn am*ple*ness
n. anvply adv.
am»pli»fi»er /amplifier/ n. an electronic device for in-
creasing the strength of electrical signals, esp. for con-
version into sound in radio, etc., equipment.
tism should only be administered to believing adults.
nn An*a*bap«tist n.
an*a*bol*ic /ansbolik/ adj. Biochem. of or relating to
anabolism.
an*a*bol*ic ste»roid n. any of a group of synthetic ster-
oid hormones used to increase muscle size.
a»nab»olism /anabalizam/ n. Biochem. the synthesis of
complex molecules in living organisms from simpler
ones together with the storage of energy; constructive
metabolism (opp. catabolism) .

am»pli»fy /amplifi/ v. (»fies, «fied) 1 tr. increase the vol- an*a*branch /anabranch/ n. a stream that leaves a river
ume or strength of (sound, electrical signals, etc.) 2 tr. . and reenters it lower down.
add detail to (a story, etc.). nn am»pli»fi»ca»tion a«nach»ro»nism/9nakr3niz3m/«. 1 a the attribution of
/-fikayshan/ n. a custom, event, etc., to a period to which it does not
am*pli*tude /amplitood, -tyood/ n. 1 Physics the maxi- belong, b a thing attributed in this way. 2 an old-fash-
mum extent of a vibration from the position of equilib- ioned or out-of-date person or thing, on a*nach*ro*nis*
rium. 2 Electr. the maximum departure of the value of tic /-nistik/ adj. a»nach«ro»nis»ti»cal«ly adv.
an alternating current or wave from the average an*a*co*lu*thon /anakalobthon/ n. (pi. anacolutha
value. /-tha/) a sentence or construction that lacks grammat-
am*pli«tude mod»u«la»tion n. Electr. 1 the modulation ical sequence (e.g., while in the garden the door banged
of a wave by variation of its amplitude. 2 the system shut), an an*a«co*lu*thic adj.
using such modulation. an*a*con*da /anakonda/ n. a large nonpoisonous snake
anvpoule /ampyool, -pool/ n. (also anvpule or artvpul) that kills its prey by constriction.
a small capsule in which measured quantities of liq- an*a*cru*sis /anakrobsis/ n. (pi. anacruses /-seez/)
uids or solids, esp. for injecting, are sealed ready for 1 (in poetry) an unstressed syllable at the beginning
use. of a verse. 2 Mus. an unstressed note or notes before
anvpuMa /ampobta/ n. (pi. ampullae /-ee/) 1 a Roman the first bar line.
globular flask with two handles. 2 a vessel for sacred an*aer*obe /anorob, anairob/ n. an organism that grows
uses. without air. an an*aer*o*bic adj.
am*pu*tate /ampyatayt/ v. tr. cut off by surgical opera- an*a*gram /anagram/ n. a word or phrase formed by
tion (a part of the body, esp. a limb), dd am*pu*ta*tion transposing the letters of another word or phrase.
/-tayshsn/ n. am*pu*ta*tor n. no an*a*gram*mat*ic /-matik/ adj. an»a»granvmaM»cal
am*pu*tee /ampyate'e/ n. a person who has lost a limb, adj. an*a*gram*ma*tize /-gramatiz/ v.tr.
etc., by amputation. a»nal /aynsl/ adj. 1 relating to or situated near the anus.
anvtrac /amtrak/ n. (also arrvtrack) an amphibious 2 = anal retentive, nn a»nal«ly adv.
tracked vehicle used for landing assault troops on a an*a*lects /anslekts/ n.pl. (also an»a«lec»ta /analekts/)
shore. a collection of short literary extracts.
Am»trak /amtrak/ n. Trademark US passenger railroad an*a*lep*tic /analeptik/ adj. & n. madj. restorative. •«.
system. a restorative medicine or drug.
amu atomic mass unit.
abbr. an«al*ge*si*a /analje'ezeeo, -seeg/ n. the absence or re-
a»muck of amok.
var. lief of pain.
am»u»let /amyalit/ n. an ornament worn as a charm an«al*ge*sic /analje'ezik, -sik/ adj. &
n. madj. relieving
against evil. pain. *n. an analgesic drug.
a*muse /amydbz/ cause (a person) to laugh or
v. 1 tr. an*a*log /analog/ n. 1 an analogous or parallel thing. 2
smile. 2 tr. & foil, by with, by) interest or
refl. (often (attrib.) (of a computer or electronic process) using
occupy; keep (a person) entertained, dd a*mus*ing adj. physical variables, e.g., voltage, weight, or length, to
a*mus*ing*ly adv. represent numbers (cf. digital).
a«muse«ment /omyoozmant/ n. 1 something that a*nal*o*gize /onatojiz/ v. 1 tr. represent or explain by
amuses, esp. a pleasant diversion, game, or pastime. analogy. 2 intr. use analogy.
2 the state of being amused. a*nal*o*gous /onalogos/ adj. (usu. foil, by to) partially
a«muse»ment park n. a park with rides such as a mer- similar or parallel; showing analogy, no a«nal»o«gous*
ry-go-round, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, etc. ly adv.
aTnyg»da»loid nu»cle«us /omigdoloyd/ n. a roughly al- an*a*logue var. of analog.
mond-shaped mass of gray matter deep inside each a»nal»o»gy /nnalojee/ n. (pi. »gies) 1 (usu. loll, by io,
cerebral hemisphere. with, between) correspondence or partial similarity.
arrfyNase /amilays, layz/ n. Biochem. any of several 2 Biol, the resemblance of function between organs es
enzymes that convert starch and glycogen into simple sentially different. 3= analog 1. nn an*a-log*i*cal
sugars. /anolojikol/ adj. an*a*log*i*cal*ly ./,/
a»myotroph-ic lat»er«al scle«ro»sis /aymiotrofik, a»nal re»ten»tive adj. (of a person) excessively orderly
tro / an incurable degenerative disease of the nerv-
n.
and fussy (supposedly owing to aspec tl "I toUei mill-
ous system marked by increasing muscle weakness and
ing in infancy).
eventual paralysis. Also called Lou Gehrig's disease. a*nal*y*sand /nnalisand/ n. a person undergoing psy-
an /an, an/ adj. the form of the indefinite article (see choanalysis.
a ) used before words beginning with a vowel sound
1

a*nal*ysis /onalisis/ n. (pi. analyses / seez/) 1 a a de-

(an egg; an hour). tailed examination of the elements or structure "I a
Now less often used before aspirated words begin- substance, etc. ba statement Oi the result of tins
ning with h and stressed on a syllable other than the
2 Chem. the determination of the constituent parts <>f
first (to a hotel, not an hotel).
a mixture or compound. 3 psychoanalvsis
an*a*lyst /analist/ n. 1a person skilled in (esp. chem- 25 analyst ~ anemometer
ical) analysis. 2 a psychoanalyst.
an»a»lyt»ic /analitik/ adj. of or relating to analysis. b a news broadcaster who introduces
relay team, etc.
an»a»lyt»i»cal /analitikal/ adj. using analytic methods. segments and reads the main portion of the news. mv.
od an»a»lyt«i«cal«ly adv. 1 tr. secure (a ship or balloon) by means of an anchor.

an»a»lyt»i»cal ge»om»e»try n. geometry using coor- 2 tr. fix firmly. 3 intr. be moored by means of an an-
dinates. chor, d cast (or come to) anchor let the anchor down.
an»a«lyze /analiz/ v.tr. 1 examine in detail the constitu- weigh anchor take the anchor up.
tion or structure of. 2 Chem. ascertain the constituents an*chor*age /angkarij/ n. a place where a ship may be
of (a sample of a mixture or compound) 3 find or show
. anchored.
the essence or structure of (a book, music, etc.) 4 psy- an»cho«rite/angkarit/«. (fern, anchoress /-ris/) 1 a her-
.

choanalyze, dd an»a»lyz»a»ble adj. arva»lyz»er n. mit; a religious recluse. 2 a person of secluded habits.
an*a*pest /anapest/ n. Prosody a foot consisting of two dd an*cho*ret*ic /-retik/ adj. an«cho«rit»ic /—ritik/ adj.
short or unstressed syllables followed by one long or an»chor«man /angkarman/ n. (pi. -men) = anchor n. 2.
stressed syllable, dd an*a*pes*tic /-pestik/ adj. an»cho«vy /anchOvee/ n. (pi. -vies) any of various small
a«naph«0»ra /anafara/ n. 1 Rhet.the repetition of a word silvery fish of the herring family usu. preserved in salt
or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. and oil and having a strong taste.
2 Gram, the use of a word referring to or replacing a an*cien re«gime /oNsyax rezheem/ n. (pi. anciens
word used earlier in a sentence (e.g., do in / like it and regimes pronunc. same) 1 the political and social sys-
so do they), dd an«a»phor«ic /anafbrik/ adj. tem in France before the Revolution of 1789. 2 any
an»aph«ro»dis»i»ac /anafrade'ezeeak, -diz-/ adj. n. &
superseded regime.
• adj. tending to reduce sexual desire. • n. an anaphro- an*cient /aynshant/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 of long ago. 2 hav-

disiac drug. ing existed long. »n. 1 archaic an old man. 2 (pi.) the
anaphylaxes /anafilaksis/ n. (pi. anaphylaxes people of ancient times, esp. the Greeks and Romans.
/-seez/) Med. hypersensitivity of tissues to a dose of dd arvcientTiess n.
antigen, as a reaction against a previous dose, dd an* an*cient his«to«ry n. 1 the history of the ancient civi-
a*phy*lac*tic /— laktik/ adj. lizations of the Mediterranean area and the Near East
an*ar*chism /anarkizam/ n. the doctrine that all gov- before the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476.
ernment should be abolished. 2 something already long familiar.
an»ar«chist /anarkist/ n. an advocate of anarchism or an«ciMar»y /ansaleree/ adj. & n. »adj. 1 providing

of political disorder, dd arvar»chis»tic adj.
an«ar»chy /anarkee/ n. 1 disorder, esp. political or so-
cial. 2 lack of government in a society, dd an»ar»chic
/ana'arkik/ adj. an«ar«chi«cal adj. an»ar«chi»caMy adv.
A*na*sa*zi /onasa'azee/ n. 1 a a prehistoric N. American
people native to the southwestern US. b a member of
essential support to a central service or industry. 2 (of-
ten foil, by to) subordinate. • n. (pi. «ies) 1 an ancillary-
worker. 2 something which is ancillary.
and /and, and/ conj. 1 a connecting words, clauses, or
sentences, that are to be taken jointly (cakes and pas-
tries, buy and sell), b implying progression (better and

this people. 2 the language of this people. better). C implying causation (do that and III hit you).
an»as»tig»mat«ic /anastigmatik/ adj. free from astigma- d implying great duration (he cried and cried) e imply-
.

tism. ing a great number (miles and miles), f implying addi-

a«nas»tomose /anastamoz, -mos/ v. intr. link by anas- tion (two and two are four). Q implying variety (there are
tomosis. books and books). 2 colloq. to (try and open it). 3 in rela-
a»nas«to«mo»sis /anastamOsis/ n. (pi. anastomoses tion to (Britain and the US).
/-seez/) a cross-connection of arteries, branches, an*dan*te /aanda'antay/ adv., adj., & n. Mus. •adv. &
rivers, etc. adj. in a moderately slow tempo. • n. an andante pas-
a*nas*tro*phe /anastrafee/ n. Rhet. the inversion of the sage or movement.
usual order of words or clauses. an*dan*ti*no /a'andaante'eno/ adv., adj., &n. Mus. • adv.
a*nath*e*ma /anathama/ n. (pi anathemas) 1 a de- &adj. somewhat quicker than andante.*;/, (pi «nos)
tested thing or person (is anathema to me) 2la an ec-
. an andantino passage or movement.
clesiastical curse, excommunicating a person or de- and*i*ron /andirn/ n. a metal stand (usu. one of a pair)
nouncing a doctrine, b a cursed thing or person, c a for supporting burning wood in a fireplace; a firedog.
strong curse. an*dro*gen /andrajan/ n. a male sex hormone or other
a*nath*e*ma*tize /anathamatiz/ v.tr. & intr. curse. substance capable of developing and maintaining cer-
an»a»tom«i»cal /anatomikal/ adj. 1 of or relating to anat- tain male sexual characteristics, dd an»dro»gen»ic
omy. 2 structural, dd an*a*tom*i*cal*ly adv. /-jenik/ adj.
a*nat*o*mize /anatamiz/ v.tr. 1 examine in detail. 2 dis- an*drog*y*nous /androjinas/ adj. 1 hermaphroditic.
sect. 2 not clearly male or female; exhibiting the appear-
a»nat»o»my /anatamee/ n. (pi. -mies) 1 the science of ance or attributes of both sexes. 3 Bot. with stamens
the bodily structure of animals and plants. 2 this struc- and pistils in the same flower or inflorescence, dd an»
ture. 3 colloq. a human body. 4 analysis. drog»yny n.
ANC abbr. African National Congress. an*droid /androyd/ n. a robot with a human form or
an»ces«tor /ansestar/ n. (fern, ancestress /-stris/) 1 any appearance.
(esp. remote) person from whom one is descended. an*ec*dote /anikdot/ n. a short account of an enter-
2 an early type of animal or plant from which others taining or interesting incident, dd an»ec»do»tal /-dot'l/
have evolved. 3 an early prototype. adj.
an*ces*tral /ansestral/ adj. belonging to or inherited a«ne»mi»a /ane'emeea/ n. a deficiency in the blood, usu.
from one's ancestors. of red cells or their hemoglobin, resulting in pallor and
an»ces«try /ansestree/ n. (pi. -tries) one's (esp. remote) weariness.
family descent. a»ne»mic /ane'emik/ adj. 1 relating to or suffering from
an»chor /angkar/ n. & v. *n. 1a heavy metal weight anemia. 2 pale; lacking in vitality.
used to moor a ship to the seafloor or a balloon to the an»e»mom»e»ter /animomitar/ n. an instrument for
ground. 2 (in full anchorman, anchorperson, anchor- measuring the force of the wind.
woman) a a person who plays a vital part, as the end
member of a tug-of-war team, the last member of a See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

anemometry ~ Anglo-Saxon 26
arvgled /anggsld/ adj. 1 placed at an angle to some-
thing else. 2 presented to suit a particular point of view.
an«e»monre»try /animomitree/ n. the measurement of 3 having an angle.
the force, direction, etc., of the wind, dq arrernornet* an*gler /anggbr/ n. a person who fishes with a hook
ric /-mametrik/ adj. and line.
a»nem»0»ne /anemanee/ n. a plant akin to the butter- an«gler«fish /anggbrfish/ n. any of various fishes that
cup, with flowers of various vivid colors. prey upon small fish, attracting them by filaments aris-
arrer»oid /anaroyd/ adj. &
n. madj. (of a barometer) ing from the dorsal fin: also called frogfish.
that measures air pressure by its action on the elastic An*gli*can /angglikan/ adj. &
n. • adj. of or relating to

lid of an evacuated box. •«. an aneroid barometer. the Church of England. • n. a member of an Anglican
an»es«the«sia /anis-the'ezha/ n. the absence of sensa- Church, dd An*gli*can*ism n.
tion, esp. artificially induced before surgery, dd aires* An*gli*cism /angglisizam/ n. 1 a peculiarly English
the«si»ol»o»gy /-zeeobjee/ n. word or custom. 2 Englishness. 3 preference for what
arves«thet»ic /anis-thetik/ adj. &n.*n.a substance that is English.

produces insensibility to pain, etc. »adj. producing An*gli*cize /angglisiz/ v.tr. make English in form or
partial or complete insensibility to pain, etc. character.
an»es»the«tist /anes-thatist/ n. a specialist in the An*glo /angglo/ n. (pi. *glos) 1 a person of British or
administration of anesthetics. northern European origin. 2 a white, English-speak-
an»es»the«tize /anes-thatiz/ v.tr. 1 administer an anes- ing person not of Hispanic descent.
thetic to. 2 deprive of physical or mental sensation. Anglo- /angglo/ comb.form 1 English (Anglo-Catholic)
dd an«es»the«ti»za«tion /-tizayshsn/ n. 2 of English origin (an Anglo-American) 3 English or .

an»eu»rysm /anysrizam/ n. (also arreuTism) an exces- British and (an Anglo-American agreement).
sive localized enlargement of an artery, dd an«eu»rys« An»glo«cen»tric /angglosentrik/ adj. considered in
mal /-rizmal/ adj. (also arreuTis»mal). terms of England.
a»new /anob, anyoo/ adv. 1 again. 2 in a different way. An»glo-French /angglofrench/ adj. n. •adj. 1 Eng- &
an*gel /aynjal/ n. 1 a a spiritual being believed to act as lish or British and French. 2 of Anglo-French. • n. the
an attendant or messenger of God. b a representation French language as retained and separately developed
of this in human form with wings. C an attendant spir- in England after the Norman Conquest.
it (guardian angel). 2 a a very virtuous person, b an An*glo«phile /anggbfil/ n. &
adj. (also An»glo«phil
obliging person. 3 si. a financial backer of an enter- /-fil/) • n. a person who greatly admires England or the

prise, esp. in the theater. 4 an unexplained radar echo. English. %adj. being an Anglophile.
an*gel dust n. si. the hallucinogenic drug phencycli- An*glo*phobe /anggbfob/ n. adj. »n. a person who &
dine hydrochloride. greatly hates or fears England or the English. • adj. be-
an*gel*fish /aynjalfish/ n. any of various fish, esp. ing an Anglophobe.
Pterophyllum scalare, with large dorsal and ventral fins. An»glo«pho«bi»a /anggbfobeea/ n. intense hatred or
an*gel food cake n. a very light sponge cake. fear ofEngland or the English.
a rvgeMc /anjelik/ adj. 1 like or relating to angels. 2 hav- an*glo*phone /anggbfon/ adj. &
n. madj. English-
ing characteristics attributed to angels, esp. beauty or speaking. • «. an English-speaking person.
innocence. an*gel*i*cal*ly adv. An»glo-Sax»on /angglosakssn/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 of the
an«ge«lus/anjibs/«. 1 a Roman Catholic devotion said English Saxons before the Norman Conquest. 2 of the
at morning, noon, and sunset. 2 a bell rung to an- Old English people as a whole before the Norman
nounce this. Conquest. 3 of English descent. •«. 1 an Anglo-Sax-
arvger /anggar/ n. & v. •«. extreme displeasure, •v.tr. on person. 2 the Old English language. 3 colloq. plain
make angry. (esp. crude) English.
an»gi»na /anjina, anjana/ n. 1 an attack of intense con-
stricting pain often causing suffocation. 2 (in full angi-
na pectoris /pektaris/) pain in the chest brought on by
exertion, owing to an inadequate blood supply to the
heart.
an*gi*o«gram /anjeeagram/ n. an X-ray taken by angi-
ography.
an»gi»og»ra«phy /anjeeaagrafee/ n. the visualization by
X-ray of blood vessels following injection with a sub- acute
stance that opaque to X-rays.
is

an»gi»o»sperm /anjeeDsparm/ n. any plant producing

flowers and reproducing by seeds enclosed within a
carpel, oc: an*gi»o*sper*mous /-sparmas/ adj.
An»gle /anggal/ n. (usu. in pi.) a member of a tribe from
Schleswig, Germany, that settled in Eastern Britain in
the 5th c. dd An*gli*an adj.
an»gle' anggol/ n. &
v. «n. 1 a the space between two
meeting lines or surfaces, b the inclination of two lines
or surfaces to each other. 2 a a corner, b a sharp
projection. 3 a the direction from which a photograph,
etc., is taken, b the aspect from which a matter is con-
sidered. C an approach, technique, etc. »t>. 1 tr. intr. &
point in a particular direction. 2 jr. present (informa-
tion; from a particular point of view.
an«gle faggal v.intr. 1 (often foil, by for) fish with
hook and line. 2 (foil, by for) seek an objective by de-
vious or calculated means.
an-gle brackets n.pL brackets obtuse
in the form <> (see
br.v v\:\ n. 3;.
angles
an»go«ra /anggawra/ n. 1 a fabric made from the hair 27 angora - annuity
of the angora goat or rabbit. 2 a long-haired variety of
cat, goat, or rabbit. an*i*seed /aniseed/ n. the seed of the anise, used to fla-
an«go«ra wool n. a mixture of sheep's wool and ango- vor liqueurs and candy.
ra rabbit hair. ankh /angk/ n. a device consisting of a looped bar with
arvgos»tu»ra /anggastobra, -styOOra/ n. (in full angos- a shorter crossbar, used in ancient
tura bark) an aromatic bitter bark used as a flavoring, Egypt as a symbol of life.
and formerly as a tonic and to reduce fever. an»kle /angkal/ n. 1 the joint connec-
arvgry /anggree/ adj. (angrier, angriest) 1 feeling or ting the foot with the leg. 2 the part
showing anger. 2 (of a sore, etc.) inflamed; painful. of the leg between this and the calf.
3 suggesting anger (an angry sky), do an»gri«ly adv. arvklet /angklit/ n. an ornament or fet-
angst /aangkst/ n. 1 anxiety. 2 a feeling of guilt or re- ter worn around the ankle.
morse. an»ky»lose /angkilos/ v.tr. &
intr. (of

ang»strom /angstram/ n. (also angstrom /awngstrdm/) bones or a joint) stiffen or unite by

a unit of length equal to 10- 10 meter. ankylosis.
aoguish /anggwish/ n. severe misery or suffering. an«ky»lo«sis /angkilosis/ n. 1 the
ankh
arvguished /anggwisht/ adj. suffering or expressing an- abnormal stiffening and immobility
guish. of a joint by fusion of the bones. 2 such fusion, oo an«
an*gu*lar /anggyslar/ adj. 1 a having angles or sharp kyloHc /-lotik/ adj.
corners, b (of a person) having sharp features, c awk- arvnaMst /analist/ n. a writer of annals, an an»nal»is»tic
ward manner. 2 forming an angle. 3 measured by
in /-listik/ adj.
angle, oo an«gu«lar«i«ty /-laritee/ n. an*gu*lar*ly adv. arvnals /analz/ n.pl. 1 a narrative of events year by year.
an»hy»drous /anhidras/ adj. Chem. without water, esp. 2 historical records.
water of crystallization. an*neal /ane'el/ v. & n. • v. tr. 1 heat (metal or glass) and

an*Mine /anillin, Ami n. a colorless oily liquid, used in allow it to cool slowly, esp. to toughen it. 2 toughen.
the manufacture of dyes, drugs, and plastics. • n. treatment by annealing, do an«neal«er n.
an*i*line dye n. 1 any of numerous dyes made from an- an»ne«lid /an'lid/ n. any segmented worm of the phy-
iline. 2 any synthetic dye. lum Annelida, e.g., earthworms, lugworms, etc.
an*i*ma /anima/ n. Psychol. 1 the inner personality (opp. aivnex v. & n. •v.tr. /aneks, aneks 1 add as a subor-
/

persona) 2 Jung's term for the feminine part of a man's

. dinate part. 2 incorporate (territory of another) into
personality (opp. animus). one's own. 3 add as a condition. 4 colloq. take without
an»i»mad»vert /animadvert/ v.intr. (foil, by on) criticize; right. »n. (Brit, also annexe aneks, aniks/) 1 a sepa-
censure (conduct, a fault, etc.). an an»i«mad«ver«sion rate or added building. 2 an addition to a document.
/-varzhan/ n. an an«nex«a»tion -sayshan/ n.
an»i»mal /animal/ n. &
adj. *n. 1 a living organism an«ni»hi«late pnialayty v.tr. 1 completely destroy. 2 de-
which feeds on organic matter, usu. one with special- feat utterly; make insignificant or powerless, dc an»ni»
ized sense organs and a nervous system. 2 such an or- hi-la-tor n.
ganism other than human beings. 3 a brutish or un- an»ni«hi«la«tion anblayshan/ n. the act or process of
civilized person. 4 colloq. a person or thing of any kind annihilating.
(no such animal). • adj. 1 characteristic of animals. 2 of an»ni»ver»sa»ry anivarsaree/ n. (pi. Ties) 1 the date on
animals as distinct from vegetables (animal charcoal). which an event took place in a previous year. 2 the cel-
3 characteristic of the physical needs of animals; car- ebration of this.
nal; sensual. An»no Dom»i«ni /ano domini, -nee/ adv. in the year of
an*i*mal*ism /animalizam/ n. 1 the nature and activity our Lord; in the year of the Christian era.
of animals. 2 the belief that humans are not superior an»no«tate anotayt v.tr. add explanatory notes to (a
to other animals. 3 sensuality. book, document, etc.). oo an»no«tat»a«ble adj. an«no«
an*i*mate adj. &
v. •adj. /animat/ 1 having life. 2 live- taction /-tayshan/ n. an»no«ta»tor //.
ly. • v.tr. /animayt/ 1 enliven; make lively. 2 give life to. arvnounce /anowns/ v. 1 tr. (often foil, by that) make
3 inspire; actuate. 4 encourage. 5 produce using publicly known. 2 tr. make known the arrival or im-
animation. minence of (a guest, dinner, etc.). 3 be a sign of.
an»i«mat»ed /animaytid/ adj. 1 lively; vigorous. 2 hav- an«nounce«ment /anownsmant/ n. 1 the action of an-
ing life. 3 (of a movie, etc.) using techniques of anima- nouncing; something announced. 2 an official com-
tion. an*i*mat*ed*ly adv. an«i«ma»tor n. (in sense 3). munication or statement. 3 an advertisement.
an*i*ma*tion /animayshan/ n. 1 vivacity; ardor. 2 the an»nounc»er /anownsar/ n. a person who announces,
state of being alive. 3 Cinematog. the technique of film- esp. introducing programs or describing sports events
ing successive drawings or positions of puppets, etc., in broadcasting.
to create an illusion of movement when the film is an»noy /anoy/ v. tr. 1 cause slight anger or mental dis-
shown as a sequence. tress to. 2 (in passive) be somewhat angry. 3 harass re-
an*i*mism /animizam/ n. the attribution of a living soul peatedly, oo an«noy«er //. arvnoying adj.
to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena. an»noy«ance /anoyans/ n. 1 irritation; vexation.
an an*i*mist n. an*i*mis*tic /-mistik/ adj. 2 something that annoys.
an«i»mos»i»ty /animositee/ n. (pi. -ties) a spirit or feel- an*nu*al /anyooal/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 reckoned by the
ing of strong hostility. year. 2 occurring every year. 3 living or lasting for one
an«i*mus /animss/ n. 1 a display of animosity. 2 ill feel- year. • n. 1 a book, etc. published once a year. 2 a plant
,

ing. 3 a motivating spirit or feeling. 4 Psychol. Jung's that lives only for a year or less, oo an*nu*aMy adv.
term for the masculine part of a woman's personality an*nu*al*ized /anyooallzd/ adj. (of rates of interest,
(opp. anima). inflation, etc.) calculated on an annual basis, as a
an»i»on /anian/ n. a negatively charged ion; an ion that projection from figures obtained for a shorter period.
is attracted to the anode in electrolysis (opp. cation). an»nu»i»ty /anobitee, anyob-/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 a yearly
an«i«on»ic /anionik/ adj. 1 of an anion or anions. 2 hav- grant or allowance. 2 an investment of money entitling
ing an active anion. the investor to a series of equal annual sums.
arvise /anis/ n. an umbelliferous plant, Pimpinella
anisum, having aromatic seeds (see aniseed). See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .,

annul ~ antenna 28 an»swer /ansar/ n. & v. •«. 1 something said or done

in reaction to a question, statement, or circumstance.
arvnul /amil/ (annulled, annulling) 1 declare (a
v.tr. 2 the solution to a problem. «z>. 1 tr. make an answer
marriage, etc.) invalid. 2 cancel; abolish, dd an«nul» to (answer me). 2 intr. (often foil, by to) make an an-
ment n. swer. 3 tr. respond to the summons or signal of (answer
an*nu*lar /anyalar/ adj. ring-shaped; forming a ring. the door) 4 tr. be satisfactory for (a purpose or need)
.

dd an«nu»lar»ly adv. 5 intr. (foil, by /or, to) be responsible (you will answer
an*nu«late /anyalat, -layt/ adj. having rings; marked to me for your conduct). 6 intr. (foil, by to) correspond,

with or formed of rings, dd an»nu»la»tion /-layshan/ n. esp. to a description. 7 mrr.be satisfactory or success-
an*nu*lus /anyalas/ n. (pi. annuli Ml/) esp. Math. & ful.

Biol, a ring. an«swer«a»ble /ansarabal/ adj. 1 (usu. foil, by to, for)

an»nun»ci»ate /anunseeayt/ v.tr. 1 proclaim. 2 indicate responsible (answerable to them for any accident). 2 that
as coming or ready. can be answered.
an«nun«ci»a»tion /anunseeayshan/ n. 1 (Annunciation) an*swer*ing ma»chine n. a tape recorder which sup-
a the announcing of the Incarnation, related in Luke plies a recorded answer to a telephone call and usu.
1:26-38. b the festival commemorating this on March records incoming messages.
25. 2 a the act or process of announcing, ban an- an*swer*ing service n. a business that receives and
nouncement. answers telephone calls for its clients.
an*nus mi»ra«bi«lis /anas mirabilis/ n. a remarkable or ant /ant/ n. any small insect of a widely distributed hy-
auspicious year. menopterous family, living in complex social colonies,
an*ode /anod/ n. Electr. 1 the positively charged elec- and proverbial for industry.
trode by which electrons leave an electric device. 2 the ant- /ant/ assim. form of anti- before a vowel or h
negatively charged electrode of a device supplying cur- (Antarctic).
rent, e.g., a primary cell, dd an*od*al adj. an»od»ic ant*ac*id /antasid/ n. &
adj. • n. a substance that pre-
/anodik/ adj. vents or corrects acidity, esp. in the stomach. • adj. hav-
an*ode ray n. a beam of particles emitted from the an- ing these properties.
ode of a high vacuum tube. an*tag*0*nism /antaganizam/ n. active opposition or
an*0«dize /anadiz/ v.tr. coat (a metal, esp. aluminum) hostility.
with a protective oxide layer by electrolysis, dd an»o» an*tag*o*nist /antaganist/ n. 1 an opponent or adver-
diz*er n. sary. 2 Biol, a substance, muscle, or organ that partial-
an*o*dyne /anadln/ adj. 1 able to relieve pain. 2 men- ly or completely opposes the action of another, dd an»
tally soothing. tag*o*nis*tic adj. an*tag*o*nis*ti*caMy adv.
a«noint /anoynt/ v.tr. 1 apply oil or ointment to, esp. as an*tag*0«nize /antaganiz/ v.tr. 1 evoke hostility or op-
a religious ceremony. 2 (usu. foil, by with) smear; rub. position in. 2 (of one force, etc.) counteract or tend to
dd a*noint*er n. neutralize (another).
a*nom*a*lous /anomalas/ adj. having an irregular or Ant«arotic /antaarktik/ adj. & n. •adj. of the south po-
deviant feature; abnormal, dd a*nom*a*lous*ly adv. a* lar regions. • n. this region.
nom*a*lous*ness n. Ant-arotic Circle n. the parallel of latitude 66° 32' S.,
a»nom»a»ly/anomalee/«. (pi. 'lies) 1 an anomalous cir- forming an imaginary line around this region.
cumstance or thing; an irregularity. 2 irregularity of an»te /antee/ n. &v. »n. a stake put up by a player in
"\

motion, behavior, etc. poker, etc., before receiving cards. 2 an amount to be

an»o»mie /anamee/ n. (also an»o«my) lack of the usual paid in advance, •v.tr. (antes, anted) 1 put up as an
social or ethical standards in an individual or group. ante. 2 a bet; stake, b (foil, by up) pay.
dd a*nom*ic /anomik/ adj. ante- /antee/ prefix forming nouns and adjectives mean-
a«non /anon/ adv. archaic or literary soon; shortly. ing 'before; preceding' (anteroom; antenatal).
anon, /anon/ abbr. anonymous; an anonymous author. ant»eat«er /anteetar/ n. any of various mammals feed-
an»o«nym /ananim/ n. 1 an anonymous person or pub- ing on ants and termites.
lication. 2 a pseudonym. an*te*beMum /anteebelam/ adj. occurring or existing
a»non»ymous /anonimas/ adj. 1 of unknown name. before a particular war, esp. the US Civil War.
2 of unknown or undeclared source or authorship. an»te«ced»ent /antise'ed'nt/ n. adj. *n. 1 a preceding &
3 without character; featureless; impersonal, dd an»o» thing or circumstance. 2 Gram, a word, phrase, clause,
nym»l«ty /ananimitee/ n. a*non*y*mous*ly adv. or sentence, to which another word refers. 3 (in pi.)
a»noph»e»les /anofileez/ n. any of various mosquitoes history, esp. of a person. • adj. 1 (often foil, by to) pre-
of the genus Anopheles, many of which are carriers of vious. 2 presumptive; a priori, dd an«te»ced»ence
the malarial parasite. /-d'ns/ n. an»te«ced«ent»ly adv.
an«o»rak /anarak/ n. a waterproof jacket, usu. with a an»te»cham»ber /anteechaymbar/ n. a small room lead-
hood, of a kind orig. used in polar regions. ing to a main one.
an»o*rex»i»a /anarekseea/ n.1a lack or loss of appetite an«te»date/antidayt/u &n. •v.tr. 1 occur at a date car
for food. 2 (in full anorexia ner*vo*sa /norv6so/) a psy- lier than. 2 assign an earlier date to (a document event ,

chological illness characterized by an obsessive desire etc.). •«. a date earlier than the actual one.
to lose weight by refusing to eat. an»te«di»lu»vi«an /antcedilobveean/ adj. 1 of or be-
an»o«rex»ic 'anareksik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 characterized longing to the time before the Biblical Mood. 2 colloq.
by a lack of appetite, esp. in anorexia nervosa. 2 colloq. very old or out of date.
extremely thin. *n. a person with anorexia. an*te«lope /antilop/ n. (pi same or antelopes) anv oJ
an«oth»er /anuthar/ adj. &
pron. *adj. 1 an additional various deerlike ruminants of the family Bovidie, esp.
(have another piece of cake). 2 a person comparable to abundant in Africa and typically tall, slender, grtCC
(another Lincoln). 3 a different (quite another matter). ful, and swift-moving with upward-pointing horns
4 some or any other (will not do another person i work). an«te«na»tal /anteenayt'l/ adj. 1 existing or <->. wring
• pron. 1 an additional one (have another). 2 a differ- before birth; prenatal. 2 relating to the period <'! prcg
ent one (take this book away and bring me another). nancy.
3 some or any other one (I love another). an«ten»na antena/ >/ 1 (pi. antennae ZooL MM
ec
an»OVU»lant anovyalnnt/ n. Of adj. Pharm. •>/. a drug of a pair of mobile appendages on the heads of insects,
preventing ovulation, •adj. preventing ovulation. crustaceans, etc., sensitive to touch and taste. 2 (pi.
 .

antennas) a metal rod, wire, or other structure by 29 antepenultimate ~ anti-inflammatory

which signals are transmitted or received as part of a
radio or television transmission or receiving system.
an»te»pe*nul»ti»mate /anteepinultimat/ adj. last but
two.
an»te*ri«or /ante'ereear/ adj. 1 nearer the front. 2 (of-
an»ti«a»bor«tion anteeabawrshan, anti-/ adj. opposing
abortion, dd an»ti»a*bor«tion«ist n.
an»ti«air»craft /anteeairkraft, ami- adj. (of a gun, miss-
ile, etc.) used to attack enemy aircraft.

ten foil, by to) earlier; prior, an an»te»ri»or»j»ty an*ti*bal*lis*ticmis*sile anteebalistik, anti- n. a miss-
/-reeawritee/ n. an»te»ri»or«ly adv. ile designed for intercepting and destroying a ballistic

an»te*room /anteeroom, -room/ n. a small room lead- missile while in flight.

ing to a main one. an»ti»bi»o«sis /anteebiOsis, anti-/ n. an antagonistic
ant«he«li»on /ant-he'eleean, anthe'e-/ n. (pi. anthelia association between two organisms (esp. microorgan-
/-lis/) a luminous halo projected on a cloud or fog bank isms), in which one is adversely affected (cf. symbio-
opposite to the Sun. sis).

an»them /antham/ n. 1 an elaborate choral composi- an»ti»bl«Ot»ic /antibiotik, anti-/ n. Pharm. any of vari-

tion usu. based on a passage of scripture. 2 a solemn
hymn of praise, etc., esp. = national anthem.
another /anthar/ n. Bot. the apical portion of a stamen
containing pollen, dd an*ther*al adj.
ant-hill /ant-hil/ n. a moundlike nest built
termites.
an»thol»0«gize /antholajiz/ v.tr. &
intr. compile or in-
clude in an anthology.
an»thol»o«gy /antholajee/ n. (pi. *gies) a published col-
lection of passages from literature, songs, reproduc-
tions of paintings, etc. dd an»thol»ogist n.
anthology mid- 17th cent.: via French or medieval
ous substances (e.g., penicillin) produced by microor-
ganisms or made synthetically, that can inhibit or de-
stroy susceptible microorganisms.
an»ti»bod»y /antibodee, anti-/ n. (pi «ies) any of vari-
by ants or ous blood proteins produced in response to and then
counteracting antigens.
an*tic antik n. 1 (usu. in pi.) absurd or foolish behav-
ior. 2 an absurd or silly action.
An»ti»christ anteekrist, anti-/ n. an archenemy of
Christ.
an«tioi»pate /antisipayty v.tr. 1 deal with or use before
the proper time. 2 disp. expect (did not anticipate any
difficulty) 3 forestall (a person or thing) 4 look for-
. .

Latin from Greek anthologia, from anthos 'flower' +

-logia 'collection' (from legein 'gather'). In Greek, the
word originally denoted a collection of the 'flowers'of
verse, i.e. small choice poems or epigrams, by various
authors.
an*thra*cene /anthraseen/ n. a colorless crystalline ar-
ward to. nn an»tioi»pa»tor n. an»tioi*pa«tory adj.
Anticipate in the sense 'expect, foresee' is well-estab-
lished in informal use (e.g., He anticipated a restless
night) but is regarded as incorrect by some people. The
,
formal sense, 'deal with or use before the proper time,'
is illustrated by the sentence The doctor a?nicipated the

omatic hydrocarbon obtained by the distillation of possibility of a relapse by prescribing new medications.
crude oils and used in the manufacture of chemicals. an*tioi*pa*tion antisipayshan/ n. the act or process of
an*thra*cite /anthrasit/ n. coal of a hard variety burn- anticipating.
ing with little flame and smoke, dd an*thra*cit*ic /-sitik/ an»ti»cli»max anteeklimaks, anti-/ n. a disappointing-
adj. ly trivial conclusion to something significant, esp.
an*thrax /anthraks/ n. a disease of sheep and cattle where a climax was expected, dd an»ti«cli»mac«tic
transmissible to humans. /-maktik/ adj.
anthropo- /anthrapo/ comb.form human; humankind. an»ti»co«ag*u»lant anteeko-agyalant, anti- n. any
an«thro»po»cen»tric /anthraposentrik/ adj. regarding drug or agent that retards or inhibits coagulation, esp.
humankind as the center of existence, dd an»thro»po* of the blood.
centrist n. an»ti»con»vul»sant anteekanvulsant,anti- In. any drug
an»thro«poid /anthrapoyd/ ad/. &n. madj. 1 resembling or agent that prevents or reduces the severity of con-
a human being in form. 2 colloq. (of a person) apelike. vulsions, esp. as in epilepsy.
• n. a being that is human in form only. an»ti»cy»clone /anteesiklon, anti- n. a system of winds
an«thro«pol«o»gy /anthrapolajee/ n. 1 the study of hu- rotating outwards from an area of high barometric
mankind. 2 the study of the structure and evolution pressure, dd an»ti»cyclon»ic -klonik adj.
of human beings as animals, an an*thro*po*log*i*cal an»ti»de«pres»sant anteedipresant, anti- n. any drug
/-palojikal/ adj. an*thro*pol*o*gist n. or agent that alleviates depression.
an»thro»pom»e«try /anthrapomitree/ n. the scientific an«ti«dote antidot/ n. 1 a medicine, etc., taken or giv-
study of the measurements of the human body, an an* en to counteract poison. 2 anything that counteracts
thro«po»met»ric /-pametrik/ adj. something unpleasant or evil, dd an*ti*dot*al adj.
an»thro»po«mor»phic /anthrapamawrfik/ adj. of or an»ti»freeze /antifreez, antee-/ n. a substance (usu. eth-
characterized by anthropomorphism, an an»thro»po« ylene glycol) added to water to lower its freezing point,
mor*phi*caMy adv. esp. in the radiator of a motor vehicle.
an»thro«po»mor»phism /anthrapamawrfizam/ n. the an«ti»gen /antijan/ n. a foreign substance (e.g., toxin)
attribution of a human form or personality to a god, that causes the body to produce antibodies, dd an«ti«
animal, or thing, dd an«thro*po*mor*phize v.tr. gen*ic /-jenik/ adj.
an*thro*po*mor*phous /anthrapamawrfas/ adj. hu- an«ti»grav«i»ty /anteegravitee, anti- n. Physics a hypo-
man in form. thetical force opposing gravity.
an*thro*poph»a*gy /anthrapofajee/ n. cannibalism. an»ti»he»ro anteeheero, anti-' ;/. (pi. -roes) a central
dd an*thro*poph*a*gous adj. character in a story or drama who noticeably lacks con-
an«ti /antee, -Ml prep. &n. mprcp. (also absol.) opposed ventional heroic attributes.
to (is ami everything; seems to be rather ami) • n. (pi. an- an«ti»his»ta»mine /anteehistamin, -meen, anti-/ n. a
.

tis) a person opposed to a particular policy, etc. substance that counteracts the effects of histamine,
anti- /antee/ prefix (also ant- before a vowel or h) form- used esp. in the treatment of allergies.
ing nouns and adjectives meaning: 1 opposed to; an»ti-in»flam»ma»to»ry /anteeinflamatoree, anti-/ adj.
against (amivivisectionism) 2 preventing (antiscorbu-
. &
n. *adj. reducing inflammation. »n. (pi. «ries) an
tic). 3 the opposite of (anticlimax). 4 rival (amipope). anti-inflammatory medication.
5 unlike the conventional form (antihero).6 Physics the
antiparticle of a specified particle (antiproton) See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
antiknock ~ anvil
an*ti*knock /anteenok, antl-/ n. a substance added to
motor fuel to prevent premature combustion.
an*ti*lock /anteelok, ami-/ attrib. adj. (of brakes) de-
signed to prevent locking and skidding.
an»ti»log»a»rithm /anteelawgaritham, -log-, ami-/ n.
the number to which a logarithm belongs (100 is the
30 an«ti»quar»y /antikweree/ n. (pi. *\es) a student or
collector of antiques or antiquities.
an«ti*quat*ed /antikwaytid/ adj. old-fashioned; out of
date.
antique &
adj. • n. an object of considera-
/ante'ek/ n.
ble age, esp.an item of furniture or the decorative arts
having a high value. • adj. 1 of or existing from an ear-
ly date. 2 old-fashioned; archaic. 3 of ancient times.

common antilogarithm of 2). arvtiq«ui»ty /antikwitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 ancient times,

an«ti»ma»cas»sar /anteemakasar/ n. a covering put over esp. the period before the Middle Ages. 2 great age (a
furniture, esp. over the back of a chair as protection city of great antiquity). 3 (usu. in pi.) physical remains

or as an ornament. or relics from ancient times, esp. buildings and works

an«ti»mat»ter /anteematar, antl-/ n. Physics matter com- of art. 4 (in pi.) customs, events, etc., of ancient times.
posed solely of antiparticles. an»ti-Sem«ite /anteesemit, antl-/ n. a person hostile to
an»ti»mo»ny /antimonee/ n. Chem. a brittle silvery white or prejudiced against Jews, dd an»ti-Se«mit«ic /-simitik/
metallic element used esp. in alloys. H Symb. Sb. air
: adj. an*ti-Sem*i*tism /-semitizsm/ n.
ti*mo»ni*al /-moneesl/ adj. an*ti»mo»ni*al adj. an«ti»mo» an*ti*sep*sis /antisepsis/ n. the process of using anti-
ni»ous /-moneeas/ adj. septics to eliminate undesirable microorganisms.
an»ti»node /anteenod, antl-/ n. Physics the position of an»ti»sep«tic /antiseptik/ a<i/. &n. madj. 1 counteracting
maximum displacement in a standing wave system. sepsis, esp. by preventing the growth of disease-caus-
an»tin»0«my /antinamee/ n. (pi. •mies) 1 a contradic- ing microorganisms. 2 free from contamination.
tion between two beliefs or conclusions that are in 3 lacking character. •«. an antiseptic agent, dd an«ti»
themselves reasonable; a paradox. 2 a conflict between sep*ti*cal*ly adv.
two laws or authorities. an»ti»se«rum /antiseeram/ n. (pi. antisera /-ra/) a blood
an»ti«nov»el /anteenoval, antl-/ n. a novel in which the serum containing antibodies against specific antigens,
conventions of the form are studiously avoided. injected to treat specific diseases.
an»ti»nu»cle»ar /anteenobkleesr, -nyob-, antl-/ adj. op- an*ti«so*cial /anteesoshsl, antl-/ adj. 1 contrary to nor-
posed to the development of nuclear weapons or nu- mal social instincts or practices. 2 not sociable. 3 op-
clear power. posed to the existing social order.
an*ti*ox*i*dant /antee-oksid'nt, anti-/ n. an agent that an*tith*e*sis /antithisis/ n. (pi. antitheses /-seez) 1
inhibits oxidation, esp. used to reduce deterioration of (foil, by of to) the direct opposite. 2 (usu. foil, by of
products stored in air. between) contrast or opposition between two things.
an*ti*par*ti*cle /anteepaartikal, antl-/ n. Physics an an«ti*thet*i*cal /antithetikal/ adj. (also an»ti»theMc)
elementary particle having the same mass as a 1 contrasted; opposite. 2 connected with, containing,
given particle but opposite electric or magnetic prop- or using antithesis, dd an*ti*thet*i*caMy adv.
erties. an»ti»tOX»in /anteetoksin/ n. an antibody that counter-
arvti»pas«to/anteepaasto/ra. (pi. 'tosorantipasti/-tee/) acts a toxin, dd an*ti«tox*ic adj.
an hors d'oeuvre, esp. in an Italian meal. an*ti*trust /anteetrust, anti-/ adj. (of a law, etc.) op-
an»tip»a»thy /antipathee/ n. (pi. »thies) a strong aver- posed to or controlling trusts or other monopolies.
sion or dislike. an»ti»type /anteetlp/ n. 1 that which is represented by
an*ti*per*son*nel /anteeparsanel, antl-/ adj. (of a a type or symbol. 2 a person or thing of the opposite
bomb, mine, etc.) designed to kill or injure people type, dd an*ti*typ*i*cal /-tipikol/ adj.
rather than to damage buildings or equipment. an«ti«vi»ral /anteevirsl, anti-/ adj. effective against vi-
an*ti*per*spi*rant /anteeparspirgnt, antl-/ n. &adj. • n. ruses.
a substance applied to the skin to prevent perspira- an»ti»viv»i«sec»tion»ism /anteevivisekshanizam, anti-/
tion, madj. that acts asan antiperspirant. n. opposition to vivisection, dd an«ti»vivi»sec»tion»ist
an«ti*phon /antifon/ hymn or psalm, the parts of n.
n. 1 a
which are sung or recited alternately by two groups. ant-ler /antlar/ n. 1 each of the branched horns of a stag
2 a versicle or phrase from this. or other (usu. male) deer. 2 a branch of this, dd ant*
an*tiph«o*nal /antifanal/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 sung or re- lered adj.
cited alternately by two groups. 2 responsive; an- ant li»on n. any of various dragonflylike insects, the lar-
swering. • n. a collection of antiphons. dd an*tiph*o* vae of which dig pits in which to trap ants and other
naMy adv. insects for food.
an»tiph«o»ny/antif3nee/w. (pi. «nies) 1 antiphonal sing- an*to*no*ma*sia /antanamayzha/ n. 1 the substitution
ing or chanting. 2 a response or echo. of an epithet or title, etc., for a proper name (e.g., the
an*ti*pode /antipod/ n. (usu. foil, by of to) the exact op- Maid of Orleans for Joan of Arc). 2 the use of a prop-
posite. er name to express a general idea (e.g., a Scrooge for
an»tip«o«des /antipadeez/ n.pl. 1 a (also Antipodes) a a miser).
place diametrically opposite another, esp. Australasia an»tO«nym /antonim/ n. a word opposite in meaning to
as the region on the opposite side of the earth from another in the same language (e.g., bad and good) (opp.
Europe, b places diametrically opposite each other. 2 synonym), dd an«ton«ymous /antonimos/ ad/.
fusu. foil, by of to) the exact opposite, dd an«tip*o*dal antrum /antrum/ (pi antra Auai.
n. / tro/) ,i natural
adj. an*tip*o*de*an /dee on/ adj. & n. chamber or cavity in the body, esp. in a bone, mi an*
an«ti«pope /anteepop, anti / n. a person set up as pope- tral adj.
in opposition to one ('held by others to be) canonical-
ants»y /antsee/ adj. colloq. impatient; fidgety; restless.
ly chosen. a-nus /aynDs/ n. Anal, the ex-
arrti»pro«ton /anteeproton, anti / n. Physics the nega- cretory opening at the end of
tively charged antiparticle of a proton.
the alimentary canal.
arvti-pyreMc /anteepiretik, anti / adj. preventing or an»vil /anvil/ n. a block (usu.
reducing fever. of iron) with a flat top, eon-
an«ti«quar»i«an antikwaireenn/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of or eave sides, and often a point-
dealing in antiques or rare books. 2 of the study of an- ed end, on whieh metals are
tiquities. • n. an antiquary, dq an-ti-quar»i-an»ist n.
worked in forging. anvil
 . .
anx»i«e»ty /angziatee/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 the state of being
anxious. 2 concern about an imminent danger, diffi-
culty, etc. 3 (foil, by for, or to + infin.) anxious desire.
anxious /angkshas/ adj. 1 uneasy in the mind. 2 caus-
ing or marked by anxiety (an anxious moment). 3 (foil,
by for, or to + infin.) earnestly or uneasily wanting (anx-
dd anx*ious*ly adv. anx*ious*ness n.
ious to please),
Anxious and eager both mean 'looking forward to
something,' but they have different connotations. Ea- sight.
ger suggests enthusiasm about something, a positive a»per»i»ent /ape'ereeant/ adj.
outlook: I'm eager to get started on my vacation. Anx- laxative medicine.
ious implies worry about something: I'm anxious to get a»pe«ri»od»ic /aypeereeodik/
started before it rains.
an»y /enee/ adj.,pron., &
adv. »adj. 1 (with interrog.,
ncg., or conditional expressed or implied) a one, no
matter which, of several (cannot find any answer).
b some, no matter how much or many or of what sort
(if any books arrive; have you any sugar?). 2 a minimal
amount of (hardly any difference). 3 whichever is cho-
sen (any fool knows that). 4 a a significant (did not stay
for any length of time) b a very large (has any amount
. cone. 4 a tip or pointed end.
of money). »pron. 1 any one (did not know any of them).
2 any number (are any of them yours?) 3 any amount . aphaereses, aphereses /-seez/) the omission of a let-
(is there any left?), madv. (usu. with neg. or interrog.) at
all (is that any good?).
an»y»bod»y /eneebudee, -bodee/ n. &
pron. 1 a a per-
son, no matter who. b a person of any kind, c what-
ever person is chosen. 2 a person of importance.
an»y»how /eneehow/ adv. 1 anyway. 2 in a disorderly
manner or state.
an«y»one /eneewun/ pron. anybody.
Anyone is written as two words only to emphasize
singularity, e.g., Any one of us could do the job. Other-
wise it is written as one word (e.g., Anyone who wants
to come is welcome).
an*y*place /eneeplays/ adv. anywhere.
an«y»thing/eneething/prw2. 1 a thing, no matter which.
2 a thing of any kind. 3 whatever thing is chosen. an-
ything but not at all (was anything but honest).
an*y*way /eneeway/ adv. (also dial, anyways /enee-
wayz/) 1 in any way or manner. 2 in any case. 3 to re-
sume (anyway, as I was saying)
an*y*where /eneehwair, -wair/ adv. &pron. madv. in or
to any place, •pron. any place (anywhere will do).
An*zac /anzak/ n. 1 a soldier in the Australian and New
Zealand Army Corps (1914-18). 2 any person from
Australia or New Zealand.
A-OK good order.
abbr. colloq. excellent; in a*pi*cal /aypikal, ap-/ adj. of, at, or forming an apex.
a»or»ta /ayawrta/ n. (pi. aortas) the main artery, giving dd a»pi-ca!*ly adv.
rise to the arterial network through which oxygenated a»pi»cesp/. of apex.
blood is supplied to the body from the heart, do a»or» a*pi*cul*ture /aypikulchar/ n. beekeeping, dd a«pi»cul«
tic adj.
a*pace /apays/ adv. literary swiftly; quickly.
A»pach»e /apachee/ n. a member of a N. American In-
dian tribe of the southwestern US.
a*part /apaart/ adv. 1 separately; not together (stand
apart from the crowd). 2 into pieces (came apart in my
hands). 3 a to or on one side, b out of consideration
(placed after noun: joking apart). 4 to or at a distance.
d apart from excepting; not considering.
a*part*heid /apa'artayt, -tid/ n. (esp. as formerly in S.
Africa) a policy or system of segregation or discrimina-
tion on grounds of race.
a*part*ment /apaartmant/ n. 1 a set of rooms forming
one residence, usu. in a building containing a number
of these, and usu. rented.
ap*a*thet*ic /apathetik/ adj. having no emotion, dd ap»
a*thet*i*cal*ly adv.
ap»a«thy /apathee/ n. (often foil, by toward) lack of in-
terest or feeling.
a*pa*to*sau*rus /apatasawras/ n. a large herbivorous
dinosaur of the late Jurassic period, with a long neck
and tail. Formerly called brontosaurus.
31 anxiety ~ Apocrypha
ape /ayp/ n. &
v. •«. 1 any of the various primates of
the family Pongidae, characterized by the absence of
a tail. 2 (in general use) any monkey. 3 a an imitator.
b an apelike person, •v.tr. imitate; mimic. go ape si.
1 become crazy. 2 be emotional or enthusiatic.
a*per*cu /aapersY/ n. la summary or survey. 2 an in-
& n. »adj. laxative. »n. a
adj. not periodic; irregu-
lar.
an alcoholic drink taken before
a«pe»ri*tif /aperiteef/ n.
a meal to stimulate the appetite.
ap»er»ture /aparchar/ n. 1 an opening; a gap. 2 a space
through which light passes in an optical or photo-
graphic instrument.
a*pex /aypeks/ n. (pi. apexes or apices /aypiseez/) 1 the
highest point. 2 a climax. 3 the vertex of a triangle or
a*phaer*e«sis /aferisis/ n. (also a«pher»e«sis) (pi.
ter or syllable at the beginning of a word as a morpho-
logical development (e.g., in the derivation of adder
from naddre).
a*pha*sia /afayzha/ n. Med. the loss of ability to under-
stand or express speech, owing to brain damage, dd a*
pha*sic /-zik/ adj. &
n.
a»phe»li»on /afe'eleean, ap-he'eleean/ n. (pi. aphelia
/-leea/) the point in a body's orbit where it is furthest
from the sun (opp. perihelion).
aph*e*sis /afisis/ n. (pi. apheses /-seez/) the gradual
loss of an unstressed vowel at the beginning of a word
(e.g., of e from esquire to form squire), dd a»phet»ic
/afetik/ adj. a*phet*i*caMy adv.
a*phid /ayfid, afid/ n. any small homopterous insect
which feeds by sucking sap from leaves, stems, or roots
of plants; a plant louse.
a*phis /ayfis, afis/ n. (pi. aphides /ayfideez/) an aphid,
esp. of the genus Aphis including the greenfly.
aph»o»rism /afarizam/ h. 1 a short pithy maxim. 2 a
brief statement of a principle, dd aph»o»ris»tic adj.
aph*ro*dis*i*ac /afrade'ezeeak, -diz-/ adj. n. •adj. &
that arouses sexual desire, •n. an aphrodisiac drug.
a»pi«ar»y /aypee-eree/ n. (pi. «ies) a place where bees
are kept, dd a*pi*a*rist n.
tur»al /-kulcharal/ adj. a*pi*cul*tur*ist n.
a*piece /ape'es/ adv. for each one (hadfive dollars apiece)
ap»ish /aypish/ adj. 1 of or like an ape. 2 silly, dd ap»ish«
ly adv. ap'ishTiess n.
a»plen»ty /aplentee/ adv. in plenty.
a*plomb /aplom, aplum/ n. assurance; self-confidence.
ap»ne«a /apneea, apne'ea/ n. Med. a temporary cessa-
tion of breathing.
APO abbr. Army post office.
apo- /apa/ prefix 1 away from (apogee). 2 separate (apoc-
arpous) .
a*poc«a*lypse /apokalips/ n. 1 (the Apocalypse) Rev-
elation, the last book of the New Testament. 2 a grand
or violent event resembling those described in the
Apocalypse.
a»poc«a«lyp«tic /apokaliptik/ adj. 1 of or resembling the
Apocalypse. 2 revelatory.
A»poc»ry»pha /apokrifa/ n.pl. 1 the books included in
the Septuagint and Vulgate versions of the Old Tes-
tament but not in the Hebrew Bible. Modern Bibles
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

apocryphal ~ appendicitis 32 ap»o«them /apathem/ n. Geom. a line from the center

sometimes include them in the Old Testament or as
an appendix, and sometimes omit them. 2 (apocry-
pha) writings not considered genuine.
a*pooryphal /apokrifal/ adj. 1 of doubtful authentic-
ity. 2 invented; mythical (an apocryphal story). 3 of or
belonging to the Apocrypha.
ap*o*gee /apajee/ n. 1 the point in a celestial body's or-
of a regular polygon at right angles to any of its sides.
a»poth»e»o«sis /apothee-osis/ n. (pi. apotheoses
/-seez/) 1 elevation to divine status; deification. 2 a
glorification of a thing (apotheosis of the dance)
ap»o»tro»pa«ic /apatropayik/ adj. supposedly having the
power to avert an evil influence or bad luck.
appall /opawl/ v.tr. (also ap*pal) (appalled, appalling)
1 greatly dismay. 2 (as appalling adj.) colloq. shocking;

bit where it is farthest from the earth (opp. perigee). unpleasant; bad. dd ap*pall*ing*ly adv.
2 the most distant or highest point. Ap*pa*loo*sa /apaloosa/ n. a horse of a N. American
a«po*lit*i«cal /aypalitiksl/ adj. not interested in or con- breed having dark spots on a light background.
cerned with politics. ap*pa*rat«chik /aaparaatchik/ n. (pi. apparatchiks or
a»pol«0»get»ic /apotajetik/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 regretfully Russ. apparatchiki /-kee/) 1 a a member of the admin-
acknowledging an offense. 2 diffident. 3 of reasoned istrative system of a Communist party, b a Communist
defense, •n. (usu. in pi.) a reasoned defense, dd a»pol« agent or spy. 2 a a member of a political party in any
o*get*i*caMy adv. country who blindly executes policy; a zealous func-
ap*o*lo*gi*a /apalojeea/ n. a formal defense of one's tionary, b an official of a public or private organiza-
opinions or conduct. tion.
a*pol*0*gist /spolajist/ n. a person who defends some- ap*pa«rat*us /apsratas, -raytas/ n. 1 the equipment
thing by argument. needed for a particular purpose or function. 2 a polit-
a*pol«0«gize /apolajlz/ v.intr. (often foil, by for) make ical or other complex organization. 3 (in full apparat-
an apology. us crit»i»cus) a collection of variants and annotations
a*pol*o*gy /apolajee/ n. (pi. «gies) 1 a regretful accompanying a printed text and usu. appearing be-
acknowledgement of an offense or failure. 2 an assur- low it.
ance that no offense was intended. 3 an explanation ap«par»el /sparal/ n. clothing; dress.
or defense. 4 (foil, by for) a poor specimen of (this apol- ap*par*ent /aparant/ adj. 1 readily visible or perceiva-
ogy for a letter). ble. 2 seeming, dd ap*par*ent*ly adv.
ap»opleotic /apsplektik/ adj. 1 of or liable to apoplexy. ap*pa*ri*tion /aparishan/ n. a sudden or dramatic ap-
2 colloq. overcome with anger (apoplectic with rage) pearance, esp. of a ghost or phantom; a visible ghost.
ap»o«plex»y /apapleksee/ n. a sudden loss of con- ap*peal /apeel/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. make an earnest re-
sciousness, voluntary movement, and sensation quest; plead (appealed for calm) 2 intr. be attractive or .

caused by blockage or rupture of a brain artery; a of interest. 3 intr. (foil, by to) resort to or cite for sup-
stroke. port. 4 Law a intr. apply (to a higher court) for a re-
a*pos*ta*sy /spostasee/ n. (pi. -sies) 1 renunciation of consideration of the decision of a lower court, b tr. re-
a belief or faith. 2 abandonment of principles or of a fer to a higher court to review (a case) 5 intr. Sports .

party. 3 an instance of apostasy. call on an umpire or referee to reverse a decision. • n.

a*pos*tate /apostayt/ n. &
adj. •n. a person who 1 the act or an instance of appealing. 2 a formal or ur-
renounces a former belief, adherence, etc. •adj. en- gent request for public support, esp. financial, for a
gaged in apostasy. cause. 3 Law the referral of a case to a higher court.
a*pos*ta*tize /opoststiz/ v. intr. renounce a former be- 4 attractiveness; appealing quality (sex appeal)
lief, adherence, etc. ap*peal*ing /speeling/ adj. attractive; likable, dd ap«
a pos«te«ri»ori /ay posteeree-awree, -awri/ adj. adv. peal*ing*ly adv. &
• adj. (of reasoning) inductive; empirical; proceeding ap«pear /ape'er/ v.intr. 1 become or be visible. 2 be ev-
from effects to causes. • adv. inductively; empirically; ident (a new problem then appeared) 3 seem; have the .

from effects to causes (opp. a priori). appearance of being (you appear to be right) 4 present .

a*pos*tle /aposal/ n. 1 (Apostle) a any of the chosen oneself publicly or formally, esp. on stage or as the ac-
twelve first sent out to preach the Christian Gospel. cused or counsel in a court of law. 5 be published (it
b the first successful Christian missionary in a coun- appeared in the papers)
try or to a people. 2 a leader or outstanding figure, esp. ap*pear*ance /ape'erans/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
of a reform movement (apostle of temperance) 3 a mes- appearing. 2 an outward form as perceived, esp. visu-
.

senger or representative. ally (neaten up one's appearance; gives the appearance of

ap»OS»tol»ic/ap3stolik/ad/. 1 of or relating to the Apos- trying hard). 3 a semblance. make (or put in) an ap-
tles. 2 of the Pope regarded as the successor of St. Pe- pearance be present, esp. briefly.
ter. 3 of the character of an Apostle. ap»pease /ope'ez/ v.tr. 1 make calm or quiet, esp. con-
ap»os»tol»ic suoces*sion n. the uninterrupted ciliate (a potential aggressor) by making concessions.
transmission of spiritual authority from the Apostles 2 satisfy (an appetite, scruples), dd ap*pease*ment n.
through successive popes and bishops. ap*peas*er n.
a«pos»tro»phe' /opostrafee/ n. a punctuation mark ap*pel»lant /apelont/ n. Law a person who appeals to a
used to indicate: 1 the omission of letters or numbers higher court.
(e.g., can't; he's). 2 the possessive case (e.g., Harry s ap»pel»late/opelr>t/ adj.
Law (esp. of a court) concerned
book). with appeals.
The apostrophe is used 1. to indicate missing letters ap*pel*la*tion /apolayshon/ n. formal a name or ink ,

or numbers: Hallowe'en, the summer of '63; 2. in form- nomenclature.

ing some posscssives; see note at POSSESSIVEj 3. in form- ap«pend /opend/ v.tr. attach, affix, add, esp.
to a writ-
ing some plurals; see note at PLURAL. ten document, etc.
a»pos«tro«phe /opostrnfee/ n. an exclamatory passage- ap»pend»age/r»pendij///. 1 something Bttat tied; is id
;
'

in a speech or poem, addressed to a person. a*pos* dit ion. 2 Zoo/, a limb or other projecting part oft body.
I II i

tro»phize v.tr. & nu>. ap»pen»dec»to»my /apandektamee/ u. (also ap«pen*di*

a»potlre-car»y npothokeree/;/. (pi. >\es) archaic a phar- cec»to»my / disektomec/) [pi. -mies) the lUTgicaJ It
macist licensed to dispense medicines. moval of the appendix.
ap«o»thegm apnthem/ n. a terse saying or maxim; an ap*pen*di*ci*tis /apendisftis/ >/. inflammation <>f die
aphorism. ap-o»theg-maHc the^matik/ adj. appendix.
 .

ap-pervdix /apendiks/ n. (pi. appendices /-diseez/; ap- 33 appendix ~ appropriation

pendixes) 1 (in full vermiform appendix) Anat. a
small outgrowth of tissue forming a tube-shaped
sac attached to the lower end of the large intes-
tine. 2 subsidiary matter at the end of a book or doc-
ument.
ap»per»ceive /aparseev/ v. tr. 1 be conscious of perceiv-
ap*por*tion /apawrshan/ v.tr. share out; assign as a
share, dd ap»por»tion»ment n.
ap*po*site /apazit/ adj. (often foil, by to) 1 apt; well cho-
sen. 2 well expressed, dd ap«po«site«ly adv. ap«po«site«
ness n.

ing. 2 Psychol, compare (a perception) to previously
held ideas so as to extract meaning from it. ap«per»
cep»tion /-sepshan/ n. ap*per*cep*tive adj.
ap*per*tain /apartayn/ v.intr. (foil, by to) 1 relate. 2 be-
long as a possession or right. 3 be appropriate.
ap»po«si»tion /apazishan/ n. 1 placing side by side; jux-
taposition. 2 Gram, the placing of a word next to
another, esp. the addition of one noun to another, in
order to qualify or explain the first (e.g., William the
Conqueror) dd ap*po«si*tion*al adj.
.

ap»pe«tite /apitlt/ n. 1 a natural desire to satisfy bodily ap*prais*al /aprayzal/ n. the act or an instance of ap-
needs, esp. for food or sexual activity. 2 (usu. foil, by praising.
for) an inclination or desire, on ap»pe«ti»tive /apititiv/ ap*praise /sprayz/ v.tr. 1 estimate the quality of (ap-
adj. praised her skills). 2 set a price on; value, dd ap»prais»
ap»pe«tiz»er /apitizar/ n. a small amount to stimulate er n. ap*prais*ive adj.
an appetite. Appraise, meaning 'evaluate,' should not be con-
ap*pe*tiz*ing /apitizing/ adj. stimulating an appetite. fused with apprise, which means 'inform': The paint-
do ap»pe«tiz«ing»ly adv. ing was appraised at $3 million. They gasped when ap-
ap»plaud /aplawd/ v. 1 intr. express strong approval or prised of this valuation.
praise, esp. by clapping. 2 tr. express approval of (a ap»pre«ci»a»ble /apre'eshabal/ adj. large enough to be
person or action). noticed; significant; considerable (appreciable progress
ap*plause /aplawz/ n. 1 an expression of approbation, has been made), dd ap*pre«ci«a»bly adv.
esp. from an audience, etc., by clapping. 2 emphatic ap*pre«ci*ate /spreesheeayt/ v. 1 tr. a esteem highly;
approval. value, b be grateful for (we appreciate your sympathy).
ap*ple /apal/ n. la rounded edible fruit with a crisp C be sensitive to (appreciate the nuances). 2 tr. (often
flesh. 2 the tree bearing this. apple of one's eye a foil, by that + clause) understand; recognize. 3 a intr.

cherished person or thing.
ap*ple*jack /apaljak/ n. an alcoholic beverage made by
distilling or freezing fermented apple cider.
ap*pli*ance /aplians/ n. a device or piece of equipment
used for a specific task, esp. a household device for
washing, drying, cooking, etc.
(of property, etc.) rise in value, b tr. raise in value.
do ap«pre«cia»tive /-shativ, -shee-aytiv/ adj. ap«pre«
cia«tive«ly adv. ap«pre«ci«a«tor n.
ap«pre*ci»a»tion /apre'eshee-ayshan/ n. 1 favorable
recognition. 2 sensitive understanding (a quick appre-
ciation of the problem) 3 an increase in value.
.

ap*pli*ca*bie /aplikabal, aplika-/ adj. 1 that may be ap-
plied. 2 having reference; appropriate, an ap«pli«ca«bil«
i»ty n.
ap»pli»cant /aplikant/ n. a person who applies for some-
thing, esp. a job.
ap*pli*ca*tion /aplikayshan/ n. 1 the act of applying. 2 a
formal request for employment, membership, etc.
3 a relevance, b the use to which something can or
should be put. 4 sustained effort; diligence.
ap»pre«hend /aprihend/ v.tr. 1 understand; perceive
(apprehend your meaning). 2 seize; arrest (apprehended
the criminal), dd ap«pre»hen»si»ble /aprihensibal' adj.
ap»pre«hen*sion /aprihenshsn/ n. 1 uneasiness; dread.
2 understanding; perception. 3 arrest; capture.
ap»pre*hen»sive /aprihensiv/ adj. uneasily fearful;
dreading, dd ap«pre«hen«sive«ly adv. ap»pre«hen«sive«
ness n.
ap»pren«tice /aprentis/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a person who is

ap«pli»ca»tor /aplikaytar/ n. a device for applying a sub- learning a trade by being employed in it for an agreed
stance to a surface. period at low wages. 2 a beginner; a novice, mv.tr. en-
ap-plied /aplid/ adj. (of a subject of study) put to prac- gage as an apprentice, dd ap*pren*tice*ship n.
tical use as opposed to being theoretical. ap*prise /apriz/ v.tr. inform.
ap*pli*que /aplikay/ n., adj., &v. •n. ornamental work ap«proach /aprOch/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. come near or near-
in which fabric is cut out and attached to the surface er to (a place or time). 2 intr. come near or nearer in
of another fabric to form pictures or patterns, madj. space or time. 3 tr. make a tentative proposal to. 4 tr.
executed in applique, mv.tr. (appliques, appliqued. a be similar in character, quality, etc., to. b approxi-
appliqueing) decorate with applique; make using mate to. 5 tr. attempt to influence or bribe. 6 tr. set
applique technique. about, tackle (a task, etc.). 7 intr. Golf play an approach
ap'ply /apli/ v. -plies, -plied 1 intr. make a formal re-
) shot. •«. 1 an act or means of approaching. 2 an ap-
quest for something to be done, given, etc. (apply for proximation. 3 a way of dealing with a person or thing
a job). 2 intr. have relevance (does not apply in this case). (needs a new approach) 4 (usu. in pi. ) a sexual advance.
.

3 tr.a make use of as relevant or suitable (apply the 5 Golf sl stroke from the fairway to the green. 6 Aeron.
rules), b operate (apply the hand brake). 4 tr. a put or the final descent of a flight before landing.
spread on (applied the ointment to the cut) b adminis- ap*proach*a*ble /aprochabal/ adj. 1 friendly; easy to
.

ter (applied common sense to the problem). 5 refl. devote talk to. 2 able to be approached, dd ap«proach»a»bil»i»
oneself (applied myself to the task) ty /-bilitee/ n.
ap«pog*gia*tu*ra /apojatobra/ n. Mus. a grace note per- ap*pro*ba*tion /aprabayshan/ n. approval; consent.
formed before an essential note of a melody and nor- dd ap-pro«ba-to»ry /apr6batawree/ adj.
mally taking half or less than half its time value. ap«pro*pri*ate adj. &v. madj. /aprCpreeat/ 1 suitable or
ap»point /apoynt/ v.tr. 1 assign a post to (appoint him proper. 2 belonging or particular to. mv.tr.
governor). 2 fix; decide on (a time, place, etc.) (8:30 /apropreeayt/ 1 take possession of. 2 devote (money,
was the appointed time) 3 (as appointed adj. ) equipped;
. etc.) to special purposes, dd ap»pro-pri«ate«ly adv. ap«
furnished (a badly appointed hotel). dd ap*point*ee pro«pri*ate«ness ;/. ap*pro*pri*a*tor n.
/-tee/ n. ap«poin*tive adj. ap*pro*pri*a*tion /apropreeayshan/ //. 1 an act or in-
ap*point*ment /apoyntmant/ n. 1 an arrangement to stance of appropriating. 2 something appropriated, as
meet at a specific time and place. 2 a a post available money officially set aside for a specific use.
for applicants, or recently filled, b a person appointed.
3 (usu. in pi.) a furniture; fittings, b equipment. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

approval ~ arbiter
ap»prov»al /aprooval/ n. 1 the act of approving. 2 con-
sent; a favorable opinion, d on approval (of goods sup-
plied) to be returned if not satisfactory.
ap»prove /aproov/ v. 1 tr. confirm; sanction {approved
her application). 2 intr. give or have a favorable opin-
ion. 3 tr. commend, dd ap»proving»ly adv.
approx. abbr. 1 approximate. 2 approximately.
ap»prox«i«mate adj. &
v. •adj. /aproksimat/ fairly cor-
rect or accurate; near to the actual. • v. tr. &
intr. /aprok- on water. •«. 1 an aquatic plant or animal. 2 (in pi.)
simayt/ bring or come near (esp. in quality, number,
etc.), but not exactly, dd ap»prox»i»mate»ly /-matlee/ aq»ua»tint /akwstint, a'akwo-/ n, la print resembling a
adv. ap»prox»i«ma«tion /-mayshan/ n.
ap»pur»te»nance /apart'nons/ n. (usu. in pi.) a be-
longing; an appendage.
APR abbr. annual or annualized percentage rate.
Apr. abbr. April.
a»pres-ski /aprayske'e, aapray-/ n. &
adj. • «. the eve- aq*ua vi»tae /aakwa vitee, vee-/ n. a strong alcoholic
ning, esp. its social activities, following a day's skiing.
• attrib.adj. (of clothes, drinks, etc.) appropriate to so-
cial activities following skiing.
ap«r i»cot /aprikot, aypri-/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a a juicy soft
fruit, smaller than a peach, of an orange-yellow color.
b the tree, Prunus armeniaca, bearing it. 2 the ripe
fruit's orange-yellow color. • adj. orange-yellow.
A»pril /aypril/ n. the fourth month of the year.
A»pril Fool's (or Fools') Day n. April 1, traditionally
an occasion for playing tricks on people in many West-
ern countries.
a pri»0«ri /aa pree-awree, ay pn-awrl/ adj. &
adv. • adj.
1 (of reasoning) deductive; proceeding from causes to
effects (opp. a posteriori). 2 (of concepts, knowledge,
etc.) logically independent of experience (opp. empir-
ical). 3 not submitted to critical investigation. »adv.
1 in an a priori manner. 2 as far as one knows, dd a«
pri*o*rism /aypriarizam/ n.
a«pron /aypran/ n. 1 a garment covering and protecting
the front of a person's clothes. 2 Theatr. the part of a
stage in front of the curtain. 3 the paved area of an air-
field used for maneuvering or loading aircraft. 4 an
endless conveyor belt, dd a*proned adj.
a*pron strings n.pl. o tied to a person's apron strings
dominated by or dependent on that person.
ap»ro»pos /aprapo/ adj., adv., &prep • adj. to the point;
appropriate. %adv. 1 appropriately. 2 by the way; inci-
dentally, mprep. (foil, by of) in respect to; concerning.
apse /aps/ n. a large semicircular or polygonal recess,
esp. at the eastern end of a church.
ap»sis /apsis/ n. (pi. apsides /-sideez/) either of two
points in the orbit of a planet or satellite that are near-
est to or farthest from the body around which it moves.
an ap*si*dal /apsid'l/ adj.
apt /apt/ adj. 1 appropriate. 2 (foil, by to + infin.) hav-
ing a tendency. 3 clever; quick to learn (an apt pupil).
nn apWy adv. apt»ness n.
ap«ti*tude /aptitood, -tydod/ n. 1a natural talent (an
aptitude for drawing). 2 ability or suitability.
aq*ua /akwo, a'akwo/ n. the color aquamarine.
aq*ua*cul*ture /akwnkulchnr, a'akwr> / n. (also aq»ui»
culture) the cultivation or rearing of aquatic plants or
animals, tin aquacultural adj. aquaculturist n.
Aq»ua-Lung /akwolung, a'akwr) / n. Trademark a port-
able breathing apparatus for divers, consisting of cylin-
ders of compressed air strapped on the back, feeding
air through a mask or mouthpiece.
aq»ua»ma»rine /akwomnre'en, a'akwr* / n. 1 a light blu-
ish green beryl. 2 its color.
aq«ua»naut /akwnnawt, a'akwr* / n. an underwater
swimmer or explorer.
aq»ua»plane 'akwaplayn, aakwa n. v. %n.
'
& a
for riding on water, pulled by a speedboat • v. .
intr. ride-
on an aquaplane.
.
34 a»quar«i»um /akwaireeam/ n. (pi. aquariums or aquar-
ia /-reea/) an artificial environment designed for keep-
ing live aquatic plants and animals.
A»quar«i»us/3kwairee9s/n. 1 a constellation, tradition-
ally regarded as portraying the figure of a water car-
rier. 2 a the eleventh sign of the zodiac (the Water Car-
rier) b a person born when the sun is in this sign, dd A»
.
quar*i*an adj. n. &
a*quat*ic /akwatik, akwotik/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 growing
or living in or near water. 2 (of a sport) played in or
aquatic sports.
watercolor, produced from a copper plate etched with
nitric acid. 2 the process of producing this.
aq*ua*vit /aakwaveet, akwa-/ n. an alcoholic liquor
made from potatoes, etc., and usu. flavored with car-
away seeds.
liquor, esp. brandy.
aq*ue*duct /akwidukt/ n. an artificial channel for con-
veying water, esp. in the form of a bridge supported
by tall columns across a valley.
a*que*OUS /aykweeas, ak-/ adj. 1 of, containing, or like
water. 2 Geol. produced by water (aqueous rocks)
a*que*OUS hu»mor n. Anat. the clear fluid in the eye
between the lens and the cornea.
aq»ui»fer /akwifar/ n. Geol. a layer of rock or soil able
to hold much water.
aq*ui*line /akwilin/ adj. 1 like an eagle. 2 (of a nose)
curved like an eagle's beak.
AR abbr. Arkansas (in official postal use).
Ar symb. Chem. the element argon.
Ar»ab /arab/ n. &adj. • n. 1 a member of a Semitic peo-
ple inhabiting originally Saudi Arabia and the neigh-
boring countries, now the Middle East generally. 2 =
Arabian 2. *adj. of Arabia or the Arabs (esp. with eth-
nic reference).
ar«a»besque/ar3besk/n. 1 Ballet a posture with one leg
extended horizontally backward, torso extended for-
ward, and arms outstretched. 2 a design of intertwined
leaves, scrolls, etc.
A*ra*bi«an /araybeean/ adj. &
n. *adj. of or relating to
Arabia. •«. 1 a native of Arabia. \ Now less common
than Arab in this sense. 2 a horse of a breed orig. na-
tive to Arabia.
Ar*a*bic /arabik/ n. &
adj. • n. the Semitic language of
the Arabs, •adj. of or relating to Arabia (esp. with ref-
erence to language or literature).
Ar*a*bic nu»mer»al n. any of the numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 (cf. Roman numeral).
ar*a*ble /arabal/ adj. 1 (of land) suitable for crop
production. 2 (of crops) that can be grown on arable
land.
Ar»a«by /arobee/ n. poet. Arabia.
a»rach»nid /nraknid/ n. an arthropod having four pairs
of walking legs and simple eyes, e.g., scorpions, spi-
ders, mites, and ticks, dd a*rach*ni*dan adj. & n.
a*rach*noid /oraknoyd/ n. Anat. (in full arachnoid
membrane) one of the three membranes (see mimw)
that surround the brain and spinal cord ol 'vertebrates.
a»rach»no»pho«bi«a /oraknnfobeco/ ;/. an iboorma]
fear of spiders, n a»rach»no»phobe /arikndfob n.
i
i
Ar»a«ma»ic /aromayik/ ;/. &
adj. •//. a branch of tin- Sc
mitic family of languages, esp. the language oi Syrii
used as a lingua franca in the Near Batt. •>/<// "I "i ill
Aramaic.
A»rap«a»ho arapaho >/. 1 a a N. American people di
tive to the central plains of Canada ami the US. ba
member of this people. 2 the language «>l this people.
board ar»bi»ter fafarbitar/ ». 1 a an arbitrator in;i dispute, b a
judge; an authority (arbiter <</ tost*). 2 a pei son who
has entire control of something.
ar»bi»trage /a'arbitraazh, -trij/ n. the buying and selling
of stocks or bills of exchange to take advantage of var-
ying prices in different markets.
ar»bi«tra»geur /a'arbitraazh6r/ n. (also ar»bi»trag»er
/aarbitraazhar/) a person who engages in arbitrage.
ar»bi»trar»y /a'arbitreree/ adj. 1based on or derived
from uninformed opinion or random choice; capri-
35 arbitrage ~ arc welding
arch*bish*op /aarchbishap/ n. the chief bishop of a
province, dd arch»bish»opTic /aarchbishaprik/ n.
arch*dea*COn /aarchdeekan/ n. a cleric in various
churches ranking below a bishop. oz arch»dea»con»ry
n. (pi. «ries).

cious. 2 despotic, do ar»bi»trar«i»ly adv. ar«bi»trar»i»ness arch»di»o»cese /a'archdiasis, -seez n. the diocese of an
;

n. archbishop, dd arch»di»oc*e«san /a'archdlosisan adj.

&
ar*bi«trate /a'arbitrayt/ v. tr. intr. decide by arbitration. arch*duke /aarchdobk, -dyobk/ n. (fern, archduchess
ar»bi»tra»tion /a'arbitrayshan/ n. the settlement of a dis- /-duchis/) hist, the chief duke (esp. ofAustria) zz arch*
.

pute by an arbitrator. du*cal adj. arch«duch»y -duchee n. (pi. «ies).

ar»bi»tra»tor /aarbitraytar/ n. a person appointed to set- arch«en»e»my /a'archenamee/ n. (pi. 'mies) 1 a chief en-
tle a dispute; an arbiter. emy. 2 the Devil.
ar^bor /aarbar/ n. 1 an axle or spindle on which some- ar»che»ol»o»gy var. of archaeology.
1

thing revolves. 2 a device holding a tool in a lathe, etc. arch»er /a'archar/ n. 1 a person who shoots with a bow
ar»bor 2 /aarbar/ n. a shady alcove with the sides and and arrows. 2 (the Archer) the zodiacal sign or con-
roof formed by trees or climbing plants; a bower, dd ar» stellation Sagittarius.
bored adj. ar»cher»y /aarcharee/ n. shooting with a bow and
ar»bc-ra»ceous /a'arbarayshas/ adj. 1 treelike. 2 wood- arrows, esp. as a sport.
ed. ar»che«type /a'arkitrp/ n. 1 an original model. 2 a typi-
Ar*bor Day /aarbar/ n. a day dedicated annually to tree cal specimen, cd ar»che»typ«al adj. ar«che«typ«i»cal
planting in the US, Australia, and other countries. /-tipikal/ adj.
ar»bore»al /aarbawreeal/ adj. of, living in, or connected ar»chi»di»ac»o«nal /a'arkidiakanal adj. of or relating to
with trees. an archdeacon, dd ar»chi»di«ac»o«nate -not, -nayt/ n.
ar»bore»tum /aarbareetam/ n. (pi. arboretums or ar»chi»e»pis»CO»pal a'arkee-ipiskapal adj. of or relat-
arboreta /-ta/) a botanical garden devoted to trees, ing to an archbishop, zz ar»chi»e«pis»co«pate -pat/ n.
shrubs, etc. Ar»chi«me*de»an /a'arkime'edeean adj. of or associated
ar»bor«i«za«tion /aarbarizayshan/ n. a treelike arrange- with the Greek mathematician Archimedes.
ment, esp. in anatomy. Ar»chi»me»de»an screw n. a device of ancient origin
ar*bor vi»tae /aarbar vitee/ n. any of the evergreen for raising water by means of a spiral inside a tube.
conifers of the genus Thuja, native to N. Asia and N. ar»chi»pel«a»go aarkipelago/ n. (pi. «gos or *goes) a
America, usu. of pyramidal shape. group of islands.
arc /aark/ n. & v. • n. 1 part of the circumference of a ar»chi»tect aarkitekt/ n. la designer who prepares
circle or any other curve. 2 Electr. a luminous discharge plans for buildings, ships, etc., and supervises their
between two electrodes, •v.intr. (arced /aarkt/; arcing construction. 2 (foil, by of) a person who brings about
/a'arking/) form an arc. a specified thing (the architect of the tax reform bill).
ar*cade /aarkayd/ w. la passage with an arched roof. ar»chi«tec»ton»ic aarkitektonik adj. &n. »adj. 1 of ar-
2 any covered walk, esp. with shops along one or both chitecture. 2 of the systematization of knowledge, mn.
sides. 3 Archil, a series of arches supporting or set (in p/.; usu. treated as sing.) 1 the scientific study of
along a wall, dd ar*cad*ed adj. architecture. 2 the study of the systematization of
Ar»ca«di»an /aarkaydeean/ n. & adj. •n. an idealized knowledge.
peasant or country dweller, esp. in poetry • adj. sim- ar»chi»tec»ture aarkitekchar n. 1 the art or science of
ple and poetically rural, dd Ar*ca*di*an*ist n. designing and constructing buildings. 2 the style of a
ar*cane /aarkayn/ adj. mysterious; secret; understood building as regards design and construction. 3 build-
by few. dd ar«cane»ly adv. ings or other structures collectively, dd ar»chi»tec«tur«
ar*ca*num /aarkaynam/ n. (pi. arcana /-na/) (usu. in al /-tekcharal adj. ar«chi»tec»tur»aMy adv.
pi.) a mystery; a profound secret. ar»chi»trave aarkitrayv //. 1 (in classical architecture)
arch /aarch/ n.
1
& v. mti. 1a curved structure as an a main beam resting across the tops of columns. 2 the
opening or a support for a bridge, roof, floor, etc. 2 any molded frame around a doorway or window.
arch-shaped curve, as on the inner side of the foot, the archive /a'arkiv/ n. & v. mn. (usu. in pi.) 1 a collection

eyebrows, etc. »v. 1 tr. provide with or form into an of esp. public or corporate documents or records. 2 the
arch. 2 intr. form an arch. place where these are kept. • v. tr. 1 place or store in an
arch 2 /aarch/ adj. self-consciously or affectedly playful archive. 2 Computing transfer (data) to a less frequent-
or teasing, dd arcrHy adv. arclvness n. ly used file or less easily accessible medium, dd ar«chi»
arch- /aarch/ comb.form 1 chief; superior (archbishop; val /aarkival/ adj.
archduke). 2 preeminent of its kind (esp. in unfavora- ar»chi»vist aarkivist, a'arki-/ n. a person who maintains
ble senses) (archenemy). archives.
ar»chae«ol»o»gy /a'arkee-olajee/ n. (also ar»che»ol»o»gy) arcrHute /a'archloot/ n. a bass lute with an extended
the study of human history and prehistory through the neck and unstopped bass strings.
excavation of sites and the analysis of physical remains. arch»way /a'archway/ >/. 1 a vaulted passage. 2 an
dd ar*chae*o*log*i*cal adj. ar*chae*ol*o*gist n. arched entrance.
ar»cha»ic /aarkayik/ adj. 1 a antiquated, b (of a word, arc lamp n. (also arc light) a light source using an elec-
etc.) no longer in ordinary use, though retained for tric arc.
special purposes. 2 primitive. 3 of an early period of Arc«tic /a'arktik, a'artik/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 of the north
art or culture, esp. the 7th-6th c. bc in Greece, dd ar» polar regions. 2 (arctic) colloq. (esp. of weather) very
cha«i«cal«ly adv. cold. •n. the Arctic regions.
ar»cha»ism /a'arkeeizam, -kay-/ n. 1 the retention or Arc»tlc Cir»cle n. the parallel of latitude 66° 33' N.,
imitation of the obsolete, esp. in language or art. 2 an forming an imaginary line around this region.
archaic word, dd ar*cha*is*tic adj. arc weld»ing n. a method of using an electric arc to
arch*an*gel /a'arkaynjal/ n. 1 an angel of the highest melt metals to be welded.
rank. 2 a member of the eighth order of the nine ranks
of heavenly beings, dd arch*an*gel*ic /-anjelik/ adj. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
ardent ~ armadillo 36 when the sun is in this sign, dd Ar*i*an /-reean/ adj. &
n.

ar«dent /aard'nt/ adj. eager; zealous; fervent; passion- a*right /arit/ adv. rightly.
ate, dd ar«den»cy /-d'nsee/ n. ar»dent«ly adv. ar»il /aril/ n. Bot. an extra seed covering, e.g., around a
ar*dor /a'ardar/ n. zeal; burning enthusiasm; passion. yew seed, dd ar»il»late adj.
ar*du*OUS /a'arjooas/ adj. 1 (of a task, etc.) hard a*rise /ariz/ arose /aroz; past part, arisen
v.intr. (past
to achieve or overcome; laborious. 2 (of an action, /arizan/) 1 originate.2 (usu. foil, by from, out of) re-
etc.) strenuous, dd ar«du»ous»ly adv. ar»du«ous«ness sult (accidents can arise from carelessness). 3 come to
n. one's notice; emerge (the question of payment arose).
are 2nd sing, present & 1st, 2nd, 3rd pi. present of BE.
1 4 rise.
are 2 /aar/ n. a metric unit of measure, equal to 100 ar«is»toora»cy /aristokrasee/ n. (pi. «cies) 1 the high-
square meters. est class in society; the nobility. 2 a government by a
ar«e»a /aireea/ n. 1 the extent or measure of a surface privileged group, b a nation governed in this way.
(over a large area). 2 a region or tract (the southern ar- Aristocracy, oligarchy, and plutocracy are some-
ea). 3 a space allocated for a specific purpose (dining times confused. All mean some form of rule by a small
area). 4 scope or range, dd ar«e«al adj. elite. Aristocracy is rule by a traditional elite, held to

ar»e»a code n. a three-digit number that identifies one be made up of 'the best' people, and is usually hered-
of the telephone service regions into which the US, itary. Oligarchy is literally rule by a few. Plutocracy is
Canada, etc., are divided and which is dialed when rule by the (necessarily few) very rich.
calling from one area to another. a»ris»to»crat /aristakrat, aris-/ n. a member of the aris-
a»re»ca /areeka, arika/ n. any tropical palm of the ge- tocracy.
nus Areca, native to Asia. a»ris»to«crat»ic /aristakratik/ adj. 1 of or relating to the
a*re«na /are'ena/ n. 1 the central part of an amphithea- aristocracy. 2 a distinguished in manners or bearing.
ter, etc., where contests take place. 2 a scene of con- b grand; stylish, dd a»ris»to«crat»i»caMy adv.
flict; a sphere of action or discussion. Ar»is»tO»te»lian /aristateeleean, aris-/ n. & adj. •«. a
ar»e«na»ceous /arinayshas/ adj. 1 (of rocks) containing disciple or student of the Greek philosopher Aristot-
sand; having a sandy texture. 2 sandlike. 3 (of plants) le. *adj. of or concerning Aristotle.

growing in sand. a»rith«me«tic n. &

adj. • n. /arithmatik/ 1 the science of
aren't /aarnt, a'arant/ contr. 1 are not. 2 (in interrog. ) am numbers. 2 the use of numbers; computation. »adj.
not (aren't I coming too?). /arithmetik/ (also ar«ith«met»i»cal /-metikal/) of or con-
a«re*o*la /areeala/ n. (pi. areolae /-lee) Anat. a circular cerning arithmetic. dd a»rith«me«ti»cian
pigmented area, esp. that surrounding a nipple, dd a» /arithmatishan/ n.
re«o»lar adj. a«rith»me»tic mean n. an average calculated by adding
a»rete /arayt/ n. a sharp mountain ridge. quantities and dividing the total by the number of
ar»gent /a'arjant/ n. &
adj. Heraldry silver; silvery white. quantities.
Ar»gen«tine /aarjanteen, -tin/ adj. &
n. (also Ar«gen» a»rith«me»tic pro»gres»sion n. 1 an increase or de-
tirvi»an /-tineean/) madj. of or relating to Argentina. crease by a constant quantity (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., 9,
• n. 1 a native or citizen ofArgentina. 2 a person of Ar- 7, 5, 3, etc.). 2 a sequence of numbers showing this.
gentine descent. 3 (the Argentine) Argentina. Ariz. abbr. Arizona.
a r*g /a'arjil/ n. clay, esp. that used in pottery, dd ar»gil»
i I Ark. abbr. Arkansas.
la*ceous /-jilayshas/ adj. ark /aark/ n. 1 = Noah's ark 1 2 archaic a chest or box.
.

ar»gon /a'argon/ n. Chem. an inert gaseous element of
the noble gas group, ^j Symb.: Ar.
ar»go«sy /a'argssee/ n. (pi. -sies) poet. 1 a large mer-
chant ship, orig. esp. from Ragusa (now Dubrovnik)
or Venice. 2 an opulent or abundant supply.
ar»got /a'argo, -gat/ n. the jargon of a group or class.
ar*gu*a*ble /a'argyooabal/ adj. open to dispute, dd ar»
gu»a»bly adv.
ar»gue/aargyoo/^. (argues, argued, arguing) 1 intr. ex-
change views or opinions, esp. heatedly or conten-
tiously. 2 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by that + clause) main-
tain by reasoning. 3 intr. (foil, by for,
(argued against joining). 4 tr. treat by reasoning (argue
the point), an ar»gu»er n.
ar»gu«ment /a'argyomant/ n. 1 an exchange of views,
Ark of the Cov»e»nant n. a chest or box containing the
tablets of the Ten Commandments.
arm 1
/aarm/ n. 1 each of the upper limbs of the human
body from the shoulder to the hand. 2 a the forelimb
of an animal, b the flexible limb of an invertebrate an-
imal (e.g., an octopus). 3 a the sleeve of a garment.
b the side part of a chair, etc., used to support a sit-
ter's arm. C a thing resembling an arm in branching
from a main stem (an arm of the sea). 4 a control; a
means of reaching (arm of the law) 5 a division of a
larger group (the pacifist arm of the movement), o an arm
against) reason and a leg a large sum of money, arm in arm (of two or
more persons) with arms linked, at arm's length 1 as
far as an arm can reach. 2 far enough to avoid undue
familiarity, dd arnvful ;/. (pi. «fuls). arnvless /<//. t

esp. a contentious or prolonged one. 2 (often foil, by arm 2 /aarm/ n. &

v. • n. 1 (usu. in pi.) a a weapon, b =
for, against) a reason advanced (an argument for aboli- firearm. 2 (in pi.) the military profession. 3 a branch
tion). 3 a summary of the line of reasoning of a book. of the military (e.g., infantry, cavalry, artillery). 4 (in
ar»guTnen»ta»tion /a'argyamentayshon/ n. 1 methodi- pi.) heraldic devices (coal oj arms). »z>.tr. nil. 1 sup- &
cal reasoning. 2 debate. ply with weapons. 2 supply with tools or other requi-
ar«gu«men»ta«tive /aargynmentativ/ adj. 1 fond of ar- sites or advantages (armed with 'he truth). 3 make a
guing; quarrelsome. 2 using methodical reasoning. bomb, etc.) able to explode, under arms ready fof
ar»gu»men-ta«tive»ly adv. ar*gu*men*ta*tive*ness u. war or battle, up in arms (usu. foil, by against, about)
Ar»gus aargns n. a watchful guardian. actively rebelling, ii arm«less ad).
a«ri«a aareea/ n. Mus. a long accompanied song for so-
ar*ma«da /aarma'ada/ ;/. a
lo voice in an opera.
fleet of warships, esp.
ar»id arid adj. 1 a (oi ground, climate, etc.) dry. b too those sent by Spain
dry to support vegetation. 2 uninteresting. 00 a»rid»i» against Hngland in l 588.
ty aridhee n irfcMy adw infcfrntn u,
ar»ma»diMo /aarmndilo
Ar»ies aircez //. (pi. same; 1 a constellation, tradition-
n. (pi. «los) a nocturnal
ally regarded as portraying the figure of a ram. 2 a
the insect-eating mammal
first sign of the zodiac (the Ram), ba person born ranging from the south- armadillo
 . ,

em US to S. America, with a body covered in bony 37 Armageddon ~ array

plates.
Ar«ma»ged»don /a'armaged'n/ n. 1 (in the New Tes- a»ro«ma /arOma/ n. a fragrance; a distinctive and pleas-
tament) the last battle between good and evil before ing smell, often of food.
the Day of Judgment. 2 a bloody battle or struggle on a»ro»ma»ther«a»py /arOmatherapee/ n. the use of plant
a huge scale. extracts and essential oils in massage, do a«ro«ma«ther»
ar«ma«ment /a'armamant/ n. 1 (often in pi.) military a*peu*tic /-pyobtik/ adj. a«ro»ma»ther»a»pist n.
weapons and equipment, esp. guns on a warship. 2 the ar»o»mat«ic /aramatik/ adj. n. &
•adj. 1 fragrant.
process of equipping for war. 2 Chem. of organic compounds having an unsaturated
ar»ma»men»tar«i»um/a'arm3mentairee9m/w. (pi. arma- ring, esp. a benzene ring. •«. an aromatic substance.
mentaria /-reea/) 1 a set of medical equipment or dd ar*o«mat*i*caMy adv. ar»o»ma«tic»i«ty /aramatisitee/
drugs. 2 the resources available to a person engaged n.

in a task. a*ro*ma*tize /arOmatiz/ v.tr. Chem. convert (a com-

ar»ma»ture /a'armachoor/ n. 1 the rotating coil or coils pound) into an aromatic structure, an a»ro«ma«ti»za«
of a generator or electric motor. 2 a piece of soft iron tion /-tizayshan/ n.
placed in contact with the poles of a horseshoe mag- a»rose past of arise.
net to preserve its power. Also called keeper. 3 Biol. aground /arownd/ adv. &
prep. • adv. 1 on every side;
the protective covering of an animal or plant. 4 a met- on all sides. 2 in various places; here and there (fool
al framework on which a sculpture is molded. around; shop around). 3 colloq. a in existence; available.
arnvband /a'armband/ n. a band worn around the up- b near at hand. 4 approximately. 5 with circular
per arm to hold up a shirtsleeve or as a form of motion. 6 with return to the starting point or an ear-
identification, etc. lier state. 7 a with rotation, or change to an opposite
arm»chair /aarmchair/ «. la comfortable chair with position, b with change to an opposite opinion,
side supports for the arms. 2 (attrib. ) theoretical rather etc. 8 to, at, or affecting all or many points of an
than active (an armchair critic) area or the members of a company, etc. 9 in every
Ar»me»ni»an /aarmeeneean/ n. & adj. »n. 1 a a native direction from a center or within a radius. 10 by a
of Armenia, an ancient kingdom corresponding to an circuitous way. 1 1 a to a person's house, etc. b to a
area in modern Armenia, Turkey, and Iran, b a person more prominent or convenient position, "^meas-
of Armenian descent. 2 the language of Armenia, •adj. uring (a specified distance) in girth. mprep. 1 on or
of or relating to Armenia, its language, or the Chris- along the circuit of. 2 on every side of; enveloping.
tian Church established there c.300. 3 here and there; in or near (chairs around the room).
arnvhole /a'armhol/ n. each of two holes in a garment 4 (of amount, time, etc.) about; at a time near to (come
through which the arms are put, usu. into a sleeve. around four o'clock) 5 so as to encircle or enclose. 6 at
.

ar«miMar»y /aarmileree/ adj. relating to bracelets.
ar*mi*Stice /aarmistis/ n. a stopping of hostilities by
agreement of the opposing sides; a truce.
Ar»mis»tice Day n. former name ofVeteran's Day, the
anniversary of the World War I armistice of Nov. 1 1
1918.
arrrvlet /a'armlit/ n. a band worn around the arm.
ar«moire /aarmwaar/ n. a tall, upright, often ornate cup-
board or wardrobe.
or to points on the circumference of. 7 with succes-
sive visits to. 8 in various directions from or with re-
gard to. 9 having as an axis of revolution or as a cen-
tral point. 10 a so as to double or pass in a curved
course, b having passed in this way (be around the cor-
ner). C in the position that would result from this.
11 so as to come close from various sides but not in-
to contact. 1 2 at various places in or around. around
the bend see bend have been around colloq. be wide-
1
.

ar»mor /a'armar/ n. & v. • n. 1 a defensive covering, usu. ly experienced.

of metal, formerly worn to protect the body in fight- a*rouse /arowz/ v. tr. 1 induce (esp. a feeling, emotion,
ing. 2 a (in full armor plate) a protective metal cov- etc.). 2 awake from sleep. 3 stir into activity. 4 stimu-
ering for an armed vehicle, ship, etc. b armored fight- late sexually, dd a*rous*a*ble adj. a*rous*al n.
ing vehicles collectively. 3 a protective covering or shell ar«peg»gi»o /aarpejeeo/ n. (pi. «os) Mus. the notes of a
on certain animals and plants, mv.tr. (usu. as armored chord played in succession, either ascending or de-
adj.) provide with a protective covering (armored car). scending.
ar»mor»er n. /a'armarar/ 1 a maker or repairer of arms arr. abbr. 1 Mus. arranged by. 2 arrives.
or armor. 2 an official in charge of a ship's or a regi- ar«rack /arak/ n. (also ar»ak /arak/) an alcoholic liquor,
ment's arms. esp. distilled from rice and various palms.
ar^mor-y /aarmaree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a place where arms ar*raign /arayn/ v.tr. 1 indict before a court; formally
1

are kept. 2 an array of weapons, defensive resources, accuse. 2 find fault with; call into question (an action
etc. 3 a place where arms are manufactured. or statement), dd ar*raign*ment n.
ar»mor»y /aarmaree/ n. (pi. «ies) heraldry, no ar«mo«ri» arrange /araynj/ v. 1 tr. put into the required order.
2

al /aarmoreeal/ adj. 2 tr. plan or provide for. 3 intr. take measures; make
arm«pit /a'armpit/ n. the hollow under the arm at the plans; give instructions. 4 intr. come to an agreement.
shoulder. 5 tr. Mus. adapt (a composition) for performance with
arnvrest /a'armrest/ n. = arm 3b. 1
instruments or voices other than those originally spec-
arm-twist*ing n. colloq. (persuasion by) the use of phys- ified, dd ar*range*a*ble adj. ar«rang«er //.
ical force or moral pressure. ar«range»ment /araynjmant/ n. 1 the act or process of
arm wrestling n. a trial of strength in which each par- arranging or being arranged. 2 the manner in which a
ty tries to force the other's arm down onto a table on thing is arranged. 3 something arranged. 4 (in pi.)
which their elbows rest. plans; preparations (make your own arrangements).
ar«my /aarmee/ n. (pi. -mies) 1 an organized force 5 Mus. a composition arranged for performance by
armed for fighting on land. 2 (prec. by the) the mil- different instruments or voices.
itary profession. 3 (often foil, by of) a very large num- ar»rant /arant/ attrib. adj. utter (arrant nonsense), dd ar»
ber (an army of helpers). 4 an organized body regarded ranWy adv.
as working for a particular cause. ar»ray /aray/ n.&v.»n."\ an imposing or well-ordered
ar»ni»ca /a'arnika/ n. 1 a plant of the genus Arnica, hav- series or display. 2 an ordered arrangement, esp. of
ing yellow daisy-like flower heads. 2 a medicine pre-
pared from this, used for bruises, etc. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

arrears ~ artilleryman 38 ar«te«ri»ole /aarteereeol/ n. a small branch of an artery

leading into capillaries.
troops (battle array). 3 Computing an ordered set of re- ar»te»ri»o»scle»ro«sis /aarteereeosktarOsis/ n. the loss
lated elements, mv.tr. 1 deck; adorn. 2 set in order; of elasticity and thickening of the walls of the arter-
marshal (forces). ies, esp. in old age. dd ar«te«ri«o«scle«roWc /-rotik/ adj.

arrears an amount still outstanding or

/sre'erz/ n.pl. n. (pi. «ies) 1 any of the muscular-
ar»ter»y /aartaree/
uncompleted. in arrears (or arrear) late, esp. in pay- walled tubes forming part of the blood circulation sys-
ment, no ar«rear»age n. tem of the body (cf. vein). 2 a main road or railroad
ar»rest /arest/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 a seize (a person) and line, dd ar»te»ri»tis /-rftis/ n.

take into custody, esp. by legal authority, b seize (a ar»te*sian well /aarte'ezhan/ n. a well bored so that nat-
ship) by legal authority. 2 stop or check (esp. a proc- ural pressure produces a constant supply of water.
ess or moving thing). 3 attract (a person's attention). artful /a'artfool/ adj. 1 (of a person or action) crafty;
• n. 1 the act of arresting or being arrested. 2 a stop- deceitful. 2 skillful; clever, dd art*ful*ly adv. artful*
page or check (cardiac arrest), dd ar«rest»ing»ly adv. ness n.

ar»ri»val /arival/ n. 1 the act of arriving. 2 a person or
thing that has arrived.
ar»rive /srfv/ v. intr. (often foil, by at, in) 1 reach a des-
tination; come to the end of a journey or a specified
part of a journey. 2 (foil, by at) reach (a conclusion,
decision, etc.). 3 colloq. establish one's reputation or
position. 4 colloq. (of a child) be born. 5 (of a time)
come (her birthday arrived at last).
ar«thri»tis /aarthritis/ n.inflammation of a joint, dd ar»
thriWc /-thritik/ adj. n. &
ar«thro*pod /aarthrapod/ n. Zool. any invertebrate an-
imal of the phylum Arthropoda, with a segmented
body, jointed limbs, and an external skeleton.
ar*thro*SCOpe /arthraskop/ n. an endoscope for view-
ing the interior of a joint, as the knee, dd ar«thro»scop»
ic adj. ar»thros»co»py n.

ar*ri*viste /areeve'est/ n. an ambitious or ruthlessly self- ar»ti»choke /aartichok/ n. 1a European plant, Cynara
seeking person. scolymus, allied to the thistle. 2 (in ftill globe ar-
ar»ro«gant /arsgant/ adj. aggressively assertive or pre- tichoke) the flower head of the artichoke, the bracts
sumptuous, dd ar«rogance n. ar»roganWy adv. of which have edible bases.
abrogate /aragayt/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by to oneself) ar»ti«cle /a'artiksl/ n. &
v. mn. 1 (often in pi.) an item
claim (power, responsibility, etc.) without justifica- or commodity (a collection of odd articles) 2 a nonfic- .

tion. 2 (often foil, by to) attribute unjustly (to a per- tional essay, esp. in a newspaper, magazine, etc. 3 a a
son), on arTO»ga»tion /-gayshan/ n. particular part (an article offaith), b a separate clause
ar»row /aro/ n.1a sharp pointed wooden or metal stick or portion of any document (articles of apprenticeship)
shot from a bow as a weapon. 2 a drawn or printed, 4 Gram, the definite or indefinite article, mv.tr. bind
etc., representation of an arrow indicating a direction. by articles of apprenticeship.
dd ar»rowy adj. ar»tic*u»lar /aartikystar/ adj. of or relating to the joints.
ar»row»head /arohed/ n. 1 the pointed end of an ar- ar*tiou*late adj. &v. madj. /aartikyalat/ 1 able to speak
row. 2 a decorative device resembling an arrowhead. fluently and coherently. 2 (of sound or speech) hav-
ar»row»root /aroroot, -root/ n. a plant of the family ing clearly distinguishable parts. 3 having joints. • v.
Marantaceae from which a starch is prepared and /aartikyalayt/ 1 tr. a pronounce (words) clearly and
used for nutritional and medicinal purposes. distinctly, b express (an idea, etc.) coherently.
ar»roy»o /aroyo/ n. (pi. «os) 1 a brook or stream, esp. 2 intr. speak distinctly. 3 tr. (usu. in passive) connect
in an arid region. 2 a gully. by joints. 4 intr. (often foil, by with) form a joint, dd ar«
ar«se»nal /a'arsanal/ n. 1 a store of weapons. 2 a gov- tic»u»late»ly adv. ar*tiou*late*ness n. ar»tic»u»la»tor n.
ernment establishment for the storage and manufac- ar*tic«u«la*tion /aartikyalayshan/ n. 1 a the act of
ture of weapons and ammunition. 3 resources re- speaking, b articulate utterance; speech. 2 a the act or
garded collectively. a mode of jointing, b a joint.
ar»se«nic/aars3nik/«. 1 a nonscientific name for arsen- ar»ti»fact /a'artifakt/ «. 1a product of human art and
ic trioxide, a highly poisonous substance used in weed workmanship. 2Archaeol. a product of prehistoric or
killers, rat poison, etc. 2 Chem. a brittle semimetallic aboriginal workmanship, dd ar*ti*fac*tu*al /-fakchooal/
element, used in semiconductors and alloys. ^ Symb.: adj.
As. gd ar*se*ni*ous /aarseenias/ adj. ar*ti*fice /aartifis/ n. 1 cunning. 2 an instance of this.
ar»servi«cal /aarsenikal/ adj. &
n. madj. of or containing ar»tif»i»cer /aartifisar/ n. 1 an inventor. 2 a craftsman.
arsenic. mn. a drug containing arsenic. ar«ti*fi*cial /a'artifishal/ adj. 1 produced by human art
ar»son /aarsan/ n. the act of maliciously setting fire to or effort rather than originating naturally (an arnln ml
property, dd ar*son*ist n. lake). 2 not real; imitation; fake (artificialflowers) 3 af- .

art /aart/ h. la human creative skill or its application. fected; insincere (an artificial smile), do ar-ti»fi»ci»al»i-
b work exhibiting this. 2 a (in pi. ; prec. by the) the var- ty /-sheealitee/ n. ar*ti*fi*ciaMy adv.
ious branches of creative activity, e.g., painting, mu- ar»ti»fi»cial in»senvi»na«tion ;/. the injection of semen
sic, writing, considered collectively, b any one of these into the vagina or uterus other than bv sexual m
branches. 3 creative activity, esp. painting and draw- tercourse.
ing, resulting in visual representation (interested in mu- irvteMi»gence //. the application of com-
ar*ti*fi»cial
sic but nor art). 4 human skill or workmanship as op-
puters to areas normally regarded as requiring human
posed to the work of nature. 5 (often foil, by of) a intelligence.
skill, aptitude, or knack (the art
of writing clearly). 6 ar«ti»fi*Cial kid»ney //. an apparatus that performs the
fin />/.; usu. prec. by the) those branches of learning functions of the human kidnev (outside the bodj
^esp. languages, literature, and history) associated when one or both organs are damaged.
with creative skill as opposed to scientific, technical, ar»ti»fi«cial res»pi»ra»tion ;/. the restoration or initis
or vocational skills. tion of breathing by manual or me< hank .il <>i mouth
art deoo deko
decorative art style of the period
n. a to-mouth methods.
1910 50, characterizedby precise and boldly deline- ar»til-ler«yaartibrcc ;/. (/>/. »ies) 1 large-caliber gUDI
ated geometric motifs, shapes, and strong colors. used warfare on land. 2 e biam h of the ;u ined fotX
in
ar«teri«al aarteereeaU adj. 1 of or relating to an artery es that uses these. ar»tiMer»ist ;/.
.-
.

^ p ofa road) main, important, esp. ar«tiMer»y»man aartibrccman/ n. (pi. •mem a mem
linking large cities or towns. ber of the artillery.
 . .

ar»ti»o»daotyl /aarteeodaktil/ adj. &

n. »adj. of or re- 39 artiodactyl ~ ashram
lating to the order Artiodactyla of ungulate mammals
with two main toes on each foot, including camels, as*cend*ant /asendant/ adj. n. &
madj. 1 rising.
pigs, and ruminants. • «. an animal of this order. 2 Astron. rising toward the zenith. 3 Astrol. just above
ar«ti«san /a'artizan, -san/ n. a skilled, esp. manual, the eastern horizon. 4 predominant »n. Astrol. the
worker or craftsman. point of the sun's apparent path that is ascendant at
arMst a painter. 2 a person who practices
/a'artist/ n. 1 a given time.
any of the 3 a professional performer, esp. a
arts. as»cend«er /asendar/ n. 1 a a part of a letter that
singer or dancer. 4 colloq. a practicer of a specified extends above the main part (as in b and d). b a let-
activity {con artist), dd art»ist»ry n. ter having this. 2 a person or thing that ascends.
ar»tis»tic /aartistik/ adj. 1 having natural skill in art. as»cen»sion /asenshan/ n. 1 the act or instance of
2 made or done with art. 3 of art or artists. ar«tis« ascending. 2 (Ascension) the ascent of Christ into
ti»cal»ly adv. heaven, qd as*cen*sion*al adj.
arWess /a'artlis/ adj. 1 guileless. 2 not displaying art. as»cent /asent/ n. 1 the act or instance of ascending.
or arWess»ly adv. 2 a an upward movement or rise, b advancement or
art nou»veau /a'art noovO/ n. an art style of the late progress {the ascent of mammals). 3 a way by which
19th century characterized by flowing lines and nat- one may ascend; an upward slope {a steep ascent).
ural organic forms. as«cer«tain /asartayn/ v.tr. find out as a definite fact.
arts and crafts n.pl. decorative design and handcrafts. dd as*cer«tain*a*ble adj. as*cer*tain*ment n.
art»sy-craft»sy /artsee-kraftsee/ adj. quaintly artistic. as*ce*sis /aseesis/ n. the practice of self-discipline.
art»work /a'artwark/ n. the illustrations in a printed as»cet«ic /asetik/ n. &
adj. • n. a person who practices
work. severe self-discipline and abstains from pleasure, esp.
art»y /a'artee/ adj. (artier, artiest) colloq. pretentiously for religious or spiritual reasons, •adj. relating to or
artistic, dd art«i«ness n. characteristic of ascetics, dd as»cet»i»cal»ly adv. as»cet»
ar»um lil*y n. = calla. i»cism /-tisizam/ n.
Ar«y«an /aireean/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a member of the peo- ASCII /askee/ abbr. Computing American Standard
ples speaking any of the languages of the Indo- Code for Information Interchange.
European (esp. Indo-Iranian) family. 2 the parent lan- as*ci*tes -asiteez/ n. {pi. same) Med. the accumulation
guage of this family. 3 improperly (in Nazi ideology) a of fluid in the abdominal cavity, causing swelling.
Caucasian not of Jewish descent, madj. of or relating a«scor»bic ac»id /askawrbik/ n. a vitamin found in cit-
to Aryan or the Aryans. rus fruits and green vegetables, a deficiency of which
AS abbr. American Samoa (in official postal use). results in scurvy Also called vitamin C.
As symb. Chem. the element arsenic. as»cot /askot, -kat/ n. a scarf-like item of neckwear
as /az, unstressed 3z/ adv., conj., pron. %adv.& & conj. with broad ends worn looped to lie flat one over the
{adv. as antecedent in main sentence; conj. in relative other against the chest.
clause expressed or implied) ... to the extent to which as»cribe /askrib/ v.tr. usu. foil, by to) 1 attribute or im-
... is or does, etc. (/ am as tall as he is; am not so tall pute {ascribes his well-being to a sound constitution).
as he; as many as six; as recently as last week), •conj. 2 (usu. be ascribed to) attribute a text, quotation, or
(with relative clause expressed or implied) 1 (with work of art to (a person or period), dd a«scrib«a«ble
antecedent so) expressing result or purpose {came ear- adj.
ly so as to meet us). 2 (with antecedent adverb omit- as*crip*tion /askripshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
ted) having concessive force {good as it is = although ascribing. 2 a preacher's words ascribing praise to
it is good). 3 (without antecedent adverb) a in the God at the end of a sermon.
manner in which {do as you like), b in the capacity or ASEAN /aseean/ abbr. Association of South East Asian
form of {I speak as yourfriend; as a matter offact) C dur- . Nations.
ing or at the time that {came up as I was speaking). a»sep«sis /aysepsis/ n. the absence of harmful bacte-
d for the reason that {as you are here, we can talk) ria, viruses, or other microorganisms.
• rel.pron.(with verb of relative clause expressed or im- a*sep*tic /ayseptik/ adj. free from contamination
plied) 1 that; who; which (/ had the same trouble as you; caused by harmful bacteria, viruses, or other microor-
he is a writer, as is his wife; such countries as France). 2 ganisms.
(with sentence as antecedent) a fact that {he lost, as a*sex«u*al /aysekshooal/ adj. Biol. 1 without sex or sex-
you know), o as for with regard to {as for you, I think ual organs. 2 (of reproduction) not involving the fu-
you are wrong), as if (or though) as would be the case sion of gametes, dd a»sex»u»al«i«ty /-shooalitee/ ;/. a«
if {acts as if she were in charge; looks as though we 've sex*u*aMy adv.
won), as it is in the existing circumstances, as it were ash 1
/ash/ n. 1 (often in pi.) the powdery residue left
in a way; to a certain extent {he is, as it were, infatu- after the burning of any substance. 2 {pi.) the remains
ated), as of 1 on and after (a specified date). 2 as at of the human body after cremation.
(a specified time), as to with respect to {as to you, I ash 2 any tree of the genus Fraxinus, with sil-
/ash/ n. 1
think you are wrong), as yet until now or a particular very-gray bark and hard wood. 2 its wood.
time in the past (usu. with neg: have received no news ash blond n. (also ash blonde) 1 a very pale blond
as yet) color. 2 a person with hair of this color.
See note at like. ash*en /ashan/ adj. 1 of or resembling ashes. 2 ash col-
a.s.a.p. abbr. (alsoASAP) as soon as possible. ored; gray or pale.
as*bes*tOS /asbestas, az-/ n. a fibrous silicate mineral Ash*ke*naz*i /aashkanaazee/ n. {pi. Ashkenazim
that is not flammable, dd as*bes*tine /-tin/ adj. /-zim/) Jew of eastern European ancestry (cf.
a
as*bes*to*sis /asbestOsis, az-/ n. a lung disease re- Sephardi). dd Ash«ke*naz*ic adj.
sulting from the inhalation of asbestos particles. ash»lar /ashlar/ «. la large square-cut stone used in
as«cend /asend/ v. 1 intr. move upward. 2 intr. slope building. 2masonry made of ashlars.
upward. 3 tr. climb. 4 intr. rise in rank or status. 5 intr. a»shore /ashawr/ adv. toward or on the shore.
(of sound) rise in pitch, n ascend the throne become ash*ram /aashranv bid. a place of religious
;/. retreat
king or queen. for Hindus; a hermitage.
as»cend«an«cy /asendansee/ n. (also as«cend»en»cy)
(often foil, by over) a superior position. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
ashtray ~ assembly 40 ture of this with sand, gravel, etc., for surfacing roads.
•v.tr. surface with asphalt, dd as*phal*tic /-faltik/ adj.

ash»tray /ashtray/ n. a small receptacle for cigarette as*pho*del /asfadel/ n. 1 any plant of the genus
ashes, butts, etc. Asphodelus, of the lily family. 2 poet, an immortal
Ash Wednesday n. the first day of Lent (from the flower growing in Elysium.
custom of marking the foreheads of penitents with as«phyx»i»a /asfikseea/ n. a lack of oxygen in the blood,
ashes on that day). causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation, dd as»
ash»y /ashee/ adj. (ashier, ashiest) 1 = ashen. 2 cov- phyx*i*ant adj. n. &
ered with ashes. as»phyx«i»ate /asfikseeayt/ v.tr. cause (a person) to
A*sian /ayzhan, -shan/ n. &
adj. mn. 1 a native of Asia. have asphyxia; suffocate, dd as*phyx*i*a*tion /-ayshan/
2 a person of Asian descent. • adj. of or relating to Asia n.

or its people, customs, or languages. as*pic /aspik/ n. a savory meat jelly used as a garnish.

See note at Oriental. as*pi*dis*tra /aspidistra/ n. a foliage plant with broad

A*si*at*ic /ayzheeatik, -shee-, -zee-/ n. adj. mn. & tapering leaves, often grown as a houseplant.
offens. an Asian. madj. Asian. as»pir»ant /aspirant, aspirant/ adj. n. madj. aspiring. &
A-side /ay-sid/ n. the side of a phonograph record re- mn. a person who aspires.
garded as the main one. as*pi*rate /aspirat/ adj., n., v. Phonet. madj. 1 pro- &
a*side /asid/ adv. &
n. madv. 1 to or on one side. 2 out nounced with an exhalation of breath. 2 blended with
of consideration (Joking aside) •n. 1 a remark in a play
. the sound of h. mn. 1 a consonant pronounced in this
intended for the audience but supposedly unheard by way. 2 the sound of h. mv. also /aspirayt/ 1 a tr. pro-
the other characters in the play. 2 an incidental re- nounce with a breath, b intr. make the sound of h. 2 tr.
mark, d aside from apart from, set aside 1 put to one draw (fluid) by suction from a vessel or cavity.
side. 2 keep for future use. 3 reject. 4 annul. 5 remove as»pi«ra»tion /aspirayshan/ n. 1 an ambition. 2 the act
(land) from agricultural production for fallow, forest- of drawing breath. 3 the action of aspirating.
ry, or other use. take aside engage (a person) esp. in as»pi»ra»tor /aspiraytar/ n. an apparatus for aspirating
a private conversation. fluid.
as*i*nine /asinln/ adj. stupid, dd as»i»niivi»ty /-ninitee/ as*pire /aspir/ v.intr. 1 have ambition. 2 poet, rise high.
n. as*pi*rin /asprin/ n. (pi. same or aspirins) 1 a white
ask /ask/ v. 1 tr. an answer to or about. 2 tr.
call for powder, acetylsalicylic acid, used to relieve pain and
seek to obtain from another person. 3 tr. (usu. foil, by reduce fever. 2 a tablet of this.
4 intr. (foil,
out or over, or to (a function, etc.)) invite. a*squint /askwint/praftc.ad/. &adv. 1 to one side; from
by for) seek be directed to. d ask
to obtain, meet, or the corner of an eye. 2 with a squint.
after inquire about (esp. a person), ask for it si. invite ass /as/ n.1a either of two kinds of four-legged long-
1

trouble, for the asking for nothing, if you ask me col- eared mammals of the horse genus Equus, E. africanus
loq. in my opinion, dd ask»er n. of Africa and E. hemionus of Asia, b (in general use) a
a*skance /askans/ adv. sideways or squinting. look donkey. 2 a stupid person.
askance at regard with suspicion or disapproval. ass 2 /as/ (Brit, arse /aars/) n. coarse si. the buttocks,
a*skew /askyob/ adv. & predic.adj. madv. obliquely; usually considered a taboo word.
awry, •predic.adj. oblique; awry. as*sa*i /asi/ adv. Mus. very (adagio assai).
a*slant /aslant/ adv. & prep madv. at a slant, mprep. as*sail /asayl/ v.tr. make a concerted attack on. dd as-
obliquely across. sai l*a*ble adj.
a*sleep /asleep/ predic.adj. & adv. 1 in or into a state as*sail*ant /asaylant/ n. a person who attacks anoth-
of sleep (he fell asleep). 2 (of a limb, etc.) numb. er.
3 euphem. dead. as*sas«sin /asasin/ n. a killer, esp. of a political or re-
ASM abbr. air-to-surface missile. ligious leader.
a*so*cial /aysOshal/ adj. 1 not social; antisocial. 2 hos- as*sas*si*nate /asasinayt/ v.tr. kill for political or reli-
tile to others. gious motives, dd as*sas*si*na*tion /-nayshan/ n.
asp /asp/ n. 1 a small viper, Vipera aspis, native to south- as*sault /asawlt/ n. &v. mn. a violent attack. 2 a Law
"\

ern Europe. 2 a small venomous snake, Naja haje, na- an act that threatens physical harm to a person.
tive to North Africa and Arabia. b euphem. an act of rape. 3 (attrib.) relating to an as-
as*par*a*gus /asparagas/ n. 1 any plant of the genus sault (assault troops) 4 a vigorous start made to a
.

Asparagus. 2 one species of this, A. officinalis, with ed- lengthy task. 5 a final rush on a fortified place, mv.tr.
ible young shoots and leaves. 1 make an assault on. 2 euphem. rape, dd as>sault*er
as»par»tame /aspa'artaym/ n. a sweet, low-calorie sub- n.
stance used as a sweetener instead of sugar. as«say /asay, asay/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the testing of a metal
as«pect aspekt/ n. 1 a a particular component or fea- or ore to determine its ingredients and quality.
ture of a matter (only one aspect of the problem), b a 2 Chem. etc., the determination of the content or
particular way in which a matter may be considered. strength of a substance, mv. 1 tr. make an assay of (a
2 a a facial expression; a look (a cheerful aspect), b the metal or ore). 2 tr. Chem. etc. perform a concentra-
appearance of a person or thing (has a frightening as- tion on (a substance). 3 tr. show (content) on being
pect). 3 the side of a building or location facing a par- assayed. 4 intr. make an assay, no as»say»er ;/.
ticular direction (southern aspect). as*sem*blage /dsemblij/ //. 1 the act of bringing or
as»pect ra«tio n. 1 Aeron. the ratio of the span to the coming together. 2 a collection ol things or gathering
mean chord of an airfoil. 2 Telev. the ratio of picture of people.
width to height. as»sem»ble /asembal/ v. 1 tr. & mtr. gather together;
as»pen /aspan/ n. a poplar tree, Populus tremula, with collect. 2 tr. arrange in order. 3 tr. esp. MmXh fit to-
tremulous leaves. gether the parts of.
as»per«i«ty nspentee n. (pi. -ties) 1 harshness of tem- as«sem«bler /asemblar/ >/. 1 a person who assemble!
per or tone. 2 roughness. a machine or its parts. 2 Computing a a program for
as»per»sion nsper/.h.-nr n. cast aspersions on at- converting instructions written m low-level lymbolic
tack the reputation of. code into machine code, b the low-level symbolic
as»phalt /asfalt/ n. (&v. mn. 1 a dark bituminous pitch COdc itself.
occurring naturally or made from petroleum. 2 a mix- as»sem»bly 'ssemblee/ n. (pi. -biles) 1 tin- aci <>i gttfa
 ering together. 2 a a group of persons gathered to-
gether, esp. as a deliberative or legislative body, b a
gathering of the entire membership of a school. 3 the
assembling of a machine or structure or its parts.
4 Mil. a call to assemble, given by drum or bugle.
as*sem*bly language n. Computing the low-level
symbolic code converted by an assembler.
as*sem*bly line n. machinery arranged in stages by
which a product is progressively assembled.
as»sent /asent/ v. & n. •v.intr. (usu. foil, by to) 1 ex-
press agreement {assented to my view). 2 consent
{assented to my request. •«. 1 mental acceptance or
agreement {nod of assent). 2 consent or sanction, esp.
official.
as«sert /asart/ v. 1 tr. state clearly. 2 refl. insist on one's
rights. 3 tr. vindicate a claim to.
as»ser»tion /asarshan/ n. 1 a forthright statement.
2 the act of asserting. 3 (also self-assertion) insist-
ence on the recognition of one's rights.
as«ser«tive /asartiv/ adj. 1 tending to assert oneself;
forthright; positive. 2 dogmatic, dd as*ser*tive*ly adv.
as*ser*tive*ness n.
as*sess /ases/ v. tr. 1 a estimate the size or quality of.
b estimate the value of (a property) for taxation.
2 a fix the amount of (a tax, etc.) and impose it on a as*sort /asawrt/ v. 1 tr. classify in groups. 2 intr. suit;
person or community, b fine or tax (a person, commu-
nity, etc.) at a specific amount, dd as*sess*a*ble adj.
as'sessTnent n.
as*ses*sor /asesar/ n. a person who assesses taxes or
estimates the value of property for taxation purposes. as*sort*ment /asawrtmant/ n. a mixed collection.
as*set /aset/ n. 1 a a useful or valuable quality, b a per- as*suage /aswayj/ v.tr. 1 soothe (a person, pain, etc.).
son or thing possessing such a quality. 2 (usu. in pi.)
property and possessions, regarded as having value in
meeting debts, commitments, etc.
as*sev*er*ate /asevarayt/ v.tr. declare solemnly, dd as*
sev*er*a*tion /-rayshan/ n.
ass»hole /as-hol/ n. 1 the anus. 2 offens. a term of con-
tempt for a person.
as*si*du*i*ty /asidobitee, -dyob-/ n. {pi. «ties) constant
or close attention to what one is doing.
as*sid*u*ous /asijooas/ adj. persevering; hardworking.
dd as*sid*u*ous*ly adv. as*sid*u*ous*ness n.
41 assembly language - aster
connect in the mind. 2 tr. join or combine. 3 refl. make
oneself a partner; declare oneself in agreement. 4 intr.
combine for a common purpose. 5 intr. meet fre-
quently or have dealings. »n. /asbsheeat, -see-/ 1 a
business partner or colleague. 2 a friend or compan-
ion. 3 a subordinate member of a body, institute, etc.
• adj. /asOshiat, asOsee-/ 1 joined in companionship,
function, or dignity. 2 allied; in the same group or cat-
egory. 3 of less than full status, dd as*so*ci*ate*ship n.
as*so*ci*a*tion /asoseeayshan/ n. 1 a group of people
organized for a joint purpose. 2 the act or an instance
of associating. 3 fellowship; human contact or coop-
eration. 4 a mental connection between ideas, dd as*
so*ci*a*tion*al adj.
as*so*ci*a*tive /asbsheeativ, -see-/ adj. 1 of or involv-
ing association. 2 Math, involving the condition that
a group of quantities connected by operators gives the
same result whatever their grouping, as long as their
order remains the same, e.g., {a x b) x c = a x {b x c).
as*so*nance /asanans/ n. the resemblance of sound
between two syllables in nearby words {e.g., fat black
cat).
harmonize with.
as*sort*ed /asawrtid/ adj. 1 of various kinds put to-
gether; miscellaneous. 2 sorted into groups.
3 matched {ill-assorted; poorly assorted).
2 appease or relieve (an appetite or desire), dd as*
suage-ment n.
as'sume /asobm/ v.tr. 1 accept as being true, without
proof, for the purpose of argument or action. 2 pre-
tend (ignorance, etc.). 3 undertake (an office or du-
ty). 4 take or put on oneself or itself (an aspect, at-
tribute, etc.). 5 arrogate, usurp, or seize (credit,
power, etc.).
as*sumed /asoomd/ adj. 1 false; adopted {went under
an assumed name). 2 supposed; accepted {assumed in-
come) .

as*sign /asin/ v. & n. •v.tr. 1 a allot as a share or re- as*sum*ing /asobming/ adj. (of a person) taking too
sponsibility, b appoint to a position, task, etc. 2 fix (a much for granted; arrogant; presumptuous.
time, place, etc.) for a specific purpose. 3 (foil, by to) as*sump*tion /asumpshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance
ascribe to (a reason, date, etc.). 4 (foil, by to) trans- of assuming. 2 a the act or an instance of accepting
fer formally to. •«. a person to whom property or without proof, b a thing assumed in this way. 3 arro-
rights are legally transferred, dd as*sign*a*ble adj. gance. 4 (Assumption) the reception of the Virgin
as*sig*na*tion /asignayshan/ «. 1 a an appointment to Mary bodily into heaven, according to Roman Cath-
meet, b a secret appointment, esp. between illicit olic and Orthodox Christian belief.
lovers. 2 the act of assigning. as*sur*ance /ashobrans/ n. 1 a positive declaration
as*sign*ee /asine'e/ n. 1a person appointed to act for that a thing is true. 2 a solemn promise or guarantee.
another. 2 an assign. 3 esp. Brit, insurance. 4 certainty. 5 a self-con-
as»sign»ment/asl'nmant/«. 1 something assigned, esp. fidence, b impudence.
a task allotted to a person. 2 the act of assigning. 3 a a as*sure /ashobr/ v.tr. 1 a make (a person) sure; con-
legal transfer, b the document effecting this. vince {assured him of my sincerity) b tell (a person)
.

as*sim*i*late /asimilayt/ v. 1 tr. a absorb (food, etc.) confidently {assured him the bus went to Baltimore).
into the body, b absorb (information, etc.) into the 2 a make certain of; ensure the happening, etc., of
mind. C absorb (people) into a larger group. 2 tr. cause {will assure her success), b make safe (against over-
to resemble, dd as*sim*i*la*ble /asimalabal/ adj. as* throw, etc.). 3 Brit, insure. 4 (as assured adj.) a guar-
sim*i*la*tion /-layshan/ n. as*sim*i*la*tive adj. as*sim* anteed, b self-confident, dd as*sur*er n.
i-la-tor n. as*sim*i*la*to*ry /-latawree/ adj. See note at insure.
As*sin*i*boin /asinaboyn/ n. 1 a a N.American people as»sur«ed*ly /ashobridlee/ adv. certainly.
native to northeastern Montana and adjoining parts as*sur*ed*ness /ashobridnis/ n. certainty; (self-assur-
of Canada, b a member of this people. 2 the language ance.
of this people. AST abbr. Atlantic Standard Time.
as*sist /asist/ v. & n. mv.tr. help (a person, process, as*ta*tine /astateen, -tin/ n. Chem. a radioactive el-
etc.). »n. Sports a player's action of helping a team- ement, the heaviest of the halogens, which occurs nat-
mate to put out a runner (as in baseball) or score (as urally. Tl Symb.: At.
in basketball), dd as*sis*tance n. as*ter /astar/ n. a plant of the genus Aster, with bright
as*sis*tant /asistant/ n. la helper. 2 (often attrib.) a daisylike flowers.
person who assists.
as*so*ci*ate v., n., &adj. *v. /asosheeayt, -see-/ 1 tr. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation
asterisk ~ atman 42 as»tute /astobt, astyobt/ adj. 1 shrewd. 2 crafty, dd as-
tutely adv. as*tute*ness n.
as»ter»isk /astarisk/ n. &
v. *n. a symbol (*) used in a*sun*der /asundar/ adv. literary apart.
printing and writing to mark words, etc., for reference, a*sy*lum /asilam/ n. 1 sanctuary; protection (seek asy-
to stand for omitted matter, etc. • v. tr. mark with an lum). 2 hist, any of various kinds of institution offering
asterisk. shelter to distressed individuals, esp. the mentally ill.
Avoid pronouncing this word "as-tuhr-riks,"; many a»sym»me«try /aysimitree/ n. lack of symmetry, dd a*
regard this as uneducated. synrmetTic /-metrik/ adj. a»syrrvmetTi«cal adj. a»
a*Stern /astarn/ adv. Nam. &Aeron. 1 aft; away to the sym»metTi»cal»ly /-metrikalee/ adv.
rear. 2 backward. a«symp>tO»mat»ic /aysimptamatik/ adj. producing or
as«ter»oid /astaroyd/ n. 1 any of the small celestial bod- showing no symptoms.
ies revolving around the sun. 2 Zool. a starfish, an as* a»syn»chro*nous /aysingkranas/ adj. not synchronous.
ter*oi«dal /astaroyd'l/ adj. dd a»syn«chro«nous»ly adv.
as»the»ni«a /asthe'eneea/ n. Med. loss of strength; de- At symb. Chem. the element astatine.
bility. at /at, expressing position (wait at
unstressed at/ prep. 1

asttvma /azma, as-/ n. a respiratory disease, often with the corner, is 2 expressing a
at school; at a distance) .

paroxysms of difficult breathing. point in time (see you at three). 3 expressing a point in
asth»mat»ic /azmatik, as-/ adj. &
n. »adj. relating to or a scale or range (at boiling point; at his best) 4 express- .

suffering from asthma, •n. a person suffering from ing engagement or concern in a state or activity (at
asthma. asth«mat»i»cal»ly adv. work; at odds) 5 expressing a value or rate (sell at $1
.

a*Stig*ma*tism /astigmatizam/ n. a defect in the eye or each) 6 a with or with reference to; in terms of (at a
.

in a lens resulting in distorted images, as light rays are disadvantage; good at soccer, sick at heart), b by means
prevented from meeting at a common focus, dd as* of (drank it at a gulp) 7 expressing: a motion toward
.

tig*mat*ic /astigmatik/ adj. (went at them) b aim toward or pursuit of (aim at the
.

a«stir /astar/ predic.adj. & adv. 1 in motion. 2 awake target; guess at the truth; laughed at us), a at that more-
and out of bed (astir early; already astir). 3 excited. over (found one, and a good one at that).
as»ton»ish /astonish/ v.tr. amaze; surprise greatly. at»a»rac»tic /ataraktik/ adj. & n. (also at*a*rax*ic /-rak-
dd as*ton*ish«ing adj. as»torvish»ing»ly adv. as«torv sik/)» adj. calming or tranquilizing. • n. a tranquilizing
ish*ment n. drug.
as«tound /astownd/ v.tr. shock with alarm or surprise; at»a»rax«y /ataraksee/ n. (also at*a*rax*i*a /-rakseea/)
amaze, dd as*tound*ing adj. as*tound*ing*ly adv. calmness or tranquility; imperturbability.
as»tral /astral/ adj. 1 of or connected with the stars. at*a*vism /atavizam/ «. 1a resemblance to remote
2 consisting of stars. ancestors rather than to parents in plants or animals.
a»stray /astray/ adv. &
predic. adj. 1 in or into error or 2 reversion to an earlier type, dd at*a*vis*tic adj. at»a«
sin (esp. lead astray). 2 out of the right way. go vis*ti*caMy adv.
astray be lost or misled. a*tax*i*a /atakseea/ n. Med. the loss of full control of
a*Stride /astrid/ adv. &
prep *adv. 1 with a leg on each bodily movements, dd a*tax*ic adj.
side. 2 with legs apart, mprep. with a leg on each side ate past of eat.
of. at»el»ier /atalyay/ n. a workshop or artist's studio.
as«trin»gent /astrinjant/ adj. n. madj.& 1 causing a tem«po /aa tempo/ adv. Mus. in the previous tempo.
the contraction of body tissues. 2 checking bleed- a»the»ism /aytheeizam/ n. the theory or belief that God
ing. 3 severe; austere, •n. an astringent substance does not exist, dd a»the»ist n. a»the»is»tic adj. a«the«is»
or drug, dd as«trirvgervcy /-jansee/ n. as*trin*genMy ti»cal adj.
adv. a»the«mat»ic /aytheematik/ adj. 1 Mus. not based on
astro- /astro/ comb.form 1 relating to the stars. 2 relat- the use of themes. 2 Gram, (of a verb form) having a
ing to outer space. suffix attached to the stem without a correcting (the-
as»tro»labe /astralayb/ n. an instrument, usu. con- matic) vowel.
sisting of a disk and pointer, formerly used to make ath»e«nae»um /athine'eam/ n. (also ath«e«ne«um) 1 an
astronomical measurements and as an aid in naviga- institution for literary or scientific study. 2 a library.
tion. ath»er»o»scle«ro«sis /atharosklarOsis/ n. a form of ar-
as»trol»o«gy /astrolajee/ n. the study of the movements teriosclerosis characterized by the degeneration of the
and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted arteries because of a buildup of fatty deposits, dd ath*
as an influence on human affairs, dd as«trol*o*ger n. er»o-scle*rot*ic /-rotik/ adj.
as»trcHog»i»cal astralojikal/ adj. as«trol»o«gist n. ath»lete /athleet/ n. a skilled performer in sports and
as«tro«naut /astranawt/ n. a person trained to travel in physical activities, esp. Brit, in track and field events.
a spacecraft, dd as-tro«naiMi»cal /-nawtikal/ adj. athlete's foot n. a fungal foot condition.
as*tro«nau*tics /astranawtiks/ n. the science of space ath»let«ic /athletik/ adj. 1 of or relating to athletes or
travel. athletics. 2 muscular or physically powerful, dg ath»
as«tn>nonvi«cal astranomikal/ adj. (also as»tro» leH»caMy adv. ath»let«i»cism / tisizam/ n.
norrvic) 1 of or relating to astronomy. 2 extremely ath*let*ics /athletiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as ting.)
large; too large to contemplate, dd as»tro»nonvi»caMy 1 a physical exercises, b the practice of these. 2 plus
adv. ical sports and games of any kind.
as»tn>norrvi»cal u«nit n. a unit of measurement in
astronomy equal to the mean distance from the cen-
a»thwart athwawrtV adv. prep madv. 1 across from&
side to side (usu. obliquely). 2 perversely or in oppo-
ter of the earth to the center of the sun. sition, mprep. 1 from side to side of. 2 in opposition
as»tron»0«my astronamee n. the scientific study of to.
bodies and other matter beyond earth's at-
celestial AMan-tiC Time ft. the standard tittle used in the most
mosphere. as»tron»o*mer n. eastern parts of Canada and in parts of the Carib-
as«tro«phys«ics farofizika n. a branch of astronomy bean.
concerned with the physics of celestial bodies, dd as* aMas n. a book of maps or chaits
atlas
tro»phys-i»cal adj. as»tro«phys»i-cist ATM
xisist/ n. automated teller machine.
abbr.
As«tro«turf astrotnrf n.pmpr. an artificial gntfl sur- at«man /a'atman/ Hinduism 1 the real self. 2 the
>/. su-
face, esp. for sports fields.
preme spiritual principle.
at»mos«phere /atmasfeer/ n. 1 a the envelope of gases 43 atmosphere ~ attendance
surrounding the earth, any other planet, or any sub-
stance, b the air in any particular place. 2 the pervad- leriesand rooms opening off at each level, c (in a mod-
ing tone or mood of a place or situation. 3 Physics a ern house) a central hall or courtyard with rooms
unit of pressure equal to mean atmospheric pressure opening off it. 2 Anat. a cavity in the body, esp. one
at sea level, dd at»mos»pher«ic /-ferik, -fe'er-/ adj. at* of the two upper cavities of the heart, receiving blood
mos«pher»i»cal«ly adv. from the veins, dd a*tri*al adj.

at«mos«pher»ics /atmasferiks, -fe'er-/ n.pl. 1 electrical a*tro*cious /atrOshas/ adj. 1 very bad or unpleasant
disturbance in the atmosphere. 2 interference with (atrocious weather) 2 extremely savage or wicked (atro-
.

telecommunications caused by this. cious cruelty), dd a*tro*cious*ly adv.

at»oll /atawl, atol, ay-/ n. a ring-shaped coral reef en- a»troc»i»ty /atrositee/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 an extremely evil
closing a lagoon. or cruel act. 2 extreme wickedness.
atom /atam/ n. 1 the smallest particle of a chemical at«ro»phy /atrafee/ v. n. %v. &
(«phies, -phied
element that can take part in a chemical reaction. 1 intr. waste away through undernourishment or lack

2 this particle as a source of nuclear energy.
at*om bomb n. a bomb involving the release of energy
by nuclear fission.
a*tom*ic /atomik/ adj. 1 concerned with or using atom-
ic energy or atomic bombs. 2 of or relating to an at-
om or atoms, nn a»tom»i»caMy adv.
a»tonvic bomb n. = atom bomb.
a»tom»ic Clock n. a clock in which the time scale is
regulated by the vibrations of an atomic or molecular
of use. 2 tr. cause to atrophy, •n. the process of atro-
phying.
at»ro»pine /atrapeen, -pin/ n. a poisonous alkaloid
found in deadly nightshade, used in medicine.
aMach /atach/ v. 1 tr. fasten; affix; join. 2 tr. (in pas-
sive; foil, by to) be very fond of or devoted to (am deep-
ly attached to her). 3 tr. attribute; assign (some func-
tion, quality, or characteristic) (attaches great
importance to it) 4 a tr. include (attach no conditions to
.

system, such as cesium. the agreement), b intr. (foil, by to) be an attribute or

a»tom»ic en»er»gy n. nuclear energy. characteristic (great prestige attaches to the job) . 5 refl.

a*tom*ic mass n. the mass of an atom measured in
atomic mass units.
a*tom*ic mass u»nit n. a unit of mass used to express
atomic and molecular weight.
a»tom»ic num»ber n. the number of protons in the nu-
cleus of an atom, which is characteristic of a chem-
ical element and determines its place in the periodic
table.
a»tom»ic par»ti»cle n. any one of the particles of which aMached /atacht/ adj. 1 fixed; connected; enclosed.
an atom is constituted.
a»tom»ic phys*ics n. the branch of physics concerned
with the structure of the atom and the characteris- at»tach»ment /atachmant/ n. 1 a thing attached or to
tics of the elementary particles of which it is com-
posed.
a»tonvic power n. nuclear power.
a»tom»ic Structure n. the structure of an atom as be-
ing a central positively charged nucleus surrounded
by negatively charged orbiting electrons.
a»tom»ic the«o«ry n. 1 the concept of an atom as be-
join; take part (climbers attached themselves to the expedi-
tion). 6 tr. appoint for special or temporary duties. 7 tr.
Law seize (a person or property) by legal authority.
dd at*tach*a*ble adj.
at»ta»che /atashay/ n. a person appointed to an ambas-
sador's staff (military attache; press attache).
at»ta»che case n. a small flat rectangular case for car-
rying documents, etc.
2 (of a person) involved in a long-term relationship,
esp. engagement or marriage.
be attached. 2 affection; devotion. 3 a means of at-
taching. 4 the act of attaching. 5 legal seizure.
at«tack /atak/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. act against with force.
2 tr. seek to hurt or defeat. 3 tr. criticize adversely. 4 tr.
act harmfully upon (a virus attacking the nervous sys-
tem). 5 tr. vigorously apply oneself to (attacked his meal
with gusto) 6 intr. make an attack. 7 intr. be in a mode
.

ing composed of elementary particles. 2 the theory of attack. • n. 1 the act of attacking. 2 an offensive
that all matter is made up of small indivisible parti- operation. 3 Mus. the action of beginning a piece, pas-
cles called atoms. sage, etc. 4 gusto; vigor. 5 a sudden occurrence of an
a»tom»ic weight n. the ratio of the average mass of one illness. 6 a player or players seeking to score goals,
atom of an element to one twelfth of the mass of etc.; offensive players, dd at*tack*er n.
an atom of carbon- 12. Also called relative atomic aMain /atayn/ v. 1 tr. reach (a goal, etc.). 2 tr. accom-
mass. plish (an aim, distinction, etc.). 3 intr. (foil, by to) ar-
at*om*ize /atamiz/ v. tr. reduce to atoms or fine parti- rive at by conscious development, dd at*tain*a*ble adj.
cles, dd at*om*i*za*tion n. at-tain-a-bil-i-ty n.
at»om»iz»er /atamlzar/ n. an instrument for emitting at»tain«ment /ataynmant/ n. 1 something achieved.
liquids as a fine spray. 2 the act of attaining.
a*ton«al /ayton'l/ adj. Mus. not written in any key or aMar /ataar/ n. (also ot»to /oto/) a fragrant essential oil,
mode, dd a»to«nal«i»ty /-nalitee/ n. esp. from rose petals.
a«tone /aton/ v.intr. (usu. foil, by for) make amends; aMempt /atempt/ v. & n. •v.tr. seek to achieve or mas-
expiate for (a wrong). ter (a task, action, etc.) (attempted to explain). •«. an
a»tone»ment /atonmant/ expiation; reparation for
n. 1 endeavor (an attempt to succeed).
a wrong or injury. 2 the reconciliation of God and aMend /atend/ v. 1 tr. a be present at (attended the meet-
humans. 3 (the Atonement) the expiation by Christ ing) b go regularly to (attends the local school) 2 intr.
. .

of humankind's sin. a be present (many members failed to attend) b be pres- .

a«ton«ic /atonik/ adj. 1 without accent or stress. 2 Med. ent in a serving capacity. 3 a tr. escort (the king was
lacking bodily tone, dd at»o»ny /atanee/ n. attended by soldiers), b intr. (foil, by on) wait on. 4 intr.
a*top /atop/ adv. &
prep • adv. on the top. »prep. on the a apply one's mind (attend to what I am saying) b (foil, .

top of. by to) deal with (shall attend to the matter myself) 5 tr. .

ATP abbr. adenosine triphosphate. follow as a result from (the error was attended by seri-
at*ra*bil*ious /atrabilyas/ adj. melancholy; ill- ous consequences), dd at*tend*er n.
tempered. at*tend*ance /atendans/ n. 1 the act of attending. 2 the
a»tri«um /aytreeam/ n. (pi. atriums or atria /-treea/) number of people present (a high attendance).
1 a the central court of an ancient Roman house, b a
central court rising through several stories with gal- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
attendant ~ aught 44 to a situation. 2 bring (an orchestra, instrument, etc.)
into musical accord.
attend-ant /atendant/ n. &
adj. mn.a person employed atty. abbr. attorney.
to wait on others, •adj. 1 accompanying. 2 waiting on. Atty. Gen. abbr. Attorney General.
attendee /atende'e/ n. a person who attends (a meet- ATV abbr. all-terrain vehicle.
ing, etc.). conforming to a type.
a»typ«i»cal /aytipikal/ adj. not
attention /atenshan/ n. & int • n. 1 the act or faculty nn a»tyr>i»caMy adv.
of applying one's mind {attract his attention). 2 a con- Au symb. Chem. the element gold.
sideration {give attention to the problem), b care {give au»burn /awbarn/ adj. reddish brown (usu. of a per-
special attention to your handwriting). 3 (in pi.) a cer- son's hair).
emonious politeness {he paid his attentions to her).
b wooing {he was the subject of her attentions). 4 Mil. an auburn late Middle English: from Old French
erect attitude of readiness {stand at attention). • int. (in auborne, alborne, from Latin alburnus 'whitish,' from
full stand to attention!) Mil. an order to assume an albus 'white.' The original sense was 'yellowish white,
attitude of attention. '
but the word became associated with brown because
attention deficit hyper»ac»tiv»i«ty dis«or»der n. in the 16th and 17th centuries it was often written
(also attention deficit disorder) a behavioral disorder abrune or abroun.
occurring primarily in children, including such symp-
toms as poor concentration, hyperactivity, and learn- auction /awkshan/ n.&v.mn.a sale of goods in which
ing difficulties. 1 Abbr.: ADHD. articles are sold to the highest bidder, mv. tr. sell at auc-
attentive /atentiv/ adj. 1 paying attention. 2 assidu- tion.
ously polite, dd attentively adv. atten»tive«ness n. auc»tion»eer /awkshane'er/ n. a person who conducts
at»ten»U»ate v. &
adj. mv.tr. /atenyooayt/ 1 make thin. auctions professionally, by calling for bids and declar-
2 reduce in force, value, or virulence. • adj. /atenyooat/ ing goods sold, dd auc*tion*eer*ing n.
1 slender. 2 tapering gradually. 3 rarefied, an atten* au*da*cious /awdayshas/ adj. 1 daring; bold. 2 impu-
u*at*ed adj. atten»u»a»tion /-ayshan/ n. atten«u«a»tor dent, no au»da«cious«ly adv. au*da*cious*ness n. au*
n. dac»i»ty /awdasitee/ n.
a We St /atest/ v. 1 tr. certify the validity of. 2 intr. (foil, au»di»ble /awdibal/ adj. capable of being heard, dd au«
by to) bear witness to. an attest»a«ble adj. attes»tor di*bil*i*ty n. au*di*bly adv.
n. au*di*ence /awdeeans/ n. 1 a the assembled listeners
AMic /atik/ adj. of or relating to ancient Athens or At- or spectators at an event, b the people addressed by
or the form of Greek spoken there.
tica, a movie, play, etc. 2 a formal interview with a person
aWic /atik/ n. 1 the uppermost story in a house, usu. in authority.
under the roof. 2 a room in the attic area. au*di*0 /awdeeo/ n. (usu. attrib.) sound or the repro-
aWire /atir/ v. &
n. mv.tr. formal dress, esp. in fine duction of sound.
clothes or formal wear. mn. clothes, esp. fine or for- audio- /awdeeo/ comb.form hearing or sound.
mal. au»di»0»cas»sette /awdeeokaset/ n. an audiotape en-
attitude /atitood, -tyood/ n. 1 a a settled opinion. closed within a cassette.
b behavior reflecting this. 2 a a bodily posture, b a au*di*o fre«quen»cy n. a frequency capable of being
pose adopted for dramatic effect, dd atti*tu*di«nal perceived by the human ear.
/-tood'nal, -tyobd-/ adj. au*di*ol«0*gy /awdeeolajee/ n. the science of hearing.
attor-ney /atarnee/ n. {pi. -neys) 1 a person, esp. a dd au*di*ol*o*gist n.
lawyer, appointed to act for another in business or le- au»di»om»e«ter /awdeeomitar/ n. an instrument for
gal matters. 2 a lawyer, an attorneyship n. testing hearing.
attorney gen»er»al n. the chief legal officer in the US, au*di*0*phile /awdeeofil/ n. a high-fidelity sound en-
England, and other countries. thusiast.
attract /atrakt/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) draw to oneself or au*di*o«tape /awdeeotayp/ n. 1 a magnetic tape on
itself. 2 be attractive to. 3 (of a magnet, etc.) exert a which sound can be recorded, b a length of this. 2 a
pull on (an object), dd attractable adj. attrac»tor n. sound recording on tape.
attraction /atrakshan/ n. la the power of attracting au*di*0«vis*u*al /awdeeovizhyooal/ adj. using both
{the attraction offoreign travel), b a person or thing that sight and sound.
attracts by arousing interest {the fair is a big attraction). au*dit /awdit/ n. &
v. mn. an official examination of
2 Physics the force by which bodies attract or approach accounts, mv.tr. (audited, auditing) 1 conduct an au-
each other (opp. repulsion). dit of. 2 attend (a class) informally, without working
attractive /atraktiv/ adj. 1 attracting or capable of at- for a grade or credit.
tracting {an attractive proposition). 2 aesthetically au*di*tion /awdishan/ n.&v.mn.a test of a performer's
pleasing, dd attrac»tive-ly adv. attractiveness n. ability or suitability, usu. for a particular role. mv. as-
attribute v. &n. mv.tr. /atribyoot/ (foil, by to) 1 re- sess or be assessed.
gard as belonging or appropriate {a poem attributed to au*di*tor /awditar/ n. 1 a person who audits accounts.
Shakespeare). 2 ascribe; regard as the effect of a stat- 2 a person who audits a class. 3 a listener, au*di* i ii i

ed cause {the delays were attributed to the heavy traffic). to-ri-al / tawreeal/ adj.
mn. /atribyoot/ 1 a a quality ascribed to a person or aU'dhtOThum /awditawrccam/ n. {pi auditoriums or
thing, b a characteristic quality. 2 a material object auditoria / reea/) the part of a theater, etc., in which
recogni/ed as appropriate to a person, office, or sta- the audience sits.
tus . attrit>ut»a»ble atribyootabal/ adj. attribution au»dhtO«ry /awditawree/ adj. 1 concerned with hear
/-byobshan/ n. ing. 2 received by the ear.
attributive atribyotiv adj. (i, am. (of an adjective or au fait /o fay/ prcdic.ad). (usu. foil, by with) having cur-
noun; preceding the word described and expressing rent knowledge {au fait with the arrangem*
an attribute, as old in the old dog and expiration id Aug. abbr. August.
piraiwn date fopp. PREDICATIVE). attributively adv. au»ger l&WgKt n. a tool res-.-mbling a large corks*, rew,
II -

attrition atrishan n. 1 the act or process <>f gradual- for boring holes.
ly wearing out. 2 abrasion.
aught /awi, //. (alto ought) an has* Cusu. lmplvinr
attune MOtm, ttyoW U rr. 1 adjust fa person or thing) anything at all.
 .

aug»ment /awgment/ v.tr. & intr. increase, an aug» 45 augment - authority

ment*er n.

aug«men»ta»tion /awgmentayshan/ n. 1 enlargement; au»ro»ra bo«re»al»is /bawree-alis/ n. a northern occur-

growth; increase. 2 Mus. the lengthening of the time rence of aurora.
values of notes in melodic parts. aus*CUl*ta*tion /awskaltayshan' n. the act of listening
aug»ment*a»tive /awgmentativ/ adj. having the prop- to sounds from the heart, lungs, etc., as a part of
erty of increasing. medical diagnosis, dd aus»cul«ta«to«ry /-kultatawree/
au grat'in /6 grataN/ adj. Cooking cooked with a crisp adj.
brown crust, usu. of breadcrumbs or melted cheese. aus*pice /awspis/ n. 1 (in pi.) patronage (esp. under
au«gur /awgar/ v. & n. »v. 1 intr. (of an event, circum- the auspices of). 2 a forecast.
stance, etc.) suggest a specified outcome (usu. augur aus*pi*cious /awspishas/ adj. 1 of good omen; favora-
well or ill). 2 tr. a foresee; predict, b portend. »n. an ble. 2 prosperous, nn aus»pi»cious»ly adv. aus»pi»
ancient Roman religious official who observed nat- ciousTiess n.
ural signs, esp. the behavior of birds, interpreting these Aus»sie /awsee, -zee/ n. &
adj. (also Ossie, Ozzie) • n.
as an indication of divine approval or disapproval of colloq. an Australian. »adj. Australian.
a proposed action, do au«gu*ral adj. aus*tere /awsteer/ adj. (austerer, austerest) 1 severe-
au*gu*ry /awgyaree/ n. (pi. Ties) 1 an omen. 2 the in- ly simple. 2 morally strict. 3 harsh; stern, nn aus»tere«
terpretation of omens. ly adv.
Au*gust /awgsst/ n. the eighth month of the year. aus»ter«i«ty /awsteritee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 sternness; mor-
au*gust /awgust/ adj. inspiring reverence, dd au*gust* al severity. 2 severe simplicity. 3 (esp. in pi. ) an aus-

ly adv. au*gust*ness n. tere practice.

Au*gus*tan /awgustan/ adj. connected with the reign aus*tral /awstral/ adj. 1 southern. 2 (Austral) of
of the Roman emperor Augustus, esp. as an outstand- Australia or Australasia.
ing period of Latin literature. Aus*tral*a*sian /awstralayzhan, -shan' adj. of or relat-
Au*gus«tin*i«an /awgsstineean/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 of or ing to Australasia, a region consisting of Australia and
relating to St. Augustine or his doctrines. 2 belonging islands of the SW Pacific.
to a religious order observing a rule derived from St. Aus*tral*ian /awstraylyan/ n. adj. •«. 1 a native or &
Augustine's writings. »n. one of the order of Augus- inhabitant of Australia. 2 a person of Australian de-
tinian friars. scent, madj. of or relating to Australia, nn Aus«tral»ian«
auk /awk/ n. any sea diving bird of the family Alcidae, ism n.
with heavy body, short wings, and black and white Austro- /awstro/ comb.form Austrian; Austrian and
plumage, e.g., the puffin. (A ustro-Hungarian)
auld lang syne /awld lang zin, sin/ n. times long past. au«then»tic /awthentik/ adj. 1 of undisputed origin;
au na»tu»rel /6 nacharel/ predic. adj. adv. naked. & genuine. 2 reliable or trustworthy. 3 Mus. (of a mode)
aunt /ant, aant/ n. 1 the sister of one's father or moth- containing notes between the final and an octave high-
er. 2 an uncle's wife. 3 colloq. an unrelated woman er, nn au«then»ti«caMy adv. au«thervtic«i»ty /awthen-
friend of a child or children. tisitee/ n.
au pair /6 pair/ n. a young foreign person, esp. a au»then»ti«cate awthentikayt/ v.tr. 1 establish the
woman, helping with housework, etc., in exchange for truth or genuineness of. 2 validate, nn au»then»ti»ca»
room, board, and pocket money. tion /-kayshan/ n. au»thervti»ca«tor ;;.
au*ra /awra/ n. (pi. aurae /-ree/ or auras) 1 the distinc- au*thor /awthar/ n. &
v. »n. (fern, authoress awthris,

tive atmosphere diffused by or attending a person,
place, etc. 2 (in mystic or spiritualistic use) a supposed
subtle emanation, surrounding the body of a living
creature. 3 a subtle emanation or aroma from flowers,
etc. 4 Med. premonitory symptom(s) in epilepsy, etc.
au*raP /awral/ adj. of or relating to or received by the
ear. dd au*ral*ly adv.
au«ral 2 /awral/ adj. of, relating to, or resembling an au-
ra; atmospheric.
au»re«ate /awreeat/ adj. 1 golden, gold colored. 2 re-
splendent.
au*re*ole /awreeol/ n. (also au*re*o*la /awre'eala/) 1 a
halo or circle of light. 2 a corona around the sun or
moon.
au re»voir /6 ravwa'ar/ int. & n. good-bye.
au*ri*cle /awrikal/ n. Anat. 1muscular pouch
a a small
on the surface of each atrium of the heart, b the atri- n.
um itself. 2 the external ear of animals. au»thor«i»ta«tive
au*ric*U*la /awrikyala/ n. a primrose, Primula auricula,
with leaves shaped like bears' ears.
au*ric*u*lar /awrikyalar/ adj. 1 of or relating to the ear
or hearing. 2 of or relating to the auricle of the heart.
3 shaped like an auricle.
au«rochs /awroks, owroks/ n. (pi. same) an extinct wild
ox, Bos primigenius, ancestor of domestic cattle.
au»rora /awrawra/ n. (pi. auroras or aurorae /-ree/)
1 a luminous electrical atmospheric phenomenon,
usu. of streamers of light in the sky above the north-
ern or southern magnetic pole. 2 poet, the dawn.
dd auTOTal adj.
au*ro*ra aus*tra*lis /awstraylis/ n. a southern occur-
rence of aurora.
awthares/) 1 a writer, esp. of books. 2 the originator
of an event, condition, etc. (the author of all my
woes), mv.tr. be the author of. nn au«tho«ri«al /awthaw-
rial/ adj.
author Middle English (in the sense 'a person who
invents or causes something'): from Old French ai4tor,
from Latin auctor, from augere 'increase, originate,
promote.' The spelling with th arose in the 1 5th cent.,
and perhaps became established under the influence
of authentic.
au»thor»i«tar»i»an /athawritaireean, athor-/ adj.
1 favoring, encouraging, or enforcing strict obedi-
ence to authority, as opposed to individual freedom.
2 tyrannical or domineering, nn au*thor*i*tar*i*an*ism
/athawritaytiv, athor-/ adj. 1 being
recognized as true or dependable. 2 (of a person,
behavior, etc.) commanding or self-confident. 3 offi-
cial; supported by authority (an authoritative docu-
ment). 4 having or claiming influence through recog-
nized knowledge or expertise, nn au*thor*i*ta*tive*ly
adv. au*thoM*ta*tive«ness n.
au»thor»i»ty /athawritee, athor-/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 a the
power or right to enforce obedience, b (often foil, by
for, or to + infin.) delegated power. 2 (esp. in pi.) a
person or body having authority, esp. political or ad-
ministrative. 3 a an influence exerted on opinion be-
cause of recognized knowledge or expertise, b such
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
authorize - autosuggestion 46 au»to»irvtox»i»ca»tion /awtointoksikayshgn/ n. Med.
poisoning by a toxin formed within the body it-
an influence expressed in a book, etc. (an authority on self.

vintage cars). C an expert in a subject. au»tol»y»sis /awtolisis/ n. the destruction of cells by

au»thor«ize /awthariz/ v.tr. 1 sanction. 2 (foil, by to + their own enzymes, dd au*to*lyt*ic /awtalitik/ adj.
infin.) a give authority, b commission (a person or Au»tO«mat /awtamat/ n. Trademark a cafeteria con-
body) (authorized to trade), dd au»thor«i«za»tion taining coin-operated machines dispensing food and
/-rizayshan/ n. drink.
au»thor»ship /awtharship/ n. 1 the origin of a written au*to«mate /awtgmayt/ v.tr. convert to or operate by
work. 2 the occupation of writing. automation (the ticket office has been automated).
airtism /awtizam/ n. a mental condition characterized au«to«mat*ed teMer ma*chine n. an electronic ma-
by complete self-absorption and a reduced ability to chine that allows customers to perform banking trans-
respond to the outside world, dd au*tis*tic /awtistik/ actions such as depositing or withdrawing funds, etc.
adj. UAbbr.: ATM
au*to /awto/ n. (pi «tos) colloq. an automobile. au*to*mat*ic /awtamatik/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 (of a device

auto- /awto/ comb.form (usu. aut- before a vowel) 1 self
(autism). 2 one's own (autobiography). 3 by oneself
(autosuggestion). 4 automatic (automobile).
au*tO*bahn /awtobaan/ n. a German, Austrian, or
or its function) designed to work by itself, without di-
rect human intervention. 2 a done spontaneously,
without conscious thought or intention (an automat-
ic reaction) b necessary and inevitable (an automatic
.

Swiss highway. penalty) 3 Psychol, performed unconsciously or sub-

.

au»to»bi»ogTa»phy /awtobiografee/ n. (pi. -phies) 1 a consciously. 4 (of a firearm) that continues firing un-
personal account of one's own life. 2 this as a pro- til the ammunition is exhausted or the pressure on the

cess or literary form, dd au«to»bi»og*ra»pher n. au«to« trigger is released. 5 (of a motor vehicle or its
bi«o*graph«ic /-biagrafik/ adj. au»to»bi»o»graptvi»cal transmission) using gears that change automatically
adj. according to speed and acceleration. • «. 1 an
au»toch»thon /awtokthan/ n. (pi. autochthons or automatic device. 2 colloq. a vehicle with automatic
autochthones /-thsneez/) (in pi.) the original or ear- transmission, dd au»to»mat»i»caMy adv. au»to«ma»tic»i«
liest known inhabitants of a country; aboriginals. ty /awtamatisitee/ n.
dd au»toch«tho«nous adj. au«tO»mat«ic pi*lot n. a device for automatically keep-
au*tO*clave /awtoklayv/ n. 1 a strong vessei used for ing an aircraft on a set course.
chemical reactions at high pressures and tempera- au»to»ma«tion /awtamayshan/ n. 1 the use of automat-
tures. 2 a sterilizer using high pressure steam. ic equipment to save labor. 2 the automatic control of
au»toc»ra»cy /awtokrasee/ n. (pi. »cies) 1 absolute gov- the manufacture of a product through its successive
ernment by one person. 2 the power exercised by such stages.
a person. 3 an autocratic country or society. au*tom*a*tism /awtomatizam/ n. 1 Psychol, the perfor-
au»tO«crat /awtakrat/ n. 1 an absolute ruler. 2 a dicta- mance of actions unconsciously or subconsciously.
torial person, dd au*to*crat*ic /-kratik/ adj. au»to«crat« 2 involuntary action. 3 unthinking routine.
i'cal»ly adv. au»tom»a»tize/awtom3tiz/urr. 1 make (a process, etc.)
au*to*cross /awtokraws, -kros/ n. automobile racing automatic. 2 subject (a business, enterprise, etc.) to
on a challenging course that usu. includes twisting automation, dd au*tom*a*ti«za«tion n.
turns and obstacles. au*tom*a*ton /awtomatan, -ton/ n. (pi. automata /-ta/
auto-da-fe /awtodaafay/ n. (pi. autos-da-fe /awtoz-/) or automatons) 1 an automated device with con-
1 a sentence of punishment by the Spanish Inquisi- cealed motive power; a robot. 2 a person who behaves
tion. 2 the execution of such a sentence. in a mechanical or unemotional way.
au*to*di*dact /awtodidakt, -dakt/ n. a self-taught per- au*to«mo*bile /awtamabeel/ n. a motor vehicle for road
son, dd au*to*di*dac*tic /-daktik/ adj. use with an enclosed passenger compartment; a car.
au»to«er»o»tism /awto-eratizam/ n. (also au»to«eTot»i« au«to«mo»tive /awtsmOtiv/ adj. concerned with motor
ci«sm /-irotisizsm/) Psychol, masturbation, dd au*to« vehicles.
eroMc /-irotik/ adj. au»to«nom»ic /awtanomik/ adj. esp. Physiol, function-
au»to»fo»cus /awtofokas/ n. a device for focusing a ing involuntarily.
camera, etc., automatically. au»to»nonvic nerv»ous sys»tem n. the part of
au»tog»a»my /awtogamee/ n. Bot. self-fertilization in the nervous system responsible for control of the
plants, dd au*tog*a*mous adj. bodily functions not consciously directed, e.g., heart-
au»tog»e»nous /awtojinss/ adj. arising from within or beat.
from a thing itself; self-produced. au»ton»o»mous /awtonomns/ adj. 1 having self-gov-
au*to*gi*ro /awtojiro/ n. (also au*to*gyro) (pi. «ros) an ernment. 2 acting independently or having the free-
early form of helicopter with freely rotating horizon- dom to do so. dd au»ton»o»mous»ly adv.
tal vanes and a propeller. au»ton»o«my /awtonomee/ n. (pi. -mies) 1 the right of
au«to»graft /awtograft/ n. Surgery a graft of tissue from self-government. 2 personal freedom. 3 freedom of
one point to another of the same person's body. the will. 4 a self-governing community, nn au»ton»o«
au*to*graph /awtagraf/ n.&v.mn.Aaa signature, esp. mist n.
that of a celebrity, b handwriting. 2 a manuscript in n. an automatic pilot.
au«to-pJ»lot /awtopilot/
an author's handwriting. 3 a document signed by its au«top»sy /awtopsee/ n. (pi. -sies) 1 a postmortem
author. • v. tr. 1 sign (a photograph etc.). 2 write (a let-
examination. 2 any critical analysis.
ter, etc.) by hand.
au»to*ra»di«o«graph tewtoriydceagrafi ». a photo-
au*to*gy*ro var. of AUTOCHXO. graph of an object, produced by radiation from
Au«tO»harp /awtohaarp/ n. Trademark a kind of zither radioactive material in the object, no au»to»ra»di»o«
with a mechanical device to allow the playing of graphic adj. au»toTa»di-og»ra»phy /twtoriydiografae
chords. n.
au«to»inrmune awtoimyoon/ adj. Med. (of a disease; au»tO«save //. Qfv. • //. a software facility thai ;iut«>in;ii
caused by antibodies produced against substances ically saves a computer at regular
user's work nun
naturally present in the body, nn au«to-invmu»ni»ty vals.»7'./r. save (keyed work) automatically
au*to*sug*ges*tion awtosngjcschnn/ n. a hypnotic M
 . 6

subconscious suggestion made by a person to himself 47 autotomy ~ avow

or herself and affecting behavior.
au»tot»o«my /awtotamee/ n. Zool. the casting off of a in an average of. on average as an average rate or es-
part of the body when threatened, e.g., the tail of a timate.
lizard.
average late 15th cent.: from French avarie 'damage
au»to»tox»in /awtotoksin/ n. a poisonous substance
to ship or cargo,' earlier 'customs duty,' from Italian
originating within an organism. au»to«tox»ic adj.
avaria, from Arabic 'awar 'damage to goods'; the suf-
au«to«trans»form«er /awtotransfawrmar/ n. an elec-
fix -age is on the pattern of damage. Originally denot-
trical transformer that has a single coil winding, part
ing a charge or customs duty payable by the owner of
of which is common to both primary and secondary
goods to be shipped, the term later denoted the finan-
circuits.
cial liability from goods lost or damaged at sea, and
au»to»type /awtatip/ n. 1 a facsimile. 2 a a photograph-
specifically the equitable apportionment of this be-
ic printing process for monochrome reproduction, b a
tween the owners of the vessel and the cargo (late 1 6th
print made by this process.
cent.); this gave rise to the general sense of the equal-
airtumn /awtam/ n. 1 the third season of the year,
izing out of gains and losses by calculating the mean
when crops and fruits are gathered, and leaves fall.
(mid- 18th cent.).
Also called fall. 2 Astron. the period from the autum-
nal equinox to the winter solstice. a»ver»ment /avarmant/ n. an affirmation, esp. Law one
au*tum*nal /awtumnal/ adj. 1 of, characteristic of, or with an offer of proof.
appropriate to autumn {autumnal colors) 2 occurring . adverse /avars/ predic.adj. (usu. foil, by to; also foil, by
in autumn {autumnal equinox). from) opposed; disinclined {not averse to helping).
aiMunvnal e«qui*nox n. the time in fall (about Sep- See note at adverse.
tember 22) when the sun crosses the celestial equa- a*ver*sion /avarzhan, -shan/ n. 1 (usu. foil, by to, from,
tor, and day and night are of equal length. for) a strong dislike or disinclination {an aversion to ex-
aux*il*ia*ry /awgzilyaree/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 (of a person ercise). 2 the object of such feelings.
or thing) that gives help. 2 (of services or equipment) a*ver«sion ther»a»py n. therapy designed to make a
subsidiary; additional, mn. {pi. »ries) 1 an auxiliary patient give up an undesirable habit by causing him
person or thing. 2 (in pi.) Mil. auxiliary troops. or her to associate it with an unpleasant effect.
aux«il»ia»ry verb n. Gram, one used in forming tens- a«vert /avart/ v.tr. (often foil, by from) 1 turn away
es, moods, and voices of other verbs. (one's eyes or thoughts). 2 prevent (an undesirable
aux*in /awksin/ n. a plant hormone that regulates occurrence), nn a«vert«a«ble adj. a»vert»i»ble adj.
growth. a»vi»an /ayveean/ adj. of or relating to birds.
AV abbr. audiovisual (teaching aids, etc.). a*vi«ar*y /ayvee-eree/ n. {pi. «ies) a large enclosure or
a»vail /avayl/ v.&n.*v."\ tr. help; benefit. 2 refl. (foil, building for keeping birds.
by of) profit by; take advantage of. 3 intr. a provide a*vi*ate /ayveeayt/ v. 1 intr. fly in an airplane. 2 tr. pi-
help, b be of use, value, or profit. •«. (usu. in neg. or lot (an airplane).
interrog. phrases) use; profit {to no avail). a»vi«a«tion /ayveeayshan/ n. 1 the skill or practice of
a«vail»a«ble /avaylabal/ adj. (often foil, by to, for) 1 ca- operating aircraft. 2 aircraft manufacture.
pable of being used; at one's disposal. 2 within one's a»vi»a»tor /ayveeaytar/ n. (Jem. aviatrix /ayveeaytriks
reach. 3 (of a person) a free, b able to be contacted. a person who pilots an aircraft.
do a*vail*a«bil*i*ty n. a*vail*a*ble«ness n. a*vail*a*bly a*vi*cul*ture ayvikulchar n. the rearing and keeping
adv. of birds, an a»vi»cul»tur«ist -kulcharist/ n.
ava»lanche /avalanch/ «. la mass of snow and ice av*id /avid/ adj. eager; enthusiastic, dd a«vid»i»ty avidi-
tumbling rapidly down a mountain. 2 a sudden arri- tee/ n. av*id*ly adv.
val of anything in large quantities {an avalanche of a«vi»fau«na /ayvifawna/ n. birds of a region or country
work) collectively.
a*vant-garde /avoN-gaard/ n. &
adj. »n. pioneers or a«vi»on»ics/ayveeoniks n.pl. (treated as sing.) electron-
innovators. • adj. (of ideas, etc.) new; progressive, no a« ics as applied to aviation.
vant-gard*ism n. a*vant-gard*ist n. a*vi*ta*min*o*sis /ayvitaminOsis/ n. Med. a condi-
av*a*rice /avaris/ n. extreme greed for money or mate- tion resulting from a deficiency of one or more vita-
rial gain, do av*a*ri*cious /-rishas/ adj. av«a»ri«cious« mins.
ly adv. ava*ri*cious*ness /-rishasnis/ n. av*o«ca*do /avakaado, a'ava-7 n. {pi. «dos) 1 (also av»
a«vast /avast/ int. Naut. stop; cease. o»ca»do pear) a pear-shaped fruit with a smooth oily
av«a»tar /avataar/ n. 1 (in Hindu mythology) the de- edible flesh and a large stone. 2 the tropical evergreen
scent of a deity or released soul to earth in bodily tree, Persea americana, native to Central America,
form. 2 incarnation. 3 a manifestation or phase. bearing this fruit. Also called alligator pear. 3 the light
Ave. abbr. Avenue. green color of the flesh of this fruit.
a»venge /avenj/ v. tr. 1 inflict retribution on behalf of. av*o«ca*tion /avokayshan/ n. 1 a minor occupation.
2 take vengeance for (an injury), a be avenged avenge 2 colloq. a vocation or calling.
oneself, dd a*veng*er n. avo-cet /avaset/ n. any wading bird of the genus
av«e»nue /avanoo, -nyoo/ n. la broad road or street, Recurvirostra with long legs and a long slender up-
often with trees at regular intervals along its sides. 2 a ward-curved bill and usu. black and white plumage.
way of dealing with something. a*void /avoyd/ v.tr. 1 refrain or keep away from (a
a»ver /avar/ v.tr. (averred, averring) formal assert; af- thing, person, or action). 2 escape; evade. 3 Law
firm. a nullify, b quash (a sentence), an a*void*a*ble adj. a*
average /avarij, avrij/ n., adj., &
v. »n. 1 a the usual void*a«bly adv. a*void*ance n. a*void«er n.
amount, extent, or rate, b the ordinary standard. 2 an avoir*du*pois /avardapoyz/ n. (in full avoirdupois
amount obtained by dividing the total of given weight) a system of weights based on a pound of 1
amounts by the number of amounts in the set.* ad/. ounces or 7,000 grains.
1 a usual; typical, b mediocre; undistinguished. 2 es- a-vow /avow/ v.tr. admit, an a-vowal //. a»vowed«ly
timated by average, mv.tr. 1 amount on average to. /avowidlee/ adv.
2 do on average. 3 a estimate the average of. b esti-
mate the general standard of. n average out at result See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
avuncular ~ azimuthal projection 48 (axing) 1 use an ax. 2 cut (esp. costs
staff, etc. •v.tr.
or services) drastically. 3 remove or dismiss. an ax
a*vun*CU*lar /avungkyalsr/ adj. like or of an uncle; kind to grind a private reason for doing or being involved
and friendly. in something.
AWACS /aywaks/ n. a. long-range radar system for de-
tecting enemy aircraft.
a*wait /awayt/ v.tr. 1 wait for. 2 (of an event or thing)
be in store for.
a*wake /awayk/ v. &
adj. • v. (past awoke /aw6k; past
part, awoken /awokan/) 1 intr. a cease to sleep, b be-
come active. 2 intr. (foil, by to) become aware of. 3 tr.
rouse from sleep, •predic.adj. 1 a not asleep, b vigi-
lant. 2 (foil, by to) aware of.
a*wak*en /awaykan/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. = awake v. 2 tr. (of-

ten foil, by to) make aware.

a*ward /awawrd/ v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 give or order to be ax»el /aksal/ n. a jumping movement in figure skating,
given as a payment, compensation, or prize. 2 grant; similar to a loop but from one foot to the other.
assign.* n. 1 a payment, compensation, or prize ax*es pi. of axis.
awarded. 2 a judicial decision, nn a»ward»er n. ax«i«al /akseeal/ adj. 1 forming or belonging to an ax-
a*ware /awair/ predic.adj. 1 (often foil, by of, or that + is. 2 around or along an axis (axial rotation), nn ax»i»

clause) conscious; not ignorant; having knowledge. a My adv.

2 well-informed. Also found in attrib. use in sense ax»M /aksil/ n. the upper angle between a leaf and stem
2, as in a very aware person; this is disputed, an a»ware« it springs from, or between a branch and trunk.

ness n. ax«il*la /aksito/ n. (pi. axillae /-ee/) 1 Anat. the armpit.

a*wash /awosh, awawsh/ predic.adj. 1 level with 2 an axil.
the surface of water, so that it just washes over. ax*il*lar«y /aksileree/ adj. 1 Anat. of or relating to the
2 carried or washed by the waves; flooded or as if armpit. 2 Bot. in or growing from the axil.
flooded. ax»i»om /akseeam/ n. 1 an established or widely ac-
a*way /away/ adv., adj., &
n. • adv. 1 to or at a distance cepted principle. 2 esp. Geom. a self-evident truth.
from the place, person, or thing in question {go away; ax«i»0«mat«ic /akseesmatik/ adj. 1 self-evident. 2 re-
give away; they are away) 2 toward or into nonexist-
. lating to or containing axioms, an ax*i*o«mat*i*caMy
ence (sounds die away) 3 constantly; persistently.
. adv.
4 without delay. • adj. Sports played at an opponent's ax»is /aksis/ n. (pi. axes /-seez/) 1 a an imaginary line
field, etc. • n. Sports an away game or win. away with about which a body rotates or about which a plane
(as imper.) take away; let us be rid of. figure is conceived as generating a solid, b a line that
awe /aw/ n. & v. •«. reverential fear or wonder, mv.tr. divides a regular figure symmetrically. 2 Math, a fixed
inspire with awe. reference line for the measurement of coordinates, etc.
a*weigh /gway/ predic.adj. Nam. (of an anchor) clear 3 a an agreement or alliance between two or more
of the sea or river bed. countries forming a center for an eventual larger
awe-in*spir*ing adj. causing awe or wonder; amazing. grouping of nations sharing an ideal or objective.
no awe-in*spir*ing*ly adv. b (the Axis) the alliance of Germany and Italy formed
awe*some /awsam/ adj. 1 inspiring awe. 2 5/. excellent. before and during World War II, later extended to in-
nn awe*some*ly adv. awe*some*ness n. clude Japan and other countries; these countries as a
awe«strick»en /awstrikan/ adj. (also awestruck group.
/-struk/) struck or affected by awe. ax»le /aksal/ n. a rod or spindle on which a wheel or
awful /awfool/ adj. 1 colloq. a unpleasant (awful weath- group of wheels is fixed.
er), b poor in quality (awful writing). C (attrib.) exces- ax*on /akson/ n. Anat. &
Zool. a long threadlike part
sive; remarkably large (an awful lot of money). 2 poet. of a nerve cell, conducting impulses from the cell
inspiring awe. dd awful*ness n. body.
aw»f uMy /awfalee, -flee/ adv. 1 colloq. in an unpleasant a*ya*tol*lah /iatOla/ n. a Shiite religious leader in Iran.
or horrible way. 2 colloq. very. aye adv. N &
n. (also ay) • adv. 1 archaic or dial. yes.
awhile /ahwi'l, awi'l/ adv. for a short time. 2 (as aye aye) Nam. a response accepting an order.
awk«ward /awkward/ adj. 1 ill-adapted for use. 2 clum- • n. an affirmative answer, esp. in voting.
sy or bungling. 3 a embarrassed (felt awkward about aye-aye /i-iV n. an arboreal nocturnal lemur, Dauben-
it), b embarrassing (an awkward situation), nn awk» tonia madagascariensis, native to Madagascar.
ward»ly adv. awk*ward*ness n. AZ abbr. Arizona (in official postal use).
awk«ward age n. adolescence. a*zal*ea /azaylya/ n. any of various flowering deciduous
awl /awl/ n. a small pointed tool used for piercing holes, shrubs of the genus Rhododendron, with large pink,
esp. in leather. purple, white, or yellow flowers.
awn /awn/ n. a stiff bristle growing from the grain a*ze*0*trope /ozeeotrop, ayzee-/ n. Cheni. a mixture
sheath of grasses, do awne adj. of liquids in which the boiling point remains <<n 1

awn»ing /awning/ n. a sheet of canvas or similar mate- stant during distillation at a given pressure, withoul
rial stretched on a frame and used to shade a window, change in composition, nn az»e»o«trop«ic /ozcentropik/
doorway, or other area from the sun or rain. adj.
a«woke past of awake. az»i»muth /azimoth/ //. 1 the angular distance from ;i

a«wo»ken past part, of awake. north or south point of the horizon to tin- intersec-
AWOL /aywawl/ abbr. absent without leave. tion with the horizon of a vertical circle- pasting
a»wry tenV adv. &adj. madv. 1 crookedly or askew. 2 im- through a given celestial body. 2 the horizontal ingk
properly or amiss, •predic.adj. crooked; unsound. go 1 1 or direction of a compass bearing.
awry go wrong. a*zi*muth*al pro»jec«tion izimol ;/. a map proje< don
ax aks' n. is v. (also axe; .«. 1 a chopping tool, usu.
1

in which a region of the earth is projected onto:ipltBC

with a steel edge at a right angle to a wooden handle. tangential to the surface, usuallv at the pole or equa-
2 the drastic cutting or elimination of expenditure, tor.
a»zoic /ayzoik/ adj. 1 having no trace of life. 2 Geol. 49 azoic azygous
(of an age, etc.) having left no organic remains.
AZT n. Trademark azidothymidine, a drug used against az»ure /azhar/ n. & adj. »n.1a deep sky-blue color.
the AIDS virus. 2 poet, the clear of the color azure.
sky. %adj.
Az»tec /aztek/ n. &
adj.»n. 1 a member of the native az*y*gous /ayzigss/ adj. &n. Anat.madj. (of any organ-

people dominant in Mexico before the Spanish con- ic structure) single; not existing in pairs. • n. an organ-
quest of the 1 6th century. 2 the language of the ic structure occurring singly.
Azx.ecs.9adj. of the Aztecs or their language.
 B
B /bee/ n. (also b) (pi. Bs or B's) 1 the second letter
1 bac*cha*nal /bakanal, bakanal/ n. 1 a wild and drunk-
of the alphabet. 2 Mus. the seventh note of the diaton-
ic scale of C major. 3 the second hypothetical person
or example. 4 the second highest class or category.
5 Algebra (usu. b) the second known quantity. 6 a hu-
man blood type of the ABO system.
B 2 symb. Chem. the element boron.
B 3 abbr. (also B.) 1 Bachelor. 2 bel(s). 3 Chess bishop.
4 black (pencil lead). 5 Baseball base; baseman.
b. abbr. born.
BA abbr. Bachelor of Arts.
Ba symb. Chem. the element barium.
baa /baa/ v.intr. (baas, baaed or baa'd) (esp. of a sheep)
bleat.
ba*ba /baabaa/ n. (in full baba au rhum /o rum/) a small
rich sponge cake, usu. soaked in rum syrup.
Bab«bitt /babit/ n. (also bab-bitt) 1 (in full Babbitt met- ba*cil*li*form /basilifawrm/ adj. rod-shaped.
al) any of a group of soft alloys of tin, antimony, cop-
per, and usu. lead, used for lining bearings, etc., to di-
minish friction. 2 (babbitt) a bearing lining made of back /bak/ n., adv., v.,
this. [I. Babbitt, Amer. inventor d. 1862]
bab-ble /babal/ v. & n. »v. 1 intr. a talk in an incoher- b the corresponding upper surface of an animal's
ent manner, b chatter excessively, c (of a stream, etc.)
murmur. 2 tr. divulge through chatter. • n. 1 a inco-
herent speech, b idle or childish talk. 2 the murmur of
voices, water, etc. dd bab*bler n.
babe /bayb/ n. 1 literary a baby. 2 an innocent or help- part of something functional, e.g., of a knife or a piece
less person (babes in the woods) 3 sometimes derog. si.
. of paper (write it on the back), b the part normally away
a young woman (often as a form of address). 4 a sex-
ually attractive young woman.
ba*bel /baybsl, bab-/ n. 1 a confused noise, esp. of voic-
es. 2 a noisy assembly. 3 a scene of confusion.
ba*boon /baboon/ n. any of various large Old World
monkeys of the genera Papio and Mandrillus, having a
long snout, large teeth, and callosities on the buttocks.
ba*bush*ka /babobshka/ n. 1 a headscarf tied under the
chin. 2 an elderly or grandmotherly Russian woman.
ba»by /baybee/ n. & v. • n. (pi. -bies) 1 a very young
child or infant. 2 an unduly childish person. 3 the
youngest member of a family, team, etc. 4 (often
attrib.) a a young or newly born animal, b a thing that
is small of its kind (baby rose). 5 si. a young woman;
sweetheart (often as a form of address). 6 one's own
responsibility, invention, etc., regarded in a personal
way. mv.tr. (-bies, -bied) 1 treat like a baby. 2 pamper.
od ba-byhood n. ba«byish adj. ba*byish*ly adv.
ba*by boom n. colloq. a temporary marked increase in
the birthrate, n baby boomer n. a person born during
a baby boom, esp. after World War II.
ba«by carriage n. a four-wheeled carriage for a baby,
pushed by a person on foot.
ba«by grand n. the smallest size of grand piano.
ba«by-sit v.intr. (-sitting; past and past part, -sat) look
after a child while the parents are out. n ba-by-sit-ter
i i
n.
ba«by talk n. childish talk used by or to young children.
baoca»lau»re»ate /bakolawreeot/ n. 1 the college or
university degree of bachelor. 2 an examination in-
tended to qualify successful candidates foi higher
education.
baoca»rat baakmaa, ba-/ n. a gambling card game-
played against the dealer.
en revelry. 2 a drunken reveler. 3 a priest, worshiper,
or follower of Bacchus, the Greek or Roman god of
wine.
Bac*cha*na*li*a /bakanaylyo/ n.pl. 1 the Roman festi-
val of Bacchus. 2 (bacchanalia) a drunken revelry.
no Bac*cha*na*li*an adj. &
n.
bac*chant /bakant, -ka'ant, baksnt/ n. (pi. bacchants
or bacchantes /b9kanteez/;/era. bacchante /bakantee,
-ka'ant-/) 1 a priest, worshiper, or follower of Bacchus.
2 a drunken reveler, dd bacchantic adj.
bach»e«lor /bachalsr, bachlar/ n. 1 an unmarried man.
2 a man or woman who has taken the degree of Bach-
elor of Arts or Science, etc. dd bach*e*lor*hood n.
bac*il*lar*y /bassleree, basitoree/ adj. relating to or
caused by bacilli.
ba*ciMus /bssitas/ n. (pi. bacilli /-ll/) 1 any rod-shaped
bacterium. 2 (usu. in pi.) any pathogenic bacterium.
& adj. •«. 1 a the rear surface
of the human body from the shoulders to the hips.
body. C the spine (fell and broke his back) 2 a any sur-
.
face regarded as corresponding to the human back,
e.g., of the head or hand, or of a chair, b the part of
a garment that covers the back. 3 a the less important
from the spectator or the direction of motion or atten-
tion, e.g., of a car, house, or room (stood at the back).
4 a a defensive player in some games, b this position.
• adv. 1 to the rear; away from what is considered to
be the front (go back a little; ran off without looking
back). 2 a in or into an earlier position or condition
(came back late; ran back to the car; put it back on the
shelf), b in return (pay back). 3 in or into the past (back
in June; three years back). 4 at a distance (stand back
from the road). 5 in check (hold him back). 6 (foil, by
of) behind (in the back of the house). »v. 1 tr. a help
with moral or financial support, b bet on the success
of (a horse, etc.). 2 tr. & intr. move, or cause (a ve-
hicle, etc.) to move, backward. 3 tr. a put or serve as
a back, background, or support to. b Mus. accompa-
ny. 4 tr. lie at the back of (a beach backed by steep hlh
<
I
5 intr. (of the wind) move around to a counterclock-
wise direction, •adj. 1 situated behind (back teeth; back
entrance). 2 of or relating to the past (back /></v; back
issue). 3 reversed (back flow), n at the back of one's
mind remembered but not consciously thought °'
back and forth to and fro. back down withdraw ones
claim; concede defeat in an argument, etc. back off
1 draw back; retreat. 2 abandon one\ intention,
stand, etc. back out (often foil, by of) withdrew froffl
a commitment, back up 1 give support to. 2 CompUfr
ingmakt a spare copy of (data, a disk, etc.). 3 (of mi -
(ling water) accumulate behind in ODlO U< don. 4 re-
verse (a vehicle) into ;i desired position. 5 form ;iline
of vehicles, etc. get off a person's back stop troubling
a person, go back on fail to honor (a promise or <>m t
mitment). know like the back of one's hand he entire
ly familiar with, put one's back into ipprOM h (a task,
etc.; with vigor, turn one's back on 1 ibtndon. 2 ig-
 . . .

nore. with one's back to (or up against) the wall in a 51 backache ~ backward
desperate situation; hard-pressed, dd back»er n. (in
sense 1 oiv.). bacMess adj. back*scat*ter /bakskatar/ n. the scattering of radiation
back»ache /bakayk/ n. a (usu. prolonged) pain in one's in a reverse direction.
back. back*scratch*er /bakskrachsr/ n. 1a rod terminating
back»bite /bakbit/ v. tr. slander; speak badly of. back* in a clawed hand for scratching one's own back. 2 a
bit»er n. person who exchanges mutual services with another
back*board /bakbawrd/ n.1a board placed at the back for gain.
of anything. 2 Basketball the board behind the basket. back*seat /bakseet/ «. 1a seat in the rear. 2 an inferi-
backbone /bakbon/ n. 1 the spine. 2 the main support or position or status.
of a structure or system. 3 firmness of character. back»seat driv»er n. a person who is eager to advise
back»break«ing /bakbrayking/ adj. (esp. of manual without responsibility (orig. of a passenger in a car,
work) extremely hard. etc.).
back«coun»try /bak-kuntree/ n. an area away from set- backsheesh var. of baksheesh.
tled districts. back»side /baksid/ n. colloq. the buttocks.
backdate /bakdayt/v.tr. put an earlier date on (an back»slash /bakslash/ n. a reverse slash (\).
agreement, than the actual one.
etc.) back«slide /bakslid/ v.intr. {past -slid /-slid/; past part.
back door n. 1 the door at the back of a building. 2 a -slid or -slidden /-slid'n/) relapse into bad ways or er-
secret means of gaining an objective. ror, dd back*slid*er n.
back»door /bakdawr/ adj. clandestine; underhand back-space /bakspays/ v.intr. move a typewriter car-
{backdoor deal) riage or computer cursor back one or more spaces.
back*drop /bakdrop/ n. 1 Theatr. a painted cloth at the back»spin /bakspin/ n. a backward spin imparted to a
back of the stage as a main part of the scenery. 2 the ball causing it to fly off at an angle on hitting a sur-
background to a situation. face.
&
back*f ill /bakfil/ v. tr. intr. refill an excavated hole with back*stage
/bakstayj/ adv. &
adj. •adv. 1 Theatr. out
the material dug out of it. of view of the audience. 2 not known to the public.
back*fire /bakfir/ &
v. n. •v.intr. 1 undergo a mistimed • adj. that is backstage; concealed.
explosion in the cylinder or exhaust of an internal back»stairs /bakstairz/ n.pl. 1 stairs at the back of a
combustion engine. 2 (of a plan, etc.) have the op- building. 2 (also back*stair) {attrib.) denoting under-
posite effect to what was intended. • n. an instance of hand or clandestine activity.
backfiring. back»stitch bakstichy n. &
v. • n. a stitch bringing the

back-for«ma»tion n. 1 the formation of a word from its thread back to the preceding stitch, •v.tr. &
intr. sew

seeming derivative (e.g., laze from lazy). 2 a word using a backstitch or stitches.
formed in this way. back»stop bakstaap n. 1 Baseball a fence or screen
back*gam*mon /bakgaman/ n. a game for two played positioned behind home plate. 2 something that pro-
on a board with pieces moved according to throws of vides support or reinforcement.
the dice. back street ;/. a street away from the main streets.
background /bakgrownd/n. 1 part of a scene, picture, back-Street adj. denoting illicit activity {a back-street
or description that serves as a setting to the chief fig- drug deal)
ures or objects and foreground. 2 an inconspicuous back»stroke /bakstrok/ n. a swimming stroke per-
position {kept in the background) 3 a person's educa-
. formed on the back with the arms lifted out of the wa-
tion, knowledge, or social circumstances. 4 explana- ter in a backward circular motion and the legs extend-
tory information. ed in a kicking action.
backhand /bak-hand/ n. Tennis, etc. 1 a stroke played back talk >z. colloq. the practice of replying rudely or
with the back of the hand turned toward the oppo- impudently.
nent. 2 {attrib.) of or made with a backhand {back- back to back adv. 1 (of two people) facing in opposite
hand volley) directions with backs touching (toe stood back to
back*hand*ed /bak-handid/ adj. 1 (of a blow, etc.) de- back). 2 consecutively {the games wen played back to
livered with the back of the hand, or in a direction op- back).
posite to the usual one. 2 indirect; ambiguous {a back- back-to-na»ture adj. (usu. attrib.) applied to a move-
handed compliment) 3 = BACKHAND.
. ment or enthusiast for the reversion to a simpler wav
back»hoe n. a mechanical excavator that draws toward of life.
itself a bucket attached to a hinged boom. backtrack /baktrak/ v. intr. 1 retrace one's steps. 2 re-
backing /baking/ n. 1 a support, b a body of support- verse one's previous action or opinion.
ers. C material used to form a back or support. 2 mu- back-up /bakup/ n. 1 moral or technical support {called
sical accompaniment. for extra backup). 2 a reserve. 3 Computing (often
backslash /baklash/ n. la marked adverse reaction. attrib. ) a the procedure for making security copies of
2 a a sudden recoil or reaction between parts of a data {backup facilities) b the copy itself {made a back-
.

mechanism, b excessive play between such parts. up). 4 a line of vehicles, etc.
bacMist /baklist/ n. a publisher's list of books pub- back*ward bakvvord adv. &
adj. »adv. (also back*
lished before the current season and still in print. wards) 1 away from one's front {lean backward).
bacHit /baklit/ adj. (esp. in photography) illuminated 2 a with the back foremost {walk backzcard). b in re-
from behind. verse of the usual way {count backzvard). 3 a into a
back»log /baklawg, -log/ n. accumulation of uncom- worse state (new policies are taking us backzcard) b in- .

pleted work, etc. to the past {looked backward over the years). C back
back num*ber n. 1 an issue of a periodical earlier than toward the starting point {rolled the film backward).
the current one. 2 5/. an out-of-date person or thing. • adj. 1 directed to the rear or starting point {a back-
back*pack /bakpak/ n. & v. • n. a bag slung by straps ward look). 2 reversed. 3 mentally retarded or slow.
from both shoulders and resting on the back. • v.intr. 4 reluctant; shy; unassertive, o backward and forward
travel with a backpack, dd back*pack*er n. to and fro. bend (or fall or lean) over backward (of-
back»ped»al /bakped'l/ v. (-pedaled, -pedaling) 1 ped- ten foil, by to + infin.) colloq. make every effort, know
al backward on a bicycle, etc. 2 reverse one's previous

action or opinion. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

 .

backwash ~ Baha'i 52 badg*er /bajsr/ n. &v. m n. an omnivorous gray-coated

nocturnal mammal of the family Mustelidae with a
backward and forward be entirely familiar with. white stripe flanked by black stripes on its head, which
dd back»ward«ness n. lives in sets, mv.tr. pester; harass; tease.

back-wash /bakwosh, -wawsh/ n. 1a receding waves bad*i*nage /bad'na'azh/ n. humorous or witty conversa-
created by the motion of a ship, etc. b a backward cur- tion.

rent of air created by a moving aircraft. 2 repercus-
sions.
back*wa*ter /bakwawtar, -wotar/ n. 1 a place or condi-
tion remote from the center of activity or thought.
2 stagnant water.
bad-lands /badlandz/ n.pl. extensive uncultivable erod-
ed tracts in arid areas.
bad lot n. a person of bad character.
bad*ly /badlee/ adv. (worse /wars/; worst /warst/) 1 in
a bad manner (works badly) 2 colloq. very much (wants
.

backwoods /bakwobdz/ n.pl. 1 uncleared forest land. it badly). 3 severely (was badly defeated).

2 any remote or sparsely inhabited region. bad«min»ton /badmint'n/ n. a game with rackets in
back»woods»man /bakwcbdzman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 an which a shuttlecock is volleyed back and forth across
inhabitant of backwoods. 2 an uncouth person. a net.
backward /bakya'ard/ n. a yard at the back of a house, bad-mouth v. tr. criticize someone or something; speak
etc. d in one's own backyard colloq. near at hand. disloyally of.
ba*cla*va var. of baklava. bad news n. colloq. an unpleasant or troublesome per-
ba*con /baykan/ n. cured meat from the back or sides son or thing.
of a pig. bring home the bacon colloq. 1 succeed in bad-tem»pered /badtempard/ adj. irritable; easily
one's undertaking. 2 supply material provision or sup- annoyed.
port. baMIe /bafal/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 confuse or perplex.

bac*te*ri*a pi. of bacterium. 2 a frustrate or hinder (plans, etc.). b restrain or reg-

bac»te»ri»cide /bakte'erisid/ n. a substance capable of ulate the progress of (fluid, etc.). mn. (also baMle-
destroying bacteria, dd bac»te«ri«cid»al /-risid'l/ adj. board, baMle-plate) a device used to restrain the flow
bac»te»ri«ol«0»gy /bakteereeotajee/ n. the study of of fluid, gas, etc., or to limit the emission of sound,
bacteria, dd bac»teTi»o»log»i»cal /-reealojikal/ adj. bac» light, etc. dd baMle»ment n. baMling adj. baf*fling*ly
te»ri»ol»o«gist /-otajist/ n. adv.
bac«te»ri»o»phage /bakte'ereesfayj/ n. a virus parasitic bag /bag/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a receptacle of flexible material

on a bacterium. with an opening at the top. 2 a (usu. in pi.) a piece of

bac»te*ri»0»sta»sis /bakteereeostaysis/ n. the inhibition luggage (put the bags in the trunk), b a woman's hand-
of the growth of bacteria without destroying them. bag. 3 (in pi.; usu. foil, by of) colloq. a large amount;
dd bac«te»ri»o»staMc /-statik/ adj. plenty (bags of money) 4 si. derog. a woman, esp. re-
.

bac»te»ri»um /bakteereesm/ n. (pi. bacteria /-rees/) a
member of a large group of unicellular microorgan-
isms lacking organelles and an organized nucleus,
some of which can cause disease, dd bac«te*ri*al adj.
Bac*tri*an canvel /baktreean/ n. a camel, Camelus bac-
trianus, native to central Asia, with two humps.
bad /bad/ adj., n., &
adv. madj. (worse /wars/; worst
/wsrst/) 1 inferior; inadequate; defective (bad work; a
bad driver, bad light) 2 a unpleasant (bad weather; bad
. dd bag*ful n. (pi. -fuls).
news), b unfortunate (bad business). 3 harmful (is bad
for you). 4 a (of food) decayed, b polluted (bad air).
5 ill; injured (am feeling bad today; a bad leg). 6 colloq.
regretful; ashamed (feels bad about it). 7 (of an unwel-
come thing) serious; severe (a bad mistake). 8 a mor-
ally unsound or offensive (a bad man; bad language).
b disobedient; badly behaved (a bad child). 9 not val-
id (a bad check). 10 (badder, baddest) si. good; excel-
lent. • «. 1 a ill fortune (take the bad with the good).
b ruin; a degenerate condition (jgo to the bad). 2 the
debit side of an account ($500 to the bad). 3 (as pi;
prec. by the) bad people, madv. colloq. badly (took it
bad). in a bad way ill; in trouble (looked in a bad way)
too bad colloq. (of circumstances, etc.) regrettable but
now beyond retrieval, dd bad*ness n.
Confusion use of bad and good vs. badly and
in the
well usually has to do with verbs called copulas, such
as feel or seem: Thus, standard usage calls for I feel
bad and I feel well, but I feel badly, to a precise speak-
er or writer, means 'I do not have a good sense of
touch.' See note at GOOD.
bad blood n. ill feeling.
bad break n. colloq. 1 a piece of bad luck.
or blunder.
bad debt n. a debt the creditor cannot recover.
bade see bid.
bad faith n. intent to deceive.
badge /baj/ n. 1 a distinctive emblem worn as a mark
of office, membership, achievement, licensed employ-
ment, etc. 2 any feature or sign that reveals a
characteristic condition or quality.
garded as unattractive or unpleasant. 5 (usu. in pi.)
baggy folds of skin under the eyes. • v. (bagged, bag-
ging) 1 tr. put in a bag. 2 colloq. tr. a secure; get hold
of (bagged the best seat), b colloq. steal, c shoot (game).
3 a intr. hang loosely; bulge, b tr. cause to do this, d bag
and baggage with all one's belongings, bag (or whole
bag) of tricks colloq. a set of ingenious plans or resourc-
es, in the bag colloq. achieved; as good as secured.
bag*a*telle /bagstel/ n. 1 a game in which small balls
are struck into numbered holes on a board, with pins
as obstructions. 2 a mere trifle. 3 Mus. a short piece
of music, esp. for the piano.
ba*gel /baygal/ n. a hard bread roll in the shape of a
ring.
bag»gage everyday belongings packed up
/bagij/ n. 1
2 the portable
in suitcases, etc., for traveling; luggage.
equipment of an army. 3 past experiences or long-held
ideas perceived as burdensome encumbrances.
bag*gage car n. a car on a passenger train used for lug-
gage, trunks, etc.
bag*gy /bagee/ adj. (baggier, baggiest) 1 hanging in
loose folds. 2 puffed out. oo bag*gi*ness ;/.
bag la«dy n. (pi. -dies) a homeless woman who can ks
her possessions around in shopping bags.
bag*man /bagmon/ n. (pi. -men) si. an agent who col-
lects or distributes illicitly gained money.
bagn*io /ba'anyo/ n. (pi. -os) 1 a
brothel. 2 hist, a prison in the
Orient.
bag»pipe/bagpip///. (usu.inp/.)
2 a mistake a musical instrument con-
sisting of a windbag that is
squeezed by the player's arm to
force air into reeded pipes.
ba*guette /baget/ n. a long nar-
row French loaf.
bah /baa/ int. an expression of
contempt or disbelief.
Ba*ha*'i /boha'a-ee, -hi/ n. (pi. bagpipes
 Baha'is) a member of a monotheistic religion found- 53 Bahamian - bald
ed in 1863 as a branch of Babism (an offshoot of Is-
lam), emphasizing religious unity and world peace. bak*ing pow»der n. a mixture of sodium bicarbonate,

dd Ba«ha«'ism n. cream of tartar, etc., used instead of yeast in baking.

Ba»ha»mi«an /bahaymeean, -ha'a-/ n. &
adj. »«.1a na- bak»ing so*da n. sodium bicarbonate.
tive or inhabitant of the Bahamas in theW. Indies. 2 a ba*kla*va /baaklavaa/ n. (also ba*cla*va) a rich dessert
person of Bahamian descent. • adj. of or relating to the of flaky pastry, honey, and nuts, originating in Turkey.
Bahamas. bak«sheesh /baksheesh/ n. (also backsheesh) (esp. in
bail 1 /bayl/ n. &
v. »n. 1 money, etc., required as secu- the Middle East) a small sum of money given as a gra-
rity for the temporary release of a prisoner pending tuity, a bribe, or as alms.
trial. 2 a person or persons giving such security, mv.tr. bal»a»cla»va /bataklaava/ n. (in full balaclava helmet) a
(usu. foil, by out) 1 release or secure the release of (a tight woolen garment covering the whole head and
prisoner) on payment of bail. 2 release from a difficul- neck except for the eyes, nostrils, and mouth.
ty; come to the rescue of. d forfeit (or colloq. jump) bail bal*a*lai«ka /bataliks/ n. a guitarlike musical instrument
fail to appear for trial after being released on bail, go having a triangular body
(or stand) bail (often foil, by for) act as surety (for an and 2-4 strings, popular
accused person). in Russia and other Slav-
bail 2 /bay!/ n. &
v. •n. 1 the bar on a typewriter hold- ic countries.
ing the paper against the platen. 2 an arched usu. wire balance /babns/ n. & v.

handle, as of a pail. 3 a bar separating horses in an • n. an apparatus for

1

open stable. weighing. 2 a a counter-

bail 3 /bayl/ v.tr. 1(usu. foil, by out) scoop water out of acting weight or force, b
(a boat, etc.). 2 scoop (water, etc.) out. d bail out (of (in full balance wheel)
a pilot, etc.) make an emergency parachute descent the regulating device in a
from an aircraft. clock, etc. 3 a an even
balalaika
baMey /baylee/ n. (pi -leys) 1 the outer wall of a cas- distribution of weight or
2 a court enclosed by it.
tle. amount, b stability of body or mind (regained his bal-
baiMff /baylif/ n. an official in a court of law who keeps ance). 4 a preponderating weight or amount (the bal-
order, looks after prisoners, etc. ance of opinion). 5 a an agreement between or the dif-
bail»i»wick /bayliwik/ n. 1 Law the district or jurisdic- ference between credits and debits in an account, b the
tion of a bailiff. 2 joe.
a. person's sphere of operations difference between an amount due and an amount
or particular area of interest. paid (will pay the balance next week). C an amount left
bailment /baylmant/ n. the act of delivering goods, etc., over; the rest. 6 Art harmony of design and propor-
for a (usu. specified) purpose. tion. 7 (the Balance) the zodiacal sign or constellation
bailout /baylowt/ n. a rescue from a dire situation (a Libra, mv. 1 tr. (foil, by with, against) offset or compare
financial bailout for an ailing company). (one thing) with another (must balance the advantages
bails*man /baylzmsn/ n. (pi. 'men) a person who pro- with the disadvantages) 2 tr. counteract, equal, or neu-
.

vides bail for another. tralize the weight or importance of. 3 a tr. bring into
bain-ma»rie /baNmare'e/ n. (pi. bains-marie pronunc. or keep in equilibrium (balanced a book on her head).
same) a cooking utensil consisting of a vessel of hot b intr. be in equilibrium (balanced on one leg). A tr. (usu.
water in which a receptacle can be slowly and gently as balanced adj.) establish equal or appropriate pro-
heated. portions of elements in (a balanced diet). 5 tr. weigh
bait /bayt/ n.&v.mn."\ food used to entice a prey. 2 an (arguments, etc.) against each other. 6 a tr. compare
allurement; something intended to tempt or entice. debits and credits of (an account), b intr. (of an ac-
• v.tr. 1 a harass or annoy (a person), b torment (a count) have credits and debits equal. in the balance
chained animal) 2 put bait on or in (a hook, trap, etc.)
. uncertain; at a critical stage, on balance all things con-
to entice a prey. sidered, strike a balance choose a moderate course or
baize /bayz/ n. a coarse usu. green woolen material re- compromise, dd bal*anc*er n.
sembling felt used as a covering or lining, esp. on the balance beam n. a narrow horizontal bar raised off
tops of billiard and card tables. the floor, on which a gymnast balances while perform-
bake /bayk/ v. &
n. • v. 1a tr. cook (food) by dry heat ing exercises.
in an oven or on a hot surface, without direct expo- balance of payments n. the difference in value be-
sure to a flame, b intr. undergo the process of being tween payments into and out of a country.
baked. 2 intr. colloq. a (usu. as be baking) (of weath- baNance of pow»er n. 1 a situation in which the chief
er, etc.) be very hot. b (of a person) become hot. 3 a tr. nations of the world have roughly equal power. 2 the
harden (clay, etc.) by heat, b intr. (of clay, etc.) be hard- power held by a small group when larger groups are
ened by heat. • n. 1 the act or an instance of baking. of equal strength.
2 a batch of baking. 3 a gathering at which baked food balance of trade ;/. the difference in value between
is eaten. imports and exports.
baked A*las*ka /ala'aska/ n. sponge cake and ice cream balance sheet n. a statement giving the balance of an
in a meringue covering. account.
baked beans n.pl. baked white beans usu. cooked with ba*la*ta /balota/ n. 1 any of several latex-yielding trees
salt pork and brown sugar or molasses. of Central America, esp. Manilkara bidentata. 2 the
Ba*ke*lite /baykalit, bayklit/ n. Trademark any of vari- dried sap of this used in manufacturing.
ous thermosetting resins or plastics made from form- bal*co*ny /balkanee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 a platform on the
aldehyde and phenol and used for cables, buttons, etc. outside of a building, with access from an upper-floor
bak*er /baykar/ n. a person who bakes and sells bread, window or door. 2 a a tier of seats in a gallery in a the-
cakes, etc., esp. professionally. ater, etc.b the upstairs seats in a movie theater, etc.
bak*er's doz*en thirteen (so called from the former
n. dd bal*co«nied adj.
bakers' custom of adding an extra loaf to a dozen sold; bald /bawld/ adj. 1 with the scalp wholly or partly lack-
the exact reason for this is unclear). ing hair. 2 not covered by the usual hair, feathers,
bak*er*y /bayksree/ n. (pi. -ies) a place where bread and
cakes are made or sold. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

bald eagle ~ baloney 54 rounded end lies in a concave cup or socket, allowing
freedom of movement.
leaves, etc.3 colloq. with the surface worn away (a bald baMast/babst/ n. &v. *n. 1 any heavy material placed
tire).4 a blunt; unelaborated (a bald statement), b un- in a ship or the basket of a balloon, etc., to secure sta-

disguised {the bald effrontery), an bald-ing adj. (in sens- bility. 2 coarse stone, etc., used to form the bed of a
railroad track or road. •v.tr. 1 provide with ballast.
es 1-3). balcMy adv. (in sense 4). bald-ness n.
bald ea»gle n. a white-headed eagle (Haliaeetus leuco- 2 afford stability or weight to.

cephalus), used as the emblem of the United States. ball bearing n. 1 which the two halves are
a bearing in
bal-der-dash /bawldardash/ n. senseless talk or writ- separated by a ring of small metal balls that reduce
ing; nonsense. friction. 2 one of these balls.

bal-dric /bawldrik/ n. hist, a belt for a sword, bugle, etc., ball-boy /bawlboy/ n. (Jem. ballgirl /-garl/) a boy or girl
hung from the shoulder across the body to the op- who retrieves balls that go out of play during a game.
posite hip. ballcock n. a floating ball on a hinged arm, whose
bale /bayl/ n. & v. *n. "\
a bundle of merchandise or movement controls the water level in a toilet tank, etc.
hay, etc., tightly wrapped and bound with cords or bal-le-ri-na /balare'ena/ n. a female ballet dancer.
hoops. 2 the quantity in a bale as a measure, esp. 500 baMet a a dramatic or representa-
/balay, balay/ n. 1
lb. of cotton. »v.tr. make up into bales. tional style of dancing and mime, using set steps and
ba-leen whale /baleen/ n. any of various whales of the techniques and usu. (esp. in classical ballet) accom-
suborder Mysticeti, having plates of whalebone in the panied by music, b a particular piece or performance
mouth for straining plankton from the water. of ballet. C the music for this. 2 a company perform-
bale-f ul /baylfoDl/ adj. 1 gloomy; menacing. 2 harmful; ing ballet, dd baMeHc /baletik/ adj.
malignant; destructive, nn bale-ful-ly adv. ball game n. 1 any game played with a ball, esp. a game
Ba-li-nese /baaline'ez/ n. &
adj. »n. (pi. same) 1 a na- of baseball. 2 colloq. a particular affair or concern (a
tive of Bali, an island in Indonesia. 2 the language of whole new ball game)
Bali. •adj. of or relating to Bali or its people or lan- bal-lis-tic /balistik/ adj. 1 of or relating to projectiles.
guage. 2 moving under the force of gravity only. go ballis-
balk /bawk/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. a refuse to go on. b (of- tic colloq. become furious.
ten foil, by at) hesitate. 2 tr. a thwart; hinder, b bal*lis*tic mis»sile n. a missile that is initially powered
disappoint. 3 tr. a let slip (a chance, etc.). b ignore; and guided but falls under gravity onto its target.
shirk. • n. 1 a stumbling block. 2 a roughly-squared bal-lis-tics /balistiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the sci-
timber beam. 3 Baseball an illegal motion made by a ence of projectiles and firearms.
pitcher. baMoon /balobn/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a small inflatable rub-

Bal-kan /bawlkan/ adj. &

n. *adj. 1 of or relating to the ber pouch with a neck, used as a child's toy or as
region of SE Europe bounded by the Adriatic, the
Aegean, and the Black Sea. 2 of or relating to its peo-
ples or countries. • n. (the Balkans) the Balkan coun-
tries.
Bal-kan-ize /bawlkoniz/ v. tr. divide a region or body in-
to smaller mutually hostile states or groups.
balk-y /bawkee/ adj. (»ier, -iest) reluctant; perverse.
an balk-i-ness n.
decoration. 2 a large bag inflatable with hot air or gas
to make it rise in the air, often carrying a basket for
passengers. 3 a balloon shape enclosing the words or
thoughts of characters in a comic strip. 4 a large glob-
ular drinking glass. • v. 1 intr. tr. swell out or cause&
to swell out like a balloon. 2 intr. travel by balloon.
no bal-loon-ist n.
baMot /balat/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a process of voting. 2 the

ball /bawl/ n.
1
&
v. • n. 1 a solid or hollow sphere, esp. total of votes recorded in a ballot. 3 the drawing of
for use in a game. 2 a a ball-shaped object (ball of woof). lots. 4 a paper or ticket, etc., used in voting, mv. (bal-
b a rounded part of the body (ball of the foot). 3 a sol- loted, balloting) 1 tr. 1 (of an organization) elicit a se-
id nonexplosive missile for a cannon, etc. 4 a single cret vote from members on a particular issue.
delivery of a ball in cricket, etc., or passing of a ball in 2 mtr. cast one's vote on a particular issue.
soccer. 5 Baseball a pitched ball that is not swung at baMot box n. a sealed box into which voters put com-
by the batter and that does not pass through the strike pleted ballot papers.
zone. 6 (in pi.) coarse si. a the testicles, b courage. ballpark /bawlpaark/ n. 1 a baseball field. 2 (attrib.)
Sense 6 is usually considered a taboo use. mv. 1 tr. colloq. approximate; rough (a ballpark figure) a in the .

squeeze or wind into a ball. 2 intr. form into a ball or (right) ballpark colloq. close to one's objective; approx-
balls. 3 tr. &intr. coarse si. have sexual intercourse, d the imately correct.
ball is In your, etc., court you, etc., must be next to act. ballpoint /bawlpoint/ n. (in full ballpoint pen) a pen
on the ball colloq. alert, play ball 1 start or continue a with a tiny ball as its writing point.
ballgame. 2 colloq. cooperate, start, etc., the ball roll- ball-room /bawlrOom, -room/ n. a large hall for danc-
ing set an activity in motion. ing.
ball 2 /bawl/ n. 1 a formal social gathering for dancing. ball-room dancing n. formal social dancing.
2 5/. an enjoyable time (esp. have a bait). bal-ly-hoo /baleehofo/ n. 1 a loud noise or fuss; a COO-
baMad /balod/ n. 1 a poem or song narrating a popular fused state or commotion. 2 extravagant or scnsai >n i.

story. 2 a slow sentimental or romantic song. al publicity.

ballad late loth century (denoting a light, simple balm /baam/ n. 1 an aromatic ointment for anointing,
song): from Old l ; rench baladc, from Provencal bala- soothing, or healing. 2 a fragrant and medii inal exu-
da 'dance, song to dance to,' from balar'to dance,' from dation from certain trees and plants. 3 a soothing in-
late Latin ballare, from Greek ballizein 'to dance.' The fluence. 4 any aromatic herb, esp. one of the minis
sense 'narrative poem' dates from the mid- 18th cen- Melissa. 5 a pleasant perfume or fragrance.
tury. balnvy /ba'amee/ adj. (balmier, balmiest) 1 (of the
weather) pleasantly warm. 2 yielding balm. 3 s/. stu-
baMade /balaad/ n. 1 a poem of one or more triplets of pid; crazy; foolish.
stanzas with a repeated refrain and an envoy. 2 Mm. bal»ne«Ol«0«gy /balnceobjce/ //. the sc lent if it smdv of
a short lyrical piece, esp. for piano.
bathing and medicinal springs, mi bal-ne-o-log-i-cal
baMad»eer /babde'er/ n. a singer or composer of bal- / neenlojikol/ adj. bal-ne-ol-o-gist //.

lads. ba-lo-ney /boloncc/ >/. (also bo-lo-ney) (pi. -neys) s/.

ball-and-SOCk«et joint n. Anat. a joint in which a 1 humbug; nonsense. 2 = BOLOGHA.

 .

bal*sa /bawlsa/ n. 1 (in full balsa wood) a tough light- 55 balsa ~ bang
weight wood used for making models, etc. 2 the trop-
ical American tree, Ochroma lagopus, from which it b (as banded adj. ) Bot. & Zool. marked with colored
comes. bands or stripes.
baNsam /bawlsam/ n. 1 an aromatic resinous exuda- band 2 /band/ n. & v. • n. 1 an organized group of peo-
tion obtained from various trees and shrubs and used ple having a common object, esp. of a criminal nature
as a base for certain fragrances and medical prepara- (band of cutthroats) 2 a a group of musicians who play
.

tions.2 an ointment, esp. one composed of a substance together (brass band; rock band), b colloq. an orchestra.
dissolved in oil or turpentine. 3 any of various trees or • v. tr. & intr. form into a group for a purpose (band to-

shrubs that yield balsam. 4 any of several flowering gether for mutual protection)
plants of the genus Impatiens. do bal*sam*ic /-samik/ band*age /bandij/ n. & v. • n. 1 a strip of material for
adj. binding up a wound, etc. 2 a piece of material used as
bal»sam fir n. a N. American tree {Abies balsamea) that a blindfold, •v.tr. bind (a wound, etc.) with a band-
yields balsam. age.
bal'Sam popular n. any of various N. American poplars, Band-Aid /bandayd/ n. 1 Trademark an adhesive band-
esp. Populus balsamifera, yielding balsam. age with a gauze pad in the center for covering minor
BaNtic /bawltik/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a an almost landlocked wounds. 2 (band-aid) a stopgap solution.
sea of NE Europe, b the lands bordering this sea. 2 an ban*dan*na /bandana/ n. a large handkerchief or neck-
Indo-European branch of languages comprising Old erchief, often having a colorful pattern.
Prussian, Lithuanian, and Latvian, •adj. of or relating b.& b. abbr. (also B. & B.) bed and breakfast.
to the Baltic or the Baltic branch of languages. ban*deau /bando/ n. (pi. bandeaux /-doz/) 1 a narrow
bal*US*ter /balastar/ n. each of a series of often orna- band worn around the head. 2 a narrow covering for
mental short posts or pillars supporting a rail or cop- the breasts.
ing, etc. ban*de*ril*la /bandareea, -rilya/ n. a decorated dart
Often confused with banister. thrust into a bull's neck or shoulders during a bull-
fight.
baluster early 17th century: from French balustre,
ban«de«role /bandarol/ n. (also ban«derol) 1 a a long
from Italian balaustw, from balaust(r)a 'wild pome-
narrow flag with a cleft end, flown at a masthead, b an
granate flower' (via Latin from Greek balaustion), so
ornamental streamer on a knight's lance. 2 a a rib-
named because part of the pillar resembles the curv-
bonlike scroll, b a stone band resembling a banderole,
ing calyx tube of the flower.
bearing an inscription.
bal*us*trade /balastrayd/ n. a ban«di»coot /bandikoot/ n. 1 any of the insect- and
railing supported by balus- plant-eating marsupials of the family Peramelidae.
ters. 2 (in full bandicoot rat) Ind. a destructive rat,
bam*bi*no /bambeeno/ n. (pi. Bandicota benegalensis.
bambini /-nee/) colloq. a ban*dit /bandit/ n. (pi. bandits or banditti /-ditee/) 1 a
young child. robber or murderer, esp. a member of a band. 2 an
banvboo /bamboo/ «. 1a outlaw, an ban»dit«ry n.
mainly tropical giant woody band«mas»ter /bandmastar/ n. the conductor of a band.
grass of the subfamily ban*do*lier /bandale'er/ n. (also ban»do«leer) a shoul-
Bambusidae. 2 its hollow der belt with loops or pockets for cartridges.
jointed stem, used as a stick band saw n. a mechanical saw with a blade formed by
or to make furniture. an endless toothed band.
banvboo shoot n. a young balustrade band»stand /bandstand/ n. a platform, usu. covered,
shoot of bamboo, eaten as a for a band to play on.
vegetable. band*wag*on /bandwagan/ n. a wagon used for car-
banvboo«zle /bambobzal/ v. tr. colloq. cheat; hoax; mys- rying a band in a parade, etc. climb (or jump) on the
tify, no bam«boo*zle*ment n. bam*boo*zler n. bandwagon join a party, cause, or group that seems
ban /ban/ v. &
n. •v.tr. (banned, banning) forbid; pro- likely to succeed.
formal or authoritative prohibition (a ban
hibit. • n. a band»width /bandwidth, -with/ n. the range of frequen-
on smoking). cies within a given band (see band n. 3a). 1

ba*nal /banal, baynal, bana'al/ adj. trite; feeble; com- ban^dy /bandee/ adj. (bandier, bandiest) 1 (of the
1

monplace, dd ba*nal*i«ty /-nalitee/ n. (pi. -ties). legs) curved so as to be wide apart at the knees. 2
ba*nan*a /banana/ n. 1 a long curved fruit with soft (also ban*dy-leg*ged /-legad, -legd/) having bandy
pulpy flesh and yellow skin when ripe, growing in clus- legs.
ters. 2 (in full banana tree) the tropical and subtrop- ban»dy 2 /bandee/ v.tr. (-dies, -died) 1 (often foil, by

ical treelike plant, Musa sapientum, bearing
bananas 5/. become crazy or angry.
ba*nan*a re*pub*lic n. derog. a small nation, esp. in
Central America, dependent on one crop or the influx
of foreign capital.
ba*nan*a split n. a dessert made with split
cream, sauce, whipped cream, etc.
band /band/ n.
1
&
v. mn. A a flat, thin strip or loop of
material put around something, esp. to hold it together
or decorate it (headband; rubber band). 2 a a strip of
material forming part of a garment (hatband; waist-
band), b a stripe of a different color or material in or
on an object. 3 a a range of frequencies or wavelengths
in a spectrum (esp. of radio frequencies), b a range of
values within a series. 4 a plain or simple ring, esp.
without a gem. 5 Mech. a belt connecting wheels or
pulleys, mv.tr. 1 put a band on. 2 a mark with stripes. See page
this, a go about) a pass (a story, rumor, etc.) back and forth.
b throw or pass (a ball, etc.) back and forth. 2 (often
foil,by about) discuss disparagingly (bandied his name
about). 3 (often foil, by with) exchange (blows, insults,
etc.) (don't bandy words with me).
bananas, ice bane /bayn/ n. the cause of ruin or trouble (esp. the bane
of one's life), no bane*ful adj.
bang /bang/ n., v., &
adv. • n. 1 a a loud short sound.
b an explosion, c the report of a gun. 2 a a sharp blow.
b the sound of this. 3 (in/>/.)a fringe of hair cut straight
across the forehead. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. strike or shut nois-
ily(banged on the table) .2tr.& intr. make or cause to
make the sound of a blow or an explosion. 3 tr. cut
(hair) in bangs. »adv. with a bang or sudden impact.
d go with a bang go successfully.
xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

bangle ~ bar 56 banns /banz/ n.pl a notice, read in church, announc-

ing an intended marriage and giving the opportunity
barrgle /banggal/ n. a rigid ornamental bracelet worn for objections.
around the arm. ban*quet /bangkwit/ n. &
v. *n. 1 an elaborate feast.

bang-up adj. si first-class; excellent (esp. bang-up job). 2 a dinner for many people followed by speeches, mv.
barvian var. of banyan. (banqueted, banqueting) 1 intr. hold a banquet. 2 tr.

ban*ish /banish/ v.tr. 1 formally expel. 2 dismiss from entertain with a banquet.
one's presence or mind, on ban»ish»ment n. ban*quette /bangket/ n. an upholstered bench along a
barris-ter/banistsr/w. (also barrnis»ter) 1 the uprights wall.
and handrail at the side of a staircase. 2 an upright ban«shee /banshee, -shee/ n. (in Irish folklore) a female
supporting a handrail. Often confused with baluster. spirit whose wailing warns of a death in a house.

barvjo /banjo/ n. (pi. -jos or -joes) a stringed musical ban-tarn /bantam/ n. 1 any of several small breeds of
instrument with a neck and head like a guitar and an domestic fowl, of which the male is very aggressive.
open-backed body consisting of parchment stretched 2 a small but aggressive person.
over a metal hoop. ban*tam*weight /bantomwayt/ n. 1 a weight in certain
bank 1 /bangk/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a the sloping edge of land sports intermediate between flyweight and feather-
by a river, b the area of ground alongside a river (had weight. 2 an athlete of this weight.
a picnic on the bank). 2 a raised shelf of ground; a slope. ban«ter /bantsr/ n.&v.m n. good-humored teasing. • v.
3 an elevation in the sea or a river bed. 4 the artificial talk in a good-humored way.
slope of a road, etc., enabling vehicles to maintain Ban*tu /bantoo/ n. &
adj. • n. (pi. same or Bantus) 1 of-

speed around a curve. 5 a mass of cloud, fog, snow, ten offens. a a large group of Negroid peoples of cen-
etc. «tt1 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by up) heap or rise in- tral and southern Africa, b a member of any of these

to banks. 2 tr. heap up (a fire) tightly so that it burns peoples. 2 the group of languages spoken by them.
slowly. 3 a intr. (of a vehicle or aircraft or its occupant) • adj. of or relating to these peoples or languages.
travel with one side higher than the other in rounding ban*yan /banyan/ n. (also ban»ian) an Indian fig tree,
a curve, b tr. cause (a vehicle or aircraft) to do this. Ficus benghalensis, the branches of which hang down
bank 2 /bangk/ «.&tt»n.1aa financial establishment and root themselves.
that uses money deposited by customers for invest-
banyan late 1 6th century: from Portuguese, from Gu-
ment, pays it out when required, makes loans at in-
jarati vaniyo 'man of the trading caste,' from Sanskrit.
terest, etc. b a building in which this business takes
Originally denoting a Hindu trader or merchant, the
place. 2 = piggy bank. 3 a the money or tokens held by
term was applied by Europeans in the mid- 17th cen-
the banker in some gambling games, b the banker in
tury to a particular tree under which such traders had
such games. 4 a place for storing anything for future
built a pagoda.
use (data bank) • v. 1 tr. deposit in a bank. 2 intr. en-
.

gage in business as a banker. 3 intr. (often foil, by at, ban*zai /baanzi/ int. a Japanese battle cry.
with) keep money (at a bank), a bank on rely on (I'm bap*tism /baptizsm/ n. 1 the religious rite, symboliz-
banking on your help) ing admission to the Christian Church, of sprinkling
bank 3 /bangk/ n. 1 a row of similar objects, esp. of keys, the forehead with water, or (usu. only with adults) by
lights, or switches. 2 a tier of oars. immersion, generally accompanied by name giving.
bank*card /bangk-kard/ n. a bank-issued credit card or 2 the act of baptizing or being baptized, no bap*tis*
automated teller machine card. mal /-tizmal/ adj.
bank«er /bangkar/ n. 1a person who manages or owns bap-tism of fire n. 1 initiation into battle. 2 a painful
a bank. 2 a keeper of the bank or dealer in some gam- new undertaking or experience.
bling games. bap«tist /baptist/ n. 1 a person who baptizes, esp. John
banking /bangking/ n. the business transactions of a the Baptist. 2 (Baptist) a member of a Protestant
bank. Christian denomination advocating baptism by total
bank-note /bangknot/ n. a banker's promissory note immersion, esp. of adults.
payable to the bearer on demand, and serving as mon- bap«tize /baptiz/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) administer baptism
ey. to. 2 give a name or nickname to; christen.
bankroll /bangkrol/ n. &
v. *n. 1 a roll of paper cur- bar /baar/ n., v., &
prep. *n. la long rod or piece of
1

rency. 2 funds, mv.tr. colloq. support financially.
bankrupt /bangkrupt/ adj., n., &
v. •ad]. 1 insolvent; (bar of soap; candy bar), b the heating element of an
declared in law unable to pay debts. 2 undergoing the
legal process resulting from this. mn. 1 an insolvent
person whose estate is administered and disposed of
for the benefit of the creditors. 2 an insolvent debtor.
• v. tr. make bankrupt, un bank*rupt*cy /-ruptsee/ n. (pi.
-ciesj.
bank state*ment n. a printed statement of transactions
and balance issued periodically to the holder of a bank
account.
rigid wood, metal, etc. 2 a something resembling a bar
electric heater. C = crossbar, d Mil. a metal or cloth
strip worn as part of an officer's insignia, e a sandbank
or shoal as at the mouth of a harbor or an estuary. 3 a a
barrier of any shape, b a restriction (a bar to promo-
tion). 4a a counter across which alcohol or refresh-
ments are served, b a room in which alcohol is served
and customers may sit and drink. C an establishment
selling alcoholic drinks to be consumed on the prcmis
es. d a small store or stall serving refreshments (ttUk A'

ban«ner /banor/ n. 1 a a large rectangular sign bearing bar). 5 an enclosure in which a defendant stands m :i

a slogan or design and usu. carried on two side poles court of law. 6 Mus. any of the sections of usu. equal
or a crossbar in a demonstration or procession, b a time value into which a musical composition is dh id
Ions strip of cloth, etc., bearing a slogan. 2 a flag on a ed by vertical lines across the- staff. 7 (the Ban / ./.

pole used as the standard of a king, knight, etc. a lawyers collectively, b the profession of lawyers.
3 (aitrib.) excellent; outstanding (a banner year in mv.tr. (barred, barring) 1 a fasten with ;i bai or bars
sales)
b (usu. foil, by in, our) shut or keep in or out. 2 <>b
ban»ner»et /bannret/ n. 1 a small banner. 2 (also / rit/) struct (bar his progress). 3 (usu. loll, bv from) eX( IlldC
hist, a who commanded his own troops in bat-
knight (bar them from attending). 4 mark with Stripes. • /"</'
tle under his own banner. 3 hist, a knighthood given except (all were there bar a few), n bar none with no
on the battlefield for courage. exceptions, be called to the Bar be admitted as a lau
ban«nis»ter var. of banister. yer. behind bars in prison.
 .

bar 2 /baar/n. esp. Meteorol. a unit of pressure, 10 new-

5 57 bar ~ bark
tons per square meter, approx. one atmosphere.
barb /baarb/ n. & v. • n. 1 a secondary, backward fac- bar*bule /baarbyool/ n. a minute filament projecting
ing projection from an arrow, fishhook, etc. 2 a delib- from the barb of a feather.
erately hurtful remark. 3 a beardlike filament at the barb«wire /baarbwir/ n. = barbed wire.
mouth of some fish, mv.tr. 1 provide (an arrow, etc.) bar*ca*role /baarkarOl/ n. 1a song sung by Venetian
with a barb or barbs. 2 (as barbed adj. ) (of a remark, gondoliers. 2 music in imitation of this.
etc.) deliberately hurtful. bar Chart n. a chart using bars to represent quantity.
Bar«ba*di*an /baarbaydeesn/ n. & adj. »n. 1 a native or bar code n. a machine-readable code in the form of a
inhabitant of Barbados in theW. Indies. 2 a person of pattern of stripes printed on and identifying a
Barbadian descent, madj. of or relating to Barbados or commodity.
its people. bard /baard/ n. 1 hist, a Celtic minstrel. 2 poet, a po-
1

bar*bar*i*an /baarbaireean/ n. & adj. • n. 1 an uncul- et, esp. one treating heroic themes. 3 the Bard (or the
tured or brutish person. 2 a member of a primitive Bard of Avon) Shakespeare, od bard*ic adj.
community, •adj. 1 rough and uncultured. 2 uncivi- bard 2 /baard/ n. &
v. • n. a strip of fat placed on meat

lized. or game before roasting. • v.tr. cover (meat, etc.) with

bar*bar*ic /-barik/ adj. 1 brutal; cruel (flogging is a bar- bards.
baric punishment) . 2 rough and uncultured; unre- bare /bair/ adj. &
v. *adj. 1 (esp. of part of the body)

strained. 3 of or like barbarians and their art or taste; unclothed or uncovered (with bare head) 2 without ap- .

primitive, an bar*bar*i*caMy adv. propriate covering or contents: a (of a tree) leafless.

bar*ba*rism /ba'arbarizam/ n. 1 a the absence of cul- b empty (bare rooms; the cupboard was bare) C (of a .

ture and civilized standards; ignorance and rudeness.
b an example of this. 2 a solecism. 3 anything consid-
ered to be in bad taste.
bar*bar*i*ty /baarbaritee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 savage cruelty.
floor) uncarpeted. 3 a undisguised (the bare truth).
b unadorned (bare facts). 4 (attrib.) a scanty (a bare
majority), b mere (bare necessities), •v.tr. 1 uncover
(bared his teeth) 2 reveal (bared his soul) a bare of with-
. .

2 an example of this. out, with one's bare hands without using tools or
bar*ba*rous /ba'arbaras/ adj. 1 uncivilized. 2 cruel. weapons, an bareness n.
3 coarse and unrefined, aa bar»ba«rous»ly adv. bar*ba* bare»back /bairbak/ adj. &
adv. on an unsaddled horse,
rous«ness n. donkey, etc.
Bar*ba*ry ape /ba'arbaree/ n. a macaque, Macaca syl- bare bones n.pl. the minimum essential facts, ingre-
vanus, of N. Africa and Gibraltar. dients, etc.
bar*be*cue /baarbikyOD/ «.&m«.1aa meal cooked barefaced /bairfayst/ adj. undisguised; impudent
on an open fire out of doors, esp. meat grilled on a (barefaced lie) aa bare*fac*ed*ly /-faysidlee/ adv.
.

metal appliance, b a party at which such a meal is bare*foot /bairfobt/ adj. &
adv. (also bare*foot*ed
cooked. 2 a the metal appliance used for the prepara- /-fobtid/) with nothing on the feet.
tion of a barbecue, b a fireplace, usu. of brick, con- bare«head*ed /bairhedid/ adj. &
adv. without a cov-
taining such an appliance, mv.tr. (barbecues, barbe- ering for the head.
cued, barbecuing) cook (esp. meat) on a barbecue. H bare«ly /bairlee/ adv. 1 only just; scarcely (barely es-
Abbr.: BBQ caped). 2 scantily (barely furnished).

barbecue mid- 17th century: from Spanish barbacoa>

barf /baarf/ v. &
n. si. •v.intr. vomit or retch. »n. vom-
it.
perhaps from Arawak barbacoa 'wooden frame on
bar»fly /baarfll/ n. (pi. -flies) colloq. a person who fre-
posts.' The original sense was 'wooden framework for
quents bars.
sleeping on, or for storing meat or fish to be dried.'
bargain /ba'argin/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a an agreement on the

bar*be*cue sauce n. a highly seasoned sauce con- terms of a transaction or sale, b this seen from the
taining vinegar, spices, and usu. chilies, in which meat, buyer's viewpoint (a bad bargain). 2 something ac-
etc., may be cooked. quired or offered cheaply, •v.intr. (often foil, by with,
barbed wire n. wire bearing sharp pointed spikes close for) discuss the terms of a transaction, a bargain for
together, used in fencing or as an obstruction. (or colloq. on) (usu. with neg. actual or implied) expect
bar*bel /ba'arbsl/ n. 1 any large European freshwater (didn't bargain for bad weather), on bar*gain*er ;/.
fish of the genus Barbus, with fleshy filaments hang- bargain base*ment n. (also attrib.) a part of a store
ing from its mouth. 2 such a filament. where goods are sold cheaply because they are old or
bar*bell /baarbel/ n. an iron bar with a series of weight- imperfect.
ed disks at each end, used for weightlifting exercises. barge /baarj/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a long flat-bottomed boat
bar*ber /ba'arbar/ n. a men's hairdresser. for carrying freight on canals, etc. 2 a long ornamen-
bar*ber pole n. a spirally painted striped red and white tal boat used for pleasure or ceremony. 3 a boat used
pole hung outside barbers' shops as a business sign. by the chief officers of a warship, •v.intr. 1 (often foil,
bar»ber»ry /ba'arberee/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 any shrub of the by around) lurch or rush clumsily about. 2 (foil, by in,
genus Berberis, with spiny shoots, yellow flowers, and into) a interrupt rudely (barged in while we were kiss-
ovoid red berries. 2 its berry. ing) b collide with (barged into her)
.

bar*ber*shop /barbarshop/ n. la barber's place of bargepole /ba'arjpol/ n. a long pole used for punting
business. 2 (often attrib.) a popular style of close barges, etc.
harmony singing for four male voices (barbershop bar*ite /bairit, bar-/ n. a mineral form of barium sul-
quartet). fate.
bar*bi*can /ba'arbikan/ n.the outer defense of a city, bar»i»tone/bariton/n. 1 a the second-lowest adult male
castle, etc., esp. a double tower above a gate or draw- singing voice, b a singer with this voice, c a part writ-
bridge. ten for it. 2 an instrument that is second-lowest in pitch
bar*bi*tal /ba'arbitawl, -tal/
n. a sedative drug. in its family.
bar*bi*tu*rate /baarbitcharat, -rayt/ n. any derivative of bar*i*um /baireeam, bar-/ n. Chem. a white reactive soft
barbituric acid used in the preparation of sedative and metallic element. ^ Symb.: Ba.
sleep-inducing drugs. bark /baark/ n.
1
&
v. • n. 1 the sharp explosive cry of a
bar*bi*tu«ric ac«id /ba'arbitobrik, -tyobr-/ n. Chem. an
organic acid from which various sedatives are derived. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
bark ~ barrow 58 ba-roque /barok/ adj. & n. »adj. 1 highly ornate and

extravagant in style, esp. of European art, etc., of the

dog, fox, etc. 2 a sound resembling this. mv. 1 intr. give 17th and 18th c. 2 of or relating to this period. *n.
a bark. 2 rr. & intr. speak or utter sharply or brusque- 1 the baroque style. 2 baroque art collectively.

ly, d bark up the wrong tree pursue a mistaken line

of barque /baark/ n. (also bark) 1 a sailing ship with the
thought or course of action. rear mast fore-and-aft rigged and the remaining (usu.
bark 2 /baark/ n. & v. •n. the tough protective outer two) masts square-rigged. 2 poet, any boat.
sheath of the trunks, branches, and twigs of trees or bar-rack /barak/ n. (usu. in />/., often treated as sing.)
woody shrubs, mv.tr. graze or scrape (one's shin, etc.). 1 a building or complex used to house soldiers. 2 any

bark 3 /baark/ n. a ship or boat. building used to accommodate large numbers of peo-
bar«keep»er /ba'arkeepar/ n. (also bar-keep) a person ple. 3 a large building of a bleak or plain appearance.
who owns or serves drinks in a bar. bar-ra-cou-ta /barakobta/ n. (pi same or barracoutas)
bark-en-tine /baarkanteen/ n. (also bar-quen-tine, bar* a long slender fish, Thyrsites atun, usu. found in south-
quan-tine) a sailing ship with the foremast square- ern oceans.
rigged and the remaining (usu. two) masts fore-and- bar-ra-cu-da /barakobdo/ n. (pi same or barracudas)
aft rigged. a large and voracious tropical marine fish of the fam-
bar-ley /baarlee/ n. 1 any of various hardy awned cere- ily Sphyraenidae.

als of the genus Hordeum widely used as food and in bar-rage /bara'azh/ n. 1 a concentrated artillery bom-
malt liquors and spirits such as whiskey. 2 the grain bardment over a wide area. 2 a rapid succession of
produced from this (cf. pearl barley). questions or criticisms. 3 /ba'arij/ an artificial barrier,
bar»ley»corn /baarleekawrn/ n. 1 the grain of barley. 2 a esp. in a river.
former unit of measure (about a third of an inch) based bar-rage bal-loon n. a large anchored balloon, often
on the length of a grain of barley. with netting suspended from it, used as a defense
bar-ley waiter n. a drink made from water and a boiled against low-flying aircraft.
barley mixture. bar«ra»try /baratree/ n. 1 fraud or gross negligence of a
barm /baarm/ n. the froth on fermenting malt liquor. ship's master or crew at the expense of its owners or
bar-maid /ba'armayd/ n. a woman serving drinks in a users. 2 trade in the sale of church or state appoint-
bar, restaurant, etc. ments, dd bar-ra-trous adj.
bar mitz«vah /baar mitsva/ n. 1 the religious initiation barre /baar/ n. a horizontal bar at waist level used in
ceremony of a Jewish boy who has reached the age of dance exercises.
13. 2 the boy undergoing this ceremony. bar«re /baaray/ n. Mus. a method of playing a chord on
barn /baarn/ n. 1 a large farm building for storing
1
the guitar, etc., with a finger laid across the strings at
grain, housing livestock, etc. 2 a large shed for storing a particular fret, raising their pitch.
road or railroad vehicles. bar-rel /barol/ n. 1 a cylindrical container usu. bulging
2 24
barn /baarn/ n. Physics a unit of area, 10" square cen- out in the middle, traditionally made of wooden staves
timeters, used esp. in particle physics. ^ Symb.: b. with metal hoops around them. 2 the contents of this.
bar-na-cle /baarnakal/ n. 1 any of various small marine 3 a measure of capacity, usu. varying from 30 to 40
crustaceans of the class Cirripedia which in adult form gallons. 4 a cylindrical tube forming part of an object
cling to rocks, ships' hulls, etc. 2 a tenacious attend- such as a gun. d over a barrel colloq. in a helpless posi-
ant or follower who cannot easily be shaken off. dd bar* tion; at a person's mercy.
na-cled adj. bar»rel-chest»ed adj. having a large rounded chest.
barn burn-er (or barn-burn-er) n. colloq. something or bar-rel or-gan n. a mechanical musical instrument in
someone that has a sensational effect or stirs excited which a rotating pin-studded cylinder acts on a series
interest. of pipe valves, strings, or metal tongues.
barn dance n. 1 an informal social gathering for coun- bar-rel vault n. Archit. a vault forming a half-cylinder.
try dancing, orig. in a barn. 2 a dance for a number of bar-ren /baran/ adj. (barrener, barrenest) 1 unable to
couples forming a line or circle, with couples moving bear young, fruit, etc. 2 meager; unprofitable. 3 dull;
along it in turn. unstimulating. 4 (foil, by of) lacking in (barren of wit).
barn owl n. a kind of owl, Tyto alba, frequenting barns. dd bar-ren-ly adv. bar-ren-ness n.
barn-storm /baarnstawrm/ v.intr. 1 tour rural districts bar»rette /baret/ n. a typically bar-shaped clip or orna-
giving theatrical performances (formerly often in ment for the hair.
barns). 2 make a rapid tour, esp. for political meet- bar-ri-cade /barikayd/ n. & v. *n. a barrier, esp. one
ings, dd barn-storm-er n. improvised across a street, etc. • v. tr. block or defend
barn-yard /baarnyaard/ n. the area around a barn. with a barricade.
bar-o-graph /baragraf/ n. a barometer equipped to rec- bar»ri»er /bareear/ n. 1 an obstacle that bars advance or
ord its readings. access. 2 an obstacle or circumstance that keeps peo-
ba«rom»e»ter/b3r6mitDr/n. 1 an instrument measuring ple or things apart (class barriers; a language bam, 1 1,

atmospheric pressure, esp. in forecasting the weather bar»ri»er reef n. a coral reef separated from the shore
and determining altitude. 2 anything that reflects by a broad deep channel.
changes in circumstances, etc. dd bar-o-met-ric bar-ring /ba'aring/ prep, except; not including.
/barametrik/ adj. bar-o-met-ri-cal /barnmetrikol/ adj. bar»ri»0 /ba'areeo, bar-/ n. (pi. -OS) 1 (in Spanish-speak-
bar-on /baron/ h. 1a member of the lowest order of a ing countries) a division or district of a eitv or town.
nobility. 2 a powerful or influential person; a magnate 2 (in the US) the Spanish-speaking quarter or nei^h
(sugar baron). 3 hist, a person who held lands or prop- borhood of a town or city.
erty from the sovereign or a powerful overlord, dd ba- bar»rls»ter /baristnr/ n. (in full barrlster-at-law) 1 lint.
ro-ni-al /boroneenl/ adj. bar-o-ny /baronee/ n. a person called to the Bar and entitled to praeiu I ;is
bar-on-age /baronij/ n. 1 barons or nobles collectively. an advocate in the higher courts. 2 a lawyer.
2 an annotated list of barons or peers. bar«room /baroom, -room/ n. an establishment where
bar-on-ess /barnnis/ n. 1 a woman holding the rank of alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.
baron. 2 the wife or widow of" a baron. bar-row /barO/«. 1 a metal frame with two wheels used
1

bar«on«et /bamnit, -net/ n. a member of the lowest he- lor transporting luggage, etc. 2 WHBHLBAMOW.
reditary titled Brirish order, h bar-on-et-cy /barnnit- bar-row- /baro/ n. Archaeol. an ancicni
i i

frtVC mound
see, -net-/ n. (pi -ciesj or tumulus.

bar»tend»er /ba'artendar/ n. a person
serves drinks at a tavern, bar, etc.
bar*ter /baartar/ v. &
n. »u 1 tr. exchange (goods or
services) without using money. 2 intr. make such an
exchange, •n. trade by exchange of goods.
bar*yon /bareeon/ n. Physics an elementary particle
that is of equal mass to or greater mass than a proton.
dd bar»yon»ic /-onik/ adj.
bar*y*sphere /barisfeer/ n. the dense interior of the
earth, including the mantle and core, enclosed by the
lithosphere.
ba*sal /baysal, -zal/ adj. 1 of, at, or forming a base.
2 fundamental.
ba«sal me«tab»o»lism n. the chemical processes occur-
ring in an organism at complete rest.
ba*salt /basawlt, baysawlt/ n. 1 a dark volcanic rock
whose strata sometimes form columns. 2 a kind of
black stoneware resembling basalt,
/-sawltik/ adj.
base 1
/bays/ «. &
v. •«. 1 a a part that supports from
beneath or serves as a foundation, b a notional struc-
ture on which something depends (power base) 2 a
principle or starting point. 3 esp. Mil. a place from
which activity is directed. 4 a a main or important in-
gredient, b a substance, e.g., water, in combination
with which pigment forms paint, etc. 5 a substance
used as a foundation for makeup. 6 Chem. a substance
capable of combining with an acid to form a salt and
water and usu. producing hydroxide ions when dis-
solved in water. 7 Math, a number in terms of which
other numbers or logarithms are expressed (see ra-
dix). 8 Baseball, etc. one of the four stations that must
be reached in turn to score a run. mv.tr. 1 (usu. foil,
by on, upon) establish (a theory based on speculation). 2
(foil, by at, in, etc.) station (troops were based in
wait) . bas»ket
base 2 cowardly; despicable. 2 menial.
/bays/ adj. 1 cane, etc. 2 a container resembling this. 3 the amount
3 alloyed (base coin). 4 (of a metal) low in value.
dd base-ly adv. base*ness n.
base*ball /baysbawl/ n. 1 a game played with two teams
of nine, a bat and ball, and a circuit of four bases that
must be completed to score. 2 the ball used in this
game.
base*board /baysbawrd/ n. a narrow board, etc., along
the bottom of the wall of a room.
base hit n. Baseball a fair ball that enables the batter
to get on base without benefit of an opponent's error
and without forcing out another player already on
base.
baseless /bayslis/ adj. unfounded; groundless.
dd base*less*ly adv. baselessness n.
baseline /bayslin/ n. 1 a line used as a base or starting
point. 2 (in tennis, basketball, etc.) the line marking
each end of a court. 3 Baseball either of the lines lead-
ing from home plate to first and third bases and de-
termining the boundaries of fair territory.
base*man /baysman/ n. (pi. -men) Baseball a fielder sta-
tioned near a base.
base*ment /baysmant/ n. the lowest floor of a build-
ing, usu. at least partly below ground level.
base on balls n. Baseball advancement to first base by
a player who has been pitched four balls while at bat.
ba«ses pi. of base , basis. 1
base UTlit n. a unit that is defined arbitrarily and not
by combinations of other units.
bash /bash/&n. *v. tr. a strike bluntly or heavily.
v. "\
b (often by up) colloq. attack or criticize violently.
foil,
C (often foil, by down, in, etc.) damage or break by
striking forcibly. 2 intr. (foil, by into) collide with. • «.
a heavy blow.
bash»ful /bashfool/ adj. 1 shy; self-conscious. 2 sheep-
ish, dd bash*ful*ly adv. bash*ful*ness n.
BASIC /baysik/ n. a computer programming language
.
who mixes and 59 bartender - bass
using familiar English words and designed for begin-
ners (acronym for Beginners' /ill-purpose Symbolic
instruction Code)
ba-sic /baysik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 forming or serving as
a base. 2 fundamental. 3 a simplest or lowest in level
(basic requirements), b vulgar (basic humor). 4 Chem.
having the properties of or containing a base. • n. (usu.
in pi.) the fundamental facts or principles.
ba*si*cal*ly adv. 1 fundamentally. 2 (qualifying a
clause) in fact; actually.
bas*il /bazal, bayzsl/ n. an aromatic herb of the genus
Ocimum, esp. O. basilicum (in full sweet basil), whose
leaves are used as a flavoring in cooking.
ba*sil«i*ca /basilika/ n.1 an ancient Roman public hall
with an apse and colonnades. 2 a similar building used
dd ba*sal*tic as a Christian church. 3 a church having special priv-
ileges from the Pope, dd ba*sil*i»can adj.
bas*i*lisk /basilisk, baz-/ n. 1a mythical reptile with a
lethal breath and look. 2 any small American lizard of
. the genus Basiliscus, with a crest from its back to its
tail.
ba*sin /baysan/ 1a
wide, shallow, open container,
n.
esp. a fixed one 2 a hollow, round-
for holding water.
ed depression. 3 any sheltered area of water where
boats can moor safely. 4 a round valley. 5 an area
drained by rivers and tributaries, an ba«sirvful n. (pi.
-fuls).
ba*sis /baysis/ n. (pi. bases /-seez/) 1 the foundation or
support of esp. an idea or argument. 2 the determin-
ing principle (on a purely friendly basis).
bask /bask/ v. intr. 1 sit or lie back lazily in warmth and
light. 2 (foil, by in) derive great pleasure (from) (bask-
Ku- ing in glory).
/baskit/ n. 1 a container made of interwoven
held by a basket. 4 the goal in basketball, or a goal
scored, dd bas*ket*ful n. (pi -fuls).
bas*ket*ball /baskitbawl/ n. 1 a game between two
teams, usu. of five, in which points are scored by mak-
ing the ball drop through hooped nets fixed high up
at each end of the court. 2 the ball used in this game.
bas»ket case //. 1 a person who cannot function be-
cause of tension, stress, etc. 2 offens. a person, esp. a
soldier, who has lost all four limbs.
bas»ket»ry /baskitree/ n. 1 the art of making baskets.
2 baskets collectively.
bas»ket weave n. a weave resembling that of a basket.
bas*ket*work /baskitwork/ n. 1 material woven in the
style of a basket. 2 the art of making this.
bas mitz»vah /bas mitsva/ n. (also bat mitz»vah) 1 the
religious initiation ceremony of a Jewish girl who has
reached the age of 1 2 or 13.2 the girl undergoing this
ceremony.
Basque /bask/ n. 1 a member of a people of the West-
ern Pyrenees. 2 the language of this people.
bas-re«lief /ba'a-rile'ef, bas-/ n. (also low relief) sculp-
ture or carving in which the figures project slightly
from the background.
bass /bays/ n.
x
&
adj. • n. 1a the lowest adult male
singing voice, b a singer with this voice. C a part writ-
ten for it. 2 the lowest part in harmonized music.
3 a an instrument that is the lowest in pitch in its fam-
ily, b its player. 4 colloq. a bass guitar or double bass.
5 the low-frequency output of a radio, player, etc., CD
corresponding to the bass in music, madj. 1 lowest in
musical pitch. 2 deep-sounding, dd bass*ist //. (in
sense 3b).
bass 2 /bas/ n. (pi. same or basses) any of various ed-
ible fishes including the common European perch and
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
bass ~ batter 60 est batch)3 the loaves produced at one baking.
.

4 using or dealt with in batches, not as a con-

(attrib.)

several N. American marine and freshwater fishes, esp. tinuous flow (batch production) • v. tr. arrange or deal
.

Morone saxatilis and Micropterus salmoides. with in batches.

bass 3 /bas/ n. - bast. bate/bayt/^. 1 tr. moderate; restrain. 2 tr. diminish; de-
bass Clef n. a clef placing F below middle C on the duct. 3 intr. diminish; abate.
second highest line of the staff. ba»teau /bato/ n. (pi. bateaux /-toz/) a light riverboat,
bas»set /basit/ n. (in full basset hound) a hunting dog esp. of the flat-bottomed kind used in Canada and the
of a breed with a long body, short legs, and big ears. southern US.
bas*si«net /basinet/ n. a child's wicker cradle, usu. with bat*ed /baytid/ adj. a with bated breath very anxious-
a hood. ly.

bas«so /baso, baa-/ n. (pi. -sos or bassi /-see/) a singer bath /bath/ n.&v.» n. (pi. baths /bathz, baths/) 1 a =
with a bass voice. bathtub, b a bathtub with its contents (your bath is
bas*SOOn /basobn/ n. a bass ready). 2 the act or process of immersing the body for
instrument of the oboe washing or therapy (take a bath). 3a a vessel con-
family, oa bas«soon«ist n. taining liquid in which something is immersed, e.g., a
bas»so profurvdo /baso, film for developing, b this with its contents. »v. Brit.
baa-, profobndo/ n. a bass 1 tr. wash (esp. a person) in a bath. 2 intr. take a bath.

singer with an exceptional-
ly low range.
bas»so-re»lie«vo
/baso-rileevo/ n. (also bas»
so-ri»lie»vo
/baso-reelyayvoT) (pi. «vos)
= BAS-RELIEF.
bass*wood /baswood/ n.
1 the American linden,
Tilia americana. 2 the wood bassoon
of this tree.
bast /bast/ n. the inner bark of linden, or other flexible
fibrous bark, used as fiber in matting, etc.
bas«tard /bastard/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a person born of par-
ents not married to each other. 2 si. a an unpleasant
or despicable person, b a person of a specified kind
(poor bastard) .3 si. a difficult or awkward thing. • adj.
1 illegitimate. 2 (of things): a unauthorized; counter-
feit, b hybrid, dd bas*tar*dy n. (in sense 1 of «.).
bath-room /bathroom, -rOOm/ n. 1a room containing
bastard Middle English: via Old French from medi-
eval Latin bastardus, probably from bastum 'packsad-
washing facilities.
dle';compare with Old French fils de bast, literally
bath salts n.pl. soluble salts used for softening or scent-
'packsaddle son' (i.e., the son of a mule driver who
ing bathwater.
uses a packsaddle for a pillow and is gone by morn-
ing).
bas*tard*ize /bastsrdiz/ v.tr. 1 declare (a person) ille-
gitimate. 2 corrupt; debase, dd bas*tard*i*za*tion n.
baste /bayst/ v.tr. moisten (meat) with gravy or melt-
1
ed fat during cooking.
baste 2 /bayst/ v.tr. stitch loosely together in prepara-
tion for sewing; tack.
bas*ti*na*do /bastinaydo, -naa-/ n. punishment by
beating with a stick on the soles of the feet.
bas»tion /baschan, -teean/ n. 1 a projecting part of a
fortification built at an angle of, or against the line of,
a wall. 2 a thing regarded as protecting (bastion offree-
dom).
bat /bat/ n.&v.%n."\ an implement with a handle and
1
a flat or curved surface, used for hitting balls in games.
2 a batter described in some way (a hot bat), mv. (bat-
ted, batting) 1 tr. hit with or as with a bat. 2 intr. take
a turn at using a bat. n bat around 1 5/. drift or putter
aimlessly. 2 discuss (an idea or proposal). 3 Baseball
have each player in a lineup bat in the course of a sin-
gle inning, right off the bat immediately.
bat 2 /bat/ n. any mouselike nocturnal mammal of the
order Chiroptera, capable of flight by means of mem-
branous wings extending from its forelimbs. a have
bats in the belfry be eccentric or crazy, like a bat out
of hell very fast.
d take a bath si. suffer a large financial loss.
bathe /bayth/ v. 1 intr. immerse oneself in water, esp.
to wash oneself or (Brit.) to swim. 2 tr. a wash (esp. a
person) in a bath, b treat with liquid for cleansing or
medicinal purposes. 3 tr. (of sunlight, etc.) envelop.
dd bath*er n.
bath-house /bath-hows/ n. a building with baths for
public use.
ba*thing suit (also Brit. ba»thing costume) n. a gar-
ment worn for swimming.
ba»thom«e»ter /bathomitsr/ n. an instrument used to
measure the depth of water.
ba*thos /baythaws, -thos/ n. 1 (esp. in a work of litera-
ture) an effect of anticlimax created by an uninten-
tional lapse in mood from the sublime to the absurd
or trivial, dd ba*thet*ic /bathetik/ adj. ba«thot*ic
/bathotik/ adj.
batlvrobe /bathrob/ n. a loose robe or dressing gown,
worn before and after bathing or for lounging.
a toilet. 2 a room containing a bath and usu. other
bath»tub /bathtsb/ n. a tub, usu. installed in a bath-
room, used for immersing and washing the body.
bath*y*scaphe /bathiskaf/ n. a manned vessel for deep-
sea diving.
batlvysphere /bathisfeer/ n. a spherical vessel for
deep-sea observation.
ba»tik/b9te'ek, batik/ n. a method (orig. used in Indone-
sia) of producing colored designs on textiles by apply-
ing wax to the parts to be left uncolored.
ba*tiste /bateest/ n. &
adj. •«. a fine linen or cotton
cloth. *adj. made of batiste.
bat mitz«vah /bat mitsva/ var. of bas mitzvah.
ba«ton /baton, ba-, bat'n/ n. la thin stick used by a
conductor to direct an orchestra, etc. 2 Sports a short
stick or tube carried and passed on in a relay race. 3 a
long stick carried and twirled by a drum major.
baMaMon /batalycm/ n. 1 a large body of men ready
for battle, esp. an infantry unit forming part of a bri-
gade. 2 a large group of people pursuing a common
aim or sharing a major undertaking.
baMen /bat'n/ n. &
v. •«. a long flat strip of squared
lumber or metal, esp. used to hold something in place
or as a fastening against a wall, etc. •v.tr. strengthen
or fasten with battens, a batten down the hatches
1 Naut. secure a ship's tarpaulins. 2 prepare for a 1I1I
ficulty or crisis.
baMer /batar/ d. 1a tr. strike repeatedly with hard
1

bat 3 /bat/ v.tr. (batted, batting) not (or never; bat an blows, b intr. (often foil, by a^aum, at, etc.) pound
eye coUoq. show no reaction. heavily and insistently. 2 tr. (often in pattWt) handle
batch /bach/' n. &
v. •n. 1 a number of things or per- roughly, esp. over a long period, dd bat»ter»er >/.
sons forming a group. 2 an installment (sent off the lat- baMer 2 /batnr/ n. a fluid mixture o\ flour, e^K, and milk
 .

or water, used in cooking, esp. for cakes, etc., and for 61 batter - be
coating food before frying.
baWer 3 /batar/ n. Sports a player batting, esp. in base- nals,corresponding to one information unit per sec-
ball. ond. 2 (loosely) a unit of data transmission speed of
bat»ter 4 /batar/ n. & v. with a sloping
• n. 1 a wall, etc., one bit per second.
face. 2 a receding slope, have a receding slope.
•v.intr. baux»ite /bawksit/ n. a claylike mineral containing var-
baMered /batard/ adj. injured by repeated blows or ying proportions of alumina, the chief ore of alu-
punishment. minum, dd baux*it*ic /-sitik/ adj.
bat*ter*ing ram n. hist, a heavy beam, orig. with an end bawd*y /bawdee/ adj. (bawdier, bawdiest) (esp. humor-
in the form of a carved ram's head, used in breaching ously) indecent; raunchy. bawd»My adv. bawd«i»
fortifications. ness n.

bat»ter»y /bataree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a usu. portable con- bawl /bawl/ v. 1 tr. speak or call out noisily. 2 intr. weep

tainer of a cell or cells carrying an electric charge, as loudly. bawl out colloq. reprimand angrily.
a source of current. 2 a set of similar units of equip- bay /bay/ n. 1 a broad inlet of the sea within a curve
1

ment, connected. 3 a series of tests, esp. psycho-

esp. of land. 2 a recess in a mountain range.
logical. 4 a a fortified emplacement for heavy guns. bay 2 /bay/ n. 1 (in full bay laurel) a laurel, Laurus nobilis,
b an artillery unit of guns, soldiers, and vehicles. 5 Law having deep green leaves and purple berries. 2 (in pi.)
an act involving unlawful touching of another (see as- a wreath made of bay leaves, for a victor or poet.
sault). bay 3 /bay/ n. 1a space created by a window line pro-
baMing /bating/ n. cotton wadding prepared in sheets jecting outward from a wall. 2 a recess. 3 an area spe-
for use in quilts, etc. cially allocated (loading bay)
baMing or«der n. Sports the order in which batters or bay 4 /bay/ adj. & n. • adj. (esp. of a horse) dark reddish
batsmen take their turns. brown. • n. a bay horse with a black mane and tail.

baMIe /bat'l/ n. &

prolonged fight, esp. be-
v. • n. 1 a bay 5 /bay/ v. & of a large dog) bark
n. • v. 1 intr. (esp.
tween large organized armed forces. 2 a contest (a bat- or howl loudly and plaintively. 2 tr. bay at. • n. the
tle of wits) •
. v. 1 intr. fight persistently (battled against sound of baying, esp. in chorus from hounds in close
the elements). 2 tr. do baMler n.
fight (one's way, etc.). pursuit, d at bay 1 cornered; apparently unable to es-
baMle-ax n. 1 used in ancient warfare. 2 col-
a large ax cape. 2 in a desperate situation, hold (or keep) at bay
loq. a formidable or domineering older woman. hold off (a pursuer).
baMIe cruis»er n. a heavily armed ship faster and more bay*ber*ry /bayberee/ n. (pi. -ries) any of various N.
lightly armored than a battleship. American plants of the genus Myrica, having aromat-
baMIe cry n. a cry or slogan of participants in a battle ic leaves and bearing berries covered in a wax coating.
or contest. bay leaf n. the aromatic (usu. dried) leaf of the bay tree,
baMle«dore /bat'ldawr/ n. hist. 1 a (in full battledore used in cooking.
and shuttlecock) a game similar to badminton played bay*0*net /bayanet/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a stabbing blade at-

with a shuttlecock and rackets, b the racket used in tachable to the muzzle of a rifle. 2 an electrical or other
this. 2 a kind of wooden utensil like a paddle, former- fitting engaged by being pushed into a socket and
ly used in washing, baking, etc. twisted, mv.tr. (bayoneted, bayoneting) stab with a
baMIe fa*tigue n. = combat fatigue. bayonet.
baMle»field /bat'lfeeld/ n. (also baMle«g round bayou /bi'-(5o/ n. a marshy offshoot of a river, etc., in
/-grownd/) the piece of ground on which a battle is or the southern US.
was fought. bay rum n. a perfume, esp. for the hair, distilled orig.
baMle«ment/bat'lmant/rc. (usu.inp/.)1 a parapet with from bayberry leaves in rum.
recesses along the top of a wall, as part of a fortifica- bay win^dow n. a window built to project outward from
tion. 2 a section of roof enclosed by this, dd baMIe* an outside wall.
ment«ed adj. ba*zaar /bazaar/ n. 1 a market in an Eastern or Middle
Eastern country. 2 a fund-raising sale of goods, esp.
for charity.
ba*zoo*ka /bazooka/ n. a tubular short-range rocket
launcher used against tanks.
BB abbr. a shot pellet about .18 inch in diameter, for
use in a BB gun or air gun.
BBC abbr. British Broadcasting Corporation.
BC abbr. 1 (of a date) before Christ. 2 British Colum-
bia.
BCE abbr. (of a date) before the Common Era.
bdeMi«um any of various trees, esp. of
/deleeam/ n. 1

battlement the genus Commiphora, yielding resin. 2 this fragrant

resin used in perfumes.
baMIe royal n. (pi. battles royal) 1 a battle in which Be symb. Chem. the element beryllium.
several combatants or all available forces engage; a free be /bee/ v. &
v.aux. (sing, present am /am, am/; are /aar,
fight. 2 a heated argument. ar/; is /iz/; pi. present are; 1st and 3rd sing, past was /wuz,
baMle»ship /bat'lship/ n. a warship of the class with woz, waz/; 2nd sing, past and pi. past were /war/; pres-
the heaviest armor and the largest guns. ent subj. be; past subj. were; pres. part, being; past part.
baMue /batot), -tyoo/ n. 1 a the driving of game toward been /bin/) • v.intr. 1 (often prec. by there) exist; live
hunters by beaters, b a hunt arranged in this way. (there a house on the corner). 2 a take place (dinner is
is

2 wholesale slaughter. at eight), b occupy a position in space (he is in the gar-

baMy /batee/ adj. (battier, battiest) si crazy, dd bat«ti« den). 3 remain; continue (let it be). 4 linking subject
ly adv. bat*ti*ness n. and predicate, expressing: a identity (today is Thurs-
bau-ble /bawbal/ n. 1 a showy trinket or toy of little val- day), b condition (he is ill today). C state or quality {he
ue. 2 a baton formerly used as an emblem by jesters. is very kind), d opinion (/ am against hanging), e total
baud /bawd/ n. (pi. same or bauds) Computing, etc. 1 a
unit used to express the speed of electronic code sig- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
beach ~ beastly
(two and two are four), f cost or significance
enter), •v.aux. with a past participle to form the pas-
1 soybeans, used esp. in Asian cooking. Also called to-
sive mood {it was done). 2 with a present participle to
form continuous tenses {we are coming). 3 with an
infinitive to express duty or commitment, intention,
possibility, destiny, or hypothesis {he is to come at four,
if I were to die), a be about occupy oneself
with {is
about his business), be off colloq. go away; leave, be that
as it may see MAY. -to-be of the future (in comb. bride-
to-be).
beach /beech/ n.&v.»n.a pebbly or sandy shore. • v. tr.
run or haul up (a boat, etc.) on to a beach.
beach ball n. a large inflated ball for games on the
beach.
beach»comb»er /be'echkomar/ n. 1 a vagrant
by searching beaches for articles of value. 2
rolling in from the sea.
beach»head /beech-hed/ n. Mil. a fortified position
established on a beach by landing forces.
bea*Con /be'ekan/ n. 1a fire or light set up in a prom-
inent position as a warning, etc. 2 a visible guiding
point or device (e.g., a lighthouse). 3 a radio transmit-
ter whose signal helps fix the position of a ship or air-
craft.
bead /beed/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a a small usu. rounded and
perforated piece of glass, stone, etc., for threading with
others, b (in pi.) a string of beads; a rosary. 2 a drop
of liquid. 3 a small knob in the foresight of a gun. 4 the
inner edge of a pneumatic tire. • v. 1 tr. furnish or dec-
orate with beads. 2 intr. form or grow into beads.
a draw a bead on take aim at. dd bead*ed adj.
bead«ing /be'eding/ n. 1 decoration in the form of or
resembling a row of beads, esp. looped edging. 2 the
inner edge of a pneumatic tire.
bead*y /be'edee/ adj. (beadier, beadiest) 1 (of the eyes)
small, round, and bright. 2 covered with beads or
drops, dd bead*i*ly adv. bead*i*ness n.
bead«y-eyed adj. with beady eyes.
bea*gle /be'egal/ n. a small hound of a breed with a short
coat, orig. used for hunting hares.
beak /beek/ n. 1 a a bird's horny projecting jaws; a bill.
b the similar projecting jaw of other animals, e.g., a
turtle. 2 si. a hooked nose. 3 Nam. hist, the projection
at the prow of a warship, dd beaked adj. beak*y adj.
beak»er /be'eksr/ n. 1 a tall drinking vessel, usu. of plas-
tic and tumbler-shaped. 2 a lipped cylindrical glass
vessel for scientific experiments. 3 archaic or literary a
large drinking vessel with a wide mouth.
be-all and end-all n. colloq. the feature of an activity
or way of life that is of greater importance than any
other.
beam/beem/w. &v. mn. 1 a long sturdy piece of squared
timber or metal spanning an opening or room, usu. to
support the structure above. 2 a a ray or shaft of light.
b a directional flow of particles or radiation. 3 a bright
look or smile. 4 a a series of radio or radar signals as
a guide to a ship or aircraft, b the course indicated by
this {off beam). 5 the crossbar of a balance. 6 a a ship's
breadth at its widest point, b the width of a person's
hips (esp. broad in the beam). 7 the side of a ship (land
on the port beam). 8 the chief timber of a plow. mv. 1 tr.
emit or direct flight, radio waves, etc.). 2 intr. a shine.
b look or smile radiantly, off (or off the) beam colloq.
mistaken, on the beam colloq. on the right track.
bean /been/ n. &
v. mn. 1a any kind of leguminous
plant with edible seeds in long pods, bone of these
seeds. 2 a similar seed of coffee and other plants. 3 si.
the head. 4 fin pi; with neg.) si. anything at all
n't know beans about it). mv.tr. si. hit on the he;i>l
bean«bag fae'enbag/ n. 1 a small bag with dried
filled
beans and used esp. in children's games. 2 (in full
62 bean-bag chair) a large cushion filled usu. with poly-
styrene beads and used as a seat.
{it is $5 to bean curd n. a soft cheeselike cake or paste made from
fu.
bean*ie /be'enee/ n. a small close-fitting cap worn on
the back of the head.
bean*pole /be'enpol/ «. la stick for supporting bean
plants. 2 colloq. a tall thin person.
bean sprout n. a sprout of a bean seed, esp. of the mung
: bean, used as food.
bear /bair/ v. (past bore /bor/; past part, borne, born
1
/bawrn/)
In the passive born is used with reference to birth
(e.g., was born in July), except for borne by foil, by the
name of the mother (e.g., was borne by Sarah). 1 tr.
who lives carry, bring, or take (bear gifts). 2 tr. show; be marked
a long wave by; have as an attribute or characteristic (bear marks of
violence; bears no relation to the case). 3 tr. a produce;
yield (fruit, etc.). b give birth to (has borne a son; was
born last week) 4 tr. a sustain (a weight, responsibili-
.
ty, cost, etc.). b stand; endure (an ordeal, difficulty,
etc.). 5 tr. (usu. with neg. or interrog.) a tolerate; put
up with (can 't bear him; how can you bear it?) b admit .
of; be fit for (does not bear thinking about) 6 tr. carry in
.
thought or memory (bear a grudge). 7 intr. veer in a
given direction (bear left), o bear down exert down-
ward pressure, bear down on approach rapidly or pur-
posefully, bear fruit have results, bear hard on oppress.
bear in mind remember and take into account, bear
on (or upon) be relevant to. bear out support or con-
firm (an account or the person giving it), bear up raise
one's spirits; not despair, bear with treat forbearingly;
tolerate patiently, bear witness testify.
bear 2 /bair/ n. 1 any large heavy mammal of the fam-
ily Ursidae. 2 a rough, unmannerly, or uncouth per-
son. 3 Stock Exch. a person who sells shares hoping to
buy them back later at a lower price. 4 = teddy.
bear*a*ble /bairabal/ adj. that may be endured or tol-
erated.
bear*bait*ing /bairbayting/ n. hist, an entertainment in-
volving setting dogs to attack a captive bear.
beard /beerd/ n. &
v. • n. 1 hair growing on the chin
and lower cheeks. 2 a similar tuft or part on an animal
(esp. a goat), •v.tr. oppose openly; defy, dd beard*ed
adj. beardless adj.
bear»er /bairar/ la person or thing that bears, car-
w.
ries,or brings. 2 a carrier of equipment on an expedi-
tion, etc. 3 a person who possesses and presents a
check or other order to pay money.
bear hug n. a tight embrace.
bearing /bairing/rz. 1 a person's bodily attitude or out-
ward behavior. 2 (foil, by on, upon) relation or rele-
vance to (his comments have no bearing on the subject).
3 endurability (beyond bearing). 4 a part of a machine
that supports a rotating or other moving part. 5 direc-
tion or position relative to a fixed point. 6 (in pi. )
a one's position relative to one's surroundings
b awareness of this (get one's bearings; lose ont'i bait-
ings).
bearish /bairish/ adj. 1 like a bear, esp m temper.
2 Stock Exch. causing or associated with a fall in prk t$
bear»skin /bairskin/ n. 1 the skin of a bear. 2 a tall lur-
ry hat worn ceremonially by some regiments
beast beest/ n. 1 an animal other than a human being,
esp. a wild quadruped. 2 a a brutal person, b colloq. an
objectionable or unpleasant person or thing. 3 (prec.
by the) a human being's brutish or uncivilized i h.n
acteristics {saw the beast m him).
beast»ie beestcc/ n. a small animal.
beasWy bccstlce adj. (beastlier, beastliest) 1 <o/loq.
objectionable; unpleasant. 2 like a beast; brutal
dd beast»li*ness //.
 .

beast of bur»den n. an animal used for carrying loads. 63 beast of burden ~ bed
beast of prey n. an animal that hunts animals for food.
beat /beet/ v., n., & adj. »v. (past beat; past part, beat- beau*te«OUS /byooteeas/ adj. poet, beautiful.
en /be'et'n/) 1 tr. a strike (a person or animal) persist- beau*ti*cian /byootishan/ n. 1 a person who gives beau-
ently, b strike (a thing) repeatedly, e.g., to remove dust ty treatment. 2 a person who works in a beauty salon.
from (a carpet, etc.), or to sound (a drum, etc.). 2 intr. beau*ti*ful /byobtifool/ adj. 1 delighting the aesthetic
(foil, by against, at, on, etc.) a pound or knock repeat- senses (a beautiful voice). 2 pleasant; enjoyable (had a
edly (beat at the door), b = beat down 3. 3 tr. a over- beautiful time) . 3 excellent (a beautiful specimen)
come; surpass, b complete an activity before (anoth- dd beau*ti*ful*ly adv.
er person, etc.). 4 tr. (often foil, by up) stir (eggs, etc.) beau»ti»fy /byobtifi/ v.tr. (-ties, -ied) make beautiful;
vigorously into a frothy mixture. 5 tr. (often foil, by adorn, aa beau«ti*fi*ca*tion -fikayshan/ n.
out) shape (metal, etc.) by blows. 6 intr. (of the heart, beau»ty /byobtee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a a combination of
a drum, etc.) pulsate rhythmically. 7 tr. (often foil, by qualities that pleases the senses, b a combination of
out) a indicate (a tempo or rhythm) by gestures, tap- qualities that pleases the intellect (the beauty of the ar-
ping, etc. b sound (a signal, etc.) by striking a drum gument)^ colloq. a an excellent specimen (what a beau-
or other means (beat a tattoo). 8 a intr. (of a bird's ty/), b an attractive feature; an advantage (that's the
wings) move up and down, b tr. cause (wings) to move beauty of it!).
in this way. 9 tr. make (a path, etc.) by trampling. 1 tr. beau*ty paMor n. (also beaoty sa*lon) an establish-

strike (bushes, etc.) to rouse game. • n. 1 a a main ac- ment in which hairdressing, manicure, makeup, etc.,
cent or rhythmic unit in music or verse (three beats to are offered to women.
the bar), b the indication of rhythm by a conductor's beau«ty queen n. the woman judged most beautiful in
movements (watch the beat) C the tempo or rhythm of
. a competition.
a piece of music as indicated by the repeated fall of beau«ty sleep n. sleep before midnight, supposed to
the main beat, d (in popular music) a strong rhythm. be health-giving.
2 a a stroke or blow, D a measured sequence of strokes beau»ty spot n. 1 a place known for its beauty. 2 a small
(the beat of the waves on the rocks). C a throbbing move- natural or artificial mark such as a mole on the face,
ment or sound (the beat of his heart). 3 a a route or ar- considered to enhance another feature.
ea allocated to a police officer, etc. b a person's habit- beauxp/. of beau.
ual round, •predic.adj. exhausted; tired out.
si. beat beaux arts /boz a'ar/ n.pl. 1 fine arts. 2 (attrib.) relating
around (or about) the bush discuss
a matter without to the rules and conventions of the Ecole des Beaux-
coming to the point, beat down 1 a bargain with (a Arts in Paris (later called Academie des Beaux Arts).
seller) to lower the price, b cause a seller to lower (the bea«ver /be'evar/ n. (pi. same or beavers) 1 any large
price). 2 strike (a resisting object) until it falls (beat the amphibious broad-tailed rodent of the genus Castor,
door down). 3 (of the sun, rain, etc.) radiate heat or fall native to N. America, Europe, and Asia, and able to
continuously and vigorously, beat it si. go away, beat cut down trees and build dams. 2 its soft light-brown
off drive back (an attack, etc.). beat a retreat withdraw; fur. 3 a hat of this.
abandon an undertaking, beat a person to it arrive or be«bop /be'ebop/ n. a type of jazz originating in the
achieve something before another person, beat up give 1940s and characterized by complex harmony and
a beating to, esp. with punches and kicks, no beat*a* rhythms, no be«bop»per ;/.
ble adj. beat»er n. beaming n. be»calm /bika'anv v.tr. (usu. in passive) deprive (a sail-
beat*en /be'et'n/ adj. 1 outwitted; defeated. 2 ex- ing ship) of wind.
hausted; dejected. 3 (of gold or any other metal) be«came past of become.
shaped by a hammer. 4 (of a path, etc.) well-trodden; be»cause bikawz, -kuz/ conj. for the reason that; since.
much used. off the beaten track (or path) 1 in or in- d because of on account of; by reason of.
to an isolated place. 2 unusual. beck /bek/ n. n at a person's beck and call having con-
beat gen»er»a»tion n. the members of a movement of stantly to obey a person's orders.
young people esp. in the 1950s who rejected conven- beck»et ^bekit/ n. Naut. a contrivance such as a hook,
tional society in their dress, habits, and beliefs. bracket, or rope loop, for securing loose ropes, tack-
be«a*tif*ic /be'eatifik/ adj. 1 colloq. blissful (a beatific le, or spars.
smile). 2 a of or relating to blessedness, b making beck»on /bekan/ v. 1 tr. a attract the attention of; sum-
blessed. mon by gesture, b entice. 2 intr. (usu. foil, by to) make
RC Ch. the act of
be*at«i*f i*ca*tion /beeatifikayshan/ n. a signal to attract a person's attention; summon a per-
formally declaring a dead person "blessed." son by doing this.
be«at»i»fy /beeatifl/ v. tr. (-fies,-ied) 1 RCCh. announce be»come /bikum' v. (past became
/bikaym/; past part.
the beatification of. 2 make happy. become) 1 intr. (foil, by compl.) begin
to be (became
be«at*i*tude /beeatitood, -tyood/ n. 1 blessedness. 2 (in president; zvill become famous). 2 tr. a look well on; suit
pi.) the declarations of blessedness in Matt. 5: 3-11. (blue becomes him), b befit (it ill becomes you to com-
beat«nik /be'etnik/ n. a member
of the beat generation. plain). 3 intr. (as becoming adj.) a flattering the ap-
beat-up of disrepair.
adj. colloq. in a state pearance, b suitable; decorous. become of happen
beau /bo/ n. (pi. beaux or beaus /boz, bo/) 1 an ad- to (what will become of me?), dd be*com»ing»ly adv.
mirer; a boyfriend. 2 a dandy. bed /bed/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a piece of furniture used for
Beau«fort scale /bofart/ n. a scale of wind speed rang- sleeping on. b a mattress, with or without coverings.
ing from (calm) to 12 (hurricane). 2 any place used by a person or animal for sleep or
beau geste /bo zhest/ n. (pi. beaux gestes pronunc. rest. 3 a a garden plot, b a place where other things
same) a generous or gracious act. may be grown (osier bed). 4 the use of a bed: a colloq.
beau id*eal /bo ide'esl/ n. (pi. beau ideals /b6 ideealz/) for sexual intercourse, b for rest. 5 something flat,
the highest type of excellence or beauty. forming a support or base as in: a the bottom of the
Beau*jo*lais /bozhalay/ n. a red or white burgundy wine sea or a river, b the foundations of a road or railroad.
from the Beaujolais district of France. 6 a stratum, such as a layer of oysters, etc. »v. (bed-
beau monde /bo mond, mawNd/ n. fashionable soci- ded, bedding) 1 tr. &
intr. (usu. foil, by down) put or
ety. go to bed. 2 tr. colloq. have sexual intercourse with. 3 tr.
beaut /byoot/ n. si. an excellent, outstanding, or beau-
tiful person or thing. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

bed and breakfast ~ before 64 beef /beef/ n. & v. of the ox, bull, or cow
• n. 1 the flesh
for eating. 2 colloq. well-developed male muscle. 3 (pi.
(usu. by out) plant in a garden bed. 4 tr. cover up
foil, beeves /beevz/or beefs) a cow, bull, or ox fattened for
or firmly in something. 5 a tr. arrange as a layer.
fix beef; its carcass. 4 (pi. beefs) si. a complaint; a pro-
b intr. be or form a layer, d go to bed 1 retire for the test. • v.intr. si complain, a beef up si. strengthen; re-

night. 2 have sexual intercourse. 3 (of a newspaper) go inforce.

to press, make the bed arrange the bed for use. put to beef»cake /beefkayk/ n. si. well-developed male mus-
bed 1 cause to go to bed. 2 make (a newspaper) ready cles, esp. when photographed and displayed for admi-

for press. ration.

bed and break«fast n. 1 one night's lodging and break- beef »steak /be'efstayk/ n. a thick slice of lean beef, esp.
fast. 2 an establishment that provides this. from the rump.
be«daz»zle/bidaz3l/'y.rr. 1 dazzle. 2 confuse (a person). beef«y /be'efee/ adj. (beefier, beefiest) 1 like beef. 2 sol-
bed»bug /bedbug/ n. a flat, wingless, bloodsucking in- id; muscular, od beef«i«ly adv. beef*i*ness n.

sect, Cimex lectularius, infesting beds and houses. bee*hive /be'ehlv/ n. 1 an artificial habitation for bees.
bed'Chanvber /bedchaymbar/ n. archaic a bedroom. 2 a busy place. 3 anything resembling a wicker bee-
bed»clothes /bedklothz, -kloz/ n.pl. coverings for a bed, hive in being domed.
such as sheets, blankets, etc. bee*keep*ing /beekeeping/ n. the occupation of keep-
bed»ding /beding/ n.1a mattress and bedclothes. 2 lit- ing bees, dd bee*keep«er n.
ter for cattle, horses, etc. 3 a bottom layer. 4 Geol. the bee*line /be'elin/ n. a straight line between two places.
stratification of rocks. make a beeline for hurry directly to.
be*deck /bidek/ v.tr. adorn. been past part, of be.
be*devil /bidevsl/ (bedeviled,
v.tr. bedeviling) beep /beep/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the sound of an automobile

1 plague; afflict. 2 confound; confuse. 3 possess as if horn. 2 any similar short high-pitched noise, •v.intr.
with a devil. emit a beep.
bed*feMow /bedfelo/ n. 1a person who shares a bed. beep*er /bepar/ n. an electronic device that receives sig-
2 an associate. nals and emits a beep to summon the person carrying
bed«lam /bedlam/ n. a scene of uproar and confusion. it to the telephone, etc.
bed lin»en n. sheets and pillowcases. beer /beer/ n. 1 a an alcoholic drink made from yeast-
Bed*OU«in /bedooin/ n. &
adj. (also Bed»u»in) • n. (pi. fermented malt, etc., flavored with hops, b a glass, can,
same) a nomadic Arab of the desert, madj. of or relat- or bottle of this. 2 any of several other fermented
ing to the Bedouin. drinks, e.g., ginger beer.
bed«pan /bedpan/ n. a receptacle used by a bedridden beer gar*den n. an outdoor bar where beer is sold.
patient for urine and feces. beesMngs /beestingz/ n.pl. (also treated as sing.) the
bed*post /bedpost/n. any of the four upright supports first milk (esp. of a cow) after giving birth.
of a bedstead. beeswax /beezwaks/ n. & v. • n. 1 the wax secreted by
be*drag*gled /bidragald/ adj. 1 wet and soiled from bees to make honeycombs. 2 this wax refined and used
rain or mud. 2 dirty and disheveled (bedraggled to polish wood. • v. tr. polish (furniture, etc.) with bees-
refugees) wax.
bed*rid*den /bedrid'n/ adj. confined to bed by infirmi-
any plant of the genus Beta, with an ed-
beet /beet/ n.
ty. sugar beet).
ible root (see beetroot,
bed*rock /bedrok/ n. solid rock underlying alluvial beetle /beet'l/n. 1 any insect of the order Coleoptera,
1

deposits, etc. with modified front wings forming hard protective

bed*roll /bedrol/ n. portable bedding rolled into a bun- cases closing over the back wings. 2 colloq. any similar
dle. insect. 3 5/. a type of compact rounded Volkswagen car.
bed«room /bedroom, -room/ n. 1 a room for sleeping bee»tle 2 /be'et'l/ adj. v. • adj. (esp. of the eyebrows) &
in. 2 (attrib.) of or referring to sexual relations (bed- projecting; shaggy; scowling, •v.intr. (usu. as beetling
room comedy). adj.) (of brows, cliffs, etc.) project; overhang threaten-
bed*side /bedsid/ n. 1 the space beside esp. a patient's ingly.
bed. 2 (attrib.) of or relating to the side of a bed (bed- beetle 3 /be'et'l/ n. v. • n. 1 a tool with a heavy head &
side lamp) and a handle, used for ramming, crushing, driving
bed»side man*ner n. (of a doctor) an approach or at- wedges, etc. 2 a machine used for heightening the
titude to a patient. luster of cloth by pressure from rollers. 9V.tr. 1 ram,
bed*sore /bedsawr/ n. a sore developed by an invalid crush, drive, etc., with a beetle. 2 finish (cloth) with a
because of pressure caused by lying in bed. beetle.
bed»spread /bedspred/ n. a cloth used to cover a bed bee*tle-browed adj. with shaggy, projecting, or scowl-
when not in use. ing eyebrows.
bed»stead /bedsted/ the framework of a bed.
n. beetTOOt /beetroot, -OOt/ n. esp. Brit. 1 a beet, Beta vul-
bed«time /bedtim/ n. 1 the usual time for going to bed. garis, with an edible spherical dark red root. 2 this root
2 (attrib.) of or relating to bedtime (bedtime story). used as a vegetable.
bed*wet*ting /bedweting/ n. involuntary urination dur- beeves pi. of beef.
ing the night. be*fall /bifawl/ v. (past befell /bifel/; pail part, befallen
bee /bee/ any four-winged insect of the superfam-
n. 1 /bifawlon/) poet. 1 intr. happen (so it befell). 2 tr. hap-
ily Apoidea which collects nectar and pollen, produces pen to (a person, etc.) (what has befallen her?).
wax and honey, and lives in large communities. 2 any be*fit /bifit/ v.tr. (befitted, befitting) 1 be fitted or im-
insect of a similar type. 3 (usu. busy bee) a busy per- propriate for; suit. 2 be incumbent on. i in be*fit*ting
son. 4 a meeting for communal work or amusement adj.
(spelling bee), a a bee in one's bonnet an obsession.
beech beech/ n. 1 (also beech tree) any large forest
be*fore /bifawr/ conj. prep. , , &
adv. •conj. 1 earlier ih;m
the time when (crawled before he walked). 2 raiher ih;m
tree of the genus Fagus, having smooth gray bark and that (would starve before hi ttoU). mprep. 1 a in front of
glossy leaves. 2 (also beech-wood; its wood. (before her in the line), b ahead of (CTOUtd the hn, h. lot,
bee-eat»er n. any brightly plumaged insect-eating bird him). C under the impulse of (rtcoil btfon the attack),
of the family Meropidae with a long, slender curved d awaiting (the future before them). 2 earlier than; pre-
bill.
ceding (Lent comes before Faster). 3 rather than (death
 . . . . .

before dishonor) . 4a in the presence of {appear before the 65 beforehand ~ belch

judge) . b for the attention of {a plan put before the
committee) • adv. 1 a earlier; already {heard it before)
.
conduct. 2 the way in which a machine, chemical sub-
b in the past {happened long before) 2 ahead {go before) . stance, etc., acts or works, dd be«hav»ior»al adj.
3 on the front {hit before and behind). be»hav»ior»al sci»ence n. the scientific study of human
be»fore»hand /bifawrhand/ adv. in anticipation; in ad- and animal behavior (see behaviorism) .

vance {had prepared the meal beforehand) be«hav«ior»ism /bihayvyarizam/ n. Psychol, the theory
be»foul /bifowl/ v.tr. poet. 1 make foul or dirty. 2 defile. that human behavior is determined by conditioning
be»friend /bifrend/ v.tr. act as a friend to; help. rather than by thoughts or feelings, and that psycho-
be«fud»dle /bifud'l/ v.tr. 1 make drunk. 2 confuse. logical disorders are best treated by altering behavior
on be«fud»dle«ment n. patterns, dd be«hav»ior«ist n. be«hav»ior»is»tic -ristik
beg /beg/ v. (begged, begging) 1 a intr. (usu. foil, by adj.

for)ask for (esp. food, money, etc.) {begged for alms). be»head /bihed/ v.tr. cut off the head of (a person).
b ask for (food, money, etc.) as a gift. C intr. live by
tr. be*held past and past part, of behold.
begging. 2 tr. &
intr. (usu. foil, by for, or to + infin.) be»he«moth /bihe'emath, be'ea-/ n. an enormous crea-
ask earnestly or humbly. 3 tr. ask formally for (/ beg ture or thing.
your pardon) 4 intr. (of a dog, etc.) sit up with the front
. be*hest /bihest/ n. literary a command; an entreaty
paws raised expectantly. 5 tr. take or ask leave (to do {went at his behest)
something) (/ beg to differ) a beg off decline to take
. be»hind /bihind/ prep., adv., &
n. %prep. 1 a in, toward,

part in or attend, beg the question 1 assume the truth or to the rear of. b on the farther side of {behind the
of an argument or proposition to be proved. 2 disp. bush). C hidden by {something behind that alibi). 2 a in
pose the question. 3 colloq. evade a difficulty, go beg- the past in relation to {trouble is behind me now) b late .

ging (of a chance or a thing) not be taken; be un- in relation to {behind schedule) 3 inferior to; weaker .

wanted. than {behind the others in math). 4 a in support of {she's

be»gan past of begin. right behind us), b responsible for; giving rise to {the
be*get /biget/ v. tr. (begetting; past begot /bigot/; archa- person behind the project; the reasons behind his resigna-
ic begat /bigat/; past part, begotten /bigot'n/) literary tion). 5 in the tracks of; following, •adv. 1 a in or to or
1 (usu. of a father, sometimes of a father and mother) toward the rear; farther back {the street behind), b on
procreate. 2 give rise to; cause {beget strife), dd be»get» the farther side {a high wall with afield behind). 2 re-
ter n. maining after the departure of most others {stay be-
beg*gar /begar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a person who begs, esp. hind). 3 (usu. foil, by with) a in arrears {behind with the
one who lives by begging. 2 a poor person. 3 colloq. a rent), b late in accomplishing a task, etc. {working too
person; a fellow {poor beggar) • v. tr. 1 reduce to pov-
. slowly and getting behind). 4 in a weak position; back-
erty. 2 exhaust the resources of {it beggars description) ward {behind in Latin). 5 following {his dog running be-
beg*gar*ly /begarlee/ adj. 1 poverty-stricken; needy. hind). • «. colloq. the buttocks, c behind the times old-
2 intellectually poor. 3 mean; sordid. 4 ungenerous. fashioned.
beg»gar»y /begoree/ n. extreme poverty. be*hind-the-scenes adj. secret, using secret informa-
be*gin /bigin/ v. (beginning; past began /bigan/; past tion {a behind-the-scenes investigation)
part, begun /bigun/) 1 tr. perform the first part of; start be*hold /bihold/ v. tr. {past & past part, beheld biheld)
{begin work; begin crying; begin to understand). 2 intr. literary (esp. in imper.) see; observe, dd be«hold»er ;/.

come into being; arise: a in time {the season began last be«hold»en 'biholdan/ predic.adj. (usu. foil, by to) un-
week), bin space {your jurisdiction begins beyond the der obligation.
river). 3 tr. (usu. foil, by to + infin.) start at a certain be«hoove /bihobv/ v.tr. /-h6v/) (prec. by it as subject;
time {then began to feel ill). 4 intr. be begun {the meeting foil, by to + be incumbent on. 2 (usu. with
infin.) 1
will begin at 7). 5 intr. a start speaking {"No "he began). neg.) befit {ill behooves him to protest).
b be the first to do something {who wants to begin?). beige /bayzh/ n. &
adj. • n. a pale sandy fawn color.
be«gin«ner /biginar/ n. a person just beginning to learn • adj. of this color.
a skill, etc. be»ing /be'eing/ n. 1 existence. 2 the nature or essence
be*gin*ning /bigining/ n. 1 the time or place at which (of a person, etc.) {his whole being revolted). 3 a human
anything begins. 2 a source or origin. 3 the first part. being. 4 anything that exists or imagined. is

be»gone /bigawn, -gon/ int. poet, go away at once! be«jew»eled ^bijobald/ adj. adorned with jewels.
be«go*nia /bigonya/ n. any plant of the genus Begonia, bel /bel/ n. a unit used in the comparison of power lev-
with brightly colored sepals and no petals. els in electrical communication or intensities of sound
be»got past of BEGET. (cf. decibel).
be»got»ten past part, of beget. be«la»bor /bilaybar/ v.tr. 1 a thrash; beat, b attack ver-
be»grudge/bigruj/ •y.rr. 1 resent; be dissatisfied at. 2 en- bally. 2 argue or elaborate (a subject) in excessive de-
vy (a person) the possession of. dd be*grudg*ing*ly adv. tail.
be*guile /bigil/ v.tr. 1 charm; amuse. 2 divert attention be*lat*ed /bilaytid/ adj. coming late, dd be»lat»ed»ly adv.
pleasantly from (work, etc.). 3 (often foil, by of, out of, be*lat*ed>ness >/.
or into + verbal noun) delude; cheat {beguiled him in- be*lay /bilay/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. fix (a running rope) around
to paying), dd be*guil*ing adj. be*guil*ing*ly adv. a cleat, pin, rock, etc., to secure it. 2 tr. intr. (usu. in &
be*guine /bige'en/ n. 1 a popular dance ofW. Indian or- imper.) Nam. stop; enough! (esp. belay there!), •n.
si.

igin. 2 its rhythm. 1 an act of belaying. 2 a spike of rock, etc., used for
be*gun past part, of begin. belaying.
be»half /bihaf/ n. o on (also in) behalf of (or on a per- bel can»tO /bel kanto, ka'an-/ n. 1 a lyrical style of op-
son's behalf) 1 in the interests of (a person, principle, eratic singing using a full rich broad tone. 2 (attrib.)
etc.). 2 as representative of {acting on behalf of my cli- characterized by this type of singing.
ent). belch /belch/ v. &
n. »v. 1 intr. emit wind noisily from
be«have /bihayv/ v. 1 intr. a act or react (in a specified the stomach through the mouth. 2 tr. (of a chimney,
way) {behaved well) . b conduct oneself properly. 2 refl. volcano, gun, etc.) send (smoke, etc.) out or up. • ;/. an
show good manners {behaved herself) act of belching.
be»hav»ior /bihayvyar/ n. 1a the way one conducts
oneself; manners, b the treatment of others; moral See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

beleaguer - belt 66

be«lea*guer /bile'egsr/ v.tr. 1 besiege.2 vex; harass.

bel»fry /belfree/ n. (pi. tower or steeple
-fries) 1 a bell
housing bells. 2 a space for hanging bells in a church
2
tower, d have bats in the belfry see bat .

Belgian /beljan/ n. &

adj. • n. 1 a native or inhabitant
of Belgium. 2 a person of Belgian descent, •adj. of or
relating to Belgium.
be»lie /bill'/ v. tr. (belying) 1 give a false notion of (its ap-
pearance belies its age) 2 a fail to
. fulfill (a promise, etc.)
b to justify (a hope, etc.).
fail
belief /bileef/ n. 1 a a person's religion; religious con- bellows
viction (has no belief), D a firm opinion (my belief is that
he did it). C an acceptance (of a fact, idea, etc.) (belief squeezed, esp. (in full pair of bellows) a kind with two
in the afterlife). 2 (usu. foil, by in) trust or confidence. handles used for blowing air onto a fire. 2 an expand-
a beyond belief incredible. able component, e.g., joining the lens to the body of
be»lieve /bile'ev/ v. 1 tr. accept as true or as conveying a camera.
the truth (/ believe it; don 't believe him) 2 tr. think; sup- . bell pep»per n. a sweet pepper of the genus Capsicum,
pose (/ believe it's raining).by in) a have
3 intr. (foil, with a bell shape.
faith in the existence God) b have con-
of (believes in . bells and whis«tles n.pl. colloq. attractive but unnec-
fidence in (believes in alternative medicine) C have trust . essary additional features, esp. in computing.
in the advisability of (believes in telling the truth). 4 intr. bell*weth*er /belwethar/ n. 1 the leading sheep of a
have faith. be«lieva»ble adj. be»lieva«bil«My flock, with a bell on its neck. 2 a ringleader.
/-le'evabilitee/ n. beMy /belee/ n. (pi. -lies) 1 the part of the human body
be»liever /bileevar/ n. 1 an adherent of a specified re- below the chest, containing the stomach and bowels.
ligion. 2 a person who believes (a great believer in ex- 2 the stomach, esp. representing the body's need for
ercise) . food. 3 the front of the body from the waist to the
be*lit«tle /bilit'l/ v.tr. 1 disparage; depreciate. 2 make groin. 4 the underside of a four-legged animal. 5 a cav-
small; dwarf. ity or bulging part of anything. go belly up colloq. fail
bell 1 /bel/ n. &
v. • «. 1 a hollow object in the shape of financially, dd beMyful n. (pi. -fuls).
a deep upturned cup, made to sound a clear musical bel»ly*ache /beleeayk/ «. &v. •«. colloq. a stomach pain.
note when struck (either externally or by means of a • v.intr. si. complain persistently, dd beMy*ach*er n.
clapper inside). 2 a a sound or stroke of a bell, b (prec. beMy buWon n. colloq. the navel.
by a numeral) Nam. the time as indicated every half beMy dance n. a Middle Eastern dance performed by
hour of a watch by the striking of the ship's bell one a woman, involving voluptuous movements of the bel-
to eight times. 3 anything that sounds like or functions ly, dd beMy danoer n. beMy danc«ing n.

as a bell. 4 a any bell-shaped part, e.g., of a musical beMyf lop /beleeflop/ n. a dive in which the body lands
instrument, b the corolla of a flower when bell-shaped. with the belly flat on the water.
•v.tr. provide with a bell or bells. ring a bell colloq. beMy laugh n. a loud unrestrained laugh.
revive a distant recollection. be-long /bilawng, -long/ v.intr. 1 (foil, by to) a be the
bell 2 /bel/ n. & v. • n. the cry of a stag or buck at rut- property of. b be rightly assigned to as a duty, right,
ting time, •v.intr. make this cry. part, member, characteristic, etc. C be a member of (a
bel*la*don*na /betadona/ n. 1 deadly nightshade. club, etc.). 2 have the right qualities to be a member
2 Med. a drug prepared from this. of a particular group (he's nice but just doesn't belong).
bell-boMom n. 1 a marked flare below the knee (of a 3 (foil, by in, under) a be rightly placed or classified.
pants leg). 2 (in pi.) pants with bell-bottoms, dd bell- b fit a particular environment.
boWomed adj. be*long*ings /bilawngingz, -long-/ n.pl. one's movable
bellbu-oy n. a buoy equipped with a warning bell rung possessions or luggage.
by the motion of the sea. be«IOV»ed /biluvid, -luvd/ adj. & n. *adj. much loved.
belle /bel/ n. a beautiful woman. • n. a much loved person.
belle e*poque /bel epuk/ n. the period of settled and be*low /bilo/ prep. & adv. •prep. 1 lower in position
comfortable life preceding World War I. (down 2 at or to a greater depth
a slope, etc.) than.
belles leMres /bel-letra/ n.pl. (also treated as sing.) than (below 500 feet). 3 lower or less than in amount
writings or studies of a literary nature, esp. essays and or degree (below freezing) 4 lower in position or im-
.

criticisms, dd bel*let*rist /bel-letrist/ n. & adj. portance than. 5 unworthy of. •adv. 1 at or to a lower
belNhop /belhop/ n. a person who carries luggage, runs point or level. 2 a downstairs (lives below), b down-
errands, etc., in a hotel or club. stream. 3 (of a text reference) later in a book (at noted
beMi»cose /belikos/ adj. eager to fight; warlike, dd bel- below). 4 on the lower side (looks similar above and be-
li»cos»i»ty /-kositee/ n. low).
beMig»er»ent /bilijornnt/ adj. n. •adj. 1 engaged in & n. &v.* n. 1 a strip of leather or other mate
belt /belt/
war or conflict. 2 given to constant fighting. «n. a na- worn around the waist or across the chest. 2 lull
rial ;i

tion or person engaged in war or conflict, dq beMig* worn as a sign of rank or achievement. 3a,iim ul.n
er»ence (also bel*lig*er*en*cy) n. bel*lig*er*ent*ly adv. band used as a driving medium in machinery, b ;i

bell jar n. a bell-shaped glass cover or container for use- conveyor belt. C a flexible strip carrying ni;u nine gUB
in a laboratory. cartridges. 4 a strip of color or texture, etc., differing
bell met*al an alloy of copper and tin for making
n. from that on each side. 5 distinct region <>r extent
;i

bells (the tin content being greater than in bronze). (cotton bell). 6 si. a heavy blow. •v. 1 tr. put IhIi ;i

beMow/belO/t>. &n. »v. 1 intr. a emit a deep loud roar. around. 2 tr. (often foil, by on) fasten with a belt. 3 tr.
b cry or shout with pain. 2 tr. utter loudly and usu. an- a beat with a belt, b si. hit hard. 4 intr. s/. rush (usu
grily. 9n. a bellowing sound.
with compl.: belted along; be/rd home) below the belt
. \ \

bel-lows /belo/./ n.pl. (also treated as sing.) 1 a device unfair or unfairly, belt out \l. sum (, r Utter loudly and
with an air bag that emits a stream of air when forcibly, tighten one's belt live more frugally, under
 .

one's belt 1 (of food) eaten. 2 securely acquired (has 67 beltway ~ berry
a degree under her belt), an belt»er n. (esp. in sense of
belt out) 1 a person who receives benefits under a will, etc. 2 a

belt»way /beltway/ n. la highway skirting a metropol- holder of a benefice.

itan region. 2 (the Beltway) the interstate highway ben»e»f it /benifit/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a favorable or helpful

skirting Washington DC. factor or circumstance; advantage; profit. 2 (often in

be*lu*ga /balobga/ n. 1 a a large kind of sturgeon, Huso pi.) payment made under insurance, etc. 3 a public

huso, b caviar obtained from it. 2 a white whale. performance or game of which the proceeds go to a
bel»ve»dere /belvideer/ «. a summerhouse or open- particular charitable cause. • v. (benefited, benefiting;
sided gallery, usu. at rooftop level. also benefitted, benefitting) 1 tr. bring advantage to.

be-lying pres. part, of belie. 2 intr. (often foil, by from, by) receive an advantage or
be«moan /bimOn/ v.tr. express regret or sorrow over; gain. the benefit of the doubt a concession that a per-
lament. son is innocent, correct, etc., although doubt exists.
be»muse /bimyobz/ v.tr. bewilder (a person), dd be» be«nev»o«lent /binevalant/ adj. 1 wishing to do good;
mus*ed*ly /-zidlee/ adv. bernusernent n. actively helpful. 2 charitable (benevolent fund) dd be* .

bench /bench/ n. 1 a long seat of wood or stone. 2 a
worktable, e.g., for a carpenter or mechanic. 3 (prec.
by the) a the office of judge or magistrate, b a judge's
seat in a court of law. c a court of law. d judges and
magistrates collectively. 4 Sports an area to the side of
a field with seating where coaches and players not tak-
ing part can watch the game, a on the bench 1 ap-
pointed a judge or magistrate. 2 Sports acting as sub-
stitute or reserve.
benchmark /benchmaark/ n. 1 a surveyor's mark
in a wall, etc., used for reference in measuring alti-
tudes. 2 a standard or point of reference.
bench test n. &
v. esp. Computing • n. a test made by
benchmarking, •v.tr. (bench-test) run a series of tests
on (a computer, etc.) before its use.
bend /bend/w &n. mv. (past bent; past part, bent exc.
1
in bended knee) 1 a tr. force or adapt into a curve or
angle, b intr. (of an object) be altered in this way. 2 intr.
move in a curved course (the road bends to the left).
3 intr. &
tr. (often foil, by down, over, etc.) incline or
cause to incline from the vertical. 4 tr. interpret or
modify (a rule). 5 tr. &
refl. (foil, by to, on) direct or
devote (oneself or one's attention, energies, etc.). 6 tr.
turn (one's steps or eyes) in a new direction.
by on) be determined (was bent on sell-
(in passive; foil,
ing). 8a stoop or submit (bent before his master).
intr.
b tr. force to submit. »n. 1 a curve in a road, stream,
etc. 2 a departure from a straight course. 3 a bent part
of anything. 4 (in pi; prec. by the) colloq. sickness due
to too rapid decompression on rising from deep
water. bend*a*ble adj. bend«y adj. (bendier, bendi-
nevo»lence /-tans/ n. be«nevo»lenWy adv.
be*night*ed /binltidV adj. 1 intellectually or morally ig-
norant. 2 overtaken by darkness.
be^nign/binin/aJ;'. 1 gentle; kindly. 2 salutary. 3 (of the
climate, etc.) mild. 4 Med. not malignant, dd be»nig»
ni»ty /binignitee/ n. (pi. -ties) be«nign«ly adv.
be*nig»nant /binignant/ adj. 1 kindly, esp. to inferiors.
2 salutary; beneficial. 3 Med. = benign 4. dd be«nig«
nan»cy /-nansee/ n. be«nig»nanWy adv.
cut bent /bent/ past and past part, of bend v. adj.
1
n. 1
&
• adj. 1 curved or having an angle. 2 (foil, by on) de-
termined to do or have. *n. 1 an inclination or bias.
2 (foil, by for) a talent (a bent for mimicry).
bent 2 /bent/ n. la any stiff grass of the genus Agrostis.
b any of various grasslike reeds, rushes, or sedges. 2 a
stiff stalk of a grass.
bent»wood /bentwood/ n. wood that is artificially
shaped for use in making furniture.
ben*zene /benzeen/ n. a colorless carcinogenic volatile
liquid found in coal tar, etc. dd ben»ze»noid -zanoyd
adj.
ben»zene ring n. the hexagonal unsaturated ring of six
carbon atoms benzene molecule.
in the
7 tr. ben*zine /benzeen/ n. (also ben«zin -zin) a mixture of
liquid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum.
ben«zo«in /benzoin n. a fragrant gum resin obtained
from various E. Asian trees of the genus Styrax, and
used in the manufacture of perfumes and incense.
be«queath ^bikwe'eth, -kwe'eth/ v.tr. 1 leave to a person
by a will. 2 hand down to posterity, dd be»queath«al n.
be«queath«er n.

est) be«quest /bikwest/ n. 1 the act or an instance of be-

bend 2 /bend/ Naut. any of various knots for tying

n. 1 queathing. 2 a thing bequeathed.
ropes. 2 Heraldry a a diagonal stripe from top right to be«rate birayt/ v.tr. scold; rebuke.
bottom left of a shield, b (bend sinister) a diagonal bereave /bire'ev/ v.tr. (esp. as bereaved adj.) (foil, by
stripe from top left to bottom right, as a sign of bas- of) deprive of a relation, etc., esp. by death, dd be«
tardy. reave-ment n.
bend»er /bendar/ n. si. a wild drinking spree. be«reft /bireft/ adj. (foil, by of) deprived (bereft of hope).
be*neath /bineeth/prep. &
adv. mprep. 1 too demeaning be*ret /baray/ n. a round flattish visorless cap of felt or
for (beneath him to reply). 2 below; under. • adv. under- cloth.
neath. ber»ga»mot /bargamot/ n. 1 an aromatic herb, esp.
Ben*e*dic*tine /benidiktin/ n. a monk or nun of an or- Mentha citrata. 2 an oily perfume extracted from the
der following the rule of St. Benedict. rind of the fruit of the citrus tree Citrus bergamia. 3 the
ben»e»dic»tion /benidikshan/ n. 1 the utterance of a tree itself.
blessing. 2 the state of being blessed. ber»i»ber»i /bereeberee/ n. a disease causing inflamma-
ben»e»fac»tion /benifakshan/ n. 1 a donation or gift. tion of the nerves due to a deficiency of vitamin B,.
2 an act of giving or doing good. ber*ke*li*um /barke'eleeam, barkleeam/ n. Chem. a
ben»e«fac«tor /benifaktar/ n. (fern, benefactress /-tris/) transuranic radioactive metallic element. H Symb.: Bk.
a person who gives support (esp. financial) to a per- berm /barm/ n. a narrow path or grass strip beside a
son or cause. road, canal, etc.
ben»e«fice /benifis/ n. 1 an income from a church of- Ber*mu*da onion /barmyobda/ n. a large yellow-
fice. 2 the property attached to a church office, dd ben« skinned onion with a mild flavor.
e«ficed adj. Ber*mu*da shorts /barmyobda/ n.pl. (also Ber«mu»
be»nef«i»cent /binefisant/ adj. doing good; actively das) shorts reaching almost to the knees.
kind, dd be*nef*i*cence /-sans/ n. be«nef«i«cenWy adv. ber»ry /beree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 any small roundish juicy
ben»e»fi»cial /benifishal/ adj. advantageous; having fruit without a stone. 2 Bot. a fruit with its seeds en-
benefits, do ben*e*fi*cial*ly adv.
ben»e«fi»ci»ar»y /benifishee-e-ree, -fisharee/ n. (pi. -ies) See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

berserk ~ better half 68 be*StOW v.tr. 1 (foil, by on, upon) confer (a gift,
/bisto/
2 deposit, dd be*stowal n.
right, etc.).

closed in a pulp (e.g., a banana). 3 any of various ker- be*strew /bistrob/ v.tr. (past part, bestrewed or be-
nels or seeds (e.g., coffee bean). strewn /-strobn/) 1 (foil, by with) cover or partly cover
ber*serk /barsark, -zark/ adj. (esp. in go berserk) wild; (a surface). 2 scatter (things) about. 3 lie scattered

in a violent rage. over.

berth /barth/ n.&D.m.1a fixed bunk on a ship, train, be*stride /bistrid/ v. tr. (past bestrode /-strOd/; past part.
etc., for sleeping in. 2 a ship's place at a wharf. 3 ad- bestridden /-strid'n/) 1 sit astride on. 2 stand astride
equate sea room. 4 colloq. a situation or appointment. over.
5 the proper place for anything. • v. 1 tr. moor (a ship) best»sell»er n. a book or other item that has sold in
in its berth. 2 tr. provide a sleeping place for. 3 intr. (of large numbers.
a ship) come to its mooring place, a give a wide berth bet /bet/ v. &
n. • v. (betting; past and past part, bet or

to stay away from.
ber«yl /beril/ n. 1 a kind of transparent precious stone,
esp. pale green, blue, or yellow. 2 a mineral species that
includes this, emerald, and aquamarine.
be«ryMi»um /barileeam/ n. Chem. a hard white metal-
betted) 1 intr. (foil, by on or against with ref. to the
outcome) risk a sum of money, etc., against another's
on the basis of the outcome of an uncertain event.
2 tr. risk (an amount) on such an outcome (bet $10 on
a horse race) 3 tr. risk a sum of money against (a
.

lic element used in the manufacture of light corrosion- person). 4 tr. colloq. feel sure (bet they've forgotten it).
resistant alloys. H Symb.: Be. • n. 1 the act of betting (make a bet) 2 the money, .

be*seech /bise'ech/ v.tr. (past and past part, besought etc. staked (put a bet on) 3 colloq. an opinion (my bet .

/-sawt/ or beseeched) 1 (foil, by for, or to + infin.) en- is that he won 't come) 4 colloq. a choice or course of .

treat. 2 ask earnestly for. dd be«seech»ing adj. action (she 's our best bet) d you bet colloq. you may be .

be»set /biset/ v. tr. (besetting; past and past part, beset) sure.
1 harass persistently (beset by worries) 2 hem in (a per-
. be*ta /bayta, bee-/ n. 1 the second letter of the Greek
son, etc.). alphabet (B, (3). 2 the second member of a series.
bedside /bisid/ prep. 1 at the side of. 2 compared with. be«ta-block»er n. Pharm. a drug that prevents the stim-
3 irrelevant to (beside the point). 4 = besides, d beside ulation of increased cardiac action, used to reduce high
oneself overcome with worry, etc. blood pressure.
be«sides /bisidzl prep. &adv. mprep. in addition to. • adv. be«take /bitayk/ v.refl. (past betook /bitobk/; past part.
also; as well; moreover. betaken /bitaykan/) (foil, by to) go to (a place or per-
be*siege /bise'ej/ v. tr. 1 lay siege to. 2 harass, aa be«sieg» son).
er n. be«ta par*ti*cle n. (also be»ta ray) a fast-moving elec-
be»smirch /bismarch/ v.tr. 1 soil; discolor. 2 dishonor; tron emitted by radioactive decay of substances (orig.
sully the reputation or name of. regarded as rays).
be»som /be'ezam/ n. a broom made of twigs tied around be»ta»tron /baytatron, bee-/ n. Physics an apparatus for
a stick. accelerating electrons in a circular path by magnetic
be«SOt»ted /bisotid/ adj. 1 intoxicated. 2 confused. 3 in- induction.
fatuated. be»tel /beet'l/ n. the leaf of the Asian evergreen climb-
be»sought past and past part, of beseech. ing plant Piper betle, chewed in parts of Asia with the
be«spat*ter /bispatar/ v. tr. 1 spatter (an object) all over. areca nut.
2 spatter (liquid, etc.). 3 overwhelm with abuse, be«tel nut n. the areca nut.
etc. bete noire /bet nwa'ar/ n. (pi. betes noires pronunc.
be-speak /bispeek/ v. tr. (past bespoke /-sp6k/;pastpart. same) a person or thing one particularly dislikes or
bespoken /-spokan/ or as adj. bespoke) 1 engage in fears; a bugbear.
advance. 2 order (goods). 3 be evidence of (bespeaks a be»tide /bitl'd/ v. poet, (only in infin. and 3rd sing, subj.)
kind heart) 1 tr. happen to (woe betide him) 2 intr. happen (whate 'er .

best /best/ adj., adv., n.,&v. »adj. (superl. of good) of may betide).
the most excellent or outstanding or desirable kind be»tO»ken /bitokan/ v.tr. 1 be a sign of; indicate. 2 au-
(my best work; the best thing to do would be to confess). gur.
• adv. (superl. of well )- 1 in the best manner (does it
1
be*took past of BETAKE.
best). 2 to the greatest degree (like it best). 3 most use- be«tray /bitray/ v.tr. 1 place (a person, one's country,
fully (is best ignored). •«. 1 that which is best (the best etc.) in the power of an enemy. 2 be disloyal to (anoth-
is yet to come). 2 the chief merit or advantage (brings er person, etc.). 3 reveal involuntarily (his shaking hand
out the best in him). 3 (foil, by of) a winning majority betrayed his fear) 4 lead into error, dd be«trayal ;/. be»
.

of (a certain number of games, etc., played) (the best trayer n.

of five). 9V.tr. colloqAzkzt, outwit, outbid, etc. n as be«troth /bitroth, -trawth/ v.tr. (usu. as betrothed </<//. |

best one can as well as possible under the circum-
stances, at best on the most optimistic view, be for (or
all for) the best be desirable in the end. the best part
of most of. do one's best do all one can. get the best
bind with a promise to marry, dd be«troth»al ;/.
beMer/bcxzr/adj.,adv.,n.,&v. »adj. (compar. ofOOOD).
1 of a more excellent or outstanding or desirable kind
(a better product) 2 partly or fully recovered from ill-
.

). 1 m a Kt
of defeat; outwit, had best would find it wisest to. ness (feeling better). • adv. (conipar. ofWH i '

bes»tial /beschnl, bees-/ adj. 1 brutish; cruel; savage. ter manner {she sings better). 2 to a greater degree {like
2 sexually depraved; lustful. 3 of or like a beast, au bes« it better). 3 more usefully or advantageously (il bttttt

tial«ize v.tr. bes*tial*ly adv. forgotten), mn. 1 that which is better {the better <>/ the
bes*ti*al*i*ty /bescheealitee, bees-/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 bes- two). 2 (usu. in pi. prec. by wv, etc.) one's superior in
;

tial behavior or an instance of this. 2 sexual intercourse ability or rank (take notice <>/ your betters). • v. 1 tr. mi
between a person and an animal. prove on; surpass. 2 tr. make better; improve. 3 /<//.
bes«ti»ar»y /beschee-eree, bees-/ n. (pi. -ies) a moraliz- improve one's position, etc. the better part of inosi 1 1

ing medieval treatise on real and imaginary beasts. of. get the better of defeat; outwit; win an tdvantafC
be«stir /bistar/ v.refl. (bestirred, bestirring) exert or over, go one better 1 outbid, etC.j by one 2otltdo
rouse (oneself). another person, had better would fnul n wimi DO
best man n. the bridegroom's chief attendant at a wed- dd bet»ter»ment >/.
ding. bet»ter half ;/. colloq. one's wife or husband.
 .
beMing /beting/ n. 1 gambling by risking money on an
unpredictable outcome. 2 the odds offered in this.
bet»tor /betar/ n. (also beMer) a person who bets.
be-tween /bitwe'en/ prep. &
adv. »prep. 1 a at or to a
point in the area or interval bounded by two or more
other points in space, time, etc. (stopped between Bos-
ton and Providence; we must meet between now and Fri-
day) b along the extent of such an interval (there are
.
five shops between here and the main road; works best be-
tween five and six; the numbers between 10 and 20). 2 sep-
arating, physically or conceptually (the distance between
here and the moon; the difference between right and wrong)
3 a by combining the resources of (between us we could
afford it), b as the joint resources of ($5 between them).
C by joint or reciprocal action (an agreement between
us). 4 to and from (runs between New York and LA).
5 taking one and rejecting the other of (decide between
eating here and going out), madv. (also in between) at a
point or in the area bounded by two or more other
points in space, time, sequence, etc. (not fat or thin but
in between).
1. Between is used in speaking of only two things,
people, etc.: We must choose between two equally unat-
tractive alternatives. Among
is used when more than
two are involved: Agreement on landscaping was reached
among all the neighbors. But where there are more than
two parties involved, between may be proper to em-
phasize the relationship of pairs within the group or
the sense 'shared by': There is close friendship between
themembers of the club; relations between the United States,
Canada, and Mexico. 2. Between you and I, between you
and he, etc., are incorrect; between should be followed
only by the objective case: me, her, him, them.
be»twixt /bitwikst/ prep. &
adv. archaic between, d be-
twixt and between colloq. neither one thing nor the
other.
bev»el /beval/ n. &v. • «. 1 a slope from the horizontal
or vertical in carpentry and stonework. 2 (in full bev-
el square) a tool for marking angles in carpentry and
stonework. »v. (beveled, beveling or bevelled, bevel-
ling) 1 tr. reduce (a square edge) to a sloping edge.
2 intr. slope at an angle; slant.
bev«el gear n. a gear working another gear at an angle
to it by means of beveled wheels.
bevel gears
bev»er»age /bevarij, bevrij/ n. a drink (hot beverage; al-
coholic beverage).
bevy /bevee/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a flock of quails or larks. 2 a
company or group (orig. of women).
be*wail /biwayl/ v.tr. 1 greatly regret or lament. 2 wail
over; mourn for.
be»ware /biwair/ v. (only in imper. or infin.) 1 intr. (of-
ten foil, by of, or that, lest, etc. + clause) be cautious;
take heed (beware of the dog; told us to beware; beware
that youdon 'tfall). 2 tr. be cautious of (beware the Ides
of March).
be»wil»der /biwildar/ v. tr. perplex or confuse, dd be»wil«
dered»ly adv. be*wil*der*ing adj. be«wil*der*ment n.
bewitch /biwich/ v. tr.1 enchant; greatly delight. 2 cast
a spell on. dd be*witch*ing adj. be*witch*ing*ly adv.
be»yond /biyond/ prep., adv., &
n. »prep. 1 at or to the
farther side of (beyond the river). 2 outside the scope,
69 betting ~ biceps
range, or understanding of (beyond repair, beyond a joke;
it is beyond me). 3 more than. *adv. 1 at or to the far-
ther side. 2 farther on. • n. (prec. by the) the unknown
after death.
bez*el /bezsl/ n. 1 the sloped edge of a chisel. 2 the
oblique faces of a cut gem. 3 a groove holding a watch
crystal or gem.
Bi symb. Chem. the element bismuth.
bi- /bi/ comb, form (often bin- before a vowel) forming
nouns and adjectives meaning: 1 having two; a thing
having two (bilateral; biplane). 2 a occurring twice in
every one or once in every two (biweekly) b lasting for .
two (biennial). 3 doubly; in two ways (biconcave).
4 Chem. a substance having a double proportion of
the acid, etc., indicated by the simple word (bicar-
bonate) .
bi*an*nu*al /bi-anyooal/ adj. occurring, appearing, etc.,
twice a year, dd bi*an*nu*al*ly adv.
see note at biennial.
bi*as /bias/ n.&v.mn."\ (often foil, by toward, against)
a predisposition or prejudice. 2 Statistics a systematic
distortion of a statistical result due to a factor not al-
lowed for in its derivation. 3 an edge cut obliquely
across the weave of a fabric. • v. tr. (biased, biasing; bi-
assed, biassing) 1 (esp. as biased adj.) influence (usu.
unfairly); prejudice. 2 give a bias to. on the bias
obliquely; diagonally.
bi*ath*lon /bi-athlon, -Ian/ n. Sports an athletic contest
comprising skiing and shooting or cycling and run-
ning, dd bi*ath*lete n.
bib /bib/ n. la piece of cloth or plastic fastened round
a child's neck to keep the clothes clean while eating.
2 the top front part of an apron, overalls, etc.
bi*be*lot /be'eblo/ n. a small curio or artistic trinket.
Bi»ble /bibsl/ n. la the Christian scriptures consisting
of the Old and New Testaments, b the Jewish scrip-
tures. C (bible) any copy of these (three bibles on the
table). 2 (bible) colloq. any authoritative book (the
woodworker's bible).
Bi»ble belt n. the area of the southern and central US
where fundamentalist Protestant beliefs prevail.
bib*li*cal /biblikal/ adj. 1 of, concerning, or contained
in the Bible. 2 resembling the language of the Au-
thorized Version of the Bible, dd bib«li*caMy adv.
biblio- /bibleeo/ comb.form denoting a book or books.
bib*li*og*ra*phy /bibleeografee/ n. (pi. -phies) 1 a a list
of the books referred to in a scholarly work, b a list of
the books of a specific author or publisher, or on a
specific subject, etc. 2 a the history or description of
books, including authors, editions, etc. b any book
containing such information, dd bib*li*og*ra*pher //.
bib*li*o*graph*ic /-leeagrafik/ adj. bib«li*o*graph*i*cal
adj.
n. a person who collects or is
bib*li*o«phile /bibleeofil/
fond of books.
bib-U'lous /bibyalas/ adj. given to drinking alcohol.
bi»cam»er»al /bikamaral/ adj. (of a parliament or legis-
lative body) having two chambers, dd bi»cam»er»al»ism
n.
bi*car*bo*nate /bika'arbsnit/ n. 1 Chem. any acid salt of
carbonic acid. 2 (in full bicarbonate of soda) sodium
bicarbonate used as an antacid or in baking powder.
bi»cen»ten»ar«y /bisentenaree, bisentoneree/ n. adj. &
esp. Brit. = bicentennial.
bi»cen»ten»ni»al /bisenteneeal/ n. &
adj. »n. 1a two-
hundredth anniversary. 2 a celebration of this. • adj.
1 lasting two hundred years or occurring every two
hundred years. 2 of or concerning a bicentennial.
bi»ceps /biseps/ n. (pi. same) a muscle having two heads
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
bicker ~ bilirubin 70 pregnancy; fecund (big with child; big with conse-
quences), madv. colloq. in a big manner, esp.: 1 effec-
or attachments at one end, esp. the muscle that bends tively (went over big) . 2 boastfully (talk big) . 3 ambi-
the elbow. tiously (think big), a in a big way 1 on a large scale.
bick*er /bikar/ v.intr. quarrel pettily; wrangle. 2 colloq. with great enthusiasm, display, etc. talk big
bi»con»cave /bikonkayv, bikonkayv/ adj. (esp. of a lens) boast,an big*gish adj. big*ness n.
concave on both sides. big*a*my /bigsmee/ n. (pi. -mies) the crime of marry-
bi»con»vex /bikonveks, bikonveks/ adj. (esp. of a lens) ing when one is lawfully married to another person.
convex on both sides. do big*a*mist n. big*a*mous adj.
bi*cul*tur*al /bi'kulcharal/ adj. having or combining two Big Ap*ple n. si. New York City.
cultures. big band n. a large jazz or swing orchestra.
bi*cus*pid /bikuspid/ adj. & n. »adj. having two cusps big bang the*o«ry n. the theory that the universe be-
or points. • n. the premolar tooth in humans. gan with the explosion of dense matter.
bi-cycle /bisikal, -sikal/ n. &
v. • n. a vehicle with two Big Broth»er n. an all-powerful supposedly benevolent
wheels held in a frame one behind the other, propelled dictator (from Orwell's 1984).
by pedals and steered with handlebars attached to big business n. large-scale financial dealings and the
the front wheel, •v.intr. ride a bicycle, do bi«cyclist businesses involved in them.
/-klist/ n. big deal! int. si. iron. I am not impressed.
bid /bid/ v. &
n. mv. (bidding; past bid, archaic bade Big Dip»per n. a constellation of seven bright stars in
/bayd, bad/; past part, bid, archaic bidden /bid'n/) 1 tr. Ursa Major in the shape of a dipper.
& intr. (past and past part, bid) (often foil, by for, Big*foot n. = Sasquatch.
against) a offer (a certain price) (did not bid for the vase; big game n. large animals hunted for sport.
bid against the dealer, bid $20). b offer to do work, etc., big*head /bighed/ n. colloq. a conceited person, an big*
for a stated price. 2 tr. archaic or literary a command head*ed adj.
(bid the soldiers to shoot) . b invite (bade her to start) . 3 tr. big*heart*ed /bighartid/ adj. generous.
archaic or literary utter (greeting or farewell) to (/ bade big«horn /bighawrn/ n. (in full bighorn sheep) an
him welcome). 4 (past and past part, bid) Cards a intr. American sheep, Ovis canadensis, esp. native to the
state before play how many tricks one intends to make. Rocky Mountains.
b tr. intended number of tricks). »n. 1 a an
state (one's bight /bit/ n. la curve or recess in a coastline, river,
offer (of a price) (a bid of $5) b an offer (to do work,
. etc. 2 a loop of rope.
supply goods, etc.) at a stated price; a tender. 2 Cards big*mouth /bigmowth/ n. colloq. a boastful or talkative
a statement of the number of tricks a player proposes person; a gossipmonger.
to make. 3 an attempt (a bid for power) a make a bid . big*Ot /bigat/ n. an obstinate and intolerant believer in
for try to gain (made a bid for freedom) do bid»der n. . a religion, political theory, etc. big»ot»ry n.
bid«ding /biding/ n. 1 the offers at an auction. 2 Cards big*ot«ed /bigatid/ adj. prejudiced and intolerant.
the act of making a bid or bids. 3 a command, request, big top n. the main tent in a circus.
or invitation. big wheel n. 1 a Ferris wheel. 2 5/. = bigwig.
bid*dy /bidee/ n. (pi. -dies) si. derog. a woman (esp. old big»wig /bigwig/ n. colloq. an important person.
biddy). bike /bik/ n. &v. mn. colloq. a bicycle or motorcycle.

bide /bid/ v.tr. d bide one's time await one's best • v.intr. ride a bicycle or motorcycle.
opportunity. bik*er /bikar/ n. a cyclist, esp. a motorcyclist.
bi»det /beeday/ n. a low oval basinlike bathroom fixture bi*ki«ni /bike'enee/ n. a very brief two-piece swimsuit for
used washing the genital area.
esp. for women.
bi»en«ni»al/bi-enee3l/a<i7. &n. %adj. 1 lasting two years.
2 recurring every two years (cf biannual) »n. 1 Bot.
bikini 1940s: named after Bikini atoll in the Pacific,
. .

where an atom bomb was tested in 1946 (because of

a plant that takes two years to grow from seed to fru-
ition and die. 2 an event celebrated or taking place eve-
ry two years.
Biennial means 'lasting or occurring every two
years': Congressional elections are a biennial phenomenon.
A biennial plant is one that lives a two-year cycle, flow-
ering and producing seed in the second year. Biannu-
al means 'twice a year': The solstice is a biannual event.
bi»en»ni»um /bi-eneeam/ n. (pi. bi«en«ni«ums or bi»en»
ni»a /-neea/) a period of two years.
bier /beer/ n. a movable frame on which a coffin or a
corpse is placed.
bi*fo*cal /bifokal/ adj. & n. madj. having
esp. of a lens with a part for distant vision
for near vision. •«. (in pi.) bifocal eyeglasses.
bi«fur»cate /bi'farkayt/ v. adj. •v.tr. & intr. divide in-
to two branches; fork. »adj. forked; branched.
bi*fur*ca*tion /bi'forkayshon/ n. 1 a a division into two
branches, b either or both of such branches. 2 the
point of such a division.
big /big/ adj. &adv. madj. (bigger, biggest)
siderable size, amount, intensity, etc. (a big mistake; a
big helping), b of a large or the largest size (big toe; big
drum). 2 important; significant; outstanding (my big
chance). 3 a grown up (a big boy now), b elder (big sis-
ter). 4 colloq. a boastful (big words), b often iron, gen-
erous (big of him). C ambitious (big ideas), d popular
(when disco was big). 5 (usu. foil, by with) advanced in
the supposed "explosive" effect created by the gar-
ment).
bi*ki*ni briefs n.pl. women's or men's scanty briefs.
bi*lat*er*al /bilataral/ adj. 1 of, on, or with two sides.
2 affecting or between two parties, countries, etc.
aa bi«lat*er*aMy adv.
(bilateral negotiations),
bil»ber«ry/bilberee/n. (pi. -ries) 1 a hardy dwarf shrub,
Vaccinium myrtillus, of N. Europe, growing on heaths
and mountains, and having dark blue berries. 2 the
berry of this species.
bile /bil/ n. 1 a bitter greenish brown alkaline fluid that
two focuses, aids digestion and is secreted by the liver and stored
and a part in the gallbladder. 2 peevish anger.
bile duct n. the duct that conveys bile from the liver
& and the gallbladder to the duodenum.
bilge /bilj/ n.la the almost flat part of a ship's bottom,
inside or out. b (in full bilgewater) dirty water that
collects inside the bilge. 2 si. nonsense.
bil*i*ar*y /bilee-eree/ adj. of the bile.
1 a of con- bi-lin-gual /bilinggwnl/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 able to speak
two languages. 2 spoken, written, or conducted in m<>
languages, •n. a bilingual person, nn bMin*gual*ism n.
bil»ious/bilyos/tf<y/. 1 affected by a disorder of the bik.
2 bad-tempered, do bil»ious«ness ti.
bil*i«ru»bin /bileerobbin/ n. the orangish yellow pigment
occurring in bile and causing jaundice when accumu-
lated in blood.
 . .

bilk /bilk/ v.tr. si. 1 cheat. 2 give the slip to. 3 avoid pay- 71 bilk ~ binomial
ing (a creditor or debt).
bill /bil/ n.
' &
v. • n. 1 a a statement of charges for goods ring twice a month or every two months. madv. twice
supplied or services rendered, b the amount owed (ran a month or every two months. • n. (pi. -lies) a bimonth-
up a bill of $300) 2 a draft of a proposed law. 3 a a
. ly periodical.
poster; a placard, b = handbill. 4 a a printed list, esp. Often avoided, because of the ambiguity of mean-
a theater program, b the entertainment itself (top of the ing, in favor of every two months and twice a month.
bill) 5 a piece of paper money (ten-dollar bill) • v. tr.
. . bin /bin/ n. &
v. mn. a large receptacle for storage or

1 put in the program; announce. 2 (foil, by as) adver- display, or for depositing trash, garbage, etc. mv.tr.
tise. 3 send a note of charges to. dd bill*a*ble adj. (binned, binning) colloq. store or put in a bin.
bill 2 /bil/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the beak of a bird. 2 the muzzle bin- /bin, bin/ prefix var. of bi- before a vowel.
of a platypus. 3 a narrow promontory, •v.intr. (of bi«na»ry /bineree/ adj. n. madj. 1 a dual, b of or in- &
doves, etc.) stroke a bill with a bill. bill and coo ex- volving pairs. 2 of the arithmetical system using 2 as
change caresses, dd billed adj. (usu. in comb.). a base. mn. (pi. -ries) 1 something having two parts.
bill 3 /bil/ n. = billhook. 2 a binary number. 3 a binary star.
billboard /bilbawrd/ n. a large outdoor board for adver- bi«na«ry code n. Computing a coding system using the
tisements, etc. binary digits and 1
biMet /bilit/ n.
1
&
v. • n. 1 a a place where troops, etc., bi»na*ry convpound n. Chem. a compound having two
are lodged, b a written order requiring a householder elements or radicals.
to lodge the bearer. 2 colloq. a situation; a job. • v. tr. bi»na«ry nunvber n. (also bi»na«ry dig»it) one of two
(billeted, billeting) 1 (usu. foil, by on, in, at) quarter digits (usu. or 1) in a binary system of notation.
(soldiers, etc.) 2 (of a householder) provide (a soldier, bi»na»ry star n. a system of two stars orbiting each
.

etc.) with board and lodging. other.

biMet 2 /bilit/ n. 1a thick piece of firewood. 2 a small bi»na»ry system n. a system in which information can
metal bar. be expressed by combinations of the digits and 1
bilMold /bilfold/ n. a wallet for keeping paper money. bi*nate /binayt/ adj. Bot. 1 growing in pairs. 2 com-
bilMiook /bilhOok/ n. a sickle-shaped tool with a sharp posed of two equal parts.
inner edge, used for pruning, lopping, etc. bin*au*ral /binawrsl/ adj. 1 of or used with both ears.
biMiards /bilyardz/ n. 1 any of several games played on 2 recorded using two microphones for recording and
an oblong cloth-covered table, esp. one in which balls two channels for transmitting.
are struck into pockets around the edge of the table. bind /bind/ v. &
n. mv. (past and past part, bound
2 (billiard) (in comb.) used in billiards (billiard ball). /bownd/) (see also bounden). 1 tr. (often foil, by to, on,
biMion /bilyan/ n. &
adj. mn. (pi. same or (in sense 3) together) tie or fasten tightly. 2 tr. a restrain; put in
billions) (in sing. prec. by a or one) 1 a thousand mil- bonds, b (as -bound adj.) constricted; obstructed
lion (1,000,000,000 or 10 9 ). 2 Brit, a million million (snowbound) 3 tr. esp. Cooking cause (ingredients) to
.

(1,000,000,000,000 or 10 12 ). 3 (in pi.) colloq. a very cohere. 4 tr. fasten or hold together as a single mass.
large number (billions offriends), madj. that amount to 5 tr. compel; impose a duty on. 6 tr. a edge with braid,
a billion, dd biMionth adj. n. & etc. b fasten (the pages of a book) in a cover. 7 tr. con-
biMion«aire /bilyanair/ n. a person possessing over a stipate. 8 tr. (in passive) be required by an obligation
billion dollars, pounds, etc. or duty (am bound to answer). 9 tr. (often foil, by up)
bill of ex»change n. Econ. a written order to pay a sum a put a bandage or other covering around, b fix to-
of money on a given date. gether with something put around (bound her hair). • n.
bill of fare n. a menu. colloq. a nuisance; a restriction, a be bound up with be
bill Of goods n. 1 a shipment of merchandise, often for closely associated with.
resale. 2 colloq. an article that is misrepresented, fraud- bind«er /bindar/ n. 1 a cover for sheets of paper, for a
ulent, etc. (at first it seemed a bargain, but we were being book, etc. 2 a substance that acts cohesively. 3 a reap-
sold a bill of goods). ing machine that binds grain into sheaves. 4 a book-
bill of health n. 1 Nam. a certificate regarding infec- binder. 5 a temporary agreement providing insurance
tious disease on a ship at the time of sailing. 2 (clean coverage until a policy is issued.
bill of health) a such a certificate stating that there is bind»er»y /bi'ndaree/ n. (pi. -ies) a workshop or factory
no disease, b a declaration that a person or thing ex- for binding books.
amined has been found to be healthy. binding /binding/ n. adj. mn. something that binds, &
bill of lad»ing n. Nam. 1 a detailed list of a ship's car- esp. the covers, glue, etc., of a book. madj. (often foil,
go. 2 = WAYBILL. by oil) obligatory.
Bill of Rights n. 1 Law (in the US)
the original con- binge /binj/ n. v. & period of uncontrolled eat-
si. • n. a
stitutional amendments of 1791. 2 Law the English ing, drinking, etc. • indulge in uncontrolled eat-
v. intr.

constitutional settlement of 1 689. 3 a statement of the ing, drinking, etc. dd bing*er n.

rights of a class of people. bin*go /binggo/ n. &
int. • n. a game for any number of
bill of sale n. Econ. a certificate of transfer of personal players, each having a card of squares with numbers
property, esp. as a security against debt. that are marked off as numbers are randomly drawn
biMow /bilo/ n. & wave. 2 a soft upward-curv-
v. • n. 1 a by a caller. • int. expressing sudden surprise, satisfac-
ing flow. 3 any large soft mass. • v. intr. move in billows. tion, etc.
dd biMowy adj. bin*na*cle /binakal/ n. a housing for a ship's compass.
biHy goat /biligot/ n. (also biMy) a male goat. bin*oc«u*lar /binokyalar/ adj. adapted for or using both
binrbo /bimbo/ n. (pi. -bos or -boes) 5/. usu. derog. 1 a eyes.
foolish person. 2 an empty-headed woman, esp. an at- bin«OC«u*lars /binokyalarz/ n.pl. an optical instrument
tractive one. with a lens for each eye, for viewing distant objects.
bi*me*tal*lic /bimitalik/ adj. made of two metals. bi«no»mi«al /binCmeeal/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 an algebraic ex-
bi*mil*le*nar*y /bimitaneree, -milenaree/ adj. n. (al- & pression of the sum or the difference of two terms. 2 a
so bi*mil*len*ni*al /-leneeal/) madj. of or relating to a two-part name, esp. in taxonomy. • adj. consisting of
two-thousandth anniversary, mn. (pi. »ies) a bimille- two terms.
nary year or festival.
bi«month»ly /bimunthlee/ adj., adv., & n. madj. occur- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
bio ~ bireme 72 tion of the laws of physics to biological phenomena.
dd bi»o«phys»i»cal adj. bi»o«phys»i»cist n.
bi»0 / bi-6/ n.& bi*op*sy /biopsee/ n. (pi. -sies) the examination of tis-
adj. • n. 1 biology. 2 (pi. bios) biogra-
phy. • adj. biological. sue removed from a living body to discover the pres-
ence, cause, or extent of a disease.
bio- /bi-6/ comb.form 1 life (biography). 2 biological (bi-
omathematics). 3 of living beings (biophysics). bi»o«rhythm /bl'-oritham/ n. 1 any of the recurring
bi*o*ac*tive /bi-oaktiv/ adj. (of foods, cosmetic com-cycles of biological processes thought to affect a per-
pounds, etc.) having an effect on or interacting withson's emotional, intellectual, and physical activity.
living tissue, oa bi»o»ac»tiv»i«ty n. 2 any periodic change in the behavior or physiology of
bi«o»chem»is»try /bi-okemistree/ n. the study of the an organism.
chemical and physicochemical processes of living bi«o»sphere /bi-osfeer/ n. the regions of the earth's
organisms, dd bi»o«chem»i»cal adj. bi»o»chenvist n. crust and atmosphere occupied by living organisms.
bi*o*de*grad*a*ble /bi-odigraydabal/ adj. capable of bi«o»syn»the»sis /bl'-osinthisis/ n. the production of
being decomposed by bacteria or other living organ- organic molecules by living organisms, dd bi»o«syn»
isms, an bi«o»de»grad»a«bil»i»ty n. bi»o»degTa»da»tion thet*ic /-thetik/ adj.
/bi-odegradayshan/ n. n. the animal and plant life of a region.
bi*0*ta /bi-ota/
bi«o»di«ver»si«ty n. /bi-odivsrsitee/ diversity of plant bi»0«tech»nol«0«gy /bi-oteknolajee/ n. the exploitation
and animal life. of biological processes for industrial and other
bi«o«en»gi«neer»ing /bi-o-enjineering/ n. 1 the applica- purposes, esp. genetic manipulation of microorgan-
tion of engineering techniques to biological process- isms.
es. 2 the use of artificial tissues, organs, or organ com- bi*Ot*ic /biotik/ adj. 1 relating to life or to living things.
ponents to replace damaged or absent parts of the 2 of biological origin.
body, dd bi»o»ervgi«neer n. v.& bi*o*tin /biatin/ n. a vitamin of the B complex, found
bi*o*feed*back /bi-ofe'edbak/ n. the technique of using in egg yolk, liver, and yeast, and involved in metab-
the feedback of a normally automatic bodily response olism. Also called vitamin H.
to a stimulus in order to acquire voluntary control of bi*par*ti*san /bipa'artizan, -san/ adj. of or involving two
that response. parties, dd bi*par*ti*san*ship n.

bi*o*gas /bi-ogas/ n. gaseous fuel, esp. methane, pro- bi»par»tite /bipa'artit/ adj. consisting of two parts.
1

duced by fermentation of organic matter. 2 shared by or involving two parties. 3 Law (of a con-
bi«o«gen»e»sis /bl'-ojenisis/ n. 1 the synthesis of sub- tract, etc.) drawn up in two corresponding parts or be-
stances by living organisms. 2 the hypothesis that a liv- tween two parties.
ing organism arises only from another similar living bi»ped /biped/ n. & adj. •«. a two-footed animal, madj.
organism, dd bi»o»ge«net»ic /-jinetik/ adj. two-footed, dd bi*ped*al adj.
bi»0»gen»ic /bi-ojenik/ adj. produced by living organ- bi*plane /biplayn/ n. a type of airplane having two sets
isms. of wings, one above the other.
bi*og*ra*phy /biografee/ n. (pi. -phies) 1 a a written ac- bi*po*lar /bipolar/ adj. having two poles or extremities.
count of a person's life, b such writing as a branch of dd bi*po«lar*i*ty /-laritee/ n.
literature. 2 the course of a living being's life, dd bi» bi*po*lar dis*or*der n. a psychiatric illness character-
og*ra*pher n. bi*o*graph*i*cai adj. ized by manic episodes, usually alternating with peri-
bi*o*haz*ard /bi-ohazard/ n. a risk to human health or ods of depression.
the environment arising from biological work, esp. birch /barch/ n. &v. •n. 1 any tree of the genus Betula,
with microorganisms. bearing catkins, and found predominantly in north-
bi*o*log*i*cal /bialojikal/ adj. 1 of or relating to biology ern temperate regions. 2 (in full birchwood) the hard
or living organisms. 2 related genetically, not by mar- fine-grained pale wood of these trees. 3 (in full birch
riage, adoption, etc. dd bi*o*log*i*caMy adv. rod) a bundle of birch twigs used for flogging. • v. tr.
bi*o*log*i*cal clock n. an innate mechanism control- beat with a birch (in sense 3).
ling the rhythmic physiological activities of an organ- bird /bard/ n. 1 a feathered vertebrate with a beak, two
ism. wings, and two feet, egg-laying and usu. able to fly. 2 a
bi«o»log»i»cal warfare n. warfare involving the use of game bird. 3 colloq. a person (a wily old bird), d a bird
toxins or microorganisms. in the hand something secured or certain, birds of a
bi«ol»o»gy /biolajee/ n. 1 the study of living organisms. feather people of like character, for (or strictly for) the
2 the plants and animals of a particular area, dd bi«ol« birds colloq. trivial; uninteresting.
o»gist n. bird»brain /bardbrayn/ n. colloq. a stupid or flighty per-
bi«o«lu»mi»nes»cence /bi-olobminesans/ n. the emis- son, dd bird»brained adj.
sion of light by living organisms such as the firefly and bird-cage /bardkayj/ n. 1 a cage for birds usu. made of
glowworm, dd bi*o*lu*mi*nes*cent adj. wire or cane. 2 an object of a similar design.
bi»o»mass /bi'-omas/ n. the total quantity or weight of bird call n. 1 a bird's natural call. 2 an instrument im-
organisms in a given area or volume. itating this.
bi»ome/bi-6m/tt. 1 a large naturally occurring commu- bird»ie /bardee/ n. &v. • n. 1 colloq. a little bird. 2 dolt
nity of flora and fauna adapted to the particular con- a score of one stroke less than par for any hole. • u.tn
ditions in which they occur, e.g., tundra. 2 the geo- (birdies, birdied, birdying) Golf play (a hole) in a
graphical region containing such a community. birdie.
bi»o«me«chan»ics /bi'-omikaniks/ n. the study of the bird-lime /bardlim/ n. sticky material painted on twi^s
mechanical laws relating to the movement or struc- to trap small birds.
ture of living organisms. bird of par«a*dise ;/. any bird of tin- familj
bi*on*ics /bioniks/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) the study of Paradiseidae, the males having very beautiful brilliant
mechanical systems that function like living organisms ly colored plumage.
or parts of living organisms. bird Of prey //. a bird that hunts animals lor food.
bi«0«nonvics /bionomiks/ npl. (treated as sing.) the bird's-eye view //. a general view from above.
study of the mode of life of organisms in their natural bird-watch»er //. a person who observes birds in ilun
habitat and their adaptations to their surroundings; natural surroundings, mm bird-watch»ing u.
ecology, dd bi»o»nom»ic adj. bi-reme/bireem/ ;/. hist an ancient ( ireek warship, with
bi«0»phys»ics /bi'-ofiziks/ n. the science of the applica- two banks of oarsmen on each side.
 . .

bi»ret»ta /bireta/ n. a square cap with three flat projec- 73 biretta ~ bivouac
tions on top, worn by clergymen.
birth /barth/ n. &
v. • «. 1 the emergence of an infant control a horse. 2 a tool or piece for boring or drill-
or other young from the body of its mother. 2 rhet. the ing. 3 the cutting or gripping part of a plane, pliers,
beginning of something {the birth of socialism) 3 a or- . etc. a take the bit between one's teeth 1 take decisive
igin; descent; ancestry {of noble birth), b noble birth; personal action. 2 escape from control.
inherited position, mv.tr. colloq. 1 give birth to. 2 assist bit 3 /bit/ n.
Computing a unit of information; a or 1 in
(a woman) to give birth, d give birth bear a child, etc. binary notation.
give birth to 1 produce (young) from the womb. bitch /bich/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a female dog or other canine

2 cause to begin. animal. 2 sl.offens. a spiteful woman. 3 si. a very un-

birth cer»tif»i»cate n. an official document identifying pleasant or difficult thing, •v.intr. colloq. 1 (often foil,
a person by name, and place and date of birth. by about) speak scathingly. 2 complain.
birth corvtrol n. the control of the number of children bitch*y /bichee/ adj. (bitchier, bitchiest) si. spiteful;
one conceives. bad-tempered, dd bitch*i*ness n.

birth corvtrol pill n. an oral contraceptive. bite /bit/ v.&n. 9 V. {pastbit/bixJ; past part, bitten /bit'n/)
birth»day /birthday/ n. 1 the day on which a person, 1 cut or puncture using the teeth. 2 tr. (often foil,
tr.

etc., was born. 2 the anniversary of this, d in one's by detach with the teeth. 3 tr. (of an insect,
off, etc.)
birthday suit joe. naked. snake, etc.) wound with a sting, fangs, etc. 4 intr. (of
birth de»fect n. a physical, mental, or biochemical ab- a wheel, screw, etc.) grip; penetrate. 5 intr. accept bait.
normality present at birth. 6 intr. have a (desired) adverse effect. 7 tr. (in passive)
birth*mark /barthmaark/ n. an unusual brown or red a take in; swindle, b (foil, by by, with, etc.) be infected
mark on a person's body at or from birth. by (enthusiasm, etc.). 8 tr. (as bitten adj.) cause a
birth»place /barthplays/ n. the place where a person smarting pain to (frostbitten). 9 intr. (foil, by at) snap
was born. at. •». 1 an act of biting. 2 a wound or sore made by
birth rate n. the number of live births per thousand of biting. 3 a a mouthful of food, b a snack or light meal.
a given population per year. 4 the taking of bait by a fish. 5 pungency. 6 incisive-
birtrvright /barthrit/ n. a right of possession or priv- ness; sharpness, a bite the bullet 5/. behave bravely or
ilege one has from birth. stoically, bite the dust si. 1 die. 2 fail; break down, bite
birth*stone /bsrthston/ n. a gemstone popularly asso- the hand that feeds one hurt a benefactor, bite a per-
ciated with the month of one's birth. son's head off colloq. respond fiercely or angrily, bite
bis*cuit /biskit/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a small bread or cake off more than one can chew take on a commitment
leavened with baking soda or baking powder. 2 Brit. one cannot fulfill, an bit«er n.
a = cookie, b = cracker. 3 fired unglazed pottery. 4 a bit»ing /biting/ adj. 1 stinging; intensely cold {a biting
light brown color. *adj. light brown. wind). 2 sharp; effective {biting sarcasm), do bit*ing*ly
adv.
biscuit Middle English: from Old French bescuit,
bit part n. a minor part in a play or a movie.
based on Latin bis 'twice' + coctus, past participle of
bitsand pieces n.pl. an assortment of small items.
coquere 'to cook' (so named because originally biscuits
were cooked in a twofold process: first baked and then
biWer /bitar/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 having a sharp pungent
taste; not sweet. 2 a caused by or showing mental pain
dried out in a slow oven so that they would keep)
or resentment {bitter memories; bitter rejoinder) b pain- .

bi»sect /bisekt/ v.tr. divide into two (equal) parts, dq bi« ful or difficult to accept {bitter disappointment).
section /-sekshan/ n. 3 a harsh; virulent {bitter animosity) b piercingly cold.
.

bi«sex*u*al /bisekshooal/ adj. &

n. •adj. 1 sexually at-
tracted to persons of both sexes. 2 Biol, having char-
acteristics of both sexes. •«. a bisexual person, an bi*
sex»u»al»i«ty /-sekshoo-alitee, -seksyoo-alitee/ n.
bish*op /bishap/ n. 1 a senior member of the Christian
• n. 1 Brit, beer strongly flavored with hops and hav-
ing a bitter taste. 2 (in pi.) liquor with a bitter flavor
used as an additive in cocktails. to the bitter end to
the very end in spite of difficulties, dd biMer-ly adv.
bit*ter«ness >/.

clergy empowered to confer holy orders. 2 a chess biMern /bitarn/ n. any of a group of wading birds of
piece with the top sometimes shaped like a miter. the heron family.
bish*op*ric /bishaprik/ n. 1 the office of a bishop. 2 a biMer pill n. something unpleasant that has to be ac-
diocese. cepted.
bis*muth /bizmath/ n. Chem. 1 a brittle reddish-tinged bit»ter«sweet /bitarsweet/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 sweet with
metallic element, occurring naturally and used in 2 arousing pleasure tinged with pain
a bitter aftertaste.
alloys. H Symb.: Bi. 2 any compound of this element or sorrow. »n. a sweetness with a bitter aftertaste.
used medicinally. b pleasure tinged with pain or sorrow.
bi*son /bison/ n. {pi. same) either of two wild hump- biMy /bitee/ adj. colloq. tiny (esp. in phrs. little bitty, itty-
backed shaggy-haired oxen of the genus Bison, native bitty).
to N. America {B. bison) or Europe {B. bonasus) bi*tu*men /bltobmin, -tyob-, bi-/ n. any of various tar-
bisque /bisk/ n. a rich shellfish soup. like mixtures of hydrocarbons derived from petroleum
bis*ter /bistar/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a brownish pigment made and used for road surfacing and roofing.
from the soot of burned wood. 2 the brownish color bi*tu*mi«nous /bitobminas, -tyob-, bi-/ adj. of, relating
of this. • adj. of this color. to, or containing bitumen.
bis»tro /beestro, bis-/ n. {pi. -tros) a small restaurant. bi«tU*mi*nous coal n. a form of coal burning with a
bi*sul*fate /blsulfayt/ n. Chem. a salt or ester of sulfu- smoky flame.
ric acid. bi»valve /bfvalv/ n. &
adj. • n. any of a group of aquat-
bit 1 /bit/ n. 1a small piece or quantity {a bit of cheese). ic mollusks of the class Bivalvia, with laterally com-
2 (prec. by a) a a fair amount {sold quite a bit), b col- pressed bodies enclosed within two hinged shells, e.g.,
loq. somewhat {am a C (foil, by of) colloq.
bit tired). oysters, clams, etc. *adj. 1 with a hinged double shell.
rather {a bit of an idiot) 3 a short time or distance {wait
. 2 Biol, having two valves, e.g., of a peapod.
a bit; move up a bit). 4 si. an amount equal to 12 V
2 biv*ou*ac /bivoo-ak, bivwak/ n. &
v. »n. a temporary
cents (esp. in the phrase two bits). bit by bit gradual- open encampment without tents, •v.intr. (bivou-
ly, not a bit not at all. to bits into pieces.

bit 2 /bit/ n. 1 a metal mouthpiece on a bridle, used to See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

biweekly ~ blackout
acked, bivouacking) camp in a bivouac, esp. over-
night.
bi-week-ly /biwe'eklee/ adv. , adj. ,&n.m adv. 1 every two
weeks. 2 twice a week. • adj. produced or occurring bi-
weekly. • n. (pi. -lies) a biweekly periodical.
See the note at bimonthly.
bi-year-ly /biyeerlee/ adv. &
adj. *adv. 1 every two
years. 2 twice a year. • adj. produced or occurring bi-
yearly.
See the note at bimonthly.
biz /biz/ n. colloq. business (the music biz).
bi-zarre /biza'ar/ adj. strange; eccentric; grotesque.
d bi-zarre-ly adv.
Bk symb. Chem. the element berkelium.
blab /blab/ v. &
»v. (blabbed, blabbing) 1 intr. a talk
n.
foolishly or indiscreetly, b reveal secrets. 2 tr. reveal (a
secret, etc.) by indiscreet talk. • «.a person who blabs.
blab-ber /blabar/ n. &
v. »n. (also blab-ber-mouth
/blabarmowth/) a person who blabs. • v. intr. (often foil,
by on) talk foolishly or inconsequentially,
length.
black /blak/ adj., n.,& v. »adj. 1 very dark; having no
color from the absorption of incident light (like coal
or soot). 2 completely dark from the absence of a
source of light (black night). 3 a of the human group
having dark-colored skin, b of or relating to black peo-
ple (black rights). 4 (of the sky, a cloud, etc.) heavily
overcast. 5 angry; threatening (a black look). 6 imply-
ing disgrace or condemnation (in his black books).
7 deadly (black-hearted). 8 depressed; sullen
sinister;
(a black mood) 9 portending trouble or difficulty
. Black-foot /blakfoot/
(things looked black). 10 (of hands, clothes, etc.) dirty;
soiled. 1 1 (of humor representation) macabre
or its
(black comedy). 12 (of coffee or
tea) without milk.
1 3 dark in color as distinguished from a lighter vari-
ety (black bear) • n. 1 a black color or pigment. 2 black
. skin.
clothes or material (dressed in black) 3 a (in a game or .
sport) a black piece, ball, etc. b the player using such
pieces. 4 the credit side of an account (in the black).
5 a member of a dark-skinned race. • v. tr. 1 make black
(blacked his face). 2 polish with black polish, paste, etc.
black out 1 a effect a blackout on. b undergo a black-
out. 2 obscure windows, etc., or extinguish all lights
for protection esp. against an air attack, dd black-ish
adj. black-ly adv. black-ness n.
Black, designating Americans of African heritage,
became a widely used and accepted term in the 1960s
and 1970s, replacing Negro. It is not usually capital-
ized: black Americans. Through the 1980s, the more
formal African American replaced black in much us-
age, but both are widely acceptable. Afro-American,
an earlier alternative to black, is heard mostly in an-
thropological and cultural contexts. 'Colored people',
common earlier in the twentieth century, is now re-
garded as derogatory, although the phrase survives in
the full name of the NAACP. An inversion, 'people of col-
or' has come to be used for all non-white ethnic groups:
a gathering spot for African Americans and other people
of color interested in studying their cultures.
black and blue adj. discolored by bruises.
black and white n. &
adj. •«. writing or print (down
in black and white), •adj.
(of film, etc.) not in color.
1 or scarce commodities, n black mar-ke-teer n.
2 consisting of extremes only; oversimplified (inter-
preted the problem in black and white terms).
black art n. (prec. by the) - mm.k mack,.
black-ball /blakbawl/ v.tr. 1 reject (a candidate) in a
ballot (orig. by voting with a black ball). 2 exclude; os-
tracize.
black belt black belt worn by an expert in judo,
n. 1 a
karate, etc. 2 a person qualified to wear this.
black-ber-ry /blakberee/ n. (pi. -riesj 1 a climbing
.
74 thorny rosaceous shrub, Rubus fruticosus, bearing
white or pink flowers and purplish-black berries. 2 the
edible berry of this plant.
black-bird /blakbard/ n. 1 a common Eurasian thrush,
Turdus merula, the male of which is black with an or-
ange beak. 2 any of various birds with black plumage.
blackboard /blakbawrd/ n. a board with a smooth usu.
dark surface for writing on with chalk.
black box n. 1a flight recorder in an aircraft. 2 any
complex piece of equipment with contents that are
mysterious to the user.
black-cur-rant /blak-ksrant, -km-/ n. 1 a widely culti-
vated shrub, Ribes nigrum, bearing flowers in racemes.
2 the small dark edible berry of this plant.
Black Death n. (usu. prec. by the) a widespread epi-
demic of bubonic plague in Europe in the 14th c.
black e»con»o»my n. a part of a country's economic
activity that is unrecorded and untaxed by its gov-
ernment.
black-en /blakgn/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become black
or dark. 2 tr. speak evil of; defame (blacken someone's
esp. at character)
black English n. the form of English spoken by many
African-Americans, esp. as an urban dialect of the US.
black eye n. bruised skin around the eye resulting from
a blow.
black-eyed Su-san n. any of several flowers, esp. of the
genus Rudbeckia, with yellow colored petals and a dark
center.
black»fly /blakfli/ n. (pi. -flies) 1 any of various small
biting flies of the family Simuliidae. 2 any of various
thrips or aphids infesting plants.
a a N. American people na-
n. 1
tive to Montana andadjoining parts of Canada, b a
member of this people. 2 the language of this people.
black-guard /blagaard, -ard/ n. a villain; a scoundrel.
black-head /blak-hed/ n. a black-topped pimple on the
black hole n. a region of space possessing a strong
gravitational field from which matter and radiation
cannot escape.
black ice n. thin hard transparent ice.
blackjack /blakjak/ n. la card game in which players
try to acquire cards with a face value totaling 2 1 and
no more. 2 a flexible, usu. lead-filled bludgeon. 3 a pi-
rate's black flag.
black light Physics the invisible ultraviolet or infra-
n.
red radiations of the electromagnetic spectrum.
black-list /blaklist/ n. &
v. •«. a list of persons under
suspicion, in disfavor, etc. mv.tr. put the name of (a
person) on a blacklist.
black lung n. a chronic lung disease caused by the in-
halation of coal dust.
black mag-ic n. magic involving invocation of evil spir-
its.
black-mail /blakmayl/ n. & v. *n. "\
a an extortion of
payment in return for not disclosing a secret, etc. b any
payment extorted in this way. 2 the use of threats or
moral pressure, •v.tr. 1 extort or try to extort money,
etc., from (a person) by blackmail. 2 threaten; eoeree.
do black-mail-er n.
black mark n. a mark of discredit.
black mar-ket n. an illicit traffic in officially controlled
i i
Black Mus-lim //. a member of an exclusively Af ru an
American Islamic sect proposing a leptfltt African
American community.
Black Na-tion-al-ism n. advocacy of civil rights ami
separatism for African- Americans and <>c cas Mai k\ in
other countries.
black*OUt /blakowt/ u. 1 a temporary or complete loss
of vision, consciousness, or memory. 2 a loss of power,
radio reception, etc. 3 a compulsory period of dark-
 ness as a precaution against air raids. 4 a temporary 75 Black Panther ~ blastula
suppression of the release of information, esp. from
police or government sources. blank /blangk/ adj., n., &v. madj. 1 a (of paper)
Black Parvther n. one of a group of extremist activists not written or printed on. b (of a document) with
for African- American civil rights in the US. spaces left for a signature or details. 2 a empty (a
black pep«per n. pepper made by grinding the whole blank space), b unrelieved; plain; undecorated (a blank
dried berry, including the husk, of the pepper plant. wall) 3 a having or showing no interest or expres-
.

black rasp»ber»ry n. 1 a N. American shrub, Rubus
occidentalis. 2 the edible fruit of this shrub.
black sheep n. colloq. a disreputable member of a fam-
ily, etc.; a misfit.
sion (a blank stare), b void of incident or result. C puz-
zled; nonplussed, d having (temporarily) no knowl-
edge (my mind went blank). 4 (with neg. import) com-
plete; downright (blank despair) 5 euphem. used in
.

black»shirt /blakshort/ n. a member of a fascist place of an adjective regarded as coarse or abusive.

organization.
black»smith /blaksmith/ n. 1 a smith who works in iron.
2 a smith who shoes horses.
blackthorn /blakthawrn/ n. 1a thorny rosaceous
shrub, Prunus spinosa, bearing white flowers before
small blue-black fruits. Also called sloe. 2 a cudgel or
walking stick made from its wood.
black tie n. la black bow tie worn with a dinner jack-
et. 2 colloq. formal evening dress.
black»top /blaktop/ n. a type of surfacing material for
roads.
• n. 1 a a space left to be filled in a document, b a doc-
ument having blank spaces to be filled. 2 a cartridge
containing gunpowder but no bullet. 3 an empty
space or period of time, mv.tr. (usu. foil, by off, out)
screen; obscure (clouds blanked out the sun), d draw a
blank elicit no response; fail, dd blank*ly adv. blank*
ness n.
blank check
n. 1 a check with the amount left for the
payee to fill in. 2 colloq. unlimited freedom of action
(cf. CARTE BLANCHE).
blan*ket /blangkit/ n., adj., &
v. mn. 1 a large piece of

black*wa*ter fe«ver /blakwawtar/ n. a complication of woolen or other material used esp. as a bed covering
malaria in which blood cells are rapidly destroyed, re- or to wrap up a person or an animal for warmth. 2 (usu.
sulting in dark urine. foil, by of) a thick mass or layer that covers something

black wid*OW n. a venomous spider, Latrodectus mac- (blanket of fog; blanket of silence), mattrib.adj. covering
tans, of which the female has an hourglass-shaped red all cases or classes; inclusive (blanket condemnation;

mark on her abdomen. blanket agreement), mv.tr. (blanketed, blanketing)

blad»der /bladar/ n. 1a any of various membranous 1 cover with or as if with a blanket (snow blanketed the
sacs in some animals, containing urine (urinary blad- land). 2 stifle (blanketed all discussion).
der), bile (gallbladder), or air (swim bladder), b this blank*e«ty-blank /blangkatee blangk/ adj. colloq. used
or part of it or a similar object prepared for various euphemistically to replace a word considered coarse
uses. 2 an inflated pericarp or vesicle in various plants. or vulgar (blankety-blank taxes!).
3 anything inflated and hollow. blank verse n. unrhymed verse, esp. that which uses
blad*der*wrack /bladarak/ n. a common brown sea- iambic pentameters.
weed, Fucus vesiculosus, with fronds containing air blare /blair/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. sound or utter loud-

bladders that give buoyancy. ly. 2 intr. make the sound of a trumpet. • n. a loud

blade /blayd/ k. la the flat part of a knife, chisel, etc., sound resembling that of a trumpet.
that forms the cutting edge, b a flat piece of metal with blar*ney /bla'arnee/ n. 1 cajoling talk; flattery. 2 non-
a sharp edge or edges used in a razor. 2 the flattened sense.
functional part of an oar, spade, propeller, skate, snow- bla*se /blaazay/ adj. 1 indifferent because of over-fa-
plow, etc. 3 the flat, narrow leaf of grass and cereals. miliarity. 2 tired of pleasure; surfeited.
on blad*ed adj. (also in comb.). blas«pheme/blasfe'em,blasfeem/t'. 1 intr. talk profane-
blah /blaa/ n. & adj. colloq. mn. (usu. the blahs) a le- ly, making use of religious names, etc. 2 tr. talk pro-

thargic, dissatisfied feeling of malaise, •adj. dull; in- fanely about; revile, dd blas«phem*er n.
sipid. blas»phe«my /blasfamee/ n. (pi. -mies) 1 profane talk.
blame /blaym/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 assign fault or responsi- 2 an instance of this, do blas*phe*mous adj. blas*phe*
bility to. 2 (foil, by on) assign the responsibility for (an mous»ly adv.
error or wrong) to a person, etc. (blamed his death on blast /blast/ n. &
v. mn. 1a strong gust of air. 2 a a
a poor diet) • n. 1 responsibility for a bad result (shared
. destructive wave of highly compressed air spreading
the blame equally) 2 the act of blaming or attributing
. outward from an explosion, b such an explosion. 3 the
responsibility (she got all the blame), a be to blame (of- single loud note of a wind instrument, car horn, etc.
ten foil, by for) be responsible; deserve censure (she is 4 colloq. a severe reprimand. 5 a strong current of air
not to blame for the accident). used in smelting, etc. mv. 1 tr. blow up (rocks, etc.)
blame*ful /blaymfcol/ adj. deserving blame; guilty. with explosives. 2 tr. a wither, shrivel, or blight (a
an blame*fuMy adv. plant, animal, limb, etc.) (blasted oak), b ruin (blasted
blameless /blaymlis/ adj. innocent; free from blame. her hopes). C strike with divine anger. 3 intr. tr. make &
dd blame*less«ly adv. or cause to make a loud noise (blasted away on his trum-
blame»wor»thy /blaymwarthee/ adj. deserving blame. pet) A
tr. colloq. reprimand severely. 5 colloq. a tr. shoot;

dd blameworthiness n. shoot at. b intr. shoot, o at full blast colloq. working at

blanch /blanch/ v. 1 tr. make white or pale by extracting maximum speed, etc. blast off (of a rocket, etc.) take
color. 2 intr. &
tr. grow or make pale from shock, fear, off from a launching site.
etc. 3 tr. Cooking a peel (almonds, etc.) by scalding. -blast /blast/ comb.form Biol, an embryonic cell (cf.
b immerse (vegetables or meat) briefly in boiling wa- -cyte).
ter. 4 tr. whiten (a plant) by depriving it of light. blast*ed /blastid/ attrib.adj. damned; annoying (that
blanc*mange /btama'anj/ n. a sweet opaque gelatinous blasted job!).
dessert made with flavored cornstarch and milk. blast fur»nace n. a smelting furnace into which com-
bland /bland/ adj. 1 a mild; not irritating, b tasteless; pressed hot air is driven.
unstimulating; insipid. 2 gentle in manner; smooth. blast»off /blastawf/ n. the launching of a rocket, etc.
dd blancHy adv. bland-ness n. blas*tu*la /blaschsla/ n. (pi. blastulas or blastulae
blandish /blandish/ v.tr. flatter; coax; cajole.
bland*ish*ment /blandishmant/ n. (usu. in pi.) flattery. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

blatant ~ blind
an animal embryo at an early stage of
/-lee/) Biol,
development when it is a hollow ball of cells.
bla*tant /blayt'nt/ adj. 1 flagrant; unashamed (blatant
attempt to steal) 2 offensively noisy or obtrusive, an bla-
.
tancy /-t'nsee/ n. bla»tant«ly adv.
blath*er /blathar/ n. & v. (also bleth-er /blethar/) • n.
foolish chatter. • v. intr. chatter foolishly.
blaze 1 /blayz/ w.&wm.la bright flame or fire. 2 a a
bright glaring light, b a full light (a blaze of publicity).
3 a violent outburst (of passion, etc.). 4 a a glow of
color (roses were a blaze of scarlet) b a bright display (a
blaze of glory) • v. intr. 1 burn with a bright flame. 2 be
. together; harmonize. • n. 1 a a mixture, esp. of various
brilliantly lit. 3 be consumed with anger, excitement,
etc. 4 a show bright colors (blazing with jewels) b emit
light (stars blazing), a blaze away (often foil, by at)
1 fire continuously with rifles, etc. 2 work enthusias-
tically, like blazes si. 1 with great energy. 2 very fast.
dd blazing adj. blaz»ing»ly adv.
blaze 2 /blayz/ «.6 D.»n.1a white mark on an animal's
,
face. 2 a mark made on a tree by slashing the bark.
• v.tr. mark (a tree or a path) by slashing bark. blaze
a trail 1 mark out a path or route. 2 be the first to do,
invent, or study something; pioneer.
blaz*er /blayzar/ n. 1a man's or woman's sports jack-
et not worn with matching trousers. 2 a colored jack-
et worn as part of a uniform.
bla*zon /blayzsn/ v. tr. 1 proclaim (esp. blazon abroad)
2 Heraldry a describe or paint (arms) b inscribe or
paint (an object) with arms, names, etc.
bleach /bleech/ v. & n. • v. tr. & intr.
sure to sunlight or by a chemical process. • «. 1 a
bleaching substance. 2 the process of bleaching.
bleach«er /bleechar/ n. 1 a a person who bleaches, b a
vessel or chemical used in bleaching. 2 (usu. in pi.) an
inexpensive, uncovered bench seat at a sports field or
arena.
bleak /bleek/ adj. 1 bare; exposed; windswept. 2 un-
promising; dreary (bleak prospects), od bleak-ly adv.
bleakness n.
blear /bleer/ adj. &
v. •adj. 1 (of the eyes or the mind)
dim; dull; filmy. 2 indistinct, •v.tr. make dim or ob-
scure; blur.
blear*y /bleeree/ adj. (blearier, bleariest) 1 (of the eyes)
dim, as from sleep or fatigue. 2 indistinct; blurred.
dd blear*i*ly adv.
blear»y-eyed adj. having bleary eyes.
bleat /bleet/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. (of a sheep, goat, or calf)
make weak, wavering cry. 2 intr.
a tr. (often foil, by
out) speak or say feebly, foolishly, or plaintively. • n.
1 the sound made by a sheep, goat, etc. 2 a weak, plain-
tive, or foolish cry.
bleed /bleed/ v.&n. • v. (past and past part, bled /bled/)
1 intr. emit blood. 2 tr. draw blood from surgically. 3 tr.
extort money from. 4 intr. (often foil, by for) suffer
wounds or violent death (bled for the Revolution). 5 intr.
a (of a plant) emit sap. b (of dye) come out in water.
6 tr. a allow (fluid or gas) to escape from a closed sys-
tem through a valve, etc. b treat (such a system) in this
way. •n. an act of bleeding (cf. nosebleed), d one's
heart bleeds usu. iron, one is very sorrowful.
bleed*er /ble'edar/ n. colloq. a hemophiliac.
bleed«ing heart n. 1 colloq. a dangerously or foolishly
soft-hearted person. 2 any of various plants, esp.
Dicentra spectabilis having heart-shaped crimson flow-
ers hanging from an arched stem.
bleep /bleep/ n.&v.mn.A an intermittent high-pitched
sound made electronically. 2 a sound of this type used
in broadcasting as a substitute for a censored word or
phrase. %v. 1 intr. &
tr. make or cause to make such
a truth. 3 any obstruction to si^ht or light. •,;<//. blind
sound, esp. as a signal. 2 tr. substitute a bleep or bleeps
for a censored word or phrase.
. .
76 blenrvish /blemish/ n. & v. • n. 1 a small mark or flaw
that spoils the appearance of something. 2 moral de-
fect or fault; a flaw (not a blemish on his character) • v. tr.
.
spoil the beauty or perfection of (spots blemished her
complexion)
blench /blench/ v.intr. flinch; quail.
blend /blend/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. a mix together to pro-
duce a desired flavor, etc. b produce by this method
(blended whiskey) 2 intr. form a harmonious com-
.
pound; become one. 3 a tr. &intr. (often foil, by with)
mingle or be mingled (blends well with the locals) b tr. .
(often foil, by ins with) mix thoroughly. 4 intr. (esp. of
. colors): a pass imperceptibly into each other, b go well
sorts of a substance, b a combination (of different ab-
. stract or personal qualities). 2 a portmanteau word.
blend*er /blendsr/ n. 1 a mixing machine used in food
preparation for liquefying, chopping, or pureeing.
2 a a thing that blends, b a person who blends.
bless /bles/ v. tr. (past and past part, blessed, poet, blest
/blest/) 1 pronounce words, esp. in a religious rite, ask-
ing for divine favor. 2 a consecrate, b sanctify by the
sign of the cross. 3 call (God) holy; adore. 4 attribute
one's good fortune to (an auspicious time, one's fate,
etc.); thank (bless the day I met her). 5 (usu. in passive,
often foil, by with) make happy or successful (they were
truly blessed), a (God) bless you! 1 an exclamation of
endearment, gratitude, etc. 2 an exclamation made to
a person who has just sneezed.
.
bless Old English based on blod
bledsian, bletsian,
'blood' 'mark or consecrate
originally perhaps
whiten by expo-
(i.e.,
with blood'). The meaning was influenced by its be-
ing used to translate Latin benedicere 'to praise, wor-
ship,' and later by association with bliss.
bless«ed /blesid, blest/ adj. (also poet, blest) 1 a con-
secrated (Blessed Sacrament) b revered. 2 /blest/ (usu.
.
foil, by with) often iron, fortunate (in the possession
of) (blessed with children) 3 euphem. cursed; damned
.
(blessed nuisance!) Aa in paradise, b RCCh. a title giv-
en to a dead person as an acknowledgment of his or
her holy life. 5 bringing happiness; blissful (blessed ig-
norance), na bless*ed*ly adv.
bless*ed*ness /blesidnis/ n. 1 happiness. 2 the enjoy-
ment of divine favor.
bless»ing /blesing/ n. 1 the act of declaring, seeking, or
bestowing favor his mother gave him her blessing).
2 grace said before or after a meal. 3 a gift of God, na-
ture, etc.; a thing one is glad of.
& blew past of blow 1 .
blight /blit/ n. &v. • «. 1 any plant disease caused by
mildews, rusts, smuts, fungi, or insects. 2 any insect
or parasite causing such a disease. 3 any obscure force
that is harmful. 4 an unsightly or neglected urban ar-
ea. 9V.tr. 1 affect with blight. 2 harm; destroy.
blimp /blimp/ n. 1 a a small nonrigid airship, b a bar-
rage balloon. 2 derog. si. a fat person, dd blimp*ish adj.
blind /blind/ adj. ,v.,n.,& adv. • adj. 1 lacking the power
of sight. 2 a without foresight, discernment, intellec-
tual perception, or adequate information, b (often foil,
by to) unwilling or unable to appreciate (a factor, cir-
cumstance, etc.) (blind to argument). 3 not governed
by purpose or reason (blindforces). 4 reckless (blind hit
ting). 5 a concealed (blind driveway), b (of a door, win-
dow, etc.) walled up. C closed it one end. 6 Aeron. (of
flying) without direct observation, usm^ instrument!
only. mv. 1 tr. deprive of sight (blinded by tears). 2 tr.
(often foil, by to) rob of judgment; deceive (blinded
them to the danger). • >/. 1 a screen for a window !<'//<f
tian blind). 2 something designed or used to hide- tin-
•y (fly blind), a turn a (or one's) blind eye to pretend
not to notice, do blind-ly adv. blind-ness n.
 . .

blind aMey n. 1 a dead end. 2 a course of action lead- 77 blind alley - blood bath
ing nowhere.
blind date n. 1 a social engagement between two peo- bloc /blok/ n. a combination of governments, groups,
ple who have not previously met. 2 either of the cou- etc., sharing a common purpose.
ple on a blind date. block /blok/ n. v. &
•«. 1a large solid piece of
blind*er /blindar/ n. colloq. (in pi.) either of a pair of hard material, esp. rock, stone, or wood, usu. with
screens or flaps attached to a horse's bridle to prevent flat surfaces on each side (block of ice; block of marble).

it from seeing sideways. 2 a flat-topped base for chopping food, hammering

blindfold /blindfold/ v., «., adj., &
adv. mv.tr. deprive on, etc. 3 a group of buildings bounded by (usu. four)
(a person) of sight by covering the eyes, esp. with a
tied cloth, •n. a bandage or cloth used to blindfold.
• adj. & adv. (usu. blindfolded) 1 with the eyes cov-
ered. 2 without care or circumspection (went into it
blindfolded).
blind man's buff n. (or blind man's bluff) a game in
which a blindfolded player tries to catch others while
being pushed around by them.
blind«side /blindsid/ v.tr. 1 strike or attack unexpect-
edly from one's blind side. 2 spring a disagreeable sur-
prise upon.
blind spot n. 1 Anat. the point of entry of the optic
nerve on the retina, insensitive to light. 2 an area in
which a person lacks understanding or impartiality.
blind-Stitch n. &v. •«. sewing visible on one side on-
ly. • v.tr. & intr. sew with this stitch.
streets. 4 an obstruction. 5 a pulley or system of
pulleys mounted in a case. 6 (in pi.) any of a set of
solid cubes used as a child's toy. 7 Printing a piece
of wood or metal engraved for printing on paper or
fabric. 8 si. the head (knock his block off). 9 a the area
between streets in a town or suburb, b the length
of such an area (lives three blocks away) .10a large
quantity of things treated as a unit, esp. shares, seats
in a theater, etc. •v.tr. 1 a (often foil, by up, off) ob-
struct (a passage, etc.) (you are blocking my view), b
put obstacles in the way of (progress, etc.). 2 restrict
the use or conversion of (currency or any other
asset). 3 Sports stop or impede, o block in 1 sketch
roughly; plan. 2 park one's car in such a way as to
prevent another car from moving away, block out
1 a shut out (light, noise, etc.). b exclude from mem-

blink /blingk/ v. &

n. »v. 1 intr. shut and open the eyes ory, as being too painful. 2 sketch roughly; plan.
quickly. 2 intr. (often foil, by at) look with eyes open- dd blocker n.
ing and shutting. 3 tr. a (often foil, by back) prevent block*ade /blokayd/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the surrounding or

(tears) by blinking, b (often foil, by away, from) clear blocking of a place, esp. a port, by an enemy to pre-
(dust, etc.) from the eyes by blinking. 4 tr. (foil, by at) vent entry and exit of supplies, etc. 2 anything that pre-
& intr. ignore. 5 intr. a shine with an intermittent vents access or progress. • v. tr. 1 subject to a blockade.
light, b cast a momentary gleam. 6 tr. blink with 2 obstruct (a passage, etc.). d run a blockade enter or
(eyes). •«. 1 an act of blinking. 2 a momentary gleam leave a blockaded port by evading the blockading
or glimpse. on the blink 5/. out of order, esp. inter- force, dd block*ad*er n.
mittently. block*age /blokij/ n. 1 an obstruction. 2 a blocked
blink*er /blingkar/ n. & v. •«. 1 a device that blinks. state.
2 = blinder, •v.tr. 1 obscure with blinders. 2 (as blink- block and tack*le
n. a system of

ered adj.) having narrow views. pulleys and ropes,

esp. for lifting.
blip /blip/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a quick popping sound, as of block*bust*er /blokbustar/ n. si.

dripping water or an electronic device. 2 a small im- 1 something of great power or

age of an object on a radar screen. 3 a minor devia- size, esp. an epic or extremely pop-
tion or error, •v.intr. (blipped, blipping make a blip. ular movie or book. 2 a huge aer-
bliss /blis/ n. 1 a perfect joy or happiness, b enjoyment; ial bomb.
gladness. 2 a state of blessedness. bliss-f ul adj. bliss* block-head /blokhed/ n. a stupid
fuMy adv. bliss*ful*ness n. person, dd block«head*ed adj.
blis*ter /blistsr/ «.&w«n.1a small bubble on the skin blockhouse /blokhows/ n. 1 a re-
filled with serum and caused by burning, etc. 2 a sim- inforced concrete shelter used as
ilar swelling on any other surface, mv. 1 tr. raise a blis- an observation point, etc. 2 hist, a
ter on. 2 intr. come up in a blister or blisters. 3 tr. at- one-story timber building with
tack sharply (blistered them with his criticisms) loopholes, used as a fort. 3 a house
blis»ter pack n. packaging consisting of a transparent made of squared logs.
plastic attached to cardboard, used to hold and dis- blond /blond/ adj. n. • adj. 1 (of &
play a product in a store. Also called bubble pack. hair) light-colored; fair. 2 (of the
block and tackle
blithe /bllth/ adj. 1 poet, gay; joyous. 2 careless; casual complexion, esp. as an indication
(with blithe indifference), dd blithe-ly adv. blithe*ness n. of race) light-colored. «n. a person with fair hair and
blithesome /blithsam/ adj. skin, dd blond«ish adj. blond*ness n.
blith*er*ing /blitharing/ attrib. adj. colloq. 1 senselessly blonde /blond/ adj. &n.» adj. (of a woman or a woman's
talkative. 2 utter; hopeless (blithering idiot). hair) blond. •«. a blond-haired woman.
blitz /blits/ n. &
v. colloq. •«. 1 an intensive or sudden blood /blud/ n. & v. red and cir-
• n. 1 a liquid, usually
attack. 2 (the Blitz) the German air raids on London culating in the arteries and veins of vertebrates, that
in 1940 during World War II. 3 Football a charge of the carries oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues
passer by the defensive linebackers or backs, •v.tr. at- of the body. 2 a corresponding fluid in invertebrates.
tack, damage, or destroy by a blitz. 3 bloodshed, esp. killing. 4 passion; temperament.
blitz»krieg /blitskreeg/ n. an intense military campaign 5 race; parentage (of the same blood), •v.tr. initiate (a
intended to bring about a swift victory. person) by experience, d in one's blood inherent in
bliz*zard /blizard/ n. a severe snowstorm with high one's character, make a person's blood boil infuriate.
winds. new (or fresh) blood new members admitted to a
bloat /blot/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. inflate; swell (bloated with gas) group, esp. as an invigorating force.
2 tr. (as bloated adj.) a swollen, b puffed up with pride blood bank n. a place where supplies of blood or plas-
or wealth (bloated plutocrat) 3 tr. cure (a herring) by
. ma for transfusion are stored.
salting and smoking lightly. blood bath n. a massacre.
blob /blob/ n. 1 a small roundish mass; a drop of mat-
ter. 2 a drop of liquid. 3 a spot of color. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . 1 .

blood brother - blow 78 powdery surface deposit on plums, leaves, etc., indi-
cating freshness, c a cloudiness on a shiny surface. 4 an
blood brotlrer n. a brother by birth or by the ceremo- overgrowth of algae, plankton, etc. mv. 1 intr. be in
nialmingling of blood. flower. 2 intr. a come into, or remain in, full beauty,
blood count n. 1 the counting of the number of cor- b be in a healthy, vigorous state. 3 intr. become over-
puscles in a specific amount of blood. 2 the number grown with algae, plankton, etc. (esp. of a lake or
itself. stream). take the bloom off make stale.
blood»cur»dling /bliidkardling/ adj. horrifying. bloom 2 /bloom/ n. & v. • n. a mass of iron hammered
blood do»nor n. a person who gives blood for transfu- or squeezed into a thick bar. mv.tr. make into bloom.
sion. bloomsr /blobmar/ n. a plant or person that blooms
blood*ed /bludid/ adj. 1 (of horses, etc.) of good ped- (in a specified way) (early autumn bloomer;late bloomer)
igree. 2 (in comb.) having blood or a disposition of a bloo«mers /blobmarz/ n.pl. 1 women's loose almost
specified kind (cold-blooded; red-blooded). knee-length underpants. 2 colloq. any women's under-
blood feud n. a feud between families involving killing pants. 3 hist, women's loose trousers, gathered at the
or injury. knee or (orig.) the ankle.
blood group any one of the various types of human bloonving /blooming/ adj. flourishing; healthy.
n.

blood determining compatibility in transfusion. bloopsr /blobpar/ n. colloq. an embarrassing error.

blood*hound /bludhownd/ n. a large hound of a breed blossom /blosam/ n. v. • n. 1 a flower or a mass of &
used in tracking and having a very keen sense of smell. flowers, esp. of a fruit tree. 2 the state or time of flow-
bloodless /bludlis/ adj. 1 without blood. 2 unemo- ering (in blossom) 3 a promising stage (the blossom of .

tional. 3 pale. 4 without bloodshed (a bloodless coup). youth), • v.intr. 1 open into flower. 2 mature; thrive.
5 feeble, aa blood*less*ly adv. blood*less*ness n. dd blossonvy adj.
blood*let*ting /bliidleting/ n. 1 the surgical removal of blot /blot/ n. &v. *n. 2. stain of ink, etc. 2 a disgrace-
"\

some of a patient's blood. 2 bloodshed. ful act or quality. 3 any disfigurement or blemish. *v.
bloodline /bludlin/ n. a line of descent; pedigree; de- (blotted, blotting) 1 a tr. spot or stain, esp. with ink.
scent. b intr. (of a pen, etc.) make blots. 2 tr. a use blotting
blood»mobile /bludmobe'el/ n. a van, truck, or bus paper, etc., to absorb excess liquid, esp. ink, from, b (of
equipped and staffed to take blood from donors. blotting paper, etc.) soak up (esp. ink). 3 tr. disgrace
blood mon»ey n. 1 money paid to the next of kin of a (blotted his reputation). blot out 1 obliterate; obscure.
person who has been killed. 2 money paid to a hired 2 destroy.
murderer. 3 money paid for information about a mur- blotch /bloch/ n. &
v • n. 1 a discolored or inflamed .

der. patch on the skin. 2 an irregular patch of ink or color.

blood or«ange n. an orange with red or red-streaked • v.tr. cover with blotches, dd blotclvy adj. (blotchier,
pulp. blotchiest).
blood poi*son*ing n. a diseased state caused by the bloMer /blotar/ n. a sheet or sheets of blotting paper,
presence of microorganisms in the blood. usu. inserted into a frame.
blood pressure n. the pressure of the blood in the cir- bloMing pa*per n. unsized absorbent paper used for
culatory system, often measured for diagnosis. soaking up excess ink.
blood re»la«tion n. (also blood rel«a«tive) a relative by blouse /blows, blowz/ n. v. •«. 1 a woman's upper &
blood, not by marriage or adoption. garment, usu. buttoned and collared. 2 the upper part
bloodshed /bludshed/ n. 1 the spilling of blood. of a military uniform, •v.tr. make (a shirt, etc.) fall
2 slaughter. loosely like a blouse.
blood«shot /bludshot/ adj. (of an eyeball) inflamed; blous*on /blowson, blobzon/ n. a short blouse-shaped
tinged with blood. jacket.
blood sport n. sport involving the wounding or killing blow 1
/bio/ v. & n. mv. (past blew /bloo/; past part, blown
of animals, esp. hunting. /blon/) 1 a intr. (of the wind or impersonally) move
blood»stained /bludstaynd/ adj. 1 stained with blood. along; act as an air current (it was blowing hard) b intr. .

2 guilty of bloodshed. be driven by an air current (paper blew along) C tr. drive .

bloodstone /bliidston/ n. a type of green chalcedony with an air current (blew the door open) .2a tr. send out
spotted or streaked with red, often used as a gemstone. (esp. air) by breathing (blew cigarette smoke), b intr.
bloodstream /bludstreem/ n. blood in circulation. send a directed air current from the mouth. 3 tr. &
b!oodsuck»er /bludsukar/ n. 1 an animal or insect that intr. sound or be sounded by blowing (the whistle blew).
sucks blood, esp. a leech. 2 an extortioner, qd blood* 4 tr. a direct an air current at (blew the embers), b (foil,
suckling adj. by off, away, etc.) clear of by means of an air current.
blood sugsr the amount of glucose in the blood.
n. 5 tr. clear (the nose) of mucus by blowing. 6 intr. puff;
blood«thirst«y /bludtharstee/ adj. (bloodthirstler, pant. 7 si. a tr. depart suddenly from (blew the town yes-
bloodthirstiest) eager for bloodshed, no blood«thirst* terday), b intr. depart suddenly. 8 tr. shatter or send
My adv. blood*thirst*i*ness n. flying by an explosion (blew them to smithereens). 9 tr.
blood type n. see blood group. make or shape (glass or a bubble) by blowing air in.
blood vessel n. a vein or artery carrying blood. 1 tr. &intr. melt from overloading (the fuse has blown).
blood*y /bludee/ adj. &
v. »adj. (bloodier, bloodiest) 1 intr. (of a whale) eject air and water through a blow-
1 a of or like blood, b running or smeared with blood. hole. 12 tr. break into (a safe, etc.) with explosives.
2 a involving bloodshed (bloody battle), b sanguinary; 13 tr. si. a spend recklessly (blew $20 on a mcuf). b bun
cruel (bloody butcher). 3 esp. Brit, coarse si. expressing gle (an opportunity, etc.) (he's blmvn his chancts). C re-
annoyance or antipathy, or as an intensive (a bloody veal (a secret, etc.). 14
deposit eggl in •'/.
tr. (of flies)
shame) 4 red. • v. tr. (-ies, -ied) make bloody; stain with
.
1 an act of blowing (e.g., one's nose). 2 a «ust of .m ;i

blood. oq blood»My adv. bloodiness n. b exposure to fresh air. blow hot and cold colloq. v;u
1 1

Blood*y Mar«y n. a drink composed of vodka and toma- illate. blow in 1 break inward by an explosion 2 .n/
to juice. loq. arrive unexpectedly, blow a person's mind si. im-
bloom /bloom/
1
n. &
v. *n. 1 a a flower, esp. one cul- press or affect someone very strongly, blow off 1 est ;ipe
tivated for beauty, b the state of flowering (in bloom)
its or allow (steam, etc.) to escape forcibly. 2 \/. renege
2 a state of perfection or loveliness (in full bloom). on (an obligation) (/ decided to blmv oft tttufytng to I
3 a (of the complexion) a flush; a glow, b a delicate- could go to the party), blow out 1 a extinguish by blow-
 .

ing. b send outward by an explosion. 2 (of a tire) burst. 79 blow ~ blunderbuss

3 (of a fuse, etc.) melt, blow over fade away without
serious consequences, blow one's own horn praise blue-bird /bloobgrd/ n. any of various N. American
oneself, blow one's top (or stack) colloq. explode in songbirds of the thrush family, esp. of the genus Sialia,
rage, blow up 1 a shatter or destroy by an explosion. with distinctive blue plumage usu. on the back or head.
b erupt. 2 colloq. lose one's temper. 3 inflate (a tire, blue blood n. 1 noble birth. 2 a person of noble birth.
etc.). 4 colloq. enlarge (a photograph, etc.). 5 exagger- dd blue-blood-ed adj.
ate., dd blowy adj. (blowier, blowiest). blue book «. 1 a listing of socially prominent people.
blow 2 /bio/ n. 1a hard stroke with a hand or weapon. 2 a blank book used for college examinations. 3 a ref-
2 a sudden shock or misfortune, o come to blows end erence book listing the prices of used cars.
up fighting. blue-bot-tle /bloobot'l/ n. a large buzzing fly, Calliphora
blow 3 /bio/ v. &
n. archaic • v. intr. {past blew /bloo/; past vomitoria, with a metallic blue body. Also called blow-
part, blown /blon/) burst into or be in flower. • n. blos- fly.
soming; bloom (in full blow) blue Cheese n. cheese produced with veins of blue
blow-by-blow attrib.adj. (of a description, etc.) giving mold.
all the details in sequence. blue-chip adj. attrib. (of stock) of reliable investment,
blow-dry v.tr. arrange (the hair) while drying it with a though less secure than gilt-edged stock.
hand-held dryer, dd blow-dryer n. blue-COMar attrib.adj. of workers who wear work
blower /bloar/ n. 1 in senses of blow v. 2 a device for 1
clothes and perform manual labor.
creating a current of air. blue crab n. an edible bluish-green crab, Callinectes
blow-f ish /blofish/ n. any of several kinds of fish able sapidus, of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
to inflate their bodies when frightened, etc. blue-fish /bloofish/ n. a voracious marine fish,
blowfly /blofli/ n. (pi. -flies) a meat fly; a bluebottle. Pomatomus saltatrix, inhabiting tropical and temper-
blow-gun /blogun/ n. a tube used esp. by primitive peo- ate waters and popular as a game fish.
ples for propelling darts by blowing. blue-grass /blobgras/ n. 1 any of several bluish green
blow-hard /blohaard/ n. &
adj. colloq. •n. a boastful grasses, esp. Kentucky bluegrass, Poa pratensis. 2 a
person. madj. boastful; blustering. kind of unamplified country music characterized by
blow-hole /blohol/ n. 1 the nostril of a whale, on the virtuosic playing of banjos, guitars, etc.
top of its head. 2 a hole (esp. in ice) for breathing or blue-green al-ga = cyanobacterilm.
fishing through. 3 a vent for smoke, etc., in a tunnel, blue-gum /blobgum/ n. any tree of the genus Eucalyp-
etc. tus, esp. E. regnans, with blue-green aromatic leaves.
blown past part, of blow 1
. blue jay n. a crested jay, Cyanocitta cristata, common
blowout /blo-owt/ n. colloq. 1 a burst tire. 2 a melted to N. America, with a blue back and head.
fuse. 3 a large party. 4 Sports victory by a wide mar- blue jeans n.pl pants made of blue denim.
gin. blue mold n. a bluish fungus growing on food and other
blowpipe /blopip/ n. 1 = blowgun. 2 a tube used to in- organic matter.
tensify the heat of a flame by blowing
or other gas air blue-pen-cil v.tr. (-penciled, -penciling; also -pen-
through it. 3 a tube used in glass blowing. cilled, -pencilling) edit (amanuscript, etc.).
blow-torch /blotawrch/ n. a portable device with a very blue-print /blobprint/ n. 1 a print of the final stage of
hot flame used for burning off paint, soldering, etc. engineering, esp. plans in white on a blue background.
blow-up n. 1 colloq. an enlargement (of a photograph, 2 a detailed plan.
etc.). 2 an explosion. 3 an argument or outburst of an- blue rib-bon n. a high honor, esp. awarded for finishing
ger. first in a competition.
blowz-y /blowzee/ adj. (blowzier, blowziest) 1 coarse- blue roan adj. &
n. %adj. black mixed with white. •«.
looking; red-faced. 2 disheveled. a blue roan animal.
BLT abbr. (pi. BLT's or BLTs) a bacon, lettuce, and blues /blooz/ n.pl. 1 (prec. by the) a bout of depression.
tomato sandwich. 2 (prec. by the; often treated as sing.) predominantly
blub»ber /blubar/ n. &
v. •«. whale fat. »v. 1 intr. sob melancholic music of African-American folk origin,
loudly. 2 tr. sob out (words), dd blub-ber-er n. blub* often in a twelve-bar sequence, dd blues-y adj. (in
ber*y adj. sense 2).
bludg-eon /blujan/ n. & v. • n. a club with a heavy end. blue-stock-ing /blobstoking/ n. usu. derog. an intellec-
• v.tr. 1 beat with a bludgeon. 2 coerce. tual or literary woman.
blue /bloo/ adj., n., &
v. *adj. (bluer, bluest) 1 having blue whale n. a rorqual, Balaenoptera musculus, the larg-
a color like that of a clear sky. 2 sad; gloomy (feel blue). est known living mammal.
3 pornographic (a blue film). 4 with bluish skin bluff 1
/blufZ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. make a pretense of
through cold, anger, etc. • n. 1 a blue color or pigment. strength or confidence to gain an advantage. 2 tr. mis-
2 blue clothes or material (dressed in blue). 3 (usu. lead by bluffing. •«. an act of bluffing, a call a per-
Blue) a a soldier in the Union army in the US Civil son's bluff challenge a person thought to be bluffing.
War. b the Union army. 4 (prec. by the) the clear sky. bluff 2 /bluf/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 (of a cliff, or a ship's bows)
• (blues, blued, bluing or blueing) make blue.
v.tr. having a vertical or steep broad front. 2 (of a person
d once in a blue moon very rarely, out of the blue un- or manner) blunt; frank; hearty. • n. a steep cliff or
expectedly. headland, dd bluff-ly adv. (in sense 2 of adj.). bluff*
blue ba-by baby with a blue complexion from lack
n. a ness n. (in sense 2 of adj.).
of oxygen blood due to a congenital defect of
in the blu-ing /blobing/ n. (also blueing) blue powder used to
the heart or major vessels. whiten laundry.
blue-bell /blobbel/ n. 1 any of a number of plants with blun-der /blundar/ n. &
v. • n. a clumsy or foolish mis-
blue bell-shaped flowers, esp. a North American flower take, mv. 1 intr. make a blunder. 2 tr. deal incompe-
of the genus Mertensia. 2 a European liliaceous plant, tently with. 3 intr. move about clumsily, dd blun-der*
Hyacinthoides nonscripta, with clusters of bell-shaped er n. blund-er*ing-ly adv.
blue flowers on a stem arising from a rhizome. blun-der-buss /blundarbus/ n. hist, a short large-bored
blue-ber-ry /blooberee/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 any of several gun firing balls or slugs.
plants of the genus Vaccinium, with an edible fruit.
2 the small blue-black fruit of these plants. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
blunt - body 80 boat /bot/ n.&am.1a small vessel propelled on wa-
ter by an engine, oars, or sails. 2 (in general use) a ship
blunt /blunt/ adj. &
v. •adj. 1 (of a knife, pencil, etc.) of any size. 3 a boat-shaped jug used for holding sauce,
lacking a sharp edge or point. 2 (of a person or man- etc. • v.intr. travel in a boat, esp. for pleasure. in the
ner) direct; outspoken. • v. tr. make blunt or less sharp. same boat sharing the same adverse circumstances.
dd blunMy adv. (in sense 2 of adj.). blunt»ness n. boaMlOUSe /bot-hows/ n. a shed at the edge of a river,
blur /blar/ v. &
n. mv. (blurred, blurring) 1 tr. intr. & lake, etc., for housing boats.
make or become unclear or less distinct. 2 tr. smear; boat«ing /boting/ n. rowing or sailing in boats as a sport
partially efface, mn. something that appears or sounds or form of recreation.
indistinct or unclear, an blur*ry adj. (blur«ri»er, blur»ri« boat peo»ple n.pl. refugees who have left a country by
est). sea.
blurb /btarb/ n. a description of a book as promotion boat*swain /bos'n/ n. (also bo'sun, bo«sun, bo's'n) a
by its publishers. ship's officer in charge of equipment and the crew.
blurt /blart/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by out) utter abruptly, bob 1
/bob/ v. &
n. • v.intr. (bobbed, bobbing) 1 move

thoughtlessly, or tactlessly. quickly up and down. 2 (usu. foil, by back, up)

blush /blush/ v. &
n. •v.intr. 1 a develop a pink tinge a bounce buoyantly, b emerge suddenly; become ac-
in the face from embarrassment or shame, b (of the tive again. 3 curtsy. 4 (foil, by for) try to catch with the
face) redden in this way. 2 feel embarrassed or mouth alone (an apple, etc., floating or hanging). mn.
ashamed, •n. 1 the act of blushing. 2 a pink tinge. 1 a jerking or bouncing movement, esp. upward. 2 a
blush*er /blushar/ n. a cosmetic used to give a usu. red- curtsy.
dish or pinkish color to the face. bob 2 /bob/ n. & v. • n. 1a short hairstyle for women
blus*ter /blustar/ v. & n. • v.intr. 1 behave pompously and children. 2 a weight on a pendulum, plumb line,
and boisterously. 2 (of the wind, etc.) blow fiercely. or kite tail. 3 = bobsled. 4 a horse's docked tail. mv.
• n. 1 noisily self-assertive talk. 2 empty threats. (bobbed, bobbing) 1 tr. cut (a woman's or child's hair)
dd blus»ter»er n. blus*ter«y adj. so that it hangs clear of the shoulders. 2 intr. ride on
blvd. abbr. boulevard. a bobsled.
B movie n. a supportingmovie in a theater's program, bob»bin /bobin/ n. 1 a cylinder or cone holding thread,
esp. one considered to be of poor quality. etc. 2 a spool or reel.
bo«a/b63/n. 1 any large nonpoisonous snake from trop- bob'ble /bobs!/ n. &
vb. • n. 1 a small woolly or tufted
ical America, esp. of the genus Boa, which kills its prey ball as a decoration or trimming. 2 a fumble, esp. of a
by crushing it in its coils. 2 any snake that is similar in baseball or football. • vb. tr. to fumble or juggle (a ball).
appearance, such as Old World pythons. 3 a long bob»by pin /bobeepin/ n. a flat, closed hairpin.
scarflike fashion accessory, often made of feathers, bob»by socks n.pl. (also bob*by sox) short socks reach-
worn around the neck. ing just above the ankle.
boar /bawr/ n. 1 the tusked wild pig, Sus scrofa, from bob»cat /bobkat/ n. a small N. American lynx, Lynx
which domestic pigs are descended. 2 an uncastrated rufus, with a spotted reddish brown coat and a short
male pig. 3 its flesh. 4 a male guinea pig, etc. tail.
board /bawrd/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a flat thin piece of sawn bob«sled /bobsled/ (also Brit, bobsleigh /bobslay/) n.
lumber, usu. long and narrow, b a piece of material re- a mechanically steered and braked sled used for rac-
sembling this, made from compressed fibers. C a thin ing down a steep ice-covered run. an bob*sled*ding n.
slab of wood or a similar substance, often with a cov- bob'White /bobhwit, bobwit/ n. an American quail of
ering, used for any of various purposes (chessboard; the genus Colinus.
ironing board), d thick stiff cardboard used in book- bock /bok/ n. a strong dark German beer.
binding. 2 the provision of regular meals for payment. bo*da*cious /bodayshas/ adj. si. 1 remarkable; excel-
3 the directors of a company; any other specially con- lent. 2 bold; audacious.
stituted administrative body. 4 (in pi.) the stage of a bode /bod/ v.tr. 1 portend, promise. 2 foresee; foretell
theater (cf. tread the boards). mv. 1 tr. a go on board (a (evil), d bode well (or ill) show good (or bad) signs for
ship, etc.). b force one's way on board (a ship, etc.) in the future.
attack. 2 a intr. receive meals or meals and lodging, for bo*de«ga /bodayga/ n. 1a grocery store in a Spanish-
payment, b tr. provide (a lodger, etc.) with regular speaking neighborhood. 2 a wineshop.
meals. 3 tr. (usu. foil, by up) cover with boards; seal. bo«dh»isatt»va /bodisutva/ n. in Mahayana Buddhism,
d go by the board be neglected, omitted, or discarded. one who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so
on board on or on to a ship, aircraft, oil rig, etc. in order to help suffering beings.
board*er /bawrdar/ n.la person who boards (see board bod»ice /bodis/ n. 1 the part of a woman's dress above
v. 2a), esp. a pupil at a boarding school. 2 a person the waist. 2 a woman's vest, esp. a laced vest worn as
who boards a ship, esp. an enemy. an outer garment.
board«ing*house /bawrdinghows/ n. an establishment bod*i*ly /bod'lee/ adj. &
adv. madj. of or concerning the
providing board and lodging. body. madv. 1 as a whole (threw them bodily). 2 as a per-
boarding school /bawrding skool/ n. a school where son.
pupils reside during the school term. bod«kin /bodkin/ n. 1 a blunt thick needle with a lar^c
board*room /bawrdrOOm, -room/ n. a room in which a eye. 2 a long pin for fastening hair. 3 a small pointed
board of directors, etc., meets regularly. instrument.
boardwalk /bawrdwawk/ «. 1 a wooden walkway bod»y bodec &
v. mn. (pi. -ies) 1 the physical ItTIK
;/.

across sand, marsh, etc. 2 a promenade, esp. of wood-
en planks, along a beach.
boast /bost/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. declare one's achieve-
ments, possessions, or abilities with indulgent pride
ture, including the bones, flesh, and organs, of a per-
son or an animal. 2 the trunk apart from the head and
the limbs. 3 a the main or central pari of I thing (bodv
<>l the car), b the majority (body of opinion). 4 a a ^roup

and satisfaction. 2 tr. own or have as something praise- of persons regarded collectively (governing body)
worthy, etc. (boasts magnificent views), mn. 1 an act of b ''usu. foil, hv of) a collection (bodv of fat H I.Sl qutfl
boasting. 2 something one is proud of. do boast*er n. tity (body of water). 6 a piece of "matter (hcavcnl\ I

boast»ing«ly adv. 7 colloq. a person. 8 a substantial quality oi llavor, tone,

boasMul /bOstfool/ adj. given to or characterized by etc. mv.tr. (-ies, -ied) (usu. foil, by forth) give body <>r
boasting, an boasMuMy adv. boast«ful»ness n. substance to. DO -bodied adj. (in comb.) (ablc-bodi, ,1
bod«ybuild»ing /bodeebilding/ n. the practice of 81 bodybuilding ~ bombard
strengthening the body, esp. enlarging the muscles, by
exercise. bo«le«ro /bolairo, ba-/ n. (pi. -ros) 1 a Spanish dance or
bod»y guard /bodeegaard/ person or group of per-
n. a music in simple triple time. 2 a woman's short open
sons escorting and protecting another person. jacket.
bod»y language the process of communicating
n. boll /bol/ n. a rounded capsule containing seeds, esp.
through conscious or unconscious gestures and poses. flax or cotton.
bod»y pol»i»tic n. the nation or government as a cor- boMard /bolard/ n. a short post on a wharf or ship for
porate body. securing a rope.
bod»y Shop n. a workshop where repairs to the bodies boll wee»vil n. a small American or Mexican weevil,
of vehicles are carried out. Anthonomus grandis, whose larvae destroy cotton bolls.
bod»y stocking n. a woman's undergarment that cov- bo*lo«gna /balOnee, -nys/ n. a large smoked sausage
ers the torso and legs. made of beef, veal, pork, and other meats, and sold
bod«y»Suit /bodeesoot/ n. a close-fitting one-piece ready for eating.
stretchgarment for women. bo»lom»e*ter /bolomitsr/ n. a sensitive electrical in-
bod*y*work /bodeewsrk/ n. the outer shell of a vehicle. strument for measuring radiant energy, cc bo*lo«met«
Boer /bor, bawr/ n. a South African of Dutch descent. ric /b6bmetrik/ adj.
bog /bog, bawg/ n. &
v. *n. 1 wet spongy ground. 2 a bo»lo«ney var. of baloxey.
stretch of such ground, • v. tr. (bogged, bogging) (foil, Bol»she«vik/b6lsh3vik,b61-/w. 1 hist, a member of the
by down; usu. in passive) impede (bogged down by diffi- radical faction of the Russian Social Democratic par-
culties), dd bog*gy adj. (boggier, boggiest). bog*gi* ty, which became the Communist parry in 1918. 2 a
ness n. Russian communist. 3 (in general use) any revolution-
bo-gey /bOgee/ n. (pi. -geys) Golf a score of one stroke
1
ary socialist, dd Bol*she*vism n. Bol«she«vist n.
more than par for any hole. bolster /bolstar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a long thick pillow. 2 a

bo«gey 2 /bogee/ n. (also bo»gy) (pi. -geys or -gies) 1 an pad or support, esp. in a machine, •v.tr. (usu. foil, by
evil spirit. 2 an awkward thing or circumstance. up) 1 reinforce (bolstered our morale) 2 prop up. .

bo*gey*man /bobgeeman, bogee-, bobgee-/ n. (also bo« bolt /bolt' n., v., 1
&
adv. •«. 1 a sliding bar and sock-
gyman, boog»eyman, boog»ie»man) (pi. -men) a per- et used to fasten a door, etc. 2 a large usu. metal pin
son (real or imaginary) causing fear or difficulty. with a head, used to hold things together. 3 a discharge
bog*gle /bogal/ v.intr. colloq. 1 be baffled (esp. the mind of lightning. 4 a sudden escape for freedom. 5 an ar-
boggles). 2 (usu. foil, by about, at) hesitate. row for shooting from a crossbow. 6 a roll of fabric
bogus /bogas/ adj. sham; spurious, dd bo*gus*ly adv. (orig. as a measure). • v. 1 tr. fasten or lock with a bolt.
bo-gus-ness n. 2 tr. (foil, by in, out) keep from leaving or entering by
bo«gyman var. of bogeyman. bolting a door. 3 tr. fasten together with bolts. 4 intr.
Bo»he«mi»an /bohe'emeean/ n. &
adj. %n. 1 a native of dash suddenly away. 5 tr. gulp down (food) un chewed.
Bohemia, a former kingdom in central Europe cor- 6 intr. (of a plant) go to seed. madv. (usu. in bolt up-
responding to part of the modern Czech Republic;
Czech. 2 (also bohemian) a socially unconventional
person, madj. 1 of or characteristic of Bohemia or its

people. 2 socially unconventional.

boil /boyl/ v.&n.mv.A intr. a (of a liquid) start to bub-
bleup and turn into vapor; reach a temperature at
which this happens, b (of a vessel) contain boiling liq-
uid (the kettle is boiling). 2 a tr. bring (a liquid or ves-
sel) to a temperature at which it boils, b tr. cook (food)
by boiling. C intr. (of food) be cooked by boiling, d tr.
subject to the heat of boiling water, e.g., to clean. 3 intr.
a (of the sea, etc.) undulate or seethe like boiling wa-
ter, b (of a person or feelings) be agitated by anger.
• n. the act or process of boiling; boiling point (at a
boil), d boil down 1 reduce volume by boiling. 2 re-
TOGGLE BOLT
© CARRIAGE BOLT
duce to essentials. 3 (foil, by to) is basically, boil over
1 spill over in boiling. 2 lose one's temper.

boil 2 /boyl/ n. an inflamed pus-filled swelling caused by

infection of a hair follicle, etc.
boil-er /boylar/ n. 1 a fuel-burning apparatus for heat- HEX-HEAD BOLT
ing a hot water supply. 2 a tank for heating water to bolt, 2
steam under pressure.
boil»ing /boyling/ adj. (also boiMng hot) colloq. very hot. right) rigidly; stiffly, d a bolt from the blue a complete
boil»ing point /boyling poynt/ n. the temperature at surprise, dd bolt*er n. (in sense 4 oftn.).
which a liquid starts to boil. bolt 2 /bolt/ v.tr. sift (flour, etc.).
bois*ter«ous /boystaras/ adj. 1 (of a person) rough; bomb /bom/ n.&D.i«.1aa container with explosive
noisily exuberant. 2 (of the weather, etc.) stormy. gas, etc., designed to explode on impact or by means
dd bois*ter*ous*ly adv. bois*ter*ous*ness n. of a mechanism, lit fuse, etc. b an ordinary object fit-
bok choy /bok choy/ n. a Chinese vegetable resembling ted with an explosive device (letter bomb). 2 (prec. by
cabbage. the) the atomic or hydrogen bomb. 3 colloq. a failure
bo«la /bob/ n. (also bo«las) (esp. in S. America) a weap- (esp. a theatrical one). »v. 1 tr. drop bombs on. 2 intr.
on consisting of a number of balls connected by strong throw bombs. 4 intr. si. fail badly. 5 intr. colloq. go very
cord, thrown to entangle the limbs of the quarry. quickly.
bold /bold/ adj. 1 confidently assertive; adventurous. bonvbard /bomba'ard/ tr. 1 attack with heavy guns or
v.
2 impudent. 3 vivid; distinct (bold colors) A
Printing (in bombs. 2 (often foil, by with) subject to persistent
full boldface or -faced) printed in a thick black type-
face, dd bold*ly adv. bold*ness n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
bombardier ~ book 82 bone*meal /bonmeel/ n. crushed or ground bones used
esp. as a fertilizer.
questioning, etc. 3 Physics direct a stream of high- bone of cooteotion n. a source or ground of dispute.
speed particles at (a substance), no bom*bard*ment n. bon»er /bonar/ n. si. 1 a stupid mistake. 2 coarse si. an
bom»bar«dier /bombardeer/ n. a member of a bomber erection of the penis.
crew responsible for sighting and releasing bombs. boofire /bonfir/ n. a large open-air fire.
borobast /bombast/ n. pompous or extravagant lan- bong /bong, bawng/ n. a water pipe for smoking mari-
guage, an bom*bas*tic /-bastik/ adj. bom*bas*ti*cal*ly juana or the like.
adv. boogo /bonggo/ n. (pi. -gos or -goes) either of a pair
bombe /boNb/ n. Cooking a dome-shaped dish or con- of small connected drums usu. held between the knees
fection, freq. frozen. and played with the fingers.
bomb»er /bomar/ n. 1 an aircraft equipped to carry and bon»ho»mie /bonomee/ n. good-natured friendliness.
drop bombs. 2 a person using bombs, esp. illegally. dd bon*ho*mous adj.
bomb»er jack»et n. a short esp. leather jacket tightly bo»ni»tO /baneeto/ n. (pi. -tos) any of several fish simi-
gathered at the waist and cuffs. lar to the tuna and striped like mackerel.
bomb*shell /bomshel/ n. 1 an overwhelming surprise bonk /bongk/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. hit sharply. 2 intr. bang;

or disappointment. 2 an artillery bomb. 3 si a very at- bump. »n. an instance of bonking (a bonk on the head).
tractive woman (blonde bombshell). bookers /bongkarz/ adj. si. crazy.
bona fide /b6na fid, fidee, bona/ adj. & adv. • adj. gen- bon mot /bawN mo/ n. (pi. bons mots pronunc. same
uine; sincere. *adv. genuinely; sincerely. or /-moz/) a witty saying.
bona fides /bonaa feedes, fideez, bona, (esp. for 2) boonet /bonit/ n. 1 a a woman's or child's hat tied un-
bona fidz/ n. 1 esp. Law an honest intention; sinceri- der the chin and usu. with a brim framing the face, b a
ty. 2 (as pi.) colloq. documentary evidence of accepta- soft round brimless hat like a beret worn by men and
bility. boys in Scotland. C colloq. any hat. 2 Brit, a hinged
bonaoza /bananza/ n. 1a source of wealth or pros- cover over the engine of a motor vehicle; a hood. 3 the
perity.2 a large output (esp. of a mine) 3 a prosperi- . ceremonial feathered headdress of a Native American.
ty; good luck, b a run of good luck. boosai /bonsi, -zi/ n. (pi. same) 1 the art of cultivat-
boobon /bonbon/ n. a piece of candy, esp. with a choc- ing ornamental artificially dwarfed varieties of trees
olate or fondant coating. and shrubs. 2 a tree or shrub grown by this method.
bond /bond/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a a thing that ties another bo*nus /bonas/ n. 1 an unsought or unexpected extra
down or together, b (usu. in pi.) a thing restraining benefit. 2 a gratuity to employees beyond their nor-
bodily freedom (broke his bonds) 2 (often in pi. ) a a
. mal pay.
uniting force (sisterly bond) b a restraint; a responsi-
. bon vi»vant /bawN veeva'aN/ n. (pi. bon vivants or bons
bility (bonds of duty) 3 a binding engagement (his word
. vivants pronunc. same) a person indulging in good liv-
is his bond). 4 Commerce a debenture. 5 adhesiveness. ing.
6 Law a deed by which a person is bound to make pay- bon vo-yage /bawN vwaaya'azh/ int. an expression of
ment to another. • v. 1 tr. a lay (bricks) overlapping. good wishes to a departing traveler.
b bind together (resin with fibers, etc.). 2 intr. adhere; booy /b6nee/ adj. (bonier, boniest) 1 (of a person) thin
hold together. 3 tr. connect with a bond. 4 tr. place with prominent bones. 2 having many bones. 3 of or
(goods) in bond. 5 a intr. become emotionally at- like bone. 4 (of a fish) having bones rather than carti-
tached, b tr. link by an emotional or psychological lage, dd bon*i*ness n.
bond, a in bond (of goods) stored until the importer boo /boo/ int., n., &
v. •int. 1 an expression of disap-

pays the duty owing. proval. 2 a sound intended to surprise. •«. an utter-
bond*age /bondij/ n. 1 slavery. 2 subjection to con- ance of boo, esp. as an expression of disapproval to a
straint, obligation, etc. 3 sadomasochistic practices, performer, etc. *v. (boos, booed) 1 intr. utter a boo
including the use of physical restraints or mental en- or boos. 2 tr. jeer at (a performer, etc.) by booing.
slavement. boob /boob/ n. a simpleton.
1

bond*ed /bondid/ adj. (of goods) placed in bond. boob 2 /boob/ n. si. a woman's breast.
bond pa*per n. high-quality writing paper. boo*boo /booboo/ n. si. 1 a mistake. 2 (esp. by or to a
bonds*man /bondzman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a slave. 2 a per- child) a minor injury.
son in thrall to another. boob tube n. si. (usu. prec. by the) television; one's tel-
bone /bon/ n. &
v. • n. 1 any of the pieces of hard tis- evision set.
sue making up the skeleton in vertebrates. 2 (in pi.) boo*by /boobee/ n. (pi. -bies) 1 a stupid person. 2 a
a the skeleton, esp. as remains after death, b the body, small gannet of the genus Sula.
esp. as a seat of intuitive feeling (felt it in my bones). bOO*by prize ;/. a prize given to the least successful
3 a the material of which bones consist, b a similar competitor in a contest.
substance such as ivory. 4 a thing made of bone. 5 boo»by trap n. &v. •«. 1 a trap intended as a practical
(in pi.) the essential part of a thing (the bare bones). on top of a door. 2 Mil. an
joke; e.g., an object placed
6 (in pi.) a dice, b flat bone or wood clappers held be- apparently harmless device intended to kill or injure
tween the fingers and used as a simple rhythm in- anyone touching it. •v.tr. (booby-trap) (-trapped,
strument. 7 a strip of stiffening in a corset, etc. •v.tr. -trapping) place a booby trap or traps m or on.
1 take out the bones from (meat or fish). 2 stiffen (a boog*ey*man var. of BOGEYMAN.
garment) with bone, etc. u bone up (often foil, by on) boog*ie fodbgee/ v. &
n. •v.intr. (boogies, boogied,
colloq. study (a subject; intensively, have a bone to boogying) sL 1 dance to rock music. 2 leave, esp
pick (usu. foil, by with) have a cause for dispute (with quickly, •n. 1 = BOOGIB-WOOGE. 2 si. a dmCC i<> EOCk
another person), make no bones about 1 admit or al- music.
low without fuss. 2 not hesitate or scruple, DD bone* boog*ie*man var. of bogeyman.
less adj. boog*ie-woog*ie fodbgeewdbgee, bdbgeew)
bone chi«na n. fine china made of clay mixed with the styleof playing blues or jazz on the piano, marked by
ash from bones. a persistent bass rhythm.
bone-dry adj. quite dry. book /bctf)k/ ;/. (if v. •//. 1 a a written 01 printed work
bonohead /b6nhed/ n. si. a stupid person, oa bone* consisting of pagei fixed together along <>nr lidc and
head*ed adj. bound in covers, b a literary composition intend
 publication (if working on her book). 2 a bound set of 83 bookbinder - booze
blank sheets for writing on. 3 a set of tickets, stamps,
matches, checks, etc., bound up together. 4 (in pi.) a ian Aboriginals to kill prey, and often able to return to
set of records or accounts. 5 a main division of a liter- the thrower. • v. intr. 1 act as a boomerang. 2 (of a plan
ary work, or of the Bible. 6 a libretto, script of a play, or action) backfire.
etc. 7 colloq. a magazine. 8 a telephone directory. 9 a boom town n. a town undergoing sudden growth due
record of bets made and money paid out at a racetrack to a boom.
by a bookmaker. mv. 1 tr. a engage (a seat, etc.) in ad- boon /boon/ n. an advantage; a blessing.
1

vance; make a reservation for. b engage (a guest, etc.) boon 2 /boon/ adj. intimate; favorite (usu. boon compan-
for some occasion. 2 tr. a take the personal details of ion) .

(esp. a criminal offender) b enter in a book or list. 3 tr.

. boon*docks /bobndoks/ n.pl. si. rough, remote, or iso-
issue an airline, etc., ticket to. 4 intr. make a reserva- lated country.
tion {no need to book) d go by the book proceed accord- boon*dog*gle /bobndogal, -daw-/ n. 1 work or activity
.

ing to the rules, in my book in my opinion, make book that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance
take bets and pay out winnings on a race, game, etc. of having value. 2 a public project of questionable mer-
one for the books an event worthy of being recorded. it that typically involves political patronage and graft.

on the books contained in a list of members, etc. throw boon*ies /booneez/ n.pl. (prec. by the) si. = boondocks
the book at colloq. charge or punish to the utmost.
book*bind«er /bobkbindar/ n. a person who binds boor /boor/ n. a rude clumsy person, dc boor«ish adj.
books professionally, dd book*bind*ing n. boor»ish«ly adv. boor«ish»ness n.
book*case /bobk-kays/ n. a set of shelves for books in boost /boost/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 a promote (a person,
the form of a cabinet. scheme, commodity, etc.) by praise or advertising; in-
booked adj. (also booked up) with all places reserved. crease or assist (boosted his spirits; boost sales), b push
book*end /bobkend/ n. a usu. ornamental prop used to from below (boosted me up into the tree) 2 a raise the .

keep a row of books upright. voltage of (an electric circuit, etc.). b amplify (a radio
book*ie /bobkee/ n. colloq. = bookmaker. signal). »n. an act, process, or result of boosting; a
booking /booking/ n. the act or an instance of book- push.
ing or reserving a seat, a room in a hotel, etc.; a reser- boost»er /boostar/ n. 1 a device for increasing electrical
vation (see book v. 1). power or voltage. 2 an auxiliary engine or rocket used
book»ish /bobkish/ adj. 1 studious; fond of reading. to give initial acceleration. 3 Aled. a dose of an immu-
2 acquiring knowledge from books. 3 (of language, nizing agent renewing the effect of an earlier one.
etc.) literary, dd book*ish*ly adv. book*ish*ness n. booster ca*bles n.pl. - jumper cables.
book»keep»er /bobk-keepar/ n. a person who keeps boot /boot/ n. &
v. • n. 1 an outer covering for the foot,
'

accounts for a business, etc. dd book*keep*ing n. reaching above the ankle. 2 colloq. a firm kick. 3 (prec.
book learning n. theory, as opposed to practical by the) colloq. dismissal (gave them the boot). A Mil. a
knowledge. navy or marine recruit, mv.tr. 1 kick, esp. hard. 2 (of-
booklet /bobklit/ n. a small book, usu. paperback. ten foil, by out) dismiss (a person) forcefully. 3 (usu.
book*mak*er /bobkmayksr/ n. a person who takes bets, foil, by up) put (a computer) in a state of readiness (cf.

calculates odds, and pays out winnings, dd book*mak* bootstrap 2). dd booted adj.
ing n. boot 2 /boot/ n. to boot as well; to the good.
book*mark /bobkmaark/ n. a strip of card, etc., used to boot camp n. Mil. a camp for training navy or marine
mark one's place in a book. recruits.
book»plate /bobkplayt/ n. a decorative label stuck in bootee /bobtee/ n. (also booHe) 1 a soft shoe worn by
the front of a book bearing the owner's name. a baby. 2 a woman's short boot.
book»sell»er /bobkselar/ n. a dealer in books. booth /booth/ n. (pi. booths /boothz, booths/) 1 a small
book'Shop /bobkshop/ n. esp. Brit. = bookstore. temporary roofed structure used esp. for the sale or
book-store /bobkstawr/ n. a store where books are sold. display of goods at a market, fair, etc. 2 a compart-
book val«ue n. the value of a commodity as entered in ment for various purposes, e.g., telephoning or voting.
a book of accounts (opp. market value). 3 a set of a table and benches in a restaurant or bar.
book«worm /bobkwarm/ n. 1 colloq. a person devoted boot*jack /bootjak/ n. a device for holding a boot by
to reading. 2 the larva of a moth or beetle that feeds the heel to ease withdrawal of the leg.
on the paper and glue used in books. booMace /bootlays/ n. a cord or leather thong for lac-
Bool*e*an /booleean/ adj. denoting a system of algebra- ing boots.
ic notation to represent logical propositions. boot-leg /bobtleg/ adj., v., n. »adj. (esp. of liquor) &
Bool*e«an log*ic n. the use of the logical operators smuggled; illicitly sold. »v.tr. (-legged, -legging)
'and,' 'or,' and 'not' in retrieving information from a make, distribute, or smuggle (illicit goods, esp. alcohol,
computer database. computer software, etc.). •«. 1 illicitly made or sold
boom /boom/ n.&v.
1
• n. a deep resonant sound. • v. tr. liquor. 2 an illicitly made recording, dd boot*leg*ger
make or speak with a boom. n.
boom 2 /boom/ n. & v. • n. a period of bootless /booths/ adj. unavailing; useless.
prosperity or sudden activity in com- boot»lick»er /bootlikar/ n. colloq. a person who behaves
merce. • v.intr. be suddenly prosper- obsequiously.
ous or successful. bootstrap /bootstrap/ n. 1 a loop at the back of a boot
boom 3 /boom/ n. 1 Nam. a pivoted used to pull it on. 2 Computing a technique of loading
spar to which the foot of a sail is at- a program through a few initial instructions that ena-
tached, allowing the angle of the sail ble the introduction of the rest of the program from
to be changed. 2 a long pole over a an input device.
movie or television stage set, carrying boo»ty /bootee/ n. 1 plunder gained esp. in war or by
microphones, cameras, etc. piracy. 2 colloq. something gained or won.
boom box n. si. a portable radio, of- booze /booz/ n. &
v. colloq. • n. 1 alcohol, esp. hard liq-
ten with a cassette and/or CD player. uor. 2 the drinking of this (nights lost to booze), •v.intr.
boo«mer-ang /bobmarang/ n. & v. • n.
a curved flat missile used by Austral- boomerang See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . . .

bop ~ bottle 84 n. any of many sub-

bo*ro*sil*i*cate /bawrosilikit, -kayt/
stances containing boron, silicon, and oxygen gener-
drink alcohol, esp. excessively or habitually, dd booz* ally used in glazes and enamels and in the production
er n. of glass.
bop 1
/bop/ n. = BEBOP. borough /baro, buro/ n. 1 an incorporated municipal-
bop 2 /bop/ v. & n. colloq. mv.tr. (bopped, bopping) hit; ity in certain states. 2 each of five political divisions of
punch blow or hit.
lightly. • n. a light New York City. 3 (in Alaska) a county equivalent.
bor-age any plant of the genus Borago,
/bawrij, bor-/ n. bor»row /boro, bawro/ v. 1 a tr. acquire temporarily
esp. Borago officinalis, native to Europe, with bright with the promise or intention of returning, b intr. ob-
blue flowers and leaves used as flavoring. tain money in this way. 2 tr. use (an idea, etc.) origi-
bo*rate /bawrayt/ n. a salt or ester of boric acid. nated by another, dd borrower n. borrowing n.
bo*rax /bawraks/ n. 1 the mineral salt sodium borate. borrowed time n. an unexpected extension, esp. of life
2 the purified form of this, used in making glass and (living on borrowed time)
china, and as an antiseptic, dd bo*rac«ic /barasik/ adj. borscht /bawrsht/ borsch /bawrsh, bawrshch/)
n. (also
bor«del«lo /bawrdelo/ n. (pi. -los) a brothel. a highly seasoned Russian or Polish soup of esp. beets
bor»der /bawrdar/ n. v. •n. &
the edge or boundary "\
and cabbage and served with sour cream.
of anything, or the part near it. 2 a the line separating bor*zoi /bawrzoy/ n. a large Russian wolfhound of a
two political or geographical areas, esp. countries. breed with a narrow head and silky, usu. white, coat.
b the district on each side of this. 3 a distinct edging bos«cage /boskij/ n. (also bos*kage) 1 a mass of trees
around anything, esp. for strength or decoration. 4 a or shrubs. 2 a wood or thicket.
long narrow bed of flowers or shrubs. • v. 1 tr. be a bo's'n var. of boatswain.
border to. 2 tr. provide with a border. 3 intr. (usu. foil, bos»om /bobzam/ n. 1 a a person's breast or chest, esp.

by on, upon) a adjoin; come close to being, b approx- a woman's, b colloq. each of a woman's breasts. C the
imate; resemble. enclosure formed by a person's breast and arms. 2 an
bord*er*land /bawrdarland/ n. 1 the district near a bor- emotional center.
der. 2 an intermediate condition between two boss /baws, bos/ n. &v. »n. 1 a person in charge. 2 a
1

extremes. 3 an area for debate.
bord»er»line /bawrdarlin/ n. &adj. •«. 1 the line divid-
ing two (often extreme) conditions. 2 a line marking
a boundary, •adj. 1 on the borderline. 2 verging on an
extreme condition; only just acceptable.
person who controls or dominates a political organiza-
tion. • v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by around) give constant
peremptory orders to. 2 be the master or manager of.
dd boss*y adj. (bossier, bossiest) colloq. boss»My adv.
boss*i*ness //.

bore 1 /bawr/ v. &

n. mv. 1 tr. make a hole in, esp. with boss 2 /baws, bos/ n. 1 a round knob or other protuber-
a revolving tool. 2 tr. hollow out (a tube, etc.). 3 tr. ance, esp. in ornamental work. 2 Archit. a piece of or-
make (a hole) by boring or excavation. 4 intr. drill a namental carving, etc., covering the point where the
well, mine, etc. • n. 1 the hollow of a firearm barrel or ribs in a vault or ceiling cross.
of a cylinder in an internal combustion engine. 2 the bos»sa no*va /bosa nova, bawsa/ n. 1 a dance like the
caliber of this. 3 ; eq borehole. samba, originating in Brazil. 2 a piece of music for this
bore 2 /bawr/ n. &
v. • n. a tiresome or dull person or or in its rhythm.
thing. • v. tr. weary by tedious talk or dullness, dd bore* bo»sun (also bo'sun) var. of boatswain.
dom n. bot«a«ny /bot'nee/ n. 1 the study of plants. 2 the plant
bore 3 past of bear 1
. life of a particular area or time, dd bo»tan«ic /batanik/
bo»re»al /bawreeal/ adj. of the north or northern adj. bo*tan*i*cal adj. bo»tan«i«caMy adv. bot*a*nist
regions. /bot'nist/ n.
borehole /bawrhol/ n. a deep narrow hole, esp. one botch /boch/ v. & n. mv.tr. 1 bungle. 2 repair clumsily.
made in the earth to find water, oil, etc. • n. bungled or spoiled work (made a botch of it).

bor«er /bawrar/ n. 1 any of several worms, mollusks, dd botch»er n.

insects, or insect larvae that bore into wood, other bot«f ly /botfli/ n. (pi. -flies) any dipterous fly of the ge-
plant material, or rock. 2 a tool for boring. nus Oestrus, with a stout hairy body.
bo*ric /bawrik/ adj. of or containing boron. both /both/ adj., pron., & adv. madj. & pron. the two;
bo»ric aoid n. an acid derived from borax, used as a not only one (both boys; the boys are both here)
mild antiseptic and in the manufacture of heat-resist- Widely used with of, esp. when followed by a pro-
ant glass and enamels. noun of us) or a noun implying separate
(e.g., both
boring /ba wring/ adj. that makes one bored; dull. rather than collective consideration, e.g., both of the
dd bor*ing*ly adv. bor*ing*ness n. boys suggests each boy rather than the two together.
bom /bawrn/ adj. 1 existing as a result of birth. 2 a be- • adv. with equal truth in two cases (both the boy «///</
ing such or likely to become such by natural ability or his sister are here)
quality (a born leader), b (usu. foil, by to + infin.) hav- Avoid using both when you mean each: Q.Would you
ing a specified destiny (born to lose). 3 (in comb.) of a A: May I have a UttU
like vanilla or chocolate? MR h? <>/

certain status by birth (French-born) d in all one's born . (not "of both"); Each child (not "Both children")
days colloq. in one's life so far. not born yesterday col- claimed the toy.
loq. not stupid; shrewd. both»er /bothor/ v.,n. &
int. »v. 1 tr. a worry; disturb.
y

Born refers to birth (e.g., born in Detroit in 1947). b refl. be concerned. 2 intr. a (often foil, by to + mini |

Borne, meaning 'carried,' is used in the expression worry or trouble oneself (don't bothtf <;/>(»/// thai).
borne by followed by the name of the mother (e.g., the b (foil, by zuith) be concerned.*;/. 1 a apersonoi thing
baby borne by Sarah), as well as in other senses (e.g., that causes worry, b a minor nuisance. 2 trouble; hiss.
a litter borne by slaves) mint, expressing annoyance or impatience. cannot be 1 1

born-a«gain attrib. adj. converted (esp. to fundamental- bothered will not make the effort needed.
ist Christianity). both»er»some /bothnrsom/ adj. troublesome
borne /bawrn/ past pari, of BEAR 1
1 . 2 (in comb.) car- bo-tree /botree/ n. the Indian fig tree, l-n //\ rtUgtOtOi PC
ried or transported by (airborne). garded as sacred hv Buddhitts.
bo«ron /bawron/ n. Chem. a nonmctallic brown amor- boWIe /bot'l/ n. Qfv. •>?. 1 a i
Mummer, usu. of glass or
phous element extracted from borax and boric acid plastic and with a narrow neck, for storing liquid. 2 the
and mainly used for hardening steel. 1 Symb.: B. amount that will fill a bottle. 3 acontainei utediii feed
 ing a baby (esp. formula or milk). 4 = hot-water bot- 85 bottle-feed ~ bow
tle. mv.tr.1 put into bottles or jars. 2 (foil, by up)

a conceal or restrain for a time (esp. a feeling), b keep spring energetically, b by in, out, etc.) rush an-
(foil,

(an enemy force, etc.) contained or entrapped, n hit (bounced out in a fury). »n.
grily, enthusiastically, etc.
the bottle si. drink heavily. 1 a a rebound, b the power of rebounding. 2 colloq.

boMle-feed v.tr. (past and past part, -fed) feed (a ba- a self-confidence (has a lot of bounce), b liveliness.
by) with milk, formula, etc., by means of a bottle. bounce back regain one's good health, spirits, etc.
boMle-neck /bot'lnek/ n. la point at which the flow dd bounc*y adj. (bouncier, bounciest) bounc»My adv.
of traffic, production, etc., is constricted. 2 a narrow bounc*i*ness n.
place causing constriction. bounc*er /bownsor/ n. si. a person employed to eject
boMle-nosed dol*phin /bot'1-nozd/ n. a dolphin, troublemakers from a nightclub, etc.
Tursiops truncatus, with a bottle-shaped snout. bounc»ing /bownsing/ adj. 1 (esp. of a baby) big and
boWom /botsm/ n., adj., &
v. • «. 1 a the lowest point healthy. 2 boisterous.
or part (bottom of the stairs) b the part on which a thing bound /bownd/ 1>. &n. •v.intr. 1 a spring; leap (bound-
.
1

rests (bottom of a frying pan) C the underneath part . ed out of bed) b move with leaping strides. 2 (of a ball,
.

(scraped the bottom of the car) d the farthest or inner-

. etc.) recoil; bounce. • «. 1 a leap. 2 a bounce.
most part (bottom of the yard). 2 colloq. a the buttocks. bound 2 /bownd/ n. &v. »n. (usu. in pi.) 1 a restriction
b the seat of a chair, etc. 3 a the less important or suc- (beyond the bounds of possibility) 2 a boundary, •v.tr. 1
.

cessful end of a class, etc. (at the bottom of the list of (esp. in passive; foil, by by) limit (views bounded by prej-
requirements), b a person occupying this place (he's al- udice). 2 be the boundary of. a out of bounds 1 out-
ways the bottom of the class) C Baseball the second half
. side designated limits, a restricted area, etc. 2 beyond
of an inning. 4 the basis (he's at the bottom of it). 5 the what is acceptable.
essential character. 6 Nam. a ship, esp. a cargo ship. bound 3 /bownd/ adj. 1 (usu. foil, by for) ready to start
• adj. 1 lowest (bottom button) 2 last (got the bottom . or having started (boundfor stardom) 2 (in comb. ) mov-
.

score). »v. 1 tr. put a bottom on (a chair, pot, etc.). ing in a specified direction (northbound).
2 intr. (of a ship) reach or touch the bottom. 3 tr. work bound 4 /bownd/ past and past part, of bind. bound to
out. 4 tr. (usu. foil, by on) base (an argument, etc.) certain to (he's bound to come).
(reasoning bottomed on logic) 5 tr. touch the bottom or bound»a»ry /bownd3ree,-dree/«. (pi. -ries) a line mark-
.

lowest point of. a at bottom basically; essentially, bet ing the limits of an area, territory, etc.
one's bottom dollar 5/. stake everything, bottom falls bound*en du*ty /bowndan/ n. solemn responsibility.
out collapse occurs, bottom out reach the lowest lev- boundless /bowndlis/ adj. unlimited (boundless enthu-
el, bottoms up! a call to drain one's glass, get to the siasm), dg bound»less»ly adv. bound»less«ness n.
bottom of fully investigate and explain, do boMonv boun«te«ous /bownteeas/ adj. poet. = bountiful 1.
most /botam-most/ adj. dd boun»te«ous«ly adv. boun«te«ous»ness n.
bot-tonvless /botsmlis/ adj. 1 without a bottom. 2 (of boun*ti*ful bowntifool/ adj. 1 generous; liberal. 2 am-
a supply, etc.) inexhaustible. ple, dd boun«ti»fuMy adv.
boWom line n. colloq. the underlying or ultimate truth; boun«ty /bowntee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 liberality. 2 a gift or
the ultimate, esp. financial, criterion. reward, made usu. by a government.
bot*u*lism /bochalizam/ n. poisoning caused by a tox- boun»ty hunt»er n. a person who pursues a criminal or
in produced by the bacillus Clostridium botulnuon seeks an achievement for the sake of the reward.
growing in spoiled food. bou*quet bookay, bo-/ n. 1 a bunch of flowers, esp. for
bou*cle /booklay/ n. 1 a looped or curled yarn (esp. carrying at a wedding or other ceremony. 2 the scent
wool). 2 a fabric made of this. of wine, etc. 3 a favorable comment; a compliment.
bou*doir /bobdwaar/ n. a woman's private room or bed- boufbon borbon ;/. whiskey distilled from corn and
room. rye.
bouMant /boofa'ant/ adj. (of a dress, hair, etc.) puffed bourgeois /bobrzhwa'a/ adj. & n. often derog. »adj.
out. 1 a conventionally middle class, b unimaginative.
bou*gain*vil*le*a /bobganvilyo, -veea/ n. (also bou* C selfishly materialistic. 2 upholding the interests of
gairvviMa»ea) any widely cultivated tropical plant of the capitalist class. •;/. (pi. same) a bourgeois person.
the genus Bougainvillaea, with large colored bracts. dd bour*geoi*sie bobrzhwa'azee/ n.
bough /bow/ n. a branch of a tree. bourn /bawrn, boorn/ n. (also bourne) a small stream.
bought past and past part, of buy. bourse /boors/ n. 1 a stock exchange, esp. on the
bou*gie /bobzhee/ n. 1 Med. a thin flexible surgical in- European continent. 2 a money market.
strument for exploring, dilating, etc. the passages of bout /bowty n. (often foil, by of) 1 a short period of in-
the body. 2 a wax candle. tense activity of a specified kind (a bout of strenuous ex-
bouil«la*baisse /boblysbes, booyabays/ n. Cooking a ercise; a drinking bout). 2 an attack of illness or strong
rich, spicy fish stew, orig. from Provence. emotion (a severe bout offlu) 3 a a wrestling or boxing
.

bouiMon /boblyan, -yon, booyoN/ n. a clear soup; broth. match, b a trial or contest of strength.
boul»der /boldar/ n. a large stone worn smooth by ero- bou»tique /boote'ek/ n. a small shop or department of
sion. a store, esp. one selling fashionable clothes or acces-
boule /bool/ n. (also boules pronunc. same) a French
1
sories.
form of lawn bowling, played on rough ground with bou»ton»niere /bobtaneer, -tanyaii u. (also bou*ton»
usu. metal balls. niere) a flower or spray of flowers worn in a buttonhole.
bou»le 2 /boolee/ n. a legislative body of an ancient bou*zou*ki /boozobkee/ n. a Greek form of mandolin.
Greek city or of modern Greece. bo»vine /bovln, -veen/ adj. 1 of or relating to cattle.
boules var. of boule 1
. 2 slow-moving; unimaginative, do bo«vine«ly adv.
boul*e*vard /boblavaard/ n. 1 a broad tree-lined ave- bow /bo/ H.&!;.«n.1aa slipknot with a double loop.
1

nue. 2 a broad main road. b a ribbon, shoelace, etc., tied with this. C a decora-
bounce /bowns/ v. & n. »v. a intr. (of a ball, etc.) re-
"\
tion in the form of a bow. 2 a device for shooting arrows
bound, b tr. cause to rebound. C tr. intr. bounce re- & with a taut string joining the ends of a curved piece of
peatedly. 2 intr. si. (of a check) be returned by a bank wood, etc. 3 a rod with horsehair stretched along its
when there are insufficient funds to meet it. 3 intr. a
(foil, by about, up) (of a person, dog, etc.) jump or See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . :

bow ~ boy scout 86 bow»sprit /bowsprit/ n. Naut. a spar running out from
a ship's bow for supporting various jibs or stays.
length, used for playing the violin, cello, etc. 4 a shal- bow tie n. a necktie in the form of a bow (see bow n. 1

low curve or bend, mv.tr. (also absol.) use a bow on (a la).

violin, etc.). bow-wow /bow-wow/ int. &
n. • int. an imitation of a

bow 2 /bow/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. incline the head or trunk, dog's bark. • n. 1 colloq. a dog. 2 a dog's bark.
in acknowledgment of applause, etc. 2 intr. submit l
&
box /boks/ n. v. • n. 1 a container, usu. with flat sides
(bowed to the inevitable) 3 tr. cause to incline or sub-
.
and of firm material, esp. for holding solids. 2 the
mit (bowed his head; bowed his will to hers). 4 tr. (foil, by amount that will fill a box. 3 a separate compartment,
in, out) usher or escort obsequiously. • n. an inclining e.g., in a theater. 4 an enclosure or receptacle for a

of the head or body. bow down 1 bend or kneel in
submission or reverence. 2 (usu. in passive) crush (was
bowed down by care), bow out 1 make one's exit (esp.
formally). 2 retire or retreat gracefully, take a bow ac-
knowledge applause.
bow 3 /bow/ n. Naut. the forward end of a boat or ship.
bowd«ler«ize /bowdlariz/ v.tr. expurgate (a book, etc.).
do bowd»ler«ism n. bowd«ler»i»za»tion /-rizayshan/ n.
bow»el /bowal/ n. 1 the intestine. 2 (in pi.) the depths
(the bowels of the earth)
special purpose (cash box). 5 a facility for receiving re-
plies to an advertisement. 6 (prec. by the) colloq. tel-
evision (what's on the box?). 7 a space or area of print
on a page, enclosed by a border. 8 a protective casing
for a piece of mechanism. 9 (prec. by the) Soccer col-
loq. the penalty area. 1 Baseball one of several areas
occupied by the batter, catcher, pitcher, and first and
third base coaches, •v.tr. 1 put in or provide with a
box. 2 (foil, by in, up) confine, an box-ful n. (pi. -fuls).
box* ike adj.
I

bowel movement discharge from the bowels.

n. box 2 /boks/ v. 1 a tr. fight (an opponent) at boxing.
bow»er /bowar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a secluded place enclosed b intr. practice boxing. 2 slap (esp. a person's ears).
by foliage; an arbor. 2 poet, a boudoir. • v. tr. poet, em- box 3 /boks/ n. 1 a any small evergreen tree or shrub of
bower. the genus Buxus, esp. B. semper virens, often used in
bow*er*bird /bowarbard/ n. any of various birds of the hedging, b any of various trees in Australasia, esp.
Ptilonorhyncidae family, native to Australia and New those of several species of Eucalyptus. 2 = boxwood.
Guinea, the males of which construct elaborate bow- box cam»er»a n. a simple box-shaped hand camera.

ers of feathers, grasses, shells, etc., during courtship. box*car /bokskaar/ n. an enclosed railroad freight car,
bow«er»y /bowaree, bowree/ n. (also Bowery) (pi. -ies) usu. with sliding doors on the sides.
a district known as a neighborhood of drunks and dere- box el«der n. the American ash-leaved maple, Acer
licts. negundo.
bow»head /bohed/ n. an Arctic whale, Balaena mystice- box*er /boksar/ n. 1 a person who practices boxing, esp.
tus. for sport. 2 a medium-sized dog of a breed with a
bowie /bobee, b6-/ n. (in full bowie knife) a long knife smooth brown coat and puglike face.
with a blade double-edged at the point. box»er shorts n.pl. (also box«ers) men's underwear
bowl /bol/ n. 1 a a usu. round deep basin used for
1
similar to shorts.
food or liquid, b the quantity a bowl holds. C the con- box»ing /boksing/ n. the practice of fighting with the
tents of a bowl. 2 a any deep-sided container shaped padded gloves as a sport.
fists, esp. in
like a bowl (toilet bowl), b the bowl-shaped part of a box»ing glove n. each of a pair of heavily padded gloves
tobacco pipe, spoon, balance, etc. 3 a bowl-shaped re- used in boxing.
gion or building, esp. an amphitheater (Hollywood box kite n. a kite in the form of a long box open at each
Bowl). 4 Sports a post-season football game between end.
invited teams or as a championship, no bowl-ful n. (pi. box lunch n. lunch packed in a box.
a.

-fuls). box of»f ice n. an office for booking seats and buying
1
bowl 2 /bol/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a wooden or hard rubber tickets at a theater, movie theater, etc. 2 the commer-
ball, slightlyasymmetrical, used in the game of lawn cial aspect of the arts and entertainment (often attrib.
bowling, b a large ball with indents for gripping, used a box-office failure)
in tenpin bowling, c a wooden ball or disk used in play- box pleat n. a pleat consisting of two parallel creases
ing skittles. 2 esp. Brit, (in pi.; usu. treated as sing.) forming a raised band.
lawn bowling. 3 a spell or turn of bowling in cricket. box score n. Sports printed information about a game
• v. a tr. roll (a hoop, etc.) along the ground, b intr.
*\
in which players for both teams are listed with statis-
play lawn bowling or skittles. 2 intr. (often foil, by tics about their performances.
along) go along rapidly, esp. on wheels (the cart bowled box seat n. a seat in a box enclosure, as at a theater,
along the road), a bowl over 1 knock down. 2 colloq. sports arena, etc.
a impress greatly, b overwhelm, on bowl*er n. box spring n. a set of vertical springs housed in a frame
bowlegs /bolegz/ n.pl. legs that curve outward at the under a mattress or upholstered chair.
knee, dd bowleg*ged /bolegid/ adj. box-wood /bokswOod/ n. 1 the wood of the box used
bowl»er /bolar/ n. (in full bowler hat) a man's hard felt esp. by engravers for the fineness of its grain and for
hat with a round dome-shaped crown. its hardness. 2 = box' 1.
bowline /bolin/ n. Naut. a knot for forming a non- boy /boy/ n. &int. *n. 1 a male child or youth. 2 a young
slipping loop at the end of a rope. man. 3 a male servant, attendant, etc. 4 (the boys)
bowMng /boling/ n. the games of tenpins, skittles, or colloq. a group of men mixing socially. • int. express
bowls as a sport or recreation. ing pleasure, surprise, etc. u boyhood //. boyish </<// i i

bowMng aMey n. 1 a long, smooth, wooden lane for boyish-ly adv. boyisfvness n.
bowling. 2 a building containing a number of these. boy»COtt /boykot/ v. n. •v.tr. 1 combine in refuting &
bowMng ball n. a hard ball with holes drilled in it for relations with (a person, group, country, etc.). 2 ref-
gripping, used in tenpin bowling. use to handle (goods). •;/. such a refusal.
bowNing green n. a lawn used for playing bowls. boy»friend /boyfrend/ n. a person's regultl male
bowman /beSman/ n. (pi. -men) an archer.
1

companion or lover.
bowman 'bowman/ n. (pi. -men) the rower nearest Boyle's law /boylz/ n. the law that the pressure of a giv
•

the bow of esp. a racing boat. en mass of gas is inversely proportional to its volume
bow saw n. Carpentry a narrow saw stretched like a at a constant temperature.
bowstring on a light frame. boy SCOUt n. 1 (also Boy Scout) a member of an
 .
organization of boys, esp. the Boy Scouts of America,
that promotes character, outdoor activities, commu-
nity service, etc. 2 a boy or man who demonstrates the
qualities associated with a Boy Scout.
boyservber»ry /boyzanberee/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a hybrid
of several species of bramble. 2 the large red edible
fruit of this plant.
bO»ZO /bozo/ n. (pi. -zos) si. a stupid or obnoxious per-
son.
BP abbr. 1 boiling point. 2 blood pressure. 3 before the
present (era).
bps abbr. (also BPS) Computing bits per second.
Br symb. Chem. the element bromine.
bra /braa/ n. (pi. bras) colloq. = brassiere.
brace /brays/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a device that clamps or
fastens tightly, b a strengthening piece of iron or lum-
ber in building. 2 (in pi. ) Brit. = suspender 1.3 (in pi.) Brah*min /bra'amin/ n. 1 = Brahman. 2 (esp. in New
a wire device for straightening the teeth. 4 (pi. same)
a pair. 5 a rope attached to the yard of a ship for trim- braid /brayd/ n.
ming the sail. 6 a connecting markor used in print-
{ }
ing. • v. tr. 1 fasten tightly; give strength to. 2 make
steady by supporting. 3 (esp. as bracing adj.) invigor-
ate; refresh. 4 (often refl.) prepare for a difficulty,
shock, etc. dd brac«ing»ly adv.
brace and bit n. a revolving tool with
a D-shaped central handle for boring.
bracelet /brayslit/ n. 1 an ornamental
band, hoop, or chain worn on the
wrist or arm. 2 si. a handcuff.
brac»er /braysar/ n. colloq. a tonic, esp.
an alcoholic drink.
bra*chi*al /braykeeal, brak-/ adj. 1 of
or relating to the arm (brachial artery)
2 like an arm.
bra*chi*ate /braykeeit, -ayt, brak-/ v.
& adj. •v.intr. (of certain apes and
monkeys) move by using the arms to
swing from branch to branch, •adj.
Biol. 1 having arms. 2 having paired
branches on alternate sides, dd bra-
chiation /-ayshan/ brachiator n.
n.
bra*chi*o*pod /braykeeapod, brak-/ n. brace and bit
any marine invertebrate of the phy-
lum Brachiopoda (esp. a fossil one) having a bivalved
shell and a ciliated feeding arm.
bra*chi*o*sau*rus /braykeeasawras, brak-/ n. any huge
plant-eating dinosaur of the genus Brachwsaurus with
forelegs longer than its hind legs.
bra»chyl»o»gy /brakilajee/ n. (pi. «gies) 1 conciseness
of expression. 2 an instance of this.
brack*en /brakan/ n. 1 any large coarse fern, esp.
Pteridium aquilinum, abundant in tropical and temper-
ate areas. 2 a mass of such ferns.
brack*et /brakit/ n. &
v. •n. 1a support attached to
and projecting from a vertical surface. 2 a shelf fixed
with such a support to a wall. 3 each of a pair of marks
( ) (parentheses), [ ] (square brackets) or (angle
brackets) used to enclose words or figures. 4 a group
classified as containing similar elements or falling be-
tween given limits (income bracket), •v.tr. (bracketed,
bracketing) 1 a combine (names, etc.) within brack-
ets, b imply a connection or equality between. 2 en-
close in brackets as parenthetic or spurious.
brack»ish /brakish/ adj. (of water, etc.) slightly salty.
bract /brakt/ n. a modified leaf, with a flower or an in-
florescence in its axil.
brad /brad/ n. a thin flat nail with a head in the form
of a slight enlargement at the top.
brad*y*car*di*a /bradika'ardeea/ n. Med. abnormally
slow heart action.
brag /brag/ v. &
n. *v. (bragged, bragging) 1 intr. talk
boastfully. 2 tr. boast about, •n. 1a card game like
poker. 2 a boastful statement; boastful talk.
87 boysenberry - brake
brag»ga»do»ci«0 /bragad6sheeo/ n. empty boasting; a
boastful manner of speech and behavior.
brag»gart /bragart/ n. &
adj. • n. a person given to brag-
ging. • adj. boastful.
Brah*ma /bra'ama/ n. 1 the Hindu Creator. 2 the su-
preme divine reality in Hindu belief.
Brafvman /braaman/ n. (also brahman) (pi. -mans) a
1
member of the highest Hindu caste, whose members
are traditionally eligible for the priesthood.
Brah»man 2 /brayman, braaman/' n.
(also brahman) any
of various breeds of Indian cattle, esp. a US breed of
humped, heat-resistant, grayish cattle.
brah«ma»pu«tra bra'amapobtra/ n. 1 any bird of a large
Asian breed of domestic fowl. 2 this breed.
England) a socially or culturally superior person.
&
v. • n. 1 a woven band used for edg-
ing or trimming. 2 a length of hair, straw, etc. in three
or more interlaced strands. • v. tr. 1 weave or intertwine
(hair or thread). 2 trim or decorate with braid.
Braille /brayl/ n. a system of writing and printing for
the blind, in which characters are represented by pat-
terns of raised dots.
brain /brayn/ n. &
v. • n. 1 an organ of soft nervous tis-
sue contained in the skull of vertebrates, functioning
as the coordinating center of sensation and of intellec-
tual and nervous activity. 2 (in pi.) the substance of
the brain, esp. as food. 3 a a person's intellectual
capacity (has a weak brain) b (often in pi. ) intelligence;
.
high intellectual capacity (has a brain; has brains) C col- .
loq. a clever person. 4 (in pl.\ prec. by the) colloq. a the
cleverest person in a group, b a person who originates
a complex plan or idea (the brains behind the robbery).
5 an electronic device with functions comparable to
those of a brain. • v. tr. 1 dash out the brains of. 2 strike
hard on the head, d on the brain colloq. obsessively in
one's thoughts.
brain death //. irreversible brain damage causing the
end of independent respiration, regarded as indicative
of death.
brain drain //. colloq. the loss of skilled personnel by
emigration.
brain*pan /braynpan/ n. colloq. the skull.
brain»pow»er /braynpowr/ ;;. mental ability or intel-
ligence.
brain Stem n. the central trunk of the brain, upon which
the cerebrum and cerebellum are set, and which con-
tinues downward to form the spinal cord.
brain-storm /braynstawrm/ n. &
v. •«. 1a violent or
excited outburst often as a result of a sudden mental
disturbance. 2 a sudden bright idea. 3 a concerted in-
tellectual treatment of a problem by discussing sponta-
neous ideas about it. •v.intr. discuss ideas spontane-
ously and openly.
brain«teas»er /braynteezar/ n. colloq. a puzzle or prob-
lem.
brain trust n. a group of experts, official or unofficial,
who advise on policy and strategy.
brain*wash /braynwosh, -wawsh/ v.tr. subject (a per-
son) to a prolonged process by which ideas at variance
with those already held are implanted in the mind.
dd brairvwash«ing n.
brain wave n. 1 (usu. in pi.) an electrical impulse in
the brain. 2 colloq. = brainstorm 3.
brain»y /braynee/ adj. (brainier, brainiest) intellectual-
ly clever or active.
braise /brayz/ v.tr. fry lightly and then stew slowly with
a little liquid in a closed container.
brake /brayk/ n.
1
&v. »n. 1 (often in pi.) a device for
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
brake ~ breadcrumb 88 knuckles in fighting, esp. to increase the effect of the
blows.
checking the motion of a mechanism, esp. a wheel or brass ring n. si. an opportunity for wealth or success;
vehicle, or for keeping it at rest. 2 anything that hin- a rich prize.
ders something (put a brake on their enthusiasm). »v. brass tacks n.pl. si. actual details; real business (get
1 intr. apply a brake. 2 tr. retard or stop with a brake. down to brass tacks).
brake 2 /brayk/ n. 1 a toothed instrument for crushing brass*y /brasee/ adj. (brassier, brassiest) 1 impudent.
flax and hemp. 2 (in full brake harrow) a heavy kind 2 pretentious; showy. 3 loud and blaring. 4 of or like
of harrow for breaking up large lumps of earth. brass, an brass*My adv. brass»i»ness n.
brake 3 archaic past of break 1
. brat /brat/ n. usu. derog. a child, esp. a badly-behaved
brake drum n. a cylinder attached to a wheel on which one. dd braWy adj.
the brake shoe presses to brake. brat«wurst /bratwarst, -voDrst/ n. a type of small pork
brake horse-power n. the power of an engine reck- sausage.
oned in terms of the force needed to brake it. bra*va*do /brsvaado/ n. a bold manner or a show of
brake Hiving n. a strip of material that increases the boldness.
friction of the brake shoe. brave /brayv/ adj., n.,&v. •adj. 1 able or ready to face
brake*man /braykman/ n. (pi 'men) 1 a railroad work- and endure danger or pain. 2 splendid (make a brave
er responsible for maintenance on a journey. 2 a per- show). •«. a Native American warrior, •v.tr. defy;
son in charge of brakes. encounter bravely, dd brave»ly adv.
brake shoe n. a long curved block that presses on the brav«er»y /brayvsree/ n. 1 brave conduct. 2 a brave na-
brake drum to brake. ture.
branvble /brambal/ n. 1 any of various thorny shrubs bra-VO 1
/bra'avo/ int. & n. •int. expressing approval of
bearing fleshy red or black berries, esp. (Brit.) the a performer, etc. • n. (pi. -vos) a cry of bravo.
blackberry bush, Rubus fructicosus. 2 any of various bra«V0 2 /bra'avo/ n. (pi. -voes or -vos) a hired thug or
other rosaceous shrubs with similar foliage, esp. the killer.
dog rose (Rosa canina). dd bram»bly adj. bra»vu«ra /bravObra, -vyObra/ n. (often attrib. ) 1 a bril-
bran /bran/ n. grain husks separated from the flour. liant or ambitious action or display. 2 a a style of mu-
branch /branch/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a limb extending from a sic requiring exceptional ability, b a passage of this
tree or bough. 2 a lateral extension or subdivision, esp. kind. 3 bravado.
of a river or railroad. 3 a subdivision of a family, knowl- brawl /brawl/ n. &
v. • n. a noisy quarrel or fight. • v. intr.

edge, etc. 4 a local division or office, etc., of a large quarrel noisily or roughly, no brawl»er n.
business, library, etc. •v.intr. (often foil, by off) 1 di- brawn /brawn/ n. 1 muscular strength. 2 muscle; lean
verge from the main part. 2 divide into branches. 3 (of flesh.
a tree) bear or send out branches. branch out extend brawn*y /brawnee/ adj. (brawnier, brawniest) mus-
one's field of interest, dd branched adj. branch-let n. cular; strong.
brand /brand/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a particular make of bray /bray/ n. &v. »n. A the cry of a donkey. 2 a sound
goods, b an identifying trademark, label, etc. 2 (usu. like this cry. *v. 1 intr. make a braying sound. 2 tr. ut-
foil, by of) a special or characteristic kind (brand of hu- ter harshly.
mor). 3 an identifying mark burned on livestock, etc., braze /brayz/ v.tr. solder with a nonferrous material at
1

with a hot iron. 4 an iron used for this. 5 a piece of a high temperature.
burning, smoldering, or charred wood. 6 a stigma; a braze 2 /brayz/ v.tr. 1 a make of brass, b cover or orna-
mark of disgrace. 7 poet, a torch, mv.tr. 1 mark with a ment with brass. 2 make hard like brass.
hot iron. 2 stigmatize; mark with disgrace (they brand- bra*zen /brayzsn/ adj. &
v. • adj. 1 (also bra*zen-f aced)

ed him a liar, was branded for life). 3 impress unforget- flagrant and shameless; insolent. 2 made of brass. 3 of
tably on one's mind. 4 assign a trademark or label to. or like brass, •v.tr. (foil, by out) face or undergo defi-
brand»ish /brandish/ v.tr. wave as a threat or in display. antly, dd bra»zen«ly adv. bra*zen*ness n.
brand-ling /brandling/ n. a red earthworm, Eiseniafoeti- bra*zier /brayzhar/ n. a portable heater consisting of a
da, with rings of a brighter color, which is often found pan or stand for holding lighted coals.
in manure and used as bait. Bra*zil /brazil/ n. 1 a tall tree, Bertholletia excelsa, form-
brand-name attrib.adj. having an identifying trade- ing large forests in S. America. 2 (in full Brazil nut) a
mark, one that is well-known.
label, etc., esp. large three-sided edible nut from this tree.
brand-new completely new.
adj. bra*zil*wood /brazilwood/ n. a hard red wood from any
bran*dy /brandee/ n. (pi. -dies) a strong alcoholic spir- tropical tree of the genus Caesalpinia, that yields dyes.
it distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice. breach /breech/ n. &
v. •«. 1 (often foil, by of) the
brash /brash/ adj. 1 vulgarly or overly self-assertive. breaking of a law, contract, etc. 2 a a breaking of rela-
2 hasty; rash. 3 impudent, dd brasrHy adv. braslvness tions, b a quarrel. 3 a a broken state, b a gap. •v.tr.
n. 1 break through; make a gap in. 2 break (a law, con-
brass /bras/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a yellow alloy of copper and tract, etc.).
zinc. 2 a a decorated piece of brass, b brass objects col- breach Of promise //. the breaking of a promise, esp.

lectively. 3 Mus. brass wind instruments. 4 (in full top a promise to marry.
brass) colloq. persons in authority or of high rank. 5 col- breach of the peace n. a violation of the public pet* e
loq. effrontery (then had the brass to demand money). by any disturbance or riot, etc.
made of brass.
• adj. bread /bred/ n. &
v. «w. 1 baked dough made of Hour
brass band n. a group of musicians playing brass usu. leavened with yeast and moistened. 2 a necessary
instruments, sometimes also with percussion. food, b (also daily bread) one's livelihood. 3 si. mon-
bras»se«rie /brasnree/ n. a restaurant, orig. one serving ey. 9V.tr. coat with breadcrumbs for Cooking.
beer with food. bread and buMer >/. 1 bread spread with butter.
bras»si»ca /brasika/ n. any cruciferous plant of the ge- 2 a one's livelihood, b routine work to ensure an in-
nus Brassica, having tap roots and erect branched come, dd bread-and-butter adj.
stems, including cabbage, rutabaga, broccoli, etc. bread bas«ket n. 1 a basket for bread. 2 si. the stoin
bras«siere /brazeer/ n. an undergarment worn by wom- ach.
en to support the breasts. bread-crumb /bredkrum/ n. la small fragment <»(
brass knuckles n.pl. a metal guard worn over the bread. 2 (in pi.) bread crumbled for use in COOldng.
 .

breacMruit /bredfroot/ n. 1a tropical evergreen tree, 89 breadfruit ~ breast

Artocarpus bearing edible usu. seedless fruit.
altilis,

2 the fruit of this tree, which when roasted becomes
soft like new bread.
breadline /bredlin/ n. a line of people waiting to re-
ceive free food.
breadth /bredth/ n. 1 the distance or measurement
from side to side of a thing. 2 a piece (of cloth, etc.)
in 1 enter premises by force. 2 interrupt. 3 a accustom
to a habit, etc.b wear until comfortable, c = break 4c.
break into 1 enter forcibly or violently. 2 a suddenly
begin; burst forth with (a song, laughter, etc.). b sud-
denly change one's pace for (a faster one) (broke into
a gallop) 3 interrupt, break new ground innovate; start
.

of standard or full breadth. 3 extent; distance; room. on something new. break off 1 detach by breaking.
4 (usu. foil, by of) freedom from prejudice or intoler- 2 bring to an end. 3 cease talking, etc. break open open
ance (esp. breadth of mind or view) forcibly, escape by force. 2 begin sudden-
break out 1

bread«win*ner /bredwinar/ n. a person who earns the ly (then violence broke out).3 (foil, by in) become cov-
money to support a family. ered in (a rash, etc.). 4 exclaim. 5 a open up (a recep-
break /brayk/ v. &n. *v. (past broke /brok/ or archaic tacle) and remove its contents, b remove (articles)
brake /brayk/; past part, broken /brOkan/ or archaic from break up 1 break into small
a place of storage,
broke) 1 tr. &
intr. a separate into pieces under a blow pieces. 2 disperse. 3 a terminate a relationship; dis-
or strain, b make or become inoperative (the toaster has band, b cause to do this. 4 a upset or be upset, b ex-
broken). C sustain an injury involving the fracture of a cite or be excited. C convulse or be convulsed (see al-
bone in (part of the body), d cause a cut or graze in so breakup), dd break*a*ble adj. n. &
the skin. 2 a tr. cause an interruption in (broke ourjour- breakage /braykij/ n. 1 a a broken thing, b damage
ney; broke the silence) b intr. have an interval between
. caused by breaking. 2 an act or instance of breaking.
periods of work (we broke for coffee) 3 tr. fail to keep
. breakaway /braykaway/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
(a law, promise, etc.). 4 a tr. & intr. make or become breaking away or seceding. 2 (attrib.) that breaks away
subdued or weakened; yield or cause to yield (broke or has broken away.
his spirit, he broke under the strain) b tr. weaken the ef-
. break danoing n. an energetic style of street-dancing,
fect of (a fall, blow, etc.). C tr. tame or discipline (an developed by African-Americans.
animal); accustom (a horse) to saddle and bridle, etc. breakdown /braykdown/ n. 1 a a mechanical failure.
d tr. defeat; destroy (broke the enemy 's power) e tr. de-. b a loss of (esp. mental) health. 2 a collapse (break-
feat the object of (a strike). 5 tr. surpass (a record). down of communication). 3 a detailed analysis (of statis-
6 intr. (foil, by with) cease association with (another tics, etc.).
person, etc.). 7 tr. a be no longer subject to (a habit). break*er /braykar/ n. 1 a person or thing that breaks
b (foil, by of) cause (a person) to be free of a habit something. 2 a person who breaks in a horse. 3 a heavy
(broke them of their addiction). 8 tr. &
intr. reveal or be wave that breaks.
revealed (broke the news; the story broke on Friday). breakfast /brekfast/ n. & v. •«. the first meal of the
9 intr. a (of the weather) change suddenly, b (of waves) day. mv.intr. have breakfast.
curl over and dissolve into foam. C (of the day) dawn. break-in n. an illegal forced entry into premises.
d (of clouds) move apart, e (of a storm) begin violent- breaking and en»ter»ing n. the illegal entering of a
ly. 1 tr. Electr. disconnect (a circuit) 1 1 intr. a (of the
. building with intent to commit a felony.
voice) change with emotion, b (of a boy's voice) breaking point n. the point of greatest strain, at which
change in register, etc., at puberty. 12 tr. a (often foil, a thing breaks or a person gives way.
by up) divide (a set, etc.) into parts, e.g., by selling to break*neck /brayknek/ attrib. adj. (of speed) danger-
different buyers, b change (a bill, etc.) for coins or ously fast.
smaller denominations. 13 tr. ruin financially (see al- break of day n. dawn.
so broke predic.adj.). 14 tr. penetrate (e.g., a safe) by break*out /brakyowt/ n. a forcible escape.
force. 15 m decipher (a code). 16 tr. make (a path, break point n. 1a place or time at which an interrup-
etc.) by separating obstacles. 17 intr. burst forth (the tion or change is made. 2 Computing (usu. breakpoint)
sun broke through the clouds). 18 Mil. a intr. (of troops) a place in a program where the sequence of instruc-
disperse in confusion, b tr. make a rupture in (ranks). tions is interrupted, esp. by another program. 3 Ten-
19 a intr. (usu. foil, by free, loose, out, etc.) escape from nis a point that would win the game for the player(s)
constraint by a sudden effort, b tr. escape or emerge receiving service (three break points).
from (prison, cover, etc.) 20. tr. Tennis, etc. win a game break-through /braykthroo/ k. 1a major advance or
against (an opponent's service). 21 intr. Boxing, etc. discovery. 2 an act of breaking through an obstacle,
(of two fighters) come out of a clinch. 22 intr. (of a etc.
thrown or bowled ball) change direction abruptly. break»up /braykup/ n. 1 disintegration; collapse. 2 dis-
23 intr. Billiards, etc. disperse the balls at the begin- persal. 3 the end of a relationship.
ning of a game. • n. 1 a an act or instance of breaking. break* waiter /braykwawtar, -wotar/ n. a barrier built
b a point where something is broken; a gap. 2 an in- out into the sea to break the force of waves.
terval; an interruption; a pause in work. 3 a sudden bream /breem/ n. (pi. same) 1 a yellowish arch-backed
dash. 4 colloq. a a piece of good luck; a fair chance. European freshwater fish, A bramis brarna. 2 (in full sea
b (also bad break) an unfortunate remark or action; a bream) a a similarly shaped marine fish of the family
blunder. 5 a change in direction of a thrown or bowled Sparidae, of the NE Atlantic, b an Atlantic porgy,
ball. 6 Billiards, etc. a a series of points scored during Archosargus rhomboidalis.
one turn, b the opening shot that disperses the balls. breast /brest/ n.&v.mn.Aa either of two milk-secret-
7 Electr. a discontinuity in a circuit. break away make ing organs on the upper front of a woman's body, b the
or become free or separate (see also breakaway), break corresponding part of a man's body. 2 a the chest.
down 1 a fail in mechanical action; cease to function. b the corresponding part of an animal. 3 the part of a
b (of human relationships, etc.) collapse, c fail in (esp. garment that covers the breast, •v.tr. 1 face; meet in
mental) health, d be overcome by emotion. 2 a demol- full opposition (breast the wind). 2 contend with (pre-
ish, b suppress (resistance). C force (a person) to yield pared to breast the difficulties of the journey) 3 reach the .

under pressure. 3 analyze into components (see also top of (a hill). make a clean breast of confess fully.
breakdown), break even emerge from a transaction, dd breastfed adj. (also in comb.).
etc., with neither profit nor loss, break the ice 1 begin
to overcome formality or shyness. 2 make a start, break See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

breastbone - bride 90 tent bred by rumor) 4

arise; spread (disease breeds
. intr.

in poor sanitation). bring up; train (Hollywood breeds

5 tr.

breast*bone /brestbon/ n. a thin flat vertical bone and stars) 6 tr. Physics create (fissile material) by nuclear
.

cartilage in the chest connecting the ribs. reaction. • n. 1 a stock of animals or plants within a
breast-feed v.tr. (past and past part, -fed) feed (a ba- species, having a similar appearance, and usu. devel-
by) from the breast. oped by deliberate selection. 2 a race; a lineage. 3 a
breast*plate /brestplayt/ n. armor covering the breast. sort; a kind, dd breed»er n.

breast»stroke /breststrok/ n. a stroke made while swim- breeoVer re»ac»tor n. a nuclear reactor that can create
ming face down by extending arms forward and more fissile material than it consumes.
sweeping them back in unison. breeding /breeding/ n. 1 the process of developing or
breast-work /brestwark/ n. a low temporary defense or propagating (animals, plants, etc.). 2 generation;
parapet. childbearing. 3 the result of training or education;
breath /breth/ n. 1 a the air taken into or expelled from behavior. 4 good manners (has no breeding).
the lungs, b one respiration of air. C an exhalation of breeze /breez/ n. &
v. *n. 1a gentle wind. 2 a wind

air that can be seen, smelled, or heard (bad breath). blowing from land at night or sea during the day. 3 col-
2 a a slight movement of air. b a whiff of perfume, etc. loq. an easy task, •v.intr. (foil, by in 3 out, along, etc.)

3 a whisper; a murmur. 4 the power of breathing; life colloq. come or go in a casual manner.

(is there breath in him?) a below (or under) one's breath

. breez*y /breezee/ adj. (breezier, breeziest)
in a whisper, breath of fresh air 1 a small amount of 1 a windswept, b pleasantly windy. 2 colloq. lively; jo-

or a brief time in the fresh air. 2 a refreshing change. vial. 3 colloq. careless (breezy indifference), dd breez*My

catch one's breath 1 cease breathing momentarily in adv. breez*i*ness n.

surprise, etc. 2 rest after exercise to restore normal brethren see brother.
breathing, draw breath breathe; live, hold one's breath Bre»ton /bretan, brstawW n. adj. *n. 1 a native of &
1 cease breathing temporarily. 2 colloq. wait in eager Brittany. 2 the Celtic language of Brittany. • adj. of or
anticipation, take a person's breath away astound; de- relating to Brittany or its people or language.
light. breve /brev, breev/ n. 1 Mus. a note having the time val-
Breath«a»lyz»er /brethalizsr/ n. Trademark an in- ue of two whole notes. 2 a written or printed mark (")
strument for measuring alcohol in the breath of a dri- indicating a short or unstressed vowel.
ver. bre»vet /bravet, brevit/ n. (often attrib.) a document
breathe /breeth/ v. 1 intr. take air into and expel it from conferring a privilege, esp. a rank in the army, with-
the lungs. 2 intr. be or seem alive (is she breathing?). out the appropriate pay (was promoted by brevet', brevet
3 tr. a utter; say (breathed her forgiveness) b express
. major)
(breathed defiance). 4 intr. take a breath; pause. 5 tr. bre»vi»ar»y /breevee-eree, brev-/ n. (pi. -ies) RC Ch. a
send out or take in (as if) with breathed air (breathed book containing the service for each day.
enthusiasm into them). 6 intr. (of wine, fabric, etc.) be brev«i«ty /brevitee/ n. 1 conciseness. 2 shortness (of
exposed to fresh air. breathe down a person's neck time, etc.) (the brevity of happiness)
follow or check up on a person, esp. menacingly. brew /broo/ v. &
n. »v. 1 tr. a make (beer, etc.) by in-
breathe new life into revitalize; refresh, breathe one's fusion, boiling, and fermentation, b make (tea, coffee,
last die. not breathe a word remain silent about some- etc.) by infusion or (punch, etc.) by mixture. 2 intr.
thing; keep secret. undergo either of these processes (the tea is brewing)
breath»er /breethar/ n. colloq. a brief pause for rest. 3 intr. (of trouble, a storm, etc.) gather force; threat-
breathing /breething/ n. 1 the process of taking air in- en. 4 tr. bring about; concoct. • n. 1 an amount (of
to and expelling it from the lungs. 2 Phonet. a sign in beer, etc.) brewed at one time (this year's brew). 2 what
Greek indicating that an initial vowel is aspirated is brewed (a strong brew). 3 the process of brewing.

(rough breathing) or not aspirated (smooth breath- dd brewer n.

ing). brew«er»y /brobaree, brobree/ n. (pi. -ies) a place where
breath-less /brethlis/a^'. 1 out of breath. 2 (as if) hold- beer, etc., is brewed commercially.
ing the breath because of excitement, etc. 3 still. bri«ar var. of brier and brier 2 1
.

dd breath*less*ly adv. breath-less-ness n. bribe /brib/ v. &

n. •v.tr. (often foil, by to + infin.) per-
breath«tak«ing /brethtayking/ adj. awe-inspiring. suade to act improperly in one's favor by a gift of mon-
dd breath*tak*ing*ly adv. ey, services, etc. • n. money or services offered in the
breath test n. a test of a person's alcohol consump- process of bribing, dd brib«er«y n.
tion, using a Breathalyzer. bric-a-brac /brikabrak/ n. (also bric-a-brac, bric«a»
breath-y /brethee/ adj. (breathier, breathiest) (of a brae) miscellaneous furnishings, etc., of no great val-
singing voice, etc.) containing the sound of breathing. ue.
dd breath*i*ly adv. breath*i*ness n. brick /brik/ n., v., adj. • n. 1 a &
small block of fired ;i

brec«ci«a /brecheea/ n.&v.mn.a rock of angular stones, or sun-dried clay, used in building, b the material used
etc., cemented by finer material, •v.tr. form into brec- to make these. C a similar block of concrete, etc. 2 a
cia, dd brec*ci*ate /-eeayt/ v.tr. brec*ci*a*tion n. brick-shaped solid object (a brick of ice cream). 3 a .*/.

bred /bred/ past and past part, of breed. generous or loyal person, •v.tr. (foil, by in, uj\
breech /breech/ n. 1 the part of a cannon behind the close or block with brickwork, •adj. 1 built of brick
bore. 2 the back part of a rifle or gun barrel. (brick wall). 2 of a dull red color.
breech birth n. (also breech de-liver-y) the delivery of brick*bat /brikbat/ n. 1 a piece of brick, esp. when Med
a baby with the buttocks or feet foremost. as a missile. 2 an uncomplimentary remark.
breech»es /brichiz/ n.pi (also pair of breeches sing.) brick*lay*er /briklayor/ n. a worker who builds with
short trousers, esp. fastened below the knee. bricks, brick-laying //.
i ll i

breech«load*er /brechlodnr/ n. a gun loaded at the brick-work /brikwork/ n. 1 building in brick. 2 a wall,
breech, not through the muzzle, dd breech-load*ing etc., made of brick.
adj. brick«yard /brikyaard/ w. a place where brickftrC math-
breed /breed/ v.&n. »v. (past and past part, bred /bred/) brid*al /bridl/ adj. of Or concerning a bride or a wed-
1 tr.&intr. bear; generate (offspring). 2 tr.isfwtr. prop- ding.
agate or cause to propagate; raise (livestock). 3 tr. bride /brld/ n. a woman on her wedding dav and lor
a yield; result in (war breeds famine) b spread (discon-
.
some time before and after it.
 . .

bridegroom /bridgroom, -groom/ n. a man on his wed- 91 bridegroom ~ brink

ding day and for some time before and after it.
bridesTnaid /bridzmayd/ n. a girl or woman attending brig»an»tine /briganteen/ n. a two-masted sailing ship
a bride on her wedding day. with a square-rigged foremast and a fore-and-aft
bridge /brij/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a structure carrying a road, rigged mainmast.
path, railroad, etc., across a stream, ravine, road, etc. bright /brit/ adj. &
adv. •adj. 1 emitting or reflecting
b anything providing a connection between different much light. 2 (of color) intense. 3 clever {a bright idea;
things. 2 the superstructure on a ship from which the a bright child). 4 cheerful, madv. esp. poet, brightly {the
officers direct operations. 3 the upper bony part of the moon shone bright), do bright»ish adj. brighWy adv.
nose. 4 Mus. an upright piece of wood on a violin, etc., brightness n.
over which the strings are stretched. 5 = bridgework. bright*en /brit'n/ v.tr. & intr. (often foil, by up) make
• v. tr. 1 a be a bridge over {a fallen tree bridges the or become brighter.
stream), b make a bridge over. 2 span as if with a bridge bright-eyed adj. 1 having bright eyes. 2 alert; eager.
{bridged their differences with understanding) d bright-eyed and bushy-tailed colloq. alert and ener-
bridge 2 /brij/ n. a card game derived from whist. getic.
bridge«head /brijhed/ n. Mil. a fortified position held B right's disease /brits/ n. inflammation of the kidney
on the enemy's side of a river or other obstacle. from any of various causes; nephritis.
bridge»work /brijwark/ n. Dentistry a dental structure brill /bril/ n. a European flatfish, Scophthalmus rhombus,
used to cover a gap, joined to the teeth on either side. resembling a turbot.
bri*dle /brid'l/ n. &v. »n. the headgear used to control briMiance/brilyans/«. 1 great brightness; radiant qual-
a horse, consisting of leather straps and a metal bit. ity. 2 outstanding talent or intelligence.

• v."\
tr. put a bridle on (a horse, etc.). 2 tr. bring un- briMiant /brilyant/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 very bright; spar-

der control. kling. 2 outstandingly talented or intelligent. • n. a dia-

mond of the finest cut with many facets, dd briMiant*
ly adv.
brim /brim/ n. &
v. •«. 1 the edge or lip of a cup, etc.,

or of a hollow. 2 the projecting edge of a hat. mv.tr.

& intr. (brimmed, brimming) fill or be full to the

brim, a brim over overflow. brimmed adj. (usu. in

comb. )
brim»ful /brimfobl/ adj. (also brinvfull) (often foil, by
of) filled to the brim.
brim-stone /brimston/ n. 1 the element sulfur. 2 a but-
terfly, Gonepteryx rhamni, or moth, Opisthograptis lute-
olata, having yellow wings.
brin*dled /brind'ld/ adj. (also brin*dle) brownish or
tawny with streaks of other color(s) (esp. of domestic
animals).
bridle
brine /brin/ n. 1 water saturated or strongly impreg-
bri»dle path n. a rough path or road suitable for horse- nated with salt. 2 sea water.
back riding. bring /bring/ v.tr. {past and past part, brought /brawt/)
Brie /bree/ n. a kind of soft ripened cheese. 1 a come conveying esp. by carrying or leading.
brief /breef/ adj., n., & v. •adj. 1 of short duration. b come with. 2 cause to come {zvhat brings you here?).
2 concise in expression. 3 brusque. 4 scanty {wearing 3 result in {war brings misery). 4 produce as income.
a brief skirt). •«. 1 (in/>/.) women's or men's brief un- 5 a prefer (a charge), b initiate (legal action). 6 cause
derpants. 2 Law a summary of the facts and legal to become or to reach a particular state {brought them
points of a case drawn up for the court or counsel. to their senses). 7 adduce (evidence, an argument, etc.).
3 instructions given for a task, etc. •v.tr. instruct (an bring about 1 cause to happen. 2 turn (a ship)
employee, etc.) in preparation for a task {briefed him around, bring around 1 restore to consciousness.
for the interview) (cf. debrief), d in brief in short. 2 persuade, bring back call to mind, bring down
dd brieMng n. brieMy adv. briefness n. 1 cause to fall. 2 lower (a price). 3 si. make unhappy
brief»case /breefkays/ n. a flat rectangular case for car- or less happy. 4 colloq. damage the reputation of; de-
rying documents, etc. mean, bring forth produce, bring forward 1 move to
bri-er 1
/briar/ n. (also bri»ar) any prickly bush, esp. of a an earlier time. 2 transfer from the previous page or
wild rose. account. 3 draw attention to. bring home to cause to
bri»er 2 /briar/n. (also bri*ar) 1 a white heath, Erica realize fully {brought home to me that I was zvrong) bring .

arborea, native to S. Europe. 2 a tobacco pipe made the house down receive rapturous applause, bring in
from its root. 1 introduce (legislation, a custom, etc.). 2 yield as in-

brig /brig/ n. 1 a two-masted square-rigged ship with
an additional lower fore-and-aft sail on the gaff and a
boom to the mainmast. 2 a prison, esp. in the navy.
Brig. abbr. Brigadier.
brigade /brigayd/ n. 1 Mil. a a subdivision of an army.
b an infantry unit consisting usu. of three battalions
and forming part of a division. C a corresponding ar-
mored unit. 2 an organized or uniformed band of
workers {fire brigade) 3 colloq. any group of people with
. (a child). 2 vomit. 3 call attention to. bring upon one-
a characteristic in common.
brig*a*dier gen*er*al n. an officer ranking between
colonel and major general.
brig*and /brigand/ n. a member of a robber band liv-
ing by pillage and ransom. brig*and*age n. brig*
and«ry n.
come or profit, bring into play activate, bring off
achieve successfully, bring on 1 cause to happen or ap-
pear. 2 accelerate the progress of. bring out 1 make ev-
ident. 2 publish, bring through aid (a person) through
adversity, bring to 1 restore to consciousness {brought
him to). 2 check the motion of. bring to bear (usu. foil,
by on) direct and concentrate (forces), bring to light
reveal, bring to pass cause to happen, bring up 1 rear
self be responsible for (something one suffers).
nn bring*er n.
brink /bringk/ n. 1 the extreme edge of land before a
precipice, etc. 2 the furthest point before something
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
brinkmanship - bronchial 92 2 widely disseminated. *adv. over a large
television.
area,dd broad»cast»er n. broad*cast*ing n.
dangerous or exciting is discovered, n on the brink of broad»cloth /brawdklawth, -kloth/ n. a fine cloth of
about to experience or suffer. wool, cotton, or silk.
brink*man*ship /brinkmanship/ n. the art or policy of broad»en /brawdan/ v.tr. &
intr. make or become

pursuing a dangerous course to the brink of catastro- broader.

phe before desisting, esp. in politics. broad»loom /brawdloom/ adj. (esp. of carpet) woven in
brin*y /brinee/ adj. (brinier, briniest) of brine or the sea; broad widths.
salty, nn brin»i»ness n. broad*ly /brawdlee/ adv. widely (grinned broadly).
bri-O /bre'e-6/ n. dash; vigor; vivacity. n broadly speaking disregarding minor exceptions.
bri»oche /bree-osh, bree-osh, -osh/ n. a small rounded broad-mind»ed adj. tolerant in one's views, nn broad-
sweet roll made with a light yeast dough. mind»ed»ly adv. broad-mind«ed«ness n.
briquette /briket/ n. (also bri»quet) a block of com- broad«side /brawdsid/ n. 1 the firing of all guns from
pressed coal dust or charcoal used as fuel. one side of a ship. 2 a vigorous verbal onslaught.
brisk /brisk/ adj. &
v. • adj. 1 quick; lively (a brisk pa- broad spectrum adj. (of a medicinal substance) ef-
ce). 2 enlivening; fresh (a brisk wind), •v.tr. &
intr. (of- fective against a large variety of microorganisms.
ten foil, by up) make or grow brisk, nn briskly adv. broad»sword /brawdsawrd/ n. a sword with a broad
brisk*ness n. blade, for cutting rather than thrusting.
bris*ket /briskit/ n. an animal's breast, esp. as a cut of broad«way /brawdway/ n. 1 a large open or main road.
meat. 2 (as Broadway) a principal thoroughfare in NewYork
bristling /brizling, bris-/ n. (pi. same or brislings) a City, noted for its theaters, and the center of U.S.
small herring or sprat. commercial theater production.
bris*tle /brisal/ n. &v. *n. a short stiff hair, esp. one bro»cade /brokayd/ n. a rich fabric with a silky finish
"\

of those on an animal's back. 2 this, or an artificial sub-
stitute, used in clumps to make a brush. »w 1a intr.
(of the hair) stand upright, b tr. make (the hair) do
this. 2 intr. show irritation or defensiveness. 3 intr.
(usu. foil, by with) be abundant (in) nn briskly /brislee/
. meat are cooked.
adj. (bristlier, bristliest)
Brit /brit/ n. colloq. a British person.
Bri*tan*nia /britanya/ the personification of Britain,
n.
esp. as a helmeted woman with shield and trident.
Brit*i«cism /britisizgm/ n. (also Brit«ish»ism /-tishizam/)
an idiom used in Britain but not in other English-
speaking countries.
woven with a raised pattern.
broc«CO*li /brokalee/ n. a vegetable related to cabbage
with a loose cluster of greenish flower buds.
bro*chette /broshet/ n. a skewer on which chunks of
bro*chure /broshebr/ n. a pamphlet of descriptive
information.
brogue 1
/brog/ «. la strong outdoor shoe with perfo-
rated bands. 2 a rough shoe of untanned leather.
brogue 2 /brog/ n. a marked accent, esp. Irish.
broil /broyl/ v. 1 tr. cook (meat) on a rack or a grill.
2 tr. &intr. make or become very hot, esp. from the

British /british/ adj. &

n. • adj. 1 of or relating to Great
Britain or the United Kingdom, or to its people or lan-
guage. 2 of the British Commonwealth or (formerly)
the British Empire (British subject). • /?. 1 (prec. by the;
treated asp/.) the British people. 2 = British English.
British English n. English as used in Great Britain,
as distinct from that used elsewhere.
Brit»ish»er /britishar/ n. a British subject.
Brit»on /britan/ n. 1 one of the people of S. Britain be-
fore the Roman conquest. 2 a native or inhabitant of
Great Britain or (formerly) of the British Empire.
briMIe /brit'l/ adj. &
n. madj. hard and fragile; apt to
sun.
broil*er /broytar/ n. 1 a young chicken raised for broil-
ing or roasting. 2 a a device on a stove for radiating
heat downward, b a grill, griddle, etc., for broiling.
broke /brok/ past of break, •predic.adj. colloq. having
no money, n go for broke si. risk everything in a stren-
uous effort.
bro»ken /brokan/ past part, of break. • adj. 1 that has
been broken. 2 (of a person) reduced to despair. 3 spo-
ken falteringly and with many mistakes (broken Eng-
lish). 4 interrupted. 5 uneven, nn bro»ken»ly adv. bro«
kervness ;/.

break. •«. a brittle confection made from nuts and bro»ken-down adj. 1 worn out. 2 out of order.
hardened melted sugar, qd briMle»ness n. bro«ken*heart*ed /brOkanhaartid/ adj. overwhelmed
briMIe star n. an echinoderm of the class Ophiuroidea, with sorrow.
with long brittle arms radiating from a central body. bro»ken home n. a family in which the parents are di-
broach /broch/ v. & n. •v.tr. 1 raise (a subject) for dis- vorced or separated.
cussion. 2 pierce (a cask) to draw liquor. 3 open and bro*ker /brokar/ n. 1 an agent who buys and sells for
start using contents of (a box, etc.) • n.
. 1 a bit for bor- others. 2 a member of the stock exchange dealing in
ing. 2 a roasting spit. stocks and bonds, nn bro»ker»ing n.
broad /brawd/ adj. &n.9 adj. 1 large in extent from one bro*ker*age /broknrij/ n. la broker's fee or commis-
side to the other; wide. 2 in breadth (2 meters broad). sion. 2 a broker's business.
3 extensive (broad acres). 4 full and clear (broad day- bro*me*li*ad /brome'eleead/ n. any plant of the family
light). 5 explicit; unmistakable (broad hint). 6 general Bromeliaceae (esp. of the genus Bromelia), native to
(a broad inquiry). 7 principal (the broad facts). 8 toler- the New World, having short stems with rosettes o!
ant; liberal (take a broad view). 9 somewhat coarse stiff leaves, e.g., pineapple.
(broad humor). 1 (of speech) markedly regional (broad bro»mic /bromik/ adj. Chem. of or containing bromine.
Brooklyn accent). •«. 1 the broad part of something bro»mic aoid n. a strong acid used as an oxidizing
(broad of the back). 2 si. a woman, nn broad*ness n. agent.
broad bean n. la kind of bean, Viciafaba, with pods bro»mide /bromid/ n. 1 Chem. any binary compound
containing large edible flat seeds. 2 one of these seeds. of bromine. 2 Pharm. a preparation <>l usu potassium
broadcast /brawdkast/ v., n., adj., &
adv. mv. (past bromide, used as a sedative. 3 a trite remark.
broadcast or broadcasted; past part, broadcast) 1 tr. broTTiine /brOmeen/ n. Chem. a liquid element with a
a transmit by radio or television, b disseminate choking irritating smell, used m the manufacture of
(information) widely. 2 intr. undertake or take part in chemicals for photography and medicine. 11 Symb. Br :

a radio or television transmission. 3 tr. scatter (seed, bron*chi pi. of bronchus.

etc.) over a large area. •«. a radio or television pro- bron*chi*al /brongkeeol/ adj. of or relating to the bron-
gram or transmission, madj. 1 transmitted by radio or chi or bronchioles.
 . .

bron»chi»al tube n. a bronchus or any tube branching 93 bronchial tube - brush

from it.

bron*chi*ole /brongkeeol/ n. any of the minute divi- en) intimidate with stern looks and words, dd brow*
sions of a bronchus, an bron«chi»o»lar /-6lsr, -Ida-/ adj. beater n.

bron»chi»tis /brongkitis/ n. inflammation of the mu- brown /brown/ adj., n., & v. »adj. 1 having the color as
cous membrane in the bronchial tubes, dd brorvchit* of dark wood or rich soil. 2 dark-skinned or suntanned
ic /-kitik/ adj. & n. 3 (of bread) made from a dark flour. •«, la brown
broncho- /brongko/ comb.form bronchi. color or pigment. 2 brown clothes or material (dressed
brorvcho-SCOpe/brongkaskop/ n. a usu. fiber-optic in- in brown), •v.tr. & intr. make or become brown.
strument for inspecting the bronchi, dd bronchosco- do browrvish adj. brown«ness n. brown»y adj.

py /-koskapee/ n. brown bag*ging n. taking one's lunch to work, etc., in

bron*chus /brongkss/ n. (pi. bronchi /-Id/) any of the a brown paper bag.
major air passages of the lungs, an bron«chi»al /brong- brown bear n. a N. American brown bear, Ursus arc-
keeal/ adj. to s.
bron»CO /brongko/ n. (pi. -cos) a wild or half-tamed Brown«i«an mo-tion /brownign/ n. Physics the erratic
horse of western N. America. random movement of microscopic particles in a liq-
bron*tO*sau*rus /brontasawras/ n. (also brorvto-saur uid, gas, etc., as a result of continuous bombardment
/brontasawr/) a large plant-eating dinosaur of the ge- from molecules of the surrounding medium.
nus Brontosaurus, with a long tail and trunk-like legs. Brown«ie/brownee/«. 1 a member of the junior branch
Now more correctly apatosaurus. of the Girl Scouts. 2 (brownie) Cooking a small square
Bronx cheer /brongks/ n. colloq. = raspberry 3a. of rich, usu. chocolate, cake with nuts.
bronze /bronz/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 an alloy of copper and Brown*ie point n. colloq. a notional credit for some-
tin. 2 its brownish color. 3 a thing made of bronze, esp. thing done to win favor.
as a work of art. madj. made of or colored like bronze. brown*nose /brownnoz/ v. intr. coarse si. ingratiate one-
Bronze Age n. the period when weapons and tools were self; be dd brown»nos»er n.
servile,
usu. made of bronze. brown*out /brownowt/ n. a period during which elec-
brooch /broch, brooch/ n. an ornament fastened to trical voltage is reduced to avoid a blackout, resulting
clothing with a hinged pin. in lowered illumination.
brood /brood/ n. &v. • n. 1 the young of an animal (esp. brown rice n. unpolished rice with only the husk of the
a bird) produced at one hatching or birth. 2 colloq. the grain removed.
children in a family. 3 a group of related things. 4 bee Brown shirt n. a Nazi; a member of a fascist organiza-
or wasp larvae. 5 (attrib.) kept for breeding (brood ma- tion.
re). *v. 1 intr. (often foil, by on, over, etc.) worry or brown*stone /brownston/ n. la reddish brown sand-
ponder (esp. resentfully). 2 a intr. sit as a hen on eggs stone used for building. 2 a building faced with this.
to hatch them, b tr. sit on (eggs) to hatch them. brown sug*ar n. unrefined or partially refined sugar.
dd brood*ing*ly adv. browse /browz/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. &
tr. read or survey

broodier /brobdar/ n. 1 a heated house for chicks, desultorily. 2 intr. (often foil, by on) feed (on leaves,
piglets, etc. 2 a person who broods. etc.).3 tr. crop and eat. 4 intr. & tr. Computing, etc.
brook /brOOk/ n. a small stream, dd brooMet Mat/ n.
1
read or survey (data files, etc.), esp. via a network. • n.
2
brook /brook/ v.tr. (usu. with neg.) formal tolerate. 1 young shoots, etc., as fodder for cattle. 2 an act of
brook trout n. the speckled trout (Salvelinusfontinalis), browsing, dd brows«er n.
a game fish of N. America. bruin /brooin/ n. a bear.
broom /broom, brOOm/ n. la long-handled brush of bruise /brOoz/ n. &
v. »n. 1 an injury appearing as an

bristles, twigs, etc., for sweeping. 2 any of various area of discolored skin on a human or animal body,
shrubs, esp. Cytisus scoparius, bearing bright yellow caused by impact. 2 an area of damage on a fruit, etc.
flowers. • t>. 1 tr. inflict a bruise on. 2 intr. be susceptible to
Bros. abbr. Brothers (esp. in the name of a business). bruising. 3 tr. crush or pound.
broth /brawth, broth/ n. Cooking 1 a thin soup of meat bruis»er /brGbzar/ n. colloq. a large tough-looking per-
or fish stock. 2 unclarified meat, fish or vegetable son.
stock. bruit /broot/ v.tr. (often foil, by abroad, about) spread (a
broth»el /brothal/ n. a house, etc., where prostitution report or rumor)
takes place. brume /broom/ n. mist; fog.
broth«er /bruthar/ n. 1 a man or boy in relation to other brunch /brunch/ n. a late-morning meal eaten as the
sons and daughters of his parents. 2 a a close male first meal of the day.
friend or associate, b a male fellow member of a labor bru*nette /broonet/ n. &
adj. (also masc. bru»net) • n. a
union, etc. 3 (pi. also brethren /brethrin/) a a mem- woman with dark hair. • adj. (of a woman) having dark
ber of a male religious order, b a fellow member of a hair.
religion, etc. 4 a fellow human being, dd broth*er*less brunt /brunt/ n. the chief impact of an attack, task, etc.
adj. broth*er*ly adj. & adv. broth*er*li*ness n. (esp. bear the brunt of).
broth*er*hood /brutharhood/ n. 1a the relationship brush /brush/ n.&v.*n."\ an implement with bristles,
between brothers, b brotherly friendliness. 2 a an block or projecting from the
hair, wire, etc., set into a
association or community of people linked by a com- end of a handle, for any of various purposes, esp. clean-
mon interest, etc. b its members collectively. 3 a labor ing or scrubbing, painting, arranging the hair, etc.
union. 2 the application of a brush; brushing. 3 a (usu. foil,
broth»er-in-law n. (pi brothers-in-law) 1 the brother by with) a short encounter (a brush with the law) b a .

of one's wife or husband. 2 the husband of one's sis-
ter. 3 the husband of one's sister-in-law.
brought past and past part, of bring.
brou«ha*ha /brobhaahaa/ n. commotion; uproar.
brow /brow/ n. 1 the forehead. 2 (usu. in pi.) an eye-
brow. 3 the summit of a hill or pass. 4 the edge of a
cliff, etc. dd -browed adj. (in comb.)
skirmish. 4 a the bushy tail of a fox. b a brushlike tuft.
5 Electr. a piece of carbon or metal serving as an elec-
trical contact. 6 a undergrowth; small trees and
shrubs, b such wood cut or broken, c land covered
with brush. • v. 1 tr. a sweep or scrub or put in order
with a brush, b treat (a surface) with a brush so as to

browbeat /browbeet/ v. tr. (past -beat; past part, -beat- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

brush-off ~ Buddha 94 bu*bo /byobbo, bob-/ n. (pi. -boes) a swollen inflamed

lymph node in the armpit or groin.
change its nature or appearance. 2 tr. a remove (dust, bu-borvic plague /byoobonik, boo-/ n. a contagious
etc.) with a brush, b apply (a liquid preparation) to a bacterial disease characterized by fever, delirium, and
surface with a brush. 3 tr. &
intr. graze or touch in the formation of buboes.
passing. 4 intr. perform a brushing action or motion. buocal /bukal/ adj. 1 of or relating to the cheek. 2 of
d brush aside dismiss curtly or lightly, brush off re- or in the mouth.
buff; dismiss abruptly brush over paint lightly, brush buc*ca*neer /bukaneer/ n. la pirate. 2 an unscrupu-
up (often by on) revive one's former knowledge
foil, lous adventurer, dd buc*ca*neer*ing n. adj. &
of (a subject), dd brush«y adj. buck /buk/ n.
1
&
v. mn. 1 the male of various animals,

brush-off n. a rebuff. esp. the deer, hare, or rabbit. 2 (attrib.) a male (buck
brush»wood /brushwood/ n. 1 cut or broken twigs, etc. antelope) . b Mil. of the lowest rank (buck private) • v. .

2 undergrowth. 1 intr. (of a horse) jump upwards with back arched and
brush«work /brushwsrk/ n. 1 manipulation of the feet drawn together. 2 tr. & intr. (usu. foil, by up) col-

brush in painting. 2 a painter's style in this. make or become more cheerful.

loq.

brusque /brusk/ adj. abrupt or offhand in manner or
speech, dd brusquely adv. brusque«ness n.
brus*sels sprout /brusalz/ n. 1a vegetable related to
cabbage with small compact cabbage-like buds borne
close together along a tall single stem. 2 any of these
buds used as a vegetable.
brut /broot/ adj. (of wine) very dry; unsweetened.
bru»tal /brobt'l/ adj. 1 savagely cruel. 2 harsh; merci-
less, dd bru»taW»ty /-talitee/ n. (pi. -ties). bru«taMy adv.
bru»tal»ism /brobt'lizam/ n. 1 brutality. 2 a heavy plain
style of architecture, etc. dd bru*tal*ist n. adj.
buck 2 /buk/ n. si. a dollar, d a fast buck easy money.
buck 3 /buk/ n. si. an article placed as a reminder be-
fore a player whose turn it is to deal at poker, d pass
the buck colloq. shift responsibility (to another)
buck 4 /buk/ «. 1 a sawhorse. 2 a vaulting horse.
buck»board /bukbawrd/ n. a horse-drawn vehicle with
the body formed by a plank fixed to the axles.
buck»et /bukit/ n. 1 a a roughly cylindrical open
container, used for carrying, catching, or holding
water, etc. b the amount contained in this. 2 (in pi.)
& large quantities of liquid (wept buckets) 3 a compart- .

bru*tai*ize /brobt'liz/ v.tr. 1 make brutal. 2 treat bru- ment on the outer edge of a waterwheel. 4 the scoop
tally, dd bru»tal»i»za»tion /-lizayshan/ n. of a dredger or a grain elevator, dd buck*et*ful n. (pi.
brute /broot/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a a savagely violent per- -fuls).
son or animal, b colloq. a cruel, unpleasant, or insen- buck*et seat n. a seat with a rounded back to fit one
sitive person. 2 an animal as opposed to a human be- person, esp. in a car.
ing, madj. 1 not possessing the capacity to reason. buck»eye /bukl/ n. 1 any shrub or tree of the genus
2 a merely physical (brute force) b harsh, fundamen-
. Aesculus of the horse chestnut family, with large sticky
tal, or inescapable (brute necessities), dd bruHsh adj. buds and showy red or white flowers. 2 the shiny
brut*ish*ness n. brown nutlike seed of this plant.
brux*ism /bruksizam/ n. the involuntary or habitual buckthorn /bukhawrn/ n. horn of a buck as a material
grinding or clenching of the teeth. for knife handles, etc.
bryoTiy /biianee/ n. (pi. -nies) any climbing plant of buck*hound /bukhownd/ n. a small kind of staghound.
the genus Bryonia, esp. B. dioica, bearing greenish buck*le /bukal/ n. &v. *n. A a. flat frame with a hinged
white flowers and red berries. pin, used for joining the ends of a belt, strap, etc. 2 a
bry*o*phyte /briafit/ n. any plant of the phylum similarly shaped ornament. »v. 1 tr. (often foil, by up,
Bryophyta, including mosses and liverworts. on, etc.) fasten with a buckle. 2 tr. intr. give way or &
bry«o»zo«an /briazOsn/ n. &
adj. • n. any aquatic inver- cause to give way under longitudinal pressure, d buck-
tebrate animal of the phylum Bryozoa, forming colo- le down make a determined effort.
nies attached to rocks, seaweeds, etc. • adj. of or relat- buck»ler /buklar/ n. hist, a small round shield held by
ing to the phylum Bryozoa. a handle.
BS abbr. 1 Bachelor of Science. 2 Bachelor of Surgery. buck»ram /bukram/ n. a coarse linen or other cloth stiff-
3 coarse si. bullshit. ened with gum or paste, and used as interfacing or in
B-side /be'esid/ n. the side of a phonograph record re- bookbinding.
garded as less important. buck»saw /buksaw/ n. a two-handed saw set in an H-
BTU abbr. (also B.t.u.) British thermal unit(s). shaped frame and used for sawing wood.
bub /bub/ n. colloq. a boy or a man, often used as a form buck»shot /biikshot/ n. large-sized lead shot.
of address. buck»skin /bukskin/ n. 1 a the skin of a buck, b leather
bub»ble /bubol/ &
v. • «. 1 a a thin sphere of liquid
n. made from a buck's skin. 2 a thick smooth cloth.
enclosing b an air-filled cavity in a liquid or a
air, etc. buck»thorn /bukthawrn/ n. any thorny shrub of the ge-
solidified liquid such as glass or amber. 2 the sound nus Rhamnus, esp. R. cathartica with berries formerly
or appearance of boiling. 3 a semicylindrical or domed used as a cathartic.
cavity, •v.intr. 1 rise in or send up bubbles. 2 make the buck*tooth /buktoDth/ n. (pi. -teeth) an upper tooth
sound of boiling, a bubble over (often foil, by with) be that projects.
exuberant with laughter, excitement, anger, etc. buck»wheat /bukhweet, -weet/ n. any cereal plain od
bub»ble bath n. 1 a preparation for adding to bath wa- the genus h'agopyrum, esp. EescuUntum with seeds used
ter to make it foam. 2 a bath with this added. for fodder and for flour.
bub»ble gum n. chewing gum that can be blown into bu*COl*ic /byOokolik/ adj. of or concerning shepherds,
bubbles. the pastoral life, etc.; rural.
bub»ble mem»o»ry n. Computing a type of memory that bud 1
/bud/ mn. 1 a an immature knoblike shoot
n. itrv.
stores data as a pattern of magnetized regions in a thin from which stem, leaf, or flower develops, b a flower
a
layer of magnetic material. or leaf that is not fully open. 2 BioL an asexual out-
bub*ble wrap n. a clear plastic packaging material con- growth from a parent organism that separates to form
taining numerous small air cushions designed to pro- a new
individual. •« (budded, budding) 1 mn. Hot. cr
tect fragile objects in shipping. Zool. form a bud. 2 intr. begin to develop. 3 tr. H,>n
but>bly bublee/ adj. &
n. •adj. (bubblier, bubbliest) Kraft a bud (of a plant) on to .mother plant.
1 having or resembling bubbles. 2 exuberant. •>/. col- bud 2 /bud/ ;/. colloq. fas a form of address) hiddv
loq. champagne. Bud»dha boodo/
hood.-), >/. 1 a title gfoeO to siKiessive
 .

teachers of Buddhism, esp. to its founder, Gautama. 95 Buddhism ~ bulge

2 a statue or picture of the Buddha.
Bud-dhism /boodizam, bobd-/ n. a widespread religion tern, etc. 5 si. an obsession, enthusiasm, etc. mv.
or philosophy, founded by Gautama Buddha in India (bugged, bugging) 1 tr. conceal a microphone in. 2 tr.
in the 5th c. bc, which teaches that elimination of the si. annoy; bother. 3 intr. (often foil, by out) si. leave
self and earthly desires is the highest goal, dd Bud* quickly.
dhist n. & adj. bug*a*boo /bugaboo/ n. a bogey (see bogey 2 ) or bug-
bud*dle*ia /budleea/ n. any shrub of the genus Buddle- bear.
ia, with fragrant flowers attractive to butterflies. bug*bear /biigbair/ n. 1 a cause of annoyance or anger.
blld*dy /budee/ n. &
v. colloq. • n. (pi. -dies) (often as 2 an object of baseless fear.
a form of address) a close friend or companion. • v. intr. bug-eyed adj. with bulging eyes.
(-ies, -ied) (often foil, by up) become friendly. bug*ger /bugar/ n. v. • n. 1 a person who commits &
budge /buj/ v. (usu. with neg.) 1 intr. a make the slight- buggery. • v. tr. 1 coarse si. as an exclamation of annoy-
est movement, b change one's opinion. 2 tr. cause or ance (bugger the thing!). 2 commit buggery with.
compel to budge (nothing will budge him). bug*ger«y /bugaree/ n. anal intercourse.
budg«er»i»gar /bujareegaar/ n. a small parakeet, bug*gy /bugee/ n. (pi. -gies) 1 a light, horse-drawn ve-
Melopsittacus undulatus, native to Australia, and often hicle for one or two people. 2 a small, sturdy motor
kept as a cage bird. vehicle (beach buggy; dune buggy). 3 a baby carriage.
budg*et /bujit/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the amount of money need- bungle /byobgal/ n. (also bogle horn) a brass in-
1

ed or available (a budget of $200). 2 a the usu. annual strument like a small trumpet without valves, used esp.
estimate of national revenue and expenditure, b an es- for military signals, dd bu*gler /byobglar/ n.
timate or plan of expenditure in relation to income for bu*gle 2 /byobgal/ n. a blue-flowered mat-forming
a business, etc. C a private person's or family's similar European plant, Ajuga reptans.
estimate. 3 (attrib.) inexpensive, mv.tr. intr. (bud- &
bu»gle 3 /byobgal/ n. a tube-shaped bead sewn on a
geted, budgeting) (often foil, by for) allow or arrange dress, etc., for ornament.
for in a budget (have budgeted for a new car) a on a bu*gloss byobglaws, -glos/ n. any of various bristly
.

budget avoiding expense; cheap, an budg*et*ar*y adj. plants related to borage, esp. of the genus Anchusa with
buff /buf/ adj., n.,&v. madj. 1 of a yellowish beige col- bright blue tubular flowers.
or. 2 si. fit; with well-defined muscles. • n. 1 a yellow- build /bild/ v. &n. mv.tr. (past and past. part, built /bilt/)
ish beige color. an enthusiast (railroad buff)
2 colloq. 1 a construct (a house, vehicle, fire, road, model, etc.)

3 colloq. the human

skin unclothed. 4 a a velvety dull by putting parts or material together, b commission,
yellow ox leather, b (attrib.) made of this. mv.tr. 1 pol- finance, and oversee the building of (the board has built
ish (metal, fingernails, etc.). 2 make (leather) velvety two new schools). 2 a (often foil, by up) establish, de-
like buff, by removing the surface, a in the buff colloq. velop, make, or accumulate gradually (built the busi-
naked. ness up from nothing), b (often foil, by on) base (hopes,
buf*fa*lo /bufalo/ n. &same or -loes) 1 a N.
v. • n. (pi. theories, etc.) (ideas built on a false foundation) 3 (as .

American bison, Bison 2 either of two species of

bison. built adj.) having a specified build (sturdily built; brick-
ox, Synceros coffer^ native to Africa, or Bubalus arnee, built), mn. 1 the proportions of the body (a slim build).
native to Asia, with heavy backswept horns. • v (-loes, 2 a style of construction, d build in incorporate as part
.

-loed) 5/. overawe; outwit. of a structure, build up 1 increase in size or strength.

buf*fa*lo wings n.pl. fried chicken wings coated in hot, 2 praise; boost. 3 gradually become established.
spicy sauce and served with blue cheese dressing. build*er /bildar/ n. 1 a contractor for building houses,
buff»er /bufar/ n. &
v. mn. 1a device that protects etc. 2 a person engaged as a construction worker, etc.,
against or reduces the effect of an impact. 2 Biochem. on a building site.
a substance that maintains the hydrogen ion build»ing /bilding/ n. 1 a permanent fixed structure
concentration of a solution when an acid or alkali is forming an enclosure and providing protection from
added. 3 Computing a temporary memory area for da- the elements, etc. 2 the constructing of such struc-
ta to aid its transferbetween programs operating at tures.
different speeds, etc. mv.tr. 1 act as a buffer to. build»up /bildap/ n. la favorable description in ad-
2 Biochem. treat with a buffer. vance. 2 a gradual approach to a climax or maximum.
buff«er zone n. 1 a neutral area between two warring built-in adj. 1 forming an integral part of a structure.
groups. 2 any area separating those in conflict. 2 forming an integral part of a person's character
buMet /boofay, ba-/ n. a meal consisting of several
1
(built-in integrity).
dishes set out from which guests serve themselves. built-up adj. 1 (of a locality) densely covered by hous-
buMet 2 /bufit/ v. & n. mv. (buffeted, buffeting) 1 tr. es, etc. 2 increased in height, etc., by the addition of
a knock repeatedly (wind buffeted the trees)
strike or parts. 3 composed of separately prepared parts.
b with the hand or fist. 2 tr. (of fate, etc.) treat
strike bulb /bulb/ n. 1 a a fleshy-leaved storage organ of some
badly; plague (buffeted by misfortune) 3 a intr. struggle; . plants sending roots downward and leaves upward, b a
fight one's way (through difficulties, etc.). b tr. con- plant grown from this. 2= ughtbulb (see light ). 1

tend with (waves, etc.). mn. 1 a blow, esp. of the hand. 3 any object or part shaped like a bulb.
2 a shock. bul»bous /bulbas/ adj. 1 shaped like a bulb; fat or bulg-
buMet»ing /bufiting/ n. la beating; repeated blows. ing. 2 having a bulb or bulbs. 3 (of a plant) growing
2 Aeron. an irregular oscillation, caused by air eddies, from a bulb.
of any part of an aircraft. Bul*gar*i*an /bulgaireean/ n. &
adj. mn. 1 a a native or
buMo /bdbfo/ n. & adj. • n. (pi. »fos) a comic actor, esp. inhabitant of Bulgaria, b a person of Bulgarian de-
in Italian opera, madj. comic; burlesque. scent. 2 the language of Bulgaria, madj. of or relating
buMoon /bafobn/ n. 1 a jester; a mocker. 2 a stupid per- to Bulgaria or people or language.
its
son, dd buf*foon*er*y n. buMoon»ish adj. bulge /bulj/ n. & mn. 1 a a convex part of an other-
v.

bug /bug/ n. &

v. m n. 1 a any of various hemipterous wise flat or flatter surface, b an irregular swelling; a
insects with mouthparts modified for piercing and lump. 2 colloq. a temporary increase in quantity or
sucking, b colloq. any small insect. 2 5/. a microorgan- number, mv. 1 intr. swell outwards. 2 intr. be full or re-
ism or a disease caused by it. 3 a concealed mi-
crophone. 4 5/. an error in a computer program or sys- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . )

bulgur - bumper car
plete. 3 tr. swell (a bag, cheeks, etc.) by stuffing.
dd bulg*y adj.
bul-gur /bulggr/ n. (also bul«gar, bul-ghur) whole wheat
that has been partially boiled then dried.
96 buMion /bofolygn/ n. a metal (esp. gold or silver) in bulk
before coining, or valued by weight.
bulMsh /boblish/ adj. 1 like a bull, esp. in size or tem-
per. 2 a Stock Exch. causing or associated with a rise
in prices, b optimistic, dd bull*ish*ly adv. bull*ish*ness
n.

bu»lim«a»rex»i»a /boolimarekseea, -le'ema-, byoo-/ n. = bull mar»ket n. Stock Exch. a market with shares rising
bulimia 2. dd bu»lirrva»rex«ic adj. & n. in price.
bu*lim*i*a /boole'emeea/ n. Med. 1 insatiable overeat- buMock /bebtok/ n. a castrated bull.
ing. 2 (in full bulimia nervosa) an emotional disorder bull pen n. (also bull»pen) 1 Baseball aan area in which
in which bouts of extreme overeating are followed by relief pitchers warm up
during a game, b the relief
self-induced vomiting, etc. dd biHinvic adj. & n. pitchers on a team. 2 a large holding cell for prison-
bulk /bulk/ n.&v.mn. 1 a size; magnitude (esp. large). ers awaiting court appearances. 3 colloq. an open,
b a large mass. C a large quantity. 2 a large shape or unpartitioned area for several workers.
body (jacket barely covered his bulk) 3 (usu. prec. by the;
. bull*ring /boblring/ n. an arena for bullfights.
treated as pi. ) the greater part or number (the bulk of bull ses-sion n. an informal group discussion.
the applicants are women). 4 roughage. •«. 1 intr. seem bull's-eye n. 1 a the center of a target, b a shot that hits
in respect to size or importance (bulks large in his reck- this. 2 a large hard peppermint-flavored candy. 3 a
oning). 2 tr. (often foil, by out) make (a book, a textile hemisphere or thick disk of glass in a ship's deck or
yarn, etc.) seem thicker by suitable treatment (bulked side to admit light. 4 a small circular window. 5 a a
it with irrelevant stories), a in bulk in large quantities. hemispherical lens, b a lantern fitted with this. 6 a boss
bulk*head /bulk-hed/ n. 1 an upright partition separat- of glass at the center of a blown glass sheet.
ing the compartments in a ship, vehicle, etc. 2 an em- bullish it /boblshit/ n. &
v. coarse si. • n. 1 (often as int.

bankment or retaining wall, esp. along a waterfront. nonsense. 2 trivial or insincere talk or writing, •v.intr.
bulk*y /bulkee/ adj. (bulkier, bulkiest) 1 taking up (-shitted, -shitting) talk nonsense; bluff, dd bull-shit*
much space; large. 2 awkwardly large; unwieldy. ter n.
no bulk* My adv. bulk*i*ness n. bull ter»ri»er n. a short-haired dog of a breed that is a
bull 1 /bODl/ n. 1 a an uncastrated male bovine animal. cross between a bulldog and a terrier.
b a male of the whale, elephant, and other large ani- buMy /boblee/ n.*
&
v. • n. (pi. -lies) a person who uses

mals. 2 (the Bull) the zodiacal sign or constellation strength or power to coerce others by fear. • v. tr. (-ies,
Taurus. 3 Stock Exch. a person who buys shares hop- -ied) 1 persecute by force or threats. 2 (foil, by into +
ing to sell them at a higher price later (cf. bear 3 ). verbal noun) pressure (a person) to do something (bul-
bull 2 /bool/ n. a papal edict. lied him into agreeing)
bull 3 /bODl/ n. 1 (also Irish bull) an expression con- buMy 2 /boblee/ adj. &
int. colloq. madj. very good. •int.

taining a contradiction in terms. 2 si. a unnecessary (foil, by for) expressing admiration or approval, or iron,
routine tasks or discipline, b nonsense. C trivial or in- (bully for themf)
sincere talk or writing. buMyboy /bcfoleeboy/ n. a hired thug.
bull*dog /bcbldawg, -dog/ n. a dog of a sturdy breed bul*rush /bofolrush/ n. la rushlike water plant, Scirpus
with a large head and smooth hair. lacustris, used for weaving. 2 Bibl. a papyrus plant.
bull*doze /bobldoz/ v.tr. 1 clear with a bulldozer. 2 col- bulwark /boblwark/ n. 1 a defensive wall, esp. of earth;
loq. a intimidate, b make (one's way) forcibly. a breakwater. 2 a person, principle, etc., that acts as a
bull*doz*er /bobldozar/ n. a powerful tractor with a defense. 3 (usu. in pi.) a ship's side above deck.
broad curved vertical blade at the front for clearing bum /bum/ n., v., &
adj. si. mn. a habitual loafer or
ground. tramp; a lazy dissolute person, mv. (bummed, bum-
buMet /boblit/ n. 1 a small round or cylindrical missile ming) 1 intr. (often foil, by about, around) loaf or wan-
with a pointed end, fired from a rifle, revolver, etc. der around. 2 tr. cadge, •attrib.adj. 1 of poor quality.
2 Printing a round black dot used as a marker (•)• 2 not entirely functional (bum ankle).
bul*le*tin /boblitin/ n. 1 a short official statement of bum*ble /bumbal/ v.intr. 1 (foil, by on) speak in a ram-
news. 2 a regular periodical issued by an organization. bling way. 2 (often as bumbling adj.) move or act in-
eptly. 3 make a buzz or hum. dd bunvbler n.
bulletin mid- 17th century (denoting an official war-
bum*ble*bee /bumbalbee/ n. any large humming bee
rant in some European countries) from French, from
of the genus Bombus.
Italian bullettino, diminutive of bulletta 'passport,' di-
minutive of bulla 'official seal on a document.'
bum*mer /bumar/ n. si. 1 a bum; a loafer. 2 an unpleas-
ant occurrence.
buMe»tin board «. 1 a board for posting notices, bump /bump/ n.,v.,&adv. mn. 1 a dull-sounding blow
information, etc. 2 Computing a public computer file or collision. 2 a swelling or dent caused by this. 3 an
serving the function of a bulletin board. uneven patch on a road, field, etc. 4 Phrenol. any of
buMet»proof /boblitproof/ adj. (of a material) designed various prominences on the skull thought to indicate
to resist the penetration of bullets. different mental faculties. *v. 1 a tr. hit or come
bulMight /boblfit/ n. a sport of baiting and (usu.) kill- against with a bump, b intr. (of two objects) collide.
ing bulls as a public spectacle, dd bull*fight*er n. bull* 2 intr. (foil, by against, into) hit with a bump; collide
fight-ing n. with. 3 tr. (often foil, by against, on) hurt or damage-
bull-finch /boblfinch/ n. a European finch, Pyrrhula by striking (bumped my head on the ceiling). 4 intr. (usu.
pyrrhula, with a short stout beak and bright plumage. foil, by along) move with much jolting {bumped along
bull*frog /boblfrawg, -frog/ n. a large frog, Rana cates- the road). 5 tr. displace, esp. by seniority •adv. with a
biana, native to eastern N. America, with a deep croak. bump; suddenly; violently. bump into colloq. meet by
1 1

bull»head /boblhed/ n. any of various freshwater cat- chance, bump off s7. murder, bump up colloq. increase
fishes of N. America. (prices, etc.).
bull*head*ed /boolhedid/ adj. obstinate; impetuous; bumpier /bumpor/ n. la horizontal device lixeil
blundering, gg bull*head*ed*ly adv. bull*head*ed*ness the front or back of a vehicle to reduce damage in a
n. collision or as trim. 2 (usu. attrib.) an unusuallv lar^e
bull*horn /boblhawrn/ n. an electronic device for am- or fine example (a bumper erop).
plifying the voice so it can be heard at a distance. bump*er car >/. each of a number of small electrically-
 .

driven cars in an enclosure at an amusement park, 97 bumper sticker ~ burgrave

driven around and bumped into each other.
bump*er stickler n. a strip of paper backed with adhe-
sive that may be affixed to an automobile bumper, usu.
bearing a joke, political slogan, advertisement, etc.
or horns; butt. 2 tr. Baseball to tap or push (a ball) with
the bat without swinging. • n. an act of bunting.
bunt-ing /bunting/ n. any of numerous seed-eating
1

bump-kin /bumpkin/ n. a rustic or socially inept per- birds of the family Emberizidae, related to the
son. finches.
bump»tious /bumpshas/ adj. offensively self-assertive bunMng- /bunting/ n. flags and other decorations.
or conceited, on bump*tious*ly adv. bump*tious*ness bunt»ing 3 /bunting/ n. a baby's hooded sleeping bag
n. made of soft fabric.
bump*y /bumpee/ adj. (bumpier, bumpiest) 1 having bu»oy /boo-ee, boy/ n. & v. • n. 1 an anchored float serv-
many bumps (a bumpy road). 2 affected by bumps (a ing as a navigation mark or to show reefs, etc. 2 a
bumpy ride), aa bump*i*ly adv. bump*i*ness n. lifebuoy, •v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by up) a keep afloat, b sus-
bum rap n. si. imprisonment on a false charge. tain the spirits of (a person, etc.); encourage. 2 (often
bum's rush n. si. forcible ejection. foil, by out) mark with a buoy or buoys.

bum steer n. si. false information. buoy«an«cy /boyansee/ n. 1 the capacity to be or re-
bun /bun/ n. la small often sweet bread roll. 2 hair main buoyant. 2 resilience. 3 cheerfulness.
worn in the shape of a bun. 3 (in pi.) si. the buttocks. buoy*ant /boyant/ adj. 1 a able or apt to keep afloat or
have a bun in the oven 5/. be pregnant. rise to the top of a liquid or gas. b (of a liquid or gas)
bunch /bunch/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a cluster of things grow- able to keep something afloat. 2 lighthearted. no bu-
ing or fastened together. 2 a collection; a set (best of oyantly adv.
the bunch). 3 colloq. a group; a gang. »v. 1 tr. make in- bur /bar/ n. var. of burr.
to a bunch; gather into close folds. 2 intr. form into a bur*ble /barbal/ v. n. • v.intr. 1 speak ramblingly. &
group or crowd, oa bunch»y adj. 2 make a murmuring noise. •«. a murmuring noise.
bun*co /bungko/ n. Of v. (also bun«ko) 5/. •«. (pi. -cos) bur*bot /barbat/ n. an eellike, bearded freshwater fish,
a swindle, esp. by card sharping or a confidence trick. Lota lota.
• v.tr. (-oes, -oed) swindle; cheat. bur*den /bardan/ n. v. • n. 1 a load. 2 an oppressive &
bun«combe var. of bunkum. duty, obligation, expense, emotion, etc. 3 the bearing
bun*dle /bundal/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a collection of things of loads (beast of burden). 4 a ship's carrying capacity.
tied or fastened together. 2 a set of nerve fibers, etc., • v.tr. load with a burden; oppress, nn bur»den»some
banded together. 3 si. a large amount of money, mv. adj.
1 tr. a (usu. foil, by up) tie in or make into a bundle bur»den of proof n. the obligation to prove one's case.
(bundled up my exercise things), b sell (a product) to- bur*d0Ck 'bardok/ n. any plant of the genus Arctium,
gether with another one in a single transaction. 2 tr. with prickly flowers and docklike leaves.
(usu. foil, by into) throw or push, esp. quickly or con- bu-reau byobro/ n. (pi. bureaus or bureaux /-roz/) 1 a
fusedly (bundled the papers into the drawer). 3 tr. (usu. chest of drawers. 2 an office or department for trans-
foil, by out, off, away, etc.) send away hurriedly or un- acting specific business.
ceremoniously (bundled them off the premises), a bun- bu*reauc«ra*cy /byoorokrasee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a gov-
dle up dress warmly or cumbersomely. ernment by central administration, b a nation or
bung /bung/ n. & v. *n. a stopper for closing a hole in organization so governed. 2 the officials of such a gov-
a container, •v.tr. stop with a bung, o bunged up ernment. 3 conduct typical of such officials.
closed; blocked. bu»reau»crat /byobrakrat/ n. 1 an official in a bureauc-
bun*ga*low /bunggalo/ n. a one-storied house. racy. 2 an officious administrator, no bu*reau*crat*ic
bun*gee /bunjee/ n. (in full bungee cord) elasticized /-kratik/ adj. bu«reau»crat«i»caMy adv.
cord or rope. bu*reauc*ra*tize /byOOrokratlz/ v. tr. govern by or trans-
bun»gee jumping n. the sport of jumping from a form into a bureaucratic system, dd bu*reauc*ra*ti*za«
height while secured by a bungee from the ankles or tion /-tizayshan/ n.
a harness. bu»rette /byooret/ n. (also bu»ret) a graduated glass tube
bun»gle /bunggal/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. mismanage or fail at with a stopcock for measuring small volumes of liq-
(a task). 2 intr. work badly or clumsily, •n. a bungled uid in chemical analysis.
attempt; bungled work, an burvgler n. burg /barg/ n. a town or city.
bun*ion /biinyan/ n. a swelling on the foot, esp. at the bur»gee /barje'e/ n. a triangular or swallow-tailed flag
first joint of the big toe. bearing the colors or emblem of a yacht club.
bunk /bungk/ n.
1
&
v. • n. a shelflike bed against a wall. bur»geon /barjon/ v.intr. literary 1 begin to grow rapid-
• v.intr. 1 sleep in a bunk. 2 occupy sleeping quarters. ly; flourish. 2 put forth young shoots; bud.
bunk 2 /bungk/ n. si = bunkum. burg»er /bargar/ n. 1 colloq. a hamburger. 2 (in comb.)
bunk bed n. each of two or more beds one above the a certain kind of hamburger or variation of it (beef-
other, forming a unit. burger, veggieburger)
bun«ker /bungkar/ n. & v. *n. 1a large container or bur*gess /barjis/ n. hist, a borough magistrate or leg-
compartment for storing fuel. 2
reinforced un- a islator in colonial Maryland or Virginia.
derground shelter. 3 a hollow filled with sand, used as burgh*er /bargar/ n. a citizen of a town on the Europe-
an obstacle in a golf course. • v. tr. 1 fill the fuel bunkers an continent.
of (a ship, etc.). 2 (usu. in passive) trap in a bunker (in bur»glar /barglar/ n. a person who commits burglary.
sense 3). bur«glar*ize /barglariz/ v. 1 tr. commit burglary against
bunk*house /bungk-hows/ n. a house where workers, (a building or person). 2 intr. commit burglary.
etc., are lodged. bur*gla*ry /barglaree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 entry into a build-
bun«kum /bungkam/ n. (also bun»combe) nonsense; ing illegally with intent to commit theft, do bodily
humbug. harm, or do damage. 2 an instance of this.
bun*ny /bunee/ n. (pi. -nies) a child's name for a bur*gle /bargal/ v.tr. &
intr. = burglarize.
rabbit. bur*grave /bargrayv/ n. hist, the ruler of a town or
Bun*sen burn*er /biinsan/ n. an adjustable gas burn- castle.
er used in scientific work as a source of heat.
bunt /bunt/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr. & intr. push with the head See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
burgundy ~ busboy 98 burn-ing /barning/ adj. 1 ardent; intense (burning de-
sire) 2 hotly discussed; exciting; vital, urgent (burning
.

bur-gun»dy/bargandee/«. (pi. -dies) 1 a the wine (usu. question). 3 flagrant (burning shame), dd burn*ing*ly
red) of Burgundy in E. France, b a similar wine from adv.
another place. 2 the dark red color of Burgundy wine. bUMlish /barnish/ v.tr. polish by rubbing.
bur*i*al /bereeal/ n. 1 a the burying of a dead body, b a bur«noose /barndbs/ n. (also bur«nous) an Arab or
funeral. 2 Archaeol. a grave or its remains. Moorish hooded cloak.
buTin /byobrin, bar-/ n. 1 a steel tool for engraving on burn*out /barnowt/ n. 1 physical or emotional exhaus-
copper or wood. 2 Archaeol. a flint tool with a chisel tion. 2 depression; disillusionment.
point. burnt /barnt/ past and past part, of burn.
Bufkitt's lym»pho»ma /barkits/ n. Med. a malignant burnt of»fer«ing n. 1 an offering burned on an altar as
tumor of the lymphatic system, esp. affecting children a sacrifice. 2 joe. overcooked food.
of Central Africa. burp /barp/ v. & n. colloq. mv. 1 intr. belch. 2 tr. make

burl /barl/ «. la knot or lump in wool or cloth. 2 a (a baby) belch. •«. a belch.
rounded knotty growth on a tree. burr /bar/ n. & v. •«. 1 a a whirring sound, b a rough

bur*lap /barlap/ n. 1 coarse canvas esp. of jute used for sounding of the letter r. 2 a a rough edge left on cut
sacking, etc. 2 a similar lighter material for use in or punched metal or paper, b a surgeon's or dentist's
dressmaking or furnishing. small drill. 3 a a prickly clinging seedcase or flower-
burlesque &
v. • n. 1 a comic imita-
/barlesk/ n., adj., head, b any plant producing these. • v. 1 tr. pronounce
tion, parody, performance or work of this kind.
b a with a burr. 2 intr. make a whirring sound.
c bombast; mock-seriousness. 2 a variety show, often bur«ri»tO /bareeto/ n. (pi. -tos) a tortilla rolled around
including striptease. • adj. of or in the nature of bur- a meat or bean filling.

lesque. mv.tr. (burlesques, burlesqued, burlesquing) bur*ro /baro, bobro, buro/ n. (pi. -ros) a small donkey
make or give a burlesque of. used as a pack animal.
bur*ly /barlee/ adj. (burlier, burliest) of stout sturdy bur»row /baro, buro/ n. &
v. mn. a hole or tunnel dug

build; big and strong. by a small animal as a dwelling, mv. 1 intr. make or
Burmese /barmeez/ n. & adj. *n. (pi. same) 1 a a live in a burrow. 2 tr. make (a hole, etc.) by digging.
native or inhabitant of Burma (also called Myanmar) 3 intr. hide oneself. 4 intr. (foil, by into) investigate;
in SE Asia, b a person of Burmese descent. 2 a mem- search.
ber of the largest ethnic group of Burma. 3 the lan- bur*sa /barsa/ n. (pi. bursae /-see/ or bursas) Anat. a
guage of this group. 4 a breed of short-coated domes- fluid-filled sac or cavity to lessen friction, dd bur»sal
tic cat. madj. of or relating to Burma or its people or adj.
language. bur*sar /barsar/ n. a treasurer, esp. the person in charge
burn /barn/ v.& n. mv. (past and past part, of the funds and other property of a college.
burned or
burnt) 1 tr. & intr. be or cause to be consumed or bur*si*tis /barsitis/ n. inflammation of a bursa.
destroyed by fire. 2 intr. a blaze or glow with fire, b be burst /barst/ v. &
n. mv. (past and past part, burst)
in the state characteristic of fire. 3 tr. &
intr. be or cause 1 a intr. break suddenly and violently apart by expan-
to be injured or damaged by fire or great heat or by sion of contents or internal pressure, b tr. cause to do
radiation. 4 tr. &
intr. use or be used as a source of this, c tr. send (a container, etc.) violently apart. 2 a tr.
heat, light, or other energy. 5 tr. &
intr. char in cook- open forcibly, b intr. come open or be opened forci-
ing (burned the vegetables; the vegetables are burning). bly. 3 a intr. (usu. foil, by in, out) make one's way sud-
6 tr. produce (a hole, a mark, etc.) by fire or heat. 7 tr. denly or by force, b tr. break away from or through
a subject (clay, chalk, etc.) to heat for a purpose. (the river burst its banks) 4 tr. &
intr. fill or be full to
.

b harden (bricks) by fire. C make (lime or charcoal)
by heat. 8 tr. color, tan, or parch with heat or light. 9 tr.
& intr. put or be put to death by fire or electrocution.
10fr. a cauterize; brand, b (foil, by in) imprint by
burning. 1 1 tr. &
intr. make or be hot; give or feel a
sensation or pain of or like heat. 1 2 tr. &
intr. (often blood vessel). •«. 1 the act of or an instance of burst-
foil, by with) make or be passionate; feel or cause to
feel great emotion (burn with shame). 13 intr. (foil, by
into) (of acid, etc.) gradually penetrate (into) causing
disintegration. • n. 1 a mark or injury caused by burn-
ing. 2 the ignition of a rocket engine in flight, giving
extra thrust, a burn one's bridges commit oneself ir- bur«y /beree/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 place (a dead body) in
revocably, burn the candle at both ends exhaust one's
resources by undertaking too much, burn down
1 a destroy (a building) by burning, b (of a building)
be destroyed by fire. 2 burn less vigorously as fuel fails.
burn a hole in one's pocket (of money) be quickly
spent, burn low (of fire) be nearly out. burn the mid-
overflowing. 5 intr. appear or come suddenly (burst in-
to flame; sun burst out). 6 intr. (foil, by into) suddenly
begin to shed or utter (esp. burst into tears or laughter
or song). 7 intr. be as if about to burst because of ef-
fort, excitement, etc. 8 tr. suffer bursting of (burst a
ing; a split. 2 a sudden issuing forth (burst of flame).
3 a sudden outbreak (burst of applause). 4 a a short
sudden effort; a spurt, b a gallop. 5 an explosion.
d burst out 1 suddenly begin (burst out laughing). 2 ex-
claim.
the earth, in a tomb, or in the sea. 2 lose by death (has
buried three husbands). 3 a put under ground (bury
alive), b hide in the earth. C cover up; submerge.
4 a put out of sight (buncd Ins face in his hands), b con-
sign to obscurity (the idea was buried). C put away, tor
get. 5 involve deeply (buried himselj in his work). bury 1
1

night oil read or work late into the night, burn out 1 be the hatchet cease to quarrel.
reduced to nothing by burning. 2 fail or cause to fail bus /bus/ n. &
v. mn. (pi. buses or busses) 1 a large
by burning. 3 (usu. refl.) suffer physical or emotion- passenger vehicle, esp. one serving the public 00 a fixed
al exhaustion. 4 consume the contents of by burning. route. 2 colloq. an automobile, airplane, ete. 3 Coinpm
5 make (a person) homeless by burning his or her ingB defined set of conductors carrying daia ami i on
house, burn up 1 get rid of by fire. 2 begin to blaze. trol signals within a computer, mv. (buses or busses,
3 si. be or make furious. bused or bussed, busing or bussing) 1 inn. go by bus.
burned-OUt adj. physically or emotionally exhausted. 2 tr. transport by bus, esp. children to more distant
bumper /barnar/ n. the part of a gas stove, lamp, etc., schools to promote racial integration.
that emits and shapes the flame. on the back (or bus«boy /busboy/ n. an assistant to a restaurant wait-
front) burner colloq. receiving little (or much) atten- er who performs such chores as filling water glasses
tion. and removing dirty dishes from diners' tables.
 .

bus»by /buzbee/ n. (pi. -bies) a tall 99 busby ~ butt

fur hat worn by some military, esp.
British, units. bust*er /bustar/ n. 1 si. buddy; fellow (used esp. as a
bush /boosh/ n. 1a shrub or clump disrespectful form of address). 2 a violent gale.
of shrubs. 2 a thing resembling this. bus»tier /boostyay, busteeay/ n. a strapless close-fitting
3 a wild, uncultivated area (the bodice.
Australian bush). bustle 1
/busal/ v. & n. mv. 1 intr. (often foil, by about)
bush*ba*by n. (pi. -bies) a small Af- a work, etc., showily, energetically, and officiously.
rican tree-climbing lemur; a galago. b hasten. 2 tr. make (a person) hurry or work hard
bushed /bOOsht/ adj. colloq. tired out. (bustled him into his overcoat). 3 intr. (as bustling adj.)
bustvel /bobshal/ n. a measure of colloq. full of activity. • n. excited activity; a fuss.
capacity for grain, fruit, etc. (64 bus»tle 2 /busal/ n. hist, a pad or frame worn under a
pints; Brit. 8 gallons, or 36.4 liters). skirt and puffing it out behind.
bush»ing/bobshing/w. 1 a metal lin- bust*y /bustee/ adj. (bustier, bustiest) (of a woman)
ing for a round hole enclosing a having a prominent bust.
revolving shaft, etc. 2 a sleeve pro- bus*y fbized adj.,&v. madj. (busier, busiest) 1 (often
busby
viding electrical insulation. foil, by in, with, at, or pres. part.) occupied or engaged

bustvman /bobshman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a person who in work, etc., with the attention concentrated. 2 full of
livesor travels in the Australian bush. 2 (Bushman) activity or detail; fussy (a busy evening, a picture busy
a a member of an aboriginal people in S. Africa, b the with detail) 3 employed continuously; unresting.
.

language of this people. 4 meddlesome; prying. 5 (of a telephone line) in use.

bustvwhack /bobsh-hwak, -wak/ v. 1 intr. a clear
woods and bush country, b live or travel in bush coun-
try. 2 ambush.
tr.
bush*whack*er /bobsh-hwakar, -wakar/ n. 1 a a per-
son who clears woods and bush country, b a person
who lives or travels in bush country. 2 a guerrilla fight-
er (orig. in the American Civil War).
bush-y /bobshee/ adj. (bushier, bushiest) 1 growing
thickly like a bush. 2 having many bushes. 3 covered
with bush, dd bush*i*ness n.
business 1 one's regular occupation, pro-
/biznis/ n.
fession, or trade. 2 a thing that is one's concern. 3 a a
task or duty, b a reason for coming (what is your busi-
ness?) 4 serious activity (get down to business) 5 derog.
. .
a matter (sick of the whole business) 6 a thing or series
. that a cloud on the horizon?), mprep. except; apart from;
of things to be dealt with (the business of the day) 7 buy-
ing and selling; trade; dealings, esp. of a commercial
nature (good stroke of business). 8 a commercial firm.
9 Theatr. action on stage. 10 a difficult matter (what a
• v. tr. (-ies, -ied) (often refl. ) keep busy; occupy, dd bus-
ily /bizilee/ adv.
bus»y»bod»y /bizeebodee, -budee/ n. (pi. -ies) a med-
dlesome person.
bus*y sig*nal n. an intermittent buzzing sound indi-
cating that a telephone line is in use.
but /but, bat/ conj., prep. ,adv., pron., &n. •conj. 1 a nev-
ertheless; however (tried hard but did not succeed), b on
the other hand; on the contrary (/ am old but you are
young). 2 (prec. by can, etc.; in neg. or interrog.) except;
other than; otherwise than (cannot choose but do it; zchat
could we do but run?). 3 without the result that (it never
rains but it pours). 4 prefixing an interruption to the
speaker's train of thought (the weather is ideal - but is
. other than (everyone went but me), madv. 1 only; no
more than; only just (we can but try; is but a child; had
but arrived). 2 introducing emphatic repetition; defi-
nitely (wanted to see nobody, but nobody) • rel.pron. who .

business), o has no business to has no right to. in busi- not; that not (there is not a man but feels pity). »n. an
ness 1 trading. 2 able to begin operations, in the busi- objection (ifs and buts). d but for without the help or
ness of 1 engaged in. 2 intending to (we are not in the hindrance, etc., of (but for you Id be rich by now), but
business of surrendering) like nobody's business colloq.
. one (or two, etc.) excluding one (or two, etc.) from
extraordinarily, mind one's own business not meddle. the number (next door but one; last but one), but then
business card n. a card printed with one's name and (or yet) however; on the other hand (/ won, bur then
professional details. the others were beginners)
busi*ness*like /biznisllk/ adj. efficient; practical. bu»tane /byootayn/ n. Chem. a gaseous hydrocarbon of
busi*ness*man /biznisman/ n. (pi. -men; fern, busi- the alkane series used in liquefied form as fuel.
nesswoman, pi. -women) a man or woman engaged butch /booch/ adj. masculine; tough-looking.
in trade or commerce, esp. at a senior level. butch»er /bobchar/ n.&v.m n. 1 a person who prepares
business per*son n. a businessman or businesswom- or sells meat. 2 a person who kills indiscriminately or
an. brutally, mv.tr. 1 slaughter or cut up (an animal) for
busk /busk/ play music or otherwise perform for
v.intr. food. 2 kill wantonly or cruelly. 3 ruin through incom-
donations in the streets or subways, dd busk*er n. petence.
bus-man /busman/ n. (pi. -men) the driver of a bus. butch»er»y /bobcharee/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 needless or cruel
bus*man's hol*i*day n. leisure time spent in an activ- slaughter. 2 the butcher's trade. 3 a slaughterhouse.
ity similar to one's regular work. buMer /biitlar/ n. the principal manservant of a house-
bust /bust/ n. 1 a the human chest, esp. that of a
1
hold.
woman; the bosom, b the circumference of the body butt /but/ v.
1
& n. mv. 1 tr. & intr. push with the head
at bust level (a 36-inch bust). 2 a sculpture of a per- or horns. 2 a intr. (usu. foil, by against, upon) touch
son's head, shoulders, and chest. with one end flat; meet end to end; abut, b tr. (usu.
bust 2 /bust/ v.,n.,& adj. colloq. mv. (past and past part. foil, by against) place (lumber, etc.) with the end flat
busted or bust) 1 tr. &
intr. burst; break. 2 tr. reduce against a wall, etc. • n. 1 a push with the head. 2 a join
(a soldier, etc.) to a lower rank; dismiss. 3 tr. a raid; of two edges, a butt in interrupt; meddle, butt out
search, b arrest. •«. 1 a sudden failure; a bankruptcy. 1 stop interrupting. 2 stop doing something.
2 a a police raid, b an arrest. • adj. (also bust*ed) 1 bro- butt 2 /but/ n. 1 (often foil, by of) an object (of ridicule,
ken; burst; collapsed. 2 bankrupt. 3 arrested, d bust etc.) (the butt of his jokes).2 a a mound behind a tar-
up 1 bring or come to collapse; explode. 2 (of a cou- get, b shooting range. C a target.
(in pi.) a
ple) separate, go bust become bankrupt; fail. butt 3 /but/ n. 1 (also butt end) the thicker end, esp. of
bus»tard /bustard/ n. any large terrestrial bird of the a tool or a weapon (gun butt). 2 a the stub of a cigar
family Otididae, with long neck, long legs, and stout
tapering body. See page xii for the Key to Pronioiciation.
 ..
.

butt - Byelorussian 100 happiness). 2 tr. a procure (the loyalty, etc.) of a per-

son by bribery, promises, etc. b win over (a person) in

or a cigarette, b (also butt end) a remnant. 3 si. the this way. 3 tr. get by sacrifice, great effort, etc. (dearly

buttocks. bought) 4 tr. si. accept; believe in; approve of. 5 absol.
.

butt 4 /but/ n. a cask, esp. as a measure of wine or ale. be a buyer for a store, etc. (buys for Macy's). • n. colloq.
butte /byoot/ n. a high, isolated, steep-sided hill. a purchase (a good buy), o buy the farm die. buy in
buMer /butar/ n.&v.»n. 1 a fatty substance made by 1 buy a supply of. 2 withdraw (an item) at auction be-

churning cream and used as a spread or in cooking. cause of failure to reach the reserve price, buy into
2 a substance of a similar consistency or appearance 1 obtain a share in (an enterprise) by payment. 2 col-

{peanut butter), •v.tr. spread, cook, or serve with but- loq. support, embrace (an idea,
etc.). buy it (usu. in

ter (butter the bread; buttered rum), n butter up colloq. past) si. buy off get rid of (a claim, a claim-
be killed,
flatter excessively. ant, a blackmailer) by payment, buy out pay (a per-
but*ter*ball /butarbawl/ n. si. a fat person or animal. son) to give up an ownership, etc. buy time delay an
buWer bean n. 1 the flat, dried, white lima bean. 2 a event, conclusion, etc., temporarily, buy up 1 buy as
yellow-podded bean. much as possible of. 2 absorb (another business, etc.)
buMer cream n. (also buMer ioing) a mixture of but- by purchase.
ter,confectioner's sugar, etc., used as a filling or a top- buy»er /bior/ n. 1 a person employed to select and pur-
ping for a cake. chase stock for a store, etc. 2 a purchaser; a customer.
but*ter*cup /butarkup/ n. any common yellow-flow- buy»er's mar»ket n. (also buyers' mar«ket) an econom-
ered plant of the genus Ranunculus. ic position in which goods are plentiful and cheap and

but«ter»fat /butarfat/n. the essential fats of pure but- buyers have the advantage.
ter. buy*OUt /biowt/ n. the purchase of a controlling share
but»ter»fin»gers /butarfinggarz/ n. colloq. a clumsy per- in a company, etc.
son prone to drop things. buzz /buz/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the hum of a bee, etc. 2 the

but»ter»fly /butarfli/ n. (pi. -flies) 1 any diurnal insect sound of a buzzer. 3 a a confused low sound as of peo-
of the order Lepidoptera, with four usu. brightly col- ple talking; a murmur, b a stir (a buzz of excitement)
ored wings held erect when at rest. 2 (in pi. ) colloq. a C colloq. a rumor. 4 si. a telephone call. 5 si. a thrill; a
nervous sensation felt in the stomach. euphoric sensation, mv. 1 intr. make a humming
but»ter«f ly net n. a fine net on a ring attached to a pole, sound. 2 a tr. &
intr. signal or signal to with a buzzer.

used for catching butterflies. b tr. si. telephone. 3 intr. a (often foil, by about) move
but»ter»fly stroke n. a stroke in swimming, with both or hover busily, b (of a place) have an air of excitement
arms raised out of the water and lifted forward to- or purposeful activity. 4 tr. Aeron. colloq. fly fast and
gether. very close to (another aircraft, the ground, etc.) o buzz .

buMer knife n. (pi. knives) a blunt knife used for cut- off si. go or hurry away.
ting butter at table. buz«zard /buzard/ n. 1 a turkey vulture. 2 a European
buMer»milk /biitarmilk/ n. a slightly acid liquid left af- hawk, esp. of the genus Butea, with broad wings well
ter churning butter. adapted for soaring.
but»ter»nut /butarnut/ n. 1 a N. American tree, Juglans buzz*er /buzsr/ n. 1 an electrical device that makes a
cinerea. 2 the oily nut of this tree. buzzing noise. 2 a whistle or siren.
but«ter»scotch /butarskoch/ n. 1 a brittle candy made buzz saw n. a circular saw.
from butter, brown sugar, etc. 2 this flavor in dessert buzzword /buzward/ n. si. 1 a fashionable piece of jar-
toppings, puddings, etc. gon. 2 a catchword; a slogan.
buMer^y /biitsree/ n. (pi. -ies) a pantry.
1
by /bi/ prep., adv., &
n. mprep. 1 near; beside (stand by
but»ter»y 2 /butsree/ adj. like, containing, or spread with the door; by me). 2 through the agency, means, in-
sit

butter, an but*ter*i*ness n. strumentality, or causation of (bought by a millionaire;

buMock /butsk/ n.1 each of two fleshy
(usu. in pi.) a poem by Frost; went by bus; succeeded by persisting; di-
protuberances on the lower rear part of the human vide four by two) 3 not later than (by next week)
.

trunk. 2 the corresponding part of an animal. 4 a past; beyond (drove by the zoo), b passing through;
buMon /but'n/ n. & v. knob sewn
• n. 1 a small disk or via (went by Paris) 5 in the circumstances of (by day)
.

on to a garment, either to fastenby being pushed it 6 to the extent of (missed by afoot). 7 according to; us-
through a buttonhole, or as an ornament or badge. 2 a ing as a standard or unit (judge by appearances; paid by
knob on a piece of equipment which is pressed to op- the hour) 8 with the succession of (worse by the min-
.

erate it. 3 a a small round object (chocolate buttons). ute) 9 concerning; in respect of (did our duty by them)
.

b (attrib.) anything resembling a button (button nose). 10 used in mild oaths (orig. = as surely as one believes
4 a a bud. b a button mushroom. 5 Fencings terminal in) (by God). 11 placed between specified lengths in
knob on a foil making it harmless, mv. 1 tr. intr. fas- & two directions (three feet by two). 12 avoiding; ignoring
ten with buttons. 2 tr. supply with buttons, d button (passed us by). 13 inclining to (north by northwest).* adv.
one's lip si. remain silent, button up 1 fasten with but- 1 near (sat by, watching). 2 aside; in reserve (put $5 by).
tons. 2 colloq. complete 3 colloq. become
satisfactorily. 3 past (marched by). mn. (pi. byes) = BYB. D by and by
silent, on the button si. precisely, dd buMoned adj. but« before long; eventually, by and large on the whole; eve-
ton»less adj. rything considered, by the by (or bye) incidentally;
but»ton»hole /but'nhol/ n.&v.mn.a slit made in a gar- parenthetically.
ment to receive a button for fastening. • v. tr. colloq. ac- by- /bi/ prefix (also bye-) subordinate; incidental; see-
cost and detain (a reluctant listener). ondary (by-effect; byroad).
buMress /butris/ n. &
1 a a projecting support
v. • n. bye' the status ol an unpaired competitor in a
/bi/ n. 1
built against a wall, b
source of help or encourage-
a sport, who
proceeds to the next round as it having
ment. 2 a projecting portion of a hill or mountain. won. 2 Go(f out or more holes remaining unplayed ai
• v.tr. (often foil, by up) 1 support with a buttress. ter the match has been decided.
2 support by argument, etc. bye 2 /bi/ int. colloq. = 000D-BYB,
bux»om /buksom/ adj. (esp. of a woman) plump; busty. bye- prefix var. of nv-.
buy /bi/ v. & n. mv. (buys, buying; past and past part. bye-bye /bibi, bobi/ int. colloq. QOOD-IYB.
bought /bawt/) 1 tr. a obtain in exchange for money, bye«law n. var. of BYLAW.
etc. b (usu. in neg.) serve to obtain (money can't buy Bye«IOTUS»Sian var. of Hi LORUSSIAN.
 .

by»gone /bigawn, -gon/ adj. &n. • adj. past; antiquated 101 bygone - Byzantine
(bygone years) • n. (in
. pi. ) past offenses (let bygones be
bygones) English poet d. 1824, or his romantic poetry. 2 (of a
bylaw /bilaw/ n. (also bye»law) a regulation made by man) handsomely dark, mysterious, or moody.
an organization for its members. by»Stand»er /bistandar/ n. a person who stands by but
byline /bilin/ n. la line in a newspaper, etc., naming does not take part.
the writer of an article. 2 a secondary line of work. byte /bit/ n. Computing a group of eight binary digits,
byname /binaym/ n. a sobriquet; a nickname. often used to represent one character.
bypass /bipas/ n. & v. • w. 1 a road passing around a by»way /biway/ n. 1a small seldom-traveled road. 2 a
town or its center. 2 a a secondary channel or pipe, minor activity.
etc., to allow a flow when the main one is closed or by»word /bi'ward/ n. 1 a person or thing cited as a no-
blocked, b an alternative passage for the circulation of table example (is a byword for luxury) 2 a familiar say-
.

blood during a surgical operation on the heart, •v.tr. ing.

1 avoid; go around. 2 provide with a bypass. Byz«an»tine /bizsnteen, -tin, bizantin/ adj. n. madj. &
by-prod'UCt /biprodakt/ n. 1 an incidental product of 1 of Byzantium or the E. Roman Empire. 2 (of a polit-

the manufacture of something else. 2 a secondary re-
sult.
by*road /bl'rod/ n. a minor road.
Byron-ic /bironik/ adj. 1 characteristic of Lord Byron,
ical situation, etc.): a extremely complicated, b inflex-
ible. 3 Archit. &
Painting of a highly decorated style
developed in the Eastern Empire. *n. a citizen of By-
zantium or the E. Roman Empire.
 c
C 1
/see/ n. (also c) (pi. Cs or C's) 1 the third letter of gram. C intr. send a cablegram. 2 tr. furnish or fasten
the alphabet. 2 Mus. the first note of the diatonic scale with a cable or cables.
of C major. 3 the third hypothetical person or exam- ca*ble car n. 1 a small cabin (often one of a series) sus-
ple. 4 the third highest class or category. 5 Algebra pended on an endless cable and drawn up and down
(usu. c) the third known quantity. 6 (as a Roman nu- a mountainside, etc., by an engine at one end. 2 a ve-
meral) 100. 7 (c) the speed of light in a vacuum. 8 (al- hicle drawn along a cable railway.
so ©) copyright. ca»ble»gram /kaybalgram/ n. a telegraph message sent
C 2 symb. Chem. the element carbon. by undersea cable, etc.
C 3 abbr. (also C.) 1 Cape. 2 Celsius; centigrade. 3 Cou- ca*ble-read*y adj. (of aTV,VCR, etc.) designed for di-
lomb(s); capacitance. rect connection to a coaxial cable system. TV
C. abbr. 1 century; centuries. 2 chapter. 3cent(s). ca*ble*way /kaybalway/ n. a transporting system with
4 cold. 5 cubic. 6 Baseball catcher. 7 centi-. 8 circa; a usu. elevated cable.
about. cab*man /kabman/ n. (pi. 'men) a cabdriver.
CA abbr. 1 California (in official postal use). 2 Sc. & cab»ochon /kabashon/ n. a gem polished but not fac-
Can. chartered accountant. eted.
Ca symb. Chem. the element calcium. ca*boo*dle /kabobd'l/ n. u the whole (kit and) caboo-
ca. abbr. circa, about. dle si. the whole lot (of persons or things).
cab /kab/ n. la taxi. 2 the driver's compartment in a ca*boose /kaboos/ n. a car on a freight train for work-
truck, train, crane, etc. ers, often the final car.
ca*bal /kabal/ n. 1 a secret intrigue. 2 a political clique cab*ri*ole /kabreeol/ n. a kind of curved leg characteris-
or faction. tic of Queen Anne and Chippendale furniture.
cab*a*la /kabala, kaba'ala/ n. (also cab«ba«la, kab*ba*la) cab>ri»o»let /kabreeolay/ n. 1 a light, two-wheeled car-
1 the Jewish mystical tradition. 2 mystic interpreta- riage with a hood, drawn by one horse. 2 an automo-
tion; any esoteric doctrine or occult lore. cab*a*lism bile with a folding top.
n. cab*a*list n. cab*a*lis*tic /— listik/ adj. ca»ca»o /kakaa-o, -kayo/ n. (pi. »os) 1 a seed pod from
ca*ba*na /kabana, -baanYa/ n. a shelter, bathhouse, which cocoa and chocolate are made. 2 a small, wide-
etc., at a beach or swimming pool. ly cultivated evergreen tree, Theobroma cacao, bearing
cab»a»ret /kabaray/ n. 1 an entertainment in a night- these.
club or restaurant while guests eat or drink at tables. cache /kash/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a hiding place for treasure,
2 such a nightclub, etc. provisions, ammunition, etc. 2 what is hidden in a
cab«bage /kabij/ n. 1 any of several cultivated varieties cache, •v.tr. put in a cache.
of Brassica oleracea, with thick green or purple leaves ca»chet /kashay/ n. la distinguishing mark or seal.
forming a round heart or head. 2 this head usu. eaten 2 prestige. 3 Med. a flat capsule enclosing a dose of
as a vegetable, dd cab*bag*y adj. unpleasant-tasting medicine.
cab«bage white n. a butterfly, Pieris brassicae, whose ca*cique /kase'ek/ «. 1 a native tribal chief of the West
caterpillars feed on cabbage leaves. Indies or Mexico. 2 a political boss in Spain or Latin
cab*ba*la var. of cabala. America.
cab»by /kabee/ n. (also cab«bie) (pi. «bies) colloq. a cab- cack»le /kakal/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a clucking sound as of a
driver. hen or a goose. 2
a loud, silly laugh. 3 noisy inconse-
ca*ber /kaybar/ n. a roughly trimmed tree trunk used quential talk. »v. 1 intr. emit a cackle. 2 intr. talk nois-
in the Scottish Highland sport of tossing the caber. ily and inconsequentially. 3 tr. utter or express with a
cab*in /kabin/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a small shelter or house. cackle.
2 a room or compartment in an aircraft or ship for pas- ca»cog«ra»phy /kakografee/ n. 1 bad handwriting.
sengers or crew. 3 a driver's cab. •v.tr. (cabined, cab- 2 bad spelling. ca«cog»ra«pher //. cac»o»graph»ic
ining) confine in a small place; cramp. /kakagrafik/ adj. cac*o*graph*i*cal adj.
cab»i«net /kabinit/ n. 1 a a cupboard or case with draw- ca»col«o«gy /kakolajee/ n. 1 bad choice of words. 2 bad
ers, shelves, etc., for storing
or displaying articles, b a pronunciation.
piece of furniture housing a radio or television set, etc. ca»coph»o»ny /kakofanee/ n. (pi. ^nies) 1 a harsh dis-
2 (Cabinet) the committee of senior advisers respon- cordant mixture of sound. 2 dissonance; duCOfd.
sible for counseling the head of state on government dd ca*coph*o«nous adj.
policy. cac*tus /kaktas/ n. (pi. cacti / ti/ or cactuses my sik |

cab«in fe«ver n. a state of restlessness and irritability
from having been confined or in a remote location for
an extended period.
ca«ble /kaybal/ n. &
v. »n. 1a thick rope of wire or
hemp. 2 an encased group of insulated wires for trans-
mitting electricity or electrical signals. 3 a cablegram.
4 Nam. a the chain of an anchor, b fin full cable
culent plant of the family Cactaceae, with a thick Qethy
stem and usu. spines but no leaves, on cac«ta»ceous
/-tayshas/ adj.
CAD /kad/ abbr. computer-aided design.
Cad /kad/ n. a person (esp. a man) who behaves dilhofl
orably. aucad'dishc/c//. cad»dish»ly<v</7'. cad»dlsh»ness
;/.

length) a measure of 720 feet (US Navy) or 608 feet ca»dav»er /k.xlavar/ ;/. esp. Med a corpse. II I ca»dav»
(Brit. Navy). 5 (in full cable-stitch) a knitted stitch er»ic I davnnk/ ad].
resembling twisted rope. •*;. 1 a tr. transmit (a mes- ca»dav«er»ous Aodivarai </<//. 1 corptelikc 2 deathly
sage) by cablegram, b tr. inform (a person) by cable- pale.
 .

cacNdie /kadee/ n. &

v. (also cad»dy) •«. (pi. 'dies) a 103 caddie ~ calceolaria
person who assists a golfer during a game, by carrying
clubs, etc. •v.intr. (caddies, caddied, caddying) act as tunic worn in countries of the Near East. 2 a a long,
caddie. loose dress, b a loose shirt or top.

caddie mid 17th century (originally Scots): from

cage /kayj/ n. &
v. •n. A a structure of bars or wires,

esp. for confining animals or birds. 2 any similar open

French cadet. The original term denoted a gentleman
framework, as an enclosed platform for passengers in
who joined the army without a commission, intending
a freight elevator, etc. mv.tr. place or keep in a cage.
to learn the profession and follow a military career,
cag*ey /kayjee/ adj. (also cag«y) (cagier, cagiest) col-
later coming to mean 'odd-job man.'The current sense
loq. cautious and uncommunicative; wary, dd cag«i«ly
dates from the late 1 8th century.
adv. cag*i*ness n. (also cag«eyness)
cad»dis fly /kadisfli/ n. (pi. flies) any small, hairy- ca*hoots /kahobts/ n.pl. d in cahoots (often foil, by
winged nocturnal insect of the order Trichoptera, liv- with) si. in collusion.
ing near water. CAI abbr. computer-assisted (or -aided) instruction.
cad»dis»worm /kadiswarm/ n. (also cad*dis) the aquat- cai*man /kayman/ n. (also cay«man) any of various S.
ic larva of the caddis fly. American alligatorlike reptilians, esp. of the genus Cai-
cad'dy /kadee/ n. (pi *dies) a small container, esp. a
1
man.
box for holding tea. Cain /kayn/ n. (in the Bible) the eldest son of Adam and
cad»dy 2 var. of caddie. Eve and murderer of his brother Abel, o raise Cain
ca*dence /kayd'ns/ n. 1 a fall in pitch of the voice, esp. make a disturbance; create trouble.
at the end of a phrase or sentence. 2 intonation; ton- Cai*no*zo*ic var. of Cenozoic.
al inflection. 3 Mus. the close of a musical phrase. cairn /kairn/ «. 1a mound of rough stones as a mon-
4 rhythm; the measure or beat of sound or movement. ument or landmark. 2 (in full cairn terrier) a small
an ca*denced adj. terrier of a breed with short legs, a longish body, and
ca*den*za /kadenza/ n. Mus. a virtuosic passage for a a shaggy coat.
solo instrument or voice, usu. near the close of a move- cais»son /kayson, -san/ n. 1 a watertight chamber in
ment of a concerto, sometimes improvised. which underwater construction work can be done. 2 a
ca»det /kadet/ «. 1 a young trainee in the armed ser- floating vessel used as a floodgate in docks. 3 an am-
vices or police force. 2 a business trainee. 3 a younger munition chest or wagon.
son. dd ca*det*ship n. ca*jole /kajbl/ v.tr. (often foil, by into, out of) persuade
cadge /kaj/ v. 1 tr. get or seek by begging. 2 intr. beg. by flattery, deceit, etc. dd ca»jole«ment n. ca*jol*er n.
dd cadg*er n. ca«jol»er«y n.
cad*mi*um /kadmeeam/ n. a soft, bluish-white metal- cake /kayk/ n. & v. • w. 1 a a mixture of flour, butter,
lic element occurring naturally with zinc ores, and eggs, sugar, etc., baked in the oven, b a quantity of
used in the manufacture of solders and in electroplat- this baked in a flat round or ornamental shape and
ing. ^[Symb.: Cd. often iced and decorated. 2 other food in a flat round
ca*dre /kadree, ka'adray/ n. 1 a basic unit, esp. of serv- shape (fish cake). 3 a flattish compact mass (a cake of
icemen, forming a nucleus for expansion when soap). »v. 1 tr. &
intr. form into a compact mass. 2 tr.

necessary. 2 a a group of activists in a communist (usu. foil, by with) cover (with a hard or sticky mass)
or any revolutionary party, b a member of such a (boots caked with mud), a have one's cake and eat it
group. too colloq. enjoy both of two mutually exclusive alter-
ca»du-ce»us /koddbseeas, -shas, -dyob-/ n. (pi. cadu- natives, a piece of cake colloq. something easily
cei /-see-I/) 1 an ancient achieved.
Greek or Roman herald's CAL abbr. computer-assisted learning.
wand, usu. with two serpents Cal abbr. large calorie(s).
twined around it, carried by Cal. abbr. California.
the messenger god Hermes or cal abbr. small calorie(s).
Mercury. 2 this used as a sym- cal«a*bash /kalabash/ n. 1 a an evergreen tree,
bol of the medical profession. Crescentia cujete, native to tropical America, bearing
Cae«no»zo»ic var. of Cenozoic. fruit in the form of large gourds, b a gourd from this
Caer*phiMy /kairfilee, kaar-/ tree. 2 the shell of this or a similar gourd used as a ves-
n. a kind of mild white cheese sel, etc.
orig. made in Caerphilly in cal*a*boose /kalaboos/ n. si. a prison.
Wales. ca«la*ma*ri /kaalama'aree, ka-/ n. (pi. »ries) any cepha-
caduceus
Cae*sar /seezar/ n. 1 the title of lopod mollusk with a long, tapering, penlike horny
the Roman emperors, esp. from Augustus to Hadrian. internal shell, esp. a squid of the genus Loligo.
2 an autocrat, dd Cae*sar*e*an, Cae*sar*i*an /-zairee- cal*a*mine /katamin/ «. 1a pink powder consisting of
an/ adj. zinc carbonate and ferric oxide used as a lotion or oint-
Cae»sar»e»an (also Cae*sar*i*an) var. of Cesarean. ment. 2 a zinc mineral, usu. zinc carbonate.
cae»su«ra /sizhobra, -zobra/ n. (pi. caesuras or caesu- ca»lam»i»ty /kalamitee/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 a disaster, a great
rae /-zhobree, -zCbree/) Prosody a pause near the mid- misfortune. 2 a adversity, b deep distress, dd ca*lam*
dle of a line, dd cae*su*ral adj. i»tous adj. ca*lam*i*tous*ly adv.
CAF abbr. cost and freight. calc- /kalk/ comb, form lime or calcium.
cafe /kafay/ n. (also ca»fe) 1 a small coffeehouse; a sim- cal*ca*ne«US /kalkayneeas/ n. (also cal*ca*ne*um
ple restaurant. 2 a bar. /-neeam/) (pi. calcanei /-nee-i/ or calcanea /-neea/)
cafe au lait /kafay 6 lay/ n. 1 coffee with milk. 2 the col- the bone forming the heel.
or of this. cal»car»e«ous /kalkaireeas/ adj. (also cal*car*i*ous) of
caf»e»te»ri»a /kafite'ereea/ n. a restaurant in which cus- or containing calcium carbonate; chalky.
tomers collect their meals on trays at a counter and cal»ce*o»lar»i»a /kalseealaireea/ n. Bot. any plant of the
usu. pay before sitting down to eat. genus Calceolaria, native to S. America, with slipper-
caMeine /kafeen, kafeen/ n. an alkaloid drug with stim- shaped flowers.
ulant action, found in tea leaves and coffee beans.
caMan /kaftan/ n. (also kaMan) 1 a long, usu. belted See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .
.

calciferol ~ call 104 the human leg below the knee, dd -calved /kavd/ adj.
(in comb.).
n. one of the
cal«cif*er*ol /kalsifsrol, -rol/ vitamins, D calf*skin /kafskin/ n. calf leather.
routinely added to dairy products, essential for the cal-i»ber /kalibsr/ n. (Brit, calibre) 1 a the internal di-
deposition of calcium in bones. Also called ergocal- ameter of a gun or tube, b the diameter of a bullet or
ciferol, vitamin 2 D .
shell. 2 strength or quality of character; ability; impor-

cal»cif»er«OUS /kalsifaras/ adj. yielding calcium salts, tance (we need someone of your caliber), dd cal*i*bered
esp. calcium carbonate. adj. (also in comb. )

cal»ci«fy /kalsifiV v. tr. &

intr. («fies,
become hardened by deposition of calcium
rify. 2 convert or be converted to calcium carbonate.
dd cal*cif*ic /-sifik/ adj. cal»ci»fi»ca»tion n.
cal*cine /kalsin, -sin/ v. 1 tr. a reduce, oxidize, or des-
iccate by strong heat, b burn to ashes; consume by fire;
«f ied) 1 harden or calibrate /kalibrayt/ v.tr. 1 mark (a gauge) with a
salts; pet- standard scale of readings. 2 correlate the readings of
(an instrument) with a standard. 3 determine the cal-
iber of (a gun). 4 determine the correct capacity or
value of. dd calibration /-brayshan/ n. caM*bra*tor
n.

roast. C reduce to calcium oxide by roasting or burn- cal*i*co /kaliko/n. &

ing. 2 tr. consume or purify as if by fire. 3 intr. under-
go any of these, dd cal»ci»na«tion /-sinayshan/ n.
cal«cite /kalsit/ n. natural crystalline calcium carbonate.
cal*ci*um /kalseesm/ n. a soft, gray metallic element of
the alkaline earth group occurring naturally in lime-
stone, marble, chalk, etc., that is important in industry
adj. • n. (pi. «coes or -cos) 1 a
printed cotton fabric. 2 Brit, a cotton cloth, esp. plain
white or unbleached, madj. 1 made of calico. 2 multi-
colored; piebald.
Calif, abbr. California.
cal»i«for»ni»um /kalifawrneeam/ n. Chem. a transuran-
ic radioactive metallic element produced artificially

and essential for normal growth in living organisms. 1j from curium. U Symb.: Cf.
Symb.: Ca. cal«i«per/kalip3r/w. (in pi.) (also caliper convpas»ses)
cal«ci»um car»borvate /kalseesm kaarbanayt/ n. a compasses with bowed legs for measuring the diame-
white, insoluble solid occurring naturally as chalk, ter ofconvex bodies, or with out-turned points for
limestone, marble, and calcite, and used in the man- measuring internal dimensions.
ufacture of lime and cement. ca*liph /kaylif, kal-/ n. esp. hist, the chief Muslim civil
calc-spar /kalkspaar/ n. - calcite. and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Mu-
cal*CU*late /kalkyalayt/ v. 1 tr. ascertain or determine hammad, dd cal*iph*ate n.
beforehand, esp. by mathematics or by reckoning. 2 tr. cal*is*then*ics /kalistheniks/ n.pl. (also esp. Brit. cal«
plan deliberately. 3 intr. (foil, by on, upon) rely on; make lis*then*ics) gymnastic exercises to achieve bodily fit-
an essential part of one's reckoning. 4 tr. dial, suppose; ness and grace of movement, dd caMs*then*ic adj.
believe, dd cal*cu*la*tion n. cal*cu*la*tive /-tativ/ adj. calk var. of caulk.
cal*CU*lat*ed /kalkyalaytid/ adj. 1 (of an action) done call /kawl/ v. &n. mv. intr. a (often foil, by out) cry;
~\

with awareness of the likely consequences. 2 (foil, by shout; speak loudly, b (of a bird or animal) emit its
to + infin.) designed or suitable; intended, dd cal*cu* characteristic note or cry. 2 tr. communicate or con-
lat*ed*ly adv. verse with by telephone or radio. 3 tr. a bring to one's
cal»cu»lat»ing /kalkyalayting/ adj. (of a person) shrewd; presence by calling; summon (will you call the chil-
scheming. cal*cu*lat*ing*ly adv. dren?) b arrange for (a person or thing) to come or be
.

cal*cu*la*tor /kalkyalaytar/ n. 1 a device (esp. a small present (called a taxi). 4 intr. (often foil, by at, on) pay
electronic one) used for making mathematical calcu- a brief visit (called at the house; come and call on me)
lations. 2 a person or thing that calculates. 5 tr. a order to take place; fix a time for (called a meet-
cal*cu*lus /kalkyabs/ n. (pi. calculi l-W or calculuses) ing), b direct to happen; announce (call a halt). 6 a intr.
1 Math, a a particular method of calculation or rea- require one's attention (duty calls), b tr. urge; invite;
soning {calculus ofprobabilities) b the infinitesimal cal-
. nominate (call to run for office). 7 tr. name; describe as
culi of integration or differentiation (see integral cal- (call her Jennifer) 8 tr. consider; regard or estimate as
.

culus, differential calculus). 2 Med. a stone or (/ call that silly) 9 tr. rouse from sleep (call me at 8)
.

concretion of minerals formed within the body, dd cal« 1 intr. guess the outcome of tossing a coin, etc. 1 1 intr.
cu«lous adj. (in sense 2). (foil, by for) order; require; demand (called for silence)
cal*de*ra /kaldairs/ n. a large volcanic depression. 12 intr. (foil, by on, upon) invoke; appeal to; request or
cal«dron var. of cauldron. require (called on us to be quiet). 13 tr. Cards specify (a
Cal*e*do*ni*an /kalidoneeon/ adj. n. madj. 1 of or & suit or contract) in bidding, m. la shout or cry; an
relating to Scotland. 2 Geol. of a mountain-forming act of calling. 2 a the characteristic cry of a bird or an-
period in Europe in the Paleozoic era. «n. a Scots- imal, b an imitation of this. C an instrument for imi-
man. tating it. 3 a brief visit (paid them a call). 4 a an act of

cal*en*dar /kalindar/ n. &

v. • n. 1 a system by which telephoning, b a telephone conversation. 5 a an invi-
the beginning, length, and subdivisions of the year are tation or summons to appear or be present, b an ap-
fixed. 2 a chart or series of pages showing the days, peal or invitation (from a specific source or discerned
weeks, and months of a particular year, or giving spec- by a person's conscience, etc.) to follow a ceil am pro
ial seasonal information. 3 a timetable or program of fession, set of principles, etc. 6 (foil, by for, or to +
appointments, special events, etc. mv.tr. register or en- infin.) a duty, need, or occasion (no call /or vioL fid) 7
ter in a calendar or timetable, etc. ca*len«dric /-len- (foil, by for, on) a demand (not much call /or it theu days',
drik/ adj. ca»len«dri«cal adj. a call on one's tunc). 8 a signal on a bugle, etc.; a sig-
cal«ervder /kalindar/ n. & v. mn. a machine in which naling whistle. 9 Stock Exch. an option oi buying stock
cloth, paper, etc., is pressed by rollers to glaze or at a fixed price at a given date. 10 Cardi a a plavn's
smooth it. mv.tr. press in a calender. right or turn to make a bid. b a bid made. call away 1 1

ca»lervdu»la /kolenjolo/ n. any plant of the genus Ca- divert; distract, call down 1 invoke. 2 reprimand, call
lendula, with large yellow or orange flowers. forth elicit, call in 1 withdraw from circulation. 2 seek
calf /kaf/ n. (pi. calves /kavz/) 1 a young bovine an-
1

the advice or services of. call in (or into) question dll

imal, used esp. of domestic cattle. 2 the young of some pute; doubt the validity of. call into play give scope
other large mammals, e.g., elephant, deer, and whale. for; make use of. call a person names abuse a person
dd calMiood n. calMike adj.
calf-ish adj. verbally, call off 1 cancel (an arrangement) etl J. 2 or-
calf 2 /kaf/ n. (pi. calves /kavz/) the fleshy hind part of der (an attacker or pursuer) to desist, call of nature a
 .

need to urinate or defecate, call out 1 summon 105 calla ~ camera

(troops, etc.) to action. 2 order (workers) to strike, call
the shots (or tune) be in control; take the initiative. malicious representation. 2 an instance of this. •v.tr.
call to account see account, call to mind recollect; (•nies, «nied) slander, dd ca*lum*ni*ous /-lumneeas/
cause one to remember, call to order 1 request to be adj.
orderly. 2 declare (a meeting) open, call up 1 reach by cal*va*dos /kalvados/ n. (also Cal*va*dos) an apple
telephone. 2 imagine; recollect. 3 summon, esp. to brandy.
serve on active military duty,on call 1 (of a doctor, Cal«va»ry /kalvaree/ n. the place where Christ was cru-
etc.) available if required but not formally on duty. cified.
2 (of money lent) repayable on demand, within call calve /kav/ v. 1 intr. give birth to a calf. 2 tr. (esp. in pas-
near enough to be summoned by calling. sive) give birth to (a calf)
caMa /kata/ n. (in full calla lily) a tall, lilylike plant, calves pi. of CALF 1 CALF 2
, .

Zantedeschia aethiopica, with white spathe and spadix. Cal*vin*ism /kalvinizam/ n. the theology of the French
caliper /kawlar/ n. a person who calls, esp. one who pays theologian J. Calvin (d. 1564) or his followers, in which
a visit or makes a telephone call. predestination and justification by faith are important
cal*lig*ra*phy /kaligrafee/ n. 1 handwriting, esp. when elements, dd Cal*vin*ist n. Cal*vin*is*tic adj.
fine or pleasing. 2 the art of handwriting, nn caMig*ra* ca*lyp*so /kalipso/ n. (pi. *sos) a W. Indian song in Af-
pher n. cal*li*graph*ic /kaligrafik/ adj. caMig*ra*phist rican rhythm, usu. improvised on a topical theme.
n. ca*ly x /kayliks, kal-/ n. (pi. calyxes or calyces /-liseez/)
1 Bot. the sepals collectively, forming the protective
calligraphy mid- 19th century (as a noun): from
layer of a flower in bud. 2 Biol, any cuplike cavity or
Greek from kalligraphos 'person who
kalligraphia,
structure.
writes beautifully,' from kallos 'beauty' + graphein
'write.' The verb dates from the late 19th century.
cam /kam/ n. a projection on a rotating part in machin-
ery, shaped to impart reciprocal or variable motion to
calling /kawling/ n. la profession or occupation. 2 an the part in contact with it.
inwardly felt call or summons; a vocation. ca*ma*ra*de*rie /ka'amara'adaree/ n. mutual trust and
calling card /kawling kaard/ n. 1a card with a per- sociability among friends.
son's name, etc., sent or left in lieu of a formal visit. canvber /kambar/
n. &
v. • n. 1 the slightly convex or

2 evidence of someone's presence; an identifying arched shape of the surface of a ship's deck, aircraft
mark, etc., left behind (by someone). 3 a card used to wing, etc. 2 the slight sideways inclination of the front
charge a telephone call to a number other than that wheel of a motor vehicle. mv."\ intr. (of a surface) have
from which the call is placed. a camber. 2 tr. give a camber to; build with a camber.
cal*lis*then*ics esp. Brit. var. of calisthenics. Cam*bo*di*an /kambodeean/ n. adj. • «. 1 a a native &
cal*los*i*ty /kalositee/ n. (pi. -ties) a hard, thick area of or national of Cambodia (Kampuchea) in SE Asia, b a
skin usu. occurring in parts of the body subject to pres- person of Cambodian descent. 2 the language of Cam-
sure or friction. bodia, mad), of or relating to Cambodia or its people
caMous /kalas/ adj. 1 unfeeling; insensitive. 2 (of skin) or language. Also called Kampuchean.
hardened or hard, dd cal*lous*ly adv. (in sense 1). cal* Cam*bri*an /kambreean/ adj. n. madj. 1 Welsh. &
lousiness n. 2 Geol. of or relating to the first period in the Paleo-
caMow /kalo/ adj. inexperienced; immature, dd caMow zoic era, marked by the occurrence of many forms of
ly adv. cal*low*ness ;/. invertebrate life (including trilobites and bra-
caMus /kalas/ n. la hard, thick area of skin or tissue. chiopods). •«. this period or system.
2 a hard tissue formed around bone ends after a frac- canvbric /kambrik/ n. a fine white linen or cotton fab-
ture. 3 Bot. a new protective tissue formed over a ric.
wound. cam*cord*er /kamkawrdar/ n. a combined video cam-
calm /kaam/ adj., n.,&v. •adj. 1 tranquil; quiet; wind- era and sound recorder.
less (a calm a calm night) 2 (of a person or dispo-
sea; . came past of come.
sition) settled; not agitated (remained calm throughout canvel /kamal/ n. 1 either of two kinds of large, cud-
the ordeal). 3 self-assured; confident (his calm assump- chewing mammals having slender, cushion-footed
tion that we would wait). *n. 1 a state of being calm; legs and one hump (Arabian camel, Camelus drome-
stillness; serenity. 2 a period without wind or storm. darius) or two humps (Bactrian camel, Camelus bac-
• v.tr. & intr. (often foil, by down) make or become trianus). 2 a fawn color. 3 an apparatus for providing
calm, dd calnvly adv. calnvness n. additional buoyancy to ships, etc.; a pontoon.
ca*lor*ic /kalawrik, -lor-/ adj. of heat or calories. canvel (or canvel 's) hair n. 1 a fabric made from the
cal*o*rie /kataree/ n. (also cal*o*ry) (pi. «ries) a unit of hair of a camel. 2 fine, soft hair from a squirrel's tail,
quantity of heat: 1 (in full small calorie) the amount used in artists' brushes.
needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water ca*mel*lia /kameelya/ n. any evergreen shrub of the ge-
through 1°C. Tl Abbr.: cal. 2 (in full large calorie) the nus Camellia, native to E. Asia, with shiny leaves and
amount needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram showy flowers.
of water through 1°C, often used to measure the en- Canvenvbert /kamambair/ n. a kind of soft, creamy
ergy value of foods, ^j Abbr.: Cal. French cheese, usu. with a strong flavor.
cal«o»rif»ic /katarifik/ adj. producing heat, dd cal*o*rif* cam»e*0 /kameeo/ n. (pi. «os) 1 a a small piece of on-
i*cal*ly adv. yx or other hard stone carved in relief with a back-
caNtrop /kaltrap/ n. (also cal*trap) 1 hist, a four-spiked ground of a different color, b a similar relief design us-
iron ball thrown on the ground to impede cavalry hors- ing other materials. 2 a a short descriptive literary
es. 2 any creeping plant of the genus Tribulus, with sketch or acted scene, b a small character part in a play
woody carpels usu. having hard spines. or film, usu. played by a distinguished actor.
cal*u*met /kalyamet/ n. a Native American ceremoni- canver«a /kamra, kamara/ n. 1 an apparatus consisting
al peace pipe. of a lightproof box to hold light-sensitive film, a lens,
ca*lum*ni*ate /kalumneeayt/ v.tr. slander, dd ca*lum* and a shutter mechanism, either for taking still pho-
ni*a*tion /-neeayshan/ n. ca*lum*ni*a*tor n. ca*lum*ni* tographs or for motion-picture film. 2 Telev. a piece of
a*to*ry /-atawree/ adj.
cal*um*ny /kalamnee/ n. &v. »n. (pi. «nies) 1 slander; See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
camera obscura ~ cancer 106 used to make celluloid and in medicine, dd canrphor*
ic /-forik/ adj.

equipment forms an optical image and converts

that cam»pi»on /kampeean/ n. 1 any plant of the genus

it into electrical impulses for transmission or storage. Silene,with usu. pink or white notched flowers. 2 any
in camera 1 Law in a judge's private room. 2 private- of several similar cultivated plants of the genus Lych-
ly; not in public. nis.

cam»er«a ob»scu»ra /obskycbra/ n. an internally dark- camp*site /kampsit/ n. a place suitable for camping; a
ened box with an aperture for projecting the image of site used by campers.

an external object on a screen inside it. canrpus /kampas/ n. (pi. campuses) 1 the grounds of
canver»a-read»y adj. Printing (of copy) in a form suit- a university or college. 2 a college or university, esp.
able for immediate photographic reproduction. as a teaching institution.
cam*i*SOle /kamisol/ n. an upper-body undergarment, cam-shaft /kamshaft/ n. a shaft with one or more cams
often embroidered. attached to it.
camomile var. of chamomile. Can. abbr. Canada; Canadian.
&
camouflage /kamsflaazh/ n. v. • n. 1 a the disguis- can /kan, kan/ v.aux. (3rd sing, present can; past could
1

ing, by the military, of people, vehicles, aircraft, ships, /kood/) (foil, by infin. without to, or absol. present and ;

and installations by painting them or covering them past only in use) 1 a be able to; know how to (/ can
to make them blend with their surroundings, b such run fast; can he?, can you speak German?), b be poten-
a disguise. 2 the natural coloring of an animal that tially capable of (you can do it if you try) 2 be permit- .

enables it to blend in with its surroundings. 3 a mis-
leading or evasive precaution or expedient. • v. tr. hide
or disguise by means of camouflage.
camouflage World War I: from French, from camou-
fler 'to disguise' (originally thieves' slang), from Ital-
ian camuffare 'disguise, deceive, perhaps by asso-
'
can 2 /kan/ n.
ted to (can we go to the party?).
Can is properly used to mean 'be able': / can solve any
problem on this list. May means 'be permitted or have
approval': May I leave now?You may take anything you
like.
&
v. • n. 1 a metal vessel for liquid. 2 a

metal container in which food or drink is hermetical-

ciation with French camouflet 'whiff of smoke in the
ly sealed to enable storage over long periods. 3 (prec.
face.'
by the) si. a prison (sent to the can), b si. toilet. 4 si. the
camp /kamp/ n.
1
&
v. • n. 1 a place where troops are buttocks. *v.tr. (canned, canning) 1 put or preserve
lodged or trained. 2 temporary overnight lodging in in a can. 2 record on film or tape for future use. in
tents, etc., in the open. 3 a temporary accommoda- the can colloq. completed; ready (orig. of filmed or re-
tion of various kinds, usu. consisting of huts or tents, corded material), dd can*ner n.
for detainees, homeless persons, and other emergency Can*a*da goose n. a wild goose, Branta canadensis,
use. b a complex of buildings for vacation with a brownish-gray body and white cheeks and
accommodation. 4 the adherents of a particular par- breast.
ty or doctrine regarded collectively (the Republican ca*nal /kanal/ n. 1 an artificial waterway for inland
camp was jubilant) •v.intr. 1 set up or spend time in a
. navigation or irrigation. 2 any of various tubular ducts
camp (in senses 1 and 2 of n.). 2 (often foil, by out) in a plant or animal, for carrying food, liquid, or air.
lodge in temporary quarters or in the open, dd camp* can*al*ize /kanaliz/ v. tr. 1 make a canal through. 2 con-
ing n. vert (a river) into a canal. 3 provide with canals. 4 give
camp 2 /kamp/ adj., n., &
v. colloq. %adj. 1 done in an the desired direction or purpose to. dd ca*nal*i*za*tion
exaggerated way for effect. 2 affected; effeminate. •«. n.
a camp manner or style, •v.intr. &
tr. behave or do in can*a*pe /kanapay, -pee/ n. a small piece of bread or
a camp way. camp it up overact; behave affectedly. pastry with a savory food on top, often served as an
dd camp*y adj. (campier, campiest). camp*My adv. hors d'oeuvre.
camp*i*ness n. ca*nard /kanaard/ n. an unfounded rumor or story.
cam»paign/kampayn/«. &v. *n. 1 an organized course ca»nar»y /kanairee/ n. (pi. »ies) 1 any of various small
of action for a particular purpose, esp. to arouse pub- finches of the genus Serinus, esp. 5. canaria, a song-
lic interest (e.g., before a political election). 2 a a se- bird native to the Canary Islands, with mainly yellow
ries of military operations in a definite area or to plumage. 2 hist, a sweet wine from the Canary Islands.
achieve a particular objective, b military service in the ca*nas*ta /kanasta/ k. 1 a card game using two packs
field (on campaign), •v.intr. conduct or take part in a and resembling rummy, the aim being to collect sets
campaign, dd canrpaign-er n. (or melds) of cards. 2 a set of seven cards in this game.

campaign can-can /kankan/ n. a lively stage dance with high kick-

early 1 7th century (denoting a tract of open
ing.
country): from French campagne 'open country,' via
Italian from late Latin campania, from campus 'level
can*cel /kansol/ (canceled, canceling; esp. lint, can-
v.

celled, cancelling)1 tr. a withdraw or revoke (a pre

ground.' The change in sense arose from the army's
practice of 'taking the field' (i.e., moving from fortress
or town, etc., to open country) at the onset of sum-
mer.
vious arrangement), b discontinue (an arrangement
in progress). 2 tr. obliterate or delete (writing, etc.).
3 mark
or pierce (a ticket, stamp, etc.) to invalidate
tr.

h.Air. annul; make void; abolish. 5 (often foil, by out)

cam*pa«ni*le /kampone'elee, ne'el/ n. a bell tower (usu. a tr. (of one factor or circumstance) neutralize or
freestanding), esp. in Italy. counterbalance (another), b intr. (of two factors or cir-
cam«pa»nol»ogy /kamponolnjee/ n. 1 the study of cumstances) neutralize each other. 6 tr. Math, strike
bells. 2 the art or practice of bell ringing, dd canrvpa* out (an equal factor) on each side ol tD equation 01
nol»o«ger n. cam*pa*no*log*i*cal / nolojiknl/ ad), cam* from the numerator and denominator ol fraction
;i

pa*nol*o*gist n. i can»cel»er //.

ii i

camp*er /kampor/ n. 1 a person who camps out or lives can*cel*la*tion /kansnkiyshnn/ //. (also can»cel»a»tlon)
temporarily in a tent, hut, etc., esp. for recreation. 2 a 1 the act or an instance of Canceling Of being i am clol
large motor vehicle with accommodation for camping 2 something that has been canceled, esp. a honking or
out. reservation
cam«phor /kamfar/ n. a white, translucent, crystalline can»cer /kansor/ n. 1 a any malignant growth or tumor
volatile substance with aromatic smell and bitter taste, from an abnormal and uncontrolled division of body
 . .

cells, b a disease caused by this. 2 an evil influence or 107 candela ~ canonical

corruption spreading uncontrollably. 3 (Cancer) a a
constellation, traditionally regarded as contained in stem of a tree or plant. 2 Zool. an ulcerous ear disease
the figure of a crab, b the fourth sign of the zodiac (the of animals, esp. cats and dogs. 3 Med. an ulceration,
Crab). C a person born when the sun is in this sign. esp. of the lips. 4 a corrupting influence, •v.tr. 1 con-
d Tropic of Cancer see tropic, dd Can*cer*i*an sume with canker. 2 corrupt. 3 (as cankered adj.)
/-sereean/ n. & adj. (in sense 3). can»cer»ous adj. soured; malignant; crabbed, dd can»ker«ous adj.
can»ker»worm /kangkarwarm/ n. any caterpillar of var-
cancer Old English, from Latin, 'crab or creeping ul-
ious wingless moths that consume the buds and leaves
cer,' translating Greek karkinos, which is said to have
of shade and fruit trees in N. America.
been applied to such tumors because the swollen veins
can*na*bis /kanabis/ n. 1 any hemp plant of the genus
around them resembled the limbs of a crab. Canker
Cannabis, esp. Indian hemp. 2 a preparation of parts
was the usual form until the 1 7th century.
of this used as an intoxicant or hallucinogen.
can*de*la /kandeela, -deb/ n. the SI unit of luminous canned /kand/ adj. 1 supplied in a can (canned fruit)
intensity. TIAbbr.: cd. 2 prerecorded (canned laughter, canned music). 3 si.
can»de»la»brum /kand'la'abram/ n. (also can*de*la*bra drunk.
/-bra/) (pi. candelabra, candelabrums. candelabras) can*nel /kanal/ n. (in full cannel coal) a bituminous
a large branched candlestick or lamp holder. coal burning with a bright flame.
can*did /kandid/ adj. 1 frank; not hiding one's can»neMo»ni /kanalonee/ n.pl. tubes or rolls of pasta
thoughts. 2 (of a photograph) taken informally, usu. stuffed with meat or a vegetable mixture.
without the subject's knowledge, dd can*did*ly adv. can«ner«y /kanaree/ n. (pi. «ies) a factory where food is
can*did*ness n. canned.
can«di»da /kandida/ n. any yeastlike parasitic fungus of can»ni»bal /kanibal/ n. & adj. mn. 1 a person who eats
the genus Candida, esp. C. albicans causing thrush. human flesh. 2 an animal that feeds on flesh of its own
can»di»date /kandidat, -dayt/ n. 1 a person who seeks species, madj. of or like a cannibal, dd can«ni«bal»ism
or is nominated for an office, award, etc. 2 a person or n. can*ni*bal*is*tic adj. can*ni*bal*is*ti*caMy adv.

thing likely to gain some distinction or position. 3 a can*ni*bal*ize /kanibaliz/ v.tr. use (a machine, etc.) as
person entered for an examination, dd can*di*da*cy a source of spare parts for others, dd can*ni«bal*i*za*
/-dasee/ n. can*di*da*ture /-dachar/ n. Brit. tion n.
can*dle /kand'l/ n. la cylinder or block of wax or tal- can»non kanan/ n. & v. mn. 1 hist. (pi. same) a large,

low with a central wick, for giving light when burning. heavy gun installed on a carriage or mounting. 2 an
2 = candlepower. d cannot hold a candle to cannot be automatic aircraft gun firing shells. 3 Billiards Brit. =
compared with; is much inferior to. carom, •v.intr. Brit. (usu. foil, by against, into) collide
Can*dle*mas /kandalmas/ n. a feast with blessing of heavily or obliquely.
candles (Feb. 2), commemorating the Purification of can»non»ade kananayd/ n. &
v. mn. a period of con-

the Virgin Mary. tinuous heavy gunfire, mv.tr. bombard with a cannon-
can*dle*pow«er /kand'lpowr/ n. a unit of luminous in- ade.
tensity. can«non*ball /kananbawL n. 7
&v. mn. 1 a large, usu.

can*dle*Stick /kand'lstik/ n. a holder for one or more metal ball fired by a cannon. 2 Tennis a very rapid serve.
candles. 3 a very fast vehicle, etc., esp. an express train. • v.intr.
can*dle*wick /kand'lwik/ n. 1 a thick soft cotton yarn. travel with great force, momentum, and speed.
2 material made from this, usu. with a tufted pattern. can»non fod»der n. soldiers regarded merely as mate-
can»dor /kandar/ n. candid behavior or action; frank- rial to be expended in war.
ness. can»not kanot, kanot/ v.aux. can not.
C. & W. abbr. country-and-western. can*nu*la /kanyala/ n. (pi. cannulas or cannulae /-lee/)
can*dy /kandee/ n. & v. • n. (pi. «dies) a sweet confec- Surgery a small tube for inserting into the body to al-
tion, usu. containing sugar, chocolate, etc. • v. tr. -dies, low fluid to enter or escape.
•died) (usu. as candied adj.) preserve by coating and can»ny /kanee/ adj. (cannier, canniest) 1 a shrewd;
impregnating with a sugar syrup (candied fruit) worldly-wise, b thrifty, c circumspect. 2 sly; dryly hu-
can»dy-strip»er n. a hospital volunteer, esp. a teenager, morous, dd can»ni«ly adv. can«ni»ness ;/.
who wears a brightly-striped uniform. ca»noe /kanob/ n. & v. • n. a small, narrow boat with

can»dy»tuft /kandeetuft/ n. any of various plants of the pointed ends usu. propelled by paddling, •v.intr.
genus Iberis, native to W. Europe, with white, pink, or (canoes, canoed, canoeing) travel in a canoe, dd ca»
purple flowers in tufts. noe»ist n.
cane /kayn/ n. & v. mn. 1 a the hollow jointed stem of can of worms n. colloq. unwanted complications (let's

giant reeds or grasses (bamboo cane), b the solid stem not open a can of worms)
of slender palms (malacca cane). 2 = sugar cane. can*ol*a Oil /kanOla/ n. cooking oil derived from the
3 material of cane used for wickerwork, etc. 4 a a cane seed of a variety of the rape plant.
used as a walking stick or a support for a plant or an can»on /kanan/ n. 1 a a general law, rule, principle, or
instrument of punishment, D any slender walking criterion, b a church decree or law. 2 (fern, canoness)
stick, •v.tr. 1 beat with a cane. 2 weave cane into (a a a member of a cathedral chapter, b a member of cer-
chair, etc.). dd carver n. (in sense 2 of v.). carving ;;. tain Roman Catholic orders. 3 a a collection or list of
cane sug*ar n. sugar obtained from sugar cane. sacred books, etc., accepted as genuine, b the recog-
ca*nine /kaynin/ adj. & n. madj. 1 of a dog or dogs. 2 of nized genuine works of a particular author; a list of
or belonging to the family Canidae, including dogs, these. C a list of literary or artistic works considered
wolves, foxes, etc. • n. 1 a dog. 2 (in full canine tooth) to be permanently established as being of the highest
a pointed tooth between the incisors and premolars. quality. 4 Eccl. the part of the Mass containing the
can»is»ter /kanistar/ n. 1 a small container, usu. of met- words of consecration. 5 Mus. a piece with different
al and cylindrical, for storing sugar, etc. 2 a a cylinder parts taking up the same theme successively.
of shot, tear gas, etc., that explodes on impact, b such ca*non*i*cal /kanonikal/ adj. 1 a according to canon
cylinders collectively. law. b included in the canon of Scripture. 2 authori-
can»ker /kangkar/ n. & v. • n. 1 a a destructive fungus
disease of trees and plants, b an open wound in the See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
canonize ~ capacity 108 divide into cantons, dd can*ton*al /kant'nal, kantonal/
adj.

standard; accepted. 3 of a cathedral chapter or

tative; Can»ton»ese /kantane'ez/ adj. &
n. madj. of Canton or

a member of it. 4 Mus. in canon form, dd ca»non»i»cal» the Cantonese dialect of Chinese. • «. (pi. same) 1 a
ly adv. native of Canton. 2 the dialect of Chinese spoken in
can»Ofl«ize /kananiz/ v.tr. 1 a declare officially to be a SE China and Hong Kong.
saint, usu. with a ceremony, b regard as a saint. 2 ad- can»ton«ment /kantonmant, -ton-/ n. 1 quarters as-
mit to the canon of Scripture. 3 sanction by church signed to troops. 2 a permanent military station in In-
authority, dd can«on»i«za»tion n. dia.
carvon law n. ecclesiastical law. can»tor/kant3r/n. 1 the leader of the singing in church;
can o»pen»er n. a device for opening cans (in sense 2 a precentor. 2 the precentor in a synagogue.
of*.)- Ca»nuck /ksnuk/ n. &adj. si. often derog. • «. 1 a Cana-
carvopy /kanapee/ n. (pi. -pies) 1 a a covering hung dian, esp. a French Canadian. 2 a Canadian horse or
or held up over a throne, bed, person, etc. b the sky. pony. • adj. Canadian, esp. French Canadian.
C an overhanging shelter. 2 Archit. a rooflike projec- can*vas /kanvas/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a a strong coarse kind
tion over a niche, etc. 3 the uppermost layers of fo- of cloth made from hemp or flax or other coarse yarn
liage, etc., in a forest. 4 a the expanding part of a par- and used for sails and tents, etc., and as a surface for
achute, b the cover of an aircraft's cockpit. oil painting, b a piece of this. 2 a painting on canvas,

canst /kanst/ archaic 2nd person sing, of can 1

. esp. in oils. 3 an open kind of canvas used as a basis
cant /kant/ n. &v. •«. 1 insincere pious or moral talk.
1
for tapestry and embroidery. 4 si. the floor of a box-
2 ephemeral or fashionable catchwords. 3 language ing or wrestling ring. • v. tr. (canvased, canvasing; esp.
peculiar to a class, profession, sect, etc.; jargon. • v. intr. canvassed, canvassing) cover with canvas, d un-
Brit,
use cant. der canvas
1 in a tent or tents. 2 with sails spread.

cant 2 /kant/ n. & v. *n. 1 a a slanting surface, e.g., of can*vas*back /kanvssbak/ n. a wild duck, Aythya val-

a bank, b a bevel of a crystal, etc. 2 an oblique push isineria, of N. America, with back feathers the color of
or movement that upsets or partly upsets something. unbleached canvas.
3 a tilted position, mv. 1 tr. push or pitch out of level; can*vass /kanvas/ v. &n.»a1a intr. solicit votes, b tr.
tilt. 2 intr. take or lie in a slanting position. 3 tr. impart solicit votes from (electors in a constituency). 2 tr.
a bevel to. a ascertain opinions of. b seek business from. C dis-
can't /kant/ contr. can not. cuss thoroughly. • n. the process of or an instance of
can»ta»bi»le /kanta'abilay/ adv., adj., &
n. Mus. • adv. &
canvassing, esp. of electors, dd can*vass*er n.
adj. in a smooth singing style. »n. a cantabile passage carvyon /kanyan/ n. a deep gorge, often with a stream
or movement. or river.
can*ta*loupe /kant'lop/ n. a small, round ribbed vari- cap /kap/ n. &v. • n. 1 a a covering for the head, often

ety of melon with orange flesh.
can*tan*ker*ous /kantangkarss/ adj. bad-tempered;
quarrelsome, dd can*tan*ker*ous*ly adv. carvtarvker*
ous«ness n.
can*ta«ta /ksntaats/ n. Mus. a short narrative or
of soft fabric and with a visor, b a head covering worn
in a particular profession (nurse's cap). C esp. Brit, a
cap awarded as a sign of membership of a sports team.
d an academic mortarboard or soft hat. 2 a a cover like
a cap in shape or position (kneecap; toecap) b a device
.

descriptive composition with vocal solos and usu. cho-
rus and orchestral accompaniment.
can*teen /kanteen/ n. 1 a a restaurant for employees in
an office or factory, etc. b a store selling provisions or
liquor in a barracks or camp. 2 Brit, a case or box of
cutlery. 3 a soldier's or camper's water flask.
can»ter /kantar/ n. &
v. »n. a gentle gallop. mv. 1 intr.
(of a horse or its rider) go at a canter. 2 tr. make (a
horse) canter.
to seal a bottle or protect the point of a pen, lens of a
camera, etc. 3 = mobcap. 4 = percussion cap. 5 = crown
n. 9b. •v.tr. (capped, capping) 1 a put a cap on.
b cover the top or end of. C set a limit to (expenditure,
etc.). 2 esp. Brit, award a sports cap to. 3 a lie on top
of; form the cap of. b surpass; excel. C improve on (a
story, quotation, etc.), esp. by producing a better or
more apposite one. a cap in hand humbly, set one's
cap for try to attract as a suitor, dd cap*ful n. (pi. •

can»ter»bur»y /kantorberee/ n. (pi. «ies) a piece of fur- fuls). cap-ping n.

niture with partitions for holding music, etc.
can*thar*i*des /kantharideez/ n.pl. a preparation made
from dried bodies of a beetle Lytta vesicatoria, causing
blistering of the skin and formerly used in medicine
and as an aphrodisiac. Also called Spanish fly.
can«thus /kanthas/ n. (pi. canthi /-thi/) the outer or in-
ner corner of the eye, where the upper and lower lids
meet.
can«ti»cle /kantikal/ n. a song or chant with
text.
can*ti»le«na /kant'leens/ n. Mus. a simple or sustained
melody.
can«tMe«ver /kant'leevar, -evsr/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a long
bracket or beam, etc., projecting from a wall to sup-
port a balcony, etc. 2 a beam or girder fixed at only
one end. •v.intr. 1 project as a cantilever. 2 be sup-
ported by cantilevers.
can»ti»na /kante'eno/ n. esp. SW
US a tavern, bar, etc.
can»tO /kanto/ n. (pi. «tos) a division of a long poem.
can*ton n.&v.mn. 1 /kanton/ a a subdivision of a coun-
try, b a state of the Swiss confederation. 2 /kanton/
Heraldry a square division, less than a quarter, in the
upper (usu. dexter) corner of a shield, •v.ir. 1 /kan-
ton, -ton Brit./ put (troops) into quarters. 2 /kanton/
cap. abbr. 1 capital. 2 capital letter. 3 chapter.
ca»pa«bil«i«ty /kaypabilitee/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 (often foil,
by power; the condition of being ca-
of, for, to) ability;
pable. 2 an undeveloped or unused faculty.
ca*pa*ble /kaypabal/ adj. 1 competent; able; gifted. 2
(foil, by of) a having the ability or fitness or necessary
quality for. b susceptible or admitting of (explanation
or improvement, etc.). dd ca*pa«bly adv.
a biblical ca*pa*cious /kopayshos/ adj. roomy; able to hold much.
ca*pac«i*tance /kopasit'ns/ n. Electr. 1 the ability oi a
system to store an electric charge. 2 the ratio oi the
change in an electric charge in a system to the cor-
responding change in its electric potential. M Symb.:
C
ca«pac»i»tor/kr>pasitnr/N. lilcctr. a device of one or more
pairs of conductors separated by insulators used to
store an electric charge.
ca»pac«i»ty knpasitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a the power of
containing, receiving, experiencing, or producing
(capacity for heal, pain, etc.). b the maximum amount
that can be contained or produced, etc. C the volume,
e.g., of the cylinders in an internal combustion engine
d (attrib. ) fully occupying the available space, resour\
es, etc. (a capacity audu-ficc) 2 a mental power, b a fac-
.
 ulty or talent. 3 a position or function (in a civil capac- 109 caparison - capsicum
ity; in my capacity as a critic). 4 legal competence.

5 Electr. capacitance, d to capacity fully; using all capital 2 /kapit'l/ n. Archit. the head or cornice of a
resources (working to capacity), dd ca*pac*i*ta*tive pillar or column.
/-taytiv/ adj. (also ca«pac»i»tive) (in sense 5). cap*i*tal gain n. a profit from the sale of investments
ca»par»i«son /ksparisan/ n. v. *n. 1 &
(usu. in pi) a or property.
horse's trappings. 2 equipment; finery, mv.tr. put cap*i*tal*ism /kapit'lizam/ n. 1 a an economic system
caparisons on; adorn richly. in which the production and distribution of goods de-
cape /kayp/ n. 1 a sleeveless cloak. 2 a short, sleeve-
1
pend on invested private capital and profit making.
less cloak as a fixed or detachable part of a longer cloak b the possession of capital or wealth. 2 Polit. the dom-
or coat. inance of private owners of capital and production for
cape 2 /kayp/ n. la headland or promontory. 2 (the profit.
Cape) a the Cape of Good Hope, b the S. African cap*i*tal*ist /kapit'list/ n. & adj. • n. 1 a person using
province containing it. C Cape Cod, Massachusetts. or possessing capital; a rich person. 2 an advocate of
cap»e«lin /kapalin, kaplin/ n. (also cap*lin /kaplin/) capitalism. • adj. of or favoring capitalism. capital*
a small smeltlike fish, Mallotus villosus, of the N. is»tic adj. cap«i-tal«is*ti«cal-ly adv.
Atlantic, used as food and as bait for catching cod, cap«i»tal»ize /kapit'liz/v. 1 tr. a convert into or provide

etc. with capital, b calculate or realize the present value of

ca-per 1
/kaypar/ v. & n. •v.intr. jump or run about an income. C reckon (the value of an asset) by setting
playfully. • n. 1 a playful jump or leap. 2 a a fantas- future benefits against the cost of maintenance. 2 tr.
tic proceeding; a prank, b si. any activity or occupa- a write (a letter of the alphabet) as a capital, b begin
tion. (a word) with a capital letter. 3 intr. (foil, by on) use
ca»per 2 /kaypgr/ n. 1 a bramblelike S. European shrub, to one's advantage; profit from, an cap«i*tal*i*za*tion
Capparis spinosa. 2 (in pi.) its flower buds cooked and n.

pickled for use as flavoring, esp. for a savory sauce. Cap*i*tol /kapit'l/ n. 1 the building in Washington, D.C.,
cap*iMar*y /kapaleree/ adj. &n. • adj. 1 of or like a hair. in which the U.S. Congress meets. 2 (as capitol) a
2 (of a tube) of hairlike internal diameter. 3 of one of building in which a state legislature meets.
the delicate ramified blood vessels intervening be- ca*pit*u*late /kapichalayt/ v.intr. surrender, esp. on
tween arteries and veins. •«. (pi. «ies) 1 a capillary stated conditions, dd ca*pit*u*la*tor n. ca«pit»u»la»to«ry
tube. 2 a capillary blood /-latawree/ adj.
vessel. ca*pit*u«la*tion /kapichglayshan/ n. 1 the act of capit-
cap*il«lar*y action n. the ulating; surrender. 2 a statement of the main divisions
tendency of a liquid in a of a subject. 3 an agreement or set of conditions.
capillary tube or absorb- cap'n /kap'm/ n. si. captain.
ent material to rise and ca»po /kaypo/ n. (in full ca»po«tas»to /-tasto I) (pi. ca-
fall as a result of surface pos or capotastos) Mus. a device secured across the
tension. Also called cap- neck of a fretted instrument to raise equally the tun-
illarity. ing of all strings by the required amount.
capital 1
/kapit'l/ «., adj., ca*pon /kaypon, -pan/ n. a domestic cock castrated and
6 int. • n. 1 the most im- fattened for eating, dd ca*pon*ize v.tr.
portant town or city of a cap«puc»ci»no/kapOOche'eno/«. (pi. 'nos) espresso cof-
country, state, or region, fee with milk made frothy with pressurized steam.
usu. its seat of gov- Doric ca«pric«ci«0/k3pre'echeeo/n. (pi. «os) 1 a lively and usu.
ernment and adminis- short musical composition. 2 a painting, etc., repre-
trative center. 2 a the senting a fantasy or a mixture of real and imaginary
money or other assets features.
with which a company ca-price /kapre'es/ n. 1 a an unaccountable or whimsi-
b ac-
starts in business, cal change of mind or conduct, b a tendency to this.
cumulated wealth, esp. 2 a work of lively fancy in painting, drawing, or mu-
as used in further sic; a capriccio.
production. C money in- ca«pri»cious/k3prish3s,-pree-/a<i/. 1 guided by or giv-
vested or lent at interest. en to caprice. 2 irregular; unpredictable, dd ca«pri»
3 capitalists generally. cious«ly adv. ca*pri*cious*ness n.
4 a capital letter. • adj. Cap»ri»corn /kaprikawrn/ n. (also Cap«ri»cofnus
1 a principal; most im- /-kawrnas/) 1 a constellation, traditionally regarded as
portant, b colloq. excel- contained in the figure of a goat's horns. 2 a the tenth
lent; first-rate. 2 a in- s>ign of the zodiac (the Goat), b a person born when
volving or punishable by the sun is in this sign, dd CapTi»corn»i»an n. adj. &
death (capital pun- cap«rine /kaprin, -rin/ adj. of or like a goat.
ishment), b (of an error, cap«ri*ole /kapreeol/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a leap or caper. 2 a
etc.) vitally harmful; fa- trained horse's high leap and kick without advancing.
tal. 3 (of letters of the al- • a. 1 intr. (of a horse or its rider) perform a capriole.
phabet) large in size and 2 tr. make (a horse) capriole.
of the form used to begin ca*pris /kapre'ez/ n.pl. (also ca«pri pants) women's
sentences and names, close-fitting tapered trousers that end above the an-
etc. •int. expressing ap- kle.
proval or satisfaction. caps. abbr. capital letters.
d make capital out of cap*si*cum /kapsikam/ n. 1 any plant of the genus Cap-
use to one's advantage. sicum, having edible capsular fruits containing many
with a capital emphat- — seeds, esp. C. annuum yielding chili and sweet peppers.
ically such (art with a Corinthian 2 the fruit of any of these plants.
capital A), dd cap»i«taMy
adv. capital See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 ). .

capsid ~ carbon 110 cap*u*chin /kapyachin, -shin, kapyob-/ n. 1 (Capu-

cap«sid /kapsid/ n. any bug of the family Capsidae,
• monkey of the genus Cebus of S. America, with cowl-
esp. one that feeds on plants.
cap«sid /kapsid/ n. the protein coat or shell of a virus.
cap»size /kapslz,-siz/'y. 1 tr. upset or overturn (a boat)
2 intr. be capsized.
cap*stan /kapstan/ n. 1 a thick revolving cylinder with
a vertical axis, for winding an anchor cable or a hal-
yard, etc. 2 a motor-driven revolving spindle on a tape
recorder, that guides the tape past the head.
chin) a Franciscan friar of the new rule of 1529. 2 any
like head hair.
cap»y»ba»ra /kapaba'ara/ n. a very large semiaquatic ro-
dent, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, native to S. America.
car/kaar/«. 1 a road vehicle with an enclosed passenger
compartment, powered by an internal-combustion
engine; an automobile. 2 a vehicle that runs on rails,
esp. a railroad car or a streetcar. 3 a railroad car of a
specified type (dining car) 4 the passenger compart-
.

cap*sule /kapsal, -sool/ n. 1 a small gelatinous case en- ment of an elevator, cable railway, balloon, etc. 5 po-
closing a dose of medicine and swallowed with it. 2 a et, a wheeled vehicle; a chariot, dd earful n. (pi. 'fills).

detachable compartment of a spacecraft or nose cone car«a»bi«ner /karabe'enar/ n. a coupling link with a safe-
of a rocket. 3 an enclosing membrane in the body. 4 a a ty closure, used by rock climbers.
dry fruit that releases its seeds when ripe, b the spore- car«a»cal /karskal/ n. a lynx, Felis caracal, native to N.
producing part of mosses and liverworts. 5 Biol, an en- Africa and SW Asia.
veloping layer surrounding certain bacteria. 6 (attrib. car*a*cole /karakol/ n. &
v. • n. a horse's half turn to

concise; highly condensed (a capsule history of jazz). the right or left. *v. 1 intr. (of a horse or its rider) per-
an cap'SU'lar adj. cap*su*late adj. form a caracole. 2 tr. make (a horse) caracole.
Capt. abbr. Captain. car*a*cul var. of karakul.
cap*tain /kaptin/ n.6'tt««. 1 aa chief or leader, b the ca»rafe /ksraf/ n. a glass container for water or wine,
leader of a team, esp. in sports. C a powerful or influ- esp. at a table or bedside.
ential person {captain of industry) 2 a the person in caramel /karamel, -mal, kaarmsl/ n. 1a sugar or syr-
.

command of a merchant or passenger ship, b the pi- up heated until it turns brown, then used as a flavor-
lot of a civil aircraft. 3 a an army or air force officer ing or to color spirits, etc. b a kind of soft toffee made
next above lieutenant, b a navy officer in command of with sugar, butter, etc., melted and further heated.
a warship; one ranking below commodore or rear ad- 2 the light-brown color of caramel.
miral and above commander. C a police officer in car*a«mel*ize /karamaliz, ka'arma-/ w 1a tr. convert
charge of a precinct, ranking below chief. 4 a supervi- (sugar or syrup) into caramel, b intr. (of sugar or syr-
sor of waiters or bellboys. 5 a a great soldier or strat- up) be converted into caramel. 2 tr. coat or cook (food)
egist, b an experienced commander, •v.tr. be captain with caramelized sugar or syrup, dd car*a*mel*i*za*tion
of; lead, an cap*tain*cy n. (pi. »cies). cap«tain*ship n. /-lizayshan/ n.
caption /kapshan/ n. & v. • n. 1 a title or brief expla- car*a*pace /karapays/ n. the hard upper shell of a tur-
nation appended to an cartoon, etc.
illustration, tleor a crustacean.
2 wording appearing on a motion-picture or television car«at /karat/ n. 1 a unit of weight for precious stones,
screen as part of a movie or broadcast. 3 the heading now equivalent to 200 milligrams. 2 Brit. var. of kar-
of a chapter or article, etc. 4 Law a certificate attached at.
to or written on a document. • v. tr. provide with a cap-
carat from French, from Italian carato, from Arabic
tion.
kirat (a unit of weight), from Greek keration 'fruit of
caption late Middle English (in the sense 'seizing, cap- the carob' (also denoting a unit of weight), diminutive
ture'): from Latin captio(n-), from capere 'take, seize.' of keras 'horn,' with reference to the elongated seed
The early senses 'arrest,' 'warrant for arrest' gave rise pod of the carob.
to 'statement of where, when, and by whose authori-
car«a*van /karavan/ k. 1a covered or enclosed wagon
ty a warrant was issued' (late 17th century): this was
or truck; van. 2 a company of merchants or pilgrims,
usually appended to a legal document, hence the sense
etc., traveling together, esp. across a desert in Asia or
'heading or appended wording' (late 18th century).
N. Africa. 3 a covered cart or carriage, dd car»a»van»
captious /kapshas/ adj. given to finding fault or rais- ner n.
ing petty objections, dd cap*tious*ly adv. cap*tious* car»a»van»sa»ry /karavansaree, -ri/ n. (also car-a»van»
ness n. se«rai) a Near Eastern inn with a central court where
cap»ti»vate /kaptivayt/ v.tr. 1 overwhelm with charm or caravans (see caravan 2) may rest.
affection. 2 fascinate, on cap*ti*vat*ing adj. cap*ti*vat* car»a»way /karaway/ n. an umbelliferous plant, Carum
ing«ly adv. cap*ti«va*tion /-vayshan/ n. carvi, bearing clusters of tiny white flowers.
cap*tive /kaptiv/ n. &
adj. • n. a person or animal that car»a»way seed n. the fruit of the caraway plant used
has been taken prisoner or confined, •adj. 1 a taken as flavoring and as a source of oil.
prisoner, b kept in confinement or under restraint. car*bide /ka'arbid/ n. Chem. a binary compound of car-
2 a unable to escape, b in a position of having to com- bon.
ply (captive audience; captive market). 3 of or like a pris- carabine /ka'arbeen, -bin/ n. a lightweight firearm, usu.
oner (captive state). a rifle, orig. for cavalry use.
cap»tivi»ty /kaptivitee/ n. (pi. »ties) 1 the condition or carbo- /ka'arbo/ comb, form carbon (carbohydnn, ; , arbol
circumstances of being a captive. 2 a period of captiv- tC'j carboxyl)
ity. car«bo»hydrate /ka'arbnhidrayt, bo I n. Biochtm. toy
cap»tor /kaptor, - tawr/ n. a person who captures (a per- of a large group of energy-producing organic com
son, place, etc.). pounds containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen,
capture /kapchsr/z;. &n. •v.tr. 1 a take prisoner; seize e.g., starch, glucose, and Other su^:irs.
as a prize, b obtain by force or trickery. 2 portray in car*bol*ic /kaarbolik/ n. (in full carbolic acid) phenol,
permanent form (could not capture the likeness). 3 Phys- esp. when used as a disinfectant.
ics absorb (a subatomic particle). 4 (in board games) car»bon /ka'arbon/ «. 1 a nonmetallii elemeni oo in
make a move that secures the removal of fan oppos- ring naturally as diamond, graphite) and han oal, and (

ing piece) from the board. 5 cause (data) to be stored in all organic compounds. Symb.: C. 2a = CAMON 1|

in acomputer. • «. 1 the act of capturing. 2 a thing or COPY. b= CARBON PAPER. 3 a rod of carbon in an arc-
person captured, no cap«tur»er n. lamp.
 .
carbon 14 n. a long-lived radioactive carbon isotope of 111
mass 14, used in radiocarbon dating, and as a tracer
in biochemistry.
car»bo»na»do/kaarb3naydo/n. (pi. -dos) a dark opaque
or impure kind of diamond used as an abrasive, for
drills, etc.
car»bo»nate /ka'arbanayt/ n. &v. mn. Chem. a salt of
carbonic acid, mv.tr. 1 impregnate with carbon diox-
ide; aerate. 2 convert into a carbonate. car«bo«na»
tion /-nayshan/ n.
car*bon cop«y n. 1 a copy made with carbon paper. 2 a
person or thing identical or similar to another (is a car-
bon copy of his father)
car*bon dating n. the determination of the age of an
organic object from the ratio of isotopes, which
changes as carbon 14 decays.
car*bon di*ox«ide n. a colorless, odorless gas occurring
naturally in the atmosphere and formed by respira-
tion. H Chem. formula: C02 .
car»bon»ic /kaarbonik/ adj. Chem. containing carbon.
car*bon*ic aoid n. a very weak acid formed from car-
bon dioxide dissolved in water.
car»bon«if»er»ous /kaarbanifaras/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 pro-
ducing coal. 2 (Carboniferous) Geol. of or relating to
the fifth period in the Paleozoic era, with evidence of
the first reptiles and coal-forming swamp forests. • n.
(Carboniferous) Geol. this period or system.
car*bon*ize /kaarbanlz/ v.tr. 1 convert into carbon by
heating. 2 reduce to charcoal or coke. 3 coat with car-
bon, dd car«bon«i«za»tion /-nizayshan/ n.
car«bon mon*ox*ide n. a colorless, odorless toxic gas
formed by the incomplete burning of carbon. H Chem.
formula: CO.
car»bon pa*per n. a thin carbon-coated paper used be-
tween two sheets of paper when writing to make a copy
onto the bottom sheet.
car»bon«yl /ka'arbanil/ n. (used attrib.) Chem. the diva- car*di*nal /kaard'nal/ n. &adj. mn. 1 (as a title Cardinal)
lent radical CO.
car«bo»run»dum /ka'abarundam/ n. a compound of car-
bon and silicon used esp. as an abrasive.
car«box»yl /kaarboksil/ n. Chem. the univalent acid rad-
ical (-COOH), present in most organic acids, dd car*
box*yl*ic /-boksilik/ adj.
car»boy /kaarboy/ n. a large bottle often protected by
a frame, used for containing liquids.
car»bun»cle /ka'arbungkal/ n. 1a severe abscess in the
skin. 2 a bright red gem. dd car*bun*cu*lar /-bung-
kyatar/ adj.
car*bu*ra*tion /ka'arbarayshan, -byo-/ n. the process of
charging air with a spray of liquid hydrocarbon fuel,
esp. in an internal combustion engine.
car*bu*re«tor /ka'arbaraytter, -bya-7 n. (also car«bu«ra-
tor) an apparatus for carburation of fuel and air in an
internal combustion engine.
car*ca*jou /ka'arkajoo, -kazhoo/ n. = wolverine.
car*cass /ka'arkas/ n. (also Brit, car-case 1 the dead
) car»di»ol«o»gy /ka'ardeeolajee/ n. the branch of med-
body of an animal, esp. for cutting up as meat. 2 the
bones of a cooked bird. 3 derog. the human body, liv-
ing or dead. 4 the skeleton, framework of a building,
ship, etc. 5 worthless remains.
car»cin»o»gen /kaarsinajan, ka'arsinajen/ n. any sub-
stance that produces cancer.
car*cin*o«gen*ic /ka'arsinajenik/ adj. having the poten-
tial to cause cancer.
car*ci*no*ma /ka'arsinoma/ n. (pi. carcinomas or car-
cinomata /-mats/) a cancer, esp. one arising in epithe-
lial tissue, dd car*ci*no*ma*tous adj.
card /kaard/ n.
' & v. • n. 1 thick, stiff paper or thin
pasteboard. 2 a a flat piece of this, esp. for writing or
printing on. b = postcard, c a card used to send greet-
ings, issue an invitation, etc. (birthday card), d = call-
ing card, e = business card, f a ticket of admission or
membership. 3 a = playing card, b a similar card in a
carbon 14 - cardsharp
setdesigned for board games, etc. C (in pi.) card play-
ing; a cardgame. 4 a a program of events at boxing
matches, races, etc. b a scorecard. C a list of holes on
a golf course, on which a player's scores are entered.
5 colloq. odd or amusing one. 6 a small
a person, esp. an
rectangular piece of plastic issued by a bank, retail es-
tablishment, etc., with personal (often machine-read-
able) data on it, chiefly to obtain cash or credit (cred-
it card; do you have a card?) .mv.tr. 1 fix to a card. 2 write
on a card, esp. for indexing. 3 ask for proof of age, as
at a bar. a in the cards possible or likely, put (or lay)
one's cards on the table reveal one's resources, inten-
tions, etc.
card 2 /kaard/ n. & v. mn. a toothed instrument, wire
brush, nap on cloth or for disentan-
etc., for raising a
gling fibers before spinning, mv.tr. brush, comb,
cleanse, or scratch with a card, dd card»er n.
car»da«mom /kaardamam/ n. (also car«da»mum) 1 an
aromatic SE Asian plant, Elettaria cardamomum. 2 the
seed capsules of this used as a spice.
card*board /ka'ardbawrd/ n. &
adj. mn. pasteboard or
stiff paper, esp. for making cards or boxes, madj. 1 made
of cardboard. 2 flimsy; insubstantial.
card-car*ry»ing adj. being a registered member of an
organization, esp. a political party or labor union.
car»di»ac /ka'ardeeak/ adj. &
n. madj. of or relating to
the heart, mn. a person with heart disease.
car*di*gan /kaardigan/ n. a knitted sweater fastening
down the front, usu. with long sleeves.
cardigan mid- 19th century (Crimean War): named
after James Thomas Brudenel, 7th Earl of Cardigan
( 1 797- 1 868), leader of the famous Charge of the Light
Brigade; his troops first wore such garments.
a leading dignitary of the RC Church, one of the col-
lege electing the Pope. 2 any small American songbird
of the genus Richmondena, the males of which have
scarlet plumage, madj. 1 chief; fundamental; on which
something hinges. 2 of deep scarlet (like a cardinal's
cassock), dd car*di*nal*ate /-nslayt/ n. (in sense 1 of
«.). car»di»naMy adv. car*di*nal*snip ;/. (in sense 1 of
n.).
_
car*di*nal num«ber ;/. a number denoting quantity
(one, two, three, etc.), as opposed to ordinal numbers
(first, second, third, etc.).
cardio- /kaardeeo/ comb, form heart (cardiogram; cardi-
ology).
car»di»o»gram /ka'ardeeagram/ n. a record of muscle
activity within the heart, made by a cardiograph.
car»di*o*graph /ka'ardeeagraf/ n. an instrument for
recording heart muscle activity, dd car«di«ogTa»pher
/-deeografar/ n. car»di»og»ra«phy n.
icine concerned with diseases and abnormalities of the
heart, dd car»di»ol»o»gist n.
car*di«o«pul«mo*nar*y re*sus*ci*ta«tion /kardeeo-
pcblmaneree/ n. emergency medical procedures for
restoring normal heartbeat and breathing to victims
of heart failure, drowning, etc. H Abbr.: CPR.
car»di»o»vas»CU»lar /kaardeeovaskyalar/ adj. of or re-
lating to the heart and blood vessels.
car*doon /kaardobn/ n. a thistlelike plant, Cynara car-
dunculus, allied to the globe artichoke, with leaves used
as a vegetable.
card'Shark /kaardshaark/ n. 1a person who is an ex-
pert cardplayer. 2 a cardsharp.
card-sharp /kaardshaarp/ n. (also card»sharp«er) a
swindler at card games.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .
care ~ carob
care /kair/ n. &
v. • n. 1 worry; anxiety. 2 an occasion
for this. 3 serious attention; heed; caution; pains (as- car»i»ca»ture /karikachor, -choDr/ n.
sembled with care; handle with care). 4 protection;
charge. 5 a thing to be done or seen to. • v. intr. 1 (usu.
foil, by about, for, whether) feel concern or interest. 2
(usu. foil, by for, about) feel liking, affection, regard,
or deference (don 't care for jazz; she cares for him a great ca»tur»al /-chobral/ adj. car»l«ca»tur»ist n.
deal). 3 (foil, by to + infin.) wish or be willing (do not carries /kaireez/ n. (pi. same) decay and crumbling of
care to be seen with him; would you care to try them?).
a care for provide for; look after, care of at the ad- car«iMon /karilon, -lsn/ n. 1 a set of bells sounded ei-
dress of (sent it care of his sister), for all one cares col- ther from a keyboard or mechanically. 2 a tune played
loq. denoting uninterest or unconcern (/ could be dy-
ing for all you care), have a care take care; be careful. ca*ri*na /kareena/ n. (pi. carinas or carinae /-nee/) Biol.
I (etc.) couldn't (freq. could) care less colloq. an ex-
pression of complete indifference, take care 1 be care-
ful. 2 (foil, by to + infin.) not fail nor neglect, take
care of 1 look after; keep safe. 2 deal with. 3 dispose
of.
ca*reen /kgre'en/ v. turn (a ship) on one side for
1 tr.
cleaning, caulking, or repair. 2 a intr. tilt; lean over.
b tr. cause to do this. 3 intr. swerve about; career.
Sense 3 is infl. by career (v.). ca«reen»age n.
carreer /kare'er/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a one's advancement
through life, esp. in a profession, b the progress
through history of a group or institution. 2 a profes-
sion or occupation, esp. as offering advancement. 3
(attrib. ) a pursuing or wishing to pursue a career (ca-
reer woman) b working permanently in a specified pro-
. der of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, following a rule
fession (career diplomat), •v.intr. 1 move or swerve
about wildly. 2 go swiftly.
carefree /kairfree/ adj. free from anxiety or responsi-
bility; lighthearted. an care*free*ness n.
care*ful /kairfool/ adj. 1 painstaking; thorough. 2 cau-
tious. 3 done with care and attention. 4 (usu. foil, by
that + clause, or to + infin.) taking care; not neglecting.
5 (foil, by for, of) concerned for; taking care of. dd care*
fuMy adv. care«ful*ness n.
care«giv»er /kairgivgr/ n. a person who provides care
for children, the sick, the elderly, etc.
care*less /kairlis/ adj. 1 not taking care nor paying
attention. 2 unthinking; insensitive. 3 done without
care; inaccurate. 4 lighthearted. 5 (foil, by of) not con-
cerned about; taking no heed of. 6 effortless; casual.
nn care*less*ly adv. care»less»ness n.
ca*ress /kares/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 touch or stroke gently
or lovingly; kiss. 2 treat fondly or kindly. • n. a loving
or gentle touch or kiss.
car»et /karat/ n. a mark ( a ) indicating a proposed in-
sertion in printing or writing.
care«tak»er /kairtayksr/ n. 1 a a person employed to
look after something, esp. a house in the owner's ab-
sence, b Brit, a janitor. 2 (attrib.) exercising
rary authority (caretaker government)
care«worn /kairwawrn/ adj. showing the
longed worry.
car»go /ka'argo/ n. (pi. «goes or -gos) 1 a goods carried
on a ship or aircraft, b a load of such goods. 2 a goods
carried in a motor vehicle, b a load of such goods.
Car«ib /karib/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 an aboriginal inhabitant
of the southern W. Indies or the adjacent coasts. 2 the
language of this people, madj. of or relating to this peo-
ple.
Car*ib*be*an /karibe'eon, koribeean/ n. adj. mn. the
part of the Atlantic between the southern W. Indies
and Central America, madj. 1 of or relating to this re-
gion. 2 of the Caribs or their language or culture.
car*i*bou /kariboo/ n. (pi. same) a N. American rein-
deer.
caribou mid- 17th century: from Canadian French,
from Micmac yalipu, literally 'snow-shoveler,' because
112 the caribou scrapes away snow to feed on the vegeta-
tion underneath.
v. • n. 1 a gro- &
tesque usu. comic representation of a person by exag-
geration of characteristic traits, in a picture, writing,
or mime. 2 a ridiculously poor or absurd imitation or
version, mv.tr. make or give a caricature of. dd car«l«
a tooth or bone.
on bells. 3 an organ stop imitating a peal of bells.
a keel-shaped structure, esp. the ridge of a bird's
breastbone, dd ca»ri»nal adj.
earning /kairing/ adj. 1 compassionate. 2 involving the
care of the sick, elderly, or disabled.
car»i»0»gen«ic /kaireeojenik/ adj. causing caries.
car*i*OUS /kaireeas/ adj. (of bones or teeth) decayed.
car*jack*ing /karjaking/ n. theft of an automobile whose
driver is forced to leave the vehicle or is kept captive
while the thief drives, dd car*jack v.tr. car*jack*er n.
car-load /kaarlod/ n. la quantity that can be carried
in a car. 2 the minimum quantity of goods for which
a lower rate is charged for transport.
Car*lo*vin*gi*an var. of Carolingian.
Car*meMte /kaarmilit/ n. &adj. • n. 1 a friar of the Or-
of extreme asceticism. 2 a nun of a similar order, madj.
of or relating to the Carmelites.
car»min»a»tive /kaarminativ, kaarminaytiv/ adj. n. &
madj. relieving flatulence, mn. a carminative drug.
car*mine /ka'armin, -min/ adj. &n.m adj. of a vivid crim-
son color. • n. this color.
carriage /kaarnij/ n. great slaughter, esp. of human
beings in battle.
car*nal /kaarnal/ adj. 1 of the body or flesh; worldly.
2 sensual; sexual, dd car»nal»i»ty /-aalitee/ n. car»nal«
ize v.tr. car»naMy adv.
car*nal knowledge n. Law sexual intercourse.
car*nas*si*al /kaarnaseesl/ adj. &
n. madj. (of a carni-
vore's upper premolar and lower molar teeth) adapt-
ed for shearing flesh, mn. such a tooth.
car'na-tion /kaarnayshan/ n. 1 any of several culti-
1
vated varieties of clove-scented pink, with variously
colored showy flowers (see also clove 2). 2 this flower.
1
car»na«tion 2 /kaarnayshan/ n. &
adj. mn. a rosy pink
color. • adj. of this color.
car*nau*ba /kaarnowba, -nawba, -not>ba/ n. 1 a fan
palm, Copernicia cerifera, native to NE
Brazil. 2 (in full
carnauba wax) the yellowish leaf wax of this tree used
tempo- as a polish, etc.
car*nel*ian /kaarneelyan/ n. (also cor«neMan /kawr-/)
effects of pro- a dull red or reddish-white variety of chalcedony.
car*ni*val /kaarnival/ n. 1 a the festivities usual during
the period before Lent in Roman Catholic countries.
b any festivities, esp. those occurring at a regular date.
2 merrymaking; revelry. 3 a traveling fair or circus.
car«ni»vore /ka'arnivawr/ n. 1 a any mammal of the ol-
der Carnivora, with powerful jaws and teeth tdtpted
for stabbing, tearing, and eating flesh, b anv other
flesh-eating mammal. 2 any flesh-eating plant.
& car»niv»o»rous /kaarnivoros/ adj. 1 (of an animal) feed
ing on other animals. 2 (of a plant) digesting trapped
insects or other animal substances. 3 of or relating to
the order Carnivora. tin car«nivo«rous»ly adv. car»nlv»
o*rous*ness u.
car»ob /karnb/ n. 1 an evergreen tree, Ctratonia mIkju.i,
native to the Mediterranean, bearing edible pods. 2 its
bean-shaped edible seed pod sometimes used as a sub
stitute for chocolate.
car»ol /karal/ n. & v. • n. a joyous song, esp. a Christ- 113 carol ~ carry
mas hymn. mv. (caroled, caroling; esp. Brit, carolled,
carolling) 1 intr. sing carols, esp. outdoors at Christ- four people in our carpool). • v.intr. (also car-pool) par-
mas. 2 tr. & intr. sing joyfully, dd car»ol»er n. (also esp. ticipate in or organize a carpool.
Brit. car«ol«ler). car»port /ka'arpawrt/ n. a shelter with a roof and open
Car»o»lin»gi«an /karalinjsn, -jeean/ adj. n. (also Car* & sides for a car, usu. beside a house.
lo*vin*gi*an /ka'artavinjeesn/) •adj. of or relating to the car*pus /ka'arpss/ n. (pi. carpi /-pi/) the small bones be-
second Frankish dynasty, founded by Charlemagne tween the forelimb and metacarpus in terrestrial ver-
(d. 814). »n. a member of the Carolingian dynasty. tebrates, forming the wrist in humans.
car«om /karam/ n. &
v. Billiards • n. the hitting of two car*ra*geen /karageen/ n. (also car»ra«gheen) an edi-
balls by the one ball on one shot. • v. intr. 1 make a car- ble red seaweed, Chondrus crispus, of the N. hem-
om. 2 (usu. foil, by off) strike and rebound. isphere.
car»o»tene /karsteen/ n. any of several orange-colored car*rel /karal/ n. 1a small cubicle for a reader in a li-
plant pigments found in carrots, tomatoes, etc., act- brary. 2 hist, a small enclosure or study in a cloister.
ing as a source of vitamin A. carriage /karij/ n. la wheeled vehicle, esp. one with
ca*rot*id /karotid/ n. &
adj. • n. each of the two main four wheels and pulled by horses. 2 the part of a ma-
arteries carrying blood to the head and neck. • adj. of chine (e.g., a typewriter) that carries other parts into
or relating to either of these arteries. the required position. 3 a gun carriage. 4 a manner of
ca»rouse /karowz/ v. &
n. • v. intr. 1 have a noisy or live- carrying oneself; one's bearing or deportment.
ly drinking party. 2 drink heavily. • n. a noisy or lively car»ri»er /kareear/ n. 1 a person or thing that carries.
drinking party, dd ca*rous*al n. ca*rous*er n. 2 a person or company undertaking to convey goods
car»ou»sel /karasel, -zel/ n. (also carTOU»sel) 1 a mer- or passengers for payment. 3 a part of a bicycle, etc.,
ry-go-round. 2 a rotating delivery or conveyor system, for carrying luggage or a passenger. 4 an insurance
esp. for passengers' luggage at an airport. company. 5 a person or animal that may transmit a
carp /kaarp/ n. (pi. same) any freshwater fish of the
1
disease or a hereditary characteristic without suffering
family Cyprinidae, esp. Cyprinus carpio, often bred for from or displaying it. 6 = aircraft carrier. 7 a sub-
use as food. stance used to support or convey a pigment, a cata-
carp 2 /kaarp/ v.intr. (usu. foil, by at) find fault; com- lyst, radioactive material, etc. 8 Physics a mobile elec-
plain pettily, dd carp«er n. tron or hole that carries a charge in a semiconductor.
car*pal /ka'arpal/ adj. &
n. • adj. of or relating to the car»ri»er pig*eon n. a pigeon trained to carry messages
bones in the wrist. • n. any of the bones forming the tied to its neck or leg.
wrist. car»ri»on /karian/ n. 1 dead putrefying flesh. 2 some-
car*pal tun»nel syn»drome n. a disorder of the hand thing vile or filthy.
caused by compression of a major nerve where it pass- car«rot /karat/ n. 1 a an umbelliferous plant, Daucus
es over the carpal bones through a passage at the front carota, with a tapering orange-colored root, b this root
of the wrist, alongside the flexor tendons of the hand. as a vegetable. 2 a means of enticement or persuasion.
car*pel /ka'arpsl/ n. Bot. the female reproductive organ 3 (in pi.) si. a red-haired person, dd car»rot»y adj.
of a flower, consisting of a stigma, style, and ovary. car«rou»sel var. of carousel.
nn car»peMar»y adj. car«ry /karee/ v. & n. »v. (Ties, Tied) 1 tr. support or

car»pen«ter /ka'arpintgr/ n. &

v. •«. a person skilled in hold up, esp. while moving. 2 tr. convey with one from
woodwork, esp. of a structural kind (cf. joiner). *v. one place to another. 3 tr. have on one's person (car-
1 intr. do carpentry. 2 tr. make by means of carpentry. ry a watch). 4 tr. conduct or transmit (pipe carries wa-
3 tr. (often foil, by together) construct; fit together. ter, wire carries electric current). 5 tr. take (a process,

etc.) to a specified point (carry into effect; carry a joke

carpenter Middle English: from Anglo-Norman
French, from Old French carpentier, charpentier, from
late Latin carpentarius
from carpentum 'wagon,' of Gaulish
car
car»pen»ter ant n. any large ant of the genus
too far). 6 tr. (foil, by to) continue or prolong (carry
modesty to excess). 7 tr. involve; imply; have as a feature
(artifex) 'carriage (-maker),'
or consequence (carries a two-year guarantee; principles
origin; related to
carry consequences). 8 tr. (in reckoning) transfer (a fig-
ure) to a column of higher value. 9 tr. hold in a spec-
ified way (carry oneself erect) 10 tr. a (of a newspaper
.

Camponotus, boring into wood to nest. or magazine) publish; include in its contents, esp. reg-
car»pen»try /ka'arpintree/ n. 1 the work or occupation ularly, b (of a radio or television station) broadcast,
of a carpenter. 2 work constructed by a carpenter. esp. regularly. 1 1 tr. (of a retailing outlet) keep a reg-
car*pet /ka'arpit/ n. &
d. «. 1 a thick fabric for cov- ular stock of (particular goods for sale) (have stopped
ering a floor or stairs, b a piece of this fabric. 2 an ex- carrying that brand). 12 intr. a (of sound, esp. a voice)
panse or layer resembling a carpet in being smooth, be audible at a distance, b (of a missile) travel; pene-
soft, bright, or thick (carpet of snow) • v. tr. 1 cover with . trate. 13 tr. (of a gun, etc.) propel to a specified dis-
or as with a carpet. 2 colloq. reprimand; reprove, o on tance. 14 tr. a win victory or acceptance for (a propos-
the carpet 1 colloq. being reprimanded. 2 under con- al, etc.). b win acceptance from (carried the audience
sideration, sweep under the carpet conceal (a prob- with them), c win; capture (a prize, a fortress, etc.).
lem or difficulty) in the hope that it willbe forgotten. d gain (a state or district) in an election, e Golf cause
car*pet«bag /kaarpitbag/ n. a traveling bag of a kind the ball to pass beyond (a bunker, etc.). 15 tr. a en-
orig. made of carpetlike material. dure the weight of; support (columns carry the dome).
car*pet*bag*ger /kaarpitbagar/ n. 1 a political candi- b be the chief cause of the effectiveness of; be the driv-
date in an area where the candidate has no local con- ing force in (you carry the sales department). 16 tr. be
nections (orig. a Northerner in the South after the Civ- pregnant with (is carrying twins) 1 7 tr. a (of a motive,
.

il War). 2 an unscrupulous opportunist, esp. an money, etc.) cause or enable (a person) to go to a spec-
outsider. ified place, b (of a journey) bring (a person) to a spec-
car*pool /karpGol/ n. & v. • n. (also car pool) 1 an ar- ified point, mn. (pi. »ries) 1 an act of carrying. 2 Golf
rangement by which a group of commuters travel to the distance a ball travels before reaching the ground.
and from their destination in a single vehicle, often 3 a portage between rivers, etc. 4 the range of a gun,
with the members taking turns as driver. 2 the com-
muters taking part in such an arrangement (there are See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

carrying-on ~ case 114 quence of drawings using the technique of animation.

4 a full-size drawing as an artist's preliminary design
etc. d carry all before one succeed; overcome all op- for a painting, tapestry, mosaic, etc. *v. 1 tr. draw a
position, carry away 1 remove. 2 inspire; affect emo- cartoon of. 2 intr. draw cartoons, dd car«toon«ist n.
tionally or spiritually. 3 deprive of self-control {got car- car*tOUChe /kaartobsh/ n. 1 Archit. a scroll-like orna-
ried away), carry back take (a person) back in thought ment. 2Archaeol. an oval ring enclosing Egyptian
to a past time, carry conviction be convincing, carry hieroglyphs, usu. representing the name and title of a
the day be victorious or successful, carry forward king.
transfer to a new page or account, carry it off (or car- cartridge /kaartrij/ n. la case containing a charge of
ry it off well) do well under difficulties, carry off 1 take propelling explosive for firearms or blasting, with a
away, esp. by force. 2 win (a prize). 3 (esp. of a dis- bullet or shot if for small arms. 2 a spool of film,
ease) kill. 4 render acceptable or passable, carry on magnetic tape, etc., in a sealed container ready for in-
1 continue {carry on eating; carry on, don't mind me). sertion. 3 a component carrying the stylus on the pick-
2 engage in (a conversation or a business) 3 colloq. be-
. up head of a record player. 4 an ink container for in-
have strangely or excitedly. 4 (often foil, by with) Brit, sertion in a pen.
colloq. flirt or have a love affair. 5 advance (a process) cart»wheel /ka'art-hweel, -weel/ n. 1 the (usu. spoked)
by a stage, carry out put (ideas, instructions, etc.) in- wheel of a cart. 2 a circular sideways handspring with
to practice, carry over 1 = carry forward. 2 postpone the arms and legs extended.
(work, etc.). carry through 1 complete successfully. carve /kaarv/ v. 1 tr. produce or shape (a statue,
2 bring safely out of difficulties, carry weight be influ- representation in relief, etc.) by cutting into a hard
ential or important, carry with one bear in mind. material {carved a figure out of rock; carved it in wood)
car»rying-on (or car»ry»ings-on) n. si. 1 a state of ex- 2 tr. a cut patterns, designs, letters, etc., in (hard mate-
citement or fuss. 2 salacious or improper behavior. 3 a rial), b (foil, by into) form a pattern, design, etc., from

flirtation or love affair. {carved it into a bust). C (foil, by with) cover or deco-
car»ry»OUt /kareeowt/ n. &adj. • n. 1 food prepared and rate (material) with figures or designs cut in it. 3 tr.
packaged for consumption elsewhere than the place {absol.) cut (meat, etc.) into slices for eating, d carve
of sale. 2 an establishment that sells such food. %adj. out 1 take from a larger whole. 2 establish (a career,
of or designating such foods. etc.)purposefully {carved out a name for themselves)
car»sick /ka'arsik/ adj. affected with nausea caused by carve up divide into several pieces; subdivide (ter-
the motion of a car. car*sick*ness n. ritory, etc.).
cart /kaart/ n. & v. • n. 1 a strong vehicle with two or Car«ver /kaarvar/ n. (in full Carver chair) a chair with
four wheels for carrying loads, usu. drawn by a horse. arms, a rush seat, and a back having horizontal and
2 a light vehicle for pulling by hand. 3 a light vehicle vertical spindles.
with two wheels for driving in, drawn by a single horse. car»ver /kaarvar/ n. 1a person who carves. 2 a a carv-
• v. tr. 1 convey in or as in a cart. 2 5/. carry (esp. a cum- ing knife, b (in pi.) a knife and fork for carving.
bersome thing) with difficulty or over a long distance carving /ka'arving/ n. a carved object, esp. as a work of
{carted it all the way home). put the cart before the art.
horse 1 reverse the proper order or procedure. 2 take car*yat*id /kareeatid/ n. {pi. caryatids or caryatides
an effect for a cause. cart«er n. carMul n. {pi. «fuls). /-deez/) Archit. a pillar in the form of a draped female
cart*age /kaartij/ n. the price paid for carting. figure, supporting an entablature.
carte blanche /kaart bloNsh, blanch/ n. full discretion- Cas»a»no»va /kasgnova/ n. a man notorious for seduc-
ary power given to a person. ingwomen.
car*tel /kaartel/ n. 1 an informal association of manu- Cas»bah /kazbaa, ka'az-/ n. (also Kas«bah) 1 the cita-
facturers or suppliers to maintain prices at a high lev- del of a N. African city. 2 an Arab quarter near this.
el, and control production, marketing arrangements, cas»cade /kaskayd/ n. &v. »n. A a small waterfall, esp.
etc. 2 a political combination between parties, an car* forming one in a series or part of a large broken wa-
&
tehize /ka'artaliz/ v. tr. intr. 2 a succession of electrical devices or stages in
terfall.
Car»te»sian /kaarte'ezhan/ adj. &
n. •adj. of or relating 3 a quantity of material, etc., draped in
a process.
to R. Descartes, 1 7th-c. French philosopher and math- descending folds, •v.intr. fall in or like a cascade.
ematician. «n. a follower of Descartes, dd Car«te«sian» case /kays/ n. 1 an instance of something occurring.
1

ism n. 2 a state of affairs, hypothetical or actual. 3 a an in-

Car»te-sian co*or*di*nates n.pl. a system for locating
a point by reference to its distance from two or three
axes intersecting at right angles.
Car*thu*sian /kaarthobzhan/ n. & adj. *n. a monk of a
contemplative order founded by St. Bruno in 1084.
• adj. of or relating to this order.
car»ti»lage /ka'art'lij/ n. gristle; a firm flexible connec-
stance of a person receiving professional guidance,
e.g., from a doctor or social worker, b this person or
the circumstances involved. 4 a matter under official
investigation, esp. by the police. 5 Law a cause or suit
for trial. 6 a the sum of the arguments on one side,
esp. in a lawsuit {that is our case), b a set of arguments,
esp. in relation to persuasiveness {have a good case) C a .

tive tissue forming the infant skeleton, which is main- valid set of arguments {have no case). 7 Gram, a the
ly replaced by bone in adulthood, dd car*tMag*i*nous relation of a word to other words in a sentence, b a
/-lajinas/ adj. form of a noun, adjective, or pronoun expressing this.
car«ti»la«gi»nous fish /ka'art'lajinos/ n. a fish of the class 8 the position or circumstances in which one is. d as
Selachii, including sharks and rays, with a skeleton of the case may be according to the situation, in any case
cartilage. whatever the truth is; whatever may happen, in case
car«tog«ra»phy /kaartogrofee/ n. the science or practice 1 in the event that; if. 2 lest; in provision agamsi a si at
of map drawing, an car*tog*ra*pher n. car*to*graph*ic ed or implied possibility (take an /<////>/.//</ in COM "
/-tagrafik/ adj. car*to*graph*i*cal adj. rains; took it in case), in case of in the twin of, in the
car»ton /ka'art'n/ n. a light box or container, esp. one case of as regards, in no case under no circumst am M.
made of cardboard. in that case if thai is true; should that happen, is (or
car»toon /kaartobn/ n.&v.mn. 1 a humorous drawing is not) the case is (or is not) so.
in a newspaper, magazine, etc., esp. as a topical com- case 2 /kays/ n. &
v. «w. 1 1 container or covering lerv
ment. 2 a sequence of drawings, often with speech in- ing to enclose or contain. 2 a container with its on c

dicated, telling a story; comic strip. 3 a filmed se- tents. 3 the outer protective covering of a watch, hook,
 seed vessel, sausage, etc. 4 Brit, an item of luggage, 115 casebound - cast
esp. a suitcase. 5 Printing a partitioned receptacle for
type. 6 a glass box for showing specimens, curiosities, ter cassava) and M. dulcis (sweet cassava), having
etc. mv.tr. 1 enclose in a case. 2 (foil, by with) sur- starchy tuberous roots, b the roots themselves. 2 a
round. 3 5/. reconnoiter (a house, etc.), esp. with a view starch or flour obtained from these roots. Also called
to robbery. TAPIOCA, MANIOC.
case*bound /kaysbownd/ adj. (of a book) in a hard cas*se*role /kasarol/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a covered dish, usu.

cover. of earthenware or glass, in which food is cooked, esp.

case-hard»en v. harden the surface of, esp. give a
tr. 1 slowly in the oven. 2 food cooked in a casserole, •v.tr.
by carbonizing. 2 make callous.
steel surface to (iron) cook in a casserole.
case his«to»ry n. information about a person for use cas»sette /kaset, ka-/ n. a sealed case containing a
in professional treatment, e.g., by a doctor. length of tape, ribbon, etc., ready for insertion in a
ca*sein /kayseen, kayseein/ n. the main protein in milk, machine, esp.: 1 a length of magnetic tape wound on
esp. in coagulated form as in cheese. to spools, ready for insertion in a tape recorder. 2 a
case law n. the law as established by the outcome of length of photographic film, ready for insertion in a
former cases. camera.
caseload /kayslod/ n. the cases with which a lawyer, cas*sia /kasha/ n. 1 any tree of the genus Cassia, bear-
doctor, etc., is concerned at one time. ing leaves from which senna is extracted. 2 the cinna-
case«ment /kaysmant/ n. 1 a window or part of a win- monlike bark of this tree used as a spice.
dow hinged vertically to open like a door. 2 poet, a win- cas*sis /kase'es/ n. a syrupy liqueur flavored with black
dow. currants and produced mainly in Burgundy.
case-servsi»tive adj. Computing distinguishing upper- cas*SOCk /kasak' n. a long, close-fitting, usu. black or
and lower-case letters. red garment worn by clergy, members of choirs, etc.
case stud»y n. 1 an attempt to understand a person, nn cas*socked adj.
institution, etc., from collected information. 2 a rec- cas»sou«let /kasoolay/ n. a stew of meat and beans.
ord of such an attempt. 3 the use of a particular in- cas*SO«war*y /kasawairee/ n. (pi. «ies) any large flight-
stance as an examplar of general principles. less Australasian bird of the genus Casuarius, with a
casework /kayswark/ n. social work concerned with heavy body and a bony crest on its forehead.
individuals, esp. involving understanding of the cli- cast /kast/ v. &
n. • v. (past and past part, cast) 1 tr.

ent's family and background, an case«work«er n.
cash /kash/ n. & v. • n. 1 money in coins or bills, as dis- by on, over) a direct or cause to fall (one's eyes, a
tinct from checks or orders. 2 (also cash down) mon-
ey paid as full payment at the time of purchase, as dis-
tinct from credit. 3 colloq. wealth. • v.tr. give or obtain
cash for (a note, check, etc.). o cash in 1 obtain cash
for. 2 colloq. (usu. foil, by on) profit (from); take ad-
vantage (of). 3 (in full cash in one's chips) colloq. die.
dd cashable adj. cashless adj.
cash and car»ry n. 1 a system in which goods are paid
for in cash and taken away by the purchaser. 2 a store
throw, esp. deliberately or forcefully. 2 tr. (often foil,
glance, light, a shadow, a spell, etc.). b express
(doubts, aspersions, etc.). 3 tr. throw out (a fishing
line) into the water. 4 tr. let down (an anchor, etc.).
5 tr. a throw off; get rid of. b shed (skin, etc.), esp. in
the process of growth. C (of a horse) lose (a shoe). 6 tr.
record, register, or give (a vote). 7 tr. a shape (molten
metal or plastic material) in a mold, b make (a prod-
uct) in this way. 8 tr. Printing make (type). 9 tr. a (usu.
foil, by as) assign (an actor) to play a particular char-

where this system operates.
cash COW n. a business, product, etc. generating steady
,
profits that are usu. used to fund other enterprises.
acter, b allocate roles in (a play, motion picture, etc.).
10 tr. (foil, by in, into) arrange or formulate (facts,
etc.) in a specified form. 11 tr. &
intr. reckon; add up;

cash crop n. a crop produced for sale, not for use as
food, etc.
cash*ew /kashoo, kashob/ n. la bushy evergreen tree,
Anacardium occidentale, native to Central and S.Amer-
ica, bearing kidney-shaped nuts attached to fleshy
fruits. 2 (in full cashew nut) the edible nut of this tree.
cash flow n. the movement of money into and out of cast). 5 a an object of metal, clay, etc., made in a mold.
a business, as a measure of profitability, or as affecting
liquidity.
castvier /kashe'er/
1
n. a person dealing with cash trans-
actions in a store, bank, etc.
cash-ier 2 /kashe'er/ v.tr. dismiss from service, esp. from
the armed forces with disgrace.
castvmere /kazhmeer, kash-/ n. 1 a fine soft wool, esp.
that of a Kashmir goat. 2 a material made from this.
cash reg»is»ter n. a machine in a store, etc., with a
drawer for money, recording the amount of each sale,
totaling receipts, etc.
calculate (accounts or figures). 12rr. calculate and
record details of (a horoscope). »n. 1 a the throwing
of a missile, etc. b the distance reached by this. 2 a
throw or a number thrown at dice. 3 a throw of a net,
fishing line, etc. 4 Fishing a that which is cast, esp. the
line with hook and fly. b a place for casting (a good
b a molded mass of solidified material, esp. plaster
protecting a broken limb. 6 the actors taking part in
a play, motion picture, etc. 7 form, type, or quality
(cast offeatures; cast of mind). 8 a tinge or shade of col-
or. 9 a (in full cast in the eye) a slight squint, b a
twist or inclination. 10 a a mass of earth excreted by
a worm, b a mass of indigestible food thrown up by
a hawk, owl, etc. 1 1 the form into which any work is
thrown or arranged. cast adrift leave to drift, cast
aside give up using; abandon, cast away 1 reject. 2
(in passive) be shipwrecked (cf castaway) cast down
. .

cashing /kaysing/ n. 1 a protective or enclosing cover
or shell. 2 the material for this.
ca*si*no /kaseeno/ n. {pi. »nos) a public room or build-
ing for gambling.
cask /kask/ n. 1a large barrellike container made of
wood, metal, or plastic, esp. one for alcoholic liquor.
2 its contents. 3 its capacity.
cas«ket /kaskit/ n. 1 a a coffin, esp. a rectangular one.
b a small wooden box for cremated ashes. 2 a small,
often ornamental box or chest for jewels, letters, etc.
cas*sa*va /kasa'ava/ n. 1a any plant of the genus
Manihot, esp. the cultivated varieties M. esculenta (bit-
depress; deject (cf. downcast), cast loose detach; de-
tach oneself, cast lots see lot. cast off 1 abandon.
2 Knitting take the stitches off the needle by looping
each over the next to finish the edge. 3 Naut. a set a
ship free from a mooring, etc. b loosen and throw off
(rope, etc.). 4 Printing estimate the space that will be
taken in print by manuscript copy, cast on Knitting
make the first row of loops on the needle, cast out ex-
pel, cast up 1 (of the sea) deposit on the shore. 2 add
up (figures, etc.).
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

castanet ~ catamountain 116 cas*u*ist /kazhooist/ n. 1a person, esp. a theologian,

who problems of conscience, duty, etc., often
resolves
cas*ta*net /kastanet/ n. (usu. with clever but false reasoning. 2 a sophist or quibbler.
in pi.) a small concave piece dd cas»u»is»tic adj. cas*u*is*ti*cal adj. cas*u*is*ti*caMy
of hardwood, ivory, etc., in adv. cas«u»ist»ry /kazhooastree/ n.
pairs held in the hands and CAT /kat/ abbr. 1 Med. computerized axial tomography.
clicked together by the fin- 2 clear-air turbulence.
gers as a rhythmic accompa- cat /kat/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a small, soft-furred, four-legged

niment, esp. by Spanish domesticated animal, Felis cams or F domestica. 2 any

dancers. wild animal of the genus Felis, e.g., a lion, tiger, or
cast»a»way /kastaway/ n. & leopard. 3 a catlike animal of any other species (civet
adj. • n. a shipwrecked per- cat). 4 colloq. a malicious or spiteful woman. 5 5/. a jazz

son. • adj. 1 shipwrecked. enthusiast. 6 Nam. = cathead. 7 = cat-o'-nine-tails.

2 cast aside; rejected. • v.tr. (also absol.) (catted, catting) Nam. raise (an an-

caste /kast/ n. 1 any of the chor) from the surface of the water to the cathead.
Hindu hereditary classes, cata- /kits/ prefix (usu. cat- before a vowel or h) 1 down;
distinguished by relative downward (catadromous) 2 wrongly; badly (catachre-
.

degrees of purity or pollu- sis)

tion, whose members are so- Ca«tab»0»lism/k9tab3liz3m/rc. Biochem. the breakdown

castanets
cially equal with one anoth-
er and often follow the same occupations. 2 a more or
less exclusive social class. 3 a system of such classes.
4 the position it confers. 5 Zool. a form of social insect
having a particular function. lose caste descend in
the social order.
cas*tel*lat*ed /kastalaytid/ adj. 1 having battlements.
2 castlelike, dd cas»teMa»tion /-layshan/ n.
cast»er /kastar/ n. (also Brit. cas»tor) 1 a small swiv-
eled wheel (often one of a set) fixed to a leg (or the
underside) of a piece of furniture. 2 a small container
with holes in the top for sprinkling the contents. 3 a
person who casts. 4 a machine for casting type.
cas*ti*gate /kastigayt/ v.tr. rebuke or punish severely.
no cas*ti*ga*tion /-gayshsn/ n. cas*ti*ga*tor n.
casting /kasting/ n. an object made by casting, esp. of
molten metal.
cast i»ron n. & adj. • n. a hard alloy of iron, carbon,
and silicon cast in a mold. •adj. (cast-iron) 1 made of
cast iron. 2 hard; unchallengeable; unchangeable.
cas«tle /kasal/ n. & v. • n. 1 a a large fortified building
or group of buildings; a stronghold, b a formerly for-
tified mansion. 2 Chess - rook 2 mv. Chess 1 intr. make
, of sensation and consciousness accompanied by rigid-
a special move (once only in a game on each side) in
which the king is moved two squares along the back
of complex molecules in living organisms to form sim-
pler ones with the release of energy; destructive metab-
olism (opp. anabolism). dd cat*a*bol*ic /kat3bolik/ adj.
cat»a»chre»sis /katakreesis/ n. (pi. catachreses /-seez/)
an incorrect use of words, dd cat*a*chres«tic /-krestik/
adj.
cat*a*clysm /kat3kliz3m/ n. 1 a a violent, esp. social or
political, upheaval or disaster, b a great change. 2 a
great flood or deluge, dd cat*a*clys*mal /-klizmal/ adj.
cat«a»clys«mic adj. cat«a»clys»mi»caMy adv.
cat*a*comb /katakom/ n. (often in pi) 1 an un-
derground cemetery, esp. a Roman subterranean gal-
lery with recesses for tombs. 2 a similar underground
construction; a cellar.
ca»tad»ro»mous /katadramas/ adj. (of a fish, e.g., the
eel) that swims down rivers to the sea to spawn.
cat*a*falque /katafawk, -fawlk/ n. a decorated wooden
framework for supporting the coffin of a distinguished
person during a funeral or while lying in state.
cat*a*lase /kat'lays, -layz/ n. Biochem. an enzyme that
catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide.
cat*a*lep*sy /kat'lepsee/ n. a trance or seizure with loss
ity of the body, dd cat*a*lep*tic /-leptik/ adj. n. &
cat*a*log /kat'lawg, -log/ n. &
v. (also catalogue) • n.

rank and the nearer rook is moved to the square passed
over by the king. 2 tr. move (the king) by castling, d cas-
tles in the air (or in Spain) a visionary unattainable
scheme; a daydream, an cas«tled adj.
1 a list of items (e.g., articles for sale, books held by a
library), usu. in alphabetical or other systematic order
and often with a description of each. 2 an extensive
list (a catalog of crimes) 3 a listing of a university's
.

cast»off /kastawf/ n. a cast-off thing; esp. a garment.
cast-off /kastawf/ adj. abandoned, discarded.
cas»tor /kastar/ n. 1 an oily substance secreted by bea-
vers and used medicine and perfumes. 2 a beaver.
in
cas»tor an oil from the seeds of a plant,
oil /kastar/ n. 1
Ricinus communis, used as a purgative and lubricant. 2
(in full castor-oil plant) this plant.
cas«trate /kastrayt/ v.tr. 1 remove the testicles of; geld.
2 deprive of vigor. cas*tra*tion /-trayshon/ n.
tra«tor n.
cas*tra*to /kastra'ato/ n. (pi. castrati /-tee/) hist, a male
singer castrated in boyhood so as to retain a soprano
or alto voice.
cas*u*al /kazhooal/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 accidental; due to
chance. 2 not regular nor permanent; temporary; oc-
casional (casual work; a casual affair). 3 a uncon-
cerned; uninterested (was very casual about it), b made
or done without great care or thought (a casual re-
mark), c acting carelessly or unmethodically. 4 (of
clothes) informal. •«. 1 a casual worker. 2 (usu. in pi.)
casual clothes or shoes, oa cas*u*aMy adv. cas»u»al»
ness n.
cas»u»al«ty /kazhooaltee/ n. (pi. 'ties) 1 a person killed
or injured in a war or accident. 2 a thing lost or
destroyed.
courses, etc. •v.tr. (catalogs, cataloged, cataloging;
catalogues, catalogued, cataloguing) 1 make a cat-
alog of. 2 enter in a catalog, dd cat»a»log»er n. (also
cat*a*logu*er).
ca*tal*pa /katalpa/n. any tree of the genus Catalpa, with
heart-shaped leaves, trumpet-shaped flowers, and
long pods.
ca*tal*ysis /katalisis/ n. (pi. catalyses /-seez/) C/n >n.
cas» & Biochem. the acceleration of a chemical or biochem-
icalreaction by a catalyst.
cat»a»lyst /kat'list/ n. 1 Chem. a substance that, with
out itself undergoing any permanent chemical change,
increases the rate of a reaction. 2 a person or thing that
precipitates a change.
cat»a»lyt«ic COn»vert»er ;/. a device incorporated m the
exhaust system of a motor vehicle, with a (.atalvst lor
converting pollutant gases into harmless products
cat»a»lyze/katr>liz/f./r. (Bru. catalyse) (, '//«;;/.
produce
(a reaction) by catalysis.
cat«a»ma«ran /katomoran/ n. 1a boat with twin hulls
in parallel. 2 a raft of yoked logs or boats.
cat*a*mite /katamlt/ n. the passive partner in sodomy.
cat«a»moun»taln /katamowntin/ n. (also cat-a-moun»
tain, cat*a*mount) a lynx, leopard, puma, or other wild
cat.

cat»a»narvche /katanangkee/ n. any composite plant of
the genus Catananche, with blue or yellow flowers.
cat»a«plex»y /katapleksee/ n. sudden temporary paral-
ysis due to fright, etc. do cat*a*plec*tic /-plektik/ adj.
cat*a*pult /katapult, -poolt/ n.&v.^n. 1 a mechanical
device for launching a glider, an aircraft from the deck
of a ship, etc. 2 hist, a military machine worked by a
lever and ropes for hurling large stones, etc. 3 Brit. =
slingshot. »v. 1 tr. a hurl from or launch with a cata-
pult, b fling forcibly. 2 intr. leap or be hurled forcibly.
cat*a*ract /katarakt/ n. 1 a a large waterfall or cascade.
b a downpour; a rush of water. 2 Med. a condition in
which the lens of the eye becomes progressively
opaque, resulting in blurred vision.
ca«tarrh /k9taar/ n. 1 inflammation of the mucous
membrane of the nose, air passages, etc. 2 a watery
discharge in the nose or throat due to this, dd ca«tarrh»
a adj.
I Silene or Lychnis with a sticky stem.
ca»tas»tro»phe /katastrafee/ n. la great
den disaster. 2 a disastrous end; ruin. 3 an event pro-
ducing a subversion of the order of things, dd cat*a*
stropreic /katastrofik/ adj. cat»a»stroph»i»caMy
/katastrofikslee/ adv.
ca»tas»tro»phism /katastrafizsm/ n. Geol. the theory
that changes in the earth's crust have occurred in sud-
den violent and unusual events, dd ca*tas*tro*phist n.
cat«a»tO«ni»a /katatOneea/ n. 1 schizophrenia with
intervals of catalepsy and sometimes violence. 2 cata-
lepsy, dd cat»a»ton»ic /-tonik/ adj. n. & catch-22 /kachtwenteetdb/ n. (often attrib.) colloq. a cir-
cat»boat /katbot/ n. a sailboat with a single mast placed
well forward and carrying only one sail.
cat bur*glar n. a burglar who enters by climbing to an
upper story.
cat«call /katkawl/ n. & v. •«. a shrill whistle of disap-
proval made at sporting events, stage performances,
meetings, etc. mv. 1 intr. make a catcall. 2 tr. make a
catcall at.
catch /kach/ v. &
n. • v. {past and past part, caught
/kawt/) 1 a lay hold of so as to restrain or prevent
tr.
from escaping; capture in a trap, in one's hands, etc.
b (also catch hold of) get into one's hands so as to re-
tain, operate, etc. {caught hold of the handle). 2 tr. de-
tect or surprise (a person, esp. in a wrongful or embar-
rassing act) {caught me in the act; caught him smoking)
3 tr. intercept and hold (a moving thing) in the hands,
etc. {catch the ball; a bowl to catch the drips). 4 tr. a con-
tract (a disease) by infection or contagion, b acquire
(a quality or feeling) from another's example {caught
her enthusiasm) 5 tr. a reach in time and board (a train,
. tion and answer, esp. from a catechism. 2 put ques-
bus, etc.). b be
in time to see, etc. (a person or thing
about to leave or finish) {if you hurry you'll catch them;
caught the end of the performance) 6 tr. a apprehend .
with the senses or the mind (esp. a thing occurring
quickly or briefly) {didn *t catch what he said) b (of an
artist, etc.) reproduce faithfully. 7 a intr. become fixed
or entangled; be checked {the bolt began to catch), b tr.
cause to do this {caught her sleeve on a nail) C tr. (of-
ten foil, by on) hit; deal a blow to {caught him on the
nose; caught his elbow on the table). 8 tr. draw the atten-
tion of; captivate {caught his eye). 9 intr. begin to burn.
10 tr. (often foil, by up) reach or overtake (a person,
etc., ahead). 11 tr. check suddenly {caught his breath).
12 tr. (foil, by at) grasp or try to grasp. •«. 1 a an act
of catching, b Baseball a chance or act of catching the
ball. 2 a an amount of a thing caught, esp. offish, b a
thing or person caught or worth catching, esp. in mar-
riage. 3 a a question, trick, etc., intended to deceive,
incriminate, etc. b an unexpected or hidden difficul-
ty or disadvantage. 4 a device for fastening a door or
window, etc. 5 M
us. a round, esp. with words arranged
to produce a humorous effect, d catch it si. be pun-
ished or in trouble, catch on colloq. 1 (of a practice,
fashion, etc.) become popular. 2 (of a person) under-
.
117 catananche - catering
stand what is meant, catch up 1 a (often foil, by with)
reach a person, etc., ahead {he caught up with us), b
(often foil, by with, on) make up arrears (of work, etc.)
( must catch up with my correspondence) 2 snatch or pick .
up hurriedly. 3 (often in passive) a involve; entangle
{caught up in suspicious dealings), b fasten up {hair
caught up in a ribbon), an catch*a*ble adj.
catchall /kachawl/ n. (often attrib.) 1 something de-
signed to be all-inclusive. 2 a container for odds and
ends.
catch-as-catch-can «. la style of wrestling with few
holds barred. 2 using any method available.
catch»er /kachar/ n. Baseball a fielder positioned be-
hind home plate.
catch«fly /kachfli/ n. (pi. 'flies) any plant of the genus
and usu. sud- catch«ing /kaching/ adj. 1 a (of a disease) infectious.
b (of a practice, habit, etc.) likely to be imitated. 2 at-
tractive; captivating.
catch«line /kachlin/ n. Printing a short line of type, esp.
at the head of copy or as a running headline.
catch«ment /kachmant/ n. 1 the collection of rainfall.
2 an opening or basin for storm water, etc.
catch»pen»ny /kachpenee/ adj. intended merely to sell
quickly; superficially attractive.
catch*phrase /kachfrayz/ n. a phrase in frequent use.
cumstance that presents a dilemma because of mu-
tually conflicting or dependent conditions.
catch»up var. of ketchup.
catch*weight /kachwayt/ adj. &
n. madj. unrestricted
as regards weight. • n. unrestricted weight, as a weight
category in sports.
catch»word /kachward/ w. 1 a word or phrase in com-
mon (often temporary) use; a topical slogan. 2 a word
so placed as to draw attention.
catch»y /kachee/ adj. (catchier, catchiest) (of a tune)
easy to remember; attractive, dd catch»My adv. catch*
i«ness n.
cat«e»chism /katikizam/ n. 1 a a summary of the prin-
ciples of a religion in the form of questions and
answers, b a book containing this. 2 a series of ques-
tions put to anyone, dd cat»e«chis«mal /-kizmal/ adj.
cat»e»chist /katikist/ n. a religious teacher, esp. one us-
ing a catechism.
cat»e»chize /katikiz/ v.tr. 1 instruct by means of ques-
tions to; examine, dd cat»e«chiz»er n.
cat«e»gor»i»cal /katigawrikal, -gor-/ adj. (also cat»e«
gor»ic) unconditional; absolute; explicit; direct {a
categorical refusal), dd cat»e»gor«i«caMy adv.
. cat»e»go»rize /katigariz/ v.tr. place in a category or cat-
egories, dd cat«e*gori»za»tion ;/.
cat»e«go»ry /katigawree, -goree/ n. (pi. «ries) a class or
. division, dd cat*e*go«ri*al /-gawreeal/ adj.
cat»e»nate /kat'nayt/ v.tr. connect like links of a chain.
dd cat«e«na«tion /-nayshan/ n.
ca«ter /kaytar/ v. 1 a intr. (often foil, by for) provide
food, b tr. provide food and service (cater a party).
2 intr. (foil, by for, to) provide what is desired or need-
ed by. 3 intr. (foil, by to) pander to (esp. low tastes).
cat»er»cor»nered /katarkawrnard/ adj. &adv. (also cat*
er«cor»ner, cat»ty-cor»nered /katee-/, kitty-corner
/kitee-/) • adj. placed or situated diagonally. • adv. di-
agonally.
ca*ter*er /kaytarar/ n. a person who supplies food for
social events, esp. professionally.
ca*ter*ing /kaytsring/ n. the profession or work of a ca-
terer.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
caterpillar ~ causation
cat»er«pil»lar /katarpilar/ n. 1a the larva of a butterfly
or moth, b (in general use) any similar larva of vari-
ous insects. 2 (Caterpillar) a (in full Caterpillar track
or tread) Trademark a continuous belt of linked pieces
passing around the wheels of a tractor, etc., for travel
on rough ground, b a vehicle with these tracks, e.g., a
118 cat*nip /katnip/ n. a white-flowered plant, Nepeta
cataria, having a pungent smell attractive to cats.
cat-o'-nine-tails n. hist, a rope whip with nine knotted
lashes for flogging sailors, soldiers, or criminals.
CAT scan /kat/ n. an X-ray image made using comput-
erized axial tomography, dd CAT scantier n.
cat's cradle n. a child's game in which a loop of string
is held between the fingers and patterns are formed.

tractor or tank. cat's-eye n. a precious stone of Sri Lanka and Mala-

bar.
caterpillar late Middle English: perhaps from a vari-
cat's-paw n. 1a person used as a tool by another. 2 a
ant of Old French chatepelose, literally 'hairy cat, in- '
slight breeze rippling the surface of the water.
fluenced by obsolete piller 'ravager.' The association cat*sup /katssp, kechap, kach-/ var. of ketchup.
with 'cat' is found in other languages, e.g., Swiss teufel- cat-tail /kat-tayl/ n. any tall, reedlike marsh plant of the
skatz (literally 'devil's cat'), Lombard gatta (literally
genus Typha, esp. T. latifola, with long, flat leaves and
'cat'). Compare with French chaton, English catkin,
brown, velvety flower spikes. (Also called bulrush and
resembling hairy caterpillars.
reed mace.)
cat*er*waul /katarwawl/ v. &
n. •v.intr. make the shrill caMish /katish/ adj. = catty, dd caMisrHy adv. cat*
howl of a cat. •«. a caterwauling noise. tish-ness n.

caMish /katfish/ n. any of various esp. freshwater fish, caMIe 1 bison, buffalo, yaks, or domesti-
/kat'l/ n.pl.

usu. having whiskerlike barbels around the mouth. cated bovine animals, esp. of the genus Bos. 2 archaic
cat*gut /katgut/ n. a material used for the strings of mu- livestock.
sical instruments and surgical sutures, made of the cat*tle*man /kat'lman/ n. (pi. 'men) a person who
dried twisted intestines of sheep or horses, but not breeds or rears cattle.
cats. catt»ley»a /katleea/ n. any epiphytic orchid of the genus
Cath. 2 Catholic.
abbr. 1 cathedral. Cattleya, with handsome violet, pink, or yellow flow-
ca*thar*sis /katha'arsis/n. (pi. catharses /-seez/) 1 an ers.
emotional release in drama or art. 2 Psychol, the proc- caMy /katee/ adj. (cattier, cattiest) 1 sly; spiteful; de-
ess of freeing repressed emotion by association with liberately hurtful in speech. 2 catlike, dd caMMy adv.
the cause, and elimination by abreaction. 3 Med. purg- cat*ti*ness n.

ing of the bowels. CATV abbr. community antenna television.

ca*thar*tic /katha'artik/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 effecting ca-
tharsis. 2 purgative. • n. a cathartic drug, dd ca«thar»
ti*caMy adv.
cat«head /kat-hed/ n. Nam. a horizontal beam from
each side of a ship's bow for raising and carrying the
anchor.
ca*the*dral /kathe'edral/ n. the principal church of a di-
ocese, containing the bishop's throne.
cath»e«ter /kathitsr/ n. Med. a tube for insertion into a
body cavity for introducing or removing fluid.
cath»e»ter«ize /kathitsriz/ v. tr. Med. insert a catheter in-
to.
cath»e»tom»e»ter /kathitomitor/ n. a telescope mount-
ed on a graduated scale along which it can slide, used
for accurate measurement of small vertical distances.
cath»ode /kathod/ n. Electr. 1 the negatively charged
electrode by which electrons enter or leave a system.
2 the positively charged electrode of a device supply-
ing current, e.g., a battery (opp. anode), dd catrcodal
adj.cath*o*dic /kathodik/ adj.
cath»ode ray n. a beam of electrons emitted from the
cathode of a high- vacuum tube.
cath«ode-ray tube n. a high-vacuum tube in which
cathode rays produce a luminous image on a fluores-
cent screen, i Abbr.: CRT.
cath»o»lic /kathalik, kathlik/ ad;'. &n. *adj. 1 of interest
or use to all; universal. 2 all-embracing; of wide sym-
pathies or interests (has catholic tastes). 3 (Catholic)
a of the Roman Catholic religion, b including all
Christians, c including all of the Western Church, • n.
(Catholic) a Roman Catholic, dd ca»thol-i»caMy
/katholiklee/ adv. Ca»thoM»cism/kotholisiz3m/w. cath*
cat»walk /katwawk/ n. 1 a narrow footway along a
bridge, above a theater stage, etc. 2 a narrow platform
or gangway used in fashion shows, etc.
Cau*ca*sian /kawkayzhan/ adj. &n. •adj. 1 of or relat-
ing to the white or light-skinned division of mankind.
2 of or relating to the Caucasus, a region in SE Eu-
rope. • n. a Caucasian person.
cau*cus /kawkas/ n. 1 a a meeting of the members of
a political party, esp. in a legislature or convention, to
decide policy. D a bloc of such members. C this system
as a political force.2 often derog. (esp. in the UK) a a
usu. secret meeting of a group within a larger organiza-
tion or party, b such a group.
cau»dal /kawd'l/ adj. 1 of or like a tail. 2 of the poste-
rior part of the body, dd cau*daMy adv.
cau-diMo /kawdeelyo, -de'eyo, kowtheelyo, -the'eyo/ n.
(pi. «los) (in Spanish-speaking countries) a military or
political leader.
caught past and past part, of catch.
caul /kawl/ n. 1 the inner membrane enclosing a fetus.
2 part of this occasionally found on a child's head at
birth, thought to bring good luck.
caul-dron /kawldran/ n. (also cal*dron) a large, deep,
bowl-shaped vessel for boiling over an open fire; an
ornamental vessel resembling this.
cau»li»flow»er /kawliflowr, kol / n. 1 a variety of cab-
bage with a large immature flower heat! ol small usu.
creamy-white flower buds. 2 the flower head eaten :is
a vegetable.
cau*li*flow*er ear n. an ear deformed by repeated
blows, esp. in boxing.
caulk /kawk/ v.tr. (also calk) 1 stop up (the scams ol ;i

o»lic»i»ty /katholisitee/ n. ca*thol*ic*ly adv. boat, etc.) with oakum, etc., and waterproofing male
ca»thol«i»cize/koth6lixiz/7Ur. (sfintr. 1 make or become rial, or by driving plate junction! together. 2 make
catholic. 2 (Catholicize) make or become a Roman (esp. a boat) watertight by this method, caulk*er ;/. i ii i

Catholic. caus*al /kaw/.nl/ adj. 1 of, forming, oi expressing a

cat»i»on /katinn/ n. a positively charged ion; an ion that cause or causes. 2 relating to, or of the nature of, CailtC
isattracted to the cathode in electrolysis (opp. anion). and effect, i
II i caus-aMy adv.
cat-kin /katkin/ n. a spike of usu. downy or silky male cau*sal»i»ty /kawzalitee/ >/. 1 die relation ol cause ind
or female flowers hanging from a willow, ha/.el, etc. effect. 2 the principle thai everything has BU ;i (

cat*nap /katnap/ n. (if v. • n. a short sleep. •V.intr. (• cau»sa»tion/kaw/avshon///. 1 the sctofcausingorpro

napped, -napping; have a catnap. ducing an effect. 2 - ( ,\i s\i ity.
 .

caus»a«tive/kawz3tiv/a<iy. 1 acting as cause. 2 (foil, by 119 causative ~ cease-fire

of) producing; having as effect. 3 Gram, expressing
cause, dd caus»a»tive«ly adv. cave-in n. a collapse, submission, etc.
cause /kawz/ n. & v.a that which produces an
• n. 1 cave dwell*er n. 1 = caveman. 2 si. a person who lives
effect, or gives rise to an action, phenomenon, or con- in an apartment building in a big city.
dition, b a person or thing that occasions something. cave*man /kayvman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 (fern, cavewoman,
C a reason or motive; a ground that may be held to jus- pi. 'women) a prehistoric human living in a cave. 2 a

tify something (no cause for complaint). 2 a reason ad- primitive or crude person, esp. a man who behaves
judged adequate (show cause). 3 a principle, belief, or roughly toward women.
purpose that is advocated or supported (faithful to the cav»ern /kavarn/ n. 1 a cave, esp. a large or dark one.
cause). 4 a a matter to be settled at law. b an individ- 2 a dark, cavelike place, e.g., a room, dd cav»ern»ous
ual's case offered at law (plead a cause). 5 the side tak- adj. cavern»ous»ly adv.
en by any party in a dispute, •v.tr. 1 be the cause of; cav»i»ar /kavee-a'ar/ n. (also cav«i«are) the pickled roe
produce; make happen (caused a commotion). 2 (foil, of sturgeon or other large fish, eaten as a delicacy.
by to + infin.) induce (caused me to smile; caused it to be cav»il /kavil/ v. & n. • v. intr. (caviled, caviling; esp. Brit.
done), a in the cause of to maintain, defend, or sup- cavilled, cavilling) (usu. foil, by at, about) make pet-
port (in the cause of justice), dd caus*a*ble adj. cause* ty objections; carp. • «. a trivial objection, dc cavil»er
less adj. caus*er n. n.

'cause /kawz, kuz/ conj. &

adv. colloq. = because. cav*ing /kayving/ n. exploring caves as a sport or pas-
cause ce«le»bre /kawz selebra/ n. (pi. causes celebres time.
pronunc. same) a trial or case that attracts much atten- cav«i»ty /kavitee/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 a hollow within a solid

tion. body. 2 a decayed part of a tooth.

cau*se*rie /kozree, koza-/ n. (pi. causeries pronunc. cav«i»ty wall n. a wall built with two thicknesses of ma-
same) an informal article or talk, esp. on a literary sub- sonry separated by a space in between, for insulation
ject. and to prevent water penetration.
cause*way /kawzway/ n. 1 a raised road or track across ca»vort /kavawrt/ v.intr. si. caper excitedly; gambol;
low or wet ground or a stretch of water. 2 a raised path prance.
by a road. ca»vy /kayvee/ n. (pi. «vies) any small rodent of the fam-
caus*tic /kawstik/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 that burns or cor- ily Caviidae, native to S. America and having a sturdy
rodes organic tissue. 2 sarcastic; biting. 3 Chem. body and vestigial tail, including guinea pigs.
strongly alkaline. 4 Physics formed by the intersection caw /kaw/ n. &
v. • n. the harsh cry of a crow or simi-

of reflected or refracted parallel rays from a curved lar bird. • v.intr. utter this cry.
surface. •«. 1 a caustic substance. 2 Physics a caustic cay /kee, kay/ n. a low insular bank or reef of coral, sand,
surface or curve, do caus*ti*cal*ly adv. caus»tic»i»ty etc. (cf. KEY 2 ).
/-tisitee/ n. cay»enne /ki-en, kay-/ n. (in full cayenne pepper) a
cau*ter*ize /kawtariz/ v.tr. Med. burn or coagulate (tis- pungent red powder obtained from various plants of
sue) with a heated instrument or caustic substance, the genus Capsicum and used for seasoning.
esp. to stop bleeding, dd cau*ter*i*za*tion n. cayman var. of caiman.
cau«tion /kawshan/ n. &
v. »n. 1 attention to safety; CB abbr. 1 citizens' band. 2 Mil. construction battal-
prudence; carefulness. 2 a esp. Brit, a warning, esp. a ion.
formal one in law. b a formal warning and reprimand. Cb symb. Chem. the element columbium.
3 colloq. an amusing or surprising person or thing. CBC abbr. complete blood count.
• v.tr. 1 (often foil, by against, or to + infin.) warn or CBE abbr. Commander of the Order of the British Em-
admonish. 2 esp. Brit, issue a caution to. pire.
cau»tion»ar»y /kawsh9neree/ adj. that gives or serves as CBI abbr. computer-based instruction.
a warning (a cautionary tale). CBS abbr. Columbia Broadcasting System.
cau«tious /kawshas/ adj. careful; prudent; attentive to CC abbr. 1 city council. 2 county clerk. 3 circuit court.
safety, dd cau*tious*ly adv. cau*tious«ness n. CC abbr. (also c.c.) 1 cubic centimeter(s). 2 (carbon)
caval«cade /kavalkayd/ n. a procession or formal com- copy; copies.
pany of riders, motor vehicles, etc. CCU abbr. 1 cardiac care unit. 2 coronary care unit.
cav*a*lier /kavaleer/ n. & adj. •«. 1 hist. (Cavalier) a 3 critical care unit.
supporter of Charles I in the English Civil War. 2 a CD abbr. 1 compact disc. 2 certificate of deposit. 3 con-
courtly gentleman, esp. as a lady's escort. 3 archaic a gressional district. 4 civil defense. 5 diplomatic corps
horseman, madj. offhand; supercilious; blase, dd cav« (corps diplomatique)
a»lier»ly adv. Cd symb. Chem. the element cadmium.
caval»ry/kav3lree/w. (pi. 'ries) (usu. treated asp/.) sol- Cd abbr. candela(s).
diers on horseback or in armored vehicles. CDC abbr. Centers for Disease Control (and Preven-
cavalryman /kavalriman/ n. (pi. -men) a soldier of a tion).
cavalry regiment. Cdr. abbr. Mil. commander.
cave /kayv/ n. &
v. • n. a large hollow in the side of a Cdre. abbr. commodore.
cliff, hill, etc., or underground, •v.intr. explore caves, CD-ROM /se'edeerom/ abbr. compact disc read-only
esp. interconnecting or underground, d cave in 1 a (of memory, a medium for data storage and distribution.
a wall, earth over a hollow, etc.) subside; collapse. CDT abbr. central daylight time.
b cause (a wall, earth, etc.) to do this. 2 yield or sub- CE abbr. 1 Church of England. 2 civil engineer. 3 (with
mit under pressure; give up. dd cave*like adj. cav»er n. dates) Common Era.
ca»ve»at /kavee-aat, ka'a-, -at/ n. 1a warning or provi- Ce symb. Chem. the element cerium.
so. 2 Law a process in court to suspend proceedings. cease /sees/ v. n. •v.tr. & &
intr. stop; bring or come
ca«ve»at emp»tor /emptawr/ n. the principle that the to an end (ceased breathing). *n. (in without cease)
buyer alone is responsible if dissatisfied (from the Lat- unendingly.
in 'let the buyer beware'). cease-fire n. 1 an order to stop firing. 2 a period of
cave bear n. a large extinct bear of the Pleistocene ep- truce; a suspension of hostilities.
och, whose bones have been found in caves through-
out Europe. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

ceaseless ~ censor 120 political activity, esp. of a subversive kind. 5 Electr. a

vessel for containing electrodes within an electrolyte
ceaseless /seeslis/ adj. without end; not ceasing. for current generation or electrolysis, dd celled adj.
dd cease»less»ly adv. (also in comb.).
ce*cro*pi*a moth /sikropeeo/ N. American
n. a large ceMar /selor/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a room below ground level

silk moth with boldly marked reddish-brown wings. in a house, used for storage, etc. 2 a stock of wine in
ce*cum /seekom/ n. (pi. *ca /-ks/) a blind-ended pouch a cellar (has a good cellar) • v. tr. store or put in a cel-
.

at the junction of the small and large intestines, dd ce» lar.

cal adj. ceMo /chelo/ n. (pi. «los) a bass instrument of the vio-
ce*dar /seedor/ n. 1 any spreading evergreen conifer of lin family, held upright on the floor between the legs

the genus Cedrus, bearing tufts of small needles and of the seated player, dd ceMist n.
cones of papery scales. 2 any of various similar conifers ceMo«phane /selofayn/ n. formerly Trademark a thin
yielding timber. transparent wrapping material made from viscose.
cede /seed/ v.tr. give up one's rights to or possession cell«phone /selfon/ n. a small, portable radiotelephone
of. having access to a cellular telephone system.
ce«diMa /sidilo/ n. 1a mark written under the letter c, ceMiHar /selyolor/ adj. 1 of or having small compart-
esp. inFrench, to show that it is sibilant (as in fagade). ments or cavities. 2 of open texture; porous. 3 Physiol.
2 a similar mark under s in Turkish and other Eastern of or consisting of cells, dd ceMu*lar*i*ty Maritee/ n.
languages. ceMiHar telephone (or phone) n. a system of mo-
ceiMng /seeling/ n. 1 a the upper interior surface of a bile radiotelephone transmission with an area divided
room or other similar compartment, b the material into "cells" each served by its own small transmitter.
forming this. 2 an upper limit on prices, wages, perfor- ceMlHite /selyallt/ n. a lumpy form of fat, esp. on the
mance, etc. 3 Aeron. the maximum altitude a given air- hips and thighs of women, causing puckering of the
craft can reach. skin.
cel«arvdine /selondln, -deen/ n. either of two yellow- ceMiHoid /selyoloyd/ n. 1 a transparent flammable
flowered plants, the greater celandine, Chelidonium plastic made from camphor and cellulose nitrate.
majus, and the lesser celandine, Ranunculus ficaria. 2 motion-picture film.
-cele /seel/ comb, form (also -coele) Med. swelling; her- ceMu»lose/seryolos,-loz/«. 1 Biochem. a carbohydrate
nia (gastrocele) forming the main constituent of plant cell walls, used
ce*leb /sileb/ n. colloq. a celebrity; a star. in the production of textile fibers. 2 (in general use) a
cel»e»brant /selibront/ n. a person who performs a rite, paint or lacquer consisting of esp. cellulose acetate or
esp. a priest at the Eucharist. nitrate in solution, dd ceMu*lo*sic /-lOsik/ adj.
cel*e*brate /selibrayt/ v. 1 tr. mark (a festival or spec- Cel*si*US /selseeas/ adj. of or denoting a temperature
ial event) with festivities, etc. 2 tr. perform publicly on the Celsius scale.
and duly (a religious ceremony, etc.). 3 a tr. officiate Cel*si*US scale n. a scale of temperature on which wa-
at (the Eucharist), b intr. officiate, esp. at the Eucha- ter freezes at 0° and boils at 1 00° under standard con-
rist. 4 intr. engage in festivities, usu. after a special ditions.
event, etc. 5 tr. (esp. as celebrated adj.) honor public- Celt /kelt, selt/ n. (also Kelt) a member of a group ofW.
ly; make widely known, dd cel»e«bra»tion /-brayshon/ European peoples, including the pre-Roman inhabi-
n. cel»e«bra«tor n. cel«e«bra«to«ry /-brotawree, tants of Britain and Gaul and their descendants, esp.
solebrotawree/ adj. in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, Brittany, and
ce«leb»ri»ty /silebritee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a well-known per- the Isle of Man.
son. 2 fame. celt /kelt/n. Archaeol. a stone or metal prehistoric im-
ce»ler«i«ty /sileritee/ n. archaic or literary swiftness (esp. plement with a chisel edge.
of a living creature). Celt*ic /keltik, seltik/ adj. &
n. • adj. of or relating to the
cel«er»y /seloree/ n. an umbelliferous plant, Apium Celts. •«. a group of languages spoken by Celtic peo-
graveolens, with closely packed succulent leafstalks ples, including Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish, and Breton.
used as a vegetable. dd Celticism /-tisiz9m/ n.
ce*les*ta /silesto/ n. Mus. a small keyboard instrument Celtic cross n. a Latin cross with a circle around the
resembling a glockenspiel, with hammers striking steel center.
plates suspended over wooden resonators, giving an ce»ment /siment/ n. & v. • n. 1 a powdery substance
ethereal bell-like sound. made by calcining lime and clay, mixed with water to
ce«leste /silest/ n. Mus. 1 an organ and harmonium form mortar or used in concrete 2 any similar sub-
stop with a soft tremulous tone. 2 = celesta. stance that hardens and fastens on setting. 3 a uniting
ce*les*tial /sileschol/ adj. 1 heavenly; divinely good or factor or principle. 4 a substance for filling cavities m
beautiful; sublime. 2 of the sky; of the part of the sky teeth, •v.tr. 1 a unite with or as with cement, b estab-
commonly observed in astronomy, etc. dd ce*les>tial* lish or strengthen (a friendship, etc.). 2 apply cement
ly adv. to. 3 line or cover with cement, dd ce«men«ta»tlon ;/.
ce»les»tial e«qua«tor n. the great circle of the sky in the ce«ment»er n.
plane perpendicular to the earth's axis. cerrve»ter»y /semiteree/ ;/. (pi -ies) a burial ground,
ce»les«tial sphere n. an imaginary sphere of which the esp.one not in a churchyard.
observer is the center and in which celestial objects ce»no»taph /senntaf/ n. a tomblike monument, esp. a
are represented as lying. war memorial, to a person whose body is elsewhere.
cel»i»bate /selibot/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 committed to ab- Ce-no»ZO»ic/seennxoik,sen / (also Cai»no«zo»lc kin.-) ,

stention from sexual relations and from marriage, esp. Caenozoic /se'eno /) adj. & n. GtoL •././/. <>! m relai
for religious reasons. 2 abstaining from sexual rela-
ing to the most recent era ol geological time, whicfa
tions. • «. a celibate person, began 70, 000, 000 years SgO, marked by the evolution
dd cel»i»ba«cy /-bosee/ n.
cell /gel/ n. 1 a small room, esp. in a prison or monas- and development of 'mammals, birds, and flowers. •//.
tery. 2 a small compartment, e.g., in a honeycomb. this era (cf. MBSOZOIC, PALEOZOIC).
3 Biol, a the structural and functional usu. microscop- cen-ser /sensor/ ;/. a vessel ir which incense is but nc<l,
ic unit of an organism, consisting of cytoplasm and a esp. during a religious procession or ceremony
nucleus enclosed in a membrane, b an enclosed cavi- cervsor /sensor/ n. &
v. • n. 1 an official authon/rd t<>
ty in an organism, etc. 4 a small group as a nucleus of examine printed matter, movies, news, etc., before
 public release, and to suppress any parts on the
grounds of obscenity, a threat to security, etc.
2 Rom. Hist, either of two annual magistrates respon-
sible for holding censuses and empowered to super-
vise public morals, •v.tr. 1 act as a censor of. 2 make
deletions or changes in. As
a verb, often confused
with censure, do cen»so»ri»al /-sawreeal/ adj. cen»sor«
ship n.
Both censor and censure are both verbs and nouns,
but censor is used to mean 'to cut unacceptable parts
out of a book, movie, etc' or 'a person who does this,'
while censure means 'to criticize harshly' or 'harsh
criticism:' The censure of her friends caused her to regret
her actions.
cen*so*ri*ous /sensawreegs/ adj. severely critical; fault-
finding; quick or eager to criticize, dd cen«so«ri»ous«ly
adv. cen«sori»ous»ness n.
cen*sure /senshar/ v. & n. mv.tr. criticize harshly; re-
prove.
Often confused with censor. %n. harsh criticism; ex-
pression of disapproval, dd cen*sur«a*ble adj.
see note at censor.
cen*SUS /sensgs/ n. (pi. censuses) the official count of 2 from the center. 3 chief; essential; most important.
a population or of a class of things, often with various
statistics noted.
cent /sent/' n. 1 a a monetary unit valued at one-hun-
dredth of a dollar or other metric unit, b a coin of this
value. 2 colloq. a very small sum of money. 3 see per- cen*tral*ize /sentraliz/ v. 1 tr.
cent.
cen*taur /sentawr/ n. a creature in Greek mythology
with the head, arms, and torso of a man and the body
and legs of a horse.
cen»te«nar»i»an /sentinaireean/ n. &
adj. »w. a person
a hundred or more years old. • adj. a hundred or more
years old.
cen»ten»ar»y /sentenaree, sentaneree/ n. &
adj. • n. (pi. sor) the principal operating part of a computer. \
•ies) = centennial n. • adj. 1 of or relating to a centen-
ary. 2 occurring every hundred years.
cen»ten»ni«al /senteneeal/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 lasting
121 censorious ~ century plant
cen»tes»i»mal /sentesimal/ adj. reckoning or reckoned
by hundredths, dd cen»tes»i»maMy adv.
centi- /sentee/ comb, form 1 one-hundredth, esp. of a
unit in the metric system (centigram; centiliter). 2 hun-
dred. 1 Abbr.: c.
cen*ti*grade /sentigrayd/ adj. 1 = Celsius. 2 having a
scale of a hundred degrees. In
sense 1 Celsius is usu-
ally preferred in technical use..
cen»ti»gram /sentigram/ n. (also a metric unit of mass,
equal to one-hundredth of a gram.
cen»ti»li«ter /sentileetsr/ n. a metric unit of capacity,
equal to one-hundredth of a liter.
cen»time/soNteem/«. 1 a monetary unit valued at one-
hundredth of a franc. 2 a coin of this value.
cen»ti»me*ter /sentimeetsr/ n. a metric unit of length,
equal to one-hundredth of a meter.
cen*ti*pede /sentipeed/ n. any arthropod of the class
Chilopoda, with a wormlike body of many segments
each with a pair of legs.
central /sentral/ adj. 1 of, at, or forming the center.
dd cen»tral»i»ty /-tralitee/ n. cen»tral»ly adv.
Central A«mer»i»ca n. the isthmus joining N. and S.
America, usually comprising the countries from Gua-
temala and Belize south to Panama.
intr. bring or come to&
a center. 2 tr. a concentrate (administration) at a sin-
gle center, b subject (a government) to this system.
dd cen*tral*i*za«tion n.
central nervous sys»tem n. Anat. the complex of
nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body,
in vertebrates the brain and spinal cord.
central proc*es*sing u»nit n. (also central proc»es«
Abbr.: CPU.
cen*trif«u*gal /sentrifyagal, -trifa-/ adj. moving or
tending to move from a center (cf. centripetal) .

for a hundred years. 2 occurring every hundred years. dd cen*trif*u*gaMy adv.

• n. 1a hundredth anniversary. 2 a celebration of cen»trif«u»gal force n. an apparent force that acts out-
this. ward on a body moving about a center.
cen«ter /sentar/ n. & v. middle point, esp. of
• n. 1 the cen*tri*f uge /sentrifyooj/ n. &
• n. a machine with a
v.

a line, circle, or sphere, equidistant from the ends or rapidly rotating device designed to separate liquids
from any point on the circumference or surface. 2 a from solids or other liquids (e.g., cream from milk).
pivot or axis of rotation. 3 a a place or group of build- • v.tr. 1 subject to the action of a centrifuge. 2 sepa-
ings forming a central point in a district, city, etc., or rate by centrifuge, dd cen*trif*u*ga*tion /-fyagayshan,
a main area for an activity (shopping center, town cen- -fa-/ n.
ter), b (with preceding word) a piece or set of equip- cen»trip«e»tal /sentripit'l/ adj. moving or tending to
ment for a number of connected functions (music cen- move toward a center (cf. centrifugal), dd cen»trip»e«
ter) 4 a point of concentration or dispersion; a nucleus
. taMy adv.
or source. 5 a political party or group holding moder- cen«trip«e»tal force n. the force acting on a body caus-
ate opinions. 6 the filling in a chocolate, candy, etc. ing it to move about a center.
7 Sports a the middle player in a line or group in many centrist /sentrist/ n. Polit. often derog. a person who
games, b a kick or hit from the side to the center of holds moderate views, dd cen*trism n.
the playing area. 8 (attrib.) of or at the center, mv. cen»tu»ri»on /sentyobreean, -tyObr-/ n. the comman-
1 intr. (foil, by in, on; disp. foil, by around) have as its der of a century in the ancient Roman army.
main center. 2 tr. place in the center. 3 tr. mark with a cen«tu»ry /sencharee/ n. (pi. «ries) 1 a a period of one
center. 4 tr. (foil, by m, etc.) concentrate. 5 tr. Sports hundred years, b any of the centuries calculated from
kick or hit (the ball) from the side to the center of the the birth of Christ (twentieth century = 1 90 1-2000; fifth
playing area, dd centered adj. (often in comb.). cen» century bc = 500-401 bc). 2 a a score, etc., of a hun-
ter»most adj. dred in a sporting event, esp. a hundred runs by one
cen*ter*board /sentarbawrd/ n. a retractable keel, as batsman in cricket, b a group of a hundred things. 3 a a
for a small sailboat. company in the ancient Roman army, orig. of 1 00 men.
cen*ter*fold /sentarfold/ n. a printed and usu. illus- b an ancient Roman political division for voting, cen-
trated sheet folded to form the center spread of a mag- tury
azine, etc. In modern use, century is often calculated as, e.g.,
cen»ter»ing /sentaring/ n. a temporary frame used to 1900-1999.
support an arch, dome, etc., while under construction. cen»tu»ry plant n. a plant, Agave americana, flowering
cen«ter of grav»i»ty (or mass) n. the point at which the once in many years and yielding sap from which te-
weight of a body may be considered to act. quila is distilled: also called American aloe.
cen*ter*piece /sentarpees/ n. 1 an ornament for the
middle of a table. 2 a principal item. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .
CEO - cervix
CEO abbr. chief executive officer.
cep /sep/ n. an edible mushroom, Boletus edulis,
stout stalk and brown smooth cap.
ce«phal»ic /sifalik/ adj. of or in the head.
-cephalic /sifalik/ comb, form = -cephalous.
ceph*a*lo*pod /sefalapod/ n. any mollusk of the class cert, /sart/ abbr. 1 a certificate. 2 certified.
Cephalopoda, having a distinct tentacled head, e.g., certain /sart'n/ adj. &pron. »adj. 1 a (often foil, by of,
octopus, squid, and cuttlefish.
ceph»a»lo»tho»rax /sefalothawraks/ n. (pi. -thoraxes or
•thoraces /-thawraseez/) A nat. the fused head and tho-
rax of a spider, crab, or other arthropod.
-cephalous /sefalas/ comb, form -headed (brachycepha-
lous)
Ce*pheid /se'efeeid, sef-/ n. (in full Cepheid variable)
Astron. any of a class of variable stars with a regular
cycle of brightness that can be used to measure dis-
tances.
ce»ranvic /siramik/ adj.&n. »adj. 1 made of (esp.) clay
and permanently hardened by heat (a ceramic bowl).
2 of or relating to ceramics (the ceramic arts). • n. 1 a
ceramic article or product. 2 a substance, esp. clay,
used to make ceramic articles.
ce»ram«lcs /siramiks/ n.pl. 1 ceramic products collec-
tively (exhibition of ceramics). 2 (usu. treated as sing.)
the art of making ceramic articles.
ce«re«al /se'ereeal/ n. & adj • n. 1 (usu. in pi. ) a any kind fact, b a certain prospect (his return is a certainty). 2
of grain used for food, b any grass producing this, e.g.,
wheat, corn, rye, etc. 2 a breakfast food made from a
cereal and requiring no cooking. • adj. of edible grain
or products of it.
cer»e*bel»lum /seribelam/ n. (pi. cerebellums or cere-
bella /-la/) the part of the brain at the back of the skull cer»ti»fi»a»ble /sartifiabal/ adj. 1 able or needing to be
in vertebrates, which coordinates and regulates mus-
cular activity, do cer»e»bel»lar adj.
ce*re*bral /seribral, saree-/ adj. 1 of the brain. 2 in-
tellectual rather than emotional, an ce*re»bral«ly adv.
ce»re»bral hem»i»sphere n. each of the two halves of
the vertebrate cerebrum.
ce«re»bral pal»sy n. Med. spastic paralysis from brain
damage before or at birth, with jerky or uncontrolled
movements.
cer*e*bra*tion /seribrayshan/ n. working of the brain.
dd cer«e»brate /-brayt/ v. intr.
cerebro- /seribro, saree-/ comb, form brain (cerebrospi-
nal).
ce»re»bro»spi»nal /seribrospinal, saree-/ adj. of the
brain and spine.
ce»re»bro»vas»cu»lar /seribrovaskyalar, saree-/ adj. of
the brain and its blood vessels.
cere-brum /seribram, saree-/ n. (pi. cerebrums or
cerebra /-bra/) the principal part of the brain in ver-
tebrates, located in the front area of the skull, which
integrates complex sensory and neural functions.
cer»e«mo»ni»al /serimOneeal/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 with or
concerning ritual or ceremony. 2 formal (a ceremonial
bow), mn. 1 a system of rites, etc., to be used esp. at a
formal or religious occasion. 2 the formalities or
behavior proper to any occasion (the ceremonial of a
presidential appearance), dd cer*e«mo*ni*al*ism
erno»ni«al«ist cer*e«mo*ni*aMy adv.
n.
cer»erno»ni»ous /serimOneeas/ adj. 1 excessively po-
lite; punctilious. 2 having or showing a fondness for
ritualistic observance or formality, di cer«e«mo»ni»ous»
i neck
ly adv. cer»e«mo»ni»ous«ness n.
cer«e»mo«ny serimonee/ n. (pi. 'nies) 1 a formal reli-
gious or public occasion, esp. celebrating a particular
event or anniversary. 2 formalities, esp. of an empty or
ritualistic kind (ceremony of exchanging compliments).
3 excessively polite behavior (bowed low with great cer-
emony), a stand on ceremony insist on the observance
of formalities, without ceremony informally.
122 ce»ri»um /se'ereeam/ n. Chem. a silvery metallic element
of the lanthanide series occurring naturally in various
minerals and used in the manufacture of lighter flints.
with a 1Symb.:Ce.
cero- /se'ero/ comb, form wax (cf. cerography).
ce»rog»ra»phy /seerografee/ n. the technique of engrav-
ing or designing on or with wax.
or that + clause) confident; convinced (certain that I
put it here), b (often foil, by that + clause) indisputa-
ble; known for sure (it is certain that he is guilty) 2 (of- .
ten foil, by to + infin.) a that may be relied on to hap-
pen (it is certain to rain), b destined (certain to become
a star) 3 definite; unfailing; reliable (a certain indica-
.
tion of the coming storm; his touch is certain). 4 (of a per-
son, place, etc.) that might be specified, but is not (a
certain lady, of a certain age). 5 some though not much
(a certain reluctance). 6 (of a person, place, etc.) ex-
isting, though probably unknown to the reader or hear-
er (a certain John Smith), •pron. (as pi.) some but not
all (certain of them were wounded), d for certain with-
out doubt, make certain = make sure (see sure).
cer*tain*ly /sart'nlee/ adv. 1 undoubtedly; definitely.
2 confidently. 3 (in affirmative answer to a question or
command) yes; by all means.
cer«tain«ty /sart'ntee/ n. (pi. »ties) 1 a an undoubted
(often foil, by of, or that + clause) an absolute convic-
tion (has a certainty of his own worth). 3 (often foil, by
to + infin.) a thing or person that may be relied on (a
certainty to win the Derby), a for a certainty beyond the
possibility of doubt.
certified. 2 colloq. insane.
cer»tif«i»cate n. &
v. •«. /sartifikat/ a formal document
attesting a fact, esp. birth, marriage, death, a medical
condition, a level of achievement, a fulfillment of
requirements, ownership of shares, etc. •v.tr. /sarti-
fikayt/ (esp. as certificated adj. ) provide with or li-
cense or attest by a certificate, qd cer«ti«fi«ca«tion /sar-
tifikayshan/ n.
cer»tif»i»cate of de»pos»it a certificate issued by a bank
to a depositor, stating the amount of money on depos-
it, usu. at a specified rate of interest and for a speci-
fied time period. H Abbr.: CD.
cer«ti«fied check n. a check the validity of which is
guaranteed by a bank.
cer*ti«fied pub*lic ac«count»ant n. a member of an of-
ficially accredited professional body of accountants.
cer»ti»fy /sartifiV v. tr. («f ies, «f ied) 1 make a formal state-
ment of; attest; attest to (certified that he had witnessed
the crime) 2 declare by certificate (that a person is qual-
.
ified or competent) (certified as a trained bookkeeper).
3 officially declare insane (he should be certified).
cer*ti*tude /sartitood, -tyCod/ n. a feeling of absolute
certainty or conviction.
ce«ru»le«an /sarObleean/ adj. &
n. literary madj. deep
blue like a clear sky. •n. this color.
ce«ru«men /sarobmen/ >/. the yellow waxy substance in
n. cer« the outer ear. no ce«ru»mi»nous adj.
cer»ve»lat /sarvalaa, lat/ n. a kind of smoked pork or
beef sausage.
cer*vi*cal /sarvikal/ adj. Anal 1 of or relating to the
(cervical vertebrae). 2 of or relating to the cervix.
cer»vi»cal screening n. examination ofi large num-
ber of apparently healthy women for cervu;il i .iik ci
cer*vi*cal smear n. a specimen of cellular material
from the neck of the womb for detection "t Cancel
cer»vine /sorvin/ adj. of Or like a deer.
cer-vix sarviks/ n. (pi. cervices visec/ or cervixes;
Anal. 1 the neck. 2 any necklike structure, esp. the
neck of the womb.
 .

Ce»sar»e«an /sizaireean/ adj. & n. (also Ce»sar«i«an, 't 23 Cesarean ~ chaise

Cae«sar»e«an, Cae»sar«i«an) •adj. (of a birth) effected
by cesarean section, mn. a cesarean section. ter. 2 chop (straw, etc.). a separate the wheat from the
ce»sar»e»an section n. (also C-section) an operation chaff distinguish good from bad. dd chaff»y adj.
for delivering a child by cutting through the wall of chaMer /chafar/ v. & n. •v.intr. haggle; bargain, mn.
the abdomen (Julius Caesar supposedly having been bargaining; haggling, do chaf»fer»er n.
born this way). chaf»ing dish /chayfing/ n. 1a cooking pot with an
ce»si»um /seezeeam/ n. caesium) a soft, silver-
{Brit, outer pan of hot water, used for keeping food warm.
white element of the metal group, occurring nat-
alkali 2 a dish with an alcohol lamp, etc., for cooking at
urally in a number of minerals, and used in photoelec- table.
tric cells. H Symb.: Cs. cha«grin /shagrin/ n. & v. • n. acute vexation or morti-

ces*sa*tion /sesayshan/ n. 1a ceasing {cessation of the
truce). 2 a pause (resumed fighting after the cessation). Chain /chayn/
ces»sion /seshan/ n. 1 (often foil, by of) the ceding or
giving up (of rights, property, and esp. of territory by
a nation). 2 the territory, etc., so ceded.
cess*pool /sespool/ n. 1 an underground container for
the temporary storage of liquid waste or sewage. 2 a
center of corruption, depravity, etc.
ces*tode /sestod/ n. (also ces*toid /sestoyd/) any flat-
worm of the class Cestoda, including tapeworms.
fication. 9V.tr. affect with chagrin.
«.&%•«. laa connected flexible se-
of esp. metal links as decoration or for a practical
ries
purpose, b something resembling this (formed a hu-
man chain). 2 (in pi.) a fetters used to confine pris-
oners, b any restraining force. 3 a sequence, series, or
set (chain of events; mountain chain). 4 a group of as-
sociated hotels, shops, newspapers, etc. 5 esp. Brit, a
badge of office in the form of a chain worn around the
neck (mayoral chain) 6 a measure of length (66 or 100
.

ce«ta»ce»an /sitayshan/ n. &

adj. • n. any marine mam- ft.). 7 Chem. a group of (esp. carbon) atoms bonded

mal of the order Cetacea with streamlined hairless
body and dorsal blowhole for breathing, including
whales, dolphins, and porpoises, madj. of cetaceans.
no ce»ta«ceous /-tayshas/ adj.
ce«tane /seetayn/ n. Chem. a colorless liquid hydrocar-
bon of the alkane series used in standardizing ratings
of diesel fuel.
ce*tane nunvber n. a measure of the ignition proper-
ties of diesel fuel.
Cey»lon moss /silon, say-/ n. a red seaweed, Gracilaria
lichenoides, from E. India.
Cf symb. Chem. the element californium.
cf. abbr. compare.
C.f. abbr. 1 carried forward. 2 Baseball center
CFA abbr. chartered financial analyst.
CFC abbr. Chem. chlorofluorocarbon,
usu. gaseous compounds of carbon, hydrogen,
rine, and used in refrigerants, aerosol pro-
fluorine,
pellants, etc., and thought to be harmful to the ozone
layer in the earth's atmosphere.
cfm abbr. cubic feet per minute.
cfs abbr. cubic feet per second.
eg abbr. centigram (s).
in sequence in a molecule, •v.tr. 1 (often foil, by up)
secure or confine with a chain. 2 confine or restrict (a
person) (is chained to the office)
chain gang n. a team of convicts chained together and
forced to work in the open air.
chain leWer n. one of a sequence of letters the recip-
ient of which is requested to send copies to a specific
number of other people.
chain mail n. armor made of interlaced rings.
chain re»ac»tion n. 1 Physics a self-sustaining nuclear
reaction, esp. one in which a neutron from a fission
reaction initiates a series of these reactions. 2 Chem. a
self-sustaining molecular reaction in which interme-
fielder. diate products initiate further reactions. 3 a series of
events, each caused by the previous one.
any of various chain saw n. a motor-driven saw with teeth on an end-
chlo- less chain.
chain-smok»er n. a person who smokes continually,
esp. one who lights a cigarette, etc., from the stub of
the last one smoked.
chain-wheel /chaynhweel, -weel/ n. a wheel transmit-
ting power by a chain fitted to its edges; a sprocket.
chair /chair/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a separate seat for one per-

cgs abbr. centimeter-gram-second. son, of various forms, usu. having a back and four legs.
Ch. abbr. 1 church. 2 chapter. 3 Chess check. 2 a a professorship (offered the chair in physics) b a seat .

C.h. abbr. (also CH.) 1 clearing house. 2 courthouse. of authority, esp. on a board of directors. 3 a a chair-
cha var. of char 3 . person, b the seat or office of a chairperson (will you
Cha*blis /shablee, shablee/ n. (pi. same /-leez/) a type take the chair?; I'm in the chair). 4 = electric chair.
of dry white wine. 5 hist. = sedan chair, mv.tr. 1 act as chairperson of or
cha-cha /cha'achaa/ (also cha-cha-cha /cha'achaacha'a/) preside over (a meeting). 2 Brit, carry (a person) aloft
n.&v.mn. 1 a ballroom dance with a Latin-American in a chair or in a sitting position, in triumph. 3 install
rhythm. 2 music for or in the rhythm of a cha-cha. in a chair, esp. as a position of authority, a take a chair
• v.intr. (cha-chas, cha-chaed /-chaad/, cha-chaing sit down.
/-chaa-ing/) dance the cha-cha. Chair*la*dy /chairlaydee/ n. (pi. -dies) = chairwoman
chad*or /chaadawr/ n. (also chad*ar, chud*dar) a large (see chairman).
piece of cloth worn in some countries by Muslim wom- chair-lift /chairlift/ n. a series of chairs on an endless
en, wrapped around the body to leave only the face cable for carrying passengers up and down a moun-
exposed. tain, etc.
Chafe /chayf/ v. & n. mv. 1 tr. & intr. make
or become chair«man /chairman/ n. (pi. »men;fem. chairwoman,
sore or damaged by rubbing. 2 tr. rub (esp. the skin to pi. -women) 1 a person chosen to preside over a meet-

restore warmth or sensation) .3 tr. &

intr. make or be- ing. 2 the permanent president of a committee, a board
come annoyed; fret (was chafed by the delay) • n. 1 a an of directors, (Brit.) a firm, etc. 3 the master of cer-
.

act of chafing, b a sore resulting from this. 2 a state of emonies at an entertainment, etc. 4 fast, either of two
annoyance. sedan bearers, dd chair-marvship n.
chaf«er /chayfar/ n. any of various large, slow-moving Chair*per*son /chairparsan/ n. a chairman or chair-
beetles of the family Scarabeidae, esp. the cock- woman (used as a neutral alternative).
chafer. chaise /shayz/ n. 1 esp. hist, a horse-drawn carriage for
chaff /chaf/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the husks of grain or other one or two persons, esp. one with an open top and two
seed separated by winnowing or threshing. 2 chopped wheels. 2 = post chaise.
hay and straw used as fodder. 3 lighthearted joking;
banter. 4 worthless things; rubbish. • v. tr. 1 tease; han- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
chaise longue ~ chancellor 124 chanvber pot n. a receptacle for urine, etc., used in a
bedroom.
chaise longue /shayz long, shez/ n. a reclining chair Chanvber»tin /shoNbertaN/ n. a high-quality dry red
with a lengthened seat forming a leg rest. wine.
chal»ced«0»ny /kalsed'nee/ n. a type of quartz occur- chanvbray /shambray/ n. a cotton, silk, or linen ging-

ring in several different forms, e.g., onyx, agate, tiger's ham cloth with a white weft and a colored warp.
eye, etc. nn chal«ce»don«ic /kalsidonik/ adj. cha»me»le»on /kameelysn/ n. 1 any of a family of small
Chal*de*an /kaldeesn/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a a native of an- lizards having grasping tails, long tongues, protruding
cient Chaldea or Babylonia, b the language of the eyes,and the power of changing color. 2 a variable or
Chaldeans. 2 an astrologer. 3 a member of the Uniat inconstant person, nn cha»me«le«on»ic /-leeonik/ adj.
(formerly Nestorian) sect in Iran, etc. •adj. 1 of or re- chanvfer /chamfar/ v. &
n. •v.tr. bevel symmetrically

lating to ancient Chaldea or its people or language. (a right-angled edge or corner). »w. a beveled surface
2 of or relating to astrology. 3 of or relating to the Uni- at an edge or corner.
at sect. chanvois /shamee/ n. (pi. same /-eez/) 1 an agile goat

cha«let /shalay, shalay/ n. 1 a small suburban house or antelope, Rupicapra rupicapra, native to the mountains
bungalow, esp. with an overhanging roof. 2 a small, of Europe and Asia. 2 (in full chamois leather) a soft
usu. wooden hut or house at a ski resort, beach, etc. pliable leather from sheep, goats, deer, etc. b a piece
3 a Swiss hut or wooden cottage with overhanging of this for polishing, etc.
eaves. chanvo»mile /kamamil, -meel/ n. (also canvornile)
chaNice /chalis/ n. 1 a wine cup used in the Commun- any aromatic plant of the genus Anthemis or
ion service. 2 literary a goblet. Matricaria, with daisylike flowers.
Chalk /chawk/ n. &v.» n. 1 a white, soft, earthy lime- champ 1
/champ/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr. & intr. munch or chew
stone (calcium carbonate) formed from the skeletal noisily. 2 tr. (of a horse, etc.) work (the bit) noisily be-
remains of sea creatures. 2 a a similar substance (cal- tween the teeth. 3 intr. fret with impatience (is champ-
cium sulfate), sometimes colored, used for writing or ing to be away) • n. a chewing noise or motion, d champ
.

drawing, b a piece of this (a box of chalk). 3 a series of at the bit be restlessly impatient.
strata consisting mainly of chalk. • v. tr. 1 rub, mark, Champ 2 /champ/ n. si. a champion.
draw, or write with chalk. 2 (foil, by up) a write or rec- chanvpagne /shampayn/ n. 1 a a white sparkling wine
ord with chalk, b register (a success, etc.). C Brit. from Champagne in France, b a similar wine from
charge (to an account). chalk out sketch or plan a elsewhere. 2 a pale cream or straw color.
thing to be accomplished, chalk something up ascribe chanvpi»on /champeean/ n. &v. *n. 1 (often attrib.)
something to a particular cause. a person (esp. in a sport or game), an animal, plant,
chalk-board /chawkbawrd/ n. = blackboard. etc., that has defeated or surpassed all rivals in a com-
chalk stripe n. a pattern of thin white stripes on a dark petition, etc. 2 a a person who fights or argues for a
background. cause or on behalf of another person, b hist, a knight,
chalk*y /chawkee/ adj. (chalkier, chalkiest) etc., who fought in single combat on behalf of a king,
1 a abounding in chalk, b white as chalk. 2 like or con- etc. •v.tr. support the cause of; defend; argue in favor
taining chalk stones, no chalk*i*ness n. of.
challenge /chalinj/ n.6'tt»n.1aa summons to take chanvpi*on*ship /champeeanship/ n. 1 (often in pi.)
part in a contest or a trial of strength, etc., esp. to a a contest for the position of champion in a sport, etc.
duel, b a summons to prove or justify something. 2 a 2 the position of champion over all rivals. 3 the advo-
demanding or difficult task (rose to the challenge of cacy or defense (of a cause, etc.).
the new job) 3 an act of disputing or denying a state- chance /chans/ n., adj.,
. &
v. *n. 1 a a possibility (just
ment, claim, etc. 4 Law an objection made to a jury a chance we will catch the train), b (often in pi.)
member. 5 a call to respond, esp. a sentry's call for a probability (the chances are against it). 2 a risk (have to
password, etc. 6 an invitation to a sporting contest, take a chance). 3 a an undesigned occurrence (just a
esp. one issued to a reigning champion, •v.tr. 1 (of- chance that they met), b the absence of design or dis-
ten foil, by to + infin.) a invite to take part in a con- coverable cause (here merely because of chance) 4 an .

test, game, debate, duel, etc. b invite to prove or jus- opportunity (didn 't have a chance to speak to him) 5 the .

tify something. 2 dispute; deny (/ challenge that way things happen; fortune; luck (we'll just leave it to
remark) 3 a stretch; stimulate (challenges him to pro-
.
chance). 6 (often Chance) the course of events re-
duce his best), b (as challenging adj.) demanding; stim- garded as a power; fate (blind Chance rules the universe).
ulatingly difficult. 4 (of a sentry) call to respond. • adj. fortuitous; accidental (a chance meeting) • v. 1 tr. .

5 claim (attention, etc.). 6 Law object to (a jury mem- colloq. risk (we'll chance it and go). 2 intr. (often foil, by
ber, evidence, etc.). do challengeable adj. chaMeng* that + clause, or to + infin.) happen without intention
er n. (it chanced that I found it; I chanced to find it), a by any
chaMis /shalee/ n. a lightweight, soft clothing fabric. chance as it happens; perhaps, by chance without de-
chanvber /chaymbar/ n. 1 a a hall used by a legislative sign; unintentionally, chance on (or upon) happen to
or judicial body, b the body that meets in it. C any of find, meet, etc. the off chance the slight possibility, on
the houses of a legislature (the House chamber). 2 (in the chance (often foil, by of, or that + clause) in view
pi.) a judge's room used for hearing cases not needing of the possibility, stand a chance have a prospect of
to be taken in court. 3 poet, or archaic a room, esp. a success, etc. take a chance (or chances) behave risk-
bedroom. A Mus. (attrib.) of or for a small group of ily; risk failure, take a (or one's) chance on (or with)
instruments (chamber orchestra; chamber music). 5 an consent to take the consequences of; trust to luck.
enclosed space in machinery, etc. (esp. the part of a chan«cel /chansol/ n. the part of a church neai tin- al
gun bore that contains the charge). tar, usu. enclosed by a screen or separated from the
chanvbeMain /chaymbnrlin/ n. an officer managing nave by steps.
the household of a sovereign or a great noble, dd chanv chan»ceMer»y /chansolnree, chansl^-/ n. (pi. -ies)
beMaioship n. 1 a the position, office, staff, department, etc., of a
chanvber*maid /chaymbormayd/ n. 1 a housemaid at chancellor, b the official residence of a chancellor 2 an
a hotel, etc. 2 a housemaid. office attached to an embassy or consulate.
chanvber of convmerce n. an association to promote chan*cel*lor /chansolor, chanslor/ n. la government
local commercial interests. official of various kinds; the head of the government
 in some European countries, e.g., Germany. 2 a the 125 chancery - chaplet
chief administrator at certain universities, b Brit, the
nonresident honorary head of a university, an chan* and used by a particu-
television transmission, esp. as
ceMofship n. lar station, b 4 the course
a service or station using this.
charvcer»y /chanssree/ n. (pi. «ies) 1 (Chancery) Brit. in which anything moves; a direction. 5 a a natural or
Law Lord Chancellor's court, a division of the
the artificial hollow bed of water, b the navigable part of
High Court of Justice. 2 an office attached to an em- a waterway. 6 a tubular passage for liquid. 7 Electron-
bassy or consulate, d in chancery si. (of a boxer or ics a lengthwise strip on recording tape, etc. 8 a groove

wrestler) with the head held under the opponent's arm or a flute, esp. in a column, •v.tr. (channeled, chan-
and being pummeled. neling; esp. Brit, channelled, channelling) 1 guide; di-
chan»cre /shangkar/ n. a painless ulcer developing in rect (channeled them through customs). 2 form channels
venereal disease, etc. in; groove.
chanc»y /chansee/ adj. (chancier, chanciest) subject to chant /chant/ n. &v. •«. 1 a a spoken singsong phrase,
chance; uncertain; risky, dd chanc*i*ly adv. chanc»i» esp. one performed in unison by a crowd, etc. b a rep-
ness n. etitious singsong way of speaking. 2 Mus. a a short mu-
chan»de*lier /shandaleer/ n. an ornamental branched sical passage in two or more phrases used for singing
hanging support for several candles or electric light- unmetrical words, e.g., psalms, canticles, b the psalm
bulbs. or canticle so sung. C a song, esp. monotonous or
charvdler /chandlar/ n. a dealer in candles, oil, soap, repetitive, •v.tr. &
intr. 1 talk or repeat monotonous-

paint, groceries, etc. dd chan»dler»y ly (a crowd chanting slogans) 2 sing or intone (a psalm, .

change /chaynj/ n. & a the act or an instance

v. •n. 1 etc.).
of making or becoming different, b an alteration or chant«er /chantar/ n. Mus. the melody pipe, with fin-
modification (the change in her expression) 2 a money . ger holes, of a bagpipe.
given in exchange for money in larger units or a dif- chan*teuse shaant6z n. a female singer of popular
ferent currency, b money returned as the balance of songs.
that given in payment. C = small change. 3 a new expe- chant»ey shantee, chan-/ n. (also chant»y, shan«ty) (pi.
rience; variety (fancied a change; for a change). 4 a the chanteys, «ies) (in full sea chantey) a song with al-
substitution of one thing for another; an exchange ternating solo and chorus, of a kind orig. sung by
(change of scene), b a set of clothes, etc., put on in place sailors while hauling ropes, etc.
of another. 5 (in full change of life) colloq. the meno- Chan*til*ly 'shantilee, shoNteeye'e/ n. la delicate kind
pause. 6 (usu. in pi.) the different orders in which a of bobbin lace. 2 sweetened or flavored whipped
peal of bells can be rung. »v. 1 tr. intr. undergo, & cream.
show, or subject to change; make or become different chant»y var. of chantey.
(the toupee changed his appearance; changed from an in- Cha«nuk»kah var. of Hanukkah.
trovert into an extrovert) 2 tr. a take or use another in-
. cha»OS kayos/ n. a utter confusion, b Math, the un-
"\

stead of; go from one to another (change one's socks; predictable and apparently random behavior of a de-
changed his doctor, changed trains), b (usu. foil, by for) terministic system that is extremely sensitive to in-

give up or get rid of in exchange (changed the car for a
van). 3 tr. a give or get change in smaller denomina-
tions for (can you change a ten-dollar bill?), b (foil, by
for) exchange (a sum of money) for (changed his dol-
lars for pounds) 4 tr.
. &
intr. put fresh clothes or cover-
ings on (changed the baby as he was wet; changed into
something loose). 5 tr. (often foil, by with) give and re-
ceive; exchange (changed places with him; we changed
places). 6 intr. change trains, etc. (changed at Grand
Central Station), d change color blanch or flush.
change hands 1 pass to a different owner. 2 substitute
one hand for another, change one's mind adopt a dif-
ferent opinion or plan, change of heart a conversion
to a different view, change step begin to keep step with
the opposite leg when marching, etc. change the sub-
ject begin talking of something different, esp. to avoid
embarrassment, change one's tune 1 voice a different
opinion from that expressed previously. 2 change one's
style of language or manner, esp. from an insolent to
a respectful tone, dd changeful adj. chang«er n.
changeable /chaynjabal/ adj. 1 irregular; inconstant.
2 that can change or be changed, dd changeability
n. change*a*ble*ness n. change*a*bly adv.
changeless /chaynjlis/ adj. unchanging, dd change*
less«ly adv. change«less»ness n.
changeling /chaynjling/ n. a child believed to be sub-
finitesimal changes in initial parameters. 2 the
formless matter supposed to have existed before the
creation of the universe, dd cha«ot»ic kayotik adj. cha»
ot*i*cal*ly adv.
chap chap/ v.
1
&
n. • v. (chapped, chapping) 1 intr.
(esp. of the skin; also of dry ground, etc.) crack in fis-
sures, esp. because of exposure and dryness. 2 tr. (of
the wind, cold, etc.) cause to chap. »n. (usu. in pi.) 1 a
crack in the skin. 2 an open seam.
chap 2 /chap/ n. esp. Brit, colloq. a man; a boy; a fellow.
chap«ar»ral /shaparal, chap-/ n. dense, tangled brush-
wood; undergrowth.
chape /chayp/ n. 1 the metal cap of a scabbard point.
2 the back piece of a buckle attaching it to a strap, etc.
3 a sliding loop on a belt or strap.
chap«el /chapal/ n. 1 a a place for private Christian
worship in a large church or esp. a cathedral, with its
own altar and dedication, b a place of Christian wor-
ship attached to a private house or institution. 2 a
building or room in which funeral services are held.
3 Brit, a place of worship for certain Protestant
denominations. 4 an Anglican church subordinate to
a parish church. 5 the members or branch of a print-
ers' union.
chap«er«on /shaparon/ n. &
v. (also chap«er»one) • n.
1 a person, esp. an older woman, who ensures propri-

stituted for another by stealth, esp. an elf child left by ety by accompanying a young unmarried woman on
fairies. 2 a person who takes charge of esp.
social occasions.
change«o»ver /chaynjovar/ n. a change from one sys- young people in public. »v.tr. act as a chaperon to.
tem or situation to another. dd chap«er»on«age /shaparonij/ n.
chan«nel/chanal/n. &v. •«. 1 a a length of water wider chaplain /chaplin/ n. a member of the clergy attached
than a strait, joining two larger areas, esp. seas, b (the to a private chapel, institution, ship, regiment, etc.
Channel) the English Channel between Britain and chap»lain«cy n. (pi. «cies).
France. 2 a medium of communication; an agency for chap*let /chaplit/ n. 1 a garland or circlet for the head.
conveying information (through the usual channels).
3 Broadcasting a a band of frequencies used in radio See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

chaps ~ charity
2 a string of 55 beads (one-third of the rosary num-
ber) for counting prayers, or as a necklace. 3 a bead
molding, do chap»let»ed adj.
chaps /chaps/ n.pl. a cowboy's leather leggings worn
over the trousers as protection for the front of the legs.
chap-ter /chaptar/ n. 1a main division of a book. 2 a
period of time (in a person's life, a nation's history,
etc.). 3 a series or sequence (a chapter of misfortunes)
4 a the canons of a cathedral or other religious
community or knightly order, b a meeting of these.
5 Brit, an Act of Parliament numbered as part of a ses-
sion's proceedings. 6 a local branch of a society.
d chapter and verse an exact reference or authority.
chapter house n. a building used for the meetings of
a chapter.
char /chaar/ v. tr.
1
&
intr. (charred, charring) 1 make or
become black by burning; scorch. 2 burn or be burned
to charcoal.
char 2 /chaar/ n. & v. Brit, colloq. •n.
• v.intr. (charred, charring) work as a
char 3 n. (also charr) (pi. same) any small trout-
/chaar/
like fish of the genus Salvelinus.
char*a*banc /sharabang/ n. Brit. hist, an early form of
tour bus.
char»ac»ter /kariktar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the collective qual-
ities or characteristics, esp. mental and moral, that dis-
tinguish a person or thing. 2 a moral strength (has a
weak character), b reputation, esp. good reputation.
3 a a person in a novel, play, etc. b a part played by an
actor; a role. 4 colloq. a person, esp. an eccentric or out-
standing individual (he 's a real character) 5 a a print-
ed or written letter, symbol, or distinctive mark (Chi-
nese characters), b Computing any of a group of symbols
representing a letter, etc. 6 a written description of a
person's qualities; a testimonial. 7 a characteristic
(esp. of a biological species) • v. tr. archaic inscribe; de-
. char»i»ot /chareeat/ n. & v. mn. 1 hist, a a two-wheeled
scribe. in (or out of) character consistent (or incon-
sistent) with a person's character, oo char*ac*ter*less
adj.
char«ac«ter»is»tic /kariktsristik/ adj. & n.
distinctive (with characteristic expertise).
characteristic feature or quality. 2 Math, the whole
number or integral part of a logarithm, dd char«ac»ter«
is«ti«caMy adv.
char»ac»ter«ize /kariktariz/ v.tr. 1 a describe the char-
acter of. b (foil, by as) describe as. 2 be characteris-
tic of. 3 impart character to. dd char*ac*ter«i*za*tion n.
cha*rade /sharayd/ n. la (usu. in />/., treated as sing.)
a game of guessing a word from a written or acted clue
given for each syllable and for the whole, b one such
clue. 2 an absurd pretense.
char*coal /cha'arkol/ n. 1 a an amorphous form of car-
bon consisting of a porous black residue from partial-
ly burned wood, bones, etc. b a piece of this used for
drawing. 2 a drawing in charcoal. 3 (in full charcoal
gray) a dark gray color.
chard /chaard/ n. (in full Swiss chard) a kind of beet,
Beta vulgaris cicla, with edible broad, white leafstalks
and green leaves.
Char»don»nay/sha'ard'nay/n. 1 a variety of white grape
used for making champagne and other wines. 2 the
vine on which this grape grows. 3 a wine made from
Chardonnay grapes.
Charge /chaarj/ v.&n.*v.1 tr. a ask (an amount) as a
price (charges S5 a ticket), bask (a person) for an
amount as a price (you forgot to charge me). 2 tr. a (foil,
by to, up to) debit the cost of to (a person or account)
(charge it to my account; charge it up to me), b debit (a
person or an account) (bought a new car and charged
the company). 3 tr. a (often foil, by with) accuse (of an
offense) (charged him with theft), b (foil, by that +
. .
126 clause) make an accusation that. 4 tr. (foil, by to +
infin.) instruct or urge. 5 (foil, by with) a tr. entrust
with, b refl. undertake. 6 a intr. make a rushing attack;
rush headlong, b tr. make a rushing attack on; throw
oneself against. 7 tr. (often foil, by up) a give an elec-
tric charge to (a body) b store energy in (a battery)
.
8 tr. (often foil, by with) load or fill (a vessel, gun, etc.)
to the full or proper extent. 9 tr. (usu. as charged adj.)
a (foil, by with) saturated with (air charged with va-
por), b (usu. foil, by with) pervaded (with strong feel-
ings, etc.) (atmosphere charged with emotion; a charged
atmosphere) • n. 1 a a price asked for goods or services.
.
b a financial liability or commitment. 2 an accusation,
esp. against a prisoner brought to trial. 3 a a task, du-
ty, or commission, b care, custody, responsible pos-
session, c a person or thing entrusted; a minister's con-
gregation. 4 a an impetuous rush or attack, esp. in a
battle, b the signal for this. 5 the appropriate amount
of material to be put into a receptacle, mechanism,
etc., at one time, esp. of explosive for a gun. 6 a a prop-
= charwoman. erty of matter that is a consequence of the interaction
charwoman. between its constituent particles and exists in a posi-
tive or negative form, causing electrical phenomena.
b the quantity of this carried by a body. C energy stored
chemically for conversion into electricity, d the proc-
ess of charging a battery. 7 an exhortation; directions;
orders. 8 a burden or load. 9 Heraldry a device; a bear-
ing, d free of charge gratis, in charge having command.
take charge (often foil, by of) assume control or direc-
tion, dd charge*a*ble adj.
charge ac*count n. a credit account at a store, etc.
charge card n. a credit card for which the account must
. be paid in full when a statement is issued.
charg-er /cha'arjar/ n. 1 a a cavalry horse, b poet, any
1
horse. 2 an apparatus for charging a battery. 3 a per-
son or thing that charges.
charg»er 2 /cha'arjar/ n. a large, flat dish; a platter.
vehicle drawn by horses, used in ancient warfare and
racing, b a four-wheeled carriage with back seats on-
ly. 2 poet, a stately or triumphal vehicle, •v.tr. literary
madj. typical; convey in or as in a chariot.
•«. 1a
chariot
char»i»ot»eer /chareeate'er/ n. a chariot driver.
cha«ris*ma /karizma/ n. (pi. charismata / -mot.V) the
ability to inspire followers with devotion and enthusi-
asm.
char*is*mat*ic /karizmatik/ adj. 1 having charisma; in-
spiring enthusiasm. 2 (of Christian worship) charac-
terized by spontaneity, ecstatic utterances, etc.
on char»is»mat*i»caMy adv.
char»is«mat»ic move-merit //. a fundamentalist ( hns
tian movement emphasizing talents thought to be <>n I
ferred by the Holy Spirit, such as speaking m rongllfl
and healing of the sick.
Char«i«ta»ble /charitnbnl/ adj. 1 nenerous giving to m
those in need. 2 of, relating to, or connected with a
charity or charities. 3 apt to judge favorably Oi pit
sons, acts, and motives, do char»i»ta»ble«ness n. char*
i«ta-bly adv.
char»i»ty /charitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a giving voluntarily
to those in need; almsgiving, b the help, esp money,
so given. 2 an institution or organization tor helping
 .

those in need. 3 a kindness; benevolence, b tolerance 127 charlady ~ cheap

in judging others. C love of one's fellow men.
char*la*dy /chaarlaydee/ n. (pi. 'dies) = charwoman. chasm /kazam/ k. 1a deep fissure or opening in the
char«la»tan /sha'artatan/ n. a person falsely claiming a earth, rock, etc. 2 a wide difference of feeling, inter-
special knowledge or skill, dd char»la«tarvism n. char* ests, etc.; a gulf. 3 archaic a hiatus, do chas*mic adj.
la'tatvry n. Chas»se /shasay/ n. & v. • n. a gliding step in dancing.
Charles»ton /chaarlsten/ n. &v. mn. a lively American • v.intr. (chassed; chasseing) make this step.
dance of the 1920s with side kicks from the knee. chas»sis /shasee, chas-/ n. (pi. same /-siz/) 1 the base
mv.intr. dance the Charleston. frame of a motor vehicle, carriage, etc. 2 a frame to
chaMey horse /chaarlee/ n. si. stiffness or cramp in an carry radio, etc., components.
arm or leg. chaste /chayst/ adj. 1 abstaining from extramarital, or
Charm /chaarm/ n.&v.mn. 1 a the power or quality of
from all, sexual intercourse. 2 (of behavior, speech,
giving delight or arousing admiration, b fascination; etc.) pure, virtuous, decent, dd chaste«ly adv. chaste*
attractiveness, c (usu. mpl.) an attractive or enticing ness n.
quality. 2 a trinket on a bracelet, etc. 3 a an object, act, chas»ten /chaysan/ v.tr. 1 (esp. as chastening, chas-
or word(s) supposedly having occult or magic power; tened adjs. ) subdue; restrain (a chastening experience;
a spell, b a thing worn to avert evil, etc.; an amulet. chastened by his failure). 2 discipline; punish. 3 moder-
4 Physics a property of matter manifested by some ate, nn chas*ten*er n.
elementary particles, mv.tr. 1 delight; captivate chas«tise /chastiz, chastiz/ v.tr. 1 rebuke or reprimand
[charmed by the performance) 2 influence or protect as
. severely. 2 punish, esp. by beating, dd chas«tise»ment
if by magic (leads a charmed life) 3 a gain by charm
. n. chas*tis*er n.

(charmed agreement out of him), b influence by charm chas»ti»ty /chastitee/ n. 1 being chaste. 2 sexual absti-
(charmed her into consenting) 4 cast a spell on; bewitch.
. nence; virginity. 3 simplicity of style or taste.
o like a charm perfectly; wonderfully (worked like a chas»ti«ty belt n. hist, a garment designed to prevent a
charm;fits like a charm). charm»er n. charmless adj. woman from having sexual intercourse.
charnving /chaarming/ adj. 1 delightful; attractive; chas*u*ble /chazsbal, chazya-, chas-/ n. a loose, sleeve-
pleasing. 2 (often as int.) iron, expressing displeasure less, often ornate outer vestment worn by a priest cel-
or disapproval, dd charm*ing*ly adv. ebrating Mass or the Eucharist.
channel house /cha'arnslhows/ n. a house or vault in Chat /chat/ v. &
n. mv.intr. (chatted, chatting) talk in a
which dead bodies or bones are piled. light familiar way. • n. 1 informal conversation or talk.
chart /chaart/ n.&v.mn."\a geographical map or plan, 2 an instance of this.
esp. for navigation by sea or air. 2 a sheet of informa- chateau /shato/ n. (pi. chateaus or chateaux /-toz) a
tion in the form of a table, graph, or diagram. 3 (usu. large French country house or castle, often giving its
in pi.) colloq. a listing of the currently most popular name to wine made in its neighborhood.
music recordings, mv.tr. make a chart of; map. cha*teau*bri*and /shatobre'e-ox/ n. a thick fillet of beef
Chart«bust*er /cha'artbustsr/ n. colloq. steak usu. served with a bearnaise sauce.
a best-selling
popular song, recording, etc. chat«e«laine /shat'layn/ n. the mistress of a large house.
charter /chaartar/ n. &v. mn. 1 a a written grant of chaMel /chat'l/ n. (usu. in pi.) a moveable possession;

rights, by the sovereign or legislature, esp. the creation any possession or piece of property other than real es-
of a borough, company, university, etc. b a written con- tate or a freehold, d goods and chattels personal pos-
stitution or description of an organization's functions, sessions.
etc. 2 a contract to hire an aircraft, ship, etc., for a spec- chaWer /chatar/ v. &
n. mv.intr. 1 talk quickly, inces-
ial purpose, mv.tr. 1 grant a charter to. 2 hire (an air- santly, trivially, or indiscreetly. 2 (of a bird) emit short,
craft, ship, etc.). on char«ter«er n. quick notes. 3 (of the teeth) click repeatedly together
charter mem-ber n. an original member of a society, (usu. from cold) • n. chattering talk or sounds, dd chat*
.

corporation, etc. ter«er n. chat»ter»y adj.

CharMsm /chaartizam/ n. hist, the principles of the UK
chat»ter»box /chatarboks/ n. a talkative person.
Parliamentary reform movement of 1837-48. chaWy /chatee/ adj. (chattier, chattiest) 1 fond of chat-
an Chart-ist n. ting; talkative. 2 resembling chat; informal and lively
chartreuse /shaartrobz, -troos/ n. 1 (Chartreuse) a (a chatty letter), dd chaMMy adv. chat»ti»ness ;;.
pale green or yellow liqueur of brandy and aromatic chauMeur /shofar, -f6r/ n. v. mn. (fern, chauffeuse &
herbs, etc. 2 the pale yellow or pale green color of this. /-f6z/) a person employed to drive a private or rented
char«wonvan /cha'arwooman/ n. (pi. •women) a woman automobile or limousine, mv.tr. drive (a car or a per-
employed as a cleaner in houses or offices. son) as a chauffeur.
char«y /chairee/ adj. (charier, chariest) 1 cautious; chau*vin*ism /shOvinizam/ n. 1 exaggerated or aggres-
wary (chary of employing such people) 2 sparing; un- . sive patriotism. 2 excessive or prejudiced support or
generous (chary ofgiving praise). 3 shy. oo char»My adv. loyalty for one's cause or group or sex (male chau-
chariness n. vinism) .

Chase /chays/ v.&n.mv.

' 1 pursue in order to catch.
tr. chau»vin»ist /shOvinist/ n. 1 a person exhibiting chau-
2 tr. (foil, by from, out of, to, etc.) drive. 3 intr. a (foil, vinism. 2 (in full male chauvinist) a man showing ex-
by after) hurry in pursuit of (a person), b (foil, by cessive loyalty to men and prejudice against women.
around, etc.) colloq. act or move about hurriedly. 4 tr. dd chau«vin»is«tic /-nistik/ adj. chau*vin«is*ti*caMy
Brit. (usu. foil, by up) colloq. pursue (overdue work, /-nistikalee/ adv.
payment, etc., or the person responsible for it). 5 tr. Ch.E. abbr. chemical engineer.
colloq. a try to attain, b court persistently and openly. cheap /cheep/ adj. & adv. madj. 1 low in price; worth
• n. 1 pursuit. 2 Brit, unenclosed hunting land. 3 more than its cost (a cheap vacation; cheap labor).
(prec. by the) hunting, esp. as a sport. 4 = steeplechase. 2 charging low prices; offering good value (a cheap res-
Chase 2 /chays/ v. tr. emboss or engrave (metal) taurant). 3 of poor quality; inferior (cheap housing).
Chase 3 /chays/ «. 1 the part of a gun enclosing the bore. 4 a costing little effort or acquired by discreditable
2 a trench or groove cut to receive a pipe, etc. means and hence of little worth (cheap popularity; a
chas*er /chaysar/ n.1a person or thing that chases. 2 a cheap joke) b contemptible; despicable (a cheap crim-
.

horse for steeplechasing. 3 colloq. a drink taken after

another of a different kind, e.g., beer after liquor. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

cheapen ~ cheesecake 128 1 mark with checkers. 2 variegate; break the uniform-
ity of. 3 (as checkered adj. ) with varied fortunes {a
inal). •adv. cheaply {got it cheap), a feel cheap feel checkered career)
ashamed or contemptible, on the cheap cheaply. checkerboard /chekarbawrd/ n. 1 a checkered board,
on cheap*ish adj. cheaply adv. cheapness n. identical to a chessboard, used in the game of check-
Cheap*en /che'epan/ v. tr. &
intr. make or become cheap ers. 2 a pattern or design resembling it.

or cheaper; depreciate; degrade. checking ac*COunt /cheking/ n. an account at a bank

cheap*skate /che'epskayt/ n. colloq. a stingy person. against which checks can be drawn by the account de-
Cheat /cheet/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. a (often foil, by into, out positor.
of) deceive or trick {cheated into parting with his sav- check mark n. a mark {J) to denote correctness, check
ings), b (foil, by of) deprive of {cheated of a chance to items, etc.
reply). 2 intr. gain unfair advantage by deception or check*mate /chekmayt/ n.&v.mnA (also as int. ) Chess
breaking rules, esp. in a game or examination. 3 tr. a check from which a king cannot escape, b an an-
avoid (something undesirable) by luck or skill {cheat- nouncement of this. 2 a final defeat or deadlock. 9V.tr.
ed the bad weather) 4 tr. archaic divert attention from;
. 1 Chess put into checkmate. 2 defeat; frustrate.

beguile (time, tedium, etc.). •«. 1 a person who cheats. Check-out /chekowt/ n. 1 an act of checking out. 2 a
2 a trick, fraud, or deception. 3 an act of cheating. point at which goods are paid for in a supermarket,
cheat on colloq. be sexually unfaithful to. dd cheat* etc.
ing*ly adv. check-point /chekpoynt/ n. a place, esp. a barrier or
cheat«er /che'etar/ n. 1 a person who cheats. 2 (in pi.) manned entrance, where documents, vehicles, etc., are
si. eyeglasses. inspected.
Check /chek/ v.,n.,& int. »v. 1 tr. (also absol.) a ex-
1
check*rein /chekrayn/ n. a rein attaching one horse's
amine the accuracy, quality, or condition of. b (often rein to another's bit, or preventing a horse from low-
foil, by that + clause) make sure; verify; establish to ering its head.
one's satisfaction {checked that the doors were locked; check-up /chekup/ n. a thorough (esp. medical)
checked the train times) 2 tr. a stop or slow the motion
. examination.
of; curb; restrain {progress was checked by bad weather). ched-dar /chedar/ n. (in full Cheddar cheese) a kind of
b colloq. find fault with; rebuke. 3 tr. Chess move a piece firm smooth cheese orig. made in Cheddar in S. Eng-
into a position that directly threatens (the opposing land.
king). 4 intr. agree or correspond when compared. 5 tr. cheek /cheek/
n. &
v. • n. 1 a the side of the face be-

mark with a check mark, etc. 6 tr. deposit (luggage, low the b the side wall of the mouth. 2 esp. Brit.
eye.
etc.) for storage or dispatch. 7 intr. (of hounds) pause impertinence; cool confidence {had the cheek to ask for
to ensure or regain scent. • n. 1 a means or act of test- more) 3 si. either buttock. 4 a either of the side posts
.

ing or ensuring accuracy, quality, satisfactory condi-
tion, etc. 2 a a stopping or slowing of motion; a re-
straint on action, b a rebuff or rebuke. C a person or
thing that restrains. 3 Chess (also as int.) a the expo-
sure of a king to direct attack from an opposing piece.
b an announcement of this by the attacking player. 4 a
bill in a restaurant. 5 a token of identification for left
luggage, etc. 6 Cards a counter used in various games,
esp. a poker chip. 7 a temporary loss of the scent in
hunting. 8 a crack or flaw in lumber. 9 = check mark.
int. expressing assent or agreement, d check in 1 ar-
rive or register at a hotel, airport, etc. 2 record the ar-
rival of. check into register one's arrival at (a hotel,
etc.). check off mark on a list, etc., as having been ex-
amined or dealt with, check on examine carefully or
in detail; ascertain the truth about; keep a watch on
(a person, work done, etc.). check out 1 (often foil,
by of) due formalities. 2 colloq.
leave a hotel, etc., with
investigate; examine for authenticity or suitability.
check over examine for errors; verify, check through
inspect or examine exhaustively; verify successive
items of. check up ascertain; verify; make sure, check
up on = check on. in check under control; restrained.
dd checkable adj.
check 2 /chek/ n. la pattern of small squares. 2 fabric
having this pattern.
check 3 /chek/ n. {Brit, cheque) 1 a written order to a
bank to pay the stated sum from the drawer's account.
2 the printed form on which such an order is written.
check-book /chekbook/ n. a book of blank checks with
of a door, etc. b either of the sidepieces of various parts
of machines arranged in lateral pairs, •v.tr. speak im-
pertinently to. d cheek by jowl close together; intimate.
turn the other cheek accept attack, etc., meekly; ref-
use to retaliate.
cheek-bone /cheekbon/ n. the bone below the eye.
cheek»y /che'ekee/ adj. (cheekier, cheekiest) imperti-
nent; impudent, dd cheek-i-ly adv. cheek-i-ness n.
cheep /cheep/ n.&v.» n. the weak shrill cry of a young
bird, •v.intr. make such a cry.
Cheer /cheer/ n. & shout of encouragement
v. • n. 1 a
or applause. 2 mood; disposition {full of good cheer).
3 cheerfulness; joy. 4 (in pi; as int.) colloq. a express-
ing good wishes on parting, b expressing good wish-
es before drinking. C expressing gratitude, mv. 1 tr.
a applaud with shouts, b (usu. foil, by on) urge or en-
courage with shouts. 2 intr. shout for joy. 3 tr. gladden;
comfort, d cheer up make or become less depressed.
cheerful /cheerfool/ adj. 1 in good spirits; noticeably
happy {a cheerful disposition). 2 bright; pleasant {a
cheerful room). 3 willing; not reluctant, dd cheer-ful-ly
adv. cheer-ful-ness n.
cheer*lead*er /che'erleedar/ n. a person who leads
cheers of applause, etc., esp. at a sports event.
cheer-less /che'erlis/ adj. gloomy; dreary; miserable.
dd cheer-less-ly adv. cheer-less-ness n.
cheer-y /che'eree/ adj. (cheerier, cheeriest) lively; in
good spirits; genial; cheering, do cheer-l-ly adv. cheer*
iTiess n.
Cheese /cheez/ n. 1 a a food made from the pressed
1

a register for recording checks written. curds of milk, b a complete cake of this with rind.
Checked /chekt/ adj. having a pattern of small squares. 2 Brit, a conserve having the consistency of soft CDtlC
check-er /chekor/ n. 1a person or thing that verifies
1

{lemon cheese).
or examines, esp. in a factory, etc. 2 a cashier in a su- cheese 2 /cheez/ n. (also big cheese) si. an important
permarket, etc. person.
Check-er 2 /cheknr/ n. &
v. {Bru. chequer) • n. 1 (of- cheese*burg«er /chee/.bnrgor/ n. a hamburger with
ten in pi.) a pattern of squares often alternately col- cheese on it.
ored. 2 a (in pi.) a game for two played with 1 2 pieces cheese-cake /che'ezkayk/ n. 1 a rich dessert c ake made
each on a checkerboard, b each of the usu. red or black with cream cheese, etc. 2 si. the portrayal of women
disk-shaped playing pieces in a game of checkers. • v. tr. in a sexually attractive manner.
 .

Cheese-cloth /che'ezklawth, -kloth/ n. thin loosely wo- 129 cheesecloth ~ chevalier

ven cloth, used orig. for wrapping cheese.
chees»y /che'ezee/ adj. (cheesier, cheesiest) 1 like b an individual of this people. 2 the language of this
cheese in taste, smell, appearance, etc. 2 5/. inferior; people. madj. of or relating to the Cherokees or their
cheap and nasty, no chees»i»ness n. language.
chee»tah /che'ets/ n. a swift-running feline, Acinonyx che«root /sharobt/ n. a cigar with both ends open.
jubatus, with a leopardlike spotted coat. cher»ry /cheree/ n. &adj. •«. (pi. Ties) 1 a a small, soft,
chef /shef/ n. a cook, esp. the chief cook in a restaurant, round stone fruit, b any of several trees of the genus
etc. Prunus bearing this or grown for its ornamental flow-
chef d'oeu»vre /shaydOvra/ n. (pi. chefs d'oeuvrepro- ers. 2 (in full cherry wood) the wood of a cherry.
nunc. same) a masterpiece. 3 coarse si. a hymen, b virginity. • adj. of a light red col-
Cheiro- comb, form var. of chiro-. or.
che-la /keeta/ n. (pi. chelae /-lee/) a prehensile claw Cher«ry pick*er n. colloq. a hydraulic crane with a plat-
1

of crabs, lobsters, scorpions, etc. form or bucket attached, for raising and lowering peo-
che»la 2 /chayta/ n. 1 (in esoteric Buddhism) a novice ple for work on telephone cables, power lines, etc.
qualifying for initiation. 2 a disciple; a pupil. cher«ry tO»ma»tO n. a miniature tomato.
chelate /ke'elayt/ «. & adj. • w. cher«so«nese /karssneez, -nees/ n. a peninsula, esp.
Chem. a usu. organo-
metallic compound containing a bonded ring of atoms theThracian peninsula west of the Hellespont.
including a metal atom. • ad/. 1 Chem. of a chelate. cher*ub /cherab/ n. 1 (pi. cherubim /-bim/) an angel-
2 Zool. &Anat. of or having chelae. ic being of the second order of the celestial hierarchy.
che»lo«ni«an /kiloneesn/ «. &
adj. *n. any reptile of the 2 (pi. usu. cherubs) a a representation of a winged
order Chelonia, including turtles, terrapins, and tor- child or the head of a winged child, b a beautiful or
toises, having a shell of bony plates covered with horny innocent child, dd che»ru»bic chirobbik' adj. che»ru»
scales. %adj.of or relating to this order. bi*caMy /chirobbikalee/ adv.
Chem. chemical. 2 chemist. 3 chemistry.
abbr. 1 cher»vil /chsrvil/ n. an umbelliferous plant, Anthriscus
chemi- comb, form var. of CHEiMO-. cerefolium, with small white flowers, used as an herb
chem«i»cal /kemikal/ adj. &
n. *adj. of, made by, or for flavoring.
employing chemistry or chemicals. • n. a substance ob- Cheshire cheshar/ n. (in full Cheshire cheese) a kind
tained or used in chemistry, an chem»i»caMy adv. of firm crumbly cheese, orig. made in Cheshire. like
chem»i»cal warfare n. warfare using poison gas and a Cheshire cat with a broad fixed grin.
other chemicals. chess /ches/ n. a game for two with 16 pieces each,
chemico- /kemiko/ comb, form chemical; chemical and played on a chessboard.
(chemico-physicat) chess»board /chesbawrd/ n. a checkered board of 64
chem»i»lum»i»nes«cence /kemilobminesans/ n. the squares on which chess and checkers are played.
emission of light during a chemical reaction, no cherrv chessTnan /chesman, -man/ n. (pi. «men) a piece used
Mu«mi»nes»cent /-nesant/ adj. in playing chess.
Che«mise/sh3meez/n. hist, a woman's loose-fitting un- chest /chest/ n. 1 a large strong box, esp. for storage or
dergarment or dress hanging straight from the shoul- transport. 2 a the part of a human or animal body en-
ders. closed by the ribs, b the front surface of the body from
chem»i»sorp»tion /kemisawrpshan/ n. adsorption by neck to waist. 3 a small cabinet for medicines, toilet-
chemical bonding. ries, etc. 4 a the treasury or financial resources of an
cherrwst /kemist/ n. 1 a person practicing or trained in institution, b the money available from it. get a thing
chemistry. 2 Brit, a a dealer in medicinal drugs, usu. off one's chest colloq. disclose a fact, secret, etc., to re-
also selling other medical goods and toiletries, b an lieve one's anxiety about it; say what is on one's mind.
authorized dispenser of medicines. play one's cards close to one's chest colloq. be cau-
chem»is»try /kemistree/ n. (pi. -tries) 1 the study of the tious or secretive about, dd -chested adj. (in comb.).
elements and the compounds they form and the reac- ches»ter»field /chestarfeeld/ n. 1a sofa with arms and
tions they undergo. 2 any complex (esp. emotional) back of the same height and curved outward at the
change or process (the chemistry offear). 3 colloq. a per- top. 2 (also Ches»ter»field) a plain overcoat usu. with
son's personality or temperament. a velvet collar.
chemo- /ke'emo/ comb, form (also chemi- /kemee/) Chest*nut /chesnut/ n. & adj. mn. 1 a a glossy, hard,
chemical. brown edible nut. b the tree Castanea sativa, bearing
che»mo»syn»the»sis /ke'emosinthisis/ n. the synthesis flowers in catkins and nuts enclosed in a spiny fruit.
of organic compounds by energy derived from chem- 2 any other tree of the genus Castanea, esp. the Amer-
ical reactions. ican chestnut C. dentata. 3 = horse chestnut. 4 (in full
che»mo»ther»a«py /ke'emotherapee/ n. the treatment of chestnut wood) the heavy wood of any chestnut tree.
disease, esp. cancer, by use of chemical substances. 5 a horse of a reddish-brown or yellowish-brown col-
dd che«mo*ther*a*pist n. or. 6 colloq. a stale joke or anecdote. 7 a small hard
chem«ur»gy /kemarjee, kimar-/ n. the chemical and patch on a horse's leg. 8 a reddish-brown color. • adj.
industrial use of organic raw materials. chem«ur« of the color chestnut.
gic /-arjik/ adj. chest»y /chestee/ adj. (chestier, chestiest) 1 colloq. hav-
che«nille /shaneel/ «. la tufty, velvety cord or yarn, ing a large chest or prominent breasts. 2 5/. arrogant.
used in trimming furniture, etc. 2 fabric made from Chet*nik /chetnik/ n. hist, a member of a guerrilla force
this. in the Balkans, esp. during World Wars I and II.
cheong*sam /chawngsam/ n. a Chinese woman's gar- che»val glass /shavalglas/ n. a tall mirror swung on an
ment with a high neck and slit skirt. upright frame.
cheque Brit. var. of check 3 . chev»a»lier /shevaleer/ n. 1 a a member of certain or-
cheq»uer Brit. var. of checker 2 . ders of knighthood, and of modern French orders, as
cher»ish /cherish/ v.tr. 1 protect or tend (a child, plant, the Legion of Honor, b archaic or hist, a knight. 2 Brit,
etc.) lovingly. 2 hold dear; cling to (hopes, feelings, hist, the title of James and Charles Stuart, pretenders
etc.). to the British throne.
Cher«o»kee /cherakee/ n. & adj. • n. 1 a a N. American
people formerly inhabiting much of the southern US. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
chevet ~ child
che»vet /shavay/ n. the apsidal end of a church, some-
times with an attached group of apses.
che»vre /shevra/ n. a variety of goat cheese.
chev»ron /shevran/ n. la badge in a V shape on the
130 the titmouse family, esp. Parus atricapillus with a
distinctive black crown and throat.
Chick*a*saw /chikssaw/ n. 1 a a N. American people
native to Mississippi and Alabama, b a member of this
people. 2 the language of this people.
chick*en /chikin/ n., adj., &
v. «w. (pi. same or chick-

sleeve of a uniform indicating rank or length of serv- ens) 1 a common breed of domestic fowl. 2 a a domes-
ice. 2 Heraldry &Arc hit. a bent bar of an inverted V tic fowl prepared as food, b its flesh. 3 colloq. a pas-

shape. 3 any V-shaped line or stripe. time testing courage, usu. recklessly, madj. colloq.
cowardly, •v.intr. (foil, by out) colloq. withdraw from
or fail in some activity through fear or lack of nerve.
chick*en feed n. 1 food for poultry. 2 colloq. an unim-
portant amount, esp. of money.
chick*en*heart*ed /chikinhaartsd/ adj. easily fright-
ened; lacking nerve or courage.
chick*en pox n. an infectious disease, esp. of children,
with a rash of small blisters. Also called varicella.
chick*en wire n. a light wire netting with a hexagonal
mesh.
chick*pea /chikpee/ «.1a leguminous plant, Cicerari-
etinum, with short, swollen pods containing yellow,
beaked seeds. 2 this seed used as a vegetable.
chic»le /chiksl/ n. the milky juice of the sapodilla tree,
chevron
used in the manufacture of chewing gum.
chevro»tain /shevratayn/ n. (also chevrotin /-tin/) any chic»o»ry /chikaree/ n. (pi. »ries) 1 a blue-flowered
small deerlike animal of the family Tragulidae, native plant, Cichorium intybus, cultivated for its salad leaves
to Africa and SE Asia, having small tusks. Also called and its root. 2 its root, roasted and ground for use with
MOUSE DEER. or instead of coffee. 3 = endive.
&
chew /choo/ v. n. mv.tr. (also absol.) work (food, etc.) chide /chid/ v.tr. &intr. (pasrehided or chid /chid/; past
between the teeth; crush or indent with the teeth. • n. part, chided or chid or chidden /chid'n/) archaic or lit-
1 an act of chewing. 2 something for chewing, esp. a erary scold; rebuke, dd chid»er n. chid*ing*ly adv.
chewy candy, o chew the cud reflect; ruminate, chew chief /cheef/ n. &
adj. *n. 1 a a leader or ruler, b the
the fat (or rag) 5/. 1 chat. 2 grumble, chew on 1 work head of a tribe, clan, etc. 2 the head of a department;
continuously between the teeth {chewed on a piece of the highest official. 3 Heraldry the upper third of a
string). 2 think about; meditate on. chew out colloq. shield. *adj. (usu. attrib.) 1 first in position, impor-
reprimand, chew over 1 discuss; talk over. 2 think tance, influence, etc. (chief engineer). 2 prominent;
about; meditate on. chew»a»ble adj. chew»er n. leading, dd chief»dom n.
chew»ing gum n. flavored gum for chewing, typically chief ex»ec»u»tive of»fi»cer n. the highest ranking
sold in packets of individually wrapped thin strips. executive in a corporation, organization, etc. \ Abbr.:
chewy /chobee/ adj. (chewier, chewiest) 1 needing CEO.
much chewing. 2 suitable for chewing, dd che witness chief justice n. 1 the presiding judge in a court hav-
n. ing several judges. 2 (Chief Justice of the United
Chey»enne /shlan, -en/ n. &
adj. mn. 1 a a N. Amer- States) the presiding judge of the US Supreme Court.
ican people formerly living between the Missouri and chieMy /che'eflee/ adv. above all; mainly but not exclu-
Arkansas rivers, b a member of this people. 2 the lan- sively.
guage of this people, madj. of or relating to the Chey- chief of staff n. the senior staff officer of a service or
enne or their language. command.
Chi /ki/ n. the twenty-second letter of the Greek alphabet chieMain /cheeftan/ n. (fern, chieftainess /-tanis/) the
(X,x). leader of a tribe, clan, etc. dd chief«tain»cy /-tansee/ n.
Chi»an»ti/keea'antee,keean-/n. (pi. Chiantis) a dry, red (pi. «cies). chief*tain*ship n.
Italian wine. chiWon /shifon, shifon/ n. &
adj. mn. a light, diapha-
chi»a»ro«scu»ro /keeaaraskcbro/ n. 1 the treatment of nous fabric of silk, nylon, etc. madj. 1 made of chiffon.
light and shade in drawing and painting. 2 the use of 2 (of a pie filling, dessert, etc.) light-textured.
contrast in literature, etc. 3 (attrib.) half-revealed. chif»fo»nier /shifaneer/ n. 1 a tall chest of drawers. 2 a
chic /sheek/ adj. & n. madj. (chicer, chicest) stylish; el- movable low cupboard with a sideboard top.
egant (in dress or appearance). •«. stylishness; ele- chig-ger /chig^r/ n. 1 (also chigoe)a tropical parasitic
gance, dd chic«ly adv. flea of the genus Tunga. 2 any harvest mite of the ge-
chi»cane /shikayn/ n. & v. •«. 1 chicanery. 2 an artifi- nus Leptotrombidium, with parasitic larvae.
cial barrier or obstacle on an automobile racecourse. chi*gnon /she'enyon, sheenyon/ n. a coil or knot of hair
3 Bridge a hand without trumps, or without cards of worn at the back of the head.
one suit. mv. archaic 1 intr. use chicanery. 2 tr. (usu. chi'hua-hua /chiwa'awo/ n. a very small dog of a
foil, by into, out of, etc.) cheat (a person). smooth-haired, large-eyed breed originating in Mex-
chi»can«er»y/shikaynoree/«. (pi. «ies) 1 clever but mis- ico.
leading talk; a false argument. 2 trickery; deception. chilblain /chilblayn/ n. a painful, itchy swelling of the
Chi«ca»no /chikaano/ n. (pi. «nos; fern. Chicana, pi. • skin, usu. on a hand, foot, etc., caused by exposure m
nas) an American of Mexican origin. cold and by poor circulation, n chil*blained </</;
i i

chi»chi /she'eshee/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 (of a thing) frilly; child /child/ n. (pi. children /children/) 1 a young htl ;i

showy. 2 (of a person or behavior) fussy; affected, mn.
1 overrefinement; pretentiousness; fussiness. 2 a frilly,
showy, or pretentious object.
Chick /chik/ n. 1a young bird, esp. one newly hatched.
man being below the age of puberty, ban unbom "'
newborn human being. 2 one's son or daughter <;ii in]
age). 3 (foil, by of) a descendant, follower, adhcu tit,
or product of (children of Israel; hild <>l Qod\ hild <>/ '/</
< >

2 si a young woman. ture). 4 a childish person, i

childless <ulj. child-less*
it i

chick»a«dee /chikodee/ n. any of various small birds of ness n.

 i

Child»bear»ing /childbairing/ n. the act of giving birth 131 childbearing ~ chin-up

to a child or children.
child-birth /chi'ldbarth/ n. the act of giving birth to a chim»pan»zee /chimpanzee, chimpanzee/ n. a small Af-
child. rican anthropoid ape, Pan troglodytes.
child care n. the care of children, esp. by someone other Chin /chin/ n. the front of the lower jaw. chin up col-
than a parent, as at a day-care center, etc. loq. cheer up. keep one's chin up colloq. remain cheer-
child*hood /childhood/ n. the state or period of being ful, esp. in adversity, take on the chin 1 suffer a severe
a child. blow from (a misfortune, etc.). 2 endure courageous-
child»ish /childish/ adj. 1 of, like, or proper to a child. ly, oa -chinned adj. (in comb.).

2 immature, silly, dd child«ish«ly adv. child*ish*ness n. chi»na /china/ n. &

adj. »n. 1 a kind of fine white or
childlike /childlik/ adj. having the good qualities of a translucent ceramic ware, porcelain, etc. 2 things
child as innocence, frankness, etc. made from ceramic, esp. household tableware. 3 Brit,
child*proof /childproof/ adj. that cannot be damaged rhyming si. one's 'mate,' i.e., husband or wife (short for
nor operated by a child. china plate), madj. made of china.
children p/. of child. chi»na clay n. kaolin.
Chil»e»an /chileean, chilayan/ n. &
adj. »n. 1 a native Chi»na»tOWn /chinatown/ n. a district of any non-Chi-
or national of Chile in S.America. 2 a person of Chil- nese city in which the population is predominantiy
ean descent. • adj. of or relating to Chile. Chinese.
Chil«e salt*pe*ter /chilee/ n. (also Chil«e ni«ter) natu- chinch /chinch/ n. (in full chinch bug) 1 a small insect,
rally occurring sodium nitrate. Blissus leucopterus, that destroys the shoots of grasses
chiM /chilee/ n. (pi. «ies) a small, hot-tasting dried red and grains. 2 a bedbug.
pod of a capsicum, Capsicum frutescens, used as sea- chin*chil«la /chinchita/ «. 1 a any small rodent of the
soning and in curry powder, cayenne pepper, etc. genus Chinchilla, native to S. America, having soft, sil-
chil*i*ad /kileead/ n. la thousand. 2 a thousand years. ver-gray fur and a bushy tail, b its highly valued fur.
Chii*i*asm /kileeazam/ n. the doctrine of or belief in 2 a breed of cat or rabbit.
Christ's prophesied reign of 1,000 years on earth (see chin-chin chinchin' int. Brit, colloq. a toast; a greeting
millennium) . or farewell.
Chil»i pow»der n. a powder made of dried chilies, gar- chine /chin/ n. & v. «n. 1 a a backbone, esp. of an an-
lic, herbs, spices, etc., used as a seasoning. imal, b a joint of meat containing all or part of this.
Chill /chil/ n.,v.,& adj. • n. 1 a an unpleasant cold sen- 2 a ridge or arete, mv.tr. cut (meat) across or along the
sation; lowered body temperature, b a feverish cold backbone.
{catch a chill). 2 unpleasant coldness (of air, water, Chinese /chmeez/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 of or relating to
etc.). 3 a a depressing influence (cast a chill over), b a China. 2 of Chinese descent. %n. 1 the Chinese lan-
feeling of fear or dread accompanied by coldness. guage. 2 (pi. same) a a native or national of China.
4 coldness of manner. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become b a person of Chinese descent.
cold. 2 tr. depress; dispirit. 3 tr. cool (food or drink); Chinese cab*bage n. a lettucelike cabbage, Brassica
preserve by cooling. 4 intr. si. = chill out. 5 tr. harden chinensis.
(molten metal) by contact with cold material, adj. = Chinese lan»tern n. 1 a collapsible paper lantern. 2 a
chilly, d chill out become calm or less agitated, take plant, Physalis alkekengi, bearing white flowers and
the chill off warm slightly, dd chillier n. chill*ing*ly adv. globular orange fruits enclosed in an orange-red, pa-
chilliness n. pery calyx.
ch I l«y /chilee/ adj. (chillier, chilliest) 1 (of the weather Chink /chingk/ n. si. offens. a Chinese person, nn Chink*
or an object) somewhat cold. 2 (of a person or animal) y adj.
feeling somewhat cold; sensitive to the cold. 3 un- Chink /chingk/ n. 1 an unintended crack that admits
1

friendly; unemotional, dd chilliness n. light or allows an attack; a flaw. 2 a narrow opening; a

chime /chim/ n.&jj.»n.1aa set of attuned bells, b the slit.
series of sounds given by this, c (usu. in pi.) a set of chink 2 /chingk/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. make a slight ringing
attuned bells as a door bell. 2 agreement; correspond- sound, as of glasses or coins striking together. 2 tr.
ence; harmony, tula intr. (of bells) ring, b tr. sound cause to make this sound. *n. this sound.
(a bell or chime) by striking. 2 tr. show (the hour) by chin*less /chinlis/ adj. colloq. weak or feeble in char-
chiming. 3 intr. (usu. foil, by together, with) be in agree- acter.
ment; harmonize, n chime in 1 interject a remark. chi»no/cheeno/ n. (pi. »nos) 1 a cotton twill fabric, usu.
2 join in harmoniously. 3 (foil, by with) agree with. khaki-colored. 2 (in pi.) a garment, esp. trousers,
an chim«er n. made from this.
chi«me«ra /kime'era, kee-/ (also chi»mae»ra) n. 1 (in Chino- /chino/ comb, form = Sixo-.
Greek mythology) a fire-breathing female monster Chi*nook /shanobk, cha-/ n. 1 a a N. American people
with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail. native to the northwestern coast of the US. b a mem-
2 a fantastic or grotesque product of the imagination; ber of this people. 2 the language of this people and
a bogey. 3 any fabulous beast with parts taken from other nearby peoples. 3 (Chinook) a a warm, dry wind
various animals. 4 Biol, a an organism containing ge- that blows east of the Rocky Mountains, b a warm,
netically different tissues, formed by grafting, muta- wet southerly wind west of the Rocky Mountains.
tion, etc. b a nucleic acid formed by laboratory ma- do Chi*nook*an adj.
nipulation, nn chi»mer«ic /-merik/ adj. chi»mer»i»cal chintz /chints/ n. &adj. *n. a printed, multicolored cot-
adj. chi«mer«i»caMy adv. ton fabric with a glazed finish. *adj. made from or up-
chinvney /chimnee/ n. (pi. «neys) 1 a vertical channel holstered with this fabric.
conducting smoke or combustion gases, etc., up and chintz»y /chintsee/ adj. (chintzier, chintziest) 1 like
away from a fire, furnace, etc. 2 the part of this that chintz. 2 gaudy; cheap. 3 characteristic of the decor
projects above a roof. 3 a glass tube protecting the associated with chintz soft furnishings, do chintz«My
flame of a lamp. 4 a narrow vertical crack in a rock adv. chintz*i*ness n.
face, often used by mountaineers to ascend. Chin-up n. an exercise in which the chin is raised up to
chinrwiey sweep n. a person whose job is removing the level of an overhead horizontal bar that one grasps.
soot from inside chimneys.
chimp /chimp/ n. colloq. = chimpanzee. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

chip ~ chock 132 chis*el /chizal/

n. &
v. • n. a hand tool with a squared,

beveled blade for shaping wood, stone, or metal. »v.

chip /chip/ n. &
v • n. 1 a small piece removed by or
. 1 tr. (chiseled, chiseling; esp. Brit, chiselled, chisel-

in the course of chopping, cutting, or breaking, esp. ling) cut or shape with a chisel. 2 tr. (as chiseled adj.)
from hard material such as wood or stone. 2 the place (of facial features) sharply denned. 3 tr. &
intr. si.

where such a chip has been made. 3 a = potato chip. cheat; swindle, dd chis»el»er n.
b (usu. in pi.) a strip of potato, deep fried (fish and chit /chit/ n. 1 derog. or joe. a young, small, or frail girl
1

chips). 4 a counter used in some gambling games to or woman (esp. a chit of a girl) 2 a young child.
.

represent money. 5 Electronics - microchip. 6 Brit, a a chit 2 /chit/ n. 1 a note of requisition; a note of a sum
thin strip of wood, straw, etc., used for weaving hats, owed, esp. for food or drink. 2 esp. Brit, a note or mem-
baskets, etc. b a basket made from these. 7 (in soccer, orandum.
golf, and other sports) a short shot, kick, or pass with Chit*chat /chitchat/ n. &
v. colloq. *n. light conversa-

the ball describing an arc. • v. (chipped, chipping) 1 tr. tion; gossip. • v. intr. (-charted, 'Chatting) talk informal-
(often foil, by off, away) cut or break (a piece) from a ly; gossip.

hard material. 2 intr. (foil, by at, away at) cut pieces chi«tin /kit'n/ n. Chem. a polysaccharide forming the
off (a hard material) to alter its shape, break it up, etc. major constituent in the exoskeleton of arthropods
3 intr. (of stone, china, etc.) be susceptible to being and in the cell walls of fungi, dd chi»tin»ous adj.
chipped; be apt to break at the edge {will chip easily) chi«ton /kit'n, -ton/ n. 1 a long, woolen tunic worn by
4 tr. (also absol.) Soccer, etc., & Golf strike or kick (the ancient Greeks. 2 any marine mollusk of the class
ball) with a chip (cf sense 7 of n. ) 5 tr. (usu. as chipped
. . Amphineura, having a shell of overlapping plates.
adj.) cut into chips. chip in colloq. 1 interrupt or con- chiMeMings /chitlinz/ n. (also chiWings, chiMins) the
tribute abruptly to a conversation (chipped in with a small intestines of pigs, etc., esp. as cooked for food.
reminiscence). 2 contribute (money or resources), a chivalrous /shivalras/ adj. 1 (usu. of a male) gallant;
chip off the old block a child who resembles a parent, honorable; courteous. 2 involving or showing chival-
esp. in character, a chip on one's shoulder colloq. a dis- ry, dd chival»rous»ly adv.
position or inclination to feel resentful or aggrieved. chiv»al«ry /shivslree/ n. 1 the medieval knightly system
have had one's chips Brit, colloq. be unable to avoid with its religious, moral, and social code. 2 the
defeat, punishment, etc. in the chips 5/. moneyed; af- combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight,
fluent, when the chips are down colloq. in times of dis- esp. courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and readiness to
couragement or disappointment. help the weak. 3 a man's courteous behavior, esp. to-
chip*board /chipbawrd/ n. a rigid sheet or panel made ward women, dd chiv»al»ric adj.
from compressed wood chips and resin. chive /chiv/ n. a small alliaceous plant, Allium schoeno-
chip*munk /chipmungk/ n. any ground squirrel of the prasum, having purple-pink flowers and dense tufts of
genus Tamias or Eutamias, having alternate light and long tubular leaves, which are used as an herb.
dark stripes running down the body. chla»myd»i«a/kl3midee3/n. (pi. chlamydiae/-dee-ee/)
Chip«pen*dale /chip3ndayl/ adj. 1 (of furniture) de- any parasitic bacterium of the genus Chlamydia, some
signed or made by the English cabinetmaker Thomas of which cause diseases such as trachoma, and non-
Chippendale (d. 1779). 2 in the ornately elegant style specific urethritis.
of Chippendale's furniture. chlor- var. of chloro-.
chip»per /chipar/ adj. colloq. 1 cheerful. 2 smartly chlo»ride/klawrid/«. Chem. any compound of chlorine
dressed. with another element or group.
Chip«pe»wa /chipawaw, -ws, -waa, -way/ n. = Ojibwa. chlo»ri»nate /klawrinayt/ v.tr. 1 impregnate or treat
chip-py /chipee/ adj. (chippier, chippiest) marked by
1
with chlorine. 2 Chem. cause to react or combine with
belligerence or aggression, esp. in the play of ice hock- chlorine, dd chlo»ri»na»tor n.
ey. chlo»ri»na»tion /klawrinayshan/ n. 1 the treatment of
2
chip»py /chipee/ n. (also chip*pie) (pi. -pies) 1 derog. water with chlorine to disinfect it. 2 Chem. a reaction
a promiscuous female; a prostitute. 2 Brit, colloq. afish- in which chlorine is introduced into a compound.
and-chip store. chlo«rine /klawreen/ n. Chem. a poisonous, greenish-
chip shot = chip n. 7. yellow gaseous element of the halogen group occur-
chi»ral /kiral/ adj. Chem. (of a crystal, etc.) not super- ring naturally in salt, seawater, rock salt, etc., and used
imposable on its mirror image, no chi«ral»i»ty /-ralitee/ for purifying water, bleaching, and the manufacture
n. of many organic chemicals. 1, Symb.: CI.
chiro- /kiro/ (also cheiro-) comb, form of the hand. chloro- /klawro/ comb, form (also chlor- esp. before a
chi»rog»ra»phy /kirografee/ n. handwriting; calligraphy. vowel) 1 Bot. &Mineral, green. 2 Chem. chlorine.
chi«ro«man»cy /kl'ramansee/ n. palmistry. chlo»ro«fluor»o«car»bon n. see CFC.
chi»rop«o»dy /kiropadee/ = podiatry, dd chi»rop«o»dist chlo»ro»form /klawrDfawrm/ n. &v. • n. a colorless, vol-
n. atile, sweet-smelling liquid used as a solvent and for-
chiTO»prac»tic /ki'rapraktik/ n. the diagnosis and ma- merly used as a general anesthetic. ^| Chem. formula:
nipulative treatment of mechanical disorders of the CHC1 V » v.tr. render (a person) unconscious with this.
joints, esp. of the spinal column, an chi»ro»prac»tor n. chlo»ro«phyll /klawrofil/ n. the green pigment found in
chi»rop»ter«an ki'roptaran/ n. any member of the or- most plants, responsible for light absorption Co pro
der Chiroptera, with membraned limbs serving as vide energy for photosynthesis, dd chlo»ro»phyMous
wings, including bats and flying foxes, dd chi»rop»ter» /-filos/ adj.
ous adj. chlo*ro«plast /klawroplast/ n. a plastid containing chlo-
chirp /charp/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. (usu. of small birds, rophyll, found in plant cells undergoing photosynthe-
grasshoppers, etc.) utter a short, sharp, high-pitched sis.
note. 2 tr. &intr. (esp. of a child) speak or utter in a ChlO«ro»sis klr>r6sis/ n. 1 hist, a severe form <>! ;memi.i
lively or jolly way. • «. a chirping sound, en chirp*er ;/. from iron deficiency esp. in young women, «.ausin^ ;i

chirp»y /chirped adj. colloq. (chirpier,chirpiest) cheer- greenish complexion (cf. ORBENSH k). 2 BoC a redw
ful; lively, dd chirp»i«ly adv. chirp«i»ness n. tion or loss of the normal green coloration of plants
chir»rup chirop/ v. «& n. • v. intr. (chirruped, chirruping) dd chloroMc /-rotik/ adj.
(esp. of small birds) chirp, esp. repeatedly; twitter. • u. chock /chok/ n. ,v. , & adv. mn. a block or wedge of wood
a chirruping sound, on chir*rup*y adj. to check motion, esp. of a cask or a wheel. •->>.tr. 1 fit
 .

or make fast with chocks. 2 (usu. foil, by up) Brit, cram 133 chocolate ~ chorea
full. •adv. as closely or tightly as possible.

chooolate chawkatat, chawklat, chok-/ n. adj. • n. & cho«les»ter»ol kalestarawl, -roL n. Biochem. a sterol
1 a a food preparation in the form of a paste or solid found in most body tissues, including the blood, where
block made from roasted and ground cacao seeds, usu- high concentrations promote arteriosclerosis.
ally sweetened, b a candy made of or coated with this. Chomp chomp v.tr. = champ 1
.

c a drink made with chocolate. 2 a deep brown color.
• adj. 1 made from or of chocolate. 2 chocolate-col-
ored, zz chooolat»y adj. (also choc*o«lat»ey).
chocolate early 17th century (in the sense 'a drink
made with chocolate'): from French chocolat or Span- er. 3 tr. (usu. foil, by to + infin.) decide; be determined
ish chocolate, from Nahuatl chocolatl 'food made from
cacao seeds,' influenced by unrelated cacaua-atV drink
made from cacao/
choo-choo chobchoo n. colloq. (esp. as a child's word)
a railroad train or locomotive, esp. a steam engine.
Choose chooz/ v. (past chose choz; past part, chosen
chOzan/) 1 tr. select out of a greater number. 2 intr.
(usu. foil, by between, from) take or select one or anoth-
(chose to stay behind). 4 tr. (foil, by complement) select
as (was chosen king). 5 tr. Theol. (esp. as chosen adj.)
destine to be saved (God's chosen people) nothing (or .

Choctaw choktaw/ n. (pi. same or Choctaws) 1 a a little) to choose between them they are equivalent.
N. American people orig. from Alabama, b an individ- gd choos«er n.
ual of this people. C the language of this people. 2 (in choos»y chobzee/ adj. (choosier, choosiest) colloq.
skating) a step from one edge of a skate to the other fastidious, do choos«i»ly adv. choos»i«ness n.
edge of the other skate in the opposite direction. chop chop v, fr n. •v.tr. (chopped, chopping) 1
1

choice /choys/ n. &

adj. •n. 1 a the act or an instance (usu. foil, by off, down, etc.) cut or fell by a blow, usu.
of choosing, b a thing or person chosen (not a good with an axe. 2 (often foil, by up) cut (esp. meat or
choice). 2 a range from which to choose. 3 (usu. foil, vegetables) into small pieces. 3 strike (esp. a ball) with
by of) the elite; the best. 4 the power or opportunity a short heavy edgewise blow. 4 colloq. dispense with;
to choose (what choice have I?) • adj. of superior qual-
. shorten or curtail. •«. 1 a cutting blow, esp. with an
ity; carefully chosen, an choice»ly adv. choice»ness n. axe. 2 a thick slice of meat (esp. pork or lamb) usu.
choir /kwir/ n. 1 a regular group of singers, esp. taking including a rib. 3 a short, sharp, edgewise stroke or
part in church services. 2 the part of a cathedral or blow in tennis, karate, boxing, etc. 4 the broken mo-
large church between the altar and the nave, used by tion of water, usu. owing to the action of the wind
the choir and clergy. 3 a company of singers, birds, against the tide. 5 (prec. by the) Brit. si. a dismissal
angels, etc. (a heavenly choir). 4 Mus.a group of instru- from emplovment. D the action of killing or beins
ments of one family playing together (a clarinet choir). killed.
choir*boy /kwirboy/ n. (Jem. choirgirl) a child who sings chop 2 chop n. (usu. inp/.) the jaw of an animal, etc.
in a church or cathedral choir. chop«per chopsr n. 1 a person or thing that chops.
Choir loft n. a church gallery in which the choir is sit- 2 a butcher's cleaver. 3 colloq. a helicopter. 4 colloq. a
uated. type of bicycle or motorcycle with high handlebars. 5
choke /chok/ v.
1
&
n. »v. 1 tr. hinder or impede the (in pi.) si. teeth.
breathing of (a person or animal), esp. by constricting chop^py chopee adj. (choppier, choppiest) (of the
the windpipe or (of gas, smoke, etc.) by being un- sea, the weather, etc.) fairly rough, zz chop«pMy adv.
breathable. 2 intr. suffer a hindrance or stoppage of chop«pi*ness n.

breath. 3 tr. & intr. make or become speechless from
emotion. 4 retard the growth of or kill (esp. plants)
tr.
by the deprivation of light, air, nourishment, etc. 5 tr.
(often foil, by back) suppress (feelings) with difficul-
ty. 6 tr. block or clog (a passage, tube, etc.). 7 tr. en-
rich the fuel mixture in (an internal combustion en-
gine) by reducing the intake of air. • n. 1 the valve in
the carburetor of an internal combustion engine that
controls the intake of air. esp. to enrich the fuel mix-
ture. 2 Electr. an inductance coil used to smooth the
variations of an alternating current or to alter its phase.
choke down swallow with difficulty, choke up 1 be-
come overly anxious or emotionally affected (got all
choked up over that sad movie) 2 block (a channel, etc.)
. chord
chop Shop a garage in which stolen cars are
n. colloq.
dismantled so that the parts can be sold separately.
Chop«Stick chopstik n. each of a pair of small thin
sticks of wood or ivory, etc., held both in one hand as
eating utensils by the Chinese, Japanese, etc.
chop su»ey chopsob-ee n. (pi. -eys) a Chinese-style
dish of meat stewed and fried with bean sprouts, bam-
boo shoots, onions, and served with rice.
cho«ral kawral adj. of, for, or sung by a choir or cho-
rus, zz chora My adv.
cho«rale karal, -raal n. (also cho«ral) 1 a stately and
simple hymn tune; a harmonized version of this. 2 a
choir or choral society.
kawrd n. Mus. a group of (usu. three or more)
1

choke 2 /chok/ n. the center part of an artichoke. notes sounded together, as a basis of harmony.
choke«ber»ry /chokberee/ n. (pi. «ries) Bot. 1 any rosa- do chord*al adj.
ceous shrub of the genus Aronia. 2 its scarlet berrylike chord 2 kawrd n. 1 Math. QfAeron., etc. a straight line
fruit. joining the ends of an arc, the wings of an airplane,
Choke chain (or coMar) n. a chain looped around a etc. 2 Anat. = cord, c strike a chord 1 recall something
dog's neck to exert control by pressure on its wind- to a person's memory. 2 elicit sympathy, touch the
pipe when the dog pulls. right chord appeal skillfully to the emotions, zz chord*
Chok»er chokar/ n. 1a close-fitting necklace or orna- al adj.
mental neckband. 2 a clerical or other high collar. chor*date kawrdayt ;/. <£-' adj. »n. any animal of the
Chole- kolee/ comb, form (also chol- esp. before a vow- phylum Chordata, possessing a notochord at some
el) Med. & Chem. bile. stage during its development. • adj. of or relating to
choicer /kotar/ n. 1 hist, one of the four humors, bile. the chordates.
2 poet, or archaic anger; irascibility. chore chawr n. a tedious or routine task, esp. domes-
chol»er»a /kolara/ n. Med. an infectious and often fatal tic.
disease of the small intestine caused by the bacterium cho«re«a kawre'ea n. Med. a disorder characterized by
Vibrio cholerae, resulting in severe vomiting and diar- jerky involuntary movements affecting esp. the shoul-
rhea, dd chol*e*ra*ic /-rayik/ adj. ders, hips, and face.
chol»er»ic /kolarik, kalerik/ adj. irascible; angry.
dd chol«er«i»caMy adv. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
choreography ~ chromosome 134 emony. 3 colloq. use for the first time, nn chris*ten*er
n. chris»ten«ing n.

cho»re»o»graph /kawreeagraf/ v.tr. compose the cho- Chris»ten»dom /krisandam/ n. Christians worldwide,
reography for (a ballet, etc.). ao cho»re»og«ra«pher regarded as a collective body.
/-reeografar/ n. Christian /krischan/ ad/. &n. madj. 1 of Christ's teach-
cho«re»og»ra«phy/kawreeogr3fee/n. 1 the design or ar- ings or religion. 2 believing in or following the religion
rangement of a ballet or other staged dance. 2 the se- based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. 3 showing the
quence of steps and movements in dance. 3 the writ- qualities associated with Christ's teachings. 4 colloq.

ten notation for this, dd cho«re«o«graph»ic /-reeggrafik/
adj. cho»re«o»graph«i»caMy adv.
cho»re«ol»o«gy /kawreeolajee/ n. the study and descrip-
tion of the movements of dancing, dd cho«re»ol»o«gist
(of a person) kind; fair; decent. • n. 1 a a person who
has received Christian baptism, b an adherent of
Christ's teachings. 2 a person exhibiting Christian
qualities, dd Chris»tiarvize v.tr. &
intr. Chris*tian*i*za*

n. tion n.

chOTi»on /kawreesn/ n. the outermost membrane sur- Christian e«ra n. the era calculated from the tradition-

rounding an embryo of a reptile, bird, or mammal. al date of Christ's birth.

nn cho«ri«orvic /-reeonik/ adj. Chris»ti«an»i»ty /krischeeanitee/ n. 1 the Christian reli-
chor»is»ter /kawristar, kor-/ n. 1 a member of a choir, gion; its beliefs and practices. 2 being a Christian;
esp. a choirboy. 2 the leader of a church choir. Christian quality or character. 3 = Christendom.
chor»tle /chawrt'l/ v. &
n. •v.intr. colloq. chuckle glee- Christian name n. a forename, esp. as given at bap-
fully. *n. a gleeful chuckle. tism.
chorus /kawras/ n. &
v. • n. (pi. choruses) 1 a group Christian Science n. a Christian sect believing in the
(esp. a large one) of singers; a choir. 2 a piece of mu- power of healing by prayer alone, dd Christian Sci»en«
sic composed for a choir. 3 the refrain or the main part tist n.
of a popular song, in which a chorus participates. 4 any chris»tie /kristee/ n. (pi. 'ties) Skiing a
(also chris»ty)
simultaneous utterance by many persons, etc. (a cho- sudden turn in which thekept parallel, used
skis are
rus of disapproval followed) 5 a group of singers and
. for changing direction fast or stopping short.
dancers performing in concert in a musical comedy, Christ-mas /krismas/ n. (pi. Christmases) 1 (also
opera, etc. 6 GkAntiq. a in Greek tragedy, a group of Christ-mas Day) the annual of Christ's birth,
festival
performers who comment together in voice and move- celebrated on Dec. 25. 2 the season in which this
ment on the main action, b an utterance of the cho- occurs; the time immediately before and after Dec. 25.
rus. 7 esp. in Elizabethan drama, a character who dd Christ-mas-sy adj.
speaks the prologue and other linking parts of the play. Christ-mas rose a white-flowered, winter-blooming
8 the part spoken by this character. • v. tr. &
intr. (of a evergreen, Helleborus niger.
group) speak or utter simultaneously. in chorus (ut- chro»ma /kromo/ n. purity or intensity of color.
tered) together; in unison. chro«mat»ic /kromatik/ adj. 1 of or produced by color;
cho«rus girl n. a young woman who sings or dances in in (esp. bright) colors. 2 Mus. a of or having notes not
the chorus of a musical comedy, etc. belonging to a diatonic scale, b (of a scale) ascending
chose past of choose. or descending by semitones, dd chro-mat-i»caMy adv.
cho»sen past part, of choose. chro-mat-i-cism /-tisizam/ n.
chow /chow/ n. 1 si. food. 2 offens. a Chinese. 3 (in full chro»ma»tic»i«ty /krOmatisitee/ n. the quality of color
chow chow) a a dog of a Chinese breed with long hair regarded independently of brightness.
and bluish-black tongue, b this breed. chro«ma»tid /krOmatid/ n. either of two threadlike
chowder /chowdar/ n. a rich soup or stew usu. con- strands into which a chromosome divides longitudi-
taining fresh fish, clams, or corn with potatoes, onions, nally during cell division.
etc. chro»ma»tin /krOmatin/ n. the material in a cell nucleus
chow mein /chow mayn/ n. Chinese-style dish of fried
a. that stains with basic dyes and consists of protein,
noodles with shredded meat or shrimp, etc., and vege- RNA, and DNA, of which eukaryotic chromosomes
tables. are composed.
Chr. abbr. Chronicles (Old Testament). chromato— /kromato/ comb, form (also chromo-
chres»tom»a»thy /krestomathee/ n. (pi. -thies) a selec- /kr6mo/) color.
tion of passages from an author or authors, designed chro«ma»tog»ra»phy /kr6m3togrDfee/«. Chem. the sep-
to help in learning a language. aration of the components of a mixture by slow pas-
chrism /krizsm/ n. a consecrated oil or unguent used sage through or over a material which adsorbs them
esp. for anointing in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and differently, dd chro«mat»o«graph / -matagraf/ n. chro*
Orthodox Christian rites. mat*o*graph*ic adj.
chris»om /krizam/ n. 1 = chrism. 2 (in full chrisom chrome /krom/ n. 1 chromium, esp. as plating. 2 (in
cloth) hist.* white robe put on a child at baptism, and full chrome yellow) a yellow pigment obtained from
used as its shroud if it died within the month. lead chromate.
Christ /krist/ n. &
int. •«. 1 the title, also now treated chro»mite /kromit/ n. 1 Mineral, a black mineral of
as a name, given to Jesus of Nazareth, believed by chromium and iron oxides, which is the pniu ipal ore
Christians to have fulfilled the Old Testament proph- of chromium. 2 Chem. a salt of bivalent chromium.
ecies of a coming Messiah. 2 the Messiah as prophe- chro»mi»um /kromeeam/ n. Chem. a hard, white metal
sied in the OldTestament. • int. si. expressing surprise, lie transition element, occurring naturally as chromite
anger, etc. an Christ-hood n. ChrisMike adj. ChrisMy and used as a shiny decorative electroplated coating.
adj. 1Symb.:Cr.
Chris*ta*del«phi*an /kristadelfeeon/ n. &
adj. »n. a Chromo- /kromo/ comix form Chem. chromium
1

member of a Christian sect rejecting the doctrine of Chromo- 2 comb, form var. of CHROMATO ,

the Trinity and expecting a second coming of Christ chro*mo«lith»o»graph farimoUthagrati n, •» ; &9
on Earth, madj. of or adhering to this sect and its colored picture printed by lithograph) •V.tr, print or
beliefs. produce by this process chro-mo-li-thog-ra-pher
Christen /krisan/ v.tr. 1 give a Christian name to at lithografar/ >/. chro»mo»lith»o*graph»ic ad/. chro«mo»
baptism as a sign of admission to a Christian church. li*thog*ra*phy / lithografbe n.
2 give a name to anything, esp. formally or with a cer- chro«mo«some /kromasom n. Biochem. one of tin-
 threadlike structures, usu. found in the cell nucleus, 135 chromosphere - chute
that carry the genetic information in the form of genes.
an chro«mo«so»mal adj. chuff /chuf/ v.intr. (of a steam engine, etc.) work with
chro»mo«sphere /kromasfeer/ n. a gaseous layer of the a regular sharp puffing sound.
sun's atmosphere between the photosphere and the chug /chug/ v.&n. •v.intr. (chugged, chugging) 1 emit
corona, do chromo«spher«ic /-sfe'erik, -sfer-/ adj. a regular muffled explosive sound, as of an engine run-
Chron. abbr. Chronicles (Old Testament). ning slowly. 2 move with this sound. •«. a chugging
chron»ic /kronik/ adj. 1 persisting for a long time (usu. sound.
of an illness or a personal or social problem). 2 hav- chuk*ker /chukar/ n. (also chuk*ka) each of the peri-
ing a chronic complaint. 3 colloq. disp. habitual; invet- ods of play into which a game of polo is divided.
erate (a chronic liar). 4 Brit, colloq. very bad; intense; chum /chum/ n. &
v. • «. colloq. (esp. among school-

severe, dd chron«i«caMy adv. chro«nic»i»ty /kronisitee/ children) a close friend, •v.intr. (often foil, by with)
n. Brit, share rooms. chum up (often foil, by with) be-
Chronic is often used to mean 'habitual, inveterate,' come a close friend (of), dd churrvmy adj. (chummier,
e.g., a chronic liar. Some
consider this use incorrect. chummiest). chum«mi«ly adv. chum«mi»ness n.
The precise meaning of chronic is 'persisting for a long chump /chump/ n. 1 a colloq. a foolish person, b an eas-
time' and it is used chiefly of illnesses or other prob- ily deceived person; a sucker. 2 Brit, the thick end, esp.

lems, e.g., More than one million people in the United of a loin of lamb or mutton (chump chop). 3 a short
States have chronic bronchitis. thick block of wood.
chron»i«cle /kronikal/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a register of events chunk /chungk/n. 1 a thick, solid slice or piece of some-
in order of their occurrence. 2 a narrative; a full ac- thing firm or hard. 2 a substantial amount or piece.
count. 3 (Chronicles) the name of two of the histor- chunk*y /chungkee/ adj. (chunkier, chunkiest) 1 con-
ical books of the OldTestament or Hebrew bible. • v. tr. taining or consisting of chunks. 2 short and thick;
record (events) in the order of their occurrence. small and sturdy. 3 (of clothes) made of a thick mate-
dd chronicler n. rial, dd chunk*i*ness n.

chrono- /krono/ comb, form time. Chun*nel /chunal/ n. colloq. a tunnel under the English
chron*o*graph /kronagraf, krona-/ n. 1 an instrument Channel linking England and France.
for recording time with extreme accuracy. 2 a stop- Church /charch/ n. &u m. 1 a building for public
watch, dd chron»o»graph«ic adj. (usu. Christian) worship. 2 a meeting for public wor-
chron»o«log»i«cal /kronalojikal/ adj. 1 (of a number of ship in such a building (go to church; met after church).
events) arranged or regarded in the order of their oc- 3 (Church) the body of all Christians. 4 (Church) the
currence. 2 of or relating to chronology, dd chron«o» clergy or clerical profession (went into the Church).
log*i*cal*ly adv. 5 (Church) an organized Christian group or society
chro»nol»o»gy /kranolajee/ n. (pi. «gies) 1 the study of of any time, country, or distinct principles of worship
historical records to establish the dates of past events. (the Baptist Church; Church of England). 6 institution-
2 a the arrangement of events, dates, etc., in the order alized religion as a political or social force (church and
of their occurrence, b a table or document displaying state) . • v. tr. bring to church for a service of thanks-
this, dd chro»nol»o«gist n. chro»nol«o»gize v.tr. giving.
chro»nom»e»ter /kranomitar/ n. a time-measuring in-
church Old English cir(i)ce, cyr(i)ce, related to Dutch
strument, esp. one keeping accurate time at all tem-
kerk and German Kirche, based on medieval Greek
peratures and used in navigation.
kurikon,from Greekkuriakon (doma) 'Lord's (house),'
chro»nom»e»try /kranomitree/ n. the science of accu-
from kurios 'master or lord.'
rate time measurement. dd chron»o«metTic
/kronametrik/ adj. chron«o«met«ri«cal adj. chron«o«met» church»go»er /charchgoar/ n. a person who goes to
ri»caMy adv. church, esp. regularly, dd church*go«ing n. adj. &
chrys»a»lis/krisalis/«. (also chrysalid) (pi. chrysalides church»man /charchman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a member
/krisalideez/ or chrysalises) 1 a a quiescent pupa of a of the clergy or of a church. 2 a supporter of the
butterfly or moth, b the hard outer case enclosing it. church.
2 a preparatory or transitional state. Church of England n. the English Church, recognized

chry»san»the»mum /krisanthamam/ any composite n. by the British government and having the British sov-
plant of the genus Chrysanthemum, having brightly col- ereign as its head.
ored flowers. Church»y /charchee/ adj. 1 obtrusively or intolerantly
chub /chub/ n. a thick-bodied, coarse-fleshed river fish, devoted to the Church or opposed to religious dissent.
Leuciscus cephalus. 2 like a church, dd church*i*ness n.
chub*by /chubee/ adj. (chubbier, chubbiest) plump church*yard /charchyaard/ n. the enclosed ground
and rounded (esp. of a person or a part of the body). around a church, esp. as used for burials.
dd chub*bi*ly adv. chub*bi*ness n. Churl /charl/ n. an ill-bred person.
chuck /chuk/ v. &n. mv.tr. 1 colloq. fling or throw care-
1
churNish /charlish/ adj. surly; mean, dd churl*ish*ly
lessly or with indifference. 2 colloq. give up; reject; adv. churl'istvness n.
abandon; jilt (chucked my job; chucked her boyfriend). churn /charn/ n. &v. • n. 1 a machine for making but-
3 touch playfully, esp. under the chin. • n. a playful ter by agitating milk or cream. 2 Brit, a large milk can.
touch under the chin, o chuck it 5/. stop; desist, chuck • v. 1 tr. agitate (milk or cream) in a churn. 2 tr. pro-
out colloq. 1 expel (a person) from a gathering, etc. duce (butter) in this way. 3 tr. (usu. foil, by up) cause
2 get rid of; discard. distress to; upset; agitate. 4 intr. (of a liquid) seethe;
chuck 2 /chuk/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a cut of beef between the foam violently (the churning sea) 5 . tr. agitate or move
neck and the ribs. 2 a device for holding a workpiece (liquid) vigorously, causing it to foam, o churn out pro-
in a lathe or a tool in a drill, •v.tr. fix (wood, a tool, duce routinely or mechanically, esp. in large quanti-
etc.) to a chuck. ties.
chuck»le /chukal/ v. &
n. •v.intr. laugh quietly or in- chute /shoot/ n. 1 a sloping channel or slide, with or
1

wardly. • «. a quiet or suppressed laugh, dd chuck*ler without water, for conveying things to a lower level.
n. 2 a slide into a swimming pool. 3 a cataract or cascade
chuck wag*on n. a wagon for storing food and prepar-
ing meals on a ranch, etc. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

chute - circuit 136 cin»der block n. a concrete building block, usu. made
from cinders mixed with sand and cement.
of water; a steep descent in a riverbed producing a Cin»der»eMa/sind3rel3/«. 1 a person or thing of unrec-
swift current. ognized or disregarded merit or beauty. 2 a neglected
chute 2 /shoot/ n. colloq. parachute, no chut-ist n. or despised member of a group.
chutTiey /chutnee/ n. (pi. »neys) a pungent orig. In- cine— /sins/ comb, form pertaining to film or movies
dian condiment made of fruits or vegetables, vinegar, (cinephotography)
spices, sugar, etc. cin«e»aste /sineeast/ n. (also cin*e*ast) 1 a person who
chutz*pah /khobtspa/ n. (also chutzpa) si. shameless makes films, esp. professionally. 2 a movie lover.
audacity; gall. cin»e»ma /sinams/ n. 1 a films collectively, b the
CI abbr. Channel Islands. production of films as an art or industry; cinematog-
Ci abbr. curie(s). raphy. 2 Brit, a theater where motion pictures are
CIA abbr. Central Intelligence Agency. shown.
cia»0 /chow/ int. colloq. 1 good-bye. 2 hello. cin«e»mat«o«graph /sinamatagraf/ (also kinemato-
ci»bo»ri»um /sibawreeam/ n. (pi. ciboria /-reea/) a ves- graph /kin-/) n. a movie camera.
sel with an arched cover used to hold the Eucharist. cin«e»ma»tog«ra»phy /sinsmatografee/ n. the art of
ci*ca*da /sikaydo, -ka'ada/ n. (also ci*ca*la /sikaata/) (pi. making motion pictures, dd cin*e«ma*tog*ra*pher n.
cicadas or cicadae /-dee/) any transparent-winged cin»eTnat«o»graph»ic /-matagrafik/ adj. cin«ernat»o»
large insect of the family Cicadidae, the males of which graphically adv.
make a loud, rhythmic, chirping sound. cin»e»ma ve»ri»te /seenemaa vereetay/ n. Cinematog.
cic»a«trix /sikatriks, sikay-/ n. (also cic*a*trice /sikatris/) 1 the art or process of making realistic (esp, documen-

(pi. cicatrices /-triseez/) 1 any mark left by a healed tary) films that avoid artificiality and artistic effect.
wound; a scar. 2 Bot. a a mark on a stem, etc. left when 2 such films collectively.
,

a leaf or other part becomes detached, b a scar on the cin*e*plex /sinipleks/ n. a multiplex cinema.
bark of a tree, dd cic»a«tri»cial /-trishal/ adj. cin«e«rar»y /singreree/ adj. of ashes.
cic*e*ly /sisslee/ n. (pi. »lies) any of various umbellifer- cin*na*bar /sinabaar/ n. 1 a bright red mineral form of
ous plants, esp. sweet cicely (Myrrhis odoratd). mercuric sulfide from which mercury is obtained.
cic»e»ro»ne/chich9r6nee,sis3-/n. (pi. ciceroni pronunc. 2 vermilion.
same) a guide who gives information about antiqui- cin»na«mon /sinaman/ n. 1 an aromatic spice from the
ties, places of interest, etc., to sightseers. peeled, dried, and rolled bark of a SE Asian tree. 2 any
CID abbr. (in the UK) Criminal Investigation Depart- tree of the genus Cinnamomum, esp. C. zeylanicum
ment. yielding the spice. 3 yellowish-brown.
-cide /sid/ suffix forming nouns meaning: 1 a person or cipher /sifar/ n. &
v. (Brit, cipher or cypher) • ;/. 1 a a

substance that kills (regicide; insecticide). 2 the killing secret or disguised way of writing, b a thing written in
of (infanticide; suicide). this way. C the key to it. 2 the arithmetical symbol (0)
ci»der /si'dar/ n. 1 US a usu. unfermented drink made denoting no amount but used to occupy a vacant place
from crushed apples. 2 Brit, (also cyder) an alcohol- in decimal, etc., numeration (as in 12.05). 3 a person
ic drink made from fermented apple juice. or thing of no importance. 4 the interlaced initials of
ci-de»vant /se'edavoN/ adj. &
adv. that has been (with a person or company, etc.; a monogram, mv. 1 tr. put
person's earlier name or status); former or formerly. into secret writing; encipher. 2 a tr. (usu. foil, by out)
c.i.f. abbr. cost, insurance, freight (as being included in work out by arithmetic; calculate, b intr. archaic do
a price). arithmetic.
cig /sig/ n. colloq. cigarette; cigar. cir. abbr. (also circ.) 1 circle. 2 circuit. 3 circular. 4 cir-
ci*gar /siga'ar/ n. a cylinder of tobacco rolled in tobac- culation. 5 circumference.
co leaves for smoking. cir*ca /sarka/ prep, (preceding a date) about.
cig»a»rette /sigaret/ n. (also cig»a»ret) 1 a thin cylinder cir*ca*di*an /sarkaydeean/ adj. Physiol, occurring or
of finely cut tobacco rolled in paper for smoking. 2 a recurring about once per day.
similar cylinder containing a narcotic or medicated Cir»ce /sarsee/ n. a dangerously attractive enchantress.
substance. cir*cle /sarkal/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a a round plane figure
cig*a*ril*lo /sigarilo/ n. (pi. «los) a small cigar. whose circumference is everywhere equidistant from
cil»i»um /sileeam/ n. (pi. cilia /-leea/) 1 a short, minute, its center, b the line enclosing a circle. 2 a roundish
hairlike vibrating structure on the surface of some enclosure or structure. 3 a ring. 4 a curved upper tier
cells, causing currents in the surrounding fluid. 2 an of seats in a theater, etc. (dress circle). 5 a circular route.
eyelash, dd cil*i»ar*y adj. cil*i*ate /-ayt, -3t/ adj. cil-i-at- 6Archaeol. a group of (usu. large embedded) stones
ed adj. cil*i*a*tion n. arranged in a circle.7 persons grouped around a cen-
C. in C. abbr. commander in chief. ter of interest. 8 group (lit-
a set or class or restricted
cinch /sinch/ n. & v. •«. 1 colloq. a a sure thing; a cer- erary circles; not done in the best circles). 9 a period or
tainty, b an easy task. 2 a firm hold. 3 a girth for a sad- cycle (the circle of the year). 10 (in full vicious circle)
dle or pack, mv.tr. 1 a tighten as with a cinch (cinched a an unbroken sequence of reciprocal cause ami ef-
at the waist with a belt), b secure a grip on. 2 si. make fect, b the fallacy of proving a proposition from moth-
certain of. 3 put a cinch (sense 3) on. er which depends on the first for its own proof •
cin«chona /singkOno/ n. 1a any evergreen tree or 1 intr. (often foil, by around, about) move in a circle.
shrub of the genus Cinchona, native to S. America. 2 tr. a revolve around, b form a circle around. circle 1 1

b the bark of this tree, containing quinine. 2 any drug back move in a wide loop toward the starting point
from this bark formerly used as a tonic and to stimu- come full circle return to the starting point, go around
late the appetite, dd cin«cho»nic /-konik/ adj. cirvcho* in circles make no progress despite effort run around
nine /singkaneen/ n. in circles colloq, be fussily busy with little result, cir* i if i

cinc»ture /singkchnr/ n. literary a girdle, belt, or bor- cler n.

der. Cir»clet /snrklit/ n. 1 a small circle. 2 a i in niar band,
cin*der Pindar/ n. 1 the residue of coal or wood, etc., esp. of gold or jeweled, etc., as an ornament.
that has stopped giving off flames but still has com- cir*CUit /sorkit/ a a line or course enclosing an ai
n. 1
bustible matter in it. 2 slag. 3 (in pi.) ashes, d burned ea; the distancearound; the circumference, b the ar
to a cinder made useless by burning, no cin*der*y adj. ea enclosed. 2 lilcctr. a the path of current b the ,i
 .

apparatus through which a current passes. 3 a the 137 circuit board ~ Cistercian
journey of a judge in a particular district to hold courts.
b this district. C the lawyers following a circuit. 4 a close or outline. 2 lay down the limits of; confine; re-
chain of theaters, etc., under a single management. strict. 3 Geotn. draw (a figure) around another, touch-

5 Brit, an automobile racing track. 6 a a sequence of ing it at points but not cutting it (cf. inscribe), dd cir»
sporting events (the US tennis circuit) b a sequence of
. cum»scrib«a»ble adj. cir»cunvscrib«er n. cir»cunvscrip«
athletic exercises. 7 a roundabout journey. 8 a a group tion /-skripshan/ n.
of local Methodist churches forming a minor admin- cir*cum«spect /sarkamspekt/ adj. wary; cautious; tak-
istrative unit, b the journey of an itinerant minister ing everything into account, dd cir*cum«spec*tion
within this. /-spekshan/ n. cir»cunvspecWy adv.
circuit board n. Electronics a board of nonconductive cir»cum»stance /sgrkgmstans/ n. 1 a a fact, occur-
material on which integrated circuits, printed circuits, rence, or condition, esp. (in pi.) the time, place, man-
etc., are mounted or etched. ner, cause, occasion, etc., or surroundings of an act
cir»cu»i»tous /ssrkyob-itas/ adj. 1 indirect (and usu. or event, b (in pi.) the external conditions that affect
long). 2 going a long way around, dd cir*cu*i*tous*ly or might affect an action. 2 (often foil, by that +
adv. cir*cu«i*tous*ness n. clause) an incident, occurrence, or fact, as needing
cir»cuit»ry /sarkitree/ w. (pi -lies) 1 a system of electric consideration (the circumstance that he left early). 3 (in
circuits. 2 the equipment forming this. pi.) one's state of financial or material welfare (in re-
cir»CU»lar/s3rky3l3r/aJ>. &n. •adj. 1 a having the form duced circumstances) 4 ceremony; fuss (pomp and cir-
.

of a circle, b moving or taking place along a circle; in- cumstance), d in (or under) the (or these) circum-
direct; circuitous (circular route). 2 Logic (of reasoning) stances the state of affairs being what it is. in (or
depending on a vicious circle. 3 (of a letter or adver- under) no circumstances not at all; never, dd cir»cunv
tisement, etc.) printed for distribution to a large num- stanced adj.
ber of people. •«. a circular letter, leaflet, etc. dd cir* cir«cunvstan»tial /sarksmstanshgl/ adj. 1 given in full
cu*lar*i*ty /-laritee/ n. cir»cu»lar«ly adv. detail (a circumstantial account) 2 (of evidence, a legal
.

Cir»cu»lar«ize/s3rky3l3riz/ £Ur. 1 distribute circulars to. case, etc.) tending to establish a conclusion by infer-
2 seek opinions of (people) by means of a question- ence from known facts hard to explain otherwise.
naire, an cir*cu*lar*i*za*tion n. 3 a depending on circumstances, b adventitious; in-
cir»cu«!ate /sarkyslayt/ v. 1 intr. go around from one cidental, dd cir*cum*stan*ti*al*i*ty /-sheealitee/ n. cir»
place or person, etc., to the next and so on; be in cir- cunvstan«ti»aMy adv.
culation. 2 tr. a cause to go around; put into circula- cir»cum«vent /sarkamvent/ v.tr. 1 a evade (a difficul-
tion, b give currency to (a report, etc.). C circularize. ty); find a way around, b baffle; outwit. 2 entrap (an
3 intr. be actively sociable at a party, gathering, etc. enemy) by surrounding, dd cir»cum«ven»tion
nn cir*cu*la*tive adj. cir*cu*la*tor n. /-venshan/ n.
cir*cu*la«tion /sarkyglayshgn/ n. 1a movement back cir*cus /sarkgs/ n. (pi. circuses) 1 a traveling show of
and forth, or from and back to a starting point, esp. of performing animals, acrobats, clowns, etc. 2 colloq. a a
a fluid in a confined area or circuit, b the movement scene of lively action; a disturbance, b a group of peo-
of blood from and to the heart. C a similar movement ple in a common activity, esp. sports. 3 Brit, an open
of sap, etc. 2 a the transmission or distribution (of space in a town or city, where several streets converge
news or information or books, etc.). b the number of (Piccadilly Circus) 4 a circular hollow surrounded by
.

copies sold, esp. of journals and newspapers. 3 a cur- hills. 5 Rom.Antiq. a a rounded or oval arena with tiers
rency, coin, etc. b the movement or exchange of this of seats, for equestrian and other sports and games.
in a country, etc. in (or out of) circulation partici- b a performance given there (bread and circuses).
pating (or not participating) in activities, etc. cir«rno«sis /sirOsis/ n. a chronic disease of the liver
cir»cu»la»tO»ry /sarkyalatawree/ adj. of or relating to the marked by the degeneration of cells and the thickening
circulation of blood or sap. of surrounding tissues, as a result of alcoholism,
Circum. abbr. circumference. hepatitis, etc. dd cir»rhot«ic /sirotik/ adj.
cir*cum*cise /sarkamsiz/ v.tr. 1 cut off the foreskin, as cir*ri*ped /siriped/ n. (also cir*ri*pede /siripeed/) any
a Jewish or Muslim rite or a surgical operation. 2 cut marine crustacean of the class Cirripedia, having a
off the clitoris (and sometimes the labia), usu. as a re- valved shell and usu. sessile when adult, e.g., a bar-
ligious rite. nacle.
cir*cum*ci*sion /sarkamsizhan/ n. 1 the act or rite of Cirro- /siro/ comb, form cirrus (cloud).
circumcising or being circumcised. 2 (Circumcision) cir»rus /siras/ n. (pi. cirri 1-tU) 1 Meteorol. a form of
Eccl. the feast of the Circumcision of Christ, Jan. 1. white wispy cloud, esp. at high altitude. 2 Bot. a ten-
cir«cum»fer»ence /sarkumfarans/ n. 1 the enclosing dril. 3 Zool. a long, slender appendage or filament.
boundary, esp. of a circle or other figure enclosed by dd cir»rose adj. cir*rous adj.
a curve. 2 the distance around, dd cir*cum*fer*en«tial cis*al*pine /sisalpin/ adj. on the southern side of the
/-farenshal/ adj. cir»cum*fer*en*tiaMy adv. Alps.
cir»cum»f lex /sarkamfleks/ n. &
adj. • n. (in full circum- cis«at*lan*tic /sis9tlantik/ adj. (from the speaker's point
flex accent) a mark (rrj) placed over a vowel in some of view) on this side of the Atlantic.
languages to indicate a contraction, length, or a spec- cis«co /sisko/ n. (pi «coes) any of various freshwater
ial quality. *adj. Anat. curved, bending around some- whitefish of the genus Coregonus, native to N. Amer-
thing else (circumflex nerve) ica.
cir*cum*lo*cu*tion /sarkamlokyobshan/ n. 1 a a cis*lu*nar /sisloonar/ adj. between the earth and the
roundabout expression, b evasive talk. 2 the use of moon.
many words where fewer would do; verbosity, dd cir» Cist 1 /sist, kist/ n. (also kist /kist/) Archaeol a coffin or
cum*lo*cu*tion*al adj. cir«cunvlo»cu»tion»ar»y adj. cir» burial chamber made from stone or a hollowed tree.
cunvlO'CU'tiorvist n. cir«cunvloc»u»to«ry cist 2 /sist/ n. Gk.Antiq. a box used for sacred utensils.
/-lokyatawree/ adj. Cis*ter*cian /sistarshan/ n. &
adj. • n. a monk or nun
cir»cum»nav«i»gate /sarkamnavigayt/ v.tr. sail around of an order founded in 1098 as a stricter branch of the
(esp. the world), dd cir»cunvnavi»ga«tion /-gayshan/ Benedictines. *adj. of the Cistercians.
n. cir*cum*navi*ga*tor n.
cir»cum»scribe/s3rk3mskrib/zur. 1 (of a line, etc.) en- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

cistern ~ claim 138 3 of citizenship; civil, dd civ

to citizens (civic virtues).
j.caMy adv.
cis»tern /sistsrn/ n. 1 a tank or container for storing wa- civic ceivter n. 1 Brit, the area where municipal of-
ter, etc. 2 an underground reservoir for rainwater. fices and other public buildings are situated; the build-

cit. abbr. 1 citation. 2 cited. 3 citizen. ings themselves. 2 a municipal building with space for
cit*a*del /sitad'l, -del/ n. la fortress, usu. on high conventions, sports events, etc., and other public fa-
ground protecting or dominating a city. 2 a meeting cilities, often publicly supported.

hall of the Salvation Army. civics /siviks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the study of
ci*ta*tion /sitayshan/ n. 1 the citing of a book or other the rights and duties of citizenship.
source; a passage cited. 2 a mention in an official dis- civil /sivgl/ adj. 1 of or belonging to citizens. 2 of or-
patch. 3 a note accompanying an award, describing dinary citizens and their concerns, as distinct from
the reasons for it. military or naval or ecclesiastical matters. 3 polite;
cite /sit/ v.tr. 1 adduce as an instance. 2 quote (a pas- obliging; not rude. 4 Law relating to civil law (see be-
sage, book, or author) in support of an argument, etc. low), not criminal or political matters (civil court; civ-
3 mention in an official dispatch. 4 summon to appear il lawyer). 5 (of the length of a day, year, etc.) fixed by

in a court of law. dd cit»a»ble adj.
cit»yfied) usu. derog. citylike
cit»i»f ied /sitifid/ adj. (also
or urban in appearance or behavior.
cit*i*zen /sitizan/ n. 1a member of a nation or com-
monwealth, either native or naturalized {American cit-
izen). 2 (usu. foil, by of) a an inhabitant of a city, b a
freeman of a city. 3 a civilian, dd cit«i«zen»hood n. cit*
i»zervry n. cit«i»zen«ship n.
citizen's ar»rest n. an arrest by an ordinary person
without a warrant, allowable in certain cases.
ciH'Zervship /sitizanship/ n. 2> the character of a per-
. civil en«gi«neer n. an engineer who designs or main-
son, regarding his or her behavior as a member of soci-
ety (a youth group that promoted good citizenship)
custom or law, not natural or astronomical. 6 occur-
ring within a community or among fellow citizens;
internal (civil unrest), dd civiMy adv.
civil defense n. the organization and training of civil-
ians for the protection of lives and property during and
after attacks in wartime, natural disasters, emergen-
cies, etc.
civil dis»o»be*di»ence n. the refusal to comply with
certain laws or to pay taxes, etc., as a peaceful form of
political protest.
tains roads, bridges, dams, etc. dd civil en*gi*neer*ing
n.

cit*ric ac»id n. a sharp-tasting, water-soluble organic ci*vil*ian /sivilyan/ n. & adj. • «. a person not in the
acid found in the juice of lemons and other sour armed services or the police force, madj. of or for civil-
fruits. ians.
cit»ron /sitran/ n. 1a shrubby tree, Citrus medica, bear- ci*vil*ian«ize /sivilygniz/ v.tr. make civilian in character
ing large lemonlike fruits with thick fragrant peel. or function, dd ci*vil*ian*i*za*tion n.
2 this fruit. ci»vil«i»ty /sivilitee/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 politeness. 2 an act of
cit*ron*el*la /stoneta/ n. any fragrant grass of the ge-
1 politeness.
nus Cymbopogon, native to S. Asia. 2 the scented oil an advanced stage or
civ*i*li*za*tion /sivilazayshan/ n. 1
from these, used in insect repellent, and in perfume system of social development. 2 those peoples of the
and soap manufacture. world regarded as having this. 3 a people or nation
c it«r us /sitrss/ n. 1 any tree of the genus Citrus, includ- (esp. of the past) regarded as an element of social
ing citron, lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit. 2 (in evolution (ancient civilizations; the Inca civilization).
full citrus fruit) a fruit from such a tree, dd cit«rous 4 making or becoming civilized.
adj. civ«i»lize/sivilIz/'L>.rr. 1 bring out of a barbarous or prim-
cit»y /sitee/ n. (pi. »ies) 1 a a large town, b US a state- itive stage of society. 2 enlighten; refine and educate.
chartered municipal corporation occupying a definite dd civi«liz«a»ble adj. civi»liz»er n.
area. C Brit, (strictly) a town created a city by charter Civil law n. 1 law concerning private rights (opp. crim-
and containing a cathedral. 2 (the City) a the major inal law). 2 hist. Roman or nonecclesiastical law.
center of a region, b the part of London governed by civil lit>er»ty n. (often in pi) freedom of action and
the Lord Mayor and the Corporation. C the business speech subject to the law.
part of this, d Brit, commercial circles; high finance. Civil rights n.pl. the rights of citizens to political and
dd cit*yward adj. &
adv. citywards adv. social freedom and equality.

city Middle English: from Old French cite, from Lat-

civil servant n. a member of the civil service.
civil service n. the permanent professional branch-
in civitas, from civis 'citizen.' Originally denoting a
es of governmental administration, excluding military
town, and often used as a Latin equivalent to Old Eng-
lish burh 'borough,' the term was later applied to for-
and judicial branches and elected politicians.
civil war n. a war between citizens of the same coun-
eign and ancient cities and to the more important Eng-
try.
lish boroughs. The connection between city and
civ-vies /siveez/ n.pl. si civilian clothes.
cathedral grew up under the Norman kings, as the
CI symb. Chem. the element chlorine.
episcopal sees (many of which had been established
Cl abbr. 1 centiliter(s). 2 class.
in villages) were removed to the chief borough of the
diocese.
clack /klak/ v. &
n. •v.intr. 1 make a sharp sound ;is of
boards struck together. 2 chatter, esp. loudly. •«. 1 a
cit»y»f ied var.of citified. clacking sound. 2 clacking talk, nn clack»er ;/.
cit»y hall municipal offices or officers.
n. Clad' /klad/ adj. 1 clothed. 2 provided with ladding i

cit*y*scape /siteeskayp/ n. 1 a view of a city (actual or Clad 2 /klad/ v.tr. (cladding; past and pott part, cladded
depicted). 2 city scenery. or clad) provide with cladding.
Cit»y-state n. esp. hist, a city that with its surrounding Clad*ding /klading/ n. a covering or coatinn on |Q III ;i

territory forms an independent state. ture or material, etc.

civet /sivit/ n. 1 (in full civet cat) any catlike animal
of the mongoose family, esp. Civettictis civetta of Cen-
tral Africa, having well-developed anal scent glands.
2 a strong musky perfume obtained from the secre-
tions of these scent glands.
Civic /sivik/ adj. 1 of a city; municipal. 2 of or proper
Clade /klayd/ n. Biol, a group of organisms evolved from
a common ancestor.
Claim /klaym/ v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 a (often foil, bv tii.n +
clause) demand as one's due or property, b (uttl
absol.) submit a request for payment under an insm
ance policy. 2 a represent oneself as having or achiev-
 ing (claim victory), b (foil, by to + infin.) profess
(claimed to be the owner). C assert; contend (claim that
one knows). 3 have as a consequence (the fire claimed
many victims). 4 (of a thing) deserve (one's attention,
etc.). • n. 1 a a demand or request for something con-
sidered one's due (lay claim to; put in a claim), b an
application for compensation under the terms of an
insurance policy. 2 (foil, by to, on) a right or title to a
thing (his only claim to fame; have many claims on my
time). 3 a contention or assertion. 4 a thing claimed.
5 Mining a piece of land allotted or taken, dd claim*a*
ble adj. clairrrer n.
clainvant /klaymant/ n. a person making
in a lawsuit or for a government benefit.
clair«voy»ance /klairvoygns/ n. 1 the supposed faculty
of perceiving things or events in the future or beyond
normal sensory contact. 2 exceptional insight.
clair*voy*ant /klairvoyant/ n. &
adj. mn. a person hav-
ing clairvoyance. madj. having clairvoyance, dd clair*
voyanMy adv.
clam /klam/ n. &
v. • n. 1 any bivalve mollusk, esp. the
edible N. American hard or round clam (Mercenaria
mercenaria) or the soft or long clam (Mya arenaria).
2 colloq. a shy or withdrawn person, •v.intr. (clammed,
clamming) 1 dig for clams. 2 (foil, by up) colloq. ref-
use to talk.
clanvbake /klambayk/ n. a picnic at the seashore typ-
icallyfeaturing clams, lobsters, and ears of corn
steamed over hot stones beneath a layer of seaweed.
clanvber /klambsr/ v. &
n. •v.intr. climb with hands
and feet, esp. with difficulty or laboriously. • n. a dif-
ficult climb.
clanrmy /klamee/ (clammier, clammiest) 1 un-
adj.
pleasantly damp and sticky or slimy. 2 (of weather)
cold and damp, nn clam*mi*ly adv. clam*mi*ness n.
clanvor /klamar/ n. &
v. (Brit, clamour) • n. 1 loud or
vehement shouting or noise. 2 a protest or complaint;
an appeal or demand. mv. 1 intr. make a clamor. 2 tr.
utter with a clamor, no clam*or*ous adj. clam»or«ous»
ly adv. clam*or*ous*ness n.
clamp /klamp/ n. &
v. mn. a device,
esp. a brace or band of iron, etc., for
strengthening other materials or
holding things together, mv.tr.
1 strengthen or fasten with a clamp.
2 place or hold firmly. 3 immobilize
(an illegally parked car) by fixing a
clamp to one of its wheels. clamp
down 1 (often foil, by on) be rigid in
enforcing a rule, etc. 2 (foil, by on)
try to suppress.
clamp«down /klampdown/ n. severe
restriction or suppression. clamp
Clan /klan/ n. 1 a group of people with
a common ancestor, esp. in the Scottish Highlands.
2 a large family as a social group. 3 a group with a
strong common interest. 4 a a genus, species, or class.
b a family or group of animals, e.g., elephants.
clan*des*tine /klandestin/ adj. surreptitious; secret.
nn clan*des«tine*ly adv. clan»des*tin*i*ty /-tinitee/ n.
clang /klang/ n. &
v. mn. a loud, resonant, metallic
sound as of a bell or hammer, etc. mv. 1 intr. make a
clang. 2 tr. cause to clang.
Clang*er /klangar/ n. Brit. si. a mistake or blunder.
n drop a clanger commit a conspicuous indiscretion.
clang*or /klanggar/ «.1a prolonged or repeated clang-
ing noise. 2 an uproar or commotion, dd clang*or*ous
adj. clang»or*ous*ly adv.
clank /klangk/ n.&v.mn.a sound as of heavy pieces of
metal meeting or a chain rattling, mv. 1 intr. make a
clanking sound. 2 tr. cause to clank, nn clank*ing*ly
adv.
clap 1
/klap/ v. & n. mv. (clapped, clapping) 1
139 claimant ~ class
strike the palms of one's hands together as a signal or
repeatedly as applause, b tr. strike (the hands) together
in this way. 2 tr. a Brit, applaud or show one's approv-
al of (esp. a person) in this way. b slap with the palm
of the hand as a sign of approval or encouragement.
3 tr. (of a bird) flap (its wings) audibly. 4 tr. put or
place quickly or with determination (clapped him in
prison; clap a tax on whiskey), mn. 1 the act of clapping,
esp. as applause. 2 an explosive sound, esp. of thun-
der. 3 a slap; a pat. d clap eyes on colloq. see.
a claim, esp. clap 2 /klap/ n. coarse si. venereal disease, esp. gonor-
rhea.
clap»per /klapar/ n. the tongue or striker of a bell. like
the clappers Brit. si. very fast or hard.
clap»trap /klaptrap/ n. 1 insincere or pretentious talk;
nonsense. 2 language used or feelings expressed only
to gain applause.
claque /klak/ n. a group of people hired to applaud in
a theater, etc.
Clar»et /klarat/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 red wine, esp. from Bor-
deaux. 2 a deep purplish-red. madj. claret-colored.
clar»i»fy /klarifiV v. (•ties, -tied) 1 tr. &
intr. make or be-
come clearer. 2 tr. a free (liquid, butter, etc.) from im-
purities, b make transparent, c purify, nn clar«i«fi»ca«
tion n. clar«i«fi«er n.
clar»i»net /klarinet/ n.1aa woodwind instrument with
a single-reed mouthpiece, a cylindrical tube with a
flared end, holes, and keys, b its player. 2 an organ stop
with a quality resembling a clarinet, nn clar«i»net»ist n.
(also clar»i»neWist)
clar»i»on /klareean/ n. &
adj. mn. 1 a clear, rousing
sound. 2 hist, a shrill, narrow-tubed war trumpet. 3 an
organ stop with the quality of a clarion. • adj. clear and
loud.
clar«i«ty /klaritee/ n. the state or quality of being clear,
esp. ofsound or expression.
Clash /klash/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a loud, jarring sound as of
metal objects being struck together, b a collision, esp.
with force. 2 a a conflict or disagreement, b a discord
of colors, etc. mv. 1 a intr. make a clashing sound, b tr.
cause to clash. 2 intr. collide; coincide awkwardly.
3 intr. (often foil, by with) a come into conflict or be
at variance, b (of colors) be discordant, nn clash*er n.
clasp /klasp/ «.&D.i«.1aa device with interlocking
parts for fastening, b a buckle or brooch. C a metal fas-
tening on a book cover. 2 a an embrace; a person's
reach, b a grasp or handshake. 3 a bar of silver on a
medal ribbon with the name of the battle, etc., at which
the wearer was present, mv. 1 tr. fasten with or as with
a clasp. 2 tr. a grasp; hold closely, b embrace, encircle.
3 intr. fasten a clasp, n clasp hands shake hands with
fervor or affection, clasp one's hands interlace one's
fingers, nn clasp-er n.
clasper /klaspar/ n. (in pi.) the appendages of some
male fish and insects used to hold the female in cop-
ulation.
class /klas/ n. &
v. mn. 1 any set of persons or things
grouped together, or graded or differentiated from
others esp. by quality (first class; economy class) 2 a a .
division or order of society (upper class; professional clas-
ses), b a caste system; a system of social classes, c (the
classes) archaic the rich or educated. 3 colloq. distinc-
tion or high quality in appearance, behavior, etc.; styl-
ishness. 4 a a group of students taught together, b the
occasion when they meet. C their course of instruc-
tion. 5 all the college or school students of the same
standing or graduating in a given year (the class of
1990). 6 (in conscripted armies) all the recruits born
in a given year (the 1 950 class) 7 Brit, a division of can-
.
a intr. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

class-conscious ~ clean 140 tion of classes (classless society; classless accent) . dd class*
lessTiess n.

didates according to merit in an examination. 8 Biol. class*mate /klasmayt/ n. a fellow member of a class,
a grouping of organisms, the next major rank below a esp. at school.
division or phylum, mv.tr. assign to a class or catego- classTOom
/klasroom, -room/ n. a room in which a
ry, d in a class of its (or one's) own unequaled. no class of students
is taught, esp. in a school.

class colloq. a lack of quality or distinction, esp. in class*y /klasee/ adj. (classier, classiest) colloq. supe-
behavior. rior; stylish, dd class'My adv. class*i*ness n.
class-corvscious adj. aware of and reacting to social claMer /klatar/ n.&n#n.1a rattling sound as of many
divisions or one's place in a system of social class. hard objects struck together. 2 noisy talk. • v. 1 intr.
no class-con»scious»ness n. a make a clatter, b fall or move, etc., with a clatter. 2 tr.
Clas*sic /klasik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 a of the first class; of cause (plates, etc.) to clatter.
acknowledged excellence, b remarkably typical; out- clause /klawz/ n. 1 Gram, a distinct part of a sentence,
standingly important (a classic case) c having endur- . including a subject and predicate. 2 a single statement
ing worth; timeless. 2 a of ancient Greek and Latin lit- in a treaty, law, bill, or contract, dd claus*al adj.
erature, art, or culture, b (of style in art, music, etc.) claus*tro*pho*bi*a /klawstrafobeea/ n. an abnormal
simple, harmonious, well-proportioned; in accord- fear of confined places, dd claus«tro«phobe /-rafob/ n.
ance with established forms (cf. romantic). 3 having claus*tro*pho*bic /klawstrafobik/ adj. 1 suffering from
literary or historic associations (classic ground) 4 (of claustrophobia. 2 inducing claustrophobia, dd claus*
.

clothes) made in a simple elegant style not much af- tro»pho«bi«caMy adv.
fected by changes in fashion. • n. 1 a classic writer, art- clave 1
/klayv/ n. Mus. a hardwood stick used in pairs
ist, work, or example. 2 a an ancient Greek or Latin to make a hollow sound when struck together.
writer, b (in pi. ) the study of ancient Greek and Lat- clave 2 past of CLEAVE 2 .

in literature and history. 3 a garment in classic style. clav*i*chord /klavikawrd/ n. a small keyboard in-
Traditionally, classic means 'typical; excellent as an strument with a very soft tone.
example; timeless' and classical means 'of (esp. Greek clavicle /klavikal/ n. the collarbone, dd cla»vic*u*lar
or Roman) antiquity.' Thus: John Ford directed many /klavikyabr/ adj.
classicWesterns. The museum was built in the classical style. cla*vier /klave'er, klaveear, klayveear/ n. Mus. 1 any key-
Great art is considered classic, not classical, unless board instrument. 2 its keyboard.
it is created in the forms of antiquity. Classical music is claw /klaw/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a pointed horny nail on an

formal and sophisticated music adhering to certain animal's or bird's foot, b a foot armed with claws. 2 the
stylistic principles, esp. those of the late 18th century, pincers of a shellfish. 3 a device for grappling, hold-
but a classic folk song is one that well expresses its cul- ing, etc. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. scratch, maul, or pull (a per-

ture. A classical education exposes a student to classical
literature, disciplines, and languages (especially Latin
and Greek), but the study of Greek and Latin lan-
guages and their literature is also referred to as clas-
sics, as in he majored in classics at college.
clas*si*cal /klasikal/ adj. 1 a of ancient Greek or Latin
literature or art. b (of language) having the form used
by the ancient standard authors (classical Latin; clas-
sical Hebrew) C based on the study of ancient Greek
. the human body. 3 (in full clay pipe) a tobacco pipe
and Latin (a classical education) d learned in classical
. made of clay, dd clayey adj. clayish adj. claylike adj.
studies. 2 a (of music) serious or conventional; fol-
lowing traditional principles and intended to be of per-
manent rather than ephemeral value (cf. popular,
light), b of the period c. 1750-1800 (cf. romantic).
3 a in or following the restrained style of classical an-
tiquity (cf. romantic), b (of a form or period of art,
etc.) representing an exemplary standard; having a
long-established worth. 4 Physics relating to the con-
cepts that preceded relativity and quantum theory.
dd clas*si*cal*ism n. clas*si*cal*ist n. clas*si*cal*i*ty
/-kalitee/ n. clas*si*cal*ly adv.
clas*si*cism /klasisizam/ n. 1 the following of a classic
style. 2 a classical scholarship, b the advocacy of a
classical education. 3 an ancient Greek or Latin idi-
son or thing) with claws. 2 intr. (often foil, by at) grasp,
clutch, or scrabble at as with claws, o claw back regain
laboriously or gradually, dd clawed adj. (also in comb. )
clawer n. clawless adj.
claw hanvmer n. a hammer with one side of the head
forked for extracting nails.
clay /klay/ n. la stiff, sticky earth, used for making
bricks, pottery, ceramics, etc. 2 poet, the substance of
clay pig*eon n. a breakable disk thrown up from a trap
as a target for shooting.
-cle /kal/ suffix forming (orig. diminutive) nouns (ar-
ticle; particle)
clean /kleen/ adj., adv., v., &
n. madj. 1 (often foil, by
of) free from dirt or contaminating matter; unsoiled.
2 clear; unused or unpolluted; preserving what is re-
garded as the original state (clean air, clean page) .3 free
from obscenity or indecency. 4 a attentive to personal
hygiene and cleanliness, b (of animals) house-trained.
5 complete; clear-cut; unobstructed; even. 6 a (of a
ship, aircraft, or car) streamlined; smooth, b well-
formed; slender and shapely (clean-limbed; the car has
clean lines). 7 adroit; skillful (clean fielding) 8 (of a nu-
.

om, na clas*si*cist n. clear weapon) producing relatively little fallout.

clas*si*cize /klasisiz/ v. 1 tr. make classic. 2 intr. imi- 9 a free from ceremonial defilement or from disease.
tate a classical style. b (of food) not prohibited. 10 a free from any record
clas*si*f ied /klasifld/ adj. 1 arranged in classes or cat- of a crime, offense, etc. (a clean driving record), b col-
egories. 2 (of information, etc.) designated as official- loq. (of an alcoholic or drug addict) not possessing or
ly secret.3 Brit, (of a road) assigned to a category using alcohol or drugs, c %L not carrying a weapon 01
according to its importance. 4 (of newspaper adver- incriminating material; free from suspicion. 11 (of a
tisements) arranged in columns according to various taste, smell, etc. ) sharp; fresh; distinctive. •</<A\ 1 OSD i

categories. pletely; outright; simply (cut dean through; clean for-

clas*si«fy /klasifiV v.tr. («fies, -tied) 1 a arrange in clas- got). 2 in a clean manner, mv. 1 tr. (also foil, by of) &
ses or categories, b
assign (a thing) to a class or cate- intr. make or become clean. 2 tr. eat all the food on
gory. 2 designate as officially secret or not for general (one's plate). 3 ir. Cooking remove the innards of (fish
disclosure, do clas*si»fi*a*ble adj. clas*si*fi*ca*tion n. or fowl). 4 ifUT. make oneself clean. •;/. esp. lint, the
clas«si«fi-ca«to»ry /klasifikotawree, ktosifi-, klasi- act or process of cleaning or bein^ cleaned (ffCM U •>
fikaytaree/ adj. clas*si*fi*er n. clean), d clean out 1 clean or clear thoroughly. 2 si.
classless /klaslis/ adj. making or showing no distinc- empty or deprive (esp. of money), clean up 1 a clear
 .

(a mess) away, b (also absol.) make (things) neat. 141 clean-cut - clergyman
c make (oneself) clean. 2 restore order or morality to.
3 si. a acquire as gain or profit, b make a gain or prof- al or authorization for a thing from (a person), in the
it, come clean colloq. own up; confess everything, make clear free from suspicion or difficulty, out of a clear
a clean breast of see breast, make a clean sweep of (blue) sky as a complete surprise, gc cleana*ble adj.
see sweep, an clean«a»ble adj. clean«ish adj. clearness cleaner cleanly adv. cleanness n.
n.

n. clearance n. 1 the removal of obstructions,

clean-cut adj. 1 sharply outlined. 2 neatly groomed.
cleanser /kle'enar/ n. 1 a person employed to clean the
interior of a building. 2 (usu. in pi.) a commercial es-
tablishment for cleaning clothes. 3 a device or sub-
stance for cleaning, q take to the cleaners si. 1 defraud
or rob (a person) of all his or her money. 2 criticize se-
verely.
clean-living adj. of upright character.
cleanly /kle'enlee/ adv. 1 in a clean way. 2 efficiently;
without difficulty.
cleanse /klenz/a.rr. 1 usu. formal make clean. 2 (often
foil, by of) purify from sin or guilt.
cleans»er /klenzar/ n. 1 one that cleanses. 2 an agent,
as a lotion or an abrasive powder, used for cleansing.
clean slate n. freedom from commitments or imputa-
tions; the removal of these from one's record.
ciean*up /kle'enup/ n. 1 an act of cleaning up. 2 si. a
huge profit. 3 Baseball the fourth position in the bat-
ting order.
clear /kleer/ adj., adv., &
v. •adj. 1 free from dirt or
contamination. 2 (of weather, the sky, etc.) not dull or
cloudy. 3 a transparent, b lustrous; shining, c (of the
complexion) fresh and unblemished. 4 (of soup) not
containing solid ingredients. 5 a distinct; easily per-
/kleerans/
etc., esp. removal of buildings, persons, etc., so as to
clear land. 2 clear space allowed for the passing of two
objects or two parts in machinery, etc. 3 special au-
thorization or permission (esp. for an aircraft to take
off or land, or for access to information, etc.). 4 a the
clearing of a person, ship, etc., by customs, b a certif-
icate showing this. 5 the clearing of checks.
cleaning /kleering/ n. 1 in senses of clear v. 2 an area
in a forest cleared for cultivation.
clearinghouse /kle'eringhows/ n. 1a bankers' estab-
lishment where checks and bills from member banks
are exchanged, so that only the balances need be paid
in cash. 2 an agency for collecting and distributing
information, etc.
cleanstc-ry var. of clerestory.
cleat /kleet/ n. 1 a piece of metal, wood, etc., bolted on
for fastening ropes to, or to strengthen woodwork, etc.
2 a projecting piece on a spar, gangway, athletic shoe,
etc., to give footing or prevent slipping. 3 a wedge.
cleav*age kle'evij/ n. 1 the hollow between a woman's
breasts, esp. as exposed by a low-cut garment. 2 a divi-
sion or splitting. 3 the splitting of rocks, crystals, etc.,
in a preferred direction.
cleave /kleev/ v. (past cleaved or cleft /kleft/ or clove
1

ceived by the senses, b unambiguous; easily under- /klov/; past part, cleaved or cleft or cloven klOvan )
stood {make a thing clear, make oneself clear) C mani- . literary 1 a tr. chop or break apart; split, esp. along the
fest; not confused nor doubtful (clear evidence) 6 that . grain or the line of cleavage, b intr. come apart in this
discerns or is able to discern readily and accurately way. 2 tr. make one's way through (air or water).
(clear thinking; clear-sighted). 7 (usu. foil, by about, on, an cleava»ble adj.
or that + clause) confident; convinced; certain. 8 (of a cleave 2 /kleev/ v.intr. (past cleaved or clove klov/ or
conscience) free from guilt. 9 (of a road, etc.) unob- clave /klayv/) (foil, by to) literary stick fast; adhere.
structed; open. 10 a net; without deduction (a clear cleav*er /kle'evar/ n. a tool for cleaving, esp. a heavy
SI, 000). b complete (three clear days). 11 (often foil, chopping tool used by butchers.
by of) free; unhampered; unencumbered by debt, com- clef kief/ n. Mus. any of several symbols placed at the
mitments, etc. 1 2 (foil, by of) not obstructed by. • adv. beginning of a staff, indicating the pitch of the notes
1 clearly (speak loud and clear) 2 completely (he got
. written on it.
clear away). 3 apart; out of contact (keep clear, stand Cleft 1
/kleft/ adj. split; partly divided.
clear of the doors). 4 (foil, by to) all the way. mv. 1 tr. & cleft 2 /kleft/ n. a split or fissure; a space or division made
intr. make or become clear. 2 a tr. (often foil, by of) by cleaving.
free from prohibition or obstruction, b tr. intr. make & cleft pal*ate n. a congenital split in the lip or the roof
or become empty or unobstructed. C tr. free (land) for of the mouth.
cultivation or building by cutting down trees, etc. d tr.clem*a*tis /klematis, klgmatis/ n. any erect or climbing
cause people to leave (a room, etc.). 3 tr. (often foil, plant of the genus Clematis, bearing white, pink, or
by of) show or declare (a person) to be innocent (cleared purple flowers and feathery seeds, e.g., old man's
them of complicity) 4 tr. approve (a person) for special
. beard.
duty, access to information, etc. 5 tr. pass over or by clem»ent /klemant/ adj. 1 mild (clement weather). 2 mer-
safely or without touching, esp. by jumping. 6 tr. make ciful, dd clem»en»cy /-mansee/ n.
(an amount of money) as a net gain or to balance clem»en»tlne /klemantin, -teen/ n. a small citrus fruit,
expenses. 7 tr. pass (a check) through a clearinghouse. thought to be a hybrid between a tangerine and sweet
8 tr. pass through (a customs office, etc.). 9 tr. remove orange.
(an obstruction, an unwanted object, etc.) (clear them Clench /klench/ v. &
n. *v.tr. 1 close (the teeth or fin-
gers) tightly. 2 grasp firmly. 3 = clinch v. 4. *n. 1a
out of the way). 10 tr. (also absol.) Sports send (the ball,
puck, etc.) out of one's defensive zone. 11 intr. (often clenching action. 2 a clenched state.
foil, by away, up) (of physical phenomena) disappear; clere»sto«ry /kle'erstawree/ n. (also cleanstory) (pi. •
gradually diminish (mist cleared by lunchtime). 12 tr. ries) 1 an upper row of windows in a cathedral or large
(often foil, by off) discharge (a debt), a clear the air church, above the level of the aisle roofs. 2 a raised sec-
1 make the air less sultry. 2 disperse an atmosphere of tion of the roof of a railroad car, with windows or ven-
suspicion, tension, etc. clear away 1 remove complete- tilators.
ly. 2 remove the remains of a meal from the table, clear cler»gy/kl3iiee/n. (pi. -gies) (usu. treated asp/.) 1 (usu.
the decks prepare for action, esp. fighting, clear off prec. by the) the body of all persons ordained for reli-
1 get rid of. 2 colloq. go away, clear out 1 empty. 2 re- gious duties. 2 a number of such persons (ten clergy
move. 3 colloq. go away, clear one's throat cough slight- were present)
ly to make one's voice clear, clear up 1 tidy up. 2 solve clengy»man /klarjeeman/ n. (pi. *vnen;fem. clergywom-
(a mystery, etc.); remove (a difficulty, etc.). 3 (of an,p/. «women) a member of the clergy.
weather) become fine, clear the way 1 remove obsta-
cles. 2 stand aside, clear (something) with get approv- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
cleric ~ clip 142 ity are in decline. 2 a supposed critical period in life

(esp. occurring at intervals of seven years), madj.

cler»ic /klerik/ n. a member of the clergy. 1 Med. occurring at the climacteric. 2 constituting a
clerical /klerikal/ adj. 1 of the clergy or clergymen. crisis; critical.

2 of or done by a clerk or clerks, dd cler«i»cal«ism n. cli*mate /klimit/ n. 1 the prevailing weather conditions
cler«i*cal*ist n. cler»i»caMy adv. of an area. 2 a region with particular weather condi-
clerical er»ror n. an error made in copying or writing tions. 3 the prevailing trend of opinion or public feel-
out. ing, dd cli*mat*ic /-matik/ adj. cli*mat*i*cal adj. cli*mat*
clerk /klark/ n.&v.mn.\& person employed in an of- i-caMy adv.
fice, bank, etc., to keep records, accounts, etc. 2 a sec- cli»ma»tol»o»gy /klimatotajee/ n. the scientific study of
retary, agent, or record keeper of a municipality (town climate, dd cli*ma*to*log*i*cal /-talojikal/ adj. cli*ma*
clerk), court, etc. 3 a lay officer of a church (parish tol*o*gist n.
clerk), college chapel, etc. 4 Brit, a senior official in cli*max /klimaks/ n. & v. •». 1 the event or point of
Parliament. 5 a person who works at the sales counter greatest intensity or interest; a culmination or apex.
of a store, at a hotel desk, etc. 6 archaic a clergyman. 2 a sexual orgasm. 3 Rhet. a a series arranged in order
• v.intr. work as a clerk, dd clerk«dom n. clerk»ess n. of increasing importance, etc. b the last term in such
clerk«ly adj. clerkship n. a series. 4 Ecol. a state of equilibrium reached by a
clever /klevgr/ adj. (cleverer, cleverest) 1 a skillful; plant community. • v. tr. &
intr. colloq. bring or come

talented; quick to understand and learn, b showing to a climax.

good sense or wisdom; wise. 2 adroit; dextrous. 3 (of Climb /klim/ v. n. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by up) &
the doer or the thing done) ascend, mount, go or come up, esp. by using one's
ingenious; cunning.
dd cleveMy adv. cleverness n. hands. 2 intr. (of a plant) grow up a wall, tree, trellis,
etc., by clinging with tendrils or by twining. 3 intr.
clever Middle English (in the sense 'quick to catch
make progress from one's own efforts, esp. in social
hold,' only recorded in this period): perhaps of Dutch
rank, intellectual or moral strength, etc. 4 intr. (of an
or Low German origin, and related to cleave In the 2 .

aircraft, the sun, etc.) go upward. 5 intr. slope upward.

late 16th century the term came to mean (probably
• n. 1 an ascent by climbing. 2 a a place, esp. a hill,
through dialect use) 'manually skilfull'; the sense 'pos-
climbed or to be climbed, b a recognized route up a
sessing mental agility' dates from the early 18th cen-
tury.
^ _____________^^
clevis /klevis/ n. 1 a U-shaped piece of metal at the
mountain, etc. d climb down 1 descend with the help
of one's hands. 2 withdraw from a stance taken up in
argument, negotiation, etc. dd climb*a*ble adj.
end of a beam for attaching tackle, etc. 2 a connection clime /klim/ n. literary 1 a region. 2 a climate.
in which a bolt holds one part that fits between the Clinch /klinch/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. confirm or settle (an ar-
forked ends of another. gument, bargain, etc.) conclusively. 2 intr. Boxing &
clew /kloo/ n. &v. • n. 1 Naut. a a lower or after cor- Wrestling (of participants) become too closely en-
ner of a sail, b a set of small cords suspending a ham- gaged. 3 intr. colloq. embrace. 4 tr. secure (a nail or riv-
mock. 2 archaic a a ball of thread or yarn, esp. with et) by driving the point sideways when through. 5 tr.
reference to the legend of Theseus and the labyrinth. Naut. fasten (a rope) with a particular half hitch. • n.
b Brit. = clue, mv.tr. Naut. 1 (foil, by up) draw the 1 a a clinching action, b a clinched state. 2 colloq. an

lower ends of (a sail) to the upper yard or the mast (esp. amorous) embrace. 3 Boxing Wrestling an ac- &
ready for furling. 2 (foil, by down) let down (a sail) by tion or state in which participants become too close-
the clews in unfurling. ly engaged.
cll»che/kleeshay/w. (also cli«che) 1 a hackneyed phrase Clinch*er /klinchsr/ n. colloq. a remark or argument that
or opinion. 2 Brit, a metal casting of a stereotype or settles a matter conclusively.
electrotype. dine /klin/ n. Biol, the graded sequence of differences
click /klik/ n.& v. *n. 1 a slight, sharp sound, as of a within a species, etc. dd clirval adj.
switch being operated. 2 a sharp nonvocal suction, cling /kling/ v.intr. (past and past part, clung /klung/) 1
used as a speech sound in some languages. 3 a catch (foil, by to) adhere, stick, or hold on (by means of stick-
in machinery acting with a slight, sharp sound. 4 (of iness, suction, grasping, or embracing). 2 (foil, by to)
a horse) an action causing a hind foot to touch the remain persistently or stubbornly faithful (to a friend,
shoe of a forefoot. • v. 1 a intr. make a click, b tr. cause habit, idea, etc.). 3 maintain one's grasp; keep hold;
(one's tongue, heels, etc.) to click. 2 intr. colloq. a be- resist separation, d cling together remain in one body
come clear or understandable (often prec. by it as sub- or in contact, dd cling*er n. cling*ing*ly adv.
ject: when I saw them it all clicked), b be successful; se- cling-y /klingee/ adj. (dingier, dingiest) liable to cling.
cure one's object, c (foil, by with) become friendly, dd cling*i*ness n.
esp. with a person of the opposite sex. d come to an clin«ic /klinik/ n. la private or specialized hospital. 2 a
agreement, dd dick*er n. place or occasion for giving specialist medical treat
cli»ent /kliant/ n. 1 a person using the services of a law- ment or advice (eye clinic; fertility clinic). 3 a gathering
yer, architect, social worker, or other professional per- at a hospital bedside for the teaching of medicine or
son. 2 a customer, dd cli*ent*ship n. surgery. 4 a conference or short course on particu- ;i

cli*en*tele /kliantel, kle'eon-/ n. 1 clients collectively. lar subject (golf clinic) dm di»ni»cian /klinishnn/ //.
.

2 customers, esp. of a store or restaurant. 3 the patrons Clin*i«cal /kliniknl/ adj. 1 Med. a of or for the treatment
of a theater, etc. of patients, b taught or learned at the hospital bed
cli»ent-server attrib.adj. Computing relating to a com- side. 2 dispassionate; coldly detached. DO dln»i»cal«ly
puter system in which a central server provides data adv.
to a number of networked workstations. a sharp ringing sound, mv.
Clink' /klingk/ n. isf v. • //.

Cliff /klif/ n. a steep rock face, as at the edge of the sea. 1 intr. make 2
cause (glasses, etc.) to clink.
a clink. tr.

dd cliff-like adj. cliff»y adj. Clink 2 /klingk/ n. (often prec. by in) si. prison.
cliff-hang»er n. a story, etc., with a strong element of Clink*er /klingkor/ //. 1 a mass oi slag or lava. 2 a stony
suspense; a suspenseful ending to an episode of a se- residue from burned coal.
rial, dd cliff-hang*ing adj. cli«nom»e«ter /khnomitor/ n. Surveying an instrument
cli«mac*ter*ic /klimaktnrik, klimakterik/ n. adj. »w.& for measuring slopes.
1 Med. the period of life when fertility and sexual activ- Clip 1
/klip/ n. &v. •«. 1 a device lor holding things to
 .

gether or for attachment to an object as a marker, esp. 143 clip ~ close

a paper clip or a device worked by a spring. 2 a piece
of jewelry fastened by a clip. 3 a set of attached car- ing in direction to the movement of the hands of a
tridges for a firearm. *v.tr. (clipped, clipping) 1 fix clock.
with a clip. 2 grip tightly. clock»work /klokwark/ n. la mechanism like that of a
Clip 2 /klip/ v. &
n. •v.tr. (clipped, clipping) 1 cut with mechanical clock, with a spring and gears. 2 (attrib.)
shears or scissors, esp. cut short or trim (hair, wool, a driven by clockwork, b regular; mechanical, o like
etc.). 2 trim or remove the hair or wool of (a person clockwork smoothly; regularly; automatically.
or animal) 3 colloq. hit smartly. 4 a curtail; diminish;
. clod /klod/ n. 1 a lump of earth, clay, etc. 2 si. a silly or
cut short, b omit (a letter, etc.) from a word; omit let- foolish person, do clod*dy adj.
ters or syllables of (words pronounced). 5 Brit, remove clod*dish /klodish/ adj. loutish; foolish; clumsy.
a small piece of (a ticket) to show that it has been used. do clod*dish*ly adv. clod*dish*ness n.
6 cut (an extract) from a newspaper, etc. 7 si. swindle; clod»hop«per /klodhopgr/ n. 1 (usu. in pi.) colloq. a
rob. • n. 1 an act of clipping, esp. shearing or haircut- large heavy shoe. 2 = clod 2.
ting. 2 colloq. a smart blow, esp. with the hand. 3 a short clod«hop«ping /klodhoping/ adj. = cloddish.
sequence from a motion picture. 4 the quantity of wool clog /klawg, klog/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a shoe with a thick wood-

clipped from a sheep, flock, etc. 5 colloq. speed, esp.
rapid, o clip a person's wings prevent a person from
pursuing ambitions or acting effectively, do clip*pa*ble
adj.
clipboard /klipbawrd/ small board with a spring
n. a
clip for holding papers, etc., and providing support for
writing.
clip*per /klipar/ n. 1 (usu. in pi.) any of various instru-
en sole. 2 archaic an encumbrance or impediment, •t'.
(clogged, clogging) 1 (often foil, by up) a tr. obstruct,
esp. by accumulation of glutinous matter, b intr. be-
come obstructed. 2 tr. impede; hamper. 3 tr. intr. &
(often foil, by up) fill with glutinous or choking mat-
ter.
clog*gy /klawgee, klogee/ adj. (doggier, doggiest)
1 lumpy; knotty. 2 sticky.

ments for clipping hair, fingernails, hedges, etc. 2 a cloi»son»ne /kloyzanay, klwaa-/ n. 1 an enamel finish
fast sailing ship, esp. one with raking bows and masts. produced by forming areas of different colors sepa-
3 a fast horse. rated by strips of wire placed edgeways on a metal
clip*ping /kliping/ n. a piece clipped or cut from some- backing. 2 this process.
thing, esp. from a newspaper. clois*ter /kloystar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a covered walk, often
clique /kleek, small exclusive group of peo-
klik/ n. a with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a
ple, oo cli«quey adj. (cliquier, cliquiest). cliquish adj. quadrangle on the other, esp. in a convent, monastery,
cli*quish*ness n. cli*quism n. college, or cathedral. 2 monastic life or seclusion. 3 a
clit*o*ris /klitaris, kli—/ n. a small erectile part of the fe- convent or monastery, •v.tr. seclude or shut up usu.
male genitals at the upper end of the vulva, do clit»o« in a convent or monastery, do clois-tral adj.
ral adj. clomp var. of clump v. 2.
clo*a*ca /klo-ayka/ n. (pi. cloacae /-aysee/) 1 the gen- clone /klon/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a group of organisms pro-

ital and excretory cavity at the end of the intestinal ca- duced asexually from one stock or ancestor, b one such
nal in birds, reptiles, etc. 2 a sewer, dd clo*a*cal adj. organism. 2 a person or thing regarded as identical
cloak /klok/ n. &
v. • n. 1 an outdoor overgarment, usu. with another, •v.tr. propagate as a clone, dd clon*al
sleeveless, hanging loosely from the shoulders. 2 a cov- adj.
ering (cloak of snow). 3 Brit, (in pi.) = cloakroom, •v.tr. clonk 'klongk, klawngk/ n. &
v. »n. an abrupt heavy

1 cover with a cloak. 2 conceal; disguise, o under the sound of impact. »v. 1 mrr. make such a sound. 2 tr.
cloak of using as a pretext or for concealment. colloq. hit.
cloak-and-dag«ger adj. involving intrigue and espio- clop /klop/ n. &
v. •«. the sound made by a horse's

nage. hooves, •v.intr. (clopped, clopping) make this sound.

cloak-room /klokroom, -room/ n. a room where out- close /klos/ adj., adv.,
1
&
n. *adj. 1 (often foil, by to)
door clothes or luggage may be left. situated at only a short distance or interval. 2 a hav-
clob»ber /klobsr/ v. tr. si. 1 hit repeatedly; beat up. 2 de- ing a strong or immediate relation or connection (close
feat. 3 criticize severely. friend; close relative) b in intimate friendship or
.

cloche /klosh/ n. la small association (were very close) C corresponding almost

.

translucent cover for pro- exactly (close resemblance) d fitting tightly (close cap)
.

tecting or forcing outdoor e (of hair, etc.) short; near the surface. 3 in or almost
plants. 2 (in full cloche hat) in contact (close combat; close proximity) 4 dense; com-
.

a woman's close-fitting, bell- pact; with no or only slight intervals (close texture; close
shaped hat. writing; close formation) which competitors are al-
. 5 in
Clock /klok/ n. &
v. • n. 1 an in- most equal 6 leaving no gaps or weak-
(close contest).
strument for measuring time, nesses; rigorous (close reasoning) 7 concentrated; .

driven mechanically or elec- searching (close examination; close attention). 8 (of air,
tricallyand indicating hours, etc.) stuffy or humid. 9 a closed; shut, b shut up; un-
minutes, etc., by hands on a der secure confinement. 1 limited or restricted to cer-
dial or by displayed figures. tain persons, etc. (close corporation; close scholarship).
2 a any measuring device re- cloche 11a hidden; secret; covered, b secretive. 12 (of a dan-
sembling a clock, b colloq. a ger, etc.) directly threatening; narrowly avoided (that
speedometer, taximeter, or stopwatch. 3 time taken as was close) 1 3 niggardly. 1 4 (of a vowel) pronounced
.

an element in competitive sports, etc. (ran against the with a relatively narrow opening of the mouth. *adv.
a (often foil, by up) attain or reg-
clock), •v.tr. 1 colloq. 1 (often foil, by by, to) at only a short distance or in-
ister (a statedtime, distance, or speed, esp. in a race). terval (they live close by; close to the church). 2 closely;
b time (a race) with a stopwatch. 2 si. hit, esp. on the in a close manner (shut close). »n. an enclosed space.
head, o around the clock all day and (usu.) night, clock o at close quarters very close together, close to the
in (or on) register one's arrival at work, esp. by means wind see sail, do closely adv. close»ness n. clos*ish
of an automatic recording clock, clock off (or out) reg- adj.
ister one's departure similarly.
clock»wise /klokwiz/ adj. &
adv. in a curve correspond- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
close ~ club 144 cloth«ier /klotheear/ n. a seller of clothes.
cloth»ing /klothing/ n. clothes collectively.
Close 2 /kloz/ v. & n. •v. 1 a tr. shut (a lid, box, door, closure /klOchsr/ n. &v. «n. the legislative procedure

room, house, etc.). b intr. become shut (the door closed for ending debate and taking a vote. •v.tr. apply clo-
slowly). C tr. block up. 2 a tr. &
intr. bring or come to ture to.
an end. b intr. finish speaking {closed with an expression cloud /klowdV n.&ti.»n.1a visible mass of condensed
of thanks). C tr. settle (a bargain, etc.). 3 a intr. end the watery vapor floating in the atmosphere high above
day's business, b tr. end the day's business at (a store, the general level of the ground. 2 a mass of smoke or
office, etc.). 4 tr. &
intr. bring or come closer or into dust. 3 (foil, by of) a great number of insects, birds,
contact (close ranks). 5 tr. make (an electric circuit, etc., moving together. 4 a a state of gloom, trouble, or
etc.) continuous. 6 intr. (often foil, by with) come with- suspicion, b a frowning or depressed look (a cloud on
in striking distance; grapple. 7 intr. (foil, by on) (of a his brow). 5 a local dimness or a vague patch of color
hand, box, etc.) grasp or entrap. »n. la conclusion; in or on a liquid or a transparent body. • v. 1 tr. cover
an end. 2 Mus. a cadence, d close down (of a store, or darken with clouds or gloom or trouble. 2 intr. (of-
factory, etc.) discontinue business, esp. permanently. ten foil, by over, up) become overcast or gloomy. 3 tr.
close one's eyes 1 (foil, by to) pay no attention. 2 die. make unclear, a in the clouds 1 unreal; imaginary;
close In 1 enclose. 2 come nearer. 3 (of days) get suc- mystical. 2 (of a person) abstracted; inattentive, on
cessively shorter with the approach of the winter sol- cloud nine colloq. extremely happy, under a cloud out
stice, close off prevent access to by blocking or seal- of favor; discredited; under suspicion, with one's head
ing the entrance, close out discontinue; terminate; in the clouds daydreaming; unrealistic, dd cloudless
dispose of (a business), close up 1 (often foil, by to) adj. cloud*less*ly adv. cloudlet n.
move closer. 2 shut, esp. temporarily. 3 block up. 4 (of cloud*burst /klowdbarst/ n. a sudden violent rain-
an aperture) grow smaller, dd clos*a*ble adj. clos*er storm.
n. cloud»scape /klowdskayp/ n. 1 a picturesque grouping
closed /klozd/ adj. 1 not giving access; shut. 2 (of a of clouds. 2 a picture or view of clouds.
store, etc.) having ceased business temporarily. 3 (of cloud«y /klowdee/ adj. (cloudier, cloudiest) 1 a (of the
a society, system, etc.) self-contained; not communi- sky) covered with clouds; overcast, b (of weather)
cating with others. 4 (of a sport, etc.) restricted to spec- characterized by clouds. 2 not transparent; unclear.
ified competitors, etc. dd cloudily adv. cloudiness n.
closed-cap»tioned adj. (of a television program) clout /klowt/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a heavy blow. 2 colloq. in-

broadcast with captions visible only to viewers with a fluence; power of effective action esp. in politics or
decoding device attached to their television set. business. 3 a nail with a large, flat head. • v. tr. hit hard.
closed syl*la*ble n. a syllable ending in a consonant. clove 1 /klov/ n. 1 a a dried flower bud of a tropical
close*fist*ed /klosfistid/ adj. miserly. plant, Eugenia aromatica, used as a pungent aromatic
close-fiMing adj. (of a garment) fitting close to the spice, b this plant. 2 (in full clove gillyflower or clove
body. pink) a clove-scented pink, Dianthus caryophyllus, the
close-knit adj. tightly bound or interlocked; closely original of the carnation and other double pinks.
united in friendship. clove 2 /klov/ n. any of the small bulbs making up a com-
closerriouthed /klosmowthd/ adj. reticent. pound bulb of garlic, shallot, etc.
clos*et /klozit/ n. & v. small or private room.
• n. 1 a ClOVe 3 past Of CLEAVE.
2 a cupboard or recess. 3 covert (clos-
(attrib.) secret; clo»ven /klov'n/ adj. split; partly divided.
et homosexual), •v.tr. (closeted, closeting) shut away, clo«ven hoof n. (also clo-ven foot) the divided hoof of
esp. in private conference or study. come out of the ruminant quadrupeds (e.g., oxen, sheep, goats); also
closet stop hiding something about oneself, esp. one's ascribed to the god Pan, and so to the Devil, dd clo«
homosexuality. ven-foot»ed /-fobtid/ adj. clo«ven-hoofed /-hdbft/ adj.
close-up n. 1 a photograph, etc., taken at close range clO«ver /klovar/ n. any leguminous fodder plant of the
and showing the subject on a large scale. 2 an intimate genus Trifolium, having dense flower heads and leaves
description. each consisting of usu. three leaflets, d in clover in ease
clo«sure /klozhgr/ n. 1 the act or process of closing. 2 a and luxury.
closed condition. 3 something that closes or seals, e.g., clo»ver«leaf /clovarleef/ n. a junction of roads inter-
a cap or tie. secting at different levels with connecting sections
clot /klot/ n.& v. • n. 1 a a thick mass of coagulated liq- forming the pattern of a four-leaf clover.
uid, esp. of blood exposed to air. b a mass of material Clown /klown/ n. v. mn. &
a comic entertainer, esp.
"\

stuck together. 2 Brit, colloq. a silly or foolish person. in a pantomime or circus, usu. with traditional cos-
&
• v. tr. intr. (clotted, clotting) form into clots. tume and makeup. 2 a silly, foolish, or playful person.
cloth /klawth,kloth/n. (pi. cloths /kloths, klothz/) 1 wo- • v. 1 intr. (often foil, by about, around) behave like a
ven or felted material. 2 a piece of this. 3 a piece of clown; act foolishly or playfully. 2 tr. perform (a part,
cloth for a particular purpose; a tablecloth, dishcloth, an action, etc.) like a clown, dd clown«er«y n. clown-
etc. 4 woolen woven fabric as used for clothes. 5 a pro- ish adj. clown*ish*ly adv. clown«ish«ness n.
fession or status, esp. of the clergy, as shown by clothes Cloy /kloy/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by with) satiate or sicken with
(respect due to his cloth), b (prec. by the) the clergy. an excess of sweetness, richness, etc. dd cloying»ly adt
Clothe /kloth/ v.tr. (past and past part, clothed or formal CLU abbr. chartered life underwriter.
clad) 1 put clothes on; provide with clothes. 2 cover Club /klub/ «.&ttiB.1a heavy stick with a thick end,
as with clothes or a cloth. used as a weapon, etc. 2 a stick used in a game esp ;i

Clothes /kloz, klothz/ n.pl. 1 garments worn to cover stick with a head used in golf. 3 a a playing card of a
the body and limbs. 2 bedclothes. suit denoted by a black trefoil, b (in pi.) this suit 4 an
clothes»horse /kloz-hawrs, klothz-/ n. 1 a frame for association of persons united by a common interest,
airing washed clothes. 2 colloq. an affectedly fashion- usu. meeting periodically for a shared activity {ttmm
able person. club;yacht club). 5 a an organization or premises of-
clothes-line /klozlin, klothz-/ n. a rope or wire, etc., on fering members social amenities, meals, and tempo-
which washed clothes are hung to dry. rary residence, etc. b a nightclub. 6 an organization of-
clothes«pin /klOzpin, klothz-/ n. a clip or forked device fering subscribers certain benefits (booh club). 7 a
for securing clothes to a clothesline. group of persons, nations, etc., having something in
 common. 8 = clubhouse. mv. (clubbed, clubbing) 1 tr. 145 clubby - coarse
beat with or as with a club. 2 intr. (foil, by together, with)
combine for joint action, esp. making up a sum of mon- typically having a simple tube-shaped or cup-shaped
ey for a purpose, dd club*ber n. body and tentacles with stinging hairs and including
club-by /klubee/ adj. (clubbier, clubbiest) sociable; jellyfish, corals, and sea anenomes.
friendly. cnr. abbr. corner.
clubfoot /klubfOOt/ n. a congenitally deformed foot. CNS abbr. central nervous system.
on club»foot»ed adj. CO abbr. 1 Colorado (in official postal use).
club»house /klubhows/ n. the premises used by a club. 2 commanding officer. 3 conscientious objector.
Club*man /klubman, -man/ n. (pi. *mer\;fem. •woman, 4 carbon monoxide.
pi. •women) a member of one or more social clubs. Co symb. Chem. the element cobalt.
club sand»wich n. a sandwich with two layers of fill- Co. abbr. 1 company. 2 county.
ing between three slices of toast or bread. c/o abbr. care of.
club so*da n. - soda n. 2. CO- /ko / prefix added to: a nouns, with the sense 'joint,
Cluck /kluk/ n. & v. mn. 1 a guttural cry like that of a mutual, common' (coauthor, coequality). b adjectives
hen. 2 si. a silly or foolish person (dumb cluck), •v.intr. and adverbs, with the sense 'jointly, mutually' (cobel-
emit a cluck or clucks. C verbs, with the sense 'to-
ligerent; coequal; coequally).
clue /kloo/ n. &
v. mn. \ a fact or idea that serves as a gether with another or others' (cooperate; coauthor).
guide, or suggests a line of inquiry, in a problem or in- coach /koch/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a passenger bus, usu. com-

vestigation. 2 a piece of evidence, etc., in the detection fortably equipped for longer journeys. 2 a railroad car.
of a crime. 3 a verbal formula serving as a hint as to 3 a horse-drawn carriage, usu. closed, esp. a stage-
what is to be inserted in a crossword. 4 a the thread coach. 4 a an instructor or trainer in sport, b a private
of a story, b a train of thought, mv.tr. (clues, clued, tutor. 5 economy-class seating in an aircraft, mv. 1 tr.
clueing or cluing) provide a clue to. o clue in (or Brit. a train or teach (a pupil, sports team, etc.) as a coach.
up) si. inform, not have a clue colloq. be ignorant or b give hints to; prime with facts. 2 intr. travel by stage-
incompetent. coach (in the old coaching days).
Clue*less /kloblis/ adj. colloq. ignorant; stupid. clue* coach house n. an outbuilding for carriages.
less*ly adv. clue*less*ness n. coach»work /kOchwark/ n. the bodywork of a road or
clump /klump/ n. & v. mn. 1 (foil, by of) a cluster of rail vehicle.
plants, esp. trees or shrubs. 2 an agglutinated mass of co«ad»ju»tor /ko-ajatar, koajob-/ n. an assistant, esp. an
blood cells, etc. *v. 1a intr. form a clump, b tr. heap assistant bishop.
or plant together. 2 intr. (also clomp /klomp/) walk CO*ag*u*lant /ko-agyalant/ n. a substance that produces
with heavy tread. 3 tr. colloq. hit. no clump»y adj. coagulation.
(clumpier, clumpiest). co«ag»u«late /ko-agyalayt/ v. tr. &
intr. 1 change from a

clum*sy /kliimzee/ adj. (clumsier, clumsiest) 1 awk- fluid to a solid or semisolid state. 2 clot; curdle. 3 set;
ward in movement or shape; ungainly. 2 difficult to solidify, dd co*ag«u*la*ble adj. co«ag«u«la«tive -laytiv,
handle or use. 3 tactless, an clunvsMy adv. clunvsi* -lativ/ adj. co*ag*u*la*tor n.
ness n. co«ag*u*la*tion ko-agyalayshan/ n. the process by
Clung past and past part, of cling. which a liquid changes to a semisolid mass.
clunk /klungk/ n.&v.mn.a dull sound as of thick pieces coal /kol/ n. &
v. m n. 1 a a hard black or blackish rock,

of metal meeting. • v.intr. make such a sound.
cluster /klustar/ n. & v. mn. 1 a close group or bunch
of similar things growing together. 2 a close group or
swarm of people, animals, faint stars, gems, etc. 3 a
group of successive consonants or vowels, mv. 1 tr.
mainly carbonized plant matter, found in un-
derground seams and used as a fuel and in the manu-
facture of gas, tar, etc. b Brit, a piece of this for burn-
ing. 2 a red-hot piece of coal, wood, etc., in a fire. mv.
1 intr. take in a supply of coal. 2 tr. put coal into (an

bring into a cluster or clusters. 2 intr. be or come in- engine, fire, etc.). d coals to Newcastle something
to a cluster or clusters. 3 intr. (foil, by around) gather; brought or sent to a place where it is already plentiful.
congregate. haul (or rake) over the coals reprimand, dd coal*y adj.
clustered /klustard/ adj. 1 growing in or brought into CO»a»lesce /kOales/ v.intr. 1 come together and form
a cluster. 2 Archit. (of pillars, columns, or shafts) sev- one whole. 2 combine in a coalition, dd co«a«les«cence
eral close together, or disposed around or half de- ;/. co*a*les*cent adj.

tached from a pier. coal»face /kolfays/ n. an exposed surface of coal in a

clutch /kluch/ v.&n.mv. 1 tr. seize eagerly; grasp tight-
[
mine.
ly. 2 intr. (foil, by at) snatch suddenly, mn. 1 a a tight coal-field /kolfeeld/ n. an extensive area with strata con-
grasp, b (foil, by at) grasping. 2 (in pi.) grasping taining coal.
hands, esp. as representing a cruel or relentless grasp COal*hole /kolhol/ n. a hole, as from a sidewalk, lead-
or control. 3 a (in a motor vehicle) a device for connec- ing to a coal bin.
ting and disconnecting the engine to the transmission. co«a*li*tion /kOalishan/ n. 1 Polit. a temporary alliance
b the pedal operating this. C an arrangement for for combined action, esp. of distinct parties forming a
connecting or disconnecting working parts of a ma- government, or of nations. 2 fusion into one whole.
chine. 4 a critical situation in a game, etc. (always comes dd co*a*li*tion*ist n.
through in the clutch). coal tar n. a thick, black, oily liquid distilled from coal
clutch 2 /kluch/ H.la set of eggs for hatching. 2 a brood and used as a source of benzene.
of chickens. coanving /kOming/ n. a raised border around the hatch-
cluWer /klutar/ n. &% •«. 1 a crowded and untidy col- es, etc., of a ship to keep out water.
lection of things. 2 an untidy state, mv.tr. (often foil, coarse /kawrs/ adj. 1 a rough or loose in texture or
by up, with) crowd untidily; fill with clutter. grain; made of large particles, b (of a person's features)
Cm symb. Chem. the element curium. rough or large. 2 lacking refinement or delicacy; crude;
cm abbr. centimeter(s). obscene (coarse humor). 3 rude; uncivil. 4 inferior;
Cmdr. abbr. commander. common, dd coarsely adv. coarse*ness >/. coars*ish
Cmdre. abbr. commodore. adj.
cni*dar*i*an /nidaireean/ n. an aquatic invertebrate an-
imal of the phylum Cnidaria (formerly Coelenterata), See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

coarsen ~ cockney 146 COBOL /kobawl/ n. Computing a programming lan-

guage designed for use in commerce (acronym of com-
coars»en/kawrs9n/v.rr. &intr. make or become coarse. mon business oriented /anguage).
coast /kost/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a the border of the land near CO*bra /kobra/ n. any venomous snake of the genus

the sea; the seashore, b (the Coast) the Pacific coast Naja, native to Africa and Asia, with a neck dilated like
of the US. 2 a a run, usu. downhill, on a bicycle with- a hood when excited.
out pedaling or in a motor vehicle without using the COD»web/kobweb/rc. 1 a a fine network of threads spun
engine, b a toboggan slide or slope, •v.intr. 1 ride or by a spider from a liquid secreted by it, used to trap
move, usu. downhill, without use of power; freewheel. insects, etc. b the thread of this. 2 anything compared
2 make progress without much effort. 3 slide down a with a cobweb, esp. in flimsiness of texture. 3 a trap
hill on a toboggan or other sled, d the coast is clear or insidious entanglement, dd cob*webbed adj. cob*
there is no danger of being observed or caught. web*by adj.
dd coast*al adj. CO*ca /koka/ «.1a S. American shrub, Erythroxylum co-
coast»er /kostar/ n. 1 a ship that travels along the coast ca. 2 its dried leaves, chewed as a stimulant.
from port to port. 2 a small tray or mat for a bottle or Co«ca-Co»la /kokakola/ n. Trademark a carbonated soft
glass. drink flavored with extract of cola nuts.
Coast Guard /kost gaard/ the U.S. military service
n. co»caine /kokayn/ n. a drug derived from coca or pre-
that protects coastal waters, aids shipping and pleas- pared synthetically, used as a local anesthetic and as
ure craft, and enforces maritime laws. a stimulant.
coasMine /kostlin/ n. the line of the seashore, esp. with coc*cus /kokss/ n. (pi. cocci /koksl, kokl/) any spher-

regard to its shape (a rugged coastline)
coast-to-coast adj., adv. across an island or continent.
coat /kot/ n. & v. • n. 1 an outer garment with sleeves
and often extending below the hips; an overcoat or
jacket. 2 a an animal's fur, hair, etc. b Physiol, a struc-
ture, esp. a membrane, enclosing or lining an organ.
C a skin, rind, or husk, d a layer of a bulb, etc. 3 a a
layer or covering, b a covering of paint, etc., laid on a
surface at one time. • v. tr. 1 (usu. foil, by with, in) a ap-
ply a coat of paint, etc., to; provide with a layer or cov-
ering, b (as coated adj.) covered with. 2 (of paint, etc.)
form a covering to. dd coat*ed adj. (also in comb.).
coat hang»er n. see hanger.
ical or roughly spherical bacterium, dd coc*cal adj.
coc»coid adj.
coc»cyx /koksiks/ n. (pi. coccyges /-sijeez/ or coccyx-
es) the small triangular bone at the base of the spinal
column in humans and some apes, representing a ves-
tigial tail, dd coc*cyg*e*al /koksijeeal/ adj.
coch*le*a /kokleea/ n. (pi. cochleas or cochleae /-lee-
ee/) the spiral cavity of the internal ear. dd coch«le»ar
adj.
cock /kok/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a male bird, esp. of a domes-
2 coarse si. the penis. 3 a a firing lever in a gun
tic fowl.
which can be raised to be released by the trigger, b the
cocked position of this (at full cock) 4 a tap or valve
.

co*a*ti /ko-aatee/ n. (pi. coatis) (also coatimundi) any controlling flow. In sense 2 usually considered a ta-
raccoonlike, carnivorous mammal of the genus Nasua, boo word. • v. tr. 1 raise or make upright or erect. 2 turn
with a long, flexible snout and a long, usu. ringed tail. or move (the eye or ear) attentively or knowingly. 3 set
COat*ing /koting/ n. a thin layer or covering of paint, up the brim of (a hat). 4 raise the cock
aslant, or turn
etc. of (a gun), d at half cock only partly ready, knock in-
coat of arms n. the heraldic bearings or shield of a per- to a cocked hat defeat utterly.
son, family, or corporation. COCk*ade /kokayd/ n. a rosette, etc., worn in a hat as a
coat of mail n. a jacket covered with mail or composed badge of office or party, or as part of a livery, dd cock*
of mail. ad*ed adj.
CoaMail /kottayl/ n. 1 the back flap of a man's jacket COCk-and-bull StOTy n. an absurd or incredible ac-
or coat. 2 (in pi.) a the back skirts of a dress coat, cut- count.
away, etc. b Polit. (of a party candidate) popularity cock*a*tiel /kokate'el/ n. (also cock«a»teel) Austral a
such as to attract votes for other party candidates. small, delicately colored crested parrot, Nymphicus
coax /koks/ v. tr. 1 (usu. foil, by into, or to + infin.) per- hollandicus.
suade (a person) gradually or by flattery. 2 (foil, by cock«a*tOO /kokatoo/ n. any of several parrots of the
out of) obtain (a thing from a person) by coaxing. 3 ma- family Cacatuinae, having powerful beaks and erectile
nipulate (a thing) carefully or slowly, an coax*er n. co- crests.
ax*ing*ly adv. COCk*a*trice /kokatris, -tris/ n. 1 = basilisk 1 2 Herald- .

CO*ax*i*al /ko-akseesl/ adj. 1 having a common axis. ry a fabulous animal, a cock with a serpent's tail.
2 Electr. (of a cable or line) transmitting by means of COCk»chaf«er /kokchayfor/ n. a large nocturnal beetle,
two concentric conductors separated by an insulator. Melolontha melolontha, which feeds on leaves and
dd co*ax*i*al*ly adv. whose larva feeds on roots of crops, etc.
cob /kob/ n. 1 = corn cob. 2 a sturdy riding or driving COCk*crow /kokkro/ n. dawn.
horse with short legs. 3 a male swan. cock«er /kokar/ n. (in full cocker spaniel) a small span-
co»balt /kobawlt/ n. Chem. a silvery-white, magnetic iel of a breed with a silky coat.
metallic element occurring naturally as a mineral in COCk»er«el /kokrol/ n. a young cock.
combination with sulfur and arsenic, and used in many COCk»eyed /kokid/ adj. colloq. 1 crooked; askew; not lev
alloys. II Symb.: Co. dd co»bal«tic /kobawltik/ adj. co» el. 2 (of a scheme, etc.) absurd; not practical. 3 drunk.
baMous /kobawltos/ adj. 4 squinting.
co*balt blue n. 1a pigment containing a cobalt salt. cock«fight /kokfit/ n. a fight between cocks as spun.
2 the deep-blue color of this. dd cock-fight-ing >/.
cob«ble' /kobol/ n. & v. »n. (in full cobblestone) a COCk»le' /koknl/ n. 1 a any edible mollusk of the minis
small rounded stone of a size used for paving, •v.tr. Cardium, having a chubby, ribbed bivalve shell b in .

pave with cobbles. full cockleshell) its shell. 2 (in lull cockleshell) a small
COD-ble 2 /kobnl/ v.tr. 1 mend or patch up (esp. shoes). shallow boai. warm the cockles of one's heart make
1 1

2 (often foil, by together) join or assemble roughly. one contented; be satisfying.

COb'bler /kobbr/ n. 1 a person who mends shoes, esp. COCk»le 2 /koknl/ v. &
n. »v. 1 intr. pucker; wrinkle. 2 tr,
professionally. 2 an iced drink of wine, etc., sugar, and cause to cockle. • n. a pucker or wrinkle m paper, ^Imss,
lemon {sherry cobbler). 3 a fruit pie with a rich, thick etc.
biscuit crust, usu. only on the top. COCk»ney /koknee/ n. &
adj. •«. (pi. -neysj 1 a native
 .

of East London, esp. one born within hearing of Bow 147 cockpit ~ coffee cake
Bells (of the Bow church in London's East End dis-
trict). 2 the dialect or accent typical of this area. •adj. co*dex /kodeks/ n. (pi. codices /kediseez, kod-/) 1 an

of or characteristic of cockneys or their dialect or ac- ancient manuscript text in book form. 2 a collection
cent. of pharmaceutical descriptions of drugs, etc.
cock*pit /kokpit/ n. 1a compartment for the pilot (or COd*fish /kodfish/ n. - cod.
the pilot and crew) of an aircraft or spacecraft. 2 a sim- codg*er /kojar/ n. (usu. in old codger) colloq. a person,
ilar compartment for the driver in a racing car. 3 a esp. an old or strange one.
space for the helmsman in some small yachts. co*di*ces pi. of codex.
COCk»roach /kokroch/ n. any of various flat brown cod*i«cil /kodisil/ n. an addition explaining, modifying,
insects, esp. Blatta orientalis, infesting kitchens, bath- or revoking a will or part of one. dd cod»i»ciMa»ry
rooms, etc. /kodisilaree/ adj.
cocks»comb /kokskom/ n. the crest or comb of a cock. Cod*i*fy /kodifi, kod-/ v.tr. (-ties, -tied) arrange (laws,
cock»sure /kokshobr/ adj. 1 presumptuously or arro- etc.) systematically into a code, dd cod«i»fi»ca«tion
gantly confident. 2 (foil, by of, about) absolutely sure. /-fikayshan/ n. cod»i»fi»er n.
dd cock«sure«ly adv. cock»sure»ness n. COd*ling /kodling/ n. a small codfish.
cock'tail /koktayl/ «. 1 a usu. alcoholic drink made by COd-liv»er oil n. an oil pressed from the fresh liver of
mixing various spirits, fruit juices, etc. 2 a dish of cod, which is rich in vitamins D and A.
mixed ingredients {fruit cocktail; shellfish cocktail). cod»piece /kodpees/ n. hist, an appendage like a small
3 any hybrid mixture. bag or flap at the front of a man's breeches to cover
cock»y /kokee/ adj. (cockier, cockiest) 1 conceited; ar- the genitals.
rogant. 2 saucy; impudent, dd cock»My adv. cock»i» CO^ed /ko-ed, -ed/ n. & adj. colloq. • n. 1 a coeducation-
ness n. al system or institution. 2 a female student at a coed-
CO*CO /koko/ n. (pi. cocos) a tall tropical palm tree, Co- ucational institution, madj. coeducational.
cos nucifera, bearing coconuts. co*ed*u*ca*tion /koejookayshan/ n. the education of
co*COa /koko/ n. 1 a powder made from crushed cacao pupils of both sexes together, dd co*ed*u*ca*tion*al adj.
seeds, often with other ingredients. 2 a hot drink made co«eM i«cient /koifishant/ n. 1 Math, a quantity placed
from this. before and multiplying an algebraic expression (e.g.,
co»coa buMer n. a fatty substance obtained from co- 4 in 4x>). 2 Physics a multiplier or factor that measures
coa beans and used for candy, cosmetics, etc. some property (coefficient of expansion)
co»co»nut /kokanut/ n. (also co>coa*nut) 1 a a large coe»la»canth /se'elakanth/ n. a large bony marine fish,
ovate brown seed of the coco, with a hard shell and Latimeria chalumnae, formerly thought to be extinct,
edible lining enclosing a milky juice, b its edible lin- having a trilobed tail fin and fleshy pectoral fins.
ing, c = coco. 2 si. the human head. -coele comb, form var. of -cele.
CO«COOn /kakoon/ n. & v. •n. 1 a a silky case spun by coe»lervter»ate /seelentarayt, -tarit/ = cnidarian.
many insect larvae for protection as pupae, b a simi- CO»en«zyme /ko-enzlm/ n. Biochem. a nonproteina-
lar structure made by other animals. 2 a protective cov- ceous compound that assists in the action of an en-
ering, esp. to prevent corrosion of metal equipment. zyme.
&
• v. 1 tr. intr. wrap in or form a cocoon. 2 tr. spray CO»e»qual /ko-e'ekwal/ adj. & n. archaic or literary adj.
with a protective coating. equal with one another. •«. an equal, dd co«e«qual»i»
co»cotte /kakot, kawkawt/ n. 1 a small fireproof dish for ty /k6-eekwolitee/ n. co»e«quaMy adv.
cooking and serving an individual portion of food. 2 a co»erce /ko-ars/ v.tr. (often foil, by into) persuade or
deep cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid and handles. restrain (an unwilling person) by force (coerced you in-
COD abbr. 1 cash on delivery. 2 collect on delivery. to signing), dd co»er»ci»ble adj.
COd /kod/ n. (pi. same) any large marine fish of the fam- co*er*cion /ko-arzhan, -shsn/ n. 1 the act or process of
ily Gadidae, used as food, esp. Gadus morhua. coercing. 2 government by force, dd co«er«cive /-siv/
C0»da/k6da/n. 1 Mus. the concluding passage of a piece adj. co»er»cive»ly adv. co«er»cive«ness n.
or movement, usu. forming an addition to the basic Coeur d'A»lene /kard'layn/ n. 1 a a N. American peo-
structure. 2 Ballet the concluding section of a dance. ple native to northern Idaho, b a member of this peo-
3 a concluding event or series of events. ple. 2 the language of this people.
COd«dle /kod'l/ v.tr. 1 a treat as an invalid; protect at- co*e*val /ko-e'eval/ adj. & n. madj. 1 having the same
tentively, b Brit. (foil, by up) strengthen by feeding. age or date of origin. 2 living or existing at the same
2 cook (an egg) in water below boiling point, dd cod» epoch. 3 having the same duration. •«. a coeval per-
dler n. son; a contemporary, dd co»e«val«i»ty /-valitee/ n. co«
code /kod/ n. & v. *n.
"\
a. system of words, letters, fig- e*vaMy adv.
ures, or symbols, used to represent others for secrecy CO»ex»ist /koigzist/ v. intr. (often foil, by with) 1 exist to-
or brevity. 2 a system of prearranged signals, esp. used gether (in time or place). 2 (esp. of nations) exist in
to ensure secrecy in transmitting messages. 3 Comput- mutual tolerance though professing different ideolo-
ing a piece of program text. 4 a a systematic collection gies, etc. dd co»ex«ist»ence n. co»ex«ist»ent adj.
of statutes, a body of laws so arranged as to avoid in- CO»ex«ten»sive /kOikstensiv/ adj. extending over the
consistency and overlapping, b a set of rules on any same space or time.
subject. 5 a the prevailing morality of a society or class COMee /kawfee, kofee/ n. 1 a a drink made from the
(code of honor), b a person's standard of moral behav- roasted and ground beanlike seeds of a tropical shrub.
ior. • v.tr. put (a message, program, etc.) into code. b a cup of this. 2 a any shrub of the genus Coffea, yield-
dd cod*er n. ing berries containing one or more seeds, b these seeds
co»deine /kodeen/ n. an alkaloid derived from mor- raw, or roasted and ground. 3 a pale brown color, as
phine and used to relieve pain. of coffee mixed with milk.
co»de«pend»en«cy / kodipendansee/ n. addiction to a COMee break n. a short rest from work during which
supportive role in a relationship, dd co*de*pend*ent refreshments are usually taken.
/-dant/ adj. & n. coMee cake n. a type of cake or sweetened bread, of-
co«de«ter»mi»na»tion /koditarminayshan/ n. coopera- ten served with coffee.
tion between management and workers in decision
making. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .
coffeehouse ~ Col. 148
cof»fee»house /kawfeehows, kof-/ n. a place serving
coffee and other refreshments, and often providing in-
formal entertainment.
coWee ta»ble n. a small low table.
coMer /kawfar, kof-/ n. la box, esp. a large strongbox
for valuables. 2 (in pi.) a treasury or store of funds.
3 a sunken panel in a ceiling, etc. dd coMered adj.
coMefdam /kawfardam, kof-/ n. a watertight enclo-
sure pumped dry to permit work below the waterline
on building bridges, or for repairing a ship.
etc.,
COMin /kawfin, kof-/ n. &
v. •n. sl long, narrow, usu.
wooden box in which a corpse is buried or cremated.
cog /kawg, kog/ n. 1 each of a series of projections on
the edge of a wheel or bar transferring motion by en-
gaging with another series. 2 an unimportant member
of an organization, etc. an cogged adj.
cogent /kojant/ adj. (of arguments, reasons, etc.) con-
vincing; compelling, dd co«gen»cy /-jansee/ n. co«gent»
ly adv.
Cog»i«tate /kojitayt/ v.tr. & intr. ponder; meditate.
dd cog»i»ta«tion /-tayshsn/ n. cog«i»ta»tive adj. cog»i»ta»
tor n.
CO*gnac /kawnyak, kon-/ n. a high-quality brandy,
properly that distilled in Cognac in W. France.
COg*nate /kognayt/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 related to or de-
scended from a common ancestor. 2 Philol. (of a word)
having the same linguistic family or derivation (as
another); representing the same original word or root
(e.g., English father, German Vater, Latin pater), •n.
1 2 a cognate word, dd cog»nate»ly adv. cog*
a relative.
nate*ness n.
Cog*nate ob*ject n. Gram, an object that is related in
origin and sense to the verb governing it (as in live a
good life)
COg*ni*tion /kognishan/ n. 1 Philos. knowing, perceiv-
ing, or conceiving as an act or faculty distinct from
emotion and volition. 2 a result of this; a perception,
sensation, notion, or intuition, dd cog«ni*tion*al adj.
cog»ni»tive /kognitiv/ adj.
cog«ni»za»ble/kogniz9b9l, kon-, kogni-/ adj. 1 percep-
tible; recognizable; clearly identifiable. 2 within the ju-
risdiction of a court, dd cog*ni*za*bly adv.
cog»ni«zance /kognizans/ n. 1 knowledge or aware-
ness; perception; notice. 2 the sphere of one's obser-
vation or concern. 3 Law the right of a court to deal
with a matter. 4 Heraldry a distinctive device or mark.
d have cognizance of know, esp. officially.
COg*ni*zant /kognizant/ adj. (foil, by of) having knowl-
edge or being aware of.
cog»no»men /kognomen/ w. 1 a nickname. 2 an ancient
Roman's personal name or epithet, as in Marcus
Tullius Cicero, Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus.
cog railway n. a railway with a cogged third rail de-
signed to mesh with a cogwheel on a locomotive to
prevent slippage on steep slopes.
cog«wheel /koghweel, -weel/ n. a wheel with cogs.
co*hab*it /kohabit/ v.intr. (cohabited, cohabiting) live
together, esp. as husband and wife without being mar-
ried to one another, dd co*hab*i*tant n. co*hab*i*ta*tion
n. co«hab*i*tee /-tee/ n. co»hab«i»ter n.
co«here /kohe'er/ v.intr. 1 (of parts or a whole) stick to-
gether; remain united. 2 (of reasoning, etc.) be logical
or consistent.
CO«her»ent /kohe'errmt, -her-/ adj. 1 (of a person) able ulation.
to speak intelligibly and articulately. 2 (of speech, an Coke /kok/ n. Trademark ( !oca-( lolft.
argument, etc.) logical and consistent; easily followed. COke /kok/ n. &v. mn. 1 solid lUDftVM t lefl niter the
3 cohering; sticking together. 4 Physics (of waves) hav- tfases have been extracted from coal. 2 a residue Uli
ing a constant phase relationship, nn co»her»ence after the incomplete combustion ol gasoline, etc. •v.tr.
/-rans/ n. co«her»en»cy n. co-her»enWy adv. convert (coal) into coke.
CO«he«sion /kohe'ezhan/ n. la the act or condition of coke /kok/ n. sl. cocaim
sticking together, b a tendency to cohere. 2 Chem. the Col. abbr. 1 colonel. 2 Colossians (New Testament).
force with which molecules cohere, dd co*he*sive
/-he'esiv/ adj.co»he«sive»ly /-heesivlee/ adv. co«he«
sive*ness /-heesivnis/ n.
co«ho/koho/«. (also co»hoe) (pi. same or -hos or -hoes)
a silver salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, of the N. Pacif-
ic.
CO-hort /kohawrt/ n. 1 an ancient Roman military unit,
equal to one-tenth of a legion. 2 a band of warriors.
3 a persons banded or grouped together, esp. in a com-
mon cause, b a group of persons with a common sta-
tistical characteristic. 4 a companion or colleague.
coif /koyf/ n. hist. 1 worn by
a close-fitting cap, esp. as
nuns under a veil. 2 a protective metal skullcap worn
under armor. 3 = coiffure.
coiMeur /kwaafOr/ n. (Jem. coiffeuse /-f6z/) a hair-
dresser.
COiW lire /kwaafyObr/ n.&v. • n. (also coif) the way hair
is arranged; a hairstyle, •v.tr. to provide with a coif-
fure.
coil /koyl/ n. &v.*n. 1 anything arranged in a joined
1
sequence of concentric circles. 2 a length of rope, a
spring, etc., arranged in this way. 3 a single turn of
something coiled, e.g., a snake. 4 an intrauterine
contraceptive device in the form of a coil. 5 Electr. a
device consisting of a coiled wire for converting low
voltage to high voltage, esp. for transmission to the
spark plugs of an internal combustion engine. »v. 1 tr.
arrange in a series of concentric loops or rings. 2 tr. &
intr. twist or be twisted into a circular or spiral shape.
3 intr. move sinuously.
coil 2 /koyl/
n. d this mortal coil the difficulties of earth-
(with ref. to Shakesp. Hamlet m. i. 67).
ly life
coin /koyn/ n.&v.^n.Aa piece of flat, usu. round met-
al stamped and issued by authority as money. 2 (col-
metal money, •v.tr. 1 make (coins) by stamping.
lect.)
2 make (metal) into coins. 3 invent or devise (esp. a
new word or phrase), o coin money make much mon-
ey quickly, to coin a phrase iron, introducing a banal
remark or cliche, dd coin»er n.
COin*age /koynij/ n. 1 the act or process of coining.
2 a coins collectively, b a system or type of coins in use
(decimal coinage; bronze coinage) 3 an invention, esp.
.
of a new word or phrase.
CO»in»cide/koinsid/tu>m: 1 occur at or during the same
time. 2 occupy the same portion of space. 3 (often
foil, by with) be in agreement; have the same view.
CO*in*ci*dence /ko-insidans/ n. 1 a occurring or being
together, b an instance of this. 2 a remarkable concur-
rence of events or circumstances without apparent
causal connection. 3 Physics the presence of ionizing
particles, etc., in two or more detectors simultaneous-
ly, or of two or more signals simultaneously in a cir-
cuit.
CO»in»ci»dent/k6-insidant/a4/. 1 occurring together in
space or time. 2 (foil, by with) in agreement; harmo-
nious, dd co»in«ci»dent»ly adv.
CO*in*ci*den*tal /ko-insident'l/ adj. 1 in the nature of
or resulting from a coincidence. 2 happening or ex-
isting at the same time, nn co»in»ci»den»taMy </</.
COir /koyor/ n. fiber from the outer husk of the COCOnut,
used for ropes, matting, etc.
co»i«tus /k6-itos, ko-e'e-/ n. Med. sexual Intercourse.
dd co«i'tal adj.
CO»i»tUS in»ter»rup»tUS /intoruptos/ ;/. sexual in
tercourse in which the penis is withdrawn before eJM
1
;i
'
 .

COl /kol/ n. 1 a depression in the summit line of a chain 149 col ~ collect
of mountains, generally affording a pass from one
slope to another. 2 Meteorol. a low-pressure region be- der Coleoptera, with front wings modified into sheaths
tween anticyclones. to protect the hind wings, e.g., a beetle or weevil, ao co«
COl. abbr. column. le*op*ter*an adj. co»le«op»ter»ist n. co«le»op»ter»ous adj.
COLA /k6l9/ abbr. 1 cost-of-living adjustment. 2 cost- cole«slaw /kolslaw/ n. a dressed salad of sliced raw cab-
of-living allowance. bage, carrot, onion, etc.
CO«la /kola/ n. (also kola) 1 any small tree of the genus co*le«us /koleeas/ n. any plant of the genus Coleus, hav-
Cola, native to W. Africa, bearing seeds containing caf- ing variegated colored leaves.
feine. 2 a carbonated drink usu. flavored with these COl*ic /kolik/ n. a severe spasmodic abdominal pain.
seeds. dd col*ick*y adj.
col»an»der /kutandar, kol-/ n. a perforated vessel used COl*i*se*um /koliseeam/ n. (also col»os«se«um) a large
to strain off liquid in cooking. stadium or amphitheater.
COl*chi*cum /kolchiksm, kolkee-/ n. 1 any liliaceous CO*li*tis /kalitis/ n. inflammation of the lining of the co-
plant of the genus Colchicum, esp. meadow saffron. lon.
2 its dried corm or seed. Also called autumn crocus. coll. abbr. 1 collect. 2 collection. 3 collateral. 4 college.
cold /kold/ adj., n., &
adv. madj. 1 of or at a low or rel- COl*lab*0*rate /kslabsrayt/ v.intr. (often foil, by with)
atively low temperature, esp. when compared with the 1 work jointly, esp. in a literary or artistic production.

human body. 2 not heated; cooled after being heated. 2 cooperate traitorously with an enemy, dd col«lab»o«
3 (of a person) feeling cold. 4 lacking ardor, friendli- ration /-rayshan/ n. coMab»o«ra«tion«ist n. & adj. col«
ness, or affection; undemonstrative; apathetic. lab«o*ra*tive /-raytiv, -rativ/ adj. coMab»o»ra»tor n.
5 depressing; uninteresting {coldfacts). § a dead, b col- COMage /kala'azh/ n. la form of art in which various
loq. unconscious. 7 colloq. at one's mercy (had me cold) materials (e.g., photographs, pieces of paper, match-
8 (of soil) slow to absorb heat. 9 (of a scent in hunt- sticks) are arranged and glued to a backing. 2 a work
ing) having become weak. 10 (in children's games) far of art done in this way. 3 a collection of unrelated
from finding or guessing what is sought. 1 1 without things, nn coMag»ist n.
preparation or rehearsal, •n. 1 a the prevalence of a COl»la»gen /kolsjsn/ n. a protein found in animal
low temperature, esp. in the atmosphere, b cold weath- connective tissue, yielding gelatin on boiling.
er; a cold environment (went out into the cold) 2 an in-
. coMapse /kalaps/ n. & v. tumbling down or
• n. 1 the
fection in which the mucous membrane of the nose falling in of a structure; folding up; giving way. 2 a sud-
and throat becomes inflamed, causing running at the den failure of a plan, undertaking, etc. 3 a physical or
nose, sneezing, sore throat, etc. *adv. completely; en- mental breakdown. »v. 1 a intr. undergo or experience
tirely (was stopped cold mid-sentence) o catch a cold be-
. a collapse, b tr. cause to collapse. 2 intr. colloq. lie or
come infected with a cold, cold call sell goods or ser- sit down and relax, esp. after prolonged effort (collapsed

vices by making unsolicited calls on prospective into a chair). 3 a intr. (of furniture, etc.) be foldable in-
customers by telephone or in person. In cold blood to a small space, b tr. fold (furniture) in this way. dd col«
without feeling or passion; deliberately; ruthlessly, out laps*i*ble adj. coMaps*i*bil*i*ty /-sabilitee/ n.
in the cold ignored; neglected, throw (or pour) cold coMar /kolar/ n. & v. • «. 1 the part of a shirt, dress,
water on be discouraging or depreciatory about. coat, etc., that goes around the neck, either upright or
do coldish adj. cold*ly adv. cold«ness n. turned over. 2 a band of linen, lace, etc., completing
cold-blood«ed /koldbludid/ adj. 1 (offish, etc.) having the upper part of a costume. 3 a band of leather or
a body temperature varying with that of the environ- other material put around an animal's (esp. a dog's)
ment. 2 a callous; deliberately cruel, b without excite- neck. 4 a restraining or connecting band, ring, or pipe
ment or sensibility, dispassionate, dd cold-blood*ed*ly in machinery. 5 a colored marking resembling a col-
adv. cold-blood*ed*ness n. lar around the neck of a bird or animal, •v.tr. 1 seize
cold cream n. ointment for cleansing and softening the (a person) by the collar or neck. 2 capture; apprehend.
skin. 3 colloq. accost. 4 5/. take, esp. illicitly, on coMared adj.
cold cuts n.pl slices of cold cooked meats. (also in comb.). coMaMess adj.
cold feet n.pl. colloq. loss of nerve or confidence. COl*lar*bone /kolarbon/ n. either of two bones joining
cold frame n. an unheated frame with a glass top for the breastbone and the shoulder blades; the clavicle.
growing small plants. COMate /kalayt, kolayt, k6-/ v.tr. 1 analyze and com-
cold front n. the boundary of an advancing mass of pare (texts, statements, etc.) to identify points of agree-
cold air, esp. the trailing edge of the warm sector of a ment and difference. 2 arrange (pages) in proper se-
low-pressure system. quence. 3 assemble (information) from different
cold fu*Sion n. hypothetical nuclear fusion at room sources, dd coMa«tor n.
temperature esp. as a possible energy source. col*lat*er*al /kalataral/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 security pledged
COld-heart*ed /koldha'artid/ adj. lacking affection or as a guarantee for repayment of a loan. 2 a person hav-
warmth; unfriendly, dd cold-heart»ed«ly adv. cold- ing the same descent as another but by a different line.
heart«ed«ness n. • adj. 1 descended from the same stock but by a dif-
cold shoul»der n. a show of intentional unfriendliness. ferent line. 2 side by side; parallel. 3 a additional but
cold sore n. inflammation and blisters in and around subordinate, b contributory, c connected but aside
the mouth, caused by a viral infection. from the main subject, course, etc. nn coMat*er*al*i*ty
cold storage n. 1 storage in a refrigerator or other cold /-ralitee/ n. col*lat*er*aMy adv.
place for preservation. 2 a state in which something COl*la*tion /kalayshan, ko-/ n. 1 the act or an instance
(esp. an idea) is put aside temporarily. of collating. 2 a light informal meal.
cold sweat n. a state of sweating induced by fear or ill- coMeague /koleeg/ n. a fellow official or worker, esp.
ness. in a profession or business.
cold turnkey n. si. the abrupt and complete withdraw- CoMect /kalekt/ v., adj., &
adv. *v. 1 tr. & intr. bring
al from taking a drug to which one is addicted. or come together; assemble; accumulate. 2 tr. system-
cold war n. a state of hostility between nations with- atically seek and acquire (books, stamps, etc.), esp. as
out actual fighting. a continuing hobby. 3 a tr. obtain (taxes, contribu-
cole /kol/ n. (usu. in comb.) 1 cabbage. 2 = rape 2 .

co»le»op»ter»on /koleeoptaran/ n. any insect of the or- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
collectible ~ colony 150 coMi»sion course n. a course or action that is bound
to cause a collision or conflict.
tions, etc.) from a number of people, b intr. colloq. re- coMo»cate /kolakayt/ v.tr. 1 place together or side by
ceive money. 4 tr. call for; fetch {went to collect the laun- side. 2 arrange; set in a particular place. 3 (often foil,
dry). 5 a refl. regain control of oneself esp. after a by with) Linguistics juxtapose (a word, etc.) with anoth-
shock, b tr. concentrate (one's energies, thoughts, er, dd coMo*ca*tion /-kayshgn/ n.

etc.). c tr. (as collected adj.) calm and cool; not per- coMoid /koloyd/ n. Chem. a substance consisting of ul-
turbed nor distracted. 6 tr. infer; gather; conclude. tramicroscopic particles suspended in a liquid or other
• adj. &adv. to be paid for by the receiver (of a tel- medium, dd col*loi*dal /kaloyd'l/ adj.
ephone call, parcel, etc.). an coMect»a»ble adj. col» COl*lo*qui*al /kalokweegl/ adj. belonging to or proper
lect*ed*ly adv. to ordinary or familiar conversation, not formal or lit-
COl*lect*i*ble /kalektibsl/ adj. &
n. madj. worth col- erary, dd coMo*qui*aMy adv.
lecting. • n. an item sought by collectors. col*lo«qui*al*ism /kalQkweealizam/ n. 1 a colloquial
coMec»tion /kalekshan/ n. 1 the act or process of col- word or phrase. 2 the use of colloquialisms.
lecting or being collected. 2 a group of things collected coMo*qui«um /kslokweeam/ n. (pi. colloquiums or col-
together (e.g., works of art, literary items, or speci- loquia /-kweea/) an academic conference or seminar.
mens), esp. systematically. 3 (foil, by of) an accumu- col*lo*quy /kotakwee/ n. (pi. -quies) 1 the act of con-
lation; a mass or pile (a collection of dust). 4 a the col- versing. 2 a conversation.
lecting of money, esp. in church or for a charitable coMude /kalood/ v.intr. come to an understanding or
cause, b the amount collected. 5 the regular removal conspire together, esp. for a fraudulent purpose.
of mail, esp. from a public mailbox, for dispatch. dd coMud*er n.
CoMeotive /kalektiv/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 formed by or COl*lu*sion /kaloozhan/ n. 1 a secret understanding,
constituting a collection. 2 taken as a whole; aggregate esp. for a fraudulent purpose. 2 Law such an under-
{our collective opinion). 3 of or from several or many standing between ostensible opponents in a lawsuit.
individuals; common. • n. 1a any cooperative en- dd coMu*sive /-lobsiv/ adj. coMu*sive*ly adv.
terprise, b its members. 2 = collective noun, dd col* Colo. abbr. Colorado.
lec»tive»ly adv. coMec»tive»ness n. coMec»tiv«i»ty COl*o*bus /kolabss/ n. any leaf-eating monkey of the
/kolektivitee/ n. genus Colobus, native to Africa, having shortened or
coMec*tive bar«gairving n. negotiation of wages, etc., absent thumbs.
by an organized body of employees. co«logne /kalon/ n. (in full cologne water) eau de co-
COl»lec»tive noun n. Gram, a noun that is grammati- logne or a similar scented toilet water.
cally singular and denotes a collection or number of CO'lon /kolsn/ n. a punctuation mark (:), used esp. to
1

individuals (e.g., assembly, family, troop). introduce a quotation or a list of items or to separate

COMec*tiv*ism /kslektivizam/ n. the theory and prac- clauses when

ticeof the collective ownership of land and the means
of production, dd coMec*tivist n. col*lec*tivis*tic
/-vistik/ adj.
coMec»tor /kalektsr/ n. 1a person who
things of interest as a hobby. 2 a person
money, etc., due (tax collector; ticket collector).
coMec»tor's i«tem n. (also coMec-tor's piece) a valu-
able object, esp. one of interest to collectors.
coMege /kolij/ n. 1 an establishment for further or
higher education, sometimes part of a university. 2 an
establishment for specialized professional education
(business college; college of music; naval college) 3 the stu-
the second expands or illustrates the
first; also between numbers in a statement of propor-
tion (as in 10:1) and in Biblical references (as in Ex-
odus 3:2)
collects, esp. CO»lon 2 /kotan/ n. Anat. the lower and greater part of
who collects the large intestine, from the cecum to the rectum.
dd co«lorvic /kalonik/ adj.
COlo*nel /karnal/ n. 1 an army, air force, or marine of-
ficer, immediately below a brigadier general in rank.
2 = lieutenant colonel, dd colo»nel«cy n. (pi. -cies).
colonel mid- 16th century: from obsolete French
coronel (earlier form of colonel), from Italian colonnel-
.

lo 'column of soldiers,' from colonna 'column,' from

dents and teachers in a college. 4 Brit, a public school.
Latin columna. The form coronel, the source of the
5 an organized body of persons with shared functions
and
modern pronunciation, was usual until the mid- 17th
privileges (electoral college) . dd col*le*gial /kaleejal/
century.
adj.
COl*le*giate /kale'ejat/ adj. constituted as or belonging CO»lo»ni»al /kaloneeal/ adj. & n. madj. 1 of, relating to,
to a college; corporate, dd coMe*giate*ly adv. or characteristic of a colony or colonies. 2 (esp. of ar-
COMide /ksll'd/ v.intr. (often foil, by with) 1 come into chitecture or furniture) built or designed in, or in a
abrupt or violent impact. 2 be in conflict. style characteristic of, the period of the British colo-
coMie /kolee/ n. 1 a sheepdog orig. of a Scottish breed, nies in America before independence, •n. 1a native
with a long pointed nose and usu. dense, long hair. or inhabitant of a colony. 2 a house built in colonial
2 this breed. style, dd co«lo»ni»al»ly adv.
COMier/kolyar/n. 1 a coal miner. 2 a coal-carrying ship. CO*lo*ni*al*ism /koloneeoliznm/ n. 1 a policy of acquir-
col»lier»y /kolyaree/ n. (pi. -ies) a coal mine and its as- ing or maintaining colonics. 2derog. tins poHcy It
sociated buildings. garded as the esp. economic exploitation of weak or
col«li«gate /koligayt/ v.tr. bring into connection (esp. backward peoples by a larger power, co*lo»ni»aMst
i ii i

isolated facts by a generalization), nn coMi*ga*tion n.

/-gayshan/ n. COl»0»nist/kolonist/ n. a settler in or inhabitant ol ICOl
COl»lin»e*ar /kalineear/ adj. Geom. (of points) lying in ony.
the same straight line, dd coMin«e*ar*i*ty / neeairitee/ COl*0«nize /koloniz/ v. 1 tr. a establish a colony or "I i

n. col»lin»e»ar«ly adv. onies in (a country or area), b settle as colonists 2 mi,:

coMins /kolinz/ n. (also CoMins) an iced drink made establish or join a colony. 3 tr. Biol, (of plants ami am
of gin or whiskey, etc., with soda water, lemon or lime mals) become established (in an area), col»o»ni«za» i
II I

and sugar.
juice, tion n. col»o»niz»er n.
CoMi'Sion /kslizhon/ n.1a violent impact of a moving COl»on«nade /kolnnayd/ n. a row of columns, esp sup
body, esp. a vehicle or ship, with another or with a fixed porting an entablature or roof, dq col»on»nad»ed ./<//.
object. 2 the clashing of opposed interests or consid- col»o«ny /kolnncc/ //. (pi. -nies) 1 a a group of set this
erations, dd coMi'Siorval adj. in a new country (whether or not tin tidy inhabited)
 fully or partly subject to the mother country, b the set- 151 colophon ~ combination
tlement or its territory. 2 a people of one nationality
or race or occupation in a city, esp. if living more or CO*los*sal /kalossl/ adj. 1 of immense size; huge, gigan-
less in isolation or in a special quarter, b a separate or tic. 2 colloq. remarkable; splendid, an co*los*sal*ly adv.

segregated group (nudist colony) 3 Biol, a collection of

. co*los*sus /kslosas/ n. (pi. colossi /-si/ or colossus-
animals, plants, etc., connected, in contact, or living es) 1 a statue much bigger than life size. 2 a gigantic
close together. person, animal, building, etc. 3 an imperial power per-
col*o*phon /kobfon, -fan/ n. 1 a publisher's device or sonified.
imprint, esp. on the title page. 2 a tailpiece in a man- co*los*to*my /kalostamee/ n. (pi. -mies) Surgery an
uscript or book, often ornamental, giving the writer's operation on the colon to make an opening in the ab-
or printer's name, the date, etc. dominal wall to provide an artificial anus.
col»or /kubr/ n. &v. • n. 1 a the sensation produced CO»los»trum /kalostram/ n. the first secretion from the
on the eye by rays of light when resolved as by a prism, mammary glands occurring after giving birth.
selective reflection, etc., into different wavelengths. COl«pos»CO»py /kolposkapee/ n. (pi. -pies) examination
b perception of color; a system of colors. 2 one, or any of the vagina and the neck of the womb.
mixture, of the constituents into which light can be colt /kolt/ n. a young, uncastrated male horse, usu. less
separated as in a spectrum or rainbow, sometimes in- than four years old. oa colt»hood n. coltosh adj. colt*
cluding (loosely) black and white. 3 a coloring sub- ish»ly adv. colt*ish*ness n.
stance, esp. paint. 4 the use of all colors, not only black coltsfoot /kOltsfoDt/ n. (pi. coltsfoots) a wild compos-
and white, as in photography and television. 5 a pig- iteplant, Tussilago farfara, with large leaves and yellow
mentation of the skin, esp. when dark, b this as a flowers.
ground for prejudice or discrimination. 6 ruddiness of COl*u*brine /kobbrin, kolya-/ adj. 1 snakelike. 2 of the
complexion (a healthy color) 7 (in pi. ) appearance or
. subfamily Colubrinae of nonpoisonous snakes.
aspect (see things in their true colors) 8 (in pi. ) a a col-
. CO*lum*bine /kobmbin/ n. any plant of the genus Aq-
ored ribbon or uniform, etc., worn to signify mem- uilegia, esp. A. canadensis, having purple-blue flowers.
bership of a school, club, team, etc. b the flag of a reg- co*lum*bi*um /kalumbbm/ n. Chem. = niobium.
iment or ship, c a national flag. 9 quality, mood, or col«umn /kobm/ n. 1 Archit. an upright cylindrical pil-
variety in music, literature, speech, etc.; distinctive lar often slightly tapering and usu. supporting an en-
character or timbre. 10 a pretext (under color of), mv. tablature or arch. 2 a structure or part shaped like a
1 tr. apply color to, esp. by painting or dyeing or with column. 3 a vertical cylindrical mass of liquid or va-
colored pens or pencils. 2 tr. influence (an attitude col- por. 4 a a vertical division of a page, chart, etc., con-
ored by experience). 3 tr. a misrepresent, exaggerate, taining a sequence of figures or words, b the figures or
esp. with spurious detail (a highly colored account). words themselves. 5 a part of a newspaper regularly
b disguise. 4 intr. take on color; blush. show one's devoted to a particular subject. 6 Mil. an arrangement
true colors reveal one's true character or intentions. of troops in successive lines, with a narrow front. co»
under false colors falsely; deceitfully, with flying col- lunvnar /kalumnar/ adj. col*umned adj.
ors see FLYING. COl*um*nist /kobmnist, -mist/ n. a journalist contrib-
Col*o*rad*o po«ta*to bee-tie /kobrado, -ra'ado/ n. a uting regularly to a newspaper.
yellow and black striped beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlin- CO*ma /koma/ n. (pi. comas) a prolonged deep uncon-
eata, the larva of which is highly destructive to the sciousness.
potato plant. Co»man«che /kamanchee/ n. 1 a a N. American peo-
col»or»a»tion /kubrayshan/ n. 1 coloring; a scheme or ple native to the western plains, b a member of this
method of applying color. 2 the natural (esp. varie- people. 2 the language of this people.
gated) color of living things or animals. com»a»tose /komatos, kom-/ adj. 1 in a coma. 2 drow-
COl*0*ra«tu*ra /kubratobra, -tyobr-/ n. 1 elaborate or- sy.
namentation of a vocal melody. 2 a singer (esp. a so- comb /kom/ «.&tt«n.1a toothed strip of rigid mate-
prano) skilled in coloratura singing. rial fortidying and arranging the hair. 2 a part of a ma-
col»or-blind adj. 1 unable to distinguish certain colors. chine having a similar design or purpose. 3 the red,
2 ignoring racial prejudice, on col»or-blind»ness n. fleshy crest of a fowl, esp. a cock. 4 a honeycomb. • v. tr.
COl*ored /kubrd/ adj. &n.» adj. 1 having color(s) 2 (al- . 1 arrange or tidy (the hair) by drawing a comb
so Colored) often offens. wholly or partly of nonwhite through. 2 curry (a horse). 3 dress (wool or flax) with
descent. *n. (also Colored) a colored person. a comb. 4 search (a place) thoroughly, an combed adj.
see note at black. corrvbat n.&v. • n. /kombat, kiim-/ 1 a fight; an armed
COl»or»fast /kubrfast/ adj. dyed in colors that will not encounter or conflict; fighting; battle. 2 a struggle,
fade nor be washed out. dd col*or*fast*ness n. contest, or dispute. *v. /kambat, kombat/ (combated,
COl»or»ful /kubrfool/ adj. 1 having much or varied col- combating) 1 intr. engage in combat. 2 tr. oppose;
or; bright. 2 full of interest; vivid; lively, on col*or*f ul* strive against.
ly adv. COm*bat*ant /kambat'nt, kombat'nt/ n. adj. •«. a &
COl»or»if»ic /kubrifik/ adj. 1 producing color. 2 highly person engaged in fighting. • adj. 1 fighting. 2 for fight-
colored. ing.
COl*or*ing /kubring/ n. 1 the process of or skill in us- convbat fa*tigue
n. a mental disorder caused by stress
ing color(s). 2 the style in which a thing is colored, or wartime combat.
in
in which an artist uses color. 3 facial complexion. COm»bat»ive /kambativ/ adj. ready to fight; pugnacious.
COl*or*ist /kubrist/ n. a person who uses color, esp. in nn com*bat*ive*ly adv. com*bat*ive*ness n.
art. COmb»er /kOmar/ n. 1a person or thing that combs,
col«or«ize /kubriz/ v. tr. (colorized, colorizing) add col- esp. a machine for combing cotton or wool very fine.
or to (orig. black-and-white movie film) using com- 2 a long curling wave; a breaker.
puter technology. com«bi»na»tion /kombinayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
coNoMess /kubrlis/ adj. 1 without color. 2 lacking stance of combining; the process of being combined.
character or interest. 3 dull or pale in hue. 4 neutral; 2 a combined state (in combination with) 3 a combined .

impartial; indifferent, dd color*less*ly adv. set of things or people. 4 a sequence of numbers or

col»or scheme n. an arrangement or planned combina-
tion of colors esp. in interior design. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

combination lock ~ come 152
letters used to open a combination lock, dd com»bi»
na*tion*al adj. com*bi*na*tive /kombinaytiv, kambina-/
adj.
com*bi*na*tion lock n. a lock that can be opened on-
ly by rotating a dial or set of dials through a specific
sequence of movements.
&
convbine v.&n.» v. /kambin/ 1 tr. intr. join together;
unite for a common purpose. 2 tr. possess (qualities
usually distinct) together {combines charm and author-
ity). 3 a intr. coalesce in one substance, b cause to tr.
do this. C intr. form a chemical compound. 4 /kombin/
tr. harvest (crops, etc.) by means of a combine harves-
ter. • n. /kombin/ a combination of esp. commercial
interests to control prices, etc. dd com»bin»a«ble
/kambinabal/ adj.
conrbine har»ves»ter /kombin/ n. a mobile machine
that reaps and threshes in one operation.
convbirving form n. Gram, a linguistic element used
in combination with another element to form a word
(e.g., Anglo- = English, bio- = life, -graphy = writing).
In this dictionary, combining form is used of an el-
ement that contributes to the particular sense of words
(as with both elements of biography), as distinct from
a prefix or suffix that adjusts the sense of or deter-
mines the function.
Com*bo /kombo/ n. (pi. -bos) si. a small jazz or dance
band.
com*bus*ti*ble /kambustibal/ adj. &
n. *adj. capable
of or used for burning. *n. a combustible substance.
dd com»bus»ti»biM«ty /-bilitee/ n.
COm*bus*tion /kgmbuschan/ n. 1 burning; consump-
tion by fire. 2 Chem. the development of light and heat
from the chemical combination of a substance with
oxygen, an com*bus*tive /-bustiv/ adj.
com*bus*tion chanvber n. a space in which combus-
tion takes place, e.g., of gases in a boiler-furnace or
fuel in an internal-combustion engine.
Comdr. abbr. commander.
come /kum/ v. intr. (past came /kaym/; past part, come)
1 move, be brought toward, or reach a place thought
of as near or familiar to the speaker or hearer (come
and see me; the books have come) 2 reach or be brought
. thrive (is really coming on) 4 appear on the stage, field
to a specified situation or result (you 11 come to no harm;
have come to believe it) 3 extend to a specified point
. telephone, etc. 6 arise to be discussed. 7 (as imper.)
(the road comes within a mile of us) 4 traverse or ac- .
complish (with compl.: have come a long way). 5 get
to be in a certain condition (how did you come to break
your leg?) 6 take or occupy a specified position (it
. 3 a declare oneself; make a decision (came out in fa-
comes on the third page) 7 become perceptible or
. vor of joining) b openly declare that one is a homo-
known (the church came into sight; it will come to me).
8 be available (comes in three sizes) 9 become (with . etc.,or present in a specified way (the dog didn V awn-
compl.: come loose). 10 (foil, by of) a be descended
from (comes of a rich family), b be the result of (that
comes of complaining) 1 1 colloq. play the part of; be-
.
have like (with compl.: don't come the bully with me).
12 5/. have a sexual orgasm. 13 (in subj.) colloq. when
a specified time is reached (come next month). 14 (as
int.) expressing caution or reserve (come now, it can-
not be that bad). as they come typically or supreme-
ly so (is as tough as they come), come about happen;
take place, come across 1 a be effective or under-
stood, b appear or sound in a specified way. 2 (foil,
by with) si. hand over what is wanted. 3 meet or find
by chance (came across an old jacket), come again col-
loq. 1 make a further effort. 2 (as imper.) what did you
say? come along 1 make progress; move forward. 2
(as imper.) hurry up. come and go 1 pass to and fro;
be transitory. 2 pay brief visits, come apart fall or
break into pieces; disintegrate, come around 1 pay an
informal visit. 2 recover consciousness. 3 be con-
verted to another person's opinion. 4 (of a date or reg-
..
ular occurrence) recur; be imminent again, come at
1 reach; discover; get access to. 2 attack (came at me
with a knife) .come away 1 become detached or bro-
ken off (came away in my hands). 2 (foil, by with) be
left with a feeling, impression, etc. come back 1 re-
turn. 2 recur to one's memory. 3 become fashionable
or popular again. 4 reply; retort, come before be dealt
with by (a judge, etc.). come between 1 interfere with
the relationship of. 2 separate; prevent contact be-
tween, come by 1 pass; go past. 2 call on a visit (come
by tomorrow) 3 acquire (came by a new bicycle) come
. .
down 1 come to a place or position regarded as lower.
2 lose position or wealth (has come down in the world)
3 be handed down by tradition or inheritance. 4 be
reduced; show a downward trend (prices are coming
down). 5 (foil, by against, in favor of, on the side of)
reach a decision or recommendation (the report came
down against change). 6 (foil, by to) signify basically;
be dependent on (a factor) (it comes down to who is
willing to go). 7 (foil, by on) criticize harshly; punish.
8 (foil, by with) begin to suffer from (a disease), come
for 1 come to collect or receive. 2 attack (came for me
with a hammer), come forward 1 advance. 2 offer one-
self for a task, post, etc. come In 1 enter a house or
room. 2 take a specified position in a race, etc. (came
in third). 3 become fashionable or seasonable. 4 a have
a useful role or function, b (with compl.) prove to be
(came in very handy) C have a part to play (where do
.
1 come in?). 5 be received (news has just come in). 6 be-
gin speaking, esp. in radio transmission. 7 be elected;
come to power. 8 (foil, by for) receive; be the object
of (came in for much criticism). 9 (foil, by on) join (an
enterprise, etc.). 10 (of a tide) turn to high tide. 1 1 (of
a train, ship, or aircraft) approach its destination.
come into 1 see senses 2, 7 of v. 2 receive, esp. as heir.
come off 1 colloq. (of an action) succeed; be accom-
plished. 2 (with compl.) fare; turn out (came of bad-
ly; came off the winner) 3 be detached or detachable
.
(from) 4 fall (from) 5 be reduced or subtracted from
. .
($5 came off the price) come off it (as imper.) colloq. an
.
expression of disbelief or refusal to accept another's
opinion, behavior, etc. come on 1 continue to come.
2 (foil, by to) make sexual advances. 3 make progress;
.
of play, etc. 5 be heard or seen on television, on the
expressing encouragement. 8 = come upon, come out
1 emerge; become known (it came out that he had left).
2 appear or be published (comes out every Saturday)
.
sexual. 4 a be satisfactorily visible in a photograph,
out; he came out badly), b (of a photograph) be pro-
duced satisfactorily or in a specified way (only three
have come out). 5 attain a specified result in an
examination, etc. 6 (of a stain, etc.) be removed.
7 make one's debut in society. 8 (foil, by in) be cov-
ered with (came out in spots). 9 (of I problem) be
solved. 10 (foil, by with) declare openly; disclose.
come over 1 come from some distance or nearer to
the speaker (came over from Pans; COtM OVtf hen).
2 change sides or one's opinion. 3 (of feeling, eti ;i I
overtake or affect (a person), come through 1 be
cessful; survive. 2 be received by telephone. 3 survive
or overcome (a difficulty) (cam* through th* orxUal).
come to 1 recover consciousness. 2 Num. bring I VCI
sel to a stop. 3 reach in total; amount to. 4 njl. recover
consciousness. 5 have as a dcstinv; reai h (what U 'In-
world coming to?), come to nothing have no useful re-
sult in the end; fail, come to pass occur, come to rest
cease moving, come to that colloq. in fact; if that is In- t
case, come under 1 be classified as or tmong. 2 be
 . .

subject to (influence or authority), come up 1 come 153 comeback - commendation

to a place or position regarded as higher. 2 attain
wealth or position (come up in the world) 3 (of an is-
sue, problem, etc.) arise; be mentioned or discussed.
4 (often foil, by to) a approach a person, esp. to talk.
b (foil, by to, on) approach a specified time, etc. (is
coming up to eight o'clock). 5 (foil, by to) match (a
standard, etc.). 6 (foil, by with) produce (an idea,
etc.), esp. in response to a challenge. 7 (of a plant,
. Com»i»cal /komikal/ adj. funny; causing laughter.
dd convi»caM»ty /-kalitee/ n. convi«caMy adv.
convic book n. a magazine in the form of comic strips.
convic op»er«a n. 1 an opera with much spoken dia-
logue, usu. with humorous treatment. 2 this genre.
convic Strip n. a horizontal series of drawings in a com-
ic book, newspaper, etc., telling a story.

etc.) spring up out of the ground. 8 become brighter conving /kuming/ adj. &
n. • attrib.adj. 1 approaching;

(e.g., with polishing), come up against be faced with. next (in the coming week). 2 of potential importance (a
come upon 1 meet or find by chance. 2 attack by sur- coming man). *n. arrival; approach.
prise, come what may no matter what happens, have convi'ty /komitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 civility; considerate
it coming to one colloq. be about to get one's deserts. behavior toward others. 2 an association of nations,
how come? colloq. how did that happen? if it comes mutual benefit.
etc., for
to that in that case, to come future; in the future (the convma /koma/ n. a punctuation mark (,) indicating a
year to come; many problems were still to come) pause between parts of a sentence, or dividing items
come»back /kiimbak/ n. 1 a return to a previous (esp. in a list, string of figures, etc.
successful) state. 2 5/. a retaliation. convmand /kamand/ v. & n. mv.tr. 1 (also absol; of-
CO«me«di»an /kameedeean/ n. 1 a humorous enter- ten foil, by to + infin., + clause) give formal or-
or that
tainer. 2 an actor in comedy. 3 5/. an amusing person. der or instructions to (commands us to obey; commands
co«me«di»enne /kame'edee-en/ n. a female comedian. that it be done). 2 (also
have authority over.
absol.)
come»down /kumdown/ n. 1a loss of status; decline. 3 a (often refl. ) b gain the use of; have
restrain; master,
2 a disappointment. at one's disposal (skill, resources, etc.). 4 deserve and
conve»dy /komidee/ n. (pi. -dies) 1 a a play, film, etc., get (sympathy, respect, etc.). 5 Mil. dominate (a stra-
of an amusing character, usu. with a happy ending. tegic position) from a superior height; look down over.
b the genre consisting of works of this kind (cf trag- . • n. 1 an order; an instruction. 2 mastery; control (a
edy). 2 an amusing incident or series of incidents in good command of languages) 3 the exercise or tenure of
.

everyday life. 3 humor, esp. in a work of art. dd co*me« authority, esp. naval or military (has command of this
die /kame'edik/ adj. ship). A Mil. a a body of troops, etc. (Artillery Com-
conve»dy of man*ners n. satirical portrayal of social mand), b a district under a commander (Western Com-
behavior, esp. of the upper classes. mand). 5 Computing a an instruction causing a com-
COme-hith»er attrib.adj. colloq. enticing; flirtatious. puter to perform one of its basic functions, b a signal
comedy /kumlee/ adj. (comelier, comeliest) pleasant initiating such an operation, d in command of
to look at. dd come*li*ness /kumleenis/ n. commanding, under command of commanded by.
come-on n. si. a lure or enticement. convman«dant /komandant, -da'ant/ n. a command-
conver /kumar/ n. la person who comes, esp. as an ing officer, dd convman*dant*ship n.
applicant, participant, etc. (offered the job to the first convman»deer
/komande'er/ v.tr. 1 seize (men or
comer). 2 colloq. a person likely to be a success. goods) for military purposes. 2 take possession of
convet /komit/ n. a hazy object usu. with a nucleus of without authority.
ice and dust surrounded by gas and with a tail point- convmand*er /kamandar/ n. a person who commands,
ing away from the sun, moving in an eccentric orbit esp. a naval officer next in rank below captain.
around the sun. dd com«et»ar«y adj. convmand»er-in-chief n. (pi. commanders in chief)
come«up*pance /kumupans/ n. colloq. one's deserved the supreme commander, esp. of a nation's forces.
fate (got his comeuppance) convmand»ing /kamanding/ adj. 1 dignified; exalted;
convfort /kiimfart/ n. &
v. • n. 1 consolation; relief in impressive. 2 (of a hill, etc.) giving a wide view. 3 (of
affliction. 2 a a state of physical well-being (live in com- an advantage, a position, etc.) controlling; superior
fort), b (usu. in pi.) things that make life easy or pleas- (has a commanding lead), dd convmand»ing«ly adv.
ant. 3 a cause of satisfaction (a comfort to me that you convmand»ment /kamandmant/ n. a divine command.
are here). 4 a person who consoles or helps one (he's a convma n*do /kamando/ n. (pi. -dos) Mil. 1 a a unit of
comfort to her in her old age), mv.tr. 1 soothe in grief; amphibious shock troops, b a member of such a unit.
console. 2 make comfortable, dd convforWng adj. 2 a a party of men called out for military service, b a
convfort*ing*ly adv. convforWess adj. body of troops.
convfort»a«ble /kumftabal, -fartabal/ adj. 1 a such as convmand performance n. a theatrical or film
give comfort or ease (a comfortable pair of shoes) b (of performance given at the request of a head of state or
.

a person) relaxing to be with; congenial. 2 free from sovereign.

discomfort; at ease. 3 colloq. having an adequate stand- convmenvo«rate /kamemarayt/ v.tr. 1 celebrate in
ard of living. 4 having an easy conscience (did not feel speech or writing. 2 a preserve in memory by some
comfortable about refusing him) 5 with a wide margin
. celebration, b (of a plaque, etc.) be a memorial of.
(a comfortable win), dd convfort*a*bly adv. dd convmenvoTa«tion /kamemarayshan/ n. com*
convforver /kumfartar/ n. la person who comforts. mem«o»ra»tive /-raytiv, -rativ/ adj. convmenvo«ra»tor
2 a warm quilt. n.
convfrey /kumfree/ n. (pi. -freys) any of various plants COITVmence /kamens/ formal begin.
v.tr. & intr.
of the genus Symphytum, esp. 5". officinale, having large, COnvmence»ment /kamensmant/ n. formal 1 a begin-
hairy leaves and clusters of usu. white or purple bell- ning. 2 a ceremony of degree conferment.
shaped flowers. convmend /kamend/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by to) entrust;
convfy /kumfee/ adj. (comfier, comfiest) colloq. com- commit (commends his soul to God). 2 praise. 3 recom-
fortable, dd convfMy adv. convfi*ness n. mend (method commends itself).
convic /komik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of, or in the style of, convmend*a*ble /kamendabal/ adj. praiseworthy.
comedy (comic opera). 2 causing or meant to cause dd convmend*a*bly adv.
laughter; funny. »n. 1 a professional comedian. 2 (pi.) convmen*da*tion /komendayshan/ n. 1 an act of
section or page of a newspaper featuring several com-
ic strips, dd convi»cal adj. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
commendatory ~ common 154 dure). 2 an order for something, esp. a work of art, to
be produced specially. 3 Mil. a a warrant conferring
commending or recommending (esp. a person to the rank of officer in the army, navy, marines, or air
another's favor). 2 praise. force, b the rank so conferred. 4 a the authority to act
com»mend»a»to«ry /kamendatawree/ adj. com- as agent for a company, etc., in trade, b a percentage
mending; recommending. paid to the agent from the business obtained {his wag-
Com*men*sal /kamensal/ adj. & n. Biol. •adj. of, relat- es are low, but he gets 20 percent commission) 5 the act .

ing to, or exhibiting commensalism. •«. a
organism, an com»men»saMy adv.
COm*men*sal*ism /kamensalizam/ n. Biol, an associa-
tion between two organisms in which one benefits and
the other derives no benefit or harm.
com*men*su*ra*ble /ksmensarabal, -shara-/ adj. 1
(often foil, by with, to) measurable by the same stand-
ard. 2 (foil, by to) proportionate to. 3 Math, (of num-
bers) in a ratio equal to the ratio of integers, dd com*
men«su»ra»bil«i«ty n. convmen»su«ra»bly adv.
com*men*su*rate /kgmensarat, -sharat/ adj. 1 (usu.
foil, by with) having the same size, duration, etc. 2 (of-
ten foil, by to, with) proportionate, dd com«men»su»
rate*ly adv.
COm«ment /koment/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a remark, esp. crit-
ical {passed a comment on her hat), b commenting; crit-
icism {his behavior aroused much comment). 2 an explan-
commensal of committing (a crime, sin, etc.). 6 the office or
department of a commissioner. • v. tr. 1 authorize or
empower by a commission. 2 a give (an artist, etc.) a
commission for a piece of work, b order (a work) to
be written. 3 Naut. a give (an officer) the command
of a ship, b prepare (a ship) for active service. 4 bring
(a machine, equipment, etc.) into operation, d in
commission (of a warship, etc.) manned, armed, and
ready for service, out of commission (esp. of a ship)
not in service; not in working order.
com»mis»sion»er /kamishgnar/ n. 1a person ap-
pointed by a commission to perform a specific task.
2 a person appointed as a member of a government
commission. 3 a representative of the supreme author-
ity in a district, department, etc.
convmit /kamit/ v. tr. (committed, committing) 1 (usu.
foil, by to) entrust or consign for: a safe keeping {I com-

atory note (e.g., on a written text), •v.intr. 1 (often mit him to your care), b treatment, usu. destruction
foil, by on, upon, or that + clause) make (esp. critical) {committed the book to the flames) C official custody as
.

remarks {commented on her choice offriends). 2 (often
foil, by on, upon) write explanatory notes, d no com-
ment colloq. I decline to answer your question, dd corn*
ment»er n.
com«men«tar«y /komanteree/ n. {pi. -ies) 1 a set of ex-
planatory or critical notes on a text, etc. 2 a descrip-
a criminal or as insane {you could be committed for such
behavior) 2 perpetrate,
. do (esp. a crime, sin, or blun-
der). 3 pledge, involve, or bind (esp. oneself) to a cer-
tain course or policy. 4 (as committed adj.) (often foil,
by to) a morally dedicated or politically aligned {a com-
mitted Christian; committed to the cause) b obliged (to .

tive spoken account (esp. on radio or television) of an take certain action), d commit to memory memorize.
event as it happens. dd com*mit*ta*ble adj. convmiMer n.
com«men»ta»tor /komsntaytsr/ n. 1 a person who pro- com»mit»ment /kamitmant/ n. 1 an engagement or
vides a commentary on an event, etc. 2 the writer of a obligation that restricts freedom of action. 2 the proc-
commentary. 3 a person who writes or speaks on cur- ess or an instance of committing oneself.
rent events. convmiMal /kamit'l/ n. 1 the act of committing a per-
convmerce /komars/ n. financial transactions, esp. the son to an institution, esp. prison or a psychiatric hos-
buying and selling of merchandise, on a large scale. pital. 2 the burial of a dead body.
Com*mer*cial /kamarshal/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of, engaged com«mit«tee/k3mitee/«. 1 a body of persons appointed
in, or concerned with, commerce. 2 having profit as a for a specific function by, and usu. out of, a larger body.
primary aim rather than artistic, etc., value; philistine. 2 such a body appointed by a legislature, etc., to con-
• n. a television or radio advertisement, dd convmer* sider the details of proposed legislation.
ci*al*i*ty /-sheealitee/ n. convmer»ciaMy adv. corn-mode /kamOd/ n. 1 a chest of drawers. 2 a = toi-
com*mer*cial*ism /ksmarshalizam/ n. 1 the principles let 1 b (also night commode) a bedside table with a
.

and practice of commerce. 2 (esp. excessive) empha- cupboard containing a chamber pot.
sis on financial profit as a measure of worth. COm*mo*di*OUS /kamOdeess/ adj. roomy and comfort-
com«mer»cial»ize /kamarshaliz/ v.tr. 1 exploit or spoil able, dd convmo»di«ous«ly adv. com-mo«di»ous«ness
for gaining profit. 2 make commercial, dd convmer* n.
cial*i*za*tion n. com»mod»i«ty /kamoditee/ n. {pi. -ties) 1 Commerce an
convmie /komee/ n. si. derog. (also Convmie) a Com- article or raw material that can be bought and sold.
munist. 2 a useful thing.
com»min»a»to»ry /kgminatawree, komina-/ adj. threat- Com«mo«dore /komadawr/ n. la naval officer above a
ening. captain and below a rear admiral. 2 the commander
COm»min«gle /kamingggl/ v. tr. &
intr. literary mingle to- of a squadron or other division of a fleet. 3 the pres-
gether. ident of a yacht club.
Conrrmi»nute/k6m3noot,-nyoot/t;.rr. 1 reduce to small convmon /koman/ adj. & n. madj. 1 a occurring; often
fragments. 2 divide (property) into small portions. {a common b ordinary; of ordinary qualities;
mistake),
dd com»mi»nu«tion /-nobshan, -nyob-/ n. without special rank or position {common toUitfi thi
COm»mis«er»ate /kamizarayt/ v. intr. (usu. foil, by with) common people). 2 a shared by, coming from, or done
express or feel pity, dd com»mis«er«a»tion /-rayshan/ n. by, more than one {common knowledge; by COMMOtt ">/ <

com«mis«er»a«tive /-raytiv/ adj. sent), b belonging to, open to, or fleeting, the whole
Com»mis»sar«y /komiseree/ n. {pi. -ies) 1 Mil. a a store community {common land). 3 derog. low-class; inferior
for the supply of food, etc., to soldiers, b an officer re- {a common little man). 4 of the most familial type <"" (<

sponsible for the supply of food, etc., to soldiers. 2 a a mon cold). 5 Math, belon^in^ to two or more qu.int,
restaurant in a movie studio, etc. b the food supplied. ties {common factor). 6 drum, (offender) referring to
3 deputy or delegate, dd com*mis*sar*i*al adj.
a individuals of either sex (e.g., rrachrr). 7 MtU. having
COm»mis»sion /kamishan/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a the authori- two or four beats, esp. four quarter notes, in a bar • >/
ty to perform a task or certain duties, b a person or a piece of open public land, esp. in a village or town.
group entrusted esp. by a government with such au- in common 1 in joint use, ihared. 2 of )oint interest
thority. C an instruction or duty given to such a group {have little common), in common with in the
in MOM
or person {their commission was to simplify the proce- way as. nn convmon»ly adv. com»mon»ness n.
 .

convmon»al»i»ty /komanalitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the shar- 155 commonality ~ commuter

ing of an attribute. 2 a common occurrence. 3 = com-
monalty. convmu»ni»ca»tion /kamyobnikayshan/ n. 1 a the act
convmon de»nonvi»na»tor n. 1 a common multiple of of imparting, esp. news, b an instance of this. C the
the denominators of several fractions. 2 a common fea- information, etc., communicated. 2 a means of
ture of members of a group. connecting different places. 3 social intercourse. 4 (in
com»mon«er /komanar/ n. one of the common people, pi. ) the science and practice of transmitting informa-
as opposed to the aristocracy. tion.
Convmon E»ra n. the Christian era. convmu»ni»ca»tive /kamyobnikaytiv, -kativ/ adj.
convmon ground n. a point or argument accepted by 1 open; talkative; informative. 2 ready to communi-
both sides in a dispute. cate, dd convmu»ni»ca»tive»ly adv.
convmon law n. law derived from custom and judicial convmun»ion /kamyobnyan/ n. la sharing, esp. of
precedent (cf case law, statute law)
. . thoughts, 2 participation; a sharing in
etc.; fellowship.
Convmon Mar*ket n. the European Economic common (communion of interests) 3 (Communion, Ho-
.

Community. ly Communion) a the Eucharist, b participation in the

convmon noun n. (also common name) Gram, a name Communion service. 4 a body or group within the
denoting a class of objects or a concept as opposed to Christian faith (the Methodist communion)
a particular individual (e.g., boy, chocolate, beauty). COnvmu*ni*que /kamyobnikay/ n. an official commu-
Convmon»place /komanplays/ adj. & n. • adj. lacking nication, esp. a news report.
a an everyday saying; a plati-
originality; trite. •«. 1 COnvmu»nism /komyanizam/ n. 1 a political theory ad-

tude, b an ordinary topic of conversation. 2 anything vocating a society in which all property is publicly
usual or trite, dd convmon*place*ness n. owned and each person is paid and works according
convmons /komanz/ n.pl. 1 l/Sa dining hall at a to his or her needs and abilities. 2 (usu. Communism)
university, etc. 2 New Eng. a central public park or a the communistic form of society established in the
ground in a town, etc. 3 the common people. former USSR and elsewhere, b any movement or
convmon sense n. sound practical sense, esp. in eve- political doctrine advocating communism, esp. Marx-
ryday matters, an convmon»sen»si»cal /komansen- ism. 3 = COMMUNALISM.
sikal/ adj. convmu*nist /komyanist/ n. &
adj. *n. 1 a person ad-
convmon Stock ordinary shares of stock in a com-
n. vocating or practicing communism. 2 (Communist) a
pany, entitling their holder to dividends that vary in member of a Communist party, •adj. of or relating to
amount, (cf. preferred stock). communism (a communist play), dd convmu»nis»tic
convmon*wealth /komanwelth/ n. 1 an independent /-nistik/ adj.
state or community, esp. a convmu»ni»tar»i»an /kamyobnitaireean/ n.
democratic republic. 2 (the adj. • n. a &
Commonwealth) a (in full the British Commonwealth member of a communistic community. • adj. of or re-
of Nations) an international association consisting of lating to such a community.
the UKtogether with nations that were previously part convmu»ni»ty /kamyobnitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 all the peo-
of the British Empire, b a part of the title of Puerto ple living in a specific locality. 2 a body of people hav-
Rico and some of the states of the US. ing a religion, a profession, etc., in common (the im-
COnvmo»tion /kambshan/ n. 1a confused and noisy migrant community). 3 fellowship; similarity
disturbance or outburst. 2 loud and confusing noise. (community of intellect) 4 a monastic, socialistic, etc., .

convmu*nal /kamyobnal, komya-/ adj. 1 relating to or body practicing common ownership. 5 joint owner-
benefiting a community; for common use (communal ship or liability (community of goods). 6 (prec. by the)
baths) 2 between different esp. ethnic or religious
. the public.
communities (communal violence) dd convmu»naUi»ty convmu»ni»ty cen»ter n. a place providing social, etc.,
.

/-nalitee/ n. convmu*nal*ize v. tr. convmu*nal*i*za*tion facilities for a neighborhood.

n. convmu»naMy adv. convmu»ni»ty coMege n. a college offering courses to
Convmu«nal«ism /kamyobnalizam, komyana-/ «. 1 a a local community or region.
principle of political organization based on federated convmu«ni»ty service n. unpaid work performed in
communes. 2 the principle of communal ownership, service to the community, esp. as part of a criminal
etc. sentence.
convmune 1
/komyoon/ n. 1 a a group of people convmut»a»ble /kamyobtabal/ adj. 1 convertible into
sharing living accommodation, goods, etc. b a money; exchangeable. 2 Law (of a punishment) able
communal settlement, esp. for the pursuit of shared to be commuted. 3 within commuting distance.
interests. 2 a the smallest French
territorial division dd convmut»a»bil»i»ty n.
for administrative purposes, b a similar division else- convmu»ta»tion /komyatayshan/ n. 1 the act or proc-
where. ess of commuting or being commuted (in legal and
convmune 2 /kamyobn/ v.intr. 1 (usu. foil, by with) exchange senses). 2 Math, the reversal of the order of
speak intimately 2 feel in close touch (with nature, two quantities.
etc.) (communed with the hills). convmu«ta»tive /kamyootativ/ adj. 1 relating to or in-
Convmu*ni*ca*ble /kamyobnikabal/ adj. (esp. of a dis- volving substitution. 2 Math, unchanged in result by
ease) able to be passed on. od com»mu«ni»ca»bil»i»ty n. the interchange of the order of quantities.
convmu»ni-ca»bly adv. COnvmu»ta»tor /komyataytar/ n. Electr. a device for re-
convmu*ni*cant /kamyobnikant/ n. a person who versing electric current.
receives Holy Communion. convmute /kamyobt/ v. 1 intr. travel to and from one's
convmu»ni»cate /kamyobnikayt/ v. 1 tr. a transmit or daily work, usu. in a city, esp. by car or train. 2 tr. Law
pass on by speaking or writing, b transmit (heat, mo- (usu. foil, by to) change (a judicial sentence, etc.) to
tion, etc.). c pass on (an infectious illness), d impart another less severe. 3 tr. (often foil, by into, for) change
(feelings, etc.) nonverbally. 2 intr. (often foil, by with) (one kind of payment) for another. 4 tr. a exchange;
succeed in conveying information, evoking under- interchange. D change (to another thing).
standing, etc. (she communicates well) .3 intr. (often foil, convmuver /kamyobtar/ n. a person who travels some
by with) relate socially. 4 intr. (often foil, by with) (of distance to work, usu. in a city, esp. by car or train.
a room, etc.) have a common door (my room commu-
nicates with yours). dd com«mu»ni»ca«tor n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
comp - compensation 156 rest) • n. literary comparison (beyond compare) o com-
. .

pare notes exchange ideas or opinions.

comp /komp/ n. colloq. compensation (workmen's Traditionally, compare to is used when similarities
comp). are noted in dissimilar things: He compares life to a box
com-pact adj.,v.,&n.
1
•adj. /kampakt, kom-/ 1 close- of chocolates. To compare with is to look for either dif-
ly or neatly packed together. 2 (of a piece of equip- ferences or similarities, usually in similar things: Let's
ment, a room, etc.) well-fitted and practical though compare the movie with the book on which it was based.
small. 3 (of style, etc.) condensed. 4 (esp. of the hu- In practice, however, this distinction is rarely main-
man body) small but well-proportioned, •v.tr. tained. See also note at contrast.
/kampakt/ 1 join or press firmly together. 2 condense. COm*par*i*son /kamparisan/ n. 1 the act or an instance
• n. /kompakt/ 1 a small, flat case for face powder, a of comparing. 2 a simile or semantic illustration.
mirror, etc. 2 a medium-sized automobile, do com* 3 capacity for being likened; similarity (there's no
paction /-pakshsn/ n. com«pacWy adv. com»pact» comparison). 4 (in full degrees of comparison) Gram.
ness n. convpac»tor n. the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of
corn-pact 2 /kompakt/ n. an agreement or contract be- adjectives and adverbs. bear (or stand) comparison
tween two or more parties. (often foil, by with) be able to be compared favorably.
convpact disc /kompakt/ n. a disk on which informa- beyond comparison 1 totally different in quality.
tion or sound is recorded digitally and reproduced by 2 greatly superior; excellent.
reflection of laser light. ][ Abbr: CD. COm»part»ment /kampa'artmant/ n. 1a space within a
com-pan-ion /kampanysn/ n. 1 a (often foil, by in, of)
1
larger space, separated from the rest by partitions
a person who accompanies, associates with, or shares 2 Naut. a watertight division of a ship, dd corrvpart*
with, another, b a person employed to live with and men*ta*tion /-mentayshsn/ n.
assist another. 2 a handbook or reference book. 3 a COm*part*men*tal /kompaartment'l/ adj. consisting of
thing that matches another. or relating to compartments or a compartment.
com»pan«ion 2 /kampanyan/ n. Nam. 1 a raised frame dd con>part»men«taMy adv.
on a quarterdeck used for lighting the cabins, etc., be- com»part»men«tal»ize /kampaartment'liz, kompaart-/
low. 2 = COMPANIONWAY. v.tr. divide into compartments or categories, dd com*

COm»pan»ion«a»ble /kampanysnabal/ adj. agreeable as part*men*tal*i*za*tion //.

a companion; sociable, an convpan»iorva«ble«ness n. convpass /kumpas, kom-/ n. &
v. • «. 1 (in full
com«parvion»a»bly adv. magnetic compass) an instrument showing the direc-
com«pan*ioreate /kampanyanit/ adj. 1 well-suited; (of tion of magnetic north and bearings from it. 2 (often
clothes) matching. 2 of or like a companion. pi.) an instrument for taking measurements and de-
com*pan*ion*ship /kampanysnship/ n. good fel- scribing circles, with two arms connected at one end
lowship; friendship. by a movable joint. 3 a circumference or boundary.
com»pan»ion»way /kampanyanway/ n. Naut. a stair- 4 area; extent; scope; range, •v.tr. literary 1 hem in.
case to a ship's cabin. 2 grasp mentally, dd com*pass*a*ble adj.
com*pa*ny /kumpanee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 a a number of convpass card n. a circular rotating card showing the
people assembled, b guests or a guest (am expecting 32 principal bearings, forming the indicator of a
company). 2 companionship, esp. of a specific kind magnetic compass.
(enjoys low company; do not care for his company). 3 a a COm*pas*sion /kampashan/ n. pity inclining one to
commercial business, b (usu. Co.) the partner or part- help or be merciful.
ners not named in the title of a firm (Smith and Co.). COm*pas*sion*ate /ksmpashanst/ adj. sympathetic;
4 a troupe of actors or entertainers. 5 Mil. a subdivi- pitying, dd com*pas*sion*ate*ly adv.
sion of an infantry battalion. 6 a ship's crew, d in com- com«pat«i«ble /kampatabal/ adj. 1 (often foil, by with)
pany not alone, in company with together with, keep a able to coexist; well-suited; mutually tolerant.
company (often foil, by with) associate habitually, keep b consistent (their views are not compatible with their
a person company accompany a person; be sociable. actions). 2 (of equipment, etc.) capable of being used
part company (often foil, by with) cease to associate. in combination, dd com*pat*i*bil*i*ty n. com*pat*i*bly
COm*pa*ra*ble /kompsrabal/ adj. 1 (often foil, by with) adv.
able to be compared. 2 (often foil, by to) fit to be com- com»pa»tri»ot /ksmpaytreest, -ot/ n. a fellow country-
pared; worth comparing. Use
with to and with cor- man, dd com»pa»tri»oMc /-reeotik/ adj.
responds to the senses at compare; to is more common. corn-pel /kampel/ v.tr. (compelled, compelling) 1
dd com*pa*ra*bil*i*ty n. com*pa*ra*ble*ness n. convpa* (usu. foil, by to + infin.) force, constrain. 2 bring about
ra»bly adv. (an action) by force (compel submission) 3 (as compel-
.

com»par«a»tive /ksmparativ/ adj. &

n. *adj. 1 percep- ling adj. ) rousing strong interest, attention, conviction,
tible by comparison; relative (in comparative comfort). or admiration, dd com«peMa«ble adj. convpeMing»ly
2 estimated by comparison (the comparative merits of adv.
the two ideas) 3 of or involving comparison (a compar- COm»pen»di»OUS /knmpendeeos/ adj. (esp. of a book,
.

ative study). 4 Gram, (of an adjective or adverb) etc.) comprehensive but fairly brief.
expressing a higher degree of a quality, but not the com»pen»di»um /kompendeeom/ n. (pi. compendiums
highest possible (e.g., braver, more fiercely) (cf. positive, or compendia /-deeo/) 1 a summary or abstract <>l a
superlative). • «. Gram. 1 the comparative expression larger work. 2 an abridgment.
or form of a word. 2 a word in the comparative, dd com* COm»pen»sate /komponsayt/ v. 1 tr. (often foil, bv far)
par*a*tive*ly adv. recompense (a person) (compensated him for Ins fagf),
Com*pare /kampair/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. (usu. foil, by to) 2 intr. (usu. foil, by for) make amends [fiOmpmuOUdfm
express similarities in; liken (compared the landscape to the insult). 3 tr. counterbalam c. 4 nitr. /\\v hoi. offset :i

a painting). 2 tr. (often foil, by to, with) estimate the disability or frustration by development in inothei
similarity or dissimilarity of (compared radio with tel- direction, do com»pen»sa»tor n. com»pen«sa«to»ry
evision; that lacks quality compared to this). Incurrent /-pensntawrce/ ad).
use to and with are generally interchangeable, but with com»pen»sa»tion /kompetu&yihaa/ n. lathe act <«f
often implies a greater element of formal analysis, as compensating, b the process of being compensated
in compared my account with yours. 3 intr. (often foil, by 2 something, esp. money, given as a recompense. 3 a
with) bear comparison (compares favorably with the salary or wages, n com»pen»sa»tlon»al ./<//
i i
 .

COnvpete /kampeet/ v. intr. 1 (often foil, by with, against 157 compete ~ complication
a person, for a thing) strive for superiority or suprem-
acy {compete for the victory). 2 (often foil, by in) take complements her dress), dd convple«men»tal /-ment'l/
part (in a contest, etc.). adj.
convpe»tence /kompit'ns/ n. (also convpe»ten«cy convplernen»tar«i»ty /komplimentaritee/ n. (pi. -ties)
/kompit9nsee/) 1 (often foil, by for, or to + infm.) abil- 1 a complementary relationship or situation. 2 Phys-
ity; the state of being competent. 2 an income large ics the concept that a single model may not be ade-
enough to live on, usu. unearned. 3 Law the legal quate to explain atomic systems in different experi-
capacity (of a court, a magistrate, etc.) to deal with a mental conditions.
matter. convple»men»ta»ry /komplimentaree/ adj. 1 complet-
convpe»tent /kompit'nt/ adj. 1 (usu. foil, by to + infin. ing; forming a complement. 2 (of two or more things)
or for) properly qualified or skilled (not competent to complementing each other, dd convple«men»ta«ri»ly
drive); adequately capable. 2 Law (of a judge, court, /-tairslee/ adv. convplernen»taTi»ness n.
or witness) legally qualified or qualifying, qd convpe* Complementary means 'forming a complement or
tenWy adv. addition, completing': / purchased a suit with a
Com»pe«ti*tion /kompatishan/ n. 1 (often foil, by for) complementary tie and handkerchief. It can be confused
competing, esp. in an examination, in trade, etc. 2 an with complimentary, for which one sense is 'given free-
event or contest in which people compete. 3 a the peo- ly, as a courtesy': You must pay for the suit, but the tie

ple competing against a person, b the opposition they and handkerchief are complimentary.
represent. convple«men«ta»ry an«gle n. either of two angles mak-
COm»pet«i»tive /kampetitiv/ adj. 1 involving, offered ing up 90°.
for, or by competition (competitive contest) 2 (of prices,. convple«men»ta»ry med*i*cine n. any of a range of
etc.) low enough to compare well with those of rival medical therapies, such as acupuncture and osteopa-
traders. 3 (of a person) having a strong urge to win. thy, that fall beyond the scope of scientific medicine
an convpet»i»tive»ly adv. convpet*i*tive*ness n. but may be used alongside it in the treatment of dis-
com»pet«i»tor /kampetitar/ n. 1 a person who com- ease.
petes. 2 a rival, esp. in business or commerce. convplete /kampleet/ adj. & v. • adj. 1 having all its

Com*pi«la*tion /kompilayshan/ n. 1 a the act of com- parts; entire. 2 finished. 3 of the maximum extent or
piling, b the process of being compiled. 2 something degree (a complete surprise; a complete stranger) 4 (also .

compiled, esp. a book, etc., composed of separate arti- convpleat after Walton's Compleat Angler) joe. accom-
cles, stories, etc. plished (the complete horseman). »v.tr. 1 finish.
convpile /kampil/ v.tr. 1 a collect (material) into a list, 2 a make whole or perfect, b make up the amount of
volume, etc. b make up (a volume, etc.) from such (completes the quota). 3 fill in the answers to (a ques-
material. 2 accumulate (a large number of) (compiled tionnaire, etc.). 4 (usu. absol.) Law conclude a sale of
a score of 160) 3 Computing produce (a machine-coded
. property. complete with having (as an important
form of a high-level program) accessory) (comes complete with instructions), dd com*
C0m»pjl»er /ksmpilar/ n. 1 Computing a program for plete*ly adv. convplete»ness n. convple*tion
translating a high-level programming language into /-pleeshan/ n.
machine code. 2 a person who compiles. convplex n. &
adj. • n. /kompleks/ 1 a building, a se-
Com*pla*cent /kamplayssnt/ adj. 1 smugly self-satis- ries of rooms, a network, etc. made up of related parts.
fied. 2 calmly content. Often confused with complai- 2 Psychol, a related group of usu. repressed feelings or
sant, dd convpla*cence n. convpla»cen»cy /kamplay- thoughts which cause abnormal behavior or mental
S3nsee/ n. convpla»cent«ly adv. states (inferiority complex; Gedipus complex). 3 (in gen-
Complacent means 'smugly self-satisfied:' After four eral use) a preoccupation or obsession (has a complex
consecutive championships the team became complacent. about punctuality) 4 Chem. a compound in which mol-
.

Complaisant, a much rarer word, means 'deferential, ecules or ions form coordinate bonds to a metal atom
willing to please:' Once released from the pen, the bark- or ion. madj. /kampleks, kompleks/ 1 consisting of re-
ing dogs become peaceful and complaisant. lated parts; composite. 2 complicated (a complex prob-
corn-plain /kamplayn/ v. intr. 1 (often foil, by about, at, lem). 3 Math, containing real and imaginary parts (cf.
or that + clause) express dissatisfaction. 2 (foil, by of) imaginary), dd com»plex»i«ty /-pleksitee/ n. (pi. -ties).
a announce that one is suffering from (an ailment) convplex»ly adv.
(complained of a headache) b state a grievance con- com»plex»ion /kamplekshan/ n. 1 the natural color,
.

cerning (complained of the delay) 3 make a mournful

. texture, and appearance, of the skin, esp. of the face.
sound; groan, creak under a strain. convplain«er n. 2 an aspect; a character (puts a different complexion on
convplain*ing*ly adv. the matter), dd com*plex*ioned adj. (also in comb.)
Convplain*ant /kamplaynant/ n. Law a plaintiff. convplex sentence n. a sentence containing a subor-
convplaint /kamplaynt/ n. 1 an act of complaining. 2 a dinate clause or clauses.
grievance. 3 an ailment or illness. 4 Law the plaintiff's convpli*ance /kamplians/ n. 1 the act or an instance
case in a civil action. of complying. 2 Mech. a the capacity to yield under an
com*plai*sant /kamplaysant/ adj. 1 deferential. 2 will- applied force, b the degree of such yielding. 3 unwor-
ing to please; acquiescent. Often confused with com- thy acquiescence.
placent, no convplai*sance /-sans/ n. convpli»ant /kampliant/ adj. yielding; obedient.
see note at complacent. dd convpli*anMy adv.
convpleat archaic var. of complete. convpli«cate /komplikayt/ v.tr. intr. 1 (often foil, by &
convple-ment n. &v. • n. /komplimant/ 1 a something with) make or become difficult, confused, or complex.
that completes, b one of two things that go together. 2 (as complicated adj.) complex; intricate, dd convpli*
2 (often full complement) the full number needed to cat«ed*ly adv. convpli*cat*ed*ness n.
man a ship, etc. 3 Gram, a word or phrase added to a COnvpli*ca*tion /komplikayshn/ n. 1 a an involved or
verb to complete the predicate of a sentence. 4 Math. confused condition or state, b a complicating circum-
any element not belonging to a specified set or class. stance; a difficulty. 2 Med. a secondary disease or con-
5 Geom. the amount by which an angle is less than 90° dition aggravating a previous one.
(cf. supplement). 9V.tr. /kompliment/ 1 complete;
round out or off. 2 form a complement to (the scarf See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

complicity ~ compress 158 to pay a sum in lieu of a larger sum, or other obliga-
tion (made a composition with his creditors) b a sum paid .

convplioi»ty /kamplisitee/ n. partnership in a crime or in this way. dd com-po-si-tion-al adj. com-po-si-tion-

wrongdoing. a My adv.
convplMnent n. &
•n. /komplimant/ 1 a a spoken
v. COm»pos»i»tor /kampozitar/ n. Printing a person who
or written expression of praise, b an act or circum- sets up type for printing.
stance implying praise {their success was a compliment corn-post /kompost/ n. &
v. • n. 1a mixed manure,

to their efforts). 2 (in pi.) a formal greetings, esp. as a esp. of organic origin, b a loam soil or other medium
written accompaniment to a gift, etc. (with the compli- with added compost, used for growing plants. 2 a mix-
ments of the management), b praise (my compliments to ture of ingredients (a rich compost of lies and innuendo)
the cook) • v. tr. /kompliment/ 1 (often foil, by on) con-
. • v.tr. 1 treat (soil) with compost. 2 make (manure,
gratulate; praise. 2 (often foil, by with) present as a vegetable matter, etc.) into compost.
mark of courtesy (complimented her with his attention). corn-post heap (or pile) n. a layered structure of gar-
d pay a compliment to praise, return the compliment den refuse, soil, etc., which decays to become compost.
1 give a compliment in return for another. 2 retaliate COm»po»Sure /kampOzhar/ n. a tranquil manner; calm-
or recompense in kind. ness.
COm«pli»men»ta»ry/k6mpliment3ree/aJ/. 1 expressing com-pote /kompot/ n. fruit preserved or cooked in syr-
a compliment; praising. 2 (of a ticket for a play, etc.) up.
given free of charge. corn-pound 1
n., adj., &
v. •«. /kompownd/ 1 a mix-

See note at complementary. more things, qualities, etc. 2 (also com-

ture of two or
convpline /komplin, -plin/ (also com-plin) n. Eccl. the pound word) a word made up of two or more existing
last of the canonical hours of prayer. words. 3 Chem. a substance formed from two or more
corrrply /kampli/ v.intr. (-plies, -plied) (often foil, by elements chemically united in fixed proportions, madj.
with) act in accordance (with a wish, command, etc.). /kompownd/ 1 a made up of several ingredients.
com»po»nent /kampOnant/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a part of a b consisting of several parts. 2 combined; collective.
larger whole. 2 Math, one of two or more vectors 3 Zool. consisting of
individual organisms. »v.
equivalent to a given vector. • adj. being part of a larg- /kampownd/ 1 tr. mix or combine
(ingredients, ideas,
er whole (component parts), dd com-po-nen-tial motives, etc.) (grief compounded with fear). 2 tr. increase
/kompsnenshal/ adj. or complicate (difficulties, etc.) (anxiety compounded
convport /kampawrt/ v.refl. literary conduct oneself; by discomfort) 3 tr. make up or concoct (a composite
.

behave, dd com-port-ment n. whole). 4 tr. (also absol.) settle (a debt, dispute, etc.)
com-pose /kampOz/ d. la tr. construct or create (a by concession or special arrangement. 5 tr. Law a con-
work of art, esp. literature or music), b intr. compose done (a liability or offense) in exchange for money,
music. 2 tr. constitute; make up (six tribes which com- etc. b forbear from prosecuting (a felony) from private
posed the German nation). Preferred to comprise in motives. 6 intr. (usu. foil, by with, for) Law come to
this sense. 3 tr. order; arrange (composed the group for terms with a person, for forgoing a claim, etc., for an
the photographer) 4 tr. Si (often refl. ) calm; settle (com-
. offense, dd com-pound-a-ble /-powndabal/ adj.
pose your expression), b (as composed adj.) calm; set- COm»pound 2 /kompownd/ n. enclosure or fenced-in
tled. 5 tr. settle (a dispute, etc.). up 6space.
tr. Printing a set
(type) to form words and blocks of words, b up (a corn-pound eye n. an eye consisting of numerous vis-
set
manuscript, etc.) in type. composed of made up of; ual units, as found in insects and crustaceans.
consisting of. dd com-pos-ed-ly /-zidlee/ adv. convpound frac-ture n. an injury in which a broken
Both compose and comprise can be used to mean bone pierces the skin, causing a risk of infection.
'to constitute or make up' but compose is preferred corn-pound in«ter»est n. interest payable on capital
in this sense, e.g., Citizens who have been been chosen at and its accumulated interest (cf. simtle interest).
random and screened for prejudices compose a jury. Com- corn-pound in»ter»val n. Mus. an interval exceeding
prise is correctly used to mean 'to be composed of, one octave.
consist of,' e.g., Each crew comprises a commander, a corn-pound leaf n. a leaf consisting of several or many
gunner, and a driver. The usage "is comprised of" is leaflets.
avoided by careful speakers and writers. corn-pound sen-tence n. a sentence with more than
com»pos»er /kampozar/ n. a person who composes one main, independent clause.
(esp. music). COm«pre«hend /komprihend/ v.tr. 1 grasp mentally;
com-pos-ite /kampozit/ adj., n.,&v. *adj. 1 made up understand. 2 include; take in.
of various parts; blended. 2 (esp. of a synthetic build- com»pre«hen»si»ble /komprihensibal/ adj. 1 that can
ing material) made up of recognizable constituents. be understood; intelligible. 2 that can be included or
3 Arc hit. of the fifth classical order of architecture, con- contained, dd com-pre-hen-si-bil-i-ty / bilitee/ n. com-
sisting of elements of the Ionic and Corinthian orders. pre-hen-si-bly adv.
4 Bot. of the plant family Compositae. •«. composite COm»pre«hen»sion /komprihenshan/ //. 1 the act or ca-
thing or plant, mv.tr. Polit. amalgamate (two or more pability of understanding, esp. writing or speech. 2 in-
similar resolutions), dd com-pos-ite-ly adv. com-pos- clusion.
ite-ness n. convpre«hen»sive /komprihensiv/
adj. 1 complete; is
com-po-si-tion /kompazishan/ n. 1 a the act of putting eluding all or nearly all elements, ISDCCtt, etc u om | .

together; formation or construction, b something so prehensive grasp of the subject). 2 ol "i relating t<> UBD
composed; a mixture. C the constitution of such a mix- derstanding (the comprehsnsiu faculty), 3 (of
ture; the nature of its ingredients. 2 a a literary or mu- motor-vehicle insurance) providing complete (BOM
sical work, b the act or art of producing such a work. tion. dd com-pre-hen-sive-ly adv. com-pre-hen-sive-
C an essay, esp. written by a schoolchild. d an artistic ness >/
arrangement (of parts of a picture, subjects for a pho- corn-press v. (sfn. 9v.tr. /komprcs 1 iqueezc together.
tograph, etc.). 3 mental constitution; character (jeal- 2 bring into a smaller spate or shorter extent, mn.
ousy is not in his composition). 4 (often attrib.) a com- /kompres/ a pad pressed on to pari <>t the body to re
pound artificial substance. 5 Printing the setting-up of lieve inflammation, stop bleeding! etc. n corn-press- i i

type. 6 Gram, the formation of words into a compound i-ble /kompresobol/ adj. com-press-i-bil-i-ty ;/. com-
word. 7 Law a a compromise, esp. a legal agreement pres-sive kompresiv/ adj.
 .

convpres«sion /kampreshan/ n. 1 the act of com- 159 compression - concern

pressing or being compressed. 2 the reduction in vol-
ume (causing an increase in pressure) of the fuel mix- COn*ceal /kanse'el/ v.tr. 1 (often by from) keep se-
foil,

ture in an internal combustion engine before ignition. cret (concealed her motive from him) 2 not allow to be
.

COm»pres # SOr /kampresar/ n. an instrument or device seen; hide, dd con«ceal«er n. con»ceal»ment n.

for compressing, esp. a machine used for increasing Con*cede /kanseed/ v.tr. 1 a (often foil, by that +
the pressure of air or other gases. clause) admit (a defeat, etc.) to be true (conceded that
com*prise /kampriz/ v.tr. 1 include; comprehend. his work was inadequate), b admit defeat in. 2 (often
2 consist of; be composed of (the book comprises 350 foil,by to) grant or surrender (a right, points in a game,
pages). 3 disp. make up, compose, dd com*pris*a*ble etc.).3 Sports allow an opponent to score (a goal, etc.)
adj. or to win (a match), etc. dd con»ced»er n.
See note at compose. COn*ceit /kanse'et/ n. 1 personal vanity; pride. 2 literary
com»pro»mise /kompramrz/ n. &
v. •«. 1 the settle- a a far-fetched comparison, b a fanciful notion.
ment of a dispute by mutual concession. 2 (often foil, COn»ceit»ed /kanseetid/ adj. vain; proud, dd con»ceit»
by between) an intermediate state between conflicting ed»ly adv. con*ceit*ed«ness n.

opinions, actions, etc., reached by mutual concession. con»ceiva«ble /kanseevabal/ adj. capable of being
• v. 1 intr. settle a dispute by mutual concession. 2 tr. grasped or imagined; understandable, dd con»ceiv»a»
bring into disrepute or danger esp. by indiscretion or bil-i-ty /-bilitee/ n. corvceiva*bly adv.

folly, dd convpro«mis«er n. com«pro«mis»ing«ly adv. con»ceive /kanseev/ v. 1 intr. become pregnant. 2 tr.
Comp»troMer /kantrolar/ n. a controller (used in the ti- become pregnant with (a child). 3 tr. (often foil, by
tle of some financial officers). that + clause) a imagine; fancy; think, b (usu. in pas-
Com*pul*sion /kampulshan/ n. 1a constraint; an sive) formulate; express (a belief, a plan, etc.).
obligation. 2 Psychol an irresistible urge to a form of COn»cen«trate /konsantrayt/ v. &
n. »v. 1 intr. (often
behavior, esp. against one's conscious wishes, n under foil, by on, upon) focus one's attention or mental abil-

compulsion because one is compelled. ity. 2 tr. bring together (troops, power, attention, etc.)

COm»pul»sive/kampulsiv/ad/. 1 compelling. 2 Psychol.
resulting or acting from compulsion against one's con-
scious wishes. 3 irresistible (compulsive viewing).
dd com«pul«sive«ly adv. convpul«sive«ness n.
COm«pul»SO»ry /kampulsaree/ adj. 1 required by law or
a rule. 2 essential; necessary, dd con>pul»so»ri»ly adv. con»cen»tra»tion /konsantrayshan/ n. 1a the act or
COm*punc*tion /kampungkshan/ n. (usu. with neg.)
1 the pricking of the conscience. 2 a slight regret; a
scruple.
com*pu*ta*tion /kompyootayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
stance of reckoning; calculation. 2 the use of a com-
puter. 3 a result obtained by calculation, dd convpu*
ta*tion*al adj. com*pu*ta*tion*aMy adv.
convpute /kampyobt/ v. 1 tr. (often foil, by that +
clause) reckon or calculate (a number, an amount,
etc.). 2 intr. make a reckoning, esp. using a comput-
er, dd com*put*a«bil«i*ty /-tabilitee/ n. convput»a«ble
adj.
com»put»er /kampyobtar/ n. 1 a usu. electronic device
to one point. 3 tr. increase the strength of (a liquid,
etc.) by removing water or any other diluting agent.
4 tr. (as concentrated adj.) (of hate, etc.) intense;
strong. •«. 1a concentrated substance. 2 a concen-
trated form of esp. food, dd con«cen«tra«tor n.
power of concentrating (needs to develop concentration).
ban instance of this (interrupted my concentration).
2 something concentrated. 3 something brought to-
gether; a gathering. 4 the weight of substance in a giv-
en weight or volume of material.
con»cen»tra»tion camp n. a camp for the detention of
political prisoners, etc., esp. in Nazi Germany.
con»cen»tric /kansentrik/ adj. (often foil, by with) (esp.
of circles) having a common center (cf. eccentric).
dd con»cen«tri«caMy adv. con«cen«tric»i»ty /konsen-
trisitee/ n.
con»cept /konsept/ n. la general notion; an abstract
idea (the concept of evolution) 2 colloq. an idea or inven-
.

for storing and processing data (usu. in binary form), tion to help sell or publicize a commodity (a new con-
according to instructions given to it in a variable pro- cept in swimwear) 3 Philos. an idea or mental picture
.

gram. 2 a person who computes or makes calcula- of a group or class of objects formed by combining all
tions. their aspects.
COm*put*er*ize /kampyootariz/ v.tr. 1 equip with a con*cep*tion /kansepshan/ n. 1a the act or an instance
computer; install a computer in. 2 store, perform, or of conceiving; the process of being conceived, b the
produce by computer, dd com«put»er«i«za»tion n. faculty of conceiving in the mind; apprehension; im-
com»put»er-lit»er»ate adj. able to use computers; famil- agination. 2 an idea or plan, esp. as being new or dar-
iar with the operation of computers. ing (the whole conception showed originality), dd con«
com»put»er vi*rus n. a hidden code within a comput- cep*tion*al adj. corvcep«tive /kanseptiv/ adj.
er program intended to corrupt a system or destroy COn*cep*tu*al /kansepchooal/ adj. of mental concep-
data stored in it. tions or concepts, dd con*cep*tu*aMy adv.
convrade /komrad, -rid/ n. 1 (also conrrade in arms) con*cep*tu*al*ize /kansepchooallz/ v. tr. form a concept
a a coworker, friend, or companion, b a fellow soldier, or idea of. dd con*cep*tu*al*i*za*tion n.
etc. 2 Polit. a fellow socialist or communist, do com* COn»cem /kansarn/ v. &
n. »v.tr. 1 a be relevant or im-
rade*ly adj. com*rade*ship n. portant to (this concerns you) b relate to; be about. 2
.

con /kon/ n.
1
&
v. si •«. a confidence trick, •v.tr. (usu. re/7.; often foil, by with, in, about, or to + infin.)
(conned, conning) swindle; deceive (conned him into interest or involve oneself. 3 worry; cause anxiety to.
thinking he had won) • n. 1 a anxiety; worry (felt a deep concern) b solicitous .

con 2 /kon/ n., prep., &adv. • «. (usu. in pi.) a reason
against, mprep. &
adv. against (cf. pro 2 ).
con 3 /kon/ n. si. a convict.
con bri»o /kon bre'e-o, kawn/ adv. Mus. with vigor.
con«cat»e»nate /konkat'nayt/ v. & adj. •v.tr. link to- cern with have nothing to do with, to whom it may
gether (a chain of events, things, etc.). madj. joined;
linked, dd con*cat*e*na*tion /-nayshan/ n.
COn*cave /konkayv/ adj. having an outline or surface
curved like the interior of a circle or sphere (cf. con-
vex), dd con*cave*ly adv. con»cavi»ty /-kavitee/ n.
regard; care; consideration. 2 a a matter of interest or
importance to one (no concern of mine), b (usu. in pi.)
affairs; private business. 3 a business; a firm, d have a
concern in have an interest or share in. have no con-
concern to those who have a proper interest in the
matter (as an address to the reader of a testimonial,
reference, etc.).
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

concerned - concurrent 160 guests. 2 (esp. in France) a doorkeeper or porter for

corvcerned /kansarnd/ adj. 1 involved; interested {con-
cerned with proving his innocence). 2 (often foil, by that,
about, at, for, or to + infin.) troubled; anxious (con-
cerned about her), a as (or so) far as am concernedI
as regards my interests, be concerned (often foil, by
in) take part. am not concerned it is not my business.
I son) brief but comprehensive in expression, dd con»
dd con»cern»ed«ly /-sarnidlee/ adv. con«cern«ed«ness
/-sarnidnis/ n.
an apartment building, etc.
COn*cil*i*ate /kansileeayt/ v.tr. 1 make calm and ame-
nable; pacify. 2 gain (esteem or goodwill), dd corvcil*
i*a*tion /kansilee-ayshan/ n. con*cil*i*a*tor n. con*cil*i*
a»to«ry /-sileestawree/ adj.
COn*cise /kansis/ adj. (of speech, writing, style, or a per-
cise*ly adv. con*cise*ness n. corvci»sion /kansizhan/
n.

COn»cern»ing /kansarning/ prep, about; regarding. COn*clave /konklayv, kong-/ «. la private meeting.
COn»cert n. &
v. • n. /konsart/ 1 a a musical perfor- 2 RC Ch. a the assembly of cardinals for the election
mance of usu. several separate compositions, b a com- of a pope, b the meeting place for a conclave.
edy, etc., performance in a large hall. 2 agreement; har- conclude /kanklood/ v. 1 tr. & intr. bring or come to
mony. 3 a combination of voices or sounds, •v.tr. an end. 2 tr. (often foil, by from, or that + clause) in-
/kansart/ arrange (by mutual agreement or coordina- fer (from given premises). 3 tr. settle; arrange (a trea-
tion). in concert 1 foil, by with) acting joint-
(often ty, etc.). 4 intr. decide.
ly and accordantly. 2 (predic. ) (of a musician) in a conclusion /kanklobzhan/ n. 1 a final result; a termi-
performance. nation. 2 a judgment reached by reasoning. 3 a
Con»cert»ed /kansartid/ adj. 1 jointly arranged or summing-up. 4 a settling; an arrangement (the conclu-
planned (a concerted effort) 2 Mus. arranged in parts
. sion of peace). 5 Logic a proposition that is reached
for voices or instruments. from given premises, d in conclusion lastly; to con-
con»cert grand n. the largest size of grand piano. clude.
con»cer»ti»na /konsarte'ena/ n. a musical instrument conducive /kanklobsiv/ adj. decisive; convincing.
held in the hands and stretched and squeezed like bel- dd conclusively adv. conclusiveness n.
lows, having reeds and a set of buttons at each end to concoct /ksnkokt/ v. tr. 1 make by mixing ingredients.
control the valves. 2 invent (a story, a lie, etc.). dd concoctcr n. concoc*
tion /-kokshan/ n. concoctcr n.
COn»COm»i»tant /ksnkomit'nt/ adj. &n. • adj. going to-
gether; associated (concomitant circumstances) • n. an .

accompanying thing. dd concomitance

/kankomit'ns/ n. concom»i»tancy n. concomitant*
ly adv.
COn*COrd /konkawrd, kong-/ n. 1 agreement or har-
mony between people or things. 2 a treaty. 3 Mus. a
chord that is pleasing or satisfactory in itself. 4 Gram.
concertina agreement between words in gender, number, etc.
con»cord«ance /kankawrd'ns/ n. 1 agreement. 2 an al-
COn»cert«mas»ter /konssrtmastar/ n. the leading first- phabetical list of the important words used in a book
violin player in some orchestras. or by an author.
con»cer»to /kanchairto/ n. (pi. concerti /-tee/ or -tos) COn«COrd*ant /kankawrd'nt/ adj. 1 (often foil, by with)
Mus. a composition for a solo instrument or instru- agreeing; harmonious. 2 Mus. in harmony, dd con*
ments accompanied by an orchestra. cord*ant*ly adv.
COn»cert pitch n. 1 Mus. the internationally agreed COn*course /konkawrs/ «. la crowd. 2 a coming to-
pitch whereby the A above middle C = 440 Hz. 2 a gether; a gathering (a concourse of ideas) 3 an open cen- .

state of unusual readiness, efficiency, and keenness
(for action, etc.).
con«ces*sion /ksnseshan/ n. 1 a the act or an instance
of conceding, b a thing conceded. 2 a reduction in
price for a certain category of person. 3 a the right to
use land or other property, b the right to sell goods,
esp. in a particular territory. C the land or property
used or given, dd con*ces*sion*ar*y adj. (also conces-
sional)
tral area in a large public building.
COn»crete /konkreet, kong-, konkreet, kong-/ adj., n.,
&v. •adj. 1 a existing in a material form; real, b specif-
ic; definite (concrete evidence; a concrete proposal).
2 Gram, (of a noun) denoting a material object. •«.
(often attrib.) a composition of gravel, sand, cement,
and water, used for building. • v. 1 tr. a cover with con-
crete, b embed in concrete. 2 /konkreet, kong-/ a tr. &
intr. form into a mass; solidify, b tr. make concrete in-

COn*ces*sive /kansesiv/ adj. 1 of or tending to conces- stead of abstract, dd con«crete«ly adv.

sion. 2 Gram, a (of a preposition or conjunction) in- COn»cre»tion /kankreeshan/ n. 1 a a hard, solid con-
troducing a phrase or clause which might be expected creted mass, b the forming of this by coalescence.
to preclude the action of the main clause, but does not 2 Med. a stony mass formed within the body. 3 OtoL
(e.g., in spite of, although). a small, round mass of rock particles embedded in
b (of a phrase or clause) in- limestone or clay, nn con»cre»tion»ar«y adj.
troduced by a concessive COn»CU«bine /kongkyobin/ n.la woman who lives with
preposition or conjunction. a man as his wife. 2 (among polygamous peoples) ;i

conch /kongk, konch/ n. (pi. secondary wife.

conchs /kongks/ or con-
ches /konchiz/) 1 a thick,
heavy spiral shell of various
marine gastropod mollusks
of the family Strombidae.
2 any of these gastropods.
corrcierge /konseeairzh,
kawNsyairzh/ n. la hotel
worker who arranges tours,
transportation, etc.,
COn»CU«pis»cence /konkyoOpisons/ n. formal sexual de-
sire, an con«cu»pis»cent / sont/ adj.
con»cur /konk.V/ v.intr. (concurred, concurring)
1 happen together; coincide. 2 (often toll, bv with)
a agree in opinion, b express agreement. 3 combine
together for a cause; act in combination.
COn»CUr»rent /konk.irrmt, kur / adj. 1 (often foil, by
with) a existing or in operation at the same time (served
two concurrent sentences), b existing or acting together.
for conch 2 Geom. (of three or more lines) meeting at or tend-
 .

ing toward one point. 3 agreeing; harmonious, dd con* 161 concussion - confectioner
cur«rence /-rans/ n. corvcur»rent«ly adv.
con»cus»sion /kankushan/ n. 1 Med. temporary un- con»dom /kondom/ n. a rubber sheath worn on the pe-

consciousness or incapacity due to injury to the head.
2 violent shaking; shock.
corvdemn /kandem/ v.tr. 1 express utter disapproval
of; censure. 2 a find guilty; convict, b (usu. foil, by to)
sentence to (a punishment, esp. death), c bring about
the conviction of (his looks condemn him). 3 pronounce
(a building, etc.) unfit for use or habitation. 4 (usu.
foil, by to) doom or assign (to something unwelcome
or painful) (condemned to spending hours at the kitchen
sink). 5 a declare (smuggled goods, property, etc.) to
be b pronounce incurable, dd con»dem»na»
forfeited,
ble /-demnabal/ adj. con»denvna«tion /kondem-
nayshan/ n. con»denvna«to«ry /-demnatawree/ adj.
COrvden»sa«tion /kondensayshan/ n. 1 the act of con-
densing. 2 any condensed material (esp. water on a
cold surface). 3 an abridgment. 4 Chem. the combina-
nisduring sexual intercourse as a contraceptive or to
prevent infection.
Con*do*min*i*um /kondamineeam/ n. la building or
complex containing apartments that are individually
owned. 2 joint sovereignty.
con»done kandon/ v.tr. 1 forgive or overlook (an of-
fense or wrongdoing). 2 approve or sanction, usu. re-
luctantly. 3 (of an action) atone for (an offense); make
up for. dd con»do«na»tion /kondanayshan n. con»don«
er n.
con»dor /kondawr/ n. 1 (in full Andean condor) a large
vulture, Vultur gryphus, of S. America, having black
plumage with a white neck ruff. 2 (in full California
condor) a small vulture, Gymnogyps califor nianus, of
California.
COn»duce /kandobs, -dyobs/ v. intr. (foil, by to) contrib-

tion of molecules with the elimination of water or other ute to (a result)

small molecules. COn»dli»cive kandoosiv, -dyob- adj. (often foil, by to)
corvdense /kandens/ v. 1 tr. make denser or more con- contributing or helping (toward something).
centrated. 2 express in fewer words; make concise.
tr. COn*duct n. &
v. mn. kondukt 1 behavior (esp. in its
3 tr. & intr. reduce or be reduced from a gas or vapor moral aspect). 2 the action or manner of directing or
to a liquid or solid, dd corvdervsa«ble adj. managing (business, war, etc.). 3 leading; guidance.
corvdensed milk n. milk thickened by evaporation and • v. /kandiikt/ 1 tr. lead or guide (a person). 2 tr. direct
sweetened. or manage (business, etc.). 3 tr. (also absol.) be the
COn«dens»er/kandensar/n. 1 an apparatus or vessel for conductor of (an orchestra, etc.). 4 tr. Physics transmit
condensing vapor. 2 Electr. = capacitor. 3 a lens or sys- (heat, electricity, etc.) by conduction. 5 refl. behave.
tem of lenses for concentrating light. dd con»ducM»bie kanduktibal adj. con»duct«i«bil»i»ty
COn«de«SCend /kondisend/ v.intr. 1 (usu. foil, by to + n. con»duc«tive adj.con»duc»tive«ly adv.
infin.) be gracious enough (to do a thing) esp. while COn»duct»ance kanduktans n. Physics the power of a
showing one's sense of dignity or superiority (conde- specified material to conduct electricity.
scended to attend the meeting). 2 (foil, by to) behave as con*duc*tion kandukshan n. 1 the transmission of
if one is on equal terms with (an inferior), while main- heat or electricity through a substance. 2 the transmis-
taining an attitude of superiority. 3 (as condescending sion of impulses along nerves. 3 the conducting of liq-
adj.) patronizing; kind to inferiors, dd con»de»scend» uid through a pipe, etc.
ing»ly adv. con»de«scen«sion /kondisenshan/ n. COn»duc»tiv*i»ty konduktivitee n. the conducting
COn*dign /kandin/ adj. (of a punishment, etc.) severe power of a specified material.
and well-deserved, dd con»dign«ly adv. Con»duc»tor kanduktar n. 1 a person who directs the
con«di»ment /kondimant/ n. a seasoning or relish for performance of an orchestra or choir, etc. 2 a an offi-
food. cial in charge of a train, b a person who collects fares
con»di»tion /kandishan/ n. &w •«. 1 a stipulation; in a bus, etc. 3 Physics a a thing that conducts or trans-
something upon the fulfillment of which something mits heat or electricity, b = lightning rod. 4 a guide
else depends. 2 a the state of being or fitness of a per- or leader. 5 a manager or director, dd con»duc»tor»ship
son or thing (arrived in bad condition), b an ailment or //.

abnormality (a heart condition). 3 (in pi.) circum-
stances, esp. those affecting the functioning or exist-
ence of something (working conditions are good).
4 Gram, a clause expressing a condition, •v.tr.
1 a bring into a good or desired state or condition.
b make fit (esp. dogs or horses). 2 teach or accustom
to adopt certain habits, etc. (conditioned by society).
3 govern; determine. 4 a impose conditions on. b be
essential to. 5 test the condition of (textiles, etc.). o in
(or out of) condition in good (or bad) condition, in no
condition to certainly not fit to. on condition that with
the stipulation that.
con*di*tion*al /kandishanal/ adj. &n. madj. 1 (often
foil, by on) dependent; not absolute; containing a con-
dition or stipulation (a conditional offer) 2 Gram, (of a
. pie.
clause, mood, etc.) expressing a condition. mn. Gram.
1 a conditional clause, etc. 2 the conditional mood.
dd con«di*tion*al*i*ty /-nalitee/ n. con*di*tion*al*ly adv.
con*di*tion*er /kandishanar/ n. an agent that condi-
tions, esp. a substance applied to the hair.
con»do /kondo/ n. (pi. -dos) colloq. a condominium.
COn*dole /kandol/ v.intr. (foil, by with) express sym-
pathy with a person over a loss, grief, etc.
Often confused with console, dd con»do«la»to»ry
/kandolatawree/ adj.
Con»do»lence /kandolans/ n. (often in pi.) an expres-
sion of sympathy (sent my condolences).
con«duit kondooit, -dyooit, -dit //. 1 a channel or pipe
for conveying liquids. 2 a a tube or trough for pro-
tecting insulated electric wires, b a length or stretch
of this.
cone /kon n. 1 a solid figure with a circular (or other
curved) plane base, tapering to a point. 2 a thing of a
similar shape, e.g., as used to mark off areas of roads.
3 the dry fruit of a conifer. 4 a cone-shaped wafer for
holding ice cream. 5 any of the minute cone-shaped
structures in the retina. 6 a conical mountain esp. of
volcanic origin. 7 (in full cone shell) any marine gas-
tropod mollusk of the family Conidae.
Con»es»to»ga konastOga/ n. 1 a N. American people
native to the northeastern US. 2 a member of this peo-
Con*fab 'konfab/ n. & v. colloq. mn. a conversation; a
chat. •v.intr. (confabbed, confabbing) = confabulate.
COn*fab*lHate /kanfabyalayt/ v.intr. 1 converse; chat.
2 Psychol, fabricate imaginary experiences as
compensation for the loss of memory, dd con«fab»u«
la*tion -layshan' n. con»fab«u«la«tOTy Matawree adj.
con»fec»tion /kanfekshan/ n. 1 a dish or delicacy made
with sweet ingredients. 2 mixing; compounding.
con«fec»tion»er 'kanfekshanar/ n. a maker or retailer
of confectionery.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

confectioners' sugar - conformation
confectioners' sugar n. very fine powdered sugar.
con»fec»tion«er»y /kanfekshaneree/ n. candy and other
confections.
con»fed»er»a»cy /kanfedarasee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a league
or alliance, esp. of confederate nations. 2 a league for
an unlawful or evil purpose; a conspiracy. 3 the con-
dition or fact of being confederate; alliance; conspir-
acy. 4 (the Confederacy) = Confederate States of
America.
COn»fed»er»ate adj. ,n.,&v.m adj. /kanfedarat/ esp. Polit.
allied; joined by an agreement or treaty, •n.
/kanfedarat/ 1 an ally, esp. (in a bad sense) an accom-
plice. 2 (Confederate) a supporter of the Confederate
States of America, mv. /kanfedarayt/ (often foil, by
with) 1 tr. bring (a person, state, or oneself) into alli-
ance. 2 intr. come into alliance.
Con»fed«er«ate States of A»mer»i»ca n.pl. the eleven
Southern states that seceded from the US in 1 860-6 1
con»fed»er»a»tion /kanfedarayshan/ n. 1 a union or al-
liance of nations, etc. 2 the act or an instance of con-
federating; the state of being confederated.
corvfer /kanfar/ v. (conferred, conferring) 1 tr. (often
foil, by on, upon) grant or bestow (a title, degree, fa-
vor, etc.). 2 intr. (often foil, by with) consult, an con*
fer«ment n. con»fer«ra»ble adj. corvferTal
con»fer»ence /konfarans, -frans/ n. 1 consultation; dis-
cussion. 2 a meeting for discussion, esp. a regular one
held by an association or organization. in conference
engaged in discussion.
COn»fer«ence call n. a telephone call in which three or
more people are connected.
confess /kanfes/ v. 1 a tr. (also absol.) acknowledge or
admit (a fault, wrongdoing, etc.). b intr. (foil, by to)
admit to (confessed to having lied) 2 tr. admit reluctant-
. b an instance of this. 2 a religious rite confirming a
ly (confessed it would be difficult) .3 a tr. (also absol. ) de-
clare (one's sins) to a priest, b tr. (of a priest) hear the
confession of. C refl. declare one's sins to a priest.
Con»fess»ed»ly /kanfesidlee/ adv. by one's own or gen-
eral admission.
Con*fes*sion /kanfeshan/ n. 1 a confessing or acknowl-
edgment of a fault, wrongdoing, a sin to a priest, etc.
b an instance of this. C a thing confessed. 2 (in full con-
fession of faith) a a declaration of one's religious
beliefs, b a statement of one's principles, dd con»fes»
sion«ar»y adj.
COn*fes*sion*al /kanfeshanal/ n. &adj. • n.
stall in a church in which a priest hears confessions.
• adj. 1 of or relating to confession. 2 denomination-
al.
COn»fes«sor /kanfesar/ n. 1 a person who makes a con-
fession. 2 a priest who hears confessions and gives spir-
itual counsel. 3 a person who avows a religion in the
face of its suppression, but does not suffer martyrdom.
Con»feMi /kanfetee/ n. small bits of colored paper
thrown during celebrations, etc.
COn»fi»dant/konfidant,-da'ant/w. (Jem. confidante pro-
nunc. same) a person trusted with knowledge of one's
private affairs.
con«fide /kanfid/ v. 1 tr. (usu. foil, by to) tell (a secret,
etc.) inconfidence. 2 tr. (foil, by to) entrust (an object
of care, a task, etc.) to. 3 intr. (foil, by in) a have trust
or confidence in. b talk confidentially to.
con»fi»dence /konfidans/ n. 1 firm trust. 2 a a feeling
of reliance or certainty, b a sense of self-reliance; bold-
ness. 3 a something told confidentially, b the telling
of private matters with mutual trust, n in confidence
as a secret, in a person's confidence trusted with a
person's secrets, take into one's confidence confide
in.
COn»fi»dence game n. a swindle in which the victim
persuaded to trust the swindler.
. . .
1 62 con*fi*dence man n. (pi. -men) a man who robs by
means of a confidence game.
COn«fi«dent /konfid'nt/ adj. 1 feeling or showing con-
fidence; self-assured; bold. 2 (often foil, by of or that
+ clause) assured; trusting, dd con*fi*dent*ly adv.
COn*f i«den*tial /konfidenshal/ adj. 1 spoken or written
in confidence. 2 entrusted with secrets (a confidential
secretary). 3 confiding. dd con*fi*den*ti*aM*ty
/-sheealitee/ n. con*fi*den*tial*ly adv.
COn»f ig»u»ra»tion /kanfigyarayshan/ n. 1 a an arrange-
ment of parts or elements in a particular form or fig-
ure, b the form, shape, or figure resulting from such
an arrangement. 2 Physics the distribution of electrons
among the energy levels of an atom, or of nucleons
among the energy levels of a nucleus, as specified by
quantum numbers. 3 Chem. the fixed three-dimen-
sional relationship of the atoms in a molecule, dd con*
fig*u*ra*tion«al adj. con*fig*ure v.tr. (in sense 1).
COn«f ine v. & n. • v. tr. /kanfW (often foil, by in, to, with-
in) 1 keep or restrict (within certain limits, etc.) 2 hold .
captive; imprison. *n. /konfin/ (usu. in pi.) a limit or
boundary (within the confines of the town)
con»fine»ment /kanfinmant/ n. 1 the act or an instance
of confining; the state of being confined. 2 the time of
a woman's giving birth.
con-firm /kanfarm/zur. 1 provide support for the truth
n. or correctness of; make definitely valid (confirmed my
suspicions; confirmed his arrival time) 2 ratify (a treaty,
.
title, etc.); make formally valid. 3 (foil, by in) encour-
age (a person) in (an opinion, etc.). 4 establish more
firmly (power, possession, etc.). 5 administer the reli-
gious rite of confirmation to. dd con»firm«a»tive adj.
con«firnva«to»ry adj.
con»fir*ma»tion /konfarmayshan/ n. 1 a the act or an
instance of confirming; the state of being confirmed.
baptized person as a church member.
confirmed /kanfarmd/ adj. firmly settled in some hab-
it or condition (a confirmed bachelor)
COn»f is»cate /konfiskayt/ v. tr. 1 take or seize by author-
ity. 2 appropriate to the public treasury (by way of a
penalty), dd con*fis*ca*ble /kanfiskabal/ adj. con«fis«
caption /-kayshan/ n. con«fis»ca«tor n.
con*fla*gra*tion /konflagrayshan/ n. a great and
destructive fire.
COn*flate /kanflayt/ v.tr. blend or fuse together, dd con*
fla*tion /-flayshan/ n.
an enclosed conflict n. &v. •«. /konflikt/ 1 a a state of opposition
or hostilities, b a fight or struggle. 2 (often foil, by of)
a the clashing of opposed principles, etc. b an instance
of this. 3 Psychol, a the opposition of incompatible
wishes or needs in a person, b an instance of this, c the
distress resulting from this, •v.intr. /kanflikt/ 1 clash;
be incompatible. 2 (often foil, by with) struggle or con-
tend. 3 (as conflicting adj.) contradictory, a in conflict
conflicting, an con»flic»tion / flikshan/ n. con-flic»tu»al
/kanflikchOOal/ adj.
COn»flu»ence /konflooans/ n. 1 a place where two rivers
meet. 2 a a coming together, b a crowd ot people.
COn»flu»ent /konflooant/ adj. & n, •adj. flowing to
gether; uniting. •«. a stream joining another.
COn*flux /konfluks/ n. = com n i
conform /kanfawrm/ v. 1 intr. comply with inks or
custom. 2 intr. & tr. (often foil, by to) be Of make at
cordant or suitable. 3 tr. (often foil, by to) make sum
lar. 4 intr. (foil, by to$ with) comply with, con»form»
i ii i
er n.
con»fornva»ble /knnfawrmabol/ adj. 1 (often l<»ll In
to) similar. 2 (often foil, by with) consistent. 3 (often
foil, by to) adapted. 4 tractable, ad con-fornva«blM»ty
n. con»fornva»bly adv.
is con»for»ma»tion /konfawrmayshan/ ;/ 1 the way in
which a thing is formed. 2 (often foil, by to) atliust
 .

ment form or character; adaptation. 3 Chem. any

in 163 conformist ~ conjugate
spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule from the
rotation of part of the molecule about a single bond. /kanglomarayt/ collect into a coherent mass, dd con«
con«form»ist /kanfawrmist/ n. &
adj. »n. a person who glom*er*a*tion /-rayshan/ n.
conforms to an established practice, •adj. (of a per- Con*go«lese /konggaleez/ adj. &
n. •adj. of or relating

son) conventional, dd con«fornvism n. to the Republic of the Congo in Central Africa, or the
Con«form»i»ty /kanfawrmitee/ n. 1 (often foil, by to, region surrounding the Zaire (formerly Congo) River.
with) action or behavior in accordance with established • n. (pi. same) a native of either of these regions.
practice. 2 (often foil, by to, with) likeness; agreement. COn«grat«u*late /kangrachalayt, -graj-, kang-/ v.tr. &
corvfound /kanfownd/ v. &
int. • v. tr. 1 throw into per- refl. (often foil, by on, upon) 1 tr. express pleasure at

plexity. 2 confuse (in one's mind). 3 archaic defeat;
overthrow. • int. expressing annoyance {confound you!)
COn«found»ed /kanfowndid/ adj. colloq. damned (a con-
founded nuisance!), dd con»found«ed»ly adv.
corvf ront /kanfrunt/ v. tr. 1 a face in hostility or defi-
the happiness or excellence of (a person) (congratu-
lated them on their success). 2 refl. think oneself fortu-
nate or clever, dd con»gravu«la«to«ry /-latawree/ adj.
COn*grat*u*la*tion /kangrachalayshan -graj-, kang-/ n.
1 congratulating. 2 (also as int.; usu. mpl.) an expres-

ance, b face up to and deal with (a problem, etc.). 2 (of sion of this.
a difficulty, etc.) present itself to. 3 (foil, by with) COn*gre*gate /konggrigayt/ v.intr. &
tr. collect or gath-

a bring (a person) face to face with (a circumstance). er into a crowd or mass.

b set (a thing) face to face with (another) for compar- con»gre«ga«tion /konggrigayshan/ n. 1 the process of
ison. 4 meet or stand facing, dd con*fron*ta*tion /kon- congregating; collection into a crowd or mass. 2 a
fruntayshan/ n. con«fron»ta»tion»al /konfruntayshanal/ crowd or mass gathered together. 3 a a body assem-
adj. bled for religious worship, b a body of persons regu-
Corvf u*cian /kanfyobshan/ adj. &
n. • adj. of or relat- larly attending a particular church, etc.
ing to Confucius, Chinese philosopher d. 479 bc, or COn*gre«ga*tion*al /konggrigayshanal/ adj. 1 of a con-
his philosophy. *n. a follower of Confucius, dd Con« gregation. 2 (Congregational) of or adhering to Con-
fu*cian*ism n. Corvfu»ciarvist n. gregationalism.
corvf use /ksnfyooz/ v.tr. 1 a disconcert; perplex, b em- Con*gre«ga«tion«al»ism /konggrigayshanalizam/ n. a
barrass. 2 mistake (one for another). 3 make indistinct system of ecclesiastical organization whereby individ-
(that point confuses the issue). 4 (as confused adj.) ual churches are largely self-governing, dd Con»gre»
a mentally decrepit, b puzzled; perplexed. 5 (often as ga*tion*al*ist n. Con*gre*ga*tion*al*ize v.tr.

confused adj.) throw into disorder (a confused jumble COn*gress /konggris/ «.1 a formal meeting of delegates
of clothes), dd con»fus»a«biM-ty n. corvf us»a»ble adj. for discussion. 2 (Congress) a national legislative
corvf us*ed*ly /kanfyobzidlee/ adv. con«fus«ing adj. body, esp. that of the US. 3 a society or organization.
corvfus*ing*ly adv. 4 meeting, dd con*gres*sion*al /kangreshan'l/ adj.
COrvfu*sion /kanfyoozhan/ «. 1a the act of confusing Con»gres»sion«al Med»al of Hon»or n. = Medal of
(the confusion offact and fiction) b a misunderstanding
. Honor.
(confusions arise from a lack of communication) 2 a a con»gress«man /konggrisman/ n. (pi. -men; fern, con-
.

confused state. D (foil, by of) a disorderly jumble (a gresswoman, pi. -women) a member of the US Con-
confusion of ideas) 3 a civil commotion (confusion broke
. gress, esp. of the US House of Representatives.
out at the announcement), b an instance of this. con»gru*ence /konggrooans, kangrob-/ n. (also con*
corvf ute /kanfyoot/ v.tr. 1 prove (a person) to be in er- gru»en»cy/-ansee/) 1 agreement; consistency. 2 Geom.
ror. 2 prove (an argument) to be false, dd con«fu»ta« the state of being congruent.
tion /konfyootayshan/ n. con»gru«ent/konggrooant, kangrob-/ adj. 1 (often foil,
corvga /kongga/ n. 1a
Latin American dance of Af- by with) suitable; agreeing. 2 Geom. (of figures) coin-
rican origin, usu. with several persons in a single line, ciding exactly when superimposed, dd con«gru»enWy
one behind the other. 2 (also corvga drum) a tall, nar- adv.
row, low-toned drum beaten with the hands. con*gru*ous /konggrooas/ adj. (often foil, by with) suit-
corvgeal /kanje'el/ v.tr. &
intr. 1 make or become sem- able; fitting, dd con»gru»i»ty /-grooitee/ n. con«gru»ous«
isolid by cooling. 2 (of blood, etc.) coagulate, dd con* ly adv.
geal*a*ble adj. con*geal*ment n. COn*ic /konik/ adj. of a cone.
con«ge*la*tion /konjilayshan/ n. 1 the process of con- COn«i*cal /konikal/ adj. cone-shaped, dd con«i»cal»ly
gealing. 2 a congealed state. 3 a congealed substance. adv.
Corvgen*ial /kanje'enyal/ adj. 1 (often foil, by with, to) CO»ni»fer /konifar, ko-/ n. any evergreen tree of a group
(of a person, character, etc.) pleasant because akin to usu. bearing cones, including pines, yews, cedars, and
oneself in temperament or interests. 2 (often foil, by redwoods, dd co«niver»ous /kanifaras/ adj.
to) agreeable, dd con»ge»ni«al»i«ty /-je'eneealitee/ n. con»jec«ture/kanjekchar/«. &w»«.1a the formation
corvgerviaMy adv. of an opinion on incomplete information; guessing.
COn*gen*i«tal /kanjenital/ adj. 1 (esp. of a disease, de- b an opinion or conclusion reached in this way. 2 a (in
fect, etc.) existing from2 that is (or as if) such
birth. textual criticism) the guessing of a reading not in the
from birth (a congenital liar), dd con*gen*i*tal*ly adv. text, b a proposed reading. »v. 1 tr. &
intr. guess. 2 tr.

con«ger /konggar/ n. (in full conger eel) any large ma- (in textual criticism) propose (a reading), dd con»jec«
rine eel of the family Congridae. tur»al /kanjekcharal/ adj. con«jec»tur«aMy adv.
con»ge»ries /kanjeereez, konja-/ n. (pi. same) a disor- COn*join /kanjoyn/ v.tr. &
intr. join; combine.
derly collection. conjoint /kanjoynt/ adj. associated, conjoined, dd con*
con*gest /kanjest/ v.tr. (esp. as congested adj.) affect joinWy adv.
with congestion, dd con«ges»tive adj. COn*ju*gal /konjagal/ adj. of marriage or the relation
con*ges*tion /kanjes-chan/ n. abnormal accumula- between husband and wife, dd con*ju*gal*i*ty /-gali-
tion, crowding, or obstruction. tee/ n. con*ju*gal*ly adv.
con*glorrver*ate adj., n., &
v. *adj. /kanglomarat/ COn*ju*gate v., adj., &
n. mv. /konjagayt/ 1 tr. Gram.
gathered into a rounded mass. • n. /kanglomarat/ 1 a give the different forms of (a verb) 2 intr. a unite sex-
.

number of things or parts forming a heterogeneous ually, b (of gametes) become fused. »adj. /konjagat,
mass. 2 a group or corporation formed by the merg-
ing of separate and diverse firms, •v.tr. intr. & See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

conjunct ~ consecrate 164 this (or that) connection with reference to this (or
that).
-gayt/ 1 joined together, esp. as a pair. 2 Gram, derived con»nec«tive /kanektiv/ adj. &
n. • adj. serving or tend-

from the same root. 3 Biol, fused. • n. /konjagat, -gayt/ ing to connect. • n. something that connects.
a conjugate word or thing, no con«ju»ga»tion Con»nec«tive tis«sue n. Anat. a fibrous tissue that sup-
/konjagayshan/ n. con»ju«ga«tion»al adj. ports, binds, or separates more specialized tissue.
conjunct /kanjiingkt/ adj. joined together; combined; conn*ing tow»er /koning/ n. 1 the superstructure of a
associated. submarine which contains the periscope. 2 the ar-
con«junotion /kanjungkshan/ a the action of join-
n. 1 mored pilothouse of a warship.
ing; the condition of being joined, b an instance of this. con«nive /kaniv/ v.intr. 1 (foil, by at) disregard or tac-
2 Gram, a word used to connect clauses or sentences itly consent to (a wrongdoing). 2 (usu. foil, by with)

or words in the same clause (e.g., and, but, if). 3 a a conspire, dd con»niv»er n.
combination (of events or circumstances), b a num- COn«nois*seur /konasbr/ n. (often foil, by of, in) an ex-
ber of associated persons or things, a in conjunction pert judge in matters of taste, dd con«nois*seur*ship
with together with, dd con»junc»tion«al adj. n.
con»junc«ti»va/konjungktiva,kanjungktiva/ra. (pi. con- con»note /kanot/ v.tr. 1 (of a word, etc.) imply in ad-
junctivas or conjunctivae /-vee/) Anat. the mucous dition to the literal or primary meaning. 2 (of a fact)
membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines imply as a consequence or condition. 3 mean; signify.
the inside of the eyelids, dd con«junc»ti»val adj. dd con»no»ta»tion /konatayshan/ n. con»no«ta»tive
COn»junc»tive /kanjungktiv/ adj. 1 serving to join. /konataytiv, kanotativ/ adj.
2 Gram, of the nature of a conjunction, do con»junc» Connote means 'suggest': "Mother" connotes warmth,
tive»ly adv. concern, and security. Denote refers to the literal mean-
con«junc»ti«vi»tis /kanjungktivitis/ n. inflammation of ing: "Mother" denotes a female who has given birth.
the conjunctiva. con*nu a bi*al /kanoobeeal, kanyob-/ adj. of or relating
COn«junc»ture /kanjungkchar/ n. a combination of to marriage or the relationship of husband and wife.
events; a state of affairs. dd con»nu»bi»al«i»ty /-beealitee/ n. con*nu*bi*aMy adv.
con«jure /kon jar/ v. 1 tr. call upon (a spirit) to appear. COn*quer /kongkar/ v.tr. 1 a overcome and control by
2 tr. (usu. foil, by out of, away, to, etc.) cause to appear military force, b absol. be victorious. 2 overcome (a
or disappear as if by magic. 3 intr. perform marvels. habit, disability, etc.) by effort. 3 climb (a mountain)
4 tr. /kanjobr/ (often foil, by to + infin.) appeal solemn- successfully, dd con*quer*a*ble adj. con«quer»or n.
ly to (a person). conjure up 1 bring into existence or con*quest /kongkwest/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
cause to appear as if by magic. 2 evoke. conquering; the state of being conquered. 2 a con-
con»jur»er /konjarar, kun-/ n. (also con»jur«or) a per- quered territory, b something won. 3 a person whose
son who conjures. affection has been won. d make a conquest of win the
conk 1
/kongk/ v.intr. (usu. foil, by out) colloq. 1 (of a affections of.
machine, etc.) break down. 2 (of a person) become ex- con«quis*ta*dor /konkwistadawr, kongke'esta-/ n. (pi.
hausted and give up; faint; die. conquistadores /-dawrez/ or conquistadors) a con-
conk 2 /kongk/ v.tr. si. hit on the head, etc. queror, esp. one of the Spanish conquerors of Mexico
con man n. (pi. men) = confidence man. and Peru in the 1 6th c.
con mo»tO /kon mOto, kawn/ adv. Mus. with movement. COn«san»guin»e»OUS /konsanggwineeas/ adj. de-
Conn. abbr. Connecticut. scended from the same ancestor, dd con*san*guin*i*ty
conn /kon/ n. & v. Nam. •v.tr. direct the steering of (a n.
ship), •n. 1 the act of conning. 2 the responsibility or con-science /konshans/ n. 1 a moral sense of right and
station of one who conns. wrong. 2 an inner feeling as to the goodness or other-
COn»nect /kanekt/ v. 1 a tr. (often foil, by to, with) join wise of one's behavior (has a guilty conscience), a in all
(one thing with another), b tr. join (two things) (a track conscience colloq. by any reasonable standard, on
connected the two villages). C intr. be joined or joinable one's conscience causing one feelings of guilt, dd con*
(the two parts do not connect). 2 tr. (often foil, by with) science*less adj.
associate mentally or practically (did not connect the two COn*SCi*en*tious /konshee-enshas/ adj. (of a person or
ideas). 3 intr. (foil, by with) (of a train, etc.) be syn- conduct) diligent and scrupulous, dd con«sci«en»
chronized at its destination with another train, etc., so tious*ly adv. con»sci»en«tious«ness n.
that passengers can transfer. 4 tr. put into communi- con»sci«en»tious ob»jec«tor n. a person who for rea-
cation by telephone. 5 a tr. (usu. in passive; foil, by sons of conscience objects to conforming to a require-
with) unite or associate with others in relationships, ment, esp. that of military service.
etc. (am connected with the royal family) b intr. form a con»scious/k6nshas/arf;. &n. madj. 1 awake and aware
.

logical sequence; be meaningful. 6 intr. colloq. hit or
strike effectively, do con*nect*a*ble adj. con»nect»or n.
COn»nect»ed /kanektid/ adj. 1 joined in sequence. 2 (of
ideas, etc.) coherent. 3 related or associated, dd con-
nectedly adv. con*nect*ed*ness n.
con»nec»tion /kanekshan/ n. 1 a the act of connecting;
the state of being connected, b an instance of this. 2 the
point at which two things are connected. 3 a a link (a con*scious*ness /konshasnis/ n. 1 the itatc of being
radio formed the only connection with the outside world)
b a telephone link (got a bad connection). 4 arrange-
of one's surroundings and identity. 2 (usu. foil, by of,
or that + clause) aware (conscious of his inferiority). 3 (of
actions, emotions, etc.) realized or recognized by the
doer; intentional (made a conscious effort not to laugh).
4 (in comb.) aware of; concerned with (apptiinun,
conscious). •«. (prec. by the) the conscious mind.
dd con*scious*ly adv.
conscious. 2 a awareness; perception (no con* iotUtum
of being ridiculed), b (in comb.) awareness of ll1 " "" •

ment or opportunity for catching a connecting train, sciousness). 3 the totality of a person's thoughts ;wkI
etc.; the train, etc., itself (missed the connection) 5 Electr. feelings, or of a class of these (moral OtUH ioutfk ill).
. i

a the linking up of an electric current by contact, b a COn»SCript v. &

n. 9V.tr. /kanskripi enlist h\ cons* ip i

device for effecting this. 6 (often in pi.) a relative or tion. mn. /konskript/ a person enlisted by conscript ion
associate, esp. one with influence (has connections in COn»SCrip»tion /kanskripshan/ ;/. compulsory enlist
the State Department). 7 a relation of ideas; a context. ment for government service, esp. military service.
8 si. a transaction involving illegal drugs, b a supplier con»se»crate /konsikrayt/ v.tr. 1 make or declare MK
of narcotics. in connection with with reference to. in red. 2 (in Christian belief) make (bread and wine) in-
 to the body and blood of Christ. 3 (foil, by to) devote 165 consecutive - consort
(one's life, etc.) to (a purpose). 4 ordain (esp. a bish-

op) to a sacred office, do con»se«cra»tion /-krayshan/
n. con»se«cra«tor n. con«se»cra»to«ry /-kratawree/ adj.
con»sec»u«tive /kansekyativ/ adj. 1 a following contin-
uously, b in unbroken or logical order. 2 Gram.
expressing consequence, dd con»sec«u»tive«ly adv.
corvsec»u»tive«ness n.
con»sen»sus /kansensas/ n. (often foil, by of) 1 a gen-
eral agreement (of opinion, testimony, etc.). b an in-
stance of this. 2 (attrib. ) majority view; collective opin-
ion (consensus politics). dd con»sen»su«al
/kansenshooal/ adj. corvservsu«aMy adv.
coosent /kansent/ v. &
n. mv.intr. (often foil, by to)
give permission; agree. *n. voluntary agreement; per-
mission; compliance.
con»sent«ing a*dult n. an adult who consents to some-
Con«sid»er»ate /kansidarat/ adj. thoughtful toward
other people; careful not to cause hurt or inconven-
ience, dd con»sid»er«ate«ly adv.
COn»sid»er«a»tion /kansidarayshan/ n. 1 the act of con-
sidering; careful thought. 2 being considerate. 3 a fact
or a thing taken into account. 4 compensation; a pay-
ment or reward. 5 Law (in a contractual agreement)
anything given or promised or forborne by one party
in exchange for the promise or undertaking of anoth-
er, d in consideration of in return for; on account of.
take into consideration include as a factor, reason, etc.
under consideration being considered.
COn*sid*er*ing /kansidaring/ prep., conj., &
adv. »prep.
& conj. in view of; taking into consideration. • adv. col-
loq. taking everything into account (not so bad, consid-

thing, esp. a sexual act. ering).

COn»se»quence /konsikwens, -kwans/ n. 1 the result or COn*sign /kansin/ v.tr. (often foil, by to) 1 deliver to a

effect of an action or condition. 2 a importance {of no person's possession or trust. 2 commit decisively or
consequence) . b social distinction (persons of conse- permanently (consigned it to the trash can) 3 transmit .

quence), d in consequence as a result, take the con-
sequences accept the results of one's choice or action.
COIVSe«quent/k6nsikw3nt/ad/. &n. *adj. 1 (often foil,
by on, upon) following as a result or consequence.
2 logically consistent. »n.1 a thing that follows anoth-
er. 2 Logic the second part of a conditional proposi-
tion, dependent on the antecedent.
COn»se»quen»tial /konsikwenshal/ adj. 1 following as a
result or consequence. 2 resulting indirectly (conse-
quential damage). 3 a significant, b (of a person) self-
important, dd con*se*quen*ti*aM«ty /-sheealitee/ n.
con*se«quen*tial*ly adv.
Con*se*quent*ly /konsikwentlee/ adv. & conj. as a re-
sult; therefore.
con«serv»an»cy /kansarvansee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a body
concerned with the preservation of natural resources.
2 conservation; official preservation (of forests, etc.).
con»ser»va»tion /konsarvayshan/ n. preservation, esp.
of the natural environment, d conservation of energy
(or mass or momentum, etc.) Physics the principle that
the total quantity of energy, etc., of any system not
subject to external action remains constant, dd con*
ser*va*tion*al adj. con«ser«va«tion«ist n.
COn»serv»a»tive /kansarvativ/ adj. &n. »adj. 1 a averse
to rapid change, b (of views, taste, etc.) avoiding
or send (goods), dd con»sign»ee /konsine'e/ n. con*
sigrement n. con«sign«or n.
con*sist /kansist/ v.intr. 1 (foil, by of) be composed;
have specified ingredients or elements. 2 (foil, by in,
of) have its essential features as specified (its beauty
consists in the use of color). 3 (usu. foil, by with) harmo-
nize; be consistent.
con»sist»en»cy /kansistansee/ n. (pi. -cies) (also con*
sist»ence) 1 the degree of density, esp. of thick liquids.
2 conformity with other or earlier attitudes, practice,
etc. 3 the state or quality of holding or sticking to-
gether and retaining shape.
con»sist»ent /kansistant/ adj. (usu. foil, by with) 1 com-
patible or in harmony. 2 (of a person) constant to the
same principles, dd con«sist«ent«ly adv.
con»so»la»tion /konsalayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
stance of consoling; the state of being consoled. 2 a
consoling thing, person, or circumstance, dd con«sol«
a«to«ry /kansOlatawree, -sol-/ adj.
con*so«la*tion prize n. a prize given to a competitor
who just fails to win a main prize.
con«sole' /kansol/ v.tr. comfort, esp. in grief or disap-
pointment.
Often confused with condole, dd con*sol*a*ble adj.
con»sol»er con»sol»ing»ly adv.
n.

extremes (conservative in her dress). 2 (of an estimate,
etc.) purposely low; moderate. 3 (Conservative) of or
characteristic of Conservatives or the British Conserv-
ative Party. 4 tending to conserve. •«. 1 a conserva-
tive person. 2 (Conservative) a supporter or member
of the British Conservative Party, dd con«serva»tism
con»sole 2 /konsol/ n. la panel or unit accommodat-
ing switches, controls, etc. 2 a cabinet for television,
etc. 3 Mus. a cabinet with the keyboards, stops, ped-
als, etc., of an organ. 4 a bracket supporting a shelf,
etc.
COn*SOl*i«date /kansolidayt/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or be-

n. con»serva»tive«ly adv. come strong or solid. 2 tr. strengthen (one's position,

con»serv»a»to»ry /kansarvatawree/ n. (pi. -ries) a etc.). 3 tr. combine (territories, companies, debts, etc.)
greenhouse for tender plants, esp. one attached to and into one whole, dd con*sol*i*da*tion /-dayshan/ n. con*
communicating with a house. sol*i*da*tor n. con«sol«i»da»tOTy adj.
Con»serve /kansarv/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 store up; keep from con«som«me /konsamay/ n. a clear soup made with
harm or damage, esp. for later use. 2 Physics maintain meat stock.
a quantity of (heat, etc.). 3 preserve (food, esp. fruit), COn*so*nance /konsanans/ n. 1 agreement; harmony.
usu. with sugar. •«. /also konsarv/ 1 fruit, etc., pre- 2 Prosody a recurrence of similar-sounding conso-
served in sugar. 2 fresh fruit jam. nants. 3 Mus. a harmonious combination of notes; a
con*sid*er /kansidar/ v.tr. (often absol.) 1 contemplate harmonious interval.
mentally, esp. in order to reach a conclusion. 2 exam- con«so«nant /konsanant/ n. &adj. • n. 1 a speech sound
ine the merits of (a candidate, claim, etc.). 3 give atten- in which the breath is at least partly obstructed, and
tion to. 4 take into account. 5 (foil, by that + clause) which to form a syllable must be combined with a vow-
have the opinion. 6 (foil, by compl.) believe (consider el. 2 a letter or letters representing this. madj. (foil, by
it to be genuine). 7 (as considered adj.) formed after with, to) 1 consistent; in agreement or harmony. 2 sim-
careful thought (a considered opinion) o alt things con-
. ilar in sound. 3 Mus. making a concord, dd con»so»
sidered taking everything into account. nan*tal /-nant'l/ adj. con»so«nant»ly adv.
Con*sid*er*a*ble /kansidarabal/ adj. 1 enough in COn'SOrt n. &
v. »n. /konsawrt/ 1 a wife or husband,
1

amount or extent to need consideration. 2 much; a lot esp. of royalty (prince consort) 2 a companion or asso- .

of (considerable pain) 3 notable (considerable achieve-

.

ment), dd con*sid*er*a*bly adv. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 )
.

consort - consulting 166 tion) the US Constitution. 3 a person's physical state

as regards health, strength, etc. 4 a person's psycho-
3 a ship sailing with another, mv. /kansort/ 1 intr.
ciate. logical makeup.
(usu. by with, together) a keep company; associate.
foil, con*sti*tu«tion«al /konstitobshanal, -tyob-/ adj. n. &
b harmonize. 2 tr. class or bring together. • adj. 1 of or consistent with a political constitution
corvsort 2 /konsawrt/ n. Mus. a group of players or (constitutional duties of office) 2 inherent in the phys-
.

instruments, esp. playing early music (recorder consort) ical or mental constitution. • n. a walk taken regular-
corvsor»ti»um /kansawrsheeam, -tee9m/ n. (pi. con- ly to maintain or restore good health, dd con»sti»tu«
sortia /-sheea, -tees/ or consortiums) an association, tion*aM*ty /-nalitee/ n. con*sti*tu*tion*al*ize v. tr. con*
esp. of several business companies. sti*tu*tion*al*ly adv.
COn«spec«tus /kanspektas/ n. 1a general or compre- corvstrain /kanstrayn/ v.tr. 1 compel. 2 a confine for-
hensive survey. 2 a summary or synopsis. cibly; imprison, b restrict severely. 3 bring about by
con»spic»u»ous /kanspikyooas/ adj. 1 clearly visible; compulsion. 4 (as constrained adj.) forced; embar-
striking to the eye. 2 remarkable of its kind (conspic- rassed (a constrained manner), dd con»strain»ed«ly
uous extravagance), dd con»spic«u»ous»ly adv. con« /-nidlee/ adv.
spic*u*ous*ness n. constraint /kanstraynt/ n. 1 the act or result of con-
con«spir»a»cy/kanspirasee/n. (pi. -cies) 1 a secret plan straining or being constrained; restriction of liberty.
to commit a crime or do harm; a plot. 2 the act of con- 2 something that constrains; a limitation on motion or
spiring. action. 3 the restraint of natural feelings or their ex-
con»spir«a»tor /kanspiratar/ n. a person who takes part pression; a constrained manner.
in a conspiracy, do con«spir»a«to«ri»al /-tawreeal/ adj. COn*strict /kanstrikt/ v. tr. 1 make narrow or tight; com-
con»spir«a«to»ri»aMy adv. press. 2 Biol, cause (organic tissue) to contract, dd con-
Con*spire /kanspir/ v.intr. 1 combine secretly to plan striction /-strikshan/ n. constrictive adj.
and prepare an unlawful or harmful act. 2 (often con«stric»tor /kanstriktar/ n. 1 any snake that kills by
foil, by against, or to + infin.) (of events or circum- compressing. 2 Anat. any muscle that contracts an or-
stances) seem to be working together, esp. disadvan- gan or part of the body.
tageous^. COn»struct v. &
n. •v.tr. /kanstrukt/ make by fitting
Con*Sta*ble /konstabal, kun-/ n. esp. Brit, a police of- parts together; build; form. *n. /konstrukt/ 1 a thing
ficer. constructed, esp. by the mind. 2 Linguistics a group of
COn»stab»u»lar»y /kanstibyaleree/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 (pi. words forming a phrase, no con»struct»or n.
-ies) a police force. 2 armed police organized as a mil- COn*Struc*tion /kanstnikshan/ n. 1 the act or a mode
itary unit. • attrib. adj. of or concerning the police force. of constructing. 2 a thing constructed. 3 an interpre-
con»stan»cy /konstansee/ n. 1 the quality of being un- tation or explanation. 4 Gram, an arrangement of
changing and dependable; faithfulness. 2 firmness; words according to syntactical rules, dd con«struc«
endurance. tion*al adj. con»struc»tion»aMy adv.
COn»Stant /konstant/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 continuous (con- constructive /kanstruktiv/ adj. 1 a of construction;
stant attention) 2 occurring frequently (constant com-
. tending to construct, b tending to form a basis for
plaints). 3 (often foil, by to) unchanging; faithful; de- ideas (constructive criticism) 2 helpful; positive (a con-
.

pendable. • «. 1 anything that does not vary. 2 Math. structive approach) 3 derived by inference (constructive
.

& Physics a quantity or number that remains the same. permission). 4 belonging to the structure of a building.
dd con*stant*ly adv. nn con«struc»tive»ly adv. con»struc»tive»ness n.
COn*SteMa*tion /konstalayshan/ n. 1a group of stars construe /kanstrob/ v.tr. (construes, construed, con-
that form an imaginary pattern representing an ob- struing) 1 interpret. 2 (often foil, by with) combine
ject, animal, or person. 2 one of the 88 areas into (words) grammatically ("rely" is construed with "on").
which the sky is divided by astronomers. 3 a group of 3 analyze the syntax of (a sentence). 4 translate word
associated persons, etc. an con«steMate /konstalayt/ for word, an con»stru»a»ble adj. con»stru»al n.
v.tr. COn*sub*stan*tial /konsabstanshal/ adj. Theol. of the
con»ster»na»tion /konstarnayshan/ n. anxiety or dis- same substance (esp. of the three persons of the Trin-
may. ity), dd con»sub«stan»ti»al»i»ty /-sheealitee/ n.
con«sti*pate /konstipayt/ v. tr. (esp. as constipated adj. corvsub»stan»ti«a»tion /konsabstansheeayshan/ n.
affect with constipation. Theol. the doctrine of the real substantial presence of
COn*sti*pa*tion /konstipayshan/ n. 1 difficulty in emp- the body and blood of Christ in and with the bread
tying the bowels. 2 a restricted state. and wine in the Eucharist.
con»stit»u»en«cy /kanstichooansee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a consul /konsal/ n. 1 an official appointed by a gov-
body of voters in a specified area who elect a repre- ernment to live in a foreign city and protect the gov-
sentative member to a legislative body. 2 the area rep- ernment's citizens and interests there. 2 Hist, cither of
resented in this way. 3 a body of customers, support- two annually elected chief magistrates in ancient
ers, etc. Rome, dd consular adj. consulship //.
COn*stit*u*ent /kanstichooant/ adj. & n. madj. consulate /konsalat/ n. 1 the building officially used
1composing or helping to make up a whole. 2 able to by a consul. 2 the office, position, or period of offk e
make or change a (political, etc.) constitution (constit- of consul.
uent assembly) 3 electing. • n. 1 a member of a constit-
. consult /kansult/ v. & n. 1 tr. seek information of ad
uency. 2 a component part. vice from. 2 intr. by with) refer tOf person
(often foil,
con*sti*tute /konstitoot, tyoDt/ v.tr. 1 be the compo- for advice, etc. 3 tr. seek permission 01 approval from
nents or essence of; make up; form. 2 a be equivalent (a person) for a proposed action. 4ft take into at
or tantamount to (this constitutes a warning), b formal- count (feelings, interests, etc.). •//. /konsult/ = <

ly establish (constitute a precedent). 3 give legal or con- tation 1, 2. nn consul«ta-tive / sultntiv/ </<//
stitutional form to. consultant /kansulf nt/ //. a person providing profei
COn«sti«tu«tion /konstitobshan, -tyCo-/ n. 1 the act or sional advice, etc., esp. for a lee.
method of constituting; composition. 2 a the body of consul«ta«tion /konsoltayshan/ >/ 1 meeting ai ;>

fundamental principles according to which a nation, ranged to consult. 2 the act or an InifaiKl* <>f COD
state, or other organization is acknowledged to be gov- suiting. 3 a conference.
erned, b a (usu. written) record of this, c (Constitu- consult-ing /kansulting/ attnb.adi. uivin^ professional
 .

advice to others working in the same field or subject 167 consume ~ context
(consulting physician)
Con»sume /kansobm/ v.tr. 1 eat or drink. 2 completely eyes or in the mind. 2 tr. regard (an event) as possible.
destroy. 3 (often as consumed adj.) possess or entire- 3 tr. intend (contemplate leaving tomorrow) 4 intr. med- .

ly take up by with: consumed with rage). 4 use up.

(foil, itate, dd con»tenvpla«tion /-playshan/ n. con«tem«pla*
dd con*sum*a*ble adj. &
n. con»sum»ing»ly adv. tor n.
corvsunver /kansobmar/ n. 1 a person who consumes, Con»tem«pla»tive /kantemptativ, kontamplay-/ adj. of
esp. one who uses a product. 2 a purchaser of goods or given to (esp. religious) contemplation; meditative.
or services. dd con»tem«pla«tive«ly adv.
con«sum»er goods n.pl. goods bought and used by con»tem»po«ra«ne»ous /kantempgrayneeas/ adj. (usu.
consumers, rather than by manufacturers for produc- foil, by with) 1 existing or occurring at the same time.

ing other goods. 2 of the same period, dd con-tenvpo«ra»ne»i«ty

con»sum»er«ism /kansobmarizam/ n. the protection or /-paranayitee, -ne'e-/ n. con»tenvpoTa«ne«ous«ly adv.
promotion of consumers' interests in relation to the COn»tem»po»rar»y /kantempsreree/ a<i7. &n. »adj. 1 liv-
producer, dd con»sum»er«ist adj. & n. ing or occurring at the same time. 2 approximately
COn»sum*mate v. &adj. • v. tr. /konssmayt/ 1 complete; equal in age. 3 following modern ideas or fashion in
make perfect. 2 complete (a marriage) by sexual in- style or design. •«. (pi. -ies) 1 a person or thing living
tercourse. • adj. /kansumit, konsamit/ complete; per- or existing at the same time as another. 2 a person of
fect; fully skilled, dd con»sum»mate«ly adv. con«sunv roughly the same age as another, dd con«tenvpo«raM»
ma*tor n. ly /-rerilee/ adv. con«tenrpoTar»i«ness n.
con«sum»ma«tion /konssmayshan/ n. 1 completion, corvtempt /kantempt/ n. 1 a feeling that a person or a
esp. of a marriage by sexual intercourse. 2 a desired thing is beneath consideration or worthless, or deserv-
end or goal; perfection. ing scorn or reproach. 2 the condition of being held
COn*sump*tion /ksnsumpshan/ n. 1 the act or an in- in contempt. 3 (in full contempt of court) disobe-
stance of consuming; the process of being consumed. dience to or disrespect for a court of law and its offi-
2 an amount consumed. 3 the purchase and use of cers, d beneath contempt utterly despicable, hold In
goods, etc. 4 a wasting disease, esp. pulmonary tuber- contempt despise.
culosis. con«tempt»i»ble /kantemptibal/ adj. deserving con-
con*sump*tive /kansumptiv/ adj. 1 of or tending to tempt; despicable, dd con«tempt»i»bil«l«ty /-bilitee/ n.
consumption. 2 tending to or affected with pulmonary concern pt-i«bly adv.
tuberculosis, dd con»sump»tive»ly adv. con»temp»tu»ous /kantempchooas/ adj. (often foil, by
COnt. abbr. 1 contents. 2 continued. of) showing contempt; scornful, dd con»temp«tu»ous«
con-tact n. &
v. • n. /kontakt/ 1 the state or condition ly adv. con«temp«tu»ous»ness n.
of touching, meeting, or communicating. 2 a person contend /kantenoV v. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by with) strive;
who is or may be communicated with for information, fight. 2 intr. compete. 3 tr. (usu. foil, by that + clause)
assistance, etc. 3 Electr. a a connection for the passage maintain, dd con«tend»er n.
of a current, b a device for providing this. 4 a person con-tent /kantent/ adj. ,v.
1
&
n. •predic.adj. 1 satisfied;
,

likely to carry a contagious disease through being as- adequately happy. 2 (foil, by to + infin.) willing, •v.tr.
sociated with an infected person. 5 (usu. in pi.) colloq. make content; satisfy. »n. a contented state; satisfac-
a contact lens. • v. tr. /kontakt, kantakt/ 1 get into com- tion, d to one's heart's content to the full extent of
munication with (a person). 2 begin correspondence one's desires, dd con»tent»ment n.
or personal dealings with, dd con*tact*a*ble adj. COn»tent 2 /kontent/ n. 1 (usu. in pi.) what is contained
contact lens n. a small lens placed on the eyeball to in something. 2 the amount of a constituent contained
correct the vision. (low sodium content). 3 the substance dealt with (in a
con-tact sport n. a sport in which participants neces- speech, etc.) as distinct from its form. 4 the capacity
sarily come into bodily contact with one another. or volume of a thing.
COn»ta»gion /kantayjsn/ n. la the communication of COn«tent»ed /kantentid/ adj. (often foil, by with, or to +
disease from one person to another by bodily contact. infin.) 1 happy; satisfied. 2 (foil, by with) willing to be
b a contagious disease. 2 a contagious or harmful in- content, dd con-tent«ed»ly adv. con»tent»ed»ness n.
fluence. 3 moral corruption, esp. when tending to be Con«ten»tion /kantenshan/ n. 1 a dispute or argument;
widespread. rivalry. 2 a point contended for in an argument (it is
con*ta*gious /kantayjas/ adj. 1 a (of a person) likely to my contention that you are wrong), a in contention com-
transmit disease by contact, b (of a disease) transmit- peting, esp. with a good chance of success.
ted in this way. 2 (of emotions, reactions, etc.) likely con»ten»tious/kantensh3s/a<i;. 1 argumentative; quar-
to affect others (contagious enthusiasm), dd con«ta» relsome. 2 likely to cause argument; disputed; contro-
gious»ly adv. con*ta*gious*ness n. versial, dd con»ten«tious«ly adv. con»ten»tious«ness ;/.
con-tain /kantayn/ v.tr. 1 hold or be capable of hold- con»ter»mi»nous /kantarminas/ adj. (often foil, by with)
ing within itself; include; comprise. 2 (of measures) be 1 having a common boundary. 2 coextensive; coter-
equal to (a gallon contains eight pints) 3 prevent (an en-
. minous, dd con«ter-mi«nous»ly adv.
emy, difficulty, etc.) from moving or extending. 4 con- con»test n. &v. •«. /kontest/ 1 a competition. 2 a dis-
trol or restrain (feelings, etc.). dd con*tain*a*ble adj. pute; a controversy, •v.tr. /kantest, kontest/ 1 chal-
con»tain«er/k3ntaynor/«. 1 a vessel, box, etc., for hold- lenge or dispute (a decision, etc.). 2 debate (a point,
ing things. 2 a large boxlike receptacle for the trans- statement, etc.). 3 compete for (a prize, parliamentary
port of goods, esp. one readily transferable from one seat, etc.); compete in (an election), dd con*test*a*ble
form of transport to another (also attrib.: container car- /kantestabal/ adj. con«test»er /kantestar/ n.
go). Con»test»ant /kantestant/ n. a person who takes part in
con»tain»ment /kantaynmant/ n. the action or policy a contest or competition.
of preventing the expansion of a hostile country or in- con»text /kontekst/ n. 1 parts that immediately precede
fluence. and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning.
con»tam»i«nate /kantaminayt/ v.tr. 1 pollute. 2 infect; 2 the circumstances relevant to something under con-
corrupt, dd con«tam*i*nant /-minant/ n. con«tanvi«na« sideration, dd con*tex*tu*al /kanteks-chooal/ adj.
tion /-nayshan/ n. con*tam*i*na*tor n.
con»tenvplate /kontamplayt/ v. 1 tr. survey with the See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

contextualize ~ contralto 168 con«tort /kantawrt/ v.tr. twist or force out of normal

shape, dd con»tor»tion /kantawrshan/ n.

con»tex»tu»al»ize /kanteks-chooaliz/ v. tr. place in a con- con«tor»tion»ist /kantawrshanist/ n. an entertainer who
text; study in context, do con»tex«tu«aM»za»tion n. con« adopts contorted postures.
tex»tu«aMy adv. COn*tOur /kontoor/ n.&v.mn.A an outline, esp. repre-
con»tig»u»OUS /kantigyooas/ adj. (usu. foil, by with, to) senting or bounding the shape or form of something.
touching, esp. along a line; in contact, dd con»ti»gu»i« 2 the outline of a natural feature, e.g., a coast or moun-
ty /kontigyooitee/ n. con«tig«u«ous»ly adv. tain mass. 3 a line separating differently colored parts
con-ti-nent /kontinant/ n. 1 any of the main continu-
1
of a design. 9V.tr. 1 mark with contour lines. 2 carry
ous expanses of land (Europe, Asia, Africa, N. and S. (a road or railroad) around the side of a hill.
America, Australia, Antarctica). 2 continuous land; a COn*tour line n. a line on a map joining points of equal
mainland. altitude.
corvti«nent 2 /kontinant/ adj. 1 able to control move- contra- /kontra/ comb, form 1 against; opposite (contra-
ments of the bowels and bladder. 2 exercising self-re- dict)^ Mus. (of instruments, organ stops, etc.) pitched
straint, esp. sexually, dd con»ti«nence /-nans/ n. con* an octave below (contrabassoon)
timenWy adv. con*tra«band /kontraband/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 goods that
con»ti»nen»tal /kontinent'l/ adj. n. &
madj. of or have been smuggled, or imported or exported illegal-
characteristic of a continent. • «. an inhabitant of ly. 2 prohibited trade; smuggling. 3 (in full contra-
mainland Europe, dd con»ti«nervtaMy adv. band of war) goods forbidden to be supplied by neu-
con»ti»nen«tal break-fast n. a light breakfast of coffee, trals to belligerents. • adj. 1 forbidden to be imported
rolls, etc. or exported (at all or without payment of duty). 2 con-
con»ti«nen»tal drift n. Geol. the hypothesis that the con- cerning traffic in contraband (contraband trade)
tinents are moving slowly over the surface of the earth. COn*tra*bass /kontrabays/ n. Mus. = double bass.
con»ti»nen»tal shelf n. an area of shallow seabed be- con»tra«cep»tion /kontrasepshan/ n. the intentional
tween the shore of a continent and the deeper ocean. prevention of pregnancy.
con»tin«gen«cy /kantinjansee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a future con»tra»cep»tive /kontraseptiv/ adj. n. •adj. pre-&
event regarded as likely to occur, or as influencing venting pregnancy. • n. a contraceptive device or drug.
present action. 2 something that is dependent on COn»tract n. &
v. • n. /kontrakt/ 1 a written or spoken

another uncertain event. 3 uncertainty of occurrence. agreement, esp. one intended to be enforceable by law.
4 a one thing incident to another, b an incidental or 2 a document recording this. 3 Bridge, etc., an under-
unanticipated expense, etc. taking to win the number of tricks bid. »v. /kantrakt,
COn*tin*gent /kantinjant/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 (usu. foil, kontrakt/ 1 tr. &
intr. make or become smaller. 2 a intr.

by on, upon) dependent (on an uncertain event or cir- (usu. by with) make a contract, b intr. (usu. foil,
foil,

cumstance). 2 associated. 3 (usu. foil, by to) inciden-
tal. 4 a that may or may not occur, b fortuitous. 5 true
only under existing or specified conditions. • w. a body
forming part of a larger group, dd con«tin«genMy adv.
Con*tin*u*al /kantinyooal/ adj. constantly or frequent-
ly recurring; always happening, dd con«tin»u»aMy adv.
In precise usage, continual means 'frequent, repeat-
ing at intervals' and continuous means 'going on with-
out pause or interruption': We suffered from the contin-
ual attacks of mosquitoes. The waterfall's continuous flow
creates an endless roar.
con*tin*u*ance /kantinyooans/ n. 1a state of contin-
uing in existence or operation. 2 the duration of an
event or action. 3 Law a postponement or adjourn-
ment.
con*tin*u*a*tion /kantinyoo-ayshan/ n. 1 the act or an
instance of continuing; the process of being contin-
ued. 2 a part that continues something else.
con«tin»ue /kantinyoo/ v. (continues, continued,
continuing) 1 tr. (often foil, by verbal noun, or to +
infin.) maintain, not stop (an action, etc.). 2 a tr. (al-
so absol.) resume or prolong (a narrative, journey,
etc.). b intr. recommence after a pause. 3 tr. be a se-
quel to. 4 intr. remain in existence or in a specified
by for, or to + infin.) enter formally into a business or
legal arrangement. C tr. (often foil, by out) arrange
(work) to be done by contract. 3 tr. catch or develop
(a disease). 4 tr. incur (a debt, etc.). 5 tr. shorten (a
word) by combination or elision. 6 tr. draw (one's mus-
cles, brow, etc.) together, dd con»trac»tive /kantraktiv/
adj.
contract bridge n. a form of bridge, in which only
tricks bid and won count toward the game.
Con*trac*tile /kantrakt'l, til/ adj. capable of or produc-
ing contraction, dd con»trac»til«i«ty /kontraktilitee/ n.
con»trac»tion /kantrakshan/ n. 1 the act of contracting.
2 Med. (usu. in pi.) shortening of the uterine muscles
during childbirth. 3 shrinking; diminution. 4 a a
shortening of a word by combination or elision, b a
contracted word or group of words.
COn»trac»tor /kontraktar, kantrak-/ n. a person who
undertakes a contract, esp. to conduct building opera-
tions, etc.
con«trac»tu»al /kantrakchooal/ adj. of or in the nature
of a contract, dd con-trac«tu«aMy adv.
Con»tra«dict /kontradikt/ v.tr. 1 deny (a statement).
2 express the opposite of a statement made by (a per-
son). 3 be in opposition to or in conflict with, n con* i i

state (the weather continued fine) . 5 tr. Law postpone tra*dic*tion /kontradikshan/ n. con«tra»dic»tor ;/.
or adjourn (proceedings), dd con*tin*u*a*ble adj. con* COn»tra»dic»tO»ry /kontradiktaree/ adj. 1 expressing :i

tin»u»er n. denial or opposite statement. 2 (of statements, ete.)

con»ti»nu»i«ty /kontinobitee, -nyob-/ n. {pi. -ties) 1 the mutually opposed or inconsistent. 3 (of i person) in-
state of being continuous. 2 an unbroken succession. clined to contradict. 4 Logic (of two propositions) so
3 a logical sequence. related that one and only one must be true.
con»tin«u»o /kantinyoo-o/ n. {pi. -os) Mus. an accom- COn»tra«dis»tinc»tion/k6ntradistinKkshnn ;/. ailistiiK
paniment providing a bass line, usu. played on a key- tion made by contrasting.
board instrument. COn*trail /kontrayl/ n. a condensation trail, esp tioin
COn«tin»u*OUS /kantinyooas/ adj. unbroken; uninter- an aircraft.
rupted; connected throughout in space or time. COn»tra«in»di*cate/kontraindikayt/ v.n. Mil ait as an
dd con«tin*u«ous«ly adv. con*tin*u*ous*ness n. indication against (the use oft paiiuulai lubfttnCC
See note at continual. or treatment), on con»tra»in»di«ca»tion kavsli.m //
con»tin»u»um/kantiiiyooam/«. {pi. continua /-yGoa/ or con»tral»to/kantralto/;/. (pi. -tos) 1 a the lowest female
continuums) anything seen as having a continuous, singing voice, b a sinner with tins vou e. 2 a part writ-
not discrete, structure (space-time continuum). ten for contralto.
 .

Con»trap«tion /kantrapshan/ n. often derog. or joe. a 169 contraption ~ convention

machine or device, esp. a strange or cumbersome
one. successfully, dd con«troMa«bil»i»ty n. con«trol*la*ble adj.
Con»tra»pun»tal /kontrapunt'l/ adj. Mus. of or in coun- con»troMa»bly adv.
terpoint, dd corvtra-purvtaMy adv. con*tra*pun*tist n. COn»troMer /kantrOlar/ n. 1 a person or thing that con-
con«trar«y /kontreree/ adj., n., &
adv. • adj. 1 (usu. foil, trols. 2 a person in charge of expenditure, nn con»trol«
by to) opposed in nature or tendency. 2 /kantrairee/ ler*ship n.

colloq. perverse; self-willed. 3 (of a wind) unfavorable.
4 mutually opposed. 5 opposite in position or direc-
tion. • «. (pi. -ies) (prec. by the) the opposite, madv.
(foil, by to) in opposition or contrast (contrary to expec-
tations it rained) a on the contrary intensifying a de-
. from which air traffic is controlled.
nial of what has just been implied or stated, to the con-
trary to the opposite effect, dd con»trar«i«ly /-trerilee/
adv. contrariness /-trereenis/ n.
contrast n. &
v. • n. /kontrast/ 1 a a juxtaposition or
con*troMing in*ter*est n. a means of determining the
policy of a business, etc., esp. by ownership of a major-
ity of the stock.
Con»trol tOW»er n. a tall building at an airport, etc.,
con»tro»ver«slal /kontravarshal/ adj. 1 causing or sub-
ject to controversy. 2 of controversy. 3 given to con-
troversy, dd con»tro«ver«sial»ism n. con»tro«ver»sial«ist
n. con»tro*ver»siaMy adv.

comparison showing striking differences, b a dif-
ference so revealed. 2 (often foil, by to) a thing or per-
son having qualities noticeably different from anoth-
er. 3 a the degree of difference between tones in a
television picture or a photograph, b the change of
apparent brightness or color of an object caused by
the juxtaposition of other objects. • v. /kantrast, kon-
trast/ (often foil, by with) 1 tr. distinguish or set to-
gether so as to reveal a contrast. 2 intr. have or show
COn»tro»ver»sy /kontravarsee/ n. (pi. -sles) a prolonged
argument or dispute, esp. when conducted publicly.
con»tro»vert /kontravart/ v. tr. 1 dispute; deny. 2 argue
about; discuss, nn con»tro«vert«i»ble adj.
COn*tu*ma*cious /kontoomayshas, -tyoo-/ adj. stub-
bornly or willfully disobedient, nn con»tu»ma»cious«ly
adv. con»tu«ma»cy /kontoomasee, -tyCo-7 n.
con»tu»me»ly /kontoomalee, -toomlee, -tdb, -tyob/ n.
1 insolent or reproachful language or treatment. 2 dis-

a contrast, dd con«trast*ing*ly /-trast-/ adv. con»tras« grace, nn con*tu*me*li*ous /kontoome'eleeas, -tyoo-/

tive /-trastiv/ adj. adj. con»tuTne«ll»ous«ly adv.
Contrast means 'note the differences.' Compare, contuse /kantobz, -tyobz/ v.tr. bruise, nn con*tu*sion
though, means 'note the similarities.' /-zhan/ n.
COn»tra»vene /kontraveen/ v.tr. 1 infringe (a law or CO«nun»drum /kanundram/ n. 1 a riddle, esp. one with
code of conduct). 2 (of things) conflict with. a pun in its answer. 2 a puzzling question.
con«tra«ven»tion /kontravenshan/ n. 1 infringement. Con*ur*ba*tion /konarbayshan/ n. an extended urban
2 an instance of this. area, esp. one consisting of several towns and merging
COn«tre«temps /kontratoN/ n. 1 an awkward or unfor- suburbs.
tunate occurrence. 2 an unexpected mishap. con*va*lesce /konvales/ v. intr. recover one's health af-
con»trib«ute /kantribyoot/ v. (often foil, by to) 1 tr. give ter illness.
(money, an idea, help, etc.) toward a common pur- con»va»les»cent /konvalesant/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 recov-
pose. 2 intr. help to bring about a result, etc. (contrib- ering from an illness. 2 of or for persons in convales-
uted to their downfall) 3 tr. (also absol. ) supply (an ar-
. cence. • n. a convalescent person, nn con»va»les«cence
ticle, etc.) for publication with others in a journal, etc. /-sans/ n.
nn con*trib*u«tive adj. con»trib«u«tor /kantribyatar/ n. con»vec»tlon /kanvekshan/ n. transference of heat by
COn*tri*bu*tion /kontribyooshan/ n. 1 the act of con- upward movement of the heated and less dense me-
tributing. 2 something contributed. 3 an article, etc., dium, nn con«vec«tion«al adj. con»vec»tive adj.
contributed to a publication. con»vec»tor /kanvektar/ n. a heating appliance that cir-
con»trib»u»to«ry /kantribyatawree/ adj. 1 that con- culates warm air by convection.
tributes. 2 operated by means of contributions (con- COn»vene /kanve'en/ v. 1 tr. summon or arrange. 2 intr.
tributory pension plan) assemble. 3 tr. summon (a person) before a tribunal.
COn*trite /kantrit, kontrit/ adj. 1 completely penitent. nn con»ven»a»ble adj. con«ven»er n. con»ve»nor n.
2 feeling guilt. 3 (of an action) showing a contrite spir- con»ven»ience /kanve'enyans/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the quality

it, nn corctrite*ly adv. con*trite*ness n. con«tri»tion of being convenient; suitability. 2 material advantage.
/kantrishan/ n. 3 an advantage (a great convenience). 4 a useful thing.
COn*triv*ance /kantrivans/ n. 1 something contrived, • v.tr. afford convenience to; suit; accommodate, n at
esp. a mechanical device or a plan. 2 an act of contriv- one's convenience at a time or place that suits one. at
ing, esp. deceitfully. 3 inventive capacity. one's earliest convenience as soon as one can.
contrive /kantriv/ v.tr. 1 devise. 2 (often foil, by to + con«ven»ience store n. a store that stocks basic house-
infin.) manage, dd con*triva«ble adj. contriver n. hold goods and groceries, usu. having extended open-
contrived /kantrivd/ adj. planned so carefully as to ing hours.
seem unnatural; forced. con»ven»ient /kanve'enyant/ adj. 1 (often foil, by for, to)
control /kantrOl/ n. &
v. *n. 1 command (under the a serving one's comfort or interests, b suitable, c free
control of) 2 the power of restraining, esp. self-re-
. of trouble or difficulty. 2 available or occurring at a
straint. 3 a means of restraint. 4 (usu. in pi.) a means suitable time or place (a convenient moment). 3 well sit-
of regulating prices, etc. 5 (usu. in pi.) switches and uated for some purpose, nn con«ven«ient»ly adv.
other devices by which a machine is controlled (also con»vent /konvent, -vant/ n. la religious community,
attrib.: control panel). 6 a a place where something is esp. of nuns, under vows. 2 the premises occupied by
controlled or verified, b a person or group that con- this. 3 (in full convent school) a school attached to
trols something. 7 (also attrib. control group) a stand-
: and run by a convent.
ard of comparison for checking the results of a survey COn«ven»tion /kanvenshan/ n. 1 a general agreement,
or experiment, mv.tr. (controlled, controlling) 1 have esp. agreement on social behavior, etc., by implicit
control or command of. 2 regulate. 3 restrain (told him consent of the majority, b a custom or customary prac-
to control himself) 4 serve as control to. 5 check; veri-
. tice. 2 a a formal assembly for a common purpose.
fy. In control (often foil, by of) directing an activity. b an assembly of the delegates of a political party to
out of control no longer subject to containment, re-
straint, or guidance, under control being dealt with See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

conventional - cook 170 (cf. concave), do convex«i»ty

/-veksitee/ n. convex«ly adv.
select candidates for office. formal agreement.
3a a convey /kanvay/ v.tr. 1 trans-
b an agreement between nations, esp. one less formal port or carry (goods, passen-
than a treaty. 4 Cards an accepted method of play (in gers, etc.). 2 communicate (an
leading, bidding, etc.) used to convey information to idea, meaning, etc.). 3 Law
a partner. 5 the act of convening. transfer the title to (property)
corvvervtiorval /kanvenshanal/ adj. 1 depending on or 4 transmit (sound, smell,
according to convention. 2 (of a person) attentive to etc.). oa conveya*ble adj.

social conventions. 3 usual. 4 not spontaneous nor sin- conveyance /kanvayans/ n.

cere nor original. 5 (of weapons or power) nonnuclear. 1 a the act or process of car-
con» rying, b the communication
convex and concave
6 Art following tradition rather than nature.
ven»tion»al«ism n. conven»tion»al«ist n. convention* (of ideas, etc.). C transmission.
al»i«ty /-shanalitee/ n. (pi. -ties). conven«tion«al»ize 2 a means of transport; a vehicle. 3 Law a the transfer
v.tr. conven»tion»aMy adv. of property from one owner to another, b a document
converge /kanvarj/tu'wrr. 1 come together as if to meet effecting this, no conveyancern. (in sense 3). con*

or join. 2 (of lines) tend to meet at a point. 3 (foil, by veyanc»ing sense 3).
n. (in

on, upon) approach from different directions, dd con* COnvey»or /kanvayar/ n. (also convey»er) a person or
ver»gence /-jans/ n. conver«gen«cy n. convergent thing that conveys.
/-J9nt/ adj. con«vey»or belt n. an endless moving belt for convey-
conversant /kanvarsant, konvars-/ adj. (foil, by with) ing articles or materials, esp. in a factory.
well acquainted with a subject or person, etc. an con* convict v. & n. 9V.tr. /kanvikt/ 1 (often foil, by of)
ver»sance /-varsans/ n. conver»san«cy n. prove to be guilty (of a crime, etc.). 2 declare guilty by
conversation /konvarsayshsn/ n. 1 the informal ex- the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge. • n. /kon-
change of ideas by spoken words. 2 an instance of this. vikt/ 1 a person found guilty of a criminal offense. 2 a
Con»ver»sa»tion»al /konvarsayshanal/ adj. 1 of or in person serving a prison sentence.
conversation. 2 fond of or good at conversation. 3 col- conviction /kanvikshan/ n. 1a the act or process of
loquial, an conver»sa»tion»aMy adv. proving or finding guilty, b an instance of this (has two
corvver»sa»tion»al«ist /konvarsayshanalist/ n. one who previous convictions)2 a the action or resulting state
.

is good at or fond of conversing. of being convinced, b a firm belief or opinion, c an act

con-verse /kanvars/ v.intr. (often foil, by with) engage
1
of convincing.
in conversation, an convers»er /kanvarsgr/ n. convince /kanvins/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by of, or that +
converse 2 /kanvars, konvars/ adj. &
n. • adj. opposite; clause) persuade (a person) to believe or realize. 2 (as
contrary; reversed. •«. /konvars/ 1 something that is convinced adj.) firmly persuaded (a convinced pacifist)
opposite or contrary. 2 a statement formed from dd convincer n. convin»ci«ble adj.
another statement by the transposition of certain convincing /kanvinsing/ adj. 1 able to or such as to
words, some philosophers are men from some men
e.g., convince. 2 substantial (a convincing victory), dd con«
are philosophers. 3 Math, a theorem whose hypothesis vinc»ing«ly adv.
and conclusion are the conclusion and hypothesis of con«viv»i»al /kanviveeal/ adj. 1 sociable and lively. 2 fes-
another, an conversely adv. tive (a convivial atmosphere), aa conviv»i»al»i»ty
conversion /kanvarzhsn, -shan/ n. 1 the act or an in- /-veealitee/ n. con«vivi«aMy adv.
stance of converting or the process of being converted, COn»vo»ca»tion /konvskayshsn/ n. 1 the act of calling
esp. in belief or religion. 2 a an adaptation of a build- together. 2 a large formal gathering of people, esp. a
ing for new purposes, b a converted building. 3 trans- formal ceremony at a university, as for giving awards.
position; inversion. 4 Theol. the turning of sinners to aa con«vo»ca»tion»al adj.
God. 5 Football the scoring of an extra point or points convoke /kanvOk/ v. tr. formal call (people) together;
after scoring a touchdown. summon to assemble.
convert v. & /kanvart/ 1 tr. (usu. foil, by into)
n. mv. convo«lut»ed /konvalootid/ adj. 1 coiled; twisted.
change in form, character, or function. 2 tr. cause 2 complex; intricate, do convo»lut»ed«ly adv.
(a person) to change beliefs, etc. 3 tr. change (mon- convolution /konvalobshan/ n. 1 coiling; twisting.
ey, etc.) into others of a different kind. 4 tr. make 2 a coil or twist. 3 complexity. 4 a sinuous fold in the
structural alterations in (a building) to serve a surface of the brain, dd convo»lu«tion»al adj.
new purpose. 5 tr. (also absol.) Football score an extra convoy /konvoy/ n.&v.*n."\a group of ships or vehi-
point or points after a touchdown. 6 intr. be converted cles traveling together or under escort. 2 a supply of
or convertible (the sofa converts into a bed). • «. provisions, etc., under escort. 3 the act of traveling or
/konvart/ (often foil, by to) a person who has been moving in a group or under escort, •v.tr. 1 (of a war-
converted to a different belief, opinion, etc. d convert ship) escort (a merchant or passenger vessel). 2 escort,
to one's own use wrongfully make use of (another's esp. with armed force.
property). convulse /konviils/
v.tr. 1 (usu. in passive) affect with
convert-er /konvartar/ n. (also converter) 1 a person convulsions. 2 cause to laugh uncontrollably. 3 shake
or thing that converts. 2 Electr. a an electrical apparat- violently; agitate; disturb. Di i convul-sive adj convul-
us for the interconversion of alternating current and sively adv.
direct current, b Electronics an apparatus for con- convulsion /konvulshon/ n. 1 (usu. in />/.) violent n
verting a signal from one frequency to another. regular motion of a limb or limbs or the body caused
convertible /kanvartibal/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 that may by involuntary contraction of muscles. 2 a violent dis
be converted. 2 (of currency, etc.) that may be turbance,esp. an earthquake. 3 (in/)/.) unconttoll.ibk-
converted into other forms, esp. into gold or US dol- laughter, do con»vul*sion»arv ./<//
lars. 3 (of a car) having a folding or detachable roof. COO /koO/ n. &
v. •«. a soft murmuring sound like th;ii
4 (of terms) synonymous. mn. a car with a folding or of a dove or pigeon, mv. (COOS, cooed) 1 intr. make the
detachable top. an convertibility n. convert«i*bly sound of a coo. 2 intr. &
tr. talk or sav in a soft 01 MB

adv. orous voice. DG coo«ing«ly adv.

convex /konveks, kanveks/ adj. having an outline or COOk /kook/ v. isr' n. mv. 1 tr. prepare (food) by heating
surface curved like the exterior of a circle or sphere it. 2 intr. (of food) undergo cooking. 3 tr. colloq. falsi
 . . .

fy (accounts, etc.); alter to produce a desired result. 171 cookbook ~ copperplate

4 tr.si. ruin; spoil. 5 tr.& intr. colloq. do or proceed

successfully. 6 intr. (as be cooking) colloq. be hap- co-opt /ko-bpt, k6-opt/ v.tr. appoint to membership of
pening or about to happen (went to find out what was a body by invitation of the existing members, nn co-
cooking), mn. a person who cooks, d cook a person's op«tion /-bpshan/ n. co-op«tive adj.
goose ruin a person's chances, cook up invent
colloq. co»or»di»nate v., adj., &
n. (also co-ordinate) mv. /ko-

or concoct (a story, excuse, etc.). oo cook*a*ble adj.
COOk*book /kobkbook/ n. a book containing recipes
and other information about cooking.
COOk»er /kobkar/ n. a container or device for cooking
food.
cook»er«y /kobkaree/ n. (pi. -ies) the art or practice of
cooking.
cook»ie /kobkee/ n. (also cooky) (pi. cookies) a small
sweet cake, d that's the way the cookie crumbles col-
loq. that is how things turn out; that is the unalterable
state of affairs, cooking
COOk*ing /kobking/ n. 1 the art or process by which
food is cooked. 2 (attrib.) suitable for or used in cook-
ing (cooking apple; cooking utensils)
COOk*out /kobkowt/ n. a gathering with an open-air COOt /koot/ n. 1 any black aquatic bird of the genus
cooked meal; a barbecue.
COOk»ware /kobkwair/ n. utensils for cooking.
cook«y var. of cookie.
COOl /kool/ adj., n., &
v. • adj. 1 of or at a fairly low tem- cop /kop/ n.
awrd'nayt/ 1 tr. bring (various parts, movements, etc.)
into a proper or required relation. 2 intr. work or act
together effectively. 3 tr. make coordinate; organize;
classify. madj. /ko-awrd'nat/ 1 equal in rank or impor-
tance. 2 in which the parts are coordinated; involving
coordination. 3 Gram, (of parts of a compound sen-
tence) equal in status. 4 Chem. denoting a type of cova-
lent bond in which one atom provides both the shared
electrons. • n. /ko-awrd'nat/ 1 Math, each of a system
of magnitudes used to fix the position of a point, line,
or plane. 2 a person or thing equal in rank or impor-
tance. 3 (in pi.) matching items of clothing, dd co»or»
di«na*tion /-d'nayshan/ n. co«or«di«na«tive adj. co»or»
di*na*tor n.
Fulica, esp. F. atra with a white plate on the forehead.
2 colloq. a stupid person.
coot»ie /kootee/ n. si. a body louse.
&
v. si. mn. a policeman, mv.tr. (copped,

perature, fairly cold (a cool day; a cool bath). 2 sug- copping) 1 catch or arrest (an offender). 2 take; seize.
gesting or achieving coolness (cool colors; cool clothes) d cop out 1 withdraw; give up an attempt. 2 go back
3 a (of a person) calm; unexcited. b (of an act) done on a promise. 3 escape, cop a plea si. = plea-bargain.
without emotion. 4 lacking enthusiasm. 5 unfriendly; cop»a»cet»ic /kopasetik/ adj. si. excellent; in good or-
lacking cordiality (got a cool reception). 6 (of jazz play- der.
ing) restrained; relaxed. 7 calmly audacious (a cool cus- co«part»ner /kbpa'artnar/ n. a partner or associate, esp.
tomer). 8 (prec. by a) colloq. not less than (cost me a cool when sharing equally, dd co»part»ner»ship n.
thousand). 9 si. excellent; marvelous, mn. 1 coolness. cope /kop/ v. intr. 1 (foil, by with) deal effectively with
1

2 cool air; a cool place. 3 si. calmness; composure (keep a person or task. 2 deal with a situation or problem
one's cool; lose one's cool). mv. (often foil, by down, off) (could no longer cope)
1 tr. &
intr. make or become cool. 2 intr. (of anger, cope 2 /kop/ n. Eccl. a long, cloaklike vestment worn by
emotions, etc.) lessen; become calmer, d cool one's a priest or bishop.
heels see heel cool it 5/. relax, calm down, nn cool- CO»peck var. of KOPECK.
1
,

ish adj. cooMy /kool-lee/ adv. cool-ness n. Co*per*ni*can sys»tem /kaparnikan/ n. (also Co«per»
COOl*ant /koblant/ n. a cooling agent, esp. fluid, to re- ni»can the-ory) Astron. the theory that the planets (in-
move heat from an engine, nuclear reactor, etc. cluding the earth) move around the sun (cf. Ptolema-
COOl»er /koolar/ n. 1 a vessel in which a thing is cooled. ic system) .

2 a a refrigerated room, b an insulated container for cope*stone /kbpston/ n. 1 a stone used in a coping. 2 a
keeping foods, etc., cold. 3 a long drink, esp. a spritzer. finishing touch.
4 5/. prison or a prison cell. COD*i*a*ble /kbpeeabal/ adj. that can or may be copied.
cool*head*ed /koolhedid/ adj. not easily excited. Cop*i*er /kbpeear/ n. a machine or person that copies
COOl*ing-off pe«ri«od n. an interval to allow for a (esp. documents).
change of mind before commitment to action. CO*pi*lot /kopilat/ n. a second pilot in an aircraft.
COOMng tOW»er n. a tall structure for cooling hot wa- copying /kbping/ n. the top (usu. sloping) course of ma-
ter before reuse, esp. in industry. sonry in a wall or parapet.
coon /koon/ n. a raccoon. co*pi»ous /kbpeeas/ adj. 1 abundant; plentiful. 2 pro-
coon's age n.sl. a long time. ducing much. 3 providing much information. 4 pro-
coop /koop/ n. & v. • n. 1 a cage placed over sitting or fuse in speech, dd co*pi*ous«ly adv. co«pi«ous»ness >z.
fattening fowls. 2 building for keeping chickens, etc. CO»pol»y»mer /kbpblimar/ n. Chem. a polymer with
3 a small place of confinement, esp. a prison, mv.tr. units of more than one kind, dd co«pol«ymer»ize v.tr.
1 put or keep (a fowl) in a coop. 2 (often foil, by up, & intr.

in) confine (a person) in a small space. COp-OUt n. la cowardly or feeble evasion. 2 an escape;
CO-op /kb-op/ n. colloq. 1 a cooperative business or en- a way of escape.
terprise. 2 = COOPERATIVE 4. cop-per /kbpar/ n.,adj.,&v. mn. 1 Chem. a malleable,
1

CO*op*er*ate /ko-bparayt/ v.intr. (also co-operate) 1 red-brown metallic element used esp. for electrical
(often foil, by with) work or act together; assist. 2 (of cables and apparatus. % Symb.: Cu. 2 a bronze coin.
things) concur in producing an effect, dd co«op»er»ant • adj. made of or colored like copper. • v. tr. cover with
/-rant/ adj. co«op«er»a»tion /-ayshan/ n. co»op»er«a»tor copper.
n. cop»per 2 /kbpar/ n. si. a policeman.
co«op»er»a»tive /ko-bparativ, -bpra-/ adj. & n. (also cop*per beech n. a variety of beech with copper-col-
co-operative) madj. 1 of or affording cooperation. ored leaves.
2 willing to cooperate. 3 Econ. (of a farm, shop, or cop*per*head /kbparhed/ n. 1 a venomous viper,
other business) owned and run jointly by its mem- Agkistrodon contortrix, native to N. America. 2 a ven-
bers, with profits shared among them. 4 (of an apart- omous cobra, Denisonia superba, native to Australia.
ment building) with individual units owned by COp*per*plate /kbparplayt/ n. &
adj. • ;/. 1 a a polished
their occupiers. mn. a cooperative farm or society or copper plate for engraving or etching, b a print made
business, dd co*op*er*a*tive*ly adv. co«op»er»a«tive«
ness n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
coppery ~ Corinthian 172 COr*bel /kawrbal, -bel/ n. &
v. Archit. •n. 1 a projec-

tion of stone, timber, etc., jutting out from a wall to

from this. 2 an ornate style of handwriting. • a dj. of or support a weight. 2 a short timber laid longitudinally
incopperplate writing. under a beam to help support it. •v.tr. intr. (cor-&
cop»per«y /koparee/ adj. of or like copper, esp. in col- beled, corbeling; esp. foil, by out, off) support or proj-
or. ect on corbels.
cop«pice /kopis/ n. &v. • n. an area of undergrowth cord /kawrd/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a long, thin, flexible mate-

and small trees, grown for periodic cutting. • v. tr. cut rial made from several twisted strands, b a piece of

back (young trees) periodically to stimulate growth of
shoots, dd cop*piced adj.
copra /kopra/ n. the dried kernels of the coconut.
CO«pro»duc»tion /kopradukshan/ n. a production of a
play, broadcast, etc., jointly by more than one com-
pany.
this. 2 Anat. a structure in the body resembling a cord
(spinal cord). 3 a ribbed fabric, esp. corduroy, b (in pi.)
corduroy pants. C a cordlike rib on fabric. 4 Electr. a
flexible insulated cable (telephone cord). 5 a measure of
cut wood (usu. 128 cu.ft., 3.6 cubic meters). 6 a mor-
al or emotional tie (cords of affection) •v.tr. 1 fasten or .

copse /kops/ n. 1 = coppice. 2 (in general use) a small bind with cord. 2 (as corded adj.) a (of cloth) ribbed.
forest. b provided with cords. C (of muscles) standing out like
COD»ter /koptor/ n. colloq. a helicopter. taut cords, dd cord-like adj.
cop»u»la /kopyata/ n. (pi. copulas or copulae /-lee/) cord»age /kawrdij/ n. cords or ropes, esp. in the rigging
Logic &Gram, a connecting word, esp. a part of the of a ship.
verb be connecting a subject and predicate, an cop«u« COr*date /kawrdayt/ adj. heart-shaped.
lar adj. COr*dial /kawrjal/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 heartfelt; sincere.
cop*u*late /kopyalayt/ v.intr. (often foil, by with) have 2 warm; friendly. • n. a liqueur. cor«dial»i»ty /-jeeali-
sexual intercourse, dd cop«iHa»tion /-layshan/ n. cop* tee/ n. cor*dial*ly adv.
u»la»tory /-latawree/ adj. cor»dil»le»ra /kawrd'lyaira, kawrdilars/ n. a system or
COD»y /kopee/ n. &v. • n. (pi. -ies) 1 a thing made to group of usu. mountain ranges together with
parallel
imitate or be identical to another. 2 a single specimen intervening plateaus, etc., esp. of the Andes and in
of a publication or issue. 3 a matter to be printed. Central America and Mexico.
b material for a newspaper or magazine article (scan- COrd*ite /kawrdit/ n. a smokeless explosive made from
dals make good copy). C the text of an advertisement. cellulose nitrate and nitroglycerine.
4 a a model to be copied, b a page written after a mod- cord»less /kawrdlis/ adj. (of an electrical appliance, tel-
el (of penmanship). »v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. a make a copy ephone, etc.) working without a connection to an elec-
of. b (often foil, by out) transcribe. 2 intr. make a copy, trical supply or central unit.
esp. clandestinely. 3 tr. (foil, by to) send a copy of (a COr*don /kawrd'n/ n. & v. •«. 1 a line or circle of po-

letter) to a third party. 4 tr. do the same as; imitate. lice, soldiers, etc., esp. preventing access to or from an
COp«y»book /kopeebOok/ n. 1 a book containing mod- area. 2 a an ornamental cord or braid, b the ribbon of
els of handwriting. 2 (attrib.) a tritely conventional. a knightly order. 3 a fruit tree trained to grow as a sin-
b accurate; exemplary. gle stem. •v.tr. (often foil, by off) enclose or separate
COp»y»cat /kopeekat/ n. colloq. a person who copies with a cordon of police, etc.
another, esp. closely. COr»don bleu /kawrdawN bl6/ adj. &
n. Cooking • adj.
COD»y ed»i»tor n. a person who edits copy for printing. of the highest class. »n. a cook of this class.
COD»y desk n. the desk in a newspaper office at which COr»du»roy /kawrdaroy/ n. 1 a thick cotton fabric with
copy is edited for printing. velvety ribs. 2 (in pi.) corduroy pants.
COD«y»ist /kopee-ist/ n. 1 a person who makes (esp. core /kawr/ n. &v. • n. 1 the horny central part of var-

written) copies. 2 an imitator. ious fruits, containing the seeds. 2 a the central or
COp>y»read«er /kopeereedar/ n. a person who reads and most important part of anything (also attrib.: core
edits copy for a newspaper or book, dd cop*yread v. tr. curriculum), b the central part, of different character
Cop»y»right /kopeerit/ n.,adj.,&v. •n. the exclusive le- from the surroundings. 3 the central region of the
gal right to print, publish, perform, film, or record lit- earth. 4 the central part of a nuclear reactor, con-
erary, artistic, or musical material. • adj. (of such mate- taining the fissile material. 5 a magnetic structural unit
rial) protected by copyright. • v. tr. secure copyright for in a computer, storing one bit of data (see bit4 ). 6 the
(material). inner strand of an electric cable, rope, etc. 7 a piece of
cop*y*writ*er /kopeeritar/ n. a person who writes or soft iron forming the center of an electromagnet or an
prepares copy (esp. of advertising material) for publi- induction coil. 8 an internal mold filling a space to be
cation. cop«ywrit»ing n. left hollow in a casting, •v.tr. remove the core from.
CO*quette /koket/ n. 1 a woman who flirts. 2 any crest- dd cor«er n.
ed hummingbird of the genus Lophornis. dd co»quet« n. Computing the memory of a com-
core mem»0«ry
ry /kokitree, koketree/ n. (pi. -ries). puter consisting of many cores.
co»queMish adj.
co*quet«tish»ly adv. co*quet*tish*ness n. CO»re»op*siS /kawreeopsis/ n. any composite plain of
Cor«al /kawral, kor;n-/ n. &
adj. •n. 1 a a hard calcar- the genus Coreopsis, having rayed usu. yellow flowers
eous substance secreted by various marine polyps for co*re*spond*ent /ko-rispondnnt/ n. a penon died in
support and habitation, b any of these usu. colonial a divorce case as having committed adultery with the
organisms. 2 the unimpregnated roe of a lobster or respondent.
scallop, madj. 1 like coral, esp. in color; pinkish or cor«gi /kawrgee/ ;/. (/>/. corgis) (in full Welsh corgi) 1 a
redish yellow. 2 made of coral. dog of a short-legged breed with loxlike head 2 this
cor«aMine /kawralin, -lin, kor;n-/ n. &
adj. •n. 1 any breed.
seaweed of the genus Corallina having a calcareous co*ri»an»der kawreeandnr/ ;/. 1 a plant, Ccrkmdrwn
jointed stem. 2 (in general use) the name of various sativum, with leaves used for flavoring ami small,
plantlike compound organisms, •adj. 1 coral red. 2 of round, aromatic fruits. 2 (also co»ri-an»der seed) the
or like coral. dried fruit used for flavoring curries, ett
cor*al reef n. one formed by the growth of coral. Corin»thi«an ftsrintheeao </<//. &n. %adj 1 <>i mckni t

corral snake n. any of various brightly colored poison- Corinth in southern ( ireece. 2 An hit. of an order char-
ous snakes, esp. Micrurus fulvius, native to the south- acterized by ornate decoration and flared capimls with
eastern US. acanthus leaves. •«. a native of Corinth.
cork /kawrk/ n. &v. • n. 1 the buoyant light-brown bark 173 cork - corporality
of the cork oak. 2 a bottle stopper of cork or other
material. 3 a float of cork used in fishing, etc. 4 Bot. a 2 an organ stop with the quality of a cornet, od cor«
protective layer of dead cells immediately below the net*ist or cor»net«tist n.
bark of woody plants. 5 (attrib.) made of cork. •v.tr. corn-flake /kawrnflayk/ n. 1 (rn.pl.) a breakfast cereal
(often foil, by up) 1 stop or confine. 2 restrain (feel- of toasted flakes made from cornmeal. 2 a flake of this
ings, etc.). 3 blacken with burned cork, dd cork*like cereal.
adj. COm»f low«er /kawrnflowar/ n. any plant of the genus
corked /kawrkt/ stopped with a cork. 2 (of wine)
adj. 1 Centaurea growing among corn, esp. C. cyanus, with
spoiled by a decayed cork. 3 blackened with burned deep-blue flowers.
cork. Cor*nice /kawrnis/ n. 1 Archit. a an ornamental mold-
cork«ing /kawrking/ adj. si. strikingly large or splendid. ing around the wall of a room just below the ceiling.
cork oak n. a S. European oak, Quercus suber. b a horizontal molded projection crowning a building
cork-screw /kawrkskroo/ n. v. «n. 1a device for& or structure. 2 Mountaineering an overhanging mass of
pulling corks from bottles, consisting of a spiral met- hardened snow at the edge of a precipice, nn corniced
al rod that is inserted into the cork and a handle that adj.
extracts it. 2 (often attrib.) a thing with a spiral shape. Cor*nish /kawrnish/ adj. &
n. • adj. of or relating to the
• v.tr. & intr. move spirally; twist. county of Cornwall in SW England. • n. the ancient
cork»y /kawrkee/ adj. (corkier, corkiest) 1 corklike. Celtic language of Cornwall.
2 (of wine) corked. corn*meal /kawrnmeel/ n. meal ground from corn.
corm /kawrm/ n. Bot. an underground swollen stem Corn«row /kornro/ n. &
v. • n. any of usu. several nar-

base of some plants, e.g., crocus. row plaits of hair braided close to the scalp, •v.tr. plait
COr«mo«rant /kawrmorant, -marant/ n. any diving sea (hair) in cornrows.
bird of the family Phalacrocoracidae, esp. cornstarch /kawrnstaarch/ n. fine-ground flour made
Phalacrocorax carbo having lustrous black plumage. from corn.
corn /kawrn/ n.
1
&
v. •n. 1 a a tall-growing orig. N. cor«nu»co«pi»a /kawrnakOpeea, -nya-/ n. 1 a a symbol
American cereal plant, Zea mays, cultivated in many of plenty consisting of a goat's horn overflowing with
varieties, bearing kernels on a long ear (cob), b the flowers, fruit, etc. b an ornamental vessel shaped like
cobs or kernels of this plant. 2 colloq. something corny this. 2 an abundant supply, dd cor«nu»co«pi«an adj.
or trite, •v.tr. (as corned adj.) sprinkled or preserved corn»y /kawrnee/ adj. (cornier, corniest) 1 colloq.
with salt or brine (corned beef). a trite, b feebly humorous. C sentimental, d old-fash-
corn 2 /kawrn/ n. a small area of horny usu. tender skin ioned; out of date. 2 of or abounding in corn, dd corn*
esp. on the toes, extending into subcutaneous tissue. My adv. corn»i«ness n.
COrn*ball /kornbawl/ n. &
adj. •«. an unsophisticated C0T0l»la /karola, -v6-f n. Bot. a whorl or whorls of petals
or mawkishly sentimental person. %adj. = corny adj. forming the inner envelope of a flower.
1. cor»ol«lar»y /kawr9leree, kor-/ n. & adj. • n. (pi. -ies)
corn bread n. bread made with cornmeal. 1 a a proposition that follows from one already
Corn*cob /kawrnkaab/ n. the cylindrical center of the proved, b an immediate deduction. 2 (often foil, by
corn ear to which rows of grains (kernels) are attached. of) a natural consequence or result. »adj. 1 sup-
corn»cob pipe n. a tobacco pipe made from a corn- plementary; associated. 2 (often foil, by to) forming
cob. a corollary.
corn doMy symbolic or decorative figure made of
n. a co-ro-na /ksrOna/ n. (pi. coronas or coronae /-nee/)
1

plaited straw, corn husks, etc. 1 a a small circle of light around the sun or moon.

COr»ne«a /kawrneea/ n. the transparent circular part of
the front of the eyeball, an cor*ne*al adj.
cor*nel*ian var. of carnelian.
COr«ne»OUS /kawrneess/ adj. hornlike; horny.
COr«ner /kawrnar/ n.&v.^n. 1 a place where converg-
ing sides or edges meet. 2 a projecting angle, esp.
where two streets meet. 3 the internal space or recess
formed by the meeting of two sides, esp. of a room.
4 a difficult position, esp. one from which there is no
escape (driven into a corner) 5 a secluded or remote .
place. 6 a region or quarter, esp. a remote one (from
the four corners of the earth) 7 the action or result of
. Cor*o*na*tion /kawrsnayshan, kor-/ n. the ceremony of
buying or controlling the whole available stock of a
commodity, thereby dominating the market. 8 Boxing
& Wrestling a an angle of the ring, esp. one where a
contestant rests between rounds, b a contestant's sup-
porters offering assistance at the corner between
rounds. 9 Soccer a free kick or hit from a corner of the
field after the ball has been kicked over the goal line
by a defending player. • v. 1 tr. force (a person or an-
imal) into a difficult or inescapable position. 2 tr. a es-
tablish a corner in (a commodity), b dominate (the
b the gaseous envelope of the sun, seen as an area of
light around the moon's disk during a total solar
eclipse. 2 a circular chandelier hung from a roof.
3 Anat. a crown or crownlike structure, dd cor«o«nal
/karonal, kawran'l, kor-/ adj.
CO»ro»na 2 /karOna/ n. a long cigar with straight sides.
cor»o»nar»y /kawraneree, kor-/ adj. &
n. • adj. Anat. re-
sembling or encircling like a crown. •«. (pi. -ies) 1 =
coronary thrombosis. 2 a heart attack.
cor»o«nar»y throm*bo*sis n. a blockage of the blood
flow caused by a blood clot in a coronary artery.
crowning a sovereign or a sovereign's consort.
cor*o«ner /kawranar, kor-/ n. an officer of a county, dis-
trict, or municipality, holding inquests on deaths
thought to be violent or accidental.
cor»o»net /kawrsnit, -net, kor-/ n. la small crown. 2 a
circlet of precious materials, esp. as a headdress. 3 a
garland for the head, dd cor»o»net»ed adj.
Corp. abbr. 1 corporal. 2 corporation.
cor»po»rap/. of corpus.
cor^po^ral /kawrparal, kawrpral/ n. a noncommis-
1

market) in this way. 3 intr. (esp. of or in a vehicle) go sioned army, air force, or marine officer ranking next
around a corner. just around the corner colloq. very below sergeant.
near; imminent. COr»po»ral 2 /kawrparal, kawrpral/ adj. of or relating to
Cor»ner»stone /kawrnarston/ n. 1 a a stone in a pro- the human body (cf. corporeal), dd cor«po*raMy adv.
jecting angle of a wall, b a foundation stone. 2 an in- Cor«po»ral»i»ty /kawrparalitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 material
dispensable part or basis of something. existence. 2 a body.
cor»net /kawrnet/ Mus. 1 a a brass instrument resem-
bling a trumpet but shorter and wider, b its player. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

corporal punishment - corsage 174 of variable quantities, b a quantity measuring the ex-
tent of this. 3 the act of correlating, dd cor«re«la»tion«
cor»po«ral pun«ish»ment n. punishment inflicted on a adj.
I

the body, esp. by beating. cor«rel»a»tive /karetotiv/ adj. n. madj. 1 (often foil, &
cor»po»rate /kawrpsrat, kawrprit/ adj. 1 forming a by with, to) having a mutual relation. 2 Gram, (of
corporation {corporate body) 2 forming one body of
. words) corresponding to each other and regularly used
many individuals. 3 of or belonging to a corporation together (as neither and nor) • n. a correlative word or
.

or group (corporate responsibility). 4 corporative. thing, dd cor»rel»a«tive«ly adv. cor»rel»a»tiv»i»ty /-tivi-

dd cor«po-rate«ly adv. cor»po«rat»ism n.
cor«po»rate raid»er n. a person who mounts an unwel-
come takeover bid by buying up a company's shares
on the stock market.
cor»po»ra»tion /kawrparayshan/ n. a group of people
authorized to act as an individual, esp. in business.
COr»po«ra»tive /kawrparstiv, -raytiv/ adj. 1 of a
corporation. 2 governed by or organized in corpora-
tions, do cor»pora«tivism n.
tee/ n.
cor«re«spond /kawrispond, kor-/ v.intr. 1 a (usu. foil,
by to) be analogous or similar, b (usu. foil, by to) agree
in amount, position, etc. C (usu. foil, by with, to) be
in harmony or agreement. 2 (usu. foil, by with) com-
municate by interchange of letters, dd cor»re«spond«
ing»ly adv.
cor«re»spond»ence /kawrispondans, kor-/ n. 1 (usu.
foil, by with, to, between) agreement, similarity, or har-

cor»po»re»al /kawrpawreeal/ adj. 1 bodily, physical,
material, esp. as distinct from spiritual (cf. corporal 2 ).
2 Law consisting of material objects, an cor»po«re»al»
i»ty /-reealitee/ n. cor«po»re»aMy adv.
corps /kawr/ n. (pi. corps /kawrz/) 1 Mil. a a body of
troops with special duties (intelligence corps; Marine
Corps), b a main subdivision of an army in the field.
2 a body of people engaged in a special activity
(diplomatic corps)
corpse /kawrps/ n. a dead (usu. human) body.
corpse Middle English (denoting the living body of
a person or animal): alteration of archaic corse by
association with Latin corpus, a change which also took
place in French (Old French cors becoming corps). The
p was originally silent, as in French; the final e was rare
before the 1 9th century, but now distinguishes corpse
from corps.
COr»pu»lent /kawrpyslant/ adj. bulky in body; fat.
no cor»piHence /-tons/ n. cor»pu«leircy n.
cor*pus /kawrpas/ n. (pi. corpora /kawrpsrs/ or cor- COr»rob»0»rate /karobarayt/ v.tr. confirm or give sup-
puses) 1 a body or collection of writings, texts, spo-
ken material, etc. 2 Anat. a structure of a special char-
mony. 2 a communication by letters, b letters sent or
received.
cor»re»spond»ence course n. a course of study con-
ducted by mail.
cor»re«spond»ent /kawrispondant, -kor-/ n. 1 a per-
son who writes letters, esp. regularly. 2 a person
employed to contribute material for a periodical or for
broadcasting. 3 a person or firm having regular busi-
ness relations with another, esp. in another country.
cor»ri«da /kawre'eda, -thaa/ n. a bullfight.
cor«ri«dor /kawridar, -dor, kor-/ n. 1a passage from
which doors lead into rooms. 2 a strip of the territory
of one nation passing through that of another, esp. to
the sea. 3 a route to which aircraft are restricted, esp.
over a foreign country.
cor*ri*gen*dum /kawrijendam, kor-/ n. (pi. corrigen-
da /-da/) a thing to be corrected in a printed book.
COr«ri»gi»ble /kawrijibal, kor-/ adj. 1 capable of being
corrected. 2 (of a person) submissive; open to correc-
tion, dd cor*ri*gi*bly adv.
port to (a statement or belief, or the person holding
it), dd cor»rob»o»ra»tion /-rayshan/ n. cor«rob«o»ra»tive

acter in the animal body. /-rativ, -raytiv/ adj. corTob«o«ra»tor n.

COr«pus*cle /kawrpusal/ n. a minute body or cell in an COr»rode /karod/ v. 1 a tr. wear away, esp. by chemical
organism, esp. (in pi.) the red or white cells in the blood action, b intr. be worn away; decay. 2 tr. destroy grad-
of vertebrates, dd cor*pus*cu*lar /kawrpuskyabr/ adj. ually (optimism corroded by recent misfortunes), dd cor*
Cor*pus de»lic«ti /kawrpas dilikti/ n. Law the facts and rod*i*ble adj.
circumstances constituting a breach of a law. COr»ro»sion /ksrOzhan/ n. 1 the process of corroding,
cor»ral /ksral/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a pen for cattle, horses, etc. esp. of a rusting metal. 2 a damage caused by corrod-
2 an enclosure for capturing wild animals. • v. tr. (cor- ing, b a corroded area.
ralled, corralling) 1 put or keep in a corral. 2 form cor»ro»sive /karosiv/ adj. &
n. madj. tending to corrode
(wagons) into a corral. 3 colloq. gather in; acquire. or consume. «n. a corrosive substance, dd cor«ro«sive«
cor«rect /karekt/ adj. &
v. *adj. 1 true; right; accurate. ly adv. cor«ro«sive«ness n.
2 (of conduct, manners, etc.) proper; right. 3 in ac- cor*ru*gate /kawragayt, kor-/ v. 1 tr. (esp. as corru-
cordance with good standards of taste, etc. mv.tr. 1 set gated adj.) form into alternate ridges and grooves, esp.
right; amend (an error, omission, etc., or person). to strengthen (corrugated iron; corrugated cardboard)
2 mark the errors in (work) 3 substitute the right thing
. 2 tr. &
intr. contract into wrinkles or folds, dd cor«ru«
for (the wrong one). 4 a admonish or rebuke (a per- ga*tion /-gayshsn/ n.
son), b punish (a person or fault). 5 counteract (a cor»rupt /knrupt/ adj. &
v. »adj. 1 morally deprived;
harmful quality). 6 adjust (an instrument, etc.). wicked. 2 influenced by or using bribery or frauchilcni
dd cor«rect«ly adv. cor»rect«ness n. cor»rec»tor n. activity. 3 (of a text, language, etc.) harmed (esp. made
cor«rec»tion /karekshan/ n. 1a the act or process of suspect or unreliable) by errors or alterations. 4 rot
correcting, b an instance of this. 2 a thing substituted ten. »v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become corrupt or de-
for what is wrong. 3 a program of incarceration, pa- praved. 2 tr. affect or harm by errors or alterations
role, probation, etc., for dealing with convicted offend- 3 tr. infect; taint, nn cor»rupt«er n. cor»rupM«ble </<//
ers, dd cor»rec»tion»al adj. cor»rupt-i»bil»i»ty n. cor»rup»tive adj. cor»rupMy adv.
COr«rec«tive /korektiv/ adj. &
n. madj. serving or tend- cor»rupt«ness >/.
ing to correct or counteract something undesired. •«. COr»rup»tion /korupshnn/ n. 1 moral deterioration, etp,
a corrective measure or thing, dd cor«rec«tive«ly adv. widespread. 2 use of corrupt prat tic es, esp hrilu-i v <w
COr«re«late /kawrolayt, kor-/ v. &
n. • «, 1 intr. (foil, by fraud. 3 a irregular alteration (of a text, language, -n <
|

mutual relation. 2 tr. (usu. foil, by with)

with, to) have a
bring into a mutual relation. •«. each of two related
or complementary things.
cor»re»la»tion /kawrnlayshan, kor-/ n. 1 a mutual rela-
tion between two or more things. 2 a interdependence
from its original state, b an irregularly altered form of
a word. 4 decomposition, esp. <il a COtptC or mln-i
organic matter.
cor-sage /kawrsaa/h/ ti. 1 a small bouquet worn by a
woman. 2 the bodice of a woman's dress
 .

COr»sair kawrsair n. 1 a pirate ship. 2 a pirate. 175 corsair - cotidal line

COr«set kawrsit n. 1 a closely fitting undergarment
worn by women to support the abdomen. 2 a similar
garment worn by men and women because of injury,
weakness, or deformity, en cor»set«ed adj. cor»se«try
n.
animal, etc.) widely distributed. »n. 1 a cosmopolitan
person. 2 Ecol. a widely distributed animal or plant.
i= cos»mo«pol»i»tan»ism n.
COS^mos k6zmos,-m3s,-mos n. 1 the universe, esp.
1

Cor»si*can kawrsikan/ adj. &' n. »adj. of or relating to as a well-ordered whole. 2 a an ordered system of
Corsica. *n. la native of Corsica. 2 the Italian dialect ideas, etc. b a sum total of experience.
of Corsica. COS»mos 2 kozm3s,-mos,-mos n. any composite plant
cortege kawrteyzh/ n. (also cortege) 1 a procession, of the genus Cosmos, bearing single dahlialike blos-
esp. for a funeral. 2 a train of attendants. soms of various colors.
COftex kawrteks n. (pi. cortices -tiseez or cortex- Cos*sack kosak n. &
adj. *n. 1 a member of a peo-
es) 1 Anat. the outer part of an organ, esp. of the brain ple of southern Imperial Russia, Ukraine, and Sibe-
(cerebral cortex) or kidneys (renal cortex). 2 Bot. a an ria, orig. famous for their horsemanship and military
outer layer of tissue immediately below the epidermis. skill. 2 a member of a Cossack military unit. »adj. of,
b bark, ac cor»ti«cal kawrtikal adj. relating to, or characteristic of the Cossacks.
COr»ti»SOne kawrtison, -zon n. Biochem. a steroid hor- COSt kawst v. &
n. •r. (past and past part, cost) 1 tr.

mone used medicinally esp. against inflammation and be obtainable for (a sum of money); have as a price
allergy. (zvhat does it cost?). 2 tr. involve as a loss or sacrifice (it
CO*run»dum kanindam/ n. Mineral, extremely hard cost him his life). 3 tr. (past 2nd past part, costed) fix or
crystallized alumina, used esp. as an abrasive, and va- estimate the cost or price of. 4 colloq. a tr. be costly to
rieties of which are used for gemstones. (it'll cost you), b intr. be costly. • n. 1 what a thing costs;

COr»US»cate kawraskayt, kor- v.intr. 1 give off flash- the price paid or to be paid. 2 a loss or sacrifice; an
ing light; sparkle. 2 be showy or brilliant, no cor»us« expenditure of time, effort, etc. 3 (in pi.) legal expens-
caption -kayshan/ n. es. = at all costs (or at any cost) no matter what the
cor»vine /kawrvin, -vin/ adj. of or akin to the raven or cost or risk may be. at cost at the initial cost; at cost
crow. price; without profit to the seller, at the cost of at the
COS kaws, kos/ n. a variety of lettuce with crisp nar-
1
expense of losing or sacrificing, cost a person dearly
row leaves forming a long, upright head. (or dear) involve someone in a serious loss or a heavy
COS /kos, koz/ abbr. cosine.
2 penalty.
Co*sa Nos«tra k6sa nostra/ n. a US criminal organiza- co«star kOstaar n. &' v. mn. a movie or stage star ap-
tion resembling and related to the Mafia. pearing with another or others of equal importance.
CO«se*cant /kose'ekant, -kant/ n. Math, the ratio of the • v. (-starred, -starring) 1 intr. take part as a costar.
hypotenuse (in a right triangle) to the side opposite an 2 tr. (of a production) include as a costar.
acute angle; the reciprocal of sine. COSt-eMec»tive adj. effective or productive in relation
co«sig»na»to«ry kosignatawree/ n. &
adj. »n. (pi -ries) to its cost.
a person or nation signing (a treaty, etc.) jointly with COS«tive kostiv adj. 1 constipated. 2 slow or reluctant
others, • adj. signing jointly. in speech or action. cos«tive»ly adv. cos»tive*ness
CO»sine kOsin/ n. Math, the ratio of the side adjacent n.

to an acute angle (in a right triangle) to the hypote- cosMy kawstlee (costlier, costliest) 1 costing
adj.
nuse. much; expensive. 2 of great value, oq cosMi»ness n.
COS»met»ic 'kozmetik/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 intended to cost of liv»ing n. the level of prices, esp. of the basic
adorn or beautify the body, esp. the face. 2 intended necessities of life.

to improve only appearances; superficially improving COS»tume kostoom, -tyoom n. &' v. »n. 1a style of
or beneficial {the reform was merely a cosmetic exercise). 2 a
dress, esp. that of a particular place, time, or class.
3 (of surgery or a prosthetic device) imitating, restor- 3 clothing for a particular activity (danc-
set of clothes.
ing, or enhancing the normal appearance. »n. (usu. ing costume). 4 an actor's clothes for a part, mv.tr pro-
cosmetics) a product applied to the body, esp. the vide with a costume.
face, to improve its appearance, od cos»met»i»cal»ly cos»tume jew»el»ry n. jewelry made with inexpensive
adv. materials or imitation gems.
COS»me«tol»o»gy kosmatolajee n. the art and tech- cos»tume play n. (or costume drama) a play or tel-
nique of treating the skin, nails, and hair with cosmet- evision drama in which the actors wear historical cos-
ic preparations, on cos»me«tol»o»gist n. tume.
COS»mic kozmik adj. 1 of the universe or cosmos. 2 of COS«tum*er kostoomar, -ryoo- n. a person who makes
or for space travel, dd cos*mi*cal adj. cos»mi»caMy or deals in costumes, esp. for theatrical use.
adv. cot kot n. 1 a small folding bed. 2 a hospital bed.
1

cos»mog»o»ny kozmoganee/ n. {pi. -nies) 1 the branch 3 bid. a light bedstead. 4 Xaut. a kind of swinging bed
of science that deals with the origin of the universe; hung from deck beams, formerly used by officers.
esp. the solar system. 2 a theory regarding this, nc cos* cot 2 kot n. 1 a small shelter; a cote. 2 poet, a cottage.
mo»gon»ic -magonik adj. cos«mo»gon»i»cal adj. cos* cot 3 kot abbr. Math, cotangent.
mog»o«nist -mog- n. CO«tan»gent kotanjant n. Math, the ratio of the side
cos«mog»ra«phy kozmografee/ n. {pi. -phies) a de- adjacent to an acute angle (in a right triangle) to the
scription or mapping of general features of the uni- opposite side.
verse, an cos*mog*ra*pher n. cos«mo»graph«ic COte kot n. a shelter, esp. for animals or birds; a shed

/-magrafik/ cos«mo«graph«i»cal adj.

adj. or stall (sheepcote)
COS»molK>gy kozmolajee n. the science of the origin CO«te«rie kotaree n. 1 an exclusive group of people
and development of the universe, ac: cos»mo«log«i»cal sharing interests. 2 a select circle in society.
/-malojikal adj. cos»mol«o«gist n. CO«ter«mi«nous kotarminas adj. (often foil, by zcith)
COS»mo«naut kozmanawt Russian astronaut.
n. a having the same boundaries or extent (in space, time,
COS«mo«pol«i»tan kozmapolit'n adj. &
n. madj. 1 a of or meaning).
or from or knowing many parts of the world, b con- co«tid»al line kotld'l ;/. a line on a map connecting
sisting of people from many or all parts. 2 free from
national limitations or prejudices. 3 Ecol. (of a plant, See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
cottage ~ countenance 176 body. 2 the elected local legislative body of a town,
city, or county. 3 a body of persons chosen as advis-

points at which tidal levels (as high tide or low tide) ers. 4 an ecclesiastical assembly.

occur simultaneously. coun»cil»man/k6wns3lm3n/n. (pi. -men; fem. council-

coMage /kotij/ n. 1 a small, simple house, esp. in the woman,/)/, -women) a member of a council.
country. 2 a dwelling forming part of a farm establish- coun«ciUor /kownsatar, -star/ n. (also coun»ciMor) an
ment, used by a worker, an cot«tag»ey adj. elected member of a council, esp. a local one.
coMage cheese n. soft white cheese made from curds See note at counselor.
of skimmed milk. COUn*sel /kownssl/ n. &v. • n. 1 advice, esp. formally

coMage in»dus»try n. a business activity partly or given. 2 consultation, esp. to seek or give advice. 3 (pi.
wholly carried on at home. same) an attorney or other legal adviser; a body of
COMer /kotar/ n. 1 a bolt or wedge for securing parts these in a case. 4 a plan of action. »v.tr. 1 (often foil,
of machinery, etc. 2 (in full cotter pin) a split pin that by to + infin.) advise (a person). 2 a give advice to (a
opens after passing through a hole. person) on personal problems, esp. professionally.
&
COMon /kot'n/ n. v. • n. 1 a soft, white fibrous sub- b assist or guide (a person) in resolving personal dif-
stance covering the seeds of certain plants. 2 a (in full ficulties. 3 (often foil, by that) recommend (a course
cotton plant) such a plant, esp. any of the genus of action), do coun*sel*ing /kownsaling, -sling/ n.
Gossypium. b cotton plants cultivated as a crop for the coun»se«lor /kownsstar, -star/ n. 1 an adviser. 2 a per-
fiber or the seeds. 3 thread or cloth made from the fi- son trained to give guidance on personal problems. 3 a
ber. 4 (attrib.) made of cotton, •v.intr. (foil, by to) be senior officer in the diplomatic service. 4 (also coun*
attracted by (a person) cotton to (or on to) colloq.
. se-lor-at-law pi. counselors-at-law) a lawyer, esp. one
1 begin to be fond of or agreeable to. 2 begin to un- who
derstand, on cot»ton«y adj.
COMon caivdy n. a fluffy mass of spun sugar, usu.
A gives advice in law.
counselor is someone who gives advice or coun-
sel, especially an attorney. A councilor is a member of
served on a stick or in a paper cone. a council, such as a town or city council. Confusion
COMon gin n. a machine for separating cotton from its arises because many counselors sit on councils, and
seeds. councilors are often called on to give counsel.
COMon»mouth /kot'nmowth/ n. a venomous pit viper, count /kownt/ v. & n. 1
mv. 1 tr. determine the total
Agkistrodon piscivorus, of swampy areas of the south- number or amount of, by assigning successive
esp.
eastern US, related to the coppermouth. Also called numbers. 2 intr. repeat numbers in ascending order.
water moccasin. 3 a tr. (often foil, by in) include in one's reckoning or
cot»ton-pick«ing adj. unpleasant; wretched.
si. plan (you can count me in; fifteen people, counting the
coMon*tail any rabbit of the genus
/kot'ntayl/ n. b intr. be included in a reckoning or plan. 4 tr.
guide),
Sylvilagus, native to America, having a mainly white consider (a thing or a person) to be (lucky, etc.). 5 intr.
fluffy tail. (often foil, by for) have value; matter (his opinion counts
COMorvwood /kot'nwOOdV n. 1 any of several poplars, for a great deal) • n. 1a the act of counting (after a
.

native to N. America, having seeds covered in white count of fifty) b the sum total of a reckoning (pollen
.

cottony hairs. 2 any of several trees native to Austral- count) 2 Law each charge in an indictment (guilty on
.

ia, esp. a downy-leaved tree, Bedfordia arborescens. ten counts) 3 a count of up to ten seconds by a refer-
.

COt»y«le«don /kot'le'ed'n/ n. an embryonic leaf in seed- ee when a boxer is knocked down. 4 Polit. the act of
bearing plants. counting the votes after a general or local election.
couch /kowch/ n.
1
&
v. • n. 1 an upholstered piece of 5 one of several points under discussion, n count
furniture for several people; a sofa. 2 a long padded against be reckoned to the disadvantage of. count
seat with a headrest at one end. *v. tr. (foil, by in)
"\
one's blessings be grateful for what one has. count
express in words of a specified kind (couched in simple one's chickens before they're hatched be overoptimis-
language). 2 tr. lay on or as on a couch. 3 intr. a (of an tic or hasty in anticipating good fortune, count the
animal) lie, esp. in its lair, b lie in ambush. cost consider the risks before taking action, count the
couch 2 /kowch, kooch/ n. (in full couch grass) any of days (or hours, etc.) be impatient, count down recite
several grasses of the genus Agropyron, esp. A. repens, numbers backward to zero, esp. as part of a rocket-
having long, creeping roots. launching procedure, count on depend on; rely on; ex-
COU»chette /kooshet/ n. 1 a railroad car with seats con- pect confidently, count out 1 count while taking from
vertible into sleeping berths. 2 a berth in this. a stock. 2 complete a count often seconds over (a fall-
couch po*ta*tO n. si. a person who likes lazing at home, en boxer, etc.), indicating defeat. 3 (in children's
esp. watching television. games) select (a player) for dismissal or a special role
cou*gar /kobgar/ n. a puma. by use of a counting rhyme, etc. 4 colloq. exclude from
cough /kawf, kof/ v. &
n. •v.intr. 1 expel air from the a plan or reckoning (I'm too tired, count me out), count
lungs with a sudden, sharp sound to remove an ob- up find the sum of. down for the count 1 Boxing de-
struction or congestion. 2 (of an engine, gun, etc.) feated by being unable to rise within ten ccondt.
make a similar sound. »n. 1 an act of coughing. 2 a 2 a defeated or demoralized, b sound asleep, keep
condition of the respiratory organs causing coughing. count take note of how many there have been, etc. lose
3 a tendency to cough, d cough out 1 eject by cough- count fail to take note of the number, etc. not count-
ing. 2 say with a cough, cough up 1 = cough out. 2 si. ing excluding from the reckoning.
bring out or give (money or information) reluctantly. count 2 /kownt/ n. a noble of continental Kuropc cor-
3 si. confess. responding in rank to a British earl, no count-ship ;/.
cough drop n. a medicated lozenge to relieve a cough. COunt*a*ble /kowntnbol/ adj. 1 that can be counted.
cough medicine n. (also cough syr»up) a medicated 2 Gram, (of a noun) that can form a plural or be used
liquid to relieve a cough. with the indefinite article (e.g., book, kindness).
COUld past of CAN 1
.
countdown /kowntdown/ n. 1 a the act of counting
couldn't /kobd'nt/ contr. could not. down, esp. at the launching of a rocket, etc. b the pro-
COU*lomb /kcblom/ n. Electr. the SI unit of electric cedures carried out during this tune. 2 the final
charge. * Symb.: C. moments before any significant event.
COUn*cil /kownsal/ n. 1 a an advisory, deliberative, or coun»te*nance /kowntinnns/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a persons
administrative body of people, b a meeting of such a face or facial expression (his inscrutable countenance
 .

gave little away. 2 composure. 3 moral support, mv.tr. 1 77 counter ~ country and western
1 give approval to (an act, etc.). 2 (often foil, by in)
encourage (a person or a practice). COun»ter»of»fen»sive/kowntarafensiv/ n. Mil. an attack
counter /kowntar/
1
a a long, flat-topped fixture
n. 1 made from a defensive position.
in a store, bank, etc., across which business is con- counterpane /kowntarpayn/ n. a bedspread.
ducted, b a similar structure used for serving food, counterpart /kowntarpaart/ n. 1 a a person or thing
etc., in a cafeteria or bar. 2 a a small disk used for keep- extremely like another, b a natural complement or
ing the score, etc., esp. in board games, b a token rep- equivalent. 2 Law one of two copies of a legal docu-
resenting a coin. C something used in bargaining {a ment.
counter in the struggle for power) 3 an apparatus used . counterpoint /kowntarpoynt/w. &v.mn. 1 Mus. a the
for counting. 4 a person or thing that counts. over art of writing or playing a melody or melodies in
the counter 1 (of stock) sold through a broker direct- conjunction with another, according to fixed rules, b a
ly, not on an exchange. 2 by ordinary retail purchase. melody played in conjunction with another. 2 a con-
under the counter (esp. of the sale of scarce goods) trasting argument, plot, idea, etc., used to set off the
surreptitiously, esp. illegally. main element, mv.tr. 1 Mus. add counterpoint to. 2 set
courvter 2 /kowntar/ v., adv., adj., & n. mv. A tr. a op- (an argument, plot, etc.) in contrast to (a main el-
pose; contradict (countered our proposal with their own) ement).
b meet by a countermove. 2 intr. a make a counter- counterpoise n. v. mn. /kowntarpoyz/ 1 a force, &
move, b make an opposing statement. 3 intr. Boxing etc., equivalent to another on the opposite side. 2 a
give a return blow while parrying. • adv. 1 in the op- state of equilibrium. 3 a counterbalancing weight.
posite direction (ran counter to the fox). 2 contrary (her mv.tr. /kowntarpoyz/ 1 counterbalance. 2 compensate.
action was counter to my wishes) • adj. 1 opposed; op-
. 3 bring into or keep in equilibrium.
posite. 2 duplicate; serving as a check, mn. 1 a parry; coun»ter»pro»duc»tive /kowntarpradiiktiv/ adj. having
a countermove. 2 something opposite or opposed. the opposite of the desired effect.
d act (or go) counter to disobey (instructions, etc.). Courvter-Ref«or«ma»tion /kowntarefarmayshan/ n.
run counter to act contrary to. Hist, the reform of the Roman Catholic Church in the
counter- /kowntar/ comb, form denoting: 1 retaliation, 1 6th and 1 7th centuries that took place in response to

opposition, or rivalry (counterthreat; countercheck). the Protestant Reformation.

2 opposite direction (countercurrent) 3 correspond- coun»ter»revo»lu»tion /kowntarevalobshan/ n.
. a
ence, duplication, or substitution (counterpart; coun- revolution opposing a former one or reversing its
tersign) . results, on coun»ter»revo«lu«tion«ary adj. n. (pi. &
COUn»ter«act /kowntarakt/ v.tr. 1 hinder or oppose by -ies).
contrary action. 2 neutralize, an coun»ter»ac»tion countersign /kowntarsin/ v. n. mv.tr. 1 add a sig- &
/-akshan/ n. coun»ter«ac«tive adj. nature to (a document already signed by another).
coun«ter»at»tack n.&v.m n. /kowntarstak/ an attack in 2 ratify. • n. 1a watchword or password spoken to a
reply to an attack by an enemy or opponent, mv.tr. &
person on guard. 2 a mark used for identification, etc.
intr. /kowntaratak/ attack in reply. dd countersignature /-signachar/ n.
COun»ter«at»trac»tion /kowntaratrakshan/ w. la rival COUn«ter»sink /kowntarsingk/ v.tr. (past and past part.
attraction. 2 the attraction of a contrary tendency. -sunk) 1 enlarge and bevel (the rim of a hole) so that
counterbalance n. &
v. mn. /kowntarbalans/ 1 a a screw or bolt can be inserted flush with the surface.
weight balancing another. 2 an argument, force, etc., 2 sink (a screw, etc.) in such a hole.
balancing another, mv.tr. /kowntarbabns/ act as a coun»ter»ten»or /kowntartenar/ n. Mus. 1 a the high-
counterbalance to. est adult male singing voice, above tenor, b a singer
countercharge n. &
v. mn. /kowntarchaarj/ a charge with this voice. 2 a part written for countertenor.
or accusation in return for one received, mv.tr. coun»ter»top /kowntartop/ n. a horizontal, flat work
/kowntarcha'arj/ make a countercharge against. surface, as in a kitchen.
counterclaim n. &
v. mn. /kownta^klaym/ 1 a claim countervail /kowntarvayl/ v. 1 tr. counterbalance.
made against another claim. 2 Law a claim made by a 2 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by against) oppose forcefully

defendant in a suit against the plaintiff. • v. tr. intr. &

/kowntarklaym/ make a counterclaim (for).
coun»ter»clock«wise /kowntarklokwiz/ adv. adj.
m adv. in a curve opposite in direction to the movement countless /kowntis/ n. 1 the wife or widow of a count
of the hands of a clock. • adj. moving counterclock-
wise.
counterculture /kowntarkulchar/
etc., opposed to that usually considered normal.
coun*ter*es*pi*o«nage /kowntarespeeanaazh, -nij/ n.
action taken to frustrate enemy spying.
coun»ter«feit/k6wnt3rfit/ad;.,«.,<&3,y. madj. 1 not gen-
uine. 2 (of a claimant, etc.) pretended, mn. a forgery;
an imitation, mv.tr. 1 a imitate fraudulently (a coin,
handwriting, etc.); forge, b make an imitation of.
2 simulate (feelings, etc.) (counterfeited interest). 3 re-
semble closely, gd coun»ter»feit»er n.
coun»ter»in»tel»li«gence/kownt3rintelij3ns/«. = coun-
terespionage.
countermand v. & n. mv.tr. /kowntarmand/
a revoke (an order or command), b recall (forces,
etc.) by a contrary order. 2 cancel an order for (goods,
and usu. successfully.
counter-weight /kowntarwayt/ n. a counterbalancing
weight. &
or an earl. 2 a woman holding the rank of count or
earl.
n. a way of life, COunt*ing*house /kowntinghows/ n. a place where
accounts are kept.
counWess /kowntlis/ adj. too many to be counted.
coun«tri*fied /kuntrifid/ adj. (also coun»tryfied) often
derog. rural or rustic, esp. of manners, appearance, etc.
COun«try /kuntree/ n. (pi. -tries) 1 a the territory of a
nation with its own government; a nation, b a territory
possessing its own language, people, culture, etc. 2
(often attrib.) rural districts as opposed to towns and
cities or the capital. 3 the land of a person's birth or
citizenship. 4 a a territory, esp. an area of interest or
knowledge, b a region associated with a particular per-
1 Mil. son, esp. a writer (Faulkner country). 5 a national
population, esp. as voters (the country won 't stand for
it).

etc.). • n. /kowntarmand/ an order revoking a previous coun»try and west»ern n. a form of popular music
one. originating from folk music of the rural South and
coun*ter*meas*ure /kowntarmezhar/ n. an action tak-
en to counteract a danger, threat, etc. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
country club ~ court order 178 movement or progression. 2 a a line along which a per-
son or thing moves; a direction taken (has changed
cowboy music of the West, usu. a mixture of ballads course; the course of the winding river), b a correct or in-
and dance tunes played on fiddle, banjo, guitar, and tended direction or line of movement. C the direction
pedal steel guitar. taken by a ship or aircraft. 3 a the ground on which a
courvtry club n. a golfing and race (or other sport involving extensive linear move-
social club, often in a
rural setting. ment) takes place, b a series offences, hurdles, or other
courrtryf ied var. of countrified. obstacles to be crossed in a race, etc. 4 a a series of
countryman /kuntreeman/ n. (pi. -men;/ew. country- lectures, lessons, etc., in a particular subject, b a book
woman, pi. -women) 1 a person living in a rural area. for such a course (A Modern French Course) 5 any of .

2 a a person of one's own country or district, b (of- the successive parts of a meal. 6 Med. a sequence of
ten in comb. ) a person from a specified country or dis- medical treatment, etc. (prescribed a course of antibi-
trict (north-countryman). otics). 7 a line of conduct. &Archit. a continuous hor-

country mu»sic n. = country and western. izontal layer of brick, stone, etc., in a building. 9 a
countryside /kiintreesid/ n. 1 a a rural area, b rural channel in which water flows. 1 the pursuit of game
areas in general. 2 the inhabitants of a rural area. (esp. hares) with hounds, esp. greyhounds, by sight
coun»ty /kowntee/ n. &
adj. • n. (pi. -ties) 1 US a polit- rather than scent. • v. 1 intr. (esp. of liquid) run, esp.
ical and administrative division of a state. 2 any of the fast (blood coursed through his veins). 2 tr. (also absol.)
territorial divisions of some countries, forming the a use (hounds) to hunt, b pursue (hares, etc.) in hunt-
chief unit of local administration. ing, a the course of nature ordinary events or proce-
courvty seat n. the administrative capital of a county. dure, in the course of during, in the course of time as
coup /koo/ n. (pi. coups /kooz/) 1 a notable or success- time goes by; eventually, a matter of course the nat-
ful stroke or move. 2 = coup d'etat. ural or expected thing, of course naturally; as is or was
coup de grace /kob da gra'as/ n. (pi. coups de grace to be expected; admittedly, on (or off) course fol-
pronunc. same) a finishing stroke, esp. to kill a wound- lowing (or deviating from) the desired direction or
ed animal or person. goal, run (or take) its course (esp. of an illness) com-
coup d'etat /kob dayta'a/ n. (pi. coups d'etat pronunc. plete its natural development, dd cours*er n. (in sense
same) a violent or illegal seizure of power. 2 oft;.).
coupe /koop/ n. (also coupe /koopay/) a two-door car court /kawrt/ n. v. •«. 1& (in full court of law) a a
with a hard top. judge or assembly of judges or other persons acting as
cou»ple /kupsl/ n.&v.*n.1 (usu. foil, by of; often as a tribunal in civil and criminal cases, b = courtroom.
sing.) a two (a couple of girls), b about two (a couple of 2 a an enclosed quadrangular area for games, which
hours) 2 (often as sing. ) a a married, engaged, or sim-
. may be open or covered (tennis court; squash court) b an .

ilar pair, b a pair of partners in a dance, a game, etc.
3 (in pi.) a pair of joined collars used for holding
hounds together. • v. 1 tr. fasten or link together; con-
nect (esp. railroad car). 2 tr. (often foil, by together,
with) associate in thought or speech (papers coupled
their names). 3 intr. copulate. 4 tr. Physics connect
(oscillators) with a coupling.
cou»pler /kuplar/ n. 1 Mus. a a device in an organ for
connecting two manuals, or a manual with pedals, so
that they both sound when only one is played, b (also
octave coupler) a similar device for connecting notes
with their octaves above or below. 2 anything that con-
area marked out for lawn tennis, etc. 3 a a small en-
closed street in a town, having a yard surrounded by
houses, and adjoining a larger street, b the name of a
large house, block of apartments, street, etc. (Grosvenor
Court). C a subdivision of a building, usu. a large hall
extending to the ceiling with galleries and staircases.
4 a the establishment, retinue, and courtiers of a sov-
ereign, b a sovereign and his or her councilors, consti-
tuting a ruling power, c a sovereign's residence, d an
assembly held by a sovereign; a state reception. 5 atten-
tion paid to a person whose favor, love, or interest is
sought (paid court to her) • v. tr. 1 a try to win the af-
.

nects two things, esp. a transformer used for connec-
ting electric circuits.
COU*plet /kuplit/ n. Prosody two successive lines of verse,
usu. rhyming and of the same length.
fection or favor of (a person), b pay amorous attention
to (courting couples). 2 seek to win (applause, fame,
etc.). 3 invite (misfortune) by one's actions (you are
courting disaster) a go to court take legal action, in court
.

coupling /kupling/ n. 1 a a link connecting a railroad appearing as a party or an advocate in a court of law.
car, etc. b a device for connecting parts of machinery. out of court 1 (of a plaintiff) not entitled to be heard.
2 Physics a connection between two systems, causing 2 before a hearing or judgment can take place.
one to oscillate when the other does so. 3 (an act of) COur*te*OUS /ksrteess/ adj. polite, kind, or considerate.
sexual intercourse. dd cour»te«ous»ly adv. cour«te«ous»ness n.
cou»pon /kobpon, kyob-/ n. 1 a form in a newspaper cour«te«san /kawrtizan/ n. literary a prostitute, esp. one
that may be filled in as an application for a purchase, with wealthy or upper-class clients.
information, etc. 2 a voucher for a discount on a pur- COUr«te«sy /kortisee/ n. (pi. -sies) 1 courteous behlV
chase. 3 a a detachable ticket entitling the holder to a ior. 2 a courteous act. by courtesy bv favor, not by
ration of food, clothes, etc., esp. in wartime, b a sim- right, by courtesy of with the formal permission oi (a
ilar ticket entitling the holder to payment, goods, ser- person, etc.).
vices, etc. court-house /kawrthows/ n. 1 a building in which a
courtage the ability to disregard fear;
/korij, kiir-/ n. judicial court is held. 2 a building containing the ;ul

bravery, a courage of one's convictions the courage ministrative offices of a county.

to act on one's beliefs, lose courage become less brave. COUr«ti»er /kawrteeor/ n. a person who attends 01 I"
pluck up (or take) courage muster one's courage, take quents a sovereign's court.
one's courage in both hands nerve oneself to a ven- COurMy /kawrtlee/ ad), (courtlier, courtliest) 1 pol-
ture. ished or refined in manners. 2 obsequious 3 puiu til
COU*ra*geous /korayjos/ adj. brave; fearless, nn cou*ra* ious. on courHi-ness n.
geous»ly adv. cou*ra*geous*ness n. court-martial /kawrt maarshnl/ n.isrv. •;/. (/>/. courts-
cour»i»er/kot)reeor, kor kur / n. 1 a person employed,
, martial) a judicial court for trying ber! "I Un- mem
usu. by a travel company, to guide and assist a group armed services, mv.tr. try by a court-martial.
of tourists. 2 a special messenger. court or»der n. a direction issued by a conn 01 ;i judge*
course /kawrs/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a continuous onward usu. requiring a person to do <>i not do something.
 . . . .

court re«port»er n. a stenographer who makes a ver- 179 court reporter - cowl
batim record and transcription of the proceedings in
a court of law. etation. cover one's tracks conceal evidence of what
courtroom /kawrtroom, -room/ n. the place or room one has done, cover up 1 completely cover or conceal.
in which a court of law meets. 2 conceal (circumstances, etc., esp. illicitly) (also
court»ship /kawrtship/ n. 1a courting with a view to absol. refused to cover up for them), from cover to cover
:

marriage, b the courting behavior of male animals,
birds, etc. c a period of courting. 2 an attempt to gain
advantage by flattery, attention, etc.
court«yard /kawrtyaard/ n. an area enclosed by walls
or buildings, often opening off a street.
COUS'COUS /kooskoos/ n. 1 a type of N. African semo-
lina in granules made from crushed durum wheat. 2 a
spicy dish made by steaming or soaking such granules
and adding meat, vegetables, or fruit.
cous*in /kuzan/ n. 1 (also first cousin, cous«in-ger«
man, pi. cousins-german) the child of one's uncle or
aunt. 2 (usu. in pi.) applied to the people of kindred
races or nations {our British cousins).
cou»ture /kootobr, -tyobr/ n. the design and manufac-
ture of fashionable clothes; = haute couture.
co*va*lent /kovaytant/ adj. Chem. of or designating
chemical bonds formed by the sharing of electrons by
two atoms in a molecule, on co«va«lence n. co»va»len«
cy n. co«va»lent«ly adv.
CO«va»lent bond n. Chem. a bond formed by sharing
of electrons usu. in pairs by two atoms in a molecule.
cove /kov/ n. & v. mn. 1 a small, esp. sheltered, bay or
creek. 2 a sheltered recess. 3 Archit. a concave arch or
from beginning to end of a book, etc. take cover use
a natural or prepared shelter against an attack.
cov»er»age kuvarij/ «. 1 an area or an amount covered.
2 Journalism the amount of press, etc., publicity re-
ceived by a particular story, person, etc. 3 a risk cov-
ered by an insurance policy. 4 an area reached by a
particular broadcasting station or advertising me-
dium.
COV»er»all /kuvarawl/ n. & adj. mn. 1 something that
covers entirely. 2 (usu. in pi.) a full-length protective
outer garment often zipped up the front, mattrib.adj.
covering entirely (a coverall term)
cov»er charge n. an extra charge levied per head in a
restaurant, nightclub, etc.
cov»er girl n. a female model whose picture appears on
magazine covers, etc.
cov«er»ing 'kuvaring/ n. something that covers, esp. a
bedspread, blanket, etc., or clothing.
cov»er»let /kuvarlit/ n. a bedspread.
cov»er leMer n. (also cov»er»ing leMer) an explanato-
ry letter sent with an enclosure.
co-vert kOvart, ku-/ adj. & n. madj. secret or disguised
(a covert glance; covert operations) m n. 1 a shelter, esp.
.

arched molding, esp. one formed at the junction of a a thicket hiding game. 2 a feather covering the base of
wall with a ceiling, mv.tr. Archit. provide (a room, ceil- a bird's flight feather, dd co«verWy adv. co«vert«ness
ing, etc.) with a cove. n.
cov»en /kuvan/ n. an assembly of witches. cov»et kiivit/ v.tr. desire greatly (esp. something be-
COV»e«nant /kuvanant/ n. & v. m n. 1 an agreement; a longing to another person), dd covet»a»ble adj.
contract. 2 Law a a contract drawn up under a seal, covet»ous kuvitas/ adj. (usu. foil, by of) 1 greatly de-
esp. undertaking to make regular payments to a char- sirous (esp. of another person's property). 2 grasping;
ity, b a clause of a covenant. 3 (Covenant) Bibl. the avaricious, dd cov»et«ous«ly adv. cov»et»ous»ness n.
agreement between God and the Israelites (see Ark of cov»ey kiivee/ n. (pi. -eys) 1 a brood of partridges. 2 a
the Covenant), mv.tr. & intr. agree, esp. by legal cov- small party or group of people or things.
enant, dd cov»e«nan«tal /-nant'l/ adj. cov«e«nan«tor n. coving n. = cove n. 3.
covenanter n. cow /kow/ n. 1 a fully grown female of any bovine an-
COV»er /kuvar/ v. & n. mv.tr. 1 a (often foil, by with) imal, esp. of the genus Bos, used as a source of milk
protect or conceal by means of a cloth, lid, etc. b pre- and beef. 2 the female of other large animals, esp. the
vent the perception or discovery of; conceal (to cover elephant, whale, and seal. till the cows come home

my embarrassment). 2 a extend over; occupy the whole colloq. an indefinitely long time.
surface of (covered in dirt; covered with writing) b (of- COW- /kow/ v.tr. (usu. in passive) intimidate or dispirit
.
2

ten foil, by with) strew thickly or thoroughly (covered (cowed by ill-treatment)

the floor with straw). C lie over; be a covering to (the cow*ard /kowaroV n. a person who is easily frightened
blanket scarcely covered him). 3 a protect; clothe, b (as or intimidated by danger or pain.
covered adj.) wearing a hat; having a roof. 4 include; cow*ard*ice /kowardis/ n. a lack of bravery.
comprise; deal with (the talk covered recent discoveries). cow«ard»ly /kowardlee/ adj. 1 of or like a coward; lack-
5 travel (a specified distance) (covered sixty miles) ing courage. 2 (of an action) done against one who
6 Journalism a report (events, a meeting, etc.). b in- cannot retaliate, dd coward*li*ness n.
vestigate as a reporter. 7 be enough to defray (expens- cow»bell /kowbel/ n. 1 a bell worn around a cow's neck
es, a bill, etc.). 8 a rejl. take precautionary measures for easy location of the animal. 2 a similar bell used as
so as to protect oneself (had covered myself by saying I a percussion instrument.
might be late), b (absol; foil, by for) deputize or stand cow*boy /kowboy/ n. 1 (fern, cowgirl) a person who
in for (a colleague, etc.) (will you cover for me?). 9 Mil. herds and tends cattle, esp. in the western US. 2 this
a aim a gun, etc., at. b (of a fortress, guns, etc.) com- as a conventional figure in American folklore, esp. in
mand (a territory). C stand behind (a person in the films. 3 colloq. an unscrupulous or reckless person in
front rank), d protect (an exposed person, etc.) by be- business.
ing able to return fire. mn. 1 something that covers or cow»catch»er 'kowkachsr/ n. a peaked metal frame at
protects, esp.: a a lid. b the binding of a book. C either the front of a locomotive for pushing aside obstacles
board of this, d an envelope or the wrapping of a mailed on the line.
package (under separate covey), e the outer case of a COW»er /kowar/ v. intr. 1 crouch or shrink back, esp. in
pneumatic tire, f (in pi.) bedclothes. 2 a hiding place; fear; cringe. 2 stand or squat in a bent position.
a shelter. 3 woods or undergrowth sheltering game or cow»hand /kowhand/ n. - cowboy 1
covering the ground (see covert n. 1). 4 a a pretense; COW»herd /kowhard/ n. a person who tends cattle.
a screen (under cover of humility), b a spy's pretended cow»hide /kowhid/ n. 1 a a cow's hide, b leather made
identity or activity. C Mil. a supporting force pro- from this. 2 a leather whip made from cowhide.
tecting an advance party from attack. 5 a place setting cowl /kowl/ n. 1 the hood of a monk's habit. 2 a loose
at table, esp. in a restaurant, a break cover (of game
or a hunted person) leave a place of shelter, esp. veg- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . . . . . . .

cowlick ~ cradle 180 criticize adversely or captiously; grumble. 2 tr. spoil

(the mistake crabbed his chances)
hood. 3 a monk's hooded habit, do cowled adj. (in crab»bed /krabid/ adj. 1 irritable or morose. 2 (of hand-
sense 1). writing) ill-formed and hard to decipher. 3 perverse
cowlick /kowlik/ n. a projecting lock of hair. or cross-grained. 4 difficult to understand, dd crab*
co*work*er /ko-warkar/ n. a person who works bed*ly adv. crab*bed*ness n.
in col-
laboration with another. crab*by /krabee/ adj. (crabbier, crabbiest) = crabbed
COW pars»ley n. a tall hedgerow plant, Anthriscus 1,3. dd crab«bi*ly adv. crab*bi*ness n.
sylvestris, having lacelike umbels of flowers resembling crab»grass /krabgras/ n. a creeping grass infesting
Queen Anne's lace. lawns.
cowpea /kowpee/ n. 1 a plant of the pea family, Vigna crack /krak/ n., v., &
adj. •«. 1 a a sudden sharp or
unguiculata, grown esp. in the southern US for forage explosive noise (the crack of a whip; a loud crack of thun-
and green manure. 2 its edible seed. (Also called black- der), b (in a voice) a sudden harshness or change in
eyed pea) pitch. 2 a sharp blow (a crack on the head). 3 a a nar-
cowpoke /kowpok/ n. = cowboy 1 row opening between two surfaces, esp. ones that have
cow*pox /kowpoks/ n. a disease of cows, of which the broken or been moved apart (the door opened a tiny
virus was formerly used in vaccination against small- crack), b a partial fracture, with the parts still joined
pox. (a hairline crack down the middle of the glass). 4 colloq. a
cow»punch«er /kowpunchar/ n. = cowboy 1. mischievous or malicious remark or aside (a nasty crack
cow»rie /kowree/ n. (also cowry) (pi. -rles) 1 any gas- about my age) 5 colloq. an attempt (I'll have a crack at
.

tropod mollusk of the family Cypraeidae, having a it) 6 the exact moment (the crack of noon) .7 si. a po-
.

smooth, glossy, and usu. brightly colored shell. 2 its tent hard crystalline form of cocaine that is inhaled or
shell, esp. used as money in parts of Africa and S. Asia. smoked. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. break without a complete sep-

cowshed /kowshed/ n. 1 a shed for cattle that are not aration of the parts (cracked the window) 2 intr. tr. . &
at pasture. 2 a milking shed. make or cause to make a sudden sharp or explosive
cowslip /kowslip/ n. la primula, Primula veris, with sound. 3 intr. &
tr. break or cause to break with a sud-

fragrant yellow flowers and growing in pastures. 2 a den, sharp sound. 4 intr. &
tr. give way or cause to give

marsh marigold. way (under torture, etc.); yield. 5 intr. (of the voice,
COX /koks/ n. &
v. %n. a coxswain, esp. of a racing boat. esp. of an adolescent boy or a person under strain) be-
• v. 1 intr. act as a cox (coxed for Harvard). 2 tr. act as come dissonant; break. 6 tr. colloq. find a solution to
cox for (coxed the winning boat) (a problem, code, etc.). 7 tr. say (a joke, etc.). 8 tr. col-
cox«comb /kokskom/ n. an ostentatiously conceited loq. hit sharply or hard (cracked her head on the ceiling)

man; a dandy. 9 tr. Chem. decompose (heavy oils) to produce lighter

cox«swain /koksan, -swayn/ n. &
v. *n. a person who hydrocarbons (such as gasoline). 10 tr. break (wheat)
steers and directs the crew, esp. in a rowing boat. • v. into coarse pieces, •attrib.adj. colloq. excellent; first-
1 intr. act as a coxswain. 2 tr. act as a coxswain of. rate (a crack shot), a crack a bottle open a bottle, esp.
dd cox'swairvship n. of wine, and drink crack down on colloq. take severe
it.

coy /koy/ adj. (coyer, coyest) 1 archly or affectedly measures against, crack up colloq. 1 collapse under
shy. 2 irritatingly reticent (always coy about her age) strain. 2 burst into laughter. 3 repute (not all it's cracked
3 (esp. of a girl) modest or shy. coyly adv. coyness up to be), get cracking colloq. begin promptly and vig-
n. orously, have a crack at colloq. attempt.
coy»o»te /kiyotee, kiyot/ n. (pi. same or coyotes) a wolf- crack»down /krakdown/ n. colloq. severe measures (esp.
like wild dog, Canis latrans, native to N. America. against lawbreakers, etc.).
coypu /koypoo/ n. (pi. coypus) = nutria 1 cracked /krakt/ adj. 1 having cracks. 2 (predic.) si. cra-
co»zy /kozed adj., n.,& v. • adj. (cozier, coziest) 1 com- zy.
fortable and warm. 2 derog. complacent; self-serving. cracked wheat
n. grains of wheat that have been

3 warm and friendly. • n. (pi. -zies) a cover to keep crushed into small pieces.
something hot, esp. a teapot or a boiled egg. •v.tr. crack-er /krakgr/ n. 1a thin, dry biscuit often eaten
(-zies, -zied) (often foil, by along) colloq. reassure, esp. with cheese. 2 a firework exploding with a sharp noise.
deceptively, a cozy up to colloq. 1 ingratiate oneself 3 (usu. in pi.) an instrument for cracking (nutcrack-
with. 2 snuggle up to. an co»zi»ly adv. co*zi*ness n. ers). 4 a paper cylinder both ends of which are pulled
cp. abbr. compare. at Christmas, etc., making a sharp noise and releasing
CPA abbr. certified public accountant. a small toy, etc. 5 offens. = poor white.
cpd abbr. compound. crack»er-bar»rel adj. (of philosophy, etc.) unsophisti-
CPI abbr. consumer price index. cated.
Cpl. abbr. corporal. crack«er»jack /kraknrjak/ adj. si. exceptionally line or
CPR abbr. cardiopulmonary resuscitation. expert.
cps abbr. (also c.p.s.) 1 Computing characters per sec- crack*ers /krakorz/ predic. adj. si. crazy.
ond. 2 cycles per second. crack*le /krakol/ v. & make
a repeated slight
n. •v.intr.
Cpt. abbr. captain. cracking sound (radio crackled; fire was ruckling). •'!. <

CPU Computing central processing unit.

abbr. 1 such a sound. 2 a paintwork, china, or glass deco-
Cr symb. Chem. the element chromium. rated with a pattern of minute surface cracks, b the
crab /krab/ n. la any of numerous ten-footed crus-
1
smooth surface of such paintwork, etc. dd cracMy adj.
taceans having the first pair of legs modified as pin- cracMing /krakling/ n. the crisp skin of roast pork.
cers, b the flesh of a crab, esp. Cancer pagur us, as food. crack«pot /krakpot/ n. & adj. si •;/. an eccentric or un-
2 (the Crab) the zodiacal sign or constellation Cancer. practical person, madj. mad; unworkaMr ,/ craCkpoi
3 (in full crab louse) (often in pi.) a parasitic louse, scheme)
Phthirus pubis, infesting hairy parts of the body. -Cracy /krosee/ comb, form denoting a partKiil.n !<>nn
dd crabMike adj. of government, rule, or influence (aristocracy, bureauc-
crab 2 /krab/ n. 1 (in full crab apple) a small sour, apple- racy).
like fruit. 2crab tree or crab apple tree) any
(in full cra»dle /krayd'l/ n. & v. »w. 1 a a child's bed, esp MM
of several trees bearing this fruit. 3 a sour person. mounted on rockers, b a place in which a thing begins,
crab 3 /krab/ v. (crabbed, crabbing) colloq. 1 tr. intr. & esp. a civilization, etc., or is nurtured in its infancy
 . .

(cradle of democracy) .2 a framework resembling a cra- 181 cradle-robber - crash-land

dle, esp.: a that on which a ship, a boat, etc., rests dur-
ing construction or repairs, b that on which a worker cra»ni»ot»o»my /krayneeotamee/ n. (pi. -mies) 1 surgi-
is suspended to work on a ceiling, a ship, the vertical cal removal of a portion of the skull. 2 surgical perfo-
side of a building, etc. C the part of a telephone on ration of the skull of a dead fetus to ease delivery.
which the receiver rests when not in use. mv.tr. 1 con- cra*ni*um /krayneeam/ n. (pi. craniums or crania
tain or shelter as if in a cradle (cradled his head in her /-neea/) 1 the skull. 2 the part of the skeleton that
arms). 2 place in a cradle. from the cradle from in- encloses the brain.
fancy, from the cradle to the grave from infancy till crank 1 /krangk/ n. &
v. • n. 1 part of an axle or shaft

death. bent at right angles for interconverting reciprocal and

cra«dle-rob«ber n. si. a person amorously attached to circular motion. 2 an elbow-shaped connection in bell
a much younger person. hanging, mv.tr. 1 cause to move by means of a crank.
craft /kraft/ n. & v. • n. 1 skill, esp. in practical arts. 2 a 2 a bend into a crank shape, b furnish or fasten with
(esp. in comb.) a trade or an art (statecraft; handicraft; a crank, d crank up 1 start (a car engine) by turning a
priestcraft; the craft ofpottery), b the members of a craft. crank. 2 si. increase (speed, etc.) by intensive effort.
3 (pi. craft) a a boat or vessel, b an aircraft or space- crank 2 /krangk/ n. 1 an eccentric person. 2 a bad-tem-
craft. 4 cunning or deceit, mv.tr. make in a skillful pered person, dd crank«y /krangkee/ adj. (crankier,
way (crafted a poem). crankiest). crank*i*ly adv. crankiness n.
craftSTnan /kraftsmsn/ n. (pi. -men; fern, craftswom- crank 3 /krangk/ adj. Nam. liable to capsize.
an, pi. -women) 1 a skilled worker. 2 a person who crank*case /krangk-kays/ n. a case enclosing a crank-
practices a handicraft, no crafts«man«ship n. shaft.
craft»y /kraftee/ adj. (craftier, craftiest) cunning; art- crank»shaft /krangkshaft/ n. a shaft driven by a crank
ful; wily, dd craft«My adv. craftiness n. (see cralnk n. 1).
1

crag /krag/ n. a steep or rugged rock. cran»ny /kranee/ n. (pi. -nies) a chink; a crevice, dd cran»
crag*gy /kragee/ adj. (craggier, craggiest) 1 (esp. of a nied /-need/ adj.
person's face) rugged; rough-textured. 2 (of a land- crap /krap/ n. &
v. coarse si. mn. 1 (often as int.) non-
scape) having crags, dd crag*gi*ly adv. crag*gi*ness n. sense; rubbish. 2 feces, mv.intr. (crapped, crapping)
cram /kram/ v. (crammed, cramming) 1 tr. a fill to defecate.
bursting; stuff (the room was crammed), b (foil, by in, Usually considered a taboo word, o crap out 1 be
into) force (a thing) into (cram the sandwiches into the unsuccessful. 2 withdraw from a game, etc. dd crap-
bag) .2 tr. & intr. prepare for an examination by inten- py /krapee/ adj. (crappier, crappiest).
sive study. 3 tr. (often foil, by with) feed (poultry, etc.) crape /krayp/ n. 1 crepe, usu. of black silk or imitation
to excess. 4 tr. (sfintr. colloq. eat greedily, d cram in push silk, formerly used for mourning clothes. 2 a band of
in to bursting point (crammed in another five minutes' this formerly worn as a sign of mourning, dd crap«y
work) adj.
cramp /kramp/ n. &
mn. 1 a a painful involuntary
v. craps /kraps/ n.pl. a gambling game played with dice.
contraction of a muscle or muscles, b = writer's cramp. d shoot craps play craps.
2 (also cramp i»ron) a metal bar with bent ends for crap«shoot /krapshoot/ n. si. a venture marked by
holding masonry, etc., together. 3 a portable tool for uncertainty and risk.
holding two planks, etc., together; a clamp. 4 a re- crap«u»lent /krapyalant/ adj. 1 given to indulging in al-
straint. mv.tr. 1 affect with cramp. 2 confine narrowly. cohol. 2 resulting from drunkenness. 3 a drunk, b suf-
3 restrict (energies, etc.). 4 (as cramped adj.) a (of fering from the effects of drunkenness, dd crap*u*lence
handwriting) small and difficult to read, b (of a room, /-lans/ n. crap«u»lous adj.
etc.) uncomfortably crowded; lacking space. 5 fasten crash /krash/ v., n., &
adv. mv. 1 intr. tr. make or &
with a cramp. cramp a person's style prevent a per- cause to make a loud smashing noise (the cymbals
son from acting freely or naturally, cramp up confine crashed) .2tr.& intr. throw, drive, move, or fall with a
narrowly. loud smashing noise. 3 intr. &
tr. a collide or cause (a

cranvpon /krampon/ n. (also cranvpoon /-pdbn/) (usu. vehicle) to collide violently with another vehicle, ob-
in pi.) 1 an iron plate with spikes fixed to a boot for stacle, etc. b fall or cause (an aircraft) to fall violently
walking on ice, climbing, etc. 2 a metal hook for lift- on to the land or the sea. 4 intr. (usu. foil, by into) col-
ing timber, rock, etc.; a grappling iron. lide violently (crashed into the window) 5 intr. undergo .

cran»ber«ry /kranberee/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 any evergreen financial ruin. 6 tr. colloq. enter without permission
shrub of the genus Vaccinium, esp. V. macrocarpon of (crashed the party). 7 intr. colloq. be heavily defeated
America and V. oxycoccos of Europe, yielding small, (crashed to a 4- defeat) 8 intr. Computing (of a ma-
.

red, acid berries. 2 a berry from this used in cooking.
crane /krayn/ n.&v.mn.Aa machine for moving heavy
objects, usu. by suspending them from a projecting
beam. 2 any tall wading bird of the family Gruidae,
with long legs, long neck, and straight bill. 3 a moving
platform supporting a television camera or movie cam-
era. • v. tr. 1 (also absol. ) stretch out (one's neck) in or- financial. 4 Computing a sudden failure which puts a
der to see something. 2 tr. move (an object) by a crane.
crane fly n. (pi. flies) any fly of the family Tipulidae,
chine or system) fail suddenly. 9 intr. (often foil, by
out) si. sleep for a night, esp. in an improvised setting.
mn. 1 a a loud and sudden smashing noise, b a break-
age (esp. of china, etc.). 2 a a violent collision, esp. of
one vehicle with another or with an object, b the vio-
lent fall of an aircraft on to the land or sea. 3 ruin, esp.
system out of action. 5 (attrib.) done rapidly or ur-
gently (a crash course in first aid) m adv. with a crash
.

having two wings and long legs, resembling a large (the window went crash)
mosquito. crash-dive v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. a (of a submarine or its
cra»ni»al /krayneeal/ adj. of or relating to the skull. pilot) dive hastily and steeply in an emergency, b (of
cranio- /krayneeo/ comb, form cranium. an aircraft or pilot) dive and crash. 2 tr. cause to crash-
cra«ni«ol»0»gy /krayneeolajee/ n. the scientific study of dive, mn. such a dive.
the shape and size of the human skull, dd cra*ni*o*log* crash hel»met n. a helmet worn to protect the head in
i»cal /-neealojikal/ adj. cra«ni«ol»o»gist n. a crash.
cra»ni»om«e»try /krayneeomitree/ n. the scientific crash-land v. 1 intr. (of an aircraft or its pilot) land
measurement of skulls. dd cra»ni»o»met»ric
/-neeametrik/ adj. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

crass ~ creature of habit 182

creak*y /kreekee/ adj. (creakier, creakiest) 1 liable to
creak. 2 stiff or frail, dd creak*i*ly adv. creak«i»ness n.
hurriedly with a crash, usu. without lowering the un- cream /kreem/ n.,v., &
adj. •«. 1 a the fatty content

dercarriage. 2 tr. cause (an aircraft) to crash-land. of milk, b this eaten (often whipped) with a dessert,
dd crash landing n. as a cake filling, etc. (strawberries and cream; cream
crass /kras/ adj. 1 grossly stupid. 2 gross (crass stupid- cake) 2 the part of a liquid that gathers at the top. 3
.

ity), dd cras»si»tude n. crass-ly adv. crass«ness n.
-crat /krat/ comb, form a member or supporter of a par-
ticular form of government or rule (autocrat; democrat)
crate /krayt/ K.&w#«.1a large wickerwork basket or
slatted wooden case, etc., for packing esp. fragile goods
for transportation. 2 5/. an old airplane or other ve-
hicle. mv.tr. pack in a crate, dd crate*ful n. (pi. -fuls).
cra»ter /kraytsr/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the mouth of a volcano.
2 a bowl-shaped cavity, esp. that made by an explo-
sion. 3 Astron. a hollow with a raised rim on the sur-
face of a planet or moon, caused by impact. • v. tr. form
a crater in. dd cra»ter«ous adj.
cra«vat /krsvat/ n. a scarf worn by men inside an open-
necked shirt, dd cra»vat«ted adj.
cravat mid- 1 7th century: from French cravate, from
Cravate 'Croat' (from German Krabat, from Croat
Hrvat), because of the scarf worn by Croatian merce-
naries in France.
crave /krayv/ v. 1 tr. a long for (craved affection), b beg cream»er»y /kreemaree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a factory produc-
for (craves a blessing). 2 intr. (foil, by for) long for; beg ing butter and cheese. 2 a dairy.
for (craved for comfort), dd crav«er n.
cra»ven /krayvsn/ adj. &
n. • adj. (of a person, behav-
ior, etc.) cowardly; abject. %n. a cowardly person.
dd cra»ven«ly adv. cra«ven»ness n.
craving /krayving/ n. (usu. foil, by for) a strong desire
or longing.
craw /kraw/ n. Zool. the crop of a bird or insect, d stick cream»y /kreemee/ adj. (creamier, creamiest) 1 like
in one's craw be unacceptable.
crawl /krawl/ v. &
n. •v.intr. 1 move slowly, esp. on
hands and knees. 2 (of a snake, etc.) move slowly with crease /krees/ n. &v. »n. 1 a a line in paper, etc., caused
the body close to the ground, etc. 3 walk or move slow-
ly (the train crawled into the station). 4 (often foil, by
to) colloq. behave obsequiously or ingratiatingly in the
hope of advantage. 5 (often foil, by with) be covered
(usu. prec. by the) the best or choicest part of some-
thing. 4 a creamlike preparation, esp. a cosmetic (hand
cream). 5 a very pale yellow or off-white color. 6 a a
dish like or made with cream, b a soup or sauce con-
taining milk or cream, c a full-bodied, mellow, sweet
sherry, d a chocolate-covered usu. fruit-flavored fon-
dant confection. *v. 1 tr. (usu. foil, by off) a take the
cream from (milk), b take the best or a specified part
from. 2 tr. work (butter, etc.) to a creamy consisten-
cy. 3 tr. treat (the skin, etc.) with cosmetic cream. 4 tr.
add cream to (coffee, etc.). 5 intr. (of milk or any other
liquid) form a cream or scum. 6 tr. colloq. defeat sound-
ly or by a wide margin (esp. in a sporting contest).
• adj. pale yellow; off-white.
cream cheese n. a soft, rich cheese made from
unskimmed milk and cream.
cream-er /kre'emar/ n. 1a flat dish used for skimming
the cream off milk. 2 a machine used for separating
cream from milk. 3 a small pitcher for cream.
cream Of tar«tar n. crystallized potassium hydrogen
tartrate, used in medicine, baking powder, etc.
cream puff n. 1a cake made of puff pastry filled with
custard or whipped cream. 2 colloq. an ineffectual or
effeminate person. 3 a second-hand car or other item
maintained in excellent condition.
cream in consistency or color. 2 rich in cream.
dd creanvMy adv. cream*i*ness n.
by folding, b a fold or wrinkle. 2 an area near the goal
in ice hockey or lacrosse into which the puck or the ball
must precede the players. »v. 1 tr. make creases in
(material) 2 intr. become creased (linen creases badly)
.

or filled with crawling or moving things or people. cre«ate /kree-ayt/ v. 1 tr. a bring into existence (pover-
6 (esp. of the skin) feel a creepy sensation. 7 swim with ty creates resentment) b (of a person or persons) make
.

a crawl stroke. •«. 1 an act of crawling. 2 a slow rate or cause (create a diversion) 2 tr. originate (an actor cre-
.

of movement. 3 a high-speed swimming stroke with
alternate overarm movements and rapid straight-leg-
ged kicks, dd crawl*y adj. (in senses 5, 6 of v.).
crawUer /krawtar/ n. 1 (usu. in pi.) a baby's overall for
crawling in. 2 anything that crawls, esp. an insect. 3 5/.
a person who behaves obsequiously in the hope of ad-
vantage.
cray«f ish /krayfish/ n. (also crawdad or crawfish) (pi.
same) 1 a small, lobsterlike freshwater crustacean. 2 a
large marine spiny lobster.
crayon /krayon/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a stick or pencil of col-
ored chalk, wax, etc., used for drawing. 2 a drawing
made with this, mv.tr. draw with crayons.
craze /krayz/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. (usu. as crazed adj. ) make
insane (crazed with grief) 2 a tr. produce fine surface
. 2 creating or able to create, un cre»a«tive»ly adv. ere*
cracks on (pottery glaze, etc.). b intr. develop such
cracks. «ra. 1 a a usu. temporary enthusiasm (a craze
for hula hoops), b the object of this. 2 an insane fancy
or condition.
cra«zy /krayzee/ adj. (crazier, craziest) 1 colloq. insane
or mad; foolish.2 colloq. (usu. foil, by about) extreme-
ly enthusiastic. 3 si. exciting; unrestrained. 4 (attrib.)
ates a part). 3 tr. invest (a person) with a rank (created
him a lord), dd cre»at»a»ble adj.
cre«a«tion /kree-ayshsn/ n. 1 a the act of creating, b an
instance of this. 2 a (usu. the Creation) the creating
of the universe regarded as an act of God. b (usu. Crea-
tion) everything so created; the universe. 3 a product
of human intelligence, esp. of imaginative thought or
artistic ability. 4 a the act of investing with a title or
rank, b an instance of this.
cre»a»tion»ism /kree-ayshonizam/ n. Theol. a theory at-
tributing all matter, biological species, etc., to sepa-
rate acts of creation, rather than to evolution, i h ere*
a«tion*ist n.
cre«a«tive /kree-aytiv/ adj. 1 inventive and imaginative.
a-tive«ness n. cre«a»tivi»ty / aytivitce, otiv In.
cre«a«tor /kree-aytor/ n. 1 a person who creates. 2 (as
the Creator) God.
crea»ture /kre'echor/ n. 1 a an animal, as distinct from
a human being, b any living being (a* art allflQoQ
tures on this planet), c a fictional or imaginary being ('i
creature from outer space) 2 a person o! a specified kind
.

(of paving, etc.) made of irregular pieces fitted to- (poor creature). 3 a person owing status to and obse-
gether, d like crazy colloq. - like mad (see mad), dd era* quiously subservient to another. 4 anything created
zi»ly adv. cra*zi*ness n. dd crea«ture»ly ././/
creak /kreek/ n. & v. •«. a harsh scraping or squeak- creature convforts //./>/. material comforti lucfa as
ing sound, •v.intr. 1 make a creak. 2 a move with a good food, warmth, etc.
creaking noise, b move stiffly and awkwardly, c show crea»tureof hab*it //. a person set in an unvarying fOU
weakness under strain, dd creak*ing*ly adv. tine.
 .

creche /kresh/ n. a representation of a Nativity scene. 183 creche ~ crescendo

cred*al see creed.
cre*dence /kre'ed'ns/ n. belief, d give credence to be- creep /kreep/ v. & n. •v.intr. (past and past part, crept
lieve. /krept/) 1 move with the body prone and close to the
cre«den*tial /kridenshal/ n. (usu. in pi.) 1 evidence of ground. 2 (often foil, by in, out, up, etc.) come, go, or
a person's achievements or trustworthiness, usu. in the move slowly and stealthily or timidly. 3 enter slowly
form of certificates, references, etc. 2 a letter or letters (into a person's affections, awareness, etc.) (a feeling
of introduction. crept over her) 4 colloq. act obsequiously in the hope of
.

cre«den»za /kridenza/ n. a sideboard or cupboard. advancement. 5 (of a plant) grow along the ground or
cred»i»biM»ty /kredibilitee/ n. 1 the condition of being up a wall. 6 (as creeping adj.) developing slowly and
credible or believable. 2 reputation; status. steadily (creeping inflation). 7 (of the flesh) feel as if
cred*i*bil«i*ty gap n. an apparent difference between insects, etc., were creeping over it, as a result of fear,
what is said and what is true. etc. mn. 1 a the act of creeping, b an instance of this. 2
credible /kredibal/ adj. 1 (of a person or statement) (mpl; prec. by the) colloq. a feeling of revulsion or fear
believable or worthy of belief. 2 (of a threat, etc.) con- (gives me the creeps). 3 si. an unpleasant person, o creep
vincing, dd credibly adv. up on approach (a person) stealthily or unnoticed.
cred»it /kredit/ n. &
v. mn. 1 (usu. of a person) a source creep«er /kre'epar/ n. 1 Bot. any climbing or creeping
of honor, pride, etc. (a credit to the school) 2 the ac- . plant. 2 any bird that climbs, esp. a tree creeper. 3 si.
knowledgment of merit (must give her credit). 3 a good a soft-soled shoe.
reputation 4 a belief or trust (/
(his credit stands high) . creep«y /kre'epee/ adj. (creepier, creepiest) 1 colloq.
place credit in that)b something believable or trust-
. having or producing a creeping of the flesh (a creepy
worthy (that statement has credit). 5 a a person's finan- movie). 2 given to creeping, dd creep«i»ly adv. creep»i»
cial standing; thesum of money at a person's dispos- ness n.
al in a bank, etc. b the power to obtain goods, etc., creep«y-crawl«y /kre'epeekrawlee/ n. adj. colloq. • n. &
before payment. 6 (usu. in pi.) an acknowledgment of (pi. -ies) an insect, worm, etc. madj. creeping and

a contributor's services to a film, etc. 7 a reputation crawling.

for solvency and honesty in business. 8 a (in book- cre*mate /kre'emayt, krimayt/ v. tr. consume (a corpse,
keeping) the acknowledgment of being paid by an en- etc.) by fire, dd cre»ma»tion /krimayshan/ n. cre«ma«
try on the credit side of an account, b the sum entered. tor n.
C the credit side of an account. 9 a certification indi- cre*ma»to»ri»um /kre'ematawreeam/ n. (pi. crematori-
cating that a student has completed a course, mv.tr. ums or crematoria /-reea/) a place for cremating
1 believe (cannot credit it) 2 (usu. foil, by to, with) a en-
. corpses in a furnace.
ter on the credit side of an account, b ascribe a good cre»ma»to»ry /kre'ematawree, krem-/ adj. n. madj. of &
quality or achievement to (he was credited with the im- or relating to cremation, mn. (pi. -ries) = crematorium.
proved sales). credit a person with ascribe (a good creme /krem/ n. 1 = cream n. 6a. 2 a name for various
quality) to a person, do credit to a person or do a per- creamy liqueurs (creme de cassis)
son credit enhance the reputation of a person, get creme de la creme /krem da laa krem/ n. the best part;
credit for be given credit for. give a person credit for the elite.
1 enter (a sum) to a person's credit. 2 ascribe (a good creme de menthe /krem da ma'axt, menth, mint/ n. a
quality) to a person, give credit to believe, on credit peppermint-flavored liqueur.
with an arrangement to pay later, to one's credit in cren»el»ate /krenalayt/ v.tr. provide (a tower, etc.) with
one's praise or commendation. battlements or loopholes, dd cren«el«a»tion /-layshan
cred*it*a*ble /kreditabal/ adj. (often foil, by to) bring- n.

ing credit or honor, dd cred*it*a*bil*i*ty n. cred*it*a*bly Cre^ole /kre'e-ol/ n. &

adj. mn. 1 a a descendant of
adv. European (esp. Spanish) settlers in the W. Indies or
cred»it cardn. a card from a bank, etc., authorizing the Central or S. America, b a white descendant of French
obtaining of goods on credit. settlers, esp. in Louisiana, c a person of mixed Europe-
creditor /kreditar/ n. 1 a person to whom a debt is an and black descent. 2 a mother tongue formed from
owing (cf. debtor). 2 a person or company that gives the contact of a European language (esp. English,
credit for money or goods. French, or Portuguese) with another (esp. African)
cred»it un»ion n. a cooperative association that makes language, madj. 1 of or relating to a Creole or Creoles.
low-interest loans to its members. 2 (usu. Creole) of Creole origin or production (creole
cre«do /kre'eydo, kray-/ n. (pi. -dos) a statement of be- cooking).
lief; a creed. cre*0«SOte /kre'easot/ n. & v. creosote
mn. 1 (in full
cred*u*lous /krejalas/ adj. 1 too ready to believe; gul- oil) a dark-brown oil distilled from coal
used as a tar,
lible. 2 (of behavior) showing such gullibility, dd cre« wood preservative. 2 a colorless oily fluid distilled from
du-li-ty /kridoolitee, -dyoo-/ n. cred*u«lous*ly adv. wood tar, used as an antiseptic, mv.tr. treat with cre-
See note at incredible. osote.
Cree /kree/ n. &
adj. • n. (pi. same or Crees) 1 a a N. crepe /krayp/ n. (also crepe) 1 a fine, often gauzelike
American people of E. and central Canada, b a mem- fabric with a wrinkled surface. 2 a thin pancake, usu.
ber of this people. 2 the language of this people. madj. with a savory or sweet filling. 3 (also crepe rub»ber) a
of or relating to the Crees or their language. very hard-wearing wrinkled sheet rubber used for the
creed /kreed/ n. 1a soles of shoes, etc. dd crep»ey adj. crep»y adj.
set of principles or opinions, esp.
as a philosophy of life (his creed is moderation in every- crepe pa*per n. thin crinkled paper.
thing). 2 (also the Creed) a brief formal summary of crepe su*zette /soozet/ (also crepe Su»zette) a small
Christian belief, dd creed*al /kreed'l/ adj. cred*al adj. dessert pancake flamed in alcohol at the table.
Creek /kreek/ n. 1 a a confederacy of N. American peo- crept past and past part, of creep.
ples that formerly occupied much of Alabama and cre«pus*cu*lar /kripuskyalar/ adj. 1 a of twilight.
Georgia, b a member of these peoples. 2 the language b dim. 2 Zool. appearing or active in twilight.
used by these peoples. cre*SCen*do /krishendo/ n., adv., adj., &v.m n. (pi. -dos
creek /kreek, krik/ n. Regional a stream, d up shit creek or crescendi /-dee/) 1 Mus. a passage gradually
coarse si. = up the creek, up the creek si. in difficulties.
creel /kreel/ n. a large wicker basket for fish. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

crescent ~ criterion 184 cried past and past part, of cry.

cri»er /kriar/ n. (also cry«er) 1 a person who cries. 2 an
increasing in loudness. 2 a progress toward a climax officer who makes public announcements in a court
(a crescendo of emotions), b disp. a climax, madv. adj. & of justice.
Mus. with a gradual increase in loudness, •v.intr. crime /krlm/ a an offense punishable by law. b
n. 1 il-

(-does, -doed) increase gradually in loudness or in- whole {resorted to crime) 2 an evil act
legal acts as a . (a
tensity. crime against humanity) 3 colloq. a shameful act
. (a
cres*cent /kresant/ n. 1 the curved sickle shape of the crime to tease them).
waxing or waning moon. 2 anything of this shape. crime of pas*sion n. a crime, esp. murder, committed

3 a the crescent-shaped emblem of Islam or Turkey, b in a of sexual jealousy.

fit

(the Crescent) the world or power of Islam. crime wave n. a sudden increase in crime.
cress /kres/ n. any of various cruciferous plants usu. criminal /krimingl/ n. &
adj. »n. a person who has

with pungent edible leaves. committed a crime, •adj. 1 of, involving, or con-
crest /krest/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a comb or tuft on a bird's cerning crime (criminal records) 2 having committed .

or animal's head, b something resembling this. C a hel- a crime. 3 Law relating to or expert in criminal law
met; the top of a helmet. 2 the top of a mountain, wave, (criminal code; criminal lawyer) 4 colloq. scandalous;.

etc. 3 Heraldry a a device above the shield and helmet deplorable, ao crim*i«nal*i*ty n. /-nalitee/ crinvi»naMy
of a coat of arms, b such a device reproduced on writ- adv.
ing paper, etc. 4 a a line along the top of the neck of crim«i»nal law n. law concerned with punishment of
some animals, b the hair growing from this; a mane. offenders (opp. civil law).
5Anat. a ridge along the surface of a bone. »w1 tr. crim«i«nol»o»gy /kriminolajee/ n. the scientific study of
reach the crest of (a hill, wave, etc.). 2 tr. a provide crime. aocrim«i»no»log»i«cal/-n3l6jik3l/<2(i/. crim*i*nol«
with a crest, b serve as a crest to. 3 intr. (of a wave) o«gist n.
form into a crest. on the crest of a wave at the most crimp /krimp/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 compress into small folds

favorable moment in one's progress, an crest»ed adj. or ridges; 2 corrugate. 3 make waves in (the hair)
frill.

(also in comb.). cresWess adj. with a hot iron. • n. a crimped thing or form, o put a
cresMaMen /krestfawlan/ adj. 1 dejected. 2 with a fall- crimp in si. thwart; interfere with, oo crimp»er n. crimp*
en or drooping crest. y adj. crimp*i*ness n.
cre*ta*ceous /kritayshas/ adj. n. •adj. 1 of the na-& crim»SOn /krimzan/ adj., n., &
v. •adj. of a rich, deep

ture of chalk. 2 (Cretaceous) Geol. of or relating to the red inclining to purple. •«. this color, •v.tr. intr. &
last period of the Mesozoic era. *n. Geol. this era or make or become crimson.
system. cringe /krinj/ v. &
n. •v.intr. 1 shrink back in fear;
cre»tin /kreetin/ «. la person who is deformed and cower. 2 (often foil, by to) behave obsequiously. •«.
mentally retarded as the result of a thyroid deficiency. the act or an instance of cringing, dd cring*er n.
2 colloq. a stupid person, on cre»tin«ism n. cre*tin*ize crin*kle /kringksl/ n. &
v. • n. a wrinkle or crease in pa-

v. cre*tin*ous adj.
tr. per, cloth, etc. •y. 1 intr. form crinkles. 2 tr. form crin-
cre*vasse /kravas/ n. 1 a deep open crack, esp. in a gla- kles in. oo crin»kly adj.
cier.2 a breach in a river levee. crin«0»line /krinalin/ n. 1a stiffened or hooped petti-
crev»ice /krevis/ n. a narrow opening or fissure in a rock, coat formerly worn to make a long skirt stand out. 2 a
etc. stiff fabric of horsehair, etc., used for linings, hats, etc.
crew /kroo/ n. &v. »n. (often treated as pi.) 1 a a body crip»ple /kripal/ n. &v. »n. usu. offens. a person who is
of people manning a ship, aircraft, train, etc. b such a permanently lame. •v.tr. 1 cause someone to become
body as distinguished from the captain or officers. C a unable to move or walk properly (crippled by polio).
body of people working together. 2 colloq. a company 2 disable; impair. 3 weaken or damage seriously (crip-
of people (a motley crew) • v. 1 tr. supply or act as a
. pled by the loss offunding), oo crip*pler n.
crew or member of a crew for. 2 intr. act as a crew or crisis /krisis/ n. (pi. crises /-seez/) 1 a a time of intense
member of a crew. difficulty or danger, b a time when a difficult or im-
crew cut n. a very short haircut. portant decision must be made. C a severe problem or
crew»el /krobal/ n. a thin worsted yarn used for tap- breakdown. 2 the turning point of a disease when an
estry and embroidery. important change takes place, indicating recovery or
crew neck n. a close-fitting round neckline, esp. on a death.
sweater. crisp fkrisp/ adj., n.,& v. *adj. 1 hard but brittle. 2 a (of
crib /krib/ «.&a»n.1a child's bed with barred or lat- air) bracing, b (of a style or manner) lively; brisk and
ticed sides. 2 a barred rack for animal fodder. 3 colloq. decisive. C (of features, etc.) neat and clear-cut. d (of
a a translation of a text for the use of students, b pla- paper) stiff and crackling. •«. a thing overdone in
giarized work, etc. 4 a small house or cottage. 5 a roasting, etc. (burned to a crisp), •v.tr. intr, make or &
framework lining the shaft of a mine. 6 colloq. a crib- become crisp, oo crisp«ly adv. crisp«ness //.

bage. b a set of cards given to the dealer at cribbage crisp-bread /krispbred/ n. 1 a thin, crisp cracker of
by all the players, mv.tr. (also absol.) (cribbed, crib- crushed rye, etc. 2 these collectively (a box oj crup
bing) 1 colloq. copy (another person's work) unfairly bread)
or without acknowledgment. 2 confine in a small crisp»er /krispar/ n. a compartment in a refrigerator for
space. 3 colloq. pilfer; steal, on crib*ber n. storing fruit and vegetables.
crib*bage /kribij/ n. a card game for two, three, or four crisp»y /krispee/ adj. (crispier, crispiest) 1 crisp; brit-
players. tle. 2 brisk, on crisp«i«ness //.

crib death n. - sudden infant death syndrome. criss-cross /kriskraws, kros/ ,/,//, ,/,/.., ( • ;/. , i . //

crick /krik/ n. &

v. •«. a sudden painful stiffness in the 1 a pattern of crossing lines. 2 the crofting <>l lines of
neck, etc. •v.tr. produce a crick in.
crick»et' /krikit/ n. &
v. *n. a game played on a grass
field with two teams of players taking turns to bowl
1 1
at a wicket defended by a batting player of the other
team, •v.intr. play cricket, no crick»et»er n.
crick«et 2 /krikit/ n. any of various grasshopperlike
insects of the order Orthoptera.
currents, etc. •adj. crossing; in cross lines (Ynw PtMJ
marking) .• adv. crosswise; at cross purposes. •?'. 1 intr.
a intersect repeatedly, b move crosswise. 2 tr. mark Of
make with a crisscross pattern.
cri»te«ri«on /kntecreenn/ n. (pi criteria / rccn/ or crlte-
rlons) a principle or standard that a thing is judged
by. do crl-te*rl»al adj.
 Criterion is singular; the plural of this word is crite- 185 critic ~ cross
ria. There are several criteria is correct usage; "the on-
ly criteria" is not. croon /kroon/ v. n. • v. tr. &
intr. hum or sing in a low &
crit»ic /kritik/ n. la person who subdued voice. • «. such singing, dd croon»er n.
censures. 2 a person
who reviews literary, artistic, or musical works, etc. 3 a crop /krop/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a the produce of cultivated

person engaged in textual criticism. plants, b the season's yield of this (a good crop). 2 a
critical /kritikal/ adj. 1 a making or involving adverse group or an amount appearing at one time (this year's
judgments, b expressing or involving criticism. 2 skill- crop of students). 3 (in full hunting crop) the stock or
ful ator engaged in criticism. 3 providing textual crit- handle of a whip. 4 a a style of hair cut very short, b the
icism (a critical edition of Frost) 4 a of or at a crisis; in-
. cropping of hair. 5 Zool. a the pouch in a bird's gullet
volving risk or suspense (in a critical condition). where food is prepared for digestion, b a similar or-
b decisive; crucial (at the critical moment), nn crit«i«cal« gan in other animals. 6 a piece cut off or out of some-
My /-kalitee/ n. (in sense 5). crit*i*cal*ly adv. crit»i»cal» thing. • v. (cropped, cropping) 1 tr. a cut off. b bite off
ness n. (the tops of plants) 2 tr. cut (hair, cloth, edges of a
.

critical mass n. Physics the amount of fissile material book, etc.) short. 3 tr. gather or reap (produce). 4 tr.
needed to maintain a nuclear chain reaction. (foil, by with) sow or plant (land) with a crop. 5 intr.

criticism /kritisizam/ n. 1a finding fault, b a state-
ment expressing this. 2 a the work of a critic, b an ar-
ticle, essay, etc., expressing or containing an analyti-
cal evaluation of something.
criticize /kritisiz/ v.tr. (also absol.) 1 find fault with.
2 discuss critically, an crit*i*ciz*a*ble adj. criM»ciz»er n.
critique /krite'ek/ n. &
v. • n. a critical essay or anal-
(of land) bear a crop, n crop up 1 (of a subject, cir-
cumstance, etc.) appear or come to one's notice un-
expectedly. 2 Geol. appear at the surface.
crop cir»cle n. an area of standing crops that has been
flattened in the form of a circle without an apparent
reason.
crop-dust*ing n. the sprinkling of powdered insecti-

ysis; an instance or the process of formal criticism.
mv.tr. (critiques, critiqued, critiquing)
ly-
crit»ter /kritsr/ n. dial, or joe. a creature.
croak /krok/n. &
v. • n. 1 a deep, hoarse sound as of a
frog. 2 a sound resembling this, tu la intr. utter a
croak, b tr. utter with a croak or in a dismal manner.
2 si. a intr. die. b tr. kill.
croak*y /krokee/ adj. (croakier, croakiest) (of a voice)
croaking; hoarse, nn croak*My adv. croak*i*ness n.
Cro*at /kro-at/ n. &
adj. »n. 1 a a native of Croatia in
the formerYugoslavia. b a person of Croatian descent.
2 the Slavonic dialect of the Croats (cf. Serbo-Croat).
• adj. of or relating to the Croats or their dialect.
Cro*a*tian /kro-ayshan/ n. &
adj. = Croat.
crochet /kroshay/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a handicraft in which
yarn is made up into a patterned fabric by means of a
hooked needle. 2 work made in this way. mv. (cro-
cheted /-shayd/; crocheting /-shaying/) 1 tr. make by
crocheting. 2 intr. do crochet, nn cro»chet«er n.
crock /krok/ n. 1 an earthenware pot or jar. 2 a bro-
1
ken piece of earthenware.
crock 2 /krok/ n. colloq. nonsense; exaggeration (his ex-
planation is just a crock).
crock«er«y /krokaree/ n. earthenware or china dishes,
plates, etc.
croc*O a dile /krokadil/ n. 1 any large tropical amphibi-
ous reptile of the order Crocodilia, with long jaws.
2 leather from its skin, used to make bags, shoes, etc.
nn croc*o*dil*i«an /-dileean/ adj.
croc*o*dile tears n.pl. insincere grief.
cro*cus /krokas/ n. (pi. crocuses) any dwarf plant of
the genus Crocus, growing from a corm and having
brilliant usu. yellow or purple flowers.
Croe*sus /kreesas/ n. a person of great wealth.
crois*sant /krwaasa'aN, krasant/ n. a crescent-shaped
roll made of rich yeast pastry.
Cro-Mag»non /kromagn3n,-many3n/ adj. Anthropol. of
a tall, broad-faced European race of late Paleolithic
times.
crone /kron/ n. 1a withered old woman. 2 an
cro«ny /kronee/ n. (pi. -nies) a close friend or
cide or fertilizer on crops, esp. from the air.
discuss critical- crop*per /kropar/ n. a crop-producing plant of speci-
fied quality (a good cropper, a heavy cropper), n come a
cropper si. 1 fall heavily. 2 fail badly.
cro«quet /krokay/ n. &v. • n. 1 a game played on a lawn,
with wooden balls which are driven through a series
of hoops with mallets. 2 the act of croqueting a ball.
• v.tr. (croqueted /-kayd/; croqueting /-kaying/) drive
away (one's opponent's ball in croquet) by placing
one's own against it and striking one's own.
cro*quette /kroket/ n. a fried, breaded roll or ball of
mashed potato or ground meat, etc.
cro«sier /krOzhar/ n. (also cro»zier) 1 a hooked staff car-
ried by a bishop. 2 a crook.
cross /kraws, kros/ n.,v.,& adj. • w. 1 an upright post
with a transverse bar, as used in antiquity for crucifix-
ion. 2 a (the Cross) the cross on which Christ was cru-
cified, b a representation of this as an emblem of
Christianity. C = sign of the cross. 3 a staff sur-
mounted by a cross and borne in a religious proces-
sion. 4 a a thing or mark shaped like a cross, esp. two
short intersecting lines (+ or x). b a monument in the
form of a cross. 5 a cross-shaped decoration indicat-
ing rank in some orders of knighthood or awarded for
personal valor. 6 a an intermixture of animal breeds
or plant varieties, b an animal or plant resulting from
this. 7 (foil, by between) a mixture of two things. 8 a
crosswise movement. 9 a trial or affliction (bear one's
crosses). »v. 1 tr. (often foil, by over, also absol.) go
across or to the other side of (a road, river, sea, etc.).
2 a intr. intersect or be across one another (the roads
cross near the bridge), b tr. cause to do this; place cross-
wise (cross one's legs). 3 tr. draw a line or lines across.
4 tr. (foil, by off, out, through) cancel or obliterate or
remove from a list with lines drawn across. 5 tr. (often
refl.) make the sign of the cross on or over. 6 intr. a pass
in opposite or different directions, b (of letters be-
tween two correspondents) each be dispatched before
receipt of the other, c (of telephone lines) become
wrongly interconnected so that intrusive calls can be
old ewe. heard. 7 tr. a cause to interbreed, b cross-fertilize
compan- (plants) 8 tr. thwart or frustrate (crossed in love) 9 tr.
. .

ion. si. cheat. • adj. 1 (often foil, by with) peevish; angry. 2

crook /krook/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the hooked staff of a shep- (usu. attrib.) transverse; reaching from side to side. 3
herd or bishop. 2 a a bend, curve, or hook, b anything (usu. attrib.) intersecting. 4 (usu. attrib.) contrary;
hooked or curved. 3 colloq. a a rogue; a swindler, b a opposed; reciprocal, n at cross purposes misun-
professional criminal, •v.tr. &
intr. bend; curve. derstanding one another, cross one's fingers (or
crook*ed /krobkid/ adj. 1 a not straight or level; bent. keep one's fingers crossed) 1 put one finger across
b deformed; bent with age. 2 colloq. not straightfor-
ward; dishonest, nn crook*ed*ly adv. crook*ed»ness n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

cross- ~ Crow 186 cross-match /krawsmach, kros-/ v.tr. Med. test the
compatibility of (a donor's and a recipient's blood).
another as a sign of hoping for good luck. 2 trust in dd cross-matcfring n. cross-match n.
good luck, cross one's heart make a solemn pledge, cross-o-ver /krawsovar, kros-/ n. &
adj. •«. a point or
esp. by crossing one's front, cross one's mind (of a place of crossing from one side to the other. • adj. hav-
thought, etc.) occur to one, esp. transiently, cross a ing a crossover.
person's palm (usu. foil, by with) 1 pay a person for a cross-piece /krawspees, kros-/ n. a beam or bar fixed
favor. 2 bribe, cross the path of 1 meet with (a per- or placed across something else.
son). 2 thwart, cross swords (often foil, by with) have cross-pol-li-nate /krawspolinayt, kros-/ v.tr. pollinate
an argument or dispute, cross wires (or get one's (a plant) from another, dd cross-pol-li-na-tion
wires crossed) 1 become wrongly connected by tel- /-nayshan/ n.

ephone. 2 have a misunderstanding, dd cross-ly adv. cross-ques-tion /krawskwes-chan, kros-/ v.tr. - cross-
crossTiess n. examine.
cross- /kraws, kros/ comb. form. 1 denoting movement cross-ref-er-ence /krawsrefarans, kros-/ n. &
v. • «. a

or position across something (cross-channel) 2 denot- . reference from one part of a book, etc., to another.
ing interaction (cross-cultural; cross-fertilize) 3 a pass-
. • v. tr. provide with cross-references.
ing from side to side; transverse (crossbar; crosscurrent). cross-road /krawsrod, kros-/ n. 1 (usu. in pi.) an inter-
b having a transverse part (crossbow) 4 describing the
. section of roads. 2 a road that crosses a main road or
form or figure of a cross (crossroads) joins two main roads, d at the crossroads at a critical
cross-bar /krawsbaar, kros-/ n. a horizontal bar, held point in one's life.
on a pivot or between two upright bars, e.g., of a bi- cross section /kraws-sekshan, kros-/ n. 1 a a cutting
cycle or of a football goal. of a solid at right angles to an axis, b a plane surface
cross-bill /krawsbil, kros-/ n. a finch of the genus Loxia, produced in this way. C a representation of this. 2 a
having a bill with crossed mandibles for opening pine representative sample. 3 Physics a quantity expressing
cones. the probability of interaction between particles.
cross»bones /krawsbonz, kros;n-/ n. a representation dd cross-sec-tion-al adj.
of two crossed leg or arm bones, usu. below a skull, as cross-stitch /kraws-stich, kros-/ n. v. • n. 1 a stitch &
an emblem of piracy or death. formed of two stitches crossing each other. 2 needle-
cross»bow /krawsbo, kros-/ n. esp. hist, a bow fixed work done using this stitch. • v. intr. tr. work in cross- &
across a wooden stock, with a mechanism for drawing stitch.
and releasing the string. cross-talk /kraws-tawk, kros-/ n. (also cross talk) un-
cross«breed n. &
v. • n. /krawsbreed, kros-/ 1 a breed wanted transfer of signals between communication
of animals or plants produced by crossing. 2 an channels.
individual animal or plant of a crossbreed, mv.tr. crosswalk /krawswawk, kros-/ n. a pedestrian cross-
/krawsbreed, kros-/ (past and past part, -bred) produce ing.
by crossing. cross-ways /krawswayz, kros-/ adv. = crosswise.
cross-check v. &
n. •v.tr. /kraws-chek, kros-/ check cross-wind /krawswind, kros-/ n. a wind blowing
by an alternative method, or by several methods. • n. across one's direction of travel.
/kraws-chek, kros-/ an instance of cross-checking. cross-wise /krawswiz, kros-/ adj. adv. 1 in the form &
cross-COUn-try /krawskuntree, kros-/ adj. adv. & of a cross; intersecting. 2 transverse or transversely.
1 across open country. 2 not keeping to main or direct cross-word /krawsward, kros-/ n. (also cross-word
roads. puz-zle) a puzzle of a grid of squares and blanks into
cross-dress v.intr. wear clothing typically worn by which words crossing vertically and horizontally have
members of the opposite sex. to be filled in according to provided clues.
crosse /kraws, kros/ n. a stick with a triangular net at
crossword said to have been invented by the journal-
the end for conveying the ball in lacrosse.
ist Arthur Wynne, whose puzzle (called a 'word cross')
cross-ex-am-ine /krawsigzamin, kros-/ v.tr. examine
appeared in a Sunday newspaper, the New York World,
(esp. a witness in a court of law) to check or extend
on December 21, 1913.
testimony already given, no cross-ex-am-i-na-tion
/-nayshan/ n. cross-ex-am-in-er n. crotch /kroch/ n. a place where something forks, esp.
cross-eyed /krawsid, kros-/ adj. (as a disorder) having the legs of the human body or a garment.
one or both eyes turned permanently inward toward crotch-et-y /krochitee/ adj. peevish; irritable, dd crotch-
the nose. et-i-ness n.
cross-fer»ti»lize/krawsfert'liz,kros-/^.?r. 1 fertilize (an crouton /krot'n/ n. 1 any small trees or shrub of the ge-
animal or plant) from another. 2 help by the inter- nus Crown, producing a capsulelike fruit. 2 any small
change of ideas, etc. dd cross-fer-ti-li-za-tion tree or shrub of the genus Codiaeum, esp. C. variega-
/-fertalizayshan/ n. tum, with colored ornamental leaves.
cross-fire /krawsfir, kros-/ n. (also cross fire) 1 firing cro-ton oil n. a powerful purgative obtained from the
in two crossing directions simultaneously. 2 a an at- fruit of Crown liglium.
tack or criticism from several sources at once, b a live- crouch /krowch/ v. is? n. • v.intr. lower the body with
ly or combative exchange of views, etc. the limbs close to the chest; be in this position. • n. an
crosshair /kraws-hair, kros-/ n. a fine wire at the fo- act of crouching; a crouching position.
cus of an optical instrument, gun, sight, etc. croup /krOOp/ n. an inflammation of the larynx ami tra
cross-hatch /kraws-hach, kros-/ v.tr. (in drawing or chea in children, with a hard cough, dg croup-y ./<//.
graphics) shade an area with intersecting sets of par- croup-i-er /kroopecnr, eeay/ n. 1 the person in chAfp
allel lines. of a gaming table, raking in and paying out monew
crossing /krawsing, kros-/ n. la
place where things etc. 2 the assistant chairperson at a public dinner, scat
(esp. roads) cross. which one may cross a
2 a place at ed at the foot of the table.
street, etc. (pedestrian crossing). 3 a journey across wa- crou-ton /kro'oton/ n. a srm'll piece of fried or toasted
ter (had a smooth crossing). 4 the intersection of a bread served with soup or used as a garnish.
church nave and transepts. 5 Biol, mating. Crow /kro/ n. 1 a a N. American people native to east
cross-leg-ged /krawslegid, -legd, kros-/ adj. with one- ern Montana, b a member of this people. 2 the Ian
leg crossed over the other. guage of this people.
 .

crow 1
/kro/ n. 1 any large, black bird of the genus 187 crow - crumbly
Corvus, having a powerful black beak. 2 any similar
bird of die family Corvidae. a as the crow flies in a Cruciferae, having flowers with four petals arranged
straight line, eat crow submit to humiliation. in a cross.
crow 2 /kro/ v. & n. •v.intr. 1 (past crowed) (of a cock) cru*ci*f ix /krobsifiks/ n. a model or image of a cross with
utter its characteristic loud cry. 2 (of a baby) utter hap- a figure of Christ on it.

py cries. 3 (usu. foil, by over) express unrestrained cru»ci»f ix»ion /krobsifikshsn/ n. 1 a crucifying or being
gleeful satisfaction. • n. 1 the cry of a cock. 2 a happy crucified, b an instance of this. 2 (Crucifixion) a the
cry of a baby. crucifixion of Christ, b a representation of this.
crow»bar /krobaar/ n. an iron bar with a flattened end, cru»ci»form /krobsifawrm/ adj. cross-shaped.
used as a lever. cru»ci«fy /krobsifi/ v. tr. (-f ies, -f ied) 1 put to death by
crowd /krowd/ n. & v. • n. 1 a large number of people fastening to a cross. 2 a cause extreme pain to. b per-
gathered together. 2 a mass of spectators; an audience. secute; torment. C si. defeat thoroughly in an argu-
3 colloq. a particular set of people. 4 (prec. by r/ze) the ment, match, etc.
mass or multitude of people. 5 a large number (of crud /krud/ n. si. 1 a unwanted impurities, grease, etc.
things), tu la intr. come together in a crowd, b tr. b something disgusting or undesirable, c a corrosive
cause to do this. C intr. force one's way. 2 rr. a (foil, by deposit in a nuclear reactor. 2 an unpleasant person.
into) force or compress into a confined space, b (of- 3 nonsense, an crud*dy adj. (cruddier, cruddiest).
ten foil, by with; usu. in passive) fill or make abundant crude /krood/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 a in the natural or raw

with (was crowded with tourists). 3 tr. a come aggres- state; not refined, b unpolished; lacking finish. 2 a (of
sively close to. b colloq. harass or pressure (a person) an action or statement or manners) rude; blunt, b of-
a crowd out exclude by crowding. crowd-ed«ness fensive; indecent. 3 a Statistics (of numerical totals)
n. not adjusted or corrected, b rough (a crude estimate).
crow»foot /krofoot/ n. (pi. crowfoots for 1 & 2, crowfeet • n. natural mineral oil. no crude«ly adv. crude«ness
for 3 & 4) 1 any of various plants of the genus n. cru*di*ty n.
Ranunculus, esp. buttercup, often characterized by cru»di»tes /krooditay/ n.pl. an hors d'oeuvre of mixed
divided leaves that resemble a crow's foot. 2 any of var- raw vegetables, often served with a sauce into which
ious other plants whose leaves, etc., bear a similar re- they are dipped.
semblance. 3 Mil. a caltrop. 4 a three-legged antislip cru»el /krooal/ adj. (crueler, cruelest) 1 indifferent to
support for a motion-picture camera's tripod. or gratified by another's suffering. 2 causing pain or
crown /krown/ n. &v. • n. 1 a monarch's ornamental suffering; esp. deliberately, nn cru»eMy adv.
headdress. 2 (the Crown) a the monarch as head of cru»el»ty /krooaltee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a cruel act or atti-
state, b the power or authority residing in the monar- tude; indifference to another's suffering. 2 a succes-
chy. 3 a a wreath worn on the head, esp. as an emblem sion of cruel acts; a continued cruel attitude (suffered
of victory, b an award or distinction gained by a vic- much cruelty). 3 Law physical or mental harm inflicted
tory or achievement, esp. in sport. 4 a crown-shaped (whether or not intentional), esp. as a ground for di-
device or ornament. 5 the top part of a thing, esp. of vorce.
the head or a hat. 6 a the highest or central part of an cru»el»ty-free adj. (of cosmetics, etc.) produced with-
arched or curved thing (crown of the road) b a thing . out involving cruelty to animals in the development
that completes or forms the summit. 7 the part of a or manufacturing process.
plant just above and below the ground. 8 the upper cru»et krobit/ n. a small container for oil or vinegar for
/

part of a cut gem above the girdle. 9 a the part of a use at the table.
tooth projecting from the gum. b an artificial replace- cruise /krooz/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. make a journey by sea
ment or covering for this. *v.tr. 1 put a crown on (a calling at a series of ports, esp. for pleasure. 2 intr. sail
person or a person's head). 2 invest (a person) with a about in an area without a precise destination. 3 intr.
royal crown or authority. 3 be a crown to; rest on the a (of a motor vehicle or aircraft) travel at a moderate
top of. 4 a (often as crowning adj.) be or cause to be or economical speed, b (of a vehicle or its driver) trav-
the consummation, reward, or finishing touch to (the el at random. 4 intr. achieve an objective, win a race,
crowning glory) b bring (efforts) to a happy issue. 5 fit
. etc., with ease. 5 intr. &
tr. si. walk or drive about (the

a crown to (a tooth). 6 5/. hit on the head. streets, etc.) in search of a sexual (esp. homosexual)
crown jewels n.pl. the regalia and other jewelry worn partner. • «. a cruising voyage, esp. as a vacation.
by the sovereign on certain state occasions. cruise con»trol n. a device on a motor vehicle that
crown prince n. a male heir to a sovereign throne. maintains a constant speed and relieves the operator
crown prin*cess n. 1 the wife of a crown prince. 2 a of the need to depress the accelerator.
female heir to a sovereign throne. cruise mis*sile n. a low-flying missile that is guided to
crow's-foot n. (pi. -feet) 1 (usu. in pi.) a wrinkle at the its target by an on-board computer.

outer corner of a person's eye. 2 Mil. a caltrop. cruis»er /krobzar/ n. la warship of high speed and me-
crow's nest n. a barrel or platform fixed at the mast- dium armament. 2 = cabin cruiser. 3 a police patrol
head of a sailing vessel as a shelter for a lookout. car.
cro»zier var. of crosier. crumb /krum/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a small fragment, esp. of
cru»ces pi. of crux. bread, b a small particle (a crumb of comfort). 2 the soft
cru»cial /krooshal/ adj. 1 decisive; critical. 2 colloq. disp. inner part of a loaf of bread. 3 si. an objectionable per-
very important. 3 si. excellent, nn cru»ci«al«i»ty son. mv.tr. 1 cover with breadcrumbs. 2 break into
/-sheealitee/ n. (pi. -ties). cru*ciaMy adv. crumbs.
Crucial is used in formal contexts to mean 'decisive, crunvble /krumbal/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. &
intr. break or fall
critical,', e.g., The testimony of the only eyewitness into fragments. 2 intr. (of power, a reputation, etc.)
was crucial to the case. Its broader use to mean 'very gradually disintegrate. • n. a crumbly or crumbled sub-
important,' as in It is crucial to get good light for stance.
your photographs, should be restricted to informal con- crunvbly /krumblee/ adj. (crumblier, crumbliest) con-
texts. sisting of, or apt to fall into, crumbs or fragments.
cru»ci»ble /krobsibal/ n. 1 a melting pot for metals, etc. no crum*bli*ness n.
2 a severe test or trial.
cru*cif*er«ous /kroosifaras/ adj. Bot. of the family See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

crumby ~ cube 188
crumbly /krumee/ adj. (crumbier, crumbiest) 1 like or
covered in crumbs. 2 colloq. = crummy.
crum«horn var. of krummhorn.
crunvmy /krumee/ adj. (crummier, crummiest) colloq.
dirty; squalid; inferior; worthless,no crum»mi«ness n.
crunrvpet /krumpit/ n. a soft, flat cake of a yeast mix-
ture cooked on a griddle and eaten toasted and but-
tered.
crurrvple /krumpal/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr.& intr. (often foil,
by up) a crush or become crushed into creases, b ruf-
fle; wrinkle. 2 intr. (often foil, by up) collapse; give way.
• n. a crease or wrinkle, no crunvply adj.
crunch /krunch/ v. & n. mv. 1 tr. a crush noisily with
the teeth, b grind (gravel, dry snow, etc.) under foot,
wheels, etc. 2 intr. (often foil, by up, through) make a
crunching sound in walking, moving, etc. • «.
1 crunching; a crunching sound. 2 colloq. a decisive
event or moment.
crunch»y /krunchee/ adj. (crunchier, crunchiest) hard
and crispy, dd crunclvMy adv. crunch»i»ness n.
cru*sade /kroosayd/ n. &v. »n. A a any of several me-
dieval military expeditions made by Europeans to re-
cover the Holy Land from the Muslims, b a war insti-
gated by the Roman Catholic Church for alleged
religious ends. 2 a vigorous campaign in favor of a
cause, •v.intr. engage in a crusade, dd cru*sad*er n.
crush /krush/ v. & n. • v. tr. 1 compress with force or
violence, so as to break, bruise, etc. 2 reduce to pow-
der by pressure. 3 crease or crumple. 4 defeat or sub-
due completely (crushed by my reply) • n. 1 an act of
. ics a crystalline piece of semiconductor. 5 Chem. a an
crushing. 2 a crowded mass of people. 3 colloq. a (usu.
foil, by on) an infatuation, b the object of an infatua-
tion (who's the latest crush?), dd crush*a*ble adj. crush*
er n. crushing adj. (in sense 4 of v.). crush«ing»ly adv.
crust /krust/ n. & v. • n. 1a the hard outer part of a
loaf of bread, b a piece of this with some soft bread at-
tached. C a hard, dry scrap of bread. 2 the pastry cov-
ering of a pie. 3 a hard casing of a softer thing. 4 Geol.
the outer portion of the earth. 5 a a coating or depos-
it on the surface of anything, b a hard, dry formation
on the skin; a scab. 6 a deposit of tartar formed in bot-
tles of old wine. 7 a si. impudence (you have a lot of
crust!) b a superficial hardness of manner. • v. tr.
. & intr.
1 cover or become covered with a crust. 2 form into a
crust, dd crus»tal adj. (in sense 4 of n.).
crus*ta*cean /krustayshan/ n. & adj. *n. any arthro-
pod of the class Crustacea, having a hard shell and
usu. aquatic, e.g., the crab, lobster, and shrimp. madj.
of or relating to crustaceans, dd crus«ta»ceous /-shas/
adj.
crust*ed /knistid/ adj. 1 a having a crust, b (of wine)
having deposited a crust. 2 antiquated; venerable.
crust»y /krustee/ adj. (crustier, crustiest) 1 having a
crisp crust (a crusty loaf). 2 irritable; curt. 3 hard;
crustlike, dd crust*i*ly adv. crustiness n.
crutch /kruch/ n. 1 a support for a lame person, usu.
with a crosspiece at the top fitting under the armpit
(pair of crutches) 2 any support or prop.
.
crux /kruks/ n. (pi. cruxes or cruces /krobseez/) 1 the
decisive point at issue. 2 a difficult matter; a puzzle.
cry /kri/ v. & n. mv. (cries, cried) 1 intr. (often foil, by
out) make a loud or shrill sound, esp. to express pain,
grief, etc., or to appeal for help. 2 a intr. shed tears;
weep, b tr. shed (tears). 3 tr. (often foil, by out) say or
exclaim loudly or excitedly. 4 intr. (of an animal, esp.
a bird) make a loud call. 5 tr. (of a hawker, etc.) pro-
claim (wares, etc.) in the street. •«. (pi. cries) 1 a loud
inarticulate utterance of grief, pain, fear, joy, etc. 2 a
loud excited utterance of words. 3 an urgent appeal.
4 a spell of weeping. 5 a public demand; a strong
movement of opinion, b a rallying call. 6 the natural
. .
utterance of an animal. 7 the street call of a hawker,
etc. a cry one's eyes (or heart) out weep bitterly cry
out for demand as a self-evident requirement or solu-
tion, a far cry 1 a long way. 2 a very different thing, for
crying out loud colloq. an exclamation of surprise or
annoyance.
cry«ba»by /kribaybee/ n. (pi. -babies) a person who
sheds tears frequently.
cry«er var. of crier.
cry«ing /kri-ing/ attrib.adj. (of an injustice or other evil)
flagrant; demanding redress (a crying shame)
cryo- /krio/ comb, form (extreme) cold.
cryo«gen«ics /kriajeniks/ n. the branch of physics deal-
ing with very low temperatures, dd cry»o»gen»ic adj.
crypt /kript/ n. an underground room or vault, esp. used
as a burial place.
cryp«tic /kriptik/ adj. 1 a obscure in meaning, b (of a
crossword clue, etc.) indicating the solution in a way
that is not obvious. C secret; mysterious; enigmatic.
2 Zool. (of coloration, etc.) serving for concealment.
dd cryp»ti»caMy adv.
crypto- /kripto/ comb, form concealed; secret (crypto-
communist)
cryp»to»gram /kriptagram/ n. a text written in code.
cryp«tog»ra«phy /kriptografee/ n. the art of writing or
solving codes, dd cryr>tog«ra»pher n. cryp*to*graph*ic
/-tagrafik/ adj. cryp*to*graph*i*caMy adv.
crys»tal /krist'l/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a a clear transparent
mineral, esp. rock crystal, b a piece of this. 2 (in full
crystal glass) a highly transparent glass, b articles
made of this. 3 the glass over a watch face. 4 Electron-
aggregation of molecules with a definite internal struc-
ture and the external form of a solid enclosed by sym-
metrically arranged plane faces, b a solid whose
constituent particles are symmetrically arranged. • adj.
(usu. attrib.) made of, like, or clear as crystal, o crys-
tal clear unclouded; transparent.
crys»tal ball n. a glass globe used in crystal gazing.
crystal gaz*ing n. the process of concentrating one's
gaze on a crystal ball supposedly in order to obtain a
picture of future events, etc.
crys»taMine /krist'lin, -lin/ adj. 1 of, like, or clear as
crystal. 2 Chem. &Mineral, having the structure and
form of a crystal, dd crys»taMin«i»ty /-linitee/ n.
crys*taMize /krist'liz/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. form or cause to
form crystals. 2 (often foil, by out) a intr. (of ideas or
plans) become definite, b tr. make definite. 3 tr. (sfintr.
coat or impregnate or become coated or impregnated
with sugar (crystallized fruit) dd crys»taMiz»a»ble adj.
.
crys*taMi*za*tion n.
crys*taMog*ra*phy /krist'lografee/ n. the science of
crystal form and structure, dd crys»tal»log»ra«pher n.
crys*taMo*graph*ic /-lagrafik/ adj.
Cs symb. Chem. the element cesium.
c/s abbr. cycles per second.
C-section abbr. of Cesarean section.
CST abbr. central standard time.
CT abbr. Connecticut (in official postal use).
Cu symb. Chem. the element copper.
CU. abbr. cubic.
cub /kub/ n. 1 the young of a fox, lion,
etc. 2 an ill-man-
nered young man. 3 (Cub) (in full Cub Scout) im-m ;i
ber of the junior branch oi the Hoy Scouts. 4 (in lull
cub reporter) colloq. an inexperienced MWtpaptf
reporter. 5 an apprentice.
Cu»ban /kyo'obon/ adj. &
n. •adj. of or relating to Cu
ba, an island republic in the ( :;inbbc;m, or its people.
• n. a native or national of Cuba.
cut>by /kubee/ n. (pi. -bies) (in full cubbyhole) 1 a very
small room. 2 a snug space. 3 a boxlikc compartment
for storage, etc.
cube /kyOOb/ n. is? v. »n. 1 a solid contained In six equal
 squares. 2 a cube-shaped block. 3 Math, the product 189 cube root - culture
of a number multiplied by its square, •v.tr. 1 find the
cube of (a number). 2 cut (food for cooking, etc.) in- cuff link n. a device of two joined studs, etc., to fasten
to small cubes. 3 tenderize (meat) by scoring it in a the sides of a cuff together.
criss-cross pattern. Cu«fic var. of Kufic.
cube root n. the number which produces a given num- CUi*rass /kwiras/ n. hist, a piece of armor consisting of
ber when cubed. breastplate and backplate fastened together.
cube steak n. a thin slice of steak that has been ten- cui*sine /kwizeen/ n. a style or method of cooking, esp.
derized by cubing. of a particular country or establishment.
cu*bic /kyoobik/ adj. 1 cube-shaped. 2 of three dimen- cul-de-sac /kuldasak, kobl-/ n. (pi. culs-de-sac
sions. 3 involving the cube (and no higher power) of pronunc. same) 1 a street or passage closed at one
a number (cubic equation) 4 (attrib. ) designating a unit
. end. 2 a route or course leading nowhere; a position
of measure equal to the volume of a cube whose side from which one cannot escape. ZAnat. = diverticu-
is one of the linear unit specified (cubic meter). lum.
5 Crystallog. having three equal axes at right angles. CU»li»nar»y /kyoolsneree, kul-/ adj. of or for cooking or
cu*bi*cal /kyobbikal/ adj. cube-shaped, do cu*bi*cal*ly the kitchen, dd cu»li»nar»i»ly adv.
adv. cull /kul/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 select or gather (knowledge
CU*bi*cle /kyobbikal/ n. 1 a small partitioned space, culled from books). 2 pick (flowers, fruit, etc.). 3 select
screened for privacy. 2 a small, separate sleeping (animals), esp. for killing. »n. 1 an act of culling. 2 an
compartment. animal or animals culled, dd cull*er n.
cu*bi*form /kyobbifawrm/ adj. cube-shaped. CUl*mi*nate /kulminayt/ v. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by in) reach
cub*ism /kyoobizsm/ n. a style and movement in art, its highest or final point. 2 tr. bring to its highest or fi-

esp. painting, in which objects are represented geo- nal point, dd cul*mi*na*tion /-nayshsn/ n.
metrically, dd cub»ist n. adj. & cu»lottes /koblots, kyob-/ n.pl. women's (usu. short)
CUCk*old /kukold/ n. &
v. • n. the husband of an adul- trousers cut to resemble a skirt.
teress. mv.tr. make a cuckold of. dd cuck*old*ry n. cul*pa*ble /kulpabal/ adj. deserving blame, dd cul*pa*
CUCk*00 /kookoo/ n. &
adj. • n. any bird of the family bil«i»ty n. cul*pa*bly adv.
Cuculidae, esp. Cuculus canorus, having a characteris- CUNprit /kiilprit/ n. a person accused of or guilty of an
tic cry, and depositing its eggs in the nests of small offense.
birds, •predic.adj. si. crazy; foolish. cult /kult/ n. 1 a system of religious worship esp. as
cuck»oo clock n. a clock that strikes the hour with a expressed in ritual. 2 a devotion to a person or thing
sound like a cuckoo's call. (the cult of aestheticism) b a popular fashion. 3 (attrib.)
.

CU*CUm*ber /kyobkumbsr/ n. 1a long, green, fleshy denoting a person or thing popularized in this way
fruit, used in salads. 2 the climbing plant, Cucumis (cult film; cult figure), dd cuMic adj. culHsm n. culWst
sativus, yielding this fruit. n.
cud /kud/ n.half-digested food returned from the first cul*ti*var /kiiltivaar/ n. Bot. a plant variety produced by
stomach of ruminants to the mouth for further chew- cultivation.
ing. cul*ti*vate /kultivayt/ v.tr. 1 a prepare and use (soil,

cud«dle /kud'l/ v. &

n. mv. 1 tr. hug; embrace; fondle. etc.) for crops or gardening, b break up (the ground)
2 intr. nestle together; lie close; kiss and fondle amo- with a cultivator. 2 a raise or produce (crops), b cul-
rously. • n. a prolonged and fond hug. dd cud*dle*some ture (bacteria, etc.). 3 a (often as cultivated adj.) ap-
adj. ply oneself to improving or developing (the mind,
cud»dly /kudlee/ adj. (cuddlier, cuddliest) tempting to etc.). b pay attention to or nurture; ingratiate oneself
cuddle; given to cuddling. with, dd cul*ti«va*ble adj. cul*ti*vat*a*ble adj. cul*ti«va*
cudg*el /kujal/ n. &
v. »n. a short, thick stick used as tion ;/.

a weapon, •v.tr. beat with a cudgel. cul«ti»va»tor /kultivaytar/ n. a mechanical implement

cue /kyoo/ n.
1
&
v. «n. 1 a the last words of an actor's for breaking up the ground and uprooting weeds.
speech serving as a signal to another actor to enter or cul*tur*al /kulcharal/ adj. of or relating to the cultiva-
speak, b a similar signal to a singer, etc. 2 a a stimu- tion of the mind or manners, esp. through artistic or
lus to perception, etc. b a signal for action, c a hint on intellectual activity, dd cul*tur*al*ly adv.
how to behave in particular circumstances. 3 a facili- culture /kulchar/ n. &
v. mn. 1a the arts and other

ty for or an instance of cuing audio equipment (see manifestations of human intellectual achievement re-
sense 2 of v.). mv.tr. (cues, cued, cuing or cueing) garded collectively, b a refined understanding of this.
1 give a cue to. 2 put (a piece of audio equipment) in 2 the customs, civilization, and achievements of a par-
readiness to play a particular part of the recorded ticular time or people (studied Chinese culture). 3 im-
material. cue in 1 insert a cue for. 2 give informa- provement by mental or physical training. 4 a the cul-
tion to. on cue at the correct moment, take one's cue tivation of plants; the rearing of bees, etc. b the
from follow the example or advice of. cultivation of the soil. 5 a quantity of microorganisms
cue 2 /kyoo/ n. &
v. Billiards, etc. • n. a long, straight, and the nutrient material supporting their growth.
tapering rod for striking the ball. mv. (cues, cued, cu- • v.tr. maintain (bacteria, etc.) in conditions suitable
ing or cueing) 1 tr. strike (a ball) with a cue. 2 intr. use for growth.
a cue. dd cue*ist n.
culture Middle English (denoting a cultivated piece
cue ball n. Billiards the ball that is to be struck with the
of land): the noun from French culture or directly
cue.
from Latin cultura 'growing, cultivation'; the verb
cue card n. colloq. a card or board displaying a television
from obsolete French culturer or medieval Latin cul-
script to a speaker as an aid to memory.
turare, both based on Latin colere 'tend, cultivate.' In
cuff 1
/kuf/ w. la
the end part of a sleeve, b a separate
late Middle English the sense was 'the cultivation of
band of linen worn around the wrist so as to appear
the soil' and from this, in the early 1 6th century, arose
under the sleeve. C the part of a glove covering the
the sense 'cultivation (of the mind, faculties, or man-
wrist. 2 a turned-up hem on pants. 3 (in pi.) colloq.
ners).'
handcuffs, dd cuffed adj. (also in comb.).
cuff 2 /kuf/ v. &
n. mv.tr. strike with an open hand. mn.
such a blow. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

cultured ~ curie 190 cu*po*la /kyobpsto/ n.

cupola
1 a a rounded dome
cultured /kulchard/ adj. having refined taste and man- forming a roof or ceil-
ners and a good education. ing, b a small rounded
cul«tured pearl n. a pearl formed by an oyster after the dome adorning a roof.
insertion of a foreign body into its shell. 2 a revolving dome
cul»vert /kulvart/ n. an underground channel carrying protecting mounted
water across a road, etc. guns.
cum /kum/ prep. (usu. in comb.) with; combined with; cu*pre*ous /kobpreeas,
also used as (a bedroom-cum-study) kyob-/ adj. of or like
cum»ber»some /kumbarsam/ adj. inconvenient in size, copper.
weight, or shape. cu«pric /kobprik, kyob-/ cupola
cunvbrous /kumbrgs/ adj. - cumbersome. adj. of copper, esp. di-
cunrin /kumin, kob-, kyob-/ n. 1 an umbelliferous valent copper, dd cu«prif»er«ous /-prifaras/ adj.
plant, Cuminum cyminum, bearing aromatic seeds. cu«prous /kobpras, kyob-/ adj. of copper, esp. mono-
2 these seeds used as flavoring. valent copper.
currrmer-bund /kumarbund/ n. a waist sash. cur /tear/ «.1a worthless or snappy dog. 2 colloq. a con-
temptible person.
cummerbund early 1 7th century: from Urdu and Per- cur*a«ble /kyobrabal/ adj. that can be cured, dd cur*a*
sian kamar-band, from kamar 'waist, loins' and -bandi
bil«i«ty n.
'band.'The sash was formerly worn in the Indian sub-
cu*ra*cao /kyobrgso, -sow/ n. (also curacoa /-soa/) (pi.
continent by domestic workers and lower-caste office
-50s or curacoas) a liqueur of spirits flavored with the
workers.
peel of bitter oranges.
cunvquat var.of kumquat. cu«ra«cy /kyobrssee/ n. (pi. -cies) a curate's office or
CU*mu*la*tive /kyoomyatativ, -laytiv/ adj. 1 increasing, the tenure of it.
increased, or formed by successive additions. 2 Stock cu«ra»re /kyOOra'aree, koo-/ n. a resinous bitter sub-
Exch. (of shares) entitling holders to arrears of interest stance prepared from S. American plants of the gen-
before any other distribution is made, dd cu*mu*la* era Strychnos and Chondodendron, paralyzing the mo-
tive«ly adv. cu»mu»la»tive«ness n. tor nerves.
cumulo- /kyobmyalo/ comb, form cumulous (cloud). CU»rate /kyobrat/ n. a member of the clergy engaged as
cu*mu*lus /kyobmyatas/ n. (pi. cumuli l-W) a cloud assistant to a parish priest.
formation consisting of rounded masses heaped CU«ra«tor /kyOOraytsr, kyObra-/ n. a keeper or custodi-
on each other above a horizontal base, dd cu*mu*lous an of a museum or other collection, dd cu*ra*to*ri*al
adj. /kyobrgtawreesl/ adj. cu»ra»tor»ship n.
CU»ne»i»form /kyoone'eafawrm, kyobneea-, kyobni-/ curb /karb/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a check or restraint. 2 a rim
adj. &
n. • adj. 1 wedge-shaped. 2 of, relating to, or us- of concrete, stone, etc., along the side of a paved road.
ing the wedge-shaped writing in ancient Babylonian, 3 a strap, etc., fastened to the bit and passing under a
etc., inscriptions. • n. cuneiform writing. horse's lower jaw, used as a check. 4 an enclosing bor-
curvnMirvgus /kunilinggas/ n. (also cun»ni«linc»tus der or edging, mv.tr. 1 restrain. 2 put a curb on (a
/-lingktas/) oral stimulation of the female genitals. horse).
curvning /kuning/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 a skilled in inge- curd /kard/ n. (often in pi.) a coagulated substance
nuity or deceit, b selfishly clever or crafty. 2 ingenious formed by the action of acids on milk, which may be
(a cunning device) 3 attractive; quaint. • n. 1 crafti-
. eaten as food, dd curd*y adj.
ness. 2 skill; ingenuity, dd cun*ning*ly adv. cun»ning« cur*dle /kard'l/ v. tr. &
intr. make into or become curds,

ness n.
cunt /kunt/ n. coarse si. 1 the female genitals. 2 qffens. a dle fill one with horror, dd cur*dler n.
stupid person.
cup /kup/ n. &
A highly taboo word.
v. • n. 1 a small bowl-shaped container
cure /kyOOr/ v.
for drinking from. 2 a its contents (a cup of tea), b =
cupful. 3 a cup-shaped thing. 4 flavored wine, cider,
etc., usu. chilled. 5 an ornamental cup-shaped trophy.
6 one's fate or fortune (a bitter cup). 7 either of the two dergo a process of curing. •«. 1 restoration to health.
cup-shaped parts of a brassiere. 8 the chalice used or
the wine taken at the Eucharist. 9 Golf the hole on a
putting green or the metal container in it. mv.tr.
(cupped, cupping) 1 form (esp. one's hands) into the
shape of a cup. 2 take or hold as in a cup. one's cup
of tea colloq. what interests or suits one. in one's cups
while drunk; drunk.
cup«board /kubard/ n. a recess or piece of furniture
with a door and (usu.) shelves.
cup«cake /kupkayk/ n. a small cake baked in a cup-
shaped metal, foil, or paper container and often iced.
cup»ful /kupfool/ n. (pi. -fuls) 1 the amount held by a
cup, esp. a half-pint (8-ounce) measure in cooking. 2 a
cup full of a substance. A
cupful is a measure, and
so three cupfuls is a quantity regarded in terms of a cup;
three cups full denotes the actual cups, as in three cups
full of water. Sense 2 is an intermediate use.
Cu»pid /kyobpid/ n. 1 the Roman god of love repre-
sented as a naked winged boy with a bow and arrows.
2 (also cupid) a representation of Cupid.
CU«pid»i»ty /kyoopiditee/ n. greed for gain.
(of milk) turn sour; congeal, d make one's blood cur-
&
n. mv. 1 tr. (often foil, by of) restore
(a person or animal) to health (was cured of pleurisy).
2 tr. eliminate (a disease, evil, etc.). 3 tr. preserve by
salting, drying, etc. 4 tr. a vulcanize (rubber), b hard-
en (concrete or plastic). 5 intr. effect a cure. 6 intr. un-
2 a thing that effects a cure. 3 a course of healing treat-
ment. 4 a the office or function of a curate, b a parish
or other sphere of spiritual ministration. 5 a the proc-
ess of curing rubber or plastic, b (with qualifying adj.)
the degree of this, dd cur*a*tive /kyobrotiv/ adj. n. &
cur«er n.
cu»re /kyooray, kyobray/ n. a parish priest in France,
etc.
cure-all n. a panacea.
CU»rette /kyooret/ n. &
v. mn. a surgeon's small si nip
ing instrument, mv.tr. &
intr. clean or scrape with a cu-
rette, nn cu«ret«tage /kyooritaazh/ n.
cur«few /knrfyoO/ //. 1 a a regulation requiring people
to remain indoors between specified hours, b the h< in
designated as the beginning ol such a restriction. C a
daily signal indicating this. 2 the ringing <>f a bell at a
fixed evening hour.
cu»ri«a /kyobree.V n. (also Curia) (pi. curiae) the papal
court; the government departments of tin- Vatican
dd cu*ri*al adj.
CUTie /kyobree/ n. 1 a unit of radioti ti\ 1 1 v .
* Abbr.: CI.
 2 a quantity of radioactive substance having this activ- 191 curio ~ cushion
ity.

CU«ri»0 /kyobreeo/ n. (pi. -os) a rare or unusual object or punishment on a person or thing. 2 the evil suppos-
or person. edly resulting from a curse. 3 a violent exclamation of
cu»ri»os«i»ty /kyobreeositee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 inquisitive- anger; a profane oath. 4 a thing that causes evil or
ness. 2 strangeness. 3 a strange, rare, or interesting ob- harm. 5 (prec. by the) colloq. menstruation. 6 a sen-
ject. tence of excommunication. •«. 1 tr. a utter a curse
cu*ri*OUS /kyobreeas/ adj. 1 inquisitive. 2 strange; sur- against, b (in imper.) may God curse. 2 tr. (usu. in pas-
prising, do cu«ri*ous«ly adv. cu*ri*ous«ness n. sive; foil, by with) afflict with (cursed with blindness).
CU*ri*um /kyobreeam/ n. an artificially made transuran- 3 intr. utter expletive curses; swear. 4 tr. excommuni-
ic radioactive metallic element. If Symb.: Cm. cate, dd curs«er n.
curl /karl/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by up) bend curs»ed /karsid, karst/ adj. damnable; abominable.
or coil into a spiral. 2 mrr. move in a spiral form. dd curs«ed»ly adv. curs«ed»ness n.
3 a mrr. (of the upper lip) be raised slightly on one side cur*sive /karsiv/ adj. &
n. •adj. (of writing) done with

in disapproval, b tr. cause (the lip) to do this. 4 intr. joined characters. • «. cursive writing, dd cur»sive«ly
play curling. • n. 1 a lock of curled hair. 2 anything spi- adv.
ral or curved inward. 3 a a curling movement or act. cursor /karsar/ n. Computing a movable indicator on a
b the state of being curled. curl up 1 lie or sit with monitor screen identifying a particular position in the
the knees drawn up. 2 colloq. writhe with embarrass- display.
ment or horror, make a person's hair curl colloq. shock cur»so»ry /karsaree/ adj. hasty; hurried, dd cur»so«ri»ly
or horrify a person, dd curl«y /karlee/ adj. (curlier, curl- adv. cur»soTi«ness n.
iest). curl*i*ness n. curt /kart/ adj. noticeably or rudely brief, dd curWy adv.
curl*er /karlar/ «. la roller, etc., for curling the hair. curtTiess n.
2 a player in the game of curling. curtail /kartayl/ v.tr. cut short; reduce, dd cur«tail»ment
cuMew /karloo, -lyoo/ n. any wading bird of the genus n.
Numenius with a long, slender, down-curved bill. curtain /kartan/ n. &
v. *n. 1a piece of cloth, etc.,

curbing /karling/ n. 1 in senses of curl v. 2 a game hung up as a screen and usu. movable sideways or up-
played on ice, in which large, round, flat stones are slid ward, esp. at a window or between the stage and au-
across the surface. ditorium of a theater. 2 Theatr. a the rise or fall of the
cur*mudg*eon /karmujan/ n. a bad-tempered person. stage curtain at the beginning or end of an act or scene.
dd cur«mudg»eon«ly adj. b = curtain call. 3 a partition or cover. 4 (in pi. ) si.
cur»rant /karant, kur-/ n. 1 a dried fruit of a small seed- the end. • v. tr. 1 furnish or cover with a curtain or cur-
less variety of grape. 2 a any of various shrubs of the tains. 2 (foil, by off) shut off with a curtain or curtains.
genus Ribes producing red, white, or black berries, b a cur*tain call n. Theatr. an audience's summons to per-
berry of these shrubs. former (s) to take a bow after the fall of the curtain.
cur»ren»cy /karansee, kur-/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a the mon- curtesy /kartsee/ n. &
v. (also curt«sey) »n. (pi. -sies

ey in general use in a country, b any other commod- or -seys) a woman's or girl's formal greeting made by
ity used as a medium of exchange. 2 the condition of bending the knees and lowering the body. •v. intr.
being current (e.g., of words or ideas). 3 the time dur- (-sies, -sied or -seys, -seyed) make a curtsy.
ing which something is current.
curtsy early 16th century: variant of courtesy. Both
cur»rent /karant, kur-/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 belonging to
forms were used to denote the expression of respect
the present time; happening now (current events; the
or courtesy by a gesture, especially in phrases such as
current week). 2 (of money, opinion, a rumor, a word,
do courtesy, make courtesy, and from this arose the cur-
etc.) in general circulation or use. •«. 1 a body of wa-
rent use (late 16th century).
ter, air, etc., moving esp. through a stiller surrounding
body. 2 a an ordered movement of electrically charged cur»va»ceous karvayshas/ adj. colloq. (esp. of a woman)
particles, b a quantity representing the intensity of having a shapely curved figure.
such movement. 3 (usu. foil, by of) a general tenden- cur«va»ture /karvachar/ n. 1 the act or state of curv-
cy or course (of events, opinions, etc.). ing. 2 a curved form. 3 Geom. a the deviation of a
cur«rent»ly /karantlee, kur-/ adv. at the present time; curved surface from a plane, b the quantity express-
now. ing this.
cur*ric*u*lum /karikyalam/ n. (pi. curricula /-la/ or cur- curve /karv/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a line or surface having along
riculums) 1 the subjects that are studied or prescribed its length a regular deviation from being straight or

for study in a school. 2 any program of activities. flat. 2 a curved form or thing. 3 a curved line on a

an cur*ric*u*lar adj. graph. 4 Baseball a ball caused to deviate by the pitch-

cur«ricnHum vi»tae/kari!kyalamvitee,veeti/w. (pi. cur- er's spin. •v.tr. &
intr. bend or shape so as to form a

ricula vitae) a brief account of one's education, qual- curve, dd curved adj.
ifications, and previous occupations. curve-ball /karvbawl/ n. = curve n. 4.
cur-ry /karee, kuree/ n.
1
&
v. »n. (pi. -ries) a dish of curvi- /karvee/ comb, form curved.

meat, vegetables, etc., cooked in a sauce of hot-tast- cur»vi»lin»e«ar /karvilineear/ adj. contained by or con-
ing spices, usu. served with rice. •v.tr. (-ries, -ried) sisting of curved lines, dd cur»vi«lirre«ar«ly adv.
prepare or flavor with a sauce of hot-tasting spices. curv»y /karvee/ adj. (curvier, curviest) 1 having many
cur»ry 2 /karee, kuree/ v.tr. (-ries, -ried) 1 groom (a curves. 2 (of a woman's figure) shapely, dd curvi*ness
horse) with a currycomb. 2 treat (tanned leather) to n.
improve its properties. 3 thrash, o curry favor ingrati- cushion /kobshan/ n.&v. • n. 1 a bag stuffed with soft
ate oneself. material for sitting or leaning on, etc. 2 a means of
Cur»ry»comb /kareekom, kuree-/ n. &
v. • n. a hand- protection against shock. 3 the elastic lining of the
held metal serrated device for grooming horses. • v. tr. sides of a billiard table, from which the ball rebounds.
use a currycomb on. • v.tr. 1 provide or protect with a cushion or cushions.
cur»ry powder n. a preparation of ground spices, such 2 provide with a defense; protect. 3 mitigate the ad-
as turmeric, ginger, and coriander, for making curry. verse effects of. 4 quietly suppress. 5 place or bounce
curse /kars/ n. &v. *n. A a solemn utterance intended
to invoke a supernatural power to inflict destruction See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

cushy ~ cuticle
(the ball) against the cushion in billiards, dd cushion*
y adj.
cuslvy /kcbshee/ adj. (cushier, cushiest) colloq. 1 (of a
job, etc.) easy and pleasant. 2 (of a seat, surroundings,
etc.) soft; comfortable, an cush»i»ness n.
cusp /kusp/ n. 1 an apex or peak. 2 the horn of a cres-
cent moon, etc. 3 Astrol. the initial point of a house.
4 a cone-shaped prominence on the surface of a tooth.
nn cus»pate /kuspayt/ adj. cusped adj. cus*pi*dal
/kuspid'l/ adj.
CUS*pi*dor /kuspidawr/ a spittoon. n.
CUSS /kus/ n. & •«. 1 a curse. 2 usu. derog. a
v. colloq.
person; a creature, •v.tr. intr. curse. & cut back 1 reduce (expenditure, etc.). 2 prune (a tree,
cuss«word /kuswsrd/ n. a swearword.
cus»tard /kustgrd/ «.1a dish made with milk and eggs,
usu. sweetened. 2 a sweet sauce made with milk and
flavored cornstarch.
cus*to*di*an /kustodeean/ n. a guardian or keeper, esp.
of a public building, etc. nn cus*to*di*an>ship n.
CUS»tody /kust9dee/ n. 1 guardianship; protective care.
2 imprisonment, d take into custody arrest, dd cus*to*
di*al /kustodeeal/ adj.
cus-tom /kustam/ n. 1 a the usual way of behaving or
acting {a slave to custom), b a particular established
way of behaving {our customs seem strange to foreigners)
2 Law established usage having the force of law. 3
(in/)/.; also treated as sing.) a a duty levied on certain
imported and exported goods, b the official depart-
ment that administers this. C the area at a port, fron-
tier, etc., where customs officials deal with incoming
goods, etc.
cus«tom«ar«y /kustomeree/ adj. usual; in accordance
with custom, do cus«ton>ar«i«ly adv. cus«tom«ar«i»ness
n.
cus*tom-built adj. (also cus»tom-made) made to a cus-
tomer's order.
CUS»tom»er /kustamsr/ n. 1a person who buys goods
or services from a store or business. 2 a person one
has to deal with {an awkward customer).
CUS*tom*ize /kustamiz/ v. tr. make to order or modify
according to individual requirements.
cus*tom-made see custom-built.
cut /kut/ v. & n. mv. (cutting; past and past
1 tr. (also absol.) penetrate or wound with a sharp-
edged instrument. 2 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by into) di-
vide or be divided with a knife, etc. 3 tr. a trim (hair,
a hedge, etc.) by cutting, b detach (flowers, grain, etc.)
by cutting, c reduce the length of (a book, movie, etc.).
4 tr. (foil, by loose, open, etc.) make loose, open, etc. by
cutting. 5 tr. (esp. as cutting adj.) cause sharp physical
or mental pain to {a cutting remark; a cutting wind) 6 tr.
(often foil, by down) a reduce (wages, prices, time,
etc.). b reduce or cease (services, etc.). 7 tr. a shape or
fashion (a coat, gem, key, record, etc.) by cutting.
b make (a path, tunnel, etc.) by removing material.
8 tr. perform; make {cut a caper, cut a sorry figure) 9 tr.
(also absol.) cross; intersect {the line cuts the circle at two
points). 10 intr. (foil, by across, through, etc.) traverse,
esp. as a shorter way {cut across the grass)
nore or refuse to recognize (a person), b renounce (a
connection). 12 tr. deliberately fail to attend (a class,
etc.). 13 Cards a tr. divide (a deck) into two parts.
b intr. select a by dividing the deck.
dealer, etc.,
14 Cinematog. a movie or tape), b intr. (of-
tr. edit (a
ten in imper.) stop filming or recording, c intr. (foil, by
to) go quickly to (another shot). 15 tr. switch off (an
engine, etc.). 16 tr. a hit (a ball) with a chopping mo- CUte /kyOot/ adj. colloq. 1 a attractive; quaint, b ullei
tion, b Go//slice(theball).17 tr. dilute; adulterate. •«.
1 an act of cutting. 2 a division or wound made by cut-
ting. 3 a stroke with a knife, sword, whip, etc. 4 a reduc- cu*ti«cle /kytfbtikal/ n. la the dead skin at the base of
tion (in prices, wages, etc.). 5 an excision of part of a
. .
192 play, movie, book, etc. 6 a wounding remark or act.
7 the way or style in which a garment, the hair, etc., is
cut. 8 a piece of meat, etc., cut from a carcass. 9 col-
loq. commission; a share of profits. 10 Tennis, etc. a
stroke made by cutting. 1 1 ignoring of or refusal to
recognize a person. 12 a an engraved block for print-
ing, b a woodcut or other print, d a cut above colloq.
noticeably superior to. be cut out (foil, by for, or to +
infin.) be suited {was not cut out to be a teacher), cut
across 1 transcend or take no account of (normal
limitations, etc.) {their concern cuts across normal rival-
ries). 2 see sense 10 of v. cut and run si. run away, cut
and thrust 1 a lively interchange of argument, etc.
2 the use of both the edge and the point of a sword.
etc.). 3 Cinematog. repeat part of a previous scene for
dramatic effect, cut both ways 1 serve both sides of an
argument, etc. 2 (of an action) have both good and
bad cut corners do a task, etc., perfunctorily
effects,
or incompletely, esp. to save time, cut down 1 a bring
or throw down by cutting, b kill by means of a sword
or disease. 2 see sense 6 of v. 3 reduce the length of
{cut down the pants to make shorts). 4 (often foil, by on)
reduce one's consumption {cut down on chocolate), cut
a person down to size colloq. ruthlessly expose the
limitations of a person's importance, ability, etc. cut
one's eyeteeth (or teeth) attain worldly wisdom, cut
in 1 interrupt. 2 pull in too closely in front of another
vehicle (esp. having overtaken it) 3 give a share of prof-
.
its, etc. to (a person). 4 connect (a source of electric-
ity) 5 join in a card game by taking the place of a play-
.
er who cuts out. 6 interrupt a dancing couple to take
over from one partner, cut into 1 make a cut in. 2 in-
terfere with and reduce {traveling cuts into my free time)
cut it out (usu. in imper.) si. stop doing that (esp. quar-
reling), cut loose 1 begin to act freely. 2 see sense 4 of
v. cut one's losses abandon an unprofitable enterprise
before losses become too great, cut the mustard si.
reach the required standard, cut off 1 remove by cut-
ting. 2 a (often in passive) bring to an abrupt end or
(esp. early) death, b intercept; interrupt; prevent from
continuing {cut off supplies. C disconnect (a person en-
gaged in a telephone conversation) {was suddenly cut
off) 3 a prevent from traveling or venturing out {cut
.
part, cut) off by the snow), b (as cut off adj.) isolated; remote {felt
cut off in the country). 4 a disinherit {was cut off without
a penny) b sever a relationship {was cut offfrom the chil-
.
dren), cut out 1 remove from the inside by cutting.
2 make by cutting from a larger whole. 3 omit; leave
out. 4 colloq. stop doing or using {cut out chocolate; let's
cut out the arguing). 5 cease or cause to cease func-
tioning {the engine cut out). 6 colloq. prepare; plan {has
. his work cut out), cut short 1 interrupt; terminate pre-
maturely {cut short his visit) 2 make shorter or more
.
concise, cut one's teeth on acquire initial practice or
experience from (something), cut a tooth have it ap-
pear through the gum. cut up 1 cut into pieces. 2 de-
. stroy utterly. 3 criticize severely. 4 behave in a comi-
cal or unruly manner.
cut-and-dried adj. (also cut-and-dry) 1 completely de-
. 1 1 tr. a ig- cided; prearranged; inflexible. 2 (of opinions, en
ready-made; lacking freshness or imagination.
CU»ta»ne»OUS /kyoDtaynceos/ adj. of the skin.
cut*a*way /kutoway/ adj. 1 (of a diagram, etc.) with
some parts left out to reveal the interior. 2 (of •< OH I
with the front below the waist cut away.
cut-back /kutbak/ n. an instance or the- 1C1 <>f CUttinf
back, esp. a reduction in expenditure.
1
edly attractive. 2 clever; ingenious. DO cute«ly ./</.
cute*ness n.
a fingernail or toenail, b the epidermis or other super

ficial skin. 2 Bot. a thin surface film on plants, dd cu»
tic*u*lar /-tikyabr/ adj.
cuMass /kiitlas/ n. a short sword with
blade, formerly used by sailors.
CUt»ler /kutbr/ n. a person who makes or deals in knives
and similar utensils.
CUt»ler»y /kuttaree/ n. knives, forks, and spoons for use
at table.
cuHet /kutlit/ n. 1 a small piece of veal, etc., for frying.
2 a flat cake of ground meat or nuts and breadcrumbs,
etc.
CUt'Off /kutawf/ n. 1 the point at which something is
cut off. 2 a device for stopping a flow. 3 a shortcut. 4
(in pi.) shorts made from jeans, etc., whose legs have
been cut off.
CUt*OUt /kutowt/ n. 1 a figure cut out of paper, etc. 2 a
device that automatically breaks an electric circuit for
safety.
cut rate or sold at a reduced price.
adj. selling
cuWer /kutar/ tailor, etc., who takes measure-
n. 1a
ments and cuts cloth. 2 Nam. a a small, fast sailing
ship, b a small boat carried by a large ship.
cuWhroat /kut-throt/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 a murderer. 2 a
species of trout, Salmo clarki, with a red mark under
the jaw. madj. 1 (of competition) ruthless and intense.
2 (of a person) murderous. 3 (of a card game) three-
handed.
CUMing /kuting/ n. & adj. *n. a piece cut from a plant
for propagation, madj. see cut v. 5.
cutting edge n. the forefront; the vanguard.
CUt«tle»bone /kut'lbon/ n. the internal shell of the cut-
tlefish.
CUt»tle»fish /kut'lfish/ n. any marine cephalopod mol-
lusk of the genera Sepia and Sepiola, having ten arms
and ejecting a black fluid when threatened or pursued.
cut»up /kutup/ n. a person who clowns around; prankster.
cut»worm /kutwarm/ n. any of various caterpillars that
eat through the stems of young plants level with the
ground.
C.v. abbr. curriculum vitae.
CWt. abbr. hundredweight.
cy»a«nide /sianid/ n. any of the highly poisonous salts
or esters of hydrocyanic acid, esp. the potassium salt
used in the extraction of gold and silver.
cy»a»no»bac»te»ri»um /sianobakteereeam, siano-/ n.
any prokaryotic organism of the division Cyanobacte-
ria, capable of photosynthesizing. Also called blue-
green alga.
cy»a«no»co»bal«a»min /sianokobalamin, siano-/ n. a vi-
tamin of the B complex, found in foods of animal ori-
gin such as liver, fish, and eggs. Also called vitamin B l2
cy»a«no»sis /sianOsis/ n. Med. a bluish discoloration of
the skin due to the presence of oxygen-deficient blood.
ca cya*not*ic /-notik/ adj.
cy»ber»net»ics /sibarnetiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.)
the science of communications and automatic control
systems in both machines and living things, dd cyber-
netic adj. cyber«net«i»cist /-tisist/ n.
cyberspace /sl'barspays/ n. an environment in which
information exchange by computer occurs.
cy*cad /sikad/ n. Bot. any of the palmlike plants of the
order Cycadales (including fossil forms).
cy»cla»men /siklaman, sik-/ n. 1 any plant of the genus
Cyclamen, originating in Europe, having pink, red, or
white flowers with reflexed petals. 2 the shade of col-
or of the red or pink cyclamen flower.
cy»cle /sikal/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a recurrent round or pe-
riod (of events, phenomena, etc.). b the time needed
for one such round or period. 2 a Physics, etc., a re-
current series of operations or states, b Electr. = hertz.
3 a series of songs, poems, etc., usu. on a single theme.
4 a bicycle, tricycle, or similar machine, •v.intr. 1 ride
a bicycle, etc. 2 move in cycles.
.
193 cutlass ~ cyst
a slightly curved cyclic /siklik, sik-/ adj. 1 a recurring in cycles, b be-
longing to a chronological cycle. 2 Chem. with constit-
uent atoms forming a ring. 3 of a cycle of songs, etc.
4 Bot. (of a flower) with its parts arranged in whorls.
cyclical /siklikal, sik-/ adj. = cyclic 1. go cycli»caMy
adv.
cyclist /siklist/ n. a rider of a bicycle.
cyclo- /siklo/ comb, form circle, cycle, or cyclic {cyclom-
eter, cyclorama)
cy»clom»e*ter siklomit9r/ n. 1 an instrument for meas-
uring circular arcs. 2 an instrument for measuring the
distance traversed by a bicycle, etc.
cy«clone /siklon/ «.1a system of winds rotating inward
to an area of low barometric pressure; a depression.
2 a violent hurricane of limited diameter, cz cy»clon»
ic /-klonik/ adj. cyclorvi»caMy adv.
cy»clo«pe«di»a/sikl3peedee3 n. an encyclopedia, an cy
clo*pe*dic adj.
cyclotron /siklstron/ n. Physics an apparatus in which
charged atomic and subatomic particles are acceler-
ated by an alternating electric field while following an
outward spiral or circular path in a magnetic field.
cyg»net signit n. a young swan.
cyl«in«der silindar/ n. 1 a a uniform solid or hollow
body with straight sides and a circular section, b a
thing of this shape, e.g., a container for liquefied gas.
oo cuMing»ly adv. 2 a cylinder-shaped part of various machines, esp. a
piston chamber in an engine. 3 Printing a metal roller.
do cylin*dri*cal silindrikal adj. cylin-dri»caMy adv.
cynvbal simbal/ n. a percussion instrument of indef-
inite pitch consisting of a concave brass or bronze
plate, struck with another or with a stick, etc., to make
a ringing sound, an cynvbaMst n.
cymbals
cy rvic /sinik/ n. & adj. • n. 1 a person who has little faith
in human and goodness. 2 (Cynic) one of a
sincerity
school of ancient Greek philosophers founded by An-
tisthenes, marked by ostentatious contempt for ease
- and pleasure. »adj. 1 (Cynic) of the Cynics. 2 = CYNI-
CAL, on cynicism -nisizam/ n.
cyn«i»cal sinikal/ adj. 1 incredulous of human sincer-
ity and goodness. 2 disregarding normal standards.
3 sneering; mocking, no cyn»i»caMy adv.
cy»no»sure /sinashoor, sin-/ n. 1 a center of attraction
or admiration. 2 a guiding star.
cypher var. of cipher.
cy»press /sipras/ n. 1 any coniferous tree of the genus
Cupressus or Chamaecyparis, with hard wood and dark
foliage. 2 this, or branches from it, as a symbol of
mourning.
Cyp«ri»ot /sipreeat/ n. &
adj. (also Cyp»ri»ote /-ot/) • n.
a native or national of Cyprus. • adj. of Cyprus.
Cy»riMic /sirilik/ adj. &
n. madj. denoting the alphabet
used by the Slavonic peoples of the Orthodox Church,
now used for Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Ukrainian,
and other Slavic languages. •/;. this alphabet.
cyst /sist/ n. 1 Med. a sac containing morbid matter, a
parasitic larva, etc. 2 Biol, a a hollow organ, bladder,
etc., in an animal or plant, containing a liquid secre-
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

cystic ~ Czechoslovak 194 i«cal /sitalojikal/ adj. cy»to»log»i»caMy adv. cytol*o*gist

n.

tion. b a cell or cavity enclosing reproductive bodies,
an embryo, parasite, microorganism, etc.
cys»tic /sistik/ adj. 1 of the urinary bladder. 2 of the
gallbladder. 3 of the nature of a cyst.
cys*tic f i»bro»sis n. Med. a hereditary disease affecting
the exocrine glands and usu. resulting in respiratory
infections.
an inflammation of the urinary
cys»ti«tis /sistitis/ n.
bladder, usu. accompanied by frequent painful urina-
tion.
cysto- /sisto/ comb, form the urinary bladder (cystoscope;
cystotomy)
-cyte /sit/ comb, form Biol, a mature cell (leukocyte) (cf
-blast).
cyto- /sito/ comb, form Biol, cells or a cell.
cy»to»ge»net»ics /sitojinetiks/ n. the study of inher-
itance in relation to the structure and function of cells.
dd cyto»ge«net«ic adj. cyto«ge»net»i»cal adj. cyto»ge»
net»i»caMy adv. cyto»ge»net«i«cist /-netisist/ n.
cytology /sitotojee/ n. the study of cells, dd cyto«log«
cy»to»plasm /sitaplazsm/ n. the protoplasmic content
of a cell apart from its nucleus, dd cy*to*plas*mic
/-plazmik/ adj.
czar /zaar/ n. (also tsar) 1 hist, the title of the former
emperor of Russia. 2 a person with great authority.
nn czar*dom n. czar*ism n. czar-ist n.
czar»e»vich /za'arivich/ n. (also tsar»e»vich) hist, the eld-
est son of an emperor of Russia.
cza*ri*na /zaareens/ n. (also tsa«ri»na) hist, the title of
the former empress of Russia.
Czech /chek/ n. &adj. • n. 1 a native or national of the
Czech Republic, Bohemia, or (hist.) Czechoslovakia.
2 the West Slavonic language of the Czech people.
• adj. of or relating to the Czechs or their language.
Czech-oslc-vak /chekaslOvak, -vaak/ n. &
adj. (also
Czech*o*slo*va*ki*an /-stavaakeean/) •n. a native or
national of Czechoslovakia, a former nation in central
Europe including Bohemia, Moravia, and Slovakia.
• adj. of or relating to Czechoslovaks or the former na-
tion of Czechoslovakia.
 D
D 1
/dee/ n. (also d) (pi ds or D's) 1 the fourth letter of sensitized silvered plate and mercury vapor. 2 this
the alphabet. 2 Mus. the second note of the diatonic process.
scale of C major. 3 (as a Roman numeral) 500. 4 = dahl»ia /dalya, daal-, dayl-/ n. any garden plant of the
dee. 5 the fourth highest class or category (of academ- genus Dahlia, cultivated for its many-colored flowers.
ic marks, etc.). daMy /daylee/ adj., adv., & n. »adj. 1 done, produced,
D symb. Chem. the element deuterium.
2 or occurring every day or every weekday. 2 constant;
d. abbr. 1 died. 2 departs. 3 delete. 4 daughter. 5 depth. regular. • adv. 1 every day; from day to day. 2 constant-
6 deci-. ly. • n. (pi -lies) colloq. a daily newspaper.
'd v. colloq. (usu. after pronouns) had; would (I'd; he'd). dairvty /dayntee/ adj. & n. »adj. (daintier, daintiest)
DA abbr. 1 district attorney. 2 5/. = duck's ass. 1 delicately pretty. 2 delicate of build or in movement.

da abbr. deca-. 3 (of food) choice. 4 fastidious. »n. (pi. -ties) a choice
dab /dab/ v. &
n. mv. (dabbed, dabbing) 1 tr. press (a delicacy, dd dain«ti»ly adv. dain*ti*ness n.
surface) briefly with a cloth, etc., without rubbing. dai*qui*ri /dakaree, di-f n. (pi. daiquiris) a cocktail of
2 tr. press (a sponge, etc.) lightly on a surface. 3 tr. rum, lime juice, etc.
(foil, by on) apply substance) by dabbing a surface.
(a dair»y dairee/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a building or room for the
4 intr. (usu. at) aim a feeble blow; tap. 5 tr.
foil, by storage, processing, and distribution of milk and its
strike lightly; tap. • n. 1 a brief application of a cloth, products. 2 a store where milk and milk products are
etc., to a surface without rubbing. 2 a small amount sold. 3 (attrib.) a of, containing, or concerning milk
applied in this way (a dab of paint). 3 a light blow. and its products (and sometimes eggs), bused for
dd dab-ber n. dairy products (dairy cow).
dab'ble /dabsl/ v. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by in, at) take a su- da«is dayis, di-/ n. a low platform, usu. at the upper
perficial interest (in a subject or activity). 2 z>zfr. move end of a hall.
the feet, hands, etc., about in (usu. a small amount of) dai»sy /dayzee/ n. (pi. -sies) 1 a a small composite
liquid. 3 tr. wet partly; stain; splash. dab«bler n. plant, Bellis perennis, bearing flowers each with a yel-
dace /days/ «. (p/. same) any small freshwater fish, esp. low disk and white rays, b any other plant with daisy-
of the genus Leuciscus, related to the carp. like flowers. 2 5/. a first-rate specimen of anything.
da*cha /da'acha/ n. a country house or cottage in Rus- d pushing up daisies si. dead and buried.
sia. dai*sy wheel n. a disk of spokes extending radially from
dachs»hund /da'aks-hoont, da'aksant, -hotmd, -and/ n. a central hub, each terminating in a printing character,
a dog of a short-legged, long-bodied breed. used as a printer in word processors and typewriters.
dac»tyl /daktil/ n. a metrical foot ("") consisting of one Da*lai la»ma daali la'ama n. the spiritual head ofTibet-
long syllable followed by two short, an dac*tyl*ic /dak- an Buddhism.
tilik/ adj. dale dayl/ n. a valley, esp. a broad one.
dad /dad/ n. colloq. father. dal*li*ance -daleeans, -yans/ n. 1a leisurely or frivo-
Da*da /da'adaa/ n. an early 20th-c. international move- lous passing of time. 2 an instance of lighthearted flirt-
ment in art, literature, music, and film, repudiating ing.
conventions. Da*da*ism /da'adaizam/ n. Da*da*ist n. daMy 'dalee/ v. intr. (-lies, -lied) 1 delay; waste time, esp.

& adj. Da*da*is*tic adj. frivolously. 2 (often foil, by with) play about; flirt; treat
dad»dy /dadee/ n. (pi. -dies) colloq. 1 father. 2 (usu. frivolously, d dally away waste or fritter (one's time,
foil, by of) the oldest or supreme example (a daddy of life, etc.).

a lie). Dal»ma»tian dalmayshpn' n. a dog of a large, white,

dad*dy long«legs n. an arachnid of the order short-haired breed with dark spots.
Opiliones, with long, thin, bent legs. Also called har- dam dam/ n.&tt»«.1a barrier constructed to hold
1

vestman. back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir or

da»do /daydo/ n. (pi. -dos) 1 the lower part of the wall
of a room when visually distinct from the upper part.
2 the plinth of a column. 3 the cube of a pedestal be-
tween the base and the cornice.
daf*fo*dil /dafadil/ n. 1 a a bulbous plant, Narcissus
pseudonarcissus, with a yellow trumpet-shaped crown.
b any of various other plants of the genus Narcissus.
C a flower of any of these plants. 2 a pale-yellow col-
or.
daMy /dafee/ adj. (daffier, daffiest) si.
fi»ly adv. daf*fi*ness n.
preventing flooding. 2 a barrier constructed in a
stream by a beaver. 3 anything functioning as a dam
does. 4 a causeway, •v.tr. (dammed, damming) 1 fur-
nish or confine with a dam. 2 (often foil, by up) block
up; obstruct.
dam 2 /dam/ n. the female parent of an animal, esp. a
four-footed one.
danvage /damij/ n.&v.mn. 1 harm or injury. 2 (in pi)
Law a sum of money claimed or awarded in compensa-
= daft, dd daf« tion for a loss or an injury. 3 the loss of what is desir-
able. 4 (prec. by the)
si cost (what's the damage?) • v. tr. .

daft /daft/ adj. colloq. 1 foolish; crazy. 2 (foil, by about) 1 inflict damage
on. 2 (esp. as damaging adj.) detract
fond of; infatuated with, dd dafMy adv. danVness n. from the reputation of (a most damaging admission).
dag*ger /dagar/ n. la short stabbing weapon with a dd dam*ag*ing*ly adv.
pointed and edged blade. 2 Printing = obelus, o look danvask /damask/ n., adj., &
v. »n. 1 a a figured wo-
daggers at glare angrily at. ven fabric (esp. silk or linen) with a pattern visible on
da*guerre*o*type /dageratip/ n. 1 a photograph taken both sides, b twilled table linen with woven designs
by an early photographic process employing an iodine- shown by the reflection of light. 2 a tablecloth made
damask rose ~ Dark Continent 196 dan»der 2 /dandar/ n. colloq. temper; indignation, d get
one's dander up become angry.
of this material, •adj. 1 made of or resembling dam- dan*di*fy /dandifiV v.tr. ('ties, »fied) cause to resemble
ask. 2 velvety pink or vivid red. •v.tr. weave with fig- a dandy.
ured designs. dan*dle /dand'l/ v.tr. 1 dance (a child) on one's knees

danvask rose n. an old sweet-scented variety of rose, or in one's arms. 2 pamper; pet.
with very soft velvety petals, used to make attar. dan*druff /dandruf/ n. 1 dead skin in small scales
dame /daym/ n. 1 (Dame) a (in the UK) honorific title among the hair. 2 the condition of having this.
given to a woman, b a woman holding this title. 2 si. dan*dy /dandee/ n. &
adj. • n. {pi. -dies) 1 a man un-

awoman. duly devoted to style, smartness, and fashion in dress

danvmit /damit/ int. damn it. and appearance. 2 colloq. an excellent thing, •adj.
damn /dam/ & adv.
•v.tr. 1 (often absol. or
v., n., adj., (dandier, dandiest) colloq. very good of its kind; splen-
as of anger or annoyance, = may God damn) curse
int. did, dd dan«dyish adj. darvdyism n.

(a person or thing). 2 doom to hell; cause the damna- Dane /dayn/ n. 1 a native or national of Denmark.2 hist.
tion of. 3 condemn; censure (a review damning the a Viking invader of England in the 9th- 1 1th c.
performance) A
a (often as damning adj.) (of a circum- dan*ger /daynjar/ n. 1 liability or exposure to harm. 2 a
stance, evidence, etc.) show or prove to be guilty, b be thing that causes or is likely to cause harm. 3 the sta-
the ruin of. •«. 1 an uttered curse. 2 si. a negligible tus of a railroad signal directing a halt or caution. in
amount {not worth a damn), •adj. &
adv. colloq. - danger of likely to incur or to suffer from.
damned, d damn with faint praise commend so unen- dan*ger*OUS /daynjaras/ adj. involving or causing dan-
thusiastically as to imply disapproval, dd damrving«ly ger, dd dan»ger»ous«ly adv. darvger«ous«ness n.
adv. dan*gle /danggal/ v. 1 intr. be loosely suspended, so as
dam*na*ble /damnabal/ adj. hateful; annoying, oo danv to be able to sway to and fro. 2 tr. hold or carry loose-
na*bly adv. ly suspended. 3 tr. hold out (a hope, temptation, etc.)
dam*na*tion /damnayshan/ n. &
int. •«. eternal pun- enticingly, dd dan*gler n.
ishment in hell. •int. expressing anger. Dan*ish /daynish/ adj. &
n. • adj. of Denmark or the
damned /damd/ adj. &
adv. colloq. *adj. damnable. Danes. • «. 1 the Danish language. 2 (prec. by the;
• adv. extremely {damned hot). do one's damnedest treated as pi.) theDanish people.
do one's utmost. Danish pas*try n. (also Danish) a cake of sweetened
&
damp /damp/ adj., n., v. •adj. slightly wet. •«. 1 dif- yeast pastry topped with icing, fruit, nuts, etc.
fused moisture in the air, on a surface, or in a solid. dank /dangk/ adj. disagreeably damp and cold, dd dank*
2 dejection; discouragement. 3= ly adv. dank*ness n.
firedamp,
•v.tr.
1 make damp; moisten. 2 by down) a take dap-per /dapsr/ adj. 1 neat and precise, esp. in dress or
(often foil,

the force out of {damp one's enthusiasm) b make spir- . movement. 2 sprightly, dd dap*per*ly adv. dap»per«
itless. C make (a fire) burn less strongly by reducing ness n.
the flow of air to it. 3 reduce or stop the vibration of dap«ple /dapal/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. mark with spots or
(esp. the strings of a musical instrument). 4 quiet. rounded patches of color or shade. 2 intr. become
damp off (of a plant) die from a fungus attack in marked in this way. n. 1 a dappled effect. 2 a dappled
damp conditions, dd damp«ly adv. damp*ness n. animal, esp. a horse.
damp*en /dampgn/ v. 1 v.tr. &
intr. make or become dap»ple gray n. 1 (of an animal's coat) gray or white
damp. 2 tr. make less forceful, dd damp»en»er n. with darker spots. 2 a horse of this color.
damp*er /dampar/ n. 1 a person or thing that discour- D.A.R abbr. Daughters of the American Revolution.
ages. 2 a device that reduces shock or noise. 3 a met- dare /dair/ v. &
n. •v.tr. {3rd sing, present usu. dare be-
al plate in a flue to control the draft. 4 Mus. a pad si- fore an expressed or implied infinitive without to) 1
lencing a piano string, a put a damper on take the (foil, by infin. with or without to) venture (to); have
enjoyment out of. the courage or impudence (to) {dare he do it?; if they
danvsel /damzal/ n. archaic or literary a young unmar- dare to come; how dare you?). 2 (usu. foil, by to + infin.)
ried woman. defy or challenge (a person) (/ dare you to own up). • n.
dam*sel*fly /damzalfli/ n. {pi. -flies) any of various 1 an act of daring. 2 a challenge, esp. to prove cour-
insects of the order Odonata, like a dragonfly but with age, d daresay 1 (often foil, by that + clause) it is
I

its wings folded over the body when resting. probable. 2 probably; I grant that much, dd dar-er n.
danvson /damzan, -ssn/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 (in full dam- dare»dev»il /dairdeval/ n. &
adj. •«. a recklessly daring
son plum) a a small, dark-purple, plumlike fruit, b the person, •adj. recklessly daring, dd dare«dev»il-ry n.
small deciduous tree, Prunus institia, bearing this. 2 a dare-devil»try n.
dark-purple color. »adj. damson-colored. dar*ing /dairing/ n. &
adj. •«. adventurous courage.
dance /dans/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. move rhythmically to • adj. adventurous; bold; prepared to take risks, dd dar«
music, alone or with a partner or in a set. 2 intr. skip ing»ly adv.
or jump about; move in a lively way. 3 tr. a perform (a dark /daark/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 with little or no light. 2 of
specified dance), b perform (a specified role) in a bal- a deep or somber color. 3 (of a person) with deep
let, etc. 4 intr. move up and down (on water, in the brown or black hair or skin. 4 gloomy; depressing; dis-
field of vision, etc.). 5 tr. move (esp. a child) up and mal {dark thoughts). 5 evil; sinister {dark deeds). 6 sul-
down. »n. 1 a a piece of dancing; a sequence of steps len; angry {a dark mood). 7 secret; mysterious (the dark
in dancing, b a special form of this. 2 a single round and distant past; keep it dark). 8 ignorant; unenlight-
or turn of a dance. 3 a social gathering for dancing. ened. »n. 1 absence of light. 2 nightfall (don't go out
4 a piece of music for dancing to or in a dance rhythm. after dark). 3 a lack of knowledge. 4 a dark area or col-
5 a dancing or lively motion, dd dance*a*ble adj. dano or, esp. in painting, a in the dark lacking information
er n. nn darkish adj. dark*ly adv. dark»ness n.
d. and and curettage.
C. abbr. dilatation Dark Ag*es n.pl. (also Dark Age) (prec. by tk§) 1 the
dan*de*li*on /dand'li'an/
n. a composite plant, period of European history preceding the Middle A«
Taraxacum officinale, with jagged leaves and a large, es, esp. the 5th- 10th c. 2 any period of supposed unen-
bright-yellow flower on a hollow stalk. lightenment.
dan«der' /dandar/ n. loose flakes of skin in a person's Dark Con»ti»nent (prec. by the) a name
;/. for Africa,
hair or an animal's fur. esp. when little known to Europeans.
dark*en /da'arkan/ v. 1 tr. make dark or darker. 2 intr.
become dark or darker, a never darken a person's door
keep away permanently.
dark horse n. a little-known person who is unexpect-
edly successful.
dark*room /da'arkroom, -room/ n. a room
graphic work, with normal light excluded.
daMing /da'arling/ n. &
adj. »n. 1 a beloved or lovable
person or thing. 2 a favorite. 3 colloq. a pretty or en-
dearing person or thing. • adj. 1 beloved; lovable. 2 fa-
vorite. 3 colloq. charming or pretty.
darn /daarn/ v.
1
&
n. mv.tr. 1 mend by interweaving
yarn across a hole with a needle. 2 embroider with a
large running stitch. *n. a darned area in material.
darn 2 /daarn/ v.tr., int., adj., & adv. colloq.
imprecatory senses).
darned /daarnd/ adj. &
adv. colloq. = damned.
dart /daart/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a small pointed missile used
as a weapon or in a game. 2 (in pi; usu. treated as
sing.) an indoor game in which light feathered darts
are thrown at a circular target to score points. 3 a sud-
den rapid movement. 4 Zool. a dartlike structure, such
as an insect's sting. 5 a tapering tuck stitched in a gar-
ment. »v. 1 intr. (often foil, by out, in, past, etc.) move
or go suddenly or rapidly (darted into the store). 2 tr.
throw (a missile). 3 tr. direct suddenly (a glance, etc.).
dart»board /da'artbawrd/ n. a circular board marked
with numbered segments, used as a target in darts.
Dar»win»i«an /daarwineean/ adj. &
n. madj. of or relat-
ing to Darwin's theory of the evolution of species by
the action of natural selection. •«. an adherent of this
theory, on Dar*win*ism /da'arwinizam/ n. Dar«win*ist n.
dash /dash/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. rush hastily or forceful-
ly (dashed up the stairs) 2 tr. strike or fling with great
. along the 1 80th meridian, to the east of which the date
force (dashed it to the ground) 3 tr. frustrate; daunt; dis-
. is a day earlier than it is to the west. 2 a line at the head
pirit (dashed their hopes). 4 tr. colloq. (esp. dash it or
dash it all) = damn v. 1. *n. 1 a rush or onset; a sud-
den advance (made a dash for shelter) 2 a horizontal . date rape n. sexual assault involving two people who
stroke in writing or printing to mark a pause or break
in sense or to represent omitted letters or words. 3 im-
petuous vigor or the capacity for this. 4 showy appear-
ance or behavior. 5 a sprinting race. 6 the longer sig-
nal of the two used in Morse code (cf. dot n. 3). 7 a
slight admixture, esp. of a liquid. 8 = dashboard.
dash*board /dashbawrd/ n. the surface below the wind-
shield inside a motor vehicle or aircraft, containing
instruments and controls.
da*shi*ki /daashe'ekee/ n. a loose, brightly colored shirt
worn orig. by men in Africa.
dash»ing /dashing/ adj. 1 spirited; lively.
dd dash*ing*ly adv.
das*tard*ly /dastardlee/ adj. cowardly; despicable.
DAT abbr. digital audiotape.
da*ta /dayta, data, da'a-/ n.pl. (also treated as sing.
though the singular form is strictly datum) 1 known
facts or things used as a basis for inference or reck-
oning. 2 quantities or characters operated on by a
computer, etc.
Data was originally the plural of the Latin word da-
tum, 'something (e.g., a piece of information) given.'
Data is now used as a singular where it means 'informa-
tion': Thisdata was prepared for the conference. It is used
as a plural in technical contexts and when the collec-
tion of bits of information is stressed: All recent data
on hurricanes are being compared.
da*ta*base /daytabays, data-/ n. a structured set of da-
ta held in a computer.
da*ta capture n. the action or process of entering da-
ta into a computer.
da*ta pro*cess*ing n. a series of operations
esp. by
computer, dd da«ta proc»es«sor n.
a daunMess /dawntlis/ adj. intrepid; persevering.
date /dayt/ n.&v.mn. 1 a day of the month, esp. spec-
1
ified by a number. 2 a particular day or year, esp. when
197 darken ~ dauntless
a given event occurred. 3 a statement (usu. giving the
day, month, and year) in a document or inscription,
etc.,of the time of composition or publication. 4 the
for photo- period to which a work of art, etc., belongs. 5 the time
when an event happens or is to happen. 6 colloq. a an
engagement or appointment, esp. with a person of the
opposite sex. b a person with whom one has a social
engagement. »v. 1 tr. mark with a date. 2 tr. a assign
a date to (an object, event, etc.). b (foil, by to) assign
to a particular time, period, etc. 3 intr. (often foil, by
from, back to, etc.) have its origins at a particular time.
4 intr. become evidently out of date (a design that does
= DAMN (in not date) 5 tr. indicate or expose as being out of date
.
(that hat really dates you) 6 colloq. a tr. make an ar-
.
rangement with (a person) to meet socially, b intr.
meet socially by agreement. to date until now.
date Middle English: via Old French from medieval
Latin data, feminine past participle of dare 'give'; from
the Latin formula used in dating letters, data (episto-
la) '(letter) given or delivered,' to record a particular
time or place.
date 2 /dayt/ n. 1 a dark, oval, single-stoned fruit. 2 (in
full date palm) the tall tree Phoenix dactylifera, native
to W. Asia and N. Africa, bearing this fruit.
dat*ed /daytid/ adj. 1 showing or having a date (a dated
letter). 2 old-fashioned; out-of-date.
date«less adj. 1 having no date. 2 of immemorial age.
3 not likely to become out of date.
date«line daytlin/ n. 1 (also date line; in full interna-
tional date line) the line from north to south partly
of a dispatch or special article in a newspaper show-
ing the date and place of writing.
have met socially.
da»tive /daytiv/ n. &
adj. Gram. • n. the case of nouns
and pronouns (and words in grammatical agreement
with them) indicating an indirect object or recipient.
• adj. of or in the dative. dd da»ti«val daytival adj. da«
tive»ly adv.
da*tum /daytam, datam, da'atam n. (pi. data: see da-
ta) . 1 a piece of information. 2 a thing known or grant-
ed; an assumption or premise from which inferences
may be drawn. 3 a fixed starting point of a scale, etc.
daub /dawb/ v. & n. •v.tr. 1 spread (paint, plaster, or
2 stylish. some other thick substance) crudely or roughly. 2 coat
or smear (a surface) with paint, etc. 3 a (also absol.)
paint crudely or unskillfully. b lay (colors) on crude-
ly and clumsily. • n. 1 paint or other substance daubed
, al- on a surface. 2 plaster, clay, etc., for coating a surface,
esp. mixed with straw and applied to laths or wattles
to form a wall. 3 a crude painting.
daughter /dawtar/ n. 1 a girl or woman in relation to
either or both of her parents. 2 a female descendant.
3 (foil, by of) a female member of a family, nation, etc.
4 (foil, by of) a woman who is regarded as the spirit-
ual descendant of, or as spiritually attached to, a per-
son or thing. 5 a product or attribute personified as a
daughter in relation to its source. 6 Physics a nuclide
formed by the radioactive decay of another. 7 Biol, a
cell, etc., formed by the division, etc., of another.
dd daugh*ter*ly adj.
dauglvter-in-law n. (pi. daughters-in-law) the wife of
one's son.
daunt /dawnt/ v.tr. discourage; intimidate, do daunt*
on data, ing adj. daunt*ing*ly adv.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

dauphin ~ deadhead 198 light, no daz*zle*ment n. daz*zler n. daz*zling adj. daz*

zling*ly adv.
dau»phin /dawfin, dofaN/ n. hist, the eldest son of the dB abbr. decibel (s).
king of France. DC abbr. 1 (also d.c.) direct current. 2 District of
davervport /davnnpawrt/ n. a large, heavily uphol- Columbia.
stered sofa. DD doctor of divinity.
abbr.
da*vit /davit, dayvit/ n. a small crane on board a ship, D day /deeday/ n.(also D Day) 1 the day Qune 6, 1944)
esp. one of a pair for suspending or lowering a lifeboat. on which Allied forces invaded N. France. 2 the day
Da*vy Jones /jonz/ n. si. 1 (in full Davy Jones's lock- on which an important operation is to begin or a
er) the bottom of the sea, esp. regarded as the grave change to take effect.
of those drowned at sea. 2 the evil spirit of the sea. DDT abbr. dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, a colorless
daw*dle /dawd'l/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. a walk slowly and chlorinated hydrocarbon used as an insecticide.
idly, b delay; waste time. 2 tr. (foil, by away) waste de- /dee, di/ prefix 1 forming verbs and their derivatives:
(time), mn. an act or instance of dawdling. a down; away (descend) b completely (declare; denude)
.

dawn /dawn/ n. &

v. • n. 1 daybreak. 2 the beginning
of something. • v. intr. 1 (of a day) begin; grow light.
2 begin to appear or develop. 3 (often foil, by on, up-
on) begin to become evident or understood (by a per-
son). dawn«ing n.
day /day/ n. 1 the time between sunrise and sunset. 2 a
period of 24 hours as a unit of time. 3 daylight {clear
as day). 4 the time in a day during which work is nor-
mally done (an eight-hour day). 5 a (also pi.) a period
of the past or present (the modern day; the old days) b dea*con«ess /deekanes, deekanis/ n. a woman in the
2 added to verbs and their derivatives to form verbs
and nouns implying removal or reversal (decentralize;
de-ice)
n. dea*COn /deekan/
v. • n. 1 (in Episcopal church- &
es) a minister of the third order, below bishop and
priest. 2 (in various, esp. Protestant, churches) a lay
officer attending to a congregation's secular affairs.
3 (in the early Christian church) an appointed min-
ister of charity, mv.tr. appoint or ordain as a deacon.
.

(prec. by the) the present time (the issues of the day). early Christian church and in some modern church-
6 the lifetime of a person or thing, esp. regarded as es with functions analogous to a deacon's.
useful or productive (have had my day; in my day things de«ac»ti«vate /deeaktivayt/ v. tr. make inactive or less re-
were different). 7 a point of time (will do it one day). active, dd de*ac*ti*va*tion /-vayshan/ n.
8 a the date of a specific festival, b a day associated dead /ded/ adj., adv., &
n. • adj. 1 no longer alive. 2 col-
with a particular event or purpose (graduation day; pay- loq. extremely tired or unwell. 3 numb (my fingers are

day; Christmas Day) 9 a particular date; a date agreed

. dead). 4 (foil, by to) insensitive to. 5 no longer effec-
on. 10 a day's endeavor, or the period of an endeavor, tive or in use; extinct. 6 (of a match, of coal, etc.) no
esp. as bringing success (win the day), a all in a day's longer burning; extinguished. 7 inanimate. 8 a lacking
work part of normal routine, at the end of the day in force or vigor, b (of sound) not resonant. C (of spar-
the final reckoning, when all is said and done, call It a kling wine, etc.) no longer effervescent. 9 a quiet; lack-
day end a period of activity, esp. resting content that ing activity (the dead season), b motionless; idle.
enough has been done, day after day without respite. 10 a (of a microphone, telephone, etc.) not transmit-
day and night all the time, day by day gradually, day ting any sound, b (of a circuit, conductor, etc.) car-
in, day out routinely; constantly, from day one colloq. rying or transmitting no current (a dead battery) 1 1 (of .

originally, not one's day a day of successive misfor- the ball in a game) out of play. 1 2 abrupt; complete
tunes for a person, one of these days before very long. (come to a dead stop; in dead silence) 1 3 without spirit- .

one of those days a day when things go badly, that will ual life. madv. 1 absolutely; exactly; completely (dead
be the day colloq. that will never happen, this day and on target; dead level) 2 colloq. very; extremely (dead .

age the present time or period. easy) • n. (prec. by the) 1 (treated as pi. ) those who
.

day-break /daybrayk/ n. the first appearance of light in have died. 2 a time of silence or inactivity (the dead of
the morning. night), a dead as a doornail see doornail, dead from
day care n. the supervision of young children, the eld- the neck up colloq. stupid, dead in the water unable to
erly, etc., during the day. move or to function, dead to the world colloq. fast
daydream /daydreem/ n. &
v. mn. a pleasant fantasy asleep; unconscious, dead weight see deadweight.
or reverie, •v.intr. indulge in this. wouldn't be seen dead in (or with, etc.) colloq. shall
Day-Glo /dayglo/ n. &
adj. mn. Trademark a brand of have nothing to do with; shall refuse to wear, etc.
fluorescent paint or other coloring. • adj. colored with dd dead*ness //.
or like this. dead-beat /dedbeet/ «. 1 colloq. a penniless person. 2.s7.
daylight /daylit/ n. 1 the light of day. 2 dawn (before a person constantly in debt.
daylight). 3 a openness; publicity, b open knowledge. dead*bolt /dedbolt/ n. a bolt engaged by turning a knob
4 a visible gap or interval. 5 (usu. in pi.) si. one's life or key, rather than by spring action.
or consciousness (beat the living daylights out of them). dead duck n. si. 1 an unsuccessful or useless person or
d see daylight begin to understand what was previ- thing. 2 a person who is beyond help; one who is

ously obscure. doomed.

daylight saving time n. the achieving of longer eve- dead*en /ded'n/ v. 1 tr. & intr. deprive oi or lose vital-
ning daylight, esp. in summer, by setting the time an ity, force, brightness, sound, feeling, etc. 2 tr. (foil, by
hour ahead of the standard time. make insensitive.
to)
daytime /daytim/ n. the part of the day when there is dead end n. la closed end of a road, passage, etc. 2
natural light. (often (with hyphen) attrib.) a situation offering no
day-to-day adj. mundane; routine. prospects of progress.
day-trip n. a trip or excursion completed in one day. dead»eye/dedi/w. 1 Naut. a circular wooden block with
daze /dayz/ v. & n. • v. tr. stupefy; bewilder. • n. a state a groove around the circumference to take a Itnytrd,
of confusion or bewilderment (in a daze), nn daz*ed* used singly or in pairs to tighten a shroud. 2 eoUoQ in
ly /-zidlee/ adv. expert marksman.
daz»zle /dazal/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. blind temporarily or dead*head /dedhed/ (Deadhead) a tan
n. Of v. • //. 1
confuse the sight of by an excess of light. 2 tr. impress and follower of the rock group Theirateful Dead. 2 a (

or overpower (a person) with knowledge, ability, or boring or unenterprising person. 3 a pillfngCI (N

any brilliant display or prospect. mn. bright confusing member of an audience who has made use of free ;i
 .

ticket, mv. 1 intr. (of acommercial driver, etc.) com- 199 dead heat ~ debate
plete a trip in an empty vehicle with no passengers or
freight. 2 tr. remove faded flower heads from (a plant). er dealing at cards. 3 a person who sells illegal drugs.
dead heat n. 1a race in which two or more competi- dd deal«er»ship n. (in sense 1).
tors finish in a 2 the result of such a race.
tie. dealings /deelingz/ n.pl. contacts or transactions.
dead leWer n. 1law or practice no longer observed
a d have dealings with associate with.
or recognized. 2 a letter that is undeliverable and un- dealt past and past part, of deal 1 .

returnable, esp. one with an incorrect address. dean /deen/ n. 1 a a college or university official with
deadline /dedlin/ n. a time limit for the completion of disciplinary and advisory functions, b the head of a
an activity, etc. university faculty or department or of a medical
deadlock /dedlok/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a situation, esp. one school. 2 the head of the chapter of a cathedral or colle-
involving opposing parties, in which no progress can giate church. 3 = doyen.
be made. 2 a type of lock requiring a key to open or dear /deer/ adj., n., adv., & int. *adj. 1 a beloved or

close it. mv.tr. &

intr. bring or come to a standstill. much esteemed, b as a merely polite or ironic form
dead'ly /dedlee/ adj. &
adv. *adj. (deadlier, deadliest) {my dear man). 2 used as a formula of address, esp. at
1 a causing or able to cause fatal injury or serious dam- the beginning of letters {Dear Sir). 3 (often foil, by to)
age, b poisonous. 2 intense; extreme {deadly dullness). precious; much cherished. 4 (usu. in superl.) earnest
3 (of an aim, etc.) extremely accurate or effective. {my dearest wish). 5 a high-priced relative to its value.
4 deathlike {deadly faintness). 5 colloq. dreary; dull. b having high prices. C (of money) available as a loan
• adv. 1 like death; as if dead {deadly faint) 2 extreme-
. only at a high rate of interest. • n. (esp. as a form of
ly; intensely {deadly serious), dd dead*li*ness n. address) dear person, madv. at great cost {buy cheap
dead»ly nightshade n. a poisonous plant, Atropa bel- and sell dear), mint, expressing surprise, dismay, pity,
ladonna, with drooping purple flowers and black cher- etc. {dear me!; oh dear!), dd dear*ly adv. (esp. in sense
rylike fruit. Also called belladonna. 3 of adj.).
dead«ly sin n. a damning sin, esp. pride, covetousness, dearth /dgrth/ n. scarcity or lack.
lust, gluttony, envy, anger, and sloth. death /deth/ n. 1 the ending of life. 2 the event that ter-
dead-on adj. exactly right. minates life. 3 a the fact or process of being killed or
dead*pan /dedpan/ adj. &
adv. with a face or manner killing {stone to death), b the fact or state of being dead.
totally lacking expression or emotion. 4 the destruction or permanent cessation of something
dead reck»on»ing n. Nam. calculation of a ship's posi- {the death of our hopes). 5 (usu. Death) a personifica-
tion from the log, compass, etc., when observations tion of death, d at death's door close to death, be the
are impossible. death of be lethal or very harmful to. catch one's death
dead sol»diers n.pl. colloq. bottles (esp. of beer, liquor, colloq. catch a serious chill, etc. do to death 1 kill.
etc.) after the contents have been drunk. 2 overdo, fate worse than death colloq. a disastrous
deadweight /dedwayt/«. (also dead weight) 1 a an in- misfortune or experience, like death warmed over si.
ert mass, b a heavy burden. 2 a debt not covered by very tired or ill. to death to the utmost; extremely {bored
assets. 3 the total weight carried on a ship. to death), dd deathless adj. death-like adj.
dead»wood /dedwood/ n. 1 dead trees or branches. death»bed /dethbed/ n. a bed as the place where a per-
2 colloq. one or more useless people or things. son is dying or has died.
deaf /def/ adj. 1 wholly or partly without hearing {deaf death*blow /dethblo/ n. la blow or other action that
in one ear). 2 (foil, by to) refusing to listen or comply. causes death. 2 an event or circumstance that abrupt-
3 insensitive to harmony, rhythm, etc. {tone-deaf). ly ends an activity, enterprise, etc.
a deaf as a post completely deaf, fall on deaf ears be death cap (or cup) n. a poisonous mushroom, Ama-
ignored, turn a deaf ear (usu. foil, by to) be unrespon- nita phalloides.
sive, dd deaf*ness n. death»ly /dethlee/ adj. & adv. madj. (deathlier, deadli-
deaf*en /defan/ v.tr. 1 (often as deafening adj.) over- est) suggestive of death {deathly silence). »adv. in a
power with sound. 2 deprive of hearing by noise, esp. deathly way {deathly pale)
temporarily, an deaf«en*ing*ly adv. death mask n. a cast taken of a dead person's face.
deaf-mute n. a deaf and dumb person. death row n. a prison block or section for prisoners
deal /deel/ v. & n. »v. {past and past part, dealt /delt/) sentenced to death.
1 intr. a (foil, by with) take measures concerning (a death trap n. colloq. a dangerous building, vehicle, etc.
problem, person, etc.), esp. in order to put something death wish n. Psychol, a desire (usu. unconscious) for
right, b (foil, by with) do business with; associate with. the death of oneself or another.
C (foil, by with) discuss or treat (a subject), d (often deb /deb/ n. colloq. a debutante.
foil, by by) behave in a specified way toward a person de«ba*cle /dayba'akal, -bakel, do-/ n. (also debacle)
{dealt honorably by them). 2 intr. (foil, by in) to sell or 1 a an utter defeat or failure, b a sudden collapse or

be concerned with commercially {deals in insurance). downfall. 2 a confused rush or rout.

3 tr. (often foil, by out) distribute or apportion to sev- de»bar /deeba'ar/ v.tr. (debarred, debarring) (foil, by
eral people, etc. 4 tr. (also absol.) distribute (cards) to from) exclude from admission or from a right; prohib-
players. 5 tr. cause to be received; administer {deal a it from an action {was debarred from entering).

heavy blow) 6 tr. assign as a share or deserts to a per- de^bark /dibaark/ v.tr.
.
1
& intr. land from a ship.

son {life dealt them much happiness). 7 tr. (foil, by in) de»bark 2 /de'eba'ark/ v.tr. remove the bark from (a tree).
colloq. include (a person) in an activity {you can deal de«base /dibays/ v. tr. 1 lower in quality, value, or char-
me in).* n. 1 (usu. a good or great deal) colloq. a a large acter. 2 depreciate (coin) by alloying, etc. dd de«base«
amount {a good deal of trouble) b to a considerable ex- ment n.
.

tent (is a great deal better). 2 colloq. a business arrange- de«bat*a*ble /dibaytabal/ adj. 1 questionable; subject
ment; a transaction. 3 a specified form of treatment to dispute. 2 capable of being debated, dd de*bat*a*bly
{gave them a bad deal; got a fair deal) 4 a the distribu-
. adv.
tion of cards by dealing, b a player's turn to do this de»bate /dibayt/ v.&n.*v."\ tr. (also absol.) discuss or
{it's my deal).C the round of play following this, d a set dispute about (an issue, proposal, etc.) esp. formally.
of hands dealt to players. 2 a tr. consider; ponder (a matter), b intr. consider dif-
deader /de'elar/ n. 1 a person or business dealing in (esp.
retail) goods {contact your dealer; car dealer). 2 the play- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

debauch ~ decency 200 dec*a*gon /dekagsn/ n. a plane figure with ten sides
and angles.
ferent sides of a question. • n. 1 a formal discussion on dec»a»he«dron /dekaheedran/ n. a solid figure with ten
a particular matter. 2 debating; discussion {open to de- faces.
bate), dd de»bat»er n. de*cal /deekal/ n. - decalcomania 2.
de*bauch /dibawch/ v. & corrupt morally.
n. mv.tr. 1 de»cal»ci»fy /deekalsifiV v.tr. (-ties, -tied) remove lime
2 make intemperate or sensually indulgent. 3 deprave or calcareous matter from (a bone, tooth, etc.). dd de»
or debase (taste or judgment). 4 (as debauched adj.) cal*ci*fi*ca*tion /-fikayshan/ n.
dissolute. 5 seduce (a woman). •«. 1 a bout of sensu- de»cal»co»ma»ni»a/deekalk3maynee3/ n. 1 a process of
al indulgence. 2 debauchery. transferring designs from specially prepared paper to
deb»au«chee /dibawchee, -she'e, deb-/ n. a person the surface of glass, porcelain, etc. 2 a picture or de-
addicted to excessive sensual indulgence. sign made by this process.
de»bauch»er«y /dibawcharee/ n. excessive sensual dec»a»li»ter /dekaleetar/ n. a metric unit of capacity,
indulgence. equal to 10 liters.

de«bervture /dibenchsr/ n. (in full debenture bond) a Dec*a*logue /dekslawg, -log/ n. the Ten Command-
fixed-interest bond of a company, backed by general ments.
credit rather than specified assets. dec«a»me»ter /dekameetar/ n. a metric unit of length,
de«bil*i*tate /dibilitayt/ v.tr. enfeeble; enervate, dd de» equal to 10 meters.
bil*i*ta*tion /-tayshsn/ n. de*camp /dikamp/ v.intr. 1 break up or leave a camp.
de*bil*i*ty /dibilitee/ n. feebleness, esp. of health. 2 depart suddenly; abscond.
deb*it /debit/ n. & v. mti. A an entry in an account de«cant /dikant/ v. tr. 1 gradually pour off (liquid) from
recording a sum owed. 2 the sum recorded. 3 the to- one container to another, esp. without disturbing the
tal of such sums. 4 the debit side of an account, mv.tn sediment. 2 move as if by pouring.
(debited, debiting) 1 (foil, by against, to) enter (an de»cant»er /dikantar/ n. a stoppered glass container in-
amount) on the debit side of an account (debited $500 to which wine or brandy, etc., is decanted.
against me). 2 (foil, by with) enter (a person) on the de«cap*i*tate /dikapitayt/ v. tr. 1 behead. 2 cut the head
debit side of an account (debited me with $500) or end from, dd de*cap*i*ta*tion /-tayshsn/ n.
deb»it card n. a card issued by a bank allowing the hold- dec*a*pod /dekapod/ n. 1 any crustacean of the chief-
er to transfer deposited funds electronically, as to make ly marine order Decapoda, characterized by five pairs
a purchase. of walking legs, e.g., shrimps, crabs, and lobsters. 2 any
deb»o»nair /debonair/ adj. 1 carefree; cheerful; self-as- of various mollusks of the class Cephalopoda, having
sured. 2 having pleasant manners. ten tentacles, e.g., squids and cuttlefish.
de*bouch /dibowch, -boosh/ v. intr. 1 (of troops or a dec»a»syl»la»ble /dekasibbal/ n. a metrical line of ten
stream) issue from a ravine, wood, etc., into open syllables, dd dec*a*syl*lab*ic /-silabik/ adj. n. &
ground. 2 (often foil, by into) (of a river, road, etc.) de*cath*lon /dikathbn, -Ion/ n. an athletic contest in
merge into a larger body or area. which each competitor takes part in ten events, dd de«
de*brief /deebre'ef/ v.tr. colloq. interrogate (a person) catrHete Meet/ n.
about a completed mission or undertaking, dd de» de*cay /dikay/ v. &
n. • v. 1 a intr. rot; decompose, b tr.
brief*ing n. cause to rot or decompose. 2 intr. tr. &
decline or
de*bris /dsbre'e, day-, debree/ n. scattered fragments, cause to decline in quality, power, wealth, energy,
esp. of something wrecked or destroyed. beauty, etc. 3 intr. Physics a (usu. foil, by to) (of a sub-
debt /det/ n. 1 something that is owed, esp. money. 2 a stance, etc.) undergo change by radioactivity, b un-
state of obligation to pay something owed (in debt) dergo a gradual decrease in magnitude of a physical
d in a person's debt under an obligation to a person. quantity, n. 1 a rotten state; a process of wasting away.
debt«or /detar/ n. a person who owes a debt, esp. mon- 2 decline in health, quality, etc. 3 Physics a change in-
ey. to another substance, etc. by radioactivity, b a de-
de*bug /deebug/ v.tr. (debugged, debugging) 1 colloq. crease in the magnitude of a physical quantity, esp.
remove concealed listening devices from (a room, the intensity of radiation or amplitude of oscillation.
etc.). 2 colloq. identify and remove defects from (a ma- 4 decayed tissue.
chine, computer program, etc.). 3 remove bugs from. de»cease /disees/ n. &
v. formal esp. Law •«. death.

de*bunk /deebungk/ v.tr. colloq. 1 show the good repu- • v.intr. die.
tation of (a person, group, etc.) to be spurious. 2 ex- de-ceased /diseest/ adj. &
n. formal *adj. dead. »n.
pose the falseness of (a claim, etc.). dd de*bunk*er n. (usu. prec. by the) a person who has died, esp. recent-
de«but /daybyoo, daybyoo/ n. (also debut) 1 the first ly.

public appearance of a performer on stage, etc., or the de*ce*dent /diseed'nt/ n. Law a deceased person.
opening performance of a show, etc. 2 the first appear- de«ceit /dise'et/ n. 1 the act or process of deceiving or
ance of a debutante in society. misleading, esp. by concealing the truth. 2 a dishon-
deb*u*tante /debyotaant, daybyoo-/ n. a (usu. wealthy) est trick or stratagem. 3 willingness to deceive.
young woman making her social debut. de»ceit»f ul /dise'etfool/ adj. 1 (of a person) using deceit.
Dec. abbr. December. 2 (of an act, practice, etc.) intended to deceive, in de» i

deca- /deks/ comb, form (also dec- before a vowel) 1 hav-
ing ten. 2 tenfold. 3 ten (decagram; decaliter).
dec*ade /dekayd/ n. 1 a period often years. 2 a set, se-
ries, or group of ten.
ceiMuMy adv. de»ceit»ful»ness //.
de»ceive /dise'ev/ v. 1 tr. make (a person) believe whai
is false; mislead purposely. 2 tr. he unfaithful tOj esp.
sexually. 3 intr. use deceit. be deceived be mistaken
1 1

dec*a*dence /deksd'ns/ n. 1 moral or cultural deteri- or deluded, deceive oneself persist in a mistaken be
oration. 2 decadent behavior; a state of decadence. lief, dd de»ceiver //.
dec*a*dent /dekadant/ adj. &
n. %adj. 1 a in a state of de»cel«er»ate/deesebrayt/?>. 1 intr. isrtr. begin "i in I I

moral or cultural deterioration; showing or character- to begin to reduce speed. 2 tr. make slower, n de«cel» i i

ized by decadence, b of a period of decadence. 2 self- ervTtion / rayshon/ >/.

indulgent. • n. a decadent person, dd dec*a*dent*ly adv. De»cem«ber/disembr»r/;/. the twelfth month ol the year,
de»caf»fein»ate /deekafinayt/ v.tr. 1 remove the caffeine de*cen»cy /deessnsee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 correct and taste
from. 2 reduce the quantity of caffeine in (usu. cof- fill standards ol behavior as generally B< cepted. 2cOfl
fee). formity with current standards of behavior or propri-
 .

ety.3 avoidance of obscenity. 4 (in pi. ) the require- 201 decennial ~ declension
ments of correct behavior.
de«cen»ni»al/disenee9l/a<i/. 1 lasting ten years. 2 recur- de*ci*sion /disizhsn/ n. 1 the act or process of decid-
ring every ten years. ing. 2 a conclusion or resolution reached after consid-
descent /dees ant/ adj. 1 a conforming with current eration (have made my decision). 3 (often foil, by of)
standards of behavior or propriety, b avoiding obscen- a the settlement of a question, b a formal judgment.
ity. 2 respectable. 3 acceptable; good enough. 4 kind; 4 resoluteness.
obliging; generous (was decent enough to apologize). de*ci*sive /disisiv/ adj. 1 that decides an issue; conclu-
nn de»cent»ly adv. sive. 2 able to decide quickly and effectively, nn de«ci«
de*cen»tral»ize /deesentrsliz/ v.tr. 1 transfer (powers, sive*ly adv. de»ci»sive«ness n.
etc.) from a central to a local authority. 2 reorganize deck /dek/ n. &
v. *n. 1 a a platform in a ship covering

on the basis of greater local autonomy, an de*cen*tral* all or part of the hull's area at any level and serving as

ist /-list/ n. &

adj. de»cen«traM»za»tion n. a floor, b the accommodation on a particular deck of
de*cep*tion /disepshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of a ship. 2 the floor or compartment of a bus. 3 a com-
deceiving; the process of being deceived. 2 a thing that ponent, usu. a flat horizontal surface, that carries a
deceives. particular recording medium (such as a disk or tape)
de*cep*tive /diseptiv/ adj. apt to deceive; easily mistak- in sound-reproduction equipment. 4 a a pack of cards.
en for something else or as having a different quality. b si. a packet of narcotics. 5 si. the ground. 6 a any
nn de«cep»tive«ly adv. floor or platform, esp. the floor of a pier or a platform
deci- /desee/ comb, form one-tenth (deciliter, decimeter). for sunbathing, b a platformlike structure, usu. made
deoi»bel /desibel/ n. a unit (one-tenth of a bel) used in of lumber and unroofed, attached to a house, etc. • v. tr.
the comparison of two power levels relating to elec- 1 (often foil, by out) decorate; adorn. 2 furnish with
trical signals or sound intensities. J Abbr.: dB. or cover as a deck. 3 5/. knock someone to the ground
de«cide /disid/ v. 1 a intr. (often foil, by on, about) come with a punch, n below deck (or decks) in or into the
to a resolution as a result of consideration, b tr. (usu. space below the main deck, on deck 1 in the open air
foil, by to + infin., or that + clause) have or reach as on a ship's main deck. 2 ready for action, work, etc.
one's resolution about something (decided to stay; de- deck chair n. a folding chair of wood and canvas, of a
cided that we should leave) 2 tr. resolve or settle (a ques-
. kind used on deck on passenger ships.
tion, dispute, etc.). 3 intr. (usu. foil, by between, for, -decker /dekar/ comb, form having a specified number
against, in favor of, or that + clause) give a judgment. of decks or layers (double-decker)
de*cid*ed /disidid/ adj. 1 (usu. attrib. ) definite; unques- deck«hand /dekhand/ n. a person employed in clean-
tionable (a decided difference) 2 having clear opinions,
. ing and odd jobs on a ship's deck.
resolute, not vacillating, nn de*cid*ed*ly adv. de*claim /diklaym/ v. 1 intr. &
tr. speak or utter rhetor-

de«cid*u*OUS shedding its

/disijooas/ adj. 1 (of a tree) ically or affectedly. 2 intr. practice oratory or recita-
leaves annually. 2 (of leaves, horns, teeth, etc.) shed tion. 3 intr. (foil, by against) protest forcefully. 4 intr.
periodically. deliver an impassioned (rather than reasoned) speech.
dec*i*gram /desigram/ n. a metric unit of mass, equal nn dec*la*ma*tion /dektamayshan/ n. de*clanva«to«ry
to 0.1 gram. /diklamatawree/ adj.
deoMi»ter /desileetar/ n. a metric unit of capacity, equal dec*la*ra*tion /deklarayshan/ n. 1 the act or process of
to 0.1 liter. declaring. 2 a a formal, emphatic, or deliberate state-
deoi»mal /desimal/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 (of a system of ment or announcement, b a statement asserting or
numbers, weights, measures, etc.) based on the num- protecting a legal right. 3 a written public announce-
ber ten, in which the smaller units are related to the ment of intentions, terms of an agreement, etc.
principal units as powers often (units, tens, hundreds, de*clar*a*tive /diklarstiv/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 a of the na-
thousands, etc.). 2 of tenths or ten; reckoning or pro- ture of, or making, a declaration, b Gram, (of a sen-
ceeding by tens. • n. a decimal fraction. tence) that takes the form of a simple statement.
dec*i*mal*ize /desimaliz/ v.tr. 1 express as a decimal. 2 Computing designating high-level programming lan-
2 convert to a decimal system, nn dec*i*mal*i*za*tion guages which can be used to solve problems without
n. requiring the programmer to specify an exact proce-
dec*i*mal point n. a period or dot placed before a nu- dure to be followed. »n. 1a declaratory statement or
merator in a decimal fraction. act. 2 Gram, a declarative sentence, nn de*clar*a*tive*
dec»i # mate /desimayt/ v.tr. 1 disp. destroy a large pro- ly adv.
portion of. 2 orig. Mil. kill or remove one in every ten de»clare /diklair/ v. 1 announce openly or formally
tr.

of. nn dec*i«ma*tion /-mayshan/ n. (declare war; declare a dividend). 2 tr. pronounce (a per-
The usual sense of decimate is now 'destroy a large son or thing) to be something (declared him to be an
proportion of: the project would decimate the fragile wet- impostor; declared it invalid). 3 tr. (usu. foil, by that +
land wilderness. The original and literal sense is kill or ' clause) assert emphatically. 4 tr. acknowledge posses-
remove one in ten of.' In any case, do not use deci- sion of (dutiable goods, income, etc.). 5 tr. (as declared
mate to mean 'defeat utterly' adj. ) who admits to be such (a declared atheist), n de-
clare oneself reveal one's intentions or identity, well,
decimate late Middle English: from Latin decimat-
I declare (or do declare) an exclamation of incredu-
I
'taken as a tenth,' from the verb decimare, from decimus
lity, surprise, or vexation, nn de*clar*a*to*ry
'tenth.' In Middle English the term decimation denoted
/-klaratawree/ adj. de*clar«er n.
the levying of a tithe, and later it denoted the tax im-
de*clas*se /dayklasay/ adj. (Jem. declassee that has
posed by Cromwell on the Royalists (1655). The verb
fallen in social status.
decimate originally alluded to the Roman punishment
de«clas»si»fy /deeklasifi/ v.tr. (-ties, -tied) declare
of executing one man in ten of a mutinous legion.
(information, etc.) to be no longer secret, nn de*clas*
dec»i»me«ter /desimeetar/ n. a metric unit of length, si*fi«ca*tion /-fikayshan/ n.
equal to 0.1 meter. de«clen*sion /diklenshan/ n. 1 Gram, a the variation of
de*ci*pher /disifar/ v.tr. 1 convert (a text written in ci- the form of a noun, pronoun, or adjective, by which
pher) into an intelligible script or language. 2 deter- its grammatical case, number, and gender are identi-
mine the meaning of (anything obscure or unclear).
nn de«ci*pher*a*ble adj. de«ci«pher*ment n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
declination ~ dedicate 202 nnde»con»structzur. de*con*struc*tion«ism n. de»con»
struc*tion*ist adj. &
n. de«con«struotive adj.

fied. b the which a noun, etc., is put accord-

class in de»Con»tam»i»nate /de'eksntaminayt/ v.tr. remove con-
ing to the exact form of this variation. 2 deterioration; tamination from, dd de»con»tam»i»na»tion /-nayshsn/
declining, nn de«clen»sion«al adj. n.

deoli»na»tion /deklinayshan/ n. 1 a downward bend or de*con*trol /de'eksntrol/ v. &

n. mv.tr. (decontrolled,

turn. 2 Astron. the angular distance of a star, etc., north
or south of the celestial equator. 3 Physics the angular
deviation of a compass needle from true north. 4 a for-
mal refusal, on dec»li»na»tion»al adj.
de*cline /diklin/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. deteriorate; lose
strength or vigor; decrease. 2 a tr. reply with formal
courtesy that one will not accept (an invitation, etc.).
b tr. refuse, esp. formally and courteously (declined do-
ing anything). C tr. turn away from (a challenge, bat-
tle, discussion, etc.) d intr. give or send a refusal. 3 intr.
. award or distinction on.
slope downward. 4 intr. bend down; droop. 5 tr. Gram.
state the forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective) cor-
responding to cases, number, and gender. 6 intr. (of a
day, life, etc.) draw to a close. 7 intr. decrease in price,
etc. 8 tr. bend down. •«. 1 gradual loss of vigor or ex-
cellence (on the decline). 2 decay; deterioration. 3 set-
ting; the last part of the course (of the sun, of life, etc.).
4 a fall in price. on the decline in a declining state.
dd de*clin*a*ble adj. de»clin»er n.
de«clivi»ty /diklivitee/ n. (pi. -ties) a downward
dd de«cliv»i»tous adj.
de*COCt /dikokt/ v.tr. extract the essence from by de-
coction.
de«COC*tion /dikokshan/ n. 1 the liquor resulting from
concentrating the essence of a substance by heating or
boiling, esp. a medicinal preparation made from a
plant. 2 the action or process of extracting the essence
of something.
de»COde /deekod/ v. tr. convert (a coded message) into
intelligible language. de»cod»a«ble adj.
de«COd*er /deekodar/ n. 1a person or thing that
decontrolling) release (a commodity, etc.) from con-
trols or restrictions, esp. those imposed by the gov-
ernment. • n. the act of decontrolling.
de»COr /daykawr, daykawr/ n. (also decor) 1 the fur-
nishing and decoration of a room, etc. 2 the decora-
tion and scenery of a stage.
dec«o«rate /dekarayt/ v.tr. 1 provide with adornments.
2 provide (a room or building) with new paint, wall-
paper, etc. 3 serve as an adornment to. 4 confer an
dec*o*ra*tion /dekarayshan/ n. 1 the process or art of
decorating. 2 a thing that decorates or serves as an or-
nament. 3 a medal, etc., conferred as an honor. 4 (in
put up on an occasion of public cele-
pi.) flags, etc.,
bration.
Dec*o*ra*tion Day n. = Memorial Day.
dec«0«ra«tive /deksrstiv, dekra-, -aray-/ adj. serving to
decorate, dd dec«o»ra«tive«ly adv. dec*o*ra*tive*ness n.
dec*o*ra*tor /dekaraytar/ n. a person who decorates,
slope. esp. one who paints or papers houses professionally.
de*CO*rum /dikawram/ n. 1 a seemliness; propriety.
b behavior required by politeness or decency. 2 a par-
ticular requirement of this kind. 3 etiquette, dd dec*
otous /dekaras/ adj. dec«o»rous«ly adv.
de*cou*page /daykoopaazh/ n. (also decoupage) the
decoration of surfaces with paper cutouts.
de*cou*ple /deekupal/ v.tr. 1 Electr. make the interac-
tion between (oscillators, etc.) so weak that there is lit-
tle transfer of energy between them. 2 separate; disen-
gage; dissociate.
de*COy n. & v. • n. /de'ekoy, dikoy/ 1 a person or thing

decodes. 2 an electronic device for analyzing signals used to lure an animal or person into a trap or dan-
and feeding separate amplifier channels. ger. 2 a bait or enticement. • v. tr. /dikoy/ (often foil, by
de*COl*late /dikolayt/ v.tr. formal 1 behead. 2 truncate. into, out of) allure or entice, esp. by means of a decoy.
nn de*col*la*tion /de'ek9laysh9n/ n.
decoy mid- 1 6th century (earlier as coy): from Dutch
de*col*le*tage /daykawltaazh/ n. a low neckline of a
from Middle Dutch de kouw 'the
de kooi 'the decoy,'
woman's dress, etc.
cage,' from Latin cavea 'cage.' The meaning derives
de»COl»le»te /daykawltay/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 (of a dress,
from the practice of using tamed ducks to lead wild
etc.) having a low neckline. 2 (of a woman) wearing a
ones along channels into captivity.
dress with a low neckline. »n. a low neckline.
de»col«o»nize /deekolaniz/ v.tr. (of a nation) withdraw de*crease v. & n. • v. tr. &
intr. /dikrees/ make or be-

from (a colony), leaving it independent, an de«col»o*
ni*za*tion n.
de»convmis»sion /de'eksmishan/ v.tr. 1 close down (a
nuclear reactor, etc.). 2 take (a ship) out of service.
de»convpose /de'ekampoz/ v. 1 intr. decay; rot. 2 tr.
separate into its elements or simpler constituents.
3 intr. disintegrate; break up. dd de«convpo»si«tion
/deekompazishan/ n.
de«com«press /de'ekampres/ v.tr.
decompression; relieve or reduce the compression on.
de«com»pres»sion /deekampreshan/ n. 1 release from
compression. 2 a gradual reduction of air pressure on
a person who has been subjected to high pressure (esp.
underwater).
de«com*pres*sion chanvber n. an enclosed space for
subjecting a person to decompression.
de»com»pres»sor /deekampresar/ n. a device for reduc-
ing pressure in the engine of a motor vehicle.
de«con*ges*tant /de'ekanjestant/ adj. n. madj. that &oneself) to a special task or purpose. 2 (foil, by to) i>1
relieves (esp. nasal) congestion. *n. a medicinal agent
that relieves nasal congestion.
come smaller or fewer. • n. /deekrees/ 1 the act or an
instance of decreasing. 2 the amount by which a thing
decreases, dd de»creas«ing«ly adv.
de»cree /dikree/ n. &
v. • n. 1 an official order issued
by a legal authority. 2 a judgment or decision of cer-
tain courts of law. mv.tr. (decrees, decreed, decree-
ing) ordain by decree.
dec*re*ment /dekrimont/ n. 1 Physics the ratio of the
subject to amplitudes in successive cycles of a damped oscilla-
tion. 2 the amount lost by diminution or waste. 3 the
act of decreasing.
de«crep»it /dikrepit/ adj. weakened or worn out by age,
infirmity or long use. dd de»crep«i«tude n.
de*crim«i*nal*ize /deekriminoll/./ v.tr. cease to tivai as
criminal, au de«crim»i»nal»i«za»tion n.
de»cry /dikri/ v.tr. (-cries, -cried) disparage; belittle.
nn de«cri«er n.
dedicate /dedikayt/ v.tr. 1 (foil, by to) devote (esp
dress (a book, etc.) as a compliment to a lneiul, pt
tron, etc. 3 (often foil, by to) devote (a building] Ctt I

de«COl>se«crate /deekonsikrayt/ v.tr. transfer (esp. a to a deity or purpose. 4 (as dedicated </<//. a (ol pa ) ;i

building) from sacred to secular use. dd de»con«se»cra» son) devoted to an aim or vocation, b (<>l equipment
tion /-krayshan/ n. esp. a computer) designed for a specific purpose
de«con»Struotion /de'ekonstrukshon/ n. a method of nn ded-i-ca-tee / kavtee/ ;/. ded*i*ca»tive </J/. ded-i»ca«
critical analysis of philosophical and literary language. tor n. ded»i»ca»to»ry / kntawree/ adj.
 .

ded*i*ca*tion /dedikayshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance 203 dedication ~ defensible

of dedicating; the quality or process of being dedi-
cated. 2 the words with which a book, etc., is dedi- peaks in front and behind and ear-flaps. 2 a person who
cated. 3 a dedicatory inscription. stalks deer.
de*duce /didobs, -dyoos/ v.tr. (often foil, by from) in- de-es*ca*late /dee-eskalayt/ v. tr. reduce the level or in-

fer; draw as a logical conclusion, dd de*duc*i*ble adj. tensity of. dd de-es«ca»la»tion /-layshan/ n.
de*duct /didukt/ v.tr. (often foil, by from) subtract, take de«face /difays/ v.tr. 1 spoil the appearance of. 2 make
away (an amount, portion, etc.). illegible, dd de*face*a*ble adj. de*face«ment n.
de»duct«i«ble /diduktibal/ adj. &
n. madj. that may be de faoto /di fakto, day/ adv. & adj. •adv. in fact,
deducted, esp. from tax to be paid or taxable income. whether by right or not. • adj. that exists or is such in
• n. part of an insurance claim to be paid by the in- fact (a de facto ruler).
sured. de*fal*cate /deefalkayt, -fawl-/ v. intr. formal misappro-
de*duc*tion /didukshan/ n. 1 a the act of deducting. priate property in one's charge, esp. money, dd de-fa !•
b an amount deducted. 2 a the inferring of particular ca*tor n.

instances from a general law (cf induction) b a . . de*fame /difaym/ v.tr. attack the good reputation of.
conclusion deduced. dd def*a*ma*tion /defamayshan/ n. de»fam«a»to«ry
de»duc»tive /diduktiv/ adj. of or reasoning by deduc- /difamatawree/ adj.
tion, an de»duotive»ly adv. de*fault /difawlt/ n. &
v. • n. 1 failure to fulfill an obliga-

dee /dee/ n. 1 the letter D. 2 a thing shaped like this. tion, esp. to appear, pay, or act in some way. 2 lack;
deed /deed/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a thing done intentionally or absence. 3 a preselected option adopted by a computer
consciously. 2 a brave, skillful, or conspicuous act. program when no alternative is specified by the user
3 actual fact or performance (kind in word and deed) or programmer. »v. 1 intr. fail to fulfill an obligation.
4 Law a written or printed document often used for a 2 tr. declare (a party) in default and give judgment
legal transfer of ownership and bearing the disposer's against that party, d win by default win because an op-
signature, •v.tr. convey or transfer by legal deed. ponent fails to participate.
dee»jay /deejay/ n. si. a disk jockey. de»fea»si»ble /difeezibal/ adj. 1 capable of annulment.
deem /deem/ v.tr. formal regard; consider; judge. 2 liable to forfeiture, dd de»fea»si»bil»i»ty n. de»fea»si»
de-em»pha»size /dee-emfasiz/ v.tr. 1 remove emphasis bly adv.
from. 2 reduce emphasis on. de«feat /dife'et/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 overcome in a battle or

deep /deep/ adj. ,n.,& adv. • adj. 1 a extending far down other contest. 2 frustrate; baffle. 3 reject (a motion,
from the top (deep hole) b extending far in from the
. etc.) by voting. 4 Law annul. • n. the act or process of
surface or edge (deep border). 2 (predic.) a extending defeating or being defeated.
to a specified depth (water 6 feet deep; ankle-deep in de«feat«ism /dife'etizam/ n. 1 an excessive readiness to
mud), b in a specified number of ranks one behind accept defeat. 2 conduct conducive to this, dd defeat-
another (soldiers drawn up six deep) 3 situated far down . ist n. & adj.
or back (hands deep in his pockets) 4 coming or brought
. def«e»cate /defikayt/ v.intr. discharge feces from the
from far down or in (deep sigh). 5 low-pitched; full- body, dd def«e»ca«tion /-kayshan/ n.
toned; not shrill (deep voice) 6 intense; vivid; extreme
. de»fect n.&v.m n. /deefekt, difekt/ 1 lack of something
(deep disgrace) 7 heartfelt; absorbing (deep affection) 8
. . essential; imperfection. 2 a shortcoming. 3 a blemish.
(predic.) fully absorbed or overwhelmed (deep in a 4 the amount by which a thing falls short. • v.intr.
book). 9 profound; penetrating; not superficial (deep /difekt/ abandon one's country or cause in favor of
thinker; deep insight). • n. 1 (prec. by the) poet, the sea. another, dd de*fec*tion /difekshan/ n. de»fec«tor n.
2 a deep part of the sea. 3 an abyss, pit, or cavity. 4 a de*feotive /difektiv/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 having a defect
deep state (deep of the night). • adv. deeply; far down or or defects; incomplete; faulty. 2 often offens. mentally
in (dig deep) n go off the deep end colloq. give way to
. subnormal. 3 (usu. foil, by in) lacking; deficient.
anger or emotion, deep water (or waters) in trouble
in 4 Gram, not having all the usual inflections. • n. often
or difficulty, jump (or be thrown) in at the deep end offens. a mentally defective person, dd de«feotive»ly
face a difficult problem, undertaking, etc., with little adv. de«feotive»ness n.
experience of it. dd deeply adv. deep*ness n. de»fend /difend/
(also absol.) 1 (often foil, by v.tr.

deep*en /de'epan/ v.tr. &

intr. make or become deep or an attack made on; protect. 2 up-
against, from) resist
deeper. hold by argument. 3 conduct the case for (a defend-
deep freeze n. 1 a refrigerator in which food can be ant in a lawsuit), dd de«fend«er n.
quickly frozen and kept at a very low temperature. 2 a de«fend»ant /difendant, -ant/ n. a person, etc., sued or
suspension of activity, dd deep-freeze v.tr. (-froze, fro- accused in a court of law.
zen) de«fen»es»tra»tion /de'efenistrayshan/ n. formal or joe.
deep-fry v. tr. (-fries, -fried) fry (food) in an amount of the action of throwing (esp. a person) out of a win-
fat or oil sufficient to cover it. dow, dd de*fen«es*trate /deefenistrayt/ v.tr.
deep-root»ed adj. (esp. of convictions) firmly estab- defense /difens/ n. 1 the act of defending from or re-
lished. sisting attack. 2 a a means of resisting attack, b a thing
deep sea n. the deeper parts of the ocean. that protects. C the military resources of a country.
deep-sea t«ed adj. (of emotion, disease, etc.) firmly 3 (in pi.) fortifications. 4 a justification; vindication.
established; profound. b a speech or piece of writing used to this end. 5 a the
Deep South n. (prec. by the) the region of the SE US, defendant's case in a lawsuit, b the counsel for the de-
usu. including South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, fendant. 6 /deefens/ a the action or role of defending
Mississippi, and Louisiana. one's goal, etc., against attack, b the players on a team
deep space n. the regions of outer space beyond the who perform this role, dd de*fense«less adj. defense*
solar system. less»ly adv. de*fense*less*ness n.
deer /deer/ n. same) any four-hoofed grazing an-
(pi. de«fense mech»an»ism n. 1 the body's reaction against
imal of the family Cervidae, the males of which usu. disease organisms. 2 a usu. unconscious mental proc-
have deciduous branching antlers. ess to avoid conscious conflict or anxiety.
deer«f ly /de'erfli/ n. any bloodsucking fly of the genus de«fen»si»ble /difensibal/ adj. 1 supportable by argu-
Chrysops.
deer*stalk*er /deerstawkar/ n. 1 a soft cloth cap with See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

defensive ~ degree 204 policy of deflation. 4 tr. reduce the importance of; de-
preciate, dd de*fla*tor n.
ment. 2 that can be easily defended militarily, dd de» de»f la*tion /diflayshan/ n. 1 the act or process of deflat-
fen»si«biM«ty n. de«fen»si»bly adv. ing or being deflated. 2 Econ. reduction of the amount
de*fen*sive /difensiv/ adj. 1 done or intended for de- of money in circulation to increase its value as a meas-
fense or to defend. 2 (of a person or attitude) con- ure against inflation, dd de*f la*tion*ar*y adj. de*f la*tion*
cerned to challenge criticism. on the defensive 1 ex- ist n.

pecting criticism. 2 in an attitude or position of deflect /diflekt/ v. 1 tr. &

intr. bend or turn aside from

defense, dd de«fervsive»ly adv. de«fen»sive«ness n. a straight course or intended purpose. 2 (often foil,
de-fer /difar/ v.tr. (deferred, deferring) 1 postpone.
1
by from) a tr. cause to deviate, b intr. deviate, dd de»
2 postpone the conscription of (a person), an de«fer« flection /diflekshan/ n.
ment n. de»fer»ra»ble adj. de»fer«ral n. de*f lec»tor /diflektsr/ n. a thing that deflects, esp. a de-
de»fer 2 /difar/ v.intr. (deferred, deferring) (foil, by to) vice for deflecting a flow of air, etc.
yield or make concessions, dd de«fer«rer n. de»f low»er /diflowr/ v. tr. 1 deprive of virginity. 2 rav-
def»er»ence /defarans, defrsns/ n. 1 courteous regard; age; spoil. 3 strip of flowers.
respect. 2 compliance with the advice or wishes of de*fo*li*ate /deefoleeayt/ v.tr. remove leaves from.
another. in deference to out of respect for. dd de*fo*li*ant n. &
adj. de*fo*li*a*tion /-ayshan/ n. de»
def«er«en»tial /defarenshal/ adj. showing deference; re- fo*li*a*tor n.
spectful, dd def»er»en»tiaMy adv. de»form /difawrm/ v. 1 tr. make ugly; deface. 2 tr. put
de»f i*ance /diffens/ n. 1 open disobedience; bold resist- out of shape. 3 intr. undergo deformation; be mis-
ance. 2 a challenge to fight or maintain a cause, asser- shapened. dd de*form*a*ble adj. de«for»ma«tion /de'e-
tion, etc. d in defiance of disregarding; in conflict with. fawrmayshan/ n. de»formed adj.
de»fi«ant/difi9nt/ad;'. 1 showing defiance. 2 openly dis- de»form»i»ty /difawrmitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the state of
obedient, do de»fi«ant»ly adv. being deformed; ugliness; disfigurement. 2 a malfor-
de*fib*ril*la*tion /de'efibrilayshan/ n. Med. the stopping mation, esp. of body or limb.
of the fibrillation of the heart, dd de»fib«riMa«tor n. de«f raud /difrawd/ v. tr. (often foil, by of) cheat by fraud.
de»fi»cien»cy /difishansee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 the state or dd de*fraud*er n.
condition of being deficient. 2 (usu. foil, by of) a lack de»fray /difray/ v.tr. provide money to pay (a cost).
or shortage. 3 a thing lacking. 4 the amount by which dd de»fraya»ble adj. defrayal n. defrayment n.
a thing, esp. revenue, falls short. de»f rock /deefrok/ v. tr. deprive (a person) of ecclesias-
de»fi»cient /difishant/ adj. 1 (usu. foil, by in) incom- tical status.
plete; not having enough of a specified quality or in- 1 tr. remove frost or ice from
de»f rost /difrawst, -frost/ v.
gredient. 2 insufficient in quantity, force, etc. 3 (in full (a refrigerator, windshieldof a motor vehicle, etc.) 2 tr. .

mentally deficient) incapable of adequate social or in- unfreeze (frozen food) 3 intr. become unfrozen, dd de«
.

tellectual behavior through imperfect mental devel- frostier n.

opment, dd de»fi»cient»ly adv. deft /deft/ adj. neatly skillful or dexterous; adroit.
def •i»cit /defisit/ n. 1the amount by which a thing (esp. dd defWy adv. deft«ness n.
a sum of money) is too small. 2 an excess of liabilities de*funct /difungkt/ adj. 1 no longer existing. 2 no
over assets (opp. surplus) . longer used or in fashion. 3 dead or extinct.
decile 1 /difil/ v.tr. 1 make dirty; pollute. 2 corrupt. de*fuse /deefyooz/ v.tr. 1 remove the fuse from (an
3 desecrate, dd de*file*ment n. de*fil*er n. explosive device). 2 reduce the tension or potential
de»file 2 /difil/ n. &
v. • «. also /de'efil/ 1 a narrow way. danger in (a crisis, difficulty, etc.).
2 a gorge, •v.intr. march in file. de»fy /difi/ v.tr. (-fies, -fied) 1 resist openly; refuse to
de»f ine /difin/ v. tr. 1 give the exact meaning of (a word, obey. 2 present insuperable obstacles to (defies solu-
etc.). 2 describe or explain the scope of. 3 make clear, tion). 3 (foil, by to + infin.) challenge (a person) to do
esp. in outline (well-defined image) 4 mark out the lim-
. or prove something.
its of. 5 (of properties) make up the total character of. de»gen»er»ate adj., n., & v. madj. /dijenarat/ 1 having
dd de*fin*a*ble adj. de»fin»er n. lost the qualities that are normal and desirable or prop-
definite /definit/ adj. 1 having exact and discernible er to its kind. 2 Biol, having changed to a lower type.
limits. 2 clear and distinct; not vague. See the note • n. /dijensrgt/ a degenerate person or animal. • v.intr.
at definitive, dd def»i»nite«ness n. /dijenarayt/ become degenerate, dd de»gen»er«a»cy n.
definite ar-ti«cle n. Gram, the word (the in English) de«gen»er«ate»ly adv. de«gen»er«a«tion /dijenorayshsn/
preceding a noun and implying a specific or known n.
instance (the art of government) de«gen»er»a«tive/dijen3r3tiv/ad/. 1 of or tending to de-
def*i*nite*ly /definitlee/ adv. &
int. madv. 1 in a definite generation. 2 (of disease) characterized by progressive
manner. 2 without doubt. • int. colloq. yes; certainly. often irreversible deterioration.
def*i*ni*tion /definishan/ n. 1a the act or process of de-grade /digrayd/ v.tr. 1 reduce to a lower rank, esp.
defining, b a statement of the meaning of a word or as a punishment. 2 bring into dishonor or contempt.
the nature of a thing. 2 the degree of distinctness in 3 Chem. reduce to a simpler molecular structure.
the outline of an object or image. 4 Physics reduce (energy) to a less convertible form.
de«fin»i»tive /difinitiv/ adj. 1 (of an answer, treaty, etc.) dd de*grad*a*ble adj. deg»ra»da»tlon/degrodaysh.->n ;/
decisive; final. 2 (of an edition of a book, etc.) most deg*ra*da*tive / daytiv/ adj.
authoritative, dd de*fin*i*tive*ly adv. de*grad*ing /digrayding/ adj. humiliating, mi de«grad»
Definitive in the sense 'decisive, unconditional, fi- ing«ly adv.
nal' is sometimes confused with definite. However, de»gree/digree/w. 1 a stage in an ascending or desi -end-
definite does not have the connotations of authority: ing scale or process. 2 a sta^e in intensity OT amount
a definite no is simply a firm refusal, whereas a defini- (in some degree). 3 relative condition (<•</<// it good i'i u\
tive no is an authoritative judgment or decision that degree). 4 Math, a unit of measurement of angles.
something is not the case. 5 Physics a unit in a scale of temperature, hardness,
deflate /diflayt/ v. 1 a tr. let air or gas out of. b intr. be etc. 6 Med. an extent of burns on a sc ale haracteri/.ed i

emptied of air or gas. 2 a tr. cause to lose confidence by the destruction of the skin. 7 an academic rank con-
or conceit, b intr. lose confidence. 3 licon. a tr. subject ferred usu. after examination or after completion of a
(a currency or economy) to deflation, b intr. pursue a course. 8 a grade of crime or criminality (munin in ihr
 first degree).9 a step in direct genealogical descent.
1 by degrees a little at a time;
social or official rank, a
gradually, to a degree colloq. considerably.
de*gree-day n. a unit of measurement equal to one de-
gree of variation between a standard temperature and
the mean temperature on a given day.
de«hu«man«ize /deehyobmonlz/ v.tr. 1 deprive of hu-
man characteristics. 2 make impersonal or machine-
like, do de«hu*man«i*za*tion n.
de*hu»mid«i»fy/deehyoomidifi7z>.rr. (-ties, -tied) reduce
the degree of humidity of; remove moisture from (esp.
air), dd de»hu»mid»i»fi»ca»tion /-fikayshan/ n. de*hu*
mid»i»fi»er n.
de«hy»drate /deehidrayt/ v. 1 tr. a remove water from
(esp. foods for preservation), b make dry, esp. make
(the body) deficient in water. C render lifeless or un-
interesting. 2 intr. lose water, dd de«hy»dra»tion
/-drayshan/ n. de«hydra»tor n.
de»i»fy /deeifl, dayee-/ v. tr. (-ties, -tied) 1 make a god
of. 2 regard or worship as a god. dd de»i»fi»ca»tion /-fi-
kayshsn/ n.
deign /dayn/ v. intr. (foil, by to + infin.) think fit; con-
descend.
de*ism /deeizam, day-/ n. belief in the existence of a
god, based on reason rather than revelation (cf. the-
ism), dd de-ist n. de*is*tic adj. de«is«ti«cal adj.
de»i»ty /de'eitee, day-/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a god or goddess.
2 divine status, quality, or nature. 3 (the Deity) God.
de*ja vu /dayzhaa voo/ n. 1 Psychol, an illusory feeling
of having already experienced a present situation.
2 something tediously familiar.
de«ject /dijekt/ v.tr. (usu. as dejected adj.) make sad or
dispirited; depress, dd de»ject»ed»ly adv. defection
/dijekshan/ n.
de ju»re /dee jobree, day jobray/ adj. & adv. madj. right-
ful. *adv. rightfully; by right.
Del«a*ware /detawair/ n. 1 a a N. American people na-
tive to the northeastern US. b a member of this peo-
ple. 2 the language of this people. Also called Lena-
pe or Lenni Lenape.
de»lay /dilay/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. postpone; defer. 2 tr. make
late (was delayed by the traffic lights) 3 intr. loiter; be late
. 2 Chem. dissolve in water absorbed from the air. dd del*
(don h delay!) • n. 1 the act or an instance of delaying;
. i«ques»cence n. del*i*ques*cent adj.
the process of being delayed. 2 time lost by inaction or
the inability to proceed. 3 a hindrance, dd de«lay»er n.
de*leota*ble /dilektabal/ adj. esp. literary delightful;
pleasant, dd de*lec*ta*bly adv.
de*lec*ta*tion /de'elektayshan/ n. literary pleasure; en-
joyment (sang for his delectation).
del«e*gate n. &
v. • n. /deligat/ 1 an elected represent-
ative sent to a conference. 2 a member of a commit-
tee or deputation, •v.tr. /deligayt/ 1 (often foil, by to)
a commit (authority, etc.) to an agent or deputy, b en-
trust (a task) to another person. 2 send or authorize
(a person) as a representative, dd del*e*ga*ble /-gabal/
adj. del*e*ga*tor n.
del«e*ga*tion /deligayshan/ n. 1 a body of delegates.
2 the act or process of delegating or being delegated.
deplete /dile'et/ v.tr. remove or obliterate (written or
printed matter), esp. by striking out. dd de*le*tion n.
del*e*te«ri*OUS /delite'ereeas/ adj. harmful (to the mind
or body), dd del«e«te«ri»ous»ly adv.
delft /delft/ n. (also delft*ware /delftwair/) glazed, usu.
blue and white, earthenware, made in Delft in Hol-
land.
del»i /delee/ n. (pi. delis) colloq. a delicatessen.
de*lib*er*ate adj. & v. *adj. /dilibgrat/ 1 a intentional.
b fully considered; not impulsive. 2 slow in deciding;
cautious (a ponderous and deliberate mind). 3 (of move-
ment, etc.) unhurried, mv. /dilibarayt/ 1 intr. think
carefully; take counsel (the jury deliberated for an hour).
2 tr. consider; discuss carefully, dd de«lib«er*ate*ly
/dilibaratlee/ adv. de»lib«er»ate»ness n.
205 degree-day ~ delivery
de»lib»er»a»tion /dilibsrayshan/ n. 1 careful considera-
tion. 2 a debate; discussion. 3 a caution and care, b (of
movement) slowness or ponderousness.
de»lit>er»a«tive /dilibsrativ, -raytiv/ adj. of, or ap-
pointed for the purpose of, deliberation or debate.
del*i*ca*cy /delikasee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 the quality of be-
ing delicate. 2 a choice or expensive food.
del*i«cate /delikst/ adj. 1 a fine in texture or structure;
soft, slender, or slight, b (of color) subtle or subdued.
C subtle; hard to appreciate. 2 (of a person) easily in-
jured; susceptible to illness. 3 a requiring careful han-
dling; tricky (a delicate situation) . b (of an instrument)
highly sensitive. 4 deft. 5 (of a person) avoiding the
immodest or offensive. 6 (esp. of actions) considerate.
dd del*i*cate«ly adv. del*i*cate«ness n.
del*i*ca*tes*sen /delikatesan/ n. la store selling
cooked meats, cheeses, and unusual or foreign pre-
pared foods. 2 (often attrib.) such foods collectively
(a delicatessen counter).
de»li»cious /dilishss/ adj. 1 highly delightful and enjoy-
able to the taste or sense of smell. 2 (of a joke, etc.)
very witty, dd de*li*cious*ly adv. de«li*cious*ness n.
de*light /dilit/ v. &
n. »v. 1 tr. (often foil, by with,
or that + clause, or to + infin.) please greatly. 2 intr.
(often foil, by in, or to + infin.) take great pleasure;
be highly pleased. «w. 1 great pleasure. 2 something
giving pleasure, dd de«light*ed adj. de*light*ed*ly adv.
de*light*ful /dilitfOOl/ adj. causing delight; pleasant;
charming, dd de*light*fuMy adv. de»light«ful»ness n.
de»lim»it /dilimit/ v.tr. determine the limits or bound-
ary of. dd de*linri»ta»tion /-tayshsn/ n.
de»lin»e»ate /dilineeayt/ v.tr. portray by drawing, etc.,
or in words, dd de«lin»e«a»tion /-ayshan/ n.
de»lin»quent /dilingkwant/ n. &
adj. •«. an offender
(juvenile delinquent) • adj. 1 guilty of a minor crime or
.
a misdeed. 2 failing in one's duty. 3 in arrears, dd de«
lirvquervcy /dilingkwansee/ n. (pi. -cies) de«lin»quent«
ly adv.
del*i*quesce /delikwes/ v.intr. 1 become liquid; melt.
de»liM«ous /dilireeas/ adj. 1 affected with delirium;
temporarily or apparently mad; raving. 2 wildly excit-
ed; ecstatic, dd de«lir*i*ous*ly adv.
de»lir»i«um /dilireeam/ n. 1 an acutely disordered state
of mind involving incoherent speech, hallucinations,
and frenzied excitement. 2 great excitement; ecstasy.
de»lir»i«umtre»mens /tre'emanz, -menz/ n. a psychosis
of chronic alcoholism involving tremors and halluci-
nations.
de*liv*er /dilivar/ v.tr. 1 a distribute (letters, packages,
ordered goods, etc.) to the addressee or the purchaser.
b (often foil, by to) hand over (delivered the boy safely
to kk teacher). 2 (often foil, by from) save, rescue, or
set free (delivered him from his enemies) 3 a give birth .
to (delivered a girl), b (in passive; often foil, by of) give
birth (was delivered of a child) . C assist at the birth of
(delivered six babies that week) . d assist in giving birth
(delivered the baby successfully) . 4 (often refl. ) utter or
recite (an opinion, a speech, etc.) (delivered himself of
the observation; delivered the sermon well). 5 (often foil,
by up, over) abandon; resign; hand over (delivered his
soul up to God). 6 launch or aim (a blow, a ball, or an
attack). 7 colloq. = deliver the goods, a deliver the goods
colloq. carry out one's part of an agreement, dd de*liv
er*a*ble adj. deliverer n.
de*liv*er*ance /dilivarans/ n. 1 the act or an instance
of rescuing; the process of being rescued. 2 a rescue.
de*liv«er*y /dilivaree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a the delivering of
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
dell ~ demon 206
or injury, marked by memory disorders, personality
changes, impaired reasoning, etc.
letters, etc. b something delivered. 2 a the process of de»mer»it /dimerit/ n. 1 a quality or action deserving
childbirth, b an act of this. 3 deliverance. 4 an act of blame; a fault. 2 a mark given to an offender.
throwing, as of a baseball. 5 the act of giving or sur- dernesne /dimayn, -me'en/ n. 1 a a sovereign's or na-
rendering {delivery of the town to the enemy). 6 a the ut- tion's territory; a domain, b land attached to a man-
tering of a speech, etc. b the manner or style of such sion, etc. c landed property; an estate. 2 (usu. foil, by
a delivery, a take delivery of receive (something pur- of) a region or sphere. 3 Law hist, possession (of real
chased). property) as one's own. d held in demesne (of an es-
dell /del/ n. a small usu. wooded hollow or valley. tate) occupied by the owner, not by tenants.
del»phin»i«um /delfineeam/ n. any ranunculaceous gar- demi- /demee/ prefix 1 half; half-size. 2 partially or im-
den plant of the genus Delphinium, with tall spikes of perfectly such (demigod).
usu. blue flowers. dem*i«god /demeegod/ n. (fern, -goddess /-godis/)
del«ta /delta/ «. 1 a triangular tract of deposited earth, 1 a a partly divine being, b the offspring of a god or
alluvium, etc., at the mouth of a river, formed by its goddess and a mortal. 2 colloq. a person of compelling
diverging outlets. 2 the fourth letter of the Greek al- beauty, powers, or personality.
phabet (A, 8). dd del*ta*ic /deltayik/ adj. dem»i»john /demeejon/ n. a bulbous, narrow-necked,
del»ta wing n. the triangular swept-back wing of an air- usu. wicker-covered bottle holding 3-10 gallons.
craft. de*mil*i*ta*rize /deemilitariz/ v.tr. remove a military
del-toid /deltoyd/ n. (in full deltoid muscle) a thick tri- organization or forces from (a frontier, a zone, etc.).
angular muscle covering the shoulder joint and used dd de*mil*i*ta*ri*za*tion n.
for raising the arm away from the body. dem»i»monde /demeemond, -mawNd/ n. 1a hist, a
delude /dilood/ v.tr. deceive or mislead. class of women in 19th-c. France considered to be of
del»uge /delyooj, -yoozh/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a great flood. doubtful social standing and morality, b a similar class
2 (the Deluge) the biblical Flood (Gen. 6-8). 3 a great of women in any society. 2 any group considered to be
outpouring (of words, paper, etc.). 4 a heavy fall of on the fringes of respectable society.
rain. •v.tr. 1 flood. 2 inundate with a great number or de»min»er»al»ize /deeminaraliz/ v.tr. remove salts from
amount (deluged with complaints). (sea water, etc.). dd de*min*er*al*i*za*tion n.
de»lu»sion /diloozhan/ n. 1 a false belief or impression. de*mise /dimiz/ n.&v.»n. 1 death (left a will on her de-

2 Psychol, this as a symptom or form of mental disor- mise; the demise of the agreement). 2 Law conveyance or
der, nn de«lu»sion»al adj. transfer (of property, a title, etc.) by demising, •v.tr.
de*lu*sions of grarvdeur n.pl. a false idea of oneself Law 1 convey or grant (an estate) by will or lease.
as being important, noble, famous, etc. 2 transmit (a title, etc.) by death.
de«lu»sive /dilobsiv/ adj. deceptive or unreal, dd de»lu» dem*i*tasse /demeetas, -taas/ n. 1 a small coffee cup.
sive»ly adv. de»lu»sive»ness n. 2 its contents.
de*luxe /da luks, lobks/ adj. 1 luxurious or sumptuous. denvo /demo/ n. (pi. -os) colloq. = demonstration 3.
2 of a superior kind. de*mo*bi«lize /deemobiliz/ v.tr. disband (troops).
delve /delv/ v. 1 intr. (often foil, by in, into) a search dd de»mo«bi«li«za«tion n.
energetically (delved into his pocket) . b research (delved de»moc»ra«cy /dimokrasee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a a system
into his family history). 2 tr. & intr. poet. dig. dd delv* of government by the whole population, usu. through
er n. elected representatives, b a nation so governed. C any
de*mag*net*ize /deemagnitiz/ v. tr. remove the magnet- organization governed on democratic principles. 2 a
ic properties of. dd de*mag*net*i*za*tion /-tizayshan/ classless and tolerant form of society. 3 a the princi-
n. de*mag*net*iz*er n. ples of the Democratic party, b its members.
dem*a*gogue /demagog, -gawg/ n. (also -gog) a polit- dem*o*crat /demakrat/ n. 1 an advocate of democracy.
appealing to the basest instincts of a mob.
ical agitator 2 (Democrat) a member of the Democratic party.
dd dem*a*gog*ic /-gojik, -gogik, -go-/ adj. denva* dem»o»crat»ic /demakratik/ adj. 1 of, like, practicing,
gogu»er«y /-gogaree, -gawg-/ n. dem*a*go*gy /-gojee, advocating, or constituting democracy or a democra-
-gaw-/ n. cy. 2 favoring social equality, dd denvo»crat»i»caMy
dernand /dimand/ n. &
v. »n. 1 an insistent and adv.
peremptory request, made as of right. 2 Econ. the de- Dem»o«crat»ic par-ty n. one of the two main US polit-
sire of purchasers or consumers for a commodity (no ical parties, considered to support social reform and
demand for solid tires these days) 3 an urgent claim (care
. strong federal powers, (cf. Republican party).
of her mother makes demands on her) • v. tr. 1 (often foil, de»moc«ra»tize /dimokratiz/ v.tr. make (a nation, insti-
.

by of from, or to + infin., or that + clause) ask for (some- tution, etc.) democratic, dd de»mocTa»ti«za»tion n.
thing) insistently and urgently, as of right. 2 require or de*mod*u*late /deemojalayt/ v.tr. Physics extract (a
need (a task demanding skill) .3 insist on being told (de- modulating signal) from its carrier, dd de«mod»u»la»
manded the truth). 4 (as demanding adj.) making tion /-layshan/ n. de«mod»u»la«tor n.
demands; requiring skill, effort, etc. (a demanding job). dernog«ra»phy /dimografee/ n. the study ol the sums
a in demand sought after, on demand as soon as a de- tics of births, deaths, disease, etc. do de»mog«ra-pher
mand is made (a check payable on demand), dd de» n. dem»o«graph»ic /demagrafik/ adj. dem»o«graph»l»
mand*ing*ly adv. cal-ly adv.
de»mar»ca»tion /de'emaarkayshan/ n. 1 the act of mark- dernol-ish /dimolish/ v.tr. 1 a pull down (;i building)
ing a boundary or limits. 2 the trade-union practice of b completely destroy or break. 2 overthrow (an insti-
strictly assigning specific jobs to different unions. tution). 3 refute (an argument, theory, etc.). 4 joe. cat
dd de«mar»cate /dima'arkayt, deemaar-/ v.tr. up completely and quickly, n de»moMsh»er n. dem» i I

de«mean /dime'en/ v.tr. (usu. re/7.) lower the dignity of. o*li*tion /demalishan/ ft.
de»mean«or /dimeenar/ n. outward behavior or bear- de»mon /deeman/ n. 1 a an evil spirit or devil, etp. oi it-
ing. thought to possess a person, b the person ilk atmn ot
de*ment»ed /dimintid/ adj. mad; crazy, dd de«ment«ed» evil. 2 a malignant supernatural being; the Devil. 3
ly adv. de«ment»ed»ness n. (often attrib.) a forceful, fierce, or skillful performer (a
de«men»tia /dimensha/ n. Med. a chronic or persistent demon player). 4 a cruel or destructive person de«
disorder of the mental processes due to brain disease mon»ize /de'emaniz/ v.tr.
de*mon»e»tize /deemonitrz, -mun-/ v.tr. withdraw (a 207 demonetize ~ denouement
coin, etc.) from use as money, dd de«mon«e«ti»za»tion
n. tionalized industry or institution, etc.) from public to
de*mo«ni»ac /dimOneeak/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 fiercely en- private ownership. 2 a deprive (a nation) of its status
ergetic or frenzied. 2 a supposedly possessed by an evil or characteristics as a nation, b deprive (a person) of
spirit, b of or concerning such possession. 3 of or like nationality or national characteristics, dd de«na«tion«
demons. • n. a person possessed by an evil spirit, do de» al*i*za*tion n.
moni*a*cal /de'emaniakal/ adj. de»mo»ni«a»caMy adv. de*nat*u*ral*ize /deenacharallz/ v.tr. 1 change the na-
de»mon»ic /dimonik/ adj. 1 = demoniac. 2 having or ture or properties of; make unnatural. 2 deprive of the
seeming to have supernatural genius or power. rights of citizenship. 3 = denature v. 1. dd de*nat*u*
de-morvism /de'emanizam/ n. belief in the power of ral*i«za*tion n.
demons. de»na»ture/deenaychar/zur. 1 change the properties of
de-mon»stra»ble /dimonstrabal/ adj. capable of being (a protein, etc.) by heat, acidity, etc. 2 make (alcohol)
shown or logically proved, dd de«mon»stra»bly adv. unfit for drinking, esp. by the addition of another sub-
dem»on»strate /demanstrayt/ v. 1 tr. show evidence of stance, an de-na»tur»a»tion /de'enaycharayshan/ n.
(feelings, etc.). 2 tr. describe and explain (a scientific dendrite /dendrit/ n. 1 natural treelike or mosslike
proposition, machine, etc.) by experiment, practical markings on stones or minerals. 2 Anat. a branching
use, etc. 3 tr. a logically prove the truth of. b be proof process of a nerve cell conducting signals to a cell body.
of the existence of. 4 intr. take part in or organize a den»drit»ic/dendritik/a<#. 1 of or like a dendrite. 2 tree-
public demonstration. 5 intr. act as a demonstrator. like in shape or markings, dd den*drit*i*caMy adv.
denvorvstra»tion /demanstrayshan/ n. 1 (foil, by of) den»dro»chro»nol«o»gy /dendrokranolajee/ n. 1a sys-
a the outward showing of feeling, etc. b an instance of tem of dating using the annual growth rings of trees.
this. 2 a public meeting, march, etc., for a political or 2 the study of these growth rings, dd den»drochron»
moral purpose. 3 a the exhibiting or explaining of o*log*i*cal /-kronalojikal/ adj. denKJro«chro»nol»o«gist
specimens or experiments as a method of esp. scientif- n.
ic teaching, b an instance of this. 4 proof provided by den«drol«0»gy /dendrolajee/ n. the scientific study of
logic, argument, etc. 5 Mil. a show of military force. trees, aa den*dro*log*i*cal /-dralojikal/ adj. den»drol»
dd denvorvstra»tiorval adj. o*gist n.
de»mon«stra»tive /dimonstrativ/ adj. & n. madj. 1 giv- den*gue /denggay, -gee/ n. an infectious viral disease
en to or marked by an open expression of feeling, esp. of the tropics causing a fever and acute pains in the
of affection. 2 (usu. foil, by of) logically conclusive; joints.
giving proof {the work is demonstrative of their skill). de»ni»al /dinial/ n. 1 the act or an instance of denying.
3 a serving to point out or exhibit, b involving esp. 2 a refusal of a request or wish. 3 a statement that a
scientific demonstration {demonstrative technique). thing is not true; a rejection {denial of the accusation).
4 Gram, (of an adjective or pronoun) indicating the 4 a disavowal of a person as one's leader, etc. 5 = self-
person or thing referred to (e.g., this, that, those). •«. denial.
Gram, a demonstrative adjective or pronoun, dd de» de*nier /denyar, danyay, dane'er/ n. a unit of weight by
mon«stra»tive»ly adv. which the fineness of silk, rayon, or nylon yarn is meas-
dem»on»stra»tor /demanstraytar/ n. 1 a person who ured.
takes part in a political demonstration, etc. 2 a person den*i*grate /denigrayt/ v.tr. disparage the reputation of
who demonstrates, esp. machines, equipment, etc., to (a person), an den*i*gra*tion /-grayshan/ n. den»i«gra»
prospective customers. 3 a person who teaches by tor n. den«i»gra«tory /-gratawree/ adj.
demonstration, esp. in a laboratory, etc. den«im /denim/ n. 1 (often attrib.) a usu. blue, hard-
de»mor«al»ize /dimawrallz, -mor-/ v.tr. destroy (a per- wearing, cotton twill fabric used for jeans, overalls, etc.
son's) morale; make hopeless, dd de*mor*al*i*za*tion n. {a denim skirt). 2 (in pi) colloq. jeans, overalls, etc.,
de*mor*al*iz*ing adj. de*mor*at*iz*ing*ly adv. made of this.
de*mote /dimot/ v. tr. reduce to a lower rank or class. den*i*zen /denizan/ n.la foreigner admitted to certain
no de*mo*tion /-moshan/ n. rights in his or her adopted country. 2 a naturalized
de*mur /dimar/ v. & n. 9V.intr. (demurred, demurring) foreign word, animal, or plant. 3 (usu. foil, by of) an
1 (often foil, by ro, at) raise scruples or objections. inhabitant or occupant.
2 Law put in a demurrer. • n. (also de»mur«ral de*nom»i»nate /dinominayt/ v.tr. 1 give a name to.
/dimaral/) (usu. in neg.) 1 an objection {agreed without 2 call or describe (a person or thing) as.
demur). 2 the act or process of objecting. de»nom«i»na»tion /dinominayshan/ n. 1 a church or re-
de«mure /dimyobr/ adj. (demurer, demurest) 1 quiet ligious sect. 2 a class of units within a range or se-
and reserved; modest. 2 affectedly shy and quiet; coy. quence of numbers, weights, money, etc. {money of
3 decorous {a demure high collar), an de«mure«ly adv. small denominations) 3 a a name or designation, esp. a
.

de*mure*ness n. characteristic or class name, b a class or kind having

de»mur«rer /dimarar, -mur-/ n. Law an objection raised a specific name. 4 the rank of a playing card within a
or exception taken. suit, or of a suit relative to others, an de«nom*i*na*tion«
de«mys«ti«fy /deemistifi/ zur. (»fies, 'tied) 1 clarify (ob- a adj.
I

scure beliefs or subjects, etc.). 2 reduce or remove the de»nom»i»na»tor /dinominaytar/ n. Math, the number
irrationality in (a person), an de«mys«ti»fi»ca»tion below the line in a vulgar fraction; a divisor.
/-fikayshan/ n. de»note/dinot/z;.rr. 1 be a sign of; indicate. 2 (usu. foil,
de»my»thol»o»gize /de'emitholajiz/ v. tr. 1 remove myth- by that + clause) mean; convey. 3 stand as a name for;
ical elements from (a legend, famous person's life, signify, an de*no*ta*tion /de'enotayshan/ n. de»no«ta«
etc.). 2 reinterpret what some consider to be the myth- tive /deenotaytiv, dinotativ/ adj.
ological elements in (the Bible). See note at connote.
den /den/ n. la wild animal's lair. 2 a place of crime or de*noue*ment /daynoomON/ n. (also denouement)
vice {den of iniquity; opium den). 3 a small private room 1 the final unraveling of a plot or complicated situa-
for pursuing a hobby, etc. tion. 2 the final scene in a play, novel, etc., in which
de»nar«i«us /dinaireeas/ n. {pi. denarii /-ree-i/) an an- the plot is resolved.
cient Roman silver coin.
de*na*tion*al*ize /deenashanaliz/ v.tr. 1 transfer (a na- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . . .

denounce ~ deport 208 eral administration {State Department; Department of

Agriculture) . b a branch of study and its administra-

de«nounce/din6wns/tur. 1 accuse publicly; condemn. tion at a university, school, etc. {the physics department).
2 inform against. 3 give notice of the termination of C a section of a large store {hardware department)
2 col- .

(an armistice, treaty, etc.). do de«nounce«ment n. de-
nouncer n.
dense /dens/ closely compacted in substance;
adj. 1 de«part*men*tal /deepaartment'l/ adj. of or belonging
thick {dense fog). 2 crowded together {the population is
less dense on the outskirts). 3 colloq. stupid, dd densely
adv. dense»ness n.
den»si»ty /densitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the degree of com-
pactness of a substance. 2 Physics degree of consisten-
cy measured by the quantity of mass per unit volume.
3 the opacity of a photographic image. 4 a crowded
state. 5 stupidity.
dent /dent/ n. &
v. *n. 1 a slight mark or hollow in a
surface. 2 a noticeable effect {lunch made a dent in our
funds), mv.tr. 1 mark with a dent. 2 have (esp. an ad-
verse) effect on {the news dented our hopes)
deotal /dent'l/ adj. 1 of the teeth; of or relating to den-
tistry. 2 Phonet. (of a consonant) produced with the
tip of the tongue against the upper front teeth (as th)
or the ridge of the teeth (as n, s, t).
loq. an area of special expertise. 3 an administrative
district in France and other countries.
to a department, dd de*part a men«tal*ize v.tr. de*part*
men*tal*i*za*tion n. de*part*men*taMy adv.
de«part«ment store n. a large retail establishment
stocking many varieties of goods in different depart-
ments.
de*par*ture /dipa'archar/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
departing. 2 (often foil, by from) a deviation (from the
truth, a standard, etc.). 3 (often attrib.) the starting of
a train, an aircraft, etc. {the departure was late; depar-
ture lounge). 4 a new course of action or thought {driv-
ing a car is rather a departure for him).
de*pend /dipend/ v.intr. 1 (often foil, by on, upon) be
controlled or determined by {success depends on hard
work; it depends how you tackle the problem). 2 (foil, by
on, upon) a be unable to do without {depends on her
mother) b rely on {I'm depending on you to come) 3
. .

deotal floss n. a thread used to clean between the (foil, by on, upon) be grammatically dependent on.

teeth. d depend upon it! you may be sure! it (or it all or that)
deotate /dentayt/ adj. Bot. &
Zool toothed; serrated. depends expressing uncertainty or qualification in an-
den*ti*frice /dentifris/ n. a paste or powder for clean- swering a question ( Will they come? It depends)
ing the teeth. de*pend*a*ble /dipendabal/ adj. reliable, dd de*pend*
derctin /dent'n/ n. (also dentine /-teen/) a hard, dense, a*bil*i*ty n. de*pend*a*bly adv.
bony tissue forming the bulk of a tooth. de*pend*ence /dipendans/ n. 1 the state of being
den«tist /dentist/ n. a person who is qualified to treat dependent, esp. on financial or other support. 2 reli-
the diseases and conditions that affect the mouth, jaws, ance; trust {shows great dependence on his judgment)
teeth, etc. dd den*tis*try n. de»pend»ei>cy /dipendansee/ n. {pi. -cies) 1 a country
den»ti»tion /dentishan/ n. 1 the type, number, and ar- or province controlled by another. 2 anything subor-
rangement of teeth in a species, etc. 2 the cutting of dinate or dependent.
teeth; teething. de»pend»ent /dipendant/ adj. n. • adj. 1&(usu. foil.
denature /denchar/ n. a removable artificial replace- by on) depending, conditional, or subordinate. 2 un-
ment for one or more teeth carried on a removable able to do without (esp. a drug). 3 maintained at
plate or frame. another's cost. 4 Math, (of a variable) having a value
de*nude /dinobd, -nyobd/ v.tr. 1 make naked or bare. determined by that of another variable. 5 Gram, (of a
2 (foil, by of) a strip of clothing, a covering, etc. b de- clause, phrase, or word) subordinate to a sentence or
prive of a possession or attribute, dd den»u*da*tion word. • n. 1 a person who relies on another, esp. for fi-
/deenoodayshan, -nyoo-, denyOo-/ n. nancial support. 2 a servant, dd de*pend*ent«ly adv.
de«nun*ci*a ation /dinunsee-ayshan, -shee-/ n. the act de*pict /dipikt/ v. tr. 1 represent in a drawing or paint-
or an instance of denouncing, dd de*nun*ci*ate ing, etc. 2 portray in words; describe {the play depicts
/-seeayt/ v. tr. de*nun*ci*a*to*ry /-seeatawree/ adj. him as vain and petty), dd de*pic*tion /-pikshsn/ n.
de«ny /dini/ v.tr. (-nies, -nied) 1 declare untrue or non- dep»i«late /depilayt/ v.tr. remove the hair from, dd dep»
existent {denied the charge) 2 repudiate or disclaim {de-
. Ma*tion /-layshan/ n.
nied her signature). 3 (often foil, by to) refuse (a per- de*pil»a»tO»ry /dipibtawree/ adj. &
n. »adj. capable of
son or thing, or something to a person) {this was denied removing unwanted hair. • n. (pi. »ries) a cream or lo-
to me; denied him the satisfaction) 4 refuse access to (a
. tion that removes unwanted hair from the body.
person sought) {denied him his son), dd de*ni*er n. de*plane /deeplayn/ v. intr. disembark from an airplane.
de«o«dor«an t /deeodarant/ n. (often attrib. ) a substance de«plete /dipleet/ v.tr. (esp. in passive) 1 reduce in num-
sprayed or rubbed on to the body or sprayed into the bers or quantity (depleted forces). 2 empty out; exhaust
air to remove or conceal unpleasant smells. (their energies were depleted), dd de*ple*tion /-ple'eshan/
de*0«dor*ize /deeodariz/ v.tr. remove or destroy the n.
(usu. unpleasant) smell of. dd de*o*dor*i*za*tion n. de» de*plor*a*ble /diplawrabsl/ adj. 1 exceedingly bad (a
o«dor»iz»er n. deplorable meal). 2 that can be deplored, dd de»plor»a»
de»ox»y»gen«ate /deeoksijanayt/ v.tr. remove oxygen bly adv.
from, dd de*ox*ygen*a«tion /-nayshan/ n. de«plore /diplawr/ v.tr. 1 grieve over; regret. 2 be scan-
de*ox*yri*bo*nu*cle«ic aoid /de'eokseeribonookle'eik, dalized by; find exceedingly bad. dd de«plor«ing»ly adv.
-klayik, -nyoo-/ n. see DNA. de»ploy /diploy/ v. 1 Mil. a tr. cause (troops) to spread
de«part /dipaart/ v. 1 intr. a (usu. foil, by from) go away; out from a column into a line, b intr. (of troops) spread
leave {the train departs from this platform) b (usu. foil,
. out in this way. 2 tr. bring (arguments, forces, etc.) in-
by for) start; set out (flights depart for New York every to effective action, dd deployment n.
hour). 2 intr. (usu. foil, by from) diverge; deviate de«po*lit*i*cize /de'epalitisiz/ v.tr. 1 make (a person, an
{departs from standard practice). 3 a intr. die. b tr. for- organization, etc.) nonpolitical. 2 remove from polit-
mal or literary leave by death {departed this life) ical activity or influence, do de»po»Ht«i»ci«za»tlon n.
de«part*ed /dipaartid/ n. (prec. by the) euphem. a par- de*pop*U*late /deepopyalayt/ v. 1 tr. reduce the
ticular dead person or dead people {we are here to mourn population of. 2 intr. decline in population. DO de»pop«
the departed). u*la*tion /-layshon/ n.
de«part»ment /dipa'artmant/ n. 1 a separate part of a de«port /dipawrt/ v 1 a remove (an immigrant or for-
. tr.

complex whole, esp.: a a branch of municipal or fed- eigner) forcibly to another country; banish, b exile Ca
 ).

native) to another country. 2 refl. conduct (oneself) or 209 deportee ~ derange

behave (in a specified manner) {deported himself well)
dd de»por«ta«tion /-tayshan/ n.
de»por»tee /de'epawrte'e/ n. a person who has been or
is being deported.
de«port»ment /dipawrtmant/ n. bearing, demeanor, or
manners, esp. of a cultivated kind.
de*pose /dipOz/ v. 1 tr. remove from office, esp. de-
throne. 2 intr. Law (usu. foil, by to, or that + clause)
bear witness, esp. on oath in court.
de«pos*it /dipozit/ n. & v. •n. 1 a a sum of money
placed in an account in a bank, b anything stored or
entrusted for safekeeping, usu. in a bank. 2 a a sum de»pres»sive /dipresiv/ adj.
de*pres*sion /dipreshan/ n. 1a Psychol, a state of ex-
treme dejection or morbidly excessive melancholy, of-
ten with physical symptoms, b a reduction in vitality,
vigor, or spirits. 2 a a long period of financial and
industrial decline; a slump, b (the Depression) the de-
pression of 1929-34. Z Meteorol. a lowering of at-
mospheric pressure, esp. the center of a region of min-
imum pressure or the system of winds around it. 4 a
sunken place or hollow on a surface. 5 a a lowering or
sinking (often foil, by of), b pressing down.
& n. • adj. 1 tending to de-

payable as a first installment on a time-payment pur- press. 2 Psychol, involving or characterized by depres-
chase, or as a pledge for a contract, b a returnable sum sion. • «. Psychol, a person suffering or with a tenden-
payable on the short-term rental of a car, boat, etc. cy to suffer from depression.
3 a a natural layer of sand, rock, coal, etc. b a layer of de*pres«sur*ize /deepreshariz/ v.tr. cause a drop in the
precipitated matter on a surface, e.g., on the inside of pressure of the gas inside (a container), esp. to the am-
a kettle, mv.tr. (deposited, depositing) 1 a put or lay bient level, nn de«pres»sur»i»za»tion n.
down in a (usu. specified) place (deposited the book on dep»ri«va»tion /deprivayshan/ n. (usu. foil, by of) the
the floor), b (of water, wind, etc.) leave (matter, etc.) act or an instance of depriving; the state of being de-
lying in a displaced position. 2 a store or entrust for prived (deprivation of liberty; suffered many depriva-
keeping, b pay (a sum of money) into a bank account, tions).

esp. a deposit account. 3 pay (a sum) as a first install- de»prive /dipriv/ v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by of) strip, dispos-
ment or as a pledge for a contract. sess; debar from enjoying. 2 (as deprived adj.) a (of a
dep»o»si»tion /depazishan/ n. 1 the act or an instance child, etc.) suffering from the effects of a poor or love-
of deposing, esp. a monarch. 2 Law a the process of less home, b (of an area) with inadequate housing, fa-
giving sworn evidence, b an instance of this. C ev- cilities, employment, etc. dd de*prival n.
idence given under oath. 3 the act or an instance of Dept. abbr. Department.
depositing. depth /depth/ n. la deepness (the depth is not great at
de»pos»i»tor /dipozitar/ n. a person who deposits the edge), b the measurement from the top down, from
money, property, etc. the surface inward, or from the front to the back (depth
de*pos*i*to*ry /dipozitawree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a store- of the drawer is 12 inches). 2 difficulty; abstruseness.
house. 2 a store (of wisdom, knowledge, etc.). 3 a sagacity; wisdom, b intensity of emotion, etc. 4 an
de*pot /de'epo, depo/ n. 1 a storehouse. 2 Mil. a store- intensity of color, darkness, etc. 5 (in pi) a deep wa-
house for equipment, etc. 3 a a building for the serv- ter, a deep place; an abyss, b a low, depressed state.
icing, parking, etc., of esp. buses, trains, or goods vehi- C the lowest or inmost part (the depths of the country).
cles, b a railroad or bus station. 6 the middle (the depth ofzvinter). a in depth compre-
de»prave /diprayv/ v.tr. pervert or corrupt, esp. moral- hensively, thoroughly, or profoundly, (cf. in-depth).
ly, dd dep*ra*va*tion /depravayshan/ n. de*praved adj. depth charge n. (also depth bomb) a bomb capable of
de»prav»i«ty /dipravitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 moral corrup- exploding under water, esp. for dropping on a sub-
tion; wickedness. 2 an instance of this; a wicked act. merged submarine, etc.
dep»re»cate /deprikayt/ v. tr. 1 express disapproval of or dep»u»ta«tion /depyootayshan/ n. a group of people ap-
a wish against; deplore (deprecate hasty action). 2 plead pointed to represent others.
earnestly against, dd dep*re*cat*ing*ly adv. depTe«ca« de«pute v.tr. /dipyobt/ (often foil, by to) 1 appoint as a
tion /-kayshan/ n. dep»re»ca«to«ry /-katawree/ adj. deputy. 2 delegate (a task, authority, etc.) (deputed the
Deprecate means 'to express disapproval of, to de- leadership to her).
plore,' e.g., The mainstream press began by deprecating dep*u*tize /depyatiz/ v. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by for) act as
the film's attitude towards terrorism, while depreciate a deputy or understudy. 2 tr. appoint as a deputy.
(apart from its financial senses) means 'to disparage dep«u»ty /depyatee/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 a person appointed
or belittle,' e.g., He is always depreciating his ozvn skills or delegated to act for another or others (also attrib. :

out of a strong sense of humility. deputy sheriff). 2 Polit. a parliamentary representative

de»pre«ci»ate /dipreesheeayt/ v. 1 tr. & intr. diminish in in certain countries, e.g., France, d by deputy by
value (the car has depreciated). 2 tr. disparage; belittle proxy.
(they are always depreciating his taste). 3 tr. reduce the de«rail /dirayl/ v.tr. (usu. in passive) cause (a train, etc.)
purchasing power of (money), dd de«pre»ci»a»tOTy to leave the rails, dd de»rail»ment ;/.
/-sheeatawree/ adj. de»rail»leur /daraylar/ n. a gear-shifting mechanism on
See note at deprecate. a bicycle that moves
de«pre«ci»a«tion /dipre'esheeayshan/ n. 1 the amount of the chain from one
wear and tear (of a property, etc.) for which a reduc- sprocket wheel to
tion may be made in a valuation or a balance sheet. another.
2 Econ. a decrease in the value of a currency. 3 the act de*range /diraynj/
or an instance of depreciating; belittlement. v.tr. 1 throw into
dep»re«da»tion /depridayshan/ n. (usu. in pi.) 1 ravag- confusion; disor-
ing or plundering. 2 an instance or instances of this. ganize. 2 (esp. as
de*press /dipres/ v.tr. 1 push or pull down; lower (de- deranged adj.)
pressed the lever) 2 make dispirited or dejected. 3 Econ.
. make insane (de-
reduce the activity of (esp. trade) 4 (as depressed adj.
. ranged by the tragic
a dispirited or miserable, b Psychol, suffering from de- events). 3 disturb;
pression, nn de*press*ing adj. de*press*ing*ly adv. interrupt, dd de«
de*pres*sant /dipresant/ adj. &n. »adj. 1 that depress- range«ment n. derailleur
es. 2 Med. sedative. %n. 1 Med. an agent, esp. a drug,
that sedates. 2 an influence that depresses. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

derby - desegregate
der»by/darbee/rc. (pi. -bies) 1 any of several horse races
that are run annually, esp. for three-year olds (Kentucky
Derby). 2 a sporting contest, etc., esp. one open to all
comers. 3 a bowler hat.
de»reg»u»late /dee-regyalayt/ v.tr. remove regulations
or restrictions from, dd deTeg»u«la»tion /-layshan/ n.
der»e«lict /derilikt/ adj. & n.abandoned; own-
madj. 1
erless (esp. of a ship at sea oran empty decrepit prop-
erty). 2 (esp. of property) ruined; dilapidated. 3 neg-
ligent (of duty, etc.). •n. 1 a person without a home,
a job, or property. 2 abandoned property, esp. a ship.
der»e»lic»tion /derilikshan/ n. 1 (usu. foil, by of) a ne-
glect; failure to carry out one's obligations (dereliction
210 framework over an oil well etc., holding the drilling
machinery.
der»ri»ere /dereeair/ n. colloq. euphem. (also derriere)
the buttocks.
der*ring-do /deringdob/ n. literary joe. heroic courage
or action.
der*vish /darvish/ n. a member of any of several Mus-
lim fraternities vowed to poverty and austerity.
de«sal*i«nate /deesalinayt/ v.tr. remove salt from (esp.
sea water), dd de»sal»i»na«tion /-nayshan/ n.
des*cant n. &v. •«. /deskant/ 1 Mus. an independent
treble melody above a basic melody, esp. of a hymn
tune. 2 poet, a melody; a song. • v. intr. /diskant/ 1 (foil,
by on, upon) talk lengthily and prosily, esp. in praise
of. 2 Mus. sing or play a descant.

of duty), act or an instance

b an instance of this. 2 the de»scend /disend/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. go or come down (a

of abandoning; the process of being abandoned. hill, stairs, etc.). 2 intr. (of a thing) sink; fall (rain de-

3 a the retreat of the sea exposing new land, b the land
so exposed.
de»ride /dirid/ v. tr. laugh scornfully at; mock, dd derid*
er deTid«ing»ly adv.
n.
de ri«gueur /d9 rig6r/ predic. adj. required by custom or
etiquette (evening dress is de rigueur)
de»ri»sion /dirizhan/ n. ridicule; mockery (bring into de-
rision) . worthy act) (descend to violence) .7 intr. Mus. (of sound)
de*ri«sive /dirfsiv/ adj. scoffing; ironical; scornful (de-
risive cheers), dd de»ri»sive»ly adv. de«ri«sive»ness n.
scended heavily). 3 intr. slope downward; lie along a
descending slope (fields descended to the beach). 4 intr.
(usu. foil, by on) a make a sudden attack, b make an
unexpected and usu. unwelcome visit. 5 intr. (usu. foil,
by from, to) (of property, qualities, rights, etc.) be
passed by inheritance. 6 intr. a sink in rank, quality,
etc. b (foil, by to) degrade oneself morally to (an un-
become lower in pitch. 8 intr. (usu. foil, by to) proceed
(in discourse or writing) a in time (to a subsequent
:

de*ri*so*ry /diri'saree, za-/ adj. 1 = derisive. 2 so small event, etc.). b from the general (to the particular) (now
or unimportant as to be ridiculous (derisory costs) let's descend to details). 9 tr. go along (a river, etc.) to

der*i*va*tion /derivayshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance
of deriving or obtaining from a source. 2 a the forma-
tion of a word from another word or from a root, b a
derivative. C the tracing of the origin of a word, d a
statement or account of this. 3 extraction; descent.
4 Math, a sequence of statements showing that a for-
mula, theorem, etc., is a consequence of previously ac-
cepted statements, dd der»i«va»tion«al adj.
de»riv»a»tive /dirivativ/ adj. &
n. *adj. derived from
another source; not original (his music is derivative).
• n. 1 something derived from another source, esp. a a
the sea, etc. d be descended from have as an ancestor.
dd de*scend*enf adj.
de*scend*ant /disendant/ n. (often foil, by of) a person
or thing descended from another (a descendant ofJohn
Adams)
de*scend*er /disendar/ n. Printing a part of a letter that
extends below the level of the base of a letter, as in g
or p.
/disent/ n. 1 a the act of descending, b an in-
de»scent
stance of this. C a downward movement. 2 a a way or
path, etc., by which one may descend, b a downward
:

word derived from another or from a root (e.g., quick- slope. 3 a being descended; lineage; family origin.
ly from quick), b Chem. a chemical compound derived b the transmission of qualities, property, privileges,
from another. 2 Math, a quantity measuring the rate etc., by inheritance. 4 a a decline; a fall, b a lowering
of change of another, dd de«riva»tive«ly adv. (of pitch, temperature, etc.) 5 a sudden violent attack. .

de*scram*ble /deeskrambal/ v. tr. 1 convert or restore

deprive /diriv/ v. 1 tr. (usu. foil, by from) get, obtain, or
form (derived satisfaction from work). 2 intr. (foil, by (a signal) to intelligible form. 2 counteract the effects
from) arise from, originate in, be descended or ob- of (a scrambling device). 3 recover an original signal
tained from. 3 tr. gather or deduce (derived the from (a scrambled signal), dd de»scram»bler ;/.
information from the clues) 4 tr. a trace the descent of
. de»scribe/diskrib/z;.rr. 1 a state the characteristics, ap-
(a person), b show the origin of (a thing). 5 tr. (usu. pearance, etc., of, in spoken or written form (described
foil, by from) show or state the origin or formation of the landscape) b (foil, by as) assert to be; call (described
.

(a word, etc.) (derived the word from Latin). 6 tr. Math. him as a habitual liar) 2 a mark out or draw (esp. a ge-
.

obtain (a function) by differentiation, dd de*riva«ble ometrical figure), b move in (a specified way, esp. a
adj. curve) (described a parabola through the air), dd de«
der*ma*ti*tis /dermatitis/ n. inflammation of the skin. scrib*a*ble adj. de«scrib»er n.
der»ma»tol«o»gy /darmatolajee/ n. the study of skin dis- de«scrip»tion /diskripshan/ w. 1 a the act or an instance
orders, dd der»ma-to»log»i»cal /-talojikal/ adj. der«ma« of describing; the process of being described, b ;i spo-
tol*ogist n. ken or written representation (of a person, object, or
der*mis /darmis/ n. (also der*ma /darma/) 1 (in general event). 2 a sort, kind, or class (no food qj any descrip*
use) the skin. 2 Anat. the true skin, the thick layer of lion), d answers (or fits) the description has the qua!
living tissue below the epidermis, dd der*mal adj. ities specified.
der»0»gate /deragayt/ v.intr. (foil, by from) formal de«scrip«tive/diskriptiv/a6//. 1 terving or seeking to de
1 a take away a part from; detract from (a merit, a scribe (a descriptive writer). 2 describing or t lassifying
right, etc.). b disparage. 2 deviate from (correct behav- without expressing feelings or judging (apurtfycUs* up
ior, etc.). live account), dd de-scrip-tive-ly ado. de«scrip«tivo«
der*o*ga*tion /deragayshan/ n. 1 (foil, by of) a less- ness >/.
ening or impairment of (a law, authority, etc.). 2 dete- de»scry /diskri/ v.tr. (-scries, -scried) Hurary catcfa
rioration; debasement. sight of; discern.
derog»a»tOTy /dirogatawree/ adj. (often foil, by to) in- d—'f crate /desikrayt/urr. 1 violate sacredpl
volving disparagement or discredit; insulting; depre- thing) with violence, profanity, eo 2 deprive (a
ciatory (a derogatory remark), dd de*rog*a*to*ri*ly adv. church, a sacred object, etc. <>t lancthy; deCOItsei rtU
)

derrick /derik/ n. 1 a kind of crane for moving or lift- dd des»e«cra»tion / kniyshan/ >/. des*e*cra*tor >/.
ing heavy weights, having a movable pivoted arm 2 the . de»seg»re*gate /deescgrigayt/ v.tr. abolish radii
 segregation in (schools, etc.) or of (people, etc.). dd de« 211 desensitize ~ dessert
seg»re«ga-tion /-gayshan/ n.
de»sen»si»tize /deesensitiz/ v.tr. reduce or destroy the de«sir»a»ble /dizirabal/ adj. 1 worth having or wishing

sensitiveness of (photographic materials, an allergic for (it is desirable that nobody should smoke) 2 arousing .

person, etc.). dd de«sen»si»ti«za»tion n. de»sen«si«tiz«er sexual desire, dd de«sir»a»biM«ty n. de«sir«a«ble«ness n.

n. de*sir»a»bly adv.
de-sert /dizart/ v. 1 tr. abandon; give up; leave {desert
1
de»sire /dizir/ n. &v. • n. 1 a an unsatisfied longing or
a sinking ship). 2 tr. forsake or abandon (a cause or a craving, b a request (expressed a desire to rest). 2 lust.
person, etc.). 3 tr. fail (his memory deserted him). 4 intr. 3 something desired (her heart's desire) • v. tr. 1 (often .

Mil. run away (esp. from military service) 5 tr. (as de- . foil, by to + infin., or that + clause) long for; crave.

serted adj.) empty; abandoned (a deserted house). 2 request.

aa de«sert»er n. (in sense 4 of v. ) de«ser»tion /-zarshan/
. de*sir*OUS /diziras/ predic.adj. 1 (usu. foil, by of) am-
n. bitious; desiring. 2 (usu. foil, by to + infin., or that +
des»ert 2 /dezart/ n. &
adj. • n. a dry, barren, often sand- clause) hoping (desirous to do the right thing).
covered area of land; an uninteresting or barren sub- de«sist /dizist/ v.intr. (often foil, by from) literary ab-
ject, period, etc. (a cultural desert), madj. 1 uninhab- stain; cease.
ited; desolate. 2 uncultivated; barren. desk /desk/ n.la piece of furniture with a flat or sloped
des»ert 3 /dizart/ n. 1 (in pi.) a acts or qualities de- surface for writing on, and often drawers. 2 a counter
serving reward or punishment, b such reward or which separates the customer from the assistant. 3 a
punishment (has gotten his just deserts) 2 the fact . section of a newspaper office, etc., dealing with a spec-
of being worthy of reward or punishment; deserving- ified topic (the sports desk). 4 Mus. a music stand in an
ness. orchestra regarded as a unit of two players.
de»serve /dizarv/ v. tr. 1 (often foil, by to + infin.) show desMop /desktop/ n. 1 a the working surface of a desk.
conduct or qualities worthy of (reward, punishment, b the working area for manipulating windows, icons,
etc.). 2 (as deserved adj.) rightfully merited or earned etc., in some computer software environments. 2
(a deserved win), dd de«served«ly /-vidlee/ adv. (attrib.) (esp. of a microcomputer) suitable for use at
de»serv»ing /dizarving/ adj. meritorious, d deserving an ordinary desk.
of showing conduct or qualities worthy of (praise, desktop pub«lish»ing n. the production of printed
blame, help, etc.). an de«serving«ly adv. matter with a desktop computer and printer.
des»iocant /desikant/ n. Chem. a hygroscopic sub- des*o«late adj. &
v. • adj. /desalat/ 1 left alone; solitary.

stance used as a drying agent. 2 (of a building or place) uninhabited; neglected; bar-
des«ic«cate /desikayt/ v.tr. remove the moisture from ren; dreary; empty (a desolate beach). 3 forlorn;
(esp. food for preservation), dd des*ic*ca*tion wretched (was left desolate and weeping) • v. tr. desslayt .

/-kayshan/ n. des*ic*ca*tive adj. 1 depopulate or devastate; lay waste to. 2 (esp. as des-
des»ic»ca»tor /desikaytar/ n. 1 an apparatus for desic- olated adj.) make forlorn (desolated by grief), dc des*
cating. 2 Chem. an apparatus containing a drying o*late«ly /-latlee/ adv. des»o»late*ness n. des*o*la*tion
agent to remove the moisture from specimens. /desalayshan/ n.
de*sid*er*a*tum /disidaraytam, -raatam/ n. (pi. de*spair /dispair/ n. &
v. *n. the complete loss or ab-

desiderata /-ta/) something lacking but needed or de- sence of hope, •v.intr. 1 (often foil, by of) lose or be
sired. without hope. 2 (foil, by of) lose hope about (his life
de«sign /dizin/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a preliminary plan or is despaired of), a be the despair of be the cause of de-

sketch for making something, b the art of producing
these. 2 a scheme of lines or shapes forming a pattern
or decoration. 3 a plan, purpose, or intention. 4 a the
general arrangement or layout of a product, b an estab-
lished version of a product (our most popular designs).
• v. 1 tr. produce a design for (a thing). 2 tr. intend,
plan, or purpose (designed to offend) 3 absol. be a
designer. by design on purpose, have designs on
plan to harm or appropriate.
spair by badness or unapproachable excellence (he's
the despair of his parents), dd de«spair*ing*ly adv.
despatch var. of dispatch.
des»per»a»do /despara'ado/ n. (pi. -does or -dos) a des-
perate or reckless person, esp. a criminal.
des*per*ate /desparat, -prit/ adj. 1 reckless from de-
. spair. 2 a extremely dangerous or serious (a desperate
situation), b staking all on a small chance (a desperate
remedy). 3 very bad (desperate poverty) 4 (usu. foil, by .

des*ig*nate v. &
adj. • v. tr. /dezignayt/ 1 (often foil, by for) needing or desiring very much (desperate for recogiti-
as) appoint to an office or function (designated him as tion). dd des*per>ate*ly ado. des»per«ate«ness ;/. des»
postmaster general) 2 specify (at designated times) 3 (of-
. . per»a»tion /-rayshan/ n.
ten foil, by as) describe as; entitle; style. 4 serve as the des*pi*ca*ble /despikabal, dispik-/ adj. vile; contempt-
name or distinctive mark of (English uses French words ible, esp. morally, aa des*pi*ca*bly adv.
to designate ballet steps) . • adj. /dezignat/ (placed after de«spise /dispiz/ v.tr. look down on as inferior, worth-
noun) appointed to an office but not yet installed (bish- less, or contemptible, aa de«spis*er ;/.
op designate), an des*ig*na*tor n. de«spite /dispi't/ prep, in spite of.
des*ig*nat*ed driv»er n. one in a group who abstains de«spoil /dispoyl/ v.tr. literary (often foil, by of) plun-
from alcohol in order to drive the others safely. der; deprive, aa de*spoil*ment >/. de«spo«li*a*tion dis-
des*ig*nat*ed hiMer n. Baseball a batter in the lineup pOleeayshan/ n.
who hits for the pitcher. ^ Abbr.: DH. de*spond /dispond/ v. &
n. • v.intr. lose heart or hope;
des*ig*na*tion /dezignayshan/ n. 1 a name, descrip- be dejected. »n. archaic despondency.
tion, or title. 2 the act or process of designating. de«spond»ent /dispondant/ adj. in low spirits; dejected.
de«sign»ed»ly /dizinidlee/ adv. by design; on purpose. aa de*spond*ence /-dans/ n. de«spond»en«cy >/. de«
de»sign»er /dizinar/ n. 1 a person who makes artistic spond*enMy adv.
designs or plans for construction, e.g., for clothing, des»pot /despat/ n. 1 an absolute ruler. 2 a tyrant.
theater sets. 2 (attrib.) (of clothing, etc.) bearing the aa des*pot*ic /-spotik/ adj. des»pot»i»caMy adv. des»
name or label of a famous designer. potosm /despatizam/ n.
de»sign»er drug n. a synthetic analog, not itself illegal, des»sert /dizart/ n. the sweet course of a meal, served
of an illegal drug. at or near the end.
de»sign»ing /dizining/ adj. crafty, artful, or scheming.
on de*sign*ing*ly adv. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

destabilize - detract 212 de*tec»tion /ditekshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of

de*sta*bi*lize /deestaybiliz/ v.tr. 1 render unstable.
2 subvert (esp. a foreign government), an de«sta»bMi»
za*tion n.
des»ti»na»tion /destinayshan/ n. a place to
son or thing is going.
deS'tine /destin/ v. tr. (often foil, by to, for, or to + infin.)
preordain; intend, o be destined to be fated to.
des*ti*ny /destinee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 a fate, b this re-
garded as a power. 2 what is destined to happen to a
particular person, etc. (it was their destiny).
des*ti*tute /destitoot, -tyoot/ adj. 1 without food, shel-
ter, etc.; completely impoverished. 2 (usu. foil, by of)
lacking, dd des»ti»tu«tion /-tobshan, -tyob-/ n.
de«Stroy /distroy/ v.tr. 1 pull or break down. 2 end the
existence of (destroyed her confidence) 3 kill (esp. a sick
or savage animal). 4 make useless. 5 ruin financially,
professionally, or in reputation. 6 defeat (destroyed
enemy)
de*Stroy»er /distroyar/ n. 1 a person or thing that
detecting; the process or an instance of being detected.
2 the work of a detective.
de»tec»ti ve /ditektiv/ n. &
adj. • n. (often attrib. ) a per-
son, esp. a member of a police force, employed to in-
which a per- vestigate crime. madj. serving to detect.
de»tente /daytoNt/ n. an easing of strained relations,
esp. between nations.
de»ten»tion /ditenshan/ n. 1 detaining or being de-
tained. 2 a being kept in school after hours as a pun-
ishment, b an instance of this. 3 custody; confine-
ment.
de»ter /ditar/ v. tr. (deterred, deterring) 1 (often foil, by
from) discourage or prevent (a person) through fear or
dislike of the consequences. 2 check or prevent (a
thing, process, etc.).
. de«ter«gent /ditarjant/ n. &
adj. mn. a cleansing agent,
esp. a synthetic substance (usu. other than soap) used
the with water as a means of removing dirt, etc. madj.
cleansing, esp. in the manner of a detergent.
de«te»ri»orate /diteereearayt/ v. tr. &
intr. make or be-

destroys.2 Nam. a fast warship with guns and torpe- come bad or worse, dd de«te»ri»o»ra»tion /-rayshan/ n.
does used to protect other ships. de»te»ri»c-ra»tive adj.
de*Struct /distrukt/ v. & n. esp. Astronaut. mv. 1 tr. de- de»ter»mi»nant /ditarminant/ adj. &
n. madj. serving to
stroy (one's own rocket, etc.) deliberately, esp. for safe- determine or define. •«. 1 a determining factor, el-
ty reasons. 2 intr. be destroyed in this way. • n. an act ement, word, etc. 2 Math, a quantity obtained by the
of destructing. addition of products of the elements of a square ma-
de»struct»i»ble /distruktibal/ adj. able to be destroyed. trix according to a given rule.
de«Struc»tion /distrukshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance de»ter»mi»nate /ditarminat/ adj. 1 limited in time,
of destroying; the process of being destroyed. 2 a cause space, or character. 2 of definite scope or nature, dd de«
of ruin (greed was their destruction) ter»mi»na»cy /-nasee/ n. de»ter«mi«nate«ly adv.
de«Struotive /distruktiv/ adj. 1 (often foil, by to, of) de«ter»mi«na»tion /ditarminayshan/ n. 1 firmness of
destroying or tending to destroy (a destructive child). purpose; resoluteness. 2 the process of deciding, de-
2 negative in attitude or criticism, dd de»struc»tive«ly termining, or calculating. 3 a the conclusion of a dis-
adv. de»struc»tive«ness n. pute by the decision of an arbitrator, b the decision
des»ue»tude /deswitood, -tyood/ n. a state of disuse. reached.
des*ul*tO*ry /desaltiwree, dez-/ adj. 1 going constant- de»ter»mine/ditarmin/ v. 1 tr. find out or establish pre-
ly from one subject to another, esp. in a halfhearted cisely. 2 tr. decide or settle. 3 tr. be a decisive factor in
way. 2 disconnected; unmethodical; superficial. regard to. 4 intr. &
tr. make or cause (a person) to make

dd des»ul»toTi»ly adv. des*ul«tc-ri*ness n. a decision (what determined you to do it?) a be deter- .

de*tach /ditach/ v. tr. 1 (often foil, by from) unfasten or mined be resolved (was determined not to give up). un de«
disengage and remove. 2 Mil. send (a ship, officer, etc.) ter*mi*na*ble adj.
on a separate mission. 3 (as detached adj.) a impar- de«ter«mined /ditarmind/ adj. 1 showing determina-
tial; unemotional (a detached viewpoint) b (esp. of a . tion. 2 fixed in scope or character; settled; determi-
house) not joined to another or others, dd de«tach»a» nate, dd de»terTnined»ly adv. de»ter«mined«ness n.
ble adj. de»tach»ed«ly /ditachidlee/ adv. de»ter»min»er /ditarminar/ n. la person or thing that
de«tach«ment /ditachmant/ n. 1 a a state of aloofness determines. 2 Gram, any of a class of words (e.g., a,
or indifference, b disinterested independence of judg- the, every) that determine the kind of reference a noun
ment. 2 a the act or process of detaching or being de- or noun substitute has.
tached, b an instance of this. 3 Mil. a separate group de»ter»min»ism /ditarminizam/ n. Philos. the doctrine
or unit used for a specific purpose. that all events, including human action, are deter-
de»tail /ditayl, de'etayl/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a a small or subor- mined by causes regarded as external to the will, dd de»
dinate particular, b such a particular, considered ter*min«ist n. de»ter-min«is«tic adj.
(ironically) to be unimportant (the truth is just a de- de»ter«rent /ditarant, -tur-/ adj. &
n. madj. that deters.
tail)^ a small items or particulars regarded collective- • n. a deterrent thing or factor, dd de«ter-rence / -rans/
ly (has an eye for detail), b the treatment of them (the n.
detail was insufficient). 3 (often in pi.) a number of de»test /ditest/ v.tr. hate; loathe, dd de-tes-ta«tlon
particulars (filled in the details). A a a minor decoration /de'etestayshan/ n.
on a building, in a picture, etc. b a small part of a pic- de»test»a»ble /ditestabal/ adj. intensely disliked; hate-
ture, etc., shown alone. 5 Mil. a the distribution of or- ful, dd de«test-a«bly adv.
ders for the day. b detachment of soldiers, etc.,
a small dethrone /deethrOn/ v.tr. 1 remove from the throne;
for special duty. • give particulars of. 2 relate cir-
v. tr. 1 depose. 2 remove from a position of authority, dd de«
cumstantially. 3 Mil. assign for special duty. 4 (as de- thronernent n.
tailed adj.) a (of a picture, story, etc.) having many det»0»nate /det'nayt/ v.intr. & tr. explode with a loud
details, b itemized (a detailed list) noise, dd det»o»na»tion /det'nayshan/ n. det»o«na«tlve
detain v.tr. 1 keep in confinement or under
/ditayn/ adj. det«o»na»tor n.
restraint. 2 delay, dd de*tain*ment n. de*tOUr/deetoor,dit<Yor///. isfv. •>/. 1 a divergence from
de»tain»ee /de'etayne'e/ n. a person detained in custody. a direct or intended route. 2 an alternative rOUte,whefl
de*tect /ditekt/ v.tr. 1 a (often foil, by in) reveal the a road is temporarily closed to traffic, •v.nitr. tr. &
guilt of. b discover (a crime). 2 perceive the existence make or cause to make a detour.
of (detected a smell of burning). 3 Physics use an in- de*tOX»i»fy /deetoksifi/ v.tr. remove the poison froflD
strument to observe (a signal, radiation, etc.). dd de- dd de*tox»i»fi»ca»tion fikayshan/ n.
tectable adj. de*tec*tor n. de-tract /ditrakt/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by from) take away (a
 .

part of something); reduce; diminish, an de»trac«tion 213 detriment ~ devotion

/-trakshan/ n. detractor n.
det»ri»ment /detrimant/ n. 1 harm; damage. 2 some- force or attribute. 3 a a wicked or cruel person, b a
thing causing this, an detTi»men«tal /detriment'l/ adj. mischievously energetic, clever, or self-willed person.
det«ri«men»tal«ly adv. 4 colloq. a person; a fellow {lucky devil) 5 fighting spir- .

de*tri*tus /ditritas/ n. 1 matter produced by erosion. it; mischievousness {the devil is in him tonight) . 6 col-
2 debris, dd de»tri«tal /ditrit'l/ adj. loq. something awkward {this door is a devil to open). 7
deuce /doos, dyoos/ the two on dice or playing
n. 1 (the devil or the Devil) colloq. used as an exclamation
cards. 2 (in tennis) the score of 40 all, at which two of surprise or annoyance {who the devil are you?) 8 a .

consecutive points are needed to win. literaryhack exploited by an employer. »v. (deviled,
deiMe»ri»um /doote'ereeam, dyoo-/ n. Chem. a stable deviling; devilled, devilling) 1 tr. cook (food) with hot
isotope of hydrogen with a mass about double that of seasoning. 2 tr. harass; worry, d between the devil and
the usual isotope. the deep blue sea in a dilemma, a devil of colloq. con-
Deutsche mark /doych, doycha/ n. (also Deutsche* siderable, difficult, or remarkable, devil take the hind-
mark) the chief monetary unit of Germany. most a motto of selfish competition, the devil to pay
de*val*ue /deevalyoo/ v.tr. (devalues, devalued, deval- trouble to be expected, like the devil with great en-
uing) 1 reduce the value of. 2 Econ. reduce the value ergy, speak of the devil said when a person appears
of (a currency) in relation to other currencies or to just after being mentioned.
gold (opp. revalue), dd de»val»u»a»tion n.
devil Old English Dutch duivel and
deofol (related to
dev»as»tate /devastayt/ v.tr. 1 cause great destruction
German from Greek diabolos 'ac-
Teufel),via late Latin
to. 2 (often in passive) overwhelm with shock or grief.
cuser, slanderer' (used in Greek to translate Hebrew
dd dev»as»ta»tion /-tayshan/ n. dev*as*ta*tor n.
s'atan 'Satan'), from diaballein 'to slander,' from dia
dev*as*tat*ing /devastating/ adj. 1 crushingly effec-
'across' + ballein 'to throw.'
tive; overwhelming. 2 colloq. a incisive; savage {devas-
tating accuracy) b extremely impressive or attractive
. dev»il«ish /devalish/ adj. & adv. • adj. 1 of or like a dev-
{she wore a devastating black silk dress), dd devas*tat* il; wicked. 2 mischievous. »adv. colloq. very; extreme-
ing«ly adv. ly, dd devil*ish*ly adv. dev«il»ish«ness n.

de*vel«op /divelap/ (developed, developing) 1 tr.

v. & devil-may-care adj. cheerful and reckless.
intr. a make or become bigger or fuller or more elab- dev«il»ment /devalmant/ n. mischief; wild spirits.
orate or systematic, b bring or come to an active or dev»il«ry /devilree/ n. (also devil«try /-tree/) {pi. Ties)
visible state or to maturity. 2 a tr. begin to suffer from 1 a reckless mischief, b an instance of this. 2 a black
{developed a rattle), b intr. come into existence {a fault magic, b the Devil and his works.
developed in the engine) 3 tr. a construct on (land)
. devil's ad»vo»cate n. a person who tests a proposition
b convert (land) to a new purpose. 4 tr. treat (photo- by arguing against it.
graphic film, etc.) to make the image visible, dd de« de«vi*ous /de'eveeas/ adj. 1 (of a person, etc.) not
vel*op*a*ble /divelapabal/ adj. de»vel»op»er n. straightforward. 2 circuitous. 3 erring, dd de»vi»ous»ly
de»vel»op»ment /divelapmant/ n. 1 the act or an in- adv. de>vi*ous*ness n.
stance of developing; the process of being developed. de*vise /diviz/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 plan or invent by careful
2 a a stage of growth or advancement, b a thing that thought. 2 Law leave (real estate) by will (cf. be-
has developed {the latest developments). 3 a full-grown queath). • n. 1 the act or an instance of devising. 2 Law
state. 4 the process of developing a photograph. 5 a a devising clause in a will, dd de«vis«a«ble adj. de»vi»
developed area of land. see /-zee/ n. (in sense 2 oft;.). de»vis»er n. de«vi»sor
de*vel*op*men*tal /divelapment'l/ adj. 1 incidental to n. (in sense 2 oft'.).
growth {developmental diseases) 2 evolutionary, dd de»
. de«vi»tal«ize /deevit'liz/ v. tr. take away strength and vig-
vel«op»men»taMy adv. or from, dd de«vi*tal*i*za*tion n.
de*vi*ant /deeveeant/ adj. &
n. • adj. that deviates from de»void /divoyd/ predic. a dj. (foil, by of) quite lacking or
the normal. «w. a deviant person or thing, dd de«vi« free from.
ance /-veeans/ n. de»vi»an«cy n. dev»o«lu»tion /de'evalobshan/ n. 1 the delegation of
de«vi»ate v. &n. • v. intr. /de'eveeayt/ (often foil, by from) power, esp. by central government to local or region-
turn aside or diverge (from a course of action, truth, al administration. 2 a descent or passing on through
etc.); digress. *n. /deeveeat/ a deviant, esp. a sexual a series of stages, b descent by natural or due succes-
pervert, dd de*vi*a*tor n. de»vi«a»to*ry /-veeatawree/ sion from one to another of property or qualities. 3 the
adj. lapse of an unexercised right to an ultimate owner.
de*vi*a*tion /de'eveeayshan/ h. la deviating; digress- dd dev«o«lu«tion«ar«y adj. dev»o«lu»tion»ist n.
ing, b an instance of this. 2 Polit. a departure from ac- de«volve /divolv/ v. 1 (foil, by on, upon, etc.) a tr. pass
cepted (esp. Communist) party doctrine. 3 Statistics (work or duties) to (a deputy, etc.). b intr. (of work or
the amount by which a single measurement differs duties) pass to (a deputy, etc.). 2 intr. (foil, by on, to,
from the mean. upon) Law (of property, etc.) fall by succession to.
de*vice /divis/ n. 1 a a thing made or adapted for a par- dd de»volvernent n.
ticular purpose, b an explosive contrivance. 2 a plan, De»vo»ni»an /divoneean/ adj. &
n. •adj. Geol. of or re-
scheme, or trick. 3 a an emblematic or heraldic de- lating to the fourth period of the Paleozoic era. • n. this
sign, b a drawing or design, d leave a person to his period or system.
or her own devices leave a person to do as he or she de«VOte /div6t/ v. tr. & by to) apply or give over
refl. (foil,

wishes. to (a particular activity or purpose or person).

de«vot»ed /divotid/ adj. very loving or loyal, dd de»vot«
device Middle English: from Old French devis, based
ed»ly adv. de*vot*ed*ness n.
on Latin divis- 'divided,' from the verb dividere. The
devo»tee /devate'e, -tay/ n. 1 (usu. foil, by of) a zeal-
original sense was 'desire or intention,' found now on-
ous enthusiast or supporter. 2 a zealously pious per-
ly in leave a person to his or her own devices (which has
son.
become associated with sense 2).
de»vo«tion /divOshan/ n. 1 (usu. foil, by to) enthusias-
dev»il /deval/ n. &
v. • n. 1 (usu. the Devil) (in Chris- tic attachment or loyalty (to a person or cause); great
tian and Jewish belief) the supreme spirit of evil; Sa-
tan. 2 a an evil spirit; a demon, b a personified evil See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

devour ~ diamond 214 disease, a mechanical fault, etc.). dd di*ag*nos*a*ble

adj.

love. 2 a religious worship, b (in pi.) prayers. C de- di*ag*no*sis /diagnosis/ n. (pi. diagnoses /-seez/)
voutness; religious fervor. de«vo»tion»al adj. 1 a the identification of a disease by means of a pa-

de»vour /divowr/ v.tr. 1 eat hungrily or greedily. 2 (of tient's symptoms, b an instance or formal statement
fire, etc.) engulf; destroy. 3 take in greedily with the of this. 2 a the identification of the cause of a mechan-
eyes or ears {devoured book after book) 4 absorb the . ical fault, etc. b an instance of this. 3 a the distinctive
attention of (devoured by anxiety) characterization in precise terms of a genus, species,
de*vout /divowt/ adj. 1 earnestly religious. 2 earnestly etc. b an instance of this.
sincere (devout hope), dd de«vout«ly adv. de»vout«ness di*ag*nos*tic /diagnostik/ adj. &n. madj. of or assisting
n. diagnosis. •«. a symptom, dd di*ag*nos*ti*caMy adv.
dew I dob, dyoo/ n. & v. • n. 1 atmospheric vapor con- di*ag*nos*ti*cian /-nostishan/ n.
densing in small drops on cool surfaces at night. 2 glis- di*ag*nos«tics /diagnostiks/ n. 1 (treated as pi.) Com-
tening moisture resembling this. 3 freshness; re- puting mechanisms used to identify faults in hardware
freshing quality. • v. tr. wet with or as with dew. dd dew« or software. 2 (treated as sing.) the science of diag-
y /dob-ee, dyob-ee/ adj. (dewier, dewiest) nosing disease.
dew»ber«ry /dobberee, dyoo-/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a bluish di*ag*0*nal /diaganal/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 crossing a

fruit like the blackberry. 2 the shrub, Rubus caesius, straight-sided figure from corner to corner. 2 slanti-
bearing this. ng; oblique. •«. a straight line joining two nonadja-
dewclaw /dooklaw, dyob-/ n. 1 a rudimentary inner cent corners, dd di*ag*o*naMy adv.
toe found on some dogs. 2 a false hoof on a deer, etc. di*a*gram /diagram/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a drawing showing

dewdrop /dobdrop, dyob-/ n. a drop of dew. the general scheme or outline of an object and its parts.
Dewey sys»tem /dob-ee, dyob-ee/ n. a decimal system 2 a graphic representation of the course or results of
of library classification. an action or process, mv.tr. (diagramed, diagraming or
dewfall /dobfawl, dyob-/ n. 1 the time when dew diagrammed, diagramming) represent by means of a
begins to form. 2 the formation of dew. diagram, dd di*a*gram*mat*ic /-gramatik/ adj. di»a«
dew*lap /doolap, dyoo-/ n. la loose fold of skin hang- gram*mat*i*caMy adv.
ing from the throat of cattle, dogs, etc. 2 similar loose di»al /dial/ n. &
v. mn. 1 the face of a clock or watch.

skin around the throat of an elderly person. 2 a plate with a scale for measuring weight, volume,
dew point n. the temperature at which dew forms. etc., indicated by a pointer. 3 a movable disk on a tel-
dex«ter /dekstar/ adj. esp. Heraldry on or of the right- ephone, with finger holes and numbers for making a
hand side (the observer's left) of a shield, etc. connection. 4 a a plate or disk, etc., on a radio or tel-
dex»ter»i«ty /deksteritee/ n. 1 skill in handling. 2 man- evision set for selecting wavelength or channel, b a
ual or mental adroitness. 3 right-handedness. similar selecting device on other equipment, mv. 1 tr.
dex*ter*ous /dekstras, -staras/ adj. (also dextrous (also absol.) select (a telephone number) by means of
/-stras/) having or showing dexterity, dd dex»ter«ous« a dial or set of buttons (dialed 911). 2 tr. measure, in-
ly adv. dex»ter»ous»ness n. dicate, or regulate by means of a dial, dd di*al«er n.
dex»trose /dekstros/ n. Chem. a form of glucose. di*a*lect /di'alekt/ n. 1a form of speech peculiar to a
DH abbr. Baseball designated hitter. particular region. 2 a subordinate variety of a language
di- /dl/ comb, form 1 twice, two-, double. 2 Chem. con- with nonstandard vocabulary, pronunciation, or
taining two atoms, molecules, or groups of a specified grammar, dd di*a*lec*tal /-lekt'l/ adj. di»a»lec»tol»o»gy
kind (dichromate; dioxide). /-tolajee/ n. di«a»lec»tol«o»gist /-tolajist/ n.
dia. abbr. diameter. dl*a*lec*tic /dialektik/ n.&adj. • n. 1 (often in pi.) a the
dia- /dia/ prefix (also di- before a vowel) 1 through (di- art of investigating the truth of opinions; the testing
aphanous). 2 apart (diacritical). 3 across (diameter). of truth by discussion, b logical disputation. 2 Philos.
di»a«be»tes /diabe'etis, -teez/ n. 1 any disorder of the a inquiry into metaphysical contradictions and their
metabolism with excessive thirst, increased urine solutions, b the existence or action of opposing social
production, and high blood sugar. 2 (in full diabetes forces, etc. madj. 1 of or relating to logical disputation.
mellitus) the most common form of diabetes. 2 fond of or skilled in logical disputation, dd di*a*lec*
di»a»be«tic /diabetik/ adj. & n. madj. 1 of or relating to ti»cian /dialektishan/ n.
or having diabetes. 2 for use by diabetics. • «. a person di*a*lec*ti*cal /dialektikal/ adj. of dialectic or dialectics.
suffering from diabetes. dd di*a*lec*ti*caMy adv.
di*a*bol*ic /diabolik/ adj. (also di«a»boM»cal /-bolikal/) dialogue /dialawg, -log/ n. (also di»a»log)
1 of the Devil. 2 devilish; inhumanly cruel or wicked. 1 a conversation, b conversation in written form. 2 a a
3 fiendishly clever or cunning or annoying. 4 colloq. discussion, esp. one between representatives of two
disgracefully bad; outrageous, dd di*a*bol*i*cal*ly adv. groups, b a conversation; a talk (long dialogues b,
di*ab*o«lism /dlabalizam/ n. 1 a belief in or worship of the two main characters)
the Devil, b sorcery. 2 devilish conduct or character. di»al tone n. a sound indicating that a caller may Ittl I

di*a*crit*ic /diakritik/ n. &adj. • n. a sign used to indi- to dial a telephone.

cate different sounds or values of a letter. • adj. = dia- di*al*ysis /dialisis/ n. (pi. dialyses/ seez/) 1 C/nni. the
critical. separation of particles in a liquid by different es in thru
di*a*crit*i*cal /di'akritikal/ adj. & n. madj. distin- ability to pass through a membrane into another liq-
guishing; distinctive. mn. (in full diacritical mark or uid. 2 Med. the clinical purification ofblood by tli^
sign) = diacritic n. technique.
di»a»dem /diadem/ n. & v. crown or headband di»anve»ter/diamitar/N. 1 a a straight line passing from
• n. 1 a
worn as a sign of sovereignty. 2 a wreath worn around side to side through the center of a circle oi sphere,
the head. 3 sovereignty. 4 a crowning distinction. • v. tr. b the length of this line. 2 a transverse measuremt m,
(esp. as diademed adj.) adorn with or as with a dia- width; thickness. 3 a unit of lineai measurement «'t
dem. magnifying power (</ lens magnifying 2000 Ji,i>>>
di*aer*e*sis /di-erasis/ n. (also di*er*e*sis) (pi. -ses di»a»met«ri»cal/dir>metrikr>l adj. (also dl*» nwt»rlc) 1 "<
/-seez/) a mark (as in naive) over a vowel to indicate or along a diameter. 2 (of opposition, differ* n<
that it is sounded separately. complete, do di»a-met-ri»caMy adv.
di«ag»nose /di'agnos, -n6z/ v.tr. make a diagnosis of (a dia»mond/dimand,dia / n. adj. v. mn. 1 a pre< iotll
, , &
 .

stone of pure crystallized carbon, the hardest natural- 215 diamondback ~ dictionary
ly occurring substance. 2 a rhombus. 3 a a playing
card of a suit denoted by a red rhombus, b (in pi.) this di»az»e«pam /diazipam/ n. a tranquilizing muscle-relax-
suit. 4 a glittering particle or point (of frost, etc.). 5 a ant drug with anticonvulsant properties used to re-
tool with a small diamond for cutting glass. 6 Baseball lieve anxiety, tension, etc.
a the space delimited by the bases, b the entire field. dib»ble /dibal/ n. &v. •n. a hand tool for making holes
• adj. 1 made of or set with diamonds or a diamond. in the ground for seeds or young plants, mv. 1 tr. sow
2 rhombus-shaped, mv.tr. adorn with or as with dia- or plant with a dibble. 2 tr. prepare (soil) with a dib-
monds. ble. 3 intr. use a dibble.
dia*mond«back /dlmandbak, dia-/ n. 1 an edible fresh- dibs /dibz/ n.pl. si. rights; claim (/ have dibs on the last
water terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin, native to N. Amer- slice of pizza).
ica, with diamond-shaped markings on its shell. 2 any dice n.&v.m n.pl. 1 a small cubes with faces bear-
/dis/
rattlesnake of the genus Crotalus, native to N. Amer- ing 1-6 spots used in games of chance, b (treated as
ica, with diamond-shaped markings. sing. ) one of these cubes (see die 2 ) 2 a game played .

di*an*thus /dianthas/ n. any flowering plant of the ge- with one or more such cubes. 3 food cut into small cu-
nus Dianthus, e.g., a carnation or pink. bes for cooking. • v. 1 a intr. play dice, b intr. take great
di*a*pa*son /di'apayzan, -san/ n. Mus. 1 the compass risks; gamble (dicing with death). C tr. (foil, by away)
of a voice or musical instrument. 2 a fixed standard of gamble away. 2 tr. cut (food) into small cubes. 3 tr.
musical pitch. 3 (in full open or stopped diapason) mark with squares, d no dice si. no success or pros-
either of two main organ stops extending through the pect of it.
organ's whole compass. 4 a a combination of notes or dic«ey /di'see/ adj. (dicier, diciest) 5/. risky; unreliable.
parts in a harmonious whole, b a melodious succes- di»chot»o»my /dikotamee/ -mies) 1 a a division
n. (pi.
sion of notes, esp. a grand swelling burst of harmony. into two, esp. a sharply defined one. b the result of
5 an entire compass, range, or scope. such a division. 2 binary classification. 3 Bot. Zool. &
dia*per /dipar, diapar/ n. &
v. *n. 1 a piece of toweling repeated bifurcation, dd dichotomize v. di»chot»o«
or other absorbent material wrapped around a baby mous adj.
to retain urine and feces. 2 a a linen or cotton fabric dick 1
/dik/ n. coarse si. the penis.
with a small diamond pattern, b this pattern. 3 a sim- Usually considered a taboo word.
ilar ornamental design of diamonds, etc., for panels, dick 2 /dik/ n. si. a detective.
walls, etc. mv.tr. decorate with a diaper pattern. dick*ens /dikinz/ n. (usu. prec. by how, what, why, etc.,
the) colloq. exclamations) deuce; the Devil
(esp. in
diaper Middle English: from Old French diapre, from
(what the dickens are you doing here?).
medieval Latin diasprum, from medieval Greek
diaspros (adjective), from dia 'across' + aspros 'white.'
Dick*en*si*an /dikenzeean/ adj. n. madj. 1 of or re- &
lating to Charles Dickens, Engl, novelist d. 1870, or
The term seems originally to have denoted a costly
his work. 2 resembling or reminiscent of the situations,
fabric, but after the 1 5th century it was used of a fab-
poor social conditions, or comically repulsive charac-
ric woven with a repeating diamond pattern. This sort
ters described in Dickens's work. •«. an admirer or
of fabric came to be used as a wrap for babies.
student of Dickens or his work.
di*aprea«nous /diafanas/ adj. (of fabric, etc.) light and dick*er /dikar/ v.&n.mv^a intr. bargain; haggle, b tr.
delicate, and almost transparent. barter; exchange. 2 intr. dither; hesitate. •«. a deal; a
di*a*phragm /diafram/ n. 1 a muscular partition sepa- barter.
rating the thorax from the abdomen in mammals. 2 a dick*ey /dikee/ n. (also dick»y) (pi. -eys or -ies) colloq.
partition in animal and plant tissues. 3 a disk pierced a false shirtfront.
by one or more holes in optical and acoustic systems, di»cot»y»le«don /dikot'le'ed'n/ n. any flowering plant
etc. 4 a device for varying the effective aperture of the having two cotyledons, dd di«cot»yle«don-ous adj.
lens in a camera, etc. 5 a thin contraceptive cap fitting dic*ta pi. of dictum.
over the cervix. 6 a thin sheet of material used as a par- dictate v. &
n. *v. /diktayt, diktayt/ 1 tr. say or read
tition, etc. dd di*a*phrag*mat*ic /-fragmatik/ adj. aloud (words to be written down or recorded). 2 a rr.
di*a*rist /diarist/ n. a person who keeps a diary. prescribe or lay down authoritatively, b intr. give or-
di»ar»rhe»a /diareea/ n. a condition of excessively fre- ders. • //. /diktayt/ (usu. in pi.) an authoritative instruc-
quent and loose bowel movements, dd di»ar«rhe«al adj. tion (dictates of conscience)
di«a«ry /diaree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a daily record of events dic*ta*tion /diktayshan/ n. 1 a the saying of words to be
or thoughts. 2 a book for this or for noting future written down or recorded, b an instance of this. C the
engagements. material that is dictated. 2 a authoritative prescrip-
Di»as»po«ra /diaspara/ n. 1 (prec. by the) a the disper- tion, b an instance of this, c a command.
sion of the Jews among the Gentiles mainly in the dic«ta«tor /diktaytar, diktay-/ n. 1a ruler with unre-
8th-6th c. bc. b Jews dispersed in this way. 2 (also dias- stricted authority. 2 a person with supreme authority
pora) a any group of people similarly dispersed. in any sphere. 3 a domineering person. 4 a person who
b their dispersion. dictates for transcription.
di*a*stase /diastays, -stayz/ Biochem. = amylase.
n. dic»ta»to»ri»al /diktatawreeal/ adj. 1 of or like a dicta-
di*as*tO*le /diastalee/ n. Physiol, the period between two tor.2 imperious; overbearing, dd dic*ta*to*ri*aMy adv.
contractions of the heart when the heart muscle relax- dic*ta*tor*ship /diktaytarship/ «. 1a nation ruled by a
es and allows the chambers to fill with blood (cf. sys- dictator. 2 a the position, rule, or period of rule of a
tole), dd di*as*tol*ic /diastolik/ adj. dictator, b rule by a dictator. 3 absolute authority in
di»a»tom /diatom/ n. a unicellular algafound as plank- any sphere.
ton and forming fossil deposits, dd di«a»to«ma»ceous dic»tion /dikshan/ n. 1 the manner of enunciation
/-mayshas/ adj. in speaking or singing. 2 the choice of words or
di«a«tom«ic /diatomik/ adj. consisting of two atoms. phrases.
di»a»ton»ic /diatonik/ adj. Mus. 1 (of a scale, interval, dic*tion*ar*y /dikshaneree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a book that
etc.) involving only notes proper to the prevailing key lists and explains the words of a language or gives
without chromatic alteration. 2 (of a melody or har- equivalent words in another language. 2 a reference
mony) constructed from such a scale.
di*a*tribe /diatrib/ n. a forceful verbal attack. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

dictum ~ diffuse 216 diMer /difar/ v.intr. 1 (often foil, by from) be unlike or
distinguishable. 2 (often foil, by with) disagree.
book on any subject, the items of which are arranged dif»fer»ence /difrans/ n. 1 the state or condition of be-
in alphabetical order. ing different or unlike. 2 a point in which things dif-
die-turn /diktDm/ n. (pi. dicta /-ta/ or dictums) 1 a for- fer. 3 a degree of unlikeness. 4 a the quantity by which

mal utterance or pronouncement. 2 a saying or max- amounts differ; a deficit (will have to make up the dif-
im. ference), b the remainder left after subtraction. 5 a a
did/>ai7of do 1
. disagreement, quarrel, or dispute, b the grounds of
di»dac»tic /didaktik/ adj. 1 meant to instruct. 2 (of a disagreement (put aside their differences) 6 a notable
.

person) tediously pedantic, nn di»daoti»caMy adv. di» change (the difference in his behavior is remarkable).
daoti*cism /-tisizam/ n. d make a (or all the, etc.) difference (often foil, by to)
did*dle /did'l/ v. colloq. 1 rr. cheat; swindle. 2 zrcrr. waste have a significant effect or influence, make no dif-
time. ference (often foil, by to) have no effect.
did«diy /didlee/ «. (also diddly squat) si. the slightest dif»fer»ent /difrant/ adj. 1 (often foil, by from, to, than)
amount (he hasn *t done diddly to help us out) unlike; distinguishable in nature, form, or quality.
did»ger»i»doo /dijareedob/ n. (also did«jer«i»doo) an 2 distinct; separate; not the same one. 3 colloq. unusu-
Australian Aboriginal musical wind instrument of long al (wanted to do something different). 4 of various kinds;
tubular shape. assorted; several; miscellaneous (available in different
didn't /did'nt/ contr. did not. colors), nn dif»fer»enWy adv. dif»fer»ent«ness n.
di»do /dido/ n. (pi. -does or -dos) colloq. an antic; a ca- Many traditional critics regard different than as an
per; a prank. improper substitute for different from: My opinion is
die /dl/ v. (dies, died, dying /di-ing/) 1 intr. (often foil,
1
quite different from his. But different than now appears
by of) cease to live (<#ed of hunger) 2 wttr. a come to
. widely in good writing, as well as in informal contexts.
an end; fade away (the project died within six months). dif»fer»en»tial /difarenshal/ adj. & n. *adj. 1 a of, ex-
b cease to function (the engine died) C (of a flame) go
. hibiting, or depending on a difference, b varying
out. 3 intr. (foil, by on) die or cease to function while according to circumstances. 2 Math, relating to in-
in the presence or charge of (a person). 4 intr. (usu. finitesimal differences. 3 constituting a specific dif-
foil, by of, from, with) be exhausted or tormented (near- ference; distinctive; relating to specific differences
ly died of boredom) 5 tr. suffer (a specified death) (died
. (differential diagnosis) 4 Physics
. &
Mech. concerning
a natural death), n be dying (foil, by for, or to + infin.) the difference of two or more motions, pressures, etc.
wish for longingly or intently (am dying to see you), die • n. 1 a difference between individuals of the same
away become weaker or fainter to the point of extinc- kind. 2 a difference between rates of interest, etc.
tion, die back (of a plant) decay from the tip toward 3 Math, a an infinitesimal difference between succes-
the root, die down become less loud or strong, die hard sive values of a variable, b a function expressing this
die reluctantly, not without a struggle (old habits die as a rate of change with respect to another variable.
hard), die off die one after another, die out become ex- 4 (in full differential gear) a gear allowing a vehicle's
tinct, never say die keep up courage, not give in. driven wheels to revolve at different speeds in corner-
die 2 /di/ n. 1 sing, of dice n. la. 2 (pi. dies) a an en- ing, an dif»fer«en«tial»ly adv.
graved device for stamping a design on coins, medals, dif»fer»en»tial cal*CU*lus n. Math, a method of calcu-
etc. b a device for stamping, cutting, or molding mate- lating rates of change, maximum or minimum values,
rial into a particular shape, d the die is cast an irrev- etc. (cf. INTEGRAL CALCULUS).
ocable step has been taken. dif»fer»en«ti»ate/difarensheeayt/z;. 1 tr. constitute a dif-
Dice is now standard in general use for both the sin- ference between or in. 2 tr. &(often foil, by between)
gular and plural. intr. find differences (between); discriminate. 3 tr. &
die casting n. the process or product of casting from intr. make or become different in the process of devel-
metal molds, nn die cast v.tr. (past and past part, cast) opment. 4 tr. Math, transform (a function) into its
die-hard /dihaard/ n. &adj. • n. a conservative or stub- derivative, dg dif»fer»en«ti«a«tion /-sheeayshan/ n. dif«
born person, madj. stubborn; strongly devoted. fer»en«ti»a»tor n.
di»er»e»sis var. of diaeresis. dif-fi-cult /difikult, -kalt/ adj. 1 a needing much effort
die*sel /de'ezal/ n. 1 (in full diesel engine) an internal or skill, b troublesome; perplexing. 2 (of a person):
combustion engine in which the heat produced by the a not easy to please or satisfy, b uncooperative; trou-
compression of air in the cylinder ignites the fuel. 2 a blesome. 3 characterized by hardships or problems.
vehicle driven by a diesel engine. 3 fuel for a diesel en- dif»fi»cul«ty /difikultee, -kal-/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the state
gine. or condition of being difficult. 2 a a difficult thing; a
di«et' /di'at/ n. & v. *n. 1 the kinds of food that a per- problem or hindrance, b (often in pi.) a cause of dis-
son or animal habitually eats. 2 a special course of tress or hardship.
food to which a person is restricted. 3 a regular occu- dif«f i»dent /difidant/ adj. 1 shy; lacking self-confidence.
pation or series of activities to which one is restricted 2 excessively reticent, nn dif»fi»dence / dons/ ;/. dif«fl«
or which form one's main concern, usu. for a purpose denMy adv.
(a diet of light reading and fresh air), mv. (dieted, diet- diMract /difrakt/ v. Physics undergo or cause diflhM
ing) 1 intr. restrict oneself to small amounts or spec- tion.
ial kinds of food, esp. to control one's weight. 2 tr. re- dif»frac«tion/difrakshan/N. Physics the process in w hit li
strict (a person or animal) to a special diet, do di-et» a beam of light or other system ofwavei is spread OUt
er n. as a result of passing through a narrow ipertUTC "i
di»et 2 /diat/ n. 1 a legislative assembly in certain coun- across an edge, often accompanied by into fereil( t Dl
tries. 2 hist, a national or international conference, esp. tween the waveforms produced.
of a federal government or confederation. diMuse adj. &v. madj. /difyoos/ 1 spread mil. not <.<>n
di»e»tar»y /di'ateree/ adj. of or relating to a diet. centrated. 2 not concise; long-winded; verbose, •v.tr.
di»e«tet»ic /diatetik/ adj. of or relating to diet. &intr. /difyc5bz/1 disperse or be dispersed from en
1 1

di»e»tet»ics /diatetiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) the ter.2 spread or be spread widely. 3 Physii intcnnmI

scientific study of diet and nutrition. gle by diffusion, nn diMuse»ly /difyofrslee/ adv. dlf»
di»e»ti«tian /diatishan/ n. (also di*e«ti*cian) an expert in fuse*ness /difyribsnis/ n. dif*fus*i*ble /difyo«"»/ibal ,/,//
dietetics. dif»fu»sive /difyoftsiv/ adj.
 .

diMus»er /difysbzar/ n. (also dif»fu»sor) 1 a person or 217 diffuser ~ dim

thing that diffuses. 2 Engirt, a duct for broadening an
airflow and reducing its speed. di*gress /digres/ v.intr. depart from the main subject.
dif*fu*sion /difyobzhan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of do di*gres*sion /-greshan/ n. di*gres*sive adj.
diffusing; the process of being diffused. 2 Physics & digs see dig n. 5.
Chem. the interpenetration of substances by the nat- di*hed*ral /diheedral/ adj. having or contained by two
ural movement of their particles. plane faces.
dig /dig/ v. & n. 9V. (digging; past and past part, dug dike /dik/ n.
1
&
v. (also dyke) »n. la long wall or em-

/dug/) 1 intr. break up and remove or turn over soil, bankment built to prevent flooding, esp. from the sea.
ground, etc. 2 tr. a break up and displace (the ground, 2 a ditch. 3 a a low wall, esp. of turf, b a causeway. 4 a
etc.) in this way. b (foil, by up) break up the soil of barrier or obstacle; a defense, •v.tr. provide or defend
(fallow land). 3 tr. make (a hole, grave, tunnel, etc.) with a dike or dikes.
by digging. 4 tr. (often foil, by up, out) a obtain or re- dike 2 var. of dyke 2 .

move by digging, b find or discover after searching. di*lap*i*dat*ed /dilapidaytid/ adj. in a state of disrepair
5 tr. (also absol.) excavate (an archaeological site). 6 tr. or ruin, dd di*lap«i*da*tion n.

si. like, appreciate, or understand. 7 tr. &

intr. (foil, by dil*a«ta*tion /dilatayshan, di-/ n. 1 the widening or
in, into) thrust or poke into. 8 intr. make one's way by expansion of a hollow organ or cavity. 2 the process of
digging (dug through the mountainside). 9 intr. (usu. foil, dilating.
by into) investigate or study closely; probe. • n. 1 a piece dil«a*ta*tion and cu»ret»tage n. an operation in which
of digging. 2 a thrust or poke (a dig in the ribs) 3 col- . the cervix is expanded and the womb lining scraped
loq. (often foil, by at) a pointed remark. 4 an archae- off with a curette.
ological excavation. 5 (in pi.) colloq. living quarters. dMate /dilayt, dilayt/ v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become
d dig in colloq. begin eating, dd dig*ger n. wider or larger. 2 intr. (often foil, by on, upon) speak
di*gest v. & n. mv.tr. /dijest, di-/ 1 assimilate (food) in or write at length, dd di«la*tion /-layshan/ n.
the stomach and bowels. 2 understand and assimilate dil»a»tO«ry /ditatawree/ adj. given to or causing delay.
mentally. 3 Chem. treat (a substance) with heat, dd dil*a*to*ri*ness n.
enzymes, or a solvent in order to decompose it, extract dil*do /dildo/ n. (pi. -dos or -does) an object shaped
the essence, etc. 4 a reduce to a systematic or conven- like an erect penis and used for sexual stimulation.
ient form; summarize, b think over; arrange in the dMenvma /dilema/ n. la situation in which a choice
mind. 5 bear without resistance; tolerate; endure. »n. has to be made between two equally undesirable alter-
/dijest/ 1 a methodical summary, esp. of a body of laws. natives.2 a state of indecision between two alterna-
2 a a compendium or summary of information; a 3 a difficult situation. 4 an argument forcing an
tives.
resume, b a regular or occasional synopsis of current opponent to choose either of two unfavorable alter-
literature or news, an di*gest*er n. di«gest»i»ble adj. di* natives.
gest*i*biM*ty n. Dilemma should be used with regard to situations in
di*ges*tion /dijes-chan, di-/ n. 1 the process of di- which a difficult choice has to be made between un-
gesting. 2 the capacity to digest food (has a weak di- desirable alternatives, as in You see his dilemma? He
gestion). 3 digesting a substance by means of heat, would have to give up either his childhood home or his
enzymes, or a solvent. dreams of traveling. It is imprecise to use dilemma to
di*ges*tive /dijestiv, di-/ adj. &n. »adj. 1 of or relating mean simply 'a difficult situation.'
to digestion. 2 aiding or promoting digestion. »n. a dil*et*tante /dilitaant/ n. & adj. *n. (pi. dilettantes or
substance that aids digestion. dilettanti /-tee/) 1 aperson who studies a subject su-
dig»it /dijit/ n. 1 any numeral from to 9. 2Anat. & perficially. 2 a person who enjoys the arts. •adj. tri-
Zool. a finger, thumb, or toe. fling; not thorough; amateurish, dd dil*et*tant*ism n.
dig*it*al /dijit'l/ adj. 1 digits. 2 (of dil»i»gence/dilij9ns/tt. 1 careful and persistent applica-
of or using a digit or
a clock, watch, etc.) that gives a reading by means of tion or effort. 2 industriousness.
displayed digits instead of hands. 3 (of a computer) dil*i*gent /dilijant/ adj. 1 careful and steady in applica-
operating on data represented as a series of usu. bi- tion to one's work or duties. 2 showing care and ef-
nary digits or in similar discrete form. 4 a (of a record- fort, dd diM*genMy adv.
ing) with sound information represented in digits for dill dil ;;. 1 an umbelliferous herb, Anethum graveolens,
more reliable transmission, b (of a recording me- with yellow flowers and aromatic seeds. 2 the leaves
dium) using this process, dd dig-i-tal-rze v.tr. dig-it-al* or seeds of this plant used esp. for flavoring.
ly adv. diMy /dilee/ n. (pi. -lies) si. a remarkable or excellent
dig*it*al au*di*o*tape n. magnetic tape on which sound person or thing.
is recorded digitally. 1 Abbr.: d.a.t. diMydaMy /dileedalee/ v.intr. (-lies, -lied) colloq.
dig*i*tal*is /dijitalis/ n. a drug prepared from the dried 1 dawdle; loiter. 2 vacillate.
leaves of foxgloves and containing substances that dhlute /dilobt, di-/ v. &
adj. • v. tr. 1 reduce the strength
stimulate the heart muscle. of (a fluid) by adding water or another solvent. 2 weak-
digitize /dijitiz/ v.tr. convert (data, etc.) into digital en or reduce the strength or forcefulness of. • adj. al-
form, esp. for a computer, dd dig*i*ti*za*tion n. so /di-/ 1 diluted. 2 (of a color) washed out; low in
dig»ni»fied /dignifid/ adj. having or expressing dignity. saturation. 3 Chem. a (of a solution) having relatively
dig»ni»fy /dignifi/ v.tr. (-ties, -tied) 1 give dignity to. low concentration of solute, b (of a substance) in solu-
2 ennoble; make worthy or illustrious. 3 give the form tion (dilute sulfuric acid), dd di*lu*tion /-lobshan/ n.
or appearance of dignity to (dignified the house with the dim /dim/ adj. &
v. madj. (dimmer, dimmest) 1 a only
name of mansion) faintly luminous or visible; not bright, b obscure; ill-
dig«ni«tar«y /digniteree/ n. (pi. -ies) a person holding defined. 2 not clearly perceived or remembered. 3 col-
high rank or office. loq. stupid. 4 (of the eyes) not seeing clearly. »v.
dig»ni»ty /dignitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a composed and se- (dimmed, dimming) 1 tr. &
intr. make or become dim.
rious manner. 2 the state of being worthy of honor or 2 tr. switch (headlights) to low beam, a take a dim view
respect. 3 worthiness; excellence. 4 a high rank or of colloq. 1 disapprove of. 2 feel gloomy about, dd dim*
position. 5 high regard or estimation. 6 self-respect. ly adv. dinvness n.
digraph /digraf/ n. a group of two letters representing
one sound, as in ph and ey. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

dime ~ diplomatic 218 din»ner jack*et n. a man's, usu. black, formal jacket for
evening wear.
dime /dim/ n. a ten-cent coin, a a dime a dozen very di»no«saur/din3sawr/n. 1 an extinct reptile of the Mes-
cheap or commonplace, turn on a dime colloq. make a ozoic era. 2 a large, unwieldy system or organization,
sharp turn in a vehicle. esp. one not adapting to new conditions, dd di*no*sau*
di»men«sion /dimenshon, di-/ w. &
v. • n. 1 a measur- ri»an adj. & n.

able extent of any kind, as length, breadth, depth. 2 (in
pi) size; scope; extent. 3 an aspect or facet, •v.tr. (usu.
as dimensioned adj.) mark the dimensions on (a di-
agram, etc.). dd di«men«sion»al adj. (also in comb.). di« di*ode /diod/ n. Electronics 1 a semiconductor allowing
men*sion*less adj.
dimmer /dimar/ n. Chem. a compound consisting of two
identical molecules linked together (cf. monomer).
dd di»mer»ic /-merik/ adj.
di*min*ish /diminish/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become
smaller or less. 2 tr. lessen the reputation of.
di*min*ished /diminisht/ adj. 1 reduced; made smaller
or less. 2 Mus. (of an interval) less by a semitone than
the corresponding minor or perfect interval.
di«min»u«en«do /diminyoo-endo/ adv. &n. Mus. *adv.
with a gradual decrease in loudness, •n. (pi -dos) a
passage to be played in this way.
dim*i*nu«tion /diminobshan, -nyob-/ n. 1 a the act
or an instance of diminishing, b the amount by
which something diminishes. 2 Mus. the repetition
of a passage in notes shorter than those originally
used.
di«min»u»tive /diminyativ/ adj. n. &
madj. 1 tiny.
2 Gram, (of a word or suffix) implying smallness, ei-
ther actual or imputed in token of affection, scorn, etc.
dint /dint/ n. d by dint of by force or means of.
di*o*cese under the
/diasis, -sees, -seez/ n. a district
pastoral care of a bishop, dd di»ooe«san /diosisan/ adj.
the flow of current in one direction only and having
two terminals. 2 a thermionic valve having two elec-
trodes.
di*OD*trics /dioptriks/ n. Optics the part of optics deal-
ing with refraction.
di»o»ram»a /diorama, -raams/ n. la scenic painting in
which changes in color and direction of illumination
simulate a sunrise, etc. 2 a small representation of a
scene with three-dimensional figures, viewed through
a window, etc. 3 a small-scale model or movie set.
di*ox*ide /dioksld/ n. Chem. an oxide containing two
atoms of oxygen (carbon dioxide)
DIP /dip/ n. Computing a form of integrated circuit con-
sisting of a small plastic or ceramic slab with two par-
allel rows of pins (acronym for dual m-line package)
dip /dip/ v. & n. mv. (dipped, dipping) 1 tr. put or let
down briefly into liquid, etc. 2 intr. a go below a sur-
face or level (the sun dipped below the horizon), b (of a
level of income, activity, etc.) decline slightly (profits
dipped in May) 3 intr. extend downward; take or have
.

(e.g., -let, -kins). •«. Gram, a diminutive word or suf- a downward slope (the road dips after the curve) 4 intr. .

fix. go under water and emerge quickly. 5 intr. (foil, by in-

dinvmer /dimar/ la
device for varying the bright-
n. to) a read briefly from (a book, etc.). b take a cursory
ness of an electric 2
(in pi.) a small parking lights
light. interest in (a subject). 6 (foil, by into) a intr. put a
on a motor vehicle, b headlights on low beam. hand, ladle, etc., into a container to take something
dinvple /dimpsl/ n.&v.mn.a small hollow in the flesh, out. b tr. put (a hand, etc.) into a container to do this.
esp. in the cheeks or chin. mv. 1 intr. produce or show C intr. spend from or make use of one's resources
dimples. 2 tr. produce dimples in (a cheek, etc.). (dipped into our savings) .7 tr. &
intr. lower or be low-

no dinvply adj. ered, esp. in salute. 8 tr. color (a fabric) by immersing

dim sum /dim sum/ n. (also dim sim /sim/) a meal or it in dye. 9 tr. wash (sheep) by immersion in a vermin-

course of savory Cantonese-style snacks. killing liquid. 10 tr. make (a candle) by immersing a
dimwit /dimwit/ n. colloq. a stupid person. wick briefly in hot tallow. • n. 1 an act of dipping or
dim*wit*ted adj. colloq. stupid; unintelligent. being dipped. 2 a liquid into which something is
din /din/ n. a prolonged loud and distracting noise. dipped. 3 a brief swim in the ocean, lake, etc. 4 a brief
dine /din/ v. 1 intr. eat dinner. 2 tr. give dinner to. o dine downward slope in a road, etc. 5 a sauce or dressing
out dine away from home. into which food is dipped before eating. 6 a depres-
din»er /dinar/ n. 1 a person who dines, esp. in a restau- sion in the skyline.
rant. 2 a railroad dining car. 3 a small restaurant. diph»the«ri«a /difthe'ereea, dip-/ n. an acute infectious
di»nette/dlnet/rc. 1 a small room or part of a room used bacterial disease with inflammation of a mucous mem-
for eating meals. 2 (in full dinette set) table and chairs brane esp. of the throat.
designed for such a room. diph«thong /difthawng, -thong, dip-/ ». la speech
ding /ding/ v.
1
&
n. • v.intr. make a ringing sound. •«. sound in one syllable in which the articulation begins
a ringing sound, as of a bell. as for one vowel and moves as for another (as in coin,
2
ding /ding/ v. &
n. •v.tr. cause surface damage; dent. loud, and side). 2 a a digraph representing the sound
• n. nick; minor surface damage; dent. of a diphthong or single vowel (as in feat), b a com-
ding-a-ling /dingaling/ n. a foolish, flighty, or eccentric pound vowel character; a ligature (as a).
person. di*plod*0*CUS /diplodokos, di-/ n. a giant plant-eating
ding*bat /dingbat/ n. si. 1 a stupid or eccentric person. dinosaur with a long neck and tail.
2 Printing an ornamental design in typography. diploid /diployd/ adj. &
n. Biol. madj. (of an organism
din*ghy /dingee, dinggee/ n. (pi. -ghies) 1 a small boat or cell) having two complete sets of chromosomes per
carried by a ship. 2 a small pleasure boat. 3 a small in- cell. »n. a diploid cell or organism.
flatable rubber boat. di*plo*ma /diploma/ n. (pi diplomas) 1 a certificated
din*go /dinggo/ n. (pi. -goes) a wild Australian dog, qualification awarded by a college, etc. 2 a document
Canis dingo. conferring an honor or privilege. 3 (pi also diploma-
din»gy /dinjee/ adj. (dingier, dingiest) dirty-looking; ts / mato/) a state paper; an official document] I'.n :i i

drab; dull-colored. din*gi*ness n. ter.

din*ing car n. a railroad car equipped as a restaurant. di«plo»ma»cy /diplomnscc/ >/. 1 a the management of
din*ing room n. a room in which meals are eaten. international relations, b expertise m this. 2 the ft] t of
dink*y /dingkee/ adj. (dinkier, dinkiest) colloq. trifling; dealing with people in a tactful and effective way.
insignificant. dip«lo«mat /diplomat/ n. 1 ;m official representing a
din»ner /dinar/ n. 1 the main meal of the day, taken ei- country abroad; a member of a diplomatic service. 2 a
ther at midday or in the evening. 2 a formal evening tactful person.
meal. dip»lo»matMC /diplomatik/ adj. 1 a of or involved in
 .

diplomacy, b skilled in diplomacy. 2 tactful. 3 (of an 219 diplomatic immunity ~ dis

edition, etc.) exactly reproducing the original, do dip«
lo»mat»i»cal«ly adv. sion of radio or sound waves in a particular direction.
dip«lo«mat»ic invmu»ni»ty n. the exemption of b (of equipment) designed to receive radio or sound
diplomatic staff abroad from arrest, taxation, etc. waves most effectively from a particular direction or
di»pole /dipol/ n. 1 Physics two equal and oppositely directions, od di«rec»tion»al«i»ty -alitee n. diTeotion*
charged or magnetized poles separated by a distance. aMy adv.
2 Chem. a molecule in which a concentration of pos- di«rec»tion find»er n. a device for determining the
itive charges is separated from a concentration of neg- source of radio waves, esp. as an aid in navigation.
ative charges. 3 an aerial consisting of a horizontal di«rec»tive /direktiv, di-/ n. &
adj. • n. a general instruc-
metal rod with a connecting wire at its center. tion from one in authority, •adj. serving to direct.
dip»per /dipar/ n. 1 a diving bird, Cinclus cinclus. 2 a la- di»rect»ly /direktlee, di-/ adv. 1 a at once; without de-
dle. lay, b presently; shortly. 2 exactly; immediately (direct-

dip*py /dipee/ adj. (dippier, dippiest) si. crazy; silly. ly opposite; directly after lunch) 3 in a direct manner..

dip*SO /dipso/ n. (pi. -sos) colloq. a dipsomaniac.
dip«so»ma»ni»a /dipsamayneea/ n. an abnormal crav-
ing for alcohol, dd dip«so«ma»ni»ac /-mayneeak/ n.
dip»stick /dipstik/ n. a graduated rod for measuring the
depth of a liquid, esp. in a vehicle's engine.
DIP switch n. an arrangement of switches on a print-
di»rect ob*ject n. Gram, the primary object of the ac-
tion of a transitive verb.
di»rec«tor /direktar, di-/ «. la person who directs or
controls something. 2 a member of the managing
board of a commercial company. 3 a person who
directs a movie, etc. 4 = conductor 1 dd di«rec«tori« .

er for selecting a printing mode. al /-tawreeal/ adj. di»rec«tor»ship n. (esp. in sense 2).
dip«ter*OUS /diptaras/ adj. 1 (of an insect) of the order dhrec»tO«rate/direkt3r3t, di-/ n. 1 a board of directors.
Diptera, having two membranous wings, e.g.; the fly, 2 the office of director.
gnat, or mosquito. 2 Bot. having two winglike di»rec»to«ry /direktaree, di-/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a book list-
appendages. ing a particular group of individuals or organizations
dip»tych /diptik/ «. 1a painting on two hinged panels with various details. 2 a computer file listing other files
which may be closed like a book. 2 an ancient writing or programs, etc.
tablet consisting of two hinged leaves with waxed in- dirge darj/ n. 1 a lament for the dead. 2 any mournful
ner sides. song or lament.
dire /dir/ adj. 1 a calamitous; dreadful, b ominous (dire dir*i*gi*ble dirijibal, dirij-/ adj. &
n. madj. capable of
warnings). 2 urgent (in dire need), do dire«ly adv. being guided. •«. a dirigible balloon or airship.
di«rect /direkt, di-/ adj., adv., & v. madj. 1 extending or dirk /dark/ n. a long dagger, esp. as formerly worn by
moving in a straight line or by the shortest route; not Scottish Highlanders.
crooked or circuitous. 2 a straightforward; going dirrvdl /darnd'l/ n. 1 a woman's dress with close-fitting
straight to the point, b frank; not ambiguous. 3 with- bodice, tight waistband, and full skirt. 2 a full skirt of
out intermediaries or the intervention of other factors this kind.
(a direct approach). 4 (of descent) lineal; not collater- dirt /dart' n. 1 unclean matter that soils. 2 a earth; soil.
al. 5 complete; greatest possible (the direct opposite). b earth; cinders, etc., used to make a surface for a road,
• adv. 1 without an intermediary or intervening factor etc. (usu. attrib. dirt track) 3 a foul or malicious words
: .

(dealt with them direct). 2 frankly; without evasion. 3 by or talk, b scurrilous information; scandal; gossip; the
a direct route (send it direct to Chicago) • v. tr. 1 con-
. lowdown. 4 excrement. 5 a dirty condition. 6 a person
trol; guide; govern the movements of. 2 (foil, by to + or thing considered worthless, n do a person dirt si.
infin., or that + clause) give a formal order or com- harm or injure a person's reputation maliciously, eat
mand to. 3 (foil, by to) a address (a letter, etc.). b tell dirt 1 suffer insults, etc., without retaliating. 2 make a
or show (a person) the way to a destination. 4 (foil. humiliating confession, treat like dirt treat (a person)
by at, to, toward) a point, aim, or cause (a blow or miss- contemptuously.
ile) to move in a certain direction, b point or address dirt bike n. a motorcycle designed for use on unpaved
(one's attention, a remark, etc.). 5 guide as an adviser, roads and tracks, esp. in scrambling.
as a principle, etc. 6 a (also absol.) supervise the dirt cheap adj. &
adv. colloq. extremely cheap.
performing, staging, etc., of (a movie, play, etc.). b su- dirt poor adj. extremely poor; lacking basic necessities.
pervise the performance of (an actor, etc.). 7 (also dirt»y dartee/ adj. &
v. • adj. (dirtier, dirtiest) 1 soiled;

absol.) guide the performance of (a group of musi-
cians), od di*rect«ness n.
di*rect aocess n. the facility of retrieving data imme-
diately from any part of a computer file.
di»rect ad*dress n. Computing an address (see address
n. lc) which specifies the location of data to be used
unclean. 2 causing one to become dirty (a dirty job).
3 sordid; lewd (dirty joke). 4 unpleasant; nasty. 5 dis-
honest; unfair (dirty play). 6 (of weather) rough;
stormy. 7 (of a color) not pure nor clear; dingy. 8 col-
loq. (of a nuclear weapon) producing considerable ra-
dioactive fallout. • v. tr. &
intr. (-ies, -ied) make or be-

in an operation. come dirty, no dirtiness n.

di»rect current n. (Abbr.: DC, d.c.) an electric current dirt»y lirven n. (also dirty laundry or wash) colloq. in-
flowing in one direction only. timate secrets, esp. of a scandalous nature.
di«rec«tion /direkshan, di-/ n. 1 the act or process of dirt«y look n. colloq. a look of disapproval, anger, or dis-
directing; supervision. 2 (usu. in pi.) an order or gust.
instruction, esp. each of a set guiding the use of equip- dirt»y trick n. 1 a dishonorable and deceitful act. 2 (in
ment, etc. 3 a the course or line along which a person pi.) underhanded political activity, esp. to discredit an
or thing moves or looks, or which must be taken to opponent.
reach a destination, b (in pi.) guidance on how to dirt«y word n. 1 an offensive or indecent word. 2 a word
reach a destination or how to do something (give me for something which is disapproved of (profit is a dirty
directions to your house; directions for
making puffpastry) word).
C the point to or from which a person or thing moves dirt»y work n. 1 unpleasant tasks. 2 dishonorable or il-
or looks. 4 the tendency or scope of a theme, subject, legal activity.
or inquiry, dd di«rec»tiorvless adj. dis v. tr. si. put (a person) down verbally; bad-mouth.
di*reotion*al /direkshsnal, di-/ adj. of or indicating
1
direction. 2 Electronics a concerned with the transmis- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
dis- ~ disciplinarian 220
dis- /dis/ prefix forming nouns, adjectives, and verbs:
1 expressing negation {dishonest) 2 indicating reversal
. dis*ar*ray /disaray/ n.
or absence of an action or state (disengage; disbelieve).
3 indicating removal of a thing or quality (dismember;
disable).4 indicating separation (distinguish; dispose).
5 indicating completeness or intensification of the ac-
tion (disembowel; disgruntled). 6 indicating expulsion
from (disbar).
dis*a*bil*i*ty /disgbilitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 physical inca-
pacity.2 a lack of some asset, quality, or attribute, that
prevents one's doing something. 3 a legal disqualifica-
tion.
dis*a*ble /disaybal/ v.tr. 1 render unable to function.
2 (often as disabled adj.) deprive of or reduce the
power to walk or do other normal activities, esp. by
crippling, on dis»a»ble«ment n.
dis*a*buse /disabyobz/ v.tr. 1 (foil, by of) free from a
mistaken idea. 2 disillusion; undeceive.
dis»ad»van»tage /disadvantij/ n. &v.*n. 1 an unfavor-
able circumstance or condition. 2 damage to one's in-
terest or reputation, •v.tr. cause disadvantage to. d at
a disadvantage in an unfavorable position or aspect.
dis*ad*van*taged /disadvantijd/ adj. placed in unfavor-
able circumstances (esp. of a person lacking the nor-
mal social opportunities).
dis«ad*van*ta*geous /disadvantayjas, disad-/ adj.
1 involving disadvantage. 2 derogatory.
dis»af»fect»ed /disafektid/ adj. 1 disloyal, esp. to one's
superiors. 2 estranged; no longer friendly, dd dis*af*
feotion n.
dis*af*fil*i*ate /disafileeayt/ v. 1 tr. end the affiliation
of. 2 intr. end one's affiliation. 3 tr. &
intr. detach.
dd dis*af*fil*i*a*tion /-leeayshan/ n.
dis*a*gree /disagree/ v.intr. (-agrees, -agreed, -agree-
ing) (often foil, by with) 1 hold a different opinion.
2 quarrel. 3 (of factors or circumstances) not corre-
spond. 4 have an adverse effect upon (a person's
health, digestion, etc.). dis»a«greernent n.
dis*a*gree*a*ble /disagre'eabal/ adj. 1 unpleasant.
2 bad-tempered, dd dis*a*gree*a*bly adv.
dis*al*low /disalow/ v.tr. refuse to allow or accept as
valid; prohibit, dd dis*aMowance n.
dis*ap*pear /disapeer/ v.intr. 1 cease to be visible; pass
from sight. 2 cease to exist or be in circulation or use
(rotary telephones had all but disappeared), dd dis*ap«
pear*ance n.
dis»ap«point /disapoynt/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) fail to ful-
fill a desire or expectation of (a person). 2 frustrate
(hopes, etc.). o be disappointed (foil, by with, at, in,
or to + infin. or that + clause) fail to have one's expecta-
, his debt) 6 tr. Law cancel (an order of court). 7 tr. Phys-
tion, etc., fulfilled in some regard (was disappointed in
you; disappointed to be last), dd dis*ap*point*ed*ly adv.
dis*ap*point*ing adj. dis*ap*point*ing*ly adv.
dis*ap*point*ment /disapoyntmant/ n. 1 an event,
thing, or person that disappoints. 2 a feeling of dis-
tress, vexation, etc., resulting from this.
dts*ap«pro*ba*tion /disaprabayshan/ n. strong disap-
proval.
dis»ap* prove /disaproov/ v. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by of) have
or express an unfavorable opinion. 2 tr. be displeased
with, dd disapproval n. dis«ap-proving adj. dis»ap«
proving»ly adv.
dis*arm /disaarm/ v. 1 tr. a take weapons away from
(often foil, by of), b Fencing, etc., deprive of a weapon.
2 deprive (a ship, etc.) of its means of defense. 3 intr.
tr.
(of a nation, etc.) disband or reduce its military forc-
es. 4 tr. remove the fuse from (a bomb, etc.). 5 tr. de-
prive of the power to injure. 6 tr. pacify or allay the
hostility or suspicions of; mollify; placate, nu dis»arm«
er n. dis*arm*ing adj. (esp. in sense 6). dis«arm*ing*ly
adv.
dis»ar»ma»ment /disaarmamant/ n. the reduction by a
nation of its military forces and weapons.
dis*ar*range /disaraynj/ v.tr. bring into disorder.
&
v. • «. (often prec. by in, into)
disorder; confusion, •v.tr. throw into disorder.
dis*ar«tic*U*late /disaartikyalayt/ v.tr. &
intr. separate
at the joints, dd dis*ar*tic*u*la*tion /-layshan/ n.
dis*as*sem«ble /disasembal/ v. tr. take (a machine, etc.)
to pieces, dd dis«as«senvbly n.
dis*as*so*ci«ate /disasosheeayt, -seeayt/ v.tr. &
intr. -
dissociate, dd dis»as»so»ci«a»tion /-ayshan/ n.
dis*as a ter /dizastar/ n. 1a great or sudden misfortune.
2 a a complete failure, b a person or enterprise
ending in failure, dd dis*as*trous adj. dis*as*trous*ly
adv.
dis*a*vow /disavow/ disclaim knowledge of, re-
v.tr.
sponsibility for, or belief in.dd dis*a*vow*al n.
dis»band /disband/ v. 1 intr. (of an organized group,
etc.) cease to work or act together; disperse. 2 tr. cause
(such a group) to disband, dd dis*band*ment n.
dis»bar /disbaar/ v.tr. (disbarred, disbarring) deprive
(an attorney) of the right to practice, dd dis*bar*ment
n.
dis»be»lieve /disbile'ev/ v. 1 tr. be unable or unwilling
to believe (a person or statement). 2 intr. have no faith.
dd dis»be«lief /-le'ef/ n. dis»be»liev«er n. dis»be«lieving»
ly adv.
dis*burse /disbars/ v. 1 tr. expend (money). 2 tr. defray
(a cost). 3 intr. pay money, dd dis»burse«ment n.
disc var. of disk.
dis*card v. &
n. •v.tr. /diska'ard/ 1 reject or get rid of
as unwanted or superfluous. 2 (also absol.) Cards re-
move or put aside (a card) from one's hand. »n.
/diskaard/ (often in pi.) a discarded item, esp. a card
in a card game.
dis«cern /disarn/ v.tr. 1 perceive clearly with the mind
or the senses. 2 make out by thought or by gazing, lis-
tening, etc. dd dis*cern*i*ble adj. dis*cern*i*bly adv.
dis*cern*ing /disarning/ adj. having or showing good
judgment or insight, dd dis*cern*ment n.
discharge v. &
n. »v. /dischaarj/ 1 tr. a let go, or re-
lease, esp. from a duty, commitment, or period of
confinement, b relieve (a bankrupt) of residual liabil-
ity. 2 tr. dismiss from office, employment, etc. 3 tr.
a fire (a gun, etc.). b (of a gun, etc.) fire (a bullet, etc.).
4 a tr. (also absol.) pour out or cause to pour out (pus,
liquid, etc.) (the wound was discharging) b tr. throw;
.
eject (discharged a stone at the gopher). C tr. utter (abuse,
etc.). d intr. (foil, by into) (of a river, etc.) flow into.
5 tr. a carry out; perform (a duty or obligation), b re-
lieve oneself of (a financial commitment) (discharged
.
ics release an electrical charge from. 8 tr. a relieve (a
ship, etc.) of its cargo, b unload (a cargo). •«.
/dischaarj, dischaarj/ 1 the act or an instance of dis-
charging; the process of being discharged. 2 a dismiss-
al. 3a a release, exemption, acquittal, etc. b a written
certificate of release, etc. 4 an act of firing a gun, etc.
5 a an emission (of pus, liquid, etc.). b the liquid or
matter so discharged. 6 (usu. foil, by of) a the pay-
ment (of a debt), b the performance (of a duty, etc.).
7 Physics a the release of a quantity of electric charge
from an object, b a flow of electricity through tin- an
or other gas, esp. when accompanied by the emission
of light. C the conversion of chemical energy in a cell
into electrical energy. 8 the unloading (of a ship or a
cargo), dd dis»charg»er n. (in sense 7 of'u).
diS*CI*ple /disipal/ n. 1 a follower or pupil of a leader,
teacher, philosophy, etc. (a disciple <>/ /<;/ Buddhism).
2 any early believer in Christ, esp. one of the twelve
Apostles, dis-ci*ple*ship n.
i
dis»Ci«pli«nar»i»an /disiplinaireeon // a person who
upholds or practices firm discipline.
 .

disei»pli«nar«y /disiplineree/ adj. of, promoting, or en- 221 disciplinary ~ discreet

forcing discipline.
discipline /disiplin/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a control or order 2 harsh clashing noise; clangor. 3 Mus. a a lack of har-
exercised over people or animals, b the system of rules mony between notes sounding together, b an unpleas-
used to maintain this control. C the behavior of groups ing or unfinished chord needing to be completed by
subjected to such rules (poor discipline in the ranks). another. • v. intr. /diskawrd/ 1 (usu. foil, by with) a dis-
2 a mental, moral, or physical training, b adversity as agree or quarrel, b be different or inconsistent. 2 jar;
used to bring about such training. 3 a branch of clash; be dissonant.
instruction or learning. 4 punishment. 5 Eccl. morti- diseordent /diskawrd'nt/ adj. (usu. foil, by to, from,
fication by physical self-punishment, esp. scourging. with) 1 disagreeing; at variance. 2 (of sounds) not in
• v.tr. 1 punish; chastise. 2 bring under control by harmony; dissonant, dd discordance /-d'ns/ n. dis»
training in obedience. cordenWy adv.
disclaim /disklaym/ v.tr. 1 deny or disown. 2 (often discotheque /diskatek/ n. la club, etc., for dancing
absol.) Law renounce a legal claim to (property, etc.). to recorded popular music. 2 a the professional light-
disclaimer /disklaymar/ n. a renunciation or disavow- ing and sound equipment used at a discotheque, b a
al, esp. of responsibility. business that provides this. 3 a party with dancing to
disclose /diskloz/ v.tr. 1 make known (disclosed the popular music, esp. using such equipment.
truth) 2 expose to view.
. discount n. v. •«. /diskownt/ 1 a deduction from a &
disclosure /disklozhar/ n. 1 the act or an instance of bill or amount due. 2 a deduction from the amount of
disclosing; the process of being disclosed. 2 something a bill of exchange, etc., by a person who gives value
disclosed; a revelation. for it before it is due. 3 the act or an instance of dis-
disco /disko/ n. & v. colloq. •«. (pi. cos) = disco- counting. • v. tr. /diskownt/ 1 disregard as unreliable or
theque, mv. intr. (coes, coed) 1 attend a discotheque. unimportant (discounted his story). 2 reduce the effect
2 dance to disco music (discoed the night away) of (an event, etc.) by previous action. 3 deduct (esp.
dis«cog«ra«phy/disk6gr3fee/w. (pi. -phies) 1 a descrip- an amount from a bill, etc.). 4 give or get the present
tive catalog of recordings. 2 the study of recordings. worth of (a bill not yet due), d at a discount 1 below
discoid /diskoyd/ adj. disk-shaped. the nominal or usual price (cf. premium). 2 not in de-
diseolcr /diskular/ v. tr. &
intr. spoil the color of; stain; mand; depreciated, dd discounter n.
tarnish, dd diseolere*tion n. dis»COUn»te»nance/disk6wntin3ns/i;.zr. 1 (esp. in pas-
diseonvbob«u»late /diskambobyalayt/ v.tr. joe. dis- sive)disconcert. 2 refuse to countenance; show disap-
turb; disconcert. proval of.
diseonvfit /diskumfit/ v.tr. 1 disconcert or baffle. dis*cour*age /diskarij, -kur-/ v.tr. 1 deprive of cour-
2 thwart, do diseonvfMure n. age, confidence, or energy. 2 by from) dis-
(usu. foil,

discomfort /diskumfart/w. &v. a a lack of ease;

»n. 1 suade (discouraged her from going). 3 inhibit or seek to
slight pain (tight collar caused discomfort) b mental un- . prevent (an action, etc.) by showing disapproval
easiness (his presence caused her discomfort) 2 a lack of . (smoking is discouraged), dd dis»cour«age»ment n. dis«
comfort. • v. tr. make uneasy. cour*ag«ing«ly adv.
diseonvmode /diskamod/ v.tr. inconvenience (a per- discourse n. &v. «n. /diskawrs/ 1 literary a conversa-
son, etc.). tion; talk, b a dissertation or treatise on an academic
disconvpose /diskampoz/ v. disturb the composure tr. subject. C a lecture or sermon. 2 Linguistics a con-
of. dd diseomeoeure /-pdzhgr/ n. nected series of utterances; a text, •v.tntr. /diskors/
disco mu*sic n. popular dance music characterized 1 talk; converse. 2 (usu. foil, by of, on, upon) speak or

by a heavy bass rhythm. write at length.

disconcert /diskansart/iur. 1 (often as disconcerted discour»tecus /diskarteeas/ adj. impolite; rude.
adj.) disturb the composure of; fluster (disconcerted by dd discour«tecus»ly adv.
his expression) .2 spoil or upset (plans, etc.) dd diseon* . discour-te»sy /diskartasee/ n. (pi. -sies) 1 bad man-
cerMng adj. diseoncert*ing*ly adv. ners; rudeness. 2 an impolite act or remark.
disconnect /diskanekt/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by from) discover /diskuvar/ v. tr. 1 (often foil, by that + clause)
break the connection of (things, ideas, etc.). 2 put (an a find out or become aware of. b be the first to find or
electrical device) out of action by disconnecting the find out (who discovered America?). C devise or pioneer
parts, esp. by pulling out the plug, dd disconnection (discover new techniques) 2 give (check) in a game of
.

n. chess by removing one's own obstructing piece. 3 (in

disconnected /diskanektid/ adj. 1 not connected;
detached; separated. 2 (of speech, writing, argument,
etc.) incoherent and illogical.
disconsolate /diskonsalat/ adj. 1 forlorn or incon-
solable. 2 unhappy or disappointed, do disconso*
late-ly adv.
discontent /diskgntent/ n., adj.,
tentment; restlessness, dissatisfaction, madj. dissatis-
show business) find and promote as a new singer, ac-
tor, etc. dd discoverable adj. discoverer n.
discov«er«y /diskuvaree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a the act or
process of discovering or being discovered, b an in-
stance of this (the discovery of a new planet). 2 a person
or thing discovered.
&v. »n. lack of con- discredit /diskredit/ n. &v. »n. A harm to reputation
(brought discredit on the enterprise) 2 a person or thing
.

fied. • v.tr. (esp. as discontented adj.) make dissatis- causing this (he a discredit to his family). 3 lack of
is

fied, dd discontentedly adv. discontentment n. credibility (throws discredit on her story) 4 the loss of .

discontinue /diskantinyoo/ v. (-continues, -contin- commercial credit, •v.tr. 1 harm the good reputation
ued, -continuing) 1 intr. &
tr. cease or cause to cease of. 2 cause to be disbelieved. 3 refuse to believe.
to exist or be made (a discontinued line) 2 tr. give up; . discred*it*a*ble /diskreditabal/ adj. bringing discred-
cease from (discontinued his visits) 3 tr. cease taking or. it; shameful, dd discred*it*a*bly adv.

paying (a newspaper, a subscription, etc.). dd discon discreet /diskreet/ adj. (discreeter, discreetest)
tinuence n. discontinuation n. 1 a circumspect, b tactful; trustworthy. 2 unobtrusive
discontinuous /diskantinyooas/ adj. lacking conti- dd discreeMy adv.
(a discreet touch of rouge),
nuity in space or time; intermittent, dd discontinue meaning 'prudent; cautious,' and discrete,
Discreet,
i»ty /-kontinoo-itee, -nyoo-/ n. diseontinucus*ly meaning 'separate' are different words: Be discreet and
adv.
discord n. &v. •«. /diskawrd/ 1 disagreement; strife. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

discrepancy ~ disgust 222 dis*em*bark /disimba'ark/ v.tr. &

intr. put or go ashore

or land from a ship or an aircraft, dd dis*em*bar*ka*

don 't give away the surprise. I can see three discrete possi- tion n.

bilities causingproblem.this dis*em«bar*rass /disimbargs/ v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by of)

dis»crep»an»cy /diskrepansee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 dif-
ference; inconsistency. 2 an instance of this, dd dis«
crep*ant adj.
dis»crete /diskreet/ adj. individually distinct; separate;
discontinuous, dd dis»crete»ly adv. dis«crete«ness n.
See note at discreet.
dis»cre«tion /diskreshan/ n. 1 being discreet; discreet
behavior (treats confidences with discretion) 2 prudence;
self-preservation. 3 the freedom to act and think as
one wishes (it is within his discretion to leave) 4 Law a
court's freedom to decide a sentence, etc. d at the dis-
cretion of to be settled or disposed of according to the
judgment or choice of. discretion is the better part of
valor reckless courage is often self-defeating, use one's
discretion act according to one's own judgment, age
relieve (of a load, etc.). 2 free from embarrassment.
dis«em»bod»y/disimb6dee/i;.fr. (-ies,-ied) (esp. as dis-
embodied adj.) separate or free from the body or a
concrete form (disembodied spirit)
dis*em*bow«el /disimbowsl/ v.tr. remove the bowels or
entrails of.
dis*en*chant /disinchant/ v.tr. free from enchantment;
. disillusion, dd dis*en*chant*ment n.
dis«en»cum»ber /disinkumbor/ v.tr. free from encum-
. brance.
dis*en*fran*chise var. of disfranchise.
dis»en»gage/disingayj/^. 1 a tr. detach, loosen, or sep-
arate (parts, etc.) (disengaged the clutch), b refl. detach
oneself; get loose (disengaged ourselves from their com-
pany) 2 tr. Mil. remove (troops) from a battle or a bat-
.

of discretion the esp. legal age at which a person is tle area. 3 intr. become detached. 4 intr. (as disen-
able to manage his or her own affairs, dd dis»cre»tion« gaged adj.) a unoccupied; free; vacant.
ar«y adj. b uncommitted.
dis*crim*i*nate /diskriminayt/ v. 1 intr. (often foil, by dis»en»gage»ment/disingayjm3nt/w. 1 a the act of dis-
between) make or see a distinction; differentiate. 2 intr. engaging, b an instance of this. 2 freedom from ties;
make a distinction, esp. unjustly. 3 intr. (foil, by detachment. 3 the dissolution of an engagement to
against) select for unfavorable treatment. marry. 4 ease of manner or behavior.
4 tr. (usu.
foil,by from) make or see or constitute a difference in dis»en»tan»gle/disintangg3l/^. 1 tr. a unravel; untwist.
or between. 5 intr. (esp. as discriminating adj.) observe b free from complications; extricate (disentangled her
distinctions carefully; have good judgment. 6 tr. mark from the difficulty) 2 intr. become disentangled, dd dis»
.

as distinctive; be a distinguishing feature of. dd dis» en*tan*gle*ment n.

crim»i»na»tive/-n3tiv/ad/. dis«crinri«na«tor n. dis»crim« dis»en»ti»tle /disintit'l/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by to) deprive of
i»na»to»ry /-nstawree/ adj. any rightful claim.
dis*crim*i*nat*ing /diskriminayting/ adj. 1 able to dis- dis*es*tab*lish /disistablish/ v.tr. 1 deprive (a church)
cern distinctions. 2 having good taste. of government support. 2 depose from an official posi-
dis*crim*i*na*tion /diskriminayshgn/ n. 1 unfavorable tion. 3 terminate the establishment of. dd dis*es*tab«
treatment based on prejudice. 2 good taste or judg- lish-ment n.
ment in artistic matters, etc. 3 the power of discrimi- dis»fa«VOr /disfayv9r/ n. &
v. »n. 1 disapproval or dis-
nating or observing differences. 4 a distinction made like. 2 the state of being disliked (fell into disfavor) .•v.tr.
with the mind or in action. regard or treat with disfavor.
dis*cur*sive /diskarsiv/ adj. 1 rambling or digressive. dis«fig*ure /disfigyar/ v.tr. spoil the beauty of; deform;
2 Philos. proceeding by argument or reasoning (opp. deface, dd dis*fig*ure*ment n.
intuitive), dd dis*cur*sive*ly adv. dis*cur*sive*ness n. dis»f raochise /disfranchlz/ v. tr. (also dis*en*f rarrchise
dis-cus /diskas/ n. (pi. dis- /disinfranchiz/) 1 a deprive (a person) of the right to
cuses) 1 a heavy, thick- vote, b deprive (a place) of the right to send a repre-
centered disk thrown in sentative to parliament. 2 deprive (a person) of rights
ancient Greek games. 2 a as a citizen or of a franchise held, dd dis»fran»chise«
similar disk thrown in ment n.
modern field events. dis*gorge /disgawrj/ v.tr. 1 eject from the throat or
dis*CUSS /diskus/ v.tr. stomach. 2 pour forth; discharge, dd dis*gorge*ment
1 hold a conversation n.
about. 2 talk or write dis*grace /disgrays/ n. &
v. «w. 1 shame; ignominy
about a topic in detail; ex- (brought disgrace on his family). 2 a dishonorable, inef-
amine different ideas ficient, or shameful person, thing, state of affairs, etc.
(Chapter Two discusses (the bus service is a disgrace), •v.tr. 1 bring shame or
problems), dd dis*cus*sant discredit on. 2 degrade from a position of honor; dis-
n. miss from favor, d in disgrace out of favor.
dis*cus*sion /diskushan/ dis-grace»ful /disgraysfoDl/ adj. shameful; dishonora-
n. 1 a conversation, esp. discus thrower ble; degrading, dd dis»grace»fuMy adv.
on specific subjects; a de- dis*grun*tled /disgrunt'ld/ adj. discontented; sulky.
bate (had a discussion about what they should do) 2 an . dd dis-grun«tle-ment n.
examination by argument. dis*guise /disgiz/ v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 (often foil, by 01 ll
dis»dain /disdayn/ n. &
v. *n. scorn; contempt, mv.tr. ter the appearance, sound, smell, etc., of, so ;is t<> mi <.

1 regard with disdain. 2 think oneself superior to; re- ceal the identity; make unrecognizable. 2 misrepresent
ject (disdained his offer, disdained to enter, disdained an- or cover up (disguised their intent ions). •;/. 1 a cos ;i

swering) .
tume, false beard, makeup, etc., used to alter the ;ip
dis*dain*ful /disdaynfool/ adj. showing disdain or con- pearance so as to conceal or deceive, b any ;uikhi,
tempt, dd dis*dain*ful*ly adv. manner, etc., used lor deception. 2 a the act or pm
dis«ease /dizeez/ n. 1 an unhealthy condition of the tice of disguising; the concealment ol reality, b an m
body or the mind. 2 a corresponding physical condi- stance of this. in disguise 1 wearing a concealing
tion of plants. 3 a particular kind of disease with spec- costume, etc. 2 appearing to be the opposite (,i blttt*
ial symptoms or location. ing in disguise).
diseased /dize'ezd/ adj. 1 affected with disease. dis*gust /disgust/ n. & v. »n. (usu. foil, by at. far)
2 abnormal; disordered. 1 strong aversion; repugnance. 2 strong distaste for
 .

(some item of) food, drink, medicine, etc.; nausea. 223 disgusting ~ dismiss
mv.tr. cause disgust in. a in disgust as a result of dis-
gust {left in disgust), dd dis*gust*ed-ly adv. dis»in«ter»est»ed/disinmstid,-int3ri-/a<i7. 1 not influ-
dis*gust*ing /disgusting/ adj. arousing aversion or in- enced by one's own advantage. 2 disp. uninterested.
dignation {disgusting behavior) dd dis*gust*ing*ly adv.
. dd dis»in»ter»est»ed»ly adv. dis»in«ter»est»ed»ness n.

dish /dish/ n.6 w«n.1aa shallow container for cook-

,
Disinterested means 'not having a personal interest,
ing or serving food, b the food served in a dish {all the impartial': A juror must be disinterested in the case being
dishes were delicious). C a particular kind of food {a meat tried. Uninterested means 'not interested; indifferent':
dish). 2 (in pi.) dirty plates, utensils, cooking pots, etc., On the other hand, a juror must not be uninterested.
after a meal. 3 a a dish-shaped object, or cavity, b = disjoint /disjoynt/ v. &
adj. mv.tr. 1 take apart at the
satellite dish. 4 5/. a sexually attractive person, mv.tr. joints. 2 (as disjointed adj.) (esp. of conversation) in-
1 put (food) into a dish ready for serving. 2 colloq. out- coherent. 3 disturb the working or connection of. • adj.
maneuver. 3 make concave or dish-shaped, a dish out (of two or more sets) having no elements in common.
si. distribute, dish up 1 serve or prepare to serve dd dis*joint«ed*ly adv. dis«joint»ed»ness n.
(food). 2 colloq. seek to present (facts, argument, etc.) disk /disk/ n. (also disc) 1 a a flat thin circular object.
attractively, do dish*ful n. {pi. -fuls). b a round, flat or apparently flat surface {the sun 's disk)
dis»har»mo»ny /dis-ha'armanee/ n. a lack of harmony; C a mark of this shape. 2 a layer of cartilage between
discord, dd dis«har»mo«ni»ous /-moneeas/ adj. vertebrae. 3 a a phonograph record, b = compact disk.
dislvcloth /dishklawth, -kloth/ n. a cloth for washing 4 a (in full magnetic disk) a computer storage device
or drying dishes. consisting of several flat, circular, magnetically coat-
dis*heart*en /dis-ha'art'n/ v.tr. cause to lose courage or ed plates formed into a rotatable disk, b (in full op-
confidence; make despondent, dd dis*heart*en*ing*ly ticaldisc or disk) a smooth nonmagnetic disk for da-
adv. dis»heart«errment n. ta recorded and read by laser.
di*shev*eled /dishevald/ adj. untidy; ruffled; disor- disk brake n. (often disc brake) a brake employing the
dered, an di*shev*ei v.tr. di«shev»el«ment n. friction of pads against a disk.
dis-hon»est /disonist/ adj. fraudulent or insincere. n. Computing a mechanism for rotating a
disk drive
dd dis»horvesWy adv. dis»hoires»ty /disonistee/ n. {pi. and reading or writing data from or to it.
disk
-ties) diskette /disket/ n. Computing = floppy disk.
dis»hon»or /disonar/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a state of shame or disk har»row n. a harrow with cutting edges consisting
disgrace. 2 something that causes dishonor, mv.tr. of a row of concave disks set at an oblique angle.
1 treat without honor or respect. 2 disgrace {dishon- disk ]ock»ey n. (also disc jock»ey) the presenter of a
ored his name). 3 refuse to accept or pay (a check or a selection of phonograph records, compact discs, etc.,
bill of exchange). of popular music.
dis«hon»or»a»ble /disonarabal/ adj. 1 causing disgrace; dis-like /dislik/ v. & have an aversion or objec-
n. mv.tr.
ignominious. 2 unprincipled, nn dis»hon«or»a«bly adv. tion to; not like. mn. repugnance or not
1 a feeling of
dish*pan /dishpan/ n. a large, deep, usu. circular pan liking. 2 an object of dislike, dd dis*lik*a*ble adj. (also
for washing dishes. dis*like*a*ble) .

dish*wash*er /dishwoshar, -wawshar/ n. 1 a machine dis»lo«cate/disl6kayt, dis\6-/v.tr. 1 disturb the normal

for automatically washing dishes. 2 a person employed connection of (esp. a joint in the body). 2 disrupt; put
to wash dishes. out of order. 3 displace. dd dis*lo*ca*tion
dish*wa*ter /dishwawtar, -woter/ n. water in which /dislokayshan/ n.
dishes have been washed, d dull as dishwater extreme- dis*lodge /disloj/ v.tr. remove from an established or
ly dull; boring. fixed position, dd dis*lodg*ment n. (also dislodge*
dis*il*lu*sion /disilobzhan/ n. & v. mn. freedom from ment) .

illusions, mv.tr. disenchant, dd dis*iMu*sion*ment n. disloyal /disloyal/ adj. (often foil, by to) 1 not loyal;
dis*in*cline /disinklin/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by to + infin. or unfaithful. 2 untrue to one's allegiance, dd dis*loyal*
for) 1 make unwilling or reluctant. 2 (as disinclined ly adv. dis*loyal*ty n.
adj.) unwilling; averse, dd dis*in*cli*na*tion /disin- dis*mal /dizmal/ adj. 1 causing or showing gloom; mis-
klinayshan/ n. erable. 2 dreary or somber. 3 colloq. feeble or inept {a
dis*in*fect /disinfekt/ v.tr. cleanse (a wound, a room, dismal performance) dd dis*maMy adv. .

clothing, etc.) of infection, esp. with a disinfectant.

dismal Middle English: from earlier dismal
nn dis*in*fect*ant n. &
adj. dis*in*fec*tion /-fekshan/ n.
late
(noun), denoting the two days in each month that in
dis«in*gen*u*ous /disinjenyooas/ adj. having secret
medieval times were believed to be unlucky, from An-
motives; insincere, on dis«in*gen*u*ous*ly adv. dis»in«
glo-Norman French dis mal, from medieval Latin dies
gen*u*ous*ness n.
mali 'evil days.'
dis«in»her»it /disinherit/ v.tr. reject as one's heir; de-

prive of the right of inheritance, do dis«in*her*i*tance dis»man»tle/dismant'l/ i>.rr. 1 take to pieces; pull down.
n. 2 deprive of defenses or equipment. 3 (often foil, by
dis*in*te*grate /disintigrayt/ v. 1 tr. intr. a separate& of) strip of covering or protection, dd dis*man*tle*ment
into component parts or fragments, b lose or cause to n. dis*man*tler n.
lose cohesion. 2 intr. colloq. deteriorate mentally or diSTnay /dismay/ v. & n. mv.tr. fill with consternation
physically. 3 intr. &
tr. Physics undergo or cause to un- or anxiety; reduce to despair. • n. 1 consternation or
dergo disintegration, nn dis*in*te*gra*tor n. anxiety. 2 depression or despair.
dis*in*te«gra«tion /disintigrayshan/ n. 1 the act or an dis«mem»ber /dismembar/ v.tr. 1 tear or cut the limbs
instance of disintegrating. 2 Physics any process in from. 2 divide up (a country, etc.). dd dis*mem*ber*
which a nucleus emits a particle or particles or divides ment n.
into smaller nuclei. dis«miss /dismis/ v. a tr. cause to leave one's pres-
"\

dis*in*ter /disinter/ v.tr. (disinterred, disinterring) 1 re- ence; disperse (an assembly or army), b intr. (of an
move (esp. a corpse) from the ground; unearth. 2 find assembly, etc.) break ranks. 2 tr. discharge from
after a protracted search {disinterred the letter from the employment, office, etc., esp. dishonorably. 3 tr. put
back of the drawer), dd dis*in*ter*ment n. out of one's thoughts {dismissed him from memory). 4 tr.
dis*in*ter*est /disintrist, -intarist/ n. 1 impartiality.
2 disp. lack of interest; unconcern. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

dismissive ~ dispose
treat summarily (dismissed his application). 5 tr. Law
refuse further hearing to (a case) dd dis»miss«al n. dis«
. dis»pense/dispens/i;. 1 tr. distribute; deal out. 2 tr. ad-
miss*i*ble adj.
disTTiis-sive /dismisiv/ adj. tending to dismiss from
consideration, dd dis«mis«sive«ly adv. dis»mis«sive«
ness n.
dis*mount v. &n. mv./dismownt/ 1 a intr. alight from
a horse, bicycle, etc. b tr. (usu. in passive) throw from
a horse; unseat. 2 tr. remove (a thing) from its mount-
ing (esp. a gun from its carriage). •«. /dismownt, dis-/
the act of dismounting.
dis*o*be*di*ent /disabe'edeesnt/ adj. disobeying; rebel-
lious, dd dis-o«be»di«ence /-deeans/ n. dis»o»be«dhent»
ly adv.
dis*o*bey /disabay/ v.tr. (also absol.) fail or refuse to
obey; disregard (orders); break (rules).
diS'Oblige /disablij/ v.tr. 1 refuse to consider the
convenience or wishes of. 2 (as disobliging adj.) un-
cooperative.
dis*or*der /disawrdar/ n. & v. • n. 1 a lack of order; con-
fusion. 2 a riot; a commotion. 3 Med. a usu. minor ail-
ment or disease, mv.tr. 1 throw into confusion; disar-
range. 2 Med. upset.
dis»or»der«ly /disawrdarlee/ adj. 1 untidy; confused.
2 unruly; riotous. 3 Law contrary to public order or
morality, nn dis*or*der*li*ness n.
dis*or*gan*ize /disawrganiz/ v. tr. 1 destroy the system
or order of. 2 (as disorganized adj.) lacking organiza-
tion or system, dd dis*or*gan«i*za*tion n.
dis»0*ri«ent /disawreeant/ v.tr. 1 confuse (a person) as
to his or her bearings. 2 (often as disoriented adj. ) con-
fuse (a person) (disoriented by his unexpected behavior)
dis»o»ri»en»tate /disawriantayt/ v. tr. = disorient, dd dis*
o*ri*en*ta*tion /-tayshan/ n.
dis*Own /dison/ v.tr. 1 refuse to recognize; repudiate.
2 renounce one's connection with or allegiance to.
dis-par-age/disparij/urr. 1 speak slightingly of; depre-
ciate. 2 bring discredit on. dd dis*par*age*ment n. dis*
par*ag*ing*ty adv.
dis«pa*rate /disparat, dispar-/ adj. & n. • adj.
ly different in kind; without comparison or relation.
• n. (in pi. ) things so unlike that there is
their comparison, dd dis»pa*rate»ly adv. dis*pa*rate*
ness n. dis*par*i*ty /disparitee/ n. (pi. -ties).
dis»pas»s ion-ate /dispashanat/ adj. free from passion;
calm; impartial, dd dis*pas*sion*ate*ly adv. dis*pas*
sion*ate*ness n.
dis*patch /dispach/ v. &
n. (also despatch) •v.tr.
1 send off to a destination or for a purpose. 2 perform
(business, a task, etc.) promptly. 3 kill; execute. 4 col-
loq. eat (food, a meal, etc.) quickly. »n. 1 the act or an
instance of sending. 2 the act or an instance of killing.
3 (also /dispach/) a an official written message on state
or esp. military affairs, b a report sent in by a newspa-
per's correspondent. 4 promptness (done with dis-
patch), dd dis*patch*er n.
dis«pel /dispel/ v.tr. (dispelled, dispelling) dissipate;
disperse; scatter.
dis*pen*sa*ble /dispenssbal/ adj. 1 able to be done
without; unnecessary. 2 (of a law, etc.) able to be re-
laxed in special cases, dd dis*pen*sa*bil*i*ty n.
dis»pen«sa»ry /dispensaree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a place
where medicines, etc., are dispensed. 2 a public or
charitable institution for medical advice and the dis-
pensing of medicines.
dis*pen*sa*tion /dispensayshan/ n. 1 a the act or an in-
stance of dispensing or distributing, b (foil, by with)
the state of doing without (a thing), c something dis-
tributed. 2 (usu. foil, by from) exemption from a pen-
alty,duty or religious observance; an instance of this.
3 a religious or political system obtaining in a nation,
.
224 etc. 4 a the ordering or management of the world by
providence, b a specific example of such ordering (of
a community, a person, etc.). dd dis*pen*sa*tion«al adj.
minister (a sacrament, justice, etc.). 3 tr. make up and
give out (medicine, etc.) according to a doctor's pre-
scription. 4 tr. (usu. foil, by from) grant a dispensation
to (a person) from an obligation, esp. a religious ob-
servance. 5 intr. (foil, by with) a do without; render
needless, b give exemption from (a rule).
dis»pens»er /dispensar/ n. a. person or thing that dis-
penses something, e.g., medicine, good advice, cash.
dis«perse /dispars/ v. 1 intr. &
tr. go, send, drive, or dis-
tribute in different directions or over a wide area.
2 a intr. (of people at a meeting, etc.) leave and go their
various ways, b tr. cause to do this. 3 tr. send to or sta-
tion at separate points. 4 tr. disseminate, dd dis*per*
sal n. dis*pers*er n. dis*pers*i*ble adj. dis*per*sion n.
dis«per*sive adj.
dis*pir*it /dispirit/ v.tr. 1 (esp. as dispiriting adj.) make
despondent; discourage. 2 (as dispirited adj.) de-
jected; discouraged, dd dis*pir«it*ed*ly adv. dis-pir-it-
ed*ness n. dis*pir*it*ing*ly adv.
dis*place /displays/ v.tr. 1 shift from its accustomed
place. 2 remove from office. 3 take the place of; oust.
displaced per*son n. a person who is forced to leave
his or her home country because of war, persecution,
etc.; a refugee.
dis*place*ment /displaysmsnt/ n. 1 a the act or an in-
stance of displacing; the process of being displaced.
b an instance of this. 2 Physics the amount of a fluid
displaced by a solid floating or immersed in it.
3 Psychol, a the substitution of one idea or impulse for
another, b the unconscious transfer of strong unac-
ceptable emotions from one object to another. 4 the
amount by which a thing is shifted from its place.
dis»play /display/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 expose to view; exhib-
it. 2 show ostentatiously. 3 reveal (displayed his igno-
rance) • n. 1 the act or an instance of displaying. 2 an
.
exhibition or show. 3 ostentation; flashiness. 4 the dis-
tinct behavior of some animals used to attract a ma-
essential- te. 5 a the presentation of signals or data on a visual
display unit, etc. b the information so presented.
no basis for dd dis*play*er n.
dis*please /displeez/ v.tr. make indignant or angry; of-
fend; annoy. be displeased (often foil, by at, with)
be indignant or dissatisfied; disapprove, dd dis«pleas*
ing adj. dis*pleas*ing*ly adv.
dis*pleas*ure /displezhar/ n. disapproval; anger; dis-
satisfaction.
dis-port /dispawrt/ v.intr. & refl. frolic; gambol; enjoy
oneself.
dis*pos*a*ble /dispozabal/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 intended
to be used once and then thrown away. 2 that can be
got rid of, made over, or used. 3 (esp. of assets) at the
owner's disposal. •«. a thing designed to be thrown
away after one use. dd dis*pos*a*biM*ty n.
dis*pos*a*ble in«come n. income after taxes, etc.,
available for spending.
dis*pos*al /disp6zol/ n. (usu. foil, by of) 1 the act or an
instance of disposing of something. 2 the arrange-
ment, disposition, or placing of something. 3 control
or management (of a person, business, etc.). 4 (eip. :^
garbage disposal) an electric device under a sink for
grinding up food waste so it can be flushed down ihc
drain, a at one's disposal 1 available for one's use.
2 subject to one's orders or decisions.
dis«pose /dispoz/ v. 1 tr. (usu. foil, by to, or to + infin.)
a make willing; incline (disposed him to thi idtd), b give
a tendency to (disposed to buckle). 2 tr. place suitably
(disposed the pictures in sequence) .3 tr. (as disposed adj.)
have a specified mental inclination (usu. in comb., ill-
disposed). 4 intr. determine the course of events (man
 proposes, God disposes) a dispose of 1 a deal with, b get
. 225
rid of. C finish, d kill, e distribute; dispense; bestow.
2 sell. 3 prove (a claim, an argument, an opponent,
etc.) to be incorrect. 4 consume (food), dd dis»pos«er
n.
dis*po«si*tion /dispazishan/ n. 1a (often foil, by to) a
natural tendency; an inclination, b a person's temper-
ament. 2 a setting in order; arranging, b the relative
position of parts; an arrangement. 3 (usu. in p/.) a Mil.
the stationing of troops ready for attack or defense.
b preparations; plans. 4 a a bestowal by deed or will.
b control; the power of disposing. 5 ordinance; dis-
pensation.
dis*pos*sess /dispazes/ v.tr. 1 oust (a person). 2 (usu.
foil, by of) deprive, dd dis*pos*ses*sion /-zeshan/ n.
dis*proof /disproof/ n. 1 something that disproves.
2 a refutation, b an instance of this.
dis»pro»por«tion /disprapawrshan/ n. 1 a lack of pro-
portion. 2 an instance of this. dis«pro«por»tion«al
adj. dis«pro»por»tion»aMy adv.
dis»pro»por»tion«ate/disprapawrshanat/ad/. 1 lacking
disposition - dissolution
ity of.2 separate forcibly; shatter, nc dis«rupt»er n. (al-
so dis»rup«tor). dis«rup«tion /-rupshan/ n. dis*rup«tive
adj. dis«rup«tive«ly adv. dis»rup«tive«ness n.
diss /dis/ var. of dis.
dis»sat»is»fy /disatisfi/ v.tr. (-ties, -tied) (often as dis-
satisfied adj.) make discontented; fail to satisfy. :: dis*
sat*is*fac*tion /-fakshan/ n. dis»sat»is»fied«ly adv.
dis*sect /disekt, dl-/ v.tr. 1 cut into pieces. 2 cut up (a
plant or animal) to examine its parts, structure, etc.,
or (a corpse) for a post mortem. 3 analyze; criticize or
examine in detail, dd dis«sec«tion /-sekshan n. dis*
seotor n.
dis*sem*ble /disembal/ v. 1 intr. talk or act hypocriti-
cally. 2 tr. a disguise or conceal (a feeling, intention,
act, etc.). b simulate (dissembled grief in public), dd dis*
senvblance n. dis»sem«bler n.
dis*sem*i*nate /diseminayt/ v.tr. scatter about; spread
(esp. ideas) widely, dd dis«sem«i*na«tion -nayshan n.
dis-senvi»na»tor n.

proportion. 2 relatively too large, long, etc. dd dis»pro» dis*sen*sion /disenshan/ n. disagreement giving rise to
por»tiorvate«ly adv. dis«pn>por»tion»ate»ness n. discord.
dis»prove /disprobv/ v.tr. prove false, dd dis*prova*ble dis*sent /disent/ v. &
n. •v.intr. (often foil, by from)
adj. 1 think differently; disagree; express disagreement.
dis*put*a*ble /dispyobtabal/ adj. open to question; un- 2 differ in religious opinion, esp. from the doctrine of
certain, dd dis*put*a*bly adv. an established or orthodox church, •n. 1 a a difference
dis*pu*ta*tion /dispyatayshan/ n. 1a disputing; debat- of opinion, b an expression of this. 2 the refusal to ac-
ing, b an argument; a controversy. 2 a formal debate. cept the doctrines of an established or orthodox
dis*pu*ta*tious /dispyatayshas/ adj. fond of or inclined church; nonconformity, dd dis«sent»er //. dis»sent»ing
to argument, dd dis*pu*ta*tious*ly adv. dis*pu*ta*tious* adj.
ness n. dis«ser»ta»tion /disartayshan/ n. a detailed discourse
dis*pute /dispyoot/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by with, on a subject, esp. one submitted in partial fulfillment
against) a debate; argue, b quarrel. 2 tr. discuss, esp. of the requirements of a degree or diploma.
heatedly (disputed whether it was true). 3 tr. question dis»serv»ice /dis-sarvis/ n. an ill turn; a harmful action.
the truth or correctness or validity of (a statement, al- dis*si*dent /disid'nt/ adj. &
n. madj. disagreeing, esp.
leged fact, etc.). 4 tr. contend for; strive to win (dis- with an established government, system, etc. • n. a dis-
puted the crown). 5 tr. resist (a landing, advance, etc.). sident person, dd dis*si*dence disid'ns n.
n. 1 a controversy; a debate. 2 a quarrel. 3 a disagree- dis»sim»i»lar /disimilar/ adj. (often foil, by to) unlike;
ment leading to industrial action, d beyond (or past not similar, dd dis»sim«i»lar»i«ty -laritee/ n. (pi. -ties).
or without) dispute 1 certainly; indisputably. 2 cer- dis*sim*i*late disimilayt/ v. (often foil, by to) Phonet.
tain; indisputable, in dispute 1 being argued about. 1 tr. change (a sound or sounds in a word) to anoth-

2 (of a workforce) involved in industrial action, dd dis* er when the word originally had the same sound re-
pu'tant /-spyoot'nt/ n. dis*put*er n. peated, as in cinnamon, orig. cirmamom. 2 intr. (of a
dis»qual»i»fy /diskwolifiV v.tr. (-ties, -tied) 1 (often foil, sound) be changed in this way. dd dis»sim»i«la»tion
by from) debar from a competition or pronounce in- /-layshan/ n. dis»sim»i»la»tory -latawree adj.
eligible as a winner. 2 (often foil, by for, from) make dis*sim*u*late disimyalayt/ v.tr. intr. dissemble. &
or pronounce ineligible or unsuitable (his age disqual- dd dis*sim*u*la*tion /-layshan/ n.
ifies him). 3 (often foil, by from) incapacitate legally; dis*si*pate /disipayt/ v. 1 a intr. disperse or scatter (the
pronounce unqualified (disqualified from practicing cloud of smoke dissipated), b intr. (of a feeling or other
as a doctor), dd dis*qual*i*fi*ca*tion /diskwolifikayshan/ intangible thing) disappear or be dispelled {her con-
n. cern for him had wholly dissipated) 3 tr. cause (a feeling
dis*qui*et /diskwiat/ v. & n. •v.tr. worry. • «. anxiety; or other intangible thing) to disappear or disperse (he
unrest, dd dis*qui*et*ing adj. dis*qui*et*ing*ly adv. wanted to dissipate his anger). 3 tr. squander (money,
dis«qui*e*tude /diskwiatood, -tyood/ n. a state of un- energy, or resources). 4 intr. (as dissipated adj.) dis-
easiness; anxiety. solute, dd dis*si*pa*tive adj. dis*si*pa*tor ;/.

dis*qui*si*tion /diskwizishan/ n. a long or elaborate dis*si*pa*tion /disipayshan/ ;/. 1 intemperate or disso-

treatise or discourse. lute living. 2 (usu. by of)
foil, wasteful expenditure
dis*re*gard /disriga'ard/ v. & pay no atten-
n. •v.tr. 1 3 scattering, dispersion, or dis-
(dissipation of resources) .

tion to; ignore. 2 treat as of no importance. »n. (often integration. 4 a frivolous amusement.
foil, by of, for) indifference; neglect. dis*SO*ci*ate /disOsheeayt, -seeayt/ v.tr. intr. (usu. &
dis»re»pair /disripair/ n. poor condition due to neglect. foil, by from) disconnect or become disconnected.
dis*rep*u*ta*blc /disrepyatabal/ adj. 1 of bad reputa- dd dis*so*ci*a*tion /disOseeayshan, -shee-/ n. dis*so«
tion; discreditable. 2 not respectable in appearance; ci*a«tive /-sheeativ, -seeativ/ adj.
dirty; untidy, dd dis*rep*u*ta*ble*ness n. dis*rep*u*ta* dis*so*lute /disaloot/ adj. lax in morals; licentious.
bly adv. dd dis«so«lute«ly adv. dis*so*lute*ness n.
dis*re*pute /disripydbt/ n. a lack of good reputation or dis*SO*lu*tion /disalooshan/ n. 1 disintegration; de-
respectability; discredit. composition. 2 (usu. foil, by of) the undoing or re-
dis*re*spect /disrispekt/ n. a lack of respect; discour- laxing of a bond, esp.: a a marriage, b a partnership.
tesy, dd dis*re*spect*ful dis*re*spect*fuMy adv.
adj. C an alliance. 3 the dismissal or dispersal of an assem-
diSTObe /disrOb/ &
(also absol.) 1 undress.
v.tr. refl. bly, esp. of a parliament at the end of its term. 4 death.
2 divest (oneself or another) of office, authority, etc.
disTupt /disrupt/ v.tr. 1 interrupt the flow or continu- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

dissolve - distributive 226 derstandable. 3 unmistakable (a distinct impression of

being watched), od dis»tinct*ly adv. distinctness n.
5 bringing or coming to an end; fading away; disap- distinction /distingkshan/ n. 1 a the act or an instance
pearance. 6 dissipation; debauchery. of discriminating or distinguishing, b the difference
dissolve /dizolv/ v. & n. mv. 1 tr. & intr. make or be- made by distinguishing. 2 a something that differen-
come liquid, esp. by immersion or dispersion in a liq- mark, name, or title, b the fact of being
tiates, e.g., a
uid. 2 intr. &
disappear or cause to disappear grad-
tr. different.3 special consideration or honor. 4 excel-
ually. 3atr. dismiss (an assembly, esp. parliament). lence; eminence. 5 a grade in an examination denot-
b intr. (of an assembly) be dissolved (cf. dissolution ing great excellence (passed with distinction)
3). 4 tr. annul (a partnership, marriage, etc.). 5 intr. distinctive /distingktiv/ adj. distinguishing;
(of a person) become emotionally overcome. 6 intr. characteristic, do distinctively adv. distinctive*
(often foil, by into) Cinematog. change gradually (from ness n.

one picture into another). •«. Cinematog. the act or dis*tin*guish /distinggwish/ v. 1 tr. (often foil, by from)
process of dissolving a picture, qd dis»solv»a»ble adj. a see or point out the difference of (cannot distinguish
dis-sonant /disanant/ adj. 1 Mus. harsh-toned; inhar- one from the other) b constitute such a difference (the
.

monious. 2 incongruous, do dis»so«nance /-nans/ n. mole distinguishes him from his twin) C draw distinctions
.

dis*so*nant*ly adv. between; differentiate. 2 tr. characterize (distinguished

dis»suade /diswayd/ v.tr. (often foil, by from) discour- by her greed). 3 tr. discover by listening, looking, etc.
age (a person); persuade against, od dis«sua*sion (could distinguish two voices). 4 tr. (usu. refl.; often foil,
/-swayzhan/ n. dis»sua»sive adj. by by) make prominent or noteworthy. 5 tr. (often foil,
dis»taff /distaf/ n. a a cleft stick holding wool or flax by into) divide; classify. 6 intr. (foil, by between) make
wound for spinning by hand, b the corresponding part or point out a difference between, do dis*tin*guish*a*
of a spinning wheel. ble adj.
dis»taff side n. the female branch of a family. distinguished /distinggwisht/ adj. 1 (often foil, by
distance /distans/ n. &
v. mn. 1 remoteness. 2a a for, by) of high standing; eminent; famous. 2 having an
space or interval between two things, b the length of air of distinction, dignity, etc.
this (a distance of twenty miles). 3 a distant point or distort /distawrt/ v.tr. 1 a put out of shape; make
place. 4 aloofness; reserve. 5 a remoter field of vision crooked or unshapely, b distort the appearance of, esp.
(in the distance) 6 an interval of time (can 't remember
. by curved mirrors, etc. 2 misrepresent, od dis»tort«ed»
at this distance).! a the full length of a race, etc. b Box- ly adv. dis»tort«ed»ness n. dis»tor»tion /distawrshan/ n.
ing the scheduled length of a fight, mv.tr. (often refl.) distract /distrakt/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by from) draw
1 place far off (distanced herself from them). 2 leave far away the attention of. 2 bewilder; perplex. 3 (as dis-
behind in a race or competition, o at a distance far tracted adj.) troubled or distraught. 4 amuse, esp. in
off. go the distance 1 Boxing complete a fight with- order to take the attention from pain, od dis*tract*ed*
out being knocked out. 2 complete a hard task; en- ly adv.
dure an ordeal, keep one's distance maintain one's distraction /distrakshan/ n. 1 a the act of distracting,
reserve. esp. the mind, b something that distracts. 2 a relaxa-
distant /distant/ adj. 1 a far away in space or time, b tion; an amusement. 3 a lack of concentration. 4 con-
(usu. predict often foil, by from) at a specified distance fusion; perplexity. 5 frenzy; madness, o to distraction
(three miles distant) 2 remote in position, time, etc. (dis-
. almost to a state of madness.
tant prospect; distant relation). 3 reserved; cool (a dis- dis*trait /distray/ adj. (Jem. distraite /-strayt/) not pay-
tant nod). 4 abstracted (a distant stare). 5 faint; vague ing attention; distraught.
(a distant memory), oo dis*tant*ly adv. distraught /distrawt/ adj. distracted with worry, fear,
dis»taste /distayst/ n. (usu. foil, by for) dislike; aversion. etc.; extremely agitated.
od dis»taste«ful adj. dis«taste*ful*ly adv. distasteful* distress /distres/ n. &
v. • n. 1 severe pain, sorrow, an-

ness n. guish, etc. 2 the lack of money or comforts. 3 breath-

diS'tenvper /distempar/ n. &v. mn. 1 a kind of paint
1
using glue or size instead of an oil base. 2 a method of
mural and poster painting using this, mv.tr. paint with
distemper.
dis»tem«per 2 /distempar/ n. a disease of esp. dogs, caus-
ing fever, coughing, and catarrh.
dis*tend /distend/ v. tr. &
intr. swell out by pressure from
lessness; exhaustion, mv.tr. 1 subject to distress.
2 cause anxiety to; make unhappy, o in distress 1 suf-
fering or in danger. 2 (of a ship, aircraft, etc.) in dan-
ger or damaged, od distressful adj. dis»tress»ing-ly
adv.
distressed /distrest/ adj. 1 suffering from distress
2 impoverished (in distressed circumstances) 3 (of fur- .

within (distended stomach), od dis*ten*si*ble /-sten- niture, leather, etc.) having simulated marks of age and
sibal/ adj. dis*ten*si*bil*i*ty /-stensibilitee/ n. dis*ten* wear.
sion /-stenshan/ n. dis»trib»u»tar»y /distribyateree/ n. (pi. -ies) a branch oi
dis»till /distil/ v. 1 tr. Chem. purify (a liquid) by vapor- a river or glacier that does not return to the main
izing then condensing it and collecting the result. 2 tr. stream after leaving it (as in a delta).
a Chem. extract the essence of (a plant, etc.) usu. by dis»trib»ute /distribyoot/ v.tr. 1 give shares of; deal out
heating it in a solvent, b extract the essential meaning 2 spread about; scatter. 3 divide into parts; arrange;
of (an idea, etc.). 3 tr. make (whiskey, essence, etc.) by classify, do dis»trib«ut»a»ble adj.
distilling raw materials. 4 tr. (foil, by off, out) Chem. dis*tri*DU*tion /distribyooshan/ n. 1 the act or an in
drive (the volatile constituent) off or out by heat. 5 tr. stance of distributing; the process of being distributed
6 intr. come as or give forth in drops; exude. 6 intr. 2 Econ. a the dispersal of goodij etc., imODg con
undergo distillation, oo dis-til-late /distilit, -ayt/ n. dis* sumers, brought about by commerce, b the extent to
til*la*tion /distilayshan/ n. dis*tiMa*to*ry adj. which different groups, classes, or individuals ibftft in
dis*till*er /distilar/ n. a person who distills, esp. a man- the total production or wealth ol a community.
ufacturer of alcoholic liquor. 3 Statistics the way in which Ii.nacieristic is spi<.-;id
;i (.

dis»till»er»y /distilaree/ n. (pi. -ies) a place where alco- over members of a class, dg dis»tri»bu»tion-al (/<//
holic liquor is distilled. Omjj. d* n. mud). 1 of, con
diS»tri»bu»tive /distribyativ/
distinct /distingkt/ adj. 1 (often foil, by from) a not cerned with, or produced by distribution. 2 /-
identical; separate; individual, b different in kind or Gram, (of a pronoun, etc.) referring to each individ
quality; unlike. 2a clearly perceptible, b clearly un- ual of a class, not to the class collectively (e.g., <,/,//,
 either), mn. Gram, a distributive word, dd dis*tri*bu* 227 distributor ~ divide
tive»ly adv.
dis«trib»u»tor /distribyatar/ n. la person or thing that di»van /divan, dI-7 n. 1 a long, low, padded seat set
distributes. 2 an agent who supplies goods. 3 Electr. a against a wall; a backless sofa. 2 a bed consisting of a
device in an internal combustion engine for passing base and mattress, usu. with no board at either end.
current to each spark plug in turn. di*var*i*cate /divarikayt, dee-/ v.intr. diverge; branch;
district /distrikt/ n. &
v. • n. 1 (often attrib. ) a territory separate widely, dd di«var«i«cate /-kat/ adj. di«var»i»ca«
marked off for special administrative purposes. 2 an tion /-kayshan/ n.
area which has common characteristics; a region {the dive /div/ v.&n.m v. (dived or dove /dov/) 1 intr. plunge
wine-growing district) mv.tr. divide into districts.
. head first into water, esp. as a sport. 2 intr. a Aeron.
district at»tor«ney n. the prosecuting officer of a dis- (of an aircraft) plunge steeply downward at speed.
trict. b Nam. (of a submarine) submerge. C (of a person)
distrust /distrust/ n. &
v. mn. a lack of trust; doubt; plunge downward. 3 intr. (foil, by into) colloq. a put
suspicion. • v. tr. have no trust or confidence in; doubt. one's hand into (a pocket, handbag, vessel, etc.) quick-
dd distrustful adj. dis«trust»fuMy adv. ly and deeply, b occupy oneself suddenly and enthu-
disturb /disturb/ v.tr. 1 break the rest, calm, or quiet siastically with (a subject, meal, etc.). 4 tr. (foil, by in-
of; interrupt. 2 a agitate; worry {your story disturbs me). to) plunge (a hand, etc.) into. »n. 1 an act of diving; a

b irritate. 3 move from a settled position; disarrange
{the papers had been disturbed). 4 (as disturbed adj.)
Psychol, emotionally or mentally unstable or abnor-
mal, dd dis«turb«er n. dis»turb«ing adj. dis«turb»ing»ly
adv.
dis*turb*ance /distarbans/ the act or an instance
n. 1
plunge. 2 a the submerging of a submarine, b the
steep descent of an aircraft. 3 a sudden darting move-
ment. 4 colloq. a disreputable nightclub, etc. 5 Boxing
si. a pretended knockout {took a dive in the second
round), n dive in colloq. help oneself (to food).
dive-bomb v.tr. bomb (a target) while diving in an air-

of disturbing; the process of being disturbed. 2 a tu- craft,dd dive-bomber n.

mult; an uproar. 3 agitation; worry. 4 an interruption. div»er /divar/ n. 1 a person who dives. 2 a a person who
dis*un*ion /disyCbnyan/ n. a lack of union; separation; wears a diving suit to work under water for long peri-
dissension, dd dis»u»nite /disyOOnit/ v.tr. & intr. dis*u* ods, b a pearl diver, etc. 3 any of various diving birds,
ni*ty n. esp. large waterbirds of the family Gaviidae.
dis*use n. & v. • n. /disyoos/ 1 lack of use or practice; di» verge /divarj/ v. 1 intr. a proceed in a different direc-
discontinuance. 2 a disused state, mv.tr. /disyooz/ (esp. tion or in different directions from a point, b take a
as disused adj.) cease to use. different course or different courses {their interests di-
ditch IdxchJ n.&v. •«. 1 a long, narrow excavated chan- verged). 2 intr. a (often foil, by from) depart from a set
nel, esp. for drainage or to mark a boundary. 2 a wa- course, b differ markedly. 3 tr. cause to diverge; de-
tercourse, stream, etc. mv. 1 intr. make or repair ditch- flect, dd di«ver«gence /-jans/ n. di»ver»gen«cy n. di»ver»
es. 2 tr. provide with ditches; drain. 3 tr. si. leave in the gent adj. di»ver«genWy adv.
lurch; abandon. 4 tr. colloq. a bring (an aircraft) down di*vers /divarz/ adj. archaic or literary more than one;
on water in an emergency, b drive (a vehicle) into a sundry; several.
ditch. 5 intr. colloq. (of an aircraft) make a forced land- diverse /divars, di-/ adj. unlike in nature or qualities;
ing on water. 6 tr. si. defeat; frustrate. 7 tr. derail (a varied, dd di»verse«ly adv.
train), dd ditch*er n. di*ver*si*fy /divarsifi, di-/ v. (-ties, -tied) 1 tr. make di-
dith«er /dithar/ v. & n. mv.intr. be indecisive.
hesitate; verse; vary. 2 tr. Commerce a spread (investment) over
• n. colloq. 1 a state of agitation or apprehension. 2 a several enterprises or products, esp. to reduce the risk
state of hesitation; indecisiveness. d in a dither colloq. of loss, b introduce a spread of investment in (an en-
in a state of extreme agitation or vacillation, dd dith* terprise, etc.). 3 intr. (often foil, by into) esp. Com erce m
er»er n. dith*er»y adj. (of a firm, etc.) expand the range of products handled.
dit»sy /ditsee/ adj. (also ditzy; ditsier or ditzier. ditsiest dd di»ver»si»fi»ca»tion /-fikayshan/ n.
or ditziest) colloq. silly; foolishly giddy; scatterbrained. di«ver»sion /divarzhan, di-/ n. 1 a the act of diverting.
diMo /dito/ n. &
v. mn. {pi. -tos) 1 (in accounts, lists, b an instance of this. 2 a the diverting of attention de-
etc.) the aforesaid; the same. Often represented by liberately, b a stratagem for this purpose. 3 a recrea-
" under the word or sum to be repeated. 2 colloq. (re- tion or pastime, dd di»ver»sion«ar»y adj.
placing a word or phrase to avoid repetition) the same di»ver»si»ty/divarsitee,di-/w. {pi -ties) 1 being diverse;
{came in late last night and ditto the flight before) 3 . a sim- variety. 2 a different kind; a variety.
ilarthing; a duplicate, mv.tr. (-toes, -toed) repeat di«vert /divart, di-/
v.tr. 1 (often foil, by ./row, to) a de-
(another's action or words). b distract. 2 (often as diverting adj.) entertain;
flect,
diMo marks n.pl. quotation marks representing 'dit- amuse, dd di»vert»ing»ly adv.
to.' di«ver«tiou*lum /divertikyalam/ n. {pi. diverticula
diMy /ditee/ n. {pi. short simple song.
-ties) a /-la/) Anat. a blind tube forming at weak points in a
ditz /dits/ n. si. a ditsy person. cavity or passage, esp. of the alimentary tract, dd di»
dit»zy var. of ditsy. ver«tic»u»lo«sis /-losis/ n.
di»u»re»sis /diareesis/ n. Med. an increased excretion of di»ver»ti»men»to /divartimento, divair-/ n. {pi. diverti-
urine. menti /-tee/ or -os) Mus. a light and entertaining com-
di»u»ret»ic /diaretik/ adj. &
n. madj. causing increased position.
output of urine, mn. a diuretic drug. di*ver*tisse«ment /divartismant, deevairteesmoN/ n.
di»ur«nal/dl-arnal/ad/. 1 of or during the day; not noc- 1 a diversion; an entertainment. 2 a short ballet, etc.,

turnal. 2 daily; of each day. 3 Astron. occupying one between acts or longer pieces.
day. 4 Zool. (of animals) active in the daytime. 5 Bot. di»vest /divest, di-/ v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by of; often refl.)
(of plants) open only during the day. dd di*ur*nal*ly unclothe; strip {divested himself of his jacket). 2 deprive;
adv. dispossess; free; rid. dd di»vest»ment n.
div. abbr. division. di*vide /divid/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by /;/,
di»va /deeva/ n. {pi. divas or dive /-vay/) a great or fa- into) separate or be separated into parts; break up; split.
mous woman singer; a prima donna. 2 tr. &intr. (often foil, by out) distribute; deal; share.

di*va*lent /divaylant/ adj. Chem. 1 having a valence of

two; bivalent. 2 having two valencies, dd di*va«lence n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 ) ..

dividend ~ do 228 di*vor*cee /divawrsay/ n. a divorced woman.

div»ot /divat/ n. a piece of turf cut out by a golf club in
3 tr. a cutseparate; part, b mark out into parts (a
off; making a stroke.
ruler divided into inches). C specify different kinds of; d i«vu Ige /divulj, di-/ v. tr. disclose; reveal (a secret, etc.)
classify (people can be divided into two types) 4 tr. cause dd divul*ga*tion /-vulgayshan/ n. di*vulge*ment n. di«
.

to disagree (religion divided them). 5 Math, a tr. find vul*gence n.

how many times (a number) contains another (divide div»vy /divee/ n. v. colloq. *n. (pi. -vies) a distribu- &
20 by4).b intr. (of a number) be contained in (a num- tion. mv.tr. (-vies, -vied) (often foil, by up) share out.
ber) without a remainder (4 divides into 20). C intr. be Dix*ie /diksee/ n. the southern states of the US.
susceptible of division ( / divides by 2 and 5) d tr. find dix-ie /diksee/ n. a large iron cooking pot used by
.

how many times (a number) is contained in another campers, etc.

(divide 4 into 20). 6 intr. Math, do division. •«. 1 a di- Dix*ie*land /dikseeland/ n. 1 = Dixie. 2 a kind of jazz
viding or boundary line (the divide between rich and with a strong, two-beat rhythm and collective improv-
poor). 2 a watershed. isation.
dividend /dividend/ n. 1 a a sum of money paid by a diz*zy /dizee/ adj. v. madj. (dizzier, dizziest) 1 a gid- &
company to shareholders, b a similar sum payable to dy; unsteady, b lacking mental stability; confused.
winners in a betting pool or to members of a cooper- 2 causing giddiness, •v.tr. 1 make dizzy. 2 bewilder.
ative, c an individual's share of a dividend. 2 Math, a dd diz*zi*ly adv. diz*zi*ness n.
number to be divided. 3 a benefit from any action (their DJ abbr. 1 disk jockey. 2 district judge.
long training paid dividends). dl abbr. deciliter(s).
di*vid*er /dividar/ n. la screen, piece of furniture, etc., dm abbr. decimeter(s).
dividing a room into two parts. 2 (in pi.) sl measuring DMZ abbr. demilitarized zone.
compass, esp. with a screw for making fine adjust- DNA abbr. deoxyribonucleic acid, the self-replicating
ments. material present in nearly all living organisms, esp. as
div»i»na»tion /divinayshan/ n. 1 supposed insight into a constituent of chromosomes, which is the carrier of
the future or the unknown gained by supernatural genetic information.
means. 2 a a skillful and accurate forecast, b a good do 1 /doo/ v. &
n. mv. (3rd sing, present does /duz/; past
guess. di«vin»a«to»ry /-vinatawree/ adj. did /did/; past part, done /dun/) 1 tr. perform; carry
di»vine /divin/ adj., v., & n. •adj. (diviner, divinest) out; achieve; complete (work, etc.) (did his homework).
1 a of, from, or like God or a god. b sacred (divine serv- 2 tr. a produce; make (she was doing a painting) b pro- .

ice) 2 a more than humanly excellent, gifted, or beau-

. vide (do you do lunches?). 3 tr. bestow; grant; have a
tiful, b colloq. excellent; delightful, mv. 1 tr. discover by specified effect on (do me a favor) 4 intr. act; behave; .

guessing, intuition, inspiration, or magic. 2 tr. foresee; proceed (do as I do). 5 tr. work at; study; be occupied
predict; conjecture. 3 intr. practice divination. 4 intr. with (what does your father do?) 6 a intr. be suitable or .

dowse. • n. 1 a cleric, usu. an expert in theology. 2 (the acceptable; suffice (a sandwich will do until we get home)
Divine) providence or God. dd di*vine*ly adv. di«vin» b tr. satisfy; be suitable for (that hotel will do me nice-
er n. div«i«nize /diviniz/ v.tr. ly) 7 tr. deal with; put in order (/ must do my hair)
.

di*vin*ing rod /divining/ n. = dowsing rod. 8 intr. a fare; get on (he did badly in the test) b perform; .

di»vin«i«ty /divinitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the state or quality
of being divine. 2 a a god; a divine being, b (as the
Divinity) God. 3 the study of religion.
di*vis*i*ble /divizibal/ adj. 1 capable of being divided,
physically or mentally. 2 (foil, by by) Math, containing
work (could do better). 9 tr. a solve; work out (we did the
puzzle), b (prec. by can or be able to) be competent at
(can you do cartwheels?). 10 tr. a traverse (a certain dis-
tance) (we did fifty miles today), b travel at a specified
speed (he overtook us doing about eighty) 1 1 tr. colloq. .

(a number) several times without a remainder (15 is act or behave like ( did a Houdini) 1 2 intr. a colloq. fin- .

divisible by 3). dd di«vis«i«bil»i«ty /—bilitee/ n. ish (are you done annoying me?), b (as done adj.) be
di*vi«sion /divizhan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of di- over (the day is done) 1 3 tr. produce or give a perfor-
.

viding; the process of being divided. 2 Math, the proc- mance of (we 've never done Pygmalion) 1 4 tr. cook, .

ess of dividing one number by another. 3 disagreement esp. to the right degree (the potatoes aren 't done yet)
or discord (division of opinion) 4 Pari, the separation . 15 intr. be in progress (what's doing?). 16 tr. colloq. vis-
of members of a legislative body into two sets for it; see the sights of (we did all the art galleries) 1 7 tr. .

counting votes. 5 a one of two or more parts into which colloq. a (often as done adj.; often foil, by in) exhaust;
a thing divided, b the point at which a thing is divid-
is tire out (the climb has done me in), b beat up; defeat;
ed. major unit of administration or organization,
6 a kill. C ruin (now you've done it). 18 tr. (foil, by into)

esp.: a a group of army brigades or regiments, b Sports translate or transform (the book was done into French).
a grouping of teams within a league. 7 a district de- 19 tr. sl. rob (they did a liquor store downtown). 20 tr. sl.
fined for administrative purposes, an di*vi*sion«al adj. undergo (a specified term of imprisonment) (he did
di*vi*sion*al*ly adv. two years for fraud). 21 tr. coarse sl. have sexual in-
di»vi»sive /divi'siv/ adj. tending to divide, esp. in opin- tercourse with. 22 tr. sl. take (a drug), mv.aux. 1 a (ex-
ion; causing disagreement, dd di«vi»sive»ly adv. di»vi» cept with be, can, may, ought, shall, will) in questions
sive*ness n. and negative statements (do you understand?; I don't
di*vi«sor /divizar/ n. Math. 1 a number by which anoth- smoke), b (except with can, may, ought, shall, will) in
er is to be divided. 2 a number that divides another negative commands (don't be silly; do nor conic tomor-
without a remainder. row)^ ellipt. or in place of verb or verb and object '<"< |

di«vorce /divawrs/ n.&v.mn.1a the legal dissolution know her better than I do). 3 forming emphatic present
of a marriage, b a legal decree of this. 2 a severance or and past tenses (/ do want to). 4 in inversion lor cm
separation (a divorce between thought and feeling). *v. phasis (rarely docs it happen). • //. (pi. dos or do'sj ol <

1 a tr. (usu. as divorced adj.) (often foil, by from) le- loq. an elaborate event, party, or operation. do away 1 1

gally dissolve the marriage of (a divorced couple; he with colloq. 1 abolish. 2 kill, do for 1 be satisfactory or
wants to get divorced from her), b intr. separate by di- sufficient for. 2 colloq. (esp. as done for adj. | destroy;
vorce (they divorced). C tr. end one's marriage with (di- ruin; kill (he knew he was done for), do in 1 \/. a kill.

vorced him). 2 tr. (often foil, by from) detach; separate b ruin; do injury exhaust; tire out. do noth-
to. 2 colloq.
(divorced from reality). ing for (or to) colloq. detract from the appearance Of
di«vor»ce /divawrsay/ n. a divorced man. quality of. do or die persist regardless of clanger, do a
 .

person out of colloq. unjustly deprive a person of; swin- 229 do ~ dog
dle out of (he was done out of his pension), do over 1 si.
attack; beat up. 2 colloq. redecorate; refurbish. 3 colloq. regard to practical considerations. •«. a doctrinaire
do again, dos and don'ts rules of behavior, do some- person, dd doctri«nair«ism n.
thing for (or to) colloq. enhance the appearance or qual- doctrinal /doktrinal/ adj. of or inculcating a doctrine
ity of (that carpet does something for the room), do up or doctrines, dd doctri»naMy adv.
1 fasten; secure. 2 colloq. a refurbish; renovate. doctrine /doktrin/ n. 1 what is taught; a body of
b adorn; dress up. do with (prec. by could) would be instruction. 2 a a principle of religious or political,
glad to have; would profit by (7 could do with a rest) do . etc., belief, b a set of such principles; dogma, dd doc*
without manage without; forgo (also absol. we shalljust : theism n. doctrinist n.
have to do without), have nothing to do with 1 have no docu»dra«ma /dokyoodraama, -drama/ n. a drama-
connection or dealings with (our problem has nothing to tized television movie based on real events.
do with the latest news; after the disagreement he had noth- doC«u»ment n. &v. • n. /dokyamant/ a piece of written
ing to do with his father) 2 be no business or concern
. or printed matter that provides a record or evidence
of (the decision has nothing to do with her) have to do . of events, an agreement, ownership, identification, etc.
(or something to do) with be connected with (his limp • v.tr. /dokyament/ 1 prove by or provide with docu-
has to do with a car accident) ments or evidence. 2 record in a document.
do 2 /do/ n. (also doh) Mus. 1 (in tonic sol-fa) the first docu»men«ta»ry /dokyamentaree/ adj. & n. *adj.
and eighth notes of a major scale. 2 the note C in the 1 consisting of documents (documentary evidence).
fixed-do system. 2 providing a factual record or report. • n. (pi. -ries) a
do. abbr. ditto. documentary film, etc.
DOA abbr. dead on arrival (at a hospital, etc.). doc»u»men»ta«tion /dokyamentayshan/ n. 1 the accu-
do*a*ble /dobabal/ adj. that can be done. mulation, classification, and dissemination of
Do»ber«man /dobarman/ n. (in full Doberman pinscher information. 2 the material collected or disseminated.
/pinshar/) a large dog of a German breed with a smooth 3 the collection of documents relating to a process or
coat. event.
doc /dok/ n. colloq. doctor. dod*der /dodar/ v.intr. tremble or totter, esp. from age.
do»cent /dosant/ n. a person who serves as a well-in- dd dod*der*er n. dod»der»y adj.
formed guide, as in a museum. dodeca- /dOdeka/ comb, form twelve.
docile /dosal/ adj. submissive; easily managed, oo doc* do*deca*gon /dodekagon/ n. a plane figure with twelve
ile*ly adv. do»cil»i»ty /—silitee/ n. sides.
dock 1
/dok/ n. & v. body do»deca»he«dron /dodekahe'edran/
•«. 1 an artificially enclosed n. a solid figure
of water for the loading, unloading, and repair of ships. with twelve faces, dd do»dec
2 (in pi.) a range of docks with wharves and offices; a*he*dral adj.
a dockyard. 3 a ship's berth; a wharf. mv. 1 tr. & intr. dodge /doj/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr.
bring or come into a dock. 2 a tr. join (spacecraft) to- (often by about, behind,
foil,
gether in space, b intr. (of spacecraft) be joined. 3 tr. around) move quickly to one
provide with a dock or docks. side or quickly change posi-
dock 2 /dok/ n. the enclosure in a criminal court for the tion, to elude a pursuer,
accused, d in the dock on trial. blow, etc. (dodged behind the
dock 3 /dok/ n. any weed of the genus Rumex, with broad chair) 2 tr. a evade by cun-
.

leaves. ning or trickery (dodged pay-

dock 4 /dok/ v. &
n. 9V.tr. 1 a cut short (an animal's ing the fare) b elude (a pur-
.
dodecahedron
tail),b cut short the tail of (an animal). 2 a (often foil, suer, opponent, blow, etc.)
by from) deduct (a part) from wages, supplies, etc. b re- by a sideward movement, etc. • n. 1 a quick movement
duce (wages, etc.) in this way. «w. the solid, bony part to avoid or evade something. 2 a clever trick or expe-
of an animal's tail. dient, dd dodg*er n.
dock*age /dokij/ n. 1 the charge made for using docks. dodg*y /dojee/ adj. (dodgier, dodgiest) colloq. awk-
2 dock accommodation. 3 the berthing of vessels in ward; unreliable; tricky.
docks. do*do /d6do/ n. (pi. -does or -dos) 1 any large flight-
dock*et /dokit/ n. &
v. *n. 1 a list of causes for trial or less bird of the extinct family Raphidae, formerly na-
persons having causes pending. 2 a list of things to be tive to Mauritius. 2 an old-fashioned, stupid, or idle
done. •v.tr. label with a docket. person.
dock*side /doksid/ n. the area adjacent to a dock. doe /do/ n. a female deer, reindeer, hare, or rabbit.
dockyard /dokyaard/ n. an area with docks and equip- deer /dooar/ n. 1 a person who does something. 2 one
ment for building and repairing ships. who acts rather than merely talking or thinking.
doctor /doktar/ n.&v.mn. 1 a a medical practitioner; does 3rd sing, present of do 1
.

a physician, b a dentist. C a veterinarian. 2 a person doe«skin /dSskin/ a the skin of a doe fallow deer.
n. 1
who holds a doctorate. 3 colloq. a person who carries b leather made from this. 2 a fine cloth resembl-
out repairs. »v. colloq. 1 a tr. treat medically, b intr. ing it.
(esp. as doctoring n.) practice as a physician. 2 tr. patch doesn't /diizant/ contr. does not.
up (machinery, etc.); mend. 3 tr. adulterate. 4 tr. tam- doff /dawf, dof/ v.tr. literary take off (one's hat, cloth-
per with; falsify. 5 tr. confer a degree of doctor on. ing).
d Gust) what the doctor ordered colloq. something ben- dog /dawg, dog/ n. &
v. • n. 1 any four-legged, flesh-
eficialor desirable, do doctoMy adj. eating animal of the genus Canis, of many breeds, do-
doc»tor«al /doktaral/ adj. of or for a degree of doctor. mesticated and wild, kept as pets or for work or sport.
doc»tor»ate /doktarat/ n. the highest university degree 2 the male of the dog, or of the fox or wolf. 3 a colloq.
in any faculty, often honorary. a despicable person, b colloq. a person or fellow of
Doctor of Phi»los»o«phy n. a doctorate in a discipline a specified kind (a lucky dog). C si. a horse that is
other than education, law, medicine, or sometimes difficult to handle, e si. derog. an unattractive or slov-
theology. enly woman. 4 a mechanical device for gripping. 5 si.
doctrinaire /doktrinair/ adj. &
n. madj. seeking to ap-
ply a theory or doctrine in all circumstances without See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

dog days ~ Dom 230 si.things needed; adjuncts; things whose names are
not known (have we got all the doings?)
something poor; a failure. 6 = firedog. mv.tr. (dogged, do-it-your»self adj. &
n. madj. (of work, esp. building,

dogging) follow closely and persistently; pursue; painting, decorating, etc.) done or to be done by an
track, d go to the dogs si. deteriorate, be ruined, put amateur at home. mn. such work.
on the dog colloq. behave pretentiously, dd dog*like adj. Dol»by /dolbee/ n. Trademark an electronic noise-reduc-
dog days n.pl. the hottest period of the year. tion system used esp. in tape recording to reduce hiss.
doge /doj/ n. hist, the chief magistrate ofVenice or Gen- dol*ce vi»ta /dolchay veets/ n. a life of pleasure and lux-
oa. ury.
dog-eared adj. (of a book, etc.) with the corners worn doUdrums /deldramz/ n.pl. (usu. prec.by the) 1 low
or battered with use. spirits. 2 a period of inactivity. 3 an equatorial ocean
dog-eat-dog adj. colloq. ruthlessly competitive. region of calms, sudden storms, and light unpredict-
dog*fight /dawgfit, dog-/ n. 1 a close combat between able winds.
fighter aircraft. 2 uproar; a fight like that between dogs. dole /dol/ n. &
v. m n. 1 (usu. prec. by the) Brit, colloq.
dog-fish /dawgfish, dog-/ n. (pi. same or dogfishes) benefit claimable by the unemployed from the gov-
any of various small sharks, esp. of the families ernment. 2 a charitable distribution, b a charitable
Scyliorhinidae or Squalidae. (esp. sparing, niggardly) gift of food, clothes, or mon-
dog*ged /dawgid, dog-/ adj. tenacious; grimly persist- ey. mv.tr. (usu. foil, by out) deal out sparingly, d on the
ent. a dog*ged*ly adv. dog*ged*ness n. dole colloq. receiving welfare, etc., payments from the
dog»ger»el /dawgaral, dog-/ n. poor or trivial verse. government.
dog*gie var. of doggy n. dole*ful /delfool/ adj. 1 mournful; sad. 2 dreary; dis-
dog*gie bag n. (also dog*gy bag) a bag given to a cus- mal, dd dole*fuMy adv. dole*ful*ness n.
tomer in a restaurant or to a guest at a party, etc., for doll /dol/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a small model of a human fig-

putting leftovers in to take home. ure as a child's toy. 2 a colloq. a pretty but silly young
dog*gone /dawg-gon, dog-/ adj., adv., & int. si. madj. woman, b 5/. a young woman, esp. an attractive one.
& adv. damned, expressing annoyance.
mint, 3 a ventriloquist's dummy, mv.tr. & intr. (foil, by up;
dog*gy /dawgee, dogee/ n. (also dog*gie) (pi. -gies) a often refl.) dress up smartly.
little dog; a pet name for a dog. doMar /dolar/ n. 1 the chief monetary unit in the US,
dog*house /dawghows, dog-/ n. a dog's shelter. in Canada, and Australia. 2 the chief monetary unit of
the doghouse si. in disgrace or disfavor. certain countries in the Pacific, West Indies, SE Asia,
do*gie /d6gee/ n. a motherless or neglected calf. Africa, and S. America.
dog in the manager n. a person who prevents others
dollar from early Flemish or Low German daler, from
from using something, although that person has no
German Taler, formerly spelled Thaler, short for
use for it.
Joachimsthaler, a coin from the silver mine of
dog*leg /dawgleg, dog-/ n., adj., &
v. mn. something
Joachimsthal ('Joachim's valley'), now Jachymov in the
with a sharp, abrupt bend, as a road. madj. (also dog-
Czech Republic. Originally denoting a German thaler
leg*ged) bent like a dog's hind leg. • v. intr. (-legged,
coin, the term was later applied to a Spanish coin used
-legging) proceed around a dogleg or on a dogleg
in the Spanish American colonies. The Spanish coin
course.
was also widely used in the British North American
dog*ma /dawgma, dog-/ n. 1 a a principle, tenet, or sys-
colonies at the time of the Revolutionary War and its
tem of these, esp. as laid down by the authority of a
name was adopted as the name of the US monetary
church, b such principles collectively. 2 an arrogant
unit in the late 1 8th century.
declaration of opinion.
dog*mat*ic /dawgmatik, dog-/ adj. 1 a (of a person) doMar sign n. the sign ($), used to indicate currency
given to asserting or imposing personal opinions; ar- in dollars.
rogant, b intolerantly authoritative. 2 a of or in the na- doll«house /dolhows/ n. 1 a miniature toy house for
ture of dogma; doctrinal, b based on a priori princi- dolls. 2 a very small house.
ples, not on induction, dd dog»mat»i»caMy adv. doMop /dotap/ n. & v. mn. a shapeless lump of food,
dog*ma*tism /dawgmatizam, dog-/ n. a tendency to be etc. mv.tr. (usu. foil, by out) serve out in large, shape-
dogmatic, dd dog*ma*tist n. less quantities.
do-good»er /dobgobdar/ n. a well-meaning but unreal- doMy /dolee/ n. (pi. -lies) 1 a child's name for a doll.
istic philanthropist or reformer. 2 a movable platform on wheels used for moving heavy
dog pad»dle n. an elementary swimming stroke like objects, typically film or television cameras.
that of a dog. dd dog-pad*dle v.intr. dol*man sleeve /dolman/ n. a loose sleeve cut in one
dog's life n. a life of misery or harassment. piece with the body of the coat, etc.
dogs of war n.pl. poet, the havoc accompanying war. dol-men /dolman/ n. a megalithic tomb with a large,
Dog Star n. the chief star of the constellation Canis flat stone laid on upright ones.
Major or Minor, esp. Sirius. do»IO»mite /dolamit, dol-/ n. a mineral or rock ot ctl
dog tag n. 1 a usu. metal plate attached to a dog's col- cium magnesium carbonate, dd dol»o»mit»ic / mink
lar, giving owner's address, etc. 2 an identification tag, adj.
esp. as worn by a member of the military. do-lor /dolor/ n. literary sorrow; distress.
dog-tired adj. tired out. do*lor*ous /doloros/ adj. literary or joe. 1 distreseingj
dog»wood/dawgwOod,dog-/rc. 1 any of various shrubs painful; doleful; dismal. 2 distressed; sail, bo dol»or»
of the genus Cornus, esp. the wild cornel with dark red ous«ly adv.
branches, greenish-white flowers, and purple berries. dol'phin/dolfin/ a. 1 any of various porpoiselike aquai
2 any of various similar trees. 3 the wood of the dog- ic mammals of the family Delphinidac having ; skn
wood. der, beaklike snout. 2 a fish <>! the Bjenui Coi v/'/m. //,/,
doh var. of do 2 . caught as a food fish. 3 a pile or buoy lor mooring. 4 a
doi*ly /doylee/ n. (pi. -lies) a small ornamental mat of structure for protecting the pier of a Dlidgje.
paper, lace, etc., on a plate for cakes, etc. dolt /dolt/ ;/. a stupid person, mi dolHsh «/,//. dolt-ish*
do»ing /dobing/ n. 1a (usu. in pi.) an action (famous ness n.
for his doings; it was my doing), b activity; effort (it takes Dom /dom/ n. la title prefixed to the nanus ol KMHC
a lot of doing). 2 colloq. a scolding; a beating. 3 (in pi.) Roman Catholic dignitaries, and Benedictine ;uul
 . .

Carthusian monks. 2 the Portuguese equivalent of 231 domain ~ doorkeeper

Don don 2a, b).
(see 1

dOTTiain /domayn/ n. 1 an area under one rule; a realm. do«nate /donayt, donayt/ v. tr. give or contribute (mon-
2 an estate or lands under one control. 3 a sphere of ey, etc.), esp. to a charity, dd do»na«tor n.
control or influence. do»na«tion /donayshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
dome /dom/ n. & v. • n. 1 a a rounded vault as a roof, donating. 2 something, esp. money, donated.
with a circular, elliptical, or polygonal base, b the done /dun/ past part, of do adj. 1 colloq. socially ac-
1
,

revolving, openable hemispherical roof of an observ- ceptable (the done thing). 2 (often with in, up) colloq.
atory. 2 a a natural vault or canopy (of the sky, trees, tired out. 3 (esp. as int. in reply to an offer, etc.) ac-
etc.). b the rounded summit of a hill, etc. 3 Geol. a cepted, d be done with be finished with, done for col-
dome-shaped structure. 4 si. the head, mv.tr. (usu. as loq. in serious trouble, have done have ceased or fin-

domed adj.) cover with or shape as a dome, dd dome* ished, have done with be rid of; have finished dealing
like adj. with.
do»mes»tic /damestik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of the home, do»nee /donee/ n. the recipient of a gift.
household, or family affairs. 2 a of one's own country, don*gle /dawnggal, dong-/ n. Computing si. a security
not foreign or international, b homegrown or home- attachment required by a computer to enable pro-
made. 3 (of an animal) kept by or living with humans. tected software to be used.
4 fond of home life. *n. a household servant, dd do* don«jon /donjan, dun-/ n. the great tower or innermost
mes-ti'cal'ly adv. keep of a castle.
do»mes»ti»cate /damestikayt/ v. tr. 1 tame (an animal) Don Juan /don waan, hwa'an, joban/ n. a seducer of
to live with humans. 2 accustom to home life and man- women; a libertine.
agement. 3 naturalize (a plant or animal), do do»mes« don«key /dongkee, dung-, dawng-/ n. (pi. -keys) 1 a
ti*ca*ble /-kabal/ adj. do»mes*ti»ca«tion /-kayshan/ n. domestic ass. 2 colloq. a stupid or foolish person.
do»mes*tic»i»ty /demastisitee/ n. 1 the state of being do«nor /donar/ «. 1 a person who gives or donates
domestic. 2 domestic or home life. something (e.g., to a charity). 2 one who provides
do«mes»tic science n. the study of household man- blood for a transfusion, semen for insemination, or an
agement. organ or tissue for transplantation.
domicile /domisil, -sil, do-/ n. v. (also dom»i»cil & do»nor card n. an official card authorizing use of organs
/-sil/) »n. 1a dwelling place; one's home. 2 Law a a for transplant, carried by the donor.
place of permanent residence, b the fact of residing. don't /dont/ contr. &
n. •contr. do not. *n. a prohibi-

3 the place at which a bill of exchange is made pay- tion (dos and don 'ts)
able. 9V.tr. 1 (usu. as domiciled adj.) (usu. foil, by at, The use of don't as a singular is now generally re-
in) establish or settle in a place. 2 (usu. foil, by at) garded as uneducated, although it was once standard
make (a bill of exchange) payable at a certain place. and is now often employed informally for effect, e.g.,
dominant /dominant/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 dominating; "It don't mean a thing to me."
prevailing; most 2 (of a high place) prom-
influential. do*nut var. of doughnut.
inent; overlooking others. 3 a (of an allele) expressed doo»dad /dobdad/ n. 1 a fancy article; a trivial orna-

even when inherited from only one parent, b (of an ment. 2 a gadget or thingamajig.
inherited characteristic) appearing in an individual doo»dle /dood'l/ v. &
n. • v.intr. scribble or draw, esp.

even when its allelic counterpart is also inherited (cf. absentmindedly. •«. a scrawl or drawing so made.
recessive). *n. Mus. the fifth note of the diatonic scale dd doo»dler n.
of any key. dd dominance /dominans/ n. dominant* doo*dle*bug /dobd'lbug/ n. 1 any of various insects,
ly adv. esp. the larva of an ant lion. 2 an unscientific device
dominate /dominayt/ v. 1 tr. & (foil, by over) intr. ex- for locating minerals. 3 colloq. a robot bomb.
ercise control over (fear dominated them for years; dom- doo»hick»ey /dobhikee/ n. (pi. -eys or -ies) colloq. a
inates over his friends). 2 intr. (of a person, sound, fea- small object, esp. mechanical.
ture of a scene, etc.) be the most influential or doom /doom/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a grim fate or destiny.

conspicuous. 3 tr. & (foil, by over) intr. (of a building,
etc.) overlook, dd dom«i*na*tion /dominayshan/
dom«i«na«tor n.
dom«i»neer /domineer/ v.intr. (often as domineering
b death or ruin. 2 a a condemnation; a judgment or
n. sentence, b the Last Judgment (the crack of doom).
• v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by to) condemn or destine (doomed
to destruction) 2 (esp. as doomed adj. ) consign to mis-
.

adj.) behave in an arrogant and overbearing way. fortune or destruction.

dd dom*i*neer»ing*ly adv. dooms«day /doomzday/ n. the day of the Last Judg-
Do*min*i*can /daminikan/ adj. n. %adj. 1 of or relat- & ment.
ing to St. Dominic or the order of preaching friars door /dawr/ a a hinged, sliding, or revolving bar-
n. 1

which he founded. 2 of or relating to either of two fe-
male religious orders founded on Dominican princi-
ples. • n. a Dominican friar, nun, or sister.
do»min»ion /daminyan/ n. 1 sovereignty; control. 2 the
territory of a sovereign or government; a domain.
dom»i»no /domino/ n. (pi. -noes or -nos) 1 a a small
oblong tile marked with 0-6 dots in each half, b (in
p/.,usu. treated as sing.) a game played with these. 2 a
loose cloak with a mask for the upper part of the face.
rier for closing and opening an entrance to a build-
ing, room, cupboard, etc. b this as representing a
house, etc. (lives two doors away). 2 a an entrance or
exit; a doorway, b a means of access or approach.
d close the door to exclude the opportunity for. lay
(or lie) at the door of impute (or be imputable) to.
leave the door open ensure that an option remains
available, next door to 1 in the next house to. 2 near-
ly, near to. open the door to create an opportunity for.

donvi-no the»o»ry n. the theory that a political event, out of doors in or into the open air. dd doored adj.
etc., in one country will cause similar events in neigh- (also in comb.).
boring countries, like a row of falling dominoes. door*bell /dawrbel/ n. a bell in a house, etc., rung by
don /don/ n. 1 a university teacher, esp. a senior mem-
' visitors outside to signal their arrival.
ber of a college at Oxford or Cambridge. 2 (Don) a a door«f rame /dawrfraym/ n. the framework of a door-
Spanish title prefixed to a forename, b a Spanish gen- way.
tleman; a Spaniard. door*keep*er /dawrkeepar/ n. - doorman 1
don 2/don/ v.tr. (donned, donning) put on (clothing).
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

doorknob - double 232
door»knob /dawrnob/ n. a knob for turning to release
the latch of a door.
door-man /dawrman, -man/ n. (pi. -men) a person on
duty door to a large building.
at the
door*mat /dawrmat/ n. 1 a mat at an entrance for wip-
ing one's shoes. 2 a feebly submissive person.
door*nail /dawrnayl/ n. a nail with which doors were
studded for strength or ornament. dead as a door-
nail completely or unmistakably dead.
door»post /dawrpost/ n. each of the uprights of a door-
frame.
door prize n. a prize awarded usu. by lottery at a dance,
party, charity event, etc.
door*step /dawrstep/ n. &
v. mn. a step leading up to
the outer door of a house, etc. • v. intr. (-stepped, -step- ric /-metrik/ adj. do»sim«e«try n.
ping) go from door to door selling, canvassing, etc. dos*si*er /dosee-ay, daw-/ n. a set of documents, esp.
on one's (or the) doorstep very close.
door*stop /dawrstop/ n. a device for keeping a door dot /dot/ n.
open or to prevent it from striking a wall, etc., when
opened.
door-to-door adj. (of selling, etc.) done at each house
in turn.
door*way /dawrway/ n. an opening filled by a door.
door»yard /dawryaard/ n. a yard or garden near the door
of a house.
doo«zy /dobzee/ n. (pi. doozies) colloq. one that is out-
standing of its kind (that mistake was a doozy).
dope /dop/ n.&v.mn. 1 a varnish applied to the cloth
surface of airplane parts. 2 a thick liquid used as a lu-
bricant, etc. 3 a substance added to gasoline, etc., to
increase its effectiveness. 4 a 5/. a narcotic, b a drug,
etc., given to a horse or greyhound, or taken by an ath-
lete, to affect performance. 5 si. a stupid person. 6 si.
a information about a subject, esp. if not generally
known, b misleading information, mv. 1 tr. administer
dope to; drug. 2 tr. apply dope to. 3 intr. take addic-
tive drugs. dope out si. discover, dd dop*er n.
dope*y /ddpee/ adj. (also dop»y) (dopier, dopiest) col-
loq. 1 a half asleep, b stupefied by or as if by a drug.
2 stupid; silly, dd dop*i*ly adv. dop«i«ness n.
dop*pel*gang*er /dopalgangar/ n. an apparition or
double of a living person.
Dop*pler eMect /doptor/ n. (also Dop»pler shift) Phys-
ics an increase (or decrease) in the frequency of sound,
light, or other waves as the source and observer move
toward (or away) from each other.
dop»y var. of dopey.
Dor«ic /dawrik, dor-/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 (of a dialect)
broad; rustic. 2 Archit. of the oldest, sturdiest, and sim-
plest of the Greek orders, •n. 1 rustic English or esp.
Scots. 2 Archit. the Doric order. 3 the dialect of the
Dorians in ancient Greece.
dork /dawrk/ n. si. a dull, slow-witted, or oafish person.
dd dork*y adj.
dorm /dawrm/ n. colloq. dormitory.
dor«mant /dawrmant/ adj. 1 lying inactive; sleeping.
2 a (of a volcano, etc.) temporarily inactive, b (of
potential faculties, etc.) in abeyance. 3 (of plants) alive
but not actively growing, dd dor»man»cy n.
dor»mer /dawrmsr/ n. (in full dormer window) a pro-
jecting upright window in a sloping roof.
dor»mi»to«ry /dawrmitawree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a sleep-
ing room with several beds, esp. in a school or insti-
tution. 2 a university or college hall of residence or
hostel.
dor-mouse /dawrmows/ n. (pi. dormice /-mis/) any
small, mouselike hibernating rodent of the family
Gliridae.
dor*sal /dawrsal/ adj. Anat., Zool, &
Bot. 1 of, on, or
near the back (cf. ventral). 2 ridge-shaped, dd dor*
saMy adv.
.
do»ry /dawree/ n. (pi. -ries) a flat-bottomed fishing boat
with high sides.
DOS /dos, daws/ n. Computing a software operating sys-
tem for personal computers (abbr. of disk operating
system).
dos*age /dOsij/ n. 1 the giving of medicine in doses.
2 the size of a dose.
dose /dos/ n. &
v. • n. 1 an amount of a medicine or
drug taken one time. 2 a quantity of something ad-
at
ministered or allocated (e.g., work, praise, pun-
ishment, etc.). 3 the amount of ionizing radiation re-
ceived by a person or thing. 4 si. a venereal infection.
• v.tr. 1 treat (a person or animal) with doses of med-
icine. 2 give a dose or doses to.
do»sim«e»ter /dosimitsr/ n. a device used to measure
an absorbed dose of ionizing radiation, dd do«si»met»
about a person, event, or subject.
&
v. • n. 1 a a small spot, speck, or mark.
b such a mark as part of an i orj, as a full stop, etc. C a
decimal point. 2 Mus. a dot used to denote the length-
ening of a note or rest, or to indicate staccato. 3 the
shorter signal of the two used in Morse code (cf dash .
n. 6). 4 a tiny or apparently tiny object (a dot on the
horizon), mv.tr. (dotted, dotting) 1 a mark with a dot
or dots, b place a dot over (a letter). 2 Mus. mark (a
note or rest) to show that the time value is increased
by half. 3 (often foil, by about) scatter like dots. 4 part-
ly cover as with dots (an ocean dotted with ships), a dot
the i's and cross the t's colloq. 1 be minutely accurate;
emphasize details. 2 add the final touches to a task, on
the dot exactly on time.
dot»age /d6tij/ n. feeble-minded senility (in his dotage)
do»tard /dotard/ n. a person who is feeble-minded, esp.
from senility.
dote /dot/ v. intr. 1 (foil, by on, upon) be foolishly or ex-
cessively fond of. 2 be silly or feeble-minded, esp. from
old age.
dot ma»trix print»er n. Computing a printer with char-
acters formed from dots printed by configurations of
the tips of small wires.
doMed line n. a line of dots on a document.
doMy /dotee/ adj. (dottier, dottiest) colloq. 1 feeble-
minded; 2 eccentric. 3 absurd. 4 (foil, by about,
silly.
on) infatuated with; obsessed by. dd doMMy adv. dot*
ti*ness n.
dou*ble /dubal/ adj., adv., n.,&v. madj. 1 a consisting
of two parts or things, b consisting of two identical
parts. 2 twice as much or many (double the amount).
3 having twice the usual size, quantity, strength, etc.
(double whiskey). 4 designed for two people (double
bed). 5 a having some part double, b (of a flower) hav-
ing more than one circle of petals. C (of a domino)
having the same number of pips on each half. 6 hav-
ing two different roles or interpretations, esp. imply-
ing confusion or deceit (leads a double life). 7 Mus.
lower in pitch by an octave (double bassoon), madtx 1 at
or to twice the amount, etc. (counts double). 2 two to-
doi men
dormer
 . .

gether {sleep double) . • n. 1 a a double quantity or 233 double agent ~ dour

thing; twice as much or many, b colloq. a double meas-
ure of liquor. 2 a a person who looks exactly like dou*ble feature
another, b an understudy. C a wraith. 3 (in pi.) Sports
(esp. tennis) a game between two pairs of players.
4 Sports a pair of victories over the same team, a pair
of championships at the same game, etc. 5 a system
of betting in which the winnings and stake from the
first bet are transferred to a second. 6 Bridge the dou-
bling of an opponent's bid. 7 Darts a hit on the nar-
row ring enclosed by the two outer circles of a dart-
board. 8 a sharp turn, esp. of the tracks of a hunted
animal, or the course of a river, mv. 1 tr. intr. make
or become twice as much or many; increase twofold;
multiply by two. 2 tr. amount to twice as much as.
3 a tr. fold or bend (paper, cloth, etc.) over on itself.
b intr. become folded. 4 a tr. (of an actor) play (two
parts) in the same piece, b intr. (often foil, by for) be
understudy, etc. 5 intr. (usu. foil, by as) play a two-
fold role. 6 intr. turn sharply in flight or pursuit. 7 tr.
Naut. sail around (a headland) 8 tr. Bridge make a . dOU*ble-park v. tr.
n. a movie program with two full-
length films.
dou*ble«head*er /dubalhedar/ n. 1a train pulled by
two locomotives coupled together. 2 two games (esp.
baseball) played in succession.
dou*ble he«lix n. a pair of parallel helices with a
common axis, esp. in the structure of the mol- DNA
ecule.
dou»ble in»dem«ni»ty n. a clause in a life-insurance pol-
icy providing double payment to the beneficiary if the
& insured person dies accidentally.
dou*ble-joint*ed adj. having joints that allow unusual
bending.
dou»ble knit n. (of fabric) knit of two joined layers for
extra thickness.
dou»ble neg»a»tive n. Gram, a negative statement con-
taining two negative elements (e.g., didn 't say nothing)
Considered ungrammatical in standard English.
&
intr. park (a vehicle) alongside one

call increasing the value of the points to be won or
lost on (an opponent's bid). 9 Mus. a intr. (often foil,
by on) play two or more musical instruments (the clar-
inettist doubles on tenor sax) b tr. add the same note in
. lungs.
a higher or lower octave to (a note). 10 tr. clench (a
fist). 11 intr. move at twice the usual speed; run.
A 2 Billiards Bintr. rebound, b tr. cause to rebound.
d double back take a new direction opposite to the
previous one. double or nothing a gamble to decide
whether a player's loss or debt be doubled or can-
celed, double up 1 a bend or curl up. b cause to do
this. 2 be overcome with pain or laughter. 3 share or
assign to a room, quarters, etc., with another or oth-
ers. 4 fold or become folded. 5 use winnings from a
bet as stake for another, on the double running; hur-
rying, dd dou»bler n. dou«bly adv.
that is already parked at the roadside.
dou«ble play n. Baseball putting out two runners.
dou*ble pneu»mo»nia n. pneumonia affecting both
dou«ble standard «.1a rule or principle applied more
strictly to some people than to others. 2 bimetallism.
dou-blet /dublit/ n. 1 either of a pair of similar things.
2 hist, a man's short, close-fitting jacket.
dou*ble take n. a delayed reaction to a situation, etc.,
immediately after one's first reaction.
dou*ble-talk n. verbal expression that is ambiguous or
misleading.
dou*ble«think /dubalthingk/ n. the capacity to accept
contrary opinions at the same time.
dou»bloon /dublobn/ n. hist, a Spanish gold coin.
doubt /dowt/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a feeling of uncertainty; an

dou»ble a*gent n. one who spies simultaneously for undecided state of mind (be in no doubt about; have no
two rival countries, etc. doubt that). 2 (often foil, by of about) an inclination
dou»ble-bar»reled adj. 1 (of a gun) having two barrels. to disbelieve. 3 an uncertain state of things. 4 a lack of
2 twofold. full proof or clear indication (benefit of the doubt) • v. .

dou»ble bass n. 1 the largest and lowest-pitched in- 1 tr. (often by whether, if that + clause; also foil,
foil,

strument of the violin family. 2 (also dou*ble bass*ist) (after neg. or interrog.) by but, but that) feel uncertain
its player. or undecided about (/ doubt that you are right). 2 tr.
dou«ble-blind adj. & n. •adj. (of a test or experiment) hesitate to believe. 3 intr. (often foil, by of) feel uncer-
inwhich neither the tester nor the subject has knowl- tain or undecided; have doubts (never doubted of suc-
edge of identities, etc., that might lead to bias. • n. such cess), a beyond doubt certainly, in doubt open to ques-
a test or experiment. tion, no doubt certainly; probably; admittedly, without
dou»ble boiNer n. a saucepan with a detachable upper doubt (or a doubt) certainly, dd doubt»er n.
compartment heated by boiling water in the lower one doubMul /dowtfcol/ adj. 1 feeling doubt. 2 causing
dou*ble-breast*ed adj. (of a coat, etc.) having two doubt. 3 unreliable (a doubtful ally), nn doubt*fuMy
fronts overlapping across the body. adv.
dou*ble chin n. a chin with a fold of loose flesh below doubling Thonvas /tomas/ n. a skeptical person.
it. nn dooble-chinned adj. doubWess /dowtlis/ adv. (often qualifying a sentence)
dou*ble-cross v. &
n. • v. tr. deceive or betray (a per- 1 certainly; no doubt. 2 probably, nn doubt*less«ly
son one is supposedly helping). •«. an act of double- adv.
crossing, dd dou*ble-cross*er n. douche /doosn/ n. & v. *n. 1 a jet of liquid applied to
dou*ble-deal*ing n. &
adj. *n. deceit, madj. practicing a body part for cleansing or medicinal purposes. 2 a
deceit, nn dou*ble-deal*er n. device for producing such a jet. »v. 1 tr. treat with a
dou«ble-deck*er n. 1 esp. Brit, a bus having an upper douche. 2 intr. use a douche.
and lower deck. 2 colloq. anything consisting of two dough /do/ n. 1 a thick mixture of flour, etc., and liq-
layers. uid, for baking. 2 5/. money.
dou»ble Dutch n. a synchronized jump-rope game us- dough»boy /doboy/ n. colloq. a US infantryman, esp. in
ing two outstretched ropes swung in opposite direc- World War I.
tions. dough*nut /dOnut/ n. (also do»nut a small fried cake
dou»ble ea*gle n. 1 a figure of a two-headed eagle. of sweetened dough.
2 Golf a score of three strokes under par at any hole. dough»ty /dowtee/ adj. (doughtier, doughtiest) archa-
dou»ble en*ten*dre /dubal aanta'andra, dobblaan ic or joe. valiant.

ta'aNdra/ n. la word or phrase open to two interpre- Doug*las fir /dugtas/ n. any large conifer of the genus
tations, one usu. risque or indecent. 2 humor using Pseudotsuga, of Western N. America.
such words or phrases. dour /dOOr, dowr/ adj. stern; obstinate, nn douMy adv.
dou»ble ex*po*Sure n. Photog. the accidental or delib-
erate repeated exposure of a plate, film, etc. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . , . .

douse ~ downstage 234 in which the offensive team must advance the ball 10
yards in order to keep the ball, b the declaring of the
douse /dows/ dowse) 1 a throw water over.
v.tr. (also ball as no longer in play, d be down on colloq. disap-
b plunge 2 extinguish (a light).
into water. prove of; show animosity toward, be down to 1 be at-
dove /duv/ n. 1 any bird of the family Columbidae,
1
tributable to. 2 be the responsibility of. 3 have used up
with short legs, small head, and large breast. 2 a gen- everything except (down to their last can of rations)
tle or innocent person. 3 Polit. an advocate of peace or down on one's luck colloq. 1 temporarily unfortunate.
peaceful policies. 4 a soft gray color. 2 dispirited by misfortune, down with int. expressing
dove 2 /dov/ past and past part, of dive. rejection of a specified person or thing.
dove-cote /duvkot, -kot/ n. (also dove-cot) a shelter down 2 /down/ n. 1 a the first covering of young birds.
with nesting holes for domesticated pigeons. b a bird's under-plumage. C a layer of fine, soft feath-
dove-tail /duvtayl/ n. &
v. •n. A a joint formed by a ers. 2 fine, soft hair esp. on the face. 3 short, soft hairs
mortise with a tenon shaped on some leaves, fruit, seeds, etc. 4 a fluffy substance,
like a dove's spread tail. e.g., thistledown.
2 such a tenon. •*;. 1 tr. join down-and-out adj. &
n. • adj. (down and out when

together by means of a dove- predic.) 1 penniless; destitute. 2 Boxing unable to re-

tail. 2 rr. & intr. (often foil, sume the fight. • n. a destitute person.
by into, with) fit readily to- down-at-the-heels adj. (also down-at-heel, down-at-
gether; combine neatly or the-heel) shabby; slovenly.
compactly. down-beat /downbeet/ n. & adj. • n. Mus. an accented
dow-a-ger /dowajar/ n. la beat, usu. the first of the bar. •adj. 1 pessimistic;
widow with a title or prop- gloomy. 2 relaxed.
erty derived from her late down-cast /downkast/ adj. &n. • adj. 1 (of eyes) look-
husband {Queen dowager, ing downward. 2 dejected. *n. a shaft dug in a mine
dowager duchess) 2 . colloq. a for extra ventilation.
dignified elderly woman. down-draft /downdraft/ n. a downward draft, esp. one
dowdy /dowdee/ adj. & n. down a chimney into a room.
• adj. (dowdier, dowdiest) down»er /downar/ n. si. 1 a depressant or tranquilizing
1 (of clothes) unattractively drug. 2 a depressing person or experience; a failure.
dull. 2 dressed in dowdy down-fall /downfawl/ n. 1 a fall from prosperity or
clothes. *n. (pi. -dies) a dovetail power. 2 the cause of this.
dowdy woman, an dow-di-ly down-grade v. &n. mv.tr. /downgrayd/ 1 make lower
adv. dow-di-ness ;/. in rank or status. 2 speak disparagingly of. • n.
dow-el /dowal/ n. &
v. • n. a headless peg holding to- /downgrayd/ 1 a descending slope of a road or rail-
gether components of a structure, •v.tr. fasten with a road. 2 a deterioration. on the downgrade in decline.
dowel. down»heart«ed /downha'artid/ adj. dejected; in low
dow-el-ing /dowaling/ n. round rods for cutting into spirits, dd down-heart-ed-ly adv. down-heart-ed-ness
dowels. n.
dow-er /dowar/ «.&am.1a widow's share for life of down-hill adv., adj., &
n. madv. /downhil/ in a descend-
her husband's estate. 2 archaic a dowry. 3 a natural gift ing direction, madj. /downhil/ 1 sloping down;
or talent, •v.tr. (foil, by with) endow with talent, etc. descending. 2 declining; deteriorating. • n. /downhil/
Dow-Jones av-er-age /dowjonz/ n. (also Dow-Jones 1 Skiing a downhill race. 2 a downward slope. 3 a de-
in-dex) a figure indicating the relative price of shares cline, d go downhill colloq. decline; deteriorate.
on the New York Stock Exchange. down in the mouth adj. colloq. looking unhappy.
down /down/ adv., prep., adj., v.,
1
n. madv. 1 into or & down-load /downlod/ v.tr. Computing transfer (data)

toward a lower place (fall down) 2 in a lower place or . from one storage device or system to another.
position (blinds were down). 3 to or in a place regarded down-mar-ket adj. &
adv. colloq. toward or relating to
as lower, esp. southward. 4 a in or into a low or weak- the cheaper sector of the market.
er position, mood, or condition (hit a man when he's down pay-ment n. a partial payment made at the time
down), b in a position of lagging or loss (our team was of purchase.
three goals down) C (of a computer system) out of ac-
. down-play /downplay/ v.tr. play down; minimize the

tion. 5 from an earlier to a later time (customs handed importance of.

down). 6 to a finer or thinner consistency or a smaller down-pour /downpawr/ n. a heavy fall of rain.
amount or size (water down) 7 cheaper (bread is down; . down-right / downrlt/ adj. &
adv. *adj. 1 plain; straight-
stocks are down) 8 into a more settled state (calm down)
. forward. 2 utter (a downright lie; downright nonsense).
9 in writing; in or into recorded or listed form (copy it • adv. thoroughly (downright rude)
down). 10 (of part of a larger whole) paid; dealt with down-scale /downskayl/ v. &
adj. mv.tr. reduce or re-
($5 down). 11 Nam. a with the current or wind, b (of strict in size, scale, or extent. madj. at the lower end of
a ship's helm) with the rudder to windward. 12 inclu- a scale; inferior.
sively of the lower limit in a series (read down to the down-shift /downshift/ v.intr. &
tr. shift (an automo-

third paragraph) .13 (as int. ) lie down, put (something) tive vehicle) into a lower gear.
down, etc. 1 4 (of a crossword clue or answer) read ver- down-side /downsid/ n. a downward movement <>t
tically (cannot do five down). 15 downstairs, esp. after share prices, etc.
rising (is not down yet). 16 swallowed (could not get the down-size /downsiz/ v.tr. (downsized, downsizing)
pilldown). 17 Football (of the ball) no longer in play. 1 reduce in size. 2 cut back on the number <>f employ-
•prep. 1 downward along, through, or into. 2 from top ees in (a company).
to bottom of. 3 along (walk down the road) 4 at or in . Down's syn-drome /down// n. Med. (also Down syn-
a lower part of (situated down the river).* adj. 1 directed drome) by mental
a congenital disorder characterized
downward. 2 colloq. unhappy; depressed. 9V.tr. colloq. retardation and physical abnormalities (cf. MONOOI
1 knock or bring down. 2 swallow, mn. 1 an act of putt- ISM).
ing down (as an opponent in wrestling). 2 a reverse of down-stage /downitayj/ n. adj., &adv. Th§atr. • >/.the
fortune (ups and downs). 3 colloq. a period of depres- frontmost portion of the statfe. madj. & adv. at or to
sion. 4 Football a one of a series of plays (up to four) the front of the stage.
 .

dowrvstairs adv., adj., &

n. madv. /downstairz/ 1 down 235 downstairs ~ drain
a flight of stairs. 2 to or on a lower floor, •adj. /down-
stairz/ (also dowrvstair) situated downstairs. •«. by on) a demand made on a person's confidence,
/downstairz/ the lower floor. friendship, etc. 4a a party detached from a larger
dowrvstate /downstayt/ adj., n., &
adv. •adj. of or in group for a special purpose, b the selection of this.
a southern part of a state, •n. a downstate area. madv. 5 compulsory military service. 6 a reinforcement. 7 a
in a downstate area. current of air in a confined space. 8 pulling; traction.
downstream /downstreem/ adv. & adj. • adv. in the 9 Naut. the depth of water needed to float a ship.
direction of the flow of a stream, etc. • adj. moving 10 the drawing of liquor from a cask, etc. 1 1 a a sin-
downstream. gle act of drinking, b the amount drunk in this, c a
dowrvtime /downtim/ n. time during which a machine, dose of liquid medicine. 12 a the drawing in of a fish-
esp. a computer, is out of action or unavailable for use. ing net. b the fish taken at one drawing. • v. tr. 1 pre-
down-to-earth adj. practical; realistic. pare a draft of (a document, scheme, etc.). 2 select for
dowrvtown /downtown/ adj., n., &
adv. • adj. of or in a special purpose. 3 conscript for military service.
the lower or more central part, or the business part, an draftee /-tee/ n. drafter n.
of a town or city. •n. a downtown area. madv. in or in- draft beer n. beer drawn from a cask.
to a downtown area. draft horse n. a. horse used for pulling heavy loads.
down»trod»den /downtrod'n/ adj. oppressed; badly drag /drag/ v. & n. mv. (dragged, dragging) 1 tr. pull
treated. along with effort. 2 a tr. allow (one's feet, tail, etc.) to
downturn /downtarn/ n. a decline, esp. in economic trail along the ground, b intr. trail along the ground.
activity. C intr. (of time, etc.) go or pass heavily or slowly or te-
down un*der adv. colloq. (also Down Un«der) in the an- diously. 3 a intr. (usu. foil, by for) use a grapnel or drag
tipodes, esp. Australia. (to find a drowned person or lost object), b tr. search
downward /downward/ adv. & adj. • adv. (also down* the bottom of (a river, etc.) with grapnels, nets, or
wards) toward what is lower, inferior, less important, drags. 4 tr. (often foil, by to) colloq. take (a person to a
or later. • adj. moving, extending, pointing, or leading place, etc., esp. against his or her will). 5 intr. (foil, by
downward, an down*ward«ly adv. on, at) draw on (a cigarette, etc.). 6 intr. (often foil, by
dOwn*wind /downwind/ adj. & adv. in the direction in on) continue at tedious length. • n. 1 a an obstruction
which the wind is blowing. to progress, b Aeron. the longitudinal retarding force
down«y /downee/ adj. (downier, downiest) 1 of, like, exerted by air. C slow motion; impeded progress, d an
or covered with down. 2 soft and fluffy. iron shoe for retarding a horse-drawn vehicle down-
dow*ry /dowree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 property or money hill. 2 colloq. a boring or dreary person, duty, perfor-

brought by a bride to her husband. 2 a talent; a nat- mance, etc. 3 a a lure drawn before hounds as a sub-
ural gift. stitute for a fox. b a hunt using this. 4 an apparatus for
dowse 1
/dowz/ v.intr. search for underground water or dredging or recovering drowned persons, etc. from un-
minerals by holding a stick or rod which dips abrupt- der water. 5 = dragnet. 6 si. a draw on a cigarette, etc.
ly when over the right spot, dd dows»er n. 7 si. a women's clothes worn by men. b a party at
dowse 2 var. of douse. which these are worn, c clothes in general. 8 an act of
dows*ing rod n. (also di*vin*ing rod) a stick or rod used dragging. 9 si. (in full drag race) an acceleration race
in dowsing. between cars. 10 5/. influence; pull. 11 si. a street or
dox»ol»o»gy /doksolajee/ n. (pi. -gies) a liturgical for- road (the main drag), a drag one's feet (or heels) be
mula of praise to God. deliberately slow or reluctant to act. drag out protract.
doy«en /doyen, doyan, dwa'ayaN/ n. (Jem. doyenne drag*net /dragnet/ nla net drawn through a river or
/doyen, dwaayen/) the senior member of a body of col- across ground to trap fish or game. 2 a systematic hunt
leagues, esp. the senior ambassador at a court. for criminals, etc.
doz. abbr. dozen. drag«on /dragan/ n.la mythical monster like a reptile,
doze /doz/ v. & n. •v.intr. sleep lightly; be half asleep. usu. with wings and able to breathe out fire. 2 a fierce
• n. a short, light sleep. doze off fall lightly asleep. woman. 3 (in full flying dragon) a lizard, Draco volans,
doz*en /duzan/ by a or a number) (pi. doz-
n. 1 (prec. with a long tail and membranous winglike structures.
en) twelve (a dozen eggs). 2 a set or group of twelve. drag»on«fly /draganfll/ n. (pi. -flies) any of various
3 colloq. about twelve; a fairly large indefinite number. insects of the order Odonata, having a long, slender
4 (in pi; usu. foil, by of) colloq. very many (dozens of body and two pairs of large transparent wings.
mistakes), a by the dozen in large quantities. dra*goon /dragoon/ n. &v.»n.Aa. cavalryman (origi-
doz»y /dozee/ adj. (dozier, doziest) drowsy; tending to nally a mounted infantryman armed with a carbine)
doze, an doz*My adv. doziness n. 2 a rough, fierce fellow. 3 a variety of pigeon. mv.tr. 1
DPT abbr. (vaccination against) diphtheria, pertussis, (foil, by into) coerce into doing something. 2 perse-
and tetanus. cute, esp. with troops.
Dr. abbr. 1 Doctor. 2 Drive. 3 debtor. drag queen n. si. a male transvestite.
dr. abbr. 1 dram(s). 2 drachma(s). drag race n. - drag n. 9.
drab /drab/ adj.
1
&
n. •adj. (drabber, drabbest) 1 dull; drag*ster /dragstar/ n. a car built or modified to take
uninteresting. 2 of a dull brownish color. • n. 1 drab part in drag races.
color. 2 monotony, dd drab*ly adv. drab»ness n. drain /drayn/ v. &
n. »v. 1 tr. draw off liquid from, esp.:
drab 2 /drab/ see dribs and drabs. a make (land, etc.) dry by providing an outflow for
dractvma /drakma/ n. (pi. drachmas or drachmai /-mi/ moisture, b (of a river) carry off the superfluous wa-
or drachmae /-mee/) 1 the chief monetary unit of ter of (a district). C remove purulent matter from (an
Greece. 2 a silver coin of ancient Greece. abscess). 2 tr. (foil, by off, away) draw off (liquid), esp.
dra«co«ni»an /drakoneean, dray-/ adj. (also dra»con»ic by a pipe. 3 intr. (foil, by away, off, through) flow or
/-konik/) (esp. of laws) very harsh or severe. trickle away. 4 intr. become dry as liquid flows away
draft /draft/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a a preliminary written ver- (put it there to drain). 5 tr. (often foil, by of) exhaust or
sion of a speech, document, etc. b a rough preliminary deprive (a person or thing) of strength, resources, etc.
outline of a scheme, c a sketch of work to be carried 6 tr. a drink (liquid) to the dregs, b empty (a vessel)
out. 2 a a written order for payment of money by a
bank, b the drawing of money by means of this. 3 (foil. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
drainage ~ dreadful
by drinking the contents, •n. a a channel, conduit,
1 infer; deduce (a conclusion). 14 m a elicit; evoke.
or pipe carrying off liquid, esp. an artificial conduit for
water or sewage, b a tube for drawing off the discharge
from an abscess, etc. 2 a constant outflow, withdraw-
al, or expenditure (a great drain on my resources) down .
the drain colloq. lost; wasted.
draioage /draynij/ n. 1 the process or means of drain-
ing {the land has poor drainage). 2 a system of drains,
artificial or natural. 3 what is drained off.
drain*board /draynbawrd/ n. a sloping surface beside
a sink, on which washed dishes, etc., are left to drain.
drairver /draynar/ n. 1 a device for draining; anything
on which things are put to drain. 2 a person who
drains.
drain*pipe /draynplp/ n. a pipe for carrying off water,
sewage, etc., from a building.
drake /drayk/ n. a male duck.
dram /dram/ n. 1 a small drink of liquor. 2 apothecar-
ies' weight or measure equivalent to one eighth of an
ounce or (in full fluid dram) one eighth of a fluid ounce.
dra*ma /drama, dra'ama/ n. 1 a play for acting on stage
or for broadcasting. 2 the art of writing and presenting
plays. 3 an exciting or emotional event, set of circum-
stances, etc. 4 dramatic quality (the drama of the situa-
tion).
dra*mat*ic /dramatik/ adj. 1 of drama or the study of
drama. 2 (of an event, circumstance, etc.) sudden and
exciting or unexpected. 3 vividly striking. 4 (of a ges-
ture, etc.) theatrical; overdone; absurd, dd dra«mat*i*
caMy adv.
dra*mat*ic i«ro»ny = tragic irony.
dra*mat*ics /dramatiks/ n.pl. (often treated as sing.)
1 the production and performance of plays. 2 exagger-
ated or showy behavior.
dram*a*tis per»so»nae /dramatis parsonee, dra'amatis
parsoni/ n.pl. (often treated as sing.) 1 the characters draw»er n. 1 /drawar/ a person or thing that draws, esp.
in a play. 2 a list of these.
dram*a*tist /dramatist, dra'ama-/ n. a writer of dramas.
dram«a»tize/dramatlz,dra'ama-/^. 1 a tr. adapt (a nov-
el, etc.) to form a stage play, b intr. admit of such
adaptation. 2 tr. make a drama or dramatic scene of.
3 tr. (also absol.) express or react to in a dramatic way. drawing /drawing/ n. 1 a the art of representing by
nn dram*a*ti*za*tion n.
drank past of drink.
drape /drayp/ v. & n. •v.tr. 1 hang, cover loosely, or
adorn with cloth, etc. 2 arrange (clothes or hangings)
carefully in folds. • n. 1 (often in pi. ) a curtain or drap- drawing board n. a board for spreading drawing pa-
ery. 2 a piece of drapery. 3 the way in which a garment
or fabric hangs.
dra»per«y /drayparee/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 clothing or hang-
ings arranged in folds. 2 (often in pi.) a curtain or
hanging.
dras»tic /drastik/ adj. having a strong or far-reaching
effect; severe, nn dras*ti*caMy adv.
drat /drat/ v. &int. colloq. •v.tr. (dratted, drafting (usu.
as an exclam.)) curse; confound (drat the thing!), mint.
expressing anger or annoyance, dd draMed adj.
draw /draw/ v. & n. mv. (past drew /drOo/; past part.
drawn /drawn/) 1 tr. pull or cause to move toward or
after one. 2 tr. pull (a thing) up, over, or across. 3 tr.
pull (curtains, etc.) open or shut. 4 tr. take (a person)
aside, esp. to talk to. 5 tr. attract; bring to oneself or to
something; take in (drew a deep breath). 6 intr. (foil, by
at, on) suck smoke from (a cigarette, pipe, etc.). 7 tr.
a (also absol.) take out; remove (e.g., a gun from a
holster), b select by taking out (e.g., a playing card
from a deck). 8 tr. obtain or take from a source (draw
a salary). 9 tr. trace (a line, mark, furrow, or figure).
1 a tr. produce (a picture) by tracing lines and marks.
b tr. represent (a thing) by this means. C absol. make
a drawing. 1 1 tr. (also absol.) finish (a contest or game)
236 with neither side winning. 12 intr. make one's or its
way; proceed; move; come (drew near the bridge) 1 3 tr. .
b bring about; entail (draw criticism) 1 5 tr. haul up
.
(water) from a well. 16 tr. bring out or extract (liquid,
etc., from a vessel or a wound). 17 intr. (of a chimney
or pipe) promote or allow a draft. 18 a tr. obtain by
lot (drew the winning number) b absol. draw lots. 1 9 intr.
.
(foil, by on) make a demand on a person, a person's
skill, memory, imagination, etc. 20 tr. write out (a bill,
check, or draft) (drew a check on the bank). 21 tr. (foil,
by up)) frame (a document) in due form; compose.
22 tr. formulate or perceive (a comparison or distinc-
tion). 23 tr. (of a ship) require (a specified depth of
water) to float in. 24 tr. disembowel (draw the fowl be-
fore cooking it). •«. 1 an act of drawing. 2 a a person
or thing that draws custom, attention, etc. b the power
to attract attention. 3 the drawing of lots, esp. a raffle.
4 a drawn game. 5 a suck on a cigarette, etc. 6 the act
of removing a gun from its holster in order to shoot
(quick on the draw). 7 strain; pull. 8 the movable part
of a drawbridge, d draw back withdraw from an un-
dertaking, draw a person's fire attract hostility, crit-
away from a more important target, draw
icism, etc.,
a (of successive days) become shorter, b (of a day)
in 1
approach its end. C (of successive evenings or nights)
start earlier because of the changing seasons. 2 per-
suade to join; entice, draw in one's horns become less
assertive or ambitious; draw back, draw the line at set
a limit (of tolerance, etc.) at. draw out 1 prolong. 2 elic-
it. 3 induce to talk. 4 (of successive days) become
longer. 5 lead out, detach, or array (troops).
draw*back /drawbak/ n. a thing that impairs satisfac-
tion; a disadvantage.
draw«bridge /drawbrij/ n. a bridge, esp. over water,
hinged at one end so that it may be raised to prevent
passage or to allow ships, etc., to pass.
a person who draws a check, etc. 2 /drawr/ a boxlike
storage compartment without a lid, sliding in and out
of a frame, table, etc. (chest of drawers). 3 (in pi.)
/drawrz/ an undergarment worn next to the body be-
low the waist, dd draw*er*ful n. (pi. -fuls).
line, b delineation without color or with a single col-
or. C the art of representing with pencils, pens, crayons,
etc., rather than paint. 2 a picture produced in this
way.
per on. back to the drawing board colloq. back to be-
gin afresh (after earlier failure).
drawing room /drawingroom, -room/ n. 1 a room for
comfortable sitting or entertaining in a private house.
2 a private compartment in a train.
drawl /drawl/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. speak with drawn-out
vowel sounds. 2 tr. utter in this way. • w. a drawling ut-
terance or way of speaking, nu drawl»er ;/.
drawn /drawn/ past part, of draw. adj. 1 looking strained
from fear, anxiety, or pain. 2 (of butter) melted.
drawsheet /drawsheet/ n. a sheet that can be taken
from under a patient without remaking the bed.
draw-string /drawstring/ n. a string that can be pulled
to tighten the mouth of a bag, the waist of I garment,
etc.
dray /dray/ n. a low cart without sides for heavy loads.
1
dray 2 var. ofDRBY.
dray horse n. a large, powerful hone.
dread /dred/ v.,n., &
adj. mv.tr. 1 (foil, by that, or to +
infin.) fear greatly. 2 shrink from; look forward to with
great apprehension. 3 be in great fear of. •;/. 1 grett
fear; apprehension; awe. 2 an object <>l fear or awe.
madj. 1 dreaded. 2 archaic awe-inspiring; revered.
dread»ful /dredfaol/ adj. &
adv. madj. 1 terrible; inspit

ing fear or awe. 2 colloq. troublesome; disagreeable;
very bad. madv. colloq. dreadfully; very, nn dreacMuMy
adv. dreacMulTiess n.
dread*locks /dredloks/ n.pl. 1 a Rastafarian hairstyle
in which the hair is twisted into tight braids or ringlets
hanging down on all sides. 2 hair dressed in this way.
dread-nought /drednawt/ n. (usu. Dreadnought) Brit,
hist, a type of heavily armed battleship (from
of the launched in 1906).
first,
dream /dreem/ n. v. •n. 1 a a & series of pictures or
events in the mind of a sleeping person, b the act or
time of seeing this, c (in full waking dream) a similar
experience of one awake. 2 a daydream or fantasy. 3 an
ideal, aspiration, or ambition, esp. of a nation. 4 a beau-
tiful or ideal person or thing. 5 a state of mind with-
out proper perception of reality (goes about in a dream)
• v. (past and past part, dreamed or dreamt /dremt/)
1 intr. experience a dream. 2 tr. imagine in or as if in
a dream. 3 (usu. with a intr. (foil, by of) contem-
neg.)
plate the possibility of; have any conception or inten-
tion of (would not dream of upsetting them) b tr. (often . dressier 2 /dresar/
by that + clause) think of as a possibility (never
foil,
dreamed that he would come). 4 tr. (foil, by away) spend
(time) unprofitable 5 intr. be inactive or unpractical.
6 intr. fall into a reverie. dream up imagine; invent.
like a dream colloq. easily; effortlessly, dd dreartvf u adj.
dreanvless dreanvlike adj.
adj.
dreanvboat /dre'embot/ n. colloq. 1 a very attractive or
ideal person, esp. of the opposite sex. 2 a very desira-
ble or ideal thing.
dreamier /dreemar/ «. 1 a person who dreams. 2 a ro-
mantic or unpractical person.
dream-land /dreemland/ n. an ideal or imaginary land.
dreanvy /dreemee/ adj. (dreamier, dreamiest) 1 given
to daydreaming; fanciful; unpractical. 2 dreamlike;
vague; misty. 3 colloq. delightful; marvelous. 4 poet, full
of dreams, dd dreanvMy adv. dreaminess n.
drear /dreer/ adj. poet. = dreary.
drear«y /dreeree/ adj. (drearier, dreariest) dismal; dull;
gloomy, dd drear«My adv. dreariness n.
dredge /drej/u &n. »v. 1 tr. a (often foil, by up) bring
1
up (lost or hidden material) as if with a dredge (don't
dredge all that up again) b (often foil, by away, up, out)
. elaborate. 2 overelaborate. dd dressiness n.
bring up or clear (mud, etc.) from a river, harbor, etc.
with a dredge. 2 tr. clean (a harbor, river, etc.) with a
dredge. 3 intr. use a dredge. »n. an apparatus used to
scoop up oysters, specimens, etc., or to clear mud, etc.,
from a riverbed or seabed.
dredge 2 /drej/ v.tr. sprinkle with flour, sugar, etc.
dredg-er 1
/drejsr/ n. la machine used for
rivers, etc.; a dredge. 2 a boat containing this.
dredg*er 2 /drejar/ n. a container with a perforated lid
used for sprinkling flour, sugar, etc.
dreg /dreg/ n. 1 (usu. in pi.) a a sediment; grounds,
lees, etc. b a worthless part; refuse (the dregs of human-
ity). 2 a small remnant (not a dreg), dd dreg-gy adj. col-
loq.
drench /drench/ v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 wet thoroughly (was
drenched by the rain). 2 saturate; soak (in liquid). • n. a
soaking; a downpour.
dress /dres/ v. &
n. • v. 1 a tr. clothe; array (dressed in
rags), b intr. wear clothes of a specified kind or in a
specified way (dresses well) 2 intr. a put on clothes.
. n't understand his drift). 3 a large mass of snow, sand,
b put on formal or evening clothes, esp. for dinner.
3 tr. Med. a treat (a wound) with ointment, etc. b ap-
ply a dressing to (a wound) 4 tr. a clean and prepare
. ited by the wind, a current of water, etc. •«, 1 intr. be
(poultry, etc.) for cooking or eating, b add a dressing
to (a salad, etc.). 5 tr. apply manure, etc., to a field,
garden, etc. 6 tr. finish the surface of (fabric, building
stone, etc.). 7 tr. groom (one's hair, a horse, etc.).
8 Mil. a tr. correct the alignment of (troops, etc.).
b intr. (of troops) come into alignment. •
piece woman's garment consisting of a bodice and
. .
237 dreadlocks - drift
2 clothing, esp. a whole outfit, etc. 3 formal or
skirt.
ceremonial costume (evening dress) 4 an external cov- .
ering; the outward form (birds in their winter dress).
d dress down colloq. 1 reprimand or scold. 2 dress cas-
ually, esp. for an informal affair, dress rehearsal the
the name final rehearsal of a play, etc., wearing costume, dress
up 1 dress (oneself or another) elaborately for a spec-
ial occasion. 2 dress in fancy dress. 3 decorate or adorn
( dress up the room) 4 disguise (unwelcome facts) by
.
embellishment.
dres»sage /drisaazh, dre-/ n. the training of a horse in
obedience and deportment, esp. for competition.
dress circle n. the first gallery in a theater, in which
evening dress was formerly required.
dress code n. a set of rules, usu. written, describing
acceptable dress, as at a school, restaurant, etc.
dressier 1 /dresar/n. a dressing table or chest of draw-
ers; a bureau.
n. la person who assists actors to
dress, takes care of their costumes, etc. 2 a person who
dresses elegantly or in a specified way (a snappy dress-
er).
dressing /dresing/ n. 1 in senses of dress v. 2 a an ac-
I companiment to salads, usu. a mixture of oil with other
ingredients; a sauce or seasoning (French dressing).
b stuffing, esp. for poultry. 3 a a bandage for a wound.
b ointment, etc., used to dress a wound. 4 compost,
etc., spread over land (a top dressing of peat).
dress»ing-down n. colloq. a scolding; a severe repri-
mand.
dressing gown n. = robe n. 2.
dressing room n. 1 a room for changing clothes, etc.,
in a theater, sports facility, etc. 2 a small room attached
to a bedroom, containing clothes.
dressing ta*ble n. a table with mirror and drawers,
used to sit atwhile applying makeup, etc.
dress»mak»er /dresmaykar/ n. a person who makes
clothes professionally, dd dress-mak-ing n.
dress*y /dresee/ adj. (dressier, dressiest) 1 a fond of
smart clothes, b overdressed. C (of clothes) stylish or
drew past of draw.
drib-ble /dribal/ v. &n. *v. 1 intr. allow saliva to flow
from the mouth. 2 intr. &
tr. flow or allow to flow in
drops or a trickling stream. 3 tr. (also absol.) a Basket-
ball bounce (the ball) repeatedly, esp. to retain control
of it. b esp. Soccer &Hockey move (the ball, puck, etc.)
dredging forward with slight touches of the feet, the stick, etc.
• n. 1 the act or an instance of dribbling. 2 a small trick-
ling stream, dd drib-bler n. drib-bly adj.
dribs and drabs /dribz and drabz/ n.pl. colloq. small
scattered amounts (did the work in dribs and drabs)
dried past and past part, of dry.
dri-er compar. of dry.
1
dri»er 2 'dri'ar/ n. (also dryer) a machine for drying the
hair, laundry, etc.
dri*est superl. of dry.
drift /drift/ n. &v. • «. 1 a slow movement or variation.
b such movement caused by a slow current. 2 the in-
tention, meaning, scope, etc., of what is said, etc. (did-
etc., accumulated by the wind. 4 deviation of a ship,
aircraft, etc., from its course. 5 Geol. material depos-
carried by or as if by a current of air or water. 2 intr.
move or progress passively, casually, or aimlessly (drift-
ed into teaching). 3 a tr. &
intr. pile or be piled by the
wind into drifts, b tr. cover (a field, a road, etc.) with
drifts. 4 tr. (of a current) carry, dd drift-age n.
n. 1 a one-
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

drifter ~ drivetrain 238 (a garment, etc.) hanging up to dry. •adj. able to be

drip-dried.
drift-er /driftar/ n. 1 an aimless or rootless person. 2 a drip«ping /driping/ n. (usu. pi.) fat melted from roast-
boat used for drift-net fishing. ed meat and used for cooking or as a spread.
drift net n. a large net for herrings, etc., allowed to drift drip»py /dripee/ adj. (drippier, drippiest) 1 tending to
with the tide. drip. 2 5/. ineffectual; sloppily sentimental, dd drip-pi-
drift»wood /driftwood/ n. wood, etc., driven or depos- ly adv. drip»pi*ness n.

ited by water. drive /drlv/v.&n. mv. (past drove /drov/; past part, driv-
drill 1
/dril/ n.&v.mn. 1 a pointed, esp. revolving, steel en /drivan/) 1 tr. (usu. foil, by away, back, in, out, to,
tool or machine used for boring cylindrical holes, sink- etc.) urge in some direction, esp. forcibly (drove back
ing wells, etc. 2 a esp. Mil. instruction or training in the wolves). 2 tr. a (usu. foil, by to + infin., or to + ver-
military exercises, b rigorous discipline or methodical bal noun) compel or constrain forcibly (was driven to
instruction, esp. when learning or performing tasks. complain; drove her to stealing) b (often foil, by to) force.

C routine procedure to be followed in an emergency
(fire drill), d a routine or exercise (drills in verb pat-
terns) 3 colloq. a recognized procedure (you know the
. 3a
drill). 4 a gastropod that bores into the shells of young
oysters and other shellfish, mv. 1 tr. (also absol.) a (of
a person or a tool) make a hole with a drill through or
into (wood, metal, etc.). b make (a hole) with a drill.
2 tr. & intr. undergo discipline
esp. Mil. subject to or
by drill. 3 tr. impart (knowledge, etc.) by a strict meth-
od. 4 tr. si. shoot with a gun (drilled him full of holes).
dd drill-er n.
drill 2 /dril/ n.&v.mn.A a machine used for making fur-
rows, sowing, and covering seed. 2 a small furrow for
sowing seed in. 3 a ridge with such furrows on top. 4 a
row of plants so sown, mv.tr. 1 sow (seed) with a drill.
2 plant (the ground) in drills.
drill 3 /dril/ n. a W. African baboon related to the man-
drill.
drill 4 /dril/ n. a coarse twilled cotton or linen fabric.
into a specified state (drove him mad; driven to despair)
C (often refl. ) urge to overwork (drives himself too hard)
tr. (also absol. ) operate and direct the course of (a
vehicle, a locomotive, etc.) (drove a sports car, drives
well), b tr. & intr. convey or be conveyed in a vehicle
(drove them to the station; drove to the station in a bus)
C tr. be licensed or competent to drive (a
(also absol. )
vehicle) (does he drive?), d tr. (also absol.) urge and di-
rect the course of (an animal drawing a vehicle or
plow). 4 tr. (of wind, water, etc.) carry along, propel,
send, or cause to go in some direction (pure as the driv-
en snow). 5 tr. a (often foil, by into) force (a stake, nail,
etc.) into place by blows (drove the nail home), b Min-
ing bore (a tunnel, horizontal cavity, etc.). 6 tr. effect
or conclude forcibly (drove a hard bargain; drove her
point home). 7 tr. (of steam or other power) set or keep
(machinery) going. 8 intr. (usu. foil, by at) work hard;
dash, rush, or hasten. 9 tr. Baseball Tennis hit (the &
ball) hard from a freely swung bat or racket. 1 tr. (of-

drill*mas*ter /drilmastsr/ n. 1 Mil. one who instructs ten absol.) Golf strike (a ball) with a driver from the
or leads others (often recruits) in military drill. 2 a rig- tee. 1 1 tr. &
intr. herd cattle, etc.; deal in cattle, etc.

orous, exacting, or severe instructor. 1 2 tr. chase or frighten (game, wild beasts, an enemy
drill press n. a drilling machine with a vertical bit that in warfare, etc.) from a large area to a smaller, to kill
is lowered into the item being drilled. or capture; corner. •«. 1 an act of driving in a motor
drill rig n. (also drilling rig) a structure with equip- vehicle; a journey or excursion in such a vehicle (went
ment for drilling an oil well. for a drive; lives an hour's drive from us). 2 a the capac-
drill ser-geant n. 1 Mil. a noncommissioned officer ity for achievement; motivation and energy (lacks the
who trains soldiers, esp. new recruits. 2 a strict disci- drive needed to succeed) b Psychol, an inner urge to at-
.

plinarian. tain a goal or satisfy a need (unconscious emotional dri-

drink Idv'mgkl v.&n. mv. (past drank /drangk/; past part.
drunk /drungk/) 1 a tr. swallow (a liquid), b tr. swal-
low the liquid contents of (a vessel) C intr. swallow liq-
. a usu. charitable purpose (a famine-relief drive). 6 a the
uid; take drafts (drank from the stream) 2 intr. take al-
cohol, esp. to excess (/ have heard that she drinks) 3 tr.
(of a plant, porous material, etc.) absorb (moisture).
4 refl. bring (oneself, etc.) to a specified condition by
drinking (drank himself into a stupor). 5 tr. (usu. foil, by
away) spend (wages, etc.) on drink (drank away the
ves). 3 a usu. landscaped street or road. 4 Golf a driv-
ing stroke of the club. 5 an organized effort to achieve
. transmission of power to machinery, the wheels of a
. motor vehicle, etc. (belt drive; front-wheel drive), b the
position of a steering wheel in a motor vehicle (left-
hand drive). C Computing = disk drive. 7 an act of driv-
ing game, cattle, an enemy, etc. d drive at seek, intend,
or mean ( what is he driving at?) drive out take the place .

money) • n. 1 a a liquid for drinking (milk is a high-

. of; oust; exorcize; cast out. dd driv»a»ble adj.
cholesterol drink) b a draft or specified amount of this
. drive-by adj. (of a crime, etc.) carried out from a mov-
(had a drink of milk). 2 a a portion, glass, etc., of al- ing vehicle.
cohol (have a drink), b excessive indulgence in alcohol drive-in attrib.adj. &
n. •attrib.adj. (of a bank, movie

( drink is his vice) 3 (as the drink) colloq. the sea.

. drink theater, etc.) able to be used while sitting in one's car.
in listen to closely or eagerly (drank in his every word). • n. such a bank, movie theater, etc.
drink to toast; wish success to. drink a person under driv-el /drival/n. &
v. »n. silly nonsense; twaddle, • ?>.

the table remain sober longer than one's drinking 1 intr. run at the mouth or nose; dribble. 2 intr. talk
companion, drink up drink the whole of; empty. childishly or idiotically. 3 tr. (foil, by away) fritter;
nn drink*a*ble adj. drink*er n. squander away, dd driv»el«er n.
drip /drip/ v. &
n. %v. (dripped, dripping) 1 intr. tr. & driven past part, of drtvb.
fall or let fall in drops. 2 intr. (often foil, by with) be so driv»er /driver/ n. 1 (often in comb.) a person who dn
wet as to shed drops (dripped with sweat). *n. 1 a the ves a vehicle (bus driver). 2 Golf a club with a flat face
act or an instance of dripping (the steady drip of rain). and wooden head, used for driving from the tee.
b a drop of liquid (a drip of paint). C a sound of drip- 3 Electr. a device or part of a circuit providing ptrver
ping. 2 colloq. a stupid, dull, or ineffective person. 3 (in for output. 4 Mcch. a wheel, etc., receiving power di-
full drip-feed) Med. the drip-by-drip intravenous rectly and transmitting motion to other parts 5 a ptf
administration of a solution of salt, sugar, etc. 4 Archil. son who herds cattle, etc. m in the driver's seat in
a projection, esp. from a windowsill, keeping the rain charge, dd driveMess adj.
off the walls, d dripping wet very wet. drive-Shaft /dri'vshaft/ n. a rotating shaft that transmits
drip-dry v. &
adj. mv. (-dries, -dried; 1 intr. (of fabric, power to machinery.
etc.) dry crease-free when hung up to drip. 2 tr. leave drive-train /dnvtrayn/ n. the components m an auto-
 . .

motive vehicle that connect the transmission with the 239 driveway ~ drowsy
driving wheels.
drive«way /drivway/ n. a usu. private road from a pub- or let lapse; abandon (the connection dropped; drop eve-
lic street, etc., to a house, garage, etc. rything and come at once) b tr. colloq. cease to associate
.

driving adj. 1 (of rain or snow) falling and being blown with. 5 tr. set down (a passenger, etc.) (drop me at the
by the wind with great force {driving rain) 2 having a . station) .6 tr. & intr. utter or be uttered casually
strong and controlling influence (she was the driving (dropped a hint; the remark dropped into the conversation)
force behind the plan). 7 tr. send casually (drop me a postcard). 8 a intr. & tr.

driving range Golf an area for practicing long-dis-

n. fall or allow to fall in direction, amount, condition, de-

tance shots, usu. equipped with distance markers and
with balls and clubs for rent.
driving wheel n. 1 any of the large wheels of a loco-
motive, to which power is applied either directly or via
coupling rods. 2 a wheel transmitting motive power in
machinery.
driz*zle /drizal/ n. &v. •«. very fine rain, •v.intr. (esp.
of rain) fall in very fine drops, dd driz*zly adj.
gree, pitch, etc. (his voice dropped; we dropped the price).
b intr. (of a person) jump down lightly; let oneself fall.
c tr. remove (clothes, esp. pants) rapidly, allowing
them to fall to the ground. 9 tr. colloq. lose (money,
esp. in gambling) . 1 tr. a omit (drop this article)
b omit (a letter, esp. 'h,' a syllable, etc.) in speech. 1 1 tr.
(as dropped adj.) in a lower position than usual
(dropped handlebars; dropped waist) 1 2 tr. give birth to
.

droll /drol/ adj. 1 quaintly amusing. 2 odd; surprising.
dd droll»er»y n. (pi. -ies). droMy adv. drolNness n.
-drome /drom/ comb, form forming nouns denoting: 1 a
place for running, racing, or other forms of movement
(hippodrome) 2 a thing that runs or proceeds in a cer-
. colloq. dismiss or exclude (was dropped from the team).
tain way (palindrome; syndrome)
drom»e»dar»y /dromideree, drum-/ n. (pi. -ies) a one-
humped camel bred for riding and racing.
drone /dron/ n. &
v. »n. a nonworking male of cer-
~\
tain bees, as the honeybee, whose sole function is to
mate with fertile females. 2 an idler. 3 a deep hum-
ming sound. 4 a monotonous speech or speaker. 5 a a
pipe, esp. of a bagpipe, sounding a continuous note of
fixed low pitch, b the note emitted by this. 6 a remote-
(esp. a lamb, a kitten, etc.). 13 tr. Sports lose (a game,
a point, a contest, a match, etc.). 14 tr. Aeron. deliver
(supplies, etc.) by parachute. 15 tr. Football a send (a
ball) by a droplock, b score points by a dropkick. 1 6 tr.
a at the drop of a hat given the slightest excuse, drop
back (or behind or to the rear) fall back; get left be-
hind, drop dead! si. an exclamation of intense scorn.
drop in (or by) colloq. call casually as a visitor, a drop
in the ocean (or bucket) a very small amount, esp.
compared with what is needed or expected, drop it! 5/.
stop (talking about or referring to) that! drop off 1 de-
cline, esp. abruptly. 2 colloq. fall asleep. 3 = sense 5 of
v. drop out colloq. cease to participate, esp. in a race,

controlled pilotless aircraft or missile. »v. 1 intr. make a course of study, or in conventional society, ready to
a deep humming sound. 2 intr. &
tr. speak or utter mo- drop extremely tired, dd droplet n.
notonously. 3 a intr. be idle, b tr. (often foil, by away) drop cur*tain n. Theatr. a painted curtain or scenery.
idle away (one's time, etc.). drop»kick /dropkik/ n. Football a kick made by drop-
drool /drool/ v. & n. •v.intr. 1 drivel; ping the ball and kicking it on the bounce.
slobber. 2 (often
foil, by over) show much pleasure or infatuation. •«. drop-leaf adj. (of a table, etc.) having a hinged flap.
slobbering; driveling. drop»OUt /dropowt/ n. colloq. a person who has dropped
droop /droop/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. &
tr. hang or allow to out, esp. from school.
hang down; languish, decline, or sag, esp. from weari- drop»per /dropar/ n. a device for administering liquid,
ness. 2 intr. a (of the eyes) look downward, b poet, (of esp. medicine, in drops.
the sun) sink. 3 intr. lose heart; be dejected; flag. • n. drop»pings /dropingz/ n.pl. the dung of animals or
1 a drooping attitude. 2 a loss of spirit or enthusiasm. birds.
droop»y /drobpee/ adj. (droopier, droopiest) 1 droop- drop shot n. (in tennis) a shot dropping abruptly over
ing. 2 dejected; gloomy, dd droop*My adv. droop»i» the net.
ness n. drop»sy /dropsee/ n. (pi. -sies) = edema, dd drop*si*cal
drop /drop/ n. & v. • n. 1 a a small, round or pear- /-sikal/ adj.
shaped portion of liquid that hangs or falls or adheres dro*soph*Ma /drasofita/ n. any fruit fly of the genus
to a surface (drops of dew) b a very small amount of
. Drosophila, used extensively in genetic research.
usu. drinkable liquid (just a drop left in the glass) C a dross /draws, dros/ n. 1 rubbish; refuse. 2 a the scum
.

glass, etc., of alcoholic liquor (take a drop with us). separated from metals in melting, b foreign matter
2 a an abrupt fall or slope. D the amount of this (a drop mixed with anything; impurities, dd dross»y adj.
offifteenfeet).C an act of falling or dropping, d a reduc- drought /drowt/ n. 1 the continuous absence of rain;
tion in prices, temperature, etc. e a deterioration or dry weather. 2 the prolonged lack of something.
worsening (a drop in status) 3 something resembling
. dd drought*y adj.
a drop, esp.: a a pendant or earring, b a crystal orna- drove past of drive. 1

ment on a chandelier, etc. C (often in comb.) a candy drove 2 /drov/ n. 1 a a large number (of people, etc.)
or lozenge (lemon drop) 4 something that drops or is
. moving together; a crowd; a multitude; a shoal, b (in
dropped, esp.: a Theatr. a painted curtain or scenery pi.) colloq. a great number (people arrived in droves). 2 a
let down on to the stage, b a platform or trapdoor on herd or flock being driven or moving together.
a gallows, the opening of which causes the victim to drown /drown/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. kill or be killed by sub-

fall. 5 Med. a the smallest separable quantity of a liq-
uid, b (in pi.) liquid medicine to be measured in drops
(eye drops). 6 a minute quantity (not a drop ofpity). 7 si.
a a hiding place for stolen or illicit goods, b a secret
place where documents, etc., may be left or passed on
in espionage. 8 a box for letters, etc. *v. (dropped,
dropping) 1 intr. & tr. fall or let fall in drops (tears
dropped on to the book) 2 intr.
. &
tr. fall or allow to fall; drow«sy /drowzee/ adj. (drowsier, drowsiest) 1 half
relinquish; let go (dropped the box; the egg dropped from
my hand). 3 a intr. & tr. sink or cause to sink or fall to
mersion in liquid. 2 tr. submerge; flood; drench
(drowned the fields in six feet of water). 3 tr. (often foil,
by in) deaden (grief, etc.) with drink (drowned his sor-
rows). 4 tr. (often foil, by out) make (a sound) inaudi-
ble by means of a louder sound, d like a drowned rat
colloq. extremely wet and bedraggled.
drowse /drowz/ v. intr. be dull and sleepy or half asleep.
asleep. 2 lulling. 3 sluggish, dd drowsMy adv. drovv

the ground from exhaustion, a blow, a wound, etc.

b intr. die. 4 a intr. & tr. cease or cause to cease; lapse See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

drub ~ dualism 240 drupe*let /drobplit/ n. a small drupe usu. in an aggre-

gate fruit, e.g., a blackberry or raspberry.
drub /drub/ v.tr. (drubbed, drubbing) 1 thump; bela- druse /drooz/ n. 1 a crust of crystals lining a rock cav-
bor. 2 beat in a fight, dd drubbing n. ity. 2 a cavity lined with this.

drudge /druj/ n. & v. •n. a servile worker, esp. at me- druth*ers /drutharz/ n.pl. colloq. preference; choice (if
nial tasks; a hack, •v.intr. (often foil, by at) work slav- I had my druthers, I'd stay at home).
ishly (at menial, hard, or dull work), dry /dri/ adj., v.,
dd drudg»er«y &
n. • adj. (drier /driar/; driest /dri-ist/)

/drujaree/ n. 1 free from moisture, not wet, esp.: a with any mois-

drug /drug/ n. &

v. mn. 1 a medicinal substance. 2 a
narcotic, hallucinogen, or stimulant, esp. one causing
addiction. »v. (drugged, drugging) 1 tr. add a drug to
(food or drink). 2 rr. a administer a drug to. b stupe-
fy with a drug. 3 intr. take drugs as an addict.
drug ad*dict n. a person who is addicted to a narcot-
ic drug.
drug*gie /drugee/ n. colloq. (also drug»gy) (pi. -gies) a
drug addict.
drug*gist /dragist/ «. a pharmacist.
drugstore /dnigstawr/ «. a pharmacy also selling mis-
cellaneous items, such as cosmetics.
Dru*id /drobid/ n. (Jem. Druidess) 1 an ancient Celtic
ture having evaporated, drained, or been wiped away
(the clothes are dry), b (of the eyes) free from tears. C (of
a climate, etc.) with insufficient rainfall; not rainy (a
dry spell), d (of a river, well, etc.) dried up; not yield-
ing water, e not connected with or for use without
moisture (dry shampoo) .2 (of wine, etc.) not sweet (dry
sherry). 3 a meager, plain, or bare (dry facts), b unin-
teresting; dull (dry as dust). 4 (of a sense of humor, a
joke, etc.) subtle, ironic, and quietly expressed; not ob-
vious. 5 (of a country, legislation, etc.) prohibiting the
sale of alcoholic drink. 6 (of toast, bread, etc.) with-
out butter, etc. 7 (of provisions, groceries, etc.) solid;
not liquid (dry goods) 8 impassive; unsympathetic; .

priest, magician, or soothsayer of Gaul, Britain, or Ire- hard; cold. 9 (of a cow, etc.) not yielding milk. 10 col-
land. 2 a member of a Welsh, etc., Druidic order. loq. thirsty or thirst-making (feel dry; this is dry work)
do Dru«id«ic /— idik/ adj. Dru»id«ism n. • v. (dries, dried) 1 tr. & intr. make or become dry by
drum /drum/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a a percussion instrument wiping, evaporation, draining, etc. 2 tr. (usu. as dried
or toy made of a hollow cylinder or hemisphere cov- adj.) preserve (food, etc.) by removing the moisture
ered at one or both ends with stretched skin or parch- (driedfruit). 3 intr. (often foil, by up) Theatr. colloq. for-
ment and sounded by striking, b (often in pi) percus- get one's lines. • n. (pi dries) a prohibitionist, d dry
sion section (the drums are playing too loud) C a sound . out become fully dry. 2 (of a drug addict, alcoholic,
1

made by or resembling that of a drum. 2 something etc.) undergo treatment to cure addiction, dry up
resembling a drum in shape, esp.: a a cylindrical con- 1 make utterly dry. 2 (of a well, etc.) cease to yield wa-

tainer or receptacle for oil, etc. b a cylinder or barrel ter. 3 colloq. (esp. in imper.) cease talking, dd drvish
in machinery on which something is wound, etc. adj. drvly adv. dryness n.
cArchit. a stone block forming a section of a shaft. dry*ad /driad, driad/ n. Mythol a nymph inhabiting a
ZZool. &
Anat. the eardrum. %v. (drummed, drum- tree; a wood nymph.
ming) 1 intr. &
tr. play on a drum. 2 tr. intr. beat, & dry bat»ter»y n. Electr. an electric battery consisting of
tap, or thump (knuckles, feet, etc.) continuously (on dry cells.
something). 3 intr. (of a bird or an insect) make a loud, dry cell n. Electr. a cell in which the electrolyte is ab-
hollow noise with quivering wings. drum into drive sorbed in a solid and cannot be spilled.
(a lesson) into (a person) by persistence, drum out Mil. dry-clean adj. clean (clothes, etc.) with organic sol-
dismiss with ignominy, drum up summon, gather, or vents without using water.
call up (needs to drum up more support). dry clean*er n. an individual or a business that spe-
drunvbeat /drumbeet/ n. the sound of a drum being cializes in dry cleaning.
beaten. dry cough n. a cough not producing phlegm.
drum brake n. a brake in which shoes on a vehicle press dry-cure v.tr. cure (meat, etc.) without pickling in liq-
against the drum on a wheel. uid.
drum*head /dnimhed/ n. 1 the skin or membrane of a dry dock n. an enclosed dock that can be drained of
drum. 2 an eardrum. 3 (attrib.) improvised (drumhead water to allow the inspection and repair of a ship.
court-martial). dryer var. of drier 2 .

drunvlin /drumlin/ Geol. a long, oval mound of boul- dry fly n. Fishing an artificial fly that is floated on the
der clay molded by glacial action. water's surface, dd dry-fly adj., v.intr. (-flies, -Hied).
drum ma»jor n. the leader of a marching band. dry goods n. fabric, thread, clothing, and related mer-
drum ma»jor»ette n. a female member of a baton- chandise, esp. as distinct from hardware and grocer-
twirling parading group. ies.
drunvmer /drumar/ n. a person who plays a drum or dry ice n. carbon dioxide.
solid
drums. dryland n. land as opposed to the sea, etc.
drunvstick /drumstik/ n. 1a stick used for beating a dry meas-ure n. a measure of capacity for dry goods.
drum. 2 the lower joint of the leg of a cooked chick- dry rot n. 1 a decayed state of wood when not venti-
en, turkey, etc. lated, caused by certain fungi. 2 these fungi.
drunk /drungk/ adj. &n.» adj. rendered incapable by
1 dry run n. colloq. a rehearsal.
alcohol. 2 (often foil, by with)overcome with joy, suc- drywall /driwawl/ n. = plasterboard.
cess, power, etc. • «. 1 a habitually drunk person. 2 5/. DST abbr. daylight saving(s) time.
a drinking bout; a period of drunkenness. DT abbr. (also DT's /de'ete'ez/) delirium tremens.
drunk*ard /drungkard/ n. a person who is drunk, esp. DTP abbr. desktop publishing.
habitually. du«al /dobol, dyOool/ adj. 1 of two; twofold. 2 divided
drunk driver n. a person who drives a vehicle with an in two; double (dual ownership) 3 Gram, (in some lan- .

excess of alcohol in the blood, dd drunk driving adj. guages) denoting two persons or things (additional to
drunk*en /drungkan/ adj. (usu. attrib.) 1 = drunk adj. singular and plural), nn du»aM»ty / alitee n. du-aMy
1 .2 caused by or exhibiting drunkenness (a drunken adv.
brawl), dd drunk*en*ly adv. drunk*en«ness n. du»al in-line package n. Computing %et dip.
drupe /droop/ n. any fleshy or pulpy fruit enclosing a du*al*ism /dfloalizam, dyfib-/ n. 1 being twofold; dual-
stone containing one or a few seeds, e.g., an olive, ity. 2 Philos. the theory that in any domain <>l retttQ
plum, or peach. there are two independent underlying principles, e.g.,
 . .

mind and matter, form and content, dd du*al*ist n. du» 241 dub ~ dugout
aMs'tic adj. du«al»is»ti«caMy adv.
dub /dub/ v.tr. (dubbed, dubbing) 1 make (a person)
1
son, usu. male; a dandy. 2 a vacationer on a dude
a knight by touching his shoulders with a sword. 2 give ranch. 3 a fellow; a guy.
(a person) a nickname or title (dubbed him a crank). dude ranch n. a cattle ranch converted to a vacation
dub 2 /dub/ v.tr. (dubbed, dubbing) 1 provide (a mov- resort for tourists, etc.
ie, etc.) with an alternative soundtrack, esp. in a dif- dudg*eon /dujsn/ n. a feeling of offense; resentment.
ferent language. 2 add (sound effects or music) to a d high dudgeon very angry or angrily.
in
movie or a broadcast. 3 combine (soundtracks) into due /doo, dyoo/ adj., n., &
adv. madj. 1 (predic.) owing
one. 4 transfer or make a copy of (a soundtrack). or payable (our thanks are due to him; $500 was due on
du»bi»OUS/dobbee9s,dyob-/a<i/. 1 hesitating or doubt- the 15th). 2 merited; fining (her due reward). 3 prop-
ing {dubious about going) 2 of questionable value or . er; adequate. 4 (predic; foil, by to) to be ascribed to
truth (a dubious claim) 3 unreliable; suspicious ( dubi-
. (a cause, an agent, etc.) (the discovery was due to Edi-
ous company). 4 of doubtful result (a dubious undertak- son) 5 (predic. ) intended to arrive at a certain time (a
.

ing), dd du*bi*ous*ly adv. du»bi»ous«ness n. train is due at 7: 30). 6 (foil, by to + infin.) under an
du*cal /dookal, dyob-/ adj. of, like, or bearing the title obligation or agreement to do something (due to speak
of a duke. tonight). •«. 1 a person's right; what is owed to a per-
duoat /dukat/ n. hist, a gold coin, formerly current in son (a fair hearing is my due). 2 (in pi.) a what one
most European countries. owes (pays his dues) b a legally demandable toll or fee
.

duclvess /duchis/ n. (as a title usu. Duchess) 1 a duke's (harbor dues) madv. (of a point of the compass) exact-
.

wife or widow. 2 a woman holding the rank of duke in ly; directly (went due east), a due to disp. because of;

her own right. owing to (was late due to an accident) (cf sense 4 of
duch»y /duchee/ n. {pi. -ies) the territory of a duke or adj.). fall (or become) due (of a bill, etc.) be immedi-
duchess; a dukedom. ately payable, in due course 1 at about the appropri-
duck /duk/ n. {pi. same or ducks) 1 any waterfowl of
1
ate time. 2 in the natural order.
the family Anatidae, esp. the domesticated form of The use of due to meaning 'because of,' as in we were
the mallard or wild duck. 2 the female of this (opp. late due to circumstances beyond our control, is widely
drake). 3 the flesh of a duck as food. like a duck to used and generally accepted, although some tradi-
water adapting very readily, like water off a duck's tionalists hold that due is properly a predicate adjective
back colloq. (of remonstrances, etc.) producing no ef- and restrict its use to follow forms of the verb to be,
fect. e.g., The collapse was due to flooding.
duck 2 /duk/ v. & n. mv. 1 intr. & tr. plunge, dive, or dip du»el /dobal, dyobal/ n. &
v. • n. 1 hist, a contest with

under water and emerge. 2 intr. tr. bend (the head & deadly weapons between two people to settle a point
or the body) quickly to avoid a blow or being seen, or of honor. 2 any contest between two people, causes,
as a bow or curtsy; bob (ducked out of sight). 3 tr. & animals, etc. •v.intr. fight a duel or duels, dd du»el»er
intr. colloq. avoid or dodge; withdraw (from) (ducked n. du*el*ist n.
out of the engagement; ducked the meeting). 4 intr. Bridge
duel 15th century: from Latin duellum, archaic
late
lose a trick deliberately by playing a low card. m. 1a
and form of bellum 'war,' used in medieval Lat-
literary
quick dip or swim. 2 a quick lowering of the head, etc.
in with the meaning 'combat between two persons,'
dd duck*er n.
partly influenced by dualis 'of two.' The original sense
duck 3 /duk/ tt.la strong, untwilled linen or cotton fab-
was 'single combat used to decide a judicial dispute';
ric used for small sails and the outer clothing of sailors.
the sense 'contest to decide a point of honor' dates
2 pants made of this (white ducks)
(in pi. )
from the early 17th century.
duck 4 /duk/ n. colloq. an amphibious landing craft.
duck»bill /dukbil/ n. (also duck-billed plat«ypus) = duen»de /doo-enday/ n. 1 an evil spirit. 2 inspiration.
PLATYPUS. du»en«na /doo-ena, dyoo-/ n. an older woman acting
duckling /dukling/ r. 1a young duck. 2 its flesh as as a governess and companion in charge of girls, esp.
food. in aSpanish family.
duck's ass n. coarse si. a haircut with the hair on the due proc»ess n. a course of legal proceedings in ac-
back of the head shaped like a duck's tail (usu. abbr. cordance with a state's or nation's legal system, such
as DA). that individual rights are protected.
duck soup n. si. an easy task. du*et /doo-et, dyoo-/ n. 1 Mus. a a performance by two
duck»weed /dukweed/ n. any of various aquatic plants, voices, instrumentalists, etc. b a composition for two
esp. of the genus Lemna, growing on the surface of still performers. 2 a dialogue, dd du*et*tist n.
water. duff /duf/ n. si. buttocks (get off your duff!)
duck*y /dukee/ wonderful; splendid.
adj. colloq. fine; duMel /dufal/ n. (also duMIe) 1 a coarse woolen cloth
duct /dukt/ n. &
channel or tube for convey-
v. • n. 1 a with a thick nap. 2 a sportsman's or camper's equip-
ing fluid, cable, etc. 2 a tube in the body conveying ment.
secretions such as tears, etc. •v.tr. convey through a duMel bag n. a cylindrical canvas bag closed by a draw-
duct, dd ducMess adj. string.
duc»tile /duktal, -til/ adj. 1 (of a metal) capable of be- duMer /dufar/ n. si. an inefficient, useless, or stupid per-
ing drawn into wire; pliable, not brittle. 2 (of a sub- son.
stance) easily molded. 3 (of a person) docile; gullible. duMIe (or duf»fel) coat n. a hooded overcoat of heavy
dd ductility /-tilitee/ n. woolen fabric, usu. fastened with toggles.
esp.
ducMng /dukting/ «.1a system of ducts. 2 material in dug past and past part, of dig.
1

the form of a duct or ducts. dug 2 /dug/ n. the udder, breast, teat, or nipple of a fe-
ductwork /duktwark/ n. a series of interlinked ducts, male animal.
as for a ventilation system. du*gong /dobgawng, -gong/ n. {pi. same or dugongs)
dud /dud/ n. & adj. si. • n. 1 a futile or ineffectual per- a marine mammal, Dugong dugon, of Asian seas and
son or thing. 2 a counterfeit article. 3 a shell, etc., that coasts.
fails to explode. 4 (in pi.) clothes. »adj. 1 useless; dug-out /diigowt/ n. 1 a a roofed shelter esp. for troops
worthless; unsatisfactory or futile. 2 counterfeit.
dude /dood, dyood/ n. si. 1 a fastidious aesthetic per- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
duke ~ duodenum 242 dump /dump/ n. &
mn. 1 a a place for depositing
v.

trash, garbage, etc. b

heap of trash, garbage, etc. 2 col-
a
in trenches, b an underground air-raid or nuclear shel- loq. an unpleasant or dreary place. 3 Mil. a temporary

ter.C Baseball a roofed seating area for players, facing store of ammunition, provisions, etc. 4 an accumu-
the field. 2 a canoe made from a hollowed tree trunk. lated pile of ore, earth, etc. 5 Computing a a printout
duke /dook, dyook/ n. (as a title usu. Duke) 1 a a per- of stored data, b the process or result of dumping da-
son holding the highest hereditary title of the nobili- ta. 9V.tr. 1 put down firmly or clumsily (dumped the

ty, b a sovereign prince ruling a duchy or small state. groceries on the table) 2 deposit or dispose of (trash,
.

2 (usu. in pi.) si. the hand; the fist (put up your dukes!). etc.). 3 colloq. abandon; desert. 4 Mil. leave (ammuni-
duke«dom /dot)kd3m, dyook-/ n. 1 a territory ruled by tion, etc.) in a dump. 5 Econ. send (goods unsalable
a duke. 2 the rank of duke. at a high price in the home market) to a foreign mar-
dul*cet /dulsit/ adj. (esp. of sound) sweet and soothing. ket for sale at a low price. 6 Computing a copy (stored
duNci»fy /dulsifiV v.tr. ('ties, 'tied) literary 1 make gen- data) to a different location, b reproduce the contents
tle. 2 sweeten, no dul»ci»fi»ca«tion /-fikayshan/ n. of (a store) externally, d dump on si. criticize or abuse;
dul*ci*mer /dulsimar/ n. a musical instrument with get the better of.
strings of graduated length stretched over a sounding dump«ling /dumpling/ n. 1 a small ball of boiled or
board or box, played by being struck with hammers. steamed dough. 2 a dessert consisting of fruit enclosed
dull /dul/ adj. &
v. madj. 1 slow to understand; stupid. in dough and baked.
2 tedious; boring. 3 (of the weather) overcast; gloomy. dumps /dumps/ n.pl. colloq. depression; melancholy (in
4 a (esp. of a knife edge, etc.) blunt, b (of color, light, the dumps).
sound, or taste) not bright, vivid, or keen. 5 (of a pain, Dump»ster /dumpst9r/ n. Trademark a large trash re-
etc.) usu. prolonged and indistinct (a dull ache). ceptacle designed to be hoisted and emptied into a
6 a sluggish; slow-moving, b listless; depressed. 7 (of truck.
the ears, eyes, etc.) without keen perception, •v.tr. &
dump truck n. a truck with a body that tilts or opens
intr. make or become dull, dd dulMsh adj. dullness at the back for unloading.
n. (also dullness). duMy adv. dump*y /dumpee/ adj. (dumpier, dumpiest) short and
dull*ard /dutard/ n. a stupid person. stout, dd dump*My adv.
dull-wiMed adj. = dull adj. 1. dun /dun/ adj. &
n. madj. dull grayish brown. •«. 1 a
1

du*ly /doblee, dyob-7 adv. 1 in due time or manner. dun color. 2 a dun horse.
2 rightly; properly; fitly. dun 2 /dun/ v. &
n. mv.tr. (dunned, dunning) make per-

6umb/dum/ adj. 1 a (of a person) unable to speak, b (of sistent demands on someone, esp. for payment of a
an animal) naturally unable to speak (our dumb debt. • n. 1 a debt collector or an insistent creditor. 2 a
friends). 2 silenced by surprise, shyness, etc. 3 taciturn demand for payment.
or reticent, esp. insultingly (dumb insolence) 4 (of an dunce /duns/ n. a person slow at learning; a dullard.
.

action, etc.) performed without speech. 5 (often in dunce cap n. (also dunce's cap) a paper cone former-
comb.) giving no sound; without voice or some other ly put on the head of a dunce at school as a mark of
property normally belonging to things of the name (a disgrace.
dumb piano). 6 colloq. stupid; ignorant. 7 having no dun*der*head /dundarhed/ n. a stupid person, dd dun*
voice in government; inarticulate (the dumb masses). der*head*ed adj.
8 (of a computer terminal, etc.) able only to transmit dune /doon, dyoon/ n. a mound or ridge of loose sand,
data to or receive data; not programmable (opp. in- etc., formed by the wind.
telligent), dd dumb'ly /dumlee/ adv. dumb*ness dung /dung/ n. &v. • n. the excrement of animals; ma-
/dumnis/ n. nure. mv.tr. apply dung to; manure (land).
dumb*bell /dumbel/ n. la short bar with a weight at dun*ga*ree /dunggare'e/ n. 1 (in pi.) a overalls, etc.,
each end, used for exercise, muscle-building, etc. 2 5/. usu. made of blue denim, worn esp. by workers, b blue
a stupid person. jeans. 2 a coarse E. Indian calico.
dumbfound /dumfownd/ v.tr. (also dunvfound; esp. dung bee*tle n. any of a family of beetles whose larvae
as dumbfounded adj.) strike dumb; confound; non- develop in dung.
plus. dun*geon /dunjsn/ n. a strong underground cell for
dunvbo /dumbo/ n. (pi. -bos) si. a stupid person; a fool. prisoners.
dumbstruck /dumstruk/ adj. greatly shocked or sur- dung*hill /diinghil/ n. a heap of dung or refuse, esp. in
prised and so lost for words. a farmyard.
dumb»wait»er/dumwayt3r/«. 1 a small elevator for car- dunk /dungk/ v.tr. 1 dip (a doughnut, etc.) into milk,
rying food, plates, etc., between floors. 2 a movable coffee, etc. before eating. 2 immerse; dip.
table, esp. with revolving shelves, used in a dining dunk shot n. Basketball a shot made by a player jump-
room. ing up and thrusting the ball down through the bas-
dunvdum /dumdum/ n. (in full dumdum bullet) a kind ket.
of soft-nosed bullet that expands on impact and inflicts durvlin /dunlin/ n. a long-billed sandpiper, Calidris
a severe wound. alpina.
durrwny /diimee/ n. &
adj. mn. (pi. «mies) 1 a model of dun-nage /dunij/ n. Naut. 1 mats, brushwood, etc.,
a human being, esp.: a a ventriloquist's doll, b a fig- stowed under or among cargo to prevent wetting <>r
ure used to model clothes in a store window, etc. C a chafing. 2 colloq. miscellaneous baggage.
target used for firearms practice. 2 (often attrib.) a a dun*no /dan6/ colloq. (I) do not know.
counterfeit object used to replace or resemble a real du»0 /dtfb-o, dyOo-o/ n. (pi. -OS) 1 a pair of at tors, in m
or normal one. b a prototype, esp. in publishing. 3 col- tainers, singers, etc. 2 Mus. a duct.
loq. a stupid person. 4 a person taking no significant du»0»dec»i«mal /do'o-odesimol, dyrtb / adj. n. • ,/.// &
part; a figurehead. 5 an imaginary fourth player at relating to or using a system of numerical notation that
whist, whose hand is turned up and played by a part- has 12 as a base. mn. 1 the duodecimal system. 2 du-
ner. 6 Bridge a the partner of the declarer, whose cards odecimal notation, no du»o»dec»i«maMy adv.
are exposed after the first lead, b this player's hand. du»o»de»num /dobodecnom, dyob doo-od'nam, ,

7 Mil. a blank round of ammunition. 8 colloq. a dumb dyOo-/ n. Anal, the first part of the small intestine mi
person, •adj. sham; counterfeit, d dummy up 5/. keep mediately below the stomach, od du»o«de*nal ad). du»
quiet; give no information. o»de«ni»tis / nitis/ n.
 . .

dupe /doop, dyoop/ n. & v. •n. a victim of deception. 243 dupe - dwarf
• v.tr. make a fool of; cheat, an dup*er*y n.

du*ple /doopsl, dyob-/ a<#. of two parts. dust dev«il n. a whirlwind visible as a column of dust.

du»plex /dobpleks, dyob-/ «. &

adj. • n. 1 an apartment dust*er /dustar/ n. 1 a a cloth for dusting furniture, etc.
on two levels. 2 a house subdivided for two families. b a person or contrivance that dusts. 2 a woman's light,
• adj. 1 having two elements; twofold. 2 a (of an apart- loose, full-length coat.
ment) two-story, b (of a house) for two families. dusWng powder n. talcum powder.
3 Computing (of a circuit) allowing the transmission of dust jack*et n. a usu. decorated paper cover used to
signals in both directions simultaneously. protect a book from dirt, etc.
du*pli*cate adj., n., &
v. •adj. /dooplikat, dyob-/ 1 ex- dust-pan /dustpan/ n. a small pan into which dust, etc.,
actly like something already existing; copied (esp. in is brushed from the floor.

large numbers). 2 a having two corresponding parts, dust storm n. a storm with clouds of dust carried in
b existing in two examples; paired. C doubled, •n. the air.

/dobplik9t, dyob-/ 1 a one of two identical things, esp.
a copy of an original, b one of two or more specimens
of a thing exactly or almost identical. 2 Law a second
copy of a letter or document. 3 (in full duplicate bridge
dust*y /dustee/ adj. (dustier, dustiest) 1 full of, cov-
ered with, or resembling dust. 2 uninteresting. 3 (of a
color) dull or muted, dd dust*i*ly adv. dustiness n.
Dutch /duch/ adj. &
n. •adj. of, relating to, or associ-

or whist) a form of bridge or whist in which the same ated with the Netherlands. • n. 1 the language of the
hands are played successively by different players. Netherlands. 2 (prec. by the; treated as pi.) the peo-
• v.tr. /dobplikayt, dyob-/ 1 multiply by two; double. ple of the Netherlands, d go Dutch share expenses
2 a make or be an exact copy of. b make or supply equally.
copies of (duplicated the leaflet for distribution) 3 repeat . Dutch door n. a door j |
|
\

(an action, etc.), esp. unnecessarily, o in duplicate con- divided into two parts
sisting of two exact copies, do du*pli*ca*ble horizontally allowing
/dobplikabal, dyob-/ adj. du*pli*ca*tion /-kayshan/ n. one part to be shut and
du*pli*ca*tor /dobplikaytar, dyob-/ n. 1 a machine for the other open.
making copies of a document, leaflet, etc. 2 a person Dutch elm dis*ease n.

or thing that duplicates. a disease affecting

du»plic«i»ty /dooplisitee, dyoo-/ n. double-dealing; de- elms caused by the
ceitfulness. dd du*plic«i*tous adj. fungus Ceratocystis
du*ra*ble /dobrabal, dyobr-/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 capable ulmi, first found in the
of lasting; hard-wearing. 2 (of goods) not for imme- Netherlands.
diate consumption; able to be kept. • n. (in pi. ) durable Dutchman /duchman/
goods, dd du»ra«bil«i«ty n. du*ra*bly adv. n. (pi. -men; fern.
du-ra ma»ter /dobra maytar, ma'a-, dyobra/ n. Anat. the Dutchwoman, pi.

tough outermost membrane enveloping the brain and -women) 1 a a native

Dutch door
spinal cord (see meninx). or national of the
du»ra»tion /dOOrayshan, dyOOr-/ n. 1 the length of time Netherlands, b a person of Dutch descent. 2 a Dutch
for which something continues. 2 a specified length of ship.
time (after the duration of a minute), a for the duration Dutch ov«en n. 1 a metal box the open side of which
1 until the end of something obstructing normal ac- is turned toward a fire. 2 a covered cooking pot for

tivities, as a war. 2 for a very long time, dd du*ra*tion* braising, etc.

al adj. Dutch treat n. a party, outing, etc. to which each per-
du*ress /doores, dyob-/ n. 1 compulsion, esp. impris- son makes a contribution.
onment, threats, or violence, illegally used to force a Dutch un»cle n. a person giving advice with benevo-
person to act against his or her will (under duress). lent firmness.
2 imprisonment. du«ti*a*ble /dobteeabal, dyob-/ adj. liable to customs
during /dobring, dyobr-/ prep. 1 throughout (read dic- or other duties.
ing the meal) 2 at some point in (came in during the eve- dut*i*ful /dobtifool, dyob-/ adj. doing or observant of
.

ning). one's duty; obedient, dd dut»i«fuMy adv. dut*i*ful*ness

du*rum /dobram, dyob-/ n. a kind of wheat, Triticum n.
turgidum, yielding a flour used for pasta. du*ty /dobtee, dyob-/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a a moral or legal
dusk /dusk/ n. 1 the darker stage of twilight. 2 shade; obligation; a responsibility (her duty to report it), b the
gloom. binding force of what is right (strong sense of duty)
dusk«y /duskee/ adj. (duskier, duskiest) 1 shadowy; C what is required of one (do one's duty). 2 payment to
dim. 2 dark-colored, darkish, dd dusk*i*ly adv. dusk* the public revenue, esp.: a that levied on the import
i-ness n. of goods (customs duty), b that levied on the transfer
dust /dust/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a finely powdered earth, dirt, of property, licenses, etc. (death duty). 3 a job or func-
etc. b fine powder of any material (pollen dust; gold tion (his duties as caretaker). 4 the behavior due to a
dust), c a cloud of dust. 2 a dead person's remains. superior; deference; respect, d do duty for serve as or
3 confusion or turmoil (raised quite a dust). 4 the pass for (something else), on (or off) duty engaged (or
ground; the earth (kissed the dust). • v. 1 tr. (also absol.) not engaged) in one's work.
clear (furniture, etc.) of dust, etc., by wiping, brush- du*ty-bound adj. obliged by duty.
ing, etc. 2 tr. a sprinkle (esp. a cake) with powder, dust, du»ty-free adj. &
adv. 1 exempt from payment of duty.
sugar, etc. b sprinkle or strew (sugar, powder, etc.). 2 selling goods that are exempt from duty (duty-free
3 tr. make dusty, o dust off 1 remove the dust from. shop)
2 use and enjoy again after a long period of neglect. du«vet /doovay/ n. a thick, soft quilt with a detachable
when the dust settles when things quiet down. cover, used instead of an upper sheet and blankets.
do dusMess adj. D.V.M. abbr. Doctor ofVeterinary Medicine.
dust bowl n. an area denuded of vegetation by drought dwarf /dwawrf/ n. &
v. «rc. (pi. dwarfs or dwarves
or erosion and reduced to desert. /dwawrvz/) 1 a Ojfens. a person of abnormally small
dust«cov»er /dustkuvar/ n. 1 a cloth put over furniture
to protect it from dust. 2 = dust jacket. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation,
 .

dweeb ~ dysprosium 244

dy*nam*ics /dinamiks/ n.pl. 1 (usu. treated as sing.)
a Mech. the branch of mechanics concerned with the
stature, b an animal or plant much below the ordinary motion of bodies under the action of forces (cf stat- .

size. 2 a small mythological being with supernatural ics), b the branch of any science in which forces or

powers. 3 (in full dwarf star) a small usu. dense star. changes are considered (aerodynamics; population
4 (attrib.) a of a kind very small in size (dwarf bean) dynamics) 2 the motive forces, physical or moral, af-
.

b puny; stunted, •v.tr. 1 stunt in growth. 2 cause fecting behavior and change in any sphere. 3 Mus. the
(something similar or comparable) to seem small or varying degree of volume of sound in musical perfor-
insignificant, do dwarf»ish adj. mance, dd dynanvi»cist /-masist/ n. (in sense 1).
dweeb /dweeb/ n. si. a studious or tedious person. dy*na*mism /dinsmizsm/ n. energizing or dynamic ac-
dwell /dwel/ v. &n. •v.intr. {past and past part, dwelled tion or power.
or dwelt) 1 literary (usu. foil, by in, at, near, on, etc.) dy*na*mite /dinsmit/ n. &v. • n. 1 a high explosive con-

live; reside (dwelt in the forest). 2 (of a horse) be slow sisting of nitroglycerine mixed with an absorbent. 2 a
in raising its feet; pause before taking a fence. •«. a potentially dangerous person, thing, or situation. 3 si.
slight, regular pause in the motion of a machine. a narcotic, esp. heroin. • v. tr. charge or shatter with dy-
d dwell on (or upon) 1 write, brood, or speak at length namite, dd dy«na»mit»er n.
on. 2 prolong (a note, a syllable, etc.). dwell*er n. dyna»mo /dinamo/ n. (pi. -mos) 1 a machine con-
dwelling /dweling/ n. (also dwelMng place) formal a verting mechanical into electrical energy, esp. by ro-
house; a residence; an abode. tating coils of copper wire in a magnetic field. 2 colloq.
dwirvdle /dwind'l/ v.intr. 1 become gradually smaller; an energetic person.
shrink. 2 lose importance; decline. dy«nas»ty /dinastee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a line of hereditary
Dy symb. Chem. the element dysprosium. rulers. 2 a succession of leaders in any field, dd dynas*
dye /dl/ n. & v. • n. 1 a a substance used to change the tic /-nastik/ adj. dynas»ti«caMy adv.
color of hair, fabric, wood, etc. b a color produced by dyne /din/ n. Physics a unit of force that, acting on a
this. 2 (in full dyestuff ) a substance yielding a dye, esp. mass of one gram, increases its velocity by one centi-
for coloring materials in solution. • v. tr. (dyeing) 1 im- meter per second every second along the direction that
pregnate with dye. 2 make (a thing) a specified color it acts. H Abbr.: dyn.

with dye (dyed it yellow), a a dye»a«ble adj. dys»en»ter»y /disanteree/ n. a disease with inflamma-
dyed-in-the-wool adj. 1 out and out; inveterate. 2 (of tion of the intestines, causing severe diarrhea with
a fabric) made of yarn dyed in its raw state. blood and mucus, dd dys«en»ter»ic adj.
dy»er /dfer/ n. a person who dyes cloth, etc. dys«func»tlon /disfungkshan/ n. an abnormality or im-
dye-stuff see dye n. 2. pairment of function, dd dys*func«tion*al adj.
dying /di-ing/ adj. connected with, or at the time of, dys»lex»i»a /dislekseea/ n. an abnormal difficulty in
death {his dying words), a to one's dying day for the reading and spelling, caused by a condition of the
rest of one's life. brain, dd dys*lex*ic adj. & n. dys*lec*tic /-lektik/ adj.
dyke var. of dike
1 1
. &n.
dyke 2 /dlk/ n. (also dike) si. a lesbian. dys»men»or»rhe»a /dismensreea/ n. painful or difficult
dyn abbr. dyne(s). menstruation.
dyna«mic /dinamik/ adj. & n. dys*pep*sia /dispepsees/ n. indigestion.
•adj. (also dynam»i»cal)
1 energetic; active; potent. 2 Physics a concerning mo-
dys*pha*sia /disfayzha, -zheea/ n. Med. lack of
tive force (opp. static) b concerning force in actual
. coordination in speech, owing to brain damage.
operation. 3 of or concerning dynamics. 4 Mus. relat- dd dys*pha*sic /-zik, -sik/ adj.
ing to the volume of sound. • n. 1 an energizing or dys»pro»si»um /disprozeeam/ n. Chem. a naturally oc-
motive force. 2 Mus. = dynamics 3. dd dynamically curring soft metallic element of the lanthanide series.
adv. HSymb.:Dy.
 .

E
E ltd
1
n. (also e) (pi. Es or E's) 1 the fifth letter of the 2 an owner's mark on the ear of an animal, mv.tr. 1 set
alphabet. 2 Mus. the third note of the diatonic scale of aside (money, etc.) for a special purpose. 2 mark
C major. (sheep, etc.) with such an identifying mark.
E 2 abbr. (also E.) 1 east; eastern. 2 English. 3 energy. ear»muff /e'ermuf/ n. a wrap or cover for the ears, pro-
e symb. 1 Math, the base of natural logarithms, equal tecting them from cold, noise, etc.
to approx. 2.71828. 2 used on packaging (in conjunc- earn /arn/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) a (of a person) obtain (in-
tion with specification of weight, size, etc.) to indicate come) in return for labor or services, b (of capital in-
compliance with EEC regulations. vested) bring in as interest or profit. 2 a deserve; ob-
e- /ee, tl prefix form of ex- 1 1 before some consonants. tain as the reward for hard work or merit, b incur (a
ea. abbr. each. reproach, reputation, etc.).
each /eech/ adj. &pron. •adj. every one of two or more earnest adj. 1
& n. »adj. intensely serious; not trifling

persons or things, regarded and identified separately or joking. • n. seriousness, a In (or In real) earnest se-
(each person; five in each class), mpron. each person or rious(ly), not joking(ly); with determination, dd ear*
thing (each of us; have two books each) nesWy adv. ear*nest*ness n.
See note at both. ear«nest 2 /arnist/ n. 1 money paid as an installment,
ea*ger /e'egar/ adj. 1 a full of keen desire; enthusiastic. esp. to confirm a contract, etc. 2 a token or foretaste
b (of passions, etc.) keen; impatient. 2 keen; strongly (in earnest of what is to come).
desirous (eager to learn; eager for news). aa ea«ger»ly earnings /arningz/ n.pl. money earned.
adv. ea*ger*ness n. ear*phone /eerfon/ n. a device applied to the ear to aid
See note at anxious. hearing or receive radio or telephone communica-
ea»gle /e'egal/ n. 1 a any of various large birds of prey tions.
of the family Accipitridae, with keen vision and pow- ear»piece e'erpees/ n. the part of a telephone, etc., ap-
erful flight, b a figure of an eagle, esp. as a symbol of plied to the ear during use.
the US. 2 Golf a score of two strokes under par at any ear»plug /e'erplug/ n. a piece of plastic, etc., placed in
hole. 3 US a gold coin worth ten dollars. the ear to protect against cold air, water, or noise.
ea*gle eye n. keen sight; watchfulness, dd eagle-eyed earning /e'ering/ n. a piece of jewelry worn in or on
adj. (esp. the lobe of) the ear.
Ea»gle Scout n. the highest rank a Boy Scout can at- ear»shot/e'ershot/ n. the distance over which something
tain. can be heard (esp. within or out of earshot).
ea*glet /e'eglit/ n. a young eagle. earth /arth/ n.&v.*n."\a (also Earth) one of the plan-
ear Ittvl n. 1 the organ of hearing and balance in
1
ets of the solar system orbiting about the sun between
humans and other vertebrates, esp. the external part Venus and Mars; the planet on which we live, b land
of this. 2 the faculty for discriminating sounds (an ear and sea, as distinct from sky. 2 a dry land; the ground
for music). 3 listening; attention. all ears listening at- (fell to earth), b soil; clay; mold. C bodily matter (earth

tentively, have (or keep) an ear to the ground be alert to earth). 3 Relig. the present abode of mankind, as dis-
to rumors or the trend of opinion, out on one's ear tinct from heaven or hell; the world. 4 the hole of a
dismissed ignominiously. up to one's ears (often foil, badger, fox, etc. 5 (prec. by the) colloq. a huge amount;
by in) colloq. deeply involved or occupied, dd eared everything (cost the earth; want the earth). • v. 1 tr. (foil,
adj. (also in comb. ) eaMess adj.
. by up) cover (the roots and lower stems of plants) with
ear 2 Ittvl n. the seed-bearing head of a cereal plant. heaped-up earth. 2 a tr. drive (a fox) to its earth, b intr.
ear»ache /e'erayk/ n. a (usu. prolonged) pain in the ear. (of a fox, etc.) run to its earth, d come back (or down)
ear*drum /e'erdrum/ n. the membrane of the middle to earth return to reality, gone to earth in hiding, on
ear. earth colloq. 1 existing anywhere (the happiest man on
earl /arl/ n. a British nobleman ranking between a mar- earth). 2 as an intensifier (what on earth?), aa earth-
2
quess and a viscount (cf. count ), an earl*dom n. ward adj. & adv. earthwards adv.
eaMobe /e'erlob/ n. the lower soft pendulous external earth»en /arthan// adj. 1 made of earth. 2 made of
part of the ear. baked clay.
ear*ly /arlee/ adj., adv., & n. madj.& adv. (earlier, ear- earth»en»ware /arthanwair/ n. & adj. • n. pottery, ves-
liest) 1 before the due, usual, or expected time (was sels, etc., made of clay fired to a porous state, which
early for my appointment; arrived early). 2 a not far on can be made impervious to liquids by the use of a glaze
in the day or night, or in time (early evening; at the ear- (cf porcelain) • adj. made of fired clay.
. .

liest opportunity), b prompt (early payment appreciated; earth»ling /arthling/ n. an inhabitant of the earth, esp.
at your earliest convenience). 3 a not far on in a period, as regarded in fiction by outsiders.
development, or process of evolution; being the first earth»ly /arthlee/ adj. 1 a of the earth; terrestrial, b of
stage (the early Egyptians; early spring), b of the distant human life on earth. 2 (usu. with neg.) colloq. remote-
past (early man) C not far on in a sequence (the early
. ly possible or conceivable (is no earthly use), a not an
chapters). 4 a of childhood, esp. the preschool years earthly colloq. no chance whatever, aa earth*li*ness ;/.
(early learning), b (of a piece of writing, music, etc.) earth-quake /arthkwayk/ n. 1 a convulsion of the su-
immature; youthful (an early work). 5 flowering, etc., perficial parts of the earth due to the release of accu-
before other varieties. • n. (pi. -lies) (usu. in pi.) an ear- mulated stress as a result of faults in strata or volcan-
ly fruit or vegetable, esp. potatoes, dd ear*li*ness n. ic action. 2 a social, etc., disturbance.
earmark /eermaark/ n. & v. • n. 1 an identifying mark. earth sci*en*ces n.pl. the sciences concerned with the
 . .
earth-shattering ~ ebullient
earth or part of it, or its atmosphere (e.g., geology,
oceanography, meteorology).
earth-shaMefing adj. colloq. having a traumatic or
devastating effect, dd earth-shat«ter»ing«ly adv.
earthwork /arthwark/ n. 1 an artificial bank of earth
in fortification or road building, etc. 2 the process of
excavating soil in civil engineering work.
earth»worm /arthwarm/ n. any of various annelid
worms, esp. of the genus Lumbricus or Allolobophora,
living and burrowing in the ground.
earth»y /arthee/ adj. (earthier, earthiest) 1 of or like
earth or soil. 2 somewhat coarse or crude; unrefined
(earthy humor), dd earth«My adv. earth»i»ness n.
ear*wax /e'erwaks/ n. a yellow waxy secretion produced
by the ear. Also called cerumen.
ear«wig /eerwig/ n. any small elongate insect of the or-
der Dermaptera, with a pair of terminal appendages
in the shape of forceps.
ease /eez/ n. & v. • n. 1 absence of difficulty; facility;
effortlessness (did it with ease) 2 freedom or relief from
. go easy
pain, embarrassment, or constraint. »v. 1 tr. relieve
from pain or anxiety, etc. (often foil, by of. eased my
mind; eased me of the burden). 2 intr. (often foil, by off,
up) a become less painful or burdensome, b relax; be-
gin to take it easy. C slow down; moderate one's behav-
ior, habits, etc. 3 intr. Meteorol. become less severe (the
wind will ease tonight). 4 a tr. relax; slacken, b tr. intr.
(foil, by through^ into, etc.) move or be moved careful-
ly into place (eased it into the hole). 5 intr. (often foil,
by off) Stock Exch. (of shares, etc.) descend in price or
value. at ease 1 free from anxiety or constraint.
2 Mil. a in a relaxed attitude, with the feet apart, b the
order to stand in this way.
ea*sel /e'ezal/ n. a standing frame,
usu. of wood, for supporting an
artist's work, a blackboard, etc.
ease*ment /eezmant/ n. Law a right
of way or a similar right over anoth-
er's land.
eas»i»ly /eezilee/ adv. 1 without dif-
2 by far
ficulty. (easily the best)
3 very probably {it could easily
snow) . diner, luncheonette, etc.
east /eest/ n., adj., &
adv. •«.
1 a the point of the horizon where
the sun rises at the equinoxes.
b the compass point correspond-
easel
ing to this, c the direction in which
this lies. 2 (usu. the East) a the
regions or countries lying to the east of Europe, b the
formerly Communist nations of eastern Europe. 3 the
eastern part of a country, town, etc. 4 (East) Bridge a
player occupying the position designated "east." madj.
1 toward, at, near, or facing east. 2 coming from the
east (east wind), madv. 1 toward, at, or near the east. 2
(foil, by of) further east than (east of the Rockies).
east«bound /eestbownd/ adj. traveling or leading east-
ward.
Eas»ter /eestar/ n. (also Easier Survday or Easier Day)
the festival (held on a variable Sunday in March or
April) commemorating Christ's resurrection.
east»er»ly /e'estarlee/ adj., adv., n. madj. &
adv. 1 in & cede; drain away. 2 decline; run low (his h\c ma -hhun:
an eastern position or direction. 2 (of a wind) blow-
ing from the east. • n. (pi. -lies) a wind blowing from
the east.
eastern /e'estarn/ adj. 1 of or in the east; inhabiting the
east.2 lying or directed toward the east. 3 (Eastern)
of or in the Far, Middle, or Near East, an eastern-
most adj.
East»ern»er /e'estarnar/ n. a native or inhabitant of the
east; esp. in the US.
246 eastern hemisphere n. (also East«ern Hem-i-
sphere) the half of the earth containing Europe, Asia,
and Africa.
east-north»east n. the direction or compass point mid-
way between east and northeast.
east-south»east n. the direction or compass point
midway between east and southeast.
east-ward /eestward/ adj., adv., n. madj. & adv. (al- &
so eastwards) toward the east. • n. an eastward direc-
tion or region, on east*ward*ly adj. adv. &
eas»y /e'ezee/ adj., adv., &
int. (easier, easiest) madj.
1 not difficult; achieved without great effort. 2 free
from pain, discomfort, anxiety, etc. (easy circum-
stances). 3 free from embarrassment, awkwardness, or
constraint (an easy manner). 4 a not strict; tolerant.
b compliant; obliging; easily persuaded (an easy
touch) • adv. with ease; in an effortless or relaxed man-
.
ner. • int. go carefully; move gently. easy come easy
go colloq. what is easily obtained is soon lost or spent.
easy does it colloq. go carefully, easy on the eye (or
ear, etc.) colloq. pleasant to look at (or listen to, etc.).
by with, on) be sparing or cautious, take
(foil,
it easyproceed gently or carefully. 2 relax; avoid
1
overwork, dd easiness n.
eas»y chair n. a large comfortable chair, usu. an arm-
chair.
eas*y«go*ing /eezeegOing/ adj. placid and tolerant; re-
laxed in manner; accepting things as they are.
& eat /eet/ v. (past ate /ayt/, esp. Brit. I til; past part, eat-
en /e'et'n/) 1 a tr. take into the mouth, chew, and swal-
low (food), b intr. consume food; take a meal. C tr.
devour. 2 intr. (foil, by away at, into) a destroy grad-
ually, esp. by corrosion, erosion, disease, etc. D begin
to consume or diminish (resources, etc.). 3 tr. colloq.
trouble; vex (what's eating you?), d eat dirt see dirt.
eat one's heart out suffer from excessive longing or
envy, eat out of a person's hand be entirely sub-
missive to a person, eat up 1 (also absol.) eat or con-
sume completely. 2 use or deal with rapidly or waste-
fully (eats up time). 3 encroach upon or annex (eating
up the neighboring countries). 4 absorb; preoccupy (eat-
en up with pride), eat one's words admit that one was
wrong.
eat»er»y /eetaree/ n. (pi. -ies) colloq. a restaurant, esp. a
eats /eets/ n.pl. colloq. food.
eau de CO*logne /odakalon/ n. an alcohol-based per-
fume of a kind made orig. at Cologne, Germany.
eaves /eevz/ n.pl. the underside of a projecting roof.
eaves*drop /e'evzdrop/ v.intr. (-dropped, -dropping)
listen secretly to a private conversation, dd eaves-drop*
per n.
eavesdrop early 17th cent.: back-formation from
eavesdropper (late Middle English) 'a person who lis-
tens from under the eaves', from the obsolete noun
eavesdrop 'the ground on to which water drips from
the eaves', probably from Old Norse upsanhopi. from
ups 'eaves' + dropi 'a drop'.
ebb /eb/ n. &
v. •«. 1 the movement of the tide out DO
sea (also attrib.: ebb tide). 2 the process of declining or
diminishing; the state of being in decline, •r.mtr. (of-
ten foil, by away) 1 (of tidewater) flow out to se.i. M
<
away)
E*bon*ICS /ecboniks/ n.pl. the lui^lish used In Blfld
Americans, regarded as a language in its own right.
eb«on»ite /ebonit/ n. = vi K .am N-.
eb»on»y /ebonee/ ;/. tsf ad). •//. (pi. -ies) 1 a lu-aw. Oil dj
dark wood used for furniture. 2 any of various treet "I
the genus DtOfpyroi producing this. •</<//. 1 made <>t
ebony. 2 black like ebony.
e«buMient /ibulyont, ibobl / ad), exuberant; high
 .

spirited, do e*buMience /-ysns/ n. e*buMien*cy n. e» 247 EC ~ ecstasy

but-lient-ly adv.
EC abbr. 1 European Community. 2 executive commit- obscure thelight from or to (another). 2 deprive of
tee. prominence or importance; outshine; surpass, dd e«
eocen«tric /iksentrik, ek-/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 odd or ca- clips*er n.
pricious in behavior or appearance. 2 a not placed or e*clip*tic /ikliptik/ n. &adj. • n. the sun's apparent path
not having its axis, etc., placed centrally, b (often foil, among the stars during the year. • adj. of an eclipse or
by to) (of a circle) not concentric (to another), c (of the ecliptic.
an orbit) not circular, •n. 1 an eccentric person. eologue /eklawg, -log/ n. a short poem, esp. a pasto-
2 Mech. an eccentric contrivance for changing rotato- ral dialogue.
ry into backward-and-forward motion, no ec»cen«tri« eco- /eko, eeko/ comb, form ecology; ecological.
caMy adv. ec«cen»trioi»ty /eksentrisitee/ n. (pi. -ties). e»cocli»mate /ekoklimit, eeko-/ n. climate considered
ec»cle*si»as»tic /ikle'ezeeastik/ n. &
adj. • n. a priest or as an ecological factor.
clergyman, madj. = ecclesiastical, an ec*cle«si*as*ti* ecol. abbr. 1 ecological. 2 ecologist. 3 ecology.
cism /-tisizam/ n. E. co*li /e'ekoll/ n. a species of anaerobic bacteria in
ec*cle*si«as*ti*cal /ikle'ezeeastikal/ adj. of the church or the large intestine of humans and other animals; it is
the clergy, dd eocle»si»as»ti»caMy adv. toxic in large quantities (abbr. for Esch*e«rich»i»a
ECG abbr. electrocardiogram. coli).
ech«e«lon /eshslon/ n. 1 a level or rank in an organiza- e»col»0«gy /ikolajee/ n. 1 the branch of biology dealing
tion, in society, etc.; those occupying it (often in pi: with the relations of organisms to one another and to
the upper echelons) 2 Mil. a formation of troops, ships,
. their physical surroundings. 2 (in full human ecology)
aircraft, etc., in parallel rows with the end of each row the study of the interaction of people with their envi-
projecting further than the one in front (in echelon). ronment, dd eoo*log*i*cal /ekalojikal, e'eka-/ adj. eo
e«chid«na /ikidna/ n. any of several egg-laying, insec- o«log*i*caMy adv. e*col*o*gist n.
tivorous mammals native to Australia and New Guin- econ. abbr. 1 economics. 2 economy.
ea, with a covering of spines, and having a long snout ec»o«nom»ic /ekanomik, e'eka-/ adj. 1 of or relating to
and long claws. Also called spiny anteater. economics. 2 maintained for profit. 3 adequate to re-
e»chi»no»derm /ikinadarm/ n. any marine invertebrate pay or recoup expenditure with some profit (an ec-
of the phylum Echinodermata, usu. having a spiny onomic rent) 4 considered or studied with regard to
.

skin, e.g., starfish and sea urchins. human needs (economic geography)
e*chi«noid /ikinoyd/ n. a sea urchin. Economic means 'concerning economies': He's re-
ech'O /eko/ n. & v. • n. (pi. -oes or -os) 1 a the repeti- building a solid economic base for the country's future. Ec-
tion of a sound by the reflection of sound waves, b the onomical is commonly used to mean 'thrifty; avoid-
secondary sound produced. 2 a reflected radio or ra- ing waste': Small cars should be inexpensive to buy and
dar beam. 3 a close imitation or repetition of some- economical to run.
thing already done. 4 a person who slavishly repeats ec»0*nom»i»cal /ekanomikal, e'eka-/ adj. sparing in the
the words or opinions of another. 5 (often in pi. ) cir- use of resources; avoiding waste, dd ec»o«nom»i»caMy
cumstances or events reminiscent of or remotely con- adv.
nected with earlier ones. • v. (-oes, -oed) 1 intr. a (of See note at economic.
a place) resound with an echo, b (of a sound) be re- ec»o»nom«ics /ekanomiks, e'eka-/ n.pl. (often treated
peated; resound. 2 tr. repeat (a sound) by an echo. 3 tr. as sing.) 1 a the science of the production and distribu-
a repeat (another's words), b imitate the words, opin- tion of wealth, b the application of this to a particular
ions, or actions of (a person), dd echt>«er n. ech*o*less subject (the economics of publishing) 2 the condition of
.

adj. a country, etc., as regards material prosperity.

ech«o*car»di»o»gram /ekoka'ardeeagram/ n. Med. a rec- e»con«o»mist /ikonamist/ n. 1 an expert in or student
ord produced by echocardiography. of economics. 2 a person who manages financial or ec-
ech»o»car»di»og»ra»phy /ekoka'ardeeografee/ n. Med. onomic matters.
the use of ultrasound waves to investigate the action e»COn»o«mize /ikonamiz/ v. intr. 1 be economical; make
of the heart, dd ech*o*car*di*o*graph /-deeagraf/ n. economies; reduce expenditure. 2 (foil, by on) use
ech»o«car«di»og«ra»pher n. sparingly; spend less on. dd e«con«o»mi»za»tion >/. e«
e»cho»ic /ekoik/ adj. Phonet. (of a word) imitating the con«o»miz«er n.
sound it represents; onomatopoeic. e»con»o»my /ikonamee/ n. (pi. -mies) 1 a the wealth
ech«o SOlind*er n. sounding apparatus for determin- and resources of a community, b a particular kind of
ing the depth of the sea beneath a ship by measuring this (a capitalist economy) C the administration or con-
.

the time taken for an echo to be received, dd echo- dition of an economy. 2 a the careful management of
sound*ing n. (esp. financial) resources; frugality, b (often in pi.) an
eclvoviTUS /ekoviras/ n. (also ECHO vi«rus) any of a instance of this (made many economies). 3 sparing use
group of enteroviruses sometimes causing mild (economy of language). 4 (also e»con»o»my class) the
meningitis, encephalitis, etc. cheapest class of air travel. 5 (attrib.) (also e«con»o»
e*clair /ayklair/ n. a small, elongated light pastry filled my-size) (of goods) consisting of a large quantity for
with cream. a proportionally lower cost.
e»clat /aykla'a/ n. 1 brilliant display; dazzling effect. 2 so- ec*o*sphere /ekosfeer, e'eka-/ n. the region of space in-
cial distinction; conspicuous success. cluding planets where conditions are such that living
eoleotic /iklektik/ adj. &
n. • adj. deriving ideas, tastes, things can exist.
style, etc., from various sources. •«. an eclectic per- ec*0*sys*tem /ekosistam, eeko-/ n. a biological
son, dd ec*lec*ti*cal*ly adv. ec*lec»ti*cism /-tisizam/ n. community of interacting organisms and their phys-
e*clipse /iklips/ n. &
v. »n. 1 the obscuring of the re- ical environment.
flected light from one celestial body by the passage of ec«ru /ekroo, aykroo/ n. the color of unbleached linen.
another between it and the eye or between it and its ec*sta*sy /ekstasee/ n. (pi. -sies) 1 an overwhelming
source of illumination. 2 a deprivation of light or the feeling of joy or rapture. 2 5/. methylene dioxymetham-
period of this. 3 a rapid or sudden loss of importance phetamine, a powerful stimulant and hallucinatory
or prominence, esp. in relation to another or a newly
arrived person or thing. • v. tr. 1 (of a celestial body) See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
ECT ~ educate 248 en (a knife, tool, etc.). d have the edge on (or over)
have a slight advantage over, on edge 1 tense and rest-
drug, do eosta»tic /ikstatik, ek-/ adj. eostat«i»caMy less or irritable. 2 eager; excited, on the edge of almost
adv. involved in or affected by. dd edge-less adj. edg*er n.
ECT abbr. electroconvulsive therapy.
edge Old English ecg 'sharpened side of a blade,' of
ecto- /ekto/ comb, form outside.
Germanic origin; related to Dutch egge and German
ec»to»derm /ektodorm/ n. Biol, the outermost layer of
Ecke, also to Old Norse eggja (see egg 2 ), from an Indo-
an animal embryo in early development.
European root shared by Latin acies 'edge' and Greek
ec»tO»gen«e»sis /ektojenisis/ n. Biol, the production of
akis 'point.'
structures outside the organism, dd ec«to»ge»net»ic
/-jinetik/ adj. ec«to»gen«ic /-jenik/ adj. ec»tog»e»nous edgewise /ejwiz/ adv. (also esp. Brit, edgeways
/ektojinas/ adj. /-wayz/) 1 with the edge uppermost or toward the
eotomorph /ektamawrf/ n. a person with a lean body viewer. 2 edge to edge, d get a word in edgewise con-
build, (cf. endomorph, mesomorph). dd eoto»mor»phic tribute to a conversation when the dominant speaker
adj. ec»to»morph»y n. pauses briefly.
-ectomy /ektamee/ comb, form denoting a surgical edging /ejing/ n. something forming an edge or bor-
operation in which a part of the body is removed {ap- der, e.g., a fringe or lace.
pendectomy) . edg»y /ejee/ adj. (edgier, edgiest) irritable; nervously
eotop»ic preg»nan»cy n. a pregnancy occurring out- anxious, dd edg*My adv. edg*i*ness n.
side the uterus. ed*i*ble /edibsl/ adj. & n. •adj. fit or suitable to be eat-
eotoplasm /ektaplazam/ the dense outer layer of
n. 1 en (cf. eatable). • «. (in pi.) food, dd ed»i«biNi»ty n.
the cytoplasm (cf. endoplasm). 2 the supposed viscous e*dict /e'edikt/ n. an order proclaimed by authority, dd e»
substance exuding from the body of a spiritualistic me- dic«tal /eedikt'l/ adj.
dium during a trance, dd ec*to*plas«mic adj. n. 1 a building, esp. a large imposing
ed»i»fice /edifis/
ec»U»men»i«cal /ekyOOmeniksl/ adj. 1 of or representing one. 2 a complex organizational or conceptual struc-
the whole Christian world. 2 seeking or promoting ture.
worldwide Christian unity, dd e»cu»men»i»cal»ism n. ed»i»fy /edifiV v. tr. (-f ies, -f ied) (of a circumstance, expe-
(also ec«u»me«nism /ekyaminizam, ikyobmsnizam/) rience, etc.) instruct and improve morally or intellec-
ec«u»men»i»caMy adv. tually, dd ed*i*fi*ca*tion /-fikayshan/ n. ed»i»fying adj.
eoze»ma /eksima, egzi-, igze'e-/ n. inflammation of the ed«i»fy«ing»ly adv.
skin, with itching and discharge from blisters, dd eo
edify Middle English: from Old French edifier, from
zem*a*tous /igzematas, egzem-, -zee-/ adj.
Latin aedificare 'build,' from aedis 'dwelling' + facere
ed. abbr. 1 edited by. 2 edition. 3 editor. 4 educated;
'make' (compare with edifice). The word originally
education.
meant 'construct a building,' also 'strengthen,' hence
-ed 1
/ad, id/ suffix forming adjectives: 1 from nouns,
to 'build up' morally or spiritually.
meaning 'having, wearing, affected by, etc' (talented;
trousered; diseased). 2 from phrases of adjective and ed»it /edit/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 a assemble, prepare, modi-
noun (good-humored; three-cornered). fy, or condense (written material, esp. the work of
-ed 2 /ad, id/ suffix forming: 1 the past tense and past another or others) for publication, b prepare an edi-
participle of weak verbs (needed; risked) . 2 participial tion of (an author's work). 2 be in overall charge of the
adjectives (escaped prisoner; a pained look). content and arrangement of (a newspaper, journal,
E*dam /e'edam, e'edam/ n. a round Dutch cheese, usu. etc.). 3 take extracts from and collate (movies, tape
pale yellow with a red rind. recordings, etc.) to form a unified sequence. 4 a pre-
ed»dy /edee/ n. &
v. • n. (pi. -dies) 1 a circular move- pare (data) for processing by a computer, b alter (a
ment of water causing a small whirlpool. 2 a move- text entered in a word processor, etc.). 5 a reword to
ment of wind, fog, or smoke resembling this. •v.tr. & correct, or to alter the emphasis, b (foil, by out) re-
intr. (-dies, -died) whirl around in eddies. move (part) from a text, etc. • n. 1 a a piece of editing.
e*del*weiss /ayd'lvis/ n. an Alpine plant, Leontopodium b an edited item. 2 a facility for editing.
alpinum, with woolly white bracts around the flower e»di»tion /idishsn/ n. 1 a one of the particular forms in
heads. which a literary work, etc., is published (paperback edi-
e»de»ma /ide'ema/ n. a condition characterized by an tion; pocket edition), b a copy of a book in a particular
excess of watery fluid collecting in the cavities or tis- form (a first edition) 2 a whole number of copies of a
.

sues of the body. Also called dropsy. book, newspaper, etc., issued at one time. 3 a partic-
E*den /eedan/ n. (also Garden of Eden) a place or state ular version or instance of a broadcast, esp. of a reg-
of great happiness; paradise (with reference to the bib- ular program or feature. 4 a person or thing similar to
lical account of the abode of Adam and Eve). or resembling another (a miniature edition of her moth-
e»den»tate /identayt/ adj. &
n. • adj. having no or few er).
teeth. •«. any mammal, esp. of the order Edentata, ed»i«tor /editar/ n. 1a person who edits material lor
having no or few teeth, e.g., an anteater or sloth. publication or broadcasting. 2 a person who directs
edge /ej/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a boundary line or margin of an the preparation of a newspaper or periodical, or a ptl
area or surface. 2 a narrow surface of a thin object. ticular section of one (sports editor). 3 a person who
3 the meeting line of two surfaces of a solid. 4 a the selects or commissions material for publication. 4 a
sharpened side of the blade of a cutting instrument or person who edits film, sound track, etc. 5 a conipuu i

weapon, b the sharpness of this (the knife has lost its program for modifying data. t:i ed»i»tor-ship //. i

edge). 5 the area close to a steep drop (along the edge of ed»i»tO»ri»al /editawreenl/ adj. n. •ad/. 1 of or con- &
the cliff). 6 anything compared to an edge, esp. the crest cerned with editing or editors. 2 written or approved
of a ridge. 7 a (as a personal attribute) incisiveness. by an editor. •//. a newspaper article written by or on
b keenness; excitement (esp. as an element in an oth- behalf of an editor, esp. one giving an opinion on a
erwise routine situation). 8 an advantage; superiority. topical issue, ed»i»to»ri»al»ist n. ed»i»to«ri»aMze I />///
t ii j

• v. 1 tr. & intr. by m, into, out, etc.) move

(often foil, ed*i*to*ri*aMy adv.
gradually or furtively toward an objective (they all edged EDP abbr. electronic data processing
toward the door). 2 tr. a provide with an edge or bor- EDT abbr. eastern daylight time.
der, b form a border to. c trim the edge of. 3 tr. sharp- ed-u-cate /ejakayt/ v.tr. (also absol.) 1 give intellectual,
 .

moral, and social instruction to (a pupil, esp. a child), 249 educated - egg
esp. as a formal and prolonged process. 2 provide
education for. 3 (often foil, by in, or to + infin.) train pearance or manner; unmasculine. dd eMem»i»na»cy
or instruct for a particular purpose, no ed«u*ca*ble n. eMenvi»nate»ly adv.
/-kabal/ adj. ed»u»ca»bil»i»ty /-kabilitee/ n. ed*u*cat*a* ef»fer»vesce /efarves/ v.intr. 1 give off bubbles of gas;
ble adj. ed*u*ca*tive adj. ed»u»ca»tor n. bubble. 2 (of a person) be lively, dd ef»fer»ves»cence
ed»u»cat»ed /ejakaytid/ adj. 1 having had an education, n. eMer»ves»cen«cy n. ef»fer»ves»cent adj.

esp. to a higher level than average. 2 resulting from a eMete /ifeet/ adj. 1 a feeble and incapable, b effemi-
(good) education {an educated accent) 3 based on . nate. 2 worn out; exhausted of its essential quality or
experience or study {an educated guess) vitality, dd ef»fete«ness n.
ed»u»ca«tion /ejakayshan/ n. 1a the act or process of ef*fi*ca«ci0US /efikayshas/ adj. (of a thing) producing
educating or being educated; systematic instruction. or sure to produce the desired effect, dd ef*fi*ca*cious*
b the knowledge gained from this. 2 a particular kind ly adv. ef*fi*ca*cious*ness n. ef»fi«ca»cy /efikasee/ n.
of or stage in education {a classical education; further ef»fi»cien»cy /ifishansee/ n. {pi. -cies) 1 the state or
education). 3 a development of character or mental quality of being efficient. 2 Mech. Of Physics the ratio
powers, b a stage in or aspect of this {travel will be an of useful work performed to the total energy expended
education for you) dd ed*u*ca*tion*al adj. ed»u»ca»tiorv
. or heat taken in.
al*ist n. ed«u*ca*tion*aMy adv. ed*u*ca*tion*ist n. ef«fi»cient /ifishant/ adj. 1 productive with minimum
e*duce /idobs, idyoos/ v.tr. 1 bring out or develop from waste or effort. 2 (of a person) capable; acting effec-
latent or potential existence; elicit. 2 infer; elicit a prin- tively, dd ef»fi»cienWy adv.
number, etc., from data.
ciple, e*duc*i*ble adj. e« eM i»gy /efijee/
n. {pi. -gies) a sculpture or model of a
duotion /idukshen/ n. e*duc*tive /iduktiv/ adj. person, a in effigy in the form of a (usu. crude)
Ed»ward«i»an /edwawrdeean, -waar-/ adj. &
n. *adj. representation of a person.
of, characteristic of, or associated with the reign of ef*flo*resce /eflares/ v.intr. 1 burst out into flower.
King Edward VII of England (1901-10). •«. a person 2 Chem. a (of a substance) turn to a fine powder on
belonging to this period. exposure to air. b (of salts) come to the surface and
-ee /ee/ suffix forming nouns denoting: 1 the person af- crystallize on it. C (of a surface) become covered with
fected by the verbal action {addressee; employee) 2 a salt particles, dd ef»flo«res«cence n. efflorescent adj.
.

person concerned with or described as {absentee; ref- ef«flu»ence /eflooans/ «. 1a flowing out (of light,
ugee). 3 an object of smaller size {bootee). electricity, etc.). 2 that which flows out.
EEG abbr. electroencephalogram. ef»f lu»ent /eflooant/ adj. &
n. • adj. flowing forth or out.

eel /eel/ n. 1 any of various snakelike fish, with slender • n. 1 sewage or industrial waste discharged into a
body and poorly developed fins. 2 a slippery or eva- river, the sea, etc. 2 a stream or lake flowing from a
sive person or thing, dd eeMike adj. eel»y adj. larger body of water.
EEOC abbr. Equal Employment Opportunity Commis- ef»f lu*vi*um /iflobveeam/ n. {pi. effluvia /-veea/) an un-
sion. pleasant or noxious odor or exhaled substance af-
ee*rie /e'eree/ adj. (eerier, eeriest) gloomy and strange; fecting the lungs or the sense of smell, etc.
weird; frightening {an eerie silence), dd ee«rMy adv. ee* eMort /efart/ n. 1 strenuous physical or mental exer-
ri-ness n. tion. 2 a vigorous or determined attempt. 3 Mech. a
ef- /if, ef/ prefix assim. form of ex- 1 1 before/. force exerted. 4 colloq. the result of an attempt; some-
eMace /ifays/ v. 1 tr. rub or wipe out (a mark, etc.). thing accomplished {not bad for a first effort), dd eMort*
2 tr. (in abstract senses) obliterate; wipe out {effaced less adj. ef»forWess«ly adv.
it from his memory). 3 tr. utterly surpass; eclipse {suc- ef»fron»ter»y /ifruntaree/ n. {pi. -ies) shameless inso-
cess has effaced all previous attempts) 4 refl. treat or re-
. lence; impudent audacity (esp. have the effrontery to).
gard oneself as unimportant {self-effacing), dd ef»face« ef»ful»gent /ifuljant/ adj. literary radiant; shining bril-
ment n. liantly, dd ef*ful*gence /-jans/ n. eMul»gent»ly adv.
eWect /ifekt/ n. & v. • n. 1 the result or consequence eMuse adj. &v. •adj. /ifyobs/ Bot. (of an inflorescence,
of an action, etc.; the significance or implication of etc.) spreading loosely. • v. tr. /ifyobz/ 1 pour forth (liq-
this. 2 efficacy {had little effect). 3 an impression pro- uid, light, etc.). 2 give out (ideas, etc.).
duced on a spectator, hearer, etc. {my words had no ef- eM
U'Sion /ifyoozhan/ n. 1 a copious outpouring. 2 usu.
fect). 4 (in pi.) property; luggage. 5 (in pi.) the light- derog. an unrestrained flow of speech or writing.
ing, sound, etc., used to accompany a play, movie, ef»fu»sive /ifyobsiv/ adj. gushing; demonstrative; exu-
broadcast, etc. 6 Physics a physical phenomenon, usu- berant {effusive praise), dd eMu*sive*ly adv. ef»fu»sive»
ally named after its discoverer {Doppler effect) 7 the . ness n.
state of being operative, •v.tr. 1 bring about; accom- e.g., abbr. for example.
plish. 2 cause to exist or occur, d bring (or carry) into e»gal»i»tar«i»an /igalitaireean/ adj. &n. *adj. 1 of or re-
effect accomplish, for effect to create an impression. lating to the principle of equal rights and opportuni-
in effect for practical purposes; in reality, take effect ties for all {an egalitarian society). 2 advocating this
become operative. principle. • n. a person who advocates or supports egal-
See note at affect. itarian principles, dd e*gal*i*tar*i*an*ism n.
ef»fec»tive /ifektiv/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 having a definite egg /eg/ n. 1 a the spheroidal reproductive body pro-
1

or desired effect. 2 powerful in effect; impressive. duced by females of animals such as birds, reptiles,
3 a actual; existing in fact rather than officially or the- fish, etc., enclosed in a protective layer and capable of
oretically {took effective control in their absence) b actu-
. developing into a new individual, b the egg of the
ally usable; realizable; equivalent in its effect {effective domestic hen, used for food. 2 Biol, the female repro-
money; effective demand) 4 coming into operation {ef-
. ductive cell in animals and plants. 3 colloq. a person or
fective as of May 1). • «. a soldier available for service. thing qualified in some way {a tough egg), d have (or
dd ef*fec*tive*ly adv. ef»fec«tive»ness n. put) all one's eggs in one basket colloq. risk everything
ef*fec*tu*al /ifekchooal/ adj. 1 capable of producing the on a single venture, with egg on one's face colloq. made
required result or effect; answering its purpose. 2 val- to look foolish, dd egg*less adj. egg*y adj. (eggier,
id, dd ef*fec«tu*al*i*ty /-chooalitee/ n. ef»fec«tu»aMy eggiest).
adv. ef*fec*tu*al*ness n.
ef«fem«i»nate /ifeminat/ adj. (of a man) feminine in ap- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

egg ~ elate 250 eight»een-wheel»er n. a large tractor-trailer with eight-

een wheels.
egg 2/eg/ v.tr. (foil, by on) urge {egged them on to do it). eighMold /aytfold/ adj. adv. 1 eight times as much &
egg*head /eghed/ n. colloq. an intellectual; an expert. or as many. 2 consisting of eight parts.
egg*nog /egnog/ n. a drink made from a mixture of eighth /ayt-th, ayth/ n. 1 the position in a sequence cor-
eggs, cream, and flavorings, often with alcohol. responding to the number 8 in the sequence 1-8.
egg*plant /egplant/ n. la tropical plant, Solanum 2 something occupying this position. 3 one of eight
melongena, having erect or spreading branches bear- equal parts of a thing.
ing purple or white egg-shaped fruit. 2 this fruit eighth note n. Mus. a note having the time value of an

eaten as a vegetable. 3 the dark purple color of this eighth of a whole note and represented by a large dot
fruit. with a hooked stem. Also called esp. Brit, quaver.
egg*shell /egshel/ n. &
adj. »n. 1 the shell of an egg. eight»y /aytee/ n. &
adj. • n. (pi. -ies) 1 the product of
2 anything very fragile. 3 a pale yellowish-white color. eight and 2 a symbol for this (80, lxxx, LXXX).
ten.
• adj. 1 (of china) thin and fragile. 2 (of paint) with a 3 (in pi.) the numbers from 80 to 89, esp. the years
slight gloss finish. of a century or of a person's life. •adj. that amount to
e»go /eego/ n. (pi. -gos) 1 Metaphysics a conscious eighty, dd eight»i»eth adj. &
n. eight«yfold adj. adv. &
thinking subject. 2 Psychol, the part of the mind that ein»stein»i»um /instineeam/ n. Chem. a transuranic ra-
reacts to reality and has a sense of individuality. 3 self- dioactive metallic element produced artificially from
esteem. plutonium. ^| Symb.: Es.
e»go»cen«tric /e'egosentrik, ego-/ adj. 1 centered in the ei»ther /eethar, ithar/ adj.,pron., adv., conj. »adj. & &
ego. 2 self-centered; egoistic, dd e»go»cen»tri»caMy pron. 1 one or the other of two (either of you can go)
adv. e»go»cen»tric»i»ty /-trisitee/ n. 2 each of two (houses on either side of the road) • adv. .

e»go»ism /e'egoizam, ego-/ an ethical theory that

n. 1 & conj. 1 as one possibility (is 2 as
either black or white) .

treats self-interest as the foundation of morality. 2 sys- one choice or alternative (either come in or go out) 3 .

tematic selfishness. 3 self-opinionatedness. 4 = ego- (with neg. or interrog.) a any more than the other (/
tism, dd e*go«ist n. e*go*is*tic adj. e»go«is»ti»cal adj. didn h like it either) b moreover (there is no time to lose,
.

An egoist is someone who is self-centered or self- either), a either or n. an unavoidable choice between
ish, as in feelings or actions. An egotist is someone alternatives, adj. involving such a choice.
who makes these feelings known, as by constant brag- e«jac*u*late v. & n. •v.tr. /ijakyalayt/ (also absol.) 1 ut-
ging or self-praise. ter suddenly (words esp. of prayer or other emotion).
e«go«ma»ni»a /e'egomayneeg, ego-/ n. obsessive egotism 2 eject (fluid, etc., esp. semen) from the body. •«.
or self-centeredness. an e»go»ma«ni»ac n. e»go«ma»ni» /ijakyabt/ semen that has been ejaculated from the
a»cal /-maniakal/ adj. body, dd e*jac*u*la*tion /-layshan/ n. e«jac»u«la»tor n.
e»go«tism /e'egstizgm, ega-/ n. 1 the practice of talking e«ject /ijekt/ v.tr. 1 a send or drive out precipitately or
about oneself. 2 an exaggerated opinion of oneself. by force, esp. from a building or other property; com-
dd e»go»tist n. e»go»tis»tic adj. e»go«tis»ti»cal adj. pel to leave, b dismiss from employment or office.
e»go trip n. colloq. activity, etc., devoted entirely to one's 2 a cause (the pilot, etc.) to be propelled from an air-
own interests or feelings. craft or spacecraft in an emergency, b (absol.) (of the
e»gre»gious /igreejas/ adj. outstandingly bad; shocking pilot, etc.) be ejected in this way (they ejected at 1,000
(an egregious error), dd e»gre*gious»ly adv. feet). 3 cause to be removed or drop out (e.g., a spent
e«gress /e'egres/ n. 1a going out. b the right of going cartridge from a gun). 4 dispossess (a tenant, etc.) by
out. 2 an exit; a way out. legal process. 5 dart forth; emit, dd e»jec»tion n.
e»gret any of various herons of the genus
/e'egrit/ n. e«jeotor /ijektsr/ n. a device for ejecting.
Egretta or Bulbulcus, usu. having long white feathers in eke /eek/ v.tr. u eke out 1 (foil, by with, by) supple-
the breeding season. ment; make the best use of (defective means, etc.).
E»gyp»tian /ijipshan/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 of or relating to 2 make (a livelihood) or support (an existence).
Egypt in NE Africa. 2 of or for Egyptian antiquities EKG abbr. electrocardiogram.
(Egyptian room) • n. 1 a native of ancient or modern
. e«lab»o»rate adj. &v.» adj. /ilabarat/ 1 carefully or mi-
Egypt; a national of the Arab Republic of Egypt. 2 the nutely worked out. 2 highly developed or complicated.
Hamitic language used in ancient Egypt until the 3rd • v. /ilabarayt/ 1 a tr. work out or explain in detail, b tr.
c. ad. dd E*gyp*tian*ize v.tr. E*gyp*tian*i*za*tion n. make more intricate or ornate. C intr. (often foil, by
E»gyp*tol»o»gy /eejiptotajee/ n. the study of the lan- on) go into details (/ need not elaborate) 2 tr. produce .

guage, history, and culture of ancient Egypt, an E»gyp« by labor, dd e»labK>«rate«ly adv. e-lab-o«rate«ness n. e«
tol«o«gist n. lab*o*ra*tion /-rayshan/ n. e«lab»o«ra»tor n.
ei»der/i'dar/ n. 1 (in full eider duck) any of various large e«lan /ayloN, aylon/ n. vivacity; dash.
northern ducks, esp. of the genus Somateria. 2 - ei- e«land /e'eland/ n. any antelope of the genus Taurotragus,
derdown 1. native to Africa, having spirally twisted horns, esp. the
ei«der»down /idardown/ n. 1 small, soft feathers from largest of living antelopes T. derbianus.
the breast of the eider duck. 2 a quilt stuffed with down e«lapse /ilaps/ v.intr. (of time) pass by.
(orig. from the eider) or some other soft material, esp. e«las»mo«sau»rus /ilazmosawros/ n. a large extinct ma-
as the upper layer of bedclothes. rine reptile with paddlelike limbs and tough CZOC0
eight one more than seven, or two less than
/ayt/ n. 1 dilelike skin.
ten; the product of two units and four units. 2 a sym- e«las»tic/ilastik/a4/. &n. •adj. 1 able to resume its nor
bol for this (8, viii, VIII) 3 a figure resembling the form
. mal bulk or shape spontaneously after contraction^
of 8. 4 a size, etc., denoted by eight. 5 an eight-oared dilatation, or distortion. 2 springy. 3 (of a pertOO 01
rowing boat or its crew. 6 the time of eight o'clock (is feelings) buoyant. 4 adaptable (ikuttt COR
flexible;
it eight yet?) science). 5 Econ. (of demand) variable according to
eighteen /ayte'en/ n. &one more than sev-
adj. •«. 1 price. 6 Physics (of a collision) involving no dCCItlM
enteen, or eight more than ten; the product of two of kinetic energy. •«. 1 elastic cord or labne usu. wo- ,

units and nine units. 2 a symbol for this (18, xviii, ven with strips of rubber. 2 (in full elastic band) =
XVIII). 3 a size, etc., denoted by eighteen. 4 a set or rubber band, an e*las*ti*cal*ly adv. e*las*tic*i*ty /ilastisi
team of eighteen individuals. »adj. that amount to tee, eelas-/ n. e*las»ti»cize ilastisi/7 v.tr.
eighteen, an eight-eenth adj. n. &
e*late /ilayt/ v.tr 1 (esp. as elated adj.) inspirit; stmui
 ). .

late. 2 make proud, an e«lat»ed»ly adv. e*lat*ed*ness n. 251 layer ~ electrolysis

e*la*tion /-layshan/ n.
E layer /e'elayar/ n. a layer of the ionosphere able to re- e»leotric /ilektrik/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 of, worked by, or
flect medium-frequency radio waves. charged with producing or capable of gen-
electricity;
el»bow /elbo/ «.&a»n.1a the joint between the fore- erating electricity. 2 causing or charged with sudden
arm and the upper arm. b the part of the sleeve of a and dramatic excitement (the news had an electric ef-
garment covering the elbow. 2 an elbow-shaped bend fect; the atmosphere was electric) • n. 1 an electric light,
.

or corner; a short piece of piping bent through a right vehicle, etc. 2 (in pi.) electrical equipment, dd e«leo
angle, mv.tr. (foil, by in, out, aside, etc.) 1 thrust or jos- tri*caMy adv.
tle (a person or oneself) 2 make (one's way) by thrust-
. concerned with or
e»lec«tri»cal /ilektrikal/ adj. 1 of or
ing or jostling. 3 nudge or poke with the elbow. of the nature of electricity. 2 operating by electricity.
el»bow grease n. colloq. vigorous polishing; hard work. 3 suddenly or dramatically exciting (the effect was elec-
el*bow*room /elboroom/ n. plenty of room to move or trical) .

work in. e»lec»tric Chair n. a chair inwhich criminals sentenced

eld-er /eldar/ adj.
1
& n. •attrib.adj. (of two indicated to death are executed by electrocution.
persons, esp. when related) senior; of a greater age (ray e«lec»tric eel n. an eellike freshwater fish, Electrophorus
elder brother). *n. (often prec. by the) 1 the older or electricus, native to S. America, that kills its prey by
more senior of two indicated (esp. related) persons electric shock.
(which is the elder?; is my elder by ten years) 2 (in pi.
. e«leotri»cian /ilektrishan, e'elek-/ n. a person who
a persons of greater age or seniority (respect your elders) installs or maintains electrical equipment, esp. profes-
b persons venerable because of age. 3 a person ad- sionally.
vanced in life. 4 hist, a member of a senate or gov- n. la form of energy
e»leotric»i»ty /ilektrisitee, e'elek-/
erning body. 5 an official in the early Christian, Pres- resulting from the existence of charged particles (elec-
byterian, or Mormon churches, on eld*er*ship n. trons, protons, etc.), either statically as an accumula-
eld«er 2 /eldar/ n. any shrub or tree of the genus tion of charge or dynamically as a current. 2 the branch
Sambucus, with white flowers and usu. blue-black or of physics dealing with electricity. 3 a supply of elec-
red berries. current for heating, lighting, etc. 4 a state of height-
tric
eld»er»ber»ry /eldarberee/ n. (pi. -ries) the berry of the ened emotion; excitement; tension.
elder, esp. common elder (Sambucus nigra) used for e»lec»tri«fy /ilektrinV tur. (-ties, -tied) 1 charge (a body)
making jelly, wine, etc. with electricity. 2 convert to the use of electric power.
eld»er»ly /eldarlee/ a^>. &n. *adj. 1 somewhat old. 2 (of 3 cause dramatic or sudden excitement in. dd e«lec»
a person) past middle age. *n. (collect.) (prec. by the) tri»fi«ca»tion /-fikayshan/ n. e«lec«tri«fi»er n.
elderly people, an eld*er»li»ness n. e»lec»tro /ilektro/ n. &
v. • n. (pi. -tros) 1 = electrotype

eld»est /eldist/ adj. & n. • adj. first-born or oldest sur- n. 2 - electroplate «. • v. tr. (-troes, -troed) colloq. 1 =
viving (member of a family, son, daughter, etc.). • «. ELECTROTYPE V.2- ELECTROPLATE V.
(often prec. by the) the eldest of three or more indi- electro- /ilektro/ comb, form Electr. of, relating to, or
cated (who is the eldest?). caused by electricity (electrocute; electromagnet)
elec. abbr. 1 electric. 2 electrical. 3 electricity. e»lec»tro»car»di»o»gram /ilektrokaardeeagram/ n. a
el«e«cam»pane/elikampayn/n. 1 a sunflowerlike plant, record of the heartbeat traced by an electrocardio-
Inula helenium, with bitter aromatic leaves and roots. graph.
2 an esp. candied confection flavored with this. e»lec»tro«car»di»o»graph /ilektrokaardeeagraf/ n. an in-
e»lect /ilekt/ v.& adj. •v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by to + infin.) strument recording the electric currents generated by
choose (the principles they elected to follow). 2 choose (a a person's heartbeat, dd e«lec»tro»car»di»o«graprwc adj.
person) by vote (elected a new chairman) 3 Theol. (of
. e»lec»tro»car«di»ogTa»phy /-deeogrgfee/ n.
God) choose (persons) in preference to others for sal- e»lec»tro»con»vul»sive/ilektrok3nvulsiv/ adj. (of a ther-
vation, madj. 1 chosen. 2 select; choice. 3 Theol. cho- apy) employing the use of the convulsive response to
sen by God. 4 (after a noun designating office) cho- the application of electric shocks.
sen but not yet in office (president elect). e»lec»tro»CUte /ilektrokyoot/ v.tr. 1 injure or kill some-
e»lec»tion /ilekshan/ n. 1 the process of electing or be- one by electric shock. 2 execute (a convicted criminal)
ing elected. 2 the act or an instance of electing. by means of the electric chair, dd e«lec»tro»cu»tion
e»leotive /ilektiv/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 a (of an office or its /-kyobshsn/ n.
holder) filled or appointed by election, b (of authori- e»lec«trode /i.'ektrod/ n. a conductor through which
ty) derived from election. 2 (of a body) having the electricity enters or leaves an electrolyte, gas, vacuum,
power to elect. 3 having a tendency to act on or be etc.
concerned with some things rather than others (elec- e»lec«tro«dy»nam»ics /ilektrodinamiks/ n.pl. (usu.
tive affinity). A (of a course of study) chosen by the stu- treated as sing.) the branch of mechanics concerned
dent; optional. 5 (of a surgical operation, etc.) option- with electric current applied to motive forces, dd e»
al; not urgently necessary. »n. an elective course of lec»tro»dynanvic adj.
study, dd e«lec«tive*ly adv. e«lec»tro»en»ceph»a»lo«gram /ilektroinsefabgram/ n. a
e»leotor /ilektar/ n. 1 a person who has the right of vot- record of the brain's activity traced by an electroen-
ing. 2 a member of the electoral college, dd e»lec«tor» cephalograph.
ship n. e«lec»tro-ervceph«a«lo«graph /ilektroinsefalagraf/ n.
e»lec»tor»al /ilektaral/ adj. relating to or ranking as elec- an instrument recording the electrical activity of
tors, dd e»lec«tor«aMy adv. the brain, dd e«lec«tro»ervceph»a»logTa»phy /-lografee/
e»lec»tor»al coMege n. 1 a body of persons repre- n.
senting each of the states of the US, who cast votes for e»lec»trol»y»sis /ilektrolisis, e'elek-/ n. 1 Chem. the de-
the election of the president and vice president. 2 a composition of a substance by the application of an
body of electors. electric current. 2 Med. this process applied to the de-
e«leotor»ate /ilektarat/ n. a body of electors. struction of tumors, hair roots, etc. dd e«lec»tro»lyt»ic
E»leotra convplex /ilektrg/ n. Psychol, a daughter's /ilektrolitik/ adj. e*lec*tro*lyt*i*cal adj. e«lec«tro«lyt«i«
subconscious sexual attraction to her father and hos- caMy adv.
tility toward her mother, corresponding to the Oed-

ipus complex in a son. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

electrolyte ~ elevator 252 el-e-gant/eligsnt/tfdy. 1 graceful in appearance or man-

ner. 2 tasteful; refined. 3 (of a mode of life, etc.) of re-
e»lec»tro»lyte /ilektrsllt/ n. 1 a substance that conducts fined luxury. 4 ingeniously simple and pleasing. 5 ex-
when molten or in solution, esp. in an elec-
electricity cellent, dd el«e*gance /-gons/ n. el*e*gant*ly adv.
or battery. 2 a solution of this.
tric cell el*e*gi«ac /elijfek, ileejeeak/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 (of a me-
e»leotro«lyze /ilektraliz/ v. tr. subject to or treat by elec- ter) used for elegies. 2 mournful, •n. (in pi.) verses in
trolysis, dd e»leotro«lyz»er n. an elegiac meter, dd el*e*gi*a*cal*ly adv.
e»leotro»mag»net /ilektromagnit/ n. a soft metal core el*e*gize /elijiz/ v. 1 intr. (often foil, by upon) write an
made into a magnet by the passage of electric current elegy. 2 intr. write in a mournful strain. 3 tr. write an
through a coil surrounding it. elegy upon, dd el*e*gist n.
e»lec»tro»mag»neWc /ilektromagnetik/ adj. having el»e»gy /elijee/ n. (pi. -gies) 1 a song of lament, esp. for
both an electrical and a magnetic character or prop- the dead (sometimes vaguely used of other poems).
erties, dd e»leotro»mag»net»i»caMy adv. 2 a poem in elegiac meter.
e*lec*tro*mag*net*ism /ilektromagnitizam/ n. 1 the el«e«ment /elimant/ n. 1 a component part or group; a
magnetic forces produced by electricity. 2 the study of contributing factor or thing. 2 Chem. &
Physics any of
this. the hundred or so substances that cannot be resolved
e»leotro»me»charw»cal /ilektromikanikal/ adj. relating by chemical means into simpler substances. 3 a any of
to the application of electricity to mechanical process- the four substances (earth, water, air, and fire) in an-
es, devices, etc. cient and medieval philosophy, b any of these as a be-
e»lec»trom»e»ter /ilektromitar, e'elek-/ n. an instrument ing's natural abode or environment. C a person's ap-
for measuring electrical potential without drawing any propriate or preferred sphere of operation. 4 Electr. a
current from the circuit, dd e«leotro»met»ric /-metrik/ resistance wire that heats up in an electric heater, cook-
adj. e»lec»trom»e»try n. er, etc.; an electrode. 5 (in pi.) atmospheric agencies,
e»lec»tro»mo»tive /ilektromotiv/ adj. producing or esp. wind and storm. 6 (inp/.) the rudiments of learn-
tending to produce an electric current. ing or of a branch of knowledge. 7 (in pi.) the bread
e»lec»tron /ilektron/ n. a stable elementary particle with and wine of the Eucharist.
a charge of negative electricity, found in all atoms and el*e*men*tal /eliment'l/ adj. &n.m adj. 1 of the four ele-
acting as the primary carrier of electricity in solids. ments. 2 of the powers of nature (elemental worship).
e»lec»tron«ic /ilektronik, e'elek-/ adj. 1 a produced by 3 comparable to a force of nature (elemental grandeur,
or involving the flow of electrons, b of or relating to elemental tumult) A
uncompounded (elemental oxygen)
electrons or electronics. 2 (of a device) using electron- 5 essential. • n. an entity or force thought to be phys-
ic components. 3 a (of music) produced by electron- ically manifested by occult means.
ic means, and usu. recorded on tape, b (of a musical el«e»men«ta«ry /elimentaree, -tree/ adj. 1 a dealing
instrument) producing sounds by electronic means. with or arising from the simplest facts of a subject; ru-
dd e*lec*tron*i*caMy adv. dimentary; introductory, b simple. 2 Chem. not de-
e»lec»tron»ic mail n. messages distributed by electron- composable.
ic means, esp. from one computer system to one or el»e«men«ta»ry school n. a school in which elementary
more recipients. Also called E-mail. subjects are taught to young children.
e»leotron»ics /ilektroniks, e'elek-/ n.pl. (usu. treated as el*e«phant /elifant/ n. (pi. same or elephants) the larg-
sing.) 1 a branch of physics and technology concerned est living land animal, of which two species survive,
with the behavior and movement of electrons in a vac- the larger African (Loxodonta africana) and the small-
uum, gas, semiconductor, etc. 2 the circuits used in er Indian (Elephas maximus), both with a trunk and
this. long curved ivory tusks, dd el*e«phan*toid /-fantoyd/
e*leotron microscope n. a microscope with high adj.
magnification and resolution, employing electron el*e*phan*ti*a a sis /elifantfesis/ n. gross enlargement of
beams in place of light and using electron lenses. the body, esp. the limbs, due to lymphatic obstruction,
e*lec»tron»volt /ilektronvolt/ n. a unit of energy equal esp. by a nematode parasite.
to the work done on an electron in accelerating it el»e»phan»tine /elifanteen, -tin, elafan-/ adj. 1 of ele-
through a potential difference of one volt. ^ Abbr.: eV. phants. 2 a huge, b clumsy; unwieldy.
e»lec»tro»plate /ilektraplayt/ v. &n. • v. tr. coat by elec- el»e«vate /elivayt/ v.tr. 1 bring to a higher position.
trolytic deposition with chromium, silver, etc. • n. elec- 2 raise; lift. 3 raise the axis of (a gun). 4 raise (a rail-
troplated articles, dd e*lec*tro*plat*er n. road, etc.) above ground level. 5 exalt in rank, etc.
e»leotro«scope /ilektraskop/ n. an instrument for de- 6 (usu. as elevated adj.) a raise the spirits of; elate.
tecting and measuring electricity, esp. as an indication b raise morally or intellectually (elevated style).
of the ionization of air by radioactivity, dd e«lec»tro» el«e»va»tion /elivayshan/ n. la the process of elevating
scop*ic /-skopik/ adj. or being elevated, b the angle with the horizontal, esp.
e«lec»tro»shock /ilektroshok/ attrib.adj. (of medical of a gun or of the direction of a heavenly body, c the
treatment) by means of electric shocks. height above a given level, esp. sea level, d a raised ar-
e»iec»tro»Stat«ic /ilektrostatik/ adj. of or relating to sta- ea; a swelling on the skin. 2 a a drawing or diagram
tionary electric charges or electrostatics. made by projection on a vertical plane (cf. ran), b a
e»lec»tro»tech«nol»o»gy /ilektroteknotajee/ n. the sci- flat drawing of the front, side, or back of a house, etl
ence of the application of electricity in technology. 3 Ballet a the capacity of a dancer to attain height in
dd e»lec»tro«tech»nic /-teknik/ adj. e*lec*tro*tech*ni*cal springing movements, b the action of tightening the
adj. e*lec*tro*tech*nics n. muscles and uplifting the body, dd el«e»va»tlon»al </<//
e»lec«tro«ther»a»py /ilektrotherapee/ n. the treatment (in sense 2).
of diseases by the use of electricity, dd e»lec«tro»thera« el»e«va»tor /elivaytnr/ n. 1a hoisting machine. 2 Acran.
peu»tic /-pydbtik/ adj. e*lec*tro*ther»a*peu*ti*cal adj. e» the movable part of a tailplane for changing the pitch
lec»tro«ther»a»pist n. of an aircraft. 3 a a platform or compartment housed
e»lec»tro»ther»mal /ilektrotharmol/ adj. relating to heat in a shaft for raising and lowering persons or things to
electrically derived. different floors of a building or different levels of a
e«lec»tro»type /ilektrotip/ v.&n.» v. tr. copy by the elec- mine, etc. ba place for lifting and Itoring quantities
trolytic deposition of copper on a mold, esp. for print- of grain. 4 that which elevates, esp. a muscle that iais
ing, mn. a copy so formed. es a limb.
 .

e«lev»en /ilevsn/ n. &

adj. • n. 1 one more than ten; the 253 eleven ~ embankment
sum of six units and five units. 2 a symbol for this (11,
xi, XI). 3 a size, etc., denoted by eleven. 4 a set or team ticulation. 2 a particular style of speaking, dd elo«cu»
of eleven individuals. 5 the time of eleven o'clock. • adj. tiorvar»y adj. el*o*cu*tion*ist n.
that amount to eleven. e»lon»gate /ilawnggayt, -long-/ tr. lengthen; prolong.
e»lev»enth /ilevanth/ n. &
the position in a
adj. • n. 1 dd e*long«a*tion /ilawnggayshan, ilong-, e'elawng-,
sequence corresponding to the number 1 1 in the se- eelong-/ n.
quence 1-11. 2 something occupying this position. e«lon*gat*ed adj. 1 long in relation to its width. 2 that
3 one of eleven equal parts of a thing. 4 Mus. a an in- has been made longer.
terval or chord spanning an octave and a third in the e»lope /il6p/ v.intr. 1 run away to marry secretly, esp.
diatonic scale, b a note separated from another by this without parental consent. 2 run away with a lover, dd e»
interval, •adj. that is the eleventh. lopernent n.
e«lev»enth hour n. the last possible moment. el*o*quence /etakwgns/ n. 1 fluent and effective use of
elf /elf/ n. (pi. elves /elvz/) 1 a mythological being, esp. language. 2 rhetoric.
one that is small and mischievous. 2 a sprite or little el*o*quent /elakwsnt/ adj. 1 possessing or showing el-
creature. elMsh adj. elv«ish adj. oquence. 2 (often foil, by of) clearly expressive or in-
elf«ln /elfin/ adj. of elves; elflike; tiny; dainty. dicative, dd el»o«quenMy adv.
e»lioit /ilisit/ v.tr. 1draw out; evoke (an admission, re- else /els/ adv. 1 (prec. by indef. or interrog. pron.) be-
sponse, etc.). 2 draw forth (what is latent), dd e»lioi» sides; in addition (someone else; nowhere else; who else)
taction n. e«lic»i«tor n. 2 instead; other; different (what else could I say?). 3 oth-
e*lide /ilid/ v.tr. omit (a vowel or syllable) by elision. erwise; if not (run, (or) else you will be late).
el«l»gi»ble /elijibsl/ adj. 1 (often foil, by for) fit or enti- else«where /els-hwair, -wair/ adv. in or to some other
tled to be chosen. 2 desirable or suitable, esp. as a part- place.
ner in marriage, dd el«i»gi«bil«i«ty n. e»lu»ci»date /ilobsidayt/ v.tr. throw light on; explain.
e«lim»l«nate /iliminayt/ v.tr. 1 a remove; get rid of. dd e*lu*ci*da*tion /-dayshan/ n.
b kill; murder. 2 exclude from consideration; ignore e*lude /ilood/ v. tr. 1 escape adroitly from (a danger, dif-

as irrelevant. 3 exclude from further participation in ficulty, pursuer, etc.); dodge. 2 avoid compliance with
a competition, etc., on defeat, dd e*lim*i*na«tion (a law, request, etc.) or fulfillment of (an obligation).
/-nayshgn/ n. e»lim»i»na»tor n. e»linvi»na»to»ry 3 (of a fact, solution, etc.) escape from or baffle (a per-
/-natawree/ adj. son's memory or understanding), dd e*lu*sion
e*li*sion /ilizhan/ n. 1 the omission of a vowel or sylla- /ildbzhan/ n. e«lu»so»ry /-lobsaree/ adj.
ble in pronouncing (as in I'm, let's, e'en). 2 the omis- e«lu»slve /ilobsiv/ adj. 1 difficult to find or catch; tend-
sion of a passage in a book, etc. ing to elude. 2 difficult to remember or recall. 3 (of an
e«lite /ayle'et, sleet/ n. &
adj. •n. 1 (prec. by the) the answer, etc.) avoiding the point raised; seeking to
best of a group. 2 a select group or class, •adj. of or elude, dd e*lu*sive*ly adv. e*lu«sive*ness n.
belonging to an elite; exclusive. E»ly»si»um /ilizeeam, ilizh-/ n. 1 (also E*lysian fields)
e«lit»ism /ayle'etizam, aleet-/ n. 1 advocacy of or reli- (in Greek mythology) the abode of the blessed after
ance on leadership or dominance by a select group. death. 2 a place or state of ideal happiness, dd e»lysi»
2 a sense of belonging to an elite, dd e*lit*ist n. adj. & an or E*lysian adj.
e«lix»ir /iliksar/ n. 1 Alchemy a a preparation supposed- el»y»tron /elitron/ n. (pi. elytra /-tra/) the outer hard,
ly able to change metals into gold, b (in full elixir of usu. brightly colored wing case of a coleopterous in-
life) a preparation supposedly able to prolong life in- sect.
definitely, c a supposed remedy for all ills. 2 Pharm. em /em/ n. Printing 1 a unit for measuring the amount
an aromatic solution used as a medicine or flavoring. of printed matter in a line, usually equal to the nom-
E*liz«a«be*than /ilizabe'ethan/ adj. &n.* adj. of the time inal width of capital M. 2 a unit of measurement equal
of England's Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) or of to 1 2 points.
Queen Elizabeth II (1952- ). •n. a person of the time e»ma»ci»ate /imaysheeayt/ v.tr. (esp. as emaciated adj.)
of Queen Elizabeth I or II. make abnormally thin or feeble, dd e*ma*ci*a*tion
elk /elk/ n. (pi. same or elks) 1 a large deer, Cervus /-ayshan/ n.
canadensis, native to North America. Also called wap- E-mail /eemayl/ n. (also e-mail) = electronic mail.
iti. 2 a large deer, Alces alces, of N. Europe and Asia; a em*a«nate /emgnayt/ v. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by from) (of an
moose. idea, rumor, etc.) issue; originate (from a source).
ellipse /ilips/ n. a regular oval, traced by a point mov- 2 intr. (usu. foil, by from) (of gas, light, etc.) proceed;
ing in a plane so that the issue. 3 tr. emit; send forth, dd em*a*na*tion n.
sum of its distances from e»man»ci»pate /imansipayt/ v.tr. 1 free from restraint,
two other points is con- esp. legal, social, or political. 2 (usu. as emancipated
stant, or resulting when a adj.) cause to be less inhibited by moral or social con-
cone is cut by a plane that vention. 3 free from slavery, dd e«marvci«pa»tion
does not intersect the ellipse /-payshon/ n. e*man*ci*pa*tor n. e»marvci«pa»tOTy
base (cf. hyperbola). adj.
el*lip*sis /ilipsis/ n. (pi. ellipses /-seez/) 1 the omission e*mas*CU*late v. &
adj. •v.tr. /imaskyalayt/ 1 deprive
from a sentence of words needed to complete the of force or vigor; make feeble or ineffective. 2 castrate.
construction or sense. 2 the omission of a sentence at • adj. /imaskyalat/ 1 deprived of force or vigor. 2 cas-
the end of a paragraph. 3 a set of three dots, etc., in- trated. 3 effeminate, dd e*mas*cu*la«tion /-layshan/ n.
dicating an omission. envbalm /embaam, im-/ v.tr. 1 preserve (a corpse)
el«lip«tic /iliptik/ adj. (also eMip*ti*cal) of, relating to, or from decay orig. with spices, now by means of arteri-
having the form of an ellipse or ellipsis, dd eMip*ti*cal* al injection. 2 preserve from oblivion. 3 give balmy fra-
ly adv. eMip*tic*i*ty /eliptisitee/ n. grance to. dd em*balm*er n. errvbalrrvment n.
elm /elm/ n. 1 any tree of the genus Ulmus, esp. U. pro- em«bank»ment /embangkmant, im-/ n. an earth or
cera with rough serrated leaves. 2 (in full elmwood) stone bank for keeping back water, or for carrying a
the wood of the elm. dd elm»y adj. road or railroad.
el*o*cu*tion /etakyooshan/ n. 1 the art of clear and ex-
pressive speech, esp. of distinct pronunciation and ar- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 )

embargo ~ emigrate 254
envbar»go /emba'argo/ n. &
v. •«. (pi. -goes) 1 an or-
der of a government forbidding foreign ships to enter,
or any ships to leave, its ports. 2 an official suspension
of commerce or other activity (be under an embargo).
3 an impediment, •v.tr. (-goes, -goed) 1 place (ships,
trade, etc.) under embargo. 2 seize (a ship, goods) for
government service.
envbark /embaark, im-/ v. 1 tr. & intr. (often foil, by
for) put or go on board a ship or aircraft (to a destina-
tion). 2 intr. (foil, by on, upon) engage in an activity or
undertaking, dd em»bar«ka»tion n. (in sense 1).
em»bar»rass /embaras, im-/ v.tr. 1 a cause (a person)
to feel awkward or self-conscious or ashamed, b (as
embarrassed adj.) having or expressing a feeling of
awkwardness or self-consciousness. 2 (as embar-
rassed adj.) encumbered with debts. 3 hamper; im-
pede, dd envbarTassed'ly adv. errvbar«rass«ing adj.
em*bar*rass*ing*ly adv. em«bar«rass«ment n.
em*bas*sy /embssee/ n. (pi. -sies) 1 a the residence or
offices of an ambassador, b the ambassador and staff
attached to an embassy. 2 a deputation or mission to
a foreign country.
envbaMIe /embat'l, im-/ v.tr. 1 a set (an army, etc.) in
battle array, b fortify against attack. 2 provide (a build-
ing or wall) with battlements. 3 (as embattled adj.)
a prepared or arrayed for battle, b involved in a con-
flict or difficult undertaking.
envbed /embed, im-/ v.tr. (also invbed) (-bedded,
-bedding) 1 (esp. as embedded adj.) fix firmly in a sur- i»cal adj. em«bry»o«log«i»cal«ly adv. em«bry»ol»o»gist n.
rounding mass (embedded in concrete). 2 (of a mass) em»cee /emsee/ n.
4 adopt (a course of action, doctrine, cause, etc.). 5 in-
clude; comprise. 6 take in with the eye or mind. • n.
an act of embracing; holding in the arms, dd envbrace*
a»ble adj. envbrace-ment n. em«brac»er n.
em«bra»sure /embrayzhar, im-/ n. 1 the beveling of a
wall at the sides of a door or window. 2 a small open-
ing in a parapet of a fortified building, dd em*bra*sured
adj.
em«bro»ca«tion /embrokayshan/ n. a liquid used for
rubbing on the body to relieve muscular pain, etc.
em»broi«der /embroydar, im-/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.)
a decorate (cloth, etc.) with needlework, b create (a
design) in this way. 2 add interest to (a narrative) with
fictitious additions, dd em*broi*der*er n.
em«broi»der»y /embroydaree, im-/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 the art
of embroidering. 2 embroidered work; a piece of this.
em*broil /embroyl, im-/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by with) in-
volve (a person) in conflict or difficulties. 2 bring
(affairs) into a state of confusion, dd em*broil*ment n.
em»bry»o /embreeo/ n. (pi. -os) 1 a an unborn or
unhatched offspring, b a human offspring in the first
eight weeks from conception. 2 a rudimentary plant
contained in a seed. 3 a thing in a rudimentary stage.
4 (attrib.) undeveloped; immature, d in embryo un-
developed, dd envbryoid /-breeoyd/ adj. envbryon*
ic /embreeonik/ adj. envbryon«i»caMy adv.
em«bry»o«gen«e»sis /embreeojenisis/ n. the formation
of an embryo.
em»bry»ol»0»gy /embreeotajee/ n. the study of embry-
os, dd envbryo»log»ic /-breeslojik/ adj. em»bryo»log»
&
v. colloq. • «. a master of cer-

surround so as to fix firmly. 3 place in or as in a bed. emonies. • v. tr. &

intr. (emcees, emceed) act as a mas-

em«beMish /embelish, im-/ v.tr. 1 beautify; adorn. ter of ceremonies.

2 add interest to (a narrative) with fictitious additions. e*mend /imend/ v.tr. edit (a text, etc.) to remove errors
dd envbeMistver n. em*bel*lish*ment n. and corruptions, dd e«men»da»tion /eemendayshan/ n.
envber /embar/ n. 1 (usu. mpl.) a small piece of glow- em»er»ald /emsrald, emrsld/ n. 1a bright-green pre-
ing coal or wood in a dying fire. 2 an almost extinct cious stone, a variety of beryl. 2 (also em»er»ald green)
residue of a past activity, feeling, etc. the color of this.
em*bez*zle /embezal, im-/ v.tr. (also absol.) divert e»merge /imarj/ v.intr. (often foil, by from) 1 come up
(money, etc.) fraudulently to one's own use. dd em* or out into view, esp. when formerly concealed. 2 come
bez*zle*ment n. em*bez*zler n. up out of a liquid. 3 (of facts, circumstances, etc.)
em»bit»ter /embit9r, im-/ v. tr. 1 arouse bitter feelings come to light; become known, esp. as a result of in-
in (a person). 2 make more bitter or painful. 3 render quiry, etc. 4 become recognized or prominent (emerged
(a person or feelings) hostile, dd envbit»ter«ment n. as a leading contender) 5 (of a question, difficulty, etc.)
.

em*bla*zon /emblayzan, im-/ v. tr. 1 a portray conspic- become apparent. 6 survive (an ordeal, etc.) with a
uously, as on a heraldic shield, b adorn (a shield) with specified result (emerged unscathed) dd e»mer»gence n.
.

heraldic devices. 2 adorn brightly and conspicuously. e»mer»gen»cy /imarjansee/ "• (pi- -cies) 1 a sudden
3 celebrate, extol, dd em*bla*zon*ment n. state of danger, conflict, etc., requiring immediate ac-
em»blem /embtam/ n. 1 a symbol or representation typ- tion. 2 a a medical condition requiring immediate
ifying or identifying an institution, quality, etc. 2 (foil, treatment, b a patient with such a condition. 3 (attrib.
by of) (of a person) the type (the very emblem of cour- characterized by or for use in an emergency.
age) 3 a heraldic device or symbolic object as a distinc- e»mer«gen«cy med*i«cal tech«ni»cian n. a person
.

tive badge, dd errvblerrvaHc /-matik/ adj. em»blem»at« trained and licensed to provide basic medical assist-
i»cal adj. em*blem*at*i*caMy adv. ance in emergencies. \ Abbr.: EMT.
em«bod»y /embodee, im-/ v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 give a con- e»mer»gen«cy room n. the part of a hospital thai troHi
crete or discernible form to (an idea, concept, etc.). those requiring immediate medical attention.
2 (of a thing or person) be an expression of (an idea, e»mer«gent /im^rjont/ adj. 1 becoming apparent;
etc.). 3 express tangibly (courage embodied in heroic emerging. 2 (of a nation) newly formed or made
actions). 4 include; comprise, dd em*bod*i*ment n. independent.
em»bold«en /emboldan, im-/ v.tr. (often foil, by to + e«mer»i»tus /imeritos/ adj. retired and retaining one's
infin.) make bold; encourage. title as an honor (emeritus professor).
em*bo*lism /embalizam/ n. an obstruction of any ar- em»er»y /emorce/ n. 1 a coarse corundum used for pol-
tery by a clot of blood, air bubble, etc. ishing metal, etc. 2 (atrrib.) covered with enui .

enrvbo»lus /embatas/ n. (pi. emboli /-li/) an object caus- em»er»y board ;/. a strip of thin wood or hoard <>;iu-il i

ing an embolism. with emery or another abrasive, used as a nail file.

envboss /embos, im-/ v.tr. 1 carve or mold in relief. e»met»ic /imetik/ adj. &
n. *adj. that causes vomiting
2 form figures, etc., so that they stand out on (a sur- • n. an emetic medicine.
face). 3 make protuberant. emigrant /emi^rDnt/ n. &
adj. •«. a person who mi t

em*brace /embrays, im-/ v. &n. • v. tr. 1 a hold (a per- grates, •adj. emigrating.
son) closely in the arms, esp. as a sign of affection, b emigrate /emigrayt/ v. intr. leave one's own COUfltTJ
(absol. of two people) hold each other closely. 2 clasp; to settle in another, h em»i»gra»tion / grayshnn/ n. em»
r i

enclose. 3 accept eagerly (an offer, opportunity, etc.). i»gra»to»ry / gmtawree/ adj.
 .

To emigrate is to leave a country, especially one's 255 emigre ~ EMT

own, intending to remain away. To immigrate is to en-
ter a country, intending to remain there. into special prominence. 2 lay stress on (a word in
e»mi»gre /emigray/ n. (also emigre) an emigrant, esp. a speaking).
political exile. em»phat»ic /emfatik/ adj. 1 (of language, tone, or ges-
em»i»nence /eminans/ n. 1 distinction; recognized ture) forcibly expressive. 2 of words: a bearing the
superiority. 2 a piece of rising ground. 3 (Eminence) stress, b used to give emphasis. 3 expressing oneself
a title used in addressing or referring to a cardinal. with emphasis. 4 (of an action or process) forcible;
e>mi»nencegrise/aymeen6Nsgreez/n. (pi. eminences significant, dd em«phat»i»caMy adv.
grises pronunc. same) 1 a person who exercises power em«phy»se»ma /emfiseema, -ze'ema/ n. enlargement of
or influence without holding office. 2 a confidential the air sacs of the lungs causing breathlessness.
agent. em«pire /emplr/ n. 1 an extensive group of lands or
em»i»nent /eminant/ adj. 1 distinguished; notable. 2 (of countries under a single supreme authority, esp. an
qualities) remarkable in degree, dd em»i»nenMy adv. emperor. 2 supreme dominion. 3 a large commercial
Eminent means 'outstanding; famous': The book was organization, etc., owned or directed by one person or
written by an eminent authority on folk art. Imminent group.
means 'about to happen': War was imminent. Imma- em«pir»ic /empirik, im-/ adj. &
n. • adj. - empirical. • n.
nent, often used in religious or philosophical contexts, archaic 1 a person who, in medicine or other branch-
means 'inherent': He believed in the immanent unity of es of science, relies solely on observation and experi-
nature taught by the Hindus. ment. 2 a quack doctor, dd envpir«i«cism /-sizam/ n.
em«i»nent domain n. sovereign control over all prop- (cf. rationalism) em«pir»i«cist n.
.

erty in a government jurisdiction. em»pir«i»cal /empirikal, im-/ adj. 1 based or acting on

ennir /emeer/ n. a title of various Muslim rulers. observation or experiment, not on theory. 2 Philos. re-
e«mir»ate /imeerit, -ayt, aymeer-, emsrit/ n. the rank, garding sense-data as valid information. 3 deriving
domain, or reign of an emir. knowledge from experience alone, dd em»pir»i»caMy
em«is»sar»y /emiseree/ n. (pi. -ies) a person sent on a adv.
special, usu. diplomatic, mission. em»place*ment /emplaysmant, im-/ n. 1 the act or an
e»mis«sion /imishan/ n. 1 (often foil, by of) the proc- instance of putting in position. 2 a platform or de-
ess or an act of emitting. 2 a thing emitted. fended position where a gun is placed for firing.
e»mis«sive /imisiv/ adj. having the power to radiate envploy /employ, im-/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 use the services

light, heat, etc. dd em»is»siv»i»ty /e'emisivitee/ n. of (a person) in return for payment; keep (a person)
e»mit /imit/ v.tr. (emitted, emitting) 1 a send out (heat, in one's service. 2 (often foil, by for, in, on) use (a thing,
light, vapor, etc.). b discharge from the body. 2 utter time, energy, etc.) esp. to good effect. 3 (often foil, by
(a cry, etc.). dd erniMer n. in) keep (a person) occupied. •«. the state of being
em»mer /emar/ n. a kind of wheat, Triticum dicoccum, employed, esp. for wages, d in the employ of employed
grown mainly for fodder. by. dd envploya»ble adj. em»ploya»bil»i«ty n. envploy
Envmy /emee/ n. (pi. -mies) one of the statuettes award- er n.
ed annually to outstanding television programs and em»ploy»ee /employee, -ploye'e/ n. (also em«ploye) a
performers. person employed for wages or salary.
e«moMient /imolyant/ adj. &n. •adj. that softens or em»ploy»ment /employmant, im-/ n. 1 the act of
soothes the skin. »n. an emollient agent, dd e-mol* employing or the state of being employed. 2 a person's
lience /-yans/ n. regular trade or profession.
e*mol»u»ment /imolyamant/ n. a salary, fee, or profit em»po«ri»um /empawreeam/ n. (pi. -urns or emporia
from employment or office. /-reea/) 1 a large retail store selling a wide variety of
e»mote /imot/ v.intr. colloq. show excessive emotion. goods. 2 a center of commerce; a market.
dd e«mot»er n. em»pow»er /empower, im-/ v.tr. (foil, by to + infin.)
e»mo»tion /imoshan/ n. a strong mental or instinctive 1 authorize; license. 2 give power to; make able, dd em»

feeling such as love or fear. power»ment n.

e»mo»tion»al /imoshanal/ adj. 1 of or relating to the envpress /empris/ n. 1 the wife or widow of an em-
emotions. 2 (of a person) liable to excessive emotion. peror. 2 a woman emperor.
3 expressing or based on emotion (an emotional ap- emp-ty/emptee/ajy.^.j&n. madj. (emptier, emptiest)
peal) 4 likely to excite emotion (an emotional issue)
. 1 containing nothing. 2 (of a space, place, house, etc.)

dd e*mo*tion*al*ize v.tr. e*mo*tion*aMy adv. unoccupied; uninhabited; deserted; unfurnished.

e»mo«tive /imotiv/ adj. 1 of or characterized by emo- 3 (of a transport vehicle, etc.) without a load, passen-
tion. 2 tending to excite emotion. 3 arousing feeling; gers, etc. 4 a meaningless; hollow; insincere (empty
not purely descriptive, dd e«mo«tive«ly adv. threats; an empty gesture) b without substance or pur-
.

em«pan»el /empanal, im-/ var. of impanel.
em*pa*thize /empathiz/ v. Psychol. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by
with) exercise empathy. 2 tr. treat with empathy.
em»pa»thy /empathee/ n. Psychol, the power of identi-
fying oneself mentally with (and so fully compre-
hending) a person or object of contemplation, dd em*
pa*thet*ic /-thetik/ adj. em«pa*thet*i*caMy adv. em*
pose (an empty existence). C (of a person) lacking sense
or knowledge; vacant; foolish. 5 colloq. hungry. 6 (foil,
by of) devoid; lacking. • v. (-ties, -tied) 1 tr. a make
empty; remove the contents of. b (foil, by of) deprive
of certain contents (emptied the room of its chairs). C re-
move (contents) from a container, etc. 2 tr. (often foil,
by into) transfer (the contents of a container) 3 inn: .

patreic /empathik/ adj. em*path*i*cal*ly adv. become empty. 4 intr. (usu. foil, by into) (of a river)
em«per»or /emparar/ n. the sovereign of an empire. discharge itself (into the sea, etc.). •«. (pi. -ties) col-
dd envper-ofship n. a container (esp. a bottle) left empty of its contents.
loq.
em»pha«sis /emfasis/ n. (pi. emphases /-seez/) 1 spec- dd emp*ti*ly adv. emp*ti*ness n.
ial importance or prominence attached to a thing, emp»ty-hand»ed /emptee handid/ adj. 1 bringing or
fact, idea, etc. (emphasis on economy). 2 stress laid on taking nothing. 2 having achieved or obtained noth-
a word or words to indicate special meaning or im- ing.
portance. 3 vigor or intensity of expression, feeling, EMT abbr. emergency medical technician.
action, etc.
em*pha*size /emfasiz/ v.tr. 1 bring (a thing, fact, etc.) See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
emu ~ encyclopedia 256 en»chant«er /enchantar, in-/ n. (Jem. enchantress) a
person who enchants, esp. by supposed use of magic.
e*mu /e'emyCo/ n. a large flightless bird, Dromaius novae- en«chi«la»da /enchilaads/ n. a tortilla with chili sauce
hollandiae, native to Australia, and capable of running and usu. a filling, esp. meat.
at high speed. en»ci»pher /ensifar, in-/ v.tr. 1 write (a message, etc.)
em*u*late /emyalayt/ v.tr. 1 try to equal or excel. 2 im- in cipher. 2 convert into coded form using a cipher.
itate zealously. 3 rival, dd envu»la»tion /-layshan/ n. dd en*ci*pher*ment n.
enviHa-tive adj. em*u*la*tor n. en*cir*cle /ensurkal, in-/ v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by with) sur-
e«mul»si»fi»er /imulsifisr/ n. 1any substance that stabi- round; encompass. 2 form a circle around, dd en»cir»
lizes an emulsion, esp. a food additive used to stabi- cle*ment n.
lize processed foods. 2 an apparatus used for produc- end. abbr. 1 enclosed. 2 enclosure.
ing an emulsion. en»clave /enklayv, on-/ n. 1 a portion of territory of one
e»mul»si»fy /imulsifiV v. tr. (-ties, -tied) convert into an country surrounded by territory of another or others,
emulsion, dd e»mul»si»fi»a»ble adj. e«mul»si»fi»ca»tion as viewed by the surrounding territory. 2 a group of
/-fikayshan/ n. people who are culturally, intellectually, or socially dis-
e*mul*sion /imulshan/ n. 1 a fine dispersion of one liq- tinct from those surrounding them.
uid in another, esp. as paint, medicine, etc. 2 a mix- enclose /enkloz, in-/ v.tr. (also in*close) 1 (often foil,
ture of a silver compound suspended in gelatin, etc., by with, in)a surround with a wall, fence, etc. b shut
for coating plates or films, dd e*mul*sion*ize v.tr. e« in on all sides. 2 fence in (common land) so as to make
muUsive /-siv/ adj. it private property. 3 put in a receptacle (esp. in an en-

en /en/ n. Printing a unit of measurement equal to half velope together with a letter). 4 (usu. as enclosed adj.)
an em. seclude from the outside world.
en«a*ble /enaybsl/ v.tr. 1 (foil, by to + infin.) give (a enclosure /enklozhar, in-/ n. (also in*clo*sure) 1 the
person, etc.) the means or authority to do something. act of enclosing, esp. of common
land. 2 a thing en-
2 make possible. 3 esp. Computing make (a device) op- closed with a letter.
erational, dd en*a*bler n. en*code /enkod, in-/ v.tr. put (a message, etc.) into
ervact /enakt, in-/ v. tr. 1 a (often foil, by that + clause) code or cipher, dd en*cod*er n.
ordain; decree, b make (a bill, etc.) law. 2 play (a part en»co»mi»um/enk6mee3m/n. (pi. encomiums or enco-
or scene on stage or in life), dd en«ac*tion /-akshan/ n. mia /-meea/) a formal or high-flown expression of
ervaotive adj. praise.
en»act»ment /enaktmant, in-/ n. 1 a law enacted. 2 the en*com*pass /enkump9s, in-/ v. tr. 1 surround or form
process of enacting. a circle about, esp. to protect or attack. 2 contain.
e»nam»el /inamal/ n. & v. mn. 1 a glasslike opaque or dd en*com*pass*ment n.
semitransparent coating on metallic or other hard sur- en»core /ongkawr/ n., v., &
int. •«. 1 a call by an au-
faces for ornament or as a preservative lining. 2 a a dience or spectators for the repetition of an item, or
smooth, hard coating, b a cosmetic simulating this. for a further item. 2 such an item, mv.tr. 1 call for the
3 the hard, glossy natural coating over the crown of a repetition of (an item). 2 call back (a performer) for
tooth. 4 painting done in enamel, •v.tr. 1 inlay or en- this. •int. also /-kor/ again; once more.
crust (a metal, etc.) with enamel. 2 portray (figures, en»COUn»ter /enkowntar, in-/ v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 meet by
etc.) with enamel, dd e*nam*el*er n. e*nam*el*work n. chance or unexpectedly. 2 meet as an adversary.
e*nam*el«ware /inamslwair/ n. enameled kitchenware. 3 meet with; experience (problems, opposition, etc.).
en»am»or /inamar/ v.tr. (usu. in passive; foil, by of) 1 in- • n. 1 a meeting by chance. 2 a meeting in conflict.
spire with love or liking. 2 charm; delight. en*COur*age /enkarij, -kur-, in-/ v.tr. 1 give courage,
ervcamp /enkamp/ v.tr. & intr. 1 settle in a military confidence, or hope to. 2 (foil, by to + infin.) urge; ad-
camp. 2 lodge in the open in tents. vise. 3 stimulate by help, reward, etc. 4 promote or as-
en*camp«ment /enkampmant, in-/ n. 1 a place with sist (an enterprise, opinion, etc.) dd en»cour«age«ment .

temporary accommodations for troops or nomads. n. en*cour*ag*er n. en*cour«ag*ing adj. en*cour*ag*ing*

2 the process of setting up a camp. ly adv.
en*cap*su«late /enkapsalayt, -syoo-, in-/ v.tr. 1 en- en*croach /enkrOch, in-/ v. intr. 1 (foil, by on, upon) in-
close in or as in a capsule. 2 summarize; express the trude, esp. on another's territory or rights. 2 advance
essential features of. dd en*cap*su*la*tion /-layshan/ n. gradually beyond due limits, dd en*croach*er n. en»
ervcase /enkays, in-/ v.tr. (also in»case) 1 put into a croach*ment n.
case. 2 surround as with a case, dd en»case«ment n. en«crust /enkrust, in-/ v. (also irrcrust 1 tr. cover with )

ervcaus»tic /enkawstik, in-/ adj. &

n. • adj. 1 (in paint- a crust. 2 tr. overlay with an ornamental crust of pre-
ing, ceramics, etc.) using pigments mixed with hot cious material. 3 intr. form a crust, dd en»crust»ment
wax, which are burned in as an inlay. 2 (of bricks and n.
tiles) inlaid with differently colored clays burned in. en«crus»ta»tion var. of incrustation.
• n. 1 the art of encaustic painting. 2 a painting done en*crypt /enkript, in-/ v.tr. 1 convert (data) into code,
with this technique. esp. to prevent unauthorized access. 2 conceal by this
en*ceph*a*li*tis /ensefalitis/ n. inflammation of the means, dd en»cryp-tlon / kripshan/ n.
brain, dd en*ceph*a*lit*ic /-litik/ adj. en»cum«ber /enkumbor, in-/ v.tr. 1 be a burden to.
encephalo- /ensefalo/ comb, form brain. 2 hamper; impede. 3 burden (a person or estate) with
en»ceph»a»lo»gram /ensefalogram/ n. an X-ray photo- debts, esp. mortgages, dd en»cum»ber«ment n.
graph of the brain. en*cum*brance /enkumbrons, in / n. 1 a burden. 2 an
en*ceph*a*lo*graph /ensefatagraf/ n. an instrument for impediment. 3 a mortgage or other charge on prop-
recording the electrical activity of the brain. erty. 4 an annoyance.
en»ceph»a»lop«a»thy /ensefslopathee/ n. disease of the en»cyc«li»cal/ensiklikr>l/«. &adj. •«. a papal letter situ
brain. to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church. •,/«//
ervchain /enchayn, in-/ v.tr. 1 fetter. 2 hold fast (the (of a letter) for wide circulation.
attention, etc.). dd en*chain*ment n. en»cyclo»pe«di«a /ensfklnpeedce.V n. (also en»cyclo«
ervchant /enchant, in-/ v.tr. 1 charm; delight. 2 be- pae*di*a) a book, often in several volumes, giving
witch, dd en«chant»ed»ly adv. en»chanWng adj. en» information on many subjects, or on many aspects of
chant«ing*ly adv. en*chant*ment n. one subject, usu. arranged alphabetically.
ervcyclope«dic /ensiklape'edik/ adj. (also errcyclo* 257 encyclopedic ~ enemy
pae-dic) (of knowledge or information) comprehen-
sive. within the same tribe. 2 Bot. pollination from the same
en»cyst /ensist, in-/ v. tr. & intr. Biol, enclose or become plant, dd en-dog-a-mous adj.
enclosed in a cyst. en»dog»e»nous /endojinas/ adj. growing or originating
end /end/ n. & v. • n. 1a the extreme limit, b an ex- from within, dd en-do-gen-e-sis /endajenisis/ n. en-
tremity of a line, or of the greatest dimension of an ob- dog-e-ny /endojinee/ n.

ject. C the furthest point (to the ends of the earth). 2 the en»do»me»tri»um /endome'etreeam/ n. Anat. the mem-
surface bounding a thing at either extremity; an ex- brane lining the uterus, dd en-do-me-tri-tis
treme part. 3 a conclusion; finish (no end to his mis- /endomitri'tis/ n.
ery), b the latter or final part, c death; destruction; en»do»morph /endomawrf/ n. a person with a soft,
downfall (met an untimely end).d result; outcome, e an round body build and a high proportion of fat tissue
ultimate state or condition. 4 a a thing one seeks to at- (cf. ectomorph, mesomorph). dd en-do-mor-phic adj.
tain; a purpose (will do anything to achieve her ends). en-do-plasm /endoplazam/ n. the inner fluid layer of
b the object for which a thing exists. 5 a remnant; a the cytoplasm (cf. ectoplasm).
piece left over (a board end). 6 (prec. by the) colloq. the en»dor«phin /endawrfin/ n. Biochem. any of a group of
limit of endurability. 7 the half of a sports field or court peptide neurotransmitters occurring naturally in the
occupied by one team or player. 8 the part or share brain and having pain-relieving properties.
with which a person is concerned (no problem at my en-dorse /endawrs, in-/ v.tr. (also in-dorse) 1 a con-
end) 9 Football a player at the extremity of the offen-
. firm (a statement or opinion), b declare one's approv-
sive or defensive line. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. bring or come to al of. 2 sign or write on the back of (a document), esp.
an end. 2 tr. put an end to; destroy. 3 intr. (foil, by in) the back of (a bill, check, etc.) as the payee or to spec-
have as its result (will end in tears). 4 intr. (foil, by by) ify another as payee. 3 write (an explanation or com-
do or achieve eventually (ended by marrying an heir- ment) on the back of a document, dd en-dors-a-ble
ess). at an end exhausted or completed, at the end adj. en-dor-see /endorsee/ n. en-dors-er n.
of one's rope having no patience or energy left to cope en«dorse«ment /endawrsmant, in-/ n. 1 the act or an
with something, end it all (or end it) colloq. commit su- instance of endorsing. 2 something with which a doc-
icide, end of the road the point at which a hope or en- ument, etc., is endorsed, esp. a signature.
deavor has to be abandoned, end to end with the end en-do-scope /endaskop/ n. Surgery an instrument for
of each of a series adjoining the end of the next, end viewing the internal parts of the body, dd en-do-scop-
up reach a specified state, action, or place eventually ic /-skopik/ adj. en-do-scop-i-cal-ly adv.
(ended up making a fortune), in the end finally; after all. en-do-skel-e-ton /endoskelitan/ n. an internal skel-
make ends (or both ends) meet live within one's in- eton, as found in vertebrates.
come, no end colloq. to a great extent; very much, on en»do«sperm /endasparm/ n. albumen enclosed with
end 1 upright (hair stood on end). 2 continuously (for the germ in seeds.
three weeks on end), put an end to 1 stop (an activity, en*dOW /endow, in-/ v.tr. 1 bequeath or give a per-
etc.). 2 abolish; destroy. manent income to (a person, institution, etc.). 2 (esp.
en»dan»ger /endaynjar, in-/ v. tr. place in danger, an en« as endowed adj.) (usu. foil, by with) provide (a per-
dan*ger*ment n. son) with talent, ability, etc. dd en»dower n.
en»dear /endeer, in-/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by to) make dear en»dow»ment /endowmant, in-/ n. 1 the act or an in-
to or beloved by. stance of endowing. 2 assets, esp. property or income,
en*dear*ing /ende'ering, in-/ adj. with which a person or body is endowed. 3 (usu. in
inspiring affection.
en en»dear»ing»ly adv. pi.) skill, talent, etc., with which a person is endowed.
en»dear»ment /ende'ermant, in-/ n. 1 an expression of end*pa*per /endpaypar/ n. a usu. blank leaf of paper at
affection. 2 liking; affection. the beginning and end of a book, fixed to the inside
en»deav»or /endevar, in-/ v. &
n. •«. intr. (foil, by to + of the cover.
infin.) try earnestly. • n. (often foil, by at, or to + infin.) en*due /endob, -dyob, in-/ v.tr. (also in*due) (foil, by
effort directed toward a goal; an earnest attempt. with) invest or provide (a person) with qualities, pow-
en»dem»ic /endemik/ adj. &
n. • adj. regularly or only ers, etc.
found among a particular people or in a certain re- en»dur«ance /endobrans, -dyobr-, in-/ n. 1 the power
gion. • «. an endemic disease or plant, dd en»dem«i« or habit of enduring (beyond endurance). 2 the ability
caMy adv. to withstand prolonged strain (endurance test).
See note at epidemic. en«dure /endobr, -dyobr, in-/ v. 1 tr. undergo (a diffi-
end-game /endgaym/ n. the final stage of a game (esp. culty, hardship, etc.). 2 tr. a tolerate (a person) (can-
chess), when few pieces remain. not endure him), b (esp. with neg.\ foil, by to + infin.)
end-ing /ending/ n. 1 an end or final part, esp. of a sto- bear. 3 intr. (often as enduring adj.) remain in exist-
ry. 2 an inflected final part of a word. ence; last. 4 tr. submit to. dd en*dur*a*ble adj. en»dur«
en-dive /endiv, ondeev/ n. 1 a curly-leaved plant, a-bil-i-ty n.
Cichorium endivia, used in salads. 2 a chicory crown. end-ways /endwayz/ adv. 1 with its end uppermost or
end-less /endlis/ adj. 1 infinite; without end; eternal. foremost or turned toward the viewer. 2 end to end.
2 continual; incessant. 3 colloq. innumerable. 4 (of a end-wise /endwiz/ adv. = endways.
belt, chain, etc.) having the ends joined for continu- ENE abbr. east-northeast.
ous action over wheels, etc. dd end-less-ly adv. en»e»ma /enima/ n. (pi. enemas or enemata /inemata/)
end-most /endmost/ adj. nearest the end. 1 the injection of liquid or gas into the rectum,
en-do-car-di-tis /endokaarditis/ n. inflammation of the esp. to expel its contents. 2 a fluid or syringe used for
lining of the heart. this.
en«do»crine /endokrin, -kreen, -krin/ adj. (of a gland) en»e«my /enamee/ n. (pi. -mies) 1 a person or group ac-
secreting directly into the blood. tively opposing or hostile to another, or to a cause, etc.
en»do»cri»nol»o»gy /endokrinolajee/ n. the study of the 2 a a hostile nation or army, esp. in war. b a member
structure and physiology of endocrine glands, dd en- of this. C a hostile ship or aircraft. 3 (usu. foil, by of,
do-crin-o-log-i-cal /-nalojikal/ adj. en-do-cri-nol-o-gist to) an adversary or opponent. 4 a thing that harms or
n.
en»dog«a»my /endogamee/ n. 1 Anthropol. marrying See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

energetic ~ enlightenment 258 purpose. 6 (foil, by of) a skillful or artful contriver. • v.

1 arrange, contrive, or bring about. 2 intr. act as an
tr.

injures. 5 (attrib.) of or belonging to an enemy engineer. 3 tr. construct or manage as an engineer.

(destroyed by enemy action) en«gi»neer«ing /enjine'ering/ n. the application of sci-
en»er»get«ic /enarjetik/ adj. 1 strenuously active. 2 for- ence to the design, building, and use of machines, con-
cible; vigorous. 3 powerfully operative, dd en»er«get»i» structions, etc.
caMy adv. English &
n. madj. of or relating to Eng-
/ingglish/ adj.
en»er»gize /enarjiz/ v.tr. 1 infuse energy into (a person land or people or language. •«. 1 the language of
its

or work). 2 provide energy for the operation of (a de- England, now used in many varieties in the British
vice), dd en«er»giz»er n. Isles, the United States, and most Commonwealth or
en»er»gy /enarjee/ n. (pi. -gies) 1 force; vigor; capacity ex-Commonwealth countries, and often internation-
for activity. 2 (in pi.) individual powers in use (devote ally. 2 (prec. by the; treated as pi.) the people of Eng-

your energies to this). 3 Physics the capacity of matter or land, dd Eng*lish*ness n.

radiation to do work. English horn n. Mus. 1 an alto woodwind instrument
en»er»vate v. &adj. mv.tr. /ensrvayt/ deprive of vigor or of the oboe family. 2 its player.
vitality, madj. /inarvat/ enervated, dd en»er»va«tion English muf»f in n. a flat, round, bread roll made from
/-vayshan/ n. yeast dough, usu. served sliced, toasted, and buttered.
ervfant ter»ri«ble /aaNfaaN tere'ebla/ n. a person who en*gorge /en-gawrj, in-/ v.tr. 1 (in passive) a be
causes embarrassment by indiscreet or unruly behav- crammed, b Med. be congested with blood. 2 devour
ior. greedily, dd en*gorge*ment n.
en»fee»ble /enfe'ebal, in-/ v.tr. make feeble, dd en«fee« en*grain /en-grayn, in-/ v.tr. 1 implant (a habit, belief,
ble«ment n. or attitude) ineradicably in a person (see also in-
en»f Made /enfilayd, -la'ad/ n. gunfire directed along a grained) 2 cause (dye, etc.) to sink deeply into a thing.
.

line from end to end. en*grained /en-graynd, in-/ adj. inveterate (see also in-
ervfold /enfold, in-/ v.tr. (also irvfold) 1 (usu. foil, by grained).
in, with) wrap up; envelop. 2 clasp; embrace. en»grave /en-grayv, in-/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by on) in-
en»force /enfawrs, in-/ v.tr. 1 compel observance of (a scribe, cut, or carve (a text or design) on a hard sur-
law, etc.). 2 (foil, by on, upon) impose (an action, con- face. 2 (often foil, by with) inscribe or ornament (a
duct, one's will). 3 persist in (a demand or argument). surface) in this way. 3 cut (a design) as lines on a met-
dd en«force»a«ble adj. ervforcernent n. al plate, block, etc., for printing. 4 (often foil, by on)
en»fran«chise /enfranchiz, in-/ v.tr. 1 give (a person) impress deeply on a person's memory, etc. dd en»grav»
the right to vote. 2 give (a town, city, etc.) municipal er n.
or parliamentary rights. 3 hist, free (a slave, etc.). en*grav*ing /en-grayving, in-/ n. a print made from an
dd en»fran«chise«ment n. engraved plate, block, or other surface.
ervgage /en-gayj, in-/ v. 1 tr. employ or hire (a person). en*gross /en-gros, in-/ v. tr. absorb the attention of; oc-
2 tr. a (usu. in passive) employ busily; occupy (are you cupy fully (engrossed in studying), dd en*gross*ing adj.
engaged tomorrow?), b hold fast (a person's attention). en*gulf /en-gulf, in-/ v.tr. (also irvgulf) 1 flow over and
3 tr. (usu. in passive) bind by a promise, esp. of mar- swamp; overwhelm. 2 swallow or plunge into a gulf.
riage. 4 tr. (usu. foil, by to + infin.) bind by a contract. dd en«gulf«ment n.
5 tr. arrange beforehand to occupy (a room, seat, etc.). en»hance /enhans, in-/ v. tr. heighten or intensify (qual-
6 (usu. foil, by with) Mech. a tr. interlock (parts of a ities, powers, value, etc.); improve (something already
gear, etc.); cause (a part) to interlock, b intr. (of a part, of good quality), dd en«hance»ment n. en»hanc«er n.
gear, etc.) interlock. 7 a intr. (usu. foil, by with) (of e*nig*ma /inigma/ n. la puzzling thing or person. 2 a
troops, etc.) come into battle, b tr. bring (troops) in- riddle or paradox, dd en»ig«mat»ic /enigmatik/ adj. en»
to battle. C tr. come into battle with (an enemy, etc.). ig*mat*i*cal adj. en*ig*mat*i*caMy adv.
8 intr. take part (engage in politics) en*join /enjoyn, in-/ v.tr. 1 (foil, by to + infin.) com-
en»ga«ge /oN-gazhay/ adj. (of a writer, artist, etc.) mor- mand or order (a person). 2 (usu. foil, by from) Law
ally committed to a particular aim or cause. prohibit (a person) by order, dd en*join«ment n.
ervgaged /en-gayjd, in-/ adj. 1 under a promise to mar- en»joy /enjoy, in-/ v.tr. 1 take delight or pleasure in.
ry. 2 a occupied; busy, b reserved; booked. 2 have the use or benefit of. 3 experience (enjoy good
en*gage*ment /en-gayjmant, in-/ n. 1 the act or state health), o enjoy oneself experience pleasure, dd en»
of engaging or being engaged. 2 an appointment with joyment n.
another person. 3 a betrothal. 4 an encounter between en«joy»a»ble /enjoyabal, in-/ adj. pleasant; giving en-
hostile forces. joyment, dd en*joya*ble*ness n. en«joya»bly adv.
en*gag*ing /en-gayjing, in-/ adj. attractive; charming. en*kin*dle /enkindol, in-/ v.tr. literary 1 a cause
dd en*gag*ing*ly adv. (flames) to flare up. b stimulate (feeling, passion, etc.).
en*gen*der /enjendar, in-/ v. tr. give rise to; bring about 2 inflame with passion.
(a feeling, etc.). en-large /enla'arj, in-/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or beCOOM

en*gine /enjin/ n. 1 a mechanical contrivance con- larger or wider. 2 tr. describe in greater detail. 3 tr. /'//<>-
sisting of several parts working together, esp. as a tog. produce an enlargement of (a negative).
source of power. 2 a a railroad locomotive, b = fire en- en»large«ment /enla'arjmont, in-/ n. 1 the act or an in-
gine. C = STEAM ENGINE. stance of enlarging; the state of being enlarged. 2 1'ho-
An engine is a machine that (via combustion) con- tog. a print that is larger than the negative from which
verts fuel into energy, to drive something: an automo- it is produced.

bile engine, a steam engine. Motor is also used of a car's
engine, but is also used of a wide range of machines
that move something, like electric motors.
en»gi»neer /enjineer/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a person qualified
in a branch of engineering, esp. as a professional. 2 =
civil engineer. 3 a person who makes or is in charge
of engines. 4 the operator or supervisor of an engine,
esp. a railroad locomotive. 5 a person who designs and en«light«en»ment /enlit'nmont, in / n. 1 the act oi an
constructs military works; a soldier trained for this
en»larg»er /enla'arjor, in / n. Photog. an apparatus lor
enlarging or reducing negatives or positives.
en»light»en /enlit'n, in / v.tr. 1 a (often foil, by on) in
struct or inform (a person) about a subject, b (as en-
lightened adj.) well-informed; knowledgeable. 2 (esp.
as enlightened adj.) free from prejudice or siiposii
tion.
instance of enlightening; the state of being enlight-
 ened. 2 (the Enlightenment) the 18th-c. philosophy 259 enlist - enterprise
emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tra-
dition. shrine. 2 serve as a shrine for. 3 preserve or cherish.
en«list /enlist, in-/ v. 1 intr. & tr. enroll in the armed dd en»shrine«ment n.

services. secure as a means of help or support.

2 tr. en«shroud /enshrowd, in-/ v.tr. literary 1 cover with
dd en«list«er n. en«list«ment n. or as with a shroud. 2 cover completely; hide from
en»liv»en /enlivan, in-/ v.tr. 1 give life or spirit to. view.
2 make cheerful; brighten (a picture or scene). en«sign /ensin, -sin/ n. 1 a banner or flag, esp. the

en masse /on mas/ adv. 1 all together. 2 in a mass. military or naval flag of a nation. 2 a hist, the low-
eivmesh /enmesh, in-/ v. tr. entangle in or as in a net. est commissioned infantry officer, b the lowest
en«mi»ty /enmitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the state of being an commissioned officer in the Navy or US
Coast US
enemy. 2 a feeling of hostility. Guard.
en«no»ble /enObal, in-/ v.tr. 1 make (a person) a noble. en*slave /enslayv, in-/ v.tr. make (a person) a slave.
2 make noble; elevate. en»no«ble»ment n. dd en*slave*ment n. en»slav*er n.
ervnui /onwe'e/ n. mental weariness from lack of occu- en»snare /ensnair, in-/ v.tr. catch in or as in a snare;
pation or interest; boredom. entrap, dd en»snare«ment n.
e«nol»o»gy /eenolajee/ n. the study of wines, dd e*no» en*sue /ensob, in-/ v.intr. 1 happen afterward. 2 (of-
logical /eenalojikol/ adj. e»nol»o»gist n. ten foil, by from, on) occur as a result.
emor»mi«ty /inawrmitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 extreme wick- en suite /on sweet/ adv. forming a single unit (bedroom
edness. 2 an act of extreme wickedness. 3 a serious er- with bathroom en suite).
ror. 4 disp. great size; enormousness. en»sure /enshobr, in-/
v.tr. 1 (often foil, by that +
This word is imprecisely used to mean 'great size,' clause) make 2 (usu. foil, by to, for) secure (a
certain.
e.g., it's difficult to recognize the enormity of the continent, thing for a person, etc.). 3 (usu. foil, by against) make
but the original and preferred meaning is 'extreme safe.
wickedness,' as in the enormity of the crime. See note at insure.
en»swathe /enswayth, in;n-/ v. tr. bind or wrap in or as
enormity Middle English: via Old French from
late
in a bandage, dd en«swathe«ment n.
Latin enormitas, from enormis, from e- (variant of ex-)
ENT abbr. ear, nose, and throat.
'out of + norma 'pattern, standard.' The word origi-
en*tab«la*ture /entabtachar, in-/ n. Archit. the upper
nally meant 'deviation from legal or moral rectitude'
part of a classical building supported by columns or a
and 'transgression.' Current senses have been influ-
colonnade, comprising architrave, frieze, and cornice.
enced by ENORMOUS.
en«tail /entayl, in-/ v.tr. 1 a necessitate or involve una-
e»nor»mous /inawrmas/ adj. very large; huge, no e*nor« voidably (the work entails much effort), b give rise to; in-
mous*ly adv. e»nor«mous«ness n. 2 Law bequeath (property, etc.) so that it
volve.
e*nough /inuf/ adj., n., adv., &
int. *adj. as much or as remains within a family, dd en»tail»ment n.
many as required (we have enough apples). *n. an en»tan»gle /entanggal, in-/ v.tr. 1 cause to get caught
amount or quantity that is enough (we have enough of in a snare or among obstacles. 2 cause to become tan-
everything now). »adv. 1 to the required degree; ade- gled. 3 involve in difficulties or illicit activities. 4 make
quately (are you warm enough?). 2 fairly (she sings well (a thing) tangled or intricate; complicate.
enough) 3 very; quite (you know well enough what I en«tan»gle«ment /entanggalmant, in-/ n. 1 the act or
.

mean), mint, that is enough (in various senses, esp. to
put an end to an action, thing said, etc.). q have had
enough of want no more of; be satiated with or tired
of.
en pas»sant /on pasoN/ adv. by the way.
en*quire var. of inquire.
en»quir»y var. of inquiry.
en«rage /enrayj, in-/ v.tr. (often foil, by at, by, with)
make furious, dd en»rage«ment n.
condition of entangling or being entangled. 2 a thing
that entangles. 3 a compromising (esp. amorous) re-
lationship.
en«tente /aantaant/ n. 1 also entente cordiale a friend-
ly relationship between nations. 2 a group of nations
in such a relation.
en»ter /entar/ v. 1 a intr. (often foil, by into) go or come
in. b tr. go or come into. C intr. come on stage (as a
direction: enter Macbeth) 2 tr. penetrate; go through; .

en«rap»ture /enrapchar, in-/ v.tr. give intense delight spread through (a bullet entered his chest). 3 tr. write (a
to. name, details, etc.) in a list, book, etc. 4 a intr. register
en«rich /enrich, in-/ v. tr. 1 make rich or richer. 2 make or announce oneself as a competitor (entered the long
richer in quality, flavor, nutritive value, etc. 3 add to jump), b tr. become a competitor in (an event). C tr.
the contents of (a collection, museum, or book) dd en» record the name of (a person, etc.) as a competitor
.

riclvment n. (entered two horses for the Kentucky Derby) 5 tr. a be- .

en*roll /enrol, in-/ v. (also en«rol) (enrolled, enrolling) come a member of (a society, etc.). b enroll as a mem-
1 intr. enter one's name on a list, esp. as a commitment ber or prospective member of a society, school, etc.;
to membership. 2 a write the name of (a person) on
tr. admit or obtain admission for. 6 tr. make known; pres-
a list, b (usu. foil, by in) incorporate (a person) as a ent for consideration (entered a protest) 7 tr. put into .

member of a society, etc. dd en*roll*ee /-lee/ n. an official record. 8 intr. (foil, by into) a engage in
en«roll»ment /enrolmant, in-/ n. (also en«rol«ment) (conversation, relations, an undertaking, etc.). b sub-
1 the act or an instance of enrolling; the state of being scribe to; bind oneself by (an agreement, etc.). c form
enrolled. 2 the number of persons enrolled, esp. at a part of (one's calculations, plans, etc.). 9 intr. (foil, by
school or college. on, upon) a begin; undertake; begin to deal with (a sub-
en route /on root/ adv. (usu. foil, by to, for) on the way. ject), b assume the functions of (an office), c assume
en»SCOnce /enskons, in-/ v.tr. (usu. refl. or in passive) possession of (property).
establish or settle comfortably, safely, or secretly. en«ter»ic /enterik/ adj. &
n. madj. of the intestines. •;?.
en»sem«ble/onsomb9l/«. 1 a a thing viewed as the sum (in full enteric fever) typhoid, dd en*ter*i*tis /enteritis/
of its parts, b the general effect of this. 2 a set of clothes n.
worn together; an outfit. 3 a group of actors, dancers, entero- /entaro/ comb, form intesdne.
musicians, etc., performing together, esp. subsidiary en»ter»prise /entarpriz/ n. 1 an undertaking, esp. a bold
dancers in ballet, etc.
en*shrine /enshrin, in-/ v.tr. 1 enclose in or as in a See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
enterprising ~ envelop 260 into a trance. 3 (often foil, by with) overwhelm with
strong feeling, an en*trance*ment n. en*tranoing adj.
or difficult one. 2 (as a personal attribute) readiness en*tranc*ing*ly adv.
to engage in such undertakings. 3 a business firm. en-trant /entrant/ n. a person who enters (esp. an
en»ter»pris»ing /entorprizing/ adj. 1 ready to engage in examination, profession, etc.).
enterprises. 2 resourceful; imaginative; energetic. en-trap /entrap, in-/ v.tr. (entrapped, entrapping)
dd en«ter«pris»ing»ly adv. 1 catch in or as in a trap. 2 (often foil, by into + ver-
en»ter»tain/ent3rtayn/'z;.rr. 1 amuse; occupy agreeably. bal noun) beguile or trick (a person), dd en*trap*per
2 a receive or treat as a guest, b (absol) receive guests n.
(they entertain a great deal). 3 give attention or consid- en»trap»ment /entrapmant, in-/ n. 1 the act or an in-
eration to (an idea, feeling, or proposal). stance of entrapping; the process of being entrapped.
en»ter»tain»er /entartaynsr/ n. a person who entertains, 2 Law inducement to commit a crime, esp. by the au-
esp. professionally on stage, etc. thorities to secure a prosecution.
en»ter»tain»ing /entartayning/ adj. amusing; diverting. en*treat /entre'et, in-/ v.tr. 1 (foil, by to + infin. or that
en»ter»tain»ment /entartaynmant/ n. 1 the act or an in- + clause) ask (a person) earnestly. 2 ask earnestly for
stance of entertaining; the process of being enter- (a thing), dd en*treat*ing*ly adv.
tained. 2 a public performance or show. 3 diversions en«treat»y /entreetee, in-/ n. (pi -ies) an earnest re-
or amusements for guests, etc. quest; a supplication.
en«ter«tain»ment cervter n. a piece of furniture, usu. en«tre»COte /ontrakot/ n. a boned steak cut off the sir-
with several shelves to accommodate a television, vid- loin.
eo cassette recorder, stereo system, etc. eivtree /ontray/ n. (also en«tree) 1 Cooking esp. US the
en-thrall /enthrawl, in-/ v.tr. (also en»thral, in»thral, ln« main dish of a meal. 2 the right or privilege of admis-
thrall) (-thralled, -thralling) 1 (often as enthralling sion.
adj.) captivate; please greatly. 2 enslave, nn enthrall* en*trench /entrench, in-/ v. (also intrench) 1 tr. estab-
ment n. 2 tr.
lish firmly (in a defensible position, in office, etc.).
en-throne /enthron, in-/ v.tr. 1 install (a king, bishop, surround (a post,army, town, etc.) with a trench as a
etc.) on a throne, esp. ceremonially. 2 exalt. fortification. 3 tr. apply extra safeguards to (rights,
eothuse /enthooz, in-/ v.intr. &tr. colloq. be or make etc., guaranteed by legislation). 4 intr. entrench one-
enthusiastic. self. 5 intr. (foil, by upon) encroach; trespass, d en-
en*thu*si*asm /enthobzeeazam, in-/ n. 1 (often foil, trench oneself adopt a well-defended position, nn en*
by for, about) a strong interest or admiration, b great trench«ment n.
eagerness. 2 an object of enthusiasm. en»tre»pre»neur /ontrapranobr/ n. a person who under-
en*thu*si*ast /enthobzeeast, in-/ n. (often foil, by for) takes an enterprise or business, with the chance of
a person who is full of enthusiasm. profit or loss, an en»tre»pre»neur»i»al adj. en«tre«pre«
en«thu«si«as»tic /enthdbzeeastik, in-/ adj. having or neur*i«aMy adv. en»tre»pre»neur»ship n.
showing enthusiasm, an en*thu*si*as*ti*caMy adv. en»tro»py /entrspee/ n. 1 Physics a measure of the
en»tice /ends, in-/ v.tr. (often foil, by from, into, or to + unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conver-
infin.) persuade by the offer of pleasure or reward. sion into mechanical work. 2 Physics a measure of the
dd en»tice«ment n. en»tioer n. en»tioing»ly adv. disorganization or degradation of the universe, nn en«
en»tire /entir, in-/ adj. 1 whole; complete. 2 not broken trc-pic /-tropik/ adj. en»tro»pi»caMy adv.
or decayed. 3 unqualified; absolute (an entire success). entrust /entrust, in-/ v.tr. (also intrust) 1 (foil, by to)
4 in one piece; continuous. give responsibility for (a person or a thing) to a per-
en»tire»ly /entirlee, in-/ adv. 1 wholly; completely (the son in whom one has confidence. 2 (foil, by with) as-
stock is entirely exhausted). 2 solely; exclusively. sign responsibility for a thing to (a person).
en»tire«ty /entiartee, in-/ n. (pi -ties) 1 completeness. en»try /entree/ n. (pi -tries) 1 a the act or an instance
2 (usu. foil, by of) the sum total. in its entirety in its of going or coming in. b the coming of an actor on
complete form; completely. stage. C ceremonial entrance. 2 liberty to go or come
en»ti»tle /entital, in-/ v.tr. 1 a (usu. foil, by to) give (a in. 3 a a place of entrance; a door, gate, etc. b a lob-
person, etc.) a just claim, b (foil, by to + infin.) give by. 4 Brit, a passage between buildings. 5 the mouth
(a person, etc.) a right. 2 give (a book, etc.) the title of a river. 6 a an item entered (in a diary, list, account
of. an en*ti*tle*ment n. book, etc.). b the recording of this. 7 a a person or
en«ti»ty /entitee/ n. (pi -ties) 1 a thing with distinct thing competing in a race, contest, etc. b a list of com-
existence, as opposed to a quality or relation. 2 a petitors.
thing's existence regarded distinctly; a thing's essen- en»twine /entwin, in-/ v. (also in*twine /in-/) 1 tr. &
tial nature. intr. (foil, by with, about, around) twine together (a

errtomb /entobm, in-/ v. tr. 1 place in or as in a tomb.
2 serve as a tomb for. nn en«tomb»ment n.
en»to«mol»o»gy /entamolajee/ n. the study of the forms e»nu»mer«ate /inobmorayt, inyOb-/ v.tr. 1 specify
and behavior of insects, dd en«to»mo»log»i»cal
/-malojikal/ adj. en-to»mol«o«gist n.
en»tOU«rage /6ntoT>ra'azh/ n. 1 people attending an im-
portant person. 2 surroundings.
en»tr'acte /aantrakt, aan-/ n. 1 an interval between two
acts of a play. 2 a piece of music or a dance performed
during this.
en*trails /entraylz, -tralz/ n.pl 1 the bowels and
intestines of a person or animal. 2 the innermost parts
(entrails of the earth).
en-trance /entrans/ n. 1 the act or an instance of go-
1
thing with or around another). 2 tr. (as entwined adj.)
entangled. 3 tr. interweave, nn en»twine«ment ;/.
(items); mention one by one. 2 count; establish the
number of. nn e*nu-mer«a«ble ad/. e»nu»mer«a«tion
/-rayshan/ n. e«nu»mer»a»tive / raytiv, rotiv/ adj.
e»nu»mer»a«tor /inobmoraytor, inyob / n. 1a person
who enumerates. 2 a person employed in census i;ik
ing.
e*nun*ci*ate /iniinseeayt/ v.tr. 1 pronounce (wordl)
clearly. 2 express (a proposition or theory) in definite
terms. 3 proclaim, nn e«nun«ci»a»tion iythtt "
en»u»re*sis /enyoore'esis/ n. Med. involuntary urina-
tion, esp. while sleeping, nn en»u»ret»ic / retik/ <;.// i

ing or coming in. 2 a door, passage, etc., by which one n.

enters. 3 right of admission. 4 the coming of an actor en»vel»op /envelop, in / v.tr. (enveloped, enveloping)
on stage. (often foil, by in) 1 wrap up or cover completely.
entrance 2 /entrans, in-/ v.tr. 1 enchant; delight. 2 put 2 make obscure; conceal, en»vel»op»ment n.
i ii i
 .

en»vel«ope/env3lop,6n-/n. 1 a folded paper container, 261 envelope ~ epididymis

usu. with a sealable flap, for a letter, etc. 2 a wrapper
or covering. 3 the structure within a balloon or airship
containing the gas. 4 the outer metal or glass housing
of a vacuum tube, electric light, etc.
en»ven«om /envengm, in-/ v.tr. 1 put poison on or in-
to; make poisonous. 2 infuse venom or bitterness in-
to (feelings, words, or actions).
en*vi*a*ble /enveeabal/ adj. (of a person or thing) ex-
citing or likely to excite envy, do ervvi«a«bly adv.
en»vi»OUS /enveegs/ adj. (often foil, by of) feeling or e^phenver-a /ifemsra/ n. (pi. ephemera or ephemer-
e*pee /aypay, epay/ n. a sharp-pointed dueling sword,
used (with the end blunted) in fencing, dd e»pee«ist n.
e»pergne /iparn, aypern/ n. an ornament (esp. in
branched form) for the center of a dinner-table, hold-
ing flowers or fruit.
e«phed»rine /ifedrin, efadreen/ n. an alkaloid drug,
causing constriction of the blood vessels and widening
of the bronchial passages, used to relieve asthma, etc.
1

showing envy, do en»vi»ous»ly adv. ae /-ree/or ephemeras) 1 a an insect living only a day
en»vi»ron«ment /enviranmant, -vigrn-, in-/ n. 1 phys- or a few days, b any insect of the order Ephemeroptera,
ical surroundings and conditions, esp. as affecting peo- e.g., the mayfly. 2 = ephemeron 1.
ple's lives. 2 conditions or circumstances of living. e»phem»er»a 2 pi. of ephemeron 1.
3 Ecol. external conditions affecting the growth of e»phem»er»al /ifemaral/ adj. 1 lasting or of use for on-
plants and animals. 4 a structure designed to be expe- ly a short time; transitory. 2 lasting only a day. 3 (of
rienced from inside as a work of art. 5 Computing the an insect, flower, etc.) lasting a day or a few days, dd e»
overall structure within which a user, computer, or phenrer«al«i«ty /-ralitee/ n. e»phenrer»aMy adv. e»
program operates, dd en«vi»ron»mer>tal /-ment'l/ adj. phenver«al-ness n.
en»vi»ron»men»taMy adv. e«phem»er»is /ifemsris/ n. (pi. ephemerides
en»vi»ron»men»tal»ist /envirsnmentalist, -viarn-, in-/ /efimerideez/) Astron. an astronomical almanac or
n. 1a person who is concerned with or advocates the table of the predicted positions of celestial bodies.
protection of the environment. 2 a person who con- e»phem»er»ist /ifemarist/ n. a collector of ephemera.
siders that environment has the primary influence on e»phenrer»on /ifemarsn/ n. 1 (pi. ephemera /-ra/)

the development of a person or group, dd en«vir«on» (usu. in pi.) a a thing (esp. a printed item) of short-
mervtaUism n. lived interest or usefulness, b a short-lived thing. 2 (pi.
en»vi»ron»ment-f riencMy adj. not harmful to the envi- ephemerons) = ephemera 1. 1

ronment. ep«ic /epik/ n. &

adj. • n. 1 a long poem narrating the
en»vi»rons /envir9nz, -vigrnz, in-/ n.pl. a surrounding adventures or deeds of one or more heroic or legend-
district, esp. around an urban area. ary figures, e.g., the Iliad, Paradise Lost. 2 an imagina-
en*vis*age /envizij, in-/ v.tr. 1 have a mental picture of tive work of any form, embodying a nation's concep-
(a thing not yet existing). 2 contemplate or conceive, tion of its history. 3 a book or motion picture based
esp. as a possibility or desirable future event. on an epic narrative or heroic in type or scale. 4 a sub-
en»vi«sion /envizhan, in-/ v.tr. envisage; visualize. ject fit for recital in an epic. madj. 1 of or like an epic.
en«voy /envoy, on-/ n. la messenger or representative, 2 grand; heroic, an ep*i*cal adj. ep«i»caMy adv.
esp. on a diplomatic mission. 2 (in full envoy extraor- ep»i»cene /episeen/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 Gram, denoting
dinary) a minister plenipotentiary, ranking below either sex without change of gender. 2 of, for, or used
ambassador and above charge d'affaires. by both sexes. 3 having characteristics of both sexes.
ervvy /envee/ n. & v. • n. (pi. -vies) 1 a feeling of dis- 4 having no characteristics of either sex. 5 effete; ef-
contented or resentful longing aroused by another's feminate. • «. an epicene person.
better fortune, etc. 2 the object or ground of this feel- ep«i«cen*ter /episentar/ n. 1 Geol. the point at which an
ing (their house is the envy of the neighborhood) • v. tr.
. earthquake reaches the earth's surface. 2 the central
(-vies, -vied) feel envy of (a person, circumstances, point of a difficulty, dd ep»i»cen»tral /-sentrgl/ adj.
etc.) (I envy you your position) dd en»vi»er n.
. ep*i*cure /epikyOOr/ n. a person with refined tastes, esp.
ervzyme /enzim/ n. Biochem. a protein acting as a cat- in food and drink, dd ep*i*cur*ism n.
alyst in a specific biochemical reaction, dd en»zymat» Ep*i*cu*re*an /epikyoore'ean, -kyobree-/ n. adj. »n. &
ic /-zlmatik/ adj. 1 a disciple or student of the Greek philosopher Epi-
E*o*cene /e'easeen/ adj. & n. Geol. • adj. of or relating curus. 2 (epicurean) a person devoted to (esp. sensu-
to the second epoch of theTertiary period. • n. this ep- al) enjoyment, madj. 1 of or concerning Epicurus or
och or system. his ideas. 2 (epicurean) characteristic of an epicure-
e»o»li»an /ee-olee-an/ adj. wind-borne. an.
e»0«lith»ic /e'ealithik/ adj. Archaeol. of the period pre- ep»i«dem»ic /epidemik/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a widespread oc-
ceding the Paleolithic age. currence of a disease in a community at a particular
e«on /e'eon/ n. (also aeon) 1 a very long or indefinite time. 2 such a disease. 3 (foil, by of) a wide prevalence
period. 2 an age of the universe. 3 a billion years. of something. • adj. in the nature of an epidemic (cf
EPA abbr. Environmental Protection Agency.
ep«au*let /epalet/ n. (also ep«aiHette) an ornamental
shoulder piece on a coat, dress, etc., esp. on a uniform.
A
endemic), dd ep«i*dem*i*caMy adv.
disease that quickly affects a large number of peo-
ple and then subsides is an epidemic: Throughout the
Middle Ages, successive epidemics of the plague killed mil-
lions. Epidemic is also used as an adjective: She stud-
epaulet
ied the causes of epidemic cholera. A disease that is con-
tinually present in a one area is endemic: Malaria is
endemic in hot, moist climates.
ep«i»de»mi»ol»o»gy /epideemeeolajee/ n. the study of
the incidence and distribution of diseases, dd ep«i»de«
mi*o*log*i*cal /-meealojikal/ adj. ep»i»de«mi«ol«o«gist n.
ep*i*der«mis /epidarmis/ n. 1 the outer cellular layer of
the skin. 2 Bot. the outer layer of cells of leaves, stems,
roots, etc. dd ep*i*der*mal adj.
ep*i«did*y*mis /epididimis/ n. (pi. epididymides

epaulet See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

epidural ~ equerry 262 e»pis»to«lar»y /ipistsleree/ adj. 1 form of
in the style or
a letter or letters. 2 or suited to letters.
of, carried by,
/-didimideez/) Anat. a convoluted duct behind the tes- ep*i*Style /epistil/ n. Archit. - architrave 1.
tis, along which sperm passes to the vas deferens. ep«i»taph /epitaf/ n. words written in memory of a per-
ep*i*du*ral /epidobral, -dyobr-/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 Anat. son who has died, esp. as a tomb inscription.
on or around the dura mater. 2 (of an anesthetic) in- ep»i»the»li«um /epithe'eleeam/ n. (pi. epithelia /-leeo/or
troduced into the space around the dura mater of the epitheliums) the tissue forming the outer layer of the
spinal cord. •n. an epidural anesthetic, used esp. in body surface and lining many hollow structures, nn ep«
childbirth. i*the*li*al adj.
ep-i-gloMis Anat. a flap of cartilage at the
/epiglotis/ n. ep«i«thet /epithet/ n. 1 an adjective or other descriptive
root of the tongue, depressed during swallowing to word expressing a quality or attribute. 2 such a word
cover the windpipe, an ep*i*glot*tal adj. ep«i»glot»tic as a term of abuse.
adj. e»pit»0»me /ipitsmee/ «. la person or thing embody-
ep*i*gram /epigram/ n. 1 a short poem with a witty end- ing a quality, class, etc. 2 a thing representing anoth-
ing. 2 a saying or maxim, esp a proverbial one. nn ep» er in miniature. 3 a summary of a written work.
i»granvmat«ic /-grsmatik/ adj. e»pit»0»mize /ipitamiz/ v.tr. 1 be a perfect example of
epigraph /epigraf/ n. an inscription. (a quality, etc.). 2 make an epitome of (a work).
ep»Mate /epilayt/ v.tr. remove hair from, an ep»i»la«tion ep»OCh /epak, e'epok/ n. 1 a period of history or of a
/-layshan/ n. person's life marked by notable events. 2 the begin-
ep»i«lep»sy /epilepsee/ n. a nervous disorder with con- ning of an era. 3 Geol. a division of a period, cor-
vulsions and often loss of consciousness, nn ep»i«lep» responding to a set of strata, nn ep*och*al adj.
tic /epileptik/ adj. & n. ep»0»nym /epanim/ n. 1 a person (real or imaginary)
ep*i*logue /epilawg, -og/ n. (also ep»i«log) 1 a the con- after whom a discovery, place, etc., is named. 2 the
cluding part of a literary work, b an appendix. 2 a name given, nn ep«on»y«mous /iponimas/ adj.
speech or short poem addressed to the audience by an ep»OX»y /ipoksee/ adj. a resin used in adhesives, insula-
actor at the end of a play. tion, coatings, etc.
ep»i»neph»rine /epinefrin/ n. a hormone secreted by the ep*si*lon /epsilon/ n. the fifth letter of the Greek al-
adrenal glands, affecting circulation and muscular ac- phabet (E, e).
tion, and causing excitement and stimulation. Also Ep*som salts /epsam/ n.pl. a preparation of magne-
called adrenaline. sium sulfate used as a purgative, etc.
e«piph»a»ny /ipifanee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 eq*ua*ble /ekwabol/ adj. 1 even; not varying. 2 uniform
(Epiphany) a the
manifestation of Christ to the Magi, b the festival com- and moderate. 3 (of a person) not easily angered.
memorating this on January 6. 2 any manifestation of nn eq*ua*bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n. eq*ua*bly adv.
a god or demigod, nn ep*i*phan*ic /epifanik/ adj. e*qual /e'ekwal/ adj., n., v. *adj. 1 &
(often foil, by to,
ep»i»phyte /epifit/ n. a plant growing but not parasitic with) the same in quantity, quality, size, rank, etc.
on another, e.g., a moss, dd ep«i»phyt«ic /— fitik/ adj. 2 evenly balanced. 3 having the same rights (human
e»pis»co»pa«cy /ipiskaposee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 gov- beings are essentially equal) 4 uniform in application or
.

ernment of a church by bishops. 2 (prec. by the) the
bishops.
e»pis«copal /ipiskapal/ adj. 1 of a bishop or bishops.
2 (of a Church) constituted on the principle of gov-
ernment by bishops, nn e»pis»co»pal»ism n. e»pis»co»
pa My adv.
effect. • n. a person or thing equal to another, esp. in
rank, status, or characteristic quality (he has no equal).
• v.tr. 1 be equal to in number, quality, etc. 2 achieve
something that is equal to. n be equal to have the abil-
ity or resources for. nn e*qual*i*ty /ikwolitee/ n.
e*qual*ize /eekwallz/ v. tr. &
intr. make or become equal.

E-pis-copal Church n. a Protestant Church in the US nn e*qual*i*za*tion n.

and Scotland, with elected bishops. e«qual»iz«er /eekwalrzar/ n. 1 an equalizing score or
e«pis*copa«lian /ipiskapayleean/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 of goal, etc., in a game. 2 si. a weapon, esp. a gun.
or advocating government of a church by bishops. 2 of e*qual«ly /e'ekwalee/ adv. 1 in an equal manner (treat-
or belonging to an episcopal church or (Episcopalian) ed them all equally). 2 to an equal degree (is equally im-
the Episcopal Church. •«. 1 an adherent of episcopa- portant). In sense 2 construction with as (equally as
cy. 2 (Episcopalian) a member of the Episcopal important) is often found, but is disputed.
Church, nn e*pis*co*pa*lian*ism n. e*qual op»por»tUTli«ty n. (often in pi.) the opportunity
e*pis*CO*pate /ipiskapat/ n. 1 the office or tenure of a or right to be employed, paid, etc. without discrimina- ,

bishop. 2 (prec. by the) the bishops collectively. tion on grounds of sex, race, etc.
e*pi*si*Ot*o*my /ipe'ezeeotomee/ n. (pi. -mies) a surgi- e*qual sign n. (also equals sign) the symbol =.
cal cut made at the opening of the vagina during child- e»qua»nim»i»ty /eekwonimitee, ekwa-/ n. mental com-
birth. posure; evenness of temper, esp. in misfortune.
ep«i*sode /episod/ n. 1 one event or a group of events e*quate /ikwayt/ v. 1 tr. (usu. foil, by to, with) regard as
as part of a sequence. 2 each of the parts of a serial equal or equivalent. 2 intr. (foil, by with) a be equal »>i
story or broadcast. 3 an incident or set of incidents in equivalent to. b agree or correspond, dd e«quat»a»ble
a narrative. 4 an incident that is distinct but con- adj.
tributes to a whole (a romantic episode in her life), an ep« e*qua*tion /ikwayzhan/ n. 1 the process of equating or
i*sod*ic /episodik/ ep*i«sod*i*cal /-sodikal/) adj. ep»i» making equal; the state of being equal. 2 Math, a state-
sod»i«caMy adv. ment that two mathematical expressions are equal in I

e»pis»te»mol»0»gy /ipistimotajee/ n. the theory of dicated by the sign =). 3 client, a formula indicating
knowledge, esp. with regard to its methods and vali- a chemical reaction, dd e»qua»tion»al </<//.
dation, dd e*pis*te*mo*log*i*cal /-malojikal/ adj. e«pis« e»qua«tor /ikwayt or/ n. 1 an imaginary line around tht
te*mo*log*i«caMy adv. e*pis*te*mol*o*gist n. earth or other body, equidistant from the polet.
e*pis*tle /ipisol/ n. 1 formal or joe. a letter, esp. a long 2Astron. = CBLBST1AL EQUATOR. DD e»qua«tor»i-al
one on a serious subject. 2 (Epistle) a any of the let- /ekwotawreeol, e'ekwo / adj. e»qua»to»ri»aMy <iJv.
ters of the apostles in the NewTestament. b an extract eq»uer«ry /ekwDree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 an officer ol th< Bl ll

from an Epistle read in a church service. 3 a poem or ish royal household attending members ol the POytl
other literary work in the form of a letter or series of family. 2 hist, an officer of a prince's or QOble'l house
letters. hold in charge of the horses.
 .

e«ques»tri«an /ikwestreean/ adj. &

n. •adj. 1 of or re- 263 equestrian ~ error
lating to horses and horseback riding. 2 on horseback.
• n. (fern, equestrienne /-tree-en/) a rider or performer rubber or plastic used for removing pencil and ink
on horseback, dd e»ques»tri«an»ism n. marks.
equi- /e'ekwee, ekwi/ comb, form equal. er»bi»um /arbeesm/ n. Chem. a soft, silvery, metallic el-
e»qui«an»gu«lar /e'ekweeangyalar, ekwee-/ adj. having ement of the lanthanide series. H Symb.: Er.
equal angles. ere /air/ prep. &
conj. poet, or archaic before (of time)
e*qui»dis»tant /e'ekwidistant, ekwi-/ adj. at equal dis- (ere noon; ere they come)
tances, nn e»qui«dis»tanWy adv. e»rect /irekt/ adj. & v. »adj. 1 upright; vertical. 2 en-

e»qui»lat»er»al /e'ekwilataral, ekwi-/ adj. having all its
sides equal in length.
e«quil»i»brist /ikwilibrist/ n. an acrobat, esp. on a high
rope.
e«qui»lib»ri»um /eekwilibreeam, ekwi-/ n. (pi. equilibri-
ums or equilibria /-reea/) 1 a state of physical balance.
2 a state of mental or emotional equanimity. 3 a state
larged and rigid, esp. in sexual excitement. 3 (of hair)
bristling, standing up from the skin. •v.tr. 1 raise; set
upright. 2 build. 3 establish (erect a theory), dd erect*
a»ble adj. erecWy adv. e»rect«ness n.
e«rec»tile /irekt'l, -til/ adj. that can be erected or be-
come erect.
erection /irekshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of erect-

in which the energy in a system is evenly distributed. ing; the state of being erected. 2 a building or struc-
e*quine /e'ekwin, ekwin/ adj. of or like a horse. ture. 3 Physiol, an enlarged and erect state of erectile
e*qui«nox /eekwinoks, ekwi-/ n. the time or date (about tissue, esp. of the penis.
March 20 (vernal equinox) and September 22 (autum- er»e«mite /erimit/ n. a hermit or recluse (esp. Chris-
nal equinox) each year) at which the sun crosses the tian), dd er»e«mit»ic /-mitik/ adj. er»e«mit»i»cal adj.
celestial equator, when day and night are of equal erg /arg/ n. Physics a unit of work or energy.
length, dd e»qui»noc»tial /e'ekwinokshal, ekwi-/ adj. er»go /argo, er-/ adv. therefore.
e*quip /ikwip/ v.tr. (equipped, equipping) supply with er»go«nom»ics /srganomiks/ n. the study of the effi-
what is needed, no e*quip*per n. ciency of persons in their working environment, dd er»
eq*ui*page /ekwipij/ k. la requisites for an undertak- gc-nonvic adj. er»gon»o»mist /ergonomist/ n.
ing, b an outfit for a special purpose. 2 a carriage and er»mine /armin/ n. (pi. same or ermines) 1 the stoat,
horses with attendants. esp. when in its white winter fur. 2 its white fur, used
e«quip»ment /ikwipmant/ n. 1 the necessary articles, as trimming for the robes of judges, peers, etc.
clothing, etc., for a purpose. 2 the process of equip- erne /ern/ (also ern) a sea eagle.
ping or being equipped. e»rode /ir6d/ v.tr. & intr. wear away; destroy or be
e*qui*poise /e'ekwipoyz, ekwi-/ n. v. »n. 1 equilib- & destroyed gradually, dd erod»i«ble adj. e«ro«sion
rium; a balanced state. 2 a counterbalancing thing. /irOzhan/ n. ero«sive adj.
mv.tr. counterbalance. e«rog»e«nous/irojin3s/a£//. 1 (esp. of a part of the body)
eq»ui»ta«ble /ekwitabal/ adj. 1 fair; just. 2 Law valid in sensitive to sexual stimulation. 2 giving rise to sexual
equity as distinct from law. dd eq»ui«ta»ble«ness n. eq» desire or excitement.
ui*ta*bly adv. e«rot»ic /irotik/ adj. of or causing sexual love, esp. tend-
eq»ui»ta»tion /ekwitayshan/ n. the art and practice of ing to arouse sexual desire or excitement, dd e»roM«
horsemanship and horseback riding. caMy adv.
eq*ui*ty /ekwitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 fairness. 2 the applica- e«rot»i*ca /irotika/ n.pl. erotic literature or art.
tion of the principles of justice to correct or supple- e«rot«i»cism /irotisizam/ n. 1 erotic nature or character.
ment the law. 3 a the value of the shares issued by a 2 the use of or response to erotic images or stimula-
company, b (in pi. ) stocks and shares not bearing fixed tion.
interest. 4 the net value of a mortgaged property after er«o«tism /eratizam/ n. = eroticism.
the deduction of charges. eroto- /iroto, ir6-/ comb, form erotic; eroticism.
e*quiva*lent /ikwivalant/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 (often foil, e«ro«to»gen«ic /irotajenik, ir6-/ adj. = erogenous.
by to) equal in value, amount, etc. 2 corresponding. e«ro»to»ma»ni»a /irotamayneea, ir6-/ n. 1 excessive or
3 (of words) having the same meaning. 4 having the morbid erotic desire. 2 a preoccupation with sexual
same result. • «. an equivalent thing, amount, word, passion, dd e«ro»to»ma»ni»ac /-neeak/ n.
etc. nn e*quiv*a*lence /-lans/ n. e»quiv»a»len»cy n. err /ar, er/ v. intr. 1 be mistaken or incorrect. 2 do wrong;
e»quivocal /ikwivakal/ adj. 1 of double or doubtful sin. d err on the right side act so that the least harm-
meaning. 2 of uncertain nature. 3 (of a person, char- ful of possible errors is the most likely to occur, err on
acter, etc.) suspect, an e»quiv«o«cal«i»ty /-kalitee/ n. e» the side of act with a specified bias.
quivocaMy adv. e*quivo*cal*ness n. Traditionally, this word rhymes with her, though the
e»quiv»0»cate /ikwivakayt/ v. intr. use ambiguity to con- pronunciation that rhymes with hair is now common.
ceal the truth, dd e*quiv*o*ca*tion /-kayshan/ n. e«quiv er»rand /erand/ n. la short journey, esp. on another's
o«ca*tor n. e«quivo»ca«to«ry adj. behalf, to take a message, collect goods, etc. 2 the ob-
ER emergency room.
abbr. ject of such a journey.
Er symb. Chem. the element erbium. er«rant /erant/ adj. 1 erring; deviating from an accepted
ERA abbr. 1 Baseball earned run average. 2 Equal standard. 2 literary or archaic traveling in search of ad-
Rights Amendment. venture (knight errant), dd er«ran»cy /-ansee/ n. (in
e»ra /e'era, era/ n. 1 a system of chronology reckoning sense 1). er«rant«ry n. (in sense 2).
from a noteworthy event (the Christian era). 2 a dis- er«rat»ic /iratik/ adj. 1 inconsistently variable in con-
tinct period of time, esp. regarded historically (thepre- duct, opinions, etc. 2 uncertain in movement, dd er*
Roman era) 3 a date at which an era begins.
. rat»i»caMy adv.
e»rad»i»cate /iradikayt/ v. tr. root out; destroy complete- er»ra»tum /ira'atam, irat-/ n. (pi. errata /-ta/) an error
ly, dd e*rad*i*ca*ble adj. e*rad*i*ca*tion /-kayshan/ n. e» in printing or writing.
rad«i»ca«tor n. er»ro»ne»OUS /irOneeas/ adj. incorrect; arising from er-
e«rase rub out. 2 remove all traces of
/irays/ v.tr. 1 ror, dd er»ro«ne»ous»ly adv. er«ro«ne»ous»ness n.
(erased it from my memory) 3 remove recorded mate- er«ror /erar/ n. 1a mistake. 2 the condition of being
.

rial from (a magnetic medium), dd e*ras*a*ble adj. e» wrong in conduct or judgment. 3 a wrong opinion or
ra*sure n.
e»ras»er /iraysar/ n. a thing that erases, esp. a piece of See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . . .

ersatz ~ Esq. 264 es«cha«tol«o»gy /eskatolajee/ n. the part of theology

concerned with death and final destiny, dd es*cha*to«
judgment. 4 the amount by which something is incor- logical /-talojikal/ adj. es*cha*tol*o«gist n.
rect or inaccurate in a calculation or measurement. es»chew /eschdb/ v.tr. literary avoid; abstain from.
er*satz /erzaats, -saats, erzaats, -saats/ adj. substitute; dd es»chewal n.
imitation (esp. of inferior quality). es*COrt n. &
v. • n. /eskawrt/ 1 one or more persons,

Erse /ars/ adj. & n. madj. Irish or Highland Gaelic. • n. vehicles, ships, etc., accompanying a person, vehicle,
the Gaelic language. protection or security or as a mark of rank
etc., esp. for
erstwhile /arst-hwll, -wil/ adj. former; previous. or status. 2 a person accompanying a person of the op-
er*u*dite /eryadit, era-/ adj. 1 (of a person) learned. posite sex socially. • v. tr. /iskawrt/ act as an escort to.
2 (of writing, etc.) showing great learning, nn er»u»dite» es*cri*toire /eskritwa'ar/ n. a writing desk with drawers.
ly adv. er»u»di»tion /-dishan/ n. es«crow /eskro/ n. &
v. Law • n. 1 money, property, or

e«rupt /irupt/ v.intr. 1 break out suddenly or dramati- a written bond, kept in the custody of a third party
cally. 2 (of a volcano) become active and eject lava, until a specified condition has been fulfilled. 2 the sta-
etc. 3 a (of a rash, boil, etc.) appear on the skin, b (of tus of this (in escrow) • v. tr. place in escrow.
.

the skin) produce a rash, etc. 4 (of the teeth) break es*CU*do /eskoodo/ n. (pi. -dos) the principal monetary
through the gums, do e«rup«tion /-rupshsn/ n. erup* unit of Portugal and Chile.
tive adj. es*CUtch*eon /iskuchan/ n. 1a shield or emblem bear-
er»y»the»ma /eritheema/ n. a superficial reddening of ing a coat of arms. 2 the protective plate around a key-
the skin, usu. in patches. hole or door handle.
erythro- /irithro/ comb, form red. ESE abbr. east-southeast.
e«ryth»ro»cyte /irithrgsit/ n. a red blood cell, dd eryth* -ese /eez/ suffix forming adjectives and nouns denot-
ro«cyt»ic /— sitik/ adj. ing: 1 an inhabitant or language of a country or city
Es symb. Chem. the element einsteinium. (Japanese; Milanese; Viennese). Plural forms are the
-es IxzJ suffix forming plurals of nouns ending in sibi-
l
same. 2 often derog. character or style, esp. of language
lant sounds (such words in -e dropping the e) (kisses; (officialese)
cases; boxes; churches) es»ker /esksr/ n. Geol. a long ridge of postglacial grav-
-es 2 /iz, z/ suffix forming the 3rd person sing, present el in river valleys.
of verbs ending in sibilant sounds (such words in -e Es*ki*mo /eskimo/ n. &
adj. • n. (pi. same or -mos) 1 a
dropping the e) and ending in -o (but not -od) (goes; member of a people inhabiting N. Canada, Alaska,
places; pushes) Greenland, and E. Siberia. 2 the language of this peo-
es*ca*late /eskalayt/ v. 1 intr. &
tr. increase or develop ple, madj. of or relating to the Eskimos or their lan-
(usu. rapidly) by stages. 2 tr. cause to become more guage.
intense, dd es«ca»la»tion /-layshan/ n. The
term Inuit is preferred by the people themselves.
es»ca»la»tor /eskalaytar/ n. a moving staircase con- ESL abbr. English as a second language.
sisting of a circulating belt forming steps. e*soph*a*gus /isofagss, ee-/ n. (pi. esophagi /-gi, -]\l)
es*ca*lope /eskalop/ n. a thin slice of meat without any the part of the alimentary canal from the mouth to the
bone, esp. veal. stomach; the gullet, dd e«sopha*geal /isofajeeal,
es*ca*pade /eskapayd/ n. an act or incident involving eessfajeesl/ adj.
excitement, daring, or adventure. es*0*ter*ic /essterik/ adj. 1 intelligible only to those
es*cape /iskayp/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. (often foil, by from) with special knowledge. 2 (of a belief, etc.) intended
get free of the restriction or control of. 2 intr. (of a gas, only for the initiated, dd es«o»ter»i»cal adj.
liquid, etc.) leak. 3 intr. succeed in avoiding danger, ESP abbr. extrasensory perception.
punishment, etc. 4 tr. get completely free of (a person, es*pa*drille /espadril/ n. a light canvas shoe with a plait-
grasp, etc.). 5 tr. elude (a commitment, danger, etc.). ed fiber sole.
6 tr. elude the notice or memory of (the name escaped es*pal«ier /ispalyar, -yay/ n. 1 a latticework along which
me). 7 tr. (of words, etc.) issue unawares from (a per- the branches of a tree or shrub are trained to grow flat
son's lips), mn. 1 the act or an instance of escaping; against a wall, etc. 2 a tree or shrub trained in this way.
avoidance of danger, injury, etc. 2 the state of having es*pe*cial /ispeshal/ adj. 1 notable; exceptional. 2 at-
escaped (a narrow escape) 3 a means of escaping (of-
. tributed or belonging chiefly to one person or thing
ten attrib. escape hatch) 4 a leakage of gas, etc. 5 a tem-
: . (your especial charm)
porary relief from reality or worry. es»pe»cial»ly /ispeshalee, espesh-/ adv. chiefly; much
es«cape clause n. Law a clause specifying the condi- more than in other cases.
tions under which a contracting party is free from an Es«pe»ran»tO /esparanto, -ra'an-/ n. an artificial univer-
obligation. sal language devised in 1 887, based on roots common
es«cap»ee /iskaypee/ n. a person, esp. a prisoner, who to the chief European languages, an Es>pe*ran*tist ;/.
has escaped. es»pi»0»nage /espeennaazh/ n. the practice of spying »>i
es*cape*ment /iskaypmant/ n. 1 the part of a clock or of using spies.
watch that connects and regulates the motive power. es*pla*nade /espbna'ad, nayd/ n. 1 a long, open level
2 the part of the mechanism in a piano that enables area for walking on, esp. beside the OCetn. 2 level ;i

the hammer to fall back immediately after striking the space separating a fortress from a town.
string. es*pous*al /ispowzal, sr>l/ n. 1 (foil, by of) the etpoui
es»cape ve«looi»ty n. the minimum velocity needed ing of a cause, etc. 2 archaic a marring Of betrothal.
to escape from the gravitational field of a body. es»pouse/isp6wz/7;.fr. adopt or support (ClUie) d04
es»cap»ism /iskaypizam/ n. the tendency to seek dis- trine, etc.).
traction and relief from reality, esp. in the arts or es»pres«SO /espreso/ n. (also ex*pres*so /ekspi bti
through fantasy, dd es*cap*ist n. adj. & -SOS) 1 strong, concentrated black coffee mack mulct
es»cap«ol»o«gy /eskapotajee/ n. the methods and tech- steam pressure. 2 a machine for making this.
niques of escaping from confinement, esp. as a form es«prit /espre'e/ n. sprightliness; wit.
of entertainment, dd es*cap*ol*o*gist n. es»prit de corps /espree do kawr/ //. a feeling of ckvn
es*car*got /eskaargo/ n. an edible snail. tion to and pride in the group one belongs to.
es*carp*ment /iska'arpmont/ n. (also es*carp) Geol. a es»py /ispi/ v.tr. (-pies, -pied) literary ate h m^Ih <-i
i

long, steep slope at the edge of a plateau, etc. Esq. abbr. esquire.
 . . .

-esque forming adjectives meaning 'in the 265

/esk/ suffix -esque - ethical
style of or 'resembling' (romanesque; Schumannesque)
es*quire /eskwir, iskwir/ n. 1 (usu. as abbr. Esq.) a a Es»tO«ni»an /estOneean/ n. adj mn. 1 a a native of Es- &
title appended to a man's surname when no other form tonia, a Baltic republic, b a person of Estonian de-
of address is used, esp. as a form of address for letters. scent. 2 the language of Estonia, madj. of or relating to
b a title placed after the name of an attorney (male or Estonia or its people or language.
female), esp. in correspondence. 2 archaic = squire. es*trange /istraynj/ v.tr. (usu. in passive; often foil, by
-ess /is/ suffix forming nouns denoting females (actress; from) cause to turn away in feeling or affection; alien-
lioness; mayoress). ate, no es«trange«ment n.
es»say n. &
v. • n. /esay/ 1 a composition, usu. short es»tro»gen /estrajsn/ n. 1 any of various steroid hor-
and in prose, on any subject. 2 (often foil, by at, in) mones developing and maintaining female character-
formal an attempt, mv.tr. /esay/ formal attempt; try. istics of the body. 2 this hormone produced artificial-
an es-sayist n. ly, dd es*tro«gen*ic /-jenik/ adj.

es*sence /esans/ n. 1 fundamental nature or inherent es»trus /estras/ n. (also es»trum) a recurring period of
characteristics. 2 a an extract obtained by distillation, sexual receptivity in many female mammals, dd es«
etc. b a perfume. 3 the constituent of a plant that deter- trous adj.
mines its chemical properties. 4 an abstract entity; the es»tll«ar»y /es-chooeree/ n. (pi. -ies) a wide tidal mouth
reality underlying a phenomenon or all phenomena. of a river, dd es*tu*a*rine /-arin, -areen/ adj.
es*sen*tial /isenshsl/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 absolutely nec- ET abbr. extraterrestrial.
essary; indispensable. 2 fundamental; basic. 3 of or ETA abbr. estimated time of arrival.
constituting the essence of a person or thing. 4 (of a e»ta /ayta, eeta/ n. the seventh letter of the Greek al-
disease) with no known external stimulus or cause. • n. phabet (H, ti).
(esp. in pi.) a basic or indispensable element or thing. et al. /et al/ abbr. and others.
on es-servtiaMy adv. etc. abbr. = et cetera.
es*sen*tial Oil n. a volatile oil derived from a plant, etc., et cet«er«a /et setsra, setra/ adv. &
n. (also et»cet«er»a)
with its characteristic odor. madv. 1 a and the rest; and similar things or people.
EST abbr. 1 eastern standard time. 2 electroshock treat- b or similar things or people. 2 and so on. mn. (in pi.)
ment. the usual sundries or extras.
es*tab«lish /istablish/ v.tr. 1 set up or consolidate (a Avoid pronouncing this phrase "ek set-uhr-uh";
business, system, etc.) on a permanent basis. 2 (foil, many regard this as uneducated.
by in) settle (a person or oneself) in some capacity. etch /ech/ v. &
n. • v. 1 a tr. reproduce (a picture, etc.)
3 (esp. as established adj.) achieve permanent accept- by engraving a design on a metal plate with acid, b tr.
ance for (a custom, belief, practice, institution, etc.). engrave (a plate) in this way. 2 intr. practice this craft.
4 place beyond dispute (a fact, etc.). an es*tab*lish*er 3 tr. (foil, by on, upon) impress deeply (esp. on the
n. mind), mn. the action or process of etching, dd etch*
es*tab*lish*ment /istablishmant/ n. 1 the act or an in- er n.

stance of establishing; the process of being established.
2 a a business organization or public institution, b a
place of business. C a residence. 3 a the staff or equip-
ment of an organization, b a household. 4 any organ-
ized body permanently maintained. 5 a church system
organized by law. 6 (the Establishment) a the group
in a society exercising authority or influence, and seen
as resisting change, b any influential or controlling
group (the literary Establishment)
es«tate /istayt/ n. la property consisting of an exten-
sive area of land usu. with a large house. 2 Brit, a hous-
ing development. 3 all of a person's assets and liabili-
ties, esp. at death. 4 a property where rubber, tea,
grapes, etc., are cultivated. 5 (in full estate of the
realm) a group or social class having specific political
powers.
es»teem /iste'em/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 (usu. in passive) have
a high regard for. 2 formal consider (esteemed it an hon-
or), mn. high regard; favor (held them in esteem).
es«ter /est9r/ n. Chem. any of a class of organic com-
pounds produced by replacing the hydrogen of an ac-
id by an alkyl, etc., radical, many of which occur nat-
urally as oils and fats, qd es»ter»i»fy /esterifi/ v.tr.
es»thete var. of aesthete.
es*thet*ic var. of aesthetic.
es*ti*ma*ble /estimabgl/ adj. worthy of esteem.
es«ti«mate n.&v.m n. /estimst/ 1 an approximate judg-
ment. 2 a price specified as that likely to be charged
etching /eching/ n. 1a print made from an etched
plate. 2 the art of producing these plates.
ETD abbr. estimated time of departure.
e»ter«nal /itarnal/ adj. 1 existing always; without an end
or (usu.) beginning in time. 2 essentially unchanging
(eternal truths) .3 colloq. constant; seeming not to cease
(your eternal nagging), dd e*ter»nal»ize v.tr. e*ter*nal*ly
adv.
e»ter»nal tri»arvgle n. a relationship of three people in-
volving sexual rivalry.
e»ter»ni»ty /itarnitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 infinite or unend-
ing (esp. future) time. 2 Theol. endless life after death.
3 the state of being eternal. 4 colloq. (often prec. by an)
a very long time.
eth*ane /ethayn/ n. Chem. a gaseous hydrocarbon of
the alkane series, occurring in natural gas..
eth«a*nol /ethanawl, -nol/ n. Chem. = alcohol 1
e«ther /e'ethar/ n. 1 Chem. a a colorless volatile organic
liquid used as an anesthetic or solvent. Also called di-
ethyl ether, b any of a class of organic compounds with
a similar structure to this, having an oxygen joined to
two alkyl, etc., groups. 2 a clear sky; the upper regions
of air. 3 hist, a a medium formerly assumed to perme-
ate space, b a medium through which electromagnet-
ic waves were formerly thought to be transmitted.
e»the»re»al /ithe'ereeal/ adj. 1 extremely delicate and
light in a way that seems too perfect for this world
(ethereal beauty) 2 heavenly; celestial, dd e«the«re«aMy
.

for work to be undertaken. 3 opinion; judgment. • v. tr. adv.

(also absol.) /estimayt/ 1 form an estimate of. 2 (foil, eth*ic /ethik/ n. &
adj. mn. a set of moral principles (the
by that + clause) make a rough calculation. puritan ethic), madj. = ethical.
es*ti*ma*tion /estimayshgn/ n. 1 the process or result eth*i*cal /ethikal/ adj. 1 relating to morals. 2 morally
of estimating. 2 judgment of worth (in my estimation). correct; honorable. 3 (of a medicine or drug) not ad-
es*ti*val /estaval, esti'vgl/ adj. (also aes»ti«val)/orma/ be- vertised to the general public, and usu. available only
longing to or appearing in summer. on a doctor's prescription, dd eth*i*caMy adv.
es«ti»vate/est3vayt/^.mrr. (also aes*ti*vate) Zool. spend
the summer or dry season in a state of torpor. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . . .

ethics ~ European 266 Eu symb. Chem. the element europium.

eu- /yoo/ comb, form well; easily.
ethnics /ethiks/ n.pl. (also treated as sing.) 1 the science eu*ca*lyp*tus /yobkaliptas/ n. (also eu-ca-lypt) (pi.
of morals in human conduct. 2 a moral principles, b a eucalypti /-ti/or eucalyptuses or eucalypts) any tree
set of these (medical ethics) dd eth*i*cist /ethisist/ n.
. of the genus Eucalyptus, native to Australasia, culti-
E»thi«o«pi«an /e'etheeopeegn/ n. &
adj. •n. 1 a native or vated for its wood and for the oil from its leaves.
national of Ethiopia in NE
Africa. 2 a person of Ethi- Eu*cha*rist /yobkarist/ n. 1 the Christian sacrament
opian descent, madj. of or relating to Ethiopia. commemorating the Last Supper, in which bread and
ettwiic /ethnik/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 a (of a social group) wine are consecrated and consumed. 2 the conse-
having a common national or cultural tradition, b (of crated elements, esp. the bread (receive the Eucharist)
clothes, etc.) resembling those of a non-European eu«clid«e*an /yooklideean/ adj. (also Eu*clid*e*an) of or
exotic people. 2 denoting origin by birth or descent relating to Euclid, 3rd-c. bc Alexandrian geometri-
rather than nationality (ethnic Turks). 3 relating to race cian.
or culture (ethnic group; ethnic origins) • n. 1a mem- eu*gen*ics /yoojeniks/ n.pl. (also treated as sing.) the
.

ber of an (esp. minority) ethnic group. 2 (in pi. , usu. science of improving the population by controlled
treated as sing.) = ethnology, dd eth»ni«caMy adv. eth- breeding for desirable inherited characteristics, dd eu*
nicity /-nisitee/ n. gervic adj. eu*gen*i*cist /yoojenisist/ n.
etlvnic cleansing n. euphem. the practice of mass ex- eu«kar«y«ote /yookareeot/ n. (also eu»car«y«ote) Biol, an
pulsion or killing of people from opposing ethnic or organism consisting of a cell or cells in which the genet-
religious groups within a certain area. ic material is contained within a distinct nucleus (cf.
ethno- /ethno/ comb, form ethnic; ethnological. prokaryote). dd eu»kar«y»ot»ic /-reeotik/ adj.
eth»no»cen»tric /ethinosentrik/ adj. evaluating other eu*lo*gize /yoolajiz/ v.tr. praise in speech or writing.
races and cultures by criteria specific to one's own. dd eu*lo*gist /—jist/ n. eu*lo*gis*tic adj.
dd eth«no»cen«tri»caMy adv. eth«no»cen»trioi»ty /— trisi- eu«lo«gy /yoblajee/ n. (pi. -gies) 1 a speech or writing
tee/ n. eth«nocervtrism n. in praise of a person, b an expression of praise. 2 a fu-
eth»nog»ra»phy /ethnografee/ n. the scientific descrip- neral oration in praise of a person.
tion of races and cultures of mankind, qd eth»nog»ra»
eulogy late Middle English (in the sense 'high
pher n. eth«no«graph«ic /-nagrafik/ adj.
praise'): from medieval Latin eulogium^ eulogia (from
eth»nol»o»gy /ethnotajee/ n. the comparative scientific
Greek eulogia 'praise'), apparently influenced by Lat-
study of human peoples, dd eth*no*log*i*cal adj. eth»
in elogium 'inscription on a tomb' (from Greek elegia
nol*o«gist n.
'elegy') .The current sense dates from the late 16th
e»thol»0»gy /eetholajee/ n. 1 the science of animal
cent.
behavior. 2 the science of character formation in hu-
man behavior, dd e*tho*log*i*cal /eethalojikal/ adj. e» eu*nuch /ydbnak/ n. 1 a castrated man, esp. one for-
thol«o*gist n. merly employed at an Oriental harem 2 a person lack- .

e»thoS /e'ethos/ n. the characteristic spirit or attitudes ing effectiveness (political eunuch)
of a community, people, etc., or of a literary work. eu»ol>y»mus /yoo-onimas/ n. any tree of the genus Eu-
eth»yl /ethil/ n. (attrib.) Chem. the univalent radical de- onymus, e.g., the spindle tree.
rived from ethane by removal of a hydrogen atom (eth- eu»phe«mism /yobfimizsm/ n. 1a mild or vague ex-
yl alcohol) pression substituted for one thought to be too harsh
eth»yl»ene /ethileen/ n. Chem. a gaseous hydrocarbon or direct (e.g., pass over for die). 2 the use of such
of the alkene series, occurring in natural gas and used expressions, dd eu»phe»mis«tic adj. eu»phe«mis»ti»cal»
in the manufacture of polyethylene. Also called eth- ly adv. eu*phe*mize v.tr. intr. &
ene. eu*pho*ni*OUS /yoofOneeas/ adj. 1 sounding pleasant;
eth»yl»ene gly*col n. Chem. a colorless viscous hygro- harmonious. 2 concerning euphony, dd eu«pho»ni»
scopic liquid used as an antifreeze and in the manu- ous«ly adv.
facture of polyesters. eu*pho*ni*um /yoofoneeam/ n. a brass wind instrument
e»ti»0«late /e'eteealayt/ v. tr. 1 make (a plant) pale by ex- of the tuba family.
cluding light. 2 give a sickly hue to (a person). eu»pho»ny /yoofanee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 a pleasantness of
e»ti»ol«o«gy /eeteeotajee/ n. 1 the assignment of a cause sound, esp. of a word or phrase, b a pleasant sound.
or reason. 2 the philosophy of causation. 3 Med. the 2 the tendency to make a phonetic change for ease of
science of the causes of disease, dd e»ti»o»log»i»cal pronunciation, dd eu*phon*ic /-fonik/ adj.
/-teealojikal/ adj. e»ti«o»log»i»caMy /-teealojikalee/ adv. eu-phor«bi«a /yoofawrbeea/ n. any plant of the genus
et»i»quette /etiket, -kit/ n. 1 the conventional rules of Euphorbia, including spurges.
social behavior. 2 a the customary behavior of mem- eu»pho»ri«a /yoofawreea/ n. a feeling of well-being, esp.
bers of a profession toward each other, b the unwrit- one based on overconfidence or overoptimism. dd eu»
ten code governing this (medical etiquette). phobic /-fawrik, for-/ adj. eu»phoM»caMy adv.
E*trus*can /itruskan/ adj. &
n. •adj. of ancient Etruria eu-pho»ri»ant /yoofawreeant/ adj. &
n. • adj. inducing
in Italy. •«. la native of Etruria. 2 the language of euphoria. •«. a euphoriant drug.
Etruria. Eur*a*sian /yoDrayzhon/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 of mixed
et seq. abbr. (also et seqq.) and the following. European and Asian parentage. 2 of Europe ami Asia
-ette /et/ suffix forming nouns meaning: 1 small (kitch- • n. a Eurasian person.
enette:, cigarette) 2 imitation or substitute (leatherette;
. eu»re-ka /yoore'eko/ int. & n. •int. I have found it! (an-
flannelette) . 3 often offens. female (usherette; suffragette) nouncing a discovery, etc.). »n. the exultant cry of 'eu-
e»tude /aytobd, -tycbd/ n. a short musical composition reka.'
designed to improve the technique of the player. eu»rhyth»mic var.ofEUXYTHMic.
et»y»mol»o»gy /etimolajee/ n. (pi. -gies) 1 a the sources euThyth-mics of BUKYTHMICS.
var.
of the formation of a word and the development of its Euro- /yobro/ comb, form Europe, BUTOp lL d
meaning, b an account of these. 2 the branch of Eu»ro«doMar /ydbrodolw/ n. a dollar held in a hank in
linguistic science concerned with etymologies, dd et- Europe.
ymological /-mslojikol/ adj. et«ymo«log«i«caMy Eu»ro»pe«an /yo'ompeerm/ adj. &
n. •ad). 1 of or in Eu-
adv. et«ymol»o»gist n. rope. 2 a descended from natives of Europe, b 0l4gi>
EU abbr. European Union. nating in or characteristic of Europe. 3 a happening
 in or extending over Europe, b concerning Europe as 267 European Community - ever
a whole rather than its individual countries. 4 of or re-
lating to the European Economic Community. •«. ture as vapor. 3 intr. &
tr. disappear or cause to disap-

1 a a native or inhabitant of Europe, b a person de- pear, dd e»vap«o»ra«tion /-rayshan/ n. e»vap«o«ra»tor n.

scended from natives of Europe. C a white person. 2 a e«va«sion /ivayzhan/ n. 1 the act of evading. 2 a sub-
person concerned with European matters, on Eu»ro« terfuge or a prevaricating excuse, b an evasive answer.
pe*an*ism n. EuTope-arvize v.tr. &
intr. Ei>ro«pe«arv e«va»sive /ivaysiv/ adj. 1 seeking to evade something.
i*za*tion n. 2 not direct in one's answers, etc. 3 enabling or effect-
Eu*ro*pe*an Com*mu*ni«ty n. (also European ing evasion. 4 (of a person) habitually practicing eva-
Economic Community) an economic and political sion, dd e»va»sive«ly adv. e«va»sive«ness n.
association of certain European countries as a unit eve /eev/ n. 1 the evening or day before a church festi-
with internal free trade and common external tariffs. val or any date or event. 2 the time just before any-
eu»ro»pi»um /yOOropeeam/ n. Chem. a soft, silvery me- thing {the eve of the election) 3 archaic evening.
.

tallic element of the lanthanide series, occurring nat- e«ven /e'evan/ adj., adv., &
v. »adj. (evener, evenest)

urally in small quantities. H Symb.: Eu.
eu«ryth»mic /yoorithmik/ adj. (also eu«rhyth»mic) of or
in harmonious proportion (esp. of architecture).
eu»ryth»mics /yoorithmiks/ n.pl. (also treated as sing.)
(also eu«rhyth»mics) harmony of bodily movement,
esp. as developed with music and dance into a system
of education.
Eu*sta*chian tube /yoostayshan, -keean/ n. Anat. a
tube leading from the pharynx to the cavity of the mid-
dle ear.
1 level. 2 a uniform in quality; constant, b equal in
number or amount or value, etc. C equally balanced.
3 (usu. foil, by with) in the same plane or line. 4 (of a
person's temper, etc.) equable; calm. 5 a (of a num-
ber) divisible by two without a remainder, b bearing
such a number {no parking on even days). C not involv-
ing fractions; exact. • adv. 1 used to invite comparison
of the stated assertion, negation, etc., with an implied
one that is less strong or remarkable {never even opened
[let alone read] the letter) 2 used to introduce an ex-
.

eu»sta»sy /ydbstasee/ n. a change in sea level through- treme case {even you must realize it) 3 (sometimes foil, .

out the world caused by tectonic movements, melting by with or though) in spite of; notwithstanding {even
of glaciers, etc. eu*stat*ic /-statik/ adj. with the delays, we arrived on time). »v. tr. intr. (of- &
eu*tha*na*sia /yobthanayzha/ n. 1 the bringing about ten foil, by up or out) make or become even, d even as
of a gentle and easy death in the case of incurable and at the very moment that, even now 1 now as well as
painful disease. 2 such a death. before. 2 at this very moment, even so 1 notwithstand-
eu»troph»ic /yootrofik, -trOfik/ adj. (of a lake, etc.) rich ing that; nevertheless. 2 quite so. 3 in that case as well
in nutrients and therefore supporting a dense plant as in others, get (or be) even with have one's revenge
population, which kills animal life by depriving it of on. on an even keel 1 (of a ship or aircraft) not tilting
oxygen, on eu*tro*phy /yobtrafee/ n. or listing to one side. 2 (of a plan or person) func-
EVA abbr. Astronaut, extravehicular activity. tioning normally, dd e«ven»ly adv. e«ven«ness n.
e»vac«u»ate /ivakyoo-ayt/ v. tr. 1 a remove (people) e»ven»hand«ed /e'evanhandid/ adj. impartial, dd e«ven»
from a place of danger, b empty (a place) in this way. hand»ed«ly adv. e«ven«hand«ed»ness n.
2 make empty (a vessel of air, etc.). 3 (of troops) with- eve*ning /e'evning/ n. 1 the end part of the day, esp.
draw from (a place). 4 a empty (the bowels or other from about 6 p.m. to bedtime {this evening; during the
bodily organ), b discharge (feces, etc.). oo e»vac«u«a« evening; evening meal). 2 this time spent in a particu-
tion /-ayshan/ n. lar way {had a lively evening) 3 a time compared with
.

e»vac»u«ee /ivakyoo-e'e/ n. a person evacuated from a this, esp. the last part of a person's life.
place of danger. eve»ning prinvrose n. any plant of the genus Oenothera
e-vade /ivayd/ v. tr. 1 a escape from, avoid, esp. by guile with pale yellow flowers that open in the evening.
or trickery, b avoid doing (one's duty, etc.). C avoid eve»ning star n. a planet, esp. Venus, conspicuous in
answering (a question). 2 a fail to pay (tax due), b de- the west after sunset.
feat the intention of (a law, etc.). 3 (of a thing) elude e«ven»song /e'evansawng, -song/ n. a service of evening
or baffle (a person), dd e»vad»er n. prayer esp. in the Anglican Church.
e»val»u»ate /ivalyoo-ayt/ w.rr. 1 assess; appraise. 2 a find e«vent /ivent/ n. 1 a thing that happens. 2 a the fact of
or state the number or amount of. b find a numerical a thing's occurring, b a result or outcome. 3 an item
expression for. dd e»val«u»a»tion /-ayshan/ n. e«val»u»a« in a sports program, or the program as a whole. 4 Phys-
tive adj. e«val»u»a»tor n. ics a single occurrence of a process. 5 something on

ev»a»nesce /evanes/ v. intr. fade from sight. the result of which money is staked, d in any event
ev»a»nes»cent /evanesant/ adj. quickly fading, dd ev«a* whatever happens, in the event as it turns (or turned)
nes»cence /-sans/ n. out. in the event of if (a specified thing) happens, in
e*van*gel*i*cal /e'evanjelikal, evan-/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of the event that disp. if it happens that.
or according to the teaching of the gospel or the Chris- e»vent»f 111 /iventfool/ adj. marked by noteworthy events.
tian religion. 2 of the Protestant school maintaining dd e»vent»fuMy adv. e*vent*ful>ness n.
that the doctrine of salvation by faith in the Atone- e«ven«tide /e'evantld/ n. archaic or poet. = evening.
ment is the essence of the gospel. »n. a member of the e»ven»tu»al /ivenchooal/ adj. occurring or existing in
evangelical school, dd e«van*gel*i*cal*ism n. e«van«gel» due course or at last, dd e«ven»tu»aMy adv.
i-cal-ly adv. e»ven»tu«al»i»ty /ivenchoo-alitee/ n. {pi. -ties) a possi-
e«van»ge»lism /ivanjalizam/ n. 1 the preaching of the ble event or outcome.
gospel. 2 zealous advocacy of a cause or doctrine. e«ven»tu»ate /ivenchoo-ayt/ v. intr. formal 1 turn out in
e»van»ge»list /ivanjalist/ n. 1 any of the writers of the a specified way as the result. 2 (often foil, by in) re-
four Gospels. 2 a preacher of the gospel. 3 a lay per- sult.
son doing missionary work, dd e«van*ge*lis*tic /ivan- ev«er /evar/ adv. 1 at all times; always {ever hopeful; ever
jalistik/ adj. after) 2 at any time {have you ever been to Paris?; as good
.

e«van»ge»lize /ivanjaliz/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) preach the as ever). 3 as an emphatic word: a in any way; at all
gospel to. 2 convert (a person) to Christianity, dd e» {when will they ever learn?), b (prec. by as) in any man-
van*ge*li*za*tion n. e*van*ge*liz*er n. ner possible {be as quick as ever you can). 4 (in comb.)
e«vap»o»rate /ivaparayt/ v. 1 intr. turn from solid or liq-
uid into vapor. 2 intr. & tr. lose or cause to lose mois- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

evergreen ~ exalt 268 e»vil eye n. a gaze superstitiously believed to be able to

cause harm.
constantly (ever-present). 5 (foil, by so, such) esp. Brit, e«vince /ivins/ v.tr. 1 indicate or make evident. 2 show
colloq. very; very much (is ever so easy) 6 (foil, by corn-
. that one has (a quality), dd e*vin*ci*ble adj.
par.) constantly; increasingly (grew ever larger), o ever e*vis*cer*ate /ivisarayt/ v.tr. formal 1 disembowel.
since throughout the period since. 2 empty or deprive of essential contents, dd e»vis»cer»
evergreen /evargreen/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 always action /-rayshan/ n.
green or fresh. 2 (of a plant) retaining green leaves e»voc»a»tive /ivokativ/ adj. tending to evoke (esp. feel-
throughout the year. • n. an evergreen plant (cf decid- . ings or memories), dd e*voc*a*tive*ly adv.
uous). e«voke /ivok/ v.tr. 1 inspire or draw forth (memories,
everlasting /evarlasting/ adj. &n. %adj. 1 lasting for- feelings, a response, etc.) 2 summon (a supposed spir-
.

ever. 2 lasting for a long time, esp. so as to become un- it from the dead), dd evo«ca»tion /evakayshan, e'evo-/

welcome. 3 (of flowers) keeping their shape and col- n.

or when dried. • n. (the everlasting) eternity, oo ever* ev»o»lu«tion /evglobshan/ n. 1 gradual development.
last*ing*ly adv. ever»last»ing«ness n. 2 a process by which species develop from earlier
ev»er«more /evarmawr/ adv. forever; always. forms, as an explanation of their origins. 3 the appear-
eve»ry /evree/ adj. 1 each single (heard every word). ance or presentation of events, etc., in due succession
2 each at a specified interval in a series (comes every (the evolution of the plot). 4 a change in the disposition
four days) 3 all possible (there is every prospect of suc-
. of troops or ships. 5 the giving off or evolving of gas,
cess). every bit as colloq. (in comparisons) quite as heat, etc. 6 an opening out. 7 the unfolding of a curve.
(every bit as good), every now and again (or now and dd evo*lu*tion*ar*y adj.
then) from time to time, every one each one (see al- ev«o»lu»tion»ist /evslobshanist/ n. a person who
so everyone), every other each second in a series (eve- believes in evolution as explaining the origin of spe-
ry other day), every so often occasionally, every which cies, dd evo*lu*tion*ism n.
&
way colloq. 1 in all directions. 2 in a disorderly man- e*volve /ivolv/ v. 1 intr. tr. develop gradually by a nat-
ner. ural process. 2 tr. devise (a theory, plan, etc.). 3 intr.
eve«ry»bod»y /evreebodee, -budee/ pron. every person. &
tr. unfold; open out. 4 tr. give off (gas, heat, etc.).

Everybody, along with everyone,, traditionally used ewe /yoo/ n. a female sheep.
a singular pronoun of reference: Everybody must sign ew»er /yobsr/ n. a large water jug with a wide mouth.
his (not their) own name. Because the use of his in this ex /eks/ prep. 1 (of goods) sold from (ex factory). 2 (of
1

context is now perceived as sexist by some, a second stocks or shares) without; excluding.
option became popular: Everybody must sign his or her ex 2 /eks/ n. colloq. a former husband or wife.
own name. But his or her is often awkward, and many ex- /eks/ prefix (also e- before some consonants, ef- be-
feel that the plural simply makes more sense: Every- fore/) 1 forming verbs meaning: a out; forth (exclude;
body must sign their own name. Although this violates exit), b upward (extol). C thoroughly (excruciate).
logic, it is standard in British English and informal US d bring into a state (exasperate) e remove or free from .

usage. In some sentences, only they makes grammat- (expatriate; exonerate) 2 forming nouns from titles of
.

ical sense: Everybody agreed to convict the defendant, and office, status, etc., meaning 'formerly' (ex-president; ex-
they so voted unanimously. wife) .

eve»ry»day /evreeday/ adj. 1 occurring every day. 2 suit-
able for or used on ordinary days. 3 commonplace;
usual. 4 mundane; mediocre; inferior.
eve»ry»man /evreeman/ n. (also Everyman) the or-
dinary or typical human being; the "man in the street."
eve»ry«one /evreewun/ pron. everybody.
See note at everybody.
everything /evreething/ pron. 1 all things; all the
things of a group or class. 2 colloq. a great deal (gave
me everything) 3 an essential consideration (speed is
. ex*act*ing /igzakting/ adj. 1 making great demands.
everything)
eve«ry»where /evreehwair, -wair/ adv. 1 in every place.
2 colloq. in many places.
e«vict /ivikt/ v.tr. expel (a tenant) from a property by
legal process, do e*vic*tion /-vikshan/ n.
evidence /evidans/ n. &
v. •«. 1 (often foil, by
for, of) the available facts, circumstances, etc., indicat-
ing whether or not a thing is true or valid. 2 Law
ex*ac*er*bate /igzasarbayt/ v.tr. 1 make (pain, anger,
etc.) worse. 2 irritate (a person), dd ex*ac*er*ba*tion
/-bayshan/ n.
ex*act /igzakt/ adj. &
v. • adj. 1 accurate; correct in all
details (an exact description). 2 a precise, b (of a per-
son) tending to precision. • v. tr. (often foil, by from, of)
1 demand and enforce payment of (money, etc.).
2 a demand; insist on. b (of circumstances) require
urgently, dd ex*ac*ti*tude n. ex*act*ness n.
2 calling for much effort, dd ex*act*ing»ly adv.
ex»ac»tion /igzakshgn/ n. 1 the act or an instance of ex-
acting; the process of being exacted. 2 a an illegal or
exorbitant demand, b a sum or thing exacted.
ex»act»ly /igzaktlee/ adv. 1 accurately; precisely; in an
exact manner (worked it out exactly). 2 in exact terms
(exactly when did it happen?). 3 (said in reply) quite so;
I quite agree. 4 just; in all respects.

a information tending to prove a fact or proposi- ex*ag*ger*ate /igzajorayt/ v.tr. 1 (also absol.) give an
tion, b statements or proofs admissible as testimony impression of (a thing) that makes it seem larger or
in a court of law. 3 clearness; obviousness, mv.tr. greater, etc., than it really is. 2 enlarge or alter beyond
be evidence of. d in evidence noticeable; conspicu- normal or due proportions (spoke with exaggerated po-
ous. liteness), dd ex*ag*ger*at*ed*ly adv. ex»ag»ger»a»tion
evident /evidant/ adj. plain or obvious; manifest.
1 /-rayshon/ n. ex«ag»ger«a»tor ;/.

2 seeming; apparent (his evident anxiety).

ev*i*den*tial /evidenshal/ adj. of or providing evidence.
exaggerate mid- loth cent.: from I-atm exaggtrat"
'heaped up,' from the verb exaggerates from ex 'thoi
dd evi*den*tial*ly adv.
oughly' + aggerarc 'heap up' (from agger 'heap'). The
evi*dent*ly /evidgntlee, -dentlee/ adv. 1 as shown by
evidence. 2 seemingly; as it appears.
word originally meant 'pile up, accumulate,' later 'in-
tensify praise or blame,' 'dwell on a virtue or fault,"
e»vil /e'eval/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 morally bad; wicked.
giving rise to current senses.
2 harmful or tending to harm. 3 disagreeable (has an
evil temper). 4 unlucky; causing misfortune (evil days). rank or power, etc. 2 praitC
ex»alt/igzawlt/7;.rr. 1 raise in
• n. 1 an evil thing; an instance of something evil. highly. 3 (usu. as exalted adj.) a make lofty or noble
2 wickedness, dd e»viMy adv. e*vil*ness n. (exalted aims), b make rapturously excited. 4 (as ex-
 . .
alted adj.) elevated in rank or character; eminent; cel-
ebrated. 5 stimulate to greater activity; intensify;
heighten, an ex«alt*ed*ly adv. ex*alt«ed*ness n.
ex»al»ta»tion /egzawltayshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance
of exalting; the state of being exalted. 2 elation; rap-
turous emotion.
ex*am /igzam/ n. = EXAMINATION.
ex»am«i«na»tion /igzaminayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
stance of examining; the state of being examined. 2 a
detailed inspection. 3 the testing of the proficiency or
knowledge of candidates for a qualification by ques-
tions. 4 an instance of examining or being examined
medically. 5 Law the formal questioning of the ac-
cused or of a witness in court.
ex»am»ine /igzamin/ v. 1 tr. inquire into the nature or
condition, etc., of. 2 tr. look closely at. 3 tr. test the
proficiency of. 4 tr. check the health of (a patient). 5 tr.
Law formally question (the accused or a witness) in
court. 6 intr. (foil, by into) inquire, nn ex*am*in*a*ble
adj. ex»anvin»ee /-ne'e/ n. ex»anvirrer n.
ex*am«ple /igzaampal/ n. 1 a thing characteristic of its
kind or illustrating a general rule. 2 a person, thing, or
piece of conduct, regarded in terms of its fitness to be
imitated (must set him an example) 3 a circumstance
. eating or drinking, b (in pi.) outrageous or immoder-
or treatment seen as a warning to others; a person so
treated (shall make an example of you). 4 a problem or
exercise designed to illustrate a rule.
ex«as*per«ate /igza'asparayt/ v.tr. 1 (often as exasper-
ated adj. or exasperating adj.) irritate intensely.
2 make (a pain, ill feeling, etc.) worse, dd ex*as*per*a*
tion /-rayshan/ n.
ex ca»the«dra /eks kathe'edra/ adj. &
adv. with full au-
thority (esp. of a papal pronouncement).
ex*ca*vate /ekskavayt/ v. tr. 1 a make (a hole or chan-
nel) by digging, b dig out material from (the ground).
2 reveal or extract by digging. 3 (also absol.) Archaeol.
dig systematically to explore (a site), ao ex»ca*va*tion
/-vayshan/ n. ex»ca»va»tor n.
ex*ceed /ikseed/ v.tr. 1 be more or greater than. 2 go
beyond or do more than is warranted by (a set limit,
esp. of one's instructions or rights). 3 surpass.
ex*ceed*ing /ikseeding/ adj. 1 surpassing in amount or
degree. 2 preeminent.
ex»ceed»ing«ly/ikseeding-lee/a^. 1 very; to a great ex-
tent. 2 surpassingly; preeminently.
ex«cel /iksel/ v. (excelled, excelling) (often foil, by in,
at) 1 tr. be superior to. 2 intr. be preeminent (excels at
games)
ex»ceMence /eksalans/ n. 1 the state of excelling; sur-
passing merit or quality. 2 the activity, etc., in which
a person excels.
Ex»ceMen»cy /eksglansee/(pi. -cies) (usu. prec. by
n.
Your, His, Her, Their) a title used in addressing or re-
ferring to certain high officials, e.g., ambassadors, gov-
ernors, etc.
ex»ceMent /eksatant/ adj. extremely good, dd ex»cel»
ienMy adv.
ex«cel»si»or /ikselseear/ n. soft wood shavings used esp.
for stuffing and packing.
ex*cept /iksept/ v., prep., & conj. mv.tr. (often as
cepted placed after object) exclude from a gen-
adj.
eral statement, condition, etc. (present company ex-
cepted), mprep. (often foil, by for or that) not including;
other than (all failed except her), mconj. archaic unless
(except he be born again).
See note at accept.
ex*cept*ing /iksepting/ prep. = except prep.
ex*cep*tion /iksepshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
excepting; the state of being excepted. 2 a thing that
has been or will be excepted. 3 an instance that does
not follow a rule, n take exception (often foil, by to)
object; be resentful (about), with the exception of ex-
cept; not including.
..
269 exaltation ~ excitable
ex»cep»tion»a»ble /iksepshsnsbal/ adj. open to objec-
tion, do ex»cep«tion«a»bly adv.
Exceptionable means 'open to objection,' e.g., There
was nothing exceptionable in the evidence, and is usual-
ly found in negative contexts. It is sometimes confused
with the much more common exceptional, meaning
'unusual, outstanding.'
ex*cep«tion*al /iksepshanal/ adj. 1 forming an excep-
tion. 2 unusual; not typical. 3 unusually good; out-
standing, dd ex»cep»tion«aMy adv.
See note at exceptionable.
ex«cerpt n. &
v. • n. /eksarpt/ a short extract from a
book, motion picture, piece of music, etc. mv.tr.
/ikserpt/ (also absol. ) 1 take an excerpt or excerpts from
(a book, etc.). 2 take (an extract) from a book, etc.
nn ex«cerpt*i*ble adj. ex*cerp«tion /-sarpshsn/ n.
ex»cess /ikses, ekses/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 the state or an in-
stance of exceeding. 2 the amount by which one quan-
tity or number exceeds another. 3 exceeding of a prop-
er or permitted limit. 4 a the overstepping of the
accepted limits of moderation, esp. intemperance in
ate behavior. 5 an extreme or improper degree or ex-
tent (an excess of cruelty). 6 part of an insurance claim
to be paid by the insured. • attrib. adj. usu. /ekses/ 1 that
exceeds a limited or prescribed amount (excess weight)
2 required as extra payment (excess postage)
ex»ces»sive /iksesiv/ adj. 1 too much or too great.
2 more than what is normal or necessary, dd ex»ces»
sive»ly adv. ex*ces*sive«ness n.
exchange /ikschaynj/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the act or an in-
stance of giving one thing and receiving another in its
place. 2 a the giving of money for its equivalent in the
money of the same or another country, b the fee or
percentage charged for this. 3 the central telephone
office of a district, where connections are effected. 4 a
place where merchants, bankers, etc., gather to trans-
act business. 5 a an office where certain information
is given or a service provided, usu. involving two par-
ties, b an employment office. 6 a system of settling
debts without the use of money, by bills of exchange
(see bill of exchange). 7 a a short conversation, esp.
a disagreement or quarrel, b a sequence of letters be-
tween correspondents. 8 (attrib. ) forming part of an
exchange, e.g., of personnel between institutions (an
exchange student). »v. 1 tr. (often foil, by for) give or re-
ceive (one thing) in place of another. 2 tr. give and re-
ceive as equivalents (e.g., things or people, blows,
information, etc.). 3 intr. (often foil, by with) make an
exchange, a in exchange (often foil, by for) as a thing
exchanged (for), no exchangeable adj.
exchange rate n. the value of one currency in terms
of another.
ex*cheq*uer /ikschekar/ n. 1 (in Great Britain) the for-
mer government department in charge of national rev-
enue. Its functions now belong to the Treasury, al-
though the name formally survives. 2 a royal or
ex- national treasury. 3 the money of a private individual
or group.
ex-cise /eksiz/
1
n. &
v. mn. 1a duty or tax levied on
goods and commodities produced or sold within the
country of origin. 2 a tax levied on certain licenses.
• v.tr. 1 charge excise on (goods). 2 force (a person) to
pay excise.
ex»cise 2 /iksiz/ v. tr. 1 remove (a passage of a book, etc.)
2 cut out (an organ, etc.) by surgery, do ex*ci*sion
/iksizhan/ n.
ex*cit*a*ble /iksitabal/ adj. 1 (esp. of a person) easily
excited. 2 (of an organism, tissue, etc.) responding to
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
excite ~ exercise 270 serve in mitigation of (a person or act). 3 obtain ex-
emption for (a person or oneself)- 4 (foil, by from) re-
a stimulus, or susceptible to stimulation, do ex»cit»a» lease (a person) from a duty, etc. (excused from kitch-
bil»i«ty n. ex«cit«a«bly adv. en duties). 5 overlook or forgive (a fault or offense). 6
ex»cite /iksit/ v. tr. 1 a rouse the feelings or emotions of (foil, by for) forgive (a person) for a fault. 7 not insist

(a person), b bring into play; rouse up (feelings, fac-
ulties, etc.). C arouse sexually. 2 provoke; bring about
(an action or active condition). 3 promote the activity
of (an organism, tissue, etc.) by stimulus. 4 Physics put
(an atom, etc.) into a state of higher energy, dd ex»cit»
ecMy adv. ex«cite«ment n. ex«cit»er n. (esp. in sense 4).
ex*cit*ing /iksiting/ adj. arousing great interest or en-
thusiasm; stirring, dd ex«cit»ing»ly adv.
ex»claim /iksklaym/ v. 1 intr. cry out suddenly, esp. in
anger, surprise, pain, etc. 2 tr. (foil, by that) utter by
exclaiming.
ex»cla»ma»tion /eksklamayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
stance of exclaiming. 2 words exclaimed.
ex»cla»ma»tion point n. a punctuation mark (!) indi-
cating an exclamation.
ex»clam»a«to«ry /iksklamatawree/ adj. of or serving as
an exclamation.
exclude /iksklobd/ v.tr. 1 shut or keep out (a person
or thing) from a place, group, privilege, etc. 2 expel
and shut out. 3 remove from consideration. 4 prevent
the occurrence of; make impossible {excluded all
doubt), dd ex*clud*a*ble adj. ex*clud*er n.
ex*clu*sion /ikskloozhan/ n. the act or an instance of
excluding; the state of being excluded, a to the exclu-
sion of so as to exclude, dd ex»clu»sion»ar»y adj.
ex*clu*sive /iksklobsiv/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 excluding
other things. 2 (predic; foil, by of) not including; ex-
cept for. 3 tending to exclude others, esp. socially. 4 ca-
tering for few or select customers; high-class. 5 a (of
a commodity) not obtainable elsewhere, b (of a news-
paper article) not published elsewhere. 6 (predic; foil,
by to) restricted or limited to; existing or available on-
ly in. 7 (of terms, etc.) excluding all but what is spec-
ified. 8 employed or followed or held to the exclusion
of all else (exclusive rights) • n. an article or story pub-
. body with managerial or administrative responsibility
lished by only one newspaper or periodical, dd ex*clu*
siveMy adv. ex»clu»sivi»ty /ekskloosivitee/ n.
ex»convmu«ni»cate v., adj., & n. Eccl.
/ekskamyobnikayt/ exclude (a person) from
officially
participation in the sacraments, or from formal
communion with the church, madj. /ekskamyoonikat/
excommunicated. • n. /ekskamyoonikat/ an excommu-
nicated person, dd ex»convmu»ni»ca«tion /-kayshan/ n.
upon (what is due). 8 refl. apologize for leaving, mn.
/ikskyoos/ 1 a reason put forward to mitigate or justi-
fy an offense, fault, etc. 2 an apology. 3 (foil, by for) a
poor or inadequate example of (a pathetic excuse for a
training video). 4 the action of excusing; indulgence;
pardon. be excused be allowed to leave a room, etc.,
e.g., to go to the bathroom, excuse me a polite apol-
ogy for an interruption, etc., or for disagreeing, dd ex-
cusable /-kyoozabal/ adj. ex*cus*a*bly adv. ex*cus*a*
to«ry /-kyoozatawree/ adj.
ex»ec /igzek/ n. an executive.
ex»e»cra«ble /eksikrabal/ adj. abominable; detestable.
dd ex*e«cra*bly adv.
ex»e»crate /eksikrayt/ v. 1 tr. express or feel abhorrence
for. 2 tr. curse (a person or thing). 3 intr. utter curses.
dd ex*e*cra*tion /-krayshan/ n.
ex»e»CUte /eksikyoot/ v. tr. 1 a carry out a sentence of
death on (a condemned person), b kill as a political
act. 2 carry into effect; perform (a plan, duty, com-
mand, operation, etc.). 3 a carry out a design for (a
product of art or skill), b perform (a musical compo-
sition, dance, etc.). 4 make (a legal instrument) valid
by signing, sealing, etc. 5 put into effect (a judicial sen-
tence, the terms of a will, etc.). dd ex*e*cut*a*ble adj.
ex»e»CU»tion /eksikyooshan/ n. 1 the carrying out of a
sentence of death. 2 the act or an instance of carrying
out or performing something. 3 technique or style of
performance in the arts, esp. music. 4 a seizure of the
property or person of a debtor in default of payment.
b a judicial writ enforcing a judgment, dd ex«e»cu»tion»
ar«y adj.
ex»e»CU»tion»er /eksikyooshanar/ n. an official who car-
ries out a sentence of death.
ex«ec»u«tive /igzekyativ/ n. &
adj. mn. 1 a person or
in a business organization, etc. 2 a branch of a gov-
ernment or organization concerned with executing
mv.tr. laws, agreements, etc., or with other administration or
management. • adj. 1 concerned with executing laws,
agreements, etc., or with other administration or man-
agement. 2 relating to or having the function of exe-
cuting, dd ex«ec»u»tive«ly adv.
ex»ec»u»tor /igzekyatar/ n. (fern, executrix /-triks/, pi.

ex-con /ekskon/ n. colloq. an ex-convict. person appointed by a tes-

-trices /-triseez/or -trixes) a
ex»CO»ri»ate /ekskawreeayt/ v.tr. 1 remove part of the tator to carry out the terms of his or her will, dd ex«
skin of (a person, etc.) by abrasion. 2 censure severe- ec»u»tor»ship n. ex«ec«u«to«ry adj.
ly, dd ex*co«ri*a*tion /-ayshan/ n. ex«e»ge»sis /eksijeesis/ n. (pi. exegeses /-seez/) critical
ex«cre»ment/ekskrimant/«. (in sing, or pi.) feces, ooex* explanation of a text, esp. of Scripture, dd ex«e»gete
cre»men»tal /-ment'l/ adj. /eksijeet/ n. ex»e«get»ic /-jetik/ adj. ex-e«geW»cal adj.
ex»cres»cence /ikskresans/ n. 1 an abnormal or mor- ex»em»plar /igzemplar, -plaar/ n. 1 a model or pattern.
bid outgrowth on the body or a plant. 2 an ugly addi- 2 a typical parallel instance.
tion, dd ex»cres«cent /-sant/ adj. ex«em»plaTy /igzemplaree/ adj. 1 fit to be imitated;
ex»cre*ta /ikskre'eta/ n.pl. waste discharged from the outstandingly good. 2 a serving as a warning, b Law
body, esp. feces and urine. (of damages) exceeding the amount needed for sim-
ex«crete /ikskre'et/ v.tr. (also absol.) (of an animal or ple compensation. 3 illustrative; representative.
plant) separate and expel (waste matter), dd ex»cre« ex»em»pli»fy/igzemplin7tur. (-ties, -fled) 1 illustrate bj
tion /-kre'eshan/ n. ex»cre«tOTy /ekskratawree/ adj. example. 2 be an example of. i n i ex»em»pli»fi«ca»tion
ex«cru»ci»at«ing adj. causing acute mental or physical /-fikayshan/ n.
pain, dd ex*cru*ci*at*ing*ly adv. ex»empt /igzempt/ adj., n., &
v. madj. 1 free from in

ex*cul*pate /ekskulpayt, ikskul-/ v. tr. formal 1 free from obligation or liability, etc., imposed on others. 2 (foil,
blame. 2 (foil, by from) clear (a person) of a charge. by from) not liable to. mn. a person who is exempt, esp
dd ex*cul*pa*tion /-payshan/ n. ex»cul»pa-to«ry from payment of tax. mv.ir. (uSU.foU.by/Wmi) tree from
/-kulpatawree/ adj. an obligation, esp. one imposed on others, ex»emp* i
it i

ex*cur*sion /ikskarzhan/ n. a short journey for pleas- tion /-zempshan/ n.

ure, with return to the starting point, dd ex»cur«sion« ex»er»cise eksarsiz/ n. &
v. mn. 1 activity requiring

ar«y adj. ex*cur*sion*ist n. physical effort, done esp. as training or to sustain •>!
ex*cuse v. &
n. mv.tr. /ikskyobz/ 1 attempt to lessen the improve health. 2 mental or spiritual aetivitv, I

blame attaching to (a person, act, or fault) 2 (of a fact)

. practice to develop a skill. 3 (often in pi.) a particu-
 .

lar task or set of tasks devised as practice in a tech- 271 exert ~ exotic
nique, etc. 4 a the use or application of a mental fac-
ulty, right, etc. b practice of an ability, quality, etc. 5 ex*ig*u*ous /igzigydoas, iksig—/ adj. scanty; small, dd ex«
(often in pi.) military drill or maneuvers. 6 (foil, by j*gu*i*ty /eksigyooitee/ n. ex«ig«u»ous»ly adv.
in) a process directed at or concerned with something ex«ile /eksil, egzil/ n. & v. *n. 1 expulsion from one's
specified (was an exercise in public relations). %v. 1 tr. native land or (internal exile) native town, etc. 2 long
use or apply (a faculty, right, influence, restraint, etc.). absence abroad, esp. enforced. 3 a person expelled or
2 tr. perform (a function) 3 a intr. take (esp. physical)
. long absent from his or her native country • v. tr. (foil,
exercise; do exercises, b tr. provide (an animal) with by from) officially expel (a person) from his or her na-
exercise. C tr. train (a person). 4 tr. a tax the powers tive country or town, etc. dd ex*il*ic /-silik, — zilik/ adj.
of. b perplex; worry. ex»ist /igzist/ have a place as part of objective
v. intr. 1

ex«ert /igzart/ v. tr. 1 exercise; bring to bear (a quality, reality. 2 a have being under specified conditions, b
influence, etc.). 2 refl. (often foil, by for, or to + infin.) (foil, by as) exist in the form of. 3 (of circumstances,

use one's efforts or endeavors; strive, dd ex»er«tion
/-zarshan/ n.
ex»e»unt /ekseeant, -OOnt/ v.intr. (as a stage direction)
(actors) leave the stage.
ex»fo»li»ate /eksfoleeayt/ v.intr. 1 (of bone, the skin, a
mineral, etc.) come off in scales or layers. 2 (of a tree)
throw off layers of bark, dd ex«foli»a»tion /-ayshan/ n.
ex»ha»la«tion /eks-hslayshsn/ n. 1 a an expiration of
air. b a puff of breath. 2 a mist; vapor.
etc.) occur; be found. 4 live with no pleasure under
adverse conditions. 5 continue in being; maintain life
(can hardly exist on this salary). 6 be alive; live.
ex»ist»ence /igzistans/ n. 1 the fact or condition of be-
ing or existing. 2 continued being; the manner of one's
existing or living, esp. under adverse conditions (a
wretched existence). 3 an existing thing. 4 all that exists.
ex»ist»ent /igzistant/ adj. existing; actual; current.
ex*is*ten*tial /egzistenshal/ adj. of or relating to exist-
1

ex«hale /eks-hayl/ v. 1 tr. (also absol.) breathe out (esp. ence. 2 Logic (of a proposition, etc.) affirming or im-
air or smoke) from the lungs. 2 tr. & intr. give off or plying the existence of a thing. 3 Philos. concerned
be given off in vapor. with existence, esp. with human existence as viewed
ex»haust /igzawst/ v. & n. •v.tr. 1 consume or use up by existentialism, dd ex*is*ten*tiaMy adv.
the whole of. 2 (often as exhausted adj. or exhausting ex*is*ten*tial*ism /egzistenshalizam/ n. a philosophical
adj.) tire out. 3 study or expound on (a subject) com- theory emphasizing the existence of the individual per-
pletely. 4 (often foil, by of) empty (a vessel, etc.) of its son as a free and responsible agent determining his or
contents. 5 (often as exhausted adj.) drain of strength her own development, dd ex»is»ten»tial»ist n.
or resources; (of land) make barren. • n. 1 a waste gas- ex«it /egzit, eksit/ n. & v. mn. 1a passage or door by
es, etc., expelled from an engine after combustion. which
to leave a room, building, etc. 2 a the act of go-
b (also ex*haust pipe) the pipe or system by which ing out. b the right to go out. 3 a place where vehicles
these are expelled. C the process of expulsion of these can leave a highway or major road. 4 the departure of
gases. 2 a the production of an outward current of air an actor from the stage. 5 death. • v.intr. 1 go out of a
by the creation of a partial vacuum, b an apparatus for room, building, etc. 2 (as a stage direction) (an actor)
this, dd ex*haust*er n. ex*haust*i*ble adj. leaves the stage (exit Macbeth)
ex*haus*tion /igzawschsn/ n. 1 the action or process of ex»it per»mit n. (or visa, etc.) authorization to leave a
draining or emptying something; the state of being de- particular country.
pleted or emptied. 2 a total loss of strength or vitality. ex»it poll n. a survey usu. of voters leaving voting
3 the process of establishing a conclusion by eliminat- booths, used to predict an election's outcome, analyze
ing alternatives. voting patterns, etc.
ex*haus*tive /igzawstiv/ adj. 1 thorough; comprehen- ex»o«crine /eksakrin, -kreen, -krin/ adj. (of a gland) se-
sive. 2 tending to exhaust a subject, dd ex*haus*tive* creting through a duct (cf. endocrine).
ly adv. ex*haus*tive*ness n. ex«o*dus /eksadas/ n. 1 a mass departure of people.
ex*hib*it /igzibit/ v.& n. mv.tr. 1 show or reveal public- 2 (Exodus) Bibl. a the departure of the Israelites from
ly (for amusement, in competition, etc.). 2 a show; dis- Egypt, b the book of the Old Testament relating this.
play, b manifest (a quality). 3 submit for considera- ex of»fi»ci»o /eksafisheeo/ adv. &
adj. by virtue of one's
tion. »n. 1a thing or collection of things in an office or status.
exhibition. 2 a document or other item produced in a ex»og»a»my /eksogamee/ n. 1 Anthropol. marriage of a
court of law as evidence, dd ex«hib«i*to«ry adj. man outside his own tribe. 2 Biol, the fusion of repro-
ex*hi*bi*tion /eksibishsn/ n. 1 a display (esp. public) of ductive cells from distantly related or unrelated indi-
works of art, industrial products, etc. 2 the act or an viduals, dd ex*og«a*mous adj.
instance of exhibiting; the state of being exhibited. ex»og»e«nous /eksojinas/ adj. Biol, growing or originat-
ex*hi*bi*tion*ism /eksibishanizam/ n. 1 a tendency to- ing from outside, dd ex»og*e«nous*ly adv.
ward display or extravagant behavior. 2 Psychol, a ex»on»er»ate/igz6n3rayt/z;.rr. (often foil, by from) 1 free
mental condition characterized by the compulsion to or declare free from blame, etc. 2 release from a duty,
display one's genitals in public, dd ex*hi*bi*tion*ist n. etc. dd ex»orver«a»tion /-rayshan/ n.
ex»hib«i»tor /igzibitar/ n. a person who provides an item ex*or*bi*tant /igzawrbit'nt/ adj. (of a price, demand,
or items for an exhibition. etc.) grossly excessive, dd ex*or*bi*tance /-tans/ n. ex*
ex«hil»a«rate /igzitarayt/ v.tr. (often as exhilarating adj. or»bi«tanWy adv.
or exhilarated adj.) affect with great liveliness or joy; ex«or»cize /eksawrsiz, -sar-/ v.tr. 1 expel (a supposed
raise the spirits of. dd ex*hil*a*ra*tion /-rayshan/ n. evil spirit) by invocation, etc. 2 (often foil, by of) free
ex»hort /igzawrt/ v.tr. (often foil, by to + infin.) urge or (a person or place) of a supposed evil spirit, dd ex»or»
advise strongly or earnestly, dd ex*hor»ta*tion /egza- cism /-sizam/ n. ex*or*cist n.
wrtayshan/ n. ex»0«skel»e«ton /eksoskelit'n/ n. a rigid external cov-
ex*hume /igzoom, -zyoom, eks-hyoom/ v.tr. dig out; ering for the body in certain animals, esp. arthropods.
unearth (esp. a buried corpse), dd ex*hu*ma*tion n. dd ex*o*skel*e*tal adj.
ex hypoth»e«si /eks hlpothasee/ adv. according to the ex»Ot»ic /igzotik/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 introduced from a
hypothesis proposed. foreign (esp. tropical) country (exotic fruits) 2 attrac- .

ex»i»gen»cy /eksijansee, igzij-/ n. (pi. -cies) (also ex«i» tively or remarkably strange or unusual; bizarre. 3 (of
gence /eksijans/) 1 an urgent need or demand. 2 an
emergency, dd exigent /eksijgnt/ adj. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

exotica ~ expire 272
a fuel, metal, etc.) of a kindnewly brought into use.
• n.an exotic person or thing, nn ex»ot»i»caMy adv.
ex»Ot»i»ca /igzotika/ n.pl. remarkably strange or rare
objects.
ex»ot»ic danoer n. a striptease dancer.
ex*pand /ikspand/ v. 1 tr. & intr. increase in size or im-
portance. 2 intr. (often foil, by on) give a fuller descrip-
tion or account. 3 intr. become more genial or effu-
&
sive. 4 tr. set or write out in full. 5 tr. intr. spread out
flat, dd ex«pand*a*ble adj. ex*pand*er n.
ex»panse /ikspans/ n. 1 a wide continuous area or ex-
tent of land, space, etc. 2 an amount of expansion.
ex«pan«sion /ikspanshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
expanding; the state of being expanded. 2 enlargement
of the scale or scope of (esp. commercial) operations.
3 increase in the amount of a country's territory or ar-
ea of control. 4 an increase in the volume of fuel, etc.,
on combustion in the cylinder of an engine. 5 the ac-
tion of making or becoming greater in area, bulk,
capacity, etc. dd ex*pan*sion*ar*y adj. ex*pan*sion«ist
n.
ex«pan*sive /ikspansiv/ adj. 1 able or tending to ex-
pand. 2 extensive; wide-ranging. 3 (of a person, feel-
ings, or speech) effusive; open, dd ex»parvsive»ly adv.
ex»pan*sive»ness n. ex»parvsivi»ty /-sivitee/ n.
ex-pa«ti«ate /ikspaysheeayt/ v.intr. (usu. foil, by on, up-
on) speak or write at length or in detail, dd ex*pa*ti*a*
tion /-ayshsn/ n.
ex*pa*tri*ate adj., n.,&v. madj. /ekspaytreeat/ 1 living
abroad. 2 exiled. • n. /ekspaytreeat/ an expatriate per-
son. mv.tr. /ekspaytreeayt/ 1 expel (a person) from his
or her native country. 2 refl. withdraw (oneself) from
one's citizenship or allegiance, dd ex*pa*tri*a*tion
/-ayshan/ n.
ex*pect /ikspekt/ v. tr. 1 (often foil, by to + infin., or that
+ clause) a regard as likely, b (often foil, by of) look
for as appropriate or one's due (from a person) (/ ex-
pect cooperation). 2 colloq. (often foil, by that + clause)
think; suppose (/ expect we '11 be on time) dbe expecting ex»pe»ri»en»tial /ikspe'eree-enshal/ adj. involving or
.
colloq. be pregnant, dd ex*pect*a*ble adj.
ex»pect»an»cy /ikspektansee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a state of ex»per»i*ment /iksperimant/ n.
expectation. 2 a prospect, esp. of future possession. 3
(foil, by of) a prospective chance.
ex*pect*ant /ikspektant/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 (often foil, (foil, by of) a test or trial of. •v.intr. (often foil, by on,
by of) expecting. 2 having the expectation of posses-
sion, status, etc. 3 (attrib.) expecting a baby (said of
the mother or father). • n. 1 one who expects. 2 a can- ex»per«i»men»tal /iksperiment'l/ adj. 1 based on or
didate for office, etc. dd ex*pect*ant*ly adv.
ex»pec»ta»tion /ekspektayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
stance of expecting or looking forward. 2 something
expected or hoped for. 3 (foil, by of) the probability
of an event. 4 (in pi.) one's prospects of inheritance.
ex«peotO*rant /ikspektarant/ adj. &
n. • adj. causing
the coughing out of phlegm, etc. • n. an expectorant ex»pert /ekspart/ adj.
medicine.
ex*pec*to*rate /ikspektarayt/ v. tr. (also absol.) cough or
spit out (phlegm, etc.) from the chest or lungs, dd ex«
pec*to*ra*tion /-rayshan/ n.
ex»pe»di«ent /ikspe'edeesnt/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 advanta-
geous; advisable on practical rather than moral
grounds. 2 suitable; appropriate. •«. a means of at-
taining an end. dd ex*pe*di*ence /-ans/ n. ex»pe»di»en»
cy n. ex*pe*di*ent*ly adv.
ex*pe*dite /ekspidit/ v.tr. 1 assist the progress of; has-
ten (an action, process, etc.). 2 accomplish (business)
quickly, dd ex*pe«dit*er n.
ex*pe*di«tion /ekspidishan/ n. 1 a journey or voyage for
a particular purpose, esp. exploration, scientific re-
search, or war. 2 the personnel or ships, etc., under-
taking this. 3 promptness; speed, dd ex»pe»di»tion»ar»
y /ekspidishaneree/ adj.
. .
ex*pe*di*ti0US /ekspidishas/ adj. 1 acting or done with
speed and efficiency. 2 suited for speedy performance.
dd ex*pe*di*tious*ly adv.
ex*pel /ikspel/ v.tr. (expelled, expelling) (often foil, by
from) 1 deprive (a person) of the membership of or in-
volvement in (a school, society, etc.). 2 force out or
eject (a thing from its container, etc.). 3 order or force
to leave a building, etc.
ex»pend /ikspend/ v. tr. spend or use up (money, time,
etc.).
ex«pend*a«ble /ikspendabal/ adj. 1 that may be sacri-
ficed or dispensed with, esp. to achieve a purpose.
2 a not regarded as worth preserving or saving, b un-
important; insignificant. 3 not normally reused, dd ex«
pend*a*bil*i*ty ;/.
ex*pend*i*ture /ikspendichar/ n. 1 the process or an in-
stance of spending or using up. 2 a thing (esp. a sum
of money) expended.
ex»pense /ikspens/ n. 1 cost incurred; payment of
money. 2 (usu. in pi.) a costs incurred in doing a par-
ticular job, etc. {will pay your expenses), b an amount
paid to reimburse this. 3 a thing that is a cause of
much expense {the house is a real expense to run) a at .
the expense of so as to cause loss or damage or dis-
credit to.
ex*pense aocount n. a list of an employee's expens-
es payable by the employer.
ex*pen*sive /ikspensiv/ adj. 1 costing much. 2 making
a high charge. 3 causing much expense (has expensive
tastes), dd ex*pen*sive*ly adv. ex*pen*sive*ness n.
ex»pe»ri»ence /ikspeereesns/ n. &
v. • n. 1 actual ob-
servation of or practical acquaintance with facts or
events. 2 knowledge or skill resulting from this. 3 a an
event regarded as affecting one (an unpleasant expe-
rience), bthe fact or process of being so affected
(learned by experience), •v.tr. 1 have experience of; un-
dergo. 2 feel or be affected by (an emotion, etc.).
ex»pe»ri»enced /ikspeereeanst/ adj. 1 having had much
experience. 2 skilled from experience (an experienced
driver)
based on experience, dd ex»pe»ri»en»tiaMy adv.
&
v. • n. 1 a procedure
adopted on the chance of its succeeding, for testing a
hypothesis, etc., or to demonstrate a known fact. 2
with) make an experiment, dd ex»per»i»men»ta«tion n.
ex»per»i»ment»er n.
making use of experiment (experimental psychology)
2 a used in experiments, b serving or resulting from
(esp. incomplete) experiment; tentative, provisional.
3 based on experience, not on authority or conjecture.
dd ex»per»i»men»taMsm n. ex»peH»men»tal»ist n. ex»
per*i*men*taMy adv.
&
n. •adj. 1 (often foil, by at, in)
having special knowledge or skill. 2 involving or re-
sulting from this (expert evidence; an expert piece of
work). •«. (often foil, by at, in) a person having spec-
ial knowledge or skill, dd ex»pert«ly adv. ex«pert»ne88
n.
ex*per*tise /eksporte'ez/ n. expert skill, knowledge, or
judgment.
ex»pert»ize /eksportiz/ v. 1 intr. give an expert opinion.
2 tr. give an expert opinion concerning.
ex»pi»ate /ekspceayt/ v.tr. 1 pay the penalty for (wn -n^
doing). 2 make amends for. on ex»pi-a«tion / aysh.m
n. ex«pi»a«tory / peentawree/ adj.
ex»pi»ra«tion /cksporayshnn/ n. 1 breathing out. 2 the
end of the validity or duration of something.
ex»pire /ikspfr/ v. 1 intr. (of a period of time, validity,
etc.) come to an end. 2 intr. (of a document, authori-
zation, etc.) cease to be valid. 3 mtr. (of a person) die.
 . .

4 tr. (usu. foil, by from; also absol.) exhale (air, etc.) 273 explain ~ expression
from the lungs.
ex*plain /iksplayn/ v.tr. 1 make clear or intelligible (al- of an activity, profession, etc. 3 a person who explains
so absol: let me 2 (foil, by that + clause) say
explain). or interprets something. 4 Math, a raised symbol or
by way of explanation. 3 account for (one's conduct, expression beside a numeral indicating how many
etc.). d explain away minimize the significance of (a times it is to be multiplied by itself (e.g., 2 3 = 2 x 2 x
difficulty or mistake) by explanation, no ex*plain*a*ble 2).
adj. ex»plairver n. ex»po«nen»tial /ekspanenshol/ adj. 1 Math, of or indi-
ex»pla»na»tion /eksptanayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in- cated by a mathematical exponent. 2 (of an increase,
stance of explaining. 2 a statement or circumstance etc.) more and more rapid, dd ex»po«nen»tial»ly adv.
that explains something. 3 a declaration made with a ex»port v. & /ekspawrt, eks-/ send out (goods
n. • v. tr.

view to mutual understanding or reconciliation.
ex»plan«a»to»ry /iksplanatawree/ adj. serving or in-
tended to serve to explain, dd ex»plan»a»to*ri»ly adv.
ex»ple«tive /eksplativ/ n. a swearword or other expres-
or services) esp. for sale in another country. •«.
/ekspawrt/ 1 the process of exporting. 2 a an exported
article or service, b (in pi.) an amount exported
(exports exceeded $50 billion) 3 (attrib. ) suitable for ex-
.

sion, used in an exclamation. port, esp. of better quality, dd ex*port«a«ble adj. ex»
port»a»bil«i»ty n. ex»por»ta«tion n. ex«port«er n.
expletive late Middle English (as an adjective): from
ex*pose /ikspOz/ v.tr. 1 leave uncovered or unpro-
late Latin expletivus, from explere 'fill out,' from ex- 'out'
tected, esp. from the weather. 2 (foil, by to) a cause to
+ plere 'fill.' The general noun sense 'word used mere-
be liable to or in danger of (was exposed to great dan-
ly to fill out a sentence' (early 17th cent.) was applied
ger), b lay open to the action or influence of; introduce
specifically to an oath or swear word in the early 1 9th
to. 3 (as exposed adj.) Si (foil, by to) open to; unpro-
cent.
tected from (exposed to the east) b vulnerable; risky. .

ex*pli*ca*ble /ekspliksbal, iksplik—/ adj. that can be ex- 4 Photog. subject (film) to light, esp. by operation of a
plained. camera. 5 reveal the identity or fact of (esp. a person
ex*pli*cate /eksplikayt/ v.tr. 1 develop the meaning of or thing disapproved of or guilty of crime, etc.). 6 dis-
(an idea, principle, etc.) 2 explain (esp. a literary text)
. close; make public. 7 exhibit; display. 8 put up for sale.
an ex*pli*ca*tion /-kayshsn/ n. ex*pli*ca*tive /eksp- d expose oneself display one's body, esp. the genitals,
likaytiv, iksplikativ/ adj. ex»pli»ca»tor n. ex»pli»ca»to»ry publicly and indecently, dd ex*pos*er n.
/eksplikstawree, iksplik-/ adj. ex»pos»e /ekspozay/ n. (also ex»pose) 1 an orderly
ex»plic»it/iksplisit/a<i/. 1 expressly stated; leaving noth- statement of facts. 2 the act or an instance of revealing
ing merely implied. 2 (of knowledge, a notion, etc.) something discreditable.
definite; clear. 3 (of a person, book, etc.) outspoken. ex»po»si»tion /ekspazishan/ n. 1 an explanatory state-
dd ex»plic«IMy adv. ex*plic*it*ness n. ment or account. 2 an explanation or commentary.
ex»plode /iksplod/ w la intr. (of gas, gunpowder, a 3 Mus. the part of a movement in which the principal
bomb, a boiler, etc.) expand suddenly with a loud noise themes are first presented. 4 a large public exhibition.
owing to a release of internal energy, b tr. cause (a dd ex*po«si*tion*al adj.
bomb, etc.) to explode. 2 intr. give vent suddenly to ex»pos»i»tor /ikspozitar/ n. an expounder or interpreter.
emotion, esp. anger. 3 intr. (of a population, etc.) in- dd ex«pos«i«to«ry adj.
crease suddenly or rapidly. 4 tr. show (a theory, etc.) ex*pos*tU*late /iksposchalayt/ v. intr. (often foil, by with
to be baseless. 5 tr. (as exploded adj.) (of a drawing, a person) make a protest; remonstrate, dd ex*pos«tu*
etc.) showing the components of a mechanism as if la«tion /-layshan/ n. ex»pos«tu»la»to»ry -tatawree/ adj.
separated but in the normal relative positions. ex«po«sure /ikspOzhar/ n. 1 (foil, by to) the act or con-
ex»ploit n. & v. *n. /eksployt/ a daring feat, mv.tr. dition of exposing or being exposed. 2 the condition
/iksployt/ 1 make use of (a resource, etc.); derive ben- of being exposed to the elements, esp. in severe con-
efit from. 2 usu. derog. utilize or take advantage of (esp. ditions (diedfrom exposure). 3 the revelation of an iden-
a person) for one's own ends, dd ex*ploit*a«ble adj. ex» tity or fact, esp. when concealed or likely to find dis-
ploi*ta*tion n. ex*ploi*ta*tive /iksployt9tiv/ adj. ex*ploit* approval. 4 Photog. a the action of exposing film, etc.,
er n. ex*ploi*tive adj. to the light, b the duration of this action, c the area of
ex*plo*ra*tion /eksplarayshan/ n. 1 an act or instance film, etc., affected by it. 5 an aspect or outlook (has a
of exploring. 2 the process of exploring, no ex*plo*ra* fine southern exposure). 6 experience, esp. of a specified
tiorval adj. kind of work.
ex»plor»a«tO«ry /iksplawrstawree/ adj. 1 (of discussion, ex»pound /ikspownd/ v.tr. 1 set out in detail (a doc-
etc.) preliminary. 2 of or concerning exploration or in- trine, etc.). 2 explain or interpret, dd ex*pound*er n.
vestigation {exploratory surgery) ex-press 1 /ikspres/ v.tr. 1 represent or make known
ex«plore /iksplawr/ v.tr. 1 travel through (a country, (thought, feelings, etc.) in words or by gestures, con-
etc.) in order to learn about it. 2 inquire into. 3 Sur- duct, etc. 2 refl. say what one thinks or means. 3 esp.
gery examine (a part of the body) in detail, dd ex«plor» Math, represent by symbols. 4 squeeze out (liquid or
a«tive /-rativ/ adj. ex«plor»er /iksplawrar/ n. air), dd ex*press*er n. ex*press*i*ble adj.
ex»plo»sion /iksplOzhan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of ex»press 2 /ikspres/ adj.,adv.,n.,&v. *adj. 1 operating
exploding. 2 a loud noise caused by something explod- at high speed. 2 also /ekspres/ definitely stated, not
ing. 3 a a sudden outburst of noise, b a sudden out- merely implied. 3 a done, made, or sent for a special
break of feeling, esp. anger. 4 a rapid or sudden in- purpose, b (of messages or goods) delivered by a spec-
crease. ial messenger or service, madv. 1 at high speed. 2 by
ex«plo«sive /iksplosiv/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 able or tending express messenger or train. »n. 1 an express train or
or likely to explode. 2 likely to cause a violent outburst, messenger. 2 a company undertaking the transport of
etc.; (of a situation, etc.) dangerously tense. »n. an packages, etc. mv.tr. send by express messenger or
explosive substance, dd ex*plo*sive*ly adv. ex»plo»sive» delivery, dd ex*press*ly adv. (in senses 2 and 3a of adj.)
ness n. ex*pres*sion /ikspreshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
ex*po /ekspo/ n. (also Ex»po) (pi. -pos) a large interna- expressing. 2 a a word or phrase expressed, b manner
tional exhibition. or means of expressing in language; wording; diction.
ex«po«nent /ikspOnant/ n. 1 a person who favors or pro-
motes an idea, etc. 2 a representative or practitioner See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
expressionism ~ extra 274 college {extension course). 8 extent; range, dd ex*ten*
siorval adj.
3 Math, a collection of symbols expressing a quanti- ex«ten«sive /ikstensiv/ adj. 1 covering a large area in
ty. 4 a person's facial appearance or intonation of space or time. 2 having a wide scope; far-reaching.
voice, esp. as indicating feeling. 5 depiction of feeling, 3 Agriculture involving cultivation from a large area,
movement, etc., in art. 6 conveying of feeling in the with a minimum of special resources, dd ex*ten*sive*
performance of a piece of music, dd ex»pres«sion«less ly adv. ex»ten«sive»ness n.
adj. ex«ten»sor /ikstensar/ n. (in full extensor muscle) Anat.
ex»pres«sion«ism /ikspreshanizam/ n. a style of paint- a muscle that extends or straightens out part of the
ing, music, drama, etc., in which an artist or writer body (cf. flexor).
seeks to express emotional experience rather than ex«tent /ikstent/ n. 1 the space over which a thing
impressions of the external world, dd ex»pres»sion*ist extends. 2 the width or limits of application; scope {to
n. &adj. ex»pres«sion«is«tic adj. ex*pres*sion*is*ti*cal* a great extent) .

ly adv. ex»ten*u«ate /ikstenyoo-ayt/ v. tr. (often as extenuating

ex»pres«sive /ikspresiv/ adj. 1 full of expression {an ex- adj.) lessen the seeming seriousness of (guilt or an of-
pressive look). 2 (foil, by of) serving to express {words fense) by reference to some mitigating factor, dd ex»
expressive of contempt) dd ex»pres«sive»ly adv. ex«pres«
. ten*u*a«tion /-ayshan/ n.
siveriess n. ex«pres«sivi«ty /-sivitee/ n. ex»te«ri»or /ikste'ereear/ adj. n. • adj. 1 a of or on the &
ex*pres«so var. of espresso. outer side (opp. interior), b (foil, by to) situated on
ex»press»way /ikspresway/ n. a divided highway for the outside of (a building, etc.). C coming from out-
high-speed traffic. side. 2 Cinematog. outdoor. •«. 1 the outward aspect
ex*pro*pri*ate /ekspropreeayt/ v. tr. 1 take away (prop- or surface of a building, etc. 2 the apparent behavior
erty) from its owner. 2 (foil, by from) dispossess, dd ex« or demeanor of a person. 3 Cinematog. an outdoor
propri«a»tion /-ayshan/ n. ex»pro«pri»a»tor n. scene.
ex*pul*sion /ikspulshan/ n. the act or an instance of ex- ex«ter»mi»nate /ikstarminayt/ v.tr. 1 destroy utterly
pelling; the process of being expelled. (esp. something living). 2 get rid of; eliminate (a pest,
ex»punge /ikspunj/ v.tr. (foil, by from) erase; remove disease, etc.). dd ex«terTni«na»tlon /-nayshan/ n. ex»ter«
(esp. a passage from a book or a name from a list). mi*na*tor n. ex«terTni«na»to«ry /-natawree/ adj.
ex«pur«gate /ekspargayt/ v.tr. remove matter thought ex»ter«nal /ikstarnal/ adj. n. • adj. 1 a of or situated &
to be objectionable from (a book, etc.). dd ex*pur*ga* on the outside or visible part, b coming or derived from
tion /-gayshan/ n. ex«pur«ga»tor n. the outside or an outside source. 2 relating to a coun-
ex*quis*ite /ekskwizit, ikskwizit/ adj. n. *adj. &
try's foreign affairs. 3 outside the conscious subject
1 extremely beautiful or delicate. 2 acute; keenly felt {the external world). 4 (of medicine, etc.) for use on the
{exquisite pleasure). 3 a keen; highly sensitive or dis- outside of the body. • n. (in pi.) 1 the outward features
criminating {exquisite taste) b elaborately devised or
. or aspect. 2 external circumstances. 3 inessentials.
accomplished; consummate; perfect. • n. a person of dd ex»ter»naM«ty /-nalitee/ n. {pi. -ties). ex«ter»naMy
refined (esp. affected) tastes, dd ex«quis*ite*ly adv. adv.
ex«tant /ekstant, ekstant/ adj. (esp. of a document, etc.) ex»ter»nal»ize /ikstarnaliz/ v.tr. give or attribute exter-
still existing; surviving. nal existence to. dd ex*ter*naM*za*tion n.
ex»tem»po»ra»ne»ous /ikstemparayneeas/ adj. spoken ex»tinct /ikstingkt/ adj. 1 (of a family, class, or species)
or done without preparation, dd ex»tem»po»ra«ne»ous« that has died out. 2 a (of fire, etc.) no longer burning.
ly adv. b (of a volcano) that no longer erupts. 3 (of life, hope,
ex»tem»po»rar»y /ikstempareree/ adj. = extemporane- etc.) terminated; quenched.
ous,dd ex»tem«po»rar»i»ly /-rairalee/ adv. ex*ti notion /ikstingkshan/ n. 1 the act of making ex-
ex»tem«po«re /ikstemparee/ adj. &
adv. 1 without prep- of being or process of becoming extinct.
tinct; the state
aration. 2 offhand. 2 the act of extinguishing; the state of being extin-
ex*tem*po*rize /ikstempariz/ v. tr. (also absol.) compose guished. 3 total destruction or annihilation, dd ex«tino
or produce (music, a speech, etc.) without prepara- tive adj.
tion; improvise, dd ex*tem*po*ri*za*tion n. ex*tin*guish /ikstinggwish/ v.tr. 1 cause (a flame, light,
ex-tend /ikstend/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. lengthen or make larg- etc.) to die out; put out. 2 make extinct; annihilate;
er in space or time. 2 a tr. stretch or lay out at full destroy. 3 put an end to; terminate; obscure utterly (a
length, b tr. & intr. (often foil, by over) (cause to) feeling, quality, etc.). 4 a abolish; wipe out (a debt).
stretch or span over a period of time. 3 intr. & tr. (foil, b Law render void, dd ex*tin*guish*a*ble adj.
by ro, be or make continuous over a cer-
over) reach or ex*tin*guish*er /ikstinggwishar/ n. a person or thing
tain area. 4 intr. (foil, by to) have a certain scope {the that extinguishes, esp. = fire extinguisher.
permit does not extend to camping) 5 tr. offer or accord. ex*tir*pate /ekstarpayt/ v. tr. root out; destroy complete-
(an invitation, hospitality, kindness, etc.). 6 tr. (usu. ly, dd ex«tir»pa»tion /-payshan/ n. ex»tir»pa»tor n.
refl. or in passive) tax the powers of (an athlete, horse, ex*tol /ikstol/ v.tr. (extolled, extolling) praise enthusi-
etc.) to the utmost, dd ex*tend*a*bte adj. ex»tend«a«bil- astically.
i»ty n. ex*tend*i*ble adj. ex»tend»i«biM«ty n. export /ikstawrt/ v.tr. obtain by force, threats, persist
ex»tend»ed fam»i»ly «. 1a family group that includes ent demands, etc.
relatives living in one household. 2 all the members of ex«tor»tion /ikstawrshan/ n. 1 the act or an iiisi.uk e "I
a family, including cousins, in-laws, etc. extorting, esp. money. 2 illegal exaction. Dl ex»tor»tion» i

ex»tend»er /ikstendar/ «. la person or thing that er n. ex»tor»tion»ist >/

extends. 2 a substance added to paint, ink, glue, etc., ex»tor»tion«ate/ikstawrshanat/tfJ/. (ofi price, etc.) ex-
to dilute its color or increase its bulk. orbitant. Dl i ex«tor»tion»ate«ly adv.
ex»ten»sion /ikstenshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of ex*tra /ekstra/ adj., adv., n. •ad), ddltionilj more &
extending; the process of being extended. 2 pro- than is usual or necessary or expected, •adv. 1 more
longation; enlargement. 3 a part enlarging or added than usually. 2 additionally {was chair.d txtru). •"
on to a main structure or building. 4 an additional 1 an extra thing. 2 a thing ior which an extni hlTge is c

part of anything. 5 a subsidiary telephone on the same made; such a charge. 3 a person cnna^cd tempOflU il\
line as the main one. 6 an additional period of time. to fill out a scene in a motion picture or plaw esp ;is
7 away from campus instruction by a university or one of a crowd. 4 a special issue of a newspaper, tti
extra- /ekstra/ comb, form 1 outside; beyond {extramar- 275 extra- ~ eye
ital). 2 beyond the scope of (extracurricular).
ex-tract v. & n. • v. tr. /ikstrakt/ 1 remove or take out, 4 Polit. on the far left or right of a party. 5 utmost; last.

esp. by effort or force (anything firmly rooted). 2 ob- • n. 1 (often in pi. ) one or other of two things as re-
tain (money, an admission, etc.) with difficulty or mote or as different as possible. 2 a thing at either end
against a person's will. 3 obtain (a natural resource) of anything. 3 the highest degree of anything. 4 Math.
from the earth. 4 select or reproduce for quotation or the first or the last term of a ratio or series, a go to
performance (a passage of writing, music, etc.). 5 ob- extremes take an extreme course of action, go to the
tain (juice, etc.) by suction, pressure, distillation, etc. other extreme take a diametrically opposite course of
6 derive (pleasure, etc.). 7 Math, find (the root of a action, in the extreme to an extreme degree, dd ex-
number), mn. /ekstrakt/ 1 a short passage taken from tremely adv.
a book, piece of music, etc.; an excerpt. 2 a prepara- ex-treiTMSt /ikstreemist/ n. (also attrib.) a person who
tion containing the active principle of a substance in holds extreme or fanatical political or religious views.
concentrated form (malt extract) do ex-tract-a-ble adj.
. dd ex-trem-ism n.
ex-trac-tor /ikstraktar/ n. ex»trem«i»ty /ikstremitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the extreme
ex»traotion /ikstrakshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of point; the very end. 2 (in pi.) the hands and feet. 3 a
extracting; the process of being extracted. 2 the re- condition of extreme adversity or difficulty.
moval of a tooth. 3 origin; lineage; descent (of German ex«tri»cate /ekstrikayt/ v.tr. (often foil, by from) free or
extraction). 4 something extracted; an extract. disentangle from a constraint or difficulty, dd ex-tri-
ex»traotive /ikstraktiv/ adj. of or involving extraction, ca-ble adj. ex-tri-ca-tion /-kayshan/ n.
esp. extensive extracting of natural resources without ex-trin-sic /ekstrinsik, -zik/ adj. 1 not inherent or
provision for their renewal. intrinsic; not essential. 2 (often foil, by to) extrane-
ex»tra«cur»ric«u»lar /ekstrakarikyalar/ adj. (of a subject ous; lying outside; not belonging (to). 3 originating or
of study) not included in the normal curriculum. operating from without, dd ex-trin-si-cal-ly adv.
ex-tra-dite /ekstradit/ v.tr. hand over (a person accused ex»trovert /ekstravart/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 Psychol, a per-
or convicted of a crime) to the country, state, etc., in son predominantly concerned with external things or
which the crime was committed, nn ex-tra-dit-a-ble objective considerations. 2 an outgoing or sociable
/ekstraditabal/ adj. ex-tra-di-tion n. person, madj. typical or characteristic of an extrovert.
ex»tra«mar»i»tal /ekstramarit'l/ adj. (esp. of sexual rela- dd ex-tro-ver-sion /-varzhan/ n. ex-tro-vert-ed adj.
tions) occurring outside marriage, no ex-tra-mar-i-tal- ex»trude /ikstrood/ v. tr. 1 (foil, by from) thrust or force
ly adv. out. 2 shape metal, plastics, etc., by forcing them
ex-tra-ne-ous /ikstrayneeas/ adj. 1 of external origin. 2 through a die. dd ex-tru-sion /-trobzhan/ n. ex-tru-sive
(often foil, by to) a separate from the object to which /-troosiv/ adj.
it is attached, etc. b external to; irrelevant or unrelated ex«u«ber»ant /igzobbarant/ adj. 1 lively; high-spirited.
to. c inessential; superfluous, dd ex-tra-ne-ous-ly adv. 2 (of a plant, etc.) prolific. 3 (of feelings, etc.) lavish;
ex-tra-ne-ous-ness n. effusive, dd ex-u-ber-ance /-rans/ n. ex-u-ber-ant-ly
ex»traor«di«nar»y /ikstrawrd'neree, ekstraawr-/ adj. adv.
1 unusual or remarkable; out of the usual course. 2 un- ex-ude /igzobd, iksobd/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. (of a liquid, mois-

usually great (an extraordinary talent) 3 so exception-

. ture, etc.) escape or cause to escape gradually; ooze
al as to provoke astonishment or admiration. 4 (of a out; give off. 2 tr. emit (a smell). 3 tr. display (an emo-
meeting) specially convened, an ex-traor-di-nar-i-ly tion, etc.) freely or abundantly (exuded displeasure).
adv. ex-traor-di-nar-i-ness n. dd ex-u-date /eksyoDdayt, eksa-/ n. ex-u-da-tion n.
ex»trap»0«late /ikstrapalayt/ v.tr. (also absol.) 1 Math. ex-ult /igzult/ v.intr. (often foil, by at, in, over, or to +
& Philos. a calculate approximately from known val- infin.) 1 be greatly joyful. 2 (often foil, by over) have
ues, data, etc. (others which lie outside the range of a feeling of triumph (over a person), dd ex-ult-an-cy
those known) b calculate on the basis of (known facts)
. /-tansee/ n. ex-ul-ta-tion /egzultayshan, eksul-/ //. ex-
to estimate unknown facts, esp. extend (a curve) on a ult-ant adj. ex-ult-ant-ly adv. ex-ult-ing-ly adv.
graph. 2 infer more widely from a limited range of -ey /ee/ suffix var. of -y 2 .

known facts, dd ex-trap-o-la-tion /-layshan/ n. eye III n. &

ex»tra«sen«so»ry /ekstrasensaree/ adj. derived by
means other than the known senses, e.g., by telepathy,
clairvoyance, etc.
v. mn. 1 a the organ of sight in humans and
other animals, b the light-detecting organ in some
invertebrates. 2 the eye characterized by the color of
the iris (has blue eyes) 3 the region around the eye (eyes
.

ex»tra«sen«so»ry per-cep-tion n. a person's supposed red from crying). 4 a glass or plastic ball serving as an
faculty of perceiving by such means. artificial eye. 5 (in sing, or pi. ) sight; the faculty of sight
ex-tra-ter-res-tri«al /ekstratarestreeal/ adj. & n. madj. (demonstrate to the eye) 6 a particular visual faculty or
.

1 outside the earth or its atmosphere. 2 (in science fic- talent; visual appreciation; perspicacity (cast an expert
tion) from outer space. mn. (in science fiction) a be- eye over). 7 a (in sing, or pi.) a look, gaze, or glance,
ing from outer space. esp. as indicating the disposition of the viewer (a friend-
ex-trav-a-gant /ikstravagant/ adj. 1 spending (esp. ly eye), b (the eye) a flirtatious or sexually provocative
money) excessively; immoderate or wasteful in use of glance. 8 mental awareness; consciousness. 9 a person
resources. 2 exorbitant; costing much. 3 exceeding or animal, etc., that sees on behalf of another. 10 =
normal restraint or sense; unreasonable; absurd (ex- private eye. 11a thing like an eye, esp.: a a spot on a
travagant claims), dd ex-tra-va-gance /ikstravagans/ n. peacock's tail, b the leaf bud of a potato. 12 the cen-
ex-trav-a-gant-ly adv. ter of something circular, e.g., a flower or target. 1 3 the
ex-trava-gan-za /ikstravaganza/ n. 1a fanciful liter- relatively calm region at the center of a storm or hur-
ary, musical, or dramatic composition. 2 a spectacu- ricane. 14 an aperture in an implement, esp. a needle,
lar theatrical or television production. for the insertion of something, e.g., thread. 15 a ring
ex«treme /ikstre'em/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 reaching a high or loop for a bolt or hook, etc., to pass through, •v.tr.
or the highest degree; exceedingly great or intense (in (eyes, eyed, eyeing or eying) watch or observe close-
extreme danger). 2 a severe; stringent; lacking restraint ly, esp. admiringly or with curiosity or suspicion, d all
or moderation (an extreme reaction), b (of a person, eyes 1 watching intently. 2 general attention (all eyes
opinion, etc.) going to great lengths; advocating im-
moderate measures. 3 outermost (the extreme edge). See page xii for the Key to Promoiciarion.

eyeball ~ eyrie 276
were on us), before one's (or one's very) eyes right in
front of one. an eye for an eye retaliation in kind (Ex-
odus 21:24). have an eye for 1 be quick to notice. 2 be
partial to. have eyes for be interested in; wish to ac-
quire, have one's eye on wish or plan to procure, hit
a person in the eye (or between the eyes) colloq. be
very obvious or impressive, keep an eye on 1 pay atten-
tion to. 2 look after; take care of. keep an eye open (or
out) (often foil, by for) watch carefully, keep one's eyes
open (or peeled) watch out; be on the alert, make eyes
at look amorously or flirtatiously at. open a person's
eyes be enlightening or revealing to a person, see eye
to eye (often foil, by with) be agreement, under
in full
the eye of under the supervision or observation of. up
to the (or one's) eyes in 1 deeply engaged or involved
in; inundated with (up to the eyes in work). 2 to the ut-
most limit (mortgaged up to the eyes), with one's eyes
open deliberately; with full awareness, with one's eyes
shut (or closed) 1 easily; with little effort. 2 without
awareness; unobservant, with an eye to with a view to;
prudently considering, with one eye on directing one's
attention partly to. with one eye shut colloq. easily; with
little effort (could do this with one eye shut) dd eyed adj.
. eye*shot /ishot/ n. seeing distance (out of eyeshot).
(also in comb.).
eye»ball /ibawl/ n. &
v. •«. the ball of the eye within
the lids and socket. »f. si. 1 tr. look or stare at. 2
intr. look or stare, d eyeball to eyeball colloq. con-
fronting closely, to (or up to) the eyeballs colloq. com-
pletely.
eye*brow /ibrow/ n. the line of hair growing on the ridge
above the eye socket. raise one's eyebrows show sur-
prise, disbelief, or mild disapproval.
eye contact n. looking directly into another person's
eyes.
eye»ful /lfool/ n. (pi. -fuls) colloq. 1 a long, steady look.
2 a visually striking person or thing. 3 anything thrown
.
or blown into the eye.
eye*glass /lglas/ «. la lens for correcting or assisting
defective sight. 2 (in pi.) a pair of these, usu. set into
a frame that rests on the nose and has side pieces that
curve over the ears.
eyelash /ilash/ n. each of the hairs growing on the
edges of the eyelids. by an eyelash by a very small
margin.
eye»let /ilit/ k. la small hole in paper, leather, cloth,
etc., for string or rope, etc., to pass through. 2 a met-
al ring reinforcement for this. 3 a form of decoration
in embroidery.
eye lev»el n. the level seen by the eyes looking horizon-
tally (put it at eye level)
eye«lid /ilid/ n. the upper or lower fold of skin closing
to cover the eye.
eye»lin»er /ilinar/ n. a cosmetic applied as a line around
the eye.
eye-piece /ipees/ n. the lens or lenses at the end of a
microscope, telescope, etc., to which the eye is applied.
eye»shade /ishayd/ n. a device, esp. a visor, to protect
the eyes, esp. from strong light.
eye shad*ow n. a colored cosmetic applied to the skin
around the eyes.
eye*sight /isit/ n. the faculty or power of seeing.
eye*sore /isawr/ n. a visually offensive or ugly thing,
esp. a building.
eyestrain /istrayn/ n. fatigue of the (internal or exter-
nal) muscles of the eye.
eye»tOOth /ltobth/ n. a canine tooth just under or next
to the eye, esp. in the upper jaw.
eye«wear /iwair/ n. spectacles, goggles, or lenses for im-
proving eyesight or protecting the eyes.
eye»wit»ness /lwitnis/ n. a person who has seen a thing
happen and can give evidence of it.
ey»rie var. of aerie.
 . . . .

F
F 1
/ef/ n. (also f) (pi. Fs or F's) 1 the sixth letter of the against one; as one approaches. 2 confronting, in the
alphabet. 2 Mus. the fourth note of the diatonic scale face of 1 despite. 2 confronted by. in your face de-

of C major. manding attention, let's face it colloq. we must be hon-

F 2 abbr. (also F.) 1 Fahrenheit. 2 farad(s). 3 female.
F 3 symb. Chem. the element fluorine.
f abbr. (also f.) 1 female. 2 feminine. 3 following page,
etc. 4 Mus. forte. 5 folio. 6 focal length (cf. f-number).
fa /faa/ n. Mas. 1 (in tonic sol-fa) the fourth note of a
major scale. 2 the note F in the fixed-do system.
FAA abbr. Federal Aviation Administration.
fab /fab/ adj. colloq. fabulous; marvelous.
f a*ble /faybal/ n. & v. • n. 1 a a story, esp. a supernat-
about it. on the face of it as it would ap-
est or realistic
pear, put a brave face on accept difficulty, etc.,
cheerfully or with courage, put one's face on colloq.
apply makeup to one's face, put a new face on alter
the aspect of. save face preserve esteem, save a per-
son's face enable a person to save face; forbear from
humiliating a person, dd faced adj. (also in comb.).1ac»
ing adj. (also in comb.).
face card Cards a king, queen, or jack.
n.

ural one, not based on fact, b a tale, esp. with animals faceless adj. 1 without identity. 2 lacking
/fayslis/
as characters, conveying a moral. 2 (collect. ) myths and character. 3 without a face, dd face*less*ly adv. face*
legendary tales (in fable). 3 a a false statement; a lie. less«>ness n.
b a thing only supposed to exist, mv.tr. (as fabled adj.) face-lift n. 1 (also face-lifting) cosmetic surgery to re-
celebrated in fable; famous; legendary. move wrinkles, etc. 2 a procedure to improve the ap-
fab«ric /fabrik/ n. 1 a a woven material; a textile, b other pearance of a thing.
material resembling woven cloth. 2 a structure or fac*er /faysor/ n. colloq. 1 a blow in the face. 2 one that
framework, esp. the walls, floor, and roof of a build- faces.
ing. 3 (in abstract senses) the essential structure of a face-sav»ing n. preserving one's reputation, credibil-
thing (the fabric of society). ity, etc.
fab*ri*cate /fabrikayt/ v.tr. 1 construct esp. from pre- fac«et /fasit/ n. 1 a particular facet
pared components. 2 invent or concoct (a story, etc.). aspect of a thing. 2 one side
3 forge (a document), an fab*ri*ca*tion /fabrikayshan/ of a many-sided thing, esp.
n. fab*ri*ca*tor n. a cut gem, a bone, etc.
fab*u*list /fabyalist/n. 1 a composer of fables. 2 a liar. dd fac*et*ed adj. (also in
fab*u*lous /fabyalas/ adj. 1 incredible; exaggerated comb. )
(fabulous wealth) 2 colloq. marvelous (lookingfabulous)
. fa*ce*tious /faseeshas/ adj.
3 a celebrated in fable, b legendary; mythical, dd fab* 1 characterized by flippant

u*lous*ly adv. fab*u*lous*ness n. or inappropriate humor.

facade /fasaad/ n. 1the face of a building, esp. its prin- 2 intending to be amusing,
cipal front. 2 an outward appearance or front, esp. a esp. inappropriately, dd fa*
facet
deceptive one. ce*tious*ly adv. fa*ce*tious*
face /fays/ n. & v. • n. 1 the front of the head from the ness n.
forehead to the chin. 2 a the expression of the facial face val«ue n. 1 the nominal value as printed or

features (had a happy face), b an expression of disgust; stamped on money. 2 the superficial appearance or im-
a grimace (make a face). 3 coolness; effrontery. 4 the plication of a thing.
surface of a thing, esp.: a the visible part of a celestial f a*cia var. of fascia.
body, b a side of a mountain, etc. (the north face). C the fascial /fayshal/ adj. &
n. »adj. of or for the face. •«. a
(usu. vertical) surface of a coal seam, excavation, etc. beauty treatment for the face, dd fa*cial*ly adv.
d Geom. each surface of a solid, e the facade of a build- -facient /fayshant/ comb, form forming adjectives and
ing, f the plate of a clock or watch. 5 a the functional nouns indicating an action or state produced (aborti-
side of a tool, etc. b the distinctive side of a playing facient)
card, c the obverse of a coin. 6 = typeface. 7 a the out- fa*ci*es /fayshee-eez, -sheez/ n. (pi. same) 1 Med. the
ward appearance or aspect (the face of capitalism). appearance or facial expression of an individual.
b outward show; disguise; pretense (put on a brave 2 Geol. the character of rock, etc., expressed by its
face) 8 a person, esp. conveying some quality or
. composition, fossil content, etc.
association (a face from the past). 9 credibility or re- fac*ile /fasil/ adj. usu. derog. 1 easily achieved but of lit-
spect; good reputation; dignity (lose face) • v. 1 tr. . & tle value. 2 (of speech, writing, etc.) fluent; glib, dd fac*
intr. look or be positioned toward or in a certain direc- ile*ly adv. fac*ile*ness n.
tion (facing the window; the room faces north) 2 tr. be . f a*cil*i*tate /fasilitayt/ v. tr. make easy or less difficult or
opposite (facing page 20). 3 tr. a meet resolutely or de- more easily achieved, dd fa*cil*i*ta*tion /-tayshan/ n.
fiantly (face one's critics), b not shrink from (face the fa*cil*i*ta*tive adj. fa*cil*i*ta*tor n.
facts) 4 tr. present itself to (the problem that faces us)
. fa»cil»i»ty /fasilitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 ease; absence of

5 tr. a cover the surface of (a thing) with a coating, etc.
b put a facing on (a garment) 6 intr. . &
tr. turn or cause
to turn in a certain direction, d face facts (or the facts)
recognize the truth, face the music colloq. stand up to
unpleasant consequences, esp. criticism, face to face
(often foil, by with) confronting each other, face up to
accept bravely; confront, in one's face 1 straight
difficulty. 2 dexterity; aptitude (facility of expression)
3 (esp. in pi.) an opportunity, the equipment, or
the resources for doing something. 4 a plant, installa-
tion, or establishment. 5 euphem. (in pi.) a (public) toi-
let.
fac*ing /faysing/ n. 1 a a layer of material covering part
of a garment, etc., for contrast or strength, b (in pi.)
 . . . 1

facsimile ~ faint-hearted 278 fade /fayd/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. & tr. lose or cause to lose
color. 2 intr. lose freshness or strength; (of flowers,
the cuffs, collar, etc., of a military jacket. 2 an outer etc.) droop; wither. 3 intr. a (of color, light, etc.) grow
layer covering the surface of a wall, etc. pale or dim. b (of sound) grow faint. 4 intr. (of a feel-
faosinvMe /faksimilee/ n. &
v. •«. 1 an exact copy, ing, etc.) diminish. 5 intr. (foil, by away, out) (of a per-
esp. of writing, a picture, etc. (often attrib. facsimile : son, etc.) disappear or depart gradually. 6 tr. (foil, by
edition). 2 a production of an exact copy of a docu- in, out) Cinematog. &
Broadcasting a cause (a picture)
ment, etc.,by electronic scanning and transmission to come gradually in or out of view on a screen, or to
(see also fax), b a copy produced in this way. *v.tr. merge into another shot, b make (the sound) more or
(facsimiled, facsimiling) make a facsimile of. less audible. *n. the action or an instance of fading.
fact /fakt/ n. 1 a thing that is known to have occurred, a fade away colloq. languish; grow thin, dd fad»er n. (in
to exist, or to be true. 2 a datum of experience (often sense 6 of v.).
foil, by an explanatory clause or phrase: the fact that fade-in n. Cinematog. &
Broadcasting the action or an
fire burns). 3 (usu. in pi.) a piece of evidence. 4 truth; instance of fading in a picture or sound.
reality. 5 a thing assumed as the basis for argument or fade-out n. 1 colloq. disappearance; death. 2 Cinematog.
inference, d before (or after) the fact before (or after) & Broadcasting the action or an instance of fading out
the committing of a crime, a fact of life something that a picture or sound.
must be accepted, facts and figures precise details, in fa»er»ie /fairee/ n. (also fa»er»y) archaic 1 fairyland; the
(or in point of) fact 1 in reality; as a matter of fact. fairies, esp. as represented by Spenser (the Faerie
2 summarizing) in short.
(in Queene). 2 (attrib.) visionary; imagined.
faction /fakshan/ n. la small organized dissenting fag /fag/ n.
'
&
v. • «. si. a cigarette. »v. (fagged, fag-
1

group within a larger one, esp. in politics. 2 a state of ging) colloq. tr. (often foil, by out) tire out; exhaust.
dissension within an organization, dd fac*tion*al adj. fag 2 /fag/ n. si. often offens. a male homosexual.
fac«tiorval«ize v.tr. &
intr. fac«tion*aMy adv. fag*got /fagst/ n. si. offens. a male homosexual.
fac»tion 2 /fakshan/ n. a book, movie, etc., using real f ag*ot /fagat/ n. v. • n. (also fag*got) 1 a bundle of &
events as a basis for a fictional narrative or dramatiza- sticks or twigs bound together as fuel. 2 a bundle of
tion. iron rods for heat treatment. • v. tr. (fagoted, fagoting)
-faction /fakshan/ comb, form forming nouns of action 1 bind in or make into fagots. 2 join by fagoting (see

from verbs ending in -fy (petrifaction, satisfaction) fagoting).

facetious /fakshas/ adj. of, characterized by, or inclined fag*Ot«ing /fagating/ n. (also fag«got«ing) 1 embroidery
to faction, dd fac*tious*ly adv. fac*tious*ness n. in which threads are fastened together like a fagot.
fac*ti*tious /faktishas/ adj. 1 contrived; not genuine 2 the joining of materials in a similar manner.
(factitious value). 2 not natural (factitious joy) dd fac* . Fahr»en»heit /faranhit/ adj. of a scale of temperature on
ti*tious*ly adv. fac*ti*tious*ness n. which water freezes at 32° and boils at 212° under
fac»toid /faktoyd/ n. an assumption or speculation that standard conditions.
is reported and repeated so often that it becomes ac- fa*ience /fi-oNs, fay-/ n. decorated and glazed earthen-
cepted as fact. ware and porcelain.
f ac»tor /faktar/ «.&o.i«.1a circumstance, fact, or in- fail /fayl/ v. &
n. *v. 1 intr. not succeed. 2 a tr. intr. &
fluence contributing to a result. 2 Math, a whole num- be unsuccessful in (an examination, etc.). b tr. (of a
ber, etc., that when multiplied with another produces commodity, etc.) not pass (a test of quality). C tr. re-
a given number. 3 Biol, a gene, etc., determining he- ject (a candidate, etc.); adjudge as unsuccessful. 3 intr.
reditary character, •v.tr. 1 Math, resolve into factors be unable to; neglect to (failed to appear). 4 tr. disap-
or components. 2 tr. sell (one's receivable debts) to a point; let down. 5 intr. (of supplies, crops, etc.) be or
factor, dd fac*tor*ize /faktanz/ v.tr. & intr. become insufficient. 6 intr. become weaker; cease
&adj. Math.^n. 1 the prod-
fac»tO»ri»al /faktawreeal/ n. functioning (the engine has failed) 7 intr. a (of an en- .

uct of a number and all the whole numbers below it
(four factorial = 4 x 3 x 2 x 1).\ Symb.: (as in 4!).
2 the product of a series of factors in an arithmetical
progression. *adj. of a factor or factorial, dd fac«to»ri»
al»ly adv.
fac»to»ry /faktaree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a building or build-
ings containing equipment for manufacturing ma-
chinery or goods. 2 (usu. derog.) a place producing
mass quantities or a low quality of goods, etc. (a de-
gree factory)
fac»tO«tum /faktotsm/ n. (pi. factotums) an employee
who does all kinds of work.
facts of life n.pl. (prec. by the) information about sex-
ual functions and practices.
terprise) collapse, b become bankrupt. •«. a failure in
! an examination, d without fail for certain; whatever
happens.
failed /fayld/ adj. 1 not good enough (a failed actor).
2 deficient; broken down (a failed crop)
failing /fayling/ n. &
prep. • «. a fault or shortcoming;
a weakness, esp. in character, mprep. in default of; if
not.
fail-safe adj. reverting to a safe condition in the event
of a breakdown, etc.
failure /faylysr/ n. 1 lack of success. 2 an unsucccssiul
person, thing, or attempt. 3 nonperformance; nonoc-
currence. 4 breaking down or ceasing to function
(heart failure) 5 running short of supply, etc. 6 bank-
.

fac*tu*al /fakchooal/ adj. 1 based on or concerned with ruptcy.

fact. 2 actual; true, dd fac»tu»al»i»ty /-chooalitee/ n. fac« fain /fayn/ adj. &
adv. archaic •predic.adj. (loll, bv /<»
tu*al*ly adv. fac*tu*al*ness n. + infin.) 1 willing under the circumstances to. 2 left
fac-tum /faktsm/ n. (pi. factums or facta /-ta/) Law 1 an with no alternative but to. madv. gladly (esp. would
act or deed. 2 a statement of the facts. fain).
fac»ul»ty /faksltee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 an aptitude or ability faint /faynt/ adj.,
v., &
n. »adj. 1 indistinct; pale; dim;
for a particular activity. 2 an inherent mental or phys- not clearly perceived. 2 (of a person) weak or ditty.
ical power. 3 a the teaching staff of a university, col- 3 slight; remote (a faint chance). 4 halfhearted ihiuit
lege, or secondary school, b a department of a univer- praise). 5 timid (a faun htart). •CttPlCR 1 l«>sc < * » 1

sity, etc., teaching a specific branch of learning (faculty sciousness. 2 become faint. •//. a sudden loss of con-
of modern languages). sciousness, u not have the faintest colloq. have no idea.
fad /fad/ n. 1 a craze. 2 a peculiar notion or idiosyncra- dd faint»ness >/.

sy, dd fad*dish adj. fad*dish»ly adv. fad*dish*ness n. faint-heart»ed adj. cowardly; timid, mi faint-heart»ed»
fad-dism n. fad*dist n. ly adv. faint-heart»ed«ness ;/
 . . .

fainMy /fayntlee/ adv. 1 very slightly (faintly amused). 279 faintly - fall
2 indistinctly; feebly.
&
adv. *adj. 1 just; equitable; in accord-
fair 1 /fair/ adj. feit;not genuine, •v.tr. 1 make (a false thing) appear
ance with the rules. 2 blond; light or pale in color or genuine; forge; counterfeit. 2 make a pretense of hav-
complexion. 3 a of (only) moderate quality or ing (a feeling, illness, etc.). 3 Sport feint. 4 improvise
amount; average, b considerable; satisfactory (a fair (I'm not exactly sure, but I can fake it.) dd fak«er n. fak»
chance of success). 4 (of weather) fine and dry; (of the er«y n.
wind) favorable. 5 clean; clear; unblemished (fair fa«kir /fake'er, faykeer/ n. (also fa«quir) a Muslim or Hin-
copy). 6 beautiful; attractive. *adv. in a fair manner du religious mendicant or ascetic.
(play fair), d fair and square adv. adj. 1 exactly. & fa*la«fel /falaafgl/ n. (also fe»la»fel) (in Near Eastern
2 straightforward; honest; aboveboard. fair enough countries) a spicy dish of fried patties made from
colloq. thatis reasonable or acceptable, fair's fair col- mashed chick peas or beans.
loq. all involved should act fairly, in a fair way to like- faNcon /falkan, fawl-/ n. any diurnal bird of prey of the
ly to. od fair*ish adj. fair»ness n. family Falconidae, sometimes trained to hunt small
fair 2 /fair/ n. la gathering of stalls, amusements, etc., game for sport.
for public entertainment. 2 a periodical gathering for fal»con«er /falkanar, fawl-/ n. 1 a keeper and trainer of
the sale of goods, often with entertainments. 3 an ex- hawks. 2 a person who hunts with hawks.
hibition of farm products, usu. held annually, with fal»con»ry /falkanree, fawl-/ n. the breeding and train-
competitions, entertainments, etc. 4 an exhibition, ing of hawks; the sport of hawking.
esp. to promote particular products. fall /fawl/ v. & n. •v.intr. (pastleU /feV; past part, fallen
fair game n. a thing or person one may legitimately /fawtan/) a descend rapidly from a higher to a lower
1

pursue, exploit, etc. level (fell from the top floor), b drop or be dropped (sup-
fair«ground /fairgrownd/ n. an outdoor area where a plies fell by parachute) 2 a (often foil, by over or down)
.

fair is held. cease to stand; come suddenly to the ground, b col-

fair»ly /fairlee/ adv. 1 in a fair manner. 2 moderately lapse forward or downward, esp. of one's own volition
(fairlygood) 3 to a noticeable degree (fairly narrow)
. (fell into my arms) 3 become detached and descend or
.

4 utterly; completely (fairly beside himself). 5 actually disappear. 4 take a downward direction: a (of hair,
(fairly jumped for joy) clothing, etc.) hang down, b (of ground, etc.) slope. C
fair-mind»ed adj. just; impartial, do fair-mind»ed«ly adv. (foil, by into) (of a river, etc.) discharge into. 5 a find

fair-mind*ed*ness n. a lower level; sink lower, b subside; abate. 6 (of a

fair play n. reasonable treatment or behavior. barometer, etc.) show a lower reading. 7 occur (dark-
fair*way /fairway/ n. 1 a navigable channel. 2 the part ness fell) 8 decline (standards have fallen) 9 a (of the
. .

of a golf course between a tee and its green, kept free
of rough grass.
fair-weath«er friend n. a friend or ally who is unrelia-
ble in times of difficulty.
fair»y /fairee/ n. &
adj. •«. (pi. -ies) 1 a small imaginary
being with magical powers. 2 5/. derog. a male homo-
sexual. • adj. of fairies; fairylike; delicate; small, do fair*
y«like adj.
fairyland /faireeland/ n. 1 the imaginary
ies. 2 an enchanted region.
fair»y tale n. (also fairy story) 1 a tale
other fantastic creatures. 2 an incredible story; a fab-
rication.
faitaoconvpli /fet aakawNple'e, -komplee/ n. (pi. faits
accomplis pronunc. same) a thing that has been done
and is past altering.
faith /fayth/ n. 1 complete trust or confidence. 2 firm
belief, esp. without logical proof. 3 a religious belief.
b spiritual apprehension of divine truth apart from
proof. C things believed or to be believed. 4 duty or
commitment to fulfill a trust, promise, etc. (keep faith).
5 (attrib.) concerned with a supposed ability to cure
by faith rather than treatment.
faith*ful /faythfool/ adj. 1 showing faith. 2 (often foil,
by to) loyal; trustworthy. 3 accurate; true to fact (a
face) show dismay, b (of the eyes or a glance) look
downward. 10 a lose power or status (the government
will fall), b lose esteem, moral integrity, etc. 11 com-
mit sin, yield to temptation. 12 take or have a partic-
ular direction or place (his eye fell on me) .13a find a
place; be naturally divisible (the subject falls into three
parts),b (foil, by under, within) be classed among.
14 occur at a specified time (Easter falls early this year)
home of fair- 15 come by chance or duty (it fell to me to answer).
16a pass into a specified condition (fall into decay)
about fairies or b become (fall asleep). 17 a (of a position, etc.) be over-
thrown or captured, b be defeated; fail. 18 die (fall in
battle). 19 (foil, by on, upon) a attack, b meet with.
C embrace or embark on avidly. 20 (foil, by to + ver-
bal noun) begin (fell to wondering)^] (foil, by to) lapse;
revert (revenues fall to the state). • the act or an in-
n. 1
stance of falling; a sudden rapid descent. 2 that which
falls or has fallen, e.g., snow, etc. 3 the recorded
amount of rainfall, etc. 4 a decline or diminution; de-
preciation in price, value, demand, etc. 5 downfall (the
fall of Rome). 6 a succumbing to temptation, b (the
Fall) the biblical sin of Adam and its consequences.
7 (of material, land, light, etc.) a downward direction;
a slope. 8 (also Fall) autumn. 9 (esp. in pi.) a water-
fall, cataract, or cascade, a fall apart (or to pieces)

faithful account). 4 thorough in performing one's du- 1 break into pieces. 2 (of a situation, etc.) be reduced

ty; conscientious. 5 (the Faithful) the believers in a re- to chaos. 3 lose one's capacity to cope, fall away 1 (of
ligion, dd faith*ful*ness n. a surface) incline abruptly. 2 gradually vanish. 3 des-
faith»fuMy /faythfoolee/ adv. in a faithful manner. ert; revolt, fall back retreat, fall back on have recourse
yours faithfully a formula for ending a business or to in difficulty, fall behind 2 be in arrears, fall
1 lag.

formal letter. down (often foil, by on) colloq. fail; fail to deliver (pay-
faith heal*er n. one who uses religious faith and prayer ment, etc.). fall flat fail to achieve expected success or
to heal, an faith heal-ing n. evoke a desired response, fall for colloq. 1 be captivated
faithless /faythlis/ adj. 1 false; unreliable; disloyal. or deceived by. 2 yield to the charms or merits of. fall
2 without religious faith, dd faith«less*ly adv. faith* foul of come into conflict with, fall in 1 a take one's
lessmess n. place in military formation, b (as int.) the order to do
fa*ji«tas /faahe'etas, fa-/ n.pl. Mexican Cooking thin this. 2 collapse inward, fall into line 1 take one's place
strips of fried or broiled meat, usu. seasoned with sal- in the ranks. 2 conform with others, fall into place be-
sa. gin to make sense or cohere, fall off 1 (of demand, etc.)
fake /fayk/ n., adj., & v. •«. 1 a thing or person that is
not genuine. 2 a trick. 3 Sport a feint, •adj. counter- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

fallacy ~ fandango 280 supposedly attending and obeying a witch, etc. dd fa»
mil*iar*ly adv.
decrease. 2 withdraw, fall out 1 quarrel. 2 (of the hair, fa»mil»iar»i«ty /famileearitee, -yar-/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the
etc.) become detached. 3 Mil. come out of formation. state of being well known. 2 (foil, by with) close
fall over oneself colloq. 1 be eager or competitive. acquaintance. 3 a close relationship. 4 a sexual inti-
2 stumble through haste, confusion, etc. fall short 1 be macy, b (in pi.) acts of physical intimacy. 5 informal
or become inadequate. 2 (of a missile, etc.) not reach behavior, esp. excessively so.
its target, fall short of fail to reach or obtain, fall fa*mil*iar*ize /family ariz/ v. tr. 1 (foil, by with) make (a
through come to nothing; miscarry. person) conversant or well acquainted. 2 make (a
fal*la*cy /falasee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a mistaken belief, esp. thing) well known, dd fa*mil*iar*i«za*tion n.
based on unsound argument. 2 faulty reasoning; mis- fam»i»ly /familee/ n. (pi. -lies) 1 a set of relations, living
leading or unsound argument, dd fal*la*cious /falay- together or not. 2 a the members of a household, b a
shos/ adj. faMa*cious*ly adv. fal*la*cious*ness n. person's children, c (attrib.) serving the needs of fam-
fallback /fawlbak/ n. 1 (also attrib.) an alternative re- ilies (family butcher) 3 a all the descendants of a com-
.

source or plan that may be used in an emergency. 2 a mon ancestor, b a group of peoples from a common
reduction or retreat. stock. 4 all the languages ultimately derived from a
falUen past part, of fall v. adj. 1 (attrib.) having lost particular early language, regarded as a group. 5 a
one's honor or reputation. 2 killed in war. brotherhood of persons or nations united by political
fall guy 5/. 1 an easy victim. 2 a scapegoat. or religious ties. 6 a group of objects distinguished by
faMi'ble/falibal/ady. 1 capable of making mistakes. 2 li- common features. 7 Math, a group of curves, etc., ob-
able to be erroneous, dd faMi»biM»ty n. fal-li-bly adv. tained by varying one quantity. 8 Biol, a group of re-
falling star n. a meteor. lated genera of organisms within an order in taxonom-
FaMo*pi*an tube /falopeean/ n. Anat. either of two ic classification, d in the (or a) family way colloq.
tubes in female mammals along which ova travel to pregnant.
the uterus. fam«My planning n. birth control.
fall-out /fawlowt/ radioactive debris caused by a
n. 1 fam«My tree n. a chart showing relationships and lines
nuclear explosion or accident. 2 the adverse side ef- of descent.
fects of a situation, etc. fam«ine/famin/n. 1 extreme scarcity of food. 2 a short-
faMow 1
/falo/ adj. & a (of land) plowed and
n. madj. 1 age of something specified (water famine)
harrowed but left unsown, b uncultivated. 2 (of an fanvish /famish/ v.tr. &
intr. (usu. in passive) 1 reduce

idea, etc.) potentially useful but not yet in use. • n. fal- or be reduced to extreme hunger. 2 colloq. (esp. as fam-
low or uncultivated land, dd fal-low«ness n. ished adj.) feel very hungry.
faMow 2 /falo/ adj. of a pale brownish or reddish yellow. fa*mous /faymas/ adj. 1 (often foil, by for) celebrated;
false /fawls/ adj. &
adv. madj. 1 not according with well known. 2 colloq. excellent, dd fa*mous*ness n.
fact; incorrect. 2 a spurious; artificial (false gods; false fa»mous»ly /faymaslee/ adv. 1 colloq. excellently (got on
teeth; false modesty) b acting as such, esp. deceptively
. famously) 2 notably. .

(a false lining) 3 illusory (a false economy) 4 improp- fan /fan/ n.

. .
1
&
v. • «. 1 an apparatus, usu. with rotat-

erly so called (false acacia). 5 deceptive. 6 (foil, by ing blades, giving a current of air for ventilation, etc.
to) deceitful, treacherous, or unfaithful. 7 illegal 2 a device, usu. folding and forming a semicircle when
(false imprisonment) • adv. in a false manner (esp. play
. spread out, for agitating the air to cool oneself. 3 an-
false), dd falsely adv. false*ness n. fal-si-ty n. (pi. ything spread out like a fan.*?;, (fanned, fanning) 1 tr.
-ties). a blow a current of air on, with or as with a fan. b ag-
falsehood /fawls-hood/ n. 1 the state of being false, itate (the air) with a fan. 2 tr. (of a breeze) blow gen-
esp. untrue. 2 a false or untrue thing. 3 a the act of ly- tly on. 3 tr. winnow (grain). 4 intr. tr. (usu. foil, by &
ing, b a lie or lies. out) spread out in the shape of a fan. 5 a tr. strike (a
fal»set»tO /fawlseto/ n. (pi. -tos) 1 a method of voice batter) out. b intr. strike out. dd fan*iike adj.
production used by male singers, esp. tenors, to sing fan 2 /fan/ n. a devotee of a particular activity, performer,
notes higher than their normal range. 2 a singer using etc.
this method. fa*nat«ic /fanatik/ n. &
adj. • n. a person filled with ex-
fals»ies /fawlseez/ n.pl. colloq. padded material to in- cessive and often misguided enthusiasm for some-
crease the apparent size of the breasts. thing. • adj. excessively enthusiastic, dd fa«nat»i»cal adj.
fal»si»fy /fawlsifiV v. tr. (-f ies, -f ied) 1 fraudulently alter fa*nat*i*caMy adv. fa«nat«i«cism /-tisizam/ n. fa»nat»i»
or make document, evidence, etc.). 2 misrep-
false (a cize /-tisiz/ v.intr. tr. &
resent. 3 make wrong; pervert. 4 show to be false. fan belt n. a belt that drives a fan to cool the radiator
5 disappoint (a hope, fear, etc.). dd fal*si*fi*a*ble adj. in a motor vehicle.
fal*si*fi*ca*tion n. fan»ci»er /fanseear/ n. a connoisseur or follower of some
fahter /fawltar/ v. 1 intr. stumble; go unsteadily. 2 intr. activity or thing (dog fancier)
lose courage. 3 tr. & intr. speak hesitatingly, dd fal«ter» fan*ci*ful /fansifool/ adj. 1 existing only in the imagilH
er n. fal*ter*ing«ly adv. tion or fancy. 2 whimsical; capricious. 3 fantastically
fame /faym/ n. 1 renown; the state of being famous. designed, etc. dd fan-ci»fuMy adv. fan»ci«ful»ness ;/
2 reputation. fan»cy /fansed n.,adj.,&v. •«. (pi. -cies) 1 an individ-
famed /faymd/ adj. (foil, by for) famous; much spoken ual taste or inclination. 2 a caprice or whim. 3 an u
of (famed for its good food). bitrary supposition. 4 a the faculty of usin^ ima^ina
fa*mil*ial /familyal, -leeal/ adj. of, occurring in, or tion or of inventing imagery, b a mental image.
characteristic of a family or its members. • adj. (usu. attrib.) (fancier, fanciest) 1 ornamental,
fa*mil*iar /familyar/ adj. & n. 1 a (often foil, by
madj. not plain. 2 capricious; whimsical; extravagant i.// ,/
to) well known; no longer b often encountered
novel, fancy price), mv.tr. (-cies, -cied) 1 (foil, by '//•" 1
or experienced. 2 (foil, by with) knowing a thing well clause) be inclined to suppose. 2 lint, colloq. feel a dc
or in detail (am familiar with all the problems). 3 (often sire for (do you fancy a drink?), no fan«cWy ,/./ fan*
foil,by with) a well acquainted (with a person); inti- ci*ness >/.

mate, b sexually intimate. 4 excessively informal. fan»cy-free adj. without (esp. emotional) commit-
5 unceremonious. 6 (of animals) tame. •«. 1 a close ments.
friend or associate. 2 (in full familiar spirit) a demon fan*dan»go /fandanggo/ ;/. (pi. -goes or -os) 1 a a live
 .

ly Spanish dance for two. b the music for this. 2 non- 281 fanfare ~ farthest
sense; tomfoolery.
farvfare /fanfair/ n. 1a short showy or ceremonious 1 leave-taking; departure (also attrib.: a farewell kiss).

sounding of trumpets, etc. 2 an elaborate display; a 2 parting good wishes.

burst of publicity. far-fetched adj. (of an explanation, etc.) strained; un-
fang /fang/ n. la canine tooth, esp. of a dog or wolf. convincing.
2 the tooth of a venomous snake, by which poison is far-flung adj. 1 extending far; widely distributed. 2 re-
injected. 3 the root of a tooth or its prong. 4 colloq. a mote; distant.
person's tooth, dd fanged adj. (also in comb.). fa»ri«na /fare'ena/n. 1 the flour or meal of cereal, nuts,

farvny /fanee/ n. (pi. -nies) si. the buttocks.
fan»ny pack n. a pouch for personal items, worn on a
belt around the waist or hips.
fan*ta*sia /fantayzha, -zheea, fantaze'ea/ n. a musical
or other composition free in form and often in improv-
isatory style, or that is based on several familiar tunes.
fan*ta*size /fantasiz/ v. 1 intr. have a fantasy or fanci-
ful vision. 2 tr. imagine; create a fantasy about, dd fan*
or starchy roots. 2 a powdery substance.
farm /faarm/ n.&v.»n. 1 an area of land and its build-
ings used under one management for growing crops,
rearing animals, etc. 2 a place or establishment for
breeding a particular type of animal, growing fruit, etc.
(trout farm; mink farm). 3 = farmhouse. 4 a place with
many tanks for the storage of oil or oil products. • v.
1 a tr. use (land) for growing crops, rearing animals,

ta»sist n. etc. b intr. be a farmer; work on a farm. 2 tr. breed

fan«tas«tic /fantastik/ adj. (also fan»tas»ti»cal) 1 colloq. (fish, etc.) commercially. 3 tr. (often foil, by out) a del-
excellent; extraordinary. 2 extravagantly fanciful. egate or subcontract (work) to others, b contract (the
3 grotesque or bizarre in design, etc. do fan«tas«ti«cal« collection of taxes) to another for a fee. C arrange for
i»ty /-kalitee/ n. fan»tas»ti»caMy adv. (a person) to be looked after by another, with pay-
fan»ta»sy /fantasee, -zee/ n. (pi. -sies) 1 the faculty of ment. 4 tr. lease the labor or services of (a person) for
inventing images, esp. extravagant or visionary ones. hire. 5 tr. contract to maintain and care for (a person,
2 a fanciful mental image; a daydream. 3 a whimsical esp. a child) for a fixed sum. dd farming n.
speculation. 4 a fantastic invention or composition. farnrer /fa'armar/ n. 1 a person who cultivates a farm.
5 fabrication; pretense; make-believe (his account was 2 a person to whom the collection of taxes is con-
pure fantasy) tracted for a fee. 3 a person who looks after children
far /faar/ adv. & adj. (farther, farthest or further, fur- or performs other services for payment.
thest) • adv. 1 at or to or by a great distance (far away; farm hand n. a worker on a farm.
far off, far out). 2 a long way (off) in space or time (are farnvhouse /fa'armhows/ n. a dwelling place attached
you traveling far?; we talked far into the night). 3 to a to a farm.
great extent or degree; by much (far better, far too ear- f arnvland /faarmland/ n. land used or suitable for farm-
ly). • adj. 1 situated at or extending over a great dis- ing.
tance in space or time; remote (afar country). 2 more farnvstead /faarmsted/ n. a farm and its buildings.
distant (the far end of the halt). 3 extreme (far right mil- farnvyard /fa'armyaard/ n. a yard attached to a farm-
itants), a as far as 1 to the distance of (a place). 2 to house.
the extent that (travel as far as you like), by far 1 by a far«0 /fairo/ n. a gambling card game in which bets are
great amount. 2 (as an intensifier) without doubt, far placed on the order of appearance of the cards.
and away by a very large amount, far and near every- far-off adj. remote.
where, far and wide over a large area, far be it from me far-out adj. 1 distant. 2 avant-garde; unconventional.
(foil, by to + infin.) I am reluctant to (esp. express crit- far-reach*ing adj. 1 widely applicable. 2 having impor-
icism, etc.). far from very different from; tending to tant consequences or implications.
the opposite of (the problem is far from being solved) go far»ri»er /fareear/ n. a smith who shoes horses.
.

far 1 achieve much. 2 contribute greatly. 3 be ade- far»row /faro/ n. &

v. *n. 1 a litter of pigs. 2 the birth

quate, go too far go beyond the limits of what is rea- of a litter. mv.tr. (also absol.) (of a sow) produce (pigs).
sonable, polite, etc. how far to what extent, so far 1 to far»see«ing /fa'arse'eing/ adj. shrewd in judgment; pre-
such an extent or distance; to this point. 2 until now. scient.
so (or in so) far as to the extent that, so far so good Far»si /faarsee/ n. the modern Persian language.
progress has been satisfactory up to now. far*sight*ed /fa'arsitid/ adj. 1 having foresight; prudent.
far*ad /farad, -ad/ n. Electr. a unit of capacitance, such 2 able to see clearly only what is comparatively dis-
that one coulomb of charge causes a potential dif- tant, dd far*sight*ed*ly adv. far*sight*ed*ness n.
ference of one volt. 1 Abbr.: F. fart /faart/ v. & n. coarse si. • v.intr. 1 emit intestinal gas
far*a*day /faraday/ n. (also Faraday's constant) Electr. from the anus. 2 (foil, by around) behave foolishly. • n.
the quantity of electric charge carried by one mole of 1 an emission of intestinal gas from the anus. 2 an un-

electrons. pleasant person. Usually considered a taboo word.

far*a*way /faaraway/ adj. 1 remote; long past. 2 (of a far«ther /fa'arthar/ adv. & adj. (also further /farthar/)
look) dreamy. 3 (of a voice) sounding as if from a dis- • adv. 1 to or at a more advanced point in space or time
tance. (unsafe to proceed farther) 2 at a greater distance (noth-
.

farce /faars/ n. 1 a a broadly comic dramatic work ing was farther from his thoughts). »adj. more distant or
based on ludicrously improbable events, b this branch advanced (on the farther side) dd far»ther»most adj.
.

of drama. 2 absurdly futile proceedings. Traditionally, farther, farthest were used in referring
far*ci*cal /fa'arsikal/ adj. 1 extremely ludicrous or futile. to physical distance: The falls were still two or three miles
2 of or like farce, dd far«ci»cal»ly adv. farther up the path. Further, furthest were held to be
far cry n. a long way. restricted to figurative or abstract senses: We decided to
fare /fair/ n. & v. • n. 1 a the price a passenger has to consider the matterfurther. Although farther, farthest are
pay to be conveyed by bus, train, etc. b a passenger still properly restricted to measurable distances, fur-
paying to travel in a public vehicle. 2 a range of food. ther is now common in both senses: Put those plants
• v.intr. 1 progress; get on (how did you fare?) 2 hap-
. the furthest from the window.
pen; turn out. 3 journey; go; travel. farthest /fa'arthist/ adj. & adv. (also furthest /furthist/)
Far East n. (prec. by the) China, Japan, and other coun- • adj. most distant. • adv. to or at the greatest distance.
tries of E. Asia, dd Far Eastern adj.
fare-well /fairwel/ int. & n. • int. good-bye; adieu. • n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .
farthing ~ father
d at the farthest (or at farthest) at the greatest dis-
tance; at the latest; at most.
far-thing /fa'arthing/ n. 1 (in the UK) a former coin and
monetary unit worth a quarter of
least possible amount (it doesn't matter a farthing)
fas«ces /faseez/ n.pl. 1 Rom. Hist, a bundle
of rods with a projecting ax blade, carried
as a symbol of a magistrate's power. 2 hist.
(in Fascist Italy) emblems of authority.
fas*ci*a /faysha/ n. la stripe or band.
2 Archil, a a long flat surface between
moldings on the architrave in classical ar-
chitecture,b a flat surface, usu. of wood,
covering the ends of rafters. 3 /fashees/
Anat. a thin sheath of fibrous connective
tissue, dd fas«ci»al adj.
fas»ci»cle /fasikal/ n. 1 (also
/-kyool/) a separately published installment
of a book. 2 a bunch or bundle.
fas*ci*nate /fasinayt/ v. tr. 1 capture the interest of; at-
tract irresistibly. 2 paralyze (a victim) with fear, an fas*
ci*nat*ed adj. fas*ci*nat*ing adj. fas»ci»nat»ing«ly adv.
fas*ci*na*tion /-nayshgn/ n. fas»ci«na»tor n.
Fas»cism /fashizam/ n. the totalitarian principles and
1 ing abundantly. 6 a thick; substantial in content (a fat
organization of the extreme right-wing nationalist
movement in Italy (1922-43). 2 (also fascism) a any
similar nationalist authoritarian movement.
and
b disp. any system of extreme right-wing or authori-
tarian views, dd Fas»cist n. &
adj. (also fas»cist). Fas*
cis»tic adj. (also f as*cis*tic)
fashion /fashan/ n.&v. »n. 1 the current popular cus-
tom or style, esp. in dress. 2 a manner of doing some-
thing (in a peculiar fashion) 3 (in comb. ) in a specified
. fa*tal*ism /fayt'lizsm/ n. 1 the belief that all events are
manner (in a peaceable fashion) 4 fashionable society . predetermined and therefore inevitable. 2 a submis-
(a woman of fashion), •v.tr. (often foil, by into) make
into a particular or the required form, o after (or in)
a fashion as well as is practicable, though not satisfac-
torily, in (or out of) fashion fashionable (or not fash-
ionable).
fash*ion*a«ble /fashsnabal/ adj. 1 following, suited to,
or influenced by the current fashion. 2 characteristic
of or favored by those who are leaders of social fash-
ion, dd fash'iorva»ble»ness fash«ion*a*bly adv.
n.
fast 1 /fast/ adj. & rapid; quick-moving.
adv. madj. 1 fate /fayt/ n.
2 capable of high speed (a fast car). 3 enabling or caus-
ing or intended for high speed (the fast lane) 4 (of a
clock, etc.) showing a time ahead of the correct time.
5 (of a field, etc., in a sport) likely to
bounce 6 a (of photographic film) needing
quickly.
only a short exposure, b (of a lens) having a large ap-
erture. 7 a firmly fixed or attached, b secure; firmly
established (a fastfriendship). 8 (of a color) not fading.
9 (of a person) immoral; dissipated, madv. 1 quickly;
in quick succession. 2 firmly; tightly (stand fast; eyes
3 soundly; completely (fast asleep). 4 close;
fast shut).
immediately (fast on their heels). 5 in a dissipated man-
ner; extravagantly; immorally, d pull a fast
foil, by on) colloq. try to deceive or gain an unfair ad-
vantage.
fast 2 /fast/ v.&n. • v. intr. abstain from all or some kinds
of food or drink. • n. an act or period of fasting.
fast*back /fastbak/ n. 1 an automobile with the rear
sloping continuously down to the bumper. 2 such a
back.
fast breed-er n. (also fast breeder reactor) a reactor
using fast neutrons to produce the same fissile mate-
rial as it uses.
fast»en /fasan/ v. 1 tr. make or become fixed or secure.
2 tr. (foil, by in, up) lock securely; shut in. 3 tr. a (foil,
by on, upon) direct (a look, thoughts, etc.) fixedly or
intently, b focus or direct the attention fixedly upon
.
282 (fastenedhim with her eyes). 4 tr. (foil, by on, upon) fix
(a designation or imputation, etc.). 5 intr. (foil, by on,
upon) a take hold of. b single out. dd fast«en«er n.
fast«en»ing /fasgning/ n. a device that fastens some-
thing; a fastener.
an old penny. 2 the fast food n. food that can be prepared and served
quickly and easily, esp. in a snack bar or restaurant.
fas*tid*i*ous /fastideeas/ adj. 1 very careful in matters
of choice or taste; fussy. 2 easily disgusted; squeam-
ish, dd fas*tid*i*ous*ly adv. fas*tid*i*ous*ness n.
fast«ness /fastnis/ n. la stronghold or fortress. 2 the
state of being secure.
fast-talk v.tr. colloq. persuade by rapid or deceitful talk.
fast track n. a course or situation leading to rapid ad-
vancement or promotion, as in a career.
fat /fat/ n., adj., &
v. •«. 1 a natural oily or greasy sub-
stance occurring esp. in animal bodies. 2 the part of
anything containing this. 3 excessive presence of fat in
fas*ci*cule a person or animal. 4 Chem. any of a group of natural
esters of glycerol and various fatty acids existing as
fasces
solids at room temperature. 5 overabundance or ex-
cess, madj. (fatter, fattest) 1 (of a person or animal)
having excessive fat. 2 (of an animal) made plump for
slaughter; fatted. 3 containing much fat. 4 greasy; oily;
unctuous. 5 (of land or resources) fertile; rich; yield-
book), b substantial as an asset or opportunity (a fat
check) 7 colloq. iron, very little; not much (a fat chance)
.
mv.tr. & intr. (fatted, fatting) make or become fat.
dd faWess adj. faWy adv. fat«ness n. faMish adj.
fa*tal /faytsl/ adj. 1 causing or ending in death (a fatal
accident) 2 (often foil, by to) destructive; ruinous; end-
.
ing in disaster (was fatal to their chances; made a fatal
mistake). 3 fateful, dd fa*taMy adv.
sive attitude to events as being inevitable, dd fa*tal*ist
n. fa*tal*is*tic adj. fa*tal*is*ti*caMy /— listiklee/ adv.
fa«tal»i»ty/f3tabtee,fay-/n. (pi. -ties) 1 a an occurrence
of death by accident or in war, etc. b a person killed
in this way. 2 a fatal influence. 3 a predestined liabili-
ty to disaster. 4 subjection to or the supremacy of fate.
5 a disastrous event; a calamity.
fat cat n. si. 1 a wealthy person, esp. as a benefactor.
2 a highly paid executive or official.
&v. • n. 1 a power regarded as predeter-
mining events unalterably. 2 a the future regarded as
. determined by such a power, b an individual's ap-
pointed lot. c the ultimate condition or end of a per-
make the ball son or thing (that sealed our fate) 3 death; destruction.
.
4 (usu. Fate) a goddess of destiny. • v. tr. 1 (usu. in pas-
sive) preordain (was fated to win). 2 (as fated adj.)
a doomed to destruction, b unavoidable; preor-
dained; fateful.
1 important; decisive; having far-
fate»f ul /faytfool/ adj.
reaching consequences. 2 controlled as if by fate.
3 causing or likely to cause disaster. 4 prophetic.
dd fate*fuMy adv.
one (often fat»head /fat-hed/ n. colloq. a stupid person, dd fat»head»
ed adj. fat«head»ed»ness //.
farther /fa'athar/ n. &
v. • «. 1 a a man in relation i<> a
child born from his fertilization of an ovum, b a man
who has continuous care of a child, esp. bv adoption.
2 any male animal in relation to its offspring. 3 (usu.
in pi.) a forefather. 4 an originator or curlv leader. 5 a
person who deserves special respect (rhi- lather of his
country). 6 (also Father) a (often as a title or form of
address) a priest, b a religious leader. 7 (the Father;
(in Christian belief) the first person <>l tin- Trinity
8 (Father) a venerable person, esp. as a title in per-
sonifications (Father Tunc). 9 (usu. in pi) tin- leading
men or elders in a city, etc. (city fathers) . 9V.tr. 1 be-
get; be the father of. 2 behave as a father toward. 3 orig-
 inate (a scheme, etc.). 4 appear as or admit that one 283 father-in-law - fear
is the father or originator of. 5 (foil, by on) assign the

paternity of (a child, book, etc.) to a person, dd farther* fave /fayv/ n. & adj. si. = favorite.
hood n. fa»ther»less adj. fa»vor /fayvar/ n.&v.mn.A an act of kindness (did it as
fa»ther-in-law n. (pi. fathers-in-law) the father of one's a favor) 2 approval; goodwill; friendly regard (gained
.

husband or wife. their favor, look with favor on). 3 partiality; too lenient
fa»ther»land /faatharland/ n. one's native country. or generous treatment. 4 aid; support (under favor of
fa«ther»ly /faatharlee/ adj. 1 like or characteristic of a night) 5 a thing given or worn as a mark of favor or
.

father in affection, care, etc. (fatherly concern). 2 of or support, e.g., a badge or a knot of ribbons. 6 a small
proper to a father, dd fa»ther«li«ness n. present or token given out, as at a party, mv.tr. 1 re-
f atlvom /fatham/ n. & v. • n. (pi. often fathom when gard or treat with favor or partiality. 2 give support or
prec. by a number) measure of six feet, esp. used in
a approval to; promote; prefer. 3 a be to the advantage
taking depth soundings. • v. tr. 1 comprehend. 2 meas- of (a person), b facilitate (a process, etc.). 4 tend to
ure the depth of (water), dd fath»om»a»ble adj. fath* confirm (an idea or theory). 5 (foil, by with) oblige
onvless adj. (favor me with a reply). 6 (as favored adj.) a having
fa*tigue /fate'eg/ n. & extreme tiredness after
v. • n. 1 special advantages, b preferred; favorite. 7 colloq. re-
exertion. 2 weakness caused
in materials, esp. metal, semble in features. 8 treat gingerly or gently (favored
by repeated variations of stress. 3 a reduction in the her injured wrist), a in favor 1 meeting with approval.
efficiency of a muscle, organ, etc., after prolonged 2 (foil, by of) a in support of. b to the advantage of.
activity. 4 a a nonmilitary duty in the army, often as a out of favor lacking approval.
punishment, b (in full fatigue party) a group of sol- fa»vor«a«ble /fayvarsbal/ adj. 1 a well-disposed; propi-
diers ordered to do fatigues. C (in pi.) work clothing tious, b approving. 2 giving consent (a favorable an-
worn by soldiers on fatigue duty. •v.tr. (fatigues, fa- swer) 3 promising; auspicious (a favorable aspect) 4
. .

tigued, fatiguing) 1 cause fatigue in; tire; exhaust. 2 (as (often foil, by to) helpful; suitable, dd fa«vor«a«ble«ness
fatigued adj.) weary; listless. n. fa*vor*a«bly adv.
fat«so /fatso/ n. (pi. -soes) si. joe. or offens. a fat person. f a»vor»ite/fayvarit, fayvrit/ adj. &
n. • adj. preferred to

faWen /fat'n/ v. 1 tr. &

intr. make or become fat. 2 tr. all others (my favorite book). *n. 1 a particularly fa-
enrich (soil). vored person. 2 Sports a competitor thought most like-
faMy /fatee/ adj. & n. • adj. (fattier, fattiest) 1 like fat; ly to win.
oily; greasy. 2 consisting of or containing fat; adipose. fa»vor»it«ism /fayvaritizam, fayvri-/ n. the unfair favor-
3 marked by abnormal deposition of fat. • n. (pi. -ties) ing of one person or group at the expense of another.
colloq. usu. offens. a fat person, dd fat«ti«ness n. fawn /fawn/ n., adj.,
1
&
v. »n. 1 a deer in its first year.

faMy aoid n. Chem. any of a class of organic com- 2 a light yellowish brown, madj. fawn colored, mv.tr.
pounds consisting of a hydrocarbon chain and a ter- (also absol.) (of a deer) bring forth (young), d in fawn
minal carboxyl group. (of a deer) pregnant.
fat*u*OUS /fachooas/ adj. vacantly silly; purposeless; id- fawn 2 /fawn/ v.intr. 1 (often foil, by on) (of a person)
iotic, dd fa»tu»i«ty /fatooitee, -tyob-/ n. (pi. -ties), fat* behave servilely; cringe. 2 (of an animal, esp. a dog)
u*ous*ly adv. fat*u*ous*ness n. show extreme affection, dd fawn*ing adj. fawn*ing*ly
fat»wa /fatwaa/ n. (in Islamic countries) an authorita- adv.
tive ruling on a religious matter. fax /faks/ n.&v.*n."\ facsimile transmission (see fac-
fau*cet /fawsit/ n. a device by which a flow of liquid simile n. 2). 2 a a copy produced by this, b a machine
from a pipe or vessel can be controlled. for transmitting and receiving these. • v.tr. transmit in
fault /fawlt/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a defect or imperfection of this way.
character or of structure, appearance, etc. 2 a break in fay /fay/ n. literary a fairy.
an electric circuit. 3 a transgression, offense, or thing faze /fayz/ v. tr. (often as fazed adj. ) colloq. disconcert;
wrongly done. 4 a Tennis, etc., a service of the ball not disorient.
in accordance with the rules, b (in show jumping) a FBI abbr. Federal Bureau of Investigation.
penalty for an error. 5 responsibility for wrongdoing, FCC abbr. Federal Communications Commission.
error, etc. 6 a defect regarded as the cause of some- F Clef n. = BASS CLEF.
.

thing wrong (the fault lies in the teaching methods). FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration.
7 Geol. an extended break in the continuity of strata. FDIC abbr. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
• v. 1 tr. find fault with; blame. 2 tr. declare to be faulty. Fe symb. Chem. the element iron.
3 tr. Geol. break the continuity of (strata). 4 intr. com- fe*al»ty /fe'ealtee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 hist, a a feudal tenant's
mit a fault. 5 intr. Geol. show a fault, d at fault guilty; or vassal's fidelity to a lord, b an acknowledgment of
to blame, find fault (often foil, by with) make an ad- this. 2 allegiance.
verse criticism; complain, to a fault (usu. of a com- fear /feer/ n. &v. • n. 1 a an unpleasant emotion caused
mendable quality, etc.) excessively (generous to a fault). by exposure to danger, expectation of pain, etc. b a
fault»find»er /fawltfindar/ n. a person given to contin- state of alarm (be in fear). 2 a cause of fear (all fears re-
ually finding fault, dd fault*find*ing n. adj. &
moved). 3 (often foil, by of) dread or fearful respect
fault* ess /fawltlis/ adj. without fault; free from defect
I (for) (had a fear of heights) 4 anxiety for the safety of .

or error, dd faulMess»ly adv. faulMess-ness n. (in fear of their lives) 5 danger; likelihood (of some- .

fault*y /fawltee/ (faultier, faultiest) adj. having faults;
imperfect, dd faultily adv. fault*i*ness n.
faun /fawn/ n. a Roman rural deity with a human face
and torso and a goat's horns, legs, and tail.
fau*na /fawna/ n. (pi. faunas or faunae /-nee/) 1 the an-
imal life of a region or geological period (cf flora)
thing unwelcome) (there is little fear offailure). »v. 1 a tr.
feel fear about or toward, b intr. feel fear. 2 intr. (foil,
by for) feel anxiety about (feared for my life). 3 tr. have
uneasy expectation of (fear the worst). 4 tr. (usu. foil,
by that + clause) apprehend with fear or regret (I fear
that you are wrong). 5 tr. a (foil, by to + infin.) hesi-
. .

2 a treatise on or list of this, dd fau*nal adj.
fauv*ism /fovizam/ n. a style of painting with vivid use
of color, dd fauv*ist n.
faux /fo/ adj. imitation; counterfeit (faux emeralds).
faux pas /fo pa'a/ n. (pi. same, pronunc. /paaz/) 1 a tact-
less mistake; a blunder. 2 a social indiscretion.
tate, b (foil, by verbal noun) shrink from; be appre-
hensive about (he feared meeting his ex-wife). 6 tr. show
reverence toward, d for fear of (or that) to avoid the
risk of (or that), never fear there is no danger of that.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

fearful ~ feed 284 fences /fe'eseez/ n.pl. waste matter discharged from the
bowels, dd fe»cal /feekal/ adj.
fearful /fe'erfool/ adj. 1 (usu. foil, by of or that + clause) feck-less /feklis/ adj. 1 feeble; ineffective. 2 unthink-
afraid. 2 terrible; awful. 3 colloq. extremely unwelcome ing; irresponsible (feckless gaiety), dd feck»less»ly adv.
or unpleasant, dd fear*ful*ly adv. fear*ful*ness n. feck*less*ness n.
feaNess /feerlis/ adj. 1 courageous; brave. 2 (foil, by fec»U»lent /fekyalant/ adj. 1 murky; filthy. 2 containing
of) without fear, dd fear*less*ly adv. fear*less*ness n. sediments or dregs, dd fec»u»lence n.
fear»some /fe'ersam/ adj. 1 appalling or frightening. fe»cund /fe'ekand, fek-/ adj. 1 prolific; fertile. 2 fertiliz-
2 timid, dd fear«some»ly adv. fear»some»ness n. ing, dd fe»cun»di»ty /fikunditee/ n.
fea*si*ble /fe'ezibal/ adj. 1 practicable; possible. 2 disp. Fed /fed/ n. si. 1 a federal agent or official, esp. a mem-
likely; probable (it is feasible that they will get the job) ber of the FBI. 2 a the Federal Reserve System, b the
dd fea*si*bil*i*ty /feezibilitee/ n. fea*si*bly adv. Federal Reserve Board.
The correct meaning of feasible
is 'practicable' or fed past and past part, of feed.
'possible,' e.g., Walking at night was not feasible without fed*er*al /fedaral/ adj. 1 of a system of government in
the aid of a flashlight. It should not be used to mean which several states form a unity but remain independ-
'likely' or 'probable.' ent in internal affairs. 2 relating to or affecting such a
feast /feest/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a large or sumptuous meal. federation. 3 a of or relating to central government
2 a gratification to the senses or mind. 3 a an annual (federal laws), b (also Federal) favoring centralized
religious celebration, b a day dedicated to a particu- government. 4 (Federal) of or loyal to the Union ar-
lar saint. • v. 1 intr. partake of a feast; eat and drink my and federal government in the US Civil War.
sumptuously. 2 tr. a regale, b pass (time) in feasting. 5 comprising an association of largely independent
d feast one's eyes on take pleasure in beholding. units, dd fed*er*al*ism n. fed*er*al*ist n. fed*er*al*ize
feat /feet/ n. a noteworthy act or achievement. v. tr. fed«er*al*i*za*tion n. fed*er*al*ly adv.
feath»er /fethar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 any of the appendages fed»er»ate v. &
adj. • v. tr. &
intr. /fedarayt/ organize or

growing from a bird's skin, with a horny hollow stem be organized on a federal basis, •adj. /fedarat having
and fine strands. 2 one or more of these as decoration, a federal organization./
etc. 3 (collect.) a plumage, b game birds. *v. 1 tr. cover fed»er»a»tion /fedarayshan/ n. 1a federal group of
or line with feathers. 2 tr. Rowing turn (an oar) so that states. 2 a federated society or group. 3 the act or an
it passes through the air edgewise. 3 tr. Aeron. &Naut. instance of federating, dd fed*er*a*tion*ist n.
cause (blades) to rotate in such a way as to lessen the fe«do*ra /fidawra/ n. a soft
air or water resistance, d a feather in one's cap an felt hat with a low crown
achievement to one's credit, feather one's nest enrich creased lengthways.
oneself, in fine (or high) feather colloq. in good spirits. fed up adj. (often foil, by
dd featlrered adj. (also in comb.). feath«er«i»ness n. with) discontented or
feath*er*less adj. feath»er«y adj. bored (am fed up with the
feath»er bed n. &
v. tr. • n. a bed with a mattress stuffed rain).
with feathers, mv.tr. (featherbed) (-bedded, -bedding) fee /fee/ n. & v. •«. 1 a
provide with (esp. financial) advantages. payment made to a
feath*er*bed*ding /fetharbeding/ n. the employment professional person or to
of excess staff, esp. due to union rules. a professional or public
feath*er«brain /fetharbrayn/ n. (also featherhead) a sil- body in exchange for ad-
ly or absent-minded person, dd feath*er*brained vice or services. 2 money
/fetharbraynd/ adj. (also featherheaded) paid as part of a special
fedora
feath*er*edge /fetharej/ n. a fine edge produced by ta- transaction, for a priv-
pering a board, plank, or other object. ilege,admission to a society, etc. (enrollment fee). 3 (in
feath»er»ing /fetharing/ n. 1 bird's plumage. 2 the pi.) money regularly paid for continuing services.
feathers of an arrow. 3 a featherlike structure in an an- 4 Law an inherited estate, unlimited (fee simple) or
imal's coat. 4 Archit. cusps in tracery. limited (fee tail) as to the category of heir. •v.tr. (fee'd
feath*er«stitch /fetharstich/ n. ornamental zigzag sew- or feed) 1 pay a fee to. 2 engage for a fee.
ing. fee*ble /feebal/ adj. 1 weak; infirm. 2 lacking energy,
feath*er*weight /fetharwayt/ n. 1 a any of various force, or effectiveness. 3 dim; indistinct. 4 deficient in
weight classes in certain sports intermediate between character or intelligence, dd fee«ble»ness n. fee*blish
bantamweight and lightweight, b a boxer, etc., of this adj. fee-bly adv.
weight. 2 a very light person or thing. 3 (usu. attrib.) fee«ble«m ind*ed /feebalmindid/ adj. 1 unintelligent.
an unimportant thing. 2 mentally deficient, dd fee«ble«mind«ed»ly adv. fee*
feature /fe'echar/ n. v. &
•«. 1a distinctive or ble*mind*ed*ness n.
characteristic part of a thing. 2 (usu. in pi.) (a distinc- feed /feed/ v. &n.*v. (past and past part, fed /fed/) 1 tr.
tive part of) the face, esp. with regard to shape and vis- a supply with food, b put food into the mouth of. 2 tr.
ual effect. 3 a a distinctive or regular article in a news- a give as food, esp. to animals, b graze (cattle). 3 tr.
paper or magazine, b a special attraction at an event, serve as food for. 4 intr. (usu. foil, by on) take food;
etc. 4 a (in full feature film) a full-length movie in- eat. 5 tr. nourish; make grow. 6 a tr. maintain supply
tended as the main item at a showing, b (in full fea- of raw material, fuel, etc., to (a fire, machine, tfo
ture program) a broadcast devoted to a particular top- b tr. (foil, by into) supply (material) to a machine, etc.
ic. »v. 1 tr. make a special display or attraction of; give C tr. supply or send (an electronic signal) for broad-
special prominence to. 2 tr. &
intr. have as or be an im- cast, etc. d intr. (often foil, by into) (of a river, etc.)
portant actor, participant, or topic in a movie, broad- flow into another body of water, e tr. insert further
cast, etc. 3 intr. be a feature, dd featured adj. (also in coins into (a meter) to continue its function, validity,
com b. ) etc. 7 intr. (foil, by on) a be nourished by. b derive ben-
Feb. abbr. February. efit from. 8 tr. use (land) as pasture. 9 tr. /'//<, m J.

fe«brile /febral, fee-/ adj. of or relating to fever; fever- supply (an actor, etc.) with cues. 10 tr. Sports send
ish, dd fe»bril»i«ty /fibrilitee/ n. passes to (a player) in a basketball game, soecer or
Feb»ru»ar»y /febrooeree, febyoo-/ n. (pi. -ies) the sec- hockey match, etc. 11 tr. gratify (vanity, etc.). 12 tr.
ond month of the year. provide (advice, information, etc.) to. •n. 1 an amount
 ).

of food, esp. for animals. 2 the act or an instance of 285 feedback - feminize
feeding; the giving of food. 3 colloq. a meal. 4 pastur-
age; green crops. nn feld»spath»ic /-spathik/ adj. feld«spatlvoid feld-
feed*back /fe'edbak/ n. 1 information about the result spathoyd, felspa-/ n.
of an experiment, etc.; response. 2 Electronics a the re- fe»lic«i«tate /falisitayt/ v.tr. congratulate, on fe»lioi«ta«
turn of a fraction of the output signal from one stage tion /-tayshan/ n. (usu. mpl).
of a circuit, amplifier, etc., to the input of the same or fe*lioi»tous /falisitas/ adj. strikingly apt; pleasantly in-
a preceding stage, b a signal so returned. 3 Biol., etc., genious, dd fe»lic«i«tous»ly adv. fe«lic»Mous»ness n.
the modification or control of a process or system by fe*lic»i»ty/f3lisitee/n. (pi. -ties) 1 intense happiness; be-
its results or effects. ing happy. 2 a cause of happiness. 3 a a capacity for
feed bag n. a bag containing fodder, hung on a horse's apt expression, b an appropriate or well-chosen
head. phrase. 4 a fortunate trait.
feed*er /feedar/ n. la person or thing that feeds. 2 a fe«line /fe'elin/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of or relating to the cat
person who eats in a specified manner. 3 a tributary family. 2 catlike. • «. an animal of the cat family
stream. 4 a branch road, railroad line, etc., linking out- Felidae. nn fe*lirri«ty /filinitee/ n.
lying districts with a main communication system. fell past of fall v.
1

5 Electr. a main conductor carrying electricity to a fell 2 /fel/ v. &

n. •v.tr. 1 cut down (esp. a tree). 2 strike
distribution point. or knock down (a person or animal). 3 stitch down
feel /feel/ v.&n.m v. (past and past part, felt /felt/) 1 tr. (the edge of a seam) to lie flat. • n. an amount of tim-
a examine or search by touch, b (absol.) have the sen- ber cut.
sation of touch (was unable to feet). 2 tr. perceive or as- fel«la»ti«o filaysheeo, felaateeo/ n. oral stimulation of
certain by touch; have a sensation of (could feel the the penis, nn feMate /filayt/ v.tr.
warmth; felt that it was cold) 3 tr. a undergo; experience
. fell»er /felar/ n. = fellow 1, 2.
(shall feel my anger), b exhibit or be conscious of (an feMow man or boy (poor fellow.'; my
/felo/ n. 1 colloq. a
emotion, sensation, conviction, etc.). 4 a intr. have a dear fellow). 2 derog. a person regarded with contempt.
specified feeling or reaction (felt strongly about it), b tr. 3 (usu. in pi.) a comrade (were separated from their fel-
be emotionally affected by (felt the rebuke deeply) 5 tr. . lows) 4 a counterpart or match; the other of a pair.
.

(usu. foil, by that + clause) have a vague or unreasoned
impression (I feel that I am right). 6 tr. consider; think
(I feel it is useful to go). 7 intr. seem
8 intr.be consciously; consider oneself (I feel happy).
9 intr. a (foil, by with) have sympathy with, b (foil, by
for) have pity or compassion for. • n. 1 the act or an in- feMow*ship /feloship/ n. 1 companionship; friendli-
stance of feeling; testing by touch. 2 the sensation
characterizing a material, situation, etc. 3 the sense of
touch. feel free (often foil, by to + infin.) not be re-
luctant or hesitant (do feel free to criticize) feel like have
5 an equal; one of the same class. 6 a contemporary.
7 a selected graduate receiving a stipend for a period
(the air feels chilly). of research. 8 a member of a learned society. 9 (attrib.
belonging to the same class or activity (fellow soldier)
feMow feeMng n. sympathy from common experience.
ness. 2 participation; sharing; community of interest.
3 a body of associates. 4 a brotherhood or fraternity.
5 a guild or corporation. 6 a financial grant to a schol-
ar. .

a wish for; be inclined toward, feel oneself be fit or feMow trav»el»er n. 1 a person who travels with anoth-
confident, etc. feel out investigate cautiously, feel up er. 2 a sympathizer with the Communist Parry.
to be ready to face or deal with, feel one's way pro- fel»on felan n. a person who has committed a felony.
ceed carefully; act cautiously, get the feel of become fe«IO«ni»OUS /fildneeas/ adj. 1 criminal. 2 Law a of or
accustomed to using. involving felony, b who has committed felony, nn fe»
feel»er /feelsr/ n. 1 an organ in certain animals for test- lo*ni*ous*ly adv.
ing things by touch or for searching for food. 2 a ten- fel»o«ny /felanee/ n. (pi. -nies) a crime regarded by the
tative proposal (put out feelers). 3 a person or thing that law as grave, and usu. involving violence.
feels. felt /felt/ B.&n.iw.la kind of cloth made by rolling
1

feeding /feeling/ n. &

adj. •». la the capacity to feel; and pressing wool, etc., or by weaving and shrinking
a sense of touch (lost all feeling in his arm), b a phys- it. 2 a similar material made from other fibers. • v. 1 tr.

ical sensation. 2 a (often foil, by of) a particular emo- make into felt; mat together. 2 tr. cover with felt. 3 intr.
tional reaction (a feeling of despair) b (in pi. ) emo- become matted, nn felt»y adj.
.

tional susceptibilities (hurt my feelings; had strong felt 2 past and past part, of feel.
feelings C intense emotion (said it with such
about it). fe«male /fe'emayl/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of the sex that can
feeling) 3 a particular sensitivity (had a feeling for lit-
. bear offspring or produce eggs. 2 (of plants or their
erature). 4 a an opinion or notion, esp. a vague or irra- parts) fruit-bearing. 3 of or consisting of women, fe-
tional one (had a feeling she would be there) b vague . male animals, or female plants. 4 (of a screw, socket,
awareness (had a feeling of safety) C sentiment (the gen- . etc.) hollow to receive a corresponding inserted part.
eral feeling was against it). 5 readiness to feel sympathy • n. a female person, animal, or plant, nn fe*male*ness
or compassion. 6 a the general emotional response n.

produced by a work of art, piece of music, etc. b emo- fem»i»nine /feminin/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of or characteris-
tional commitment or sensibility in artistic execution tic of women. 2 having qualities associated with wom-
(played with feeling), madj. 1 sensitive; sympathetic. en. 3 womanly; effeminate. 4 Gram, of or denoting the
2 showing emotion or sensitivity, an feel*ing*less adj. gender proper to women's names. •«. Gram, a fem-
feel*ing*ly adv. inine gender or word, nn fenvi«nine«ly adv. fem»i»nine«
feetp/. of foot. ness n. fenvi»nin»i»ty /-ninitee/ n.
feign /fayn/ simulate; pretend to be affected by
v. 1 tr. fem»i»nism /feminizam/ n. 1 the advocacy of women's
(feign madness). 2 intr. indulge in pretense. rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes. 2 Med.
feint /faynt/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a sham attack or blow, etc. the development of female characteristics in a male
2 pretense, •v.intr. make a feint. person, nn feminist n. (in sense 1).
feist»y /fistee/ adj. (feistier, feistiest) si. 1 aggressive; fe«min»i«ty /feminitee/ n. = femininity (see feminine).
exuberant. 2 touchy, do feist*i*ness n. feminize /feminiz/ v.tr. &
intr. make or become fem-

fe»la»fel var. of falafel. inine or female, nn fem*i«ni*za*tion n.

feld»spar /feldspaar/ n. Mineral, any of a group of alu-
minum silicates of potassium, sodium, or calcium. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

femme fatale ~ festive 286 an area of ground) with b take or drive away
ferrets,
(rabbits, etc.) with ferrets. 4 tr. (foil, by out) search out
femme fa*tale /fern fatal, -taal, fay-/ n. (pi. femmes fa- (secrets, criminals, etc.). do fer«ret»er n. fer»ret»y adj.
tales pronunc. same) a seductively attractive woman. fer»ric /ferik/ adj. 1 of iron. 2 Chem. containing iron in
fe»mur /fe'emar/ n. (pi. femurs or femora /femara/) Anat. a trivalent form (cf. ferrous 2).
the thigh bone, the thick bone between the hip and Fer»ris wheel /feris/ n. a
the knee. fem»o»ral /femaral/ adj. carnival ride consisting
fen /fen/ n. a low marshy or flooded area of land. of a tall revolving vertical
fence /fens/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a barrier or railing enclosing wheel with passenger
an area of ground. 2 a large upright obstacle in cars suspended on its

steeplechasing or show jumping. 3 si. a receiver of sto- outer edge.

len goods. 4 a guard or guide in machinery, id. 1 tr. ferTlte /ferit/ n. Chem. 1 a
surround with or as with a fence. 2 tr. a (foil, by magnetic subtance, a
w»j off) enclose or separate with or as with a fence. compound of ferric oxide
b (foil, by up) seal with or as with a fence. 3 tr. (foil, and another metallic ox-
by from, against) screen; shield; protect. 4 tr. (foil, by ide. 2 an allotrope of
out) exclude with or as with a fence; keep out. 5 tr. pure iron occurring in
(also absol.) si. deal in (stolen goods). 6 intr. practice low-carbon steel, dd fer*
the sport of fencing. 7 intr. (foil, by with) evade an- ri»tic /feritik/ adj.

swering (a person or question), a sit on the fence re- ferro- /fero/ comb, form
ferris wheel
main neutral or undecided in a dispute, etc. on fenc* Chem. 1 iron, esp. in fer-
er n. rous compounds (ferrocyanide) 2 (of alloys) con-
fencing /fensing/ n. 1 a set or extent offences. 2 mate- taining iron (ferromanganese)
rial for making fences. 3 the art or sport of swordplay. fer»rous /feras/ adj. 1 containing iron (ferrous and non-
fend /fend/ v. 1 intr. (foil, by for) look after (esp. one- ferrous metals) 2 Chem. containing iron in a divalent
.

self). 2 tr. (usu. foil, by off) ward off. form (cf. ferric 2).
fend»er /fendar/ n. 1 a low frame bordering a fireplace. fer»rule /ferool/ n. 1 a ring or cap strengthening the end
2 iVawr. a piece of old timber, matting, etc., hung over of a stick or tube. 2 a band strengthening or forming
a vessel's side to protect it against impact. 3 a a thing a joint.
used to keep something off, prevent a collision, etc. &
v. • n. (pi. -ries) 1 a boat or aircraft,
fer«ry /feree/ n.
b a device or enclosure over or around the wheel of a conveying passengers and goods as a regular
etc., for
motor vehicle, bicycle, etc. service. 2 the service itself or the place where it oper-
fen»nel /fenal/ n. 1a yellow-flowered fragrant umbel- ates. • v. (-ries, -ried) 1 tr. &
intr. convey in a boat, etc.

liferous plant, Foeniculum vulgare, with leaves or leaf across water. 2 intr. (of a boat, etc.) pass back and forth
stalks used in salads, soups, etc. 2 the seeds of this used across water. 3 tr. transport from one place to anoth-
as flavoring. er, esp. as a regular service, dd fer«ry«man /-man/ n.
fe»ral /feeral, feral/ adj. 1 untamed; uncultivated. 2 (of (pi. -men).

an animal) in a wild state after escape from captivity fer»tile/fart'l/<2d)'. 1 a (of soil) producing abundant veg-
or domestication. etation or crops, b fruitful. 2 a (of a seed, egg, etc.) ca-
fer de lance /fair da lans/ n. a large highly venomous pable of becoming a new individual, b (of animals and
snake, Bothrops atrox, native to Central and S. Amer- plants) able to conceive young or produce fruit. 3 (of
ica. the mind) inventive. 4 (of nuclear material) able to be-
fer»ment n.&v.m n. /farment/ 1 agitation; excitement; come fissile by the capture of neutrons, dd fer»til«i»ty
tumult. 2 a fermentation, ba fermenting agent. »v. /— tilitee/ n.
/farment/ 1 intr. &
tr. undergo or subject to fermenta- fer*til*i*za*tion /fart'lizayshan/ n. 1 Biol, the fusion of
tion. 2 intr. &
tr. effervesce or cause to effervesce. 3 tr. male and female gametes during sexual reproduction
excite; stir up. dd fer»ment»a»ble adj. fer»ment»er to form a zygote. 2 a the act or an instance of fertiliz-
/-mentar/ n. ing, b the process of being fertilized.
fer»men»ta»tion /farmentayshan/ n. 1 the breakdown of fer*ti*lize /fart'liz/ v.tr. 1 make (soil, etc.) fertile or pro-
a substance by microorganisms, such as yeasts and ductive. 2 cause (an egg, female animal, or plant) to
bacteria, esp. of sugar to ethyl alcohol in making beers, develop a new individual by introducing male repro-
wines, and spirits. 2 agitation; excitement, dd fer- ductive material, dd fer-ti-liz-a-ble adj.
mentative /-mentativ/ adj. fer«ti»liz«er /fart'lizar/ n. a chemical or natural sub-
fer«mi«um /farmeeam, fer-/ n. Chem. a transuranic ra- stance added to soil to make it more fertile.
dioactive metallic element produced artificially. K fer»vent /farvant/ adj. 1 ardent; impassioned; intense.
Symb.: Fm. 2 hot; glowing, dd fer«ven»cy n. fer«vent»ly adv.
fern /farn/ n. (pi. same or ferns) any flowerless plant of fer«vid /farvid/ adj. 1 ardent; intense. 2 hot; glowing.
the order Filicales, usu. having feathery fronds. dd fer»vid«ly adv.
dd fern«er«y n. (pi. -ies). fern«y adj. fer»vor /farvar/ n. 1 vehemence; passion; zeal. 2 a ^low
fe*ro*cious /faroshas/ adj. fierce; savage; wildly cruel. ing condition; intense heat.
do fe«ro«cious«ly adv. fe«ro»cious«ness n. fes»cue /feskyOO/ n. any grass of the genus FutUi w, vul
fe«roc«i«ty /farositee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 ferocious nature; uable for pasture and fodder.
the state of being ferocious. 2 a ferocious act. fes«tal /fest'l/ adj. 1 joyous; merry. 2 engaging in hoi
-ferous /faras/ comb, form (usu. -iferous) forming adjec- iday activities. 3 of a feast, n fes«tal*ly adv. i i

tives with the sense 'bearing,' 'having' (auriferous; odor- fes«ter /festar/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become sepiit.

iferous) do -ferously suffix forming adverbs, -ferousness

. 2 intr. cause continuing annoyance. 3 /////. mt, sta^
suffix forming nouns. nate.
fer»rate /ferayt/ n. Chem. a salt of (the hypothetical) fer- fes«ti»val /festival/ n. (also attrtb.) 1 a day or period <>l
ric acid. celebration. 2 a concentrated scries <>l concerts, plavs,
fer»ret /ferit/ n. &v. *n. a small polecat, Mustela puto- etc., held regularly in a town, etc.
rius furo, used in catching rabbits, rats, etc. mv. 1 intr. fes»tive /festiv/ adj. 1 of or characteristic of a festival.
hunt with ferrets. 2 intr. rummage; search out. 3 tr. (of- 2 joyous. 3 fond of feasting; jovial, nn fes*tive*ly adv.
ten foil, by about, away, out, etc.) a clear out (holes or fes»tive«ness //
 .

fes*tiv*i*ty /festivitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 gaiety; rejoicing. 287 festivity ~ fibroid

2 a a festive celebration, b (in pi.) festive proceedings.
fes»tOOn /festoon/ n.&v. • n. a chain of flowers, leaves, fever. 2 excited; fitful; restless. 3 (of a place) infested
ribbons, etc., hung in a curve as a decoration, mv.tr. by fever; feverous, dd fe»ver»ish«ly adv. fe»ver»ish»ness
(often foil, by with) adorn with or form into festoons; n.
decorate elaborately, dd fes«toon»er»y n. few /fyoo/ adj. &
n. • adj. not many (few doctors smoke;

fet»a /feta/ n. a crumbly white ewe's milk or goat's milk visitors are few), mn. (as pi.) 1 (prec. by a) some but
cheese, made esp. in Greece. not many (a few of his friends were there) 2 a small num- .

fetch /fech/ v. &

n. • v. tr. 1 go for and bring back (a per- ber; not many (many are called but few are chosen). 3
son or thing) (fetch a doctor) 2 be sold for (a price)
. (prec. by the) a the minority, b the elect, d every few
(fetched $10). 3 cause (blood, tears, etc.) to flow. 4 draw once in every small group of (every few days), few and
(breath). 5 colloq. give (a blow, slap, etc.) (fetched him far between scarce, no fewer than as many as (a spec-
a slap on the face). 6 excite the emotions of; delight or ified number), not a few a considerable number, some
irritate. • n. 1 an act of fetching. 2 a dodge or trick. few some but not at all many.
d fetch and carry run backward and forward with Fewer, the comparative of few, properly refers to a
things; be a servant, fetch up colloq. arrive; come to countable quantity: This has one-thirdfewer calories than
rest. regular sour cream. Formally, less refers to uncounta-
fetching /feching/ adj. attractive, dd fetch«ing»ly adv. ble, mass quantities: less sand; less water in this glass than
fete /fayt, fet/ n.&i;.i«.1a festival. 2 Brit, an outdoor that; less time to work with. Today informal speakers
function with the sale of goods, amusements, etc. 3 a rarely use fewer for less, but often use less where fewer
saint's day. • v. tr. honor or entertain lavishly. has been preferred: There are less people in the room than
fet«id /fetid, fe'etid/ adj. (also foe»tid) stinking, dd fet«id» there were before lunch.
ly adv. fet«id»ness n. fey /fay/ adj. 1 a strange; otherworldly; whimsical.
fet*ish /fetish/ n. 1 Psychol, a thing abnormally stimu- b clairvoyant. 2 Sc. a fated to die soon, b overexcited
lating or attracting sexual desire. 2 a an object wor- or elated, as formerly associated with the state of mind
shiped for its supposed inherent magical powers or as of a person about to die. dd fey»ly adv. feyness n.
being inhabited by a spirit, b a thing evoking irrational fez /fez/ n. (pi. fezzes) a flat-
devotion or respect, dd fet*ish*ism n. fet-ish-ist n. fet» topped conical red cap with a
ish*is*tic /-shistik/ adj. worn by men
tassel, in some
Muslim countries.
fetish early 17th cent, (originally denoting an object
ff abbr. Mus. fortissimo.
used by the peoples of West Africa as an amulet or
ff. abbr. 1 following pages, etc.
charm) from French
: fetiche, from Portuguese feitico
2 folios.
'charm, sorcery' (originally an adjective meaning
'made by art'), from Latin factitius (see factitious)
FHA abbr. Federal Housing
.

Administration.
feMock /fetlok/ n. part of the back of a horse's leg above fi»an»ce /fe'eonsay/ n. (fern.
the hoof where a tuft of hair grows. fiancee pronunc. same) a per-
feWer /fetar/ n.&z».m.1aa shackle for holding a pris- son to whom one is engaged to
oner by the ankles, b any shackle or bond. 2 (in pi.) be married.
captivity. 3 a restraint, mv.tr. 1 put into fetters. 2 re- fi»as»co /feeasko/ n. (pi. -cos) a
strict; impede. ludicrous or humiliating failure
feWIe &v. • n. condition or trim (in fine fettle)
/fet'l/ n. or breakdown.
• v. trim or clean (the rough edge of a metal cast- fi*at /fe'eat, -at, -aat, fiat, fiat/ n.
tr. 1
ing, pottery before firing, etc.). 2 line (a hearth, fur- 1 an authorization. 2 a decree or order.

nace, etc.) with loose sand or gravel.
fet»tuc»ci»ne /fetacheenee/ n. (also fet»tuc«ci»ni) pasta
in the form of long flat ribbons.
fe*tus /fe'etas/ n. an unborn or unhatched offspring of
a mammal, esp. a human one more than eight weeks
after conception, dd fe»tal adj. fe»ti»cide /-tisid/ n.
feud /fyood/ n. &
v. mn. 1 prolonged mutual hostility,
esp. between two families, tribes, etc. 2 a prolonged or
fib /fib/ n.&v.mn.SL trivial or venial lie. • v. intr. (fibbed,
fibbing) tell a fib. dd fib*ber n. fib*ster n.
fi»ber /fibsr/ n. 1 Biol, any of the threads or filaments
forming animal or vegetable tissue and textile sub-
stances. 2 a piece of glass in the form of a thread. 3 a a
substance formed of fibers, b a substance that can be
spun, woven, or felted. 4 the stiucture or character of
something (Jacks moral fiber) 5 dietary material that is .

bitter quarrel or dispute, •v.intr. conduct a feud. resistant to the action of digestive enzymes; roughage.
dd feudist n. dd fi*bered adj. (also in comb.). fi*ber*less adj. fi»bri»
feu»dal /fyood'l/ adj. 1 of, according to, or resembling form /fibrifawrm/ adj.
the feudal system. 2 of a feud or fief. 3 outdated (had fi*ber«board /fibarbawrd/ n. a building material made
a feudal attitude), dd feu»dal»ism n. feu*dal*ist n. feu* of wood or other plant fibers compressed into boards.
dal*is*tic adj. fi*ber*glass /fibarglas/ n. 1a textile fabric made from
feu«dal»i»ty /fyoodalitee/ n. (pi. «ties) 1 the feudal sys- woven glass fibers. 2 a plastic reinforced by glass fibers.
tem or its principles. 2 a feudal holding; a fief. fi»ber op*ticS n. (treated as sing.) optics employing thin
feu*dal sys»tem n. the social system in medieval Eu- glass fibers, usu. for the transmission of light, esp. mod-
rope whereby a vassal held land from a superior in ex- ulated to carry signals.
change for allegiance and service. fi»bril /fibril, fib-/ n. 1 a small fiber. 2 a subdivision of
fe«ver /fe'evgr/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a an abnormally high body a fiber, dd fi*briMar adj. fi»briMar«y adj.
temperature, often with delirium, etc. b a disease char- fi-briMate /fibrilayt, ft-/ v. 1 intr. a (of a fiber) split up
acterized by this (scarlet fever, typhoid fever) 2 nervous. into fibrils, b (of a muscle, esp. in the heart) undergo
excitement; agitation, mv.tr. (esp. as fevered adj.) af- a quivering movement in fibrils. 2 tr. break (a fiber)
fect with fever or excitement. into fibrils, dd fi*briMa*tion /-layshan/ n.
fe*ver*few /feevarfyoo/ n. an aromatic bushy Europe- f i»broid /fibroyd/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of or characterized
an plant, Chrysanthemum parthenium, with feathery by fibrous tissue. 2 resembling or containing fibers.
leaves and white daisylike flowers, formerly used to re- mn. a benign tumor of muscular and fibrous tissues,
duce fever.
fe«ver»ish /feevarish/ adj. 1 having the symptoms of a See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

fibrosis ~ fiery 288 tem or in fee. 2 a person's sphere of operation or con-

trol.
one or more of which may develop in the wall of the fief*dom /fe'efdsm/ n. a fief.

uterus. field /feeld/ n. &an area of open land, esp. one

v. • n. 1
fibrosis /fibrosis/ n. Med. a thickening and scarring used for pasture or crops. 2 an area rich in some nat-
of connective tissue, usu. as a result of injury or dis- ural product (gas field; diamond field). 3 a piece of land
ease, dd INbroWc /-brotik/ adj. for a specified purpose, esp. a an area marked out for
f i»brous /fibras/ adj. consisting of or like fibers, dd fi« a game or sport (football field) or b an airfield. 4 a the
,

brousTiess n. participants in a contest or sport, b all the competi-

fib«u«la /fibyala/ n. (pi. fibulae /-lee/or fibulas) Anat. tors in a race or all except those specified. 5 Cricket
the smaller and outer of the two bones between the a the side fielding, b a fielder. 6 an expanse of ice,
knee and the ankle in terrestrial vertebrates, dd fit>u« snow, sea, sky, etc. 7 a a battlefield, b the scene of a
lar adj. campaign. C (attrib.) (of artillery, etc.) light and mo-
FICA /fika/ abbr. Federal Insurance Contributions Act. bile for use on campaign, d a battle. 8 an area of opera-
fiche /feesh/ n. (pi.same or fiches) a microfiche. tion or activity; a subject of study. 9 a the region in
f ick*le /fikal/ adj. inconstant or changeable, esp. in loy- which a force is effective (gravitational field; magnetic
alty, do fick«le*ness n. fick-ly adv. field), b the force exerted in such an area. 10 a range
fiotile /fiktal, -til/ adj. 1 made of earth or clay by a pot- of perception (field of view; filled the field of the telescope)
ter. 2 of pottery. 1 1 Math, a system subject to two operations analo-

fiotion /fikshsn/ n. an invented idea or statement or

1 gous to those for the multiplication and addition of
narrative. 2 literature, esp. novels, describing imag- real numbers. 12 (attrib.) a (of an animal or plant)
inary events and people. 3 a conventionally accepted found in the countryside; wild (field mouse) b carried .

falsehood (polite fiction) 4 the act or process of in-

. out or working in the natural environment, not in a
venting imaginary things. fic*tion*al adj. fic«tiorval« laboratory, etc. (field test) 1 3 the background of a pic-
.

i-ty /-nalitee/ n. f ic*tion*al*ize v. tr. f ic*tion*al*i*za*tion ture, coin, flag, etc. 14 Computing a part of a database
n. fic«tion»aMy adv. fiotion»ist n. record, representing an item of data. »v. 1 Baseball,
fic»ti-tious /fiktishas/ adj. 1 imaginary; unreal. 2 coun- Cricket, etc. a intr. act as a fielder, b tr. catch (and re-
not genuine. 3 (of a name or character) as-
terfeit; turn) (the ball). 2 tr. select (a team or individual) to
sumed. 4 of or in novels, dd fic*ti*tious*ly adv. fic«ti» play in a game. 3 tr. deal with (a succession of ques-
tiousTiess ;/. tions, etc.). d play the field colloq. avoid exclusive at-
fiotive /fiktiv/ adj. 1 creating or created by imagina- tachment to one person or activity, etc.
tion. 2 not genuine, dd fic*tive*ness n. field day n. 1 wide scope for action or success; a time
f id*dle /fid'l/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a stringed instrument played occupied with exciting events (when crowds form, pick-
with a bow, esp. a violin. 2 Brit, colloq. an instance of pockets have a field day) 2 Mil. an exercise, esp. in .

cheating or fraud. 3 a fiddly task. mv. 1 intr. a (often maneuvering. 3 a day spent in exploration, scientific
foil, by with) play restlessly, b (often foil, by about) investigation, etc., in the natural environment. 4 an all-
move aimlessly. C act idly or frivolously, d (usu. foil, day sports or athletics meet, esp. at a school.
by with) make minor adjustments; tinker. 2 tr. Brit. si. field*er /feeldsr/ n. Baseball, etc. a member of the team
a cheat; swindle, b falsify. C get by cheating. 3 a intr. that is fielding.
play the fiddle, b tr. play (a tune, etc.) on the fiddle. field glas»ses n.pl. binoculars for outdoor use.
d as fit as a fiddle in very good health, play second field goal n. 1 Football a score of three points by a kick
(or first) fiddle take a subordinate (or leading) role. from the field. 2 Basketball a goal scored when the ball
fid»dle-de-dee /fid'ldeede'e/ int. & n. nonsense. is normal play.
in
fid*dle-fad*dle /fid'lfad'l/ n., v., int., adj. *n. trivial & field hock»ey n. a field game played between two teams
matters, •v.intr. fuss; trifle, •int. nonsense! adj. (of a with curved sticks and a small hard ball.
person or thing) petty; fussy. field hos«pi*tal n. a temporary hospital near a battle-
fid*dle*head /fid'lhed/ n. 1a scroll like carving at a field.
ship's bow. 2 the coiled frond of some ferns eaten as field marshal n. Brit, an army officer of the highest
a vegetable. rank.
fid-dler /fidlar/ n. 1 a fiddle player. 2 (in full fiddler field mouse n. la small rodent, Apodemus sylvaticus,
crab) any small N. American crab of the genus Uca, with prominent ears and a long tail. 2 various similar
the male having one of its claws enlarged and held in rodents inhabiting fields.
a position like a violinist's arm. field of vi«sion n. all that comes into view when the
fid«dle«sticks /fid'lstiks/ int. nonsense! eyes are turned in some direction.
fi*del*i*ty /fidelitee/ n. 1 (often foil, by to) faithfulness; field*work /fe'eldwark/ n. the practical work of a sur-
2 strict conformity to truth or fact. 3 exact
loyalty. veyor, collector of scientific data, sociologist, etc. con- ,

correspondence to the original. 4 precision in repro- ducted in the natural environment rather than a lab-
duction of sound or video (high fidelity) oratory, office, etc. dd field-work«er n.

fidg*et /fijit/ v. & n. »v. (fidgeted, fidgeting) 1 intr. fiend /feend/ a an evil spirit; a demon, b (prec. by
n. 1

move or act restlessly or nervously, usu. while main-
taining basically the same posture. 2 intr. be uneasy;
worry. 3 tr. make (a person) uneasy or uncomfortable.
• n. 1 a person who fidgets. 2 (usu. in pi. ) a bodily un-
easiness seeking relief in spasmodic movements; such
movements, b a restless mood, dd
et*i*ness n.
fi»du»ci»ar»y /fidobshee-eree, -sharee, -dy(5b-, fl-/ adj.
&n. *adj. 1 a of a trust, trustee, or trusteeship, b held
the) the Devil. 2 a a very wicked or cruel person, b a
person causing mischief or annoyance. 3 (with a qual-
ifying word) 5/. a devotee or addict (a fitntU lutnl)
4 something difficult or unpleasant, on fiend»lsh adj.
fiencHsh'ly adv. fiend-ish»ness n. fiend-like adj.
fidg*et*y adj. fidg* fierce /feers/ adj. (fiercer, fiercest) 1 vehemently ag-
gressive or frightening in temper or action; violent.
2 intense; ardent. 3 unpleasantly strong or intense
(fierce heat) 4 (of a mechanism) not smooth or easy m
.

or given in trust. 2 (of a paper currency) depending action, dd fiercely adv. fierce-ness n.
for its value on public confidence or securities. • n. (pi. fier»y /ffree/ adj. (fierier, fieriest) 1 a consisting of or
-ies) a trustee. flaming with fire, b (of an arrow, etc.) fire-bearing.
fie /ft/ int. expressing disgust, shame, etc. 2 bright red. 3 a hot as fire, b acting like fire; produc-
fief /feef/ n. 1 a piece of land held under the feudal sys- ing a burning sensation. 4 a flashing; ardent (fiery
 .

eyes) .b spirited; irritable (fiery temper) C (of a horse) . 289 fiesta - filament
mettlesome, an fier«My adv. fier»i»ness n.
f i»es»ta /fee-esta/ n. 1 a holiday or festivity. 2 a religious feelings, tears, etc.). fight for 1 fight on behalf of.
festival in Spanish-speaking countries. 2 fight to secure (a thing), fight off repel with effort.
fife /fif/ n. &v. • n. 1 a kind of small shrill flute used in fight out (usu. fight it out) setle (a dispute, etc.) by
military music. 2 its player. »d.1 mrr. play the fife. 2 rr. fighting, fight shy of avoid; be unwilling to approach
play (an air, etc.) on the fif»er n.
fife, no (a person, task, etc.). put up a fight (or make a fight
fiMeen /fifteen/ n. & one more than four-
adj. •n. 1 of it) offter resistance.
teen. 2 a symbol for this (1 5, xv, XV). 3 a size, etc., de- fight»er /fitsr/ n. 1 a person or animal that fights. 2 a
noted by fifteen. 4 a team of fifteen players, esp. in fast military aircraft designed for attacking other air-
rugby, madj. that amount to fifteen, dd fiMeenth adj. craft.
&n. f ight«ing chance n. an opportunity to succeed by great

fifth /fifth/ n. &

adj. • n. 1 the position in a sequence effort.
corresponding to that of the number 5 in the sequence fig»ment /figmsnt/ n. a thing invented or existing only
1-5.2 something occupying this position. 3 the fifth in the imagination.
person, etc., in a race or competition. 4 any of five fig*U*ra*tion /figyarayshsn/ n. la the act of formation.
equal parts of a thing. 5 Mus. a an interval or chord b a mode of formation; a form, c a shape or outline.
spanning five consecutive notes in the diatonic scale 2 a ornamentation by designs, b Mus. ornamental
(e.g., C to G). b a note separated from another by this patters of scales, arpeggios, etc.
interval. 6 a a fifth of a gallon of liquor, b a bottle con- fig»ur»a»tive /figyarativ/ adj. 1 a metaphorical, not lit-
taining this. 7 (the Fifth) the Fifth Amendment to the eral, b metaphorically so called. 2 characterized by or
US Constitution, madj. that is the fifth. take the Fifth addicted to figures of speech. 3 of pictorial or sculp-
exercise the right guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment tural representation. 4 emblematic; serving as a type.
to the Constitution of refusing to answer questions in dd fig»ur»a»tive»ly adv. fig*ur*a«tive«ness n.
order to avoid incriminating oneself, dd fiftrHy adv. fig*ure/figy3r/w. &v. »n. 1 a the external form or shape
fifth col'umn n. a group working for an enemy within of a thing, b bodily shape (has a model's figure) 2 a a .

a country at war, etc. dd fifth col*umn*ist n. person as seen in outline but not identified, b a per-
fifth gen»er»a»tion n. Computing a stage in computer son as contemplated mentally (a public figure) 3 ap- .

design involving machines that make use of artificial pearance as giving a certain impression (cut a poor fig-
intelligence. ure) 4 a a representation of the human form in
.

fifth wheel n. 1 an extra wheel of a carriage. 2 a super- drawing, sculpture, etc. b an image or likeness, c an
fluous person or thing. 3 a horizontal turntable over emblem or type. 5 Geom. a two-dimensional space en-
the front axle of a carriage as an extra support to pre- closed by a line or lines, or a three-dimensional space
vent its tipping. 4 a round coupling device to connect enclosed by a surface or surfaces. 6 a a numerical sym-
a tractor and trailer. bol, esp. any of the ten in Arabic notation, b a num-
fiMy /fiftee/ n.&adj. »n. (pi. -ties) 1 the product of five ber so expressed. C an amount of money; a value (can-
and ten. 2 a symbol for this (50, (letter), L). 3 (in pi)
1 not put a figure on it), d (in pi.) arithmetical
the numbers from 50 to 59, esp. the years of a century calculations. 7 a diagram or illustrative drawing. 8 a
or of a person's life. 4 a set of fifty persons or things. decorative pattern. 9 a a division of a set dance, b (in
5 a large indefinite number (have fifty things to tell you) skating) a prescribed pattern of movements from a sta-
6 a fifty-dollar bill. madj. that amount to fifty, dd fif»ti« tionary position. 10 Mus. a short succession of notes
eth adj. & n. f iMyfold adj. adv. & producing a single impression. 11 (in full figure of
f iMy-f iMy adj. & adv. • adj. equal; with equal shares or speech) a recognized form of rhetorical expression,
chances (on a fifty-fifty basis) • adv. equally; half and
. esp. metaphor or hyperbole. 12 Gram, a permitted
half (go fifty-fifty). deviation from the usual rules of construction, e.g., el-
fig /fig/ n. 1 a a soft pear-shaped fruit with many seeds,
1
lipsis. • v. 1 intr. appear or be mentioned, esp. promi-
eaten fresh or dried, b (in full fig tree) any deciduous nently. 2 tr. represent in a diagram or picture. 3 tr. im-
tree of the genus Ficus, esp. F carica, having broad agine; picture mentally. 4 a tr. embellish with a pattern
leaves and bearing figs. 2 a valueless thing (don't care (figured satin) b tr. Mus. embellish with figures. C intr.
.

a fig for). perform a figure in skating or dancing. 5 tr. mark with

fig 2 /fig/ n. & v. »n. 1 dress or equipment (in full fig). numbers or prices. 6 a tr. calculate, b intr. do arithmet-
2 condition or form (in good fig), mv.tr. (figged, fig- ic. 7 tr. be a symbol of; represent typically. 8 a tr. un-
ging) 1 (foil, by out) dress up (a person). 2 (foil, by derstand; ascertain; consider, b intr. colloq. be likely or
out, up) make (a horse) lively. understandably (that figures) a figure on count on; ex- .

fig. abbr. figure. pect, figure out 1 work out by arithmetic or logic. 2 es-
fight /fit/ v. &n. »v. (past and past part, fought /fawt)/ timate. 3 understand.
1 intr. a (often foil, by against, with) contend or strug- fig*ure-head /figyarhed/ n 1 a normal leader or head
gle in war, battle, single combat, etc. b (often foil, by without real power. 2 a carving, usu. a bust or a full-
with)) argue; quarrel. 2 tr. content with (an opponent) length figure, at a ship's prow.
in this way. 3 tr. take part or engage in (a battle, war, fig»ure skating n. the sport of performing jumps and
duel, boxing match, etc.). 4 tr. contend about (an is- spins, etc., in a dancelike performance while ice skat-
sue, an election); maintain (a lawsuit, cause, etc.) ing, and also including skating in prescribed patterns
against an opponent. 5 intr. campaign or strive deter- from a stationary position, dd fig*ure ska*ter n.
minedly to achieve something. 6 tr. strive to overcome fig*ur*ine /figyareen/ n. a statuette.
(disease, fire, fear, etc.) 7 tr. make (one's way) by fight- fii*a*gree var. of filigree.
.

ing. 8 tr. cause (cocks or dogs) to fight. 9 tr. handle fil»a»ment /filamant/ n. 1a slender threadlike body or
(troops, a ship, etc.) in battle. «n. 1 a a combat, esp. fiber (esp. in animal or vegetable structures). 2 a wire
unpremeditated, between two or more persons, ani- or thread in an electric bulb or vacuum tube, heated
mals, or parties, b a boxing match, c a battle, d an ar- or made incandescent by an electric current, dd fil«a«
gument 2 a conflict or struggle; a vigorous effort in the men»ta»ry /-mentaree/ adj. fil»a»ment«ed adj. filamen-
face of difficulty. 3 power or inclination to fight (has tous /-mentas/ adj.
no fight left), o fight back 1 counterattack. 2 suppress
(one's feelings, tears, etc.). fight down suppress (one's See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
filariasis ~ filthy 290 steak) the tenderloin, c a boned longitudinal
full fillet
section of a fish. 2 a a headband, ribbon, string, or nar-
f il*a*ri*a*sis /filDriasis/ n. a disease common in the trop- row band, for binding the hair or worn around the
ics, caused by the presence of parasitic nematode head, b a band or bandage. 3 a a thin narrow strip, b a
worms in the lymph vessels. raised rim or ridge. 4 Archit. a a narrow flat band sep-
fil*bert /filbart/ n. 1 the cultivated hazel, Corylus max- arating two moldings, b a small band between the
ima,, bearing edible ovoid nuts. 2 this nut. flutes of a column, •v.tr. (filleted, filleting) 1 (also
filch /filch/ v.tr. pilfer; steal, do filclver n. /filay, filay/)a remove bones from (fish or meat) b di- .

file 1
/fil/ n. & v. •«. 1a folder, box, etc., for holding vide (fish or meat) into fillets. 2 bind or provide with
loose papers. 2 a set of papers kept in this. 3 Comput- a fillet or fillets. 3 encircle with an ornamental band.
ing a collection of (usu. related) data stored under one dd fil-let-er n.
name. •v.tr. 1 place (papers) in a file or among (esp. filling /filing/ n. 1 any material that is used to fill, esp.:
public) records. 2 submit (a petition for divorce, an a a piece of material used to fill a cavity in a tooth.
application for a patent, etc.). 3 (of a reporter) send b the edible substance between the bread in a sand-
(a story, information, etc.) to a newspaper, oo fil»er n. wich or between the pastry crusts in a pie. 2 weft.
file 2 /fil/ n. &
v. mn. a line of persons or things one be- filling station n. an establishment selling automotive
hind another, •v.intr. walk in a file. fuel, etc., to motorists.
file 3 /fil/ n. &
v. • n. a tool with a roughened surface for fiMip /filip/ n. a stimulus or incentive.
smoothing or shaping wood, fingernails, etc. •v.tr. fiMy /filee/ n. (pi. -lies) 1 a young female horse, usu. be-
smooth or shape with a file. file away remove (rough- fore it is four years old. 2 colloq. a girl or young woman.
ness, etc.) with a file, dd filler n. film /film/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a thin coating or covering layer.

fttet /filay/ n. la kind of net or lace with a square mesh. 2 Photog. a strip or sheet of plastic or other flexible
2 a fillet of meat. base coated with light-sensitive emulsion for exposure
fttet mi*gnon /filay minyon/ n. in a camera. 3 a a representation of a story, episode,
a small tender piece of
beef from the end of the tenderloin. etc., on a film, with the illusion of movement; a mov-
fil*i*al /fileeal/ adj. of or due from a son or daughter. ie, b a story represented in this way; a movie. C (in pi.)

dd fil*i«aMy adv. the movie industry. 4 a slight veil or haze, etc. 5 a dim-
fil»i»bus»ter /filibustar/ n. &v. •n. 1 the obstruction of ness or morbid growth affecting the eyes. 6 a fine
progress in a legislative assembly, esp. by prolonged thread or filament. »z>. 1 a tr. make a photographic film
speaking. 2 a person who engages in filibuster. • v. of (a scene, person, etc.). b tr. (also absol. ) make a mov-
1 intr. act as filibuster. 2 tr. act in this way against (a ie or television film of (a book, etc.). C intr. be (well or
motion, etc.). dd fil*i*bus*ter*er n. ill) suited for reproduction on film. 2 tr. intr. cover &
fil*i*gree /filigree/ n. (also fil»a«gree /fila-/) 1 fine met- or become covered with or as with a film.
al openwork. 2 anything delicate resembling this. film»go»er /filmgo9r/ n. a person who frequents movie
dd fil-i»greed adj. theaters.
filling /filing/ n. (usu. in pi.) a particle rubbed off by a film«mak»er /filmaykgr/ n. a person who makes motion
file. pictures.
Fil«i»pi«no /filipe'eno/ n. & adj. •n. (pi. -nos;fem. Filipi- film*og*ra*phy /filmografee/ n. (pi. -phies) a list of

na /-n9/) a native or inhabitant of the Philippines, a movies by one director, etc., or on one subject.
group of islands in the SW Pacific, •adj. of or relating f ilnvstrip /filmstrip/ n. a series of transparencies in a
to the Philippines or the Filipinos. strip for projection as still pictures.
fill /fil/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr. &by with) make film»y /filmee/ adj. (filmier, filmiest) 1 thin and trans-
intr. (often foil,
or become full. 2 tr. occupy completely; spread over or lucent. 2 covered with or as with a film, dd filnvMy
through; pervade. 3 tr. block up (a cavity or hole in a adv. filnvi»ness n.
tooth) with cement, amalgam, gold, etc. 4 tr. make lev- ftto /feelo/ n. (also phyllo) dough that can be stretched
el or raise the level of (low-lying land) 5 tr. appoint a into very thin layers; pastry made from this dough.
.

person to hold (a vacant post). 6 tr. hold (a position); fils /fees/ n. (added to a surname to distinguish a son
discharge the duties of (an office) 7 tr. carry out or from a father) the son; junior (cf. pere).
.

supply (an order, commission, etc.). 8 tr. occupy (va- fitter /filtar/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a porous device for remov-

cant time) 9 intr. (of a sail) be distended by wind. 1 tr.

. ing impurities or solid particles from a liquid or gas
(usu. as filling adj.) (esp. of food) satisfy; satiate. 1 1 tr. passed through it. 2 = filter tip. 3 a screen or attach-
satisfy; fulfill (a need or requirement) 1 2 tr. stock ment for absorbing or modifying light, X rays, etc. 4 a
.

abundantly. • n. 1 (prec. by possessive) as much as one device for suppressing electrical or sound waves of fre-
wants or can bear (eat your fill). 2 enough to fill some- quencies not required. *v. 1 tr. intr. pass or cause &
thing (a fill of tobacco). 3 earth, etc., used to fill a cavi- to pass through a filter. 2 tr. (foil, by out) remove (im-
ty, d fill the bill be suitable or adequate, fill in 1 add purities, etc.) by means of a filter. 3 intr. (foil, by
information to complete (a document, blank check, through^ into, etc.) make way gradually. 4 intr. (foil, by
etc.). 2 a complete (a drawing, etc.) within an outline. out) leak or cause to leak.
b fill (an outline) in this way. 3 fill (a hole, etc.) com- fil-ter«a«ble /filtorobol/ adj. (also fittra«ble /filtrobol/)
pletely. 4 (often foil, by for) act as a substitute. 5 oc- 1 Med. (of a virus) able to pass through a tiller thai
cupy oneself during (time between other activities). retains bacteria. 2 that can be filtered.
6 colloq. inform (a person) more fully, fill out 1 enlarge fitter feeding n. ZooL feeding by filtering out plank-
to the required size. 2 become enlarged or plump. ton or nutrients suspended in water, uu fil»ter feed«er
3 add information to complete (a document, etc.). fill n.
up 1 make or become completely full. 2 fill the fuel fitter tip 1 a filter attached to a cigarette tor removing
tank of (a car, etc.). 4 provide what is needed to occu- impurities from the inhaled smoke. 2 a cigarette with
py vacant parts or places or deal with deficiencies in. this, dd fitter-tipped adj.
fill»er /fitar/ n. 1 material or an object used to fill a cav- filth /filth/ n. 1 repugnant or extreme dirt. 2 vileness,
ity or increase bulk. 2 an item filling space in a news- corruption; obscenity. 3 foul or obscene language.
paper, etc. 3 paper for filling a binder or notebook. 4 a filth«y /filthee/ adj. adv. •adj. (filthier, filthiest)&
person or thing that fills. 1 extremely or disgustingly dirty. 2 obscene. 3 vile;dis-

fiMet /filit/ n. &

v. •«. 1 (usu. /filay/) a a fleshy bone- gracefu\.» adv. 1 filthily (filthy duty). 2 colloq. extreme
less piece of meat from near the loins or the ribs, b (in ly (filthy rich), ni filth-My adv. filth»i»ness n. )
 . .
.

filth-y lu«cre n. 1 dishonorable gain (Tit. 1:11). 2 joe. 291 filthy lucre ~ finger
money.
fil*tra*ble var. of filterable. cover that one is (woke to find myself in the hospital)
fiNtrate /filtrayt/ v. &
n. •v.tr. filter, 2 discover one's own talents, strengths, etc. find out
•n. filtered liquid.
no fil*tra*tion /-trayshan/ n. 1 discover or detect (a wrongdoer, etc.). 2 (often foil.

fin /fin/ n. 1 an organ on various parts of the body of

1
by about) get information. 3 discover (find out where we
many aquatic vertebrates and some invertebrates, in- are). 4 (often foil, by about) discover the truth, a fact,
cluding fish and cetaceans, for propelling, steering, etc. (he never found out). 5 devise. 6 solve.
and balancing. 2 a small projecting surface or attach- See note at locate.
ment on an aircraft, rocket, or automobile for ensur- finding /finding/ n. (often mpl.) a conclusion reached
ing aerodynamic stability. 3 an underwater swimmer's by an inquiry.
flipper. 4 a sharp lateral projection on the share or fine 1 /fin/ adj. & adv. •adj. 1 of high quality. 2 a excel-
blade of a plow. 5 a finlike projection on any device, lent; of notable merit (a fine painting) b good; satis-
.

for improving heat transfer, etc. dd firHess adj. finned factory (that will be fine) C fortunate (has been a fine
.

adj. (also in comb.). thingfor him) d well conceived or expressed (a fine say-
.

fin 2 /fin/ n. si a five-dollar bill. ing). 3 a pure; refined, b (of gold or silver) containing
fin*a*ble see fine 2 . a specified proportion of pure metal. 4 of handsome
fi«na*gle /finaygal/ v.intr. & tr. colloq. act or obtain dis- appearance or size; imposing; dignified (fine buildings)
honestly or deviously, an fi*na*gler n. 5 in good health (I'm fine, thank you) 6 (of weather,
.

fi*nal /final/ adj.& n. • adj. 1 situated at the end; com-
ing last. 2 conclusive; decisive; unalterable; putting an
end to doubt. 3 concerned with the purpose or end
aimed at. •«. 1 (also in pi) the last or deciding heat
or game in sports or in a competition. 2 the edition of
a newspaper published latest in the day. 3 an examina-
tion at the end of an academic course, dd fi»naMy adv.
f i«na»le /fina'alee, -nalee/ n. 1 a the last movement of an
etc.) bright and clear with sunshine; free from rain.
7 a thin; sharp, b in small particles. C worked in slen-
der thread, d (esp. of print) small, e (of a pen) nar-
row-pointed. 8 a capable of delicate perception or
discrimination, b perceptible only with difficulty (a fi-
ne distinction). 9 (of wine or other goods) of a high
standard; conforming to a specified grade. »adv.
1 finely. 2 colloq. very well (suits me fine), dd fine»ly adv.

instrumental composition, b a piece of music closing fineness n.

an act in an opera. 2 the close of a drama, etc. 3 a fine 2 /fin/ n. & v. •«. a sum of money exacted as a pen-

conclusion. alty. • v.tr. punish by a fine (fined him $5). a in fine to

fi*nal*ist /finalist/ n. a competitor in the final of a com- sum up; in short, dd fin*a*ble /finabal/ adj.
petition, etc. fine arts n.pl those appealing to the mind or to the
fi»naM«ty /finalitee, fa-/ n. (pi -ties) 1 the quality or sense of beauty, as poetry, music, and esp. painting,
fact of being final. 2 the belief that something is final. sculpture, and architecture.
3 a final act, state, or utterance. 4 the principle of fi- fine print n. detailed printed information, esp. in legal
nal cause viewed as operative in the universe. documents, instructions, etc.
fi»nal»ize/finaliz/ v.tr. 1 put into final form. 2 complete; fin«er»y /finaree/ n. showy dress or decoration.
bring to an end. 3 approve the final form or details of. fines herbes /feen airb, feenz/ n.pl. mixed herbs used
dd fi*nal*i*za*tion n. in cooking.
finance /finans, fi-, finans/ n. & v. *n. 1 the man- fi*nesse /fines/ n. & v. •«. 1 refinement. 2 subtle or

agement of (esp. public) money. 2 monetary support delicate manipulation. 3 artfulness, esp. in handling a
for an enterprise. 3 (in pi.) the money resources of a difficulty tactfully. 4 Cards an attempt to win a trick
government, company, or person, •v.tr. provide cap- with a card that is not the highest held. •«. 1 inn. &
ital for (a person or enterprise). tr. use or achieve by finesse. 2 Cards a intr. make a fi-

fi*nan*cial /finanshal, fi-/ adj. of finance, dd fi»narrcial» nesse, b tr. play (a card) by way of finesse. 3 tr. evade
ly adv. or trick by finesse.
fin*an*cier /finanse'er, fanan-, finan-/ n. a person en- fine-tOOth comb n. a comb with narrow close-set teeth.
gaged in large-scale finance. d go over with a fine-tooth comb check or search thor-
fin*back /finbak/ n. (or fin whale) a rorqual, oughly.
Balaenoptera physalus. fine-tune v.tr. make small adjustments to (a mech-
finch /finch/ n. any small seed-eating passerine bird of anism, etc.) in order to obtain the best possible results.
the family Fringillidae (esp. one of the genus Fringilla), f in»ger /finggar/ n. & v. • n. 1 any of the terminal pro-

including crossbills, canaries, and chaffinches. jections of the hand (including or excluding the
find /find/ v. & n. •v.tr. (past and past part, found thumb). 2 the part of a glove, etc. intended to cover a
/fownd/) 1 a discover by chance or effort (found a key) finger. 3 a a finger-like object (chicken finger) b a long
.

b become aware of. 2 a get possession of by chance narrow structure. 4 colloq. a measure of liquor in a
(found a treasure), b obtain; receive (idea found accept- glass, based on the breadth of a finger, •v.tr. 1 touch,
ance). C succeed in obtaining (cannot find the money). feel, or handle with the fingers. 2 Mus. a play (a pas-
d summon up (found courage to protest) 3 a seek out . sage) with fingers used in a particular way. b mark (mu-
and provide (will find you a book) b supply; furnish
. sic) with signs showing which fingers are to be used.
(each finds his own equipment) 4 ascertain by study or
. C play upon (an instrument) with the fingers. 3 si in-
calculation or inquiry (could not find the answer). dicate (a victim, or a criminal to the police), d have a
5 a perceive or experience (find no sense in it; find dif- finger in (or in the pie) be (esp. officiously) concerned
ficulty in breathing) b (often in passive) recognize or
. in (the matter), lay a finger on touch however slightly.
discover to be present (the word is not found in Shake- point the finger at colloq. accuse; blame, put one's fin-
speare) C regard or discover from experience (finds
. ger on locate or identify exactly, put the finger on si
Canada too cold). 6 Law (of a jury, judge, etc.) decide 1 inform against. 2 identify (an intended victim), slip
and declare (found him guilty) 7 reach by a natural or
. through one's fingers escape, twist (or wind or wrap)
normal process (water finds its own level) 8 a (of a let-
. around one's finger (or little finger) persuade (a per-
ter) reach (a person), b (of an address) be adequate son) without difficulty; dominate (a person) complete-
to enable a letter, etc., to reach (a person). • w. 1 a dis- ly, dd fin*gered adj. (also in comb.). fin*ger*less adj.

covery of treasure, minerals, etc. 2 a thing or person

discovered, esp. when of value, a find oneself 1 dis- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
fingerboard ~ firefly 292 Finnish /finish/ adj.& n. •adj. of the Finns or their
language. *n. the language of the Finns.
fin-ger-board /finggorbawrd/ n. a flat strip at the top fin whale n. a large rorqual, Balaenoptera physalus, with
end of a stringed instrument, against which the strings a prominent dorsal fin.
are pressed to determine tones. fiord var. of fjord.
fin-ger bowl n. a small bowl for rinsing the fingers at fir /far/ n. 1 (in full fir tree) any evergreen coniferous
the table. tree, esp. of the genus Abies, with needles borne sin-
fin»ger»ing /finggaring/ n. 1 a manner or technique of gly on the stems (cf. pine )- 2 the wood of the fir.
1

using the fingers, esp. to play an instrument. 2 an in- fire /fir/ n. & v. • n. 1 a the state or process of combus-

dication of this in a musical score.
f in-ger-nail /finggsrnayl/ n. the nail at the tip of each
finger.
fin-ger paint n. & v. • n. paint that can be applied with
the fingers, mv.intr. apply paint with the fingers.
tion, in which substances combine chemically with
oxygen from the air and usu. give out bright light and
heat, b the active principle operative in this. C flame
or incandescence. 2 a conflagration; a destructive
burning (forest fire) 3 burning fuel in a fireplace, fur-
.

fin»ger«print /finggarprint/ «. &v. *n. 1 an impression
made on a surface by the fine ridges on the fingertips.
2 a distinctive characteristic, •v.tr. record the finger-
prints of (a person).
f in-ger-spell-ing /finggsr-speling/ n. a form of sign lan-
guage in which individual letters are formed by the
fingers to spell out words.
nace, etc. 4 firing of guns. 5 a fervor; spirit; vivacity.
b poetic inspiration; lively imagination. C vehement
emotion. 6 burning heat; fever. 7 luminosity; glow (St.
Elmo's fire), mv. 1 a tr. discharge (a gun, etc.). b tr. pro-
pel (a missile) from a gun, etc. C tr. propel (a ball)
with force or high speed, d intr. (often foil, by at, in-
to, on) fire a gun or missile, e tr. produce (a broad-

f in-ger-tip /finggortip/ n. the tip of a finger. have at
one's fingertips be thoroughly familiar with (a sub-
ject, etc.).
f in-i-al /fineegl/ n. Archit. 1 an ornament finishing off
the apex of a roof, pediment, gable, tower corner, can-
opy, etc. 2 the topmost part of a pinnacle.
fin»ick»y /finikee/ adj. 1 overly particular; fastidious.
2 needing much care or attention to detail, do fin-ick-
i-ness n.
fin«is /finis, feene'e, finis/ n. 1 (at the end of a book) the
side, salute, etc.) by discharge of guns, f intr. (of a gun,
etc.) be discharged. 2 tr. cause (explosive) to explode.
3 tr. deliver or utter in rapid succession (fired insults
at us). 4 tr. si. dismiss (an employee) from a job. 5 tr.
a set fire to with the intention of destroying, b kindle
(explosives). 6 intr. catch fire. 7 intr. (of an internal
combustion engine, or a cylinder in one) undergo ig-
nition of its fuel. 8 tr. supply (a furnace, engine, boil-
er, or power station) with fuel. 9 tr. a stimulate (the
imagination or emotion) b fill (a person) with enthu-
.

end. 2 the end of anything, esp. of life. siasm. 10rr. a bake or dry (pottery, bricks, etc.).
f in-ish /finish/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr. a (often foil, by off) bring b cure (tea or tobacco) by artificial heat. 1 1 intr. be-
to an end; come to the end of; complete, b (usu. foil, come heated or excited. 12 tr. cause to glow or red-
by off) colloq. kill; overcome completely. C (often foil, den, d fire away colloq. begin; go ahead, fire up 1 start
by off, up) consume or get through the whole or the up, as an engine. 2 show sudden anger, on fire 1 burn-
remainder of (food or drink) {finish your dinner) 2 intr.
. ing. 2 excited, under fire 1 being shot at. 2 being rig-
a come to an end; cease, b reach the end, esp. of a race. orously criticized or questioned, dd fire-less adj. fir*
C = finish up. 3 tr. a complete the manufacture of er n.
(cloth, woodwork, etc.) by surface treatment, b put fire and brim-stone n. the supposed torments of hell.
the final touches to; make perfect or highly accom- fire»arm /firaarm/ n. (usu. in pi.) a gun, esp. a pistol or
plished (finished manners) C prepare (a girl) for entry
. rifle.

into fashionable society. • n. 1 a the end; the last stage. fire-ball /firbawl/ n. 1 a large meteor. 2 a ball of flame,
b the point at which a race, etc., ends. 2 a method, esp. from a nuclear explosion. 3 an energetic person.
material, or texture used for surface treatment of fire»bomb /firbom/ n. an incendiary bomb.
wood, cloth, etc. {mahogany finish). 3 what serves to fire»box /firboks/ n. 1 the fuel chamber of a steam en-
give completeness. 4 an accomplished or completed gine or boiler. 2 an alarm box used to alert a fire depart-
state, a fight to the finish fight until one party is com- ment.
pletely beaten, finish off provide with an ending, fin- fire-brand /firbrand/ n. 1 a piece of burning wood. 2 a
ish up (often foil, by in, by) end in something, end by cause of trouble, esp. a person causing unrest.
doing something (the plan finished up in the wastebas- fire-break /firbrayk/ n. an obstacle to the spread of fire
ket; finished up by apologizing) finish with have no more
. in a forest, etc., esp. an open space.
to do with; complete one's use of or association with. fire-bug /firbug/ n. colloq. a pyromaniac.
fin»ish»er /finishar/ n. 1 a person who finishes some- fire»crack»er /firkrakor/ n. an explosive firework.
thing. 2 a worker or machine doing the last operation fire-damp /firdamp/ n. a miners' name for methane,
in a manufacturing process. 3 colloq. a discomfiting which is explosive when mixed in certain proportions
thing, a crushing blow, etc. with air.
fin-ish-ing school n. a private school where girls are fire de»part»ment n. an organized body of firefighters
prepared for entry into fashionable society. trained and employed to extinguish fires.
fi»nite /finit/ adj. 1 limited; bounded; not infinite. fire-dog /firdawg, -dog/ n. a metal support for burning
2 Gram, (of a part of a verb) having a specific number wood or for a grate or fire irons.
and person. 3 not infinitely small, dd fi-nite-ly adv. fi- fire drill n. 1 a rehearsal of the procedures to be used
nite-ness n. fin-i-tude /finitood, -tyoDd/ n. in case of fire. 2 a primitive device for kindling fire with
fi«nit«ism /finitizsm/ n. belief in the finiteness of the a stick and wood.
world, God, etc. dd fi-nit-ist /— tist/ n. fire en-gine n. a vehicle carrying equipment for Bgbl
fink /fingk/ n. & v. si. •«. 1 an unpleasant person. 2 an ing large fires.
informer. 3 a strikebreaker. • v. intr. (foil, by on) inform f ire es-cape n. an emergency stairease 01 apparatus for
on. escape from a building on fire.
Finn /fin/ n. a native or inhabitant of Finland; a person fireex«tin»guish»er n. an apparatus for discharging liq
of Finnish descent. uid chemicals, water, or foam to extinguish a fire.
fin»nan /finan/ n. (in full finnan haddie or haddock) a fire-fight-er /firfitor/ n. a person whose task is to extifl
haddock cured with the smoke of green wood, turf, or guish fires.
peat. f ire«f ly /ffrfli/ n. (pi. -flies) any soft-bodied beetle of the
 .

family Lampyridae, emitting phosphorescent light, in- 293 fireman ~ fish

cluding glowworms.
firernan /firman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a member of a fire
department; a person employed to extinguish fires. 2 a
person who tends a furnace or the fire of a steam en-
of the best quality. 8 first base. • adv. 1 before any other
person or thing (first of all; first and foremost; first come
first served) 2 before someone or something else (must
.

gine or steamship. get this done first). 3 for the first time (when did you first
fire»place /firplays/ n. Archit. 1 a place for a domestic see her?) 4 in preference; sooner ( will see him damned
.

fire, esp. a grate at the base of a chimney. 2 a structure
surrounding this. 3 the area in front of this.
fire-plug /firplug/ n. a hydrant for a fire hose.
fire«pow»er /firpowar/ n. 1 the destructive capacity of
guns, etc. 2 financial, intellectual, or emotional
strength.
fire»proof /firproof/ adj. &
v. •adj. able to resist fire or
great heat. 9V.tr. make fireproof.
fire«side /firsid/ n. 1 the area around a fireplace. 2 a
person's home or home life.
fire«side chat n. an informal talk.
f Jre«stone /firston/ n. stone that resists fire, used for
furnaces, etc.
fire storm n. la high wind or storm following a very
intense fire. 2 a sudden outburst, esp. of criticism,
etc.
firewall /ffrwawl/ w. 1a wall or partition designed to
inhibit or prevent the spread of fire. 2 Computing a part
of a computer system or network designed to block
unauthorized access while permitting outward com-
munication.
fire«wa»ter/firwawt3r/ n. colloq. strong alcoholic liquor.
fire«wood /firwood/ n. wood for use as fuel.
fire«work /firwark/ n. 1 a device containing combusti-
ble chemicals that cause explosions or spectacular ef-
fects. 2 (in pi.) a an outburst of passion, esp. anger.
b a display of wit or brilliance.
firming /firing/ n. 1 the discharging of guns. 2 material
for a fire; fuel. 3 the heating process that hardens clay
into pottery, etc.
firming line n. 1 the front line in a battle. 2 the leading
part in an activity, etc.
fining squad n. a group detailed to shoot a condemned
person.
fir*kin /farkin/ n. a small cask for liquids, butter, fish,
etc.
firm /farm/ adj., adv.,
1
&
v. madj. 1 a of solid or com-
first), n at first at the beginning, first and last taking
one thing with another; on the whole, first off colloq.
at first; first of all. get to first base achieve the first
step toward an objective, in the first place as the first
consideration.
first aid n. help given to an injured person until prop-
er medical treatment is available.
first base n. Baseball 1 the base touched first by a base
runner. 2 a the fielder stationed nearest first base.
b the position nearest first base.
first-born adj. &
n. madj. eldest. mn. the eldest child of
a person.
first class n. 1 a set of persons or things grouped to-
gether as the best. 2 the best accommodations in a
train, ship, etc. 3 the class of mail given priority in han-
dling.
first-class adj. &
adv. • adj. 1 belonging to or traveling
by the first class. 2 of the best quality; very good. • adv.
by the first class (travels first-class)
first cous*in see cousin.
first-day cov«er n. an envelope bearing a stamp or set
of stamps postmarked on their first day of issue.
first-de»gree adj. Med. denoting burns that affect on-
ly the surface of the skin, causing reddening.
first gear n. the lowest gear in a series.
first-hand /farst-hand/ attrib. adj. &
adv. from the orig-
inal source; direct.
First La»dy n. the wife of the US President.
firsWy /farstlee/ adv. (in enumerating topics, argu-
ments, etc.) in the first place; first (cf. first adv.).
See note at first.
first mate n. (on a merchant ship) the officer second
in command to the master.
first name n. a personal name other than a surname.
first per*son see person 3.
first-rate adj. &
adv. madj. of the highest class; excel-
lent, madv. colloq. 1 very well (feeling first-rate) 2 excel- .

pact structure, b fixed; stable. C steady; not shaking. lently.

2 a resolute; determined, b not easily shaken (firm be- first thing n. &
adv. • n. even the most elementary fact
lief). C steadfast; constant (a firm friend). 3 a (of an of- or principle (does not know the first thing about it) • adv. .

fer, etc.) not liable to cancellation after acceptance. colloq. before anything else; very early in the morning
b (of a decree, law, etc.) established; immutable. (shall do it first thing), a first things first the most im-
4 Commerce (of prices or goods) maintaining their lev- portant things before any others (we must do first things
el or value. madv. firmly (stand firm). mv. 1 tr. &
intr. first).
make or become firm, secure, compact, or solid. 2 tr. firth /farm/ n. 1a narrow inlet of the sea. 2 an estuary.
fix (plants) firmly in the soil, dd firnvly adv. firnvness fis«cal /fiskal/ adj. & n. madj. of public revenue; of fi-

n. nancial matters. • n. a legal official in some countries.

firm 2 /farm/ n. 1 a business concern. 2 the partners in dd fis-cal-ly adv.
such a concern. f is»cal year n. a year as reckoned for taxing or account-
f ir»ma»ment /farmamant/ n. literary the sky regarded as ing.
a vault or arch, dd fir»ma*men»tal /-ment'l/ adj. fish 1 /fish/ n. &
v. mn. (pi. same or fishes) 1 a verte-

firnvware /farmwair/ n. Computing a permanent kind
of software programmed into a read-only memory.
first /farst/ adj., n., &
adv. madj. 1 a earliest in time or
order, b coming next after a specified or implied time
(shall take the first train; the first robin of spring). 2 fore-
most in position, rank, or importance (first mate).
3 Mus. performing the highest or chief of two or more
parts for the same instrument or voice. 4 most willing
or likely (should be the first to admit the problem) 5 ba- .
sic or evident (first principles) •«. 1 (prec. by the) the
. means (fishing for compliments). 4 tr. (foil, by up, out,
person or thing first mentioned or occurring. 2 the
first occurrence of something notable. 3 Brit, a a place
in the first class in an examination, b a person having
this. 4 the first day of a month. 5 first gear. 6 a first
place in a race, b the winner of this. 7 (in pi.) goods See page
brate cold-blooded animal with gills and fins living
wholly in water. 2 any animal living wholly in water,
e.g., cuttlefish, shellfish, jellyfish. 3 the flesh offish as
food. 4 colloq. a person remarkable in some way (usu.
unfavorable) (an odd fish). 5 (the Fish or Fishes) the
zodiacal sign or constellation Pisces, mv. 1 intr. try to
catch fish. 2 tr. fish for (a certain kind offish) or in (a
certain stretch of water). 3 intr. (foil, by for) a search
for in water or a concealed place, b seek by indirect
etc.) retrieve with careful or awkward searching.
drink like a fish drink excessively, fish out of water
a person in an unsuitable or unwelcome environment
xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . . .

fish - fix 294 infin.) qualified; competent; worthy, c by for, or (foil,

to + infin.) in a suitable condition; ready, (foil, by d
or situation, other fish to fry other matters to attend for) good enough (a dinner fit for a king), e (foil, by to
to. dd fish-like adj. + infin.) sufficiently exhausted, troubled, or angry (fit
fish 2 /fish/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a flat plate of iron, wood, etc., to drop). 2 in good health or athletic condition. 3 prop-
to strengthen a beam or joint. 2 Nam. a piece of wood er; becoming; right (it is fit that), mv. (fitted, fitting)
used to strengthen a mast, etc. mv.tr. 1 mend or 1 a tr. (also absol.) be of the right shape and size for

strengthen (a spar, etc.) with a fish. 2 join (rails) with (the key doesn 't fit the lock; these shoes don 't fit) b tr. .

a fishplate. make, fix, or insert (a thing) so that it is of the right

fish»er /fishar/ n. 1 any animal that catches fish, esp. size or shape (fitted shelves in the alcoves) C intr. (often .

the marten, Martes pennanti, valued for its fur. 2 archa- foil, by in, into) (of a component) be correctly posi-

ic a fisherman.
fish»er»man /fisharman/ n. (pi. -men)
catches fish. 2 a fishing boat.
fish»er»y /fisharee/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a place where fish or
other aquatic animals are caught or reared. 2 the oc-
tioned (that piece fits here), d tr. find room for (can't fit
1 a person who another person on the bench). 2 tr. (foil, by for, or to +
infin.) a make suitable; adapt, b make competent (fit-
ted him to be a priest). 3 tr. (usu. foil, by with) supply;
furnish (fitted the boat with a new rudder) 4 tr. fix in .

cupation or industry of catching or rearing fish or other place (fit a lock on the door). 5 tr. try on (a garment).
aquatic animals. 6 tr. befit; become (the punishment fits the crime), mn.
fish-eye lens n. Photog. a very wide-angle lens with a the way in which a garment, component, etc., fits (a
curved front. bad fit; a tight fit), madv. (foil, by to + infin.) colloq. in
f ish»hook /fish-hook/ n. a barbed hook for catching fish. a suitable manner; appropriately (was laughing fit to
f ish«ing /fishing/ n. the activity of catching fish, for food bust), a fit the bill = //'// the bill, fit in 1 (often foil, by
or as recreation. with) be compatible or accommodating (tried to fit in
f ish-ing rod n. a long tapering usu. jointed rod to which with their plans). 2 find space or time for (the dentist fit-
a fishing line is attached. ted me in at the last minute), fit out (or up) (often foil,
fish meal n. ground dried fish used as fertilizer or an- by with) equip, see (or think) fit (often foil, by to +
imal feed. infin.) decide or choose (a specified course of action).
fish»net /fishnet/ n. (often attrib.) an open-meshed fab- dd fit«ly adv. fit«ness n.
ric (fishnet stockings) fit 2 /fit/ n. 1 a sudden seizure of epilepsy, hysteria, ap-

fish«plate /fishplayt/ n. a a flat piece of iron, etc., oplexy, fainting, or paralysis, with unconsciousness or
connecting railroad rails, b a flat piece of metal with convulsions. 2 a sudden brief attack of an illness or of
ends like a fish's tail, used to position masonry. symptoms (fit of coughing) 3 a sudden short bout or
.

fish Stick n. a small oblong piece offish dipped in bat- burst (fit of energy; fit of giggles). 4 colloq. an attack of
ter or breadcrumbs and fried. strong feeling (fit of rage) 5 a capricious impulse; a
.

fish sto»ry n. colloq. an exaggerated account. mood

(when the fit was on him), a by (or in) fits and
fish-tail /fishtayl/ n. &v. *n. a device, etc., shaped like starts spasmodically, give a person a fit colloq. surprise
a fish's tail, •v.intr. move the tail of a vehicle from side or outrage him or her. have a fit colloq. be greatly sur-
to side. prised or outraged, in fits laughing uncontrollably.
f islvwife /fishwlf/ n. (pi. -wives) 1 an ill-mannered or fiWul /fitfool/ adj. spasmodic or intermittent, dd fiMul*
noisy woman. 2 a woman who sells fish. ly adv. fit*ful*ness n.
f ish»y /fishee/ adj. (fishier, fishiest) 1 a smelling or tast- fiWed /fitid/ adj. 1 made or shaped to fill a space or
ing like fish, b like that of a fish. C (of an eye) dull; va- cover something closely or exactly (a fitted sheet) 2 esp. .

cant-looking, d consisting offish (a fishy repast), ejoc. Brit, built-in (fitted cupboards)
or poet, abounding in fish. 2 si. of dubious character; fiWer /fitar/ n. la person who supervises the cutting,
questionable; suspect. fish»i»ness n. fitting, altering, etc., of garments. 2 a mechanic who
fis«sile /fisal, -11/ adj. 1 capable of undergoing nuclear fits together and adjusts machinery.

fission. 2 tending to split. fiMing /fiting/ n. &

adj. • n. 1 the process or an instance
f is»sion /fishan/ n. &
v. • n. 1 Physics the spontaneous of having a garment, etc., fitted (needed several fittings)
or impact-induced splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus, 2 a (in pi.) the fixtures and furnishings of a building.
accompanied by a release of energy. 2 Biol, the divi- b a piece of apparatus or a detachable part of a ma-
sion of a cell into new cells as a mode of reproduction. chine, fixture, etc. • adj. proper; becoming; right, dd fit-
• v.intr. tr. &
undergo or cause to undergo fission. tingly adv. fit«ting»ness n.
nn fis*sion*a*ble adj. five /fiv/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 one more than four or one half
f is«sure /fishgr/ n. & v. • n. 1 an opening, usu. long and often; the sum of three units and two units. 2 a sym-
narrow, made esp. by cracking, splitting, or separation bol for this (5, v, V). 3 a size, etc., denoted by five. 4 a
of parts. 2 Bot. &Anat. a narrow opening in an organ, set or team of five individuals. 5 five o'clock (if // ffot
etc., esp. a depression between convolutions of the yet?). 6 a card with five pips. 7 a five-dollar bill. • </<//.
brain. 3 a cleavage, •v.tr. & intr. split or crack. that amount to five.
fist /fist/ n. & v. hand. 2 si. hand-
• n. 1 a tightly closed five»fold /fivfold/ adj. &
adv. 1 five times as much or as
writing (writes a good fist; I know his fist). 3 si. a hand many. 2 consisting of five parts. 3 amounting to five.
(give us your fist), mv.tr. close into a fist, d make a good five o'clock shad*ow //. beard growth visible on a
(or poor, etc.) fist by at, of) colloq. make a good
(foil, man's face in the latter part of the day.
(or poor, etc.) attempt at. do fisted adj. (also in comb. ) fiver /Avar/ n. colloq. 1 a five-dollar bill. 2 Ihn. a five
fist-ful n. (pi. -fuls). pound note.
fist«fight /fistfit/ n. a fight with bare fists. five-Star adj. of the highest class.
fist»i«CUffs /fistikufs/ n.pl. fighting with the fists. f ix /fiks/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr. make firm or stable; faste
f is*tu*la /fischata/ n. (pi. fistulas or fistulae /-lee/) 1 an cure (fixed a picture to the wall) .2 n. de< ulc; settle; spec-
abnormal or surgically made passage between a hol- ify (a price, date, etc.). 3 tr. mend; repair. 4 /; iiiiphnit
low organ and the body surface or between two hol- in the mind (couldn't gtt (In ruUi fixtdm ln\ In, id). 5 tr.
low organs. 2 a natural pipe or spout in whales, insects, a (foil, by on, upon) direct steadily; set (one's lvcs,
etc.on fis«tu*lar adj. fis*tu*lous adj. gaze, attention, or affection), b BttHU Hid hold (l pa t

fit 1 /fit/ adj., v., n.,& adv. • adj. (fitter, fittest) 1 a (usu. son's attention, eyes, etc.). C (loll, bv Wtth) sm^l. ottl
foil, by /or, or to + infin.) well suited, b (foil, by to + with one's eyes, etc. 6 tr. place definitely; establish. 7 tr.
 determine the exact nature, position, etc., of; refer (a 295 fixate ~ flake
thing or person) to a definite place or time; identify,
locate. 8a tr. make (eyes, features, etc.) rigid, b intr. hanging down; limp; flaccid. 2 (of language or char-
(of eyes, features, etc.) become rigid. 9 tr. colloq. pre- acter) feeble, dd flab*bi*ly adv. flab»bi«ness n.
pare (food or drink) (fixed me a drink) . 1 atr. con- flaocid /flasid, flaksid/ adj. 1 a (of flesh, etc.) hanging
geal, b intr. become congealed. 11 tr. colloq. punish; loose or wrinkled; limp; flabby, b (of plant tissue) soft;
kill; silence; deal with (a person). 12 tr. colloq. a secure less rigid. 2 relaxed; drooping. 3 lacking vigor; feeble.
the support of (a person) fraudulently, esp. by brib- nn flac«cid»i«ty /-siditee/ n. flac*cid*ly adv.
ery, b arrange the result of (a race, match, etc.) fraud- flack var. of flak.
ulently. 1 3 si. a tr. inject (a person, esp. oneself) with flag 1 /flag/ n. &
w •«. 1 a piece of cloth, usu. oblong
a narcotic, b take an injection of a narcotic. 14 tr.
intr. or square, attachable by one edge to a pole or rope and
make (a color, photographic image, or microscope used as a country's emblem or as a standard, signal,
specimen) fast or permanent. 15 tr. (of a plant or mi- etc. 2 a small toy, device, etc., resembling a flag. mv.
croorganism) assimilate (nitrogen or carbon dioxide). (flagged, flagging) 1 intr. a grow tired; lose vigor; lag
1 6 tr. castrate or spay (an animal) tr. arrest changes .M (his energy flagged after the first lap), bhang down;
or development in (a language or literature) 1 8 tr. de- . droop. 2 tr. a place a flag on or over, b mark out with
termine the incidence of (liability, etc.). 19 (as fixed or as if with a flag or flags (they flagged the site of the ac-
adj.) a permanently placed; stationary, b without cident)^ tr. (often foil, by that) a inform (a person) by
moving; rigid; (of a gaze, etc.) steady or intent. C def- flag signals, b communicate (information) by flagging.
inite, d si. dishonest; fraudulent. »n. 1 colloq. a dilem- d flag down signal to (a vehicle or driver) to stop.
ma or predicament. 2 a the act of finding one's posi- flag 2 /flag/ n. &
v. •«. (also flag*stone) 1 a flat usu.

tion by bearings or astronomical observations, b a rectangular stone slab used for paving. 2 (in pi.) a
position found in this way. 3 5/. a dose of a narcotic pavement made of these. »v.tr. (flagged, flagging)
drug to which one is addicted. 4 si. bribery. be fixed pave with flags.
(usu. foil, by for) be disposed or affected (regarding) flag 3 /flag/ n. 1 any plant with a bladed leaf (esp. sev-
(how are you fixed for Friday?) fix on (or upon) choose;
. eral of the genus Iris) growing on moist ground. 2 the
decide on. fix up 1 arrange; organize; prepare. 2 ac- long slender leaf of such a plant.
commodate. 3 (often foil, by with) provide (a person) Flag Day n. June 14, the anniversary of the adoption
with (fixed me up with a job). 4 restore; refurbish (fixed of the Stars and Stripes as the official US flag in 1777.
up the old house). dd fix*a*ble adj. fix«ed«ly /fiksidlee/ f lag»eMant /flajatant, ftajetant/ «. &adj. •«. 1 a person
adv. fix«ed»ness /fiksidnis/ n. who scourges himself or herself or others as a religious
fix*ate /fiksayt/ v.tr. 1 direct one's gaze on. 2 Psychol, a discipline. 2 a person who engages in flogging as a sex-
(usu. in passive; often foil, by on, upon) cause (a per- ual stimulus. • adj. of or concerning flagellation.
son) to acquire an abnormal attachment to persons flag»el«late /flajslayt/ v.tr. scourge; flog (cf. flagel-
!

or things (was fixated on his son), b arrest (the libido) lant), dd flag*eMa*tion /-layshan/ n.
at an immature stage, causing such attachment. 2
flag*el*late /flajilit, -layt/ adj. &
n. madj. having flagel-
fix»a»tion /fiksayshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of be- la (see flagellum) • n. a protozoan having one or more
.

ing fixated. 2 an obsession; concentration on a single flagella.

idea. 3 fixing or being fixed. 4 coagulation. 5 the proc- f la«geMum /ftajetam/ n. (pi. flagella /-la/) 1 Biol, a long
ess of assimilating a gas to form a solid compound.
appendage found principally on microscopic
lashlike
f ix*a*tive /fiksativ/ adj. &
n. • adj. tending to fix or se- organisms. 2 Bot. a runner; a creeping shoot, dd fla*
cure. »n. a substance used to fix colors, hair, mi- geMar /-tar/ adj.
croscope specimens, etc. f lag*on /flagan/ n. 1a large bottle in which wine, cider,

fixed-do attrib. adj. Mus. applied to a system of sight-
singing in which C is called 'do,' D is called 're,' etc.,
irrespective of the key in which they occur.
fix»er /fiksar/ n. 1 a person or thing that
a substance used for fixing a photographic image, etc.
fixings /fiksingz/ n.pl. 1 apparatus or equipment. 2 the
trimmings for a dish. 3 the trimmings of a dress, etc.
fix»i»ty /fiksitee/ n. 1 a fixed state. 2 permanence.
fix»ture /fikschar/ n. la something fixed in position.
b an attached appliance, apparatus, etc. (an electrical
fixture). C (usu. predic.) colloq. a person or thing con-
etc., are sold, usu. holding 1.13 liters. 2 a large vessel
usu. with a handle, spout, and lid, to hold wine, etc.
flag*pole /flagpol/ n. a pole on which a flag may be
fixes. 2 Photog. hoisted.
fla*grant /flaygrant/ adj. (of an offense or an offender)
glaring; notorious; scandalous, dd fla*gran*cy
/-gransee/ n. fla»grant»ly adv.
flag*ship /flagship/ n. 1 a ship having an admiral on
board. 2 something that is held to be the best or most
important of its kind; a leader.
f lag«staff /flagstaf/ n. = flagpole.

fined to or established in one place (he seems to be a flag*stone /flagston/ n. = flag 2 .

fixture). 2 (in pi.) Law articles attached to a house or flag-wav«er n. a populist agitator; a patriotic chau-
land and regarded as legally part of it. vinist, dd flag-waving n.
fizz /fiz/ v. & n. • v. intr. 1 make a hissing or spluttering flail /flayl/ n. & v. •«. a threshing tool consisting of a
sound. 2 (of a drink) effervesce. • «. effervescence. wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from
f iz*zle /fizal/ v.&n. • v. intr. make a feeble hissing sound. it. mv. 1 tr. beat or strike with or as if with a flail. 2 intr.
• «. such a sound. fizzle out end feebly (the party fiz- wave or swing wildly.
zled out at 10 o'clock). flair /flair/ n. 1 an instinct for selecting or performing
f izz»y /fizee/ adj. (f izzier, f izziest) effervescent; carbon- what is excellent, useful, etc. 2 talent or ability, esp. ar-
ated, no fizz»My adv. fizz«i«ness n. tistic or stylistic.
fjord /fyawrd/ n. (also fiord) a long narrow inlet of sea flak /flak/ n. (also flack) 1 antiaircraft fire. 2 adverse
between high cliffs, as in Norway. criticism; abuse.
FL abbr. Florida (in official postal use). flake /flayk/ n. &
v. %n. 1 a a small thin light piece of
fl. abbr. 1 floor. 2 floruit. 3 fluid. snow, b a similar piece of another material. 2 a thin
Fla. abbr. Florida. broad piece of material peeled or split off. 3 Archaeol.
flab /flab/ n. colloq. fat; flabbiness. a piece of hard stone chipped off and used as a tool.
flab*ber*gast /flabargast/ v.tr. (esp. as flabbergasted 4 a natural division of the flesh of some fish. 5 the dog-
adj.) colloq. overwhelm with astonishment.
flab»by/flabee/a<#. (flabbier, flabbiest) 1 (of flesh, etc.) See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

flak jacket ~ flasher 296 (wings, the arms, etc.) up and down when flying, or
as if flying, b intr. (of wings, the arms, etc.) move up
fish or other shark as food. 6 si. a crazy or eccentric and down. 2 intr. colloq. be agitated or panicky. 3 intr.
person, mv.tr. Of intr. (often foil, by away, off) 1 take off (esp. of curtains, loose cloth, etc.) swing or sway about;
or come away in flakes. 2 sprinkle with or fall in snow- flutter. 4 tr. (usu. foil, by away, off) strike (flies, etc.)
like flakes, d flake out colloq. 1 fall asleep or drop from with something broad; drive. 5 intr. colloq. (of ears) lis-
exhaustion; faint. 2 act strangely. ten intently. •«. 1a piece of cloth, wood, paper, etc.,
flak jack«et n. a protective jacket reinforced with bul- hinged or attached by one side only and often used to
letproof material, worn by soldiers, etc. cover a gap, e.g., the folded part of an envelope, a table
f lak»y /flaykee/ adj. (flakier, flakiest) 1 of or like flakes; leaf. 2 one up-and-down motion of a wing, an arm,
separating easily into flakes. 2 5/. crazy; eccentric. etc. 3 colloq. a state of agitation; panic (don't get into a
dd flak«i'ly adv. flak»i«ness n. flap). 4 a hinged or sliding section of a wing used to
flanvbe /flaambay/ adj. (of food) covered with alcohol control lift and drag. 5 a light blow with something
and set alight briefly. broad. 6 an open mushroom top. dd flap*py adj.
flanrvboyant /flamboyant/ adj. 1 ostentatious; showy. flap*dOO*dle /flapdobd'l/ n. colloq. nonsense.
2 floridly decorated. 3 gorgeously colored, dd flam* f lap«jack /flapjak/ n. a pancake.
boyance /-ans/ n. flanvboyanWy adv. flap*per /flapar/ n. 1 a person or thing that flaps. 2 an
flame /flaym/ n. & v. • n. 1 a ignited gas {the fire burned instrument that is flapped to kill flies, scare birds, etc.
with a steady flame) b one portion of this (the flame
. 3 a person who panics easily. 4 si. (in the 1920s) a
flickered and died). C (usu. in pi.) visible combustion young unconventional or lively woman.
(burst into flames). 2 a a bright light; brilliant coloring. flare /flair/ v. & &
n. • v. 1 intr. tr. widen or cause to

b a brilliant orange-red color. 3 a strong passion, esp. widen, esp. toward the bottom (flared trousers) 2 intr.
.

love (fan the flame), b colloq. a boyfriend or girlfriend. 6 tr. burn or cause to burn suddenly with a bright un-

&
• v. 1 intr. tr. (often foil, by away, forth, out, up) emit steady flame. 3 intr. burst into anger; burst forth. •«.
or cause to emit flames. 2 intr. (often foil, by out, up) 1 a a dazzling irregular flame or light, b a sudden out-

a (of passion) break out. b (of a person) become an- burst of flame. 2 a a signal light used at sea. b a bright
gry. 3 intr. shine or glow like flame (leaves flamed in the light used as a signal. C a flame dropped from an air-
autumn sun). 4 tr. send (a signal) by means of flame. craft to illuminate a target, etc. 3Astron. a sudden
5 tr. subject to the action of flame, n flame out (of a burst of radiation from a star. 4 a a gradual widening,
jet engine) lose power through imperfect combustion esp. of a skirt or trousers, b (in pi.) wide-bottomed
in the combustion chamber, go up in flames be con- trousers. 5 Photog. unnecessary illumination on a lens
sumed by fire, dd flame*less adj. flame-like adj. flam* caused by internal reflection, etc. flare up 1 burst in-
y adj. to a sudden blaze. 2 become suddenly angry or active.
f la*men*CO /flamengko/ n. (pi. -cos) 1 a style of music flare-up n. an outburst of flame, anger, activity, etc.
played (esp. on the guitar) and sung by Spanish gyp- flash /flash/ v. & n. mv. 1 intr.& tr. emit or reflect or

sies. 2 a dance performed to this music.
flame*proof /flaymproof/ adj. treated so as to be non-
flammable.
flame«throw»er /flaymthroar/ n. a weapon for throw-
ing a spray of flame.
flam*ing /flayming/ adj. 1 emitting flames. 2 very hot
cause to emit or reflect light briefly, suddenly, or in-
termittently; gleam or cause to gleam. 2 intr. break
suddenly into flame; give out flame or sparks. 3 tr.
send or reflect like a sudden flame or blaze. 4 intr.
a burst suddenly into view or perception (the expla-
nation flashed upon me) b move swiftly (the train flashed
.

(flaming day) 3 colloq. a passionate (a flaming argu-

. through the station). 5 tr. a send (news, etc.) by radio,
ment) b expressing annoyance, or as an intensifier
. telegraph, etc. (flashed a message to her), b signal to (a
(that flaming idiot) 4 bright colored (flaming red hair)
. person) by shining lights or headlights briefly. 6 tr. col-
fla*min*go /flsminggo/ n. (pi. -gos or -goes) any tall loq. show ostentatiously (flashed her engagement ring)
web-footed wading bird of the family 7 intr. (of water) rush along; rise and flow. 8 intr. si.
Phoenicopteridae, with pink, scarlet, and black plum- indecently expose oneself. • n. 1 a sudden bright light
age. or flame, e.g., of lightning. 2 a very brief time; an in-
flam*ma*ble /flamabal/ adj. easily set on fire; inflam- stant (all over in a flash) 3 a a brief, sudden burst of
.

mable, dd flam«ma«biM*ty n.
See note at inflammable.
flan /flan/ n. 1 a an open pastry case with a savory or
sweet filling, b a custard topped with caramel glaze.
2 a disk of metal from which a coin, etc., is made.
flange /flanj/ n. & v. Engin. »w. a projecting flat rim,
collar, or rib, used for strengthening or attachment.
mv.tr. provide with a flange.
flank /flangk/ n. &
v. »n. a the side of the body be-
*\
tween the ribs and the hip. b the side of an animal
carved as meat (flank of beef). 2 the side of a moun-
tain, building, etc. 3 the right or left side of an army
or other body of persons. • v. tr. 1 (often in passive) be
situated at both sides of (a road flanked by mountains).
2 Mil. a guard or strengthen on the flank, b menace
the flank of.
flank*er /flangkar/ n. 1 Mil. a fortification guarding or
menacing the flank. 2 anything that flanks another
thing. 3 Football an offensive back positioned outside
the tackle and behind the line of scrimmage.
feeling (a flash of hope), b a sudden display (of wit, un-
derstanding, etc.). 4 = NEWS FLASH. 5 PhotOg. = FI ASH-
LIGHT 2. 6 a a rush of water, esp. down a weir to take
a boat over shallows, b a contrivance for producing
this. 7 a bright patch of color. BCinematog. the mo-
mentary exposure of a scene. flash in the pan a
promising start followed by failure (from the priming
of old guns).
flash*back /flashbak/ n. a scene in a movie, novel, etc.,
set in a time earlier than the main action.
flash*board /flashbawrd/ n. a board used for incretl
ing the depth of water behind a dam.
flash bulb n. a bulb for a photographic flashlight.
flash burn n. a burn caused by sudden intense radii
tion, esp. from a nuclear explosion.
flash card n. a card containing a small amouni "I
information, held up for pupils to see, as an aid to
learning.
flash*CUbe /flashkyoob/ n. PhotOg. a set of tour Hash
bulbs arranged as a cube and operated in inn I

flan»nel /flanal/ w. la kind of woven wool fabric, usu. flash»er /flashnr/ n. 1 tl a person, esp. a man, vvli<> in
with a slight nap. 2 (in pi.) flannel garments, esp. un- decently exposes himself. 2 a an automata dcvU t l«>i
derwear or trousers. switching lights rapidly on and off. b a s^n or signal
flap /flap/ v. & n. »v. (flapped, flapping) 1 a tr. move using this. 3 a person or thing that flashes.
 .

flash flood n. a sudden local flood due to heavy rain, 297 flash flood - flay
etc.
flash»gun /flashgun/ n. Photog. a device used to oper- colloq. a humiliate, b knock down, o flatten out bring
ate a photographic flashlight. an ground, dd flaMen-er n.
aircraft parallel to the
flashing /flashing/ n. a usu. metallic strip used to pre- f laMer /flatar/ v. tr. 1 compliment unduly, esp. for gain

vent water penetration at the junction of a roof with a or advantage. 2 (usu. refl.; usu. foil, by that + clause)
wall, chimney, etc. congratulate or delude (oneself, etc.) {I flatter myself
flash-light /flashlit/ n. 1 a battery-operated portable that I can sing). 3 a (of a color, a style, etc.) make
light. 2 a light giving an intense flash, used for pho- (a person) appear to the best advantage, b (esp. of a
tographing by night, indoors, etc. 3 a flashing light portrait, painter, etc.) represent too favorably.
a
used for signals and in lighthouses. 4 make person) feel honored. 5 inspire (a person)
(a
flash point n. 1 the temperature at which vapor from with hope, esp. unduly {was flattered into thinking
oil, etc., will ignite in air. 2 the point at which anger, himself invulnerable) 6 please or gratify (the ear, the
.

indignation, etc., becomes uncontrollable. eye, etc.). dd flaMer»er n. flattening adj. flaMer»ing»
flastvy /flashee/ adj. (flashier, flashiest) showy; gaudy; ly adv.
cheaply attractive, nn flash*My adv. flash«i«ness n. flat»ter»y /flat9ree/ n. {pi. -ies) 1 exaggerated or insin-

flask /flask/ n. a narrow-necked bulbous bottle for wine, cere praise. 2 the act or an instance of flattering.
etc., or as used in chemistry. f laMop n. 1 Aeron. si. an aircraft carrier. 2 si. a hair-

style in which the hair is cropped short so that it bris-

flask Middle English (in the sense 'cask'): from me-
tles up into a flat surface.
dieval Latin flasca. From the mid- 16th cent, the word
f lat*u*lent /flachatant/ adj. 1 a causing formation of gas
denoted a case of horn, leather, or metal for carrying
in the alimentary canal, b caused by or suffering from
gunpowder. The sense 'glass container' (late 17th
this. 2 (of speech, etc.) inflated; pretentious, dd flat*u*
cent.) was influenced by Italian fiasco, from medieval
lence n. flaMHenMy adv.
Latin fiasco. Compare with flagon.
f la«tus /flaytas/ n. wind in or from the stomach or bow-
flat 1 /flat/ adj., adv., n., & v. madj. (flatter, flattest) els.

1 a horizontally level {aflat roof), b even; smooth; un- flat*ware /flatwair/ n. 1 forks, knives, spoons, etc.; cut-

broken; without projection or indentation {aflat stom- lery.2 plates, saucers, etc. (cf. hollowware) .

ach). C with a level surface and little depth; shallow (a flat»worm /flatwarm/ n. any worm of the phylum
flat cap; aflat heel). 2 unqualified; downright {aflat re- Platyhelminthes, having a flattened body and no body
fusal) . 3a dull; lifeless; monotonous
{spoke in a flat cavity or blood vessels, including turbellaria, flukes,
tone), b dejected. 4 (of a carbonated drink) having lost etc.
its effervescence; stale. 5 Mus. a below true or normal flaunt /flawnt/ v. &
n. mv.tr. intr. 1 &
(often refl.) dis-
pitch {the violins are flat), b (of a key) having a flat or play ostentatiously; show off; parade {liked to flaunt his
flats in the signature. C (as B, E, etc., flat) a half step gold cuff links; flaunted themselves before the crowd) Of- .

lower than B, E, etc. 6 Photog. lacking contrast. 7 a (of ten confused with flout. 2 wave or cause to wave proud-
paint, etc.) not glossy; matte, b (of a tint) uniform. ly {flaunted the banner). • n. an act or instance of flaunt-
8 (of a punctured; deflated. 9 (of a market, prices,
tire) ing.
etc.) inactive; sluggish. 10 of or relating to flat racing. Flaunt and flout are often confused because both
• adv. 1 lying at full length; spread out {lay flat on the suggest arrogance or showing off. However, flaunt
floor, flat against the wall). 2 colloq. a completely; ab- means 'display ostentatiously,' e.g., He liked to flaunt
solutely {flat broke) . b
exactly {in five minutes flat) his wealth, while flout means 'express contempt for or
3 Mus. below the true or normal pitch {always sings disobey (laws, convention, etc.),' e.g., The fine is too low
flat).mn. 1 the flat part of anything {the flat of the hand). for those who flout the law so egregiously.
2 level ground, esp. a plain or swamp. 3 Mus. a a note flau»tist /flawtist, flow-/ n. a flute player.
lowered a half step below natural pitch, b the sign {{,) f la*vone /flayvon/ n. Biochem. any of a group of natu-

indicating this. 4 colloq. a flat tire. 5 a shallow planter rally occurring white or yellow pigments found in
box for starting seedlings, •v.tr. (flatted, flatting) plants.
1make flat; flatten 2 Mus.
(esp. in technical use). f la»vor /flayvar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a distinctive mingled sen-

make (a note) flat, fall flat fail to live up to expec- sation of smell and taste {a cheesy flavor) 2 an inde- .

tations; not win applause, flat out 1 at top speed. finable characteristic quality {music with a romantic fla-
2 without hesitation or delay. 3 using all one's vor). 3 (usu. foil, by of) a slight admixture of a quality
strength, energy, or resources, nn flaMy adv. flat«ness {the flavor of failure hangs over the enterprise) 4 = fla- .

n. flaMish adj. voring. mv.tr. give flavor to; season, d flavor of the
flat 2 /flat/ n. esp. Brit. = apartment 1. dd flaWet n. month (or week) a temporary trend or fashion, dd fla«
f lat»boat /flatbot/ n. (or flat-boMomed boat) a boat with voMul adj. fla*vor*less adj. fla»vor«some adj.
a flat bottom for transport in shallow water. fla»vor»ing /flayvsring/ n. a substance used to flavor
f lat»car /flatkaar/ n. a railroad car without raised sides food or drink.
or ends. flaw /flaw/n. &
v. • n. 1 an imperfection; a blemish {has

flaMish /flatfish/ n. {pi. usu. same) any marine fish of a character without a flaw) 2 a crack or similar fault
.

various families having an asymmetric appearance {the cup has a flaw) 3 Law an invalidating defect in a
.

with both eyes on one side of a flattened body, includ- legal matter, mv.tr. intr. &
crack; damage; spoil.
ing sole, turbot, plaice, etc. dd flawed adj. flawless adj. flawlessly adv. flawless*
flat-foot /flatfoot/ n. 1 {pi. flat feet) a foot with a less ness n.
than normal arch. 2 {pi. -foots or -feet) si. a police of- flax /flaks/ n. 1 a a blue-flowered plant, Linum usitatis-
ficer. simum, cultivated for its textile fiber and its seeds (see
flat-footed /flatfobtid/ adj. 1 having flat feet. 2 colloq. unseed), b a plant resembling this. 2 flax fibers.
downright; positive. 3 colloq. unprepared; off guard flax*en /flakssn/ adj. 1 of flax. 2 (of hair) colored like
{was caught flat-footed) dd flat-foot«ecMy adv. flat-foot*
. dressed flax; pale yellow.
ed*ness n. flax-seed /flakseed/ n. linseed.
f lat*i«ron /flatlarn/ n. an iron heated externally and used flay /flay/ v. tr. 1 strip the skin or hide off, esp. by beat-
for pressing clothes, etc.
f laWen /flat'n/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become flat. 2 tr. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
F layer ~ flight 298 fallible, madj. actually living, not imaginary or super-
natural, n one's own flesh and blood near relatives;
ing. 2 criticize severely. 3 peel off (skin, bark, peel, descendants.
etc.). f leslvly /fleshlee/ adj. (fleshlier, fleshliest) 1 (of desire,
F layer /ef layor/ n. the highest and most strongly ion- etc.) bodily; sensual. 2 mortal; not divine. 3 worldly.
ized region of the ionosphere. flesh*pots /fleshpots/ n.pl. places providing luxurious
flea /flee/ small wingless jumping insect of the or-
n. a or hedonistic living.
der Siphonaptera, feeding on blood, d a flea In one's flesh»y /fleshee/ adj. (fleshier, fleshiest) 1 plump; fat.
ear a sharp reproof. 2 of flesh; without bone. 3 (of plant or fruit tissue)
f lea*bag /fleebag/ n. si. a shabby or unattractive place pulpy. 4 like flesh, nn fleshiness n.
or thing. fleur-de-lis /flOrdalee/ n. (al-
flea-biWen adj. 1 bitten by or infested with fleas. so fleur-de-lys) (pi. fleurs-
2 shabby. pronunc. same) 1 the iris
flea coMar an insecticidal collar for dogs and cats.
n. flower. 2 Heraldry a a lily
flea mar»ket n.a market selling secondhand goods, etc. composed of three petals
fleck /flek/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a small patch of color or light bound together near their
{eyes with green flecks) 2 a small particle or speck. 3 a
. bases, b the former royal
spot on the skin; a freckle, •v.tr. mark with flecks. arms of France.
fled past and past part, of flee. flew pasr of fly 1 .

fledge /flej/ v. 1 intr. (of a bird) grow feathers. 2 tr. pro- flex /fleks/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. bend

vide (an arrow) with feathers. 3 bring up (a young

tr. (a joint, limb, etc.) or be bent.
bird) until it can fly. 4 tr. (as fledged adj.) a able to fly. 2 tr. & intr. move (a muscle)

b independent; mature. 5 tr. deck or provide with or (of a muscle) be moved to

fleur-de-lis
feathers or down. bend a joint.
fledgeling /flejling/ n. 1 a young bird. 2 an inexperi- flexible /fleksibal/ adj. 1 able to bend without break-
enced person. ing; pliable. 2 manageable. 3 adaptable; variable
flee /flee/ v. (past and past part, fled /fled/) 1 intr. (of- (works flexible hours), nn flexibility n. flex*i*bly adv.
ten foil, by from, before) a run away, b seek safety by flex»ile /fleksal, —sil/ adj. archaic 1 supple; mobile.
fleeing. 2 tr. run away from; leave abruptly; shun (fled 2 tractable; manageable. 3 versatile, nn flex»iM«ty
the room; fled his attentions). 3 intr. vanish. /-silitee/ n.
fleece /flees/ «. &
v. • «. 1 a the woolly covering of a flex»i»time /fleksitim/ n. var. of flextime.
sheep or a similar animal, b the amount of wool f lex»or /fleksar/ n. (in full flexor muscle) a muscle that

sheared from a sheep at one time. 2 something resem-
bling a fleece, esp.: a a woolly or rough head of hair.
b a soft warm fabric with a pile, used for lining coats,
etc. C a white cloud, a blanket of snow, etc. •v.tr. 1
(often foil, by of) strip (a person) of money, valuables,
etc.; swindle. 2 remove the fleece from (a sheep, etc.);
shear. 3 cover as if with a fleece (a sky fleeced with
clouds), nn fleeced adj. (also in comb.).
f leec«y /fleesee/ adj. (fleecier, fleeciest) 1 of or like a
fleece. 2 covered with a fleece, nn fleec*i*ness n.
fleet /fleet/ n. 1 a a number of warships under one
1
commander, b (prec. by the) all the warships and mer-
chant ships of a nation. 2 a number of ships, aircraft,
bends part of the body (cf. extensor).
flexitime /flekstim/ n. 1 a system of working a set num-
ber of hours with the starting and finishing times cho-
sen within agreed limits by the employee. 2 the hours
worked in this way.
flick /flik/ n. &jfmn. 1 a a light, sharp blow with a whip,
etc. b the sudden release of a bent finger or thumb,
esp. to propel a small object. 2 a sudden movement or
jerk. 3 a quick turn of the wrist in playing games, esp.
in throwing or striking a ball. 4 a slight, sharp sound.
5 colloq. a a movie, b (in pi.; prec. by the) the movies.
• £>. 1 tr. (often foil, by away, off) strike or move with a
flick (flicked the ash off his cigar) 2 tr. give a flick with
.

buses, trucks, taxis, etc., operating together or owned (a whip, towel, etc.). 3 intr. make a flicking movement
by one proprietor. or sound.
fleet 2 /fleet/ adj. swift; nimble, nn f leeWy adv. f leet*ness flick-er /flik9r/ v.
1
&
n. mv.intr. 1 (of light) shine un-
n. steadily. 2 (of a flame) burn unsteadily, alternately flar-
Fleet Ad»mi»ral n. an admiral of the highest rank in the ing and dying down. 3 a (of a flag, a reptile's tongue,
US Navy. an eyelid, etc.) move or wave back and forth; quiver;
fleet-ing /fleeting/ adj. transitory; brief, nn fleet*ing*ly vibrate, b (of the wind) blow lightly and unsteadily.
adv. 4 (of hope, etc.) increase and decrease unsteadily. •«.
Fleming /fleming/ n. 1a native of medieval Flanders a flickering movement, light, thought, etc.
in the Low Countries. 2 a member of a Flemish-speak- flick»er 2 /flikar/ n. any woodpecker of the genus
ing people inhabiting N. and W. Belgium (see also Colaptes, a ground-feeder native to N. America.
Walloon). fli»er /flfor/ n. (also flyer) colloq. 1 an airman or air-
Flerrwsh /flemish/ adj. & n. *adj. of or relating to Flan- woman. 2 a thing that flies in a specified way (a poor
ders. • «. the language of the Flemings. 3 a fast-moving animal or vehicle. 4 an ambitious
flier).
flesh /flesh/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a the soft substance consisting or outstanding person. 5 (usu. flyer) a small handbill.
of muscle and fat found between the skin and bones 6 a speculative investment. 7 a flying jump.
of an animal or a human, b plumpness; fat (has put on flight /flit/ n, la the act or manner of flying through
1

flesh). C archaic meat, esp. excluding poultry, game,
and offal. 2 the body as opposed to the mind or the
soul, esp. considered as sinful. 3 the pulpy substance
of a fruit or a plant. 4 a the visible surface of the hu-
man body, b (also flesh col«or) a yellowish pink color.
5 animal or human life. •v.tr. embody in flesh, n flesh
out make or become substantial, in the flesh in bodi-
ly form; in person, the way of all flesh experience com-
mon to all humankind, nn flesrHess adj.
flesh and blood n. &
adj. • n. 1 the body or its sub-
stance. 2 humankind. 3 human nature, esp. as being
the air (studied swallows [flight), b the movement 01 DM
sage of a projectile, etc., through the air (the flight <>/
an arrow). 2 a a journey made through the air or in
space, b a timetabled journey made by an airline- c a
military air unit of two or more aircraft. 3 a a flock of
birds, insects, etc. b a migration. 4 (usu. foil, by of) a
series, esp. of stairs between floors, or of hurdles m mss
a race track. 5 a mental or verbal excursion or sally (of
wit, etc.) (a flight of fancy). 6 the trajectory and ptCC
of a ball in games. 7 the distance that ;i bird, raft, am
or missile can fly. 8 (usu. foil, by of) a volley (a flight
 of arrows). 9 the tail of a dart, a in the first (or top) 299 flight ~ float
flight taking a leading place, take (or wing) one's flight
fly- of, by a rapid movement of the fingers, b look curso-
flight 2 /flit/ n. 1 a the act or manner of fleeing, b a hasty rily through (a book, etc.).
retreat. 2 Econ. the selling of currency, investments, flip 2 /flip/ n. a drink of heated beer and liquor.
etc., in anticipation of a fall in value (flight from the dol- flip chart n. a large pad erected on a stand and bound
lar). put to flight cause to flee, take (or take to) flight so that one page can be turned over at the top to re-
flee. veal the next.
flight at»tend»ant n. anemployee who attends flip-flop /flipflop/ n.
airline w •». 1 a usu. rubber sandal &
to passengers' safety and comfort during flights. with a thong between the big and second toe. 2 a back-
flight deck n. 1 the deck of an aircraft carrier used for ward somersault. 3 an electronic switching circuit
takeoff and landing. 2 the forward compartment oc- changed from one stable state to another, or through
cupied by the pilot, navigator, etc., in an aircraft. an unstable state back to its stable state, by a trigger-
flightless /flitlis/ adj. (of a bird, etc.) naturally unable ing pulse. 4 an esp. sudden change of direction,
to fly. attitude, policy, etc. • v.intr. (-flopped, -flopping)
flighty /flitee/ ad/, (flightier, flightiest) 1 frivolous; fick- 1 move with sound or motion suggested by "flip-
a
le; changeable. 2 crazy. flight«i«ly adv. flight*i«ness 2 to
flop." change direction, attitude, policy, etc., esp.
n. suddenly.
flim»flam /flimflam/ n. &v. »n. 1 a trifle; nonsense; idle f ip»pa nt /flipant/ adj. treating serious things lightly; dis-
I

talk. 2 humbug; deception, mv.tr. (flimf lammed, flim- respectful, dd flip«pan*cy /-pgnsee/ n. flip*pant*ly adv.
flamming) cheat; deceive, dd flim»flanvmer n. flip>per/flip3r/n. 1 a broadened limb of a tortoise, pen-
flinvsy /flimzee/ adj. (flimsier, flimsiest) 1 insubstan- guin, etc., used in swimming. 2 a flat rubber, etc., at-
tial; easily damaged (a flimsy structure) 2 (of an ex- . tachment worn on the foot for underwater swimming.
cuse, etc.) unconvincing (a flimsy pretext). 3 paltry; flip side n. colloq. the less important side of something
trivial; superficial (a flimsy play) 4 (of clothing) thin
. (orig. of a phonograph record).
(a flimsy blouse), dd flinvsMy adv. flim*si*ness n. flirt /flart/ v. &
mv. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by with) behave
n.
flinch /flinch/ v. &
n. •v.intr. 1 draw back in pain or amorous or sexually enticing manner.
in a frivolously
expectation of a blow, etc.; wince. 2 (often foil, by 2 intr. (usu. foil, by with) a superficially interest one-
from) give way; shrink; turn aside (flinched from his du- self (with an idea, etc.) b trifle (with danger, etc.) 3 tr.
. .

ty). • «. an act or instance of flinching, dd flinch»ing» wave or move (a fan, a bird's tail, etc.) briskly. 4 intr.
ly adv. & tr.move or cause to move with a jerk. • n. 1 a per-
fling /fling/ v.&n.m v. (past and past part, flung /flung/) son who indulges in flirting. 2 a quick movement; a
1 throw or hurl (an object) forcefully. 2 refl. a (usu.
tr. sudden jerk, dd flir*ta*tion n. flir*ta*tious adj. flir*ta*
foil, by into) rush headlong (into a person's arms, a tious»ly adv. flir*ta*tious*ness n. flirty adj. (flirtier,
train, etc.). b (usu. foil, by into) embark wholeheart- flirtiest).
edly (on an enterprise) C (usu. foil, by on) throw (one- flit /flit/ v.
. &
n. •v.intr. (flitted, flitting) 1 move lightly,

self) on a person's mercy, etc. 3 tr. utter (words) force- softly, or rapidly (flitted from one room to another).
fully. 4 tr. (usu. foil, by out) suddenly spread (the 2 make short flights (flitted from branch to branch). *n.
arms). 5 tr. (foil, by ora, off) put on or take off (clothes) an act of flitting, dd fliMer n.
carelessly or rapidly. 6 intr. go angrily or violently; rush fliMer /flitar/ v.intr. flit about; flutter.
(flung out of the room). 7 tr. put or send suddenly or vi- float /flot/ v. n. • v. 1 intr. &
tr. a rest or move or cause &
olently (was flung into jail). 8 tr. (foil, by away) discard (a buoyant object) to rest or move on the surface of a
thoughtlessly (flung away their reputation) • n. 1 an act . liquid without sinking, b get afloat or set (a stranded
or instance of flinging; a throw. 2 a a spell of indul- ship) afloat. 2 intr. drift (the clouds floated high up).
gence or wild behavior (he 's had his fling) b colloq. an 3 intr. colloq. a move in a leisurely or casual way. b (of-
.

attempt (give it a fling). 3 a brief or casual romance.
4 an impetuous, whirling Scottish dance, esp. the
Highland fling.
flint /flint/ n. 1 a a hard gray stone of nearly pure silica
occurring naturally as nodules or bands in chalk, b a
piece of this, esp. as flaked or shaped to form a prim-
itive tool or weapon. 2 a piece of hard alloy of rare
earth metals used to give an igniting spark in a ciga-
rette lighter, etc. 3 a piece of flint used with steel to
produce fire. 4 anything hard and unyielding, dd flint*
y adj. (flintier, flintiest).
flinWock /flintlok/ n. hist. 1 an old type of gun fired by
a spark from a flint. 2 the lock producing such a spark.
flip /flip/ v., n.,& adj. »v. (flipped, flipping) 1 tr. a flick
1
(a coin, ball, etc.) so that it spins in the air. b remove
(a small object) from a surface with a flick of the fin-
gers. 2 tr. a flick (a person's ear, cheek, etc.) lightly or
smartly, b move (a whip, etc.) with a sudden jerk. 3 tr.
turn or turn over. 4 intr. a make a flicking noise with
the fingers, b (foil, by at) strike smartly at. 5 intr. move
about with sudden jerks. 6 intr. si. (often foil, by out)
ten foil, by before) hover before the eye or mind (the
prospect of lunch floated before them). 4 intr. (often foil,
by in) move or be suspended freely in a liquid or a gas.
5 tr. a bring (a company, etc.) into being, b offer
(stock, shares, etc.) on the stock market. 6 Commerce
a intr. (of currency) be allowed to have a fluctuating
exchange rate, b tr. cause (currency) to float. C intr. (of
an acceptance) be in circulation. 7 tr. (of water, etc.)
support; bear along (a buoyant object) 8 intr. tr. cir- . &
culate or cause (a rumor or idea) to circulate. 9 tr. put
forward as a proposal. 10 waft (a buoyant object)
through the air. •«. 1 a thing that floats, esp.: a a raft.
b a cork or other buoyant object on a fishing line as
an indicator of a fish biting, c a cork supporting the
edge of a fishing net. d the hollow or inflated part or
organ supporting a fish, etc., in the water, e a hollow
structure fixed underneath an aircraft enabling it to
float on water, f a floating device on the surface of wa-
ter, fuel, etc., controlling the flow. 2 Brit, a small ve-
hicle or cart, esp. one powered by electricity (milk
float) 3 a platform mounted on a truck or trailer and
.

become suddenly angry, excited, or enthusiastic. • «. carrying a display in a parade, etc. 4 a an amount of
1 a smart light blow; a flick. 2 a somersault, esp. while money outstanding but not yet collected by a bank,
in the air. 3 an act of flipping over (gave the stone a flip). etc., such as checks written but not yet collected
4 colloq. a a short pleasure flight in an aircraft, D a on. b the time between the writing of a check, etc.,
quick tour, etc. madj. colloq. glib; flippant, d flip one's and the actual collection of funds. 5 a tool used for
lid si. 1 lose self-control. 2 go crazy, flip through 1 turn
over (cards, pages, etc.). 2 a turn over the pages, etc., See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . :

floatation ~ floss 300 prices, wages, etc. 7 colloq. the ground, mv.tr. 1 furnish
with a floor; pave. 2 knock (a person) down. 3 colloq.
smoothing plaster or concrete, an f loat-a-ble adj. float* confound; baffle. 4 colloq. get die better of. 5 serve as
floater /flotsr/
a*bil*i*ty /-tsbilitee/ n. n. the floor of (leopard skins floored the hall). 6 cause a ve-
floatation var. of flotation. hicle to accelerate rapidly. from the floor (of a speech,
floating /floting/ adj. not settled in a definite place; etc.) given by a member of the audience, not by those
variable (the floating population) on the platform, etc. take the floor 1 begin to dance.
floating rib n. any of the lower ribs, which are not at- 2 speak in a debate, an floor-less adj.
tached to the breastbone. floor-board /flawrbawrd/ n. a long wooden board used
floc-cule /flokyool/ n. a small portion of matter resem- for flooring.
bling a tuft of wool. floor-cloth /flawrklawth, -kloth/ n. a thin canvas rug or
floc-cu-lent /flokyatant/ adj. 1 like tufts of wool. similar light floor covering.
2 downy. 3 Chem. (of precipitates) loosely massed. floor ex»er»cise n. a routine of gymnastic exercises per-
an floc-cu-lence /-tans/ n. formed without the use of apparatus.
flock 1
/flok/ n.&D.»H.1aa number of animals of one flooring /flawring/ n. the boards, etc., of which a floor
kind, esp. birds, feeding or traveling together, b a num- is made.

ber of domestic animals kept together. 2 a large crowd floor lamp n. a lamp with a base that rests on the floor.
of people. 3 a a Christian congregation or body of floor plan n. a diagram of the rooms, etc., on one floor
believers, esp. in relation to one minister, b a family of of a building.
children, a number of pupils, etc. •v.intr. 1 congre- floor show n. an entertainment presented at a night-
gate; mass. 2 (usu. foil, by to, in, out, together) go to- club, etc.
gether in a crowd (thousands flocked to the polls). floor»walk»er /flawrwawkar/ n. a person employed in a
flock 2 /flok/ n. 1 a lock or tuft of wool, cotton, etc. 2 a retail store who assists customers and supervises other
(also in pi. ; often attrib. ) material for quilting and stuff- workers.
ing made of wool refuse or torn-up cloth (a flock pil- f loo-zy /flobzee/ n. (also f loo-zie) (pi. -zies) colloq. a girl
low), b powdered wool or cloth. or a woman, esp. a disreputable one.
floe /flo/ n. a sheet of floating ice. flop /flop/ v., n., &
adv. mv.intr. (flopped, flopping)
flog /flawg, flog/ v. (flogged, flogging) 1 tr. a beat with 1 sway about heavily or loosely (hair flopped over his
a whip, stick, etc. b make work through violent effort face) 2 move in an ungainly way (flopped along in flip-
.

(flogged the engine) 2 si. sell or promote aggressively.

. pers). 3 (often foil, by down, on, into) sit, kneel, lie, or
3 tr. (usu. foil, by into, out of) drive (a quality, knowl- fall awkwardly or suddenly. 4 si. (esp. of a play, mov-
edge, etc.) into or out of a person, esp. by physical pun- ie, etc.) fail; collapse (flopped on Broadway). 5 si. sleep.
ishment, d flog (also beat) a dead horse waste energy 6 make a dull sound as of a soft body landing, or of a
on something unalterable, flog to death colloq. talk flat thing slapping water. •«. 1 a a flopping movement.
about at tedious length, do flog-ger n. b the sound made by it. 2 si. a failure. 3 si. a place to
flood /flud/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a an overflowing or influx of sleep, esp. cheaply. 4 a piece of cow dung. • adv. with
water beyond its normal confines, esp. over land; an a flop.
inundation, b the water that overflows. 2 a an out- flop-house /flop-hows/ n. a cheap hotel or rooming
pouring of water; a torrent (a flood of rain) b some- . house.
thing resembling a torrent (a flood of tears). C an abun- flop»py /flopee/ adj. &
n. *adj. (floppier, floppiest)
dance or excess. 3 the inflow of the tide (also in comb. tending to flop; not firm or rigid. • n. (pi. -pies) (in full
flood tide). A colloq. a floodlight. 5 (the Flood) the flood floppy disk) Computing a flexible removable magnetic
described in Genesis, mv. 1 tr. a cover with or overflow disk for storing data, dd flop-pi-ly adv. flop-pi-ness n.
in a flood (rain flooded the cellar) b overflow as if with f lo«ra /flawra/ n. (pi. floras or florae /-ree/) the plants
.

a flood (the market was flooded with foreign goods) 2 tr. of a particular region or period (cf. fauna).
.

irrigate (flooded the rice paddies) 3 tr. deluge with wa- f lo-ral /flawral/ adj. 1 of flowers. 2 decorated with or
.

ter. 4 intr. (often foil, by in, through) arrive in great depicting flowers. 3 of flora or floras, dd tlo-ral-ly adv.
quantities. 5 intr. become inundated (the bathroom Flor»en»tine /flawranteen, -tin, flor-/ adj. &
n. madj.

flooded). 6 tr. overfill (a carburetor) with fuel. 7 intr. 1 of or relating to Florence in Italy. 2 (florentine
experience a uterine hemorrhage. 8 tr. (of rain, etc.) /-teen/) (of a dish) served on a bed of spinach. *n. a
fill (a river) to overflowing. flood out drive out (of native or citizen of Florence.
one's home, etc.) with a flood. flo»res»cence /flawresans/ n. flowering.
flood-gate /fludgayt/ n. 1 a gate opened or closed to flo»ret /flawrit/ n. Bot. 1 each of the small flowers mak-
admit or exclude water, esp. the lower gate of a lock. ing up a composite flower head. 2 each of the flow-
2 (usu. in pi.) a last restraint holding back tears, etc. ering stems of a head of cauliflower, broccoli, etc. 3 a
flood-light /fludlit/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a large powerful light small flower.
(usu. one of several) to illuminate a building, stage, f lo«ri»ate /flawriayt/ v. tr. decorate with flower designs,
etc. 2 the illumination so provided, mv.tr. illuminate etc.
with floodlights. f lo-ri-bun-da /flawribundo/ n. a plant, esp. a rose, bear-
flood-plain /fludplayn/ n. flat terrain alongside a river ing dense clusters of flowers.
that is subject to inundation when the river floods. flor«id /flawrid,flor-/ adj. 1 ruddy (a florid complex ion),
flood tide n. the periodical exceptional rise of the tide 2 (of a book, music, etc.) elaborately ornate. 3 flow-
because of lunar or solar attraction. ery, dd flo-rid-i-ty n. flor-id-ly adv. flor-id-ness //.
flood-wa-ter /fliidwawtar, -wo-/ n. the water over- flo«rist/flawrist,flor-/«. a person who deals in or^rows
flowing as the result of a flood. flowers, gd flo-rist-ry n.
floor /flawr/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a the lower surface of a room. flOTlMt /flawrOoit, flor / v. &
n. •v.intr. (he or she) was
b the boards, etc., of which it is made. 2 a the bottom alive and working; flourished (of a painter, writer, ttt -

of the sea, a cave, etc. b any level area. 3 all the rooms, whose exact dates are unknown). •;/. the period Of
etc., on the same level of a building; a story. 4 a (in a date at which a person lived or worked.
legislative assembly) the part of the house in which floss /flaws, flos/w. &
v. • «. 1 the rough silk enveloping
members sit and speak, b the right to speak next in a silkworm's cocoon. 2 untwisted silk thread used in
debate (gave him the floor). 5 Stock Exch. the large cen- embroidery. 3 = DENTAL FLOSS, mv.tr. (also abioL Kan I I

tral hall where trading takes place. 6 the minimum of (the teeth) with dental floss.
 .

f loss»y /flawsee, flosee/ adj. (flossier, flossiest) 1 of or 301 flossy - fluff

like floss. 2 colloq. fancy; showy.
f lo«tage /flotij/ n. 1 the act or state of floating. 2 a float-
ing objects or masses; flotsam, b Brit, the right of ap-
propriating flotsam. 3 a ships, etc., afloat on a river.
b the part of a ship above the water line. 4 buoyancy;
floating power.
f lo»ta»tion /flotayshan/ n. (also floatation) 1 the proc-
ess of launching or financing a commercial enterprise.
2 the separation of the components of crushed ore,
etc., by their different capacities to float. 3 the capac-
that formerly flowed (walked out onto the lava flow).
2 the rise of a tide or a river (ebb and flow). 3 the grad-
ual deformation of a rock or metal under stress. 4 men-
struation.
1 a diagram of the movement or action in a
flow chart
complex activity. 2 a graphical representation of a
computer program in relation to its sequence of func-
tions (as distinct from the data it processes).
flow»er /flowar/ n. &
v. mn. 1 the part of a plant from

ity to float. which the fruit or seed is developed. 2 the reproduc-

f lo*tiMa /flotito/ n. 1 a small fleet. 2 a fleet of small ships. tive organ in a plant containing one or more pistils or
f lot«sam /flotsam/ n. wreckage found floating. stamens or both, and usu. a corolla and calyx. 3 a blos-
flot*sam and jet*sam n. 1 odds and ends; rubbish. som, esp. on a stem and used in bunches for decora-
2 vagrants, etc. tion. 4 a plant cultivated or noted for its flowers. 5 (in
flounce /flowns/ v.
1
&
n. •v.intr. (often foil, by away, pi.) ornamental phrases (flowers of speech). 6 the finest

off, out) go or move with an agitated or impatient mo- time, group, example, etc.; the peak. mv. 1 intr. (of a
tion. • n. a flouncing movement. plant) produce flowers; bloom or blossom. 2 intr. reach
2
flounce /flowns/ n. &
v. mn. a wide frill, •v.tr. trim a peak. 3 tr. cause or allow (a plant) to flower. 4 tr. dec-
with a flounce or flounces. orate with worked flowers or a floral design. the
floun^der /flowndar/ ?;.
1
&n. • v.intr. 1 struggle in mud, flower of the best or best part of. in flower with the
or as if in mud, or when wading. 2 perform a task bad- flowers out. dd flovvered adj. (also in comb.). flow»er»
ly or without knowledge. mn. an act of floundering. less adj. floweMike adj.
floun*der*er n.
stigma
floun»der 2 /flownd9r/«. 1 an edible flatfish, Pleuronectes
flesus, native to European shores. 2 any of various flat-
fish native to N. American shores.
flour /flowar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a meal or powder obtained

by grinding and usu. sifting grain, esp. wheat. 2 any fi-

ne powder. • v. tr. 1 sprinkle with flour. 2 grind into
flour, no flour«y adj. (flourier, flouriest). flour*i*ness
n.
flourish /flarish, fliir-/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. a grow vigor-
ously; thrive, b prosper, c be in one's prime, d be in
good health, e (as flourishing adj.) successful; pros-
perous. 2 intr. (usu. foil, by in, at, about) spend one's
life; be active (at a specified time) (flourished in the Mid-

dle Ages) (cf floruit) 3 tr. show ostentatiously. 4 tr.

. .
flower, 1
wave (a weapon, etc.) vigorously. • n. 1 an ostentatious
gesture with a weapon, a hand, etc. 2 an ornamental flow»er»et /flowarit/ n. a small flower.
curving decoration of handwriting. 3 a rhetorical em- flow»er girl n. a girl who carries flowers at a wedding
bellishment. 4 Mus. a a fanfare played by brass instru- as an attendant to the bride.
ments, b an ornate musical passage. C an extempo- f low»er»y /flowaree/ adj. 1 decorated with flowers or flo-
rized addition played esp. at the beginning or end of ral designs. 2 (of literary style, etc.) highly embel-
a composition. flour*ish*er n. lished; ornate. 3 full of flowers (a flowery meadow).
dd flow»er»i»ness n.
flourish Middle English: from Old French jlonss-,
flowing /fl6ing/ adj. 1 (of literary style, etc.) fluent;
lengthened stem of florir, based on Latin florere, from
easy. 2 (of a line or contour) smoothly continuous; not
flos,flor- 'a flower.'The noun senses 'ornamental curve'
abrupt. 3 (of hair, a garment, etc.) unconfined.
and 'florid expression' come from an obsolete sense
no flow*ing«ly adv.
of the verb, 'adorn' (originally with flowers).
flown past part, of fly 1
.

flout /flowt/ v. 1 tr. express contempt for (the law, rules, fl.OZ. abbr. fluid ounce(s).
etc.) by word or action; mock. 2 intr. (often foil, by at) flu /floo/ n. colloq. influenza.
mock or scoff. flub /flub/ v. &
n. colloq. •v.tr. &
intr. (flubbed, flub-

See note at flaunt. bing) botch; bungle. mn. something badly or clumsily
f low /flo/ v. & glide along as a stream. 2 a (of
n. •v.intr. 1 done.
a liquid, esp. water) gush out; spring, b (of blood, liq- fluc*tu*ate /flukchoo-ayt/ v.intr. vary irregularly; vacil-
uid, etc.) be spilled. 3 (of blood, money, electric cur- late; rise and fall, dd fluc«tu*a*tion /-ayshan/ n.
rent, etc.) circulate. 4 (of people or things) come or go flue /floo/ n. 1 a smoke duct in a chimney. 2 a channel
in large numbers or smoothly (traffic flowed along the for conveying heat.
highway). 5 (of talk, literary style, etc.) proceed easily flu«ent /flobant/ adj. 1 a (of speech or literary style)
and smoothly. 6 (of a garment, hair, etc.) hang easily flowing naturally and readily, b having command of a
or gracefully. 7 (often foil, by from) result from (his foreign language (is fluent in German). C able to speak
failure flows from his diffidence). 8 (esp. of the tide) be quickly and easily. 2 flowing easily or gracefully (the
in flood. 9 (of wine) be poured out copiously. 10 (of a fluent line of her arabesque), dd flu»en»cy /flobansee/ n.
rock or metal) undergo a permanent change of shape flu*enMy adv.
under stress. 11 menstruate. 12 (foil, by with) archa- fluff /f\uf/n.&v. •«. 1 soft, light, feathery material com-
ic be plentifully supplied with (land flowing with milk ing off blankets, etc. 2 soft fur or feathers. 3 5/. a a mis-
and honey). •«. 1 a a flowing movement in a stream. take in delivering theatrical lines, in playing music, etc.
b the manner in which a thing flows (a sluggish flow) b a mistake in playing a game. mv. 1 tr. intr. (often &
C a flowing liquid (couldn 't stop the flow) d a copious
.

outpouring (a flow of complaints) e a hardened mass

. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

fluffy - fly 302 flur»ry /flaree, fluree/ n. & v. mn. {pi. -ries) 1 a gust or
squall (esp. of snow). 2 a sudden burst of activity.
foil, by up) shake into or become a soft mass. 2 tr. &
3 nervous agitation {a flurry ofspeculation). • v. tr. (-ries,
intr. colloq. make a mistake in (a theatrical part, a game, -ried) confuse by haste or noise; agitate.
playing music, etc.); blunder {fluffed his opening line). flush /flush/ v. 1
&
n. mv. 1 intr. ablush; redden {he
3 tr. make into fluff. 4 tr. put a soft surface on (the flesh flushed with embarrassment) b glow with a warm color
.

side of leather). {sky flushed pink) 2 tr. (usu. as flushed adj.) cause to
.

fluff«y /flufee/ adj. (fluffier, fluffiest) 1 of or like fluff. glow, blush, or be elated (often foil, by with: flushed
2 covered in fluff; downy. 3 nonintellectual; frivolous; with pride). 3 tr. a cleanse (a drain, toilet, etc.) by a
superficial, nn fluff»My adv. fluff»i«ness n. rushing flow of water, b (often foil, by away, down)
flu«gel«horn /flOgslhawrn/ n. (also flue»gel»horn) a dispose of (an object) in this way {flushed away the cig-
valved brass wind instrument similar to a cornet. arette). A intr. rush out; spurt. 5 tr. flood {the river
flu»id /flooid/ n. & adj. mn. 1 a substance, esp. a gas or flushed the meadow). 6 intr. (of a plant) throw out fresh
liquid, lacking definite shape and capable of flowing shoots. •«. 1 a a blush, b a glow of light or color. 2 a a
and yielding to the slightest pressure. 2 a fluid part or rush of water, b the cleansing of a drain, toilet, etc.,
secretion, madj. 1 able to flow and alter shape freely. by flushing. 3 a a rush of emotion, b the elation pro-
2 constantly changing {the situation is fluid). 3 (of a duced by a victory, etc. {the flush of triumph). 4 sudden
clutch, coupling, etc.) in which liquid is used to trans- abundance. 5 freshness; vigor {in the first flush of wom-
mit power, dd flu«id«i«fy /-idifiV v.tr. (-fies, -fied). flu* anhood). 6 a a feverish temperature, b facial redness,
id*i*ty /-iditee/ n. flu-id-ly adv. flu*id*ness n. esp. caused by fever, alcohol, etc. nn fluslver n.
flu*id*ize /flobidiz/ v.tr. cause (a finely divided solid) to flush 2 /flush/ adj. &
v. madj. 1 (often foil, by with) in
acquire the characteristics of a fluid by the upward the same plane; level {the sink is flush with the counter).
passage of a gas, etc. an flu*id*i*za*tion /-dizayshsn/ n. 2 (usu. predic.) colloq. a having plenty of money, b (of
fluid ounce n. a unit of capacity equal to one-sixteenth money) abundant; plentiful. 3 full to overflowing; in
of a pint (approx. 0.034 liter). flood, mv.tr. 1 make (surfaces) level. 2 fill in (a joint)
fluke /flook/ n. 1 a lucky accident {won by a fluke). 2 a
1
level with a surface, nn flusrwiess n.
chance breeze, na fluk»y adj. flush 3 /flush/ n. a hand of cards all of one suit.
fluke 2 /flook/ n. 1 any parasitic flatworm of the class flush 4 /flush/ v. 1 tr. cause (esp. a game bird) to fly up.
Digenea or Monogenea, including liver flukes and 2 intr. (of a bird) fly up and away, n flush out 1 reveal.
blood flukes. 2 a flatfish, esp. a flounder. 2 drive out.
fluke 3 /flook/ n. 1 Naut. a broad triangular plate on the flust*er /flustar/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. &
intr. make or be-

arm of an anchor. 2 the barbed head of a lance, har- come nervous or confused {was flustered by the noise)
poon, etc. 3 Zool. either of the lobes of a whale's tail. 2 tr. confuse with drink; half-intoxicate. 3 intr. bustle.
flunvmox /flumaks/ v.tr. colloq. confound; disconcert. mn. a confused or agitated state.
flung past and past part, of fling. flute /floot/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a a high-pitched woodwind

flunk /flungk/ v. &n. colloq. mv. "\

tr. a fail (an examina- instrument, having holes along it stopped by the fin-
tion, etc.). b fail (an examination candidate). 2 intr. gers or keys, and held horizontally, b an organ stop
(often foil, by out) fail utterly; give up. • n. an instance having a similar sound. C any of various wind instru-
of flunking, n flunk out be dismissed from school, etc., ments resembling a flute, d a flute player. 2 a Archit.
after failing an examination, course, etc. an ornamental vertical groove in a column, b a trum-
flun«ky /flungkee/ n. (also flun»key) (pi. -kies or -keys) pet-shaped frill on a dress, etc. C any similar cylindri-
usu. derog. 1 a liveried servant. 2 a toady. 3 a person cal groove. 3 a tall narrow wineglass. • v. 1 intr. play
who does menial work. the flute. 2 intr. speak, sing, or whistle in a fluting way.
fluoresce /fldDres, flaw-/ v.intr. be or become fluores- 3 tr. make flutes or grooves in. 4 tr. play (a tune, etc.)
cent. on a flute, nn flute*like adj. fluMng n. fluWst n. (cf.
fluo*res*cence /flooressns, flaw-/ n. 1 the visible or flautist). flut»y adj. (in sense la of n.).
invisible radiation produced from certain substances fluMer /flut9r/ v. &n. mv. B intr. flap the wings in fly-
"\

as a result of incident radiation of a shorter wavelength ing or trying to fly. b tr. flap (the wings) 2 intr. fall with
.

such as X rays, ultraviolet light, etc. 2 the property of a quivering motion. 3 intr. &
tr. move or cause to move

absorbing light of short (invisible) wavelength and
emitting light of longer (visible) wavelength, nn f luo*
res»cent adj.
fluo*res*cent lamp n. (also fluorescent bulb) a lamp
or bulb radiating largely by fluorescence.
fluoridate /flobridayt, flaw-/ v.tr. add traces of fluor-
ide to (drinking water, etc.). dd fluoridation
/flobridayshan, flaw-/ n. (also fluor*i*di*za*tion)
fluoride /fldbrid, flaw-/ n. any binary compound of
fluorine.
fluor*i*nate /flobrinayt, flaw-/ v.tr. 1 = fluoridate. 2 in-
troduce fluorine into (a compound), nn fluor«i»na«tion flux /fluks/ n.
irregularly {the wind fluttered the flag). 4 intr. go about
restlessly. 5 tr. agitate; confuse. 6 intr. (of a pulse or
heartbeat) beat irregularly. 7 intr. tremble with excite-
ment. • n. 1 a the act of fluttering, b an instance of this.
2 a tremulous state of excitement; {was in a flutter,
caused a flutter with his behavior). 3 an abnormally rap-
id but regular heartbeat. 4 Electronics a rapid variation
of pitch, esp. of recorded sound (cf. wow 2 ). 5 a vibra-
tion, nn flut»ter»y adj.
flu*vi*al /flobveeol/ adj. of, found in, or produced by a
river or rivers.
&
v. m n. 1 a process of flowing or flow-

/-nayshan/ n. ing out. 2 an issue or discharge. 3 continuous change

fluor*ine /fl6breen, flaw-/ n. a poisonous pale yellow
gaseous element of the halogen group. 1 Symb.: f.
fluo*rite /flobrit, flaw-/ n. a mineral form of calcium
fluoride.
fluor»o»car»bon /flobroka'arban, flaw-/ n. a compound
formed by replacing one or more of the hydrogen
atoms in a hydrocarbon with fluorine atoms.
f luor*0*SCOpe /flobraskop, flaw-/ n. an instrument with
{in a state offlux) A
Metallurgy a substance mixed with
a metal, etc., to promote fusion. 5 Phytic* a the rati- <>f
flow of any fluid across a given area, b the imouni of
fluid crossing an area in a given time. 6 Phvsics the
amount of radiation or particles incident on an UN
in a given time. 7 Elcctr. the total elei nn 01 magnetic
field passing through a surface, mv. 1 tr. mtr. make &
or become fluid. 2 tr. a fuse, b treat with fusing flux.;i

a fluorescent screen on which X-ray images may be fly l\\\lv. &n. mv. (flies; past flew lftobl\pattpart flown
1

viewed without taking and developing X-ray pho- /flon/) 1 intr. move through the air undei OflOOlj esp. i

tographs. with wings. 2 (of an aircraft or its occupants): a mtr.

 .

travel through the or through space, b tr. traverse

air 303 fly - foghorn
(flew the Atlantic) . a control the flight of (esp. an
3 tr.

aircraft), b transport in an aircraft. 4 a tr. cause to fly
or remain aloft, b intr. (of a flag, hair, etc.) wave or
flutter. 5 intr. pass or rise quickly through the air or
over an obstacle. 6 intr. pass swiftly (time flies) 7 intr.
a flee, b colloq. depart hastily. 8 intr. be forced off sud-
denly (sent me flying). 9 intr. (foil, by ar, upon) a has-
ten or spring violently, b attack or criticize fiercely.
10 tr. flee from. 1 1 intr. Baseball hit a fly ball. mn. (pi.
foal /fol/ n.&v.m n. the young of a horse or related an-
imal. mv.tr. give birth to (a foal). in (or with) foal (of
a mare, etc.) pregnant.
. foam /fom/ n. & v. • n. 1 a mass of small bubbles formed
on or in liquid by agitation, fermentation, etc. 2 a froth
of saliva or sweat. 3 a substance resembling these, e.g.,
rubber or plastic in a cellular mass. 4 the sea. • v.intr.
1 emit foam; froth. 2 run with foam. 3 (of a vessel) be

-ies) 1 an opening at the front of a pair of pants, closed filled and overflow with foam. foam at the mouth be
with a zipper or buttons and covered with a flap. 2 a a very angry. foanvless adj. foanvy adj. (foamier,
fabric cover pitched over a tent for extra protection foamiest).
from rain, etc. b a flap at the entrance of a tent. 3 (in foam rub»ber n. a light, spongy foam used for mat-
pi.) the space over the proscenium in a theater. 4 the tresses, pillows, cushions, etc.
act or an instance of flying. 5 Baseball a batted ball hit fob /fob/ n.
1
&
v. mn. 1 (in full fob chain) a chain at-
high in the air. 6 a speed-regulating device in clock- tached to a watch for carrying in a waistcoat or pock-
work and machinery. fly in the face of openly disre- et. 2 a small pocket for carrying a watch. 3 a tab on
gard or disobey, fly off the handle colloq. lose one's tem- a key ring, mv.tr. (fobbed, fobbing) put in one's fob;
per suddenly and unexpectedly, an flya»ble adj. pocket.
fly 2 /fli/ n. (pi. flies) 1 any insect of the order Diptera fob 2 /fob/ (fobbed, fobbing) cheat; deceive.
v.tr. fob
with two usu. transparent wings. 2 any other winged off 1 (often by with a thing) deceive into accepting
foil,

insect. 3 a disease of plants or animals caused by flies. something inferior. 2 (often foil, by on to a person)
4 a natural or artificial fly used as bait in fishing. fly palm or pass off (an inferior thing)
in the ointment a minor irritation that spoils enjoy- fo»cal /fokal/ adj. of, at, or in terms of a focus.
ment, fly on the wall an unnoticed observer, like flies fo*cal length n. the distance between the center of a
in large numbers. mirror or lens and its focus.
fly*a*way /fliaway/ adj. (of hair, etc.) tending to fly out fo*cal point n = focus n. 1.
or up. fo'c's'le var. of FORECASTLE.
fly ball n. Baseball a batted ball hit high in the air. fo»cus /fokas/ n. &
v. mn. (pi. focuses or foci /fosi/)

fly-by-night adj. &n. •adj. 1 unreliable. 2 short-lived. 1 Physics a the point at which rays or waves meet af-
• n. an unreliable person. ter reflection or refraction, b the point from which di-
flycatch»er /fli'kachar/ n. any bird of the families verging rays or waves appear to proceed. 2 a Optics
Tyrannidae and Muscicapidae, catching insects, esp. the point at which an object must be situated for
in short flights from a perch. an image of it given by a lens or mirror to be well
f ly«er var. of flier. defined, b the adjustment of the eye or a lens neces-
fly-fish v.intr. fish with a fly (sense 4 of fly 2 ). sary to produce a clear image. C a state of clear defi-
fly*ing /flf-ing/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 fluttering or waving in nition (out of focus) 3 the center of interest or activ-
.

the air. 2 hasty; brief (a flying visit) 3 designed for rap-

. ity (focus of attention) 4 Geom. one of the points from
.

id movement. 4 (of an animal) able to make very long
leaps by using winglike membranes, etc. • n. flight, esp.
in an aircraft. with flying colors with distinction.
fly*ing buMress n. a buttress slanting from a separate
column, usu. forming an arch with the wall it supports.
fly*ing fish n. (pi. fish or fishes) any tropical fish of the
family Exocoetidae, with winglike pectoral fins for
gliding through the air.
which the distances to any point of a given curve are
connected by a linear relation. 5 Med. the principal
site of an infection or other disease. 6 Geol. the place
of origin of an earthquake, mv. (focused, focusing or
focussed, focussing) 1 tr. bring into focus. 2 tr. ad-
just the focus of (a lens, the eye, etc.). 3 tr. intr. (of- &
ten foil, by on) concentrate or be concentrated on.
4 intr. & tr. converge or make converge to a focus.

f ly-ing sau*cer any unidentified, esp. circular, flying

n. do fc~cus*er n.
object, popularly supposed to have come from space. fo»cus group n. a group that meets to discuss a par-
fly»ing squir*rel n. any of various squirrels, esp. of the ticular problem, issue, etc.
genera Glaucomys Pteromys, with skin joining the fore fod»der /fodar/ n. &
v. • n. dried hay or straw, etc., for

and hind limbs for gliding from tree to tree. cattle, etc. •v.tr. give fodder to.
flyleaf /flileef/ n. (pi. -leaves) a blank leaf at the begin- foe /fo/ n. an enemy or opponent.
ning or end of a book. foet«id var. of fetid.
fly*pa*per /flipaypar/ n. sticky treated paper for catch- fog /fawg, fog/ «. &
w »n. 1 a thick cloud of water
ing flies. droplets or smoke suspended in the atmosphere at or
f ly*sheet /fll'sheet/ n. a tract or circular of two or four near the earth's surface. 2 Photog. cloudiness on a de-
pages. veloped negative, etc., obscuring the image. 3 an un-
fly SWaMer n. an implement for killing flies and other certain or confused position or state, mv. (fogged, fog-
insects, usu. consisting of a flat mesh square attached ging) 1 tr. a (often foil, by up) cover with fog or
to a handle. condensed vapor, b bewilder or confuse. 2 intr. (often
fly*trap /flitrap/ n. any of various plants that catch flies, foil, by up) become covered with fog or condensed va-

esp. the Venus flytrap. por. 3 tr. Photog. make (a negative, etc.) obscure or
flyweight /fliwayt/ h. la weight in certain sports cloudy, a in a fog puzzled; at a loss.
intermediate between light flyweight and bantam- fog bank n. a mass of fog at sea.
weight. 2 a boxer, wrestler, etc., of this weight. fo*gey var. of fogy.
f ly»wheel /flihweel, -weel/ n. a heavy wheel on a revolv- fog«gy /fawgee, fogee/ adj. (foggier, foggiest) 1 (of the
ing shaft used to regulate machinery or accumulate atmosphere) thick or obscure with fog. 2 of or like fog.
power. 3 vague; confused; unclear, d not have the foggiest col-
FM abbr. 1 frequency modulation. 2 Field Marshal. loq. have no idea at all. dd fog*gi*ness n.
Fm symb. Chem. the element fermium. fog«horn /fawghawrn, fog-/ n. la deep-sounding in-
f-number /ef numbar/ n. (also f-stop) Photog. the ratio
of the focal length to the effective diameter of a lens. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
fogy - food 304 ular culture, typically of unknown authorship and
transmitted orally from generation to generation.
strument for warning ships in fog. 2 colloq. a loud pen- folk sing*er n. a singer of folk songs.
etrating voice. folk song n. a song of popular or traditional origin or
fogy /fogee/ n. (also fo*gey) (pi. -gies or -geys) a dull style.
old-fashioned person (esp. old fogy), dd fo»gy»ish adj. folk*sy /foksee/ adj. (folksier, folksiest) 1 friendly; so-
foi»ble /foybal/ n. a minor weakness or idiosyncrasy. ciable; informal. 2 a having the characteristics of folk
foie gras /fwaa gra'a/ n. colloq. = pAte de foie GPvAS. art, culture, etc. b ostensibly or artificially folkish.
foil 1
/foyl/ v.tr. frustrate; baffle; defeat. dd folk*si*ness n.
foil 2 /foyl/ n. 1 a metal hammered or rolled into a thin folk tale n. a popular or traditional story.
sheet (tinfoil), b a sheet of this or another material at- foMi»cle /folikal/ ra. 1 a small sac or vesicle. 2 a small
tached to mirror glass as a reflector. C a leaf of foil sac-shaped secretory gland or cavity, dd fol»liou«lar
placed under a precious stone, etc., to brighten or col- /folikyalar/ adj.
or it. 2 a person or thing that enhances the qualities of foMow /folo/ v. 1 tr. or (foil, by after) intr. go or come
another by contrast. after (a person or thing proceeding ahead). 2 tr. go
foiP /foyl/ n. a light blunt-edged sword with a button along (a route, path, etc.). 3 tr. intr. come after in &
on its point used in fencing. order or time. 4 tr. take as a guide or leader. 5 tr. con-
foil 4 /foyl/ H. = HYDROFOIL. form to (follow your example) 6 tr. practice (a trade or .

foist /foyst/ v.tr. 1 (foil, by on, upon) impose (an un-
welcome person or thing). 2 (foil, by on, upon) false-
ly fix the authorship of (a composition). 3 (foil, by in,
into) introduce surreptitiously or unwarrantably.
fold 1 /fold/ v. n. »v. & tr. a bend or close (a flexible
"\
thing) over upon itself, b (foil, by back, over, down)
bend a part of (a flexible thing) in the manner speci-
profession). 7 tr. undertake (a course of study, etc.).
8 tr. understand the meaning or tendency of (a speak-
er or argument). 9 tr. maintain awareness of the cur-
rent state or progress of (events, etc., in a particular
sphere). 10 tr. (foil, by with) provide with a sequel or
successor. 1 1 intr. happen after something else; ensue.
1 2 intr. a be necessarily true as a result of something

fied (fold down the flap). 2 intr. become or be able to be else, b (foil, by from) be a result of. 13 tr. strive after;
folded. 3 tr. by away, up) make compact by fold-
(foil, aim at; pursue (followed fame and fortune), d follow out
ing. 4 intr. colloq. a collapse; disintegrate, b (of an en- carry out; adhere precisely to (instructions, etc.). fol-
terprise) fail; go bankrupt. 5 tr. (foil, by about, around) low suit 1 Cards play a card of the suit led. 2 conform
clasp (the arms); wrap; envelop. 6 tr. (foil, by in) mix to another person's actions, follow through 1 contin-
(an ingredient with others) using a gentle cutting and ue (an action, etc.) to its conclusion. 2 Sports contin-
turning motion. • n. 1 the act or an instance of fold- ue the movement of a stroke after the ball has been
ing. 2 a line made by or for folding. 3 a folded part. struck, follow up 1 (foil, by with) pursue; develop; sup-
4 a hollow among hills. 5 Geol. a curvature of strata. plement. 2 make further investigation of.
no fold*a*ble adj. fol«low»er /foloar/ n. 1 an adherent or devotee. 2 a per-
fold 2 /fold/ n. 1 = sheepfold. 2 a body of believers or son or thing that follows.
members of a church. foMowing /folding/ prep, n., adj. *prep. coming af- &
fold»a»way /foldaway/ adj. adapted or designed to be ter in time; as a sequel to. • «. a body of adherents or
folded away. devotees. • adj. that follows or comes after.
fold«er /foldar/ k. 1a folding cover or holder for loose foMow-through n. the action of following through.
papers. 2 a folded leaflet. foMow-up n. a subsequent or continued action, meas-
fold-ing mon»ey n. colloq. paper money. ure, experience, etc.
fo*li*a*ceous /folee-ayshas/ adj. 1 of or like leaves. foMy /folee/ n. (pi. -lies) 1 foolishness; lack of good
2 having organs like leaves. 3 laminated. sense. 2 a foolish act, behavior, idea, etc. 3 an orna-
foliage /foleeij/ n. 1 leaves; leafage. 2 a design in art mental building, usu. a tower or mock Gothic ruin. 4
resembling leaves. (in pi.) Theatr. a a revue with glamorous female per-
fo*li*ar /foleear/ adj. of or relating to leaves. formers, esp. scantily clad, b the performers.
fo*li*ate adj. &
v. *adj. /foleeat/ 1 leaflike. 2 having fo»ment /foment/ v. tr. 1 instigate or stir up (trouble, se-
leaves. 3 (in comb.) having a specified number of dition, etc.). 2 a bathe with warm or medicated liq-
leaflets (trifoliate) • v. /foleeayt/ 1 intr. split into lami-
. uid, b apply warmth to. dd fo»ment«er n.
nae. 2 tr. number leaves (not pages) of (a volume) con- fo»men«ta»tion /fomentayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
secutively, dd fo s li«a*tion /-ayshan/ n. stance of fomenting. 2 materials prepared for applica-
fo»lic aoid /folik, fol-/ n. a vitamin of the B complex, tion to a wound, etc.
found in leafy green vegetables, liver, and kidney, a fond /fond/ adj. 1 (foil, by of) having affection or a lik-
deficiency of which causes pernicious anemia. ing for. 2 affectionate; loving; doting. 3 (of beliefs, etc.)
fo»li»0 /foleeo/ n. &
adj. •«. (pi. -os) 1 a leaf of paper, foolishly optimistic or credulous; naive, dd foncMy adv.
etc., esp. one numbered only on the front. 2 a a leaf fond*ness n.
number of a book, b a page number of a book. 3 a fon*dant /fondant/ n. a soft creamy candy of flavored
sheet of paper folded once making two leaves of a book. sugar.
4 a book made of such sheets, •adj. (of a book) made fon*dle /fond'l/ v.tr. touch or stroke lovingly; caress.
of folios, of the largest size, d in folio made of folios. dd fon-dler n.
folk /fok/ n. (pi. folk or folks) 1 (treated as pi.) people fon*due /fondcb, -dytfb/ n. 1 a dish of flavored melted
in general or of a specified class (few folks about; towns- cheese. 2 a dish of small pieces of food cooked at the
folk). 2 (in pi.) (usu. folks) one's parents or relatives. table by dipping in hot melted chocolate, cheese, etc.
3 (treated as sing.) a people. 4 (treated as sing.) colloq. font /font/ n. la receptacle in a church for baptism;il
1

traditional music, esp. a style featuring acoustic guitar. water. 2 the reservoir for oil in a lamp.
5 (attrib.) of popular origin; traditional (folk art). font 2 /font/ n. Priming a set of type of one fac e oi size
folk dance n. 1 a dance of traditional origin. 2 the mu- fon»ta»nel /fontanel/ n. a membranous space in an in-
sic for such a dance. fant's skull at the angles of the parietal bones.
folklore /foklawr/ n. the traditional beliefs and stories food /food/ n. 1a nutritious substance, esp. solid in
of a people; the study of these, dd folk*lor*ic adj. folk* form, taken into an animal or a plant to maintain lift
looist n. folk*lor*is*tic adj. and growth. 2 ideas as a resource for or stimulus to
folk mu»sic n. music that originates in traditional pop- mental work (food for thought).
 . ..

food chain n. Ecol. a series of organisms each depend- 305 food chain ~ for
ent on the next for food.
food»stuff /fobdstuf/ n. any substance suitable as foot«er /fobtar/ n. (in comb.) a person or thing of so
food. many feet in length or height (six-footer)
fool /fool/ n., v.,
1
& adj. m. 1a person who acts un- fooMall /fobtfawl/ n. the sound of a footstep.
wisely or imprudently; a stupid person. 2 hist, a jester; foot-hill /fobt-hil/ n. (often in pi.) any of the low hills
a clown. 3 a dupe. 4 (often foil, by for) a devotee or around the base of a mountain.
fan (a fool for the ballet), mv. 1 tr. deceive so as to cause foot*hold /fobt-hold/ «. la place, esp. in climbing,
to appear foolish. 2 tr. (foil, by into + verbal noun, or where a foot can be supported securely. 2 a secure in-
out of) trick; cause to do something foolish. 3 tr. play itial position or advantage.

tricks on; dupe. 4 intr. act in a joking, frivolous, or teas- footing /footing/ n. 1 a foothold; a secure position (lost
ing way. 5 intr. (foil, by around) behave in a playful or his footing). 2 the basis on which an enterprise is estab-
silly way. • adj. colloq. foolish; silly. act (or play) the lished or operates; the position or status of a person
fool behave in a silly way. make a fool of make (a per- in relation to others (on an equal footing)
son or oneself) look foolish; trick or deceive, no (or fooMights /fobtlits/ n.pl. a row of lights along the front
nobody's) fool a shrewd or prudent person. of a stage.
fool 2 /fool/ n. esp. Brit, a dessert of usu. stewed fruit foot«lock»er /foblokar/ n. a small trunk usu. kept at the
crushed and mixed with cream, custard, etc. foot of a soldier's or camper's bunk to hold items of
fool»har«dy /foblhaardee/ adj. (foolhardier, foolhardi- clothing or equipment.
est) rashly or foolishly bold; reckless, no fool»har»di*ly fooHoose /fobtioos/ adj. free to go where or act as one
adv. fool»har»di»ness n. pleases.
fool»ish /foolish/ adj. (of a person, action, etc.) lacking foot»man /fobtman/ n. (pi. -men) a liveried servant.
good sense or judgment; unwise, do fool«ish«ly adv. foot»note /fobtnot/ n.&v.mn.a note printed at the foot
fool*ish*ness n. of a page. mv.tr. supply with a footnote or footnotes.
fool-proof /foolproof/ adj. (of a procedure, mechanism, foot*path /footpath/ n. a trail or path for pedestrians
etc.) so straightforward or simple as to be incapable (in the woods, etc.).
of misuse or mistake. footprint /footprint/ n. 1 the impression left by a foot
fool's gold n. iron pyrites. or shoe. 2 Computing the area of desk space, etc., oc-
foot /foot/ n. & v. • n. (pi. feet /feet/) 1 a the lower ex- cupied by a computer or other piece of hardware. 3 the
tremity of the leg below the ankle, b the part of a sock, ground area covered by a communications satellite or
etc., covering the foot. 2 a the lower or lowest part of affected by noise, etc., from aircraft.
a page, stairs, etc. b the lower end of a table, c the end foot»rest /fobtrest/ n. a support for the feet or a foot.
of a bed where the user's feet normally rest. 3 the base, foot soNdier n. a soldier who fights on foot.
often projecting, of anything extending vertically. 4 a foot»step /footstep/ n. 1 a step taken in walking. 2 the
step, pace, or tread; a manner of walking (fleet offoot) sound of this, a follow (or tread) in a person's foot-
5 (pi. feet or foot) a unit of linear measure equal to steps do as another person did before.
12 inches (30.48 cm). 6 Prosody a a group of syllables foot»stool /footstool/ n. a stool for resting the feet on
(one usu. stressed) constituting a metrical unit, b a when sitting.
similar unit of speech, etc. 7 Brit. hist, infantry (a reg- foot»wear /fobtwair/ n. shoes, socks, etc.
iment offoot) 8 Zool. the locomotive or adhesive organ
. footwork /fobtwark/ n. the use of the feet, esp. skillful-
of invertebrates. 9 Bot. the part by which a petal is at- ly, in sports, dancing, etc.
tached. 10 a device on a sewing machine for holding fop /fop/ n. an affectedly elegant or fashionable man; a
the material steady as it is sewn. 11 (pi. foots) dregs; dandy, on fop«per»y n. fop-pish adj. fop»pish»ly adv.
oil refuse. 12 (usu. in pi.) footlights, mv.tr. 1 (usu. as fop«pish*ness n.
foot It) a traverse (esp. a long distance) by foot. for /fawr, far I prep. &
conj. mprep. 1 in the interest or to
b dance. 2 pay (a bill, esp. one considered large), n feet the benefit of; intended to go to (these flowers are for
of clay a fundamental weakness in a person otherwise you; wish to see it for myself). 2 in defense, support, or
revered, get one's feet wet begin to participate, have favor of (fight for one's rights). 3 suitable or appropri-
one's (or both) feet on the ground be practical, have ate to (a dance for beginners; not for me to say). 4 in re-
a foot in the door have a prospect of success, have one spect of or with reference to; regarding (usual for ties
foot in the grave be near death or very old. my foot! to be worn; don 't care for him at all; ready for bed) 5 rep- .

int. expressing strong contradiction, on foot walking;
not riding, etc. put one's foot down colloq. 1 be firm-
ly insistent or repressive. 2 accelerate a motor vehicle.
put one's foot in it colloq. commit a blunder or indis-
cretion, set foot in (or on) enter; go into, dd foot»ed
resenting or in place of (here for my uncle). 6 in ex-
change against (swapped it for a bigger one). 7 a as the
price of (give me $5 for it), b at the price of (bought it
for $5). C to the amount of (a bill for SI 00). 8 as the
penalty of (fined them heavily for it) 9 in requital of
.

adj. (also in comb.). fooWess adj. (that's for upsettingmy sister). 10 as a reward for (here's
foot*age /fobtij/ n. length or distance in feet. 2 an
1 $5 for your trouble). 11a with a view to; in the hope or
amount of film made for showing, broadcasting, etc. quest order to get (go for a walk; did it for the mon-
of; in
foot-and-mouth dis*ease n. a contagious viral disease ey), b on account of (could not speak for laughing).
of cattle, etc. 12 corresponding to (word for word). 13 to reach; in
foot»ball /fobtbawl/ n.&v. • w. 1 any of several outdoor the direction of; toward (left for Rome). 14 conducive
games between two teams played with a ball on a field or conducively to; in order to achieve (take the pills for
with goals at each end. In
N. America this word gen- a sound night's sleep). 15 starting at (a specified time)
erally refers to American football; elsewhere usu. soc- (we set the meeting for eight) 1 6 through or over (a dis-
.

cer or rugby is meant. 2 a large inflated ball of a kind tance or period); during (walked for miles; sang for two
used in these. 3 a topical issue or problem that is the hours) 1 7 in the character of; as being (for the last time;
.

subject of continued argument or controversy. • v.intr. know it for a lie). 18 because of; on account of (could
play football, dd foot*ball*er n. not see for tears). 19 in spite of; notwithstanding (for all
foot*board /fobtbawrd/ n. 1 a board to support the feet your fine words). 20 considering or making due allow-
or a foot. 2 an upright board at the foot of a bed. ance in respect of (good for a beginner). 21 in order to
foot«bridge /fobtbrij/ n. a bridge for use by pedestri-
ans. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

forage ~ forehand 306 or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle.

be {gone for a soldier) • conj. because; since; seeing that.
. less adj.
d oh for I wish I had (oh for a strong black coffee)
for»age /fawrij, for-/ n. &
v. •«. 1 food for horses and
cattle. 2 the act or an instance of searching for food.
• v. 1 intr. go searching; rummage (esp. for food) 2 tr.
obtain food from; plunder. 3 tr. a get by foraging.
b supply with food, dd for*ag*er n.
for»ay /fawray, for-/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a sudden attack; a
raid. 2 an attempt or venture, esp. into a field not one's
own. •v.intr. make or go on a foray.
for*bade (also for*bad) past of forbid.
focbear /fawrbair/ v.intr.
1
&
tr. {past forbore /-bawr/;
past part, forborne /-bawrn/) (often foil, by from, or to
+ infin.) literary abstain or desist (from) {could not for-
bear (from) speaking out', forbore to mention it).
• v.tr. cross (water) at a ford, dd ford*a*ble adj. ford*
fore /fawr/ adj., n., int. madj. situated in front. •«. the
front part, esp. of a ship; the bow. •int. Golf a warning
to a person in the path of a ball, d come to the fore
. take a leading part, to the fore in front; conspicuous.
fore and aft adv. & adj. • adv. at bow and stern; all over
the ship. • adj. (fore-and-aft) (of a sail or rigging) set
lengthwise, not on the yards.
fore»arm /fawraarm/ n. 1 the part of the arm from the
elbow to the wrist or the fingertips. 2 the correspond-
ing part in a foreleg or wing.
fore»bear /fawrbair/ n. (also forebear) (usu. in pi.) an
ancestor.
fore*bode /fawrbod/ v.tr. 1 betoken; be an advance
warning of (an evil or unwelcome event) 2 have a pre- .

for»bear 2 var. of forebear. sentiment of (usu. evil).

for»bear»ance /fawrbairans/ n. patient self-control; tol- fore«bod*ing /fawrboding/ n. an expectation of trouble
erance. or evil; a presage or omen.
for«bid /forbid, fawr-/ v.tr. (forbidding; past forbade fore-cast /fawrkast/ v. &
n. • v. tr. (past and past part.
/-bad, -bayd/or forbad /-bad/; past part, forbidden -cast or -casted) predict; estimate or calculate before-
/-bid'n/) 1 (foil, by to + infin.) order not {1 forbid you hand. • n. a calculation or estimate of something fu-
to go) 2 refuse to allow (a thing, or a person to have a
. ture, esp. coming weather, dd fore*cast«er n.
thing) (/ forbid it; was forbidden any wine) 3 refuse a
. fore»cas»tle/foks3l/w. (also fo'c's'le) Naut. the forward
person entry to {the gardens are forbidden to children) part of a ship.
for«bid»den fruit n. something desired or enjoyed all fore»clOSe /fawrkloz/ v. tr. 1 (also absol. ; foil, by on) stop
the more because not allowed. (a mortgage) from being redeemable or (a mortgager)
for*bid*ding /farbiding, fawr-/ adj. uninviting; repel- from redeeming, esp. as a result of defaults in pay-
lent; stern, dd for»bid«ding«ly adv. ment. 2 exclude; prevent. 3 shut out; bar. dd fore«clo»
for«bore past of forbear 1
. sure /-klozhar/ n.
for»borne past part, of forbear 1 . fore«COUrt /fawrkawrt/ n. 1 an enclosed space in front
force /fawrs/ n. &
v. • n. 1 power; exerted strength or of a building. 2 Tennis the part of the court between
impetus; intense effort. 2 coercion or compulsion, esp. the service line and the net.
with the use or threat of violence. 3 a military strength. fore»doom /fawrdoom/ v.tr. (often foil, by to) doom or
b (in pi.) troops; fighting resources. C an organized condemn beforehand.
body of people, esp. soldiers, police, or workers. fore»fa«ther /fawrfaathar/ n. (usu. in pi.) 1 an ancestor.
4 binding power; validity. 5 effect; precise significance 2 a member of a past generation of a family or people.
{the force of their words). 6 a mental or moral strength; fore»fin»ger /fawrfinggsr/ n. the finger next to the
influence; efficacy (force of habit), b vividness of effect thumb.
(described with much force) 7 Physics a an influence
. fore»foot /fawrfoot/ n. (pi. -feet) either of the front feet
tending to cause the motion of a body, b the intensi- of a four-footed animal.
ty of this. 8 a person or thing regarded as exerting in- forefront /fawrfrunt/n. 1 the foremost part. 2 the lead-
fluence (is a force for good) mv. 1 tr. constrain (a per-
. ing position.
son) by force. 2 tr. make a way through or into by force. fore»gath»er var. of forgather.
3 tr. (usu. with prep, or adv.) drive or propel violently fore^go /fawrg6/urr. &intr. (-goes; past -went /-went/;
1

or against resistance (the wind forced them back). 4 tr. past part, -gone /-gon/) precede in place or time.
(foil, by on, upon) impose or press (on a person) (forced dd fore»go«er n.
their views on us). 5 tr. a cause or produce by effort fore»go 2 var. of forgo.
(forced a smile) b attain by strength or effort (forced an
. fore«go»ing /fawrgoing/ adj. preceding; previously
entry; must force a decision). 6 tr. strain or increase to mentioned.
the utmost; overstrain. 7 tr. artificially hasten the fore»gone con*clu«sion n. an easily foreseen or pre-
development or maturity of (a plant). 8 tr. seek or de- dictable result.
mand quick results from; accelerate the process of fore«ground /fawrgrownd/ n. 1 the part of a view that
(force the pace), o force a person's hand make a per- is nearest the observer. 2 the most conspicuous posi-

son act prematurely or unwillingly, force the issue ren- tion.

der an immediate decision necessary, in force 1 valid; fore-hand /fawrhand/ n. Tennis, etc. 1 a stroke played
effective. 2 in great strength or numbers, join forces with the palm of the hand facing the opponent 2
combine efforts, do force«a«ble adj. forc»er n. (attrib.) (also fore*hand*ed) of or made with a fore-
force-feed v.tr. (past. & past part, -fed /-fed/) force (esp. hand.
a prisoner) to take food.
force field n. (in science fiction) an invisible barrier of
force.
force«ful /fawrsfOOl/ adj. 1 vigorous; powerful. 2 (of
speech) compelling; impressive, dd force«fuMy adv.
force»ful»ness n.
force-meat /fawrsmeet/ n. meat, etc., chopped and sea-
soned for use as a stuffing or a garnish.
for»ceps /fawrseps/ n. (pi. same) surgical pincers, used
for grasping and holding.
for»ci»ble /fawrsibal/ adj. done by or involving force;
forceful, dd for*ci*ble*ness n. for»ci«bly adv.
ford /fawrd/ n. &
v. • n. a shallow place where a river forceps
 . .

fore«head fawrid, -hed, for-/ n. the part of the face 307 forehead ~ forget
above the eyebrows.
Traditionally, forehead was pronounced with the event). 3 anticipate the action of. 4 deal with before-
stresson the first syllable and with the h silent, so that hand.
it almost rhymed with horrid. But today many pro- for»est«er /fawristar, for-/ n. 1 a person in charge of a
nounce it sounding the h and giving the element head forest or skilled in forestry. 2 a person or animal liv-
secondary stress. ing in a forest.
foreign /fawrin, for-/ adj. 1 of or from or situated in for»est»ry fawristree, for-/ n. 1 the science or man-
or characteristic of a country or a language other than agement of forests. 2 wooded country; forests.
one's own. 2 dealing with other countries {foreign serv- fore»taste n. &
v. • n. /fawrtayst partial enjoyment or

ice). 3 of another district, society, etc. 4 (often foil, by suffering in advance; anticipation, •v.tr. fawrtayst
to) unfamiliar; strange; uncharacteristic (his behavior taste beforehand; anticipate the experience of.
is foreign to me). 5 coming from outside (a foreign body fore»tell /fawrtel/ v.tr. (past and past part, -told -t6ld/)
lodged in my eye), dd for»eign»ness n. of (an event, etc.) before it takes place; predict;
1 tell

for»eign»er /fawrinar, for-/ n. 1a person born in or prophesy. 2 presage; be a precursor of. dd fore«tell«er
coming from a foreign country or place. 2 dial, a per- n.

son not native to a place. 3 a a foreign ship, b an im- forethought /fawrthawr n. 1 care or provision for the
ported animal or article. future. 2 previous thinking or devising. 3 deliberate in-
for»eign exchange n. 1 the currency of other coun- tention.
tries. 2 dealings in these. fore*to«ken «.&ai n. /fawrtokan/ a sign of something
foreign mirvis»ter n. (also foreign secretary) (in some to come. •v.tr. /fawrtokan/ portend; indicate before-
governments) a government minister in charge of his hand.
or her country's relations with other countries. fore»told past and past part, of foretell.
fore»leg /fawrleg/ n. each of the front legs of a quadru- for»ev»er /farevar, fawr-/ adv. continually; persistently
ped. (is forever complaining)

fore-limb /fawrlim/ n. any of the front limbs of an an- fore*warn fawrwawrn/ v.tr. warn beforehand.
imal. fore»went past of forego forego 2 1
, .

fore*lock /fawrlok/ n. a lock of hair growing just above fore»wom»an fawrwooman; n. (pi -women) 1 a female
the forehead. worker with supervisory responsibilities. 2 a woman
foreman /fawrman/ n.-men) 1 a worker with su-
(pi. who presides over a jury's deliberations and speaks on
pervisory responsibilities. 2 the member of a jury who its behalf.
presides over its deliberations and speaks on its be- fore»word fawrward/ n. introductory remarks at the
half. beginning of a book, often by a person other than the
fore»mast /fawrmast, -mast/ n. the forward (lower) author.
mast of a ship. forfeit /fawrfit/ n., adj., &
v. • «. 1 a penalty for a breach

fore-most /fawrmost/ adj. &

adv. •adj. 1 the chief or of contract or neglect; a fine. 2 a a trivial fine for a
most notable. 2 the most advanced in position; the breach of rules in clubs, etc., or in a game, b (in pi.)
front. • adv. before anything else in position; in the first a game in which forfeits are exacted. 3 something sur-
place (first and foremost) rendered as a penalty. 4 the process of forfeiting, madj.
fo»ren»sic /farensik, -zik/ adj. 1 of or used in connec- lost or surrendered as a penalty, •v.tr. (forfeited, for-
tion with courts of law (forensic science) 2 disp. of or
. feiting) lose the right to, be deprived of, or have to pay
involving forensic science (sent for forensic examina- as a penalty, dd for«feit«a«ble adj. for«fei«ture -fichar
tion), do fo-ren«si»caMy adv. n.

fore*play /fawrplay/ n. stimulation preceding sexual in- for«fend /fawrfend/ v.tr. 1 protect by precautions.
tercourse. 2 archaic avert; keep off.
fore*run»ner /fawr-runar/ n. 1a predecessor. 2 an ad- for»gath»er fawrgathar/ v.intr. (also fore»gath»er) as-
vance messenger. semble; meet together; associate.
fore*sail /fawrsayl, -sal/ n. Naut. the principal sail on for»gave past of forgi\-e.
a foremast. forge fawrj/ v. 1
&
n. •v.tr. 1 a write (a document or
fore»see /fawrse'e/ v.tr. (past -saw /-saw/; past part. signature) in order to pass it off as written by anoth-
-seen /-seen/) (often foil, by that + clause) see or be er, b make (money, etc.) in fraudulent imitation. 2 fab-
aware of beforehand, no fore«see«a»ble adj. fore«see« ricate; invent. 3 shape (esp. metal) by heating and
a«bil»i«ty n. hammering. •«. 1 a blacksmith's workshop; a smithy.
fore«shad«OW /fawrshado/ v.tr. be a warning or indica- 2 a a furnace or hearth for melting or refining metal.
tion of (a future event). b a workshop containing this, dd forge*a*ble adj. forg-
fore«short«en /fawrshawrt'n/ v.tr. show or portray (an er n.
object) with the apparent shortening due to visual forge 2 /fawrj/ v. intr. move forward gradually or stead-
perspective. ily, d forge ahead 1 take the lead in a race. 2 progress
fore»sight /fawrsit/ n. 1 regard or provision for the fu- rapidly.
ture. 2 the process of foreseeing. 3 the front sight of a for»ger«y /fawrjaree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 the act or an instance
gun. 4 Surveying a sight taken forward, dd fore«sight« of forging a document, etc. 2 a forged document.
ed /-sitid/ adj. fore«sight*ed*ly adv. fore«sight»ed«ness for»get Target v. (forgetting; past forgot got past ;

n. part, forgotten -got'n or esp. US forgot) 1 tr. (of- &

fore«skin /fawrskin/ n. the fold of skin covering the end ten foil, by about) intr. lose the remembrance of; not
of the penis. Also called prepuce. remember (a person or thing). 2 tr. (foil, by clause or
for«est /fawrist, for-/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a (often attrib.) a to + infin.) not remember; neglect (forgot to come; for-
large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth. got hozv to do it). 3 tr. inadvertendy omit to bring or
b the trees growing in it. C a large number or dense mention or attend to. 4 tr. (also absol.) put out of mind;
mass of vertical objects (a forest of masts). 2 a district cease to think of (forgive and forget), a forget oneself
formerly a forest but now cultivated, •v.tr. 1 plant with 1 neglect one's own interests. 2 act unbecomingly or
trees. 2 convert into a forest. unworthily, dd for*get*ta*ble adj.
forestall /fawrstawl/ v.tr. 1 act in advance of in order
to prevent. 2 anticipate (the action of another, or an See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

forgetful ~ formerly 308 as a concept, institution, or practice (form an idea;

formed an alliance). 6 tr. (foil, by into) embody; organ-
fOfgeMul/fargetfaol/ad;. 1 apt to forget; absent-mind- ize. 7 tr. articulate (a word). 8 tr. & intr. (often foil, by

ed. 2 (often foil, by of) forgetting; neglectful, dd for*
get*ful*ly adj. for»get«ful»ness n.
for»get-me-not n. any plant of the genus Myosotis, esp.
M. alpestris with small yellow-eyed bright blue flow-
ers.
for»give /fsrgiv/ v.tr. (also absol. or with double object)
(past forgave; past part, forgiven) 1 cease to feel angry
up) esp. Mil. bring or be brought into a certain ar-
rangement or formation. 9 tr. construct (a new word)
by derivation, inflection, etc.
for»mal /fawrmal/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 used or done or held
in accordance with rules, convention, or ceremony
(formal dress; a formal occasion). 2 ceremonial; required
by convention (a formal offer) 3 precise or symmetri-
.

or resentful toward; pardon (an offender or offense)). cal (a formal garden) 4 prim or stiff in manner. 5 per-
.

2 remit or let off (a debt or debtor), oo for*giva*ble functory; having the form without the spirit. 6 valid or ;

adj. for»giva«bly adv. for»giv»er n. correctly so called because of its form; explicit (a for-
for»give»ness /forgivnis/ n. 1 the act of forgiving; the mal agreement) 7 in accordance with recognized forms
.

state of being forgiven. 2 readiness to forgive. or rules. 8 of or concerned with (outward) form or ap-
for»giv»ing /fargiving/ adj. inclined readily to forgive. pearance, esp. as distinct from content or matter. • n.
dd for»giving«ly adv. 1 evening dress. 2 an occasion on which evening dress

for»go /fawrgO/ v. tr. (also fore»go) (-goes; past -went is worn, an for»maMy adv.

/-went/; past part, -gone /-gawn, -gon/) 1 abstain form»al»de»hyde /fawrmaldihid/ n. a colorless pungent
from; go without; relinquish. 2 omit or decline to take gas used as a disinfectant and preservative and in the
or use (a pleasure, advantage, etc.). manufacture of synthetic resins.
for«got past & esp. US past part, of forget. for»ma«lin /fawrmalin/ n. a colorless solution of form-
for»got»ten past part, of forget. aldehyde in water used as a preservative for biological
fork /fawrk/ n. &
v. •n. 1 an instrument with two or specimens, etc.
more prongs used in eating or cooking. 2 a similar for«mal*ism /fawrmalizgm/ n. 1 a excessive adherence
much larger instrument used for digging, lifting, etc. to prescribed forms, b the use of forms without regard
3 any pronged device or component (tuning fork) 4 a . to inner significance. 2 derog. an artist's concentration
forked support for a bicycle wheel. 5 a a divergence of on form at the expense of content, dd for*mal*ist n.
anything, e.g., a stick, road, or a river, into two parts. for*mal*is*tic adj.
b the place where this occurs, c either of the two parts for»mal»i»ty /fawrmalitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a a formal or
(take the left fork). 6 a flash of forked lightning. »v. ceremonial act, requirement of etiquette, regulation,
1 intr. form a fork or branch by separating into two or custom, b a thing done simply to comply with a
parts. 2 intr. take one or other road, etc., at a fork (fork rule. 2 the rigid observance of rules or convention.
left for D
anbury). 3 tr. dig or lift, etc., with a fork, a fork 3 ceremony; elaborate procedure. 4 being formal; pre-
out (or over or up) 5/. hand over or pay, usu. reluctant- cision of manners.
ly. for»mal»ize /fawrmaliz/ v.tr. 1 give definite shape or le-
forked /fawrkt/ adj. 1 having a fork or forklike end or gal formality to. 2 make ceremonious, precise, or rig-
branches. 2 divergent; cleft. 3 (in comb.) having so id, dd for»mal*i*za*tion /-lizayshan/ n.
many prongs (three-forked) for»mat /fawrmat/ n. & v. • n. 1 the shape and size of a

forked lightening n. a lightning flash in the form of a book, periodical, etc. 2 the style or manner of an ar-
zigzag or branching line. rangement or procedure. 3 Computing a defined struc-
fork»lift /fawrklift/ n. a vehicle with a horizontal fork in ture for holding data in a record for processing or stor-
front for lifting and carrying loads. age. • v.tr. (formatted, formatting) 1 arrange or put into
foMorn /fawrlawrn/ adj. 1 sad and abandoned or lone- a format. 2 Computing prepare (a storage medium) to
ly. 2 in a pitiful state; of wretched appearance, dd for* receive data.
lorn»ly adv. foMormness n. for»ma«tion /fawrmayshgn/ n. 1 the act or an instance
form /fawrm/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a shape; an arrangement of forming; the process of being formed. 2 a thing
of parts, b the outward aspect (esp. apart from color) formed. 3 a structure or arrangement of parts. 4 a par-
or shape of a body. 2 a person or animal as visible or ticular arrangement, e.g., of troops, aircraft in flight,
tangible (the familiar form of the teacher) 3 the mode
. etc. 5 Geol. an assemblage of rocks or series of strata
in which a thing exists or manifests itself (took the form having some common characteristic, dd for»ma»tion«
of a book). 4 a species, kind, or variety. 5 a a printed al adj.
document with blank spaces for information to be in- for»ma»tive /fawrmativ/ adj. serving to form or fashion;
serted, b a regularly drawn document. 6 a class or of formation, dd for«ma«tive»ly adv.
grade, as in some private schools or a British school. for-mer /fawrmor/ attrib.adj. 1 of or occurring in the
1

7 a customary method; what is usually done (common past or an earlier period (informer times) 2 having been
.

form). 8 a set order of words; a formula. 9 behavior previously (her former husband). 3 (prec. by the; often
according to a rule or custom. 10 (prec. by the) cor- absol.) the first or first mentioned of two.
rect procedure (knows the form). 11a (of an athlete, When two previously mentioned items are referred
horse, etc.) condition of health and training (is in top to, the one named first is the former, the lecond the
form), b Racing details of previous performances. latter: The menu offered coconui-arutttd \hrintp and bar-
1 2 general state or disposition (was in great form) —
becued ribs the former decidedly sweet, the Lit to ,ihs,<
1 3 formality or mere ceremony. 1 4 Gram, a one of the lutely mild. If there are three or more, first, second,
ways in which a word may be spelled or pronounced (etc.) and last should he used, even ll ;ill ire not men
or inflected, b the external characteristics of words tioned: Ofzvintcr, spring, and summer, I //>/</ tin last mM
apart from meaning. 15 arrangement and style in lit- enjoyable.
erary or musical composition. 16 Philos. the essential fornver 2 /fawrmor/ n. 1 a person or thing that tonus
nature of a species or thing. 1 7 Brit, a long bench with- 2 Electr. a frame or core for winding a coil on. 3 A, rOH
out a back. 18 a hare's lair. »t>. 1 tr. make or fashion a transverse strengthening member in a wing 01 fust
into a certain shape or form. 2 intr. take a certain lage. 4 esp. Brit, (in comb.) a pupil of a specified form
shape; be formed. 3 tr. be the material of; make up or in a school (fourth-former).
constitute (together form a unit; forms part of the struc- for»mer»ly /fawrmorlee/ adv. in the past, in form*
ture). 4 tr. train or instruct. 5 tr. develop or establish times.

for»mic ac»id /fawrmik/ n. a colorless irritant volatile
acid emitted by some ants.
for»mi«da»ble/fawrmid3b9l,d*'s/>. formidabal/ adj. 1 in-
spiring fear or dread. 2 inspiring respect or awe. 3 like-
ly to be hard to overcome, resist, or deal with, dd for*
mi*da*ble*ness n. for»mi»da»bly adv.
forrrMess /fawrmlis/ adj. shapeless; without determi-
nate or regular form, an form«less»ly adv. forrrvless*
ness n.
form leWer n. a standardized letter to deal with fre-
quently occurring matters.
for»mu»la /fawrmyala/ n. (pi. formulas or (esp. in sens-
es 1 2) formulae /-lee/) 1 Chem. a set of chemical sym-
, adversity.
bols showing the constituents of a substance and their
relative proportions. 2 Math, a mathematical rule
expressed in symbols. 3 a a fixed form of words, esp.
one used on social or ceremonial occasions, b a rule
unintelligently or slavishly followed. C a form of words
embodying agreement, etc. 4 a a list of ingredients; a
recipe, b an infant's liquid food preparation. 5 a
classification of racing car, esp. by the engine capac-
ity, od for»mu»la»ic /-layik/ adj. for»mu«lar«ize /-tariz/
v.tr. for*mu*lize v.tr.
for»mu»late /fawrmyalayt/ v.tr. 1 express in a formula.
2 express clearly and precisely. 3 create or devise (a
plan, etc.). 4 develop or prepare following a formula.
dd for»mu»la»tion /-layshsn/ n.
for»ni»cate /fawrnikayt/ v.intr. (of people not married
or not married to each other) have sexual intercourse
voluntarily, an for«ni»ca«tion /-kayshan/ n. for«ni»ca«tor
n.
for*sake /farsayk, fawr-/ v. tr. (past forsook /-sobk/; past
part, forsaken /-saykan/) 1 give up; renounce. 2 with-
draw one's help, friendship, or companionship from;
desert; abandon, dd for*sak*en*ness n. for»sak»er n.
for«SOOth /farsdbth, fawr-/ adv. archaic or joe. truly; in
truth; no doubt.
foreswear /fawrswair/ v. tr. (past forswore /-swawr/; past
part, forsworn /-swawrn/) 1 abjure; renounce on oath. for«tune-tel«ler n. a person who claims to predict fu-
2 (in refl. or passive) swear falsely; commit perjury.
for»syth»i»a /fawrsitheea/ n. any ornamental shrub of for»ty /fawrtee/ n.
the genus Forsythia bearing bright yellow flowers in
early spring.
fort /fawrt/ n. la fortified building or position. 2 hist.
a trading post, orig. fortified.
forte /fawrt, fawrtay/ n. a thing in which a person
1
excels.
for»te 2 /fortay/ adj., adv., & n. Mus. *adj.performed
loudly. madv. loudly. •«. a passage to be performed
loudly.
for»te-pia»no /fortaypyano, -pya'ano/ n (pi. -nos) Mus.
= pianoforte esp. with ref. to an instrument of the 1 8th
to early 19th c.
forth /fawrth/ adv. archaic except in set phrases and af-
ter certain verbs, esp. bring, come, go, and set. 1 for-
ward; into view. 2 onward in time (from this time forth;
henceforth). 3 forward. 4 out from a starting point (set
forth), a and so forth and so on; and the like.
forth»com«ing /fawrthkuming/ attrib.adj. 1 a about or
likely to appear or become available, b approaching.
2 produced when wanted (no reply was forthcoming)
3 (of a person) informative; responsive, dd forth»com»
ing*ness n.
forth'right/fawrthrit/ad/.&adv. *adj. 1 direct and out-
spoken. 2 decisive, madv. in a direct manner; bluntly.
dd forth«righWy adv. forth«right«ness n.
forth»with /fawrthwith, -with/ adv. immediately; with-
out delay.
for»ti«fi«ca»tion /fawrtifikayshan/ n. 1 the act or
stance of fortifying; the process of being fortified.
2 Mil. a the art or science of fortifying, b (usu. in pi.)
defensive works fortifying a position.
for«ti»fy /fawrtifi/ v. tr. (-f ies, -fled) 1 provide or equip
.
309 formic acid ~ forward
with defensive works. 2 strengthen or invigorate phys-
ically, mentally, or morally. 3 strengthen the structure
of. 4 strengthen (wine) with alcohol. 5 increase the nu-
tritive value of (food, esp. with vitamins), dd for«ti»fi»
a»ble adj. for»ti«fi»er n.
for»tis»si»mo /fawrtisimo/ adj., adv., n. Mus. »adj.&
performed very loudly. • adv. very loudly. • n. (pi. -mos
or fortisslmi /-mee/) a passage to be performed very
loudly.
for»ti«tude /fawrtitood, -tyood/ n. courage in pain or
n. two weeks.
fortnight /fawrtnit/
Fortran /fawrtran/ n. (also FORTRAN) Computing a
high-level programming language used esp. for sci-
entific calculations (abbr. of formula Translation).
for»tress /fawrtris/ n. a military stronghold, esp. a
strongly fortified town.
for»tu»i»tOUS /fawrtobitas, -tyob-/ adj. due to or char-
acterized by chance, dd for»tu»i»tous«ly adv. for»tu»i»
tousTiess n.
for»tu«nate /fawrchanat/ adj. 1 lucky; prosperous.
2 auspicious; favorable.
for»tu»nate«ly /fawrchanatlee/ adv. 1 luckily; success-
fully. 2 (qualifying a whole sentence) it is fortunate
that.
for»tune /fawrchan/ a chance or luck as a force in
n. 1
human affairs, b 2 (Fortune) this
a person's destiny.
force personified, often as a deity. 3 (in sing, or pi.)
the good or bad luck that befalls a person or an en-
terprise. 4 good luck. 5 prosperity; a prosperous con-
dition. 6 (also colloq. small fortune) great wealth; a
huge sum of money. make a (or one's) fortune ac-
quire wealth or prosperity, tell a person's fortune make
predictions about a person's future.
for»tune hunt»er n. colloq. a person seeking wealth by
marriage.
ture events in a person's life, dd for»tune-tell»ing n.
&
adj. • n. (pi. -ties) 1 the product of
four and ten. 2 a symbol for this (40, xl, XL). 3 (in
pi.) the numbers from 40 to 49, esp. the years of a cen-
tury or of a person's life. madj. that amount to forty.
dd for»ti»eth adj. &
n. for«tyfold adj. adv. &
for»ty-nin»er n. a seeker for gold, etc., esp. in the Califor-
nia gold rush of 1849.
for»ty winks n.pl. colloq. a short sleep.
fo»rum /fawram/ «. 1a place of or meeting for public
discussion. 2 a periodical, etc., giving an opportunity
for discussion. 3 a court or tribunal. 4 hist, a public
square or marketplace in an ancient Roman city.
for«ward /fawrwdrd/ adj., n., adv., &
v. »adj. 1 lying in
one's line of motion. 2 a onward or toward the front.
b Naut. belonging to the fore part of a ship. 3 preco-
cious; bold in manner; presumptuous. 4 Commerce re-
lating to future produce, delivery, etc. (forward con-
tract). 5 a advanced; progressing toward or
approaching maturity or completion, b (of a plant,
etc.) well advanced or early, mn. an attacking player
in soccer, hockey, etc. madv. 1 to the front; into prom-
inence. 2 in advance; ahead (sent them forward). 3 on-
ward so as to make progress (not getting any farther
forward). 4 toward the future; continuously onward
(from this time forward). 5 (also forwards) a in the
direction one is facing, b in the normal direction of
motion or of traversal. C with continuous forward mo-
tion (rushing forward) 6 Naut. . &
Aeron. in, near, or
an in- toward the bow or nose. 9V.tr. 1 a send (a letter, etc.)
on to a further destination, b esp. Brit, dispatch
(goods, etc.) 2 help to advance; promote, dd for»ward»
.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
forward-looking ~ fowl 310 garment) a woman's supporting undergarment, e.g.,
a corset, dd foun*da*tion*al adj.
er n. for*ward*ly adv. for*ward*ness n. (esp. in sense found-er /fowndsr/ n. a person who founds an insti-
1

3 of adj.). tution.
for-ward-look*ing adj. progressive; favoring change. found»er 2 /fowndar/ v. 1 a intr. (of a ship) fill with wa-
tor-wards var. of forward adv. 5. ter and sink, b tr. cause (a ship) to founder. 2 intr. (of
for*went past of forgo. a plan, etc.) fail. 3 intr. (of earth, a building, etc.) fall
fos-sil /fosol/ n. & adj. • n. 1 the remains or impression down or in. 4 intr. (of a horse or its rider) fall to the
of a (usu. prehistoric) plant or animal in rock (often ground, fall from lameness, stick fast in mud, etc.
attrib.: fossil shells). 2 colloq. an antiquated or unchang- founding farther n. a person associated with a found-
ing person or thing, madj. 1 of or like a fossil. 2 anti- ing, esp. (usu. cap.) an American statesman at the time
quated, dd fos*sil*if*er*ous /fosilifgrss/ adj. fos*sil*ize of the Revolution.
v.tr. & intr. fos*sil*i*za*tion n. foundling /fowndling/ n. an abandoned infant of un-
fos-sil fu»el n. a natural fuel such as coal or gas formed known parentage.
from the remains of living organisms. found»ry /fowndree/ n. (pi -ries) a workshop for or a
fos»ter /fawstar, fos-/ v. & adj. • v. tr. 1 a promote the business of casting metal.
growth or development of. b encourage or harbor (a fount /fownt/ n. poet, a spring or fountain; a source.
1

feeling). 2 (of circumstances) be favorable to. 3 bring fount 2 /fownt, font/ n. Brit. = font 2 .

up (a child that is not one's own by birth). 4 cherish; fountain /fowntin/ n. 1 a a jet or jets of water made to
have affectionate regard for (an idea, scheme, etc.). spout for ornamental purposes or for drinking, b a
madj. 1 having a family connection by fostering and structure provided for this. 2 a structure for the con-
not by birth (foster brother, foster parent) 2 concerned
. stant public supply of drinking water. 3 a natural
with fostering a child (foster care; foster home), dd fos* spring of water. 4 a source (in physical or abstract sens-
ter-age n. (esp. in sense 3 of v. ) fos*ter*er n.
. es). 5 = soda fountain. 6 a reservoir for oil, ink, etc.
fought past and past part, of fight. foun*tain*head /fownt'nhed/ n. an original source.
foul /fowl/ adj., n., adv., & v. madj. 1 offensive to the fountain pen n. a pen with a reservoir or cartridge
senses; loathsome; stinking. 2 dirty; soiled; filthy. 3 col- holding ink.
loq. revolting; disgusting. 4 a containing or charged four /fawr/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 one more than three. 2 a sym-
with noxious matter (foul air), b clogged; choked. bol for this (4, iv, IV). 3 a size, etc., denoted by four.
5 disgustingly abusive or offensive (foul language; foul 4 a four-oared rowing boat or its crew. 5 four o'clock
deeds). 6 unfair; against the rules of a game, etc. (by (is it four yet?). 6 a card with four pips. madj. that

fair means or foul). 7 (of the weather) wet; rough; amount to four, d on all fours on hands and knees.
stormy. 8 (of a rope, etc.) entangled. 9 (of a ship's bot- four-eyes n. si a person wearing glasses.
tom) overgrown with weeds, barnacles, etc. mn. four-flush»er n. a bluffer; one who makes false claims.
1 Sports an unfair or invalid stroke or action. 2 Base- four*fold /fawrfold/ adj. & adv. 1 four times as much
ball a batted ball not hit into fair territory. 3 a colli- or as many. 2 consisting of four parts. 3 amounting to
sion or entanglement. 4 a foul thing, madv. unfairly. four.
• v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become foul or dirty. 2 tr. (of four-leaf clo»ver n. (also four-leaved clover) a clover

an animal) make dirty with excrement. 3 a tr. Sports leaf with four leaflets thought to bring good luck.
commit a foul against (a player), b intr. commit a foul. four-leMer word n. any of several short words refer-
4 tr. & intr. Sports hit a ball foul. 5 a tr. (often foil, by ring to sexual or excretory functions, regarded as
up) cause (an anchor, cable, etc.) to become entan- coarse or offensive.
gled or muddled, b intr. become entangled. 6 tr. jam four-post»er n. a bed with a post at each corner sup-
or block (a crossing, railway line, or traffic). 7 tr. (usu. porting a canopy.
foil, by up) colloq. spoil or bungle, dd fouMy adv. foul* four»SCOre /fawrskawr/ n. archaic eighty.

ness n. four»some /fawrsam/ n. 1 a group of four persons. 2 a a

fou*lard /foolaard/ n. 1 a thin soft material of silk or silk golf match between two pairs with partners playing
and cotton. 2 an article made of this. the same ball, b a golf match with four players.
foul play n. 1 unfair play in games. 2 treacherous or vi- four-square /fawrskwair/ adj. & adv. madj. 1 solidly
olent activity, esp. murder. based. 2 steady; resolute; forthright. 3 square shaped.
fOUl ShOt n. = FREE THROW. • adv. steadily; resolutely.
foul-up n. a muddled or bungled situation. four-stroke adj. (of an internal combustion engine)
found past and past part, of find.
1
having a cycle of four strokes (intake, compression,
found 2 /fownd/ v. 1 tr. a establish (esp. with an endow- combustion, and exhaust).
ment), b originate or initiate (an institution). 2 tr. be fourteen /fawrte'en/ n. &
adj. mn. 1 one more than thir-
the original builder or begin the building of (a town, teen. 2 a symbol for this (14, xiv, XIV). 3 a size, etc.,
etc.). 3 tr. lay the base of (a building, etc.). 4 (foil, by denoted by fourteen, madj. that amount to fourteen.
on, upon) a tr. construct or base (a story, theory, rule, dd fourteenth adj. &
n.

etc.) according to a specified principle or ground. fourth /fawrth/rc. &adj. mn. 1 the position in a sequence
b intr. have a basis in. corresponding to that of the number 4 in the sequent <

found 3 /fownd/ v.tr. 1 a melt and mold (metal), b fuse 1-4.2 something occupying this position. 3 the fourth
(materials for glass). 2 make by founding, dd found*er person, etc., in a race or competition. 4 ea< li <>l foul

n. equal parts of a thing; a quarter. 5 the fourth in ;i se-

foun*da*tion /fowndayshon/ n. 1 a the solid ground or
base on which a building rests, b (usu. in pi.) the low-
est load-bearing part of a building, usu. below ground
level. 2 a body or ground on which other parts are
overlaid. 3 a basis or underlying principle (the report
quence of gears. 6 Mus. a an interval or chord spun
ning four consecutive notes in the diatonic si ;il(
C to F). b a note separated from another by this m
terval. 7 (Fourth) the Fourth of July. • </<//. thai is the
fourth, i fourth*ly adv.
ii ]

has no foundation) 4 a the act or an instance of estab- fourth es*tate >/. the press; journalism
.

lishing or constituting (esp. an endowed institution). four-wheel drive //. drive powering nil four wheels of
b such an institution, e.g., a college or hospital. 5 a a vehicle.
cream used as a base to even out facial skin tone be- fowl /fowl/ n. Of v. (pi same or fowls) • n. 1 any domes
fore applying other cosmetics. 6 (in full foundation tic cock or hen kept for eggs and flesh. 2 the flesh <>f
 .

domestic cock or hen, as food, •v.intr.

birds, esp. a 311 Fox ~ francophone
catch or hunt wildfowl, dd fowl«er n. fowMng n.
Fox /foks/ n. 1 a a N. American people native to the fra*grance /fraygrans/ n. (also fra»gran«cy (pi. «cies))
northeastern US. b a member of this people. 2 the lan- 1 sweetness of smell. 2 a sweet scent.
guage of this people. fra*grant /fraygrant/ adj. sweet-smelling, dd fragrant-
fox /foks/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a any of various wild flesh-eat- ly adv.
ing mammals of the dog family, esp. of the genus 1 fragile; delicate. 2 in weak health.
frail /frayl/ adj.
Vulpes, with a bushy tail, and red or gray fur. b the fur 3 morally weak. 4 transient; insubstantial, dd fraiMy
of a fox. 2 a cunning or sly person. 3 si. an attractive adv. frailness n.

young woman or man. »v. 1 a intr. act craftily, b tr. f rail»ty condition of being
/frayltee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the
deceive; baffle; trick. 2 tr. (usu. as foxed adj.) discol- frail.2 liability to err or yield to temptation. 3 a fault,
or (the leaves of a book, engraving, etc.) with brown- weakness, or foible.
ish marks, dd fox*ing n. (in sense 2 of v.). fox»like frame /fraym/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a case or border enclosing

adj. a picture, window, door, etc. 2 the basic rigid sup-

fox*glove /foksgluv/ n. any tall plant of the genus Dig-
italis, with erect spikes of purple or white flowers like
glove fingers.
fox*hole /foks-hol/ n. 1 Mil. a hole in the ground used
as a shelter. 2 a place of refuge or concealment.
porting structure of anything, e.g., of a building, mo-
tor vehicle, or aircraft. 3 (in pi.) the structure of spec-
tacles holding the lenses. 4 a human or animal body,
esp. with reference to its size or structure. 5 a framed
work or structure (the frame of heaven) 6 a an estab- .

fox*hound /foks-hownd/ n. a kind of hound bred and lished order, plan, or system (the frame of society).
trained to hunt foxes. b construction; constitution; build. 7 a temporary
fox hunt /foks-hunt/ n. &v.*n. 1 the hunting of foxes state (esp. in frame of mind). 8 a single complete im-
with hounds. 2 a particular group of people engaged age or picture on a movie or video film or transmitted
in this, •v.intr. engage in a foxhunt, dd fox»hunt»er n. in a series of lines by television. 9 a a triangular struc-
fox«hunt«ing n. & adj. ture for positioning the balls in pool, etc. b the balls
fox*tail /fokstayl/ n. any of several grasses of the genus positioned in this way. c a round of play in bowling,
Alopecurus, with brushlike spikes. etc. 10 Hon. a boxlike structure of glass, etc., for pro-
fox ter»ri»er n. a terrier of a short-haired breed. tecting plants. 11a removable box of slats for the
fox»trot /fokstrot/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a ballroom dance with building of a honeycomb in a beehive. 12 s/. = frame-
slow and quick steps. 2 the music for this. • v. intr. (fox- up. • v.tr. 1 a set in or provide with a frame, b serve as
trotted, foxtrotting) perform this dance. a frame for. 2 construct by a combination of parts or
f ox«y /foksee/ adj. (foxier, foxiest) 1 of or like a fox. 2 sly in accordance with a design or plan. 3 formulate the
or cunning. 3 reddish brown. 4 (of paper) damaged, essentials of (a complex thing, idea, etc.). 4 (foil, by
esp. by mildew. 5 5/. sexually attractive, dd fox»i«ly adv. to, into) adapt or fit. 5 colloq. concoct a false charge or

fox»i»ness n. evidence against; devise a plot with regard to. 6 artic-

foy»er /foyar, foyay, fwa'ayay/ n. the entrance hall or ulate (words), dd fram*a*ble adj. (also frame«a»ble)
other large area in a hotel, theater, etc. frame*less adj. franrer n.
Fr symb. Chem. the element francium. frame of ref»er»ence n. 1 a set of standards or princi-
Fr. abbr. (also Fr) 1 Father. 2 French. ples governing behavior, thought, etc. 2 Geom. a sys-
fr. abbr. franc (s). tem of geometrical axes for defining position.
f ra*cas /fraykas/ n. (pi. same, pronunc. /-kaaz/) a noisy frame-up n. colloq. a conspiracy, esp. to make an inno-
disturbance or quarrel. cent person appear guilty.
fraction /frakshan/ n. 1a numerical quantity that is frame-work /fraymwark/ n. 1 an essential supporting
not a whole number (e.g., 0.5, V 2 ). 2 a small, esp. very structure. 2 a basic system.
small, part, piece, or amount. 3 a portion of a mixture franc /frangk/ n. the chief monetary unit of France, Bel-
separated by distillation, etc. gium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and several other
f raotion»al /frakshanal/ adj. 1 of or relating to or be- countries.
ing a fraction. 2 very slight; incomplete. 3 Chem. re- franchise /franchiz/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a the right to vote

lating to the separation of parts of a mixture by mak- in governmental elections, b the principle of qualifi-
ing use of their different physical properties (fractional cation for this. 2 full membership of a corporation or
crystallization; fractional distillation), dd frac*tion«al«ize nation; citizenship. 3 authorization granted by a com-
frac»tion«aMy adv. (esp. in sense 2).
v.tr. pany to sell its goods or services in a particular way.
fraotious /frakshas/ adj. 1 irritable; peevish. 2 unruly. 4 hist, legal immunity or exemption from a burden or
dd f rac'tious-ly adv. fraotious*ness n. jurisdiction. 5 a right or privilege granted to a person
f raoture /frakchar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a breakage or break- or corporation. 6 a professional sports team, esp. as
ing, esp. of a bone or cartilage, b the result of break- part of a league. 9V.tr. grant a franchise to. dd fran»chi»
2 the surface appearance of a fresh-
ing; a crack or split. see /-zee/ n. fran«chis»er n. (also fran»chi«sor) .

lybroken rock or mineral. • v. intr. &

tr. 1 Med. undergo Fran*cis*can /fransiskan/ n. &
adj. • n. a friar, sister, or
or cause to undergo a fracture. 2 break or cause to lay member of an order founded by St. Francis of Assi-
break. si (see also Grey Friar). »adj. of St. Francis or his or-
fragile /frajil, — jil/ broken; weak. 2 of del-
adj. 1 easily der.
icate frame or constitution; not strong, dd frag*ile*ly fran*ci*um /franseeam/ n. Chem. a radioactive metallic
adv. fra«gil«i»ty /frajilitee/ n. element occurring naturally in uranium and thorium
f rag»ment n. &
v • n. /fragmant/ 1 a part broken off; a
. ores. Tl Symb.: Fr.
detached piece. 2 an isolated or incomplete part. 3 the Franco- /frangko/ comb, form 1 French; French and
remains of an otherwise lost or destroyed book or work (Franco-German) 2 regarding France or the French
.

of art. •v.tr. &

intr. /fragment/ break or separate into (Francophile)
fragments, dd frag*men*tal /-ment'l/ adj. frag*ment*ize Fran«co«phile /frangkafil/ n. a person who is fond of
v.tr. France or the French.
f rag»mer»»tar»y /fragmanteree/ adj. 1 consisting of frag- fran«CO«phone /frangkafon/ n. & adj. •n. a French-
ments. 2 disconnected, dd frag*men*tar*i*ly adv. speaking person. *adj. French-speaking.
f rag*men*ta*tion /fragmantayshan/ n. the process or an

instance of breaking into fragments. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
frangible - freedom 312 tions; a drug addict (see sense 2 of v.). 4 a a caprice
or vagary, b capriciousness. mv. (often foil, by out) col-
frarvgi»ble /franjibol/ adj. breakable; fragile. loq. 1 intr. &
tr. become or make very angry. 2 intr. &
Frank /frangk/ n. 1 a member of the Germanic nation tr. undergo or cause to undergo hallucinations, etc.,

or coalition that conquered Gaul in the 6th c. 2 (in the esp. from use of narcotics. 3 intr. adopt a wildly un-
Levant) a person ofWestern nationality, no Frank«ish conventional lifestyle.
adj. freakish of or like a freak. 2 bizarre;
/fre'ekish/ adj. 1
frank /frangk/ adj., v., & n. outspoken
•adj. 1 candid; unconventional, dd freak*ish*ly adv. freak*ish*ness n.
{a frank opinion). 2 undisguised; avowed (frank admi- freak»y /freekee/ adj. (freakier, freakiest) = freakish.
ration). 3 ingenuous; open (a frank face) •v.tr. stamp .dd freak«i»ly adv. freak*i*ness n.
(a letter) with an official mark to record the payment freck»le /frekol/ n.&v.m n. (often in pi) a light brown
of postage. • «. 1 a franking mark. 2 a franked cover. spot on the skin, usu. caused by exposure to the sun.
dd frank»er n. frank»ness n. • w1 tr. (usu. as freckled adj.) spot with freckles. 2 intr.
Frank»en»stein /frangkanstin/ n. (in full Franken- be spotted with freckles, dd frecMy /freklee/ adj.
stein's monster) a thing that becomes terrifying to its free /free/ adj., adv., &
v. madj. (freer /freear/; freest

maker; a monster (from a character in the 1818 nov-
el by Mary Shelley; Frankenstein is not the name of
the monster itself, as is often assumed).
f rank«f urt»er /frangkfartar/ n. a seasoned sausage made
of beef and pork.
frank«in»cense /frangkinsens/ n. an aromatic gum res-
in used for burning as incense.
Frank»lin stove /frangklin/ n. a cast-iron stove having
the general shape of an open fireplace but often placed
so as to be freestanding.
frank»ly /frangklee/ adv. 1 in a frank manner. 2 (quali-
/freeist/) 1 not in bondage to or under the control of
another; having personal rights and social and polit-
ical liberty. 2 (of a nation or its citizens) subject nei-
ther to foreign domination nor to despotic gov-
ernment; having national and civil liberty (a free press;
a free society). 3 a unrestricted; not restrained or fixed.
b not confined or imprisoned. C released from ties or
duties, d unrestrained as to action; independent (set
free). 4 (foil, by of, from) a exempt from (free of tax).
b not containing or subject to a specified (usu. unde-
sirable) thing (free of preservatives; free from disease) 5 .

fying a whole sentence) to be frank. (foil, by to + infin.) able to take a specified action (free

fran»tic /frantik/ adj. 1 wildly excited; frenzied. 2 char- to choose) 6 unconstrained (free gestures) 7 a costing
. .

acterized by great hurry or anxiety; desperate; violent. nothing, b not subject to tax, duty, or fees. 8 a clear of
3 colloq. extreme; very great, dd fran«ti»caMy adv. fran* engagements (are you free tomorrow?), b not occupied
tioly adv. fran*tic*ness n. or in use (the bathroom is free now). C clear of obstruc-
frap»pe /frapay/ adj. &
n. madj. (esp. of wine) iced, tions. 9 spontaneous; unforced (free compliments).
cooled. »n. 1 an iced drink. 2 a soft semi-frozen drink 1 open to all comers. 1 1 lavish; profuse (very free with
or dessert. their money). 12 frank; unreserved. 13 (of a literary,
frat /frat/ n. colloq. a student fraternity. sporting, etc., style) not observing the strict laws of
fra»ter»nal /fratarngl/ adj. 1 of a brother or brothers. form. 14 (of a translation) conveying the broad sense.
2 suitable to a brother; brotherly. 3 (of twins) devel- 15 forward; impudent. 16 (of talk, stories, etc.) slight-
oped from separate ova and not necessarily similar. ly indecent. 1 7 Physics a not modified by an external
4 of or concerning a fraternity (see fraternity 3). force, b not bound in an atom or molecule. 18 Chem.
dd fra*ter*nal*ism n. fra»ter»naMy adv. not combined (free oxygen) 1 9 (of power or energy)
.

fra»ter»ni»ty/fr3t3rnitee/rz. (pi. -ties) 1 a male students'
society in a university or college. 2 a group or com-
pany with common interests, or of the same profes-
sional class. 3 a religious brotherhood. 4 brotherliness.
disengaged or available. %adv. 1 in a free manner.
2 without cost or payment, •v.tr. 1 make free; set at
liberty. 2 (foil, by of, from) relieve from (something
undesirable) 3 disengage; disentangle, d free and easy
.

frat»er»nize /fratsrniz/^.z wrr. (often foil, by with) 1 asso- informal; unceremonious, dd free»ly adv. free»ness n.
ciate; make friends. 2 (of troops) enter into friendly Free means 'without charge,' and a gift is 'something
relations with enemy troops or the inhabitants of an given without charge.' The expression "free gift" is
occupied country, dd frat«er«ni»za«tion n. therefore tautological.
f rat»ri»cide /fratrisid/ «. 1 the killing of one's brother or -free /free/ comb, form free of or from (duty-free; trouble-
sister. 2 a person who does this, dd frat»ri»cid»al /-sid'l/ free).
adj. free«base /freebays/ n. &v. si. • n. cocaine that has been
fraud /frawd/ n. 1 criminal deception. 2 a dishonest ar- purified by heating with ether, and is taken by inhal-
or trick. 3 a person or thing not fulfilling what is
tifice ing the fumes or smoking the residue. • v. tr. purify (co-
claimed or expected of it. caine) for smoking or inhaling.
fraudulent /frawjatant/ adj. 1 characterized or free«bie /fre'ebee/ n. colloq. a thing provided free of
achieved by fraud. 2 guilty of fraud, dd fraud*u*lence charge.
/-tans/ n. fraud»u«lent»ly adv. free«boot»er /freebooter/ n. a pirate or buccaneer.
fraught /frawt/ adj. 1 (foil, by with) filled or attended dd f ree«boot v. intr.
with (fraught with danger). 2 colloq. free*bom /fre'ebawrn/ adj. inheriting a citizen's rights
causing or affected
by great anxiety or distress. and liberty.
fray /fray/ v. 1 tr. &intr. wear through or become worn, freed»man /fre'edmon/
1
(pi. -men) ;m emancipated //.

esp. (of woven material) unweave at the edges. 2 intr. slave.

(of nerves, etc.) become strained. free*dom /freedom/ n. 1 the condition of being free "i
fray 2 /fray/ n. conflict; fighting (eager for the fray). unrestricted. 2 personal or civic liberty 3 the powei "I
f raz*zle /frazal/ n. &
v. colloq. • n. a worn or exhausted self-determination. 4 the state <>l being tree i<> i< "t I

state (burned to a frazzle), mv.tr. (usu. as frazzled adj.) ten foil, by to + infin.: we have ili> freedom to
wear out; exhaust. 5 frankness; outspokenness. 6 (foil, by from) theCOfl
freak /freek/ n.&v.*n.*\ (also freak of na»ture) a mon- dition of being exempt from or not lubjeci t" ' dl
strosity; an abnormally developed individual or thing. feet, burden, etc.). 7 (foil, by of) a full «>r honorar]
2 (often attrib.) an abnormal, irregular, or bizarre oc- participation in (membership, privileges, etc.). b un-
currence (a freak storm). 3 colloq. a an unconvention- restricted use of (facilities, itc.). 8 ;i privilege p<»s
al person, b a person with a specified enthusiasm sessed by a city or corporation. 9 facility Of eatC in U
(health freak). Ca person who undergoes hallucina- tion. 10 boldness of conception.
 . . .

f reeKJom fightern. a person who takes part in violent 313 freedom fighter ~ French Canadian
resistance to an established political system, etc.
free en»ter»prise n. a system in which private business of necessity or fate. 2 the ability to act at one's own
operates in competition and largely free of government discretion (of my own free will)
control. free world n. the noncommunist countries, esp. dur-
free fall n. movement under
the force of gravity only, ing the Cold War.
esp.: 1 the part of a parachute descent before the par- freeze /freez/ v. &n.»v. (past froze /froz/; past part, fro-
achute opens. 2 the movement of a spacecraft in space zen /frozan/) 1 tr. &
intr. a turn or be turned into ice

without thrust from the engines. or another solid by cold, b (often foil, by over, up)
free-for-all n. a free fight, unrestricted discussion, etc. make or become rigid as a result of the cold. 2 intr. be
free-form attrib.adj. of an irregular shape or structure. or feel very cold. 3 tr. &
intr. cover or become covered

free«hand /freehand/ adj. &

adv. •adj. (of a drawing or with ice. 4 intr. (foil, by to, together) adhere by frost.
plan, etc.) done by hand without special instruments. 5 tr. preserve (food) by refrigeration below the freez-
• adv. in a freehand manner. ing point. 6 tr. &
intr. a make or become motionless

free hand n. freedom to act at one's own discretion or powerless through fear, etc. b react or cause to re-
(see also freehand). act with sudden detachment. 7 tr. stiffen or harden,
free-hand»ed adj. generous, no free-hand»ed»ly adv. injure or kill, by chilling (frozen to death). 8 tr. make
free-hand*ed*ness n. (assets, etc.) unrealizable. 9 tr. fix or stabilize (prices,
freehold /freehold/
n. &
adj. • n. 1 tenure of land or etc.) at a certain level. 1 tr. arrest (an action) at a stage
property in fee simple or fee tail or for life. 2 esp. Brit. of development. 1 1 tr. = freeze-frame w m. 1 a state
land or property or an office held by such tenure. • adj. of frost; a period of very cold weather. 2 the fixing or
held by or having the status of freehold, dd free»hold» stabilization of prices, etc. 3 = freeze-frame n. d freeze
er n. out colloq. exclude by competition or boycott, etc.
1re&\ance/fr&\ans/n.,v.,&adv. •n. 1 (also free»lano freeze up obstruct or be obstructed by the formation
er) a person, usu. self-employed, offering services on of ice. dd freez*a*ble adj. fro»zen»ly adv.
a temporary basis. 2 (attrib.) earn one's living in such
freeze Old English freosan (in the phrase hit freoseth
a way (a freelance editor), •v.intr. act as a freelance.
'it is freezing,so cold that water turns to ice'), of
it is
• adv. as a freelance.
Germanic origin; related to Dutch vriezen and Ger-
free»load»er /fre'elodar/ n. si. a person who eats, drinks,
man frieren, from an Indo-European root shared by
or lives at others' expense; a sponger, dd free*load
Latin pruina 'hoar frost' and frost.
Mod/ v. intr.

free love n. sexual relations according to choice and freeze-dry v.tr. (-dries, -dried) freeze and dry by the
unrestricted by marriage. sublimation of ice in a high vacuum.
free«man /freeman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a person who has freeze-frame n. &
v. •«. (also attrib.) the facility of

the freedom of a city, company, etc. 2 a person who is
not a slave.
free mar«ket n. a market in which prices are determined
by unrestricted competition.
Free»ma»son /fre'emaysan/ n. a member of an interna-
tional fraternity for mutual help, with elaborate secret
rituals, dd Free»mason»ry /freemaysanree/ n.
f re«er compar. of free.
free radical n. Chem. an unchanged atom or group
of atoms with one or more unpaired electrons.
free-range adj. (of hens, etc.) kept in natural condi-
stopping a videotape, etc. in order to view a motion-
less image; a film shot in which movement is arrested
by repetition of a frame, •v.tr. use freeze-frame on (an
image, etc.).
freez«er /freezar/ n. a refrigerated compartment, cab-
inet, or room for preserving food at very low temper-
atures; = DEEP FREEZE n. 1
freeze-up n. a period or conditions of extreme cold.
freezing point n. the temperature at which a liquid,
esp. water, freezes.
freight /frayt/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the transport of goods in

tions with freedom of movement.
f ree»si»a /fre'ezha, -zeea/ n. any bulbous plant of the ge-
nus Freesia, native to Africa, having fragrant flowers.
free speech n. the right to express opinions freely.
free-spok»en adj. speaking candidly; not concealing
one's opinions.
f re»est superl. of free.
free-stand«ing adj. not supported by another struc-
ture.
f ree»Sty le /fre'estil/ adj. &n.» adj. (of a contest) in which
styles are allowed, esp.: 1 Swimming in
all
stroke may be used. 2 Wrestling with few restrictions
on the holds permitted. •«. = crawl n. 3.
f ree«thlnk«er /fre'ethingkar/ n. a person who rejects dog-
ma or authority, dd free*think*ing n. adj. & or its people or language. 2 having the characteristics
free throw n. Basketball an unhindered shot at the bas-
ket made by a player after a foul has been called against
the opposing team.
free verse n. verse without a fixed metrical pattern.
free-ware /fre'ewair/ n. Computing software that
containers or by air or land or, esp. Brit. , water. 2 goods
transported; cargo. 3 a charge for transportation of
goods. 4 the lease of a ship or aircraft for transporting
goods. 5 a load or burden, •v.tr. 1 transport (goods)
as freight. 2 load with freight. 3 lease out (a ship) for
the carriage of goods and passengers.
freight car n. a railroad car used for transporting
freight.
freighter /fraytar/ n. 1a ship or aircraft designed to
carry freight. 2 a person who loads or charters and
which any loads a ship. 3 a person who consigns goods for car-
riage inland. 4 a person whose business is to receive
and forward freight.
French /french/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of or relating to France
attributed to the French people. • n. 1 the language of
France, also used in Belgium, Switzerland, Canada,
and elsewhere. 2 (prec. by the; treated as pi.) the peo-
ple of France. 3 colloq. bad language (excuse my
is French) 4 colloq. dry vermouth (gin and French)
.

distributed free and without technical support to dd Frenchify /frenchifi/ v. tr. (-ties, -tied) French»ness
users. n.
free«way /freeway/ n. 1 an express highway, esp. with French bread n. white bread in a long crisp loaf.
controlled access. 2 a toll-free highway. French Ca*na*di*an n. &
adj. • «. a Canadian whose
free«wheel /fre'eweel/ v.intr. 1 move freely with gears principal language French. »adj. of or relating to
is
disengaged, esp. downhill. 2 move or act without con- French-speaking Canadians.
straint or effort.
free Will n. 1 the power of acting without the constraint See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

French cuff ~ friction 314 the wind) brisk. 9 alert; vigorous (never felt fresher)
1 colloq. a cheeky, b amorously impudent. 1 1 young
French cuff n. a double cuff formed by turning back and inexperienced, madv. recently (esp. in comb, -.fresh-
a long cuff and fastening it. baked) • n. the fresh part of the day, etc. (in the fresh
.

French curve n. a template used to draw curved lines. of the morning), dd fresh«ly adv. fresh*ness n.
French door n. a door with glass panes throughout its f resh»en /freshan/ v. 1 tr.& intr. make or become fresh

length. &
or fresher. 2 intr. tr. (foil, by up) a wash, change one's

French dressing «. la sweet, creamy, orange salad clothes, etc. b revive; refresh; renew.
dressing prepared from oil, tomato puree, and spices. 1a rush of fresh water flowing in-
f resh»et /freshit/ n.

2 a salad dressing of vinegar and oil, and seasonings. 2 the flood of a river.
to the sea.
French fries n.pl. (also French fried potatoes) pota- f resrwnan /freshman/ n. (pi. -men) a first-year student

toes cut into strips and deep-fried. at a high school, college, or university.
French horn n. a coiled brass wind instrument with a f resh«wa»ter /freshwawtar, -wotar/ adj. 1 of or found
wide bell. in fresh water; not of the sea. 2 (esp. of a school or col-
lege) rustic or provincial.
fret 1 /fret/ v. (fretted, fretting) 1 intr. a be greatly and

visibly worried or distressed, b be irritated or resent-

ful. 2 tr. a cause anxiety or distress to. b irritate; an-
noy. 3 tr. wear or consume by gnawing or rubbing.
fret 2 /fret/ n.& v. • n. an ornamental pattern made of

continuous combinations of straight lines joined usu.

at right angles, mv.tr. (fretted, fretting) 1 embellish or
decorate with a fret. 2 adorn (esp. a ceiling) with
carved or embossed work.
French horn fret 3 /fret/ n. each of a sequence of bars or ridges on
the fingerboard of some stringed musical instruments
French kiss n. a kiss with one partner's tongue inserted (esp. the guitar) fixing the positions of the fingers to
in the other's mouth. produce the desired notes, dd freWess adj.
French-man /frenchman/ n. (pi. -men) a man who is

French by birth or descent.

French toast n. bread dipped in egg and milk and
sauteed.
French»wom»an /frenchwoomsn/ n. (pi. -women) a
woman who is French by birth or descent.
fre»net»ic /franetik/ adj. 1 frantic; frenzied. 2 fanatic.
dd fre»net«i«cal«ly adv.
fren«zy /frenzee/ n. &
v. •«. (pi. -zies) 1 mental
derangement; wild excitement or agitation. 2 deliri-
ous fury. • v. tr. (-zies, -zied) (usu. as frenzied adj. ) drive
to frenzy; infuriate, dd fren»zied«ly adv.
Fre»on /fre'eon/ n. Trademark a halogenated hydrocar-
bon containing fluorine, chlorine, and sometimes bro-
mine, used in refrigerants, etc. (see also CFC).
f re»quen»cy /fre'ekwansee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 commonness

of occurrence. 2 a frequent occurrence, b the process

of being repeated at short intervals. 3 Physics the rate frets 3
of recurrence of a vibration, cycle, etc.; the number of
repetitions in a given time. freMul /fretfool/ adj. visibly anxious or distressed.
fre»quen»cy mod»u»la»tion n. Electronics a modulation dd fret»fuMy adv. fret*ful»ness n.
in which the frequency of the carrier wave is varied. \ fret»saw /fretsaw/ n. a saw consisting of a narrow blade
Abbr.: FM. stretched on a frame, for cutting thin wood in patterns.
frequent /fre'ekwant/ adj. &
v. madj. 1 occurring often f ret»work /fretwork/ n. ornamental work in wood, done

or in close succession. 2 habitual (a frequent caller). with a fretsaw.

3 found at short distances apart; abundant. 4 (of the Freud»i»an /froydeeon/ adj. &n. Psychol, madj. of or re-
pulse) rapid, •v.tr. /also frikwent/ attend or go to ha- lating to the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud (d.
bitually. aofre»quen»ta»tion n. fre»quent»er/frikwent9r/ 1 939) or his methods of psychoanalysis. • n. a follower

n. fre»quent»ly /freekwantlee/ adv. of Freud or his methods, dd Freud»i»an»ism n.

fre«quen»ta»tive /frikwentativ/ adj. n. Gram. •adj. &
Freud«i»an Slip n. an unintentional error regarded as
expressing frequent repetition or intensity of action. revealing subconscious feelings.
• n. a verb or verbal form or conjugation expressing Fri. abbr. Friday.
this (e.g., chatter, twinkle). fri*a*ble /friobol/ adj. easily crumbled. DD fri-a»biW»ty n.
f res»CO /fresko/ n. -cos or -coes) 1 a painting done
(pi. fri»a»ble«ness n.
in watercolor on a wall or ceiling while the plaster is fri»ar /frior/ n. a member of certain religious Olden "I
still wet. 2 this method of painting (esp. in fresco). men, esp. the four mendicant orders (AugUltiniantj
dd fres*coed adj. Carmelites, Dominicans, and lr;mcisc;ins).
fresh /fresh/ adj., adv., &
n. madj. 1 newly made or ob- fric«as«see /frikose'e/ n. &
v. %n, a dish of stewed (H

tained (fresh sandwiches) 2 a other; different; not pre-

. fried pieces of 'meat served in a thick white smicc. mi>. tr.
viously known or used (start afresh page), b addition- (fricassees, fricasseed) make a fricassee of.
al (fresh supplies). 3 (foil, by from) lately arrived from. fric»a»tive/frikr>tiv/tfdf/. isrn. Phamt •./.// made by the
4 not stale or faded (fresh memories). 5 (of food) not friction of breath in a narrow opening. • n. a consonant
preserved by salting, freezing, etc. 6 not salty (fresh wa- made in this way, e.g., /and th.
ter). 7 a pure; untainted; invigorating (fresh air). fric»tion /frikshon/ n. 1 the iCtkffl <>f <>m- objCCl nib
b bright and pure in color (a fresh complexion) 8 (of bing against another. 2 the- resistance til object
.
 .

encounters in moving over another. 3 a clash of wills, 315 Friday ~ frog

temperaments, or opinions. 4 (in comb.) of devices
that transmit motion by frictional contact {friction fringe of feathers, hair, etc., on esp. a bird or a plant.
clutch; friction disk), an fric-tion-al adj. fric-tion-less 2 a unnecessary embellishments or accom-
(in pi.)
adj. plishments, b airs; affectation (put on frills), mv.tr.
Fri»day /friday, -dee/ n. & adv. • n. the sixth day of the 1 decorate with a frill. 2 form into a frill, dd frilled adj.

week, following Thursday, madv. colloq. 1 on Friday. 2 frill-y /frilee/ adj. (frillier, frilliest). frill-i-ness n.

(Fridays) on Fridays; each Friday. frilled liz-ard n. (also frill-necked lizard) a large N.
fridge /frij/ n. COlloq. = REFRIGERATOR. Australian lizard, Chlamydosaurus kingii, with an erec-
friend /frend/ n. & v. • n. 1 a person with whom one tile membrane round the neck.

enjoys mutual affection and regard (usu. exclusive of fringe /frinj/ n. & v. mn. 1 a an ornamental bordering

sexual or family bonds). 2 a sympathizer, helper, or of threads left loose or formed into tassels, b such a
patron (no friend to virtue). 3 a person who is not an bordering made separately, c any border or edging.
enemy or who is on the same side (friend or foe?) 4 a a 2 a Brit, a portion of the front hair hanging over the
.

person already mentioned (my friend at the next table). forehead; bangs, b a natural border of hair, etc., in an
b a person known by sight. C used as a polite or iron- animal or plant. 3 an outer edge or margin; the outer
ic form of address. 5 (usu. in pi.) a regular contribu- limit of an area, population, etc. (often attrib. fringe
:

tor to an institution. 6 (Friend) a member of the Soci- theater). 4 a thing, part, or area of minor importance.
ety of Friends; a Quaker. 7 a helpful thing or quality. 5 a a band of contrasting brightness or darkness pro-
• v. tr. befriend; help, a be friends with be friendly with. duced by diffraction or interference of light, b a strip
dd friend-ed adj. friendless adj. of false color in an optical image. 6 a fringe benefit.
friend»ly /frendlee/ adj. & adv. madj. (friendlier, friend- • v.tr. 1 adorn or encircle with a fringe. 2 serve as a
liest) 1 acting as or like a friend; well-disposed; kind- fringe to. dd fringe-less adj.
ly. 2 a (often foil, by with) on amicable terms, b not fringe ben»e»fit n. an employee's benefit supplement-
hostile. 3 characteristic of friends; showing or prompt- ing a money wage or salary.
ed by kindness. 4 favorably disposed; ready to approve f rip»per»y /friparee/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 showy, tawdry, or un-
or help. 5 a (of a thing) serviceable; convenient; op- necessary ornament, esp. in dress. 2 empty display in
portune, b = user-friendly. madv. in a friendly man- literary style, etc. 3 a knickknacks; trifles, b a knick-
ner, nn friend-li-ly adv. friend-li-ness n. knack or trifle.
friend»ly fire n. Mil. fire coming from one's own side, Fris-bee /frizbee/ n. Trademark a molded plastic disk
esp. as the cause of accidental injury to one's forces. for skimmimg through the air as an outdoor game.
friendship /frendship/ n. 1 being friends; the relation- frisk /frisk/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. leap or skip playfully. 2 tr.
ship between friends. 2 a friendly disposition felt or si. feel over or search (a person) for a weapon, etc.

shown. (usu. rapidly). •«. 1 a playful leap or skip. 2 si. the frisk-
f ri»er var. of fryer. ing of a person.
frieze /freez/ n. 1 Archit. the part of an entablature be- frisk»y /friskee/ adj. (friskier, friskiest) lively; playful.
tween the architrave and the cornice. 2 Archit. a hor- dd frisk-i-ly adv. frisk-i-ness n.
izontal band of sculpture filling this. 3 a band of frit»il«lar»y /frit'leree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 any liliaceous plant
decoration elsewhere, esp. along a wall near the ceil- of the genus Fritillaria, having pendent bell-like flow-
ing. ers. 2 any of various butterflies, esp. of the genus
frig /frig/ v.& n. coarse si. mv. (frigged, frigging) 1 a tr. Argynnis, having reddish-brown wings checkered with
& intr. have sexual intercourse (with), b masturbate. black.
2 tr. (usu. as an exclamation) = fuck v. 3. 3 intr. (foil, frit-ter /fritar/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by away) waste (money,
1

by around, about) mess around; fool around. 4 intr. energy, etc.) triflingly.
(foil, by off) go away. •«. an act of frigging. frit-ter 2 /fritar/ n. a piece of fruit, meat, etc., coated in
frig»ate /frigit/ n. 1 a a naval vessel between a destroy- batter and deep-fried (apple fritter)
er and a cruiser in size, b Brit, a similar ship between fritz /frits/ n. d on the fritz si out of order; unsatisfac-
a corvette and a destroyer in size. 2 hist, a warship. tory.
frig»ate bird n. any marine bird of the family friv»o»lous /frivalas/ adj. 1 not having any serious pur-
Fregatidae, found in tropical seas, with a wide wing- pose or value (frivolous lawsuits) 2 (of a person) lack-
.

span and deeply forked tail.
fright /frit/ n. &v. mn. A a sudden or extreme fear, b an
instance of this (gave me a fright) 2 a person or thing
. ness n.
looking grotesque or ridiculous, •v.tr. frighten.
fright-en /fritan/ v. 1 tr. fill with fright; terrify. 2 tr. (foil,
by away, off, out of, into) drive or force by fright. 3 intr.
become frightened (I frighten easily), dd fright-erring
adj. fright-en-ing-ly adv.
ing seriousness; given to trifling; silly, dd fri-vol-i-ty
/-volitee/ n. (pi. «ties). frivo-lous-ly adv. frivolous-
frizz /friz/ v. & n. mv.tr. form (hair, etc.) into a mass of
small curls. • n. 1 a frizzed hair, b a row of curls. 2 a
frizzed state, dd friz-zi-ness n. friz-zy /frizee/ adj. (friz-
zier, frizziest)
friz-zle /frizal/ v.intr.
1
& tr. 1 fry, toast, or grill, with a

fright»en»er /frit'nar/ n. a person or thing that fright- sputtering noise. 2 (often foil, by up) burn or shrivel.
ens. f riz-zle 2 /frizal/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. form (hair) into tight
fright-ful /fritfool/ adj. 1 a dreadful; shocking, b ugly. curls. 2 intr. (often foil, by up) (of hair, etc.) curl tight-
2 colloq. extremely bad (a frightful idea). 3 colloq. very ly. • n. frizzled hair.

great; extreme, dd f right-ful-ly adv. fright-ful-ness n. fro /fro/ adv. back (now only in to and fro: see to).
frig-id /frijid/ adj. 1 a lacking friendliness or enthusi- frock /frok/ n. 1 esp. Brit, a woman's or girl's dress. 2 a a
asm, b dull; insipid, c chilling; depressing. 2 (of a monk's or priest's long gown with loose sleeves.
woman) sexually unresponsive. 3 (esp. of climate or b priestly office. 3 a smock.
air) cold, dd fri-gid-i-ty /-jiditee/ n. frt-gid-ly adv. fri- frog /frawg, frog/ n. 1 any of various small amphibians
1

gid-ness n. of the order Anura, having a tailless smooth-skinned

fri»jo»les /freeholays/ n.pl. beans.
frill /fril/ n.6'a»n.1aa strip of material with one side
gathered or pleated and the other left loose with a flut-
ed appearance, used as an ornamental edging, b a sim-
ilar paper ornament on a lamb chop, etc. c a natural
body with legs developed for jumping. 2 (Frog) si.
offens. a French person. 3 a hollow in the top face of
a brick for holding the mortar. 4 the nut of a violin
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

frog ~ frugal 316 the front of a building and the road. 3 extent of front
(a store with little frontage)
bow, etc. d frog in the (or one's) throat colloq. hoarse- f ron*tal /frunt'l/ adj. 1 a of, at, or on the front (a fron-
ness, dd frog*gy adj. tal attack) b of the front as seen by an onlooker (a
.

frog 2 /frawg, frog/ n. an elastic horny substance in the frontal view). 2 of the forehead (frontal bone), dd front*
sole of a horse's foot. a My adv.
frog 3 /frawg, frog/ n. 1 an ornamental coat fastening of frontier /frunte'er/ n. 1 a the border between two coun-
a spindle-shaped button and loop. 2 an attachment to tries, b the district on each side of this. 2 the limits of
a belt to support a sword, bayonet, etc. dd frogged adj. attainment or knowledge in a subject. 3 the borders
frog*ging n. between settled and unsettled country.
frog»man /frawgman, frog-, -man/ n. (pi. -men) a per- fron»tiers»man /frunte'erzman/ n. (pi. -men) a person
son equipped with a rubber suit, flippers, and an ox- living in the region of a frontier, esp. between settled
ygen supply for underwater swimming. and unsettled country.
f rog»march /frawgmaarch, frog-/ v. & n. • v. tr. 1 hus- f ron*tis*piece /fruntispees/ n. an illustration facing the

tle (a person) forward holding and pinning the arms title page of a book or of one of its divisions.

from behind. 2 carry (a person) in a frogmarch, •n. front-line /fruntlin/ adj. 1 Mil. relating to or located at
the carrying of a person face downward by four oth- a front line. 2 relating to the forefront of any activity.
ers each holding a limb. front line n. Mil. = front n. 3.
f roMc /frolik/ v. &n. mv.intr. (frolicked, frolicking) play front man n. a person acting as a front or cover.
about cheerfully; gambol, • «. 1 cheerful play. 2 a front oMice n. 1 the executives or executive branch of
prank. 3 a merry party. 4 an outburst of gaiety. 5 mer- an organization. 2 a main office.
riment, dd froMck»er n. fron»ton /fronton, -ton/ n. 1 a jai alai court. 2 a pedi-
froMcsome /frolikssm/ adj. merry; playful, dd frol»ic» ment.
some*ly adv. froMc»some»ness n. front run«ner n. 1 the contestant most likely to suc-
from /frum, from, fram/ prep, expressing separation or ceed. 2 an athlete or horse running best when in the
origin, followed by: 1 a person, place, time, etc., that lead.
is the starting point of motion or action, or of extent front-wheel drive n. an automobile drive system in
in place or time (rain comes from the clouds; dinner is which power is transmitted from the engine to the front
served from 8). 2 a place, object, etc., whose distance wheels.
or remoteness is reckoned (ten miles from Los Angeles; frost /frawst, frost/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a a deposit of white

apart from its moral aspect) 3 a a source (a man from

. ice crystals formed on the gound or other surfaces
Idaho), b a giver or sender (presents from their parents) when the temperature falls below freezing, b a con-
4 a a thing or person avoided, escaped, lost, etc. (re- sistent temperature below freezing point causing frost
leased him from prison) b a person or thing deprived
. to form. 2 a chilling or dispiriting atmosphere, mv.
(took his gun from him). 5 a reason, cause, or motive 1 intr. (usu. foil, by over,up) become covered with frost.

(died from fatigue) 6 a thing distinguished or unlike

. 2 tr. a cover with or as if with frost, powder, etc. b in-
(know black from white) 7 a lower limit (tickets from $5)
. jure (a plant, etc.) with frost. 3 tr. give a roughened or
8 a state changed for another (raised the penalty from a finely granulated surface to (frosted glass). 4 tr. cover
fine to imprisonment) 9 an adverb or preposition of time
. or decorate (a cake, etc.) with icing, dd frosMess adj.
or place (from long ago; from under the bed) 1 the posi- frost-bite /frawstbit, frost-/ n. injury to body tissues,
.

tion of a person who observes or considers (saw it from esp. the nose, fingers, or toes, due to freezing.
the roof) .11a model (painted it from nature) a from frost heave n. Geol. an upthrust of soil or pavement
.

now on henceforward, from time to time occasionally. caused by the freezing of moist soil underneath.
frond /frond/ n. Bot. a large usu. divided leaf in esp. frosHng /frawsting, frost-/ n. 1 icing. 2 a rough sur-
ferns and palms. face on glass, etc.
front /frunt/ n., adj., &v. • n. 1 the side or part normal- f rost»y/frawstee, frostee/ adj. (frostier, frostiest) 1 cold
ly nearer or toward the spectator or the direction of with frost. 2 covered with or as with hoarfrost. 3 un-
motion (the front of the car). 2 any face of a building, friendly in manner, dd frost«My adv. frost«i«ness n.
esp. that of the main entrance. 3 Mil. a the foremost froth /frawth, froth/ B,&i;.»».1aa collection of small
line or part of an army, etc. b line of battle. C the part bubbles; foam, b scum. 2 a idle talk or ideas, b any-
of the ground toward a real or imaginary enemy, d a thing unsubstantial or of little worth, mv. 1 intr. emit
scene of actual fighting, e the direction in which a or gather froth. 2 tr. cause (beer, etc.) to foam, dd froth*
formed line faces. 4 a a sector of activity regarded as My adv. froth»i»ness n. frottvy adj. (frothier, frothiest).
resembling a military front, b an organized political frou»frou /frobfroo/ n. 1 a rustling, esp. of a dress. 2 a
group. 5 a demeanor; bearing, b outward appearance. frilly ornamentation.
6 a forward or conspicuous position (come to the front). fro»ward /froard/ adj. archaic perverse; difficult to deal
7 a a bluff, b a pretext. 8 a person, etc., serving to coverwith, dd fro«ward»ly adv. fro«ward»ness n.
subversive or illegal activities. 9 Meteorol. the forward frown /frown/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. wrinkle one's brows,

edge of an advancing mass of cold or warm air. 10 esp. in displeasure or deep thought. 2 intr. (foil, by at,
(prec. by the) the audience or auditorium of a theater. on, upon) express disapproval. 3 intr. (of a thing) pres-
11a face. 12 a the breast of a man's shirt, b a false ent a gloomy aspect. 4 tr. compel with a frown (fi-
shirtfront. 13 impudence, •attrib.adj. 1 of the front. them into silence). 5 tr. express (defiance, etc.) with a
2 situated in front, mv. 1 intr. (foil, by on, to, toward, frown, mn. 1 an action of frowning. 2 a look express
upon) have the front facing or directed. 2 intr. (foil, by ing severity, disapproval, or deep thought. frown*
for) si. act as a front or cover for. 3 tr. furnish with a ing»ly adv.
front (fronted with stone). A tr. lead (a band). 5 tr. frowz»y /frowzce/ adj. (also frows»y) (-ler, -lest) 1 fus-
a stand opposite to; front toward, b have its front on ty. 2 slatternly; dingy, do frowz-l»ness >/.

the side of (a street, etc.). d in front 1 in an advanced froze past ofFREEZB,

position. 2 facing the spectator, in front of 1 ahead of. fro»zen past pan. of ki /i i i

2 in the presence of; confronting, dd f ront«ward adj. & fruc»tose /fruktOs, frOok / n. C/nni. a simple nipi
adv. front«wards adv. found in honey and fruits. Also called mm U ffl
frontpage /fruntij/ n. 1 the front of a building. 2 a land fru-gal /frObgal/ adj. 1 (often foil, by of) sparing 01 M
abutting on a street or on water, b the land between onomical, esp. as regards food. 2 sparingly used or sup-
 plied; meager; costing little, on fru»gal»i«ty /-galitee/ n. 317 fruit - full
fricgaMy adv. fru*gal*ness n.
fruit /froot/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a the usu. sweet and fleshy ed- etc. •int. expressing anger or annoyance. »n. 1 a an
ible product of a plant or tree, containing seed, b (in act of sexual intercourse, b a partner in sexual in-
sing.) these in quantity {eats fruit). 2 the seed of a plant tercourse. 2 the slightest amount (don't give a fuck).
a fuck off go away, fuck up make a mess of.
or tree with its covering, e.g., an acorn, pea pod, cher-
ry, etc. 3 (usu. in pi.) vegetables, grains, etc., used for
food (fruits of the earth). 4 (usu. inp/.) the result of ac-
A highly taboo word.
fuck-up coarse si. n. a mess or muddle.
tion, etc. (fruits of his labors). 5 derog. si. a male homo- fud*dle /fud'l/ v. &
n. »v. 1 tr. confuse or stupefy, esp.

sexual. 6 Bibl. an offspring (the fruit of the womb). with alcoholic liquor. 2 intr. tipple; booze. • «. 1 con-
• v.intr. &
tr. bear or cause to bear fruit, nn fruited adj. fusion. 2 intoxication.
(also in comb.). fud»dy-dud»dy /fudeedudee/ a<#. &n. si. • adj. old-fash-
fruit bat n. any large bat of the suborder ioned or quaintly fussy. • n. (pi. -dies) a fuddy-duddy
Megachiroptera, feeding on fruit. person.
fruit»cake/frobtkayk/«. 1 a cake containing dried fruit. fudge /fuj/ n. & v. • n. 1 a soft toffee-like candy made
2 si. an eccentric or mad person. with milk, sugar, butter, etc. 2 nonsense. 3 a piece of
fruit fly n. (pi. flies) any of various flies, esp. of the ge- dishonesty or faking. 4 a piece of late news inserted in
nus Drosophila, having larvae that feed on fruit. a newspaper page. • v. 1 tr. put together in a makeshift
fruiMul /frootfOOl/ adj. 1 producing much fruit. 2 suc- or dishonest way; fake. 2 tr. deal with incompetently.
cessful; beneficial; remunerative. 3 producing off- 3 intr. practice such methods.
spring, esp. prolifically. nn fruit«f uMy adv. f ruit»f ul*ness f ueh»rer var. of fuhrer.

n. f u«el /fyobal/ n. &

v. • n. 1 material burned or used as

fru*i*tion /froo-ishan/ n. 1a
the bearing of fruit, b the a source of heat or power. 2 food as a source of en-
production of results. 2 the realization of aims or ergy. 3 material used as a source of nuclear energy.
hopes. 3 enjoyment. 4 anything that sustains or inflames emotion or pas-
fruitless /frobtlis/ adj. 1 not bearing fruit. 2 useless; sion. »v. 1 tr. supply with fuel. 2 tr. inflame (an argu-
unsuccessful, nn fruiWess»ly adv. fruiMess*ness n. ment, feeling, etc.) (liquor fueled his anger). 3 intr. take
fruit»y /frobtee/ adj. (fruitier, fruitiest) 1 a of fruit. in or get fuel.
b tasting or smelling like fruit. 2 (of a voice, etc.) of fu»el cell n. a cell producing an electric current direct
full rich quality. 3 5/. crazy; silly. 4 ojfens. si. homosex- from a chemical reaction.
ual, nn fruit»i»ly adv. fruit*i*ness n. f u»el in«]ec»tion n. the direct introduction of fuel un-

frump /frump/ n. a dowdy, unattractive, old-fashioned der pressure into the combustion units of an internal
woman, nn frumpish adj. frump»ish»ly adv. combustion engine.
frump«y /frumpee/ adj. (frumpier, frumpiest) dowdy, -f uge /fyooj/ comb, form forming adjectives and nouns
unattractive, and old-fashioned, nn frump»My adv. denoting expelling or dispelling (febrifuge; vermifuge).
frump«i*ness n. fu»gi»tive /fyobjitiv/ adj. &n. madj. 1 fleeing. 2 transient;
frustrate /frustrayt/ v.tr. 1 make (efforts) ineffective. fleeting. 3 (of literature) of passing interest; ephemer-
2 prevent (a person) from achieving a purpose. 3 (as al. 4 flitting; shifting. *n. 1 (often foil, by ./row) a per-
frustrated adj.) a discontented because unable to son who flees. 2 an exile or refugee.
achieve one's desire, b sexually unfulfilled. 4 disap- fugue /fyoog/ n. 1 Mus. a contrapuntal composition in
point (a hope), nn frus*trat*ed*ly /-straytidlee/ adv. which a short melody or phrase is introduced by one
frustrating adj. frus*trat*ing»ly adv. frustration part and successively taken up by others and devel-
/-strayshan/ n. oped by interweaving the parts. 2 Psychol, loss of
fry /fri/ v. &n. »v. (fries, fried) 1 tr.
1
&
intr. cook or be awareness of one's identity, often coupled with flight
cooked in hot fat. 2 tr. &
intr. si. electrocute or be elec- from one's usual environment.
trocuted. 3 tr. (as fried adj.) si. drunk. 4 intr. colloq. be flilvrer /fyobrar/ n. (also fuehrer) a leader, esp. a ty-
very hot. • n. (pi. fries) 1 a French fry. 2 a social gath- rannical one.
ering serving fried food. 3 a dish of fried food, esp. ful«crum/foblkr3m,ful-/«. (pi. fulcra /-ra or fulcrums)
meat. 4 various internal parts of animals usu. eaten the point against which a lever is placed to get a pur-
fried (lamb's fry), n out of the frying pan into the fire chase or on which it turns or is supported.
from a bad situation to a worse one. fulfill /fbDlfil/ v.tr. (fulfilled, fulfilling) 1 carry out (a
2
fry /fri/ n.pl. 1 young or newly hatched fish. 2 the young prophecy or promise). 2 satisfy (a desire or prayer).
of other creatures produced in large numbers, e.g., 3 a execute; obey (a command or law) b perform; car- .

bees or frogs. ry out (a task). 4 comply with (conditions). 5 answer

f ry»er /friar/ n. (also f ri«er) 1 a person who fries. 2 a ves- (a purpose). 6 bring to an end; finish; complete (a pe-
sel for frying, esp. deep frying. 3 a young chicken suit- riod or piece of work), n fulfill oneself develop one's
able for frying. gifts and character to the full, nn ful*fill*ment n.
fry»ing pan n. (also fry pan) a shallow pan used in fry- full /fool/ adj., adv. &n.» adj. 1 (often foil, by of) hold-
'

ing. ing all its limits will allow (the bucket is full; full of wa-
FSH abbr. follicle-stimulating hormone. ter). 2 having eaten to one's limits or satisfaction.
FSLIC abbr. Federal Savings and Loan Insurance 3 abundant; copious; satisfying (led a full life; the book
Corporation. is very full on this point). 4 (foil, by of) having or hold-

f-stop /ef stop/ var. of f-number. ing an abundance of; showing marked signs of (full of
Ft. abbr. Fort. interest; full of mistakes). 5 (foil, by of) a engrossed in
ft. abbr. foot, feet. thinking about (full of himself), b unable to refrain from
FTC Federal Trade Commission.
abbr. talking about (full of the news) 6 complete; perfect (full
.

f uch*sia n. any shrub of the genus Fuchsia,

/fyobsha/ membership; full daylight; waited a full hour). 7 a (of tone
with drooping red or purple or white flowers. or color) deep and clear, b (of light) intense. C (of mo-
fuck /fuk/ v., int., & n. coarse si. »v. 1 tr. & intr. have tion, etc.) vigorous (a full pulse; at full gallop). 8 plump;
sexual intercourse (with). 2 by around, about)
intr. (foil, rounded (a full figure) 9 (of clothes) made of much
.

mess around; fool around. 3 tr. (usu. as an exclam.) material arranged in folds. 10 (of the heart, etc.) over-
curse; confound (fuck the thing!). A intr. (as fucking
adj., adv.) used as an intensive to express annoyance, See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

full ~ fungicide 318
charged with emotion. madv. 1 very (you know full well).
2 quite; fully (full six miles). 3 exactly (hit him full on
the nose) 4 more than sufficiently (full early) • n.
. .
1 height; acme (season is past the full). 2 the state or
time of full moon. 3 the whole; the complete amount.
d full speed (or steam) ahead! an order to proceed at
maximum speed or to pursue a course of action ener- ing; enjoyable (a fun thing to do), a for fun (or for the
getically, in full 1 without abridgment. 2 to or for the
full amount (paid in full), in full swing at the height of
activity, in full view entirely visible, to the full to the ridicule.
utmost extent.
full 2 /fool/ v.tr. cleanse and thicken (cloth).
full-back /foblbak/ n. 1 an offensive player in the back- function /fungkshan/ n.
field in football. 2 a defensive player, or a position near er to a person or institution, b a mode of action or
the goal, in soccer, field hockey, etc.
full-blood»ed,/<// 1 vigorous; hearty; sensual. 2 not hy-
brid, dd full-blood»ed»ly adv. full-blood»ed«ness n.
full-blown adj. fully developed.
full-bod*ied adj. rich in quality, tone, etc.
full-court press n. Basketball a defensive strategy in
which the team with the ball is closely guarded the full
length of the court.
fuMer /fobtar/ n. a person who fulls cloth.
fuMer's earth n. a type of clay used in fulling cloth.
full-fledged adj. mature.
full-frorvtal adj. 1 (of nudity or a nude figure) with full
exposure at the front. 2 unrestrained; explicit.
full-grown adj. having reached maturity.
full house n. 1 a maximum attendance at a theater, etc.
2 Poker a hand with three of a kind and a pair.
full-length adj. 1 not shortened. 2 (of a mirror, por-
trait, etc.) showing the whole height of the human fig-
ure.
full moon n. 1 the moon with its whole disk illumi-
nated. 2 the time when this occurs.
full-ness /foblnis/ n. 1 being full. 2 (of sound, color, func»tion»ar»y /fungkshaneree/ n. (pi. -ies) a person
etc.) richness; volume; body. 3 all that is contained (in
the world, etc.). a the fullness of time the appropriate
or destined time.
full-scale adj. not reduced in size; complete.
full-time adj. occupying or using the whole of the avail-
able working time.
fuMy /foblee/ adv. 1 completely; entirely (am fully
aware). 2 no less or fewer than (fully 60).
ful«mi-nate /fulminayt, fobl-/ v.intr. 1 (often foil, by
against) express censure loudly and forcefully. 2 ex-
plode violently; flash like lightning (fulminating mer-
cury). 3 Med. (of a disease or symptom) develop sud-
denly, do ful«mi»na«tion /-nayshan/ n.
ful»some /foblssm/ adj. 1 disgusting by excess of flat-
tery, servility, or expressions of affection; excessive;
cloying. 2 disp. copious, dd ful*some*ly adv. ful«some»
ness n.
The earliest recorded use of fulsome, in the 13th
century, had the meaning 'abundant,' but in modern
use this is held by many to be incorrect. The correct
current meaning is 'disgusting because overdone; ex-
cessive.' The word is still often used to mean 'abun-
dant; copious,' but this use can give rise to ambiguity
in such expressions as fulsome praise.
fum-ble /fumbal/ v. & n. mv. 1 intr. (often foil, by at,
with, for, after) use the hands awkwardly; grope about.
2 tr. a handle clumsily or nervously. D Football drop
(the ball). •«. an act of fumbling, nn fum-bler n. fum»
bling-ly adv.
fume /fyoom/ n. & v. • n. 1 (usu. in pi.) exuded gas or
smoke or vapor, esp. when harmful or unpleasant. 2 a
fit of anger (in a fume). »v. la intr. emit fumes, b tr.
give off as fumes. 2 intr. (often foil, by at) be affected
by (esp. suppressed) anger (was fuming at their ineffi-
ciency). 3 tr. a fumigate, b subject to fumes (to dark-
.
en photographic film, etc.). dd fum»y adj.
tints in oak,
(in sense of n.).
1
fu*mi*gate /fyoomigayt/ v.tr. 1 disinfect or purify with
fumes. 2 apply fumes to. dd fu*mi*gant /-gant/ n. fu»
mi*ga*tion /-gayshan/ n. fu»mi»ga»tor n.
fun /fun/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 amusement, esp. lively or play-
ful. 2 a source of this. 3 (in full fun and games) ex-
citing or amusing goings-on. madj. disp. colloq. amus-
fun of it) not for a serious purpose, have fun enjoy one-
self, in fun as a joke; not seriously, make fun of tease;
fun*board /funbawrd/ n. a type of windsurfing board
that is less stable but faster than a standard board.
&
v. •«. 1 a an activity prop-
activity by which a thing fulfills its purpose. C an
official or professional duty. 2 a a public ceremony
or occasion, b a social gathering, esp. a large, formal,
or important one. 3 Math, a variable quantity re-
garded in relation to another or others in terms of
which it may be expressed or on which its value
depends (x is a function of y and 2).4a part of a pro-
gram that corresponds to a single value, •v.intr. ful-
fill a function; operate; be in working order, dd tunc*
tiorvless adj.
functional /fungkshsnal/ adj. 1 of or serving a func-
tion. 2 designed or intended to be practical rather than
attractive. 3 Physiol, a (esp. of disease) of or affecting
only the functions of an organ, etc., not structural or
organic, b (of mental disorder) having no discernible
organic cause. C (of an organ) having a function, not
functionless or rudimentary. 4 Math, of a function.
dd func«tion«al»i«ty /-nalitee/ n. functiorvaMy adv.
func*tion*al*ism /fungkshanolizam/ n. belief in or
stress on the practical application of a thing, dd tunc*
tion*al*ist n.
who has to perform official functions or duties; an of-
ficial.
fund /fund/ n. v. mn. & a. permanent stock of some-
"\
thing ready to be drawn upon (a fund of knowledge)
2 a stock of money, esp. one set apart for a purpose. 3
(in pi.) money resources, mv.tr. 1 provide with money.
2 convert (a floating debt) into a more or less per-
manent debt at fixed interest. 3 put into a fund.
fun*da*men*tal /fundament'l/ adj. n. madj. of, af- &
fecting, or serving as a base or foundation; essential;
primary (the fundamental rules) •«. (usu. in pi.) a fun-
.
damental principle, dd fun-da«men«taMy adv.
f un*da*men*tal*ism /fundamentalizam/ n. 1 (also Fun*
da*men*taMsm) strict maintenance of traditional
Protestant beliefs. 2 strict maintenance of ancient or
fundamental doctrines of any religion, esp. Islam.
dd fun»da*men»tal»ist n.
fund-rais»er n. a person who seeks financial support
for a cause, enterprise, etc. an fund-raising n.
fu»ner»al /fyobnarol/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 a the burial or cre-
mation of a dead person with its ceremonies, b a bur-
ial or cremation procession. C a burial or cremation
service. 2 si. one's (usu. unpleasant) concern (///<// \
your funeral) mattrib.adj. of or used, etc., at a funeral
.
(funeral oration).
fu»ner»al paMor n. (also funeral home) an establish-
ment where the dead are prepared lor burial or cre-
mation.
fu»ner«ar»y /fyoonorerce/ adj. of or used at ;i ftnuial <>r
funerals.
fu«ne»re«al /fydoneereeal/ adj. 1 of or appropriate to a
funeral. 2 dismal; dark, n fu«nere«al»ly adv.
i i
fun-gi pi. of h incus.
fun»gi»cide /funjisid, fiiQggj //. a fundus destroying
substance, no fun»gi-cid-al / sid'l/ adj.
 .

furvgoid /funggoyd/ adj. &

n. •adj. resembling a fun- 319 fungoid - fuse
gus in texture or in rapid growth, •n. a fungoid plant.
fun*gous /funggas/ adj. 1 having the nature of a fun- furl /farl/ v. 1 tr. up and secure (a sail, umbrella,
roll

gus. 2 springing up like a mushroom; transitory. flag, etc.). 2 intr. become furled. 3 tr. a close (a fan).
furvgus /funggas/ n. (pi. fungi /-gi, -jl/or funguses) b fold up (wings) C draw away. (a curtain)
1 any of a group of unicellular, multicellular, or mult- fuMong /farlawng, -long/ n. an eighth of a mile, 220
inucleate nonphotosynthetic organisms feeding on yards.
organic matter, which include molds, yeast, mush- f uMough /farlo/ n.&v.m n. leave of absence, esp. grant-
rooms, and toadstools. 2 anything similar usu. grow- ed to a member
of the services or to a missionary. *v.
ing suddenly and rapidly. 3 Med. a spongy morbid 1 tr. grant furlough to. 2 intr. spend furlough. 3 lay off.

growth, dd fun-gal /funggal/ adj. fun»gi»form /funji- fur*nace /farnis/ n. 1 an enclosed structure for intense
fawrm, funggi-/ adj. fun»givor»ous /funjivaras, fung- heating by fire. 2 a very hot place.
giv-/ adj. fur*nish /famish/ v.tr. 1 provide (a house, etc.) with all
fu»nic»u«lar /fyoDnikyator, fa-/ adj. & n. madj. 1 (of a necessary contents, esp. movable furniture. 2 (foil, by
railway, esp.on a mountainside) operating by cable with) cause to have possession or use of. 3 provide; af-
with ascending and descending cars counterbalanced. ford; yield.
2 of a rope or its tension. • n. a funicular railway. fur*nished /fernisht/ adj. (of a house, etc.) rented with
funk /fungk/ n. fear; panic, n in a funk dejected.
1
furniture.
funk 2 /fungk/ n. si. 1 funky music. 2 a strong smell. fur»nish»er/f3rnish3r/tf. 1 a person who sells furniture.

funk»y /fungkee/ adj. (funkier, funkiest) si. 1 (esp. of 2 a person who furnishes.
jazz or rock music) earthy, bluesy, with a heavy rhyth- fur*nish*ings /farnishingz/ n.pl. the furniture and uten-
mical beat. 2 fashionable. 3 odd; unconventional. sils, etc., in a house, room, etc.

4 having a strong smell, an funk*My adv. funk»i»ness fur»ni»ture /farnichar/ the movable equipment of
n. 1

n. a house, room, and beds.

etc., e.g., tables, chairs,
fun*nel /funal/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a tube or pipe widening at 2 Nam. a ship's equipment. 3 accessories, e.g., the
the top, for pouring liquid, powder, etc., into a small handles and lock of a door, a part of the furniture col-
opening. 2 a metal chimney on a steam engine or ship. loq. a person or thing taken for granted.

3 something resembling a funnel in shape or use. • v. tr. fu»ror /fyobrawr, -ar/ n. 1 an uproar; an outbreak of fu-
& intr. (funneled, tunneling; funnelled, funnelling) ry. 2 a wave of enthusiastic admiration; a craze.

guide or move through or as through a funnel, dd fun« fur»ri»er /fereear/ n. a dealer in furs.
neMike adj. f ur«row /faro, fur-/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a narrow trench made

fun»ny /funee/ adj. & n. •adj. (funnier, funniest) by a plow. 2 a rut, groove, or deep wrinkle. 3 a ship's
1 amusing; comical. 2 strange; perplexing; hard to ac- track, •v.tr. 1 plow. 2 a make furrows, grooves, etc.,
count for. 3 colloq. slightly unwell, eccentric, etc. • n. in. b mark with wrinkles.

(pi. -nies) (usu. in pi.) colloq. 1 a comic strip in a news- fur«ry/f9ree,furee/ad/. (furrier, furriest) 1 of or like fur.
paper. 2 a joke, dd fun»nMy adv. fun«ni«ness n. 2 covered with or wearing fur. fur»ri«ness n.
fun«ny bone n. the part of the elbow over which the fur-ther /farther/ adv. , adj. , &
v. • adv. 1 = farther. 2 to

ulnar nerve passes. a greater extent; more (zvill inquire further) 3 in addi- .

fun»ny business n. 1 5/. misbehavior or deception.
2 comic behavior; comedy.
fun»ny farm n. si. a mental hospital.
f un»ny mon»ey n. colloq. 1 counterfeit money. 2 foreign
currency. 3 inflated currency.
fur /far/ n. &v. • n. 1 a the short fine soft hair of cer-
tain animals, distinguished from the longer hair, b the
skin of such an animal with the fur on it. 2 a the coat
of certain animals as material for making, trimming,
or lining clothes, b a trimming or lining made of the
dressed coat of such animals, or of material imitating
this. C a garment made of or trimmed or lined with
fur. 3 a a coating formed on the tongue in sickness.
b a crust adhering to a surface, e.g., a deposit from
wine. »v. (furred, furring) 1 tr. (esp. as furred adj.)
a line or trim (a garment) with fur. b provide (an an-
imal) with fur. C clothe (a person) with fur. d coat (a
tongue, the inside of a kettle, etc.) with fur. 2 intr. (of-
ten foil, by up) (of a kettle, etc.) become coated with
fur. make the fur fly colloq. cause a disturbance; stir
up trouble.
tion (/ may add further). • adj. 1 = farther. 2 more; ad-
ditional (threats offurther punishment), mv.tr. promote;
favor (a scheme, undertaking, movement, or cause).
d till further notice (or orders) to continue until ex-
plicitly changed, dd fur»ther»most adj.
See note at farther.
fur»ther»ance fartharans/ n. furthering or being fur-
thered; the advancement of a scheme, etc.
fur»ther»more /fartharmawr/ adv. in addition; besides.
furthest var. of farthest.
fur»tive /fartiv/ adj. 1 done by stealth; clandestine;
meant to escape notice. 2 sly; stealthy. 3 stolen; taken
secretly. 4 thievish. fur«tive»ly adv. fur»tive«ness ;/.
fu»ry /fyobree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a wild and passionate an-
ger, b a fit of rage (in a blind fury). C impetuosity in
battle, etc. 2 violence of a storm, disease, etc. 3 (Fury)
(usu. in pi.) (in Greek mythology) each of three god-
desses sent from Tartarus to avenge crime. 4 an aveng-
ing spirit. 5 an angry or spiteful woman. like fury col-
loq. with great force or effect.
fuse /fyooz/ v. &n. *v. 1 tr.
1
&
intr. melt with intense

fur»be»low /farbilo/ n. & v. •«. 1 a gathered strip or heat. 2 tr. &

intr. blend or amalgamate into one whole

pleated border of a skirt or petticoat. 2 (in pi.) derog. by or as by melting. 3 tr. provide (a circuit, plug, etc.)
showy ornaments, mv.tr. adorn with
furbelow or
a with a fuse. 4 Brit, a intr. (of an appliance) cease to
furbelows. function when a fuse blows, b tr. cause (an appliance)
fur*bish /farbish/ v.tr. (often foil, by up) 1 remove rust to do this. • n.a device or component for protecting an
from; polish; burnish. 2 give a new look to; renovate; electric circuit, containing a strip of wire of easily melt-
revive (something antiquated). ed metal and placed in the circuit so as to break it by
fur»cate /farkayt/ adj. &
v. madj. also /furkat/ forked; melting when an excessive current passes through.
branched, •v.intr. form a fork; divide, on fur-ca«tion fuse 2 /fyooz/ n. &
v. (also fuze) • n. 1 a device for ig-

/-kayshan/ n. niting a bomb or explosive charge, consisting of a tube

f u*ri*OUS /fyobreeas/ adj. 1 extremely angry. 2 full of fu- or cord, etc., filled or saturated with combustible mat-
ry. 3 raging; violent; intense, a fast and furious adv. ter. 2 a component in a shell, mine, etc., designed to
1 rapidly. 2 eagerly; uproariously. »adj. (of mirth, etc.)
eager; uproarious, no fu«ri«ous»ly adv. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
fuse box - fuzzy 320 fu»tile /fyObt'l, -til/ adj. 1 useless; ineffectual. 2 frivo-
lous, dd fu«tile*ly adv. fu«tiM»ty /— tilitee/ n.
detonate an explosive charge, mv.tr. fit a fuse to. fu»ton /f6bton/ n. 1 a Japanese quilted mattress rolled
dd fuse«less adj. out on the floor for use as a bed. 2 a type of low wood-
fuse box n. a box housing the fuses for circuits in a en bed using this kind of mattress.
building. fu«ture /fyobchar/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 a going or expected
f u*se*lage /fyobsalaazh, -lij, -za-/ n. the body of an air- to happen or be or become (his future career) b that .

plane. be something specified (my future wife). C that will

will
f u*si*ble /fyobzibal/ adj. that can be easily fused or melt- be after death (a future life) 2 a of time to come (fu-
.

ed. ture years) b Gram, (of a tense or participle) describ-

.

fu*sil*ier /fyobzileer/ n. (also fu*sil*eer) hist, a soldier ing an event yet to happen. • n. 1 time to come (past,
armed with a light musket. present, and future). 2 what will happen in the future
fu*siMade /fyobsilayd, -la'ad, -zi-/ n. 1 a a continuous (the future is uncertain). 3 the future condition of a per-
discharge of firearms, b a wholesale execution by this son, country, etc. 4 a prospect of success, etc. (there's
means. 2 a sustained outburst of criticism, etc. no future in it) 5 Gram, the future tense. 6 (in pi. ) Stock
.

f u*sion /fyobzhan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of fusing Exch. a goods and stocks sold for future delivery.
or melting. 2 a fused mass. 3 the blending of different b contracts for these, a for the future from now on-
things into one. 4 a coalition. 5 Physics = nuclear fu- ward, in future -for the future.
sion. fu*ture perfect n. Gram, a tense expressing expected
fuss /fus/ n. &
v. mn. 1 excited commotion; bustle. completion in the future will have done.
2 a excessive concern about a trivial thing, b abun- fu*ture shock n. inability to cope with rapid progress.
dance of petty detail. 3 a sustained protest or dispute. fu»tUMsm /fyobcharizam/ n. a movement in art, liter-
4 a person who fusses. • V. intr. 1 make a fuss. 2 busy ature, music, etc., with violent departure from tradi-
oneself restlessly with trivial things. 3 move fussily. tional forms so as to express movement and growth.
a make a fuss complain vigorously, make a fuss over fu«tur»ist /fyoocharist/ n. (often attrib.) 1 an adherent
treat (a person or animal) with great or excessive atten- of futurism. 2 a believer in human progress. 3 a stu-
tion, dd fussier n. dent of the future. 4 Theol. one who believes that bib-
f uss*budg*et /fusbajat/ n. a person who habitually frets lical prophecies, esp. those of the Apocalypse, have yet
over minor matters. to be fulfilled.
fuss»pot /fuspot/ n. colloq. a person given to fussing. f U*tur*is*tic /fyobcharistik/ adj. 1 suitable for the future;
fuss»y /fusee/ adj. (fussier, fussiest) 1 inclined to fuss. ultramodern. 2 of futurism. 3 relating to the future.
2 full of unnecessary detail or decoration. 3 fastidious. dd fu»tur»is»ti»caMy adv.
dd fuss»My adv. fuss*i*ness n. fu»tu»ri»ty /fyootobritee, -tyobr-, chobr-/ n. (pi -ties)
f US*tian /fuschsn/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 thick twilled cotton 1 future time. 2 (in sing, or pi.) future events.

cloth with a short nap, usu. dyed in dark colors. 2 bom- fuze var. of fuse 2 .

bast, madj. 1 made of fustian. 2 bombastic. 3 worth- fuzz /fuz/ n. 1 fluff. 2 fluffy or frizzled hair. 3 5/. a the
less. police, b a policeman.
fus»ty /fustee/ adj. (fustier, fustiest) 1 stale-smelling; fuzz*y /fuzee/ adj. (fuzzier, fuzziest) 1 a like fuzz.
musty. 2 stuffy. 3 antiquated; old-fashioned, dd fus»ti» b fluffy, c frizzy. 2 blurred; indistinct, dd fuzz*i*ly adv.
ly adv. fus«ti«ness n. fuzz*i*ness n.
 G
G /jee/ n. (also g) (pi. Gs or G's) 1 the seventh letter
1
guages spoken in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of
of the alphabet. 2 Mus. the fifth note in the diatonic Man. •adj. of or relating to the Celts or the Celtic lan-
scale of C major. guages.
G 2 abbr. 1 gauss. 2 giga-. 3 gravitational constant. 4 5/. Gael«tacht /gayltskht/ n. any of the regions in Ireland
= grand n. 2. where the vernacular language is Irish.
g 2 gram(s). 3 gravity.
abbr. (also g.) 1 gelding. gaff /gaf/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a stick with an iron hook for

GA abbr. Georgia (in official postal use). landing large fish, b a barbed fishing spear. 2 a spar to
Ga symb. Chem. the element gallium. which the head of a fore-and-aft sail is bent. • v. tr. seize
Ga. abbr. Georgia (US). (a fish) with a gaff.
gab /gab/ n. & v. colloq. •n. talk; chatter, •v.intr. talk gaffe blunder; an indiscreet act or remark.
/gaf/ n. a
incessantly; chatter. gift of gab the facility of speak- gaMer /gafar/ an old fellow. 2 colloq. the chief elec-
n. 1
ing eloquently. trician in a movie or television production unit.
gab*ar*dine /gabardeen/ n. (also gab*er*dine) 1 a gag /gag/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a piece of cloth, etc., thrust in-

smooth durable twilled cloth esp. of worsted or cot- to or held over the mouth to prevent speaking or cry-
ton. 2 Brit, a garment made of this, esp. a raincoat. ing out. 2 a joke or comic scene. 3 an actor's interpo-
gab*ble /gabal/ v. &
n. »v. 1 intr. talk volubly or inar- lation in a dramatic dialogue. 4 a thing or circumstance
ticulately. 2 tr. utter too fast. • n. fast unintelligible talk. restricting free speech. 5 a joke or hoax. mv. (gagged,
dd gab'bler n. gagging) 1 tr. apply a gag to. 2 tr. deprive of free
gab*by /gabee/ adj. (gabbier, gabbiest) colloq. talkative. speech. 3 a intr. choke or retch, b tr. cause to do this.
gab»er«dine /gabardeen/ n. var. of gabardine. 4 intr. Theatr. make gags.
ga*bi*on /gaybeean/ n. a cylindrical wicker or metal ga*ga /gaagaa/ adj. si. 1 senile. 2 fatuous; slightly cra-
basket for filling with earth or stones, used in engineer- zy.
ing or (formerly) in fortification, dd ga*bi*on*age n. gage 1
/gayj/ n. la pledge; a thing deposited as secu-
gamble /gaybal/ n. 1 a the triangular upper part of a wall rity. 2 a a challenge to fight, b a symbol of this, esp. a
at the end of a ridged roof, b (in full gable end) a ga- glove thrown down.
ble-topped wall. 2 a gable-shaped canopy over a win- See note at gauge.
dow or door, dd gambled adj. (also in comb.). gage 2 var. of gauge.
gag*gle /gagal/ n. la flock of geese. 2 colloq. a disor-
gable
derly group of people.
gag*man /gagman/ n. a deviser, writer, or performer of
theatrical gags.
gag*ster /gagstar/ n. = gagman.
gai»e*ty /gayatee/ the state of being merry; mirth.
n. 1
2 merrymaking. 3 a bright appearance.
gai»ly /gaylee/ adv. 1 in a lighthearted manner. 2 with
a bright appearance.
gain /gayn/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. obtain or secure (usu. some-
thing desired or favorable). 2 tr. acquire (a sum) as
profits; earn. 3 tr. obtain as an increment or addition
(gain weight). 4 intr. (foil, by in) make a specified ad-
vance or improvement (gained in stature). 5 intr. tr. &
gable (of a clock, etc.) become fast, or be fast by (a speci-
fied amount of time). 6 intr. (often foil, by on, upon)
gad 1
/gad/ v.intr. (gadded, gadding) (foil, by about) go come closer to a person or thing pursued. 7 tr. a bring
about idly or in search of pleasure. over to one's views, b (foil, by over) win by persua-
gad 2
/gad/ int. (also by gad) an expression of surprise sion, etc. 8 tr. reach (a desired place). • n. 1 something
or emphatic assertion (esp. a euphemism for 'God'. gained, achieved, etc. 2 an increase of possessions, etc.;
gad*a*bout /gadabowt/ n. a person who gads about; an a profit or improvement. 3 the acquisition of wealth.
idle pleasure seeker. 4 (in pi.) sums of money acquired by trade, etc.; win-
gad»fly /gadfli/ n. (pi. -flies) 1 a cattle-biting fly. 2 an nings. 5 an increase in amount, o gain ground see
irritating person. ground dd gain*a*ble adj. gain*er n.
1
,

gadg«et /gajit/ n. any small and usu. ingenious mechan- gainful /gaynfool/ adj. 1 (of employment) paid. 2 lu-
ical or electronic device or tool, dd gadg*et*ry n. crative, dd gain*ful*ly adv. gain*ful*ness n.
gad»0»lin«i»um/gad'linee3m/n. Chem. a soft silvery me- gain*say /gaynsay/ v.tr. (past and past part, gainsaid
tallic element of the lanthanide series. H Symb.: Gd. /-sed/) deny; contradict.
gad»wall /gadwawl/ n. a brownish gray freshwater duck, 'gainst /genst/ prep, poet - against.
Anas strepera. gait /gayt/ n. 1 a manner of walking; one's bearing or
gad«zooks /gadzobks/ int. archaic an expression of sur- carriage as one walks. 2 the manner of forward mo-
prise, etc. tion of a runner, horse, vehicle, etc.
Gael /gayl/ n. 1 a Scottish Celt. 2 a Gaelic-speaking gait*er /gaytar/ n. a covering of cloth, leather, etc., cov-
Celt. ering the lower leg and part of the foot, used to pro-
GaeNic /gaylik, galik/ n. & adj. • n. any of the Celtic lan- tect against snow, mud, etc. dd gait*ered adj.

gal ~ galvanize
gal /gal/ n. si. a girl or woman.
gal. abbr. gallon(s).
ga»la /gayb, ga'ab, gala/ n. (often attrib.) a festive or
special occasion (a gala performance).
ga*lac*ta*gogue /galaktagawg/ adj. n. •adj. induc- &
ing a flow of milk. •n. a galactagogue substance.
ga*lac*tlc /gglaktik/ adj. of or relating to a galaxy, esp.
the Milky Way.
ga*la*go /galaygo, -laa-/ n. (pi. -gos) any small tree-
climbing primate of the genus Galago, found in south-
ern Africa, with large eyes and ears and a long tail. Al-
so called BUSHBABY.
Gal*a*had /gabhad/ n. a person characterized by no-
bility, integrity, courtesy, etc.
gal»ax»y/gabksee/«. (pi. -ies) 1 any of many independ-
ent systems of stars, dust, etc. , held together by gravita-
tional attraction. 2 (the Galaxy) the galaxy of which
the solar system is a part. 3 (the Galaxy) the Milky
Way.
gale /gayl/ n. 1a very strong wind, esp. one of 32-63
m.p.h. 2 an outburst, esp. of laughter.
ga*len*i*cal /galenikal/ adj. (also ga«len*ic /-lenik/)
• adj. 1 of or relating to Galen, a Greek physician of
the 2nd c. ad, or his methods. 2 made of natural as op-
posed to synthetic components.
Gal»i«le«an' /galilay9n,-le'e3n/<2d/. of or relating to Gal-
ileo, Italian astronomer d. 1642, or his methods.
Gal«i»le»an 2 /galileean/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 of Galilee in
Palestine. 2 Christian. •«. 1 a native of Galilee. 2 a
Christian. 3 (prec. by the) derog. Christ.
gall /gawl/ n. 1 5/. impudence. 2 asperity; rancor. 3 bit-
1
terness; anything bitter (gall and wormwood) 4 the bile . b tr. make (a horse, etc.) gallop. 2 intr. (foil, by through,
of animals. 5 the gallbladder and its contents.
gall 2 /gawl/n. &
v. • n. 1 a sore on the skin made by
chafing. 2 a mental soreness or vexation, b a cause of
3 a place rubbed bare. •v.tr.
this. 1 rub sore; injure
rubbing. 2 vex; annoy; irritate. gall*ing*ly adv.
gall 3 /gawl/ «. 1a growth produced by insects or fun-
gus, etc., on plants and trees, esp. on oak. 2 (attrib.)
of insects producing galls.
gaMant adj. &
n. • adj. /gabnt/ 1 brave, esp. in dealing
with adversity; chivalrous. 2 a (of a ship, horse, etc.)
grand; stately, b archaic finely dressed. 3 /gabnt,
galant, -la'ant/ a markedly attentive to women, b con-
cerned with sexual love. • n. /gabnt, galant, -la'ant/ 1 a
ladies' man; a paramour. 2 archaic a man of fashion; a
fine gentleman, an gaManHy /gabntlee/ adv.
gal*lant*ry /gabntree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 bravery; dashing
courage. 2 courtesy to women. 3 a polite act or speech.
gall*blad*der n. the vessel storing bile after its secre-
tion by the liver and before release into the intestine.
gal*le*on /galeean/ n. hist. 1 a ship of war (usu. Span-
ish). 2 a large Spanish merchant ship. 3 a vessel short-
er and higher than a galley.
gaMe«ri»a /gabreea/ n. a collection of small shops un-
der a single roof.
gal»ler«y /gabree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a room or building for
showing works of art. 2 a balcony, esp. a platform pro-
jecting from the inner wall of a church, etc. (minstrels'
gallery). 3 a the highest balcony in a theater, b its occu-
pants. 4 a a covered space for walking in, partly open
at the side, b a long narrow passage in the thickness
of a wall or supported on corbels, open toward the
interior of the building. 5 a long narrow room or cor-
ridor. 6 Mil. &
Mining a horizontal underground pas-
sage. 7 a group of spectators at a golf match, etc. a play
to the gallery seek to win approval by appealing to pop-
ular taste, dd gaMefied adj.
gaMer»y»ite /gabree-it/ n. a person occupying a seat in
a gallery; a spectator at a play, tennis match, etc.
gaMey /galee/ n. (pi. -leys) 1 hist, a a low flat single-
.
322 decked vessel using sails and oars, and usu. rowed by
slaves or criminals, b an ancient Greek or Roman war-
ship with one or more banks of oars. 2 a ship's or air-
craft's kitchen. 3 Printing (in full galley proof) a proof
in the form of long single-column strips, not in sheets
or pages.
gaMey slave n. 1 hist, a person condemned to row in
a galley. 2 a drudge.
gaMiard /galyaard/n. hist. 1 a lively dance usu. in tri-
ple time for two persons. 2 the music for this.
GaMic/galik/ac//. 1 French or typically French. 2 of the
Gauls, nn GaMi*cize /—lisiz/ v.tr. intr. &
gaMic aoid /galik/ n. Chem. an acid extracted from
gallnuts, etc., formerly used in making ink.
gaMi*pot /galipot/ n. a small pot of earthenware, met-
al, etc., used for ointments, etc.
gaMi*um /galeeam/ n. Chem. a soft bluish white metal-
lic element occurring naturally in coal, bauxite, and
kaolin. % Symb.: Ga.
gaMi»vant /galivant/ v.intr. colloq. 1 gad about. 2 flirt.
Gallo- /galo/ comb, form 1 French; relating to France.
2 Gaul (Gallo-Roman)
gaMon /gabn/ n. 1 a a measure of capacity equivalent
to four quarts (3785 cc). b (in full imperial gallon)
Brit, a measure of capacity equal to eight pints and
equivalent to four quarts (4546 cc). 2 (usu. in pi.) col-
loq. a large amount, dd gal*lon*age n.
gal»loon /gsloon/ n. a narrow braid of gold, silver, silk,
cotton, nylon, etc., for trimming dresses, etc.
gaMop /gabp/ n. &v. •n. 1 the fastest pace of a horse
or other quadruped, with all the feet off the ground
together in each stride. 2 a ride at this pace. »v. (gal-
loped, galloping) 1 a intr. go at the pace of a gallop.
over) read or talk at great speed. 3 intr. progress rap-
idly (galloping inflation), dd gaMop»er n.
gal»lo»way /gabway/ «. 1 an animal of a breed of horn-
by less black beef cattle from Galloway in SW Scotland.
2 this breed.
gaMows /galoz/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) 1 a struc-
ture, usu. oftwo uprights and a crosspiece, for the
hanging of criminals. 2 (prec. by the) execution by
hanging.
gaMows hu»mor n. grim and ironic humor.
gall*Stone /gawlston/ n. a small hard mass forming in
the gallbladder.
GaMup poll /gabp/ n. Trademark an assessment of pub-
lic opinion by the questioning of a statistically repre-
sentative sample.
gall wasp n. a gall-forming insect of the hymenopter-
an superfamily Cynipoidea.
ga*loot /galoot/ n. colloq. a person, esp. a strange or
clumsy one.
gal»op/gabp/«. &v. •«. 1 a lively dance in duple time.
2 the music for this, •v.intr. (galoped, galoping) per-
form this dance.
ga*lore /golawr/ adj. in abundance (placed after noun:
flowers galore).
ga*losh /golosh/ n. (usu. in pi.) a waterproof overshoe
of rubber.
ga»lumph /gnlumf/ v.intr. colloq. 1 move clumsily. 2 go
prancing in triumph.
gal*van*ic /galvanik/ adj. 1 a sudden and remtrktble
(a galvanic effect) b full of energy. 2 producing ;m da
.
trie current by chemical action, n gal»van«i»cal»ly ././.
i i
gal*va«nism /galvnnizom/ n. 1 electricity produced by
chemical action. 2 the use of electricity foi mcdJCtl
purposes. k gal*va*nist n.
[ i
gal*va*nize /galvoniz/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by into) rOUM
forcefully, esp. by shock or excitement. 2 stimuhu In
or as if by electricity. 3 coat (iron) with zinc (usu. with-
out the use of electricity) as a protection against rust.
dd gal*va*ni*za*tion n. gal*va*niz*er ;/.
 . .

gal»va»nom»e*ter /galvanomitar/ n. an instrument for 323 galvanometer ~ gantry

detecting and measuring small electric currents.
gd gal«va«no»met«ric /-nametrik/ adj. gam*in /gamin/ n. la street urchin. 2 an impudent
ganvbit /gambit/ n. 1 a chess opening in which a play- child.
er sacrifices a piece or pawn to secure an advantage. n. la girl gamin. 2 a girl with mis-
ganvine /gameen/
2 an opening move in a discussion, etc. 3 a trick or de- chievous or boyish charm.
vice. ganvma /gama/ n. 1 the third letter of the Greek al-
ganvble /gambal/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. play games of phabet (r, -y). 2 the third member of a series.
chance for money, esp. for high stakes. 2 tr. a bet (a ganvma ra*di*a«tion n. (also gamma rays)
sum of money) in gambling, b (often foil, by away) electromagnetic radiation of very short wavelength.
lose (assets) by gambling. 3 intr. take great risks in the ganvmon /gaman/ n. v. *n. 1 the bottom piece of
1
&
hope of substantial gain. 4 intr. (foil, by on) act in the a side of bacon including a hind leg. 2 esp. Brit, the
hope of (gambled on fine weather) • n. 1 a risky under-
. ham of a pig cured like bacon, •v.tr. cure (bacon).
taking or attempt. 2 an act of gambling, no ganvbler ganvmon 2 /gaman/ n. v. •«. a victory in backgam- &
n. mon in which the opponent removes no pieces from
gam-bol /gambal/ v. &
n. •v.intr. (gamboled, gambol- the board, defeat in this way.
•v.tr.
ing; also gambolled, gambolling) skip or frolic play- ganvut /gamat/ the whole series or range or scope
n. 1

fully. • n. a playful frolic. of anything (the whole gamut of crime). 2 Mus. a the
ganvbrel /gambral/ n. (in full gambrel roof) a roof with whole series of notes used in medieval or modern mu-
gables and with each face having two slopes, the lower sic, b a major diatonic scale.

one steeper. ganvy /gaymee/ adj. (gamier, gamiest) 1 having the fla-
1
&
game /gaym/ n., adj., v. • n. 1 a form or spell of play vor or scent of game kept till it is high. 2 scandalous;
or sport, esp. a competitive one played according to sensational. 3 = game 1 adj. dd ganvMy adv. ganvi»ness
rules. 2 a single portion of play forming a scoring unit n.
in some contests, e.g., bridge or tennis. 3 (inp/.)a Brit. gan*der /gandar/ n. 1 a male goose. 2 5/. a glance (take
athletics or sports as organized in a school, etc. b a a gander)
meeting for athletic, etc., contests (Olympic Games). gang /gang/ n. 1 a a band of persons acting or going
4 a winning score in a game; the state of the score in a about together, b colloq. such a band pursuing antiso-
game. 5 the equipment for a game. 6 one's level of cial purposes. 2 a set of workers, slaves, or prisoners.
achievement in a game, as specified (has a strong game) d gang up colloq. 1 (often foil, by with) act in concert.
7 a a piece of fun (was only playing a game with you), b 2 (foil, by on) combine against.
(in pi.) jokes; tricks (none ofyour games/). 8 a scheme, gang»bus»ter /gangbustar/ n. &
adj. colloq. *n. a police
etc., regarded as a game (so that's your game). 9 a pol- officer or other person who takes part in breaking up
icy or line of action. 10 (collect.) a wild animals or birds criminal gangs. • adj. very successful, esp. commercial-
hunted for sport or food, b the flesh of these. 11a hunt- ly (the restaurant did a gangbuster business).
ed animal, madj. 1 eager and willing. 2 (foil, by for, or gangland /gangland, -land/ n. the world of organized
to + infin.) having the spirit or energy. • v. intr. esp. Brit. crime.
play at games of chance for money; gamble, o the game gan*gling /ganggling/ adj. (of a person) loosely built;
is up the scheme is revealed, off (or on) one's game lanky.
playing badly (or well), play the game behave fairly. gan*gli*on /ganggleean/ n. (pi. ganglia /-leea/or gan-
dd game*ly adv. game*ness n. game-ster n. glions) 1 a an enlargement or knot on a nerve, etc.,
game 2 /gaym/ adj. (of a leg, arm, etc.) lame; crippled. containing an assemblage of nerve cells, b a mass of
game«cock /gaymkok/ n. (also game*fowl /-fowl/) a gray matter in the central nervous system forming a
cock bred and trained for cockfighting. nerve nucleus. 2 Med. a cyst, esp. on a tendon sheath.
game»keep»er /gaymkeepar/ n. a person employed to dd gan*gli*on«at*ed adj. gan*gli*on*ic /-leeonik/ adj.
breed and protect game, usu. for a large estate. gang*ly /gangglee/ adj. (ganglier, gangliest) = gan-
game plan n. 1 a winning strategy worked out in ad- gling.
vance for a particular game. 2 a plan of campaign, esp. gang-plank /gangplangk/ n. a movable plank usu. with
in politics. cleats nailed on it for boarding or disembarking from
game point n. Tennis, etc., a point that, if won, would a ship, etc.
win the game. gan*grene /ganggreen/ n. &
v. • n. 1 Med. death and

games*man*ship /gaymzmanship/ the art or prac-n. decomposition of a part of the body tissue, usu. re-
tice of winning games or other contests by gaining a sulting from obstructed circulation. 2 moral corrup-
psychological advantage over an opponent. tion. • v.tr. &
intr. affect or become affected with gan-

game*some /gaymsam/ adj. merry; sportive, dd game* grene, dd gan*gre*nous /ganggrinas/ adj.
some»ly adv. game*some*ness n. gang»ster /gangstar/ n. a member of a gang of violent
ganvete /gameet, gameet/ n. Biol, a mature germ cell criminals, dd gang*ster*ism n.
able to unite with another in sexual reproduction. &
gangway /gangway/ n. int. • n. 1 a an opening in the
dd ga-meHc /gametik/ adj. bulwarks for a gangplank by which a ship is entered
game theory n. (also games theory) the mathematical or left, b a bridge laid from ship to shore. C a passage
analysis of conflict in war, economics, games of skill, on a ship. 2 a temporary bridge on a building site, etc.
etc. • int. make way!
gameto- /game'eto/ comb, form Biol, gamete. gan*ja /ga'anja/ n. marijuana.
ga»me»to»cyte /game'etaslt/ n. Biol any cell that is in gan*net /ganit/ n. 1 any sea bird of the genus Morus,
the process of developing into one or more gametes. which catches fish by plunge-diving. 2 Brit. si. a greedy
gam*e*to*gen*e*sis /game'etajenisis/ n. Biol, the proc- person, dd gan»net«ry n. (pi. -ries).
ess by which cells undergo meiosis to form gametes. ganMet var. of gauntlet 2.
ga»me»to»phyte /game'etafit/ n. the gamete-producing gan»try /gantree/ n. (pi. -tries) 1 an overhead structure
form of a plant that has alternation of generations be- supporting a traveling crane, or railroad or road sig-
tween this and the asexual form, dd ga*me*to*phyt*ic nals. 2 a structure supporting a space rocket prior to
/-fitik/ adj. launching.
game war»den n. an official locally supervising game
and hunting. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
gap ~ gassy 324 gar*net /ga'arnit/ n. a vitreous silicate mineral, esp. a
transparent deep red kind used as a gem.
gap /gap/ n. 1 an unfilled space or interval; a break in gar*nish /gaarnish/ v. &n. mv.tr. decorate or embellish
continuity. 2 a wide (usu. undesirable) divergence in (esp. food) • n. (also gar*nish*ing) a decoration or em-
.

views, etc. {generation gap). 3 a gorge or pass, do gap* bellishment, esp. to food.
Py adj. gar«nish«ee /ga'arnishe'e/ v. &
n. Law mv.tr. (gar-
gape /gayp/ v.&n.* v. intr. a open one's mouth wide,
1 nishees, garnisheed) 1 legally seize (money, etc.).
esp. in amazement, b be or become wide open. 2 (foil, 2 serve notice on (a person) for the purpose of seizing
by at) gaze curiously or wondrously. 3 split. 4 yawn. money, mn. a person garnished.
• n. 1 an openmouthed stare. 2 a yawn. 3 a rent or ga*rotte var. of garrote.
opening, dd gap*ing*ly adv. gar*ret /garit/ n. 1a top floor or attic room, esp. a dis-
ga*rage /gara'azh, -ra'aj/ «.&u.»n.1a building for the mal or unfurnished one. 2 an attic.
storage of a motorvehicle or vehicles. 2 an establish- gar»ri»son /garisgn/ n. & v. • n. 1 the troops stationed
ment selling gasoline, etc. , or repairing and selling mo- in a fortress, etc., to defend 2 the building occupied
it.

tor vehicles, mv.tr. keep (a motor vehicle) in a garage. by them. mv.tr. 1 provide (a place) with or occupy as
garage sale a sale of miscellaneous household goods a garrison. 2 place on garrison duty.
held in the garage or yard of a private house. gar«rote /gsrot/ v. & n. (also ga*rotte; gar-rotte) •v.tr.
ga*ram ma*sa*la /ga'aram masaa'ata/ n. a mixture of kill by strangulation,
esp. with an iron or wire collar,
spices used in Indian cooking. etc. • n.the apparatus used for this.
garb /gaarb/ n. & • n. 1 clothing, esp. of a distinctive
v. gar*ru«lous /garatas, garys-/ adj. 1 talkative, esp. on
kind. 2 the way a person is dressed. 9V.tr. 1 (usu. in trivial matters. 2 wordy, dd gar»riHi»ty /gsroblitee/ n.
passive or refl.) put (esp. distinctive) clothes on (a per- gar*ru*lous*ly adv. gar*ru*lous*ness n.
son). 2 attire. gar*ter /gaartar/ n. 1 a band worn to keep a sock or
gar»bage/ga'arbij/n. 1 a refuse; filth, b domestic waste, stocking up. 2 a strap hanging from a girdle, etc., for
esp. food wastes. 2 offensive or inferior literature, etc. holding up a stocking.
3 nonsense. 4 incomprehensible or meaningless data. gar»ter belt n. a belt with hanging straps for holding
gar*ble /ga'arbal/ v.tr. 1 unintentionally distort (mes- up stockings.
sages, etc.). 2 a mutilate in order to misrepresent. gar»ter snake n. any harmless snake of the genus
b make (usu. unfair) selections from (statements, Thamnophis, native to N. America, having lengthwise
etc.). dd gar*bler n. stripes.
gar*board /ga'arbard/ n. (in full garboard strake) the gas /gas/ n. & v. • n. 1 any airlike substance
(pi gases)
first range of planks or plates laid on a ship's bottom that moves freely to any space available, irrespec-
fill

next to the keel. tive of its quantity. 2 such a substance used as a domes-
gar*den /gaard'n/ n. &v. • n. 1 a a piece of ground used tic or industrial fuel (also attrib. gas stove) 3 nitrous
: .

for growing esp. flowers or vegetables, b a piece of oxide or another gas used as an anesthetic (esp. in den-
ground, usu. partly grassed and adjoining a private tistry). 4 a gas or vapor used in warfare. 5 colloq. a gas-
house, used for growing flowers, fruit, or vegetables, oline, b a motor vehicle's accelerator. 6 si pointless
and as a place of recreation. 2 (esp. in pi) ornamen- idle talk. 7 5/. an amusing thing or person, mv. (gases,
tal grounds laid out for public enjoyment. 3 (attrib.) gassed, gassing) 1 tr. expose to gas, esp. to kill or
a (of plants) cultivated, not wild, b for use in a garden make unconscious. 2 intr. give off gas. 3 tr. (usu. foil,
(garden seat). 4 (usu. in pi. prec. by a name) Brit, a by up) colloq. fill (the tank of a motor vehicle) with gas-
street, square, etc. (Onslow Gardens). 5 an especially oline. 4 intr. colloq. talk idly.
fertile region. 6 a large public hall. %v.intr. cultivate or gas*bag /gasbag/ n. 1 a container of gas for a balloon
work in a garden, an gar*den*ing n. or airship. 2 si an idle talker.
gar«den«er /gaardnai/ n. a person who gardens or is gas chanvber n. an airtight chamber that can be filled
employed to tend a garden. with poisonous gas to kill people or animals.
gar*de*nia /gaarde'enys/ n. any tree or shrub of the ge- gas*e*ous /gaseeas, gashas/ adj. of or like gas. dd gas*
nus Gardenia, with large white or yellow flowers and e«ous*ness ;/.
usu. a fragrant scent. gas field n. an area yielding natural gas.
gar*fish /gaarfish/ n. (pi same) = gar. gas-guz»zler n. colloq. a motor vehicle that gets rela-
gar*gan*tu*an /gaarganchooan/ adj. enormous; gigan- tively poor gas mileage.
tic. gash /gash/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a long deep slash or wound.

gar*gle /gaargsl/ v. &

n. mv. 1 tr. (also absol) wash 2 a a cleft such as might be made by a slashing cut.
(one's mouth and throat) with a liquid kept in motion b the act of making such a cut. •v.tr. make a gash in.
by breathing through it. 2 intr. make a sound as when gas»ket /gaskit/ n. a sheet or ring of rubber, etc., shaped
doing this. • n. a liquid used for gargling. to seal the junction of metal surfaces, a blow a gasket
gar*goyle /ga'argoyl/ n. a grotesque carved human or 5/. lose one's temper.

animal face or figure projecting from the gutter of a gas-light /gaslit/ n. 1 a jet of burning gas, usu. heating
building as a spout. a mantle, to provide light. 2 light emanating from this.
gar*ish /gairish/ adj. 1 obtrusively bright. 2 gaudy; gas mask n. a respirator used as a defense against poi-
over-decorated, an gar*ish*ly adv. gar*ish*ness n. son gas.
gaMand /gaarland/ n. v. *n. &a wreath of flowers, gas»oline /gasoleen/ n. (also gas»o*lene) a volatile
"\

leaves, etc., worn on the head or hung as a decoration. flammable liquid blended from petroleum and natural
2 a prize or distinction, •v.tr. 1 adorn with garlands. gas and used as a fuel.
2 crown with a garland. gasp /gasp/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. catch one's breath with
gar*lic /gaarlik/ n. 1 any of various alliaceous plants, an open mouth as in astonishment. 2 intr. (toll, by /<» >

esp. Allium sativum. 2 the strong-smelling pungent strain to obtain by gasping (gasped for air). 3 tr. (often
bulb of this plant, used in cooking, dd gar*lick*y adj. foil, by out) utter with gasps, n. a convulsive catching
garment /gaarmant/ n. 1 a an article of dress, b (in of breath.
pi) clothes. 2 the outward and visible covering of an- gas»ser /gasnr/ n. 1 colloq. an idle talker. 2 si a vei \ it

ything. tractive or impressive person or thing.

gar*ner /gaarnar/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 collect. 2 store; depos- gas Sta»tion n, a service station.
it. • n. literary a storehouse or granary. gas»sy /gasee/ a^/. (gassier, gassiest) 1 a of or like gas.
 b full of gas. 2 colloq. (of talk, etc.) pointless; verbose. 325 gastrectomy - gawky
do gas»si»ness n.
gas»trec«tomy /gastrektamee/ n. (pi. -mies) a surgical 6 be affected by the accumulation or increase of
tr.

operation in which the whole or part of the stomach (gather speed) .7 tr. (often foil, by up) summon up (one's

is removed. thoughts, energy, etc.) for a purpose. 8 tr. gain or re-

gas«tric /gastrik/ adj. of the stomach. cover (one's breath). 9 tr. a draw (material, or one's
gas»tric juice n. a thin clear virtually colorless acid flu- brow) together in folds or wrinkles, b pucker or draw
id secreted by the stomach glands and active in pro- together (part of a dress) by running a thread through.
moting digestion. 1 intr. come to a head; develop a purulent swelling.

n. inflammation of the lining of the

gas*tri*tis /gastritis/ • n. (in pi.) a part of a garment that is gathered or drawn
stomach. in. gather way (of a ship) begin to move, dd gath«er»
gastro- /gastro/ comb, form (also gastr- before a vowel) er n.

stomach. gath*er«ing /gatharing/ n. 1 an assembly or meeting.

gas»troen»ter»ic /gastroenterik/ adj. of or relating to 2 a purulent swelling. 3 a group of leaves taken to-
the stomach and intestines. gether in bookbinding.
gas»tro»en»ter»i«tis /gastro-entaritis/ n. inflammation GaMing /gatling/ n. (in full Gatling gun) an early ma-
of the stomach and intestines. chine gun with clustered barrels.
gas«tro»nome /gastranom/ n. a gourmet. ga«tor /gaytar/ n. (also ga»ter) colloq. an alligator.
gas»tron»o«my /gastronamee/ n. the practice, study, or gauche /gosh/ adj. 1 socially awkward. 2 tactless.
art of eating and drinking well, dd gas»tro«nom»ic no gauche«ly adv. gauche»ness n.
/gastranomik/ adj. gas»tro«nom»i»cal adj. gas«tro»nom« gau«che«rie /g6sharee/ n. 1 gauche manners. 2 a
i*caMy adv. gauche action.
gas*tro*pod /gastrapod/ n. any mollusk of the class gau*cho /gowcho/ n. (pi. -chos) a cowboy from the S.
Gastropoda that moves along by means of a large mus- American pampas.
cular foot, e.g., a snail, slug, etc. gas»trop«c-dous gaud /gawd/ n. a gaudy thing; a showy ornament.
/gastropadas/ adj. gaud*y /gawdee/ adj. (gaudier, gaudiest) tastelessly
gas«troscope /gastraskop/ n. an optical instrument bright or showy, dd gaud*My adv. gaud«i»ness n.
used for inspecting the interior of the stomach. gauge /gayj/ n. & v. (also standard meas-
gage) • n. 1 a
gasworks /gaswarks/ n. a place where gas is manufac- b the fineness of a
ure, esp.: a the capacity of a barrel,
tured and processed. textile. C the diameter of a bullet, d the thickness of
gat /gat/ n. si. a revolver or other firearm.
1
sheet metal. 2 any of various instruments for meas-
gat 2 /gat/ n. archaic past of get v. uring this, or for measuring other dimensions or prop-
gate /gayt/ n. & v. • n. 1 a barrier, usu. hinged, used to erties. 3 the distance between a pair of rails or the
close an opening made for entrance and exit through wheels on one axle. 4 the capacity, extent, or scope of
a wall, fence, etc. 2 such an opening, esp. in the wall something. 5 a means of estimating. 6 Xaut. a relative
of a city, enclosure, or large building. 3 a means of en- position with respect to the wind, mv.tr. 1 measure ex-
trance or exit. 4 a numbered place of access to aircraft actly (esp. objects of standard size). 2 determine the
at an airport. 5 a an electrical signal that causes or con- capacity or content of. 3 estimate or form a judgment
trols the passage of other signals, b an electrical cir- of (a person, situation, etc.). dd gaug*er n.
cuit with an output that depends on the combination Gaul /gawl/ n. la native or inhabitant of ancient Gaul.
of several inputs. 6 a device regulating the passage of 2 a native or inhabitant of France.
water in a lock, etc. 7 a the number of people entering Gaulish /gawlish/ adj. &
n. »adj. of or relating to the
by payment at the gates of a sports stadium, etc. b (in ancient Gauls. • n. their language.
full gate money) the proceeds taken for admission. 8 = gaunt /gawnt/ adj. 1 lean; haggard. 2 grim or desolate
starting gate. 9V.tr. (as gated adj.) (of a road) having in appearance, dd gaunMy adv. gaunt*ness n.
a gate or gates to control the movement of traffic or gaunMet ' /gawntlit- n.1a stout glove with a long loose
animals. wrist.2 hist, an armored glove. 3 a challenge (esp. in
ga*teau /gato, gaa-/ n. (pi. gateaus or gateaux /-toz/) throw down the gauntlet).
any of various rich cakes, usu. containing cream or gaunMet 2
/gawntlit/ n. a run the gauntlet 1 be sub-
fruit. jected to harsh criticism. 2 pass between two rows of
gate»crash»er /gaytkrashar/ n. an uninvited guest at a people and receive blows from them, as a punishment
party, etc. dd gate*crash v.tr. intr.& or ordeal.
gate*fold /gaytfold/ n. a page in a book or magazine, gauss /gows/ n. (pi. same or gausses) a unit of magnet-

etc., that folds out to be larger than the page format.
gate»house/gayt-hows/«. 1 a house standing by a gate-
way, esp. to a large house or park. 2 hist, a room over
a city gate, often used as a prison.
gate*keep*er /gaytkeepar/ n. an attendant at a gate,
controlling entrance and exit.
gate«leg /gaytleg/ n. (in full gateleg table) a table with
hinged legs that swing out from the frame to support
folding leaves that make the surface of table larger.
nn gate-legged adj.
ic induction, equal to one ten-thousandth of a tesla.
Gauss*i*an dis*tri*bu*tion /gowseean/ n. Statistics =
NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
gauze /gawz/ n. la thin transparent fabric of silk, cot-
ton, etc. 2 a fine mesh of wire, etc. 3 a slight haze.
gauz*y /gawzee/ adj. (gauzier, gauziest) 1 like gauze;
thin and translucent. 2 flimsy; delicate, dd gauz*i*ly
adv. gauz*i*ness n.
gave past of give.
gav*el /gaval/ n. &
v. • n. a small hammer used by an

gate«way /gaytway/ n. 1 an entrance with or opening auctioneer, or for calling a meeting, courtroom, etc.,
for a gate. 2 a frame or structure built over a gate. 3 an to order.
entrance or exit. ga*votte /gavot/ n. 1 an old French dance in moderate-
gath»er /gathar/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. &
intr. bring or come ly quick 4/4 time. 2 the music for this.
together; assemble. 2 tr. (usu. foil, by up) a bring to- gawk /gawk/ v. &
n. mv.intr. colloq. stare stupidly. •>/.
gether from scattered places, b take up together from an awkward or bashful person, dd gawk*ish adj.
the ground, etc. C draw into a smaller compass. 3 tr. gawk*y /gawkee/ adj. (gawkier, gawkiest) awkward or
acquire by gradually collecting. 4 tr. a pick a quantity ungainly, dd gawk*i*ly adv. gawk*i*ness n.
of (flowers, etc.). b collect (grain, etc.) as a harvest.
5 tr. (often foil, by that + clause) infer or understand. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

gay ~ genealogy 326 diously conventional. 2 a carnival performer who bites

the heads off live chickens.
gay /gay/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 lighthearted and carefree. geese pi. of goose.
2 a homosexual, b intended for or used by homosex- gee*zer /geezar/ n. si. a person, esp. an old man.
uals (a gay bar). Gei*ger count*er /gigar/ n. a device for measuring ra-
Generally informal in use, but often favored by esp. dioactivity by detecting and counting ionizing parti-
male homosexuals with ref. to themselves. 3 brightly cles.
colored (a gay scarf), •n. a homosexual, esp. male. gei*sha /gaysha, gee-/ n. (pi. same or geishas) a Jap-
do gayness n. anese hostess trained in entertaining men with dance
ga*za*ni*a /gazayneea/ n. any herbaceous plant of the and song.
genus Gazania, with showy yellow or orange daisy- gel /jel/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a semisolid colloidal suspension

shaped flowers. or jelly, of a solid dispersed in a liquid. 2 a gelatinous

gaze /gayz/ v. &
n. •v.intr. (foil, by at, into, etc.) look hair-styling preparation. • v. intr. (gelled, gelling) form
fixedly. • n. a fixed or intent look, do gaz*er n. a gel.
ga*ze*DO /gaze'ebo/ n. (pi. gel*a*tin /jelatin/ n. (also gel*a*tine /-teen/) a virtually
-bos or -boes) a summer- colorless, tasteless, transparent, water-soluble protein
house or turret designed to derived from collagen and used in food, photography,
give a wide view. etc. dd ge*lat*i*nize /jilat'niz/ v.tr. &intr. ge«lat*i»ni*za*
ga-zelle /gazel/ n. any of var- tion /jilat'nizayshan/ n.
ious small graceful soft- ge*lat*i*nous /jilat'nas/ adj. 1 of or like gelatin. 2 of a
eyed antelopes of Asia or jellylike consistency, dd ge*lat*i*nous*ly adv.
Africa, esp. of the genus ge*la*tion /jilayshan/ n. solidification by freezing.
Gazella. ge*la*tO /jalaato/ n. a kind of Italian ice cream.
ga*zette /gazet/ n. a newspa- geld /geld/ v.tr. 1 deprive (usu. a male animal) of the
per. ability to reproduce. 2 castrate or spay; excise the tes-
gaz»et»teer /gazite'er/ n. a ticles or ovaries of.
geographical index or dic- geld»ing /gelding/ n. a gelded animal, esp. a male horse.
tionary. gel*ig*nite /jelignit/ n. an explosive made from nitro-
gaz*pa*cho /gaspaacho/ n. glycerine, cellulose nitrate, sodium or potassium ni-
gazebo
(pi. -chos) a Spanish soup trate, and wood pulp.
made with tomatoes, oil, garlic, onions, etc., and gem /jem/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a precious or semi-precious

served cold. stone, esp. when cut and polished or engraved. 2 an

GB abbr. Great Britain. object or person of great beauty or worth, •v.tr.
GDP abbr. gross domestic product. (gemmed, gemming) adorn with or as with gems.
GDR abbr. hist. German Democratic Republic. dd genvlike adj.
gear /geer/ n. &v. •n. 1 (often in pi.) a set of toothed Ge«ma»ra /gimaara, -nee/ n. a rabbinical commentary
wheels that work together to transmit and control mo- forming the second part of the Talmud.
tion from an engine, esp. to the road wheels of a ve- gem*i*nate adj. &v. *adj. /jeminat/ combined in pairs.
hicle. 2 a particular function or state of adjustment of • v.tr. /jeminayt/ 1 double; repeat. 2 arrange in pairs.
engaged gears (second gear) 3 a mechanism of wheels,
. dd gem*i*na*tion n.
levers, etc., usu. for a special purpose (winding gear) Gem»i»ni /jemini, -nee/ n. 1 a constellation, tradition-
4 a particular apparatus or mechanism, as specified ally regarded as contained in the figures of twins.
(landing gear) 5 equipment or tackle for a special pur-
. 2 a the third sign of the zodiac (the Twins), b a per-
pose. 6 colloq. a clothing, esp. when modern or fash- son born when the sun is in this sign, dd Gem»i«ne»an
ionable, b possessions in general. 7 goods; household /jemineean, -nian/ n. adj. &
utensils. 8 rigging. 9 a harness for a draft animal. • v. genvma /jema/ n. (pi. gemmae /-mee/) a small cellular
1 tr. (foil, by to) adjust or adapt to suit a special pur- body that separates from a mother plant and starts a
pose or need. 2 tr. (often foil, by up) equip with gears. new one; an asexual spore.
3 tr. (foil, by up) make ready or prepared. 4 tr. put (ma- gem*ol*o*gy /jemolajee/ n. (also genvmol»o«gy) the
chinery) in gear. 5 intr. a Brit, be in gear, b (foil, by study of gems, dd gem*ol*o*gist or gem«mol«o«gist n.
with) work smoothly with, d be geared (or all geared) gem«Stone /jemston/ n. a precious stone used as a gem.
up colloq. be ready or enthusiastic, in gear with a gear Gen. abbr. General.
engaged, out of gear 1 with no gear engaged. 2 out of -gen /jan/ comb, form Chem. that which produces (hy-
order. drogen; antigen).
gear*box /geerboks/ the casing that encloses a set
n. 1 gen*darme /zhonda'arm/ n. 1 a police officer, esp. in
of gears. 2 a set of gears with its casing, esp. in a mo- France. 2 a soldier, mounted or on foot, employed in
tor vehicle; a transmission. police duties, esp. in France.
gear*ing /ge'ering/ n. a set or arrangement of gears in gen»der /jendar/ n. 1a the grammatical classification
a machine. of nouns and related words, roughly corresponding to
gear»shift /ge'ershift/ n. a lever used to engage or change the two sexes and sexlessness. b each of the classes ot
gear, esp. in a motor vehicle. nouns (see MASCULINE, imimm NBUTBR, common </<//.
i
,

gear-wheel /ge'erhweel, -weel/ n. 1 a toothed wheel in 6). 2 (of nouns and related words) the property oi 'be-
a set of gears. 2 (in a bicycle) the cogwheel driven di- longing to such a class. 3 colloq. a person's sex.
rectly by the chain. gen»der ben«der n. a person or thing not conforming
geck*o /geko/ n. (pi -os or -oes) any of various house to sexual stereotypes.
lizards found in warm climates, with adhesive feet for gene /jeen/ n. a unit of heredity composed of'DNA or
climbing vertical surfaces. RNA and forming part of a chromosome, u iliat I ,

gee /jee/ int. (also gee whiz) /wiz/)

1
colloq. a mild ex- determines a particular character istu <»( an nulivul
pression of surprise, etc. ual.
gee 2 /jee/ int. (often foil, by up) a command to a horse, ge«ne«a»log»i«cal /jcenccalojikal/ adj. 1 of or con
etc., to go faster. cerning genealogy. 2 tracing family des t cut ge»ne«
gee 3 /jee/ n. si. (usu. in pi.) a thousand dollars. a*log*i*caMy adv.
geek /geek/ n. si. 1 a person who is socially inept or te- ge«ne«al»0»gy /je'eneealojee/ >/. (pi. -gies) 1 a a hii -I
 . .

descent traced continuously from an ancestor, b an 327 genera ~ genius

account of this. 2 the study and investigation of lines
of descent. 3 a plant's or animal's line of development cialprocess, esp. the production of electricity or heat.
from earlier forms, do ge«ne«al«o»gist n. ge»ne«al»o» 6 a procreation; the propagation of species, b the
gize v. tr. & intr. act of begetting or being begotten, no gen«er«a«tion»
gen*er*a pi. of genus. al adj.
gen*er*al /jenaral/ adj. & n. gen»er»a»tion gap n. difference of outlook or opinion
•adj. 1 a completely or al-
most universal, b including or affecting all or nearly between those of different generations.
all parts or cases of things. 2 prevalent; widespread; Gen»er»a»tion X n. term used for people born from
usual. 3 not partial, particular, local, or sectional. 4 not about 1965 to 1975 (fr. a novel by Douglas Coupland).
limited in application; relating to whole classes or all gen»er»a»tive /jenarativ, -raytiv/ adj. 1 of or concerning
cases. 5 including points common to the individuals procreation. 2 able to produce; productive.
of a class and neglecting the differences {a general gen»er«a«tor /jenaraytar/ n. 1 a machine for converting
term) 6 not restricted or specialized {general knowl-
. mechanical into electrical energy. 2 an apparatus for
edge) 7 a roughly corresponding, b sufficient for prac-
. producing gas, steam, etc.
tical purposes. 8 not detailed {a general resemblance). ge»ner»ic /jinerik/ adj. 1 characteristic of or relating to
9 vague; indefinite {spoke only in general terms) 1 chief a class; general. 2 Biol, characteristic of or belonging
.

or principal; having overall authority {general manager, to a genus. 3 (of goods, esp. a drug) having no brand
Secretary General). »n. 1 a an army officer ranking next name, dd ge»ner«i«caMy adv.
above lieutenant general, b = brigadier general, gen*er*OUS /jenaras/ adj. 1 giving or given freely.
lieutenant general, major general. 2 a commander of 2 magnanimous; noble-minded. 3 ample; abundant (a
an army. 3 a tactician or strategist of specified merit generous portion) oo gen»er»os«i»ty /-rositee/ n. gen»er» .

{a great general). 4 the head of a religious order, e.g., ous«ly adv.

of the Jesuits or the Salvation Army. in general 1 as gen«e«sis /jenisis/ n. 1 the origin, or mode of forma-
a normal rule; usually. 2 for the most part, no gen»er» tion, of a thing. 2 (Genesis) the first book of the Old
alTiess n. Testament.
gen*er«al e»lec»tion n. the election of representatives gene ther»a»py n. Med. the introduction of normal
to a legislature from constituencies throughout the genes into cells in place of defective or missing ones
country. in order to correct genetic disorders.
gen«er«al«is»si»mo/jen9r9lisimo/n. {pi. -mos) the com- ge»net»ic /jinetik/ adj. 1 of genetics or genes; inherited.
mander of a combined military force in some coun- 2 of, in, or concerning origin; causal, oo ge«net»i»cal»
tries consisting of army, navy, and air force units. ly adv.
gen*er*al*ist /jenaralist/ n. a person competent in sev- ge«net»ic code n. Biochem. the means by which genet-
eral different fields or activities (opp. specialist). ic information is stored as sequences ofnucleotide bas-
gen»er«al«i»ty /jenaralitee/ n. {pi. -ties) 1 a statement or es in the chromosomal DNA.
principle, etc. having general validity or force. 2 appli- ge»net»ic en»gi»neer«ing n. the deliberate modification
cability to a whole class of instances. 3 vagueness; lack of the characteristics of an organism by the manipu-
of detail. 4 (foil, by of) the main body or majority. lation of DNA.
gen*er*al*i*za*tion /jenaralizayshan/ n. 1 a general no- ge«net«ic fin»ger»print»ing n. (also genetic profiling)
tion or proposition obtained by inference from partic- the analysis of characteristic patterns in as a DNA
ular cases. 2 the act of generalizing. means of identifying individuals.
gen»er»al«ize /jenaralrz/ v. 1 intr. a speak in general or ge«net*ics /jinetiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing. ) the study
indefinite terms, b form general principles or notions. of heredity and the variation of inherited characteris-
2 tr. reduce to a general statement, principle, or no- tics, oo ge«net«i»cist /— tisist/ n.
tion. 3 tr. give a general character to. 4 tr. infer (a law Ge«ne*va bands /jineevo/ n.pl. two white cloth strips
or conclusion) by induction. 5 tr. Math. Philos. ex- &
attached to the collar of some Protestants' clerical
press in a general form; extend the application of. 6 tr. dress.
bring into general use. no gen*er*al*iz*a*ble adj. gen* gemial /je'eneeal/ adj. 1 jovial; sociable. 2 (of the cli-
1

er*al*iz*a*bil*i*ty n. gen»er»al«iz«er n. mate) mild and warm. 3 cheering; enlivening, oo ge»

gen»er»al»ly /jenaralee/ adv. 1 usually; in most cases. ni-al-i-ty /-neealitee/ n. gen*iaMy adv.
2 in a general sense; without regard to particulars or ge«ni»al 2 /jinial/ adj. Anat. of or relating to the chin.
exceptions {generally speaking) 3 for the most part; ex- . -genie /jenik/ comb, form forming adjectives meaning:
tensively {not generally known) in most respects {they A 1 producing {carcinogenic). 2 well suited to {photogen-

were generally well-behaved) ic). 3 produced by {iatrogenic)

gen»er«al praoti»tion»er n. a doctor working in the ge*nie /je'enee/ n. {pi. usu. genii /jeenee-I/) a jinni, gob-
community and treating cases of all kinds in the first lin, or familiar spirit of Arabian folklore.
instance. ge*ni«i pi. of genie, genius.
gen*er*al*ship /jenaralship/ n. 1 the art or practice of gen*i*tal /jenit'l/ adj. & n. madj. of or relating to animal
exercising military command. 2 military skill; strate- reproduction. •«. (in pi.) the external reproductive
gy. 3 skillful management; tact; diplomacy. organs.
gen*er*al store a store, usu. located in a rural area,
n. gen«i«ta*li*a /jenitayleea/ n.pl. the genitals.
that carries a wide variety of items, as food, clothing, gen«i»tive /jenitiv/n. &adj. Gram. • n. the case of nouns
without being divided into departments.
etc., and pronouns (and words in grammatical agreement
gen»er»ate /jenarayt/ v.tr. 1 bring into existence. 2 pro- with them) corresponding to of from, and other prepo-
duce (electricity), dd gen*er*a*ble /-rabal/ adj. sitions and indicating possession or close association.
gen-er»a»tion /jenarayshan/ n. 1 all the people born at • adj. of or in the genitive, oo gen*i*ti*val /-rival/ adj.
a particular time, regarded collectively {my generation; gen*i*ti*val*ly adv.
the next generation) 2 a single step in descent or ped-
. genitO- /jenito/ comb, form genital.
igree {have known them for three generations) 3 a stage . gen*ius /jeenyas/ n. {pi. geniuses or genii /-nee-i/) {pi.
in (esp. technological) development {fourth-generation geniuses) 1 an exceptional intellectual or creative
computers) 4 the average time in which children are
. power. 2 a person having this.
ready to take the place of their parents (usu. figured
at about 30 years). 5 production by natural or artifi- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
genocide ~ geophagy 328 acteristics, usu. containing multiple species. 2 a kind
or class having common characteristics.
geiTO'Cide /jenosid/ n. the deliberate extermination of -geny /jgnee/ comb, form forming nouns meaning 'mode
a people or nation, dd gen»o«cid»al /-sid'l/ adj. of production or development of (ontogeny, pathoge-
ge«nome/je'enom/«. 1 the haploid set of chromosomes ny).
of an organism. 2 the genetic material of an organism. geo- /jee-o/ comb, form earth.
gervotype /je'enatip/ n. Biol, the genetic constitution ge«o»bot«a«ny /jeeobot'nee/ n. the study of the geo-
of an individual, dd gen»otyp»ic /— tipik/ adj. graphical distribution of plants. dd ge*o*bot*a*nist n.
-genous comb, form forming adjectives meaning 'pro- ge»o«cen»tric /jeeosentrik/ adj. 1 considered as viewed
duced' {endogenous). from the center of the earth. 2 having the earth as the
gervre /zhonra/ n. 1a kind or style, esp. of art or liter- center, dd ge«o«cen«tri»cal«ly adv.
ature (e.g., novel, drama, satire). 2 (in full genre paint- ge*o*chem*is*try /jeeokemistree/ n. the chemistry of
ing) the painting of scenes from ordinary life. the earth and its rocks, minerals, etc. dd ge«o«chenvi«
gens/jenz/«. (pi. gentes /jenteez/) 1 Rom. Hist, a group cal /-mikal/ adj. ge»o»chem«ist /-mist/ n.
of families sharing a name and claiming a common ge*ode /jee-od/ n. 1a small cavity lined with crystals
origin. 2 Anthropol. a number of people sharing de- or other mineral matter. 2 a rock containing such a
scent through the male line. cavity, dd ge*od*ic /jee-odik/ adj.
gent /jent/ n. colloq. (often joe.) 1 a gentleman. 2 (the ge*o*des a ic /je'eade'ezik, -desik/ adj. (also ge*o*det*ic
Gents) Brit, colloq. a men's public toilet. /-detik/) 1 of or relating to geodesy. 2 of, involving, or
gervteel /jente'el/ adj. 1 polite, refined, respectable. consisting of a geodesic line.
2 often of or appropriate to the upper classes; po-
iron, ge*o«des*ic dome n. a dome constructed of short
lite or refined in an affected way. dd gen*teeMy adv. struts along geodesic lines.
gervteelTiess n. ge*0*des*ic line n. the shortest possible line between
gen»tes/>/. of gens two points on a curved surface.
gen«tian /jenshsn/ n. any plant of the genus Gentiana ge«od*e«sy /jeeodisee/ n. the branch of mathematics
or Gentianella, found esp. in mountainous regions, and dealing with the shape and area of the earth, dd ge»
having usu. vivid blue flowers. od*e*sist //.

gen»tile /jentll/ adj. &

n. (also Gentile) • adj. 1 not Jew- ge*o*det*ic var. of geodesic.
ish. 2 (in the Mormon Church) not Mormon. •«. 1 a ge»o»graph»ic /jeeagrafik/ adj. (also ge*o*graph*i*cal
person who is not Jewish. 2 (in the Mormon Church) /-grafikal/) of or relating to geography, dd ge*o*graph*
a person who is not Mormon. i*cal*ly adv.
gen»til«i«ty /jentilitee/ n. 1 social superiority. 2 good ge*o*graph*ic in«for«ma»tion sys*tem(s) n. a comput-
manners. erized system utilizing precise locational data for map-
gen*tle /jent'l/ adj. (gentler, gentlest) 1 mild or kind in ping, navigation, etc. f Abbr.: GIS.
temperament. 2 moderate; not severe or drastic (a gen- ge»og»ra»phy /jeeografee/ n. 1 the study of the earth's
tle rebuke; a gentle breeze). 3 (of birth, pursuits, etc.) physical features, resources, and climate, and the phys-
honorable; of or fit for people of good social position. ical aspects of its population. 2 the main physical fea-
4 quiet; requiring patience (gentle art) do gen*tle*ness
. tures of an area. 3 the layout or arrangement of any
n. genWy adv. set of constituent elements, dd ge*og*ra«pher n.
gent*le*man /jent'lman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a man (in po- geol. abbr. 1 geologic. 2 geological. 3 geologist. 4 geol-
lite or formal use). 2 a chivalrous or well-bred man. ogy.
3 a man of good social position or of wealth and lei- ge*ol*ogy /jeeobjee/ n. 1 the science of the earth, in-
sure (country gentleman) 4 esp. Brit, a man of gentle
. cluding the composition, structure, and origin of its
birth attached to a royal household (gentleman in wait- rocks. 2 this science applied to any other planet. 3 the
ing) 5 (in pi. as a form of address) a male audience
. geological features of a district, dd ge*o*log*ic
or the male part of an audience. /jeeolojik/ adj. ge*o«log*i*cal adj. ge«o«log«i«caMy adv.
gen»tle»man»ly /jent'lmanlee/ adj. like a gentleman in ge«ol»o»gist /-objist/ n.
looks or behavior; befitting a gentleman, dd gen»tle» geom. abbr. 1 geometric. 2 geometrical. 3 geometry.
man*li*ness n. ge«0»mag»net»ism /je'eomagnitizam/ n. the study of the
gen»tle»man's (or -men's) a«gree»ment n. an agree- magnetic properties of the earth, dd ge«o»mag«net«ic
ment that is binding in honor but not legally enforce- /-magnetik/ adj.
able. ge»om»e»ter /jeeomitgr/ n. 1 a person skilled in geom-
gen*tle*wom*an /jent'lwoDmgn/ n. (pi. -women) archa- etry. 2 (also ge»onve»trid) any moth, esp. of the fam-
ic a woman of good birth. ily Geometridae, having twiglike larvae that move in
gen«tOO /jentoo/ n. a penguin, Pygoscelis papua, with a a looping fashion, seeming to measure the ground.
white triangular patch above the eye, breeding on sub- ge«0«met»ric /jeeDmetrik/ adj. (also ge»o«met»ri«cal)
antarctic islands. 1 of or like geometry. 2 (of a design, etc.) character-
gen»tri»fi»ca»tion /jentrifikayshan/ n. the social ad- ized by or decorated with regular lines and shapes.
vancement of an inner urban area by the refurbishing dd ge*o«met«ri«cal»ly adv.
of buildings and arrival of affluent middle-class resi- ge»o»met»ric pro«gres«sion n. a progression of num-
dents, usu. displacing poorer inhabitants, dd gen«tri» bers with a constant ratio between each number and
fy /-fi/ v. tr. (-ties, -tied). the one before (as 1, 3, 9, 27, 81).
gen»try /jentree/ n.pl. the people next below the nobil- ge«onve*try /jeeomitree/ n. 1 the branch of mathemat
ity in position and birth. ics concerned with the properties and relations of
gen»u»flect /jenyaflekt/ v.intr. bend the knee, esp. in points, lines, surfaces, and solids. 2 the relative Bl
worship or as a sign of respect, dd gen*u*flec*tion rangement of objects or parts, nn ge«om»e»tri»cian
/-flekshan/ n. gen«u«fleotor n. /jeeDmitrishon/ n.

gen»tl»ine /jenyoo-in/ adj. 1 actually coming from its ge«0«mor»phol»0«gy /jeeomawrfolojee/ >/. the study of
stated or reputed source; authentic. 2 properly so the physical features of the surface of the earth and
called; not a sham, dd gen»u»ine«ly adv. gen«u»ine»ness their relation to its geological structures, ge»o«mor»
i
ii i

n. pho*log*i*cal / fnlojikol/ ad]. ge»o»mor»phol»o»gist ;/

ge*nus /je'enas/ n. (pi. genera /jenara/) 1 Biol, a taxo- ge«oph»a»gy /jeeofojee/ //. the practice m
some cultures
nomic grouping of organisms having common char- of eating earth, esp. clay, to supplement did
ge»ophys»ics /je'e-ofiziks/ n. the physics of the earth. 329 geophysics - get
no ge*o*phys*i*cal adj. ge«o*phys»i»cist /-zisist/ n.

ge*o*pol*i*tics /je'e-opolitiks/n. 1 the politics of a coun- the language, literature, and civilization of Germany,
try asdetermined by its geographical features. 2 the or Germanic languages.
study of this, dd ge«o*po*lit*i*cal /-pslitikal/ adj. ge«o« ger«ma»ni»um /jarmayneesm/ n. Chem. a lustrous brit-
po*lit*i*caMy adv. ge«opoM»ti»cian /-tishan/ n. tle semimetallic element occurring naturally in sulfide
Georgian /jawrjsn/ adj.
1
&
n. »adj. of or relating to ores and used in semiconductors. 1 Symb.: Ge.
the state of Georgia, •n. a native of Georgia. Ger*man*ize /jsrmanlz/ v.tr. &
intr. adopt or cause to

Georgian 2 /jawrjsn/ adj. 1 of or characteristic of the adopt German customs, etc. dd Ger«man*i«za*tion n.
time of Kings George I-IV (1714-1830) of England. Ger*man*i*zer n.
2 of or characteristic of the time of Kings George V Ger«man mea*sles n. a contagious disease, rubella,
and VI (1910-52). with symptoms like mild measles.
Georgian 3 /jawrjan/ adj. & n. *adj. of or relating to Ger*man shep«herd n. 1 a large breed of dog used esp.
Georgia in the Caucasus. • n. 1 a native of Georgia; a in police work and as guide dogs for the blind. 2 a dog
person of Georgian descent. 2 the language of Geor- of this breed.
gia. ger*mi*cide /jarmisid/ n. a substance destroying germs,
ge«osphere /jeeasfeer/ n. 1 the solid surface of the esp. those causing disease, dd ger*mi*cid*al /sid'l/ adj.
earth. 2 any of the almost spherical concentric regions ger*mi*nal /prminal/ adj. 1 relating to or of the nature
of the earth and its atmosphere. of a germ or germs (see germ 1). 2 in the earliest stage
ge*o*Sta*tion*ar*y /jee-ostayshsneree/ adj. = geosyn- of development. 3 productive of new ideas, dd ger»mi«
chronous. naMy adv.
ge*o*stroph*ic /je'e-ostrofik/ adj. Meteorol. depending ger*mi*nate /prminayt/ w1a intr. sprout, bud, or put
upon the rotation of the Earth. forth shoots, b tr. cause to sprout or shoot. 2 a tr. cause
ge«o*syn*chro*nous /je'e-osingkranas/ adj. (of an (ideas, etc.) to originate, b intr. come into existence.
artificial satellite of the earth) moving in an orbit equal dd ger»mi»na*tion /-nayshan/ n.
to the earth's period of rotation, so as to remain above ger«on«tol«o*gy /jarontolajee/ n. the scientific study of
one place. Also called geostationary. old age, the process of aging, and the special problems
ge»0«ther»mal /je'e-otharmal/ adj. relating to, originat- of old people, dd ge*ron*to*log*i*cal /-talojikal/ adj.
ing from, or produced by the internal heat of the earth. ger*on*tol*o*gist n.
ge*Ot*ro*pism /jeeotrgpizam/ n. plant growth in rela- ger«ry»man«der /jerimandar/ v.tr. 1 manipulate the
tion to gravity. negative geotropism the tendency of boundaries of (an electoral district, etc.) so as to give
stems, etc., to grow away from the center of the Earth. undue influence to some party or class. 2 manipulate
positive geotropism the tendency of roots to grow to- (a situation, etc.) to gain advantage, dd ger»ry«man»
ward the center of the Earth, do ge«o»tn>pic der»er n.
/jeeatropik, -otropik/ adj. ger»und /jerand/ n. Gram, a form of a verb functioning
ge»ra«ni«um /jarayneeam/ n. 1 any herb or shrub of the as a noun, orig. in Latin ending in -ndum (declinable),
genus Geranium bearing fruit shaped like the bill of a in English ending in -ing and used distinctly as a part
crane. 2 (in general use) a cultivated pelargonium. of a verb (e.g., do you mind my asking?).
ger*bil /jarbil/ n. a mouselike desert rodent of the sub- ge»run»dive /jarundiv/ n. Gram, a form of a Latin verb,
family Gerbillinae, with long hind legs. ending in -ndus (declinable) and functioning as an ad-
ger*i*at*ric /jereeatrik/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 of or relating jective meaning 'that should or must be done,' etc.
to old people. 2 colloq. old; outdated, •n. an old per- ge*Stalt /gashtaalt, -sta'alt, -shtawlt, -stawlt/ n. Psychol.
son, esp. one receiving special care. an organized whole that is perceived as more than the
ger*i*at*rics /jereeatriks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) a sum of its parts, dd ge«stalt*ism n. ge«stalt»ist n.
branch of medicine dealing with the health and care Ge*Sta*po /gesta'apo, -shta'a-/ n. the German secret po-
of old people. ger*i*a*tri*cian /-atrishan/ n. lice under Nazi rule.
germ /jarm/ n. 1 a microorganism, esp. one that caus- ges*tate /jestayt/ v.tr. 1 carry (a fetus) in gestation.
es disease. 2 a a portion of an organism capable of de- 2 develop (an idea, etc.).
veloping into a new one; the rudiment of an animal or ges*ta*tion /jestayshan/ n. 1 a the process of carrying
plant, b an embryo of a seed {wheat germ). 3 an orig- or being carried in the womb between conception and
inal idea, etc., from which something may develop. birth, b this period. 2 the private development of a
Ger*man /jarman/ n. & adj. «n. 1 a native or inhabit- plan, idea, etc.
ant ofGermany; a person of German descent. 2 the ges*tic*u«late /jestikyalayt/ v. 1 intr. use gestures in-
language of Germany, also used in Austria and Switz- stead of or in addition to speech. 2 tr. express with ges-
Germany or its people
erland. • adj. of or relating to tures, dd ges*tic*u*la*tion /-layshan/ n. ges*tic*u*la*tive
or language. adj. ges»tic»u«la»to»ry /-btawree/ adj.
ger»man /jarman/ adj. (placed after brother, sister, or ges»ture/jes-ch3r/n. &v. »n. 1 a significant movement
cousin) 1 having the same parents. 2 having the same of a limb or the body. 2 the use of such movements,
grandparents on one side. esp. as a rhetorical device. 3 an action to evoke a re-
ger*mane /jarmayn/ adj. (usu. foil, by to) relevant (to sponse or convey intention, usu. friendly, •v.tr. intr. &
a subject under consideration), no ger»mane»ly adv. gesticulate, dd ges*tur*al adj.
ger*mane*ness n. ge*sund*heit /gazObnt-hit/ int. expressing a wish of
Ger*man*ic /jsrmanik/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 having Ger- good health, esp. to a person who has sneezed.
man characteristics. 2 hist, of the Germans. 3 of the get /get/ v. (getting; past got /got/; past part, got /got/,
Scandinavians, Anglo-Saxons, or Germans. 4 of the gotten /got'n/) 1 tr. come into the possession of {get a
languages or language group called Germanic. •«. job; got a new car). 2 tr. fetch; obtain {get my book for
1 the branch of Indo-European languages including me; got $200 a week). 3 tr. go to catch (a bus, train,
English, German, Dutch, and the Scandinavian lan- etc.). 4 tr. prepare (a meal, etc.). 5 intr. tr. reach or &
guages. 2 the (unrecorded) early language from which cause to reach a certain state; become or cause to be-
other Germanic languages developed. come (get rich; get one's feet wet). 6 tr. obtain as a result
ger«man»ic /jarmanik/ adj. Chem. of or containing ger- of calculation. 7 tr. contract (a disease, etc.). 8 tr. es-
manium, esp. in its tetravalent state.
Ger«man»ist /jarmanist/ n. an expert in or student of See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

getaway - gibberish 330 ulate (get up steam; get up speed) 8 (often refl. ) dress
.

or arrange elaborately; make

presentable; arrange the
tablish or be in communication with via telephone or appearance of. 9 (foil, by to) esp. Brit, colloq. indulge
radio; receive (a radio signal). 9 tr. experience or suf- or be involved in (always getting up to mischief), have
fer; have inflicted on one; receive as one's lot or pen- got it bad si. be obsessed or affected emotionally.
alty {got four years in prison). 10 a tr. succeed in bring- dd get»ta»ble adj.
ing, placing, etc. (get onto the agenda; flattery will get
it get*a*way /getaway/ n. an escape, esp. after commit-
you nowhere) b intr.
. &
tr. succeed or cause to succeed ting a crime.
in coming or going (will get you there somehow; got ab- get-rich-quick adj. designed to make a lot of money
solutely nowhere). 11 tr. (prec. by have) a possess (ha- fast.
ven't got a penny), b (foil, by to + infin.) be bound get-to»geth«er n. colloq. a social gathering.
(have got to seeyou). 12 tr. (foil, by to + infin.) induce get-up n. colloq. 2l style or arrangement of dress, etc.,
(got them to help me). 13 tr. colloq. understand (a per- esp. an elaborate one.
son or an argument) (have you got that?; do you get me?) gew*gaw /gyobgaw, goo-/ n. a gaudy plaything or or-
14 tr. colloq. inflict punishment or retribution on, esp. nament; a bauble.
in retaliation you for that) 15 tr. colloq. a annoy.
(I'll get . geyser /gizsr/ n. 1 an intermittently gushing hot spring
b affect emotionally, c attract; obsess, d amuse. 16 tr. that throws up a tall column of water. 2 /ge'ezar/ Brit.
(foil, by to + infin.) develop an inclination as specified an apparatus for heating water.
(am getting to like it). 17 intr. (foil, by verbal noun) be- Gha*na*ian /ga'aneesn/ adj. &
n. • adj. of or relating to
gin (get going) 1 8 tr. (esp. in past or perfect) catch in an
. Ghana in W. Africa. • n. a native or inhabitant of Gha-
argument; corner. 1 9 tr. establish (an idea) in one's na; a person of Ghanaian descent.
mind, d get about (or around) 1 travel extensively; go ghasMy /gastlee/ adj. &
adv. (ghastlier, ghastliest)
from place to place. 2 manage to walk (esp. after ill- • adj. 1 horrible; frightful. 2 colloq. objectionable; un-
ness). 3 (of news) be circulated, get across 1 manage pleasant. 3 deathlike; pallid, •adv. in a ghastly or sick-
to communicate (an idea). 2 (of an idea) be commu- ly way (ghastly pale) dd ghasHMy adv. ghasWi»ness
.

nicated successfully, get ahead be or become success- n.

ful, get along (or on) (foil, by together, with) live har- Gha*zi /ga'azee/ n. (pi. Ghazis) a Muslim fighter against
moniously, get around 1 successfully coax or cajole (a non-Muslims.
person) esp. to secure a favor. 2 evade (a law, etc.). get ghee /gee/ n. (also ghi) clarified butter esp. from the
around to deal with (a task, etc.) in due course, get at milk of a buffalo or cow.
1 reach; get hold of. 2 colloq. imply (what are you get- gher*kin /garkin/ n. a small variety of cucumber, or a
ting at?). 3 colloq. try to upset or irritate, get away 1 es- young green cucumber, used for pickling.
cape. 2 (foil, by with) escape blame or punishment gheWo /geto/ n. (pi. -tos) 1 a part of a city, esp. a slum
for. get back at colloq. retaliate against, get by colloq. area, occupied by a minority group or groups. 2 hist.
1 just manage, even with difficulty. 2 be acceptable. the Jewish quarter in a city. 3 a segregated group or
get down 1 descend (from a vehicle, ladder, etc.). area.
2 record in writing, get a person down depress or de- ghi var. of ghee.
ject him or her. get down to begin working on or dis- ghost /gost/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the supposed apparition of a

cussing, get even (often foil, by with) achieve revenge; dead person or animal. 2 a mere semblance (not a ghost
act in retaliation, get his (or hers, etc.) si. 1 be killed. of a chance). 3 a secondary image produced by defec-
2 be avenged, get hold (or ahold) of 1 grasp (physical- tive television reception or by a telescope. »v. 1 intr.
ly). 2 make contact with (a person). 3 acquire, get in (often foil, by for) act as ghostwriter. 2 tr. act as ghost-
1 enter. 2 be elected, get into become interested or in- writer of (a work), on ghosHike adj.
volved in. get it si. 1 understand. 2 be punished or in ghosHng /gosting/ n. the appearance of a "ghost" (see
trouble, get it into one's head (foil, by that & clause) ghost n. 3) in a television picture.
firmly believe or maintain, get off 1 colloq. be acquit- ghosMy /gostlee/ adj. (ghostlier, ghostliest) like a
ted; escape with little or no punishment. 2 leave. ghost, on ghosMi*ness n.
3 alight; alight from (a bus, etc.). get a person off col- ghost town n. a once-thriving town with few or no re-
loq. cause a person to be acquitted, get off on si. be maining inhabitants.
excited or aroused by. get on 1 make progress; man- ghostwrite /gOstrit/ v.tr. &
intr. act as ghostwriter (of)-

age. 2 enter (a bus, etc.). get on to colloq. 1 make con- ghost»writ»er n. a person who writes on behalf of the
tact with. 2 become aware of. get out 1 leave or es- credited author of a work.
cape. 2 manage to go outdoors. 3 alight from a vehicle. ghoul /gool/ n. 1 a person morbidly interested in death,
4 become known. 5 succeed in uttering, publishing, etc. 2 an evil spirit or phantom. 3 a spirit in Muslim
etc. get out of 1 avoid or escape (a duty, etc.). 2 aban- folklore preying on corpses, dd ghouMsh adj. ghoul*
don (a habit) gradually, get over 1 recover from (an islvly adv. ghoul*ish«ness n.
illness, upset, etc.). 2 overcome (a difficulty). 3 man- GHQ abbr. General Headquarters.
age to communicate (an idea, etc.). get a thing over Gl /je'e-i/ n. &
adj. •«. an enlisted soldier in the US
(or over with) complete (a tedious task) promptly, get armed forces, esp. the army. •adj. of, for, or
one's own back colloq. have one's revenge, get rid of characteristic of US soldiers.
see rid. get somewhere make progress, get there col- gi*ant /jfont/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 an imaginary or mythical
loq. 1 succeed. 2 understand what is meant, get being of human form but superhuman size. 2 an ab-
through 1 pass or assist in passing (an examination, normally tall or large person, animal, or plant. 3 a per-
an ordeal, etc.). 2 finish or use up (esp. resources). son of exceptional ability, importance, courage, etc.
3 make contact by telephone. 4 (foil, by to) succeed 4 a large star, • attrib.adj. 1 gigantic; monstrous. 2 (of
in making (a person) listen or understand, get to a plant or animal) of a very large kind, no gi»anMsm
1 reach. 2 = get down to. get together gather; assem- n. gi>ant*like adj.
ble, get up 1 rise or cause to rise from sitting, etc., or gib»ber /jibar/ v. &n. • v. intr. chattel incoherently. •>/.
from bed after sleeping or an illness. 2 ascend or such speech.
mount, e.g., on horseback. 3 (of fire, wind, or the sea) gib»ber»el»lin /jiborelin/ n. one of a group ol plant hor
begin to be strong or agitated. 4 prepare or organize. mones that stimulate the growth of leaves and shoots.
5 enhance or refine one's knowledge of (a subject). gib*ber*ish /jibnrish/ n. unintelligible or meaningless
6 work up (a feeling, e.g., anger). 7 produce or stim- speech; nonsense.
gib«bet /jibit/ n. hist. 1 a gallows. 2 an upright post with 331 gibbet ~ gird
an arm on which the bodies of executed criminals were
left hanging in chains, irons, or an iron cage as a warn- gill 2 /jil/ n. a unit of liquid measure, equal to a quarter
ing or deterrent to others. of a pint.
gib«bon /giban/ n. any small ape of the genus Hylobates, gilt 1 /gilt/ adj. & n. %adj. 1 covered thinly with gold.
native to SE Asia. 2 gold-colored. gold or a goldlike substance ap-
• n.
gib»bous /gibas/ adj. 1 convex or protuberant. 2 (of a plied in a thin layer to a surface.
moon or planet) having the bright part greater than a gilt 2 /gilt/ n. a
young unbred sow.
semicircle and less than a circle. gim*bals /gimbalz, jim-/ n.pl. a contrivance, usu. of
gibe /jib/ v. & n. (also jibe) •v.intr. (often foil, by at) rings and pivots, for keeping a stove or instruments
jeer; mock. •«. an instance of gibing, dd gib*er n. such as a compass and chronometer horizontal at sea,
See note at jibe. in the air, etc.
gib«lets the liver, gizzard, neck, etc., of a
/jiblits/ n.pl. ginvcrack /jimkrak/ adj. &
n. »adj. showy but flimsy

bird, usu. removed and kept separate when the bird is and worthless. • n. a cheap showy ornament; a knick-
prepared for cooking. knack, dd gim»crack«er»y n. ginvcrack»y adj.
gid»dy /gidee/ adj. &
v. *adj. (giddier, giddiest) 1 hav- ginvlet /gimlit/ n. a small tool with a screw tip for bor-
ing a sensation of whirling and a tendency to fall, stag- ing holes.
ger, or spin around. 2 a overexcited, b excitable; friv- ginvmick /gimik/ n. colloq. a trick or device, esp. to at-
olous. 3 tending to make one giddy. • v. tr. intr. & tract publicity or trade, dd gim*mick*ry n. gim»mick»y
(-dies, -died) make or become giddy, dd gid*di*ly adv. adj.
gid'diTiess n. gimp /gimp/ n. (also guimp, gymp) 1 a twist of silk,
1

gift /gift/ n. & v. • n. 1 a thing given.
or talent. 3 the power to give (in his gift). 4 the act or
an instance of giving. 5 colloq. an easy task. • v. tr. be-
stow as a gift, d look a gift horse in the mouth (usu.
neg.) find fault with what has been given.
2 a natural ability etc., with cord or wire running through it, used esp.
as trimming. 2 fishing line of silk, etc., bound with wire.
&
gimp 2 /gimp/ n. v. si. • n. a lame person or leg. • v. intr.
walk with a lame gait, dd gimp*y adj.
gin /jin/ n. an alcoholic spirit distilled from grain or
1

gift cer»tif«i»cate n. a certificate used as a gift and ex- malt and flavored with juniper berries.
changeable for goods. gin 2 /jin/ n. 1a machine for separating cotton from its
gift«ed /giftid/ adj. exceptionally talented or intelligent. seeds. 2 a snare or trap, dd gin«ner n.
dd gift*ed*ness n. gin*ger /jinjar/ n., adj., &
v. •«. 1 a a hot spicy root

gift-wrap v.tr. (wrapped, wrapping) wrap attractively usu. powdered for use in cooking, or preserved in syr-
as a gift. up, or candied, b the plant, Zingiber officinale, of SE
gig /gig/ n. 1 a light two-wheeled one-horse carriage.
1
Asia, having this root. 2 a light reddish yellow color.
2 a light ship's boat for rowing or sailing. 3 a rowing • adj. of a ginger color. • v. tr. 1 flavor with ginger. 2
boat esp. for racing. (foil, by up) rouse or enliven, dd gin»ger»y adj.

gig 2 /gig/ n. &

v. colloq. • n. an engagement of an en- gin*ger ale n. a carbonated nonalcoholic clear drink
tertainer, esp. a musician, usu. for a single appearance. flavored with ginger extract.
• v.intr. (gigged, gigging) perform a gig. gin*ger*bread /jinjarbred/ n. a cake made with molas-
gig 3 /gig/ n. a kind of fishing spear. ses or syrup and flavored with ginger.
giga- /giga, jigs/ comb, form denoting a factor of 10 9 . gin«ger»ly /jinjarlee/ adv. &
adj. »adv. in a cautious
gig*a*bit /gigabit, jiga-/ n. Computing a unit of informa- manner. • adj. showing great caution.
tion equal to one billion (10 9 ) bits. gin*ger*snap /jinjarsnap/ n. a thin brittle cookie fla-
gig*a*byte /gigabit, jigs-/ n. Computing a unit of vored with ginger.
information equal to one billion (10 9 ) bytes. ging*ham /ging-am/ n. a plain-woven cotton cloth, esp.
gi*ga*me*ter /gigameetar, jigs-/ n. a metric unit equal checked.
to 10 9 ) meters. gin«gi»va /jinjiva, jinjiva/ n. (pi. gingivae /-vee/) the
gi*gan*tic /jigantik/ adj. 1 very large; enormous. 2 like gums, dd gin*gi*val /-jrval, -jival/ adj.
or suited to a giant, dd gi»gan*ti*caMy adv. gin*gi*vi*tis /jinjivitis/ n. inflammation of the gums.
gi*gan*tism /jigantizam/ n. abnormal largeness. gink*go /gingkgo/ n. (also ging*ko) (pi. -gos or -goes)
gig*gle /gigal/ v. &
n. • v.intr. laugh in half-suppressed an orig. Chinese and Japanese tree, Ginkgo biloba, with
spasms. • «. such a laugh, dd gig*gler n. gig-gly adj. fan-shaped leaves and yellow flowers. Also called maid-
(gigglier, giggliest). enhair tree.
GIGO /gigo/ n. Computing abbr. garbage in, garbage out, gin runvmy n. a form of the card game rummy.
an informal rule stating that the quality of the data in- gin*seng /jinseng/ n. 1 any of several medicinal plants
put determines the quality of the results. of the genus Panax, found in E. Asia and N. America.
gig*0*lo /jigalo, zhig-/ n. (pi. -los) 1 a young man paid 2 the root of this.
by an older woman to be her escort or lover. 2 a profes- Gip»sy var. of Gypsy.
sional male dancing partner or escort. gi»raffe /jiraf/ n. (pi. same or giraffes) a ruminant mam-
Gi»la monaster /he'ela/ n. a large venomous lizard, mal, Giraffa camelopardalis of Africa, the tallest living
Heloderma suspectum, of the southwestern US, having animal, with a long neck and forelegs and a skin of
orange, yellow, and black scales like beads. dark patches separated by lighter lines.
gild /gild/ v.tr. (past part, gilded or as adj. in sense 1 gir*an*dole /jirandol/ n. la revolving cluster of fire-
1

gilt) 1 cover thinly with gold. 2 tinge with a golden col- works. 2 a branched candle bracket or candlestick.
or or light, d gild the lily try to improve what is already 3 an earring or pendant with a large central stone sur-
beautiful or excellent, dd gild*er n. rounded by small ones.
gild 2 var. of guild. gird /gard/ v.tr. (past and past part, girded or girt) 1 en-
1

gild*ing /gilding/ n. 1 the act of applying gilt. 2 mate- circle or secure with a belt or band. 2 secure (clothes)
rial used in applying gilt. on the body with a girdle or belt. 3 enclose or encir-
gill 1
/gil/ n. (usu. in pi.) 1 the respiratory organ in fish- cle. 4 (foil, by around) place (cord, etc.) around, d gird
es and other aquatic animals. 2 the vertical radial (or gird up) one's loins prepare for action.
plates on the underside of mushrooms and other fun-
gi. 3 the flesh below a person's jaws and ears, dd gilled

adj. (also in comb.). See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

gird ~ glaive 332 back return (something) to its previous owner or in

exchange, give chase pursue a person, animal, etc.
gird 2 /gard/ v. &
n. •v.intr. (foil, by at) jeer or gibe. • n. give the game away reveal a secret, give a hand = lend
a gibe or taunt. a hand (see hand), give a person his or her due ac-
gird*er /gordor/ n. a large iron beam or compound knowledge, esp. grudgingly, a person's abilities, etc.
structure for bearing loads. give in cease fighting or arguing, give me I prefer (give
girdle /gard'l/ n.&v.»n. 1 a belt or cord worn around me the Greek islands), give off emit (vapor, etc.). give
the waist. 2 a woman's corset extending from waist to oneself (of a woman) yield sexually, give oneself airs
thigh. 3 the bony support for a limb {pelvic girdle) • v. tr. . act pretentiously, give oneself up to 1 abandon one-
surround with a girdle. self to. 2 addict oneself to. give onto (or into) (of a win-
girl /garl/ n. 1 a female child. 2 colloq. a young woman. dow, corridor, etc.) overlook or lead into, give or take
3 colloq. a girlfriend. 4 derog. a female servant, dd girl* colloq. add or subtract (a specified amount or number)
hood n. in estimating, give out announce; emit. 2 break
1

girl-friend /garlfrend/ n. 1 a regular female companion down from exhaustion, etc. 3 run short, give rise to
or lover. 2 a female friend. cause, give a person to understand inform authorita-
girl-ish /garlish/ ad/, of or like a girl, dd girMsrHy adv. tively, give up 1 resign; surrender. 2 part with. 3 de-
girl*ish*ness n. liver (a wanted person, etc.). 4 pronounce incurable
Girl member of an organization of girls, esp.
Scout n. a or insoluble. 5 cease (an activity), give up the ghost
the Girl Scouts of America, that promotes character, archaic or colloq. die. give way see way. give a person
outdoor activities, community service, etc. what for colloq. scold severely, not give a damn colloq.
gi»ro /jiro/ n. & v.1 a system of credit
»n. (pi. -ros) not care at all. what gives? colloq. what is the news?
transfer between banks, post offices, etc., in Europe. dd giver n.
2 a payment by giro. •v.tr. (-roes, -roed) pay by giro. give*a*way /givaway/ n. colloq. 1 an inadvertent betray-
girt 1
past part, of gird 1
. al or revelation. 2 an act of giving away. 3 a free gift; a
girt 2 var. of girth. low price.
girth /garth/ n. (also girt /gart/) 1 the distance around giv*en /givan/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 granted; specified (a
a thing. 2 a band around the body of a horse to secure given number of people) 2 Law (of a document) signed
.

the saddle, etc. and dated (given this day the 30th ofJune) • n. a known .

GIS geographic information system(s).

abbr. fact or situation.
gist /jist/ n. the substance or essence of a matter. giz*mo /gizmo/ n. (also gis*mo) (pi. -mos) si. a gadget.
give /giv/ v. &n. mv. (past gave /gayv/; past part, given giz*zard /gizard/ n. 1 the second part of a bird's
/givan/) 1 tr. (also absol. ) hand over as a present (gave stomach, for grinding food. 2 a muscular stomach
them her old curtains) .2 tr. a transfer the ownership of; of some fish, insects, mollusks, and other inverte-
bequeath (gave him $1000 in her will), b transfer, esp. brates.
temporarily or for safe keeping; hand over (gave him gla*beMa /glabela/ n. (pi. glabellae /-lee/) the smooth
the dog to hold) C administer (medicine) d deliver (a
. . part of the forehead above and between the eyebrows.
message) (give her my best wishes). 3 tr. (usu. foil, by dd gla*beMar adj.
for) a pay (gave him $30 for the bicycle) b sell (gave him . gla*ce /glasay/ adj. 1 (of fruit, esp. cherries) preserved
the bicycle for $30) 4 tr. a confer; grant (a benefit, an
. in sugar. 2 (of cloth, leather, etc.) smooth; polished.
honor, etc.). b accord; bestow (one's affections, con- gla*cial /glayshal/ adj. 1 of ice; icy. 2 Geol. character-
fidence, etc.). C administer (one's approval, blame, ized or produced by the presence or agency of ice.
etc.); offer (esp. something unpleasant) (gave him a 3 colloq. exceptionally slow. 4 Chem. forming icelike
talking-to; gave him my blessing) d pledge (gave his . crystals upon freezing (glacial acetic acid), dd gla*cial*
word). 5 tr. a perform (an action, etc.) (gave him a kiss; ly adv.
gave a jump) b utter (gave a shriek) 6 tr. allot; assign
. . gla*cier /glayshar/ n. a mass of land ice formed by the
(was given the contract). 7 tr. (in passive; foil, by to) be accumulation of snow on high ground.
inclined to or fond of (is given to speculation) 8 tr. yield . gla*ci«ol*0*gy /glaysheeolajee, -see-/ n. the science of
as a product or result (the lamp gives a bad light; the the internal dynamics and effects of glaciers, dd gla*
field gives fodder for twenty cows). 9 intr. a yield to pres- ci*o*log*i*cal /-alojikal/ adj. gla*ci*ol*o*gist n.
sure; become relaxed; lose firmness (this elastic doesn h glad /glad/ adj. (gladder, gladdest) 1 (predic.) pleased
give properly), b collapse (the roof gave under the pres- (shall be come). 2 a filled with or expressing joy
glad to
sure). 10 intr. (usu. foil, by of) grant; bestow (gave free- (a glad expression), b (of news, events, etc.) giving joy
ly of his time) .11 tr. a commit, consign, or entrust (gave (glad tidings), dd glad*ly adv. glad*ness n. glad*some
him into custody; give her into your care) b sanction the . adj. poet.
marriage of (a daughter, etc.). 12 tr. devote; dedicate glade /glayd/ n. an open space in a wood or forest.
(gave his life to croquet). 13 tr. (usu. absol.) colloq. tell glad*i*a*tor /gladee-aytar/ n. hist. 1 a man trained to
what one knows ( What happened? Come on,givef) 1 4 tr. . fight in an arena at ancient Roman shows. 2 a person
show; hold out (gives no sign of life). 15 tr. Theatr. read, defending or opposing a cause; a controversialist.
recite etc. (gave them Hamlet's soliloquy). 16 tr. impart; dd glad*i*a*to*ri*al /-deeatawreeal/ adj.
be a source of (gave its name to the battle). 17 tr. allow glad*i*o*lus /gladeeolas/ n. (pi. gladioli Ml/or gladio-
(esp. a fixed amount of time) (can give you five min- luses) a plant of the genus Gladiolus with sword-
utes). 18 tr. (usu. foil, by for) value (something) (gives shaped leaves and brightly colored flower spikes.
nothing for their opinions) 19 tr. concede (I give you the . glad rags n.pl. colloq. best clothes.
victory). 20 tr. deliver (a judgment, etc.) authoritative- Glad-stone bag /gladston, stan/ n. a suite asc tfalf
ly (gave his verdict). 21 tr. toast (a person, cause, etc.) opens flat into two equal compartments.
(I give you our President). 22 tr. provide (a party etc.) Glag*0*lit*ic /glagalitik/ adj. of or relating to the al
as host (gave a banquet). «n. 1 capacity to yield under phabet ascribed to St. Cyril and formerly used in writ-
pressure. 2 ability to adapt (no give in his attitudes). ing some Slavonic languages.
d give and take v.tr. exchange (words, blows, or con- glair /glair/ n. (also glaire) 1 white of egg. 2 an adhe-
cessions), n. an exchange of words, etc. give as good sive preparation made from this, used in bookbinding,
as one gets retort adequately in words or blows, give etc. nn glair*e*eous adj. glaify adj.
away 1 transfer as a gift. 2 hand over (a bride) cere- glaive /glayv/ n. archaic poet. 1 a broadsword. 2 any
monially to a bridegroom. 3 expose to detection, give sword
 ) .

glarrvoMze /glamariz/ v.tr. (also glanTOUfize) make 333 glamorize - glimpse

glamorous or attractive, dd glam«or«i»za«tion n.
glanvour /glamgr/ n. (also glanvor 1 physical attrac- glau»co*ma /glawkoma, glou-/ n. an eye condition in-
)

tiveness, esp. when achieved by makeup, etc. 2 allur- volving increased pressure within the eyeball, causing
ing or exciting beauty or charm (the glamour of New gradual loss of sight.
York), dd glam»or»ous adj. glanror»ous»ly adv. glau»cous /glawkas/ adj. 1 of a dull grayish green or
glance /glans/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. cast a momentary look blue. 2 covered with a powdery bloom as of grapes.
{glanced up at the sky) 2 intr. (esp. of a weapon) bounce glaze /glayz/ v.
. n. mv. 1 tr. a fit (a window, picture, &
(off an object). 3 intr. (of talk or a talker) pass quick- etc.) with glass, b provide (a building) with glass win-
ly over a subject (glanced over the question of payment). dows. 2 tr. a cover (pottery, etc.) with a glaze, b fix
4 intr. (of a bright object or light) flash or gleam (the (paint) on pottery with a glaze. 3 tr. cover (pastry,
sun glanced off the knife). 5 tr. (esp. of a weapon) strike meat, etc.) with a glaze. 4 intr. (often foil, by over) (of
(an object) obliquely. • n. 1 a brief look. 2 a flash or the eyes) become fixed or glassy. 5 tr. cover (cloth, pa-
gleam (a glance of sunlight), d at a glance immediate- per, etc.) with a glaze or other similar finish. 6 tr. give
ly upon looking, glance over (or through) read curso- a glassy surface to, e.g., by rubbing. •«. 1 a vitreous
rily, an glanc*ing*ly adv. substance, used to glaze pottery. 2 a smooth shiny
gland /gland/ n. 1 a an organ
1
in an animal body se- coating on food. 3 a thin topcoat of transparent paint
creting substances for use in the body or for ejection. used to modify the tone of the underlying color. 4 a
b a structure resembling this, such as a lymph gland. smooth surface formed by glazing.
2 Bot. a secreting cell or group of cells on the surface gla*zier /glayzhar/ n. a person whose trade is glazing
of a plant structure. windows, etc.
gland 2 /gland/ n. a sleeve glazing /glayzing/ n. 1 the act or an instance of glaz-
used to produce a seal around
a moving shaft. ing. 2 windows (see also double glazing) 3 material .

glan*du*lar /glanjalar/ adj. of or relating to a gland or used to produce a glaze.

glands. gleam /gleem/ «.&i;.i«.1a faint light (a gleam of sun-
glan*du*lar fe«ver n. an infectious viral disease char- light) 2 a faint, sudden, or temporary show (not a gleam
.

acterized by swelling of the lymph glands and pro- of hope), •v.intr. 1 emit gleams. 2 shine with a faint
longued lassitude. Also called infectious mononucleo- brightness. 3 (of a quality) be indicated (amusement
sis. gleamed in his eyes)
glans /glanz/ n. (pi. glandes /glandeez/) the rounded glean /gleen/ v. 1 tr. collect or scrape together (news,
part forming the end of the penis or clitoris. facts, gossip, etc.) in small quantities. 2 a tr. (also
glare 1
/glair/ v. &n. »v. 1 intr. look fiercely. 2 intr. shine absol.) gather (ears of grain, etc.) after the harvest, b tr.
dazzlingly. 3 tr. express (hate, defiance, etc.) by a look. strip (a field, etc.) after a harvest, do glean*er n.
• n. 1 a strong fierce light, esp. sunshine, b oppressive glebe /gleeb/ «. la piece of land serving as part of a
public attention (the glare of fame). 2 a fierce look. clergyman's benefice and providing income. 2 poet.
dd glar*y adj. earth; land; a field.
glare 2 /glair/ adj. (esp. of ice) smooth and glassy. glee /glee/ n. 1 mirth; delight. 2 a song for three or more
glaring /glairing/ adj. 1 obvious; conspicuous (a glar- voices, singing different parts simultaneously.
ing error) 2 shining oppressively. 3 staring fiercely.
. glee club n. a chorus for singing part-songs or other

dd glar*ing*ly adv. usu. short choral works.

glas*nost /gla'asn9st, -nawst/ n. (in the former Soviet
Union) the policy of more open government and wider
dissemination of information.
glass &
adj. •«. 1 a (often attrib.) a hard,
/glas/ n., v.,
brittle, usu. transparent or shiny substance, made by
fusing sand with soda and lime and sometimes other
ingredients, b a substance of similar properties. 2 (of-
ten collect.) an object or objects made from glass, esp.:
a a drinking vessel, b esp. Brit, a mirror. C an hour-
glass, d a window, e a greenhouse (rows of lettuce un-
der glass), ornaments, g a barometer, h Brit, a
f glass
glass disk covering a watch face, a magnifying lens.
j a monocle. 3 (in pi.) a eyeglasses, b field glasses; op-
era glasses. 4 the amount of liquid contained in a glass;
a drink (have another glass) • v. tr. (usu. as glassed adj.
. gradually and imperceptibly (night glided into day).
fit with glass, •adj. of or made from glass, do glassful
n. (pi. -fuls). glass-like adj.
glee*ful /gle'efoDl/ adj. joyful, dd glee*ful*ly adv.
glen /glen/ n. a narrow valley.
glen»gar»ry /glengaree/ n. (pi. -ries) a brimless Scottish
cap with a cleft down the center and usu. two ribbons
hanging at the back.
gle»noid cav«i»ty /gle'enoyd/ n. a shallow depression on
a bone, esp. the scapula and temporal bone, receiving
the projection of another bone to form a joint.
glib /glib/ adj. (glibber, glibbest) fluent and voluble but
insincere and shallow, dd glir>ly adv. glib»ness n.
glide /gild/ v. &
n. *v. 1 intr. move with a smooth con-
i tinuous motion. 2 intr. (of an aircraft) fly without en-
gine power. 3 intr. of time, etc.: a pass gently and im-
perceptibly, b (often foil, by into) pass and change
4 intr. move quietly or stealthily. 5 tr. cause to glide
(breezes glided the boat on its course) 6 tr. traverse or fly
.

glass ceiMng n. a barrier to advancement in a profes- in a glider, m. la the act of gliding, b an instance of
sion, esp. affecting women and minorities, that is not this. 2 Phonet. a gradually changing sound made in
officially acknowledged. passing from one position of the speech organs to
glass»house /glas-hows/ n. 1 a building where glass is another. 3 a gliding dance or dance step. 4 a flight in
made. 2 Brit, a greenhouse. a glider.
glass*ine /glae'en/ n. a glossy transparent paper. glid*er /glidar/ n. 1 an aircraft that flies without an en-
glass»wort /glaswart/ n. any plant of the genus gine. 2 a person or thing that glides.
Salicornia or Salsola formerly burned for use in glass- glinvmer /glimar/ v. &
n. • v.intr. shine faintly. »n. 1 a
making. feeble light. 2 (usu. foil, by of) a faint gleam (of hope,
glass*y /glasee/ adj. (glassier, glassiest) 1 of or resem- understanding, etc.). 3 a glimpse.
bling glass, esp. in smoothness. 2 (of the eye, the ex- glinvmer»ing /glimaring/ n. 1 = glimmer n. 2 an act of
pression, etc.) abstracted; dull; fixed (fixed her with a glimmering.
glassy stare), dd glass*My adv. glass»i«ness n. glimpse /glimps/ n. &
w •«. 1 a momentary view
Glau«ber's salt /glowbarz/ n. (also Glau*ber's salts) a (caught a glimpse of her) 2 a faint and transient appear-
.

crystalline hydrated form of sodium sulfate used esp.

as a laxative. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
glint ~ glower 334 glo«ri»fy /glawrifi/ v.tr. (-ties, -tied) 1 make glorious.
2 transform into something more splendid. 3 extol;
ancc {glimpses of the truth), mv. tr. see faintly {glimpsed praise. 4 (as glorified adj.) seeming to be better than
his face in the crowd). in reality (just a glorified office boy), do glo*ri*fi*ca«tion
glint /glint/ v. &
n. •v.intr. &
tr. flash or cause to flash; n.
glitter; sparkle {eyes glinted with amusement; the sword glo-ri-ous/glawreeas/ad/. 1 possessing glory. 2 confer-
glinted fire) • «. a brief flash of light.
. ring glory. 3 colloq. splendid; magnificent; delightful (a
glis*san*do /glisa'ando/ n. {pi. glissandi /-dee/or -dos) glorious day), on glo»ri»ous»ly adv.
M us. a continuous slide of adjacent notes upward or glo*ry /glawree/ n. &v. • «. {pi. -ries) 1 high renown or
downward. fame. 2 adoring praise {Glory to the Lord). 3 resplend-
glis«ten /glisan/ v. & n. •v.intr. shine; glitter. •«. a glit- ent majesty or magnificence {the glory ofVersailles) 4 a .

ter; a sparkle. thing that brings renown or praise. 5 the bliss and
glis«ter /glistar/ v. & n. archaic • v.intr. sparkle; glitter. splendor of heaven. 6 an aureole; a halo, •v.intr. pride
• n. a sparkle. oneself; exult {glory in their skill) a glory be! 1 a de-
.

glitch /glich/ n. colloq. a sudden irregularity or malfunc- vout ejaculation. 2 colloq. an exclamation of surprise
tion. or delight.
gliMer /glitgr/ v. & n. •v.intr. 1 shine, esp. with a bright gloss 1 /glaws, glos/ «.&u»H.1a surface shine or lus-
reflected light; sparkle.2 (usu. foil, by with) a be showy ter, b an instance of this. 2 a deceptively attractive ap-
{glittered with diamonds) b be flashily brilliant {glit-
. pearance, b an instance of this. 3 (in full gloss paint)
tering rhetoric). •«. 1 a gleam; a sparkle. 2 showiness; paint formulated to give a hard glossy finish (cf.
splendor. 3 tiny pieces of sparkling material used for matte), •v.tr. make glossy, a gloss over 1 seek to con-
decoration. glit«ter«y adj. ceal beneath a false appearance. 2 conceal by men-
glitz /glits/ n. si. extravagant but superficial display; tioning briefly.
show business glamour. gloss 2 /glaws, glos/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a an explanatory word
glitz*y /glitsee/ adj. (glitzier, glitziest) si. extravagant; or phrase inserted between the lines or in the margin
ostentatious; tawdry. of a text, b a comment, explanation, interpretation, or
gloanving /gloming/ n. poet, twilight; dusk. paraphrase. 2 a misrepresentation of another's words.
gloat /glot/ v. & n. •v.intr. (often foil, by over) contem- 3 a a glossary, b an interlinear translation or annota-
plate with malice, triumph, etc. {gloated over his collec- tion. 9V. 1 (also gloze) tr. a add a gloss or glosses to
tion) . • n. 1 the act of gloating. 2 a look of triumphant (a text, word, etc.). b read a different sense into; ex-
satisfaction. plain away. 2 intr. (often foil, by on) make (esp. unfa-
glob /glob/ n. a mass or lump of semiliquid substance. vorable) comments. 3 intr. write or introduce glosses.
glob*al /global/ adj. 1 worldwide {global conflict). 2 re- glos»sa»ry /glawsaree, glos-/ n. {pi. -ries) (also gloss)
lating to or embracing a group of items, etc.; total. an alphabetical list of terms relating to a specific sub-
dd glob*al*ly adv. ject or text.
glob*al warm«ing
n. the increase in temperature of the glos*seme /glawseem, glos-/ n. any meaningful feature
earth's atmosphere caused by the greenhouse effect. of a language that cannot be analyzed into smaller
globe /glob/ n. 1 a (prec. by the) the planet earth, b a meaningful units.
planet, star, or sun. c any spherical body. 2 a spherical glos*si*tis /glawsitis, glo-/ n. inflammation of the
representation of the earth or of the constellations with tongue.
a map on the surface. 3 a golden sphere as an emblem glos»so»la»ryn»ge»al /glawsolarinjeeal, glos-/ adj. of
of sovereignty. 4 any spherical glass vessel, dd globe* the tongue and larynx.
like adj. globoid adj. &
n. glo*bose /-bos/ adj. gloss*y /glawsee, glos-/ adj. &n.» adj. (glossier, gloss-
globe*fish /globfish/ n. = puffer 2. iest) 1 having a shine. 2 (of paper, etc.) smooth and
glob*u*lar /globyslar/ adj. 1 globe-shaped; spherical. shiny. 3 (of a magazine, etc.) printed on such paper.
2 composed of globules. • n. {pi. -ies) colloq. 1 a glossy magazine. 2 a photo-
glob*ule /globyool/ n. a small globe or round particle; graph with a glossy surface, dd gloss*My adv. gloss*i*
a drop. ness n.
glock*en*spiel /glokanspeel, -shpeel/ n. a musical in- gloMal /glot'l/ adj. of or produced by the glottis.
strument consisting of a series of bells or metal bars gloMis /glotis/ n. the space at the upper end of the
or tubes struck by hammers. windpipe and between the vocal cords.
glom /glom/ v. si. (glommed, glomming) 1 tr. steal; glove /gluv/ n. & v. • n. 1 a covering for the hand, worn

grab. 2 intr. (usu. foil, by on to) steal; grab.
glom*er*ate /glomargt/ adj. Bot. Anat. compactly
clustered.
glo*mer*u*lus /glomeryalas/ n. {pi. glomeruli /-H/) a
cluster of small organisms, tissues, or blood vessels,
esp. a group of capillaries in the kidney, dd glo«mer»u»
lar adj.
gloom /gloom/ n. &v. •«. 1 darkness; obscurity. 2 mel-
ancholy; despondency. 3 poet, a dark place. »u1 intr.
be gloomy or melancholy. 2 intr. (of the sky, etc.) be
dull or threatening. 3 intr. appear obscurely. 4 tr. make
dark or dismal.
gloonvy /globmee/ adj. (gloomier, gloomiest) 1 dark;
unlighted. 2 depressed; sullen. 3 dismal; depressing.
dd gloomily adv. gloominess n.
esp. for protection against cold or dirt, and usu. hav-
& ing separate fingers. 2 a padded protective glove, esp.:
a a boxing glove, b Baseball a fielder's glove, •v.tr.
cover or provide with a glove. glov»er n.
glove box n. 1 a box 2 a closed chamber
for gloves.
with sealed-in gloves for handling radioactive mate-
rial, etC. 3 = GLOVE COMPARTMENT.
glove COnvpart»ment n. a recess or cabinet for mm all
articles in the dashboard of a motor vehicle.
glow /glo/ v. & n. •v.intr. 1 a throw out light and heat
without flame, b shine like something heated in this
way. 2 (of the cheeks) redden, esp. from cold or ex-
ercise. 3 a (of the body) be heated, b express or expc
rience strong emotion (glo7ved with pride). 4 show a
warm color {the painting glazus with warmth). 5 as (

glop /glop/ n. si. a liquid or sticky mess, esp. unappeal- glowing adj.) expressing pride Of satislai lion [a ffaf
ing or inedible food. ing report). •«. 1 a glowing state. 2 a bright warm col
Glo*ri*a /glawreea/ n. any of various doxologies be-
1 or. 3 ardor; passion. 4 a feeling induced by good
ginning with Gloria, esp. the hymn beginning with Glo- health, exercise, etc. an glowingly adv.
ria in excelsis Deo (Glory be to God in the highest). glOW»er /glowr/ v. & n. •v.inrr. stare or scowl. • //. a
2 an aureole. glowering look.
 . .

glowworm /glOwarm/ n. any beetle of the genus 335 glowworm ~ go

Lampyris whose wingless female emits light from the
abdomen. characterized by an excess of sugar in the urine, asso-
glox*in*i«a /gloksineea/ any tropical plant of the ge-
n. ciated with diabetes, kidney disease, etc. dd glycos*
nus Gloxinia, native to S. America, with large bell flow- u*ric adj.
ers of various colors. glyp*tic /gliptik/ adj. of or concerning carving, esp. on
glu*ca*gon /globkagon/ n. a hormone formed in the precious stones.
pancreas that aids the breakdown of glycogen to glu- glyp*tog*ra*phy /gliptografee/ n. the art or scientific
cose in the liver. study of engraving gems.
glu«cose /globkos/ n. 1 a simple sugar containing six GM abbr. 1 General Motors. 2 general manager.
carbon atoms, found mainly in the form of dextrose. gm abbr. gram(s).
Glucose is an important energy source in living organ- G-man /je'eman/ n. (pi. G-men) colloq. an FBI agent.

isms and obtainable from some carbohydrates by hy- GMT abbr. Greenwich Mean Time.
drolysis. 1 Chem. formula: C 6 12 6 2 a H
syrup con- . gnarled /naarld/ adj. (also gnarl*y /naarlee/) (of a tree,
taining glucose sugars from the incomplete hydrolysis hands, knobbly; twisted; rugged.
etc.)
of starch. gnash /nash/ v. 1 tr. grind (the teeth). 2 intr. (of the
glu*co*side /globkasld/ n. a compound giving glucose teeth) strike together.
and other products upon hydrolosis. glu*co*sid*ic gnat /nat/ n. 1 any small two-winged biting fly of the
/— sidik/ adj. genus Culex, esp. C. pipiens. 2 an insignificant annoy-
glue /gloo/ n. & v. •n. an adhesive substance used for ance. 3 a tiny thing.
sticking objects or materials together, mv.tr. (glues, gnaw /naw/ v. (past part, gnawed or gnawn) 1 a tr. bite
glued, gluing or glueing) 1 fasten or join with glue. persistently, b intr. (often foil, by at, into) bite; nibble.
2 keep or put very close {an eye glued to the keyhole) by at, into) (of a destructive agent,
2 a intr. (often foil,

dd glue* ike adj. glu*er n. glue*y /glob-ee/ adj. (gluier,

I consume; torture, b tr. consume, tor-
pain, fear, etc.)
gluiest). ture, etc., with pain, fear, etc. (was gnawed by doubt).
glug /glug/ n.&v.mn.a hollow, usu. repetitive gurgling 3 tr. (as gnawing adj.) persistent; worrying.
sound. • v. intr. make a gurgling sound as of water from gneiss /nis/ n. a usu. coarse-grained metamorphic rock
a bottle. principally of feldspar, quartz, and ferromagnesian
glum /glum/ adj. (glummer, glummest) looking or feel- minerals.
ing dejected; sullen; displeased, dd glunvly adv. glum* GNMA /jinee may/ n. Government National Mortgage
ness n. Association.
glut /glut/ v. &n. 9V.tr. (glutted, glutting) 1 feed (a per- gnoochi /nyawkee/ n.pl. an Italian dish of small
son, one's stomach, etc.) or indulge (an appetite, a de- dumplings usu. made from potato, semolina flour,
sire, etc.) to the full. 2 fill to excess. 3 Econ. overstock etc., or from spinach and cheese.
(a market). •«. 1 Econ. supply that exceeds demand. gnome /nom/ n. 1 a a dwarfish legendary creature
1

2 full indulgence. supposed to guard the earth's treasures underground.

glu*ten /glootan/ n. a mixture of proteins present in ce- b a figure of a gnome, esp. as a garden ornament. 2
real grains. (esp. in pi.) colloq. a person with sinister influence, esp.
glu*te*us /glooteeas/ n. (pi. glutei /-teei/) any of the financial (gnomes of Zurich), dd gnonvish adj.
three muscles in each buttock, dd glu*te*al adj. gnome 2 /nom, nOmee/ n. a maxim; a aphorism.
glu*ti*nous /globt'nas/ adj. sticky; like glue. gno*mic /nOmik/ adj. of, consisting of, or using apho-
gluMon /glut'n/ n. 1 an excessively greedy2 col- eater. risms.
loq. a person insatiably eager (a glutton for work) 3 the . gnos*tic /nostik/ adj. & n. madj. 1 relating to knowl-
European wolverine, Gulo gulo. glutton for pun- edge, esp. esoteric mystical knowledge. 2 (Gnostic)
ishment a person eager to take on hard tasks, dd glut* concerning the Gnostics. •«. (Gnostic) (usu. in pi.) a
torvous adj. Christian heretic of the lst-3rd c. claiming mystical
glut»ton»y /glut'nee/ n. habitual greed or excess in eat- knowledge, dd Gnos*ti*cism /-tisizam/ n.
ing. GNP abbr. gross national product.
glyc»er»ide /glisarid/ n. any fatty acid ester of glycerol. gnu /noo, nyoo/ n. any antelope of the genus
glyc»er«in /glisarin/ n. (also glyc*er*ine) = glycerol. Connochaetes, native to S. Africa, with a large erect head
glyc«er»ol /glisarawl, -rol/ n. a colorless sweet viscous and brown stripes on the neck and shoulders. Also
liquid formed as a byproduct in the manufacture of called WILDEBEEST.
soap, used as an emollient and laxative, in explosives, go /go/ v.,n., &
adj. *v. (3rd sing, present goes /goz/;
1

etc. past went /went/; past part, gone /gon/) 1 intr. a start
glycine /gliseen/ n. the simplest naturally occuring moving or be moving from one place or point in time
amino acid, a general consitituent of proteins. to another, b (foil, by to + infin., or and + verb) pro-
glyco- /gliko/ comb, form sugar. ceed in order to (went to find him). C (foil, by and +
glycogen /glikajan/ n. a polysaccharide serving as a verb) colloq. expressing annoyance (you went and told
store of carbohydrates, esp. in animal tissues, and him). 2 intr. (foil, by verbal noun) make a special trip
yielding glucose on hydrolysis. for; participate in(went skiing) 3 intr. . lie in a certain
gly*co*gen*e*sis /glikajenisis/ n. the formation of gly- direction (the road goes to the shore). 4 intr. leave (they
cogen from sugar. had to go) 5 . intr. move, work, etc. (the clock doesn 't go)
gly*col /glikawl, -kol/ n. an alcohol, esp. ethylene gly- 6 intr. a make a specified movement (go like this).
col, dd glycoMc /-kolik/ adj. glycoMic adj. b make a sound (of a specified kind) (the gun went
gly»COl»y»sis /gllkolisis/ n. Biochem. the breakdown of bang). C colloq. say (so he goes to me, ''Why didn't you
glucose by enzymes. like it?"). 7 intr. be in a specified state (go hungry).
gly»CO»pro«tein /glikoprOteen/ n. any of a group of com- 8 intr. a pass into a specified condition (gone bad)
pounds consisting of a protein combined with a car- b colloq. die. c proceed or escape in a specified condi-
bohydrate. tion (the crime went unnoticed). 9 intr. (of time or dis-
glycoside /glikgsid/ n. any compound giving sugar tance) pass; elapse; be traversed (ten days to go before
and other products on hydrolysis, dd glyco*sid*ic Easter) 1 intr. a have a specified content or wording
.

/-sidik/ adj.
glycos*u*ri*a /glikasyobreea, -shobr-/ n. a condition See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

go ~ goalpost
(the tune goes like this), b be current or accepted (so the
story goes). C be suitable; fit (the shoes don't go with the
hat), d be regularly kept (the forks go here), e fit (this
won 't go into the cupboard) 1 1 intr. a turn out; proceed
. 7 be gotten rid of by sale, etc. 8 sound, as an alarm,
(things went well), b be successful (make the party go).
C progress (we've still got a long way to go). 12 intr. a be
sold (went cheap), b (of money) be spent ($200 went
336 ing, etc.). go a long way 1 have a great effect. 2 (of
food, money, etc.) last a long time; buy much. 3 = go
far. go off 1 explode. 2 leave the stage. 3 gradually
cease to be felt. 4 (esp. of foodstuffs) deteriorate; de-
compose. 5 go to sleep; become unconscious. 6 die.
etc. go off well (or badly, etc.) (of an enterprise, etc.)
be received or accomplished well (or badly, etc.). go
on 1 continue; persevere (went on trying) 2 colloq. .

on a new jacket) 1 3 intr. a be relinquished or abolished

. a talk at great length, b (foil, by at) admonish (went
(the car will have to go), b fail; decline (his sight is go- on and on at him). 3 (foil, by to + infin.) proceed (went
ing) 1 4 intr. be acceptable or permitted (anything
. on to become a star). 4 happen. 5 conduct oneself
goes). 15 intr. be guided by; judge or act on (have noth- (shameful, the way they went on). 6 Theatr. appear on
ing to go on) 1 6 intr. attend or travel to regularly (goes
. stage. 7 (of a garment) be large enough for its wearer.
to school). 17 intr. (foil, by pres. part.) colloq. proceed 8 take one's turn to do something. 9 colloq. use as ev-
(often foolishly) to do (went running to the police). idence (police don *t have anything to go on) . 1 colloq.
1 8 proceed to a certain point (will go so far and no
intr. (esp. in neg.)a concern oneself about, b care for (don't
further). 1 9 intr. (of a number) be capable of being con- go much on red hair), go out 1 leave a room, house, etc.
tained in another (6 into 5 won't go). 20 tr. Cards bid; 2 be broadcast. 3 be extinguished. 4 (often foil, by
declare (has gone two spades). 21 intr. be allotted or with) be courting. 5 (of a government) leave office.
awarded (the job went to his rival). 22 intr. (foil, by to, 6 cease to be fashionable. 7 (usu. foil, by to) depart,
toward) amount to (12 inches go to make afoot). 23 intr. esp. to a colony, etc. 8 colloq. lose consciousness. 9 (of
(in imper.) begin motion order in a race)
(a starter's workers) strike. 10 (usu. foil, by to) (of the heart, etc.)
(ready, set, got). 24 intr. refer or appeal (go to him for expand with sympathy, etc., toward (my heart goes out
help) 25 intr. take up a specified profession ( went on
. to them). 11 Golf play the first nine holes in a round.
the stage). 26 intr. (usu. foil, by by, under) be known or 12 Cards be the first to dispose of one's hand. 13 (of
called (goes by the name of Droopy) 27 tr. colloq. pro- . a tide) turn to low tide, go over 1 inspect the details
ceed to (go jump in the lake). 28 intr. (foil, by for) ap- of; rehearse. 2 (often foil, by to) change one's alle-
ply to (that goes for me too). • «. (pi. goes) 1 the act of giance or religion. 3 (of a play, etc.) be received in a
going. 2 spirit; animation (she has a lot of go in her) specified way (went over well in Dallas) go through 1 be
.

3 vigorous activity (it's all go). 4 colloq. a success (made dealt with or completed. 2 discuss in detail; scrutinize
a go of it). 5 colloq. a turn; an attempt (I'll have a go; it's in sequence. 3 perform (a ceremony, a recitation, etc.)
my go) 6 permission; approval; go-ahead (gave us a go
. 4 undergo. 5 colloq. use up; spend (money, etc.).
on the new project) • adj. colloq. functioning properly
. 6 make holes in. 7 (of a book) be successively pub-
(all systems are go) a from the word go colloq. from the
. lished (in so many editions), go through with not leave
very beginning, give it a go colloq. make an effort to unfinished, go to blazes (or hell, etc.) si an exclama-
succeed, go about 1 busy oneself with. 2 be socially tion of dismissal, contempt, etc. go together 1 match;
active. 3 (foil, by pres. part.) make a habit of doing fit. 2 be courting, go to it! colloq. begin work! go to

(goes about telling lies). 4 Naut. change to an opposite show (or prove) serve to demonstrate (or prove) go .

tack, go ahead proceed without hesitation, go all the
way 1 win a contest, one's ultimate goal, etc. 2 engage
in sexual intercourse, go along with agree to; take the
same view as. go around 1 spin, revolve. 2 be long
enough to encompass. 3 (of food,
etc.) suffice for eve-
under sink, go up 1 increase in price. 2 be consumed
(in flames, etc.). go well (often foil, by with) turn out
well, go with 1 be harmonious with. 2 agree to. 3 a be
a pair with, b be courting. 4 follow the drift of. go with-
out manage without (also absol we shall just have to go
:

rybody. 4 (usu. foil, by to) visit informally. 5 (foil, by without), go with the tide (or times) do as others do.
with) be regularly in the company of. 6 = go about 3. have a go at attempt; try. on the go colloq. 1 in con-
7 = go on 4. go at take in hand energetically; attack. stant motion. 2 constantly working, to go (of food,
go away depart, esp. from home for a vacation, etc. go etc.) to be eaten or drunk off the premises, who goes
back 1 return. 2 extend backward (in time or space). there? a sentry's challenge.
3 (foil, by to) have a history extending back to. go back n. a Japanese board game of territorial posses-
go 2 /go/
on fail to keep (one's word etc.). go bail see bail go 1
, sion and capture.
begging see beg. go by 1 pass. 2 be dependent on. go goad /god/ n. &• n. 1 a spiked stick used for urging
v.

by default see default, go down 1 a (of an amount)
become less (the coffee has gone down a lot) b subside
(the flood went down). C decrease in price. 2 a (of a ship)
sink, b (of the sun) set. 3 (usu. foil, by to) be contin-
ued to a specified point. 4 fail; (of a computer net-
work, etc.) cease to function. 5 be recorded in writing.
6 be swallowed. 7 (often foil, by with) be received (in
a specified way). 8 fall (before a conqueror), go Dutch
see Dutch, go far be very successful, go for 1 go to
fetch. 2 be accounted as (went for nothing). 3 prefer;
choose (that's the one I go for). 4 colloq. strive to attain
(go for it!). 5 colloq. attack (the dog went for him), go for
broke see broke, go great guns see gun. go halves (or
shares) (often foil, by with) share equally, go in 1 en-
ter a room, house, etc. 2 (usu. foil, by for) enter as a
competitor. 3 (of the sun, etc.) become obscured by
cloud, go in for take as one's object, style, etc. going,
going, gone! an auctioneer's announcement that bid-
ding is closing or closed, go into 1 enter (a profession,
etc.). 2 take part in. 3 investigate. 4 allow oneself to
pass into (hysterics, etc.). 5 dress oneself in (mourn-
cattle forward. 2 anything that torments, incites, or
. stimulates, •v.tr. 1 urge on with a goad. 2 (usu. foil,
by into) irritate; stimulate (goaded him into retaliating)
goal /g ol/ n. 1 the object of a person's ambition or ef-
fort; a destination; an aim (fame is his goal; Washington
was our goat). 2 a Football a pair of posts with a cross-
bar between which the ball has to be kicked to score
a field goal, b Soccer, Ice Hockey, etc. a cage or basket
used similarly. C a point or points won (scored .? goals).
3 a point marking the end of a race, a In goal in the
position of goalkeeper, an goal-less adj.
goal«ie /golee/ n. colloq. = QOALKHBPB*.
goal*keep«er /golkeepor/ n. a player stationed to pro-
tect the goal in various sports.
goal line n. Football, Soccer, etc., a line between each
pair of goalposts, extended to form the end boundary
of a field of play (cf. TOUCHLJNB).
goal-post /golpost/ n. either of the two upright posts
of a goal, n move the goalposts alter the basis or scope
of a procedure during its course to fit adverse cirucm-
stances encountered.
 . .. .

goal»tend»er /gOltendar/ n. a hockey goalkeeper. 337 goaltender ~ goiter

goat /got/ n. 1 a a hardy shorthaired domesticated
mammal, Capra aegagrus, having horns and (in the god*fa*ther /godfaathar/ n. la male godparent. 2 a
male) a beard, and kept for its milk and meat, b either person directing an illegal organization, esp. the
of two similar mammals, the mountain goat and the Mafia.
Spanish goat. 2 any other mammal of the genus Cap- god*for*sak*en /godfsrsayksn/ adj. devoid of all mer-
ra. 3 a lecherous man. 4 (the Goat) the zodiacal sign it; dismal; dreary.
or constellation Capricorn. 5 a scapegoat, a get a per- god*head /godhed/ n. (also God«head) 1 a the state of
son's goat colloq. irritate a person, an goaMsh adj. being God or a god. b divine nature. 2 a deity. 3 (the
goat*y adj. Godhead) God.
goat*ee /gotee/ n. a small pointed beard like that of a god*less /godlis/ adj. 1 impious; wicked. 2 without a
goat. god. 3 not recognizing a god or gods, go god*less*ness
goat*herd /got-hard/ n. a person who tends goats. n.
goats»beard /gotsbeerd/ n. 1a meadow plant, god*like /godlik/ adj. 1 resembling God or a god. 2 be-
Tragopogon pratensis. 2 a herbaceous plant, Aruncus fitting to a god.
dioicus, with long spikes of white flowers. god»ly /godlee/ adj. religious; pious; devout. god*li«
goat»skin /gotskin/ n. 1 the skin of a goat. 2 a garment ness n.
or bottle made out of goatskin. god»moth«er /godmuthsr/ n. a female godparent.
gob /gob/ n.
1
& v. si. »n. 1 a lump or clot of slimy mat- god*par*ent /godpairsnt/ n. a person who presents a
ter. 2 (in pi. ) large amounts (gobs of cash) • v. intr. (gob- child at baptism, promising to take responsibility for
bed, gobbing) spit. the child's religious education.
gob 2/gob/ n. si. a sailor. god*send /godsend/ n. an unexpected but welcome
gob'ble /gobal/ v.tr.
1
&
intr. eat hurriedly and noisily. event or acquisition.
dd gobbler n. god»son /godsun/ n. a male godchild.
gob«ble 2 /gobal/ v.intr. 1 (of a male turkey) make a God»speed /godspeed/ int. an expression of good wish-
characteristic swallowing sound in the throat. 2 make
es to a person starting a journey.
such a sound when speaking, esp. when god»wit /godwit/ n. any wading bird of the genus
excited, an-
gry, etc. Limosa, with long legs and a long straight or slightly
gob«ble*dy*gook /gobaldeegOOk/ n. (also gob«ble«de« upcurved bill.
gook) colloq. pompous or unintelligible jargon. go»er /goar/ n.1a person or thing that goes (a slow goer)
gob«bler /goblar/ n. colloq. a male turkey. 2 (often in comb. ) a person who attends (a churchgoer)
Gob*e*lin /gobalin, gobalin, gawblan/ n. (in full Gobe- goes 3rd sing, present of GO 1
.

lin tapestry) 1 a tapestry made at the Gobelins factory go»est /gOist/ archaic 2nd sing, present of go 1
in Paris. 2 a tapestry imitating this. go»eth /g6ith/ archaic 3rd sing, present of GO 1
gob*let /goblit/ n. 1 a drinking vessel with a foot and a go»fer /gofar/ n. si. a person who runs errands, esp. on
stem, usu. of glass. 2 archaic a metal or glass bowl- a movie set or in an office.
shaped drinking cup without handles. &
goMer /gofar/ v. n. • v. tr. make wavy, flute, or crimp
gob*lin /goblin/ n. a mischievous, ugly, dwarflike crea- (a lace edge, a trimming, etc.) with heated irons. »n.
ture of folklore. an iron used for goffering.
go»by /gobee/ n. (pi. -bies) any small marine fish of the go-geMer n. colloq. an aggressively enterprising per-
family Gobiidae, having ventral fins joined to form a son.
sucker or disk. gog*gle /gogal/ v., adj., &
n. *v. 1 intr. a (often foil, by
go-cart n. 1 a handcart; a stroller. 2 = go-kart. at) look with wide-open eyes, b (of the eyes) be rolled
god /god/ rc. 1 a (in many religions) a superhuman about; protrude. 2 tr. turn (the eyes) sideways or from
being or spirit worshiped as having power over na- side to side. madj. (usu. attrib.) (of the eyes) protuber-
ture, human fortunes, etc. b an image, idol, animal, ant or rolling. • n. 1 (in pi. ) a eyeglasses for protecting
or other object worshiped as divine or symbolizing a the eyes from glare, dust, water, etc. b colloq. eye-
god. 2 (God) (in Christian and other monotheistic glasses. 2 (in pi.) a sheep disease; the staggers. 3 a gog-
religions) the creator and ruler of the universe. 3 a gling expression.
an adored, admired, or influential person, b some- go-go adj. colloq. 1 (of a dancer, music, etc.) in pop mu-
thing worshiped like a god (makes a god of success) sic style, lively, and rhythmic. 2 unrestrained; energet-
4 Theatr. (in pi. ) a the gallery, b the people sitting ic. 3 (of investment) speculative.

in it. for God's sake! see sake God the Father, Goi»del /goyd'l/ n. a Celt who speaks Irish Gaelic, Scot-
1
.

Son, and Holy Spirit (or Ghost) (in the Christian tra- tish Gaelic, or Manx, do goi*del*ic /-delik/ n.
dition) the Persons of the Trinity, in God's name an go*ing /going/ n. &
adj. •«. 1a the act or process of
appeal for help, in the name of God an expression of going, b an instance of this. 2 a the condition of the
surprise or annoyance, my (or oh) God! an exclama- ground for walking, riding, etc. b progress affected by
tion of surprise, anger, etc. play God assume impor- this (found the going hard). *adj. 1 in or into action (set
tance or superiority, thank God! an exclamation of the clock going). 2 esp. Brit, existing; available (there's
pleasure or relief, with God dead and in heaven. hot soup going). 3 current; prevalent (the going rate).
no god»hood n. god*ship n. god*ward adj. adv. god* &
d get going start steadily talking, working, etc. (can't
wards adv. stop him when he gets going), going for one colloq. act-
god*child /godchild/ n. a person in relation to a god- ing in one's favor (he's got a lot going for him) going on .

parent. fifteen, etc. approaching one's fifteenth, etc., birthday.

god*damn /godam/ adj. (or god-dam or god*damned going to intending or intended to; about to (it's going
/-damd/) 5/. accursed. to sink!), while the going is good while conditions are
god*daugh*ter /goddawtar/ n. a female godchild. favorable.
god«dess /godis/ n. 1 a female deity. 2 a woman who go»ing con»cern n. a thriving business.
is adored. go»ing-o»ver n. 1 colloq. an inspection or overhaul. 2 si.
go»det /godet, goday/ n. a triangular piece of material a beating. 3 colloq. a scolding.
inserted in a dress, glove, etc. goi»ter /goytar/ n. ( Brit, goitre) Med. a swelling of the
go-devil «, la crude sled, used chiefly for dragging
logs. 2 a jointed apparatus for cleaning pipelines. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

go-kart ~ good 338 golf cart «. 1a cart used for carrying golf clubs. 2 a
motorized cart for golfers and equipment.
neck resulting from enlargement of the thyroid gland. golf club n. 1 a club used in golf. 2 an association for
dd yoit-rous /-trus/ adj. playing golf. 3 the premises used by a golf club.
go-kart n. a miniature racing car. golf course n. the course on which golf is played.
gold /gold/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a yellow, malleable, ductile, golf-er /golfar/ n. a golf player.
high density metallic element resistant to chemical Gol-gi bod-y /gawljee/ n. (also Gol-gi ap-pa-rat-us) Biol.
reaction, occurring naturally in quartz veins and grav- an organelle of vesicles and folded membranes with-
el, and precious monetary medium, in jewelry,
as a in the cytoplasm of most eukaryotic cells, involved esp.
etc. 1| Symb.: Au. 2 the color of gold. 3 a coins or arti- in the secretion of substances.
cles made of gold, b wealth. 4 something precious, gol-li-wog /goleewog/ n. a black-faced brightly dressed
beautiful, or brilliant (all that glitters is not gold). 5 = soft doll with fuzzy hair.
gold medal. 6 the bull's-eye of an archery target. *adj. go My /golee/ int. expressing surprise.
'

1 made wholly or chiefly of gold. 2 colored like gold. gol-ly 2 /golee/ n. (pi. -lies) colloq. = golliwog.
gold brick n. si. 1 a thing with only a surface appear- -gon comb, form forming nouns denoting plane figures
ance of value. 2 a lazy person. with a specified number of angles (hexagon; polygon)
gold dig-ger n. 1 si. a a woman who wheedles money go-nad /gonad/ n. an animal organ producing gametes,
out of men. b a woman who strives to marry a rich e.g., the testis or ovary, dd go-nad-al /-nad'l/ adj.
man. 2 a person who digs for gold. go-nad-o-troph-ic hor-mone /gonadatrofik, -trofik/ n.
gold dust n. 1 gold in fine particles as often found nat- (also go-nad-o-trop-ic /-tropik, -tropik/) Biochem. any
urally. 2 a plant, Alyssum saxatile, with many small yel- of various hormones stimulating the activity of the
low flowers. gonads.
gold-en /gOldan/ adj. 1 a made or consisting of gold. go»nad»o«tro«phin /gonadatrofin, -trofin/ n. (also go-
b yielding gold. 2 colored like gold (golden hair). 3 pre- na-do-tro-pin) =. gonadtrophic hormone
cious; valuable (a golden memory). gon-do-la /gondata, gondota/ n. 1 a light flat-bottomed
gold-en age n. 1 a supposed past age when people were boat used on Venetian canals, worked by one oar at
happy and innocent. 2 the period of a nation's great- the stern. 2 a car suspended from an airship or bal-
est prosperity, literary merit, etc. loon. 3 a car attached to a ski lift.
gold-en-ag-er n. an old person.
gold-en boy (or girl) colloq. n. a popular or successful
person.
gold-en calf n. wealth as an object of worship (Exod.
32).
gold-en ea-gle n. a large eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, with
yellow-tipped head feathers.
Gold-en Fleece n. (in Greek mythology) a fleece of gondola, 1
gold sought and won by Jason.
gold-en goose n. a continuing source of wealth or prof- gon-do-lier /gondaleer/ n. the oarsman on a gondola.
it. gone /gawn, gon/ adj. 1 a lost; hopeless, b dead. 2 col-
gold-en old-ie n. colloq. an old hit record or movie, etc., loq. pregnant for a specified time (three months gone)
that is still well known and popular. 3 si. completely enthralled or entranced, o be gone de-
gold-en re»triev«er n. a retriever with a thick, golden- part, gone on si. infatuated with.
colored coat. gon-er /gawnar, gon-/ n. si. a person or thing that is
gold-en-rod /goldsnrod/ n. any plant of the genus doomed, ended, irrevocably lost, etc.; a dead person.
Solidago with a rodlike stem and small bright yellow gong /gawng, gong/ n. 1 a metal disk with a turned rim,
flowerheads. giving a resonant note when struck. 2 a saucer-shaped
gold-en rule n. a basic principle of action, esp. "do un- bell. 3 Brit. si. a medal.
to others as you would have them do unto you". go»ni»om»e«ter /gOneeomitDr/ n. an instrument for
Gold-en State n. California. measuring angles, dd go-ni-om-e-try n. go-ni-o-met-ric
gold-finch /goldfinch/ n. any of various brightly col- /-neeametrik/ adj. go-ni-o-met-ri-cal adj.
ored songbirds of the genus Carduelis. gon-o-coc-cus /gonakokas/ n. (pi. gonococci /-kokl,
gold-fish /goldfish/ n. a small reddish golden Chinese -koksi/) a bacterium, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, that caus-
carp kept for ornament, Carassius auratus. es gonorrhea, dd gon-o-coc-cal adj.
gold-fish bowl n. 1 a globular glass container for gold- gon»or»rhe»a /gonare'es/ n. a venereal disease with
fish. 2 a situation lacking privacy. inflammatory discharge from the urethra or vagina.
gold leaf n. gold beaten into a very thin sheet. goo /gOo/ n. la sticky or viscous substance. 2 sickly
gold med-al n. a medal of gold, usu. awarded as first sentiment.
prize. good /good/ adj., n., &
adv. madj. (better, best) 1 hav-
gold mine place where gold is mined. 2 colloq. a
n. 1 a ing the right or desired qualities. 2 a (of a person) ef-
source of wealth. ficient; competent (good at math), b (of a thing) reha-
gold plate n. 1 vessels made of gold. 2 material plated ble; efficient (good brakes). C (of health, etc.) strong
with gold, dd gold-plate v.tr. (good eyesight) 3 a kind (good ofyou to come), b moral-
.

gold rush n. a rush to a newly discovered gold field. ly excellent (a good deed). C charitable (good WOfks).
gold-smith /goldsmith/ n. a worker in gold; a manu- d well-behaved (a good child). 4 enjoyable, agreeable
facturer of gold articles. (a good party) 5 thorough; considerable (a good wash).
.

gold stand-ard n. a system by which the value of a cur- 6 a not less than (waited a good hour), b considerable
rency is defined in terms of gold. in number, quality, etc. (a good many ptopU). 7 bene
golf /golf, gawlf/ n. &
v. *n. a game in which a small ficial (good for you) 8 a valid; sound {a good nasoft).
.

hard ball is driven with clubs into a series of 18 or 9 b financially sound (his credit it good). 9 in exclama-
holes with the fewest possible strokes, •v.intr. play tions of surprise (good heavens/). 10 right; proper
golf. (thought it good to have a try). 11 fresh; eatable,
golf ball n. 1a ball used in golf. 2 a small ball used in 12 (sometimes patronizing) commendable; worthy
some electric typewriters to carry the type. (good old George). 13 well shaped; attractive (good
 )

looks) . 1 4 in courteous greetings and farewells {good 339 good-bye - gorgeous

afternoon). »n. 1 (only in sing.) what is beneficial or
morally right (only good can come of it) 2 (only in sing.
. good»y-good»y n. & adj. • n. a smug or obtrusively vir-
a desirable end or object (a future good). 3 (in pi.) tuous person. »adj. obtrusively or smugly virtuous.
a movable property or merchandise, b Brit, things to goo*ey /goo-ee/ adj. (gooier, gooiest) si. 1 viscous;
be transported, as distinct from passengers; freight. sticky. 2 sickly; sentimental.
C (prec. by the) colloq. what one has undertaken to sup- goof /goof/ n. & v. si. mn. 1 a foolish person. 2 a mis-
ply (esp. deliver the goods), d (prec. by the) si. the re- take, mv. 1 tr. bungle. 2 intr. blunder. 3 intr. (often foil,
al thing; the genuine article. 4 proof, esp. of guilt. 5 by off) idle.
(asp/.; prec. by the) virtuous people. madv. colloq. well goof*ball /goofbawl/ n. si. a silly, ridiculous, or inept
(doing pretty good) a as good as practically (he as good
. person.
as told me), be so good as (or be good enough) to (of- goof»y /gobfee/ adj. (goofier, goofiest) 5/. stupid; silly.
ten in a request) be kind and do (a favor) (be so good on goof-My adv. goof»i»ness n.
as to open the window), be (a certain amount) to the goo*gol /gobgawl/ n. ten raised to the hundredth power
good have as net profit or advantage, do good show (IO 100 ).
kindness, do a person good be beneficial to. for good Not in formal use.
(and all) finally; permanently, good and colloq. used as gook /gook, gook/ n. si. offens. a foreigner, esp. a per-
an intensifier before an adj. or adv. (was good and an- son from E. Asia.
gry), good for 1 beneficial to. 2 able to perform; in- goon /goon/ n. si. 1 a stupid person. 2 a person hired
clined for (good for a ten-mile walk). 3 able to be trust- by racketeers, etc., to terrorize opponents.
ed to pay (is good for $100). good for you! (or him!, goos*an*der /goosandar/ n. large diving duck, Mergus a.

her!, etc.) exclamation of approval toward a person. merganser, with a narrow serrated bill; a common mer-
have a good mind see mind, have the goods on a per- ganser.
son 5/. have information that gives one an advantage goose /goos/ n. &
v. • n. (pi. geese /gees/) 1 a any of

over a person, have a good time enjoy oneself, in a per- various large water birds of the family Anatidae, with
son's good books see book, in good faith with honest short legs, webbed feet, and a broad bill, b the female
or sincere intentions, in good time 1 with no risk of of this (opp. gander), c the flesh of a goose as food.
being late. 2 (also all in good time) in due course but 2 colloq. a simpleton. »v.tr. si. poke (a person) between
without haste, make good 1 make up for; compensate the buttocks.
for. 2 fulfill (a promise); effect (a purpose). 3 demon- goose*ber*ry gobsberee, -baree, gobz-/ n. (pi. -ries)
strate the truth of (a statement). 4 gain and hold (a 1 a round edible yellowish green berry. 2 the thorny
position). 5 replace or restore (a thing lost or dam- shrub, Ribes grossularia, bearing this fruit.
aged). 6 (absol) accomplish what one intended, to the goose bumps n.pl. (also goose flesh) a bristling state
good as profit or benefit, dd good*ish adj. of the skin produced by cold or fright.
The adverb corresponding to the adjective good is goose egg n. a zero score in a game.
well: She is a good swimmer who performs well in meets. goose«foot /goosfoot/ n. (pi. -foots) any plant of the
Confusion sometimes arises because well is also an genus Chenopodium, having leaves shaped like the foot
adjective meaning 'healthy, fine,' and good is widely of a goose.
accepted as an informal substitute: I feel well (vs. in- goose Step n. a military marching step in which the
formal "I feel good"). See note at bad. knees are kept stiff.

good-bye /goodbi'/ int. &

n. (also good-bye, good-by GOP abbr. Grand Old Party (the Republican Party).
or goodby) • int. expressing good wishes on parting, gO'pher 1
/gbfar/ n. 1 (in full pocket gopher) any bur-
ending a telephone conversation, etc. »n. (pi. good- rowing rodent of the family Geomyidae, native to
byes) the saying of "good-bye"; a parting; a farewell. N. America. 2 a N. American ground squirrel. 3 a
Good Fri»day n. the Friday before Easter commemo- tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, native to the southern
rating the crucifixion of Christ. US.
good-heart*ed adj. kindly; well-meaning. go»pher 2 /gbfar/ n. 1 Bibl. a tree from the wood of which
good-hu»mored /gobdhyobmard/ adj. genial; cheerful. Noah's ark was made. 2 (in full gopher wood) a tree,
dd good-hu*mored*ly adv. Cladrastis lutea, yielding yellowish timber.
good-look»ing adj. handsome; attractive. go*ral /gawral/ n. a goat antelope, Nemorhaedus goral,
good»ly /gobdlee/ adj. (goodlier, goodliest) 1 comely; native to mountainous regions of N. India, having
handsome. 2 of imposing size, etc. short horns curving to the rear.
good-na*tured /gobdnaychard/ adj. kind; patient. Gor*di*an knot /gawrdeean/ n. 1 an intricate knot. 2 a
dd good-na*tured*ly adv. difficult problem or task. cut the Gordian knot solve
good«ness /gobdnis/ n. &
int. •«. 1 excellence, esp. a problem by force or by evasion.
moral. 2 kindness (had the goodness to wait). 3 what is Gor»don seWer /gawrd'n/ n. 1a setter of a black and
beneficial in a thing (vegetables with all the goodness tan breed, used as a gun dog. 2 this breed.
boiled out). • int. (as a substitution for "God") express- gore /gawr/ n. 1 blood shed and clotted. 2 slaughter;
1

ing surprise, anger, etc. carnage.

good-wife /gobdwif/ n. (pi. -wives) archaic the mistress gore 2 /gawr/ pierce with a horn, tusk, etc.
v. tr.

of a household. gore 3 /gawr/ &

v. •«. 1 a wedge-shaped piece in a
n.
goodwill /gobdwil/ n. 1 kindly feeling. 2 the estab- garment. 2 a triangular piece in an umbrella, etc. 3 a
lished reputation of a business, etc., as enhancing its small, triangular piece of land. • v. tr. shape with a gore.
value. 3 cheerful consent or acquiescence. gorge /gawrj/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a narrow opening between
good will n. the intention and hope that good will re- hills or a rocky ravine. 2 an act of gorging. 3 the con-
sult (see also goodwill). tents of the stomach. • v. 1 intr. feed greedily. 2 tr. a
good word n. (often in phr. put in a good word for) (often refl.) satiate, b devour greedily. one's gorge
words in recommendation or defense. rises at one is sickened by.
good«y /gobdee/ n. &
int. • n. (also good*ie) (pi. -ies) gor*geous /gawrjas/ adj. 1 richly colored; sumptuous.
1 (usu. in pi.) something good or attractive, esp. to 2 colloq. very pleasant (gorgeous weather) 3 colloq. strik- .

eat. 2 colloq. a good or favored person, esp. a hero in a ingly beautiful, dd gor*geous*ly adv.
story, movie, etc. 3 = goody-goody n. •int. expressing
childish delight. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

gorget ~ grab 340 cut with or as with a gouge. 2 tr. a (foil, by out) force
out (esp. an eye with the thumb) with or as with a
gor*get /gorjit/ n. 1 hist, a a piece of armor for the gouge, b force out the eye of (a person). 3 tr. colloq.
throat, b a woman's wimple. 2 a patch of color on the swindle; extort money from; overcharge, dd goug*er
throat of a bird, insect, etc. n.
Gor«gon /gawrgan/ Greek mythology) each of gou»lash /goolaash, -lash/ n. a highly seasoned Hun-
n. 1 (in

three snake-haired sisters (esp. Medusa) with the garian dish of meat and vegetables, usu. flavored with
power to turn anyone who looked at them to stone. paprika.
2 a frightening or repulsive person, esp. a woman. gourd /goord/ n. 1 a any of various fleshy usu. large
gor*gon*ize /gawrgsniz/ v.tr. 1 stare at like a gorgon. fruits with a hard skin, b any of various climbing or
2 paralyze with terror, etc. trailing plants of the family Cucurbitaceae bearing
Gor*gon*ZO*la /gawrganzola/ n. a type of rich cheese this fruit. Also called cucurbit. 2 the hollow hard skin
with bluish green veins. of the gourd fruit, dried and used as a drinking ves-
goriMa /garita/ n. the largest anthropoid ape, Gorilla sel, percussion instrument, etc. dd gourd*ful n. {pi.
gorilla, native to Central Africa, having a large head, -fuls).
short neck, and prominent mouth. gour*mand /gobrma'and/ n. & adj. •«. 1 a glutton.
gor*mand*ize /gawrmandiz/ v. &n. *v. 1 intr. &tr. eat 2 disp. a gourmet. • adj. gluttonous; fond of eating, esp.
or devour voraciously. 2 intr. indulge in good eating. to excess, dd gour*mand*ism n.
• n. - gourmandise. do gor«mand«iz»er n. gour*met /gobrmay/ n. a connoisseur of good or deli-
gorse /gawrs/ n. any spiny yellow-flowered shrub of the cate food.
genus Ulex. gout /gowt/ n. la disease with inflammation of the
gor»y /gawree/ adj. (gorier, goriest) 1 involving blood- smaller joints, esp. the toe, as a result of excess uric
shed; bloodthirsty (a gory movie). 2 covered in gore. acid salts in the blood. 2 a a drop, esp. of blood, b a
gosh /gosh/ int. expressing surprise. splash or spot, dd gout*y adj.
gosling /gozling/ n. a young goose. Gov. abbr. 1 Government. 2 Governor.
gos*pel /gospal/ n. 1 the teaching or revelation of gov. abbr. governor.
Christ. 2 (Gospel) a the record of Christ's life and govern /giivarn/ w1a
tr. rule or control with author-

teaching in the first four books of the New Testament. ity; conduct the policy and affairs of. b intr. be in gov-
b each of these books. C a portion from one of them ernment. 2 a tr. influence or determine (a person or a
read at a service, d a similar book in the Apocrypha. course of action) b intr. be the predominating in-
.

3 a thing regarded as absolutely true {take my word as fluence. 3 tr. be a standard or principle for. 4 tr. check
gospel). 4 a principle one acts on or advocates. 5 (in or control (esp. passions). 5 tr. Gram. (esp. of a verb
full gospel music) African-American evangelical reli- or preposition) have (a noun or pronoun or its case)
gious singing. depending on it. dd governable adj. govern»a»bil»i»
gos«pel truth n. something considered to be unques- ty n.
tionably true. governance /guvarnans/ n. 1 the act or manner of
gos*sa*mer /gossmar/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a filmy substance governing. 2 the office of governing. 3 sway; control.
of small spiders' webs. 2 delicate filmy material. 3 a govern»ess /guvarnis/ n. a woman employed to teach
thread of gossamer. • adj. light and flimsy. children in a private household.
gos*sip /gosip/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a unconstrained talk or government /guvarnmant/ n. 1 the act or manner of
writing esp. about persons or social incidents, b idle governing. 2 the system by which a nation is governed.
talk; groundless rumor. 2 an informal chat, esp. about 3 a a body of persons governing a nation, b (usu. Gov-
persons or social incidents. 3 a person who indulges ernment) a particular party in office. 4 the nation as
in gossip, •v.intr. (gossiped, gossiping) talk or write an agent, dd govern«men»tal /-ment'l/ adj. govern*
gossip. men*taMy adv.
gos»sip coKimn n. newspaper devoted gov«er»nor /guvarnar/ n. 1a person who governs; a
a section of a
to gossip about well-known people, dd gos*sip col* ruler. 2 the executive head of each state of the US.
umrvist n. 3 hist, an official governing a province, town, etc. 4 an
gos«sip*mon*ger /gosipmongar/ n. a perpetrator of officer commanding a fortress or garrison. 5 the head
gossip. or a member of a governing body of an institution.
got past and past part, of get. 6 Mech. an automatic regulator controlling the speed
Goth /goth/ n. a member of a Germanic tribe that in- of an engine, etc. dd gover»nor«ate /-rat, -rayt/ n. gov
vaded the Roman Empire in the 3rd-5th c. er«nor»ship n.
Goth*ic /gothik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of the Goths or their Govt. abbr. Government.
language. 2 in the style of architecture prevalent inW. gown /gown/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a loose flowing garment, esp.

Europe in the 12th-16th c, characterized by pointed
arches. 3 (of a novel, etc.) in a style popular in the
18th- 19th c.j with supernatural events. 4 Printing (of
type) old-fashioned German, black letter, or sans ser-
if. • «. 1 the Gothic language. 2 Gothic architecture.
3 Printing Gothic type, dd Goth»i»cism /-thisizam/ n.
a long dress worn by a woman. 2 the official robe of
an alderman, judge, cleric, etc. 3 a surgeon's robe,
worn during surgery. 9V.tr. (usu. as gowned adj.) at-
tire in a gown.
goy /goy/ n. {pi. goyim /goyim/or goys) si. sometimes
derog. a Jewish name for a non-Jew. cjlj goyish adj. fa I

Goth*i*cize /-thisiz/ v. tr. intr. & so goyisch).

goMa /gota/ colloq. have got to {we gotta go) GP abbr. 1 general practitioner. 2 ( iiancl Prix.
goMen past part, of get. GPA abbr. grade point average.
gouache /gwaash, goo-aash/ n. 1 a method of painting GPO abbr. 1 General Post Office. 2 Government Pi mi
in opaque pigments ground water and thickened
in ing Office.
with a gluelike substance. 2 these pigments. 3 a pic- gr abbr. (also gram(s). 2 grain(s). 3 gross. 4 griy,
gr.) 1
ture painted in this way. grab /grab/ v. &n. 9V. (grabbed, grabbing)
1 tr. a idle

Gou»da /gooda, gow-/ n. a flat round usu. Dutch cheese
with a yellow rind.
&
gouge /gowj/ n. v. • n. 1 a chisel with a concave blade,
used in woodworking, sculpture, and surgery. 2 an in-
dentation or groove made with or as with this. • v. 1 tr.
suddenly, b capture; arrest. 2 tr. take greedily 01 Ufl
fairly. 3 tr. si. attract the attention of; imprest. 4 intr.
(foil, by at) make a sudden lOltcfa at. 5 inn. (of brakes)
act harshly or jerkily. •>/. 1 a luddeo Ittempi to leize.
2 a mechanical device for clutching. 3 the practice of
 . . .

grabbing, a up for grabs si. easily obtainable, qd grab* 341 grab bag ~ grain
ber n.
grab bag n. la container from which one removes a grad*u*al /grajooal/ adj. 1 taking place or progressing
mystery gift. 2 a miscellaneous group of items. by degrees. 2 not rapid or steep, dd grad*u*aMy adv.
grab»ble /grabal/ v.intr. 1 grope about; feel for some- grad*u*al*ness n.
thing. 2 (often foil, by for) sprawl on all fours; scram- grad*u*al*ism /grajooslizam/ n. a policy of gradual re-
ble (for something). form rather than sudden change or revolution.
grab«by /grabee/ adj. colloq. tending to grab; greedy; dd grad'U*alMSt n.

grasping. grad*u*ate n. & v. • n. /grajoost/ 1 a person who has

grace /grays/ n. & v. • n. 1 attractiveness, esp. in ele- been awarded an academic degree (also attrib. grad- :

gance of proportion or manner. 2 courteous good will uate student) 2 a person who has completed a course
.

(had the grace to apologize) 3 an attractive feature (so-

. of study. • v. /grajoo-ayt/ 1 intr. take an academic de-
cial graces) 4 a (in Christian belief) the unmerited fa-
. gree. 2 intr. a (foil, by from) be a graduate of a speci-
vor of God. b the state of receiving this, c a divinely
given talent. 5 goodwill; favor (Jail from grace). 6 delay
granted as a favor (a year's grace) 7 a short thanksgiv-
. university, etc. 4 intr. a (foil, by to) move up to (a high-
ing before or after a meal. 8 (Grace) (in Greek my-
thology) each of three beautiful sister goddesses,
bestowers of beauty and charm. 9 (Grace) (prec. by
His, Her, Your) forms of description or address for a
duke, duchess, or archbishop. 9V.tr. 1 enhance or em-
bellish. 2 confer honor on (graced us with his presence)
a with good (or bad) grace as if willingly (or reluc-
tantly).
graceful /graysfool/ adj. having or showing grace or el-
egance, dd grace«fui«ly adv. grace«ful»ness n.
graceless /grayslis/ adj. lacking elegance or charm.
dd grace* less»ly adv.
grace pe«ri»od n. a period of time allowed beyond when
a payment becomes due before one incurs penalties.
gra*CJOUS /grayshas/ adj. &
int. »adj. 1 indulgent and
beneficent to others. 2 (of God) merciful; benign.
3 kindly; courteous, •int. expressing surprise, dd gra»
cious«ly adv. gra«cious«ness n.
gra*cious liv»ing n. an elegant way of life.
grad /grad/ n. colloq. = graduate n. 1
gra*date /graydayt/ v. 1 v.intr. &
tr. pass or cause to graf*fi*to /grafe'eto/ n. (pi. graffiti /-tee/) 1 (usu. in pi.)
pass by gradations from one shade to another. 2 tr. ar-
range in steps or grades of size, etc.
gra*da*tion /graydayshan/ n. (usu. in pi.) 1 a stage of
transition or advance. 2 a a certain degree in rank, in-
tensity, etc. b an arrangement in such degrees. 3 (of
paint, etc.) the gradual passing from one shade, tone,
etc., to another.
fied university, b (foil, by in) be a graduate in a spec-
ified subject. 3 tr. send out as a graduate from a
er grade of activity, etc.). b (foil, by as, in) gain spec-
ified qualifications. 5 tr. mark out in degrees. 6 tr. ar-
range in gradations; apportion (e.g., tax) according to
a scale. 7 intr. (foil, by into, away) pass by degrees.
The traditional use is "to be graduated from": She
will be graduated from medical school in June. It is now
more common to say "graduate from": He will grad-
uate from high school next year. Avoid using graduate as
a transitive verb, as in "He graduated high school last
week."
grad*u*ate school n. a division of a university for ad-
vanced work by graduates.
grad*u«a*tion /grajooayshan/ n. 1 the act of graduat-
ing. 2 a ceremony at which degrees are conferred.
3 each or all of the marks on a vessel or instrument in-
dicating degrees of quantity, etc.
Grae«cism var. of grecism.
Grae*cize var. of grecize.
Graeco- var. of Greco-.
Grae»co-Ro«man var. of greco-roman.
a piece of writing or drawing scribbled, scratched, or
sprayed on a surface.
The
plural form graffiti is sometimes used with a sin-
gular verb, even though it is not a mass noun in this
sense, and so properly a plural construction is need-
ed, e.g., graffiti are an art form.
graft /graft/ n.
1
&
v. mn. 1 Bot. a a shoot or scion in-

grade /grayd/ n. & v. • n. 1 a a certain degree in rank, serted into a slit of stock, from which it receives sap.
merit, proficiency, quality, etc. b a class of persons or b the place where a graft is inserted. 2 Surgery a piece
things of the same grade. 2 a mark indicating the qual- of living tissue, organ, etc., transplanted surgically.
ity of a student's work. 3 a class in school, concerned 3 Brit. si. hard work. »v. 1 tr. a (often foil, by into, on,
with a particular year's work and usu. numbered from together, etc.) insert (a scion) as a graft, b insert a graft
the first upwards. 4 a a gradient or slope, b the rate of on (a stock). 2 intr. insert a graft. 3 tr. Surgery trans-
ascent or descent. 5 a a variety of cattle produced by plant (living tissue). 4 tr. (foil, by in, on) insert or fix
crossing native stock with a superior breed, b a group (a thing) permanently to another. 5 intr. Brit. si. work
of animals at a similar level of development. mv. 1 tr. hard, dd grafter n.
arrange in or allocate to grades; class; sort. 2 intr. pass graft 2 /graft/ n. &
v. colloq. mn. 1 practices, esp. brib-

gradually between grades, or into a grade. 3 tr. give a ery, used to secure illicit gains in politics or business.
grade to (a student). 4 tr. blend so as to affect the grade 2 such gains. • v. intr. seek or make such gains, dd graft*
of color with tints passing into each other, o make the er n.
grade colloq. reach the desired standard. gra*ham crack*er /gram, grayam/ n. a crisp, slightly
grade crossing n. a crossing of a roadway, etc., with sweet cracker made from whole wheat flour.
a railroad track at the same level. Grail /grayl/ n. (in full Holy Grail) (in medieval legend)
grade point n. the numerical equivalent of a scholas- the cup or platter used by Christ at the Last Supper.
tic letter grade. grain /grayn/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a fruit or seed of a cereal.
grade point av»er»age n. an average scholastic grade 2 a (collect.) wheat or any related grass used as food.
calculated by dividing the total of grade point values b (collect.) their fruit. C any particular species of a ce-
by the total number of course credits. real crop. 3 a a small hard particle of salt, sand, etc.
grad*er /graydar/ n. 1 a person or thing that grades. 2 b a discrete particle or crystal, usu. small, in a rock or
(in comb.) a pupil of a specified grade in a school (third metal, c a piece of solid propellant for use in a rocket
grader) engine. 4 the smallest unit of weight in the troy sys-
grade school n. elementary school. tem (480 grains = 1 ounce), and in the avoirdupois
gra-di»ent /graydeeant/ n. 1 a a stretch of road, rail- system (437.5 grains = 1 ounce). 5 the smallest pos-
road, etc., that slopes, b the amount of such a slope. sible quantity (a grain of truth) 6 a roughness of .

2 the rate of rise or fall of temperature, pressure, etc.,

in passing from one region to another. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

grainy ~ granny 342 -dies) 1 colloq. a grandfather. 2 the original and usu.
most venerated of its kind {the granddaddy of symphony
surface, b Photog. a granular appearance on a photo- orchestras)
graph or negative. 7 the texture of wood, stone, etc. grand*daugh*ter /grandawtar/ n. a female grandchild.
8 a a pattern of lines of fiber in wood or paper, b lam- grande dame /groNd da'am/ n. woman of
a dignified
ination or planes of cleavage in stone, coal, etc. 9 na- high rank.
ture; tendency, mv. 1 tr. paint in imitation of the grain gran«dee /grandee/ «. la Spanish or Portuguese no-
of wood or marble. 2 tr. give a granular surface to. 3 tr. bleman of the highest rank. 2 a person of high rank or
& form into grains, a against the grain (often in
intr. eminence.
the phrase go against the grain) contrary to one's nat- gran*deur /granjar, -joor/ n. 1 majesty; splendor; dig-
ural inclination or feeling, in grain thorough; genuine; nity of appearance or bearing. 2 high rank; eminence.
by nature; downright; indelible, dd grained adj. (also 3 nobility of character.
in comb.). grandfather /granfaathar, grand-/ n. a male grand-
grain«y /graynee/ adj. (grainier, grainiest) 1 granular. parent, dd grand»fa»ther»ly adj.
2 resembling the grain of wood. 3 Photog. having a grand»fa«ther clock n. a floor-standing pendulum
granular appearance, dd grain»i»ness n. clock in a tall wooden case.
graMa»to*ri»al /gralatawreeal/ adj. Zool. of or relating gran*di*f lo*ra /grandiflawrs/ adj. bearing large flowers.
to wading birds. gran*dil*o*quent /granditakwant/ adj. 1 pompous in
gram /gram/ n. a metric unit of mass equal to one-
1
language. 2 given to boastful talk, dd gran»dil»o«
thousandth of a kilogram. quence /-kwgns/ n. gran*dil*o*quent*ly adv.
gram 2 /gram/ n. any of various beans used as food, esp. gran*di*OSe /grandeeOs/ adj. 1 producing an imposing
the chickpea. effect. 2 planned on an ambitious scale, dd grarvdi*
-gram /gram/ comb, form forming nouns denoting a ose«ly adv. gran»di»os»i«ty /-deeositee/ n.
thing written or recorded {anagram; epigram). grand ju»ry n. Law a jury selected to determine whether
dd -grammatic /gramatik/ comb, form forming adjec- there is enough evidence regarding a charge to merit
tives. a trial.
gram*i*na*ceous /graminayshas/ adj. = gramineous. grand lar*ceny n. Law larceny in which the value of
gra»min«e«OUS /gramineeas/ adj. of or like grass; grassy. the stolen property exceeds a certain legally estab-
gram*ma*logue /gramalawg, -log/ n. a word repre- lished limit.
sented by a single shorthand sign. grand*ma /granmaa, grand-/ n. colloq. grandmother.
granvmar /gramar/ n. 1 the study or rules of a lan- grand mal /groN ma'al, grand mal/ n. a serious form of
guage's inflections or other means of showing the rela- epilepsy with loss of consciousness (cf. petit mal).
tion between words. 2 application of the rules of gram- grand*ma*ma /granmamaa, -maamg, grand-/ n. archa-
mar {bad grammar). 3 a book on grammar. 4 the ic colloq. = grandma.

rudiments of an art or science. 5 Brit, colloq. = gram- grand»moth»er /granmuthar, grand-/ n. a female
mar school, dd granvmaMess adj. grandparent, dd grand»moth»er»ly adj.
gram»mar«i*an /gramaireean/ n. an expert in grammar grand»moth«er clock n. a clock like a grandfather clock
or linguistics; a philologist. but in a shorter case.
grarrvmar school n. US
an elementary school.
1 grand»pa /granpaa, grand-/ n. colloq. grandfather.
2 Brit. esp. hist, a selective state-supported secondary grand*pa*pa /granpapa'a, -paapa, grand-/ n. archaic
school with a mainly academic curriculum. 3 Brit. hist. Colloq. - GRANDPA.
a school founded in or before the 1 6th c. for teaching grand*par*ent /granpairant, grand-/ n. a parent of
Latin, later becoming a secondary school teaching ac- one's father or mother.
ademic subjects. grand pi*a*no n. a large full-toned piano standing on
gram»mat»i»cal /gramatikgl/ adj. 1 of or relating to three legs, with the body, strings, and soundboard ar-
grammar. 2 conforming to the rules of grammar. ranged horizontally and in line with the keys.
dd granvmat»i»caMy adv. Grand Prix /groN pre'e/ n. any of several important
gram«o«phone /gramafon/ n. - phonograph, dd gram* international automobile or motorcycle racing events.
o»phon«ic /-fonik/ adj. grand siecle /groN syekta/ n. the classical or golden
granvpus /grampss/ n. {pi. grampuses) a dolphin, age, esp. the 17th c. in France.
Grampus griseus, with a blunt snout and long pointed grand Slam n. 1a all of a group
Sports the winning of
black flippers. of four major championships, b one of the events in-
gran /gran/ n. colloq. grandmother (cf. granny). volved. 2 Bridge the winning of all 1 3 tricks. 3 Baseball
gra»na«ry /gransree, gray-/ n. {pi. -ries) 1 a storehouse a home run hit with three runners on base.
for threshed grain. 2 a region producing, and esp. ex- grand«son /gransun, grand / n. a male grandchild.
porting, much grain. grand»stand/granstand,grand;n -In. &v. •>/. the main

grand /grand/ adj. & a imposing; dignified.

n. madj. 1
b solemn in conception or expression. 2 main {grand
staircase). 3 (Grand) of the highest rank, esp. in official
titles {Grand Inquisitor). 4 colloq.
{had a grand time). 5 belonging to high society {the
grand folk at the manor). 6 (in comb.) in family rela-
tionships, denoting the second degree of ascent or de-
scent (granddaughter). *n. 1 = grand piano. 2 {pi.
same) si. a thousand dollars or pounds sterling.
dd grand«ly adv. grand*ness n.
graodad /grandad/ n. (also grand*dad) colloq. 1 grand-
father. 2 an elderly man.
gran*dam /grandam/ n. 1 (also grarvdame) archaic
seating area, usu. roofed, for spectators at a racetrack
or sports stadium, •v.intr. seek to attract applause or
favorable attention from spectators or the media {a
excellent; enjoyable politician who will grands tat id to get votes).
grand to*tal n. the final amount after everything is
added up; the sum of other totals.
grange /graynj/ n. 1 esp. Brit, a country house with
farm buildings. 2 (Grange) a social and fraternal
organization of farmers. 3 an Inm a barn.
gran»i»fer»ous /grnnifnms/ </(//. producing Brain
gran*ite /granit/ n. a coarse, granular crystalline ignc
ous rock of quartz, mica, etc ., used lor building. gra*
niHc /grDnitik/ adj. gran»it»oid adj. & n.

grandmother. 2 an old woman. 3 an ancestress. gra«nivo«rous urr»mvorr»s ,/<//. feeding on grain

grand»child /granchild, grand-/ n. {pi -children) a i gra»ni»vore /granivawr/ n.
in

child of one's son or daughter. gran-ny /granee/ n. (also gran«nie) (pi -nies) colloq.
grand*dad*dy /grandadee/ n. (also gran»dad«dy) {pi. grandmother.
 .

Grarvny Smith /granee smith/ n. an orig. Australian 343 Granny Smith ~ grassy
green variety of apple.
gra«nola /grDnota/ n. a breakfast food consisting typ- trolof the strength and quality of selected frequency
ically of a mixture of rolled oats, nuts, dried fruits, and bands.
brown sugar. graphics /grafiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) 1 the
grant /grant/ v. & n. mv.tr. 1 a consent to fulfill (a re- products of the graphic arts, esp. commercial design
quest, etc.) (granted all he asked), b allow (a person) to or illustration. 2 the use of diagrams in calculation and
have (a thing), c (as granted) colloq. apology accepted. design. 3 (in full computer graphics) Computing a
2 give formally; transfer legally. 3 (often foil, by that mode of processing and output in which a significant
+ clause) concede, esp. as a basis for argument, •n. part of the information is in pictorial form.
1 the process of granting or a thing granted. 2 a sum graph»ite /grafit/ n. a crystalline allotropic form of car-
of money given, esp. by the government, for any of var- bon used as a solid lubricant, in pencil leads, etc. Al-
ious purposes, as to finance education. 3 Law a a le- so called plumbago, dd gra*phit*ic /-fitik/ adj. graprci*
gal conveyance by written instrument, b formal con- tize /-fitiz/ v. tr. & intr.

ferment, a take for granted 1 assume something to be
true or valid. 2 cease to appreciate through familiari-
ty, dd grant*a*ble adj. grarvtee /-tee/ n. (esp. in sense
2 of v.). grander n. gran«tor /-tor/ n. (esp. in sense 2
of v.).
graph*ol*0*gy /grafotajee/ n. 1 the study of handwrit-
ing esp. as a supposed guide to character. 2 a system
of graphic formulae. 3 Linguistics the study of systems
of writing, dd graph*o*log*i*cal /grafalojikal/ adj.
graph*ol*o*gist n.

gran*u*lar /granyatar/ adj. 1 of grains or granules. -graphy /grafee/ comb, form forming nouns denoting:
2 having a granulated surface, no gran»u»lar»i»ty /-lari- 1 a descriptive science (bibliography; geography) 2 a .

tee/ n. technique of producing images (photography; radiogra-

gran*u*iate /granyalayt/ tr. intr. form into grains
v. 1 & phy). 3 a style or method of writing, drawing, etc. (cal-
{granulated sugar) 2 roughen the surface of. 3 intr.
. tr. ligraphy).
(of a wound, etc.) form small prominences as the be- grap*nel /grapnal/ n. 1a de-
ginning of healing; heal; join, an gran«u*la*tion vice with iron claws, attached
/-layshsn/ n. grarviHa-tor n. to a rope and used for drag-
gran*ule /granyool/ n. a small grain. ging or grasping. 2 a small an-
gran»iHo«met«ric /granyalometrik/ adj. relating to the chor with several flukes.
distribution of grain sizes in sand, etc. grap«ple /grapal/ v. n. *v. &
grape /grayp/ n. 1 a berry (usu. green, purple, or black) 1 intr. (often foil, by with)
growing in clusters on a vine, eaten as fruit and used fight at close quarters. 2 intr.
in making wine. 2 (prec. by the) colloq. wine, an grap* (foil, by with) try to manage a
y adj. (also grap«ey). difficult problem, etc. 3 tr.
grape-fruit /graypfroot/ n. (pi. same) a large round yel- a grip with the hands, b seize
low citrus fruit with an acid juicy pulp. with or as with a grapnel. • «.
grape*vine /graypvin/ n. 1 any of various vines of the 1 a a hold or grip in or as in
genus Vitis. 2 colloq. the means of transmission of un- wrestling, b a contest at close
official information or rumor (heard it through the quarters. 2 a clutching in-
grapevine) strument, dd grap'pler n.
graph /graf/ n.
1
&
v. *n. a diagram showing the rela- grasp /grasp/ v. n. mv. 1 tr. &
tion between usu. two variables, each measured along a clutch at; seize, b hold firm-
grapnel, 2
one of a pair of axes. 9V.tr. plot on a graph. ly. 2 intr. (foil, by at) try to
graph 2 /graf/ n. Linguistics a visual symbol, esp. a letter seize. 3 tr. understand or realize (a fact or meaning).
or letters, representing a unit of sound or other fea- • n. 1 a firm hold. 2 (foil by of) a mastery or control
ture of speech. (a grasp of the situation), b a mental hold (a grasp of the
-graph /graf/ comb, form forming nouns meaning: 1 a facts), a grasp at straws see straw, dd grasp*a*ble adj.
thing written or drawn, etc., in a specified way (auto- grasp*er n.
graph. 2 an instrument that records (seismograph). grasping /grasping/ adj. avaricious; greedy, dd grasp*
graph»eme /grafeem/ of letters,
n. Linguistics 1 a class ing-ly adv. grasp-ing-ness n.
etc., representing a unit of sound. 2 a feature of a writ- grass /gras/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a vegetation belonging to a
ten expression that cannot be analyzed into smaller group of small plants with green blades that are eat-
meaningful units, dd gra*phe*mat*ic /-matik/ adj. gra* en by cattle, horses, etc. b any species of this, c any
phernic /grafe'emik/ adj. gra*phe*mi*cal*ly adv. plant of the family Gramineae, which includes cere-
-grapher /grafar/ comb, form forming nouns denoting a als, reeds, and bamboos. 2 pasture land. 3 a lawn. 4 5/.
person concerned with a subject (geographer; radiog- marijuana, mv.tr. 1 cover with turf. 2 tr. provide with
rapher) . pasture, d out to grass 1 to pasture. 2 in retirement.
graphic /grafik/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of or relating to the dd grass-less adj. grass«like adj.
visual or descriptive arts, esp. writing and drawing. grass*hop«per /gras-hoppar/ n. a jumping and chirp-
2 vividly descriptive. 3 = graphical. *n. a product of ing plant-eating insect of the order Saltatoria.
the graphic arts (cf. graphics), dd graphically adv. grassland /grasland/ n. a large open area covered with
-graphic /grafik/ comb, form (also -graphical /grafikal/) grass, esp. one used for grazing.
forming adjectives corresponding to nouns in -graphy grass roots n.pl. 1 a fundamental level or source. 2 or-
(see -graphy). no -graphically /grafiklee/ comb, form dinary people; the rank and file of an organization, esp.
forming adverbs. a political party.
graphical /grafikal/ adj. 1 of or in the form of graphs grass snake n. 1 the common greensnake, Opheodrys
(see graph ). 2 graphic, dd graphically adv.
1
vernalis. 2 Brit, the common ringed snake, Natrix
graphical us«er in*ter«face n. Computing a visual way natrix.
of interacting with a computer using items such as win- grass wid*ow (or widower) n. a person whose husband
dows, icons, and menus. ^ Abbr.: GUI. (or wife) is away for a prolonged period.
graphic arts n. the visual and technical arts involving grass*y /grasee/ adj. (grassier, grassiest) 1 covered
design, drawing, printing, the use of color, etc.
graplvic e*qual*iz*er n. a device for the separate con- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
grate ~ greaser 344 grave»yard shift n. a work shift that usu. starts about
midnight and ends about eight in the morning.
with or abounding in grass. 2 resembling grass. 3 of gra»vim»e»ter /gravimitar/ n. an instrument for meas-
grass, dd grass*i*ness n. uring the difference in the force of gravity from one
grate /grayt/ v. 1 tr. reduce to small particles by rub-
1
place to another.
bing on a serrated surface. 2 intr. (often foil, by against , gravi»met»ric /gravimetrik/ adj. of or relating to the
on) rub with a harsh scraping sound. 3 tr. utter in a measurement of weight.
harsh tone. 4 intr. a sound harshly, b have an irritat- gra»vim»e»try /gravimitree/ n. the measurement of
ing effect. 5 tr. grind (one's teeth). 6 intr. creak. weight.
grate 2 /grayt/ n. 1 the recess of a fireplace. 2 a metal gravi»tate /gravitayt/ v. intr. 1 (foil, by to, toward) be
frame confining fuel in a grate. attracted to some source of influence. 2 sink by or as
grate*ful /graytfool/ adj. 1 feeling or showing gratitude. if by gravity.
2 pleasant, acceptable, an grate*fuMy adv. grate*ful* gravi*ta*tion /gravitayshsn/ n. Physics 1 a force of at-
ness n. between any particle of matter in the universe
traction
grat^er /graytsr/ n. a device for reducing cheese or other and any other. 2 the effect of this, esp. the falling of
food to small particles. bodies to the earth.
grat»i»fy /gratifi/ a please; delight. gravi*ta*tion*al /gravitayshanal/ adj. of or relating to
v.tr. (-ties, -tied) 1
b please by compliance; assent to the wish of. 2 yield gravitation, dd gravi*ta*tion*aMy adv.
to (a feeling or desire), dd grat*i*fi*ca*tion n. graW»fi» gravi«ty /gravitee/ n. 1 a the force that attracts a body
er n. gra«ti«fying adj. gra»ti»fying»ly adv. to the center of the earth or other celestial body, b the
gracing 1
/grayting/ adj. 1 sounding harsh. 2 having an degree of intensity of this measured by acceleration.
irritating effect, dd grat*ing*ly adv. C gravitational force. 2 the property of having weight.
grat-ing 2 /grayting/ n. la framework of parallel or 3 a importance; seriousness, b solemnity; sobriety.
crossed metal bars. 2 Optics a set of parallel wires, lines gravlax /graavlaaks/ n. (also grave*lax) filleted salm-
ruled on glass, etc., for producing spectra by diffrac- on cured by marination in salt, sugar, and dill.
tion. gra»vure /gravy obr/ n. = photogravure.
grat»is /gratis, graa-/ adv. &
adj. free; without charge. gra»vy /grayvee/ n. (pi. -vies) 1 a the juices exuding
grat*i«tude /gratitood, -tyood/ n. being thankful; read- from meat during and after cooking, b sauce for food,
iness to return kindness. made by thickening these. 2 colloq. something valua-
gra*tu«i*tous /gratobitas, tyob-/ adj. 1 given or done ble that is unexpected or unearned.
free of charge. 2 uncalled-for; lacking good reason. gra«vy train n. si. a source of easy financial benefit.
dd gra*tu*i*tous*ly adv. gra*tu*i*tous*ness n. gray /gray/ adj., n.,&v. (also grey) madj. 1 of a color
1

gra»tu»i«ty /gratobitee, -tyob-/ n. (pi. -ties) a tip. intermediate between black and white. 2 a (of the
grat»u»la»to»ry /grachatatawree/ adj. expressing con- weather, etc.) dull; dismal, b bleak; (of a person) de-
gratulations. pressed. 3 a (of hair) turning white with age, etc. b (of
grave /grayv/ n. 1 a trench dug in the ground to re-
1
a person) having gray hair. 4 anonymous; nondescript.
ceive a body or coffin for burial. 2 (prec. by the) death. • n. 1 a a gray color or pigment, b gray clothes or mate-
d turn in one's grave (of a dead person) be likely to rial (dressed in gray). 2 a gray or white horse, mv.tr. &
have been shocked or angry if still alive. intr. make or become gray, dd grayish adj. gray»ly adv.

grave 2 /grayv/ adj. &

n. madj. 1 a serious; weighty; im-
portant (a grave matter), b dignified; solemn; somber
(a grave look). 2 extremely threatening (grave danger).
• n. /graav/ = grave accent, dd grave«ly adv. grave*ness
n.
grave 3 /grayv/ v. tr. (past part, graven or graved) 1 (foil.
by in, on) fix indelibly (on one's memory). 2 engrave.
grave 4 /grayv/ v.tr. clean (a ship's bottom) by burning
off accretions and by tarring.
grave 5 /gravay/ adj. &adv. • adj. slow and solemn. • adv.
slowly and solemnly.
grave aocent n. /graav, grayv/ a mark () placed over
a vowel in some languages to denote pronunciation,
gray ness n.
gray 2 /gray/ n. Physics the SI unit of the absorbed dose
of ionizing radiation, corresponding to one joule per
kilogram. U Abbr.: Gy.
gray a»re»a n. la situation sharing features of more
than one category and not clearly attributable to any
one category. 2 an area in economic decline.
grayling /grayling/ n. any silver-gray freshwater fish of
the genus Thymallus, with a long high dorsal fin.
gray matter n. 1 the darker tissues of the brain and
spinal cord consisting of nerve cell bodies and branch-
ing dendrites. 2 colloq. intelligence.
graze /grayz/ v. 1 intr. (of cattle, etc.) eat growing
1

length, etc., orig. indicating low or falling pitch. grass. 2 tr. a feed (cattle, etc.) on growing grass, b feed
gravel /graval/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a mixture of coarse sand on (grass). 3 intr. pasture cattle, dd graz«er ;/.
and small waterworn or pounded stones, used for graze 2 /grayz/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. scrape (the skin) so as
paths and roads, b Geol. a stratum of this. 2 Med. to break the surface with only minor bleeding. 2 a tr.
aggregations of crystals formed in the urinary tract. touch lightly in passing, b intr. (foil, by against, akmgi
• v.tr. (graveled, graveling; also gravelled, gravelling) etc.) move with a light passing contact. •«. an act or
1 lay or strew with gravel. 2 perplex; puzzle. instance of grazing.
grave*lax var. of gravlax. grazing /grayzing/ n. grassland suitable for pasturage.
gra»vel»ly /gravalee/ adj. 1 of or like gravel. 2 having or grease /grees/ n. &v. mn. 1 oily or fatty matter etp. ;is
containing gravel. 3 (of a voice) deep and rough a lubricant. 2 the melted fat of a dead animal, mv.tr.
sounding. also /greez/ lubricate with grease. grease the palm
graven past part, of grave 3 . of colloq. bribe, like greased lightning colloq. wrv f;ist
graven irrvage n. an idol. grease«gun // a device for pumping grease undei prei
graver /grayvar/ n. 1 an engraving tool; a burin. 2 an sure to a particular point.
engraver; a carver. grease mon»key n. si a mechanic who works on mo
Graves' dis»ease /grayvz/ n. a type of goiter with tor vehicles.
characteristic swelling of theneck and protrusion of grease-paint /greespaynt/ n. a waxy composition used
the eyes, resulting from an overactive thyroid gland. as makeup for actors.
grave*stone /grayvston/ n. a stone (usu. inscribed) greasier /greesor/ n. 1 si. a member of a gan^ oi yowif
marking a grave. street toughs. 2 5/. offens. a Mexican or Spanish Ainn
grave»yard /grayvyaard/ n. a burial ground. ican.
 .

greas»y /gre'esee, gre'ezee/ adj. (greasier, greasiest) 345 greasy - greensick

1 a of or like grease, b smeared with grease. C con-
taining or having too much grease. 2 a slippery, b (of
a person or manner) unpleasantly unctuous. C objec-
tionable, dd greas*i*ly adv. greas*i*ness n.
greas*y spoon n. si. an inexpensive small restaurant
that serves fried food and that is often dirty.
great /grayt/ adj. &n. *adj. 1 a of a size, amount, ex-
tent, or intensity considerably above the average, b al-
so with implied surprise, contempt, etc. (great stuff!).
C reinforcing other words denoting size, quantity, etc. green /green/ adj., n.,
wealth to excess. 3 (foil, by for, or to + infin.) very keen
or eager, dd greed*i*ly adv. greediness n.
Greek /greek/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 a a native or inhabitant
of modern Greece; a person of Greek descent, b a
native or citizen of any of the ancient states of
Greece. 2 the Indo-European language of Greece.
• adj. of Greece or its people or language, dd Greek*
ness n.
&
v. •adj. 1 of the color between

(a great big hole). 2 important; worthy or most worthy blue and yellow in the spectrum. 2 covered with leaves
of consideration. 3 grand; imposing (a great occasion). or grass. 3 (of fruit, etc., or wood) unripe or unsea-
4 a (esp. of a public or historic figure) distinguished. soned. 4 not dried, smoked, or tanned. 5 inexperi-
b (the Great) as a title denoting the most important enced; naive. 6 a (of the complexion) sickly-hued.
person of the name (Alexander the Great). 5 a (of a per- b jealous; envious. 7 young; flourishing. 8 not worn
son) remarkable in ability, character, etc. (a great out (a green old age). 9 (also Green) concerned with
thinker) b (of a thing) outstanding of its kind (the Great
. protection of the environment as a political principle.
Depression). 6 (foil, by at) skilled; well-informed. 7 do- • n. 1 a green color or pigment. 2 green clothes or
ing a thing habitually or extensively (a great reader). material. 3 a a piece of common grassy land (village
8 (also greater) the larger of the species, etc. (great green), b a grassy area used for a special purpose (putt-
auk). 9 (Greater) (of a city, etc.) including adjacent ing green) C Golf a putting green. 4 (in pi.) green vege-
.

urban areas (Greater Boston) 10 colloq. a very enjoya-

. tables. 5 (also Green) a member or supporter of an en-
ble or satisfactory; (had a great time), b (as an exclam.) vironmentalist group or party. 6 si. low-grade
fine; very good. 1 1 (in comb. ) denoting one degree fur- marijuana. 7 si. money. 8 green foliage or growing
ther removed upwards or downwards (great-uncle) • n. plants. • v. tr.
. &
intr. make or become green, dd green*

a great or outstanding person or thing. great and ish adj. greervness n.

small all classes or types, great deal see deal the great greenback /greenbak/ n. a US legal tender note.
1
.

majority by far the most, to a great extent largely. green bean n. the green pods of a young kidney bean,
dd great*ness n. eaten as a vegetable. Also string bean.
Great Brit*ain n. England, Wales, and Scotland. Green Beret n. Mil. a member of the U.S. Army Spe-
Great Britain is the name
for the island that com- cial Forces.
prises England, Scotland, and Wales. The United King- green*bot*tle /gre'enbot'l/ n. any fly of the genus
dom includes these and Northern Ireland. The British Lucilia, esp. L. sericata which lays eggs in the flesh of
Isles include the United Kingdom and surrounding, sheep.
smaller islands. The all-encompassing adjective Brit- green card n. 1 a work and residence permit issued to
ish is unlikely to offend anyone from any of these permanent resident aliens in the US. 2 Brit, an
places. Welsh, Scottish, and English should be used with international insurance document for motorists.
care; it is safest to use British if unsure. green»er»y /gre'enaree/ n. green foliage or growing
Great Dhvide n. (prec. by the) 1 a vast continental di- plants.
vide or watershed between two drainage systems, esp. green-eyed monaster n. jealousy.
that along the Rocky Mountains of N. America. 2 the greenfinch /greenfinch/ n. a European finch, Carduelis
boundary between life and death. chloris, with green and yellow plumage.
great*heart*ed /grayt-ha'artod/ adj. magnanimous; green-fly /gre'enfll/«. (pi. -flies) 1 a green aphid. 2 these
having a noble or generous mind, dd great*heart*ed* collectively.
ness n. greervgage /gre'engayj/ n. a roundish green fine-fla-
Great Lakes n.pl. (prec. by the) the Lakes Superior, vored variety of plum.
Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario, along the bound- green*gro*cer /gre'engrOsar/ n. a retailer of fruit and
ary of the US and Canada. vegetables.
greaMy /graytlee/ adv. by a considerable amount; much green*horn /gre'enhawrn/ n. an inexperienced person;
(greatly admired'., greatly superior) a new recruit.
great tit n. a Eurasian songbird, Parus major, with black green*house /greenhows/ n. a light structure with the
and white head markings. sides and roof mainly of glass, for rearing delicate
Great War n. World War I (1914-18). plants or hastening the growth of plants.
greave /greev/ n. (usu. in pi) armor for the shin. green*house eMect n. the trapping of the sun's
grebe /greeb/ n. any diving bird of the family warmth in the lower atmosphere caused by an increase
Podicipedidae, with a long neck. in carbon dioxide.
Gre*cian /gre'eshan/ adj. (of architecture or facial out- green*house gas n. any of various gases, esp. carbon
line) following Greek models or ideals. dioxide, that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
Gre»cism /gre'esizam/ n. (also Grae*cism) 1 a Greek id- green*ing /greening/ n. any variety of apple that is green
iom, esp. as imitated in another language. 2 a the when ripe.
Greek spirit, style, mode of expression, etc. b the im- green*keep*er var. of greenskeeper.
itation of these. green light n. 1proceed on a road, etc. 2 col-
a signal to
Greco- /greko/ comb, form (also Graeco-) Greek; Greek permission to go ahead with a project.
loq.
and. green*room /greenroom/ n. a room in a theater for
Gre*co-Ro*man /gre'eko-roman, greko-/ adj. 1 of or actors and actresses who are offstage.
relating to the Greeks and Romans. 2 Wrestling green*sand /gre'ensand/ n. 1 a greenish kind of sand-
denoting a style attacking only the upper part of the stone, often imperfectly cemented. 2 a stratum large-
body. ly formed of this sandstone.
greed /greed/ n. an excessive desire, esp. for food or green*sick /gre'ensik/ adj. affected with chlorosis.
wealth. dd green*sick*ness n.
greed*y /greedee/ adj. (greedier, greediest) 1 having or
showing an excessive appetite for food. 2 wanting See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

greenskeeper ~ grip 346 grieve /greev/ v. 1 tr. cause great distress to. 2 intr. suf-
fer grief, esp. at another's death.
greens»keep»er /gre'enzke'epgr/ n. the keeper of a golf griev»ous /gre'evss/ adj. 1 (of pain, etc.) severe. 2 caus-
course. ing suffering. 3 injurious. 4 flagrant; heinous, an griev*
greervstone /gre'enston/ n. a greenish igneous rock ous«ly adv. grievousTiess n.
containing feldspar and hornblende. Do not pronounce this word as though it had an ex-
green-stuff /gre'enstuf/ n. vegetation; green vegetables. tra syllable, as "gree-vee-uhs."
green*sward /gre'enswawrd/ n. archaic or literary griMin /grifin/ n. (also gryptvon) a mythical creature
1 grassy turf. 2 an expanse of this. with an eagle's head and wings and a lion's body.
green tea n. tea made from dried, not fermented, griWon /grifan/ n. 1 a dog of a small terrierlike breed
leaves. with coarse or smooth hair. 2 (in full griffon vulture)
green thumb n. skill in growing plants. a large S. European vulture, Gyps fulvus.
Greenwich MeanTime /grenich, grinij/ n. (also Green* grill /gril n.&v.*n."\ = gridiron 1. 2 food cooked on
1

wich Time) the local time on the meridian of Green- a grill. 3 (in full grill room) a restaurant serving grilled
wich, England, used as an international basis for reck- food. mv. 1 tr. &
intr. cook or be cooked under a boil-

oning time. er or on a gridiron. 2 tr. &

intr. subject or be subject-

greenwood /greenwood/ n. a wood in summer, esp. as ed to extreme heat. 3 tr. subject to severe questioning.
the scene of outlaw life. dd grilling n. (in sense 3 of v.).
green«y /greenee/ adj. greenish {greeny-yellow). grill 2 var. of GRILLE.
greet /greet/ v.tr. 1 address politely or welcomingly on grille /gril/ n. (also grill) 1 a grating or latticed screen,
meeting or arrival. 2 receive in a specified way. 3 (of a used as a partition or to allow discreet vision. 2 a met-
sight, etc.) become apparent to or noticed by. dd greet* al grid protecting the radiator of a motor vehicle.
er n. grill*work /grilwark/ n. metal fashioned to form a grille
greeting /greeting/ n. 1 the act of welcoming. 2 words, {a balcony of ornate grillwork)
gestures, etc., used to greet a person. 3 (often in pi.) grim /grim/ adj. (grimmer, grimmest) 1 of a stern or
an expression of goodwill. forbidding appearance. 2 harsh; severe. 3 ghastly; joy-
greeting card n. a decorative card sent to convey greet- less (has a grim truth in it). 4 unpleasant; unattractive.
ings. d like grim death with great determination, dd grim*
gre«gar»i»ous /grigaireeas/ adj. 1 fond of company. ly adv. grinvness n.
2 living in flocks or communities, dd gre«gar»i»ous«ly grinvace /grimas, grimays/ n. &
v. mn. a distortion of

adv. gre»gar»i*ous»ness n. the face made in disgust, etc., or to amuse. • v. intr.

Gre«go«ri»an cal»en»dar /grigawreean/ n. the calendar make a grimace.
introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. grime /grim/ n. & v. •«. dirt ingrained in a surface.
Gre»go«ri»an chant /grigawreean/ n. plainsong ritual • v.tr. blacken with grime.
music, named after Pope Gregory I. grim»y /gri'mee/ adj. (grimier, grimiest) covered with
grem»lin /gremlin/ n. colloq. an imaginary mischie- grime, dd grinvMy adv. grinvi»ness n.
vous sprite regarded as responsible for mechanical grin /grin/ v. &
n. mv. (grinned, grinning) 1 intr. smile
faults. broadly, showing the teeth. 2 tr. express by grinning.
gre»nade /grinayd/ n. a small bomb thrown by hand • n. the act of grinning, d grin and bear it take misfor-
(hand grenade) or shot from a rifle. tune stoically, dd grin«ning«ly adv.
gren*a*dier /grenade'er/ n. hist, a soldier armed with grind /grind/ v. &
n. »v. (past and past part, ground
grenades. /grownd/) 1 a tr. reduce to small particles by crush-
gren*a*dine /grenade'en/ n. a syrup of pomegranates, ing, b intr. (of a machine, etc.) move with a crushing
etc., used in mixed drinks. action. 2 a tr. reduce, sharpen, or smooth by friction.
gres»SO«ri«al /gresawreeal/ adj. Zool. 1 walking. b tr. &
intr. rub or rub together gratingly. 3 tr. (often

2 adapted for walking. foil, by down) oppress (grinding poverty) 4 intr. a (of-
.

grew past of grow. ten foil, by away) work or study hard, b (foil, by out)
grey var. of gray. produce with effort, c (foil, by on) (of a sound) con-
Grey Fri«ar n. a Franciscan friar. tinue gratingly. 5 tr. turn the handle of e.g., a barrel
greyhound /grayhownd/ n. 1a dog of a tall slender organ, etc. 6 intr. si. (of a dancer) rotate the hips. «n.
breed capable of high speed. 2 this breed. 1 the act of grinding. 2 colloq. hard dull work (the dai-

greylag /graylag/ n. (in full greylag goose) a wild ly grind). 3 the size of ground particles, d grind to a
goose, Anser anser, native to Europe. halt stop laboriously, dd grind»ing»ly adv.
grid /grid/ n. 1 a framework of spaced parallel bars. 2 a grind*er /grinder/ «. 1a person or thing that grinds,
system of numbered squares printed on a map and esp. a machine (often in comb.: coffee grinder) 2 a mo- .

forming the basis of map references. 3 a network of lar tooth. 3 US dial, a submarine sandwich.
lines, electrical power connections, etc. 4 a pattern of grind'Stone/grindston/n. 1 a thick revolving disk used
lines marking the starting places on a motor-racing for grinding. 2 a kind of stone used for this. keep
track. 5 an arrangement of city streets in a rectangular one's nose to the grindstone work hard and continu-
pattern, dd grid*ded adj. ously.
grid»dle /grid'l/ n.& v. •n. a circular iron plate placed grip /grip/ v. &
n. mv. (gripped, gripping) 1 a tr. gmp

over a fire or otherwise heated for baking, etc. mv.tr.
cook with a griddle.
grid»i»ron /gridiarn/ n. 1 a cooking utensil of metal bars
for broiling or grilling. 2 = grid 5.
grid*lock /gridlok/ n. 1 a traffic jam affecting a network
tightly, b intr. take a firm hold, esp. by friction. 2 tr. (of
a feeling or emotion) deeply affect (a person). 3 tr.
compel the attention of (a gripping story). •//. 1a a
firm hold, b a manner of grasping. 2 the power of hold
ing attention. 3 a mental or intellectual underttmd
'

of streets. 2 a complete standstill in progress, no grid- ing. b effective control of a situation. (7m. on,
locked adj. 4 a a part of a machine that ^rips or hold! something.
grief /greef/ n. 1 intense sorrow or mourning. 2 the b a part by which a tool, weapon, etc., i^ held m the
cause of this, o come to grief meet with disaster, good hand. 5 a traveling bag. 6 in assistant in a theater, mow
grief! an exclamation of surprise, etc. ie studio, etc. come for get) to grips with begin t<>
grievance /gre'evans/ n. a real or fancied cause for deal with, get a grip (on oneself) recover ones self
complaint. control. grip»ping»ly adv.
gripe /grip/ v. & n. mv. 1 intr. colloq. complain. 2 tr. af- 347 gripe - ground
fect with gastric pain. • n. 1 (usu. inpl. ) gastric or intes-
tinal pain; colic. 2 colloq. a a complaint, b the act of grope /grop/ v. &
n. »v. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by for) feel

griping. 3 a grip or clutch. 4 (in/>/.) Nawr. lashings se- about or search blindly. 2 intr. (foil, by for, after) search
curing a boat in its place, dd grip*er n. grip«ing«ly adv. mentally. 3 tr. feel (one's way) toward something. 4 tr.
gris»e»o«ful»vin /grizeeafdblvin/ n. an antibiotic used si. fondle clumsily for sexual pleasure, mn. the process

against fungal infections of the hair and skin. or an instance of groping, dd grop«er n. grop*ing«ly
gris»ly /grizlee/ adj. (grislier, grisliest) causing horror adv.
or fear, do gris«li»ness n. gros*grain /grOgrayn/ n. a corded fabric of silk, rayon,
grist /grist/ n. 1 grain to grind. 2 malt crushed for brew- etc.
ing, d grist to the (or a person's) mill a source of prof- gros point /gro poynt, pwa\7 n. cross-stitch embroi-
it or advantage. dery on canvas.
gris*tle /grissl/ n. tough flexible tissue in vertebrates. gross /gros/ adj., v., &
n. »adj. 1 overfed; repulsively

dd gris«tly /grislee/ adj. fat. 2 (of a person, manners, or morals) noticeably

grit /grit/ n. & v. •n. 1 particles of stone or sand, esp. coarse or indecent. 3 flagrant; conspicuously wrong
as causing discomfort, etc. 2 coarse sandstone. 3 col- (gross negligence) 4 total; without deductions (gross in-
.

loq. pluck; endurance.*?;, (gritted, gritting) 1 tr. spread come). 5 a luxuriant; rank, b thick; solid; dense. 6 (of
grit on (icy roads, etc.). 2 tr. clench (the teeth). 3 intr. the senses, etc.) dull. 7 si. repulsive; disgusting, •v.tr.
make a grating sound, dd griWer n. griWy adj. (grit- produce or earn as gross profit or income. •«. (pi.
tier, grittiest). griMi-ness n. same) twelve dozen, d gross out si. disgust, esp. by re-
grits /grits/ n.pl. coarsely ground grain, esp. hominy pulsive behavior, dd grossly adv. gross*ness n.
prepared by boiling, then sometimes frying. gross do«mes«tic prod»uct n. the total value of goods
griz«zled /grizsld/ adj. having, or streaked with, gray produced and services provided in a country in one
hair. year.
griz«zly /grizlee/ adj. & n. madj. (grizzlier, grizzliest) gross na»tion«al prod*uct n. the gross domestic prod-
gray, grayish, gray-haired. •«. (pi. -ies) (in full grizzly uct plus the total of net income from abroad.
bear) a large variety of brown bear found in N. Amer- grotesque /grotesk/ adj. & n. *adj. 1 comically or re-
ica. pulsively distorted; monstrous; unnatural. 2 incon-
groan /gron/ u & «. »w 1 a intr. make a deep sound gruous; absurd. • «. 1 a decorative form interweaving
expressing pain, grief, or disapproval, b tr. utter with human and animal features. 2 a comically distorted
groans. 2 intr. (usu. foil, by under, beneath, with) be figure or design. 3 Printing a family of sans serif type-
loaded or oppressed. »n. the sound made in groaning. faces, dd gro*tesque*ly adv. gro«tesque«ness n. gro*
dd groarver n. tes*quer«ie /-teskaree/ n.
groat /grot/ n. hist, a silver coin worth four old English groWo /groto/ n.-toes or -tos) 1 a cave or cavern.
(pi.

pence. 2 an artificial ornamental cave, esp. one in a park or

gro»cer /grOsar/ n. a dealer in food and household pro- garden, dd groMoed adj.
visions. grouch /growch/ v. & n. colloq. •v.intr. grumble. • «.
gro«cer«y/gros3ree/w. (pi. -ies) 1 a grocer's store. 2 (in 1 a discontented person. of grumbling. 2 a fit

pi.) provisions, esp. food.
grog /grog/ n. a drink of liquor (orig. rum) and water.
grog*gy /grogee/ adj. (groggier, groggiest) unsteady i*ness n.
from being dazed or semiconscious, dd grog*gi*ly adv. ground /grownd/
grog*gi*ness n.
grog»ram /grogram, gro-/ n. a coarse fabric of silk, mo-
hair and wool, or a mixture of these.
groin /groyn/ n.&v.*n."\ the depression between the
l
belly and the thigh. 2 Archit. a an edge formed by in-
tersecting vaults, b an arch supporting a vault, mv.tr.
grouch»y /growchee/ adj. (grouchier, grouchiest) col-
loq. discontented; grumpy, dd grouch«i»ly adv. grouch*
1
n. &
the surface of the
v. »n. 1a
earth, esp. as contrasted with the air around it. b a part
of this specified in some way (low ground). 2 soil; earth
(stony ground). 3 a a position, area, or distance on the
earth's surface, b the extent of a subject dealt with (the
book covers a lot of ground). 4 (often in pi.) a motive or
reason (ground for concern) 5 an area of a special kind.

Archit. build with groins. or designated for special use (often in comb. fishing- :

groin 2 /groyn/ n. (also groyne) a wooden framework or grounds) 6 (in pi. ) an area of sometimes enclosed land
.

low broad wall built out from a shore to check erosion
of a beach.
gronvmet /gromit/ n. la metal, plastic, or rubber eye-
let placed in a hole to protect or insulate a rope or ca-
ble, etc., passed through it. 2 a tube passed through
the eardrum in surgery to make a connection with the
middle ear.
groom /groom/ n. & v. *n. 1 = bridegroom. 2 a person
employed to take care of horses, •v.tr. 1 a curry or
tend (a horse), b give a neat appearance to (a person,
etc.). 2 (of an ape or monkey, etc.) clean and comb
the fur of (its fellow) with the fingers. 3 prepare or train
(a person) for a particular purpose or activity (was
groomed for the top job).
groove /groov/ «.&u.«n.1aa channel or hollow, esp.
one made to guide motion or receive a corresponding
ridge, b a spiral track cut in a phonograph record. 2 an
established routine or habit, mv. 1 tr. make a groove
in. 2 intr. si. enjoy oneself. Often with ref. to popular
music or jazz; now largely disused in general contexts..
d in the groove 5/. doing or performing well.
groov«y /groovee/ adj. (groovier, grooviest) si. or joe.
fashionable and exciting, dd groov»My adv.
attached to a house, etc. 7 an area or basis for consid-
eration, agreement, etc. (common ground; on firm
ground). 8 a (in painting) the prepared surface giving
the predominant color or tone, b (in embroidery, ce-
ramics, etc.) the undecorated surface. 9 (in full
ground bass) Mus. a short theme in the bass constant-
ly repeated with the upper parts of the music varied.
10 (inpl.) solid particles, esp. of coffee, forming a res-
idue. 1 1 Electr. the connection to the ground that com-
pletes an electrical circuit. 12 the bottom of the sea.
13 (attrib.) a (of animals) living on or in the ground;
(offish) living at the bottom of water; (of plants) dwarf-
ish, b relating to the ground (ground staff), mv. 1 tr.
a refuse authority for (a pilot or an aircraft) to fly. b re-
strict (esp. a child) from certain activities, esp. as a
form of punishment. 2 a tr. run (a ship) aground.
b intr. run aground. 3 tr. (foil, by in) in-
(of a ship)
struct thoroughly (in a subject). 4 tr. (often as ground-
ed adj.) (foil, by on) base (a conclusion, etc.) on. 5 tr.
Electr. connect to the ground. 6 intr. alight on the
ground. 7 tr. place (esp. weapons) on the ground.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

ground - grudge 348 group ther»a«py n. therapy in which patients with a

similar condition are brought together to assist one
d break new (or fresh) ground treat a subject previ- another psychologically.
ously not dealt with, gain ground 1 advance steadily. grouse /grows/
1
n. (pi. same) 1 any of various game

2 (foil, by on) catch (a person) up. get in on the ground birds of the family Tetraonidae, with a plump body.
floor become part of an enterprise in its early stages. 2 the flesh of a grouse used as food.
get off the ground colloq. make a successful start, give grouse 2 /grows/ v. &
n. colloq. • v. intr. grumble or com-
(or lose) ground 1 retreat; decline. 2 lose the advan- plain pettily. •«. a complaint, dd grous«er n.
tage, go to ground 1 (of a fox, etc.) enter its burrow, grout /growt/ n. &
v. • n. a thin fluid mortar for filling

etc. 2 (of a person) become inaccessible for a pro- gaps in tiling, etc. mv.tr. provide or fill with grout.
longed period, hold one's ground not give way. on the dd grout*er n.
ground at the point of production or operation, thin grove /grov/ n. a small wood or group of trees.
on the ground not numerous. grovel /groval/ v.intr. (groveled, groveling; also
ground 2 past and past part, of grind. grovelled, grovelling) 1 behave obsequiously in seek-
ground ball n. Baseball a ball batted so
that it bounces ing favor or forgiveness. 2 lie prone in abject hu-
on the ground. Also grounder.
or rolls mility, dd groveller n. groveMng adj. grovel«ing*ly
ground*break*ing /growndbrayking/ adj. innovative; adv.
pioneering. grow /gro/ v. (past grew /groo/; past part, grown /gron/)
ground control the personnel directing the land-
n. 1 intr.increase in size, height, quantity, degree, or in
ing, etc., of aircraft or spacecraft. any way regarded as measurable (e.g., authority or rep-
ground cov«er n. plants covering the surface of the soil, utation) (often foil, by in: grew in stature). 2 intr. a de-
esp. low-growing spreading plants that inhibit the velop or exist as a living plant or natural product, b de-
growth of weeds. velop in a specific way or direction (began to grow
ground glass n. 1 glass made nontransparent by sideways). C germinate; sprout. 3 intr. be produced;
grinding, etc. 2 glass ground to a powder. come naturally into existence. 4 intr. (as grown adj.)
ground*hog /growndhawg, -hog/ n. a woodchuck. fully matured. 5 intr. a become gradually (grow rich).
groundling /grownding/ n. basic training or instruc- b (foil, by to + infin.) come by degrees (grew to like
tion in a subject. it). 6 intr. (foil, by into) a become; having grown or de-

groundless /growndlis/ adj. without motive or veloped (will grow into a fine athlete) b become large
.

foundation, qd ground*less*ly adv. groundlessness
n.
groundling /growndling/ n. 1 a a creeping or dwarf
plant, b an animal that lives near the ground, at the
bottom of a lake, etc., esp. a groundfish. 2 a person on
the ground as opposed to one in an aircraft. 3 a spec-
enough for (will grow into the coat). 7 intr. (foil, by on)
become gradually more favored by. 8 tr. a produce
(plants, etc.) by cultivation, b bring forth. C cause or
allow (a beard, etc.) to develop. 9 tr. (in passive; foil,
by over, up) be covered with a growth, a grow out of
1 become too large to wear (a garment) 2 become too
.

tator or reader of inferior taste (with ref. to Shakesp. mature to retain (a childish habit, etc.). 3 be the result
Hamlet III. ii. 11). of. grow up1 advance to maturity. 2 (of a custom)

grounds«keep»er /growndzkeepar, grownz-/ n. a per- dd grow*a*ble adj.

arise,
son who maintains the grounds of a sizable property, grow»er /groar/ n. 1 (often in comb.) a person growing
as a golf course or park. produce (fruit-grower) 2 a plant that grows in a spec-
.

ground speed n. an aircraft's speed relative to the way (a fast grower)

ified
ground. growing pains n.pl 1 early difficulties in the devel-
ground*SWell /growndswel/ n. an increasingly forceful opment of an enterprise, etc. 2 neuralgic pain in chil-
presence. dren's legs due to fatigue, etc.
ground swell n. la heavy sea caused by a distant or growl /growl/ v. &
n. • v. intr. 1 a (often foil, by at) (esp.
past storm or an earthquake. 2 = groundswell. of a dog) make a low guttural sound, usu. of anger.
ground»wa»ter /growndwawt3r,-wot9r/ n. water found b murmur angrily. 2 rumble, mn. 1 a growling sound.
in soil or in pores, crevices, etc., in rock. 2 an angry murmur. 3 a rumble.
ground»work /growndwark/ n. 1 preliminary or basic growl*er /growlar/ n. a person or thing that growls, esp.
work. 2 a foundation or basis. 5/. a dog.
ground ze«ro n. the point on the ground under an ex- grown pas? parr, of grow.
ploding bomb. grown-up adj. & n. •adj. adult. •«. an adult person.
group /groop/ n. &
v. •«. 1a number of persons or growth /groth/the act or process of growing. 2 an
n. 1
things located close together, or classed together. 2 a increase in size or value. 3 something that has grown
number of people working together or sharing beliefs. or is growing. 4 Med. a morbid formation. 5 the cul-
3 a number of commercial companies under common tivation of produce.
ownership. 4 an ensemble playing popular music. 5 a grub /grub/ n. &
v. mn. 1 the larva of an insect. 2 col-

division of an air force or air fleet. • v. 1 tr. intr. form& loq. food. *v. (grubbed, grubbing) 1 tr. &
intr. dig su-

or be formed into a group. 2 tr. (often foil, by with) perficially. 2 tr. a clear (the ground) of roots ami
place in a group or groups. 3 tr. form (colors, figures, stumps, b clear away (roots, etc.). 3 tr. (foil, by up, out)
etc.) into a well-arranged and harmonious whole. 4 tr. a fetch by digging (grubbing up weeds), b extract
classify, dd group»age n. (information, etc.) by searching in books, etc. 4 intr.
group dynamics n. Psychol, the field of social search; rummage, dd grub-ber n.
psychology concerned with the nature, development, grub-by /grubee/ adj. (grubbier, grubbiest) 1 dirty;
and interactions of human groups. grimy. 2 of or infested with grubs, no grub«bi»ly ado,
group*er /grobpsr/ n. any marine fish of the family grub*bi*ness //.

Serranidae, with heavy body, big head, and wide grub'Stake /grubstayk/ n. v. •n. material or prori &
mouth. sions supplied to an enterprise in return lor a shine in
group*ie /groopee/ n. si. an ardent follower of a tour- the resulting profits (orig. in prospecting for ore ).•//
ing pop group. provide with a grubstake. DO grub»stak»er n.
grouping /grobping/ «. la process or system of allo- grudge /gruj/ n. &
v. mn. a persistent feeling of ill will

cation to groups. 2 the formation or arrangement so or resentment, esp. one due to an insult or injur\
produced. a grudge against me), mv.tr. 1 be resentfully unwilling
 .
to give or allow (a thing). 2 reluctant to do (a thing)
{grudged paying so much)
gru«el /grobal/ n. a liquid food of oatmeal, etc., boiled
in milk or water.
gru*el*ing /grobaling/ adj. &
n. (also grueMing) •adj.
extremely demanding, severe, or tiring. • n. a harsh or
exhausting experience; punishment, dd gruel«ing«ly
adv.
gruesome /grobsam/ adj. horrible; grisly; disgusting.
dd grue»some«ly adv. grue*some*ness n.
gruff /gruf/ adj. 1 a (of a voice) low and harsh, b (of a
person) having a gruff voice. 2 surly; laconic; rough-
mannered, dd grufMy adv. grufNness n.
grunvble /grumbal/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. a (often foil, by
at, about, over) complain peevishly, b be discontented.
2 intr. a utter a dull inarticulate sound; murmur; growl
faintly, b rumble. 3 tr. (often foil, by out) utter com-
plainingly. 4 intr. (as grumbling adj.) colloq. giving in-
termittent discomfort {a grumbling appendix) • n. 1 a . against) watch over and defend or protect from harm.
complaint. 2 a a dull inarticulate sound, b a rumble.
dd grurrvbler n. grurtvbling adj. grum*bling*ly adv.
grunvbly adj.
grump /grump/ n. colloq. 1 a grumpy person. 2 (in pi.)
a of sulks, dd grump«ish adj. grump*ish*ly adv.
fit
grump«y /grumpee/ adj. (grumpier, grumpiest) mo-
rosely irritable, dd grumpily adv. grump»i«ness n.
grunge /grunj/ n. si. 1 grime; dirt. 2 an aggressive style
of rock music characterized by a raucous guitar sound.
3 a style of clothing and appearance marked by stud-
ied dishevelment. dd grurrgy adj.
grun*ion /grunyan/ n. a California marine fish,
Leuresthes tenuis.
grunt /grunt/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a low guttural sound made
by a pig. 2 a sound resembling this. • v. 1 intr. (of a
pig) make a grunt. 2 intr. (of a person) make a low in-
articulate sound resembling this, esp. to express dis-
content, fatigue, etc. 3 tr. utter with a grunt.
grunt«er /gruntsr/ n. a person or animal that grunts,
esp. a pig.
grypfvon var. of griffin.
GSA General Services Administration. 2 Girl
abbr. 1
Scouts of America.
G-String/je'estring/w. 1 Mus. a string sounding the note
G. 2 a narrow strip of cloth covering only the genitals
and attached to a string around the waist.
G suit /je'esoot/ n. a garment with inflatable pressurized
pouches, worn to withstand high acceleration.
GT n. a high-performance two-door automobile.
gua«ca*mo*le /gwa'akamOlee/ n. a dish of mashed avo-
cado mixed with chopped onion, tomatoes, chili pep-
pers, and seasoning.
guai*ac var. of guaiacum 2 . guardSTTian /gaardzman/ n. (pi. -men) a soldier be-
guai*a*cum /gwfekam/ any tree of the genus Guai-
n. 1
acum, native to tropical America. 2 (also guai*ac
/gwiak/) a the hard dense oily timber of some of these,
esp. G. officinale. Also called lignum vttae. b the resin
from this used medicinally.
gua*nine /gwaaneen/ n. Biochem. a purine derivative
found in all living organisms as a component base of gudg*eon /gujan/ «.1a pivot or spindle on which a bell
DNA and RNA.
gua*no /gwaano/ n. &
v. (pi. -nos) • n. 1 the excrement
of seabirds, used as fertilizer. 2 artificial manure. • v. tr. socket at the stern of a boat, into which a rudder is fit-
(-noes, -noed) fertilize with guano.
Gua*ra*ni /gwa'arane'e/ n. 1 a member of a S. American guel»der rose /geldar/ n. a deciduous shrub, Viburnum
Indian people. 2 the language of this people.
guar*an*tee /garante'e/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a formal prom-
ise or assurance, esp. that an obligation will be fulfilled guer-don /gardan/ n.
or that something is of a specified quality and dura-
bility, b a document giving such an undertaking. 2 =
guaranty. 3 a person making a guaranty or giving a
security, •v.tr. (guarantees, guaranteed) 1 a give or
serve as a guarantee for. b assure the permanence, etc.,
of. c provide with a guarantee. 2 (foil, by that + clause,
349 gruel - guerrilla
or to + infin.) give a promise. 3 a (foil, by to) secure
the possession of (a thing) for a person, b make (a per-
son) secure against a risk or in possession of a thing.
Guarantee and guaranty are interchangeable for
both noun and verb, although the latter is now rare as
a verb. Warranty is widely used their place. Warrantee
means 'person to whom a warranty is made'; it is not
a spelling variant of warranty.
guar*an*tor /gargntawr, -tar/ n. a person who gives a
guarantee or guaranty.
guar*an*ty /garantee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a written or other
undertaking to answer for the payment of a debt or for
the performance of an obligation by another person
liable in the first instance. 2 a thing serving as secu-
rity for a guaranty.
guard /gaard/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr. (often foil, by from,
2 tr. keep watch by (a door, etc.) so as to control en-
try or exit. 3 tr. supervise (prisoners, etc.). 4 tr. pro-
vide (machinery) with a protective device. 5 tr. keep
(thoughts or speech) in check. 6 tr. provide with safe-
guards. 7 intr. (foil, by against) take precautions. •«.
1 a state of vigilance or watchfulness. 2 a person who
protects or keeps watch. 3 a body of soldiers, etc. serv-
ing to protect a place or person. 4 a person who keeps
watch over prisoners. 5 a part of an army detached for
some purpose (advance guard) 6 (in pi.) (usu. Guards)
.
any of various bodies of troops nominally employed
to guard a ruler. 7 a thing that protects. 8 (often in
comb.) a device fitted to a machine, etc., to prevent in-
jury (fire guard), a be on (or keep or stand) guard (of
a sentry, etc.) keep watch, lower one's guard reduce
vigilance against attack, off (or off one's) guard un-
prepared for some surprise or difficulty, on (or on
one's) guard prepared for all contingencies.
guard*ed /ga'ardid/ adj. (of a remark, etc.) cautious.
dd guard«ed*ly adv.
guard»house /ga'ardhows/ n. a building used to accom-
modate a military guard or to detain military prison-
ers temporarily.
guard*i*an /gaardeean/ «. 1a defender, protector or
keeper. 2 a person who looks after and is legally re-
sponsible for someone who is unable to manage his or
her own affairs, esp. a child whose parents have died.
dd guard*i*an*ship n.
guard*i*an an*gel n. a spirit conceived as watching over
a person or place.
guard-rail /ga'ardrayl/ n. a rail, e.g., a handrail, fitted as
a support or to prevent an accident.
longing to a body of guards.
gua*va /gwa'ava/ n. la small tropical American tree,
Psidium guajava, bearing an edible pale yellow fruit
with pink juicy flesh. 2 this fruit.
gu«ber»na«to»ri»al /gobbarnatawreeal, gyob-/ adj. of or
relating to a governor.
or other object swings or rotates. 2 the tubular part of
a hinge into which the pin fits to unite the joint. 3 a
ted. 4 a pin holding two blocks of stone, etc., together.
opulus, with round bunches of creamy white flowers.
Also called snowball bush.
&
v. poet. • n. a reward or recom-
pense. mv.tr. give a reward to.
guer*ril*la /garila/ n. (also gueriMa) a member of a
small independent group taking part in irregular fight-
ing, esp. against larger regular forces.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
guerrilla war ~ gum 350 Netherlands. 2 hist, a gold coin of the Netherlands and
Germany.
guer*ril*la war n. (also warfare) fighting by or with guild*hall /gildhawl/ n. the meeting place of a guild or
guerrillas. corporation.
guess /ges/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. (often absol.) estimate with- guilds-man/gildzman/w. {pi. »men,fem. guildswoman,

out calculation or measurement, or on the basis of in- pi. •women) a memberof a guild.
adequate data. 2 tr. form a hypothesis or opinion guile /gil/ n. cunning or sly behavior, dd guile*ful adj.
about; think likely {cannot guess how you did it). 3 tr. guileless adj. guile*less*ly adv.
conjecture or estimate correctly (you have to guess the guiMe*mot /gilamot/ n. any fast-flying sea bird of the
weight). 4 intr. (foil, by at) make a conjecture about. genus Uria or Cepphus, nesting on cliffs or islands.
• n. an estimate or conjecture, d guess colloq. I sup- I guil*lo*tine /gitate'en, ge'ea-/ n. & v. *n. 1 a machine
pose, dd guess*er n. with a heavy knife blade dropping vertically in grooves,
guess-rope var. of guest-rope. used for beheading. 2 a device for cutting paper, met-
guess*ti«mate /gestimat/ n. (also gues*ti*mate) colloq. al, etc. •v.tr. use a guillotine on.

an estimate based on a mixture of guesswork and cal- guilt /gilt/ n. 1 the fact of having committed a specified
culation. or implied offense. 2 a culpability, b the feeling of this.
guesswork /geswark/ n. the process of or results got guilt convplex n. Psychol, a mental obsession with the
by guessing. idea of having done wrong.
guest /gest/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a person invited to visit anoth- guilMess /giltlis/ adj. 1 (often foil, by of) innocent. 2
er's house or have a meal, etc., at the expense of the (foil, by of) not having knowledge or possession of.
inviter. 2 a person lodging at a hotel, boarding house, dd guilMess*ly adv.
etc. 3 a an outside performer invited to take part with guilt*y /giltee/ adj. (guiltier, guiltiest) 1 culpable of or
a regular body of performers, b a person who takes responsible for a wrong. 2 conscious of or affected by
part by invitation in a radio or television program (of- guilt {a guilty conscience) 3 concerning guilt {a guilty
.

ten attrib. guest commentator) 4 (attrib. ) a serving or

: . secret) 4 (often foil, by of) a having committed a (spec-
.

set aside for guests {guest room), b acting as a guest ified) offense, b Law adjudged to have committed a
{guest speaker). 5 an organism living in close associa- specified offense, esp. by a verdict in a trial, dd guilt*
tion with another. • v. intr. be a guest on a radio or tel- My adv.
evision show, d be my guest colloq. make what use you guimp var. of gimp 1
.

wish of the available facilities, dd guest*ship n. guin*ea /ginee/ n. 1 Brit. hist, the sum of 21 old
guesthouse /gesthows/ n. a private house offering shillings, used esp. in determining professional fees.
paid accommodation. 2 hist, a former British gold coin worth 2 1 shillings,
guest of horror n. the most important guest at an oc- first coined for the African trade.
casion. guin*ea fowl n. any African fowl of the family
guest-rope /gestrop, gesrop/ n. (also guess-rope) 1 a Numididae, esp. Numida meleagris, with slate-colored
second rope fastened to a boat in tow to steady it. 2 a white-spotted plumage.
rope slung outside a ship to give a hold for boats com- guin*ea pig n. 1 a domesticated S. American cavy,
ing alongside. Cavia porcellus, kept as a pet or for research in biology,
guff /guff n. si. empty talk; nonsense. etc. 2 a person or thing used as a subject for experi-
guMaw /gufaw/ n.&v.mn.a loud or boisterous laugh. ment.
• v. 1 intr. utter a guffaw. 2 tr. say with a guffaw. guise /glz/ n. 1 an assumed appearance {in the guise of).
guidance /gi'd'ns/ n. 1a advice or information aimed 2 external appearance.
at resolving a problem, difficulty, etc. b leadership gui»tar /gita'ar/ n. a usu. six-stringed musical in-
or direction. 2 the process of guiding or being strument, played by plucking with the fingers or a plec-
guided. trum, dd gui*tar*ist n.
guide /gld/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a person who leads or shows gulch /gulch/ n. a ravine, esp. one in which a torrent
the way, or directs the movements of a person or group. flows.
2 a person who conducts travelers on tours, etc. 3 a gulf /gulf/ n. 1 a stretch of sea consisting of a deep in-
professional mountain climber in charge of a group. let with a narrow mouth. 2 (the Gulf) a the Gulf of
4 an adviser. 5 a directing principle or standard {one's Mexico, b the Persian Gulf. 3 a deep hollow. 4 a wide
feelings are a bad guide) 6 a book with essential
. difference of feelings, opinion, etc.
information on a subject, esp. = guidebook. 7 a thing Gulf Stream n. a warm current flowing from the Gulf
marking a position or guiding the eye. 8 Mech. a a bar, of Mexico to Newfoundland where it is deflected in-
rod, etc., directing the motion of something, b a gauge, to the Atlantic Ocean.
etc., controlling a tool. 9 (Guide) Brit, a member of gull /gul/ n. any of various long-winged sea birds of
1

an organization similar to the Girl Scouts. • v. tr. 1 a act the family Laridae.
as guide to; lead or direct, b arrange the course of gull 2 /gul/ v.tr. (usu. in passive; foil, by into) dupe; tool.
(events). 2 be the principle, motive, or ground of (an GuMah /gula/ n. 1a member of a group of African-
action, judgment, etc.). 3 direct the affairs of (a gov- Americans living on the coast of S. Carolina. 2 the
ernment, etc.). Creole language spoken by them.
guide»book /gidbook/ n. a book of information about guMet /gulit/ n. 1 the food passage extending from the
a place for visitors. mouth to the stomach; the esophagus. 2 the throat.
guid*ed mis*sile n. a missile directed to its target by gul-li-ble /gulibol/ adj. easily persuaded or deceived
remote control or by equipment within itself. dd guMi*bil*i*ty n.
guide dog n. a dog trained to guide a blind person. guMy /gulee/ n. {pi. -lies) 1 a waterworn ravine. 2 gul ;i

guideline /gidlin/ n. a principle or criterion guiding or ter or drain.

directing action. gulp /gulp/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. swallow hastily, greedily, or
guide*way /gidway/ n. a groove or track that guides with effort. 2 intr. swallow with difficulty. 3 tr. (loll In
movement. down, back) stifle; suppress (esp. tears). •«. 1 an M "I I

guild an association of people for

/gild/ n. (also gild) 1 gulping (drained it in mic gulp). 2 an effort to swallow.
mutual aid or the pursuit of a common goal. 2 a me- 3 a large mouthful of a drink.
dieval association of craftsmen or merchants. gum /gum/ n. is v. •«. 1 a a vitcoui secretion of tome
1 1

guild*er /gildar/ n. 1 the chief monetary unit of the trees and shrubs that hardens on drying but is soluble
 . .

in water,b an adhesive substance made from this. 351 gum - gutter

2 chewing gum. 3 = gumdrop. 4 = gum Arabic. 5 = gum
tree. mv. (gummed, gumming) 1 tr. smear or cover saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. 2 a fine green tea of
with gum. 2 tr. fasten with gum. n gum up 1 (of a mech- granular appearance.
anism, etc.) become clogged or obstructed with stick- gun»pow»er /gunpowar/ n. the strength or quantity of
iness. 2 colloq. interfere with the smooth running of available guns.
(gum up the works). gun«run»ner /gunrunar/ n. a person engaged in the il-

gum 2 /gum/ n. (usu. in pi) the firm flesh around the legal sale or importing of firearms. gurvrurvning n.
roots of the teeth. gun*sel /gunsal / n. si. a criminal, esp. a gunman.
gum 3 /gum/ n. colloq. (in oaths) God (by gum!) gun*ship /gunship/ n. helicopter or
a heavily armed
gum ar«a*bic n. a gum exuded by some kinds of aca- other aircraft.
cia and used as an emulsifier, in glue, and as the binder gun*shot /gunshot/ n. 1 a shot fired from a gun. 2 the
for watercolor paints. range of a gun (within gunshot).
gunvbo /gumbo/ n. (pi. -bos) 1 okra. 2 a soup gun»sling«er/gunslingar/«. si. a gunman. nogun«sling»
thickened with okra pods. 3 (Gumbo) a patois of ing n.
African-Americans and Creoles spoken esp. in Loui- gun*smith /gunsmith/ n. a person who makes and
siana. repairs small firearms.
gunvdrop /gumdrop/ n. a soft candy made with gelatin gun*StOCk /gunstok/ n. the wooden mounting of the
or gum arabic. barrel of a gun.
gunvma /guma/ n. (pi. gummas or gummata /-mata/) gun«wale /gunal/ n. (also gun*nel) the upper edge of
Med. a small soft swelling occurring in the connective the side of a boat or ship.
tissue of the liver, brain, testes, and heart, and gup«py /gupee/ n. (pi. -pies) a freshwater fish, Poecilia
characteristic of the late stages of syphilis. gunvma* reticulata, of the W. Indies and S. America, frequently
tous adj. kept in aquariums.
gunvmy /gumee/ adj. (gummier, gummiest) 1 sticky. gur*gle /gargal/ v.
1
&
n. »v. 1 intr. make a bubbling

2 exuding gum. no gunvmi«ness n. sound as of water from a bottle. 2 tr. utter with such
gunvmy 2 /gumee/ adj. (gummier, gummiest) toothless. a sound. »n. a gurgling sound.
gump»tion /gumpshan/ n. colloq. 1 resourcefulness; in- Gur*kha /garka/ n. 1a member of the dominant Hin-
itiative. 2 common sense. du people in Nepal. 2 a Nepalese soldier serving in the
gunvshoe /gumshoo/ n. 1 si. a detective. 2 a galosh. British army.
gum tree n. a tree exuding gum, esp. a eucalyptus. gu*ru /gobroo/ «. 1a Hindu spiritual teacher or head
gun /gun/ n. &
v. • n. 1 any kind of weapon consisting of a religious sect. 2 a an influential teacher, b a re-
of a metal tube, from which bullets or other missiles vered mentor.
are propelled with great force by a contained explo- gush /gush/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. intr. emit or flow in a&
sion. 2 a starting pistol. 3 a device for discharging in- sudden and copious stream. 2 intr. speak or behave
secticide, grease, electrons, etc., in the required direc- with effusiveness. mn. 1a sudden or copious stream.
tion (often in comb.: grease gun). 4 a gunman. 5 the 2 an effusive manner, do gustving adj. gush*ing*ly adv.
firing of a gun. •«, (gunned, gunning) 1 tr. (usu. foil, gusrver /giishar/ n. 1 an oil well from which oil flows
by down) shoot (a person) with a gun. 2 tr. colloq. ac- without being pumped. 2 an effusive person.
celerate (an engine or vehicle). 3 intr. go shooting. gustvy /gushee/ adj. (gushier, gushiest) excessively ef-
4 intr. (foil, by for) seek out determinedly to attack. fusive or sentimental.
d go great guns colloq. proceed vigorously or success- gus«set /gusit/ n. 1 a piece inserted into a garment, etc.,
fully, jump the gun colloq. start before a signal is giv- to strengthen or enlarge a part. 2 a bracket strength-
en, or before an agreed time, stick to one's guns col- ening an angle of a structure, dd gus*set*ed adj.
loq. maintain one's position under attack. gust /gust/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a sudden strong rush of wind.

gun*boat /gunbot/ n. a small vessel with heavy guns. 2 a burst of rain, fire, smoke, or sound. 3 a passionate
gun*boat di*plo«ma*cy n. political negotiation sup- or emotional outburst. • v. intr. blow in gusts.
ported by the threat of military force. gus*to /gusto/ n. (pi. -toes) zest; enjoyment or vigor in
gun carriage n. a wheeled support for a gun. doing something.
gun dog n. a dog trained to follow hunters using guns. gust*y /gustee/ adj. (gustier, gustiest) 1 characterized
gun»f ight /gunfit/ n. a fight with firearms, an gurvf ight- by or blowing in strong winds. 2 characterized by gus-
er n. to, dd gusvMy adv.
gun*fire /giinfir/ n. 1 the firing of a gun, esp. repeated- gut /gut/ n.&v.mn.A the intestine. 2 (in pi.) the bow-
ly. 2 the noise from this. el or entrails. 3 (in pi.) colloq. personal courage and
gung-ho /gungho/ adj. enthusiastic; eager. determination; perseverance. 4 colloq. (in pi.) the bel-
gunk /gungk/ n. si. viscous or liquid material. ly as the source of appetite. 5 (in pi.) a the contents
gun*man /gunman/ n. (pi. -men) a man armed with a of anything, b the essence of a thing. 6 a material for
gun, esp. in committing a crime. violin or racket strings or surgical use made from the
gun»met»al /gunmetal/ «. 1 a dull bluish gray color. 2 an intestines of animals, b material for fishing lines made
alloy of copper and tin or zinc (formerly used for guns) from the silk glands of silkworms. 7 (attrib.) a instinc-
gun*nel var. of gunwale. tive (a gut reaction) b fundamental (a gut issue) • v. tr.
. .

gun*ner /gunar/ n. 1 an artillery soldier (esp. Brit, as (gutted, gutting) 1 remove or destroy the internal fit-
an term for a private) 2 Nam. a warrant of-
official . tings of (a house, etc.). 2 take out the guts of (a fish,
ficer in charge of a battery, magazine, etc. 3 a mem- etc.). 3 extract the essence of (a book, etc.). o hate a
ber of an aircraft crew who operates a gun. 4 a person person's guts colloq. dislike a person intensely, spill
who hunts game with a gun. one's guts colloq. reveal one's feelings, secrets, etc.
gun«ner»y /gunaree/ n. 1 the construction and man- guvless /gutlis/ adj. colloq. lacking courage or determi-
agement of large guns. 2 the firing of guns. nation.
gun«ny /giinee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 coarse sacking, usu. of guts*y /gutsee/ adj. (gutsier, gutsiest) colloq. 1 coura-
jute fiber. 2 (also gunnysack) a sack made of this. geous. 2 robust; hearty.
gun*point /gunpoynt/ n. at gunpoint threatened with guMer /gutar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a shallow trough along the
a gun or an ultimatum.
gun*pow*der /gunpowdar/ n. 1 an explosive made of See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

guttering ~ gyttja 352 -gynous /jinas, ginas/ comb, form Bot. forming adjec-
tives meaning 'having specified female organs or pis-
eaves of a house, or a channel at the side of a street, tils' (monogynous)
to carry off rainwater. 2 (prec. by the) a poor or de- gyp /jip/ v. & n. si. • v. tr. (gypped, gypping) cheat; swin-
graded background or environment. 3 an open con- dle. %n. a swindle.
duit. 4 a groove, •v.intr. 1 flow in streams. 2 a (of a gyp«sum /jipsam/ n. a hydrated form of calcium sul-
candle) melt away as the wax forms channels down fate occurring naturally and used to make plaster of
the side, b (of a candle or flame) flicker and burn un- Paris and in the building industry.
steadily. Gyp»sy /jipsee/ n. (also Gip*sy) (pi. -sies) 1 a member
gut*ter*ing /gutsring/ n. 1 a the gutters of a building, of a nomadic people of Asia, Europe and N. America,
etc. b a section or length of a gutter. 2 material for gut- of Hindu origin with dark skin and hair, and speaking
ters. a language (Romany) related to Hindi. 2 (gypsy) a
guMer press n. esp. Brit, sensational journalism con- person resembling or living like a Gypsy.
cerned esp. with the private lives of public figures. gyp*sy moth n. a kind of tussock moth, Lymantria dis-
gut»ter«snipe /gutarsnip/ n. a street urchin. par> of which the larvae are very destructive to foliage.
gut«tur»al /gutaral/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 throaty; harsh gyrate /jirayt/ v. & go in a
adj. • v. intr. (also /jirayt/)
sounding. 2 a Phonet. (of a consonant) produced in arranged in rings or convo-
circle or spiral, •adj. Bot.
the throat or by the back of the tongue and palate. lutions, dd gyra*tion /-rayshan/ n. gyra»tor n. gyra«
b (of a sound) coming from the throat. C of the throat. to«ry /-ratawree/ adj.
• n. Phonet. a guttural consonant (e.g., k, g). gyre /jir/ v. & n. esp. poet, •v.intr. whirl or gyrate. •«.
guy 1
& •n.
/gi/ n. v. a man; a fellow. 2 (usu.
1 colloq. a gyration.
in pi.)a person of either sex. ridicule. mv.tr. gy»ro 1 /jiro/ n. (pi. -ros) colloq. 1 = gyroscope. 2 = gy-
guy & • a rope or chain to secure a tent or
2 /gi/ n. v. n. rocompass.
steady a crane load, • secure with a guy or guys.
etc. v. tr. gy»ro 2/jiro, je'ero/ n. (pi. -ros) a sandwich made with
guz»zle /guzal/ & eat, drink, or consume greed-
v. tr. intr. slicesof spiced meat cooked on a spit and usu. topped
dd guz»zler
ily, n. with tomato, onions, or salad greens.
gybe & var. of
/jib/ v. n. jibe 2 . gyro- /jiro/ comb, form rotation.
gym gymnasium. 2 gymnastics.
/jim/ n. colloq. 1 a gy ro»convpass /jirokumpas, -kom-/ n. a nonmagnet-
gym*kha*na /jimka'ans/ n. a meeting for competition ic compass giving true north and bearings from it by
or display in a sport, esp. horse riding or automobile means of a gyroscope.
racing. gyro»graph /jirggraf/ n. an instrument for recording
gym*na*si*um /jimnayzeeam/ n. (pi. gymnasiums or revolutions.
gymnasia /-zeea/) 1 a room or building equipped for gy»ro«mag»net»ic /jiromagnetik/ adj. 1 Physics of the
indoor sports, often including gymnastics. 2 a school magnetic and mechanical properties of a rotating
in Germany or Scandinavia that prepares pupils for charged particle. 2 (of a compass) combining a gyro-
university entrance. scope and a normal magnetic compass.
gynvnast /jimnast, -nast/ n. an expert in gymnastics. gy»ro»plane /jiraplayn/ n. a form of aircraft deriving its
gym*nas*tic /jimnastik/ adj. of or involving gymnastics. lift mainly from freely rotating overhead vanes.

gym«nas*tics /jimnastiks/ n.pl. (also treated as sing.) gy*ro*SCOpe /jirsskop/ n. a ro-

1 exercises developing or displaying physical agility tating wheel whose axis is free
and coordination. 2 other physical or mental agility. to turn but maintains a fixed
gy m»nosperm /jimnasparm/ n. any of various plants direction unless perturbed, esp.
having seeds unprotected by an ovary, including used for stabilization or with the
conifers, cycads, and ginkgos, dd gym«no*sper*mous compass in an aircraft, ship, etc.
adj. nn gy*ro*scop*ic /-skopik/ adj.
gymp var. of gimp 1
. gyro*sta«bi*liz*er
gyneco- /giniko, jins;n-/ comb, form (Brit, gynaeco-) /jirostaybilizar/ n. a gyroscopic
woman; women; female. device for maintaining the
gyn»e»col»o»gy /ginikotajee, jina-/ n. the science of the equilibrium of a ship, aircraft,
physiological functions and diseases of women. platform, etc.
nn gyn*e*co*log*i*cal adj. gyne»col«o»gist /-kobjist/ n. gyrus /jiras/ n. (pi. gyri /-ri/) a
gyn»e»co»mas»ti»a /ginikomasteea, jin9;n-/ n. Med. en- fold or convolution, esp. of the
largement of a man's breasts, usu. due to hormone im- brain.
balance or hormone therapy. gyMja /yicha/ n. Geol. a lake gyroscope
gy»noe»ci»um /jineeseeam, -shee;n-, gi;n-/ n. (also gy deposit of a usu. black organic
nae»ci»um) (pi. «cia /-sees, -sheea/) Bot. the carpels of sediment.
a flower taken collectively.
 .

H
H 1
/aych/ n. (also h) (pi. Hs or H's) 1 the eighth letter hack*er /hakar/ n. 1 a person or thing that cuts rough-
of the alphabet. 2 anything having the form of an H ly. 2 colloq. a a person who is adept at programming

(esp. in comb. H-girder) : computers, b a person who uses computers to gain un-
H 2 abbr. (also H.) 1 (of a pencil lead) hard. 2 (water) hy- authorized access to data. 3 a golfer who plays poor-
drant. 3 5/. heroin. ly.

H 3 symb. Chem. the element hydrogen. hacking cough n. a short dry frequent cough.
h. abbr. 1 hecto-. 2 height. 3 Baseball hit; hits.. 4 hot. hack»le /hakal/ • n. 1 a long feather or series of feath-
Ha symb. Chem. the element hahnium. ers on the neck or saddle of a domestic fowl and other
ha 1 /haa/ int. (also hah) expressing surprise, suspicion, birds. 2 (in pi.) the erectile hairs along the back of a
triumph, etc. dog, which rise when it is angry or alarmed. raise a
ha 2 abbr. hectare(s). person's hackles cause a person to be angry.
ha*be*as COr*pus /haybeeas kawrpas/ n. a writ requir- hack»ney /haknee/ n. (pi. -neys) 1 a horse of average
ing a person to be brought before a judge, esp. to in- size for ordinary riding. 2 designating any of various
vestigate the lawfulness of his or her detention. vehicles for hire.
hab»er»dash»er /habardashar/ n. a dealer in men's hack*neyed /hakneed/ adj. (of a phrase, etc.) made trite
clothing, dd hab«er»daslrer»y n. (pi. -ies). by overuse.
ha»bil»i«ment/habilimant/«. (usu.inp/.)1 clothes suit- hack»saw /haksaw/ n. a saw with a narrow blade set in
ed to a particular purpose. 2 joe. ordinary clothes. a frame, for cutting metal.
hab»it /habit/ n. 1 a settled or regular tendency (has a had past and past part, of have.
habit of ignoring me) 2 a practice that is hard to give
. had»dock /hadak/ n. (pi. same) a marine fish of the N.
up. 3 a mental constitution. 4 colloq. an addictive prac- Atlantic, allied to cod, but smaller.
tice, esp. of taking drugs. 5 a the dress of a particular Ha*des /haydeez/ n. (in Greek mythology) the under-
class, esp. of a religious order, b (in full riding habit) world; the abode of the spirits of the dead.
a woman's riding dress. hadn't /had'nt/ contr. had not.
hab*it*a*ble /habitabal/ adj. that can be inhabited. had*ron /hadron/ n. Physics any strongly interacting
dd hab*it*a*bil«i*ty n. hab*it*a*ble«ness n. hab*it*a«bly elementary particle, dd had»rorvic /-dronik/ adj.
adv. haf»ni»um /hafneeam/ n. Chem. a silvery metallic el-
hab»i«tantn. 1 /habit'nt/ an inhabitant. 2 /abeetoN/ a an ement occurring naturally with zirconium, used in
early French settler in Canada or Louisiana, b a de- tungsten alloys for filaments and electrodes. V Symb.:
scendant of these early French settlers. Hf.
hab*i*tat /habitat/ n. 1 the natural home of an organ- haft /haft/ n. &v. • n. the handle of a dagger, knife, etc.
ism. 2 a habitation. • v.tr. provide with a haft.
hab«i*ta*tion /habitayshan/ n. 1 the process of inhab- hag /hag/ n. 1 an ugly old woman. 2 a witch.
iting (fit for human habitation). 2 a dwelling. hag*f ish /hagfish/ n. a jawless fish with a rasplike tongue
hab»it-form»ing adj. causing addiction. used for feeding on dead or dying fish.
ha*bit*u*al /habichooal/ adj. 1 done constantly. 2 reg- hag*gard /hagard/ adj. looking exhausted and dis-
ular; usual. 3 given to a (specified) habit (a habitual traught, esp. from fatigue or worry, dd hag*gard*ly adv.
smoker), dd ha*bit*u*aMy adv. ha*bit*u*al*ness n. hag*gard*ness n.
ha*bit*u*ate /habichoo-ayt/ v.tr. (often foil, by to) ac- hag*gle /hagal/ v. & n. • v. intr. (often foil, by about, over)
custom, dd ha*bit*u*a*tion /-ayshan/ n. bargain persistently. »n. a dispute or wrangle, dd hag*
ha»bit»u»e /habichoo-ay/ n. a habitual visitor or res- gler n.
ident. hagio- /hageeo, hayjeeo/ comb, form of saints or holi-
v
ha»6ek /haachek/ n. (also hacek) a diacritic mark ( ) ness.
placed over letters to modify the sound in some Slav- Hag«i*og*ra*pha /hageeografa, hayjee-/ n.pl. the twelve
ic and Baltic languages. books comprising the of the three major divisions
last
ha»ci«en»da /ha'asee-enda/ n. in Spanish-speaking of the Hebrew Scriptures, along with the Law and the
countries: 1 an estate or plantation with a dwelling Prophets.
house. 2 a factory. hag»i»og»ra«pher /hageeografar, hayjee-/ n. 1 a writer
hack /hak/ v.
1
&
n. mv. 1 tr. cut or chop roughly. 2 tr. of the lives of saints. 2 a writer of any of the Hagiog-
strike illegally at the legs of (an opponent) during a rapha.
game. 3 intr. deliver cutting blows. 4 tr. cut (one's way) hag*i*og*ra*phy /hageeografee, hayjee-/ n. the writing
through thick foliage, etc. 5 tr. colloq. gain unauthor- of the lives of saints, dd hag*i*o*graph*ic /-geeagrafik/
computer) 6 tr. si. a cope with.
ized access to (data in a . adj. hag*i*o*graph*i*cal adj.
b c (often followed by off or as hacked off
tolerate, hag»i»ol»a»try /hageeolatree, hayjee-/ n. the worship of
adj.) annoy; disconcert. *n. a wound, esp. from a kick. saints.
hack 2 /hak/ n., adj., &
v. *n. 1 a a horse for ordinary hag»i»ol»o«gy /hagiolajee/ n. literature dealing with the
riding, b a horse let out for hire, c = jade 2 1.2a writer lives and legends of saints, dd hag*i*o*log«i*cal
of mediocre literary work; colloq. usu. derog. a journal- /-geealojikal/ adj. hag*i*ol*o*gist n.
ist. 3 a person hired to do dull routine work. 4 a taxi. hah var. of ha 1
.

• attrib. adj. 1 used as a hack. 2 commonplace (hack ha ha /ha'aha'a/ int. repr. laughter.
work), mv. 1 intr. ride on horseback at an ordinary pa- hahn*i«um /ha'aniam/ n. Chem. an artificially produced
ce. 2 tr. ride (a horse) in this way. radioactive element. \ Symb.: Ha.
 . .

haiku - half moon 354 hair-y /hairee/ adj. (hairier, hairiest) 1 covered with
hair. 2 having the feel of hair. 3 5/. alarmingly unpleas-
hai-ku /hikoo/ n. (pi. same) 1 a Japanese three-line po- ant, dd hair-i-ly adv. hair-i-ness n.
em of usu. 17 syllables. 2 an English imitation of this. hajj /haj/ n. the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.
hail /hayl/ n. &v. •n. 1 pellets of frozen rain falling in
1
Muslim who has been to Mec-
haj«ji /hajee/ n. (pi. -jis) a
showers from cumulonimbus clouds. 2 (foil, by of) a ca as a pilgrim: also (Hajji) used as a title.
barrage or onslaught (of missiles, curses, questions, hake /hayk/ n. any marine fish of the genus Merluccius,
etc.). %v. 1 intr. (prec. by it as subject) fall as hail (it is esp. M. merluccius with an elongate body and large
hailing; if it hails). 2 a tr. pour down (blows, words, head.
etc.). b intr. come down forcefully. ha»lal /haalaal/ v. & n. (also hal-lal) mv.tr. (halalled,
hail 2 /hayl/ v., int., & n. *v. 1 tr. greet enthusiastically. halalling) kill (an animal) as prescribed by Muslim
2 tr. 3 rr. acclaim (hailed him
signal to (hailed a taxi). law. • n. (often attrib. ) meat prepared in this way.
king; was hailed as a prodigy). 4 intr. (foil, by from) have hal-berd /halbard/ n. (also hal-
one's home or origins in (a place) (hails from Mexico). bert /-bsrt/) hist, a combined
• int. archaic or rhet.expressing greeting. • n. 1 a greet- spear and battleax.
ing or act of hailing. 2 distance as affecting the possi- hal»cy«on /halseean/ •adj.
bility of hailing (within hail; within hailing distance). 1 calm; peaceful (halcyon days)
Hail Mar»y n. the Ave Maria (see ave). 2 (of a period) happy; prosper-
hail-stone /haylston/ n. a pellet of hail. ous.
hail-storm /haylstorm/ n. a period of heavy hail. hale 1
/hayl/ strong and
adj.
hair /hair/ n. 1 a any of the fine threadlike strands grow- healthy (esp. hale andin
ing from the skin of mammals, esp. from the human hearty), dd hale-ness n.
head, b these collectively (his hair is falling out). Ca hale 2 /hayl/ v.tr. drag or draw
hairstyle or way of wearing the hair (/ like your hair to- forcibly.
day). 2 a an artificially produced hairlike strand, e.g., half /haf/ n., adj., & adv. •«. (pi.

in a brush, b a mass of such hairs. 3 an elongated cell halves /havz/) 1 either of two
growing from the epidermis of a plant. 4 a very small equal or corresponding parts
quantity or extent (also attrib. a hair crack), o get in a
: into which a thing is or might
person's hair colloq. annoy a person, let one's hair be divided. 2 colloq. = half-
down colloq. abandon restraint. haired adj. (also in back. 3 either of two equal peri-
comb.), hairless adj. hair-like adj. ods of play in sports, •adj. 1 of
hair-ball /hairbawl/ n. (also hair ball) a compact ball of an amount or quantity equal to halberd
hair that accumulates in the stomach of a cat or other a half, or roughly a half (half a
animal that grooms itself by licking its fur. pint) . 2 forming a half (a half share) . • adv. 1 (often
hair-breadth /hairbredth/ n. = hair's breadth; (esp. in comb. ) to the extent of half (half-frozen) 2 to a cer- .

attrib. a hairbreadth escape)

: tain extent (esp. in phrases: half inclined to agree). 3 (in
hair-brush /hairbrush/ n. a brush for arranging or reckoning time) by the amount of half (an hour, etc.)
smoothing the hair. (half past two), d by half (prec. by too + adj.) exces-
hair-cloth /hairklawth, -kloth/ n. stiff cloth woven from sively (too clever by half), by halves incompletely (never
hair. does things by halves), half a chance colloq. the slight-
hair-cut /hairkut/ n. 1 a cutting of the hair. 2 the style est opportunity (esp. given half a chance), half meas-
in which the hair is cut. ures an unsatisfactory compromise or inadequate
hair-do /hairdoo/ n. (pi. -dos) colloq. the style of a policy.
woman's hair. half-and-half n. a liquid of half cream and half milk.
hair-dress-er /hairdresar/ n. 1a person who cuts and half-back /hafbak/ n. (in some sports) a player between
styles hair, esp. professionally. 2 the business or estab- the linemen and fullbacks, or behind the forward line.
lishment of a hairdresser, an hair-dress-ing n. half-baked adj. 1 incompletely planned. 2 (of enthusi-
hair dry»er n. (also hair drier) an electrical device for asm, etc.) only partly committed. 3 foolish.
drying the hair by blowing warm air over it. half-blood n. la person having one parent in common
hair-line /hairlin/ n. 1 the edge of a person's hair, esp. with another. 2 this relationship. 3 = half breed.
on the forehead. 2 a very thin line or crack, etc. dd half-blooded ././/.
hair«net /hairnet/ n. a piece of fine mesh fabric for con- half breed n. often offens. a person of mixed race.
fining the hair. half broth»er n. a brother with only one parent in com-
hair of the dog n. further alcoholic drink to cure hang- mon.
over from that drink. half-doz-en n. colloq. six, or about six.
hair-piece /hairpees/ n. a quantity or switch of detached half»heart«ed /hafha'artid/ adj. lacking enthusiasm.
hair used to augment a person's natural hair. dd half-heart-ed-ly adv. half-heart-ed-ness n.
hair-pin /hairpin/ n. a U-shaped pin for fastening the half hitch n. a knot formed by passing the end of a rope
hair. around its standing part and then through the loop.
hair-pin turn n. a sharp U-shaped bend in a road. half hour n. 1 (also half an hour) a period of min- W
hair-rais-ing /hairrayzing/ adj. extremely alarming; ter- utes. 2 a point of time 30 minutes after any hour
rifying. o'clock, dd half-hourly adv.
hair's breadth n. a very small amount or margin. half-inch n. a unit of length half as large as an inch.
hair-split-ting /hairspliting/ adj. n. making overfine & half-lifen. the time taken for the radioactivity or some

distinctions; quibbling, an hair-split-ter n. other property of a substance to fall to hall its original
hair spray n. a solution sprayed on the hair to keep it value.
in place. half-mast n. the position ol I fla^ halfway down the
hair-spring /hairspring/ n. a fine spring regulating the mast, as a mark of respect for a person who has died
balance wheel in a watch. D at half-mast often joe. (of a garment) having slipped
hair trig-ger n. a trigger of a firearm set for release at down.
half moon n. 1 the moon when only half its illuminateu
1

the slightest pressure.

hair-trig-ger adj. reacting to the slightest pressure or surface is visible from earth. 2 the time when this
provocation; likely to prompt such a reaction. occurs. 3 a semicircular object.
 . ..

half note n. Mus. a note whose duration is one half of 355 half note ~ hammer
a whole note.
half sis»ter n. a sister with only one parent in common. person. 2 the glory associated with an idealized per-
half step n. Mus. - semitone. son, etc. 3 a circle of light around a luminous body,
halMime /haftlm/ n. & adj. • n. 1 the time at which half esp. the sun or moon. 4 a circle or ring. •v.tr. (-loes,
of a game is completed. 2 a short intermission occur- -loed) surround with a halo.
ring at this time. • adj. (half-time) working half the usu- hal*0*gen /halajan/ n. Chem. any of the group of non-
al hours (a half-time job) metallic elements: fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine,
halMone /hafton/ n. a reproduction printed from a and astatine, which form halides (e.g., sodium chlo-
block (produced by photographic means) in which the ride) by simple union with a metal, an hal«o«gen«ic
various tones of gray are produced from small and /-jenik/ adj.
large black dots. hal*0*gen*a*tion /hatajinayshan/ n. the introduction of
half-truth n. a statement that conveys only part of the a halogen atom into a molecule.
truth. hal»on /haylon/ n. Chem. any of various gaseous com-
half»way /hafway/ adv. &adj. • adv. 1 at a point equidis- pounds of carbon, bromine, and other halogens, used
tant between two others (we were halfway to Chicago) to extinguish fires.
2 to some extent; more or less (is halfway decent). • adj. hal»0«phyte /halofit/ n. a plant adapted to saline con-
situated halfway (reached a halfway point). ditions.
half»way house n. a center for helping former drug halt 1 /hawlt/«. &v. •«. 1 a stop (usu. temporary) (come
addicts, prisoners, psychiatric patients, or others to to a halt). 2 a temporary stoppage on a march or jour-
adjust to life in general society. ney. • v.intr. & tr. stop; come
or bring to a halt.
half* wit /hafwit/ n. 1 colloq. an extremely stupid person. halt 2 /hawlt/ v. & 1 (esp. as halting adj.)
adj. •v.intr.
2 a person who is mentally deficient, an halfwitted lack smooth progress. 2 hesitate (halt between two opin-
/witid/ adj. ions). 3 walk hesitatingly. A archaic be lame. »adj.
hal*i*but /halibat/ n. (pi. same) any of various large ma- archaic lame, dd halt*ing*ly adv.
rine flatfishes commonly used
as food. halt»er /hawltar/ n. la rope or strap with a noose or
hal»ide /halld, hayl-/ n. Chem. 1 a binary compound of headstall for horses or cattle. 2 a a strap around the
a halogen with another group or element. 2 any organ- back of a woman's neck holding her dress top and leav-
ic compound containing a halogen. ing her shoulders and back bare, b a dress top held by
hal«i»o»tis /haleeotis/ n. an edible gastropod mollusk this.
with an ear-shaped shell lined with mother-of-pearl. hal»va /ha'alvaa/ n. (also hal«vah) a sweet confection of
hal'ite /halit, hay-/ n. rock salt. ground sesame seeds and honey.
hal»i»to»sis /halitosis/ n. = bad breath. halve /hav/ v.tr. 1 divide into two halves or parts. 2 re-
hall /hawl/ H.laa space or passage into which the front duce by half. 3 share equally. 4 Golf use the same num-
entrance of a house, etc., opens, b a corridor or pas- ber of strokes as one's opponent in (a hole or match).
sage in a building. 2 a large room or building for meet- halves pi. of half.
ings, meals, concerts, etc. 3 a university residence for harvard /halyard/ n. Naut. a rope or tackle for raising
students. 4 the building of a guild (Fishmongers' Hall) or lowering a or yard, etc.
sail
hal*le*lu*jah var. of alleluia. ham /ham/ n. &
• n. 1 a the upper part of a pig's leg
v.

halNmark /hawlmaark/ n. &

v. •«. 1a mark used at
Goldsmiths' Hall in London for marking the standard
of gold, silver, and platinum. 2 any distinctive feature,
esp. of excellence, •v.tr. 1 stamp with a hallmark.
2 designate as excellent.
salted and dried or smoked for food, b the meat from
this. 2 the back of the thigh. 3 si. (often attrib.) an in-
expert or unsubtle actor or piece of acting. 4 (in full
radio ham) colloq. the operator of an amateur radio sta-
tion. • v.intr. &
tr. (often foil, by up) (hammed, ham-

Hall of Fame n. a building with memorials to individ- ming) si. overact; act or treat emotionally or sentimen-
uals who excelled in a sport, etc. tally.
haMoo /haloo/ int., n., & v. •int. 1 inciting dogs to the
chase. 2 calling attention. 3 expressing surprise. •«.
ham Old English ham, horn (originally denoting the
back of the knee), from a Germanic base meaning 'be
the cry "halloo." »v. (halloos, hallooed) 1 intr. cry
crooked.' In the late 15th century the term came to
"halloo," esp. to dogs. 2 intr. shout to attract attention.
denote the back of the thigh, hence that part of the an-
3 tr. urge on (dogs, etc.) with shouts.
imal used as food.
haMow /halo/ v.tr. 1 make holy; consecrate. 2 honor as
holy. ham«burg»er /hambargsr/ n. a patty of ground beef,
HaMoween /halawe'en/ n. (also Hallowe'en) the eve of usu. fried or grilled and eaten in a soft bread roll.
All Saints'Day, Oct. 3 1 esp. as celebrated by children
, ham-f ist*ed /hamfistid/ adj. colloq. clumsy, do ham-fist*
dressing in costumes and collecting treats door-to- ed»ly adv. ham-fist»ed«ness n.
door. ham-hand»ed /hamhandid/ colloq. = ham-fisted.
adj.
hal»lu«ces/>/. of hallux. Ham»it»ic /hamitik/ n. &
adj. • n. a group of African lan-
haMu*ci«nate /haloosinayt/ v. 1 tr. produce illusions in guages including ancient Egyptian and Berber. • adj.
the mind of (a person). 2 intr. experience hallucina- 1 of or relating to this group of languages. 2 of or re-
tions, on hal*lu*ci*na*tor n. lating to the Hamites, a group of peoples in Egypt and
hal*lu*ci*na*tion /haloosinayshan/ n. the apparent N. Africa, by tradition descended from Noah's son
perception of an object not actually present, nn haMu* Ham (Gen. 10:6 ff.).
ci»na»to»ry /-sinatawree/ adj. hanvlet /hamlit/ n. a small village.
hal*lu*ci*no*gen /halobsinajan/ n. a drug causing hal- hanvmer /hamar/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a a tool with a heavy-
lucinations, on haMu«ci*no*gen*ic /-jenik/ adj. metal head at right angles to the handle, used for driv-
haMux /haluks/ n. (pi. halluces /halyaseez/) 1 the big ing nails, etc. b a machine with a metal block serving
toe. 2 the innermost digit of the hind foot of verte- the same purpose, c a similar contrivance, as for ex-
brates. ploding the charge in a gun, etc. 2 an auctioneer's mal-
hallway /hawlway/ n. an entrance hall or corridor. let, indicating by a rap that an article is sold. 3 a a met-
halm var. of haulm. al ball attached to a wire for throwing in an athletic
ha»lo /haylo/ n. &v. •«. (pi. -loes) 1 a disk or circle of
light shown in art surrounding the head of a sacred See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
hammer and sickle ~ -handed 356 spect. 6 a person who does makes something, esp.
or
distinctively (a picture by the same hand). 7 an individ-
contest, b the sport of throwing the hammer. »v.A a tr. ual's writing or the style of this. 8 a person as the source
& intr. hit or beat with or as with a hammer, b intr. of information (at first hand). 9 a pledge of marriage.
strike loudly. 2 tr. a drive in (nails) with a hammer. 10a manual laborer, esp. in a factory, on a farm, or
b fasten by hammering (hammered the lid down). 3 tr. on board ship. 11a the playing cards dealt to a play-
(often foil, by in) inculcate (ideas, knowledge, etc.) er, b the player holding these, c a round of play. 1 2 col-
forcefully. 4 tr. colloq. utterly defeat. 5 intr. (foil, by loq. applause (a big hand). 13 the unit of measure of a

away at) work hard at. come under the hammer be

d horse's height, equal to 4 inches (10.16cm). 14 a fore-
sold at an auction, hammer out 1 make flat or smooth hock of pork. 15 (attrib.) a operated or held in the
by hammering. 2 work out the details of laboriously. hand (hand drill; hand luggage), b done by hand and
3 play (a tune, esp. on the piano) loudly or clumsily. not by machine (hand-knitted), •v.tr. 1 deliver; trans-
dd ham-mer-ing n. (esp. in sense 4 of v.). ham-mer- fer. 2 convey verbally (handed me a lot of abuse) 3 col- .

less adj. loq. give away too readily (handed them the advantage).
d all hands 1 the entire crew of a ship. 2 the entire
workforce, at hand 1 close by. 2 about to happen, by
hand 1 by a person and not a machine. 2 delivered pri-
vately and not by the public mail, from hand to mouth
satisfying only one's immediate needs, get (or have or
keep) one's hand in become (or be or remain) prac-
ticed in something, hand down 1 pass the ownership
of to another. 2 a transmit (a decision) from a higher
court, etc. b express (an opinion or verdict), hand in
glove in collusion or association, hand in hand in close
association, hand it acknowledge the merit
to colloq.
ball-peen hammer sledge hammer of. hand out 1 serve; distribute. 2 award, allocate (the
judges handed out stiff sentences) hand over surrender
.

possession hands down (esp. of winning) with no

of.
difficulty, hands off a warning not to touch or inter-
fere with something, hands on 1 Computing of or re-
quiring personal operation at a keyboard. 2 involving
or offering active participation rather than theory.
hands up! an instruction to raise one's hands in sur-
render or to signify assent, have a hand in share or take
part in. have one's hands tied colloq. be unable to act.
in hand 1 receiving attention. 2 in reserve. 3 under
one's control, lend (or give) a hand assist in an action
or enterprise, off one's hands no longer one's respon-
claw hammer tack hammer
sibility, on hand available, on the one (or the other)

hammer, la hand from one (or another) point of view, out of hand
1 out of control. 2 peremptorily (refused out of hand).

harrwner and sick-le n. the symbols of the industrial put (or set) one's hand to start work on; engage in. to
worker and the peasant used as the emblem of the for- hand 1 within easy reach. 2 (of a letter) received, turn
mer USSR and of international communism. one's hand to undertake (as a new activity), dd hand*
ham»mer»head /hamarhed/ n. a shark with a flattened less adj.
head and eyes in lateral extensions of it. hand-bag /handbag/ n. a small bag usu. with a handle
ham»mer«lock /hamsrlok/ n. Wrestling a hold in which or shoulder strap carried esp. by a woman and used
the arm is twisted and bent behind the back. to hold a wallet, cosmetics, etc.
ham»mer»toe /hamarto/ n. a deformity in which the toe hand-ball n. 1 /handbawl/ one of several games with a
is bent permanently downward. ball thrown by hand among players or struck with an
harrvmock /hamsk/ n. a bed of canvas or rope network, open hand against a wall. 2 /handbawl/ Soccer inten-
suspended by cords. tional touching of the ball with the hand or arm by a
hanvper /hampar/ n.
1
a large basket, usu. with a hinged player other than a goalkeeper who is in the goal ar-
lid and containing laundry or food. ea, constituting a foul.
ham«per 2 /hampar/ v.tr. 1 prevent the free movement hand-bell /handbel/ n. a small bell usu. tuned to a par-
or activity of. 2 impede; hinder. ticular note and rung by hand, esp. one of a set giving
ham»ster /hamstar/ n. any of various rodents of the sub- a range of notes.
family Cricetinae having a short tail and large cheek hand-bill /handbil/ n. a printed notice distributed by
pouches for storing food. hand.
ham-string /hamstring/ n. &v. •«. Anat. 1 each of five hand-book /handbook/ n. a short manual or guide-
tendons at the back of the knee in humans. 2 the great book.
tendon at the back of the hock in quadrupeds, •v.tr. hand-brake /handbrayk/ n. a hand-operated brake.
(past and past part, hamstrung or hamstringed) 1 crip- hand-cart /handkaart/ n. a small cart pushed or diawn
ple by cutting the hamstrings of (a person or animal). by hand.
2 prevent the activity of. hand-clap /handklap/ n. a clapping of the hands
hand /hand/ n. &v. »n. 1 a the end part of the human hand-craft /handkraft/ n. &
v. •n. - HANDH RAF] •

arm beyond the wrist, b in other primates, the end part make by handicraft.
of a forelimb, also used as a foot. 2 a (often in pi.) hand-CUff /handkuf/ n. &
v. mn. (in pi.) a pan ol locfc-

control; custody (is in good hands), b agency or in-
fluence (suffered at their hands). C a share in an action.
3 the pointer of a clock or watch. 4 the right or left side
or direction relative to a person or thing. 5 a a skill (a
hand for making pastry) b . a person skillful in some
able linked metal rings for securing a person's wrists.
put handcuffs on.
• v.tr.
-handed /handid/ adj. (in comb.) 1 for or involving a
specified number of hands fin various senses) (two-
re- handed). 2 using chiefly the hand specified 'Icft-luind-
 .
ed). dd -hand»ed»ly adv. -hand«ed«ness n.
sense 2).
hand«ful /handfool/ n. (pi. -fuls) 1 a quantity that fills
the hand. 2 a small number or amount. 3 colloq. a trou-
blesome person or task.
hand gre«nade n. see grenade.
hand*gun /handgun/ n. a small firearm held in and fired
with one hand.
hand«hold /handhold/ n. something for the hands to
grip on (in climbing, sailing, etc.).
handicap /handeekap/ n.6 ,
m«.1aa
disadvantage
imposed on a superior competitor in order to make a
contest more equal, b a race or contest in which this
is imposed. 2 the number of strokes by which a golfer
normally exceeds par for the course. 3 a thing that
makes progress difficult. 4 a physical or mental disabil-
ity. mv.tr. (handicapped, handicapping) 1 impose a
handicap on. 2 place at a disadvantage, dd handicap*
per n.
handicapped /handeekapt/ adj. having a physical or
mental disability.
handicraft /handeekraft/ n. work that requires both
manual and artistic skill.
handiwork /handeewark/ n. work done or
made by hand.
hand*ker*chief /hangkarchif, -cheef/ n. (pi. handker-
chiefs or -chieves /-cheevz/) a square of cotton, lin-
en, silk, etc., for wiping one's nose, etc.
han*dle /hand'l/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the part by which a thing
is held, carried, or controlled. 2 a fact that may be tak-
en advantage of (gave a handle to his critics) 3 colloq. a.
personal title. 4 the feel of goods when handled, mv.tr.
1 touch, operate, or move with the hands. 2 manage
or deal with (knows how to handle people) 3 deal in . A3 intr. (foil, by on) a be dependent on (everything
(goods). 4 discuss or write about (a subject), dd han«
dle*a*ble adj. han*dle*a*bil*i*ty n. harvdled adj. (also in
comb. )
han*dle*bar /hand'lbaar/ n. (often in pi.) the steering
bar of a bicycle, etc.
han»dle»bar mustache n. a thick mustache with
curved ends.
han*dler /handlar/ n. 1 a person who handles or
deals in certain commodities. 2 a person who trains
and looks after an animal (esp. a working or show
dog).
hand«made /handmayd/ adj. made by hand and not by
machine, esp. as designating superior quality.
hand*maid /handmayd/ n. (also hand*maid*en /-may-
d'n/) archaic a female servant or helper.
hand-me-down n. an article of clothing, etc., passed
on from another person.
hand*OUt /handowt/ n. 1 something given free to a
needy person. 2 a statement given to the press, print-
ed information given to a lecture audience, etc.
hand-over-fist adv. colloq. with rapid progress.
hand»pick /handpik/ v.tr. choose carefully or person-
ally.
hand-rail /handrayl/ n. a narrow rail for holding as a
support on stairs, etc.
hand*saw /handsaw/ n. a saw worked by one hand.
hand»set /handset/ n. a telephone mouthpiece and ear-
piece forming one unit.
hand*shake /handshayk/ n. the shaking of a person's
hand by another's hand as a greeting, etc.
hand«some /hansam/ adj. (handsomer, handsomest)
1 (of a person) good-looking. 2 (of a building, etc.)
imposing; attractive. 3 a generous (a handsome pres-
ent), b (of a price, fortune, etc., as assets gained) con-
siderable, dd hand«some*ness n.
hand«some«ly /hansamlee/ adv. 1 generously. 2
beautifully.3 Nam. carefully.
hand»spring /handspring/ n. an acrobatic flip in which
one lands first on the hands and then on the feet.
(both in 357 handful ~ hanging
hand*Stand /handstand/ n. balancing on one's hands
with the feet in the air.
hand-to-hand adj. (of fighting) at close quarters.
handwork /handwark/ n. work done with the hands.
dd handworked adj.
hand*writ*ing /handriting/ n. 1 writing with a pen, pen-
cil, etc. 2 a person's particular style of writing, dd hand*
wriWen /-ritan/ adj.
hand«y /handee/ (handier, handiest) 1 convenient
adj.
to handle or use. 2 ready to hand. 3 clever with the
hands, dd handily adv. hand«i*ness n.
hand»y»man /handeeman/ n. (pi. -men) a person able
or employed to do occasional domestic repairs and
minor renovations.
hang /hang/ v. &n. mv. (past and past part, hung
/hung/except in sense 7) 1 tr. a secure or cause to be
supported from above, b (foil, by up, on, onto, etc.) at-
tach loosely by suspending from the top. 2 tr. set up
(a door, gate, etc.) on its hinges. 3 tr. place (a picture)
on a wall or in an exhibition. 4 tr. attach (wallpaper)
to a wall. 5 tr. (foil, by on) colloq. attach the blame for
a thing (a thing) to (a person) (you can 't hang that on me) 6 tr. .
(foil, by with) decorate by hanging decorations, etc. (a
hall hung with tapestries) 7 tr. . &
intr. (past and past part.
hanged) a suspend or be suspended by the neck un-
til dead, esp. as a form of capital punishment, b as a
mild oath (hang the expense). 8 tr. let droop (hang one's
head). 9 tr. suspend (meat or game) from a hook and
leave it until dry or tender. 1 intr. be hung (in vari-
ous senses). 1 1 intr. remain static in the air. 12 intr. be
present, esp. threateningly (a hush hung over the room).
hangs on the discussions), b listen closely to (hangs on
their every word). •«. 1 the way a thing hangs or falls.
2 a downward droop or bend, d get the hang of colloq.
understand the technique or meaning of. hang around
1 loiter or dally. 2 (foil, by with) associate with (a per-
son, etc.) hang back 1 show reluctance to act or move.
.
2 remain behind, hang heavily (or heavy) (of time)
pass slowly, hang in colloq. 1 persist; persevere. 2 lin-
ger, hang it up quit; retire; resign, hang loose colloq.
relax; stay calm, hang on colloq. 1 continue or perse-
vere. 2 (often foil, by to) retain one's grip. 3 (foil, by
to) fail to give back. 4 a wait for a short time, b (in tel-
ephoning) continue to listen during a pause in the
conversation, hang out 1 hang from a window, clothes-
line, etc. 2 protrude or cause to protrude downwards.
3 (foil, by of) lean out of (a window, etc.). 4 si. be of-
ten present. 5 (foil, by with) si. be friends with, hang
together 1 make sense. 2 remain associated, hang up
1 hang from a hook, peg, etc. 2 end a telephone
conversation, esp. abruptly (then he hung up on me).
A person suspended by the neck until dead is
hanged, although hung is common in informal usage.
Pictures, draperies, decorations, Christmas stockings,
and the like are hung.
hang*ar /hangar/ n. a building for housing aircraft, etc.
hang*dog /hangdawg, -dog/ adj. having a dejected or
guilty appearance; shamefaced.
hang*er /hangar/ n. 1 a person or thing that hangs. 2 a
shaped piece of wood or plastic, etc., from which
clothes may be hung.
hang»er-on n. (pi. hangers-on) a follower or depend-
ent.
hang glid»er n. a frame with a fabric airfoil stretched
over it, from which the operator is suspended and con-
trols flight by body movement, d hang gliding //.
finely; hanging /hanging/ n. &
adj. mn. 1 a the act of execut-
ing by hanging a person, b (attrib.) meriting or caus-
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
hangman ~ hardheaded 358 har*bin*ger /haarbinjar/ «.&D.»n.1a person or thing
announces or signals the approach of another. 2 a
that
ing this (a hanging offense). 2 (usu. in pi.) draperies forerunner. • v. tr. announce the approach of.
hung on a wall, etc. •adj. that hangs or is hung. har»bor /haarbar/ n. &
v. • n. 1a place of shelter for

hang-man /hangman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 an executioner ships. 2 a place of refuge or protection, mv. 1 tr. give
who hangs condemned persons. 2 a game for two play- shelter to (a criminal or wanted person) 2 tr. keep in .

ers, in which the tally of failed guesses is kept by draw-
ing a representation of a figure hanging from a gal-
lows.
hang»nail /hangnayl/ n. a piece of torn skin at the root
of a fingernail.
hang-out /hangowt/ n. si. a place one frequently visits.
one's mind, esp. resentfully (harbor a grudge). 3 intr.
come to anchor in a harbor.
hard /haard/ adj. &
adv. • adj. 1 (of a substance, mate-
rial, etc.) firm and solid; unyielding to pressure; not
easily cut. 2 a difficult to understand or explain (a hard
problem) b difficult to accomplish (a hard decision) C
. .

hang«o«ver /hangovar/ n. 1 a severe headache or other (foil, by to + infin.) not easy (hard to believe). 3 diffi-

aftereffects caused by drinking an excess of liquor. 2 a cult to bear (a hard life). 4 unfeeling; severely critical.
survival from the past. 5 (of a season or the weather) severe. 6 harsh or un-
hang-up n. si. an emotional problem or inhibition. pleasant to the senses (a hard voice). 7 a strenuous; en-
hank /hangk/ n. a coil of wool. thusiastic; intense (a hard worker), b severe; uncom-
hank*er /hangkar/ v.intr. (foil, by to + infin., /or, or af- promising (a hard bargain) C Polit. extreme; most .

ter) long for; crave, dd hank*er*er n. hank«er*ing n. radical (the hard right). 8 a (of liquor) strongly alco-
han*ky /hangkee/ n. (also han*kie) (pi. -kies) colloq. a holic, b (of drugs) potent and addictive. C (of radia-
handkerchief. tion) highly penetrating, d (of pornography) highly
han»ky-pan«ky /hangkeepangkee/ n. si 1 naughtiness, suggestive and explicit. 9 (of water) containing min-
esp. sexual misbehavior. 2 dishonest dealing; trickery. eral salts that make lathering difficult. 10 established;
han«som /hansam/ n. (in full hansom cab) hist, a two- not disputable (hard data) 1 1 Stock Exch. (of cur- .

wheeled horse-drawn cab. rency, prices, etc.) not likely to fall in value. 12 (of a
Ha*nuk*kah /kha'anaka, ha'a-/ n. (also Chanukkah) the consonant) guttural (as c in cat, g in go) 1 3 (of a shape, .

Jewish festival of lights, commemorating the purifica- boundary, etc.) clearly defined; unambiguous, madv.
tion of the Temple in 165 bc. 1 strenuously; intensely (try hard) 2 with difficulty or .

hap /hap/ n. archaic 1 chance; luck. 2 a chance occur- effort (hard-earned). 3 so as to be hard or firm (the jel-
rence. ly set hard), be hard on 1 be difficult for. 2 be severe
hap*haz«ard /haphazard/ adj. &
adv. madj. done, etc., in one's treatment of. 3 be unpleasant to (the senses).
by chance; random, madv. at random. hap*haz*ard* be hard put (usu. foil, by to + infin.) find it difficult.
ly adv. hap*haz*ard*ness n. hard by near; close by. a hard case 1 colloq. an intrac-
hap«less /haplis/ adj. unlucky, dd hap*less*ly adv. hap» table person. 2 a case of hardship, dd hard*ish adj.
lessTiess n. hardiness //.

hap«loid /haployd/ adj. &

n. Biol. *adj. (of an organ- hard and fast adj. (of a rule or a distinction made) def-
ism or cell) with a single set of chromosomes. • w. a unalterable; strict.
inite;
haploid organism or cell. hard*back /haardbak/ adj. &
n. • adj. (of a book) bound
hap»pen /hapan/ v.intr. 1 occur (by chance or other- in stiff covers. • n. a hardback book.
wise). 2 (foil, by to + infin.) have the (good or bad) hard-ball /haardbawl/ n. 1 = baseball. 2 5/. uncompro-
fortune to (/ happened to meet her). 3 (foil, by to) be mising methods or dealings, esp. in politics.
the (esp. unwelcome) fate or experience of (what hap- hard»bit»ten /ha'ardbitan/ adj. colloq. tough and cynical.
pened to you?). 4 (foil, by on) encounter or discover by hard*board /haardbawrd/ n. stiff board made of com-
chance. pressed and treated wood pulp.
hap*pen*ing /hapaning/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 an event or oc- hard-boiled adj. 1 (of an egg) boiled until the white
currence. 2 an improvised or spontaneous theatrical, and the yolk are solid. 2 (of a person) tough; shrewd.
etc., performance, •adj. si. exciting, fashionable. hard cash n. negotiable coins and paper money.
hap*pen*Stance /hapanstans/ n. a thing that happens hard cop»y n. printed material produced by comput-
by chance. er, usu. on paper, suitable for ordinary reading.
hap»py /hapee/ adj. (happier, happiest) 1 feeling or hard core «. 1 an irreducible nucleus. 2 colloq. a the
showing pleasure or contentment. 2 a fortunate, b (of most active or committed members of a society, etc.
words, behavior, etc.) apt; pleasing. 3 colloq. slightly b a conservative or reactionary minority.
drunk. 4 (in comb.) colloq. inclined to use excessively hard-core adj. blatant; uncompromising, esp.: 1 (of
(trigger-happy), dd hap«pi»ly adv. hap*pi*ness n. pornography) explicit; obscene. 2 (of drug addiction)
hap«py-go-luck*y adj. cheerfully casual. relating to hard drugs, esp. heroin.
hap*py hour n. a period of the day when drinks are hard»COV»er /hardkavar/ adj. &n. »adj. bound between
sold at reduced prices. rigid boards (a hardcover edition). *n. a hardcover
hap*py me»di»um n. a compromise; the avoidance of book.
extremes. hard disk n. Computing a rigid nonremovable magnet*
ha»ra-ki»ri /harakeeree, ha'aree-/ n. ritual suicide by dis- ic disk with a large data storage capacity.
embowelment with a sword, formerly practiced by hard drive n. Computing = HARD disk.
samurai when disgraced or sentenced to death. hard»en/ha'ardan/t'. 1 tr.&intr. make or become hard.
ha«rangue /harang/ n. &
v. •«. a lengthy and earnest 2 intr. &
tr. become, or make (one's attitude, etc.), less

speech, mv.tr. lecture or make a harangue to. dd ha» sympathetic. 3 intr. (of prices, etc.) cease to fail <>r Hue
rangu*er n. tuate. dd hard»en»er n.
ha*rass /haras, haras/ v. tr. 1 trouble and annoy contin- hard»en»ing/haardaning/ n. 1 the process oi becoming
ually or repeatedly. 2 make repeated attacks on (an en- hard. 2 (in full hardening of the arteries) Med. AR-
emy or opponent), dd ha*rass*er n. ha»rass»ing«ly adv. TERIOSCLEROSIS.
ha*rass*ment n. hard hat n. 1 a protective helmet worn on building
Traditionally, the preferred pronunciation stresses etc. 2 colloq. a reactionary person.
the first syllable, as "HAR-uhs," but the pronuncia- hard»head»ed /hakrdhedid/ odj, pnu tit al; reali rii not
tion that puts the stress on the second syllable is more sentimental, nn hard«head«ed«ly ndr. hard-head-ed«
widespread; this is also true for harassment. ness n.
 .

hard-heart»ed /ha'ardha'artid/ adj. unfeeling; unsympa- 359 hard-hearted - hartshorn

thetic, an hard-heart»ed»ly adv. hard-heart»ed»ness n.
hard-hiMing adj. aggressively critical. instrument held against the lips to produce different
har»di»hood /ha'ardeehOod/ n. boldness; daring. notes by blowing or sucking.
hard line n. unyielding adherence to a policy, dd hard- har*mo«ni*OUS /haarm6neeas/ adj. 1 pleasant sound-
liner n. a person who adheres rigidly to a policy. ing; tuneful. 2 forming a pleasing or consistent whole.
hard luck n. worse fortune than one deserves. 3 free from disagreement, dd har«mo»ni»ous»ly adv.
hard«ly /haardlee/ adv. 1 scarcely (we hardly knew them) har«mo«ni»ous«ness n.
2 only with difficulty (could hardly speak). 3 harshly. har»mo«ni«um /haarmoneeam/ n. a keyboard in-
hard-nosed adj. colloq. realistic; uncompromising. strument in which the notes are produced by air driv-
hard nut n. si. a tough, aggressive person, a a hard nut en through metal reeds by bellows operated by the feet.
to crack colloq. a difficult problem. har«mo«nize /haarmaniz/ v. 1 tr. add notes to (a melo-
hard-pressed adj. 1 closely pursued. 2 burdened with dy) to produce harmony. 2 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by

urgent business. with) bring into or be in harmony. 3 intr. make or form

hard sell n. aggressive salesmanship or advertising. a pleasing or consistent whole, dd har»mo»ni»za«tion n.
hardship /ha'ardship/ n. 1 severe suffering. 2 the cir- har«mo»ny /ha'armanee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 a a combina-
cumstance causing this. tion of simultaneously sounded musical notes to pro-
hard stuff n. si. strong liquor, esp. whiskey. duce chords and chord progressions, esp. as having a
hardback /haardtak/ n. a hard biscuit, formerly given pleasing effect, b the study of this. 2 a an apt or aes-
to sailors as rations. thetic arrangement of parts, b the pleasing effect of
hard up adj. 1 short of money. 2 (foil, by for) at a loss this. 3 agreement; concord, n in harmony 1 (of sing-
for; lacking. ing, etc.) producing chords; not discordant. 2 (often
hard»ware and household arti-
/ha'ardwair/ n. 1 tools foil, by with) in agreement.
cles. 2 heavy machinery or armaments. 3 the mechan- harness /haarnis/ n.&v. mn. 1 the equipment of straps
ical and electronic components of a computer, etc. and finings by which a horse is fastened to a cart, etc.,
hard*wear*ing /ha'ardwairing/ adj. able to stand much and controlled. 2 a similar arrangement for fastening
wear. a thing to a person's body, for restraining a young child,
hard-wired adj. involving or achieved by permanently etc. mv.tr. 1 a put a harness on. b (foil, by to) attach
connected circuits designed to perform a specific func- by a harness. 2 make use of (natural resources) esp. to
tion. produce energy, d in harness in the routine of daily
hard*wood /ha'ardwood/ n. the wood from a deciduous work.
broad-leaved tree. harp /haarp/ n. &
v. mn. a musical instrument, roughly

hard*work*ing /ha'ardwarking/ adj. diligent. triangular in shape, consisting of a frame supporting a

har«dy /ha'ardee/ adj. (hardier, hardiest) 1 capable of graduated series of parallel strings, played by plucking
enduring difficult conditions. 2 (of a plant) able to with the fingers. • v. intr. (foil, by on) talk repeatedly and
grow in the open air all year round, dd har*di*ness n. tediously on a particular subject, dd harp-ist n.
hare /hair/ n. 1 any of various mammals of the family har*poon /haarpoon/ n. & v. mn. a barbed spearlike
Leporidae, like a large rabbit, with tawny fur, long ears, missile with a rope attached, for killing whales, etc.
short tail and hind legs longer than forelegs. 2 (in full mv.tr. spear with a harpoon, dd har«poon«er n.
electric hare) a dummy hare propelled by electricity, har*poon gun n. a gun for firing a harpoon.
used in greyhound racing. harp seal n. a Greenland seal, Phoca groenlandica, with
hare«bell /hairbel/ «. la plant with slender stems and a harp-shaped dark mark on its back.
pale blue bell-shaped flowers. 2 = bluebell. harp»si»chord ha'arpsikawrd' n. a keyboard in-
ha retrained /hairbraynd/ adj. rash; foolish; wild. strument with horizontal strings that are plucked me-
hare*lip /hairlip/ n. a congenital fissure of the upper lip. chanically, dd harD«si*chord*ist n.
dd hare*lipped adj. har»py /ha'arpee/ n. (pi. -pies) 1 (in Greek and Roman
har»em /hairam, har-/ n. 1 the women of a Muslim mythology) a monster with a woman's head and body
household. 2 their quarters. and bird's wings and claws. 2 a grasping unscrupulous
har*i*cot /ariko/ n. 1 (in full haricot vert /ver/ ) a vari- person.
ety of French bean with small white seeds. 2 the dried har»ri»dan Tiarid'n' bad-tempered woman.
n. a
seed of this used as a vegetable. har^ri-er /hareear/«.
1
hound used for hunting hares.
1 a
hark /haark/ v.intr. (usu. in imper.) archaic listen atten- 2 a cross-country runner or group of runners.
tively, d hark back revert to a topic discussed earlier. har»ri»er 2 /hareear/ n. any bird of prey of the genus
hark*en var. of hearken. Circus, with long wings for swooping over the ground.
har*le*quin /ha'arlikwin/ n. &
adj. mn. (Harlequin) a har«row /haro/ n. &
v. • n. a heavy frame with iron teeth
mute character in pantomime, usu. masked and dragged over plowed land to break up clods, remove
dressed in a diamond-patterned costume. • adj. in var- weeds, cover seed, etc. mv.tr. 1 draw a harrow over
ied colors. (land). 2 (usu. as harrowing adj.) upset or distress
haMot /haarlat/ n. archaic a prostitute, dd har«lot»ry n. greatly, dd har»row»er n. har«row«ing»ly adv.
harm /haarm/ n. & v. mn. hurt; damage, mv.tr. cause har«ry /haree/ v.tr. (-ries, -ried) 1 ravage or despoil.
harm d out of harm's way in safety.
to. 2 harass; worry.
harnvful /ha'armfool/ adj. causing or likely to cause harsh /haarsh/ adj. 1 unpleasantly rough or sharp. 2 se-
harm, dd harnvfuMy adv. harm*ful*ness n. vere; cruel, dd harsh*en v.tr. intr. harsrHy adv. &
harmless /haarmlis/ adj. 1 not likely to cause harm. harsh*ness n.
2 inoffensive, dd harm*less*ly adv. harnvless-ness n. hart /haart/ n. esp. Brit, the male of the deer.
har«mon»ic /haarmonik/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of or char- har»te«beest /ha'artabeest, ha'artbeest/ n. any large Af-
acterized by harmony. 2 Mus. a of or relating to har- rican antelope of the genus Alcelaphus, with ringed
mony, b (of a tone) produced by vibration of a string, horns bent back at the tips.
etc., in an exact fraction of its length, mn. Mus. an hartS*horn /haarts-hawrn/ n. archaic 1 an ammonious
overtone accompanying at a fixed interval (and form- substance obtained from the horns of a hart. 2 (in full
ing a note with) a fundamental, dd har»mon»i»caMy spirit of hartshorn) an aqueous solution of ammonia.
adv.
har»mon»i»ca /haarmonika/ n. a small rectangular wind See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
harum-scarum ~ have 360
hatch /hach/ n. 1 an opening between two rooms, e.g.,
l

between a kitchen and a dining room for serving food.

har-um-scar-um/hairamskairam/ady. &n. colloq. •adj. 2 an opening in an aircraft, spacecraft, etc. 3 Naut. a =
wild and reckless, •n. such a person. hatchway, b a trapdoor for this.
harvest /haarvist/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a the process of gath- hatch 2 /hach/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. a (often foil, by out)
ering in crops, etc. b the season when this takes place. (of a young bird or fish, etc.) emerge from the egg.
2 the season's yield. 3 the product of any action, •v.tr. b (of an egg) produce a young animal. 2 tr. incubate
1 gather as a harvest. 2 experience (consequences). (an egg). 3 tr. (also foil, by up) devise (a plot, etc.). mn.
do har»vest«a«ble adj. 1 the act or an instance of hatching. 2 a brood hatched.
har»vest»er /ha'arvistar/ n. 1 a reaper. 2 a reaping ma- hatch 3 /hach/ v.tr. mark (a surface) with close parallel
chine. lines.
har*vest*man /ha'arvistmsn/ n. (pi. -men) an arachnid hatch«back /hachbak/ n. a car with a sloping back
of the family Opilionidae, with very long thin legs. hinged at the top to form a door.
has 3rd sing, present of have. hatch»er»y /hacharee/ n. (pi. -ies) a place for hatching
has-been /hazbin/ n. colloq. a person who has lost a for- eggs, esp. of fish or poultry.
mer importance. hatch*et /hachit/ n. a light short-handled ax.
hash /hash/ n.
i
& v. • «. 1 a dish of cooked meat and hatch»et job n. colloq. a fierce destructive critique of a
potatoes cut into small pieces and recooked. 2 a a mix- person, esp. in print.
ture; a jumble, b a mess. •v.tr. (often foil, by out) set- hatch»et man n. colloq. 1 a hired killer. 2 a person
tle by conferring or debating. make a hash of colloq. employed to harm or dismiss another.
make a mess of; bungle. hatching /haching/ n. Art &Archit. close parallel lines
hash 2 /hash/ n. colloq. hashish. forming shading.
hash*ish /hasheesh, hasheesh/ n. a resinous product of hatch*way /hachway/ n. an opening in a ship's deck for
the top leaves and tender parts of hemp, smoked or lowering cargo into the hold.
chewed for its narcotic effects. hate /hayt/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 dislike intensely. 2 colloq.
Ha*sid /kha'asid, khaw-, ha'a-/ n. (pi. Hasidim /-sidim, a dislike, b (foil, by verbal noun or to + infin.) be re-
-see-/) a member of any of several mystical Jewish luctant (to do something). •«. 1 hatred. 2 colloq. a
sects, esp. one founded in the 18th c. dd Ha*sid*ic hated person or thing, dd hate*a*ble adj. (also hat«a«
/— sidik/ adj. ble).
hasn't /hazant/ has not.
contr. hate*ful /haytfool/ adj. arousing hatred, dd hate*fuMy
hasp /hasp/ n. &v. • n. a hinged metal clasp that fits adv. hate*ful*ness n.
over a staple and can be secured by a padlock, •v.tr. hat«pin /hatpin/ n. a long pin, often decorative, for se-
fasten with a hasp. curing a hat to the head.
ha»tred /haytrid/ n. intense dislike or ill will.
hat»stand /hatstand/ n. a stand with hooks on which to
hang hats.
haMer /hatar/ n. a maker or seller of hats.
hat trick n. Sports the scoring of three goals, etc., in a
single game, match, etc., by one player.
haugh-ty /hawtee/ adj. (haughtier, haughtiest) arro-
gantly self-admiring, dd haugrctMy adv. haugh*ti*ness
n.
haul /hawl/ v. & pull forcibly. 2 tr. transport
n. mv. 1 tr.

by truck, cart, etc.turn a ship's course. 4 tr. col-

3 intr.

loq. (usu. foil, by up) bring for reprimand. mn. 1 the

hasp
has*sle /hasal/ n. & v. colloq. • n. 1 a prolonged trou-
ble or inconvenience. 2 an argument or involved strug-
gle. • v. 1 tr. harass; annoy. 2 intr. argue; quarrel.
has»sock /hasok/ n. a thick firm cushion for kneeling
on, esp. in church.
haste /hayst/ n. & v. • n. 1 urgency of movement or ac-
tion. 2 excessive hurry, •v.intr. archaic = hasten. in
haste quickly; hurriedly, make haste hurry.
has»ten /haysan/ v. 1 intr. make haste; hurry. 2 tr. cause
to occur sooner.
hast»y /haystee/ adj. (hastier, hastiest) 1 hurried; act-
ing quickly. 2 said or done too quickly; rash. 3 quick-
tempered, dd hastily adv. hastiness n.
hat /hat/ n. 1 a covering for the head, often with a brim
and worn out of doors. 2 colloq. a person's occupation
or capacity, esp. one of several (wearing his manageri-
act of hauling. 2 an amount acquired. 3 a distance to
be traversed (a short haul), dd hauler /hawbr/ n.
haul«age /hawlij/ n. 1 the commercial transport of
goods. 2 a charge for this.
haulm /hawm/ n. (also halm) 1 a stalk or stem. 2 the
stalks or stems collectively of peas, beans, potatoes,
etc., without the pods, etc.
haunch /hawnch/ the fleshy part of the buttock
n. 1
with the thigh, esp. in animals. 2 the leg and loin of a
deer, etc., as food.
haunt /hawnxJ v. &n. mv.tr. 1 (of a ghost) visit (a place)
regularly. 2 frequent (a place). 3 (of a memory, etc.)
be persistently in the mind of. »n. 1 (often in pi. ) a
place frequented by a person. 2 a place frequented by
animals, esp. for food and drink, nn haunt»er //.
haunHng /hawnting/ adj. (of a melody, etc.) wist Ink
evocative, dd haunt*ing*ly adv.
Hau*sa /howzo/ n. tsfadj. mti. (pi. same or Hausas) 1 a a
people ofW. Africa and the Sudan, b tnembei <>! tins :i

al hat), a keep it under one's hat colloq. keep it secret. people. 2 the Hamitic language of this people, widely
out of a hat by random selection, pass the hat collect used in W.Africa, mad]. «>| or relating i<> this people oi
contributions of money, take off one's hat to (or hats language.
off to) colloq. acknowledge admiration for. throw one's haute cou»ture An kooto'or/ >/. high fashion.
hat in the ring take up a challenge, dd haMul n. (pi. haute cui»sine /ot kwizeen/ >/. cooking oi i high itand
-fuls). hat-less adj. ard.
hat«band /hatband/ n. a band of ribbon around a hat hau»teur /hotrir/ n. haughtiness of manner.
above the brim. have /hav/ v. & n. tV. ( fod sin^. present has /h;r//; past
hat»box /hatboks/ n. a box to hold a hat. and past part, had /had/) mv.tr. 1 hold in possession ||
 . )
one's property or at one's disposal (has a car). 2 hold
in a certain relationship (has a sister) 3 contain as a
.
part or quality (house has two floors) 4 a undergo; expe-
. hawk*weed /hawkweed/
rience; (has a headache), b be subjected to a specified
state (had my car stolen). C cause or invite (a person or
thing) to be in a particular state or take a particular
action (had him dismissed; had my hair cut) 5 a engage .
in (an activity) (had an argument), b hold (a meeting,
party, etc.) 6 eat or drink (had a beer) 7 (usu. in neg.
. .
accept or tolerate (7 won't have it). 8 a let (a feeling,
etc.) be present (have nothing against them), b show or
feel (mercy, pity, etc.) toward another person (have
pity on him). C (foil, by to + infin.) show by action that
one is influenced by (a feeling etc.) (have the goodness
to leave now) 9 a give birth to (offspring) b conceive
. .
mentally (an idea, etc.). 10 receive; obtain (had a let-
ter from him). 11 be burdened with or committed to
(has a job to do) 1 2 a have obtained (a qualification)
. hayrick /hayrik/ n. - haystack.
(has several degrees) b know (a language) (has no Lat-
. hay»seed /hayseed/ n. 1 grass seed obtained from
in). A3 si. a get the better of (/ had him there), b (usu.
in passive) cheat (you were had) 1 4 coarse si. have sex-
. hay*stack /haystak/
ual intercourse with. »v.aux. (with past part, or ellipt.,
to form the perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect tens-
es, and the conditional mood) (have worked; had seen;
will have been). »n. (usu. in pi.) colloq. a person who
has wealth or resources, d had better would find it pru-
dent to. have got to colloq. = have to. have had it col-
loq. 1 have missed one's chance. 2 (of a person) have
passed one's prime; (of a thing) be worn out or bro-
ken. 3 have been killed, defeated, etc. 4 have suffered
or endured enough, have it 1 (foil, by that + clause)
express the view that. 2 win a decision in a vote, etc.
3 have found the answer, etc. have it in for colloq. be
hostile toward, have it out (often foil, by with) colloq.
attempt to settle a dispute by discussion or argument.
have on 1 be wearing (clothes). 2 be committed to (an
engagement), have out get (a tooth, etc.) extracted
(had her tonsils out) have to be obliged to; must.
. indistinct. 3 confused; uncertain, dd ha*zi*ly adv. ha«
ha»ven /hayvan/ n. 1 a harbor or port. 2 a place of ref-
uge.
have-not n. (usu. in pi.) colloq. a person lacking wealth
or resources.
haven't /havant/ contr. have not.
hav*er*sack /havarsak/ n. a stout bag carried on the
back or over the shoulder.
hav«OC /havak/ n. great confusion or disorder, n play
havoc with colloq. cause great confusion or difficulty
to.
Ha*wai«ian /hawian/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a a native of
Hawaii, an island or island group (comprising a US
state) in the N. Pacific, b a person of Hawaiian de-
scent. 2 the language of Hawaii, •adj. of or relating to
Hawaii or its people or language.
hawfinch /hawfinch/ n. a large Old World finch of the
genus Coccothraustes, with a thick beak for cracking
seeds.
hawk 1
/hawk/ n. &
v. • n. 1 any of various diurnal birds
of prey of the family Accipitridae, having a characteris-
tic curved beak and a long tail. 2 Polit. a person who
advocates a warlike policy, esp. in foreign affairs. • v.
intr. hunt game with a hawk, dd hawk*ish adj. hawk*
ish»ness n. hawMike adj.
hawk 2 /hawk/ v. tr. carry around and offer goods for sale
(street vendors were hawking souvenirs)
hawk 3 /hawk/ v. 1 intr. clear the throat noisily. 2 tr. (foil,
by up) bring (phlegm, etc.) up from the throat.
hawk*er /hawkar/ n. a person who travels about selling
goods.
hawk-eyed adj. keen-sighted.
hawk moth n. any moth of the family Sphingidae, hav-
ing narrow forewings and a stout body.
hawks»bill /hawksbil/ n. (in full hawksbill turtle) a small
turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, yielding tortoiseshell.
361 haven ~ head
n. any composite plant of the
genus Hieracium, with yellow flowers.
hawser /hawzar/ n. Naut. a thick rope or cable for
mooring a ship.
haw«thorn /hawthawrn/ n. a thorny shrub or tree with
small dark red fruit.
hay /hay/ n. grass cut and dried for fodder, c make hay
(while the sun shines) seize opportunities for profit or
enjoyment.
hay fe«ver n. a common allergy with respiratory symp-
toms, caused by pollen or dust.
hay*mak*er /haymaykar/ n. 1 a person who tosses and
spreads hay to dry after mowing. 2 an apparatus for
shaking and drying hay. 3 si. a forceful punch, dd hay*
making n.
hay.
2 colloq. a yokel.
n. a packed pile of hay.
haywire /haywir/ adj. colloq. 1 out of control. 2 (of a
person) erratic.
haz*ard /hazard/ «. &
w •«. 1 a danger or risk. 2 a
source of this. 3 chance. 4 Golf an obstruction in play-
ing a shot, e.g., a bunker, water, etc. •v.tr. 1 venture
(hazard a guess). 2 run the risk of. 3 expose to hazard.
haz*ard*ous /hazardas/ adj. risky; dangerous, dd haz»
ard*ous*ly adv.
haze /hayz/ n. 1 obscuration of the atmosphere near the
earth by fine particles of water, smoke, or dust. 2 men-
tal obscurity or confusion.
ha*zel /hayzal/ n. 1 a shrub or small tree bearing round
brown edible nuts. 2 wood from the hazel. 3 a green-
ish brown color (esp. of the eyes).
ha*zel*nut /hayzalnut/ n. the fruit of the hazel.
ha*zy /hayzee/ adj. (hazier, haziest) 1 misty. 2 vague;
ziTiess n.
Hb symb. hemoglobin.
H-bomb /aychbom/ n. = hydrogen bomb.
HDTV abbr. high-definition television.
He symb. Chem. the element helium.
he/hee/ pron. &n. •pron. (obj. him /him/; poss. his/hiz/;
pi. they /thay/) 1 the man or boy or male animal pre-
viously named or in question. 2 a person, etc., of un-
specified sex (if anyone comes he will have to wait). mn.
1 a male; a man. 2 (in comb.) male (he-goat).
See note at everybody.
head /hed/ n. , adj. , & v. • n. 1 the upper part of the hu-
man body, or the foremost or upper part of an animal's
body, containing the brain, mouth, and sense organs.
2 a the head regarded as the seat of intellect, b intel-
ligence (use your head) C mental aptitude (usu. foil, by
.
for. a good head for business). 3 colloq. a headache. 4 a
thing like a head in form or position, esp.: a the oper-
ative part of a tool, b the flattened top of a nail. C the
ornamented top of a pillar, d a mass of flowers at the
top of a stem, e the flat end of a drum, f the foam on
top of a glass of beer, g the upper horizontal part of a
window frame, etc. 5 life when regarded as vulnerable
(it cost him his head). 6 a a person in charge, b a posi-
tion of leadership. 7 the forward part of something.
8 the upper end of something, e.g., a bed. 9 the top or
highest part of something, e.g., a page. 10 a person re-
garded as a numerical unit ($10 a head). 1 1 (pi. same)
a an individual animal as a unit, b (as pi.) a number
of cattle (20 head). 12 a the side of a coin bearing the
image of a head, b (usu. in pi.) this side as a choice
when tossing a coin. 13 a the source of a river or
stream, b the end of a lake at which a river enters it.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

headache ~ heap 362 head-light /hedllt/ n. 1 a strong light at the front of a

motor vehicle or train engine. 2 the beam from this.
14 the height or length of a head as a measure. 15 the head-line /hedlm/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a heading at the top of

component of a machine that is in contact with or very an article or page, esp. in a newspaper. 2 (in pi.) the
close to what is being worked on, esp.: a the compo- most important items of news in a newspaper or broad-
nent on a tape recorder that touches the moving tape cast news bulletin, mv.tr. give a headline to.
in play and converts the signals, b the part of a pho- head-lin-er /hedllnar/ n. a star performer.
nograph that holds the playing cartridge and stylus. head-lock /hedlok/ n. Wrestling 2l hold with an arm
C = printhead. 16 a a confined body of water or steam around the opponent's head.
in an engine, etc. b the pressure exerted by this. 17 a head-long /hedlawng, -long/ adv. adj. 1 with head &
promontory (esp. in place-names) (Nags Head). foremost. 2 in a rush.
18 Nam. a the bow of a ship, b a ship's latrine. 19 a head-mas-ter /hedmastar/ n. (fern, headmistress
main topic for consideration. 20 Journalism = head- /-mistris/) the person in charge of a school.
line n. 21 a culmination or crisis. 22 the fully devel- head-on adj. 1 with the front foremost (a head-on
oped top of a boil, etc. 23 si. a habitual taker of drugs. crash). 2 in direct confrontation.
• attrib.adj. chief or principal(/*cad gardener, head of- head-phone /hedfon/«. (usu. in pi.) a pair of earphones
fice) • v. 1 tr. be at the head or front of. 2 tr. be in
. joined by a band placed over the head, for listening to
charge of (headed a small team) 3 tr. a provide with a
. audio equipment, etc.
head or heading, b (of an inscription, etc.) serve as a head-quar-ters /hedkwawrtsrz/ n. (as sing, or pi.) the
heading for. 4 a intr. face or move in a specified direc- administrative center of an organization.
tion (often foil, by for. heading for trouble), b tr. direct head-rest /hedrest/ n. a support for the head, esp. on
in a specified direction. 5 tr. Soccer strike (the ball) with a seat or chair.
the head, a come to a head reach a crisis, go out of head-room /hedroom, -room/ n. 1 the space or clear-
one's head go mad. go to one's head 1 (of liquor) ance between the top of a vehicle and the underside
make one slightly drunk. 2 (of success) make one con- of a bridge, etc. 2 the space above a driver's or pas-
ceited, head and shoulders colloq. by a considerable senger's head in a vehicle.
amount, head in the sand refusal to acknowledge an head-scarf /hedskaarf/ n. a scarf worn around the head
obvious danger or difficulty, head off 1 get ahead of and tied under the chin, instead of a hat.
so as to intercept and turn aside. 2 forestall, head over head-set /hedset/ n. a set of headphones, often with a
heels 1 turning over completely in forward motion as microphone attached.
in a somersault, etc. 2 utterly; completely (head over head-ship /hedship/ n. the position of chief or leader.
heels in love), hold up one's head be confident or un- head shrink-er n. si. a psychiatrist.
ashamed, in one's head 1 in one's imagination. 2 by head-Stall /hedstawl/ n. the part of a halter that fits
mental process, keep one's head remain calm, keep around a horse's head.
one's head down colloq. remain inconspicuous in dan- head start n. an advantage granted or gained at an ear-
gerous times, lose one's head lose self-control, make ly stage.
head or tail of (usu. with neg. or interrog.) understand head-Stone /hedston/ n. a (usu. inscribed) stone set up
at all. off the top of one's head colloq. impromptu, out at the head of a grave.
of one's head 5/. crazy, over one's head 1 beyond one's head-Strong /hedstrawng, -strong/ adj. self-willed and
ability to understand. 2 without one's knowledge or obstinate.
involvement. 3 with disregard for one's own (stronger) head-wa-ter /hedwawt9r, -woter/ n. (in sing, or pi.)
claim (was promoted over their heads), put heads to- streams flowing at die sources of a river.
gether consult together, put into a person's head sug- head-way /hedway/ n. 1 progress. 2 the rate of prog-
gest to a person, an head-ed adj. (also in comb.), head* ress of a ship. 3 = headroom 1
less adj. head wind n. a wind blowing from directly in front.
head-ache /hedayk/ «.1a continuous pain in the head. head-word /hedward/ n. a word forming a heading.
2 colloq. a a worrying problem, b a troublesome per- head-y /hedee/ adj. (headier, headiest) 1 (of alcohol)
son, an head-ach-y adj. potent; intoxicating. 2 (of success, etc.) likely to cause
head-band /hedband/ n. a band worn around the head conceit, dd head-i-ly adv. head-i-ness n.
as decoration or to keep the hair off the face. heal /heel/ v. 1 intr. (often foil, by up) (of a wound or
head-board /hedbawrd/ n. an upright panel forming injury) become sound or healthy again. 2 tr. cause (a
the head of a bed. wound, disease, or person) to heal or be healed. 3 tr.
head-count /hedkownt/ n. 1 a counting of individual put right (differences, etc.). dd heal-a-ble adj. heal-er
people. 2 a total number of people, esp. the number n.

of people employed in a particular organization. health /helth/ n. 1 the state of being well in body or
head-dress /hed-dres/ n. an ornamental covering or mind. 2 a person's mental or physical condition.
band for the head. 3 soundness (the health of the nation).
head-er /hedar/ n. 1 Soccer a shot made with the head. health food n. food thought to have health-giving qual-
2 colloq. a headlong fall. 3 line or lines of information ities.
printed at the top of the page throughout a document. health-ful /helthfool/ adj. conducive to good health
head-gear /hedgeer/ n. a hat, headdress, or head cov- health main-te-nance or-ga-ni-za-tion //. an
ering. organization that provides medical care 10 subscribers
head-hunt-ing /hedhunting/ n. 1 the practice among who have paid in advance, usu. through a health insur-
some peoples of collecting the heads of dead enemies ance plan.
2 the practice of filling a (usu. senior) busi-
as trophies. health spa n. a resort, club, gym, etc., providing Gm il

ness position by approaching a suitable person ities forexercise and conditioning.

employed elsewhere, do head-hunt v.tr. (also absoi). health-y /helthcc/ adj. (healthier, healthiest) 1 baring
head-hunt-er n. or promoting good health. 2 beneficial; helpful. 3 ol a
head-ing /heding/ n. 1 a a title at the head of a page. satisfactory size or amount (tuadc </ Ihd/rhv profit)
b a division of a subject of discourse, etc. 2 a course dd health-i-ly adv. health-i-ness //.

of an aircraft, ship, etc. heap /heep/ n. (if v. •//. 1 a collection of things lying
head-lamp /hedlamp/ n. - HEADLIGHT. haphazardly one on another. 2 (in pi. ) colloq. a lar^e

head-land /hedland/ n. a promontory. number or amount (heaps ol time). 3 si. an old 01 iii

lapidated thing, esp. a motor vehicle. mv. 1 tr. intr.
collect or be collected in a heap. 2 tr. (foil, by with)
load copiously. 3 tr. (foil, by on, upon) accord or offer
copiously to. 4 tr. (as heaping adj.) (of a spoonful, etc.)
with the contents piled above the brim.
hear /heer/ v. (past and past part, heard /herd/) 1 tr. (al-
so absol.) perceive (sound, etc.) with the ear. 2 tr. lis-
ten to (heard them on the radio). 3 tr. listen judicially to
and judge. 4 j'nrr. (foil, by about, of, or that + clause)
be told or informed. 5 intr. (foil, by from) be contact-
ed by. 6 tr. be ready to obey (an order) 7 tr. grant (a
prayer). hear! hear! int. expressing agreement (esp.
with something said in a speech), hear a person out
listen to all that a person says, hear say (or tell) (usu.
foil, by of, or that + clause) be informed, dd header n.
hearing /heering/w. 1 the faculty of perceiving sounds.
2 earshot (within hearing) 3 an opportunity to state
. warding or uplifting.
one's case (give them a fair hearing). 4 the listening to
evidence in a court of law.
hearing aid n. a small device to amplify sound, worn
by a partially deaf person.
heark»en /ha'arkan/ v.intr. (also hark«en) archaic or lit-
erary (foil, by to) listen.
hearsay /heersay/ n. rumor; gossip. 2 Law the report
1 b the sensation or perception of this. C high tem-
of another person's words by a witness, usu. disallowed
as evidence in a court.
hearse /hars/ n. a vehicle for conveying the coffin at a
funeral.
heart /haart/ n. 1 a hollow muscular organ maintaining
the circulation of blood by rhythmic contraction and
dilation. 2 the breast. 3 a the heart regarded as the cen-
ter of thought and emotion, b a person's capacity for
feeling emotion (has no heart) 4 a courage (take heart)
. preliminary or trial) round in a race or contest. 7 the
b one's mood (change of heart). 5 a the central or in-
nermost part of something, b the vital part (the heart
of the matter). 6 the close compact head of cabbage,
etc. 7 a a heart-shaped thing, b a conventional
representation of a heart. 8 a a playing card of a suit
denoted by a red figure of a heart, b (in pi.) this suit.
d at heart 1 in one's inmost feelings. 2 basically; essen-
tially, break a person's heart overwhelm a person with
sorrow, by heart in or from memory, close to (or near)
one's heart 1 dear to one. 2 affecting one deeply, from
the heart (or the bottom of one's heart) sincerely; pro-
foundly, heart to heart adj. candidly; intimately, in
one's heart of hearts in one's inmost feelings, take to
heart be much affected or distressed by. to one's
heart's content see content 1 with all one's heart sin-
, the genus Erica or Calluna. dd heattvy adj.
cerely; with goodwill, an -heart*ed adj.
all
heart«ache /ha'artayk/ n. mental anguish or grief.
heart aMack n. a sudden occurrence of coronary
thrombosis usu. resulting in the death of part of a heart
muscle.
heartbeat /ha'artbeet/ n. a pulsation of the heart.
heart-break /ha'artbrayk/ n. overwhelming distress.
dd heart*break*ing adj. heart*bro*ken adj.
heart*break*er /ha'artbraykar/ H.la person who is very
attractive but irresponsible in emotional relationships.
2 a story or event that causes overwhelming distress.
heart«burn /haartbarn/ n. a burning sensation in the
chest resulting from indigestion.
heart»en /ha'art'n/ v.tr. intr. & make or
ful, na heart*en*ing*ly adv.
hearMelt /ha'artfelt/ adj. sincere; deeply
hearth /haarth/ n. 1 a the b the ar-
floor of a fireplace,
ea in front of a fireplace. 2 this symbolizing the home.
hearth*rug /ha'arthrug/ n. a rug laid before a fireplace.
heart'My /haartilee/ adv. 1 in a hearty manner; with
goodwill or courage. 2 to a great degree.
hearWand /ha'artland/ n. the central or most important
part of a country or large area.
hearMess /haartlis/ adj. unfeeling; pitiless, dd heart*
less»ly adv. hearMess»ness n.
.
& 363 hear - heave
heart of gold n. a generous nature.
heart-rend»ing adj. very distressing, dd heart-rend»ing»
ly adv.
heart»sick /ha'artsik/ adj. very despondent, dd heart*
sick»ness n.
heart-strings /ha'artstringz/ n.pl. one's deepest feelings
or emotions.
heartthrob /ha'art-throb/ n. 1 beating of the heart.
. 2 colloq. a person for whom one has (esp. immature)
romantic feelings.
heart-to-heart adj. &
n. •adj. (of a conversation, etc.)
candid; intimate. »w. a candid or personal conversa-
tion.
heart»warm«ing /haartwawrming/ adj. emotionally re-
heart*WOOd /ha'artwOOd/ n. the dense inner part of a
tree trunk, yielding the hardest timber.
heart«y /ha'artee/ adj. (heartier, heartiest) 1 strong; vig-
orous. 2 spirited. 3 (of a meal or appetite) large.
4 warm; friendly, dd heart»i»ness n.
heat /heet/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a the condition of being hot.
perature of the body. 2 Physics a a form of energy aris-
ing from the random motion of the molecules of bod-
ies, which may be transferred by conduction,
convection, or radiation, b the amount of this needed
to cause a specific process, or evolved in a process (heat
of formation) 3 hot weather. 4 a warmth of feeling.
.
b anger or excitement. 5 (foil, by of) the most intense
period of an activity (in the heat of the battle). 6 a (usu.
receptive period of the sexual cycle, esp. in female
mammals. 8 pungency of flavor. %v. 1 tr. & intr. make
orbecome hot or warm. 2 tr. inflame; excite or inten-
sify.
heat*ed /he'etid/ adj. 1 angry; inflamed with passion or
excitement. 2 made hot. dd heat«ed»ly adv.
heat»er /he'etar/ n. 1 a device for supplying heat to its
environment. 2 a container with an element, etc., for
heating the contents (water heater). 3 si. a gun.
heat ex»haus»tion n. (also heat prostration) a condi-
tion caused by prolonged exposure to exercise in heat
and characterized by faintness and nausea.
heath /heeth/ n. 1 an area of flattish uncultivated land
with low shrubs. 2 a plant growing on a heath, esp. of
heath»en /he'ethan/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a person who does
not belong to a widely-held religion as regarded by
those that do. 2 an unenlightened person; a person re-
garded as lacking culture or moral principles. 3 Bibl.
a Gentile. madj. 1 of or relating to heathens. 2 having
no religion, dd heath«en»dom n. heath*en*ism n.
heath»er /hethar/ n. 1 an evergreen shrub with purple
bell-shaped flowers. 2 any of various shrubs growing
esp. on moors and heaths, dd heath«er»y adj.
heading /heeting/ n. 1 the imparting or generation of
heat. 2 equipment or devices used to provide heat, esp.
to a building.
heat lightening n. lightning seen as vivid flashes near
become cheer- the horizon, usu. without the sound of thunder.
heat-seek»ing adj. (of a missile, etc.) able to detect in-
felt. frared radiation to guide it to its target.
heatstroke /he'etstrok/ n. a feverish condition caused
by excessive exposure to high temperature.
heatwave /he'etwayv/ n. a prolonged period of abnor-
mally hot weather.
heave /heev/ v. & n. »v. (past and past part, heaved or
esp. Nam. hove /hov/) 1 tr. lift or haul with great ef-
fort. 2 tr. utter with effort or resignation. 3 tr. colloq.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

heave-ho - Hegelian 364 heck*le /hekgl/ v.tr. 1 interrupt and harass (a public
speaker). 2 dress (flax or hemp), no hecMer n.
throw. 4 and
fall rhythmically or spasmodical-
intr. rise hectare /hektair/ n. a metric unit of square measure,
ly. 5 intr. an instance of heaving, a heave in
retch. •«. equal to 100 ares (2.471 acres or 10,000 square
sight Nam. or colloq. come into view, heave to esp. meters), do hec«tar»age /-t9rij/ n.
Nam. bring or be brought to a standstill, qd heavier n. heotic /hektik/ adj. 1 busy and confused; excited.
heave-ho int. &
n. • int. a sailors' cry, esp. on raising 2 having a fever; flushed, an hec*ti*caMy adv.
the anchor. *n. si. (usu. prec. by the or the old) a dis- hecto- /hekta/ comb, form a hundred, esp. of a unit in
missal or rejection. the metric system. ^ Abbr.: ha.
heav»en /hevan/ n. 1 a place regarded in some religions heoto»gram /hektagram/ n. a metric unit of mass,
as the abode of God and the angels, and of the good equal to one hundred grams.
after death, often characterized as above the sky. 2 a hec«tO»li»ter /hektaleetar/ n. a metric unit of capacity,
place or state of supreme bliss. 3 colloq. something de- equal to one hundred liters.
lightful. 4 (usu. Heaven) a God; Providence, b (in hec«tO»me»ter /hektameetar, hektomitar/ n. a metric
sing, ox pi.) an exclamation or mild oath (by Heaven!). unit of length, equal to one hundred meters.
5 (the heavens) esp. poet, the sky. on heavervward hec»tor /hektar/ v.tr. bully; intimidate.
adj. &
adv. heaven»wards adv. he'd /heed/ contr. 1 he had. 2 he would.
heav»en»ly /hevanlee/ adj. 1 of heaven; divine. 2 of the hedge /hej/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a fence or boundary formed

heavens or sky. 3 colloq. very pleasing. by closely growing bushes or shrubs. 2 a protection
heav»en»ly botiVies n.pl. the sun, stars, planets, etc. against possible loss. • v. 1 tr. surround or bound with
heav«en-sent adj. providential; wonderfully oppor- a hedge. 2 tr. (foil, by in) enclose. 3 a tr. reduce one's
tune. risk of loss on (a bet or speculation) by compensating
heavy /hevee/ adj., n., & adv. • adj. (heavier, heaviest) transactions on the other side, b intr. avoid a definite
1 a of great weight; difficult to lift. D (of a person) fat; decision or commitment. 4 intr. make hedges.
overweight. 2 of great density. 3 abundant (a heavy nn hedg«er n.
crop). 4 severe; intense; extensive; excessive (heavy hedge*hog /hejhawg, -hog/ n. a small nocturnal mam-
fighting; a heavy sleep) 5 doing something to excess (a
. mal having a piglike snout and a coat of spines, and
heavy drinker) 6 a striking or falling with force (heavy
. rolling itself up into a ball for defense.
blows; heavy rain) b (of the sea) having large power-
. hedge*hop /hejhop/ v.intr. fly at a very low altitude.
ful waves. 7 (of machinery, artillery, etc.) very large of hedgenow /hejro/ n. a row of bushes forming a hedge.
its kind; large in caliber, etc. (heavy cruiser). 8 causing he«don*ism /he'ed'nizsm/ n. 1 belief in pleasure as the
a strong impact (a heavy fall). 9 needing much phys- highest good and the proper aim of humans. 2 behav-
ical effort (heavy work) 1 (foil, by with) laden. 1 1 car-
. ior based on this, dd he*don*ist n. he»don»is«tic adj.
rying heavy weapons (the heavy brigade) .12a (of a -hedron /he'edran, hedran/ comb, form (pi. -hedra) form-
writing, music, etc.) serious or somber in tone or at- ing nouns denoting geometrical solids with various
titude, b (of an issue, etc.) grave; important. 13 a (of numbers or shapes of faces (rhombohedron) dd -hedral .

food) hard to digest, b (of a literary work, etc.) hard comb, form forming adjectives.
to understand. 14 (of temperament) dignified; stern. hee«bie-jee«bies /heebeejeebeez/ n.pl. (prec. by the) si.
15 (of bread, etc.) too dense from not having risen. a state of nervous depression or anxiety.
1 6 (of ground) difficult to traverse or work. 1 7 hard heed /heed/ v. &
n. • v. tr. attend to; take notice of. • n.
to endure (heavy demands). 18 a coarse; ungraceful careful attention, dd heed«ful adj. heed*ful*ness n.
(heavy features) b unwieldy. • n. (pi. -ies) 1 colloq. a
. heed«less adj. heed*less*ly adv. heedlessness n.
large violent person. 2 a villainous or tragic role in a hee-haw /heehaw/ n. &
v. • n. the bray of a donkey.

play, etc. • adv. heavily (esp. in comb.: heavy-laden). • v.intr. emit a braying sound.
dd heavMy adv. heaviness n. heav«yish adj. heel /heel/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the back part of the foot be-
l

heav»y-du»ty adj. 1 intended to withstand hard use.
2 serious; grave.
heav»y-foot»ed adj. awkward; ponderous.
heav«y going n. slow or difficult progress.
heav*y-hand*ed /hevihandid/ adj. 1 clumsy. 2 over-
bearing; oppressive, do heav»y-hand»ed«ly adv. heav*
y-hand*ed*ness n.
heavy-heart»ed adj. sad; doleful.
heav»y in«dus»try n. industry producing metal, ma-
chinery, etc.
heav»y met*al n. 1 heavy guns. 2 metal of high density.
3 colloq. (often attrib. ) a type of highly-amplified rock run away, turn on one's heel turn sharply around.
music with a strong beat.
low the ankle. 2 the corresponding part in vertebrate
animals. 3 a the part of a sock, etc., covering the heel.
b the part of a shoe or boot supporting the heel. 4 a
thing like a heel in form or position. 5 colloq. an incon-
siderate or untrustworthy person. • v. 1 tr. fit or renew
a heel on (a shoe or boot). 2 tr. (of a dog) follow close-
ly behind its owner. 3 intr. touch the ground with the
heel, as in dancing, d at (or to) heel 1 (of a dog) close
behind. 2 (of a person, etc.) under control, at (or on)
the heels of following closely after (a person or event).
cool one's heels be kept waiting, take to one's heels
dd heel* ess adj. I

heav»y wa*ter n. a substance composed entirely or heel 2 /heel/ v. &

n. mv. 1 intr. (of a ship, etc.) lean over

mainly of deuterium oxide. owing to the pressure of wind or an uneven load (cf
heav«y»weight /heveewayt/ n. 1 a a weight in certain list 2 ). 2 tr. cause (a ship, etc.) to do this. •«. the act
sports, variously defined for professional and amateur or amount of heeling.
boxers, wrestlers, and weightlifters. b a sports partic- heel /heel/ v.tr. (foil, by in) set (a plant) temporarily
5

ipant of this weight. 2 a person, animal, or thing of in the ground at an angle and cover its roots.
above average weight. 3 colloq. a person of influence heel-tap /heeltap/ n. 1 a layer of leather, metal, etc., in
or importance. a shoe heel. 2 liquor left at the bottom of I ^lass alter
He»brew /he'ebroo/ n. &
adj. in. la member of a Se- drinking.
mitic people historically centered in ancient Palestine. heft /heft/ v.tr. lift (something heavy), esp. to jud^e its
2 a the language of this people, b a modern form of weight.
this, used esp. in Israel. • adj. 1 of or in Hebrew. 2 of heft»y /heftee/ adj. (heftier, heftiest) 1 (of I person) big
the Hebrews or the Jews. and strong. 2 (of a thing) lar^e; heavy; powerful; si/a
heck /hek/ int. colloq. a mild exclamation of surprise or ble; considerable, dd heft»My adv. heft*i*nes8 n.
dismay. He»ge«li»an /haygayleenn, hijee / adj. n. •adj. oi <>i &

relating to theGerman philosopher G.W.F. Hegel (d.
1831) or his philosophy of objective idealism. •«. an
adherent of Hegel or his philosophy.
he«gem»o»ny /hijemanee, hejamonee/ n. leadership,
esp. by one nation over others of a confederacy, on heg«
e»mon»ic adj.
he«gi»ra /hijira, hejirs/ n. (also he»ji»ra) 1 (Hegira)
hammad's departure from Mecca to Medina in ad 622.
2 the Muslim era reckoned from this date.
heif»er /hefar/ n. a young cow, esp. one that has not had
more than one calf. he'll /heel/ contr. he will; he shall.
height /hit/ n. 1 the measurement from base to top or hell-bent adj. (foil, by on) recklessly determined.
(of a standing person) from head to foot.
tion above ground or a recognized level (usu. sea lev-
el) 3 any considerable elevation {situated at a height)
. HeMene /heleen/ n. 1 a native of modern Greece. 2 an
4a b rising ground. 5 the top of
a high place or area,
something. 6 a the most intense part or period of an-
ything (the battle was at its height) b an extreme in- .
stance or example (the height offashion).
Avoid pronouncing height with a -th at the end;
many regard this as uneducated.
heighten /hitsn/ v.tr. &
intr. make or become higher
or more intense.
Heinvlich ma«neu»ver/himlik/w. an emergency proce-
dure for assisting a choking victim in which one applies
sudden upward pressure with the fist against the vic-
tim's upper abdomen in order to dislodge the object
causing the choking.
hei*nous /haynas/ adj. (of a crime or criminal) utterly
odious or wicked, dd hei*nous*ly adv. hei»nous»ness
n.
heir /air/ n. a person entitled to property or rank as the
legal successor of its former owner, no heir»dom
heir-less adj. heirship n.
heir ap*par*ent n. an heir whose claim cannot be set
aside by the birth of another heir.
heirless /airis/ n. a female heir, esp. to great wealth.
heiMoom /airloom/ n. 1a piece of personal property
that has been in a family for several generations. 2 a
piece of property received as part of an inheritance.
heist /hist/ n. &
v. si. •n. a robbery, •v.tr. steal.
he»ji»ra var. of hegira.
held past and past part, of hold.
heli- /helee/ comb, form helicopter (heliport).
he«li»an»thus /he'eleeanthas/ n. any plant of the genus
Helianthus, including the sunflower and Jerusalem ar-
tichoke.
hel*i*cal /helikal, he'eli-/ adj. having the form of
lix, dd hel*i*caMy adv. hel*i*coid adj. & n.
hel*i*ces pi. of heijx.
hel*i*cop*ter /helikoptar/ n. a type of aircraft obtaining
liftand propulsion from horizontally revolving over-
head blades.
helio- /heeleeo/ comb, form the sun.
he*li*o*cen*tric /he'eleeosentrik/ adj. 1 regarding the
sun as center. 2 considered as viewed from the sun's
center, dd he«li«o»cen»tri»caMy adv.
he*li*o*graph /he'eleeggraf/ n. &
v. •«. 1a signaling
apparatus reflecting sunlight in flashes from a mova-
ble mirror. 2 an apparatus for photographing the sun.
• v.tr. send (a message) by heliograph, dd he»liK>g«ra«
phy /-leeografee/ n.
he*li*o*trope /heeleeatrop/ n. 1a plant with fragrant
purple flowers. 2 a light purple color.
hel*i*port /heleepawrt/ n. a place where helicopters take
off and land.
he»li»um /heeleeam/ n. Chem. a colorless, light, inert,
gaseous element used in airships and balloons and as
a refrigerant. H Symb.: He.
he«lix /heeliks/ n. (pi. helices /-seez, hel-/) 1 a spiral
curve (like a corkscrew) or a coiled curve (like a watch
spring). 2 Geom. a curve that cuts a line on a solid cone
or cylinder, at a constant angle with the axis.
.
365 hegemony - helpline
hell /hel/ n. 1 in some religions, the abode of the dead,
or of condemned sinners and devils. 2 a place or state
of misery or wickedness, a for the hell of it colloq. for
fun. give a person hell colloq. scold or punish a per-
Mu- son, hell of colloq. extreme or outstanding example of
(a hell of a mess; one hell of a party) hell for leather at
.
full speed, like hell colloq. 1 not at all. 2 exceedingly.
what the hell colloq. it is of no importance.
2 the eleva- hel»le»bore /helibawr/ n. any evergreen plant having
large white, green, or purplish flowers.
ancient Greek, dd HeWervic /helenik/ adj.
HeMervism /helinizam/ n. Greek character or culture
(esp. of ancient Greece), dd HeMen«ize v.tr. &intr. Hel*
len*i*za*tion n.
HeMervist /helinist/ n. an expert on or admirer of Greek
language or culture.
HeMen«is«tic /helinistik/ adj. of or relating to Greek his-
tory, language, and culture from 4th- 1st c. bc.
hel Mire /helfir/ n. the fire or fires regarded as existing
in hell.
hell«hole /helhol/ n. colloq. an oppressive or unbeara-
ble place.
hell-hound /helhowndV n. a fiend.
helMsh /helish/ adj. 1 of or like hell. 2 colloq. extreme-
ly unpleasant, dd helMsrHy adv. helMstvness n.
heMo /hel6, ha-/ int., n. &
v. •int. 1 an expression of
informal greeting. 2 a cry used to call attention. *n.
n. (pi. -los) a cry of "hello." •v.intr. (-loes,-loed) cry "hel-
lo."
hell-rais»er n. a person who causes trouble or creates
chaos.
Hell's An»gel n. a member of a gang of motorcyclists
notorious for outrageous or violent behavior.
helm /helm/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a tiller or wheel by which a
ship's rudder is controlled. 2 the amount by which this
is turned (more helm needed), •v.tr. steer or guide as if
with a helm, o at the helm in control; at the head (of
an organization, etc.).
hel«met /helmit/ n. any of various protective head cov-
erings worn by soldiers, cyclists, etc. dd hel*met*ed adj.
helms*man /helmzman/ n. (pi. -men) a person who
steers a vessel.
a he- help /help/ v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 provide (a person, etc.) with
the means toward what is needed (helped me with my
work). 2 (foil, by up, down, etc.) assist (a person) in
moving, etc., as specified (helped her into the chair). 3
(often absol.) be of use to (a person) (does that help?).
4 contribute to alleviating (a pain or difficulty). 5 pre-
vent or remedy (it can't be helped). 6 (usu. with neg.)
a tr. refrain from (could not help laughing) b refl. refrain .
from acting (couldn't help himself). 7 tr. (often foil, by
to) serve (a person with food) (shall I help you to more
rice?). • n. 1 the act of helping or being helped (we need
your help). 2 a person or thing that helps. 3 a domes-
tic servant, d help oneself (often foil, by to) 1 serve
oneself (with food). 2 take without seeking help; take
without permission, help a person out give a person
help, esp. in difficulty, dd help*er n.
help»ful /helpfool/ adj. (of a person or thing) giving
help; useful, dd help*fuMy adv. help«ful*ness n.
helping /helping/ n. a portion of food, esp. at a meal.
help«less /helplis/ adj. 1 unable to act without help.
2 lacking help or protection, dd help*less*ly adv. help*
lessTiess n.
helpline /helplln/ n. a telephone service providing help
with problems.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

helpmate ~ herd 366 strong fabrics. 3 any of several narcotic drugs made
from the hemp plant (cf cannabis, marijuana). .

help»mate /helpmayt/ n. a helpful companion (usu. a hemp»en /hempan/ adj. made from hemp.
husband or wife). hem»stitch /hemstich/ n. & v. • n. a decorative stitch
hel»ter-skel»ter /heltarskeltar/ adv. adj. %adv. in & used in sewing hems. •v.tr.
with this stitch. hem
disorderly haste, •adj. characterized by disorderly hen /hen/ n. la female bird, esp. of a domestic fowl.
haste. 2 a female lobster or crab or salmon.
hem /hem/ n.
1
&
v. •n. the border of a piece of cloth, hence /hens/ adv. 1 from this time (two years hence).
turned under and sewn down. •v.tr. (hemmed, hem- 2 for this reason (hence we seem to be wrong)
ming) turn down and sew in the edge of (a piece of henceforth /hensfawrth/ adv. (also hence»for»ward
cloth, etc.). d hem in confine; restrict the movement /-fawrward/) from this time onward.
of. hencfvman /henchman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a faithful fol-
hem 2 /hem, ham/ int., n., & ahem) call-
v. •int. (also lower or political supporter, esp. one prepared to en-
ing attention or expressing hesitation by a slight cough gage in crime or dishonest practices by way of serv-
or clearing of the throat. • «. an utterance of this. ice. 2 hist, a squire or page to a person of rank.
(hemmed, hemming) say hem; hesitate
• v.intr. in henge /henj/ n. a prehistoric monument consisting of
speech. hem and haw hesitate in speaking. a circle of massive stone or wood uprights.
he*mal /he'emal/ adj. Anat. 1 of or concerning the hen»na /hena/ n. la tropical shrub, Lawsonia inermis,
blood. 2 situated on the same side of the body as the having small flowers. 2 the reddish dye from its shoots
heart and major blood vessels. and leaves used to color hair.
he-man n. (pi. -men) a masterful or virile man. hen»peck /henpek/ v. tr. (of a woman) constantly ha-
he»ma»tite /he'ematit, hem-/ n. a ferric oxide ore. rass (a man, esp. her husband).
hemato- /he'emato, hem-/ comb, form blood. hen»ry /henree/ n. (pi. -ries or henrys) Electr. the SI unit
he«mat«o«cele /himataseel, he'emataseel, hem-/ n. of inductance that gives an electromotive force of one
Med. a swelling caused by blood collecting in a body volt in a closed circuit with a uniform rate of change
cavity. of current of one ampere per second. ^| Abbr.: H.
he»mat»ol»o»gy /he'ematolajee, hem-/ n. the study of hep var. of hip 3 .

the physiology of the blood and blood-forming organs. hep»a»rin /heparin/ n. Biochem. a substance produced
no he»ma*to*log*i«cal /-talojikal/ adj. he»ma«tol»o«gist in liver cells, etc., used as an anticoagulant.
n. he»pat»ic /hipatik/ adj. 1 of or relating to the liver. 2 dark
hemi- /hemee/ comb, form half. brownish red.
hem«i»ple»gi«a /hemiple'eja, -jeea/ n. Med. paralysis of hep«a»ti»tis /hepatitis/ n. inflammation of the liver.
one side of the body, dd hem*i*ple*gic n. adj. &
hepta- /hepta/ comb, form seven.
He«mip»ter»a /hemiptara/ n.pl. an order of insects hep»ta»gon /heptagan/ n. a plane figure with seven sides
comprising the "true bugs," which have mouthparts and angles, dd hep«tag»c-nal /-taganal/ adj.
adapted for piercing and sucking, no he«mip«ter»an n. hep»tath»lon /heptathlon, -Ian/ n. Sports a seven-event
& adj. he»mip»ter«ous adj. track and field competition, esp. for women.
hemisphere /hemisfeer/ n. half of a sphere. 2 a half
1 her /har/ pron. & poss.pron.
•pron. objective case of she
of the earth, esp. as divided by the equator (into north- (/ like her), •poss.pron. (attrib.) of or belonging to her
ern and southern hemispheres) or by a line passing (her house; her own business)
through the poles (into eastern and western hemisphere) her«ald /herald/ n. &
v. •«. 1 an official messenger

dd hemispheric /-sfeerik, -sferik/ adj. henvi«spher» bringing news. 2 a forerunner (spring is the herald of
i«cal adj. summer), •v.tr. proclaim the approach of; usher in.
hem«line /hemlin/ n. the line or level of the lower edge he*ral*dic /heraldik/ adj. of or concerning heraldry.
of a or coat.
skirt, dress, dd he*ral*di*cal*ly adv.
hem-lock /hemlok/ n. 1 a poisonous umbelliferous her»ald»ry /heraldree/ n. 1 the science or art of dealing
plant, Conium maculatum, with fernlike leaves and with armorial bearings. 2 armorial bearings.
small white flowers. 2 a poisonous potion obtained herb /arb, harb/ n. 1 any nonwoody seed-bearing plant
from this. 3 a coniferous North American tree of the that dies down to the ground after flowering. 2 any
genus Tsuga, with dark green foliage. plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring,
hemo- /he'emo, hemmo/ comb, form = hemato-. medicine, scent, etc. dd her«bif«er«ous /-bifaras/ adj.
he»mo»globin /he'emaglobin, hem-/ n. a red oxygen- herb»like adj.
carrying substance containing iron, present in the red her*ba*ceous /harbayshas, ar-/ adj. of or like herbs.
blood cells of vertebrates. herb»al /arbal, har-/ adj. &
n. *adj. of herbs in medic-

he»mo»phil*i»a /he'emafileea, hem-/ n. Med. a usu. he- inal and culinary use. • n. a book with descriptions and
reditary disorder causing one to tend to bleed severe- accounts of the properties of these.
ly from even a slight injury, through the failure of the herb*al*ist /arbalist, har-/ n. 1a dealer in medicinal
blood to clot normally, dd he»mo«phil«ic adj. herbs. 2 a person skilled in herbs, esp. an early botan-
he»mo»phil»i»ac /he'emafileeak, -fe'elee-, hem-/ n. a ical writer.
person suffering from hemophilia. her»baM»um/harbaireeam,ar -In. (pi. herbaria/ reea
hem»or»rhage/hemarij,hemrij/ n. &v. •«. 1 an escape 1 a systematically arranged collection of dried plant!.
of blood from a ruptured blood vessel, esp. when pro- 2 a book, room, or building for these.
fuse. 2 an extensive, damaging loss, esp. of people or herb»i»cide/harbisid,ar In. a lubttinoetoxic to plants,
assets. • v. intr. undergo a hemorrhage, dd he»mor«rhag» her«biv»ore /harbivawr, ar / n. an animal thai feeds oo
ic /hemarajik/ adj. plants, nn her»biv-o»rous I bivaras/ </<//
hem»or»rhoid /hemaroyd/ n. (usu. in pi.) swollen veins Her»CU»le«an /harkyaleean, kyOolcean/ adj. having <n
at or near the anus. requiring great strength.
he«mos«ta»sis /himostasis, he'emostaysis, hem-/ n. the herd /hard/ n. &
v. •>/. 1 a large number ol anim;ik,

stopping of the flow of blood, dd he»mostat«ic esp. cattle, feeding or traveling or kept together. 2 (oi
/he'emastatik/ adj. ten prec. by the) dcrog. a large number of people; I mob
hemp /hemp/ n. 1 (in full Indian hemp) a herbaceous (prefers not to follow the hen*) • v. 1 intr. isf . tr. g< > or i;i use-

plant, Cannabis sativa, native to Asia. 2 its fiber ex- to go in a herd (herded togtthtf lor warmth), 2 tr. tend
tracted from the stem and used to make rope and (sheep, cattle, etc.). i ii i
herd»er ;/.
 .

herds«man /hardzman/ n. (pi. -men) the owner or keep- 367 herdsman ~ heterodox
er of herds.
here /heer/ adv., n., & int. »adv. 1 in or at or to this airtight closure. 2 protected from outside agencies.
place. 2 indicating a person's presence or a thing of- nn her»met»i»caMy adv. her«me«tism hermitizam n.
fered (here is your coat). 3 at this point in the argument, her»mit /harmit/ n. 1 an early Christian recluse. 2 any
situation, etc. *n. this place, •int. 1 calling attention person living in solitude, nn her«mit«ic -mitik adj.
(here, where are you going with that). 2 indicating one's her»mit»age /harmitij/ «. 1 a hermit's dwelling. 2 a
presence in a roll call. here goes! colloq. an expres- monastery.
sion indicating the start of a bold or uncertain act. her»mit crab n. any crab of the family Paguridae that
here's to I drink to the health of. neither here nor there lives in a cast-off mollusk shell for protection.
of no relevance. her»ni»a /harneea/ n. (pi. hernias or herniae -nee-ee/)
The use of here or there following a demonstrative, the protrusion of part of an organ through the wall of
e.g., this here gadget or that there field, although com- the cavity containing it, esp. of the abdomen, uu her*
mon in dialect, is not regarded as standard, although ni»al adj. her«ni»at»ed adj.
a change in the position of the words, e.g., this gadget he»ro /he'ero/ n. (pi. -roes) 1 a person noted or admired
here, that field there removes objections. for nobility, courage, outstanding achievements, etc.
hereabouts /he'erabowts/ adv. (also here«a»bout) near 2 the chief male character in a poem, play, story, etc.
this place. 3 Gk. Antiq. a man of superhuman qualities, favored
here«aMer /he'eraftar/ adv. & n. *adv. 1 from now on. by the gods; a demigod. 4 dial. = submarine sandwich.
2 in the world to come (after death). •«. 1 the future. he*ro«ic /hirOik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 a of or fit for a hero.

2 life after death. b like a hero. 2 a (of language) grand; dramatic, b (of
here«by /he'erbi/ adv. by this means; as a result of this. a work of art) heroic in scale or subject. »n. (in pi.)
he»red*i«ta»ble /hireditabal/ adj. that can be inherited. 1 high-flown language or sentiments. 2 unduly bold
he*red»i»tar«y /hirediteree/ adj. 1 (of disease, instinct, behavior, an he»ro«i»caMy adv.
etc.) able to be passed down from one generation to her»o»in /heroin/ n. a highly addictive analgesic drug
another. 2 a descending by inheritance, b holding a derived from morphine.
position by inheritance. 3 the same as or resembling her»o«ine heroin/ n. la woman admired for courage,
what one's parents had (a hereditary hatred). 4 of or re- outstanding achievements, etc. 2 the chief female
lating to inheritance, an he»red«i»tar«My adv. character in a play, story, etc.
he«red«i»ty /hireditee/ n. 1 the passing on of physical or her»o»ism heroizam n. heroic conduct or qualities.
mental characteristics genetically from one generation her»on heran/ n. a large wading bird with long legs and
to another. 2 these characteristics. a long S-shaped neck.
Her*e*ford /harfard, herifard/ n. an animal of a breed her»on»ry /heranree/ n. (pi. -ries) a breeding colony of
of red and white beef cattle. herons.
herein /he'erin/ adv. formal in this matter, book, etc. her»o-wor»ship n. idealization of an admired man.
here»in»af»ter /he'erinaftar/ adv. esp. Law formal in a her»pes /harpeez/ n. a virus disease with outbreaks of
later part of this document. blisters on the skin, etc. nn her»pet»ic -petik adj.
her*e*sy /herasee/ n. (pi. -sies) 1 a belief or practice her»pes sinvplex n. a viral infection that may produce
contrary to the orthodox doctrine of esp. the Chris- blisters or conjunctivitis.
tian church, b an instance of this. 2 a opinion contrary her»pes zos»ter zoster = shingles.
to what is normally accepted or maintained, b an in- her*pe*tol*o*gy harpitolajee/ n. the study of reptiles.
stance of this. nn her»pe«tol»o»gist n.
her»e»tic /heratik/ n. 1 the holder of an unorthodox hearing hering' n. a N. Atlantic Clupea harengus,
fish,
opinion. 2 a person believing in or practicing religious coming near the coast in large shoals to spawn.
heresy, nn he«ret«i»cal /hiretikal/ adj. he«ret«i»caMy adv. her»ring*bone /heringbon/ n. a stitch with a zigzag pat-
here«tO /he'ertoo/ adv. formal to this matter. tern.
here«tO»fore /he'ertafawr/ adv. formal before this time. hers /harz/ poss.pron. the one or ones belonging to or
here»up«on /heerapon, -pawn/ adv. after this; in con- associated with her (tf is hers; hers are over there).
sequence of this. her»self /harself/ pron. 1 a emphat. form of she or her
here»with /he'erwith, -with/ adv. with this (esp. of an (she herself will do it), b refl. form of her (she has hurt
enclosure in a letter, etc.). herself). 2 in her normal state of body or mind (does not
her*it*a*ble /heritabal/ adj. 1 Law a (of property) capa- feel quite herself today)
ble of being inherited (cf. movable), b capable of in- hertz liens/ n. (pi. same) a unit of frequency, equal to
heriting. 2 Biol, (of a characteristic) transmissible from one cycle per second.
parent to offspring, no her*it*a*bil*i*ty n. her«it»a»bly he's -lieez/ contr. 1 he is. 2 he has.
adv. hes*i*tant /hezit'nt/ adj. hesitating; irresolute, nn hes»
her«it»age /heritij/ n. 1 anything that is or may be in- i»tance /-tans/ n. hes»i»tan»cy >/. hes»i»tant«ly adv.
herited. 2 inherited circumstances, benefits, etc. (a hes*i*tate /hezitayt/ v. intr. 1 show or feel indecision or
heritage of confusion). 3 a nation's historic buildings, uncertainty (hesitated over her choice) 2 (often foil, by .

monuments, traditions, countryside, etc., esp. when to + infin.) be reluctant (/ hesitate to tell him), nn hes«
regarded as worthy of preservation. i*tat*ing*ly adv. hes«i*ta*tion /-tayshan/ n.
her»maph«ro»dite /harmafradit/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 a Zool. hes»sian /heshan/ n. a strong coarse sacking made of
an animal having both male and female sexual organs. hemp or jute.
b Bot. a plant having stamens and pistils in the same het»er»o /hetaro/ n. (pi. -os) colloq. a heterosexual.
flower. 2 a human being in which both male and fe- hetero- /hetaro/ comb, form other; different (often opp.
male sex organs are present, or in which the sex organs homo-) .

contain both ovarian and testicular tissue. »adj. het*er*o*cyclic /hetsrosiklik, -siklik/ adj. Chem. (of a
combining both sexes, dd her»maph»ro*dit»ic /—ditik/ compound) with a bonded ring of atoms of more than
adj. her«maph*ro*dit*i*cal adj. her»maphTO»dit»ism n. one kind.
her»me«neu»tics /harminobtiks, -nyob-/ n.pl. (also het»er»o»dox /hetaradoks/ adj. (of a person, opinion,
treated as sing. ) Bibl. interpretation, esp. of Scripture etc.) not orthodox, nn het«er«o»dox«y n.
or literary texts, dd her«me*neu«tic adj.
her»met»ic /harmetik/ adj. (also her«meW»cal) 1 with an See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 ) . .

heterodyne ~ hierarchy 368 Gram, a break between two vowels coming together
but not in the same syllable, as in though oft the ear.
het»er»o»dyne /hetaradin/ adj. &
v. Radio •adj. relat- dd hi»a»tal adj.
ing to the production of a lower frequency from the hi*ba*chi /habaachee/ n. a small charcoal-burning bra-
combination of two almost equal high frequencies. zier for grilling food.
• v. intr. produce a lower frequency in this way. hi*ber*nate /hibsrnayt/ v.intr. 1 (of some animals)
het»er»o»ge»ne«ous /hetaroje'eneeas, -nyas/ adj. 1 di- spend the winter in a dormant state. 2 remain inac-
verse in character. 2 varied in content. 3 Math, incom- tive, dd hi*ber*na*tion /-nayshan/ n. hi*ber*na*tor n.
mensurable through being of different kinds or Hi*ber*ni*an /hibarneean/ adj. &
n. archaic poet. *adj.

degrees, dd het«er«c-ge«ne«i«ty /-jineeitee/ n. het»er»o» of or concerning Ireland. • n. a native of Ireland.

ge*ne*ous*ly adv. het«er»o»ge»ne»ous«ness n. hi«bis«cus /hibiskas/ n. any tree or shrub of the genus
het«er»ol»o«gous /hetarotagas/ adj. not homologous. Hibiscus, cultivated for its large bright-colored flow-
dd het»er»ol»o»gy n. ers. Also called rose mallow.
het«er»omor»phic /hetaromawrfik/ adj. Biol. 1 of dis- hie /hik/ int. expressing the sound of a hiccup, esp. a
similar forms. 2 (of insects) existing in different forms drunken hiccup.
at different stages in their life cycle, dd het»er«o«mor» hiocup /hikup/ n. &
v. (also hiocough) «rc. 1 an in-

phism /hetaromawrtizsm/ n. voluntary spasm of the diaphragm and respiratory

het»er»o«sex»u»al /hetarosekshoosl/ adj. n. *adj.
1 feeling or involving sexual attraction to persons of
the opposite sex. 2 concerning heterosexual relations
or people, •n. a heterosexual person, dd het«er«o»sex»
u«al*i*ty /-shooalitee/ n. het»er»o»sex»u»aMy adv.
heu*ris*tic /hyoDristik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 allowing or as-
sisting to discover. 2 Computing proceeding to
tion by trial and error. • n. (in pi. usu. treated as sing.
, hick»o»ry /hikaree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a N. American tree
Computing the study and use of heuristic techniques
in data processing, dd heu«ris«ti»caMy adv.
HEW abbr. US hist. Department of Health, Education,
& organs, with sudden closure of the glottis and
characteristic coughlike sound. 2 a temporary or mi-
nor difficulty. • v. intr. make a hiccup or series of hic-
cups.
hick /hik/ n. colloq. sl country dweller; a provincial.
hick*ey /hikee/ n. (pi. -eys) colloq. a reddish mark on
a solu- the skin produced by a sucking kiss.
yielding tough heavy wood and bearing nutlike edible
fruits (see pecan). 2 the wood of these trees.
h\6past of HIDE 1 .

and Welfare (1953-79). hi*dal*go /hidalgo, eethaalgo/ n. (pi »gos) a Spanish

hew /hyoo/ v. (past part, hewn /hyoon/or hewed) 1 tr. a gentleman.
(often foil, by down, away, off) chop or cut (a thing) hid»den past part, of hide 1
with an ax, a sword, etc. b cut (a block of wood, etc.) hide /hid/ v. (past hid /hid/; past part, hidden /hidan/or
1

into shape. 2 intr. (often foil, by at, among, etc.) strike archaic hid) 1 tr. put or keep out of sight. 2 intr. con-
cutting blows. 3 intr. (usu. foil, by to) conform. ceal oneself. 3 tr. (usu. foil, by from) keep (a fact) se-
hex /heks/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. practice witchcraft. 2 tr. cret (hid his real motive from her). 4 tr. conceal (a thing)
bewitch, mn. 1 a magic spell. 2 a witch. from sight (trees hid the house), dd hid*den adj. hid«er
hexa- /hekss/ comb, form six. n.
hex*ad /heksad/ n. a group of six. hide 2/hid/ n. 1 the skin of an animal, esp. when tanned
hex»a»dec»i»mal /hekssdesimal/ adj. n. esp. Comput-& or dressed. 2 colloq. the human skin (I'll tan your hide)
ing • adj. relating to or using a system of numerical no- dd hid«ed adj. (also in comb.).
1 6 rather than 1
tation that has as a base. • n. the hex- hide-and-seek n. 1 a children's game in which one or
adecimal system; hexadecimal notation, dd hex»a»dec» more players seek a child or children hiding. 2 a proc-
i*mal*ly adv. ess of attempting to find an evasive person or thing.
hex»a»gon /heksagan/ n. a plane figure with six sides hide«a*way /hi'daway/ n. a hiding place or place of re-
and angles, dd hex*a*gon*al /-sagsnal/ adj. treat.
hex*a*gram /heksagram/ «. la figure formed by two hide*bound /hidbownd/ adj. 1 a narrow-minded; big-
intersecting equilateral triangles. 2 a figure of six lines. oted, b (of the law, rules, etc.) constricted by tradi-
hex»a»he*dron /heksahe'edran/ n. a solid figure with six tion. 2 (of cattle) with the skin clinging close as a re-
faces, dd hex«a«he»dral adj. sult of bad feeding.
hex»am»e*ter /heksamitar/ n. a line or verse of six met-
hidebound mid- loth century (as a noun denoting a
rical feet.
condition of cattle): from hide 2 + bound 4 The earliest .

hex»ane /heksayn/ n. Chem. a liquid hydrocarbon of the

sense of the adjective (referring to cattle) was extend-
alkane series.
ed to emaciated human beings, and then applied fig-
hex»a»va»lent /hekssvaylant/ adj. having a valence of
uratively in the sense 'narrow, cramped, or bigoted in
six; sexivalent.
outlook.'
hey /hay/ int. calling attention or expressing joy, sur-
prise, inquiry, etc. hid*e*OUS /hideeas/ adj. 1 frightful, repulsive, or re-
heyday /hayday/ n. the flush or full bloom of youth, volting, to the senses or the mind. 2 colloq. unplcas
vigor, prosperity, etc. ant.dd hid*e*ous*ly adv. hid«e^>us«ness n.

HF abbr. high frequency. hide-OUt n. colloq. a hiding place.

Hf symb. Chem. the element hafnium. hid»ey-hole /hfdeehol/ n. colloq. a hiding place.
Hg symb. Chem. the element mercury. hiding 1
/hiding/ n. colloq. a thrashing.
hg abbr. hectogram(s). hiding /hiding/ n. 1 the act of hiding. 2 the KttC <>t

hgt. abbr. height. remaining hidden (go into hiding).

H-hour /aychowr/ n. the hour at which a military opera- hie /hi/ v.intr. &
refl. (hies, hied, hieing or hying) etp.

tion is scheduled to begin. archaic or poet, go quickly (hie to your chamber, //;<•</ /mn
HHS abbr. (Department of) Health and Human to the chase)
Services. hi»er»ar»chy /hbraarkee/ n. (pi. -chies) 1 a a qpttan in
HI abbr. 1 Hawaii (also in official postal use). 2 the which grades or classes of status or authority arc
Hawaiian Islands. ranked one above the other, b the hierarchical system
hi /hi/ expression of greeting.
int. (of government, management, etc.). 2 a pnestlv gov-
hi*a*tus /hiayt9s/ n. (pi. hiatuses) 1 a break or gap, esp. ernment, b a priesthood organized in grades, nn hl«er»
in a series, account, or chain of proof. 2 Prosody & archie adj. /-raarkik/ hi«er»ar»chi»cal adj.
 .

hi»er«at»ic /hiaratik/ adj. 1 of or concerning priests; 369 hieratic ~ high-speed

priestly.2 of the ancient Egyptian writing of abridged
hieroglyphics as used by priests, dd hi»er»at»i«caMy adv. transmission revolves faster (or slower) than the driv-
hiero- /hiro/ comb, form sacred; holy. ing end.
hi»er»o«glyph /hi'raglif/ n. a picture of an object repre- high-grade adj. of high quality.
senting a word, syllable, or sound, as used in ancient high-hand-ed /hihandid/ adj. disregarding others' feel-
Egyptian and other writing. ings, dd high-hand-ed-ly adv. high-hand-ed-ness n.
hi»er»o«glyph»ic /hiraglifik/ adj. &n. madj. 1 of or writ- high-hat adj., v. &
n. madj. supercilious; snobbish, mv.

ten in hieroglyphs. 2 symbolic. • n. (in pi. ) hieroglyphs; (-hatted, -hatting) 1 tr. treat superciliously. 2 intr. as-
hieroglyphic writing. sume a superior attitude, mn. - hi-hat
hi-fi /hifiV adj. &
n. colloq. madj. of high fidelity. mn. (pi. high jinks n.pl. boisterous joking or merrymaking.
hi-fis) a set of equipment for high fidelity sound re- high jump n. an athletic event consisting of jumping
production. as high as possible over a bar of adjustable height.
hig»gle»dy-pig»gle«dy /higaldeepigaldee/a^. &adj. in highland /hitand/ n. &
adj. mn. (usu. in pi.) 1 an area
confusion or disorder. of high land. 2 (the Highlands) the mountainous part
high /hi/ adj., n., &
adv. madj. 1 a of great vertical ex- of Scotland, madj. of or in a highland or the Highlands.
tent (a high building), b (predic; often in comb.) of a dd high-land-er n.
specified height (one inch high) 2 far above ground or
. high-lev«el adj. 1 (of negotiations, etc.) conducted by
sea level, etc. (a high altitude). 3 extending above the high-ranking people. 2 Computing (of a programming
normal or average level (high boots). 4 of exalted, esp. language) that is not machine-dependent and is usu.
spiritual, quality (high principles). 5 of exalted rank at a level of abstraction close to natural language.
(high society). 6 a great; intense (high praise; high tem- high life n. (also high living) a luxurious existence as-
perature) b greater than normal (high prices) C ex-
. . cribed to the upper classes.
treme in religious or political opinion (high Tory) 7 col- . high-light /hilit/ n. &
v. • n. 1 (in a painting, etc.) a light

loq. (often foil, by on) intoxicated by alcohol or esp.
drugs. 8 (of a sound or note) of high frequency; shrill;
at the top end of the scale. 9 (of a period, an age, a
time, etc.) at its peak (high summer; High Renaissance).
• n. 1 a high, or the highest, level or figure. 2 an area
of high barometric pressure. 3 5/. a euphoric drug-in-
duced state. 4 top gear in a motor vehicle. 5 colloq.
high school, madv. 1 far up; aloft (flew the flag high).
2 in or to a high degree. 3 at a high price. 4 (of a
sound) at or to a high pitch (sang high), a high old col-
loq. most enjoyable (a high old time), high opinion of
a favorable opinion of. on high in or to heaven or a
high place, on one's high horse colloq. behaving su-
perciliously or arrogantly, run high 1 (of the sea) have
a strong current with high tide. 2 (of feelings) be
area, or one seeming to reflect light. 2 a moment or
detail of vivid interest; an outstanding feature. 3 (usu.
in pi.) a bright tint in the hair produced by bleaching.
mv.tr. 1 a draw attention to. b mark with a highlighter.
2 create highlights in (the hair).
high-light-er /hilitar/ n. a marker pen that overlays col-
or on a printed word, etc., leaving it legible and em-
phasized.
high-ly /hilee/ adv. 1 in a high degree (highly amusing;
commend it highly). 2 honorably; favorably (think
highly of him). 3 in a high position or rank (highly
placed)
high-mind*ed /himindid/ adj. 1 having high moral
principles. 2 proud, dd high-mind-ed-ly adv. high-
mind-ed-ness n.

strong. high-ness 1 the state of being high (cf.

/hinis/
n.
high and dry adj. 1 out of the current of events; strand- height). 2 (Highness) a title used in addressing and
ed. 2 (of a ship) out of the water. referring to a prince or princess (Her Highness; Your
higlvball /hibawl/ n. a drink of liquor and soda, etc., Royal Highness).
served with ice in a tall glass. high-oc»cu»pan»cy ve«hi»cle n. a commuter vehicle
high beam n. full, bright illumination from a motor ve- carrying several (or many) passengers.
hicle's headlight. high-oc»tane adj. (of gasoline, etc.) having good anti-
high«born /hibawrn/ adj. of noble birth. knock properties.
high-boy /hiboy/ n. a tall chest of drawers on legs. high-pitched adj. 1 (of a sound) high. 2 (of a roof)
high-brow /hibrow/ adj. &
n. colloq. madj. intellectual; steep.
cultural. mn. an intellectual or cultured person. high-pow-ered adj. 1 having great power or energy.
high chair n. an infant's chair with long legs and a tray, 2 important or influential.
for use at meals. high pres-sure n. la high degree of activity or exer-
high-class adj. of high quality. tion. 2 a condition of the atmosphere with the pres-
high»er court n. Law a court that can overrule the deci- sure above average.
sion of another. high priest «. la chief priest, esp. in early Judaism.
high-er-up n. colloq. a person of higher rank. 2 the head of any cult.
high«fa»lu»tin /hifalobt'n/ adj. (also high-fa-lu-ting high pro*file n. exposure to attention or publicity.
/-ing/) colloq. absurdly pompous or pretentious. dd high-pro-file adj.
high fi«del»i»ty n. the reproduction of sound with little high-rise adj. &
n. madj. (of a building) having many
distortion, giving a result very similar to the original. stories. • n. such a building.
high finance n. financial transactions involving large high-risk adj. (usu. attrib.) involving or exposed to dan-
sums. ger (high-risk sports).
high five n. a gesture of celebration or greeting in which high roll»er n. si. a person who gambles large sums or
two people slap each other's palms with their arms spends freely.
raised. high school n. a secondary school.
high-flown adj. (of language, etc.) extravagant; bom- high seas n.pl. open seas not within any country's ju-
bastic. risdiction.
high-fly»er n. (also high-flier) 1 an ambitious person. high sign n. colloq. a surreptitious gesture indicating
2 a person or thing with great potential for achieve- that all is well or that the coast is clear.
ment, dd high-flying adj. high-speed operating at great speed. 2 (of steel)
adj. 1
high f re-quen-cy n. a frequency, esp. in radio, of 3 to suitable for cutting tools even when red-hot.
30 megahertz.
high gear n. a gear such that the driven end of a See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

high spirits ~ Hippocratic oath 370 hind-er /hindar/

1
v.tr. impede; delay.
(also absol.)
hind»er 2 /hindar/ hind {the hinder part).
adj. rear;
high spirits n.pl. vivacity; energy; cheerfulness. Hin-di /hindee/ n. &adj. • n. 1 a group of spoken dialects
dd high-spirit-ed adj. high-spirit-ed-ness n. of N. India. 2 a literary form of Hindustani with a San-
high-Strung adj. very sensitive or nervous. skrit-based vocabulary, an official language of India.
high-tail /hi'tayl/ v.intr. colloq. move at high speed, esp. • adj. of or concerning Hindi.
in retreat. hind-most /hindmost/ adj. farthest behind; most re-
high-tech adj. &n. madj. 1 employing, requiring, or in- mote.
volved in high technology (a high-tech security system) hind-quar-ters /hindkwawrtarz/ n.pl. the hind legs and
2 (of interior design, etc.) imitating styles more usual adjoining parts of a quadruped.
in industry, etc., esp. using steel, glass, or plastic in a hin-drance /hindrans/ n. 1 the act of hindering. 2 a
functional way.n. = high technology. thing that hinders; an obstacle.
high tech»nol»o»gy n. advanced technological devel- hind-sight /hindsit/ n. wisdom after the event.
opment, esp. in electronics. Hin-du /hindob/ n. &
adj. •«. a follower of Hinduism.
high ten-sion n. = high-voltage. • adj. of or concerning Hindus or Hinduism.
high tide n. the time or level of the tide at its flow. Hin»du»ism /hindooizam/ n. the main religious and so-
high time n. a time that is late or overdue (it is high time cial system of India, including belief in reincarnation
they arrived) and the worship of several gods.
high tops n.pl. sports shoes or sneakers that cover the Hin-du-sta-ni /hindoDsta'anee, -stanee/ n. adj. •«. a &
ankle. language based on Western Hindi, with elements of
high-volt-age adj. having enough electrical potential Arabic, Persian, etc., used as a lingua franca in much
to injure or damage. of India, madj. of or relating to Hindustan or its peo-
high-way /hiway/ n. 1 a a public road, b a main route ple, or Hindustani.
(by land or water). 2 a direct course of action {on the hinge /hinj/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a a

highway to success). movable joint by which a door

high-way-man /hiwayman/ n. {pi. -men) hist, a robber is hung on a side post, b Biol, a

of passengers, travelers, etc., usu. mounted. natural joint performing a sim-

high wire n. a high tightrope. ilar function, e.g., that of a bi-
hi-hat n. a pair of foot-operated cymbals forming part valve shell. 2 a central point or
of a drum set. principle on which everything
hi-jack /hijak/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 seize control of (an air- depends, mv. 1 intr. (foil, by on)
craft in flight, etc.), esp. to force it to a different desti- depend (on a principle, an
nation. 2 seize (goods) in transit. 3 take over (an event, etc.) {all hinges on his
organization, etc.) by force or subterfuge in order to acceptance) 2 tr. attach with or
.

redirect it. • n. an instance of hijacking, dd hi-jack-er n. as if with a hinge, dd hinged adj.

hike /hik/ n. &
v. •«. 1a long walk, esp. in the wil- hin-ny /hinee/ n. {pi. -nies) the
derness with backpacks, etc. 2 an increase (of prices, offspring of a female donkey
etc.). mv. 1 intr. walk for a long distance, esp. with and a male horse.
boots, backpack, etc. 2 (usu. foil, by up) tr. hitch up hint /hint/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a slight hinge, la
(clothing, etc.); hoist; shove. 3 tr. increase (prices, or indirect indication or sugges-
etc.). d take a hike go away (used as an expression of tion {took the hint and left). 2 a small piece of practical
annoyance), dd hik-er n. information {handy hints on cooking) 3 a very small .

hi-lar-i-ous /hilaireeas/ adj. 1 exceedingly funny. trace; a suggestion {a hint of perfume), mv.tr. (often
2 boisterously merry, dd hi-lar-i-ous-ly adv. hi-lar-i- foil, by that + clause) suggest slightly {hinted that
ous-ness n. hi-lar-i-ty /-laritee/ n. they were wrong), a hint at give a hint of; refer indirect-
hill /hil/ n. la naturally raised
area of land, not as high ly to.
as a mountain. 2 (often in comb.) a heap; a mound hin-ter-land /hintarland/ n. 1 the areas beyond a coast-
{anthill; dunghill). 3 a sloping piece of road, o over the al district or a river's banks. 2 a remote area served by
hill colloq. 1 past the prime of life; declining. 2 past the a port or other center.
crisis. hip /hip/ n. a projection of the pelvis and upper thigh
1

hill-bil-ly /hilbilee/ n. {pi. -lies) colloq., often derog. 1 a bone on each side of the body, dd hipped adj. (also in
person from a remote or mountainous area, esp. in the comb.).
Appalachian Mountains. 2 country music of or like hip 2 /hip/ n. the fruit of a rose, esp. a wild kind.
that originating in the Appalachian region. hip 3 /hip/ adj. (also hep /hep/) (hipper, hippest or hep-
hill-ock /hitak/ n. a small hill or mound, dd hill-ock-y per, heppest) 5/. 1 following the latest fashion in mu-
adj. sic, clothes, etc. 2 understanding; aware {he's hip to
hill-side /hilsid/ n. the sloping side of a hill. your games), dd hip-ness n.
hill-top /hiltop/ n. the summit of a hill. hip 4 /hip/ int. introducing a united cheer {hip, hip, //<».>
hill»y /hilee/ adj. Chillier, hilliest) having many hills. ray).
dd hill-i-ness n. hip-bone /hipbon/ n. a bone forming the hip, esp the
hilt /hilt/ n.the handle of a sword, dagger, etc. d up to ilium.
the hilt completely. hip-hop n. urban youth rock music or the
a style of
him /him/ pron. 1 objective case of he (/ saw him). 2 col- street subculture that surrounds it (typically includ-
loq. he {it's him again; is taller than him). ing graffiti art, rap, and break dancing).
him-self /himself/ pron. 1 a emphat. form of he or him hip-hug-gers n.pl. trousers hanging from the Inps.
{he himself will do it), b refl.form of him {he has hurt him- hip joint n. the articulation of the head of the thigh
self). 2 in his normal state of body or mind {does not bone with the ilium.
feel quite himself today) u be himself act in his normal
. hip-pie /hipee/ n. (also hip-py) {pi. -pies) coOoq. (cap.
unconstrained manner. in the 1960s) a person with long hair, jeans, betdt,
hind /hind/ adj. (esp. of parts of the body) situated
1
at etc., often associated with hallucinogenic drugs a md
the back {hind leg). rejection of conventional values.
hind 2 /hind/ n. a female deer (usu. a red deer), esp. in hip-po /hipo/ n. (pi. -pos) colloq. a hippopotamus.
and after the third year. Hip-po-crat-ic oath /hipnkratik/ n. an oath taken by
 .

doctors affirming their obligations and proper con- 371 hippodrome ~ hitch
duct.
hip«po»drome /hipadrom/ n. an arena used for eques- his»tor»i»cism /histawrisizam, -stor-/ n. 1 the theory
trian or other sporting events. that social and cultural phenomena by are determined
hip«popot«a»mus /hipapotamas/ hippopota- n. (pi. history. 2 the belief that historical events are governed
muses or hippopotami /-mi/) a large thick-skinned by laws, dd his»tor»i»cist n.
four-legged mammal, Hippopotamus amphibius, native his«tO»ric«i»ty /histarisitee/ n. the historical genuineness
to Africa, inhabiting rivers, lakes, etc. of an event, etc.
hip'py var. of hippie.
1
his«to»ri»og»ra»phy /histawreeografee/ n. 1 the writing
hip«py - /hipee/ adj. having large hips. of history. 2 the study of historical writing, dd his«to«
hip»Ster /hipstar/ n. si. a person who is stylish or hip. ri«og»ra»pher n. his»to«ri»o»graph»ic /-reeagrafik/ adj.
dd hip»ster»ism n. his»tOTi*o*graph«i»cal adj.
hire /hir/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 employ (a person). 2 procure his«to»ry /histaree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a continuous, usu.
the temporary use of (a thing) for an agreed payment. chronological, record of important or public events.
• n. hiring or being hired. for hire ready to be hired. 2 a the study of past events, esp. human affairs, b the
dd hir*a*ble adj. (also hire«a«ble). hir»er n. total accumulation of past events, esp. relating to hu-
hireling /hirling/ n. usu. derog. a person who works for man affairs or a particular nation, person, thing, etc.
hire. (the history of astronomy) 3 an eventful past (this house
.

hir*SUte /harsyobt/ adj. hairy; shaggy, dd hir*sute*ness has a history) 4 a systematic account of a past event
.

n. or events, etc. d make history do something memora-

his /hiz/ poss.pron. 1 (attrib.) of or belonging to him (his ble.
house). 2 the one or ones belonging to or associated
history late Middle English (also as a verb): via Lat-
with him (it is his; his are over there)
infrom Greek historia 'finding out, narrative, history,'
His»pan»ic/hispanik/ad7. &n. %adj. 1 of or being a per-
from histor 'learned, wise man,' from an Indo-Europe-
son of Latin-American or Iberian descent in the US.
an root shared by \vrr 2 .

2 of or relating to Spain or to Iberia. 3 of Spain and

other Spanish-speaking countries, •n. a Spanish- his«tri«on»ic /histreeonik/ adj. & n. madj. (of behavior)
speaking person, esp. one of Latin-American descent, theatrical; dramatic. »n. (in pi.) insincere and dramat-
living in the US. dd His*pan*i*cize /-nisiz/ v.tr. ic behavior designed to impress, dd his»tri»on»i»caMy
hiss /his/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. (of a person, snake, etc.) adv.
make a sharp sibilant sound, esp. as a sign of disap- hit /hit/ v. &n. mv. (hitting; past and past part, hit) 1 tr.

proval (audience booed and hissed) 2 tr. express disap-

. a strike with a blow or a missile, b (of a moving body)
proval of (a person, etc.) by hisses. 3 tr. whisper (a strike (the plane hit the ground). C reach (a target, a per-
threat, etc.) angrily ("we'll see about that," he hissed). son, etc.) with a directed missile (hit the window with
• n. 1 a sharp sibilant sound as of the letter 5, esp. as the ball). 2 tr. cause to suffer or affect adversely. 3 intr.
an expression of disapproval. 2 Electronics unwanted (often foil, by at, against) direct a blow. 4 tr. (often foil,
interference at audio frequencies. by against, on) knock (a part of the body) (hit his head
his»ta»mine /histamin, -meen/ n. Biochem. an organic on the doorframe). 5 tr. light upon (he's hit the truth at
compound occurring in injured body tissues, etc., and last) (see hit on). 6 tr. colloq. a encounter (hit a snag).
also associated with allergic reactions, dd his«ta«min« b arrive at (hit an all-time low). C indulge in, esp. liq-
ic /-minik/ adj. uor, etc. (hit the bottle). 7 tr. si. rob or kill. 8 tr. occur
histo- /histo/ comb, form (before a vowel also hist-) Biol. forcefully to (the seriousness of the situation only hit him
tissue. later). 9 tr. Sports a propel (a ball, etc.) with a bat, etc.
his*tO*gram /histagram/ n. Statistics a chart consisting b score (runs, etc.) in this way. C (usu. foil, by for)
of rectangles (usu. drawn vertically from a base line) strike (a ball or a pitcher, etc.) for a specific hit, result,
whose areas and positions are proportional to the val- etc. 10 tr. represent exactly. •«. 1 a a blow; a stroke.
ue or range of a number of variables. b a collision. 2 a shot, etc., that hits its target. 3 colloq.
his»tol»o«gy /histolajee/ n. the study of the structure of a popular success in entertainment. A si. a a murder
tissues, dd his*to*log*i*cal /histalojikal/ adj. his«tol»o« or other violent crime, b a drug injection, etc. 7 a suc-
gist /histolajist/ n. cessful attempt. 8 Baseball = base hit. d hit and run
his»tol»y«sis /histolisis/ n. the breaking down of tissues. a cause (accidental or willful) damage and escape or
dd his*to*lyt*ic /-talitik/ adj. leave the scene before being discovered, b Baseball play
his«to»ri»an /histawreean/ n. la writer of history. 2 a in which a base runner begins running to the next base
person learned in or studying history. as the pitcher delivers the ball, which the batter then
his»tor«ic /histawrik, -stor-/ adj. 1 important in history tries to hit. hit back retaliate, hit below the belt 1 esp.
or potentially so (a historic moment). 2 Gram, (of a Boxing foul with a low blow. 2 treat or behave unfair-
tense) normally used in the narration of past events. ly, hit it off (often foil, by with) agree or be congenial.

Historic and historical denote different things. The hit the nail on the head state the truth exactly, hit on
former means 'important; notable': historic leaders, his- 1 (also hit upon) find (what is sought), esp. by chance.
toric battles. The latter means 'relating to history': 2 si. make sexual advances toward, hit the road (or
historical writings. An
event can be either, depending trail) si. depart, dd hiMer n.
on whether it is viewed as part of history or as extreme- hitch /hich/ D.&K.»w1a tr. fasten with a loop, hook,
ly important. Note also that both of these words, tra- etc. (hitched the horse to the cart), b intr. (often foil, by
ditionally preceded by a, are now often used with an: in, onto, etc.) become fastened in this way. 2 tr. move
a historic moment, an historic moment. (a thing) with a jerk (hitched the pillow into a comforta-
his»tor»i»cal/histawrikal,-st6r-/a<i;'. 1 of or concerning ble position) 3 colloq. a intr. = hitchhike, b tr. obtain (a
.

history (historical evidence). 2 belonging to history, not ride) by hitchhiking. »h. 1 a temporary obstacle. 2 an
to prehistory or legend. 3 (of the study of a subject) abrupt pull or push. 3 a noose or knot of various kinds.
based on an analysis of its development over a period. 4 colloq. a free ride in a vehicle, d get hitched colloq.
4 belonging to the past, not the present. 5 (of a nov- marry, hitch up lift (esp. clothing) with a jerk, dd hitch*
el, a movie, etc.) dealing or professing to deal with er n.
historical events. 6 in connection with history (ofpure-
ly historical interest), dd his*tor*i*caMy adv. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
hitchhike ~ Holarctic 372 hock /hok/ n. 1 the joint of a quadruped's hind leg be-
1

tween the knee and the fetlock. 2 a knuckle of pork;

hitch*hike /hich-hik/ v. &
n. •v.intr. travel by seeking the lower joint of a ham.
tree rides in passing vehicles, •n. a journey made by hock 2 /hok/ v. &
n. colloq. •v.tr. pawn; pledge. «n. a
hitchhiking, dq hitch«hik«er n. pawnbroker's pledge, o in hock 1 in pawn. 2 in debt.
hi-tech /hitek/ adj. - high-tech. hock«ey /hokee/ n. 1 = ice hockey. 2 = field hockey.
hith»er /hithar/ adv. usu. formal or literary to or toward ho*cus /hokas/ v.tr. (hocussed, hocussing; also ho-
this place. cused, hocusing) 1 take in; hoax. 2 stupefy (a person,
hith»er»to /hithDrtob/ adv. until this time; up to now. animal, etc.) with drugs. 3 put a drug in someone's
hit list n. si. a list of prospective victims. food or drink.
hit man n. (pi. hit men) si. a hired assassin. ho»cus-po»cus /hoksspokas/ n. 1 deception; trickery.
hit-or-miss adj. aimed or done carelessly. 2 a typical verbal formula used in conjuring.
hit pa*rade n. colloq. a list of the current best-selling
hocus-pocus early 17th century: from hax pax max
records of popular music.
Deus adimax, a pseudo-Latin phrase used as a formula
HiMite /hitit/ n. &
adj. •». la member of an ancient
by magicians.
people of Asia Minor and Syria. 2 the extinct language
of the Hittites. • adj. of or relating to the Hittites or hod /hod/ n. 1a V-shaped open trough on a pole used
their language. for carrying bricks, mortar, etc. 2 a portable recepta-
HIV abbr. human immunodeficiency virus, a retrovirus cle for coal.
causing AIDS. hodge*podge /hojpoj/ n. a confused mixture, a jum-
hive /hiv/ n. la beehive. 2 a busy swarming place. ble.
hives /hivz/ n.pl. a skin eruption, esp. one caused by an hoe /ho/ n. &
v. »n. a long-handled tool with a thin

allergic reaction. metal blade, used for weeding, etc. »v. (hoes, hoed,
hiya /hiya/ int. colloq. a word used in greeting. hoeing) 1 tr. weed (crops); loosen (earth); dig up or
hi abbr. hectoliter(s). cut down with a hoe. 2 intr. use a hoe. dd hoer n.
hm abbr. hectometer(s). hoe*cake /hokayk/ n. a coarse cake of cornmeal orig.
HMO abbr. health maintenance organization. baked on the blade of a hoe.
Ho symb. Chetn. the element holmium. hoe*down /hodown/ n. a lively dance or dance party,
ho /ho/ int. an expression of surprise, triumph, or (of- esp. one with square dancing.
ten repeated as ho! ho!, etc.) derision. hog /hawg, hog/ n.&v.tn.1aa domesticated pig, esp.
hoa*gie /h6gee/ n. (also hoa»gy) (pi. -gies) = submarine one over 120 pounds and reared for slaughter, b any
sandwich. of several other pigs of the family Suidae, e.g., a wart-
hoard /hawrd/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a stock or supply (esp. of hog. 2 colloq. a greedy person, mv. (hogged, hogging)
money) stored for future use. 2 an amassed store of tr. colloq. take greedily; hoard selfishly, d go the whole

facts, etc. • v. 1 tr. (often absol.; often foil, by up) amass hog colloq. do something completely or thoroughly.
(money, etc.) and put away. 2 intr. accumulate more dd hog*ger n. hog»gish adj. hog*gish*ly adv. hog»gish«
than one's current requirements of food, etc., in a time ness hog*like adj.
;/.

of scarcity, dd hoarder n. ho«gan /hogaan, -gsn/ n. a Navajo dwelling of logs, etc.

hoar»frost /hawrfrawst/ n. frozen water vapor depos- hog*back /hawgbak, hog-/ n. (also hog's back) a steep-
ited on vegetation, etc., in clear still weather. sided ridge of a hill.

hoarse /hawrs/ adj. 1 (of the voice) rough and deep. la large cask. 2 a
hogs«head /hawgz-hed, hogz-/ n.
2 having such a voice, dd hoarse*ly adv. hoars*en v.tr. 63 gallons.
liquid or dry measure, usu. about
& intr. hoarseness n. hog-tie v.tr. 1 secure by fastening the hands and feet
hoar»y /hawree/ adj. (hoarier, hoariest) 1 a (of hair) or all four feet together. 2 restrain; impede.
gray or white with age. b having such hair. 2 old and hog*wash /hawgwosh, -wawsh, hog-/ n. 1 colloq. non-
trite (a hoary joke), dd hoar»i»ly adv. hoar*i*ness n. sense; rubbish. 2 kitchen swill, etc., for pigs.
hoax /hoks/ n. &
v. • n. a humorous or malicious de- hog*weed /hawgweed, hog-/ n. any of various coarse
ception. mv.tr. deceive (a person) with a hoax. weeds of the genus Heracleum, esp. H. sphondylium.
hob /hob/ h. 1 a flat metal shelf at the side of a fire- ho-hum /hohum/ int. expressing boredom.
1

place, used esp. for keeping things warm. 2 = hobnail. hoi poMoi /hoy paloy/ n. (often prec. by the: see note
hob 2 /hob/ n. 1 a male ferret. 2 a hobgoblin. below) the masses; the common people.
hob»bit /hobit/ n. a member of an imaginary race of The
phrase hoi polloi is usually preceded by the.The
half-sized people in stories by J. R.R.Tolkien. hoi polloi grew restless as candidate after candidate spoke.
hob»ble /hobal/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. walk lamely; limp. Strictly speaking, the the is unnecessary because hoi
2 tr. tie together the legs of (a horse, etc.) to prevent means 'the' (in Greek). Perhaps because of confusion
it from straying. *n. 1 an uneven or infirm gait. 2 a with hoity-toity^ hoi polloi is sometimes wrongly taken
rope, etc., used for hobbling a horse, etc. dd hob*bler to mean its opposite, 'the few, the elite.'
n. hoist /hoyst/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 raise or haul up. 2 raise by
hob»by /hobee/ n. (pi. -bies) a favorite leisure time means of ropes and pulleys, etc. •*. 1 an act of hoisi
activity or occupation, dd hob-byist n. ing. 2 an apparatus for hoisting. 3 the part of a flag
hob«byhorse /hobeehawrs/ n. 1a child's toy con- nearest the staff, no hoist*er n.
sisting of a stick with a horse's head. 2 a preoccupa- hoi»ty-toi»ty /hoyteetoytee/ adj. haughty; petulant;
tion; a favorite topic of conversation. snobbish.
hob»gob»lin /hobgoblin/ n. a mischievous imp; a bug- hok»ey /hokee/ adj. (also hok»y) (hokier, hokiest) \7.
bear. sentimental; melodramatic; artificial, no hok»eyness
hob*nail /hobnayl/ n. a heavy-headed nail used for boot n.
soles, dd hob*nailed adj. ho«key-po»key /hokeepokee //. colloq. 1= hocus-
hob-nob /hobnob/ v.intr. (hobnobbed, hobnobbing) pocus. 2 a communal dance that is performed in a cir-
(usu. foil, by with) mix socially or informally. cle with synchronized shaking of the limbs in mm.
ho»bo /hdbo/ n. (pi. -boes or -bos) a wandering work- hO*kum /h6kr>m/ n. si. 1 sentimental, popular, sensa
er; a tramp. tional, or unreal situations, dialogue, etc., in a movie
Hob«son's choice /hobsanz/ n. a choice of taking the or play. 2 bunkum; rubbish.
thing offered or nothing. Hol»arc»tic /holaarktik, laartik/ adj. of or relating to
 3 ..

the geographical distribution of animals in the whole 373 hold ~ holocaust

northern or Arctic region.
hold /hold/ v. &n. »v. (past and past part, held /held/)
1
holding /holding/ n. 1 land held by lease. 2 stocks,
1 tr. a grasp (esp. in the hands or arms), b (also refl.) property, etc., held.
sustain (a thing, oneself, one's head, etc.) in a partic- holding com»pa»ny n. a company created to hold the

ular position (hold it to the light). C grasp so as to con- shares of other companies, which it then controls.
trol (hold the reins). 2 tr. (of a vessel, etc.) contain or hold»up /holdap/n. 1 a stoppage or delay by traffic, fog,
be capable of containing (the pitcher holds two pints) etc. 2 a robbery conducted with the use of threats or
3 tr. possess or have, esp. a be the owner or tenant of
: violence.
(land, property, etc.) (holds the farm from the trust). hole /hoi/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a an empty space in a solid body.

b gain or have gained (a degree, record, etc.) (holds the b an aperture in or through something. 2 an animal's
long-jump record). C have the position of (a job or of- burrow. 3 a cavity or receptacle for a ball in various
fice), d have (a specified card) in one's hand, e keep sports or games. 4 colloq. a small, mean, or dingy
possession of (a place, a person's thoughts, etc.) esp. abode. 5 colloq. an awkward situation. 6 Golf a a point
against attack (held the fort against the enemy; held his scored by a player who gets the ball from tee to hole
place in her estimation). 4 remain unbroken (the
intr. with the fewest strokes, b the terrain or distance from
roof held under the storm) observe; conduct (a
. 5 tr. tee to hole. 7 a position from which an electron is ab-
meeting, festival, conversation, etc.). 6 tr. a keep (a sent, esp. acting as a mobile positive particle in a sem-
person, etc.) in a specified condition, place, etc. (held iconductor. • v.tr. 1 make a hole or holes in. 2 put in-
her prisoner) b detain, esp. in custody (hold him until I
. to a hole. 3 (also absol.; often foil, by out) send (a golf
arrive). a engross (a person or a person's atten-
7 tr. ball) into a hole, a hole up colloq. hide oneself, make
tion) (the book held him for hours) b dominate (held the . a hole in use a large amount of. dd hol»ey adj.
stage). 8 tr. (foil, by to) make (a person, etc.) adhere to hole in one n. Golfs, shot that enters the hole from the
(terms, a promise, etc.). 9 intr. (of weather) continue tee.
fine. 10 tr. (often or that + clause)
foil, by to + infin., hole in the wall n. a small dingy place.
believe (held it to be self-evident) 1 1 tr. regard with a . holiday /holiday/ «. 1a day of festivity or recreation
specified feeling ( held him in contempt) 1 2 tr. a cease . when no work is done, esp. a religious festival, etc.
(hold your fire) . b colloq. withhold (hold the onionsf) 2 esp. Brit, (often in pi.) = vacation. 3 (attrib.) (of
1 keep or reserve (will you hold our seats please?)
tr. clothes, etc.) festive.
1 4 tr. be able to drink (liquor) without apparent effect ho«li»er-than-thou adj. colloq. self-righteous.
(can hold his liquor). 15 tr. (usu. foil, by that + clause) ho«IMy holy manner.
/holilee/ adv. in a
(of a judge, a court, etc.) lay down; decide. 16 tr. Mus. ho«li»ness/h6leenis/n. 1 sanctity; the state of being ho-
sustain (a note). •«. 1 a grasp (catch hold of him). 2 ly. 2 (Holiness) a title used when referring to or
(often in comb.) a thing to hold by (seized the hand- addressing the Pope.
hold). 3 (foil, by on, over) influence over (has a strange ho»lism /holizam/ n. (also wholism) 1 Philos. the theo-
hold over them). 4 a manner of holding in wrestling, ry that certain wholes are to be regarded as greater
etc. 5 archaic a fortress, d hold (a thing) against (a per- than the sum of their parts (cf. reductioxism) 2 Med. .

son) resent or regard it as discreditable to (a person). the treating of the whole person including mental and
hold back 1 impede the progress of. 2 keep (a thing) social factors rather than just the symptoms of a dis-
for oneself. 3 (often foil, by from) hesitate, hold court ease, dd ho'lis'tic adj. ho«lis»ti»caMy adv.
preside over one's admirers, etc. hold dear regard with hoMand /holand/ n. a smooth, hard-wearing, linen fab-
affection, hold down 1 repress. 2 colloq. be competent ric.
enough to keep (one's job, etc.). hold everything! (or hoMan-daise sauce /hotandayz/ n. a creamy sauce of
it!) cease action or movement, hold the fort 1 act as a melted butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice or vinegar.
temporary substitute. 2 cope in an emergency, hold hoMer /holar/ v. &
n. colloq. • v. 1 intr. make a loud cry
forth 1 offer (an inducement, etc.). 2 usu. derog. speak or noise. 2 tr. express with a loud cry or shout. • n. a
at length, hold hands grasp one another by the hand loud cry, noise, or shout.
as a sign of affection or for support, hold one's hors- &
hoMow /holo/ adj., n., v. *adj. 1 a having a hole or
es colloq. stop; slow down, hold the line 1 not yield. cavity inside,b sunken (hollozv cheeks). 2 (of a sound)
2 maintain a telephone connection, hold off 1 delay; echoing, as though made in or on a hollow container.
not begin. 2 keep one's distance, hold on 1 keep one's 3 empty; hungry. 4 meaningless (a hollozv triumph).
grasp on something. 2 wait a moment. 3 (when tele- 5 insincere; false (a hollow laugh; hollow promises). »n.
phoning) not hang up. hold out 1 stretch forth (a hand, 1 a hollow place; a hole. 2 a valley; a basin, •v.tr. (of-
etc.). 2 offer (an inducement, etc.). 3 maintain resist- ten foil, by out) make hollow; excavate, dd hol«low»ly
ance. 4 persist or last, hold out for continue to demand. adv. hoMowness n.
hold out on colloq. refuse something to (a person), hold hoMow»ware /holowair/ n. hollow articles of metal, chi-
over postpone, hold together 1 cohere. 2 cause to co- na, etc., such as pots, kettles, pitchers, etc.
here, hold one's tongue colloq. be silent, hold up hoMy /holee/ n. (pi. -lies) an evergreen shrub, often
1 a support; sustain, b maintain (the head, etc.) erect. with prickly usu. dark green leaves and red berries.
2 exhibit; display. 3 arrest the progress of. 4 stop and hoMy»hock /holeehok/ n. a tall plant, Alcea rosea, with
rob by violence or threats, hold water (of reasoning) large showy flowers of various colors.
be sound; bear examination, hold with (usu. with neg.) HoMy»wood /holeewODd/ n. the American movie in-
colloq. approve of (don 't hold with motorcycles) on hold . dustry or its products, with its principal center at Hol-
1 temporarily deferred. 2 (of a telephone call or caller) lywood, California.
holding on (see hold on 3 above), take hold (of a cus- holm /horn/ n.(in full holm oak) an evergreen oak,
tom or habit) become established, with no holds Quercus ilex, with hollylike young leaves.
barred with no restrictions, nn hold-a-ble adj. hol»mi«um /holmeeam/ n. Chem. a soft silvery metallic
hold 2 /hold/ n. a compartment or compartments in the element of the lanthanide series. ^ Symb.: Ho.
lower part of a ship or aircraft in which the cargo is holo- /holo/ comb, form whole (Holocene; holocaust).
stored. hol«o«caust /holakawst/ n. la case of large-scale de-
hold«er /holdar/ n. 1 (often in comb. ) a device for hold- struction, esp. by fire or nuclear war. 2 (the Holocaust)
ing something (cigarette holder). 2 a the possessor of a
title, etc. b the occupant of an office, etc. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

Holocene ~ homing 374 high school, college, or university game, dance, or

other event to which alumni are invited to visit.
the mass murder of the Jews by the Nazis in World War home ec-o-nom-ics n. the study of household man-
II. agement.
Hol-o-cene /holaseen/ adj. &
n. Geol. •adj. of or relat- home-grown /homgron/ adj. grown or produced at
ing to the most recent epoch of the Quaternary period home.
with evidence of human development, •n. this period homeland /homland/ n. 1 one's native land. 2 hist, an
or system. Also called Recent. area in S. Africa formerly reserved for a particular Af-
hol-O-gram /hologram/ n. Physics 1 a three-dimension- rican people.
al image formed by the interference of light beams home-less /homlis/ adj. &
n. madj. lacking a home.

from a coherent light source. 2 a photograph of the in- • n. (prec. by the) homeless people, do home-less-ness
terference pattern, which when suitably illuminated n.

produces a three-dimensional image. home-ly /h6mlee/ adj. (homelier, homeliest) 1 not at-
hol-o-graph /holograf/ adj. &
n. madj. wholly written tractive in appearance. 2 a simple; plain, b unpreten-
by hand by the person named as the author. • n. a hol- tious, c primitive, oo home-li-ness n.

ograph document. home-made /homayd/ adj. made at home.

hol»og»ra»phy /halogrsfee/ n. Physics the study or home-mak-er /hOmaykar/ n. a person, esp. a house-
production of holograms, do hol-o-graph-ic /hotagra- wife, who manages a household.
fik/ adj. hol-o-graph-i-cal-ly adv. home mov-ie n. a film made at home or of one's own
hol-ster /holstar/ n. a leather case for a pistol or re- activities.
volver. ho-me-O-path /homeespath/ n. a person who practices
ho-ly /holee/ adj. (holier, holiest) 1 morally and spirit- homeopathy.
ually excellent or perfect, and
be revered. 2 be- to ho-me-op-a-thy /homeeopsthee/ n. the treatment of
longing to, devoted to, or empowered by God. 3 con- disease by minute doses of drugs that in a healthy per-
secrated; sacred. 4 used as an intensive and in trivial son would produce symptoms of the disease (cf. al-
exclamations (holy smoke!). lopathy), do hom-e-o-path-ic /-meeapathik/ adj.
Ho»ly Ghost n. = Holy Spirit. ho-me-O-therm /homeeatharm/ n. an organism that
Ho-ly Grail n. see Grail. maintains its body temperature at a constant level, usu.
Ho-ly Land n. 1 W
Palestine, esp. Judaea. 2 a region above that of the environment, by its metabolic activ-
similarly revered in non-Christian religions. ity, dd ho-me-o-ther-mal adj. ho-me-o-ther-mic adj. ho*

Ho-ly Ro-man Em-pire n. see Roman. me-o-ther-my n.

Ho-ly Spir-it n. the third person of the Christian Trin- home-own-er /homonar/ n. a person who owns his or
ity, God as spiritually acting. own home.
her
ho-ly war n. a war waged in support of a religious cause. home page n. a hypertext document on the Worldwide
ho-ly waiter n. water dedicated to holy uses, or blessed Web, serving as an introductory focus of information
by a priest. relating toan organization or an individual.
Ho-ly Weekn. the week before Easter. home plate n. Baseball a plate beside which the batter
honvage /homij/ n. acknowledgment of superiority; stands and which a runner must touch in order to score
dutiful reverence (pay homage to) a run.
hom-bre /ombray/ n. a man. ho-mer /hOmar/ n. Baseball a home run.
Horn-burg /hombarg/ n. a man's felt hat with a narrow home rule n. the government of a country or region
curled brim and a lengthwise dent in the crown. by its own citizens.
&
home /horn/ n., adj., adv., v. • n. 1 a the place where home run n. 1 Baseball a hit that allows the batter to
one lives, b a dwelling house. 2 the members of a fam- make a complete circuit of the bases. 2 any singular
ily collectively (comes from a good home) 3 the native success. .

land of a person or of a person's ancestors. 4 an in- home-sick /hOmsik/ adj. depressed by longing for one's
stitution for persons needing care, rest, or refuge home during absence from it. dd home-sick-ness n.
(nursing home). 5 the place where a thing originates or home-spun /homspun/ adj. n. madj. 1 a (of cloth) &
is native or most common. 6 a the finishing point in made of yarn spun at home, b (of yarn) spun at home.
a race, b (in games) the place where one is free from 2 plain; simple. •«. homespun cloth.
attack. C Baseball home plate, •attrib.adj. 1 a con- home»stead /homsted/ n. la house, esp. a farmhouse,
nected with one's home, b carried on, done, or made and outbuildings. 2 an area of land (usu. 160 acres)
at home. 2 a carried on or produced in one's own granted to an early American settler as a home.
country (the home market), b dealing with the domes- do home»stead«er n.
tic affairs of a country. 3 Sports played on one's own home Stretch n. the concluding stretch of a racetrack.
field, etc. (home game), madv. 1 a to one's home or home«Style /homstil/ adj. (esp. of food) of a kind made
country (go home), b arrived at home (is he home yet?). or done at home; homey.
C at home (stay home). 2 a to the point aimed at (the home town n. the town of one's birth or early life or
thrust went home), b as far as possible (drove the nail present fixed residence.
home), mv. 1 intr. (esp. of a trained pigeon) return home-ward /homword/ adv. &
adj. madv. (also home-
home (cf. homing 1). 2 intr. (often foil, by on, in on) wards I wnrdz/) toward home. madj. going or leading
(of a vessel, missile, etc.) be guided by a landmark, toward home.
radio beam, etc. d at home 1 in one's own house or home-work /homwork/ n. 1 work to be done at homCj
native land. 2 at ease as if in one's own home (make esp. by a school pupil. 2 preparatory work or Itudy.
yourself at home). 3 (usu. foil, by in, on, with) familiar hom-ey /homee/ adj. (also hom-y) (homier, homiest)
or well informed. 4 available to callers, home away suggesting home; cozy.
from home a place other than one's home where one hom-i-cide /homisid, ho / n. 1 the killing of a human
feels at home, do home-like adj. being by another. 2 a person who kills a human being
home-bod-y n. colloq. a person who likes to stay at dd hom-i-cid-al sld'l/ adj.
/

home, one who is perceived as unadventurous.

esp. hom-i-let-ic homiletik' adj. of homilies.
home-boy /homboy/ n. colloq. a person from one's own hom-i-ly /homilee/ n. (pi. -lies) 1 I sermon. 2 a tedioUf
town or neighborhood. moralizing discourse, on horn-Mist n.
home-com-ing /homkaming/ n. 1 arrival at home. 2 a hom-ing /homing/ attrib. ad;. 1 (ofi pigeon) mined BO
 fly home; bred for long-distance racing. 2 (of a device) 375 hominid - honor
for guiding to a target, etc.
honvi«nid /hominid/ n. &
adj. mn. any member of the 3 fairly earned (an honest living). 4 (of an act or feel-
primate family Hominidae, including humans, madj. ing) showing fairness. 5 (of a thing) unadulterated; un-
of or relating to this family. sophisticated. »adv. colloq. genuinely; really, d make
honviTioid /hominoyd/ adj. &
n. madj. like a human. an honest woman of colloq. marry (esp. a pregnant
• n. an animal resembling a human. woman).
hom»i«ny /nominee/ n. coarsely ground corn kernels hon»est»ly /onistlee/ adv. 1 in an honest way. 2 really (/
soaked in lye then washed to remove the hulls. don't honestly know).
homo /homo/ n. any primate of the genus Homo, in-
1
hon»est-to-God adj. & adv. (also honest-to-good-
cluding modern humans. ness) colloq. •adj. genuine; real. *adv. genuinely; re-
ho«mo 2 /homo/ n. (pi. -mos) offens. colloq. a homosex- ally.

ual. hon»es»ty /onistee/ n. 1 being honest. 2 truthfulness.

homo- /homo/ comb, form same (often opp. hetero-). 3 a plant of the genus Lunaria with flat round semi-
ho»mo»ge»ne»OUS /homaje'eneeas, -yas/ adj. 1 of the transparent seed pods.
same kind. 2 consisting of parts all of the same kind. hon»ey /hunee/ n. (pi. -eys) 1 a sweet sticky yellowish
3 Math, containing terms all of the same degree. ho« fluid made by bees and other insects from nectar col-
mo*ge*ne*i*ty /-jineeitee/ n. lected from flowers. 2 the color of this. 3 (usu. as a
ho»mog»e»nize /hamojiniz/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or be- form of address) darling; sweetheart.
come homogeneous. 2 tr. treat (milk) so that the fat hon»ey»bee /huneebee/ n. any of various bees of the ge-
droplets are emulsified and the cream does not sepa- nus Apis.
rate, dd ho«mog«e»ni»za»tion n. ho»mog»e»ni«zer n. hon»ey»comb /huneekom/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a structure of

ho»mo»graft /homagraft, horn-/ n. a graft of living tis- hexagonal cells of

sue from one to another of the same species but dif- wax, made by bees
ferent genotype. to store honey and
ho*mo*graph /homagraf, h6-/ n. a word spelled like eggs. 2 a pattern ar-
another but of different meaning or origin (e.g., pole 1
, ranged hexagonally.
pole 2 ). • v. tr. 1 fill with cav-
ho»mol»o«gous /hamolagas/ a having the same
adj. 1 ities or tunnels.
relation, relative position, etc. b corresponding. 2 Biol. 2 mark with a hon-
(of organs, etc.) similar in position and structure but eycomb pattern.
not necessarily in function. hon»eydew
honeycomb
/hunee-
ho*mo*logue /homalawg, -log, h6-/ n. (also ho»mo» doo, -dyoo/ «. 1 a
log) a homologous thing. variety of melon with smooth pale skin and sweet green
hom«o»nym /homanim/ n. 1 a word of the same spell- flesh. 2 a sweet sticky substance found on leaves and
ing or sound as another but of different meaning. 2 a stems, excreted by aphids.
namesake, dd ho»mon«ymous /hamonimas/ adj. hon»eyed /huneed/ adj. 1 of or containing honey.
ho*mo*pho*bi*a /homafobeea/ n. a hatred or fear of 2 sweet.
homosexuals, nn ho*mo*phobe /-afob/ n. ho»mo«pho« hon»ey«moon /huneemoon/ n. v. mn. 1a vacation &
bic adj. spent together by a newly married couple. 2 an initial
ho»mo«phone /homafon, h6-/ n. 1 a word having the period of enthusiasm or goodwill, •v.intr. (usu. foil,
same sound as another but of different meaning or or- by in, at) spend a honeymoon, dd hon»eymoon«er n.
igin (e.g., pair, pear). 2 a symbol denoting the same hon»ey«SUCk»le /huneesukal/ n. any climbing shrub of
sound as another. the genus Lonicera with fragrant yellow, pink, or red
ho«mo»phon»ic /homofonik, h6-/ adj. Mus. in unison; flowers.
characterized by movement of all parts to the same honk /hawngk, hongk/ n. &
v. »n. 1 the cry of a wild

melody, nn ho*mo*phon*i*caMy adv. goose. 2 the harsh sound of a car horn. »v. 1 intr. emit
ho»mop»ter»an /hamoptaran/ n. any insect of the sub- or give a honk. 2 tr. cause to do this.
order Homoptera, including aphids and cicadas, with hon»ky/hawngkee,hongkee/rc. (pi. -kies) black si. offens.
wings of uniform texture, on ho«mop«ter»ous adj. a white person.
Ho«mo sa«pi*ens /homo saypee-enz/ n. modern hon»ky-tonk /hawngkeetawngk, hongkeetongk/ n. col-
humans regarded as a species. loq. 1 ragtime piano music. 2 a cheap or disreputable
ho*mo*sex*u*al /homasekshooal/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 in- nightclub, bar, dancehall, etc.
volving sexual attraction to persons of the same sex. hon»or /onar/ n. &
v. »n. 1 high respect; glory. 2 ad-
2 concerning homosexual relations or people, •n. a herence to what is right or to a conventional standard
homosexual person. do ho*mo*sex*u*al*i*ty of conduct. 3 nobleness of mind; magnanimity (hon-
/-shooalitee/ n. ho»mo»sex»u«aMy adv. or among thieves). 4 a thing conferred as a distinction,
hom»y var. of homey. esp. an official award for bravery or achievement. 5
Hon. abbr. 1 Honorable. 2 Honorary. (foil, by of+ verbal noun, or to + infin.) privilege; spec-
hon /nun/ n. colloq. = honey 3. ial right (had the honor of being invited). 6 a exalted posi-
horvcho /honcho/ n. &v. si. • n. (pi. -chos) 1 a leader tion, b (Honor) (prec. by your, his, etc.) a title of re-
or manager; the person in charge. 2 an admirable man. spect given to or used in addressing a judge, a US
• v.tr. (-choes, -choed) be in charge of; oversee. mayor, and (in Irish or rustic speech) any person of
honcho 1940s: from Japanese hancho 'group leader,' rank. 7 (foil, by to) a person or thing that brings hon-
or (she is an honor to her profession) 8 a (of a woman) .

a term brought back to the U.S. by servicemen sta-

chastity, b the reputation for this. 9 (in pi.) a special
tioned in Japan during the occupation following World
distinction for proficiency in an examination, b a
War II.
course of degree studies more specialized than for a
hone /hon/ n. & v. %n. 1 a whetstone, esp. for razors. standard course or degree. 10 a Bridge the ace, king,
2 any of various stones used as material for this. •v.tr. queen, jack, and ten, esp. of trumps, or the four aces
sharpen on or as on a hone. at no trumps, b Whist the ace, king, queen, and jack,
hon»est /onist/ adj. &
adv. • adj. 1 fair and just in char-
acter or behavior. 2 free of deceit and untruthfulness. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
honorable ~ hop 376 steal. 5 tr. (also absol.) Golf strike (the ball) so that it
deviates toward the striker. 6 tr. Boxing strike (one's
esp. of trumps. 11 Golf the right of driving off first as opponent) with the elbow bent and rigid, d be hooked
having won the last hole {it is my honor), mv.tr. 1 re- on si. be addicted to or captivated by. by hook or by
spect highly. 2 confer honor on. 3 accept or pay (a bill crook by fair means or foul, hook, line, and sinker en-
or check) when due. 4 acknowledge. do the honors tirely, off the hook 1 colloq. no longer in trouble. 2 (of
perform the duties of a host to guests, etc. in honor of a telephone receiver) not on its rest, and so preventing
as a celebration of. on one's honor (usu. foil, by to + incoming calls, dd hook»less adj. hook«let n. hook-like
infin.) under a moral obligation. adj.
hon»or»a«ble /onarabal/ adj. 1 a worthy of honor. hook*ah /hobkg/ n. an oriental tobacco pipe with a long
b bringing honor to its possessor. C showing honor. tube passing through water for cooling the smoke as
d consistent with honor, e colloq. (of the intentions of it is drawn through.

a man courting a woman) directed toward marriage. hooked /hOOkt/ adj.1 hook-shaped (hooked nose). 2 fur-

2 (Honorable) a title given to certain government offi- nished with a hook or hooks. 3 in senses of hook v.
cials and members of Congress, dd hon«or»a«bly adv. h00k«er /hobkar/ n. si. a prostitute.
hon»or»a»ble meivtion n. an award of merit to a can- hook*nose /hObknoz/ n. an aquiline nose, dd hook-
didate in an examination, a work of art, etc., not award- nosed adj.
ed a prize. hook»up /hobkgp/ n. a connection, esp. of broadcast-
hon»o»rar»i«um /onaraireeam/ n. (pi. honorariums or ing equipment.
honoraria /-reea/) a voluntary payment for profes- hook«worm /hobkwarm/ n. 1 any of various nematode
sional services rendered without the normal fee. worms, with hooklike mouthparts, infesting humans
hon«or«ar»y /onareree/ adj. 1 a conferred as an honor, and animals. 2 a disease caused by one of these.
without the usual requirements, functions, etc. (hon- hook»y /hobkee/ n. (also hook«ey) d play hooky si. play
orary degree) b holding such a title or position (hon-
. truant.
orary colonel). 2 (of an office or its holder) unpaid (hon- hoo*li*gan /hooligan/ n. a young ruffian, esp. a mem-
orary treasurer). 3 (of an obligation) depending on ber of a gang, dd hoo*li*gan*ism n.
honor, not legally enforceable. hoop /hoop/ n.
1
&
v. • n. 1 a circular band of metal,

hon»or«if»ic /onarifik/ adj. &

n. • adj. 1 conferring hon- wood, etc., esp. for binding the staves of casks, etc., or
or. 2 (esp. of forms of speech) implying respect. • n. for forming part of a framework. 2 a a circular usu.
an honorific form of words, dd hon»or»if»i»caMy adv. wood or plastic band used as a toy. b a large ring usu.
hon»or roll n. a list of people who have attained an hon- with paper stretched over it for circus performers to
or, esp. a list of students who have received academic jump through. 3 an arch through which the balls are
honors. hit in croquet. 4 (in pi.) the game of basketball. 5 a
hon»or sys«tem n. a system of examinations, etc., with- band of contrasting color on a jockey's blouse, sleeves,
out supervision, relying on the honor of those con- or cap. • v. tr. 1 bind with a hoop or hoops. 2 encircle
cerned. with or as with a hoop, d jump through hoops perform
hooch /hooch/ n. (also hootch) colloq. alcoholic liquor, a difficult or grueling series of tests at someone else's
esp. whiskey.
illicit command.
hood /hood/ n.
x
&
v. • n. 1 a a covering for the head hoop 2 var. of whoop.
and neck, whether part of a cloak, etc., or separate, b a hoop«la /hobplaa/ n. 1 si. commotion; excitement. 2 si.

separate hoodlike garment worn over a university pretentious nonsense.

gown or a surplice to indicate the wearer's degree. 2 the hoo«poe /hobpoo/ n. a salmon-pink bird, Upupa epops,
cover over the engine of a motor vehicle. 3 a canopy with black and white wings and tail, a large erectile
to protect users of machinery or to remove fumes, etc. crest, and a long decurved bill.
4 the hoodlike part of a cobra, seal, etc. 5 a leather cov- hoo»ray /hooray/ int. = hurrah.
ering for a hawk's head, mv.tr. cover with a hood. hoOSe*gow /hobsgow/ n. si. a jail.
qd hood*ed adj. hood*less adj. hood*like adj. hoot /hoot/ n. &
v. • n. 1 an owl's cry. 2 the sound made

hood 2 /hood/ n. si. a gangster or gunman. by a vehicle's horn or a steam whistle. 3 a shout
hoodlum /hobdlsm, hoOd-/ n. 1a street hooligan; a expressing scorn or disapproval. 4 colloq. a laughter.
young thug. 2 a gangster. b a cause of this. 5 (also two hoots) si. anything at all
hoo»doo /hoodoo/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a bad luck, b a thing (doesn 't matter two hoots) • v. 1 intr. a (of an owl) ut-
.

or person that brings or causes this. 2 voodoo. 3 a fan- ter its cry. b (of a vehicle horn or steam whistle) make
tastic rock pinnacle or column of rock formed by ero- a hoot. C (often foil, by at) make loud sounds, esp. of
sion, etc.* v.tr. (hoodoos, hoodooed) 1 make unlucky. scorn or colloq. merriment (hooted with laughter). 2 tr.
2 bewitch. a assail with scornful shouts, b (often foil, by out,
hoodwink /hobdwingk/ v.tr. deceive; delude. away) drive away by hooting. 3 tr. sound (a vehicle
hoo»ey /hoo-ee/ n. &
int. si. nonsense; humbug. horn or steam whistle).
hoof /hoof, hoof/ n. (pi. hoofs or hooves /hoovz/) the hoot»en«an»ny /hobt'nanee/ n. (pi. -nies) colloq. an in-
horny part of the foot of a horse, antelope, and other formal gathering with folk music.
ungulates. hoof it 5/. go on foot, on the hoof (of cat- hoot-er /hootor/ n. 1 si. a nose. 2 (pi.) coarse si. a wom-
tle) not yet slaughtered, dd hoofed adj. (also in comb.). en's breasts.
hook /hook/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a a piece of metal or other hooves pi. of hoof.
material bent back at an angle or with a round bend, hop /hop/ v.
1
&
n. mv. (hopped, hopping) 1 intr, ml ;i

for catching hold or for hanging things on. b (in full bird, etc.) spring with two or all feel at once. 2 mn. (of
fishhook) a bent piece of wire, usu. barbed and bait- a person) jump on one foot. 3 ir. cross (a ditch, ett )

ed, for catching fish. 2 a curved cutting instrument by hopping. 4 tr. colloq. a jump into (a vehicle), b ob-
(reaping hook). 3 a a sharp bend, e.g., in a river, b a tain (a ride) in this way. 5 tr. usu. as hopping //
(

projecting point of land. 4 a Golf a hooking stroke (see of aircraft) pass quickly from one (place of a specified
sense 5 of v.). b Boxing a short swinging blow with the type) to another {island hopping). »n. 1 hopping ;i

elbow bent and rigid. »v. 1 tr. a grasp with a hook. movement. 2 colloq. an informal dance. 3 a ihotl Qighl
b secure with a hook or hooks. 2 (often foil, by on, up) in an aircraft, n hop in (or out) colloq. gel into mi out
a tr. attach with or as with a hook, b intr. be attached of) a car, etc. hopping mad colloq. very angry.
with a hook. 3 tr. catch with or as with a hook. 4 tr. si. hop 2 /hop/ n. 1 a climbing plant, Humuku lupulut, <. ul-
 tivated for the cones borne by the female. 2 (in pi.)
the ripe cones of this, used to give a bitter flavor to
beer. 3 si. opium or any other narcotic.
hope /hop/ n. &
v. •n. 1 (in sing, or pi; often foil, by
of, that) expectation and desire combined (hope of get-
ting the job). 2 a a person, thing, or circumstance that
gives cause for hope, b ground of hope; promise.
3 what is hoped for. »v. 1 intr. (often foil, by for) feel
hope. 2 tr. expect and desire. 3 tr. feel fairly confident.
dhope against hope cling to a mere possibility, not a
hope!colloq. no chance at all. do hop«er n.
hope chest «.1 a young woman's collection of clothes,
linens, etc., in preparation for her marriage.
in which it is stored.
hope*ful /hopfool/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 feeling hope.
2 causing or inspiring hope. 3 likely to succeed; prom-
ising. • n. (in full young hopeful) 1 a person likely to
succeed. 2 iron, a person likely to be disappointed.
oo hope*ful*ness n.
hope»fuMy /hOpfoolee/ adv. 1 in a hopeful manner.
2 disp. (qualifying a whole sentence) it is to be hoped.
Some object strongly to the use of hopefully as a sen-
tence modifier, with the meaning 'it is to be hoped,'
e.g., Hopefully, all the details will be in this evening's
papers. However, this usage is but
not only
long-established in English, as are similar uses of other
sentence-modifying adverbs, such as regrettably, unfor-
tunately, and frankly.
hope»less /hoplis/ adj. 1 feeling no hope. 2 admitting
no hope (a hopeless case) 3 inadequate; incompetent
. horned /hawrnd/ adj. having a horn.
(am hopeless at tennis), oo hope«less«ly adv. hope*less*
ness n.
Ho»pi /hopee/ n. 1 a a N. American people native to
nor theastern Arizona, b a member of this people. 2 the
language of this people.
hop«per /hopar/ n. 1a person who hops. 2 a hopping
arthropod, esp. a flea or young locust. 3 a a container
tapering downward through which grain passes into a
mill, b a similar contrivance in various machines. 4 a
railway wagon able to discharge coal or other bulk
material through its floor.
hop*ple /hopal/ v. &
n. •v.tr. fasten together the legs
of (a horse, etc.) to prevent it from straying, etc. • «.
an apparatus for this.
hop»scotch /hopskoch/ n. a children's game of hop-
ping over squares or oblongs marked on the ground
to retrieve a flat stone, etc.
horde /hawrd/ n. 1 a usu. derog. a large group, b a mov-
ing swarm or pack (of insects, wolves, etc.). 2 a troop ho»rol»0»gy /hawrolajee/ n. the art of measuring time
of nomads.
hore*hound /hawrhownd/ n. a herbaceous plant,
Marrubium vulgare, with a white cottony covering on
its stem and leaves. hor«o«scope /hawraskop, hor-/ n. Astrol. 1 a forecast
ho«ri»zon /harizan/ n. 1 the line at which the earth and
sky appear to meet. 2 limit of mental perception, expe-
rience, interest, etc. d on the horizon (of an event) just son's birth. 2 such a diagram (cast a horoscope). 3 ob-
imminent or becoming apparent.
hor*i«zon*tal /hawrizont'l, hor-/ adj. n. •adj. 1 a par-&
allel to the plane of the horizon; at right angles to the
vertical (horizontal plane) b (of machinery, etc.) hav-
. hor»ren»dous /harendas/ adj. horrifying; awful, oo hor»
ing its parts working in a horizontal direction.
2 a combining firms engaged in the same stage of
production (horizontal integration) b involving social.
groups of equal status, etc. 3 of or at the
a horizontal line, plane, etc.
hor«i«zon*tal sta*bi*liz*er n. a horizontal airfoil at the
tail of an aircraft.
hor«mone /hawrmon/ n. 1 Biochem. a regulatory sub-
stance produced in an organism and transported in
tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate cells or
tissues into action. 2 a synthetic substance with a sim-
no hor*mo*nal /-monal/ adj.
ilar effect,
horn /hawrn/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a hard permanent out-
377 hope ~ horrify
growth, often curved and pointed, on the head of cat-
tle, giraffes, rhinoceroses, and other esp. hoofed mam-
mals, found singly, in pairs, or one in front of the other.
2 each of two deciduous branched appendages on the
head of (esp. male) deer. 3 a hornlike projection on
the head of other animals, e.g., a snail's tentacle. 4 the
substance of which horns are composed. 5 anything
resembling or compared to a horn in shape. 6 Mus.
a = French horn, b a wind instrument played by lip
vibration, orig. made of horn, now usu. of brass. 7 an
2 the chest instrument sounding a warning or other signal (car
horn; foghorn) 8 a receptacle or instrument made of
.
horn. 9 a horn-shaped projection. 10 the extremity of
the visible moon or other crescent. 11 an arm or
branch of a river, bay, etc. 12 s/. the telephone, •v.tr.
1 (esp. as horned adj.) provide with horns. 2 gore with
the horns. horn in si. 1 (usu. foil, by on) intrude.
2 interfere, on the horns of a dilemma faced with a
decision that involves equally unfavorable alternatives.
do horrvist n. (in sense 6 of n.). horrvless adj. horn*
like adj.
news- horrrbill /hawrnbil/ n. any bird of the family
common Bucerotidae, with a hornlike excrescence on its large
red or yellow curved bill.
horn*blende /hawrnblend/ n. a dark brown, black, or
green mineral occurring in many igneous and meta-
morphic rocks.
horned OWl n. an owl, Bubo virginianus, with hornlike
feathers over the ears.
horned toad n. 1 an American lizard, Phrynosoma cor-
nutum, covered with spiny scales. 2 any SE Asian toad
of the family Pelobatidae, with horn-shaped exten-
sions over the eyes.
hor«net /hawrnit/ n. a large wasp, Vespa crabro. a stir up
a hornets' nest provoke or cause trouble or opposi-
tion.
horn of plen»ty n. a cornucopia.
horn-pipe /hawrnpip/ n. 1a lively dance (esp. associ-
ated with sailors). 2 the music for this.
horn-rimmed adj. (esp. of eyeglasses) having rims
made of horn or a substance resembling it.
horn«swog«gle /hawrnswogal/ v.tr. si. cheat; hoax.
horn»y /hawrnee/ adj. (hornier, horniest) 1 of or like
horn. 2 hard like horn. 3 si. sexually excited, on horn*
i*ness n.
or making clocks, watches, etc.; the study of this, oo ho*
rol*o*ger n. hor*o*log*ic /hawralojik/ adj. hor»o»log»i»
cal adj. hoTol«o«gist /-rol ajist/ n.
of a person's future based on a diagram showing the
relative positions of the stars and planets at that per-
servation of the sky and planets at a particular mo-
ment, esp. at a person's birth, oo hor»o«scop»ic
/-skopik/ adj. ho«ros«co«py /haroskapee/ n.
ren*dous*ly adv. hor*ren*dous«ness n.
hor»ri»ble /hawribal, hor-/ adj. 1 causing or likely to
cause horror; hideous; shocking. 2 colloq. unpleasant;
horizon. • n. excessive (horrible weather), oo hor*ri*ble«ness n. hor*
ri»bly adv.
horTid /hawrid, hor-/ adj. 1 horrible; revolting. 2 col-
loq. unpleasant; disagreeable (horrid weather) .3 archa-
ic, rough; bristling, oo hor*rid*ly adv. hor«rid»ness n.
hor»ri«fic /hawrifik, hor-/ adj. horrifying, oo hor«ri«fi«
caMy adv.
hor»ri«fy /hawrifi, hor-/ v.tr. (-fies, -fied) arouse horror
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . m .

horror ~ hostler 378 woman who rides on horseback. 2 a skilled woman

rider.
in; shock, dd hor»ri«fi»ca»tion n. hor»ri»fying adj. hor» hors»ey /hawrsee/ adj. (also hors»y) (horsier, horsiest)
ri-fying«ly adv. 1 of or like a horse. 2 concerned with or devoted to
hor«ror /hawrar, hor-/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a painful feeling horses or horse racing. 3 colloq. large and clumsy.
of loathing and fear. 2 a (often foil, by of) intense dis- dd hors*i*ness n.
like, b (often foil, by at) colloq. intense dismay. 3 a a hor»ta»tive /hawrtativ/ adj. (also hor»ta«to«ry
person or thing causing horror, b colloq. a bad or mis- /hawrtatawree/) tending or serving to exhort, dd hor»
chievous person, etc. 4 (in pi. prec. by the) a fit of hor-
;
taction /hawrtayshan/ n.
ror or nervousness, esp. as in delirium tremens. 5 (in hor«ti»cul»ture /hawrtikulchar/ n. the art of garden cul-

pi.) an exclamation of dismay, •attrib. adj. (of litera- tivation,dd hor*ti*cul*tur*al adj. hor»ti«cul«tur«ist n.
ture, movies, etc.) designed to attract by arousing ho«san»na /hozana/ n. &
int. a shout of adoration

pleasurable feelings of horror. (Matt. 21:9, 15, etc.).

hors d'oeuvre /awrd6rvr9, -dorv/ n. an appetizer hose /hoz/ n. &v. • n. 1 (also Brit, hose-pipe) a flexi-

served at the beginning of a meal. ble tube conveying water for watering plants, putting
horse /hawrs/ n. &v. • n. 1 a a solid-hoofed plant-eat- out fires, etc. 2 a (collect.; as pi.) stockings and socks
ing quadruped, Equus caballus, with flowing mane and (esp. in trade use) . b hist, breeches (doublet and hose)
tail, used for riding and to carry and pull loads, b any • v.tr. 1 (often foil, by down) water or spray or drench
other four-legged mammal of the genus Equus, includ- with a hose. 2 provide with hose.
ing asses and zebras, c (collect.; as sing.) cavalry. 2 a
hose Old English hosa, of Germanic origin; related to
vaulting block. 3 a supporting frame esp. with legs
Dutch hoos 'stocking, water-hose' and German Hosen
(clothes-horse) 4 5/. heroin, mv. 1 intr. (foil, by around)
.

'trousers.' Originally as a singular, it denoted a cov-

fool around. 2 tr. provide (a person or vehicle) with a
ering for the leg, sometimes including the foot but
horse or horses. 3 intr. mount or go on horseback.
sometimes reaching only as far as the ankle.
a from the horse's mouth (of information, etc.) from
the person directly concerned or another authorita- ho«sier /hOzhar/ n. a dealer in hosiery.
tive source, to horse! (as a command) mount your ho«sier»y /hozharee/ n. stockings and socks.
horses, no horseless adj. horse«like adj. hos»pice /hospis/ n. 1 a health-care facility or program
horse-and-bug»gy adj. old-fashioned; bygone. for people who are terminally ill. 2 a lodging for trav-
horse»back /hawrsbak/ n. the back of a horse, esp. as elers, esp. one kept by a religious order.
sat on in riding. on horseback mounted on a horse. hos»pi»ta»ble /hospitsbal, hospit-/ adj. 1 giving wel-
horse Chest»nut n. 1 any large ornamental tree of the come and entertainment to strangers or guests. 2 dis-
genus Aesculus, with upright conical clusters of white posed to welcome something readily; receptive.
or pink or red flowers. 2 the dark brown fruit of this. dd hos*pi*ta*b!y adv.
horse»f lesh /hawrsflesh/ n. 1 the flesh of a horse, esp. hos*pi*tal /hospit'l/ n. 1 an institution providing med-
as food. 2 horses collectively. ical and surgical treatment and nursing care for ill or
horse»fly /hawrsfli/ n. (pi. -flies) any of various biting injured people. 2 hist, a hospice.
dipterous insects of the family Tabanidae troublesome hos»pi«tal«i»ty /hospitalitee/ n. the friendly and gener-
esp. to horses. ous reception and entertainment of guests or
horse»hair /hawrs-hair/ n. hair from the mane or tail strangers.
of a horse, used for padding, etc. hos*pi*tal*ize /hospit'lrz/ v. tr. send or admit to hospital.
horse»man /hawrsman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a rider on horse- dd hos*pi*tal*i*za*tion n.
back. 2 a skilled rider. host /host/ n. 1 (usu. foil, by of) a large number of
1

horse»man»ship /hawrsmanship/ n. the art of riding people or things. 2 archaic an army.

on horseback; skill in doing this. host 2 /host/ n. &
v. mn. 1a person who receives or

horse*play /hawrsplay/ n. boisterous play. entertains another as a guest. 2 the landlord of an inn.
horse»pow»er /hawrspowar/ n. (pi. same) 1 a unit of 3 Biol, an animal or plant having a parasite or com-
power equal to 550 foot-pounds per second (about mensal. 4 an animal or person that has received a
750 watts). 2 the power of an engine, etc., measured transplanted organ, etc. 5 the person who introduces
in terms of this. and often interviews guests on a television or radio
horse race n.1a race between horses with riders. 2 any program, •v.tr. act as host to (a person) or at (an
close contest, dd horse racking n. event)
horse«rad»ish /hawrsradish/ n. 1 a cruciferous plant, host 5 /host/ n. the bread consecrated in the Eucharist.
Armoracia rusticana, with long lobed leaves. 2 the pun- hos»ta /hosta/ n. any perennial garden plant of the ge-
gent root of this, scraped or grated as a condiment, of- nus Hosta, with green or variegated leaves and loose
ten made into a sauce. clusters of tubular lavender or white flowers.
horse sense n. colloq. plain common sense. hostage /hostij/ n. 1 a person seized or held as secu-
horse»shoe /hawrs-shoo/ n. an iron shoe for a horse
1 rity for the fulfillment of a condition. 2 a pledge or
shaped like the outline of the hard part of the hoof. security, d a hostage to fortune an acquisition, com-
2 athingofthisshape.3 (in pi.) a game in which horse- mitment, etc., regarded as endangered by unforeseen
shoes are thrown at a stake in the ground. circumstances.
horse«Shoe crab n. a large marine arthropod, Limu- hos»tel /host'l/ n. inexpensive lodging for travelers, hik-
lus polyphemus, with a horseshoe-shaped shell and a ers, etc.
long tail-spine. host»ess /hostis //. 1 a woman who receives or enter-
horse-tail /hawrstayl/rc. 1 the tail of a horse. 2 anycryp- tains a guest. 2 a woman employed to welcome md
togamous plant of the genus Equisetum, like a horse's entertain customers at a nightclub, etc. 3 a steward
tail, with a hollow jointed stem and scalelike leaves. ess on an aircraft, train, etc (air hosttts).
horse-trad»ing n. 1 dealing in horses. 2 shrewd bar- hostile /hostel, ni </(//. 1 ol an enemy. 2 (often t<>M
gaining. by to) unfriendly; opposed, on hos»tile«ly
horse»whip /hawrs-hwip, -wip/ n. & v. •«. a whip for hOS*til*i*ty /hostilitcc n. (pi. -ties) 1 bein^ bOtdlej en
driving horses, •v.tr. (-whipped, -whipping) beat with mity. 2 a state of warfare. 3 (in pi.) acts of wail.
a horsewhip. 4 opposition (in thought, etc.).
horse»wom»an /hawrswooman/ n. (pi. -women) 1 a hos»tler /hotter, os;n n. 1 = OITLIU 2 a person who
/
 . .
services vehicles or machines, esp. train engines,
they are not in use.
hot /hot/ adj. & adv. »adj. (hotter, hottest) 1
a relatively high temperature, b (of food or drink) pre-
pared by heating and served without cooling. 2 pro-
ducing the sensation of heat (hot flash). 3 (of spices,
etc.) pungent; piquant. 4 (of a person) feeling heat.
5 a passionate; excited, b (often foil, by for, on) eager;
keen (in hot pursuit). C lustful, d exciting. 6 (of news,
etc.) fresh; recent. 7 Hunting (of the scent) fresh and
strong. 8 a (of a player) very skillful, b (of a competi-
tor) strongly favored to win (a hot favorite) C (of a hit
in ball games) difficult for an opponent to deal with.
d colloq. currently popular or in demand. 9 (of music,
esp. jazz) strongly rhythmical and emotional. 10 a si.
(of goods) stolen, esp. easily identifiable and therefore
difficult to dispose of. b 5/. (of a person) wanted by the
police. 11s/. radioactive. 12 colloq. (of information)
unusually reliable (hot tip). »adv. eagerly. have the
hots for si. be sexually attracted to. hot under the col-
lar angry or embarrassed, make it (or things) hot for
a person persecute a person, not so hot colloq. only
mediocre, dd hoWy adv. hot«ness n. hoMish adj.
hot air n. si. empty boastful talk.
hot-air baMoon n. a balloon (see balloon n. 2) con-
sisting of a bag in which air is heated by burners lo-
cated below it, causing it to rise.
hot»bed /hotbed/ n. 1a bed of earth heated by fer-
menting manure. 2 (foil, by of) an environment pro-
moting the growth of something (a hotbed of vice; a hot-
bed of new music)
hot-blood»ed adj. ardent; passionate.
hot»cake /hotkayk/ n. a pancake, d like hotcakes quick-
ly and in great quantity, esp. because of popularity (the
new CD is selling like hotcakes)
hot»dog /hotdawg, -dog/ v.intr. si. show off, esp. one's
skills.
hot dog n. & int. 1 a = frankfurter, b a frankfurter
sandwiched in a soft roll. 2 si. a person who shows off
skills. • int. si. expressing approval.
ho»tel /hotel/ n. an establishment
accommodation and meals for payment.
ho»te«lier /Otelyay, hot'le'er/ n. a hotel-keeper.
hot flash n. a sudden sensation of heat,
menopause.
hoWoot /hotfoot/ adv., v., & adj.
• v. tr. hurry eagerly (esp. hotfoot it) • adj. acting quick-
ly.
hot»head /hot-hed/ n. an impetuous person.
hot*head*ed /hot-hedid/ adj. impetuous; excitable.
on hot«head*ed*ness n.
hot»house /hot-hows/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a heated build-
ing, usu. largely of glass, for rearing plants out of sea-
son or in a climate colder than is natural for them. 2 an
environment that encourages the rapid growth or
development of something. *adj. (attrib.) characteris-
tic of something reared in a hothouse; sheltered; sen-
sitive.
hot line n. a direct exclusive line of
esp. for emergencies.
hot plate n. a heated metal plate, etc. (or a set of these),
for cooking food or keeping it hot.
hot po*ta*tO n. colloq. a controversial or awkward mat-
ter or situation.
hot rod n. a motor vehicle modified to have
and speed.
hot seat n. si. 1 a position of difficult responsibility.
2 the electric chair.
hot»shot /hotshot/ n. &
adj. colloq. • n. an important or
exceptionally able person. *adj. (attrib.) important;
able; expert.
hot spot n. a lively or dangerous place.
hot spring n. a spring of naturally hot water.
when 379 hot - house
a having hot stuff n. colloq. 1 a formidably capable person. 2 an
important person or thing. 3 a sexually attractive per-
son. 4 a spirited or passionate person. 5 a book, mov-
ie, etc.with a strongly erotic content.
hot-tem«pered adj. impulsively angry.
Hot»ten»tot /hot'ntot/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a member of a
pastoral black people of SW
Africa. 2 their language.
• adj. of this people.
hot tub n. a tub of heated, circulating water for ther-
. apy or recreation, usu. able to accommodate several
people.
hot wa»ter n. colloq. trouble or disgrace.
hot-wa»ter boMIe n. (also bag) a container, usu. made
of rubber, filled with hot water, esp. to warm a bed.
hot-wire v.tr. start the engine of a vehicle by bypassing
the ignition system, usu. in order to steal it.
hounvmos var. of hummus.
hound /hownd/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a dog used for hunting,
esp. one able to track by scent, b (the hounds) a pack
of foxhounds. 2 colloq. a despicable man. 3 a person
keen in pursuit of something (usu. in comb.: new-
shound) • v. tr. 1 harass or pursue relentlessly. 2 chase
.
or pursue with a hound. 3 (foil, by at) set (a dog or
person) on (a quarry). 4 urge on or nag (a person).
d ride to hounds go fox-hunting on horseback.
hound's-tooth n. a check pattern with notched cor-
ners suggestive of a canine tooth.
hour /owr/ n. 1 a twenty-fourth part of a day and night;
60 minutes. 2 a time of day; a point in time (a late
hour) 3 (in pi. ) this number of hours and minutes past
.
midnight on the 24-hour clock (assemble at 20:00
hours). 4 a a period set aside for some purpose (lunch
hour), b (in pi.) a fixed period of time for work; use of
a building, etc. (office hours). 5 a short indefinite pe-
riod of time (an idle hour). 6 the present time (question
of the hour). 7 a time for action, etc. (the hour has come).
8 the distance traversed in one hour by a means of
transport stated or implied (joe are an hour from San
providing Francisco). 9 RC Ch. a prayers to be said at one of sev-
en fixed times of day (book of hours), b any of these
times. 10 (prec. by the) each time o'clock of a whole
esp. during number of hours (buses leave on the hour), o after hours
after closing time.
»adv. in eager haste. hour«glass /owrglas/ n. a reversi-
. ble device with two connected
glass bulbs containing sand that
takes an hour to pass from the up-
per to the lower bulb.
hour«ly /owrlee/ adj. &
adv. madj.
1 done or occurring every hour
(on an hourly basis) 2 frequent;
.
continual. 3 reckoned hour by
hour (hourly wage) • adv. 1 every
.
hour (the train runs hourly). 2 fre-
quently; continually.
house n. &
v. mn. /hows/ (pi.
communication, /howziz, -siz/) 1 a a building for
human habitation, b (attrib.) (of
hourglass
an animal) kept in, frequenting,
or infesting houses (house cat;
housefly). 2 a building for a special purpose (opera
house; summer house). 3 a building for keeping animals
extra power or goods (henhouse). 4 a a religious community, b the
buildings occupied by it. 5 esp. Brit, a a body of pupils
living in the same building at a boarding school, b such
a building, c a division of a day school for games, com-
petitions, etc. 6 a family, esp. a royal family; a dynasty
(House ofYork). 7 a business or institution. 8 a a legis-
lative or deliberative assembly, b the building where it
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
house arrest - howler
meets. C (the House) the House of Representatives.
9 a an audience in a theater, movie theater, etc. b a
theater. 10 Astrol a twelfth part of the heavens. 11
(attrib.)staying in a hospital as a member of the staff
(house surgeon). 12 a a place of public refreshment; a
restaurant or inn (coffeehouse), b (attrib.) (of wine) se-
lected by the management of a hotel, etc., to be of-
fered at a special price, •v.tr. /howz/ 1 provide (a per-
son, a population, etc.) with a house or other
accommodation. 2 store (goods, etc.). 3 enclose or en-
case (a part or fitting). 4 fix in a socket, etc. d keep
house manage a household, like a house on fire 1 vig-
orously; fast. 2 successfully, on the house at the man-
agement's expense; free, play house play at being a
family in its home, put (or set) one's house in order
380 house Of ill repute n. archaic a brothel.
House of Rep-re«sen«ta»tives n. the lower house of
the US Congress and other legislatures.
houseparent /howsparant/ n. a housemother or
housefather.
houseplant /howsplant/ n. a plant grown indoors.
housewares /howswairz/ n.pl small articles for fur-
nishing a home, such as dishware, glassware, and small
appliances.
housewarm»ing /howswawrming/ n. a party celebrat-
ing a move to a new home.
housewife /howswif/ n. (pi -wives) a married woman
managing a household, an housewifely adj.
housework /howswark/ n. regular work done in house-
keeping, e.g., cleaning and cooking.
housing /howzing/ n. 1a dwelling houses collective-
ly, b the provision of these. 2 shelter; lodging. 3 a

make necessary reforms, set up house begin to live in rigid casing, esp. for moving or sensitive parts of a
a separate dwelling, aa houseful n. (pi -fuls). house* machine. 4 the hole or niche cut in one piece of
less adj. wood to receive some part of another in order to join
house ar»rest n. detention in one's own house, etc., them.
not in prison. housing devel*op*ment n. a residential area in which
house»boat /howsbot/ n. a boat fitted for living in. the houses have all been planned and built at the same
house»bound /howsbownd/ adj. unable to leave one's time.
house due to illness, etc. HOV abbr. high-occupancy vehicle.
houseboy /howsboy/ n. a boy or man who works as a hove past of HEAVE.
servant in a house, hotel, etc. hov»el /huval, hov-/ n. a small miserable dwelling.
h0USe*break /howsbrayk/ v.tr. train (a pet living in- hov«er /huvar, hovsr/ v. &
n. • v. intr. 1 (of a bird, hel-
doors) to excrete outdoors. icopter, etc.) remain in one place in the air. 2 (often
housebreaking /howsbrayking/ n. the act of break- foil, by about, around) wait close at hand; linger. 3 re-
ing into a building, esp. in daytime, to commit a crime. main undecided. • n. 1 hovering. 2 a state of suspense.
an house*break*er n. dd hoverer n.
house*bro*ken /howsbrokan/ adj. 1 (of animals) hover-craft /huvsrkraft, hov-/ n. (pi same) a vehicle
trained to urinate and defecate outside the house, or or craft that travels over land or water on a cushion of
only in a special place. 2 colloq. well-mannered. air provided by a downward blast.
house«coat /howskot/ n. a woman's garment for infor- hover»port /huvsrpawrt, hov-/ n. a terminal for hov-
mal wear in the house, usu. a long dresslike coat. ercraft.
house»dress /howsdres/ n. an inexpensive dress of sim- how /how/ adv., conj., & n. by what
•interrog.adv. 1
ple design suitable for wear while doing housework. means; in what way (how do you do what con-
it?). 2 in
house*! ly /howsfli/ n. a fly breeding in decaying organ- dition, esp. of health (how is the patient?). 3 a to what
ic matter and often entering houses. extent (how far is it?), b to what extent good or well,
house«guest /howsgest/ n. a guest staying for some what . like (how was the film?), mrel. adv. in whatever
. .

days in a private house. way (do it how you like), •conj. colloq. that (told us how
household /hows-hold/ n. 1 the occupants of a house he'd been in Canada), n. the way a thing is done (the
regarded as a unit. 2 a house and its affairs. how and why of it), n how about 1 would you like.
householder /hows-holdar/ n. 1 a person who owns 2 what is to be done about. 3 what is the news about.
or rents a house. 2 the head of a household. how are you? 1 what is your state of health? 2 = how
household word n. (also name) 1 a familiar name or do you do? how come? see come, how do you do? a for-
saying. 2 a familiar person or thing. mal greeting, how many what number, how much
house«hus»band /hows-hazband/ n. a husband who 1 what amount (how much do I owe you?). 2 what price

carries out the household duties traditionally carried (how much is it?), how's that? what is your explanation
out by a housewife. of that?
housekeeper /howskeepar/ n. a person employed
how»be»it /howbe'eit/ adv. archaic nevertheless.
to
manage a household. howdah /howdg/ n. a seat, usu. with a canopy, for rid-
housekeeping /howskeeping/ n. 1 the management ing on the back of an elephant.
of household affairs. 2 money allowed for this. 3 opera- how*dy /howdee/ int. = how do you do?
tions of record keeping, etc., in an organization. however /howevar/ adv. 1 a in whatever way (do it
house lights n.pl. the lights in the auditorium of a the- howeveryou want) b to whatever extent; no matter how
.

ater. (however inconvenient). 2 nevertheless. 3 colloq. (as an

housemaid /howsmayd/ n. a female servant in a house. emphatic) in what way; by what means (however did
house»man /howsman/ n. (pi -men) = houseboy. that happen?).
house mar«tin n. a black and white swallowlike bird, how«itzer /howitsar/ n. a short cannon for high-angle
Delichon arbica, which builds a mud nest on house firing of shells at low velocities.
walls, etc. howl /howl/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a long, loud, doleful cry ut-

housemother /howsmathar/ n. a woman in charge of tered by a dog, wolf, etc. 2 a prolonged wailing noise,
a house, esp. of a home for children or a dormitory, e.g., as made by a strong wind. 3 a loud cry of pain or
etc. rage. 4 a yell of derision or merriment. 5 /:'/<< m>>,h I
i

house mu*sic n. a style of pop music typically using howling noise in a loudspeaker due to electrical or
drum machines and synthesized bass lines with sparse acoustic feedback, mv. 1 intr. make a howl. 2 ttur. weep
repetitive vocals and a fast beat. loudly. 3 tr. utter (words) with a howl, u howl down
house of cards n. 1 an insecure scheme,
etc. 2 a struc- prevent (a speaker) from being heard by howls of dc
ture built (usu. by a child) out of playing cards. rision.
house of God n. a church; a place of worship. howler /howlar/ n. 1 colloq. a glaring mistake. 2 ;i S
 .

American monkey of the genus Alouatta. 3 a person 381 howling ~ humble

or animal that howls.
howMng /howling/ adj. 1 that howls. 2 si. extreme (a as a storage vessel, etc. b (in pi.) hist, this used as a
howling shame) prison. 2 colloq. a large clumsy-looking person or thing.
how»SO«ev»er /howso-evar/ adv. 1 in whatsoever way. hulk*ing /hulking/ adj. colloq. bulky; large and clumsy.
2 to whatsoever extent. hull 1 /hul/ n. & v. mn. the body or frame of a ship, air-
h.p. abbr. 1 horsepower. 2 high pressure. ship, flying boat, etc. • v. tr. pierce the hull of (a ship)
HQ abbr. headquarters. with gunshot, etc.
HR abbr. (also H.R.) 1 House of Representatives. hull 2 /hul/ n. & the outer covering of a fruit,
v. »n. 1

2 home run. esp. the pod of peas and beans,the husk of grain, or
hr. abbr. hour. the green calyx of a strawberry. 2 a covering. • v. tr. re-
HST abbr. Hawaii(an) Standard Time. move the hulls from (fruit, etc.).
hub /hub/ n. 1 the central part of a wheel, rotating on huMa*ba*loo /hulabalob/ n. (pi. hullabaloos) an up-
or with the axle, and from which the spokes radiate. roar or clamor.
2 a central point of interest, activity, etc. hum /hum/ v. &n. »v. (hummed, humming) 1 intr.
hub»bub /hubub/ n. la confused din. 2 a disturbance make a low steady continuous sound like that of a bee.
or riot. 2 (also absol.) sing (a wordless tune) with closed
tr.

hub«by /hubee/ n. (pi. -bies) colloq. a husband. lips. 3 intr. utter a slight inarticulate sound. 4 intr. col-
hub*cap /hubkap/ «. a cover for the hub of a vehicle's loq. be in an active state (really made things hum). •«.

wheel. 1 a humming sound. 2 an unwanted low-frequency

hu»bris /hyobbris/ n. 1 arrogant pride or presumption. noise caused by variation of electric current, usu. the
2 (in Greek tragedy) excessive pride toward or defi- alternative frequency of a power source, in an ampli-
ance of the gods, leading to nemesis, nn hu*bris*tic adj. fier, etc. dd hum«ma«ble adj. hunvmer n.
huck*a*back /hiikabak/ n. a stout linen or cotton fab- hu*man /hyobman/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 of or belonging to

ric with a rough surface, used for toweling. the genus Homo. 2 consisting of human beings (the hu-
huck*le*ber*ry /hukalberee/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 any low- man race). 3 of or characteristic of people as opposed
growing N. American shrub of the genus Gaylussacia. to God or animals or machines, esp. susceptible to
2 the blue or black soft fruit of this plant. weaknesses (is only human). 4 showing (esp. the bet-
huckster /hukstar/ n. &
v. *n. 1 a mercenary person. ter) qualities of man (proved to be very human). •«. a
2 a publicity agent, esp. for broadcast material. 3 a human being, dd hu«man»ness n.
peddler or hawker. • v. 1 intr. bargain; haggle. 2 tr. car- See note at MAN.
ry on a petty traffic in. 3 tr. adulterate. hu«man be*ing n. any man or woman or child of the
HUD /hud/ abbr. (Department of) Housing and Urban species Homo sapiens.
Development. hu*mane /hyoomayn/ adj. 1 benevolent; compassion-
hud»dle /hud'l/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by ate. 2 inflicting the minimum of pain. 3 (of a branch
up) crowd together; nestle closely. 2 intr. refl. (often &
of learning) tending to civilize or confer refinement.
foil, by up) coil one's body into a small space. »n. 1 a dd hu«mane«ly adv. hu*mane*ness n.
confused mass of people or things. 2 colloq. a close or hu»man in*ter*est n. (often attnb.) (in a newspaper sto-
secret conference (esp. in go into a huddle). 3 Football ry, etc.) reference to personal experience and emo-
a gathering of the players of one team to receive tions, etc.
instructions about the next play. hu*man*ism /hyobmanizam/ n. 1a system of thought
hue /hyoo/ «. la color or tint. 2 a variety or shade of concerned with human rather than divine or super-
color, on -hued adj. hue*less adj. natural matters. 2 a belief or outlook emphasizing
hue and cry /hyoo/ n. a loud outcry. common human needs and concerned with human
huff /huf/ v. &
n. mv. 1 intr. give out loud puffs of air, beings as responsible and progressive intellectual
steam, etc. 2 intr. bluster loudly or threateningly. 3 intr. beings. 3 (often Humanism) literary culture, esp. that
& tr. take or cause to take offense. 4 tr. Checkers re- of the Renaissance humanists, dd hu»marvist n.
move (an opponent's man that could have made a cap- hu«man»i«tar»i»an /hyoomanitaireean/ n. adj. • ;/. 1 a &
ture) from the board as a forfeit. • n. a fit of petty an- person who seeks to promote human welfare. 2 a phi-
noyance, d in a huff annoyed and offended. lanthropist. • adj. relating to humanitarians, dd hu»
hufNy /hiifee/ adj. (huffier, huffiest) 1 apt to take of- man*i*tar*i*an*ism n.
fense. 2 offended, an hufNMy adv. huff«i»ness n. hu»man»i»ty /hyoomanitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a the human
hug /hug/ v. &
n. mv.tr. (hugged, hugging) 1 squeeze race, b human beings collectively, c the fact or condi-
tightly in one's arms, esp. with affection. 2 (of a bear) tion of being human. 2 humaneness. 3 (in pi.) human
squeeze (a person) between its forelegs. 3 keep close attributes. 4 (in pi.) learning or literature concerned
to (the curb, etc.). 4 cherish or cling to (prejudices, with human culture.
etc.). «n. 1 a strong clasp with the arms. 2 a squeez- hu«man»ize /hyobmaniz/ v.tr. 1 give a human character
ing grip in wrestling, dd hug*ga*ble adj. to. 2 make humane, dd hu*man*i*za*tion n.
huge /hyoo \l adj. 1 extremely large; enormous. 2 (of im- hu*man*kind /hyobmankind/ n. human beings collec-
material things) very great (a huge success), do huge* tively.
ness n. hu»man»ly/hyobm3nlee/acfo. 1 by human means (if hu-
hugely /hyobjlee/ adv. 1 enormously (hugely success- manly possible). 2 in a human manner. 3 from a human
ful). 2 very much (enjoyed it hugely). point of view. 4 with human feelings.
Hu*gue*not /hyobganot/ n. hist, a French Protestant. hu»man na*ture n. the general characteristics and feel-
huh /ha/ int. expressing disgust, surprise, etc. ings of human beings.
hu»la /hoota/ n. (also hu«la-hu»la) a native Hawaiian hu-man re«sourc*es n. = personnel.
dance with undulating hips, and gestures symbolizing hu«man rights n.pl. rights held to be justifiably be-
natural phenomena or historical or mythological sub- longing to any person.
jects, often accompanied by chants and drums. hunvble /humbal/ adj. &
v. »adj. 1 having or showing
hu»la hoop n. a large hoop spun around the body by a low estimate of one's own importance. 2 of low so-
gyrating the hips, for play or exercise. cial or political rank (humble origins). 3 of modest pre-
hu«la skirt n. a long grass skirt.
hulk /hulk/ n. 1 a the body of a dismantled ship, used See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
humbug ~ hunt
tensions, dimensions, etc. 9V.tr. 1 make humble;
abase. 2 lower the rank or status of. eat humble pie
make a humble apology, dd hum»ble«ness n. hunvbly
adv.
hum-bug /humbug/ n. & v. •«. 1 deceptive talk or
behavior. 2 an impostor, mv. (humbugged, humbug-
ging) 1 intr. behave like an impostor. 2 tr. deceive;
hoax, dd hunvbug«ger«y /-bugaree/ n.
hum»ding»er /humdingar/ n. si. an excellent or remark-
able person or thing.
hunvdrum /humdrum/ adj. 1 commonplace;
2 monotonous.
hu*mec*tant /hyoomektant/ adj. &
n. • adj. retaining or
preserving moisture. *n. a substance, esp. a food ad-
ditive, used to reduce loss of moisture.
hu»mer»us /hyobmaras/ n. (pi. humeri /-ri/) 1 the bone
of the upper arm in humans. 2 the corresponding bone
in other vertebrates, dd hu«mer«al adj.
hu*mid /hyobmid/ adj. (of the air or climate) warm and
damp, on hu»mid»ly adv.
hu»mid»i»f i»er /hyoomidifiar/ n. a device for keeping the
atmosphere moist in a room.
hu«mid«i»fy /hyoomidifi/ v.tr. (-ties, -tied) make (air,
etc.) humid or damp, an hu*mid*i*fi*ca*tion n.
hu»mid»i»ty /hyoomiditee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a humid state.
2 moisture. 3 the degree of moisture in the atmos-
phere.
hu»mi»dor /hyobmidawr/ n. a room or container for
keeping cigars or tobacco moist.
hu*mil*i*ate /hyoomilee-ayt/ v.tr. injure the dignity or
self-respect of. dd hu*mil*i*at*ing adj. hu»miM»at«ing»ly
adv. hu»mil«i«a«tion /-ayshan/ n. hu*mil*i*a*tor n.
hu«mil«i»ty /hyoomilitee/ n. 1 humbleness; meekness.
2 a humble condition.
hum*ming*bird /humingbard/ n. any tiny bird of the
family Trochilidae that makes a humming sound by
the vibration of its wings when it hovers.
hunvmock /humak/ n. 1 a hillock or knoll. 2 a piece of hung past and past part, of hang, d hung up on have a
rising ground, esp. in a marsh. 3 a hump or ridge in
an ice field, dd hunvmock«y adj.
hunvmus /hobmas/ n. (also hounvmos) a thick sauce
or spread made from chickpeas.
hu*mon*gous /hyoomonggss, -mung-/ adj. (also hu» or inhabitant of Hungary in E. Europe, b a person of
mun«gous) 5/. extremely large.
hu»mor /hyobmar/ n. & v. • n. 1 a the condition of be-
ing amusing or comical (less intellectual and more hun«ger /hunggar/ n.
sympathetic than wit), b the expression of humor in
literature, speech, etc. 2 (in full sense of humor) the
ability to perceive or express humor. 3 a mood or state
of mind (bad humor). 4 hist, each of the four chief flu-
ids of the body (blood, phlegm, choler, melancholy), hun»ger strike n. the refusal of food as a form of pro-
thought to determine a person's physical and mental
qualities, •v.tr. indulge (a person or taste, etc.). d out hung ju»ry n. a jury unable to reach unanimous agree-
of humor displeased, dd -hu«mored adj. hu«mor«less
adj. hu»mor»less»ly adv. hu»mor»less»ness n.
humor Middle English: via Old French from Latin
humor 'moisture', from humere (see humid). The orig-
inal sense was 'bodily fluid' (surviving in aqueous hu-
mor and vitreous humor, fluids in the eyeball); it was
used specifically for any of the cardinal humours (see
sense 3), whence 'mental disposition' (thought to be
caused by the relative proportions of the humours).
This led, in the 1 6th cent., to the senses 'state of mind,
mood' (see sense 2) and 'whim, fancy', hence to hu-
mour someone 'to indulge a person's whim'. Sense 1
dates from the late 16th cent.
hu»mor»OUS /hyobmaras/ adj. 1 showing humor or a
sense of humor. 2 facetious; comic, dd hu«mor»ous»ly
adv. hu»mor»ous«ness n.
&
hump /hump/ n. v. • n. 1 a rounded protuberance on suit of game. 6 tr. (as hunted cuff.) (of a look, eO
382 the back of a camel, etc., or as an abnormality on a
person's back. 2 a rounded raised mass of earth, etc.
3 a critical point in an undertaking, etc. •v.tr. 1 a col-
log, lift or carry (heavy objects, etc.) with difficulty.
b esp. Austral, hoist up; shoulder (one's pack, etc.).
2 make hump-shaped. 3 coarse si. have sexual in-
tercourse with. In
sense 3 usually considered a ta-
boo word, a over the hump over the worst; well be-
gun, dd humped adj.
hump»back /humpbak/ n. 1 a a deformed back with a
hump, b a person having this. 2 a baleen whale,
Megaptera novaeangliae, with a dorsal fin forming a
dull. hump, dd hump»backed adj.
hu*mus /hyobmas/ the organic constituent of soil,
n.
usu. formed by the decomposition of plants and leaves.
Hun /nun/ n. 1 a member of a warlike Asiatic people
who invaded Europe in the 4th-5th c. 2 offens. a Ger-
man (esp. in military contexts), dd Hurvnish adj.
hunch /hunch/ v. & n. »v. 1 tr. arch into a hump. 2 tr.
thrust up to form a hump. • n. 1 colloq. an intuitive feel-
ing. 2 colloq. a hint. 3 a hump.
hunch-back /hunchbak/ n. = humpback, dd hunch*
backed adj.
hun*dred /hundrsd/ n. &
adj. *n. (pi. hundreds or (in
sense 1)hundred) (in sing., prec. by a or one) 1 the
product often and ten. 2 a symbol for this (100, c, C).
3 a set of a hundred things. 4 (in sing, or pi.) colloq. a
large number. 5 (in pi ) the years of a specified cen-
tury (the seventeen hundreds), •adj. 1 that amount to a
hundred. 2 used to express whole hours in the 24-hour
system (thirteen hundred hours), a a (or one) hundred
percent adv. entirely, adj. 1 entire. 2 fully recovered.
dd hun*dred*fold adj. &
adv. hundredth adj. n. &
hun*dred*weight /hundradwayt/ n. (pi. same or
-weights) 1 (in full short hundredweight) a unit of
weight equal to 100 lb. (about 45.4 kg). 2 (in full long
hundredweight) Brit, a unit of weight equal to 1 12 lb.
(about 50.8 kg). 3 (in full metric hundredweight) a
unit of weight equal to 50 kg.
psychological or emotional obsession or problem
about she's really hung up on her teacher.
See note at hang.
Hun«gar»i»an /hunggaireean/ n. &
adj. •;/. 1 a a native
Hungarian descent. 2 the language of Hungary, •adj.
of or relating to Hungary or its people or language.
&
v. •«. 1 a feeling of discom-
fort, or (in extremes) an exhausted condition, caused
by lack of food. 2 (often foil, by for) a strong desire.
• v.intr. 1 (often foil, by for) have a craving or strong
desire. 2 feel hunger.
test, esp. by prisoners.
ment after extended deliberations.
hung-o»ver adj. colloq. suffering from a hangover.
hun»gry/hunggree/ adj. (hungrier, hungriest) 1 feeling
hunger; needing food. 2 eager; craving, an hun»grMy
adv. hun»gri«ness >/.
hunk /hungk/ n. 1 a a large piece cut off (a hunk ol
bread), b a thick or clumsy piece. 2 colloq. a mxikiIIv ;i
attractive man. b a very large person, nn hunk«y </(//.
(hunk»i»er, hunk»i-est).
hunk»y-do»ry /hungkecdawrcc ad], colloq. fine; ^nm^
well.
hunt /hunt/ v. &
n. »v. 1 tr. (also absol.) a pUTSUC .m I
kill (wild animals, esp. game), lint. esp. on honebtt k
and with hounds, for sport or food, b (of Ml animal)
chase (its prey). 2 intr. (foil, bv <///.'. hn> seek, Man I)
(hunting for a pen) 3 intr. oacillatC. 4 tr. (foil bv <inui\\
.
etc.) drive off by pursuit. 5 tr. scour (a district in pur- |
 expressing alarm or terror as of one being hunted. • n. 383 hunter ~ hydrant
1 the practice of hunting. 2 a an association of people

engaged in hunting with hounds, b an area where hus»band»ry /huzbandree/ n. 1 farming. 2 a man-
hunting takes place. hunt down pursue and capture. agement of resources, b careful management.
hunt out find by searching. hush /hush/ v., int., &n. mv. tr. & intr. make or become
hunt*er /huntsr/ n. 1 a (fern, huntress) a person or an- silent or muted, mint, calling for silence, n. an expect-
imal that hunts, b a horse used in hunting. 2 a person ant stillness or silence, d hush up suppress public men-
who seeks something. 3 a watch with a hinged cover tion of (a scandal).
protecting the glass. hush-hush /hush-hush/ of an official
adj. colloq. (esp.
hunting /hunting/ n. the practice of pursuing and kill- plan or enterprise, highly secret or confidential.
etc.)
ing wild animals. hush monkey n. money paid to prevent the disclosure
Hun»ting»ton's cho»re»a /huntingt'nz/ n. Med. chorea of a discreditable matter.
accompanied by a progressive dementia. hush pup«py n. a deep-fried ball of cornmeal dough.
huntSTnan /huntsman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a hunter. 2 a &
husk /husk/ n. v. • n. 1 the dry outer covering of some
hunt official in charge of hounds. fruits or seeds. 2 the worthless outside part of a thing.
hur*dle /hard'l/ n. &
v. • n. 1 Track Field a each of a& • v.tr. remove a husk from.
series of light frames to be cleared by runners in a race. husk-y 1 /huskee/ adj. (huskier, huskiest) 1 (of a per-
b (in pi.) a hurdle race. 2 an obstacle or difficulty. 3 a son or voice) dry in the throat; hoarse. 2 of or full of
portable rectangular frame used as a temporary fence, husks. 3 dry as a husk. 4 strong; hefty, an husk*i*ly adv.
etc. mv. 1 Track &
Field a intr. run in a hurdle race. huskMTiess n.
b tr. clear (a hurdle). 2 tr. fence off, etc., with hurdles. husk»y 2 /huskee/ n. (pi. -ies) a dog of a powerful breed

do hurcMer n. used in the Arctic for pulling sledges.

hur»dy-gur«dy/hardeeg3rdee/n. (pi. -dies) 1 a musical hus«sar /haza'ar, -sa'ar/ n. a soldier of a light cavalry reg-
instrument with a droning sound, played by turning a iment.
handle. 2 colloq. a barrel organ. hus»sy /husee, -zee/ n. (pi. -sies) derog. an impudent
hurl /harl/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. throw with great force. 2 tr. or immoral girl or woman.
utter (abuse, etc.) vehemently, •n. a forceful throw. hustings /hustingz/ campaigning, esp. the
n. political

Hurler's syn«drome /hartarz/ n. Med. a defect in appearances and with a campaign.

activities involved
metabolism resulting in mental retardation, a protrud- hus»tle /husal/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. push roughly. 2 tr. a
ing abdomen, and deformities of the bones, including (foil, by into, out of, etc.) force or deal with hurriedly

an abnormally large head. Also called gargoylism. or unceremoniously (hustled them out of the room), b
hurl»y-burl»y /harleebarlee/ n. boisterous activity; com- (foil, by into) coerce hurriedly (was hustled into agree-

motion. ing). 3 intr. push one's way; bustle. 4 tr. si. a obtain by
Hu»ron /hyobran, -on/ n. 1 a a N. American people na- forceful action, b swindle. 5 intr. si. engage in prosti-
tive to the northeastern US and eastern Canada, b a tution. • n. 1 an act of hustling. 2 colloq. a fraud or swin-
member of this people. 2 the language of this people. dle.
hur*rah /hoora'a/ int., n., &
v. (also hur«ray /hooray/) hus»tler /huslar/ n. si. 1 an aggressive and enterprising
• int.& n. an exclamation of joy or approval. • v. intr. individual, esp. an unscrupulous one. 2 a prostitute.
cry or shout "hurrah" or "hurray." hut /hut/ n. a small simple or crude house or shelter.
hur»ri»cane /harikayn, hur-/ n. a storm with violent hutch /huch/ n. 1 a box or cage, usu. with a wire mesh
wind, esp. a tropical cyclone. front, for keeping small pet animals. 2 derog. a small
hur»ri»cane lamp n. an oil lamp designed to resist a house.
high wind. hwy. abbr. highway.
hur»ry /haree, huree/ n. &
v. • n. (pi. -ries) 1 a great hy»a»cinth /hiasinth/ n. 1 any bulbous plant of the ge-
haste, b (with neg. or interrog.) a need for haste (what's nus Hyacinthus with racemes of bell-shaped fragrant
the hurry?). 2 (often foil, by /or, or to + infin.) eager- flowers. 2 = grape hyacinth. 3 the purplish blue color
ness to get a thing done quickly. • v. (-ries, -ried) 1 intr. of the hyacinth flower, dd hya»cin«thine -sinthin, -m/
move or act with great or undue haste. 2 tr. (often foil, adj.
by away, along) cause to move or proceed in this way. hy«a»lin /hialin/ n. a clear glassy substance produced as
3 tr. (as hurried adj.) hasty; done rapidly owing to lack a result of the degeneration of certain body tissues.
of time. hurry up (or along) make or cause to make hy*a*line adj. &
n. •/hialin, -lin/ adj. glasslike; vitreous;
haste, in a hurry 1 hurrying; rushed; in a rushed man- transparent. •«. /hble'en, -lin/ literary a smooth sea,
ner. 2 colloq. easily or readily (you will not beat that in clear sky, etc
a hurry; won't ask again in a hurry). hur»ried»ly adv. hy»brid /hibrid/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 Biol, the offspring of
hur*ried*ness n. two plants or animals of different species or varieties.
hurt /hart/ v. &n. and past part, hurt) 1 tr. (al-
mv. (past 2 often offens. a person of mixed racial origin. 3 a thing
so absol.) cause injury 2 tr. cause mental distress to.
to. composed of incongruous elements. »adj. 1 bred as a
3 intr. suffer pain (my arm hurts) • n. 1 bodily or mate-
. hybrid from different species or varieties. 2 of mixed
rial injury. 2 harm; wrong. character; derived from incongruous elements or un-
hurWul /hartfool/ adj. causing (esp. mental) hurt. like sources, dd hybridism n.
hurMuMy adv. hurt*ful>ness n. hy»brid»ize /hibridlz/ v. 1 tr. subject (a species, etc.) to
hur»tle /hart'l/ v.& 1 intr. tr. move or hurl rapidly or cross-breeding. 2 intr. a produce hybrids, b (of an an-
with a clattering sound. 2 intr. come with a crash. imal or plant) interbreed, dd hy»brid»i»za«tion n.
hus»band /huzband/ & n. v. •«. a married man, esp. hy«dra /hidra/ n. la freshwater polyp of the genus Hy-
in relation to his wife. •v.tr. manage thriftily, dd hus« dra with tubular body and tentacles. 2 something that
band*er n. hus*band*hood n. hus*band*less adj. hus« is hard to destroy.
band«ly adj. hy*dran*gea /hidraynja, -dran-/ n. any shrub of the ge-
nus Hydrangea with large white, pink, or blue flowers.
husband late Old English (in the senses 'male head
hy«drant /hidrant/ n. a pipe (esp. in a street) with a noz-
of a household' and 'manager, steward,' from Old
zle to which a hose can be attached for drawing water
Norse husbondi 'master of a house,' from hus 'house'
from a water main.
+ bondi 'occupier and tiller of the soil.' The original
sense of the verb was 'till, cultivate.'
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
hydrate ~ hygienic 384 tion to land, dd hydro*log*ic /hidralojik/ adj. hy»dro«
logical adj. hydro»log«i»cal»ly adv. hydrol»o»gist
hy«drate /hidrayt/ n. &
v. •n. Chem. a compound of /-rolajist/ n.
water with another compound or with an element. hy«drol»y«sis /hidrolisis/ n. the chemical reaction of a
• v. tr. 1 a combine chemically with water, b (as hy- substance with water, usu. resulting in decomposition.
drated adj. ) chemically bonded to water. 2 cause to dd hydro*lyt*ic /hidralitik/ adj.
absorb water, dd hydra*ta*ble adj. hydration hydro«lyze /hidraliz/ v.tr. &
intr. subject to or under-

/-drayshan/ n. hydra«tor n. go the chemical action of water.

hydra u»lic /hidrawlik, -drolik/ adj. 1 (of water, oil, hy«dro*me*chan*ics /hidromikaniks/ n. the mechanics
etc.) conveyed through pipes or channels, usu. by pres- of liquids; hydrodynamics.
sure. 2 (of a mechanism, etc.) operated by liquid mov- hy»drom«e«ter /hidromitar/ n. an instrument for meas-
ing in this manner {hydraulic brakes) 3 hardening un-
. uring the density of liquids, dd hy»dro»met»ric
der water {hydraulic cement), dd hydrau«li»caMy adv. /hidrametrik/ adj. hydrom»e«try n.
hydrau»lic»i»ty /— lisitee/ n. hy»drop»a»thy /hidropathee/w. the (medically unortho-
hydraulics /hidrawliks, -droliks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as dox) treatment of disease by external and internal
sing.) the science of the conveyance of liquids through application of water, dd hydro«path»ic /hidrapathik/
pipes, etc., esp. as motive power. adj. hydrop*a*thist n.
hy»dra»zine /hidrszeen/ n. Chem. a colorless alkaline hydro«phil«ic /hidrgfilik/ adj. 1 having an affinity for
liquid that is a powerful reducing agent and is used as water. 2 wettable by water.
a rocket propellant. hy»dro»pho»bi«a /hidrafobeea/ n. 1a morbid aversion
hy«dride /hidrid/ n. Chem. a binary compound of hy- to water, esp. as a symptom of rabies in humans. 2 ra-
drogen with an element, esp. with a metal. bies, esp. in humans.
hy«dro/hidro/n. {pi. -dros) colloq. a hydroelectric power hy»dro«pho«bic /hi'drafobik/ adj. 1 of or suffering from
plant. hydrophobia. 2 a lacking an affinity for water, b not
hydro- /hidro/ comb, form (also hydr- before a vowel) readily wettable.
1 having to do with water {hydroelectric) 2 Med. af- . hy«dro»plane /hidraplayn/ n.&u#«.1a light fast mo-
fected with an accumulation of serous fluid {hydro- torboat designed to skim over the surface of water. 2 a
cephalus). 3 Chem. combined with hydrogen {hydro- finlike attachment that enables a submarine to rise and
chloric) . submerge in water. • v. intr. (of a boat) skim over the
hy«dro»car«bon /hidraka'arban/ n. Chem. a compound surface of water with its hull lifted.
of hydrogen and carbon. hy«dro«pon»ics /hidrgponiks/ n. the process of grow-
hy»dro»ceph»a»lus /hidrgsefslas/ n. Med. an abnormal ing plants in sand, gravel, or liquid, without soil and
amount of fluid within the brain, esp. in young chil- with added nutrients, dd hydro»porvic adj. hydro*
dren, which makes the head enlarge and can cause pon*i*caMy adv.
mental deficiency, dd hydro»ce«phal»ic /-sifalik/ adj. hy»dro«sphere /hidrasfeer/ n. the waters of the earth's
hy»dro»chlo»ric ac»id /hidrsklawrik/ n. Chem. a solu- surface.
tion of the colorless gas hydrogen chloride in water. hydro»stat»ic /hidrastatik/ adj. of the equilibrium of
hy«dro»chlo»ride /hidrsklawrid/ n. Chem. a compound liquids and the pressure exerted by liquid at rest, dd hy*
of an organic base with hydrochloric acid. dro*stat*i«cal*ly adv.
hy»dro»COr»ti»SOne/hidr3kawrtizon/«. Biochem. aster- hydro«Stat»ics /hidrsstatiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as
oid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex, used sing.) the branch of mechanics concerned with the hy-
medicinally to treat inflammation and rheumatism. drostatic properties of liquids.
hydro»dynam»ics /hidrodinamiks/ n. the science of hy«dro«ther»a»py /hi'dratherapee/ n. the use of water in
forces acting on or exerted by fluids (esp. liquids). the treatment of disorders, usu. exercises in swimming
dd hy«dro»dynam»ic adj. hy«dro»dynam»i»cal adj. hy pools, dd hydro«ther»a«pist n.
dro*dynam*i*cist /-misist/ n. hydro»ther»mal /hidratharmal/ adj. of the action of
hy«dro»e«lec»tric /hidroilektrik/ adj. 1 generating heated water on the earth's crust, dd hy»dro»ther»mal«
electricity by waterpower. 2 (of electricity) generated ly adv.
in this way. dd hy«dro»e»lec«trioi«ty /-trisitee/ n. hydrous /hidrgs/ adj. Chem. Mineral, containing wa- &
hy«dro»foil /hidrsfoyl/ n. 1 a boat equipped with a de- ter.
vice consisting of planes for lifting its hull out of the hy»drox»ide /hidroksid/ n. Chem. a metallic compound
water to increase its speed. 2 this device. containing oxygen and hydrogen either in the form of
hy«dro»gen /hidrsjan/ n. Chem. a colorless gaseous el- the hydroxide ion (OH ) or the hydroxyl group (-OH).
ement, the lightest of the elements and occurring in hydroxy- /hidroksee/ comb, form Chem. having a hydrox-
water and all organic compounds. U Symb.: H. dd hy ide ion or group.
drog*e*nous /-drojinas/ adj. hy»drox»yl /hidroksil/ n. Chem. the univalent group
hy*dro»gen»ate /hldrojinayt, hidrsjanayt/ v.tr. charge containing hydrogen and oxygen, as -OH.
with or cause to combine with hydrogen, dd hy»dro» hy»dro»ZO»an n. &
adj. »n. any aquatic cnidarian of
gen*a*tion /-nayshan/ n. the class Hydrozoa of mainly marine polyp or medu-
hy»dro»gen bomb n. an immensely powerful bomb uti- soid forms, including hydra and Portuguese man-of-
lizing the explosive fusion of hydrogen nuclei: also war.
called H bomb. hye»na /hi-e'ena/ n. (also hyae*na) any carnivorous
hy«dro»gen per*ox*ide n. a colorless viscous unstable mammal of the order Hyaenidae.
liquid with strong oxidizing properties. 1 Chem. for-
hyena Middle Etnglish: via .aim from < ircek ////.//;/,/,
mula: 2 H2 .
I

feminine of hus 'pig.'The transference of the term was

hy«drog«ra»phy /hidrografee/ n. the science of survey-
probably because the animal's mane was thought to
ing and charting dd hydrog»ra»
seas, lakes, rivers, etc.
resemble a hog's bristles.
pher n. hydro«graph-ic /hidragrafik/ adj. hydro*
graphical adj. hydro*graph*i*cal*ly adv. hygiene /hfjeen/ n. 1 a a study, or set of principles, of
hydroid /hidroyd/ adj. &
n. Zool. any usu. polypoid hy- maintaining health, b conditions or practices condu-
drozoan of the order Hydroida, including the hydra. cive to maintaining health. 2 sanitary science.
hy-drol-0»gy /hidrolajee/ n. the science of the proper- hygi»en«ic /hijenik, hije'enik/ adj. clean and sami;u\
ties of the earth's water, esp. of its movement in rela- dd hygi»en»i»caMy adv.
 .

hygi»ervics /hijeniks, hije'eniks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as 385 hygienics - hypnotize

sing.) = hygiene la.
hy«gien»ist /hijenist, -jee-, -hijeenist/ n. a specialist in thesia) an excessive physical sensibility, esp. of the
the promotion and practice of cleanliness for the pres- skin, dd hyper»es»thet»ic /-thetik/ adj.
ervation of health. hyper«gly»ce»mi»a /hipargliseemeea/ n. an excess of
hygro- /higro/ comb, form moisture. glucose in the bloodstream, often associated with
hy»grom»e«ter /higromitar/ n. an instrument for meas- diabetes mellitus. dd hyper»glyce«mic adj.
uring the humidity of the air or a gas. an hygro«met« hy«per»gol»ic /hipargolik/ rocket propellant)
adj. (of a
ric /higrametrik/ adj. hygrom«e»try n. igniting spontaneously on contact with an oxidant, etc.
hying pres. part, of hie. hy»per»i«cum /hiperikam/ n. any shrub of the genus
hy«men /himan/ n. Anat. a membrane that partially Hypericum with five-petaled yellow flowers.
closes the opening of the vagina and is usu. broken at hy»per«ki»ne»sia /hiparkineezha/ n. Med. muscle
the first occurrence of sexual intercourse. spasm. 2 Psychiatry a disorder of children marked by
hyme»nop»ter»an /himsnoptarsn/ n. an insect having hyperactivity and inability to concentrate, nn hy»per«
four transparent wings, including bees, wasps, and ki*net*ic adj.
ants, dd hy»me»nop«ter«ous adj. hy»per«phys«i«cal /hfparfiziksl/ adj. supernatural.
&
hymn /him/ n. v. •n. a song of praise, esp. to God in hyper»sen«si»tive /hipsrsensitiv/ adj. excessively sen-
Christian worship, usu. a metrical composition sung sitive, dd hyper»sen»si»tivi«ty /-tivitee/ n.
in a religious service, mv. 1 tr. praise in hymns. 2 intr. hy«per»son»ic /hiparsonik/ adj. 1 relating to speeds of
sing hymns. more than five times the speed of sound. 2 relating to
hymenal /himnal/ n. &
adj. • n. a hymnbook. • adj. of sound frequencies above about a billion hertz.
hymns. hy»per»ten»sion /hipartenshan/ n. 1 abnormally high
hynvno»dy /himnsdee/ n. (pi. -dies) 1 a the singing of blood pressure. 2 a state of great emotional tension.
hymns, b the composition of hymns. 2 hymns collec- dd hyper»ten«sive /-tensiv/ adj.
tively, dd hym«no»dist n. hypertext /hipartekst/ n. Computing computer soft-
hy»os»cine /hbseen/ n. a poisonous alkaloid found in ware that links topics on the screen to related informa-
plants of the nightshade family, esp. of the genus tion, graphics, etc.
Scopolia, and used as an antiemetic in motion sickness hy*per*ther*mi*a /hipartharmeea/ n. Med. the condi-
and a preoperative medication for examination of the tion of having a body temperature greatly above nor-
eye. Also called scopolamine. mal.
hype /hip/ n.
1
&v. si. •n. 1 extravagant or intensive hy»per»thy»roid»ism /hiparthiroydizam/ n. Med. over-
publicity promotion. 2 cheating; a trick. • v. tr. 1 pro- activity of the thyroid gland, resulting in an increased
mote (a product) with extravagant publicity. 2 cheat; rate of metabolism, dd hyper«thyroid adj.
trick. hy»per»ton»ic /hipartonik/ adj. 1 (of muscles) having
hype 2 /hip/ n. si. 1 a drug addict. 2 a hypodermic nee- high tension. 2 (of a solution) having a greater osmot-
dle or injection. hyped up stimulated by or as if by ic pressure than another solution, dd hyper«to»ni»a
a hypodermic injection. /-tonee9/ n. (in sense 1). hyper-to«nioi«ty /-tanisitee/
hy-per/hipar/ad/. si. excessively excited, nervous, stim- n.
ulated, etc. hy»per»tro»phy /hipartrsfee/ n. enlargement of an or-
hyper- /hipsr/ meaning: 1 over; beyond; above
prefix gan or part, dd hypertrophic /-tr6fik, -trofik/ adj. hy
(hyperphysical) 2 exceeding (hypersonic) 3 excessive-
. . per»troph»ied adj.
ly; above normal (hyperbole; hypersensitive) hy»per«ven»ti»la«tion /hiparvent'layshan/ n. breathing
hy»per»ac»tive /hiparaktiv/ adj. (of a person, esp. a at an abnormally rapid rate.
child) abnormally active, do hyper»aotivi»ty /-tivitee/ hy»phen /hifgn/ n. &
v. •«. the sign (-) used to join

n. words semantically or syntactically (as in pick-me-up,

hyper»bo«la /hiparbata/ n. (pi. hyperbolas or hyper- rock-forming), to indicate the division of a word at the
bolae /-lee/) Geom. the plane curve of two equal end of a line, or to indicate a missing or implied el-
branches, produced when a cone is cut by a plane ement (as in man- and womankind) mv.tr. 1 write (a .

that makes a larger angle with the base than the side compound word) with a hyphen. 2 join (words) with
of the cone (cf. ellipse), dd hyper*bol*ic /hiparbolik/ a hyphen.
adj. hy«phen»ate /hifanayt/ v.tr. - hyphen v. dd hyphens
tion /-nayshgn/ n.
hypno- /hipno/comb, form sleep; hypnosis.
hyp»no»gen»e«sis /hipnojenisis/ n. the induction of a
hypnotic state.
hyp»nol«o»gy /hipnobjee/ n. the science of the phe-
nomena of sleep, dd hyp*nol«o*gist n.
hyp»no»sis /hipnosis/ n. 1 a state like sleep in which the
subject acts only on external suggestion. 2 artificially
produced sleep.
hyp«no»ther»a«py /hipnotherapee/ n. the treatment of
disease by hypnosis.
hyperbola hyp»not»ic /hipnotik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of or producing
hypnosis. 2 (of a drug) soporific. • n. 1 a thing, esp. a
hy«per»bo»le /hiparbalee/ n. Rhet. an exaggerated state- drug, that produces sleep. 2 a person under or open
ment not meant to be taken literally, dd hyper«boM» to the influence of hypnotism, dd hyp«not»i«caMy adv.
cal /hiparbolikal/ adj. hyper*bol*i*cal*ly adv. hyp»no»tism /hipnatizam/ n. the practice of hypnosis.
hy»per»crit»i»cal /hiparkritikal/ adj. excessively critical, dd hyp*no*tist n.
esp. of small faults. hyp«no»tize /hipnatiz/ v.tr. 1 produce hypnosis in.
hy»per»e»mi»a /hipare'emeea/ n. (Brit, hyperaemia) an 2 fascinate; capture the mind of (a person), dd hyp*
excessive quantity of blood in the vessels supplying an no*tiz*a*ble adj.
organ or other part of the body, dd hyper»e»mic adj.
hyper*es*the*sia /hiparis-the'ezha/ n. (Brit, hyperes- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

hypo ~ Hz 386 hy*po*style /hipastil/ adj. Archit. having a roof sup-

ported by pillars.
hypo 1
/hipo/ n. Photog. the chemical sodium thiosul- hy»po»tax»is /hipataksis/ n. Gram, the subordination of
fate (incorrectly called hyposulfite) used as a photo- one clause to another.
graphic fixer. hy»po«ten»sion /hipatenshsn/ n. abnormally low blood
hypo 2 /hipo/ n. (pi. -pos) colloq. = hypodermic n. pressure, dd hypotensive adj.
hypo*al*ler*gen*ic /hipoalarjenik/ adj. having little hy»pot»e»nuse /hipot'noos, -nyoos/ n. the side opposite
likelihood of causing an allergic reaction (hypoallergen- the right angle of a right-angled triangle.
ic foods; hypoallergenic cosmetics) hypothalamus /hipathalamas/ n. (pi. -mi /-mi/)
hypo»chon»dri»a /hipokondreea/ n. 1 abnormal anxi- A nat. the region of the brain that controls thirst, hun-
ety about one's health. 2 morbid depression without ger, etc. dd hypo*tha*lam*ic /-thalamik/ adj.
real cause. hy*po*ther«mi*a /hipothormeea/ n. Med. the condition
hy po»chorvdri»ac /hipskondreeak/ n. & adj. • n. a per- of having an abnormally low body temperature.
son suffering from hypochondria, madj. (also hypo* hypothesis /hipothisis/ n. (pi. hypotheses /-seez/)
chon*dri«a*cal /-drfekal/) of hypochondria. 1 a proposition made as a basis for reasoning. 2 a sup-
hypoorNsy (pi. -sies) 1 the assump-
/hipokrisee/ n. position made as a starting point for further investi-
tion of moral standards to which one's own behavior gation from known facts. 3 a groundless assumption.
does not conform; pretense. 2 an instance of this. hy»poth»e«size /hlpothisiz/ v. 1 intr. frame a hypoth-
hyp»o»crite /hipakrit/ n. a person given to hypocrisy. esis. 2 tr. assume as a hypothesis, dd hy*poth*e*sist
dd hyp*o*crit*i*cal /-kritiksl/ adj. hyp»o»crit»i»caMy adv. /-sist/ n. hypoth»e»siz»er n.
hypo*der*mic /hipadarmik/ adj. &
n. »adj. Med. 1 of hy*po*thet*i*cal /hipathetikal/ adj. 1 of or based on or

or relating to the area beneath the skin. 2 a (of a drug, serving as a hypothesis. 2 supposed but not necessar-
etc., or its application) injected beneath the skin, b (of ily real or true, dd hypo*thet*i*cal*ly adv.
a syringe, etc.) used to do this. • n. a hypodermic injec- hy»po»thyroid»ism /hipothiroydizam/ n. Med. subnor-
tion or syringe, do hypo»der«mi»caMy adv. mal activity of the thyroid gland, resulting in cretin-
hypo«gas*tri*um /hip9gastree9m/ n. (pi. hypogastria ism, dd hypothyroid n. adj. &
/-treeg/) the part of the central abdomen that is situ- hy»po»ven»ti«la»tion /hipovent'layshan/ n. breathing at
ated below the region of the stomach, dd hy»po»gas» an abnormally slow rate.
trie adj. hy»pox»i»a /hipokseea/ n. Med. a deficiency of oxygen
hypo*ge*an hypo«ge»al /-jeeal/)
/hipsje'ean/ adj. (also reaching the tissues, dd hypoxic adj.
1 (existing or growing) underground. 2 (of seed ger- hy»rax /hiraks/ n. a. small herbivorous mammal of the
mination) with the seed leaves remaining below the order Hyracoidea, with a compact body and a short
ground. tail, found in Africa and Arabia.

hy»po»ge«um /hipaje'eam/ n. (pi. hypogea /-jeea/) an hys«SOp /hisap/ n. any small bushy aromatic herb of
underground chamber. the genus Hyssopus, esp. H. officinalis, formerly used
hypo»gly»ce»mi»a /hipoglise'emees/ n. a deficiency of medicinally.
glucose in the bloodstream, dd hy»po»gly»ce»mic adj. hys«ter»ec»to»my /histarektamee/ n. (pi. -mies) the sur-
hy*poid /hipoyd/ n. a gear with the pinion offset from gical removal of the uterus, dd hys»ter»ec«to»mize v.tr.
the centerline of the wheel, to connect nonintersect- hys»te»ri»a /histereea, -steer-/ n. la wild uncontrolla-
ing shafts. ble emotion or excitement. 2 a functional disturbance
hy»po»ma»ni«a /hipamayneea/ n. a minor form of ma- of the nervous system, of psychoneurotic origin.
nia, dd hy»po»man»ic /-manik/ adj. hys»ter«ic /histerik/ n. adj. »n. 1 &
(in pi.) a a fit of
hypos*ta*sis /hipostasis/ n. (pi. hypostases /-seez/) hysteria, b colloq. overwhelming mirth or laughter (we
1 Med. an accumulation of fluid or blood in the lower were in hysterics). 2 a hysterical person. *adj. - hyster-
parts of the body or organs under the influence of grav- ical.
ity, in cases of poor circulation. 2 Metaphysics an un-
hysteric mid- 17th century (as an adjective): via Lat-
derlying substance, as opposed to attributes or to that
in from Greek husterikos 'of the womb,' from hustera
which is unsubstantial. 3 Theol. a the person of Christ,
'womb' (hysteria once being thought to be specific to
combining human and divine natures, b each of the
women and associated with the womb).
three persons of the Trinity, dd hy*pos*ta*size v.tr. (in
senses 1,2). hys»ter»i«cal /histerikal/ adj.1 of or affected with hys-

hypo«stat»ic /hipastatik/ adj. (also hypo»stat»i«cal) teria. 2 uncontrolledly emotional. 3 colloq. extremely
Theol. relating to the three persons of the Trinity, a hy- funny, dd hys«ter»i«caWy adv.
postatic union the divine and human natures in Christ. Hz abbr. hertz.
 .

/
1
1
III n. (also i) (pi. Is or I's) 1 the ninth letter of the al- ice cap n. a permanent covering of ice, e.g., in polar
phabet. 2 (as a Roman
numeral) 1 regions.
2 III pron. (obj. me; poss. my, mine; pi. we) used by a
1 ice cream n. a sweet creamy frozen food, usu. flavored.
speaker or writer to refer to himself or herself. ice cube n. a small block of ice made in a refrigerator.
1
3 symb. Chem. the element iodine. ice hock»ey n. a form of hockey played on ice with a
H abbr. (also I.) 1 Island(s). 2 Isle(s). puck.
A abbr. Iowa (in official postal use).
I Ice«land*er /I'slandar/ n. 1a native or national of Ice-
i*amb /iamb/ n. Prosody a foot consisting of one short land, an island in the N. Atlantic. 2 a person of Icelan-
(or unstressed) followed by one long (or stressed) syl- dic descent.
lable. Ice«lan*dic /Islandik/ adj. &
n. *adj. of or relating to
i*am*bic /lambik/ adj. & n. Prosody •adj. of or using Iceland, •n. the language of Iceland.
iambuses, •n. (usu. in pi.) iambic verse. ice skate n. a boot with a blade attached to the sole,
i»a»tro»gen«ic /latrajenik/ adj. (of a disease, etc.) caused for skating on ice. an ice-skate v.intr. ice-skat*er n.
by medical examination or treatment. IChing /e'e ching/ n. an ancient Chinese manual of div-
ib. var. of ibid. ination based on symbolic trigrams and hexagrams.
I beam n. a girder of I-shaped section. ich»nog»ra»phy /iknografee/ n. (pi. -phies) 1 the
I»be»ri«an /Ibeereean/ adj. &
n. • adj. of ancient Iberia, ground-plan of a building, map of a region, etc. 2 a
the peninsula now comprising Spain and Portugal; of drawing of this.
Spain and Portugal, •n. 1 a native of ancient Iberia. i»chor /ikawr, ikar/ n. 1 (in Greek mythology) fluid flow-
2 any of the languages of ancient Iberia. ing like blood in the veins of the gods. 2 poet, blood-
i»bex /ibeks/ n. (pi. same or ibexes) a wild goat, Capra like fluid, an i»chofOUS /ikaras/ adj.
of mountainous areas of Europe, N. Africa,
ibex, esp. ichthyo- /iktheeo/ comb, form fish.
and Asia, with thick curved ridged horns. ich«thy»oid /ikthee-oyd/ adj. &n. »adj. fishlike. • w. any
ibid, /ibid/ abbr. (also ib.) in the same book or passage, fishlike vertebrate.
etc. ich»thyo»lite /iktheealit/ n. a fossil fish.
i»bis /ibis/ n. (pi. same or ibises) any wading bird of the ich»thy»ol»o»gy /iktheeolajee/ n. the study of fishes.
family Threskiornithidae with a curved bill, long neck, dd ich»thyol«og«i«cal /-theealojikal/ adj. ich-thyol»o«
and long legs. gist n.
i»bu»pro»fen /ibyooprOfan/ n. an anti-inflammatory ich«thyo»saur /iktheeasawr/ n. (also ich»thyo«saur»us
medication used to relieve pain and reduce fever. /iktheeasawras/) any extinct marine reptile of the or-
ICBM abbr. intercontinental ballistic missile. der Ichthyosauria, with long head, tapering body, four
ICC abbr. 1 Interstate Commerce
Commission. flippers, and usu. a large tail.
2 International Claims Commission. 3 Indian Claims ich«thy»o*sis /iktheeOsis/ n. a skin disease that causes
Commission. the epidermis to become dry and horny like fish scales.
ice /is/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a frozen water, a brittle transpar- dd ich-thyoWc /-theeotik/ adj.
ent crystalline solid, b a sheet of this on the surface of hanging tapering piece of ice, formed
i»ci»cle /isikal/ n. a
water (fell through the ice) 2 a frozen mixture of fruit
. by the freezing of dripping water.
juice or flavored water and sugar. 3 5/. diamonds. »v. icing /ising/ n. la coating of sugar, etc., on a cake or
1 tr. mix with or cool in ice (iced drinks) 2 tr. intr. . & cookie. 2 the formation of ice on a ship or aircraft, d ic-
(often foil, by over, up) a cover or become covered with ing on the cake an attractive though inessential addi-
ice. b freeze. 3 tr. cover (a cake, etc.) with icing. 4 si. tion or enhancement.
kill. break the ice do or say something to relieve the ick»y /ikkee/ adj. colloq. (as a general term of disapprov-
tension or get conversation going when people meet al) nasty; repulsive.
for the first time, on ice 1 (of an entertainment, sport, i»con /ikon/ n. (also i*kon) 1 a devotional painting or
etc.) performed by skaters. 2 colloq. held in reserve; carving, usu. on wood, of Christ or another holy fig-
awaiting further attention, on thin ice in a risky situa- ure, esp. in the Eastern Church. 2 an image or statue.
tion. 3 Computing a symbol or graphic representation that
ice age n. a glacial period, esp. (the Ice Age) in the appears on the monitor in a program, option, or win-
Pleistocene epoch. dow, esp. one of several for selection. 4 Linguistics a
ice»berg /isbarg/ n. la large floating mass of ice de- sign which has a characteristic in common with the
tached from a glacier or ice sheet and carried out to thing it signifies.
sea. 2 an unemotional or cold-blooded person. the i»con»ic /Ikonik/ adj. 1 of or having the nature of an im-
tip of the iceberg a small perceptible part of something age or portrait. 2 (of a statue) following a convention-
(esp. a difficulty) the greater part of which is hidden. al type. 3 Linguistics that is an icon, dd i«co«nic«i«ty
ice*berg leMuce n. any of various crisp lettuces with /ikanisitee/ n. (esp. in sense 3).
a freely blanching head. icono- /ikono/ comb, form an image or likeness.
ice*bound /isbownd/ adj. confined by ice. i*con*o*clasm /ikonaklazam/ n. 1 the breaking of
ice*box /isboks/ n. 1a compartment in a refrigerator images. 2 the assailing of cherished beliefs.
for making and storing ice. 2 dated a refrigerator.
_
i»COn*0»clast /ikonaklast/ n. la person who attacks
ice«break»er /isbraykar/ w. 1a boat or ship used for cherished beliefs. 2 a person who destroys images used
breaking ice on a river, the sea, etc. 2 something that in religious worship, esp. hist, during the 8th-9th c. in
serves to relieve inhibitions, start a conversation, etc. the churches of the East, or as a Puritan of the
 .

iconography ~ idiot 388 thing viewed at different times) one and the same. 3 (of
twins) developed from a single fertilized ovum, there-
16th- 17th c. dg i«con»o«clas»tic /-klastik/ adj. i«con»o» fore of the same sex and usu. very similar in appear-
clas*ti*cal*ly adv. ance. 4 Logic Of Math, expressing an identity, a a i»den»
i»co»nog»ra«phy /lkanogrofee/ n. (pi. -phies) 1 the il- ti*cal*ly adv. i*den*ti*cal*ness n.
lustration of a subject by drawings or figures. 2 a the note at same. See
study of portraits, esp. of an individual, b the study of i»den»ti»f i*ca*tion /Identifikayshsn/ n. 1 a the act or an
artistic images or symbols. 3 a treatise on pictures or instance of identifying; recognition; pinpointing.
statuary, go i»co»nog«ra«pher n. i«con»o«graph»ic b association of oneself with the feelings, situation,
/-nagrafik/ adj. i»con«o»graph«i»cal adj. i*con*o*graph* characteristics, etc., of another person or group of peo-
i'cal-ly adv. ple. 2 a means of identifying a person. 3 (attrib.) serv-
i»co»nol«o«gy /ikanobjee/ n. 1 an artistic theory devel- ing to identify (esp. the bearer) (identification card)
oped from iconography (see iconography 2b). 2 sym- i»den»ti«f i»er /identifier/ n. 1 a person or thing that iden-
bolism. tifies. 2 Computing a sequence of characters used to
i»co»sa»he«dron /Ikosahe'edran, -ikos-/ n. a solid fig- identify or refer to a set of data.
ure with twenty faces, go i»co«sa»he«dral adj. i»den»ti»fy /identifiV v. (-fies, -fied) 1 tr. establish the
ioter«us /iktaras/ n. Med. = jaundice, gg ic»ter»ic identity of; recognize. 2 tr. establish or select by con-
/ikterik/ adj. sideration or analysis of the circumstances (identify the
ic«tus /iktas/ n. (pi. ictuses or same) 1 Prosody rhyth- best method of solving the problem). 3 tr. (foil, by with)
mical or metrical stress. 2 Med. a stroke or seizure; a associate (a person or oneself) inseparably or very
fit. closely (with a party, policy, etc.). 4 tr. (often foil, by

ICU abbr. intensive-care unit. with) treat (a thing) as identical. 5 intr. (foil, by with)
i»cy /isee/ adj. (icier, iciest) 1 very cold. 2 covered with a regard oneself as sharing characteristics of (another
or abounding in ice. 3 (of a tone or manner) unfriend- person), b associate oneself, gg i*den*ti*fi*a*ble
ly; hostile (an icy stare), gg i»ci«ly adv. i*ci*ness n. /-fiabsl/ adj. i*den*ti*fi*a*bly adv.
ID abbr. 1 identification, identity (ID card). 2 Idaho (in i«den»ti«ty /identitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a the quality or con-
official postal use). dition of being a specified person or thing, b individ-
I'd /Id/ contr. 1 I had. 2 I should; I would. uality; personality (felt he had lost his identity).
id /id/ n. Psychol, the inherited instinctive impulses of 2 identification or the result of it (a case of mistaken
the individual as part of the unconscious. identity; identity card) 3 the state of being the same in
.

i»de»a /ide'ea/ n.la conception or plan formed by men- substance, nature, qualities, etc.; absolute sameness
tal effort (have you any ideas?) 2 a a mental impres-
. (no identity of interests between them).
sion or notion; a concept, b a vague belief or fancy temporary period during which
i»den»ti»ty crisis n. a
(had an idea you were married) C an opinion; an out-
. an individual experiences a feeling of loss or break-
look or point of view (had some funny ideas about mar- down of identity.
riage) 3 an intention, purpose, or essential feature (the
. id*e«o*gram /ideesgram/ n. a character symbolizing the
idea is to make money) 4 an archetype or pattern as dis-
. idea of a thing without indicating the sequence of
tinguished from its realization in individual cases, a get sounds in its name (e.g., a numeral, and many Chi-
(or have) ideas colloq. be ambitious, rebellious, etc. nese characters).
have no idea colloq. 1 not know at all. 2 be complete- id*e*o*graph /ideesgraf/ n. = ideogram, gg id*e«o*graph*
ly incompetent, not one's idea of colloq. not what one ic adj. id»e»ogTa«phy /ideeografee/ n.
regards as (not my idea of a pleasant evening), put ideas i»de»o«logue /ideealawg, -log, idee-/ n. la theorist; a
into a person's head suggest ambitions, etc., he or she visionary. 2 an adherent of an ideology.
would not otherwise have had. that's an idea colloq. i»de»ol»o«gy /ideeolajee, idee-/ n. (pi. -gies) 1 the sys-
that proposal, etc., is worth considering. tem of ideas at the basis of an economic or political
i»de»al /Ide'esl/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 a answering to one's theory (Marxist ideology) 2 the manner of thinking
.

highest conception, b perfect or supremely excellent.
2 a existing only in idea, b visionary. 3 embodying an
idea. 4 relating to or consisting of ideas; dependent on
the mind. • n. 1 a perfect type, or a conception of this.
2 a an actual thing as a standard for imitation, b (of-
ten in pi. ) a moral principle or standard of behavior.
gg i-de-al-ly adv.
i*de*al gas n. a hypothetical gas consisting of mole-
cules occupying negligible space and without attrac-
tion for each other, thereby obeying simple laws.
i»de»al»ism /ideealizam/ n. 1 the practice of forming or
following after ideals, esp. unrealistically. 2 the
representation of things in ideal or idealized form.
3 imaginative treatment, gg i*de*al*ist n. i»de«al»is»tic
adj. i*de*al«is*ti*cal*ly adv.
i»de»al»ize /ideesliz/v.tr. 1 regard or represent (a thing
or person) in ideal form or character. 2 exalt in thought
to ideal perfection or excellence, gg i«de»al«i»za«tion n.
characteristic of a class or individual (bourgeois ideolo-
gy). 3 visionary speculation, gg i«de»o»log»i»cal
/-alojikal/ adj. i«de*o»log«i»caMy adv. i»de«ol«o»gist
/-deeol-/ n.
ides /idz/ n.pl. the eighth day after the nones in the an-
cient Roman calendar (the 15th day of March, May,
July, October; the 13th of other months).
id»i»o«cy /ideeasee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 utter foolishness; id-
iotic behavior or an idiotic action. 2 extreme mental
imbecility.
id*i*om /ideeam/ n. 1a group of words established by
usage and having a meaning not deducible from those
of the individual words (as in at the drop qj a hm, tm
the light). 2 a form of expression peculiar to a language,
person, or group of people. 3 a the language oft peo
pie or country, b the specific character of this. 4 a
characteristic mode of expression in music, art, etc.
id»i«0»mat«ic /ideeomatik/ adj. 1 relating to or on ^

i«de»al«iz«er n. forming to idiom. 2 characteristic of a particular l:m

i»de»ate /ideeayt/ v. Psychol. 1 tr. imagine; conceive. guage. gg id«i»o«mat»i»caMy adv.
2 intr. form ideas, gg i*de*a*tion /-ayshan/ n. i»de«a« id«i*0*syn*cra*sy /ideeosin^kmsee/ n. (pi -sles) 1 a
tiorval /-ayshanal/ adj. i»de«a»tion»al»ly / ayshonolee/ mental constitution, view or feeling, or mode <>l lu-hav
adv. ior, peculiar to a person. 2 anytime highly individu-
i»deefixe/eedayfeeks/tt. (pi. idees fixes pronunc. same) alized or eccentric. 3 a mode of expression peculiar to
an idea that dominates the mind; an obsession. an author, orj id»i-o»syn»crat»ic/ kratik/ <;<//. ld»i»o»syn»
i*den*ti*cal /Identikol/ adj. 1 (often foil, by with) (of crat*i*cal*ly adv.
different things) agreeing in every detail. 2 (of one id*i*Ot /ideeot/ n. 1 colloq. a stupid person; an uttei tool
 . .

2 a person deficient in mind and permanently incapa- 389 idle ~ ill-bred

ble of rational conduct, dd id»i»ot»ic /ideeotik/ adj. id*
j»ot*i*caMy /ideeotiklee/ adv. combustion of fuel in the cylinder
tion of, starting the
i»dle /id'l/ adj. &v. »adj. (idler, idlest) 1 lazy; indolent. of an internal combustion engine. 2 the act or an in-
2 not in use; not working; unemployed. 3 (of time, etc.) stance of igniting or being ignited.
unoccupied. 4 having no special basis or purpose (idle ig*no*ble /ignebal/ adj. (ignobler, ignoblest) 1 dishon-
rumor, idle curiosity). 5 useless. 6 (of an action, orable; mean; base. 2 of low birth, position, or repu-
thought, or word) ineffective; worthless; vain. mv. tation, dd ig»no*biM»ty n. ig*no*bly adv.
1 a intr. (of an engine) run slowly while disconnected ig»no«min»i»OUS /ignamineeas/ adj. 1 causing or de-
from a load or out of gear, b tr. cause (an engine) to serving ignominy. 2 humiliating, dd ig«no«min«i»ous«ly
idle. 2 intr. be idle. 3 tr. (foil, by away) pass (time, etc.) adv. ig*no*min*i*ous*ness n.

in idleness, no i*dle*ness n. i»dler /ldtar/ n. i*dly adv. ig»no«min«y /ignaminee/ n. dishonor; infamy.
i«dol /Id'l/ n. 1 an image of a deity, etc., used as an ob- ig*no*ra*mus /ignaraymas/ n. (pi. ignoramuses or
ject of worship. 2 Bibl. a false god. 3 a person or thing ignorami) an ignorant person.
that is the object of excessive or supreme adulation
ignoramus late 1 6th cent, (as the endorsement made
(movie idol).
by a grand jury on an indictment considered backed
i«dol»a»ter /Idolstar/ n. (Jem. idolatress /-tris/) 1 a wor-
by insufficient evidence to bring before a petty jury):
shiper of idols. 2 (often foil, by of) a devoted admirer.
Latin, literally 'we do not know' (in legal use 'we take
dd i»dol«a«trous adj.
no notice of it'), from ignorare (see ignore). The mod-
j«dol»a»try /idotatree/ n. 1 the worship of idols. 2 great
ern sense may derive from the name of a character in
adulation.
George Ruggle's Ignoramus (1615), a satirical comedy
i*dol*ize /id'liz/ v. 1 tr. venerate or love extremely or ex-
exposing lawyers' ignorance.
cessively. 2 tr. make an idol of. 3 intr. practice idola-
try, do i«dol»i»za»tion n. i«dol«iz«er n. ig«no»rance /ignarans/ n. (often foil, by of) lack of
i»dyll /id'l/ n. (also i«dyl) 1 a short description in verse knowledge (about a thing)
or prose of a picturesque scene or incident, esp. in rus- ig»no»rant /ignarant/ adj. 1 a lacking knowledge or
tic life. 2 an episode suitable for such treatment, usu. experience, b (foil, by of, in) uninformed (about a fact
a love story, dd i-dyl-list n. i-dyMize v.tr. or subject). 2 colloq. ill-mannered; uncouth, dd ig«no«
i*dyl*lic /Idilik/ adj. 1 blissfully peaceful and happy. 2 of rant»ly adv.
or like an idyll, dd i*dyl*li*cal*ly adv. ig»nore /ignawr/ v. tr. 1 refuse to take notice of or ac-
i.e. abbr. that is to say. cept.2 intentionally disregard, dd ig»nor»er n.
conj. &n.m conj. 1 introducing a conditional clause:
if /if/ i*gua*na /igwa'ana/ n. any of various large arboreal
a on the condition or supposition that; in the event lizards of the family Iguanidae, native to America, the
that he comes I will tell him; if you are tired we will
(if W. Indies, and the Pacific islands, having a throat ap-
rest), b (with past tense) implying that the condition pendage and a spiny crest along the back.
is not fulfilled (if I were you; if I knew I would say) 2 even . i*guan*0*don /igwa'anadon/ n. a large extinct plant-eat-
though (I'll finish it, if it takes me all day). 3 whenever ing dinosaur of the genus Iguanodon, with forelimbs
(if J am not sure I ask) 4 whether (see ifyou can find it)
. smaller than hind limbs.
5 a expressing wish or surprise (if I could just try!; if it IL abbr. Illinois (in official postal use).
isn't my old hat!), b expressing a request (if you would- il- /il/ prefix variant spelling of in- assimilated before /

n't mind opening the door?). 6 with implied reservation, (as in illustrate, illuminate).
and perhaps not (very rarely if at all) 7 (with reduc- il«e»um /ileeam/ n. (pi. ilea /ileea/) Anat. the third and
.

tion of the protasis to its significant word) if there is last portion of the small intestine, dd il*e*ac adj.
or it is, etc. (took little if any). 8 despite being (a useful il*i*ac /ileeak/ adj. of the lower body or ilium (iliac ar-
if cumbersome device). •«. a condition or supposition tery).
(too many ifs about it), d if only 1 even if for no other il*i*um /ileeam/ n. (pi. ilia /ilees/) 1 the bone forming
reason than (I'll come if only to see her). 2 (often ellipt.) the upper part of each half of the human pelvis. 2 the
an expression of regret (if only I had thought of it; if on- corresponding bone in animals.
ly I could swim!), if so if that is the case. ilk /ilk/ n. a family, class, or set (not of the same ilk as
iMy /ifee/ adj. (iffier, iffiest) colloq. uncertain; doubtful. you).
ig*loo /igloo/ n. a dome-shaped Eskimo dwelling, esp. III. abbr. Illinois.
one built of snow. ill. abbr. 1 illustrated. 2 illustration. 3 illustrator.
I'll /il/ contr. I shall; I will.
ill /il/ adj., adv., & n. • adj. 1 foil, by
(usu. predic. ; often
with) out of health; sick (is was taken ill with pneumo-
ill;

nia; mentally ill people). 2 (of health) unsound; disor-

dered. 3 wretched; unfavorable (ill fortune; ill luck).
4 harmful (ill effects). 5 hostile; unkind (ill feeling).
6 archaic morally bad. 7 faulty; unskillful (ill taste; ill
management). 8 (of manners or conduct) improper.
• adv. 1 badly; wrongly (ill-matched). 2 a imperfectly
(ill-provided) b scarcely (can ill afford to do it) 3 unfa-
. .

vorably (it would have gone ill with them). • n. 1 injury;

ig*ne*ous /igneeas/ adj. 1 of fire; fiery. 2 Geol. (esp. of harm. 2 evil; the opposite of good, a ill at ease embar-
rocks) produced by volcanic or magmatic action. rassed; uneasy, speak ill of say something unfavorable
igmite /ignit/ v. 1 tr. set fire to; cause to burn. 2 intr. about.
catch fire. 3 tr. Chem. heat to the point of combustion ill-ad«vised adj. 1 (of a person) foolish or imprudent.
or chemical change. 4 tr. provoke or excite (feelings, 2 (of a plan, etc.) not well formed or considered, dd ill-
etc.). dd ig*nit*a*ble adj. ig*nit*a*bil*i*ty /-tabilitee/ n. ad«vis*ed*ly /-advizidlee/ adv.
ig*nit«i*ble adj. ig*nit*i»bil*i*ty /— tibilitee/ n. ill-be-haved adj. having bad manners or conduct.
ig«ni»ter /ignitar/ n. 1 a device for igniting a fuel mix- ill-bred adj. badly brought up; rude.
ture in an engine. 2 a device for causing an electric arc.
ig*ni*tion /ignishan/ n. 1 a mechanism for, or the ac- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

illegal ~ imbibe 390 serving as an explanation or example, dd iMus*tra*tive*

ly adv.
il*le*gal /ile'egal/ adj. 1 not legal. 2 contrary to law. dd il» iMus»tra»tor /ibstraytar/ n. a person who makes illus-
le«gal-My /-galitee/ n. (pi. -ties). iMe»gal»ly adv. trations, esp. for magazines, books, advertising copy,
il»leg«i»ble /ilejibal/ adj. not legible, dd il*leg*i*bil*i*ty n. etc.
il*leg*i*bly adv. iMus*tri*OUS /ilustreeas/ adj. distinguished; renowned.
iMe*git*i*mate adj. &
n. madj. /ilijitimat/ 1 (of a child) dd il-lus-tri-ous-ly adv.iMus*tri*ous*ness n.
born of parents not married to each other. 2 not au- ill will n. bad feeling; animosity.

thorized by law; unlawful. 3 improper. 4 wrongly in- ill wind n. an unfavorable or untoward circumstance

ferred. 5 physiologically abnormal. •«. /ilijitimat/ a
person whose position is illegitimate, esp. by birth.
an iMe«git»i»ma«cy /-masee/ n. il«le«git«i»mate«ly adv.
ill-e»quipped adj. (often foil, by to + infin.) not ade-
quately equipped or qualified.
ill-fat*ed adj. destined to or bringing bad fortune.
(with ref. to the proverb it's an ill wind that blows no-
body good)
I'm /Im/ contr. I am.
im*age /imij/ n.&v.*n."\ a representation of the exter-
nal form of an object, e.g., a statue (esp. of a saint, etc.,
as an object of veneration) 2 the character or reputa-
.

ill-found*ed adj. (of an idea, etc.) not well founded; tion of a person or thing as generally perceived. 3 an
baseless. optical appearance or counterpart produced by light
ill-goMen adj. gained by wicked or unlawful means. or other radiation from an object reflected in a mir-
ill hu»mor n. moroseness; irritability, dd ill-hu»mored ror, refracted through a lens, etc. 4 semblance; like-
adj. ness. 5 a person or thing that closely resembles anoth-
il»lib»er»al /ilibsral/ adj. 1 intolerant; narrow-minded. er (is the image of his father) 6 a typical example. 7 a
.

2 without liberal culture. 3 not generous; stingy, dd il» simile or metaphor. 8 a a mental representation, b an
lib*er*al*i*ty /-alitee/ n. (pi. -ties). iMib«er«aMy adv. idea or conception. • v. tr. 1 make an image of; portray.
iMioit /ilisit/ adj. 1 unlawful; forbidden (illicit dealings) 2 reflect; mirror. 3 describe or imagine vividly.
2 secret; furtive (an illicit romance), dd il«lic*it«ly adv. il» im»age*ry /imijree/ n. 1 figurative illustration, esp. as
lic*it*ness n. used by an author for particular effects. 2 images col-
il*lit*er*ate /ilitarat/ adj. & n. »adj. 1 unable to read. lectively. 3 statuary; carving. 4 mental images collec-
2 uneducated. •«. an illiterate person, dd il»lit»er»a»cy tively.
n. il»lit»er»ate«ly adv. iMit*er*ate«ness n. im«ag*i«na*ble /imajinabsl/ adj. that can be imagined
ill-man»nered adj. having bad manners; rude. (the greatest difficulty imaginable), no i»mag«i»na»bly adv.
ill na*ture n. churlishness; unkindness. dd ill-na*tured im»ag»i»nar»y /imajineree/ adj. 1 existing only in the im-
adj. ill-na»tured»ly adv. agination. 2 Math, being the square root of a negative
ill*ness /ilnis/ k. 1a disease, ailment, or malady. 2 the quantity, dd im»ag»i»nar«My adv.
state of being ill. Imaginary means 'product of the imagination; un-
il*log*i*cal /ilojikal/ adj. devoid of or contrary to logic. real'; imaginative means 'showing imagination; orig-
dd iMog*i»caM»ty /-kalitee/ n. (pi. -ties). iMog«i*caMy inal.' Science fiction deals with imaginary people,
adv. places, and events; depending on the writer's ability,
ill-starred adj. unlucky; destined to failure. it may be more or less imaginative. Historical writing

ill tem»per n. moroseness. dd ill-tenvpered adj. should not be imaginary, but the writer's approach,
ill-timed adj. done or occurring at an inappropriate research, etc., may be quite imaginative.
time. im*ag*i*na*tion /imajinayshan/ n. la mental faculty
abuse, dd ill-treatTnent n.
ill-treat v.tr. treat badly; forming images or concepts of external objects not
il*lu*mi*nate /ilobminayt/ v.tr. 1 light up; make bright. present to the senses. 2 the ability of the mind to be
2 decorate (buildings, etc.) with lights as a sign of fes- creative or resourceful. 3 the process of imagining.
3 decorate (an initial letter, a manuscript, etc.)
tivity. im»ag»i*na«tive /imajinativ/ adj. 1 having or showing in
with gold, silver, or brilliant colors. 4 help to explain a high degree the faculty of imagination. 2 given to us-
(a subject, etc.). 5 enlighten spiritually or intellectual- ing the imagination, dd invag»i»na»tive»ly adv. invag»i»
ly. 6 shed luster on. dd iMu*mi*nat*ing adj. iMu»mi«nat» na*tive*ness n.
'mq»\y adv. iMu»mi»na»tion/-naysh3n/«. iMu*mi*na*tive See note at imaginary.
/-naytiv, -nativ/ adj. iMu»mi»na«tor n. im*ag*ine /imajin/ v. tr. 1 a form a mental image or con-
iMomine /iloomin/ v. tr. literary 1 light up; make bright. cept of. b picture to oneself (something nonexistent
2 enlighten spiritually. or not present to the senses). 2 (often foil, by to +
il«lu»sion /iloozhan/ n. 1 deception; delusion. 2 a mis- infin.) think or conceive (imagined them to be soldiers).
apprehension of the true state of affairs. 3 a the faulty 3 guess (cannot imagine what they are doing). 4 (often
perception of an external object, b an instance of this. foil, by that + clause) suppose; be of the opinion (/ im-

4 a figment of the imagination. 5 = optical illusion. agine you will need help), au i»mag»in»er //.
d be under the illusion (foil, by that + clause) believe inr»»ag»in»ings /imajiningz/ n.pl. fancies; fantasies.
mistakenly, dd iMu*sion*al adj. i«ma»go /imaygo, ima'a-7 n. (pi. -goes or imagines

il«lu«sion«ist /ilobzhanist/ n. a person who produces /imajineez/) Zool. the final and fully developed sia^e
illusions; a magician, dd il«lu»siorvism n. iMu*sion*is* of an insect after all metamorphoses, e.g., a butterfly
tic adj. or beetle.
iMu»SO»ry /ilobsaree, -zaree/ adj. 1 deceptive (esp. as i*mam /ima'am/ n. 1 a leader of prayers in a motqilC.
regards value or content). 2 having the character of an 2 a title of various Islamic leaders, esp. of one sue
illusion, dd iMu*so«ri*ly adv. iMu*so*ri*ness n. ceeding Muhammad as leader of Islam, i»mam«ate i ii

iMus»trate /ibstrayt/ v.tr. 1 a provide (a book, newspa- /-mayt/ n.

per, etc.) with pictures, b elucidate (a description, etc.) im*bal*ance /imbabns/ ;/. 1 lack of balance. 2 dispro-
by drawings or pictures. 2 serve as an example of. 3 ex- portion.
plain or make clear, esp. by examples. im»be«cile /imbisil, snl/ n. iir adj. •//. 1 i pc on oftb u
il*lus*tra*tion /ibstrayshan/ «. 1a drawing or picture normally weak intellect, esp. an adult with a mental
illustrating a book, magazine article, etc. 2 an exam- age of about five. 2 coUoq. a stupid person •,/<// nun
ple serving to elucidate. 3 the act or an instance of il- tally weak; stupid; idiotic, tin im»be»cile»ly athx im»be«
lustrating, dd il*lus*tra«tion*al adj. cil«ic /-silik/ adj. invbe-ciW»ty silitee >/. (/>/. -ties).
iMus*tra*tive /ilustrativ, ibstray-/ adj. (often foil, by of) invbibe /imbib/ tar. 1 (also <ib\ol.) drink (esp ale olml
 .

ic liquor). 2 a absorb or assimilate (ideas, etc.). b ab- 391 imbroglio - immune

sorb (moisture, etc.). 3 inhale (air, etc.). dd im»bib«er
n. im«bi»bi»tion /imbibishan/ n. im»mense /imens/ adj. 1 immeasurably large or great;
invbroglio /imbrOlyo/ n. (pi. -glios) 1 a confused or huge. 2 very great; considerable (made an immense dif-
complicated situation. 2 a confused heap. ference). 3 colloq. very good, dd im»mense«ly adv. im«
invbue /imbyob/ v.tr. (imbues, imbued, imbuing) (of- mense«ness n. im»men»si»ty n.
ten foil, by with) 1 inspire or permeate (with feelings, im»merse /imars/ v. tr. 1 a (often foil, by in) dip; plunge.
opinions, or qualities). 2 saturate. 3 dye. b cause (a person) to be completely under water. 2
IMF abbr. International Monetary Fund. (often refl. or in passive; often foil, by in) absorb or in-
im»i»tate/imitayt/ v.tr. 1 follow the example of; copy the volve deeply. 3 (often foil, by in) bury; embed.
action(s) of. 2 mimic. 3 make a copy of; reproduce. im»mer»sion /imarzhan, -shan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
4 be (consciously or not) like, dd im»i«ta«ble adj. im»i« stance of immersing; the process of being immersed.
ta»tor n. 2 baptism by immersing the whole person in water.
im«i»ta»tion /imitayshan/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 the act or an 3 mental absorption. AAstron. the disappearance of a
instance of imitating or being imitated. 2 a copy. celestial body behind another or in its shadow.
3 Mus. the repetition of a phrase, etc., usu. at a differ- im»mi»grant /imigrant/ n. & adj. »n. a person who
ent pitch, in another part or voice. • adj. made in im- immigrates. • adj. 1 immigrating. 2 of or concerning
itation of something genuine; counterfeit; fake {imita- immigrants.
tion leather) im*mi*grate /imigrayt/ v. 1 intr. come as a permanent
im»i»ta»tive /imitaytiv/ adj. 1 (often foil, by
resident to a country other than one's native land. 2 tr.
of) imitat-
ing; following a model or example. 2 counterfeit. 3 of bring in (a person) as an immigrant, dd im«mi»gra«tion
a word: a that reproduces a natural sound (e.g., fizz). /-grayshan/ n. im»mi»gra»toTy adj.
b whose sound is thought to correspond to the ap- See note at emigrate.
pearance, etc., of the object or action described (e.g., im»mi«nent /iminant/ adj. 1 (of an event, esp. danger)
blob), dd im*i*ta*tive*ly adv. invi»ta»tive»ness n. impending; about to happen. 2 archaic overhanging.
im*mac*u*late /imakyalat/ adj. 1 pure; spotless; per- dd im»mi»nence /-nans/ n. im«mi»nenMy adv.
fectly clean or neat and tidy. 2 perfectly or extremely See note at eminent.
well executed (an immaculate performance) 3 free from im*mis*ci«ble /imisibal/ adj. (often foil, by with) that
.

sin or fault; innocent, dd im»mac»u»la«cy n. invmaou* cannot be mixed, dd im«mis«ci»bil»i«ty n. im»mis»ci»bly

late-ly adv. im*mac*u*late«ness n. adv.
Invmaou'late Corvcep»tion RC
Ch. the doctrine
n. im*mo*bile /im6bal, -beel, — bil/ adj. 1 not moving.
that God preserved the Virgin Mary from the taint of 2 not able to move or be moved, dd im»mo«bil»i»ty
original sin from the moment she was conceived. /— bilitee/ n.
im»ma»nent /imanant/ adj. 1 (often foil, by in) indwell- im»mo»bi»lize imObiliz/ v.tr. 1 make or keep immobile.
ing; inherent. 2 (of the Supreme Being) permanently 2 make (a vehicle or troops) incapable of being moved.
pervading the universe (opp. transcendent), dd im« 3 keep (a limb or patient) restricted in movement for
ma*nence /-nans/ n. invma»nen«cy n. im*ma*nent*ism healing purposes. 4 restrict the free movement of.
n. invma»nem>ist n. 5 withdraw (coins) from circulation to support paper
See note at eminent. currency, dd im«mobMi«za»tion ;/. im»mo»bi»liz»er n.
im*ma*te*ri*al /imate'ereeal/ adj. 1 of no essential con- im»mod»er»ate /imodarat/ adj. excessive; lacking mod-
sequence; unimportant. 2 not material; incorporeal. eration, dd im»mod»er«ate»ly adv. im«mod»er«ate«ness
immaterial and irrelevant are familiar in legal, espe- n. irrvmod»er«a»tion /-rayshan/ n.

cially courtroom, use. Immaterial means 'unimportant
because not adding anything to the point.' Irrelevant,
a much more common word, means 'beside the point,
not speaking to the point.' Courts have long since
ceased to demand precise distinctions, and evidence
is often objected to as "immaterial, irrelevant, and in-
competent (offered by a witness who is not qualified
to offer it)."
im*ma*ture /imachobr, -tobr, -tyObr/ adj. 1 not mature
or fully developed. 2 lacking emotional or intellectual
development. 3 unripe, dd im»ma»ture«ly adv. invma*
tur«i«ty n.
im*meas*ur*a»ble /imezharabal/ adj. not measurable;
immense, dd im*meas*ur*a*bly adv.
im*me*di*ate /ime'edeeat/ adj. 1 occurring or done at
once or without delay (an immediate reply) 2 nearest;
im«mod»est /imodist/ adj. 1 lacking modesty; forward;
impudent. 2 lacking due decency, dd im«mod»est»ly
adv. im»mod»es«ty >/.
im»mo»late /imalayt/ v.tr. 1 kill or offer as a sacrifice.
2 literary sacrifice (a valued thing), dd invmo«la»tion
/-layshan/ n. im«mo»la«tor n.
im»mor»al /imawral, imor-/ adj. 1 not conforming to
accepted standards of morality (cf. amoral). 2 moral-
ly wrong (esp. in sexual matters). 3 depraved; disso-
lute, dd im«mo«ral»i*ty /-alitee/ n. (pi. -ties). invmor«al*
ly adv.
Immoral means 'failing to adhere to moral stan-
dards'; amoral means 'without moral standards.' An
immoral person commits acts that violate society's mor-
al norms; an amoral person is someone with no under-
standing of these norms, no sense of right and wrong.
.

next; not separated by others (the immediate vicinity; im»mor»tal /imawrt'l/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 a living forever;
the immediate future; my immediate neighbor) 3 most not mortal, b divine. 2 unfading; incorruptible. 3 like-
.

pressing or urgent; of current concern (our immediate ly or worthy to be famous for all time. »n. 1 a an im-
concern was to get him to the hospital) 4 (of a relation
. mortal being, b (in pi.) the gods of mythology. 2 a per-
or action) having direct effect; without an intervening son (esp. an author) of enduring fame, dd im»mor«tal»
medium or agency (the immediate cause of death). 5 (of i»ty /-talitee/ n. im«mor»tal»ize v.tr. im«mor*tal*i*za*tion
knowledge, reactions, etc.) intuitive; gained or exhib- n.
ited without reasoning, dd im«me«di«a»cy n. im»me*di» im»mov»a«ble/imobvabal/aJ/. 1 that cannot be moved.
ate*ness n. 2 steadfast; unyielding. 3 emotionless. 4 not subject to
im«me*di*ate*ly /ime'edeeatlee/ adv. conj. »adv.& change (immovable law). 5 motionless, dd im»mov»a«
1 without pause or delay. 2 without intermediary. bil-i-ty n. im*mova*bly adv.
• conj. Brit, as soon as. invmune /imyobn/ adj. 1 a (often foil, by against, from,
im»me«mori»al /imimawreeal/ adj. 1 ancient beyond to) protected against an infection owing to the pres-
memory or record. 2 very old. dd im*me«mo*ri*aMy
adv. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciatuvi.
 . .

immune response - imperceptible 392 -paneling) enroll or enter on a panel (those eligible for
jury service), dd im»pan»el»ment n.
ence of specific antibodies, or through inoculation or im»part/impa'art/zur. (often foil, by to) 1 communicate
inherited or acquired resistance, b relating to immu- (news, etc.). 2 give a share of (a thing).
nity. 2 (foil, by from to) free or exempt from or not
, im*par*tial /impaarshal/ adj. treating all sides in a dis-
subject to (some undesirable factor or circumstance). pute, etc., equally; unprejudiced; fair, dd im*par*ti*al*
invmune res»ponse n. the reaction of the body to the i»ty /-sheealitee/ n. im«par»tiaMy adv.

introduction into it of an antigen. im*pas*sa*ble /impasabal/ adj. that cannot be tra-

im«mu»ni»ty /imyoonitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 Med. the abil- versed, dd im*pas*sa*bil*i*ty n. im*pas*sa*ble*ness n.
ity of an organism to resist infection, by means of the im*pas*sa*bly adv.
presence of circulating antibodies and white blood invpasse /impas/ n. a position from which progress is
cells. 2 freedom or exemption from an obligation, pen- impossible; deadlock.
alty, or unfavorable circumstance. invpas*si*ble /impasibal/ adj. 1 impassive. 2 incapable
im»mu»nize /imyaniz/ v.tr. make immune, esp. to infec- of feeling or emotion. 3 incapable of suffering injury.
tion, usu. by inoculation, dd im»miwii»za»tion n. im» dd im*pas«si*bil*i*ty n. im«pas*si»ble«ness n. im*pas*si*
mu-niz»er n. bly adv.
immuno- /imysno/ comb, form immunity to infection. invpas«sioned /impashand/ adj. deeply felt; ardent (an
im»mu»no«de»fi»cieivcy /imygnbdifishsnsee, imyob-/ impassioned plea)
n. a reduction in a person's normal immune defens- im*pas*sive /impasiv/ adj. 1 a deficient in or incapable
es. of feeling emotion, b undisturbed by passion; serene.
im«mu»no»glob»u»lin /imyanoglobyalin, imyob-/ n. 2 without sensation. 3 not subject to suffering, dd im»
Biochem. any of a group of structurally related pro- pas«sive*ly adv. im*pas*sive*ness n. im*pas*sivi*ty
teins that function as antibodies. /-sivitee/ n.
im»mu»nol»o»gy /imysnolajee/ n. the scientific study of im«pas»to /impasto, -pa'as-/ n. Art 1 the process of lay-
immunity, an invmu«no«log»ic /-nalojik/ adj. invmu* ing on paint thickly. 2 this technique of painting.
no*log*i*cal /-nalojikal/ adj. im»mu»no»log»hcaMy adv. im*pa*tiens /impayshanz/ n. any plant of the genus Im-
im*mu*nol*o*gist /-nobjist/ n. patiens, including several known popularly as touch-
im*mu*no*sup«pressed /imyanosaprest, imyob-/ adj. me-not.
(of an individual) rendered partially or completely un- im«pa*tient /impayshont/ adj. 1 a (often foil, by with,
able to react immunologically. at)lacking patience or tolerance, b (of an action)
im»mu»no»sup»pres»sion /imyanosspreshan, imyob-/ showing a lack of patience. 2 (often foil, by for, or to
n. Biochem. the partial or complete suppression of the + infin.) restlessly eager. 3 (foil, by of) intolerant.
immune response of an individual, esp. to maintain dd im«pa*tience /-shsns/ n. im*pa*tient*ly adv.
the survival of an organ after a transplant operation. invpeach /impeech/ v. tr.1 charge (the holder of a pub-
on im*mu*no*sup*pres*sant n. with misconduct. 2 Brit, charge with a crime
lic office)

im«mu»no«ther«a«py /imyanotherapee, imyob-/ n. against the government, esp. treason. 3 call in ques-
Med. the prevention or treatment of disease with sub- tion; disparage (a person's integrity, etc.). dd im-
stances that stimulate the immune response. peachable adj. im*peach*ment n.
invmure /imyobr/ v.tr. 1 enclose within walls; impris- im«pec«ca»ble /impekabal/ adj. 1 (of behavior, perfor-
on. 2 refl. shut oneself away, dd invmurernent n. mance, etc.) faultless; exemplary. 2 not liable to sin.
im»mu«ta»ble /imyobtsbal/ adj. 1 unchangeable. 2 not dd invpec»ca»bil»i»ty n. invpec»ca»bly adv.
subject to variation in different cases, dd invmu»ta»bil« im»pe»cu»ni«ous /impikyobneeas/ adj. having little or
i»ty /— bilitee/ n. im«mu»ta«bly adv. no money, dd im*pe*cu*ni*ous*ness n.
imp /imp/ n. 1 a mischievous child. 2 a small mischie- im»ped»ance /impe'ed'ns/ n. Electr. the total effective
vous devil or sprite. resistance of an electric circuit, etc., to alternating cur-
rent, arising from ohmic resistance and reactance.
imp Old English impa, impe 'y° un g shoot, scion',
Impedance is a specialized electrical term, while im-
impian 'to graft', based on Greek emphuein 'to implant'
pediment is an everyday term meaning 'a hindrance
In late Middle English, the noun denoted a descend-
or obstruction,', e.g., Interpreting his handwriting was
ant, especially of a noble family, and later a child of
an impediment to getting business done.
the devil or a person regarded as such; hence a 'little
invpede /impe'ed/ v.tr. retard by obstructing; hinder.
devil' or mischievous child (sense 1, early 17th cent.).
im«ped«i«ment /impedimant/ n. 1 a hindrance or ob-
invpact n.&v.* n. /impakt/ 1 (often foil, by on, against) struction. 2 a defect in speech, e.g., a lisp or stammer.
the action of one body coming forcibly into contact dd im*ped*i*men*tal /-ment'l/ adj.
with another. 2 an effect or influence, esp. when im»pel /impel/ v. tr. (impelled, impelling) 1 drive, force,
strong, mv. /impakt/ 1 tr. (often foil, by in3 into) press or urge into action. 2 drive forward; propel, dd im»pel»
or fix firmly. 2 tr. (as impacted adj.) a (of a tooth) lent adj. &
n. invpeMer n.
wedged between another tooth and the jaw. b (of a inrvpend /impend/ v. intr. 1 be about to happen. 2 (of-
fractured bone) with the parts crushed together. C (of ten foil, by over) a (of a danger) be threatening, b hang;
feces) lodged in the intestine. 3 intr. a (foil, by against, be suspended, an im*pend*ing adj.
on) come forcibly into contact with a (larger) body or im»perve«tra»ble /impenitrobol/ adj. 1 that cannot Im-
surface, b (foil, by on) have a pronounced effect, dd im« penetrated. 2 inscrutable; unfathomable. 3 inaccetaJ
paction /-pakshan/ n. ble to ideas, influences, etc. nn im»pen«e»tra»bil»i«ty //.
im*pair /impair/ v.tr. damage or weaken, dd invpair* invpen«e»tra»ble»ness //. im»pen«e«tra»bly /./ (

ment n. im»pen»i»tent /impenit'nt/ adj. not repentant or peni-

invpaNa /impa'ab, -pals/ n. (pi. same) a small antelope tent, dd im»pen»i»tence ;/. im-pen»i»ten»cy ;/. im»pen-l»
of S. and E. Africa, capable of long high jumps. tenWy adv.
inrpale /impayl/ v.tr. (foil, by on, upon, with) transfix or im»per«a»tive /impcrotiv/ adj. n. &
•adj. 1 urgent
pierce with a sharp instrument, dd im*pale*ment n. 2 obligatory. 3 commanding; peremptory. 4 (hum. (of
im*pal*pa*ble /impalpsbal/ adj. 1 not easily grasped by a mood) expressing a command (e.g., <<»//< htnl), •>'.
the mind; intangible. 2 imperceptible to the touch. 1 Gram, the imperative mood. 2 a command inv
dd im*pal*pa*bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n. im*pal*pa*bly adv. per-a«tivo«ly adv. im«per»a-tive«ness n.
im*pan*el /impan'l/ v.tr. (also empanel) (-paneled, im»per»cep«ti«ble/impr>rscpnbr>i adj. 1 thai cannot be
 perceived. 2 very slight, gradual, or subtle, dd invper* 393 imperfect ~ imponderable
cep*ti»bil*i*ty n. im»per«cep»ti»bly adv.
im'per'fect/imparfikt/ad/.&w. »adj. 1 not fully formed imp«ish /impish/ adj. of or like an imp; mischievous.
or done; faulty; incomplete. 2 Gram, (of a tense) de- dd imp*ish*ly adv. imp»ish»ness n.
noting a (usu. past) action in progress but not com- im*plac*a*ble /implakabsl/ adj. that cannot be ap-
pleted at the time in question (e.g., they were singing). peased; inexorable, dd invplac«a»bil«i»ty n. im*plac*a«
3 Mus. (of a cadence) ending on the dominant chord. bly adv.
• «. the imperfect tense, dd im»per»fect»ly adv. invplant v. & n. • v. tr. /implant/ 1 (often foil, by in) in-
im»per»fec»tion /imparfekshan/ n. 1 incompleteness. sert or 2 (often foil, by in) instill (a principle, idea,
fix.

2 a faultiness. b a fault or blemish. etc.) in a person's mind. 3 plant. 4 Med. a insert (tis-
invpe«ri«al /impe'ereeal/ adj. 1 of or characteristic of an sue, etc.) in a living body, b (in passive) (of a fertilized
empire or comparable sovereign state. 2 a of or ovum) become attached to the wall of the womb. • n.
characteristic of an emperor, b supreme in authority. /implant/ 1 a thing implanted. 2 a thing implanted in
C majestic; august, d magnificent. 3 (of nonmetric the body, dd im*plan*ta*tion n.
weights and measures) used or formerly used by stat- im*plau*si*ble /implawzibal/ adj. not believable, dd inv
ute in the UK
{imperial gallon) dd im»pe»ri»aMy adv.
. plau*si*bil*i*ty n. im*plau*si«bly adv.
im»pe«ri»al»ism /impe'ereealizam/ n. 1 an imperial rule im*ple«ment n. &
v. •«. /implimant/ 1 a tool, in-

or system. 2 usu. derog. a policy of acquiring depend-
ent territories or extending a country's influence
through trade, diplomacy, etc. dd im*pe«ri*al*is*tic adj.
im«peri»al»is»ti»caMy adv. im*pe*ri*al*ize v.
im«pe«ri»al»ist /impe'ereealist/ n. & adj. • n.
an advocate or agent of imperial rule or of imperial-
ism. • adj. of or relating to imperialism or imperialists.
invpeMI /imperil/ v.tr. (imperiled, imperiling) bring or
put into danger.
im*pe*ri*OUS /impe'ereeas/ adj. 1 overbearing; domi-
neering. 2 urgent; imperative, dd im»pe»ri«ous«ly adv.
irrvpe«ri«ousTiess n.
im«per»ish»a»ble /imperishabal/ adj. that cannot or will
not perish, dd im*per*ish*a*bil*i*ty n. invper»ish«a«ble«
ness n. im*per*ish*a*bly adv.
im»per»ma»nent /imparmanant/ adj. not permanent;
transient, dd im*per*ma*nence /-nans/ n. im»per«ma«
nen»cy n. inrper»ma»nenMy adv.
im»per»me»a»ble /imparmeeabal/ adj. 1 that cannot be
penetrated. 2 Physics that does not permit the passage
of fluids, dd im*per*me«a*bil*i*ty n.
im*per*mis*si*ble /imparmisibal/ adj. not allowable.
dd im*per*mis*si*bil*i*ty n.
im»per«son«al /imparsanal/ adj. 1 having no personal-
ity. 2 having or displaying no personal feeling or ref-
erence. 3 Gram, a (of a verb) used only with a formal
subject (usu. it) and expressing an action not attrib-
utable to a definite subject (e.g., it is snowing), b (of a
pronoun) = indefinite 3. dd irrvper»sorval«i«ty /-alitee/
strument, or utensil. 2 (in pi.) equipment; articles of
furniture, dress, etc. 3 Law performance of an obliga-
tion. • v.tr. /impliment/ 1 a put (a decision, plan, etc.)
tr. into effect, b fulfill (an undertaking). 2 complete (a
usu. derog. contract, etc.). dd im»ple«men»ta»tion n.
im*pli*cate v. &
n. 9V.tr. /implikayt/ 1 (often foil, by
in) show (a person) to be concerned or involved (in a
charge, crime, etc.). 2 (in passive, often foil, by in) be
affected or involved. 3 lead to as a consequence or in-
ference. »n. /implikat/ a thing implied, dd im*pli*ca*
tive /implikaytiv, implika-/ adj. im«pli»ca«tive«ly adv.
implicate Middle English: from Latin implicatus
late
'folded past participle of implicare (see imply). The
in',
original sense was 'entwine, entangle'; compare with
employ and imply. The earliest modern sense (sense 2),
dates from the early 17th cent., but appears earlier in
IMPLICATION.
im*pli*ca*tion /implikayshan/ n. 1 what is involved in
or implied by something else. 2 the act of implicating
or implying, a by implication by what is implied or
suggested rather than by formal expression.
im*plic*it /implisit/ adj.1 implied though not plainly
expressed. 2 (often foil, by in) virtually contained.
3 absolute; unquestioning; unreserved (implicit obedi-
ence). 4 Math, (of a function) not expressed directly in
terms of independent variables, dd invplic»iWy adv.
im*plic*it*ness n.
invplode /implod/ v. intr. &
tr. burst or cause to burst

invper-sorvaMy adv.
n.
im»per»son«ate /impsrsanayt/ v.tr. 1 pretend to be
(another person) for the purpose of entertainment or
fraud. 2 act (a character), dd im*per*son*a*tion
inward. DDim«plo«sion/-pl6zh3n/«. invplo«sive/-pl6
siv/ adj.
invplore /implawr/ v. tr. 1 (often foil, by to + infin.) en-
treat (a person) 2 beg earnestly for. dd im*plor*ing adj.
.

/-nayshan/ n. im*per«son*a«tor n. im*plor*ing*ly adv.

im«per»ti»nent /impart'ngnt/ adj. 1 rude or insolent;
lacking proper respect. 2 out of place; absurd. 3 esp.
Law irrelevant; intrusive, dd im*per*ti«nence /-nans/ n.
im*per«ti*nenMy adv.
invper«turb-a»ble /impartarbabal/ adj.
calm, dd im*per*turb*a*bil*i*ty n. im*per*turb*a*ble*
ness n. im*per*turb*a*bly adv.
im*per*vi*ous /imparveeas/ adj. (usu. foil, by to) 1 not
responsive to an argument, etc. 2 not affording pas-
sage to a fluid, dd invper»vi»ous»ness n.
im»pet»u»ous /impechooas/ adj. 1 acting or done rash-
ly or with sudden energy. 2 moving forcefully or rap-
idly, dd im*pet«u*os*i*ty /-ositee/ n. invpet«u»ous»ly
adv. im*pet*u*ous*ness n.
im*pe*tus /impitas/ n. 1 the force or energy with which
a body moves. 2 a driving force or impulse.
im»pi»e«ty /impiatee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a lack of piety or
1
invply /impli/ v.tr. (-plies, -plied) 1 (often foil, by that
+ clause) strongly suggest the truth or existence of (a
thing not expressly asserted). 2 insinuate; hint (what
are you implying?). 3 signify, dd invplied adj. im»pli»ed»
not excitable; ly adv.
See note at infer.
imply late Middle English: from Old French emplier,
from Latin implicare, from in- 'in' + plicare 'to fold'.
The original sense was 'entwine, entangle'; in the 1 6th
and 17th cents the word also meant 'employ'. Com-
pare with employ and implicate.
im-polite /impalit/ adj. ill-mannered; uncivil; rude.
dd im*po*lite*ly adv. invpo»lite«ness n.
im»pol«i»tic/impolitik/(2<i/. 1 inexpedient; unwise. 2 not
politic, dd im»poM»tic»ly adv.
im*pon*der*a*ble /impondarabal/ adj. n. •adj. that &

reverence. 2 an act, etc. showing this. cannot be estimated or assessed in any definite way.
invpinge /impinj/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by on, upon) 1 make • n. (usu. in pi.) something difficult or impossible to
^
an impact; have an effect. 2 encroach. assess, dd im*pon*der*a*bil*i*ty n. im*pon*der*a*bly adv.
im*pi*ous /impeeas, impi-/ adj. 1 not pious. 2 wicked;
profane, dd im*pi*ous*ly adv. im*pi*ous*ness n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

import ~ improper 394 im»pre»cise /imprisis/ adj. not precise, dd im*pre*cise*

ly adv. invpre«cise»ness n. im*pre*ci*sion /-sizhan/ n.
im»port v. & n. • v. tr. /impawrt, im-/ 1 bring in (esp. im»preg»na»ble /impregnsbal/ adj. 1 (of a fortified
foreign goods or services) to a country. 2 (often foil, position) that cannot be taken by force. 2 resistant to
by that + clause) a imply; indicate; signify, b express; attack or criticism, dd im*preg*na*bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n.
make known. •«. /impawrt/ 1 the process of im- im*preg*na*bly adv.
porting. 2 a an imported article or service, b (in pi.) im*preg*nate /impregnayt/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by with)
an amount imported {imports exceeded $50 billion). fill or saturate. 2 (often foil, by with) imbue; fill (with

3 what is implied; meaning. 4 importance, dd im«port« feelings, moral qualities, etc.). 3 a make (a female)
a»ble adj. im»por-ta«tion n. im»port»er /-pawrtar/ n. (all pregnant, b Biol, fertilize (a female reproductive cell
in sense 1 of v.). or ovum), dd im*preg*na«tion /-nayshan/ n.
im«por»tant /impawrt'nt/ adj. 1 (often foil, by to) of im»pre»sa»ri»o /imprisaareeo, -sair-/ n. (pi. -os) an or-
great effect or consequence; momentous. 2 (of a per- ganizer of public entertainments, esp. the manager of
son) having high rank or status, or great authority. an operatic, theatrical, or concert company.
3 pretentious; pompous. 4 (absol. in parenthetic im-press v. &
n. 9V.tr. /impres/ 1 (often foil, by with)
1

construction) what is a more important point or mat- a affect or influence deeply, b evoke a favorable opin-
ter (they are willing and, more important, able). of Use
ion or reaction from (a person) (was most impressed with
importantly here is disputed, dd im«por»tance n. im«por» your efforts). 2 (often foil, by on) emphasize (an idea,
tanWy adv. (see note above). etc.) (must impress on you the need to be prompt). 3 (of-
im»por»tu»nate /impawrchanat/ adj. 1 making persist- ten foil, by on) a imprint or stamp, b apply (a mark,
ent or pressing requests. 2 (of affairs) urgent. im» etc.) with pressure. 4 make a mark or design on (a
por»tu»nate»ly adv. im»por»tu«ni»ty /-tobnatee, -tydb-/ thing) with a stamp, seal, etc. • n. /impres/ 1 the act or
n. an instance of impressing. 2 a mark made by a seal,
im»por»tune /impawrtobn, -tyoon, impawrchan/ v.tr. stamp, 3 a characteristic
etc. mark or quality. 4 = im-
1 solicit (a person) pressingly. 2 solicit for an immor- pression dd im«pres»si«ble /-presibal/ adj.
1.

al purpose. im»press 2 /impres/ v.tr. hist. 1 force (men) to serve in

invpose /impoz/ v. 1 tr. (often foil, by on, upon) require the army or navy. 2 seize (goods, etc.) for public serv-
(a tax, duty, charge, or obligation) to be paid or un- ice, dd invpress«ment n.
dertaken (by a person, etc.). 2 tr. enforce compliance im»pres»sion /impreshan/ n. 1 an effect produced (esp.
with. 3 intr. & refl. (foil, by on, upon, or absol.) demand on the mind or feelings). 2 a notion or belief (esp. a
the attention or commitment of person); take ad- (a vague or mistaken one) (my impression is they are
vantage of (/ do not want to impose on you any longer, I afraid) 3 an imitation of a person or sound, esp. done
.

did not want to impose). 4 tr. (often foil, by on, upon)
palm (a thing) off on (a person).
im»pos«ing /impozing/ adj. impressive or formidable,
esp. in appearance, dd im»pos«ing«ly adv.
im»po»si»tion /impazishan/ n. 1 the act or an instance
of imposing; the process of being imposed. 2 an un-
fair or resented demand or burden. 3 a tax or duty.
im»pos»si«ble /imposibol/ adj. 1 not possible; that can-
not be done, occur, or exist (it is impossible to alter them;
such a thing is impossible) 2 (loosely) not easy; not con-
. objects. 2 a style of music or writing that seeks to de-
venient; not easily believable. 3 colloq. (of a person or
thing) outrageous; intolerable, dd im*pos*si*bil»i*ty
/imposibilitee/ n. im*pos*si*bly adv.
impost /impost/ n. a tax; duty; tribute.
im»pos»tor /impost9r/ n. (also invpost»er) 1 a person
who assumes a false character or pretends to be some-
one else. 2 a swindler.
im*pos*ture /impos-char/ n. fraudulent deception.
im»po»tent /impat'nt/ adj. 1 a powerless; lacking all
strength, b helpless. C ineffective. 2 a (esp. of a male)
unable, esp. for a prolonged period, to achieve a sex-
ual erection or orgasm, b colloq. unable to procreate;
infertile, dd invpo-tence /-t'ns/ n. im»po»ten«cy n. im»
to entertain. 4 a the impressing of a mark, b a mark
impressed. 5 an unaltered reprint from standing type
or plates (esp. as distinct from edition)
im*pres*sion*a*ble /impreshanabal/ adj. easily influ-
enced; susceptible to impressions, dd im*pres*sion*a*
bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n. im»pres»sion»a»bly adv.
im«pres»sion»ism /impreshsnizam/ «. la style or
movement in art concerned with expression of feeling
by visual impression, esp. from the effect of light on
scribe a feeling or experience rather than achieve ac-
curate depiction or systematic structure, dd im»pres«
siorvist n. im«pres«sion«is»tic /impreshanistik/ adj.
im»pres»sive /impresiv/ adj. 1 impressing the mind or
senses, esp. so as to cause approval or admiration. 2 (of
language, a scene, etc.) tending to excite deep feeling.
dd invpres»sive»ly adv. invpres»sive»ness n.
im*pri*ma*tur /imprimaatar, -maytar, -toor/ n. 1 RC
Ch. an official license to print (an ecclesiastical or re-
ligious book, etc.). 2 official approval.
im*print v. &
n. • v. tr. /imprint/ 1 (often foil, by on) im-
press or establish firmly, esp. on the mind. 2 a (often
foil, by on) make a stamp or impression of (a figure,

po«tent«ly adv. etc.) on a thing, b make an impression on (a thing)

im-pound /impownd/ v.tr. 1 confiscate. 2 take posses- with a stamp, etc. •«. /imprint/ 1 an impression or
sion of. 3 shut up (animals) in a pound, dd invpound* stamp. 2 the printer's or publisher's name and other
er n. im*pound*ment n. details printed in a book.
im»pov»er»ish /impovarish/ v.tr. (often as impover- im»print»ing /imprinting/ n. ZooL the development in a
ished adj.) 1 make poor. 2 exhaust the strength or nat- young animal of recognition and trust for its own spe-
ural fertility of. dd im»pover«ish»ment n. cies.
im*praoti*ca*ble /impraktikobal/ adj. 1 impossible in im»pris»on /imprizon/ v.tr. 1 put into prison. 2 confine;
practice. 2 (of a road, etc.) impassable. 3 (of a person shut up. nn im»pris«on»ment n,
or thing) unmanageable, dd invprac«ti»ca»bil»i»ty im»prob«a«ble /improbobol/ adj. 1 not likely to be true
/-bilitee/ n. im*prac*ti*ca*ble*ness n. im»prac»ti»ca«bly or to happen. 2 difficult to believe, dm im»prob»a«biM-
adv. ty n. im«prob»a»bly adv.
im«prac»ti»cal /impraktikal/ adj. 1 not practical. 2 not im»promp»tu /impromptoo, t voo/ </<//. , adv. ,&n. • «/<//

practicable, dd im»praoti»cal«i»ty /-kalitee/ n. invprao & adv. extempore; unrehearsed, mn. 1 an extempore
ti*cal*ly adv. performance or speech. 2 a short piece of usu. solo in
im»pre»ca»tion /imprikayshan/ n. 1a spoken curse; a strumental music, often songlike.
malediction. 2 the act of uttering an imprecation. invprop»er /improper/ adj. 1 a unseemly; indecent
dd im«pre«ca»to»ry /-katawree/ adj. b not in accordance with accepted rules of beli.ivior

2 inaccurate; wrong. 3 not properly so called, do inv
prop»er»ly adv.
im»prop»er fraction n. a fraction in which the numer-
ator is greater than or equal to the denominator.
invpro»pri»e»ty /imprapriatee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 lack of
propriety; indecency. 2 an instance of improper con-
duct, etc. 3 incorrectness. 4 unfitness.
invprove /improbv/ a1atr. &
intr. make or become
better, b intr. (foil, by on, upon) produce something
better than. 2 absol. (as improving adj.) giving moral
benefit (improving literature) oo invprov»er n.
. ply to). 13 by means of or using as material (drawn in
improve early 16th cent, (as emprowe or improwe):
from Anglo-Norman French emprower (based on Old
French prou 'profit', ultimately from Latin prodest 'is
of advantage'); -owe was changed to -ove under the in-
fluence of prove. The original sense was 'make a prof-
it, increase the value of; subsequently 'make greater
in amount or degree', which led to sense 1 (early 17th
cent.).
im»prove«ment /improbvmant/ n. 1 the act or an in-
stance of improving or being improved. 2 something
that improves, esp. an addition or alteration that adds
to value. 3 something that has been improved.
im»prov»i»dent /improvid'nt/ adj. 1 lacking foresight or
care for the future. 2 not frugal. 3 heedless; incautious.
dd invprovi«dence /-d'ns/ n. invprovi»denWy adv.
im»pro»vise /impravlz/ v.tr. (also absol.) 1 compose or
perform (music, verse, etc.) extempore. 2 provide or
construct (a thing) extempore, dd invprovi*sa*tion
/-izayshan/ n. invprov»i»sa»tion«al adj. invpro«vi«sa»to«
ry adj. invpro«vis»er n.
invprivdent /improod'nt/ adj. rash; indiscreet, dd inv
privdence /-d'ns/ n. invprivdenWy adv.
invpivdent /impyad'nt/ adj. 1 insolently disrespectful;
impertinent. 2 shamelessly presumptuous. 3 unblush-
ing, dd invpivdence /-d'ns/ n. invpu»dent»ly adv.
invpugn /impyobn/ v.tr. challenge or call in question
(a statement, action, etc.). dd invpugn*a*ble adj. inv
pugrvment n.
invpulse /impuls/ n. 1 the act or an instance of impel-
ling; a push. 2 an impetus. 3 a wave of excitation in a
nerve. 4 a sudden desire or tendency to act without
reflection (did it on impulse).
invpuNsion /impulshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
impelling. 2 a mental impulse. 3 impetus.
invpul»sive /impulsiv/ adj. 1 (of a person or conduct,
etc.) apt to be affected or determined by sudden im-
pulse. 2 tending to impel. 3 Physics acting as an im-
pulse, dd invpul*sive*ly adv. invpul*sive*ness n.
invpu»ni«ty /impyobnitee/ n. exemption from pun-
ishment or from the injurious consequences of an ac-
tion, d with impunity without having to suffer the nor-
mal injurious consequences (of an action).
invpure /impyObr/ adj. 1 mixed with foreign matter;
adulterated. 2 a dirty, b ceremonially unclean. 3 un-
chaste. 4 (of a color) mixed with another color, dd inv
pure-ly adv. invpure*ness n.
im»pu«ri«ty /impyobritee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the quality or
condition of being impure. 2 an impure thing or
constituent.
invpute /impyobt/ v.tr. (foil, by to) regard (esp. some-
thing undesirable) as being done or caused or pos-
sessed by. dd invput*a*ble adj. invpu*ta*tion n. invpu*
ta*tive /-tativ/ adj.
IN abbr. Indiana (in official postal use).
In symb. Chem. the element indium.
in /in/ prep., adv., &adj. mprep. 1 expressing inclusion
or position within limits of space, time, circumstance,
etc. (in Nebraska; in bed; in the rain). 2 during the time
of (in the night; in 1 989) 3 within the time of (will be
. i«ty n.
back in two hours) 4 a with respect to (blind in one eye;
.
good in parts), b as a kind of (the latest thing in luxury).
.
395 improper fraction - inalienable
5 as a proportionate part of (one in three failed; a gra-
dient of one in six) 6 with the form or arrangement of
.
(packed in tens; falling infolds) 7 as a member of (in the
.
army). 8 concerned with (is in politics). 9 as or re-
garding the content of (there is something in what you
say) 1 . within the ability of (does he have it in him?)
1 1 having the condition of; affected by (in bad health;
in danger). 12 having as a purpose (in search of, in re-
pencil; modeled in bronze) .14a using as the language
of expression (written in French) b (of music) having .
as its key (symphony in C) 1 5 (of a word) having as a
.
beginning or ending (words beginning in un-) 1 6 wear- .
ing as dress (in blue; in a suit). 17 with the identity of
(found a friend in Mary) 1 8 (of an animal) pregnant
.
with (in calf) 1 9 into (with a verb of motion or change:
.
put it in the box; cut it in two) 20 introducing an in-.
direct object after a verb (believe in; engage in; share in).
21 forming adverbial phrases (in any case; in reality; in
short), madv. expressing position within limits, or mo-
tion to such a position: 1 into a room, house, etc. (come
in). 2 at home, in one's office, etc. (t$ not in). 3 so as
to be enclosed or confined (locked in). 4 in a publica-
tion (is the advertisement in?). 5 in or to the inward side
(rub it in). 6 a in fashion, season, or office (long skirts
are in; strawberries are not yet in), b elected (the Demo-
crat got in) 7 exerting favorable action or influence
.
(their luck was in). 8 (of transport) at the platform, etc.
(the train is in). 9 (of a season, harvest, order, etc.) hav-
ing arrived or been received. 1 denoting effective ac-
tion (join in). 11 (of the tide) at the highest point. 12
(in comb.) colloq. denoting prolonged or concerted ac-
tion, esp. by large numbers (sit-in; teach-in). *adj.
1 internal; living in; inside (in-patient). 2 fashionable;
esoteric (the in thing to do). 3 confined to or shared by
a group of people (in-joke). o in for 1 about to under-
go (esp. something unpleasant) 2 competing in or for. .
3 involved in; committed to. in on sharing in; privy to
(a secret, etc.). in with on good terms with.
in. abbr. inch(es).
of being unable.
in»a»bil»i»ty /inabilitee/ n. 1 the state
2 a lack of power or means.
in ab*sen*ti*a in absensha/ adv. in one's absence.
in«aoces»si»ble /inaksesibal/ a<#. 1 not accessible; that
cannot be reached. 2 (of a person) not open to
advances or influence; unapproachable, dd in»aoces»
si*bil*i*ty n. in*aoces*si*ble*ness n. in«aoces«si*bly
adv.
in*ac*cu*rate /inakyarat/ adj. not accurate, dd in«ac»cu»
ra«cy n. (pi. -cies). in»aocu»rate»ly adv.
in«aotion inakshan/w. 1 lack of action. 2 sluggishness;
inertness.
in«aotive /inaktiv/ adj. 1 not active or inclined to act.
2 passive. 3 indolent, dd in«ac»tive«ly adv. in«aotivi»ty
/-tivitee/ n.
in*ad*e*quate /inadikwat/ adj. (often foil, by to) 1 not
adequate; insufficient. 2 (of a person) incompetent;
unable to deal with a situation, dd in«ad»e»qua»cy
/-kwasee/ n. (pi. -cies). in*ad*e«quate*ly adv.
in*ad*mis*si*ble /inadmisibal' adj. that cannot be ad-
mitted or allowed, dd in»ad»mis«si«bil«i»ty n.
in«ad»vert»ent /inadvart'nt/ adj. 1 (of an action) unin-
tentional. 2 a not properly attentive, b negligent, dd in«
ad»vert»ence /-t'ns/ n. in»ad-vert»enWy adv.
in*ad*vis*a*ble /inadvizabal/ adj. not advisable, dd in*
ad*vis*a*bil*i*ty n.
in*al*ien*a*ble /inayleeanabal/ adj. that cannot be
transferred to another; not alienable, dd in»al»ien»a»bil»
in-al*ien*a*bly adv.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .
inamorato ~ inchoate
in«am*o*ra«to /inamara'ato/ n. (pi. -tos; fern,
/-t3/) a lover.
in«ane /inayn/ adj. 1 silly; senseless. 2 empty; void.
dd in»ane«ly adv. in«ane»ness n. in«an«i»ty
(pi. -ties).
in«an*i*mate /inanimat/ adj. 1 not animate; not en-
dowed with (esp. animal) life. 2 lifeless; showing no
sign of life. 3 spiritless; dull, dd in«an»i«mate«ly adv. in*
an*i*ma*tion /-mayshan/ n.
in»ap«pli»ca»ble /inaplikabal, inaplik-/ adj. (often foil,
by to) not applicable; unsuitable, dd in*ap*pli*ca«bil*i*
ty n. in»ap»pli»ca«bly adv.
in«ap»pro»pri»ate /inaprOpreeat/ adj. not appropriate.
dd ln«ap«pro»pri»ate»ly adv. in«ap«pro»pri«ate«ness n.
in*apt /inapt/ adj. 1 not apt or suitable. 2 unskillful.
dd in»ap*ti»tude n. irvapHy adv. in*apt*ness n.
in*ar*gu*a*ble /ina'argyooabal/ adj. that cannot be ar-
gued about or disputed, dd in»ar»gu»a»bly adv.
in*ar*tic*u*late /inaartikyslat/ adj. unable to speak
1 (esp. human) flesh, b (the Incarnation) Theol. the em-
distinctly or express oneself clearly.2 (of speech) not
articulate; indistinctly pronounced. 3 dumb. 4 esp.
Anat. not jointed, dd in»ar»tiou»late»ly adv. in»aftiou«
late*ness n.
in*as*much /inazmuch/ adv. (foil, by as) 1 since; be-
cause. 2 to the extent that.
in»at»ten«tive /inatentiv/ adj. 1 not paying due atten-
tion; heedless. 2 neglecting to show courtesy, dd in»at«
tension n. in«at»ten«tive»ly adv. in*at*ten*tive*ness n.
in*au*di*ble /inawdibsl/ adj. that cannot be heard, dd in«
au*di*bil*i*ty n. in*au*di*bly adv.
in*au*gu*ral /inawgyaral/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 marking the
beginning of an institution, activity, or period of of-
fice. 2 (of a lecture, etc.) given by a person being in-
augurated. • n. an inaugural speech, etc.
in*au*gu*rate /inawgyarayt/ v. tr. 1 admit (a person) for-
mally to office. 2 initiate the public use of (a building,
etc.). 3 begin; introduce. 4 enter with ceremony upon
(an undertaking, etc.). dd in*au*gu*ra»tion /-rayshan/
n. in«au«gu»ra»tor n. in«au»guTa»tory /-ratawree/ adj.
in*aus*pi*cious /inawspishas/ adj. 1 ill-omened;
unpropitious. 2 unlucky, dd in*aus*pi*cious*ly adv. in»
aus*pi*cious*ness n.
in-be«tween adj. attrib. colloq. intermediate (at an in-
between stage)
in*board /inbawrd/ adv. &
adj. madv. within the sides
of or toward the center of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle.
• adj. situated inboard.
irvborn /inbawrn/ adj. existing from birth; implanted
by nature.
in*bred /inbred/ adj. 1 inborn. 2 produced by inbreed-
ing.
in*breed*ing /inbreeding/ n. breeding from closely re-
lated animals or persons, dd in*breed v.tr. intr. (past
and past part, inbred).
2 incomplete.
inc. abbr. 1 (esp. Inc.) incorporated.
In»ca /ingka/ n. a member of a Native American peo-
ple in Peru before the Spanish conquest, dd ln»ca»ic
/ingkayik/ adj. In*can adj.
in*cal*CU*la*ble /inkalkyabbal/ adj. 1 too great for cal-
culation. 2 that cannot be reckoned beforehand. 3 (of
a person, character, etc.) unpredictable; uncertain.
dd in*cal*cu*la*bil*i*ty n. in>cal*cu*la*bly adv.
in»can«des»cent /inkandesant/ adj. 1 glowing with
heat. 2 shining brightly. 3 (of an electric or other light)
produced by a glowing white-hot filament, dd in»can»
desce v. in»can»des»cence /-sans/ n. in«can«des»cent»
ly adv.
in*can*ta*tion /inkantayshan/ n. 1 a a magical formula.
b the use of this. 2 a spell or charm.
in*ca*pa*ble /inkaypabal/ adj. 1 (often foil, by of) a not
capable, b lacking the required quality or characteris-
396 tic (favorable or adverse) (incapable of hurting anyone)
2 not capable of rational conduct or of managing one's
inamorata own affairs (drunk and incapable), dd in*ca*pa*bil*i*ty
n. in*ca*pa*bly adv.
in*ca*pac*i«tate /inkapasitayt/ v.tr. 1 render incapable
/-anitee/ n. or unfit. 2 disqualify, dd in*ca*pac*i*tant n. in*ca*pac*
i*ta*tion /-tayshan/ n.
in»ca»pac»i»ty/ink3pasitee/w. (pi. -ties) 1 inability; lack
of the necessary power or resources. 2 legal disquali-
fication. 3 an instance of incapacity.
in»car»cer«ate /inkaarssrayt/ v.tr. imprison or confine.
dd in*car*cer*a*tion /-rayshan/ n. in»car»cer»a«tor n.
in*car*nate adj. & v. • adj. /inkaarnst, -nayt/ 1 (of a per-
son, spirit, quality, etc.) embodied in flesh, esp. in hu-
man form (ts the devil incarnate) 2 represented in a
.
recognizable or typical form (folly incarnate), •v.tr.
/inkaarnayt/ 1 embody in flesh. 2 put (an idea, etc.) in-
to concrete form; realize. 3 (of a person, etc.) be the
living embodiment of (a quality).
in»car«na»tion /inkaarnayshan/ n. 1a embodiment in
bodiment of God the Son in human flesh as Jesus
Christ. 2 a living type (of a quality, etc.).
in*cau*tious /inkawshas/ adj. heedless; rash, dd in*cau*
tion n. in*cau*tious*ly adv. in*cau*tious*ness n.
in»cen»di«ar«y /insendee-eree/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 (of a
substance or device, esp. a bomb) designed to cause
fires. 2 a of or relating to the malicious setting on fire
of property, b guilty of this. 3 tending to stir up strife;
inflammatory. • n. (pi. -ies) 1 an incendiary bomb or
device. 2 an incendiary person, dd in*cen*di*a*rism n.
irvcense /insens/ n.6 w«n.1a gum or spice produc-
1 ,
ing a sweet smell when burned. 2 the smoke of this,
esp. in religious ceremonial, •v.tr. 1 treat or perfume
(a person or thing) with incense. 2 burn incense to (a
deity, etc.). dd in*cen*sa*tion n.
incense Middle English (originally as encense): from
Old French encens (noun), encenser (verb), from eccle-
siastical Latin incensum 'something burnt, incense',
neuter past participle of incendere 'set fire to', from in-
'in' + the base of candere 'to glow'.
in»cense 2 /insens/ v.tr. (often foil, by ar, with, against)
enrage; make angry.
in*cen*tive /insentiv/ n. &
adj. • «. 1 (often foil, by to)
a motive or incitement, esp. to action. 2 a payment or
concession to stimulate greater output by workers.
• adj. serving to motivate or incite.
in»cep»tion /insepshan/ n. a beginning.
in*ces*sant /insessnt/ adj. unceasing; continual; re-
peated, dd in*ces»san»cy n. in«ces»sanWy adv. in»ces»
sant«ness n.
in»cest /insest/ n. sexual intercourse between persons
regarded as too closely related to marry each other.
& in»ces»tu»OUS/inseschCo3s/aJ/. 1 involving or guilty of
incest. 2 (of human relations generally) excessively re-
stricted or resistant to wider influence, dd ln»ces»tu«
ous«ly adv. in»ces«tu»ous»ness n.
inch /inch/ n. &v. •«. 1 a unit of linear measure equal
to one-twelfth of a foot (2.54 cm). 2 a (as a unit of
rainfall) a quantity that would cover a horizontal sur-
face to a depth of 1 inch, b (of atmospheric or other
pressure) an amount that balances the weight of I col-
umn of mercury 1 inch high. 3 (as a unit of map sc lie
so many inches representing 1 mile on the ground (a
4-inch map). 4 a small amount (usu. with ntg.'. ivould
not yield an inch), •v.tr. (sr intr. move gradually in a
specified way (inched forward) u every inch 1 entirely
.
(looked every inch a judge). 2 the whole distance or ar-
ea (combed every inch of the garden) Inch by inch wm\
.
ually.
in*cho*ate /ink6it/ adj. &
v. *adj. 1 just begun. 2 un-
developed; rudimentary; unformed. • 7\ tr. begin; on«-
 inate. do iircho«ate«ly adv. iircho»ate«ness n. irrcho 397 incidence ~ incomprehensible
action /-ayshan/ n. in»cho«a»tive /-koativ/ adj.
Inchoate means 'just begun, rudimentary, undevel- of a whole; place in a class or category. 2 (as includ-
oped,' e.g., All was as yet in an inchoate state, but it is ing prep.) if we include (six members, including the chair-
often used incorrectly to mean 'chaotic' or 'incoher- person). 3 treat or regard as so included. 4 (as included
ent.' The ch is pronounced hard, like k. adj.) shut in; enclosed, a include out colloq. or joe. spe-
irvci«dence /insidans/ n. 1 (often foil, by of) the fact, cifically exclude, dd in*clud*a*ble adj. in*clud*i*ble adj.
manner, or rate, of occurrence or action. 2 the range, in*clu*sion /-kloozhan/ n.
scope, or extent of influence of a thing. 3 Physics the in*clu*sive /inklobsiv/ adj. 1 (often foil, by of) includ-
falling of a line, or of a thing moving in a line, upon a ing, comprising. 2 with the inclusion of the extreme
surface. 4 the act or an instance of coming into con- limits stated (pages 7 to 26 inclusive) 3 including all the
.

tact with a thing. normal services, etc. (a hotel offering inclusive terms).
Incidence and incidents sound the same, but in- dd in*clu*sive«ly adv. in*clu*sive*ness n.
cidence is more often used in technical contexts, re- in*clu*sive language n. language that is deliberately
ferring to the frequency with which something occurs: nonsexist, esp. avoiding the use of masculine pronouns
Increased Wis likely to cause increased incidence of skin to cover both men and women.
cancer. Incidents is simply the plural of incident, an in»cog»ni»tO /inkogneeto, -kogni-/ adj., adv., &
n. • adj.

event: The police are supposed to investigate any incidents & adv. with one's name or identity kept secret (was
of domestic violence. The form "incidences" should be traveling incognito). •«. (pi. -tos) 1 a person who is in-
avoided. cognito. 2 the pretended identity or anonymous char-
in*ci*dent /insidant/ n. &
adj. »n. 1 a an event or oc- acter of such a person.
currence, b a minor or detached event attracting gen- in«co«her»ent/inkoheerant/a<i/. 1 (of a person) unable
eral attention or noteworthy in some way. 2 a hostile to speak intelligibly. 2 (of speech, etc.) lacking logic or
clash, esp. of troops of countries at war (a frontier in- consistency. 3 Physics (of waves) having no definite or
cident). • adj. 1 (often foil, by to) apt or liable to hap- stable phase relationship, dd in»co«her»ence /-ans/ n.
pen; naturally attaching or dependent. 2 (often foil, in»co«her«en»cy n. (pi. -cies). in«co«her«enMy adv.
by on, upon) (of light, etc.) falling or striking. in»come /inkum/ n. the money or other assets received,
in«ci*den*tal /insidental/ adj. 1 (often foil, by to) a hav- esp. periodically or in a year, from one's business,
ing a minor role in relation to a more important thing, lands, work, investments, etc.
event, etc. b not essential. C casual; happening by in«come tax n. a tax levied on income.
chance. 2 (foil, by to) liable to happen. in*com*ing /inkuming/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 coming in (in-
in«ci*den*tal*ly /insident'lee/ adv. 1 by the way; as an coming telephone calls). 2 succeeding another person or
unconnected remark. 2 in an incidental way. persons (the incoming tenant). »n. 1 (usu. in pi.) rev-
in«ci»den«tal mu«sic n. music used as a background to enue; income. 2 the act of arriving or entering.
the action of a play, motion picture, broadcast, etc. in»com»men»su»rate /inkamensarat, -sharat/ adj. 1
in«cin»er»ate /insinarayt/ v.tr. 1 consume (a body, etc.) (often foil, by with, to) out of proportion; inadequate.
by fire. 2 reduce to ashes, do in»cin»er«a»tion /-rayshan/ 2 = incommensurable, dd in*convmen»su»rate«ly adv.
n. in»com«men»suTate«ness n.
in»cin»er»a»tor /insinaraytar/ n. a furnace or apparatus in»com»mode /inkamOd/ v.tr. 1 hinder; inconvenience.
for burning, esp. refuse to ashes. 2 trouble; annoy.
in»cip»i»ent /insipeeant/ adj. 1 beginning. 2 in an initial in»com«mu«ni»ca»ble /inkamyobnikabal/ adj. that can-
stage,dd in«cip«i*ence /-ans/ n. in«cip«i»en»cy n. in»cip« not be communicated or shared, dd in»com«mu»ni«ca«
i«enWy adv. bil»i»ty n. in«com»mu»ni»ca«bly adv.

in*cise /insi'z/ v.tr. 1 make a cut in. 2 engrave. in»com»mu»ni»ca»do /inkamyoonikaado/ adj. without
in*ci*sion /insizhan/ n. 1 a cut; a division produced by or deprived of the means of communication with oth-
cutting; a notch. 2 the act of cutting into a thing. ers.
in*ci*sive /insisiv/ adj. 1 mentally sharp; acute. 2 clear in»convmu»ni»ca»tive /inkamyobnikativ, -kaytiv/ adj.
and effective. 3 cutting; penetrating, dd in»ci»sive«ly not communicative; taciturn, dd in»com»mu«ni»ca»tive«
adv. in*ci*sive*ness n. ly adv. in»com»mu»ni»ca»tive»ness n.

in*ci*SOr /insizar/ n. a cutting tooth, esp. at the front of in*com*mut*a*ble /inkamyobtabal/ adj. 1 not change-
the mouth. able. 2 not commutable. dd in»com»mut»a»bly adv.
irvcite /insit/ v.tr. (often foil, by to) urge or stir up. dd in* in*com*pa*ra*ble /inkomparabal adj. 1 without an
ci*ta*tion n. in*cite*ment n. in*cit*er n. equal; matchless. 2 (often foil, by with, to) not to be
in»clem»ent /inklemant/ adj. (of the weather or climate) compared, dd in«com«paTa«bil»i«ty n. in«con>pa»ra«
severe, esp. cold or stormy, dd in»clenren»cy n. (pi. ble*ness n. in*com*pa*ra*bly adv.
-cies). in»clenvenWy adv. in*com*pat*i*ble /inkampatibal/ adj. 1 opposed in
in*cli*na*tion /inklinayshan/ n. 1 (often foil, by to) a character; discordant. 2 (often foil, by with) inconsist-
disposition or propensity. 2 (often foil, by for) a liking ent. 3 (of persons) unable to live, work, etc., together
or affection. 3 a leaning, slope, or slant. 4 the dif- in harmony. 4 (of drugs) not suitable for taking at the
ference of direction of two lines or planes, esp. as meas- same time. 5 (of equipment, machinery, etc.) not ca-
ured by the angle between them. 5 the dip of a magnet- pable of being used in combination, dd in*com*pat*i*
ic needle. biW»tyn. in*com*pat*i*ble*ness n. in»convpat»i»blyadz;.
iodine v. & n. »v. /inklin/ 1 tr. (usu. in passive; often in«COm»pe»tent /inkompit'nt/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 (often
foil, by to, for, or to +
a make (a person, feel-
infin.) foil, by to + infin.) not qualified or able to perform a
ings, etc.) willing or favorably disposed (am inclined to particular task or function (an incompetent builder).
think so; does not incline me to agree), b give a specified 2 showing a lack of skill (an incompetent performance).
tendency to (a thing) (the door is inclined to bang) 2 intr. . • n. an incompetent person, dd in»com«pe«tence /-t'ns/
a be disposed (/ incline to think so), b (often foil, by to, «. in«conrpe»ten»cy n. in*com*pe*tenMy adv.
toward) tend. 3 intr. &
tr. lean or turn away from a giv- in«com*plete /inkample'et/ adj. not complete, dd in*
en direction, esp. the vertical. 4 tr. bend (the head, convplete»ly adv. in*com*plete*ness n.
body, or oneself) forward or downward. »n. /inklin/ in»com»pre«hen«si«ble /inkomprihensibal/ adj. (often
1 a slope. 2 an inclined plane, dd in*clin*er n.
in*clude /inklobd/ v.tr. 1 comprise or reckon in as part See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
incomprehension ~ incumbent 398 in»cor»po»re*al /inkawrpawreeal/ adj. 1 not composed
of matter. 2 of immaterial beings, dd in«cor«po»re«al«i»
toll, by to) that cannot be understood, dd in«com»pre« ty /-reealitee/ n. in»cor»po«re»aMy adv.
hen*si*bil*i*ty n. in»com«pre»hen«si«ble«ness n. in«com« in»cor»rect/inkarekt/a<i/. 1 not in accordance with fact;
pre*hen*si*bly adv. wrong. 2 (of style, etc.) improper; faulty, dd in«cor«
irvcom»pre»heivsion /inkomprihenshan/ n. failure to recMy adv. in»cor»rect»ness n.
understand. in*cor*ri*gi*ble /inkawrijibal, -kor-/ adj. 1 (of a person
in»con»ceiv»a«ble/inkanse'evabal/ad/. 1 that cannot be or habit) incurably bad or depraved. 2 not readily im-
imagined. 2 colloq. very remarkable, aa in»con»ceiva« proved, dd in*cor*ri*gi*bil*i*ty n. in«cor«ri«gi»ble«ness n.
bil*i*ty n. in»con»ceiva-ble«ness n. in»con»ceiva«bly in*cor*ri*gi*bly adv.
adv. in*cor*rupt*i*ble /inkaruptibal/ adj. 1 that cannot be
in«con*clu*sive /inkanklobsiv/ adj. (of an argument, ev- corrupted, esp. by bribery. 2 that cannot decay; ever-
idence, or action) not decisive or convincing, an in» lasting, dd in»cor»rupt»i«bil»i«ty /-bilitee/ n. in»corTupt«
con*clu«sive*ly adv. in»con»clu«sive«ness n. i»bly adv.
in»con»gru»OUS /inkonggrooas/ adj. 1 out of place; ab- in*crease v. &n. mv. /inkre'es/ 1 tr. intr. make or be- &
surd. 2 (often foil, by with) disagreeing; out of keep- come greater in size, amount, etc., or more numerous.
ing, na in»con«gru»i»ty /-grooitee/ n. (pi. -ties), irvcorv 2 intr. advance attainment, etc.). 3 tr. in-
(in quality,
gru*ous*ly adv. in*con*gru*ous*ness n. tensify (a quality). • 1 the act or process of
n. /inkrees/
in«con»se»quent /inkonsikwant/ adj. 1 not following becoming greater or more numerous; growth; enlarge-
naturally; irrelevant. 2 lacking logical sequence. 3 dis- ment. 2 (of people, animals, or plants) growth in num-
connected, dd irvcon»se»quence /-kwans/ n. iircoir bers; multiplication. 3 the amount or extent of an in-
se»quent«ly adv. crease, dd in*creas*a«ble adj. in*creas*er n. irvcreas*
in»corvse»quen»tial /inkonsikwenshal, inkon-/ adj. ing»ly adv.
1 unimportant. 2 = inconsequent, dd in*con*se*quen* in»cred»i«ble/inkredib3l/a<i;. 1 that cannot be believed.
ti-al-i-ty /-sheealitee/ n. (pi. -ties). irvcorvse»quervtial» 2 colloq. hard to believe; amazing, dd in»cred»i«bil«i»ty
ly adv. in»con«se«quen«tial»ness n. n. in*cred*i*ble*ness n. in»cred»i«bly adv.
in*con*sid*er*a*ble /inkansidarabal/ adj. 1 of small The adjective incredible means
'unbelievable' or
size, value, etc. 2 not worth considering, dd in»con«sid« 'not convincing' and can be applied to
a situation,
eca-ble-ness n. in»con«sid»er«a»bly adv. statement, policy, or threat to a person, e.g., I find this
in»con»sid»er«ate /inkansidarat/ adj. 1 (of a person or testimony incredible. Incredulous means 'disinclined to
action) thoughtless; rash. 2 lacking in regard for the believe; skeptical' and is usually applied to a person's
feelings of others, dd in«con»sid«er»ate»ly adv. in»con» attitude, e.g., You shouldn't wonder that I'm incredulous
sid*er*ate*ness n. in»corvsid«er«a»tion /-rayshan/ n. after all your lies.

in»con»sist»ent /inkansistant/ adj. 1 acting at variance in*cred*u*lous /inkrejalas/ adj. (often foil, by of) un-
with one's own principles or former conduct. 2 (of- willing to believe, dd in»cre»du»li»ty /inkridoblitee,
ten foil, by with) not in keeping; discordant; incom- -dyob-/ n. in*cred*u*lous*ly adv. in*cred*u*lous*ness
patible, dd in*con*sist*en*cy n. (pi. -cies). in*con*sist* n.
enWy adv. in»cre»ment /inkrimant/ n. an increase or addition, esp.
in*con*sol*a*ble /inkansOlabal/ adj. (of a person, grief, one of a series on a fixed scale, dd in»cre«men»tal
etc.) that cannot be consoled or comforted, dd in»con» /-ment'l/ adj.
sol-a-bil-i-ty /-bilitee/ n. in*con*sol*a*ble*ness n. in* in«crim»i»nate /inkriminayt/ v.tr. 1 tend to prove the
con«sol*a*bly adv. guilt of (incriminating evidence) 2 involve in an accu- .

in*con*spic*U*OUS /inkanspikyooas/ adj. not conspic-
uous; not easily noticed, dd in*con*spic*u*ous*ly adv.
in*con*spic*u*ous*ness n.
in*con*stant /inkonstant/ adj. 1 (of a person) fickle;
changeable. 2 frequently changing; variable; irregular.
dd irvcorvstarvcy n. (pi. -cies). irvcorvstanWy adv.
in»con»test«a»ble /inkantestabal/ adj. that cannot be
disputed, dd in»con»test»a«bil«i«ty /-bilitee/
test*a*bly adv.
in»COn»ti»nent /inkontinant/ adj. 1 unable to control
movements of the bowels or bladder or both. 2 lack-
ing self-restraint (esp. in regard to sexual desire). 3
(foil, by of) unable to control, dd irvcorvti«nence
/-nans/ n.
in»con»tro»vert»i»ble /inkontravartibal/ adj. indisputa-
ble; indubitable, dd in«con«tro»vert»i»bly adv.
in»con»ven»ience /inkanve'enyans/ w. &v. •n. 1 lack of
suitability to personal requirements or ease. 2 a cause
or instance of this, mv.tr. cause inconvenience to.
in»con»ven«ient /inkanve'enyant/ adj. 1 unfavorable to
ease or comfort; not convenient. 2 awkward; trouble-
some, dd in«con«ven«ient»ly adv.
in»cor«po»rate v. & adj. mv. /inkawrparayt/
foil, by form into one body or whole.
ins with) unite;
2 intr. become incorporated. 3 tr. combine (ingredi-
ents) into one substance. 4 tr. admit as a member of a
company, etc. 5 tr. a constitute as a legal corporation.
sation. 3 charge with a crime, dd in«crim«i«na»tion
/-nayshan/ n. in»crim«i«na»to»ry /-natawree/ adj.
in*crus*ta*tion /inkrustayshan/ n. 1 the process of en-
crusting or state of being encrusted. 2 a crust or hard
coating, esp. of fine material. 3 a deposit on a surface.
in*cu*bate /ingkyabayt/ v. 1 tr. sit on or artificially heat
(eggs) in order to bring forth young birds, etc. 2 tr.
n. irvcorv cause the development of (bacteria, etc.) by creating
suitable conditions. 3 intr. sit on eggs; brood.
in*cu*ba*tion /ingkyabayshan/ n. 1a the act of incu-
bating, b brooding. 2 Med. (in full in«cu«ba»tion pe«ri»
od) the period between exposure to an infection and
the appearance of the first symptoms.
in»cu»ba»tor /ingkyabaytar/ n. 1 an apparatus used to
provide a suitable temperature and environment for a
premature baby or one of low birthweight. 2 an
apparatus used to hatch eggs or grow microorganisms.
in*CU*bus /ingkyabas/ n. (pi. incubi /-bl/ or incubuses)
1 an evil spirit supposed to descend on sleeping per
sons. 2 a nightmare. 3 a person or thing that oppress
es like a nightmare.
in»CUl»cate/inkulkayt/ v.tr. (often foil, by upon, m) urge
1 tr. (often or impress (a fact, habit, or idea) persistently, dd ln«
cul-ca-tion / kayshan/ n. in»cul»ca«tor ;/
in»CUrrvben«cy /inkumbansee/ n. (pi. -cies) the offioe,
tenure, or sphere of an incumbent.
in*cum*bent /inkumbant/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 (foil, by on,

b (as incorporated adj.) forming a legal corporation. upon) resting as a duty (it is incumbent on you to warn
• adj. /inkawrparat/ 1 (of a company, etc.) formed in- them). 2 (often foil, by on) lying; pressing. 3 current-
to a legal corporation. 2 embodied, dd in»cor«po-ra» ly holding office (the ith nmlu m jn,\hicnt). •n. the hold-
tion /-ayshan/ n. in«cor«po«ra»tor n. er of an office or post, esp. an elected official.
in»cu»nabHi»lum /inkyanabyalam/ n. (pi. incunabula
/-la/) a book printed at an early date, esp. before 1501.
in»cur /inkar/ v.tr. (incurred, incurring) suffer, expe-
rience, or become subject to (something unpleasant)
as a result of one's own behavior, etc. (incurred huge
debts), dd in«cur«ra«ble adj.
in*cur*a*ble /inkyobrabal/ adj. &
n. madj. that cannot
be cured, •n. a person who cannot be cured, dd in*
cur»a»bil»i»ty n. in»cur»a*ble«ness n. in»cur»a«bly adv.
in«cur»sion /inkarzhan, -shan/ n. an invasion or attack,
esp. when sudden or brief, dd in*cur*sive /-karsiv/ adj.
in«cus /ingkas/ n. (pi. incudes /-kyobdeez/) the small
anvil-shaped bone in the middle ear, in contact with
the malleus and stapes.
Ind. abbr. 1 Independent. 2 Indiana. 3 a India, b In-
dian.
in»debt»ed /indetid/ adj. (usu. foil, by to) owing grati-
tude or money, dd in»debt»ed»ness n.
in»de»cent /indeesant/ adj. 1 offending against recog-
nized standards of decency. 2 unbecoming; highly un-
399 incunabulum ~ index
peace. 2 security against loss. 3 legal exemption from
penalties, etc., incurred.
in»dent /indent/ v.&n.*v.'\ tr. start (a line of print or
writing) farther from the margin than other lines, e.g.,
to mark a new paragraph. 2 tr. a divide (a document
drawn up in duplicate) into its two copies with a zig-
zag line dividing them and ensuring identification.
b draw up (usu. a legal document) in exact duplicate.
3 tr. make toothlike notches in. 4 tr. form deep recess-
es in (a coastline, etc.). • n. also /indent/ 1 indentation.
2 an indented line. 3 Brit, a an order (esp. from
abroad) for goods, b an official requisition for stores.
4 an indenture, dd in*den*ta*tion n. in»dent«er n. in*
den»tor n.
in»den»tion /indenshan/ n. 1 the indenting of a line in
printing or writing. 2 an indentation.
in»den»ture /indenchar/ n. &v. •«. 1 an indented doc-
ument (see indent v. 2). 2 (usu. in pi.) a sealed agree-
1

suitable (with indecent haste), dd in«de«cen«cy n. (pi. ment or contract. 3 a formal list, certificate, etc. •v.tr.
-cies). in«de»cenMy adv. hist, bind (a person) by indentures, esp. as an appren-

in*de»cent ex*po*Sure n. the intentional act of public- tice, dd in*den*ture*ship n.

ly and indecently exposing one's body, esp. the geni- in»de*pend»ence /indipendans/ n. (often foil, by of,
tals. from) the state of being independent.
in«de*ci«pher»a»ble /indisifarabal/ adj. that cannot be In»de»pend»ence Day n. a day celebrating the anniver-
deciphered. sary of national independence; in the US July 4.
in«de«ci*sion /indisizhan/ n. lack of decision; hesita- in«de»pend»ent indipendant/ adj. &n. madj. 1 a (of-
tion. ten foil, by of) not depending on authority or control.
in»de«ci»sive /indisisiv/ adj. 1 not decisive. 2 unde- b self-governing. 2 a not depending on another per-
cided; hesitating, dd in»de»ci«sive«ly adv. in»de»ci»sive« son for one's opinion or livelihood, b (of income
ness n. or resources) making it unnecessary to earn one's liv-
in»dec»o»rous /indekaras/ adj. 1 improper. 2 in bad ing. 3 unwilling to be under an obligation to others.
taste, dd in«dec«o*rous«ly adv. in»deco-rous«ness //. 4 Polit. (usu. Independent) not belonging to or sup-
in*deed /indeed/ adv. &
int. • adv. 1 in truth; really; yes; ported by a parry. 5 not depending on something else
that isso (they are, indeed, a remarkable family). for its validity, efficiency, value, etc. (independent
2 expressing emphasis or intensification (indeed it is). proof). 6 (of broadcasting, a school, etc.) not sup-
3 admittedly (there are indeed exceptions). 4 in point of ported by public funds. »n. (usu. Independent) a per-
fact (if indeed such a thing is possible), •int. expressing son who is politically independent, dd in»de«pend«ent»
irony, contempt, incredulity, etc. ly adv.
in*de«fat*i*ga*ble /indifatigabal/ adj. (of a person, qual- in-depth attnb.adj. thorough; done in depth.
ity, etc.) that cannot be tired out; unwearying; unre- in«de«scrib»a»ble indiskribabal adj. 1 too unusual or
mitting, dd in»de«fat»i«ga»bil«i«ty n. in*de*fat*i*ga*bly extreme to be described. 2 vague; indefinite, nc in»de«
adv. scrib*a*bil*i*ty n. in»de»scrib«a»bly adv.
in»de«fen»si»ble /indifensibal/ adj. that cannot be de- in»de«struct*i»ble indistruktibal/ adj. that cannot be
fended or justified, dd in»de«fen«si«bil»i»ty //. in»de«fen» destroyed, do in»de«struct»i«bil«i«ty n.
si»bly adv. in»de«ter»mi»na«ble inditarminabal/ adj. 1 that cannot
in*de*fin*a*ble /indifinabal/ adj. that cannot be defined be ascertained. 2 (of a dispute, etc.) that cannot be
or exactly described, dd in»de»fin«a»bly adv. settled, dd in»de*ter»mi«na»bly adv.
in»def»i»nite /indefinit/ adj. 1 vague; undefined. 2 un- in«de«ter»mi»nate inditarminat adj. 1 not fixed in ex-
limited. 3 Gram, not determining the person, thing, tent, character, etc. 2 left doubtful; vague. 3 Math, (of
time, etc., referred to. dd in»def«i«nite»ness ;/. a quantity) not limited to a fixed value by the value of
in»def»i»nite ar»ti»cle n. Gram, the word (e.g., a, an, another quantity, dd in«de«ter»mi»na»cy n. in»de«terTni«
some in English) preceding a noun and implying lack nate«ly adv. in»de*ter»mi«nate«ness n.
of specificity (bought me a book; government is an art). in*dex /indeks/ n. &v. • n. (pi. indexes or esp. in tech-
in»def»i»nite»ly /indefinitlee/ adv. 1 for an unlimited nical use indices /indiseez/) 1 an alphabetical list of
time (was postponed indefinitely) .2 in an indefinite man- names, subjects, etc., with references, usu. at the end
ner. of a book. 2 (in full index number) a number show-
in*del*i*ble /indelibal/ adj. 1 that cannot be rubbed out ing the variation of prices or wages as compared with
or (in abstract senses) removed. 2 (of ink, etc.) that a chosen base period (retail price index; Doze Jones in-
makes indelible marks, dd in-del-i-bly adv. dex)^ Math, a the exponent of a number, b the power
in*del*i*cate /indelikat/ adj. 1 coarse; unrefined. 2 tact- to which it is raised. 4 a a pointer, esp. on an in-
less. 3 tending to indecency, dd in*del*i*ca*cy n. (pi. strument, showing a quantity, a position on a scale,
-cies). in*del*i*cate*ly adv. etc. b an indicator of a trend, direction, tendency, etc.
in«dem»ni»fy /indemnifi/ v.tr. (-fies, -tied) 1 protect or C (usu. foil, by of) a sign, token, or indication of some-
secure (a person) in respect of harm, a loss, etc. 2 (of- thing. 5 Physics a number expressing a physical prop-
ten foil, by for) secure (a person) against legal respon- erty, etc., in terms of a standard (refractive index).
sibility for actions. 3 (often foil, by for) compensate (a 6 Computing a set of items each of which specifies one
person) for a loss, expenses, etc. dd in*dem*ni*f i*ca*tion of the records of a file and contains information about
/-fikayshan/ n. in*dem*ni*fi*er n. its address, •v.tr. 1 provide (a book, etc.) with an in-
in»derrwii»ty /indemnitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a compensa- dex. 2 enter in an index. 3 relate (wages, etc.) to the
tion for loss incurred, b a sum paid for this, esp. a sum
exacted by a victor in war, etc., as one condition of See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

index finger ~ individual 400
value of a price index, dd ln»dex»a«tion in*dex*er n.
n.
irvdex«i«ble/-deksib3l/a4/. in*dex*l*cal atfj. irrdex»less
adj.
The plural indexes appropriate for all senses of in-
is
dex. In some technical contexts, the plural indices is
employed.
in*dex fin*ger n. the forefinger.
in»di«a ink /indeea/ n. a black liquid ink.
In*di*an /indeean/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a a native or national
of India, b a person of Indian descent. 2 (in full Amer-
ican Indian) a member of the aboriginal peoples of
America or their descendants. 3 any of the languages
of the aboriginal peoples of America, •adj. 1 of or re-
lating to India, or to the subcontinent comprising In-
dia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. 2 of or relating to the
aboriginal peoples of America.
Indian, meaning 'native of America before the arri-
val of Europeans,' is objected to by many who now fa-
vor Native American. There are others (including
many members of this ethnic group), however, who
see nothing wrong with Indian or American Indian,
which are long-established and often used with pride.
The terms Amerind and Amerindian, once proposed
as alternatives to Indian, never gained wide use. Newer
alternatives, not widely used or established, include
First Nation (especially Canadian) and the more ge-
neric aboriginal peoples. It should be noted that Indian
is held by many not to include some American groups,
e.g., Aleuts and Inuit.
In*di*an el«e*phant n. the elephant, Elephas maximus,
of India, which is smaller than the African elephant.
In»di«an sunvmer n. a period of unusually dry, warm
weather sometimes occurring in late autumn.
in*di*cate /indikayt/ v.tr. (often foil, by that + clause)
1 point out; make known; show. 2 be a sign or symp-
tom of; express the presence of. 3 (often in passive)
suggest; call for; require or show to be necessary
{stronger measures are indicated). 4 admit to or state
briefly {indicated his disapproval). 5 (of a gauge, etc.)
give as a reading.
in«di*ca*tion /indikayshan/ n. 1 a the act or an instance
of indicating, b something that suggests or indicates;
a sign or symptom. 2 something indicated or sug-
gested, esp., in Med., a remedy or treatment that is
suggested by the symptoms. 3 a reading given by a
gauge or instrument.
in*dic*a*tive /indikativ/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 (foil, by of)
suggestive; serving as an indication. 2 Gram, (of a
mood) denoting simple statement of a fact. •«. Gram.
1 the indicative mood. 2 a verb in this mood, on in*
dic*a*tive*ly adv.
in»di»ca»tor/indikayt3r/n. 1 a person or thing that indi-
cates. 2 a device indicating the condition of a machine,
etc. 3 a recording instrument attached to an apparat-
us.
in*di*ces pi. of index.
itvdict /indit/ v.tr. accuse (a person) formally by legal
process, dd in*dict«ee /-tee/ n. in*dict*er n.
in»dict»a»ble/indit3b3l/a<i/. 1 (of an offense) rendering
the person who commits it liable to be charged with
a crime. 2 (of a person) so liable.
in*dict*ment /inditmant/ n. 1 the act of indicting. 2 a a
formal accusation, b a legal process in which this is
made. C a document containing a charge. 3 something
that serves to condemn or censure.
in«dif«fer»ence /indifrans/ «. 1 lack of interest or atten-
tion. 2 unimportance {a matter of indifference) 3 neu- .
trality.
in»dif»fer»ent /indifrant/ adj. 1 neithergood nor bad;
average; mediocre. 2 a not especially good, b fairly
bad. 3 (often prec. by very) decidedly inferior. 4 (foil.
.
by to) having no partiality for or against; having no in-
terest in or sympathy
dd in*dif«fer*enMy adv.
for.
in*dig*e*nous /indijinas/ a (esp. of flora or fau-
adj. 1
na) originating naturally in a region, b (of people)
originating or occurring in a particular place; native.
2 (foil, by to) belonging naturally to a place, dd in*dig*
e*nous*ly adv. in*dig*e*nous*ness n.
in»di*gent /indijant/ adj. needy; poor, dd in*di*gence
/-jans/ n.
in*di«gest*i*ble /indijestibal/ adj. 1 difficult or impos-
sible to digest. 2 too complex or awkward to read or
comprehend easily, dd in*di*gest*i*bil*i*ty n. in*di*gest*
i»bly adv.
in*di*ges*tion /indijes-chan/ n. 1 difficulty in digesting
food. 2 pain or discomfort caused by this, dd in«di«ges»
tive adj.
in*dig*nant /indignant/ adj. feeling or showing scorn-
ful anger or a sense of injured innocence, dd in*dig*
nanWy adv.
in*dig*na*tion /indignayshan/ n. anger or annoyance by
what is perceived as unfair conduct or treatment.
in*dig*ni*ty /indignitee/ n. {pi. -ties) 1 unworthy treat-
ment. 2 a slight or insult. 3 the humiliating quality of
something {the indignity of my position)
in*di*go /indigo/ n. {pi. -gos) 1 a natural blue dye ob-
tained from the indigo plant. 2 any plant of the genus
Indigofera. 3 (in full indigo blue) a color between blue
and violet in the spectrum.
in»di»rect/indirekt,-di-/aJ/. 1 not going straight to the
point. 2 (of a route, etc.) not straight. 3 not directly
sought or aimed at {an indirect result) 4 (of lighting).
from a concealed source and diffusely reflected, dd in*
di»recWy adv. in*di*rect*ness n.
in*di*rect object n. Gram, a person or thing affected
by a verbal action but not primarily acted on (e.g., him
in give him the book).
in*dis*creet /indiskre'et/ adj. 1 not discreet; revealing
secrets. 2 injudicious; unwary, dd in»dis»creet»ly adv.
in«dis*creet*ness n.
in»dis»cre*tion /indiskreshan/ n. 1 lack of discretion;
indiscreet conduct. 2 an indiscreet action, remark, etc.
in»dis»crim»i»nate/indiskrimin3t/aJ7. 1 making no dis-
tinctions. 2 confused; promiscuous, dd in»dis»crim»i»
nate*ly adv. in*dis*crim*i*nate*ness n. in*dis*crim*i*na*
tion /-nayshan/ n. in»dis«crim»i»na»tive adj.
in*dis*pen*sa*ble /indispensabsl/ adj. 1 (often foil, by
to, for) that cannot be dispensed with; necessary. 2 (of
a law, duty, etc.) that is not to be set aside, dd irvdis*
pen»sa»bil»i»ty n. in»dis»pen»sa»ble«ness n. in«dis»pen»
sa*bly adv.
in»dis»posed/indisp6zd/ad>. 1 slightly unwell. 2 averse
or unwilling, dd in*dis*po*si*tion n.
in*dis«put*a*ble /indispycSbtabal/ adj. 1 that cannot be
disputed. 2 unquestionable, dd in»dis«put«a»bil»i»ty n.
in*dis*put*a*ble*ness //. in*dis*put*a*bly adv.
in*dis*SOl*u*ble /indisolyabal/ adj. 1 that cannot be dis-
solved or decomposed. 2 lasting; stable {an indissolu-
ble bond), dd in*dis*sol*u*bil*i*ty n. in*dis*sol*u*bly adv.
in«dis»tinct/indistingkt/ad/. 1 not distinct. 2 confused;
obscure, dd in»dis«tinct«ly adv. in*dis*tinct*ness n.
in*dis*tin*guish*a*ble /indistinggwishobol/ adj. (often
foil, by from) not distinguishable, dd in»dls«tln»gul8h«
a*ble*ness n. in*dis*tin*guish*a*bly adv.
in*dite /indit/ v.tr. formal or joe. 1 put (a speech, etc.)
into words. 2 write (a letter, etc.).
in*di*um /indeeam/ n. Chem. a soft, silvery-white me-
tallic element occurring naturally in sphalerite, etc.,
used for electroplating and in semiconductors. 1
Symb.: In.
in*di*vid*U*al /indivijooal/ adj. & n. »adj. 1 single.
2 particular; special; not general. 3 having a distinct
character. 4 characteristic of a particular person. 5 de-
signed for use by one person. •«. 1 a single member
 . . .
of a class. 2 a single human being as distinct from a
family or group. 3 colloq. a person (a most unpleasant
individual)
irvdi»vid»u«aMsm /indivijooalizam/ n. 1 the habit or
principle of being independent and self-reliant. 2 a so-
cial theory favoring the free action of individuals, dd in*
di»vid»u»al»ist n. irvdi«vid«u»al«is»tic adj. in*di«vid«u«al»
is-ti-cal-ly adv.
irvdi»vid»u»al»i»ty /indivijoo-alitee/ n. (pi. -ties)
1 individual character, esp. when strongly marked. 2
(in pi.) individual tastes, etc. 3 separate existence.
in»di»vid»u»al»ize /indivijooaliz/ v.tr. 1 give an individ-
ual character to. 2 specify, dd in»di»vid»u»al«i»za»tion n.
in«di»vid»u«al»ly /indivijooalee/ adv. 1 personally; in an
individual capacity. 2 in a distinctive manner. 3 one by
one; not collectively.
in*di*vid*u*al re»tire«ment account n. a savings plan
in which money invested and interest earned are not
taxed until retirement. U Abbr.: IRA.
in*di*vis*i*ble /indivizibal/ adj.1 not divisible. 2 not
distributable among a number, dd in»di»vis»i»bil»i»ty n.
Indo- /indo/ comb, form Indian; Indian and... (Indo-lra-
nian)
in»dootri«nate /indoktrinayt/ v.tr. teach (a person or
group) systematically or for a long period to accept
ideas uncritically, dd in»dootri»na»tion /-nayshan/ n.
in-doc»tri»na»tor n.
ln»do-Eu»ro«pe«an /indo-yobrapeean/ adj. &
n. madj.
1 of or relating to the family of languages spoken over
the greater part of Europe and Asia as far as N. India.
2 of or relating to the hypothetical parent language of
this family. • n.1 the Indo-European family of lan-
guages. 2 the hypothetical parent language of all lan-
guages belonging to this family.
in*do*lent /indatant/ adj. lazy, dd in*do*lence Mans/ n.
in»do»lenMy adv.
in«dom»i»ta»ble /indomitabal/ adj. 1 that cannot be
subdued; unyielding. 2 stubbornly persistent, dd in*
dom»i»ta»biM»ty n. in«dom«i«ta«bly adv.
ln*done*sian /indane'ezhan, -shan/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a
native or national of Indonesia in SE Asia. 2 a person
of Indonesian descent, madj. of or relating to Indone-
sia or its people or language.
in»door /indawr/ adj. situated, carried on, or used with-
in a building or under cover (indoor antenna; indoor
games)
in*doors /indawrz/ adv. into or within a building.
in*du*bi*ta*ble /indoobitabal, -dyCb-/ adj. that cannot
be doubted, dd in*du*bi*ta*bly adv.
in*duce /indobs, -dyobs/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by to +
infin.) prevail on; persuade. 2 bring about; give rise to.
3 Med. bring on (labor) artificially, esp. by use of drugs.
4 Electr. produce (a current) by induction. 5 Physics
cause (radioactivity) by bombardment. 6 infer; derive
as a deduction, dd in*duc«er n. in*duc*i*ble adj.
in»duce»ment /indobsmant, -dyobs-/ n. 1 (often foil,
by to) an attraction that leads one on. 2 a thing that
induces.
in«duct /indukt/ v.tr. (often foil, by ro, into) 1 introduce
formally into possession of a benefice. 2 install into a
room, office, etc. 3 introduce; initiate. 4 enlist (a per-
son) for military service, dd irvductee /induktee/ n.
in«duotance /induktans/ n. Electr. the property of an
electric circuit that causes an electromotive force to
be generated by a change in the current flowing.
in*duc*tion /indiikshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
inducting or inducing. 2 Med. the process of bringing
on (esp. labor) by artificial means. 3 Logic a the infer-
ence of a general law from particular instances (cf. de-
duction), b Math, a means of proving a theorem by
showing that, if it is true of any particular case, it is
true of the next case in a series, and then showing that
it is indeed true in one particular case. C (foil, by of)
401 individualism ~ ineffectual
the production of (facts) to prove a general statement.
4 (often attrib.) a formal introduction to a new job,
position, etc. (attended an induction course). 5 Electr.
a the production of an electric or magnetic state by
the proximity (without contact) of an electrified or
magnetized body, b the production of an electric cur-
rent in a conductor by a change of magnetic field. 6 the
drawing of a fuel mixture into the cylinders of an inter-
nal combustion engine. 7 enlistment for military serv-
ice.
in»duc»tive /induktiv/ adj. 1 (of reasoning, etc.) of or
based on induction. 2 of electric or magnetic induc-
tion, dd in»duotive«ly adv. in«duotive«ness n.
in*dulge /indulj/ v. 1 intr. (often foil, by in) take pleas-
ure freely. 2 tr. yield freely to (a desire, etc.). 3 tr. grat-
ify the wishes of; favor (indulged them with money).
4 intr. colloq. take alcoholic liquor, dd in*dulg*er n.
in*dul*gence /indiiljans/ «. 1 a the act of indulging.
b the state of being indulgent. 2 something indulged
in. 3 RC Ch. the remission of temporal punishment in
purgatory. 4 a privilege granted.
in«dul»gent /induljant/ adj. 1 ready or too ready to over-
look faults, etc. 2 indulging or tending to indulge.
dd in»dul»genMy adv.
in*dus*tri*al /industreeal/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 of or relat-
ing to industry or industries. 2 designed or suitable for
industrial use. 3 characterized by highly developed in-
dustries (the industrial nations). •«. (in pi.) shares in
industrial companies, dd in-dus«tri»aMy adv.
in»dus»tri»aMsm industreealizam n. a social or ec-
onomic system in which manufacturing industries are
prevalent.
in*dus*tri*al*ist /industreealistv n. a person engaged in
the management or ownership of industry.
in»dus»tri»al»ize/industree3liz v. 1 tr. introduce indus-
tries to (a country or region, etc.). 2 intr. become in-
dustrialized, dd in«dus»tri»al»i»za»tion n.
in»dus»tri»al park n. an area of land developed for a
complex of factories and other businesses.
in»dus»tri»al rev»olu»tion n. the rapid development of
a nation's industry (esp. the Industrial Revolution, in
the late 18th and early 19th c).
in*dus*tri*ous /industreeas/ adj. diligent; hardworking.
dd in*dus*tri*ous*ly ado. in«dus»tri»ous»ness ;/.
in»dus»try indastree/n. (pi. -tries) 1 a a branch of trade
or manufacture, b trade and manufacture collective-
ly (incentives to industry). 2 concerted or copious activ-
ity (the building was a hive of industry). 3 a diligence.
b colloq. the diligent study or promotion of a particu-
lar topic or cause (the Shakespeare industry). 4 habitu-
al employment in useful work.
in»e»bri»ate v., adj., & n. •v.tr. /ine'ebreeayt' 1 make
drunk; intoxicate. 2 excite, madj. /ineebreeat/ drunk-
en, mn. /ine'ebreeat/ a drunken person, esp. a habitual
drunkard, dd in»e«bri»a«tion /-ayshan/ n. in»e«bri»e«ty
/inibriatee/ n.
in*ed*i*ble /inedibal/ adj. not edible, esp. not suitable
for eating (cf. uneatable), dd in-ed»i«bil«i»ty ;/.
in*ed*u*ca*ble /inejakabal/ adj. incapable of being ed-
ucated, do in*ed*u*ca*bil*i*ty n.
in»eMa«ble /inefabal/ adj. 1 unutterable; too great for
description in words. 2 that must not be uttered, dd in»
ef»fa»bil«i«ty n. in»ef»fa»bly adv.
in»ef»fec»tive /inifektiv/ adj. 1 not producing the de-
sired effect. 2 (of a person) inefficient; not achieving
results.3 lacking artistic effect, dd in«ef«fec«tive«ly adv.
in»ef»feotive«ness //.
in»eMeotU»al /inifekchooal/ adj. 1 a without effect.
b not producing the desired or expected effect. 2 (of
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
inefficient - inferiority 402 in ex*tre*mis /in ekstre'emis, -tre-/ adj. 1 at the point
of death. 2 in great difficulties.
I person) lacking the ability to achieve results (an in- in*ex*tri*ca*ble /inekstrikabal, inikstrik-/ adj. 1 (of a
.//«< tual leader), dd in*ef*fec*tu*al*i*ty /-alitee/ n. in*ef* circumstance) that cannot be escaped from. 2 (of a
fec*tu*al*ly adv. in*ef*fec*tu*al*ness n. knot, problem, etc.) that cannot be unraveled or
1 not efficient. 2 (of a per-
in*ef*f i»cient /inifishant/ adj. solved. 3 intricately confused, dd in*ex*tri*ca*bly adv.
son) not fully capable; not well qualified, do in*ef*fi* inf. abbr. 1 infantry. 2 inferior. 3 infinitive.
cien*cy n. in*ef*fi*cient*ly adv. in*fal*li*ble /infalibal/ adj. 1 incapable of error. 2 (of a
in*e*las*tic /inilastik/ adj. 1 not elastic. 2 not likely to method, test, proof, etc.) unfailing; sure to succeed.
change; inflexible; unyielding, dd in*e*las*ti*cal*ly adv. do in*fal*li*bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n. in*fal*li*bly adv.
in*e*las*tic*i*ty /-lastisitee/ n. in*fa*mous /infamss/ adj. 1 notoriously bad; having a
in*el*e*gant /ineligant/ adj. 1 ungraceful. 2 a unre- bad reputation. 2 abominable, dd in*fa*mous*ly adv.
fined, b (of a style) unpolished, dd in*el*e*gance in*fa*my /infamee/ n. (pi. -mies).
/-gans/ n. in*el*e*gant*ly adv. in*fan*cy /infansee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 early childhood; ba-
in*el*i*gi*ble /inelijibal/ adj. 1 not eligible. 2 undesira- byhood. 2 an early state in the development of an idea,
ble, dd in*el*i*gi*bil*i*ty n. in*el*i*gi*bly adv. undertaking, etc.
in*e*luc*ta*ble /iniluktabal/ adj. 1 irresistible. 2 ines- in*fant /infgnt/ n. 1 a child during the earliest period of
capable, dd in*e*luc*ta*bil*i*ty n. in*e*luc*ta*bly adv. 2 (esp.
its life. attrib.) a thing in an early stage of its

irrept /inept/ adj. 1 unskillful. 2 absurd; silly. 3 out of development.

place, dd in*ept*i*tude n. in*ept*ly adv. in*ept»ness n. in*fan*ti*cide /infantisid/ n. 1 the killing of an infant
in*e*qual*i*ty /inikwolitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a lack of soon after birth. 2 the practice of killing newborn
equality in any respect, b an instance of this. 2 the state infants. 3 a person who kills an infant, dd in*fan*ti*cid*
of being variable. al /— sid'l/ adj.
in*eq*ui*ta*ble /inekwitabal/ adj. unfair; unjust, dd in* in*fan*tile /infgntil/ adj. 1 a like or characteristic of a
eq*ui*ta*bly adv. child, b
childish (infantile humor). 2 in its infancy.
in*eq*ui*ty /inekwitee/ n. (pi. -ties) unfairness; bias. in*fan*tile pa*ral*ysis n. poliomyelitis.
in*ert /insrt/ adj. without inherent power of action,
1 in*fan»try /infantree/ n. (pi. -tries) a body of soldiers
motion, or resistance. 2 without active chemical or who fight on foot; foot soldiers collectively.
other properties. 3 sluggish; slow, dd in*ert*ly adv. in* in*fan»try»man /infantreeman/ n. (pi. -men) a soldier
ert-ness n. of an infantry unit.
insert gas n. = noble gas. in*farct /infaarkt/n. Med. a localized area of dead tis-
in*er*tia /inarsha/ n. 1 Physics a property of matter by sue caused by an inadequate blood supply, dd in*farc*
which it continues in its existing state of rest or uni- tion /-faarkshan/ n.
form motion in a straight line, unless that state is in*fat*u*ate /infachoo-ayt/ v.tr. (usu. as infatuated adj.)
changed by an external force. 2 inertness; sloth, dd in* 1 (often foil, by with) inspire with intense, usu. tran-
er*tial adj. in*er*tia*less adj. sitory fondness or admiration. 2 affect with extreme
in*es*cap*a*ble /iniskaypabal/ adj. that cannot be es- folly, dd in*fat*u*a*tion /-ayshan/ n.
caped or avoided, dd in*es*cap*a*bil*i*ty n. in*es*cap* contaminate (air, water, etc.) with
in«fect/infekt/z;.rr. 1
a*bly adv. harmful organisms or noxious matter. 2 affect (a per-
in*es*sen*tial /inisenshal/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 not neces- son) with disease, etc. 3 instill bad feeling or opinion
sary. 2 dispensable. »n. an inessential thing. into (a person), dd in*fec*tor n.
in*es*ti*ma*ble /inestimabal/ adj. too great, intense, in*fec*tion /infekshan/ n. 1 the process of infecting or
precious, etc., to be estimated, dd in*es*ti*ma*bly adv. state of being infected. 2 an instance of this; an infec-
in*ev*i*ta*ble /inevitabal/ adj. 1 a unavoidable; sure to tious disease.
happen, b that is bound to occur or appear. 2 colloq. in*fec*tious /infekshas/ adj. 1 infecting with disease.
that is tiresomely familiar. 3 (of character drawing, the 2 (of a disease) liable to be transmitted by air, water,
development of a plot, etc.) so true to nature, etc., as etc. 3 (of emotions, etc.) apt to spread; quickly af-
to preclude alternative treatment or solution; convinc- fecting others, dd in*fec*tious*ly adv. in*fec*tious*ness
ing, dd in*ev*i*ta*bil*i*ty n. in*evi*ta*bly adv. n.
in*ex*act /inigzakt/ adj. not exact, dd in*ex*act*i*tude in*fe*lic*i*tOUS /infilisitas/ adj. not felicitous; unfortu-
/-titood, -tyobd/ n. in*ex*act*ly adv. in*ex*act*ness n. nate, dd in*fe*lic*i*tous*ly adv.
in*ex*cus*a*ble /inikskyobzabal/ adj. (of a person, ac- in*fe*lic*i*ty /infilisitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a thing that is in-
tion, etc.) that cannot be excused or justified, dd in* appropriate, esp. a remark or expression. 2 unhappi-
ex*cus*a*bly adv. ness; misfortune.
in*ex*haust*i*ble /inigzawstibal/ adj. 1 that cannot be in*fer /infar/ (inferred, inferring) (often foil, by that
v.tr.

exhausted or used up. 2 that cannot be worn out. dd in* + clause)deduce or conclude from facts and rea-
1

ex*haust*i*bil*i*ty n. in*ex*haust*i*bly adv. soning. 2 disp. imply; suggest, dd in*fer*a*ble adj.

in*ex*o*ra*ble /ineksarabal/ adj. 1 relentless. 2 (of a
person or attribute) that cannot be persuaded by re-
quest or entreaty, dd in*ex*o*ra*bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n. in*
ex*o*ra*bly adv.
in*ex*pen*sive /inikspensiv/ adj. 1 not expensive;
cheap. 2 offering good value for the price, dd in*ex*
pen*sive*ly adv.
Infer means 'to deduce or conclude,' as in Wc can in-
fer from the evidence that the car's brakes failed. Its use
in place of imply, to mean 'to hint or suggest,' is wide-
ly considered incorrect.
in*fer*ence /inforons/ n. 1 the act or an instance of in-
ferring. 2 Logic a the forming of a conclusion trom
premises, b a thing inferred, or in*fer*en*tlal / rcnshol
i

in*ex*pe*ri*ence /inikspe'ereegns/ n. lack of experience, adj.

or of the resulting knowledge or skill, dd in*ex*pe*ri* in*fe*ri*or /infeereeor/ adj. isf n. madj. 1 (often foil In-

enced adj. to) a lower; in a lower position, b of lower rank, qual-

in*ex*pert /inekspart/ adj. unskillful; lacking expertise. ity, etc. 2 poor in quality. 3 (of figures or letters) writ-

dd in*ex*pert*ly adv. in*ex*pert*ness n. ten or printed below the line. »n. 1 a person intern >r
in*ex*pli*ca*ble /iniksplikobal, ineks-/ adj. that cannot to another, esp. in rank. 2 an inferior letter or flgUN
be explained or accounted for. dd in*ex*pli*ca*bly adv. do in*fe*ri*or*ly adv.
in*ex*press*i*ble /inikspresibal/ adj. that cannot be in*fe*ri*or*i*ty/infe'eree-awntee, Of n. the state of be

expressed in words, qcj in*ex*press*i*bly adv. ing inferior.

in«fe»ri«or»i»tyconvplex n. an unrealistic feeling of 403 inferiority complex ~ inflorescence
general inadequacy caused by actual or supposed
inferiority in one sphere, sometimes marked by ag- in«fir»ma«ry /infermaree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a hospital.
gressive behavior in compensation. 2 a place for those who are ill in a monastery, school,
in»fer«nal /infernal/ adj. 1 a of hell or the underworld. etc.
b hellish; fiendish. 2 colloq. detestable; tiresome, do in* de«lioto /in flagrantee dilikto/ adv. in the
in f la«gran»te
fer»nal«ly adv. very act of committing an offense.
in»f lame /inflaym/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by with, by)
infernal late Middle English: from Old French, from provoke or become provoked to strong feeling, esp.
Christian Latin infernalis, from Latin infernus 'below, anger. 2 Med. a intr. become hot, reddened, and sore.
underground', used by Christians to mean 'hell', on b tr. (esp. as inflamed adj.) cause inflammation or fe-
the pattern of inferni (masculine plural) 'the shades' ver in (a body, etc.); make hot. 3 tr. aggravate. 4 intr.
and inferna (neuter plural) 'the lower regions'. & tr. catch or set on fire. 5 tr. light up with or as if with

flames, dd in»flanver n.
in»fer»no /inferno/ n. (pi. -nos) 1 a raging fire. 2 a scene
of horror or distress.
in»f lam*ma*ble /inflamabal/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 easily set
on fire; flammable. 2 easily excited. • n. (usu. in pi.) a
in»fest /infest/ v.tr. (of harmful persons or things, esp.
flammable substance, dd in»flam«ma«bil«i«ty n. in»flanv
vermin or disease) overrun (a place) in large numbers.
ma»ble»ness n. in»flam»ma»bly adv.
in«fes«ta»tion n.
in»f i*del /infid'l, -del/ n. &
adj. • n. a person who does
Both inflammable and flammable mean 'easily set
on fire or excited.' The opposite is nonflammable.
not believe in religion or in a particular religion; an
Where there is a danger that inflammable could be un-
unbeliever. »adj. 1 that is an infidel. 2 of unbelievers.
derstood to mean its opposite, i.e., 'not easily set on
infidel late 15th cent.: from French infidele or Latin fire,' flammable should be used —
and is used, as in the
infidelis, from in- 'not' + fidelis 'faithful' (from fides labeling of many products —
to avoid confusion.

'faith', related to fidere 'to trust'). The word original- in»flam»ma«tion /inflamayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
ly denoted a person of a religion other than one's own, stance of inflaming. 2 Med. a localized physical con-
specifically a Muslim (to a Christian), a Christian (to dition with heat, swelling, redness, and usu. pain, esp.
a Muslim), or a Gentile (to a Jew). as a reaction to injury or infection.
in»flam»ma»to*ry /inflamatawree/ adj. 1 (esp. of
in»fi»del»i«ty /infidelitee/ n. (pi. -ties) disloyalty or un- speeches, leaflets, etc.) tending to cause anger, etc. 2 of
faithfulness, esp. to a husband or wife. or tending to inflammation of the body.
the area enclosed by the
in*f ield /infeeld/ n. Baseball 1 in*flat*a*ble /inflaytabal/ adj. &
n. »adj. that can be in-

four bases. 2 the four fielders stationed near the bas- flated. *n. an inflatable plastic or rubber object, esp.
es, an in*field*er n. a small boat or raft.
in*fight*ing /infiting/ n. 1 hidden conflict or competi- inflate /inflayt/ v.tr. 1 distend (a balloon, etc.) with air.
tiveness within an organization. 2 boxing at closer 2 (usu. foil, by with; usu. in passive) puff up (a person
quarters than arm's length, no in«fight»er n. with pride, etc.). 3 a (often absol.) bring about infla-
tr. a gain entrance or access
in»fii»trate /infiltrayt/ v. 1 tion (of the currency), b raise (prices) artificially. 4 (as
to surreptitiously and by degrees (as spies, etc.). inflated adj.) (esp. of language, sentiments, etc.) bom-
b cause to do this. 2 tr. permeate by filtration. 3 tr. (of- bastic, dd in»flat»ed»ly adv. in*flat*ed«ness n. in«flat*er
ten foil, by through) introduce (fluid) by filtration.
into, n. in«fla»tor n.
dd in«fil«tra»tion /-trayshan/ n. in»fil»tra«tor n. in*fla*tion /inflayshan/ n.1 a the act or condition of in-

in»fi»nite /infinit/ adj.boundless or endless. 2 very

1 flating orbeing inflated, b an instance of this. 2 Econ.
great in amount or degree. 3 Math, a greater than any a a general increase in prices and fall in the purchas-
assignable quantity or countable number, b (of a se- ing value of money, b an increase in available currency
ries) that may be continued indefinitely, dd in*fi-nite* regarded as causing this, dd in»fla»tion»ar»y adj. irvfla*
ly adv. in*fi*nite*ness n. tiorvism n. in«fla»tion«ist n. & adj.
in»fin«i»tes»i»mal /infinitesimal/ adj. &n. madj. infinite- in«flect /inflekt/ v. change the pitch of (the voice,
1 tr.

ly or very small. • n. an infinitesimal amount, dd in»f in« a musical note, etc.). 2 Gram, a tr. change the form of
i*tes*i*mal*ly adv. (a word) to express tense, gender, number, mood, etc.
Although it is widely assumed to refer to large num- b intr. (of a word, language, etc.) undergo such change.
bers, infinitesimal describes only very small size. While 3 tr. bend inward; curve, dd in*flec*tive adj.
there may be an infinite number of grains of sand on in«flec»tion /inflekshan/ n. (also, esp. Brit, inflexion)
the beach, a single grain may be said to be infinites- 1 a the act or condition of inflecting or being inflected.
imal. b an instance of this. 2 Gram, a the process or prac-
in»fin»i»tive /infinitiv/ n. aform of a verb expressing the tice of inflecting words, b an inflected form of a word.
verbal notion without reference to a particular sub- C a suffix, etc., used to inflect, e.g., -ed. 3 a modula-
ject, tense, etc. (e.g., see in we came to see, let him see). tion of the voice, dd in*flec*tion*al adj. in*flec*tion*al*
dd in»fin«i*ti»val /-rival/ adj. in»fin»i«ti«vaMy /-tivalee/ ly adv. in»flec»tion»less adj.
adv. in*flex*i*ble /infleksibal/ adj. 1 unbendable. 2 stiff; im-
Writers who insisted that English could be modeled movable; obstinate. 3 unchangeable; inexorable, dd in»
on Latin long ago created the "rule" that the English flexibility n. in»flex«i«bly adv.
infinitive must not be split: to clearly state was wrong; in*flict /inflikt/ v.tr. (usu. foil, by on, upon) 1 adminis-
one must say to state clearly. But the Latin infinitive is ter; deal (a stroke, wound, defeat, etc.). 2 (also refl.)
one word, and cannot be split, so the "rule" is not firm- often joe. impose (suffering, a penalty, oneself, one's
ly grounded, and treating two English words as one company, etc.) on (shall not inflict myself on you any
can lead to awkward, stilted sentences. longer).
of being in-
in»fin»i»ty /infinitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the state in»flo»res»cence /inflaresans/ ;/. 1 Bot. a the complete
finite. 2 an infinite number or extent. 3 infinite dis- flower head of a plant including stems, stalks, bracts,
tance. 4 Math, infinite quantity. ^| Symb.: o° and flowers, b the arrangement of this. 2 the process
in»firm/inferm/ad/. physically weak, esp. through age.
"I of flowering.
2 (of a person, mind, judgment, etc.) weak; irresolute.
dd in»fir»mi»ty n. (pi. -ties). in«firm«ly adv. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
influence ~ in-group 404 in«f ra dig /infra dig/ predic. adj. colloq. beneath one's dig-
nity; unbecoming.
in-flu»ence /inflOoans/ n. &
v. •«. 1 (usu. foil, by on, in»fra»red /infrared/ adj. 1 having a wavelength just
upon) the effect a person or thing has on another. 2 greater than the red end of the visible light spectrum
(usu. foil, by over, with) moral ascendancy or power. but shorter than that of radio waves. 2 of or using such
3 a thing or person exercising such power (is a good in- radiation.
fluence on them), mv.tr. exert influence on; have an ef- in»fra»struc»ture/infrastrukchar/n. 1 a the basic struc-
fect on. a under the influence colloq. affected by alco- tural foundations of a society or enterprise; a substruc-
holic drink, dd in»flu»ence»a«ble adj. in«flu»enc«er ture or foundation, b roads, bridges, sewers, etc., re-
n.

garded as a country's economic foundation.

influence late Middle English: from Old French, or
2 permanent installations as a basis for military, etc.,
from medieval Latin influentia 'inflow', from Latin
operations.
influere, from in- 'into' +fluere 'to flow'. The word orig-
in*fre*quent /infreekwant/ adj. not frequent, dd in»fre«
inally had the general sense 'an influx, flowing mat-
quervcy n. in«fre»quent«ly adv.
ter', also specifically (in astrology) 'the flowing in of
infringe /infrinj/z;. 1 tr. a act contrary to; violate (a law,
ethereal fluid (affecting human destiny)'. The sense
an oath, etc.). b act in defiance of (another's rights,
'imperceptible or indirect action exerted to cause
etc.). 2 intr. (usu. foil, by on, upon) encroach; trespass.
changes' was established in Scholastic Latin by the
dd irvfringe«ment n. in»fring»er n.
13th cent., but not recorded in English until the late
in»fu»ri«ate v.tr. /infyobreeayt/ fill with fury; enrage.
16th cent.
dd in*fu*ri*at*ing adj. in*fu*ri*at*ing*ly adv.
in*flu*en*tial /infloo-enshal/ adj. having a great in- in«fuse /infyobz/ v. 1 tr. (usu. foil, by with) imbue; per-
fluence or power (influential in the financial world). vade (anger infused with resentment) 2 tr. steep (herbs, .

dd in«flu»en»tiaMy adv. tea, etc.) in liquid to extract the content. 3 tr. (usu.
in*flu*en*za /infloo-enza/ n. a highly contagious viral foil, by into) instill (grace, spirit, life, etc.). 4 intr. un-

infection causing fever, severe aching, and catarrh. dergo infusion (let it infuse for five minutes), dd in«fus«
irvflux /influks/ n. a continual stream of people or a»ble adj. in«fus«er n. in*fu*sive /-fyobsiv/ adj.
things. in*f u»sion /infyobzhan/ n. 1 a liquid obtained by infus-
in*fo /info/ n. colloq. information. ing. 2 an infused element; an admixture. 3 Med. a slow
in«fo«mer«cial /infomarshal/ n. a television program injection of a substance into a vein or tissue. 4 a the
promoting a commercial product. act of infusing, b an instance of this.
irvform /infawrm/ v. 1 tr. (usu. foil, by of, about, on, or in*gen*ious /injeenyas/ adj. 1 clever at inventing, con-
that, how + clause) tell (informed them of their rights; in- structing, organizing, etc.; skillful; resourceful. 2 (of a
formed us that the train was late). 2 intr. (usu. foil, by machine, theory, etc.) cleverly contrived, dd in»gen«
against, on) give incriminating information about a ious*ly adv. in*gen*ious*ness n.
person to the authorities. 3 tr. impart its quality to; Ingenious and ingenuous are sometimes confused.
permeate, dd in»form»ant n. Ingenious means 'clever, skillful, or resourceful,' e.g.,
in«for«mal /infawrmal/ adj. 1 without ceremony or for- an ingenious device, while ingenuous means 'artless' or
mality (just an informal chat) 2 (of language, clothing,
. 'frank,', e.g., charmed by the ingenuous honesty of the
etc.) everyday; normal, dd in»for»mal»i«ty /-malitee/ n. child.
(pi. -ties). in»forTnal«ly adv. in«ge*nue /aNzhanoo/ n. (also ingenue) 1 an innocent
in«for»mat»ics /infarmatiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) or unsophisticated young woman. 2 Theatr. a such a
the science of processing data for storage and retriev- part in a play, b the actress who plays this part.
al; information science. in»ge»nu»i»ty /injinooitee, -nyob-/ n. skill in devising or
in*for*ma*tion /infarmayshan/ n. 1 a something told; contriving; ingeniousness.
knowledge, b (usu. foil, by on, about) items of knowl- in«gen»u»ous /injenyooas/ adj. 1 innocent; artless.
edge; news. 2 Law (usu. foil, by against) a charge or 2 open; frank, dd in»gen«u«ous»ly adv. in«gen«u»ous»
complaint lodged with a court or magistrate. 3 a the ness //.
act of informing or telling, b an instance of this, dd in* in*gest /injest/ v.tr. 1 take in (food, etc.); eat. 2 absorb
for*ma*tion*al adj. in«for«ma»tion»aMy adv. (facts, knowledge, etc.). dd in*ges*tion /injes-chan/ n.
in»for«ma«tion sci»ence n. computing the study of in*ges*tive adj.
processes for storing and retrieving information, es- in«gle«nook /inggalnook/ n. a space within the opening
pecially scientific or technical information. on either side of a large fireplace; chimney corner.
in«for«ma*tion (su-per)higlvway n. a putative world- in»glo»ri»ous /in-glawreeas/ adj. 1 shameful; ignomin-
wide computer network offering information, shop- ious. 2 not famous, dd in*glo*ri*ous*ly adv. in«glo«ri«
ping, and other services. ous*ness n.
in»for»ma«tive /infawrmativ/ adj. (also in»for»ma»to»ry in*got /inggat/ n. a usu. oblong piece of cast metal, esp.
/infawrmatawree/) giving information; instructive. of gold, silver, or steel.
dd in»for»ma«tive«ly adv. in»for»ma«tive»ness n. in*grain adj. &v. »adj. /in-grayn/ inherent; ingrained.
in«formed /infawrmd/ adj. 1 knowing the facts; in- • v.tr. /in-grayn/ cause to become embedded.
structed (his answers show that he is badly informed). in-grained /in-graynd/ attrib.adj. 1 deeply rooted; in-
2 educated; intelligent, dd in»fornved»ly /infawrmi- veterate. 2 thorough. 3 (of dirt, etc.) deeply embed-
dlee/ adv. in»fornred»ness /infawrmidnis/ n. ded, dd in«grain»ed»ly / graynidlec/ adv.
in»form»er /infawrmar/ n. la person who informs in«gra»ti»ate /in-graysheeayt/ v.refl. (usu. foil, by with)
against another. 2 a person who informs or advises. bring oneself into favor, in»gra»ti«at»ing </<//. in»gra»
i
ii i

in»fo»tain»ment /infotaynmant/ n. 1 factual informa- ti»at»ing-ly adv. in»gra»ti»a»tion / assign u.

tion presented in dramatized form on television. 2 a in*grat*i*tude /in-gnititood, tyood/ //. a lack of due
television program mixing news and entertainment. gratitude.
in«fra /infra/ adv. below, further on (in a book or writ- in»gre«di»ent /in-grcedceant/ ;/. a component pan or
ing). element in a recipe, mixture, or combination.
infra- /infra/ comb, form 1 below. 2 Anal, below or un- in*gress /in-grcs/ n. the act or ri^ht of ^oin^ in or en-
der a part of the body. tering, dd in-gres»sion / ^rcshan/ n.
in»frac«tion /infrakshan/ n. esp. Law a violation or in- in-group /in-grOop/ n. a small exclusive group of pro-
fringement, dd irvfract v.tr. in«frac«tor n. pie with a common interest.
 . .

in»grow»ing /in-gr6ing/ adj. growing inward, esp. (of a 405 ingrowing ~ inlay
toenail) growing into the flesh, dd in-grown adj.
iivgui*nal /inggwinal/ adj. of the groin. son) into a society, an office, a secret, etc., esp. with a
irvhab*it /inhabit/ v.tr. (of a person or animal) dwell in; ritual, b (usu. foil, by in, into) instruct (a person) in
occupy (a region, town, house, etc.). in«hab«it»a»bil» science, art, etc. • n. /inisheeat/ a person who has been
i«ty /-tabilitee/ n. irvhab«it»a«ble adj. in»hab»it«ant n. in* newly initiated, madj. /inisheeat/ (of a person) newly
hab*i*ta*tion /-tayshan/ n. initiated (an initiate member), dd in»i«ti«a»tion
in*hal*ant /inhaylant/ n. a medicinal preparation for in- /-sheeayshan/ n. in«i»ti«a«tor n. in»i»ti«a»to«ry
haling. /inisheeatawree/ adj.
iohale /inhayl/ v.tr. (often absol.) breathe in (air, gas, in»i»ti»a»tive /inishstiv, inisheestiv/ n. & adj. mn. 1 the
tobacco smoke, etc.). dd in»ha»la»tion /-halayshan/ n. ability to initiate things; enterprise (I'm afraid he lacks
in»hal»er /inhayter/ n. a portable device used for reliev- all initiative). 2 a first step; origination or overture (a
ing esp. asthma by inhaling. peace initiative). 3 the power or right to begin some-
in»here /inhe'er/ v.intr. be inherent. thing. • adj. beginning; originating.
in»her»ent /inheersnt, inher-/ adj. (often by in)
foil, v.tr. 1 Med. a (usu. foil, by into) drive or
in»]ect /injekt/
1 existing something, esp. as
in a permanent or force (a solution, medicine, etc.) by or as if by a sy-
characteristic attribute. 2 vested in (a person, etc.) as ringe, b (usu. foil, by with) fill (a cavity, etc.) by in-
a right or privilege, dd in»her»ence /-rsns/ n. irvher* jecting, c administer medicine, etc., to (a person) by
enWy adv. injection. 2 place or insert (an object, a quality, etc.)
v. 1 tr. receive (property, etc.) by le-
in»her»it /inherit/ into something (may I inject a note of realism?), dd in»
gal succession.2 tr. derive (a quality or characteristic) ject*a*ble adj. & n. irvjeotor n.

genetically from one's ancestors. 3 absol. succeed as in»jec»tion /injekshan/ n. 1 a the act of injecting, b an
an heir {a younger son rarely inherited), dd in«her»i*tor instance of this. 2 a liquid or solution (to be) injected.
n. in*junc*tion /injungkshan/ n. 1 an authoritative warn-
in»her«it«a«ble /inheritabal/ adj. 1 capable of being in- ing or order. 2 Law a judicial order restraining a per-
herited. 2 capable of inheriting. son from an act or compelling redress to an injured
irvher»it»ance /inherit'ns/ n. 1 something that is inher- party, dd in*junc*tive adj.
ited. 2 a the act of inheriting, b an instance of this. iojure /injar/ v.tr. 1 do physical harm or damage to;
in*hib*it /inhibit/ v.tr. 1 hinder, restrain, or prevent (an hurt. 2 harm or impair (illness might injure her chances)
action or progress). 2 (as inhibited adj.) subject to in- 3 do wrong to. dd in»jur»er n.
hibition. 3 (usu. foil, by from + verbal noun) forbid or injured /injard/ adj. 1 harmed or hurt (the injured pas-
prohibit (a person, etc.). dd in»hib»i»tive adj. in*hib»i» sengers). 2 offended; wronged (in an injured tone).
tor n. irvhib*i«to*ry adj. in*ju*ri*ous /injobreess/ adj. 1 hurtful. 2 (of language)
in*hi*bi*tion /inhibishan/ n. 1 Psychol, a restraint on the insulting; libelous. 3 wrongful, dd in*ju*ri*ous«ly adv.
direct expression of an instinct. 2 colloq. an emotion- in*ju*ri*ous*ness n.

al resistance to a thought, an action, etc. (has inhibi- in»ju»ry/inj3ree/n. a physical harm or dam-
(pi. -ries) 1
tionsabout singing in public) 3 Law an order forbidding
. age, b an instance of this head injuries). 2 esp.
(suffered
alteration to property rights. 4 a the act of inhibiting. Law a wrongful action or treatment, b an instance of
b the process of being inhibited. this. 3 damage to one's good name, etc.
in»hos»pi»ta«ble/inhospit3b3l,inhospi-/a(iy. 1 not hos- in»jus»tice /injustis/ n. 1a lack of fairness or justice.
pitable. 2 (of a region, coast, etc.) not affording shel- 2 an unjust act. a do a person an injustice judge a per-
ter, etc. dd in«hos*pi*ta*ble*ness n. in»hos«pi«ta«bly son unfairly.
adv. ink /ingk/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a a colored fluid used for writ-

in-house adj. &

adv. madj. /inhows/ done or existing ing with a pen, marking with a rubber stamp, etc. b a
within an institution, company, etc. (an in-house proj- thick paste used in printing, duplicating, in ballpoint
ect),madv. /inhows/ internally, without outside assist- pens, etc. 2 Zool. a black liquid ejected by a cuttlefish,
ance. octopus, etc., to confuse a predator. • v. tr. 1 (usu. foil,

in*hu*man /inhyobman/ adj. 1 (of a person, conduct, by m, over, etc.) mark with ink. 2 cover (type, etc.) with
etc.) brutal; unfeeling; barbarous. 2 not of a human ink before printing. 3 apply ink to. 4 sign (a contract).
type, dd in*hu*man*ly adv. ink-jet print»er n. a computer-controlled printer in
in«hu*mane /inhyoomayn/ adj. not humane, dd in«hu» which minute droplets of ink are projected onto the
mane*ly adv. paper.
in»hu»man»i»ty /inhyoomanitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 brutali- ink-ling /ingkling/n. (often foil, by of) a slight knowl-
ty; barbarousness; callousness. 2 an inhumane act. edge or suspicion; a hint.
in*im*i*cal /inimikal/ adj. (usu. foil, by to) 1 hostile. ink pad n. an ink-soaked pad, usu. in a box, used for
2 harmful, dd in«im«i«caMy adv. inking a rubber stamp, etc.
in»im»i»ta»ble /inimitabal/ adj. impossible to imitate. inkwell /ingkwel/ n. a pot for ink usu. housed in a hole
dd in*im*i*ta*bil*i*ty n. in*im*i*ta*ble*ness n. in«invi»ta« in a desk.
bly adv. ink«y /ingkee/ adj. (inkier, inkiest) of, as black as, or
in*iq*ui*ty /inikwitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 wickedness; un- stained with ink. dd ink*i*ness n.
righteousness. 2 a gross injustice, dd in*iq*ui*tous adj. in*laid past and past part, of inlay.
in*iq*ui*tous*ly adv. in*iq«ui*tous*ness n. in*land /inland, inland/ adj., n., &
adv. madj. 1 situated
irvi»tial /inishal/ adj., n., & v. madj. of, existing, or oc- in the interior of a country. 2 esp. Brit, carried on with-
curring at the beginning (initial stage; initial expenses) in the limits of a country; domestic (inland trade). *n.
• n. 1 the letter at the beginning of a word. 2 (usu. in the parts of a country remote from the sea or fron-
pi.) the first letter or letters of the words of a (esp. a tiers; the interior. • adv. in or toward the interior of a
person's) name or names, mv.tr. (initialed, initialing) country, dd in»land»er n. in*land*ish adj.
mark or sign with one's initials, dd in*i*tial*ly adv. in-law /inlaw/ n. (often in pi.) a relative by marriage.
in«i*tial*ize /inishaliz/ v.tr. Computing set to the value or in*lay v. &
n. mv.tr. /inlay/ (past and past part, inlaid
put in the condition appropriate to the start of an /inlayd/) 1 a embed (a thing in another) so that the
operation, dd in*i«tial*i*za*tion n. surfaces are even, b (usu. foil, by with) ornament (a
in»i»ti«ate v., n., & adj. mv.tr. /inisheeayt/ 1 begin; set
going; originate. 2 a (usu. foil, by into) admit (a per- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
inlet ~ inquisition
thing with inlaid work). 2 (as inlaid adj.) (of a piece of and the same.
furniture, etc.) ornamented by inlaying. •«. /inlay/ in*noc*u*OUS /inokyooas/ adj. 1 not injurious; harm-
1 inlaid work. 2 material inlaid, dd irvlayer n.
in-let /inlet, -lit/ n. 1 a small arm of the sea, a lake, or
2 a way of entry.
a river.
in-line /inlin/ ad/. 1 having parts arranged in a line.
2 constituting an integral part of a continuous se-
quence of operations or machines.
in-line skate n. a roller skate in which usu. four hard
rubber wheels are fixed in a single line along its sole.
in loco
pa»ren«tis /in leko parentis/ adv. in the place
or position of a parent (used of a teacher, school, etc.,
responsible for children).
inornate /inmayt/ n. (usu. foil, by of) 1 an occupant of
a hospital, prison, institution, etc. 2 an occupant of a
house, etc., esp. one of several.
in me«mo»ri»am /in mimawreeam/ prep. &
n. •prep, in
memory of (a dead person). *n. a written article or
notice, etc., in memory of a dead person; an
in*most /inmost/ adj. 1 most inward. 2 most intimate;
deepest.
inn public house providing alcoholic liquor for
/in/ n. a
consumption on the premises, and sometimes
accommodation, etc.
inn Old English (in the sense 'dwelling place, lodg-
ing') of Germanic origin; related to in. In Middle Eng-
:
lish the word was used to translate Latin hospitium (see
hospice), denoting a house of residence for students:
this sense is preserved in the names of some buildings
formerly used for this purpose, notably Gray's Inn and
Lincoln's Inn, found in London's legal district.
current sense dates from late Middle English.
in*nards /inardz/ n.pl. colloq. 1 entrails. 2 works (of an
engine, etc.).
in*nate /inayt, inayt/ adj. 1 inborn; natural. 2 Philos.
originating in the mind, dd in*nate*ly adv. in«nate»ness
n.
in«ner /inar/ adj. (usu. attrib.) 1 farther in; inside; inte-
rior {the inner compartment). 2 (of thoughts, feelings,
deeper; more secret,
etc.) dd in»neNy adv. in»ner»most
in»ner»ness n.
adj.
in«ner cit»y n. the central, most densely populated ar-
ea of a city (also (with hyphen) attrib. inner-city hous-
: a a place where, or a device through which, energy,
ing).
#
in»ner ear n. the semicircular canals and cochlea, which
form the organs of balance and hearing.
in»ner tube n. a separate inflatable tube inside the cover
of a pneumatic tire.
in»ning /ining/ n. 1 Baseball a a division of a game in
which the two teams alternate as offense and defense
and during which each team is allowed three outs, b a
single turn at bat for a team until they make three outs.
2 a similar division of play in other games, as horse-
shoes.
inn»keep»er /inkeepar/ n. a person who keeps an inn.
in«no»cent /inasant/ adj. &
n. %adj. 1 free from moral
wrong; sinless. 2 (usu. foil, by of) not guilty (of a crime,
etc.). 3 a simple; guileless; naive, b pretending to be
guileless. 4 harmless. 5 (foil, by of) colloq. without;
lacking {appeared, innocent of shoes). »n. an innocent
person, esp. a young child, dd in«no«cence /-sans/ n.
in»no«cen»cy n. in»no»cenMy adv.
Innocent properly means 'harmless' but has long
been extended in general language to mean 'not guilty.'
The jury (or judge) in a criminal trial does not, strict-
ly speaking, find a defendant 'innocent.' Rather, a de-
fendant may be guilty or not guilty of the charges
brought. In common use, however, owing perhaps to
the concept of the presumption of innocence, which
instructs a jury to consider a defendant free of wrong-
406
doing until proven guilty on the basis of evidence, 'not
guilty' and 'innocent' have come to be thought one
less. 2 inoffensive, dd in»no»cu»i»ty /inakyoo-itee/ n. in*
noc*u*ous*ly adv. in*noc*u*ous«ness n.
in«no«vate /inavayt/ v.intr. 1 bring in new methods,
ideas, etc. 2 (often foil, by in) make changes, dd in*
no*va*tion /-vayshan/ n. in»no»va»tion*al /-vayshanal/
adj. in*no*va»tor n. in»nova»tive adj. in*no*va*tive*ness
n.
in«nu*en*do /inyoo-endo/ n. (pi. -dos or -does) 1 an al-
lusive or oblique remark or hint, usu. disparaging. 2 a
remark with a double meaning, usu. suggestive.
in«nu*mer*a*ble /inobmarabal, inyob-7 adj. too many
to be counted, dd in«nu»mer»a»bly adv.
in»nu»mer«ate /inobmarat, inyob-/ adj. having no
knowledge of or feeling for mathematical operations;
not numerate, dd in*nu«mer»a»cy /-rasee/ n.
in*OC*u*late /inokyalayt/ v.tr. treat (a person or animal)
obituary. with a vaccine or serum, usu. by injection, to promote
immunity against disease, dd in*oc*u*la*ble adj. in»oc»
u*la*tion /-layshan/ n. in*oc*u*la*tor n.
in«of«fen»sive /inafensiv/ adj. not objectionable; harm-
less, dd in»oMen«sive*ly adv. in«of»fen»sive«ness n.
in*op*er«a*ble /inoparabal/ adj. 1 Surgery that cannot
suitably be operated on (inoperable cancer) 2 that can- .
not be operated; inoperative, dd in*op*er*a»bil*i*ty n.
in*op*er*a*bly adv.
jn*op*er*a*tive /inoparativ/ adj. not working.
in*op*por*tune /inopartobn, -tyobn/ adj. not appropri-
ate, esp. as regards time; unseasonable, dd in*op*por*
tune*ly adv. in°op«por*tune*ness n.
The
in»or»di»nate /inawrd'nat/ adj. 1 immoderate; exces-
sive. 2 intemperate. 3 disorderly, dd in»or«di»nate»ly
adv.
in*or*gan*ic /inawrganik/ adj. 1 Chem. (of a com-
pound) not organic, usu. of mineral origin. 2 without
organized physical structure. 3 not arising by natural
growth; extraneous. 4 Philol. not explainable by nor-
mal etymology, dd in»or»gan»i*caMy adv.
in»pa*tient /inpayshant/ n. a patient who stays in the
hospital while under treatment.
in«put /inpOot/ n. &
v. • n. 1 what is put in or taken in,
or operated on by any process or system. 2 Electronics
information, etc., enters a system (a tape recorder zoith
inputs for microphone and radio) b energy supplied to
.
a device or system; an electrical signal. 3 the informa-
tion fed into a computer. 4 the action or process of
putting in or feeding in. 5 a contribution of informa-
tion, etc. mv.tr. (inputting; past and past part, input or
inputted) (often foil, by into) 1 put in. 2 Computing
supply (data, programs, etc., to a computer, program,
etc.). d input-(or input/j output Computing, etc. of, re-
lating to, or for input and output, dd in«put*ter n.
in*quest /inkwest, ing / n. 1 Law a an inquiry by a cor-
oner's court into the cause of a death, b a judicial in-
quiry to ascertain the facts relating to an incident] etc.
C a coroner's jury. 2 colloq. a discussion analyzing thi
outcome of a game, an election, etc.
in«qui»e»tude /inkwt'-itootl, tyOod/w, uneaimest.
in*quire /inkwir, ing / v. 1 mtr. (often loll, by of) seek
information formally; make a formal investigation]
2 intr. (foil, by about, after, for) ask about a person, a
person's health, etc. 3 intr. (foil, by for) ask about tin-
availability of. 4 tr. ask for information as to (///«//>/>,«/
whether we were comitig). 5 tr. (foil, by into) investigate!
look into, i in»qulr»er //.
ii i
in»quir»y /inkwfree, ing inkw.m-c, ing / ". (pi. -les)
,
1 an investigation, esp. an official one. 2 tin i. n Si i
instance of asking or seeking information.
in»qui»si»tion /inkwizishon, ing / >/ 1 usu. dtfOg. an
 intensive search or investigation. 2 a judicial or official
inquiry. 3 (the Inquisition) Ch. hist, an ecclesias-
tical tribunal for the suppression of heresy, esp. in
Spain, operating through torture and execution, dd
qui*si*tion*al adj.
in«quis»i»tive /inkwizitiv, ing-/ adj. 1 unduly curious;
prying. 2 seeking knowledge; inquiring, dd in*quis*i*
tive«ly adv. in»quis»i»tive«ness n.
in»quis»i»tor/inkwizit3r, ing-/ n. 1 an official investiga-
tor. 2 hist, an officer of the Inquisition.
in»quis«i»to»ri»al/inkwizitawree3l, ing-/ adj. 1 of or like
an inquisitor. 2 offensively prying. 3 Law (of a trial,
etc.) in which the judge has a prosecuting role (opp.
accusatorial), dd in»quis»i»tOTi«aMy adv.
in re /in re'e, ray/ prep. = re 1
. callous. 4 too small or gradual to be perceived; inap-
ioroad /inrod/ n. 1 (often in pi.) a (usu. foil, by on,
into) an encroachment; a using up of resources, etc.
{makes inroads on my time), b (often foil, by in, into)
progress; an advance (making inroads into a difficult
market). 2 a hostile attack; a raid.
iorush /inrush/ n. a. rushing in; an influx, dd in»rush»
ing adj. & n.
INS abbr. (US) Immigration and Naturalization Serv-
ice.
ins. abbr. 1 inches. 2 insurance.
in»sane /insayn/ adj. 1 not of sound mind; mad. 2 col-
loq. extremely foolish; irrational, do in«sane»ly adv. in«
sane*ness n. in«san»i«ty /-sanitee/ n. (pi. -ties).
in*sa*tia*ble /insayshabal/ adj. 1 unable to be satisfied.
2 (usu. foil, by of) extremely greedy, dd in*sa*tia*bil*i*
ty n. in*sa*tia*bly adv.
inscribe /inskrib/ v.tr. 1 a (usu.
or carve (words, etc.) on stone, metal, paper, a book,
etc. b (usu. foil, by with) mark
with characters. 2 (usu. foil, by to) write an informal
dedication (to a person) in or on (a book, etc.). 3 en-
ter the name of (a person) on a list or in a book, dd in*
scrib*a*ble adj. in»scrib»er n.
in*scrip*tion /inskripshan/ n. 1 words inscribed. 2 the
act of inscribing, dd in*scrip*tion*al adj. irvscrip«tive
adj.
in*scru*ta*ble /inskrootabal/ adj. wholly mysterious;
impenetrable, dd in*scru*ta*bil«i*ty n. irvscru«ta«ble«
ness n. in*scru*ta*bly adv.
in»sect /insekt/ «. la
any arthropod of the class
Insecta, having a head, thorax, abdomen, two anten-
nae, three pairs of thoracic legs, and usu. one or two
pairs of thoracic wings, b (loosely) any other small
segmented invertebrate animal. 2 an insignificant or
contemptible person or creature, dd in*sec*tile
/-sektal, -til/ adj.
insect, la
in*sec*ti*cide /insektisid/ n. a substance used for
ing insects, dd in*sec*ti*cid*al /-sid'l/ adj.
in»seoti»vore /insektivawr/ n. 1 any mammal of the or-
der Insectivora feeding on insects, etc., e.g., a hedge-
hog or mole. 2 any plant that captures and absorbs
insects, dd in*sec*tivo*rous /-tivaras/ adj.
in*se«cure /insikyobr/ adj. 1 uncertain; lacking con-
fidence^ a unsafe; not firm or fixed, b (of ice, ground,
407 inquisitive ~ insider
RC
etc.) liable to give way. C lacking security; unprotected.
in« dd in«se«cure«ly adv. in»se»cu»ri«ty n.
in«sem»i»nate /inseminayt/ v.tr. 1 introduce semen in-
to (a female) by natural or artificial means. 2 sow. dd in»
senvi»na«tion /-nayshsn/ n. in«senvi«na«tor n.
in*sen«sate /insensayt/ adj. 1 without physical sensa-
tion; unconscious. 2 without sensibility; unfeeling.
3 stupid, dd in«sen«sate»ly adv.
in»sen»si»ble /insensibal/ adj. 1 a without one's mental
faculties; unconscious, b (of the extremities, etc.)
numb; without feeling. 2 (usu. foil, by of, to) unaware;
indifferent (insensible of her needs). 3 without emotion;
preciable, dd in*sen*si*bil*i*ty /insensibilitee/ n. in«sen«
si»bly adv.
in»sen»si»tive /insensitiv/ adj. (often foil, by to) 1 un-
feeling; boorish; crass. 2 not sensitive to physical stim-
uli, dd in»sen»si»tive«ly adv. irvservsi«tive«ness n. in*
sen»si*tivi»ty /-tivitee/ n.
in»sen»ti»ent /insenshant/ adj. not sentient; inanimate.
dd in«sen»ti»ence /-shans/ n.
in»sep«a»ra»ble/insep3rab3l/ad/. 1 (esp. of friends) un-
able or unwilling to be separated. 2 Gram, (of a pre-
fix, or a verb in respect of it) unable to be used as a
separate word, e.g., dis-, mis-, un-. dd in»sep*a»ra»bly
adv.
in»sert v. & n. mv.tr. /insart/ 1 (usu. foil, by in, into, be-
tween, etc.) place, fit, or thrust (a thing) into another.
2 (usu. foil, by in, into) (a letter, word, ar-
introduce
foil, by in, on) write ticle, advertisement, newspaper, etc. •«.
etc.) into a
/insart/ something inserted, e.g., a loose page in a mag-
(a sheet, tablet, etc.) azine, a piece of cloth in a garment, a motion-picture
cut-in. dd in*sert*a*ble adj. in»sert«er n.
in»ser»tion /insarshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of in-
serting. 2 an amendment, etc., inserted in writing or
printing. 3 each appearance of an advertisement in a
newspaper, etc. 4 an ornamental section of needle-
work inserted into plain material (lace insertions).
in-ser«vice /insarvis/ adj. (of training) intended for
those actively engaged in the profession or activity con-
cerned.
in»set n. &v. mn. /inset/ 1 a an extra page or pages in-
serted in a folded sheet or in a book; an insert, b a
small map, photograph, etc., inserted within the bor-
der of a larger one. 2 a piece let into a dress, etc. mv.tr.
/inset/ (insetting; past and past part, inset or insetted)
1 put in as an inset. 2 decorate with an inset, dd in»set«
ter n.
in»shore /inshawr/ adv. & adj. at sea but close to the
shore.
in*side n., adj., adv., &
prep. mn. /insid/ 1 a the inner
side or surface of a thing, b the inner part; the inte-
rior. 2 (of a roadway, etc.) the side or lane nearer the
center. 3 (usu. in pi.) colloq. a the stomach and bow-
els (something wrong with my insides) b the operative .
part of a machine, etc. 4 colloq. a position affording in-
side information (knows someone on the inside), madj.
/insid/ 1 situated on or in, or derived from, the inside;
(of information, etc.) available only to those on the in-
side. 2 Soccer nearer to the center of the field (inside
forward), madv. /insid/ 1 on, in, or to the inside. 2 5/. in
prison, mprep. /insid/ 1 on the inner side of; within (;;/-
side the house). 2 in less than (inside an hour), d inside
kill- of colloq. in less than (a week, etc.).
in*side out adj. with the inner surface turned outward.
d know a thing inside out know a thing thoroughly.
in*sid*er /insidar/ n. 1 a person who is within a society,
organization, etc. 2 a person privy to a secret, esp.
when using it to gain advantage.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . ) .

insider trading ~ instant 408 irvspect /inspekt/ v. tr. 1 look closely at or into. 2 exam-
ine (a document, etc.) officially, aa in«spec»tion
in»sid»er trading n. Stock Exch. the illegal practice of /-spekshan/ n.
trading to one's own advantage through having access in»spec»tor/inspekt3r/w. 1 a person who inspects. 2 an
to confidential information. official employed to supervise a service, a machine,
in*side track n. 1 the track (as an oval racecourse) that etc., and make reports. 3 a police officer usu. ranking
is shorter, because of the curve. 2 a position of advan- just below a superintendent, aa in*speotor»ate
tage. /-tsreeat/ n. in»speoto»ri«al /-tawreegl/ adj. in»speo
in«sid*i*OUS /insideeas/ adj. 1 proceeding or progress- tor*ship n.
ing inconspicuously but harmfully (an insidious dis- in*spi*ra*tion /inspirayshan/ n. 1 a a supposed creative
ease). 2 treacherous; crafty, an in*sid*i*ous*ly adv. in* force or influence on poets, artists, musicians, etc.,
sid*i*ous«ness //. stimulating the production of works of art. b a person,
iosight /insit/ n. (usu. foil, by into) 1 the capacity of principle, faith, etc., stimulating artistic or moral fer-
understanding hidden truths, etc., esp. of character or vor and creativity. 2 a sudden brilliant, creative, or
situations. 2 an instance of this, an in*sight*ful adj. in* timely idea. 3 a drawing in of breath; inhalation, aa in*
sight-fuMy adv. spi*ra*tion*al adj. in«spi«ra«tion»ism n. in*spi*ra*tion*ist
in*sig*ni*a /insigneea/ n. (treated as sing, or pi. former- n.
ly with insigne); usu. foil, by of) 1 badges (wore
sing, in*spire /inspir/ v.tr. 1 stimulate or arouse (a person)
his insignia of office). 2 distinguishing marks. to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative
Insignia is the plural of the Latin word insigne, and (these mountains have inspired artists for many centuries)
some traditionalists insist on insigne as the singular. 2 a (usu. foil, by with) animate (a person) with a feel-
Insignia and its plural, insignias, have long been stand- ing, b (usu. foil, by into) instill (a feeling) into a per-
ard, however. son, etc. C (usu. foil, by in) create (a feeling) in a per-
in*sig*nif*i*cant /insignifikant/ adj. 1 unimportant; tri- son. 3 prompt; give rise to (the poem was inspired by the
fling. 2 (of a person) undistinguished. 3 meaningless. autumn). 4 (as inspired adj.) a (of a work of art, etc.)
on in*sig*nif*i*cance /-ksns/ n. in»sig»niM»can»cy n. in* as ifprompted by or emanating from a supernatural
sig*nif*i*cant*ly adv. source; characterized by inspiration (an inspired
in»sin»cere /insinse'er/ adj. not sincere; not candid. speech), b (of a guess) intuitive but accurate, aa in«spir«
nn in*sin*cere«ly adv. in«sin«cer»i»ty /-seritee/ n. (pi. a«to»ry /-ratawree/ adj. in*spir*ed«ly /-ridlee/ adv. in»
-ties) spir*er n. in*spir*ing adj. in«spir»ing»ly adv.
in»sin«u»ate /insinyoo-ayt/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by that + inst. abbr. 1 instance. 2 institute. 3 institution. 4 in-
clause) convey indirectly or obliquely; hint (insinuated strument.
that she was lying) 2 (often refl. ; usu. foil, by into) a in-
. in*sta*bil*i*ty /instabilitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a lack of sta-
troduce (oneself, a person, etc.) into favor, office, etc., bility. 2 Psychol, unpredictability in behavior, etc. 3 an
by subtle manipulation, b introduce (a thing, an idea, instance of instability.
oneself, etc.) subtly or deviously into a place (insinu- irrstall /instawl/ v.tr. (installed, installing) 1 place
ated himself into their inner circle), aa in»sin»u»a»tion (equipment, machinery, etc.) in position ready for use.
/-ayshan/ n. in*sin*u*a*tive adj. in«sin*u*a*tor n. in*sin* 2 place (a person) in an office or rank with ceremony
u*a*to*ry /-sinyooatawree/ adj. (installed in the office of attorney general) 3 establish .

in*sip*id /insipid/ adj. 1 lacking vigor or interest; dull. (oneself, a person, etc.) in a place, condition, etc. (in-
2 lacking flavor; tasteless, aa in»sip»id«i»ty /-piditee/ n. stalled herself at the head of the table), aa in*stall*er n.
in*sip*id*ly adv. in*sip*id*ness n. in*Stal*la«tion /instslayshan/ n. 1 a the act or an in-
in*sist /insist/ v. tr. (usu. foil, by that + clause; also absol. stance of installing, b the process or an instance of be-
maintain or demand positively and assertively (insisted ing installed. 2 a piece of apparatus, a machine, etc.,
that he was innocent), a insist on demand or maintain installed or the place where it is installed.
(/ insist on being present) aa in»sist«er n. in«sist*ing*ly
. in*stall*ment /instawlmant/ n. 1a sum of money due
adv. as one of several usu. equal payments for something,
in«sist»ent /insistant/ adj. 1 (often foil, by on) insisting; spread over an agreed period of time. 2 any of sever-
demanding positively or continually (is insistent on tak- al parts, esp. of a television or radio serial or a maga-
ing me with him) . 2 obtruding itself on the attention zine story, published or shown in sequence at inter-
(the insistent rattle of the window frame) aa in»sist»ence
. vals.
/-tans/ n. in«sist»en»cy n. in»sist»ent»ly adv. in*stance /instans/ n. & v. •«. 1 an example or illus-
in si»tu /in seetoo, si-/ adv. 1 in its place. 2 in its orig- tration of (just another instance of his lack of determina-
inal place. tion)^ a particular case (that's not true in this instance).
in»so«far as /insofaar az/ conj. to the extent that. 3 Law a legal suit, mv.tr. cite (a fact, case, etc.) as an
in*sole /insol/ n. 1a removable sole worn in a boot or instance.
shoe for warmth, etc. 2 the fixed inner sole of a boot
instance Middle English: via Old French from I,at-
or shoe.
in instantia 'presence, urgency', from instate 'be pres-
in»SO»lent /insobnt/ adj. offensively contemptuous or
ent, press upon', from in- 'upon' + stare 'to Itfttld'.
arrogant; insulting, aa in*so*lence /-tons/ n. in«so»lent»
ly adv.
The original sense was 'urgency, urgenl entreaty*, IUI
viving in at the instance of. In the late loth cent, the
in«sol«u»ble /insolysbal/ adj. 1 incapable of being
word denoted a particular case cited to disprove a
solved. 2 incapable of being dissolved, aa in*sol*u*bil*
general assertion, derived from medieval I. aim itutan
i»ty n. in*sol*u*bil*ize /—biliz/ v.tr. in*sol*u*ble*ness n.
tia 'example to the contrary' (translating Greek en-
irvsol'Obly adv.
stasis 'objection'); hence the meaning 'tingle ihuii
in«sol«vent /insolvent/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 unable to pay
rence.'
one's debts. 2 relating to insolvency (insolvent laws).
• n. a debtor, aa in«sol»ven»cy n. in*Stant /instont/ adj. & n. madj. 1 0C< UXTing imimili
in»som»ni»a /insomneea/ n. habitual sleeplessness; in- ately (gives an instant result). 2 a (of food, etc.) ready
ability to sleep, aa in*som*ni*ac /- neeak/ n. adj. & for immediate use, with little "t n<> preparation, b pre-
in«sou*ci*ant /insobseeant, aNsobsyaaN/ adj. carefree; pared hastily and with little effort (/ have no instant
unconcerned, aa in*sou*ci*ance /-seeons/ n. in»sou»ci« solution). 3 urgent; pressing, mn. 1 a precise moment
anWy adv. of time, esp. the present (come hen tins instant; told von
 the instant I heard) .2 a short space of time (was there 409 instantaneous ~ insult
in an instant; not an instant too soon).
in»stan»ta«ne*ous /instantayneess/ adj. occurring or in*Struc*tive /instruktiv/ adj. tending to instruct; con-
done in an instant or instantly, dd in»stan»ta»ne«ous«ly veying a lesson; enlightening (found the experience in-
adv. structive), dd in«struotive»ly adv. in*struotive*ness n.
irvstanMy /instsntlee/ adv. immediately; at once. in»struc»tor /instnikt9r/ n. 1a person who instructs; a
irvstant re*play n. the immediate repetition of part of teacher, demonstrator, etc. 2 a university teacher
a videotaped sports event, often in slow motion. ranking below assistant professor, dd in«struotor»ship
irvstead /insted/ adv. 1 (foil, by of) as a substitute or n.
alternative to; in place of (instead of this one; stayed in- in*Stru*ment /instramant/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a tool or im-

stead of going). 2 as an alternative (took me instead). plement, esp. for delicate or scientific work. 2 (in full
irvstep /instep/ n. 1 the inner arch of the foot between musical instrument) a device for producing musical
the toes and the ankle. 2 the part of a shoe, etc., fit- sounds by vibration, wind, percussion, etc. 3 a a thing
ting over or under this. used in performing an action (the meeting was an in-
in*Sti*gate /instigayt/ tx.tr. 1 bring about by incitement strument in his success) b a person made use of (is mere-
.

or persuasion; provoke ( who instigated the inquiry?) 2 . ly their instrument). 4 a measuring device, esp. in an
(usu. foil, by to) urge on; incite (a person, etc.) to esp. airplane, serving to determine its position in darkness,
an evil act. dd in*sti*ga*tion /-gayshan/ n. in»sti«ga«tive etc. 5 a formal, esp. legal, document, •v.tr. 1 arrange
adj. in*sti*ga*tor n. (music) for instruments. 2 equip with instruments (for
irvstill /instil/ v.tr. (esp. Brit, instil) (instilled, instilling) measuring, recording, controlling, etc.).
(often foil, by into) 1 introduce (a feeling, idea, etc.) in»Stru»men«tal /instrsment'l/ adj. n. %adj. 1 (usu.&
into a person's mind, etc., gradually. 2 put (a liquid) foil, by to, in, or in + verbal noun) serving as an in-

into something in drops, dd in-stil-la-tion n. in*still*er strument or means (was instrumental in finding the mon-
n. in*still*ment n. ey). 2 (of music) performed on instruments, without
in*stinct n. & adj. •«. /instingkt/ 1 a an innate, usu. singing (cf vocal) 3 of, or arising from, an instrument
. .

fixed, pattern of behavior in most animals in response (instrumental error) 4 Gram, of or in the instrumental.
.

to certain stimuli, b a similar propensity in
beings to act without conscious intention; innate im-
pulsion. 2 (usu. foil,by for) unconscious skill; intui-
tion, mpredic.adj. /instingkt/ (foil, by with) imbued;
filled (with life, beauty, force, etc.). dd in«stinc*tu*al
/-stingkchooal/ adj. in*stinc*tu*aMy adv.
in»stinc»tive /instingktiv/ adj. 1 relating to or prompt-
ed by instinct. 2 apparently unconscious or automat-
ic (an instinctive reaction), dd in*stinc*tive*ly adv.
in*sti*tute /institoot, -tyoot/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a society or
organization for the promotion of science, education,
etc. 2 a building or buildings used by an institute. • v. tr.
1 establish; found. 2 a initiate (an inquiry, etc.). b be-
gin (proceedings) in a court. 3 (usu. foil, by to, into)
appoint (a person) as a cleric in a church, etc.
in*sti*tu«tion /institobshan, -tyob-/ n. the act or an 1 in*sub*or*di*nate /insabawrd'nat/ adj. disobedient; re-
instance of instituting. 2 a a society or organization
founded esp. for charitable, religious, educational, or
social purposes, b a building or buildings used by an
institution. 3 an established law, practice, or custom.
4 colloq. (of a person, a custom, etc.) a familiar object.
5 the establishment of a cleric, etc., in a church.
in«sti*tu*tion*al /institobshanal, -tyot>-/ adj. 1 of or like
an institution. 2 typical of institutions, esp. in being
regimented or unimaginative (the food was dreadfully
institutional). 3 (of religion) expressed or organized
through institutions (churches, etc.). dd in*sti*tu*tion«
aMsrn n. in*sti*tu*tion*aMy adv.
in«sti»tu»tion»al-ize/institobsh3n3liz,-tyob-/ v.tr. 1 (as
institutionalized adj.) (of a prisoner, a long-term pa-
made apathetic and dependent after a long
tient, etc.)
period in an institution. 2 place or keep (a person) in
an institution. 3 convert into an institution; make in-
stitutional, dd in*sti*tu*tion*al*i*za*tion n.
instruct /instnikt/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by in) teach (a
person) a subject, etc. (instructed her in French). 2 (usu.
foil, by to + command (instructed him to
infin.) direct;
fill 3 (often foil, by of or that, etc. + clause)
in the hole) . the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans, regulating
inform (a person) of a fact, etc. 4 Law (of a judge) give
information (esp. clarification of legal principles) to (a
.
jury).
in*struc*tion /instrukshan/ n. 1 (often in pi.) a direc-
tion; an order (gave him his instructions). 2 teaching;
education (took a course of instruction) 3 . Law
directions issued to a jury, etc. 4 Computing a direc-
tion in a computer program defining and effecting an
operation, dd in*struc*tion*al adj.
human • n. 1 a piece of music performed by instruments, not
by the voice. 2 Gram, the case of nouns and pronouns
(and words in grammatical agreement with them) in-
dicating a means or instrument, dd in*stru«men*tal*ist
n. in»stru»men»tal»i»ty /-mentalitee/ n. in*stru*men*tal*
ly adv.
in*stru*men*ta*tion /instramentayshan/ n. 1 a the ar-
rangement or composition of music for a particular
group of musical instruments, b the instruments used
in any one piece of music. 2 a the design, provision,
or use of instruments in industry, science, etc. b such
instruments collectively.
in«stru«ment pan^el n. (also in«stru»ment board) a sur-
face, esp. in a car or airplane, containing the dials, etc.,
of measuring devices.
bellious, dd in»sub»or»di»nate»ly adv. in*sub*or*di*na«
tion /-nayshan/ n.
in*sub*stan*tial /insabstanshal/ adj. 1 lacking solidity
or substance. 2 not real, dd in*sub«stan*ti*al*i*ty
/-sheealitee/ n. in*sub*stan*tial*ly adv.
in*suf*fer*a*ble /insufarabal/ adj. 1 intolerable. 2 un-
bearably arrogant or conceited, etc. dd in«suMer»a«ble«
ness n. in*suf*fer*a*bly adv.
in*suMi*cient /insafishant/ adj. not sufficient; inade-
quate, dd in«suf»fi»cien»cy n. in*suf*fi*cient*ly adv.
in*SU*lar /insslsr, insya-7 adj. 1 a of or like an island.
b separated or remote, like an island. 2 ignorant of or
indifferent to cultures, peoples, etc., outside one's own
experience; narrow-minded, dd in*su*lar*ism n. in»su»
lar«i«ty /-laritee/ n. in*su*lar*ly adv.
in*su*late /insalayt, insya-/ v.tr. 1 prevent the passage
of electricity, heat, or sound from (a thing, room, etc.)
by interposing nonconductors. 2 detach (a person or
thing) from its surroundings; isolate, dd in*su*la*tion
/-layshan/ n.
in*su*lin /insalin/ n. Biochem. a hormone produced in
the amount of glucose in the blood and the insuffi-
ciency of which causes diabetes.
in*sult v. &n. •v.tr. /insult/ 1 speak to or treat with
scornful abuse or indignity. 2 offend the self-respect
or modesty of. • n. /insult/ 1 an insulting remark or ac-
(in pi.) tion. 2 colloq. something so worthless or contemptible
as to be offensive, dd in*sult«er n. in*sult*ing*ly adv.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

insuperable ~ intemperate 410 the derivative, either containing an indeterminate ad-

ditive constant (indefinite integral), or calculated as
insult mid- 1 6th cent, (as a verb in the sense 'exult, act the difference between its values at specified limits
arrogantly') from Latin insultare 'jump or trample on',
: (definite integral). 2 a function satisfying a given
from in- 'on' + saltare, from satire 'to leap'. The noun differential equation, dd in«te»gral«i»ty /-gralitee/ n. in*
(in the early 17th cent, denoting an attack) is from te*gral*ly adv.
French insulte or ecclesiastical Latin insultus.The main in-te»gral cal*cu*lus n. mathematics concerned with
current senses date from the 17th cent., the medical finding integrals, their properties and application, etc.
use dating from the early 20th cent. (cf. DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS).
in»te»grate /intigrayt/ v. 1 tr. a combine (parts) into a
in»su»per«a»ble /insobpsrabsl/ adj. 1 (of a barrier) im- whole, b complete (an imperfect thing) by the addi-
possible to surmount. 2 (of a difficulty, etc.) impossi- tion of parts. 2 tr. &
intr. bring or come into equal par-

ble to overcome, an in»su»per»a»bil«i«ty n. in«su»per»a» ticipation in or membership of society, a school, etc.

bly adv. 3 tr. desegregate, esp. racially (a school, etc.). 4 tr.
in*sup*port*a*ble /insapawrtabal/ adj. 1 unable to be Math, find the integral of. dd in«te«gra»ble /intigrabal/
endured. 2 unjustifiable, no in»sup«port«a»ble»ness n. adj. in«te»gra»biM»ty n. in«te«gra«tive /intigraytiv/ adj.
in*sup*port*a*bly adv. in«te«gra»tor n.
in»sur»ance /inshobrsns/ n. 1 the act or an instance of in»te»gra»ted circuit n. Electronics a small chip, etc., of
insuring. 2 a a sum paid for this; a premium, b a sum material replacing several separate components in a
paid out as compensation for theft, damage, loss, etc. conventional electrical circuit.
3 = insurance policy. 4 a measure taken to provide for in»te«gra»tion /intigrayshsn/ n. 1 the act or an instance
a possible contingency (take an umbrella as insurance) of integrating. 2 the intermixing of persons previous-
in*sur*ance pol»i»cy n. 1a contract of insurance. 2 a ly segregated, dd in*te*gra*tion*ist n.
document detailing such a policy and constituting 1 moral uprightness; hones-
a in»teg«ri«ty /integritee/ n.
contract. 2 wholeness; soundness. ty.

irvsure /inshobr/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by against; also in»teg*u«ment /integyamant/ n. a natural outer cov-
absol.) secure the contractual payment of a sum of ering, as a skin, husk, rind, etc. dd in*teg*u*men*tal
money in the event of loss or damage to (property, life, /-ment'l/ adj. in»teg»u»men»taTy /-mentaree/ adj.
a person, etc.) by regular payments or premiums {in- in»tel«lect /intilekt/ n. 1 a the faculty of reasoning,
sured the house for $1 00, 000; we have insured againstflood knowing, and thinking, as distinct from feeling, b the
damage) 2 (of the owner of a property, an insurance
. understanding or mental powers (of a particular per-
company, etc.) secure the payment of (a sum of mon- son, etc.) (his intellect is not great). 2 a clever or knowl-
ey) in this way. 3 (usu. foil, by against) provide for (a edgeable person.
possible contingency) (insured themselves against the in»teMeotu«al /intilekchoosl/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of or ap-
rain by taking umbrellas). 4 = ensure, dd in»sur«a»ble pealing to the intellect. 2 possessing a high level of un-
adj. in«sur«a»biM»ty /-sho'orabilitee/ n. derstanding or intelligence; cultured. 3 requiring, or
Insure is standard for the sense 'protect against loss' given to the exercise of, the intellect. • n. a person pos-
(assure was long also used for this). For the nontech- sessing a highly developed intellect, dd in»teMec»tu»al«
nical sense 'make sure,' insure and ensure are inter- i*ty /-chooalitee/ n. in*tel*lec*tu*al*ize v.tr. & intr. in«
changeable: My
telephone call will ensure (or insure) you teMec*tu*aMy adv.
introduction to the director, not a formal interview. in»teMeotU»al»ism /intilekchooalizam/ n. 1 the ex-
in»sur»er/inshobr3r/ n. 1 a person or company offering ercise, esp. when excessive, of the intellect at the ex-
insurance policies for premiums; an underwriter. 2 a pense of the emotions. 2 Philos. the theory that knowl-
person that insures. edge is wholly or mainly derived from pure reason.
irvsur«gent /inssrjsnt/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 rising in active dd in*teMec*tu«al*ist n.

revolt. 2 (of the sea, etc.) rushing in. • «. a rebel; a rev- in*tel*li*gence /intelijans/ n. 1a the intellect; the un-
olutionary, dd in«sur»gence /-jans/ n. in«sur»gen»cy n. derstanding, b (of a person or an animal) quickness
(pi. -cies). of understanding; wisdom. 2 a the collection of
in*sur*mount*a*ble /inssrmowntabal/ adj. unable to be information, esp. of military or political value, b peo-
surmounted or overcome, dd in*sur*mount*a«bly adv. ple employed in this, c information; news. 3 an intel-
in»sur«rec»tion /insarekshan/ n. a rising in open resist- ligent or rational being.
ance to established authority; a rebellion, on in»sur» in*teMi*gence quotient n. a number denoting the ra-
reotion»ar»y adj. in*sur*rec*tion*ist n. tio of a person's intelligence to the normal or average.
int. abbr. 1 interior. 2 internal. 3 international. 1Abbr.:IQ.
in»tact /intakt/ adj. 1 entire; unimpaired. 2 untouched. in*tel*li*gent /intelijant/ adj. 1 having or showing intel-
an in*tact*ness n. ligence, esp. of a high level. 2 quick of mind; clever.
in*tagl*io /intalyo, -ta'al-/ n. (pi. -os) 1 a gem with an 3 a (of a device or machine) able to vary its behavior
incised design (cf. cameo). 2 an engraved design. 3 a in response to varying situations and requirements rod
carving, esp. incised, in hard material. 4 a process of past experience, b (esp. of a computer terminal) hav-
printing from an engraved design. ing its own data-processing capability; incorporating
intake /intayk/ n. la the action of taking in. b an in- a microprocessor (opp. DUMB), no in»teMi«gent«ly ,/,/.
stance of this. 2 a number or the amount taken in or in»teMi»gent«si»a /intelijentscc.T >/. 1 the cltss of intel-
received. 3 a place where water is taken into a chan- lectuals regarded as possessing culture ami political in-
nel or pipe from a river, or fuel or air enters an engine, itiative. 2 people doing intellectual work; intellectuals.
etc. in»tel»li»gi»ble /intelijibal/ adj. able to be understood;
in»te»ger /intijar/ n. 1 a whole number. 2 a thing com- comprehensible. DO in»teMi«gi»biM»ty ;/. in«teMI»gi«bly
plete in itself. adv.
in*te*gral /intigral, integral/ adj. a of a & n. •adj. 1 in»tem»per»ate /intempornt/ adj. 1 (of a person, ion
whole or necessary to the completeness of a whole. duct, or speech) immoderate; unbridled; violent (ussd
b forming a whole (integral design) c whole; complete. . intemperate language). 2 a given to excessive indul-
2 Math, a of or denoted by an integer, b involving on- gence in alcohol, b excessively indulgent in one's
ly integers, esp. as coefficients of a function, •n. /inti- appetites, nn in«tem»per«ance rons/M. in»tem«per»ate«
gral/ Math. 1 a quantity of which a given function is ly adv. in«tem»per«ate«ness ti.
 .

irvtend /intend/ v.tr. 1 have as one's purpose; propose 411 intend ~ interdict
(we intend to go; we intend that it shall be done). 2 (usu.
foil, by for, as) design or destine (a person or a thing) /-bred/) 1 intr. &
tr. breed or cause to breed with mem-

(/ intend for him to go; I intend it as a warning) 3 mean . bers of a different race or species to produce a hybrid.
(what does he intend by that?). 4 (in passive; foil, by for) 2 tr. breed within one family, etc., in order to produce
be meant for a person to have or use, etc. (they are in- desired characteristics.
tended for the children). in«ter«cede /intarse'ed/ v.intr. (usu. foil, by with) inter-
in«tend»ed /intendid/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 done on pur- pose or intervene on behalf of another; plead (they in-
pose; intentional. 2 designed; meant. mn. colloq. the terceded with the governor for clemency) dd in»ter»ced»er .

person one intends to marry; one's fiance or fiancee n.

(is this your intended?), dd in»tend«ed»ly adv. in»ter»cept /intarsept/ v. tr. 1 seize, catch, or stop (a per-
intense /intens/ intensest) 1 (of a qual-
adj. (intenser, son, message, vehicle, ball, etc.) going from one place
ity, etc.) existing in a high degree; violent; forceful (in- to another. 2 (usu. foil, by from) cut off (light, etc.).
tense cold). 2 (of a person) feeling, or apt to feel, strong 3 check or stop (motion, etc.). dd in«ter«cep»tion
emotion (very intense about her music). 3 (of a feeling /-sepshan/ n. in«ter*cep«tive /-septiv/ adj. in»ter»cep»
or action, etc.) extreme (intense joy; intense thought). tor n.

dd in»tense«ly adv. in»tense«ness n. in*ter*ces*sion /intarseshan/ n. 1 the act of interced-

Intense is sometimes wrongly used instead of inten- ing, esp. by prayer. 2 an instance of this. 3 a prayer.
sive to describe a course of study that covers a large dd in«ter»ces»sion»al adj. in»ter»ces»sor n. in»ter»ces«
amount of material in a short space of time. so»ri»al /-sesawreeal/ adj. in»ter«ces»so«ry adj.
in»ten»si»fi»er /intensifiar/ h. la person or thing that interchange v.&n.m v. tr. /intarchaynj/ 1 (of two peo-
intensifies. 2 Gram. = intensive n. ple) exchange (things) with each other. 2 put each of
in»ten»si»fy /intensifi/ v. (-ties, -tied) tr. & intr. make or (two things) in the other's place; alternate, mn.
become more intense, dd in»ten«si«fi»ca»tion n. /intarchaynj/ 1 (often foil, by of) a reciprocal exchange
n. (pi. -ties) 1 the quality or an
in»ten»si»ty /intensitee/ between two people, etc. 2 alternation (the interchange
instance of being intense. 2 esp. Physics the measura- of woods and fields). 3 a road junction designed so that
ble amount of some quality, e.g., force, brightness, a traffic streams do not intersect, dd in*ter*change«a*ble
magnetic field, etc. adj. in«ter»change«a«bil«i«ty /-chaynjabilitee/ n. in«ter»
in»ten»sive /intensiv/ adj. &n. • adj. 1 thorough; vigor- change*a*bie*ness n. in*ter*change*a*bly adv.
ous; directed to a single point, area, or subject (inten- in»ter»cit»y /intarsitee/ adj. existing or traveling between
sive study; intensive bombardment) 2 of or relating to . cities.
intensity as opposed producing intensity.
to extent; in»ter»com /intarkom/ n. colloq. a system of intercom-
3 serving to increase production in relation to costs munication by radio or telephone between or within
(intensive farming methods). 4 (usu. in comb.) Econ. offices, aircraft, etc.
making much use of (a labor-intensive industry). in«ter»com»mu»ni»cate /intarkamyobnikayt/ v.intr.
5 Gram, (of an adjective, adverb, etc.) expressing in- 1 communicate 2 (of rooms, etc.) have
reciprocally.
tensity; giving force, as really in my feet are really cold. free passage into each other; have a connecting door.
mn. Gram, an intensive adjective, adverb, etc. dd in» dd in«ter»com»mu»ni»ca«tion /-kayshan/ n. in«ter»con>
ten»sive«ly adv. in*ten*sive*ness n. mu»ni»ca«tive -kaytiv, -kativ/ adj.
in»ten»sive care medical treatment with constant
n. in»ter»con»nect intarkanekt/ v.tr. &
intr. connect with

monitoring, etc., of a dangerously ill patient (also (with each other, dd in»ter»con»neotion -nekshan/ n.
hyphen) attrib.: intensive -care unit see ICU). in»ter»con«ti»nen»tal /intarkontinent'l/ adj. connecting
irvtent /intent/ n. &
adj. mn. (usu. without article) in- or traveling between continents, dd in»ter»con»ti«nen»
tention; a purpose (with intent to defraud; my intent to taMy adv.
reach the top; with evil intent), madj. 1 (usu. foil, by on) in»ter»course/intarkawrs/«. 1 communication or deal-
a resolved; bent; determined (was intent on succeeding) ings between individuals, nations, etc. 2 = sexual in-
b attentively occupied (intent on his books). 2 (esp. of tercourse.
a look) earnest; eager; meaningful, d to (or for) all
intercourse late Middle English (denoting commu-
intents and purposes practically; virtually, dd in»tent»ly
nication or dealings): from Old French entrecours 'ex-
adv. in»tent»ness n.
change, commerce', from Latin intercursus, from inter-
in«tervtion /intenshan/ n. 1 (often foil, by to + infin.,
currere 'intervene', from inter- 'between' + currere
or of+ verbal noun) a thing intended; an aim or pur-
'run'. The specifically sexual use arose in the late 18th
pose (it was not her intention to interfere; have no inten-
cent.
tion of staying). 2 the act of intending (done without in-
tention). 3 colloq. (usu. in pi.) a person's, esp. a man's, in«ter»de»nom»i»na«tion»al /intardinominayshanal/
designs in respect to marriage (are his intentions strict- adj. concerning more than one (religious) denomina-
ly honorable?) dd in»ten»tioned adj. (usu. in comb.).
. tion, dd in*ter*de*nom*i*na*tion*al*ly adv.
in«ten«tion«al /intenshanal/ adj. done on purpose, dd in* in«ter»de«part«men»tal /intarde'epaartment'P adj. con-
tervtiorval»i»ty /-alitee/ n. in*ten*tion*aMy adv. cerning more than one department, dd in-ter»de«part»
in»ter /intar/ v.tr. (interred, interring) deposit (a corpse, men*tal*ly adv.
etc.) in the earth, a tomb, etc.; bury. in«ter»de»pend /intardipend/ v.intr. depend on each
inter- /intar/ comb, form 1 between; among other, dd in»ter-de»pend»ence n. in»ter«de«pend«en«cy
(intercontinental). 2 mutually; reciprocally (interbreed). n. in*ter*de*pend*ent adj.
in»ter»act /intarakt/ v.intr. act reciprocally; act on each in«ter»dict n. &
v. mn. /intardikt/ 1 an authoritative
other, dd in«ter*ac*tant adj. & n. in*ter*ac*tion n. prohibition. 2 RC
Ch. decree debarring a person, or
in»ter»ac»tive /intaraktiv/ adj. 1 reciprocally active; act- esp. a place, from ecclesiastical functions and privi-
ing upon or influencing each other. 2 (of a computer leges. mv.tr. /intardikt/ 1 prohibit (an action). 2 forbid
or other electronic device) allowing a two-way flow of the use of. 3 (usu. foil, by from + verbal noun) restrain
information between it and a user, responding to the (a person). 4 (usu. foil, by to) forbid (a thing) to a per-
user's input, dd in»ter»ac»tive«ly adv. son, dd in*ter*dic*tion /-dikshan/ n. in»ter»dic»to«ry
in»ter a»li»a /intar ayleea, a'aleea/ adv. among other /-diktaree/ adj.
things.
in»ter«breed /intarbre'ed/ v. (past and past part, -bred See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

interdisciplinary ~ intermediate 412 in»ter»gov«ern«men»tal /intgrguvarnment'l/ adj. con-

cerning or conducted between two or more govern-
interdict Middle English entredite (in the ecclesiasti- ments, dd in«ter»govern»men«taMy adv.
cal sense), from Old French entredit, from Latin inter- in«ter»im /intarim/ n. &
adj. • n. the intervening time
dictum, past participle of interdicere 'interpose, forbid (in the interim he had died) . • adj. intervening; provi-
by decree', from inter- 'between' + dicere 'say'. The sional; temporary.
spelling change in the 1 6th cent, was due to associa- in»te«ri»or/inteeree3r/ad7. &n. madj. 1 inner (opp. exte-
tion with the Latin form. rior). 2 remote from the coast or frontier; inland.
3 internal; domestic (opp. foreign). 4 (usu. foil, by to)
irvter«dis«ci»pli«nar»y /int9rdisiplineree/ adj. of or be- situated farther in or within. 5 existing in the mind or
tween more than one branch of learning. soul; inward. 6 drawn, photographed, etc., within a
in»ter»est /intarist, -trist/ n. &v.««.1a
a feeling of cu- building. 7 coming from inside. • n. 1 the interior part;
riosity or concern (have no mathematics) b a
interest in . the inside. 2 the interior part of a country or region.
quality exciting curiosity or holding the attention {this 3 a the internal affairs of a country, b a department
magazine lacks interest). C the power of an issue, action, dealing with these (Secretary of the Interior) 4 a .

etc., to hold the attention; noteworthiness; importance representation of the inside of a building or a room
(findings of no particular interest). 2 a subject, hobby, (Dutch interior). 5 the inner nature; the soul, dd in»te«
etc., in which one is concerned (his interests are gar- ri*or*ize v.tr. in»teTi«oMy adv.
dening and sports) 3 advantage or profit, esp. when fi-
. interj. abbr. interjection.
nancial (it is in your interest to go; look after your own in»ter»ject /intarjekt/ v.tr. 1 utter (words) abruptly or
interests) 4 money paid for the use of money lent, or
. parenthetically. 2 interrupt with (words, etc.). dd in*
for not requiring the repayment of a debt. 5 (usu. foil, ter«jec»tOTy adj.
by in) a a financial stake (in an undertaking, etc.). b a in«ter*jec*tion /intsrjekshsn/ n. an exclamation, esp. as
legal concern, title, or right (in property). 6 a a party a part of speech (e.g., ah!, dear me!), dd in»ter»jec»tion»
or group having a common interest (the mining in- al adj.
terest) b a principle in which a party or group is con-
. in»ter»lace /intarlays/ v. 1 tr. bind intricately together;
cerned. 7 the selfish pursuit of one's own welfare; self- interweave. 2 tr. mingle; intersperse. 3 intr. cross each
interest. 9V.tr. 1 excite the curiosity or attention of other intricately, dd in*ter*lace*ment n.
(your story interests me greatly). 2 (usu. foil, by in) cause in*ter*lard /intarla'ard/ v. tr. (usu. foil, by with) mix (writ-
(a person) to take a personal interest or share (can I ing or speech) with unusual words or phrases.
interest you in a weekend cruise?) 3 (as interested adj.)
. in»ter»leave /intarle'ev/ v.tr. insert (usu. blank) leaves
having a private interest; not impartial or disinterested between the leaves of (a book, etc.).
(an interested party). in the interest (or interests) of in»ter»M»brar»y /intarlibreree/ adj. between libraries
as something that is advantageous to. lose interest be- (esp. interlibrary loan)
come bored or boring, dd in»ter«est»ecMy adv. in»ter» v. tr. put an extra lining between the
in»ter»line /intsrlin/
est*ed*ness n. ordinary lining and the fabric of (a garment).
in»ter»est«ing /intristing, -taresting/ adj. causing curi- m^XevAocklmtevXokl v. ,adj. ,& n. mv. 1 intr. engage with
osity; holding the attention, dd in»ter»est»ing»ly adv. in* each other by overlapping or by the fitting together of
ter*est*ing*ness n. projections and recesses. 2 tr. (usu. in passive) lock or
in«ter»face /intsrfays/ n. &
v. *n. 1 esp. Physics a sur- clasp within each other, adj. (of a fabric) knitted with
face forming a common boundary between two closely interlocking stitches, n. a device or mechanism
regions. 2 a point where interaction occurs between for connecting or coordinating the function of differ-
two systems, processes, subjects, etc. (the interface be- ent components, dd in«ter»lock»er n.
tween psychology and education) 3 esp. Computing a an
. in«ter»loc»u»tor /intarlokyatar/ n. a person who takes
apparatus for connecting two pieces of equipment so part in a dialogue or conversation, dd in«teNo»cu»tion
that they can be operated jointly, b a means by which /-lakyooshsn/ n.
a user interacts with a program or utilizes an applica- in»ter»loou»to»ry /intarlokyatawree/ adj. of dialogue or
tion. mv.tr. & intr. (often foil, by with) connect with conversation.
(another piece of equipment, by an interface.
etc.) in»ter»lop»er /intarlopar/ n. 1 an intruder. 2 a person
in»ter»fere /intarfeer/ v.intr. 1 (usu. foil, by with) a (of who interferes in others' affairs, esp. for profit, dd in*
a person) meddle; obstruct a process, etc. b (of a thing) teMope v.intr.
be a hindrance; get in the way. 2 (usu. foil, by in) take in«ter«lude /intarlood/ n. 1 a a pause between the acts
part or intervene, esp. without invitation or necessity. of a play, b something performed or done during this
3 Sports to illegally obstruct an opposing player pause. 2 a an intervening time, space, or event that
according to game rules. 4 Physics (of light or other contrasts with what goes before or after, b a tempo-
waves) combine so as to cause interference, dd in»ter« rary amusement or entertaining episode. 3 a piece of
fer«er n. in»ter«fer»ing adj. in«ter»fer»ing»ly adv. music played between other pieces, the verses of a
in»ter«fer»ence /intarfe'erans/ n. 1 (usu. foil, by with) hymn, etc.
a the act of interfering, b an instance of this. 2 the fad- in»ter»mar»riage /intormarij/ n. 1 marriage between
ing or disturbance of received radio signals by the in- people of different races, castes, families, etc. 2 (loose-
terference of waves from different sources, or esp. by ly) marriage between near relations.
atmospherics or unwanted signals. 3 Physics the in«ter»mar»ry /intDrmaree/ v.irur. (-rles, -ried) (foil, by
combination of two or more wave motions to form a with) (of races, castes, families, etc.) become con-
resultant wave in which the displacement is reinforced nected by marriage.
or canceled. 4 Football illegally interfering with a in«ter»me»di»ar»y /intormecdee-crcc/ n. tsf adj. •//. (pi.
receiver's ability to catch a passed or kicked ball, do in* -ies) an intermediate person or thing, esp. a mediator.
ter»feren«tial /-farenshal/ adj. • adj. acting as mediator; intermedials
in»ter»fer»on /intarfe'eron/ n. Biochem. any of various in»ter»me»di«ate adj., n., &
v. madj. /intarmefedeett/

proteins that can inhibit the development of a virus in
a cell, etc.
in*ter*ga*lac*tic /intargolaktik/ adj. of or situated be-
tween two or more galaxies, dd in*ter*ga*laoti*caMy
adv.
coming between two things in time, place, order, char-
acter, etc.* n. /intormeedeeot/1 an intermediate thing.
2 chemical compound formed by one reaction and
a
then used in another, esp. during synthesis. •I'.intr.
/intorme'edceayt/ (foil, by between) act as intermedi-
 .

ary; mediate, do in«ter«me«di«a«cy /-deeasee/ n. irvter* 413 interment ~ interrupt

me-di«ate»ly adv. in»ter«me»di»ate«ness n. irvter»me»di«
action /-deeayshan/ n. in»ter«me»di»a»tor /-deeaytar/ n. in»ter»nun*cial /intarnunshal/ adj. (of nerves) commu-
in»ter»ment /intarmant/ n. the burial of a corpse, esp. nicating between different parts of the system.
with ceremony. in»ter»o»ce«an«ic /intarosheeanik/ adj. between or
Interment, which means 'burial,' should not be con- connecting two oceans.
fused with internment, which means 'imprisonment.' in«ter»per»son»al /intarparsanal/ adj. (of relations) oc-
in»ter«mez«zo /intarmetso/ n. (pi. intermezzi /-see/ or curring between persons, esp. reciprocally, a a in«ter»
-zos) 1 a a short connecting instrumental movement per*son*aMy adv.
in an opera or other musical work, b a similar piece in»ter»plan»e»tar»y /intarplaniteree/ adj. 1 between
performed independently. C a short piece for a solo in- planets. 2 relating to travel between planets.
strument. 2 a short, light dramatic or other perfor- in*ter*play /intarplay/ n. 1 reciprocal action. 2 the
mance inserted between the acts of a play. operation of two things on each other.
in»ter«mi»na»ble /intarminabal/ adj. 1 endless. 2 tedi- ln«ter«pol /intarpol/ n. International Criminal Police
ously long or habitual. 3 with no prospect of an end. Organization.
no in»ter»mi»na«ble»ness n. in»ter»mi»na»bly adv. in»ter»po»late /intarpalayt/ v.tr. 1 a insert (words) in a
in«ter»min»gle /intarminggal/ v. tr. &
intr. (often foil, by book, etc., esp. to give false impressions as to its date,
with) mix together; mingle. etc. b make such
insertions in (a book, etc.). 2 inter-
in»ter»mis»sion /intarmishan/ n. 1 a pause or cessation. remark) in a conversation. 3 estimate (values)
ject (a
2 an interval between parts of a play, motion picture, from known ones in the same range, dd in»ter»po«la»
concert, etc. 3 a period of inactivity. tion /-layshan/ n. in»ter»po»la»tive/-btiv/a^>. in«ter»po«
in«ter»mit»tent /intarmit'nt/ adj. occurring at intervals; la«tor n.
not continuous or steady, dd in»ter»mit»tence /-mit'ns/ in»ter«pose /intarpOz/ v. 1 tr. (often foil, by between)
n. in»ter»miMen»cy n. in»ter»miMenMy adv. place or insert (a thing) between others. 2 tr. say
irvtern n. &v.*n. /intarn/ (also irvterne) a recent grad- (words) as an interruption. 3 tr. exercise or advance (a
uate of medical school who works in a hospital as an veto or objection) so as to interfere. 4 intr. (foil, by be-
assistant physician or surgeon, mv. 1 tr. /intarn/ con- tween) intervene (between parties), dd in«ter«po*si»tion
fine; oblige (a prisoner, alien, etc.) to reside within pre- n.
scribed limits. 2 intr. /intarn/ serve as an intern, dd in« in»ter»pret /intarprit/ v. (interpreted, interpreting) 1 tr.

tem«ment /-tarn-/ n. in»terrvship /intarn-/ n. explain the meaning of (foreign or abstruse words, a
See note at interment. dream, etc.). 2 tr. make out or bring out the meaning
in»ter»nal /internal/ adj. & n. of or situated in
*adj. 1 of (creative work). 3 intr. act as an interpreter, esp. of
the inside or invisible part. 2 relating or applied to the foreign languages. 4 tr. explain or understand (behav-
inside of the body {internal injuries). 3 of a nation's ior, etc.) in a specified manner (interpreted his gesture
domestic affairs. 4 (of a student) attending a univer- as mocking), dd in»ter»pret»a«ble adj. in»ter»pret»a»bil»i»
sity, etc., as well as taking its examinations. 5 used or ty n. in»ter»pre«ta«tion n. in»ter»pre«ta»tion»al adj. in*ter»
applying within an organization. 6 a of the inner na- pre«ta«tive /-taytiv/ adj. in»ter«pre«tive adj. in»ter«pre«
ture of a thing; intrinsic, b of the mind or soul. •«. (in tive«ly adv.
pi.) intrinsic qualities, dd in«ter«nal«i»ty /-nalitee/ n. in» in«ter»pret»er /intarpritar/ n. a person who interprets,

ter*nal*ize v.tr. in*ter*nal*i*za*tion n. in»ter»naMy adv. esp. one who translates speech orally.
in»ter»nal com*bus*tion en*gine n. an engine with its in«ter»ra»cial /intarayshal/ adj. existing or occurring be-
motive power generated by the explosion of gases or tween or affecting different races, dd in»ter«ra»cial«ly
vapor with air in a cylinder. adv.
in»ter«nal med»i»cine n. a branch of medicine special- in»ter»reg»num /intaregnam/ n. (pi. interregnums or
izing in the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of dis- interregna /-na/) 1 an interval when the normal gov-
eases. ernment is suspended, esp. between successive reigns
internat. abbr. international. or regimes. 2 an interval or pause.
in»ter»na»tion«al /intarnashanal/ adj. n. madj. & 1 ex- in»ter»re«late /intarilayt/ v. tr. relate (two or more things)
isting, involving, or carried on between two or more to each other, dd in«ter«re«la«tion /-layshan/ n. in«ter«
nations. 2 agreed on or used by all or many nations re*la*tion«ship n.
{international date line; international driver's license) • n. . in«ter»ro«gate /interagayt/ v.tr. ask questions of (a per-
1 a a contest, esp. in sport, between teams repre- son) esp. closely, thoroughly, or formally, dd in»ter»ro«
senting different countries, b a member of such a ga«tor n.
team. 2 a (International) any of four associations in»ter»ro«ga»tion /interagayshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
founded ( 1 864-1 936) to promote socialist or commu- stance of interrogating; the process of being interro-
nist action, b a member of any of these, dd in«ter»na» gated. 2 a question or inquiry, dd in*ter*ro*ga*tion*al
tion*al*i*ty /-nalitee/ n. in*ter*na*tion*aMy adv. adj.
in*ter«na*tion*al date line n. (also International Date in»ter»rog«a»tive /intarogativ/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 a of or
Line) see dateline 1 like a question; used in questions, b Gram, (of an ad-
in*ter*na*tion*al*ism /intarnashanalizam/ n. 1 the ad- jective or pronoun) asking a question (e.g., who?,
vocacy of a community of interests among nations. which?) 2 having the form or force of a question. 3 sug-
.

2 (Internationalism) the principles of any of the
Internationals, dd in*ter*na*tion*al*ist n.
in*ter*na«tion*al sys»tem of u»nits n. a system of phys-
ical units based on the meter, kilogram, second, am-
pere, kelvin, candela, and mole, with prefixes to indi-
cate multiplication or division by a power often.
in»ter»ne»cine /intarne'eseen, -neseen/ adj. 1 mutually
destructive. 2 of or relating to conflict within a group
or organization
ln«ter»net /intarnet/ n. a communications network en-
abling the linking of computers worldwide for data in-
terchange.
gesting inquiry (an interrogative tone). •«. an interrog-
ative word (e.g., what?, why?), dd in»ter»rog»a»tive«ly
adv.
in»ter»rog»a«tO»ry/intarogatawree/a^'. &n. madj. ques-
tioning; of or suggesting inquiry (an interrogatory eye-
brow).* n. (pi. -ries) a formal set of questions, esp. Law
one formally put to an accused person, etc.
in*ter*rupt /intarupt/ v.tr. 1 act so as to break the con-
tinuous progress of (an action, speech, a person speak-
ing, etc.). 2 obstruct (a person's view, etc.). 3 break or
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

intersect ~ intrigue 414 tween things) close. 6 (of mixing, etc.) thorough.
7 essential; intrinsic. 8 (of a place, etc.) friendly; pro-
suspend the continuity of. dd in«ter«rupt«i*ble adj. in* moting close personal relationships. • n. a very close
ter»rup»tion / rupshan/w. in«ter»rup»tive adj. irvter«rup« friend, dd in«ti»mate«ly adv.
to»ry adj. in»ti»mate 2 /intimayt/ v. tr. 1 (often foil, by that + clause)
in»ter»sect /intarsekt/ v. 1 tr. divide (a thing) by pass- state or make known. 2 imply; hint, dd in»ti»mat»er n.
ing or lying across it. 2 intr. (of lines, roads, etc.) cross in*ti*ma*tion /-mayshan/ n.
or cut each other. in*tim*i*date /intimidayt/ v.tr. frighten or overawe, esp.
irrter»sec»tion /intarsekshan/ n. 1 the act of inter- to subdue or influence, dd in«tim«i»da«tion /-dayshan/
secting. 2 a place where two roads intersect. 3 a point n. in«tinvi«da»tor n.
or line common to lines or planes that intersect, dd in» in»tO /intoo/ prep.1 expressing motion or direction to a

ter*sec*tion*al adj.
in»ter»sperse /intarspars/ v. tr. 1 (often foil, by between,
among) scatter; place here and there. 2 (foil, by with)
diversify (a thing or things with others so scattered).
dd in»ter»sper»sion /-perzhan/ n.
point on or within (walked into a tree; ran into the house)
2 expressing direction of attention or concern (will look
into it). 3 expressing a change of state (turned into a
dragon; separated into groups; forced into cooperation).
4 colloq. interested in; knowledgeable about (is really

in»ter»state adj. &

n. *adj. /intarstayt/ existing or car- into art)
ried on between states, esp. of the US. •«. /intarstayt/ in»tol»er»a»ble /intolarabal/ adj. that cannot be en-
a limited access highway that is part of the US In- dured, dd in*tol*er*a*ble*ness n. in»tol»er»a«bly adv.
terstate Highway System. in»tol»er»ant /intolarant/ adj. not tolerant, esp. of views,
in»ter»stel»lar /intarstelar/ adj. occurring or situated be- beliefs, or behavior differing from one's own. dd in«tol«
tween stars. er*ance /-rans/ n. in«tol»er«anMy adv.
in»ter»stice /intarstis/ n. 1 an intervening space. 2 a in»to»na«tion /intanayshan/ n. 1 modulation of the
chink or crevice. voice; accent. 2 the act of intoning. 3 accuracy of pitch
in*ter*sti*tial /intarstishal/ adj. of,forming, or occupy- in playing or singing (has good intonation)
ing interstices, dd in*ter*sti*tial*ly adv. in»tone /int6n/ v.tr. 1 recite (prayers, etc.) with pro-
in»ter»twine /intartwm/ v. 1 tr. (often foil, by with) en- longed sounds, esp. in a monotone. 2 utter with a par-
twine (together). 2 intr. become entwined, dd irvter* ticular tone, dd in»ton»er n.

twine»ment n. in tO»tO /in t6to/ adv. completely.

in»ter»val /intarval/ n.1 an intervening time or space. in*tox*i*cant /intoksikant/ adj. n. •adj. intoxicating.&
2 pause or break, esp. between the parts of a
Brit, a • n. an intoxicating substance.
theatrical or musical performance. 3 the difference in in»tox»i»cate /intoksikayt/ v.tr. 1 make drunk. 2 excite
pitch between two sounds. 4 the distance between or elate beyond self-control, dd in»tox»i»ca»tion
persons or things in respect of qualities, a at intervals /-kayshan/ n.
here and there; now and then, dd in»ter»vaMic /-valik/ in»tOX»i»cat»ing/intoksikayting/<2J/. 1 liable to cause in-
adj. toxication; alcoholic. 2 exhilarating; exciting, dd in*
in»ter»vene /intarve'en/ v.intr. (often foil, by between, in) tox*i*cat*ing*ly adv.
1 occur in time between events. 2 interfere; come be- intr. abbr. intransitive.
tween so as to prevent or modify the result or course intra- /intra/ prefix forming adjectives usu. from adjec-
of events. 3 be situated between things. 4 come in as tives, meaning 'on the inside, within' (intramural).
an extraneous factor or thing, dd in»ter«ven»er n. in* in»trac»ta»ble/intraktabal/ad/. 1 hard to control or deal
ter«ven«ient adj. in«ter»ve«nor n. with. 2 difficult; stubborn, dd in*trac*ta*bil*i*ty n. in*
in»ter»ven»tion /intarvenshan/ n. 1 the act or an in- trac*ta*ble*ness n. in»trac«ta«bly adv.
stance of intervening. 2 interference, esp. by a state in in*tra*mu*ral /intramyobral/ adj. 1 situated or done
another's affairs. 3 mediation. within walls. 2 taking place among or involving stu-
in»ter»ven»tion»ist /intarvenshanist/ n. a person who dents of one university or college, etc. dd in»tra»mu»ral»
favors intervention, dd in«ter«ven»tion»ism n. ly adv.
in»ter»view /intarvyoo/ n. &
v. *n. 1 an oral examina- in»tran»si»gent /intransijant, -tranz-/ adj. n. *adj. &
tion of an applicant for employment, a college place, uncompromising; stubborn, •n. an intransigent per-
etc. 2 a conversation between a reporter, etc., and a son, dd in*tran*si*gence /-jans/ n. in»tran-si-gen«cy n.
person of public interest, used as a basis of a broad- in*tran«si*gent*ly adv.
cast or publication. 3 a meeting of persons face to face, in»tran»si«tive /intransitiv, -tranz-/ adj. (of a verb or
esp. for consultation, •v.tr. 1 hold an interview with. sense of a verb) that does not take or require a direct
2 question to discover the opinions or experience of object (whether expressed or implied), e.g., look in look
(a person), dd in»ter»view»ee /-vyoo-ee/ n. in«ter«view« at the sky (opp. transitivk). dd in»tran»si«tive«ly adv. in*
er n. tran»si»tivi«ty tivitee/ n.
in«ter»weave /intarweev/ v.tr. (past -wove /-w6v/; past in»tra»u»ter»ine de»vice n. a device inserted into the

part, -woven /-wOvan/) 1 (often foil, by with) weave uterus that provides birth control by preventing im-
together. 2 blend intimately. plantation. Abbr.: IUD.
in»tes»tate /intestayt, -tat/ adj. &
n. *adj. (of a person) in»tra»ve»nous /intravcenos </<//. in or into a win or
not having made a will before death. • n. a person who veins, dd in»tra»ve«nous»ly adv.
has died intestate, dd in«tes»ta«cy /-testasee/ n. in»trep«id /intrepid/ adj. fearless; very brave. \\w in»tre«
in»tes»tine /intestin/ n. (in sing, or pi.) the lower part of pid»i»ty / tripiditee //. in»trep»id»ly adv.
the alimentary canal from the end of the stomach to in»tri»cate /intrikit/ adj. vers complicated) perploring-
the anus, dd in-tes«ti*nal adj. ly detailed or obscure, in in»tri»ca»cy / kasee n i /•/

in»ti»ma»cy /intimasee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 the state of be- -cies). in»tri-cate«ly adv.
ing intimate. 2 an intimate act, esp. sexual intercourse. intrigue v. & n. »v. intrcfeg (intrigues, intrigued,
3 an intimate remark; an endearment. intriguing) 1 by with) a CUT] "n an under-
imr. (foil,
in'ti-mate /intimat/ adj.
1
n. &
madj. 1 closely ac- hand plot, b use secret influence. 2 tr. arouse the cu-
quainted; familiar; close (an intimate friend; an intimate riosity of; fascinate. •//. intreeg, in / 1 an underhand
relationship) .2 private and personal (intimate thoughts). plot or plotting. 2 anh<m a secret love affair, on ln»tri«
3 (usu. foil, by with) having sexual relations. 4 (of guer /intreegar n. in*tri*guing /intreeging/ adj. (esp in
knowledge) detailed; thorough. 5 (of a relationship be- sense 2 of '

i '.). in-tri»guing-ly adv.

 . .

in»trirvsic /intrinzik/ adj. inherent; essential; belonging 415 intrinsic - invest

naturally (opp. extrinsic), dd in«trin»si»caMy adv.
intro- /intro/ comb, form into (introgression) invalids (invalid car, invalid diet) . b being an invalid
intro. abbr. 1 introduction. 2 introductory. (caring for her invalid mother), mv. 1 tr. (often foil, by
in»tro»duce /intradobs, -dyobs/ v. tr. 1 (foil, by to) make out, etc.) remove from active service (one who has be-
(a person or oneself) known by name to another, esp. come an invalid). 2 tr. (usu. in passive) disable (a per-
formally. 2 announce or present to an audience. son) by illness. 3 intr. become an invalid, dd in*va*lid*
3 bring (a custom, idea, etc.) into use. 4 bring (a piece ism n.

of legislation) before a legislative assembly. 5 (foil, by in»val»id 2 /invalid/ adj. not valid, esp. having no legal
to) draw the attention or extend the understanding of force, dd in*val*id*ly adv.
(a person) to a subject. 6 insert; place in. 7 bring in; in»val»i«date /invalidayt/ v.tr. 1 make (esp. an argument,

usher in; bring forward. 8 begin; occur just before the
start of. dd in«tro«duc«er n. irvtro»duc»i»ble adj.
in»tro»duc»tion /intradukshan/ n. 1 the act or an in-
stance of introducing; the process of being introduced.
2 a formal presentation of one person to another. 3 an
explanatory section at the beginning of a book, etc. 4 a
preliminary section in a piece of music, often themat-
ically different from the main section. 5 an introduc-
tory treatise on a subject. 6 a thing introduced.
in»tro»duc»to»ry /intraduktaree/ adj. serving as an in-
troduction; preliminary.
irvtrospeotion /intraspekshan/ n. the examination or
etc.) invalid. 2 remove the validity or force of (a trea-
ty, contract, etc.). dd in*val*i*da*tion /-dayshan/ n.
in«val*u*a*ble /invalyooabal/ adj. above valuation; ines-
timable, dd in*val*u*a*ble*ness n. in»val»u«a»bly adv.
in»va»sion /invayzhan/ n. 1 the act of invading or proc-
ess of being invaded. 2 an entry of a hostile army in-
to a country, dd in*va*sive /-vaysiv/ adj.
in»veotive /invektiv/ n. 1a strongly attacking words.
b the use of these. 2 abusive rhetoric.
in*veigh /invay/ v.intr. (foil, by against) speak or write
with strong hostility.
in»vei»gle /invaygal, -ve'e-7 v.tr. by into, or to +
(foil,

observation of one's own mental and emotional proc- infin.) entice; persuade by guile, dd in«vei»gle«ment n.
esses, etc. dd in«tro«spec»tive adj. in«tn>speotive»ly in«vent /invent/ v.tr. 1 create by thought; devise; origi-
adv. in»tn>spec»tive«ness n. nate (a new method, an instrument, etc.). 2 concoct
in»tro»vert /intravart/ n. &
adj. •n. 1 Psychol, a person (a false story, etc.). dd in*vent*a*ble adj. in«ven«tor n.
predominantly concerned with his or her own in«ven»tion /invenshan/ n. 1 the process of inventing.
thoughts and feelings rather than with external things. 2 a thing invented; a contrivance, esp. one for which a
2 a shy, inwardly thoughtful person. madj. (also in«tro patent is granted. 3 a fictitious story. 4 inventiveness.
vert»ed /— tid/) typical or characteristic of an introvert. in«ven»tive /inventiv/ adj. 1 able or inclined to invent;
dd irvtro«ver»sion /-varzhan, -shan/ n. irrtrover-sive original in devising. 2 showing ingenuity of devising.
/-varsiv/ adj. irvtro«vert«ed adj. irvtro«ver«tive /-vartiv/ dd in«ven»tive«ly adv. in»ven«tive»ness n.
adj. in»ven»tory /invantawree/ n. &
v. •«. (pi. -ries) 1 a

intrude /introod/ v. (foil, by on, upon, into) 1 intr. come complete list of goods in stock, house contents, etc.
uninvited or unwanted; force oneself abruptly on oth- 2 the goods listed in this. 3 the total of a firm's
ers. 2 tr. thrust or force (something unwelcome) on a commercial assets, •v.tr. (-ries, -ried) 1 make an in-
person, dd in«trud*ing*ly adv. ventory of. 2 enter (goods) in an inventory.
in»trud»er /introbdar/ n. a person who intrudes, esp. in- in»verse /invars, -vars/ adj. n. madj. inverted in posi- &
to a building with criminal intent. tion, order, or relation. • n. 1 the state of being invert-
in*tru«sion /introbzhan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of ed. 2 (often foil, by of) a thing that is the opposite or
intruding. 2 an unwanted interruption, etc. 3 Geol. an reverse of another, dd in»verse«ly adv.
influx of molten rock between or through strata, etc., in«verse proportion n. (also in»verse ra»tio) a rela-
but not reaching the surface. tion between two quantities such that one increases in
in*tru*sive /introosiv/ adj. 1 that intrudes or tends to proportion as the other decreases.
intrude. 2 characterized by intrusion, dd in*tru*sive*ly in»ver»sion /invarzhan, -shan/ n. 1 the act of turning
adv. in*tru*sive*ness n. upside down or inside out. 2 the reversal of a normal
in»tU»it/intooit,-tyoo-/^. 1 tr. know by intuition. 2 intr. order, position, or relation. 3 the reversal of the order
receive knowledge by direct perception, dd irrtu«it»a» of words, for rhetorical effect. 4 the reversal of the nor-
ble adj. mal variation of air temperature with altitude. 5 the
in»tu»i»tion/intoo-ishan,-tyoo-/n. 1 immediate appre- process or result of inverting, dd in«ver»sive /-varsiv/
hension by the mind without reasoning. 2 immediate adj.
apprehension by a sense. 3 immediate insight, dd in* in»vert /invart/ v.tr. 1 turn upside down. 2 reverse the
tu*i*tion*al adj. position, order, or relation of. 3 Mus. change the rel-
in«tu»i«tive/int6oitiv,-tyoo-/ady. 1 of, characterized by, ative position of the notes of (a chord or interval) by
or possessing intuition. 2 perceived by intuition, dd in* placing the lowest note higher, usu. by an octave.
tu»i*tive«ly adv. in*tu*i*tive*ness n. 4 subject to inversion, dd in»vert»er n. in«vert«i«ble adj.
In*u*it /inyoo-it/ n. (also ln»nu»it) (pi. same or Inuits) a in»vert»i«bil«i«ty n.
N. American Eskimo. in»ver»te»brate/invartibrat,-brayt/a^'. &n. madj. 1 (of
in*un*date /inandayt/ v.tr. (often foil, by with) 1 flood. an animal) not having a backbone. 2 lacking firmness
2 overwhelm (inundated with inquiries), dd in«un«da» of character. »n. an invertebrate animal.
tion /-dayshan/ n. in»vest /invest/ v. 1 tr. (often foil, by in) apply or use
injure /inyobr/ v. tr. (often in passive; foil, by to) accus- (money), esp. for profit. 2 intr. (foil, by in) a put mon-
tom (a person) to something esp. unpleasant, dd in* ey for profit (into stocks, etc.). b colloq. buy (invested
ure*ment n. in a new car). 3 tr. a (foil, by with) provide or endue (a
in u»ter«o /in yobtaro/ adv. in the womb; before birth. person with qualities, insignia, or rank), b (foil, by in)
in vaou»o /in vakyoo-o/ adv. in a vacuum. attribute or entrust (qualities or feelings to a person)
in*vade /invayd/ v.tr. (often absol.) 1 enter (a country, dd in*vest*a«ble adj. in*vest«i*ble adj. in»ves«tor n.
etc.) under arms to control or subdue it. 2 swarm in-
to. 3 (of a disease) attack (a body, etc.). 4 encroach up- invest mid- 16th cent, (in the senses 'clothe', 'clothe
on person's rights, esp. privacy), dd in*vad*er n.
(a with the insignia of a rank', and 'endow with author-
in^va-lid /invalid/ n.
1
&
v. • n. 1 a person enfeebled or
disabled by illness or injury. 2 (attrib.) a of or for See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .
.
investigate ~ ipecacuanha 416
ity ')from French investir or Latin investire, from in-
: vices).
'into, upon' + vestire 'clothe' (from vestis 'clothing').
Sense 1 (early 17th cent.) is influenced by Italian inve-
stire.
in»ves»ti»gate/investigayt/z>. 1 tr. a inquire into; exam-
ine; study carefully, b make an official inquiry into.
2 intr. make a systematic inquiry or search, no in»ves»
ti*ga*tor n. in«ves»ti»ga»tory /-gatawree/ adj.
in»ves»ti«ga»tion/investigayshan/n. 1 the process or an
instance of investigating. 2 a formal examination or
study.
in»ves»ti»ga»tive /investigaytiv/ adj. seeking or serving
to investigate, esp. (of journalism) inquiring intensive-
ly into controversial issues.
in*ves*ti*ture /investichoDr, -char/ n. 1 the formal in-
vesting of a person with honors or rank, esp. a cere-
mony at which a sovereign confers honors. 2 (often
foil, by with) the act of enduing (with attributes).
in«vest»ment /investment/ n. 1 the act or process of in-
vesting. 2 money invested. 3 property, etc., in which
money is invested.
in»vet»er»ate /invetarat/ adj. 1 (of a person) confirmed
in an (esp. undesirable) habit, etc. {an inveterate gam-
bler). 2 (of a habit, etc.) long-established. in»vet«er»
a»cy /-rasee/ n. in»vet«er»ate»ly adv.
in*vid*i*OUS /invideeas/ adj. (of an action, conduct, at-
titude, etc.) likely to excite resentment or indignation
against the person responsible, esp. by real or seem-
ing injustice (an invidious position; an invidious task)
dd in*vid*i*ous*ly adv. in*vid*i*ous*ness n.
in»vig»or»ate /invigarayt/ v.tr. give vigor or strength to.
dd in*vig*or*at*ing adj. in»vig»or»at»ing»ly adv. in»vig»
or»a»tion /-rayshan/ n.
in»vin»ci«ble /invinsibal/ adj. unconquerable; that can-
not be defeated, dd in*vin*ci*bil*i*ty n. in«vin»ci«ble»
ness n. in*vin*ci*bly adv.
in«vi*o*la«ble /invialabal/ adj. not to be violated or pro-
faned, dd in»vi»o»la»biM»ty /-bilitee/ n. in*vi*o*la*bly
adv.
in*vi*o«late /invialat/ adj. not violated or profaned.
dd in«vi»o»la»cy /-lasee/ n. in*vi*o*late*ly adv. irvvi»o«
late*ness n.
in»vis»i»ble /invizibal/ adj.1 not visible to the eye, ei-
ther characteristically or because hidden. 2 too small
to be seen or noticed. 3 artfully concealed (invisible
mending), dd in»vis«i»bil»i»ty n. in*vis*i*ble*ness n. in*
vis-i-bly adv.
in»vi«ta«tion /invitayshan/ n. 1 a the process of inviting
or fact of being invited, esp. to a social occasion, b the
spoken or written form in which a person is invited.
2 the action or an act of enticing; attraction; allure-
ment.
in»vite v. &
n. mv. /invit/ 1 tr. (often foil, by ro, or to +
infin.) ask (a person) courteously to come, or to do
something (were invited to lunch; invited them to reply)
2 tr. make a formal courteous request for (invited com-
ments). 3 tr. tend to call forth unintentionally (some-
thing unwanted). 4 a tr. attract, b intr. be attractive.
• n. /invit colloq.l an invitation, dd in«vi«tee /-tee/ n. in«
vit»er n.
in*vit*ing /inviting/ adj. 1 attractive. 2 enticing; tempt-
ing, dd in»vit»ing»ly adv. in«vit«ing«ness n.
in vi«tro /in veetro/ adv. Biol, (of processes or reactions)
taking place in a test tube or other laboratory environ-
ment.
in»vo«ca«tion /invakayshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance
of invoking, esp. in prayer. 2 an appeal to a supernat-
ural being or beings, e.g., the Muses, for psychologi-
cal or spiritual inspiration, dd in»vooa«tOTy
/invokatawree/ adj.
irvvoice /invoys/ n. &v. •«. an itemized bill for goods
or services. • v. tr. 1 make an invoice of (goods and ser-
2 send an invoice to (a person).
in*voke /invok/ v.tr. 1 call on (a deity, etc.) in prayer or
as a witness. 2 appeal to (the law, a person's authori-
ty, etc.). 3 summon (a spirit) by charms. 4 ask earnest-
ly for (vengeance, help, etc.). dd in«voca»ble adj. in*
vok»er n.
in»vol«un»tar»y /involanteree/ adj. 1 done without the
exercise of the will; unintentional. 2 (of a limb, mus-
cle, or movement) not under the control of the will.
dd in»vol«un«tar»My /-terilee/ adv. in*vol*un*tar*i*ness
n.
in»vo*lu*tion /invslobshan/ n. 1 the process of involv-
2 an entanglement. 3 intricacy. 4 curling inward.
ing.
5 a part that curls upward.
in»volve /involv/ v.tr. 1 (often foil, by in) cause (a per-
son or thing) to participate, or share the experience or
effect (in a situation, activity, etc.). 2 imply; entail;
make necessary. 3 (foil, by in) implicate (a person in
a charge, crime, etc.). 4 include or affect in its opera-
tions. 5 (as involved adj.) a (often foil, by in) con-
cerned or interested. D complicated in thought or
form, dd in*volve*ment n.
in*vul*ner*a*ble /invulnsrabal/ adj. that cannot be
wounded or hurt, physically or mentally, dd in»vul»ner»
a*biM*ty n. in*vul*ner*a*bly adv.
inward /inward/ adj. &
adv. •adj. 1 directed toward
the inside; going in. 2 situated within. 3 mental; spir-
itual, •adv. (also in*wards) 1 (of motion or position)
toward the inside. 2 in the mind or soul, dd in*ward*
ly adv.
I/O abbr. Computing input/output.
IOC abbr. InternationalOlympic Committee.
i*o*dine /iadln, -din, -deen/ n. 1 Chem. a nonmetallic
element of the halogen group, forming black crystals
and a violet vapor, used in medicine and photography,
and important as an essential element for living organ-
isms. 1 Symb.: I. 2 a solution of this in alcohol used as
a mild antiseptic.
i*0*dize /iadiz/ v. tr. treat or impregnate with iodine, dd !•
o*di*za*tion n.
i»on /ian, ion/ n. an atom or group of atoms that has
lost one or more electrons (= cation), or gained one
or more electrons (= anion), dd i»on«ic adj. i»on«i»cal»
ly adv.
l»on»ic /ionik/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 of the order of Greek
architecture characterized by a column with scroll
shapes on either side of the capital. 2 of the ancient
Greek dialect used in Ionia. »n. the Ionic dialect.
i*on*i*za*tion /ianizayshan/ n. the process of producing
ions as a result of solvation, heat, radiation, etc.
i«on»ize /ianiz/ v. tr. &
intr. convert or be converted in-
to an ion or ions, dd i*on*iz*a*ble adj.
i«on»iz»er /ianizar/ n. any thing that produces ioniza-
tion, esp. a device used to improve the quality of the
air in a room, etc.
i»on»o»sphere /ionasfeer/ n. an ionized region ol the at-
mosphere above the stratosphere, extending to about
600 miles (1,000 km) above the earth's surface and
able to reflect radio waves, allowing long-distance-
transmission around the earth (cf. TR0PO8PHBU oo l»
on»o»spher»ic /-sfe'erik, -sfer-/ adj.
i»0«ta /i-6ta/ n. 1 the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet
(I, i). 2 (usu. with fl£g.) the smallest possible amount.
IOU /i-o-yot)/ n. a signed document acknowledging a
debt.
I PA abbr. International Phonetic Alphabet (orAHQCJI
tion).
jp*e*cac /ipikak/ n. colloq. ipecacuanha.
ip»e*cac*U*an*ha /ipikakyoo-a'ano/ n. the root ol S ;i
American shrub, CephadU ipecacuanha, used as an
emetic and purgative.
ip»so fac»tO /ipso fakto/ adv. 1 by that very fact or act. 417 ipso facto ~ irredeemable
2 thereby.
IQ abbr. intelligence quotient. i*ron*clad adj. &
n. • adj. /iamklad/ 1 clad or protected

Ir symb. Chem. the element iridium. with iron. 2 impregnable; rigorous. • n. /iamklad hist./
IRA abbr. 1 individual retirement account. 2 Irish an early name for a 1 9th-c. warship built of iron or
Republican Army. protected by iron plates.
I»ra*ni*an /irayneean/ adj. & n. madj. 1 of or relating to l»ron Cur«tain n. hist, a notional barrier to the passage
Iran (formerly Persia) in theMiddle East. 2 of the of people and information between the former Soviet
Indo-European group of languages including Persian, bloc and the West.
Pashto, Avestan, and Kurdish. •«. 1 a native or na- i»ron hand n. firmness or inflexibility (cf. velvet glove).
tional of Iran. 2 a person of Iranian descent. i»ron»ic /ironik/ adj. (also i»ron»i»cal) 1 using or dis-
I*ra*qi /iraakee/ adj. &
n. madj. of or relating to Iraq in playing irony. 2 in the nature of irony, dd iTon»i»caMy
the Middle East. • n. (pi. Iraqis) 1 a a native or na- adv.
tional of Iraq, b a person of Iraqi descent. 2 the form i«ron«ing board n. a flat surface usu. on legs and of ad-
of Arabic spoken in Iraq. justable height on which clothes, etc., are ironed.
i»ras«ci»ble /irasibal/ adj. irritable; hot-tempered, dd i» i«ron lung n. a rigid case fitted over a patient's body,
ras»ci»bil»i«ty n. I«ras»ci«bly adv. used for administering prolonged artificial respiration
i«rate /Irayt/ adj. angry, enraged, dd i»rate«ly adv. Urate* by means of mechanical pumps.
ness n. i»ron»stone /larnston/ n. 1 any rock containing a sub-
ire /ir/ n. literary anger, dd ire*ful adj. stantial proportion of an iron compound. 2 a kind of
ir»i»des»cent /iridesant/ adj. 1 showing rainbowlike lu- hard, white, opaque stoneware.
minous or gleaming colors. 2 changing color with i»ron»ware /larnwair/ n. articles made of iron, esp.
position, dd ir*i*des*cence /-sans/ n. ir«i«des«cent«ly domestic implements.
adv. i»ron»wood /iarnwood/ n. 1 any of various tough-
i»rid»i»um /irideeam/ n. Chem. a hard, white metallic el- timbered trees and shrubs, esp. American horn-
ement of the transition series used esp. in alloys. % beam, Carpinus caroliniana. 2 the wood from these
Symb.: Ir. trees.
i»ris /iris/ n. 1the flat, circular colored membrane be- i»ron»works /iarnwarks/ n. (as sing, ovpl.) a place where
hind the cornea of the eye, with a circular opening (pu- iron is smelted or iron goods are made.
pil) in the center. 2 any herbaceous plant of the genus i»ro»ny /iranee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 an expression of mean-
Iris, usu. with tuberous roots, sword-shaped leaves, ing, often humorous or sarcastic, by the use of lan-
and showy flowers. 3 (in full iris diaphragm) an ad- guage of a different or opposite tendency. 2 an ill-
justable diaphragm of thin overlapping plates for reg- timed or perverse arrival of an event or circumstance
ulating the size of a central hole esp. for the admission that is in itself desirable. 3 the use of language with
of light to a lens. one meaning for a privileged audience and another for
I«rish /Irish/ adj. &
n. • adj. of or relating to Ireland; of those addressed or concerned.
or like its people, •n. 1 the Celtic language of Ireland. lr*o*quoi«an /irakwoyan/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 a language
2 (prec. by the; treated as pi.) the people of Ireland. family of eastern N. America, including Cherokee and
get one's Irish up cause one to become angry Mohawk. 2 a member of the Iroquois people, madj. of
l»rish coMee n. coffee mixed with Irish whiskey and or relating to the Iroquois or the Iroquoian language
served with cream on top. family or one of its members.
I»rish seMer n. a silky-haired, dark red breed of setter. lr*o*quois /irakwoy/ n. &
adj. »n. (pi. same) 1 a a Na-
I»rish Wolf»hound n. a large, often greyish hound of a tive American confederacy of five (later six) peoples
rough-coated breed. formerly inhabiting New York State, b a member of
irk /ark/ v.tr. (usu. impers.; often foil, by that + clause) any of these peoples. 2 any of the languages of these
irritate; bore; annoy. peoples. • adj. of or relating to the Iroquois or their
irk*some /arksam/ adj. tedious; annoying; tiresome. languages.
dd irk*some*ly adv. irk*some*ness n. ir«ra»di»ate /iraydee-ayt/ v.tr. 1 subject to (any form of)
i»ron /iarn/ n., adj., &
v. • n. 1 Chem. a silver-white duc- radiation. 2 shine upon; light up. 3 throw light on (a
tile metallic element occurring naturally as hematite, subject), dd ir«ra»di«a«tive /-deeativ/ adj.
magnetite, etc., much used for tools and implements, ir»ra»di»a»tion /iraydee-ayshan/ «. 1 the process of irra-
and an essential element in all living organisms. *\ diating. 2 shining; illumination. 3 the apparent exten-
Symb.: Fe. 2 of unyieldingness or a sym-
this as a type sion of the edges of an illuminated object seen against
bol of firmness (man of iron; will of iron). 3 a tool or a dark background.
implement made of iron (branding iron; curling iron). ir*ra*tion*al /irashanal/ adj. 1 illogical; unreasonable.
4 a household implement, now usu. electrical, with a 2 not endowed with reason. 3 Math, (of a root, etc.)
flat base that is heated to smooth clothes, etc. 5 a golf not rational; not able to be expressed as a ratio be-
club with an iron or steel sloping face used for lofting tween two integers; not commensurate with the nat-
the ball. 6 (usu. in pi.) a fetter (clapped in irons). 7 ural numbers (e.g., a nonterminating decimal), dd ir»
(usu. in pi.) a stirrup.8 (often in pi.) an iron support ra«tion«al«i»ty /-alitee/ n. ir*ra*tion«al*ize v.tr. ir«ra«tion»
for a malformed leg. 9 a preparation of iron as a ton- a My adv.
ic or dietary supplement (iron pills) • adj. 1 made of . ir»rec»on»cil»a»ble /irekansilabal/ adj. & n. madj. 1 im-
iron.2 very robust. 3 unyielding; merciless (iron deter- placably hostile. 2 (of ideas, etc.) incompatible. •;/.
mination). mv.tr. 1 smooth (clothes, etc.) with an iron. 1 an uncompromising opponent of a political meas-
2 furnish or cover with iron. 3 shackle with irons, a in ure, etc. 2 (usu. in pi.) any of two or more items, ideas,
irons handcuffed, chained, etc. iron in the fire an un- etc., that cannot be made to agree, dd ir»reoon»cil«a»
dertaking, opportunity, or commitment (usu. in pi. : bil-i-ty n. ir*reoon*cil*a*ble*ness n. ir«rec«on»cil»a»bly
too many irons in the fire), iron out remove or smooth adv.
over (difficulties, etc.). dd i»ron»er n. i*ron*less adj. i» ir»re«COV»er«a»ble /irikuvarabal/ adj. that cannot be re-
rorrlike adj. covered or remedied, dd ir»re«cover«a«bly adv.
l»ron Age n. Archaeol. the period following the Bronze ir»re»deem»a»ble /iride'emabal/ adj. 1 that cannot be
Age when iron replaced bronze in the making of imple-
ments and weapons. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
irreducible ~ isomer 418 ulate discomfort or pain in (a part of the body). 3 Biol.
stimulate (an organ) to action, dd ir»ri«tat»ed«ly adv. ir»
redeemed. 2 hopeless; absolute, dd ifre«deem«a«bil«i« ri-tat-ing adj. irTi»tat«ing»ly adv. ir«ri«ta»tion /-tayshan/
ty n. ir»re«deenva»bly adv. n. ir»ri«ta«tive adj. irTi»ta»tor n.
ir«re«duc»i»ble /iriddbsibal, -dyob-/ adj. 1 that cannot ir*rupt /inipt/ v.intr. (foil, by into) enter forcibly or vio-
be reduced or simplified. 2 (often foil, by to) that can- lently, dd ir*rup*tion /irupshan/ n.
not be brought to a desired condition, dd ir»re»duc«i» IRS abbr. Internal Revenue Service.
bil*i*ty n. ir«re»duc»i»bly adv. Is. abbr. 1 a Island(s). b Isle(s). 2 (also Isa.) Isaiah (Old
ir»ref»u»ta»ble /irefyatDbal, irifyoo-/ adj. that cannot be Testament).
refuted, dd ir«ref-u»ta«bil»i»ty n. ir*ref*u*ta*bly adv. is 3rd sing, present of be.
ir»reg»U»lar/iregy3l9r/a<i/'. &n. madj. 1 not regular; un- ISBN abbr. international standard book number.
symmetrical; uneven; varying in form. 2 (of a surface) is*chi*um /iskeesm/ n. (pi. ischia /-keea/) the curved
uneven. 3 contrary to a rule, moral principle, or cus- bone forming the base of each half of the pelvis, dd is»
tom; abnormal. 4 uneven in duration, order, etc. 5 (of chi*al adj.
troops) not belonging to the regular army. 6 Gram, (of i*sin*glass /lzinglas/ b. 1 a kind of gelatin obtained
a verb, noun, etc.) not inflected according to the usu- from fish, esp. sturgeon, and used in making jellies,
al rules. 7 disorderly. • n. (in pi.) irregular troops, dd ir« glue, etc. 2 mica.
reg»u»lar»i»ty /-laritee/ n. (pi. -ties). ir»reg»u»lar«ly adv. isl. abbr. island.
ir»rel»e»vant /irelivant/ adj. (often foil, by to) not rele- Is*lam /islaam, iz-, isla'am, iz-/ n. la monotheistic re-
vant; not applicable (to a matter in hand), dd ir»rel»e« ligious faith regarded as revealed through Muhammad
vance /-vans/ n. irTel»e»varvcy n. ir»rel»e»vanWy adv. as the Prophet of Allah. 2 collectively, those countries
See note at immaterial. in which Islam is the principal religion, dd ls«lanvic
ir*re*li*gious /irilijas/ adj. 1 indifferent or hostile to re- adj. Is*lam*ism n. Is*lam*ist n. Is*lam*ize v.tr. Is*lam*i*
ligion. 2 lacking a religion, dd ir*re*li*gious*ly adv. ir» za*tion /-mizayshan/ n.
re«li»gious*ness n. is»land /Hand/ n. 1a piece of land surrounded by wa-
ir»re»me»di»a»ble /irimeedeeabal/ adj. that cannot be ter. 2 anything compared to an island, esp. in being
remedied, dd irTerne«di«a«bly adv. surrounded in some way. 3 a a detached or isolated
ir»rep»a»ra»ble /ireparabal/ adj. (of an injury, loss, etc.) thing, b Physiol, a detached portion of tissue or group
that cannot be rectified or made good, dd ir«rep«aTa» of cells (cf. islet).
bil*i*ty n. ir*rep*a*ra*ble«ness n. ir»rep»aTa»bly adv. is*land*er /itandar/ n. a native or inhabitant of an is-
ir«re»place»a»ble /iriplaysabal/ adj. 1 that cannot be re- land.
placed. 2 of which the loss cannot be made good, dd ir« isle /II/ n. poet, (and in place-names) an island or pen-
re*place*a*bly adv. insula, esp. a small one.
ir»re«press«i«ble /iripresibal/ adj. that cannot be is»let/ilit/ n. 1 a small island. 2 Anat. a portion of tis-

repressed or restrained, dd ir»re»press»i»bil»i»ty n. ir»re» sue structurally distinct from surrounding tissues. 3 an
press»i«ble»ness n. ir»re«press»i»bly adv. isolated place.
ir»re»proach»a»ble /iriprOchsbal/ adj. faultless; blame- is«lets of Lang*er*hans /laanggarhaans, -ha'anz/ n.pl.
less, dd ir«re»proach»a»biM»ty n. JrTe»proach»a»ble« Physiol, groups of pancreatic cells secreting insulin and
ness n. ir*re*proach*a*bly adv. glucagon.
irre«sist«i»ble /irizistibal/ adj. 1 too strong or convinc- ism /iz9m/ n. colloq. usu. derog. any distinctive but un-
ing to be resisted. 2 delightful; alluring, dd ir»re»sist«i» specified doctrine or practice of a kind with a name
bil-i-ty n. ir»re»sist»i»ble»ness n. ir«re»sist«i«bly adv. ending in -ism.
ir«res»0»lute /irezaloot/ adj. 1 hesitant; undecided. isn't /izant/ contr. is not.
2 lacking in resoluteness, dd ir«res»o»lute»ly adv. ir»res« ISO- /iso/ comb, form 1 equal (isometric) 2 Chem. isomer-
.

o*lute*ness n. ir«res»o«lu»tion /-lobshan/ n. ic, esp. of a hydrocarbon with a branched chain of car-
ir»re«speotive /irispektiv/ adj. (foil, by of) not taking bon atoms (isobutane).
into account; regardless of. dd ir»re»speotive»ly adv. i*SO*bar /isabaar/ n. a line on a map connecting posi-
ir»re«spon»si»ble /irisponsibal/ adj. 1 acting or done tions having the same atmospheric pressure at a giv-
without due sense of responsibility. 2 not responsible en time or on average over a given period, dd i»so»bar«
for one's conduct, dd ir«re«spon»si«bil»i»ty n. ir»re»spon» ic /-barik/ adj.
si*bly adv. i*SO*late /isalayt/ a place apart or alone, cut off
v.tr. 1
ir«re«trieva»ble /iritre'evgbal/ adj. that cannot be re- from society, b place thought to be conta-
(a patient
trieved or restored, dd ir»re»trieva«biW«ty n. ir»re«triev gious or infectious) in quarantine. 2 a identify and
a«bly adv. separate for attention (isolated the problem), b Chem.
ir*rev*er*ent /irevarant/ adj. lacking reverence, dd ir» separate (a substance) from a mixture. 3 insulate (elec-
reverence /-rans/ n. ir»rever«ervtial /-renshal/ adj. ir« trical apparatus), dd i*so«la*ble /i'sobbnl/ adj. i»so«lat»
rever*ent*ly adv. a»ble adj. i«so«la-tor n.
ir»re«vers»i»ble /irivarsibal/ adj. not reversible or alter- i»so»lat«ed /isolaytid/ adj. 1 lonely; cut off from society
able, dd ir»re»vers»i»bil»i«ty n. ir«re«vers»i»bly adv. or contact; remote (feeling isolated; an uolaud farm-
ir«rev»o«ca»ble /irevokabal, irivok-/ adj. 1 unalterable. house). 2 untypical; unique (an isoUtttd tampU). <

2 gone beyond recall, dd ir»revo»ca-bil»i«ty /-bilitee/ n. i*SO*la*tion /isolayshon/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
ir-revo»ca«bly adv. isolating. 2 the state of being isolated or separated. in 1
1

ir»ri»gate /irigayt/ a water (land) by means of

v.tr. 1 isolation considered singly and not relatively.
channels, b (of a stream, etc.) supply (land) with wa- i«SO*la*tion*ism /isolayshoniz.tm/ n. the policy of hold
ter. 2 Med. supply (a wound, etc.) with a constant flow ing aloof from the affairs of Otbd countries or groups
of liquid, dd ir*ri*ga*ble adj. ir*ri*ga«tion / gayshon/ n. esp. in politics, on i*so*la*tion*ist //.
irTi»ga»tive adj. ir»ri»ga»tor n. i»SO»mer /isomnr/ ;/. 1 Chem. one of two or more coin
ir»ri»ta»ble /iritobal/ adj. 1 easily annoyed or angered. pounds with the same molecular formula Imt a diffei
2 (of an organ, etc.) very sensitive to contact, dd ir»ri» ent arrangement of atoms ami different prop
ta*bil*i*ty n. irTi»ta«bly adv. 2 Physics one of two or more atomic nuclei that have
ir»ri»tant /irit'nt/ adj. & n. madj. causing irritation, mn. the same atomic number and the same mass number
an irritant substance, do ir»ri«tan»cy n. but different energy states, in i»soTner»lc / nurik ./<//
i

ir»ri»tate /iritayt/ v.tr. 1 excite to anger; annoy. 2 stim- i»som»er»ism Asomarizam/ //. i»som»er»ize v.
 .

i»so»metTic /isametrik/ adj. 1 of equal measure. 419 isometric ~ ivy

2 Physiol, (of muscle action) developing tension while
the muscle is prevented from contracting. 3 (of a draw- ital. abbr. italic (type).
ing, etc.) with the plane of projection at equal angles I*tal*ian /italysn/ n. &
adj. »n. 1 a a native or national
to the three principal axes of the object shown. 4 Math. of Italy, b a person of Italian descent. 2 the Romance
(of a transformation) without change of shape or size. language used in Italy and parts of Switzerland, madj.
nn i»so«met»ri»caMy adv. i»sonre«try /isomitree/ n. (in of or relating to Italy or its people or language.
sense 4). I«tal»ian»ate /italyanayt/ adj. of Italian style or appear-
i«so»met«rics /isametriks/ n.pl. a system of physical ance.
exercises in which muscles are caused to act against i*tal*ic /italik/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 a Printing of the sloping

each other or against a fixed object. kind of letters now used esp. for emphasis or distinc-
i*SOS*ce*les /Isosileez/ adj. (of a triangle) having two tion and in foreign words, b (of handwriting) compact
sides equal. and pointed like early Italian handwriting. 2 (Italic) of
i*SO*ton*ic /I'satonik/ adj. 1 having the same osmotic ancient Italy. •«. 1 a letter in italic type. 2 this type.
pressure. 2 Physiol, (of muscle action) taking place i«tal*i*cize /italislz/ v.tr. print in italics, dd i»tal»i»ci»za«

with normal contraction, do i»so»ton»i«caMy adv. i»so« tion n.

to»nioi»ty /-tanisitee/ n. itch /ich/n. &
v. • n. 1 an irritation in the skin. 2 an im-

i*SO*tope /isatop/ n. Chem. one of two or more forms patient desire; a hankering. 3 (prec. by the) (in gen-
of an element differing from each other in relative eral use) scabies. • v. intr. 1 feel an irritation in the skin,
atomic mass, and in nuclear but not chemical proper- causing a desire to scratch it. 2 (usu. foil, by to + infin.)
ties, dd i»so»top«ic /-topik/ adj. i»so»top»i»caMy adv. i» (of a person) feel a desire to do something (am itching
sot»o«py /Isotapee, isatopee/ n. to tell you the news).
Is»rae»li /izraylee/ adj. & n. madj. of or relating to the itch»y /ichee/ adj. (itchier, itchiest) having or causing
modern Middle East. •«. 1 a na-
state of Israel in the an itch, dd itchiness n.

tive or national of Israel. 2 a person of Israeli descent. had. 2 it would.

it'd /itad/ contr. colloq. 1 it
Is»ra«el»ite /izreeglit, -ralit/ n. hist, a native of ancient i»tem /it9m/ n. 1a
any of a number of enumerated or
Israel; a Jew. listed things, b an entry in an account. 2 an article,
is»sue /ishoo/ «.& win.1aa giving out or circulation
,
esp. one for sale (household items) 3 a separate or dis- .

of shares, notes, stamps, etc. b a quantity of coins, sup- tinct piece of news, information, etc.
plies, copies of a newspaper or book, etc., circulated i»tem»ize /itamlz/ v.tr. state or list item by item, dd i»
or put on sale at one time, c an item or amount given tem*i*za*tion n. i»tenviz»er n.
out or distributed, d each of a regular series of a mag- it»er»ate /itarayt/ v.tr. repeat; state repeatedly, dd it«er»

azine, etc. (the May issue). 2 a an outgoing; an outflow. action /-ayshan/ n.

b a way out; an outlet, esp. the place of the emergence i«tin«er»ant /itinarant, itin-/ adj. & n. madj. traveling
of a stream, etc. 3 a point in question; an important from place to place. •«. an itinerant person; a tramp.
subject of debate or litigation. 4 a result; an outcome; dd i«tin»er»a»cy n. i»tin»er»an«cy n.
a decision. 5 Law children; progeny (without male is- adj. •«. (pi. -ies) 1 a
i»tin»er»ar»y /itinareree, itin-/ n. &
sue), mv. (issues, issued, issuing) 1 intr. (often foil. by detailed route. 2 a record of travel. 3 a guidebook.
out, forth) literary go or come out. 2 tr. a send forth; • adj. of roads or traveling.
publish; put into circulation, b supply, esp. officially it'll /it'l/ contr. colloq. it will; it shall.
or authoritatively (usu. foil, by to): issued passports to its /its/ poss.pron. of it; of itself (can see its advantages).
them; issued orders to the staff). 3 intr. a (often foil, by Although formerly written with an apostrophe, note
from) be derived or result, b (foil, by in) end; result. that its is an attributive adjective indicating posses-
4 intr. (foil, by from) emerge from a condition, d at is- sion, meaning 'of it, belonging to it'. It's is a contrac-
sue 1 under discussion; in dispute. 2 at variance, join tion of 'it is': It's going to be a good day to tour the city
issue identify and submit an issue for formal argu- and see its attractions.
ment (foil, by with, on), make an issue of make a fuss it's /its/ contr. 1 it is. 2 it has.
about; turn into a subject of contention, take issue it»self /itself/ pron. refl. form of it. a by
emphatic and
disagree, esp. on a specific issue (foil, by with, on) dd is«
. itself apart from its surroundings, automatically, spon-
su*a*ble adj. is*su*ance ;*. is*sue*less adj. is«su«er n. taneously, in itself viewed in its essential qualities (not
isth*mus /ismas/ n. 1a narrow piece of land connec- in itself a bad thing)
ting two larger bodies of land. 2Anat. a narrow part iWy-biMy /iteebitee/ adj. (also it«sy-bit»sy /itseebitsee/)
connecting two larger parts, dd isth*mi*an adj. colloq. usu. derog. tiny; insubstantial; slight.
IT abbr. information technology. IUD abbr. intrauterine (contraceptive) device.
It. abbr. Italian. IV abbr. intravenous (ly).
it /it/ pron. (poss. its; pi. they) 1 the thing (or occas. the I've /Iv/ contr. I have.
animal or child) previously named or in question (took IVF abbr. in vitro fertilization.
a stone and threw it) 2 the person in question ( Who is
. i»vo»ry /ivaree, ivree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a hard, creamy-
it? It is I; is it a boy or a girl?) 3 as the subject of an im-
. white substance composing the main part of the tusks
personal verb (it is raining; it is winter; it is Tuesday; it is of an elephant, hippopotamus, walrus, and narwhal.
twenty miles to Denver) 4 as a substitute for a deferred
. 2 the color of this. 3 (usu. in pi.) a an article made of
subject or object (it is intolerable, this delay; it is silly to ivory, b si. anything made of or resembling ivory, esp.
talk like that; I take it that you agree) 5 as a substitute . a piano key or a tooth, dd i»vo»ried adj.
for a vague object (tough it out; run for it!). 6 as the an- j*vo*ry tOW»er n. a state of seclusion or separation from
tecedent to a relative word (it was an owl I heard) 7 ex- . the ordinary world and the harsh realities of life.
actly what is needed (absolutely it) 8 the extreme lim- . i»vy /Ivee/ n. (pi. -vies) 1 a climbing evergreen shrub,
it of achievement. 9 colloq. a sexual intercourse b sex Hedera helix, with usu. dark-green, shining five-angled
appeal. 10 (in children's games) a player who has to leaves. 2 any of various other climbing plants includ-
perform a required feat, esp. to catch the others. ing ground ivy and poison ivy.
d that's it colloq. that is: 1 what is required. 2 the diffi-
culty. 3 the end; enough, this is it colloq. 1 the expected
event is at hand. 2 this is the difficulty.
Ital. abbr. Italian. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 J
J • /jay/ n. (also j) (pi. Js or J's) the tenth letter of the jack*et /jakit/ n.& v. • n. 1 a a sleeved, short outer gar-

alphabet. ment, b a thing worn esp. around the torso for protec-
J 2 symb. (also J.) joule(s). tion or support (life jacket). 2 a casing or covering, e.g.,
jab /jab/ z;. &n. (jabbed, jabbing) 1 a poke rough-
mv.tr. as insulation around a boiler. 3 = dust jacket. 4 the
ly, b stab. 2 (foil, by
into) thrust (a thing) hard or ab- skin of a potato, esp. when baked whole. 5 an animal's
ruptly. • n. 1 an abrupt blow with one's fist or a point- coat. •v.tr. cover with a jacket.
ed implement. 2 colloq. a hypodermic injection, esp. a jacMish /jakfish/ n. (pi. same) = pike 1
.

vaccination. •«. a quick, sharp blow, especailly with Jack Frost n. frost personified.
the fist. jack*ham*mer /jak-hamar/ n. a pneumatic hammer or
jab*ber /jabar/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. chatter volubly and in- drill.
coherently. 2 tr. utter (words) fast andjack-in-the-box n. a toy figure that springs out of a box
indistinctly, n.
meaningless jabbering; a gabble. when it is opened.
jab»ber«wock«y /jabarwokee/ n. (pi. -ies) a piece of non- jack-in-the-puNpit n. a N.
sensical writing or speech, esp. for comic effect (for American plant having an
the title of an 1871 poem by Lewis Carroll). upright flower spike and an
ja*bot /zhabo, ja-/ n. an ornamental frill or ruffle of over-arching hoodlike
lace, etc., on the front of a shirt or blouse. spathe.
ja*cinth /jaysinth, jas-/ n. a reddish-orange variety of jack-knife /jaknif/ n. v. *n. &
zircon used as a gem. (pi. -knives) 1 a large pock-

jack /jak/ n. &

v. • n. 1 a device for lifting heavy objects, etknife. 2 a dive in which the
esp. the axle of a vehicle, off the ground while chang- body is first bent at the waist
ing a wheel, etc. 2 a playing card with a picture of a and then straightened.
man, esp. a soldier, page, or knave, etc. 3 a ship's flag, • v.intr. (-knifed, -knifing) (of
esp. one flown from the bow and showing nationality. an articulated vehicle) fold
4 a device using a single plug to connect an electrical against itself in an acciden-
circuit. 5 a small white ball in lawn bowling, at which tal skidding movement.
the players aim. 6 a (also jack*stone) a small piece of jack-of-all-trades n. a per-
metal, etc., used with others in tossing games, b (in son who can do many differ-
pi.) a game with a ball and jacks. 7 (Jack) the familiar ent kinds of work.
form of John esp. typifying the common man or the jack-o'-lan»tern w. 1a will-
male of a species (I'm all right, Jack). 8 5/. money. 9 = o'-the wisp. 2 a lantern made
jack-in-the-pulpit
lumberjack. 10= steeplejack. 1 1 any of various ma- from a hollowed-out pump-
rine perchlike fish of the family Carangidae, includ- kin in which holes are cut to represent facial features,
ing the amberjack. • v. tr. 1 (usu. foil, by up) raise with typically made at Halloween.
or as with a jack (in sense 1). 2 (usu. foil, by up) col- jack«pot /jakpot/ n. a large prize or amount of winnings,
loq. raise, e.g., prices. 3 (foil, by off) a go away; depart. esp. accumulated in a game or lottery, etc. o hit the
b coarse si. masturbate, d every man jack each and eve- jackpot colloq. 1 win a large prize. 2 have remarkable
ry person. luck or success.
jack*rab*bit /jakrabit/ n. any of various large prairie
jack late Middle English: from Jack, pet form of the
hares of the genus Lepus with very long ears and hind
given name John. The term was used originally to de-
legs.
note an ordinary man (sense 7), also a youth (mid-
jack*stone /jakston/ n. 1 = jack 6. 2 (in pi.) the game 1

16th cent.), hence the 'knave' in cards and 'male an-

of jacks.
imal'. The word also denoted various devices saving
jack«straw/jakstraw/«. 1 a splinter of wood, straw, etc.,
human labor, as though one had a helper (senses 1
esp. one of a bundle, pile, etc. 2 (in pi.) a game in which
and 4), and in compounds such as jackhammer and
a heap of jackstraws is to be removed one at a time
jackknife); the general sense 'laborer' arose in the ear-
without moving the others.
ly 1 8th cent, and survives in lumberjack, steeplejack,
Ja-cob's lad»der /jaykobz/ n. la plant, Polevuuiuun
etc. Since the mid- 16th cent, a notion of 'smallness'
caeruleum, with corymbs of blue or white flowers, and
has arisen, hence senses 5 and 6.
leaves suggesting a ladder. 2 a rope ladder with wood-
jack*al /jakal/ n. 1 any of various wild doglike mammals en rungs.
of the genus Canis, esp. C. aureus, found in Africa and Jac*quard /jakaard, joka'ard/ n. 1 an apparatus usm^
S. Asia, usu. hunting or scavenging for food in packs. perforated cards that record a pattern and are fitted
2 colloq. a a person who does preliminary drudgery for to a loom to mechanize the weaving of figured fabrics.
another, b a person who assists another's immoral 2 (in full Jacquard loom) a loom fitted with tins. 3 a
behavior. fabric or article made with this, with an in ic an vat 1 1

jack*ass /jakas/ n. 1 a male ass. 2 a stupid person. iegated pattern.

jack»boot/jakbOOt/«. 1 a large boot reaching above the Ja*CUZ*zi /joko'ozee/ n. {pi Jacuzzis) Jhubmatki ItXfC
knee. 2 this as a symbol of fascism or military oppres- bath with underwater jets of water to miltlfl the
sion, dd jack*boot*ed adj. body.
jack*daw /jakdaw/ n. a small gray-headed crow, Corvus jade' /jayd/ n. 1a hard, usu. green stone composed of
monedula. silicates of calcium and magnesium, or of sodium and
 aluminum, used for ornaments and implements. 2 the 421 jade - jaw
green color of jade.
jade 2 /jayd/ n. 1 an inferior or worn-out horse. 2 derog. (a bell, etc.) to make, a harsh metallic sound. 2 tr. ir-

a disreputable woman. ritate (the nerves, etc.) by discordant sound or speech,

jad*ed /jaydid/ adj. tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, etc. mn. a harsh metallic sound.
usu. after having had too much of something, do ]ad» jan»i»tor /janitar/ n. la caretaker of a building. 2 Brit.
ed«ly adv. jad*ed*ness n. a doorman, dd jan«i»tori»al /-tawreeal/ adj.
jag 1
/jag/ n. &
v. •n. a sharp projection of rock, etc. Jan»u»ar»y /janyooeree/ n. (pi. -ies) the first month of
• v. (jagged, jagging) 1 cut or tear unevenly. 2 make
tr. the year.
indentations in. dd jag*ger n. Jap /jap/ n. adj. colloq. often offens. = Japanese.&
jag 2 /jag/ n. si. 1 a drinking bout; a spree. 2 a period of ja*pan /japan/ n. v. mn. 1 a hard, usu. black varnish, &
indulgence in an activity, emotion, etc. esp. of a kind brought orig. from Japan. 2 work in a
jag*ged /jagid/ adj. 1 with an unevenly cut or torn edge. Japanese style, mv.tr. (japanned, japanning) 1 varnish
2 deeply indented; with sharp points, on jag*ged*ly with japan. 2 make black and glossy as with japan.
adv. jag«ged»ness n. Jap»a»nese/jap3ne'ez/ n. adj. mn. (pi. same) 1 a a na- &
jag*gy /jagee/ adj. (jaggier, jaggiest) 1 = jagged. 2 (al- tive or national of Japan, b a person of Japanese de-
so jag*gie) Sc. prickly. scent. 2 the language of Japan, madj. of or relating to
jag*uar /jagwaar/ n. a large, flesh-eating spotted feline, Japan, its people, or its language.
Panthem onca, of Central and S. America. Jap*a*nese bee»tle n. an iridescent green and brown
jai a»lai /hi li, all/ n. an indoor court game somewhat beetle that is a garden and crop pest.
resembling handball in which the ball is propelled with jape /jayp/ n. &
v. mn. a practical joke, mv.intr. play a

large curved wicker baskets. joke, dd jap«er»y n.

jail /jayl/ n. & v. same) mn. ja«pon*i*ca /japonika/ n. a camellia, Camellia japonica,
(also Brit, gaol •pronunc.
1 a place to which persons are committed by a court with variously colored waxy flowers.
for detention. 2 confinement in a jail, mv.tr. put in jail. jar /jaar/ n. la container of glass, earthenware, plas-
1

jail-bait /jaylbayt/ n. si. a girl under the age of consent. tic, etc., usu. cylindrical. 2 the contents of this, dd jar»

jail*bird /jaylbsrd/ n. (also Brit, gaolbird) a prisoner or ful n. (pi. -fuls).

habitual criminal. jar 2 /jaar/ v. & n. mv. (jarred, jarring) 1 intr. (often foil,

jail*break /jaylbrayk/ n. (also Brit, gaolbreak) an es- by on) (of sound, words, manner, etc.) sound discord-
cape from jail. ant or grating (on the nerves, etc.). 2 a tr. (foil, by
jail*er /jaytar/ n. (also jail-or, Brit, gaoler) a person
against, on) strike or cause to strike with vibration or
in
charge of a jail or of the prisoners in it. a grating sound, b intr. (of a body affected) vibrate
Jake /jayk/ adj. si. all right; satisfactory. gratingly. 3 tr. send a shock through (a part of the body)
ja«la»pe»no /halapaynyo, -pe'en-/ n. a variety of hot pep- (the fall jarred his neck). 4 intr. (often foil, by with) (of
per commonly used in Mexican and other highly an opinion, fact, etc.) be at variance; be in conflict or
spiced cooking. in dispute. • n. 1 a jarring sound or sensation. 2 a phys-
ja*lop*y /jalopee/ n. (pi. -ies) colloq. a dilapidated old ical shock or jolt. 3 lack of harmony; disagreement.
motor vehicle. jar 3 /jaar/ n. a on the jar ajar.
jal*ou*sie /jalasee/ n. a blind or shutter made of a row jar»di»niere /ja'ard'ne'er, zha'ardinyair/ n. (also jar-
of angled slats to keep out rain, etc., and control the diniere) 1 an ornamental pot or stand for the display
influx of light. of growing plants. 2 a dish of mixed vegetables.
jam /jam/ v.
1
&
n. mv.tr. &
intr. (jammed, jamming) jar*gon /ja'argan/ n. 1 words or expressions used by a
1 a tr. (usu. foil, by into) squeeze or wedge into a space. particular group or profession (medical jargon) 2 bar- .

b intr. become wedged. 2 a tr. cause (machinery or a barous or debased language. 3 gibberish, dd jar«gon»
component) to become wedged or immovable so that ic /-gonik/ adj. jar*gon*is*tic adj. jar*gon*ize v. tr. intr. &
it cannot work, b intr. become jammed in this way. 3 tr. jas*mine /jazmin/ n. (also jes»sa»mine /jesamin/) any of
push or cram together in a compact mass. 4 intr. (foil, various fragrant ornamental shrubs of the genus
by in, onto) push or crowd (they jammed onto the bus). Jasminum usu. with white or yellow flowers.
5 tr. a block (a passage, road, etc.) by crowding or ob- jas»per /jaspar/ n. an opaque variety of quartz, usu. red,
structing, b (foil, by in) obstruct the exit of (we were yellow, or brown in color.
jammed in). 6 tr. (usu. foil, by on) apply (brakes, etc.) jaun»dice /jawndis/ n. &v. mn. 1 Med. a condition with
forcefully or abruptly. 7 tr. make (a radio transmission) yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, often caused
unintelligible by causing interference. 8 intr. colloq. (in by obstruction of the bile duct or by liver disease. 2 dis-
jazz, etc.) improvise with other musicians. *n. la ordered (esp. mental) vision. 3 envy. • v. tr. 1 affect with
squeeze or crush. 2 a crowded mass (traffic jam) 3 col- jaundice. 2 (esp. as jaundiced adj.) affect (a person)
.

loq. an awkward situation or predicament. 4 a stop- with envy, resentment, or jealousy.

page (of a machine, etc.) due to jamming. 5 (in full jaunt /jawnt/ n. v. mn. a short excursion for enjoy- &
jam session) colloq. improvised playing by a group of ment, mv.intr. take a jaunt.
musicians, dd janvmer n. jaun*ty /jawntee/ adj. (jauntier, jauntiest) 1 cheerful
jam 2 /jam/ n. <& v. • n. 1 a conserve of fruit and sugar and self-confident. 2 sprightly, dd jaun*ti*ly adv. jaun*
boiled to a thick consistency. 2 Brit, colloq. something ti*ness n.
easy or pleasant (money for jam) mv.tr. (jammed, jam- Ja»van /ja'avan/ n.
. adj. - Javanese. &
ming) 1 spread jam on. 2 make (fruit, etc.) into jam. Jav»a»nese/jav3ne'ez, jaa-/«. &adj. mn. (pi. same) 1 a a
jamb /jam/ n. Archit. a side post or surface of a door- native of Java in Indonesia, b a person of Javanese de-
way, window, or fireplace. scent. 2 the language of Java. madj. of or relating to Ja-
janvba«laya /jumbalfe/ n. a dish of rice with shrimp, va, its people, or its language.
chicken, etc. jave«lin /javalin, javlin/ «. la light spear thrown in a
jam*bo*ree /jambare'e/ n. 1 a celebration or merrymak- competitive sport or as a weapon. 2 the athletic event
ing. 2 a large rally of Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts. or sport of throwing the javelin.
jam-packed adj. colloq. full to capacity. jaw /jaw/ n. &
v. mn. 1a each of the upper and lower
Jan. abbr. January. bony structures in vertebrates forming the framework
jane /jayn/ n. si. a woman (a plain jane).
jan*gle /janggal/ v. & n. mv. 1 intr. & tr. make, or cause See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
jawbone - jest 422 parent preparation of boiled sugar and fruit juice or
milk, etc., often cooled in a mold and eaten as a des-
of the mouth and containing the teeth, b the parts of sert. C a similar preparation derived from meat, bones,
certain invertebrates used for the ingestion of food. etc., and gelatin (marrowbone jelly) 2 any substance of
.

2 a (in pi.) the mouth with its bones and teeth, b the a similar consistency. 3 an inexpensive sandal or shoe
narrow mouth of a valley, channel, etc. c the gripping made of molded plastic. »v. (-lies, -ied) 1 intr. &tr. set
parts of a tool or machine, d gripping power (jaws of or cause to set as a jelly; congeal. 2 tr. set (food) in a
death). 3 colloq. a talkativeness; tedious talk, b a ser- jelly (jellied eels), dd jeMylike adj.
monizing talk; a lecture. »v. colloq. 1 intr. speak, esp. jeMy bean n. a chewy, gelatinous candy in the shape
at tedious length. 2 tr. a persuade by talking, b admon- of a bean with a hard sugar coating.
ish or lecture. jeMyfish /jeleefish/ n. (pi. usu. same) 1 a marine coe-
jawbone /jawbon/ n.&v. •nA each of the two bones lenterate of the class Scyphozoa having an umbrella-
forming the lower jaw in most mammals. 2 these two shaped jellylike body and stinging tentacles. 2 colloq.
combined into one in other mammals, mv. attempt to a feeble person.
persuade or pressure by the force of one's position of jeMy roll n. sl rolled sponge cake with a jelly filling.
authority. je ne sais quoi /zha ns say kwa'a/ n. an indefinable
jaw»break»er /jawbraykar/ n. 1 colloq. a word that is very something.
long or hard to pronounce. 2 a round, very hard can- jen»net /jenit/ n. a small Spanish horse.
dy. jen»ny /jenee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 hist. = spinning jenny. 2 a
jay /jay/ n. 1 a a noisy chattering European bird, female donkey or ass.
Garrulus glandarius, with vivid pinkish-brown, blue, jeop«ard*ize /jepardiz/ v.tr. endanger; put into jeop-
black, and white plumage, b any other bird of the sub- ardy.
family Garrulinae. 2 a person who chatters imperti- jeop»ard«y /jepardee/ n. 1 danger, esp. of severe harm
nently. or loss. 2 Law danger resulting from being on trial for
jaywalk /jaywawk/ v.intr. cross or walk in the street or a criminal offense.
road without regard for traffic. jay*walk«er n. Jer. abbr. Jeremiah (Old Testament).
jazz /jaz/ n. &v. mn. A music of American origin char- jerbll esp. Brit. var. of gerbil.
acterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usu. a jer»e«mi»ad /jerimiad/ n. a doleful complaint or lamen-
regular or forceful rhythm. 2 5/. pretentious talk or tation; a list of woes.
behavior, nonsensical stuff (all that jazz), •v.intr. play Jer»e«mi«ah /jerimia/ n. a dismal prophet; a denouncer
or dance to jazz, d jazz up brighten or enliven, dd jazz« of the times.
er n. jerk 1 /jark/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a sharp sudden pull, twist,

\azz»y /jazee/ adj. (jazzier, jazziest) 1 of or like jazz. twitch, start, etc. 2 a spasmodic muscular twitch. 3 si.
2 vivid; unrestrained; showy, dd jazz*My adv. jazz*i* a fool; a stupid or contemptible person. • v. 1 intr. move
ness n. with a jerk. 2 tr. pull, thrust, twist, etc., with a jerk. 3 tr.
JCS abbr. (also J.C.S.) Joint Chiefs of Staff. throw with a suddenly arrested motion. 4 tr. Weight-
jet. abbr. junction. lifting raise (a weight) from shoulder level to above the
jealous /jetas/ adj. 1 (often foil, by of) fiercely protec- head, d jerk off coarse si. masturbate.
tive (of rights, etc.). 2 afraid, suspicious, or resentful Usually considered a taboo use. dd jerk»er n.
of rivalry in love or affection. 3 (often foil, by of) jerk 2 /jark/ v.tr. cure (beef) by cutting it in long slices
envious or resentful (of a person or a person's ad- and drying it in the sun.
vantages, etc.). 4 (of God) intolerant of disloyalty. jer*kin /jerkin/ n. 1 a sleeveless jacket. 2 hist, a man's
5 (of inquiry, supervision, etc.) vigilant, dd jeal*ous* close-fitting jacket, often of leather.
ly adv. jerk-y /jsrkee/ adj. (jerkier, jerkiest) 1 having sudden
1

jeal*ous*y /jelasee/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a jealous state or feel- abrupt movements. 2 spasmodic, dd jerk»i«ly adv. jerk*
ing. 2 an instance of this. i*ness n.
jean /jeen/ n. twilled cotton cloth. jerk«y 2 n. meat that has been cured by being cut into
jeans /jeenz/ n.pl. pants made of jean or (more usual- long, thin strips and dried.
ly) denim, for informal wear. jer»o»bo»am /jersboam/ n. a wine bottle of 4-12 times
jeep /jeep/ n. (also Trademark Jeep) a small, sturdy, esp. the ordinary size.
military motor vehicle with four-wheel drive. jer»ry-build»er /jeribildar/ n. a builder of unsubstantial
jee*pers /jeeparz/ int. si. expressing surprise, etc. houses, etc., with poor-quality materials, dd jer»ry-
jeer /jeer/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by at) scoff deri- build*ing n. jer«ry-built adj.
sively. 2 tr. scoff at; deride, n. a scoff or taunt, an jeer* jer»ry»man»der esp. Brit. var. of (;irrymandi:r.
ing»ly adv. jer»sey /jorzee/ n. (pi. -seys) 1 a a knitted, usu. wool-
jeez /jeez/ int. si. a mild expression of surprise, discov- en pullover or similar garment, b a plain-knitted (orig.
ery, etc. (cf. GEE ).
1
woolen) fabric. 2 (Jersey) a light brown dairy cow
je*had var. of jihad. from Jersey.
Je»ho«vah /jahova/ n. the Hebrew name of God in the jess /jes/ n. &
v. •n. a short strap of leather, silk, etc.,

Old Testament. put around the leg of a hawk in falconry. • v. tr. put jess-
je»june /jijobn/ adj. 1 intellectually unsatisfying; shal- es on (a hawk, etc.).
low. 2 puerile. 3 (of ideas, writings, etc.) meager; jes«sa«mine var. of jasmine.
scanty; dry and uninteresting. 4 (of the land) barren; jest /jest/ n. &v. mn. 1 a a joke, b fun. 2 a nullii \; b;m
poor, dd je»june»ly adv. je«june«ness n. ter. ban object of derision (</ standing jest), •v.intr.
je«ju»num /jijobnam/ n. Anat. the part of the small intes- 1 joke; make jests. 2 fool about; play or :u triflingly.
t

tine between the duodenum and ileum. d In jest in fun. 01 jesMul adj.
1

jell /jel/ v.intr. colloq. 1 a set as a jelly, b (of ideas, etc.)

jest late Middle Hnglish: from earlier ft, from OKI
t;<
take a definite form. 2 (of two different things) cohere.
French gestet from Latin gc\id ';u lions, exploits', limn
jeMi»fy /jelifiV v.tr. &intr. (-ties, -tied) turn into jelly;
gerere 'do'. The original sense was 'exploit, hemic
make or become like jelly, dd jeMi«fi«ca-tion n.
deed', hence 'a narrative of such deeds' (originally ill
jeMy /jelee/ n. &v. •«. (pi. -lies) 1 a a gelatinous prep-
verse); later the term denoted an idle talc, hence a joke
aration of fruit juice, etc., for use as a jam or a condi-
(mid- 16th cent.).
ment (grape jelly) . b esp. Brit, a soft, stiffish, semitrans-
 . .

jest»er /jestar/ n. a professional joker or fool at a medi- 423 jester - jingle

eval court, etc., traditionally wearing a cap and bells
and carrying a scepter. head. 2 the projecting arm of a crane, •v.tr. & intr.

Jes»oit /jezhooit, jezoo-, jezyoo-/ n. a member of the (jibbed, jibbing) (of a sail, etc.) pull or swing around
Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic order founded by from one side of the ship to the other; jibe.
St. Ignatius Loyola and others in 1534. \\b 2 /)ibl v.intr. (jibbed, jibbing) esp. Brit. 1 a (of an an-
Je»sus /jeezas/ n. the name of the source of the Chris- imal, esp. a horse) stop and refuse to go on; move back-
tian religion d. c. ad 30. ward or sideways instead of going on. b (of a person)
1
jet /jet/ n. & v. •«. 1a stream of water, steam, gas, refuse to continue. 2 (foil, by at) show aversion to (a
flame, etc., shot out esp. from a small opening. 2 a person or course of action), dd jiober n.
spout or nozzle for emitting water, etc., in this way. jibe 1 var. of gibe.
3 a a jet engine, b an aircraft powered by one or more jibe 2 /jib/ v. &
n. (Brit, gybe) mv. 1 intr. (of a fore-and-

jet engines. mv. (jetted, jetting) 1 intr. spurt out in jets. aft sail or boom) swing from side to side in running
2 tr. &intr. colloq. send or travel by jet plane.
jet 2 /jet/ n. 1 a a hard black variety of lignite capable of
being carved and highly polished, b (attrib.) made of
this. 2 (in full jet-black) a deep glossy black color.
jet»e /zhatay/ n. Ballet a spring or leap with one leg for-
ward and the other stretched backward.
jet ervgine n. an engine using jet propulsion for for-
ward thrust, esp. of an aircraft.
jet lag n. extreme tiredness and other bodily effects felt
after a long flight involving marked differences of lo-
cal time.
jet-propelled adj. 1 having jet propulsion. 2 (of a per-
son, etc.) very fast.
jet propulsion n. propulsion by the backward ejec-
tion of a high-speed jet of gas, etc.
jet-sam /jetsam/ n. discarded material washed ashore,
esp. that thrown overboard to lighten a ship, etc. (cf.
flotsam).
before the winds. 2 tr. cause (a sail) to do this. 3 intr.
(of a ship or its crew) change course so that this hap-
pens. • «. a change of course causing jibing.
jibe 3 /jib/ v.intr. (usu. foil, by with) colloq. agree; be in
accord.
Jibe means 'agree; go together'; gibe means 'jeer;
deride.'The two words are pronounced identically, but
neither should be confused with jive, a jazz term ap-
plied to a style of music and dance, as well as having
the sense 'misleading or pretentious talk.' Jive is some-
times informally substituted for jibe.
jiff /jif/ n. (also jif»fy,p/. -ies) colloq. a short time; a mo-
ment (in a jiffy; half a jiff)
n.&v.mn. 1 a a lively dance with leaping move-
jig /jig/
ments, b the music for this, usu. in triple time. 2 a de-
vice that holds a piece of work and guides the tools
operating on it. mv. Gigged, jigging) 1 intr. dance a jig.
2 tr. &intr. move quickly and jerkily up and down. 3 tr.

jet set n. colloq.wealthy people frequently traveling by
air, esp. for pleasure, dd jet-seMer n.
jet stream h. la narrow current of very strong winds
encircling the globe several miles above the earth. 2 the
work on or equip with a jig or jigs, o jig about (esp.
Bnt.) fidget, the jig is up si. all hope is gone, esp. of
committing a wrong without being caught.
jig-ger /jigar/ n. 1 Naut. a a small tackle consisting of
1

stream of exhaust from a jet engine. a double and single block with a rope, b a small sail at
jeWi'Son /jetisan, -zan/ v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 a throw (esp. the stern. C a small smack having this. 2 si. a gadget.
heavy material) overboard to lighten a ship, hot-air 3 Golf an iron club with a narrow face. 4 Billiards col-
balloon, etc. b drop (goods) from an aircraft. 2 aban- loq. a cue rest. 5 a a measure of spirits, etc. b a small
don; get rid of (something no longer wanted). • n. the glass holding this. 6 a person or thing that jigs.
act of jettisoning. jig»ger 2 /jigar/ n. chigger.
jeMy /jetee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a pier or breakwater con- jig*gered /jigard/ adj. colloq. (as a mild oath) con-
structed to protect or defend a harbor, coast, etc. 2 a founded (I'll be jiggered)
landing pier. jig*gle /jigal/ v. (often foil, by about, etc.) 1 tr. shake
Jew /joo/ n. a person of Hebrew descent or whose re- lightly; rock jerkily. 2 intr. fidget,dd jig*gly adj.
ligion is Judaism. jig*saw /jigsaw/ n. 1 (in full jigsaw puzzle) a puzzle
a
jew»el /jobal/ n. &
v. *n. 1 a a precious stone, b this as consisting of a picture on board or wood, etc., cut in-
used for its hardness as a bearing in watchmaking. 2 a to irregular interlocking pieces to be reassembled, b a
personal ornament containing a jewel or jewels. 3 a mental puzzle resolvable by assembling various pieces
precious person or thing. • v. tr. (jeweled, jeweling; esp. of information. 2 a machine saw with a fine blade en-
Brit, jewelled, jewelling) 1 (esp. as jeweled adj.) adorn abling it to cut curved lines in a sheet of wood, met-
or set with jewels. 2 (in watchmaking) set with jewels. al, etc.
dd jeweMike adj. Jill /jil/ n. si. (also Jill) a young woman.
jew»el box n. a plastic case for a compact disc or CD- jiMion /jilyan/ n. colloq. a very large indefinite number.
ROM. jilt /jilt/ v.&n. • v. tr. abruptly reject or abandon (a lover,
jewel-er /jobalar/ n. (esp. Brit, jeweller) a maker of or etc.). •«. a person (esp. a woman) who jilts a lover.
dealer in jewels or jewelry. jim crow /jim kr6/ n. (also Jim Crow) 1 the practice of
jew«el»ry /jobalree/ n. (esp. Brit, jewellery /jobalree/) segregating blacks. 2 offens. a black person. 3 an im-
jewels or other ornamental objects, esp. for personal plement for straightening iron bars or bending rails by
adornment, regarded collectively. screw pressure, dd jim crow«ism n. (in sense 1).
Avoid pronouncing this word "joo-luh-ree"; many jim«my /jimee/ n. &
v. (Brit, jemmy /jemee/) •«. (pi.

regard this as uneducated. -mies) a burglar's short crowbar, usu. made in sec-
jew»el»ry box n. a box in which jewelry is kept. tions. • v.tr. (-mies, -mied) force open with a jimmy.
Jew»ish /jobish/ adj. 1 of or relating to Jews. 2 of Ju- jinvsooweed /jimsanweed/ n. = thorn apple.
daism, dd JewisrHy adv. Jewistvness n. jiogle /jinggal/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a mixed noise as of bells
Jew's (or Jews') harp n. a small lyre-shaped musical or light metal objects being shaken together. 2 a a rep-
instrument held between the teeth and struck with the etition of the same sound in words, esp. as an aid to
finger. memory or to attract attention, b a short verse of this
Jez«e»bel /jezabel/ n. a shameless or immoral woman. kind used in advertising, etc. •v. intr. tr. make or &
jg abbr. (also J.G.) US Navy junior grade. cause to make a jingling sound, dd jin-gly adj. (jingli-
l
jib /jib/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a triangular staysail from the outer er, jingliest).
end of a forward-extending boom (the jibboom) to the
top of the foremast or from the bowsprit to the mast- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
jingo ~ joint 424 jock«strap /jokstrap/ n. a support or protection for the
male genitals, worn esp. by athletes.
jirrgo /jinggo/ n. (pi. -goes) a supporter of policy favor- joc»u»lar/j6kyalar/ adj. 1 merry; fond of joking. 2 of the
ing war; a blustering patriot, dd jin*go*ism n. jin«go« nature of a joke; humorous, dd joc«u»lar»i»ty /-laritee/
ist n. jin»go»is»tic /-go-istik/ adj. n. (pi. -ties). joc«u«lar«ly adv.
jirrni /jinee, jinee/ n. (also jinn, djinn /jin/) (pi. jinn or joc»und /jokand, jo-/ adj. literary merry; cheerful;
jinns, djinn or djinns) (in Muslim mythology) an in- sprightly, dd jo*cun*di*ty /jakunditee/ n. (pi. -ties).
telligent being lower than the angels, able to appear in Joe Blow /jo bio/ n. colloq. a hypothetical average man.
human and animal forms, and having power over peo- jO»ey /joee/ n. (pi. young kangaroo.
-eys) Austral, a
ple. jog /jog/ v. & (jogged, jogging) 1 intr. run at a
n. •*;.
jinx /jingks/ n. & v. colloq. •n. a person or thing that slow pace, esp. as physical exercise. 2 intr. (of a horse)
seems to cause bad luck. • v. tr. (often in passive) sub- move at a jog trot. 3 intr. (often foil, by on, along) pro-
ject (a person) to an unlucky force. ceed laboriously; trudge. 4 intr. go on one's way. 5 intr.
jiWer/jitar/n. &v. colloq. •n. (the jitters) extreme nerv- proceed; get through the time (we must jog on some-
ousness. • v.intr. be nervous; act nervously, dd jit»ter»y how). 6 intr. move up and down with an unsteady mo-
adj. jit«ter»i»ness n. tion. 7 tr. nudge (a person), esp. to arouse attention.
jit»ter»bug /jitarbug/ n. &
v. *n. 1a nervous person. 8 tr. shake with a push or jerk. 9 tr. stimulate (a per-
2 hist, a a popular dance, b a person fond of danc-
fast son's or one's own memory). «w. 1 a shake, push, or
ing this, •v.intr. (-bugged, -bugging) dance the jitter- nudge. 2 a slow walk or trot.
bug. jog*ger /jogar/ n. a person who jogs, esp. one who runs
jive /jlv/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a jerky lively style of dance esp. for physical exercise.
popular in the 1950s. 2 music for this. 3 5/. talk, jog^gle /jogal/ v.
1
&
n. •v.tr. &
intr. shake or move by

conversation, esp. when misleading or pretentious. or as if by repeated jerks. • n. 1 a slight shake. 2 the act
• v.intr. 1 dance the jive. 2 play jive music, dd jiv»er n. or action of joggling.
See note at jibe. jog»gle 2 /jogal/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a joint of two pieces of

job /job/ n. &

v. »n. 1 a piece of work, esp. one done stone or lumber, contrived to prevent their sliding on
for hire or profit. 2 a paid position of employment. one another. 2 a notch in one of the two pieces, a
3 colloq. anything one has to do. 4 colloq. a difficult task projection in the other, or a small piece let in between
(had a job to find them). 5 a product of work, esp. if well the two, for this purpose, mv.tr. join with a joggle.
done. 6 Computing an item of work regarded separate- John /jon/ n. si. a toilet or bathroom.
ly. 7 si. a crime, esp. a robbery. 8 a transaction in which John Bull /jon bobl/ n. a personification of England or
private advantage prevails over duty or public interest. the typical Englishman.
9 (is a bad job).
a state of affairs or set of circumstances john»ny /jonee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 colloq. (also Johnny) a
• v. (jobbed, jobbing) do piecework.
1 a intr. fellow; a man. 2 si. a short-sleeved, collarless gown
do jobs;
b tr. (usu. foil, by out) let or deal with for profit; sub- worn by patients in hospitals, examining rooms, etc.
contract. 2 a intr. deal in stocks, b tr. buy and sell joie de vi»vre /zhwaa da veevra/ n. a feeling of healthy
(stocks or goods) as a middleman. 3 a intr. turn a posi- and exuberant enjoyment of life.
tion of trust to private advantage, b tr. deal corruptly join /joyn/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. (often foil, by to, together) put
with (a matter). 4 tr. si. swindle, n make a job (or good together; fasten; unite (one thing or person to anoth-
job) of do thoroughly or successfully, on the job col- er or several together). 2 tr. connect (points) by a line,
loq. at work; in the course of doing a piece of work, out etc. 3 tr. become a member of (an association, society,
of a job unemployed. organization, etc.). 4 tr. take one's place with or in (a
job»ber7jobar/n. 1 a a wholesaler, b derog. a broker (see company, group, procession, etc.). 5 tr. a come into
broker 2). 2 Brit, before 1986, a principal or whole- the company of (a person), b (foil, by in) take part
saler dealing on the stock exchange. 3 a person who with (others) in an activity, etc. (joined me in condem-
jobs. nation of the outrage). C (foil, by for) share the com-
job«ber«y /jobaree/ n. corrupt dealing. pany of for a specified occasion (may I join you for
jobless /joblis/ adj. without a job; unemployed, dd job* lunch?). 6 intr. (often foil, by with, to) come together;
lessTiess n. be united. 7 intr. (often foil, by in) take part with oth-
job lot n. a miscellaneous group of articles, esp. bought ers in an activity, etc. 8 tr. be or become connected or
together. continuous with (the Gila River joins the Colorado atYu-
job-shar»ing n. an arrangement by which a full-time ma). n. a point, line, or surface at which two or more
job is done jointly by several part-time employees who things are joined, d join battle begin fighting, join forc-
share the remuneration. es combine efforts, join hands 1 a clasp each other's
jock /jok/ n. colloq. a jockey.
1
hands, b clasp one's hands together. 2 combine in an
jock 2 /jok/ n. si. 1 = jockstrap. 2 an athlete. action or enterprise, join up 1 enlist for military serv-
jock«ey /jokee/ n. &
v. •«. (pi. -eys) a rider in horse ice. 2 (often foil, by with) unite, dd join*a*ble adj.
races, esp. a professional one. mv. (-eys, -eyed) 1 tr. join«der /joyndar/ n. Law the act of bringing together.
a trick or cheat (a person), b outwit. 2 tr. (foil, by away, join»er /joynar/ «. 1 a person who makes furniture and
draw (a person) by trickery. 3 intr. cheat.
out, in, etc.) light woodwork. 2 colloq. a person who readily joins
d jockey for position try to gain an advantageous posi- societies, etc.dd join»er«y sense 1).
n. (in
tion, esp. by skillful maneuvering or unfair action. joint /joynt/ n., adj., &
V. mn. 1 a a place at ulm.li (wo
dd jock*eydom n. jock*eyship n. things are joined together, b a point at which, or a on i

trivance by which, two parts of an artificial structure

jockey 16th cent.: diminutive of Jock. Originally
late
are joined. 2 a structure in an animal body by which
the name for an ordinary man, lad, or underling, the
two bones are fitted together. 3 a any of the parts in-
word came to mean 'mounted courier', hence the cur-
to which an animal carcass is divided for food, b am
rent sense (late 17th cent.). Another early use 'horse-
of the parts of which a body is made up. 4 sL a pl.it e
dealer' (long a byword for dishonesty) probably gave
ofmeeting for drinking, etc. 5 s/. a marijuana igSfCttC (
rise to the verb sense 'manipulate', whereas the main
6 the part of a stem from which a leaf Of brant h grOWt.
verb sense probably relates to the behavior of jockeys
7 a piece of flexible material forming the hinge <>l a
maneuvering for an advantageous position during a
book cover. 8 Geol a fissure in a mass of rock. • </<//.
race.
1 held or done by, or belonging to, two 01 mote pel
 .

sons, etc. in conjunction (a joint mortgage, joint action)

, 425 Joint Chiefs of Staff ~ judge
2 sharing with another in some action, state, etc. (joint
author, joint favorite), •v.tr. 1 connect by joints. 2 di- jounce /jowns/ v.tr. & intr. bump; bounce; jolt.

vide (a body or member) at a joint or into joints. 3 fill
up the joints of (masonry, etc.) with mortar, etc.; trim
the surface of (a mortar joint). 4 prepare (a board, etc.)
for being joined to another by planing its edge, a out
of joint 1 (of a bone) dislocated. 2 a out of order, b in-
appropriate, dd joinMess adj. joinWy adv.
Joint Chiefs of Staff n.pl. Mil. a military advisory
group made up of the Army Chief of Staff, the Air
Force Chief of Staff, the Marine Corps commandant,
and the Chief of Naval Operations.
joint stock n. capital held jointly; a common fund.
joist /joyst/ n. each of a series of parallel supporting
beams of lumber, steel, etc., used in floors, ceilings,
etc. no joist*ed adj.
jO*jO*ba /hohobs/ n. a plant, Simmondsia chinensis, with
seeds yielding an oily extract used in cosmetics, etc.
joke /jok/ n. &
v. *n. 1 a a thing said or done to excite
laughter, b a witticism or jest. 2 a ridiculous thing, per- jour»ney»man /jarneeman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a qualified
son, or circumstance. • v. 1 intr. make jokes. 2 tr. poke
fun at; banter, d no joke colloq. a serious matter, dd jok«
ing«ly adv. jok*ey adj. (also jok»y). jok*My adv. jok-i* joust /jowst/ n.
journal /jarnal/ n. 1 a newspaper or periodical. 2 a dai-
ly record of events. 3 Naut. a logbook. 4 a book in
which business transactions are entered, with a state-
ment of the accounts to which each is to be debited
and credited. 5 the part of a shaft or axle that rests on
bearings.
jOur*nal«ism /jarnalizgm/ n. the business or practice of
writing and producing newspapers.
jour*nal*ist /jarnalist/ n. a person employed to report
for or edit a newspaper, journal, or newscast, dd jour*
nal*is*tic adj. jour*nal*is*ti*cal*ly /-istikalee/ adv.
jour»ney /jgrnee/ n. v. •«. (pi. -neys) 1 an act of go- &
ing from one place to another, esp. at a long distance.
2 the distance traveled in a specified time (a day's jour-
ney). 3 the traveling of a vehicle along a route at a stat-
ed time, •v.intr. (-neys, -neyed) make a journey.
dd jour»neyer n.
mechanic or artisan who works for another. 2 derog. a
reliable but not outstanding worker.
&
v. hist. • n. a combat between two

ness n. knights on horseback with lances. • v. intr. engage in a

jok»er /jokar/ w. 1a person who jokes. 2 5/. a fellow; a joust, dd joust*er n.
man. 3 a playing card usu. with a figure of a jester, Jove /jov/ n. (in Roman mythology) Jupiter, a by Jove!
used in some games esp. as a wild card. 4 an unex- an exclamation of surprise or approval.
pected factor or resource. jo*vi*al /joveeal/ adj. 1 merry. 2 convivial. 3 hearty and
joMi»fy /jolifiV v.tr. &
intr. (-fies, -fied) make or be mer- good-humored, dd jo*vi«al-i«ty /-alitee/ n. jo»vi»aMy
ry, esp. in drinking, dd jol*li*fi*ca*tion n. adv.
joMi'ty /jolitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 merrymaking; festive- Jo*vi*an /joveean/ adj. 1 (in Roman mythology) of or
ness. 2 (in pi.) festivities. like Jupiter. 2 of the planet Jupiter.
joMy /jolee/ adj., adv., v.,
1
&
n. •adj. (jollier, jolliest jowl /jowl/ n. 1 the jaw or jawbone. 2 the cheek (cheek
1

1 cheerful and good-humored; merry. 2 festive; jovial. by jowl), dd -jowled adj. (in comb.).
3 slightly drunk, madv. esp. Brit, colloq. very (they were jowl 2 /jowl/ n. 1 the external loose skin on the throat or
jolly unlucky), •v.tr. (-lies, -lied) 1 (usu. foil, by along) neck when prominent. 2 the dewlap of oxen, wattle of
colloq. coax or humor (a person) in a friendly way. a bird, etc. dd jowl*y adj.
2 chaff; banter. • n. (pi. -lies) colloq. a party or celebra- joy /joy/ n.&v.*n."\ (often foil, by at, in) a vivid emo-
tion; an outing, dd joMMy adv. o get one' jollies infor- tion of pleasure; extreme gladness. 2 a thing that caus-
mal have fun or find pleasure joMi*ness n. es joy. mv. esp. poet. 1 intr. rejoice. 2 tr. gladden, dd joy
joMy /jolee/ n. (pi. -lies) (in full jolly boat) a ship's boat less adj. joylessly adv.
2

smaller than a cutter. joyful /joyfool/ adj. full of, showing, or causing joy.
jolt /jolt/ v.&n. »v. 1 tr. disturb or shake from the nor- dd joy»fuMy adv. joyful»ness n.
mal position (esp. in a moving vehicle) with a jerk. 2 tr. joy*OUS /joyas/ adj. (of an occasion, circumstance, etc.)
give a mental shock to; perturb. 3 intr. (of a vehicle) characterized by pleasure or joy; joyful, dd joy»ous»ly
move along with jerks, as on a rough road. n. 1 such adv. joyousTiess n.
a jerk. 2 a surprise or shock, dd jolt«y adj. (joltier, jolti- joyride /joyrid/ n. &
v. colloq. mn. a ride for pleasure in

est). an automobile, esp. without the owner's permission.

jon*quil /jongkwil/ n. a bulbous plant, Narcissus jon- • v.intr. (past -rode /-rod/; past part, -ridden /-rid'n/)
quilla, with clusters of small fragrant yellow flowers. go for a joyride. dd joy»rid«er n.
Jor*da*ni*an /jawrdayneean/ adj. &
n. *adj. of or relat- joystick /joystik/ n. 1 colloq. the control column of an
ing to the kingdom of Jordan in the Middle East. *n. aircraft. 2 a lever that can be moved in several direc-
1 a native or national of Jordan. 2 a person of Jorda- tions to control the movement of an image on a com-
nian descent. puter monitor.
josh /josh/ n. &v. good-natured or teasing joke.
si. • n. a JP abbr. 1 justice of the peace. 2 jet propulsion.
• v. ^ tr. tease or banter. 2 intr. indulge in ridicule. Jr. abbr. junior.
dd josh-er n. jt. abbr. joint.
jOS*tle /josal/ v. &
push against; elbow. 2 tr. ju*bi*lant /jobbilant/ adj. exultant; rejoicing; joyful.
n. *v. 1 tr.

(often foil, by away, from, etc.) push (a person) abrupt- dd ju'bi-lance /-tens/ n. ju*bi*lant*ly adv.
ly or roughly. 3 intr. (foil, by against) knock or push, ju*bi*lee /jobbile'e/ n. 1a time or season of rejoicing.
esp. in a crowd. 4 intr. (foil, by with) struggle; have a 2 an anniversary, esp. the 25th or 50th.
rough exchange, n. 1 the act or an instance of jostling. Ju*da*ism /jobdeeizam, -day-/ n. 1 the religion of the
2 a collision. Jews, with a belief in one God and a basis in Mosaic
jot /jot/ v. &
n. mv.tr. (jotted, jotting) (usu. foil, by down) and rabbinical teachings. 2 the Jews collectively, dd Ju»
write briefly or hastily. • n. (usu. with neg. expressed da»ist n.
or implied) a very small amount (not one jot). Ju»das /joodas/ n. a person who betrays a friend.
joMing /joting/ n. (usu. in pi.) a note; something jotted Judeo- /jooday-6, -de'e-6/ comb, form (Brit. Judaeo-)
down. Jewish; Jewish and.
joule /jool/ n. the SI unit of work or energy equal to the judge /juj/ n. v • n. 1 a public officer appointed to & .

work done by a force of one newton when its point of hear and try causes in a court of justice. 2 a person ap-
application moves one meter in the direction of action
of the force, equivalent to a watt-second. 1 Symb.: J. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

judgment ~ jumper 426
pointed to decide a dispute or contest. 3 a a person
who decides a question, b a person regarded in terms
of capacity to decide on the merits of a thing or ques-
tion (am no judge of that; a good judge of art), mv. 1 tr.
a try (a cause) in a court of justice, b pronounce sen-
tence on (a person). 2 tr. form an opinion about; esti-
mate, appraise. 3 tr. act as a judge of (a dispute or con-
test). 4 tr. (often foil, by to + infin. or that + clause)
conclude, consider, or suppose. 5 intr. a form a judg-
ment, b act as judge, na judge*like adj. judgeship n.
judgement /jujmant/w. (also judge-merit) 1 the critical
faculty; discernment (an error of judgment) 2 good .
sense. 3 an opinion or estimate (in my judgment). 4 the
sentence of a court of justice; a decision by a judge.
juic*y /joosee/ adj. (juicier, juiciest) 1 full of juice; suc-
culent. 2 colloq. substantial or interesting; racy; scan-
dalous. 3 colloq. profitable, aa juic*My adv. juic*i*ness
n.
Japanese system
ju*jit*su /joojitsoo/ n. (also jiu*jit*su) a
of unarmed combat and physical training.
ju*jube /joojoob/ n. 1 a any plant of the genus Zizyphus
bearing edible acidic berrylike fruits, b this fruit. 2 a
small lozenge or candy of gelatin, etc., flavored with
or imitating this.
juke*box /jookboks/ n. a machine that automatically
plays a selected musical recording when a coin is in-
serted.
Jul. abbr. July.
ju*lep /joolip/ n. 1 iced and flavored spirits and water
(mintjulep) 2 a a sweet drink, esp. as a vehicle for med-
.

5 often joe. a misfortune viewed as a deserved recom- icine, b medicated drink as a mild stimulant, etc.
a
pense (it is a judgment on you for getting up late). 6 crit- JuMan /jdolyan/ adj. of or associated with Julius Cae-
icism, d against one's better judgment contrary to sar.
what one really feels to be advisable. JuMan
cal*en*dar n. a calendar introduced by Julius
Judgement Day n. the day on which the Last Judgment Caesar, in which the year consisted of 365 days, eve-
is believed to take place. ry fourth year having 366 (cf. Gregorian calendar).
judg*men*tal /jujment'l/ adj. (also judge»men»tal) 1 of ju*li*enne /joolee-en/ n. &
adj. mn. foodstuff, esp. vege-
or concerning or by way of judgment. 2 condemning; tables, cut into short, thin strips, •adj. cut into thin
critical, dd judg*men*taMy adv. strips.
ju*di*ca*ture /jobdikachar/ n. 1 the administration of Ju«ly /joDli/ n. (pi. Julies or Julys) the seventh month
justice. 2 a judge's office or term of office. 3 judges of the year.
collectively; judiciary. 4 a court of justice. junvble /jumbal/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. (often foil, by up) con-
ju*di*cial /joodishal/ adj. 1 of, done by, or proper to a fuse; mix up. 2 intr. move about in disorder. • «. a con-
court of law. 2 having the function of judgment (a judi- fused state or heap; a muddle, aa junvbly adj.
cial assembly). 3 of or proper to a judge. 4 expressing junvbo /jumbo/ n. &
adj. colloq. »n. (pi. -bos) 1 a large
a judgment; critical. 5 impartial. 6 regarded as a di- animal (esp. an elephant), person, or thing. 2 (in full
vine judgment, na ju«di»cial»ly adv. jumbo jet) a large airliner with capacity for several hun-
Judicial means 'relating to judgment and the dred passengers, •adj. 1 very large of its kind. 2 extra
administration of justice': judicial robes, the judicial sys- large (jumbo packet)
tem. Do not confuse it with judicious, which means jump /jump/ v. &
n. »v. ] intr. move off the ground or
'prudent, reasonable': Getting off the highway the min- other surface (usu. upward, at least initially) by sud-
ute you felt tired was a judicious choice. den muscular effort in the legs. 2 intr. (often foil, by
ju»di»ci»ar»y /joodishee-eree, -disharee/ n. (pi. -ies) the up, from, in, out, etc.) move suddenly or hastily in a
judges of a state or nation's judicial branch collective- specified way (we jumped into the car) 3 intr. give a sud-.

ly. den bodily movement from shock or excitement, etc.

ju*di*cious /joodishss/ adj. 1 sensible; prudent. 4 intr. undergo a rapid change, esp. an advance in sta-
2 sound in discernment and judgment, dd ju*di*cious« tus. 5 intr. (often foil, by about) change or move rap-
ly adv. ju*di*cious*ness n. idly from one idea or subject to another. 6 a intr. rise
ju*do /jobdo/ n. a sport of unarmed combat derived or increase suddenly (prices jumped) b tr. cause to do .

from jujitsu. an ju*do*ist n.
jug /jug/ n. & v. mn. 1 a a deep vessel for holding liq-
uids, with a handle and often with a spout or lip shaped
for pouring, b the contents of this; a jugful. 2 a large
jar with a narrow mouth. 3 si. prison. 4 (in pi.) coarse
si a woman's breasts, •v.tr. (jugged, jugging) 1 (usu.
as jugged adj.) stew or boil (a hare or rabbit) in a cov-
ered vessel. 2 si. imprison, an jug*ful n. (pi. -fuls).
jug«gle /jugol/ v. &n. 9V. 1 9 intr. (often foil, by with)
perform feats of dexterity, esp. by tossing objects in
the air and catching them, keeping several in the air at
the same time, b tr. perform such feats with. 2 tr. con-
tinue to deal with (several activities) at once, esp. with
ingenuity. 3 intr. (foil, by with) & tr. a deceive or cheat,
b misrepresent (facts). C rearrange adroitly. •«. 1 a
piece of juggling. 2 a fraud.
jug*gler /juglar/ n. 1 a person who juggles. 2 a trickster
or impostor, aa jug*gler*y n.
jug*u*lar /jugyatar/ adj. 1 of the neck or throat. 2 (of
fish) having ventral fins in front of the pectoral fins.
juice /joos/ n. 1 the liquid part of vegetables or fruits.
2 the fluid part of an animal body or substance, esp.
a secretion (gastric juice) 3 the essence or spirit of an-
. colloq. attack or criticize severely and without \\:un
ything. 4 colloq. electricity as a source of power. 5 5/.
alcoholic liquor, na juice-less adj.
juic»er /jobssr/ n. 1 a kitchen tool or appliance for ex-
tracting the juice from fruits and vegetables. 2 5/. an
this. 7 tr. a pass over (an obstacle, barrier, etc.) by
jumping, b move or pass over (an intervening thing)
to a point beyond. 8 tr. skip or pass over (a passage in
a book, etc.). 9 tr. cause (a thing, or an animal, esp. a
horse) to jump. 10 intr. (foil, by to, at) reach a conclu-
sion hastily. 1 1 tr. (of a train) leave (the rails) owing to
a fault. 1 2 tr. esp. Brit, ignore and pass (a red traffic
light, etc.). 13 tr. get on or off (a train, etc.) quickly,
esp. illegally or dangerously. 14 tr. pounce on or attack
(a person) unexpectedly. 15 tr. take summary posses-
sion of (a claim allegedly abandoned or forfeit by the
formeroccupant).««. 1 the act or an instance of jump-
ing. 2 a a sudden bodily movement caused by shock
or excitement, b (the jumps) colloq. extreme nervous-
ness or anxiety. 3 an abrupt rise in amount, price, val
ue, status, etc. 4 an obstacle to be jumped, esp. by a
horse. 5 a a sudden transition, b a gap in a series, log
ical sequence, etc. n get (or have) the jump on colloq.
get (or have) an advantage over fa prison) by prompt
action, jump at accept eagerly, jump bail see BAIL ' ,
jump
down a person's throat reprimand or COntTI
colloq.
diet a person fiercely, jump the gun see OUN. jump on
ing. jump ship (of a seaman) desert, jump to it colloq.
act promptly and energetically, one jump ahead one-
stage further on than a rival, etc. an jump»a»ble adj.
jump-er /jumpor/ n. 1 sleeveless one-piece dress usu
1

alcoholic. worn over a blouse or shirt. 2 a loose outer jacket of

 .

canvas, etc., worn esp. by sailors. 3 Brit, a pullover 427 jumper - justice
sweater.
jump»er 2 /jumpar/ n. 1 a person or animal that jumps. junk /jungk/
1
n. & v. discarded articles; rubbish.
mn. 1

2 Electr. a short wire used to make or break a circuit. 2 anything regarded as of little value. 3 si. a narcotic

3 a rope made fast to keep a yard, mast, etc., from drug, esp. heroin, mv.tr. discard as junk.
2
junk /jungk/ n. a flat-bottomed sailing vessel used in
jumping. 4 a heavy chisel-ended iron bar for drilling
blast holes. the China seas, with a prominent stern.
jumpier ca*bles n.pl. a pair of electrical cables attached jun*ket /jungkit/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a dish of sweetened and

to a battery and used to start a motor vehicle with a flavored curds, often served with fruit or cream. 2 a
weak or discharged battery. feast. 3 a pleasure outing. 4 an official's tour at public
jumping bean /jumping/ n. the seed of a Mexican plant expense, mv.intr. feast; picnic, dd jurvkeHng n.
that jumps with the movement of the larva inside. junk food n. food with low nutritional value.
jump rope n. a length of rope held at each end and junk*ie /jungkee/ n. si. a drug addict.
swung over the head and under the feet of the jumper, junk mail n. unsolicited advertising matter sent
who must skip over the rope each time it revolves un- through the mail.
der the feet, used for exercise or a children's game. junk*yard /jungkyard/ n. a yard in which junk is col-
jump seat n. a folding extra seat in a motor vehicle. lected and sometimes resold.
jump-start v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 start (a car with a dead bat- jun*ta /hobnta, junta/ n. a political or military clique or
tery) with jumper cables or by a sudden release of the faction taking power after a revolution or coup d'etat.
clutch while it is being pushed. 2 give an added impe- Ju»pi»ter /jobpitar/ n. the largest planet of the solar sys-
tus to something that is proceeding slowly or at a stand- tem, orbiting about the sun between Mars and Sat-
still (jump-start the sluggish educational system). *n. urn.
1 the act of jump-starting a car. 2 an added impetus. Ju*ras*sic /joorasik/ adj. &
n. Geol. madj. of or relating
jump-suit /jumpsoot/ n. a one-piece garment for the to the second period of the Mesozoic era with evidence
whole body, of a kind orig. worn by paratroopers. of many large dinosaurs, the first birds (including Ar-
jump»y /jumpee/ adj. (jumpier, jumpiest) 1 nervous; chaeopteryx), and mammals. mn. this era or system.
easily startled. 2 making sudden movements, esp. of ju*rid*i*cal /jooridikal/ adj. 1 of judicial proceedings.
nervous excitement, an jump»i»ly adv. jump»i»ness n. 2 relating to the law. dd ju*rid*i*caMy adv.
Jun. abbr. 1 June. 2 Junior. ju*ris*dic«tion /jobrisdikshan/ n. 1 (often foil, by over,
jurvco /jungko/ n. (pi. -cos or -coes) any small Amer- of) the administration of justice. 2 a legal or other au-
ican finch of the genus Junco. thority, b the extent of this; the territory it extends
junction /jungkshan/ n. 1 a point at which two or more over, dd ju*ris*dic*tion*al adj.
things are joined. 2 a place where two or more railroad ju«ris»pru»dence /jobrisprobd'ns/ n. 1 the science or
lines or roads meet, unite, or cross. 3 the act or an in- philosophy of law. 2 skill in law. dd ju*ris*pru*dent
stance of joining. 4 Electronics a region of transition in /-dant/ adj. &
n. ju*ris*pru*den*tial -denshal/ adj.

a semiconductor between regions where conduction juTist /jobrist/ n. 1 an expert in law. 2 a legal writer. 3 a
is mainly by electrons and regions where it is mainly lawyer, dd ju*ris*tic /-ristik/ adj. ju«ris«ti»cal /-ristikal/
by holes. adj.
junotion box n. a box containing a junction of elec- ju»ror /jobrar/ n. la member of a jury. 2 a person who
tric cables, etc. takes an oath.
junoture /jungkchar/ n. 1a
convergence of ju»ry /jobree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 (also grand ju«ry) a body of
critical
persons sworn to render a verdict on the basis of ev-
events; a critical point of time (at this juncture). 2 a
place where things join. 3 an act of joining. idence submitted to them in a court of justice. 2 a body
June /joon/ n. the sixth month of the year. of persons selected to award prizes in a competition.
June bug n. any of several large brown scarab beetles, ju»ry»man /jobreeman/ n. (pi. -men) a member of a
esp. Phyllophaga fusca.
jun»gle /junggal/ n. 1a land overgrown with under- ju*ry-rigged /jobreerigd/ adj. having temporary make-
wood or tangled vegetation, esp. in the tropics, b an ar- shift rigging.
ea of such land. 2 a wild tangled mass. 3 a place of be- ju»rywonvan /jobree wooman/ n. (pi. -women) a
wildering complexity or confusion, or of a struggle for woman member of a jury.
survival (blackboard jungle) d law of the jungle a state
. just /just/ adj. & adv. madj. 1 acting or done in accord-
of ruthless competition, an jurvgled adj. jun*gly adj. ance with what is morally right or fair. 2 (of treatment,
jun*gle gym n. a playground structure with bars, lad- etc.) deserved (a just reward). 3 (of feelings, opinions,
ders, etc., for children to climb. etc.) well-grounded (just resentment). 4 right in
jun*ior /jobnyar/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 less advanced in age. amount, etc.; proper, madv. 1 exactly (just what I need)
2 (foil, by to) inferior in age, standing, or position. 2 exactly or nearly at this or that moment; a little time
3 the younger (esp. appended to a name for distinc- ago (I have just seen them). 3 colloq. simply; merely (we
tion from an older person of the same name). 4 of less were just good friends; it just doesn't make sense). 4 bare-
or least standing; of the lower or lowest position (jun- ly; no more than (I just managed it; just a minute) 5 col- .

ior partner) 5 Brit, (of a school) having pupils in a

. loq. positively (it is just splendid). 6 quite (not just yet; it
younger age-range, usu. 7-11.6 of the year before the is just as well that I checked) 7 colloq. really; indeed
.

final year at college, high school, etc. •«. 1 a junior
person. 2 one's inferior in length of service, etc. 3 a
junior student. 4 colloq. a young male child, esp. in rela-
tion to his family.
junior coMege n. a college offering a two-year course,
esp. in preparation for completion at senior college.
jun»ior high school n. school attended between
elementary and high school and usu. consisting of justice /justis/ n. 1 just conduct. 2 fairness. 3 the ex-
grades seven and eight and sometimes nine.
ju*ni*per /joonipar/ n. any evergreen shrub or tree of
(won't I just tell him!). 8 in questions, seeking precise
information (just how did you manage?), a just about
colloq. almost exactly; almost completely, just in case
1 lest. 2 as a precaution, just now 1 at this moment.
2 a little time ago. just so 1 exactly arranged (they like
everything just so). 2 it is exactly as you say. dd jusHy
adv. just-ness n.
ercise of authority in the maintenance of right. 4 judi-
cial proceedings (zvas duly brought to justice) 5 a a mag- .

the genus Juniper us, esp. J. communis with prickly leaves

and dark purple berrylike cones. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
justice of the peace ~ JV 428 protrude; project. »ra. a projection; a pro-
out, forth)
truding point.
istrate. b a judge, esp. of a supreme court, d do justice jute /joOt/ n. a rough fiber made from the bark of E. In-
to treat fairly or appropriately; show due appreciation dian plants of the genus Corchorus, used for making
of. do oneself justice perform in a manner worthy of twine and rope, and woven into sacking, mats, etc.
one's abilities, on jus»tice»ship n. (in sense 5). ju*ve*nile /jobvanil/ adj. &
n. •adj. 1 a young; youth-
justice of the peace n. a local magistrate appointed ful, b of or for young persons. 2 suited to or
to hear minor cases, grant licenses, perform marriages, characteristic of youth. 3 often derog. immature (be-
etc. having in a very juvenile way). •«. 1 a young person.
jus*ti*fi*a*ble /justifbbal/ adj. that can be justified or 2 Commerce a book intended for young people. 3 an
defended. jus*ti*fi*a*bil*i*ty n. jus*ti*fi*a«ble*ness n. actor playing the part of a youthful person, nn ju»ve»
jus-ti«fi-a-bly adv. nile-ly adv. ju»ve»nil»i»ty /-nilitee/ n.
jus«ti»fy /justifi/ v.tr. (-fies, -fied) 1 show the justice or ju*ve*nile court n. a court for the trial of children usu.
Tightness of (a person, act, etc.). 2 demonstrate the under 18.
correctness of (an assertion, etc.). 3 adduce adequate ju*ve*nile de«lin*quen*cy n. offenses committed by a
grounds for (conduct, a claim, etc.). 4 a (esp. in pas- person or persons below the age of legal responsibili-
sive) (of circumstances) be such as to justify, b vindi- ty, dd ju*ve*nile de*lin*quent n.

cate. 5 (as justified adj.) just; right {am justified in as- jux*ta*pose /jukstapoz/ v.tr. 1 place (things) side by
suming). 6 Printing adjust (a line of type) to fill a space side. 2 (foil, by to, with) place (a thing) beside anoth-
evenly, nn jus*ti«fi*ca*tion /-fikayshan/ n. jus*tif*i«ca*to* er, nn jux*ta*po*si*tion /-pszishsn/ n. jux*ta*po*si*tion*
ry /-stifikatawree/ adj. jus»ti»fi»er n. al /-pazishanal/ adj.
jut /jut/ v. & n. •v.intr. (jutted, jutting) (often foil, by JV abbr. junior varsity.
 K
K 1
/kay/ n. (also k) (pi. Ks or K's) the eleventh letter of called china clay, dd ka*o*lin*ic /-linik/ adj. ka»o«lin»
the alphabet. ize v. tr.

K2 2 King; King's. 3 (also k)

abbr. (also K.) 1 kelvin(s). ka*on /kayon/ n. Physics an unstable meson created
(prec. by numeral) a Computing a unit of 1,024 (i.e.,
a from a high-energy particle collision.
2 10 ) bytes or bits, or loosely 1,000. b 1,000. 4 Base- ka-pok /kaypok/ n. a fine, fibrous, cottonlike substance
ball strikeout. found surrounding the seeds of a tropical tree, Ceiba
K 3 symb. Chem. the element potassium. pentandra, used for stuffing cushions, soft toys, etc.
k abbr. 1 kilo-. 2 knot(s). Kaposi's sar»CO«ma /kapaseez, kapcW n. Med. a ma-
kab*ba*la var. of cabala. lignant neoplasm of connective tissue marked by blu-
ka*bob /kabob/ n. (also ke*bab, ke«bob) (usu. in pi.) ish-red lesions on the skin; often associated with AIDS.
small pieces of meat, vegetables, etc., packed closely kap-pa /kapa/ n. the tenth letter of the Greek alphabet
on a skewer and broiled. (K, k).
ka*bu*ki /kabookee/ n. a form of popular traditional ka*put /kaapobt/ predic.adj. si. broken; ruined; done for.
Japanese drama with highly stylized song, acted by kar«a«bi«ner /karabe'enar/ n. a coupling link with safe-
males only. ty closure, used by mountaineers.
Kad»dish /ka'adish/ n. Judaism 1 a Jewish mourner's kar»a»kul/karakool/rc. (also Kar*a*kul, caracul) 1 a vari-
prayer. 2 a doxology in the synagogue service. ety of Asian sheep with a dark curled fleece when
KaMir /kafar/ n. 1 a member of the Xhosa-speaking young. 2 fur made from or resembling this.
peoples of South Africa. 2 the language of these kar*a*o«ke /kareeOkee, kara-/ n. a form of entertain-
peoples. ment in which people sing popular songs as soloists
Kaf*ka*esque /kaafkaesk/ adj. (of a situation, at- against a prerecorded backing.
mosphere, etc.) impenetrably oppressive, night- kar*at /karat/ n. ( Brit, carat) a measure of purity of
marish, in a manner characteristic of the fictional gold, pure gold being 24 karats.
world of Franz Kafka, German-speaking novelist (d. ka*ra*te /kara'atee/ n. a Japanese system of unarmed
1924). combat using the hands and feet as weapons.
kaf'tan var. of caftan. kar*ma /kaarma/ n. Buddhism &
Hinduism 1 the sum
kai»ser /kizar/ n. hist, an emperor, esp. the German em- of a person's actions in previous states of existence,
peror, the emperor of Austria, or the head of the Ho- viewed as deciding his or her fate in future existences.
ly Roman Empire, no kai*ser*ship n. 2 destiny, do kar*mic adj.
kal«an»cho»e /kalankoee/ n. a succulent plant of the karst /kaarst/ n. a limestone region with underground
mainly African genus Kalanchoe, which includes sev- drainage and many cavities and passages caused by
eral house plants. the dissolution of the rock.
kale /kayl/ n. 1 a variety of cabbage, esp. one with wrin- Kas*bah var. of Casbah.
kled leaves and no compact head. 2 5/. money. ka*ty*did /kayteedid/ n. any of various green grasshop-
ka*lei*do*scope /kalidaskop/ n. 1a tube containing pers of the family Tettigoniidae, native to the US.
mirrors and pieces of colored glass, paper, plastic, etc., kay*ak /kiak/ n. 1 an Eskimo canoe for one paddler,
whose reflections produce changing patterns when the consisting of a light wooden frame covered with skins.
tube is rotated. 2 a constantly changing group of bright 2 a small covered canoe resembling this.
or interesting objects. ka*lei*do*scop*ic /-skopik/ kay»o /kay6, kayo/ v. &
n. colloq. mv.tr. (-oes, -oed)
adj. ka»lei«do»scop«i«cal adj. knock out; stun by a blow. • n. (pi. -os) a knockout.
Ka*ma Su»tra /sobtra/ n. an ancient Sanskrit treatise ka*ZOO /kazob/ n. a toy musical instrument into which
on the art of erotic love. the player sings or hums.
ka*mi*ka*ze /kamika'azee/ n. &
adj. •n. hist. 1 a Jap- KC abbr. 1 Kansas City. 2 Knights of Columbus.
anese aircraft loaded with explosives and deliberately kc abbr. kilocycle(s).
crashed by its pilot onto its target. 2 the pilot of such ke»a /keea, kaya/ n. a parrot, Nestor notabilis, of New
an aircraft, •adj. 1 of or relating to a kamikaze. 2 reck- Zealand, with brownish-green and red plumage.
less; dangerous; potentially self-destructive. ke*bab var. of kabob.
Kam»pu«che*an /kampooche'ean/ n. &
adj. = Cambo- ke*bob var. of kabob.
dian. kedge /kej/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. move (a ship) by means of
Kan. abbr. Kansas. a hawser attached to a small anchor that is dropped at
kan*ga*roo /kanggaroo/ n. a plant-eating marsupial of some distance away. 2 intr. (of a ship) move in this way.
the genus Macropus, native to Australia and New Guin- n. (in full kedge anchor) a small anchor for this pur-
ea, with a long tail and strongly developed hindquar- pose.
ters enabling it to travel by jumping. keel /keel/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the lengthwise timber or steel
karvga«roo court n. an improperly constituted or ille- structure along the base of a ship, airship, or some air-
gal court held by a mob, etc. craft, on which the framework of the whole is built up.
kan*gar*00 rat n. any burrowing rodent of the ge- 2 poet, a ship. 3 a ridge along the breastbone of many
nusDipodomys, having elongated hind feet. birds; a carina. 4 Bot. a prow-shaped pair of petals in
Kans. abbr. Kansas. a corolla, etc. mv. 1 (often foil, by over) a intr. turn over
ka*o*lin /kayalin/ n. a fine, soft, white clay produced or fall down, b tr. cause to do this. 2 tr. intr. turn &
by the decomposition of other clays or feldspar, used keel upward, dd keeMess adj.
esp. for making porcelain and in medicines. Also keel*haul /keelhawl/ v. tr. 1 hist, drag (a person) through
 . .

keen ~ kepi 430 fine oneself to. keep to oneself 1 avoid contact with
others. 2 refuse to disclose or share, keep under hold
the water under the keel of a ship as a punishment. in subjection, keep up 1 maintain (progress, etc.).
2 scold or rebuke severely. 2 prevent (prices, one's spirits, etc.) from sinking.
keen /keen/ adj. 1 (of a person, desire, or interest) ea-
1
3 keep in repair, in an efficient or proper state, etc.
ger; ardent (a keen sportsman; keen to be involved). 2 4 carry on (a correspondence, etc.). 5 prevent (a per-
(foil, by on) much attracted by; fond of or enthusias- son) from going to bed, esp. when late. 6 (often foil,
tic about. 3 a (of the senses) sharp; highly sensitive. by with) manage not to fall behind, keep up with the
b (of memory, etc.) clear; vivid. 4 a (of a person) in- Joneses strive to compete socially with one's neigh-
tellectually acute, b (of a remark, etc.) quick; sharp; bors.
biting. 5 a having a sharp edge or point, b (of an edge, keep»er /ke'epsr/ n. la person who keeps or looks af-
etc.) sharp. 6 (of a sound, light, etc.) penetrating; viv- ter something or someone. 2 a = gamekeeper, b a per-
id; strong. 7 (of a wind, frost, etc.) piercingly cold. 8 (of son in charge of animals in a zoo.
a pain, etc.) acute; intense, dd keervly adv. keervness keeping /keeping/ n. 1 custody; charge (in safe keep-
n. ing) . 2 agreement; harmony (not in keeping with good
keen 2 /keen/ n. &
v. •«. an Irish funeral song accom- taste)
panied with wailing, mv. 1 intr. utter the keen. 2 tr. be- keep»sake /ke'epsayk/ n. a thing kept for the sake of or
wail (a person) in this way. 3 tr. utter in a wailing tone. in remembrance of the giver.
dd keen«er n. kef /kef, keef/ n. (also kif /kif/) 1 a drowsy state induced
keep /keep/ v.&n.m v. (past and past part, kept /kept/) by marijuana, etc. 2 the enjoyment of idleness. 3 a sub-
1 tr. have continuous charge of; retain possession of; stance smoked to produce kef.
save or hold on to. 2 tr. (foil, by for) retain or reserve keg /keg/ n. a small barrel of less than 30 gallons (usu.
for a future occasion or time (will keep it for tomorrow) 5-10 gallons).
3 tr. & intr. retain or remain in a specified condition, keg par»ty n. a party at which keg beer is served.
position, course, etc. (keep cool; keep off the grass; keep keis«ter /keestar/ (also keester) n. si. the buttocks.
them happy) 4 tr. put or store in a regular place (knives
. kelp /kelp/ n. 1 any of several large, broad-fronded
5 tr. (foil, by from) cause to avoid
are kept in this drawer) . brown seaweeds, esp. of the genus Laminaria, suitable
or abstain from something (will keep you from going too for use asmanure. 2 the calcined ashes of seaweed for-
fast) 6 tr. detain; cause to be late (what kept you?) 7 tr.
. . merly used in glassmaking and soap manufacture be-
a observe or pay due regard to (a law, custom, etc.) cause of their high content of sodium, potassium, and
(keep one 's word) b honor or fulfill (a commitment,
. magnesium salts.
undertaking, etc.). C respect the commitment implied Kelt var. of Celt.
by (a secret, etc.). d act fittingly on the occasion of kel«ter var. of kilter.
(keep the Sabbath) 8 tr. own and look after (animals)
. kel»vin /kelvin/ n. the SI unit of thermodynamic tem-
for amusement or profit (keeps bees) 9 tr. a provide for
. perature, equal in magnitude to the degree Celsius. ^
the sustenance of (a person, family, etc.). b (foil, by Abbr.: K.
in) maintain (a person) with a supply of. 1 tr. man- Kel«vin scale n. a scale of temperature with absolute
age (ashop, business, etc.). 11 tr. a maintain zero as zero.
(accounts, a diary, etc.) by making the requisite en- kempt /kempt/ adj. combed; neatly kept.
tries, b maintain (a house) in proper order. 12 tr. have ken /ken/ n. range of sight or knowledge.
(a commodity) regularly on sale (do you keep buttons?). ken*do /kendo/ n. a Japanese form of fencing with bam-
13rr. a confine or detain (a person, animal, etc.). boo swords.
b guard or protect (a person or place, a goal in soc- ken«nel /kenal/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a small shelter for a dog.

cer, etc.). 14zr. preserve in being; continue to have 2 (in pi.) a breeding or boarding establishment for
(keep order). 15 intr. (foil, by verbal noun) continue or dogs. 3 a mean dwelling, mv. (kenneled, kenneling;
do repeatedly or habitually (why do you keep saying esp. Brit, kennelled, kennelling) 1 tr. put into or keep
that?) 1 6 tr. continue to follow (a way or course)
. in a kennel. 2 intr. live in or go to a kennel.
1 7 intr. a (esp. of perishable commodities) remain in Ken«yan /kenyan, keen-/ adj. &
n. •adj. of or relating

good condition, b (of news or information, etc.) ad- to Kenya in E. Africa. • n. 1 a native or national of Ken-
mit of being withheld for a time. 18 tr. esp. Brit, re- ya. 2 a person of Kenyan descent.
main in (one's bed, room, house, etc.). 19 tr. retain kep»i /kepee, kaypee/ n. (pi. kepis) a French military
one's place in (a seat or saddle, one's ground, etc.) cap with a horizontal peak.
against opposition or difficulty. 20 tr. maintain (a per-
son) in return for sexual favors (a kept woman). %n.
1 maintenance or the essentials for this (esp. food)

(hardly earn your keep). 2 charge or control (is in your

keep). 3 hist, a tower or stronghold, d for keeps colloq.
(esp. of something received or won) permanently; in-
definitely, keep at persist or cause to persist with, keep
away (often foil, by from) 1 avoid being near. 2 pre-
vent from being near, keep back 1 remain or keep at
a distance. 2 retard the progress of. 3 conceal; decline
to disclose. 4 retain; withhold (kept back $50). keep
down 1 hold in subjection. 2 keep low in amount. 3 lie
low; stay hidden. 4 manage not to vomit (food eaten).
keep in mind take into account having remembered.
keep off 1 stay or cause to stay away from. 2 ward off;
avert. 3 abstain from. 4 avoid (a subject) (let 's keep off
religion), keep on 1 continue to do something; do con-
tinually (kept on laughing). 2 continue to use or cm-
ploy. 3 (foil by at) pester or harass, keep out 1 keep
or remain outside. 2 exclude, keep to 1 adhere to (a
course, schedule, etc.). 2 observe (a promise). 3 con- kepi
kept past and past part, of keep.
ker*a*tin /keratin/ n. a fibrous protein that occurs in
hair, feathers,hooves, claws, horns, etc.
kerb of curb 2.
Brit. var.
ker»chief /karchif, -cheef/ n. 1 a cloth used to cover the
head. 2 poet, a handkerchief, dd kerchiefed adj.
kerf /karf/ n. 1a slit made by cutting, esp. with a saw.
2 the cut end of a felled tree.
ker*nel /karnal/ n. 1 a central, softer, usu. edible part
within a hard shell of a nut, fruit stone, seed, etc. 2 the
whole seed of a cereal. 3 the nucleus or essential part
of anything.
ker*o*sene /keraseen/ n. (also ker»o»sine) a liquid mix-
ture obtained by distillation from petroleum or shale,
used esp. as a fuel or solvent.
kes»trel /kestral/ n. any small falcon, esp. Falco tinnun-
hovers while searching for its prey.
culus, that
ketch /kech/ n. a two-masted, fore-and-aft rigged sail-
ing boat with a mizzenmast stepped forward of the
rudder and smaller than its foremast.
ketch*up /kechup, kachup/ n. (also catsup /katsap/) a
spicy sauce made from tomatoes, mushrooms, vin-
egar, etc., used as a condiment.
ke»tone /keeton/ n. any of a class of organic compounds
in which two hydrocarbon groups are linked by a car-
bonyl group, e.g., propanone (acetone), nn ke»torvic
/kitonik/ adj.
ke*tosis /keetosis/ n. a condition characterized
raised levels of ketone bodies in the body, associated
with fat metabolism and diabetes, nn ke*tot«ic /-totik/
adj.
ket»tle/ket'l/«. 1 a vessel, usu. of metal with a lid, spout,
and handle, for boiling water in. 2 (in full kettle hole)
a depression in the ground in a glaciated area.
ne (or pretty) kettle of fish an awkward state of affairs.
nn ket*tle*ful n. (pi. -fuls).
ket«tle»drum /ket'ldrum/ n. a large drum shaped like a
bowl with a membrane adjustable for tension (and
thus pitch) stretched across, nn keMle»drunrmer n.
kettledrum
keV abbr. kilo-electronvolt.
Kev»lar /kevlaar/ n. Trademark a synthetic fiber of high
tensile strengthused esp. as a reinforcing agent in the
manufacture of tires and other rubber products and
protective gear such as helmets and vests.
Kewpie /kyobpee/ n. Trademark a small, chubby doll
with a curl or topknot.
key /kee/ n., adj.,
1
&
v. •n. (pi. keys) 1 an instrument,
usu. of metal, for moving the bolt of a lock forward or
backward to lock or unlock. 2 a similar implement for
operating a switch in the form of a lock. 3 an in-
strument for grasping screws, pegs, nuts, etc., esp. one
for winding a clock, etc. 4 a lever depressed by the fin-
ger in playing the organ, piano, flute, saxophone,
concertina, etc. 5 (often in pi.) each of several buttons
for operating a typewriter, word processor, or com-
puter terminal, etc. 6 what gives or precludes the
431 kept ~ keyword
opportunity for or access to something. 7 a place that
by its position gives control of a sea, territory, etc. 8 a a
solution or explanation, b a word or system for solv-
ing a cipher or code. C an explanatory list of symbols
used in a map, table, etc. d a book of solutions to
mathematical problems, etc. e a literal translation of
a book written in a foreign language, f the first move
in a chess-problem solution. 9 Mus. a system of notes
definitely related to each other, based on a particular
note, and predominating in a piece of music; tone or
pitch (a study in the key of C major) .10a tone or style
of thought or expression. 11a piece of wood or met-
al inserted between others to secure them. 1 2 the part
of a first coat of wall plaster that passes between the
laths and so secures the rest. 1 3 the roughness of a sur-
face, helping the adhesion of plaster, etc. 14 the sam-
ara of a sycamore, etc. 15a mechanical device for mak-
ing or breaking an electric circuit, e.g., in telegraphy.
• adj. essential; of vital importance (the key element in
the problem). 9V.tr. (keys, keyed) 1 (foil, by in, on, etc.)
fasten with a pin, wedge, bolt, etc. 2 (often foil, by in)
enter (data) by means of a keyboard. 3 roughen (a sur-
face) to help the adhesion of plaster, etc. 4 (foil, by
to) align or link (one thing to another). 5 regulate the
pitch of the strings of (a violin, etc.). 6 word (an ad-
by vertisement in a particular periodical) so that answers
to it can be identified (usu. by varying the form of ad-
dress given), n key up make (a person) nervous or
tense; excite, nn key»er n.
key 2 /kee/ n. a low-lying island or reef, esp. off the Flor-
ida coast (cf. cay).
a fi- keyboard /ke'ebawrd/ n. &
v. •«. 1 a a set of keys on
a typewriter, computer, piano, etc. b the keys of a com-
puter terminal regarded as a person's place of work.
2 an electronic musical instrument with keys arranged
as on a piano, •v.tr. &
intr. enter (data) by means of a
keyboard; work at a keyboard, nn keyboarder n. key-
boardist n.
key»hole /ke'ehol/ n. a hole by which a key is put into
a lock.
Keynes»i»an /kaynzeean/ adj. &
n. • adj. of or relating
to the economic theories of J. M. Keynes (d. 1946),
esp. regarding government control of the economy
through money and taxation. • n. an adherent of these
theories, nn Keynes«i«arvism n.
key»note /ke'enot/ n. 1 a prevailing tone or idea (the key-
note of the whole occasion) 2 (attrib. ) intended to set
.
the prevailing tone at a meeting or conference (key-
note address). 3 Mus. the note on which a key is based.
keypad /ke'epad/ n. a miniature keyboard or set of but-
tons for operating a portable electronic device, tel-
ephone, etc.
key«punch /ke'epunch/ n. & v. »n. a device for trans-
ferring data by means of punched holes or notches on
a series of cards or paper tape. •v.tr. transfer (data) by
means of a keypunch, nn keypunch«er n.
key ring n. a ring for keeping keys on.
key sig«na*ture n. Mus. any of several combinations of
sharps or flats after the clef at the beginning of each
staff indicating the key of a composition.
key»stone /ke'eston/ n. 1 the central principle of a sys-
tem, policy, etc., on which all the rest depends. 2 a cen-
tral stone at the summit of an arch locking the whole
together.
keystroke /ke'estrok/ a single depression of a key on
n.
a keyboard, esp. as a measure of work.
keyword /ke'eward/ n. (also Key word) 1 the key to a
cipher, etc. 2 a a word of great significance, b a signif-
icant word used in indexing.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

kg ~ killer cell
kg abbr. kilogram (s).
KGB /kayjeebe'e/ n. the state security police of the for-
mer USSR from 1954.
khak*i /kakee, ka'a-/ adj. &
n. •adj. dust-colored; dull
brownish-yellow. • n. (pi. khakis) 1 a khaki fabric of
twilled cotton or wool, used esp. in military dress, b
(in pi.) a garment, esp. pants or a military uniform,
made of this fabric. 2 the dull brownish-yellow color
of this.
khan /kaan, kan/ n. a title given to rulers and officials
in Central Asia, Afghanistan, etc. dd kharvate n.
khe»dive /kideev/ n. hist, the title of the viceroy of Egypt
under Turkish rule 1867-1914.
Khmer /kmair/ n. &
adj. *n. 1 a native of the ancient
Khmer kingdom in SE Asia, or of modern Cambodia.
2 the language of this people. *adj. of the Khmers or
their language.
kHz abbr. kilohertz.
kib*ble /kibal/ v. &grind coarsely, mn. coarse-
n. •v.tr.
ly ground used as a dry pet food.
pellets of meal, etc.,
kib-butz/kib(3bts/«. (pi. kibbutzim /-bootseem/) a com-
munal, esp. farming, settlement in Israel.
kib»itz /kibits/ v.intr. colloq. act as a kibitzer.
kib»itz»er/kibits3r/«. colloq. an onlooker at cards, etc.,
1 kid*ney bean n. 1 a dwarf French bean. 2 a scarlet run-
esp. one who offers unwanted advice. 2 a busybody; a
meddler.
ki»bosh /kibosh/ n. si. nonsense, d put the kibosh on
put an end to; finally dispose of.
kick /kik/ v. &
n. • v. 1 tr. strike or propel forcibly with
the foot or hoof, etc. 2 intr. (usu. foil, by at, against)
a strike out with the foot, b express annoyance at or
dislike of (treatment, a proposal, etc.); rebel against.
3 tr. si. give up (a habit). 4 tr. (often foil, by out, etc.)
expel or dismiss forcibly. 5 refl. be annoyed with one-
self (I'll kick myself if I'm wrong). 6 tr. Football score (a
goal) by a kick. • n. 1 a a blow with the foot or hoof,
etc. b the delivery of such a blow. 2 colloq. a a sharp
stimulant effect, esp. of alcohol, b (often in pi.) a pleas-
urable thrill (did it just for kicks; got a kick out offlying).
3 strength; resilience (have no kick left) 4 colloq. a spec-
. 7 colloq. cause pain or discomfort to (my feet are kill-
ified temporary interest or enthusiasm (on a jogging
kick). 5 the recoil of a gun when discharged, o kick
around colloq. 1 drift idly from place to place. 2 treat
roughly or scornfully. 3 discuss (an idea) unsystemat-
ically. kick the bucket 5/. die. kick in 1 knock down (a
door, etc.) by kicking. 2 5/. contribute (esp. money);
pay one's share, kick in the teeth colloq. a humiliating
punishment or setback, kick off 1 a Football, etc. be-
gin or resume play, b colloq. begin. 2 remove (shoes,
etc.)by kicking, kick up (or kick up a fuss) create a
disturbance; object or register strong disapproval, kick
up one's heels frolic, kick a person upstairs shelve a
person by giving him or her a promotion or a title.
dd kick*a*ble adj. kick*er n.
Kick*a*poo /kik9poo/ n. 1 a a N. American people na-
tive to the upper Midwest, b a member of this people.
2 the language of this people.
kick»back /kikbak/ n. colloq. 1 the force of a recoil.
2 payment made to someone who has facilitated a
transaction, esp. illicitly.
kick»off /kikawf/ n. 1 Football & Soccer the start or re-
sumption of play. 2 the start of something, esp. a cam-
paign, drive, or project.
kick*stand /kikstand/ n. a rod attached to a bicycle or
motorcycle and kicked into a vertical position to sup-
port the vehicle when stationary.
kick-Start v. tr. 1 start (a motorcycle, etc.) by the down-
ward thrust of a pedal. 2 start or restart (a process,
etc.) by providing some initial impetus, dd kick start*
er n.
kid 1 /kid/ n. &v. •«. 1 a young goat. 2 the leather made
.
432 from its skin. 3 colloq. a child or young person. • v.intr.
(kidded, kidding) (of a goat) give birth, d handle with
kid gloves handle in a gentie, delicate, or gingerly man-
ner.
Kid, meaning 'child,' although widely seen in adver-
tising and other contexts, should be avoided in formal
writing.
kid 2 /kid/ v. (kidded, kidding) colloq. 1 tr. & also refl. de-
ceive; trick (don't kid yourself, kidded his mother that he
was ill).
tr. 2 &
intr. tease (only kidding), a no kidding
si. thatthe truth, dd kid*der n. kid»ding«ly adv.
is
kid»die /kidee/ n. (also kid«dy) (pi. -dies) si. = kid 1 n.
3.
kid*do /kido/ n. (pi. -60s) si. - kid 1 n. 3.
kid-glove attrib.adj. careful or delicate treatment of a
person or situation.
kid*nap /kidnap/ v.tr. (kidnapped, kidnapping or kid-
naped, kidnaping) 1 carry off (a person, etc.) by ille-
gal force or fraud esp. to obtain a ransom. 2 steal (a
child), do kid*nap*per n.
kid»ney /kidnee/ n. (pi. -neys)1 either of a pair of organs
in the abdominal cavity of mammals, birds, and rep-
tiles, which remove nitrogenous wastes from the blood
and excrete urine. 2 the kidney of a sheep, ox, or pig
as food.
ner bean.
kid*ney machine n. = artificial kidney.
kiel*ba*sa /keelbaass, kib-/ n. a variety of smoked, sea-
soned sausage.
kit var. of kef.
kill 1 /kil/ v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 a deprive of life or vitality; put
to death; cause the death of. b (absol.) cause or bring
about death (must kill to survive). 2 destroy; put an end
to (feelings, etc.) (overwork killed my enthusiasm). 3 refl.
(often foil, by pres. part.) colloq. a overexert oneself
(don 't kill yourself lifting them all at once) b laugh heart-
.
ily. 4 colloq. overwhelm (a person) with amusement,
delight, etc. (the things he says really kill me). 5 switch
off (a spotlight, engine, etc.). 6 colloq. delete (a line,
paragraph, etc.) from a computer or newspaper file.
ing me). 8 pass (time, or a specified amount of it) usu.
while waiting for a specific event (had an hour to kill
before the interview). 9 defeat (a bill in Congress, etc.).
1 colloq. consume the entire contents of (a bottle of
wine, etc.). 11a Tennis, etc., hit (the ball) so skillfully
that it cannot be returned, b stop (the ball) dead.
1 2 neutralize or render ineffective (taste, sound, col-
or, etc.) (thick carpet killed thesound of footsteps) •«. .
1 an act of killing (esp. an animal). 2 an animal or ani-
mals killed, esp. by a sportsman. 3 colloq. the destruc-
tion or disablement of an enemy aircraft, submarine,
etc. d dressed to kill dressed showily, alluringly, or im-
pressively, kill off 1 get rid of or destroy completely
(esp. a number of persons or things). 2 (of an author)
bring about the death of (a fictional character), kill two
birds with one stone achieve two aims at once, kill with
kindness spoil (a person) with overindulgence.
kill 2 /kil/ n. esp. NewYork State dial, a stream, creek, or
tributary river.
kill-deer /kildeer/ n. a large American plover,
Charadrius vociferus, with a plaintive son^.
kill»er /kilor/ n. 1 a a person, animal, or thin^ that kills.
b a murderer. 2 colloq. a an impressive, formidable, or
excellent thing (this one is quae difficult, but the mxt on,
is a real killer), b a hilarious joke. C a decisive blow (Ml
home run proved to be the killer)
kill»er bee n. a very aggressive honeybee, Apk mclliftra
adansonii, orig. from Africa.
kill-ercelln. Immunology a cell that attacks and destroys
a cell (as a tumor cell) that bears a specific antigen on
its surface.
 : .

kill»er irvstinct n. 1 an innate tendency to kill. 2 a ruth- 433 killer instinct ~ kindred
less streak.
kill»er whale n. a voracious cetacean, Orcinus orca, with -kin /kin/ suffix forming diminutive nouns (catkin; man-
a white belly and prominent dorsal fin. ikin) .

killing /kiling/ n. &

adj. mn. 1 a the causing of death. kind 1
/kind/ n. 1 a a race or species (humankind).

b an instance of this. 2 a great (esp. financial) success b a natural group of animals, plants, etc. (the wolf
{make a killing) • adj. colloq. 1 overwhelmingly funny.
. kind) . 2 class; type; sort; variety (what kind of job
2 exhausting; very strenuous. kill«ing»ly adv. are you looking for?) 3 each of the elements of the
. Eu-
kilNjoy /kiljoy/ n. a person who throws gloom over or charist (communion under (or in) both kinds) . 4 the
prevents other people's enjoyment. manner or fashion natural to a person, etc. (act after
kiln /kiln, kil/ n. a furnace or oven for burning, baking, their kind; true to kind), u kind of colloq. to some ex-
or drying, esp. for calcining lime or firing pottery, etc. tent (felt kind of sorry; I kind of expected it), a kind of
ki»lo /ke'elo/ n. (pi. -los) 1 a kilogram. 2 a kilometer. used to imply looseness, vagueness, exaggeration, etc.,
kilo- /kilo/ comb, form denoting a factor of 1 ,000 (esp. in the term used (a kind of Jane Austen of our times;
in metric units) 1 Abbr. k, or K in Computing.
. : I suppose he's a kind of doctor), in kind 1 in the same
kilobyte /kibbit/ n. Computing 1,024 (i.e. 2 10 ) bytes form; likewise (was insulted and replied in kind) 2 (of .

as a measure of memory size. payment) in goods or labor as opposed to money

kil«o*cal«o*rie /kibkabree/ n. = calorie 2. (received their wages in kind). 3 in character or quality
kil*o*cy*cle /kibslksl/ n. a former measure of fre- (differ in degree but not in kind), nothing of the kind
quency, equivalent to 1 kilohertz. ^f Abbr.: kc. 1 not at all like the thing in question. 2 (expressing

kilogram /kibgram/ n. the SI unit of mass, equivalent denial) not at all. of its kind within the limitations of
to the international standard kept at Sevres near Par- its own class (good of its kind), of a kind 1 derog. scarce-

is (approx. 2.205 lb.). 1 Abbr.: kg.
kil*o*hertz /kibhsrts/ n. a measure of frequency equiv-
alent to 1,000 cycles per second. \ Abbr.: kHz.
kil*o*li*ter /kibleetar/ n. 1,000 liters (equivalent to 220
imperial gallons), ^j Abbr.: kl.
ly deserving the name (a choir of a kind). 2 similar in
some important respect (they're two of a kind), one's
own kind those with whom one has much in com-
mon.
1Kind of is sometimes used to be deliberately vague:
.

kil»o»me»ter /kilomitsr, kibmeetar/ n. a metric unit of It was kind of a big evening. I was kind of hoping you 'd
measurement equal to 1,000 meters (approx. 0.62 call. More often, it reveals an inability to speak clear-

miles). H Abbr.: km. dd kil»o«met»ric /kibmetrik/ adj. ly: He's kind of like, awesome, you know? Used precise-

kil»o«ton /kibtun/ n. a unit of explosive power equiv- ly, it means 'sort, type': A maple is a kind of tree. 2. The

alent to 1,000 tons of TNT. plural of kind often causes difficulty. With this or that,
kil*o*volt /kibvolt/ n. 1,000 volts. H Abbr.: kV. speaking of one kind, use a singular: That kind offab-
kil»o«watt /kibwot/ n. 1,000 watts. 1 Abbr.: kW. ric doesn 't need ironing; with these or those, speaking of
kil*owatt-hour /kibwot-owr/ n. a measure of electrical more than one kind, use the plural: Those kinds of ani-
energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 mals ought to be left in the wild. The same recommen-
watts for one hour. ^| Abbr. dations apply to sort and sorts.
kWh. kind 2 /kind' adj. 1 of a friendly, generous, benevolent,
kilt /kilt/ n.&ii.in.1a skirt- or gentle nature. 2 (usu. foil, by to) showing friendli-
like garment, usu. of pleat- ness, affection, or consideration. 3 affectionate.
ed tartan cloth and reaching kind*a /kinda/ colloq. = kind of (see kind 2). 1

to the knees, as traditional- kin«der«gar»ten /kindargaart'n/ n. an establishment or

ly worn in
Scotland by High-
land men. 2 a similar gar-
ment worn by women and
children, mv.tr. 1 tuck up
(skirts) around the body.
2 (esp. as kilted
in vertical pleats,
adj.
kil»ter /kiltar/ n. /kel-/)
working order (esp. out of kil-
class for preschool learning.
kind*heart*ed kindha'artid/ adj. of a kind disposition.
dd kind»heart»ed»ly adv. kind*heart*ed*ness n.
kin*dle /kind'l/ v. 1 tr. light or set on fire (a flame, fire,
substance, etc.). 2 intr. catch fire, burst into flame. 3 tr.
adj.) gather arouse or inspire (kindle enthusiasm for the project; kin-
no kilt*ed dle jealousy in a rival). 4 intr. (usu. foil, by to) respond;
react (to a person, an action, etc.). 5 intr. become an-
good imated, glow with passion, etc. (her imagination kin-
dled). 6 tr. &
intr. make or become bright (kindle the

ter). embers to a glow), dd kirvdler n.

kinvber-lite /kimbarlit/ n. kin*dling /kindling/ n. small sticks, etc., for lighting
Mineral, a rare igneous blue- fires.
tinged rock sometimes con- kind-ly 1
kind manner (spoke to the
/kindlee/ adv. 1 in a
taining diamonds, found in child kindly). 2 often
in a polite request or
iron, used
South Africa and Siberia. demand (kindly leave me alone). take kindly to be
Also called blue ground. pleased by or endeared to (a person or thing).
ki»mo»no /kimono/ n. (pi. kind»ly 2 /kindlee/ adj. (kindlier, kindliest) 1 kind; kind-
-nos) 1 a long, loose Jap- hearted. 2 (of climate, etc.) pleasant; genial, dd kind*
anese robe worn with a sash. IMy adv. kind*li*ness n.
2 a dressing gown modeled kind*ness /kindnis/ n. 1 the state or quality of being
on this, dd ki*mo*noed adj. kind. 2 a kind act.
kin /kin/ n. & adj. •«. kin«dred /kindrid/ n. &
adj. •n. 1 one's relations, re-
one's relatives or family. ferred to collectively. 2 a relationship by blood. 3 a re-
•predic.adj. (of a person) re- semblance or affinity in character, •adj. 1 related by
lated (we are kin; he is kin to blood or marriage. 2 allied or similar in character (other
me) (see also akin), d kith kindred symptoms)
and kin see kith, near of kin kin*dred spir*it n. a person whose character and out-
closely related by blood, look have much in common with one's own.
or in character, dd kirvless
adj. kimono See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

kinematics ~ kitchen cabinet 434 twist or quirk, •v.intr. & tr. form or cause to form a
kink.
kin»e«mat»ics /kinimatiks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) kin*ka*jou /kingkajoo/ n. a Central and S. American
the branch of mechanics concerned with the motion nocturnal fruit-eating mammal, Potos flavus, with a
of objects without reference to the forces which cause prehensile tail and living in trees.
the motion, dd kin*e«mat*ic adj. kin*e*mat*i*caMy adv. kink*y /kingkee/ adj. (kinkier, kinkiest) 1 colloq. a giv-
ki*ne*sics /kine'esiks, -ziks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.) en to or involving abnormal sexual behavior, b (of
1 the study of body movements and gestures that con- clothing, etc.) bizarre in a sexually provocative way.
tribute to communication. 2 these movements; body 2 strange; eccentric. 3 having kinks or twists, dd kink»
language. My adv. kink«i*ness n.
ki»ne«si«ol»o»gy /kine'eseeolsjee, -zee-/ n. the study of kins«folk var. of kinfolk.
the mechanics of body movements. kin*ship /kinship/ n. 1 blood relationship. 2 the shar-
ki*net*ic /kinetik, ki-/ adj. of or due to motion, an ki« ing of characteristics or origins.
net*i*caMy adv. kins*man /kinzman/ n. (pi. -men; fern, kinswoman, pi.
ki»net»ic en»er»gy n. the energy of motion. -women) 1 a blood relation or disp. a relation by mar-
ki»net«ics /kinetiks, ki-/ n.pl. 1 = dynamics la. 2 (usu. riage. 2 a of one's own tribe or people.
member
treated as sing.) the branch of physical chemistry con- kiosk /ke'eosk, -osk/ n. 1 a light, open-fronted booth
cerned with measuring and studying the rates of chem- or cubicle from which food, newspapers, tickets, etc.,
ical reactions. are sold. 2 Brit, a telephone booth. 3 a building in
kirvfolk /kinfok/ n.pl. (also kin-folks, kins«folk) one's which refreshments are served in a park, zoo, etc.
relations by blood. Ki*o*wa /kiawa/ n. 1 a a N. American people native to
king /king/ n. &
v. »n. 1 (as a title usu. King) a male the southwest, b a member of this people. 2 the lan-
sovereign, esp. the hereditary ruler of an independent guage of this people.
nation. 2 a person or thing preeminent in a specified kip*per /kipar/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a kippered fish, esp. her-

field or class (railroad king) 3 a large (or the largest)

. ring. 2 a male salmon in the spawning season, •v.tr.
kind of plant, animal, etc. (king penguin) 4 Chess the . cure (a herring, etc.) by splitting open, salting, and
piece on each side that the opposing side has to check- drying in the open air or smoke.
mate to win. 5 a piece in checkers with extra capacity Kir /keer/ n. a drink made from dry white wine and
of moving, made by crowning an ordinary piece that creme de cassis.
has reached the opponent's baseline. 6 a playing card kirk /kurk/ n. Sc. &
No. of Engl, a church.
bearing a representation of a king and usu. ranking kirsch /keersh/ n. (also kirsch«was»ser /ke'ershvaasar/)
next below an ace. 7 (Kings or Books of Kings) two a brandy distilled from the fermented juice of cher-
Old Testament books dealing with history, esp. of the ries.
kingdom ofJudah. • v. tr. make (a person) king, dd king* kis*met /kizmet/ n. destiny; fate.
ly adj. king*li«ness n. king*ship n. kiss /kis/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr. touch with the lips, esp. as a
king-bird /kingbard/ n. any flycatcher of the genus sign of love, affection, greeting, or reverence. 2 tr. ex-

Tyrannus, with olive-gray plumage and long pointed
wings.
king co*bra n. a large and venomous hooded Indian
snake, Ophiophagus hannah.
king crab n. 1 = horseshoe crab. 2 any of various large
edible spider crabs.
king«dom /kingdam/ n. 1 an organized community
headed by a king. 2 the territory subject to a king.
3 a the spiritual reign attributed to God (Thy king-
dom come) b the sphere of this (kingdom of heaven)
. jectly; be overthrown, kiss good-bye to colloq. accept
4 a domain belonging to a person, animal, etc. 5 a
province of nature (the vegetable kingdom) 6 a speci- . ken of homage, kiss off 5/. 1 dismiss; get rid of. 2 go
fied mental or emotional province (kingdom of the
heart\ kingdom of fantasy). 7 Biol, the highest catego-
ry in taxonomic classification, d kingdom come col-
loq. eternity; the next world, till kingdom come colloq.
forever.
king*fish /kingfish/ n. any of various large fish, esp. the
opah or mulloway.
king-fislver /kingfishar/ n. any bird of the family
Alcedinidae, esp. Alcedo atthis, with a long sharp beak
and brightly colored plumage, which dives for fish in
rivers, etc.
king»let/kinglit/rc. 1 a petty king. 2 any of various small
birds of the family Regulidae, esp. the goldcrest.
king*mak*er /kingmaykar/ n. a person with the politi-
cal influence to make kings, leaders, etc.
press (greeting or farewell) in this way. 3 absol. (of two
persons) touch each others' lips in this way. 4 tr. (also
absol.) (of a billiard ball, etc., in motion) lightly touch
(another ball), n. 1 a touch with the lips in kissing.
2 the slight impact when one billiard ball, etc., lightly
touches another. 3 a usu. droplet-shaped piece of can-
dy or small cookie, n kiss and tell recount sexual
exploits, kiss a person's ass (or butt) coarse si. act ob-
sequiously toward a person, kiss the dust submit ab-
the loss of. kiss the ground prostrate oneself as a to-
away; die. dd kiss*a«ble adj.
kiss-er /kisgr/ n. 1 a person who kisses. 2 (orig. Box-
ing) si. the mouth; the face.
kiss-ing cous-in n. (also kiss*ing kin) a distant relative
(given a formal kiss on occasional meetings).
kiss of death n. an apparently friendly act that caus-
es ruin.
kiss Of life n. mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
kiss»y /kisee/ adj. colloq. given to kissing (not ///. A-mv
type).
kist var. of cist.
kit' /kit/ n. 1 a set of articles, equipment, or clothing
needed purpose (first-aid hit; bicydt >>
for a specific
pair kit). 2 a set of all the parts needed to assemble an
item, e.g., a piece of furniture, model, eti ithe whole
;i .
i

king«pin /kingpin/ n. 1 a a main or large bolt in a cen- kit and caboodle see CABOODLB.
tral position, b a vertical bolt used as a pivot. 2 an kit 2 /kit/ n. la kitten. 2 a young fox, badger, etc.
essential person or thing, esp. in a complex system; the kit bag n. a large, usu. cylindrical big used foj .11 yiag ^ 1

most important person in an organization. a soldier's, traveler's, or sportsman's equipment

king-size adj. (also king-sized) larger than normal; kitch»en /kichin/ //. 1 the room or area where loo, is I

very large. prepared and eooked.2 (atmb.) ofOf belonging to the

king's ran»som n. a fortune. kitchen (kitchen knife; kitchm tabic), a everything but
kink /kingk/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a a short backward twist in the kitchen sink everything imaginable.
wire or tubing, etc., such as may cause an obstruction. kitclven cab«i»net n. a group of unofficial dviten
b a tight wave in human or animal hair. 2 a mental thought to be unduly influential.
 .

kitch«ervette /kichinet/ n. a small kitchen or part of a 435 kitchenette - knight

room fitted as a kitchen.
kitch-eirware /kichinwair/ n. the utensils used in the intodough, paste, etc. , by pressing and folding, b make
kitchen. (bread, pottery, etc.) in this way. 2 blend or weld to-
kite /kit/ n.&v.»n.Aa toy consisting of a light frame- gether (kneaded them into a unified group). 3 massage
work with thin material stretched over it, flown in the (muscles, etc.) as if kneading, aa knead*a*ble adj.
wind at the end of a long string. 2 any of various soar- knead*er n.

ing birds of prey esp. of the genus Milvus with long knee /nee/
n. &
v. •«. 1 a (often attrib.) the joint be-

wings and usu. a forked tail. 3 Brit. si. an airplane. 4 5/. tween the thigh and the lower leg in humans, b the
a fraudulent check, bill, or receipt. 5 Geom. a. quadri- corresponding joint in other animals. C the area
lateral figure symmetrical about one diagonal. 6 si. a around this, d the upper surface of the thigh of a sit-
letter or note, esp. one that is illicit or surreptitious. 7 ting person; the lap (held her on his knee) 2 the part of .

(in pi. ) the highest sail of a ship, set only in a light wind.
• v. 1 intr. soar like a kite. 2 tr. (also absol.) originate or
pass (fraudulent checks, bills, or receipts). 3 tr. (also
absol.) raise (money by dishonest means) {kite a loan).
kith /kith/ n. a kith and kin friends and relations.
kitsch /kich/ n. (often attrib. ) garish, pretentious, or sen-
timental art, usu. vulgar and worthless {kitsch plastic
models oftheVenus de Milo). aa kitsclvy adj. (kitschier,
kitschiest). kitsch*i«ness n.
a garment covering the knee. 3 anything resembling a
knee in shape or position, esp. a piece of wood or iron
bent at an angle, a sharp turn in a graph, etc. •v.tr.
(knees, kneed, kneeing) touch or strike with the knee
(kneed him in the groin), a bring a person to his or her
knees reduce a person to submission, on (or on one's)
bended knee (or knees) kneeling, esp. in supplication,
submission, or worship.
knee*cap /ne'ekap/ n. &
v. »n. 1 the convex bone in

kitten /kit'n/ n. & v. • n. 1 a young cat. 2 a young fer- front of the knee joint. 2 a protective covering for the
ret, etc. •v.intr. & tr. (of a cat, etc.) give birth or give knee. •v.tr. (-capped, -capping) colloq. shoot (a per-
birth d have kittens
to. colloq. be extremely upset, anx- son) in the knee or leg as a punishment, esp. for betray-
ious, or nervous. ing a terrorist group, dd knee«cap«ping n.
kit*ten*ish /kit'nish/ adj. 1 like a young cat; playful and knee-deep adj. 1 (usu. foil, by in) a immersed up to
lively. 2 flirtatious, do kit»ten«ish»ly adv. kit»ten«ish» the knees, b deeply involved. 2 so deep as to reach the
ness ;/. knees.
kiMi-wake /kiteewayk/ n. either of two small gulls, Rissa knee«hole /ne'ehol/ n. a space for the knees, esp. under
tridactyla and R. brevirostris, nesting on sea cliffs. a desk.
kiWy /kitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a fund of money for com- knee jerk n. a sudden involuntary kick caused by a blow
1

munal use. 2 the pool in some card games. on the tendon just below the knee.
kiWy 2 /kitee/ n. (pi. -ties) a pet name or a child's name knee-jerk attrib. adj. predictable; automatic; stereo-
for a kitten or cat. typed.
kit»ty-cor»ner var. of catercornered. kneel /neel/ (past and past part, knelt /nelt/ or
v. intr.

KiWy LiWer n. prop, a granular clay used in boxes to kneeled) or rest on the knees or a knee.
fall
absorb pet (esp. cat) waste. knell /nel/ n. &
v. •«. 1 the sound of a bell, esp. when

ki»wi /ke'ewee/ n. (pi. kiwis) 1 a flightless New Zealand rung solemnly for a death or funeral. 2 an announce-
bird of the genus Apteryx with hairlike feathers and a ment, event, etc., regarded as a solemn warning of
long bill. Also called apteryx. 2 (Kiwi) colloq. a New disaster. • v. 1 intr. a (of a bell) ring solemnly, esp. for
Zealander, esp. a soldier or member of a national sports a death or funeral, b make a doleful or ominous sound.
team. 2 tr. proclaim by or as by a knell (knelled the death of
ki»wi fruitn. the fruit of a climbing plant, Actinidia chi- all their hopes).
nensis,having a thin hairy skin, green flesh, and black knelt past and past part, of kneel.
seeds: also called Chinese gooseberry. knewpasr of know.
KKK abbr. Ku Klux Klan. knick*ers /nikarz/ n.pl. 1 loose-fitting pants gathered at
kl abbr. kiloliter(s). the knee or calf. 2 Brit. - panties.
klep»to»ma»ni»a /kleptamayneea/ n. a recurrent urge to knick*knack /niknak/ n. 1 a useless and usu. worthless
steal, usu. without regard for need or profit, on klep« ornament; a trinket. 2 a small, dainty article of furni-
to*ma*ni*ac n. adj.& ture, dress, etc. dd knick«knack»er-y n.
kludge /klooj/ n. si. 1 an ill-assorted collection of poor- knife /nif/ n. &
v. »n. (pi. knives /nivz/) 1 a a metal
ly matching parts. 2 Computing a machine, system, or blade used as a cutting tool with usu. one long, sharp
program that has been badly put together. edge fixed rigidly in a handle or hinged (cf. penknife).
klutz /kluts/ n. si. a a clumsy awkward person, b a fool. b a similar tool used as a weapon. 2 a cutting blade
o klutz«y adj. forming part of a machine, •v.tr. 1 cut or stab with a
klys»tron /klistron/ n. an electron tube that generates knife. 2 si. bring about the defeat of (a person) by un-
or amplifies microwaves by velocity modulation. derhand means, n that one could cut with a knife col-
km abbr. kilometer(s). loq. (of an accent, atmosphere, etc.) very obvious, op-
K-me»son /kaymezon, -mes-, -me'ezon, -son/ n. = ka- pressive, etc. under the knife undergoing a surgical
ON. operation or operations, dd knife«like adj. knif»er n.
knack /nak/ n. 1 an acquired or intuitive faculty of do- knife pleat n. a narrow flat pleat on a skirt, etc., usu.
ing a thing adroitly. 2 a trick or habit of action or overlapping another.
speech, etc. (has a knack of offending people) knife*point /nifpoynt/ n. the point of a knife, d at knife-
knack*wurst var. of knockwurst. point threatened with a knife or an ultimatum, etc.
knap«sack /napsak/ n. a soldier's or hiker's bag with knight /nit/ n. & v. • n. 1 a man awarded a non-hered-
shoulder straps, carried on the back, and usu. made itary title (Sir) by a sovereign in recognition of merit
of canvas or weatherproof material. or service. 2 hist, a a man, usu. noble, raised esp. by a
knar /naar/ n. a knot or protuberance in a tree trunk, sovereign to honorable military rank after service as a
root, etc. page and squire, b a military follower or attendant,
knave /nayv/ n. 1 a rogue; a scoundrel. 2 = jack 1
n. 2. esp. of a lady as her champion in a war or tournament.
do knaver»y n. (pi. -ies). knavish adj. knavislvly adv. 3 a man devoted to the service of a woman, cause, etc.
knavisfvness n.
knead /need/ v.tr. 1 a work (a yeast mixture, clay, etc.) See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
knight-errant ~ knot 436 uor store). 7 si. kill, knock on (or knock) wood knock
something wooden with the knuckles to avert bad luck.
4 (Jhess a piece usu. shaped like a horse's head. •v.tr. knock out 1 make (a person) unconscious by a blow
confer a knighthood on. dd knight-hood n. knighMike on the head. 2 knock down (a boxer) for a count of
adj. knighMy adj. & adv. poet. knight*li«ness n. 1 0, thereby winning the contest. 3 defeat, esp. in a

knight-er»rant n. 1 a medieval knight wandering in knockout competition. 4 5/. astonish. 5 (refl.) colloq.
search of chivalrous adventures. 2 a man of a chival- exhaust (knocked themselves out swimming) 6 colloq. .

rous or quixotic nature, dd knight-er»rant»ry n. make or write (a plan, etc.) hastily. 7 empty (a tobac-
knish /knish/ n. a dumpling of flaky dough filled with co pipe) by tapping, knock sideways colloq. discon-
potato, meat, cheese, etc., and baked or fried. cert; astonish, knock together put together or assem-
knit /nit/ v. &
n. %v. (knitting; past and past part, knit- ble hastily or roughly, knock up 1 make or arrange
ted or (esp. in senses 2-4) knit) 1 tr. (also absol.)a make hastily. 2 damage or mar. 3 coarse si. make pregnant.
(a garment, blanket, etc.) by interlocking loops of yarn knock*a*bout /nokabowt/ attrib.adj. 1 (of comedy)
with knitting needles, b make (a garment, etc.) with a boisterous; slapstick. 2 (of clothes) suitable for rough
knitting machine, c make (a plain stitch) in knitting use.
(knit one, purl one) 2 a tr. contract (the forehead) in
. knock-down /nokdown/ adj. (of a blow, misfortune, ar-
vertical wrinkles, b intr. gument, etc.) overwhelming.
(of the forehead) contract;
frown. 3 tr. &
intr. (often foil, by together) make or be- knock*er /nokar/ n. 1a metal or wooden instrument
come close or compact, esp. by common interests, etc. hinged to a door for knocking to call attention. 2 a per-
(a close-knit group). 4 intr. (often foil, by together) (of son or thing that knocks. 3 (in pi. ) coarse si. a woman's
parts of a broken bone) become joined; heal. • n. knit- breasts.
ted material or a knitted garment, dd kniMer n. knock-knees n.pl. a condition in which the legs curve
inward at the knee, dd knock-kneed adj.
knit Old English cnyttan, ofWest Germanic origin; re-
knock»OUt /nokowt/ «. 1 the act of making unconscious
lated to German dialect kniitten, also to knot The 1
.

by a blow. 2 Boxing, etc., a blow that knocks an op-

original sense was 'tie in or with a knot', hence 'join,
ponent out. 3 a competition in which the loser in
unite' (sense 2); an obsolete Middle English sense
each round is eliminated (also attrib.: a knockout
'knot string to make a net' gave rise to sense 1.
round) 4 colloq. an outstanding or irresistible person
.

kniMing /niting/ n. 1 a garment, etc., in the process of or thing.

being knitted. 2 a the act of knitting, b an instance of knock*wurst /na'akwsrst/ n. a variety of thick, seasoned
this. sausage.
kniMing nee*dle thin pointed rod of steel,
n. a wood, knoll /nol/ n. a small hill or mound.
plastic, etc., used esp. in pairs for knitting. knot /not/ n. &> v. •«.
knit»wear /nitwair/ n. knitted garments. 1 a an intertwining of

knives pi. of knife. a rope, string, tress of

knob /nob/ n. 1 a rounded protuberance, esp. at the end hair, etc., with anoth-
or on the surface of a thing. 2 a handle of a door, draw- er, itself,or something
er, etc., shaped like a knob, dd knob«by adj. knob»like else to join or fasten to-
adj. gether, b a set method
knob-bly adj. («ier, -iest) having lumps that give a mis- of tying a knot (a reef
shapen appearance. knot). C a ribbon, etc.,
knock /nok/ v. &
n. »v. A a tr. strike (a hard surface) tied as an ornament
with an audible sharp blow (knocked the table three and worn on a dress,
times) b intr. strike, esp. a door, to gain admittance (do
. etc. d a tangle in hair,
you hear someone knocking?; knocked at the door) 2 tr. . knitting, etc. 2 a a unit
make (a hole, a dent, etc.) by knocking (knock a hole of a ship's or aircraft's
in the fence). 3 tr. (usu. foil, by in, out, off, etc.) drive (a speed equivalent to
thing, a person, etc.) by striking (knocked the ball into one nautical mile per
the hole; knocked those ideas out of his head; knocked her hour (see nautical
hand away). 4 tr. si. criticize. 5 intr. a (of a motor or mile) . b colloq. a nau-
other engine) make a thumping or rattling noise esp. tical mile. 3 (usu. foil.

as the result of a loose bearing, b (of a vehicle engine) by of) a group or clus-
emit a series of high-pitched explosive sounds caused ter (a small knot ofjour-
by faulty combustion. •«. 1 an act of knocking. 2 a nalists at the gate).
sharp rap, esp. at a door. 3 an audible sharp blow. 4 the 4 something forming
sound of knocking, esp. in a motor engine, d knock or maintaining a un-
around (or about) 1 strike repeatedly; treat roughly. ion; a bond or tie, esp.
2 lead a wandering adventurous life; wander aimless- of wedlock. 5 a hard
knot, la
ly, knock down 1 strike (esp. a person) to the ground lump of tissue in an an-
with a blow. 2 demolish. 3 (usu. foil, by to) (at an auc- imal or human body. 6 a a knob or protuberance in a
tion) dispose of (an article) to a bidder by a knock with stem, branch, or root, b a hard mass formed in a tree
a hammer (knocked the Picasso down to him for a mil- trunk at the intersection with a branch. C a round
lion). 4 colloq. lower the price of (an article). Stake cross-grained piece in lumber where a branch has been
(machinery, furniture, etc.) to pieces for transporta- cut through, d a node on the stem of a plant. 7 a dil
tion. 6 5/. steal, knock one's head against come into ficulty; a problem. 8 a central point in a problem or
collision with (unfavorable facts or conditions), knock the plot of a story, etc. »u (knotted, knotting) 1 tr. tie
into the middle of next week colloq. send (a person) (a string, etc.) in a knot. 2 tr. entangle. 3 tr. esp Brit.
flying, esp. with a blow, knock off 1 strike off with a knit (the brows). 4 tr. unite closely or intricately knot I

blow. 2 colloq. a finish work (knocked off at 5:30). b fin- ted together in intrigue). 5 a intr. make knots for fring-
ish (work) (knocked off work early). 3 colloq. dispatch ing, b tr. make (a fringe) with knots. tie In knots col-
1 1

(business). 4 colloq. rapidly produce (a work of art, loq. baffle or confuse completely, tie the knot get
verses, etc.). 5 (often foil, by from) deduct (a sum) married, dd knoMess adj. knoMer n. knoMIng //. esp (

from a price, bill, etc. 6 5/. steal from (knocked off a liq- in sense 5 of v.).
 . ).

knot»hole /not-hol/ n. a hole in a piece of lumber where 437 knothole - kook

a knot has fallen out.
knoMy /notee/ adj. (knottier, knottiest) 1 full of knots. something (received knowledge of their imminent de-
2 hard to explain; puzzling (a knotty problem) dd knot* . parture). 2 a (usu. foil, by of) a theoretical or prac-
ti»ly adv. knot«ti«ness n. tical understanding of a subject, language, etc. (has
knot»work /notwark/ n. ornamental work representing a good knowledge of Greek) b the sum of what is
.

or consisting of intertwined cords. known (every branch of knowledge) C learning; schol-

.

&
know /no/ v. n. • v. (past knew /noo, nyoo/; past part. arship. 3 Philos. true, justified belief; certain under-
known /non/) 1 tr. (often foil, by that, how, what, etc.) standing, as opp. to opinion. 4 = carnal knowledge.
a have in the mind; have learned; be able to recall d to my knowledge 1 so far as I know. 2 as I know for
(knows a lot about cars; knows what to do) b (also absol. . certain.
be aware of (a fact) (he knows I am waiting; I think she knowl»edge«a«ble /nolijabal/ adj. (also knowledgea-
knows). C have a good command of (a subject or lan- ble) well-informed; intelligent, dd knowl«edge«a«bil»i»
guage) (knew German; knows his multiplication tables) ty n. knowl*edge«a*ble*ness n. knowl»edge«a»bly adv.
2 tr. be acquainted or friendly with (a person or thing). know-noth»ing an ignorant person.
n.

3 tr. a recognize; identify (/ knew him at once; knew him
to be an Englishman), b (foil, by to + infin.) be aware
of (a person or thing) as being or doing what is spec-
ified (knew them to be rogues). C (foil, by from) be able
to distinguish (one from another) (did not know him
from Adam). A tr. be subject to (her joy knew no bounds).
5 tr. have personal experience of (fear, etc.). 6 tr. (as
known adj. ) a publicly acknowledged (a known thief,
a known fact), b Math, (of a quantity, etc.) having a
value that can be stated. 7 intr. have understanding or
knowledge. 8 tr. archaic have sexual intercourse with.
• n. (in phr. in the know) colloq. well-informed; having
special knowledge. don't know it! colloq. an expres-
I
known past part, of know.
knuckle /nuksl/ n.&v.*n."\ the bone at a finger joint,
esp. that adjoining the hand. 2 a a projection of the
carpal or tarsal joint of a quadruped, b a joint of meat
consisting of this with the adjoining parts, esp. of bac-
on or pork. •v.tr. strike, press, or rub with the knuck-
les, d knuckle down (often foil, by to) 1 apply oneself
seriously (to a task, etc.). 2 give in; submit, knuckle
under give in; submit, dd knuck*ly adj.
knuckle Middle English knokel (originally denoting
the rounded shape when a joint such as the elbow or
knee is bent), from Middle Low German, Middle

Dutch knokel, diminutive of knoke 'bone'. In the mid-

sion of rueful assent, don't you know colloq. or joe. an
y 18th cent, the verb knuckle (down) expressed setting
expression used for emphasis (such a bore, don t you
the knuckles down to shoot the taw in a game of mar-
know), for all know so far as my knowledge extends.
I

bles, hence the notion of applying oneself with

have been known to be known to have done (they have
concentration.
been known to not turn up). knew it! I was sure that
I

this would happen, know about have information
about, know best be or claim to be better informed,
etc., than others, know better than (foil, by that, or to
+ infin.) be wise, well-informed, or well-mannered
enough to avoid (specified behavior, etc.). know by
name 1 have heard the name of. 2 be able to give the
knuck*le*ball /nukalbawl/ n. Baseball a pitch delivered
with the ball held by the knuckles or fingernails such
that the thrown ball has minimal spin and moves er-
ratically (also knucMer dd knuck*le*ball*er n.
knuck*le*bone /nukalbon/ n. 1 bone forming a knuck-
le. 2 the bone of a sheep or other animal correspond-

name of. know by sight recognize the appearance (on- ing to or resembling a knuckle. 3 a knuckle of meat.
ly) of. know of be aware of; have heard of (not that I 4 (in pi.) animal knucklebones used in the game of
know of), know the ropes (or one's stuff) be fully jacks. 5 (in pi.) the game of jacks.
knowledgeable or experienced, know a thing or two be knuck*le*head /nukalhed/ n. colloq. a slow-witted or
experienced or shrewd, know what's what have ade- stupid person.
quate knowledge of the world, life, etc. know who's knuck»le sand«wich n. si. a punch in the mouth
who be aware of who or what each person is. not know knur /nar/ n. 1a hard excrescence on the trunk of a
that ... colloq. sure that something is not the
be fairly tree. 2 a hard concretion.
case (/ don 't want to go) not know what hit
know that I . knurl /narl/ n. a small projecting knob, ridge, etc.
one be suddenly injured, killed, disconcerted, etc. not dd knurled /narld/ adj.
want to know refuse to take any notice of. what do you KO abbr. 1 knockout. 2 kickoff.
know? colloq. an expression of surprise, you know col- ko»a /k6a/ n. 1 a Hawaiian tree, Acacia koa, which pro-
loq. 1 an expression implying something generally duces dark red wood. 2 this wood.
known or known to the hearer (you know, the store on ko*a*la /ko-a'ab/ n. a bearlike Australian marsupial,
the corner). 2 an expression used as a gap-filler in Phascolarctos cinereus, having thick, gray fur and feed-
conversation, you know something (or what)? I am ing on eucalyptus leaves.
going to you something, you never know nothing
tell The fuller form koala bear is now considered incor-
in the future is certain, no knowa-ble adj. knower //. rect.
know-how n. 1 practical knowledge; technique; exper- KO'd /kayod, kayod/ adj. knocked out.
tise. 2 natural skill or invention. Ko*di*ak /kodeeak/ n. (in full Kodiak bear) a large Alas-
&
knowing /noing/ n. adj. «n. the state of being aware kan brown bear, Ursus arctos middendorffi.
or informed of any thing, madj. 1 usu. derog. cunning; kohl /kol/ n. a black powder, usu. antimony sulfide or
sly. 2 showing knowledge; shrewd. there is no know- lead sulfide, used as eye makeup esp. in Eastern coun-
ing no one can tell, dd knowing«ness n. tries.
know*ing*ly /noinglee/ adv. 1 consciously; intentional- kohl*ra*bi /kolraabee/ n. (pi. kohlrabies) a variety of
ly (had never knowingly injured him) 2 in a knowing . cabbage with an edible turniplike swollen stem.
manner (smiled knowingly) ko»la var. of cola.
know-it-all n. colloq. a person who acts as if he or she Ko«mo»do dragoon /kamodo/ n. (also Ko«mo»do liz«

knows everything. ard) a large monitor lizard, Varanus komodoensis, na-

knowledge /nolij/ n. 1a (usu. foil, by of) awareness tive to the E. Indies.
or familiarity gained by experience (of a person, fact, kook /kook/ n. &
adj. si. • n. a crazy or eccentric per-
or thing) (have no knowledge of their character), b a per- son. *adj. crazy; eccentric.
son's range of information {is not within his knowledge).
C specific information; facts or intelligence about See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 ..

kookaburra ~ kyanite 438 Kru*ger*rand /krobgarand, -raant/ n. (also kru»ger«

rand) a S. African gold coin depicting President Kru-
kook»a«bur»ra /kobkabora, -bura/ n. any Australian ger.
kingfisher of the genus Dacelo, esp. D. novaeguineae, krumnvhom /krumhawrn/ n. (also krunvhorn, crum-
which makes a harsh cry that sounds like laughter. Al- horn) a medieval wind instrument with a double reed
so called laughing jackass. and a curved end.
kook»y /kookee/ adj. (kookier, kookiest) si. crazy or ec- kryp»ton /kripton/ n. Chem. an inert gaseous element
centric, dd kook«i»ly adv. kook*i*ness n. of the noble gas group, forming a small portion of the
kopeck /kopek, kopek/ n. (also ko*pek, copeck) a Rus- earth's atmosphere and used in fluorescent lamps, etc.
sian coin and monetary unit worth one-hundredth of 1Symb.:Kr.
a ruble. KS abbr. Kansas (in official postal use).
Koran /karan, -ra'an, kaw-/ n. (also Qur'an /ks-/) the kt. abbr. 1 karat(s). 2 kiloton(s). 3 knots.
Islamic sacred book, believed to be the word of God kodos /koodoz, -dos, -dos, kyob-/ n. colloq. glory; re-
as dictated to Muhammad and written down in Ar- nown.
abic, dd Koranic adj. Kudos from Greek, is a singular noun meaning
Ko«re»an /kare'ean, kaw-/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a native or na- 'praise, honor.' However, because of its -5 ending, it
tional of N. or S. Korea in SE Asia. 2 the language of has come to be used as a plural noun meaning 'com-
Korea. »adj. of or relating to Korea or its people or pliments, congratulations.' As a result the (etymolog-
language. ically incorrect) singular form kudo, also meaning
ko«sher /kbshar/ adj. & n. • adj. 1 (of food or premis- 'praise, honor,' has come into existence.
es in which food is sold, cooked, or eaten) fulfilling the Ku Klux Klan /kob kluks klan, kyob-/ n. a secret soci-
requirements of Jewish law. 2 colloq. correct; genuine; ety founded in the southern US, orig. formed after the
legitimate. »n. kosher food, a keep kosher adhere to Civil War and dedicated to white supremacy. Ku
kosher practices. Klux KlansTnan n. (pi. -men).
kowtow /kowtow/ n. &
v. (also ko-tow /kotow/) •n. kunvquat /kumkwot/ n. (also cumquat) 1 an orange-
hist, the Chinese custom of kneeling and touching the like fruit with a sweet rind and acid pulp, used in pre-
ground with the forehead in worship or submission. serves. 2 any shrub or small tree of the genus Fortunella
• v.intr. 1 hist, perform the kowtow. 2 (usu. foil, by to) yielding this.
act obsequiously. kung f u /kung fob, kOOng/ n. the Chinese form of ka-
KP n. Mil. colloq. 1 enlisted person detailed to help the rate.
cooks. 2 kitchen duty. Kurd /kard/ n. a member of a mainly pastoral Aryan
k.p.h. abbr. kilometers per hour. Islamic people living in Kurdistan (contiguous areas
Kr symb. Chem. the element krypton. of Iraq, Iran, and Turkey)
kraal /kraal/ n. S.Afr. 1 a village of huts enclosed by a Kurd»ish /kardish/ adj. &
n. madj. of or relating to the
fence. 2 an enclosure for cattle or sheep. Kurds or their language. • n. the Iranian language of
krafl /kraft/ n. (in full krafl paper) a kind of strong the Kurds.
smooth brown wrapping paper. kV abbr. kilovolt(s).
krait /kiit/ n. any venomous snake of the genus Bungarus kvass /kvaas/ n. a Russian fermented beverage, low in
of E. Asia. alcohol, made from rye flour or bread with malt.
kraut /krowt/ n. 1 colloq. sauerkraut. 2 (also Kraut) si. kvetch /kvech/ n. &
v. si. • n. an objectionable person,

offens. a German. esp. one who complains a great deal. • v. intr. complain;
krenrlin /kremlin/ n. 1a citadel within a Russian city whine, on kvetch»er n.
or town. 2 (the Kremlin) a the citadel in Moscow, b the kW abbr. kilowatt(s).
Russian or former USSR government housed within kwaoza /kwanza/ n. (pi. -za-zas) the basic monetary
it. unit of Angola.
tiny planktonic crustaceans found in the
krill /kril/ n. kWh abbr. kilowatt-hour(s)
seas around the Antarctic and eaten by baleen whales. KY abbr. Kentucky (in official postal use).
kro*na /krona/ n. kronor /kronar, -nawr/) the
1 (pi. Ky. abbr. Kentucky.
chief monetary unit of Sweden. 2 (pi. kronur /kronar/) ky«a«nite /kianit/ n. a blue crystalline mineral of alu-
the chief monetary unit of Iceland. minum silicate, dd ky*a*nit*ic /-nitik/ adj.
krone /krona/ n. (pi. kroner /krbngr/) the chief mon-
etary unit of Denmark and of Norway.

L 1
/el/ n. (also I) (pi. Ls or L's) 1 the twelfth letter of the
alphabet. 2 (as a Roman numeral) 50. 3 a thing shaped
like an L, esp. a joint connecting two pipes at right an-
gles.
L2 abbr. (also L.) 1 Lake. 2 Latin. 3 Liberal. 4
5 Biol. Linnaeus. 6 lire.
I I.) 1 left. 2 line. 3 liter(s). 4 length. 5 archa-
abbr. (also
pound(s) (money).
ic
£ abbr. (preceding a numeral) pound or pounds (of
money).
LA abbr. 1 Los Angeles. 2 Louisiana (in official postal
use).
La symb. Chem. the element lanthanum.
La. abbr. Louisiana.
Mus. 1 (in tonic sol-fa) the sixth note of a ma-
la /laa/ n.
2 the note A in the fixed-do system.
jor scale.
Lab. abbr. 1 Brit. Labour Party. 2 Labrador.
lab /lab/ n. colloq. a laboratory.
Iab«a«rum /labaram/ n. la symbolic banner. 2 Con-
stantine the Great's imperial standard, with Christian
symbols added to Roman military symbols.
Ia*bel /laybal/ n. &v. •n. 1 a usu. small piece of paper,
card, linen, metal, etc., for attaching to an object and
giving its name, information about it, instructions for
use, etc. 2 phrase or name
esp. derog. a short classifying
applied to a person, a work of art, etc. 3 a a small fab-
ric label sewn into a garment bearing the maker's
name, b the logo, title, or trademark of esp. a fashion
or recording company (brought it out under their own
label), c the piece of paper in the center of a phono-
graph record describing its contents, etc. 4 an adhe-
sive stamp on a parcel, etc. 5 a word placed before, af-
ter, or in the course of a dictionary definition, etc., to
specify its subject, register, nationality, etc. 6 Heraldry
the mark of an eldest son, consisting of a superim-
posed horizontal bar with usu. three downward pro-
jections. mv.tr. (labeled, labeling; esp. Brit, labelled,
labelling) 1 attach a label to. 2 (usu. foil, by as) assign
to a category (labeled them as irresponsible) 3 a replace
. often in a trade or profession, formed to protect and
(an atom) by an atom of a usu. radioactive isotope as
a means of identification, b replace an atom in (a mol-
ecule) or atoms in the molecules of (a substance) 4 (as
labeled adj.) made identifiable by the replacement of
atoms, dd la*bel*er n.
Ia*bi*a pi. of labium.
Ia*bi*al /laybeeal/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 a of the lips, b Zool.
of, like, or serving as a lip, a liplike part, or a labium.
2 Dentistry designating the surface of a tooth adjacent
to the lips. 3 Phonet. (of a sound) requiring partial or
complete closure of the lips (e.g., p, 6,/, v, m, w\ and
vowels in which lips are rounded, e.g., oo in moon). • n.
Phonet. a labial sound, nn la*bi*al*ism n. Ia*bi*al*ize v. tr.
Ia*bi*al*ly adv.
Ia*bi*ate /laybeeat, -ayt/ n. &
adj. • n. any plant of the
family Labiatae, including mint and rosemary, having
square stems and a corolla or calyx divided into two
parts suggesting lips. • adj. 1 Bot. of or relating to the
Labiatae. 2 Bot. &
Zool. like a lip or labium.
labio- /laybeeo/ comb, form of the lips.
la*bi*o«den«tal /laybeeodent'l/ adj. (of a sound) made
with the lips and teeth, e.g., /and v.
Ia*bi*um /laybeeam/ n. (pi. labia /-beea/) 1 (usu. mpl.)
L
Anat. each of the two pairs of skin folds that enclose
the vulva. 2 the lower lip in the mouthparts of an in-
sect or crustacean. 3 a lip, esp. the lower one of a la-
biate plant's corolla.
large. la*bor /laybsr/n. &
v. (Brit, labour) • n. 1 a physical or
mental work; exertion, b such work considered as sup-
plying the needs of a community. 2 workers, esp. man-
ual, considered as a class or political force. 3 the proc-
ess of childbirth, esp. the period from the start of
uterine contractions to delivery. 4 a particular task,
esp. of a difficult nature. mv. 1 intr. work hard; exert
oneself. 2 intr. (usu. foil, by for, or to + infin.) strive for
a purpose. 3 tr. a elaborate needlessly (/ will not labor
the point) . b (as labored adj. ) not spontaneous or flu-
ent. 4 intr. (often foil, by under) suffer under (a disad-
vantage or delusion) (labored under universal disapprov-
al). 5 intr. proceed with trouble or difficulty (labored
slowly up the hilt). 6 intr. (of a ship) roll or pitch heav-
ily.
lab*o*ra*to*ry /labratawree/ n. (pi. -ries) a room or
building fitted out for scientific experiments, research,
or the manufacture of drugs and chemicals.
la*bor camp n. a prison camp enforcing a regime of
hard labor.
La*bor Day n. in the US and Canada, the first Mon-
day in September (or in most other countries May 1),
celebrated in honor of working people.
la»bor«er /laybarar/ n. 1 a person doing unskilled, usu.
manual, work for wages. 2 a person who labors.
la»bor-in»ten»sive adj. (of a form of work) needing a
large workforce.
la»bo»ri«ous /labawreeas/ adj. 1 needing hard work or
toil (a laborious task). 2 (esp. of literary style) pedes-
trian;not fluent, dd la«bo*ri*ous*ly adv. la*bo«ri*ous*
ness n.
la»bor»saving /laybarsayving/ adj. (of an appliance,
etc.) designed to reduce or eliminate human work.
la*bor un«lon n. an organized association of workers,
further their rights and interests.
la-bour Brit. var. of labor.
. La*bour Par«ty n. la British political party formed to
represent the interests of ordinary working people.
2 (or Labor Party) any similar political party in other
countries.
Lab*ra*dor /labradawr/ n. (in full Labrador retriever)
1 a retriever of a breed with a black or golden coat.
2 this breed.
Iab»y»rinth /labarinth/ w. la complicated network of
passages, etc.; a maze. 2 an intricate or tangled ar-
rangement, an lab«yrin*thi*an /-rintheean/ adj. Iab»y
rirvthine /-rinthin, -thin/ adj.
lac /lak/ n. a resinous substance secreted as a protec-
tive covering by an Asian insect.
lace /lays/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a fine open fabric made by weav-
ing thread in patterns and used esp. to trim blouses,
underwear, etc. 2 a cord or leather strip passed through
eyelets or hooks on opposite sides of a shoe, corset,
etc., pulled tight and fastened. 3 braid used for trim-
ming esp. dress uniform (gold lace). mv. 1 tr. (usu. foil,
by up) a fasten or tighten with a lace or laces, b com-
press the waist of (a person) with a laced corset. 2 tr.
 .

lacerate - ladyship 440 and produced in the muscle tissues during strenuous
exercise.
flavor or fortify (coffee, beer, etc.) with a dash of liq- lacto- /lakto/ comb, form milk.
uor. 3 tr. by with) a streak with color {cheek
(usu. foil, lactose /laktos/ n. Chem. a sugar that occurs in milk,
laced with blood), b interlace or embroider (fabric) with and is less sweet than sucrose.
thread, etc. 4 tr. & (foil, by into) intr. colloq. lash; beat; Ia*cu*na /takyobna/ n. (pi. lacunae /-nee/or lacunas)
defeat. 5 tr. (often foil, by through) pass (a shoelace, 1 a hiatus, blank, or gap. 2 a missing portion or emp-

etc.) through. 6 tr. trim with lace. ty page, esp. in an ancient manuscript, etc. 3 Anat. a
Iacer«ate /lasorayt/ v.tr. 1 mangle or tear (esp. flesh or cavity or depression, esp. in bone, dd la*cu*nar adj. la*
tissue). 2 cause pain to (the feelings, etc.). dd lacer* cu»nar»y /lakyooneree, bkyoonaree/ adj. la*cu*nose
a«ble adj. Iaoer«a«tion /-rayshan/ n. adj.
lace-up n. & adj. •n. a shoe fastened with a lace. Iac»y /laysee/ adj. (lacier, laciest) of or resembling lace
• attrib.adj. fabric, dd laci«ly adv. Iaci*ness n.
(of a shoe, etc.) fastened with a lace or
laces. lad /lad/ n. 1 a boy or youth. 2 a young son.
lactves /lachiz/ n. Law delay in asserting a right, claim- Iad*der /ladar/ n. 1a set of horizontal bars of wood,
ing a privilege, etc. etc., fixed between two uprights and used for climb-
laclvrymal /lakrimal/ adj (also lac-ri-mal) 1 literary of ing up or down. 2 a a hierarchical structure, b such a
or for tears. 2 (usu. as lacrimal) Anat. concerned in structure as a means of advancement, promotion, etc.
the secretion of tears (lacrimal canal; lacrimal duct) Iad*der-back n. an upright chair with a back resem-
lach»ry»ma»tion /lakrimayshan/ n. (also lacri*ma*tion) bling a ladder.
formal the flow of tears. Iad*die /ladee/ n. colloq. a young boy or lad.
lach«ry»ma»tory /lakrimatawree/ adj. formal of or caus- lade /layd/ v. (past part, laden /layd'n/) 1 tr. a put car-
ing tears. go on board (a ship) b ship (goods) as cargo. 2 intr. .

lach»ry»mose /lakrimos/ adj. formal given to weeping; (of a ship) take on cargo. 3 tr. (as laden adj.) (usu. foil,
tearful; inducing tears, do lach«rymose«ly adv. by with) a (of a vehicle, donkey, person, tree, table,
lacking /laysing/ n. 1 lace trimming, esp. on a uniform. etc.) heavily loaded, b (of the conscience, spirit, etc.)
2 a laced fastening on a shoe or corsets. 3 colloq. a beat- painfully burdened with sorrow, etc.
ing. 4 a dash of spirits in a beverage. la-di-da /laadeedaa/ adj. n. colloq. (also la-de-da) • adj.&
lack /lak/ n. &
v. • n. (usu. foil, by of) an absence, want, pretentious or snobbish, esp. in manner or speech. • n.
or deficiency, •v.tr. be without or deficient in (lacks 1 a la-di-da person. 2 la-di-da speech or manners.

courage) a for lack of owing to the absence of. lack for Ia«diesp/. of lady.
.

lack. Iad*ies' man n. (also lad*y's man) 1 a man fond of fe-

Iack*a*dai«si*cal /lakgdayzikol/ adj. 1 listless; idle. male company. 2 a seducer.
2 feebly sentimental and affected, dd lack*a«dai*si*cal* lading /layding/ n. la cargo. 2 the act or process of
ly adv. lading.
Iack*er var. of lacquer. n.&v.*n."\a large, long-handled spoon
Ia*dle /layd'l/
Iack*ey /lakee/ n. (also lacquey) (pi. -eys) 1 derog. a a with a cup-shaped bowl used for serving esp. soups
servile political follower, b an obsequious parasitical and gravy. 2 a vessel for transporting molten metal in
person. 2 a a (usu. liveried) footman or manservant. a foundry. 9V.tr. (often foil, by out) transfer (liquid)
b a servant. from one receptacle to another, o ladle out distribute,
lacking /laking/ adj. 1absent or deficient. 2 colloq. de- esp. lavishly, dd la*dle*ful n. (pi. -fuls). Ia*dler n.
ficient in intellect; mentally subnormal. Ia*dy /laydee/ n. (pi. -dies) 1 a a woman regarded as be-
Iack*lus*ter /laklustar/ adj. 1 lacking in vitality, force, ing of superior social status or as having the refined
or conviction. 2 (of the eye) dull. manners associated with this (cf. gentleman), b (La-
la*Con*ic /takonik/ adj. 1 (of a style of speech or writ- dy) a title used by peeresses, wives and widows of
ing) brief; concise; terse. 2 (of a person) laconic in knights, etc. 2 (often attrib.) a female person or an-
speech, etc. dd la»con»i«caMy adv. la»corvi»cism imal (ask that lady over there; lady butcher, lady dog).
/-sizam/ n. laco*nism /lakanizam/ n. 3 colloq. a a wife, b a man's girlfriend. 4 a ruling
lacquer /laksr/ n. &v. (also lack»er) • n. 1 a sometimes woman (lady of the house) 5 (in pi. as a form of ad-
.

colored liquid made of shellac dissolved in alcohol, or dress) a female audience or the female part of an au-
of synthetic substances, that dries to form a hard pro- dience, dd la«dyhood n.
tective coating for wood, brass, etc. 2 the sap of the
lady Old English hlcefdlge (denoting a woman to whom
lacquer tree, Rhus verniciflua, used to varnish wood,
homage or obedience is due, such as the wife of a lord
etc. •v.tr. coat with lacquer, dd lacquer«er n.
or the mistress of a household, also specifically the Vir-
lacquey var. of lackey.
gin Mary), from /z/a/'loaf' + a Germanic base mean-
lacrimal var. of lachrymal.
ing 'knead', related to DOUGH; compare with lord. In
lacri*ma*tion var. of lachrymation.
Lady Day and other compounds where it signifies pos-
la»crosse /takraws, -kros/ n. a game like field hockey,
session, it represents the Old English genitive
but with a ball driven by, caught, and carried in a
hLefdlgan '(Our) Lady's'.
crosse, a long-handled stick ending in a small basket.
lactate /laktayt/ v.intr. (of mammals) secrete milk.
1
Ia*dy*bug /laydeebug/ n. a coleopterous insect of In- i

dd lactation /-tayshan/ n. family Coccinellidae, with wing covers usu. off red-
lactate 2 /laktayt/ n. Chem. any salt or ester of lactic dish-brown color with black spots.
acid. Ia«dyfin»ger /laycieefmggnr' ;/. a finger shaped sponge
Iacte»al /lakteeol/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of milk. 2 convey- cake.
ing chyle or other milky fluid • n. (in pi. ) the lymphat-
. Ia*dy-in-wait*ing ;/. (pi. ladies-in-waiting) a lady it
ic vessels of the small intestine that absorb digested tending a queen or princess.
fats. Ia«dy-kill»er ;/. 1 a man verv atlnutive to women. 2 ;i

Iac»tes»cent /laktesant/ adj. 1 milky. 2 yielding a milky practiced and habitual seducer.
juice. Ia«dylike /laydeelik/ adj. 1 a with the modesty, ni;m
lactic /laktik/ adj. Chem. of, relating to, or obtained ners, etc., of a lady, b befitting a lady. 2 (of a ni;m <l
from milk. feminate.
lactic acid n. a carboxylic acid formed in sour milk, Ia«dyship /laydeeship/ n. u her (or your) ladyship (pi.
 their oryour ladyships) 1 a respectful form of ref- 441 lady's man ~ lancer
erence or address to a titled lady or ladies. 2 iron, a
form of reference or address to a woman thought to lam*bent /lambant/ adj. 1 (of a flame or a light) play-
be giving herself airs. ing on a surface with a soft radiance. 2 (of the eyes,
Ia*dy's man var. of ladies' man. sky, etc.) softly radiant. 3 (of wit, etc.) lightly brilliant.
Ia»dy's slip»per n. any orchidaceous plant of the genus dd lanvben»cy n.

Cypripedium, with a usu. yellow or pink slipper-shaped lame /laym/ adj. &
v. »adj. 1 disabled, esp. in the foot

lip on its flowers. or leg; limping. 2 a (of an argument, excuse, etc.) un-
lag 1
/lag/ v. & (lagged, lagging) (often
n. •v.intr. foil, convincing; unsatisfactory, b (of verse, etc.) halting.
by behind) fall behind; not keep pace. •«. a delay. • v.tr. 1 make lame; disable. 2 harm permanently.
lag 2 /lag/ v. &
n. 9V.tr. (lagged, lagging) enclose
or dd lame»ly adv. Iame«ness n.

cover in lagging. • n. 1 the non-heat-conducting cover Ia»me /lamay/ n. adj. • n.&

a fabric with gold or silver
of a boiler, etc. 2 a piece of this. threads interwoven. »adj. (of fabric, etc.) having such
Ia»ger /la'agar/ n. a kind of beer, effervescent and light threads.
in color and body. Iame*brain /laymbrayn/ stupid person.
n. colloq. a
Iag*gard /lagard/ n. &
adj. • n. a dawdler. • adj. daw- lame duck «.1a disabled or weak person. 2 a defaulter
dling; slow, dd lag*gard*ly adj. & adv. in the stock market. 3 an official (esp. the president)
Iag*ging /laging/ n. material providing heat insulation in the final period of office, after the election of a suc-
for a boiler, pipes, etc. cessor.
la*goon /lagobn/ n. 1a stretch of salt water separated Ia*ment /lament/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a passionate expression

from the sea by low sandbank, coral reef, etc. 2 the

a of grief 2 a song or poem of mourning or sorrow. • v. tr.
.

enclosed water of an atoll. 3 a small freshwater lake (also absol.) 1 express or feel grief for or about; regret

near a larger lake or river. 4 an artificial pool for the (lamented the loss of his ticket). 2 (as lamented adj.) a
treatment of effluent or to accommodate an overspill conventional expression referring to a recently dead
from surface drains during heavy rain. person (your late lamented father), o lament for (or over)
Ia«ic /layik/ adj. &
n. • adj. nonclerical; lay; secular; tem- mourn or regret, dd lam«en«ta«tion lamantayshan ;/.
poral. • «. formal a lay person; a noncleric. an la*i*cal Ia«ment»er n. Ia»ment»ing»ly adv.
adj. Ia*i*cal*ly adv. Iam»en«ta«ble lamentabal, lament-/ adj. deplorable;
laid past and past part, of lay 1
. regrettable, dd lam»en»ta«bly adv.
laid-back adj. colloq. relaxed; unbothered; easygoing. Ianvi»na lamina n. (pi. laminae /-nee/or laminas) a
laid up adj. confined to bed or the house. thin plate or scale, e.g., of bone, stratified rock, or veg-
lain past part, of lie 1 . etable tissue, dd lam*i*nar laminar/ adj.
lair /lair/ n. & a a wild animal's resting place.
v. »n. 1 Iam*i*nate v., n., &
adj. »v. /laminayt 1 tr. beat or roll
b a person's hiding place (tracked him to his lair). 2 a (metal) into thin plates. 2 tr. overlay with metal plates,
place where domestic animals lie down. mv. 1 intr. go a plastic layer, etc. 3 tr. manufacture by placing layer
to or rest in a lair. 2 tr. place (an animal) in a lair. on layer. 4 tr. &
intr. split into layers or leaves. • n.

lais»sez-faire/lesayfair/«. (also lais*ser-faire) the theo- /laminat/ a laminated structure or material, madj.
ry or practice of governmental abstention from inter- /laminat/ in the form of lamina or laminae, dd lanvi*
ference in the workings of the market, etc. na*tion /-nayshan/ n. lanvi»na«tor n.
Ia»i»ty /lay-itee/ n. (usu. prec. by the; usu. treated as pi.) Lanvmas lamas/ n. (in full Lammas Day) the first day
1 lay people, as distinct from the clergy. 2 nonprofes- of August, formerly observed as harvest festival.
sionals. lamp lamp/ n. &
v. • «. 1a device for producing a

lake /layk/ n. a large body of water surrounded by land.

1
steady light, esp.: a an electric bulb, and usu. its hold-
lake 2 /layk/ n. 1 a reddish coloring orig. made from lac er (bedside lamp), b an oil lamp. C a usu. glass holder
(crimson lake). 2 a complex formed by the action of for a candle, d a gas jet and mantle. 2 a source of spir-
dye and mordants applied to fabric to fix color. 3 any itual or intellectual inspiration. 3 a device producing
insoluble product of a soluble dye and mordant. esp. ultraviolet or infrared radiation as a treatment for
Iake*side /layksid/ attrib.adj. beside a lake. various complaints, mv. 1 intr. poet, shine. 2 tr. supply
lal*la*tion /lalayshan/ n. 1 the pronunciation of r as /. with lamps; illuminate. 3 tr. si. look at. dd lamp*less
2 imperfect speech, esp. that of young children. adj.
lam /lam/ v. (lammed, lamming) si. 1 tr. thrash; hit. Iamp»black lampblak n. a pigment made from soot.
2 intr. (foil, by into) hit (a person, etc.) hard with a lamplight /lamplit/ n. light given by a lamp or lamps.
stick, etc. Iamp»light»er /lamplitar/ n. hist. 1 a person who lights
lam /lam/ n. si. d on the lam fleeing, esp. from the po- street lamps. 2 a device for lighting lamps.
lice. lanvpoon /lampoon/ n. &v. *n. a satirical attack on a
Ia*ma /la'ama/ n. a Tibetan or Mongolian Buddhist person, etc. mv.tr. satirize, dd lam»poon»ist ;/.
monk. lamp»post /lamp-post/ n. a tall post supporting an out-
Ia«ma»ser»y /la'amaseree/ n. (pi. -ies) a monastery of la- door light.
mas. Iam»prey /lampree, -pray/ n. (pi. -preys) any eellike
lamb /lam/ n. &
v. »n. 1 a young sheep. 2 the flesh of aquatic vertebrate of the family Petromyzonidae, with-
a lamb as food. 3 a mild or gentle person, esp. a young out scales, paired fins, or jaws, but having a sucker
child. »v. 1 a tr. (in passive) (of a lamb) be born, b intr. mouth.
(of a ewe) give birth to lambs. 2 tr. tend (lambing Iamp*shade /lampshayd/ n. a translucent cover for a
ewes), d The Lamb (or The Lamb of God) a name for lamp used to soften or direct its light.
Christ (John 1:29) (cf. Agnus Dei), like a lamb meek- LAN /Ian/ n. Computing local area network.
ly; obediently, dd lamb*kin n. lamblike adj. lance /lans/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a long weapon with a wood-
Iam*ba*da /lamba'ada/ n. a fast erotic Brazilian dance en shaft and a pointed steel head, used by a horseman
in which couples dance with their hips touching each in charging, b a similar weapon used for spearing a
other. fish. 2 = lancer. • v. tr. 1 Surgery prick or cut open with
lanvbaste /lambayst/ v.tr. (also lanvbast /-bast/) col- a lancet. 2 pierce with a lance.
loq. 1 thrash; beat. 2 criticize severely. Ianc»er /lansar/ n. 1 hist, a soldier of a cavalry regiment
lamb-da /lamda/ n. 1 the eleventh letter of the Greek
alphabet (A, \). 2 (as \) the symbol for wavelength. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 )

lancet ~ lanthanide series 442 land mine n. 1 an explosive mine laid in or on the
ground. 2 fig. a hazard
armed with lances. 2 (in pi.) a a quadrille for 8 or 16 land-own-er /landonor/ n. an owner of land, dd land*
b the music for
pairs, this. own-ing adj. n. &
lan-cet /lansit/ n. a small, broad, two-edged surgical land-scape /landskayp/ n. &
v. • n. 1 natural or imag-

knife with a sharp point. inary scenery, as seen in a broad view. 2 (often attrib.
land /land/ n. &
v. •n. 1 the solid part of the earth's a picture representing this; the genre of landscape
surface (opp. sea, water, air) 2 a an expanse of coun-
. painting. 3 (in graphic design, etc.) a format in which
try; ground, b such land in relation to its use, etc., or the width of an illustration, etc., is greater than the
(often prec. by the) as a basis for agriculture (works on height (cf. portrait), •v.tr. (also absol.) improve (a
the land) 3 a country, nation, or state (land of hope and
. piece of land) by landscape gardening, dd land-scap-
glory). 4 a landed property, b (in pi.) estates. 5 the ist //.

space between the rifling grooves in a gun. 6 a strip land-scape gar-den-ing n. the laying out of esp. ex-
of plow land or pastureland parted from others by tensive grounds to resemble natural scenery, dd land-
drain furrows. • v. 1 a tr. &
intr. set or go ashore, b intr. scape gar-den-er n.
(often foil, by at) disembark. 2 tr. bring (an aircraft, land-slide /landslid/ n. 1 the sliding down of a mass of
etc.) to the ground or the surface of water. 3 intr. (of land from a mountain, cliff, etc. 2 an overwhelming
an aircraft, parachutist, etc.) alight on the ground or majority for one side in an election.
water. 4 tr. bring (a fish) to land or to a boat. 5 tr. & land-slip /landslip/ n. Brit.= landslide 1.
intr. (also refl.\ often foil, by up) colloq. bring to, reach, lands-man /landzmgn/ n. (pi. -men) a nonsailor.
or find oneself in a certain situation, place, or state. lane /layn/ n. 1 a narrow, often rural, road, street, or
6 tr. colloq. a deal (a person, etc.) a blow, etc. (landed path. 2 a division of a road for a stream of traffic. 3 a
him one in the eye), b (foil, by with) present (a person) strip of track or water for a runner, rower, or swim-
with (a problem, etc.). 7 tr. set down (a person, mer in a race. 4 a path or course prescribed for or reg-
cargo, etc.) from a vehicle, ship, etc. 8 tr. colloq. win ularly followed by a ship, aircraft, etc. 5 Bowling a long,
or obtain (a prize, job, etc.). how the land lies narrow strip of floor down which the ball is rolled.
what is the state of affairs, in the land of the living joe. lang-lauf /la'anglowf/ n. cross-country skiing; a cross-
still alive, land on one's feet attain a good position, country skiing race.
job, etc., by luck, dd landless adj. land-ward adj. & lan-guage /langgwij/ n. 1 the method of human com-
adv. munication, gestured, spoken or written, consisting of
land bridge n. a neck of land joining two large land- the use of words in an agreed way. 2 the language of
masses. a particular community or country, etc. 3 a the facul-
land-ed /landid/ adj. 1 owning land (landed gentry). ty of speech, b a style of expression; the use of words,
2 consisting of, including, or relating to land (landed etc. (his language was poetic), c (also bad language)
property). coarse, crude, or abusive speech. 4 a system of sym-
land-fall /landfawl/ n. the approach to land, esp. for the bols and rules for writing computer programs or algo-
firsttime on a sea or air journey. rithms. 5 any method of expression (the language of
iand-f ill /landfil/ n. 1 waste material, etc., used to land- flowers, sign language) 6 a professional or specialized
.

scape or reclaim areas of ground. 2 the process of dis- vocabulary. 7 literary style.
posing of rubbish in this way. 3 landfill site; a place lan-guid/langgwid/ad/. 1 lacking vigor; idle; inert. 2 (of
where rubbish is disposed of by burying it in the ideas, etc.) lacking force; uninteresting. 3 (of trade,
ground. etc.) slow-moving; sluggish. 4 faint; weak, an languid-
land-form /landfawrm/ n. a natural feature of the ly adv. lan-guid-ness n.
earth's surface. lan-guish /langgwish/ v.intr. 1 be or grow feeble; lose
land-hold-er /landholdsr/ n. the proprietor or, esp., the or lack vitality. 2 put on a sentimentally tender or lan-
tenant of land. guid look, d languish for droop or pine for. languish
landing /landing/ n. la the act or process of coming under suffer under (esp. depression, confinement,
to land, b an instance of this, c (also landing place) etc.). dd lan-guish-ment n.
a place where ships, etc., land. 2 a a platform between lan-guor /langgar/ n. 1 lack of energy or alertness; idle-
two flights of stairs, b a passage leading to upstairs ness. 2 faintness; fatigue. 3 a soft or tender mood or
rooms. effect. 4 an oppressive stillness (of the air, etc.). dd Ian-
landing craft n. any of several types of craft esp. de- guor-ous adj. lan-guor-ous-ly adv.
signed for putting troops and equipment ashore. la-nif»er«OUS /tonifaras/ adj. wool-bearing.
landing gear n. the undercarriage of an aircraft. lank /langk/ adj. 1 (of hair, grass, etc.) long, limp, and
landing stage n. a platform, often floating, on which straight. 2 thin and tall. 3 shrunken; spare, dd lank-ly
goods and passengers are disembarked. adv. lank-ness n.
land-la-dy /landlaydee/ n. (pi. -dies) 1 a woman who lank-y/langkee/ad/. (lankier, lankiest) (of limbs, a per-
rents land, a building, etc., to a tenant. 2 a woman who son, etc.) ungracefully thin and long or tall, dd lank-i-
keeps a boardinghouse, an inn, etc. ly adv. lank-i-ness n.
landlocked /landlokt/ adj. almost or entirely enclosed lan-o-lin /lanolin/ n. a fat found naturally on sheep's
by land. wool and used purified for cosmetics, etc.
landlord /landlawrd/ n. la man who rents land, a Ian-tern /lantorn/ n. 1 a a lamp with a transparent usu.
building, etc., to a tenant. 2 a man who keeps a board- glass case protecting a candle flame, etc. b a similar
inghouse, an inn, etc. electric, etc., lamp. C its case. 2 a raised structure on
land-lub-ber /landlubar/ n. a person unfamiliar with a dome, room, etc., glazed to admit light or vcntila
the sea or sailing. tion. 3 the light chamber of a lighthouse. 4 mack
land-mark /landmaark/ n. 1 a a conspicuous object in LANTERN.
a district, etc. b an object marking the boundary of an Ian-tern fish n. any marine fish of the family
estate, country, etc. 2 an event, change, etc., marking Myctophidae, having small light OTgani on the- In ad
a stage or turning point in history, etc. 3 attrib. serv- and body.
ing as a landmark; signifying an important change, lan-tha-nide /lanthomd/ ;/. Chun, an elemeni <>t tin
development, etc. lanthanide series.
land-mass /landmas/ n. a large area of land. lan-tha-nide se-ries >i. a series of 1 5 metallic elements
 from lanthanum to lutetium in the periodic table, hav- 443 lanthanum ~ lark
ing similar chemical properties. Also called rare earth.
Ian»tha»num /lanthanam/ n. Chem. a silvery metallic el- lap-i-dar-y /lapideree/ adj. &n. madj. 1 concerned with
ement of the lanthanide series that occurs naturally stone or stones. 2 engraved upon stone. 3 (of writing
and is used in the manufacture of alloys. \ Symb.: La. style) dignified and concise, suitable for inscriptions.
la-nu-go /tanobgo, -nyob-/ n. fine, soft hair, esp. that mn. (pi. -ies) a cutter, polisher, or engraver of gems.
which covers the body and limbs of a human fetus. Iap»is laz-u-li /lapis lazoolee, lazys-, lazha-/ n. 1 a blue

Ian-yard /lanyard/ n. 1 a cord hanging around the neck mineral containing sodium aluminum silicate and sul-
or looped around the shoulder, esp. of a scout or sail- fur, used as a gemstone. 2 a bright blue pigment for-
which a knife, etc., may be attached. 2 Nam.
or, etc., to merly made from this. 3 its color.
a short rope or line used for securing, tightening, etc. lap joint n. a joint made with two pieces of metal, tim-
3 a cord attached to a breech mechanism for firing a ber, etc., by halving the thickness of each at the joint
gun. and fitting them together.
La»od»i«ce»an /layodise'ean/ adj. &n. •adj. lukewarm lap-pet /lapit/ n. 1 a small flap or fold of a garment, etc.
or halfhearted, esp. in religion or politics, mn. such a 2 a hanging or loose piece of flesh, such as a lobe or
person. wattle.
lap /lap/ n. 1 a the front of the body from the waist to
1
lapse /laps/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a slight error; a slip of mem-

the knees of a sitting person, b the clothing, esp. a skirt, ory, etc. 2 a weak or careless decline into an inferior
covering the lap. C the front of a skirt held up to catch state. 3 (foil, by of) an interval or passage of time (af-
or contain something. 2 a hollow among hills. 3 a ter a lapse of three years). 4 Law the termination of a
hanging flap on a garment, a saddle, etc. o in (or on) right or privilege through disuse or failure to follow
a person's lap as a person's responsibility, in the lap appropriate procedures, •v.intr. 1 fail to maintain a
of the gods (of an event, etc.) open to chance; beyond position or standard. 2 (foil, by into) fall back into an
human control, in the lap of luxury in extremely lux- inferior or previous state. 3 (of a right or privilege, etc.)
urious surroundings, an lap-ful n. (pi. -fuls). become invalid because it is not used or claimed or re-
newed. 4 (as lapsed adj.) (of a person or thing) that
lap Old English Iceppa, of Germanic origin; related to
has lapsed.
Dutch lap, German happen 'piece of cloth'. The word
lap-top /laptop/ n. (often attrib.) a microcomputer that
originally denoted a fold or flap of a garment (com-
is portable and suitable for use while traveling.
pare with lapel), later specifically one that could be
lap-wing /lapwing/ n. a plover, Vanellus vanellus, with
used as a pocket or pouch, or the front of a skirt when
black and white plumage, crested head, and a shrill
held up to catch or carry something (Middle English),
cry.
hence the area between the waist and knees as a place
where a child could be nursed or an object held.
lar-board /la'arbard/ n. & adj. Nam. archaic = port 3 .

Iar»ce«ny /la'arsanee/ n. (pi. -nies) the theft of personal

n.&tt#n.1a one circuit of a racetrack, etc.
lap 2 /lap/ property, do lar-ce-nist n. lar-ce-nous adj.
b a section of a journey, etc. (on the last lap). 2 a an larch /laarch/ n. 1a deciduous coniferous tree of the
amount of overlapping, b an overlapping or project- genus Larix, with bright foliage and producing tough
ing part. 3 a a layer or sheet (of cotton, etc., being wood. 2 (in full larchwood) its wood.
made) wound on a roller, b a single turn of rope, lard /laard/ n. & v. mn. the internal fat of the abdomen
thread, etc., around a drum or reel. 4 a rotating disk of pigs, esp. when rendered for use in cooking and
for polishing a gem or metal, mv. (lapped, lapping) 1 tr. pharmacy. • v. tr. 1 insert strips of fat or bacon in (meat,
lead or overtake (a competitor) by one or more laps. etc.) before cooking. 2 (foil, by with) embellish (talk
2 tr. (often foil, by about, around) coil, fold, or wrap (a or writing) with foreign or technical terms.
garment, etc.) around. 3 tr. (usu. foil, by in) enfold or lard-er /la'ardar/ n. 1 a room or cupboard for storing
wrap (a person) in clothing, etc. 4 tr. (as lapped adj.) food. 2 a wild animal's store of food, esp. for winter.
(usu. foil, by in) enfolded caressingly. 5 tr. surround (a large /laarj/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of considerable or rela-
person) with an influence, etc. 6 intr. (usu. foil, by over) tively great size or extent. 2 of the larger kind (the large
project; overlap. 7 tr. cause to overlap. 8 tr. polish (a intestine). 3 of wide range; comprehensive. 4 pursuing
gem, etc.) with a lap. an activity on a large scale (large farmer) mn. (at large) .

lap 3 /lap/ v. & n. mv. (lapped, lapping) 1 tr. a (also 1 at liberty. 2 as a body or whole (the people at large).

absol.) (usu. of an animal) drink (liquid) with the 3 (of a narration, etc.) at full length and with all details.
tongue, b (usu. foil, by up, down) consume greedily. 4 without a specific target (scatters insults at large).
c (usu. foil, by up) consume (gossip, praise, etc.) 5 representing a whole area and not merely a part of
greedily. 2 a tr. (of water) move or beat upon (a shore) it (councilwoman at large), o in large on a large scale.

with a rippling sound as of lapping, b intr. (of waves, large as life see life, larger than life see life, dd large-
etc.) move in ripples; make a lapping sound, mn. ness n. larg-ish adj.
1 a the process or an act of lapping, b the amount of large in»tes»tine n. the cecum, colon, and rectum col-
liquid taken up. 2 the sound of wavelets on a beach. lectively.
3 liquid food for dogs. A si. a a weak beverage, b any largely /la'arjlee/ adv. to a great extent; principally (is
liquor. largely due to laziness).
lap-a-ro-scope /laparsskOp/ n. Surgery a fiber-optic in- large-scale adj. made or occurring on a large scale or
strument inserted through the abdominal wall to give in large amounts.
a view of the organs in the abdomen, qd lap-a-ros-co- lar-gesse /laarzhes/ n. (also lar-gess) 1 money or gifts
py /-roskapee/ n. (pi. -pies). freely given, esp. on an occasion of rejoicing, by a per-
lap»a»rot»o»my /laparotamee/ n. (pi. -mies) a surgical son in high position. 2 generosity; beneficence.
incision into the abdominal cavity for exploration or lar-go /la'argo/ adv., adj., &
n. Mus. madv. adj. in a &
diagnosis. slow tempo and dignified in style, mn. (pi. -gos) a lar-
lap-dog /lapdawg/ «. la small pet dog. 2 a person go passage or movement.
or organization that is influenced or controlled by lar-i-at /lareeat/ n. 1 a lasso. 2 a tethering rope, esp. used
another. by cowboys.
la-pel /lapel/ n. the part of a coat, jacket, etc., folded lark /laark/ n. 1 any small bird of the family Alaudidae
1

back against the front around the neck opening, no la*

pelled or la-peled adj. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
lark ~ laterite (breathed his last) . 4 (prec. by the) a the end or last mo-
ment, b death. at last (or long last) in the end; after
with brown plumage, elongated hind claws and tune- much delay, on one's last legs see leg. pay one's last
ful song. 2 any of various similar birds. respects see respect, to (or till) the last till the end;
lark- /laark/ n. &v. colloq. • n. a frolic or spree; an amus- esp. till death.
ing incident, •v.intr. (foil, by about) play tricks; frolic. In precise usage, latest means 'most recent' and last
dd lark»y adj. Iark»i«ness n. means 'final.' But last is commonly used in either case:
Iark*spur /la'arkspur/ n. any of various plants of the ge- / read his last novel. The last time she called, she told me
nus Consolida, with a spur-shaped calyx. about her new job. Latest should be used when it is im-
Iar*va /la'arvs/ n. (pi. larvae /-vee/) 1 the stage of devel- portant to distinguish between 'most recent' and 'fi-
opment of an insect between egg and pupa, e.g., a cat- nal': The last day of the school year will be June 18. My
erpillar. 2 an immature form of other animals that un- latest project is wallpapering my dining room. See also
dergo some metamorphosis, e.g. a tadpole, dd lar*val note at former.
adj. last 2 /last/ v. intr. 1 remain unexhausted or adequate or
Iar*yn*gi«tis /larinjitis/ inflammation of the larynx.
n. alive for a specified or considerable time (enough food
lar-ynx /laringks/ n. (pi. larynges /brinjeez/or larynx- to last usa week). 2 continue for a specified time (the
es) the hollow muscular organ forming an air passage journey lasts an hour) a last out remain adequate or in
.

to the lungs and holding the vocal cords. existence for the whole of a period previously stated
Ia*sa*gna /laza'anya/ n. (also la*sa*gne) pasta in the or implied.
form of sheets or wide ribbons. n. a shoemaker's model for shaping or re-
last 3 /last/
las*civ*i*ous /lasiveeas/ adj. 1 lustful. 2 inciting to or pairing a shoe or boot.
evoking lust, dd las*civ*i*ous*ly adv. las*civ«i»ous*ness last-ing /lasting/ adj. 1 continuing; permanent. 2 du-
n. rable, dd last*ing*ly adv.
lase function as or in a laser. 2 (of a sub-
/layz/ v.intr. 1 lasMy /lastlee/ adv. finally; in the last place.
stance) undergo the physical processes employed in a last rites n.pl. sacred rites for a person about to die.
laser. lastStraw n. (prec. by the) a slight addition to a bur-
Ia»ser /layzsr/ n. a device that generates an intense beam den or difficulty that makes it finally unbearable.
of coherent monochromatic radiation in the infrared, Last Sup»per n. that of Christ and his disciples on the
region of the electromagnetic
visible, or ultraviolet eve of the Crucifixion, as recorded in the New Tes-
spectrum, by stimulated emission of photons from an tament.
excited source. lat. abbr. latitude.
Ia»ser disc n. a disk on which signals and data are re- latch /lach/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a bar with a catch and lever

corded to be reproduced by directing a laser beam on used as a fastening for a gate, etc. 2 a springlock pre-
to the surface. venting a door from being opened from the outside
Ia«ser print»er n. a printer in which a laser is used to without a key after being shut. 9V.tr. intr. fasten or &
form a pattern of dots on a photosensitive drum cor- be fastened with a latch, a latch on (often foil, by to)
responding to the pattern of print required. colloq. 1 attach oneself (to). 2 understand.
La»ser»Vi»slon /layzsrvizhan/ n. Trademark a system for latclvkey /lachkee/ n. (pi. -keys) a key of an outer door.
the reproduction of video signals recorded on a disk latclvkey child n. (also latchkey kid) a child who is
with a laser. alone at home after school until a parent returns from
lash /lash/ v. &
n. • v. 1 intr. make a sudden whiplike work.
movement. 2 tr. beat with a whip, etc. 3 intr. pour or late /layt/ adj. &
adv. • adj. 1 after the due or usual time;
rush with great force. 4 intr. (foil, by at, against) strike occurring or done after the proper time. 2 a far on in
violently. 5 tr. castigate in words. 6 tr. urge on as with the day or night or in a specified time or period, b far
a lash. 7 tr. (foil, by down, together, etc.) fasten with a on in development. 3 flowering or ripening toward the
cord, rope, etc. 8 tr. (of rain, wind, etc.) beat forceful- end of the season. 4 (prec. by the or my, his, etc.) no
ly upon. «w. 1 a a sharp blow made by a whip, rope, longer alive or having the specified status (the late pres-
etc. b (prec. by the) punishment by beating with a ident). 5 of recent date (the late storms). 6 (as latest,
whip, etc. 2 the flexible end of a whip. 3 (usu. in pi.) prec. by the) fashionable, up to date. madv. 1 after the
an eyelash. lash out (often foil, by at) speak or hit due or usual time (arrived late). 2 far on in time (this
out angrily, dd lasrHess adj. happened later on). 3 at or till a late hour. 4 at a late
lastving /lashing/ «, 1a beating. 2 cord used for lash- stage of development. 5 formerly but not now (a fam-
ing. ily late of New England) d at the latest as the latest time
.

lass /las/ n. a girl or young woman. envisaged (by six at the latest), late in the day colloq. at
Ias*sie /lasee/ n. colloq. = lass. a late stage in the proceedings, esp. too late to be use-
Ias*si*tude /lasitood, -tyood/ n. 1 languor; weariness. ful, the latest the most recent news, fashion, etc.
2 disinclination to exert or interest oneself. dd late*ness n.
las*so /laso, lasob/ n. &
v. • n. (pi. -sos or -oes) a rope See note at last l .

with a noose at one end, used esp. in N. America for late«COm»er /laytkumor/ n. a person who arrives late.
catching cattle, etc. •v.tr. (-soes, -soed) catch with a Ia»teen rigged with a triangular
/lote'en/ adj. (of a ship)
lasso, dd las*so*er n. sail on a long yard at an angle of 45° to the mast
last 1
/last/ adj., adv., &
n. »adj. 1 after all others; com- late»ly /laytlee/ adv. not long ago; recently; in recent
ing at or belonging to the end. 2 a most recent; next times.
before a specified time (last Christmas), b preceding lament /layt'nt/ adj. 1 concealed; dormant. 2 existing
(got on at the last station). 3 only remaining (the last but not developed or manifest, aa la»ten»cy //. Ia»tent»
cookie). 4 (prec. by the) least likely or suitable (the last ly adv.
person I'd want). 5 the lowest in rank (last place), madv. Iat»er»al /latorol/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 of, at, toward, or from
1 after all others (esp. in comb.: last-mentioned). 2 on the side or sides. 2 descended from a brother or sisier
the last occasion before the present (when did you last of a person in direct line. •//. a lidc part, etc., esp. a
see him?). 3 (esp. in enumerating) lastly. *n. 1 a per- lateral shoot or branch, do la?»er»aMy ,/,/.
son or thing that is last, last-mentioned, etc. 2 (prec. lat»er«ite /latnnt/ //. a red or yellow iron-bearing day,
by the) the last mention or sight, etc. (shall never hear friable and hardening in air, used for making roads m
the last of it). 3 the last performance of certain acts the tropics, un lat-er-it-tc / ritik/ adj.
Ia*tex /layteks/ n. (pi. latices /-tiseez/or latexes) 1 a 445 latex ~ launchpad
milky fluid of mixed composition found in various
plants and trees, esp. the rubber tree. 2 a synthetic Lat«ter-day Saints n.pl. the Mormons' name for them-
product resembling this. selves.
lath /lath/ n. &v. • n. (pi. laths /laths, lathz/) a thin flat Iat»ter»ly /latarlee/ adv. 1 in the latter part of life or of
strip of wood, esp. each of a series forming a frame- a period. 2 recently.
work or support for plaster, etc. mv.tr. attach laths to lattice /latis/ n. la structure of crossed laths or bars
(a wall or ceiling). with spaces between, used as a fence, etc. 2 Crystallog.
lathe /layth/ n. a machine for shaping wood, metal, etc., a regular periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or mol-
by means of a rotating drive that turns the piece be- ecules, do laMiced adj. laMioing n.

ing worked on against changeable cutting tools. laMice win«dow n. a window with
small panes set in
Iath»er /lathar/ n. & v. • n. 1 a froth produced by agi- diagonally crossing strips of lead.
tating soap, etc., and water. 2 frothy sweat, esp. of a Lat*vi*an /latveesn/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a a native of Latvia,
horse. 3 a state of agitation, mv. 1 intr. (of soap, etc.) a Baltic republic, b a person of Latvian descent. 2 the
form a lather. 2 tr. cover with lather. 3 intr. (of a horse, language of Latvia, madj. of or relating to Latvia or its
etc.) develop or become covered with lather. 4 tr. col- people or language.
loq. thrash, dd lath«er»y adj. laud /lawd/ v. &
n. *v.tr. praise or extol, esp. in hymns.
Iat«i»cesp/. of latex. • n. 1 literary praise; a hymn of praise. 2 (in pi.) the
Lat*in /lat'n/ n. &
adj. • «. 1 the Italic language of an- traditional morning prayer of the Roman Catholic
cient Rome and its empire, originating in Latium. Church.
2 Rom. Hist, an inhabitant of ancient Latium in Cen- Iaud*a*ble /lawdabal/ adj. commendable; praiseworthy.
tral Italy. %adj. 1 of or in Latin. 2 of the countries or dd laud*a*bly adv.
peoples using languages developed from Latin. Iau»da*num /lawd'nam/ n. a solution containing mor-
3 Rom. Hist, of or relating to ancient Latium or its phine, prepared from opium and formerly used as a
inhabitants. 4 of the Roman Catholic Church, no Lat» narcotic painkiller.
irvism n. LaHrvist n. laud*a*tO*ry /lawdstawree/ adj. expressing praise.
Lat»in A«mer»i»ca n. the parts of North, Central and S. laugh /laf/ v. &
n. mix 1 intr. make the spontaneous

America where Spanish or Portuguese is the main lan- sounds and movements usual in expressing lively
guage, dd LaWn A«mer»i«can n. adj. & amusement, scorn, derision, etc. 2 tr. express by
La*ti*no /tateeno/ n. (pi. Latinos; fern. Latina /-na/, pi. laughing. 3 tr. bring (a person) into a certain state
Latinas) 1 a native or inhabitant of Latin America. 2 a by laughing (laughed them into agreeing). 4 intr. (foil,
person of Spanish-speaking or Latin-American de- by at) ridicule; make fun of. 5 intr. (be laughing)
scent. colloq. be in a fortunate or successful position, mn.
Iat*ish /laytish/ adj. & adv. fairly late. 1 the sound or act or manner of laughing. 2 colloq.

latitude /latitood, -tyood/ n. 1 Geog. a the angular dis- a comical or ridiculous person or thing, o have the
tance on a meridian north or south of the equator, last laugh be ultimately the winner, laugh in a
expressed in degrees and minutes, b (usu. in pi.) person's face show open scorn for a person, laugh
regions or climes, esp. with reference to temperature off get rid of (embarrassment or humiliation) with a
(warm latitudes). 2 freedom from narrowness; liberal- jest, laugh out of court deprive of a hearing by ridi-
ity of interpretation. 3 tolerated variety of action or cule, laugh out of the other side of one's mouth
opinion. 4 Astron. the angular distance of a celestial (or on the other side of one's face) change from en-
body or point from the ecliptic, dd lat*i*tu*di*nal joyment or amusement to displeasure, shame, appre-
/-tood'nal, -tyood-/ adj. lat-i-tu-di-nal-ly adv. hension, etc. laugh up one's sleeve be secretly or in-
wardly amused.
Iaugh*a*ble /lafabal/ adj. ludicrous; highly amusing.
dd laugh*a*bly adv.
laughing /lafing/ n. Of adj. •n. laughter, madj. in sens-
es of laugh v. no laughing matter something seri-
ous, dd laugh*ing*ly adv.
Iaugh«ing gas n. nitrous oxide as an anesthetic.
Iaugh»ing hy»e»na n. the spotted hyena, Crocuta cro-
cuta, with a loud laughing call.
laugh*ing*stock /lafingstok/ n. a person or thing open
to general ridicule.
Iaugh*ter /laftar/ n. the act or sound of laughing.
laugh track n. recorded laughter added to a comedy
show, esp. a television situation comedy.
latitude, la launch /lawnch/ v.
1
n. mv. &
tr. set (a vessel) afloat.
"\

2 tr. hurl or send forth (a weapon, rocket, etc.). 3 tr.

la*trine /tatre'en/ n. a communal toilet, esp. in a bar- start or set in motion (an enterprise, a person on a
racks, etc. course of action, etc.). 4 tr. formally introduce (a new
laWer a denoting the second-mentioned
/latar/ adj. 1 product) with publicity, etc. 5 intr. (often foil, by out,
of two, or the last-mentioned of three or more.
disp. into, etc.) a make a start, esp. on an ambitious en-
b (prec. by the; usu. absol.) the second- or last-men- terprise, b burst into strong language, etc. mn. the act
tioned person or thing. 2 nearer to the end (the latter or an instance of launching, tc. a launch into begin
part of the year). 3 recent. 4 belonging to the end of a (something or someone) energetically and enthusias-
period, of the world, etc. tically.
This word means 'the second-mentioned of two.' Its launch 2 /lawnch/ n. 1 a motorboat, used esp. for pleas-
mean 'the last-mentioned of three or more' is ure. 2 a man-of-war's largest boat.
use to
common, but considered incorrect by some since lat- Iaunch*pad /lawnchpad/ n. (also launching pad) a
ter means 'later'rather than 'latest.' Last or last-men- platform from which rockets are launched.
tioned is preferred where three or more things are in-
volved. See note at former. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

launder ~ lay 446 of Moses) the precepts of the Pentateuch, d at (or in)
law according to the laws, be a law unto oneself do
laurrder /lawndar, la'an-/ v.&n.m v. tr. 1 wash and iron what one feels is right; disregard custom, lay down the
(clothes, linen, etc.). 2 colloq. transfer (funds) to con- law be dogmatic or authoritarian, take the law into
ceal a dubious or illegal origin. • «. a channel for con- one's own hands redress a grievance by one's own
veying liquids, esp. molten metal, an laun*der«er n. means, esp. by force.
laun-dress /lawndris, la'an-/ n. a woman who launders Iaw*break*er /lawbraykar/ n. a person who breaks the
clothes, linen, etc., esp. professionally. law. nn lawbreak*ing n. & adj.
Laun*dro*mat /lawndrsmat, laan-/ Trademark an es-
n. Iaw*ful /lawfool/ adj. conforming with, permitted by, or
tablishment with coin-operated washing machines recognized by law. dd lawfuMy adv. lawfulness n.
and dryers for public use. Iaw«giv«er /lawgivar/ n. a person who lays down laws.
Iaun»dry/lawndree,laan-/ra. (pi. -dries) 1 an establish- lawless /lawlis/ adj. 1 having no laws or enforcement
ment for washing clothes or linen. 2 clothes or linen of them. 2 disregarding laws. 3 unbridled; uncon-
for laundering or newly laundered. trolled, dd lawlessly adv. lawlessness n.
Iaun*dry list n. colloq. a lengthy and often random list lawmaker /lawmaykar/ n. a legislator.
of items (a laundry list of weekend projects) lawman /lawman/ n. (pi. -men) a law-enforcement of-
Iau»re«ate /lawreeat, lor-/ adj. &n. • adj. 1 wreathed ficer, esp. a sheriff or policeman.
with laurel as a mark of honor. 2 consisting of laurel; lawn 1 /lawn/ n. a piece of grass kept mown and smooth
laurellike. • n. 1 a person who is honored for outstand- in a yard, garden, park, etc.
ing achievement (Nobel laureate). 2 = poet laureate. lawn 2 /lawn/ n. a fine linen or cotton fabric used for
dd lau*re*ate*ship n. clothes, dd lawn*y adj.
lauTel /lawral, lor-/ n. & v. •«. 1 = bay 2 2 a (in sing.
. lawn mow»er n. a machine for cutting the grass on a
or pi. ) the foliage of the bay tree used as an emblem lawn.
of victory or distinction in poetry, usu. formed into a law of av«er«ag»es n. the supposed principle that fu-
wreath or crown, b (in pi.) honor or distinction. 3 any ture events are likely to balance any past deviation from
plant with dark-green glossy leaves like a bay tree. • v. tr. a presumed average.
wreathe with laurel. look to one's laurels beware of Iaw»ren»ci»um /tarenseeam, law-/ n. Chem. an artifi-
losing one's preeminence, rest on one's laurels be sat- cially made transuranic radioactive metallic element.
isfied with what one has done and not seek further 1Symb.:Lw.
success. Iaw»suit /lawsoot/ n. the process or an instance of mak-
lav /lav/ n. colloq. lavatory. ing a claim in a court of law.
Ia»va /laava, lava/ n. 1 the molten rock that flows from Iaw«yer /lawyer, loysr/ n. a member of the legal profes-
a volcano. 2 the solid substance that it forms on cool- sion, dd law«yer»ly adj.
ing. lax /laks/ adj. 1 lacking care, concern, or firmness.
Ia*vage /tava'azh, lavij/ n. Med. the washing out of a 2 loose, relaxed; not compact, dd lax*i*ty n. Iax»ly adv.
body cavity, such as the colon or stomach, with water Iax*ness //.
or a medicated solution. Iax*a*tive /laksativ/ adj. &n. • adj. tending to stimulate
la*va*tion /tavayshan/ n. formal washing. or facilitate evacuation of the bowels. • n. a laxative
lav«a»to«ry /lavatawree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a sink or wash medicine.
basin in a bathroom. 2 a room or compartment with lay 1 /lay/ v. &n. »v. (past and past part, laid /layd/) 1 tr.
a toilet and wash basin. 3 Brit, a flush toilet. place on a surface, esp. horizontally or in the proper
lave /layv/ v.tr. literary 1 wash; bathe. 2 (of water) wash or specified place. 2 tr. put or bring into a certain or
against; flow along. the required position or state (lay a carpet). 3 intr. di-
Iav»en»der /lavindar/ n. & adj. • n. 1 a any small ev- al, or erron. lie. 4 tr. make by laying (lay the founda-

ergreen shrub of the genus Lavandula, with narrow tions). 5 tr. (often absol.) (of a bird) produce (an egg).
leaves and blue, purple, or pink aromatic flowers, b its 6 tr. a cause to subside or lie flat, b deal with to re-
flowers and stalks dried and used to scent linen, move (a ghost, fear, etc.). 7 tr. place or present for con-
clothes, etc. 2 a pale blue color with a trace of red. sideration (a case, proposal, etc.). 8 tr. set down as a
• adj. 1 pale blue with a trace of red. 2 having the fra- basis or starting point. 9 tr. (usu. foil, by on) attribute
grance of lavender flowers. or impute (blame, etc.). 10 tr. locate (a scene, etc.) in
Iav«ish /lavish/ adj. & v. • adj. 1 giving or producing in a certain place. 11 tr. prepare or make ready (a plan
large quantities; profuse. 2 generous; unstinting. 3 ex- or a trap). 12 tr. prepare (a table) for a meal. 13 tr.
cessive; overabundant, •v.tr. (often foil, by on) bestow place or arrange the material for (a fire). 14 tr. put
or spend (money, praise, etc.) abundantly, dd lav»ish« down as a wager; stake. 15 tr. (foil, by with) coat or
ly adv. lavistvness n. strew (a surface). 16 tr. si. offens. have sexual in-
law /law/ n. 1 a a rule enacted or customary in a tercourse with (esp. a woman). • n. 1 the way, position,
community and recognized as enjoining or prohibiting or direction in which something lies. 2 si offens. a part-
certain actions and enforced by the imposition of pen- ner (esp. female) in sexual intercourse. 3 the direction
alties (an environmental protection law) b a body of such
. or amount of twist in rope strands, d in lay (of a hen)
rules (the law of the land; forbidden understate law). 2 the laying eggs regularly, lay about one 1 hit out on all
controlling influence of laws; respect for laws (law and sides. 2 criticize indiscriminately, lay aside 1 put to
order). 3 laws collectively as a social system or subject one side. 2 cease to practice or consider. 3 save- (nion
of study (was reading law) 4 (with defining word) any
. ey, etc.) for future needs, lay at the door of see DOOR,
of the specific branches or applications of law (commer- lay bare expose; reveal, lay a charge make an an uta
cial law) 5 binding force or effect (their word is law) 6
. tion. lay claim to claim as one's own. lay down 1 put
.

(prec. by the) a the legal profession, b colloq. the po-
lice. 7 the statute and common law (opp. equity). 8
(in pi.) jurisprudence. 9 a the judicial remedy; litiga-
tion, b courts of law as providing this (go to law). 10 a
rule of action or procedure, e.g., in a game, form of
art, etc. 11a regularity in natural occurrences, esp. as
formulated or propounded in particular instances (the
law of gravity). 12 a divine commandments, b (Law
on the ground. 2 relinquish; give up (an office). 3 lo;
mulate or insist on (a rule or principle). 4 pay or wa-
ger (money). 5 store (wine) in a cellar. 6 set down on
paper. 7 sacrifice (one's life). 8 convert (land) intDfMI
ture. 9 record (esp. popular music), lay down the law
see law. lay hands on 1 seize or attack. 2 plan- 000*1
hands on or over, esp. in confirmation, ordination, or
spiritual healing, lay one's hands on obtain; acquire;
 )

locate, lay hold of seize or grasp, lay in provide one- 447 lay - lead
self with a stock of. lay into colloq. punish or scold se-
verely, lay it on thick (or with a trowel) colloq. flatter or Ld. abbr. Lord.
exaggerate grossly, lay low overthrow, kill, or humble. lea /lee, lay/ n. poet, (also ley) a piece of meadow or pas-
lay off 1 discharge (workers) temporarily because of a ture or arable land.
shortage of work. 2 colloq. desist, lay on 1 spread on leach /leech/ v. 1 tr. make (a liquid) percolate through
(paint, etc.). 2 inflict (blows). 3 impose (a penalty, some material. 2 tr. subject (bark, ore, ash, or soil) to
obligation, etc.). lay open
break the skin of. 2 (foil,
1 the action of percolating fluid. 3 tr. &intr. (foil, by

by to) expose (to criticism, etc.). lay out 1 spread out.
2 expose to view. 3 prepare (a corpse) for burial. 4 col-
loq. knock unconscious. 5 prepare a layout. 6 expend
(money). 7 refl. (foil, by to + infin.) take pains (to do
something) (laid themselves out to help) lay store by see .
store, lay to rest bury in a grave, lay up 1 store; save.
2 put (a ship, etc.) out of service, lay waste see waste.
Lay, 'to put down on a surface,' is a transitive verb,
and lie, 'to be horizontal,' is intransitive. Avoid the in-
transitive use of lay, as in I'm going to lay on the grass
at lunchtime.. Similarly, avoid the transitive use of lie,
away, out) remove (soluble matter) or be removed in
this way.
lead /leed/ v., n.,
1
&adj. mv. (past and past part, led
/led/) 1 tr. cause to go with one, esp. by guiding or
showing the way or by going in front. 2 tr. a direct the
actions or opinions of. b (often foil, by to, or to + infin.)
guide by persuasion or example or argument (what led
you to that conclusion?; was led to think you may be right).
3 tr. (also absol.) provide access to; bring to a certain
position or destination (this door leads you into a small
room; the road leads to Atlanta; the path leads uphill) A tr.

as in Lie it on the table. These two verbs are often con- pass or go through (a life, etc., of a specified kind) (led
fused, especially because the past of lie is lay.-We lay on a miserable existence) .5 tr. a have the first place in (lead
the grass for an hour. The past of lay is laid: I laid down the dance; leads the world in sugar production) b (absol.
.

my tools and lay on the grass. go first; be ahead in a race or game. C (absol.) be pre-
lay 2 /lay/ adj. 1 a nonclerical. b not ordained into the eminent in some field. 6 tr. be in charge of (leads a team
clergy. 2 a not professionally qualified, esp. in law or of researchers) 7 tr. a direct by example, b set (a fash-
.

medicine, b of or done by such persons. ion). C be the principal player of (a group of musi-
lay 3 /lay/ n. 1 a short lyric or narrative poem meant to cians). 8 tr. (also absol.) begin a round of play at cards
be sung. 2 a song. by playing (a card) or a card of (a particular suit).
lay 4 past of lie 1 . 9 intr. (foil, by to) have as an end or outcome; result
lay*a*bout /layabowt/ n. a habitual loafer or idler. in (what does all this lead to?). 10 intr. (foil, by with)
Iay«a»way n. a system of paying a deposit to secure an Boxing make an attack (with a particular hand or
item for later purchase. blow). 11a intr. (foil, by with) (of a newspaper) use a
Iay»er /layar/ n. & d. •«. 1 a thickness of matter, esp. particular item as the main story (led with the stock-
one of several, covering a surface. 2 a person or thing market crash) b tr. (of a story) be the main feature of
.

that lays. 3 a hen that lays eggs. 4 a shoot fastened (a newspaper or part of it) (the governor's wedding will
down to take root while attached to the parent plant. lead the front page) 12 tr. (foil, by through) make (a liq-
.

mv.tr. 1 a arrange in layers, b cut (hair) in layers. uid, strip of material, etc.) pass through a pulley, chan-
2 propagate (a plant) as a layer, dd layered adj. nel, etc. • n. 1 guidance given by going in front; exam-
layette /layet/ n. a set of clothing, toilet articles, and ple. 2 a a leading place; the leadership (is in the lead;
bedclothes for a newborn child. take the lead), b the amount by which a competitor is
layman /layman/ n. (pi. -men; fern, laywoman, pi. ahead of the others (a lead of ten yards) 3 a clue, esp.
.

-women) 1 any nonordained member of a church. 2 a an early indication of the resolution of a problem (is
person without professional or specialized knowledge the first real lead in the case). 4 a strap or cord for lead-
in a particular subject. ing a dog, etc. 5 a conductor (usu. a wire) conveying
lay»off /layawf/n. n. 1 a usu. temporary discharge of electric current from a source to an appliance. 6 a the
workers. 2 a period when this is in force. chief part in a play, etc. b the person playing this. 7
lay of the land n. (prec. by the) the current state of (in full lead story) the item of news given the greatest
affairs. prominence in a newspaper or magazine. 8 a the act
lay*OUt /layowt/ the disposing or arrangement of a
n. 1 or right of playing first in a game or round of cards.
site, ground, etc. 2 the way
in which plans, printed b the card led. 9 the distance advanced by a screw in
matter, etc., set out. 3 something ar-
are arranged or one turn. 10 a an artificial watercourse, esp. one lead-
ranged or set out in a particular way. 4 the makeup of ing to a mill, b a channel of water in an icefield.
a book, newspaper, etc. • attrib.adj. leading; principal; first, d lead astray see
lay»0«ver /layovar/ n. a period of rest or waiting before astray, lead by the nose cajole (a person) into com-
a further stage in a journey, etc.; a stopover. pliance, lead off 1 begin; make a start. 2 Baseball be
laywonvan see layman. the first batter in the batting order or the inning, lead
laze /layz/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. spend time lazily or idly. on 1 entice into going further than was intended.
2 tr. (often foil, by away) pass (time) in this way. • «. a 2 mislead or deceive, lead up the garden path colloq.
spell of lazing. give someone misleading clues or signals; deceive, lead
Ia»zy /layzee/ adj. (lazier, laziest)1 disinclined to work; up to 1 form an introduction to; precede; prepare for.
doing little work. 2 of or inducing idleness. 3 (of a river, 2 direct one's talk gradually or cautiously to a partic-
etc.) slow-moving. la*zi*ly adv. Ia*zi*ness n. ular topic, etc. lead the way see way. dd lead*a*ble adj.
Ia«zy bones /layzeebonz/ n. (pi. same) colloq. a lazy per- lead 2 /led/ n. & v. • n. 1 Chem. a heavy, bluish-gray soft

son. ductile metallic element used in building and the man-

Ia»zy eyen. an eye with poor vision that is mainly caused ufacture of alloys. H Symb.: Pb. 2 a graphite, b a thin
by underuse, esp. the unused eye in strabismus. length of this for use in a pencil. 3 a lump of lead sus-
lb. abbr. a pound or pounds (weight). pended on a line to determine the depth of water.
LC landing craft. 2 left center.
abbr. (also L.C. or I.e.) 1 4 Printing a blank space between lines of print (orig.
3 letter of credit. 4 (LC or L.C.) Library of Congress. with ref. to the metal strip used to give this space). 5
5 lowercase. 6 in the passage, etc., cited. (attrib.) made of lead, mv.tr. 1 cover, weight, or frame
LCD abbr. 1 liquid crystal display. 2 lowest (or least) (a roof or window panes) with lead. 2 Printing sepa-
common denominator.
LCM abbr. lowest (or least) common multiple. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 )

leaden ~ learn 448 in this way. 3 a group of sports organizations that com-
pete over a period for a championship. 4 a class of con-
rate lines of (printed matter) with leads. 3 add a lead testants. 5 a class or category of quality or excellence
compound to (gasoline, etc.). no leacMess adj. {he's not even in her league), •v.intr. (leagues, leagued,
Iead*en /led'n/ adj. 1 of or like lead. 2 heavy; slow; bur- leaguing) (often foil, by together) join in a league. in
densome 3 inert; depressing {leaden
{leaden limbs). league allied; conspiring.
rule). 4 lead-colored {leaden skies), an lead*en*ly adv. league 2 /leeg/ n. archaic a measure of traveling distance
lead-ervness n. by land, usu. about three miles.
Iead*er /le'edar/ n. 1 a a person or thing that leads, b a League of Nations n. an association of countries
person followed by others. 2 a the principal player in established in 1 9 1 9 to promote international cooper-
a music group or of the first violins in an orchestra. ation and peace; it was replaced by the United Na-
b a conductor of an orchestra. 3 a short strip of non- tions in 1945.
functioning material at each end of a reel of film or leak /leek/ n.&w»n. laa hole in a pipe, container,
recording tape for connection to the spool. 4 a shoot etc., caused by wear or damage, through which mat-
of a plant at the apex of a stem or of the main branch. ter, esp. liquid or gas, passes accidentally in or out.
5 (in pi. ) Printing a series of dots or dashes across the b the matter passing in or out through this, c the act
page to guide the eye, esp. in tabulated material. 6 the or an instance of leaking. 2 a a similar escape of elec-
horse placed at the front in a team or pair, dd lead*er* trical charge, b the charge that escapes. 3 the inten-
less adj. Iead*er*ship n. tional disclosure of secret information. »v. 1 a intr. (of
lead-in /leed in/ n. 1 an introduction, opening, etc. 2 a liquid, gas, etc.) pass in or out through a leak, b tr. lose
wire leading in from outside, esp. from an antenna to or admit (liquid, gas, etc.) through a leak. 2 tr. inten-
a receiver or transmitter. tionally disclose (secret information). 3 intr. (often
leading 1
/leeding/ adj. & n. madj. chief; most impor- foil, by out) (of a secret, secret information) become

tant. • n. guidance; leadership. known, d take a leak si. urinate, dd leakier n.

leading 2 /leding/ n. Printing = lead 2 n. 4. Ieak*age /leekij/ n. 1 the action or result of leaking.
leading question n. a question that prompts the an- 2 what leaks in or out. 3 an intentional disclosure of
swer wanted. secret information.
The phrase leading question, originally a legal term, Ieak*y /leekee/ adj. (leakier, leakiest) 1 having a leak or
means 'a question that prompts the answer wanted,' leaks. 2 given to letting out secrets, dd leak*i*ness n.
that 'leads' the answerer to the answer. In common lean 1 fleen/v. &n. mv. {past and past part, leaned /leend,
use it has come to mean 'a pointed or loaded ques- lent/or leant /lent/) 1 intr. & tr. (often foil, by across,
tion,' 'a question that is awkward to answer,' or even back, over, etc.) be or place in a sloping position. 2 intr.

'the most important question,' but these usages are & tr. (foil, by against, on, upon) rest or cause to rest for
avoided in precise usage. support against, etc. 3 intr. (foil, by on, upon) rely on.
lead-off /le'edawf/ adj. 1 (of an action) beginning a proc- 4 by to, toward) be inclined or partial to. • n.
intr. (foil,

ess (the album's lead-off track) 2 Baseball denoting . a deviation from the perpendicular; an inclination {has
the first batter in the batting order or the inning. a decided lean to the right), d lean on colloq. put pres-
lead sto»ry see lead 1 n. 6. sure on (a person) to act in a certain way. lean over
lead time n. the time between the initiation and com- backward see backward.
pletion of a production or other process. lean 2 /leen/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 (of a person or animal)
leaf /leef/ n. & v. • «. {pi. thin; having no superfluous fat. 2 (of meat) containing
leaves /leevz/) 1 a each of little fat. 3 a meager {lean crop), b not nourishing {lean

several flattened usu. green diet). 4 unremunerative. •«. the lean part of meat.
structures of a plant, usu. dd learvly adv. learvness n.
on the side of a stem or leaning /leening/ n. a tendency or partiality.
branch and the main organ lean-to n. {pi. -tos) 1 a building with its roof leaning
of photosynthesis, b other against a larger building or a wall. 2 a shed with an in-
similar plant structures, clined roof usu. leaning against trees, posts, etc.
e.g., bracts, sepals, and leap /leep/ v. &n. mv. {past and past part, leaped /leept,
petals {floral leaf). 2 a fo- lept/or leapt /lept/) 1 intr. jump or spring forcefully.
liage regarded collectively. 2 tr. jump across. 3 intr. (of prices, etc.) increase dra-
b the state of having leaves matically. 4 intr. hurry; rush; proceed without pausing
out {a tree in leaf) 3 the . for thought {leaped to the wrong conclusion; leapt to i hen-
leaves of tobacco or tea. 4 a leaf, defense), mn. a forceful jump, d by leaps and bounds
single thickness of paper, with startlingly rapid progress, leap at 1 rush toward;
esp. in a book with each side forming a page. 5 a very pounce upon. 2 accept eagerly, leap to the eye be im-
thin sheet of metal, esp. gold or silver. 6 a the hinged mediately apparent, na leap-er ;/.
part or flap of a door, shutter, table, etc. b an extra leap-frog /le'cpfrawg, frog/ n. &
v. • n. a game in which

section inserted to extend a table. *v. 1 intr. put forth players in turn vault with parted Icj^s over another who
leaves. 2 tr. (foil, by through) turn over the pages of (a is bending down. • « (-frogged,-frogging) 1 inn. doll

book, etc.). dd leakage n. leafed adj. (also in comb.). by over) perform such a vault. 2 tr. vault over in this
leaf »less adj. leaf-like adj. way. 3 tr. &
intr. (of two or more people, vehicles, ete.

leaflet /leeflit/ «. &a •«. 1 a young leaf. 2 Bot. any overtake alternately.
division of acompound leaf. 3 a sheet of (usu. print- leap year n. a year, occurring once in four, with 166
ed) paper (sometimes folded) giving information, esp. days (including Feb. 29).
for free distribution, •v.tr. (leafleted, leafleting; learn /lorn/ v. (past and post part learned /lornd, bun |

leafletted, leafletting) distribute leaflets to. 1 tr. gain knowledge of or skill in by studv, expet h ik t,
Ieaf»y /leefee/ adj. (leafier, leafiest) 1 having many or being taught. 2 tr. (loll, by i<> + infill.) aequire or
leaves; (of a place) rich in foliage; verdant. 2 resem- develop a particular ability (team to stvitn). 3 tr. com-
bling a leaf, dd leaf«i«ness n. mit to memory {ivill try to learn your names). 4 intr.
league /leeg/ n. &v. *n. 1 people, countries, groups,
1
(foil, by of) be informed about. 5 tr. (loll, bv thai, fofp,

etc., combining for a particular purpose, esp. mutual etc. + clause) become aware of bv information 01 GKMH
protection or cooperation. 2 an agreement to combine observation. 6 intr. receive mstnn tion; ;u quire knowl-
 . .

edge or skill, d learn one's lesson see lesson, dd learn* 449 learned ~ lecture
a-ble adj. Iearn»a«bil«i»ty /larnabilitee/ n.
Learn was once commonly used to mean 'teach, im- a function in one's absence. 1 1 tr. allow to remain or

is regarded as unedu-
part knowledge,' but today this cause to be in a specified state or position (left the door
cated. open). 12 tr. pass (an object) so that it is in a specified
Iearn»ed /lsrnid/ adj. 1 having much knowledge ac- relative direction (leave the church on the left) a be left .

quired by study. 2 showing or requiring learning (a
learned work). 3 studied or pursued by learned per-
sons. 4 scholarly {a learned journal) 5 as a courteous
description of a lawyer or colleague in certain formal
contexts {my learned friend) an learn»ed»ly adv. learn*
. not interfere with. 2 not have dealings with, leave be
ed«ness n.
learning /laming/ n. knowledge acquired by study.
learning curve n. the rate of a person's progress
gaining experience or new skills (the latest software
packages have a steep learning curve.
with 1 retain (a feeling, etc.). 2 be burdened with (a
responsibility, etc.). be well left be well provided for
. by a legacy, etc. get left colloq. be deserted, have left
have remaining, leave alone 1 refrain from disturbing;
colloq. refrain from disturbing; not interfere with, leave
behind 1 go away without. 2 leave as a consequence
in or a visible sign of passage. 3 pass, leave a person cold
(or cool) not impress or excite a person, leave go col-
loq. relax one's hold, leave hold of cease holding, leave

learning dis»a»bil»i»ty n. a disorder (such as dyslexia) it from comment or further ac-

at that colloq. abstain
that interferes with the learning process in a child of tion, leave much be desired be high-
(or a lot, etc.) to
usu. normal intelligence. ly unsatisfactory, leave off 1 come to or make an end.
lease /lees/ n.&v.m n. an agreement by which the owner 2 discontinue (leave off work; leave off talking) 3 not .

of a building or land allows another to use it for a spec- wear, leave out omit; not include, leave a person to
ified time, usu. in return for payment. • v. tr. grant or himself (or herself) 1 not attempt to control a person.
take on lease. a new lease on life a substantially im- 2 leave a person solitary, left at the gate (post) beaten
proved prospect of living or flourishing, or of use af- from the start of a race, left for dead abandoned as be-
ter repair, dd leas*a*ble adj. Ieas*er n. ing beyond rescue, dd leav*er n.
lease-hold /lees-hold/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 the holding of Leave means 'go away from': We left town together.
property by lease. 2 property held by lease, •adj. held The common expression, Leave me alone, literally
by lease. lease*hold*er n. means 'leave (me), so that I can be by myself.' Let
leash /leesh/ n. &
v. • n. a rope, cord, strip of leather, means 'allow.' Thus Let me be and Let me alone literal-
etc., for restraining and guiding a dog or other domes- ly mean 'don't bother me.'
ticanimal, mv.tr. 1 put a leash on. 2 restrain, a strain- leave 2 /leev/ n. 1 (often foil, by to + infin.) permission.
ing at the leash eager to begin. 2 a (in full leave of absence) permission to be absent
least /leest/ adj., n., &
adv. %adj. 1 smallest; slightest; from duty, b the period for which this lasts. by (or
most insignificant. 2 (prec. by the; esp. with neg.) any with) your leave often iron, an expression of apology
at all (it does not make the least difference) .3 (of a spe- for taking a liberty or making an unwelcome state-
cies or variety) very small (least tern). mn. the least ment, on leave legitimately absent from duty, take
amount, madv. in the least degree, o at least 1 at all one's leave (of) bid farewell (to).
events; anyway. 2 (also at the least) not less than, in leaved /leevd/ adj. 1 having leaves. 2 (in comb. ) having
the least (or the least) (usu. with neg.) in the smallest a leaf or leaves of a specified kind or number (red-leaved
degree; at all (not in the least offended) to say the least . maple)
(or the least of it) used to imply the moderation of a Ieav»en /levan/ n. &v. • n. 1 a substance added to dough
statement (that is doubtful to say the least). to make it ferment and rise, esp. yeast, or fermenting
least convmon mul»ti»ple n. = lowest common mul- dough reserved for the purpose. 2 a a pervasive trans-
tiple. forming influence, b (foil, by of) a tinge or admixture.
Ieath»er /lethsr/ n.&v.mn."\a material made from the mv.tr. 1 ferment (dough) with leaven. 2 a permeate
skin of an animal by tanning or a similar process. and transform, b (foil, by with) modify with a tem-
b (attrib.) made of leather. 2 a piece of leather for pol- pering element.
ishing with. 3 the leather part or parts of something. leaves/)/, of leaf.
4 5/. a football. 5 (in pi.) leather clothes. 6 a thong (stir- leavings /le'evingz/ n.pl. things left over, esp. as worth-
rup-leather) • v. tr. 1 cover with leather. 2 polish or wipe
. less.
with leather. 3 beat; thrash. lech /lech/ v. & lecherous; behave
n. colloq. mv.intr. feel
Ieath*er*back /letharbak/ n. a large marine turtle, lustfully. •«. 1 astrong desire, esp. sexual. 2 a lecher.
Dermochelys coriacea, having a thick leathery carapace. Iech»er /lechar/ n. a lecherous man.
Ieath»er»ette /letharet/ n. imitation leather. lech»er»ous /lecharas/ adj. lustful; having strong or ex-
Ieath*er*neck /letharnek/ n. si. a US Marine (with ref- cessive sexual desire. lech«er«ous«ly adv. Iech»er«
erence to the leather collar formerly worn by them) ous*ness n.
leave 1
/leev/ v. (past and past part, left /left/) 1 a tr. go Iech»er«y /lecharee/ n. unrestrained indulgence of sex-
away from, b intr. (often foil, by for) depart. 2 tr. cause ual desire.
to or let remain; depart without taking (has left his any of a group of phospholipids
Iec«i»thin /lesithin/ «. 1
a slimy trail). 3 tr. (also absol.) cease to re-
gloves; left found naturally in animals, egg yolk, and some high-
side at or attend or belong to or work for (has left the er plants. 2 a preparation of this used to emulsify foods,
school; I am leaving for another firm) 4 . tr. abandon; for- etc.
sake; desert. 5 tr. have remaining after one's death lee-tern /lektarn/ n. 1a stand for holding a book in a
(leaves a wife and two children) 6 tr. bequeath. 7 tr. (foil,
. church or chapel. 2 a similar stand for a lecturer, etc.
by to + infin.) allow (a person or thing) to do some- lec»tion»ar«y /lekshaneree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a list of por-
thing without interference or assistance (leave the fu- tions of Scripture appointed to be read at divine serv-
ture to take care of itself). 8 tr. (foil, by to) commit or re- ice. 2 a book containing such portions.
fer to another person (leave that to me; nothing was left Iec»ture /lekchar/ n. &
w •«. 1 a discourse giving
to chance). 9 tr. a abstain from consuming or dealing information about a subject to a class or other audi-
with, b (in passive; often foil, by over) remain over. ence. 2 a long, serious speech, esp. as a scolding
1 tr. a deposit or entrust (a thing) to be attended to, or reprimand, mv. 1 intr. (often foil, by on) deliver a
collected, delivered, etc., in one's absence (left a mes-
sage with his assistant), b depute (a person) to perform See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

lectureship ~ legate 450 left-hand adj. 1 on or toward the left side of a person
or thing (left-hand drive). 2 done with the left hand
lecture or lectures. 2 tr. talk seriously or reprovingly to (left-hand blow) 3 a (of rope) twisted counterclock-
.

(a person). 3 tr. instruct or entertain (a class or other wise, b (of a screw) = left-handed 4c.
audience) by a lecture. Ieft-hand*ed /left-handid/ adj. 1 using the left hand by
leoture*ship /lekcharship/ n. the office of lecturer. preference as more serviceable than the right. 2 (of a
LED abbr. light-emitting diode; a device used to display tool, etc.) made to be used with the left hand. 3 (of a
the time, meter readings, etc. blow) struck with the left hand. 4 a turning to the left;
led past and past part, of lead 1
. toward the left, b (of a racecourse) turning counter-
ledge /lej/ n. 1a narrow horizontal surface projecting clockwise. C (of a screw) advanced by turning to the
from a wall, etc. 2 a shelflike projection on the side of left (counterclockwise) 5 awkward; clumsy. 6 a (of a
.

a rock or mountain. 3 a ridge of rocks, esp. below wa- compliment) ambiguous, b of doubtful sincerity or va-
ter. 4 Mining a stratum of metal-bearing rock. lidity, nn left-hand»ed«ly adv. Ieft-hand«ed»ness n.
dd edged adj. Iedg*y adj.
I Ieft*ie var. of lefty.
Iedg»er /lejar/ n. 1a traditionally tall, narrow book in lefHsm /leftizsm/ n. Polit. the principles or policy of
which a firm's accounts are kept, esp. one which is the the left, nn leftist n. & adj.
principal book of a set and contains debtor-and-cred- left*most /leftmost/ adj. farthest to the left.
itor accounts. 2 a flat gravestone. 3 a horizontal tim- left«0»ver /leftovar/ adj. & n. • adj. remaining over; not
ber in scaffolding, parallel to the face of the building. used up or disposed of. •«. (in pi.) items (esp. of food)
Ied«ger line n. la short line added for notes above or remaining after the rest has been used.
below the range of a musical staff. 2 a kind of fishing left wing n. 1 the liberal or socialist section of a polit-
tackle in which a lead weight keeps the bait on the bot- ical party. 2 the left side of a soccer, etc., team on the
tom. field. 3 the left side of an army, nn left-wing adj. lefl-
lee /lee/ n. 1 shelter given by a neighboring object (un- wing»er n.
der the lee of). 2 (in full lee side) the sheltered side; the leffry /leftee/ n. (also lefWe) (pi. -ies) colloq. 1 Polit. a
side away from the wind (opp. weather side) . left-winger. 2 a left-handed person.
leech /leech/ n. 1 any freshwater or terrestrial annelid leg /leg/ n. 1a each of the limbs on which a person or
l

worm of the class Hirudinea with suckers at both ends, animal walks and stands, b the part of this from the
esp. Hirudo medicinalis, a bloodsucking parasite of ver- hip to the ankle. 2 a leg of an animal or bird as food.
tebrates formerly much used medically. 2 a person 3 an artificial leg (wooden leg). 4 a part of a garment
who extorts profit from or sponges on others. like a covering a leg or part of a leg. 5 a a support of a chair,
leech persistently or clingingly present. table, bed, etc. b a long, thin support or prop, esp. a
leech 2 /leech/ n. archaic or joe. a physician; a healer. pole. 6 Cricket the half of the field (as divided length-
3
leech /leech/ n. 1 a perpendicular or sloping side of a ways through the pitch) in which the striker's feet are
square sail. 2 the side of a fore-and-aft sail away from placed. 7 a a section of a journey, b a section of a re-
the mast or stay. lay race. C a stage in a competition, d one of two or
leek /leek/ n. 1 an alliaceous plant, Allium porrum, with more games constituting a round. 8 one branch of a
flat overlapping leaves forming a cylindrical bulb, used forked object. 9 Naut. a run made on a single tack.
as food. 2 this as a Welsh national emblem. a feel (or find) one's legs become able to stand or
leer /leer/ v. & n. •v.intr. look slyly or lasciviously or walk, give a person a leg up help a person to mount
maliciously. • n. a leering look, dd leer*ing*ly adv. a horse, etc., or get over an obstacle or difficulty, have
Ieer»y /le'eree/ adj. (leerier, leeriest) si. 1 knowing; sly. no legs colloq. (of a golf ball, etc.) have not enough
2 (foil, by of) wary, dd leer*i*ness n. momentum to reach the desired point, keep one's
lees /leez/ n.pl. 1 the sediment of wine, etc. 2 dregs; ref- legs not fall, leg it colloq. walk or run fast, not have a
use. leg to stand on be unable to support one's argument
Iee*ward /leeward, Naut. looard/ adj., adv., & n. •adj. by facts or sound reasons, on one's last legs near
& adv. on or toward the side sheltered from the wind death or the end of one's usefulness, etc. on one's legs
(opp. windward). • n. the leeward region, side, or direc- 1 (also on one's hind legs) standing, esp. to make a
tion {to leeward). speech. 2 well enough to walk about, take to one's
Iee«way /leeway/ n. 1 the sideways drift of a ship to lee- legs run away, dd leg*ged /legd, legid/ adj. (also in
ward of the desired course. 2 a allowable deviation or comb. )
freedom of action, b margin of safety. make up lee- Ieg»a«cy /leggsee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 a gift left in a will.
way recover lost time, etc. 2 something handed down by a predecessor (legacy of
1
&
left /left/ adj., adv., n. (opp. right), madj. 1 on or to- corruption)
ward the side of the human body that corresponds to Ie«gal /leegal/ adj. 1 of or based on law; concerned with
the position of west if one regards oneself as facing law; falling within the province of law. 2 appointed or
north. 2 on or toward the part of an object that is anal- required by law. 3 permitted by law; lawful. 4 recog-
ogous to a person's left side or (with opposite sense) nized by law, as distinct from equity, on le»gaMy </</.
that is nearer to an observer's left hand. 3 (also Left) Ie*gal age n. age at which a person assumes adult rights
Polit. of the Left. madv. on or to the left side. *n. 1 the and privileges by law.
left-hand part or region or direction. 2 Boxing a the Ie»gal»ese /le'egnle'ez/ n. colloq. the technical language
left hand, b a blow with this. 3 a (often Left) Polit. a of legal documents.
group or section favoring liberalism, social reform, etc. Ie*gal*ism /leegoliznm/ n. excessive adherence to law
b the more advanced or innovative section of any or formula, an le*gal*ist n. Ie*gal*is*tic / listik/ adj. Ie»
group. 4 the side of a stage to the left of a person fac- gat-is-ti-cal-ly / listiknlee/ adv.
ing the audience. 5 (esp. in marching) the left foot. Ie*gal*i*ty /ligalitee, leegal / n. (pi. -ties) 1 lawfulness
6 the left wing of an army, a have two left feet be clum- 2 legalism. 3 (in pi.) obligations imposed by law.
sy, left and right = right and left (see right), dd lefHsh le»gal»ize/le'egoliz/7A/r. 1 make lawful. 2 bring into hat
adj. mony with the law. n le»gal»i»za»tion //.
i i

left 2 past and past part, of leave 1

. Ie*gal ten»der u. currency »hat cannot Legally be "
left field n. Baseball the part of the outfield to the left fused in payment of a debt.
of the batter as he or she faces the pitcher, d out in left Ieg*ate /legot/ n. 1 a member of the clergy re presenting
field confused or in error; mistaken. the Pope. 2 Rom. Hist, a a deputy of a general, b a gov
 .

ernor or deputy governor of a province, dd leg*ate* 451 legatee ~ lend

ship n. Ieg*a*tine /-teen, -tin/ adj.
Ieg*a*tee /legatee/ n. the recipient of a legacy. le»git«i»mize /lijitimlz/ v.tr. 1 make legitimate. 2 serve

le«ga»tion /ligayshan/ «. 1a body of deputies. 2 a the as a justification for. dd le»git»i»mi*za«tion n.

office and staff of a diplomatic minister, b the official Le»go /lego/ n. Trademark a construction toy consisting
residence of a diplomatic minister. 3 a legateship. 4 the of interlocking plastic building blocks.
sending of a legate or deputy. leg»room /legroom/ n. space for the legs of a seated per-
le»ga»tO /ligaato/ adv., adj., &
n. Mus. madv. adj. in & son.
a smooth flowing manner, (cf staccato) • n. (pi. -tos)
. . Ieg«ume /legyoom/ n. 1 the seedpod of a leguminous

1 a legato passage. 2 legato playing. any seed, pod, or other edible part of a legu-
plant. 2
le*ga«tor /ligaytar/ n. the giver of a legacy. minous plant used as food.
Ieg*end /lejond/ «. 1 a a traditional story sometimes le*gu*mi*nous /ligyobminas/ adj. of or like the family
popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated. Leguminosae, including peas and beans, having seeds
b such stories collectively. C a popular but unfounded in pods.
belief, d colloq. a subject of such beliefs (became a leg- leg warm»er n. either of a pair of tubular knitted gar-
end in his own lifetime) 2 a an inscription, esp. on a coin
. ments covering the leg from ankle to thigh.
or medal, b Printing a caption. C wording on a map, leg*work /legwark/ n. work which involves a lot of walk-
etc., explaining the symbols used. 3 hist, a the story of ing, traveling, or physical activity, esp. preliminary re-
a saint's life, b a collection of lives of saints or similar search.
stories. lei /lay-ee, lay/ n. a garland of flowers usu. worn on the
Ieg»end«ar»y /lejanderee/ adj. 1 of or connected with head or shoulders.
legends. 2 described in a legend. 3 colloq. remarkable. Ieish*man*i*a*sis /leeshmaniasis/ n. any of several dis-
4 based on a legend, do leg«end»ar»i»ly adv. eases caused by parasitic protozoans of the genus
Ieg»er»de»main /lejgrdamayn/ n. 1 sleight of hand. Leishmania transmitted by the bite of sandflies.
2 trickery; sophistry. Ieis»ter /le'estar/ n. & v.mn. a pronged spear, used to
Ieg»er line n. = ledger line. spear fish.* v.tr. pierce with a leister.
Ieg*ging /leging/ n. 1 (usu. in pi.) a stout protective leisure /leezhar, lezh-/ n. 1 free time; time at one's own
outer covering for the leg from the knee to the ankle. disposal. 2 enjoyment of free time. 3 (usu. foil, by for,
2 (pi.) a close-fitting stretch garment covering the legs or to + infin.) opportunity afforded by free time, n at
and the lower part of the torso. leisure 1 not occupied. 2 in an unhurried manner, at
Ieg*gy /legee/ adj. (leggier, leggiest) 1 a long-legged. one's leisure when one has time.
b (of a woman) having attractively long legs. 2 long- Iei«sured /le'ezhard, lezh-/ adj. having ample leisure.
stemmed, nn leg*gi*ness n. Iei»sure»ly /leezharlee, lezh-/ adj. &
adv. • adj. having
Ieg*i*ble /lejibal/ adj. (of handwriting, print, etc.) clear leisure; acting or done unhurried; relaxed.
at leisure;
enough to read; readable, no leg»i»bil»i»ty n. leg-i-bly • adv.without hurry, dd lei*sure*li*ness n.
adv. Iei»sure*wear /le'ezharwair, lezh-/ n. informal clothes,
le*gion /leejgn/ n. &
adj. • «. 1 a division of 3,000- especially sportswear.
6,000 men in the ancient Roman army. 2 a large or- leit»mo»tiv /litmote'ef/ n. (also leit«mo«tif) a recurrent
ganized body. 3 a vast host, multitude, or number. theme associated throughout a musical, literary, etc.,
•predic.adj. great in number (his good works have been composition with a particular person, idea, or situa-
legion) tion.
le«gion»ar«y /le'ejaneree/ adj. & n. *adj. of a legion or lek /lek/ n. the chief monetary unit of Albania.
1

legions. •«. (pi. -ies) a member

of a legion. lek 2 /lek/ n. a patch of ground used by groups of cer-
le»gioned /le'ejand/ adj. poet, arrayed in legions. tain birds during the breeding season as a setting for
le»giorwiaires' dis*ease n. a form of bacterial the males' display and their meeting with the females.
pneumonia first identified after an outbreak at an LEM /lem/ abbr. lunar excursion module.
American Legion meeting in 1976. lenvming /leming/ n. any small arctic rodent of the ge-
leg i»ron n. a shackle or fetter for the leg. nus Lemmus, esp. L. lemmus of Norway, which is re-
Ieg*is«late /lejislayt/ v.intr. 1 make laws. 2 (foil, by for) puted to rush headlong into the sea and drown dur-
make provision by law. ing periods of mass migration.
leg*is*la*tion /lejislayshan/ n. 1 the process of making lenvon /lemsn/ n. 1 a a pale-yellow, thick-skinned, oval
laws. 2 laws collectively. citrus fruit with acidic juice, b a tree of the species Cit-
Ieg»is«la«tive /lejislaytiv/ adj. of or empowered to make rus limon that produces this fruit. 2 a pale-yellow col-
laws, dd leg*is*la«tive*ly adv. or. 3 colloq. a thing, esp. a car, that is unsatisfactory or
leg*is*la*tor /lejislaytar/ n. la member of a legislative disappointing, dd lem»on»y adj.
body. 2 a lawgiver. lem«on*ade /lemanayd/ n. 1 a beverage made from
Ieg*is«la*ture /lejislaychar/ n. the legislative body of a sweetened lemon juice. 2 a synthetic substitute for
nation or state. this.
Ie»git /lijit/ adj. & n. colloq. madj. legitimate. »n. legiti- Ie«mur /leemar/ n. any arboreal primate of the family
mate drama. Lemuridae, native to Madagascar, with a pointed
Ie«git»i»mate adj. &
v. »adj. /lijitimat/ 1 a born of par- snout and long tail.
ents lawfully married to each other, b (of a parent, lend /lend/ v.tr. (past and past part, lent /lent/) 1 (usu.
birth, descent, etc.) with, of, through, etc., a legitimate foil, by to) grant (to a person) the use of (a thing) on
child. 2 lawful; proper; regular. 3 logically admissible. the understanding that it or its equivalent shall be re-
4 a (of a sovereign's title) based on strict hereditary turned. 2 allow the use of (money) at interest. 3 be-
right, b (of a sovereign) having a legitimate title. 5 con- stow or contribute (something temporary) (lend assist-
stituting or relating to serious drama as distinct from ance; lends a certain charm), d lend an ear (or one's
musical comedy, revue, etc. mv.tr. /lijitimayt/ 1 make ears) listen, lend a hand see hand, lend itself to (of a
legitimate by decree, enactment, or proof. 2 justify. thing) be suitable for. lend oneself to accommodate
an le*git*i*ma*cy /-masee/ n. Ie*git*i*mate*ly /-matlee/ oneself to (a policy or purpose) dd lend*a*ble adj. lend*
.

adv. le*git*i*ma*tion /-mayshgn/ n. er n. lending n.

Ie*git*i*ma*tize /lijitimatiz/ v.tr. legitimize, dd le-git-i-
ma*ti>za*tion n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

lending library ~ let 452 le»otard /le'eataard/ n. la close-fitting one-piece gar-

See note at loan.
lending li»brar»y n. a library from which books may
be temporarily taken away.
length /length, lengkth/ n. 1 measurement or extent
from end to end; the greater of two or the greatest of
three dimensions of a body. 2 extent in, of, or with re-
gard to, time (a stay of some length; the length of a speech)
3 the distance a thing extends (at arm 's length; ships a
cable's length apart). 4 the length of a horse, boat, etc.,
as a measure of the lead in a race. 5 a long stretch or
extent (a length of hair). 6 a degree of thoroughness in
action ( went to great lengths; prepared to go to any length)
7 a piece of material of a certain length (a length of
cloth). 8 Prosody the quantity of a vowel or syllable.
9 the extent of a garment in a vertical direction when
worn. 10 the full extent of one's body, d at length 1
(also at full or great, etc., length) in detail. 2 after a
long time; at last.
Iength»en /lengthan, lengk-/ v. tr. &
intr. make or be-
come longer, an length»en»er n.
length-ways /lengthwayz, lengkth-/ adv. lengthwise.
Iength»wise /lengthwiz, lengkth-/ adv. adj. *adv. in
a direction parallel with a thing's length, •adj. lying or
ment worn by ballet dancers, acrobats, etc. 2 = tights.
n. la person suffering from leprosy. 2 a
Iep»er /lepar/
person shunned on moral or other grounds.
Iep»re»chaun /leprakon, -kawn/ n. a small mischievous
sprite in Irish folklore.
lep»ro»sy /leprasee/ n. 1 a contagious bacterial disease
that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves,
causing disfigurement. Also called Hansen's disease.
2 moral corruption or contagion, dd lep»rous /lepras/
adj.
lep«todacty /leptodaktil/ adj.
I &
n. • adj. having long,
slender toes. •«. a bird having these.
Ies*bi*an /lezbeean/ n. &
adj. • n. a homosexual woman.
• adj. 1 of homosexuality in women. 2 (Lesbian) of
Lesbos, nn les*bi*an*ism n.
Iese-maj»es«ty /leez majistee/ n. (also lese-maj*es*te
/layz mazhestayA) 1 treason. 2 an insult to a sovereign
or ruler. 3 presumptuous conduct.
le*sion /le'ezhan/ n. 1 damage. 2 injury. 3 Med. a mor-
bid change in the functioning or texture of an organ,
etc.
less /les/ adj., adv., n., &prep. • adj. 1 smaller in extent,
& degree, duration, number, etc. (of less importance; in a
less degree) 2 of smaller quantity; not so much (opp.
.

moving lengthways. more) (find less difficulty; eat less meat) 3 disp. fewer (eat .

lengtlvy /lengthee, lengkthee/ adj. (lengthier, lengthi- less cookies). 4 of lower rank, etc. (no less a person than).
est) 1 of unusual length. 2 (of speech, writing, style, a • adv. to a smaller extent; in a lower degree. • n. a small-
speaker, etc.) tedious; prolix, an length*My adv. length* er amount or quantity or number (cannot take less; for
i*ness n. less than $10). prep, minus (made $1,000 less tax). in
Ie«ni«ent /leenyant/ adj. merciful; tolerant; not dis-
1 less than no time joe. very quickly or soon, much less
posed to severity. 2 (of punishment, etc.) mild. le« with even greater force of denial (do not suspect him of
ni*ence /-yans/ n. Ie*ni»en»cy n. le»ni»enMy adv. negligence, much less of dishonesty)
Len«in*ism /leninizam/ n. Marxism as interpreted and See note at few.
applied by Lenin. Ies»see /lese'e/ n. (often foil, by of) a person who holds
Ien»i»tive /lenitiv/ adj. &
n.*adj. Med. soothing.* n. a property by lease, dd les*see*ship n.
1 Med. a soothing drug or appliance. 2 a palliative. Iess*en /lesan/ v. tr. &
intr. make or become less; dimin-

Ien»i»ty /lenitee/ n. (pi. -ties) literary 1 mercifulness. ish.

2 an act of mercy.
le»no /le'eno/ n. (pi. -nos) an openwork fabric with the
warp threads twisted in pairs before weaving.
lens /lenz/ n. 1 a piece of a transparent substance with
one or (usu.) both sides curved for concentrating or
dispersing light rays, esp. in optical instruments. 2 a
combination of lenses used in photography. 3 Physics
Iess*er /lesar/ adj. (usu. attrib.) 1 not so great as the
other or the rest (the lesser evil. 2 denoting names of
animals and plants that are smaller than similar kinds
(lesser spotted woodpecker)
les»son /lesan/ n. 1 a an amount of teaching given at
one time, b the time assigned to this. 2 (in pi; foil, by
in) systematic instruction (gives lessons in dancing) 3 a .

a device for focusing or otherwise modifying the direc- thing learned or to be learned by a pupil; an assign-
tion of movement of light, sound, electrons, etc. ment. 4 a an occurrence, example, rebuke, or pun-
d lensed adj. Iens*less adj. ishment, that serves to warn or encourage (let that be
Lent /lent/ n. Eccl. the period from Ash Wednesday to a lesson to you), b a thing inculcated by experience or
Holy Saturday, devoted to fasting and penitence in study. 5 a passage from the Bible read aloud during a
commemoration of Christ's fasting in the wilderness. church service, a learn one's lesson profit from or bear
lent past and past part, of lend. in mind a particular (usu. unpleasant) experience.
Lent«en /lentan/ adj. of, in, or appropriate to Lent. teach a person a lesson punish a person, esp. as a de-
Ien»ti«cel /lentisel/ n. Bot. any of the raised pores in the terrent.
stems of woody plants that allow gas exchange between les»sor /lesawr/ n. a person who lets a property by lease
the atmosphere and the internal tissues. lest /lest/ conj. 1 in order that not; for fear that (lest we
len»tic»U»lar /lentikyalar/ adj. 1 shaped like a lentil or a forget). 2 that (afraid we should be late).
lest

biconvex lens. 2 of the lens of the eye. let 1

(letting;
/let/
-y. past and past part, let) 1
tr. a allow

Ien*til /lental/ «. 1 a leguminous plant, Lens culinaris, to; not prevent or forbid (we let r/nin go), b cause
yielding edible biconvex seeds. 2 this seed, esp. used to (let me know; let it be known). 2 tr. (foil, by into) a
as food with the husk removed. allow to enter, b make acquainted with (a secivi,
len»tO /lento/ adj. &
adv. Mus. • adj. slow. • adv. slowly. etc.). C inlay in. 3 tr. allow or cause (liquid or ;ui i<> >

Le»0 /le'e-o/ n. (pi. -os) 1 a constellation, traditionally escape (let blood). A tr. award (a contract for work).
regarded as contained in the figure of a lion. 2 a the 5 aux. supplying the first and third persons of the
fifth sign of the zodiac (the Lion), b a person born imperative in exhortations (let us prav), commands (let
when the sun is in this sign. it be done at once; let there be light) t assumptions (A; .IH

le«0»nine /le'eanln/ adj. 1 like a lion. 2 of or relating to be equal to CD), and permission or challenge (hi linn
lions. do his worst), a let alone 1 not to mention (lni\n'i n>r
leop*ard /lepard/ n. (fern, leopardess A-dis/) 1 a large a television, let alone a VCR). 2 lei be. let be DOt in

African or Asian Panthera pardus, with a black-

feline, terfere with, attend to, or do. let down 1 lower. 2 lail

spotted, yellowish-fawn, or all black coat. Also called to support or satisfy; disappoint. 3 lengthen fa ^;u
panther. 2 (attrib.) spotted like a leopard (leopard ment). let down gently avoid humiliating abruptly, let
moth). drop (or fall) drop (esp. a word or hint) intentionally
 )

or by accident, let fly 1 (often foil, by at) attack phys- 453 let ~ lever
ically or verbally. 2 discharge (a missile), let go 1 re-
lease. 2 a (often foil, by of) lose or relinquish one's with crisp edible leaves used in salads. 2 any of vari-
hold, b lose hold of. 3 cease to think or talk about, let ous plants resembling this.
oneself go 1 give way to enthusiasm, impulse, etc. Iet*up /letup/ n. colloq. 1 a reduction in intensity. 2 a re-
2 neglect one's appearance or habits, let In 1 allow to laxation of effort.
enter (let the dog in; let in a flood of light; this would let Ieu*ke*mi*a /lookeemeeo/ n. Med. any of a group of ma-
in all sorts of evils). 2 (usu. foil, by for) involve (a per- lignant diseases in which the bone marrow and other
son, often oneself) in loss or difficulty. 3 (foil, by on) blood-forming organs produce increased numbers of
allow (a person) to share privileges, information, etc. leukocytes, dd leu«ke*mic adj.
4 inlay (a thing) in another, let oneself in unassisted- leuko- /looko/ comb, form white.
ly enter another person's home, office, etc., usu. with leu«ko«cyte /lobksslt/ n. 1 a white blood cell. 2 any
permission, let loose release or unchain (a dog, fury, blood cell that contains a nucleus.
a maniac, etc.). let me see see see 1 let off 1 a fire (a , Le»vant /livant/ n. (prec. by the) the eastern part of the
gun), b explode (a bomb or firework). 2 allow or cause Mediterranean with its islands and neighboring coun-
(steam, liquid, etc.) to escape. 3 allow to alight from tries, nn Le«van»tine /levantin, -teen adj. n. &
a vehicle, etc. 4 a not punish or compel, b (foil, by le»va»tor /livaytar/ n. a muscle that lifts a body part.
with) punish lightly, let off steam see steam, let on col- Iev*ee' /levee, live'e/ n. 1 an assembly of visitors or
loq. 1 reveal a secret. 2 pretend {let on that he had suc- guests, esp. at a formal reception. 2 hist.3. reception of
ceeded), let out 1 allow to go out. 2 release from re- visitors on from bed.
rising
straint. 3 (often foil, by that + clause) reveal (a secret, Iev*ee 2 /levee/ n. 1an embankment against river floods.
etc.). 4 make (a garment) looser. 5 exculpate. 6 give 2 a natural embankment built up by a river. 3 a land-
vent or expression to; emit (a sound, etc.) let rip see ing place.
rip 1 let slip see slip
, let through allow to pass, let up
1
, Iev»el /leval/ n., adj., &
v. •«. 1a horizontal line or

colloq. 1 become less intense or severe. 2 relax one's plane. 2 a height or value reached; a position on a scale
efforts. (eye level; sugar level in the blood; danger level). 3 a so-
See note at leave. cial,moral, or intellectual standard (at age six, he could
let 2 /let/ n. 1 (in tennis,
squash, etc.) an obstruction of read at a fifth-grade level) 4 a plane of rank or author-
.

a ball or a player, requiring the ball to be served again.
2 archaic (except in without let or hindrance) obstruc-
tion; hindrance.
let«down /letdown/ «.1a disappointment. 2 the release
of milk in a nursing mother as a reflex response to
suckling or massage.
Ie*thal /leethal/ adj. causing or sufficient to cause death.
dd le-thal*i-ty /-alitee/ n. Ie*thal-ly adv.
Ieth»ar»gy /letharjee/ n. 1 lack of energy. 2 Med. mor-
bid drowsiness, dd le«thar*gic /litha'arjik/ adj. Ie»thar»
gi»caMy adv.
let's /lets/ contr. let usgo now). (let's
ity (discussions at cabinet level) . 5 a an instrument giv-
ing a line parallel to the plane of the horizon, b Sur-
veying an instrument for giving a horizontal line of
sight. 6 a more or less level surface. 7 a flat tract of
land. 8 a floor or story in a building, ship, etc. • adj.
1 having a flat and even surface; not bumpy (a level
road). 2 horizontal; perpendicular to the plumb line.
3 (often foil, by with) a on the same horizontal plane
as something else, b having equality with something
else. 4 even, uniform, equable, or well-balanced in
quality, style, temper, judgment, etc. *v. 1 tr. make lev-
el, even, or uniform. 2 tr. (often foil, by to (or with) the

Iet»ter /letar/ n. & v. a a character representing

• n. 1
one or more of the simple or compound sounds used
in speech, b (in pi.) colloq. the initials of a degree, etc.,
after the holder's name, c a school or college initial as
a mark of proficiency in sports, etc. 2 a a written,
typed, or printed communication, usu. sent by mail or
messenger, b (in pi. ) an addressed legal or formal doc-
ument for any of various purposes. 3 the precise terms
of a statement; the strict verbal interpretation (opp.
spirit n. 6) (according to the letter of the law) 4 (in pi.
a literature, b acquaintance with books; erudition.
mv.tr. 1 a inscribe letters on. b impress
(a book cover, etc.). 2 classify with letters.
ter withadherence to every detail.
leMer bomb
n. an explosive device in the form of or
enclosed in a posted envelope.
leMer car»ri»er n. one who delivers mail, usu. as an em-
ployee of the postal service.
leMered /letard/ adj. well-read or educated.
Iet»ter»head /letarhed/ n. la printed heading on sta-
tionery. 2 stationery with this.
Iet»ter»ing /letaring/ n. 1 the process of inscribing let-
ground) raze or demolish. 3 tr. (also absol.) aim (a miss-
ile or gun). 4 tr. (also absol; foil, by at, against) direct
(an accusation, criticism, or satire). 5 tr. abolish (dis-
tinctions). 6 intr. (usu. foil, by with) si. be frank or hon-
est (please level with me). 7 tr. place on the same level.
d do one's level best colloq. do one's utmost, find its
(or its own) level (of a liquid) reach the same height
in receptacles or regions that communicate with each
other, level off make or become level or smooth, lev-
. el out make or become level; remove differences from.
on the level colloq. adv. honestly; without deception.
a title, etc., on adj. honest: truthful, on a level with 1 in the same hor-
to the let- izontal plane as. 2 equal with.
Iev*el*er /levator/ n. 1a person who advocates the ab-
olition of social distinctions. 2 a person or thing that
levels.
Iev*el«head*ed /levalhedid/ adj. having good judgment;
sensible, an level«head»ed»ly adv. Ievel»head»ed«ness
n.
lever /levar, le'ev-/ n. &
v. bar resting on
• n. 1 a
a pivot, used to help lift
(

ters. 2 letters inscribed. a heavy or firmly fixed

leMer of cred»it n. a letter from a banker authorizing object. 2 Mech. a sim-
a person to draw money up to a specified amount, usu. ple machine consisting
from another bank. of a rigid bar pivoted
Iet»ter-per»fect adj. 1 Theatr. knowing one's part per- about fulcrum
a
lever, 2
fectly. 2 precise; verbatim. (fixed which
point)
Iet*ter*press /letarpres/ n. printing from a hard, raised can be acted upon by a force (effort) in order to move
image under pressure, using viscous ink. a load. 3 a projecting handle moved to operate a mech-
Iet»ter-qual»i»ty adj. of the quality of printing suitable anism. 4 a means of exerting moral pressure. • v. 1 intr.
for a business letter; producing print of this quality.
leMuce /letis/ n. 1a composite plant, Lactuca sativa, See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

leverage ~ libertine 454 Ii»a«ble /lfebal/ predic.adj. 1 legally bound. 2 (foil, by

to)subject to (a tax or penalty). 3 (foil, by to + infin.)
use a lever. 2 tr. (often foil, by away, out, up, etc.) lift, under an obligation. 4 (foil, by to) exposed or open to
move, or act on with a lever. (something undesirable). 5 disp. (foil, by to + infin.)
Iev»er«age /levarij, lee-/ n. 1 the action of a lever; a way apt; likely (it is liable to rain). 6 (foil, by for) answera-
of applying a lever. 2 the power of a lever; the mechan- ble.
ical advantage gained by use of a lever. 3 a means of Ii«aise /lee-ayz/ v.intr. (foil, by with, between) colloq. es-
accomplishing a purpose; power; influence. 4 a set or tablish cooperation; act as a link.
system of levers. 5 Commerce the use of a relatively li*ai*son /lee-ayzon, lee-ay-/ n. 1a communication or
small investment or value in equity to acquire or con- cooperation, esp. between military forces or units, b a
trol a much larger investment. person who initiates such. 2 an illicit sexual relation-
Iev»er»aged buyout n. the buyout of a company by its ship. 3 the binding or thickening agent of a sauce. 4 the
management using outside capital. sounding of an ordinarily silent final consonant before
Ievi«a«ble /leveeabal/ adj. that which may be levied. a word beginning with a vowel (or a mute h in French)
Ie»vi»a»than /liviathan/ n. 1 Bibl. a sea monster. 2 any- li*ai*SOn of»f i»cer n. an officer acting as a link between
thing very large or powerful, esp. a ship. 3 an autocrat- allied forces or units of the same force.
ic monarch or state (in allusion to a book by Hobbes, Ii»ar /li9r/ n. a person who tells a lie or lies, esp. habit-
1651). ually.
Ievi»gate/levigayt/ *ur. 1 reduce to a fine, smooth pow- lib /lib/ n. colloq. liberation (women's lib).

der. 2 make a smooth paste of. dd lev»i»ga»tion li*ba*tion /llbayshan/ a the pouring out of a drink
n. 1

/-gayshan/ n. offering to a god. b such a drink offering. 2 joe. a drink.

levitate /levitayt/ v. 1 intr. rise and float in the air (esp. Ii»bel /libal/ n. &
v. •«. 1 Law a a published false state-

with reference to spiritualism). 2 tr. cause to do this. ment damaging to a person's reputation (cf. slander).
dd lev»i»ta«tion /-tayshan/ n. b the act of publishing this. 2 a a false and defamato-
Iev«i»ty /levitee/ n. 1 lack of serious thought; frivolity. ry written statement, b (foil, by on) a thing that brings
2 inconstancy. 3 undignified behavior. discredit by misrepresentation, etc. (the portrait is a li-
levu»lose /leevyalos/ n. = fructose. belon him; the book is a libel on human nature), mv.tr.
Ie»vy /levee/ v. &
n. mv.tr. (-vies, -vied) 1 a impose (a 1 defame by libelous statements. 2 accuse falsely and

rate or toll), b raise (contributions or taxes). C (also maliciously. 3 Law publish a libel against, dd li*bel*er
absol.) raise (a sum of money) by legal execution or n.

process {the debt was levied on the debtor's goods) d seize . li*bel*OUS /libabs/ adj. containing or constituting a li-

(goods) in this way. e extort (levy blackmail) 2 enlist . bel, dd li*bel*ous*ly adv.
or enroll (troops, etc.). 3 (usu. foil, by upon, against) Iib*er*al /libarsl, libral/ adj. & n. madj. 1 given freely;
wage; proceed to make (war) • n. (pi. -vies) 1 a the
. ample; abundant. 2 (often foil, by with) giving freely;
collecting of a contribution, tax, etc., or of property to generous; not sparing. 3 open-minded; not preju-
satisfy a legal judgment, b a contribution, tax, etc., lev- diced. 4 not strict or rigorous; (of interpretation) not
ied. 2 a the act or an instance of enrolling troops, etc. literal. 5 for general broadening of the mind; not

b (in pi.) persons enrolled. C a body of persons en- professional or technical (liberal studies) 6 a favoring .

rolled, d the number of persons enrolled. le»vi»a« individual liberty and political and social reform.
ble adj. b (Liberal) of or characteristic of Liberals or a Liberal
lewd /lood/ adj. 1 lascivious. 2 indecent; obscene. party.7 Theol. regarding many traditional beliefs as
dd lewd«ly adv. lewdness n. dispensable, invalidated by modern thought, or liable
Iex»eme /lekseem/ n. Linguistics a basic lexical unit of to change (liberal Protestant; liberal Judaism) • n. 1a .

a language comprising one or several words, the ele- person of liberal views. 2 (Liberal) a supporter or
ments of which do not separately convey the meaning member of a Liberal party, dd lib*er*al*ism n. Iib»er»al»
of the whole. ly adv.
Iex*i*cal /leksikal/ adj. 1 of the words of a language. 2 of
liberal Middle English: via Old French from Latin lib-
or as of a lexicon, dd lex*i*caMy adv.
eralis,from liber 'free (man)'. The original sense was
lex»i»cog»ra«phy /leksikografee/ n. the compiling of
'suitable for a free man', hence 'suitable for a gen-
dictionaries, dd lex»i»cogTa»pher n. lex»i»co»graph»ic
tleman' (one not tied to a trade), surviving in liberal
/-kagrafik/ adj. lex»i»co»graph«i«cal adj.
arts. Another early sense 'generous' (compare with
lex«i«COl«0«gy /leksikotajee/ n. the study of the form,
sense 5) gave rise to an obsolete meaning 'free from
history, and meaning of words, dd lex*i*co*log*i*cal
restraint', leading to sense 1 (late 18th cent.)-
/-kalojikal/ adj. lex»i«col»o»gist /-kobjist/ n.
lexicon /leksikon/ n. 1 a dictionary, esp. of Greek, He- Iib»er»al arts n.pl. the arts as distinct from science and
brew, Syriac, or Arabic. 2 the vocabulary of a person, technology.
language, branch of knowledge, etc. munificence.
Iib»er»al«i»ty /libaralitee/ n. 1 free giving;
Iex*is /leksis/ n. 1 words; vocabulary. 2 the total stock 2 freedom from prejudice; breadth of mind.
of words in a language. Iib»er»al»ize /liborohz, libra / v.tr. & intr. make or be-
lex ta»li»o»nis /leks taleeonis/ n. the law of retaliation, come more liberal or less strict, dd Hb«er»aM»za»tion ;/.
whereby a punishment resembles the offense commit- lib-er-ate /liborayt/ v. tr. 1 (often foil, by from) set at lib-

ted, in kind and degree. erty; set free. 2 free (a country, etc.) from an oppttM
ley /lay/ see lea. sor or an enemy occupation. 3 (often as liberated ad/. )

Leyden jar an early form of capacitor con-

/li'd'n/ n. free (a person) from rigid social conventions, esp. in
sisting of a glass jar with layers of metal foil on the out- sexual behavior. A si. steal, dd lib»er»a»tion //. Ilb»er»a»
side and inside. tor n.

LF abbr. low frequency. Iib»er«tar»i«an /libr>rtaireer>n/ >/. an ftdvw itc ofch il lib

Ml. abbr. left hand. erty. dd lib»er»tar»i«an»ism n.

Li symb. Chem. the element lithium. Iib*er*tine /liborteen, tin/ ;/. is? adj. •//. 1 ;i dissolute
Ii*a*bil*i*ty /lfobilitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the state of being or licentious person. 2 a free thinker on religion. 3 ;i
liable. 2 a person or thing that is troublesome as an person who follows his or her own inclinniioiis •,/,//
unwelcome responsibility; a handicap. 3 what a per- 1 licentious; dissolute. 2 freethinking. 3 following
son is liable for, esp. (in pi.) debts. one's own inclinations, dd lib»er«tin»ism / ni/.mn/ n.
 .

Iib*er*ty /libartee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a freedom from cap-
tivity, imprisonment, slavery, or despotic control, b a
personification of this. 2 a the right or power to do as
one pleases, b (foil, by to + infin.) right; power;
opportunity; permission. 3 a (usu. in pi.) a right, priv-
ilege, or immunity, enjoyed by prescription or grant.
b (in sing, or pi.) hist, an area having such privileges,
etc., esp. a distric controlled by a city though outside
its boundary or an area outside a prison where some
prisoners might reside. 4 setting aside of rules or con-
455 liberty ~ lie
li»chee var. of litchi.
Ii»chen /likan/ n. 1 any plant organism of the group
Lichenes, composed of a fungus and an alga in sym-
biotic association, growing on and coloring rocks, tree
trunks, roofs, walls, etc. 2 any of several types of skin
disease in which small, round, hard lesions occur close
together, dd li*chened adj. (in sense 1). Ii»chen»ol»ogy
n. (in sense 1). li»chen»ous adj. (in sense 2).

vention, o at liberty 1 free; not imprisoned (set at lib- lioit /lisit/ adj. not forbidden; lawful, dd lic»iWy adv.
erty). 2 (foil, by to + infin.) entitled; permitted. 3 avail- lick /lik/ v.&n.»v. 1 tr. pass the tongue over. 2 tr. bring
able; disengaged, take liberties 1 (often foil, by with) into a specified condition or position by licking (licked
behave in an unduly familiar manner. 2 (foil, by with) it all up; licked it clean). 3 a tr. (of a flame, waves, etc.)

deal freely or superficially with rules or facts, take the
liberty (foil, by to + infin., or of + verbal noun) pre-
sume; venture.
li*bid*i*nous /libidanas/ adj. lustful.
li*bi*do /libe'edo, -hi-/ n. (pi. -dos) Psychol, psychic
play lightly over, b intr. move gently or caressingly. 4 tr.
colloq. a defeat; excel, b surpass the comprehension or
competence of (has got me licked). 5 tr. colloq. thrash.
• n. 1 an act of licking with the tongue. 2 = salt lick.
3 colloq. a fast pace (at a lick) 4 colloq. a a small .

drive or energy, esp. that associated with sexual desire. amount; quick treatment with (foil, by of. a lick of
an li*bid«i*nal /libidanal/ adj. li*bid*i*nous /libidanas/ paint) b a quick wash. 5 a smart blow with a stick, etc.
.

adj. d a lick and a promise colloq. a hasty performance of

Li*bra /le'ebra, li-/ n. la constellation, traditionally re- a task, esp. of washing oneself, lick one's lips (or
garded as contained in the figure of scales. 2 a the sev- chops) 1 look forward with relish. 2 show one's satis-
enth sign of the zodiac (the Balance or Scales), b a faction, lick one's wounds be in retirement after de-
person born when the sun is in this sign, an Li*bran n. feat, dd lick*er n. (also in comb.).
& adj. Iick*e*ty-split /likateesplit/ adv. colloq. at full speed;
Ii»brar«i»an /libraireegn/ n. a person in charge of, or an headlong.
assistant in, a library, do li«brar«i»an»ship n. n. colloq. 1 a thrashing. 2 a defeat.
Iick»ing /liking/
Ii»brar»y /libreree/ n. a a collection of books, lic»0»rice /likarish, -ris/ n. 1a black root extract used
(pi. -ies) 1
etc., for use by the public or by members of a group. as a candy and in medicine. 2 the leguminous plant,
b a person's collection of books. 2 a room or building Glycyrrhiza glabra, from which it is obtained.
containing a collection of books (for reading or ref- lid /lid/ n. 1a hinged or removable cover, esp. for the
erence rather than for sale). 3 a a similar collection of top of a container. 2 = eyelid. 3 the operculum of a
films, records, computer software, etc. b the place shell or a plant. 4 si. a hat. d put a lid on be quiet about;
where these are kept. 4 a series of books issued by a keep secret, take the lid off colloq. expose (a scandal,
publisher in similar bindings, etc., usu. as a set. 5 a etc.). dd lid»ded adj. (also in comb.). Iid*less adj.
public institution charged with the care of a collection lie /li/ v. &
n. •v.intr. (lying /li-ing/; past lay /lay/; past
1

of books, films, etc. part, lain /layn/) 1 be in or assume a horizontal posi-

Avoid pronouncing library "lie-berry," which many tion on a supporting surface; be at rest on something.
regard as uneducated. 2 (of a thing) rest flat on a surface (snow lay on the
li-breMo /libreto/ n. (pi. -tos or libretti /-tee/) the text ground). 3 (of abstract things) remain undisturbed or
of an opera or other musical vocal work, dd li-bret-tist undiscussed, etc. (let matters lie). 4 a be kept or remain
n. or be in a specified state or place (lie hidden; lie in wait;
Lib»y»an /libeean, libyan/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of or relat- malice lay behind those words; they lay dying; the books
ing to modern Libya in N. Africa. 2 of ancient N. Af- lay unread; the money is lying in the bank), b (of ab-
rica west of Egypt. 3 of or relating to the Berber group stract things) exist; reside; be in a certain position or
of languages. • n. 1 a a native or national of modern relation (foil, by in, with, etc.: the answer lies in educa-
Libya, b a person of Libyan descent. 2 an ancient lan- tion; my sympathies lie with the family). 5 a be situated
guage of the Berber group. or stationed (the village lay to the east; the ships are ly-
lice pi. of louse. ing off the coast), b (of a road, route, etc.) lead (the road
license /lisans/ n. & permit from an author-
v. • n. 1 a liesover mountains) C be spread out to view (the des-
.

ity to own or use something (esp. a dog, gun, television
set, or vehicle), do something (esp. marry, print some-
thing, preach, or drive on a public road), or carry on a
business (esp. in alcoholic liquor). 2 permission (have
I your license to remove the fence?). 3 a liberty of action,
esp. when excessive; abuse of freedom, b licentious-
ness. 4 a writer's or artist's irregularity in grammar,
meter, perspective, etc., or deviation from fact, esp. for
effect (poetic license) • v. tr. 1 grant a license to (a per-
. lieback recline so as to rest, lie in state (of a deceased
son). 2 authorize the use of (premises) for a certain
purpose, esp. the sale and consumption of alcoholic
liquor. 3 authorize the publication of (a book, etc.) or
the performance of (a play), dd li*cens*a*ble adj.
Ii»cen»see /lissnsee/ n. the holder of a license, esp. to
sellalcoholic liquor.
license plate n. the usu. metal plate of a
hicle that attests to its registration.
6 (of the dead) be buried in a grave.
ert lay before us).
7 (foil, by with) archaic have sexual intercourse. •«.
1 a the way or direction or position in which a thing
lies, b Golf the position of a golf ball when about to
be struck. 2 the place of cover of an animal or a bird.
a let lie not raise (a controversial matter, etc.) for dis-
cussion, etc. lie about (or around) be left carelessly
out of place, lie ahead be going to happen; be in store.
great personage) be laid in a public place of honor be-
fore burial, lie low 1 keep quiet or unseen. 2 be dis-
creet about one's intentions, lie with (often foil, by to
+ be the responsibility of (a person) (it lies with
infin.)
you take lying down (usu. with neg.) accept
to answer),
(defeat, rebuke, etc.) without resistance or protest,
motor ve- etc.
See note at lay 1 .

Ii»cen»ti»ate /lisensheeat/ n. a holder of a certificate of lie 2 /li/ n.&v.^n. an intentionally false statement (tell
1
competence to practice a certain profession. a lie; pack of lies) 2 imposture; false belief (live a lie)
.

li*cen*tious /lisenshas/ adj. immoral in sexual relations.

dd li'ceivtious'ly adv. li*cen*tious*ness n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .. .

lied ~ lift 456 most certainly not. take one's

life colloq. life in one's
hands take a crucial personal risk.
• v. (lies, lied, lying /li-ing/) 1 intr. a tell a lie or lies life-and-death adj. vitally important; desperate (a life-
{they lied to me), (of a thing) be deceptive {the cam-
b and-death struggle)
era cannot lie). 2 tr. (usu. refl.; foil, by into, out of) get life«blood /lifblud/ n. 1 the blood, as being necessary
(oneself) into or out of a situation by lying {lied them- to life. 2 the vital factor or influence.
selves into trouble; lied my way out of danger), d give the life»boat /lifbot/ n. 1 a specially constructed boat
lie to serve to show
the falsity of (a supposition, etc.). launched from land to rescue those in distress at sea.
lied /leed, leet/ n. {pi. lieder /le'edar/) a type of German 2 a ship's small boat for use in emergency.
song, esp. of the Romantic period. life bu»oy n. a buoyant support for keeping a person
liede*teotor n. an instrument for determining whether afloat.
a person is telling the truth by testing for physiolog- life cy»cle n. the series of changes in the life of an or-
ical changes considered to be symptomatic of lying. ganism including reproduction.
liege /leej, leezh/ adj. & n. usu. hist. madj. (of a supe- life ex»pec«tan»cy n. the average period that a person
rior) entitled to receive or (of a vassal) bound to give may expect to live.
feudal service or allegiance. •«. (in full liege lord) a life force n. inspiration or a driving force or influence.
feudal superior or sovereign. Iife-giv»ing adj. that sustains life or uplifts and revital-
lien /leen, le'ean/ n. Law a right over another's property izes.
to protect a debt charged on that property. Iife«guard /lifgaard/ n. an expert swimmer employed to
lieu /loo/ n. a in lieu 1 instead. 2 (foil, by of) in the place rescue bathers from drowning.
of. life in»sur»ance n. insurance for a sum to be paid on
lieut. abbr. lieutenant. the death of the insured person.
Iieu»ten»ant /lootensnt/ n. 1 a deputy. 2 a an army of- life jack*et n. a buoyant jacket for keeping a person
ficer next in rank below captain, b a naval officer next afloat.
in rank below lieutenant commander. 3 a police of- life* I ess /liflis/ adj. 1 lacking life; no longer living.
ficer next in rank below captain, an lieu»ten«an«cy n. 2 unconscious. 3 lacking activity or vitality, dd life*

(pi. -cies). less»ly adv. Iife*less*ness n.

Iieu»ten»ant colonel n. an army officer ranking below Iife*like /lifllk/ adj. closely resembling the person or
a colonel and above a major. thing represented.
Iieu»ten«ant convman»der n. a naval officer ranking life-line /liflln/ n. 1 a a rope, etc., used for lifesaving.
below a commander and above a lieutenant. b a diver's signaling line. 2 a sole means of communi-
Iieu»ten»ant gen«er»al n. an army officer ranking be- cation or transport. 3 a fold in the palm of the hand,
low a general and above a major general. regarded as significant in palmistry. 4 an emergency
Iieu*ten*ant governor n. (in the US) the elected of- telephone counseling service.
ficial next in rank to a state's governor. lifelong /liflawng, -long/ adj. lasting a lifetime.
life /lif/ n. {pi. lives /livz/) 1 the condition that distin- life preserver n. a life jacket, etc.
guishes active animals and plants from inorganic mat- Iif«er /lifar/ n. person serving a life sentence. 2 a
si. 1 a
ter, including the capacity for growth, functional activ- person committed to a long career in a profession.
ity, and continual change preceding death. 2 a living life raft n. an inflatable or log, etc., raft for use in an
things and their activity {insect life; is there life on Mars?) emergency instead of a boat.
b human presence or activity {no sign of life) 3 a the . Iife»sav«er /lifsayvar/ n. a person or thing that saves one
period during which life lasts, or the period from birth from serious difficulty.
to the present time or from the present time to death life sciences n.pl. biology and related subjects.
(have done it all my life; will regret it all my life; life mem- life sen»tence n. 1 a sentence of imprisonment for life.

bership) b the duration of a thing's existence or of its

. 2 an illness or commitment, etc., perceived as a contin-
ability to function (the battery has a life of two years) uing threat to one's freedom.
4 a a person's state of existence as a living individual life-size adj. (also life*sized) of the same size as the per-
(sacrificed their lives; took many lives) . b a living person son or thing represented.
(many lives were lost). Iife«style /lifstll/ n. the particular way of life of a per-
5 a an individual's occupation,
actions, or fortunes; the manner of
one's existence son or group.
(that would make life easy; start a new life), b a particu- life-SUp*port adj. (of equipment) allowing vital func-
lar aspect of this (love life; private life) 6 the business tions to continue.
.

and pleasures of the world (travel is the best way to see lifetime /liftlm/w. 1 the duration of a person's life. 2 the
life). 7 a human's earthly or supposed future existence. duration of a thing or its usefulness, o of a lifetime such
8 a energy; liveliness (full of life; put some life into it!). as does not occur more than once in a persons lite
b an animating influence (was the life of the party) C (of (the chance of a lifetime; the journey of a lifetime).
.

an inanimate object) power; force; ability to perform life»WOrk /lifwork/ n. a task, profession, etc., pursued
its intended function. 9 the living form or model throughout one's lifetime.
(drawn from life) .10a biography. 1 1 colloq. a sentence lift /lift/ v. &
n. mv. 1 tr. (often foil, by up, off, our, etc.)
of imprisonment for life (they were all serving life). raise or remove to a higher position. 2 nur. go up; be
come to life 1 emerge from unconsciousness or in- raised; yield to an upward force (the ivindow will not
activity; begin operating. 2 (of an inanimate object) lift). 3 tr. give an upward direction to (the eves or t.u e

assume an imaginary animation, for dear (or one's) 4 tr. a elevate to a higher plane ol thought 01 feeling
life as if or in order to escape death (hanging on for dear (the news lifted their spirits), b make less he:iw or dull;
life; run for your life) for the life of (foil, by pers. pron.)
. add interest to. C enhance; improve (lifted tin n §tmu
even if (one's) life depended on it (cannot for the life of after halftunc). 5 intr. (of a cloud, tog, etc.) rise; dis-
me remember), get a life start living a fuller or more in- perse. 6 tr. remove (a barrier or restriction). 7 tr. trans
teresting existence, give one's life 1 (foil, by for) die; port (supplies, troops, etc.) by air. 8 tr. colloq. a steal.
sacrifice oneself. 2 (foil, by to) dedicate oneself, large b plagiarize (a passage of writing, etc.). 9 nur. (of the
as life colloq. in person, esp. prominently (stood there voice) rise. 10 intr. (of I floor) swell upward, bulge.
large as life), larger than life 1 exaggerated. 2 (of a per- 11 tr. (usu. in passive) perform cosmctu Rllgery on to
son) having an exuberant personality, a matter of life reduce sagging, •n. 1 the act of lifting or piPCCM of
and death a matter of vital importance, not on your being lifted. 2 a free ride in another persons vehicle
 . . .

{gave them a lift). 3 a Brit. - elevator 3a. b an apparat- 457 liftoff - light touch
us for carrying persons up or down a mountain, etc.
(see ski lift). 4 a transport by air (see airlift n.). b a coholic. 5 a (of entertainment, music, etc.) intended
quantity of goods transported by air. 5 the upward for amusement, rather than edification; not profound.
pressure that air exerts on an airfoil. 6 a supporting or b frivolous; thoughtless; trivial {a light remark) 6 (of .

elevating influence; a feeling of elation. 7 a layer of sleep or a sleeper) easily disturbed. 7 easily borne or
leather in the heel of a boot or shoe, esp. to correct done {light duties). & nimble; quick-moving {a light step;
shortening of a leg or increase height, a lift a finger (or a rhythm). 9 (of a building, etc.) graceful; elegant.
light
hand, etc.) (in neg.) make the slightest effort {didn't 10 (of type) not heavy or bold. 11a free from sorrow;
lift a finger to help), lift up one's voice sing out. lift* cheerful {a light heart) b giddy {light in the head) 1 2 (of
. .

a»ble adj. lift-er n. pastry, sponge cake, etc.) fluffy and well-aerated dur-
lift-off /liftawf/ n. the vertical takeoff of a spacecraft or ing cooking and with the fat fully absorbed. • adv. 1 in
rocket. a light manner {tread light, sleep light) 2 with a min- .

Iig*a*ment /ligamant/ n. 1 Anat. a short band of tough, imum load or minimum luggage {travel light) • v. intr. .

flexible, fibrous connective tissue linking bones to- {past and past part, lit /lit/or lighted) (foil, by on, upon)
gether. 2 any membranous fold keeping an organ in come upon or find by chance, c light into colloq. at-
position, dd lig«a*men*tal /-ment'l/ adj. Iig»a«men»ta»ry tack, light out colloq. depart, make light of treat as un-
/-mentgree/ adj. ligamentous /-mentas/ adj. important, make light work of do a thing quickly and
Ii*gate /ligayt/ v.tr. Surgery tie up (a bleeding artery, easily, dd MghMsh adj. Iight*ness n.
etc.). nn /-gayshan/ n.
li-ga-tion Iight»bulb /litbulb/ n. a glass bulb inserted into a lamp
Ii*ga«ture /ligachsr/ n. 1 a tie or bandage. 2 Mus. a slur; that provides light by passing an electric current
a tie. 3 Printing two or more letters joined, e.g., ce. 4 a through a pocket of inert gas.
bond; a thing that unites. light-erniMing di-ode see LED.
light 1
/lit/ n., v., &
adj. • «. 1 the natural agent light-en 1 /lit'n/ v. 1 a tr. &
intr. make or become lighter

(electromagnetic radiation of wavelength between in weight, b tr. reduce the weight or load of. 2 tr. bring
about 390 and 740 nm) that stimulates sight and relief to (the heart, mind, etc.). 3 tr. mitigate (a pen-
makes things visible. 2 the medium or condition of the alty).
space in which this is present. 3 an appearance of lighten 2 /lit'n/ v. 1 a tr. shed light on. b tr.&intr. make
brighmess {saw a distant light). 4 a a source of light, b or grow lighter or brighter. 2 intr. a shine brightly;
(in pi.) illuminations. 5 (often in pi.) a traffic light flash, b emit lightning {it is lightening).
{went through a red light; stop at the lights). 6 a the Iight*er /litar/ n. a device for lighting cigarettes, etc.
amount or quality of illumination in a place {bad light Iight»er-than-air adj. (of an aircraft) weighing less than
stopped play) b one's fair or usual share of this {you are
. the air it displaces.
standing in my light) 7 a flame or spark serving to ig-
. Iight-fin»gered adj. given to stealing.
nite {struck a light). 8 the aspect in which a thing is re- light-foot*ed adj. nimble, dc light-foot*ed*ly adv.
garded {appeared in a new light) 9 a mental illumina-
. Iight-head*ed n. giddy; delirious, dd light-head»ed»ly
tion; enlightenment, b hope; happiness; a happy adj. Iight-head*ed*ness adv.
outcome. C spiritual illumination by divine truth. Iight»heart»ed lit-haartid adj. 1 cheerful. 2 (unduly)
10 vivacity, enthusiasm, or inspiration visible in a per- casual; thoughtless, dd light»heart»ed»ly adv. light*
son's face, esp. in the eyes. 1 1 (in pi.) a person's men- heart*ed*ness n.
tal powers or ability {according to one 's lights) 1 2 an . light»house /lit-hows/ n. a tower or other structure con-
eminent person {a leading light) .13a the bright part taining a beacon light to warn or guide ships at sea.
of a thing; a highlight, b the bright parts of a picture, light in»dus»try n. the manufacture of small articles.
etc., esp. suggesting illumination {light and shade), mv. lighting /liting/ n. 1 equipment in a room or street,
{past lit /lit/; past part, lit or {attrib.) lighted) 1 tr.&intr. etc., for producing light. 2 the arrangement or effect
set burning or begin to burn; ignite. 2 tr. provide with of lights.
light or lighting. 3 tr. show (a person) the way or sur- lighMy /litlee/ adv. in a light (esp. frivolous or unseri-
roundings with a light. 4 intr. (usu. foil, by up) (of the ous) manner, d get off lightly escape with little or no
face or eyes) brighten with animation. • adj. 1 well pro- punishment, take lightly not be serious about (a thing)
vided with light; not dark. 2 (of a color) pale {light blue; light me«ter n. an instrument for measuring the inten-
a light-blue ribbon), u bring (or come) to light reveal or sity of the light, esp. to indicate the correct photo-
be revealed, in a good (or bad) light giving a favora- graphic exposure.
ble (or unfavorable) impression, in (the) light of hav- lightening /li'tning/ n. & adj. •«. a flash of bright light
ing regard to; drawing information from, light of one's produced by an electric discharge between clouds or
life usu. joe. a much-loved person, light up 1 colloq. be- between clouds and the ground. • attrib. adj. very quick
gin to smoke a cigarette, etc. 2 switch on lights or light- {with lightning speed).
ing; illuminate a scene, out like a light deeply asleep lightening bug n. = firefly.
or unconscious, throw (or shed) light on help to ex- lightening rod n. (also lightening con»duc»tor) a metal
plain, dd lighMsh adj. lighMess adj. Iight*ness n. rod or wire fixed to an exposed part of a building or
to a mast to divert lightning into the earth or sea.
Old English leoht, tiht (noun and adjective), tihtan
light
light pen n. 1 a penlike photosensitive device held to
Germanic origin; related to Dutch licht and
(verb), of
the screen of a computer terminal for passing informa-
German Licht, from an Indo-European root shared by
tion on to it. 2 a light-emitting device used for read-
Greek leukos 'white' and Latin lux 'light'.
ing bar codes.
light 2 /lit/ adj., adv., & v. *adj. 1 not heavy. 2 relative- light»proof /litproof/ adj. able to block out light com-
ly low in weight, amount, density, intensity, etc. {light pletely {a lightproof envelope)
arms; light traffic; light metal; light rain; a light breeze) lightship /litship/ n. an anchored ship with a beacon
3 a carrying or suitable for small loads {light aircraft) light.
b (of a ship) unladen, c carrying only light arms, arma- light»some /litsam/ adj. gracefully light; nimble; mer-
ments, etc. {light brigade; light infantry), d (of a loco- ry, dd lightsomely adv. lightsomeness n.
motive) with no train attached. 4 a (of food, a meal, light touch n. delicate or tactful treatment.
etc.) small in amount; easy to digest {had a light lunch)
b (of drink) not heavy on the stomach or strongly al- See page xii for the Key to Pronwiciatioi.
 . . .

lightweight ~ lime 458 California; a likely story). 2 (foil, by to + infin.) to be

reasonably expected (he is not likely to come now).
lightweight /lftwayt/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of below average 3 promising; apparently suitable (this is a likely spot;
weight. 2 of little importance or influence, m. la three likely candidates), madv. probably (is very likely
lightweight person, animal, or thing. 2 a a weight in true), d as likely as not probably, not likely! colloq. cer-
certain sports intermediate between featherweight tainly not; I refuse, dd like*li*ness n.
and welterweight, b an athlete of this weight. Iike-mind»ed adj. having the same tastes, opinions, etc.
light-year n. 1 Astron. the distance light travels in one an like-mind«ed«ly adv. Iike-mind»ed»ness n.
year, nearly 6 trillion miles. 2 (in pi.) colloq. a long dis- Iik*en /likan/ v. tr. (foil, by to) point out the resemblance
tance or great amount. of (a person or thing to another).
lig»ne»ous /ligneeas/ adj. 1 (of a plant) woody (opp. Iike*ness /liknis/ n. 1 (foil, by between, to) resemblance.
herbaceous). 2 of the nature of wood. 2 (foil, by of) a semblance or guise (in the likeness of a
Iig*nin /lignin/ n. Bot. a complex organic polymer de- ghost) 3 a portrait or representation (is a good likeness)
.

posited in the cell walls of many plants, making them likewise /likwiz/ adv. 1 also; moreover. 2 similarly (do
rigid and woody. likewise)
Iig*nite /lignit/ n. a soft brown
showing traces of coal Iik*ing /liking/ n. 1 what one likes; one's taste (is it to
plant structure, intermediate between bituminous your liking?). 2 (foil, by for) regard or fondness; taste
coal and peat. or fancy (had a liking for chocolate).
Ii*gus*trum /ligustram/ n. = privet. I Mac /litak, -lok, -lak/ n. & adj. • n. 1 any shrub or small
lik-a-ble /likabal/ adj. (also like*a*ble) pleasant; easy to tree of the genus Syringa, esp. 5. vulgaris with fragrant
like, do lik*a*ble*ness n. Iik*a*bly /-blee/ adv. pale pinkish-violet or white blossoms. 2 a pale pink-
like 1
/lik/ adj., prep., adv., conj., & n. madj. (often gov- ish-violet color. • adj. of this color.
erning a noun as if a transitive participle such as re- 1 of or relating to the
lil*i*a*ceous /lilee-ayshas/ adj.
sembling) (more like, a having some or all
most like) 1 family Liliaceae of plants with elongated leaves grow-
of the qualities of another or each other or an original ing from a corm, bulb, or rhizome. 2 lilylike.
(in like manner; as like as two peas; is very like her broth- Iil*li*pu-tian /lilipyobshsn/ n. adj. (also LiMi*pu*tian) &
er) b resembling in some way, such as (good writers like
. • n. a diminutive person or thing. • adj. diminutive.
Poe). C (usu. in pairs correlatively) as one is so will the lilt /lilt/ n.&v.mn. 1 a a light springing rhythm or gait.
other be (like mother, like daughter) 2 characteristic of b a song or tune marked by this. 2 (of the voice) a
.

(it is not like them to be late) 3 in a suitable state or

. characteristic cadence or inflection, •v.intr. (esp. as
mood for (felt like working; felt like a cup of coffee) mprep. lilting adj.) move or speak, etc., with a lilt.
.

in the manner of; to the same degree as (drink like a Ml»y /lilee/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a any bulbous plant of the ge-
fish; sell like hotcakes; acted like an idiot) • adv. 1 archa- nus Lilium with large, trumpet-shaped flowers on a
.

ic likely (they will come, like enough) 2 si. so to speak tall, slender stem, b any of several other plants of the
.

(did a quick getaway, like; as I said, like, I'm no Shake- family Liliaceae with similar flowers. C the water lily.
speare). • conj. colloq. disp. 1 as (cannot do it like you do) 2 a person or thing of special whiteness or purity. 3 a
2 as if (ate like they were starving) • n. 1 a counterpart;. heraldic fleur-de-lis.
an equal; a similar person or thing (shall not see its like lil-y-livered adj. cowardly.
again; compare like with like). 2 (prec. by the) a thing Iil»y of the vaMey n. any liliaceous plant of the genus
or things of the same kind (will never do the like again). Convallaria, with racemes of white, bell-shaped, fra-
d and the like and similar things (music, painting, and grant flowers.
the like), like (or as like) as not colloq. probably, like Iil»y pad n. a floating leaf of a water lily.
so colloq. like this; in this manner, the likes of colloq. a Iil*y-white adj. 1 as white as a lily. 2 faultless.
person such as (/ wouldn 't trust the likes of him) more Ii«ma bean /lima/ n. 1 a tropical American bean plant,
.

like it colloq. nearer what is required. Phaseolus lunatus, having large, flat, greenish-white ed-
The use of like as a conjunction meaning 'as' or 'as ible seeds. 2 the seed of this plant.
if,' e.g., / don't have a wealthy set of in-laws like you do; limb /lim/ n. 1 any of the projecting parts of a person's
1

They sit up like they're begging for food, is considered in-
correct by many. In more precise use, like is a prepo-
sition, used before nouns and pronouns: to fly like a
bird, a town like ours.
like 2 /Ilk/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 a find agreeable or enjoyable
(like reading; like the sea; like to dance) b be fond of (a
or animal's body used for contact or movement. 2 a
large branch of a tree. 3 a branch of a cross. 4 a spur
of a mountain. 5 a clause of a sentence. out on a limb
1 isolated; stranded. 2 at a disadvantage, tear limb
from limb violently dismember, an limbed adj. (also in
comb.), limb'less adj.
.

person) 2 a choose to have; prefer (like my coffee black; limb 2 /lim/ n. 1 Astron. a a specified edge of the sun,
.

do not like such things discussed) b wish for or be in-. moon, etc. b the graduated edge of a quadrant, etc.
clined to (would like a cup of tea). 3 (usu. in interrog; 2 Bot. the broad part of a petal, sepal, or leaf.
prec. by how) feel about; regard (how would you like it Nm»ber /limbor/ adj. v. madj. 1 lithe; agile; nimble. &
if it happened to you?) • n. (in pi. ) the things one likes
. 2 flexible. mv. (usu. foil, by up) 1 tr. make (oneself or
or prefers, d like it or not colloq. whether it is accepta- a part of the body, etc.) supple. 2 intr. warm up in prep-
ble or not. an llnvber»ness n.
aration for athletic, etc., activity,
-like /Ilk/ comb, form forming adjectives from nouns, lim»bo' /limbo/ -bos) 1 (in some Christian
n. (pi.

meaning 'similar to, characteristic of (doglike; tor- beliefs) the supposed abode of the souls of unbaptized
toiselike) . infants, and of the just who died before Christ. 2 an
In (esp. polysyllabic) formations intended as nonce intermediate state or condition of awaiting a decision,
words, or not generally current, a hyphen is often used etc.
(celebration-like). Nouns ending in -// always require it lim»bo 2 /limbo/ n. (pi. -bos) a W. Indian dance in which
(shell-like). the dancer bends backward to pass under a horizon
Iike»a«ble var. of likable. tal bar that is progressively lowered.
like*li*hood /likleehood/ n. probability, d in all likeli- lime /lim/ n.
1
&
v. • «. 1 (in full quicklime) a white
hood very probably. caustic alkaline substance (calcium oxide) obtained In
Mke»ly /liklee/ adj. &
adv. madj. (likelier, likeliest) heating limestone. 2= birdlime. mv.tr. treat (wood,
1 probable; such as well might happen or be true (it is skins, land, etc.) with lime, tin Iime»les8 adj. Ilnvy adj.
not likely that they will come; the most likely place is (Iim«i»er, lim«i-estj

lime 2 /llm/ n. 1 a a round citrus fruit like a
greener, smaller, and more acid, b the
aurantifolia,bearing this. 2 (in full lime juice) the juice
of limes as a drink. 3 (in full lime green) a pale green
color like a lime.
lime 3 /llm/ n. 1 (in full lime tree) any ornamental tree
of the genus europaea with heart-shaped
Tilia, esp. T.
leaves and fragrant yellow blossoms. Also called lin-
den. 2 the wood of this.
Iime*kiln /limkiln, -kil/ n. a kiln for heating limestone.
lime-light /limlit/ n. 1 an intense white light used for-
merly in theaters. 2 (prec. by the) the full glare of pub-
licity; the focus of attention.
li nver«ick /limarik, limrik/ n. a humorous or comic form
of five-line stanza with a rhyme scheme aabba.
lime-stone /limston/ n. Geol. a sedimentary rock com-
posed mainly of calcium carbonate.
linvit /limit/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a point, line, or level beyond
which something does not or may not extend or pass.
2 (often in pi.) the boundary of an area. 3 the great-
est or smallest amount permissible or
4 Math, a quantity that a function or sum of a series
can be made to approach as closely as desired, •v.tr.
1 set or serve as a limit to. 2 (foil, by to) restrict. with-
in limits moderately; with some degree of freedom.
without limit with no restriction, an lim*it*a*ble adj. Iim«
it-er n.
Iim»i»tar»y /limiteree/ adj. 1 subject to restriction.
on, or serving as a limit.
lim*i*ta*tion /limitayshan/ n. 1 the act or an instance of
limiting; the process of being limited. 2 a condition of
limited ability (often in pi. know one 's limitations) 3 a
: .
limiting circumstance (often in pi. has its limitations) : of communication). 20 a department of activity; a
4 a legally specified period beyond which an action
cannot be brought, or a property right is not to con-
tinue.
Iim*it*ed /limitid/ adj. 1 confined within limits. 2 not
great in scope or talents (has limited experience).
3 a few; scanty; restricted (limited accommodation)
b restricted to a few examples (limited edition)
it*ed*ness n.
lim-iWess extending or going on indef-
/limitlis/ adj. 1
initely (a limitless expanse) 2 unlimited (limitless gener-
. one can go no further, get a line on colloq. learn some-
osity), dd lim*it*less*ly adv. linviMess»ness n.
lim*nol*o*gy /limnolajee/ n. the study of the physical
phenomena of lakes and other fresh waters. linvno*
logical /-nglojiksl/ adj. lim*nol*o*gist /-nol-/ n.
lim«0 /limo/ n. (pi. -os) colloq. a limousine.
lim*ou*sine /limaze'en/ n. a large, luxurious automo-
bile.
limp /limp/ v. &n. mv.intr. 1 walk lamely. 2 (of a dam-
1
aged ship, aircraft, etc.) proceed with difficulty. 3 (of
verse) be defective. • n. a lame walk, dd limp*ing*ly adv.
limp 2 /limp/ adj. 1 not stiff or firm; easily bent. 2 with-
out energy or will. 3 (of a book) having a soft cover.
dd limp«ly adv. impress n. I lined with books). 3 colloq. fill, esp. plentifully, d line
lim-pet /limpit/ n. any of various marine gastropod mol-
lusks with a shallow conical shell and a broad mus-
cular foot that sticks tightly to rocks.
linvpet mine n. a mine designed to be attached to a
ship's hull and set to explode after a certain time.
Iinvpid /limpid/ adj. 1 (of water, eyes, etc.) clear; trans-
parent. 2 (of writing) easily comprehended, dd Iinvpid*
i*ty /-piditee/ n. Iinvpid»ly adv. lirrvpid-ness n.
Iimp-wrist*ed adj. si. offens. effeminate; weak; feeble.
Iinch»pin /linchpin/ n. la pin passed through the end
of an axle to keep a wheel in position. 2 a person or
thing vital to an enterprise, organization, etc.
lin-den /lindan/ n. 1 any ornamental tree of the genus
Tilia, with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant yellow
blossoms. 2 the wood of this.
line /lin/ra. &v. •«. 1 a continuous mark or band made
1
on a surface (drew a line) 2 use of lines in art, esp.
. See page
. .
lemon but 459 lime ~ lineation
tree, Citrus
draftsmanship or engraving (boldness of line). 3 a thing
resembling such a mark, esp. a furrow or wrinkle.
4 Mus. a each of (usu. five) horizontal marks forming
a stave in musical notation, b a sequence of notes or
tones forming a melody. 5 a a straight or curved con-
tinuous extent of length without breadth, b the track
of a moving point. 6 a contour or outline, esp. as a fea-
ture of design (the sculpture's clean lines). 7 a (on a map
or graph) a curve connecting all points having a spec-
ified common property, b (the Line) the Equator. 8 a a
limit or boundary, b a mark limiting the area of play,
the starting or finishing point in a race, division of a
playing field, etc. 9 a a row of persons or things, b a
direction as indicated by them (line of march). 10 a a
row of printed or written words, b a portion of verse
written in one line. 11 (inp/.) a a piece of poetry, b the
words of an actor's part. 12 a short letter or note (drop
me a line). 13 a length of cord, etc., usu. serving a spec-
possible. ified purpose, esp. a fishing line or clothesline. 14 a a
wire or cable for a telephone or telegraph, b a connec-
tion by means of this (am trying to get a line) 1 5 a a .
single track of a railroad, b one branch or route of a
railroad system. 16 a a regular succession of buses,
ships, etc., plying between certain places, b a company
conducting this (shipping line). 17 a connected series
2 of, of persons following one another in time (esp. several
generations of a family) (a long line of craftsmen) 1 8 a a .
course or manner of procedure, conduct, etc. (along
these lines) b policy (the party line) C conformity (bring
. .
them into line). 19 a direction, course, or channel (lines
branch of business (not my line). 21 a class of commer-
cial goods (a new line of hats). 22 colloq. a false account
(gave me a line about missing the bus). 23 a connected
series of military defenses, etc. (behind enemy lines). • v.
1 tr. mark with lines. 2 tr. cover with lines (a face lined
with pain). 3 tr. &intr. position or stand at intervals
. do lim» along, d all along the line at every point, bring into line
make conform, come into line conform, end of the line
the point at which further effort is unproductive or
thing about, in line for likely to receive, in the line of
in the course of (esp. duty), in (or out of) line with in
(or not in) alignment or accordance with, lay (or put)
it on the line speak frankly, line up 1 arrange or be ar-
ranged in a line or lines. 2 organize (had a job lined up)
on the line 1 at risk (put my reputation on the line).
2 speaking on the telephone, out of line 1 not in align-
ment; discordant. 2 inappropriate; (of behavior, etc.)
improper, step out of line behave inappropriately.
line 2 /lin/ v.tr. 1 a cover the inside surface of (a gar-
ment, box, etc.) with a layer of usu. different material.
b serve as a lining for. 2 cover as if with a lining (shelves
one's pocket (or purse) make money, usu. by corrupt
means.
Iin»e»age descent; ancestry; pedigree.
/linee-ij/ n. lineal
Iin»e»al /lineeal/ adj. 1 in the direct line of descent or
ancestry. 2 linear; of or in lines, dd lin»e«aMy adv.
Iin»e»a»ment /lineeamant/ n. (usu. in pi.) a distinctive
feature or characteristic, esp. of the face.
Iin»e»ar /lineeor/ adj. 1 a of or in lines, b of length (lin-
ear extent). 2 long and narrow and of uniform breadth.
3 involving one dimension only, dd lin«e«ar»i»ty
/-neearitee/ n. Iin«e«ar-ize v.tr. lirve-aMy adv.
Iin»e»ar e«qua*tion n. an equation between two vari-
ables that gives a straight line when plotted on a graph.
Mn*e*a*tion /linee-ayshan/ n. 1 a marking with or draw-
ing of lines. 2 a division into lines.
xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
line drive ~ lipstick 460 • adj. of or relating to the Swedish naturalist Linnae-
us or his system of classification of plants and animals.
line drive n. Baseball a hard-hit ball that travels nearly • n. a follower of Linnaeus.
parallel to the ground. li-no-cut /linokut/ n. 1a design carved in relief on a
line-man /linman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a a person who block of linoleum. 2 a print made from this, dd li-no-
repairs and maintains telephone or electrical, etc., cut-ting n.

lines, b a person who tests the safety of railroad lines. li-no-le-um /linoleeam/ n. a material consisting of a can-
2 Football a player positioned along the line of scrim- vas backing thickly coated with a preparation of lin-
mage. seed oil and powdered cork, etc., used esp. as a floor
lin-en /linin/ n. &
adj. •n. 1 a cloth woven from flax. covering, dd li-no-le-umed adj.
b a particular kind of this. 2 (collect.) articles made or lin-seed /linseed/ n. the seed of flax.
orig. made of linen, as sheets, cloths, etc. •adj. made lin-seed oil n. oil extracted from linseed and used esp.
of linen or wash one's dirty linen in public be
flax. in paint and varnish.
indiscreet about one's domestic quarrels, etc. lint /lint/ n. 1 a fabric, orig. of linen, with a raised nap
line of fire n. the expected path of gunfire, a missile, on one side, used for dressing wounds. 2 fluff, dd lint-
etc. y adj.
line print»er n. a machine that prints output from a lin-tel /lint'l/ n. Archit. a horizontal supporting piece of
computer a line at a time. wood, stone, etc., across the top of a door or window.
linger 1 /linar/ n. a ship or aircraft, etc., carrying pas- dd lin-teled adj.
sengers on a regular line. lint-er /lintar/ «. la machine for removing the short
Iin»er 2 /linar/ n. a removable lining. fibers from cottonseed after ginning. 2 (in pi.) these
Iin»er notes n.pl. printed information packaged with fibers.
records, cassette tapes, and compact disks. li»on /lian/ n. 1 (fern, lioness /-nis/) a large feline,
lines-man /linzman/ n. (pi. -men) (in games played on Panthera leo, of Africa and S. Asia, with a tawny coat.
a field or court) a referee's assistant who decides 2 (the Lion) the zodiacal sign or constellation Leo. 3 a
whether a ball falls within the playing area. brave or celebrated person, dd li-on-like adj.
line-up /linup/ n. 1 a line of people for inspection. 2 an li-on-heart /li'anhaart/ n. a courageous person (esp. as
arrangement of persons on a team, or of nations, etc., a sobriquet of Richard I of England), dd li-on-heart-
in an alliance. ed adj.
lin-ger /linggar/ v.intr. 1 a be slow or reluctant to de- li-on-ize /lianiz/ v.tr. treat as a celebrity, dd li-on-i-za-
part, b stay about. C (foil, by over, on, etc.) dally. 2 (esp. tion n. li-on-iz-er n.
of an illness) be protracted. 3 (foil, by on) (of a dying li-on's share (prec. by the) the largest or best part.
n.
person or custom) be slow in dying, dd lin-ger-er n. lip /lip/ n. &mn. 1 a either of the two fleshy parts
v.
lin-ger-ing adj. lin-ger-ing-ly adv. forming the edges of the mouth opening, b a thing re-
Iin»ge»rie /laaNzharay, laNzhgree/ n. women's un- sembling these. C = labium. 2 the edge of a cup, ves-
derwear and nightclothes. sel, etc., esp. the part shaped for pouring from. 3 col-
lin»go/linggo/«. (pi. -goes) colloq. 1 a foreign language. loq. impudent talk, mv.tr. (lipped, lipping) 1 a touch
2 the vocabulary of a special subject or group. with the lips; apply the lips to. b touch lightly. 2 Golf
Iin»guafran»ca/linggw3frangk9/n. (pi. lingua francas a hit a ball just to the edge of (the cup), b (of a ball)
or linguae francae /-gwee frangkee/) a language reach the edge of (the cup) but fail to drop in. d bite
adopted as a common language between speakers one's lip repress an emotion; stifle laughter, a retort,
whose native languages are different. etc. curl one's lip express scorn, pass a person's lips
lin-gual /linggwgl/ adj. 1 of or formed by the tongue. be eaten, drunk, spoken, etc. smack one's lips part the
2 of speech or languages, dd lin-gual-ly adv. lips noisily in relish or anticipation, esp. of food, dd lip-
lin-gui-form /linggwifawrm/ adj. Bot., ZooL, Anat. & less adj. lip-like adj. lipped adj. (also in comb.).
tongue-shaped. lip-gloss /lipglos, -glaws/ n. a cosmetic preparation for
lin-gui-ne /linggweenee/ n. (also lin-gui-ni) a variety of adding shine or color to the lips.
pasta made in slender flattened strips. Iip*id /lipid/ n. Chem. any of a group of organic com-
lin-guist /linggwist/ n. a person skilled in languages or pounds that are insoluble in water but soluble in organ-
linguistics. ic solvents, including fatty acids, oils, waxes, and
lin-guis-tic /linggwistik/ adj. of or relating to language steroids.
or the study of languages, dd lin-guis-ti-cal-ly adv. li-pog-ra-phy /lipografee/ n. the omission of letters or
lin-guis-tics /linggwistiks/ n. the scientific study of lan- words in writing.
guage and its structure. lip-oid /lipoyd/ adj. resembling fat.
lin-i-ment /linimsnt/ n. a soothing lotion rubbed on sore lip-o-pro-tein /lipoprOteen, li-/ n. Biochem. any of a
muscles, etc., to relieve pain. group of proteins that are combined with fats or other
lin-ing /lining/ n. 1 a layer of material used to line a sur- lipids.
face, etc. 2 an inside layer or surface, etc. lip-o-some /liposOm, M-l n. Biochem. a minute artifi-
link /lingk/ n. &
v. •«. 1 one loop or ring of a chain, cial spherical sac usu. of a phospholipid membrane
etc. 2 a a connecting part; one in a series, b a state or enclosing an aqueous core.
means of connection. 3 a means of contact by radio lip-o-SUC*tion /liposukshon, If-/ n. a technique in cos-
or telephone between two points. 4 a means of travel metic surgery for removing excess fat from under the
or transport between two places. 5 = cuff link. »t>. 1 tr. skin by suction.
(foil, by together, to, with) connect or join. 2 tr. clasp or lip-py/lipee/ac//. flippier, lippiest) colloq. 1 insolcnt;im-
intertwine (hands or arms). 3 intr. (foil, by on, to, in to) pertinent. 2 talkative.
be joined; attach oneself to (a system, company, etc.). lip-read v.intr. (past and past part, -read / red/) [MM
d link up (foil, by with) connect or combine. tice lipreading. an lip-read-er n.
link-age /lingkij/ n. 1 a connection. 2 a system of links; lip-reading /lipreeding/ n. the practice of understand
a linking or link. ing (speech) entirely from observing a speaker's lip
links /lingks/ n.pl. (treated as sing, or pi.) a golf course, movements.
esp. one having undulating ground, coarse grass, etc. lip serv-ice n. an insincere expression of support, etc.
link-up /lingkup/ n. an act or result of linking up. lip-stick /lipstik/ n. a small stick of cosmetic for color
Lin-nae-an /lineean, -nayan/ adj. &n. (also Lin-ne-an) ing the lips.
 ) . .

lip-sync v.intr. synchronize lip movements to recorded 461 lip-sync ~ lithograph

sound to appear to be singing or talking.
Iiq»ue«fy /likwifi/ v.tr.&intr. (also liq»ui»fy) (-ties, -tied) lis*ten*a*ble /lisangbal/ adj. easy or pleasant to listen
Chem. make or become liquid, an liq*ue«fa*cient to. dd lis*ten*a*bil*i*ty n.
/-fayshant/ adj. & n. I iq»ue«f action /-fakshsn/ n. Iiq« who listens. 2 a
Iis»ten»er /lissnar, lisnar/ n. 1 a person
ue*fi*a*ble adj. Iiq«ue»fi»er n. person receiving broadcast radio programs.
Ii*ques*cent /likwesant/ adj. becoming or apt to be- Iis*ten*ing post n. 1 a point near an enemy's lines for
come liquid. detecting movements by sound. 2 a station for inter-
Ii*queur /likar, -kyObr/ n. any of several sweet alco- cepting electronic communications.
holic liquors, variously flavored, usu. drunk after a Iis»te»ri»a /liste'ereea/ n. any motile rodlike bacterium
meal. of the genus Listeria, esp. L. monocytogenes infecting
Mq*uid /likwid/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 having a consistency humans and animals eating contaminated food.
like that of water or oil, flowing freely but of constant listing /listing/ n. 1 a list or catalog (see list 1). 2 the 1

volume. 2 having the qualities of water in appearance drawing up of a list. 3 an entry in a list or register.
(liquid blue; a liquid luster). 3 (of a gas, e.g., air, hy- lisMess /listlis/ adj. lacking energy or enthusiasm.
drogen) reduced to a liquid state by intense cold. 4 (of dd list*less*ly adv. Iist*less*ness n.
sounds) clear and pure; harmonious; fluent. 5 (of as- list price n. the price of something as shown in a pub-
sets) easily converted into cash; having ready cash or lished list.
liquid assets. •«. 1 a liquid substance. 2 Phonet. the lit past and past part, of light 1 light 2 , .

sound of /or r. liq*uid*ly adv. Iiq*uid*ness n. Iit«a»ny /lit'nee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 a series of petitions for
Iiq*ui«date /likwidayt/ v. 1 a tr. wind up the affairs of (a use in church services or processions. 2 a tedious re-
company or firm) by ascertaining liabilities and ap- cital (a litany of woes).
portioning assets, b intr. (of a company) be liquidated. Ii«tchi/leechee/n. (alsoli»chee,lychee) 1 a sweet, fleshy
2 intr. convert assets into cash. 3 tr. clear or pay off (a fruit with a thin, spiny skin. 2 the tree, Nephelium li-
debt). 4 tr. put an end to or get rid of (esp. by violent tchi, orig. from China, bearing this.
means), dd liq*ui*da*tion /-ayshan/ n. liq*ui*da*tor Ii»ter /le'etar/ n. a metric unit of capacity equal to 1 cu-
/-aytsr/ n. bic decimeter (about 1.057 quarts).
Iiq*uid crys»tal n. a crystallinelike liquid with order in Iit»er»a»cy /litarasee/ n. 1 the ability to read and write.
its molecular arrangement. 2 knowledge in a particular area (computer literacy)
Iiq*uid crys«tal dis*play n. a form of visual display in Iit»er»al /litaral/ adj. 1 taking words in their usual or pri-
electronic devices, in which the reflectivity of a matrix mary sense without metaphor or allegory. 2 following
of liquid crystals changes as a signal is applied. the letter, text, or exact or original words (literal transla-
Iiq*uid*i*ty /likwiditee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the state of being tion). 3 (in full literal-minded) (of a person) prosaic;
liquid. 2 availability of liquid assets. lacking irony. 4 a not exaggerated (the literal truth)
iiq*uid*ize /likwidiz/ v.tr. reduce (esp. food) to a liquid b so called without exaggeration (a literal extermina-
or pureed state, dd liq*uid*iz*er n. tion), dd lit*er*al*ize v.tr. lit*er*aMy adv. Iit*er*al*ness >/.
Iiq*uid meas*ure n. a unit for measuring the volume Literally means 'in fact, not figuratively.' Out of ex-
of liquids. aggeration, though, some speakers (and writers) can-
Iiq*ui*fy var. of liquefy. not resist saying things such as, We were literally scared
liq*uor /likar/ n. 1 an alcoholic (esp. distilled) drink. to death.
2 water used in brewing. 3 other liquid, esp. that pro- Iit»er«al«ism /litaralizam/ n. insistence on a literal inter-
duced in cooking. pretation, dd lit*er*al*ist n.
liq*uor*ish /likarish/ adj. 1 = lickerish. 2 fond of or in- Iit»er»ar»y /lit9reree/ adj. 1 of, constituting, or occupied
dicating a fondness for liquor, dd liq*uor*ish*ly adv. with books or written composition. 2 (of a word or id-
liq*uor*ish*ness //. iom) used chiefly in literary works or other formal writ-
Ii»ra /leerg/ n. (pi. lire /leere/or liras) 1 the chief mon- ing, dd lit*er*ar*i*ly /-airilee/ adv. Iit»er»ar»i»ness n.
etary unit of Italy. 2 the chief monetary unit of Tur- Iit»er»ate /litarat/ adj. &
n. • 1 adj. able to read and write.
key. 2 having or showing knowledge in a specified area (ec-
lisle /111/ n. (in full lisle thread) a fine, smooth cotton onomically and politically literate; computer literate, mn. a
thread for stockings, etc. literate person, do lit»er»ate«ly adv.
lisp /lisp/ n. &
v. mn. a speech defect in which 5 is pro- Iit»e«ra»ti /litara'atee/ n.pl. persons concerned with lit-
nounced like th in thick and z is pronounced like th in erature; intellectuals.
this, •v.intr. & tr. speak with a dd lisp*er n.
lisp, lisp* Ih>er»a«ture/lit3r3ch9r,-cha0r/rz. 1 written works, esp.
ing adj. those whose value lies in beauty of language or in emo-
lis«some /lisam/ adj. (also lis*som) lithe; supple; agile. tional effect. 2 the realm of letters. 3 the writings of a
dd lis*some*ly adv. lis*some*ness n. country or period. 4 literary production. 5 colloq.
list 1
/list/ n. & v. mn. 1a number
of connected items, printed matter, leaflets, etc. 6 material in print on a
names, etc., written or printed together usu. consec- particular subject (a considerable literature on gerani-
utively to form a record or aid to memory. 2 (in pi. ums) .

a palisades enclosing an area for a tournament, b the lithe /lith/ adj. flexible; supple, dd lithe-ly adv. Iithe»ness
scene of a contest. • v. tr. 1 a make a list of. b enumer- n. lithe*some adj.
ate; name one by one as if in a list. 2 enter in a list. Iith»ic /lithik/ adj. of, like, or made of stone.
dd list*a*ble adj. Iith«i»um /litheeam/ n. Chem. 1 a soft, silver-white me-
list 2 /list/ v. & n. • v.intr. (of a ship, etc.) lean over to tallic element. ]]Symb.: Li. 2 lithium carbonate or
one side, esp. owing to a leak or shifting cargo (cf. another lithium salt, used as a mood-stabilizing drug.
heel 2 ). mn. the process or an instance of listing. lith»o /litho/ n. &v. colloq. mn. = lithography, mv.tr.
Iis*ten /lisan/ v.intr. 1a make an effort to hear some- (-oes, -oed) produce by lithography.
thing, b attentively hear a person speaking. 2 (foil, by litho- /litho/ comb, form stone.
to) a give attention with the ear (listened to my story). lith*o«graph /lithagraf/ n. &v. mn. a lithographic print.
b respond to advice or a request or to the person • v. tr. 1 print by lithography. 2 write or engrave on
expressing it. 3 (also listen out) (often foil, by for) seek stone.
to hear by waiting alertly, d listen in 1 eavesdrop. 2 lis-
ten to a radio or television broadcast. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . ..

lithography - liveable 462 ial (exaggerates every little difficulty) 5 not much; in- .

considerable (gained little advantage from it) 6 op- .

lith*og«ra*phy /lithografee/ n. a process of obtaining erating on a small scale (the little storekeeper) 7 as a .

printsfrom a specially treated stone or metal surface. distinctive epithet: a of a smaller or the smallest size,
dd lith»og«ra«pher n. lith»o»graph»ic /lithagrafik/ adj. etc. (little finger), b that is the smaller or smallest of the
lith»o«graph»i«caMy adv. name (little auk) 8 young or younger (my little sister)
.

li»thol«o»gy /lithotajee/ n. the science of the nature and 9 as of a child, evoking tenderness, amusement, etc.
composition of rocks, dd lith«o«log«i»cal /lithalojikal/ (we know their little ways) 1 mean; contemptible (you
.

adj. little sneak) • n. 1 only a small amount (did what little

.

lith*o*sphere /lithasfeer/ n. 1 the layer including the 1 could). 2 (usu. prec. by a a certain but no great
a)
earth's crust and upper mantle. 2 solid earth (opp. hy- amount (every little a short time or distance
bit helps) . b
drosphere, atmosphere), dd litlvospher«ic /-sfeerik, (after a little) • adv. (less, least) 1 to a small extent on-
.

-sfer-/ adj. ly (little-known authors). 2 hardly (they little thought). 3

li»thot«o«my /lithotamee/ n. (pi. -mies) the surgical re- (prec. by a) somewhat (is a little deaf), d little by little
moval of a stone from the urinary tract, esp. the blad- by degrees, little or nothing hardly anything, no little
der, dd li«thot«o«mist n. li«thot»o«mize v.tr. considerable, not a little n. much; a great deal. adv.
Lith*u*a*ni*an /lithoo-ayneean/ n. &
adj. •n. 1 a a na- extremely (not a little concerned), dd liMle-ness n.
tive of Lithuania, a Baltic republic, b a person of Lith- LiMIe Dip*per n. the constellation of seven bright stars
uanian descent. 2 the language of Lithuania. • adj. of in Ursa Minor in the shape of a dipper.
or relating to Lithuania or its people or language. HMIe firvger n. the smallest finger, at the outer end of
Iit*i«gant /litigant/ n. &
adj. •n. a party to a lawsuit. the hand.
• adj. engaged in a lawsuit. LiMIe League n. an international organization that
Iit«i«gate/litigayt/^. 1 engage in a lawsuit. 2 tr. con-
intr. promotes youth baseball, dd LiMIe Lea*guer n.
test (a point) in a lawsuit, dd lit«i*ga*ble /-gabal/ adj. HMIe peo»ple n.pl. 1 the ordinary people in a country,
I it-j-g action /-gayshan/ n. lit*i*ga*tor n. organization, etc., who do not have much power.
li*ti*gious /litijas/ adj. 1 given to litigation. 2 disputa- 2 people of small physical stature; midgets. 3 super-
ble in a court of law; offering matter for a lawsuit. 3 of natural creatures such as fairies and leprechauns.
lawsuits, dd li*ti*gious*ly adv. li*ti*gious*ness n. MMo»ral /litaral/ adj. &
n. •adj. of or on the shore
NMnus /litmas/ n. a dye that is red under acid condi- of the sea, a lake, etc. •«. a region lying along a
tions and blue under alkaline conditions. shore.
lit-mus pa*per n. a paper stained with litmus to be used Ii*tur*gi*cal /litsrjikal/ adj. of or related to liturgies, dd li»
as a test for acids or alkalis. tur*gi*caMy adv. Iit*ur«gist /litsrjist/ n.
Iit*mus test w. 1a test for acids and alkalis using lit- Iit«ur»gy /litarjee/ n. (pi. -gies) 1 a form of public wor-
mus paper. 2 a simple test to establish true character. ship. 2 a set of formularies for this. 3 public worship
IMotes /litateez, lit-, litoteez/ n. the expressing of an in accordance with a prescribed form.
affirmative by the negative of its contrary (e.g., / won't Iiva»ble /livabal/ adj. (also liveable) 1 (of a house, cli-
be sorry for / will be glad) . mate, etc.) fit to live in. 2 (of a life) worth living. 3 (of
Litt.D. abbr. Doctor of Letters. a person) easy to live with, dd liv»a»biM»ty n.
&
MWer /litar/ n. v. • n. 1 a refuse, esp. paper, discarded live 1 /liv/ v. 1 intr. have (esp. animal) life; be or remain
in a public place, b odds and ends lying about. 2 disor- alive. 2 intr. (foil, by on) subsist or feed. 3 intr. (foil, by
derly accumulation of papers, etc. 3 the young animals on, off) depend for subsistence (lives off the family)
brought forth at a birth. 4 a vehicle containing a couch 4 intr. (foil, by on, by) sustain one's position or repute
shut in by curtains and carried on men's shoulders or (lives by his wits). 5 tr. a (with compl.) spend; expe-
by beasts of burden. 5 a framework with a couch for rience (lived a happy life), b express in one's life (was
transporting the sick and wounded, mv.tr. 1 make (a living a lie) 6 intr. conduct oneself in a specified way
.

place) untidy with litter. 2 scatter untidily and leave (live quietly) 7 intr. arrange one's expenditure, etc. (live
.

lying about. 3 give birth to (whelps, etc.). modestly). 8 intr. make or have one's abode. 9 intr. (foil,
by in) spend the daytime (the room does not seem to be
lived in). 1 intr. (of a person or thing) survive. 1 1 intr.

enjoy life intensely or to the full (you haven 't lived till
you've drunk champagne) a live and let live condone .

others' failings so as to be similarly tolerated, live down

(usu. with neg.) cause (past guilt, etc.) to be forgotten.
live in (of a domestic employee) reside on the premis-
es of one's work, live it up colloq. live gaily and extrav-
agantly, live out 1 survive (a danger, difficulty, etc.).
2 (of a domestic employee) reside away from one's
place of work, live through survive; remain alive at the
end oneself live in isolation, live together
of. live to

litter, 4
share a home and have a sexual relationship, live up
to honor or fulfill, live with 1 share a home with. 2 tol-
liMe-rae hu»ma«ni»o»res /litari hoomaneeawrez, erate, long live ...! an exclamation of loyalty (to a pet
litaree/ n. the formal study of the humanities. son, etc., specified).
Iit»te»ra»teur /litsraattfr/ n. a literary person. live 2 /liv/ adj. 1 (attrib.) that is alive; living. 2 (of a
Iit»ter»bug /litarbug/ n. a person who carelessly leaves broadcast, music, etc.) heard or seen at the tunc of its
litter in a public place. performance, not from a recording. 3 not obsolete or
HMIe /lit'l/ adj., n., & adv. • adj. (littler, littlest; less /les/ exhausted (disarmament is \n// </ live issue). 4 expending
or lesser /lesar/; least /leest/) 1 small in size, amount, or still able to expend energy, esp.: a (of "coals) nlow
degree, etc.; often used to convey affectionate or emo- ing; burning, b (of a shell) unexploded. C (of a wire,
tional overtones (a friendly little guy; a silly little fool) etc.) connected to a source of electrical power. 5 (of a
2 a short in stature (a little man), b of short distance wheel, etc., in machinery) Qioving or imparting DM
or duration (wait a little while). 3 (prec. by a) a certain tion.
though small amount of (give me a little butter). 4 triv- Iive»a«ble var. ofLIVAH i
 . .

live-in attrib.adj. 1 (of a domestic employee) living in 463 live-in - loan

maid). 2 (of a sexual partner) cohabiting.
(live-in
live«li»hood /livleehood/ n. a means of living; suste- liz*ard /lizard/ n. any reptile of the suborder Lacertilia,
nance. having usu. a long tail and a rough or scaly hide.
livelong /livlawng, -long/ adj. poet, or rhet. in its en- 'II v. (usu. after pronouns) shall; will (I'll; that'll).

tire length or apparently so (the livelong day)
lively /livlee/ adj. (livelier, liveliest) 1 full of life; vig-
orous; energetic. 2 brisk (a lively pace). 3 stimulating
(a lively discussion). 4 vivacious; jolly; sociable. 5 joe.
exciting; dangerous; difficult (the press is
lively for them). 6 (of a color) bright and
Ila*ma /laama, yaa-/ n. 1 a S. American ruminant, La-
ma glama, kept as a beast of burden and for its soft,
woolly fleece. 2 the wool from this animal.
lla*no /la'ano, yaa-/ n. (pi -nos) a treeless grassy plain
making things or steppe, esp. in S. America.
do live*
vivid, lo /lo/int. archaic calling attention to an amazing sight.

I My adv. Iive*li*ness n. and behold joe. a formula introducing a surpris-

lo
liven /livan/ v. tr. & intr. (often foil, by up) colloq. bright- ing or unexpected fact.
en; cheer. load /lod/ n. &
v. • n. 1a what is carried or is to be

liver 1
a a large lobed glandular organ in the
/livgr/ n. 1 carried; a burden, b an amount usu. or actually car-
abdomen of vertebrates, functioning in many metabol- ried (often in comb. : a busload of tourists; a truckload of
ic processes, b a similar organ in other animals. 2 the bricks) 2 a unit of measure or weight of certain sub-
.

flesh of an animal's liver as food. 3 a dark reddish- stances. 3 a burden or commitment of work, respon-
brown color. sibility, etc. 4 (in pi; often foil, by of) colloq. plenty; a
liver 2 /livar/ n. a person who lives in a specified way (a lot. 5 a Electr. the amount of power supplied by a gen-

clean liver). erating system at any given time, b Electronics an im-

Liver*pud*li*an /livarpiidleean/ n. adj. *n. a native
of Liverpool, England. • adj. of or relating to Liverpool
liver spot(s) n.(pl) brownish pigmentation of the
skin, esp. of older people.
li ver»wort /livarwart, -wawrt/ n. any small leafy or thal-
loidbryophyte of the class Hepaticae, of which some
& pedance or circuit that receives or develops the out-
put of a transistor or other device. 6 the weight or
force borne by the supporting part of a structure. 7 a
material object or force acting as a weight or clog.
8 the resistance of machinery to motive power. • v.
1 tr. a put a load on or aboard (a person, ship, etc.).

have liver-shaped parts. b place (a load or cargo) aboard a ship, etc. 2 intr. (of-
Iiver»wurst /livarwarst, -V9rst/ n. a sausage containing ten foil, by up) (of a ship, vehicle, or person) take a
cooked liver, etc. load aboard. 3 tr. (often foil, by with) a add weight to.
Iiver«y /livaree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 distinctive clothing worn b oppress. 4 tr. strain the bearing-capacity of (a table
by a servant, official member
of a guild, etc. 2 an es- loaded with food). 5 tr. (also load up) (foil, by with)
tablishment from which horses or vehicles can be a supply overwhelmingly (loaded us with work) b as- .

hired. 3 a distinctive marking or outward appearance sail overwhelmingly (loaded us with abuse) 6 tr. insert .

(birds in their winter livery) 4 a distinctive color scheme

. (the required operating medium) in a device, e.g., film
in which the vehicles, etc., of a particular company are in a camera, etc. 7 give a bias to (dice, a roulette wheel,
painted. liver*ied adj. (esp. in senses 3, 4). etc.) with weights. get a load of 5/. listen attentive-
ly to.
livery Middle English: from Old French livree 'deliv-
load*ed /lodid/ adj. 1 bearing or carrying a load. 2 5/.
ered', feminine past participle of livrer, from Latin lib-
a wealthy, b drunk, c drugged. 3 (of dice, etc.) weight-
erare 'liberate' (in medieval Latin 'hand over'). The
ed or given a bias. 4 (of a question or statement)
original sense was 'the dispensing of food, provisions,
charged with some hidden or improper implication.
or clothing to servants'; hence sense 4, also 'allowance
loading /loding/ n. 1 Electr. the maximum current or
of provender for horses', surviving in the phrase at liv-
power taken by an appliance. 2 an increase in an insur-
ery and in livery stable. Sense 1 arose because medi-
ance premium due to a factor increasing the risk in-
eval nobles provided matching clothes to distinguish
volved (see load v. 8).
their servants from others.
load»star var. of lodestar.
Iiver»y sta*ble n. a stable where horses are kept at liv- load*stone var. of lodestone.
ery or let out for hire. loaf /lof/ n. (pi loaves lovz/) 1 a portion of baked
1

lives pi of LIFE. bread, usu. of a standard size or shape. 2 (often in

live-stock /livstok/ n. (usu. treated as pi) animals, esp. comb.) other food formed into a particular shape (meat
on a farm, regarded as an asset. loaf).
live wire n. an energetic and forceful person. loaf 2 /lof/ v. 1 intr. (often foil, by around) spend time
livid /livid/ adj. 1 colloq. furiously angry. 2 a of a blu- idly. 2 tr. (foil, by away) waste (time) idly. 3 intr. saun-
ish leaden color, b discolored as by a bruise, dd li»vid« ter.
i«ty /-viditee/ n. Mv-id-ly adv. Iivid*ness n. loaf»er /lofar/ n. 1 an idle person. 2 (Loafer) Trademark
living /living/ n. &
adj. • «. a livelihood or means of a leather shoe shaped like a moccasin with a flat heel.
maintenance (made my living as a journalist; what does loam /lorn/ n. 1 a fertile soil of clay and sand containing
she do for a living?) • adj. 1 contemporary; now exist-
. decayed vegetable matter. 2 a paste of clay and water
ent (the greatest living poet) 2 (of a likeness or image
. with sand, chopped straw, etc., used in making bricks,
of a person) exact. 3 (of a language) still in vernacu- plastering, etc. do loanvy adj. loam*i*ness n.
lar use. 4 (of water) perennially flowing. within liv- loan /Ion/ n. &
v. • n. 1 something lent, esp. a sum of
ing memory within the memory of people still living. money to be returned normally with interest. 2 the act
living death n. a state of hopeless misery. of lending or state of being lent. 3 a word, custom, etc.,
living room n. a room for general day use. adopted by one people from another. • v. tr. lend (esp.
living wage n. a wage that affords the means of nor- money), dd loanable adj. loarree lone'e/ n. loan»er
mal subsistence. n.
living will n. a written statement of a person's desire Traditionally, loan was a noun and lend was a verb:
not to be kept alive by artificial means in the event of / went to ask for a loan. Can you lend me noenty dollars?
terminal illness or accident. But loan is now widely used as a verb, especially in fi-
Iix*ivi*ate /liksivee-ayt/ v.tr. separate (a substance) in- nancial contexts.
to soluble and insoluble constituents by the percola-
tion of liquid, dd lix*ivi*a*tion /-ayshan/ n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
loan shark ~ lockout 464 lo»cate /lokayt, lokayt/ v. 1 tr. discover the exact place
or position of {locate the enemy's camp). 2 tr. establish
loan shark n. colloq. a person who lends money at ex- or install in a place or in its proper place. 3 tr. state the
orbitant rates of interest. locality of. 4 tr. (in passive) be situated. 5 intr. (often
loan-word /lonward/ n. a word adopted, usu. with lit- foil, by in) take up residence or business (in a place).
tle modification, from a foreign language. dd lo*cat*a*ble adj. lo*cat*er n. lo*ca*tor n.
loath /loth, loth/ predic. adj. (also loth) (usu. foil, by to In formal English one should avoid using locate to
+ infin.) disinclined; reluctant {loath to admit it). mean merely 'find,' e.g., It drives him out of his mind
nothing loath adj. quite willing. when he can 't locate something. In precise usage locate
loathe /loth/ v.tr. regard with disgust; detest, dd loath* means 'fix the position of, put in place,' e.g., The stu-
ing n. dio should be located on a north-facing slope.
loath»some /lothsam, loth-/ adj. arousing hatred or dis-
locate early 1 6th cent. from Latin beat- 'placed', from
:

gust; offensive; repulsive, nn loath»some»ness n.

the verb locare, from locus 'place'. The original sense
loaves pi. of loaf 1
.

was as a legal term meaning 'let out on hire', later (late

lob /lob/ v. & n. •v.tr. (lobbed, lobbing) 1 hit, throw,
or slowly or in a high arc. 2 send (an opponent) a
fire
lobbed ball. •n. a ball traveling in a high arc.
lo*bar /lobar, -baar/ adj. 1 of the lungs {lobar pneumo-
nia). 2 of, relating to, or affecting a lobe.
lo*bate /lobayt/ adj. Biol, having a lobe or lobes, nn lo»
ba*tion /-ayshsn/ n.
lob»by /lobee/ n. & v. • n. {pi. -bies) 1 a porch, ante-
room, entrance hall, or corridor. 2 a body of persons
seeking to influence legislators on behalf of a partic-
ular interest {the tobacco lobby). *v. (-bies, -bied)
16th cent.) 'assign to a particular place', then (partic-
ularly in North American usage) 'establish in a place'.
The sense 'discover the exact position of dates from
the late 19th cent.
lo*ca*tion /lokayshan/ n. 1 a particular place. 2 the act
of locating or process of being located. 3 an actual
place or natural setting featured in a motion picture,
etc.
IOC*a*tive /lokativ/
n. &
adj. Gram. «n. the case of
1 nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, expressing location.
tr.

solicit the support of (an influential person). 2 tr. (of • adj. of or in the locative.
members of the public) seek to influence (the mem- loc. cit. /16k sit/ abbr. in the passage already cited.
bers of a legislature), dd lob-byer n. lob*byism n. lob* loch /lok, lokh/ n. Sc. 1 a lake. 2 an arm of the sea, esp.
byist n. when narrow or partially landlocked.
lobe /lob/ n. 1 a roundish and flattish projecting or pen- lo«cip/. of LOCUS.
dulous part, often each of two or more such parts lock 1 /lok/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a mechanism for fastening a
divided by a fissure {lobes of the brain). 2 = earlobe. door, lid, etc., with a bolt that requires a key or a
dd lobed adj. lobe-less adj. combination of movements (see combination lock),
lo*bec*tO«my /lobektsmee/ n. {pi. -mies) Surgery the to work it. 2 a confined section of a canal or river
excision of a lobe of an organ such as the lung, etc. where the water level can be changed by the use of
IO*bel*ia /lobe'elya/ n. any plant of the genus Lobelia, gates and sluices. 3 the turning of the front wheels of
with blue, scarlet, white, or purple flowers having a a vehicle. 4 an interlocked or jammed state. 5 Wres-
deeply cleft corolla. tling a hold that keeps an opponent's limb fixed. 6 an
lo»bot»0»my /tabotamee/ n. {pi -mies) Surgery see pre- appliance to keep a wheel from revolving or slewing.
frontal LOBOTOMY. 7 a mechanism for exploding the charge of a gun. »v.
lob*ster /lobstsr/ n. &v. • n. 1 any large marine crus- 1 a tr. fasten with a lock, b tr. (foil, by up) shut and
tacean of the family Nephropidae, with two pincerlike secure by locking. C intr. (of a door, window, etc.) have
claws as the first pair often limbs. 2 its flesh as food. the means of being locked. 2 tr. (foil, by up, in, into)
• v. intr. catch lobsters. enclose by locking or as if by locking. 3 tr. (often foil,
lob»ster pot n. a basket in which lobsters are trapped. by up, away) allocate inaccessibly {capital locked up in
lo*cal /loksl/ adj.& n. *adj. 1 belonging to or existing land). 4 tr. (foil, by in) hold fast (in sleep or enchant-
in a particular place or places. 2 peculiar to or only en- ment, etc.). 5 tr. (usu. in passive) (of land, hills, etc.)
countered in a particular place or places. 3 of or be- enclose. 6 tr. &
intr. make or become rigidly fixed or

longing to the neighborhood {the local doctor). 4 of or immovable. 7 intr. &

tr. become or cause to become

affecting a part and not the whole {local pain). 5 in re- caught. 8 tr. (often in passive; foil, by in) entangle in
gard to place. • n. a local person or thing, esp.: 1 an in- an embrace or struggle, d lock on to locate or cause
habitant of a particular place regarded with reference to locate by radar, etc., and then track, lock out 1 keep
to that place. 2 a local train, bus, etc. 3 a local anes- (a person) out by locking the door. 2 (of an employer)
thetic. 4 a local branch of a labor union, dd lo*cal*ize submit (employees) to a lockout, dd lock*a*ble adj.
/loksliz/ v. tr. lo-caMy adv. lo*cal*ness n. lock«less adj.
lo»cal ar*e*a net»work n. Computing a system for link- lock 2 /lok/ n. 1 a a portion of hair that coils or hangs
ing telecommunications or computer equipment in together, b (in pi. ) the hair of the head. 2 a tuft of wool
several offices, a group of buildings, etc. ^ Abbr.: LAN. or cotton, dd -locked adj. (in comb.).
IO*cal COl*or n. characteristics distinctive of a place, lock*er /lokar/ n. 1 a small lockable cupboard or
esp. as depicted in literature, film, etc. compartment, esp. each of several for public use.
lo»cale /lokal/ n. a scene or locality, esp. with reference 2 Naut. a chest or compartment for clothes, ammuni-
to an event or occurrence taking place there. tion, etc. 3 a person or thing that locks.
lo*cal«ism /lokalizam/ n. 1 preference for what is local. lock*et /lokit/ n. 1 a small ornamental case holding a
2 a local idiom, custom, etc. 3 a attachment to a place. portrait, lock of hair, etc., and usu. hung from the neck.
b a limitation of ideas, etc., resulting from this. 2 a metal plate or band on a scabbard,
lo»cal»i»ty /lokalitee/ n. {pi. -ties) 1 a district or neigh- lock-jaw /lokjaw/ n. = trismus.
borhood. 2 the site or scene of something, esp. in rela- Lockjaw is not in technical use; the correct trim is
tion to its surroundings. 3 the position of a thing; the trismus,
place where it is. lock-keeper /lok-ke'epnr/ n. a keeper of a lock on nvci ;i

lo*cal time n. 1 time measured from the sun's transit or canal,

over the meridian of a place. 2 the time as reckoned lock-nut /loknut/ n. Mech. a nut screwed down on
in a particular place, esp. with reference to an event another to keep it tight.
recorded there. lock«out /lokowt/ n. the exclusion of employees by their
 employer from their place of work until certain terms 465 locksmith ~ loggia
are agreed to.
lock'Smith /loksmith/ n. a maker and repairer of locks. grown for timber and traditionally used by some
lock»step /lokstep/ n. marching with each person as American Indians in the construction of lodges.
close as possible to the one in front. lodg*er /lojar/ n. a person receiving accommodations
lock*stitch /lokstich/ n. a stitch made by firmly lock- in another's house for payment.
ing together two threads or stitches. lodging /lojing/ n. 1 temporary accommodations. 2 a
lock, stock, and bar«rel n. &
adv. • n. the whole of a dwelling place.
thing. • adv. completely. lodging house n. a house in which lodgings are rent-
lock*up /lokup/ n. 1 a house or room for the temporary ed.
detention of prisoners. 2 a the locking up of premises lo«ess /lois, les, lus/ n. a deposit of fine, light-colored
for the night, b the time of doing this. 3 a the unreal- windblown dust found esp. in the basins of large rivers.
izable state of invested capital, b an amount of capital loft /lawft, loft/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the space under the roof

locked up. of a house, above the ceiling of the top floor; an attic.
lo«CO /l6ko/ adj. & n. •adj. si. crazy. •«. (pi. -COS or 2 a room over a stable, esp. for hay and straw. 3 a gal-
-coes) 1 colloq. - locoweed. 2 si. a crazy person; ma- church or hall (organ loft) 4 an upstairs room.
lery in a .

niac. 5 a pigeon house. 6 Golf a a backward slope in a club

lo*co«mo*tion /I6k9m6sh3n/ n. 1 motion or the power head, b a lofting stroke, •v.tr. 1 a send (a ball, etc.)
of motion from one place to another. 2 travel; a means high up. b clear (an obstacle) in this way. 2 (esp. as
of traveling, esp. an artificial one. lofted adj.) give a loft to (a golf club).
lo*co*mo*tive /loksmotiv/ n. &
adj. • n. (in full loco- loft«y /lawftee, 16f-/ adj. (loftier, loftiest) 1 literary (of
motive engine) an engine powered by steam, diesel fu- things) of imposing height; towering (lofty heights).
el, or electricity, used for pulling trains. • adj. 1 of or 2 consciously haughty, aloof, or dignified (lofty con-
relating to or effecting locomotion. 2 having the power tempt). 3 sublime (lofty ideals), dd loft»i»ly adv. loft«i»

of or given to locomotion; not stationary. ness n.

lo*CO*mo*tor /I6k9m6t9r/ adj. of or relating to locomo- log ! /lawg, log/ n. &

v. • n. 1 an unhewn piece of a felled

tion. rough mass of wood, esp. cut for fire-

lo*co*weed /lokoweed/ n. a poisonous leguminous
plant of the southwestern US, causing brain disease
in cattle eating it.
lo*cus /lokas/ n. (pi. loci /losi, -kee, -ki/) 1 a position
or point, esp. in a text, treatise, etc. 2 Math, a curve,
etc., formed by all the points satisfying a particular
equation of the relation between coordinates, or by a
point, line, or surface moving according to mathemat-
ically defined conditions.
lo»cust /lekast/ n. 1 any of various African and Asian
grasshoppers of the family Acrididae, migrating in
swarms. 2 a cicada. 3 (in full locust bean) a carob. 4
(in full locust tree) a a carob tree, b = acacia 2.
lo»cu»tion /lokyooshan/ n. 1 a word or phrase, esp. con-
sidered in regard to style or idiom. 2 style of speech.
lode /lod/ n. a vein of metal ore.
lo»den /lod'n/ n. 1 a thick, waterproof woolen cloth.
2 the dark green color in which this is often made.
lode»star /lodstaar/ n. (also load«star) 1 a star that a
ship, etc., is steered by, esp. the pole star. 2 a a guid-
ing principle, b an object of pursuit.
lode*stone /l6dston/ n. (also load*stone) 1 magnetic
oxide of iron; magnetite. 2 a a piece of this used as a
magnet, b a thing that attracts.
lodge /loj/ n. & v. • n. 1 a small house at the gates of a
park or on the grounds of a large house, occupied by
a gatekeeper, etc. 2 any large house or hotel, esp. in a
resort. 3 a house occupied in the hunting or shooting
season. 4 a porter's room or quarters at the gate of a
tree, or a similar
wood. 2 a a float attached to a line wound on a reel
for gauging the speed of a ship, b any other apparat-
us for the same purpose. 3 a record of events occur-
ring during and affecting the voyage of a ship or air-
craft (including the rate of a ship's progress shown by
a log; see sense 2). 4 any systematic record of things
done, experienced, etc. 5= logbook, mv.tr. (logged,
logging) 1 a enter (the distance made or other details)
in a logbook, b enter details about (a person or event)
in a logbook, c (of a ship) achieve (a certain distance).
2 a enter (information) in a regular record, b attain (a
cumulative total of time, etc., recorded in this way)
(logged 50 hours on the computer). 3 cut into logs, a like
a log 1 in a helpless or stunned state (the blozv to the
head made him fall like a log). 2 without stirring (slept
like a log), log in = log on log on (or off) go through the
procedures to begin (or conclude) use of a computer
system.
log 2 /lawg, log/ n. a logarithm (esp. prefixed to a num-
ber or algebraic symbol whose logarithm is to be in-
dicated).
lo»gan»ber»ry /loganberee/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 a hybrid,
Rubus loganobaccus, between a blackberry and a rasp-
berry with dull red acid fruits. 2 the fruit of this plant.
log»a»rithm /lawgaritham, log-/ n. 1 one of a series of
arithmetic exponents tabulated to simplify computa-
tion by making it possible to use addition and subtrac-
tion instead of multiplication and division. 2 the power
to which a fixed number or base (see base 7) must be 1

college or other large building. 5 the members or the raised to produce a given number (the logarithm of
meeting place of a branch of a society such as the 1,000 to base 10 is 3). H Abbr.: log. dd log*a*rittvmic
Freemasons. 6 a beaver's or otter's lair. 7 a type of Na- /-rithmik/ adj. log*a*rith*mi*caMy adv.
tive American dwelling; a wigwam. mv. 1deposit in
tr. log*book /lawgbOOk, log-/ n. a book containing a de-
court or with an official a formal statement of (com- tailed record or log.
plaint or information). 2 tr. deposit (money, etc.) for loge /lozh/ n. (in a theater, etc.) 1 the front section of
security. 3 tr. bring forward (an objection, etc.). 4 tr. the first balcony. 2 a private box or enclosure.
(foil, by in, ivith) place (power, etc.) in a person or log*ger /lawgar, log-/ n. a lumberjack.
group. 5 tr. & intr. make or become fixed without fur- log*ger*head /lawgarhed, log-/ n. 1 an iron instrument
ther movement (the bullet lodged in his brain) .6 tr. a pro- with a ball at the end heated for melting tar, etc. 2 any
vide with sleeping quarters, b receive as a guest or in- of various large-headed animals, esp. a turtle (Caretta
mate, c establish as a resident in a house or room or caretta).a at loggerheads (often foil, by zvith) disagree-
rooms. 7 intr. reside or live, esp. as a guest paying for ing or disputing.
accommodations. 8 tr. serve as a habitation for; con- log*gia /lojeea, lawj;n-/ n. 1 an open-sided gallery or
tain. arcade. 2 an open-sided extension of a house.
lodge-pole pine /lojpol/ n. a straight-trunked pine tree
(Pinus contorta) of western North America, widely See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

logging ~ longeron 466 uninhabited. 3 literary feeling or causing to feel

lonely.
log*ging /lawging, log-/ n. the work of cutting and pre- lone»ly /lOnlee/ a dj. (lonelier, loneliest) 1 solitary; com-
paring forest timber. panionless; isolated. 2 (of a place) unfrequented. 3 sad
log*ic /lojik/ n. 1a the science of reasoning, proof, because without friends or company, dd lone*li*ness
thinking, or inference, b a particular scheme of or trea- n.

tise on this. 2 a a chain of reasoning (I don't follow your lone»ly heart n. a lonely (in sense 3) person.
logic), b the correct or incorrect use of reasoning (your lon»er /lOnar/ n. a person or animal that prefers not to
logic is flawed). C ability in reasoning (argues with great associate with others.
learning and logic), d arguments (is not governed by lone*Some /lonsam/ adj. 1 solitary; lonely. 2 feeling
logic) 3 a the inexorable force or compulsion of a thing
. lonely or forlorn. 3 causing such a feeling, a by (or on)
(the logic of events) b the necessary consequence of (an
. one's lonesome all alone, dd lone*some*ness n.
argument, decision, etc.). 4 a principles underlying lone wolf n. a person who prefers to act alone.
the arrangements of elements in a computer or elec- long /lawng, long/ adj., n.,
1
&
adv. madj. (longer
tronic device so as to perform a specified task, b log- /lawnggar, long-/; longest /lawnggist, long-/) 1 meas-
ical operations collectively, dd logician /tajishan/ n. uring much from end to end in space or time (a long
-logic /lojik/ comb, form (also -logical /lojikal/) forming line; a longjourney; a long time ago) 2 (following a meas-
.

adjectives corresponding esp. to nouns in -logy (ana-
logic; theological)
logical /lojikal/ adj. 1 of logic or formal argument.
2 not contravening the laws of thought; correctly rea-
soned. 3 reasonably to be believed or done. 4 capable
urement) in length or duration (three miles long). 3 rel-
atively great in extent or duration (a long meeting).
4 a consisting of a large number of items (a long list)
b seemingly more than the stated amount; tedious;
lengthy (ten long miles; tired after a long day) 5 of elon- .

of or displaying correct reasoning, dd
log*i*cal*i*ty
/-kalitee/ n. log-i-cal-ly adv.
logical ne»ces»si«ty the compulsion to believe that
of which the opposite is inconceivable.
lo*gis*tics /tajistiks/ n.pl. 1 the organization of moving,
lodging, and supplying troops and equipment. 2 the
detailed organization and implementation of a plan.
dd lo-gis«tic adj. lo»gis»ti»cal adj. lo*gis*ti*cal*ly adv.
log*jam /lawgjam, log-/ n. 1 a crowded mass of logs in
a river. 2 a deadlock.
gated shape. 6 a lasting or reaching far back or for-
ward in time (a long friends hip), b (of a person's mem-
ory) retaining things for a long time. 7 far-reaching;
acting at a distance; involving a great interval or dif-
ference. 8 Phonet. &
Prosody of a vowel or syllable:
a having the greater of the two recognized durations.
b stressed. C (of a vowel in English) having the
pronunciation shown in the name of the letter (as in
pile and cute, which have a long i and u, as distinct from
pill and cut) 9 (of odds or a chance) reflecting or rep-
.

lo«go /logo/ n. (pi. -gos) colloq. 1 = logotype 2.2 a mot-
to, esp. of a commercial product, etc.
log*o*gram /lawgsgram, 16g;n-/ n. a sign or character
representing a word, esp. in shorthand.
log»or»rhe»a /lawgareea, log-/ n. an excessive flow of
resenting a low level of probability. 1 (of a cold drink)
large and refreshing. 11 colloq. (of a person) tall. 12
(foil, by on) colloq. well supplied with. m. la long in-
terval or period (shall not be away for long; it will not
take long) 2 Phonet. a a long syllable or vowel, b a mark
.

words, esp. in mental illness.
Lo»gos /logos, logos/ n. Theol. the Word of God, asso-
ciated with Jesus Christ.
lo»go»type /lawgatip, log-/ n. 1 Printing a single piece
indicating that a vowel is long. 3 a long-dated stock.
ba person who buys this. *adv. (longer /longgar/;
longest /longgist/) 1 by or for a long time (long before;
long ago; long live the king!) 2 (following nouns of du-
.

of type that prints a word or group of separate letters. ration) throughout a specified time (all day long) 3 (in .

2 a an emblem or device used as the badge of an
organization in display material, b Printing a single
piece of type that prints this.
log*roll*ing /lawgroling, log-/ n. 1 colloq. the practice
of exchanging favors, esp. (in politics) of exchanging
votes to mutual benefit. 2 a sport in which two con-
testants stand on a floating log and try to knock each
other off. dd log*roll v.intr. &tr. log*roll*er n.
log*wood /lawgwOod, 16g;n-/ n. 1 a W. Indian tree,
Haematoxylon campechianum 2 the wood of this, pro- long 2 /lawng, long/ v. intr. (foil, by for or to + infin.) have
.
compar.; with neg.) after an implied point of time (shall
not wait any longer), d as (or so) long as 1 during the
whole time that. 2 provided that; only if. before long
fairly soon (shall see you before long), be long (often foil,
by pres. part, or in + verbal noun) take a long time; be
slow (I won't be long), in the long run 1 over a long pe-
riod. 2 eventually; finally, the long and the short of it
1 all that can or need be said. 2 the eventual outcome.
dd long*ish adj.

ducing a substance used in dyeing. a strong wish or desire for.

loin /loyn/ n. 1 (in pi.) the part of the body on both long. abbr. longitude.
sides of the spine between the false ribs and the hip- long*board /lawngbawrd, long-/ n. a type of surfboard.
bones. 2 a cut of meat that includes the loin vertebrae. long*boat /lawngbot, long-/ n. a sailing ship's largest
loirvcloth /loynklawth, -kloth/ n. a cloth worn around boat.
the loins, esp. as a sole garment. long*bow /lawngbo, long-/ n. a bow drawn by hand
loi'ter /loytar/ v. 1 intr. hang around; linger idly. 2 intr. and shooting a long feathered arrow.
travel indolently and with long pauses. 3 tr. (foil, by long-dis*tance adj. 1 (of a telephone call, public trans-
away) pass (time, etc.) in loitering, dd loi»ter«er n. loi» port, etc.) between distant places. 2 (of a weather fore-
terming n. cast) long-range.
loll /lol/ v. 1 intr. stand, sit, or recline in a lazy attitude. long di*vi*sion n. division of numbers with details of
2 intr. (foil, by out) (of the tongue) hang out. 3 tr. (foil, the calculations written down.
by out) hang (one's tongue) out. 4 tr. let (one's head long-drawn adj. (also long-drawn-out) prolonged, esp
or limbs) rest lazily on something, dd loll«er n. unduly.
loMi«pop /loleepop/ n. a large, usu. flat, round candy longe /lonj/ n. &
v. (also lunge /lunj/) *n. 1 llongfOpc

on a small stick. on which a horse is held and made to move m ICON k

lo»ment /lOment/ n. Bot. a kind of pod that breaks up
into one-seeded joints when mature, dd lo»men-ta»
ceous /-tayshas/ adj.
lone /Ion/ attrib.adj. 1 (of a person) solitary; without a
companion or supporter. 2 (of a place) unfrequented;
around its trainer. 2 a circular exereise ground fol
training horses, mv.tr. exercise (l horse) with Of in a
longe.
lon«ge«ron /lonjoron/ n. a longitudinal member of I
plane's fuselage.
 . .

lon-gev»i»ty /lonjevitee, lawn-/ n. long life. 467 longevity ~ look

long face n. a dismal or disappointed expression.
qd long-faced adj.
long-hand /lawnghand, long-/ n. ordinary handwrit-
ing (as opposed to shorthand or typing or printing).
long haul adj. 1 the transport of goods or passengers
over a long distance. 2 a prolonged effort or task.
long-head-ed /lawnghedid, long-/ adj. shrewd; far-see-
ing, aa long-head-ed-ness n.
long-horn /lawnghawrn, long-/ n. 1 one of a breed of
cattle with long horns. 2 any beetle of the family
Cerambycidae with long antennae.
long-house /lawnghows, long-/ n. a tribal communal look /look/ v., n.,
long-ways /lawngwayz, long-/ adv. (also long-wise
/-Wlz/) = LENGTHWISE.
long-wind»ed /lawngwindid, long-/ adj. 1 (of speech
or writing) tediously lengthy. 2 able to run a long dis-
tance without rest, no long-wind-ed-ly adv. long-wind-
ed-ness n.
loo-fah /lobfs/ n. (also luf-fa /liifa/) 1 a climbing gour-
dlike plant, Luffa cylindrical native to Asia, producing
edible marrowlike fruits. 2 the dried fibrous vascular
system of this fruit used as a sponge.
&
int. *v. 1a intr. (often foil, by at)

dwelling, esp. in N. America and the Far East. use one's sight; turn one's eyes in some direction, b tr.
long-ing /lawnging, long-/ n. &adj. *n. a feeling of in- turn one's eyes on; contemplate or examine (looked
tense desire. »adj. having or showing this feeling. me in the eyes) 2 intr. a make a visual or mental search
.

ao long-ing-ly adv.
lon-gi-tude /lonjitood, -tyood, lawn-/ n. 1 Geog. the an-
gular distance east or west from a standard meridian
such as Greenwich to the meridian of any place.
2 Astron. the angular distance of a celestial body north
or south of the ecliptic measured along a great circle
through the body and the poles of the ecliptic.
(III look in the morning), b (foil, by at) consider; ex-
amine (we must look at the facts). 3 intr. (foil, by for)
a search for. b hope or be on the watch for. C expect.
4 intr. inquire (when one looks deeper). 5 intr. have a
specified appearance; seem (look a fool; look foolish)
6 intr. (foil, by to) a consider; take care of; be careful
about (look to the future), b rely on (a person or thing)
(you can look to me for support). C expect. 7 intr. (foil,
by into) investigate or examine. 8 tr. (foil, by what,
where, etc. + clause) ascertain or observe by sight (look
where we are). 9 intr. (of a thing) face or be turned, or
have or afford an outlook, in a specified direction.
10 tr. express, threaten, or show (an emotion, etc.) by
one's looks. 11 intr. (foil, by that + clause) take care;
make sure. 1 2 intr. (foil, by to + infin.) expect (am
looking to finish this today). »n. 1 an act of looking; a
glance (a scornful look) 2 (in sing, or pi. ) the appear-
.

ance of a face; a person's expression or personal as-

pect. 3 the (esp. characteristic) appearance of a thing
(the place has a European look), int. (also look here!)
calling attention, expressing a protest, etc. look af-
longitude, 1 ter 1attend to; take care of. 2 follow with the eye.
3 seek for. look alive (or lively) colloq. be brisk and
lon-gi-tu-di-nal/lonjitobd'nal, -tyood-, lawn-/ adj. 1 of alert, look around 1 look in every or another direc-
or in length. 2 running lengthwise. 3 of longitude. tion. 2 examine the objects of interest in a place. 3 ex-
no lon-gi-tu-di-nal-ly adv. amine the possibilities, etc., with a view to deciding
long Johns n.pl. colloq. - long underwear. on a course of action, look as if suggest by appear-
long jump n. a track-and-field contest of jumping as ance the belief that (it looks as if he's gone), look back
far as possible along the ground in one leap. 1 (foil, by on, upon, to) turn one's thoughts to (some-
long-lived adj. having a long life; durable. thing past). 2 (usu. with neg.) cease to progress (since
long-range adj. 1 extending or designed to cover a long then we have never looked back), look before you leap
distance. 2 extending far into the future. avoid precipitate action, look down on (or upon or
long-run-ning adj. continuing for a long time. look down one's nose at) regard with contempt or a
long-shore /lawngshawr, long-/ adj. 1 existing on or feeling of superiority, look forward to await (an ex-
frequenting the shore. 2 directed along the shore. pected event) eagerly or with specified feelings, look
long-shore-man /lawngshawrman, long-/ «. (pi. -men) in make a short visit or call, look a person in the eye
a person employed to load and unload ships. (or eyes or face) look directly and unashamedly at
long shot n. la wild guess or venture. 2 a bet at long him or her. look like have the appearance of., look on
odds. 3 Cinematog. a shot including objects at a dis- 1 (often foil, by as) regard (looks on you as a friend).
tance, d not by a long shot by no means. 2 be a spectator; avoid participation, look oneself ap-
long-sight-ed /lawngsitid, long-/ adj. 1 able to see pear in good health (esp. after illness, etc.). look one's
clearly only what is comparatively distant. 2 having im- age appear to be as old as one really is. look out 1 di-
agination or foresight, dd long-sight-ed-ness n. rect one's sight out of a window, etc. 2 (often foil, by
long-sleeved adj. with sleeves reaching to the wrist. for) be vigilant or prepared. 3 (foil, by on, over, etc.)
long-stand-ing adj. that has long existed; not recent. have or afford a specified outlook, look over 1 inspect
long-suf-fer-ing adj. bearing provocation patiently. or survey (looked over the house) 2 examine (a docu-
.

no long-suf-fer-ing-ly adv. ment, etc.), esp. cursorily (I'll look it over), look sharp
long suit n. 1 many cards of one suit in a hand (esp. act promptly; make haste, look through 1 examine the
more than 3 or 4 in a hand of 1 3). 2 which
a thing at contents of, esp. cursorily. 2 penetrate (a pretense or
one excels. pretender) with insight. 3 ignore by pretending not to
long-term adj. occurring in or relating to a long period see (/ waved, but you just looked through me), look up
of time (long-term plans) 1 search for (esp. information in a book) 2 colloq. go .

long-time /lawngtim, long-/ adj. that has been such for to visit (a person), look up to respect or venerate, not
a long time. like the look of find alarming or suspicious, no -look-
long un-der-wear n. a warm, close-fitting undergar- ing adj. (in comb.).
ment with ankle-length legs and often a long-sleeved
top. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

look-alike ~ lore 468 and loose ignore one's obligations; be unreliable; tri-
fle, dd loose*ly adv. loose*ness n.

look-a*like n. a person or thing closely resembling The adjective loose, meaning 'not tight,' should not
another (an Elvis look-alike). be confused with the verb loose, which means 'let go':
look»er /lobkar/ n. 1a person having a specified appear- They loosed the reins and let the horse gallop. This verb in
ance (a good-looker). 2 colloq. an attractive person. turn should not be confused with the verb lose, which
look»er-on n. a person who is a mere spectator. means 'be deprived of, fail to keep': / will lose my keys
looking glass /looking glas/ n. a mirror for looking at if I don 't mend the hole in my pocket. The neighbors will
oneself. lose their house if the mortgage is not paid.
look-out /lobkowt/ n. 1a watch
or looking out (on the loose change n. money as coins in the pocket, etc.,
lookout for bargains) 2 a a post of observation, b a per-
. for casual use.
son or party or boat stationed to keep watch. loose-leaf adj. &
n. *adj. (of a notebook, manual, etc.)
look-see n. colloq. a survey or inspection. with each leaf separate and removable. *n. a loose-leaf
loom /loom/ n. an apparatus for weaving yarn or thread
'
notebook, etc.
into fabric. loose-limbed adj. having supple limbs.
loom 2 /loom/ v.intr. (often foil, by up) 1 come into sight loos»en /loosan/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become less

dimly, esp. as a vague and often threatening shape.
2 (of an event or prospect) be ominously close.
loon /loon/ n. 1 any aquatic diving bird of the family
Gaviidae, with a long, slender body and a sharp bill;
a diver. 2 colloq. a crazy person (cf loony)
. .
loon»y /loonee/ n. &
adj. si. • n. (pi. -ies) a mad or sil-
ly person; a lunatic, •adj. (loonier, looniest) crazy; sil-
ly, dd loon«i«ness n.
loon»y bin n. si. a mental home or hospital.
loop /loop/ n.&v.mn.Aaa figure produced by a curve,
tight or compact or firm. 2 tr. make (a regime, etc.)
less severe. 3 tr. release (the bowels) from constipa-
tion, d loosen a person's tongue make a person talk
freely, dd loos»en»er n.
loose-strife /lobs-strif/ n. 1 any marsh plant of the ge-
nus Lysimachia, esp. the golden or yellow loosestrife,
L. vulgaris. 2 any plant of the genus Lythrum, esp. the
purple loosestrife, L. salicaria, with racemes of star-
shaped purple flowers.
loot /loot/ n. & v. • n. 1 goods taken from an enemy;

or a doubled thread, etc., that crosses itself, b anything
forming this figure. 2 a similarly shaped attachment
or ornament formed of cord or thread, etc., and fas-
tened at the crossing. 3 a ring or curved piece of mate-
rial as a handle, etc. 4 a contraceptive coil. 5 a railroad
or telegraph line that diverges from a main line and
joins it again. 6 a maneuver in which an airplane
describes a vertical loop. 7 Skating a maneuver de-
scribing a curve that crosses itself, made on a single
edge. 8 Electr. a complete circuit for a current. 9 an
endless strip of tape or film allowing continuous rep- lop 2 /lop/ v. (lopped, lopping) 1 intr.
etition. 10 Computing a programmed sequence of
booty; spoils. 2 illicit gains made by an official. 3 si.
money. • v. tr. 1 plunder (premises) or steal (goods) left
unprotected, esp. after riots. 2 plunder or sack (a city,
building, etc.). 3 carry off as booty, dd loot*er n.
lop 1 /lop/ v. (lopped, lopping) 1 tr. a (often foil, by off,
away) cut or remove (a part or parts) from a whole,
branches from a tree, b remove branches from (a
esp.
2 tr. (often foil, by off, away) remove (items) as
tree).
superfluous. 3 intr. (foil, by at) make lopping strokes
on (a tree, etc.). dd lop*per n.
tr. hang limp- &
ly. 2 intr. (foil, by about) slouch; dawdle. 3 intr. move

instructions that is repeated until or while a condition with short bounds. 4 tr. (of an animal) let (the ears)
is satisfied, mv. A tr. form (thread, etc.) into a loop or hang.
loops. 2 tr. enclose with or as with a loop. 3 tr. (often lope /lop/ v. &
n. • v. intr. (esp. of animals) run with a
foil, by up, back, together) fasten or join with a loop or long bounding stride, mn. a long bounding stride.
loops. 4 intr. a form a loop, b move in looplike pat- lop-eared adj. (of an animal) having drooping ears.
terns. lop*sid*ed /lopsidid/ adj. 1 with one side lower or
loop»er /loopsr/ n. 1 a caterpillar of the geometer moth, smaller than the other. 2 uneven or unbalanced (a
which progresses by arching itself into loops. 2 a de- lopsided victory) dd lop»sid»ed»ly adv. lop*sid*ed*ness
.

vice for making loops. n.

loop«hole /lobp-hol/ n. 1 a means of evading a rule, lo«qua*cious /lokwayshas/ adj. 1 talkative. 2 (of
etc., without infringing the letter of it. 2 a narrow ver- birds or water) chattering; babbling, dd lo*qua*cious*
tical slit in a wall. ly adv. lo*qua*cious*ness n. Io«quaoi«ty /-kwasitee/
loop»y /loopee/ adj. (loopier, loopiest) 1 si. crazy. 2 hav- n.
ing many loops. lord /lawrd/ n., int., &v.*n. 1 a master or ruler. 2 hist.
loose /loos/ adj., n.,&v. • adj. 1 a not or no longer held a feudal superior, esp. of a manor. 3 (in the UK) a peer
by bonds or restraint, b (of an animal) not confined of the realm or a person entitled to the title Lord.
or tethered, etc. 2 detached or detachable from its 4 (Lord) (often prec. by the) a name for God or Christ
place (has come loose). 3 not held together or contained 5 (Lord) prefixed as the designation of a marquess,
or fixed. 4 not specially fastened or packaged (loose pa- earl, viscount, or baron, •int. (Lord) expressing sur-
pers; had her hair loose) 5 hanging partly free (a loose
. prise, dismay, etc. mv.tr. confer the title of Lord upon.
end). 6 slack; relaxed; not tense or tight. 7 not com- d lord it over domineer, lord over (usu. in passive) dom-
pact or dense (loose soil) 8 (of language, concepts, etc.)
. ineer; rule over, nn lord*like adj.
inexact; conveying only the general sense. 9 (preced- lord»ly/lawrdlee/ac//. (lordlier, lordliest) 1 haughty; im-
ing an agent noun) doing the expressed action in a perious. 2 suitable for a lord, at lord«li«ness //.
i

loose or careless manner (a loose thinker). 10 morally
the tongue) likely to
lax; dissolute (loose living). 1 1 (of
speak indiscreetly. 12 (of the bowels) tending to diar-
rhea, mn. 1 a state of freedom or unrestrainedness.
2 loose play in soccer (in the loose). 3 free expression.
• v.tr. 1 release; set free; free from constraint. 2 untie
or undo (something that constrains). 3 detach from
moorings. 4 relax (loosed my hold on it). 5 discharge (a
bullet or arrow, etc.). d at loose ends (of a person) un-
occupied, esp. temporarily, on the loose 1 escaped
lord«ship /lawrdship/ n. 1 (usu. Lordship) a title
used in addressing or referring to a man with the
rank of Lord or (in the UK) a judge or a bishop
(Your Lordship; His Lordship). 2 (foil. In <>/, OVtr) do-
minion, rule, or ownership. 3 the condition ol befog
a lord.
Lord's Prayer n. the prayer taught by Jesus to his ilis
ciples. Also called the Our Father.
lore /lawr/ n. a body of traditions and knowledge on
a subject or of a particular group (hcrhul /or, fypty ,

from captivity. 2 having a free enjoyable time, play fast lore)

 .

lor«gnette /lawrnyet/ n. 469 lorgnette ~ louse

(in sing, or pi.) a pair of
eyeglasses or opera men killed in war, esp. (the Lost Generation) that of
glasses held by a long the World War I era. 2 an emotionally and culturally
handle. unstable generation coming to maturity.
lor»i»cate /lawrikayt, -kit, lot /lot/ n. &
v. mn. 1 colloq. (prec. by a or in pi.) a a

16r;n-/ adj. & n. large number or amount, b colloq. much (took a lot of
Zool.madj. having a de- abuse; smiles a lot; we had lots of fun). 2 a each of a set
fensive armor of bone, of objects used in making a chance selection, b this
plates scales etc.. n. an method of deciding (chosen by lot). 3 a share, or the re-
, ne
animal with this. sponsibility resulting from it. 4 a person's destiny, for-
lo»ris /lawris/ n. (pi. same) either of two tailless noctur- tune, or condition. 5 a plot; an allotment of land (park-
nal primates, Loris tardigradus of S. India (slender lo- ing lot) 6 an article or set of articles for sale at an
.

ris), and Nycticebus coucang of the E. Indies (slow lo-
ris).
lorn /lawrn/ adj. literary desolate; forlorn;
lor»ry /lawree, lor-/ n. Brit. (pi.
motor vehicle for transporting goods, etc.; a
long flat low wagon. 3 a railway freight car.
lo»ry /lawree/ n. (pi. -ries) any of various brightly col-
ored Australasian parrots of the subfamily Loriinae.
lose /looz/ v. (past and past part, lost /lawst, lost/) 1 tr.
be deprived of or cease to have, esp. by negligence or
misadventure. 2 tr. a be deprived of (a person, esp. a
auction, etc. 7 a number or quantity of associated per-
sons or things, mv.tr. (lotted, lotting) divide into lots.
abandoned. d cast (or draw) lots decide by means of lots, the (or
-rles) 1 a large strong the whole) lot the whole number or quantity, a whole
truck. 2 a lot colloq. very much (is a whole lot better)
Avoid spelling two words as one: "alot," as in / like
skating alot.
loth var. of LOATH.
lo«tion /loshan/ n. a medicinal or cosmetic liquid ap-
plied externally.
lot»ter«y /lotaree/ n.(pi. -ies) 1 a means of raising mon-

close relative) by death, b undergo the loss of (a ba- ey by selling numbered tickets and giving prizes to the
by) in childbirth. 3 tr. become unable to find; fail to holders of numbers drawn at random. 2 an enterprise,
keep in sight or follow or mentally grasp (lose one's process, etc., whose success is governed by chance.
way). 4 tr. let or have pass from one's control or reach I0W0 /loto/ n. a game of chance like bingo, but with
(lose one's chance). 5 tr. be defeated in (a game, race, numbers drawn instead of called.
lawsuit, battle, etc.). 6 tr. evade; get rid of (lost our pur- lo*tus /lotas/ n. 1 (in Greek mythology) a legendary
suers) . 7 tr. fail to obtain, catch, or perceive (lose a train; plant inducing luxurious languor when eaten. 2 a any
lose a word). 8 tr. forfeit (a stake, deposit, right to a water lily of the genus Nelumbo, esp. N. nucifera of In-
thing, etc.). 9 efforts, etc.) to no pur-
tr. spend (time, dia, with large pink flowers, b this flower used sym-
pose no time in sounding the alarm). 10 intr. a suf-
(lost bolically in Hinduism and Buddhism. 3 an Egyptian
fer loss or detriment, b be worse off, esp. financially. water lily, Nymphaea lotus, with white flowers. 4 any
1 1 tr. cause (a person) the loss of (will lose you your plant of the genus Lotus, e.g., bird's-foot trefoil.
job) 1 2 intr.
. &
tr. (of a timepiece) become slow; be- lo»tus-eat»er n. a person given to indolent enjoyment.
come slow by (a specified amount of time). 13 tr. (in lo*tus po»si»tion n. a cross-legged position of medita-
passive) a disappear; perish; be dead (was lost in the tion with the feet resting on the thighs.
war), b fall; be damned (souls lost to drunkenness and loud /lowd/ adj. &
adv. • adj. 1 a strongly audible, esp.
greed). 14 (as lost adj.) a gone; stray; mislaid; forgot- noisily or oppressively so. b able or liable to produce
ten (lost valuables; a lost art) b dead; destroyed (lost . loud sounds (a loud engine). C clamorous; insistent
comrades), c damned; fallen (lost souls in hell), o be lost (loud complaints) 2 (of colors, design, etc.) gaudy; ob-
.

on be wasted on, or not noticed or appreciated by. be trusive. 3 (of behavior) aggressive and noisy, madv. in
lost to be no longer affected by or accessible to. be lost a loud manner, o out loud 1 aloud. 2 loudly (laughed
without have great difficulty if deprived of (aw lost with- out loud), aa loud*en v.tr. &
intr. loud*ish adj. loud»ly

out my diary),
get lost 5/. (usu. in imper.) go away, lose adv.loudness n.
face be humiliated; lose one's credibility, lose heart be loud»mouth /lowdmowth/ n. colloq. a noisily self-asser-
discouraged, lose one's nerve become timid or irres- vociferous person, an loud*mouthed adj.
tive,
olute, lose out (often foil, by on) colloq. be unsuccess- loud»speak»er /lowdspe'ekar/ n. an apparatus that con-
ful; not get a fair chance or advantage (in), lose sleep verts electrical impulses into sound.
over a thing lie awake worrying about a thing, lose lounge /lownj/ v. &
n. mv.intr. 1 recline comfortably
time allow time to pass with something unachieved, and casually; loll. 2 stand or move about idly. •«. 1 a
etc. lose touch see touch, lose the (or one's) way be- place for lounging, esp.: a a bar or other public room
come lost; fail to reach one's destination. (e.g., in a hotel), b a place in an airport, etc., with seats
See note at loose. for waiting passengers. 2 a spell of lounging.
los»er /lobzar/ n. 1 a person or thing that loses or has lounge liz«ard n. colloq. 1 a person, esp. a man, who
lost (esp. a contest or game) 2 colloq. a person who . frequents bars, etc. 2 an idler in fashionable society.
regularly fails. loung*er /lownjar/ n. 1 a person who lounges. 2 a piece
los«ing baMIe n. a contest or effort in which failure of furniture for relaxing on. 3 a casual garment for
seems certain. wearing when relaxing.
loss /laws, los/ n. 1 the act or an instance of losing; the loupe /loop/ n. a small magnifying glass used by jewel-
state of being lost. 2 a person, thing, or amount lost. ers, etc.
3 the detriment or disadvantage resulting from losing lour var. of lower 3 .

(it's no great loss), n at a loss (sold, etc.) for less than louse /lows/ n.&v.m n. 1 (pi. lice /lis/) a a parasitic in-
was paid for it. be at a loss be puzzled or uncertain. sect, Pediculus humanus, infesting the human hair and
be at a loss for words not know what to say. skin and transmitting various diseases, b any insect of
loss lead*er n. an item sold at a loss to attract cus- the order Anoplura or Mallophaga parasitic on mam-
tomers. mals, birds, fish, or plants. 2 si. (pi. louses) a con-
lost past and past part, of lose. temptible or unpleasant person, mv.tr. remove lice
lost cause n. an enterprise, etc., with no chance of suc- from, a louse up si. make a mess of.
cess.
lost gen*er*a*tion n. 1a generation with many of its See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

lousy - low-level
lous-y /lowzee/ adj. (lousier, lousiest) 1 infested with
lice. 2 very bad; disgusting (also as a term of
colloq.
general disparagement). 3 colloq. (often foil, by with)
well supplied; teeming (with), qd lous-i-ly adv. lousi-
470 2 a situated close to ground or sea level, etc.; not el-
evated in position {low altitude), b (of the sun) near the
horizon. C (of latitude) near the equator. 3 of or in
humble rank or position {of low birth). 4 of small or
less than normal amount or extent or intensity {low
price; low temperature; low in calories) 5 small or re- .

ness n. duced in quantity {stocks are low) 6 coming below the .

lout /lowt/ n. a crude or ill-mannered person (usu. a normal level {a dress with a low neck) 7 a dejected; lack- .

man), do louMsh adj. lout-ish-ly adv. lout-ish-ness n. ing vigor {feeling low; in low spirits) b poorly nourished;
.

lou-ver /lobvar/ n. 1 a set, or each of a set, of overlap- indicative of poor nutrition. 8 (of a sound) not shrill
ping slats designed to admit air and some light and ex- or loud or high-pitched. 9 not exalted or sublime; com-
clude rain. 2 a domed structure on a roof with side monplace. unfavorable {a low opinion). 11 abject;
1
openings for ventilation, etc. dd lou-vered adj. mean; vulgar 1 a low or
{low cunning; low slang). •«.
lov-a-ble /luvabal/ adj. (also love-a-ble) inspiring or de- the lowest level or number {the dollar has reached a new
serving love or affection, nn lova-ble-ness n. lov-a-bly low). 2 an area of low pressure. madv. 1 in or to a low
adv. position or state. 2 in a low tone {speak low). 3 (of a
lov-age /luvij/ n. 1 a S. European herb, Levisticum offic- sound) at or to a low pitch, dd low-ish adj. low-ness
inale^ used for flavoring, etc. 2 a white-flowered um- n.
belliferous plant, Ligusticum scoticum. low 2 /lo/ n. & v. mn. a sound made by cattle; a moo.
love /luv/ n. &v. • n. 1 deep affection or fondness. 2 sex- • v.intr. utter this sound.
ual passion. 3 sexual relations. 4 a beloved one; a low-ball n. &v. mn. Cards a type of poker, mv.tr. &intr.
sweetheart (often as a form of address). 5 colloq. a per- underestimate a price (usu. for a service) deliberately.
son of whom one is fond. 6 affectionate greetings (give low beam n. an automobile headlight providing short-
him my love) 7 (often Love) a representation of Cu-
. range illumination.
pid. 8 (in some games) no score; nil. mv.tr. 1 (also low»born /lobawrn/ adj. of humble birth.
absol. ) feel love or deep fondness for. 2 delight in; ad- low-boy /loboy/ n. a low chest or table with drawers
mire; greatly cherish. 3 colloq. like very much {loves and short legs.
books). 4 (foil, by verbal noun, or to + infin.) be in- low-brow /lobrow/ adj. &
n. madj. not intellectual or
clined, esp. as a habit; greatly enjoy {children love dress- cultured, mn. a lowbrow person, dd low-browed adj.
ing up), d fall in love (often foil, by with) develop a low COm»e»dy n. that in which the subject and the treat-
great (esp. sexual) love (for) for love for pleasure not
. ment border on farce.
profit, for the love of for the sake of. in love (often foil, Low Countries n.pl the Netherlands, Belgium, and
by with) deeply enamored (of)- make love (often foil, Luxembourg.
by to) 1 have sexual intercourse (with) 2 archaic pay . low-cut adj. (of a dress, etc.) made with a low neckline.
amorous attention (to), not for love or money colloq. low-down adj. & n. mad], abject; mean; dishonorable.
not in any circumstances, out of love no longer in love. mn. colloq. (usu. foil, by on) the relevant information
love»a»ble var. of lovable. (about).
love aMair n. 1 a romantic or sexual relationship be- low-er 1 /loar/ adj. &adv. madj. {compar. of low ). 1 less 1

tween two people in love. 2 a passion for something. high in position or status. 2 situated below another
love-bird /luvbard/ n. 1 any of various African and part {lower lip; lower atmosphere) 3 a situated on less .

Madagascan parrots, esp. Agapornis personata. 2 (in high land {Lower Egypt) b situated to the south {Lower
.

pi.) a pair of lovers who display much affection. California). 4 (of a mammal, plant, etc.) evolved to a
love child n. a child born out of wedlock. relatively small degree {the lower primates) madv. in or .

love-less /luvlis/ adj. without love; unloving or unloved to a lower position, status, etc. dd low-er-most adj.
or both, dd love-less-ly adv. love-less-ness n. low»er 2 /loar/ v. 1 tr. let or haul down. 2 tr. intr. make &
love-lock /luvlok/ n. a curl or lock of hair worn on the or become lower. 3 tr. reduce the height or pitch or el-
temple or forehead. evation of {lower your voice; lower one 's eyes) 4 tr. de- .

love-lorn /luvlawrn/ adj. pining from unrequited love. grade. 5 tr. &
intr. diminish.

love-ly /luvlee/ adj. & n. madj. (lovelier, loveliest) 1 ex- low»er 3 /lowar/ v. &
n. (also lour) • v.intr. 1 frown; look
quisitely beautiful. 2 colloq. pleasing; delightful. mn. sullen. 2 (of the sky, etc.) look dark and threatening.
(pi. -lies) colloq. woman, d lovely and colloq.
a pretty • n. 1 a scowl. 2 a gloomy look (of the sky, etc.). dd low-
and warm), dd love-li-ness n.
delightfully {lovely er-y adj.
love-mak-ing /luvmayking/ n. 1 amorous sexual activ- low-er-case /loarkays/ n., adj., &v. mn. small letters as
ity, 2 archaic courtship.
esp. sexual intercourse. opposed to capital letters (uppercase), madj. of or hav-
love nest n. a place of intimate lovemaking. ing small letters, mv.tr. print or write in lowercase.
lov-er /luvar/ n. 1 a person in love with another. 2 a per- lOW-er class n. working-class people and their fami-
son with whom another is having sexual relations. 3 lies, dd lower-class adj.
(in pi.) a couple in love or having sexual relations. 4 a low»er court n. a court whose decisions may be over-
person who likes or enjoys something specified {a mu- ruled by another court on appeal.
sic lover, a lover of words) low-er house n. the usu. larger body in a legislature,
love seat n. an armchair or small sofa for two. such as the House of Representatives.
love-sick /luvsik/ adj. languishing with romantic love. lowest com-mon mul-ti-ple //. the least quantity that
dd love-sick-ness n. is a multiple of two or more given quantities.
lo ve-y-dove-y /liiveeduvee/ adj. colloq. fondly affection- low gear n. a gear such that the driven end of a
ate, esp. unduly sentimental. transmission revolves slower than the driving end.
lov-ing /luving/ adj. & n. madj. feeling or showing love; low-grade adj. of low quality or strength.
affectionate. •«. affection; active love, dd lov-ing-ly low-key adj. lacking intensity or prominence, u
adv. lov-ing-ness n. strained.
lov-ing cup «. 1a two-handled drinking cup passed lowland /lolond/ n. 1 (usu. in pi.) low-lyii^ country.
around at banquets, etc. 2 a loving cup presented as a 2 (Lowland) (usu. in pi.) the region <>f Scotland lying
trophy. south and cast of the Highlands, aa low-land-er /;.
low 1
/lo/ adj., n., & adv. •adj. 1 of less than average low-level a dj. Computing {of* programming Itngnigg)
height; not high or tall or reaching far up {a low wall) close in form to machine language.
 . .

low-light /l6lit/w. 1 a monotonous or dull period; a fea-
ture of little prominence {one of the lowlights of the eve-
ning). 2 (usu. in pi.) a dark tint in the hair produced
by dyeing.
low»ly /l6lee/ adj. (lowlier, lowliest) 1 humble in feel-
ing, behavior, or status. 2 modest; unpretentious.
dd lowliness n.
low-lying adj. at low altitude (above sea level, etc.).
low-mind*ed /lOmi'ndid/ adj. vulgar or ignoble in mind
or character, od low-mind»ed»ness n.
low-pitched adj. 1 (of a sound) low. 2 (of a roof) hav-
ing only a slight slope.
low pressure n. 1 little demand
tion. 2 an atmospheric condition with
low average.
low profile n. avoidance of attention or publicity.
471 lowlight ~ lumber jacket
lu»cra»tive /lobkrativ/ adj. profitable; yielding financial
gain, dd lu»cra»tive»ly adv. Iu*cra*tive*ness n.
Iu»cre /ldbkar/ n. derog. financial profit or gain.
lu*CU*brate /lobkyOObrayt/ v.intr. literary 1 write or
study, esp. by night. 2 express one's meditations in
writing, dd lu»cu*bra*tion /-ayshan/ lu«cu«bra«tor n.
Lud»dite /ludit/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 hist, a member of any of
the bands of English artisans who rioted against mech-
anization and destroyed machinery (1811-16). 2a
person opposed to new technology. • adj. of the Lud-
for activity or exer- dites or their beliefs, dd Lud*dism n. Lud*dit*ism n.
air pressure be- lu*di*crous /lobdikras/ adj. absurd or ridiculous; laugh-
able, dd lu*di«crous*ly adv. lu*di*crous*ness n.
luff fluff n. &
v. (also loof /loof/) Nam. •«. the edge of

no low-pro»file adj.
low spirits n.pl. dejection; depression.
ed adj. low-spir»it«ed»ness n.
low wa»ter n. the tide at its lowest.
low-wa*ter mark n. 1 the level reached at low water.
2 a minimum recorded level or value, etc.
the fore-and-aft sail next to the mast or stay. •v.tr. (al-
low-spir*it* so absol.) 1 steer (a ship) nearer the wind so that the
sails shake. 2 turn (the helm) so as to achieve this. 3 ob-
struct (an opponent in yacht racing) by sailing closer
to the wind. 4 raise or lower (the jib of a crane or der-
rick) .

lox /loks/ n. smoked salmon. lug /lug/ v.

1
&
n. »v. (lugged, lugging) 1 tr. a drag or

loyal /loyal/ adj. 1 (often foil, by to) true or faithful (to tug (a heavy object) with effort or violence, b (usu.
duty, love, or obligation). 2 steadfast in allegiance; de- foil, by around, about) carry (something heavy) around

voted to the legitimate sovereign or government of with one. 2 tr. (usu. foil, by in, into) introduce (a sub-
one's country. 3 showing loyalty, an loyaMy adv. ject, etc.) irrelevantly. 3 tr. (usu. foil, by along, to) force
loyalist /loyalist/ n. la person who remains loyal to (a person) to join in an activity. 4 intr. (usu. foil, by at)
the legitimate sovereign, etc. 2 (Loyalist) a hist, a res- pull hard. •«. 1 a hard or rough pull. 2 (in pi.) affec-
ident of N. America who supported Great Britain dur- tation {put on lugs)
ing the American Revolution, b a supporter of the un- lug 2 /lug/ n. 1 colloq. an ear. 2 a projection on an object
ion between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. by which it may be carried, fixed in place, etc. 3 5/. a
dd loyal'ism n. lout; a sponger; a stupid person.
loyally /loyaltee/ n. {pi. -ties) 1 the state of being loy- luge /loozh/ n. &v. »n. a light toboggan for one or two
al. 2 (often in pi.) a feeling or application of loyalty. people, •v.intr. ride on a luge.
loz*enge /lozinj/ n. 1 a rhombus or diamond figure. 2 a Iug*gage lugij/ n. suitcases, bags, etc., to hold a trav-
small sweet or medicinal tablet for dissolving in the eler's belongings.
mouth. 3 a lozenge-shaped pane in a window. lug nut n. a nut that attaches to a heavy bolt, esp. as
LSD abbr. lysergic acid diethylamide. used to attach a wheel to a motor vehicle.
Lt. abbr. 1 lieutenant. 2 light. lu*gu*bri*ous /loogobbreeas, -gyob-/ adj. mournful;
Ltd. abbr. limited. dismal, dd lu*gu*bri*ous*ly adv. lu*gu*bri*ous*ness n.
Lu symb. Chem. the element lutetium. lug«worm /lugwarm/ n. any worm of the genus Areni-
Iu*bri*cant /lobbrikant/ n. &
adj. •«. a substance used cola, living in muddy sand and often used as bait by
to reduce friction, •adj. lubricating. fishermen.
Iu*bri*cate /lobbrikayt/ v.tr. 1 reduce friction in (ma- Iuke«warm /lobkwawrm/ adj. 1 moderately warm; tep-
chinery, etc.) by applying oil or grease, etc. 2 make id. 2 unenthusiastic; indifferent, dd luke«warm«ly adv.
slippery or smooth with oil or grease, dd lu*bri*ca*tion Iuke*warm*ness n.
/-kayshan/ n. Iu«bri»ca»tive adj. lu»bri»ca«tor n. lull /lul/ v. &
n. »v. 1 tr. soothe or send to sleep gently.
lu«bri*cious /loobrishas/ adj. (also lu*bri*cous 2 tr. (usu. foil, by into) deceive (a person) into con-
/lobbrikas/) 1 slippery; smooth; oily. 2 lewd; prurient. fidence {lulled into a false sense of security). 3 tr. allay
3 evasive, dd lu*bric*i*ty /-brisitee/ n. (suspicions, etc.) usu. by deception. 4 intr. (of noise,
locent /loosant/ adj. literary 1 shining; luminous. a storm, etc.) abate or fall quiet. *n. a temporary qui-
2 translucent, dd lu*cen«cy n. Iu»cent»ly adv. et period in a storm or in any activity.
Iu*cid /lobsid/ adj.1 expressing or expressed clearly; lull»a»by/lulabi/«. &v.»n. {pi. -bies) 1 a soothing song
easy to understand. 2 of or denoting intervals of san- to send a child to sleep. 2 the music for this. •v.tr.
ity between periods of insanity or dementia, dd lu*cid* (-bies, -bied) sing to sleep.
i«ty /-siditee/ n. Iu*cid*ly adv. lum*ba*go /lumbaygo/ n. rheumatic pain in the mus-
Lu*ci*fer /lobsifar/ n. Satan. cles of thelower back.
luck /luk/ n. 1 chance regarded as the bringer of good lunvbar /lumbar, -baar/ adj. Anat. relating to the loin,
or bad fortune. 2 circumstances of life (beneficial or esp. the lower back area.
not) brought by this. 3 good fortune; success due to lunvber /lumbar/ v.intr. (usu. foil, by along, past, by,
1

chance {in luck; out of luck), a for luck to bring good etc.) move in a slow, clumsy, noisy way. dd lum*ber*
fortune, no such luck colloq. unfortunately not. try ing adj.
one's luck make a venture. Ium»ber 2 /lumbar/ n. &
v. •«. logs or timber cut and
Iuck»i»ly /lukilee/ adv. 1 (qualifying a whole sentence prepared for use. •v.'\ intr. cut and prepare forest tim-
or clause) fortunately {luckily there was enough food) ber for transport, dd lum*ber*er n. Iunvber«ing n.
2 in a lucky or fortunate manner. Ium*ber*jack /lumbarjak/ n. (also lunvberTnan
lucMess /luklis/ adj. having no luck; unfortunate. /-man/p/. -men) one who fells, prepares, or conveys
dd lucMess-ness n. lumber.
Iuck*y /lukee/ adj. (luckier, luckiest) 1 having or re- lunvber jack*et n. a jacket, usu. of warm checked mate-
sulting from good luck, esp. as distinct from skill or rial, of the kind worn by lumberjacks.
design or merit. 2 bringing good luck {a lucky mascot).
3 fortunate; appropriate {a lucky guess). See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .

lumbrical muscle - luscious 472 dle of the day. 2 a light meal eaten at any time. *v.
1 intr. eat one's lunch. 2 provide lunch for. d out to
tr.

lum*bri«cal mus»cle /lumbriksl/ n. any of the muscles lunch si. unaware; incompetent, dd lunclver n.
flexing the fingers or toes. lunch»box /lunchboks/ n. a container for a packed
Iu*men /lobrnDn/ n. Physics the SI unit of luminous flux. lunch.
1|Abbr.:lm. lunch*eon /lunchan/ n. formal lunch.
Iu»mi»nance /lobminans/ n. Physics the intensity of light lunch*eon*ette /lunchanet/ n. a small restaurant or
emitted from a surface per unit area in a given direc- snack bar serving light lunches.
tion. Iunch»time /lunchtim/ n. the time (usu. around noon)
Iu»mi»nar»y /loomineree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 literary a natural at which lunch is eaten.
light-giving body, esp. the sun or moon. 2 a person as Iu*nette /loonet/ n. 1 an arched aperture in a domed
a source of intellectual light or moral inspiration. 3 a ceiling to admit light. 2 a crescent-shaped or semicir-
prominent member of a group or gathering (a host of cular space or alcove that contains a painting, statue,
show-business luminaries) etc. 3 a watch crystal of flattened shape. 4 a ring
Iu»mi»nes»cence /lobminesans/ n. the emission of light through which a hook is placed to attach a vehicle to
by a substance other than as a result of incandescence. the vehicle towing it. 5 a temporary fortification with
dd lu»mi«nes«cent /-sant/ adj. two faces forming a salient angle, and two flanks.
lu-mi-nous /lobminas/ adj. 1 full of or shedding light. lung /lung/ n. either of the pair of respiratory organs
2 phosphorescent; visible in darkness (luminous paint) that bring air into contact with the blood in humans
3 (esp. of a writer or a writer's work) throwing light on and many other vertebrates, dd lunged adj. Iung*ful n.
a subject. 4 of visible radiation (luminous intensity). (pi -fuls). Iung*less adj.
an liwni»nos»i»ty /-nositee/ n. lu*mi*nous*ly adj. lunge /lunj/ n. &v.*n."\ a sudden movement forward.
1

lunvmox /lumaks/ n. colloq. a clumsy or stupid person. 2 a thrust with a sword, etc., esp. the basic attacking
lump /lump/ n.
1
& % •«. 1 a compact shapeless or move in fencing. 3 a movement forward by bending
unshapely mass. 2 5/. a quantity or heap. 3 a tumor, the front leg at the knee while keeping the back leg
swelling, or bruise. 4 a heavy, dull, or ungainly person. straight. »v. 1 intr. make a lunge. 2 intr. (usu. foil, by
5 a block or cube of granulated sugar. »a1 tr. (usu. at, out) deliver a blow from the shoulder in boxing.
foil, by together, with, in with, under, etc.) mass together lunge 2 var. of longe.
or group indiscriminately. 2 tr. carry or throw careless- Iung*fish /lungfish/ n. (pi. fishes or -fish) any fresh-
ly (lumping crates around the yard). 3 intr. become water fish of the order Dipnoi, having gills and a mod-
lumpy (the gravy is lumping) 4 intr. a lump in the throat
. ified swim bladder used as lungs, and able to estivate
a feeling of pressure in the throat, caused by emotion. to survive drought.
dd lumpier n. (in sense 2 of v.). lungwort /lungwart, -wawrt/ n. 1 any herbaceous
lump 2 /lump/ v.tr. colloq. endure or suffer (a situation) plant of the genus Pulmonaria, esp. P. officinalis with
ungraciously, d like it or lump it put up with something white-spotted leaves likened to a diseased lung. 2 a li-
whether one likes it or not. chen, Lobaria pulmonaria, formerly used as a remedy
Iump»eoto»my /lumpektamee/ n. (pi. -mies) the sur- for lung disease.
gical removal of a usu. cancerous lump from the breast. lu'pine /lobpin/ n. (also lu*pin) 1 any plant of the ge-
1

Iump«fish /lumpfish/ n. (pi. -fishes or -fish) a spiny- nus Lupinus, with long tapering spikes of blue, purple,
finned fish, Cyclopterus lumpus, of the N. Atlantic, with pink, white, or yellow flowers. 2 (in pi.) seeds of the
modified pelvic fins for clinging to objects. lupine.
lumpish /lumpish/ adj. 1 heavy and clumsy. 2 stupid; Iu»pine 2 /lobpin/ adj. of or like a wolf or wolves.
lethargic, dd lump*ish«ly adv. Iump*ish*ness n. Iu*pus /ldbpas/ n. any of various ulcerous skin diseases,
lump sum «. 1 a sum covering a number of items. esp. lupus vulgaris and lupus erythematosus, dd lu»
2 money paid down at once (opp. installment) . poid adj. lu*pous adj.
Iump«y /lumpee/ adj. (lumpier, lumpiest) 1 full of or lurch /larch/ n.1
&
v. • n. a stagger; a sudden unsteady

covered with lumps. 2 (of water) cut up by the wind movement or leaning. • v. intr. stagger; move sudden-
into small waves, dd lump*My adv. Iump*i*ness n. ly and unsteadily.
Iu«na»cy /lobnasee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 insanity. 2 Law such lurch 2 /larch/ n. d leave in the lurch desert (a friend,
mental unsoundness as interferes with civil rights or etc.) in difficulties.
transactions. 3 great folly or eccentricity; a foolish act. lure /lot>r/ v. &
n. •v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by away, into) en-
luna moth /lobna/ n. a N. American moth, Actias luna, tice (a person, an animal, etc.) usu. with some form
with crescent-shaped spots on its pale green wings. of bait. 2 attract back again or recall (a person, animal,
Iu*nar /lobnar/ adj. 1 of, relating to, or determined by etc.) with the promise of a reward. »n. 1 a thing used
the moon. 2 concerned with travel to the moon and to entice, e.g., artificial bait for fishing. 2 (usu. foil.
related research. 3 (of light, glory, etc.) pale; feeble. by of) the attractive or compelling qualities (of a pur-
4 crescent-shaped; lunate. 5 of or containing silver. suit, etc.) 3 a falconer's apparatus for recalling a hawk.
.

lumar mod*ule n. a small craft used for traveling be- dd lur*ing adj. Iur*ing*ly adv.
tween the moon's surface and a spacecraft in orbit Iu»rid /loforid/ adj. 1 vivid or glowing in color (fund <»
around the moon. ange). 2 of an unnatural glare (lurid nocturnal bril-
Iu*nar month n. 1 a month measured between succes- liance). 3 sensational, horrifying, or terrible (hind
sive new moons (about 29 V 2 days. 2 (in general use) details). 4 showy; gaudy (paperbacks with lurid •
•

a period of four weeks. 5 ghastly; wan (lurid complexion), on lu»rid«ly adv. Iu»
Iu*nar year n. a period of 12 lunar months. rid*ness u.
Iu*nate /loonayt/ adj. crescent-shaped. lurk /lork/ v.intr. 1 linger furtively or unobtrusively
Iu*na*tic /lobnatik/ n. & adj. •«. 1 an insane person. 2 a lie in ambush, b (usu. foil, bv ///, U9uUrt about, tti I

2 someone foolish or eccentric, madj. mad; foolish. hide, esp. for sinister purposes. 3 (as lurking </<//.) la-
Iu»na»tic a»sy»lum n. hist, a mental home or hospital. tent; semiconscious (a lurking tUSpit ion), n lurk»er ;/.
i
i

Iu«na*tic fringe n. an extreme or eccentric minority Ius»cious/lushos/cvt//. 1 a richly sweet in taste or smell
group. b colloq. delicious. 2 (of literary stvle, in usu ,etC.) over-
lu*na*tion /loonayshan/ n. the interval between new rich in sound, imagery, or voh.pt nous surest ion. 3 vo-
moons, about 29 days. luptuously attractive, on lus-cious«ly adi: lus-cious*
lunch /lunch/ n. & v. mn. 1 the meal eaten in the mid- ness n.
 .

lush /lush/ adj. 1 (of vegetation) luxuriant and succu-

1
473 lush - lyrical
lent. 2 luxurious, od lusrHy adv. lustvness n.
lush 2 /lush/ n. &
v. si. • n. 1 alcohol; liquor. 2 an alco- ly«can«thro«py /likanthrapee/ n. 1 the mythical trans-
holic; a drunkard, •v.tr. &
intr. drink (alcohol). formation of a person into a wolf (see also werewolf) .

lust /lust/ n. &

v. •n. 1 strong sexual desire. 2 a (usu. 2 a form of madness involving the delusion of being a
foil, by /or, o/) a passionate desire for (a lust for power) wolf, with changed appetites, voice, etc. nn ly»can«
b (usu. foil, by of) a passionate enjoyment of {the lust thrope /likgnthrop, likan-/ n.
of battle). 3 (usu. inp/.) a sensuous appetite regarded |y*ce*um /lise'esm/ n. a literary institution, lecture hall,
as sinful {the lusts of the flesh), •v.intr. (usu. foil, by af- concert hall, etc.
ter for) have a strong or excessive (esp. sexual) desire.
•, lychee
var. of litchi.
do lusMul adj. lust*fuMy adv. Iust*ful*ness n. Ly«cra /likra/ n. Trademark an elastic polyurethane fi-
Ius*ter /lustar/ n. &
v. *n. 1 gloss; sheen. 2 a shining orber or fabric used esp. for close-fitting sports clothing.
reflective surface. 3 a a thin metallic coating giving an lye l\\l n. 1 water that has been made alkaline by lixiv-
iridescent glaze to ceramics, b = lusterware. 4 a radi- iation of vegetable ashes. 2 any strong alkaline solu-
ance or attractiveness; splendor; glory; distinction (of tion, esp. of potassium hydroxide used for washing or
achievements, etc.) {add luster to; shed luster on). 5 a a cleansing.
prismatic glass pendant on a chandelier, etc. b a cut- ly-ing /li-ing/ pres. part, of lie 1
1
.

glass chandelier or candelabra, •v.tr. put luster on Iy»ing 2 /ll'-ing/ pres. part. &
n. madj. pres. part, of lie 2 .

(pottery, a cloth, etc.). dd lus«ter«less adj. lustrous • adj. deceitful; false, nn ly*ing*ly adv.
adj. lus»trous»ly adv. lus*trous*ness n. Lyme dis*ease /llm/ n. a disease transmitted by ticks,
Ius«ter»ware /lustarwair/ n. ceramics with an iridescent usually characterized by rash, fatigue, and joint pain.
glaze. lymph /limf/ n. 1 Physiol, a colorless fluid containing
Ius*tral /lustral/ adj. relating to or used in ceremonial white blood cells, drained from the tissues and con-
purification. veyed through the body in the lymphatic system. 2 this
Iust«y /lustee/ adj. (lustier, lustiest) 1 healthy and fluid used as a vaccine. 3 exudation from a sore, etc.
strong. 2 vigorous or lively, nn lust*i*ly adv. lustiness nn lynvphoid adj. lynrphous adj.
n. Iym»phat»ic /limfatik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of or secreting
lute /loot/ n. a guitarlike instrument with a long neck
1
or conveying lymph. 2 (of a person) pale, flabby, or
and a pear-shaped body. sluggish. •«. a veinlike vessel conveying lymph.
lute 2 /loot/ n. &
v. • n. 1 clay or cement used to stop a Iym»phat»ic sys«tem n. a network of vessels conveying
hole, make a joint airtight, protect a graft, etc. 2 a rub- lymph.
ber seal for a jar, etc. •v.tr. apply lute to. lymph node n. (also lymph gland) a small mass of tis-
Iu*te*nist /lobt'nist/ n. (also lu*ta»nist) a lute player. sue in the lymphatic system where lymph is purified
Iu»te»ti»um /loote'esham/ n. (also lu»te»ci»um) Chem. a and lymphocytes are formed.
silvery metallic element of the lanthanide series. 1 lym»pho*cyte /limfasit/ n. a leukocyte occurring in the
Symb.: Lu. blood, in lymph, etc. nn lynvpho»cyt»ic /— sitik/ adj.
Lu»ther«an /lobthgran/ «. &adj. • «. 1 a follower of Mar- lym«pho»ma /limfoma/ n. {pi. lymphomas or lympho-
tin Luther, Ger. religious reformer d. 1 546. 2 a mem- mata /-mata/) any malignant tumor of the lymph
ber of the Lutheran Church with justification by faith nodes, excluding leukemia.
alone as a cardinal doctrine. • adj. of or characterized lynch /linen/ v.tr. (of a body of people) put (a person)
by the theology, dd Lu*ther*an*ism n. to death for an alleged offense without a legal trial.
lutz /luts/ n. a jump in figure skating in which the skater nn lynch«er n. lynching n.
takes off from the outside back edge of one skate and lynch law n. the procedure of a self-constituted illegal
lands, after a complete rotation in the air, on the out- court that punishes or executes.
side back edge of the opposite skate. Iynch»pin var. of linchpin.
lux /luks/ n. {pi. same or luxes) Physics the SI unit of il- lynx /lingks/ n. 1 a medium-sized feline, Felis lynx, with
lumination, equivalent to one lumen per square me- short tail, spotted fur, and tufted ear tips. 2 its fur.
ter. nn lynx-like adj.
luxe /looks, luks/ n. luxury (cf. deluxe). lynx-eyed adj. keen-sighted.
Iux»u»ri»ant /lu gzh obreeant, lukshobr-/ adj. 1 (of vege- lyre /lir/ n. Gk Antiq. an
tation, etc.) lush; profuse in growth. 2 exuberant {lux- ancient stringed in-
uriant imagination) 3 (of artistic style) florid; richly or-
. strument like a small U-
nate, nn lux*u*ri*ance /-eeans/ n. lux*u*ri*anMy adv. shaped harp, played usu.
lux«U*ri*ate /lugzhobreeayt, lukshobr-/ v. intr. 1 (foil, by with a plectrum and ac-
in) take self-indulgent delight in; enjoy in a luxurious companying the voice.
manner. 2 relax in comfort. lyre-bird /lirbard/ n. any
lux*u*ri*ous /lugzhobreeas, lukshobr-/ adj. 1 supplied Australian bird of the
with luxuries. 2 extremely comfortable. 3 self-indul- family Menuridae, the
gent; voluptuous, nn lux*u*ri*ous«ly adv. lux*u*ri*ous* male of which has a lyre-
ness n. shaped tail display.
Luxuriant and luxurious are sometimes confused. Iyr»ic /lirik/ adj. &n.» adj.
Luxuriant means 'lush, profuse, or prolific,' e.g., forests 1 (of poetry) expressing
of dark luxuriant foliage; luxuriant black eyelashes. Lux- the writer's emotions,
urious, a much commoner word, means 'supplied with usu. briefly and in stan-
luxuries, extremely comfortable,' e.g., a luxurious man- zas. 2 (of a poet) writing
sion. in this manner. 3 of or
Iux«u»ry /lugzharee, lukshgree/ n. {pi. -ries) 1 choice or for the lyre. 4 meant to
costly surroundings, possessions, food, etc. {a life of be sung; fit to be expressed in song; songlike {lyric dra-
luxury). 2 something desirable for comfort or enjoy- ma; lyric opera) • n. 1 a lyric poem. 2 (in pi. ) lyric vers-
.

ment, but not indispensable. 3 {attrib. ) providing great es. 3 (usu. in pi.) the words of a song.
comfort; expensive {a luxury apartment; a luxury va- lyr-i-cal /lirikal/ adj. 1 = lyric adj. 1, 2. 2 resembling,
cation).
Lw symb. Chem. the element lawrencium. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
lyricism ~ lytic 474
couched in, or using language appropriate to, lyric po-
etry. 3 colloq. highly enthusiastic (wax lyrical about).
do lyr»i«caMy adv.
lyr«i»cism /lirisizam/ n. 1 the character or quality of be-
ing lyric or lyrical. 2 a lyrical expression.
lyr«i»cist /lirisist/ n. a person who writes the words to a
song.
lyser-gic acid di»eth»yl«am»ide /di-ethilamid/ n. a
powerful hallucinogenic drug. H Abbr.: LSD.
ly»sin /li'sin/ n. Biol, a protein in the blood able to cause
lysis.
lysine /liseen/ n. Biochem. an amino acid present in
protein and essential in the diet of vertebrates.
Iy»sis /lisis/ n. (pi. lyses /-seez/) Biol, the disintegration
of a cell.
Iyt»ic /litik/ adj. of, relating to, or causing lysis.
 M
M 1
/em/ n. (pi. Ms or M's) 1 the thirteenth letter of the tion, etc. (the party machine). 5 a person who acts me-
alphabet. 2 (as a Roman numeral) 1,000. chanically. • v.tr. make or operate on with a machine.
M 2 abbr. (also M.) 1 Master. 2 Monsieur. 3 mega-. ma»chine code n. (also machine language a com-
m abbr. (also m.) 1 a masculine, b male. 2 married. puter language to which a particular computer can re-
3mile(s). 4meter(s). 5million(s). 6minute(s). spond direcdy.
7 Physics mass. 8 Currency mark(s). 9 milli-. ma-chine gun n. an automatic gun giving continuous
'm n. colloq. madam (in yes'm, etc.). fire.

MA abbr. 1 Master of Arts. 2 Massachusetts ma-chine-read-a-ble adj. in a form that a computer

(in official
postal use). can process.
ma /maa/ n. colloq. mother. ma»chin»er«y /mashe'enaree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 machines
ma'am /mam/ n. madam. collectively. 2 the components of a machine; a mech-
mac /mak/ n. (also mack) colloq. mackintosh. anism. 3 (foil, by of) an organized system. 4 (foil, by
ma*ca*bre /maka'absr/ adj. (also ma»ca«ber) grim, grue- for) the means devised or available (the machinery for
some. decision making).
mac-ad-am /makadam/ n. 1 material for making ma-chine tool n. a mechanically operated tool, dd ma*
roads with successive layers of compacted broken chine-tooled adj.
stone (named for J.L. McAdam, Brit, surveyor d. ma»chin»ist /mashe'enist/ n. 1 a person who operates a
1836). 2 a road made from such material, dd mac-ad- machine, esp. a machine tool. 2 a person who makes
am-ize v.tr. machinery.
mac»a»da»mi«a /makadaymees/ n. any Australian ev- ma»chis»mo mache'ezmo, -chizmo/ n. exaggeratedly
ergreen tree of the genus Macadamia, esp. M. ternifo- assertive manliness; a show of masculinity.
lia, bearing edible nutlike seeds. Mach num-ber see Mach.
ma-caque /mskak/ n. any monkey of the genus Macaca, ma»cho /ma'acho/ adj. n. • adj. showily manly or vir- &
including the rhesus monkey and Barbary ape. ile. »n. (pi. -chos) 1 a macho man. 2 = machismo.

mac»a«ro»ni /makarOnee/ n. 1 a tubular variety of pas- mac«in»tosh var. of .mackintosh.

ta. 2 hist, an 18th-c. British dandy affecting Continen- mack of mac.
var.
tal fashions. mack»er»el /makaral, makral/ n. (pi. same or macker-

mac»a»roon /makarobn/ n. a small light cake or cook- els) aN. Atlantic marine fish, Scomber scombrus, with
ie made with egg white, sugar, and ground almonds a greenish-blue body, used for food.
or coconut. mack»er»el sky n. a sky dappled with rows of small
ma-caw /makaw/ n. any long-tailed brightly colored white fleecy clouds, like the pattern on a mackerel's
parrot of the genus Ara or Anodorhynchus, native to S. back.
and Central America. mack»in»tosh/makintosh/»;. (also mac«in»tosh) 1 a wa-
Mace /mays/ n. Trademark a chemical spray used to dis- terproof, esp. rubberized, coat. 2 cloth waterproofed
able an attacker temporarily, dd mace v. with rubber.
mace /mays/ «.1a heavy club usu. having a metal head
1
mack»le /makal/ n. a blurred impression in printing.
and spikes used esp. in the Middle Ages. 2 a ceremo- ma»cra»me /makramay/ n. 1 the art of knotting cord or
nial staff of office. string in patterns to make decorative articles. 2 arti-
mace 2 /mays/ n. the fibrous layer between a nutmeg's cles made in this way.
shell and its husk, dried and ground as a spice. macTO /makro/ n. (also mac«ro«in«struc«tion) Comput-
mac»er»ate /masarayt/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become ing a series of abbreviated instructions expanded au-
soft by soaking. 2 intr. waste away, as by fasting. tomatically when required.
dd mac-er-a-tion /-rayshan/ n. mac-er-a-tor n. macro- /makro/ comb, form 1 long. 2 large; large-scale.
Mach /maak, mak/ n. (in full Mach number) the ratio mac»ro»bi»ot»ic /makrobiotik/ adj. &
n. • adj. relating
of the speed of a body to the speed of sound in the to or following a diet intended to prolong life, com-
surrounding medium, d Mach one (or two, etc.) the prising pure vegetable foods, brown rice, etc. •;;. (in
speed (or twice the speed) of sound. pi. treated as sing.) the use or theory of such a dietary
;

ma»chet»e /mashetee, machetee/ n. a broad heavy knife system.

used as an implement and weapon. mac»ro»COSm /makrokozam/ n. 1 the universe. 2 the
Mach»i»a»veMi»an /makeeaveleean/ adj. elaborately whole of a complex structure, dd mac«ro«cos«mic
cunning; scheming; unscrupulous (for N. dei Machi- /-kozmik/ adj.
avelli, Florentine statesman d. 1527). mac«ro»ec»o«nom»ics /makro-eekanomiks, -ek- ;/.

ma-chin-a-ble /mashe'engbal/ adj. capable of being cut
by machine tools, dd ma-chin-a-bil-i-ty n.
mach«i»nate /makinayt, mash-/ v.intr. lay plots; in-
trigue, dd mach-i-na-tion n.
ma«chine /masheen/ n. &
v. »n. 1 an apparatus apply-
ing mechanical power, having several parts each with
a definite function. 2 a particular kind of machine, esp.
a vehicle, a piece of electrical or electronic apparatus,
etc. 3 an instrument that transmits a force or directs
its application.4 the controlling system of an organiza-
the study of large-scale or general economic factors.
dd mac-ro«ec»o«nom»lc adj.
mac»ro»in»struc»tion /makro-instrukshan/ n. = macro.
ma»cron /maykraan, mak-/ n. a diacritical mark (") over
a long or stressed vowel.
mac«ro»pho»tog»ra»phy /makrofetografee/ n. photog-
raphy producing photographs larger than life.
mac»ro»SCOr>ic /makraskopik/ adj. 1 visible to the na-
ked eye. 2 regarded in terms of large units, dd mac«ro»
scop*i*cal*ly adv.
 . .

mad ~ magnet
mad /mad/ adj. &v.m adj. (madder, maddest) 1 insane;
having a disordered mind. 2 (of a person, conduct, or
idea) wildly foolish. 3 (often foil, by about) wildly
excited or infatuated {mad about football; is chess-mad).
4 colloq. angry. 5 (of an animal) rabid. 6 wildly light-
hearted. 0V. (madded, madding) 1 intr. archaic be
mad; act madly (the madding crowd) d as mad as a hat-
.
476 containing articles, stories, etc., usu. with illustrations.
2 a chamber for holding a supply of cartridges to be
fed automatically to the breech of a gun. 3 a similar
device feeding a camera, slide projector, etc. 4 a store
for arms, ammunition, and provisions for use in war.
5 a store for explosives.
magazine late 16th century: from French magasin,
from Italianmagazzino, from Arabic makzin, makzan

'storehouse,' from kazana 'store up.'The original sense

ter wildly eccentric, like mad colloq. with great energy,
was 'store'; this was often used from the mid- 1 7th cen-
intensity, or enthusiasm, dd mad»ness n.
tury onward in the title of books providing informa-
mad*am /madam/ n.1a polite or respectful form of ad- tion useful to particular groups of people, and from it
dress or mode of reference to a woman. 2 a woman
arose sense 1 (mid- 18th century). Sense 4, a contem-
brothel-keeper.
porary specialization of the original meaning, gave rise
Mad*ame /mada'am, madam/ n. 1 (pi. Mesdames
to sense 2 in the mid- 18th century.
/maydaam, -dam/) a title or form of address used of
or to a French-speaking woman, corresponding to ma»gen«ta /majenta/ n. &
adj. m. 1a brilliant mau-
Mrs. or madam. 2 (madame) = madam 1. vish-crimson color. 2 an aniline dye of this color, madj.
mad*cap /madkap/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 wildly impulsive. of or colored with magenta.
2 undertaken without forethought. • n. a wildly impul- mag*got /magat/ n. the soft-bodied larva of a dipter-
sive person. ous insect, esp. the housefly or bluebottle, dd mag«got«
mad«den /mad'n/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. make or become mad. y adj.
2 tr. irritate intensely, dd mad*den*ing adj. mad*den* ma«gi/>/. of magus.
ing»ly adv. mag*ic /majik/ n., adj., &
v. mn. 1 B the supposed art
mad*der /madar/ herbaceous plant, Rubia tinc-
n. 1 a of influencing the course of events by the occult con-
torum, with yellowish flowers. 2 a red dye obtained trol of nature or of the spirits, b witchcraft. 2 conjur-
from the root of the madder, or its synthetic substi- ing tricks. 3 an inexplicable or remarkable influence
tute. producing surprising results. 4 an enchanting quality
made /mayd/ 1 past and past part, of make. 2 adj. (usu. or phenomenon. • adj. 1 of or resulting from magic.
in comb.) a (of a person or thing) built or formed (well- 2 producing surprising results. 3 colloq. wonderful; ex-
made; strongly made) b successful (a self-made man)
. citing. mv.tr. (magicked, magicking) change or create
a have it made colloq. be sure of success, made for ide- by magic, or apparently so. d like magic very effective-
ally suited to. made of consisting of. made of money ly or rapidly.
colloq. very rich. mag*i*cal /majikal/ adj. 1 of or relating to magic. 2 re-
Ma*dei*ra /made'era/ n. an amber-colored fortified sembling magic; produced as if by magic. 3 wonder-
white wine from the island of Madeira off the coast of ful; enchanting, dd mag*i*caMy adv.
N. Africa. ma*gi*cian /majishan/ n. 1 a person skilled in or prac-
Mad*e*moi*selle /madamazel, madmwa-/ n. (pi. -s or ticing magic. 2 a person who performs magic tricks
Mesdemoiselles /maydmwa-/) 1 a title or form of ad- for entertainment. 3 a person with exceptional skill.
dress used of or to an unmarried French-speaking mag a is*te*ri*al /majiste'ereeal/ adj. 1 imperious. 2 in-
woman, corresponding to Miss. 2 (mademoiselle) a a vested with authority. 3 of or conducted by a magis-
young Frenchwoman, b a French governess. trate. 4 highly authoritative, dd mag*is*te*ri*al*ly adv.
mad«house /madhows/ n. 1 archaic or colloq. a home mag*is*trate /majistrayt, -strat/ n. 1a civil officer ad-
or hospital for the mentally disturbed. 2 colloq. a scene ministering the law. 2 an official conducting a court
of extreme confusion or uproar. for minor cases and preliminary hearings (magistrates'
mad»ly /madlee/ adv. 1 in a mad manner. 2 colloq. a pas- court)
sionately, b extremely. mag*lev /maglev/ n. (usu. attrib.) magnetic levitation,
mad«man /madman, -man/ n. (pi. -men) a man who is a system in which trains glide above the track in a
insane or who behaves insanely. magnetic field.
Ma*don*na /madona/ n. Eccl. 1 (prec. by the) a name mag*ma /magma/ n. (pi. magmata /-mata/or magmas)
for the Virgin Mary. 2 a picture or statue of the Madon- 1 fluid or semifluid material from which igneous rock
na. is formed by cooling. 2 a crude pasty mixture of min-

mad*ras /madras, madras/ n. a strong, lightweight cot- eral or organic matter, dd mag*mat*ic /-matik/ adj.
ton fabric with colored or white stripes, checks, etc. Mag*na Car«ta /magna kaarta/ n. (also Mag»na Char*
mad*ri*gal /madrigal/ n. 1 a usu. 1 6th-c. or 1 7th-c. part ta) 1 a charter of liberty and political rights obtained
song for several voices, usu. arranged in elaborate from King John of England in 1215.2 any similar doc-
counterpoint and without instrumental accompani- ument of rights.
ment. 2 a short love poem, dd mad»ri»gal»i»an mag»nan»i»mous /magnanimas/ adj. nobly generous;
/-gayleean/ adj. mad*ri*gal*ist n. not petty in feelings or conduct, dd mag»na«nim«i»ty
mad»wom»an /madwoDman/ n. (pi. -women) a woman /magnanimitee/ n. mag»nan»i»mous«ly adv.
who is insane or who behaves insanely. mag*nate /magnayt, -nat/ n. a wealthy and influential
maelstrom /maylstram/ n. 1 a great whirlpool. 2 a state person (shipping magnate; financial magnate).
of confusion. mag»ne-sia /magne'ezha, -sha, -zya/ n. 1 Chem.
maes»tro /mi'stro/ n. (pi. maestri /-stree/or -tros) 1 a magnesium oxide. 2 (in general use) hydrated magne-
distinguished musician, esp. a conductor. 2 a great sium carbonate, a white powder used as ;m mttcid
performer in any sphere. and laxative, do mag»ne»sian adj.
Ma»f i»a /ma'afeea, maf-/ n. 1 an organized body of crim- mag»ne«si»um /magneezeenm/ n. Cktm, a silver \ DC
inals, orig. in Sicily, now also in Italy, the US, and else- tallic element used for making light alloys and impor-
*
where. 2 (mafia) a group regarded as exerting a hid- tant as an essential element in living organisms.
den sinister influence. Symb.: Mg.
Ma*fi*o*so /maafeeoso, maf-/ n. (pi. Mafiosi /-see/) a mag*net /magnit/ n. la piece of iron, steel, allow OK,
member of the Mafia. etc.,having properties of attracting or repelling ifOO.
mag»a»zine /magaze'en/ n. 1 a periodical publication 2 a lodestone. 3 a person or thing that am
mag»net»ic /magnetik/ adj. 1 a having the properties of 477
a magnet, b producing, produced by, or acting by mag-
netism. 2 capable of being attracted by or acquiring with plumage like a magpie, esp. Gymnorhina tibicen
the properties of a magnet. 3 very attractive or allur- of Australia. 3 a chatterer. 4 a person who collects
ing (a magnetic personality) dd mag»net»i»caMy adv.
. things indiscriminately. 5 colloq. a black-and-white
mag-net»ic field n. a region of variable force around cow or steer, esp. a Holstein.
magnets, magnetic materials, or current-carrying con- ma*gus /maygas/ n. (pi. magi /mayjl/) 1 a member of a
ductors. priestly caste of ancient Persia. 2 a sorcerer. 3 (the Ma-
mag»net«ic north n. the point indicated by the north gi) the "wise men" from the East who brought gifts to
end of a compass needle.
mag«net*ic pole n. each of the points near the ex-
1 Mag*yar /magyaar/
tremities of the axis of rotation of the earth or anoth-
er body where a magnetic needle dips vertically. 2 each
of the regions of an artificial or natural magnet, from
which the magnetic forces appear to originate.
mag«net«ic res»o»nance im*ag*ing n. a noninvasive
diagnostic technique employing a scanner to obtain
computerized images of internal body tissue. ^ Abbr.:
MRI.
mag*net*ic tape n. a tape coated with magnetic mate-
rial for recording sound or pictures or for the storage
of information.
mag«net»ism /magnitizam/ n. la magnetic phenome-
na and their study, b the property of producing these
phenomena. 2 personal charm.
mag»net«ite /magnitlt/ n. magnetic iron oxide.
mag*net*ize /magnitiz/ v. tr. 1 give magnetic properties
to. 2 make into a magnet. 3 attract as or like a mag-
net, dd mag*ne*ti*za*tion n.
mag«ne»tO /magneeto/ n. (pi. -tos) an electric generator
using permanent magnets and producing high volt-
age, esp. for the ignition of an internal combustion en-
gine.
mag«ne»tO»e«lec»tric /magne'eto-ilektrik/ adj. (of an
electric generator) using permanent magnets, no mag*
ne*to*e*lec*tric*i*ty /-trisitee/ n.
mag«net school n. a public school that draws students
from throughout a district, offering superior facilities,
specialized courses, etc.
mag«ni»fi»ca«tion /magnifikayshan/ n. 1 the act or an
instance of magnifying; the process of being magni-
fied. 2 the amount or degree of magnification. 3 the
apparent enlargement of an object by a lens.
mag»nif»i«cent /magnifisant/ adj. 1 splendid; stately.
2 sumptuously constructed or adorned. 3 colloq. fine;
excellent, an mag*nif*i»cence /-sans/ n. mag»nif»i«cent«
ly adv.
mag»nif«i»CO /magnifiko/ n. (pi. -coes) a high ranking,
eminent, or powerful person.
mag«ni»fy /magnify v.tr. (-ties, -tied) 1 make (a thing)
appear larger than it is, as with a lens. 2 exaggerate.
3 intensify, dd mag*ni*fi*a*ble adj. mag«ni«fi«er n.
mag»ni«fy»ing glass n. a lens used to produce an en-
larged image.
mag»nl»tude/magnitood,-tyood/«. 1 largeness. 2 size.
3 importance. 4 a the degree of brightness of a star.
b a class of stars arranged according to this (of the third
magnitude), a of the first magnitude very important.
mag*no*lia /magnolya/ n. 1 any tree or shrub of the ge-
nus Magnolia, cultivated for its dark-green foliage and
large waxlike flowers in spring. 2 a pale creamy-pink
color.
magmum /magnam/ n. (pi. magnums) 1 a wine bottle
of about twice the standard size. 2 a a cartridge or shell
that is especially powerful or large, b (often attrib.) a
cartridge or gun adapted so as to be more powerful
than its caliber suggests.
mag*num o*pus /magnam opas/ n. (pi. magnum opus-
es or magna opera) 1 a great work of art, literature,
etc. 2 the most important work of an artist, writer, etc.
mag*pie /magpi/ n. 1a Eurasian crow (Pica pica) or a
N. American crow (P nuttalli) with a long pointed tail
and black-and-white plumage. 2 any of various birds
magnetic - mailman
the infant Christ (Matt. 2:1).
n. & adj. • n. 1 a member of a Ural-
Altaic people now predominant in Hungary. 2 the lan-
guage of this people. »adj. of or relating to this people
or language.
ma»ha«ra*ja /maahara'aja, -zha/ n. (also ma»ha»ra»jah)
hist, a title of some princes of India.
ma»ha»ra»ni /ma'ahsra'anee/ n. (also ma»ha»ra»nee) hist.
a maharaja's wife or widow.
ma»ha«ri«shi /maahareeshi/ n. a great Hindu sage or
spiritual leader.
ma»hat»ma /maha'atms, -hat-/ k. 1a (esp. in India) a
person regarded with reverence, b a sage. 2 each of a
class of persons in India and Tibet supposed by some
to have preternatural powers.
Ma*hi*can /maheekan/ n. &
adj. (also Mo»hi»can /mo-/)
• n. 1 a N. American people native to the upper Hud-
son River Valley of New York state. 2 a member of this
people. • adj. of or relating to this people.
mah-jongg /maajong, -jawng, -zhong, -zhawng/ n. (al-
so mahjong) a Chinese game for four resembling rum-
my and played with 136 or 144 pieces called tiles.
ma»hog»a»ny /mahoganee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 a a reddish-
brown wood used for furniture, b the color of this.
2 any tropical tree of the genus Szuietenia, esp. S.
mahagoni, yielding this wood.
maid /mayd/ n. la female domestic servant. 2 archaic
or poet, a girl or young woman.
maid*en /mayd'n/ n. &
adj. • «. 1 archaic or poet, a girl;
a young unmarried woman. 2 (often attrib.) a a horse
that has never won a race, b a race open only to such
horses. • adj. 1 unmarried (maiden aunt) 2 being or in-
volving the first attempt or occurrence (maiden speech;
maiden voyage). 3 (of a female animal) unmated.
dd maid*en*hood n. maid*en*ly adj.
maid*en*hair /mayd'nhair/ n. (in full maidenhair fern)
a fern of the genus Adiantum, esp. A. capillus-veneris,
with delicate fronds.
maid*en*head /mayd'nhed/ n. 1 virginity. 2 the hymen.
maid*en name n. a wife's surname before marriage.
maid of hon»or n. la principal bridesmaid. 2 an un-
married lady attending a queen or princess.
maid»serv»ant /maydservant/ n. a female servant.
mail /mayl/ n.
1
&
v. *n. a letters and parcels, etc.,
"\
conveyed by the postal system, b the postal system.
C one complete delivery or collection of mail, d one
delivery of letters to one place, esp. to a business on
one occasion. 2 (usu. the mails) the system that deliv-
ers the mail. 3 a vehicle carrying mail. •v.tr. send by
mail.
mail 2 /mayl/ n.&v.*n."\ armor made of rings, chains,
or plates. 2 the protective shell, scales, etc., of an an-
imal. 9V.tr. clothe with or as if with mail, dd mailed
adj.
mail-box /maylboks/ n. 1 a public receptacle for depos-
iting mail. 2 a private receptacle for at-home pickup
and delivery of mail. 3 a computer file in which
electronic mail is stored.
mail car»ri»er n. a person who delivers mail.
mailing list n. a list of people to whom advertising
matter, information, etc., is to be mailed.
mail*man /maylman/ n. (pi. -men) a mail carrier.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

mail order ~ make 478

part of several titles given to a sovereign or a sover-
eign's wife or widow or used in addressing them {Your
mail or»der n. an order for goods sent by mail. Majesty; Her Majesty the Queen Mother).
mail-room /maylroom, -room/ n. a room for sorting in- ma»jor /mayjar/ adj., n., v. •adj. 1 important; large; &
coming and outgoing mail in a business or an organiza- serious; significant {a major road; a major war, the ma-
tion. jor consideration must be their health). 2 (of an opera-
maim /maym/ v.tr. 1 cripple, disable, mutilate. 2 harm; tion) serious. 3 Mus. a (of a scale) having intervals of
impair {emotionally maimed by neglect) a semitone between the third and fourth, and seventh
main /mayn/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 chief; principal {the main and eighth degrees, b (of an interval) greater by a sem-
part; the main point). 2 exerted to the full {by main itone than a minor interval {major third) C (of a key) .

force). *n. 1 a principal channel, duct, etc., for water, based on a major scale. 4 of full legal age. 5 Brit, (ap-
sewage, etc. {water main). 2 archaic or poet, a the ocean pended to a surname, esp. in public schools) the elder
or oceans {the Spanish Main), b the mainland, d in the of two brothers {Smith major) • n. 1 a an army officer .

main for the most part, with might and main with all next below lieutenant colonel and above captain, b a
one's force. person in charge of a section of band instruments
main course n. 1 the chief course of a meal. 2 Nam. {drum major) 2 a person of full legal age. 3 US a a stu-
.

the mainsail. dent's most emphasized subject or course, b a student

main drag n. US colloq. = main street. specializing in a specified subject {a philosophy major)
main»frame /maynfraym/ n. 1 the central processing • v. intr. (foil, by in) study or qualify in as a special sub-
unit and primary memory of a computer. 2 (often ject {majored in theology).
attrib.) a large computer system. ma»jor»do»mo /mayjardomo/ n. (pi. -mos) 1 the chief
mainland /maynland/ n. a large continuous extent of official of an Italian or Spanish princely household.
land, excluding neighboring islands, etc. mainland* 2 a house steward; a butler.
er n. ma»jor gen»er«al n. an officer next below a lieutenant
mainline /maynlin/?;. si. 1 intr. take drugs intravenous- general.
ly. 2 tr. inject (drugs) intravenously {mainlining hero- ma»jor»i»ty /majawritee, -jor-/ n. {pi. -ties) 1 (usu. foil,
in), dd main»lin»er n. by of) the greater number or part. Strictly used
main line n. 1 a chief railroad line. 2 si. a principal vein only with countable nouns, e.g., a majority of people,
(cf.mainline). 3 a chief road or street. and not with mass nouns, e.g., a majority of the
main*ly /maynlee/ adv. for the most part; chiefly. work. 2 Polit. a the number by which the votes cast
main«mast /maynmast, -mast/ n. Naut. the principal for one party, candidate, etc., exceed those of the
mast of a ship. next {won by a majority of 151). b a party, etc., receiv-
main*sail /maynsayl, -sal/ n. Naut. 1 (in a square- ing the greater number of votes. 3 full legal age {at-
rigged vessel) the lowest sail on the mainmast. 2 (in a tained his majority). 4 the rank of major. the great
fore-and-aft-rigged vessel) a sail set on the after part majority 1 much the greater number. 2 euphem. the
of the mainmast. dead {has joined the great majority), in the majority esp.
main*spring /maynspring/ n. 1 the principal spring of Polit. belonging to or constituting a majority party,

a mechanical watch, clock, etc. 2 a chief motive power; etc.

an incentive. Majoritymeans more than half: Fifty-one out of 100
main*stay /maynstay/ n. a chief support {has been his is a majority. A plurality is the largest number among
.

mainstay since his trouble) three or more: If Anne received 50 votes, Barry received
main*Stream /maynstreem/ n. 1 (often attrib.) the pre- 30, and Carlos received 20, then Anne received a plurali-
2 a type of jazz
vailing trend in opinion, fashion, etc. ty, and no candidate won a majority; ifAnne got 35 votes,

based on the 1930s swing style and consisting esp. of
solo improvisation on chord sequences. 3 the principal
current of a river.
main Street the principal street of a town.
n.
main-tain /mayntayn/ v.tr. 1 cause to continue; keep
up, preserve (a state of affairs, an activity, etc.) {main-
tained friendly relations). 2 (often foil, by in; often refl.)
support (life, a condition, etc.) by work, nourishment,
expenditure, etc. {maintained him in comfort; main-
tained themselves by fishing). 3 (often foil, by that +
clause) assert (an opinion, statement, etc.) as true
{maintained that she was the best; his story was true, he
Barry 14, and Carlos 51, then Carlos won both the plu-
rality and the majority.
ma»jor league n. a professional league of highest
classification in baseball, etc.
make /mayk/ v. &
n. %v. (past and past part, made
/mayd/) 1 tr. construct; create; form from parts or
other substances. 2 tr. (often foil, by to + infin.) cause
or compel (make him repeat it). 3 tr. a cause to exist;
bring about (made a noise), b cause to become or seem
(made him angry). C appoint; designate (made him a
cardinal). 4 tr. prepare; draw up (made her will). 5 tr.
amount to (makes a difference; 2 and 2 make 4) 6 tr. .

maintained). 4 preserve (a building, machine, road,
etc.) in good repair. 5 give aid to (a cause, party, etc.).
6 provide means for (a garrison, etc., to be equipped).
dd mairvtaiirer n. maintainable adj. main«tain«a«bil«
i-ty n.
main»te»nance /mayntanans/ ra. 1 the process of main-
taining or being maintained. 2 the provision of the
means to support life.
ma?»tre d'ho*tel /metra dotel, mayt-/ n. {pi. maitres
d'hotel pronunc. same) 1 (also maitre d') a headwaiter.
a undertake or agree to (an aim or purpose) (made a
promise), b execute or perform (a bodily movement, a
speech, etc.) (made a face). 7 tr. gain, acquire, procure
(money, a profit, etc.). 8 tr. prepare (tea, coffee, a dish,
etc.) for consumption. 9 tr. a arrange bedding neatly
on (a bed), b arrange and ignite materials tor (a tire).
10 intr. a proceed (made toward the river), b (foil, by to
+ infin.) begin an action (he made to go). 11 tr. colloq.
a arrive at (a place) or in time tor (a train, etc.) (///./«/.
the six o'clock train), b manage to attend (could V maki
ti

2 the manager, head steward, etc., of a hotel.
maize /mayz/ n. 1 esp. Brit. = corn n. 1.2a pale gold-
en-yellow color.
Maj. abbr. Major.
ma»jes»tic /majestik/ adj. stately and dignified; impos-
ing, dd ma*jes*ti*caMy adv.
the meeting last week; can make any day <-\ <</>/ Friday)
1
C achieve a place in (made the first team), d achieve the
rank of (made colonel in three years). 12 tr. establish 01
enact (a distinction, rule, law, etc.). 13 tr. estimate II
(I'd make
the time to be 7 o'clock). 14 tr. secure the sir
cess or advancement of (it made my day) 1 5 n. accom-
.

maj»es»ty /majistee/ n. {pi. -ties) 1 impressive stateli- plish (a distance, score, etc.) (made 60 m.p.h. <>>i tin
ness, dignity, or authority. 2 a royal power, b (Majesty) freeway). 16 tr. a become by development or training
 . .

(made a great leader), b serve as (a log makes a useful 479 make-believe ~ male chauvinist
seat). 17 tr. (usu. foil, by out) cause to appear as (makes
him out a liar). 18 tr. form in the mind (/ make no judg- make«up /maykap/ n. 1 cosmetics such as lipstick or
ment). 19 tr. (foil, by it + compl.) a determine, estab- powder for the face for enhancing or altering the ap-
lish, or choose (let's make it Tuesday), b bring to (a cho- pearance. 2 the appearance of the face, etc., when cos-
sen value, etc.) (decided to make it a dozen). 20 tr. si. metics have been applied (his makeup was not convinc-
have sexual relations with. 21 tr. Cards a win (a trick). ing). 3 Printing the making up of a type. 4 Printing the
b play (a card) to advantage. C win the number of type made up. 5 a person's character, temperament,
tricks that fulfills (a contract) d shuffle (a deck of etc. 6 the composition or constitution of a thing.
.

cards) for dealing. 22 tr. Electr. complete or close (a mak*ing /mayking/ n. 1 in senses of make v. 2 (in pi.)
circuit) (opp. break 10). *n. 1 (esp. of a product) a
1
a earnings; profit, b (foil, by of) essential qualities or
type, origin, brand, etc., of manufacture (different make ingredients (has the makings of a general) C colloq. pa- .

of car). 2 a kind of mental, moral, or physical structure per and tobacco for rolling a cigarette, a be the mak-
or composition. 3 an act of shuffling cards. make as ing of ensure the success or favorable development of.
if (or though) (foil, by to + infin. or conditional) act in the making in the course of being made or formed.
as if (made as if to leave), make away with = make off ma*ko /mayko, maako/ n. (pi. -kos) a blue shark, Isurus
with, make believe pretend, make a day (or night, etc.) oxyrinchus.
of devote a whole day (or night, etc.) to an activity.
it ma I- /mal/ comb, form 1 bad; badly (malpractice; mal-

make do 1 manage with the means available. 2 (foil, treat) 2 faulty, faultily (malfunction) 3 not (maladroit)
. .

by with) manage with (something) as an inferior sub- mal»a»chite /malsklt/ n. a bright-green mineral of hy-
stitute, make an example of punish as a warning to drous copper carbonate, used for ornament.
others, make for 1 tend to result in (happiness, etc.). mal»a»col«o«gy /malakotajee/ n. the study of mollusks.
2 proceed toward (a place). 3 assault; attack. 4 con- mal*ad*just*ed /malajustid/ adj. 1 not correctiy ad-
firm (an opinion), make friends (often foil, by with) justed. 2 (of a person) unable to adapt to or cope with
become friendly, make headway advance; progress. the demands of a social environment, dd mal«ad*just*
make it 1 colloq. succeed in reaching, esp. in time. 2 col- ment n.

loq. be successful. 3 (usu. by with) si. have sexual

foil, mal»a»droit /matadroyt/ adj. clumsy; bungling, an mal«
intercourse (with), make it up 1 be reconciled, esp. af- a*droit*ly adv. mal*a*droit*ness n.
ter a quarrel. 2 fill in a deficit, make it up to remedy mal*a*dy /maladee/ n. (pi. -dies) 1 an ailment; a dis-
negligence, an injury, etc., to (a person), make much ease. 2 a morbid or depraved condition.
(or little or the best) of 1 derive much (or little, etc.) Mal*a*gas«y /malagasee/ adj. &
n. •adj. of or relating

advantage from. 2 give much (or little, etc.) attention, to Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean. • n. the
importance, etc., to. make nothing of 1 do without hes- language of Madagascar.
itation. 2 treat as a 3 be unable to understand,
trifle. ma*laise /malayz/ n. 1a non-specific bodily discom-
use, or deal with, make
1 construct from. 2 con-
of fort not associated with the development of a disease.
clude to be the meaning or character of (can you make 2 a feeling of uneasiness.
anything of it?), make off (or away) with carry away; mal*a*mute /malamyoot/ n. (also malemute) any of an
steal, make or break cause the success or ruin of. make Alaskan breed of large sled dogs.
out 1 a distinguish by sight or hearing, b decipher mal*a*prop*ism /malapropizam/ n. (also mal*a*prop
(handwriting, etc.) 2 understand (can 't make him out)
. /mal aprop/) the use of a word in mistake for one
3 assert; pretend (made out he liked it). 4 colloq. make sounding similar, to comic effect, e.g., allegory for al-
progress; fare (how did you make out?). 5 (usu. foil, by ligator.
to, in favor of) draw up; write out (made out a check to mal*ap*ro*pos /malaprapO/ adv., adj., n. • adv. inop- &
her) 6 prove or try to prove (how do you make that out?)
. portunely; inappropriately, madj. inopportune; inap-
7 (often foil, by with), colloq. a engage in sexual play propriate. »n. something inappropriately said, done,
or petting, b form a sexual relationship, make over etc.
1 transfer the possession of (a thing) to a person. 2 re- ma*lar /maylar/ adj. &
n. • adj. of the cheek. • n. (also
fashion; restyle. make time 1 (usu. foil, by for or to + malar bone) a bone of the cheek.
infin.) find an occasion when time is available. 2 (usu. ma*lar*i*a /malaireea/ n. a recurrent fever caused by a
foil, by with) si. make sexual advances (to a person). protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium, intro-
make up 1 serve or act to overcome (a deficiency). duced by the bite of a mosquito, dd ma*lar*i*al adj. ma*
2 complete (an amount, a party, etc.). 3 compensate. lar*i*ous adj.
4 be reconciled. 5 put together; compound; prepare ma*lar*key /mgla'arkee/ n. colloq. humbug; nonsense.
(made up the medicine) 6 sew together. 7 get (a sum of
. Ma*lay /maylay, malay/ n. &
adj. mn. 1 a a member of
money, a company, etc.) together. 8 concoct (a story). a people predominating in Malaysia and Indonesia.
9 (of parts) compose (a whole). 10 apply cosmetics. b a person of Malay descent. 2 the language of this
11 settle (a dispute). 12 prepare (a bed) for use with people, the official language of Malaysia, madj. of or
fresh sheets, etc. 13 Printing arrange (type) in pages. relating to this people or language, an Malayan n. &
14 compile (a list, an account, etc.). make up one's adj.
mind decide; resolve, make way 1 (often foil, by for) mal»con»tent /malkantent/ n. &adj. mn. a discontented
allow room for others to proceed. 2 achieve progress. person; a rebel. madj. discontented or rebellious.
make one's way proceed, on the make colloq. 1 intent male /mayl/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 of the sex that can beget
on 2 looking for sexual partners.
gain. offspring by fertilization or insemination. 2 of men or
make-be*lieve n. &
adj. • w.the action of pretending or male animals, plants, etc.; masculine. 3 a (of plants or
imagining. madj. imitating something real; pretend their parts) containing only fertilizing organs, b (of
(shooting a make-believe gun). plants) thought of as male because of color, shape, etc.
make»o»ver /maykovar/ n. a complete transformation 4 (of parts of machinery, etc.) designed to enter or fill
or restyling. the corresponding female part (a male plug) • n. a male .

mak»er /mayksr/ (often in comb.) a person or thing

n. 1 person or animal, an male*ness n.
that makes. 2 (our, the, etc., Maker) God. male chau*vin*ist (pig) n. a man who is prejudiced
makeshift /maykshift/ adj. &n. madj. temporary; serv- against women or regards women as inferior.
ing for the time being. • n. a temporary substitute or
device. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

malediction ~ man 480 Maltese cross n. a cross with arms of equal length
broadening from the center, often indented at the
mal*e*diotion /malidikshan/ n. 1a curse. 2 the utter- ends.
ance of a curse. malt liq*uor n. a kind of strong beer.
mal»e«fac»tor /malifaktar/ n. a criminal; an evildoer. malt«ose /mawltos, -toz/ n. Chem. a sugar produced by
mal»e«fi«cent /malefisant/ adj. literary 1 (often foil, by the hydrolysis of starch under the action of the
to) hurtful. 2 criminal, on mal*e*fi*cence /-sans/ n. enzymes in malt, saliva, etc.
ma»lev»o»lent /malevalant/ adj. wishing evil to others. mal'treat/maltreet/ v.tr. ill-treat, dd mal*treat«er n. mal*
dd ma»lev»o«lence /-tons/ n. ma«levo«lenWy adv. treat*ment n.
mal*fea*sance /malfe'ezans/ n. Law evildoing. dd mal» ma*ma /ma'ama, mama'a/ n. colloq. (esp. as a child's
feasant /-zant/ n. &
adj. term) mother.
malfunction /malfungkshan/ n. &
v. •«. a failure to manvba /ma'amba/ n. any venomous African snake of
function in a normal or satisfactory manner. • v. intr. the genus Dendroaspis, esp. the green mamba (D. angus-
fail to function normally or satisfactorily. ticeps) or black mamba (D. polylepis)
mal»ice /malis/ n. 1a the intention to do evil, b a de- mam*bo /ma'ambo/ n. &
v. •«. (pi. -bos) 1 a Latin

sire to tease, esp. cruelly. 2 Law wrongful intention, American dance like the rumba. 2 the music for this.
esp. as increasing guilt, dd ma*li*cious /malishas/ adj. • v. intr. (-boes, -boed) perform the mambo.
ma*li*cious*ly adv. ma*li*cious*ness n. manvma /ma'ama/ n. (also mom»ma) colloq. (esp. as a
1

ma*lice a*fore*thought n. (also maMce prepense) child'sterm) mother.

Law the intention to commit a crime, esp. murder. mam*ma 2 /ma'ama/ n. (pi. mammae /-mee/) 1 a milk-
ma«lign /malm/ adj. & v. •adj. 1 (of a thing) injurious. secreting organ of female mammals. 2 a correspond-
2 (of a disease) malignant. 3 malevolent, •v.tr. speak ing nonsecretory structure in male mammals, dd mam*
ill of; slander, dd ma«lig*ni*ty /malignitee/ n. (pi. -ties). m inform adj.
ma*lign*ly /-linlee/ adv. manvmal /mamal/ n. any vertebrate of the class
ma*lig*nant /malignant/ a (of a disease) very vir-
adj. 1 Mammalia, the females of which possess milk-secret-
ulent or infectious (malignant cholera) b (of a tumor)
. ing mammae for the nourishment of the young.
tending to invade normal tissue and recur after remov- dd mam«ma*li*an /-maylian/ adj. n. &
al; cancerous. 2 harmful; feeling or showing intense ill mam»ma«ry /mamaree/ adj. of the human female
will, dd ma*lig*nan*cy n. (pi. -cies). ma»lig«nanWy adv. breasts or milk-secreting organs of other mammals.
ma*lin*ger /malinggar/ v.intr. feign illness in order to mam*mog*ra*phy /mamografee/ n. Med. an X-ray
escape work, etc. dd ma»lin»ger»er n. technique of diagnosing and locating abnormalities of
mall /mawl/ n. 1 a sheltered walk or promenade. 2 an the breasts.
enclosed shopping center. manrmon /maman/ n. (also Mammon) 1 wealth re-
maMard /milard/ n. (pi. same or mallards) 1 a wild garded as a god or as an evil influence. 2 the worldly
duck or drake, Anas platyrhynchos, of the northern rich.
hemisphere. 2 the flesh of the mallard. manvmoth /mamath/ n. & adj. • n. any large extinct el-
maMe*a*ble /maleeabal/ adj. 1 (of metal, etc.) able to ephant of the ge-
be hammered or pressed permanently out of shape nus Mammuthus,
without breaking or cracking. 2 adaptable; flexible. with a hairy coat
dd maMe*a*bil*i*ty n. maMe»a»bly adv. and curved tusks.
maMet la hammer, usu. of wood. 2 a long-
/malit/ n. • adj. huge.
handled wooden hammer for striking a croquet or po- Man. abbr. Mani-
lo ball. toba.
mal*le«US /maleeas/ (pi. mallei /-lee-l/) Anat. a small man /man/ n. & v.

bone in the middle ear transmitting the vibrations of • n. (pi.men /men/)

the tympanum to the incus. 1 an adult human
maMow /malo/ n. 1a herbaceous plant of the genus male, esp. as dis-
Malva with hairy stems and leaves and pink or purple tinct from a
flowers. 2 any of several other plants of the family woman or boy. mammoth
Malvaceae, including marsh mallow. 2a a person(no
mal*nour*ished /malnarisht, -nur-/ adj. suffering from man is perfect) b the human race (man is mortal) 3 a
. .

malnutrition, dd mal*nour*ish*ment /-narishmant, person showing characteristics associated with males

-mir-/ n.
mal*nu«tri*tion /malnootrishan, -nyoD-/ n. a dietary
condition resulting from the absence of foods neces-
sary for health; insufficient nutrition.
mal-ocolU'Sion /malakloozhan/ n. Dentistry faulty
contact of opposing teeth when the jaws are closed.
mal«odor»ous /malodaras/ adj. having an unpleasant
smell.
mal*praotice /malpraktis/ improper or negligent
n. 1
professional treatment, as by a medical practitioner.
2 a criminal wrongdoing, b an instance of this.
malt /mawlt/ n. &
v. •«. barley or other grain that is
steeped, germinated, and dried, esp. for brewing. • v.
1 tr. convert (grain) into malt. 2 intr. (of seeds) be-
come malt when germination is checked by drought.
dd malt«y /mawltee/ adj. (maltier, maltiest). malt«i«
(she's more of a man than he is). 4 a worker; an employ-
ee (the manager spoke to the men). 5 a (usu. in pi.) sol-
diers, sailors, etc., esp. nonofficers. b an individual
(fought to the last man). C (usu. prec. by the, or poss.
pron.) a person fulfilling requirements (I'm your man).
6a a husband (man and wife), b colloq. a boyfriend Of
lover. 7 a a human being of a specified historical pe-
riod or character (Renaissance man), b a type of pre-
historic man named after the place where the remains
were found (Peking man). 8 any one oft set of pieces
used in playing chess, etc. 9 (as second element In
comb.) a man of a specified nationality, profession, feU
(Dutchman; clergyman). 10 a an expression of impa-
male (nOfUtttit, man!),
tience, etc., used in addressing a
b colloq. a general mode
of address (blew my mind,
man!). 11 (prec. by a) one (what an a nnm do?). 12 a <

ness n. person pursued (the police have so far not caught their
Maltese /mawlte'ez, -tees/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 (pi. same) man). 13 (the Man) 5/. a the police, b si. a person with
a a native or national of Malta, b a person of Maltese power or authority. 14 (in comb.) a ship of I spec if k ii
descent. 2 the language of Malta, •adj. of or relating type (merchantman; Indiaman). •v.tr. (manned, man-
to Malta or its people or language. ning) 1 supply (a ship, factory, etc.) with a person or
 people for work or defense, etc. 2 work or service or 481 man about town ~ manganese
defend (a specified piece of equipment, a fortification,
etc.) (man the pumps). 3 Nam. place men at (a part of skin. 2 the tree, Citrus reticulata, yielding this. Also
a ship). 4 fill (a post or office). 5 (usu. refl.) fortify the Called TANGERINE.
spirits or courage of (manned herselffor the task) a be man*date /mandayt/ n.&v.* n. 1 an official command
.

a man be courageous, be one's own man 1 be free to or instruction. 2 support for a policy or course of ac-
act; be independent. 2 be in full possession of one's tion, regarded by a victorious party, etc., as derived
faculties, etc. separate (or sort out) the men from the from the wishes of the people in an election. 3 a
boys colloq. find those who are truly virile, competent, commission to act for another. • v. tr. instruct (a del-
etc. to a man all without exception. egate) to act or vote in a certain way.
Many consider the use of man to mean 'human be- man»da»to«ry /mandatawree/ adj. 1 of or conveying a
ing' or 'the human race' offensive and sexist. command. 2 compulsory, dd man»da«to»ri«ly adv.
man a*bout town n. a fashionable man of leisure. man*di*ble /mandibal/ n. 1 the jaw, esp. the lower jaw
man»a«cle /manakal/ n. &v. «n. (usu. mpl.) 1 a fetter in mammals and fishes. 2 the upper or lower part of a
or shackle for the hand. 2 a restraint. • v. tr. fetter with bird's beak. 3 either half of the crushing organ in an
manacles. arthropod's mouthparts. man«dib»u»lar /-dibyalar/
man*age /manij/ v. 1 tr. organize; regulate; be in charge adj.
of (a business, household, etc.). 2 tr. (often foil, by to man*do*lin /mandalin/ n. (also man»do»line) a musical
+ infin.) succeed in achieving (managed a smile) .3 intr. instrument resembling a lute, having paired metal
a (often foil, by with) succeed in one's aim, esp. against strings plucked with a plectrum, dd man*do*lin*ist n.
heavy odds (managed with one assistant), b meet one's
needs with limited resources, etc. (manages on a pen-
sion) 4 tr. maintain control over (cannot manage their
.

teenage son). 5 tr. (also absol; often prec. by can, be able

to) a cope with (can you manage by yourself?) b be free
.

to attend on (a certain day) or at (a certain time) (can

you manage Thursday?). 6 tr. handle or wield (a tool,
weapon, etc.). 7 tr. take or have charge or control of
(an animal or animals, esp. cattle).
man*age*a*ble /manijabal/ adj. able to be managed,
controlled, or accomplished, etc. dd man«age«a«bil«i»ty
n. man»age«a»ble»ness n. man*age*a*bly adv.
man*aged care n. health care administered by a health
maintenance organization or similar system, intended
to limit hospital and practioner fees.
mandolin
man»age»ment /manijmant/ the process or an in-
n. 1
stance of managing or being managed. 2 a the profes- man»drake /mandrayk/ n. 1 a poisonous plant, Man-
sional administration of business concerns, etc. b the dragora officinarum, having emetic and narcotic prop-
people engaged in this, c (prec. by the) a governing erties. 2 = MAYAPPLE.
body. 3 (usu. foil, by of) Med. the technique of treat- man*drel /mandral/ n. 1a shaft in a lathe to which work
ing a disease, etc. is fixed while being turned. 2 a cylindrical rod around
man»age*ment in«forTna«tion system n. Computing which metal or other material is forged or shaped.
a computer system used in business for processing da- man*drill /mandril/ n. a large W. African baboon, Papio
ta related to management activities. (or Mandrillus) sphinx.
man»ag»er /manijar/ n. 1 a person controlling or ad- mane /mayn/ n. 1 long hair growing in a line on the
ministering a business or part of a business. 2 a per- neck of a horse, lion, etc. 2 colloq. a person's long hair.
son controlling the affairs, training, etc., of a person dd maned adj. (also in comb.). mane*less adj.
or team in sports, entertainment, etc. 3 a person re- ma*nege /manezh/ n. (also ma«nege) 1 a riding school.
garded in terms of skill in management (a good man- 2 the movements of a trained horse. 3 horsemanship.
ager), dd man*a*ge*ri*al /manije'ereeal/ adj. man«a»ge« ma»nes /ma'anayz, mayneez/ n.pl. 1 the deified souls of
ri»al»ly /-je'ereealee/ adv. man«a»ger»ship
n. dead ancestors. 2 (as sing.) the revered ghost of a dead
man*ag*ing /manijing/ adj. 1 having exec-
(in comb.) person.
utive authority (managing partner) 2 (attrib. ) fond of ma«neu«ver /manoovar/ n.
. &
v. • n. 1 a planned and

controlling affairs, etc. controlled movement or series of moves. 2 (in pi.) a

ma*na*na /manya'ana/ adv. &
n. *adv. in the indefinite large-scale exercise of troops, warships, etc. 3 a an of-
future (esp. to indicate procrastination). •«. an indef- ten deceptive planned or controlled action designed
inite future time (from a Spanish word meaning 'to- to gain an objective, b a skillful plan. mv. 1 intr. tr. &
morrow'). perform or cause to perform a maneuver (maneuvered
man*a*tee /manatee/ n. any large aquatic plant-eating the car into the space). 2 intr. &
tr. perform or cause

mammal. (troops, etc.) to perform military maneuvers. 3 a tr.

man*da*la /mandate, mun-/ n. a symbolic circular fig- (usu. foil, by into, out, away) force, drive, or manipu-
ure representing the universe in various religions. late (a person, thing, etc.) by scheming or adroitness.
man*da«mus /mandaymas/ n. Law a judicial writ is- b intr. use artifice, dd ma*neu*ver*a*ble adj. ma»neu»
sued as a command to an inferior court, or ordering ver«a»bil»i»ty /-vrabilitee, -vara-/ n.
a person to perform a public or statutory duty. man Fri-day a helper or follower (after Man Friday in
man^da-rin /mandarin/ n. 1 (Mandarin) the official
1
Defoe's Robinson Crusoe).
language of China. 2 hist, a Chinese official. 3 a a par- man*ga*nese /manggane'ez/ n. 1 Chem. a gray brittle
ty leader; a bureaucrat, b a powerful member of the metallic element used with steel to make alloys. If
establishment. 4 a a nodding Chinese figure, usu. of Symb. Mn. 2 (in full manganese oxide) the black min-
:

porcelain, b porcelain, etc., decorated with Chinese eral oxide of this used in the manufacture of glass.
figures in mandarin dress. dd man*ga*nous /mangganas/ adj.
man«da»rin 2 /mandarin/ n. (in full mandarin orange)
1 a small flattish deep-colored orange with a loose See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 M

mange - mannered 482 manifest 2 /manifest/ n. &v. • n. 1 a cargo list for the

use of customs officers. 2 a list of passengers in an air-

mange /maynj/ n. a skin disease in hairy and woolly
animals, caused by an arachnid parasite.
manager /maynjar/ n. a long open box or trough for
horses or cattle to eat from.
man-gle /manggal/ v.tr. 1 hack, cut, or mutilate by
1
blows, etc. 2 spoil (a quotation, text, etc.) by misquot-
ing, mispronouncing, etc. 3 cut roughly so as to dis-
figure.
man«gle 2 /manggal/ n. & v. •n. a machine having two
craft or of cars, etc., in a freight train, •v.tr. record
(names, cargo, etc.) in a manifest.
Manifest Des«ti«ny n. 19th-c. doctrine asserting that
the United States was destined to expand westward to
the Pacific and to exert economic and social control
throughout N. America.
man»i»fes»tO /manifesto/ n. (pi. -tos or -toes) a public
declaration of policy and aims, esp. political or social.
man*i*fold /manifold/ adj. & n. *adj. literary 1 many

or more heated, revolving cylinders between which and various (manifold vexations). 2 having various
clothes, sheets, etc., are smoothed and pressed, •v.tr. forms, parts, applications, etc. 3 performing several
press (clothes, etc.) in a mangle. functions at once. »w. 1 a thing with many different
maogo /manggo/ n. (pi. -goes or -gos) 1 a fleshy yel- forms, parts, applications, etc. 2 Mech. a pipe or cham-
lowish-red fruit, eaten ripe or used green for pickles, ber branching into several openings, dd man»i»fold»ly
etc. 2 the E. Indian evergreen tree, Mangifera indica, adv. man«i»fold»ness n.
bearing this. man*i*kin /manikin/ n. (also man*ni*kin) 1 a little man.
man»go«steen /manggasteen/ n. 1 a white juicy-pulped 2 an artist's lay figure. 3 an anatomical model of the
fruit with a thick reddish-brown rind. 2 the E. Indian body.
tree, Garcinia mangostana, bearing this. Ma»nil»a /manib/ n. (also Ma»niMa) 1 (in full Manila
man»grove /manggrov/ n. any tropical tree or shrub of hemp) the strong fiber of a Philippine tree, Musa tex-
the genus Rhizophora, growing in tidal-shore mud with tilis, used for rope, etc. 2 (also manila) a strong brown

many tangled roots above ground. paper made from Manila hemp. 3 a cigar or cheroot
man*gy /maynjee/ adj. (mangier, mangiest) 1 (esp. of made in Manila.
a domestic animal) having mange. 2 squalid; shabby. man«i«oc /maneeok/ n. 1 cassava. 2 the flour made from
dd man»gi«ly adv. man*gi*ness n. it.

man*han*dle /manhand'l/ v.tr. 1 move (heavy objects) ma*nip*U*late /manipyalayt/ v.tr. 1 handle, treat, or
by hand with great effort. 2 colloq. handle (someone use, esp. skillfully. 2 manage (a person, situation, etc.)
or something) roughly. to one's own advantage, esp. unfairly or unscrupulous-
man«hole /manhol/ n. a covered opening in a floor, ly. 3 manually examine and treat (a part of the body).

pavement, sewer, etc., for workers to gain access. 4 Computing alter, edit, or move (text, data, etc.).
man*hood /manhood/ n. 1 the state of being a man dd ma*nip*u*la*ble /-lsbal/ adj. ma»nip»u»la«tion
rather than a child or woman. 2 a manliness; courage. /-layshan/ n. ma*nip*u*la*tor n. ma»nip»u»la»toTy
b a man's sexual potency. 3 the men of a country, etc. /-btawree/ adj.
4 the state of being human. ma»nip«u«la»tive/m9nipy3tativ/tfd/. 1 characterized by
man-hour n. (also man-day, etc.) an hour (or day, etc.) unscrupulous exploitation for one's own ends. 2 of or
regarded in terms of the amount of work that could concerning manipulation, dd ma«nip«u»la»tive»ly adv.
be done by one person within this period. ma»nip»u»la»tive«ness n.
man»hunt /manhunt/ n. an organized search for a per- man*i«tou /manitdo/ «. la good or evil spirit as an ob-
son, esp. a criminal. ject of reverence. 2 something regarded as having su-
ma*ni*a /mayneea/ n. 1 Psychol, mental illness marked pernatural power.
by periods of great excitement and violence. 2 (often man»kind n. 1 /mankind/ the human species.
foil, by for) excessive enthusiasm. 2 /mankind/ male people, as distinct from female.
-mania /mayneea/ comb, form 1 Psychol, denoting a maiHy /manlee/ adj. (manlier, manliest) 1 having qual-
special type of mental abnormality or obsession (meg- ities regarded as admirable in a man, such as courage,
alomania). 2 denoting extreme enthusiasm or admira- frankness, etc. 2 (of a woman) mannish. 3 (of things,
tion (bibliomania). qualities, etc.) befitting a man. dd man*li*ness n.
ma*ni*ac /mayneeak/ n. & adj. • n. 1 colloq. a person ex- man-made adj. (esp. of a textile fiber) artificial; syn-
hibiting extreme symptoms of wild behavior, etc.; a thetic.
madman. 2 colloq. an obsessive enthusiast. • adj. of or man»na /mana/ n. 1 the substance miraculously sup-
behaving like a maniac, dd ma»ni»a»cal /manisksl/ adj. plied as food to the Israelites in the wilderness (Exod.
ma»ni»a»caMy /maniaklee/ adv. 16). 2 an unexpected benefit (esp. manna from heav-
-maniac /mayneeak/ comb, form forming adjectives and en). 3 spiritual nourishment, esp. the Eucharist.
nouns meaning 'affected with -mania' or 'a person af- manned /mand/ adj. (of an aircraft, spacecraft, etc.)
fected with -mania' (kleptomaniac). having a human crew.
man*ic /manik/ adj. of or affected by mania, dd man»i» man*ne*quin /manikin/ n. 1a model employed by a
caMy adv. dressmaker, etc., to show clothes to customers. 2 a
man*ic-de*pres*sive adj., &n. Psychol, madj. affected model of the human form, for fitting or displaying gar-
by or relating to a mental disorder with alternating ments. 3 an artist's lay figure.
periods of elation and depression. »n. a person hav- man»ner /manor/ n.la way a thing is done or happens
ing such a disorder. 2 (in pi.) a social behavior (it is bad mctntUTi W ttCttv)
man»i«cure /manikyOOr/ n. & v. *n. a cosmetic treat- b polite or well-bred behavior (//< has no flUUUUn),
ment of the hands involving cutting, shaping, and of- C modes of life; conditions of society. 3 a person's out-
ten painting of the nails, removal of the cuticles, and ward bearing, etc. (has an imperious nninmr)A a sisk- :i

softening of the skin. •v.tr. give a manicure to (the
hands or a person), dd man»i«cur«ist n.
man-i-fest /manifest/ adj.
1
& v. madj. clear or obvious
to the eye or mind. %v. 1 tr. display or show (a qual-
in literature, etc. (in the manner of Rembrandt), b = MAN-
NERISM 2a. n all manner of many different kinds of. In
a manner of speaking in some sense; to some extent.
to the manner born 1 colloq. naturally at etSC in qpe<
;i

ity, feeling, etc.) by one's acts, etc. 2 tr. show plainly ified job, etc. 2 destined by birth to follow :i CUftOin
to the eye or mind. 3 tr. be evidence of. 4 refl. (of a or way of life (Shakesp. Hamlet I. iv. 17).

thing) reveal itself. 5 intr. (of a ghost) appear, dd man* man*nered /manord/ adj. 1 (in comb.) behaving in a
j*fes*ta*tion /-stayshan/ n. man»i»fesWy adv. specified way (ill-mannered). 2 (of a stvle, am
 showing idiosyncratic mannerisms. 3 (of a person) ec- 483 mannerism ~ Mar.
centrically affected in behavior.
man»ner«ism /manarizam/ n. la habitual gesture or a (of the blood) suffuse the cheeks, b (of the face) glow
way of speaking, etc. 2 a excessive addiction to a with a blush.
distinctive style in art or literature, b a stylistic trick. man-to-man adv. with candor; honestly.
3 a style of Italian art preceding the Baroque, charac- man*tra /mantra, ma'an-, mun-/ n. 1 a word or sound
terized by lengthened figures, dd man«ner«ist n. man* repeated to aid concentration in meditation, orig. in
ner»is»tic /-ristik/ adj. Hinduism and Buddhism. 2 a Vedic hymn.
man»ner»ly /manarlee/ adj. &adv. •adj. well-man- man*u*al /manyooal/ adj. &
n. »adj. 1 of or done with
nered; polite, madv. politely, dd man»ner»li»ness n. the hands (manual labor). 2 (of a machine, etc.) worked
marvni»kin var. of manikin. by hand. •». 1aa book of instructions; a handbook.
maonish /manish/ adj. 1 (of a woman) masculine in b any small book. 2 a nonelectric typewriter. 3 an or-
appearance or manner. 2 characteristic of a man. gan keyboard played only with the hands, dd man»u»
dd marvnish»ly adv. marvnish»ness n. a My adv.
man of letters n. a scholar; an author. man«u«faoture /manyafakchar/ n. & v. «w. 1 a the

man-of-war n. (pi. men-of-war) an armed ship, esp. of making of articles, esp. in a factory, etc. b a branch of
a specified country. an industry (woolen manufacture). 2 esp. derog. the
ma»nom»e»ter /manomitar/ n. a pressure gauge for merely mechanical production of literature, etc. mv.tr.
gases and liquids, dd man«o«met«ric /manametrik/ 1 make (articles), esp. on an industrial scale. 2 invent

adj. or fabricate (evidence, etc.). 3 esp. derog. make or pro-

man*or /manar/ n. (also man»or house) 1 a large coun- duce in a mechanical way. dd man»u»fac«tur«a«biM«ty
tryhouse with lands. 2 the house of the lord of the /-charabilitee/ n. man*u*faotur*a*ble adj. marviMac
manor, dd ma*no*ri*al /manawreeal/ adj. tur»er n.
man»pow»er /manpowr/ n. 1 the power generated by a man»u»mit /manyamit/ v.tr. (manumitted, manumit-
person working. 2 the number of people available or ting) hist, set (a slave) free,dd man*u*mis*sion
required for work, service, etc. /-mishan/ n.
man*sard /mansaard/ n. a roof that has four sloping ma»nure /manobr, -nyobr/ n. &
v. • n. 1 animal dung

sides,each of which becomes steeper halfway down. used for fertilizing land. 2 any compost or artificial fer-
manse /mans/ n. 1 the house of a minister, esp. a Pres- tilizer. • v.tr. (also absol.) apply manure to (land, etc.).

byterian. 2 a mansion. man»u»script/manyaskript//z. Of adj. •«. 1 a book, doc-

man»servant /manservant/ n. (pi. menservants) a ument, etc., written by hand. 2 an author's handwrit-
male servant. ten or typed text, submitted for publication. 3 hand-
man*sion /manshan/ n. a large house. written form (produced in manuscript) • adj. written by .

man-size adj. (also man-sized) 1 of the size of a man; hand.

very large. 2 big enough for a man. Manx /mangks/ adj. &
n. madj. of or relating to the Isle
man«slaugh»ter/manslawtar/n. 1 the killing of one hu- of Man. • n. 1 the now extinct Celtic language former-
man being by another. 2 Law the unlawful killing of a ly spoken in the Isle of Man. 2 (prec. by the; treated
human being without malice aforethought. as pi.) the Manx people.
man«ta /manta/ n. 1 esp. SW
US & Latin Amer. a cloak Manx cat n. a breed of tailless cat.
or shawl made from a square cloth. 2 any large ray of man»y /menee/ adj. &
n. *adj. (more /mawr/; most
the family Mobulidae, esp. Manta birostris, having /most/) great in number; numerous (many times). •«.
winglike pectoral fins and a whiplike tail. (as pi.) 1 a large number (many went). 2 (prec. by the)
man*tel /mant'l/ n. 1 = MANTELPIECE 1.2= MANTELSHELF. the multitude of esp. working people.
man*tel*piece /mant'lpees/ n. 1 a structure of wood, man»y-sid»ed adj. having many sides, aspects, inter-
marble, etc., above and around a fireplace. 2 = man- ests, capabilities, etc. dd man*y-sid*ed*ness n.
telshelf. Mao»ism /mowizam/ n. the Communist doctrines of
man»tel»shelf /mant'lshelf/ n. a shelf above a fireplace. Mao Zedong (d. 1976), Chinese statesman, dd Mao*
man*til*la /mantila, -teea/ n. a lace scarf worn by Span- ist n. Of adj.
ish women over the hair and shoulders. Ma*o*ri /mowree/ n. &
adj. • n. (pi. same or Maoris) 1 a
man*tis /mantis/ n. (pi. same or mantises) any insect member of the Polynesian aboriginal people of New
of the family Mantidae, feeding on other insects, etc. Zealand. 2 the language of the Maori. »adj. of or con-
cerning the Maori or their language.
&
map /map/ n. v. • n. 1 a a usu. flat representation of
the earth's surface, or part of it, showing physical fea-
tures, cities, etc. b a diagrammatic representation of a
route, etc. (drew a map of the journey) 2 a two-dimen- .

sional representation of the stars, etc. 3 a diagram

showing the arrangement or components of a thing.
4 5/. the face, mv.tr. (mapped, mapping) 1 represent (a
country, etc.) on a map. 2 Math, associate each el-
ement of (a set) with one element of another set. d map
out arrange in detail; plan, on the map colloq. promi-
nent; important, dd map«per n.
ma*ple /maypal/ n. 1 any tree or shrub of the genus Acer
grown for shade, ornament, wood, or its sugar. 2 the
man»tle /mant'l/ n. & v. • n. 1 a loose sleeveless cloak. wood of the maple.
2 a covering of a specified sort (a mantle of snow). 3 a ma»ple sug*ar n. a sugar produced by evaporating the
fragile lacelike tube fixed around a gas jet to give an sap of the sugar maple, etc.
incandescent light. 4 an outer fold of skin enclosing a ma*ple syr*up n. a syrup produced from the sap of the
mollusk's viscera. 5 a bird's back, scapulars, and wing sugar maple, etc.
coverts, esp. if of a distinctive color. 6 the region be- Mar. abbr. March.
tween the crust and the core of the earth, mv. 1 tr.
clothe in or as if in a mantle; cover; envelop. 2 intr. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

mar ~ marionette 484 day), most famously in New Orleans (literally, 'Fat
Tuesday').
mar /maar/ v.tr. (marred, marring) 1 ruin. 2 impair the mare 1
/mair/ n. the female of any equine animal, esp.
perfection of; spoil; disfigure. the horse.
mar»a»bou /maraboo/ n. (also mar*a*bout) 1 a large W. mare 2 /maaray/ n. (pi. maria /maareea/or mares) 1 any
African stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus. 2 a tuft of down of a number of large dark flat areas on the surface of
from the wing or tail of the marabou used as a trim- the moon, once thought to be seas. 2 a similar area on
ming for hats, etc. Mars.
ma*raoa /maraaka/ n. a hollow clublike gourd or mare's nest n. 1 an illusory discovery; a hoax. 2 a mud-
gourd-shaped container filled with beans, etc., and dle.
usu. shaken in pairs as a percussion instrument in Lat- mar«ga»rine /maarjarin/ n. a butter substitute made
in American music. from vegetable oils or animal fats with milk, etc.
mar»a»schi»no /maraskeeno, -shee-/ n. (pi. -nos) a mar»ga»ri»ta /maargareeta/ n. a cocktail made with te-
strong, sweet liqueur made from a small black Dalma- quila, lime or lemon juice, and orange-flavored li-
tian cherry. queur, usu. served in a salt-rimmed glass.
mar»a»schi«no cher»ry n. a cherry preserved in or fla- mar*gay /ma'argay/ n. a small wild S. American cat, Felis
vored with maraschino and used to decorate cocktails, wiedii.
etc. mar*gin /maarjin/ n. &
v. •«. 1 an edge or border.

mar»a»thon /marathon/ n. 1 a long-distance running 2 a the blank border on each side of the print on a page,
race, usu. of 26 miles 385 yards (42. 1 95 km). 2 a long- etc. b a line or rule, as on paper, marking off a margin.
lasting or difficult task, operation, etc. 3 an amount (of time, money, etc.) by which a thing
ma-raud /marawd/ v. 1 intr. a make a plundering raid. exceeds, falls short, etc. 4 the lower limit (his effort fell
b pilfer systematically; plunder. 2 tr. plunder (a place). below the margin) 5 an amount deposited with a stock-
.

dd ma»raud»er n. broker by the customer when borrowing from the bro-

mar*ble /maarbal/ n. &
v. • n. 1 limestone in a meta- ker to purchase securities. 6 in banking, the difference
morphic crystalline (or granular) state, and capable of between the current market value of a loan's collater-
taking a polish, used in sculpture and architecture. 2 al and the face value of the loan. • v. tr. (margined, mar-
(often attrib.) a anything made of marble (a marble gining) provide with a margin or marginal notes.
clock) . b anything resembling marble in hardness, mar»gin»al /ma'arjinal/ adj. 1 a of or written in a mar-
coldness, durability, etc. (herfeatures were marble) 3 a a gin, b having marginal notes. 2 a of or at the edge.
.

small ball of marble, glass, etc., used as a toy. b (in b not significant or decisive (of marginal interest)
pi; treated as sing.) a game using these. 4 (in pi.) si. 3 close to the limit, esp. of profitability. 4 (of the sea)
one's mental faculties (he's lost his marbles). 5 (in pi.) adjacent to the shore of a state. 5 (of land) difficult to
a collection of sculptures (Roman marbles), •v.tr. cultivate; unprofitable. 6 barely adequate; unprovided
1 (esp. as marbled adj.) stain or color to look like var- for. dd mar«gin»al«i»ty /-nalitee/ n. mar*gin*al*ly adv.
iegated marble. 2 (as marbled adj.) (of meat) streaked mar*gi*na*li*a /maarjinayleea/ n.pl. marginal notes.
with alternating layers of lean and fat. mar»gin»al«ize /ma'arjinaliz/ v.tr. make or treat as insig-
mar»ble cake n. a cake with a streaked appearance, nificant, dd mar*gin*al*i*za«tion n.
made of light and dark batter. mar«gin of er»ror n. a usu. small difference allowed for
mar*bling /maarbling/ n. 1 coloring or marking like miscalculation.
marble. 2 streaks of fat in lean meat. ma»ri»ap/. of mare 2 .

mar»ca»site /maarkasit/ n. 1 a yellowish crystalline iron mar«i»ach«i /maareeaachee, mar-/ n. 1 a Mexican band
sulfide mineral. 2 these bronze-yellow crystals used in of strolling street musicians. 2 the music played by
jewelry. such a band.
mar«cat«0 /maarkaato/ adv. &
adj. Mus. played with mar»i»gold /marigold/ n. any plant of the genus Tagetes
emphasis. or Calendula, with bright yellow, orange, or maroon
mar»cel /maarsel/ n. &
v. • n. (in full marcel wave) a flowers.
deep wave in the hair. •v.tr. (marcelled, marcelling) ma*ri*jua*na /mariwa'ana/ n. (also ma*ri*hua*na) 1 the
wave (hair) with a deep wave. dried leaves, flowering tops, and stems of the hemp,
March /maarch/ n. the third month of the year. used as a drug, often smoked in cigarettes. 2 the plant
march /maarch/ v.
1
&
n. mv. 1 intr. (usu. foil, by away, yielding these (cf. hemp).
off, out, etc.) walk in a military manner with a regular ma*rim*ba /marimba/ n. la xylophone of Africa and
tread. 2 tr. (often foil, by away, on, off, etc.) cause to Central America. 2 a modern orchestral instrument
march or walk. 3 intr. a walk or proceed steadily, esp. derived from this.
across country, b continue unrelentingly (time march- ma*ri*na /mare'ena/ n. a specially designed harbor with
es on). 4 intr. take part in a protest march. *n. la the moorings for yachts, etc.
act or an instance of marching, b the uniform step of mar*i*nade /marinayd/ n. &v. »n. a mixture of wine, "\

troops, etc. (a slow march). 2 a long difficult walk. 3 a
procession as a demonstration. 4 (usu. foil, by of)
progress or continuity (the march of events). 5 a a piece
of music composed to accompany a march, b a com-
position of similar character and form, dd march»er n.
march 2 /maarch/ n. hist. 1 (usu. in pi.) a boundary; a
vinegar, oil, spices, etc., in which meat, fish, etc., is
soaked before cooking. 2 meat, fish, etc., soaked in this
liquid, •v.tr. - MARINATE.
ma»ri»na»ra /marina'ara/ adj. (of a pasta sauce) in;nl(.-
with tomatoes, spices, etc., usu. without meat.
mar»i»nate /marinayt/ v.tr. soak in a marinade, di mar» i

frontier (esp. of the borderland between England and i*na*tion / nayshan/ n.

Scotland orWales). 2 a tract of often disputed land be-
tween two countries.
march»er /ma'archar/ n. an inhabitant of a march or
border district.
march»ing or»ders n.pl. 1 Mil. instructions from a
superior officer for troops to depart for war, etc. 2 a
dismissal.
Mar*di Gras /maardee gra'a/ n. a carnival held in some
countries on the last day before Lent (Shrove Tues-
ma»rine /mare'en/ at//. &n. *adj. 1 of, found m, or pro-
duced by the sea. 2 a of or relating to shipping 01 01
val matters, b for use at sea. •//. 1a couniiys ihip
ping, fleet, or navy. 2 a a member of the US Marine
Corps, b a member of a body of troops trained to ICTVC
on land or sea. 3 a picture of a scene at sea.
mar«i»ner /marinar/ n. a seaman.
mar»i«on»ette /mareeanet/ n. a puppet worked bv
strings.
mar*i*tal /marital/ adj. 1 of marriage or the relations be- 485 marital ~ marriage of convenience
tween husband and wife. 2 of or relating to a husband.
dd mar»i»taMy adv. mar»ket»ing /maarkiting/ n. the activity or process in-
mar«i»time /maritim/ adj. 1 connected with the sea or volving research, promotion, sales, and distribution of
seafaring. 2 living or found near the sea. a product or service.
mar«jo»ram /ma'arjaram/ n. an aromatic culinary herb mar*ket*place /maarkitplays/ n. 1 an open space where
of the genus Origanum, esp. O. majorana (sweet mar- a market is held in a town. 2 the scene of actual deal-
joram), used as a flavoring in cooking. ings. 3 a forum or sphere for the exchange of ideas, etc.
mark /maark/ n.
1
&
v. •«. 1 a trace, sign, stain, scar, mar«ket val»ue n. value as a salable thing (opp. book
etc., on a face, page, etc. 2 (esp. in comb.) a a written value).
or printed symbol (question mark), b a numerical or al- marking /ma'arking/ n. (usu. in pi.) 1 an identification
phabetical award denoting excellence, conduct, etc. mark, esp. a symbol on an aircraft. 2 the coloring of
(got a good mark for effort). 3 (usu. foil, by of) a sign or an animal's fur, feathers, skin, etc.
indication of quality, character, etc. (as a mark of re- marksTnan /ma'arksman/ n. (pi. -men, fern, -woman, pi.
spect). 4a a sign, seal, etc., used for distinction or -women) a person skilled in shooting, esp. with a pis-
identification, b made in place of a sig-
a cross, etc., tol or rifle. marks*man*ship n.
nature by an person. 5 a a target, object, goal,
illiterate mark»up /ma'arkup/ n. 1 the amount added to the cost
etc. (missed the mark) b a standard for attainment (his
. of goods to cover overhead charges, etc. 2 the correc-
work falls below the mark). 6 a marker. 7 a runner's tions made in marking up text.
starting point in a race, mv.tr. 1 a make a mark on (a marl /maarl/ n. & v. • n. soil consisting of clay and lime,
thing or person), esp. by writing, cutting, etc. b put a with fertilizing properties. • v. tr. apply marl to. dd marl*
distinguishing or identifying mark, name, etc., on y adj.
(marked the tree with their initials) 2 a allot marks to (a
. mar*lin /maarlin/ n. any of various large marine fish of
student's work, etc.). b record (the points gained in the family Istophoridae, esp. the blue marlin Makaira
games, etc.). 3 attach a price to (goods, etc.) (marked nigricans.
the doll at $2). 4 (often foil, by by) show or manifest mar*ma*lade /maarmalayd/ n. a preserve of citrus fruit,
(displeasure, etc.) (marked his anger by leaving early). usu. bitter oranges, made like jam.
5 notice or observe (she marked his agitation) 6 a char- . mar»mo»set /ma'armaset, -zet/ n. any of several small
acterize or be a feature of (the day was marked by tropical American monkeys of the family Callithri-
storms), b celebrate (marked the occasion with a toast). cidae, having a long bushy tail.
7 name or indicate by a sign or mark. 8 characterize mar»mot /ma'armat/ n. any burrowing rodent of the ge-
(a person or a thing) as (marked them as weak). 9 (as nus Marmota, with a heavyset body and short bushy
marked adj.) having natural marks (marked with silver tail.

spots). 10 (of a graduated instrument) show, register ma^roon /marobn/

1
adj. &n. »adj. brownish-crimson.
(so many degrees, etc.). 1 1 castrate (a lamb), o beside • n. this color.
(or off or wide of) the mark 1 irrelevant. 2 not accu- ma»roon 2 /maroon/ v.tr. 1 leave (a person) isolated in
rate, mark down 1 mark (goods, etc.) at a lower price. a desolate place (esp. an
2 (of a person or a
island).
2 make a written note of. 3 choose (a person) as one's natural phenomenon) cause (a person) to be unable
victim, mark my words heed my warning or predic- to leave a place.
tion, mark time 1 Mil. march on the spot, without mov- marque /maark/ n. a make of a product, as a sports car
ing forward. 2 act routinely. 3 await an opportunity to (the Porsche marque).
advance, mark up 1 mark (goods, etc.) at a higher mar*quee /maarke'e/ n. a rooflike projection over the
price. 2 mark or correct (text, etc.) for typesetting or entrance to a theater, hotel, etc.
alteration, off the mark 1 having made a start. 2 = be- mar*quess /ma'arkwis/ n. a British nobleman ranking
side the mark, on your mark (or marks) (as an instruc- between a duke and an earl (cf. marquis), dd mar*
tion) get ready to start (esp. a race). quess*ate /-kwisat/ n.
mark /maark/ n. - Deutschemark.
2 mar»que»try /maarkitree/
n. (also mar«que«teTie) inlaid
mark»down /maarkdown/ n. a reduction in price. work in wood, ivory, etc.
marked /maarkt/ adj. 1 having a visible mark. 2 clear- mar*quis /ma'arkwis, -kee/ n. a nobleman ranking be-
ly noticeable (a marked difference) 3 (of playing cards). tween a duke and a count (cf. marquess), dd mar*quis*
having distinctive marks to assist cheating, an mark- ate /-kwisat/ n.
edly /-kidlee/ adv. mark*ed*ness /-kidnis/ n. mar*quise /maarke'ez, -kee/ n. la the wife or widow
mark»er /ma'arkor/ n. 1 a stone, post, etc., used to mark of a marquis, b a woman holding the rank of marquis
a place reached, etc. 2 a person or thing that marks. in her own right. 2 a a finger ring set with a pointed
3 a felt-tipped pen with a broad tip. 4 a flare, etc., used oval cluster of gems, b (also marquise cut) an oval cut
to direct a pilot to a target. 5 a bookmark. gem with many facets.
market /ma'arkit/ n. &
v. *n. \ a the gathering of peo- mar*riage /marij/n. 1 the legal union of a man and a
ple for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, woman in order to live together and often to have chil-
etc. b the time of this. 2 an open space or covered dren. 2 an act or ceremony establishing this union.
building used for this. 3 (often foil, by for) a demand 3 one particular union of this kind (by a previous mar-
for a commodity or service (a ready market) 4 a place . riage) A an intimate union (the marriage of true minds).
or group providing such a demand. 5 conditions as 5 Cards the union of a king and queen of the same suit.
regards, or opportunity for, buying or selling. 6 the d by marriage as a result of a marriage (related by mar-
rate of purchase and sale, market value (the marketfelt). riage), in marriage as husband or wife (give in mar-
7 (prec. by the) the trade in a specified commodity riage; take in marriage).
(the grain market). »v. 1 tr. sell. 2 tr. offer for sale. 3 intr. mar*riage*a*ble /marijabal/ adj. 1 fit for marriage, esp.
buy or sell goods in a market. be in the market for old or rich enough to marry. 2 (of age) fit for marriage.
wish to buy. be on (or come into) the market be of- dd mar*riage*a*bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n.
fered for sale, put on the market offer for sale, dd mar- mar»riage of con»ven»ience n. a marriage concluded
keteer n. to achieve some practical purpose, esp. financial or
mar«ket»a»ble /ma'arkitabsl/ adj. able or fit to be sold. political.
dd mar*ket*a«bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n.
mar»ket»eer /ma'arkite'er/ n. a marketer. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
married ~ masochism 486 mar*ti*ni /maarte'enee/ n. a cocktail made of gin and
dry vermouth, often garnished with a green olive, lem-
mar-ried /mareed/ adj. & n. •adj. 1 united in marriage. on peel, etc.
2 of or relating to marriage (married name; married life). mar«tyr /maartar/ n. & v. • n. 1 a a person who is put

• n. (usu. in pi.) a married person (young marrieds). to death for refusing to renounce a faith or belief, b a
mar»row /maro/ k. 1a soft fatty substance in the cavi- person who suffers for adhering to a principle, cause,
ties of bones, in which blood cells are produced. 2 the etc. 2 a person who feigns or complains of suffering to
essential part of something, a to the marrow to one's gain sympathy. 3 (foil, by to) a constant sufferer from
innermost being. (an ailment), •v.tr. 1 put to death as a martyr. 2 tor-
mar»ry /maree/ v. (-ries, -ried) 1 tr. a take as one's wife
»
ment.
or husband in marriage, b (often foil, by to) (of a priest, mar«tyr»dom /maartardam/ n. 1 the sufferings and
etc.) join (persons) in marriage. C (of a parent or death of a martyr. 2 torment.
guardian) give (a son, daughter, etc.) in marriage. mar»vel /ma'arval/ n. & v. • n. 1 a wonderful thing or

2 intr. a enter into marriage, b (foil, by into) become person. 2 (often foil, by of) a wonderful example (she's
a member of (a family) by marriage. 3 tr. a tr. unite in- a marvel of patience), •v.intr. literary 1 (foil, by at, or
timately, b correlate (things) as a pair, o marry off find that + clause) feel surprise or wonder. 2 (foil, by how,
a wife or husband for. why, etc. + clause) wonder.
2
mar»ry /maree/ int. archaic expressing surprise, assev- mar*vel*OUS /ma'arvalas/ adj. 1 astonishing. 2 excel-
eration, indignation, etc. lent. 3 extremely improbable, dd mar*vel*ous*ly adv.
mar«ry»ing /maree-ing/ adj. likely or inclined to marry Marxism /maarksizam/ n. the political and economic
(not a marrying man). theories of Karl Marx (d. 1883), predicting the over-
Mars /maarz/ n. a reddish planet, fourth in order of dis- throw of capitalism and the eventual attainment of a
tance from the sun and next beyond the earth. classless society with the state controlling the means
marsh /maarsh/ n. 1 low land flooded in wet weather of production, dd Marxist n. & adj.
and usu. watery at all times. 2 (attrib.) of or inhab- mar*zi*pan /ma'arzipan/ n.&v.^n.Aa paste of ground
iting marshland, on marstvy adj. (marshier, marshi- almonds, sugar, etc., made up into small cakes, etc.,
est), marshiness n. or used to coat large cakes. 2 a piece of marzipan. • v. tr.
marshal /maarshal/ n. & v. • «. 1 US an officer of a (marzipanned, marzipanning) cover with marzipan.
judicial district, similar to a sheriff. 2 US the head of mas*car*a /maskara/ n. a cosmetic for darkening the
a fire department. 3 a high-ranking officer in the eyelashes.
armed forces of certain countries (air marshal; field mas*car*po*ne /maskaponi/ n. a soft, mild Italian
marshal). 4 an officer arranging ceremonies, control- cream cheese.
ling procedure at races, etc. 5 US a court officer who mas«cot /maskot/ n. a person, animal, or thing that is
assists a judge, mv. 1 tr. arrange (soldiers, facts, one's supposed to bring good luck.
thoughts, etc.) in due order. 2 tr. (often foil, by into, mas*CU*line /maskyglin/ adj. & n. *adj. 1 of or
to) conduct (a person) ceremoniously. 3 intr. take up characteristic of men. 2 manly; vigorous. 3 (of a
positions in due arrangement, dd mar»shal*er n. mar» woman) having qualities considered appropriate to a
shal«ship n. man. 4 Gram, of or denoting the gender proper to
men's names. • n. Gram, the masculine gender; a mas-
marshal Middle English (denoting a high-ranking of-
culine word, dd mas«cu«lin«i«ty /-linitee/ n.
ficer of state) from Old French
: mareschal' farrier, com-
ma»ser /mayzsr/ n. a device using the stimulated emis-
mander,' from late Latin mariscakus, from Germanic
sion of radiation by excited atoms to amplify or gen-
elements meaning 'horse' (related to mare) and 'serv-
erate coherent monochromatic electromagnetic radia-
ant.'
tion in the microwave range (cf. laser).
marshland /ma'arshland/ n. land consisting of marsh- MASH /mash/ abbr. Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.
es. mash /mash/ n. & v. •«. 1 a soft mixture. 2 a mixture

marsh*maMow /ma'arshmelo, -malo/ n. a spongy con- of boiled grain, bran, etc., given warm to horses, etc.
fection made of sugar, albumen, gelatin, etc. 3 a mixture of malt or other grain and hot water used
marsh mar*i*gold n. a golden-flowered ranuncula- in brewing, distilling, etc. 4 Brit, colloq. mashed pota-
ceous plant, Caltha palustris, growing in moist mead- toes. 5 a soft pulp made by crushing, mixing with wa-
ows, etc.: also called cowslip; kingcup. ter, etc. •v.tr. 1 reduce (potatoes, etc.) to a uniform
mar*su*pi*al /maarsobpeeal/ n. & adj. • n. any mam- mass by crushing. 2 crush or pound to a pulp. 3 mix
mal of the order Marsupialia, characterized by being (malt) with hot water to form wort, dd mash«er n.
carried and suckled in a pouch on the mother's belly. mash*ie /mashee/ n. Golfformer name of an iron used
• adj. 1 of or belonging to this order. 2 of or like a pouch for lofting or for medium distances; five iron.
(marsupial muscle). mask /mask/ n. & v. *n. 1 a covering for all or part of

mart /maart/ n. la trade center. 2 an auction room.
3 a a market, b a marketplace.
mar»ten /maart'n/ n. any weasellike carnivore of the ge-
nus Manes, having valuable fur.
mar»tial /maarshal/ adj. 1 of or appropriate to warfare.
2 warlike; brave; fond of fighting, dd mar»tiaMy adv.
martial arts n.pl. fighting sports such as judo and ka-
rate.
mar*tial law n. military government, involving the
suspension of ordinary law.
Martian /ma'arshan/ adj. & n. •adj. of the planet Mars.
the face worn as a disguise, for protection (e.g., by a
fencer) or by a surgeon to prevent infection of a pa-
tient. 2 a respirator used to filter inhaled air or to sup
ply gas for inhalation. 3 a likeness of a person's f;u e,
esp. one made by taking a mold from the f;u v (dutth
mask). 4 a disguise or pretense (throw off the mask).
5 the face or head of an animal, esp. a fox. 6 a cosnici
ic preparation spread on the face and left to dry be-
fore removal. 9V.tr. 1 cover (the face, etc.) with a mask
2 disguise or conceal (a taste, one's feelings, en.)
3 protect from a process, h masked /maskt/ adj. mask*
i
i

• n. a hypothetical inhabitant of Mars. er n.

mar»tin /maart'n/ n. any of several swallows of the fam- masking tape n. adhesive tape used in painting to
ily Hirundinidae, esp. the house martin and purple cover areas on which paint is not wanu d
martin. mas*OCh*ism /masnkizom/ n. la form of (esp. sexual)
mar»ti»net /maart'net/ n. a strict (esp. military or na- perversion characterized by gratification derived from
val) disciplinarian. one's own pain or humiliation (cf. sadism). 2 vttaq. the
<
 enjoyment of what appears to be painful or tiresome.
dd mas«och»ist n. mas*oclris«tic adj. mas*octvis»ti»
caMy adv.
ma*SOn /maysan/ n. & v. •n. 1 a person
with stone or brick. 2 (Mason) a Freemason, mv.tr.
build or strengthen with masonry.
Mas»on-Dix»on line /maysan-diksan/ n. the boundary
between Maryland and Pennsylvania, taken as the
northern limit of the slave-owning states before the
abolition of slavery.
Ma*son*ic /masonik/ adj. of or relating to Freemasons.
ma*son jar /maysan/ n. (also Mason jar) a glass jar with
a wide mouth and tight-sealing lid, used for canning.
ma»son»ry /maysanree/ n. la the work of a mason.
b stonework; brickwork. 2 (Masonry) Freemasonry.
masque /mask/ n. a dramatic and musical entertain-
ment esp. of the 1 6th and 1 7th c.
mas*quer*ade /maskarayd/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a false show
or pretense. 2 a masked ball, •v.intr. (often foil, by as)
appear in disguise; assume a false appearance, dd mas*
quer«ad*er n.
487 mason ~ masthead
mast 2 /mast/ n. the fruit of the beech, oak, chestnut,
who builds and other forest trees, esp. as food for pigs.
mas»tec»tO»my/mastektamee/n. (pi. -mies) Surgery the
removal of breast tissue.
mas«ter /mastar/ n., adj., & v. »n. 1 a a person having
control of persons or things, b an employer, esp. of a
servant. C a male head of a household (master of the
house), d the owner of a dog, horse, etc. e the owner
of a slave, f Nam. the captain of a merchant ship.
g Hunting the person in control of a pack of hounds,
etc. 2 esp. Brit, a male teacher or tutor, esp. a school-
master. 3 a the head of a private school, etc. b the pre-
siding officer of a Masonic lodge, etc. 4 a person who
has or gets the upper hand. 5 a person skilled in a par-
ticular trade and able to teach others (often attrib.:
master carpenter) .6 a holder of a university degree orig.
giving authority to teach in the university (Master of
Arts). 7 a a revered teacher in philosophy, etc. b (the
Master) Christ. 8 a great artist. 9 Chess, etc. a player ,

Mass. abbr. Massachusetts. of proven ability at international level. 10 an original

mass /mas/ n.
1
&
v. • n. 1 a body of matter of indef- version (e.g., of a film or audio recording) from which
inite shape. 2 a dense aggregation of objects (a mass copies can be made. 1 1 (Master) a title prefixed to the
of fibers). 3 (in sing, or pi. foil, by of) a large number
; name of a boy not old enough to be called Mr. (Mas-
or amount. 4 (usu. foil, by of) an unbroken expanse ter T. Jones; Master Tom) .12a machine or device di-
(of color, etc.). 5 (prec. by a; foil, by of) covered or rectly controlling another (cf. slave 4). madj.
abounding in (was a mass of cuts and bruises). 6 a main 1 commanding; superior (a master spirit). 2 main;

portion (of a painting, etc.) as perceived by the eye. 7 principal (master bedroom) 3 controlling others (mas-
.

(prec. by the) a the majority, b (in pi.) the ordinary
people. 8 Physics the quantity of matter a body con-
tains. 9 (attrib.) relating to, done by, or affecting large
numbers of people or things; large-scale (mass audi-
ence; mass action; mass murder) • v. tr. intr. 1 assem-
. &
ter plan). • v.tr. 1 overcome; defeat. 2 reduce to sub-
jection. 3 acquire complete knowledge of (a subject)
or facility in using (an instrument, etc.). 4 rule as a
master, dd mas*ter*less adj. mas*ter*ship /mastarship/
n.

ble into a mass or as one body (the bands massed at mas»ter»ful /mastarfool/ adj. 1 imperious; domi-
dawn) 2 Mil. (with ref to troops) concentrate or be
. . neering. 2 masterly, dd mas*ter*fuMy adv. mas»ter»ful»
concentrated. ness //.

mass 2 /mas/ n. 1 (often Mass) the Eucharist, esp. in
the Roman Catholic Church. 2 a celebration of this.
3 the liturgy used in the Mass. 4 a musical setting of
parts of this.
mas*sa*cre /masakar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a general slaugh-
ter (of persons, occasionally of animals) 2 an utter de-
feat or destruction. • v. tr. 1 make a massacre of. 2 mur-
der (esp. a large number of people) cruelly or violently.
mas*sage /masaazh, -sa'aj/ n. &
v. • n. 1 the rubbing,
kneading, etc., of muscles and joints with the hands
for therapeutic benefit. 2 an instance of this. •v.tr.
1 apply massage to. 2 manipulate (statistics) to give an
acceptable result, dd mas*sag*er n.
mas»se /masay/ n. Billiards a stroke made with the cue
Masterful and masterly overlap in meaning and are
sometimes confused. Leaving aside masterful's mean-
ing of 'domineering,' it also means 'very skillful, mas-
terly.' However, masterful used in this sense general-
ly describes a person, e.g., He has limited talent but he's
. masterful at exploiting it, while masterly usually
describes an achievement or action, e.g., That was a
masterly response to our opponents' arguments.
mas»ter key n. a key that opens several locks, each of
which also has its own key.
mas»ter»ly /mastarlee/ adj. worthy of a master; very
skillful (a masterly piece of work), dd mas*ter*li*ness //.
See note at masterful.
mas*ter*mind /mastarmind/ n. &
v. • «. 1 a a person

held nearly vertical. with an outstanding intellect, b such an intellect. 2 the

mas*seur /masor/ n. (fern, masseuse /mas6z/) a per- person directing an intricate operation. • v. tr. plan and
son who provides massage professionally. direct (a scheme or enterprise).
mas*sive /masiv/ adj. 1 large and heavy or solid. 2 (of mas«ter»piece /mastarpees/ n. 1 an outstanding piece
the features, head, etc.) relatively large; of solid build. of artistry or workmanship. 2 a person's best work.
3 exceptionally large (took a massive overdose) 4 sub- . mas»ter»Stroke n. an outstandingly skillful act of pol-
stantial; impressive (a massive reputation) dd mas*sive* . icy, etc.
ly adv. mas*sive*ness n. mas«ter switch n. a switch controlling the supply of
mass-mar»ket adj. intended to be widely distributed electricity, etc., to an entire system.
through a variety of retail outlets. mas«ter»work n. a masterpiece.
mass me«di*a n. = media 2. 1
mas»ter»y /mastaree/ n. 1 comprehensive knowledge or
mass nunvber n. the total number of protons and neu- skill in asubject or accomplishment (she played with
trons in a nucleus. some mastery) 2 the action or process of mastering a
.

mass pro*duc*tion n. the production of large quanti- subject or accomplishment (mastery of language).
ties of a standardized article by a standardized 3 control over someone or something.
mechanical process, dd mass-pro*duce v.tr. mast«head /mast-hed/ n.&v.%n. 1 the highest part of
mast 1
/mast/ n. & v. • n. 1 a long upright post of tim- a ship's mast, esp. as a place of observation or pun-
ber, iron, etc., set up from a ship's keel or deck, esp. ishment. 2 a the title of a newspaper, etc., at the head
to support sails. 2 a post or latticework upright for sup- of the front or editorial page, b the printed notice in
porting a radio or television antenna. 3 a flagpole (half- a newspaper, magazine, etc., giving details of staff,
mast). • v.tr. furnish (a ship) with masts, dd masted
adj. (also in comb. ) . master n. (also in comb. ) See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .
mastic ~ matinee
ownership, etc. mv.tr. 1 send (a sailor) to the masthead.
2 raise (a sail) to its position on the mast.
mas«tic /mastik/ h. 1a gum or resin exuded from the
bark of the mastic tree, used in making varnish. 2 (in
full mastic tree) the evergreen tree, Pistacia lentiscus,
yielding this. 3 a waterproof filler and sealant used in
building. 4 a liquor flavored with mastic gum.
mas*ti*cate /mastikayt/ v.tr. grind or chew (food) with
one's teeth, dd mas»ti«ca»tion /-kayshsn/ n. mas*ti*ca*
to»ry /-kotawree/ adj.
mas«tiff /mastiff n. 1a dog of a large strong breed with
drooping ears and pendulous lips. 2 this breed of dog.
mas«to»don /mastadon/ n. a large extinct mammal of
the genus Mammut, resembling the elephant, do mas*
to»don»tic /-dontik/ adj.
mastoid /mastoyd/ «. 1 a conical prominence on the
temporal bone behind the ear, to which muscles are
attached. 2 colloq. mastoiditis.
mas*tur*bate /mastarbayt/ v.intr. &
tr. arouse oneself
sexually or cause (another person) to be aroused by
manual stimulation of the genitals, dd mas»tur*ba*tion
/-bayshan/ n. mas*tur*ba*tor n. mas»tur»ba»to»ry
/-tsrbatawree/ adj.
mat /mat/ n.
1
&
v. *n. 1 a piece of coarse material for
wiping shoes on, esp. a doormat. 2 a piece of cork, rub-
ber, plastic, etc., to protect a surface from the heat or
moisture of an object placed on it. 3 a piece of resil-
ient material for landing on in gymnastics, wrestling,
etc. 4 a piece of coarse fabric of plaited rushes, straw,
etc., for lying on, packing furniture, etc. 5 a small rug.
• v. (matted, matting) 1 a tr. (esp. as matted adj.) en-
tangle in a thick mass (matted hair) b intr. become
matted. 2 tr. cover or furnish with mats.
mat 2 var. of matte 1
. prefer material possessions and physical comfort to
mat 3 /mat/ n. = matrix 1 spiritual values. 2 Philos. a the opinion that nothing
mat*a*dor /matadawr/ n. a bullfighter
kill the bull.
match /mach/ n.
l
&
v. • n. 1 a contest or game in which
persons or teams compete against each other. 2 a a
person able to contend with another as an equal {meet
one's match), b a person equal to another in some qual-
ity (we shall never see his match) C a person or thing ex-
. fact.
actly like or corresponding to another. 3 a marriage.
4 a person viewed in regard to his or her eligibility for
marriage (an excellent match), mv. 1 a tr. be equal to or
harmonious with (the curtains match the wallpaper).
b intr. (often foil, by with) correspond; harmonize (his
socks do not match; does the ribbon match with your hat?).
C (as matching adj.) having correspondence in some
essential respect (matching curtains). 2 tr. (foil, by
against, with) place (a person, etc.) in conflict, contest,
or competition with (another). 3 tr. find material, etc.,
that matches (another) (can you match this silk?) 4 tr.
find a person or thing suitable for another (matching
unemployed workers to available jobs) 5 tr. prove to be a
. liness. 3 (attrib.) a for women during and just iftei
match for. to match corresponding in some essen-
tial respect with what has been mentioned (yellow dress
with gloves to match), do match*a*ble adj.
match 2 /mach/ n. 1 a short thin piece of flammable
material tipped with a composition that can be ignited
by friction. 2 a piece of wick, cord, etc., designed to
burn at a uniform rate, for firing a cannon, etc.
matctvbox /machboks/ n. a box for holding matches.
matchless /machlis/ adj. without an equal; incompa-
rable, dd matchlessly adv.
matchlock /machlok/ n. hist. 1 an old type of gun with
a lock in which a match was placed for igniting the
powder. 2 such a lock.
match»mak»er /machmaykor/ n. a person who tries to
arrange an agreement or relationship between two par-
ties, esp. a marriage partnership, dd match*mak*ing n.
488 match point n. Tennis, etc. 1 the state of a game when
one side needs only one more point to win the match.
2 this point.
match»stick /machstik/ n. the stem of a match.
mate /mayt/ n. &
v. *n. 1a friend or fellow worker.
2 a each of a pair, esp. of animals, birds, or socks, b col-
loq. a partner in marriage. C (in comb.) a fellow mem-
ber or joint occupant of (teammate; roommate). 3 Nam.
an officer on a merchant ship subordinate to the mas-
ter. 4 an assistant to a skilled worker (plumber's mate).
by with) 1 a tr. bring (animals or birds)
• v. (often foil,
together for breeding, b intr. (of animals or birds)
come together for breeding. 2 a tr. join (persons) in
marriage, b intr. (of persons) be joined in marriage.
3 intr. Mech. fit well, dd mate»less adj.
mate 2 /mayt/ n. &
v.tr. Chess = checkmate.
ma»te /maatay/ n. 1 an infusion of the leaves of a
S. American shrub, Ilex Paraguayensis. 2 this shrub,
or its leaves. 3 a vessel in which these leaves are in-
fused.
ma»te»ri»al /mateereeal/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 the matter from
which a thing is made. 2 cloth; fabric. 3 (in pi.) things
needed for an activity (building materials; cleaning mate-
rials; writing materials) 4 a person or thing of a speci-
.
fied kind or suitable for a purpose (officer material) 5 .
(in sing, or pi.) information, etc., to be used in writing
a book, etc. 6 (in sing, or pi. often foil, by of) the ele-
,
ments or constituent parts of a substance, madj. 1 of
matter; corporeal. 2 concerned with bodily comfort,
etc. (material well-being) 3 (of conduct, points of view,
.
etc.) not spiritual. 4 (often foil, by to) important;
essential; relevant (at the material time) 5 concerned .
with the matter, not the form, of reasoning, dd ma»te»
. ri«al«i«ty /-reealitee/ n.
ma»te»ri»al»ism /mate'ereeglizam/ n. 1 a tendency to
whose task is to exists but matter and its movements and modifica-
tions, b the doctrine that consciousness and will are
wholly due to material agency, dd ma»te»ri»al»ist n. ma*
te*ri*al*is*tic /— listik/ adj. ma»te«ri»al«is»ti«caMy /— listik-
lee/ adv.
ma*te*ri*al*ize /mate'ereeallz/ v. 1 intr. become actual
2 a cause (a spirit) to appear in bodily form.
tr.
b intr. (of a spirit) appear in this way. 3 intr. colloq. ap-
pear or be present when expected. 4 tr. represent or
express in material form, dd ma«te«ri»al»i»za»tion n.
ma»te»ri»al»ly /mate'ereeglee/ adv. 1 substantially; con-
siderably. 2 in respect of matter.
ma»te»ri»el /moteeree-el/ n. available means, esp. mate-
rials and equipment in warfare (opp. personnel).
ma»ter»nal /maternal/ ad/. 1 of or like a mother. 2 moth-
erly. 3 related through the mother (maternal uncle).
4 of the mother in pregnancy and childbirth, dd ma*
. ter*nal*ism n. ma*ter*naMy adv.
ma»ter»ni»ty /motarnitee/ n. 1 motherhood. 2 mother-
childbirth (maternity hospital; maternity leave), b suit-
able for a pregnant woman (maternity dress; matirmrv
wear)
math /math/ n. US colloq. mathematics.
math»e»mat»i»cal /mathimatikol/ adj. 1 ofor relating to
mathematics. 2 (of a proof, etc.) rigorously pre* ifC
dd math»e«mat»i»cal«ly adv.
math»e»mat»ics /mathimatiks/ n.pl. 1 (also treated as
sing.) the abstract science of number, quantity, and
space studied in its own right (pure mathematics), or
as applied to other disciplines such as phyii< lj
engineering, etc. (applied mathematics) 2 (as pi. ) the .
use of mathematics in calculation, etc. dd math»e«ma«
ti«cian / mntishon/ n.
ma»tirvee /mat'nay/ n. (also matinee) an afternoon
performance in a theater, etc.
ma»tin»ee i*dol n. a handsome actor admired esp. by 489 matinee idol ~ maxilla
women.
mat*ins /mat'nz/ n. maWins) (as sing, or pi) 1 a
(also matter (or for the matter of that) 1 as far as that is
set prayer recited atdaybreak or in the evening. 2 a concerned. 2 and indeed also, a matter of 1 approxi-
service of morning prayer in churches of the Anglican mately (for a matter of 40 years). 2 a thing that relates
communion. to, depends on, or is determined by (only a matter of
ma*tri*arch /maytreeaark/ n. a woman who is the head time before they agree), no matter 1 (foil, by when, how,
of a family or tribe, dd ma*tri*ar*chal /-aarksl/ adj. etc.) regardless of (will do it no matter what the conse-
ma»tri»ar»chy /maytreea'arkee/ n. (pi -chies) a form of quences). 2 it is of no importance, what is the matter
social organization in which the mother is the head of with surely there is no objection to.
the family and descent is reckoned through the female maMer of fact n. & adj. •«. 1 what belongs to the
line. sphere of fact as distinct from opinion, etc. 2 Law the
ma*tri*ces pi. of matrix. part of a judicial inquiry concerned with the truth of
mat*ri*cide /matrisid, may-/ n. 1 the killing of one's alleged facts. • adj. (matter-of-fact) /matarafakt/ 1 un-
mother. 2 a person who does this, dd mat»ri»cid«al adj. imaginative; prosaic. 2 unemotional, d as a matter of
ma»triou»late /matrikyslayt/ v. 1 intr. be enrolled at a fact in reality (esp. to correct a falsehood or misun-
college or university. 2 tr. admit (a student) to mem- derstanding), dd maMer-of-facWy adv. mat»ter-of-
bership of a college or university, dd ma«tric*iHa»tion factTiess n.
/-layshan/ n. maMing /mating/ n. 1 fabric of hemp, bast, grass, etc.,
mat»ri«lin»e»al /matrilineeal/ adj. of or based on kinship for mats (coconut matting). 2 in senses of mat 1 v.
with the mother or the female line, dd mat*ri*lin«e«al* maMins var. of matins.
ly adv. maMress /matris/ n. a fabric case stuffed with soft,
matTi«mo»ny /matrimonee/ n. (pi. -nies) 1 the rite of firm, or springy material, or a similar case filled with
marriage. 2 the state of being married, dd mat»ri»mo« air or water, used on or as a bed.
ni*al /-mOneeal/ adj. mat»ri»mo»ni»aMy /-moneealee/ ma»ture /machobr, -tyobr, -tobr/ adj. & v. *adj. (ma-

adv. turer, maturest) 1 with fully developed powers of body

ma«trix /maytriks/ n. (pi. matrices /-triseez/or matrix- and mind; adult. 2 complete in natural development;
es) 1 a mold in which a thing is cast or shaped, such ripe. 3 (of thought, intentions, etc.) duly careful and
as a phonograph record, printing type, etc. 2 an envi- adequate. 4 (of a bond, etc.) due for payment, mv.
ronment or substance in which a thing is developed. 1 a tr. &intr. develop fully, b tr.& intr. ripen. C intr.

3 a rock in which gems, fossils, etc., are embedded. come to maturity. 2 tr. perfect (a plan, etc.). 3 intr. (of
4 Math, a rectangular array of elements in rows and a bond, etc.) become due for payment, dd ma»ture»ly
columns that is treated as a single element. 5 Biol, the adv. ma»tu»ri»ty n.
substance between cells or in which structures are em- mat»zo /maatsa/ n. (also matzoh; pi. -zos or -zohs or
bedded. 6 Computing a gridlike array of intercon- matzoth /-sot/) 1 a wafer of unleavened bread for the
nected circuit elements. Passover. 2 such bread collectively.
ma»tron /maytran/ n. 1 a married woman, esp. a digni- maudlin /mawdlin/ adj. weakly or tearfully sentimen-
fied and sober one. 2 a woman managing the domes- tal, esp. in a tearful and effusive stage of drunkenness.
tic arrangements of a school, prison, etc. dd ma»tron» maul /mawl/ v. & n. mv.tr. 1 beat and bruise. 2 handle
hood n. roughly or carelessly. 3 damage by criticism. •«. a
ma»tron«ly /maytranlee/ adj. like or characteristic of a heavy hammer, used esp. to drive stakes and wedges.
matron, esp. in respect of staidness or portliness. dd maul*er n.
ma»tron Of hon»or n. a married woman attending the maun*der mawndar/ v.intr. 1 talk in a dreamy or ram-
bride at a wedding. bling manner. 2 move or act listlessly or idly.
matte /mat/ adj., n.,&v. (also matt or mat) madj. (of Maun»dy Thursday n. the Thursday before Easter.
1

a color, surface, etc.) dull; without luster. »n. 1 a bor- mau*so«le*um /mawsale'eam/ n. (pi. mausoleums or
der of dull gold around a framed picture. 2 (in full mausolea) a large and grand tomb.
matte paint) paint formulated to give a dull flat finish mauve /mov/ adj. (sfn.m adj. pale purple. • n. 1 this col-
(cf. gloss ). 3 the appearance of unburnished gold.
1
or. 2 a bright but delicate pale purple dye from coal-
mv.tr. (matted, matting) 1 make (gilding, etc.) dull. tar aniline, dd mauvish adj.
2 frost (glass). ma»ven /mayvan/ n. (also ma«vin) colloq. an expert or
matte 2 /mat/ n. Cinematog. a mask to obscure part of connoisseur.
an image and allow another image to be superimposed, mav»er»ick /mavarik, mavrik/ n. 1 an unbranded calf
giving a combined effect. or yearling. 2 an unorthodox or independent-minded
maMer /matar/ n. &
v. • n. 1a physical substance in person.
general, as distinct from mind and spirit, b that which maw /maw/ n. 1 a the stomach of an animal, b the jaws
has mass and occupies space. 2 a particular substance or throat of a voracious animal. 2 colloq. the stomach
(coloring matter). 3 (prec. by the; often foil, by with) of a greedy person.
the thing that is amiss (what is the matter?). 4 material mawkish /mawkish/ adj. 1 sentimental in a feeble or
for thought or expression. 5 a the substance of a book, sickly way. 2 having a faint sickly flavor, dd mawleish*
speech, etc., as distinct from its manner or form. ly adv. mawk«isrwiess n.
b Logic the particular content of a proposition, as dis- max. abbr. maximum, d to the max si. to the utmost; to
tinct from its form. 6 a thing or things of a specified the fullest extent.
kind (printed matter, reading matter) 7 an affair or sit- max«i /maksee/ n. (pi. maxis) colloq. a maxiskirt or other
.

uation being considered, esp. in a specified way (a se- garment with a long skirt.
rious matter, a matter for concern) 8 Physiol, a any sub- maxi- /maksee/ comb, form very large or long (maxicoat,
.

stance in or discharged from the body (fecal matter, maxiskirt)

gray matter), b pus. 9 (foil, by of, for) what is or may maX'iMa /maksito/ n. (pi maxillae /-lee/or maxillas)
be a good reason for (complaint, regret, etc.). 1 the jaw or jawbone, esp. the upper jaw in most ver-
10 Printing the body of a printed work, as type or as tebrates. 2 the mouthpart of many arthropods used in
printed sheets, •v.intr. 1 (often foil, by to) be of im- chewing, dd max*iMar*y /maksaleree/ adj.
portance; have significance (it does not matter to me
when it happened) 2 secrete or discharge pus. o for that See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
.
 .

maxim ~ mean 490 MB abbr. Computing megabyte(s)

MBA abbr. Master of Business Administration.
max-im /maksim/ n. a general truth or rule of conduct MC abbr. 1 master of ceremonies. 2 Marine Corps.
expressed in a sentence. 3 Medical Corps. 4 Member of Congress.
maximal /maksimal/ adj. being or relating to a maxi- Mc»Car»thy»ism /maka'arthee-izam/ n. the policy of
mum; the greatest possible in size, duration, etc. hunting out suspected subversives or esp.
dd max*i*maMy adv. Communists.
maximize /maksimiz/ v.tr. increase or enhance to the McCoy /makoy/ n. colloq. u the (or the real) McCoy the
utmost, dd max*i*mi*za*tion n. max*i«miz«er n. genuine article.
real thing; the
maximum /maksimam/ n. & adj. *n. (pi. maxima MD abbr. 1 Doctor of Medicine. 2 Maryland (in official
/-ma/) the highest possible or attainable amount. • adj. postal use). 3 Managing Director. 4 muscular dys-
that is a maximum. trophy.
May /may/ n. the fifth month of the year. Md symb. Chem. the element mendelevium.
may /may/ v. aux. (3rd sing, present may; past might /mit/) Md. abbr. Maryland.
1 (often foil, by
emphasis) expressing possi-
well for MDA abbr. methylene dioxymethamphetamine, an am-
bility (it may be true; you may
well lose your way). phetamine-based drug that causes euphoric and hal-
2 expressing permission (you may not go; may I come lucinatory effects, originally produced as an appetite
in?). 3 expressing a wish (may he live to regret it). suppressant (see ecstasy 2).
4 expressing uncertainty or irony in questions (who ME abbr. 1 Maine 2 Middle East.
(in official postal use) .

may you be?; who are you, may I ask?) 5 in purpose . 3 middle English.
clauses and after wish, fear, etc. (hope he may succeed). Me. abbr. Maine.
d be that as it may (or that is as may be) that may or me /mee/ pron. 1 objective case of I 2 (he saw me). 2 col-
1

may not be so. loq. = I 2 (it's me all right; is taller than me). 3 colloq. my-
Traditionalists insist that one should distinguish be- self; to or for myself (/ got me a gun) 4 colloq. used in .

tween may (present tense) and might (past tense) in exclamations (ah me!; dear me!; silly met), d me and
expressing possibility: / may have some dessert after din- mine me and my relatives.
ner if I'm still hungry. I might have known that the high- me 2 var. of mi.
way would be closed because of the storm. In casual use, me»a CUl*pa /mays koblpa, me'ea kulps/ n. int. *n. &
though, may and might are generally interchangeable: an acknowledgment of one's fault or error (from Lat-
They might take a vacation next month. He may have in 'by my fault') • int. expressing such an acknowledg- .

called earlier, but the answering machine was broken. For ment.
may vs. can, see note at can 1
. mead /meed/ n. an alcoholic drink of fermented hon-
Ma*ya /maaya/ n. 1 (pi. same or Mayas) a member of ey and water.
an ancient native people of Central America. 2 the lan- mead»OW/medo/n. 1 a piece of grassland, esp. one used
guage of this people, dd Ma*yan adj. n. &
for hay. 2 a piece of low well-watered ground, esp. near
mayap»ple /mayapal/ n. (also man-drake) an Amer- a river, dd mead»ow»y adj.
ican herbaceous plant, Podophyllum peltatum, bearing mea»ger /meegar/ adj. 1 lacking in amount or quality
a yellow egg-shaped fruit in May. (a meager salary). 2 (of literary composition, ideas,
may«be /maybee/ adv. perhaps, possibly. etc.) lacking fullness; unsatisfying. 3 (of a person or
May Day n. May 1, esp. as a festival with dancing, or animal) lean; thin, dd mea*ger*ly adv. mea*ger*ness
as an international holiday in honor of workers. n.
May*day /mayday/ n. an international radio-telephone meal /meel/ n. 1 an occasion when food is eaten. 2 the
1

distress signal used esp. by ships and aircraft. food eaten on one occasion, d make a meal of 1 treat
may«f low»er /mayflowar/ n. 1 any of various flowers (a task, etc.) too laboriously or fussily. 2 consume as
that bloom in May, esp. the trailing arbutus, Epigaea a meal.
repens. 2 (Mayflower) the ship on which the Pilgrims
meal Old English meel (also in the sense 'measure,'
traveled from England to N. America in 1620.
surviving in words such as piecemeal 'measure taken at
may»f ly /mayfli/ n. (pi. -flies) 1 any insect of the order
one time'), of Germanic origin. The early sense of meal
Ephemeroptera, living briefly in spring in the adult
involved a notion of 'fixed time'; compare with Dutch
stage. 2 an imitation mayfly used by anglers.
may*hap /mayhap/ adv. archaic perhaps; possibly.
wWmeal, (portion of) time' and German Mai 'time,'
Afa/*/ 'meal,' from an Indo-European root meaning 'to
may»hem /mayhem/ n. 1 violent or damaging action.
measure.'
2 rowdy confusion; chaos.
mayn't /mayant/ contr. may not. meal 2 /meel/ n. 1 the edible part of any grain or pulse
may«on»naise /mayanayz/ n. a thick creamy dressing (usu. other than wheat) ground to powder. 2 any pow-
made of egg yolks, oil, vinegar, etc. dery substance made by grinding.
may»or /mayar, mair/ n. the chief executive of a city or meal tick«et n. 1a ticket
entitling one to a meal, esp.
town, dd mayofal adj. mayorship n. at a specified place with reduced cost. 2 a person Of
may»or»al»ty /mayaraltee, mair-/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the of- thing that is a source of food or income.
fice of mayor. 2 a mayor's period of office. meal-time /me'eltim/ n. any of the usual times <>l eai
may»or»ess /mayaris, mair-/ n. 1 a woman holding the ing.
office of mayor. 2 the wife of a mayor. meal-worm /me'elworm/ n. the larva of the meal beet-
may*pole /maypol/ n. (also Maypole) a pole painted le.
and decked with flowers and ribbons, for dancing meal»y /me'elee/ adj. (mealier, mealiest) 1 a of or like
around on May Day. meal; soft and powdery, b containing meal. 2 (of a
mayst /mayst/ archaic 2nd sing, present of may. complexion) pale. 3 (of a horse) spotty. 4 (in lull
maz*a*rine /mazare'en/ n. &
adj. a rich deep blue. mealy-mouthed) not outspoken; afraid to use plain
maze /mayz/ n. 1a network of paths and hedges de- expressions. DG meaM-ness n.
signed as a puzzle for those who try to penetrate it. 2 a mean' /meen/ v.tr. (past and past purr, meant /nn-nt
complex network of paths or passages; a labyrinth. 3 a 1 a (often foil, by to + infin.) have as one's purpose

confused mass, etc. dd ma*zy adj. (mazier, maziest). or intention; have in mind (rh<v really MMM MttcMffj /
ma*zur*ka /mazarka/ n. 1 a usu. lively Polish dance in didn't mean to break it), b (foil, by by) have as a mo-
triple time. 2 the music for this. tive in explanation (what do you mean b\< that?). 2 (of-
 ten in passive) design or destine for a purpose (mean 491 mean - meatball
it to be used; is meant to be a gift) 3 intend to convey or
.

indicate or refer to (a particular thing or notion) (/ agency or instrumentality of (a thing or action), by no

mean we cannot go; I mean Springfield in Ohio) 4 en- . means (or no manner of means) not at all; certainly
tail; involve (it means catching the early train). 5 (often not.
foil, by that + clause) portend; signify (this means trou- meant past and past part, of mean 1 .

ble; your refusal means that we must look elsewhere). 6 (of meantime /meentim/ adv. &
n. madv. - meanwhile.

a word) have as its explanation in the same language Less usual than meanwhile. *n. the intervening pe-
or its equivalent in another language. 7 (foil, by to) be riod (esp. in the meantime).
of some specified importance to (a person) (that means meanwhile /me'enwil, -hwil/ adv. n. madv. 1 in the &
a lot to me). mean business be in earnest, mean it intervening period of time. 2 at the same time. •«. the
not be joking or exaggerating, mean to say really ad- intervening period (esp. in the meanwhile).
mit (usu. in interrog.: do you mean to say you have lost mean«y var. of meanie.
it?), mean well (often foil, by to, toward, by) have good mea*sles /me'ezglz/ n.pl. (also treated as sing.) 1 an
intentions. acute infectious viral disease marked by red spots on
mean 2 /meen/ adj. 1 miserly; not generous. 2 ignoble; the skin. 2 the spots of measles.
small-minded. 3 (of a person's capacity, understand- mea*sly /me'ezlee/ adj. (measlier, measliest) 1 colloq.
ing, etc.) inferior; poor. 4 (of housing) not imposing contemptibly small or few.
in appearance; shabby. 5 a malicious; ill-tempered. meas*ur*a*ble /mezharabal/ adj. that can be measured.
b vicious or aggressive. 6 colloq. skillful; formidable (is dd meas*ur*a*bil*i*ty /-bilitee/ n. meas*ur*a*bly adv.
a mean fighter) 7 colloq. ashamed (feel mean) a no
. . meas«ure /mezhar/ «. &
d. •«. 1 a size or quantity

mean a very good (that is no mean achievement).
dd mean«ly adv. mearvness n.
mean Middle English, shortening of Old English
gemcene, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European
root shared by Latin communis 'common.' The orig-
inal sense was 'common to two or more persons,' later
'inferior in rank,' leading to senses 3 and 4, from which
senses 1 and 2 (which became common in the 19th
century) arose.
mean 3 /meen/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 a condition, quality, vir-
tue, or course of action equally removed from two op-
posite (usu. unsatisfactory) extremes. 2 Math, a the
term midway between the first and last terms of an
arithmetical or geometrical, etc., progression (2 and 8
have the arithmetic mean 5 and the geometric mean 4)
b average, madj. 1 (of a quantity) equally far from two
extremes. 2 calculated as a mean.
The difference between median and mean is most
clearly expressed in numbers: Mean, or average, refers
to the result obtained by dividing the sum of a set of
quantities by the number of quantities in the set: The
mean or average of 3, 1 1, 9, and 5 is 28 divided by 4, or
7. The median is the middle number in a sequence or,
if the sequence has an even number of quantities, the
average between the two middle numbers: The median
of 3, 4, 5, 8, and 14 is 5. The median of 2, 9, 10, and 35
is 9. 5, that is, the mean or the average of 9 and 1 0.
me«an»der /meeandar/ v. & n. • v. intr. 1 wander at ran-
dom. 2 (of a stream) wind about. •«. 1 a a curve in a
winding river, etc. b a crooked or winding path or pas-
sage. 2 a circuitous journey. 3 an ornamental pattern
of lines winding in and out; a fret, an me*an*der*ing
adj. & n.
found by measuring. 2 a system of measuring (liquid
measure; linear measure) .3 a rod or tape, etc., for meas-
uring. 4 a vessel of standard capacity for transferring
or determining fixed quantities of liquids, etc. (a pint
measure). 5 a the degree, extent, or amount of a thing.
b (foil, by of) some degree of (there was a measure of
wit in her remark). 6 a unit of capacity, e.g., a bushel
(20 measures of wheat). 7 a factor by which a person or
thing is reckoned or evaluated (their success is a meas-
ure of their determination). 8 (usu. in pi.) suitable ac-
tion to achieve some end (took measures to ensure a good
profit). 9a legislative act. 10 contained in
a quantity
another an exact number of times. 11a
prescribed ex-
tent or quantity. 12a poetical rhythm; meter, b a met-
rical group of a dactyl or two iambs, trochees, spon-
dees, etc. 13 US Mus. a bar or the time content of a
bar. • v. 1 tr. ascertain the extent or quantity of (a thing)
by comparison with a fixed unit or with an object of
known size. 2 intr. be of a specified size (it measures six
inches). 3 tr. ascertain the size and proportion of (a per-
son) for clodies. 4 tr. estimate (a quality, person's char-
acter, etc.) by some standard or rule. 5 tr. (often foil,
by off) mark (a line, etc., of a given length). 6 tr. (foil,
by out) distribute (a thing) in measured quantities. 7 tr.
(foil, by with, against) bring (oneself or one's strength,
etc.) into competition with, o beyond measure exces-
sively, for good measure as something beyond the min-
imum; as a finishing touch, in a (or some) measure
measure up 1 a determine the size, etc., of by
partly,
measurement, b take comprehensive measurements.
2 (often foil, by to) have the necessarv qualifications
(for).
meas«ured /mezhard/ adj. 1 rhythmical; regular in
movement (a measured tread) 2 (of language) careful-
.

mean*ie /me'enee/ n. (also mean»y) (pi. -ies) colloq. a ly considered.

mean or small-minded person. meas*ure*less /mezharlis/ adj. not measurable; infi-
meaning /me'ening/ n. & adj. •«. 1 what is meant by nite.
a word, action, idea, etc. 2 significance. 3 importance. meas»ure»ment /mezharmant/ n. 1 the act or an in-
madj. expressive; significant (a meaning glance). stance of measuring. 2 an amount determined by
dd mearving*ly adv. measuring. 3 (in pi.) detailed dimensions.
mean*ing*ful /me'eningfool/ adj. 1 full of meaning; meas»ur»ing cup n. a cup marked to measure its con-
significant. 2 Logic able to be interpreted, dd mean* tents.
ing*ful*ly adv. mean*ing*ful*ness n. meat /meet/ the flesh of animals (esp. mammals)
n. 1
mean»ing»less /me'eninglis/ adj. having no meaning or as food. 2 by of) the essence or chief part of.
(foil,
significance, dd mean*ing*less*ly adv. mean*ing*less* 3 the edible part of fruits, nuts, eggs, shellfish, etc.
ness n. dd meaWess adj.
means /meenz/ n.pl. 1 (often treated as sing.) that by meat-and-po»ta»toes adj. essential; fundamental; ba-
which a result is brought about (a means of quick trav- sic.
el). 2 a money resources (live beyond one's means). meat»ball /me'etbawl/ n. seasoned ground meat formed
b wealth (a man of means), n by all means (or all man- into a small round ball.
ner of means) 1 certainly. 2 in every possible way. 3 at
any cost, by any means in any way. by means of by the See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

meat loaf ~ Mediterranean 492 angle to the middle of the opposite side. 3 Math, the
middle value of a series of values arranged in order of
meat loaf n. seasoned ground meat molded into the size. 4 (also median strip) center divider separating

shape of a loaf and baked. opposing lanes on a divided highway.

meatpacking /meetpaking/ n. the business of slaugh- See note at mean.
tering animals and processing the meat for sale as food. me*di*ant /meedeegnt/ n. Mus. the third note of a dia-
meat*y /meetee/ adj. (meatier, meatiest) 1 full of meat; tonic scale of any key.
fleshy. 2 of or like meat. 3 full of substance, dd meat* me»di»ate v. &
adj. »v. /me'edeeayt/ 1 intr. (often foil,

My adv. meat»i»ness n. by between) intervene (between parties in a dispute) to

Meoca /meka/ n. la place one aspires to visit. 2 the produce agreement or reconciliation. 2 tr. be the me-
birthplace of a faith, policy, pursuit, etc. dium for bringing about (a result) or for conveying (a
me»chan»ic /mikanik/ n. a skilled worker, esp. one who gift, etc.). 3 tr. form a connecting link between, •adj.
makes or uses or repairs machinery. /me'edeeat/ 1 connected not directly but through some
me*chan*i*cal /mikanikal/ adj. 1 of or relating to other person or thing. 2 involving an intermediate
machines or mechanisms. 2 working or produced by agency, dd me»di»a»tion /-ayshan/ n. me*di*a*tor
machinery. 3 (of a person or action) automatic; lack- /me'edeeaytar/ n. me«di»a»to»ry /meedeestawree/ adj.
ing originality. 4 a (of an agency, principle, etc.) be- med«ic /medik/ n. colloq. a medical practitioner or stu-
longing to mechanics, b (of a theory, etc.) explaining dent.
phenomena by the assumption of mechanical action. med*i*ca*ble /medikabal/ adj. able to benefit from
5 of or relating to mechanics as a science, dd me»chan» medical treatment.
hcaMsmn. (in sense 4). me»chan»i»caMy adv. me»chan» Medicaid /medikayd/ n. a federal system of health
i*cal*ness n. insurance for those requiring financial assistance.
me»chan«ics /mikaniks/ n.pl (usu. treated as sing.) med*i*cal /mediksl/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 of or relating to

1 the branch of applied mathematics dealing with mo- the science of medicine in general. 2 of or relating to
tion and tendencies to motion. 2 the science of ma- conditions requiring medical and not surgical treat-
chinery. 3 the method of construction or routine ment (medical ward), mn. colloq. = medical examination.
operation of a thing. dd med»i»caMy adv.
meclvarvism /mekanizam/ n. 1 the structure or med*i*cal ex»am»in»er n. a person, usu. a physician,
adaptation of parts of a machine. 2 a system of parts employed by a city, county, etc., to conduct autopsies
working together in or as in a machine. 3 the mode of and determine the cause of death.
operation of a process. 4 Art mechanical execution; me«dic»a«ment /medikamant, midika-/ n. a substance
technique. 5 Philos. the doctrine that all natural phe- used for medical treatment.
nomena, including life, allow mechanical explanation Medicare /medikair/ n. US federal government pro-
by physics and chemistry. gram for health insurance for persons esp. over 65
mech»a»nis»tic /mekanistik/ adj. of or connected with years of age.
mechanics, dd mech»a»nis»ti»caMy /-nistiklee/ adv. med*i*cate /medikayt/ v. tr. 1 treat medically. 2 impreg-
mech»a»nize /mekaniz/ v.tr. 1 introduce machines or nate with a medicinal substance.
automatic devices into (a process, activity, or place. med*i«ca*tion /medikayshan/ n. 1 a substance used for
2 Mil. equip with tanks, armored cars, etc. dd meclv medical treatment. 2 treatment using drugs.
a*ni*za*tion n. mech*a«niz*er n. &n. madj. (of a substance)
me»dic»i»nal/m3disin9l/(2<i/".
med /med/ adj. colloq. medical (med school) having healing properties. *n. a medicinal substance.
med*al /med'l/ n. a piece of metal, usu. in the form of dd me«dic*i*nal*ly adv.
a disk, awarded as a distinction to a soldier, scholar, med*i*cine /medisin/ n. 1 the science or practice of the
athlete, etc., for services rendered, for proficiency, etc. diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, esp.
med*al*ist /med'list/ n. 1a recipient of a (specified) as distinct from surgical methods. 2 any drug or prep-
medal {gold medalist) 2 an engraver or designer of aration used for the treatment or prevention of dis-
.

medals. ease, esp. one taken by mouth. 3 a spell, charm, or fet-

me*dal*lion /midalyan/ n. 1a large medal. 2 a thing ish which is thought to cure afflictions, d give someone
shaped like this, e.g., a decorative panel, etc. a dose (or taste) of one's own medicine give some-
Med»al of Free«dom n. (also Presidential Med»al of one the same bad treatment that they have given to
Free«dom) medal awarded by the US president for others, take one's medicine submit to something dis-
achievement in various fields. agreeable.
Med*al of Horvor n. (also Con*gres*sion*al Med*al of med*i*cine ball n. a stuffed leather ball thrown and
Horror) the highest US military decoration, awarded caught for exercise.
by Congress for exceptional valor. med«l*cine man n. a person believed to have magical
med*dle /med'l/ v.intr. (often foil, by with, in) interfere powers of healing, esp. among Native Americans.
in or busy oneself unduly with others' concerns. med»i«CO /mediko/ n. (pi. -cos) colloq. a medical practi-
dd med*dler n. tioner or student.
med»dle»SOme /med'lsam/ adj. fond of meddling; in- me«di»e»val /me'edee-e'evnl, med , mid / adj. (also me*
terfering. di«ae«val) or in the style of, the Middle A^es. 2 col-
1 of,
me-di-a /me'edeea/ n.pl. 1 pi. of MEDIUM. 2 (usu. prcc.
1
loq. old-fashioned, do me«di»e»vaMsm n. me«di»e«val«
by the) the main means of mass communication (esp. ist «.
newspapers and broadcasting) regarded collectively. me«di»0»cre /meedeeoknr/ acQ. 1 of middling quality
See note at medium. neither good nor bad. 2 second-rate.
me*di«a 2 /me'edeea/ n. (pi. mediae /-dee-e'e/) 1 Phonct. me«di»OCTi»ty /meedeeokritee/ ;/. (pi. -ties) 1 the state
a voiced stop, e.g.,£, 6, d. 2 Anat. a middle layer of the of being mediocre. 2 a mediocre person or thing.
wall of an artery or other vessel. med»i»tate /meditayt/ r. 1 intr. a exercise the mind in
me*di*ae«val var. of medieval. (esp. religious) contemplation, b (usu. foil. In <»/, ///>
me*di«al /me'edeenl/ adj. 1 situated in the middle. 2 of on) focus on a subject in this manner. 2 tr. plan men
average size, ou me*di*aMy adv. tally, fin mecJ-i«tcTtion i.ivsn.in ;/. med*i*ta«tor ;/.

me*di*an me'edeenn/ adj. &

n. •adj. situated in the med»i«ta»tive frneditaytiv/ adj. 1 inclined to meditate
middle. «n. 1 Anat. a median artery, vein, nerve, etc. 2 indicative of meditation, » med«i»ta«tive«ly adv.
i
i

2 Geom. a straight line drawn from any vertex of a tri- Med*i*ter*ra*ne«an /mcditoraynee.-W ft. adj. *n. la &
 large landlocked sea bordered by S. Europe, SW Asia, 493 medium - melancholy
and N. Africa. 2 a native of a country bordering on the
Mediterranean Sea. •adj. 1 of or characteristic of the the cost of the move). 8 tr. &
(foil, by with) intr. expe-

Mediterranean or its surrounding region (Mediterra- rience, encounter, or receive (success, disaster, a dif-
nean climate; Mediterranean cooking). 2 (of a person) ficulty, etc.) (met their death; met with many problems)
dark-complexioned and not tall. 9 oppose in battle, contest, or confrontation. •«.
tr.

me«di*um /meedeeam/ n. &

adj. •«. (pi. media or me- 1 the assembly of competitors for various sporting ac-

diums) 1 the middle quality, degree, etc., between tivities, as track, swimming, etc. 2 the assembly of rid-
extremes (find a happy medium) 2 the means by which . ers and hounds for a hunt, c meet the eye (or the ear)
something is communicated (the medium of sound; the be visible (or audible), meet a person's eye check if
medium of television) 3 the intervening substance
. another person is watching and look into his or her
through which impressions are conveyed to the sens- eyes in return, meet a person halfway make a com-
es, etc. (light passing from one medium into another). promise, meet up colloq. happen to meet, meet with
4 Biol, the physical environment or conditions of 1 see sense 8 of v. 2 receive (a reaction) (met with the

growth, storage, or transport of a living organism (the committee's approval). 3 see sense la of v. more than
shape of a fish is ideal for its fluid medium; growing mold meets the eye possessing hidden qualities or compli-
on the surface of a medium) 5 a means of doing some-
. cations.
thing (the medium through which money is raised). 6 the meet 2 /meet/ adj. archaic suitable; fit; proper.
material or form used by an artist, composer, etc. 7 the meeting /meeting/ n. 1 in senses of meet 2 an assem- 1
.

liquid (e.g., oil or gel) with which pigments are mixed
for use in painting. 8 (pi. mediums) a person claim-
ing to communicate between the dead and the living.
• adj. 1 between two qualities, degrees, etc. 2 average;
moderate (of medium height).
The Latin-derived noun medium, 'means for dis-
tributing information,' is singular. Its plural is media:
The newspaper is a powerful advertising medium. The gov-
ernment used all media to reach voters. Some media are
more influential than others. Many speakers now use the
plural as singular: The media is only as good as the in-
tegrity of the people who report the stories.
med*ley /medlee/ -leys) 1 a varied mixture. 2 a
n. (pi.
collection of songs, parts of songs, or other musical
items from one work or various sources performed as
a continuous piece (a medley of Beatles songs).
me»duMa /midula/ n. 1 the inner region of certain
organs or tissues. 2 the myelin layer of certain nerve
fibers. 3 the soft internal tissue of plants, dd med*ul*
lar»y /med'leree, meja-, madularee/ adj.
me»duMa ob*long*a*ta /midula oblongga'ata/ n. the
continuation of the spinal cord within the skull, form-
ing the lowest part of the brain stem.
me»du«sa /midobsa, -za, -dyob-/ n. (pi. medusae
/-see/or medusas) 1 a jellyfish.
form of any coelenterate, having tentacles around the
edge of a jellylike body.
meek /meek/ adj. 1 humble and submissive. 2 piously
gentle in nature, dd meek*ly adv. meek*ness n.
meer«kat /meerkat/ n. a small S African mongoose, esp.
. meg»a»ton /megatun/ n. a unit of explosive power equal
the suricate.
meerschaum /me'ersham, -shawm/ n. 1a soft white
form of hydrated magnesium silicate, which resem-
bles clay. 2 a tobacco pipe with the bowl made from
this.
meet 1
/meet/z;. &n. mv. (past and past part, met /met/)
1 a tr. encounter
person or persons) by accident or
(a
design; come face to face with, b intr. (of two or more
people) come into each other's company by accident
or design (decided to meet on the bridge). 2 tr. go to a
place to be present at the arrival of (a person, train,
etc.). 3 a tr. come together or into contact with (where
the road meets the river) b intr. come together or into
. pound that can be copolymerized with methanal to
contact (where the sea and the sky meet). 4 a tr. make
the acquaintance of (delighted to meet you) b intr. (of
two or more people) make each other's acquaintance.
5 intr. &
tr. come together or come into contact with
for the purposes of conference, business, worship, etc.
(the committee meets every week; the union met man-
agement yesterday) 6 tr. a deal with or answer (a de-
. pensive sadness. 2 a mental depression, b a habitual
mand, objection, etc.) (met the original proposal with
hostility),b satisfy or conform with (proposals, dead-
lines, a person, etc.) (agreed to meet the new terms). 7 tr.
pay (a bill, etc.); provide the funds required by (meet
bly of people, esp. the members of a society, commit-
tee, etc. 3 an assembly (esp. of Quakers) for worship.
4 the persons assembled (address the meeting)
meet*ing*house /meetinghows/ n. a place of worship,
esp. of Quakers, etc.
meg»a /mega/ adj. &
adv. si. • adj. 1 excellent. 2 enor-
mous. • adv. extremely.
mega- /mega/ comb, form 1 large. 2 denoting a factor of
one million (10 6 ) in the metric system of meas-
urement. 1J Abbr.: M.
megabyte /megabit/ n. Computing 1,048,576 (i.e.,
2 20 ) bytes as a measure of data capacity, or loosely
1,000,000 bytes. 1 Abbr.: MB.
meg»a»hertz /megaharts/ n. one million hertz, esp. as
a measure of frequency of radio transmissions. ^
Abbr.: MHz.
meg«a«lith /megalith/ n. Archaeol. a large stone, esp. as
a monument or part of one. no meg«a«lith»ic
/megalithik/ adj
megalo- /megalo/ comb, form great (megalomania)
meg»a»lo»ma»ni«a /megalomayneea/ «. la mental
disorder producing delusions of grandeur. 2 a passion
for grandiose schemes, no meg»a»lo«ma»ni«ac adj. &n.
meg*a«lo«ma*ni*a*cal /-maniakal/ adj.
2 a free-swimming meg»a»lop«o»lis/megalopalis/n. 1 a great city or its way
of life. 2 an urban complex consisting of a city and its
environs.
meg*a*phone /megafon/ n. a large funnel-shaped de-
vice for amplifying the voice.
to one million tons of TNT.
meg»a«volt /megavolt/ n. one million volts, esp. as a unit
of electromotive force. 1] Abbr.: MV.
meg»a»watt /megawot/ n. one million watts, esp. as a
measure of electrical power as generated bv power sta-
tions. 1 Abbr.: MW.
mei*0*sis /miosis/ n. 1 Biol, a type of cell division in re-
productive cells (e.g., eggs or sperm) that results in
daughter cells with half the chromosome number of
the parent cell (cf. mitosis). 2 = litotes, dd meioMc
/miotik/ adj.
mel«a»mine /melameen/ «. la white crystalline com-
give thermosetting resins. 2 (in full melamine resin)
. a plastic made from melamine and used esp. for lam-
inated coatings.
mel»an»cho»li«a /melankoleea/ n. a mental condition
marked by depression and ill-founded fears.
mel»an»chol»y /melankolee/ n. &
adj. • n. (pi. -ies) 1 a
or constitutional tendency to this. 3 hist, one of the
four humors; black bile (see humor n. 4). madj. sad;
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
Melanesian ~ memory 494 1 melt (esp. metal articles) in order to reuse the raw
material. 2 become liquid and lose structure (cf. melt-
gloomy; saddening; depressing; expressing sadness. down), an melt«er n. melt»ing»ly adv.
dd mel«arvchol«ic /-kolik/ adj. melt-down /meltdown/ n. 1 the melting of a structure,

Mel*a*ne*sian /melaneezhan, -shan/ n. adj. • n. 1 a & esp. theoverheated core of a nuclear reactor. 2 a dis-
member of the dominant Negroid people of Melane- astrous event, as a rapid fall in stock prices.
sia, an island group in the W. Pacific. 2 the language melHng point n. the temperature at which a solid will
of this people. • adj. of or relating to this people or their melt.
language. melt-ing pot n. 1 a pot in which metals, etc., are melt-
me*lange /mayloNzh/ n. a mixture; a medley. ed and mixed. 2 a place where races, theories, etc., are
mel*a*nin /melanin/ n. a dark pigment occurring in the mixed, or an imaginary pool where ideas are mixed to-
hair, skin, and iris of the eye that is responsible for tan- gether.
ning of the skin when exposed to sunlight. melt»wa»ter /meltwawtar/ n. water formed by the melt-
mel»a»no»ma /melanoma/ n. a malignant tumor of mel- ing of snow and ice, esp. from a glacier.
anin-forming cells, usu. in the skin. mem«ber/membar/«. 1 a person, animal, or plant, etc.,
Mel»ba toast /melba/ n. very thin crisp toast. belonging to a society, team, taxonomic group, etc. 2 a
meld /meld/ v. &n. •v.tr. (also absol.) (in rummy, ca-
1 person formally elected to take part in the proceed-
nasta, etc.) lay down or declare (one's cards) in order ings of certain organizations (Member of Congress). 3
to score points. • n. a completed set or run of cards in (also attrib.) a part or branch of a political body (mem-
any of these games. ber state; amember of the United Nations) 4 a constit- .

meld 2 /meld/ v.tr. &

intr. merge; blend; combine. uent portion of a complex structure. 5 a part of a sen-
me«lee /maylay/ n. (also melee) 1 a confused fight, skir- tence, equation, group of figures, mathematical set,
mish, or scuffle. 2 a muddle. etc. 6 a any part or organ of the body, esp. a limb, b =
meMif*lu«OUS /maliflooas/ adj. (of a voice or words) penis, dd menvbered adj. (also in comb.).
pleasing; musical; flowing, an meMif«lu«ous»ly adv. mem«ber*ship /membarship/ n. 1 being a member.
meMow /melo/ adj. &
v. madj. 1 (of sound, color, light) 2 the number of members. 3 the body of members.
soft and rich, free from harshness. 2 (of character) soft- menvbrane /membrayn/ n. 1 any pliable sheetlike
ened or matured by age or experience. 3 genial; jovi- structure acting as a boundary, lining, or partition in
al. 4 partly intoxicated. 5 (of fruit) soft, sweet, and an organism. 2 a thin pliable sheet or skin, dd mem*
juicy. 6 (of wine) well-matured; smooth. 7 (of earth) bra*nous /-branas/ adj.
rich; loamy, •v.tr. & intr. make or become mellow. me»men«to /mimento/ n. (pi. -tos or -toes) an object
mellow out 5/. relax, dd mellowness n. kept as a reminder or a souvenir of a person or an event.
me«lo»de»on /malodeean/ n. (also me»lo-dhon) 1 a mem»o /memo/ n. (pi. -os) colloq. a memorandum.
small organ popular in the 19th c, similar to the har- menvoir /memwaar/ n. 1a
account or biog-
historical
monium. 2 a small German accordion. raphy written from personal knowledge or special
me»lod»ic /malodik/ adj. 1 of or relating to melody. sources. 2 (in pi.) an autobiography or a written ac-
2 having or producing melody, dd me*lod*i*cal*ly adv. count of one's memory of certain events or people.
me«lo»di»OUS /malodeeas/ adj. 1 of, producing, or hav- 3 a an essay on a learned subject specially studied by
ing melody. 2 sweet-sounding, dd me*lo*di*ous*ly adv. the writer, b (in pi. ) the proceedings or transactions
me*lo*di*ous*ness n. of a learned society, dd mem»oir»ist n.
mel»o»dra»ma /meladraama, -drama/ «. 1a dramatic mem»o»ra»bil«i»a /memarabileea, -bilya/ n.pl. sou-
piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events venirs of memorable events.
intended to appeal to the emotions. 2 the genre of dra- mem»o»ra»ble /memarabal/ adj. 1 worth remembering.
ma of this type. 3 language, behavior, or an occurrence 2 easily remembered, no mem«OTa«bil«i»ty /-bilitee/ n.
suggestive of this, dd mel*o*dra*mat«ic /-dramatik/ adj. mem*o*ra*bly adv.
me*lo*dra*mat*i*cal*ly /-dramatiklee/ adv. mel«o»dranv menvo«ran»dum /memarandam/ n. (pi. memoranda
a«tize /-dramatlz/ v. tr. /-da/or memorandums) 1 a note or record made for
mel»o«dy /meladee/ n. (pi. -dies) 1 an arrangement of future use. 2 an informal written message, esp. in busi-
single notes in a musically expressive succession. 2 the ness, diplomacy, etc. 3 Law a document recording the
principal part in harmonized music. 3 a musical ar- terms of a contract or other legal details.
rangement of words. 4 sweet music; tunefulness. me»mo»ri»al /mamawreeal/ n. &
adj. *n. an object, in-
mel»on /melan/ n. 1 the sweet fruit of various gourds. stitution, or custom established of a per-
in memory
2 the gourd producing this (honeydew melon; watermel- son or event (the Albert Memorial), madj. intending to
on). 3 Zoo/, a mass of waxy material in the head of some commemorate a person or thing (memorial service).
toothed whales, thought to focus acoustic signals. dd me«mo«ri«al»ist n.
melt /melt/ v. & n. mv. 1 intr. become liquefied by holiday on which those who died
heat. Me»mo«ri»al Day n.
2 tr. change to a liquid condition mol- in war are remembered, usu. the last Monday in May.
by heat. 3 tr. (as
ten adj.) (usu. of materials that require a great deal of me»mo»ri»al»ize/mamawreealiz/z;.fr. 1 commemorate.
heat to melt them) liquefied by heat (molten lava; mol- 2 address a memorial to.
ten lead) Aa intr. &
tr. dissolve, b intr. (of food) be eas- mem»0«rize /memanz/ v.tr. commit to memory.
ily dissolved in the mouth. 5 intr. a (of a person, feel- dd menro»ri»za»tion n.
ings, the heart, etc.) be softened as a result of pity, love, mem»o»ry /memaree/ n. (pi. -ries) 1 the faculty by
etc. b dissolve into tears. 6 tr. soften (a person, feel- which things are recalled to or kept in the mind.
ings, the heart, etc.) (a look to melt a heart of stone). 2 a this faculty in an individual (my memory 1^ btgifi
7 intr. (usu. foil, by into) change or merge impercep- rung to fail), b one's store of thing! remembered (bur-
tibly into another form or state (night melted into dawn). ied deep in my memory). 3 a recollection or in mm
8 intr. (often foil, by away) (of a person) leave or dis- brance (the memory 0/ better times), 4 the storage-
appear unobtrusively (melted into the background; nich- capacity of a computer or other electronic HUM hiiui v
ed away into the crowd). 9 intr. (usu. as melting adj.) (of 5 the remembrance of a person or thing (his moihci \
sound) be soft and liquid (nuking chords), •n. 1 liquid memory haunted him). 6 a the reputation ofl >ie;ul pet
metal, etc. 2 an amount melted at any one time. 3 the son (ins memory livei <»o. b in formulaic phrases used
process or an instance of melting, a melt away disap- of a dead sovereign, etc. (of blessed memory). 7 the
pear or make disappear by liquefaction, melt down length of time over which the memory or memories
 of any given person or group extends {within living 495 memory lane - merchandise
memory^ within the memory of anyone still working here).
8 the act of remembering (a deed worthy of memory) men*servants see manservant.
a commit to memory learn (a thing) so as to be able men»ses /menseez/ n.pl. 1 blood and other materials
to recall it. from memory without verification in books, discharged from the uterus at menstruation. 2 the time
etc. in memory of to keep alive the remembrance of. of menstruation.
menvo-ry lane n. (usu. prec. by down, along) an imag- mens rea /menz reea/ n. criminal intent; the knowl-
inary and sentimental journey into the past. edge of wrongdoing.
men pi. of man. men's room n. a usu. public restroom for men.
men*ace /menis/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a threat. 2 a dangerous men»stru»al /menstrooal/ adj. of or relating to the men-
or obnoxious thing or person. 3 joe. a pest, a nuisance. ses or menstruation.
• v.tr. &
intr. threaten, dd men*ac*ing adj. men»ac«ing» men«stru»al cy»cle n. the process of ovulation and
ly adv. menstruation in female primates.
me*nage a trois /mayna'azh aa trwa'a/ n. (pi. menages men»stru«ate /menstroo-ayt/ v.intr. undergo menstru-
a trois pronunc. same) an arrangement in which three ation.
people live together, usu. a married couple and the men»stru»a»tion /menstroo-ayshan/ n. the process of
lover of one of them. discharging blood and other materials from the uter-
me«nag»er«ie /manajaree, -nazh-/ n. la collection of us in sexually mature nonpregnant women at intervals
wild animals in captivity for exhibition, etc. 2 the place of about one lunar month until the menopause.
where these are housed. men«su«ra*tion/mensharayshan,-sa-/«. 1 measuring.
mend /mend/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr. sound con-
restore to a 2 Math, the measuring of geometric magnitudes such
dition; repair. 2 intr. heal. 3 tr. improve (mend matters) as lengths, areas, and volumes.
• n. adarn or repair in material, etc. (a mend in my mens«wear /menzwair/ n. clothes for men.
a mend one's fences make peace with a person.
shirt), men»tal /ment'l/ adj. 1 of or in the mind. 2 done by the
mend one's ways reform, improve one's habits, on the mind. 3 colloq. a insane, b crazy; wild; eccentric (is
mend improving in health or condition, dd mend»er n. mental about pop music), dd men«taMy adv.
men*da*cious /mendayshas/ adj. lying; untruthful. men»tal ill*ness n. a disorder of the mind.
dd men«da«cious»ly adv. men»dac«i«ty /-dasitee/ n. (pi. men»tal»i»ty /mentalitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 mental char-
-ties). acter or disposition. 2 kind or degree of intelligence.
men»de*le«vi«um /mendale'eveeam/ n. Chem. an artifi- 3 what is in or of the mind.
cially made transuranic radioactive metallic element. men»thol /menthawl/ n. a mint-tasting organic alcohol
HSymb.:Md. found in oil of peppermint, etc., used as a flavoring
men«di»cant /mendikant/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 begging. and to relieve local pain.
2 (of a friar) living solely on alms. m. la beggar. 2 a men«tho«lat«ed /menthalaytid/ adj. treated with or con-
mendicant friar. taining menthol.
mend«ing /mending/ n. 1 the action of a person who mention /menshan/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 refer to briefly.

mends. 2 things, esp. clothes, to be mended.
men»folk /menfok/ n.pl. 1 men in general. 2 the men of
one's family.
men»ha»den /menhayd'n/ n. (pi. same) any large her-
ringlike fish of the genus Brevoortia, of the E. coast of
N. America, yielding valuable oil and used for manure.
me»ni»al /meeneeal/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 (esp. of work) de- ical device) of primary importance, an men*tion*a*ble
grading; servile. 2 usu. derog. (of a servant) domestic.
• n. 1 a menial servant. 2 a servile person.
men»in»gi»tis /meninjitis/ n. an inflammation of the me-
ninges due to infection by viruses or bacteria.
me»ninx /me'eningks/ n. (pi. meninges /maninjeez/)
(usu. in pi.) any of the three membranes that line the
skull and vertebral canal and enclose the brain and
spinal cord, dd me*nin*ge*al /mininjeeal/ adj.
2 specify by name. 3 reveal or disclose (do not mention
this to anyone). »n. a reference, esp. by name, to a per-
son or thing, o don't mention it said in polite dismiss-
al of an apology or thanks, make mention (or no men-
tion) of refer (or not refer) to. not to mention
introducing a fact or thing of secondary or (as a rhetor-
adj.
men«tor /mentawr/ n. an experienced and trusted ad-
viser.
men«u /menyoo/ n. 1 a a list of dishes available in a res-
taurant, etc. b a list of items to be served at a meal.
2 Computing a list of options showing the commands
or facilities available.
me«ow /mee-6w/ n. &
v. • n. the characteristic cry of a

me*nis*cus /maniskas/ n. (pi. menisci /-nisi/or menis- cat. •v.intr. make this cry.
cuses) 1 Physics the curved upper surface of a liquid me»phit»ic /-fitik/ adj. 1 foul-smelling. 2 (of a vapor,
in a tube. 2 a lens that is convex on one side and con- etc.) noxious, poisonous.
cave on the other. 3 Math, a crescent-shaped figure. mer«can»tile /markantil/ adj. 1 of trade, trading.
AAnat. a cartilaginous disk within a joint, esp. the 2 commercial. 3 mercenary, fond of bargaining.
knee. mer*can*til*ism /markantilizam/ n. an old economic
men*o*pause /mena- theory that money is the only form of wealth, dd mer»
pawz/ n. 1 the ceasing carvtiMst n.
of menstruation. 2 the Mer»ca»tor pro*jec*tion /markaytar/ n. (also Merca-
period in a woman's tor's projection) a projection of a map of the world on-
life (usu. between 45 to a cylinder so that all the parallels of latitude have
and 50) when this the same length as the equator.
occurs, dd men*o*pau* mer«ce»nar»y /marsaneree/ adj. &
n. madj. primarily
sal /-pawzal/ adj. concerned with money or other reward (mercenary mo-
me»nor»ah /manawra, tives). »w. (pi. -ies) a hired soldier in foreign service.
-nora/ n. a candelabrum mer»cer»ize /marsariz/ v.tr. treat (cotton fabric or
used in Jewish worship, thread) under tension with caustic alkali to give greater
originally one with sev- strength and impart luster.
en branches, now often mer*chan*dise /marchandiz/ n. &
v. • n. goods for sale.
replicated as a nine- • v. 1 intr. trade; traffic. 2 tr. trade or traffic in. 3 tr.
branched candelabrum
used at Hanukkah. menorah See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . .
merchant ~ mess
a promote the sale of (goods, etc.). b advertise;
licize (an idea or person), dd mer»chan»dis»er
merchant /marchgnt/ «.1a retail trader; dealer; store-
keeper. 2 colloq.usu. derog. a person showing a parti-
ality for a specified activity or practice (speed merchant)
mer»chant»man /merchantman/ n. (pi. -men) a ship
conveying merchandise.
merchant ma«rine n. a nation's commercial shipping. mer*man /marman/
merchant ship = merchantman. of a mermaid.
mer*ci*ful /marsifoDl/ adj. having, showing, or feeling
mercy.
mer»ci»fuMy/m9rsif00lee/a^. 1 in a merciful manner.
2 (qualifying a whole sentence) fortunately (merciful-
ly, the sun came out)
mer»ci»less /marsilis/ adj. 1 pitiless. 2 showing no mer-
cy, do mer»cMess»ly adv.
mer»CU»ri»al /markyobreeal/ adj. 1 (of a person) ready-
witted; volatile. 2 of or containing mercury. 3 (Mercu-
rial) of the planet Mercury, nn mer»cu»ri»aMy adv.
mer»CU«ry /morkyaree/ n. 1 Chem. a silvery-white heavy
liquid metallic element used in barometers, ther-
mometers, and amalgams. If Symb.: Hg. 2 (Mercury)
the planet nearest to the sun. 3 any plant of the genus
Mercurialis, esp. M. perenne. dd mer»cu»ric /-kyODrik/
adj.
mer»cy /marsee/ n. &
int. • n. (pi. -cies) 1 compassion
or forbearance shown to enemies or offenders in one's
power. 2 the quality of compassion. 3 an act of mer-
cy. 4 (attrib.) administered or performed out of mer-
cy or pity for a suffering person (mercy killing) 5 some-
thing to be thankful for (small mercies) • int. expressing
. a net or sieve, etc. 3 (in pi.) a a network, b a snare. 4
surprise or fear, d at the mercy of 1 in the power of.
2 liable to danger or harm from, have mercy on (or
upon) show mercy to.
mer»cy killing n. = euthanasia.
mere /meer/ attrib. adj. (merest) that is solely or no more
or better than what is specified (a mere bey; no mere
theory), do mere«ly adv.
mer»e»tri»cious /meritrishgs/ adj. 1 showily but falsely
attractive. 2 of or befitting a prostitute.
mer»gan»ser /msrgansgr/ n. any of various diving fish-
eating northern ducks of the genus Mergus, with a ser-
rated hooked bill.
merge /msrj/ v. 1 tr. & intr. (often a com-
foil,
bine or be combined, b join or blend gradually. 2 intr.
& tr. (foil, by in) lose or cause to lose character and
identity in (something else). 3 tr. (foil, by in) embody
(a title or estate) in (a larger one).
merg»er /marjar/ n. 1 the combining of two commer-
cialcompanies, etc., into one. 2 a merging.
me*rid«i»an /marideean/ n. &
adj. »n. la circle pass-
ing through the celestial poles and zenith of any place
on the earth's surface. 2 a a circle of constant longi-
tude, passing through a given place and the terrestrial
poles, b the corresponding line on a map. 3 prime; full
splendor, •adj. 1 of noon. 2 of the period of greatest
splendor, vigor, etc.
meringue /marang/ n. la confection of sugar, egg
whites, etc. browned by baking. 2 a small cake or shell
, or relating to an era of geological time marked b\ ilu
of this, usu. decorated or filled with whipped cream,
etc.
meri»no /mnre'eno/ n. {pi. -nos) 1 (in full merino
sheep) a variety of sheep with long fine wool. 2 a soft
woolen or wool-and-cotton material like cashmere,
orig. of merino wool. 3 a fine woolen yarn.
mer»it /merit/ h. &v. •«. 1 thequalityof deserving well.
2 excellence; worth. 3 (usu. in pi.) a a thing that enti-
tles one to reward or gratitude, b esp. Law intrinsic
rights and wrongs (the merits of a case), •v.tr. deserve.
d on its merits with regard only to its intrinsic worth.
mer»htoc»ra»cy /meritokrnsee/ n. (pi. -cies) 1 gov-
496 ernment by persons selected competitively according
to merit.2 a group of persons selected in this way. 3 a
pub- society governed by meritocracy.
n. mer»i«tO«ri»OUS /meritawreeas/ adj. 1 deserving reward,
praise, or gratitude. 2 deserving commendation for
thoroughness, etc.
mer»maid /msrmayd/ n. an imaginary sea creature,
with the head and trunk of a woman and the tail of a
fish.
n. (pi. -men) the male equivalent
mer«ri»ment /merimsnt/ n. 1 exuberant enjoyment; be-
ing merry. 2 mirth; fun.
mer»ry /meree/ adj. (merrier, merriest) 1 joyous. 2 full
of laughter or gaiety, a make merry 1 be festive; en-
joy oneself. 2 (foil, by over) make fun of. dd mer»ri»ly
adv.
mer»ry-go-round /mereegorownd/ n. 1 a revolving ma-
chine with wooden horses or other animals, etc., for
riding on at an amusement park, etc. 2 a cycle of bus-
tling activities.
mer»ry»mak»ing /mereemayking/ n. festivity; fun.
dd merTymak»er n.
me»sa /maysa/ n. an isolated flat-topped hill with steep
sides.
mes*cal /meskal/ n. a peyote cactus.
mes«ca*line /meskaleen, -lin/ n. (also mes*ca*lin /-lin/)
a hallucinogenic alkaloid present in mescal.
Mes«damesp/. of Madame.
Mes»de»moi»selles pi. of Mademoiselle.
mesh /mesh/ n. &
v. »n. a. network fabric or struc-
*\
. ture. 2 each of the open spaces between the strands of
(in pi.) Physiol, an interlaced structure. »v. 1 intr. (of-
ten foil, by with) (of the teeth of a wheel) be engaged.
2 intr. be harmonious. 3 tr. catch in or as in a net. d in
mesh (of the teeth of wheels) engaged.
mes»mer»ism /mezmarizam/ n. 1 Psychol, a a hypnot-
ic state produced person by another's influence.
in a
b a doctrine concerning this. C an influence produc-
ing this. 2 fascination, dd mes«mer«ic /mezmerik/ adj.
mes*mer*ist n.
mes*mer*ize /mezmariz/ v. tr. 1 Psychol, hypnotize; ex-
ercise mesmerism on. 2 fascinate; spellbind (mesmer-
ized by the fireworks display).
by with) meso- /meso, mez-/ comb, form middle; intermediate.
mes»0»lith»ic /mezalithik, mes-/ adj. Archaeol. of or
concerning the Stone Age between the Paleolithic and
Neolithic periods.
mes»o«morph /mezsmawrf, mes-/ n. a person with a
compact and muscular build of body (cf. ectomorph,
endomorph). dd mes»o«mor«phic /-mawrfik/ adj.
me*SOn /mezon, mes-, me'ezon, -son/ n. Physics any of
a class of elementary particles believed to participate
in the forces that hold nucleons together in the atom-
ic nucleus.
mes*o*sphere /mesosfeer, mez-/ n. the region of the
atmosphere extending from the top of the stratosphere
to an altitude of about 50 miles.
Mes*o*zo*ic /mesoz6-ik, mez-/ adj. &
u. 0§oL •adj. ol
development of dinosaurs, and with evidence ol the
first mammals, birds, and flowering plants. • ;/. this era
(cf. Cenozoic, Paleozoic).
mes»quite/meskeet/ n. 1 any N.American leguminous
tree of the genus I*rosopis, esp. P. juh flora. 2 the wood
of the mesquite, as used in grilling food.
mess /mes/ n. &v. mn. 1a dirty oi untidy state of thkigi
(the room is a ntdSS). 2 a state of confusion, embarrass
ment, or trouble. 3 something causing a mess, e.g.,
spilled liquid, etc. 4 a domestic animal's excreta. 5 a a
company of persons who take meals together, esp in
the armed forces, b a place where such meals on
 tion take place communally, c a meal taken there. 497 message ~ metastasis
6 derog. a disagreeable concoction. 7 a portion of liq-
uid or pulpy food. mv. 1 tr. (often foil, by up) a make met»a»car»pus /metaka'arpas/ n. (pi. metacarpi /-pi/)
a mess b muddle; make into a state of con-
of; dirty, 1 the set of five bones of the hand that connects the

fusion. 2 intr. (foil, by with) interfere with. 3 intr. take wrist to the fingers. 2 this part of the hand, cc met»a»
one's meals. 4 intr. colloq. defecate, d make a mess of car*pal adj.
bungle, mess around (or about) 1 interfere with; make met»a»cen»ter /metasentar/ n. the point of intersection
things awkward for; cause arbitrary inconvenience to. between a through the
line (vertical in equilibrium)
2 philander. center of gravity of a floating body and a vertical line
through the center of pressure after a slight angular
mess Middle English: from Old French mes 'portion displacement, which must be above the center of grav-
of food,' from late Latin missum 'something put on the
ity to ensure stability, no met»a»cen»tric /-sentrik/ adj.
table,' past participle of mittere 'send, put.' The orig-
inal sense was 'a serving of food,' also 'a serving of liq-
met*al /met'l/ n., adj., &
v. •«. 1a any of a class of

chemical elements such as gold, silver, iron, and tin,

uid or partly liquid food,' and later 'liquid or mixed
usu. lustrous ductile solids and good conductors of
food for an animal'; this gave rise, in the early 19th
heat and electricity, b an alloy of any of these. 2 mate-
century, to the senses 'unappetizing concoction' and
rial used for making glass, in a molten state. 3 (in pi.)
'predicament,' on which the present senses 1 and 2 are
the rails of a railroad line. »adj. made of metal, •v.tr.
based. In late Middle English there was also a sense
provide or fit with metal.
'one of the small groups into which the company at a
me«taMic /matilik/ adj. 1 of, consisting of, or
banquet was divided' (who were served from the same
characteristic of metal or metals. 2 sounding sharp and
dishes); hence, 'a group who regularly eat together'
ringing, like struck metal. 3 having the sheen or lus-
(recorded in military use from the mid- 16th century).
ter of metals. me«taMi»caMy adv.
mes*sage /mesij/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a communication sent met»aMog»ra»phy /met'lografee/ n. the descriptive sci-
by one person to another. 2 a an inspired or significant ence of the structure and properties of metals. met*
communication from a prophet, writer, or preacher. al*lo*graph*ic metalagrafik/ adj.
b the central import or meaning of an artistic work, met»aMoid /met'loyd/ adj. &
n. •adj. having the form

etc. 3 a mission or errand, mv.tr. 1 send as a message. or appearance of a metal. •«. any element interme-
2 transmit (a plan, etc.) by signaling, etc. get the diate in properties between metals and nonmetals,
message colloq. understand what is meant. e.g., boron, silicon, and germanium.
Mes«sei»gneurs pi. of Monseigneur. met«aMur»gy /met'larjee/ n. the science concerned
mes*sen*ger /mesinjar/ «. 1a person who carries a with the production, purification, and properties of
message. 2 a person employed to carry messages. metals and their application, an met«aMur»gic
mes*sen*ger RNA n. a form of RNA carrying genetic /met'larjik/ adj. met»aMur«gi»cal adj. met*aMur*gist n.
information from DNA to a ribosome. H Abbr.: mRNA. met»al»work met'lwark' n. 1 the art of working in met-
mess hall n. a communal, esp. military, dining area. al. 2 metal objects collectively, dd met»al»work»er n.

Mes*si*ah /misia/ n. 1 (also messiah) a liberator or met»a»mor»phic /metamawrfik/ adj. 1 of or marked by

would-be liberator of an oppressed people or country.
2 a the promised deliverer of the Jews, b (usu. prec.
by the) Christ regarded as this, dd Mes*si*ah*ship n.
Mes*si*an*ic /meseeanik/ adj. 1 of the Messiah. 2 in-
spired by hope or belief in a Messiah, no Mes»si»a»nism
/mesianizam/ n.
Mes»sieurs pi. of Monsieur.
mess kit n. a soldier's cooking and eating utensils.
Messrs. /mesarz/ pi. of Mr.
mess*y /mesee/ adj. (messier, messiest) 1 untidy or
dirty.2 causing or accompanied by a mess. 3 difficult
to deal with; full of awkward complications, no mess*
My adv. mess*i«ness n.
mes»ti»zo /meste'ezo/ n. (pi. -zos; fern, mestiza /-za/, pi.
-as) a Spaniard or Portuguese of mixed race, esp. the
offspring of a Spaniard and a Native American.
Met /met/ n. (in full the Met) colloq. 1 the Metropolitan
Opera House in NewYork. 2 the Metrolpolitan Muse-
um of Art in NewYork.
met past and past part, of meet 1
. met»a«phys«i»cal /metafizikal/ adj.
met. /met/ abbr. 1 meteorology; meteorological. 2 met-
ropolitan.
meta- /meta/ comb, form (usu. met- before a vowel or h)
1 denoting change of position or condition (metab-
olism). 2 denoting position: a behind, barter or be-
yond (metaphysics; metacarpus). C of a higher or sec-
ond-order kind (metalanguage)
me«tab«o»lism /matabalizam/ n. all the chemical proc-
esses that occur within a living organism, resulting in
energy production (catabolism) and growth (anabo-
lism). do met*a*bol*ic /metabolik/ adj. met«a«bol*i*cal*
ly /metaboliklee/ adv.
me»tab»0»lite/matabalit/n. Physiol, a substance formed
in or necessary for metabolism.
me»tab»o«lize /matabaliz/ v.tr. &
intr. process or be
metamorphosis. 2 Geol. (of rock) that has undergone
transformation by natural agencies such as heat and
pressure, on met»a»mor»phism n.
met«a»mor»phose /metamawrfoz/ v.tr. 1 change in
form. 2 (foil, by to, into) a turn (into a new form).
b change the nature of.
met»a»mor»pho»sis /metamawrfasis / n. (pi. metamor-
phoses /-seez/) 1 a change of form. 2 a changed form.
3 a change of character, conditions, etc. 4 Zool. the
transformation between an immature form and an
adult form, e.g., from a pupa to an insect or from a
tadpole to a frog.
met»a»phor /metafawr/ n. 1 the application of a name
or descriptive term or phrase to an object or action to
which it is imaginatively but not literally applicable
(e.g., killing him with kindness). 2 an instance of this.
dd met»a«phor«ic /-fawrik, -forik/ adj. met«a«phor»i»cal
/-fawrikal, -forikal/ adj. met»a«phor«i«caMy /-fawrik-
lee, -foriklee/ adv.
&
n. »adj. 1 of or
relating to metaphysics. 2 based on abstract general
reasoning. 3 excessively subtle or theoretical. 4 incor-
poreal; supernatural. 5 visionary. 6 (of poetry, esp. in
the 17th c. in England) characterized by subtlety of
thought and complex imagery. »n. (the
Metaphysicals) the metaphysical poets, dd met»a«
phys*i*cal*ly adv.
met»a»phys»ics /metafiziks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.)
1 the theoretical philosophy of being and knowing.
2 the philosophy of mind. 3 colloq. abstract talk; mere
theory, dd met*a*physi*cian /-zishan/ n.
me«tas*ta*sis /metastasis/ n. (pi. metastases /-seez/)
Physiol. 1 the transference of a disease, etc., from one
part or organ to another. 2 the transformation of

processed by metabolism. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.

 :

metatarsus ~ metropolitan 498 orderly arrangement of ideas. 4 a scheme of classifica-

tion. 5 Theatr. a technique of acting based on the ac-
chemical compounds into others in the process of as- tor's thorough emotional identification with the char-

similation by an organism, an me«tas«ta»size v.intr. acter, o method in (or to) one's madness sense in what
met*a*stat*ic /metastatik/ adj. appears to be foolish or strange behavior.
met»a»tar«sus/met3taars9s/w. (pi. metatarsi /-si/) 1 the me»thod»i»cal /mithodikal/ adj. (also me*thod*ic) char-
part of the foot between the ankle and the toes. 2 the acterized by method or order, od me»thod»i»caMy adv.
set of bones in this, do met«a»tar»sal adj. Meth*od«iSt /methadist/ n. 1a member of any of sev-
me»tath»e»sis /mitathisis/ n. (pi. metatheses /-seez/) eral Protestant religious bodies (now united) originat-
1 Gram, the transposition of sounds or letters in a ing in the 18th-c. evangelistic movement.
word. 2 Chem. the interchange of atoms or groups of 2 (methodist) a person who follows or advocates a par-
atoms between two molecules. 3 an instance of either ticular method or system of procedure, do Meth*od*
of these, an met«a»thet«ic /metathetik/ adj. met»a«thet« ism n.
i»cal /metathetikal/ adj. meth»od»ize /methadiz/ v. tr. 1 reduce to order. 2 ar-
mete /meet/ v.tr. 1 (usu. foil, by out) literary apportion range in an orderly manner, od meth»od»iz«er n.
or allot (a punishment or reward) 2 poet, or Bibl. meas-
. meth»od»ol«o»gy /methadolajee/ n. (pi. -gies) 1 the sci-
ure. ence of method. 2 a body of methods used in a par-
me*te*or /meeteear, -eeawr/ n. 1 a small body of mat- ticular branch of activity, do meth*od*o*log*i*cal
ter from outer space that becomes incandescent as a /-dslojikal/ adj. meth»od«o»log*i»caMy adv. metlrod»ol»
result of friction with the earth's atmosphere. 2 a streak o*gist n.
of light emanating from a meteor. me»thought past of methinks.
me»te»or«ic /me'etee-awrik, -or-/ adj. 1 a of or relating meth»yl /methil/ n. Chem. the univalent hydrocarbon
to the atmosphere, b dependent on atmospheric con- radical CH 3, present in many organic compounds.
ditions. 2 of meteors. 3 dazzling; transient (meteoric do me»thyl»ic /methilik/ adj.
rise to fame), do me»te»or»i»caMy adv. meth»yl al*co*hol n. = methanol.
me*te«or*ite /meeteearit/ n. a fallen meteor, or fragment meth»yl»ate /methilayt/ v. tr. 1 mix or impregnate with
of natural rock or metal, that reaches the earth's sur- methanol. 2 introduce a methyl group into (a molecule
face from outer space, on me«te»or»it«ic /-ritik/ adj. or compound), od meth»yl«a«tion /-layshan/ n.
me*te*or*oid /meeteearoyd/ n. any small body, often mettvyl beivzene n. = toluene.
the remnant of a comet, moving in the solar system me*tic*U*lous /matikyalas/ adj. 1 giving great or exces-
that becomes visible as it passes through the earth's sive attention to details. 2 very careful and precise.
atmosphere as a meteor, oo me»te»or»oid»al /-royd'l/ od me*tic*u*lous«ly adv. me*tic*u*lous*ness n.
adj. me»ti»er /metyay/ n. (also me«ti»er) 1 one's trade, pro-
me»te«or»ol»0»gy /me'eteearobjee/ n. 1 the study of the fession, or department of activity. 2 one's forte.
processes and phenomena of the atmosphere, esp. as me»ton»y«my /mitonimee/ n. the substitution of the
a means of forecasting the weather. 2 the atmospher- name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing
ic character of a region, dd me»te»or»o»log«i«cal meant (e.g., White House for president, the turf for horse
/-rslojikal/ adj. me»te»or»o»log»i«caMy adv. me»te»or«ol« racing), od met»o»nym /metanim/ n. met»o«nynvic
ogist n. /metanimik/ adj. met«o»nym»i»cal /metanimiksl/ adj.
me*te*or show»er n. a group of meteors appearing to met»ric /metrik/ adj. of or based on the meter.
come from one point in the sky. met*ri*cal /metrikal/ adj. 1 of, relating to, or composed
me^ter /me'etar/ n. a metric unit and the base SI unit
1
in meter. 2 of or involving measurement, dd met»ri»cal»
of linear measure, equal to about 39.4 inches. J Abbr. ly adv.
m. oo me*ter*age /meetarij/ n. met»ric sys»tem n. the decimal measuring system with
me»ter 2 /me'etar/ n. 1a any form of poetic rhythm, de- the meter, liter, and gram (or kilogram) as units of
termined by the number and length of feet in a line. length, volume, and mass (see also SI).
b a metrical group or measure. 2 the basic pulse and met»ric ton n. (also metTic tonne) 1,000 kilograms
rhythm of a piece of music. (2,205 lb.).
me»ter 3 /meetar/ n. &v. • n. 1 an instrument that meas- met»ro /metro/ n. (pi. -ros) a subway system in a city,
ures, esp. one for recording a quantity of gas, electric- esp. Paris.
ity, etc. 2 = parking meter, •v.tr. measure by means of met»ro»nome /metranom/
a meter. n. Mus. an instrument
-meter /mitar, me'etar/ comb, form 1 forming nouns de- marking time at a selected
noting measuring instruments (barometer). 2 Prosody rate by giving a regular
forming nouns denoting lines of poetry with a speci- tick, dd met-ro«nonvic
fied number of measures (pentameter). /-nomik/ adj.
methadone /methadon/ n. a powerful synthetic anal- me»tro»nynvic
gesic drug that is similar to morphine and is used as /metrDnimik/ adj. & n.
a substitute drug in the treatment of morphine and name) derived
• adj. (of a
heroin addiction. from the name of a moth-
meth»am»phet»a«mine /methamfetomin, meen/ n. an er or female ancestor. •«.
amphetamine derivative with quicker and longer ac- a metronymic name.
tion, used as a stimulant. me»trop»o»lis /mitropolis/
meth«ane /methayn/ n. Chem. a colorless, odorless, n. 1 the chief city of ;i

flammable, gaseous hydrocarbon, the main constit- country. 2 a metropolitan

uent of natural gas. «j Chem. formula:
4 CH . bishop's see. 3 a center of
meth«a»nol /methnnawl, nol/ n. Chem. a colorless, vol- activity.
atile, flammable liquid, used as a solvent." Chem. for- met«ro»pol«i»tan
mula: CH^OH. Also called methyl alcohol /metrnpolit'n/ adj. n. &
me«thinks /mithingks/ v.intr. (past methought • adj. 1 of or relating to a metronome
/mithawt/) archaic it seems to me. metropolis, esp. as distinct
meth»od /method/ n.la special form of procedure esp. from its environs (metropolian NvwYorh). 2 belonging
in any branch of mental activity. 2 orderliness. 3 the to, forming or forming part of, a mother COUntrj M
 distinct from its colonies, etc. {metropolitan France). 499 mettle - microprocessor
3 of an ecclesiastical metropolis. • n. 1 (in full metro-
politan bishop) a bishop having authority over the um causing disease or fermentation), dd mi»cro«bi»al
bishops of a province. 2 an inhabitant of a metropo- /-krobeeal/ adj. mi»cro«bic /-krSbik/ adj.
lis, dd metTO«pol«i»tan»ate n. (in sense 1 of n.). met«n> mi«cro»bi»ol»o«gy /mikrobiolajee/ n. the scientific study
pol'i«tarvism n. of microorganisms. dd mi»cro«bi»o«log»i»cal
meMIe /met'l/ n. the quality of a person's disposition
1 /—bialojiksl/ adj. mi»cro»bi»o«log»i»caMy /-bialojiklee/
or temperament (a chance to show your mettle) 2 nat- . adv. mi«cro»bi»ol«o«gist n.
ural ardor. 3 spirit; courage, a on one's mettle incited mi»cro»brew«ery /mlkrobrooaree/ n. a limited-produc-
to do one's best, dd meMled adj. (also in comb.), met* tion brewery, often selling only locally.
tle«some adj. mic»ro»burst /mikrobarst/ n. a particularly violent wind
mew /myoo/ v.
1
& n. •v.intr. (of a cat, gull, etc.) utter shear, esp. during a thunderstorm.
its characteristic cry. • n. this sound, esp. of a cat. mi»cro«chip /mikrochip/ n. a small piece of sem-
mew 2 /myoo/ n. a gull. iconductor (usu. silicon) used to carry electronic cir-
mew 3 /myoo/ n. &
v. • n. a cage for hawks, esp. while cuits.
molting, •v.tr. 1 put (a hawk) in a cage. 2 (often foil, mi»cro«com»pu»ter /mikrokampyobtar/ n. a small com-
by up) shut up; confine. puter that contains a microprocessor as its central
mewl /myool/ v.intr. 1 cry feebly; whimper. 2 mew like processor.
a cat. mi«cro»cosm /mikrakozam/ n. 1 (often foil, by of) a
mews /myooz/ n. esp. Bra. a set of stables around an miniature representation. 2 mankind viewed as the
open yard, now often converted into dwellings. epitome of the universe. 3 any complex unity viewed
Mexican /meksikan/ n. &
adj. *n. 1 a a native or na- in this way. dd mi«cro«cos»mic /-kozmik/ adj.
tional of Mexico, a country in southern N. America. mi»cro»dot /mikrodot/ n. a microphotograph, esp. of a
b a person of Mexican descent. 2 a language spoken printed or written document, reduced to the size of a
in Mexico, esp. Nahuatl. • adj. 1 of or relating to Mex- period.
ico or its people. 2 of Mexican descent. mi*cro*ec*o*nom*ics /mikro-eeksnomiks, -ek-/ n. the
me»zu»zah /mezobza, -zooza'a/ n. (also me*zu*za; pi. branch of economics dealing with individual com-
-s; also me»zu»zot or me*zu*zoth /-zoozot/) a parch- modities, producers, etc. dd mi»cro»ec»o»nom»ic adj.
ment inscribed with religious texts and attached in a mi»cro»e»lec«tron»ics/mikro-ilektr6niks/ n. the design,
case to the doorpost of a Jewish house as a sign of manufacture, and use of microchips and microcir-
faith. cuits. dd mi«cro»e»lec»tron»ic adj.
mez»za«nine /mezane'en/ n. 1 a low story between two mi»cro»fiche /mikrofeesh/ n. (pi. same or microfiches)
others (usu. between the first and second floors). a flat rectangular piece of film bearing micro-
2 a the lowest balcony in a theater, b the first several photographs of the pages of a printed text or docu-
rows of this balcony. ment.
mez*zo /metso/ adv. &
n. Mus. • adv. half; moderately. mi*cro«film /mikrafilm/ n. &v. • n. a length of film bear-
• n. mezzo-soprano) (pi. -zos) 1 a a female
(in full ing microphotographs of documents, etc. •v.tr. pho-
singing voice between soprano and contralto, b a tograph (a document, etc.) on microfilm.
singer with this voice. 2 a part written for mezzo-so- mi»cro»in»struc»tion /mikro-instrukshan/ n. a ma-
prano. chine-code instruction that effects a basic operation
mfg. abbr. manufacturing. in a computer system.
mfr. abbr. 1 manufacture. 2 manufacturer. mi»cro»light /mi'krolit/ n. a kind of motorized hang
Mg symb. Chem. the element magnesium. glider.
mg abbr. milligram(s). mi»cro»man»age /mikromanij/ v.tr. control every part,
Mgr. abbr. 1 Manager. 2 Monseigneur. 3 Monsignor. no matter how detailed, of an enterprise or organiza-
mho /mo/ n. -mhos) Electr. the reciprocal of an ohm,
(pi. tion.
a former unit of conductance. mi»crom»e«ter /mikromitar/ n. a gauge for accurately
1

MHz abbr. megahertz. measuring small distances, thicknesses, etc. dd mi«

Ml abbr. 1 Michigan (in official postal use). 2 myocar- crom»e«try n.
dial infarction. mi«cro»me»ter 2 /mikro-
mi /mee/ n. (also me) Mus. 1 the third tone of the dia- meetar/ n. = micron.
tonic scale. 2 the note E in the fixed solmization sys- mi»cron /mikron/ n. one-
tem. millionth of a meter. Al-
mi. abbr. mile(s). so called micrometer.
MIA abbr. missing in action. Mi»cro«ne«sian /mikra-
mi*as*ma /mi-azma, mee-/ n. (pi. miasmata /-mats/ or ne'ezhan/ adj. &
n. • adj.
miasmas) archaic an infectious or noxious vapor. of or relating to Micro-
dd mi*as*mal adj. mi*as*mat*ic /-matik/ adj. mi*as*mic nesia, an island group in
adj. mi»as«mioaMy adv. the W. Pacific. • n. a na-
Mic. abbr. Micah (Old Testament) tive of Micronesia.
mi»ca /mi'ka/ n. any of a group of silicate minerals with mi*cro*or*gan*ism /mi- micrometer 1

a layered structure, dd mi*ca*ceous /-kayshas/ adj. kro-awrganizam/ n. any

mice/?/, of mouse. of various microscopic organisms, including algae,
Mich. abbr. Michigan. bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses.
mi«cro /mikro/ n. (pi. -cros) colloq. 1 = microcomputer. mi»cro»phone /mfkrafon/ n. an instrument for con-
2 = MICROPROCESSOR. verting sound waves into electrical energy variations
micro- /mikro/ comb, form 1 small (microchip). 2 denot- that may be reconverted into sound after transmission
ing a factor of one millionth (10 -6 ) (microgram). H or recording, dd mi»cro«phon«ic /-fonik/ adj.
Symb.: jjl. mi«cro»proc»es«sor /mikroprosesar/ n. an integrated
mi»cro»a»nal»y«sis /mikroanalisis/ n. the quantitative circuit that contains all the functions of a central proc-
analysis of chemical compounds using a sample of a essing unit of a computer.
few milligrams.
mi»crobe /mikrob/ n. a microorganism (esp. a bacteri- See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
microscope ~ Midwest
mi-cro-scope /mikraskop/ n. an instrument mag-
nifying small objects by means of a lens or lenses so
as to reveal details invisible to the naked eye.
mi-cro-scop-ic /rmkraskopik/ adj. 1 so small as to be
visible only with a microscope. 2 extremely small. 3 re-
garded in terms of small units. 4 of the microscope.
dd mi-cro-scop-i-cal adj. (in sense 4). mi-cro-scop-i-
caMy adv.
mi»cros»co«py /mikroskapee/ n. the use of the mi-
croscope, dd mi-cros-co-pist n.
mi»cro»sec»ond /rmkrosekgnd/ n. one-millionth of a
second.
mi»cro»Struoture /mikrostrukchar/ n. (in a metal or
other material) the arrangement of crystals, etc., that
can be made visible and examined with a microscope.
mi-cro-sur-ger-y /mikrosurjsree/ n. intricate surgery
performed using microscopes, dd mi-cro-sur-gi-cal
/-surjikal/ adj.
mi»cro»wave /mikrswayv/ n. &v. %n. 1 an electromag-
netic wave with a wavelength in the range 0.00 1-0. 3m.
2 (in full microwave oven) an oven that uses
microwaves to cook or heat food. •v.tr. (-ving) cook
in a microwave oven.
mid /mid/ attrib.adj. 1 (usu. in comb.) that is the mid-
1
is in the middle; medium; half.
dle of (in midair) 2 that . electronic equipment, esp. audio and computer equip-
mid 2 /mid/ prep. amid.
poet. = ment (acronym of musical instrument digital inter-
mid-air /midair/ n. a place or point in the air far re-
moved from the ground or other solid surface.
mid-brain /midbrayn/ n. the part of the brain devel-
oping from the middle of the primitive or embryonic
brain.
mid-day /mid-day/ n. the middle of the day; noon.
mid-den /mid'n/ n. 1 a dunghill. 2 a refuse heap.
mid-die /mid'l/ adj., n., &
v. •attrib.adj. 1 at an equal
distance from the extremities of a thing. 2 (of a mem-
ber of a group) so placed as to have the same number
of members on each side. 3 intermediate in rank, qual-
ity, etc. 4 average (of middle height). 5 (of a language)
of the period between the old and modern forms, •n.
1 (often foil, by of) the middle point or position or
part. 2 a person's waist, •v.tr. 1 place in the middle.
2 Soccer return (the ball) from the wing to the mid-
field. 3 Nam. fold in the middle. in the middle of (of-
ten foil, by verbal noun) in the process of; during.
mid-die age n. the period between youth and old age,
about 45 to 60. an mid-dle-aged adj.
Mid-die Ag-es n.pl. (prec. by the) the period of Europe-
an history from c. 1000 to 1453.
Middle A-mer-i-ca n. 1 Mexico and Central America.
2 the middle class in the US, esp. as a conservative
political force.3 the US Middle West.
mid-dle-brow /mid'lbrow/ adj. &n. colloq. madj. claim-
ing to be or regarded as only moderately intellectual.
• n. a middlebrow person.
mid»dle class n. the class of society between the up-
per and the lower, including professional and business
workers and their families, dd mid-die-class adj.
mid-die ear n. the cavity of the central part of the ear
behind the eardrum.
Mid-die Eng-lish n. the English language from c. 150
to 1500.
mid-die ground n. a neutral position between two op- among; in the middle of. in our (or your or their) midst
posing extremes.
mid-dle-in-COme attrib.adj. of the wages earned by the
middle class.
mid-die-man /mid'lman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 any of the
traders who handle a commodity between its produc-
er and its consumer. 2 an intermediary.
mid-die man-age-ment n. in business and industry,
the mid-level positions in administration.
mid-die name n. 1 a person's name placed after the
500 first name and before the surname. 2 a person's most
characteristic quality (sobriety is my middle name).
mid-dle-of-the-road adj. (of a person, course of action,
etc.) moderate; avoiding extremes.
mid-die school n. a school for children from about 10
to 13 years old (grades 5-8).
mid-die-weight /mid'lwayt/ n. 1a weight in certain
sports intermediate between welterweight and light
heavyweight. 2 a sportsman of this weight.
Mid«dle West n. = Midwest.
mid-dling /midling/ adj. &
adv. »adj. 1 a moderately
good (esp. fair to middling), b second-rate. 2 (of goods)
of the second of three grades. •«. (middlings) bulk
goods of medium grade, esp. flour of medium fine-
ness. • adv. 1 fairly or moderately (middling good) 2 col- .
loq. fairly well (esp. in health), dd mid-dling-ly adv.
mid«field /midfeeld/ n. in certain sports, esp. football
and soccer, the area of the field midway between the
two dd mid-field-er n.
goals,
midge /mij/ n. 1 colloq. a a gnatlike insect, b a small per-
son. 2 a any dipterous nonbiting insect of the family
Chironomidae. b any similar insect of the family
Ceratopogonidae with piercing mouthparts.
mid-get /mijit/ n. 1 a offens. an extremely small person.
b an extremely small thing. 2 (attrib.) very small.
MIDI /midee/ n. a system for using combinations of
face) .
mi-di /midee/ n. (pi. midis) a garment of medium
length, usu. reaching to mid-calf.
mid-land /midland/ n. &
adj. •«. 1 the middle part of
a country. 2 the dialect of American English spoken
in the east-central US, from southern New Jersey and
northern Delaware west across the Appalachians and
the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys. 3 (the Mid-
lands) the inland counties of central England. • adj.
(also Mid-land) of or in the midland or Midlands.
dd mid-land-er n.
mid-life /midlif/ n. middle age.
mid-life cri-sis n. an emotional crisis of self-confidence
that can occur in early middle age.
mid-line /midlin/ n. a median line, or plane of bilateral
symmetry.
mid-most /midmost/ adj. & adv. in the very middle.
mid-night /midnit/ n. 1 the middle of the night; 12
o'clock at night. 2 intense darkness.
mid-night blue n. a very dark blue.
mid-night sun n. the sun visible at midnight during
the summer in polar regions.
mid-rib /midrib/ the central rib of a leaf.
n.
mid-riff /midrif/ la the region of the front of the
n.
body between the thorax and abdomen, b the di-
aphragm. 2 a garment or part of a garment covering
this area.
mid-ship /midship/ n. the middle part of a ship or
boat.
mid-ship-man /midshipman/ n. (pi. -men) 1 a cadet in
the US Naval Academy. 2 Brit a naval officer (if rank
between naval cadet and sublieutenant.
mid-Ships /midships/ adv. = AMIDSHIPS.
1 midst /midst/ prep. &
n. •prep. poet, amidst. •«. mid-
dle (now only in phrases as below), n In the midst of
among us (or you or them).
mid-SUm-mer /midsumor/ ;/. the period of or near the
summer solstice.
mid-town /midtown/ n. the central pan <>l ui\ DC ;i
tween the downtown and uptown areas.
mid-way /midway/ n. &
adv. •;/. area for concessions
and amusements at a carnival, fan eu •,/,/, in or to-
,
ward the middle of the distance between tWO points.
Mid-west /midwest/ region Of northern US states
;/.
 from Ohio west to the Rocky Mountains, do Midwest 501
adj. Mid-western adj.
midwife /midwlf/ n. (pi. -wives /-wivz/) 1 a person
(usu. a woman) trained to assist women in childbirth.
2 a person who helps in producing or bringing some-
thing forth, dd midwifery /-wifaree/ n.
mid-win-ter /midwintar/ n. the period of or near the
winter solstice.
mien /meen/ n. literary a person's look or bearing.
miff /mif/ v. &
n. colloq. •v.tr. (usu. in passive) put
out of humor; offend, •n. 1a petty quarrel. 2 a
huff.
might /mlt/ past of may, used esp.: 1 in reported
1
speech, expressing possibility (said he might come) or
permission (asked if I might leave) (cf. may 1, 2).
2 expressing a possibility based on a condition not ful-
filled (ifyou 'd looked you might have found it) 3 express-
ing complaint that an obligation or expectation is not
or has not been fulfilled (they might have asked).
4 expressing a request (you might call in at the butch-
er's) 5 colloq. a = may 1 (it might be true) b (in tenta-
. .
tive questions) = may 2 (might I have the pleasure of this
dance?). C = may 4 (who might you be?), d might as well
expressing that it is probably at least as desirable to
do a thing as not to do it (won 't win but might as well
try).
See note at may.
might 2 /mit/ n. 1 great bodily or mental strength.
2 power to enforce one's will (usu. in contrast with
right),a with all one's might to the utmost of one's
power, with might and main see main.
mightn't /mit'nt/ contr. might not.
might-y /mitee/ adj. &
adv. madj. (mightier, mightiest)
1 powerful or strong, in body, mind, or influence.
2 massive; bulky. 3 colloq. great; considerable, madv.
colloq. very (a mighty difficult task), dd might-i-ly adv.
mightiness n.
migraine /mi'grayn/ n. a recurrent throbbing headache
that usually affects one side of the head, often accom-
panied by nausea and disturbance of vision.
mi-grant /migrant/ adj. &
n. • adj. that migrates. • n. 1 a
person who moves regularly, as for work. 2 an animal
that changes habitats, as with the seasons.
migrate /migrayt/ v.intr. 1 (of people) move from one
place of abode to another, esp. in a different country.
2 (of a bird or fish) change its area of habitation with
the seasons. 3 move under natural forces, dd mi-gra-
tion /-grayshan/ n. mi-gra-tion-al /-grayshanal/ adj. mi-
gra-tor n. mi-gra-to-ry /-gratawree/ adj.
mi-ka-do /mikaado/ n. (pi. -dos) hist,
Japan.
mike /mlk/ n. colloq. a microphone.
mil /mil/ n. one-thousandth of an inch, as a unit of meas-
ure for the diameter of wire, etc.
mi»la«dy /milaydee/ n. (pi. -dies) 1 an English noble-
woman or great lady. 2 a form used in speaking of or
to such a person.
mil-age var. of mileage.
Mil-an-ese /milane'ez/ adj. &
n. madj. of or relating to
Milan in N. Italy. • «. (pi. same) a native of Milan.
milch /milch/ adj. (of a domestic mammal) giving or
kept for milk.
milch cow n. = milk cow.
mild /mild/ adj. 1 (esp. of a person) gentle and concil-
iatory. 2 (of a rule, illness, etc.) moderate; not severe.
3 (of the weather) moderately warm. 4 not sharp or
strong in taste, etc. 5 (of medicine) operating gently.
6 lacking energy or vivacity, dd mild-ish adj. mild-ness
n.
mil-dew /mildoo, -dyoo/ n. &
v. •«. 1a destructive
growth of minute fungi on plants. 2 a similar growth
on paper, leather, etc., exposed to damp, mv.tr. intr.
taint or be tainted with mildew.
midwife - milkmaid
mild-ly /mildlee/ adv. in a mild fashion, n to put it mild-
ly as an understatement (implying the reality is more
extreme)
mile /mil/ n. 1 (also stat-ute mile) a unit of linear meas-
ure equal to 1,760 yards (approx. 1.609 kilometers).
2 (in pi. ) colloq. a great distance or amount (miles bet-
ter). 3 a race extending over a mile.
mile-age /milij/ n. (also milage) 1 a a number of miles
traveled, used, etc. b the number of miles traveled by
a vehicle per unit of fuel. 2 traveling expenses (per
mile). 3 colloq. benefit; profit; advantage.
mile-post /milpost/ n. 1 a post or sign giving distance
in miles, as along a highway. 2 a post one mile from
the finish line of a race, etc.
. mil»er /milar/ n. colloq. a. person or horse qualified or
trained specially to run a mile.
mile-Stone /milston/ n. 1 a stone set up beside a road
to mark a distance in miles. 2 a significant event or
stage in a life, project, etc.
mi-lieu /mily6,me'ely 6/ rc. (pi. milieus or milieux /-ly6z/)
one's environment or social surroundings.
mil»i«tant/milit'nt/ad/. &n. madj. 1 aggressively active,
esp. in support of a (usu. political) cause. 2 engaged
in warfare. •«. 1 a militant person, esp. a political ac-
tivist. 2 a person engaged in warfare, dd mil-i-tan-cy n.
mil-i-tant-ly adv.
mil-i-ta-rism /militarizam/ n. 1 the spirit or tendencies
of a professional soldier. 2 undue prevalence of the
military spirit or ideals, dd mil-i-ta-rist /-rist/ n. mil-i-
ta-ris-tic /-ristik/ adj.
person dominated by mil-
mil«i»ta«rist /militarist/ n. 1 a
2 a student of military science.
itaristic ideas.
mil»i»ta»rize /militariz/ v.tr. 1 equip with military
resources. 2 make military or warlike. 3 imbue with
militarism, dd mil-i-ta-ri-za-tion n.
mil«i«tar»y /militeree/ adj. & n. madj. of, relating to, or
characteristic of soldiers or armed forces. mn. (as sing.
or pi.; prec. by the) members of the armed forces.
dd mil-i-tar-i-ly /-tairalee/ adv.
mil-i-tar-y po-lice n. a corps responsible for police and
disciplinary duties in the army.
by against) (of facts
mil-i-tate /militayt/ v. intr. (usu. foil,
or evidence) have force or effect.
Militate, a word usually followed by against, means
'have a profound effect or force': Overeagerness on our
part would militate against success in negotiation. Do not
confuse it with mitigate, which means 'make less in-
the emperor of tense or severe': Tension can lead to headaches unless mit-
igated by some form of regular relaxatuvi.
mi*li*tia /milisha/ n. a military force, esp. one raised
from the population and supplementing a regular
civil
army in an emergency, dd mi-li-tia-man /-man/ n. (pi.
-men)
mi-li-tia-man /milishaman/ ;/. (pi. -men) a member of
a militia.
milk /milk/ n.&v.mn.A an opaque white fluid secreted
by female mammals for the nourishment of their
young. 2 the milk of cows, goats, or sheep as food. 3 the
milklike juice, e.g., in the coconut. 4 a milklike prep-
aration of herbs, drugs, etc. mv.tr. 1 draw milk from (a
cow, etc.). 2 a exploit (a person) esp. financially, b get
all possible advantage from (a situation). 3 extract sap,
venom, etc., from. 4 5/. tap (telegraph or telephone
wires, etc.). d cry over spilled milk lament an irreme-
diable loss or error, in milk secreting milk, dd milk-er
n.
milk cow n. a source of easy profit, esp. a person.
milk-maid /milkmayd/ n. a girl or woman who milks
cows or works in a dairy.
&
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
milkman ~ minaret 502 miMi*gram /miligram/ n. one-thousandth of a gram.
miMMi*ter /milileetar/ n. one-thousandth of a liter
milk*man /milkman/ n. (pi. -men) a person who sells (0.002 pint).
or delivers milk. miMi»me»ter /milimeetsr/ n. one-thousandth of a me-
milk of mag»ne»sia n. a white suspension of magne- ter (0.039 in.).
sium hydroxide usu. in water as an antacid or laxative. miMi«ner /milinsr/ n. a person who makes or sells wom-
milk run n. a routine expedition or service journey. en's hats, dd miMi»ner«y /-eree/ n.
milk shake n. a drink of milk, flavoring, and usu. ice miMion /milyan/ n. &
adj. •«. (pi. same or (in sense 2)

cream, mixed by shaking or blending. millions) (in sing. prec. by a or one) 1 a thousand thou-
milk«SOp /milksop/ n. a spiritless or meek person, esp. sand. 2 (in very large number (millions of
pi.) colloq. a

a man. years). 3 (prec. by the bulk of the population. 4

the)

milk tooth n. a temporary tooth in young mammals. (prec. by a) a million dollars. »adj. that amount to a
milk-weed /milkweed/ n. any of various wild plants with million, dd millionth adj. n. &
milky juice. mil*lion*aire /milyanair/ n. (Jem. millionairess /-ris/)
milkwort /milkwart/ n. any plant of the genus Polyga- 1 a person whose assets are worth at least one million

la, formerly supposed to increase women's milk. dollars, pounds, etc. 2 a person of great wealth.
milk«y /milkee/ adj. (milkier, milkiest) 1 of, like, or miMi»pede /mitapeed/ n. (also miMe*pede) any arthro-
mixed with milk. 2 (of a gem or liquid) cloudy; not pod of the class Diplopoda, having a long segmented
clear. 3 effeminate; weakly amiable, an milk«i«ness n. body with two pairs of legs on each segment.
Milk*y Way n. a faint band of light emitted by count- mil*li«sec»ond /milisekand/ n. one-thousandth of a sec-
less stars encircling the heavens; the Galaxy. ond.
mill 1 /mil/ n. &
v. •n. 1 a a building fitted with a milhpond /milpond/ n. a pool of water retained by a
mechanical apparatus for grinding grain, b such an dam for the operation of a mill.
apparatus. 2 an apparatus for grinding any solid sub- mill*race /milrays/ n. a current of water that drives a
stance to powder or pulp. 3 a a building fitted with mill wheel.
machinery manufacturing processes, etc. (cotton
for milestone /milston/ n. 1 each of two circular stones
mill), b such machinery. 4 a a boxing match, b a fist- used for grinding grain. 2 a heavy burden or respon-
fight. 5 a place that processes things or people in a sibility.

mechanical way (diploma mill). •v.'\ tr. grind (grain), millwright /milrit/ n. a person who designs, builds, or
produce (flour), or hull (seeds) in a mill. 2 tr. produce operates a mill or milling machinery.
regular ribbed markings on the edge of (a coin) 3 tr. . milt /milt/ n. 1a sperm-filled reproductive gland of a
cut or shape (metal) with a rotating tool. 4 intr. (often male fish. 2 the sperm-filled secretion of this gland.
foil, by about, around) (of people or animals) move in mime /mim/ n. &
v. • «. 1 the theatrical technique of

an aimless manner, esp. in a confused mass. 5 tr. thick- suggesting action, character, etc., by gesture and ex-
en (cloth, etc.) by fulling. 6 tr. beat (chocolate, etc.) to pression without using words. 2 a theatrical perfor-
froth. 7 tr. si. beat; strike; fight. go (or put) through mance using this technique. 3 (also mime art«ist) a
the mill undergo (or cause to undergo) intensive work practitioner of mime. *v. tr. (also absol.) convey (an
or training, etc. mill*a*ble adj. idea or emotion) by gesture without words, dd mim*
mill 2 /mil/ n. one-thousandth of a US dollar as money er n.
of account. mim«e»o«graph /mimeesgraf/ n. v. •«. 1 (often &
miMe»nar«i«an /milinaireean/ adj. n. *adj. 1 of or re- & attrib.) a duplicating machine that produces copies
lated to the millennium. 2 believing in the millenni- from a stencil. 2 a copy produced in this way. • v. tr. re-
um. • «. a person who believes in the millennium. produce by this process.
mil«le«nar«y /milaneree/ n. &
adj. *n. (pi. -ies) 1 a pe- mi*me*sis /mimeesis, mi-/ n. Biol. = mimicry 3.
riod of 1,000 years. 2 the festival of the 1,000th anni- mi»met»ic /mimetik/ adj. 1 relating to or habitually
versary of a person or thing. 3 a person who believes practicing imitation or mimicry. 2 Biol, of or exhib-
in the millennium. »adj. of or relating to a millenary. iting mimicry, dd mi»met«i«caMy adv.
miMen»ni»um /mileneeam/ n. (pi. millennia /-neea/ or mim«ic /mimik/ v. &
n. •v.tr. (mimicked, mimicking)
millenniums) 1 a period of 1,000 years, esp. when cal- 1 imitate (a person, gesture, etc.) esp. to entertain or
culated from the traditional date of the birth of Christ. ridicule. 2 copy minutely or servilely. 3 (of a thing) re-
2 an anniversary of 1 ,000 years. 3 a period of happi- semble closely. •«. a person skilled in imitation.
ness and prosperity, nn miMen*ni*al adj. miMen*ni*al* dd mim»ick»er n.
ist n. & adj. mim»i»cry /mimikree/ n. (pi. 'Cries) 1 the act or art of
The spelling of millennium
is less difficult if one mimicking. 2 a thing that mimics another. 3 Biol, a
remembers that it comes ultimately from two Latin close resemblance of an animal or plant (or part of
words containing double letters: milk, 'thousand' and one) to another animal,
annum, 'year.' plant, or inanimate object.
miMe*pede var. of millipede. mi«mo»sa /mim6so, -za/ n.
mill»er /milar/ n. 1 the proprietor or tenant of a mill. 1 any leguminous shrub
2 a person who works or owns a mill. of the genus Mimosa, esp.
miMes*i*mal /milesimol/ adj. &n. madj. 1 thousandth. M. pudica, having globular
2 of or belonging to a thousandth. 3 of or dealing with usu. yellow flowers. 2 any
thousandths. *n. thousandth part.
a of various acacia plants
miMet /milit/ n. any of various cereal plants, esp.
1 with showy yellow flow-
Panicum miliaceum, bearing a large crop of small nu- ers. 3 a cocktail of cham-
tritious seeds. 2 the seed of tins. pagne and orange juice.
milli- /milee, -i, -a/ comb, form a thousand, esp. denot- min. abbr. 1 minute(s).
;

'nrrrm
ing a factor of one thousandth. «! Abbr.: m. 2 minimum. 3 minim
miMiard /milynrd, -yaard/ n. lint, one thousand mil- (fluidmeasure).
lion. mi»na of mynah.
var.
Now largely superseded by billion. min»a»ret /minartt/ >/. a
mil»li«bar /milobaar/ n. one-thousandth of a bar, the cgs slender turret connected
unit of atmospheric pressure equivalent to 00 pascals. n> a mosque and having
1
a
 balcony from which the muezzin calls at hours of 503 minatory ~ minicam
prayer, do min«a»ret»ed adj.
min»a»to»ry /minatawree/ adj. threatening; menacing. mind«set /mindset/ n. 1 a mental attitude that can in-
mince /mins/ v. 1 tr. cut up or grind into very small fluence one's interpretation of events or situations.
pieces. 2 tr. (usu. with neg.) restrain (one's words, etc.) 2 an inclination or a fixed way of thinking.
within the bounds of politeness. 3 intr. (usu. as minc- mine /mln/ poss.pron. 1 the one or ones belonging to
1

ing adj.) speak or walk with an affected delicacy. or associated with me (it is mine). 2 (attrib. before a
dd minc*er n. minc»ing»ly adv. (in sense 3 of v.). vowel) archaic - my (mine eyes have seen), d of mine of
mince*meat /minsmeet/ n. a mixture of currants, or belonging to me (a friend of mine)
raisins, sugar, apples, candied peel, spices, often suet, mine 2 /min/ n.&v.%n.'\ an excavation in the earth for
and sometimes meat. make mincemeat of utterly de- extracting metal, coal, etc. 2 an abundant source (of
feat (a person, argument, etc.). information, etc.). 3 a receptacle filled with explosive
mind /mind/ n. & v. •n. 1 a the seat of consciousness, and placed in the ground or in the water for destroy-
thought, volition, and feeling, b attention; concentra- ing enemy personnel, etc. 4 a subterranean gallery in
tion (my mind keeps wandering). 2 the intellect; intellec- which explosive is placed to blow up fortifications.
tual powers. 3 memory (/ can't call it to mind). 4 one's • v.tr. 1 obtain (coal, etc.) from a mine. 2 (also absol.,
opinion (we're of the same mind). 5 a way of thinking often foil, by for) dig in (the earth, etc.) for ore, etc.
or feeling (shocking to the Victorian mind) 6 the focus
. 3 a dig or burrow in (usu. the earth), b delve into (an
of one's thoughts or desires (put one's mind to it). 7 the abundant source) for information, etc. C make (a pas-
state of normal mental functioning (lose one's mind). sage, etc.) underground. 4 lay explosive mines under
8 a person as embodying mental faculties (a great or in. 5 = undermine, dd mitring n.
mind), mv.tr. 1 (usu. with neg. or interrog.) object to (/ minefield /minfeeld/ n. 1 an area planted with explo-
don 't mind your being late) 2 a take care to (mind you
. sive mines. 2 a subject or situation presenting unseen
come on time), b take care; be careful. 3 have charge of hazards.
temporarily (mind the house while I'm away) 4 concern mine«lay»er /minlayar/ n. a ship or aircraft for laying
.

oneself with (7 try to mind my own business) 5 give heed

. mines.
to (mind the step) 6 be obedient to (mind what your min»er /minar/ n. 1 a person who works in a mine. 2 any
.

mother says). be of two minds be undecided, be of a burrowing insect or grub.

mind (often foil, by to + infin.) be prepared or dis- min»er»al /minaral/ n. &
adj. »n. 1 any of the species
posed, come into a person's mind be remembered. into which inorganic substances are classified. 2 a sub-
come to mind (of a thought, idea, etc.) suggest itself. stance obtained by mining. • adj. 1 of or containing a
cross one's mind happen to occur to one. don't mind mineral or minerals. 2 obtained by mining.
me iron, do as you please, do you mind! iron, an ex- min»er«al»o«gy /minarolajee/ n. the scientific study of
pression of annoyance, give a person a piece of one's minerals, dd min*er*al*og*i*cal /-ralojikal/ adj. min»er»
mind scold or reproach a person, have a good (or half al*o*gist n.
a) mind to (often as a threat, usu. unfulfilled) feel min»er»al Oil n. Pharm. a colorless, odorless, oily liquid
tempted to. have (it) in mind intend, have a mind of obtained from petroleum and used as a laxative, in
one's own be capable of independent opinion, have manufacturing cosmetics, etc.
on one's mind be troubled by the thought of. in one's min»er«al wa«ter n. 1 water found in nature with some
mind's eye in one's imagination, mind one's Ps & Qs dissolved salts present. 2 an artificial imitation of this,
be careful in one's behavior, mind the store have charge esp. soda water.
of affairs temporarily, mind you an expression used to min»e»Stro«ne /ministr6nee,-str6n/ n. a soup con-
qualify a previous statement (I found it quite quickly —
taining vegetables, pasta, and beans.
mind you, it wasn't easy), never mind 1 an expression mine«sweep»er /minsweepar/ n. a ship for clearing
used to comfort or console. 2 (also never you mind) away floating and submarine mines.
an expression used to evade a question. 3 disregard mine«work»er /mi'nwarkar/ n. a person who works in a
(never mind the cost), open (or close) one's mind to be mine.
receptive (or unreceptive) to (changes, new ideas, Ming/ming/n. 1 the dynasty ruling China 1368-1644.
etc.). out of one's mind crazy, put (or set) a person's 2 Chinese porcelain made during the rule of this dy-
mind at rest reassure a person, put a person (or thing) nasty.
out of one's mind deliberately forget, read a person's min«gle /minggal/ v. 1 tr. &
intr. mix; blend. 2 intr.

mind discern a person's thoughts, to my mind in my (often foil, by with) (of a person) move about; asso-
opinion. ciate.
mind-bend»ing of a psychedelic drug)
adj. colloq. (esp. min«i /minee/ n. (pi. minis) colloq. a miniskirt, mini-
influencing or altering one's state of mind. dress, etc.
mind-blow»ing adj. si. 1 confusing; shattering. 2 (esp. mini- /minee/ comb, form miniature; very small or mi-
of drugs, etc.) inducing hallucinations. nor of its kind (minibus)
mind-bog»gling adj. colloq. overwhelming; startling. min*i*a*ture /mineeachar, minichar/ adj., n., v. • adj. &
mind»ed /mindid/ adj. 1 (in comb.) a inclined to think 1 much smaller than normal. 2 represented on a small
in some specified way (fair-minded) b having a speci-
. scale. •«. 1 any object reduced in size. 2 a small-scale
fied kind of mind (high-minded). C interested in or en- minutely finished portrait. 3 this branch of painting.
thusiastic about a specified thing (car-minded). 2 (usu. 4 a picture or decorated letters in an illuminated man-
foil,by to + infin.) disposed or inclined (to an action). uscript. • v.tr. represent on a smaller scale, a in min-
mind»er /mindar/ n. a person whose job it is to attend iature on a small scale, dd min*i*a*tur*ist n. (in senses
to a person or thing. 2 and 3 of n.). min«i»a«tur»ize /mineeachariz, minicha-/
mind»ful /mmdfODl/ adj. (often foil, by of) taking heed v.tr. min*i*a*tur*i*za*tion n.
or care; being conscious, dd mind*ful*ly adv. min*i*a«tur*ize /mineeachariz, minicha;n-/ v.tr. pro-
mindless /mindlis/ adj. 1 lacking intelligence; stupid. duce in a smaller version; make small, dd min«i»a«tur«
2 not requiring thought or skill (totally mindless work) i*za*tion n.
3 (usu. foil, by of) heedless of (advice, etc.). dd mind* min*i*cam /mineekam/ n. a portable lightweight video
less«ly adv. mind»less»ness n. camera.
mind-read v.tr. (past and past part, -read) discern the

thoughts of (another person), dd mind readier n. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
minicomputer ~ minute 504 (c.3000-1100 bc). mn. 1 an inhabitant of Minoan
Crete or the Minoan world. 2 the language or scripts
mirvi»com»piMer /mineekampyobtar/ n. a computer of associated with the Minoans.
medium power, more than a microcomputer but less mi»nor /minar/ adj., n., &
v. madj. 1 lesser or compar-

than a mainframe. atively small in size or importance. 2 Mus. a (of a scale)

mirvim /minim/ n. 1 one-sixtieth of a fluid dram, about
a drop. 2 an object or portion of the smallest size or
importance. 3 a single downstroke of the pen.
mirvi»map/. of minimum.
mirvi»mal /minimal/ adj. 1 very minute or slight. 2 be-
ing or related to a minimum. 3 the least possible in
size, duration, etc. 4 Art characterized by the use of
simple or primary forms or structures, etc., often
geometric or massive, an min»i»mal»ism n. (in sense 4).
min*i*mal«ist n.& adj. (in sense 4). min«i«maMy adv.
(in senses 1-3).
miivi»max /mineemaks/ n. 1 Math, the lowest of a set
having intervals of a semitone between the second and
third, fifth and sixth, and seventh and eighth degrees.
b (of an interval) less by a semitone than a major in-
terval. C (of a key) based on a minor scale. 3 pertaining
to a student's secondary field of study. • n. 1 a person
under the legal age limit or majority. 2 Mus. a minor
key, etc. 3 a student's subsidiary subject or course.
mv.intr. (foil, by in) study in as a subsidiary to a main
subject, d in a minor key (of novels, events, people's
lives, etc.) understated; uneventful.
mi«nor«i«ty /mlnawritee, -nor-/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 (often
foil, by of) a smaller number or part, esp. within a polit-

of maximum values. 2 (usu. attrib.) a a strategy that ical party or structure. 2 the number of votes cast for
minimizes the greatest risk to a participant in a game, this (a minority of two) 3 the state of being supported
.

etc. b the theory that in a game with two players, a by less than half of the body of opinion (in the minor-
player's smallest possible maximum loss is equal to the ity). 4 a relatively small group of people differing from

same player's greatest possible minimum gain. others in race, religion, language, etc. 5 (attrib.) relat-
minimize /minimiz/ v. 1 tr. reduce to, or estimate at, ing to or done by the minority (minority interests).
the smallest possible amount or degree. 2 tr. estimate 6 a the state of being under full legal age. b the period
or represent at less than the true value or importance. of this.
3 intr. attain a minimum value, dd min»i»mi«za«tion n. mi»nor»i»ty lead»er n. the leader of the minority polit-
minimum /minimam/ n. &adj. (pi. minima /-ma/) • n. ical party in a legislature.
the least possible or attainable amount (reduced to a mi»nor league n. (in baseball, etc.) a league of profes-
minimum), madj. that is a minimum. sional clubs other than a major league.
min»i»mum wage n. the lowest wage permitted by law. Min*o*taur /minatawr/ n. (in Greek mythology) a man
min»ion /minyan/ n. 1 derog. a servile agent; a slave. 2 a with a bull's head, kept in a Cretan labyrinth and fed
favorite servant, animal, etc. 3 a favorite of a sover- with human flesh.
eign, etc. min*OX*i*dil /manoksadil/ n. a vasodilator drug taken
min»i»se»ries /mineeseereez/ n. a short series of tel- orally to treat hypertension or applied topically to
evision programs on a common theme. stimulate hair growth in certain types of baldness.
min»i»skirt /mineeskart/ n. a very short skirt. min*strel /minstral/ n. 1 a medieval singer or musician.
min»is«ter /ministar/ n.&RiH,1a member of the cler- 2 hist, a person who entertained patrons with singing,
gy; a person authorized to officiate in religious wor- buffoonery, etc. 3 (usu. in pi.) a member of a band of
ship. 2 a head of a government department (in some public entertainers with blackened faces, etc.,
countries). 3 a diplomatic agent, usu. ranking below performing songs ostensibly of African-American or-
an ambassador. 4 (usu. foil, by of) a person employed igin, dd min»strel»sy /minstralsee/ n. (pi. -sies)
in the execution of (a purpose, will, etc.) (a minister of mint 1
/mint/ n. 1 any aromatic plant of the genus
justice). 5 (in full minister general) the superior of Mentha. 2 a peppermint sweet or lozenge, dd mint»y
some religious orders, mv. intr. (usu. foil, by to) render adj. (mintier, mintiest).
aid or service (to a person, cause, etc.). dd min«is«tra« mint 2 /mint/ n. &
v. mn. a place where money is
"\

ble adj. coined, usu. under government authority. 2 a vast sum

min»is»te»ri»al /ministe'ereeal/ adj. 1 of a minister of re- of money (making a mint). 3 a source of invention, etc.
ligion or a minister's office. 2 instrumental or subsid- (a mint of ideas) • v. tr. 1 make (coin) by stamping met-
.

iary in achieving a purpose. 3 of a government min- al. 2 invent; coin (a word, etc.). a in mint condition as
ister, dd min>is*te*ri*aMy adv. new.
min»is»tra«tion /ministrayshan/ n. 1 (usu. in pi.) aid or mint ju«lep n. a sweet iced alcoholic drink of bourbon
service. 2 ministering, esp. in religious matters. 3 flavored with mint.
(usu. foil, by of) the supplying (of help, justice, etc.). min»u»end /minyoo-end/ n. Math, a quantity or num-
dd min»is»trant /ministrant/ adj. & n. min«is»tra»tive ber from which another is to be subtracted.
/ministraytiv/ adj. min»u»et /minyoo-et/ n. &v. mn. 1 a slow stately dance
min«is»try /ministree/ n. (pi. -tries) 1 a (prec. by the) for two in triple time. 2 Mus. the music for this, or mu-
the vocation or profession of a religious minister, b the sic in the same rhythm and style, mv.intr. minueted,
office of a religious minister, etc. c the period of ten- minueting dance a minuet.
ure of this. 2 (prec. by the) the body of ministers of a mi»nus /minas/ prep., adj., &
n. mprep. 1 witli the sub-
government or of a religion. 3 a a government depart- traction of (7 minus 4 equals 3). M Symb.: . 2 (ol urn
ment headed by a minister, b the building which it perature) below zero (minus 2°). 3 colloq. lacking (re-
occupies. 4 a period of government under one Prime turned minus their dog), mad). 1 Math, negative
Minister. 5 ministering; ministration. 2 Electronics having a negative charge. mn. 1 = mini s
min»i»van /mineevan/ n. a vehicle, smaller than a full- SIGN. 2 Math, a negative quantity. 3 a disadvantage.
sized van, for passengers, cargo, etc. mi»nus»CUle /minaskyool/ //. &adj. mn. a lowercase let-
mink/mingk/n. 1 either of two small semiaquatic stoat- ter, madj. 1 lowercase. 2 colloq. extremely Miiall or un-
like animals of the genus Mustela. 2 the thick brown important.
fur of these. 3 a coat made of this. Avoid the common misspelling of minuscule as
Minn. abbr. Minnesota. "miniscule.
,,

min«now /mino/ n. any of various small freshwater fish mi»nus sign ;/. the symbol ( ) indicating subtraction
of the carp family. or a negative value.
Mi»no»an /minOan/ adj. & n. Archaeol. madj. of or relat- min«ute' /minit/ n. &
v. mn. 1 the ifactietfa part of an
ing to the Bronze Age civilization centered on Crete hour. 2 a distance covered in one minute (twenty nun-
 utesfrom the station). 3 a a moment
{expecting her any
minute), b (prec. by the present time {what
this) colloq.
are you doing at this minute?). C (foil, by clause) as
soon as {call me the minute you get back) 4 the sixtieth
. an unsuitable marriage.
part of an angular degree. 5 (in pi.) a brief summa-
ry of the proceedings at a meeting. 6 an official mem-
orandum authorizing or recommending a course of
action. 9V.tr. 1 record in the minutes. 2 send the min-
utes to (a person). just (or wait) a minute 1 a re-
quest to wait for a short time. 2 as a prelude to a que-
ry or objection.
minute late Middle English (in the singular in the
sense 'note or memorandum'): from French minute,
from the notion of a rough copy of a manuscript in
'small writing' (Latin scriptura minutd) as distinct from
the finished copy in carefully formed book hand. The
verb dates from the mid- 16th century.
mi»nute 2 /minobt, -yobt/ adj. (minutest) 1 very small.
2 trilling; petty. 3 (of an inquiry, inquirer, etc.) accu-
rate; detailed; precise, dd mi«nute»ly adv. mi»nute«ness
n.
min*ute hand n. the hand on a watch or clock that indi-
cates minutes.
mirvuternan /minitman/ n. {pi. -men) 1 US hist, (also
Minuteman) an American militiaman of the Revolu-
tionary War period (ready to march at a minute's no-
tice). 2 a type of three-stage intercontinental ballistic
missile.
mi«nu*ti*a /minobsheea, -sha, -nyob-/ n. {pi. -iae
/-shee-ee/) (usu. in pi.) a precise, trivial, or minor de-
tail.
minx /mingks/ n. a pert, sly, or playful girl.
Mi»ocene /miaseen/ adj. & n. Geol. madj. of or relating
to the fourthepoch of the Tertiary period. • n. this
och or system.
mi'O'Sis /miosis/ n. (also myosis) {pi. -ses /-seez/) ex-
cessive constriction of the pupil of the eye. dd mi«ot«
ic /miotik/ adj.
mir*a*cle /mirakal/ n. 1 an extraordinary event attrib-
uted to some supernatural agency. 2 a any remarka-
ble occurrence, b a remarkable development in some
specified area {an economic miracle). 3 (usu. foil, by of)
a remarkable specimen {a miracle of ingenuity)
mir*a*cle play n. a medieval play based on the Bible or
the lives of the saints.
mi»rac«u»IOUS/miraky3l9s/ad/. 1 of the nature of a mir-
acle. 2 supernatural. 3 remarkable; surprising, dd mi*
racu'lous'ly adv.
mi*rage /mira'azh/ n. 1 an optical illusion caused by at-
mospheric conditions, esp. the appearance of a sheet
of water in a desert or on a hot road from the reflec-
tion of light. 2 an illusory thing.
mire /mir/ n. &v. »n. 1 a stretch of swampy ground.
2 mud; dirt. mv. 1 tr. &
intr. plunge or sink in a mire.
2 tr. involve in difficulties, d in the mire in difficulties.
mirk var. of murk.
mirk»y var. of murky.
mir»ror /mirar/ n. &
v. mn. a polished surface, usu. of
"\
coated glass, which reflects an image. 2 anything re-
garded as giving an accurate reflection or description
of something else. 9V.tr. reflect as in a mirror.
mirth /marth/ n. merriment; laughter, dd mirtrtful adj.
mirtrffuMy adv. mirthless adj. mirth*less*ly adv.
mirtrHess»ness n.
MIRV /marv/ abbr. multiple independently targeted re-
entry vehicle (a type of missile).
MIS abbr. Computing management information system.
mis*ad*ven*ture /misadvenchar/ n. 1 Law an accident
without concomitant crime or negligence {death by
misadventure). 2 bad luck. 3 a misfortune.
misalign /misalin/ v.tr. give the wrong alignment to.
dd mis*a*lign*ment n.
505 minute ~ mischievous
mis*al*li*ance /misaligns/ n. an unsuitable alliance, esp.
mis«an»thrope /misanthrop, miz-/ n. (also mis«an«thro
pist /misanthrapist/) 1 a person who hates mankind.
2 a person who avoids human society, dd mis»an«throp«
ic /-thropik/ adj. mis»an»thro«py /misanthrapee/ n.
mis*ap*ply /misapli/ v.tr. (-plies, -plied) apply (esp.
funds) wrongly, dd mis*ap«pli*ca*tion /misaplikayshan/
n.
mis»ap«pre»hend /misaprihend/ v.tr. misunderstand
(words, a person), dd mis»ap»pre«hen»sion /-henshan/
n. mis»ap«pre»hervsive adj.
mis«ap«pro»pri»ate /misapropreeayt/ v.tr. apply (usu.
another's money) to one's own use, or to a wrong use.
dd mis*ap«pro*pri*a*tion /-ayshan/ n.
mis*be«got*ten /misbigot'n/ adj. 1 illegitimate; bas-
tard. 2 contemptible; disreputable.
mis«be»have /misbihayv/ v.intr. &
refl. (of a person or
machine) behave badly, dd mis«be«havior n.
misc. abbr. miscellaneous.
mis*cal«CU*late /miskalkyalayt/ v.tr. (also absol.) calcu-
late (amounts, results, etc.) wrongly, dd mis*cal*cu*la*
tion /-layshan/ n.
mis»call /miskawl/ v.tr. call by a wrong or inappropri-
ate name.
mis»car»riage /miskarij/ n. 1a spontaneous abortion,
esp. before the 28th week of pregnancy. 2 the failure
(of a plan, letter, etc.) to reach completion or its des-
tination.
mis*car*riage of justice n. any failure of the judicial
system to attain the ends of justice.
mis»car«ry /miskaree/ v.intr. (-ries, -ried) 1 (of a
ep- woman) have a miscarriage. 2 (of a letter, etc.) fail to
reach its destination. 3 (of a business, plan, etc.) fail;
be unsuccessful.
mis»cast /miskast/ v.tr. {past and past part, -cast) allot
an unsuitable part to (an actor).
mis*ceg«e«na*tion /misejinayshan, misaja-/ n. the in-
terbreeding of races, esp. of whites and nonwhites.
mis»ceMa»ne»ous /misalayneeas/ adj. 1 of mixed com-
position or character. 2 (foil, by pi. noun) of various
kinds. 3 (of a person) many-sided, dd mis*cel*la*ne*
ous*ly adv.
mis*ceMa*ny /misalaynee/ n. {pi. -nies) 1 a mixture; a
medley. 2 a book containing various literary compo-
sitions.
mis-chance /mischans/ n. 1 bad luck. 2 an instance of
this.
mis*chief /mischif n. 1 conduct that is troublesome,
but not malicious, esp. in children. 2 pranks; scrapes
{get into mischief). 3 playful malice; archness; satire
{eyes full of mischief). 4 harm or injury caused by a per-
son or thing. 5 a person or thing responsible for harm
or annoyance {that loose connection is the mischief). 6
(prec. by the) the annoying part or aspect {the mischief
of it is that, etc.).
mis«chie»vous /mischivas/ adj. 1 (of a person) dis-
posed to mischief. 2 (of conduct) playfully malicious.
3 (of a thing) harmful, dd mis*chie*vous*ly adv. mis*
chie*vous*ness n.
Do not pronounce this word with an extra syllable,
"mis-chee-vee-uhs."
mischievous Middle English: from Anglo-Norman
French meschevous, from Old French meschever 'come
to an unfortunate end.' The early sense was 'unfortu-
nate or calamitous,' later 'having harmful effects'; the
sense of 'playfully malicious' dates from the late 17th
century.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

miscible - miss 506 mis*hap /mis-hap/ n. an unlucky accident.

misrwriash /mishmash, -maash/ n. a confused mix-

mis«ci'ble /misibal/ adj. (often foil, by with) capable of ture.

being mixed, do mis«ci«bil«i«ty /-bilitee/ n. mis»in»form /misinform/ v.tr. give wrong information
mis»COn»ceive /miskanse'ev/ v. 1 intr. (often foil, by of) to; mislead, dd mis»in«for»ma»tion /-farmayshan/ n.

have a wrong idea or conception. 2 tr. (as miscon-
ceived adj.) badly planned, organized, etc. 3 tr. mis-
understand (a word, person, etc.). do mis»con»cep«
tion /-sepshan/ n.
mis«con«duct n. &v. • n. /miskondukt/ 1 improper or
unprofessional behavior. 2 bad management, mv.
/miskandukt/ 1 refl. misbehave. 2 tr. mismanage.
mis«irvter»pret /misintarprit/ v.tr. (-interpreted, -inter-
preting) 1 interpret wrongly. 2 draw a wrong inference
from, dd mis»in»ter»pre«ta«tion /-tayshan/ n.
misjudge /misjuj/ v.tr. (also absol.) 1 judge wrongly.
2 have a wrong opinion of. dd mis»judg«ment n.
mis»key /miskee/ v. tr. (-keys, -keyed) key (data) wrong-
ly.

mis»con»strue /miskanstrob/ v.tr. (-construes, -con- mis«lay /mislay/ v.tr. (past and past part, -laid /-layd/)

strued, -construing) 1 interpret (a word, action, etc.) 1 unintentionally put (a thing) where it cannot read-
wrongly. 2 mistake the meaning of (a person), dd mis* ily be found. 2 euphem. lose.

construction /-strukshan/ n. mislead /misleed/ v.tr. (past and past part, -led /-led/)
mis«count /miskownt/ v. n. •v.tr. & (also absol.) count 1 cause (a person) to go wrong, in conduct, belief, etc.

wrongly. • n. a wrong count. 2 lead astray or in the wrong direction, dd mislead*

mis»cre«ant /miskreeant/ n. &
adj. •n. a wretch; a vil- ing /misleading/ adj. mis*lead*ing*ly adv.
lain. • adj. depraved; villainous. mis»man«age /mismanij/ v.tr. manage badly or wrong-
mis«cue /miskyob/ n. &
v. •n. (in billiards, etc.) the ly, dd mis«man«age«ment n.

failure to strike the ball properly with the cue. •v.intr. misTnatch v. &
n. •v.tr. /mismach/ (usu. as mis-

(-cues, -cued, -cueing or -cuing) make a miscue. matched adj. ) match unsuitably or incorrectly, esp. in
mis»date /misdayt/ v.tr. date (an event, a letter, etc.) marriage, •n. /mismach/ a bad match.
wrongly. mis»no*mer /misnOmar/ «. 1 a name or term used
mis'deal /misde'el/ v. & n. mv.tr. (also absol.) (past and wrongly. 2 the wrong use of a name or term.
past part, -dealt /-delt/) make a mistake in dealing mi»so /meeso/ n. a paste made from fermented soy
(cards). •«. 1 a mistake in dealing cards. 2 a misdealt beans and barley or rice malt, used in Japanese cook-
hand. ing.
mis*deed /misdeed/ n. an evil deed, a wrongdoing; a mi»sog»a«my /misogamee/ n. the hatred of marriage.
crime. do mi«sog«a«mist n.
mis«de*mean»or /misdimeenar/ n. 1 an offense; a mis- mi»SOg»y»ny /misojinee/ n. the hatred of women, dd mi»
deed. 2 Law an indictable offense, less heinous than a sog*ynist n. mi*sog*ynous adj.
felony. mis»place /misplays/ v.tr. 1 put in the wrong place.
mis*di*ag*nose /misdiagnos, -noz/ v.tr. diagnose in- 2 bestow (affections, confidence, etc.) on an inappro-
correctly, no mis*di*ag*no*sis /-nosis/ n. priate object. 3 time (words, actions, etc.) badly.
mis»di»rect/misdirekt,-dl-/z;.fr. 1 direct (a person, let- dd mis«place»ment n.
ter,blow, etc.) wrongly. 2 (of a judge) instruct (the ju- mis*print n. & v. •n. /misprint/ a mistake in printing.
ry) wrongly, no mis»di»rec»tion /-rekshan/ n. • v. tr. /misprint/ print wrongly.
mise-en-scene /me'ez on sen/ n. 1 Theatr. the scenery mis»pro»nounce /mispranowns/ v.tr. pronounce (a
and properties of a play. 2 the setting or surroundings word, etc.) wrongly, dd mis»pro«nun»ci»a»tion /-nun-
of an event. seeayshan/ n.
mi«ser/mizar/w. 1 a person who hoards wealth and lives mis»quote /miskwOt/ v.tr. quote wrongly, dd mis-quo-

miserably. 2 an avaricious person, dd mi»ser»ly adj. tation /-tayshan/ n.

mis»er«a«ble /mizarabal/ adj. 1 wretchedly unhappy or mis»read/misreed/ufr. (past and past part, -read /-red/)
uncomfortable. 2 unworthy; inadequate (a miserable read or interpret (text, a situation, etc.) wrongly.
hovel); contemptible. 3 causing wretchedness or dis- mis«rep«re«sent /misreprizent/ v.tr. represent wrongly;
comfort (miserable weather). 4 stingy; mean, dd mis«er» give a false or misleading account or idea of. do mis*
a»ble«ness n. mis*er*a*bly adv. rep»re-sen-ta»tion /-tayshan/ n. mis»rep«re-sen»ta«tive
mis»er»y /mizaree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a wretched state of adj.
mind, or of outward circumstances. 2 a thing causing Miss. abbr. Mississippi.
this, d put out of its, etc., misery 1 release (a person, miss 1
/mis/i>. &n. »v. 1 tr. (also absol.) fail to hit, reach,
animal, etc.) from suffering or suspense. 2 kill (an an- find, catch, etc. (an object or goal). 2 tr. fail to catch
imal in pain). (a bus, train, etc.). 3 tr. fail to experience, see, or at-
miS'fire /misfir/ v. &
n. •v.intr. 1 (of a gun, motor en- tend (an occurrence or event). 4 tr. fail to meet (a per-
gine, etc.) fail to go off or start or function regularly. son); fail to keep (an appointment). 5 tr. fail to seize
2 (of an action, etc.) fail to have the intended effect. (an opportunity, etc.) (/ missed my chance). 6 tr. fail to
• n. a failure of function or intention. hear or understand (/ missed what you said). 7 tr. a re-
mis»fit /misfit/ n. la person unsuited to a particular gret the loss or absence of (a person or thing) (did you
kind of environment, occupation, etc. 2 a garment, miss me?), b notice the loss or absence of (an object)
etc., that does not fit. (bound to miss the key if it isn there). 8 tr. avoid (a'' •"
't
1
<

mis»for»tune /misfawrchan/ n. 1 bad luck. 2 an unfor- ly to miss the traffic). 9 intr. (of an engine, etc fail; mis- )

tunate condition or event. fire. • n. 1 a failure to hit, reach, etc. 2 eoUoq. mis< ak-
mis-giving /misgiving/ n. (usu. mpl.) a feeling of mis- riaob La miss the boat (or bus) lose ;m opportunity
trust or apprehension. miss out (usu. foil, by on) colloq. fail to gel or expe-
mis»gov»ern/misguvarn/zur. govern (a state, etc.) bad- rience (ahuays misses out on the good timc\). not miss a
ly, dd mis»govenvment n. trick never fail to seize an opportunity, advantage, etc
mis*guide /misgid/ v.tr. 1 (as misguided adj.) mistak- dd miss»a»ble ad/.
en thought or action. 2 mislead; misdirect.
in mis* miss- /mis/ n. 1 a girl or unmarried woman. 2 (Miss)
2

guid-ed»ly adv. mis»guid»ed«ness //. a respectful title of an unmarried woman or girl, or of

mis»han»dle /mis-hand'l/ v.tr. 1 deal with incorrectly a married wom;m retaining her maiden name for
or ineffectively. 2 handle (a person or thing) roughly professional purposes (cf. Ms.), b the title of a beauty
or rudely; ill-treat. queen (Miss World). 3 usu. ding. Of joe. a gMg ftp ;
 schoolgirl. 4 the title used to address a young woman 507 missal ~ mitral valve
or girl.
mis»sal /misal/ n. RC Ch. , Anglican Ch. 1 a book con- white glutinous berries in winter. 2 a similar plant, ge-
taining the texts used in the service of the Mass nus Phoradendron, native to N. America.
throughout the year. 2 a book of prayers. mistook past of MISTAKE.
mis*shap*en /mis-shaypan/ adj. ill-shaped; deformed; mis*tral /mistral, mistra'al/ n. a cold northerly wind of
distorted, dd mis»shap«en»ness n. southern France.
miS'Sile /misal/ n. 1 an object or weapon for throwing mistreat /mistreet/ v.tr. treat badly, dd mis«treat»ment
at a target or for discharge from a machine. 2 a weap- n.

on directed by remote control or automatically, dd mis*
silery /-alree/ n.
miss*ing /mising/ adj. 1 not in its place; lost. 2 (of a
person) not yet traced or confirmed as alive but not
known to be dead. 3 not present.
miss»ing link n. 1 a thing lacking to complete a series.
2 a hypothetical intermediate type, esp. between
humans and apes.
mis*sion /mishan/ n. 1 a a particular task or goal as-
signed to a person or group, b a journey undertaken
mis-tress /mistris/ n. 1 a female head of a household.
2 a a woman in authority over others, b the female
owner of a pet. 3 a woman with power to control, etc.
(often foil, by of. mistress of the situation). 4 a woman
(other than his wife) with whom a married man has a
sexual relationship.
mis*tri*al /mis-trial/ n. 1 a trial rendered invalid
through some error in the proceedings. 2 a trial in
which the jury cannot agree on a verdict.
mis»trust /mis-trust/ v. &
n. mv.tr. 1 be suspicious of.

as part of this. C a person's vocation {mission in life). 2 feel no confidence in (a person, oneself, one's pow-
2 a military or scientific operation or expedition for a ers, etc.). •«. 1 suspicion. 2 lack of confidence.
particular purpose. 3 a body of persons sent, esp. to a mis»trusWul /mis-trustfool/ adj. 1 (foil, by of) suspi-
foreign country, to conduct negotiations, etc. 4 a a cious. 2 lacking confidence or trust, dd mis»trust»ful»
body sent to propagate a religious faith, b a field of ly adv.
missionary activity. C a missionary post or organiza- mist»y /mistee/ adj. (mistier, mistiest) 1 of or covered
tion, d a place of worship attached to a mission. 5 a with mist. 2 indistinct or dim in oudine. 3 obscure;
particular course or period of preaching, services, etc., vague (a misty idea), dd mist*My adv. mistiness n.
undertaken by a parish or community. mis*un*der*stand /misundarstand/ v.tr. (past and past
mis»sion»ar»y /mishaneree/ adj. &
n. •adj. of, con- part, -understood /-stood/) 1 fail to understand cor-
cerned with, or characteristic of, religious missions. rectly. 2 (usu. as misunderstood adj.) misinterpret the
• n. (pi. -ies) a person doing missionary work. words or actions of (a person).
mis»sion»er /mishanar/ n. 1 a missionary. 2 a person in mis*un*der*stand*ing /misundarstanding/ n. 1 a fail-
charge of a religious mission. ure to understand correctly. 2 a slight disagreement or
mis*sis var. of missus. quarrel.
mis»sive /misiv/ n. 1 joe. a letter. 2 an official letter. mis»use v. &
n. mv.tr. /misyooz/ 1 use wrongly; apply
Mis*sour*i /mizooree, -zebra/ n.&adj. mn. 1 a N.Amer- to the wrong purpose. 2 ill-treat, mn. /misyobs/ wrong
ican tribe native to the Missouri River valley. 2 a mem- or improper use or application.
ber of this people, madj. of or relating to this people. MIT abbr. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
mis»spell /mis-spel/ v. tr. spell wrongly, dd mis*spell*ing mite /mit/ n. any small arachnid of the order Acari.
1

n. mite 2 /mit/ n. &

adv. mn. 1 any small monetary unit.
mis»State /mis-stayt/ v.tr. state wrongly or inaccurate- 2 a small object or person, esp. a child. 3 a modest con-
ly, dd mis*state*ment /-mant/ n. tribution; the best one can do (offered my mite of com-
mis*sus /misaz/ n. (also mis*sis /-siz/) 5/. or joe. 1 a fort), madv. (usu. prec. by a) colloq. somewhat (is a mite
form of address to a woman. 2 a wife, d the missus shy).
my or your wife. mi«ter /mitar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a tall deeply-cleft headdress

miss»y /misee/ n. (pi. -ies) an affectionate or derogato-
ry form of address to a young girl.
mist /mist/ n. & v. • n. 1 a water vapor near the ground
in minute droplets limiting visibility, b condensed va-
por settling on a surface and obscuring glass, etc.
2 dimness or blurring of the sight caused by tears, etc.
worn by bishops and abbots, esp. as a symbol of of-
fice. 2 the joint of two pieces of wood or other mate-
rial at an angle of 90°, such that the line of junction
bisects this angle. 3 a diagonal join of two pieces of
fabric that meet at a corner, made by folding. • v. 1 tr.
bestow the miter on. 2 tr. &
intr. join with a miter.

3 a cloud of particles resembling mist. •v.tr. intr. &

dd metered adj.
(usu. foil, by up, over) cover or become covered with mi»ter box n. a frame with slits for guiding a saw in cut-
mist or as with mist. ting miter joints.
mistake /mistayk/ n. &
v. mn. 1 an incorrect idea or mit»i»gate /mitigayt/ v.tr. make milder or less intense or
opinion; a thing incorrectly done or thought. 2 an er- severe, dd mit*i*ga*tion /-gayshan/ n. mit»i«ga«to«ry
ror of judgment. • v. tr. (past mistook /-tobk/; past part. /-gatawree/ adj.
mistaken /-taykan/) 1 misunderstand the meaning See note at militate.
or intention of (a person, a statement, etc.). 2 (foil, mit*i*gat*ing cir*cum*stances n.pl. Law circum-
by for) wrongly take or identify (mistook me for you) stances permitting greater leniency.
3 choose wrongly (mistake one's vocation), a and (or mi»to»chon»drion /mitakondreean/ n. (pi. mitochon-
make) no mistake undoubtedly, by mistake
colloq. dria /-dreea/) Biol, an organelle found most eukar-
in
accidentally; in error, there is no mistaking one is yotic cells, containing enzymes for respiration and en-
sure to recognize (a person or thing), dd mis*tak*a*ble ergy production.
adj. mi»tO»sis /mitosis/ n. Biol, a type of cell division that
mis»tak»en/mistaykan/ad/. 1 wrong in opinion or judg- results in two daughter cells each having the same
ment. 2 based on or resulting from this (mistaken loy- number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nu-
alty; mistaken identity), dd mis*tak*en*ly adv. cleus (cf. meiosis). dd mi«tot«ic /-totik/ adj.
mis»ter /mistar/ n. 1 (Mister) respectful title for a man, mi»tral /mitral/ adj. of or like a miter.
usu. abbr. (as Mr.). 2 si. or joe. sir; a form of address mi»tral valve n. a two-cusped valve between the left
to a man
(Hey, mister!). 3 a husband. atrium and the left ventricle of the heart.
mis«tle«toe /misalto/ n. 1a parasitic plant, Viscum al-
bum, growing on apple and other trees and bearing See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

mitt ~ mockingbird 508 MM abbr. (as MM.) Messieurs.

mm abbr. millimeter(s).
mitt /mit/ n. la baseball glove for catching the ball. 2 = Mme. abbr.(pi. Mmes.) Madame.

mitten. 3 si. a hand or fist. 4 a glove leaving the fin- MN abbr. Minnesota (in official postal use).
gers and thumb-tip exposed. Mn symb. Chem. the element manganese.
miMen /mit'n/ n. a glove with two sections, one for the mne«mon»ic /nimonik/ adj. &
n. madj. of or designed

thumb and the other for all four fingers. to aid the memory, mn. a mnemonic device, dd mne*
mitz*vah /mitsvg/ n. (pi. mitzvoth /-vot/ or mitzvahs) mon»i»caMy adv.
in Judaism: 1 a precept or commandment. 2 a good mne«mon»ics /nimoniks/ n.pl. (usu. treated as sing.)
deed done from religious duty. 1 the art of improving memory. 2 a system for this.

mix /miks/ v. &

n. mv. 1 tr. combine or put together MO abbr. 1 Missouri (in official postal use). 2 money
(two or more substances or things) so that they are order.
diffused into each other. 2 tr. prepare (a compound, Mo symb. Chem. the element molybdenum.
cocktail, etc.) by combining the ingredients. 3 com- Mo. tr. abbr. Missouri.
bine (an activity, etc.) with another simultaneously mo. abbr. month.
(mix business and pleasure) 4 . be mixed, or
intr. a join, m.O. modus operandi.
abbr.
combine, esp. readily (oil and water will not mix) b be . mo«a /moa/ n. any extinct flightless New Zealand bird
compatible. C be sociable (must learn to mix). 5 intr. a of the family Dinornithidae, resembling the ostrich.
(foil, by with) (of a person) be harmonious or socia- moan /mon/ n, &
w ih. 1 a long murmur expressing
ble with; have regular dealings with, b (foil, by in) par- suffering or passion. 2 a low plaintive sound of wind,
ticipate in. mn. 1 a the act or an instance of mixing; a etc. 3 a complaint; a grievance. • v. 1 intr. make a moan
mixture, b the proportion of materials, etc., in a mix- or moans. 2 intr. colloq. complain or grumble. 3 tr. a ut-
ture. 2 colloq. a group of persons of different types (so- ter with moans, b lament, dd moan»er n.
cial mix). 3 the ingredients prepared commercially for moat /mot/ n. &
v. mn. a deep defensive ditch around

making a cake, etc., or for a process such as making a castle, town, etc., usu. filled with water. mv.tr. sur-
concrete. 4 the merging of film pictures or sound, d be round with or as with a moat.
mixed up in (or with) be involved in or with (esp. some- mob /mob/ n. &
v. mn. 1 a disorderly crowd; a rabble.

thing undesirable), mix in be harmonious or sociable. 2 (prec. by the) usu. derog. the populace. 3 colloq. a
mix up 1 mix thoroughly. 2 confuse; mistake the iden- gang; an associated group of persons. 4 = Mafia. • v.tr.
tity of. & intr. (mobbed, mobbing) 1 tr. a crowd around in

mixed of diverse qualities or elements.

/mikst/ adj. 1 order to attack or admire, b (of a mob) attack, c crowd
2 containing persons from various backgrounds, etc. into (a building) 2 intr. assemble in a mob.
.

3 for or involving persons of both sexes (a mixed mob aCap /mobkap/ n. hist, a woman's large indoor cap
school) covering all the hair, worn in the 1 8th and early 1 9th
mixed bag n. a diverse assortment of things or per- c.
sons. mobile /mobsl, -beel, —bil/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 movable;
mixed bless*ing n. a thing having advantages and dis- not fixed; free or able to move or flow easily. 2 (of the
advantages. face, etc.) readily changing its expression. 3 (of a busi-
mixed doobles n.pl. Tennis a doubles game with a man ness, library, etc.)accommodated in a vehicle so as to
and a woman as partners on each side. serve various places. 4 (of a person) able to change his
mixed feeMngs n.pl. a mixture of pleasure and dismay or her social status. • n. /-beel/ a decorative structure
about something. hung so as to turn freely, dd mo»bil»i«ty /mobilitee/ n.
mixed mar*riage n. a marriage between persons of dif- mo*bile home n. a transportable structure, usu. parked
ferent races or religions. and used as a residence.
mixed met»a»phor n.a combination of inconsistent mo«bi*lize /mobiliz/ v. 1 a tr. organize for service or ac-
metaphors (e.g., this tower of strength will forge ahead). tion (esp. troops in time of war) b intr. be organized
.

mixed-up adj. colloq. mentally or emotionally confused; in this way. 2 tr. render movable; bring into circula-
socially ill-adjusted. tion, dd mo»bi»li«za*tion n.
mix»er /miksar/ n. 1 a device for mixing foods,
M6*bi*US Strip /mObias, may-, m6-/ n. Math, a one-
etc., or
for processing other materials. 2 a person who man- sided surface formed by joining the ends of a rectan-
ages socially in a specified way (a good mixer) 3 a (usu. gle after twisting one end through 180°.
.

soft) drink to be mixed with another. 4 Broadcasting mob rule n. rule imposed and enforced by a mob.
& Cinematog. a a device for merging input signals to mob»ster /mobstar/ n. si. a gangster.
produce a combined output in the form of sound or mooca»sin /mokasin/ n. 1a type of soft leather shoe
pictures, b a person who operates this. with combined sole and heel, as orig. worn by Native
mixture /miks-char/ n. 1 the process of mixing or be- Americans. 2 (in full water moccasin) a poisonous
ing mixed. 2 the result of mixing; something mixed; a American snake of the genus Agkistrodon, esp. the cot-
combination. 3 Chem. the product of the random tonmouth, A. piscivorus.
distribution of one substance through another with- mo»cha /m6kr>/ n. 1 a coffee of fine quality. 2 a bever-
out any chemical reaction taking place between the age or flavoring made with this. 3 a soft kind of sheep
components, as distinct from a chemical compound. skin.
4 ingredients mixed together to produce a substance, mock /mok/ v., adj., &
n. mv. 1 a tr. ridicule; scoff at.
esp. a medicine (cough mixture). 5 a person regarded b intr. (foil, by at) act with scorn or contempt for. 2 tr.
as a combination of qualities and attributes. mimic contemptuously. 3 tr. jeer, defy, or delude con
mix-up n. a confusion, misunderstanding, or mistake. temptuously. mattrib.adj. sham; imitation (esp. without
miz«zen /mizan/ n. (also miz«en) Nam. (in full mizzen intention to deceive); pretended (a mock btiulc). mn.
sail) the lowest fore-and-aft sail of a fully rigged ship's 1 a thing deserving scorn. 2 (in pi.) colloq. mockex;un
mizzenmast. inations. DO mock«er n. mock«ing«ly adu
miz«zen«mast /mizonmast/ n. Naut. the mast next aft mock»er»y /mokoree/ n. (pi. -ies) 1 a derision; ridicule,
of a ship's mainmast. b a subject or occasion of this. 2 (often loll by of) a
ml abbr. milliliter(s). counterfeit or absurdly inadequate representation. 3 a
M.Litt. abbr. Master of Letters. ludicrously or insultingly futile action, etc.
Mile. abbr. (pi. Miles.) Mademoiselle. mock»ing»bird /mokingbr>rd/ n. a bird, esp. the Amer-
 ican songbird Mimus polyglottos, that mimics the
of other birds.
mock or*ange n. a white-flowered heavy-scented
shrub, Philadelphus coronarius.
mock turtle soup n. soup made from a calf's head,
etc., to resemble turtle soup.
mock-up n. 1 an experimental model or replica of a
proposed structure, etc. 2 an arrangement of text and
pictures to be printed.
mod /mod/ adj. colloq. modern, esp. in style of dress.
mod*al /mOd'l/ adj. 1 of or relating to mode or form as
opposed to substance. 2 Gram, a of or denoting the
mood of a verb, b (of an auxiliary verb, e.g., would)
used to express the mood of another verb. C (of a par-
ticle) denoting manner, on mod*al*ly adv.
mo«dal«i»ty /modalitee/ n. (pi. -ties) (in sing, or pi.) a
prescribed method of procedure.
mode /mod/ n. la way or manner in which a thing is
done. 2 a prevailing fashion or custom. 3 Computing a
way of operating or using a system (print mode).
4 Statistics the value that occurs most frequently in a
given set of data. 5 Mus. a each of the scale systems
that result when the white notes of the piano are played
consecutively over an octave (Lydian mode) b each of
the two main modern scale systems, the major and mi-
nor (minor mode)
mod»el /mod'l/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a representation in three
dimensions of an existing person or thing or of a pro-
posed structure, esp. on a smaller scale (often attrib.
a model train). 2 a simplified (often mathematical) de-
scription of a system, etc., to assist calculations and
predictions. 3 a figure in clay, wax, etc., to be repro-
duced in another material. 4 a particular design or
style, esp. of a car. 5 a an exemplary person or thing
(a model of self-discipline) b (attrib. ) ideal; exemplary
. the sense of (a word, etc.). nn mod«i»fi»ca«tion
(a model student) 6 a person employed to pose for an
. /-fikayshsn/
artist or photographer or to display clothes, etc., by
wearing them. 7 a garment, etc.,
designer, or a copy of this. • v. 1 tr.
(a figure) in clay, wax, etc. b (foil,
form (a thing in imitation of). 2a
a model, b tr. (of a person acting as a model) display
(a garment). 3 tr. devise a (usu. mathematical) model
of (a phenomenon, system, etc.). dd mod«el«er n.
mo»dem /modem/ n. a device for modulation and de-
modulation, e.g., between a computer and a telephone
line.
mod*er*ate adj., n., & v. »adj. /modarat/
extremes; temperate conduct or expression. 2 fair-
in
ly or tolerably large or good. 3 (of the wind) of me-
dium strength. 4 (of prices) fairly low. %n. /modargt/
a person who holds moderate views, esp. in politics.
• v. /modarayt/ 1 tr. & intr. make or
lent, intense, rigorous, etc. 2 tr. (also absol.) act as a
moderator of or to. dd mod»er»ate«ly /-ratlee/ adv.
mod»er»a»tion /modarayshon/ n. 1 the process or an in-
stance of moderating. 2 the quality of being moder-
ate, d in moderation in a moderate manner or degree.
mod*e*ra*tO /modara'ato/ adj., adv., n. Mus. *adj.
adv. performed at a moderate pace. »n. (pi. -tos) a
piece of music to be performed in this way.
mod»er«a»tor /modaraytar/ n. 1 an arbitrator or medi-
ator. 2 a presiding officer. 3 Eccl. a Presbyterian min-
ister presiding over an ecclesiastical body.
mod»ern /modarn/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of the present and
recent times. 2 in current fashion; not antiquated. • n.
(usu. in pi.) a person living in modern times, dd mo*
der«ni»ty /-dernitee/ n.
mod«ern English n. English from about 1 500 onward.
mod»ern»ism /modarnizam/ n. 1a modern ideas or
methods, b the tendency of religious belief to harmo-
nize with modern ideas. 2 a modern term or expres-
sion, nn mod«ern*ist n. mod*ern*is*tic /-nistik/ adj.
notes 509 mock orange - mohair
mod»ern»ize /modarnlz/ v. 1 tr. make modern; adapt
to modern needs or habits. 2 intr. adopt modern ways
or views, nn mod*em*i*za*tion /-zayshan/ n. mod«ern«
iz«er n.
mod*est /modist/ adj. 1 having or expressing a humble
or moderate estimate of one's own merits or achieve-
ments. 2 diffident; bashful; retiring. 3 decorous.
4 moderate or restrained in amount, extent, severity,
etc. (a modest sum). 5 (of a thing) unpretentious in ap-
pearance, etc. na mod«esWy adv.
mod*es*ty /modistee/ n. the quality of being modest.
mod«i«cum /modikam/ n. (foil, by of) a small quantity.
mod*i*fi*ca*tion /modifikayshsn/ n. 1 the act or an in-
stance of modifying or being modified. 2 a change
made.
mod»i»f i»er /modifier/ n. 1 a person or thing that mod-
ifies. 2 Gram, a word, esp. an adjective or noun used
attributively, that qualifies the sense of another word
(e.g., good and family in a good family house).
A modifier is said to be misplaced if it has no clear
grammatical connection to another part of the sen-
. tence. Thus, in the sentence Having seen the movie, my
views were offered, the meaning may be clear, but the
first phrase appears to modify views. The sentence
would be better worded as: Having seen the movie, I of-
fered my views. Careful writers avoid such lapses in syn-
tax, which can cause ludicrous images, especially in
the case of dangling participles such as the one in the
sentence Filled with wine, the fireworks delighted us.
mod»i»fy /modifV v.tr. (-ties, -tied) 1 make less severe
or extreme (modify one's demands). 2 make partial
changes in; make different. 3 Gram, qualify or expand
n. mod»i»fi»ca«tOTy /-fikatawree/ adj.
mod-ish /modish/ adj. fashionable, nn mod«ish*ly adv.
by a well-known mod-ishTiess n.
a fashion or shape mod*u*lar /mojatar/ adj. of or consisting of modules or
by after, on, etc.) moduli, nn mod«u»lar«i«ty /-laritee/ n.
intr. act or pose as mod*u*late /mojalayt/ v. 1 tr. a regulate or adjust.
b moderate. 2 tr. adjust or vary the tone or pitch of
(the speaking voice). 3 tr. alter the amplitude or fre-
quency of (a wave) by a wave of a lower frequency to
convey a signal. 4 intr. &
tr. Mus. (often foil, by from,
to) change or cause to change from one key to anoth-
er, nn mod*u*la«tion /-layshan/ n. mod*u*la*tor n.
1 avoiding mod'Ule/mojool/tt. 1 a standardized part or independ-
ent unit used in construction, esp. of furniture, a build-
ing, or an electronic system. 2 an independent unit of
a spacecraft (lunar module). 3 a unit or period of train-
ing or education. 4 a standard or unit of measurement.
become less vio- mod*u*lus /mojatos/ n. (pi. moduli /-li/) Math. 1 a the
magnitude of a real number without regard to its sign.
b the positive square root of the sum of the squares of
the real and imaginary parts of a complex number. 2 a
constant factor or ratio.
mo«dusop«e»ran«di/mod9sop9randee,-dl/»2. (pi. mo-
& & di operandi /modee, -di/) 1 the particular way in which
a person performs a task or action. 2 the way a thing
operates.
mo*dus vi»ven»di /mOdss vivendee, -di/ n. (pi. modi
Vivendi /m6dee,-di/) 1 a way of living or coping. 2 a an
arrangement whereby those in dispute can carry on
pending a settlement, b an arrangement between peo-
ple who agree to differ.
mo*gul /mogal/ n. 1 colloq. an important or influential
person. 2 (Mogul) hist, (often the Great Mogul) any of
the emperors of Delhi in the 16th- 19th c.
mo-hair /mohair/ n. 1 the hair of the angora goat. 2 a
yarn or fabric from this.
See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

Mohammedan - momentarily 510 spy, within an organization, usu. dormant for a long
period while attaining a position of trust, b a betrayer
Mo»ham»med»an var. of Muhammadan. of confidential information.
Mo*ha*ve of Mojave.
var. mole 2 /mol/ n. a small often slightly raised dark blem-
Mo*hawk /mOhawk/ n. 1 a a member of a Native Amer- ish on the skin caused by a high concentration of mel-
ican people of New York State, b the language of this anin.
people. 2 (of a hairstyle) with the head shaved except mole 3 /mol/ n. 1 a structure serving as a pier, breakwa-

for a strip of hair from the middle of the forehead to ter, or causeway. 2 an artificial harbor.
4
mole /mol/ n. Chem. the SI unit of amount of substance
the back of the neck, often worn in tall spikes.
Mo«he»gan /moheegan/ n. &
adj. • n. a member of a equal to the quantity containing as many elementary
Native American people of Connecticut, •adj. of or units as there are atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon 12.
relating to this people. mo»leoiHar /malekyalar/ adj. of, relating to, or con-
Mohi»can var. of Mahican. sisting of molecules, dd mo«lec«u»lar»i»ty /-laritee/ n.
moi»e»ty /moyatee/ n. (pi. -ties) Law or literary 1 a half. mol*e*cule /molikyool/ n. 1 Chem. the smallest funda-
2 each of the two parts into which a thing is divided. mental unit (usu. a group of atoms) of a chemical com-
moire /mwaar, mawr/ n. (in full moire antique) watered pound that can take part in a chemical reaction. 2 (in
fabric, now usu. silk. general use) a small particle.
moir»e /mwaaray, mawray/ adj. &
n. madj. 1 (of silk) mole*hill /mOlhil/ n. a small mound thrown up by a mo-
watered. 2 (of metal) having a patterned appearance le in burrowing, d make a mountain out of a molehill

like watered silk. •n. 1 this patterned appearance. 2 = exaggerate the importance of a minor difficulty.
MOIRE. mole*skin /molskin/ n. 1 the skin of a mole used as fur.
moist /moyst/ adj. 1 a slightly wet; damp, b (of the sea- 2 a a kind of cotton fustian with its surface shaved be-
son, etc.) rainy. 2 (of a disease) marked by a discharge fore dyeing, b (in pi.) clothes, esp. trousers, made of
of matter, etc. 3 (of the eyes) wet with tears, dd moist* this.
ness n. mo»lest /malest/ v.tr. 1 annoy or pester (a person) in a
mois*ten /moysan/ v. tr. &
intr. make or become moist. hostile or injurious way. 2 attack or interfere with (a
mois*ture /moys-char/ n. water or other liquid diffused person), esp. sexually. dd mo*les*ta*tion
in a small quantity as vapor, or within a solid, or con- /molestayshan, mol-/ n. mo»lest»er n.
densed on a surface. moll /mol/ n. si. 1 a gangster's female companion. 2 a
mois«tur»ize /moys-chariz/ v.tr. make less dry (esp. the prostitute.
skin by use of a cosmetic), dd mois»tur»iz«er n. moMi-fy /molifiV v.tr. (-ties, -tied) 1 appease; pacify.
Mo»ja»ve /mohaavee/ n. &
adj. (also Mo»ha«ve) •». la 2 reduce the severity of; soften, dd moMi»fi«ca»tion
N. American people native to Arizona and California. /-fikayshan/ n.
2 a member of this people. madj. of or relating to this moMusk /motask/ n. (also mollusc) any invertebrate of
people. the phylum Mollusca, with a soft body and usu. a hard
mol /mol/ abbr. = mole 4 . shell,including snails, cuttlefish, mussels, etc. dd mol»
mO'lar 1 /molar/ adj. &
n. madj. (usu. of a mammal's lus*kan or mol*lus*can /maluskan/ n. & adj.
back teeth) serving to grind. mn. a molar tooth. moMycod'dle/moleekodal/^. &n. mv.tr. coddle; pam-
mo»lar 2 /molar/ adj. Chem. 1 of a mass of substance an effeminate man or boy; a milksop.
per. • n.
usu. per mole {molar latent heat) 2 (of a solution) con-
. Mo»lo«tOV cock»tail /molatawf/ n. a crude incendiary
taining one mole of solute per liter of solvent, dd mol* device usu. consisting of a bottle filled with flamma-
ar»i»ty /malaritee/ n. ble liquid.
mo*las*ses /mslasiz/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) uncrystal- molt /molt/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. shed feathers, hair, a shell,
lized syrup extracted from raw sugar during refining. etc., inthe process of renewing plumage, a coat, etc.
mold /mold/
1
n. & v. mn. 1a hollow container into 2 tr. shed (feathers, hair, etc.). mn. the act or an in-
which molten metal, etc., is poured or soft material is stance of molting (is in molt once a year).
pressed to harden into a required shape. 2 a a metal moWen /moltan/ adj. melted, esp. made liquid by heat
or earthenware vessel used to give shape to cakes, (molten lava).
gelatins, etc. b a dessert, etc., made in this way. mol*tO /mOlto/ adv. Mus. very (molto sostenuto; allegro
3 Archit. a molding or group of moldings. 4 a frame molto)
or template for producing moldings. 5 character or mo«lyb»de»num /malibdinam/ n. Chem. a silver-white
disposition (in heroic mold) • v. tr. 1 make in a required
. element occurring natural-
brittle metallic transition
shape or from certain ingredients (was molded out of ly in molybdenite and used in steel to give strength
clay) 2 give a shape to. 3 influence the formation or
. and resistance to corrosion. H Symb.: Mo.
development of (consultation helps to mold policies). mom /mom/ n. colloq. mother.
4 (esp. of clothing) fit closely to (the gloves molded his mom-and-pop adj. of or pertaining to a small retail
hands), dd mold-er n. business, as a grocery store, owned and operated by
mold 2 /mold/ n. a furry growth of minute fungi occur- members of a family.
ring esp. in moist warm conditions. mo»ment /mOmant/ n. 1 a very brief portion of time;
mold 3 /mold/ loose earth. 2 the upper soil of cul-
n. 1 an instant. 2 a short period of time (wait </ moment)
tivated land, esp. when rich in organic matter. (see also MINUTE 1 3). 3 an exact or particular point of
mold»er /mOldar/ v.intr. 1 decay to dust. 2 (foil, by time (at last the moment arrived). 4 importance '"/ '/"
away) rot or crumble. 3 deteriorate. great moment). 5 Physics & Mech.., etc. a the turning
molding /molding/ n. 1 a an ornamentally shaped out- effect produced by a force acting at a distance <'ii an
line as an architectural feature, b a strip of material in object, b this effect expressed as the product OJ th<-
wood or stone, etc., for use as molding. 2 similar mate- force and the distance from its line of action to a point.
rial in wood or plastic, etc., used for other decorative 1 the moment at this time; now. In a moment 1 very
1
at
purposes. soon. 2 instantly, man (or woman, etc ) of the moment
mold«y /moldee/ adj. Her, -iest) 1 covered with mold. the one of importance at the time in question, not for
2 out of date. 3 colloq. dull; miserable; boring.
stale; a (or one) moment never; not at all.
mole /mol/ n. 1 any small burrowing insect-eating
1

mo»men»ta pi. of momentum.

mammal of the family Talpidae, esp. 'lalpa europaca, mo«men«tar«My /momontairilee/ adv. 1 tor i moment
with dark velvety fur and very small eyes. 2 colloq. a a 2 a at any moment, b instantly.
mo»men»tar»y /mOmanteree/ adj. 1 lasting only a mo- 511 momentary ~ monkfish
ment. 2 short-lived; transitory.
mOTnent of truth n. a time of crisis or test (orig. the mon»ey market n. Stock Exch. trade in short-term
final sword thrust in a bullfight). stocks, loans, etc.
mo»men»tous /momentss/ adj. having great im- mon»ger /munggar, mong-/ n. (usu. in comb.) usu.
portance, on mornen»tous«ly adv. mo«mervtous»ness derog. a person who promotes or deals in something
n. specified (warmonger, scaremonger)
mo»men»tum /momentam/ n. (pi. momenta /-ta/) Mon*gol /monggal, -gol/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of or relat-

1 Physics the quantity ofmotion of a moving body, ing to the Asian people now inhabiting Mongolia in
measured as a product of its mass and velocity. 2 the Central Asia. 2 resembling this people, esp. in appear-
impetus gained by movement. 3 strength or continu- ance. • «. a Mongolian.
ity derived from an initial effort. Mon*go*li*an /monggoleean/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a native or
monvma /moma/ n. var. of mamma 1
. inhabitant of Mongolia. 2 the language of Mongolia.
monvmy /momee/ n. (pi. -mies) colloq. mother. • adj. of or relating to Mongolia or its people or lan-
Mon. abbr. Monday. guage.
mooad /monad, m6-/ the number one; a unit.
n. 1 mon»gol»ism /monggalizsm/ n. often offens. - Down's
2 Philos. any ultimate unit of being (e.g., a soul, an at- SYNDROME.
om, a person, God). 3 Biol, a simple organism, e.g., The term Down's syndrome is now preferred.
one assumed as the first in the genealogy of living Mon*gol*oid /monggaloyd/ adj. n. »adj. &
beings, an mo»nad»ic /manadik/ adj. 1 characteristic of the Mongolians, esp. in having a

morvarch /monsrk, -aark/ n. 1 a sovereign with the ti- broad flat yellowish face. 2 (mongoloid) often offens.
tle of king, queen, emperor, empress, or the equiv- having the characteristic symptoms of Down's syn-
alent. 2 a supreme ruler. 3 a powerful or preeminent drome. »n. a Mongoloid or mongoloid person.
person. 4 a large orange and black butterfly, Danaus mon»goose /monggoos/ n. (pi. mongooses or mon-
plexippus. dd mo«nar»chic /monaarkik/ adj. mo«nar«chi« geese) any of various African or Asian carnivorous
cal /mana'arkiksl/ adj. civetlike mammals of the genus Herpestes and related
mon*ar*chism /monarkizam/ n. the advocacy of or the genera, with a long body and tail and a grizzled or
principles of monarchy, dd mon*ar*chist n. banded coat.
mon«ar»chy /monsrkee/ n. (pi. -chies) 1 a form of gov- mon»grel /munggral, mong-/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a dog of
ernment with a monarch at the head. 2 a nation with no definable type or breed. 2 any other animal or plant
this, on mo*nar*chi*al /mona'arkeeal/ adj. resulting from the crossing of different breeds or types.
mon»as»ter»y /monasteree/ n. (pi. -ies) the residence of 3 derog. a person of mixed race. madj. of mixed origin,
a religious community, esp. of monks living in seclu- nature, or character.
sion. 'mongst/wer. var. of among.
mo»nas«tic /msnastik/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 of or relating mon»ick«er var. of moniker.
to monasteries or the religious communities living in mon»ies see money 2.
them. 2 resembling these or their way of life; solitary mon»i«ker /monikar/ n. (also mon«ick»er) 5/. a name.
and celibate. • n. a monk or other follower of a monas- mon»i»tor /monitar/ n. v. • n. 1 any of various per- &
tic rule, dd mo«nas*ti*caMy adv. mo«nas«ti»cism /-ti- sons or devices for checking or warning about a sit-
sizam/ n. uation, operation, etc. 2 a school pupil with discipli-
mon»a»tom»ic /monatomik/ adj. Chem. 1 (esp. of a mol- nary or other special duties. 3 a cathode-ray tube used
ecule) consisting of one atom. 2 having one replacea- as a television receiver or computer display device. 4 a
ble atom or radical. person who listens to and reports on foreign broad-
Morvday /munday, -dee/ n. &
adv. • n. the second day casts, etc. 5 a detector of radioactive contamination.
of the week, following Sunday, madv. colloq. 1 on Mon- 6 Zool. any tropical lizard of the genus Varanus, sup-
day. 2 (Mondays) on Mondays; each Monday. posed to give warning of the approach of crocodiles.
mon»e«ta»rism /monitarizam, miin-/ n. the theory or • v. tr. 1 act as a monitor of. 2 maintain regular surveil-
practice of controlling the supply of money as the chief lance over. 3 regulate the strength of (a recorded
method of stabilizing the economy, dd mon«e»ta»rist or transmitted signal), dd mon«i»to»ri»al /-tawreeal/
/monit9rist, mun-/ n. & adj. adj.
mon»e«tar«y /moniteree, -mun/ adj. 1 of the currency monk /mungk/ n. a member of a religious community

in use. 2 of or consisting of money. of men living under certain vows, esp. of poverty, chas-
mon»ey /munee/ n. 1 a a current medium of exchange tity, and obedience, dd monkish adj.

in the form of coins and paper currency, b a particu- mon«key /mungkee/ n.&v. • n. (pi. -keys) 1 any of var-
lar form of this (silver money). 2 (pi. -eys or -ies) (in ious New World and Old World primates esp. of the
pi.) sums of money. 3 a wealth, b a rich person or fam- families Cebidae, Callithricidae, and Cercopithe-
ily (has married into money) 4 a money as a resource
. cidae. 2 a mischievous person, esp. a child (little mon-
(time is money), b profit; remuneration (in it for the mon- key). 3 (in full monkey engine) a machine hammer
ey). for my money in my opinion or judgment; for for pile driving, etc. • v. (-keys, -keyed) 1 tr. mimic or
my preference (is too aggressive for my money), dd mon* mock. 2 intr. (often foil, by with) tamper or play mis-
eyless adj. chievous tricks. 3 intr. (foil, by around, about) fool
mon*ey*bags /muneebagz/ n.pl. (treated as sing.) col- around, d have a monkey on one's back 1 si. have a
loq. usu. derog. a wealthy person. drug addiction. 2 have a persistent problem or hin-
mon»eyed /muneed/ adj. 1 having much money; drance, make a monkey of humiliate by making ap-
wealthy. 2 consisting of money (moneyed assistance) pear ridiculous.
mon»ey-grub«ber n. colloq. a person greedily intent on mon»key business n. colloq. mischief.
amassing money, dd mon»ey-grub«bing n. adj. & mon»key«shine /mungkeeshln/ n. (usu. in pi.) US col-
mon»ey»lend»er /muneelendar/ n. a person who lends loq. - MONKEY BUSINESS.
money, esp. as a business, at interest, nn mon»ey»lend» mon»key suit n. colloq. formal attire, esp. a tuxedo.
ing n. & adj. mon»key wrench n. a wrench with an adjustable jaw.
mon«ey»mak»er /muneemaykar/ n. la person who monk»fish /munkfish/ «. (pi. same) 1 an anglerfish, esp.
earns much money. 2 a thing, idea, etc., that produces
much money, an mon»eymak«ing n. & adj. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
monkshood - monster 512 ymer. 2 a molecule or compound that can be polym-
erized, dd mon»o»mer«ic /-merik/ adj.
Lophius piscatorius, often used as food. 2 a large mo»no»nu»cle»o»sis /mononobkleeOsis, -nyob-/ n. an
cartilaginous fish, Squatina squatina, with a flattened abnormally high proportion of monocytes in the
body and large pectoral fins. Also called angel shark. blood, esp. = infectious mononucleosis.
monks«hood /mungks-hoDd/ n.Bot. a poisonous gar- mo-nop«o«lize /manopsliz/ v. tr. 1 obtain exclusive pos-
den plant Aconitum napellus, with hood-shaped blue session or control of (a trade or commodity, etc.).
or purple flowers. 2 dominate or prevent others from sharing in (a
morvo /mono/ n. colloq. infectious mononucleosis. conversation, person's attention, etc.). dd mo»nop»o»
mono- /mono/ comb, form (usu. mon- before a vowel) li*za*tion n.
1 one; alone, single. 2 Chem. (forming names of com- mo»nop»0»ly /manopalee/ n. (pi. -lies) 1 a the exclusive

pounds) containing one atom or group of a specified possession or control of the trade in a commodity or
kind. service, b this conferred as a privilege by the gov-
mon»0»chro»nr»at»ic /mongkramatik/ adj. 1 Physics (of ernment. 2 a a commodity or service that is subject to
light or other radiation) of a single wavelength or fre- a monopoly, b a company, etc., that possesses a mo-
quency. 2 containing only one color, dd mon»o»chro» nopoly. 3 (foil, by on) exclusive possession, control,
mat*i*cal*ly adv. or exercise.
mon»0«chrome/m6n3kr6m/w. &adj.*n. a photograph mon*o*rail /monorayl/ n. a railway in which the track
or picture done in one color or different tones of this, consists of a single rail, usu. elevated with the cars sus-
or in black and white only. • adj. having or using only pended from it.
one color or in black and white only. mon*o*sac*cha*ride /monosakarid/ n. Chem. a sugar
mon»o»cle /monaksl/ n. a single eyeglass, dd mon»o« that cannot be hydrolyzed to give a simpler sugar, e.g.,
cled adj. glucose.
morvo»Cline /monoklin/ n. Geol. a bend in rock strata morro«so«di»um glu*ta*mate /monssodiam globts-
that are otherwise uniformly dipping or horizontal. mayt/ n. Chem. white crystalline powder used to fla-
dd mon»o»cli«nal /-klin'l/ adj. vor food 11 Abbr.: MSG.
mon«o*clin*ic /monoklinik/ adj. (of a crystal) having mon»o»syMab»ic /monasilabik/ adj. 1 (of a word) hav-
one axial intersection oblique. ing one syllable. 2 (of a person or statement) using or
mo»no«Clo«nal /monoklonal/ adj. forming a single expressed in monosyllables, dd mon*o*syl*lab*i*caMy
clone; derived from a single individual or cell. adv.
mon»o«cot /monokot, -kot/ n. = monocotyledon. mon»o»syMa»ble /monasitabal/ n. a word of one sylla-
mon»0»COt»y»le»don /mongkot'leed'n/ n. Bot. any flow- ble, d in monosyllables in simple direct words.
ering plant with a single cotyledon, dd mon»o»cot»y»le» mon»0»the»ism /monstheeizsm/ n. the doctrine that
dorvous adj. there is only one God. dd mon»o»the«ist n. mon»o»the«
mo«noc«u»lar /manokyalar/ adj. with or for one eye. is»tic /— istik/ adj.
dd mo»noc»u«lar»ly adv. mon»0»tone /monaton/ n. & adj. • n. 1 a sound or ut-
mo»nog»a»my /manogamee/ n. 1 the practice or state terance continuing or repeated on one note without
of being married to one person at a time. 2 Zool. change of pitch. 2 sameness of style in writing, •adj.
the habit of having only one mate at a time, dd mo« without change of pitch.
nog*a*mist n. mo*nog*a*mous adj. mo*nog*a*mous*ly mo«not»o«nous /msnot'nas/ adj. 1 lacking in variety;
adv. tedious through sameness. 2 (of a sound or utterance)
mon*o«gen*e*sis /monojenisis/ n. (also mon»og»en»y without variation in tone or pitch, dd mo»not»o«nous»
/msnojinee/) 1 the theory of the development of all ly adv.
beings from a single cell. 2 the theory that mankind mo«not»0»ny /manot'nee/ n. 1 the state of being mo-
descended from one pair of ancestors, dd mon«o»gen» notonous. 2 dull or tedious routine.
e»tic /-jinetik/ adj. mon*ox«ide /manoksid/ n. Chem. an oxide containing
mon«0»glot /monaglot/ adj. & n. •adj. using only one one oxygen atom (carbon monoxide).
language. *n. a monoglot person. Mon*roe doc-trine /munr6/ n. the US policy of object-
mon»o«gram /monsgram/ n. two or more letters, esp. ing to intervention by European powers in the affairs
a person's initials, interwoven as a device, dd mon»o« of the Western Hemisphere.
g rammed adj. Mon*sei«gneur /mawNseny6r/ n. (pi. Messeigneurs
mon*o*graph /monggraf/ n. & v. • n. a separate trea- /mesenyOr/) a title given to an eminent French person,
tise on a single subject, mv.tr. write a monograph on. esp. a prince, cardinal, archbishop, or bishop.
dd mon*o*graph*ic /monagrafik/ adj. Mon»sieur /masy6/ n. (pi. Messieurs /mesy6/) 1 the ti-
mon»o»hull /monohul/ n. a boat with a single hull. tle or form of address used of or to a French-speak-
mon*o*lin*gual /monolinggwal/ adj. speaking or using ing man, corresponding to Mr. or sir. 2 a Frenchman.
only one language. Mon*si*gnor /monseenysr/ n. (pi. Monsignors or Mon-
mon»o»lith /monolith/ n. 1a single block of stone, esp. signori /-nyawree/) the title of various Roman Cath-
shaped into a pillar or monument. 2 a person or thing olic prelates, officers of the papal court, etc.
like a monolith in being massive, immovable, or sol- mon«soon /mons6bn, mon-/ n. la wind in S. Atttj
idly uniform. 3 a large block of concrete, dd mon-o* esp. in the Indian Ocean, blowing from the southwest
lith-ic /-lithik/ adj. in summer (wet monsoon) and the northeast in win-
mon*o*logue /monalawg, -log/ n. 1 a a scene in a dra- ter (dry monsoon). 2 a rainy season accompanying a
ma in which a person speaks alone, b a dramatic or wet monsoon. 3 any other wind with periodic altci
comedic composition for one performer. 2 a long nations.
speech by one person in a conversation, etc. dd mon* mons pubis /mon/. pytfbbia/ >/. a rounded muss <>t tai
o»log»lc /-lojik/ adj. mon«o«log»i»cal / lojikol/ adj. mon* ty tissue lying over the joint ol the pubic bones.
cHog-ist /mnnotojist/ n. (also -loguist). monaster /monstor/ n. 1 an imaginary creature, usu
mon»o»ma«ni»a /monomayneea/ n. obsession of the large or frightening, combining both human and an-
mind by one idea or interest, dd mon»o«ma»ni«ac n. & imal features. 2 an inhumanly cruel or wicked person
adj. 3 a misshapen animal or plant. 4 a lar^e hideous an-
mon«o*mer /monsmar/ n. Chem. 1 a molecule that can imal or thing (e.g., a building). 5 (attrib.) huge;
be bonded to other identical molecules to form a pol- extremely large of its kind.
morvstrance /monstrans/ n. RC Ch. a vessel in which 513 monstrance ~ mooring
the consecrated Host is displayed for veneration.
mon«stros»i«ty /monstrositee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 a huge or the moon). 4 poet, a month. »v. 1 intr. (often foil, by
outrageous thing. 2 monstrousness. 3 = monster 3. about, around, etc.) move or look listlessly. 2 tr. (foil,

morvstrous /monstras/ adj. 1 like a monster; abnor- by away) spend (time) in a listless manner. 3 intr. (foil,
mally formed. 2 huge. 3 a outrageously wrong or ab- by over) act aimlessly or inattentively from infatuation
surd, b atrocious, an mon»strous«ly adv. mon»strous» for (a person). 4 tr. si. expose one's naked buttocks
ness n. publicly as a joke, sign of disrespect, etc. an moon»less
Mont. abbr. Montana. adj.
mon*tage /monta'azh, mawN-/ n. 1 a a process of se-
moon Old English mona, of Germanic origin; related
lecting, editing, and piecing together separate sections
toDutch maan and German Mond, also to month, from
of movie or television film to form a continuous whole.
an Indo-European root shared by Latin mensis and
b a sequence of such film as a section of a longer film.
Greek men 'month,' and also Latin metiri 'to measure'
2 a the technique of producing a new composite whole
(the moon being used since prehistory to measure
from fragments of pictures, words, music, etc. b a com-
time).
position produced in this way.
mon»tane /montayn/ adj. of or inhabiting mountain-
ous country.
month /munth/ n. calendar month) a each of
1 (in full
usu. twelve periods intowhich a year is divided, b a full

period of time between the same dates in successive

calendar months. 2 a period of 28 days or of four
weeks. 3 = lunar month.
monthly /munthlee/ adj., adv., &
n. *adj. done, pro-
duced, or occurring once a month, madv. once a
month; from month to month. »n. (pi. -lies) 1 a
monthly periodical. 2 (in pi.) colloq. a menstrual pe-
riod. gibbous
mon«u«ment /monyamant/ n. 1 anything enduring that
serves to commemorate or make celebrated, esp. a
structure or building. 2 a stone or other structure
placed over a grave or in a church, etc., in memory of moon (phases of)
the dead. 3 an ancient building or site, etc., that has
been preserved. 4 (foil, by of, to) a typical or outstand- moon»beam /moonbeem/ n. a ray of moonlight.
ing example (a monument of indiscretion) 5 a written . moon-faced adj. having a round face.
record. moonlight /moonlit/ n. &
v. •«. 1 the light of the

mon»U»men»tal /monyament'l/ adj. 1 a extremely moon. 2 (attrib.) lighted by the moon, •v.intr. (-light-
great; stupendous (a monumental achievement) b (of a . ed) colloq. have two paid occupations, esp. one by day
literary work) massive and permanent. 2 of or serving and one by night, an moon»light«er n.
as a monument. 3 colloq. (as an intensified very great; moon«lit /moonlit/ adj. lighted by the moon.
calamitous (a monumental blunder) ao mon»u»men»tal» . moon«scape/mobnskayp/>2. 1 the surface or landscape
i»ty /-talitee/ n. mon»u»men«tal«ly adv. of the moon. 2 an area resembling this; a wasteland.
-mony /monee/ suffix forming nouns, esp. denoting an moon»set /mobnset/ n. 1 the setting of the moon. 2 the
abstract state or quality (acrimony; testimony). time of this.
moo /moo/ v. & n. • v. intr. (moos, mooed) make the moon»shine /mobnshln/ n. 1 foolish or unrealistic talk
characteristic vocal sound of cattle. •«. (pi. moos) this or ideas. 2 si. illicitly distilled or smuggled alcoholic
sound. liquor. 3 moonlight.
mooch /mooch/ v. colloq. 1 borrow (an item, service, moon»shin»er /mobnshinar/ n. si. an illicit distiller or
etc.) with no intention of making repayment. 2 beg. smuggler of alcoholic liquor.
3 steal. 4 sneak around; skulk. 5 intr. loiter or saunter moon«shot /mobnshot/ //. the launching of a spacecraft
desultorily, an mooch»er n. to the moon.
mood /mood/ n.1a state of mind or feeling. 2 (in pi.)
1
moon»stone /mobnston/ n. feldspar of pearly appear-
fits of melancholy or bad temper. 3 (attrib.) inducing ance.
a particular mood (mood music), a in the (or no) mood moon»struck /mobnstruk/ adj. 1 mentally deranged.
(foil, by for, or to + infin.) inclined (or disinclined) (was 2 romantically distracted.
in no mood to agree) moon«y /mobnee/ adj. (moonier, mooniest) 1 listless;
mood 2 n. 1 Gram, a form or set of forms of a
/mood/ stupidly dreamy. 2 of or like the moon.
verb serving to indicate whether it is to express fact, Moor /mOOr/ n. a member of a Muslim people of mixed
command, wish, etc. (subjunctive mood). 2 the distinc- Berber and Arab descent, inhabiting Africa. NW
tion of meaning expressed by different moods. dd Moorish adj.
mood«swing /mobdswing/ n. a marked change in tem- moor 1
/mOOr/ n. 1 a tract of open uncultivated upland,
perament, as from euphoria to depression. esp. when covered with heather. 2 a tract of ground
mood«y /moodee/ adj. &
n. madj. (moodier, moodiest) preserved for shooting. 3 a marsh.
given to changes of mood; gloomy, sullen. •«. colloq. moor 2 /moor/ v. 1 tr. make fast (a boat, buoy, etc.) by
a bad mood; a tantrum, on mood*i*ly adv. moodiness attaching a cable, etc., to a fixed object. 2 intr. (of a
n. boat) be moored.
moon /moon/ n.&v.mn.AB the natural satellite of the mooting /mooring/ n. 1 a a fixed object to which a
earth, orbiting it monthly, illuminated by the sun and boat, buoy, etc., is moored, b (often in pi.) a place
reflecting some b this regarded in
light to the earth, where a boat, etc., is moored. 2 (in pi.) a set of per-
terms of its waxing and waning in a particular month manent anchors and chains laid down for ships to be
(new moon). C the moon when visible (there is no moon moored to.
tonight). 2 a satellite of any planet. 3 (prec. by the)
something desirable but unattainable (promised them See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 .

Moorish - mornay 514 mo»ral»i«ty play n. hist, a kind of drama with personi-
fied abstract qualities as the main characters and in-
Moorish /mobrish/ adj. of or relating to the Moors. culcating a lesson about good conduct and moral char-
mooMand /mobrlond/ n. an extensive area of moor. acter, popular in the 1 5th and 1 6th centuries.
moose /moos/ n. (pi. same) largest variety of N. Amer- mor*al*ize /mawroliz, mor-/ v. 1 intr. (often foil, by on)
ican deer. indulge in moral reflection or talk. 2 tr. interpret mor-
moot /moot/ adj., v., &
n. »adj. (orig. the noun used ally; point the moral of. 3 tr. make moral or more mor-

debatable; undecided (a moot point) 2 Law

attrib. ) 1 . al, dd mor*al*i«za*tion n. mor»al»iz»er n.

having no practical significance, mv.tr. raise (a ques- mo»rass /moras/ n. 1 an entanglement; a disordered

tion) for discussion. •«. 1 hist, an assembly. 2 Law a situation, esp. one impeding progress. 2 literary a bog
discussion of a hypothetical case as an academic ex- or marsh.
ercise. mor«a«to»ri»um /mawrotawreeom, mor-/ n. (pi mora-
mop /mop/ n.&v.mn. 1 a wad or bundle of cotton or toriums or moratoria /-reeo/) 1 (often foil, by on) a
synthetic material fastened to the end of a stick, for temporary prohibition or suspension (of an activity).
cleaning floors, etc. 2 a similarly shaped implement 2 a a legal authorization to debtors to postpone pay-
for various purposes. 3 anything resembling a mop, ment, b the period of this postponement.
esp. a thick mass of hair. 4 an act of mopping or be- Mo»ra»vi»an /morayveeon/ n. adj. *n. 1 a native of &
ing mopped a mop) • v. tr. (mopped, mopping)
{gave it . Moravia, a region that is now part of the Czech Repub-
1 wipe or clean with or as with a mop. 2 a wipe tears lic. 2 a member of a Protestant sect founded in Sax-

or sweat, etc., from (one's face or brow, etc.). b wipe ony by emigrants from Moravia, holding views derived
away (tears, etc.). a mop up 1 wipe up with or as with from the Hussites and accepting the Bible as the on-
a mop. 2 colloq. absorb (profits, etc.). 3 dispatch; make ly source of faith. • adj. of or relating to Moravia or its
an end of. 4 Mil. a complete the occupation of (a dis- people.
trict, etc.) by capturing or killing enemy troops left mo»ray /mawray/ n. any tropical eellike fish of the fam-
there, b capture or kill (stragglers). ily Muraenidae, esp. Muraena helena found in Med-
mope /mop/ v. &
n. • v. intr. be gloomily depressed or iterranean waters.
listless; behave sulkily. *n. a person who mopes. mor*bid /mawrbid/ adj. 1 a (of the mind, ideas,
dd mop*ey (also mop»y) adj. (mopier, mopiest) etc.) unwholesome, b given to morbid feelings.
mo*ped /moped/ n. a low-power, lightweight motor- 2 colloq. melancholy. 3 Me d. of the nature of or indic-
ized bicycle with pedals. ative of disease, dd mor»bid»i»ty /-biditee/ n. morbid*
mop«head /mop-hed/ n. a person with thick matted ly adv.
hair. mor»dant /mawrd'nt/ adj. &n.m adj. 1 (of sarcasm, etc.)
mop*pet /mopit/ n. colloq. (esp. as a term of endear-
caustic; biting. 2 pungent; smarting. 3 corrosive;
ment) a baby or small child. cleansing. 4 (of a substance) serving to fix coloring
mo*raine /morayn/ n. an area covered by rocks and de- matter or gold leaf on another substance. •«. a mor-
bris carried down and deposited by a glacier. mo» dant substance (in senses 3 and 4 of adj.). dd mor*
rairvic adj. danMy adv.
mor»al /mawrol, mor-/ adj. &
n. *adj. 1 a concerned mor»dent /mawrd'nt/ n. Mus. an ornament consisting
with goodness or badness of human character or of one rapid alternation of a written note with the note
behavior, or with the distinction between right and immediately below or above it.
wrong, b concerned with accepted rules and standards more /mawr/ adj., n.,& adv. madj. 1 existing in a greater
of human behavior. 2 a conforming to accepted stan- or additional quantity, amount, or degree (more prob-
dards of general conduct, b capable of moral action lems than last time; bring some more water) 2 greater in .

{man is a moral agent). 3 (of rights or duties, etc.) degree (more's the pity; the more fool you) •«. a greater .

founded on moral law. 4 a concerned with morals or quantity, number, or amount (more than three people;
ethics (moral philosophy), b (of a literary work, etc.) more to it than meets the eye). *adv. 1 in a greater de-
dealing with moral conduct. 5 concerned with or lead- gree (do it more carefully) 2 to a greater extent (people
.

ing to a psychological effect associated with con- like to walk more these days) 3 forming the compara- .

fidence in a right action (moral support; moral victory) tive of adjectives and adverbs, esp. those of more than
• n. 1 a a moral lesson of a fable, story, event, etc. b a one syllable (more absurd; more easily). 4 again (once
moral maxim or principle. 2 (in pi.) moral behavior. more; never more). 5 moreover, a more and more in an
dd mor»aMy adv. increasing degree, more of to a greater extent (more of
a poet than a musician), more or less 1 in a greater or
moral late Middle English: from Latin moralis, from
less degree. 2 approximately; as an estimate, more so
mos, mor- 'custom,' (plural) mores 'morals.' As a noun
of the same kind to a greater degree.
the word was first used to translate Latin Moralia, the
title of St. Gregory the Great's moral exposition of the
mo»rel /morel/ n. an edible fungus of the genua
Morchella, esp. M. esculenta, with ridged mushroom
biblical Book of Job, and was subsequently applied to
caps.
the works of various classical writers.
more»o«ver /mawrovor/ adv. (introducing or accompa-
moTale /moral/ n. the mental attitude or bearing of a nying a new statement) further; besides.
person or group, esp. as regards confidence, discipline, mo»res /mawrayz, reez/ n.pl. customs or conventions
etc. regarded as characteristic of a community.
mor»al«ism /mawrolizom, mor-/ n. 1 a natural system morgue /mawrg/n. 1 a mortuary. 2 (in a newspaper oi
of morality. 2 religion regarded as moral practice. fice) a room or file of miscellaneous information, esp
mor»al«ist /mawrolist, mor / n. 1 a person who prac- for future obituaries.
tices or teaches morality. 2 a person who follows a nat- mor*i*bund /mawribund, mor / </<//. 1 at the point oi
ural system of ethics, do mor*al*is*tic / listik/ adj. death. 2 lacking vitality. 3 on the dec line, stagnant.
mo»ral»i»ty/moralitee/n. (pi. -ties) 1 the degree of con- Mor-mon /mawrmon/ n. a member of the ;iuin h <>f (

formity of an idea, practice, etc., to moral principles. Jesus Christ ol attei clav Saints, Ireligion founded ;i

2 right moral conduct. 3 a lesson in morals. 4 the sci- in 1830 by Joseph Smith on the basis of revelations in
ence of morals. 5 a particular system of morals commer- the Book of Mormon, n Mormon-ism n. i i

cial morality). 6 (in pi.) moral principles; points of morn /mawrn/ n. poet,
morning.
ethics. mor»nay /mawrnay/ i bee flavored white taut
>/ i i i
morrving /mawrning/ n. & the early part of
int. mn. 1 515 morning ~ most
the day, esp. from sunrise to noon
morning; dur- (this
ing the morning; morning coffee) 2 this time spent in a
. bricks or stones. 2 a short large-bore cannon for fir-
particular way (had a busy morning) 3 sunrise; day- . ing shells at high angles. 3 a contrivance for firing a
break. 4 a time compared with the morning, esp. the lifeline or firework. 4 a vessel made of hard material,
early part of one's life, etc. •int. - good morning (see in which ingredients are pounded with a pestle, mv.tr.
good adj. 14). d in the morning 1 during or in the 1 2 attack or bombard with
plaster or join with mortar.
course of the morning. 2 colloq. tomorrow. mortar shells.
morn»ing glo»ry n. any of various twining plants of the mor»tar«board /mawrtarbawrd/ n. 1 an academic cap
genus Ipomoea, with trumpet-shaped flowers. with a stiff, flat square top. 2 a flat board with a han-
morn»ing sick«ness n. nausea felt in the morning in dle on the undersurface, for holding mortar in brick-
pregnancy. laying, etc.
morn*ing star n. a planet or bright star, usu. Venus, mortgage /mawrgij/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a conveyance of

seen in the east before sunrise. property by a debtor to a creditor as security for a debt
Mo»roc»can /marokgn/ n. &
adj. »n. 1 a native or na- (esp. one incurred by the purchase of the property).
tional of Morocco in N. Africa. 2 a person of Moroc- D a deed effecting this. 2 a a debt secured by a mort-
can descent. madj. of or relating to Morocco. gage, b a loan resulting in such a debt, mv.tr. 1 convey
morooco /mgroko/ n. (pi. -cos) 1 a fine flexible leather (a property) by mortgage. 2 (often foil, by to) pledge
made from goatskins tanned with sumac. 2 an imita- (oneself, one's powers, etc.).
tion of this in grained calf, etc. mort»ga»gee /mawrgijee/ n. the creditor in a mortgage.
mo«ron /mawron/ n. 1 colloq. a very stupid person. 2 an mort»ga«gor/mawrgiJ3r/«. (also mort»ga»ger /-jar/) the
adult with a mental age of about 8-12. mo«ron»ic debtor in a mortgage.
/mgronik/ adj. mo»ron»i»caMy /maroniklee/ adv. mor«tice var. of mortise.
mo»rose /maros/ adj. sullen and ill-tempered, dd mo« mor*ti*cian /mawrtishan/ n. an undertaker.
rose-ly adv. mo«rose«ness n. mor»ti»fy /mawrtifi/ v. (-ties, -tied) 1 tr. a cause (a per-
mor»pheme /mawrfeem/ n. Linguistics 1 a morpholog- son) to feel shamed or humiliated, b wound (a per-
ical element considered in respect of its functional son's feelings). 2 tr. bring (the body, the flesh, the pas-
relations in a linguistic system. 2 a meaningful mor- sions, etc.) into subjection by self-denial or discipline.
phological unit of a language that cannot be further 3 intr. (of flesh) be affected by gangrene or necrosis.
divided (e.g., in, come, -ing, forming incoming) dd mor» . dd mor*ti*fi*ca*tion /-fikayshsn/ n. mor»ti»fying adj.
phe*mic /-fe'emik/ adj. mor»ti»fying«ly adv.
mor»phine /mawrfeen/ n. a narcotic drug obtained mor*tise /mawrtis/ n. &
v. (also mor«tice) • n. a hole in

from opium and used to relieve pain. a framework designed to receive the end of another
mor»phol»o«gy /mawrfolajee/ n. the study of the forms part, esp. a tenon, mv.tr. 1 join securely, esp. by mor-
of things, esp.: 1 Biol, the study of the forms of organ- tise and tenon. 2 cut a mortise in.
isms. 2 Philol. a the study of the forms of words, b the mor»tise lock n. a lock recessed into the frame of a
system of forms in a language, dd mor*pho*log*i*cal door or window, etc.
/mawrfalojikal/ adj. mor*pho*log*i«caMy /-falojiklee/ mor»tu»ar»y /mawrchoo-eree/ n. &
adj. mn. (pi. -ies) a
adv. mor*phol*o*gist n. room or building in which dead bodies may be kept
mor»row /mawro, mor-7 n. (usu. prec. by the) literary until burial or cremation, mad], of or concerning death
1 the following day. 2 the time following an event. or burial.
Morse /mawrs/ n.&v.m n. (in full Morse code)
code mo»sa»ic /mozayik/ n.
a &
v. m n. 1 a a picture or pattern

in which letters are represented by combinations of produced by an arrangement of small variously col-
long and short light or sound signals, •v.tr. intr. sig- &
ored pieces of glass or stone, etc. b work of this kind
nal by Morse code. as an art form. 2 a diversified thing. 3 an arrangement
mor»sel /mawrssl/ n. a mouthful; a small piece (esp. of of photosensitive elements in a television camera. 4
food). (in full mosaic disease) a virus disease causing leaf-
mor»tal /mawrt'l/ adj. &
n. • adj. 1 a subject to death. mottling in plants. 5 (attrib.) a of or like a mosaic.
b (of material or earthly existence) temporal; ephem- b diversified, mv.tr. (mosaicked, mosaicking) 1 adorn
eral. 2 (often foil, by to) causing death; fatal. 3 (of a with mosaics. 2 combine into or as into a mosaic.
battle) fought to the death. 4 associated with death dd mo«sa»i»cist /-zayisist/ n.
(mortal agony) 5 (of an enemy) implacable. 6 (of pain, mo»sey /mOzee/ v.intr. (-seys, -seyed) (often foil, by
.

fear, an affront, etc.) intense; very serious. 7 colloq. along) si. walk in a leisurely manner.
a very great (m a mortal hurry) b long and tedious (for Mos»lem var. of Muslim.
.

two mortal hours). 8 colloq. conceivable; imaginable See note at Muslim.

(every mortal thing; of no mortal use). • n. 1 a mortal be- mosque /mosk/ n. a Muslim place of worship.
ing, esp. a human. 2 joe. a person described in some mos»qui«to /maske'eto/ n. (pi. -toes or -tos) any of var-
specified way (a thirsty mortal), dd mor«taMy adv. ious slender biting insects, esp. of the genus Culex,
mor»tal»i»ty /mawrtalitee/ n. (pi. -ties) 1 the state of be- Anopheles, or Aedes, the female of which punctures the
ing subject to death. 2 loss of life on a large scale. skin of humans and other animals with a long probos-
3 a the number of deaths in a given period, etc. b (in cis to suck their blood and transmits diseases such as
full mortality rate) a death rate. filariasis and malaria.
mortal sin n. Theol. moss /maws/ n.&v.m n. any small cryptogamous plant
a sin that is re- of the class Musci, growing in dense clusters on the
garded as depriving surface of the ground, in bogs, on trees, stones, etc.
the soul of divine mv.tr. cover with moss. Also von mot.
grace. moss*y /mawsee/ adj. (mossier, mossiest) 1 covered
mor»tar /mawrtar/ n. in or resembling moss. 2 5/. antiquated; old-fashioned.
& v. mn. 1a mix- most /most/ adj. ,n.,& adv. m adj. 1 existing in the great-
ture of lime with ce- est quantity or degree (see who can make the most noise).
ment, sand, and 2 the majority of; nearly all of (most people think so).
water, used in
building to bond mortar, 4 with pestle See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 . . .

most ~ Motown 516 mo«tif /mote'ef/ n. 1a distinctive feature or dominant

idea in artistic or literary composition. 2 Mus. - fig-
• n. 1 the greatest quantity or number (this is the most ure n. 10. 3 an ornament of lace, etc., sewn separate-
1 can do). 2 (the most) the best of all. 3 the major-
si. ly on a garment.

ity (most of them are missing) • adv. 1 in the highest de-

. mo»tile/mot'l,-tIl,-til/aJ/. Zool. &Bot. capable of mo-
gree (this is most interesting; what most annoys me). tion, dd mo»til»i»ty /-tilitee/ n.

2 forming the superlative of adjectives and adverbs, motion /moshan/ n. & v. • n. 1 the act or process of
esp. those of more than one syllable (most certain; most moving or of changing position. 2 a particular man-
easily). 3 colloq. most no more or better
almost, a at ner of moving the body in walking, etc. 3 a change of
than (this is at the most 1 as the
at most a makeshift) . posture. 4 a gesture. 5 a formal proposal put to a
greatest amount. 2 not more than, for the most part committee, legislature, etc. 6 Law an application for a
1 as regards the greater part. 2 usually, make the most rule or order of court. 7 a piece of moving mechanism.
of 1 employ to the best advantage. 2 represent at its • v. (often foil, by to + infin.) 1 tr. by
direct (a person)
best or worst. a sign or gesture. 2 intr. (often foil, by to + a person)

-most /most/ forming superlative adjectives and

suffix make a gesture directing (motioned to me to leave) go .

adverbs from prepositions and other words indicating through the motions 1 do something perfunctorily or
relative position (foremost; uttermost). superficially. 2 simulate an action by gestures, in mo-
mosWy /mostlee/ adv. 1 as regards the greater part. tion moving; not at rest, put (or set) in motion set go-
2 usually. ing or working, dd mo*tion»less adj.
mot /mo/ n. (pi. mots pronunc. same) a witty saying. mo»tion pioture n. (often (with hyphen) attrib.) a film
mote /mot/ n. a speck of dust. or movie with the illusion of movement (see film n. 3).
mo«tel /motel/ n. a roadside hotel for motorists. mo»ti»vate /motivayt/ v. tr. 1 supply a motive to; be the
mo»tet /motet/ n. Mus. a short sacred choral composi- motive of. 2 cause (a person) to act in a particular way.
tion. 3 stimulate the interest of (a person in an activity)
moth /mawth, moth-/ n. 1 any usu. nocturnal insect of dd mo»ti«va»tion /-vayshsn/ n. mo»ti»va»tion«al
the order Lepidoptera excluding butterflies, having a /-vayshangl/ adj.
stout body and without clubbed antennae. 2 any small mo»tive /motiv/ n., adj., v. • «. 1 a factor or circum- &
lepidopterous insect of the family Tineidae breeding stance that induces a person to act in a particular way.
in cloth, etc., on which its larva feeds. 2 = motif. • adj. 1 tending to initiate movement. 2 con-
moth«ball /mawthbawl, moth-/ n. v. »n. a ball of &cerned with movement, •v.tr. = motivate, dd mo»tive»
naphthalene, etc. placed in stored clothes to keep away less adj.
moths, •v.tr. 1 place in mothballs. 2 leave unused. in moWey /motlee/ adj. &n. •adj. (motlier, motliest) 1 di-
mothballs stored unused for a considerable time. versified in color. 2 of varied character (a motley crew).
moth-eat«en adj. 1 damaged by moths. 2 timeworn. • n. 1 an incongruous mixture. 2 hist, the parti-colored
moth»er /muthar/ n. &
v. • n. 1 a a woman in relation costume of a jester, n wear motley play the fool.
to a child to whom she has given birth, b (in full adop- mo»tO»cross /motokraws, -kros/ n. cross-country rac-
tive mother) a woman who has continuous care of a ing on motorcycles.
child, esp. by adoption. 2 any female animal in rela- mo»tor /motor/ n. &
adj. • n. 1 a thing that imparts mo-
tion to its offspring. 3 a quality or condition, etc., that tion. 2 a machine supplying motive power for a ve-
gives rise to another (necessity is the mother of inven- hicle, etc., or for some other device with moving parts.
tion). 4 (in full Mother Superior) the head of a female • adj. 1 giving, imparting, or producing motion. 2 driv-
religious community. 5 (attrib.) a designating an in- en by a motor. 3 of or for motor vehicles. AAnat. re-
stitution, etc., regarded as having maternal authority lating to muscular movement or the nerves activating
(Mother Church; mother earth) b designating the main
. it.

ship, spacecraft, etc., in a convoy or mission (the moth- See note at engine.
er craft), •v.tr. 1 give birth to; be the mother of. 2 pro- mo«tor*bike /motsrbik/ n. 1 lightweight motorcyle.
tect as a mother. 3 give rise to; be the source of. 4 ac- 2 motorized bicycle.
knowledge or profess oneself the mother of. moth* mo»tor»boat /motarbot/ n. v. »w. a motor-driven &
er»hood /-hood/ n. moth*er*less adj. boat, •v.intr. travel by motorboat.
moth»er»board /mutharbawrd/ n. a computer's main mo«tor«bus /mOtarbus/ n. = bus 1
circuit board, into which other boards can be plugged mo»tor»cade /motarkayd/ n. a procession of motor
or wired. vehicles.
motfver country n. a country in relation to its colo- mo»tor»car /motarkaar/ n. esp. Brit, see car 1
nies. mo»tor»cy»cle /motarsfksl/ n. two-wheeled motor-driv-
Moth»er Goose n. the fictitious author of a collection en road vehicle without pedal propulsion, nn mo«tor»
of nursery rhymes published in 1781. cyclist n.
moth»er-in-law n. (pi. mothers-in-law) the mother of mo»tor homen. a vehicle built on a truck frame that
one's husband or wife. includes kitchen facilities, beds, etc. (see also RAO BR, i

moth»er«land /muthorland/ n. one's native country. MOBILE HOME).

moth»er lode n. Mining the main vein of a system. mo«tor»ist /motorist/ n. the driver or passenger of an
moth»er»ly /muthDrlee/ adj. 1 like or characteristic of a automobile.
mother in affection, care, etc. 2 of or relating to a moth- mo»tor«ize /motnnz/ v.tr. 1 equip (troops, cic.) with
er, an moth*er*li*ness n. motor transport. 2 provide with a motor, n mo«tor«l» i i

moth»er-of-pearl n. a smooth iridescent substance za-tion n.

forming the inner layer of the shell of some mollusks. mo«tor»mouth /motormowth/ si. a person wh<> ttlkl
//.

Mother's Day n. the second Sunday in May, tradition- incessantly and trivially.
ally a day for honoring mothers. mo«tor pool n. a group of vehicles maintained In' a gOV
Moth-er Su«peri«or see mother n. 4. ernment agency, military installation, etc., fof UM hv
moth»er tongue n. 1 one's native language. 2 a lan- personnel as needed.
guage from which others have evolved. mo«tor ve«hi«cle n. a road vehicle powered by an unci
moth»proof /mawthprOof, moth-/ adj. v. •adj. (of &
nal-combustion engine.
clothes) treated so as to repel moths, •v.tr. treat MoMown /motown/ n. a itylc ol rhythm and blues mn
(clothes) in this way. sic, popularized by Motown Records Corp.
moMIe /mot'l/ v. &n. •v.tr. (esp. as mottled adj.) mark 517 mottle ~ mouth
with spots or smears of color. • n. 1 an irregular ar-
rangement of spots or patches of color. 2 any of these Moun*tie /mowntee/ n. colloq. a member of the Royal
spots or patches. Canadian Mounted Police.
moWo /moto/ n. (pi. -toes or -tos) 1 a maxim adopted mounting /mownting/ n. 1 = MOUNT 1 n. 1. 2 in senses
as a rule of conduct. 2 a phrase or sentence accompa- of MOUNT 1
v.
nying a coat of arms. 3 a sentence inscribed on some mourn /mawrn/ v. 1 tr. &
(foil, by for) intr. feel or show

object and expressing an appropriate sentiment. deep sorrow or regret for (a dead person, a past event,
4 quotation prefixed to a book or chapter. etc.) 2 intr. show conventional signs of grief after a per-
moue /moo/ = pout n.
n. son's death.
mould of mold
Brit. var. 1
mold 2 mold 3
, , . mourn»er /mawrnar/ n. a person who mourns, esp. at
mound /mownd/ n. v. & • n. 1 a raised mass of earth, a funeral.
stones, or other compacted material. 2 a heap or pile. mourn*ful /mawrnfool/ adj. 1 doleful; sad; sorrowing.
3 a hillock, •v.tr. 1 heap up in a mound or mounds. 2 expressing or suggestive of mourning, nn mounvful*
2 enclose with mounds. ly adv. mourrvfulTiess n.
mount /mownt/ v.
1
&
n. • v. 1 tr. ascend or climb. 2 tr. mourning /mawrning/ n. 1 the expression of deep sor-

a get up on (an animal) to ride it. b set (a person) on row, esp. for a dead person, by the wearing of solemn
horseback, c provide (a person) with a horse, d (as dress. 2 the clothes worn in mourning. in mourning
mounted adj.) serving on horseback (mounted police) assuming the signs of mourning, esp. in dress.
3 tr. go up or climb on to (a raised surface). 4 intr. mourning dove n. an American dove with a plaintive
a move upward, b (often foil, by up) increase; accu- note, Zenaida macroura.
mulate. C (of a feeling) become stronger or more in- mou*sa*ka var. of moussaka.
tense (excitement was mounting) d (of the blood) rise
. mouse /mows/ n. &
v. • n. (pi. mice /mis/) 1 a any of

into the cheeks. 5 tr. (esp. of a male animal) get on to various small rodents of the family Muridae, usu. hav-
(a female) to copulate. 6 tr. (often foil, by on) place (an ing a pointed snout and relatively large ears and eyes.
object) on an elevated support. 7 tr. a set in or attach b any of several similar rodents such as a small shrew
to a backing, setting, or other support, b attach (a pic- or vole. 2 a timid or feeble person. 3 Computing a small
ture, etc.) to a mount or frame. C fix (an object for hand-held device that controls the cursor on a com-
viewing) on a microscope slide. 8 tr. a arrange (a play, puter monitor. 4 5/. a black eye. •v.intr. (also /mowz/)
exhibition, etc.) or present for public view or display. 1 (esp. of a cat, owl, etc.) hunt for or catch mice. 2

b take action to initiate (a program, campaign, etc.). (foil, by about) search industriously; prowl about as if

9 tr. prepare (specimens) for preservation. 10 tr. searching, dd mouselike adj. &
adv. mous*er n.
a bring into readiness for operation, b raise (guns) in- mouse«trap /mowstrap/ n. a spring trap with bait for
to position on a fixed mounting. 1 1 intr. rise to a high- catching and usu. killing mice.
er level of rank, power, etc. • n. 1 a backing or setting mous«sa«ka /moosa'aka, -saaka'a/ n. (also mou»sa«ka)
on which a picture, etc., is set for display. 2 the mar- a Greek dish of ground meat, eggplant, etc., with a
gin surrounding a picture or photograph. 3 a a horse cheese sauce.
available for riding, b an opportunity to ride a horse, mousse /moos/ n. 1 a a dessert of whipped cream,
esp. as a jockey, dd mount»a«ble adj. eggs, etc., usu. flavored with fruit or chocolate, b a
mount 2 /mownt/ n. archaic (except before a name) meat or fish puree made with whipped cream, etc. 2 a
mountain; hill (Mount Everest; Mount of Olives) preparation applied to the hair enabling it to be styled
mountain /mownt'n/ h. la large natural elevation of more easily. 3 a mixture of oil and seawater which
the earth's surface rising abruptly from the sur- forms a froth on the surface of the water after an oil
rounding level; a large or high and steep hill. 2 a large spill.
heap or pile; a huge quantity (a mountain of work). 3 a moustache var. of mustache.
large surplus stock (butter mountain), a move moun- mous*y /mowsee/ adj. (mousier, mousiest) 1 of or like
tains 1 achieve spectacular results. 2 make every pos- a mouse. 2 (of a person) shy or timid; ineffectual. 3 of
sible effort. a nondescript shade of light brown, mid brown, or
mountain ash n. la tree, Sorbus aucuparia, with del- gray, dd mous*i*ly adv. mous«i«ness n.
icate pinnate leaves and scarlet berries. 2 any of sev- mouth n. &
v. »n. /mowth/ (pi. mouths /mowthz/)

eral Australian eucalypti. 1 a an external opening in the head, through which

mountain bike n. a bicycle with a light sturdy frame, most animals admit food and emit communicative
broad deep-treaded tires, and multiple gears, original- sounds, b (in humans and some animals) the cavity
ly designed for riding on mountainous terrain. behind it containing the means of biting and chewing
moun»tain»eer /mownt'neer/ n. &
v. «w. 1a person and the vocal organs. 2 a the opening of a container
skilled in mountain climbing. 2 a person living in an such as a bag or sack, b the opening of a cave, volca-
area of high mountains. • v. intr. climb mountains as a no, etc. C the open end of a woodwind or brass in-
sport, dd mourvtairveer«ing n. strument, d the muzzle of a gun. 3 the place where a
mountain goat n. a white goatlike animal, Oreamnos river enters the sea. 4 colloq. a talkativeness, b impu-
americanus, of the Rocky Mountains, etc. dent talk; cheek. 5 an individual regarded as needing
mountain li»on n. a puma. sustenance (an extra mouth to feed), mv. /mowth/ 1 tr.
moun«tain*ous /mownt'nas/ adj. 1 having many &
intr. utter or speak solemnly or with affectations.

mountains. 2 huge. (mouthing platitudes) 2 tr. utter very distinctly. 3 intr.

.

mountain range n. a line of mountains connected by a move the lips silently, b grimace. 4 tr. take (food) in
high ground. the mouth. 5 tr. touch with the mouth. 6 tr. train the
moun«tain*side /mownt'nsid/ n. the slope of a moun- mouth of (a horse), d keep one's mouth shut colloq.
tain below the summit. not reveal a secret, put words into a person's mouth
mountain time n. (also Mountain Stand*ardTime) the represent a person as having said something in a par-
standard time of parts of Canada and the US in or ticular way. take the words out of a person's mouth
near the Rocky Mountains. say what another was about to say. dd mouthed
moun«te»bank /mowntibangk/ n. 1 a swindler; a char- /mowthd/ adj. (also in comb.).
latan. 2 a clown. 3 hist, an itinerant quack appealing
to an audience from a platform. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
mouthbreeder ~ much 518 activity in a market for some commodity, b a rise or
fall in price. 9 a mental impulse. 10 a development of
mouth»breeder n. a fish which protects its eggs (and position by a military force or unit. 11a prevailing ten-
sometimes young) by carrying them in its mouth.
its dency in the course of events or conditions; trend.
moutMul /mowthfODl/ n. (pi. -fuls) 1 a quantity, esp. mov»er /moovor/ n. 1 a person or thing that moves. 2 a
of food, that fills the mouth. 2 a small quantity. 3 a person or company that moves household goods, etc.,
long or complicated word or phrase. 4 colloq. some- from one location to another as a business. 3 the au-
thing important said. thor of a fruitful idea.
moutlvguard /mowthgaard/ n. a pad protecting an ath- mov»ie /moovee/ n. esp. colloq. 1 a motion picture. 2
lete's teeth and gums. (the movies) a the motion-picture industry or me-
mouth or»gan n. = harmonica. dium, b the showing of a movie (going to the movies).
mouth*piece /mowthpees/ n. 1 a the part of a musical mov«ie«dom /mooveedam/ n. the movie industry and
instrument placed between or against the lips, b the its associated businesses, personnel, etc.
part of a telephone for speaking into. C the part of a mov»ie house n. a theater that shows movies.
tobacco pipe placed between the lips. 2 a person who mov«ing /mdbving/ adj. 1 that moves or causes to move.
speaks for another or others. 2 affecting with emotion, dd moving«ly adv. (in sense
mouth-to-mouth adj. (of resuscitation) in which a per- 2).
son breathes into a subject's lungs through the mouth. mov»ing van n. a large van used to move furniture,

mouthwash /mowthwosh, -wawsh/ n. a liquid anti- household goods, etc., from one house to another.
septic, etc., for rinsing the mouth or gargling. mow /mo/ v.tr. (past part, mowed or mown) 1 cut down
mouth»wa*ter»ing /mowthwawtaring/ adj. 1 (of food, (grass, hay, etc.) with a scythe or machine. 2 cut down
etc.) having a delicious smell or appearance. 2 tempt- the produce of (a field) or the grass, etc., of (a lawn)
ing; alluring. by mowing. mow down kill or destroy randomly or
mova»ble /mobvsbal/ adj. & n. (also move»a»ble) • adj. in great numbers, dd mow»er n.
1 that can be moved. 2 Law (of property) of the na- mox»ie /moksee/ n. si. energy; courage; daring.
ture of a chattel, as distinct from land or buildings. moz»za»reMa /motsareta/ n. an Italian semisoft cheese.
3 (of a feast or festival) variable in date from year to MP abbr. 1 a military police, b military policeman.
year. • n. 1 an article of furniture that may be removed 2 Member of Parliament.
from a house, as distinct from a fixture. 2 (inp/.) per- m.p. abbr. melting point.
sonal property, dd mov«a«bil»i»ty /-bilitee/ n. mov«a»bly m.p.g. per gallon.
abbr. miles
adv. m.p.h. per hour.
abbr. miles
move /moov/ v. & n. • v. 1 intr. &
change one's posi-
tr. Mr. /mistsr/ n. (pi. Messrs.) 1 the title of a man with-
tion or posture, or cause to do 2 tr.
this. intr. put or & out a higher title (Mr. Jones) 2 a title prefixed to a des-
.

keep in motion. 3 a intr. make a move in a board game. ignation of office, etc. (Mr. President).
b tr. change the position of (a piece) in a board game. MRI abbr. magnetic resonance imaging.
4 intr. (often foil, by about, away, etc.) go from place mRNA abbr. Biol, messenger RNA.
to place. 5 intr. take action {moved to reduce unemploy- Mrs. /misiz/ n. (pi. same or Mesdames /maydda'am,
ment). 6 intr. make progress (the project is moving fast). -dam/) the title of a married woman without a higher
7 intr. a change one's place of residence, b (of a busi- title(Mrs. Jones).
ness, etc.) change to new premises (also tr.: move of- MS abbr. 1 Mississippi (in official postal use). 2 Master

fices). 8 intr. (foil, by in) be socially active in (moves in of Science. 3 multiple sclerosis. 4 (also ms.) manu-
the best circles). 9 tr. affect (a person) with emotion. script.
10 tr. a (foil, by in) stimulate (laughter, anger, etc., in Ms. /miz/ n. form of address for a woman, used regard-
a person), b (foil, by to) provoke (a person to laugh- less of marital status.
ter, etc.). 1 1 tr. (foil, by to, or to + infin.) prompt or in- MS-DOS /emesdaws, -dos/ abbr. Trademark a comput-
cline (a person to a feeling or action) 1 2 a tr. cause . er disk operating system developed by Microsoft Corp.
(the bowels) to be evacuated, b intr. (of the bowels) be for personal computers.
evacuated. 13 tr. (often foil, by that + clause) propose MSG abbr. monosodium glutamate.
in a meeting, etc. 14 intr. (foil, by for) make a formal Msgr. abbr. 1 Monseigneur. 2 Monsignor.
request or application. 1 5 intr. (of merchandise) be MSS abbr. (also mss.) manuscripts.
sold. • n. 1 the act or an instance of moving. 2 a change MST abbr. Mountain Standard Time.
of house, business premises, etc. 3 an initiative. 4 a the MT abbr. 1 Montana (in official postal use). 2 Moun-
changing of the position of a piece in a board game. tain Time.
b a player's turn to do this, a get a move on colloq. Mt abbr. meitnerium.
1 hurry up. 2 make a start, make a move take action. Mt. abbr. mount. 2 mountain
1
move along (or on) change to a new position, esp. to mu mOO/ n. 1 the twelfth Greek letter (M, u,).
/myoT),
avoid crowding, etc. move in 1 take possession of a 2 (u., as a symbol) = micro- 2.
new house. 2 get into a position of influence, etc. 3 get &
much /much/ adj., n. s adv. madj. 1 existing or occur-
into a position of readiness or proximity (for an offen- ring in a great quantity (nor much nun). 2 (prec. by Of,
sive action, etc.)move out 1 change one's place of res-
.
how, that, etc.) with relative rather than distinctive
idence. 2 leave a position, job, etc. move over (or up) sense (I don't know how mnc/i money von Want), •//.la
adjust one's position to make room for another, on the great quantity (much ofthat i\ nuc). 2 (prec. In ..

move 1 progressing. 2 moving about, dd mov»er n. thatj etc.) with relative rather than distinctive sen
move»a«ble var. of movable. do not need thai much). 3 (usu. in //</,'.) a noteworthy
move-ment /mOovmont/ n. 1 the act or an instance of or outstanding example (nor much <>/ </ party). • </./.-.
moving or being moved. 2 a the moving parts of a 1 a in a great degree (is much the tonu). b hi eat I'.

mechanism (esp. a clock or watch), ba particular much regret the mistake). C qualifying ompiiiativc or
;i i

group of these. 3 a a body of persons with a common superlative adjective (much bettei 2 for large pari "I
, ;i

object (the peace movement), b a campaign undertak-
en by such a body. 4 (usu. in pi) a person's activities
and whereabouts. 5 M
us. a principal division of a
longer musical work. 6 the progressive development
of a poem, story, etc. 7 motion of the bowels. 8 a an
one's time (is much Otoay /><>>u home), u as much the
extent or quantity jusi ipecified. (I thought </s much)
much colloq. somewhat excessive oi Immoderate
a bit
much as even though {much </\ / would like to), not
much colloq. 1 iron, very much. 2 certainty not. too
 much colloq. an intolerable situation, etc. (that really is 519 mucilage ~ multi-
toomuch), too much for 1 more than a match for. 2 be-
yond what is endurable by. do much»ly adv. joe. muMIe /mufal/ v. & n. mv.tr. 1 (often foil, by up) wrap
mu*ci*lage /myoosilij/ «. 1a viscous substance ob- or cover for warmth. 2 cover or wrap up (a source of
tained from plant seeds, etc., by maceration. 2 a solu- sound) to reduce its loudness. 3 (usu. as muffled adj.)
tion of gum, glue, etc. do mu»ci«lag»i»nous /-lajinss/ stifle (an utterance). 4 prevent from speaking, mn. 1 a

adj. receptacle in a furnace where substances may be heat-

muck /muk/
n. &
v. mn. 1 farmyard manure. 2 colloq. ed without contact with combustion products. 2 a sim-
anything disgusting. 3 colloq. a mess. • v. tr.
dirt or filth; ilar chamber in a kiln for baking painted pottery.
1 (usu. foil, by up) colloq. bungle (a job). 2 (often foil, muMler /miiftor/ n. 1 a wrap or scarf worn for warmth.
by out) remove muck from. 3 make dirty or untidy. 2 a noise-reducing device on a motor vehicle's exhaust
4 manure with muck. system. 3 a mute.
muck*rake /mukrayk/ v. intr. search out and reveal scan- muMi /muftee/ n. plain clothes worn by a person who
dal, esp. among famous people, nn muck*rak*ing n. also wears (esp. military) uniform (in mufti)
muck»y /mukee/ adj. (muckier, muckiest) 1 covered mug /mug/ n. &
v. m n. 1 a a drinking vessel, usu. cy-

with muck. 2 dirty. lindrical and with a handle and used without a sau-
mocous /myookas/ adj. pertaining to or covered with cer, b its contents. 2 si. the face or mouth of a person.
mucus. 3 si. a hoodlum or thug. mv. (mugged, mugging) 1 tr.
mu*CUS /myook9s/ n. 1 a slimy substance secreted by a rob person) with violence, esp. in a public place.
(a
mucous membrane. 2 a gummy substance found in all 2 tr. 3 tr. strangle. 4 intr. si. make faces,
fight; thrash.
plants. 3 a slimy substance exuded by some animals, esp. before an audience, a camera, etc. oc mug*ger n.
esp. fishes. (esp. in sense 1 of v.). mug*ging n. (in sense 1 oft-.).
mud /mud/ n. 1 wet, soft, earthy matter. 2 hard ground mug*gy /mugee/ adj. (muggier, muggiest) (of the
from the drying of an area of this. 3 what is worthless weather, a day, etc.) oppressively damp and warm; hu-
or polluting, d as clear as mud colloq. not at all clear. mid, dd mug*gi*ness n.
fling (or sling or throw) mud speak disparagingly or mug shot n. si. a photograph of a face, esp. one taken
slanderously, here's mud in your eye! colloq. a drink- when a person is arrested.
ing toast, one's name is mud one is unpopular or in mug»wort /mugwart, -wawrt/ n. any of various plants
disgrace. of the genus Artemisia, esp. A. vulgaris, with silver-gray
mud'dle /mud'l/ v. & n. • v. 1 tr.(often foil, by up, to- aromatic foliage.
gether) bring into disorder. 2 tr.bewilder, confuse. 3 tr. mugwump /mugwump/ n. la great man; a boss. 2 a
mismanage (an affair). 4 tr. crush and mix (the ingre- person who remains aloof, esp. from party politics.
dients for a drink). 5 intr. (often foil, by with) busy one- mu»lat«tO /mOOlato, -laa-, myOo-/ n. &
adj. mn. (pi.
self in a confused and ineffective way. • n. 1 disorder. -toes or -tos) a person of mixed white and black par-
2 a muddled condition, o make a muddle of 1 bring entage, madj. of the color of mulattoes; tawny.
into disorder. 2 bungle, muddle along (or on) prog- mul»ber»ry/mulberee,-b3ree/n. (pi. -ries) 1 any decid-
ress in a haphazard way. muddle through succeed by uous tree of the genus Morus, grown, esp. for feeding
perseverance rather than skill or efficiency, muddle up silkworms or its fruit. 2 its dark-red or white berry. 3 a
confuse (two or more things), dd mud*dler n. dark-red or purple color.

muddle late Middle English (in the sense 'wallow in

mulch /mulch/ n. &
v. • n. a mixture of straw, leaves,

etc., spread around or over a plant to enrich or insu-

mud'): perhaps from Middle Dutch moddelen, derived
late the soil, mv.tr. treat with mulch.
from modden 'dabble in mud' (related to mud). The
mulct /mulkt/ v. &n. mv.tr. 1 extract money from by fi-
sense 'confuse' was initially associated with alcoholic
ne or taxation. 2 a (often foil, by of) swindle, b obtain
drink (late 17th century), giving rise to 'busy oneself
by swindling, mn. a fine.
in a confused way' and 'jumble up' (mid- 1 9th century)
mule /myool/ n. 1 the offspring of a male donkey and
1

mud»dle-head»ed adj. stupid; confused, dd mud*dle- a female horse, or (in general use) of a female donkey
head*ed*ness n. and a male horse (cf. hinny ). 2 a stupid or obstinate
1

mud»dy /miidee/ adj. & v. • adj. (muddier, muddiest) person. 3 (often awib.) a hybrid and usu. sterile plant
1 like mud. 2 covered in or full of mud. 3 (of liquid) or animal (mule canary). 4 (in full spinning mule) a
turbid. 4 mentally confused. 5 obscure. 6 (of light) kind of spinning machine producing yarn on spindles.
dull. 7 (of color) impure, mv.tr. (-dies, -died) make mule 2 /myool/ n. a light shoe or slipper without a back.
muddy, dd mud*di*ly adv. mul»ish /myoblish/ adj. 1 like a mule. 2 stubborn.
mud»f lap /mudflap/ n. a flap hanging behind the wheel dd mul-ish-ly adv. muMstvness n.
of a vehicle, to catch mud and stones, etc., thrown up mull /mul/ v.tr. intr. (often foil, by over) ponder or
1
&
from the road. consider.
mud*guard /mudgaard/ n. a curved strip or cover over mull 2 /mul/ v. tr. warm (wine or beer) with added spices,
a wheel of a bicycle or motorcycle to reduce the etc.
amount of mud, etc., thrown up from the road. muMah /mula, mool-/ n. a Muslim learned in Islamic
mud*pup*py n. a large nocturnal salamander, Necturus theology and sacred law.
maculosus, of eastern US. muMein /mulin/ n. any herbaceous plant of the genus
mues»li /mooslee, myooz-/ n. a breakfast food of Verbascum, with woolly leaves and yellow flowers.
crushed cereals, dried fruits, nuts, etc. eaten with milk. muMet /mulit/ n. any fish of the family Mullidae (red
,

mu»ez»zin /myoo-ezin, moo-/ n. a Muslim crier who mullet) or Mugilidae (gray mullet), commonly used
proclaims the hours of prayer. as food.
muff /muf/ n. a fur or other covering, usu. in the form muMi*ga*taw*ny /muligatawnee/ n. a highly seasoned
1

of a tube with an opening at each end for the hands soup orig. from India.
to be inserted for warmth. muMion /mulyan/ n. (also mun*nion /mun-0 a vertical
muff 2 /muf/ v. &
n. • v. tr. 1 bungle. 2 fail to catch or re- bar dividing the panes in a window (cf. transom),
ceive (a ball, etc.) 3 blunder in (a theatrical part, etc.)
. dd muMioned adj.
• n. a failure, esp. to catch a ball in baseball, etc. multi- /miiltee, -ti/ comb, form many; more than one.
muMin /mufin/ n. a small cake or quick bread made
from batter or dough and baked in a muffin pan. See page xii for the Key to Pronunciation.
 \

multi-access « munition 520 mul*ti*po*lar /multipolar/ adj. having many poles (see
POLE 2 ).
mul»ti-ac»cess /miilteeakses, -tl-/ n. (often attrib.) the mul»ti«prooess»ing /multeeprosesing/ n. Computing
simultaneous connection to a computer of a number processing by a number of processors sharing a com-
of terminals. mon memory and common peripherals.
mul«ti-col»or /multikular/ adj. (also mul»ti»col»ored) of mul«ti»pro»gram«ming /multeeprograming/ n. Com-
many colors. puting the execution of two or more independent pro-
mul»ti»cul»tur»al /multeekulchsral/ adj. of or relating to grams concurrently.
or constituting several cultural or ethnic groups with- mul»ti«pur«pose/multeep3rpas,-ti-/n. (attrib.) having
in a society, oo mul*ti*cul*tur*al*ism n. mul»ti«cul»tur»al« several purposes.
ly adv. mul«ti*ra*cial /miilteerayshol, -ti-/ adj. relating to or
mul»ti»di»men«sion«al /multeedimenshangl, -di-/ adj. made up of many human races, dd mul*ti*ra*cial*ly adv.
of or involving more than three dimensions, dd mill* mul»ti»StOTy /multistawree/ n. (attrib.) (of a building)
ti«di»men»sion»al»i»ty /-nalitee/ n. mul»ti»di«men«sion» having several stories.
a My adv. mul*ti*tude /multitood, -tyood/ n. 1 (often foil, by of)
mul*ti*far*i*ous /multifaireeas/ adj. 1 (foil, by pi. noun) a great number. 2 a large gathering of people; a crowd.
many and various. 2 having great variety, dd mul«ti»far» 3 (the multitude) the common people. 4 the state of
i«ous*ness n. being numerous.
mul»ti»lat»er»al /multilatgral/ adj. 1 a (of an agreement, mul*ti*tu*di*nous /multitobd'nas, -tyood-/ adj. 1 very
treaty, conference, etc.) in which three or more par- numerous. 2 consisting of many individuals or ele-
ties participate, b performed by more than two par- ments. 3 (of an ocean, etc.) vast, dd mul*ti*tu*di*nous*
ties {multilateral disarmament). 2 having many sides. ly adv.
dd mul*ti»lat»er»al»ly adv. mul«ti«US»er /multiyoozar/ n. (attrib.) (of a computer
mul*ti*lin*gual /multeelinggwslj -ti-/ adj. in or using system) having a number of simultaneous users (cf.
several languages, dd mul«ti«lin»guaMy adv. multi- access).
mul»ti«me»di»a /mult