Oxford

Dictionary

Difficult
More than 10,000 words you really need to kno^
Clear and concise definitions make learning even the
mOst difficult words easy
Distinguishes between closely related and easily
confused words

Usage notes help users avoid common mistakes

Valuable study aid for standardized tests

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 The Oxford Dictionary of
Difficult Words

WITHDRAW
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Boston Public LitM-ary.
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tjrai
The Oxford Dictionary of
Difficult Words

Edited by Archie Hobson

OXPORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS
 OXPORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS

New York Oxford

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The Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words is based on the New Oxford

American Dictionary, published in the United States in 2001.
© Oxford University Press 2001

First published by Oxford University Press, Inc., 2001

Oxford University Press paperback, 2004
First issued as an
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ISBN-13 978-0-19-514673-8;978-0-l 9-517328-4 (pbk.)

ISBN 0-19-514673-5;0-19-517328-7 (pbk.)

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, or is legal status. In cases where
any other judgment implied concerning their
the editor has some evidence word is used as a proprietary name or trademark, this is
that a
indicated by the designation trademark, but no judgment concerning the legal status of such words
is made or implied thereby.

3 5 7 9 8 6 4
Printed in the United States of America
 Contents

Preface vi
How to Use the Oxford Dictionary of Difficult V^rds vii

Staff ix

Key to the Pronunciations x

Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words 1-472

Appendix
How Words Are Built: Prefixes, Suffixes, 475
and Combining Forms
 Preface

Everyday words we know as well as we know our own names, and we

use them as naturally as breathing. But what about those thousands of
—
other words that we can't quite commit to memory but that come up
all the time in reading, in meetings, or in the classroom? Words like

lucubrate ('discourse learnedly in writing'), demesne ('land attached to

a manor'), and cynosure ('a person or thing that is the center of atten-
tion or admiration') hover on the margins of our vocabularies. We run
across such words from time to time, and when we do we may not know
quite what they mean, or we simply draw a blank.
The Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words presents the words we really
need to know, without the added burden of those we never look up. The
definitions are concise and clear, and are enhanced by sentences and
phrases that show the word, or a certain sense of it, used in context.
Usage notes are there to help make your use of words more precise and
powerful.
This dictionary will help you understand words outside your every-
day "working" vocabulary, words that are too learned, specialized, or
highbrow for day-to-day usage. Abundant cross references help distin-
guish words that are related ('deism' and 'theism') or opposite ('eso-
teric' and 'exoteric'). The Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words is a handy
reference that can be carried with you to enhance your reading and
learning experience wherever you go.
 How to Use the
Oxford Dictionary of Difficult Words

The "entry map" below explains the different parts of an entry.

Syllabification Pronunciation Parts of speech

set off with in italic
vertical lines | |

Bold face- -iMit*er*ate |i(l)'lit3rit| 'adj. unable to read .Cross references

main entry or write: his parents were illiterate. Cf. INNU-' in SMALL CAPITALS
MERATE.
Grammar ^[with submodifier] ignorant in a particular sub-
information in- ject or activity: the extent to which voters are •Examples in italic
square brackets [ ] politically illiterate. uncultured or poorly ed-
ucated: an ignorant, illiterate Town Council.
- (esp. of a piece of writing) showing a lack
Subsenses -

of education, esp. an inability to read or write

signaled by
well. • n. a person who is unable to read or
Phrases in
write.
_ bold face
Phrases section -phrases: functionally illiterate lacking
the literacy necessary for coping with most
jobs and many everyday situations.
Derivatives section -derivatives: il»Ut»er»a»cy |-3se| n. il»
lit«er*ate»ly adv. il»lit«er»ate»ness n.

Derivatives in
bold face

Main entries and other boldface forms

Main entries appear in boldface type, as do inflected forms, idioms and
phrases, and derivatives. The words phrases and derivatives introduce those
elements. Main entries and derivatives of two or more syllables show syllab-
ification with centered dots.

Parts of speech

Each new part of speech is introduced by a small centered dot.

Senses and subsenses

The main sense of each follows the part of speech and any gram-
word
matical information before a verb definition). If there are two or
(e.g., [trans.]

more main senses for a word, these are numbered in boldface. Closely relat-
ed subsenses of each main sense are introduced by a solid black box. In the
entry for illiterate above, themain sense of "unable to read or write" is fol-
lowed by several related senses, including "ignorant in a particular subject or
activity" and "uncultured or poorly educated."
viii Hovy to Use

Example sentences
Example sentences are shown in italic typeface; certain common expres-
sions appear in bold italic typeface within examples (e.g., "immunity from"
in the example the rebels were given immunity from prosecution)

Cross references
Cross references to main entries appear in small capitals. For example, in
the entry illiterate seen previously, a cross reference is given in small capi-
tals to the entry for innumerate.

Usage notes
Usage notes appear in boxes after the entry to which they refer:

laMer I'laetarl 'adj. [attrib] 1 situated or oc-

curring nearer to the end of something than
to the beginning: the latter half of 1989.
belonging to the final stages of something,
esp. of a person's life: heart disease dogged his
latter years. recent: the project has had low
cash flows in latter years. 2 (the latter) denot-
ing xhe second or second mentioned of two
people or things: the Russians could advance
into either Germany or Austria — they chose the
latter option.

usage: Latter means 'the second-

mentioned of two.' Its use to mean 'the last-
mentioned of three or more' is common,
but is considered incorrect by some because
latter means 'later' rather than 'latest.' Last
or last-mentioned is preferred where three or
more things are involved.

Appendix
A handy appendix at the back of the book features a list of prefixes, suf-
and combining forms with a brief gloss of each form's meaning and
fixes,
examples of words in which it appears.
 Staff

Managing Editor: Elizabeth J. Jewell

Senior Editor: Archie Hobson

Editors: Suzanne Stone Burke
Orin Hargraves
Christine Lindberg
Ramona Michaelis
Susan Norton
Pronunciation Editors: John Bollard
Linda Costa
Sharon Goldstein
Ellen Johnson
Rima McKinzey
Editorial Assistant- Karen Fisher
Proofreaders: Meredith Brosnan
Alan Hartley
Adrienne Makowski
Susan Sigalas
Data Entry: Teresa Ouellette
Kimberly Roberts
 Key to the Pronunciations

This dictionary uses a simple respelling system to show how entries are pro-
nounced, using the following symbols:

se as in hat 1
hset 1
, fashion |
'faesnan | , carry |
'kaere |

a as in day da 1 1
, rate |
rat |
, maid mad |
{ , prey pra | |

a as in lot 1
lat 1
, father |
'faiHar | , barnyard |
'barn.yard |

b as in big |big|
CH as in church CHarcH 1
| , picture |
'pikcnar |

d as in dog dog 1 1
, bed bed |
|

e as in men men |
|
, bet |
bet | , ferry |
'fere |

e as in feet 1
fet 1
, receive |
ri'sev |

er as in air |er|,care |ker|

3 as in about a'bowt 1 1
, soda |
'soda |, mother I'maxHarl,
pCloUIl 1
PtJIo^JIII

f as in free Ifrel oraoh Iffraefl touch ItafI

CT
6 as in ytsi 1
gei 1
J t^Aidi 1
ig zi5>L 1 J eyy eg | |

11 as in lid 1 11<9X 1
) Udiaw I
Ul lictV 1

1 as in niiilH
yuiiu 1

1
gnu
rrilH 1

1
}
ufnmon
wuiiidi 1

1
'\17imin
wiiiiin 1

1 as in lime 1
tim 1 , Tigni |nt|,guiue |giG|,nire |nir|
ir as in ear 1
ir 1
J uccr |
oir | , pieri#e |
pirs |

j
as in

Is as in
1
as in lap 1
iasp 1
, cellar {
seiar |
, craoie |
Kraai |

m as in main man |
|
, dam |
d^em |

n as in honor |
'anarj, maiden |
'madn|
NG as in sing 1
siNG 1 , anger |
'aeNGgar |

0 as in go go 1 1 , promote pra'mot | |

6 as in law 1 16 1 , thought |
xHot |
, lore |
lor |

oi as in boy 1
boi 1 , noisy |
'noize |

00 as in wood wood football 'foot.bol sure 1

1
, | |
, |
sHOOrj
oo as in food food music 'myoozik 1
1
,
| |

ow as in mouse mows coward 'koward 1

|
, |
|

P as in put 1
poot|,cap 1
ksepi

r as in run i
ran 1
, fur 1
far 1 , spirit !
'spirit |
 Key to the Pronunciations xi

s as in sit 1
siti, lesson |
'lesani
SH as in shut 1
SH9t|, social |
soshsII, action I
'aeksHsnl
t as in top 1
tap], seat 1
set|

t as in butter 1
'b9t3r|, forty |
forte |
, bottle 1
batll
TH as in thin |THin|, truth |trooTH|

TH as in then 1
THen 1
, father |
Tainar I

V as in never |
'nevsr | , very |
Vere |

W as in wait 1
wat i 5 quick kwik |
|

(n)w as in When 1
(h)wen |
, which |
(h)wiCH |

y as in yet 1
yet 1, accuse |9'kyooz|
z as in zipper 1
'zipsrj , musician myoo'zisHan | |

ZH as in measure |
mezHar |
, vision |
vizHan |

Foreign Sounds
KH as in Bach |
baKH |

N as in en route aN |
root i
, Rodin |
ro'daeN |

oe as in hors d'oeuvre |
or doevra |
, Goethe |
'goeta

Y as in Lully |
Iv le |
, Utrecht |
'v.treKHt |

Cutbacks
A hyphen will replace a section of a pronunciation when that section would
be repeated redundantly. Cutbacks will occur primarily in three areas:

a) where the headword has a variant pronunciation:

quasiparticle |
,kwazi'part9k3l, ,kwaze-|

b) in derivative blocks:
dangle dseNOgall
|

dangler |-gbr|
dangly i-gle|
Note: Cutbacks always refer back to the headword pronunciation,
not the preceding derivative.

c) at irregular plurals:
parenthesis Ips renxHssisI
parentheses |-,sezl

Stress marks
Stress marks are placed before the affectedsyllable. The primary stress mark
is above the letters [ ] and signifies greater pronuncia-
a short vertical line '

tion emphasis should be placed on that syllable. The secondary stress mark
is a short vertical line below the letters [ ] and signifies a weaker pronunci- ,

ation emphasis.
xii Key to the Pronunciations

Additional information
• Some pronunciations show a letter within parenthesis to indicate this as
a variant pronunciation. For example, some people say the d in sand-
wich, others do not.
• Variant pronunciations, separated by semicolons, are generally listed
with the more common pronunciation first.

• A hyphen sometimes serves to separate syllables where the pronuncia-

tion would otherwise be confusing.
• Generally, only the first of two identical headwords will have a pronun-
ciation given.
• Where a derivative adds a common suffix to the headword, the deriva-
tive may not have a pronunciation. A pronunciation will not be shown
for suffixes such as "-less," "-ness," "-ly," each time they appear in de-
rivatives.
 Aa
ab*a*CUS 'aebakss • n. (pi. abacuses) 1 an
| | (abeam of) opposite the middle of (a ship
oblong frame with rows of wires or grooves or aircraft): she was lying almost abeam of us.
along which beads (originally calculi) are slid, a*be*ce*dar*i*an .abese'deresnl .adj. j

used for calculating. 2 (in architecture) the 1 arranged alphabetically: in abecedarian se-
on top of a capital, supporting the ar-
flat slab quence. 2 rudimentary; elementary: had only
chitrave (the main horizontal beam) an abecedarian understanding of the technology.
a*base a'bas • v. [trans.] behave in a way so
| |
• n. a person who is just learning; a novice.

as to belittle or degrade {somtont): I watched ab»er»rant 'aebsrant; a'ber- . adj. departing

|
1

my colleagues abasing themselves before the from an accepted standard: aberrant behavior.
board of trustees. diverging from the normal type: aberrant
derivatives: a»base*ment n. chromosomes.
a*bash Is'baeSHl »v. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] derivatives: ab»er»rance n. ab»er»ran«
(abashed) cause to feel embarrassed, dis- cy -anse n. ab»er«rant»ly adv.
I
|

concerted, or ashamed: she was not abashed at ab*er»ra»tlon |

.Eeba'rasHsn |
. «. a departure
being caught. from what is normal, usual, or expected, typ-
derivatives: a*bash*ment n. ically one that is unwelcome.
a*bate |
s'bat (of something per-
|
• v. [intrans.] a person whose beliefs or behavior are unu-
ceived as hostile, threatening, or negative) be- sual or unacceptable. a departure fi-om
come less intense or widespread: the storm someone's usual moral character or mental
suddenly abated. ability, typically for the worse. (in biology)
[trans.] cause to become smaller or less in- a characteristic that deviates fi-om the normal
tense: nothing abated his crusading zeal. type. the failure of light rays to converge at
[trans.] (in law) lessen, reduce, or remove (a one focus because of a defect in a lens or mir-
nuisance): this action would not have been suf- ror. the apparent displacement of a celestial
ficient to abate the odor nuisance. object from its true position, caused by the
ab»at»tOlr i'aEb3,twar| » n. a slaughterhouse. relative motion of the observer and the ob-
ab*bre*vi*ate |3'breve,at| ^v. [trans.] (usu.be ject.
abbreviated) shorten (a word, phrase, or derivatives: ab»er»ra»tion»al |
-SHal |
adj.
text) the business of artists and repertory, com-
: a*bet a'bet . v. (abetted, abetting) [trans ]
I
|

monly abbreviated [as adj.] (abbrevi- A&R \

encourage or assist (someone) to do some-
ated) an abbreviated version of the earlier work. thing wrong, in particular, to commit a crime
Cf. abridge. or other offense: he was found guilty of aiding
ab«di*cate 'aebdi.kat • v. [intrans.] (of a mon-
|
|
and abetting others.
arch) renounce one's throne: in 1918 Kaiser derivatives: a«bet»ment n. a»bet»tor |3
Wilhelm abdicated as German emperor [trans.] \
'bepr ]
(also a»bet*ter) n.
Ferdinand abdicated the throne in favor of the a*bey*ance a'baans . «. a state of tempo-
| |

emperor's brother. rary disuse or suspension: matters were held

to fulfill or undertake (a responsi-
[trans.] fail in abeyance pending further inquiries.
bility or duty): the government was accused of (in legal use) the position of being without,
abdicating its responsibility [intrans.] faced with \
or waiting for, an owner or claimant: the estate
possible controversy, the editors abdicated and is in abeyance.
ran an unrelated story. derivatives: a»bey«ant la'baanti adj.
derivatives: ab»di»ca»tion |-'kasH3n| n. ab*hor |£eb'h6r| 'V. (abhorred, abhor-
ab*do*men 'sebdaman; aeb'doman • n. the
|
|
ring) [trans.] regard with disgust and hatred.
part of the body of a vertebrate containing the derivatives: ab»hor»rer n.

digestive organs; the belly. In humans and ab*hor«rent laeb'horant; -'har-| » adj. inspir-
other mammals it is contained between the ing disgust and loathing; repugnant: snakes
diaphragm and the pelvis. are abhorrent to many.
Zoology the posterior part of an arthropod's a*bide | a'bid \
.v. ^ [intrans.] (abide by) ac-
body, esp. the segments of an insect's body cept or act in accordance with (a rule, deci-
behmd the thorax. sion, or recommendation) / said I would abide :

derf'atives: ab«dom»i»nal jseb'damanll by their decision. 2 [trans.] (can/could not

adj. abide) be unable to tolerate (someone or
ab*duct Iseb'daktl ^v. [trans.] 1 take (some- something) if there is one thing I cannot abide
:

one) away illegally by force or deception; kid- it isa lack of discipline. 3 [intrans.] (of a feeling
nap: the executive who disappeared may have or a memory) continue without fading or be-
been abducted. 2 (of a muscle) move (a limb ing lost.

or part) away from the midline of the body or live; dwell.

from another part. ab in*i»ti*0 ,aeb 3'nisHe,o • adv. from the be-
|
|

derivatives: ab»duc»tion n. ab«duc«tor ginning (used chiefly in formal or legal con-

n. texts): the agreement should be declared void ab
on • adj. [attrib.] starting from the begin-
a*beam |
a'bem |
• adv. a line at right initio.

angles to a ship's or an aircraft's length. ning: he was instructing ab initio pilots.

abiotic 2 abridge
a*bi«oWc |,abi'atik| 'adj. physical rather who favors the abolition of a practice or insti-
than biological; not derived from living tution, esp. capital punishment or (in his- US
organisms. tory, usu. Abolutionist) slavery.
devoid of life; sterile. Cf. biota. derivatives: ab»o»li»tion»ism n.
ab*ject 'asb,)ekt;£eb'jekt| 'adj. 1 [attrib.] (of a
I
a*bom*i*na«ble 3'bam(3)n3b3l • adj. caus- 1 |

situation or condition) extremely bad, un- ing moral revulsion: the Gestapo's abominable
pleasant, and degrading: abject poverty. cruelty.
(of an unhappy state of mind) experienced informal very unpleasant: a cup of abominable
to the maximum degree: his letter plunged her soup.
into abject misery. (of a failure) absolute and derivatives: a»bomM»na»bly |-ble| adv.
humiliating. 2 (of a person or their behavior) a»bom*i*nate |3'bam3,nat| *v. [trans.] regard
completely without pride or dignity; self- with intense aversion; detest; loathe.
abasing: an abject apology. derivatives: a»bomn»na»tor |-,nat3r| n.
derivatives: ab«jec«tion |aeb'jekSH3n| n. a«bom*l«na*tion |
a.bama'nasHan i
» n. a
ab»ject»ly adv. ab»ject»ness n. thing that causes disgust or hatred: the Phar-
ab*jure laeb'jOOrl * v. [trans.] solemnly re- isees regarded Gentiles as an abomination to God
nounce (a belief, cause, or claim): to abjure the I
concrete abominations masquerading as hotels.
Catholic faith. a feeling of hatred: their abomination of indul-
derivatives: ab»iu»ra«tion I
,£ebj3 gence.
'raSH3n| n. ab*0*rig*i*nal .asba'rijanll * adj. (of peoples,
|

ab*la*tion la'blasHsnl . 1 the surgical re- animals, and plants) inhabiting or existing in
moval of body tissue. 2 the removal of snow a land from the earliest times or from before
and ice by melting or evaporation, typically the arrival of colonists; indigenous.
from a glacier or iceberg. (Aboriginal) of or relating to the Australian
the erosion of rock, typically by wind action. Aboriginals or their languages. • n. an abo-
DERIVATIVES ab'late |3'blat| v. : riginal inhabitant of a place.
ab*la*tive 'eebbtivl . adj. [attrib.] 1 relating to
|
(Aboriginal) a person belonging to one of
or denoting a case (esp. in Latin) of nouns the indigenous peoples of Australia, any of
and pronouns (and words in grammatical the numerous Australian Aboriginal lan-
agreement with them) indicating separation guages.
or an agent, instrument, or location. 2 (of sur- usage: Aboriginals (rather than Aborig-
gical treatment) involving ablation. 3 of,
ines) is now
the preferred plural form when
relating to, or subject to ablation through
referring to Australian Aboriginal peoples.
melting or vaporization: the spacecraft's abla-
tive heat shield. • a word in the ablative a«bor*ti*fa*cient s.borts'fasHsnt . adj.
|
|

case. (chiefly of a drug) causing abortion. • n. an

(the ablative) the ablative case. abortifacient drug.
ab*laut 'aeblowt . n. a change of vowel in re-
I I
a*bor«tive a'bortiv . adj. 1 failing to pro-
| |

lated words or forms, e.g., in Germanic duce the intended result: Pat made two abor-
strong verbs (e.g., in sing, sang, sung). tive attempts at suicide. 2 (of an organ or
ab*lu«tion s'blooSHan . n. (usu. ablutions)
|
I
organism) rudimentary; arrested in develop-
the act of washing oneself (often used for hu- ment: abortive medusae.
morously formal effect) the women performed . (of a virusinfection) failing to produce
their ablutions. symptoms. acting to counter the develop-
a ceremonial act of washing parts of the body ment of a disease. 3 [attrib.] causing or result-
or sacred containers. ing in abortion: abortive techniques.
DERIVATIVES: ab'lute v. ab»lu«tion»ar»y DERI VAT I v E s a«bor*tive«ly adv. :

|-,nerei adj. ab 0»VO aeb ovo; ab • adv. from the very be-
I
|

ab*ne*gate ^v. [trans.] renounce

|'aebni,gat| ginning.
or reject (something desired, expected, or a*brade s'brad • v. [trans.] scrape or wear
| |

valuable) attempts to abnegate personal respon-

: away by friction or erosion: a landscape slowly
sibility. abraded by a fine, stinging dust.
derivatives: ab»ne»ga»tor |-,gat3r| n. derivatives: a»brad»er n. a«bra»sion n.

ab»ne*ga*tion .aebni'gasHanl . n. the act of

|
a*bra*sive |
s'brasiv; -ziv |
. adj. (of a sub-
renouncing or rejecting something: abnega- stance or material) capable of polishing or
tion of political power. cleaning a hard surface by rubbing or grind-
(also self-abnegation) self-denial. ing.
ab*nor*mal laeb'normall • adj. deviating tending to rub or graze the skin: the trees were
from what is normal or usual, typically in a abrasive to the touch. (of sounds or music)
way that is undesirable or worrying: the pa- rough to the ear; harsh: /a^r abrasive rhthyms.
tient's abnormal behavior. (of a person or manner) showing little con-
derivatives: ab»nor«mal»ly adv. cern for the feelings of others; harsh: her abra-
a*bol*ish a'baliSH . v. [trans.] formally put
| |
sive style won her few
and arrogant personal
an end to (a system, practice, or institution): friends. • n. used for grinding,
a substance
the monarchy was abolished in 1 959. polishing, or cleaning a hard surface.
derivatives: a»bol»ish»er n. a»bolnsh» a«bridge a'brij . v.
!
[trans.] (usu. be |

ment a«bo»li»tion n.
n. abridged) 1 shorten (a book, movie, speech,
ab»0»ll»tion»ist .aebs'liSHsnistl |
• n. a person or other text) without substantially compro-
abrogate 3 abstemious
mising the sense: the 900-page novel has been isregarded as universally valid or that may be
abridged [as adj.] (abridged) an abridged text
\ viewed without relation to other things: good
of the speech. 2 curtail (rights or privileges): and evil are presented as absolutes.
even the right to free speech can be abridged. (the absolute) that which exists without be-
derivatives: a»bridg»er n. a»bridg» ing dependent on anything else. (the abso-
ment (also a*bridge*ment) n. lute) Theology ultimate reality; God.
ab*ro*gate |'aEbr9,gat| 'V. [trans.] repeal or derivatives: ab*so*lute*ness n.
do away with (a law, right, or formal agree- ab*SO*lute mu*sic . n. instrumental music
ment): a proposal to abrogate the right to strike. composed solely as music and not intended
derivatives: ab»ro«ga»tion |
.aebra'ga- to represent or illustrate literature, painting,
SHan] n. or any extraneous idea.
ab*rup*tion a'brapsHan • n. the sudden
|
| ab*SO*lu*tion .aebsa'lcSoSHanl . n. formal re-
|

breaking away of a portion from a mass. lease from guilt, obligation, or punishment.
(also placental abruption) separation of an ecclesiastical declaration of forgiveness of
the placenta from the wall of the uterus, esp. sins: the priest administered absolution.
when it occurs prematurely during preg- ab*SO*lut*ism |
'aebsaloo.tizam |
. n. the ac-
nancy. ceptance of or belief in absolute principles in
ab*scess '£eb,ses • n. a swollen area within
|
|
political, philosophical, ethical, or theological
body tissue, caused by infection, containing matters.
an accumulation of pus. derivatives: ab»so»lut»ist n. & adj.
ab*SCis*slon |aeb'sizH3n| .n. 1 a cutting off ab*SO*lut*ize I'aebsaloO.tizI »v. [trans.] make
or violent separation. 2 the natural detach- (or treat as) absolute.
ment of parts of a plant, typically dead leaves derivatives: ab»so»lut»i»za»tion |
, aebsa
and ripe fruit. .looti'zasHan I
n.
derivatives: ab*scind z;. ab*scise |-'siz| ab*SOlve lab'zalv; -'zolv; -'salv; -'s61v| •v.
V. [trans.] set or declare (someone) free from
ab*SCOnd |
aeb'skand |
• v. [intrans.] leave hur- blame, guilt, or responsibility: the pardon
riedly and secretly, typically to avoid detec- absolved them of any crimes.
tion of or arrest for an unlawful action such (in Christian theology) give absolution for (a
as theft: she absconded with the remaining thou- sin).
sand dollars. ab«SOrb |
sb'zorb; -'sorb |
• v. [trans.] 1 take in
(of someone on surrender one-
bail) fail to or soak up (energy, or a liquid or other sub-
self for custody at the appointed time. (of a stance) by chemical or physical action, typi-
person kept in detention or under supervi- cally gradually: buildings can be designed to ab-
sion) escape: 176 detainees absconded. sorb and retain heat \
steroids are absorbed
derivatives: ab»scond»er n. into the bloodstream. Cf. adsorb.
ab*sinthe I'seb.sinTHl (also absinth) . n. take in and assimilate (information, ideas, or
1 the shrub wormwood (Artemisium experience): she absorbed the information in si-
absinthium). lence. take control of (a smaller or less pow-
an essence made from this. 2 a potent green erful entity), making it a part of oneself by as-
aniseed-flavored liqueur that turns milky absorbed into
similation: the family firm was
when water is added. Prepared from worm- a larger group. use or take up (time or
wood, it is now largely banned because of its resources): arms spending absorbs roughly 2
toxicity. percent of the national income. take up and re-
ab*SO*lute |
'aebs3,loot; ,aebs3'loot| * adj. duce the effect or intensity of (sound or an
1 not qualified or diminished in any way; to- impact). 2 engross the attention of (some-
tal: absolute secrecy the attention he gave you\
one): the work absorbed him and continued to
was absolute. make him happy.
used for general emphasis when expressing derivatives: ab»sorb»er n. ab»sorp»tion
an opinion: the policy is absolute folly. (of n.

powers or rights) not subject to any limita- ab*squat*U*late ,aEb'skwaCH3,lat| •v. leave
|

tion; unconditional: no one dared challenge her abruptly: the overthrown dictator absquatulated
absolute authority human right to life is abso-
|
to the US.
lute. (of a ruler) having unrestricted power: derivatives: ab«squat»u4a»tion |£eb
he proclaimed himself absolute monarch. (of a ,skwaCH3'laSH3n n. I

legal decree) final: the decree of nullity was ab*Stain |3b'stan;sb-| . V. [intrans.] 1 restrain
made absolute. (in law, of title to ownership oneself from doing or enjoying something:
or a lease) guaranteed. 2 viewed or existing abstaining from chocolate.
independently and not in relation to other refrain from drinking alcohol. 2 formally de-
things; not relative or comparative: absolute cline to vote either for or against a proposal
moral standards. or motion.
(of a grammatical construction) syntacti- derivatives: ab»stain»er n. ab«sten»tion
cally independent of the rest of the sentence, n.

as in dinner being over, we left the table. (of a ab«Ste«mi«OUS laeb'stemeas; 3b-| * adj. not
transitive verb) used without an expressed self-indulgent, esp. when eating and drink-
object (e.g., guns kill). (of an adjective) used ing.
without an expressed noun (e.g., the brave). derivatives: ab»ste»mi»ous*ly adv. ab«
. n. (in philosophy) a value or principle that ste»mi»ous«ness n. ab«sten»tion n.
 1

abstinence 4 academy
ab*Sti*nence 'aebstanans . «. the fact or
| | use or treat in such a way as to cause dam-
practice of restraining oneself from indulging age or harm: he had been abusing his body for
in something, typically alcohol: six years of ab- years. speak in an insulting and offensive
stinence. way to or about (someone). • n. |3'byoC)s|
derivatives: ab*sti*nent adj. ab'sti* 1 the improper use of something: alcohol
nent'ly adv. abuse an abuse of public funds.
\

ab^StracX ' adj. lab'straekt; 'aeb,straekt| exist- unjust or corrupt practice: protection against
ing in thought or as an idea but not having a fraud and abuse human rights abuses. 2 cruel |

physical or concrete existence: abstract con- and violent treatment of a person or animal:
cepts such as love or beauty. a black eye and other signs of physical abuse.
dealing with ideas rather than events. not violent treatment involving sexual assault,
based on a particular instance; theoretical. esp. on a repeated basis: young people who have
(of a word, esp. a noun) denoting an idea, suffered sexual abuse. insulting and offensive
quality, or state rather than a concrete object: language: waving his fists and hurling abuse
abstract words like truth or equality. (in the at the other driver.
arts) characterized by lack of, or freedom a»bu*Sive la'byODsiv; -ziv| • adj. 1 extremely
from, representational qualities. • v. aeb |
offensive and insulting: the starting pitcher was
'straektl [trans.] 1 consider (something) theo- ejected for using abusive he became language \

retically or separately from something else: to quite abusive and swore at her. 2 engaging in or
abstract religion from its historical context can characterized by habitual violence and cru-
be misleading. elty: abusive parents an abusive relationship. \

form a general idea in this way: to at-

[intrans.] 3 involving injustice or illegality: the abusive
tempt to form a general policy by abstracting and predatory practices of businesses.
from particulars. 2 extract or remove (some- derivatives: a»bu»sive»ly adv. a»bu»sive»
thing): applications to abstract more water ness n.
from streams. a*but a'bat . v. (abutted, abutting) [trans ]
I
|

used euphemistically to say that someone (of an area of land or a building) be next to
has stolen something: his pockets contained all or have a common boundary with: gardens
he had been able to abstract from the apart- abutting Madison Avenue [intrans.] a park |

ment. (abstract oneself) withdraw: as our abutting on an area of wasteland. Cf. adjoin,
relationship developed you seemed to abstract adjacent.
yourself. 3 make a written summary of (an ar- touch or lean upon: masonry may crumble
ticle or book) . n. 'aeb, straektl 1a summary
.
I
where a roof abuts it.
or statement of the contents of a book, arti- a*bys*mal a'bizmal • adj. 1 extremely bad;
|
I

cle, or formal speech: the abstracts must be as appalling: the quality of her work is abysmal.
concise as possible. 2 an abstract work of art: a 2 very deep.
big unframed abstract. 3 (the abstract) that derivatives: a«bys»mal»ly adv.
which is abstract; the theoretical considera- a*byss a'bis . n. a deep or seemingly bot-
| |

tion of something: the abstract must be made tomless chasm: a rope led down into the dark
concrete by examples. abyss I was stagnating in an abyss of boredom.
\

phrases: in the abstract in a general way; a wide or profound difference between peo-
without reference to specific instances. ple; a gulf: the abyss between the two nations.
derivatives: ab»stract«ly adv. ab»strac» o the regions of hell conceived of as a bottom-
ter I
-tar I
n. less pit: Satan's dark abyss. (the abyss) a
ab«Struse 1
3b'str(50s; aeb'stroOs |
• adj. diffi- catastrophic situation seen as likely to occur:
cult to understand; obscure. Cf. arcane, re- teetering on the edge of the abyss of a politi-
condite. cal wipeout.
derivatives: ab»struse»ly | ab'stroosle; a*byss*al a'bisal adj. relating to or denot-
| |
•

aeb'strGosle I
adv. ab*struse*ness jab ing the depths or bed of the ocean, esp. at
'strOSsnas; aeb'strODsnas |
n. depths between about 10,000 and 20,000
ab*surd«ism ab'sard.izam; -'zard- |
• n. 1 feet.
1 the belief that human beings exist in a pur- relating to or occurring at great depth in the
poseless, chaotic universe. 2 expression of earth's crust: abyssal rocks.
such a belief in the arts. 3 an instance of such ac*a*deme |
.aeka'dem; 'aeka.dem |
. n. the ac-
expression. ademic environment or community; aca-
derivatives: ab'surdnst adj. & n. demia.
a*bu*li*a a'boOlea (also aboulia) . n. an ab-
|
I
ac*a*de*mi*cian .aekada'miSHan; a.kaeda- |

sence of willpower or an inability to act deci- • n. a teacher or scholar; an intellectual; a

sively, as a symptom of mental illness. member of an academy.
a*buse *v. |3'by<50z| [trans.] 1 use (some- a«cad»e»my |
a'kaedame |
• n. (pi. -ies) 1 a
thing) to bad effect or for a bad purpose; mis- place of study or training in a special field: a
use. police academy.
make excessive and habitual use of (alcohol any place of study. a secondary school, typ-
or drugs, esp. illegal ones). 2 treat (a person ically a private one: he had passed all his finals
or an animal) with cruelty or violence, esp. at Greenville Academy. (the Academy) the
regularly or repeatedly. teaching school founded by Plato. Plato's
assault (someone, esp. a woman or child) followers or philosophical system. 2 a society
sexually, [as adj.] (abused) abused children. or institution of distinguished scholars,
 )

Acadian accessory
artists,or scientists, that aims to promote and derivatives: ac»cept»ance n. ac»cepfer
maintain standards in its particular field: the n.
National Academy of Sciences. ac*cess 'aek, ses means
| |
. «. 1 a of
(Academic fran9aise or French Acad- approaching or entering a place: the staircase
emy) an official body, established in the gives access to the top floor wheelchair access |

1630s, whose primary role has been to "pro- I

a side access.
the building has
tect" the French language against perceived the right or opportunity to use or benefit
threats to its purity. the community of from something: do you have access to a
scholars; academe: a writing and publishing computer? awards to help people gain access
\

world outside the academy. to training. the right or opportunity to ap-

A»ca*di*an a'kadesn • adj. of or relating to
| | proach or see someone: we were denied ac-
historical Acadia (later. Nova Scotia) or its cess to our grandson. the action or process
people. • n. a native or inhabitant of Acadia. of obtaining or retrieving information stored
a French-speaking descendant of the early in a computer's memory. the condition of
French settlers in Acadia. a descendant of being able to be reached or obtained: a cam-
the deported Acadians who settled in paign to improve access for the disabled. [as
Louisiana in the 1 8th century; a Cajun. adj.] denoting noncommercial broadcasting

a cap*pel*ia ,a ka'peb . adj. & adv. (with

| I
produced by local independent groups,
reference to choral music) without instru- rather than by professionals: public-access
mental accompaniment: [as adj.] an a cappella television. 2 [in sing.] an attack or outburst
Mass [as adv.] the trio usually performs a cap-
I
of an emotion: / was suddenly overcome with
pella. an access of rage. • v. [trans.] (usu. be
ac*cede |£ek'sed| »v. [intrans.] 1 assent or accessed) 1 (in computing) obtain, exam-
agree to a demand, request, or treaty: the ine, or retrieve (data or a file). 2 approach or
authorities accede to the strikers'
did not enter (a place): single rooms have private baths
demands. 2 assume an office or position: he accessed via the balcony.
acceded to the post of director in September \
usage: Although the verb access is stan-
Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558.
dard and common in computing and related
become a member of a community or orga- terminology, the word is primarily a noun.
nization.
Outside computing contexts its use as a verb
ac*cel*er*an*do lak.seb'rando; a,CHeb-|
in the sense of 'approach or enter a place' is
• adj. & adv. (in music) with a gradual in-
often regarded as nonstandard {you must use
crease of speed (used chiefly as a direction).
a password to access the account). Even
• n. (pi. accelerandos or accelerandi -de |
|
weaker is its use in an abstract sense {access
a passage to be performed with such an ac-
the American dream). It is usually clear
celeration.
enough to say 'enter' or 'gain access to.'
ac*cent • n. 'aEk,sent 1 a distinctive mode of
\
|

pronunciation of a language, esp. one associ- ac*ces*si*ble aek'sessbal . adj.

|
1 (of a I

ated with a particular nation, locality, or so- place) able to be reached or entered: the town
cial class: spoke English with a strong German is accessible by bus a building made acces- \

accent. sible to disabled people.

the mode of pronunciation used by native (of an object, service, or facility) able to be
speakers of a language: she never mastered the easily obtained or used: making learning
French accent. 2 a distinct emphasis given to opportunities more accessible to adults. eas-
a syllable or word in speech by stress or ilyunderstood: this Latin grammar is lucid and
pitch. 2 (of a person, typically one in a po-
accessible.
a mark on a letter or word to indicate pitch, sition of authority or importance) ft-iendly
stress, or vowel quality. (in music) an em- and easy to talk to.
phasis on a particular note or chord. 3 [in derivatives: ac»ces»si»bilM«ty |-,ses3
sing.] a special or particular emphasis: the ac- 'bilite I
ac»ces»si«bly -ble adv.
n. | |

cent is on participation. ac*ces*sion |aek'seSH3n| »n. 1 the attain-

a feature that gives a distinctive visual em- ment or acquisition of a position of rank or
phasis to something: blue woodwork and power, typically that of monarch or president:
accents of red. •v. |
'aek,sent; ask'sent |
[trans.] Elizabeth's accession to the throne.
emphasize (a particular feature): fabrics that the action or process of formally joining or
accent the background colors in the room. being accepted by an association, institution,
play (a musical note, a beat of the bar, etc.) or group: the accession ofAlaska into the Union.
with an accent. 2 a new item added to an existing collection
derivatives: ac»cen»tu»al aek'sencHaw- | of books, paintings, or artifacts.
3l| adf an amount added to an existing quantity of
ac*cen*tu*ate |aek'sencH3,wat| •v. [trans.] something: did not anticipate any further acces-
make more noticeable or prominent. sion of wealth from the estate. 3 the formal ac-
ac*cept |aek'sept| » v. [trans.] 1 (inlaw) give ceptance of a treaty or agreement: accession to
an affirmative answer to (an offer or pro- the Treaty of Paris. v. [trans.] (usu. be acces-
•

posal), thus enteringcontract: /into a sioned) record new item) as an addition

(a
accepted their salary offer. 2 agree to pay (a to a library, museum, or other collection.
draft or bill of exchange at maturity) by sign- ac*ces*SO»ry |
aek'ses(3)re |
• n. (pi. -ies) 1 a
ing it. thing that can be added to something else in
accipiter 6 accrue
order to make it more useful, versatile, or at- agreement or harmony: the government and
tractive: a range of bathroom accessories. the rebels are in accord on one point.
a small article or item of clothing carried or ac*COSt a'kost; a'kasti » v. [trans.] approach
I

worn to complement a garment or outfit. and address (someone) boldly or aggres-

2 (in legal use) someone who gives assis- sively: reporters accosted him in the street.
tance to the perpetrator of a crime, without approach (someone) with hostility or harm-
directly committing it: she was charged as an ful intent.
accessory to murder. • adj. [attrib.] con- approach and address (someone) with sex-
tributing to or aiding an activity or process ual intent.
in a minor way; subsidiary or supplemen- ac*COUChe*ment akoosH'maN; a'kooSH-
|

tary. mant • |
the action of giving birth to a baby.
ac»clp*i»ter jaek'sipiprl » n. a hawk of a ac*COUnt*ant |9'kownt(3)nt! *n. a person
group distinguished by short, broad wings whose job is to keep or inspect financial
and relatively long legs. accounts. The profession is called account-
ac*claim |3'klam| ^v. [trans.] (usu. be ancy, the process accounting.
acclaimed) praise enthusiastically and pub- ac»cou*ter |3'koopr| (also accoutre) 'v.
licly: the conference was acclaimed as a con- (accoutered, accoutering; accoutred,
siderable success [with obj. and complement] he
I
accoutring) (usu. be accoutered)
[trans ]

was acclaimed a great painter. • n. enthusiastic clothe or equip, typically in something no-
and public praise: she has won acclaim for her ticeable or impressive.
commitment to democracy. ac*COU*ter»ment a'kootarmant; -tra- (also
| 1

ac*cla*ma*tion .aekla'maSHsnl . n. loud and

|
accoutrement) • n. (usu. accouterments)
enthusiastic approval, typically to welcome or additional items of dress or equipment, or
honor someone or something. other items carried or worn by a person or
ac*cli*mate 'aekl3,mat . V. [intrans.] (usu. be
| I
used for a particular activity.
acclimated) become accustomed to a new a soldier's outfit other than weapons and
climate or to new conditions: it will take a few garments.
days to get acclimated to the altitude, ((also ac*credit |3'kredit| 'V. (accredited, ac-
acclimatize) crediting) [trans] (usu. be accredited)
respond physiologically or behaviorally to a 1 give credit (to someone) for: he was ac-
change in a single environmental factor: trees credited with being one of the world's fastest
may acclimate to high CO 2 levels by reducing sprinters.
the number of stomata. attribute (an action, saying, or quality) to: the
derivatives: ac»cli»ma»tion |
.aekla discovery of distillation is usually accredited to
'maSHsnl n. the Arabs. 2 (of an official body) give author-
ac*cli*ma*tize a'klims.tiz • v. [intrans.] accli-
|
|
ity or sanction to (someone or something)
mate: they acclimatized themselves before when recognized standards have been met:
ascending Everest. schools that do not meet the standards will not be
(in biology) respond physiologically or accredited. 3 give official authorization for
behaviorally to changes in a complex of envi- (someone, typically a diplomat or journalist)
ronmental factors. Compare with acclimate. to be in a particular place or to hold a partic-
[trans.] inure (a plant) to cold. ular post: ambassadors accredited to Bagh-
derivatives: ac»cli»ma»ti»za»tion |3 dad.
,klim3ti'zaSH3n| n. derivatives: ac»cred»i»ta»tion |3,kred3
ac»Cliv*i»ty s'klivite
| |
• n. (pi. -ies) an upward 'taSH9n| n.

slope. Cf. declivity. ac*cre«tlon Is'kresHsnl . n. the process of

derivatives: ac»clivM«tous
ac*CO*lade |
'aeksjad; -lad
privilege granted as a special
acknowledgment of merit:
lade of a visit by the president.
an expression of praise or admiration. 2 a
touch on a person's shoulders with a sword at
the bestowing of a knighthood.
ac«COm»mo*da»tion*ist a.kama'dasHsnist
• n. a person who seeks compromise with an
opposing point of view, typically a political
one.
DERI VAT V E s ac»com»mo»da»tion*ism n.
I :
ac*COm*plice la'kamplisi » n. a person who
helps another commit a crime.
|-it3s| adj. growth or increase, typically by the gradual
|
• n. 1an award or accumulation of additional layers or matter:
honor or as an the accretion of sediments in coastal mangroves.
the ultimate acco- a thing formed or added by such growth or
increase: about one-third of California was built
up by accretions. (in astronomy) the coming
together and cohesion of matter under the in-
fluence of gravitation to form larger bodies.
| I
derivatives: ac»crete v. ac«cre»tive |3
'kretivl adj.
ac*crue la'krool ^v. (accrues, accrued, ac-
cruing) [intrans.] (of sums of money or bene-
fits) be received by someone in regular or
increasing amounts over time: financial bene-
fits will accrue from restructuring [as adj.] \

ac*COrd |3'k6rd| »v. 1 [trans.] give or grant (accrued) the accrued interest.
someone (power, status, or recognition): the [trans.] accumulate or receive (such pay-

powers accorded to the head of state [with \

ments or benefits). [trans.] make provision

two objs.] the young man had accorded her little for (a charge) at the end of a financial period
notice. 2 [intrans.] (accord with) (of a concept for work that has been done but not yet in-
or fact) be harmonious or consistent with. voiced.
• n. an official agreement or treaty. derivatives ac»cru»al : |3'kroo3l| n.
acculturate 7 acrid
ac*CUl*tur*ate Is'kalcHa.ratI 'V. assimilate Henry acknowledged Richard as his heir.
or cause to assimilate a different culture, typ- 3 [trans.] show that one has noticed or recog-
ically the dominant one: [intrans.] accultur- nized (someone) by making a gesture or
ated to the United States [trans.] the next \
greeting: she refused to acknowledge my pres-
weeks were spent acculturating the field staff [as \
ence.
adj.] (acculturated) an acculturated Ameri- confirm (receipt of something).
can. derivatives: ac*knovsrl*edge*able adj.
derivatives: ac*cul»tur«a»tion |3,k3lcH3 acknowledgement (also ac»knowl»edge»
'rasHsn I
n. ac»cul»tur»a«tive |
-rativ; -,rakh ment) n.
tiv| adj. ac*me |
'aekme |
• n. [in sing.] the point at
ac*cum*bent adj. reclining; recumbent.
• which someone or something is best, perfect,
• n.person who reclines.
a or most successful: at the acme of her career.
ac*CU*sa*tive la'kyoozstivl * adj. relating to ac*0*lyte 'aek3,lit
|
• a person assisting the
|

or denoting a grammatical case of nouns, celebrant in a religious service or procession.

pronouns, and adjectives (esp. in classical
languages) that expresses the object of an ac-
tion or the goal of motion. Cf. objective. . n.
a word in the accusative case.
(the accusative) the accusative case.
a»ce*di*a la'sedea] • n. (also accidie) spiri-
tual or mental sloth; apathy; one of the 'seven
deadly sins'.
a*cer*bic Is'ssrbikI •adj. ((also acerb)
1 (esp. of a comment or style of speaking)
sharp and forthright. 2 tasting sour or bitter.
derivatives: a»cer»bi»caWy
adv. a»cer»bi»ty |-bite| n.
a*ce»ta*min*0*phen |3,set9'min3f3n| . n. an
analgesic drug used to treat headaches, ar-
thritis, etc., and also to reduce fever, often as
an alternative to aspirin.
a*cet*y*lene la'setbn; -,en| . (also ethyne)
n. a colorless pungent-smelling hydrocarbon
gas, which burns with a bright flame, used in
welding (with an acetylene torch) and formerly
in lighting.
A*Chae*an la'keani 'adj. of or relating to
Achaea in ancient Greece.
(esp. in Homeric contexts) Greek. • n. an in-
habitant of Achaea.
(esp. in Homeric contexts) a Greek.
A»cha*tes Is'katez] (in classical legend) a
companion of Aeneas. His loyalty to his
friend was so exemplary as to become prover-
an assistant or follower.
a»COUS»tic la'koostiki » adj. [attrib.] 1 relating
to sound or the sense of hearing: the acoustic
range of dogs.
(of building materials) used for soundproof-
ing or modifying sound: acoustic tiles. (of an
explosive mine or other weapon) designed to
be set off by sound waves. 2 (of music or mu-
sical instruments) not having electrical am-
plification: acoustic guitar.
(of a person or group) playing such instru-
|-ik(3)le| ments. • n. 1 (usu. acoustics) the properties
or qualities of a room or building that deter-
mine how sound is transmitted in it: Sym-
phony Hall has perfect acoustics.
(acoustic) the acoustic properties or ambi-
ence of a sound recording or of a recording
studio. 2 (acoustics) [treated as sing.] the
branch of physics concerned with the prop-
erties of sound. 3 a musical instrument
without electrical amplification, typically a
guitar.
derivatives: a»cous»ti»cal adj. a»cous»ti»
caWy |-ik(3)le| adv.
ac*qui*esce |,£ekwe'es| »v. [intrans.] accept
something reluctantly but without protest:
pressed for time, we acquiesced in their deci-
sion.
derivatives: ac»qui»es»cence |-'es3ns|
n.

bial, hence the term fidus Achates ('faithful ac«quis*i»tive a'kwizitiv . adj.
|
excessively |

Achates'). interested in acquiring money or material

Ach»er«on '£ek9,ran; -ran (in Greek my-
| |
things.
thology) one of the rivers of Hades. derivatives: ac»quisn»tive»ly adv. ac»
literary item for hell. quis«i«tive»ness n.
Achil*les heel • n. a weakness or vulnerable ac*quit »v. (acquitted, acquit-
|3'kwit|
point. The achilles tendon connects calf ting) 1 (usu. be acquitted) free
[trans.]

muscles to the heel. (someone) from a criminal charge by a ver-

a*cid*U*l0US la'sijabsl • adj. sharp-tasting or dict of not guilty: she was acquitted on all
sour. counts the jury acquitted him of murder.
I

(of a person's remarks or tone) bitter or cut- 2 (acquit oneself) conduct oneself or per-
ting. form in a specified way: the Israeli windsurfers
ac*knowl*edge |
ak'nalij \^v.^ accept or ad- acquitted themselves well at the 1994 champion-
mit the existence or truth of: [trans.] the plight ship.

of the refugees was acknowledged by the author- (acquit oneself of) discharge (a duty or re-
ities [with clause] the government acknowl-
I
sponsibility): they acquitted themselves of their
edged that the tax was unfair [with direct \
charge with vigilance.
speech] true" she acknowledged.
"That's ac«quit«tal s'kwitl » n. a judgment that a
| \

2 [trans.] (of a body of opinion) recognize the
fact or importance or quality of: the art world
has begun to acknoivledge his genius.
express or display gratitude for or apprecia-
tion of: he received a letter acknowledging his
services. accept the validity or legitimacy of:
person is not guilty of a crime with which he
or she has been charged: the trial resulted in an
acquittal.
ac*rid I'sekrid] » adj. having an irritatingly
strong and unpleasant taste or smell: acrid
fumes.
acrimony 8 adapt
angry and an acrid farewell.
bitter: ac*tu*ate |
'aekcHa.watl • v. 1 [trans.] cause (a
derivatives: a«cridM»ty |3'kridite| n. ac« machine or device) to operate; activate: the
rid'ly adv. pendulum actuates an electrical switch. 2 (usu.
ac«rl»mo*ny '£ekr3,mone • n. bitterness or
|
|
be actuated) cause (someone) to act in a
ill feeling: a quagmire of lawsuits, acrimony, and particular way; motivate: the defendants were
finger-pointing. actuated by malice.
derivatives: ac»ri»mo»ni»ous adj. ac«ri« derivatives: a»tu»a»tion ,aekCH3 |

mo»ni»ous»ly adv. 'wasHsnl n. ac»tu»a«tor |-'wat3r| n.

ac*ro*meg*a*ly .askro'megale • n. abnor- |
|
a*CU*i*ty |3'kyooite| • n. sharpness or keen-
mal growth of the hands, feet, and face, ness of thought, vision, or hearing: visual acu-
caused by overproduction of growth hor- ity
mone by the pituitary gland. a*CU*men la'kjoomsn; '£eky3-| • n. the abil-
derivatives: ac»ro»me»gal»ic l-ma'gae- ity to make good judgments and quick deci-
lik| adj. sions, typically in a particular domain: busi-
ac*ro*nym |
'aekr3,nim I
• n. a word formed ness acumen.
from the initial letters of other words (e.g., ra- a*CUte la'kyooti 'adj. 1 (of a bad, difficult,
dar, NATO, laser). or unwelcome situation or phenomenon)
ac*ro*pho*bi*a |
.aekra'fobea |
• n. extreme or present or experienced to a severe or intense
irrational fear of heights. degree: an acute housing shortage. Cf. criti-
derivatives: ac»ro»pho»bic |-'fobik| adj, cal.
&n. (of a disease or its symptoms) of short dura-
a*cros*tic |
a'krostik; a'kras- 1
• n. a poem, tion but typically severe: acute appendicitis.
word puzzle, or other composition in which Often contrasted with chronic. denoting
certain letters (typically, the first) in each line or designed for patients with such conditions:
form a word or words. acute patients. 2 having or showing a percep-
a*cryl«ic |3'krilik| 'adj. (of synthetic resins tive understanding or insight: shrewd: an
and textile fibers) made from polymers of acute awareness of changing fashions.
acrylic acid or acrylates. (of a physical sense or faculty) highly devel-
of, relating to, or denoting paints based on oped; keen: an acute sense of smell. 3 (of an
acrylic resin as a acrylic colors an medium: \
angle) less than 90°.
acrylic painting. an acrylic textile fiber: • n. 1 having a sharp end; pointed. (of a sound)
a sweater in four-ply acrylic. 2 (often acrylics) high; shrill. • n. short for acute accent, placed
an acrylic paint. over certain letters (esp. vowels) in some lan-
a painting executed in acrylics: a show of her guages to indicate a feature such as altered
acrylics. sound quality.
ac*tion*a*ble |
'aekSHsnabal I
. adj. (in legal derivatives: a»cute»ly adv. a*cute*ness
use) giving sufficient reason to take legal ac- n.
tion: slanderous remarks are actionable. ad*age 'gedij • |
|
n. a proverb or short state-
ac*tion paint*ing . n. a technique and style ment expressing a general truth.
of abstract painting in which paint is ran- a*da*gio |3'dajeo;3'dazH-| • adj. &.adv. (esp.
domly splashed, thrown, or poured on the as a musical direction) in slow tempo. • n.
canvas. (alsoAdagio) (pi. -os) a movement or com-
ac»tiv»ism 'aekta.vizam
|
n. the policy or ac- |
• position marked to be played adagio.
tion of using vigorous campaigning to bring ad*a*mant 'aedamsnt • adj. refusing to be
|
I

about political or social change. persuaded or to change one's mind: he is ad-

DERI VAT I V E s ac»tiv»ist n. : amant that he is not going to resign. • n. a leg-
act of God • n. an instance of uncontrollable endary rock or mineral to which many, often
natural forces in operation (often used in in- contradictory, properties were attributed,
surance claims). Cf. force majeure. formerly associated with diamond or lode-
ac*tu»al»i*ty ,aekcH3'waelite • n. (pi.
|
-ies) |
stone.
actual existence, typically as contrasted with derivatives: ad*a*mance n. ad*a*man*
what was intended, expected, or believed: the cy -manse n. ad»a»mant»ly adv.
I
|

building looked as impressive in actuality as it ad*a*man*tine .seda'maen.tin; -tin-; -,teni|

did in magazines. • adf unbreakable and imshakeable: her

(actualities) existing conditions or facts: the adamantine will.
grim actualities of prison life. a*dapt I
a'dsept [trans.] make (something)
I
• V.

ac*tu*al*ize 'sekCH3W9,liz| ^v. [trans.] make

|
suitable for a new
use or purpose; modify:
a reality of: he had actualized his dream and [with obj. and infinitive] hospitals have had to be
achieved the world record. adapted for modern medical practice the \

derivatives: ac«tu»al»i»za»tion policies can be adapted to suit individual needs

I
,£ekcH9W3li'zaSH3n| n. and requirements. \
[as adj.] (adapted) these
ac«tu*ary 'aekCHa.were • n. (pi. -ies) a per-
|
|
plants are well adapted to low light.

son who compiles and analyzes statistics and [intrans.] become adjusted to new conditions:
uses them to calculate insurance risks and they were slow to adapt to change alter (a
premiums. text), to make it suitable for filming, broad-
DERI VAT V e s ac»tu»ar»i«al ,aekCH3' wer-
1 :
|
casting, or the stage: the miniseries was
eall adj. ac«tu»arM»aWy ,aekCH3'were3le | |
adapted from Wouk novel. 's

(also actuarily) adv. derivatives: a»dap»tive |-tiv| adj.

adaptation 9 adjunct
usage: Avoid confusing adapt with ad in*fi»ni»tum ,£ed infa'nitam . adv. again
i I

adopt. Trouble sometimes arises because in and again in the same way; for ever: registra-
adapting to new conditions an animal or tion is for seven years and may be renewed ad

plant can be said to adopt something, e.g., a infinitum.

new color or behavior pattern. ad*i*pose I'aeda.posI » adj. (esp. of body tis-
sue) used for the storage of fat.
ad*ap*ta*tion |
.aedaep'taSHan; ,£ed3p-| » n. DERI VAT v e s I : ad»i»pos»i»ty |
.aeda'pasite |

the action or process of adapting or being n.

adapted: the adaptation of teaching strategy to ad*ja*cent a'jasant • adj.
|
1 next to or |

meet students' needs. adjoining something else: adjacent rooms the \

a movie, television drama, or stage play that area adjacent to the fire station. 2 (of geomet-
has been adapted from a written work, typi- ric angles) having a common vertex and a
cally a novel: filming her adaptation of a beloved common side.
children's book. a change by which an organ- DERIVATIVES: ad«ja«cen«cy n.
ism or species becomes better suited to its en- ad*join |
a'join be next to and
I
. V. [trans.]
vironment. joined with (a building, room, or piece of
ad*den*dum |
a'dendam I
. n. (pi. addenda land): the dining room adjoins a small library \

I
-da I) an item of additional material, typi- [as adj.] (adjoining) walked into an adjoining
cally omissions, added at the end of a book or room.
other publication. ad*journ la'jsrni »v. [trans.] break off (a
ad*dict*ed a'diktid . adj. physically and
|
I
meeting, legal case, or game) with the inten-
mentally dependent on a particular sub- tion of resuming it later: the meeting was
stance, and unable to stop taking it without adjourned until December 4.
incurring adverse effects: she became [no obj., with adverbial] (of people who are to-
addicted to alcohol and diet pills. gether) go somewhere else, typically for re-
enthusiastically devoted to a particular thing freshment: they adjourned to a local bar.
or activity: he's addicted to computers. put off or postpone (a resolution or sen-
ad*duce 3'd(y)oos • v. [trans.] cite as evi-
1 |
tence): the motion was adjourned.
dence: a number of factors are adduced to ex- DERIVATIVES: ad*journ*ment n.
plain the situation. ad*judge a'jaj • v. [with obj. and complement]
|
|

derivatives: ad*duc*i*ble adj. (usu. be adjudged) consider or declare to be

ad*duc*tor Is'daktsrI (also adductor mus- true or the case: she was adjudged guilty \
[with
cle) • «. a muscle whose contraction moves a obj. and infinitive] most of us adjudged him to be of-
hmb or other part of the body toward the fensive.
midline of the body or toward another part. (adjudge something to) (in legal use)
a*dept • adj.very skilled or profi-
la'depti award something judicially to someone: the
cient at something: he is adept at cutting court adjudged legal damages to the injured peo-
through red tape an adept negotiator. • n. |
ple. [with obj. and infinitive] (in legal use) con-
I
'aedept; a'depti a person who is skilled or demn (someone) to pay a penalty: the
proficient at something: they are adepts at defaulter was adjudged to pay the whole amount.
kung fu and karate. derivatives: ad*judg*ment (also ad*
derivatives: a»dept»ly adv. a»dept»ness judge*ment) n.
n. ad*ju*di*cate |3'joodi,kat| »v. [intrans.] make
ad*here |
aed'hir I
• V. [intrans.] (adhere to) a formal judgment or decision about a prob-
stick fast to (a surface or substance): paint lem or disputed matter: the committee adju-
won 't adhere well to a greasy surface. dicates on all betting disputes [trans.] the case \

believe in and follow the practices of: the peo- was adjudicated in the Superior Court.
ple adhere to Islam. represent truthfully and act as a judge in a competition. [with obj.
in detail: the account adhered firmly to fact. and pronounce or declare judi-
complement]
ad*her»ent |
aed'hirant; -'her- 1
• n. someone he was adjudicated bankrupt.
cially:
who supports a particular party, person, or derivatives: ad»ju»di«ca«tion lajoodi
set of ideas: he was a strong adherent of mon- 'kasH3n| n. ad»ju»di«ca»tive |-,kativ| adj.
etarism. • adj. sticking fast to an object or sur- ad»ju»di»ca»tor |-,kat3ri n.

face: the eggs have thick sticky shells to which de- ad*junct 'aejsNCktl . n. 1 a thing added to
|

bris is often adherent. something else as a supplementary rather

derivatives: ad«her»ence n. than an essential part: computer technology is
ad*he»sive |
asd'hesiv; -ziv |
• adj. able to stick an adjunct to learning.
fast (adhere) to a surface or object; sticky: an a person who is another's assistant or subor-
adhesive label. • n. a substance used for stick- dinate. 2 a word or phrase used to amplify or
ing objects or materials together; glue. modify the meaning of another word or
derivatives: ad»he»sive«ly adv. ad»he« words in a sentence. • adj. [attrib.] connected
sive»ness n. or added to something, typically in an auxil-
ad hoc I
'aed 'hak; 'hok| • adj. & adv. formed, iary way: alternative or adjunct therapies.
arranged, or done for a particular purpose (of academic personnel) attached to the staff
only: [as adj.] an ad hoc committee was formed of a university in a temporary or assistant ca-
to supplement the work of three standing com- pacity: an adjunct professor.
mittees the discussions were on an ad hoc basis
I
derivatives: ad»junc»tive 1
3'j3NG(k)tiv|
I
[as adv.] the group was constituted ad hoc. adj.
 |

adjure 10 adrenaline
ad'jure a'jOOr • v. [with obj. and infinitive] urge
|
|
admonishing: the sergeant lifted an admonitory
or request (someone) solemnly or earnestly finger.
to do something: / adjure you to tell me the derivatives: ad»mo»ni«tion |
.aedma'tti-
truth. SHsnl n.
derivatives: ad»ju»ra»tion ,aEj3'rasH3n |
ad nau*se*am aed 'nozeam adv. referring
|
I
•

n. ad»jur»a»to»ry -a, tore! adj. | to something that has been done or repeated
ad*ju*tant I'aejstsntl • n. a military officer so often that it has become annoying or tire-

who acts as an administrative assistant to a some: the inherent risks of nuclear power have
senior officer. been debated ad nauseam.
a person's assistant or deputy. A*do«nai ,ado'ni; -'noi • «. a Hebrew name
|
|

derivatives: ad»)u»tan»cy n. forGod.

ad*ju*vant |
'asjavsnti . adj. (of medical ther- A«don»iS s'danis (in Greek mythology) a
|
|

apy) applied after initial treatment for cancer, beautiful youth loved by both Aphrodite and
esp. to suppress secondary tumor formation. Persephone.
• n. a substance that enhances the body's im- [as n.] (an Adonis) an extremely handsome
mune response to an antigen. young man.
ad lib aed lib »v. (ad libbed, ad libbing)
I I
a*dopt s'dapt . V. [trans.] legally take an-
I I

[intrans.] speak or perform in public without other's child and bring it up as one's own:
previously preparing one's words: Charles had there are many people eager to adopt a baby.
to ad lib because he had forgotten his script \
take up or start to use or follow (an idea,
[trans.] she ad libbed half the speech. perform method, or course of action): this approach
music without following a written score; im- has been adopted by many big banks. take on
provise. • n. something spoken or performed or assume (an attitude or position): he
in such a way: he came up 7mth an apt ad lib. adopted a patronizing tone adopt a knees-bent \

• adv. & adj. 1 spoken or performed without position. (adopt someone as) choose
previous preparation: an ad lib commentary someone to receive special recognition: at
[as adv.] speaking ad lib. 2 as much and as of- least 23 people adopted as "prisoners of con-
ten as desired: [as adv.] the price includes meals science" remain in jail, formally approve or
and drinks ad lib [as adj.] the pigs are fed on \
accept (a report or suggestion) the committee :

an ad lib system. 3 (in musical directions) in voted to adopt the proposal. choose (a text-
an improvised manner with freedom to vary book) as standard or required for a course of
tempo and instrumentation. study. choose (an animal) to become a
ad li*tem aed 'litsm . adj. (esp. of a guard-
|
I
house pet: we're looking to adopt a mature dog.
ian) appointed to act in a lawsuit on behalf of (of a local authority or group) accept re-
a child or other person who is not considered sponsibility for the maintenance of (some-
capable of representing himself or herself. thing, e.g., a road).
ad»mi*raWy 'sdmsrsltel . n. (pi. -ies) 1 the
|
DERI VAT I v E s a»dopt»a»ble adj. a»dopt»ee
:

rank or office of an admiral. 2 the jurisdiction I

-'te I
n. a«dopt«er n. a»dop»tion n.

of courts of law over cases concerning ships usage: See usage at adapt.
or the sea and other navigable waters.
ad*mis*si*ble ad'misabal . adj. 1 accepta-
i I
a»dop*tive la'daptiv] *adj. [attrib.] as a result
ble or valid, esp. as evidence in a court of law: of the adoption of another's child: adoptive
under certain conditions, hearsay may be admis- parents.
sible. 2 having the right to be admitted to a having a specified relation by adoption:
place: foreigners were admissible only as tempo- adoptive brother adoptive family. \

rary workers. denoting a country or city to which a person

derivatives: ad»mis»si»biW»ty |-,mis3 has moved and in which they have chosen to
'bilite I
n. reside permanently: Paris soon became her
ad*mix*ture aed'miksCHar |
«. a mixture: he |
. adoptive home.
felt that his work was an admixture of aggression derivatives: a»dop»tive»ly adv.
and creativity. a*dorn a'dom . v. [trans.] make more beau-
| |

something mixed with something else, typi- tiful or attractive: pictures and prints adorned
cally as a minor ingredient: green with an ad- his walls.
mixture of black. the action of adding such derivatives: a»dorn»er n. a«dorn«ment
an ingredient. n.

ad»mon»ish lad'manisHj »v. [trans.] warn or ad rem |

'aed 'rem| • adv. & adj. relevant to
reprimand someone firmly: she admonished what being done or discussed at the time.
is

me for appearing at breakfast unshaven [with \

obj. and direct speech] "You mustn't say that,
Ruth admonished her.
[with obj. and infinitive] advise or urge (some-
one) earnestly: she admonished him to drink no
more than one glass of wine. warn (someone)
of something to be avoided: he admonished
the people against the evil of such practices.
derivatives: ad*mon*ish*ment
ad*mon*i*tO*ry
|
ad»re*nal la'drenl] * adj. of, relatmg to, or
"
denoting a pair of ductless glands situated
above the kidneys. Each consists of a core
region (adrenal medulla) secreting epi-
nephrine and norepinephrine, and an outer
region (adrenal cortex) secreting corticos-
teroids. • n. (usu. adrenals) an adrenal
gland.
n. a«dren*al«ine |3'drenl-in| (also adrenalin)
ad'mana.tore |
• adj. giving • n. another term for epinephrine: performing

or conveying a warning or reprimand; live really gets your adrenaline going.

adroit 11 aeolian
(Adrenalin) trademark the hormone epineph- adventures were always adventitious, always
rine extracted from animals or prepared syn- thrust on me.
thetically for medicinal purposes. coming from outside; not native: the adventi-
a*droit a'droit
|
. adj. clever or skillful in I
tious population. (in biology) formed acci-
using the hands or mind: he was adroit at tax dentally or in an unusual anatomical posi-
avoidance an adroit woodworker.
\ tion: propagation of sour cherries by adventitious
derivatives: a»droit»ly adv. a*droit*ness shoots. (of a root) growing directly from the
n. stem or other upper part of a plant.
ad*SOrb laed'zorb; -'s6rb| ' v. [trans.] (of a DERI vat V e s ad»ven«ti«tious»ly
i : adv.
solid) hold (molecules of a gas or liquid or so- ad«ven«tur*ism lad'venCHa.rizamI » n. the
lute) as a thin film on the outside surface or willingness to take risks in business or politics
on internal surfaces within the material: char- (esp. in the context of foreign policy); actions,
coal will not adsorb nitrates \
the dye is tactics, or attitudes regarded as daring or
adsorbed onto the fiber. Cf. absorb, reckless.
derivatives: ad»sorb»a»ble adj. ad»sorp» derivatives: ad»ven»tur»ist n. & adj.
tion n. ad»sorp*tive adj. ad«ver»sar*i»al .aedvar'sereal * adj. involv-
|
|

ad*U*late 'aeja.lat • v. [trans.] praise (some-

|
| ing or characterized by conflict or opposition:
one) excessively or obsequiously. industry and government had an adversarial re-
derivatives: ad*u*la*tion n. ad»u»la»tor lationship.
|-,lat3r| n. ad'u'la'tOTy |-b,t6re| adj. opposed; hostile. (of a trial or legal proce-
a*duHer*ate render
• t;. la'dalts.rati [trans.] dure) in which the parties in a dispute have
(something) poorer in quality by adding an- the responsibility for finding and presenting
other substance, typically an inferior one: the evidence.
meat was adulterated with bread crumbs. derivatives: ad»ver»sar»i»al«ly adv.
derivatives: a«dul«ter«a»tion Is.dslta ad*verse aed'vars; 'aidvars • adj. preventing
| |

'rasHsnl n. a»dul»ter»a»tor |-,rat9r| n. success or development; harmful; unfavor-

a«dul«ter»y 3'd3lt(3)re • n. voluntary sexual
1 |
able: taxes are having an adverse effect on
intercourse between a married person and a production adverse weather conditions.
|

person who is not his or her spouse: she was derivatives: ad»verse«ly adv.
committing adultery with a much younger usage: Adverse means 'hostile, unfavor-
man. able, opposed,' and
usually applied to sit-
is
derivatives: a»did»ter»er n. a»dul»ter» uations, conditions, or events, not people,
ous adj. e.g.. The dry weather has had an adverse ef-
ad*um*brate 'aedam.brat; a'dam-l » v. |

fect on the garden. Averse is related in origin

report or represent in outline.
[trans.]
and also has the sense of 'opposed,' but is
indicate faintly: the walls were adumbrated by usually employed to describe a person's atti-
the meager light. foreshadow or symbolize: tude, e.g., / would not be averse to making the
what qualities in Christ are adumbrated by the repairs myself.
vine? overshadow.
derivatives: ad»um»bra»tion ,£ed9m |
ad*ver»si»ty |£ed'v3rsite| • n. (pi. -ies) ad-
'braSHsn n. ad»um«bra»tive s'dambrativ;
|
|
verse fortune; difficulties: resilience in the face
'aed3m,bra-| adj. of adversity she overcame many adversities.
\

ad va*lo*rem ,aed va'loram • adv. & adj. (of

| I
ad»VO*cate • n. 'aedvakit a person who pub-
\ |

the levying of tax or customs duties) in pro- licly supports or recommends a particular
portion to the estimated value of the goods or cause or policy: he was an untiring advocate
transaction concerned. of economic reform.
ad*vec*tion laed'vekSHanl . n. the transfer of a person who pleads on someone else's be-
heat or matter by the flow of a fluid, esp. hor- half: care managers can become advocates for
izontally in the atmosphere or the sea. Cf. their clients. a pleader in a court of law; a
CONVECTION. lawyer: Marshall was a skilled advocate but a
derivatives: ad'vect i-'vekt| v. ad»vec» mediocre judge. • v. |-,kat| [trans.] pubhcly
tive |-tiv| adj. recommend or support: they advocated strict
ad*vent |
'aEd,vent| . n. [in sing.] the arrival of adherence to Islam.
a notable person, thing, or event: the advent of derivatives: ad«vo»ca»tion |
,aedva
television. 'kasHanI n. ad»vo»ca»tor |-,katar| n.

(Advent) the first season of the Christian ae*gis 'ejis • n. [in sing.] a particular person
|
|

church year, leading up to Christmas and or organization's protection, backing, or sup-

including the four preceding Sundays. (Ad-
vent) the coming or second coming of
Christ.
Ad*vent»ist 'aed,ventist| • n. a member of
|
any of various Christian sects emphasizing
belief in the imminent second coming of
Christ.
derivatives: Ad»ventMsm
ad*ven»ti*tious ,aedven'tisH3s • adj. hap-
pening or carried on according to chance
rather than design or inherent nature: my
port: negotiations were conducted under the
aegis of the UN.
(in classical art and mythology) an attribute
of Zeus and Athena (or their Roman covm-
terparts Jupiter and Minerva) usually repre-
sented as a goatskin shield.
ae*0*li«an |e'olean; a'o-l * adj. 1 (also
|-,tiz3m| n. eolian) relating to or arising from the action
| I
of the wind: fluvial and aeolian sediments. 2 of
or relating to Aeolus, Greek god of the winds.
characterized by a sighing or moaning sound
 |

aerate 12 affiance
as if produced by die wind: there is a pure aeo- 2 someone who gives beauty treat-
esp. in art.
lian quality, a music as of storms telling their se- ments, as in a beauty parlor; a beautician.
cret. aes*tl*val • adj. variant spelling of estival.
aer*ate |
'erat| • v. [trans.] introduce air into (a aes»ti»vate • v. variant spelling of estivate.
material): aerate the lawn with a garden fork. af*fa*ble 'sefabal|
. adj. friendly, good-I

derivatives: aer»a«tion |-'asH3n| n. aer« natured, or easy to talk to: an affable and
a»tor |-at3r| n. agreeable companion.
aer*i*al I'ereall * adj. [attrib.] existing, happen- derivatives: af»fa»biln«ty |-'bilite| n. af»
ing, or operating in the air: an aerial battle \
fa«bly |-ble| adv.
an aerial tramway. aWecti a'fektl . V. [trans.] have an effect on;
I

coming or carried out from the air, esp. using make a difference to: the dampness began to
aircraft: aerial bombardment of civilian targets affect my health [with clause] your attitude will
\

I
aerial photography. (of part of a plant) affect how successful you are.
growing above ground. (of a bird) spending touch the feelings of (someone); move emo-
much of its time in flight. of or in the atmo- tionally: [asadj.] (affecting) a highly affecting

sphere; atmospheric. insubstantial and account of her experiences in prison. (of an ill-
hard to grasp or define; ethereal: the church ness) attack or infect: people who are affected
may draw fine and aerial distinctions. by AIDS.
DERI VAT V E s aer«i»al«ly adv.
I : derivatives: af»fect»ing»ly adv.
aer*ie 'ere; 'ere (also eyrie) • n. a large nest
| |

usage: Affect and effect are both verbs

of a bird of prey, esp. an eagle, typically built
high in a tree or on a cliff.
aer*0*bic Is'robik;
relating to, involving, or requiring free oxy-
gen: simple aerobic bacteria. Cf. anerobic.
relating to or denoting exercise that
improves or is intended to improve the effi-
ciency of the body's cardiovascular system in
absorbing and transporting oxygen.
derivatives: aer»o»bi»cal»ly adv.
aer*0*bics la'robiks;
treated as vigorous exercises designed to
sing.]
strengthen the heart and lungs.
aer*0*dy*nam»ics .erodi'naemiks
n. [treated as the study of the properties
sing.]
and nouns, but only effect is common as a
noun, usually meaning 'a result, conse-
e'ro-] * adj. (in biology)
quence, impression, etc.,' e.g.. My father's
warnings had no effect on my adventurousness.
(The noun affect is restricted almost en-
tirely to psychology.) As verbs, they are used
differently. Affect means 'to produce an ef-
fect upon,' e.g., Smoking during pregnancy
can affect the baby's development. The verb
affect, except when used in contexts involv-
e'ro-| • plural n. [often
ing the feelings, often serves as a vague sub-
stitute for more exact verbs; use sparingly.
Effect means 'to bring about,' e.g., The nego-
|
. plural
I
tiators effected an agreement.

of moving air, and esp. of the interaction be- aWect2 . V. [trans.] pretend to have or feel

tween the air and solid bodies moving (something): as usual I affected a supreme un-
through it. concern [with infinitive] a book that affects to
I

the properties of a solid object regarding the loathe the modern world.
manner in which air flows around it. use, wear, or assume (something) preten-
[treated as pi.] these properties insofar as tiously or so as to make an impression on oth-
they result in maximum efficiency of motion. ers: an American who had affected a British ac-
derivatives: aer»o»dy»namM»cist | -sist cent.
n. aMect^ I
'aefekt; a'fekt |
• n. (in psychology)
aer»0*SOl 'era, sol; -,sal|
|
» n. a substance emotion or desire, esp. as influencing behav-
enclosed under pressure and able to be ior or action.
released as a fine spray, typically by means of derivatives: af»fect»less adj. af»fect»
a propellant gas. less*ness n.
a container holding such a substance. a aWec»ta»tion |
,aefek'tasH9n| • w. behavior,
colloidal suspension of particles dispersed in speech, or writing that is artificial and
air or gas. designed to impress: she called the room her
aes*thete 'es,THet (also esthete) . n. a per-
| |
boudoir, which he thought an affectation.
son who has or affects to have a special ap- a studied display of real or pretended feeling:
preciation of art and beauty. an affectation of calm.
aes*thet*ic |es'THetik| (also esthetic) . ac^/. aWect-ed |
s'fektid |
• adj. 1 influenced or
concerned with or relating to beauty or the touched by an external factor: apply moist heat
appreciation of beauty: the pictures give great to the affected area. 2 artificial, pretentious,
aesthetic pleasure. and designed to impress: the gesture appeared
giving or designed to give pleasure through thoroughly affected. 3 [predic] disposed or
beauty; of pleasing appearance. • n. [in sing.] inclined in a specified way: you might become
a set of principles underlying and guiding the differently affected toward him.
work of a particular artist or artistic move- derivatives: af»fect»ed»ly adv. (in sense
ment: the Cubist aesthetic. 2).
derivatives: aes»thet»i»caWy |-ik(3)le| aWeC'tive a'fektiv . adj. relating to moods,
| |

adv. feelings, and attitudes: affective disorders.

aes*the*ti*cian |
,esTH3'tisH9n| (also esthe- derivatives: af»fec»tive»ly adv. af»fec»
tician) » n. ^ who is knowledgeable
a person tiv»i»ty I
,£efek'tivite |
n.
about the nature and appreciation of beauty. aM i*ance |
a'fians |
. v. (be affianced) be
affidavit 13 agape
engaged to marry: Ann Elliott was affianced assertions. a statement asserting that some-
to Col. Lewis Morris. thing is true of the subject of a proposition.
aWi»da*vit ,aefi' davit »n. a written state-
| | • exclam. expressing agreement with a state-

ment confirmed by oath or affirmation, for ment or request; yes.

use as evidence in a court of law. derivatives: af»firm»a»tive»ly adv.
aWiH-ate . u |3'file,at| [trans.] (usu.be affil- affirm*ative ac*tion . n. treatment benefiting
iated with) or connect (a
officially attach those who tend to suffer from discrimination,
subsidiary group or a person) to an organiza- esp. in relation to employment or education.
tion: the college is affiliated zvith the Univer- aWix . v. a'fiks [trans.] stick, attach, or fas-
I I

sity of Wisconsin. [as adj.] (affiliated) affili-

\
ten (something) to something else: he licked
ated union members. the stamp and affixed it to the envelope. • n.
[intrans.] officially join or become attached to '£E,fiks| an additional element placed at the
I

an organization: the membership of the Na- beginning (a prefix) or end (a suffix) of a

tional Writers Union voted to affiliate with the root, stem, or word, or in the body (an infix)
United Auto Workers. • n. -it a person or or- | | of a word, to modify its meaning.
ganization officially attached to a larger body: DERI vat I v e s af»fix»a»tion .aefik'sasHan
:
| |

the company established links with British affili- n.

3
ates. af*fla*tUS 'flaps • «. a divine creative im-
1
I

derivatives: af»fil»i»a»tion n. af»fil«i»a» pulse or inspiration: the afflatus of youth.

tive |-9tiv; -,ativ| adj. aWlict Is'fliktl »v. [trans.] (ofa problem or ill-
aW in*i«ty a'finite . n. (pi. -ies) (often affin-
|
I
ness) cause pain or suffering to; affect or
ity between/for/with) a spontaneous or nat- trouble: serious ills afflict the industry his \

ural liking or sympathy for someone or some- younger child was afflicted with a skin disease. \

thing: he has an affinity for the music of Berlioz. [as plural n.] (the afflicted) he comforted the
a similarity of characteristics suggesting a re- afflicted.
lationship, esp. a resemblance in structure be- (in astrology, of a celestial body) be in a
tween animals, plants, or languages: a build- stressful aspect with (another celestial body
ing with no affinity to contemporary or a point on the ecliptic) Jupiter : is afflicted
architectural styles. relationship, esp. by mar- by Mars in opposition.
riage as opposed to blood ties. DERIVATIVES : af»flic»tive |-tiv| adj.
aWIrm |
a 'farm |
• v. state as a fact; assert aWliC*tion |
a'fliksHsn I
. n. something that
strongly and publicly: [trans.] he affirmed the causes pain or suffering: a crippling affliction
country's commitment to peace \
[with clause] we of the nervous system.
affirm that God's grace is available to all. \
pain or suffering: poor people in great afflic-
[with direct speech] "Pessimism," she affirmed, "is tion. (in astrology) an instance of one celes-
the most rational view." tial body afflicting another.
declare one's support for; uphold or
[trans.] aWlu»ent 'aeflooant; a'floo- • adj. 1 (esp. of
|
1

defend: the referendum affirmed the republic's a group or area) having a great deal of money;
right to secede. [trans.] Law accept or confirm wealthy: the affluent societies of the western
the validity of (a judgment or agreement); world [as plural n.] (the affluent) only the af-
I

ratify. [intrans.] (in law) make a formal dec- fluent could afford to travel abroad. 2 (of water)
laration rather than taking an oath. (of a flowing freely or in great quantity. Cf. ef-
court) uphold (a decision)on appeal. fluent. • w. a tributary stream.
derivatives: af»firm«er n. derivatives: af»flu»ence n. af»flu»ent»ly
af*firm*a*tion .aefar'masHanl • n. the action
|
adv.
or process of affirming or being affirmed: an aMiux I
'seflaks |
• n. a flow of something, esp.
affirmation of basic human values he nodded \
water or air.

in affirmation. af•front s'frant • n. an action or remark that

|
I

a declaration by a person who

formal causes outrage or offense: he took his son's de-
declines to take an oath (as in court) for rea- sertion as a personal affront this kind of privi- \

sons of conscience. lege is an affront to democracy. v. [trans.] <>

aWirm»a*tlve la'fsrmstivl * adj. agreeing (usu. be affionted) offend the modesty or

with a statement or to a request: / muttered values of: she was affronted by his familiarity.
something affirmative. a»fi*cio»na»dO |3,fiSH(e)3'nado; 3,fisy3-| »n.
(of a vote) expressing approval or agree- (pi. -os) a person who is very knowledgeable

ment. supportive, hopeful, or encouraging: and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or

the music's natural buoyancy and affirmative pastime.
character. active or obligatory: they have an Af«rl*can A»mer»i*can . n. a black American.
affirmative duty to stop crime in their buildings. • adj. of or relating to black Americans.

stating that a fact is so; making an assertion. usage: African American is the cur-
Contrasted with interrogative and negative. rently accepted term in the US, having first
•n. a statement of agreement with an asser-
become prominent in the late 1980s. See
tion or request: he accepted her reply as an af- also usage at black.
firmative.
(the affirmative) a position of agreement a*gape |a'ga,pa; 'ag3-| • n. Christian love,
or confirmation: his answer veered toward the esp. as distinct from erotic love (Eros) or
affirmative \
took the affirmative in the first de- emotional affection.
bate. a word or particle used in making a communal meal in token of Christian
ageism 14 agitate
fellowship, as held by early Christians in derivatives: ag*gran*dize*ment i-|diz-
commemoration of the Last Supper. mant; -diz- n. ag*gran«di2»er n.
1

age*ism |'aj,iz3m| (also agism) »n. preju- ag*gra*vate 'aegrs.vat . v. [trans.] 1 make (a
|
|

dice or discrimination on the basis of a per- problem, injury, or offense) worse or more se-
son's age, esp. against older persons. rious: military action would only aggravate the
derivatives: age*ist (also ag*ist) adj. n. & situation. 2 annoy or exasperate (someone),
a»gen*cy 'ajanse • «. 1 [often with adj.] a
| i
esp. persistently: [as adj.] (aggravating) she
business or organization established to pro- found him thoroughly aggravating and unprofes-
vide a particular service, typically one that sional.
involves organizing transactions between two derivatives: ag»gra»vat»ing»ly adv. ag«
oxhtv psiriits: an advertising agency \
aid agen- gra«va»tion |
.aegrsVasHan |
n.
cies.
usage: Aggravate in the sense 'annoy or
a department or body providing a specific exasperate' dates back to the 17th century
service for a government or similar organiza-
and has been so used by respected writers
tion: the Environmental Protection Agency.
ever since. Writers seeking precision, how-
the function or position of an agent. the ever, would do well to preserve the word's
body of law concerning the rights and duties historical meaning of 'to make heavier,' in
of agents and tlieir principals. 2 action or in- the sense of 'weighing down' or 'piling on,'
tervention, esp. such as to produce a particu-
and not use aggravate as simply another
lar effect: canals carved by the agency of run-
word for irritate. The same goes for aggra-
ning water a belief in various forms of
\

vation when irritation would serve. See also

supernatural agency.
usage at exasperate.
a thing or person that acts to produce a par-
ticular result: the movies could be an agency ag*gre*gate • n. 'asgragit 1 a whole formed \
|

molding the values of the public. by combining several (typically disparate)

a*gen»da a'jenda • ^z. a list of items of busi-
|
|
ness to be considered and discussed at a
meeting: the question of nuclear weapons had
been removed from the agenda.
a list or program of things to be done or
problems to be addressed: he vowed to put jobs
at the top of his agenda \
the
own agenda.
usage: Although agenda
done') is the plural of agendum in Latin, in
standard modern English it is a normal sin-
gular noun with a normal plural form
(agendas).
a*gent pro*vo*ca*teur |a,ZHan(t) pra.voka
elements: the council was an aggregate of three
regional assemblies. 2 a material or structure
formed fi-om a mass of fragments or particles
loosely compacted together.
pieces of broken or crushed stone or gravel
used to make concrete, or more generally in
government had its building and construction work. • adj. [attrib.]
formed or calculated by the combination of
('things to be many separate units or items; total: aggregate
profits.
(of a group of plant species) comprising sev-
eral very similar species formerly regarded as
a single species. denoting the total supply or
demand for goods and services in an econ-
omy at a particular time: aggregate demand \

'tar • n.
I
(pi. agents provocateurs |a aggregate supply. • v. -,gat form or group \
|

,ZHan(t)(s) pr3,v6k3't3r(z) pronunc. same) a I

into a class or cluster: [trans.] the statistics ag-
person, typically working secretly with the gregate men having several kinds of occupation |

police, who
induces others to break the law [intrans.] the butterflies aggregate in dense groups.

so that they can be convicted. derivatives: ag»gre»ga»tion |-'gasH3n|

ag»glom«er»ate . t;. |3'glam3,rat| collector n. ag«gre»ga»tive |-,gativ| adj.
form into a mass or group: [trans.] companies ag*grieved |
a'grevd |
• adj. feeling resent-
agglomerate series of outlets [intrans.] these small
\
ment having been unfairly treated: they
at
particles soon agglomerate together. • n. -rit a \ |
were aggrieved at the outcome his brother is the |

mass or collection of things. aggrieved party.

a volcanic rock consisting of large fragments DERI VAT I V e s ag»griev»ed»ly : |
-vidle |
adv.
bonded together. • adj. -rit collected or \ |
a*ghast la'gaesti • adj. [predic] filled with hor-
formed into a mass. ror or shock: when the news came out they were
derivatives: ag»glom»er»a»tion |3,glam- aghast aghast at an act of cruelty.
I

a'rasHsnl n. ag»glom»er»a«tive |-,rativ; ag*ile 'aejal • adj. able to move quickly and
I
|

-rativl adj. easily: Ruth was as agile as a monkey his \

ag*glu*ti*nate |3'glootn,at| »v. firmly stick vague manner concealed an agile mind.
or be stuck together to form a mass: (as adj.] derivatives: ag»ile»ly raej3(l)le| adv. a*
(agglutinated) rhinoceros horns are aggluti- gil»i«ty I
a'jilite |
n.
nated masses of hair. ag*i*tate I'Eeji.tatl 'V. [trans.] make (some-
derivatives: ag»glu*ti»na»tion |3,glootn one) troubled or nervous: the thought of ques-
'asHsnl n. tioning Toby agitated him [as adj.] (agitated) \

ag*gran*dize |3'graen,diz| »v. [trans.] in- red and agitated with the effort of arguing.
crease the power, status, or wealth of: an ac- [intrans.] campaign to arouse public concern

tion intended to aggrandize the Nazi regime. about an issue in the hope of prompting ac-
enhance the reputation of (someone) be- tion: they agitated for a reversal of the deci-
yond what is justified by the facts: he hoped to sion. stir or disturb (something, esp. a liq-
aggrandize himself by dying a hero 's death. uid) briskly: agitate the water to disperse the oil.
 .

agitprop 15 alexia
derivatives: agn*taf ed*ly adv. ag*i*ta* with arms akimbo, frowning at the small
tion n. boy.
ag*it*prop |
'ajit.prap |
. «. political (origi- (of other limbs) flung out widely or haphaz-
nally communist) propaganda, esp. in art or ardly.
literature: [as adj.] agitprop painters. a^kin |
a'kin I
. adj. of similar character: some-
ag*nate 'a£g,nat . «. a person descended
| |
thing akin to gratitude overwhelmed her ge- \

from the same male ancestor as another spec- nius and madness are akin.
ified or implied person, esp. through the male related by blood: he was akin to the royal jam-
line. . adj. descended from the same male ily
ancestor as a specified or implied subject, esp. a*lac»ri*ty a'laekrite . n. brisk and cheerfiil
| |

through the male line. Cf. cognate. readiness: she accepted the invitation with alac-
of the same clan or nation. rity.
derivatives: ag»nafic laeg'naetik] adj. al*a»me*da |,seb'mad3| *n. (in Spain and
ag*na*tion |sg'nasH3n| n. Spanish-speaking regions) a public walkway
ag*nos*tic |aeg'nastiki • «• a person who or promenade shaded with trees.
believes that nothing is known or can be al*ba*tross '£elb3,tr6s; -,tras . n. (pi. alba- |
|

known of the existence or nature of God or trosses) a very large oceanic bird with long
of anything beyond material phenomena; a narrow wings. Albatrosses are found mainly
person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in the southern oceans, with three kinds in
in God. Cf. atheism. the North Pacific.
a person who professes no belief or position a source of frustration or guilt; an encum-
on a given topic: [as adj.] I'm agnostic on estate brance (in allusion to Coleridge's The Rime of
taxes. • adj. of or relating to agnostics or ag- the Ancient Mariner): an albatross of a mar-
nosticism. riage.
derivatives: ag»nos»ti»cism |-t9,siz3m| al*be»lt ol'be-it; £el-| • conj. although: he was
I

n. making progress, albeit rather slowly.

ag*0*nist I'aeganistI • n. (in literature, etc.) al*bes*cent ael'besant • adj. growing or | |

another term for protagonist, shading into white: the albescent waves on the
derivatives: ag»o«nism |-,niz3m| n. ag» horizon.
©•nis'tic adj. al*bi*no aerbmo • n. (pi. -os) a person or
|
I

ag*0*ra*phO«bl»a .aegara'fobes . n. ex- | I

animal having a congenital absence of pig-
treme or irrational fear of crowded spaces or ment in the skin and hair (which are tfius
public places. white) and the eyes (which are thus typically
derivatives: ag»o«ra»pho»bic |-'fobik| pink)
adj. & n. ag»o«ra»phobe |
'aeg3r3,fob |
n. an abnormally white animal or plant, [as mod-
a«grar»i«an a'greresn . adj. of or relating to
|
|
an albino tiger.
ifier]

cultivated land or the cultivation of land. derivatives al»bi»nism 'slba.nizam n. :

i
|

relating to landed property. • n. a person AI»bi*on 'albean . a poetic or literary

I
|

who advocates a redistribution of landed term for Britain or England (often used in re-
property. ferring to ancient or historical times).
ag»ri«busi*ness 'aegrs.biznis • 1 agricul- | I
al*ca»lc asl'kaik • adj. written in or denoting
I
|

ture conducted on commercial principles, a verse meter occurring in four-line stanzas.

esp. using advanced technology. • n. (usu. alcaics) alcaic verse.

an organization engaged in this. 2 the group al*Che*my 'aElkame • n. the medieval fore-
| |

of industries dealing with agricultural pro-
duce and services required in farming.
derivatives: ag»ri»busi«ness«man ,£eg-
ra'biznisman n. (pi. -men) |
a*gron»0*my a'graname • n. the science of
soil management and crop production.
derivatives: ag»ro«nom*ic laegrs'na-
mik] adj. ag»ro»nomn*cal .segra'namiksl
adj. ag»ro*nomn»cal»ly
rurmer of chemistry, based on the supposed
transformation of matter. It was concerned
i
particularly with attempts to convert base
. metals into gold or to find a universal elixir.
| I
a process by which paradoxical results are
achieved or incompatible elements combined
|
with no obvious rational explanation: his con-
| |
ducting managed by some alchemy to give a sense
|
,segr3'namik(3)le |
offire and ice.

adv. a»feron»o»mist |-mist| n. derivatives: al'chemMC lael'kemikl adj.

a»him»sa s'him.sa ,
n. (in the Hindu, Bud- |
• al»chem»i»cal Igel'kemikall adj. al«che*
dhist, and Jain tradition) the principle of non- mist -mist I I
n. al»che»mize |-,mlz| v.

violence toward all living things. al den*te al |

'denta; eel |
• adj. & adv. (of food,
aide-de-camp ad da ksemp . n. (pi. aides- | |
typically pasta) cooked so as to be still firm
de-camp 'adz pronunc. same) a military of-
I I
when bitten.
ficer acting as a confidential assistant to a se- a*le*a*tO*ry 'ales, tore; 'ael-l •adj. depend- |

nior officer. ing on the throw of a die or on chance; ran-

aide-me*moire |'ad mem'war| *n. (pi dom.
aides-memoires |'adz| or aides- relating to music or other forms of art involv-
memoire same) an aid to the
pronunc. mem- ing elements of random choice by a per-
ory, esp. a book or document. former or artist.
an informal diplomatic message. aHex»i*a la'lekseai • n. the inability to see
a*kim*bO a'kimbo • adv. with hands on the
|
I
words or to read, caused by a defect of the
hips and elbows turned outward: she stood brain. Also called word blindness. Cf dyslexia. .
alfresco
al*fres*CO |
aerfresko; al
open air: [as adj.]
al*ga 'aelga » n. (usu. in pi. algae -je ) a
| I
simple nonflowering plant of a large assem-
blage that includes mainly aquatic kinds such
as seaweeds and many single-celled forms.
Some of the latter are responsible for a green
coating on tree trunks and a green scum or
bloom in ponds.
•Divisions Chlorophyta (green algae), Het-
erokontophyta (brown algae), and Rhodo-
phyta (red algae); some (or all) are fre-
quently placed in the kingdom Protista.
derivatives:
algid • n. cold or
AI*gon*qui*an sergaNGk(w)e9n (also Al-
gonkian) • adj. denoting, belonging to, or
relating to a family of North American Indian
languages formerly spoken across a vast area
from the Atlantic seaboard to the Great
Lakes and the Great Plains. • n. 1 this fam-
ily of languages. 2 a speaker of any of these
languages.
Algonquian forms one of the largest groups
of American Indian languages, including
Ojibwa, Cree, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Fox,
Menomini, and Delaware, which were or are
spoken mainly in the area that now includes
the eastern United States and Canada.
AI*gon*quin |aergaNGk(w)9n| (also Algon-
kin) • «. 1 a member of an American Indian
people living in Canada along the Ottawa Ri-
ver and its tributaries and westward to the
north of Lake Superior. 2 the dialect of
Ojibwa spoken by this people. • adj. of or
relating to this people or their language.
USAGE The : use of Algonquin to refer ge-
nerically to the Algonquian peoples or their
languages is incorrect.
al*go«rithm 'aelg3,riTH3m * n. 2i process or
|
setof rules to be followed in calculations or
other problem-solving operations, esp. by a
computer: a basic algorithm for division.
derivatives: al»go»rith»mic .aelgs
'rixHmikl adj. al»go«rith»nii»cal»ly .aslga
'riiHmik(3)le I
adv.
a*li*as 'aleas I
|
• adv.
named person is
under another specified name: Eric Blair, alias
George Orwell.
indicating another term or synonym: the cat-
fish — alias bullhead is a mighty tasty fry-up.
• n. a false or assumed identity: a spy operat-
ing under several aliases.
(in computing) an alternative name or label
that refers to a file, command, address, or
other item, and can be used to locate or ac-
cess it. . V. [trans.] (usu. be aliased) misiden-
tify (a signal frequency), introducing distor-
tion or error.
al*i*bi 'aeb,bi| • n. (pi. alibis) a claim or piece
I
of evidence that one was elsewhere when an
act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have
taken place: she has an alibi for the whole of
yesterday evening [as adj.] an alibi defense.
an excuse or pretext: a handy alibi for failure
16 allay
|
• adv. & adj. in the and inadequacy. • v. (alibis, alibied, alibi-
an alfresco luncheon. ing) an excuse or defense for
[trans.] offer
| |
(someone), esp. by providing an account of
their whereabouts at the time of an alleged
act: her friend agreed to alibi her.
[intrans.] make excuses: not once do I recall him
whining or alibiing.
al*ien I'alyan; 'aleani • adj. belonging to a
foreign country or nation.
unfamiliar and disturbing or distasteful:
bossing anyone around was alien to him they \
found the world of night school education a little
alien. [attrib.] relating to or denoting beings
al»gal |-g3l| adj. supposedly from other worlds; extraterres-
chilly. trial: an alien spacecraft. (of a plant or ani-
| |
mal species) introduced from another coun-
try and later naturahzed. • n. a foreigner, esp.
one who is not a naturalized citizen of the
country where they are living: an illegal alien.
a hypothetical or fictional being from an-
other world. a plant or animal species orig-
inally introduced from another country and
later naturalized.
derivatives: al»ien«ness n.
aHen*ate I'alea.nat; 'alya-l 'V. [trans.]
1 cause (someone) to feel isolated or
estranged: an urban environment that alienates
its inhabitants [as adj.] (alienated) an alien-
\
ated, angst-ridden 22-year-old.
cause (someone) to become unsympathetic
or hostile: the association does not wish to alien-
ate its members. 2 transfer ownership of (prop-
erty rights) to another person or group.
aHen*a*tion .alea'nasHsn; ,aly3-| » n. the
|
state or experience of being isolated from a
group or an activity to which one should be-
long or in which one should be involved: un-
employment may generate political alienation.
loss or lack of sympathy; estrangement: pub-
lic alienation from bureaucracy. (in Marx-
ist theory) a condition of workers in a capi-
\
talist economy, resulting from a lack of
identity with the products of their labor and
a sense of being controlled or exploited. a
state of depersonalization or loss of identity
I
in which the self seems unreal, thought to be
|
caused by difficulties in relating to society
and the resulting prolonged inhibition of
used to indicate that a emotion. a type of faulty recognition in
also known or more familiar which familiar situations or persons appear
unfamiliar. Cf. dejA vu. (also alienation ef-
fect) an effect, sought by some dramatists,
whereby the audience remains objective and
— does not identify with the actors. the trans-
fer of the ownership of property rights.
al*i*mo«ny 'aeb,mone • «. a husband's or
|
|
wife's court-ordered provision for a spouse
after separation or divorce; maintenance:
paying both alimony and child support.
al*ka*loid 'aelk3,loid • n. Chemistry any of a
| I
class of nitrogenous organic compounds of
plant origin that have pronoimced physiolog-
ical actions on humans. They include many
drugs (rnorphine, quinine) and poisons (at-
ropine, strychnine).
al*lay a'la • v. [trans.] diminish or put at rest
| |
|
(fear, suspicion, or worry) the report attempted
:
to educate the public and allay fears.
allee 17 alphanumeric
relieve or alleviate (pain or hunger): some drugs having effects opposite to the symp-
stale figs partly allayedour hunger. toms. Cf. homeopathy,
alHee a'la|
n. an alley in a formal garden or
|
. derivatives: al»lo»pathMc ,aeb'paeTHik| |

park, bordered by trees or bushes. adj. al»lop»a*thist |-THist| n.

al*lege a'lej • v. claim or assert that some-
|
|
al*lot 3'lat »v. (allotted, allotting) [trans]
1
I

one has done something illegal or wrong, typ- give or apportion (something) to someone as
ically without proof that this is the case: [with a share or task: equal time was allotted to each
clause] he alleged that he had been assaulted | I
[with two objs.] / was allotted a little room in the
[with obj. and infinitive] the offenses are alleged to servants' block. Cf. ALLOCATE.
have been committed outside the woman 's home al*loy • n. '£e,loi a metal made by combin-
I
|

I
he is alleged to have assaulted five men. ing two or more metallic elements, esp. to
(usu. be alleged) suppose or affirm to be the give greater strength or resistance to corro-
case: the first artifact ever alleged to be from sion: an alloy of nickel, bronze, and zinc \
flat
Earhart's aircraft. pieces of alloy [as adj.] alloy wheels. |

derivatives: aWe»ga»tion n. an inferior metal mixed with a precious one.

al*le*giance s'lejsns • n. loyalty or com- |
|
• V. I
'aE|Ioi; a'loi |
[trans.] mix (metals) to make
mitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an alloy: alloying tin with copper to make
an individual to a group or cause: those wish- bronze.
ing to receive citizenship must szvear alle- debase (something) by adding something in-
giance to the republic a complex pattern of \
ferior.
cross-party allegiances. alHude a'lood v. [intrans.] (allude to) sug-
| |
•

al*le*go*ry 'aeb,g6re . n. (pi. -ies) a story,

| I
gest or call attention to indirectly; hint at: she
poem, or picture that can be interpreted to had a way of alluding to Jean but never saying
reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or her name.
political one: Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of mention without discussing at length: we will
the spiritual journey. main points.
allude briefly to the (of an artist
the genre to which such works belong. a or a work of art) recall (an earlier work or
symbol. style) in such a way as to suggest a relation-
derivatives: aWe»go»ri»cal adj. al»le»go» ship with it: the photographs allude to Italian
rist |-ist| n. Baroque painting.
al*le*gro |
s'legro |
• adj. & adv. (esp. as a mu- al*lure |
the quality of being pow-
a'lOOr |
• n.
tempo. • n. (pi. -os)
sical direction) at a brisk erfully and mysteriously
attractive or fasci-
a passage or movement in an allegro tempo. nating: people for whom gold holds no allure. • v.
al*lele a'lel • n. (in genetics) one of two or
| |
[trans.] powerfially attract or charm; tempt: [as

more alternative forms of a gene that arise by adj.] (aJluring) the town offers alluring shops

mutation and are found at the same place on and restaurants.

a chromosome. Also called allelomorph. derivatives: aWure«ment n. al»lur»ing»
derivatives: aWeWc la'lelik; 9'lel-| adj. ly adv.
al*ler*gen 'aebrjan «. a substance that
|
|
• al*lu*sion a'looZHan n. an expression
| |
•

causes an allergic reaction. designed to call something to mind without

derivatives: al»ler»gen«ic ,£ebr'jenik| i
mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or pass-
adj. al»ler»ge»nic»i»ty .Eebrja'nisite n. |
|
ing reference: an allusion to Shakespeare a \

aHe*vi*ate |3'leve,at| ^v. [trans.] make (suf- classical allusion.

fering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe: the practice of making such references, esp.
he couldn't prevent her pain, only alleviate it |
as an artistic device.
measures to alleviate unemployment. aHu*vi*al la'looveall •adj. relating to or
derivatives: al»le»vi»a»tion |3,leve derived from clay, silt, or sand left by flood
'aSHanI n. aWe*vi»a»tor |-,apr| n. water in a river valley or delta (alluvium): rich
al*lit*er*a*tion a.lip'raSHan . n. the occur- | I
alluvial soils.

rence of the same letter or sound at the be- al*ma ma»ter I'alma 'mapr; 'aelmal • w.
ginning of adjacent or closely connected (one's Alma Mater)
the school, college, or
words. "/ put it in a pot on the porch," I pro- university that one once attended.
nounced, unmindful of the alliteration. alliter- \
the anthem of a school, college, or university.
ations are clustered in Anglo-Saxon poems. Cf. al*o*pe*ci*a ,£eb'pesH(e)3| . w. the partial |

assonance. or complete absence of hair from areas of the

derivatives: al»lit»er»ate v. al»lit»er»a» body where it normally grows; baldness.
tive adj. al*pha 'aelfa . w. the first letter of the Greek
I I

al*lo*cate |
'a£b,kat| divide up and
• V. [trans.] alphabet (A, a), transliterated as "a."
distribute (something) in a planned manner: [as adj.] denoting the first of a series of items
the authorities allocated 50,000 places to or categories. (of animals in a group) the so-
refugees \
[with two objs.] students are allocated cially dominant individual: he rose to be alpha
accommodation on a yearly basis. male of his troop at the very early age of 16.
derivatives: al»lo»ca»ble l-kaball adj. phrases: alpha and omega the beginning
aWo»ca»tor |-,kat3r| n. aWo»ca«tion w. and the end (esp. used by Christians as a ti-
aHo«CU*tion ,aeb'kyooSH3n| . n. a formal |
tle for Jesus). the essence or most important
speech giving advice or a warning. features: collective bargaining is seen as the al-
al*lop»a*thy a'lapaXHe . n. the treatment of |
I
pha and omega of trade unionism.
disease by conventional means, i.e., with al*pha»nu*mer«ic |
,a£lf3n(y)oo'merik| 'adj.
altercation 18 ambuscade
consisting of or using both letters and numer- am*a*tO»ry 'aem3,t6re . adj. [attrib.] relating
|
|

als: alphanumeric data an alphanumeric key- \

to or induced by sexual love or desire: his am-
board. • n. a character that is either a letter or atory exploits.
a number. Am*a«ZOn 'aema.zan; 'aemazsn • w. a mem-
|
|

derivatives: al«pha»nu»mer»i«cal adj. ber of a legendary race of female warriors

ahter«ca»tion .oltar'kasHan . «. a noisy ar-
|
|
believed by the ancient Greeks to exist in Scy-
gument or disagreement, esp. in public: / had thia (near the Black Sea in modern Russia) or
an altercation with the ticket collector. elsewhere on the edge of the known world.
al*ter e*go « n. a person's secondary or alter- (also amazon) a tall and strong or athletic
native personality. woman.
an intimate and trusted friend. derivatives: Am*a*zo*ni*an |
.aems'zo-
al*ti*tude 'aelti,t(y)ood • n. the height of an
|
| neanl adj.
object or point in relation to sea level or am*bi*dex*trous ,aembi'dekst(3)r3s| » adj. |

ground level: flight data including airspeed and (of a person) able to use the right and left
altitude flying at altitudes over 15,000 feet. hands equally well: few of us are naturally am-
great height: the mechanism can freeze at alti- bidextrous.
tude. the apparent height of a celestial ob- (of an implement) designed to be used by
ject above the horizon, measured in angular left-handed and right-handed people with
distance. (in geometry) the length of the equal ease.
perpendicular line from a vertex to the oppo- derivatives: am»bi»dex*terM»ty |-deks
site side of a figure. 'terite |
am»bi»dex»trous«ly adv.
n.
derivatives: al»ti»tu«di»nal 'a£lti't(y)oo- |
am*bi«ence sembesns (also ambiance)
|
|

dn-3l| adj. • n. [usu. in sing.] the character and atmo-

al*trLI*ism 'aEltra.wizam • n. the belief in or
|
|
sphere of a place: the relaxed ambience of the
practice of disinterested and selfless concern cocktail lounge is popular with guests.
for the well-being of others: some may choose am»bi*ent 'sembeant |
. adj. [attrib.] of or I

to work with vulnerable elderly people out of al- relating to the immediate surroundings of
truism. something: the liquid is stored at below ambient
behavior of an animal that benefits another temperature.
own expense.
at its am*big*U*OUS aem'bigyawss • adj. (esp. of |
|

derivatives: al»tru«ist n. al»truMS»tic language) open to more than one interpreta-

I
,aeltr3'wistik| adj. al»tru»is»ti»cal«ly |
,£eltr3 tion; having a double meaning: the question is
'wistik(3)le |
adv. rather ambiguous ambiguous phrases. an \
\

a*nial*gam |
a'maslgam I
• w. a mixture or ambiguous expression.
blend: a curious amalgam of the traditional and unclear or inexact because a choice between
the modern. alternatives has not been made: this whole so-
an alloy of mercury with another metal, esp. ciety is morally ambiguous the election result \

one used for dental fillings. was ambiguous.

a*mal*ga*mate 3'm£elg3,mati »v. combine |
DERI VAT I v E s am»big»u»i»ty n. am»big»u»
:

or unite to form one organization or struc- ous'ly adv.

ture: [trans.] he amalgamated his company am*bit |'aembit| • n. [in sing.] the scope, ex-
with another [intrans.] numerous small railroad
\
tent, or bounds of something: within the ambit
companies amalgamated [as adj.] (amalga- \
offederal law.
mated) his true genius lies in synthesis, in an am*blv*a*lent aem'bivabnt • adj. having|
I

amalgamated vision. mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about

(in chemistry) alloy (a metal) with mercury: something or someone: some loved her, some
[as adj.] (amalgamated) amalgamated zinc. hated her, few were ambivalent about her an \

derivatives: a»mal«ga»ma»tion n. ambivalent attitude toward terrorism.

a»man*U*en*SiS |3,meeny3'wensis| * n. (pi. derivatives: am»biv«a»lence n. am»biv»
amanuenses |
- ,sez |
) a literary or artistic as- a»lent«ly adv.
one who takes dictation
sistant, in particular am*bro*sia |sm'brozH(e)9| »n. (in Greek &
or copies manuscripts. Roman Mythology) the food of the gods.
am»a*ranth 'aema.raenTH • n. 1 any plant of
|
|
something very pleasing to taste or smell: the
the genus Amaranthus, some grown for food, tea was ambrosia after the slop I'd been drinking.
usually having small green, red, or purple a dessert made with oranges and shredded
tinted flowers. 2 an imaginary flower that coconut.
never fades. 3 a purple color. derivatives: am»bro»sial adj.
derivatives: am«a»ran»thine |
.Eema am*bu*la*tO*ry 'asmbyals.tore • |
|
adj. relat-
'raenXHin; -,THin I
adj. ing to or adapted for walking.
a*mass |3'm£es| *v. [trans.] gather together or able to walk; not bedridden: ambulatory
accumulate (a large amount or number of patients. relating to patients who are able to
valuable material or things) over a period of walk: an ambulatory care facility. movable;
time: starting from nothing he had amassed a mobile: an ambulatory ophthalmic service. • n.
huge fortune. (pi. -ies) a place for walking, esp. an aisle or

[intrans.] (of people) gather together in a cloister in a church or monastery.

crowd or group: the soldiers were amassing from am*bus*cade raemb3,skad; ,aemb9'skad|
all parts of Spain. • n. an ambush. • v. [trans.] attack from an
derivatives: a»mass»er n. ambush.
 |

ameliorate 19 amoral
[intrans.] ambush: [as adj.] (ambus-
lie in derivatives: a»mi»a»bilM«ty |
.ames'bil-
caded) ambuscaded thousands swarmed up ite| n. a»mi»a»bly |-ble| adv. a«mi»a»ble«
over the embankment. ness n.
a«mel«io»rate a'melys.rat . v. [trans.] make
|
|
am*i*ca*ble 'semikabal • adj. (of relations
|
I

(something bad or unsatisfactory) better: the between people) having a spirit of friendli-
reform did much to ameliorate living standards. ness; without serious disagreement or rancor:
derivatives: a»melMO»ra«tion la.melya there will be an amicable settlement of the dis-
'raSHanI n. a»meHo«ra»tive -rativ; -,rativ |
|
pute.
adj. a»meWo»ra»tor |-,rapr| n. derivatives: am»i»ca»bil»i»ty |
, semika
a*me*na»ble a'mensbal; a'men- • adj. (of a
|
1 'bilite I
n. am»i»ca»bly |
-ble |
adv.
person) open and responsive to suggestion; a*miss a'mis . adj. [predic] not quite right;
|
I

easily persuaded or controlled: parents who inappropriate or out of place: there was
have had easy babies and amenable children. something amiss about his calculations.
[predic] (amenable to) (of a thing) capable • adv. wrongly or inappropriately: how terrible

of being acted upon in a particular way; sus- was the danger of her loving amiss. don 't take \

ceptible: patients with cardiac failure not ame- this amiss, it's all good-humored teasing.
nable to treatment. am*i*ty |
'semite \
' n. a friendly relationship:
derivatives: a»me»na»bil«i»ty a, mens |
international amity and goodwill.
'bilite; a, men- n. a»me»na»bly
1 -ble adv. | |
am*ne*sia laem'nezHal • «. a partial or total
a*mend a'mend • V. [trans.] make minor
|
I
loss of memory.
changes in (typically, a text) in order to make derivatives: am»ne«si»ac | Eem'neze.aek;
it fairer, more accurate, or more up-to-date: -ZHe,aek| n. &.adj. am»ne»sic |-zik;-sik| adj.
the rule was amended to apply only to nonmem- &. n. am»nes»tic |sem'nestik| adj.
bers. am»nes»ty |
'aemniste I
• n. (pi. -ies) an official
modify formally, as a legal document or leg- pardon for people who have been convicted,
islative bill: did she amend her original will later esp. of political offenses: an amnesty for polit-
on? I
Panama to amend its banking
pressuring ical prisoners \
the new law granted amnesty to
laws. make better; improve: ifyou can amend those who illegally left the country. Cf. clem-
people's attitudes. a few things
archaic put right: ency.
had gone wrong, but these had been amended. an undertaking by the authorities to take no
derivatives: a»mend»a»ble adj. a*mend* action against specified offenses or offenders
er n. often during a fixed period: a month-long
a*men«i»ty la'menite; 9'me-| • n. (pi. -ies) weapons amnesty. a general pardon: rebel sol-
(usu. amenities) a desirable or useful feature diers still were offered amnesty. • v.
in the field
or facility of a building or place: heating is (-ies, -ied) grant an official pardon to:
[trans.]

regarded as a basic amenity. this resort has all \

the guerrillas would be amnestied and allowed to
the amenities. return to civilian life.

the pleasantness of a place or a person: the am*nl»on 'aemne,an; -ani • n. (pi. amnions
|

exertion of amenity toward fellow workers. or amnia -nea ) the innermost membrane
|
|

Am»er*a*sian .aemar'azHsnl • adj. having

|
that encloses the embryo of a mammal, bird,
one American and one Asian parent. • n. a or reptile.
person with one American and one Asian derivatives: am»ni»ot»ic |
, semne ' atik
parent. adj: the amniotic fluid is contained within the
A*mer»i»can ln*di*an . n. a member of any of amniotic cavity.
the indigenous peoples of North, Central, amniotic • adj. of or relating to the amnion.
and South America, esp. those of North a»mol< la'mak; a'mak| (also amucl<) 'adv.
America. • adj. of or relating to any of these (in phrase run amok) behave uncontrollably
groups. and disruptively: stone-throwing anarchists

usage: The term American Indian has running amok herfeelings seemed to be running \

been steadily replaced, esp. in official con- amok.

texts, by the more recent term Native a»mor*al a'moral • adj. lacking a moral
|
I

American (first recorded in the 1950s and

sense; unconcerned with the rightness or
becoming prominent in the 1970s). The lat- wrongness of something: an amoral attitude
ter is preferred by some as being a more ac-
toward sex.
curate description (the word Indian recalling derivatives: a«mo*ralM»ty |
,ama'raelite

Columbus's assumption that, on reaching n. a«mor«aWsm |-,lizam| n. a*mor»alMSt

-list n.
America, he had reached the east coast of I I

India) American Indian is still widespread

.
in general use,however, partly because it is
not normally regarded as offensive by Amer-
ican Indians themselves.
a*mi«a*ble I'ameaball having or dis-
playing a friendly and pleasant manner: an
amiable, unassuming fellow.
having pleasing qualities; congenial; agreea-
ble: an amiable movie about a nerdy student's
romantic fantasies.
usage: Amoral is distinct in meaning
from immoral: immoral means 'not con-
forming to accepted standards of morality';
amoral is a more neutral, impartial word
(following the pattern of apolitical, asexual).
• adj.
Amoral, then, may refer to a judge's ruling
that is concerned only with narrow legal or
financial issues, as well as to a 'social devi-
ant' lacking a sense of right and wrong. Non-
moral, meaning 'not to be judged from a
 .

amorist 20 anal

moral standpoint', is used esp. of natural convey that someone is overweight: she stood
phenomena or processes: We accept evolution with her hands on her ample hips.
as nonmoral. derivatives: am*ple*ness n. am*ply
|-p(9)lei adv.
am*0*rist |
'aemsristi • n. a person who is in am*pli»fy |
(-ies, -ied) [trans.]
'aempb.fi I
. V.

love or who
writes about love. (often be amplified)
increase the volume of
am»0»rous 'aemarss • adj. showing, feeling,
| |
(sound), esp. using an amplifier: the accompa-
or relating to sexual desire: she rejected his am- nying chords were amplified to a painful level \

orous advances her mood was amorous.

\ [as adj.] (amplified) amplied pop music was
derivatives: am»o»rous«ly adv. am»o» playing
rous«ness n. increase the amplitude of (an electrical sig-
a*mor*phoUS s'morfas • adj. without a
|
I
nal or other oscillation), "cause to become
clearly defined shape or form: amorphous blue more marked or intense: urban policy initia-
forms and straight black lines. tives amplified social polarization. make mul-
vague; ill-organized; unclassifiable: who can tiplecopies of (a gene or sequence). DNA
interpret his amorphous statements. (of a enlarge upon or add detail to (a story or
group of people or an organization) lacking a statement): the notes amplify information con-
clear structure or focus: an amorphous and tained in the statement.
leaderless legislature. (of a solid) noncrys- DERI VAT I V E s am»pli«fi*ca«tion :
|
.aempbfi
talline; having neither definite form nor ap- 'kasHanI n.
parent structure. am*pul*la |aem'p(50b;-'p3b| • n. (pi. ampul-
derivatives: a»mor»phous»ly adv. a* lae -le ) a roughly spherical flask with two
I I

mor*phous*ness n. handles, used in ancient Rome.

am*or»tize I'aemar.tizl » v. [trans.] reduce or a flask for sacred uses such as holding holy
extinguish (a debt) by money regularly put oil. (in anatomy & zoology) a cavity, or the
aside: loan fees can be amortized over the life of dilated end of a duct, shaped like a Roman
the mortgage. ampulla.
gradually write off the initial cost of (an as- am*U*let 'aemyalit|
» n. an ornament or |

set): they want to amortize the tooling costs small piece of jewelry thought to give protec-
quickly. Cf. depreciate, tion against evil, danger, or disease.
derivatives: am»or»ti«za»tion |
,aem3rti An«a*bap*tism .aena'baep.tizam . n.
|
the |

'zasHan; a.morti- 1 n. doctrine that baptism should be adminis-

a*mour |
a'mOOr; a'mOOr I
• n. a secret or illi- tered only to believing adults, held by a radi-
citlove affair or lover: she used to conduct her cal Protestant sect that emerged during the
amours with great discretion. 1520s and 1530s.
a*mour pro*pre a, moor 'pr6pr(3)| »n. a |
derivatives: An»a»bap»tist n. & adf
sense of one's own worth; self-respect: few a*nach*ro*nlsm 9'naekr3,niz3m • «. a thing | I

indications in him of ordinary amour propre or belonging or appropriate to a period other

common vanity. than that in which it exists, esp. a thing that
am»per»sand '£emp3r,saEnd • n. the sign & is conspicuously old-fashioned: everything
&
i I

(standing for and, as in Smith Co., or the was as it would have appeared in centuries past
Latin et, as in &c. ) apart from one anachronism, a bright yellow con-
am*phet*a«mine £em'fet3,men; -min • w. a | I
struction crane.
synthetic, addictive, mood-altering drug, an act of attributing a custom, event, or ob-
used illegally as a stimulant: the amphetamine ject to a period to which it does not belong:
put him on a high for an hour he was jailed for \
the text is full of anachronisms suggesting later
three months for possessing amphetamines. additions.
am*phib*i*an aem'fibean . n. a |
cold- |
derivatives: a»nach*ro»nis»tic |
a' .naekra
blooded vertebrate animal of a class 'nistiki adj. a»nach»ro«nis»ti«cal»ly |3'

(Amphibia) that comprises the frogs, toads, inaekr3'nistik(3)le |

adv.
newts, and salamanders. They are distin- an»a«CO»lu»thon |
,a:n3k3'loO,THan| . w. (pi.
guished by having an aquatic gill-breathing anacolutha -tH3 |
|
) a sentence or construc-

larval stage followed (typically) by a terres- tion that lacks grammatical sequence, such as
trial lung-breathing adult stage. while in the garden, the door banged shut.
a seaplane, tank, or other vehicle that can op- derivatives an«a»co»lu»thic |-THik| adj.
:

erate on land and on water. • adj. of or relat- an*a*gram 'aens.graem . w. a word, phrase,
| I

ing to this class of animals: reptile and amphib- or name formed by rearranging the letters of
ian biology. another, such as cinema, formed from iceman.
am*pho*ra 'aemfara | |
• n. (pi. amphorae • V. (anagrammed, anagramming) make
I
- ,re or amphoras)
I
Greek or a tall ancient an anagram of; anagrammatize.
Roman jar with two handles and a narrow derivatives: an»a*gram«matMC
neck. I
,aen3gr3'm£etik| adj. an»a»gram»matM»cal
am*ple 'aempall • adj. (ampler, amplest)
I I
laenagra'maetikal |
adj.
enough or more than enough; plentiful: there a*nal 'anl • adj. involving, relating to, or sit-
| |

is ample time for discussion an ample supply of \

uated near the anus.
consumer goods. (in Freudian psychoanalysis) relating to or
large and accommodating: he leaned back in denoting a stage of infantile psychosexual de-
his ample chair. used euphemistically to velopment supposedly preoccupied with the
 .

analects 21 anathema
anus and defecation. excessively orderly flection or agglutination to express grammat-
and fussy (anal-retentive): he's anal about ical structure. the part of mathematics con-
things like that. cerned with the theory of functions and the
derivatives: a»naWy adv. use of limits, continuity, and the operations
an*a*lects |
'senl,ek(t)s I
(also analecta) of calculus.
• plural n. a collection of short literary or phil- derivatives: an»a»lyt»i«cal adj. an»a»lyt»
osophical extracts: analects of Confucius. i»cal»ly adv.
an*al*ge*sic .asnl'jezik; -sik| •adj. (chiefly |
an*a*lyt»ic |,aenl'itik| (also analytical) . ac/y.
of a drug) acting to relieve pain. • n. an an- relating to or using analysis or logical rea-
algesic drug. soning.
an*a*log 'aenl,6g; -,ag| (also analogue) . n.
|
(in logic) true by virtue of the meaning of the
2Lperson or thing seen as comparable to an- words or concepts used to express it, so that
other: the idea that the fertilized egg contains a its denial would be a self-contradiction. (of
miniature analog of every adult structure. a language) tending not to alter the form of
(in chemistry) a compound with a molecu- its words and to use word order rather than

lar structure closely similar to thatof another. inflection or agglutination to express gram-
• adj. relating to or using signals or informa- matical structure.
tion represented by a continuously variable An*a»ni*as ,aen3'm3s (in the New Testa-
| |

physical quantity such as spatial position or ment) the husband of Sapphira, struck dead
voltage. Often contrasted with digital. because he lied (Acts 5)
(of a clock or watch) showing the time by a liar.

means of hands rather than displayed digits. an*a*pest |

'aen9,pest| (Brit, anapaest) . n. (in
a*nai*0*g0US s'nabgas • adj. (often anal- |
|
prosody) a metrical foot consisting of two
ogous to) comparable in certain respects, short or unstressed syllables followed by one
typically in a way that makes clearer the na- long or stressed syllable.
ture of the things compared: they saw the re- derivatives: an*a»pes«tic ,£en3'pestik| |

lationship between a ruler and his subjects as adj.

analogous to that offather and children. a*naph*0»ra a'naefars • n. 1 the use of a
|
I

(of organs, in biology) performing a similar word referring to or replacing a word used
function but having a different evolutionary earlier in a sentence, to avoid repetition, such
origin, such as the wings of insects and birds. as do in / like it and so do they. 2 the repetition
Often contrasted with homologous, of a word or phrase at the beginning of suc-
derivatives: a*nal»o»gous»ly adv. cessive clauses. 3 (in Christian ritual) the part
a*nal*0*gy s'naebje . n. (pi. -ies) a compar-
| I
of the Eucharist that contains the consecra-
ison between two things, typically on the ba- anamnesis, and communion.
tion,
sis of their structure and for the purpose of derivatives: an»a»phorMc iSena'forikI |

explanation or clarification: an analogy be- adj.

tiveen the workings of nature and those of hu- an*aph*ro*dis*i*ac |sn,ffifr3'dize,aek| 'adj.
man societies \
interpreting logical functions by (chiefly of a drug) tending to reduce sexual
analogy with machines. desire. • n. an anaphrodisiac drug.
a correspondence or partial similarity: the an*ar«chic ae'narkik| • adj. with no control-
|

syndrome is called deep dysgraphia because of its ling rules or principles to give order: an anar-
analogy to deep dyslexia. a thing that is chic and bitter civil war.
comparable to something else in significant (of comedy
or a person's sense of humor)
respects: works of art were seen as an analogy uncontrolled by convention: anarchic wit.
for works of nature. (in logic) a process of ar- derivatives: an»ar»chi»cal |-ik3l| adj.
guing from similarity in known respects to an»ar»chi»cal»ly |-ik(3)le| adv.
similarity in other respects. a process by an*ar»chlst I'aenarkist] • n. a person who
which new words and inflections are created believes in or tries to bring about anarchy.
on the basis of regularities in the form of • adj. relating to or supporting anarchy or
existing ones. (in biology) the resemblance anarchists: an anarchist newspaper
of function between organs that have a differ- derivatives: an»ar«chis»tic ,£en3r'kis- |

ent evolutionary origin. tik I

an»ar»chism n.
adj.
derivatives: an*a»log»i»cal |
.aens'laji- an*ar*chy 'aensrke . n. a state of disorder
| |

kall adj. an«a»log»i«caWy |

,sen3'lajik(3)le |
owing to absence or nonrecognition of au-
adv. analogize v. thority: we must ensure public order in a coun-
a*nal*y*sis a'naebsis . n. (pi. analyses
|
I
try threatened with anarchy.
I
detailed examination of the elements
-|Sez I
) social or political confusion: the futility and
or structure of something, typically as a basis anarchy of modern city life. the absence of
for discussion or interpretation: statistical government as a political ideal, and absolute
analysis an analysis of popular culture.
| freedom of the individual: liberty will arise, a
the process of separating something into its liberty that in fact will be identical with anarchy.
constituent elements. Often contrasted with a»nath«e»ma s'ngeTHsms • «. 1 something
| |

synthesis. the identification and measure- or someone that one vehemently dislikes: po-
ment of the chemical constituents of a sub- litical correctness is anathema to her. 2 a for-
stance or specimen. short for psychoanal- mal curse by a pope or a council of the Ro-
ysis. (in linguistics) the use of separate, man Catholic Church, excommunicating a
short words and word order rather than in- person or denouncing a doctrine.
 .

anchorite 22 angular
a strong curse: the sergeant clutched the mal- relating to or denoting exercise that does not
functioning transmitter, muttering anathemas. improve or is not intended to improve the ef-

an*cho*rite 'aeNGka.ntI • n. a religious rec-

|
ficiency of the body's cardiovascular system
luse. in absorbing and transporting oxygen, anero-
derivatives: an»cho»ritMc |
laeNGka'ri- bic exercise like weightlifting requires short sud-
tikl adj. den bursts of energy. Cf. aerobic,
an*cil*lar*y 'aens3,lere • adj. providing nec-
| I
derivatives: an«er«o»bi«caWy |-bik(3)-
essary support to the primary activities or op- le I
adv.
eration of an organization, institution, indus- an»es*theHc |
,aen3s'THetik| (Brit, anaes-
try, or system: the development of ancillary thetic) • n. 1 a substance that induces insen-
services to support its products. sitivity to pain. 2 (anesthetics) [treated as
additional; subsidiary: paragraph 19 was sing.] the study or practice of anesthesia.
merely ancillary to paragraph 16. * n. (pi. • adj. inducing or relating to insensitivity to

-ies) a person whose work provides neces- pain.

sary support to the primary activities of an an*es*the*tist a nesxHitist (Brit, anaes-
|
|

organization, institution, or industry: the em- thetist) • n. a medical specialist who admin-
ployment of specialist teachers and ancillaries. isters anesthetics. (An anesthesiologist is a
something that functions in a supplementary doctor trained in the science of anesthetics
or supporting role: an undergraduate course of {anesthesiology) )
three main subjects with related ancillaries. an»eu*rysm 'aenya.rizsm (also aneurism)
| |

an*dan»te an'dan,ta| • adj. & adv. (esp. as a

|
• n. an excessive localized and often danger-

musical direction) in a moderately slow ous enlargement of an artery caused by a

tempo. • n. a movement or composition weakening of the artery wall.
marked to be played andante. derivatives: an»eu»rys«mal |-,rizm3l|
an*drog»y»nous asn'drajanas • adj. partly i I
adj.
male and partly female in appearance; of in- an*gl«0*sperm 'aenje9,sp3rm n. a plant
|
|
•

determinate sex. that has flowers and produces seeds enclosed

having the physical characteristics of both within a seed vessel (carpel). Most herba-
sexes; hermaphrodite. ceous plants, shrubs, grasses, and trees are
derivatives: an»dro«gyne n. an androgy- angiosperms.
nous individual. an«drog»y»ny -ne n. | |
an*gli*cize 'aeNGgh,siz| *v. [trans.] make
|

an*droid |'aen,droid| • «. (in science fiction) English in form or character: he anglicized his
a robot with a human appearance. name to Goodman [as adj.] (anglicized) an \

an»ec*do»tal .aenik'dotl . adj. (of an ac-

| I
anglicized form of a Navajo word.
count) not necessarily true or reliable, be- DERI VAT I V E s an»gli»ci»za»tion ,aeNGglisi
:
|

cause based on personal accounts rather than 'zaSHsn n. I

facts or research: while there was much anecdo- an*glo*phone 'aeNGgb.fon »adj. English- |

tal evidence there was little hard fact these |

speaking: anglophone students the population |

claims were purely anecdotal. of west Montreal is largely anglophone. • n. an

characterized by or fond of telling anec- English-speaking person.
dotes: her book is anecdotal and chatty. [attrib.] An*glo-Sax*on . adj. relating to or denoting
(of a painting) depicting small narrative inci- the Germanic inhabitants of England from
dents: nineteenth-century French anecdotal their arrival in the 5th century up to the Nor-
paintings. man Conquest.
derivatives: an«ec«do»talnst |-ist| n. of English descent. of, in, or relating to the
an«ec»do»tal»ly adv. Old English language. (of an English word
an*ec*dOte 'a£nik,dot . n.
|
a short and |
or expression) plain, in particular vulgar:
amusing or interesting story about a real in- using a lot of good old Anglo-Saxon expletives.
cident or person: he told anecdotes about his job • n. 1 a Germanic inhabitant of England be-

I
he had a rich store of anecdote. tween the 5th century and the Norman Con-
an account regarded as unreliable or hear- quest.
say: his wife's death has long been the subject of a person of English descent. any white,
rumor and anecdote. the depiction of a mi- English-speaking person. 2 another term for
nor narrative incident in a painting. Old English, the language of the Anglo-
DERI vat v e s an»ec»do»tal adj.
I : Saxons to about 1 150.

a*ne»mi*a la'nemesi (Brit, anaemia) • w. a plain English, in particular vulgar slang,

condition marked by a deficiency of red angst |£eNG(k)st; aNG(k)st| * n. a feeling of
blood cells or of hemoglobin in the blood, deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused
resulting in pallor and weariness. one about lihe human condition or the state
a*ne*mic |3'nemik| (Brit.anaemic) » adj. suf- of the world in general: adolescent angst.
fering from anemia. a feeling of persistent worry about some-
lacking in color, spirit, or vitality: an anemic thing trivial: my hair causes me angst.
rendering of mountain landscape. an*guine • adj. of or resembling a snake.
a*nent a'nent • prep, concerning; about: 77/
|
I
an*gu*!ar 'aeNCgyslarl »adj. 1 (of an object,
|

say a few words anent the letter. outline, or shape) having angles or sharp cor-
an«er*0*bic |
,£ene'robik; .aens- 1
• adj. relat- ners: angular chairs Adam's angular black \

ing to, involving, or requiring an absence of handwriting.

free oxygen: anerobic bacteria. (of a person or part of the body) lean and
animadvert 23 annunciate
having a prominent bone structure: her angu- and allow it to cool slowly, in order
glass) to
lar face. (esp. of a person's way of moving) remove internal stresses and toughen it.
not flowing smoothly; awkward or jerky: his derivatives: an*neal«er n.
movements were stiff and angular, the music is an«nex • v. a'neks; 'seneks [trans.] (often be
\
|

angular and sardonic. placed or directed at annexed) append or add as an extra or sub-
an angle: he launched an angular shot across the ordinate part, esp. to a document: the first ten
face of the goal. 2 denoting physical properties amendments were annexed to the Constitution
or quantities measured with reference to or in 1791 I
[as adj.] (annexed) the annexed dia-
by means of an angle, esp. those associated gram.
with rotation: angular acceleration. add (territory) to one's own territory by ap-
derivatives: an«gu«larM»ty ,aeNGgy3 |
propriation: Roxbury was annexed to Barton
'Igerite; -'ler- 1 n. an'gwlavly adv. in 1868. take for oneself; appropriate: it was
an*i«mad»vert .snamaedVartl »v. [intrans.] |
bad enough that Richard should have annexed
(animadvert on/upon/against) pass criti- his girlfriend. add or attach as a condition or
cism or censure on; speak out against: we shall consequence. • n. 'aeneks; -iks (pi. an- \
|

be obliged to animadvert most severely upon you nexes) 1 a building joined to or associated
in our report many travelers animadvert |
with a main building, providing additional
own towns and cities.
against their space or accommodation. 2 an addition to a
derivatives: ann»mad»ver»sion n. document: an annex to the report.
an*i«mat*ed |
'sen3,matid I
. adj. 1 full of life derivatives: an»nex»a»tion senek |
,

or excitement; an animated conversa- lively: 'saSHsn; ,senik-| n. an«nex«a»tion«ism n.

tion. 2 (of a movie) made using animation an*nex»a»tion«ist |
,aenek'saSH3nist; ,£enik-|
techniques: an animated version of the classic n. & adj.
fairytale. an*ni«hi*late |3'ni3,lat| »v. [trans.] destroy
moving or appearing to move as if alive: an- utterly; obliterate: a simple bomb of this type
imated life-size figures. could annihilate them \
a crusade to annihilate
derivatives: an»i»mat»ed»ly adv. evil.
an«i*ma*tion .aens'masHan | I
. n. 1 the state defeat utterly: the stronger force annihilated its

of being full of life or vigor; liveliness: they opponent virtually without loss.
started talking with animation. derivatives: an»ni»hi»la»tor |-,lapr| n.
the state of being alive. 2 the technique of an«ni»hi»la»tion 3,m3'laSH3n n. |
|

filming successive drawings or positions of an*nu*al 'eenyawsl • adj.

|
occurring once |

puppets or models to create an illusion of every year: the union's annual conference the \

movement when the movie is shown as a se- sponsored walk became an annual event an an- \

quence: [as adj.] animation techniques anima- \

nual report.
tions asbackdrops for live action. calculated over or covering a period of a
(also computer animation) the manipula- year: annual accounts an annual rate of in- \

tion of electronic images by means of a com- crease I

his basic annual income. (of a plant)
puter in order to create moving images. living only for a year or less, and perpetuat-
an»i*mism 'a£n3,miz3m| . |
1 the attribu- ing itself by seed: annual flowers. • n. a book
tion of a living soul to plants, inanimate or magazine that is published once a year un-
objects, and natural phenomena. 2 the belief der the same title but with different contents:
in a supernatural power that organizes and a Christmas annual trade journals, annuals, \

animates the material universe. and directories.

derivatives: an«i»mist n. ann«mis»tic an annual plant: sow annuals in spring, [as an
I
iSens'mistikI adj. annual beds.
adj.] tending the
an»i*mos*i*ty |
.aena'masite |
• n. (pi. -ies) derivatives: an»nu«al»ly adv.
strong hostility: he no longer felt any animos- an»nu«i*ty |3'n(y)ooite| ^n. (pi. -ies) a fixed
ity toxuard her the animosity betiveen \
sum of money paid to someone each year,
Norm and his brother the five decided to put \
typically for the rest of his or her life: he left
aside their animosities. her an annuity of $10,000 in his will.
an*i*mus |
'genamas
• n.^ hostility or ill feel- \
a form of insurance or investment entitling
animus toward her. 2 motiva-
ing: the author's the investor to a series of annual sums: [as
tion to do something: the reformist animus adj.] an annuity scheme.

came from within the Party. 3 the psychologist an*nui |

a'nal |
• v. (annulled, annulling)
C.G. Jung's term for the masculine part of a [trans.] (usu. be annulled) declare (an official
woman's personality. Often contrasted with agreement, decision, or result) invalid: the
anima, the feminine part of a man's person- elections were annulled by the junta amid
ality. renewed protests.
an*nals |
'aenlz |
• plural n. a record of events declare (a marriage) to have had no legal ex-
year by year: eighth-century annals for a small istence: her first marriage was annulled by His
English town. Holiness.
historical records: the annals of the famous Eu- derivatives: an»nul«ment n.
ropean discoverers the deed will live forever in |
an*nu*lar I'senysbr] 'adj. ring-shaped.
the annals of infamy. (Annals) used in the derivatives: an»nu»lar»ly adv.
titlesof learned journals: Annals of Internal an«nun»ci*ate |3'n3nse,at| *v. [trans.] indi-
Medicine. cate as coming or ready; announce (some-
an*neal a'nel . v. [trans.] heat (metal or
| |
thing).
anodyne* 24 Antichrist
an»0*dyne 'aen3,din • adj. not likely to pro-
|
|
indicate that (a document or event) should
voke dissent or offense; uncontentious or in- be assigned to an earlier date: there are no ref-
offensive, often deliberately so: anodyne piano erences to him that would antedate his birth.
music I
/ attempted to keep the conversation as an*te*di*lu*vi*an .aemeda'loovesn i
. adj. |

anodyne as possible. • n. a pain-killing drug or [attrib.] of or belonging to the time before the

medicine. biblical Flood: gigantic bones of antediluvian

something that alleviates a person's mental animals.
distress: an anodyne to the misery she had put ridiculously old-fashioned: they maintain an-
him through. tediluvian sex-role stereotypes.
a*noint |3'noint| • v. [trans.] smear or rub with an»te*ri*or laen'tirearl • adj. 1 nearer the
oil, typically as part of a religious ceremony: front, esp. situated in the front of the body,
bodies were anointed after death for burial. or nearer to the head or forepart: the veins
(anoint something with) smear or rub anterior to the heart. 2 coming before in
something with (any other substance): they time; earlier: there are few examples of gold and
anoint the tips of their arrows with poison. cer- silver work anterior to the dynasty of the Ro-
emonially confer divine or holy office upon (a manoffs.
priest or monarch) by smearing or rubbing DERIVATIVES: an»te«ri»orM»ty |aEn,tire
with oil: [with obj. and infinitive] the Lord has 'orite; -'ar-| n.an»te»ri»or»ly a^/t;.
anointed me to preach to the poor [with obj. and |
an*thol»G*gy sen'THabje • n. (pi. -ies) a
|
|

complement] Samuel anointed him king. nomi- published collection of poems or other pieces
nate or choose (someone) as successor to or of writing: an anthology of Persian poetry.
leading candidate for a position: he was a similar collection of songs or musical com-
anointed as the organizational candidate of the positions issued in one album.
party [as adj.]
\
(anointed) his officially derivatives: an»thol»o»gist |-jist| n. an»
anointed heir. thol»o»gize V.
a*nom*a*IOUS a'namabs • adj. deviating |
I
an*thro*pold 'aenXHrSipoid |
• adj. resem- |

from what is standard, normal, or expected: bling a human being in form: cartoons of an-
an anomalous situation \
sentences that are thropoid frogs.
grammatically anomalous of or relating to the group of higher pri-
derivatives: a»nom«a»lous»ly adv. a* mates, which includes monkeys, apes, and
nom*a*lous*ness n. humans. (of an ape) belonging to the fam-
a»nonn*a*ly |
a'namsle I
• n. (pi. -ies) some- ily of great apes. (of a person) apelike in ap-
thing that deviates from what is standard, pearance or behavior: his crewcut sloped down
normal, or expected: there are a number of to an anthropoid forehead. » n. a higher pri-
anomalies in the present system a legal anom- \
mate, esp. an ape or one of the extinct rela-
aly [with clause] the apparent anomaly that
I
tives of early humans.
those who produced the wealth were the poorest \
a person who resembles an ape in appear-
the position abounds in anomaly. ance or behavior: anthropoids ruled the streets.
derivatives: anomalous n. an*thro»pol*0*gy .aenxHra'pabje • n. the
|
|

an*0»rex*l»a .aena'reksea • n. a lack or loss

|
|
study of humankind, in particular:
of appetite for food (as a medical condition). (also cultural or social anthropology) the
(also anorexia nervosa) an emotional dis- comparative study of human societies and
order characterized by an obsessive desire to cultures and their development. (also
lose weight by refusing to eat. physical anthropology) the science of hu-
an*te*bel*lunn ,aente'bebm| . adj. [attrib.] oc-
|
man zoology, evolution, and ecology.
curring or existing before a particular war, derivatives: an«thro»po»logM»cal -pa |

esp. the US Civil War: the conventions of the an- 'lajikslj adj.an»thro»pol»o»gist |-jist| n.
tebellum South. an*thro*po»mor*phic .aenxHrspsmorfik | |

an*te«ced*ent ,aenti'sednt| • a thing or • adj. relating to or characterized by anthro-

|

event that existed before or logically precedes pomorphism.

another: some antecedents to the African novel having human characteristics: anthropomor-
might exist in Africa's oral traditions. and monkeys.
phic bears
(antecedents) a person's ancestors or fam- derivatives: an»thro»po»mor»phi»cal*
ily and background: her early life and
social ly |-ik(3)le| adv.
antecedents have been traced.a word, phrase, an*thro*po*mor»phism |
.aenTHrspsmor
clause, or sentence to which another word ,fiz3m I
.the attribution of human charac-
n.
(esp. a following relative pronoun) refers. teristics or behavior to a god, animal, or ob-
(in logic) the statement contained in the ject.
"if" clause of a conditional proposition. the derivatives: an»thro»po«mor»phize |-|fiz|

first term in a mathematical ratio. adj. pre- • V.

ceding in time or order; previous or preexist- an*thro*poph*a*gy .aenXHra'pafaje . w. the |

|

ing: the antecedent events that prompt you to eating of human flesh by human beings; can-
break a diet. nibalism.
denoting a grammatical antecedent. derivatives: an«thro»poph»a»gous |-g3s|
DERI VAT I v e s an»te»ced»ence n. : adj.
an*te*date |
'aenti,dat I
. V. [trans.] precede in An*tl«christ 'aEnte,krist; 'senti-i
|
• n. (the
time; come
before (something) in date: a civ- Antichrist) a great personal opponent of
ilization that antedated the Roman Empire. Christ who will spread evil throughout the
anticlerical
world before being conquered at Christ's sec-
ond coming.
a person or force seen as opposing Christ or
the Christian Church.
an»ti»Cler»i*cal .aente'klarikal; ,aenti-|
. adj.
opposed to the power or influence of the
clergy, esp. in politics. • n. a person holding
such views.
derivatives: an»ti»cler •i»cal»ism
,liz3m| n.
an*ti*cli»max .aente'ldi, masks; ,£enti- » n. a
|
disappointing end to an exciting or impres-
sive series of events: the rest of the journey was
an anticlimax by comparison a sense of anti-
climax and incipient boredom.
derivatives: an»ti»cli»mac»tic |-kli'maek-
tik| adj. an»ti»cli»mac«ti»cal»ly |-kli'maek-
tik(3)le| adv.
an»ti»gen 'aentijan • w. a toxin or other for-
| I
eign substance that induces an immune re-
sponse in the body, esp. the production of
antibodies (blood proteins that counteract al-
ien organisms by combining with them).
derivatives: an»ti»gen»ic
adj.
an»ti«he»ro (also anti-hero) • n. a central
character in a story, movie, or drama who
lacks conventional heroic, and displays in-
stead the opposite, attributes.
an*ti*ma*cas*sar
piece of cloth put over the back of a chair to
protect it from grease and dirt or as an orna-
ment.
an»ti»mo»ny 'aents.mone • n. the chemical
| I
element of atomic number 51, a brittle
silvery-white metalloid. (Symbol: Sb)
derivatives: an»ti»mo»ni»al .senta
'moneall an»ti»mo»iiic ,aent9'manik|
adj.
adj. an»ti»mo»ni»ous ,£ent3'mone9s adj.
an»tin»0*my sen'tinsme • n. (pi. -ies) a con-
|
tradiction between two beliefs or conclusions
that are in themselves reasonable; a paradox.
derivatives: an»tin»o»mic
an«ti«OX»i»dant .sente'aksidant; ,aenti-| . n. a
|
substance that inhibits oxidation, esp. one
used to counteract the deterioration of stored
food products.
a substance such as vitamin C or E that
removes potentially damaging
agents in a living organism.
an»ti»pa»thet*ic aen.tipa'iHetik . adj. show-
ing or feeling a strong aversion: it is human
nature to be antipathetic to change.
an*tlp»a»thy aen'tipaXHe|
• n. (pi. -ies) a
deep-stated feeling of dishke; aversion: his
fundamental antipathy to capitalism a \
thinly disguised mutual antipathy.
an*tiph*0*nal asn'tifanl . adj. (esp. in tradi-
|
tional western Christian liturgy) (of a short
sentence or its musical setting [an antiphon])
sung, recited, or played alternately by two
groups. • n. another term for antiphonary, a
book of antiphons.
derivatives: an»tiph»o»nal«ly adv.
an*tip*0*des l^n'tipsdezl » plural n. (the
Antipodes) places on the surface of the earth
directly or diametically opposite to each
other, or those who
25 antithesis
the direct opposite of something: we are the
very antipodes of trades unions.
derivatives: an«tip»o»de«an |-'de3n|
adj. , n.
1 an*ti*quar*i*an .aenti'kweresnl *adj. relat-|
ing to or dealing in antiques or rare books.
valuable because rare or old: out-of-print and
antiquarian books. • n. (also antiquary) a
- | person who studies or collects antiques or
antiquities.
\
derivatives: an»ti»quar»i»an«ism |
-
,niz3m| n.
an»tiq*ul»ty aen'tikwite • n. (pi. -ies) 1 the
| |
\
ancient past, esp. the period before the Mid-
dle Ages: the great civilizations of antiquity.
[with adj.] a specified historical period dur-
ing the ancient past: cameos dating from class-
ical antiquity. (usu. antiquities) an object,
building, or work of art from the ancient past:
a collection of Islamic antiquities. 2 great age: a
church of great antiquity.
an»ti-Sem*i»tlsm • n. hostility to or prejudice
against Jews.
|
,aenti'jenik| derivatives: an»ti-Sem»ite n. an»ti-Se»
mit'ic adj.
usage: Although the term Semitic applies
toArabs and other peoples as well as to Jews
(see Semite), the term anti-Semitism is
used only of prejudice against the latter.
|
.aentems'kassarl » n. a
an*ti»sep»tic ,aenti'septik| » adj. of, relating
|
to, or denoting substances that prevent the
growth of disease-causing microorganisms.
(of medical techniques) based on the use of
such substances. scrupulously clean or
pure, esp. so as to be bland or characterless:
|
the antiseptic modernity of a conference center.
• n. an antiseptic compound or preparation.
j
| |
derivatives: an»ti»sep»ti»cal«ly |-ik(3)-
I
le| adv.
an*ti*SO*cial .aente'soSHal; ,senti-
|
• adj. 1
1 contrary to or rejecting the laws and cus-
adj. toms of society; devoid of or antagonistic to
sociable instincts or practices: a dangerous,
antisocial teenager antisocial acts like vandal-
\
ism. 2 not wanting the company of others;
unsociable.
an»tis»tro*phe aen'tistrafe . n. the second
| |
oxidizing section of an ancient Greek choral ode or of
one division of it. Cf. strophe and epode.
| I
the repitition of words in inverse order. an
inverse relation or correspondence.
an»tith«e»sis aen'tiTHssis . n. (pi. antithe-
|
I
1 ses -,sez ) a person or thing that is the di-
I I
rect opposite of someone or something else:
love is the antithesis of selfishness.
a contrast or opposition between two
I
things: the antithesis betzveen occult and
rational mentalities a figure of speech in
which an opposition or contrast of ideas is
expressed by parallelism of words that are
the opposites of, or strongly contrasted with,
each other, such as "hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all sins": his sermons were full
of startling antitheses. (in Hegelian philoso-
phy) the negation of the thesis as the second
stage in the process of dialectical reasoning.
live there. Cf. synthesis.
antitrust 26 apogee
an*ti*trust .antetrsst; ,aentl- . adj. [attrib.]
|
1 derstand or express speech or written lan-
(of legislation) preventing or controlling guage, caused by brain damage.
trusts or other monopolies, with the intention derivatives: a*pha*sic |-zik| adj. & n.
of promoting competition in business. a«pher*e«Sis a'farisis . «. 1 the loss of a | |

connected with, or engaged in the enforce- sound or sounds at the beginning of a word,
ment of, such legislation: an antitrust suit |
e.g., in the derivation of adder from nadder.
antitrust lawyers. 2 the removal of blood plasma from the body
an*tO»nym |
'j£nt3,nim| • n. a word opposite by the withdrawal of blood, its separation into
in meaning to another (e.g., bad and good). plasma and cells, and the reintroduction of
Cf. SYNONYM. the cells, used esp. to remove antibodies in
derivatives: an»ton»y»mous |aen treating autoimmune diseases.
'tanamasi adj. aph*0*rism 'a£f3,riz3m| • n. a pithy observa-
|

anx*iOUS 'aeNG(k)SH3s • adj. 1 experiencing

|
|
tion that contains a general truth, such as, "if
worry, unease, or nervousness, typically it ain't broke, don't fix it."
about an imminent event or something with a concise statement of a scientific principle,
an uncertain outcome: she was extremely anx- typically by an ancient classical author.
ious about her exams. derivatives: aph»o»rist n. aph»o»ris«tic
[attrib.] (of a period of time or situation) I
,aef3'ristik| aph»o»ris»ti»caWy ,aef3adj. |

causing or characterized by worry or ner- 'ristik(3)le adv. aph»o»rize |-,nz| v.

I

vousness: there were some anxious moments. aph*ro»dis»i«ac .aefra'dize.a^k; - deze-;

|

2 [usu with infinitive] wanting something very -'dezHe- » n. a food, drink, or drug that stim-
\

much, typically with a feeling of unease: the ulates sexual desire: the Romans worshiped the
company was anxious to avoid any trouble \
apple as an aphrodisiac [as adj.] aphrodisiac \

[with clause] my parents were anxious that I get powers. .

an education. a thing that causes excitement: for a few sec-

derivatives: anxMOus»ly adv. anx«ious« onds she'd fallen for the aphrodisiac of music \

ness n. power is an aphrodisiac.

usage: Anxious and eager both mean DERI VAT V E s aph»ro»dis»i»a«cal adj.
I :

'looking forward to something,' but they

a»pi»ar»y 'ape, ere • «. (pi.
|
-ies) a place |

have different connotations. Eager suggests where bees are kept; a collection of beehives.
enthusiasm about something, a positive out- derivatives: a»pi»ar«i»an |,ape'ere3n|
adj. a»pi»a«rist -rist n.
look: I'm eager to get started on my vacation. | ]

Anxious implies worry about something: a*plomb a'plam; a'plami I

» n. self-

I'm anxious to get started before it rains. confidence or assurance, esp. when in a
demanding situation: Diana handled the inter-
a*0*rist |
'aarist |
• n. (esp. in Greek) an un- view tvith aplomb.
qualified past tense of a verb without refer- a*poc*a*iypse s'pakajips . n. (often the |
|

ence to duration or completion of the action. Apocalypse) the complete final destruction
•adj. relating to or denoting this tense. of the world, esp. as described in the biblical
derivatives: a»o«ris»tic i,a9'ristik| adj. book of Revelation.
ap*a*thy 'aepaxne • n. lack of interest, en-
|
|
an event involving destruction or damage on
thusiasm, or concern: widespread apathy an awesome or catastrophic scale: a stock mar-
among students. ket apocalypse \
an era of ecological apocalypse.
derivatives: ap»a»thetMC adj. ap*a»thet» (the Apocalypse) (esp. in the Vulgate Bi-
i»cal»ly adv. ble) the book of Revelation.
a»per»9U aper'soo • n. (pi. aper9us pronunc.
| I
derivatives: a»poc*a»lyp«tic adj. a»poc«
same) a comment or brief reference that a»lyp«ti»cal»ly adv.
makes an illuminating or entertaining point. A«poC»ry«pha la'pakrafal » plural n. [treated
a*pe*rl*tif |a,peri'tef| • n. an alcoholic drink as or pi.] biblical or related writings not
sing,

taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite. forming part of the accepted canon of Chris-
Cf. LIQUEUR. tian Scripture.
a»pex' 'a.peks . abbr. (in the UK) Associa-
I
|
(apocrypha) writings or reports not con-
tion of Professional, Executive, Clerical, and sidered genuine.
Computer Staff. a»poc*ry*phal s'pakrafal . adj. (of a story |
|

a*pex2 'apeksl • n. (pi. apexes 'a,peks9z| or

I |
or statement) of doubtful authenticity, al-
apices 'apa.sez; 'sepa- ) the top or highest
| 1
though widely circulated as being true: an
part of something, esp. one forming a point: apocryphal story about a former president.
the apex of the roof the apex of his career \
(also Apocryphal) of or belonging to the
the highest point in a plane or solid figure, Apocrypha: the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas.
relative to a base line or plane. the growing ap»o»dic»tic |
.aepa'diktik |
(also apodelctic)
point of a shoot. (in botany) the highest • established or beyond dispute.
adj. clearly
level of a hierarchy, organization, or other ap«0«gee 'aepsje • n. the point in the orbit
|
|

power structure regarded as a triangle or pyr- of the moon or a satellite at which it is far-
amid: the central bank is at the apex of the fi- thest from the earth. The opposite of perigee.
nancial system. • V. [intrans.] reach a high point the highest point in the development of
or climax: melodic lines build up to the chorus something; the climax or culmination of
and it apexes at the solo. something: the White House is considered the
a*pha*sia a'fazHs . n. loss of ability to un-
| |
apogee of American achievement.
Apollonian 27 appertain
Ap*Ol*IO*ni*an |
iSepa'Ionean |
• adj. 1 of or to a person (typically one who is dead or ab-
relating to the classical god Apollo. 2 of or sent) or thing (typically one that is personi-
relating to the rational, ordered, and self- fied).
disciplined aspects of human nature: the a*poth»e»car*y a'paTHi.kere . n. (pi. -ies) | I

struggle between cold Apollonian categorization formerly, a person who prepared and sold
and Dionysian lust and chaos. Cf. Dionysian. medicines and drugs.
a*pol*0*get*icS a.pab'jetiks 'plural n. |
|
ap*o»thegm 'aepsjHem (Brit, apoph- | I

[treated as sing, or pi.] reasoned arguments or thegm) . n. a concise saying or maxim; an

writings in justification of something, typi- aphorism.
cally a theory or religious doctrine. derivatives: ap«o«theg»matnc |
laepa-
ap*0*lo«gl*a |£ep3'loj(e)3| • n. a formal writ-
i
XHeg'maetikl adj.
ten defense of one's opinions or conduct: an a*poth»e»0»SlS |3,paTHe'osis| . n. (pi. apoth-
apologia for book-banning. eoses -sez ) [usu. in sing.] the highest point
I I

ap*0*logue 'aepa.log; -,lag| • n. a moral fa-

|
in the development of something; culmina-
ble, esp. one with animals as characters. tion or climax: his appearance as Hamlet was
a*pol*0*gy a'pabje . n. (pi. -ies) 1 a regret-
| I
the apotheosis of his career.
ful acknowledgment of an offense or failure: the elevation of someone to divine status; de-
we owe you an apology my apologies for the de- \
ification.
lay / make no apologies for supporting that pol-
I
ap*pall I
a'pol I
• V. (appalled, appalling)
icy. [trans.] (usu. be appalled) greatly dismay or
a formal, public statement of regret, such as horrify: bankers are appalled at the economic
one issued by a newspaper, government, or incompetence of some ministers [as adj.] (ap- \

other organization: the government demanded palled) Alison looked at me, appalled.
an apology from the ambassador. (apologies) ap*pa*rat*chik ,ap3'raCHik| »n. (pi appa- |

used to express formally one's regret at being ratchiks or apparatchiki) an official in a

unable to attend a meeting or social function: large organization, typically a political one:
apologies for absence were received from Republican apparatchiks.
Miss Brown. 2 (an apology for) a very poor a member of a Communist Party political
or inadequate example of: we were shown into machine.
an apology for a bedroom. 3 a reasoned argu- ap«pa*rat«US -'rapsi * n. (pi.
|
.aepa'rseps;
ment or writing in justification of something, apparatuses) the equipment needed for a 1
typically a theory or religious doctrine: a spe- particular activity or purpose: laboratory ap-
cious apology for capitalism. paratus.
phrases: with apologies to used before the organs used to perform a particular bod-
the name of an author or artist to indicate ily function: the specialized male and female
that something is a parody or adaptation of sexual apparatus. 2 a complex structure
their work: here, with apologies to Rudyard within an organization or system: the appa-
Kipling, is a more apt version of "If." ratus of government. 3 (also critical appa-
ap*0*plec*tic .aepa'plektikl • adj. overcome
|
ratus or apparatus criticus) a collection of
with anger; extremely indignant: Mark was notes, variant readings, and other matter
apoplectic with rage at the decision. accompanying a printed text.
relating to or denoting apoplexy (stroke): an ap*pa*ri*tlon ,aep3'riSH3n » n. a ghost or
|
\

apoplectic attack. ghostlike image of a person.

derivatives: ap»o»plec«ti»cal»ly |-ik(3)- the appearance of something remarkable or
le| adv. unexpected, typically an image of this type:
a»po*ri*a a 'pores
|
n. an irresolvable inter- |
• twentieth-century apparitions of the Virgin.
nal contradiction or logical disjunction in a derivatives: ap«pa»ri»tion»al |-SH3nl|
text, argument, or theory: the celebrated aporia adj.
whereby a Cretan declares all Cretans to be liars. ap*pease |
a'pez |
• v. [trans.] 1 pacify or pla-
the expression of doubt. cate (someone) by acceding to demands:
a*pos*ta*sy |
a'pastase |
. n. the abandon- amendments have been added to appease local
ment or renunciation of a religious or politi- pressure groups. 2 relieve or satisfy (a demand
cal belief. or a feeling): we give to charity because it
derivatives: a»pos»tate adj. & n. a»po» appeases our guilt.
stat»i»cal adj. a»pos»ta»tize v. derivatives: ap»pease»ment n. ap»peas»
a pos*te*ri*0*ri |
'a pa,stire'6,re; -.ri; 'a |
. adj. er n.
relating to or denoting reasoning or knowl- ap*pel*late a'pelit . adj. [attrib.] (typically of
|
|

edge that proceeds from observations or a court) concerned with or dealing with
experiences to the deduction of probable applications for decisions to be reversed
causes. Cf. a priori. (appeals).
[sentence adverb] (loosely) of the nature of an ap»peHa*tion |
,£ep3'IaSH3n| • n. a name or
afterthought or subsequent rationalization. title: the city fully justifies its appellation "the
• adv. in a way based on reasoning from Pearl of the Orient."
known facts or past events rather than by the action of giving a name to a person or
making assumptions or predictions. thing.
(loosely) with hindsight; as an afterthought. ap»per*tain .gepar'tan . v. [intrans.] 1 (ap-
| I

a«pos*tro»phe s'pastrafe • w. an exclama-

| I
pertain to) relate to; concern: the answers
tory passage in a speech or poem addressed generally appertain to improvements in stan-
applique 28 aqueduct
dards of service. 2 be appropriate or applica- priate to a wartime take appropriate economy \

ble: the institutional arrangements that apper- precautions. • v. -,at [trans.] 1 take (some- \ |

tain under this system. thing) for one's own use, typically without the
ap«pli*que .aepli'ka • w. a technique of or-
|
|
owner's permission: his images have been
namental needlework in which pieces of fab- appropriated by adverti.'<ers. 2 set aside (money
ric are sewn or stuck onto a large piece of fab- or assets) for a special purpose: there can be
ric to form pictures or patterns. problems in appropriating funds for legal
a piece of such work. • v. (appliques, expenses.
appliqued, appliqueing) [trans] (usu. be derivatives: ap»pro»pri«ate»ly |-itle|
appliqued) decorate (a piece of fabric) in adv. [sentence adverb] appropriately, the first re-

such a way: the coat is appliqued with exotic- cital loill he given at the festival. ap«pro»
looking cloth [as adj.J (appliqued) 19th-
I
pri»ate»ness |
-itnis |
n. ap»pro»pri»a«tor
century appliqued silks. |-,ator| //.

sew or stick (pieces of fabric) onto a large ap«pur«te*nance a'p^rtn-ons . n. (usu. |

|

piece of fabric to form pictures or patterns: appurtenances) an accessory or other item

the floral motifs are appliqued to christening associated with a particular activity or style of
robes. living: all the appurtenances of luxurious travel.
ap«por»tion |3'p6rsH3n| »v. [trans.] divide a prl»0»ri 'a pre'dre; pri'on; 'a • adj. relating
| |

and allocate: voting power will be apportioned
according to population.
assign: they did not apportion blame or liabil-
ity to any one individual.
ap*por»tion«ment s porsnanmant • «. the
action or result of apportioning something:
an exercise in apportiomnent of blame.
the determination of the proportional num-
to or denoting reasoning or knowledge that
proceeds from theoretical deduction rather
than from observation or experience: data
challenging a priori assumptions about human
| |
nature. • adv. in a way based on theoretical
deduction rather than empirical observation:
sexuality may be a factor but it cannot be as-
sumed a priori. [sentence adverb] a priori, it \

ber of members each state sends to the U.S. zuould seem that his government was an extension
House of Representatives, based on popula- of Syrian power.
tion figures. derivatives: a»pri«o»rism |
,apri'6riz9m;
ap*po*Site 'spazit • adj. apt in the circum-
|
|
-pre-; ,apre- 1 n.
stances or in relation to something: searched ap*ro»pos liO^pra'pol 'prep, with reference
for an apposite quotation the observations are \
to; concerning: she remarked apropos of the
apposite to the discussion. initiative, "It's not going to stop the abuse."
derivatives: ap»po»site»ly adv. ap»po» • adv. (sentence adverb] (apropos of nothing)
site*ness n. used to state a speaker's belief that someone's
ap*praise a'praz |
|
• v. [trans.] assess the value comments or acts are unrelated to any previ-
or quality of: she stealthiliy appraised him in a ous discussion or situation: Isabel kept smiling
pocket mirror [intrans.] the interviewer's job is to
\
apropos of nothing. • adj. [predic] very appro-
appraise and evaluate. priate to a particular situation: the composer's
(of an official or expert) set a price on; value: reference to child's play is apropos.
they appraised the painting at $200,000. apse I
aeps I
• «. 1 a large semicircular or po-
DERiVAi iVEs: ap*prais*al n. ap*prais*er lygonal recess in a church, arched or with a
n. ap«prais»ing»ly adv. domed roof and typically at the eastern (al-
tar) end. 2 another term for apsis.
usage: Appraise, meaning 'evaluate,'
should not be confused with apprise, which D E r va t v F, s ap*si*dal 'aspsidl adj.
i I :
| |

means 'inform': The painting was appraised at ap*SiS 'apsis . n. (pi. apsides -,dez ) ei-
I I | |

ther of two points on the orbit of a planet or

$3,000,000. They gasped when apprised of this
satellite that are nearest to or farthest from
valuation.
the body around which it moves.
ap»pre»hen»Sion |
,apri'henCH3n |
* n. 1 an- derivatives: ap«si»dal I'aepsidli adj.
xiety or fear that something bad or unpleas- ap*ti*tude |
'£epti,t(y)(5f)d| .1 n. (often apti-
ant will happen: he felt sick with apprehension tude for) a natural ability to do something:
1
she had some apprehensions about the filming. the child's remarkable aptitude for learning
2 intellectual faculty or action; understand- zuords.
ing; grasp: a writer with a real apprehension of a natural tendency: the team 's natural apti-
poverty \
the pure apprehension of the work of tude for failure. 2 suitability or fitness; apt-
art. 3 the action of arresting someone: they ness: aptitude of expression.
ran to avoid apprehension. aq*ua*CUl*ture 'akw9,k3lCH9r; 'sek-l . n. the |

ap'prise o'prlz • v. [trans.] inform or tell

|
|
rearing of aquatic animals or the cultivation
(someone) / thought it right to apprise Chris
: of aquatic plants for food. Cf hydropcwics.
of zvhat had happened. aq*ua*plane |'akw3,plan; 'ak-l • n. a board
ap»pro»ba»tion .sepra'basHan « n. approval | I
for riding on water, pulled by a speedboat.
or praise: the opera met with high approbation. • V. [intrans.] [often as n ]
(aquaplaning) ride
DERI VAT V E s ap»pro»ba«tive 'aepro.bakh
I :
|
standing on an aquaplane.
tiv; a'prObativ adj. ap»pro«ba»to»ry |
a |
(of a vehicle) slide uncontrollably on a wet
'pr5b3,t6re| adj. surface; hydroplane: the plane is believed to
ap*pro*pri*ate . adj. a'prOpre-it suitable or |
|
have aquaplaned on the rumvay.
proper in the circumstances: a measure appro- aq*ue*duct 'akw9,d3kt; 'ak- » n. an artifi-
|
|
 .

aquiline 29 archipelago
cialchannel for conveying water, typically in sides. a series of arches supporting a wall,
the form of a bridge supported by tall or set along it. Cf. colonnade. 2 (short for

columns across a valley. Cf. viaduct. video arcade) a building or establishment

a small body canal containing fluid. containing electronic entertainment devices.
aq*ui*line |
'aekwa.lin; -lin |
• adj. like an derivatives: ar«cad»ed adj. ar»cadnng
eagle. n.
(of a person's nose) hooked or curved like an Ar*ca*dl«a jar'kadeal a mountainous district
eagle's beak. in the Peloponnese of southern Greece. In
ar*a*besque ,aer3'besk; ,er-| • n. 1 an orna-
|
poetic fantasy it represents a pastoral para-
mental design consisting of intertwined flow- dise and in Greek mythology it is the home of
ing lines, originally found in Arabic or Moor- Pan.
ish decoration: [as adj.] arabesque scrolls. an ideal region of rural contentment.
a musical passage or composition with fan- ar»ca*na |ar'kan9| « plural n. [treated as sing.
ciful ornamentation of the melody. 2 a ballet or pi.] (sing, arcanum |-n9m|) secrets or
posture in which the body is bent forward mysteries: his knowledge of federal budget
and supported on one leg, with the other leg arcana is legendary.
extended horizontally backward and the [treated as sing.] two groups of
either of the
arms extended one forward and one back- cards in a tarot pack: the twenty-two trump
ward. cards (the major arcana) and the fifty-six
ar*a»b!e 'aerabal; 'er- • adj. (of land) used or
|
1 suit cards (the minor arcana).
suitable for growing crops. ar»cane |ar'kan| » adj. understood by few;
(of crops) able to be grown on such land. mysterious or secret: modern math and its ar-
concerned with growing such crops: arable cane notation.
farming. land or crops of this type.
• n. DERI VAT I v E s ar»cane»ly adv.
:

ar»bi*ter . n. a person or force that

|
'arbipr| ar»chae»oho»gy |,arke'abje| (also archeol-
settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in ogy) • n. the study of human history and pre-
a matter: the military acted as arbiter of conflicts history through the excavation of sites and
between political groups. Cf arbitrator. . the analysis of artifacts and other physical re-
(usu. arbiter of) someone whose views or mains.
actions have great influence over trends in so- DERIVATIVES: ar»chae»o»log»ic |-3'lajik|
cial behavior: an arbiter of taste. adj. ar»chae»o»log«i»cal |-3'lajik9l| adj. ar»
ar»bi*trage 'arb3,traZH| »n. the simultane-
|
chae»o»log«i»caWy | -3'lajik(9)le |
adv. ar*
ous buying and selling of securities, currency, chae»ol»o»gist -jist n. |
|

or commodities in different markets or in de- ar«cha»ic |ar'kaik| 'adj. very old or old-
rivative forms in order to take advantage of fashioned; primitive: prisons are run on archaic
differing prices for the same asset. • v. methods.
[intrans.] buy and sell assets in such a way. (of a word or a style of language) no longer
ar*bi»trar*y 'arbi.trere • adj. based on ran-
|
|
in everyday use but sometimes used to impart
dom choice or personal whim, rather than an old-fashioned flavor. of an early period
any reason or system: his mealtimes were en- of art or culture, esp. the 7th-6th centuries bc
tirely arbitrary. in Greece: the archaic temple at Corinth.
(of power or a ruling body) unrestrained and derivatives: ar»cha»i»cal»ly |-ik(9)le|
autocratic in the use of authority: the commis- adv.
sion has been criticized as arbitrary in its regula- ar*cha*ism |'arke,iz9m; 'arka-| » n. a thing
tion of the sport. (of a mathematical constant that very old or old-fashioned.
is

or other quantity) of unspecified value. an archaic word or style of language or art.

DERI VAT I v E s ar»bi»trar»i»ly ,arb3'trer- :
|
the use or conscious imitation of very old or
9le adv. ar«bi»trar»i«ness n.
I
old-fashioned styles or features in language
ar»bl*trate I'arbi.tratl 'V. [intrans.] (of an in- or art.
dependent person or body) reach an author- derivatives: ar«cha»is«tic arke istik; |
, '

itative judgment or settlement: the board has ,arka-| adj.

the power to arbitrate in disputes \
[trans.] it set ar»Che»type 'ark(9),tip| • w. a very typical
|

up a commission to arbitrate border tensions. Cf example of a certain person or thing: the book
MEDIATE. is a perfect archetype of the genre.
derivatives: ar«bi»tra*tion n. an original that has been imitated: the arche-
ar»bi*tra*tor |
'arbi,trat3r| . n. an indepen- type offaith is Abraham. a recurrent symbol
dent person or body officially appointed to or motif in literature, art, or mythology: myth-
settle a dispute. Cf. arbiter. ological archetypes of good and evil. (in Jun-
ar«bor«i*CUl*ture 'arbari.kalCHar; ar'b6ri-| |
gian psychology) a primitive mental image
• the cultivation of trees and shrubs. Cf.
n. inherited from the earliest human ancestors,
SILVICULTURE. and supposed to be present in the collective
derivatives: ar»born»cul«tur»al .arbsrs |
UNCONSCIOUS.
'kalCHsrsl; ar'b6ri,k3lCH9r3l adj. ar»borM» |
derivatives: ar»che»typ«al adj. ar»che»
cul«tur«ist larbars'kalcHarist; ar'bors I
typn'cal ,ark(9)'tipik9l adj.
| |

.kalCHaristl n. ar«chi*pel*a*go ,ark9'pel9,go| • n. (pi. -osor

|

ar*cade ar'kad •|
1 a covered passageway |
-oes) a group of islands.
with arches along one or both sides. a sea or stretch of water containing many
a covered walk with stores along one or both islands.
 -

architectonic 30 aromatic
ar»chi»tec»ton*ic ,arki,tek'tanik| 'adj. of or |
for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or
relating to architecture or architects. oratorio.
(of an artistic composition or physical ap- ar»id 'aerid; 'er-
|
adj. (of land or a climate)
1 •

pearance) having a clearly defined structure, having little or no precipitation; too dry or
esp. one that is artistically pleasing: the paint- barren to support vegetation: hot and arid
ing's architectonic harmony. • n. (architec- conditions.
tonics) [usu. treated as sing.] the scientific lacking in interest, excitement, or meaning:
study of architecture. his arid years in suburbia. the second piece was \

musical, literary, or artistic structure: the an arid rhythmic exercise

architectonics of Latin prose. derivatives: a«rid»i»ty |9'ridite| n. av
derivatives: ar«chi»tec»ton»i»cal»ly |
id'ly adv. ar»id«ness n.
ik(3)le| adv. ar*is*tOC»ra»cy |
.aeri'stakrase; ,er-| * n. (pi.

ar«chive (usu. archives) . n. a col-

|
'ar,kiv| -ies) [treated as (usu. the aristo-
sing, or pt.]

lection of historical documents or records cracy) the highest class in certain societies,
providing information about a place, institu- esp. those holding hereditary titles or offices,
tion, activity, or group of people: source mate- and usually landed estates: the ancient Polish
rials in local archives [as adj.] a section of ar- \
aristocracy had hereditary right to elect the
chive film. king.
the place where such documents or records a form of government in which power is held
are kept: to get into the archives I had to fill in a by the nobility. a state governed in this way.
request form. • v. [trans.] place or store (some- a group regarded as privileged or superior
thing) in such a collection or place. in a particular sphere: high-level technocrats
(in computing) transfer (data) to a less fre- make up a large part of this "technical aristo-
quently used storage medium such as mag- cracy."
netic tape, typically external to the computer derivatives: a»ris»to»crat n. a»ris»to«
system and having a greater storage capacity. crat'ic adj. a»ris«to«crat»ic»al»ly adv.
DERIVATIVES ar»chi»val : |ar'kiv3l| adj. av usage: Aristocracy, oligarchy, and plu-
chi'vist n.
tocracy are sometimes confused. All mean
ar«CU*ate |
'arkyawit; -,wat |
• adj. shaped like
some form of rule by a small elite. Aristo-
a bow; curved: the arcuate sweep of the chain of
cracy is rule by a traditional elite, held to be
islands.
made up of 'the best' people, and is usually
ar*dent |'ardnt| ^adj. enthusiastic or pas- hereditary. Oligarchy is literally rule by a
sionate: an ardent baseball fan an ardent \

few. Plutocracy is rule by the (necessarily

suitor.
few) very rich.
burning; glowing: ardent flames.
derivatives: ar»denfly adv. ar*ma*da ar'mada • n. a fleet of warships:
|
I

ar«dor |
'ardar] (Brit, ardour) . n. enthusiasm an armada of destroyers, minesweepers, and gun-
or passion: the stirrings of revolutionary ardor \
boats.
with the ardor of a lover. (the Spanish Armada) a Spanish naval in-
ar*du*OUS 'arjawas • adj. involving or
| |
vasion force sent against England and
requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tir- defeated in 1588. any fleet of boats, or the
ing: an arduous journey. like: an armada of inflatable rafts the snow- \

derivatives: ar»du»ous»ly adv. ar»du» removal armada will grow to 135 plows.
ous*ness n. Ar*ma*ged*don .arma'gedn . n. (in the | I

a«re*0«la la'resbl » n. (pi. areolae |-,le|) New Testament) the last battle between good
Anatomy a small circular area, in particular the and evil before the Day of Judgment.
ring of pigmented skin surrounding a nipple. the place where this will be fought. a dra-
any of the small spaces between lines or matic and catastrophic conflict, typically seen
cracks on a leaf or an insect's wing. (in med- as likely to destroy the world or the human
icine) a reddened patch around a spot or race: nuclear Armageddon.
papule. ar*ma»ture |
'arm3,CH0Dr; -,CH3r| . n. 1 the

derivatives: a*re»o»lar adj., a»re»o»late rotating coil or coils of a dynamo or electric

|-lit;-,lat| adj. motor.
a*rete |
s'rat |
» n. a sharp mountain ridge. any moving part of an electrical machine in
ar*gent |
'arjsnti • adj. silver; silvery white: r/ze which a voltage is induced by a magnetic
argent moon. • n. silver as a heraldic tincture. field. a piece of iron or other object acting
Ar*go*nautS |'arg3,n6ts| (in Greek mythol- as a keeper for a magnet. 2 a metal framework
ogy) a group of heroes who accompanied on which a sculpture is molded with clay or
Jason on board the ship Argo in the quest for similar material. 3 the protective covering of
the Golden Fleece. an animal or plant.
(argonaut) an adventurer with a quest, esp. formerly, armor.
for gold; an explorer. ar*0»mat*ic .sera'maetik; ,er-| • adf 1 having
|

ar»go*sy |
'argase |
• n. (pi. -ies) a large mer- a pleasant and distinctive smell: a massage
chant ship, originally one from Ragusa (now with aromatic oils. 2 (of an organic chemical
Dubrovnik) or Venice. compound) containing a planar unsaturated
ar*got 'argo; -gat • n. the jargon or slang of
|
|
ring of atoms that is stabilized by an interac-
a particular group or class: teenage argot. tion of the bonds forming the ring. Such
a»ri«a I'areal • n. a long, accompanied song compounds are typified by benzene and its
 |

arpeggio 31 artifice

derivatives. * n. ^ a substance or plant emit- importance; unduly assuming authority;

ting a pleasant and distinctive smell. 2 (usu. overly proud: he's arrogant and opinionated a |

aromatics) an aromatic chemical com- typically arrogant assumption.

pound. derivatives: ar»ro»gance n. ar»ro»gant«
derivatives: ar«o»mat»i»caWy | -ik(3)le ly adv.
adv. ar»o»ma»tic»i»ty j-ma'tisitei n. ar»ro«gate 'aero, gat; 'er- . V. [trans.] take or
|
1

ar«peg*gi*0 |
-OS) the notes
ar'peje,o |
• n. (pi. claim (something) for oneself without justifi-
of a musical chord played in succession, ei- cation: they arrogate to themselves the abil-
ther ascending or descending. ity to divine the nation 's true interests.
DERI VAT I V E s ar»peg»gi»ate v. ar*peg»gi»
: DERI vat V e s ar«ro»ga*tion
I :
!
.aers'gasHsn;
a*tion n. 'er-| n.
ar*raign s'ran • v. (often be arraigned)
| |
ar*SOn 'arsan • «. the criminal act of delib-
| |

call or bring (someone) before a court to an- erately setting fire to property: police are treat-
swer a criminal charge; indict: Nick was ing the fire as arson \
[as adj.] an arson attack.
arraigned on Thursday her sister was |
derivatives: ar»sonMst |-nist| n.
arraigned on attempted murder charges. art dec»0 • n. the predominant decorative art
find fault with (someone or something); cen- styleof the 1920s and 1930s, characterized
sure: the soldiers bitterly arraigned the govern- by precise and boldly delineated geometric
ment for failing to keep its word. shapes and strong colors, and used most no-
DERI VAT V E s ar»raign»ment
I : n. tably in household objects and in architec-
ar*rant |
'aerant; 'er-| • adj. [attrib.] 1 complete, ture: art deco furniture the Art Deco district of \

utter:what arrant nonsense! 2 public, notori- Miami Beach

ous: an arrant liar. ar«te»sian ar'teZHsn • adj.
|
relating to or |

ar*ras |
'aerss; 'er-| • n. a rich tapestry, typi- denoting a well bored perpendicularly into
cally hung on the walls of a room or used to water-bearing strata lying at an angle, so that
conceal an alcove. natural pressure produces a constant supply
amay la'rai • n. 1 an impressive display or of water with little or no pumping.
range of a particular type of thing: there is a ar«tlC»U»late • adj. lar'tikysliti 1 having or
vast array of literature on the topic a bewilder- |
showing the ability to speak fluently and co-
ing array of choices. 2 an ordered arrange- herently: an articulate account of their experi-
ment, in particular: ences. 2 having joints or jointed segments.
an arrangement of troops. (in mathemat- denoting a brachiopod that has projections
ics) an arrangement of quantities or symbols and sockets that form a hinge joining the two
in rows and columns; a matrix. (in com- halves of the shell. *v. |-,lat| 1 [trans.]
puting) an ordered set of related elements. express (an idea or feeling) fluently and co-
(in law) a list of jurors empaneled. 3 elabo- herently: they were unable to articulate their
rate or beautiful clothing: he was clothed in fine emotions.
array. [with obj. and adverbial of place]
. v. 1 pronounce (something) clearly and dis-
(usu. be arrayed) display or arrange (things) tinctly: he articulated each word with precision \

in a particular way: arrayed across the table was [intrans.] people who do not articulate well are
a buffet the forces arrayed against him.
I
more difficult to lip-read. 2 [intrans.] form a joint:
2 [trans.] (usu. be arrayed in) dress someone the mandible is a solid piece articulating with

in (the clothes specified): they were arrayed in the head.

Hungarian national dress. 3 [trans.] empanel (a (be articulated) be connected by joints: the
jury). wing is articulated to the thorax.
ar»rears |3'rirz| •plural n. money that is derivatives: ar»tic»u«la»ble adj. ar«tic«
owed and should have been paid earlier: he u»la«cy |-bse| n. ar»tic»u«late«ly !-litle|
was suing the lessee for the arrears of rent. adv. ar»tic»u»late«ness -litnis n. ar»tic»u» | |

phrases: in arrears behind in paying la»tor |-,lapr| n.

money that is owed: two out of three tenants are ar»ti«fact 'arta.faktl (Brit, artefact) . w. 1 an
|

in arrears. object made by a human being, typically an

(of payments made or due for wages, rent, item of cultural or historical interest: gold and
etc.) at the end of each period of work or silver artifacts.
occupancy: you will be paid monthly in arrears. such an object as distinguished from a simi-
derivatives: ar«rear»age a ririj n. |
'
|
lar object naturally produced. 2 something
ar*rhyth«mi*a a'riiHmea; s'riTH- . n. Medi-
|
1 observed in a scientific investigation or exper-
cine a condition in which the heart beats with iment that is not naturally present but occurs
an irregular or abnormal rhythm. as a result of the preparative or investigative
derivatives: ar»rhyth»nuc |-mik| adj. . procedure: widespread tissue infection may be a
ar*riere-pen*see |are,er paN'sa| .n. a con- technical artifact.
cealed thought or intention; an ulterior mo- derivatives: ar»ti»fac»tu»al |
,art3'faek-
tive. CHswal I
adj.
ar»ri*viste |,are'vest| • n. an ambitious or ar»ti*fice |'ardifis| »n. clever or cunning
ruthlessly self-seeking person, esp. one who devices or expedients, esp. as used to trick or
has recently acquired wealth or social status: deceive others: filmmakers were often forced to
the transition from ingenue to arriviste. rely on artifice and outright fakery the artifices \

ar*ro*gant I'seragam; 'er-| • adj. having or of a crafty charlatan. the style is not free from \

revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own the artifices of the period.

 |

artisan 32 asphalt
ar*ti*san |
'artizani • n. a worker in a skilled discipline {ascesis)and abstention from all
trade, esp. one that involves making things by forms of indulgence, typically for religious
hand. reasons: an ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and
derivatives: ar»ti»san»al |-Z3nl| adj. manual labor \
a narrow, humorless, ascetic face.
ar»tiste |
ar'test \
' n. a professional enter- • n. a person who practices such self-
tainer, esp. a singer or dancer: cabaret artistes. discipline and abstention.
arHess I'artbsl 'adj. without guile or de- derivatives: as*cet»i»caWy |-ik(3)le|
ception: an artless, naive girl artless sincerity. \
adv. as»cet»i»cism |-,siz9m| n.
without effort or pretentiousness; natural as*cribe |3'skrib| »v. [trans.] (ascribe some-
and simple: an artless literary masterpiece. thing to) attribute something to (a cause): he
without skill or finesse: his awkward, artless ascribed Jane's short temper to her upset stom-
prose. ach.
derivatives: art«less»ly adv. artlessness (usu. be ascribed to) attribute (a text, quo-
n. tation, or work of art) to a particular person
art nou*veau • n. a style of decorative art, ar- or period: a quotation ascribed to Thoreau.
chitecture, and design prominent from the (usu. be ascribed to) regard (a quality) as
1890s through the early 1900s and charac- belonging to: tough-mindedness is a quality
terized by intricate linear designs based on commonly ascribed to top bosses.
natural asymmetric forms and flowing derivatives: a»scrib»a»ble adj.
curves. Ash*ke*naz*i .aeSHks'naeze; ,aSHk9'naze|
|

Ar*y*an 'eresn; 'aer- • n. a member of a peo-

|
1
• n. (pi. Ashkenazim
-zim ) a Jew of cen- |
|

ple speaking an Indo-European language tralor eastern European descent. More than
who invaded northern India in the 2nd mil- 80 percent of Jews today are Ashkenazim;
lennium BC, displacing the Dravidian and they preserve Palestinian rather than Baby-
other aboriginal peoples. lonian Jewish traditions, and some still use
dated term for Proto-Indo-European (a lost Yiddish..
language from which all Indo-European lan- derivatives: Ash»ke»naz»ic |-zik| adj.
guages are thought to derive) or for Indo- ash*ram I'asnraml » n. (in the Indian sub-
Iranian (a subgroup of Indo-European lan- continent) a hermitage, monastic commu-
guages). (in Nazi ideology) a person of nity, or other place of religious retreat for
Caucasian race not of Jewish descent. Hindus.
a place of religious retreat or community life
The idea that there was an "Aryan" race cor-
responding to the parent Indo-European modeled on the Indian ashram.
language was proposed by certain 19th- A»S!*at*iC ,azHe'aEtik; ,aze-
I
adj. relating to 1
•

century writers and was taken up by Hitler or deriving firom Asia: Asiatic cholera Asiatic |

coastal regions. • n. offensive an Asian person.

and other proponents of racist ideology, but
it has been generally rejected by scholars. usage: The standard and accepted term
when referring to individual people is Asian
• of or relating to this people or their lan-
adj.
rather than Asiatic, which can be ofifensive.
guage. However, Asiatic is standard in scientific
as*cend*an*cy Is'sendsnsel (also ascen- and technical use, for example in biological
dency) . n. occupation of a position of dom- and anthropological classifications. See US-
inant power or influence: the ascendancy of age at oriental.
good over evil they have a moral ascendancy
\

over the rich. as*i*nine |'aes3,nin| • adj. extremely stupid

as*cend*ant Is'sendantI (also ascendent) or foolish: Lydia decided to ignore his asinine re-
• adj. 1 rising in power or influence: ascendant mark.
moderate factions in the party. 2 (in astrology, derivatives: as»i»nin»i»ty .aesa'ninite |

of a planet, zodiacal degree, or sign) just n.

above the eastern horizon. . n. (in astrology) a*so*cial |
a'sosnal |
. adj. avoiding social in-
the point on the ecliptic at which it intersects teraction; inconsiderate of or hostile to oth-
the eastern horizon at a particular time, typ- ers: the cat's independence has encouraged a
ically that of a person's birth. view that it is asocial.
the point on an astrological chart represent- as»per*i»ty a'sperite • n. (pi. -ies) harshness
1
|

ing this. of tone or manner: he pointed this out with some

phrases: in the ascendant rising in power asperity.
or influence: the reformers are in the ascendant. (asperities) harsh qualities or conditions:
as*cer*tain .aessr'tan .
|
|
v. [trans.] find the asperities of society. (usu. asperities) a
(something) out for certain; make sure of: an rough edge on a surface.
attempt to ascertain the cause of the accident \
as*perse |
a 'spars |
• v. [trans.] attack or criti-
[with clause] management should ascertain cize the reputation or integrity of: he aspersed
whether adequate funding can be provided. their organization.
derivatives: as»cer»tain»a»ble adj. as* as*per»sion a'sparZHsn • n. (usu. asper-
|
|

cer»tain»ment n. sions) an attack on the reputation or integ-

as*ce*sis a'sesis the practice of severe
| |
• n. rityof soiheone or something: / don 't think
self-discipline, typically for religious reasons. anyone is casting aspersions on you.
as*cet*ic s'setik • adj. characterized by or
| |
as*phalt 'aesfolt ' n. a mixture of dark bitu-
I
\

suggesting the practice of severe self- minous pitch with sand or gravel, used for
aspirant 33 asseveration
surfacing roads, flooring, roofing, etc. Cf. emy position) : they left their strong position to
CONCRETE. assault the molest sexually or rape. • n.
hill.

the pitch used in this mixture, sometimes 1 a physical attack: his imprisonment for an as-
found in natural deposits but usually made by sault on the film director sexual assaults. \

the distillation of crude oil. • v. [trans.] cover (in legal use) an act that threatens physical
with asphalt. harm to a person and puts that person in fear,
derivatives: as*phal*tic |aEs'f61tik| adj. whether or not actual harm is done: a mil-
as*pir*ant 'sesparant; a'spi- • adj. [attrib.] (of
|
1 itary attack or raid on an enemy position: an
a person) having ambitions to achieve some- assault on the city [as adj.] an assault boat. \

thing, typically to follow a particular career: a strong verbal attack: the assault on the
an aspirant politician. • n. a person who has party's tax policies. 2 a concerted attempt to
ambitions to achieve something: an aspirant do something demanding: a winter assault
to the throne. on Mt. Everest.
as»pi»rate« v. '£esp3,rat| [trans.] 1 pronounce
\
derivatives as»sault«er n. :

(a sound) with an exhalation of breath: [as as*sault and bat*ter*y . n. the criminal act
adj.] (aspirated) the aspirated allophone of p of threatening a person together with the act
occurs in "pie." of making physical contact with him or her.
[intrans.] pronounce the sound of h at the be- as*say 'se,sa; ae'sa •
|
the testing of a metal |

ginning of a word. 2 (usu. be aspirated) (in or ore to determine its ingredients and qual-
medicine) draw (fluid) by suction from a ves- ity: submission of test rocks for assay.
sel or cavity. a procedure for measuring the biochemical
draw fluid in such a way from (a vessel or or immunological activity of a sample: each
cavity), "breathe (something) in; inhale. assay was performed in duplicate sequential as- \

3 [usu. as adj.] (aspirated) provide (an inter- say of serum. • v. [trans.] 1 determine the con-
nal combustion engine) with air: aspirated tent or quality of (a metal or ore).
engines. • n. 'aesp(3)rit 1 an aspirated con-
\
|
determine the biochemical or immunologi-
sonant. cal activity of (a sample): cell contents were
a sound oi h.2 matter that has been drawn assayed for enzyme activity. examine
from the body by aspiration: gastric aspirate \
(something) in order to assess its nature: step-
esophageal aspirates. • adj. |
'aesp(3)rit |
(of a ping inside, I quickly assayed the clientele. 2 at-
sound) pronounced with an exhalation of tempt: / assayed a little humor in my remarks.
breath; aspirated. derivatives: as«say»er n.
blended with the sound of h. as*sent 3 'sent . «. the expression of ap-
1 |

as»pi«ra*tion .aespa'raSHsn • «.
|
1 (usu. |
proval or agreement: a loud murmur of assent
aspirations) a hope or ambition of achiev- I
he nodded assent.
ing something: he had literary aspirations. official agreement or sanction: the governor
the object of such an ambition; a goal. 2 the has power to withhold his assent from a bill. • v.
action of pronouncing a sound with an exha- [intrans.] express approval or agreement, typi-

lation of breath. 3 the action of drawing fluid cally officially: Roosevelt assented to the agree-
by suction from a vessel or cavity. ment [with direct speech] "your house,
I
then,"
derivatives: as»pi»ra»tion»al |-SH9nl| Frank assented cheerfully.
adj. (in sense 1). derivatives: as«sent»er n.
as*pire Is'splrl »v. [intrans.] direct one's hopes as«sert |
a'sart I
. V. state a fact or belief con-
or ambitions toward achieving something: we fidently and forcefully: [with clause] the com-
never thought that we might aspire to those pany asserts that the cuts will not affect develop-
heights [WxxhMm^m] other people will aspire to
I
ment 1
[trans.] he asserted his innocence [with \

be like you [as adj.] (aspiring) an aspiring

\
direct speech] "I don 'tknow why she came," he
artist. asserted.
rise high; tower: above the domes of loftiest cause others to recognize (one's au-
[trans.]

mosques, these pinnacles of death aspire. thority or a right) by confident and forceful
as*sail a'sal ^v. [trans.] make a concerted or
| |
behavior: the good librarian is able to assert au-
violent attack on: there were only two directions thority when required. (assert oneself) be-
from which the hideout could be assailed \
have or speak in a confident and forceful
Christmas songs assailed us from the radio. manner: it was time to assert himself.
(usu. be assailed) come upon (one) sud- derivatives: as»sert»er n. as»ser»tive
denly and strongly: she was assailed by doubts adj. as»ser»tive»ly adv. as«ser»tive»ness n.
and regrets. criticize (someone) strongly. as»ser*tion s'ssrSHan . n. a confident
|
and |

derivatives: as*sail*a*ble adj. assailant forceful statement of fact or belief: [with

n. clause] his assertion that his father had
as*sas*sin Is'saesinI • n. a murderer of an deserted the family.
important person in a planned attack. the action of stating something or exercising
as*sault a'solt . V. [trans.] make a physical
I I
authority confidently and forcefully: the asser-
attack on: he pleaded guilty to assaulting a po- tion of legal rights.
lice officer. as*sess*ment Is'sesmsntj the evalua-
attack or bombard (someoneor the senses) tion or estimation of the nature, quality, or
with something undesirable or unpleasant: ability of someone or something.
her right ear was assaulted with a tide of music. as*sev*er*a*tion |3,sev3'rasH9n| • n. the sol-
carry out a military attack or raid on (an en- emn or emphatic declaration or statement of
 .

assiduity 34 ataraxy
something: / fear that you offer only unsup- as«SO*nance 'aesanans • n. the resem- |
I

ported asseveration the dogmatic outlook marks

\
blance of sound between syllables in nearby
many of his asseverations. words, arising particularly from the rhyming
DERIVATIVES as»sev»er«ate : |3'sev3,rat| v. of two or more stressed vowels, but not con-
as*si*du*l*ty ,aesi'd(y)ooite| » n. (pi. -ies)
|
sonants (e.g., sonnet, porridge), but also from
constant or close attention to what one is the use of identical consonants with different
doing. vowels (e.g., killed, cold, culled).
(assiduities) constant attentions to some- derivatives: as*so*nant adj. as*so*nate
one. |-,nat| V.

as*sid*U*OUS Is'sijswasI * adj. showing great as*suage a'swaj • v. [trans.] make (an un-
|
|

care and perseverance: she was assiduous in pleasant feeling) less intense: the letter
pointing out every feature. assuaged the fears of most members.
derivatives: as»sid»u«ous»ly adv. as*sid* satisfy (an appetite or desire) an opportunity :

u«ous»ness n. occurred to assuage her desire for knowledge.

as*sign la'sini • v. [trans.] 1 allocate (a job or DERI VAT I V E s as*suage*ment n. :

duty): Congress assigned the task to the as*sur»ance a'sHOOrsns . «. 1 a positive | |

agency [with two objs.] the agency assigned me

\
declaration intended to give confidence; a
this mission. promise: [with clause] he gave an assurance
(often be assigned) appoint (someone) to a that work would not start until Wednesday.
particular job, task, or organization: [with obj. 2 confidence or certainty in one's own abili-
and infinitive] he was assigned to prosecute the ties.
case. 2 designate or set (something) aside for certainty about something. 3 chiefly Brit, insur-
a specific purpose: managers happily assign ance, specifically life insurance.
large sums of money to travel budgets. a*Stig*ma*tism Is' stigma, tizsmi • n. a defect
(assign something to) attribute something in the eye or in a lens caused by a deviation
as belonging to: it is difficult to decide whether from spherical curvature, which results in
to assign the victory to Goodwin. 3 transfer (le- distorted images, as light rays are prevented
gal rights or liabilities) they will ask you to as-
: from meeting at a common focus.
sign your rights against the airline. • n. (also DERI VAT V E s I : as«tig»matnc |
.sestig'maet-
assignee) the person to whom a legal right ik| adj.
is assigned. as*tral 'aestral
|
• adj. [attrib.] of, connected |

derivatives: as»sign»a»ble adj. (in sense with, or resembling the stars: astral naviga-
3 of the verb) .as»sign»er n. as»sign»or |
a tion.
'sinarl n. (in sense 3 of the verb). of or relating to a supposed nonphysical
as*Sig»na»tion ,assig'nasH3n| *n. 1 an ap-
|
realm of existence to which various psychic
pointment to meet someone in secret, typi- and paranormal phenomena are ascribed,
cally one made by lovers: his assignation and in which the physical human body is said
with an older woman. 2 the allocation or at- to have a counterpart.
tribution of someone or something as belong- as*trin»gent a'strinjant] • adj. 1 causing the
|

ing to something. contraction of body tissues, typically of the

as*sim*i*late s'sima.lat • v. [trans.] 1 take in
|
|
cells of the skin: an astringent skin lotion.
(information, ideas, or culture) and under- 2 sharp or severe in manner or style: her as-
stand fully: Marie tried to assimilate the week 's tringent words had their effect.
events. (of taste or smell) sharp or bitter: an astrin-
(usu. be assimilated) absorb and integrate gent smell of creosote. • n. a substance that
(people, ideas, or culture) into a wider soci- causes the contraction of body tissues, typi-
ety or culture: pop trends are assimilated cally used to protect the skin and to reduce
into the mainstream with alarming speed |
bleeding from minor abrasions.
[intrans.] the converts were assimilated into the so- derivatives: as»trin»gen»cy n. as»trin«
ciety of their conquerors. (usu. be assimi- gent»ly adv. (in sense 2 of the adjective)
lated) (of the body or any biological system) as«trol»0»gy a'strabje . w. the study of the | I

absorb and digest (food or nutrients): the sug- movements and relative positions of celestial
ars in the fruit are readily assimilated by the bodies interpreted as having an influence on
body. 2 cause (something) to resemble; liken: human affairs and the natural world.
philosophers had assimilated thought to per- derivatives: as»trol»o»ger |-j3r| n. as»
ception. tro»log«i*cal .aestrs'lajikal adj. as»trol»o« i |

[intrans.] come to resemble: the churches gist I

-jist I
n.
assimilated to a certain cultural norm. a*sy»lum s'sibm «. 1 (also political asy-
| |
•

make (a speech sound) more like another in lum) the protection granted by a nation to
the same or next word. someone who has left their native country as
derivatives: as»simn»la»ble -bbal adj. |

|
a political refugee: granting asylum to foreign-
as»simM«la»tion 3,sim3iasH3n n. as«sim« 1 |
erspersecuted for political reasons
i«la«tive |
- ,lativ; -btiv |
adj. as»sim«i»la»tor shelter or protection from danger: asylum for
|-,lat3r| n. as»simM»la«to»ry |-b,t6re| adj. those too ill to care for themselves. 2 dated an in-

as*sim»Ha»tion»ist |3,sim3'lasH3,nist| » n. a stitution offering shelter and care to the men-

person who advocates or participates in racial tally ill: committed to an asylum.
or cultural integration (assimilationism): [as at«a«rax«y 'aeta.raekse (also ataraxia)
| |
• n. a
adj.] the assimilationist policies of the right. state of serene calmness.
atavistic 35 attenuate
DERI VAT V E s I : at«a»rac»tic |
,aet3'raektik |
atriums) an open-roofed entrance hall or
1
adj. at»a»raxnc |
,aep'raeksik| adj. central court in an ancient Roman house.
at*a*vis*tic |
.aep'vistikj * adj. relating to or a central hall or court in a modern building,
characterized by reversion to something with rooms or galleries opening off it. 2 each
ancient or ancestral: atavistic fears and in- of the two upper cavities of the heart from
stincts. which blood is passed to the ventricles. The
derivatives: at»a»vism |
'aep.vizsmi n. right atrium receives deoxygenated blood
at»a»vis»ti«caWy l-tik(3)le| adv. from the veins of the body; the left atrium
at*el*ler .aetl'ya • «. a workshop or studio, |
receives oxygenated blood from the pulmo-
|

esp. one used by an artist or designer. nary vein. Also called auricle.
a»the«ism 'aTHe,iz3m . «. the theory or be-
| I
derivatives: a»tri»al I'atreall adj.
lief that God does not exist. Cf.:AGNOSTic. a*tro*cioUS |3'troSH9s| 'adj. 1 horrifyingly
derivatives: a»theMst n. a»theMS»tic wicked: atrocious cruelties.
I
,aTHe'istik| adj. a»the»is»ti»cal |
,aTHe of a very poor quality; extremely bad or un-
'istiksll adj. pleasant: he attempted an atrocious imitation of
ath*e*nae*um |
.aexHs neam I
(also athene- my English accent \
atrocious weather.
um) • n. used in the names of libraries or derivatives: a»tro»cious»ly adv. a»tro*
institutions for literary or scientific study: the cious*ness n.
Boston Athenaeum. a«troC»i«ty |
s'trasite |
• n. (pi. -ies) an ex-
used in the titles of periodicals concerned tremely wicked or cruel act, typically one
with literature, science, and art. involving physical violence or injury: war
a*thwart |3'THw6rt| *prep. 1 from side to atrocities scenes of hardship and atrocity.
\

side of (something); across: a wooden bar a highly unpleasant or distasteful object.

athwart the entranceway. 2 in opposition to; at»ro*phy 'aetrafe • v.
|
(-ies, -ied) [intrans.]
\

counter to: these statistics run sharply (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, typ-
athwart conventional presumptions. • adv. ically due to the degeneration of cells, or be-
1 across from side to side; transversely: one ta- come vestigial during evolution: without exer-
blerunning athwart was all the room would hold. cise, the muscles will atrophy \
[as adj.]

2 so as to be perverse or contradictory: our (atrophied) in some beetles, the hind wings are
words ran athwart and we ended up at cross atrophied.
purposes. gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor
at*man |
'atmani (also Atman) . n. (in Hin- due to underuse or neglect: her artistic skills
duism) the spiritual life principle of the uni- atrophied. • n. the condition or process of
verse, esp. when regarded as inherent in the atrophying: gastric atrophy.
real self of the individual. the gradual decline of effectiveness or vigor
a person's soul. due to underuse or neglect: the atrophy of
at«om»ism |
'£et3,miz3m I
• n. a theoretical imagination.
approach that regards something as inter- derivatives: a«troph»ic |a'trofik; a'traf-|
pretable through analysis into distinct, sepa- adj.
rable, and independent elementary compo- At»ro»pos 'setrs.pas one of the three Fates
I
|

nents. The opposite of HOLISM. of Greek mythology, the one who cut the
derivatives: at«omnst n. at»omns»tic thread of life.
I
,aet3'mistik| adj. at*ta*che ,aep'SHa .aetae- . w. 1 a person on
|
1

at»om»ize '£ep,miz . v. [trans.] convert (a

i
|
the staff of an ambassador, typically with a
substance) into very fine particles or drop- specialized area of responsibility: military at-
lets: the CO
2 depressurized, atomizing the paint taches. 2 short for attache case, a small case for
into a mist. carrying documents.
reduce (something) to atoms or other small at*tain*der la'tandarl . w. the forfeiture of
distinct units: crime atomizes society. land and civil rights formerly suffered as a
derivatives: at«omn»za»tion ,aepmi |
consequence of a sentence of death for trea-
'zaSHan n. at»om»iz»er n.
|
son or felony.
a»ton*al |a'tonl| » adj. (of music) not written phrases: bill of attainder a piece of legis-
or preformed in any key or mode. lation inflicting attainder without judicial
derivatives: a»ton»alMsm |-,iz9m| n. a* process.
ton»al»ist -ist n. a«to«nal»i»ty ,ato'nael-
| |
|
at»ten»u»ate |3'teny3,wat| 'V. [trans.] (often
ite;| n. be attenuated) reduce the force, effect, or
a»tone a'ton • v. [intrans.] make amends or
| |
value of: her intolerance was attenuated by a
reparation: he was being helpful, to atone for rather unexpected liberalism.
his past mistakes. reduce the amplitude of (a signal, electric
a*tone»ment a'tonmant • n. reparation for |
I
current, or other oscillation). [intrans.] (of a

a wrong or injury: she wanted to make atone- signal, electric current, or other oscillation)
ment for her husband's behavior. be reduced in amplitude. [usu. as adj.] (at-
reparation or expiation for sin: the High tenuated) reduce the virulence of (a patho-
Priest offered the sacrifice as atonement for genic organism or vaccine) attenuated strains :

all the sins of Israel, a (the Atonement) (in of rabies virus. reduce in thickness; make
Christian theology) the reconciliation of thin: the trees are attenuated from growing too
God and humankind through Jesus Christ. close together. • adj. -wit; -,wat reduced in \
|

a»tri»um I'atresmI » n. (pi. atria I'atreal or force, effect, or physical thickness.

attenuated 36 augment
derivatives: at*ten*u*a*tion la.tenys the gradual reduction of a workforce by
'wasHanI n. employees' leaving and not being replaced,
aWen«U»at»ed |
a'tenya.watid I
. adj. unnatu- rather than by their being laid off: with few
rally thin. retirements since March, the year's attrition was
weakened in force or effect. insignificant. wearing away by friction; abra-
3
aWest 1
'test I
• V. [trans.] provide or serve as sion: the skull shows attrition of the edges of the
clear evidence of: his status is attested by his teeth. 2 (in scholastic theology) sorrow, but
promotion \
[intrans.] his drawings attest to his not contrition, for sin.
fascination with ships. DERIVATIVES at»tri»tion»al |-SH3nl| adj. :

declare that something exists or is

[intrans.] a*typ»i»cal a'tipiksl . adj.
|
not representa- |

the case; / can attest to his tremendous energy tive of a type, group, or class: a sample of peo-
I
[with clause] the deceased's attorney attested ple who are atypical of the target audience there \

that he had been about to institute divorce pro- were atypical results in May and November.
ceedings. be a witness to; certify formally: the derivatives: a«typ«i»cal»ly adv.
witnesses must attest and sign the will. au COU«rant ,0 'koOraN • adj. aware of what
|
|

DERI VAT IVES: at»tes»ta«tion .gete'sta- |

is going on; well informed: they were au

SHan n. at»tes»tor n.
I
courant with the literary scene.
At*tic 'aetik • adj. of or relating to Athens or
I
|
fashionable: au courant recipes.
light, low-fat,
Attica, or the dialect of Greek spoken there in au*da*ciOUS adj. 1 showing a |
o'dasHas |
.

ancient times. • n. the dialect of Greek used willingness to take surprisingly bold risks: a
by the ancient Athenians, the chief literary series of audacious takeovers. 2 showing an
form of classical Greek. impudent lack of respect: an audacious re-
at*ti*cism aep.sizam (often Atticism) . n.
i |
mark.
a word or form characteristic of Attic Greek. derivatives: au«da»cious«ly adv. au»da»
at*tl»tu*di«nize ,aeti't(y)oodn,iz| *v. [intrans.] |
cious*ness n.
adopt or express a particular attitude or atti- au»dac»i*ty 6'daesite . 1 the willingness
1
I

tudes, typically just for effect. to take bold risks: her audacity came in handy
derivatives: at»ti»tu»di»niz»er n. during our most recent emergency. 2 rude or dis-
at»trib»Ute s'tri.byoot . V. [trans.] (attribute
| I
respectful behavior; impudence: she had the
something to) regard something as being audacity to pick up the receiver and ask me to
caused by (someone or something) he attrib- : hang up.
uted the firm '5 success to the efforts of the vice au*dit '6dit| • n. an official inspection of an
I

president \
the
IRA.
ascribe a work or remark
thor, artist, or speaker) the building
uted regard a quality or feature
to Palladio.
as characteristic of or possessed by (someone
or something): ancient peoples attributed magic
properties to certain stones.
• n. '£etr3,byoot a
quality or feature regarded as a characteristic
or inherent part of someone or something:
flexibility and mobility are the key attributes of
our army.
a material object recognized as symbolic of a
person, esp. a conventional object used in art
to identify a saint or mythical figure. an at-
tributive adjective or noun. a real property
that a statistical analysis is attempting to de-
scribe.
derivatives: aftrib»ut»a»ble
bombing was attributed
to (a particular au-
: was
\
la'tribya-
to the individual's or organization's accounts, typi-
cally by an independent body.
a systematic review or assessment of some-
attrib- thing: a complete audit offlora and fauna at the
site. • (audited, auditing) [trans.] 1 con-
V.
duct an official financial examination of (an
individual's or organization's accounts): com-
|
panies must have their accounts audited.
conduct a systematic review of: auditing
obstetrical and neonatal care. 2 attend (a class)
informally, without working for academic
credit.
au*di*tion |6'diSH3n| *n. an interview for a
particular role or job as a singer, actor,
dancer, or musician, consisting of a practical
demonstratioii of the candidate's suitability
and skill. « v. [intrans.] perform an audition:
auditioning for the lead role in the play.
[trans.] assess the suitability of (someone) for

pbal I
adj. at»tri«bu»tion |
.strs'byooSHan |
a role by means of an audition: she was audi-
n. tioning people for her new series.
at»trib*U«tive la'tribyativ] • adj. (of an adjec- au*di»tO*ry '6di,t6re . adj. of or relating to
j I

tive or noun) preceding the word it qualifies the sense of hearing: the auditory nerves \

or modifies and expressing an attribute, as old teaching methods use both visual and auditory
in the old dog (but not in the dog is old) and ex- stimulation.
piration in expiration date (but not in date of ex- au fait 1
,0 'fe I
• adj. (au fait with) having a
piration). Often contrasted wixh predicative, in good or detailed knowledge of something:
the PREDICATE. you should he reasonably au fait with the com-
DERI VAT V E s at»trib«u»tive»ly adv.
I : pany and its products.
at»tri«tion a'triSHan . n. 1 the action or
|
I
aught lot (also ought) »pron. anything at
I

process of gradually reducing the strength or all: know you aught of this fellow, young sir? |

effectiveness of someone or something For aught I know, he's there still.

through sustained attack or pressure: the aug*me'nt |6g'ment| »v. make (something)
council is trying to wear down the opposition by greater by adding to it; increase: he augmented
attrition the squadron suffered severe attrition
\
his summer income by painting houses. the \

through mechanical failure. noise augments as the crowd grows.

augur 37 autarchy
derivatives: aug»men»ta«tion n. aug» aurorae o'rore ) 1 a natural electrical phe-
|
|

ment»er n. nomenon characterized by the appearance of

au*gur i'ogari 'V. [intrans.] (augur well/ streamers of reddish or greenish light in the
badly/ill) (of an event or circumstance) por- sky, usually near the northern or southern
tend a good or bad outcome: the end of the magnetic pole.
Cold War seemed to augur well the return to the \

The effect is caused by the interaction of

gold standard augured badly for industry. charged particles from the sun with atoms in
[trans.] portend or bode (a specified out-
the upper atmosphere. In northern and
come): they feared that these happenings southern regions it is respectively called au-
augured a neo-Nazi revival. [trans.] foresee or
rora borealis or northern lights and au-
predict. • n. (in ancient Rome) a religious of- rora australis or southern lights, [origin:
ficial who observed natural signs, esp. the be-
borealis from Latin, 'northern,' based on
havior of birds, interpreting these as an indi- Greek Boreas, the god of the north wind; aus-
cation of divine approval or disapproval of a tralis from Latin, 'southern,' firom Auster 'the
proposed action. south, the south wind.']
DERIVATIVES au»gu»ral : I'ogyarsll adj.
au»gu*ry 'ogyare |
|
• n. (pi. -ies) a sign of what 2 [in sing.] the dawn.
will happen in the future; an omen: they heard derivatives: au»ro»ral adj.
the sound as an augury of death. aus^pice |
'6spis| • n. archaic a divine or pro-
the work of an augur; the interpretation of phetic token. Cf.:AEGis.
omens. phrases: under the auspices of with the
au*gust I
respected and impres-
o'gsst I
• adj. help, support, or protection of.
sive: she was in august company. aus*pi*cioUS o'spisnas • adj. conducive to
| i

venerable by birth, status, age, or reputation; success; favorable: it was not the most auspi-
eminent. cious moment to open a new business.
derivatives: au»gust»ly adv. au»gust» giving or being a sign of future success: they
ness n. said it was an auspicious moon it was rising.
—
au na*tu*rel |
with
,o ,na£CH3'rel |
• adj. & adv. characterized by success; prosperous: he
no elaborate treatment, dressing, or prepara- was respectful to his auspicious customers.
tion: [as adv.] / wear my hair au naturel these derivatives: aus»pi»cious»ly adv. aus«
days [as adj.] the cheese is delicious whether au
I
pi«cious*ness n.
naturel or seasoned. without clothing; naked: aus*tere |6'stir| »adj. (austerer, austerest)
appeared on the beach au naturel. severe or strict in manner, attitude, or ap-
au*ra 'oral • n. (pi. auras 'ore or aurae)
|
| |
pearance: an austere man, with a rigidly puri-
[usu. in sing.] the distinctive atmosphere or tanical outlook an austere expression.
I

quality that seems to surround and be gener-
ated by a person, thing, or place: the ceremony
retains an aura of mystery.
a supposed emanation surrounding the body
of a living creature, viewed by mystics, spiri-
tualists, and some practitioners of nonscien-
tific medicine as the essence of the individ-
ual, and allegedly discernible by people with
special sensibilities. any invisible emana-
tion, esp. a scent or odor. (pi. also aurae) a
warning sensation experienced before an at-
tack of epilepsy or migraine.
au*ral 'oral • adj. of or relating to the ear or
| |
the sense of hearing: aural anatomy.
received by ear: information held in written,
aural, or database form.
DERI VAT I V E s au»ral«ly adv.
usage: The words aural and oral
ken rather than written') have the same pro-
(of living conditions or a way of life) having
no comforts or luxuries; harsh or ascetic: con-
ditions in the camp could hardly be more austere.
having an extremely plain and simple style
or appearance; unadorned: the cathedral is im-
pressive in its austere simplicity. (of an eco-
nomic pohcy or measure) designed to reduce
a budget deficit, esp. by cutting public expen-
diture.
derivatives: aus«tere«ly adv.
aus»ter*i*ty |6'steritei . n. (pi. -ies) sternness
or severity of manner or attitude: he was noted
for his austerity and his authoritarianism.
extreme plainness and simplicity of style or
appearance: the room was decorated with a re-
straint bordering on austerity. (austerities)
: conditions characterized by severity, stern-
ness, or asceticism: his austerities had under-
('spo-
mined his health. difficult economic condi-

nunciation in standard English, which is tions, as during wartime or as created by

sometimes a source of confusion. government measures to reduce a budget def-

icit, esp. by reducing public spending: a period
au»re«ate 'oreit; -,at| . adj. denoting, made
| of austerity [as adj.] the austerity program was
|

of, or having the color of gold. built around a massive increase in interest rates.
(of language) highly ornamented or elabo- aus*tral 'ostrsl • adj. of or relating to the
| |

rate, aureate diction frequently conceals the south, in particular:

tritest sentiments. of the southern hemisphere: the austral
au*re*ole |
'6re,ol |
(also aureola) . n. a circle spring. (Austral) of Australia or Australa-
of light or brightness surrounding something, sia.
esp. as depicted in art around the head or au*tar*chy |'6,tarke| • «. (pi. -ies) 1 another
body of a person represented as holy, her hair term for autocracy. 2 variant spelling of au-
framed her face in a golden aureole. tarky.
au»ro*ra la'rors; o'roral . n. (pi. auroras or derivatives: au»tar»chic |6'tarkik| adj.
autarky 38 autonomy
au*tar«ky '6,tarke| • n. economic independ-
|
derivatives: au»tis»tic lo'tistikj adj.&n.
ence or self-sufficiency. au«toch*thon o'takXHsn . n. (pi. autoch-
| |

a country, state, or society that is economi- thons or autochthones -TH9,nez ) an orig- | |

cally independent. inal or indigenous inhabitant of a place; an

derivatives: au»tar«kic |6'tarkik| adj. aborigine.
au'teur |6't3r| • n. a filmmaker whose movies DERI VAT IVES: au«toch»tho»nous adj.
are characterized by his or her creative influ- au»tOCh»tho*nous o'takXHsnas . |
I
adj.
ence and control over all aspects of produc- (of an inhabitant of a place) indigenous
tion. rather than descended from migrants or
DERIVATIVES au»teur«ism : |-,iz3m| n. au» colonists. (of a geologic deposit or forma-
teurMst |-ist| adj. tion) formed in its present position. Often
au«then*tic |6'THentik| »adj. 1 of undis- contrasted with allochthonous (originating at a
puted origin; genuine: the letter is now accepted distance from its present position).
as an authentic document authentic 14th-\
au»tOC»ra»cy o'takrsse . n. (pi. -ies) a sys-
|
I

century furniture. tem of government by one person with abso-

made or done in the traditional or original lute power.
way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an a regime based on such a principle of gov-
original: the restaurant serves authentic Italian ernment. a country, state, or society gov-
meals every detail of the movie was totally au-
\
erned in such a way. domineering rule or
thentic. based on facts; accurate or reliable: control.
an authentic depiction of the situation. (in ex- au«tO»crat 'opikraet
| I
• n. a ruler who has ab-
istentialist philosophy) relating to or denot- solute power.
ing an emotionally appropriate, significant, someone who insists on complete obedience
purposive, and responsible mode of human from others; an imperious or domineering
life. 2 (in music, of a church mode) compris- person.
ing the notes lying between the principal note DERIVATIVES: au»to»crat»ic adj. au»to»
or final and the note an octave higher. crat»i»cal»ly adv.
derivatives: au»then»ti«caWy |-ik(3)le| au*tO*di*dact |
,6to'di,daekt| • n. a self-
adv. [as food is authentically
submoditier] the taught person.
Cajun. au»then»tic»i»ty .oXHen'tisite|
n. |
derivatives: au»to»di»dac»tic |-,di'd£ek-
au*then*ti*cate |6'THenti,kat| •v. [trans.] tik| adj.
prove or show (something, esp. a claim or an au*tom»a*tism |6'tam3,tiz3m| »n. the per-
artistic work) to be true or genuine. formance of actions without conscious
establish as vahd. thought or intention.
derivatives: au»then»ti»ca»tion |6,THenti the avoidance of conscious intention in pro-
'kaSH3n| n. au»then»ti»ca»tor |-,kat3r| n. ducing works of art, esp. by using mechanical
au*thor*i*tar*i*an ajHori'terean; 3,THar-|
|
techniques or subconscious associations.
• adj. favoring or enforcing strict obedience an action performed unconsciously or in-
to authority, esp. that of the government, at voluntarily.
the expense of personal freedom: an authori- au»tom»a»ton lo'tamatsnl »n. (pi. automata
tarian regime. I
-3t3 or automatons) a moving mechanical
1

showing concern for the wishes or

a lack of device made in imitation of a human being.
opinions of others; domineering; dictatorial. a machine that performs a function accord-
• n. an authoritarian person. ing to a predetermined set of coded instruc-
derivatives: au»thor»i»tar»i«an»ism - ni- | , tions, esp. one capable of a range of
Z3m| n. programmed responses to different circum-
au*thor*i*ta*tive |3'TH6ri,tativ; axHar-l stances.
• adj. 1 able to be trusted as being accurate or au»to»nom»ic |,6t3'namik| *adj. [attrib.] in-
true; reliable: clear, authoritative information voluntary or unconscious; relating to the au-
and advice \
an authoritative source. tonomic nervous system (which controls
(of a text) considered to be the best of its bodily functions not consciously directed,
kind and unlikely to be improved upon: the e.g., breathing, the heartbeat, and digestion).
authoritative study of mollusks. 2 commanding Cf SYMPATHETIC.
and self-confident; likely to be respected and au»ton*0*my o'taname . n. (pi. -ies) the
|
I

obeyed: his voice was authoritative. right or condition of self-government, esp. in

proceeding from an official source and a particular sphere: Tatarstan demanded
requiring compliance or obedience: authori- greater autonomy within the Russian Federa-
tative directives. tion.
D E r VAT v E s
I au»thor«i«ta»tive«ly adv.
I : a self-governing country or region. free-
au»thor»i«ta»tive»ness n. dom from external control or influence; inde-
au*tism |'6,tiz3m| » n. a mental condition, pendence: economic autonomy is still a long way
present from early childhood, characterized offfor many womefi. (in Kantian moral phi-
by great difficulty in communicating and losophy) the capacity of an agent to act in ac-
forming relationships with other people and cordance wjth objective morality rather than
in using language and abstract concepts. under the influence of desires.
a mental condition in which fantasy domi- DERIVATIVES au»ton«o»mist |-mist| n. &
:

nates over reality, as a symptom of schizo- adj. au»ton»o«mous adj. au»ton«o»mous»ly

phrenia and other disorders. adv.
autopsy 39 avuncular
au»top*sy '6,rapse| • n. (pi. -ies) a postmor-
I
or assert to be the case: [with clause] he averred
tem examination to discover the cause of that he was innocent of the allegations [with di- \

death or the extent of disease: [as adj.] an au- rect speech] ''You're the most beautiful girl in the

topsy report. • v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] perform a zvorld" he averred.

postmortem examination on (a body or or- [trans.] (in legal use) allege as a fact in sup-
gan): [as adj.] (autopsied) an autopsied brain. port of a plea.
aux*il*ia*ry og'zilyare; -'zil(3)re • adj. pro-
|
|
adverse a'vars • adj. [predic] [usu. with nega-
| |

viding supplementary or additional help and (averse to) having a strong dislike of or
tive]

support: an auxiliary nurse auxiliary airport \

opposition to something: as a former CIA di-
staff. rector, he is not averse to secrecy \
[in combination]
(of equipment) held in reserve: the ship has the bank 's approach has been risk-averse.
an auxiliary power source. (of troops) en- usage: The widespread idiom for express-
gaged in the service of a nation at war but not ing dislike, opposition, or hostility (to things,
part of the regular army, and often of foreign usually not people) is averse to. Similarly, one
origin. equipped with a
(of a sailing vessel) may be said to have an aversion to (usually
supplementary engine. • n. (pi. -ies) a person not from) certain things or activities (but
or thing providing supplementary or addi- usually not people): Katherine was known for
tional help and support: a nursing auxiliary \
her aversion to flying. Averse from is found
there are two main fuel tanks and two auxiliaries.
more often in British than American Eng-
a group of volunteers giving supplementary
lish, following the prescription of Samuel
support to an organization or institution: Johnson and other traditionalists, who con-
members of the Volunteer Fire Department's aux- demned averse to as nonsensical (its Latin
iliary. (auxiliaries) troops engaged in the meaning is 'turn from'). See also usage at
service of a nation at war but not part of the adverse.
regular army, and often of foreign origin.
Grammar an auxiliary verb. a naval vessel a*ver*sion |
s'varZHan |
• a strong dislike or
with a supporting role, not armed for com- disinclination: he had a deep-seated aversion
bat. to most forms of exercise.
a*vail |3'val| *v. 1 (avail oneself of) use or someone or something that arouses such
take advantage of (an opportunity or availa- feelings.
ble resource): my daughter did not avail herself derivatives: a»ver»sive |-siv; -ziv| adj.
of my advice. 2 help or benefit: [trans.] no a*vert la'vart] turn away (one's • V. [trans.] 1
amount of struggle availed Charles [intrans.] the |
eyes or thoughts): she averted her eyes during
dark and narrow hiding place did not avail to the more violent scenes. 2 prevent or ward off
save the fugitives. (an undesirable occurrence): talks failed to
a*vant-garde I'avant 'gard| • «. (usu. the avert a strike.
avant-garde) new and unusual or experi- a*vi*ar*y 'ave.ere • n. (pi. -ies) a large cage,
i
|

mental ideas, esp. in the arts, or the people building, or enclosure for keeping birds in.
introducing them: works by artists of the Rus- av*id 'aevid • adj. having or showing a keen
I
|

sian avant-garde. • adj. favoring or introduc- interest in or enthusiasm for something: an

ing such new ideas: a controversial avant-garde avid reader of science fiction she took an avid \

composer. interest in the project.

DERIVATIVES a»vant-gardnsm -,diz3m :
| |
(avid for) having an eager desire for some-
n. a»vant-gard»ist i-dist| n. thing: she was avid for information about the
av»a*rice 'sevaris . n.
|
extreme greed for I
murder inquiry.
wealth or material gain. derivatives: avnd»i«ty n. avMd»ly adv.
derivatives: av»a»ri«cious adj. av»a»ri» av*0*ca*tion ,aev3'kaSH3n| »n. a hobby or |

cious'ly adv. av»a»ri«cious»ness n. secondary occupation: famed as an actor, Mos-

av*a*tar '£ev3,tar| • n. (originally in Hindu-
|
tel was a painter by avocation.

ism) a manifestation of a deity or released derivatives: av»o»ca»tion»al |-SH3nl|

soul in bodily form on earth; an incarnate di- adj.
vine teacher. av*oir*du*pois .avarda'poiz] » n. a system |

an incarnation, embodiment, or manifesta- of weights based on a pound of 1 6 ounces or

tion of a person or idea: he set himself up as a 7,000 grains, widely used in English-
new avatar of Arab radicalism. speaking countries: [as adj.] avoirdupois
a*venge i
a'venj |
. v. [trans.] inflict harm in re- weights I
150 pounds avoirdupois.
[postpositive]
turn for (an injury or wrong done to oneself weight; heaviness: she was putting on the av-
or another): his determination to avenge the oirdupois like nobody's business.
murder of his brother they are eager to avenge \
a*vow a'vow • V. assert or confess openly:
I I

last year's Super Bowl defeat. [with clause] he avowed that he had voted Re-
inflict such harm on behalf of (oneself or publican in every election [trans.] he avowed his \

someone else previously wronged or change offaith \

[as adj.] (avowed) an avowed
harmed): we must avenge our dead she \
Marxist.
avenged herself after he broke off their en- derivatives: a»vow»al [a'vowall n. a«
gagement I
the warrior swore he would be vow»ed»ly a'vowidle adv. | |

avenged on their prince. a*VUn*CU*lar a'vsNGkyalarl 'adj. 1 (of a |

derivatives: a»veng«er n. man) kind and friendly toward a younger or

a*ver laVarl 'V. (averred, averring) state less experienced person: an avuncular man-
awe 40 Baha'i
ner. 2 of or relating to the relationship be- an imaginary straight line passing through
tween men and their siblings' children, the center of a symmetrical solid, and about
awe . n. a feeling of reverential respect mixed which a plane figure can be conceived as
with fear or wonder: they gazed in awe at the rotating to generate the solid. an imaginary
president. the sight filled me with awe
\
his staff \
line that divides something into equal or
are in azve of him. roughly equal halves, esp. in the direction of
capacity to inspire awe: has Christmas Eve lost its greatest length. 2 a fixed reference line for
its awe? • v. [trans.] (usu. be awed) inspire the location of mathematical coordinates. 3 a
with awe: they were both awed by the vastness of straight central part in a structure to which
the forest [as adj.] (awed) he spoke in a hushed,
\
other parts are connected.
awed whisper. the central column of an inflorescence or
awe*SOme 'osam • adj. extremely impres-
| |
other plant growth. the skull and backbone
sive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, of a vertebrate animal. 4 the second cervical
apprehension, or fear: the awesome power of the vertebra, below the atlas at the top of the
atomic bomb. backbone. 5 an agreement or alliance be-
extremely good; excellent: the band is awe- tween two or more countries that forms a
some, dude! center for an eventual larger grouping of
derivatives: awe«some»ly adv. awe» nations: the Anglo-American axis.
some»ness n. (the Axis) the alliance of Germany and Italy
a*wry |3'n| • adv. & adj. away from the ap- formedi3efbre and during World War II, later
propriate, planned, or expected course; extended to include Japan and other covm-
amiss: [as adv.] many youthful romances go tries: [as adj.] the Axis Powers.
awry [as predic. adj.] / got the impression that
\
a«ya*toMah |,i3'tob| • n. a Shi'ite religious
something was awry. leader in Iran. a dogmatic, powerful
out of the normal or correct position; askew: leader.
[as predic. adj.] he was hatless, his silver hair awry. az*i*muth 'sezamaxHl • n. the direction of a
|

ax*i*om 'sekseami • n. a statement or prop-

|
celestial objectfrom the observer, expressed
osition that is regarded as being established, as the angular distance from the north or
accepted, or self-evidently true: the axiom south point of the horizon to the point at
that supply equals demand. which a vertical circle passing through the
a statement or proposition (in mathematics, object intersects the horizon.
etc.) on which an abstractly defined structure the horizontal angle or direction of a com-
is based. pass bearing.
ax*is 'aeksis • n. (pi. axes -,sez ) 1 an imag-
I
|
| |
derivatives: az*i*muth*al |
, aeza ' maxH-
inary line about which a body rotates: the all adj.
earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours.

Bb
ba*bel |
'baebal; 'ba- 1
• n. [in sing.] a confused witty conversation: cultured badinage about art
noise, typically that made by a number of and life.

voices: the babel of voices on the road. baMIe |

'bsefsl |
• n. (in engineering, architec-
a scene of noisy confusion. ture, acoustics, etc.) a device used to restrain
Bab*ism |
'babizam *n. a religion \
founded the flow of a fluid, gas, or loose material or to
in 1 844 by the Persian Mirza Ali Muhammad prevent the spreading of sound or light in a
of Shiraz (1819-50) (popularly known as particular direction.
"the Bab"), who taught that a new prophet DERI VAT I v E s baf'flc V. [trans.] :

would follow Muhammad. See also Baha'i. bag*a*telle .baegs'tel . «. 1 a thing of little
|
|

bac*ca*lau*re*ate ,baek3'16re-t| . n. 1 a uni- |

importance; a very easy task: he played so well
versity bachelor's degree. 2 a religious service that winning the tournament seemed a mere
held at some educational institutions before bagatelle for him. 2 a short, light piece of
commencement, containing a farewell ser- music, esp. one for the piano.
mon to the graduating class. bagn*io 'baenyo; 'ban-
|
. n. (pi. -os) 1 a 1

bac*cha*nal .baks'nal; ,baek-; 'beekanl • n. |

|
brothel. 2 an oriental prison. 3 a bathhouse
1 an occasion of wild and drunken revelry. in Turkey or Italy.
a drunken reveler. 2 a priest, worshiper, or Ba*ha'i bs'hi (also Bahai) . n. (pi. Baha'is)
| I

follower of the Roman god Bacchus (Greek, a monotheistic religion founded in the 19th
Dionysus), the god of wine. century as a development of Babism, empha-
derivatives: bac*cha»na*li*an adj. bac* sizing the essential oneness of humankind
chamal adj. and of all religions and seeking world peace.
bad*i*nage |
,baedn'azH |
• n. humorous or The Baha'i faith was founded by the Persian
bailiff 41 banter
Baha'ullah (1817-92) and his son Abdul a mixture of coarse and fine aggregate for
Baha (1844-1921). making concrete. 3 a passive component used
an adherent of the Baha'i faith. in an electric circuit to moderate changes in
derivatives: Ba«ha»'ism |-,iz9m| n. current. • v. [trans.] (usu.be ballasted) 1 give
bail*iff I
a person who performs
'balif I
• n. stability to (a ship) by putting a heavy sub-
certain actions under legal authority, in par- stance in its bilge: the vessel has been ballasted
ticular: with gravel. 2 form (the bed of a railroad line
an official in a court of law who keeps order, or road) with gravel or coarse stone.
looks after prisoners, etc. phrases: in ballast (of a ship) laden only
bail*i*wick 'babwik| . n. Law the district or
|
with ballast.
jurisdiction of a bailiff or bailie (a municipal bal*lis*tic Iba'listikI . adj. [attrib.] 1 of or relat-
officer and magistrate in Scotland). ing to projectiles or their flight. 2 moving un-
(one's bailiwick) informal one's sphere of der the force of gravity only.
operations or particular area of interest: you phrases: go ballistic fly into a rage.
don't give the presentations that's my baili- — derivatives: bal»lis»ti»caWy |-ik(3)le|
wick. adv.
bak*sheesh 'baekSHeSH; baek'SHeSH (also| |
balm ba(l)m
I
• w. 1 a fragrant ointment or
I

backsheesh) • n. (in parts of Asia) a small preparation used to heal or soothe the skin.
sum of money given as alms, a tip, or a bribe. something that has a comforting, soothing,
bal*der*dash |
'b61d3r,daeSH |
. n. senseless or restorative effect: the murmur of the water
talk or writing; nonsense. can provide balm for troubled spirits. 2 any of
bale*ful I
'balfal |
• adj. threatening harm; several trees that yield a fragrant resinous
menacing: Bill shot a baleful glance in her direc- substance, typically one used in medicine.
tion. I
the baleful light cast trembling shadows. such a substance. 3 (also lemon balm or
having a harmful or destructive effect. sweet balm) a bushy herb (Melissa officinalis)
derivatives: bale»ful»ly adv. bale»£ul» of the mint family, with leaves smelling and
ness n. tasting of lemon.
balk |b6k| (Brit, also baulk) . v. [intrans.] 1 hes- used in names of other aromatic herbs of the
itate or be unwilling to accept an idea or un- mint family, e.g., bee balm.
dertaking: any gardener will at first balk at balm*y 'ba(l)me • adj. (balmier, balmi-
| I

enclosing the garden. est) 1 (of the weather) pleasantly warm. 2 ex-
[trans.] thwart or hinder (a plan or person): tremely foolish.
all of his influence will be invoked to balk the law. derivatives: balmn»ness n.
[trans.] (balk someone of) prevent a person bal*US*trade 'baeb.strad . a railing sup-
| I

or animal from having (something): the lions, ported by balusters (short pillars or
fearing to be balked of their prey. (of a horse) columns), esp. an ornamental parapet on a
refuse to go on. [trans.] miss or refuse (a balcony, bridge, or terrace.
chance or invitation). 2 (of a baseball pitcher) derivatives: bal«us»trad»ed adj.
make an illegal motion, penalized by an ad- ba*nal |
'banl; ba'nael; -'nal |
• adj. so lacking
vance of the base runners: the rookie balked in originality as to be obvious and boring: ba-
and permitted Robinson to score. • «. 1 an ille- nal songs.
gal motion made by a pitcher that may de- derivatives: ba»naW»ty |b3'naelite| n.
ceive a base runner. 2 a roughly squared tim- (pi. -ies) ba»nal»ly adv.
ber beam. 3 any area on a pool or billiard ban*dy . v. (-ies, -led) [trans.] (usu. be
table in which play is restricted in some way. bandied about/around) pass on or discuss
4 a ridge left unplowed between furrows. an idea or rumor in a casual way: $40 million
bal*lad 'baebd • «. a poem or song narrat-
|
I
isthe figure that has been bandied about.
ing a story in short stanzas. Traditional bal- exchange; pass back and forth: they bandied
lads are typically of unknown authorship, words and laughs from one to another. • n. a
having been passed on orally from one gen- game similar to field hockey.
eration to the next as part of the folk culture. the stick used to play this game.
a slow sentimental or romantic song. bane*ful • adj. causing great distress or an-
baMade Iba'ladj • «. 1 a poem consisting of noyance: a baneful influence baneful depres- \

one or more triplets of stanzas with a sion.

repeated refrain and an envoi (a short stanza poisonous; causing death.
archaic
at the end) 2 a short, lyrical piece of music,
. banns baenz • plural n. a notice read out on
|
I

esp.one for piano. three successive Sundays in a parish church,

balHast 'baebst • | |
w. 1 heavy material, such announcing an intended marriage and giving
as gravel, sand, iron, or lead, placed low in a the opportunity for objections.
vessel to improve its stability. phrases: forbid the banns raise an objec-
a substance of this type carried in an airship tion to an intended marriage, esp. in church
or on a hot-air balloon to stabilize it, and jet- following the reading of the banns.
tisoned when greater altitude is required. ban»ter 'baentar • n. the playful and friendly
| |

something that gives stability or substance: exchange of teasing remarks: good-natured

the film is an entertaining comedy with some se- banter. • v. [intrans.] talk or exchange remarks
rious ideas thrown in for ballast. 2 gravel or in a good-humored teasing way: the men ban-
coarse stone used to form the bed of a rail- tered and joked with each other [as adj.] \

road track or road. (bantering) a bantering tone.

 .

banzai 42 bated
ban*zai I'baen'zi] » exclam. 1 a Japanese bat- of 60-second television spots. • v. [trans.] (usu.
tle cry.[origin: early 20th cent.] 2 a form be barraged) bombard (someone) with
of greeting used to the Japanese emperor. something: his doctor was barraged with un-
[origin: late 19th cent.] • adj. (esp. of Jap- solicited advice.
anese troops) attacking fiercely and reck- bar»rage2 |
bs'raZH |
• w. a concentrated artil-
lessly:a banzai charge. lery bombardment over a wide area.
bap*tist 'bseptist \^n.^ (Baptist) a member
I
figurative a concentrated outpouring, as of

of a Protestant Christian denomination advo- questions or blows: she was not prepared for his
cating baptism only of adult believers by to- barrage of questions a barrage of 60-second \

tal immersion. Baptists form one of the television spots. . v. [trans.] (usu.beliarraged)
largest Protestant bodies and are found bombard (someone) with something: his doc-
throughout the world and esp. in the US. 2 a tor was barraged with unsolicited advice.
person who baptizes someone. bar»ri*0 |
'bare.o . n. (pi. -os) a district of a
|

bap»tls»ter»y rbaeptsstre] (also baptistry) town in Spain and Spanish-speaking coun-

• n. (pi. -ies) the part of a church used for tries.
baptism. the Spanish-speaking quarter of an Ameri-
a building next to a church, used for bap- can town or city. a poor neighborhood pop-
tism. (in a Baptist chapel) a sunken recep- ulated by Spanish-speaking people.
tacle used for baptism by total immersion. bar»ris»ter 'baer3st3r;'ber-| (also barrister-
|

bar*ba*rism 'barbSirizsm • n. 1 absence of

| I
culture and civilization: the collapse of civiliza-
tion and the return to barbarism.
a word or expression that is badly formed ac-
cording to traditional philological rules, for
example a word formed from elements of dif-
ferent languages, such as breathalyser (English
and Greek) or television (Greek and Latin).
2 extreme cruelty or brutality: an act of barba-
rism barbarisms from the country's past.
I
bar*ba«rous |
'barbarss
cruel; exceedingly brutal:
rearing practices were barbarous by modern stan-
at-law) . n. chiefly Brit, a lawyer entitled to prac-
tice as an advocate, particularly in the higher
courts. Cf. SOLICITOR.
ba*sil*i*ca Ibs'siliks] . n. a large oblong hall
or building with double colonnades and a
semicircular apse, used in ancient Rome as a
court of law or for public assemblies.
a similar building used as a Christian
church. the name given to certain Roman
Catholic churches granted special privileges
I
• adj. 1 savagely by the pope.
many early child- DERI VAT IVES: ba«sil»i»can adj.
bas*i*lisk 'b£es3,lisk;'b£ez-| • n. a mythical
|

dards. 2 primitive; uncivilized: a remote and reptile with a lethal gaze or breath, hatched
barbarous country. by a serpent from a cock's egg.
(esp. of language) coarse and unrefined. (in heraldry) another term for cockatrice.
derivatives: bar»ba»rous»ly adv. bar* bas-re*lief ,ba ra'lef • n. another term for
|
|

ba»rous»ness n. low relief (see relief.

bar*ca*role barks, rol
|
(also barcarolle) |
a sculpture, carving, or molding in low relief.
• n. a song traditionally sung by Venetian gon- bas*tille |
bse'stel . w. a tower or bastion of
I

doliers (canal boatmen). a castle; a small fortress.in siege operations,

a musical composition in the style of such a a wooden tower on wheels, or an entrenched
song. protective hut used by the besiegers. (the
bard^ |bard| • n. a poet, traditionally one Bastille) a fortress in Paris built in the 14th
reciting epics and associated with a particu- century and used in the 17th-18th centuries
lar oral tradition. as a state prison. Its storming by a mob on
(the Bard or the Bard of Avon) Shake- July 14, 1789 marked the start of the French
speare. Revolution.
derivatives: bardnc |-dik| adj. bas»ti«na»do ,bsest3' nado; -'nado • w. a
|
|

bar mitZ'vah ,bar 'mitsva • n. the religious

| I
form of torture that involves beating the soles
initiation ceremony of a Jewish boy who has of someone's feet with a stick. • v. (-oes,
reached the age of 1 3 and is regarded as ready -oed) [trans.] (usu. be bastinadoed) punish
to observe religious precepts and eligible to or torture (someone) in such a way.
take part in public worship. Cf. bat mitzvah bas*tion 'bsesCHan • «. a projecting part of
| |

the boy undergoing this ceremony. • v. a fortification built at an angle to the line of
[trans.] (usu. be bar mitzvahed) celebrate a wall, so as to allow defensive fire in several
the bar mitzvah of (a boy) directions.
ba*roque Ibs'rokl • adj. relating to or denot- a natural rock formation resembling such a
ing a style of European architecture, music, fortification. an institution, place, or person
and art of the 17th and 18th centuries that strongly defending or upholding particular
followed mannerism and is characterized by principles, attitudes, or activities: the last
ornate detail. bastion of male privilege.
highly ornate and extravagant in style. • n. bat»ed batid • adj. (in phrase with bated
| |

the baroque style. breath) in great suspense; very anxiously or

the baroque period. excitedly; he waited for a reply to his offer with
bar*rage^ Iba'raZH . a concentrated artil- |
bated breath.
lery bombardment over a wide area.
usage: The spelling baited breath instead of
a concentrated outpouring, as of questions
bated breath is a common mistake.
or blows: a barrage of questions a barrage \
bathos 43 belabor
ba*thos 'baiHas
I
in a work of liter- |
• n. (esp. 2 (usu. Beaux Arts) [as adj.] relating to the
ature) an effect of anticlimax created by an classical decorative style maintained by the
unintentional lapse in mood from the sub- Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, esp. in the
lime to the trivial or ridiculous. 19th century and important in America esp.
derivatives: ba«thetnc |b3'THetik| adj. in the early 20th century.
bat mitz*vah |bat mitsvsl (also bas mitz- be*drag*gled Ibi'draegaldl » adj. dirty and
vah) • n. a religious initiation ceremony for a disheveled: bedraggled refugees \
we got there,
Jewish girl aged twelve years and one day, tired and bedraggled.
regarded as the age of religious maturity. derivatives: be*drag»gle v.

the girl undergoing such a ceremony. be*get |bi'get| 'V. (begetting ; past begot
baWeni 'bsetn| • v. [trans.] strengthen or fas-
| I
-'gat I
or archaic begat |
-'gaet | ; past part, be-
ten (something) with battens (strips of gotten -'gatn I I ) [trans.] 1 (typically of a man,
wood): Stephen was battening down the sometimes of a man and a woman) bring (a
shutters. child) into existence by the process of repro-
baWen2 (batten on) thrive or
. v. [intrans.] duction: they hoped that the king might beget an
prosper expense of (someone): multi-
at the heir. 2 give rise to; bring about: success begets
national monopolies batten on the working further success.
classes. derivatives: be»get»ter n.
bail*ble 'bobal •
|
1 a small, showy trinket
|
be*grudge Ibi'graj] »v. 1 [with two objs.] envy
or decoration. (someone) the possession or enjoyment of
something of no importance or worth. 2 a (something): she begrudged Martin his afflu-
baton formerly used as an emblem by jesters. ence. 2 [trans.] give reluctantly or resentfially:
Bau*haus 'bow, hows a school of design
|
|
doesn't begrudge a single penny spent on her
established by Walter Gropius in Weimar in health.
1919, best known for its designs of objects derivatives: be»grudgnng»ly adv.
based on functionalism and simplicity. be*guile bi'gil • v. [trans.] 1 charm or en-
|
|

bawd*y |
bode |
. adj. (bawdier, bawdiest) chant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive
dealing with sexual matters in a comical way; way: an artist beguiled by Maine [as adj.] (be- \

humorously indecent. • n. humorously inde- guiling) a beguiling smile.

cent talk or writing. (someone) into doing something: they
trick
derivatives: bawdn»ly |-d3le| adv. were beguiled into signing a peace treaty. 2 dated
bawdn»ness n. help (time) pass pleasantly: to beguile some of
bear mar»ket • n. (regarding stocks) a market the time they went to the cinema.
in which prices are falling, encouraging sell- derivatives: be»guile»ment n. be»guil»
ing. er n. be*guil*ing»ly adv.
beat gen»er«a«tion a movement of young be«hav*lor*ism bi'havys.rizam » n. the |
|

people in the 1 950s {beats; later they and their theory that human and animal behavior can
followers were also called beatniks) who be explained in terms of conditioning, with-
rejected conventional society and espoused out appeal to thoughts or feelings, and that
Zen Buddhism, modern jazz, free sexuality, psychological disorders are best treated by
and recreational drugs. Among writers asso- altering behavior patterns.
ciated with the movement were Jack Kerouac such study and treatment in practice.
(1922-69) and Allen Ginsberg (1926-97). derivatives: be«hav»iorMst n. & adj. be*
be*a*tif*ic l.bea'tifikl 'adj. blissfully happy: havnor«is«tic |bi,havy3'ristik| adj.
a beatific smile. be*he*moth Ibi'hemsTH; 'besmsTHi • n. a
derivatives: be»a»tifM»caWy |-ik(3)le| huge or monstrous creature.
adv. something enormous, esp. a big and power-
be»at»Mi»ca»tion Ibe.aepfi'kaSHanl . n. (in ful organization: shoppers loyal to their local
the Roman Catholic Church) declaration by than to faceless behemoths
stores rather [as adj.] \

tfie pope that a dead person is in a state of behemoth telephone companies.

bliss, constituting a step toward canonization be«hest bi'hest • w. a person's orders or
|
I

and permitting public veneration. command: they had assembled at his behest
be«at»i«fy |be'aet3,fi| 'V. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] I
the slaughter of the male children at the
(in the Roman Catholic Church) announce behest of Herod.
the beatification of. be*hold*en bi'holdsn | |
. adj. [predic] owing
make (someone) blissfully happy. thanks or having a duty to someone in return
be*at*i*tude |be'a£p,t(y)ood| • w. supreme for help or a service: / don't like to be be-
blessedness. holden to anybody.
(the Beatitudes) the blessings listed by be*hoove |bi'hoov| »v. [trans.] (it behooves
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. someone to do something) it is a duty or
5:3-11). (his/your Beatitude) a title given responsibility for someone to do something;
to patriarchs in the Orthodox Church. it is incumbent on: it behooves any coach to

beau geste ,bo znest . n. (pi beaux|

|
study his predecessors.
gestes pronunc. same) a noble and generous [with negative] it is appropriate or suitable; it
act. befits: it ill behooves them to decry the coun-
beau monde ,bo 'mond • |
|
n. (the beau try's war effort.
monde) fashionable society, be*la*bor Ibi'labsrI »v. [trans.] 1 argue or
beaux arts |boz 'ar| plural » n. 1 fine arts. elaborate (a subject) in excessive detail:
 |

belated 44 benevolent
criticsthought they belabored the obvious. 2 at- belt^way 'belt,wa
|
\
• n. a highway encircling
tack or assault (someone) physically or ver- an urban area.
bally: he seized every opportunity to belabor the (Beltway) [often as adj.] Washington, DC,
Roman Church. esp. as representing the perceived insularity
be*lat*ed bi'latid • adj. coming or happen-
| |
of the US government: conventional beltway
ing later than should have been the case: a be- wisdom, that 's how it looks from inside the Belt-
lated apology. way, [origin: transferred use by association
DERI VAT V E s be»lat»ed»ly
I : adv. be«lat»ed» with the beltway encircling Washington.]
ness n. bel»ve*dere |'belv9,diri • «. a summerhouse
bel*dam i
'beldam; -,daem |
(also beldame) or open-sided gallery, usually at rooftop level,
• n. an old woman. commanding a fine view.
a malicious and ugly woman, esp. an old one; be*muse |bi'myOoz| 'V. [trans.] [usu. as adj.]
a witch. (bemused) puzzle, confuse, or bewilder
be*lea»guer |bi'leg3r| »v. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (someone): her bemused expression.
(beleaguered) lay siege to: a beleaguered city. derivatives: be«mus»ed»ly |
-zidle |
adv.
beset with difficulties: the board is supporting be«muse»ment n.
the beleaguered director amid calls for her resig- bench*mark 'benCH,mark| |
. w. 1 a standard
nation. or point of reference against which things
bel es*prit ,bel e'spre . n.
|
(pi. beaux |
may be compared or assessed: [as adj.] a |

esprits ,boz e'spre ) a witty person.

| |
benchmark case.
beHie |bi'li| 'V. (belying) [trans.] 1 (of an ap- a problem designed to evaluate the perfor-
pearance) fail to give a true notion or impres- mance of a computer system. 2 (also bench
sion of (something); disguise or contradict: his mark) a surveyor's mark cut in a wall, pillar,
lively alert manner belied his years. 2 fail to ful- or building and used as a reference point in
fill or justify (a claim or expectation); betray: measuring altitudes. • v. [trans.] evaluate or
the notebooks belie Darwin's later recollection. check (something) by comparison with a
beHiWIe |bi'litl| •v. [trans.] make (someone standard: we are benchmarking our perfor-
or something) seem unimportant: this is not to mance against external criteria.
belittle his role. [intrans.] evaluate or check something in this

derivatives: be»lit«tle«ment n. be«lit» way: we continue to benchmark against the com-

tier n. petition. [intrans.] show particular results
bellcurve n. (in mathematics and statistics)
• during a benchmark test: the device should
agraph of a normal distribution, with a large benchmark at between 100 and 150 MHz.
rounded peak tapering away at each end, ben*e*diC*tion ,beni'diksH3n . n. the utter-
| I

showing that the vast majority of variables fall ance or bestowing of a blessing, esp. at the
within the 'bell', or within a relatively limited end of a religious service.
range. (Benediction) a service in which the con-
belle e*poque ,bel a'psk . n. the period of |
|
gregation is blessed with the Blessed Sacra-
settled and comfortable life preceding World ment, held mainly in the Roman Catholic
War I: [as adj.] a romantic, belle-epoque replica of Church. devout or formal invocation of
a Paris bistro. blessedness: her arms outstretched in benedic-
belles-leWres |
,bel 'letra |
. plural n. [also tion. the state of being blessed: he eventually
treated as sing.] 1 essays, particularly of liter- wins benediction.
ary and artistic criticism, written and read ben*e*fac*tlon |
,ben9'fsekSH3n| a dona-
primarily for their aesthetic effect. 2 literature tion or gift.
considered as a fine art. a good deal.
derivatives: beWefrism berie,triz3m | ben«e»fac*tor 'bena.faektar; .bena'faektar
|

n. beWet»rist |
bel'letrist |
n. bel«let»ris«tic • n. a person who gives money or other help

I
ibela'tristik |
adj. to a person or cause.
bel*l[»COSe |'beli,kos| 'adj. demonstrating ben*e*f ice 'bensfis|
• «. a permanent |

aggression and willingness to fight: a group of church appointment, for which property and
bellicose patriots. income are provided in respect of pastoral
derivatives: beWi»cosM»ty |
,beb'kasite |
duties.
n. derivatives: ben»e»ficed adj.
bel«lig»er»ent Iba'lijarantI *adj. hostile and be*nef 'lucent ba'nefisant . adj. (of a per-
|
I

aggressive. son) generous or doing good.

engaged in a war or conflict, as recognized resulting in good: a beneficent democracy.
by international law. • w. a nation or person derivatives: be«nefM»cence n. be'nef'i*
engaged in war or conflict, as recognized by cent'ly adv.
international law: belligerents were denied access ben»e«f l»cl»ar»y ,ben3'fisHe,ere • n. (pi.
| i

to the port. -ies) a person who derives advantage from

derivatives: bel»lig»er«ent«ly adv. something, esp. a trust, will, or life insurance
bell»weth»er 'bel,weiH3r| . w. the leading
|
policy.
sheep (wether, originally 'ram') of a flock, be»nev»0<lent ba'nevabnt • adj. well
| |

with a bell on its neck. meaning and kindly: a benevolent smile.

an indicator or predictor of something: cam- (of an organization) serving a charitable
puses are often the bellwether of change [as adj.] I
rather than a profit-making purpose: a benev-
the market's bellwether stock. olent fund.
benighted 45 bestride
derivatives: be»nev*o«lence n. be«nev« (of a mechanical device or system) operating
©•lent'ly adv. way; out of control: the cli-
in a wild or erratic
be*night*ed bi'mtid • adj. 1 in a state of pit-
| |
mate control went berserk and either roasted or
iful or contemptible intellectual or moral ig- froze us. (of a procedure, program, or activ-
norance, typically owing to a lack of opportu- ity) act unpredictably; appear out of control:
nity: they saw themselves as bringers of culture to the stock market went berserk.
poor benighted peoples. 2 overtaken by dark- be*seech |bi'secH| 'V. (past and past part, be-
ness: a storm developed and we were forced to sought -'sot I
or beseeched) ask (some-
I

wait benighted near the summit. one) urgently and fervently to do something;
DERI VAT I V E s be»night«ed»ness n.
: implore; entreat: [with obj. and infinitive] they
be*nign |bi'nin| 'adj. 1 gentle; kindly: her beseeched him to stay \
[with obj. and direct

face was calm and benign \

his benign but firm speech] "You have got to believe me," Gloria
manner. beseeched him \
[trans.] they earnestly beseeched
(of a climate or environment) mild and fa- his forgiveness \
[as adj.] (beseeching) a
vorable. not harmful to the environment: beseeching gaze.
[in combination] an ozone-benign refrigerant. derivatives: be«seech«ing»ly adv.
2 (of a disease) not harmful in effect: in par- be*set |bi'set| » V. (besetting; past and past
ticular, (of a tumor) not malignant. part, beset) (of a problem or diffi-
[trans.] 1

derivatives: be»nign«ly adv. culty) trouble or threaten persistently: the so-

be*nig*nant Ibi'nignsntI » adj. 1 kindly and cial problems that beset the inner city \
he was
benevolent. 2 less common medical term for beset with self-doubt
BENIGN. surround and harass; assail on all sides: I was
having a good effect; beneficial: the benignant beset by clouds offlies. hem in; enclose: a ship
touch of love and beauty. beset by ice. 2 (be besetwith) be covered or
derivatives: be«nig»nan»cy n. be»nig» studded with: blades of grass beset with glisten-
nant'ly adv. ing drops of dew.
be*nign ne*giect • n. a noninterference that phrases: besetting sin a fault to which a
is intended to benefit someone or something person or institution is especially prone; a
more than continual attention would: they characteristic weakness.
claimed that benign neglect would allow the city be*smirch Ibi'smarcHi 'V. [trans.] damage
to rebuild itself. the reputation of (someone or something) in
ben trovatO ,ben tra'vato • adj. (of an an-
| I
the opinion of others: he had besmirched the
ecdote) invented but plausible. good name of his family.
be*qiieath |bi'kweTH; -'kweml •V. [trans.] make (something) dirty or discolored: the
leave (a personal estate or one's body) to a ground was besmirched with blood.
person or other beneficiary by a will: an iden- be*SOt»ted bi'satid . adj. 1 strongly infatu-
|
I

tical sum was bequeathed by Margaret he \

ated: he became besotted voith his best friend's
bequeathed his art collection to the town. sister. 2 intoxicated; drunk.

pass (something) on or leave (something) to bes*tial 'besCHal; 'bes- • adj. of or like an

|
1

someone else: he is ditching the unpopular poli- animal or animals: Darwin's revelations about
cies bequeathed to him. out bestial beginnings.
DERI VAT V E s bc'queath'cr n.
I : savagely cruel and depraved: bestial and bar-
be*quest |bi'kwest| *n. a thing bequeathed; baric acts.
a legacy: her $135,000 was the largest bequest derivatives: bes»tial«ly adv.
the library ever has received. bes*ti*al*i*ty .beste'selite; ,bes-
|
• n. ^ sav- \

the action of bequeathing something: a
painting acquired by bequest.
be*rate bi'rat • v. [trans.] scold or criticize
|
i
(someone) angrily: my son berated me for not
giving him a Jewish upbringing.
be*reave bi'rev • v. (be bereaved) be de-
| |
prived of a loved one through a profound ab-
sence, esp. due to the loved one's death: the
year after they had been bereaved [as adj.]
(bereaved) bereaved families [as plural n.]
(the bereaved) those who counsel the bereaved.
DERI VAT I V E s be»reave»ment n.:
be*reft bi'reft archaic past participle of be-
|
I
reave. • adj. deprived of or lacking some-
thing, esp. a nonmaterial asset: her room was
starkand bereft of color.
agely cruel or depraved behavior: there seems
no end to the bestiality of human beings. 2 sex-
ual intercourse between a person and an an-
imal.
bes»ti*ar*y rbeste,ere; 'bes-| » n. (pi. -ies) a
descriptive or anecdotal treatise on various
real or mythical kinds of animals, esp. a me-
dieval work with a moralizing tone.
|
be*Stir |bi'st3r| »v. (bestirred, bestirring)
\
(bestir oneself) make a physical or mental
effort; exert or rouse oneself: they rarely bestir
themselves except in the most pressing circum-
stances.
be*StOW |bi'sto| ' V. [trans.] confer or present
(an honor, right, or gift): thank you for this
honor that you have bestozved upon me she \

(of a person) lonely and abandoned, esp. bestowed her nicest smile on Jim.
through someone's death or departure. derivatives be«stow»al : |-3l| n.
ber*serk |b3r'z3rk;-'s9rk| . adj. (of a person be*Stride |bi'stnd| » v. (past bestrode
or animal) out of control with anger or excite- |-'strod|; past part, bestridden |-'stridn|)
ment; wild or frenzied: after she left, he zvent [trans.] stand astride over; span or straddle:

berserk, throwing things around the apart- creatures that bestride the dividing line between
ment. amphibians and reptiles.
 )

bete noire 46 bile

sit astride on: he bestrode his horse with easy

usage: Biennial means 'lasting or occur-
grace.
ring every two years': Congressional elections
bete noire ,bat 'nwar; ,bet . n. (pi. betes
| I
are a biennial phenomenon. biennial plant is A
noires 'nwarz pronunc. same) the bane of
|
|
one that lives a two-year cycle, flowering and
one's life; a person or thing that one particu-
producing seed in the second year. Bian-
larly dislikes: great-uncle Edward was my fa-
nual means 'twice a year': The solstice is a bi-
ther's bete noire.
annual event.
be*think |bi'THiNGk| »v. (past and past part,
bethought |-'TH6t|) (bethink oneself) bi*fur»cate »v. |'bif3r,kat| divide into two
think on reflection; come to think: he be- branches or forks: [intrans.] just below Cairo the
thought himself of the verse from the Book river bifurcates \
[trans.] the trail was bifurcated
of Proverbs \
[with bethought
clause] the council by a mountain stream. • adj. \
bi'farkat;
itself that this plan would leave room for future 'bifarkitlforked; branched: a bifurcate tree.
expansion. big*a*my 'bigame • «. the crime of going |
|

be*tide |bi'tid| 'V. [intrans.] hQ.^^en: I waited through a marriage ceremony while already
with beating heart, as yet not knowing what married to another person.
would betide. (in somechurches) the act of remarriage af-
[trans.] happen to (someone): she was trem- ter the death of a spouse, divorce, or other
bling with fear lest worse might betide her. change of condition.
be*to*ken |
bi'tokan |
. v. [trans.] be a sign of; derivatives: big«a»mist -mist n. big«a» | |

indicate: she wondered if his cold, level gaze beto- mous I

-mas I
adj.
kened indifference. big bang (also Big Bang) . n. the explosion
be a warning or indication of (a future of dense matter that, according to current
event) the falling comet betokened the true end
: cosmological theories, marked the origin of
of Merlin 'spowers. the universe.
bev«el I
'beval \
» n. from the horizon-
a slope
In the beginning a fireball of radiation at ex-
talor vertical in carpentry and stonework; a tremely high temperature and density, but
sloping surface or edge. occupying a tiny volume, is believed to have
(in full bevel square) a tool for marking formed. This expanded and cooled, ex-
angles carpentry and stonework. • v.
in
tremely fast at first, but more slowly as sub-
(beveled, beveling or bevelled, bevelling) atomic particles condensed into matter that
[trans.] [often as adj.] (beveled) reduce (a
later accumulated to form galaxies and stars.
square edge on an object) to a sloping edge: The galaxies are currently still retreating
a beveled mirror. from one another. What was of the orig- left
bev*y 'beve • n. (pi. -ies) a large group of
I I
inal radiation continued to cool and has
people or things of a particular kind: he was been detected as a uniform background of
surrounded by a bevy of beautiful girls. weak microwave radiation.
a group of birds, particularly when closely
gathered on the ground: a bevy of quail. bight bit • n. a curve or recess in a coastline,
I I

bi*an*nu*al |bi'aeny9W3l| » adj. occurring river,or other geographical feature.

twice a year: the biannual meeting of the plan- a loop of rope, as distinct from the rope's
ning committee. Cf. biennial. ends.
DERI VAT I v E s bi»an»nu»al»ly adv. : blg*Ot 'bigat • a person who is bigoted:
I I

bi*beHot 'bib(9),lo| |
• n. a small, decorative religious bigots.
ornament or trinket. big*Ot*ed 'bigatid • adj. obstinately con- |
|

bib*li*0*phile 'bibles, fll • a person who |

|
vinced of the superiority or correctness of
collects or has a great love of books. one's own opinions and prejudiced against
derivatives: bib»li»o»phil»ic biblea fi- |
, ' those who hold different opinions: a bigoted
lik| bib«li»ophn»ly bible 'afale n.
adj. |
,
|
group of reactionaries.
bib*U*IOUS 'bibysbs • adj. excessively fond
I
|
expressing or characterized by prejudice and
of drinking alcohol. intolerance: a thoughtless and bigoted article.
bi»cam»er*al Ibi'kaemarsl] * adj. (of a legis- big*Ot*ry 'bigatre • n. bigoted attitudes; in-
|
|

lative body) having two branches or cham- tolerance toward those who hold different
bers. opinions from oneself: the report reveals racism
DERI vat V e s bi«cam«er»al»ism
I :
|
-.lizam |
and right-wing bigotry.
n. bi*j0U 'bezHoo • adj. (esp. of a residence or
I I

bi*det bi'da • «. a low oval basin used for

I
|
business establishment) small and elegant:
washing one's genital and anal area. bijou restaurants. • n. (pi. bijoux -ZHdo(z) | |

bi*en*ni*al Ibi'eneall * adj. 1 taking place a jewel or trinket.

every other year: summit meetings are nor- bi*lat»er*al bi'laetaral . adj. having or relat- | |

mally biennial. Cf. biannual. 2 (esp. of a ing to two sides; affecting both sides: bilateral
plant) living or lasting for two years. • n. 1 a hearing is essential for sound location.
plant that takes two years to grow from seed involving two parties, usually countries: the
to fruition (which occurs in the second year) recently concluded bilateral agreements with Ja-
and die. Compare with annual, perennial. pan.
2 an event celebrated or taking place every derivatives: bilaterality n. bi«lat»er»al»
two years. ly adv.
derivatives: bi«enmi*aWy adv. bile bil
I I
• w. a bitter greenish-brown alkaline
 |

bilious 47 bipolar
fluid that aids digestion and is secreted by the bi«0*eth»ics .blo'eXHiks • plural n. [treated
|
|

hver and stored in the gallbladder. as sing.] the ethics of medical and biological
anger; irritability: that topic is sure to stir up research.
plenty of bile. derivatives: bi«o*ethn»cal I'eTHikslI
bii*iOUS 'bilyas • adj. affected by or associ-
I
|
adj. bi»o«eth»i»cist |-'eTH3sist| n.
ated with nausea or vomiting: feeling a little bi*0*feed*back ,bio'fed,b£ek| . n. the use of
|

bilious a bilious attack.

I
electronic monitoring of a normally auto-
(of a color) lurid or sickly: a bilious olive hue. matic bodily function in order to train some-
spiteful; bad-tempered. of or relating to one to acquire voluntary control of that fiinc-
bile. tion.
derivatives: bilnous»ly adv. bil»ious* bi»0»gen*e»sis ,bio'jen3sis| . n. the synthe-
|

ness n. sisof substances by living organisms.

bilk I
bilk obtain or withhold
I
'V. [trans.] 1 the hypothesis that living matter arises only
money from (someone) by deceit or without from other living matter.
justification; cheat or defraud: government derivatives: bi«o»ge«netMC |-j3'netik|
waste has bilked the taxpayer of billions. adj.
obtain (money) fraudulently: some businesses bi*0*mass 'biOimaes • n. the total quantity
| I

bilk thousands of dollars from unsuspecting eld- or weight of organisms in a given area or vol-
erly consumers. 2 evade; elude: I ducked into the ume.
pantry, bilking Edward. organic matter used as a fiael, esp. in a power
DERI VAT I V E s bilk'cr : n. station for the generation of electricity.
bil*let-dOUX |
bila doo |
. n. (pi billets-doux bi*ome 'biom • «. a large naturally occur-
| |

I
-'doo(z) I
a love letter.
) ring community of flora and fauna occupying
bi*na*ry j
1 relating to, using,
'bi,nere • adj. I
a major habitat, e.g., forest or tundra.
or expressed in a system of numerical nota- bi»on*ic |bi'anik| • adj. having artificial body
tion that has 2 rather than 10 as abase. parts, esp. electromechanical ones.
in binary format: it is stored as a binary file. having ordinary human powers increased by
2 relating to, composed of, or involving two or as if by the aid of such devices (real or fic-
things: testing the so-called binary, or dual chem- tional). of or relating to bionics.
ical, weapons. • n. (pl.-ies) 1 xhe binary sys- derivatives: bi»onn«cal«ly |-ik(3)le|
tem: binary notation: the device is counting in adv.
binary. 2 something having two parts. bi*on*ics |bi'aniks| 'plural n. [treated as
a binary star(a system of two stars, one sing.]the study of mechanical systems that
revolving around the other or both revolving function like living organisms or parts of liv-
around a common center). ing organisms.
bi»no*ml*al Ibi'nomeall . n. 1 an algebraic bi»op»Sy 'biapse • n. (pi. -ies) an examina-
I
|

expression of the sum or the difference of two tion of tissue removed from a living body to
mathematical terms. 2 a two-part name, esp. discover the presence, cause, or extent of a
the Latin name of a species of living organ- disease.
ism (consisting of the genus followed by the bi»0*rhythm 'bio,riiH3m| . n. a recurring
|

specific epithet, e.g., Canis familiaris the com- cycle in the physiology or fianctioning of an
mon dog). 3 a noun phrase with two heads organism, such as the daily cycle of sleeping
joined by a conjunction, in which the order is and waking.
relatively fixed (as in knife and fork). • adj. a cyclic pattern of physical, emotional, or
1 mathematics) consisting of two terms.
(in mental activity said to occur in the life of a
of or relating to a binomial or to the binomial person.
theorem. 2 having or using two names, (used derivatives: bi»o»rhyth»mic |
,bio
esp. of the Latin name of a species of living 'riTHmikI adj.
organism). bi*0*sphere 'bis.sfir • n. the regions of the
|
|

bi*0*de*grad*a*ble .biodi gradsbal . adj.

|
|
surface and atmosphere of the earth or other
(of a substance or object) capable of being planet occupied by living organisms.
decomposed by bacteria or other living derivatives: bi«o«spher«ic |
.bia'sferik
organisms. adj.
derivatives: bi«o»de*grad«a*biM»ty bi*0*ta Ibi'opI • n. the animal and plant life
I
-.grads'bilite |
n. of a particular region, habitat, or geological
bl»0*di»ver»si*ty .biodi'varsite . «. the va- |
|
period: the biota of the river
riety of plant and animal life in the world or bi*0*tech*nol*0»gy ,biotek'nabje . the | I

in a particular habitat. exploitation of biological processes for indus-

bi*o«en»gi»neer*ing ,bio,enj3'niriNG| .
|
trial and other purposes, esp. the genetic ma-
1 (also genetic engineering) the deliberate nipulation of microorganisms for the produc-
modification of the characteristics of an or- tion of antibiotics, hormones, etc.
ganism by manipulating its genetic material. bi*po*lar bi'pobr • adj. having or relating to
|
|

2 the use of artificial tissues, organs, or organ two poles or extremities: a sharply bipolar di-
components to replace damaged or absent vision of affluent and underclasses.
parts of the body, such as artificial limbs and (of a plant or animal species) of or occurring
heart pacemakers. 3 the use in engineering or in both polar regions. (of a nerve cell) hav-
industry of biological organisms or processes. ing two axons (long, threadlike parts), one on
derivatives: bi»o«emgi»neer n. & v. either side of the cell body. (of a transistor

bipolar disorder
or other electronic device) using both posi-
tive and negative charge carriers.
derivatives: bi»po»lar»i»ty ,bipo'lerite |
n.
bi*po*lar dis*or«der . n. a mental disorder
marked by alternating periods of elation and
depression. Also called, esp. formerly, manic
depression
bi»sex»U*al |bi'sekSH9W3l| 'udj. sexually
attracted to both men and women.
(in biology) having characteristics of both
sexes. • n. a person who is sexually attracted
to both men and women.
derivatives: bi»sex»u»al«i«ty
'waelitel n.
biv*OU*ac |
* n. a tempo-
'bivoo,a£k;'bivw£ek|
rary camp without tents or cover, used esp.
by soldiers or movmtaineers. » v. [noobj.,with
(bivouacked, bivouacking)
adverbial of place]
stay in such a camp: the battalion was now biv-
ouacked in a cornfield.
bi*zarre |
bi'zar |
• adj.very strange or imu-
sual, esp. so as to cause interest or amuse-
ment: her bizarre dresses and outrageous hairdos.
derivatives: bi»zarre«ly adv. bi»zarre«
ness n. bizarrerie n. a bizarre quality.
black blaek • adj. (also Black) of any human
I
|
group having dark-colored skin, esp. of Afri-
can or Australian Aboriginal ancestry: black
adolescents of Jamaican descent.
of or relating to black people: black culture.
• n. (also Black) a member of a dark-skinned
people, esp. one of African or Australian Ab-
original ancestry: a coalition of blacks and
whites against violence.
usage: Black, designating Americans of
African heritage, became the most widely
used and accepted term in the 1960s and
1970s, replacing Negro. It is not usually
capitalized: black Americans. Through the
1 980s, the more formal African American
replaced black in much usage, but both are
now generally acceptable. (The noun form is
sometimes hyphenated, and the adjectival
form should be: the African-American novel-
ist Ralph Ellison). Afro-American, an ear-
lier alternative to black, is heard mostly in
anthropological and cultural contexts. 'Col-
ored people,' common earlier in the twenti-
eth century, is now usually regarded as de-
rogatory, although the phrase survives in the
full name of the NAACP, the National Asso-
ciation for the Advancement of Colored
People. An inversion, 'people of color,' has
gained some favor, but is also used in refer-
ence to other nonwhite ethnic groups.
black Eng*lish . n. any of various nonstan-
dard forms of English spoken by black peo-
ple.
a dialect spoken by black Americans that dis-
plays consistent syntactical forms theorized
as arising from African languages.
black*guard I'blagard; 'blaek.gardi
person, particularly a man, who behaves in a
dishonorable or contemptible way. • v.
[trans.] abuse ordisparage (someone) scurril-
ously.
|
48 blase
derivatives: black*guard*ly adf
blackhole • n. 1 (inastronomy) a region of
space having a gravitational field so intense
thamo matter or radiation can escape. Black
holes are probably formed when a massive
star exhausts its nuclear fuel and collapses
under its own gravity. If the star is massive
enough, no known force can coimteract the
increasing gravity, and it will collapse to a
point of infinite density. Before this stage is
reached, within a certain radius (the event
horizon) light itself becomes trapped and the
object becomes invisible.
|
,biseksH3 a figurative place of emptiness or aloneness:
they think he's sitting in a black hole with no in-
teraction with his people. a place where
money, lost items, etc., are supposed to go,
never to be seen again: the moribund economy
has been a black hole for federal funds I\
wouldn't dare go in that black hole he calls a
"garage." (of a system, practice, or institu-
tion) a state of inadequacy or excessive bu-
reaucracy in which hopes, progress, etc., be-
come futile: juveniles lost in the black hole of
2 a dreadful place
the criminal justice system.
of confinement or imprisonment, esp. in the
armed services.
black*mall l'blaek,mal| . w. the action,
treated as a criminal offense, of demanding
money from a person in return for not reveal-
ing compromising or injurious information
about that person: they were acquitted of
charges of blackmail.
money demanded in this way: we do not pay
blackmail. the use of threats or the manip-
ulation of someone's feelings to force them to
do something: out offear, she submitted to Jim's
emotional blackmail they are trying to
\
blackmail us with hunger. • v. [trans.] demand
money from (a person) in return for not
revealing compromising or injurious infor-
mation about that person: trying to blackmail
him for $400,000.
force (someone) to do something by using
threats or manipulating their feelings: he had
blackmailed her into sailing with him.
derivatives: black»mail»er n.
black mar*ket . n. (the black market) an il-
legal traffic or trade in officially controlled or
scarce commodities: they planned to sell the
meat on the black market. The gray market
invloves traffic or trade that is not illegal but
is questionable, e.g., trade in securities not
yet quoted on the Stock Exchange.
derivatives: black mar»ke«teer (also
black-mar*ke*teer) n. black-mar»ke«teer
V.
black tie • n. a black bow tie worn with a din-
ner jacket.
formal evening dress: the audience wears black
tie. Cf. WHITE tie. • adj. (black-tle) (of an
event) requiring formal evening dress: eve-
ning meals were black-tie affairs.
» n. a bland*ish*ment 'blaendiSHmant . w. a flat-
| I
tering or pleasing statement or action used to
persuade someone gently to do something:
the blandishments of a travel brochure.
bia*se bla'za • adj. unimpressed or indiffer-
I I
 .

blasphemy 49 bluff
ent to something because one has experi- callous or improper: a blithe disregard for the
enced or seen it so often before: she was rules of the road.
becoming quite blase about the dangers of city life. happy or joyous: a blithe comedy.
blas*phe»my 'blaesfsme • n. (pi. -ies) the |
I
derivatives: blithe»ly adv. blithe*ness n.
act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously blithesome |-S3m| adj. a blithesome spirit.
about God or sacred things; profane talk: he blitz*krieg 'blits,kreg| »n. an intense mili-
|

was detained on charges of blasphemy scream- \

tary campaign intended to bring about a swift
ing incomprehensible blasphemies. victory.
derivatives: blas»phe»mous adj. bias* bloc I
• «. a combination of countries,
blak I

phe»mous«ly adv. parties, or groups sharing a common Tpur-

bla*tant 'blatnt • adj. (of bad behavior)
! |
^o^t: a larger, stronger European bloc a center- \

done openly and unashamedly: blatant lies. left voting bloc \

the upstate dairy bloc.
completely lacking in subtlety; very obvious: blond bland (also blonde) . adj. (of hair)
I |

forcing herself to resist his blatant charm |

bla- fair or pale yellow: short-cropped blond hair \

tant appeals to ethnicity. her hair was dyed blond.

derivatives: bla»tan»cy |'blatnse| n. (of a person) having hair of a fair or pale yel-
blath*er (also blether or blither)
|
blaeiHar |
low color: a slim blond woman. (of a person)
• V. [intrans.]long-windedly without mak- talk having fair hair and a light complexion, typi-
ing very much sense: she began blathering callyregarded as a racial characteristic. (of
on about her previous lives [as n.] (blather- \
wood and other substances) light in color or
ing) stop your blathering. • n. long-winded tone: a New York office full of blond wood. • n.
talk with no real substance. a person with fair hair and skin.
blath*er*Skite 'blseiHar.skitl *n. 1 a person |
derivatives: blond*ish adj. blond*ness
who talks at great length without making n.
much sense. blOOd*less 'bbdlis . adj. (of a person) cold
| |

foolish talk; nonsense: politicians get away all or unemotional: a shrewd and bloodless Holly-
the time with their blatherskite. 2 a scoundrel: wood mogul. lacking in vitality; feeble: their
you lousy, thieving blatherskite! occasionally bloodless chamber jazz.
bla«zon 'blazan • v. [trans.] 1 [with adverbial of
| |
derivatives: blood«less»ly adv. blood*
place] display prominently or vividly: they saw less»ness n.
their company name blazoned all over the media. blue blood • n. noble birth: blue blood is no

report (news), esp. in a sensational manner: guarantee of any particular merit, competence, or
accounts of their ordeal blazoned to the entire expertise.
nation. 2 describe or depict (armorial bear- (also blueblood) a person of noble birth: a
ings) in a correct heraldic manner. comforting figure among that crowd of blue
inscribe or paint(an object) with arms or a bloods.
name. • n. a correct heraldic description of DERI VAT V E s blue-blood»ed adj.
I :

armorial bearings. blue law • n. a law prohibiting certain activi-

a coat ofarms. ties, such as shopping, on a Sunday.
blear blir • v. [trans.] make dim; blur: you
| |
(in colonial New
England) a strict religious
would blear your eyes with books. • adj. dim, law, particularly one preventing entertain-
dull, or filmy: a medicine to lay to sore and blear ment or leisure activities on a Sunday.
eyes. • n. a film over the eyes; a blur: he forced blue*nose 'bloo.noz . «. 1 a priggish or pu-
|
|

his eyes open and shut to rid them of blear. ritanical person: [as adj.] the most restrictive,
derivatives: bleary adj. bluenose standards. 2 (Bluenose) a person
blench blenCH . v. [intrans.] make a sudden
| |
from Nova Scotia.
flinching movement out of fear or pain: he derivatives: blue«nosed adf (in sense 1)

blenched and struggled to regain his composure. blues I

blooz I
. plural n. 1 [treated as sing, or
blight I
a plant disease, esp. one
blit I
• n. (often the blues) an often melancholic
pi.]

caused by fungi such as mildews, rusts, and music of black American folk origin, typically
smuts: a blight that attacks grapevines [with \
in a twelve-bar sequence. It developed in the
adj.] potato blight. rural South toward the end of the 1 9th cen-
informal anything that causes a plant disease or tury, finding a wider audience from the 1 920s
interferes with the healthy growth of a plant. as blacks migrated to the cities. Tliis urban
[in sing ] a thing that spoils or damages blues gave rise to rhythm and blues and rock
something: her remorse could be a blight on and roll.
their happiness. an ugly or neglected urban [treated as sing.] a piece of such music: now
area, or its condition: the depressing urban we're going to play a blues in C. 2 (the blues)
blight in the south of the city. • v. [trans.] (usu. feelings of melancholy, sadness, or depres-
be blighted) infect (plants or a planted area) sion: she's got the blues.
with blight: a peach by leaf curl. tree blighted derivatives blues»y : a(i/'. (in sense 1).
spoil, harm, or destroy: the scandal blighted blue-sky (also blue-skies) . adj. [attrib.] not
the careers of several leading politicians [as adj.] \
yet practical or profitable: blue-sky research.
(blighted) his blighted ambitions. [usu. as blue*StOCk*ing 'bloo,stakiNG| • an intel- |

adj.] (blighted) subject (an urban area) to ne- lectual or literary woman.
glect: blighted neighborhoods. bluff • adj. direct in speech or behavior but in
blithe bliTH; bllTHi » adj. showing a casual
I
a good-natured way: a big, bluff, hearty man.
and cheerful indifference considered to be derivatives: bluff-ly adv. blufT^ness n.
 |

bluster 50 bore
blus*ter 'bbstarl . V. [intrans.] talk in a loud,
|
tion to deceive: the court will assume that they
aggressive, or indignant way with little effect: have acted bona fide.
you threaten and bluster, but you won 't follow bO*na fi*des |
'bona ,fidz; 'fidez; 'bana- 1 . n.

through [with direct speech] '7 don 't care what

I
a person's honesty and sincerity of intention:
he says," I blustered \
[as adj.] (blustering) a he went to great lengths to establish his liberal
blustering bully. bona fides.
(of a storm, wind, or rain) blow or beat [treated as pi.] documentary evidence show-
fiercely and noisily: [as (blustering) the
adj.] ing a person's legitimacy; credentials: are you
blustering wind. • n. loud, aggressive, or indig- satisfied with my bona fides? [origin: mid
nant talk with little effect: their threats con- 20th cent.]
tained a measure of bluster. bond*age |
'bandij |
• «. 1 the state of being a
DERI VAT V E s blus«ter«er n.
I : slave: the deliverance of the Israelites from bond-
boat*swain bosan (also bo'sun or bo- |
|
age in Egypt.
sun) . n. a ship's officer in charge of equip- a state of being greatly constrained by cir-
ment and the crew. cumstances or obligations: young women lost
bo*da«cious |bo'dasH3s| . a(i>. excellent, ad- to the bondage of early motherhood. 2 sexual
mirable, or attractive: this restaurant serves practice that involves the tying up or restrain-
bodacious grilled lobster! ing of one partner.
audacious in a way considered admirable: a bon*ho*mie 'bana, me; ,bana'me| » n.
|

bunch of bodacious dudes playing games with cheerful friendliness; geniality: he exuded good
death. humor and bonhomie.
bode bod . V. [intrans.] (bode well/ill) be an
I I
bon*sai |ban'si; 'bansi| • (pi. same) (also

omen of a particular outcome: their argument bonsai tree) an ornamental tree or shrub
did not bode well for the future \
[trans.] high grown in a pot and artificially prevented from
interest rates bode dark days ahead for retailers. reaching its normal size.
bo*dhi«satt»va ,bodi'satv3;-'s3t-| (alsoBo- |
the art of growing trees or shrubs in such a
dhisattva) • n. (in Mahayana Buddhism) a way.
person who is able to reach nirvana but bon Vi*vant ban ve'vant • n. (pi bon | |

delays doing so out of compassion in order to vivants -vant(s) or bons vivants

| |

save suffering beings. 1

-'vant(s) pronunc. same)
I
a person who
bo*gus 'bogas • adj. not genuine or true;
I I
enjoys a sociable and luxurious lifestyle.
fake: a bogus insurance claim. bOOn*dog*gle 'boon,dagal; -.dogal • n.
|
|

derivatives: bo»gus«ly adv. bo»gus»ness work or activity that is wasteful or pointless

n. but gives the appearance of having value:
bo*he*mi*an bo'hemesn • a person who
| |
writing off the coldfusion phenomenon as a boon-
has informal and unconventional social doggle best buried in literature. a public proj-
habits, esp. an artist or writer: the young ect of questionable merit that typically
bohemians with their art galleries and sushi bars. involves political patronage and graft. • v.
[origin: mid 19th cent.: from French [intrans.] waste money or time on such pro-

bohemien 'gypsy' (because gypsies were jects.

thought to come from Bohemia, or because boor 'boor • n. a rude, unmannerly person:
I I

they perhaps entered tlie West through a big, obnoxious boor. a clumsy person. a
Bohemia).] • adj. having informal and un- peasant; a yokel.
conventional social habits. derivatives: boor»ish adj. boor»ish»ly
derivatives: bo»he»mi»an»ism l-.ni- adv.boor»ish»ness n.

Z3m| n. bOOt*less 'booths I I

• adj. (of a task or under-
boiS*ter»OUS 'boist(9)r3s • adj. (of a per-|
|
taking) ineffectual; useless: words at this pass
son, event, or behavior) noisy, energetic, and were vain and bootless bootless efforts. \

cheerful; rowdy: the boisterous conviviality bore' iborl ' V. 1 [trans.] make (a hole) in
associated with taverns of that period. something, esp. with a revolving tool: they
(of wind, weather, or water) wild or stormy. bored holes in the sides \
[intrans.] the drill can
derivatives: bois»ter»ous»ly adv. bois» bore through rock.
ter»ous»ness n. [trans.] hollow out (a tube or tunnel): try to
boHus 'bobsI I
. n. (pi. boluses) a small bore the tunnel at the correct angle. [intrans.]

rounded mass of a substance, esp. of chewed (bore into) (of a person's eyes) stare harshly
food at the moment
of swallowing. at: your terrible blue eyes bore into me. [trans.]

a type of large pill used in veterinary medi- hollow out (a gun barrel or other tube).
cine. a single dose of a drug or other medic- 2 [intrans.] make one's way through (a crowd).
inal preparation given all at once. • n. 1 the hollow part inside a gun barrel or

bom«bast 'bambaest • n. high-sounding |

i
other Cf. gauge. tube.
language with little meaning, used to impress [often in combination] the diameter of this; the
people. caliber: a small-bore rifle. [in combination] a
derivatives: bom»bas»tic bam'bsestik | gun of a specified bore: he shot a guard in the
adj. bom»bas»ti«cal»ly bam'ba£Stik(9)le | |
leg with a twelve-bore. 2 short for borehole, a
adv. hole bored into the ground to find water, oil,
bo«na fide 'bona ,fid; 'banal • adj. genuine;
|
etc.
real: only bona fide members of the company may bore^ . n. a person whose talk or behavior is
use the logo. • adv. sincerely; without inten- dull and uninteresting: she found him a bore.
bore 51 bract
[in sing.] atedious situation or thing: going own most of society's wealth and means of
out to dinner alone is such a bore. • v. [trans.] production,
make (someone) feel weary and uninter- bourse boors »n. z stock market in a non-
| \

ested by tedious talk or dullness: rather than English-speaking country, esp. France.
bore you with all the details, I'll hit some of the (Bourse) the Paris stock exchange,
bright spots. boutonniere |,bootn'ir| • a spray of flow-
bore^ . M. a steep-fronted wave caused by the ers worn in a buttonhole.
meeting of two tides or by the constriction of bo»vine 'bovin; -ven • adj. of, relating to, or
i
|

a tide rushing up a narrow estuary. affecting cattle: bovine tuberculosis.

bo«re*al 'boreal
|
. adj. of the North or I
(of a person) slow-moving and dull-witted:
northern regions. amiable bovine faces. • n. an animal of the cat-
relating to or characteristic of the climatic tlegroup, which also includes buffaloes and
zone south of the Arctic, esp. the cold tem- bisons.
perate region dominated by taiga and forests DERI VAT IVES: bo«vine»ly adv.
of birch, poplar, and conifers: northern boreal bowd»ler»ize 'bodb,riz; 'bowd- . V. [trans.] | i

forest. (Boreal) (in botany) relating to or remove material that is considered improper
denoting a phytogeographical kingdom com- or offensive from (a text or account), esp.
prising the arctic and temperate regions of with the result that it becomes weaker or less
Eurasia and North America. (Boreal) (in effective: [as adj.] (bowdlerized) a bowdler-
geology) relating to or denoting the second ized version of the story.
climatic stage of the postglacial period in DERIVATIVES: bowd»ler»ism |-,riz3m| n.
northern Europe, between the Preboreal and bowd»lerM»za«tion .bodbri'zaSHsn; ,bowd-| |

Atlantic stages (about 9,000 to 7,500 years n.

ago). boy*COtt 'boikat • V. [trans.] withdraw from
I I

born-a*gain converted to a personal

• adj. commercial or social relations with (a coun-
faith in Christ (with reference to John 3:3): a try, organization, or person) as a punishment
born-again Christian. or protest.
having the extreme enthusiasm of the newly refuse to buy or handle (goods) as a punish-
converted or reconverted: born-again environ- ment or protest. refuse to cooperate with or
mentalists. . n. a born-again Christian. participate in (a policy or event) • n. a puni- .

bor*OUgh 'baro • «. a town or district that

| |
tive ban that forbids relations with other bod-
is an administrative unit, in particular: ies, cooperation with a policy, or the handling
a municipal corporation in certain states. of goods. In labor law, a primary boycott is
each of five divisions of New York City. in a union's campaign to urge consumers not to
Alaska, a district corresponding to a county buy an employer's products. A secondary
elsewhere in the US. Brit, a town (as distinct boycott (usually illegal) is aimed at products
from a city) with a corporation and privileges of another producer who is seen as support-
granted by a royal charter. Brit, a town his- ing the primary target.
torically sending representatives to Parlia- bra*chi*al 'brakesl; 'brak- . adj. of or relat-
|
1

ment. ing to the arm, specifically the upper arm, or

bos*cage {
baskij |
(also boskage) • n. an armlike structure: the brachial artery.
massed trees or shrubs: the lush subtropical like an arm.
boscage. bra*Chl*ate 'V. I'brake.at; 'brsek-l [no obj.,
boSk*y I
'baske |
• adj. wooded; covered by usu. with adverbial of direction] (of certain apes)
trees or bushes: a river meandering between move by using the arms to swing from branch
bosky banks. to branch: the gibbons brachiate energetically
bO»tan*i»cal ba'taeniksl . n. (usu. botani-
| |
across their enclosure. • adj. |
'brake, at; 'braek;
cals) a substance obtained from a plant -it branched, esp. having widely spread
I

and used as an additive, esp. in gin or cos- paired branches on alternate sides.
metics. having arms.
boU*doir |'boodwar| » n. a woman's bed- derivatives: bra«chi»a»tion brake |
,

room or private room. 'aSHan; braek- n. bra»chi»a«tor |-, atari n.

, 1

bOUr*geois IbOOr'zHwa; 'bOOrzHwa| . adj. of brach»y»ce»phaHc |

,braekesa'fselik| » adj.
or characteristic of the middle class, typically having a relatively broad, short skull (usually
with reference to its perceived materialistic with the breadth at least 80 percent of the
values or conventional attitudes: a rich, bored, length). Often contrasted with dolicho-
bourgeois family these views will shock the bour-
\
cephalic.
geois critics. derivatives: brach»y«ceph«a»ly |-'se-
(inMarxist contexts) upholding the interests fale| n. .

of capitalism; not communist. • n. (pi. same) brack*ish |

'brsekisn |
. adj. (of water) slightly
a bourgeois person: a self-confessed and proud salty, as in river estuaries.
bourgeois. (of fish or other organisms) living in or re-
bour*geoi*sle .bOOrZHwa'ze |
(usu. the |
. n. quiring such water. unpleasant or distaste-
bourgeoisie) the middle class, typically with ftil: a brackish mixture unsuitable for consump-

reference to its perceived materialistic values tion.

or conventional attitudes. Cf. haufe bour- derivatives: brack»ish*ness n.
geoisie; PETIT BOURGEOIS. bract I
braekt |
• «. a modified leaf or scale,
(in Marxist contexts) the capitalist class who typically small, with a flower or flower cluster
braggadocio 52 bricolage
in its axil. Bracts are sometimes larger and bra*VO |
'bravo I
. exclam. used to express ap-

more brightly colored than the true flower, as proval when a performer or other person has
and dogwood.
in poinsettia done something well: people kept on clapping
brag*ga»do*ci*0 ,braeg3'doSHe,o |
|
• n. and shouting "bravo!" • n. (pi. -os) a cry of
boastful or arrogant behavior. bravo: bravos rang out.
Brah*ma 'brama 1 the creator
|
I
god in later A female performer may be saluted braval
Hinduism, who forms a triad with Vishnu the For extra effect, the superlative bravissimol
preserver and Shiva the destroyer. 2 another (or bravissimal) is sometimes employed.
term for Brahman (sense 2).
Brah*man 'bramanl (also Brahmin) . n. (pi
I
bra*VU*ra i
br3'v(y)oor3 1
• n. great technical
-mans or -mins) 1 a member of the highest skill and brilliance shown in a performance or
Hindu caste, that of the priesthood, [ori- activity: the recitalended with a blazing display
gin: from Sanskrit brahmana.] 2 (in Hindu- of bravura [as adj.] a bravura performance.
\

ism) the ultimate reality underlying all phe- the display of great daring: his show of bravura
nomena, [origin: from Sanskrit brahman.] hid a guilty timidity.
3 an ox of a humped breed {Bos indicus or B. bra*zen 'brazan • adj. 1 bold and without
| |

taurus) originally domesticated in India that shame: he went about his illegal business with a
is tolerant of heat and drought and is now brazen assurance that brazen hussy! 2 made \

kept widely in tropical and warm-temperate of brass.

countries. (Also called zebu)
derivatives: Brah*man*ic |bra'm£enik|
adj. Brah«manM»cal bra'masniksl adj.
Brah*man*ism brama.nizam (also Brah-
minism) • n. the complex sacrificial religion
that emerged in post-Vedic India (c.900 bc)
under the influence of the dominant priest-
hood (Brahmans), an early stage in the devel-
. harsh in sound: the music's brazen chords.
brazen it (or something) out endure an
|
|
embarrassing or difficult situation by behav-
| I
ing with apparent confidence and lack of
shame.
derivatives: bra»zen«ly adv. bra»zen»
ness n.
breach brecH • «. 1 an act of breaking or
| |

opment of Hinduism. failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of

Brah*min 'bramin • n. 1 variant spelling of
|
I
conduct: a breach of confidence I sued for \

Brahman. 2 a socially or culturally superior breach of contract.

person, esp. a member of the upper classes a break in relations: a sudden breach be-
from New England. tiveen father and son. 2 a gap in a wall, bar-
derivatives: Brah»min»i»cal | bra rier, or defense, esp. one made by an attack-
'minikall adj. (in sense 1). ing army. • v. [trans.] 1 make a gap in and
brain death • n. irreversible brain damage break through (a wall, barrier, or defense): the
causing the end of independent respiration, river breached its bank.
regarded as indicative of death. break or fail to observe (a law, agreement, or
brain*wash 'bran,w6sH; -,wasH . v. [trans.]
|
|
code of conduct). 2 [intrans.] (of a whale) rise
make (someone) adopt radically different and break through the surface of the water.
beliefs by using systematic and often forcible Cf. BROACH.
pressure: the organization could brainwash break*ing and en«ter»ing . n. (inlegal use)
young people they have been braintuashed
\
the crime of entering a building by force so as
into conformity and subservience. to commit burglary.
derivatives: brainwashing n. bre*vet bra'vet; 'brevit • n. [often as adj.] a
|
|

bran*dish |
'braendisn |
. v. wave or
[trans.] former type of military commission con-
flourish (something, esp. a weapon) as a ferred esp. for outstanding service by which
threat or in anger or excitement. an officer was promoted to a higher rank
derivatives: bran»dish»er n. without the corresponding pay: a brevet lieu-
brash braeSH • adj. self-assertive
|
I
in a rude, tenant. • V. (breveted or brevetted, brevet-
noisy, or overbearing way: he could be brash, ing or brevetting) [trans.] confer a brevet
cocky, and arrogant. rank on: he was breveted for bravery in the cam-
strong, energetic, or irreverent: / like brash, paign.
vibrant flavors. (of a place or thing) having brev*i*ty 'brevite • n. concise and exact use
|
I

an ostentatious or tasteless appearance: a of words in writing or speech.

brash new building. shortness of time: the brevity of human life.
derivatives: brash»ly adv. brash*ness n. bric-a-brac 'brik a ,braek • n. miscellaneous
| |

brass*y |
'brsese I
• adj. (brassier, brassiest) objects and ornaments of little value.
resembling brass, in particular: brick*bat 'brik,baet . «. a piece of brick,
|
!

bright or harsh yellow. sounding like a typicallywhen used as a weapon.

brass musical instrument; harsh and loud. aremark or comment that is highly critical
(of a person, typically a woman) tastelessly and typically insulting: the plaudits were begin-
showy or loud in appearance or manner: her ning to outnumber the brickbats.
brassy, audacious exterior. bric*0*lage ,breko'lazH; ,brik3-| * n. (pi.
|

derivatives: brass»i»Iy |'braes3le| adv. same or bricolages) (in art or literature)

brass»i»ness n. construction or creation from a diverse
bra*va*do bra'vado • n. a bold manner or a
| \
range of available things: the chaotic bricolage
show of boldness intended to impress or in- of the novel is brought together in a unifying ges-
timidate. ture.
brigand 53 bugbear
something constructed or created in this esp. Irish or Scottish, when speaking English:
way: bricolages of painted junk. a fine Irish brogue \
a sweet lilt of brogue in her
brig*and 'brigand • «. a member of a gang
|
|
voice.
that ambushes and robs people in forests and bro*mide 'bromid • n. 1 a sedative prepa-
| |

mountains. ration containing the compound potassium

derivatives: brig»and»age |-dij| n. bromide. 2 a trite and unoriginal idea or re-
brig»and»ry |-dre| n. mark, typically intended to soothe or placate:
brink*man*ship |
'briNGkm3n,sHip |
(also feel-good bromides create the illusion of problem
brinksmanship) the art or practice of . n. solving.
pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of derivatives: bro»tnidMC |bro'midik|
safety (the brink before stopping, typically in adj. (sense 2).
politics. brou*ha*ha |'brooha|ha; broo'hahaj • n.

bri*0 I
vigor or vivacity of style or
'breo |
• n. [usu. in and overexcited critical
sing.] a noisy
performance: she told her story with some response, display of interest, or trail of pub-
brio. licity: 24 members resigned over the election
Brit*l»cism brita.sizam (also Britishism)| |
brouhaha.
• n. an idiom used
in Britain but not in other brown*field 'brown, feld »adj. [attrib.] (of an
|

English-speaking countries. urban site for potential building develop-

brIMIe 'britl • adj. (of a sound, esp. a per-
I I
ment) having had previous development on
son's voice) unpleasantly hard and sharp and it.

showing signs of instability or nervousness: a bruit broot . v. [with obj. and adverbial] spread
I I

brittle laugh. (a report or rumor) widely: / didn't want to

(of a person or behavior) appearing aggres- have our relationship bruited about the office.
sive or hard but unstable or nervous within: • n. 1 a report or rumor. 2 a sound, typically

her manner was artificially bright and brittle. an abnormal one, heard through a stetho-
derivatives: brit»tle»ly adv. brit»tle» scope; a murmur.
ness n. brunt brant • n. (the brunt) the worst part
I
|

broach broCH | |
. v. [trans.] 1 raise (a sensitive or chief impact of a specified thing: education
or difficult subject) for discussion: he will bear the brunt of the cuts.
broached the subject he had been avoiding all eve- brusque brssk . adj. abrupt or offhand
| |
in
ning. 2 pierce (a cask) to draw liquor. speech or manner: she could be brusque and im-
open and start using the contents of (a bot- patient.
tle or other container). 3 [intrans.] (of a fish or derivatives: brusque*ly adv. brusque*
sea mammal) rise through the water and ness n. brus»que»rie 'brsskare] n. (archaic). |

break the surJface: the salmon broach, then fall brut 'brootI
• adj. (of sparkling wine) I

to slap the water. Cf. breach. unsweetened; very dry.

broad*slde 'br6d,sid| • n. 1 a nearly simul-|
bru*tal*ism 'brootl.izami . n. a style of ar-
|

taneous firing of all the guns firom one side of chitecture or art characterized by a deliberate
a warship. plainness, crudity, or violence of imagery.
a strongly worded critical attack: broad- The term was first applied to functionalist
sides against the Christian faith. the set of buildings of the 1950s and 1960s that made
guns that can fire on each side of a warship. much use of steel and concrete in starkly
the side of a ship above the water between massive blocks.
the bow and quarter. 2 (also broadsheet) a derivatives: bru»taHst n. & adj.
sheet of paper printed on one side only, form- buc*cal I
'bakal |
. adj. of or relating to the
ing one large page: a broadside of Lee's farewell mouth: the buccal cavity.
address. of or relating to the cheek: the buccal side of
6th- and 1 7th-century England, a popu-
in 1 the molars.
lar ballad. (Also called broadside ballad) . buc*ca»neer l.baka'nirl . «. a pirate, origi-
• adv. with the side turned to a particular nally off the Spanish-American coasts.
thing: the yacht was drifting broadside to the a daring, adventurous, and sometimes reck-
wind. less person, esp. in business: [as adj.] a shrewd
on the side: her car was hit broadside by an- and buccaneering businessman.
other vehicle. • v. [trans.] collide with the side bu»COl*ic |byoo'kalik| • adj. of or relating to
of (a vehicle) / had to skid sideways to avoid : the pleasant aspects of the countryside and
broadsiding her. country life: the church is known for its bucolic
bro*Chure |bro'SH00r| *n. a small book or setting. . n. (usu. bucolics) a pastoral poem.
magazine containing pictures and informa- buMoon ba'foon . «. a ridiculous but
I
|

tion about a product or service. amusing person; a clown.

bro*gan 'brogsn . «. a coarse, stout leather
|
| derivatives: buf»foon»ish adj. buf»foon»
shoe reaching to the ankle. er»y n.
brogue! |brog| »n. a strong outdoor shoe bug*a*boo 'b3g3,boo • w. an object of fear
|
|

with ornamental perforated patterns in the or alarm; a bugbear.

leather. bug*bear 'bag.ber . w. a cause of obsessive
|
|

a rough shoe of untanned leather, formerly fear, irritation, or loathing.

worn in parts of Ireland and the Scottish an imaginary being invoked to frighten chil-
Highlands. dren, typically a sort of hobgoblin supposed
brogue^ • n. [usu. in sing.] a marked accent. to devour them.
bugger 54 buzzword
bug*ger |
'bsgsr; 'boog- 1
chiefly Brit. . n. [with a town or city: what goes on after dark in this
adj.] a contemptible or pitied person, typically burg?
a man. bur«geon |
'bsrjan |
. v. [intrans.] [often as adj.]

a person with a particular negative quality or (burgeoning) begin to grow or increase rap-
characteristic. used as a term of affection or manufacturers are keen
idly; flourish: to cash in
respect, typically grudgingly: all right, let the on the burgeoning demand.
little buggers come in. burgh Ibarg; 'baral • n. a borough or char-
bug»ger*y 'bsgare; 'bo&g- |
1
• n. anal inter- tered town.
course. derivatives: burgh»al |
'bsrgsl |
adj.
bu*lim*i»a IbOO'lemeal • n. insatiable over- burHesque parody or com-
Ibar'lesk] • n. 1 a
eating as a medical condition, in particular: ically exaggerated imitation of something,
(also bulimia nervosa) an emotional disor- esp. in a literary or dramatic work: the funni-
der involving distortion of body image and an est burlesque of opera [as adj.] burlesque Shake- \

obsessive desire to lose weight, in which spearean stanzas.

bouts of extreme overeating are followed by humor that depends on comic imitation and
depression and self-induced vomiting, purg- exaggeration; absurdity: the argument descends
ing, or fasting. Cf. anorexia, into burlesque. 2 a variety show, typically
derivatives: bu«lim»ic -'lemik adj. & n. |
|
including striptease: [as adj.] burlesque clubs.
bull • n. a papal edict. • V. (burlesques, burlesqued, burlesqu-
bulHion 'boolyani • n. 1 gold or silver in bulk
|
ing) [trans.] cause to appear absurd by paro-
before coining, or valued by weight. 2 (also dying or copying in an exaggerated form: she
bullion fringe) ornamental braid or trim- struck a ridiculous pose that burlesqued her own
ming made with twists of gold or silver vanity.
thread. bur*nish 'bsrniSH . v. [trans.] [usu. as adj.]
| |

bull mar»ket • n. a stock market in which (burnished) polish (something, esp. metal)
share prices are rising, encouraging buying. by rubbing: highly burnished armor.
buHynag rboole,rag| (also ballyrag) •v. enhance or perfect (something such as a rep-
(-ragged, -ragging) [trans.] treat (someone) utation or a skill). • n. [in sing.] the shine on
in a scolding or intimidating way: he would a highly polished surface.
bullyrag his staff around but then kiss up to DERI VAT v E s bur»nish«er n.
I :

his superiors. bu*Shi*do 'booSHedo • «. the code of honor

I i

buhwark a defensive wall.

|
'b(3t)l,w3rk| and morals developed by the Japanese sam-
a person, institution, or principle that acts as urai.
a defense: the security forces are a bulivark bush*whack rb(50SH,(h)wa£k| 1 [intrans.]

against the breakdown of society. (usu. bul- [often as n.] (bushwhacking) live or travel in
warks) an extension of a ship's sides above wild or uncultivated country: / have not seen
the level of the deck. a bear yet after seven days of bushwhacking.
bump*tious |
'bampSHas |
• adj. self-assertive [with adverbial of direction] cut or push one's
or proud to an irritating degree: these bump- way in a specified direction through dense
tious young boys today. vegetation: he'd bushwhacked down the steep
derivatives: bump«tious«ly adv. bump* slopes. 2 [intrans.] fight as a guerrilla in the
tious*ness n. bush.
bun*CO 'bsNGko . n. (pi. -OS) [often as adj.]
I I
[trans,] make a surprise attack on (someone)

a swindle or confidence trick: a bunco artist \

from a hidden place; ambush.
he was out to make a buck using fraud or bunco. bUS*kin 'baskin • n. a calf-high or knee-
| |

• V. (-oes, -oed) [trans.] swindle or cheat. high boot of cloth or leather.

bun*kum I'baNokami (also buncombe, a thick-soled laced boot worn by an ancient
bunk) • n. nonsense: they talk a lot of bunkum Athenian tragic actor to gain height. (the
about their products. buskin) the style or spirit of tragic drama.
bur*den 'bardn • n. (the burden) the main
|
I
DERI VAT V E s bus*kined adf
I :

theme or gist of a speech, book, or argument: butte byoot . n. an isolated hill with steep
I I

the burden of his views. the refrain or chorus sides and a flat top (similar to but narrower
of a song. than a mesa) .

bu*reauc*ra*cy IbyOO'rakrasel . n. (pi. -ies) but*tress 'batris » n. a projecting support

| \

a system of government in which most of the of stone or brick built against a wall.
important decisions are made by appointed a projecting portion of a hill or mountain. a
or career officials rather than by elected rep- source of defense or support: demand for a
resentatives. new economic order as a buttress against social
a state or organization governed or managed collapse. • V. [trans.] provide (a building or

according to such a system. the officials in structure) with projecting supports built
such a system, considered as a group or hier- against its walls: [as adj.] (buttressed) a but-
archy. excessively complicated administra- tressed wall.
tive procedure, seen as characteristic of such increase the strength of or justification for;
a system: the unnecessary bureaucracy in local reinforce: authority buttressed by religious belief.

government. bux*om I
'baksam |
• adj. (of a woman)
burg I
bsrg I
• an ancient or medieval for- plump, esp. with large breasts.
tress or walled town, [origin: from late DERI VAT v E s bux«om»ness n.
I :

Latin burgus 'castle, fort.'] buzz*WOrd 'baz,ward » n. a technical word

|
\
bye
or phrase that has become fashionable, typi-
cally as a slogan.
bye bi • n. 1 the transfer of a competitor di-
I I
rectly to the next round of a competition in
the absence of an assigned opponent. 2 one
or more holes remaining unplayed after a golf
match has been decided.
by*gone 'bi,g6n • adj. belonging to an ear-
|
lier time: relics of a bygone society. • n. (usu.
bygones) a thing dating from an earlier time.
byHaw 'bi,16 (also by-law) .
|
1 a rule
made by a company or society to control the
actions of its members. 2 a regulation made
by a local government; an ordinance.
Byz»an»tine 'bizan.ten; -,tm . adj. of or
55 cadence
relating to ancientByzantium, the Byzantine
Empire, or the Eastern Orthodox Church.
of an ornate artistic and architectural style
that developed in the Byzantine Empire and
spread esp. to Italy and Russia. The art is gen-
erally rich and stylized (as in religious icons)
and the architecture typified by many-domed,
|
highly decorated churches. (of a system or
situation) excessively complicated, typically
involving a great deal of administrative detail:
1
Byzantine insurance regulations. character-
ized by deviousness or underhanded proce-
dure: Byzantine intrigues. • n. a citizen of
Byzantium or the Byzantine Empire.
|
|
derivatives: By»zan»tin»ism |-,niz3m| n.

Cc
ca*bal ka'bal; ka'bsel • n. a secret intrigue or
I I
store (data) in a cache memory. provide
conspiracy; petty plotting. (hardware) with a cache memory.
a secret political chque or faction: a cabal of ca*chet kse'SHa
|
• n. ^ the state of being
I

dissidents. respected or admired; prestige: no other ship-

ca*baHe*ro i
,k£eb3(l)'yero; ,kaeb3'lero| » n. ping company had quite the cachet of Cunard.
(pi. -os) 1 a Spanish or Mexican gentleman. 2 a distinguishing mark or seal.
2 (in the southwestern US) a horseman. Philately a printed design added to an envelope

cab*a*ret ,kaeb3'ra; 'ksebSiral • n. entertain-

|
to commemorate a special event. 3 a flat cap-
ment held in a nightclub or restaurant while sule enclosing a dose of unpleasant-tasting
the audience eats or drinks at tables: she was medicine.
seen recently in cabaret [as adj.] a cabaret act. \
ca»Chex*i»a Iks'kekses] * n. weakness and
a nightclub or restaurant where such enter- wasting of the body due to severe chronic ill-
tainment is performed. ness.
cab»0*Chon 'kaebs.SHan • a gem pol- |
|
cach*in*nate rkaeka.natl »v. [intrans.] laugh
ished but not faceted: [as adj.] a necklace of loudly.
cabochon rubies. Cf. chatoyant, derivatives: cachnn«na»tion |
.kgeka'na-
phrases: en cabochon |aN| (of a gem) SH3n| n.
treated in this way. ca*cique Ika'sekl • n. 1 (in Latin America or
cab*0«tage 'kaeb3,taZH; -bstij . n. the right
|
|
the Spanish-speaking Caribbean) a native
to operate sea, air, or other transportation chief. 2 (in Spain or Latin America) a local
services within a particular territory. political boss.
restriction of the operation of sea, air, or cac*0*de»mon ,kaek3'dem3n| » n. a malev-
|

other transportation services within or into a olent spirit or person.

particular country to that country's own ser- cac*0*e*thes .kseka'weiHezI • n. [in sing.] an
|

vices. irresistible urge to do something inadvisable.

cabni*0*let ,ka£bre9'la| . w. 1 a car with a
|
ca«COph*0*ny Ika'kafsne; kae-| » n. (pi. -ies)
roof that folds down. 2 a light, two-wheeled a harsh, discordant mixture, orig. of sounds:
carriage with a hood, drawn by one horse. a cacophony of deafening alarm bells a cacoph- \

ca*ca*0 ks'kow; ka'kao • n. (pi. -os) 1 bean-

I I
ony of architectural styles.

like seeds from which cocoa, cocoa butter, derivatives: ca»coph»o*nous |-n3s| adj.
and chocolate are made. 2 the small tropical ca*das*tral Ika'dsestral] 'adj. (of a map or
American evergreen tree (Theobroma cacao) survey) showing the extent, value, and own-
that bears these seeds, which is now culti- ership of land, esp. for taxation.
vated mainly in West Africa. ca*dence 'kadns • n. 1 a modulation or in-
| |

cache kaeSH •
|
a collection of items of the
|
flection of the voice: the measured cadences he
same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible employed in the Senate.
place: an arms cache a cache of gold coins. \
such a modulation in reading aloud as im-
a hidden or inaccessible storage place for plied by the structure and ordering of words
valuables, provisions, or ammunition. (also and phrases in written text: the dry cadences of
cache memory) an auxiliary computer the essay. a fall in pitch of the voice at the
memory from which high-speed retrieval of end of a phrase or sentence. measured
frequently used data is possible. • v. [trans.] movement; beat; rhythm: the thumping ca-
store away in hiding or for future use. dence of the engines. 2 a sequence of notes or
cadenza 56 caliber
chords comprising the close of a musical Ca*jun I
'kajan |
• n. a member of any of the
phrase: the final cadences of the Prelude. largely self-contained communities in the
derivatives: ca*denced adj. bayou areas of southern Louisiana formed by
ca*den*za Ika'denzsl . n. a virtuoso solo pas- descendants of French Canadians (Acadi-
sage inserted into a movement in a concerto ans), speaking an archaic form of French.
or other work, typically near the end: the fa- • adj. of or relating to the Cajuns, esp. with

mous violin cadenza. reference to their folk music or spicy cuisine.

ca*det Iks'detl • n. 1 (in older use) a younger Cf. ZYDECO.
son or daughter. cal*a*b00Se |'kaeb|boos| . n. a prison.
[usu. as adj.] a junior branch of a family: a ca- caHam»i»ty Ika'laemstel . «. (pi. -ies) an
det branch of the family. event causing great and often sudden damage
derivatives: ca»det»ship |-,SHip| n. or distress; a disaster.
ca*dre |
a small group
'kaedre; 'kad-; -,ra |
» n. disaster and distress: the journey had led to ca-
of people specially trained for a particular lamity and ruin.
purpose or profession: a small cadre of scien- derivatives: ca*lamM*tous |-3ps| adj.
tists. ca»lam»i»tous»ly |-9t3sle| adv.
a group of activists in a communist or other cal*car*e*OUS kael'kereas • adj. containing
| |

revolutionary organization. a member of calcium carbonate; chalky.

such a group. (of vegetation) occurring on chalk or lime-
ca*du*ce*US k3'd(y)oose3s; -SHss • n. (pi.
|
|
stone.
caducei -se,i; -SHe,i ) an ancient Greek or
| |
cal*ci«fy ^v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.]
rkals3,fi|
Roman herald's wand, typically one with two [usu. as (calcified) harden by deposition
adj.]

serpents twined around it, carried by the mes- of or conversion into calcium carbonate or
senger god Hermes or Mercury. Cf. fasces. some other insoluble calcium compounds:
a representation of this, traditionally associ- calcified cartilage.
ated with healing. become or make rigid or inflexible: views that
ca*du*ci*ty k3'd(y)oos3te . n. the infirmity
| I
are calcifying in face of demands for change.
of old age; senility. derivatives: cal»cif»ic Ikael'sifikl adj.
frailty or transitory nature: read these books cal»ci»fi»ca»tion ikaelsafs'kasHan n. |
|

and reflect on their caducity. cal*CU*lus 'kaelkyabsl » n. 1 (pi. calcu-

I

Cae*sar 'sezsri • «. a title used by Roman

|
luses) the branch of mathematics that deals
emperors, esp. those from Augustus (63 bc- with the finding and properties of deriva-
AD 14) to Hadrian (ad 1 17-138). tives and integrals of functions, by methods
an autocrat: they complained that he was originally based on the summation of infini-
behaving like a Caesar. Cf. czar, kaiser, tesimal differences. The two main types are
phrases: Caesar's wife a person (orig., differential calculus, dealing with deriva-
Calpurnia) who
required to be above sus- is tive and differentiation, and integral calcu-
picion, [origin: with reference to Plutarch's lus, dealing with integrals and integration.
Caesar (x. 6) 'I thought my wife ought not 2 (pi. calculuses) a particular method or
even to be under suspicion.'] system of calculation or reasoning. 3 (pi. cal-
cae*SU*ra Isi'znOOra; -'zOOral » n. (in Greek culi |-,li; -,le|) a concretion of minerals
and Latin verse) a break between words formed within the body, esp. in the kidney or
within a metrical foot. gallbladder.
(in modern verse) a pause near the middle of cal*de*ra Ikael'ders; kol-; -'diral • n. a large
a line. any interruption or break: an unac- volcanic crater, typically one formed by a ma-
countable caesura: no deaths were reported in the jor eruption leading to the collapse of the
newspapers. mouth of the volcano.
DERI VAT I V e s cae'suTal adj. : Cal*e*dO*ni*an .kaela'doneanl » adj. i

cairn kern • n. a mound of rough stones

|
I
(chiefly in names or geographical or geolog-
built as a memorial or landmark, typically on ical terms) of or relating to Scotland or the
a trail, hilltop, or skyline. Scottish Highlands. • n. a person from Scot-
a prehistoric burial mound made of stones. land.
cais*SOn |'ka,san; 'kasani • n. 1 a large wa- cal*ends I'kselendz; 'ka-| (also kalends)
tertight chamber, open at the bottom, from • plural n. the first day of the month
in the an-
which the water is kept out by air pressure cient Romancalendar.
and in which construction work may be car- cal*i*ber I'kaebbsrI (Brit, calibre) . «. 1 the
ried out under water. quality of someone's character or the level of
a floating vessel or watertight structure used someone's ability: they could ill afford to lose a
as a gate across the entrance of a dry dock or man of his caliber.
basin. 2 a chest or wagon for holding or con- the standard reached by something: educa-
veying ammunition. tional facilities of a very high caliber. 2 the in-
ca*jole ka'jol • V. [trans.] persuade someone
I I
ternal diameter of a gun barrel: [in combination]
to do something by sustained coaxing or flat- a 22 caliber rifle.
.

tery: he hoped to cajole her into selling the house the diameter of a bullet, shell, or rocket.
I
[intrans.] she pleaded and cajoled as she tried to the diameter of a body of circular section,
win his support. Cf. inveigle, such as a tube, blood vessel, or fiber.
derivatives: ca*jole»ment n. ca«jol»er»y derivatives: cal»i«bered adj. [also in com-
n. bination] .
calibrate 57 Cambrian
caH*brate rkab,brat| 'V. [trans.] (often be of 7 calories per gram. • n. (in the late 18th and
calibrated) mark (a gauge or instrument) early 1 9th centuries) a hypothetical fluid sub-
with a standard scale of readings. stance that was thought to be responsible for
correlate the readings of (an instrument) the phenomenon of heat.
with those of a standard in order to check the derivatives: ca«lor»i«cal»ly k3'16rik(3)- |

instrument's accuracy. adjust (experimen- le; -'lar- 1 adv.

tal results) to take external factors into ac- cal«0»rie |
'kael(3)re I
. n. (pi. -ies) either of
count or to allow comparison with other two units of heat energy:
data. (also small calorie) (abbr.: cal) the energy
DERIVATIVES cal»i«bra»tor |-brat9r| : n. needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of
caH*per 'kaebparl (also calliper)
I
. w. water through 1 °C. (also large calorie,
(calipers) an instrument for measuring ex- kilocalorie) (abbr.: Cal) the energy needed
ternal or internal dimensions, having two to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of wa-
hinged legs resembling compasses and in- ter through 1 °C, equal to one thousand small
turned or out-turned points. calories and often used to measure the energy
(also caliper rule) an instrument perform- value of foods.
ing a similar function but having one linear caique kaelk • n. an expression adopted by
|
I

component sliding along another, with two one language from another in a more or less
parallel jaws and a moveable, graduated literally translated form. • v. (be calqued
scale. (also brake caliper) a motor-vehicle on) originate or function as a loan translation
or bicycle brake consisting of two or more of.
hinged components. cal*U»met 'keelya.met; -mati » n. a North|

ca*liph 'kabf; 'kaebf

I
|
. n. the chief Muslim American Indian peace pipe.
civil and religious ruler, regarded as the suc- cal»um»ny 'kaebmne • n. (pi. -ies) the mak-
|
i

cessor of Muhammad.
Caliphs ruled in ing of false and defamatory statements in or-
Baghdad until 1258 and then in Egypt until der to damage someone's reputation; slander.
the Ottoman conquest of 1517; the title was a false and slanderous statement.
then held by the Ottoman sultans until it was derivatives: cal»um»ni»ate v. ca»lum«
abolished in 1924 by Atatiirk. ni»ous |-ne3s| adj.
derivatives: calnph*ate |
'kab.fat; 'kael-; Cal»va*ry 'kaelv(3)re the hill outside
|
|

-fat I
n. Jerusalem on which Jesus was crucified.
cal*is*then*ics .kaebs xHeniksl (Brit, callis- |
[as n.] (a calvary) a sculpture or picture rep-
thenics) 'plural n. gymnastic exercises to resenting the scene of the Crucifixion. a
achieve bodily fitness and grace of move- place of crucifixion.
ment. Cal*vin*ism 'kEelva.nizam • n. the Protes- |
|

derivatives: cal'is'thennc adj. tant theological system of John Calvin

cal*lig*ra*phy ks'ligrsfe • n. decorative |
|
(1509-64) and his successors, which devel-
handwriting or handwritten lettering. ops Martin Luther's doctrine of justification
the art of producing decorative handwriting by faith alone and emphasizes the grace of
or lettering with a pen or brush. God and the doctrine of predestination.
derivatives: caMig»ra»pher |-f3r| n. derivatives: Cal»vinnst n. Cal»vinns*
cal»lig«ra»phist |-fist| n. tic I
.kaelva'nistikl adj. Cal»vin»is»ti»cal
cal»li»pyg«i»an .kseb'pijean (also callipyg- | I I
ikaelva'nistikal I
adj.
ean) • adj. having well-shaped buttocks. ca*lyx I
(also calix) . n. (pi. ca-
'kaliks; 'kael|
derivatives cal»li»py«gous |-'pig3s| adj. : lyces 'kab,sez; 'kael-| or calyxes) 1 the
I

cahlOS»i»ty 1
ka'lasate 1
. n. (pi. -ies) a thick- sepals of a flower, typically forming a whorl
ened and hardened part of the skin; a callus. that encloses the petals and forms a protec-
cal*IOUS 'kaebs • adj. showing or having an
I
|
tive layer around a flower in bud. 2 a cuplike
insensitive and cruel disregard for others: his cavity or structure in various animals or
callous comments about the murder made me organs.
shiver. • n. variant spelling of callus, ca*ma*ra*de»rle ,kam(9)'rad9re; .kaem-; |

derivatives: caWous»ly adv. caWous* -'rsed- • n.1mutual trust and friendship

ness n. among people who spend a lot of time to-
cal*IOW 'kaelo • adj. (esp. of a young person)
I I
gether: the genuine camaraderie of the hockey
inexperienced and immature: callow under- team.
graduates. cam*ber 'ksembsrl . n. a slightly convex or
|

derivatives: cal»low«ly adv. caWow* arched shape of a road or other horizontal

ness n. surface: a flat roof should have a slight camber
caHus I
'kaebs I
(also callous) » n. a thick- to allow water to run off.
ened and hardened part of the skin or soft tis- Brit, a tilt built into a road at a bend or curve,

sue, esp. in an area that has been subjected to enabling vehicles to maintain speed, "the
friction. slight sideways inclination of the front wheels
the bony healing tissue that forms around of a motor vehicle. the extent of curvature
the ends of broken bone. a hard formation of a section of an airfoil.
of tissue, esp. new tissue formed over a derivatives: cam»bered adj.
wound on a plant. Cam*bri*an 'kaembresn; 'kam- . adj.
|
1

caHor»iC |k3'16rik;-'lar-; 'k£ebrik| • adj. (also 1 (chiefly in names or geographical terms)

calorific) of or relating to heat: a caloric value Welsh: the Cambrian Railway. 2 of, relating to.
camera obscura 58 canticle
or denoting the first period in the Paleozoic a cylinder of pressurized gas, typically one
era, between the end of the Precambrian eon that explodes when thrown or fired from a
and the beginning of the Ordovician period. gun: riot police fired tear-gas canisters into the
[as n.] (the Cambrian) the Cambrian pe- crowd. small bullets formerly packed in
riod or the system of rocks deposited during cases that fit the bore of an artillery piece or
it. gun: another deadly volley of canister.
The Cambrian lasted from about 570 mil- can»ny |'kaene| 'adj. (cannier, canniest)
1 having or showing shrewdness and good
lion to 5 1 0 million years ago and was a time
of widespread seas. It is the earliest period in judgment, esp. in money or business matters:
which fossils, notably trilobites, can be used canny shoppers came early for a bargain. 2 N. Eng-
lish & Scottish pleasant; nice: she's a canny lass.
in geological dating.
derivatives: can«ni«ly |'k£enl-e| adv.
cam*er»a ob*scuna lab'skyooral . «. a can*ni*ness n.
darkened box with a convex lens or aperture can*on I'kaenanI • n. 1 a general law, rule,
for projecting the image of an external object principle, or criterion by which something is

on to a screen inside. It is important histori- judged: the appointment violated the canons
cally in the development of photography. offair play and equal opportunity.
a small round building with a rotating angled a church decree or law: a set of ecclesiastical
mirror at the apex of the roof, projecting an canons. 2 a collection or list of sacred books
image of the landscape on to a horizontal sur- accepted as genuine: the formation of the bibli-
face inside. cal canon.
camp • adj. deliberately exaggerated and the- the works of a particular author or artist that
atrical in style, typically for humorous effect: are recognized as genuine: the Shakespearean
the movie seems more camp than shocking or canon. a list of literary or artistic works con-
gruesome. sidered to be permanently established as be-
(of a man or his manner) ostentatiously and ing of the highest quality: Hopkins was firmly
extravagantly effeminate: a heavily made-up established in the canon of English poetry. 3
and highly camp actor. . n. deliberately exag- (also canon of the Mass) (in the Roman
gerated and theatrical behavior or style: Hol- Catholic Church) the part of the Mass con-
lywood camp. . V. [intrans.] (of a man) behave taining the words of consecration. 4 a piece
in an ostentatiously effeminate way: he of music in which the same melody is begun
camped it up a bit for the cameras. in different parts successively, so that the imi-
derivatives: camp'My |'kaemp3le| adv. tations overlap.
campM«ness n. camp»y adj. cant' |kaent| hypocritical and sancti-
• n. 1
cam»pa*niHe .kaempa'nele; -'nel . n. a bell
|
|
monious of a moral, religious,
talk, typically
tower, esp. a tall freestanding one. or political nature: the liberal case against all
cam*pe*si*no ,kaemp3'seno; ,kam-| * n. (pi.
i
censorship is often cant. 2 [as adj.] denoting a
-os) (in Spanish-speaking regions) a peasant phrase or catchword temporarily current or
farmer. in fashion: they are misrepresented as, in the cant
Ca*naille |k3'ni; -'nal . n. (the canaille) the
|
word of our day, uncaring.
common people; the masses, regarded con- language peculiar to a specified group or
temptuously: the haughty contempt of a gran- profession and regarded with disparagement:
dee sneering at the canaille. thieves' cant. • v. [intrans.] talk hypocritically
ca*nard Ika'nard; -'nar| • n. an unfounded and sanctimoniously about something: if
rumor or story: the old canard that LA is a cul- they'd stop canting about "honest work," they
tural wasteland. might get somewhere.
can*did |'kaendid| •adj. 1 truthful and cant^ . V. [trans.] cause (something) to be in a

straightforward; frank: a candid discussion. slanting or oblique position; tilt: he canted his
2 (of a photograph of a person) taken infor- head to look at the screen.
mally, esp. without the subject's knowledge. [intrans.]take or have a slanting position: mis-
derivatives: can»did»ly adv. can*did* matched slate roofs canted at all angles. • n.

ness n. 1 [in sing.] a slope or tilt: the outward cant of the

can«dor |
'kaendar; -,d6r| (Brit, candour) . n. curving walls. 2 a wedge-shaped block of
the quality of being open and honest in ex- wood, esp. one remaining after the better-
pression; frankness: a man of refreshing candor. quality pieces have been cut off.
ca*nine 'ka,nin • adj. of, relating to, or
|
|
can*tan*ker*OUS | kaen'tsNOkaras I
. adj.
resembling a dog or dogs: canine distemper vi- bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncoop-
rus. erative: a crusty, cantankerous old man.
of or relating to animals of the dog family derivatives: can»tan»ker»ous»ly adv.
(Canidae). • 1 a dog. can»tan»ker»ous»ness n.
another term for canid, a member of the dog can»ta*ta kan'tats
|
. n. a medium-length
|

family. 2 (also canine tooth) either of two narrative or descriptive piece of music, sacred
pointed teeth of a mammal, often greatly or secular, with vocal solos and usually a cho-
enlarged in carnivores. (Also, eye tooth.) rus and orchestra.
can*is*ter 'kaenastarl • n. a round or cylin-
|
can«ti»Cle 'kaEn(t)3k9l| . n. 1 a hymn or
|

drical container, typically one made of metal, chant, typically with a biblical text, forming a
used for storing such things as food, chemi- regular part of a church service. 2 (Canticles
cals, or rolls of film. or Canticle of Canticles) another name for
cantilever 59 capitation
Song of Songs or Song of Solomon (esp. in doubt. 3 [in sing.] a specified role or position:
the Vulgate Bible). / was engaged in a voluntary capacity writing \

can»tiHe*ver |
'kaEntl,ev3r; -,ev3r| • n. a long in his capacity as legal correspondent.
projecting beam fixed at only one end, used derivatives: ca»pacM«tive |-3tivi (also
chiefly in bridge construction. ca»pac»i*ta«tive) adj. (chiefly Physics).
a long bracket or beam projecting from a ca«par»i*SOn ks'paerasan » n. an ornamen-
|
|

wall to support a balcony, cornice, or similar
structure. • v. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (can-
tilevered) support by a cantilever or can-
tilevers:a cantilevered deck.
[no with adverbial of direction] project as or
obj.,
like a cantilever: a conveyor cantilevered out
over the river.
can»tor |
'kaentarl
liturgicalmusic and leads prayer in a syna-
gogue. Also called hazzan 2 (in formal Chris-
tian worship) a person who sings solo verses
or passages to which the choir or congrega-
tion respond.
tal covering spread over a horse or other ani-
mal's saddle or harness. • v. (be capari-
soned) (of a horse or other animal) be
decked out in rich decorative coverings. os-
tentatiously ornate or decorated: [as adj.] the
use of caparisoned language to disguise a dearth
of substance.
• n. 1 an official who sings cap»iMar«y rk^p9,lere| •n. 1 any of the
smallest branching blood vessels that form a
network between the ends of the arteries and
veins. 2 (also capillary tube) a tube that has
an internal diameter of hairlike thinness.
• adj. [attrib.] of or relating to capillaries, esp.

can*vass 'ksenvas 'V. ^ [trans.] solicit votes

| \
of their ability to take up liquid through the
fi-om (electors in a constituency): in each mechanism of surface tension (capillarity or
ward, two workers canvassed some 2,000 voters capillary action).
I
[intrans.] she canvassed for votes. cap*i*tan keepatll » n. 1 (also capital city
I

question (someone) in order to ascertain the or town) the most important city or town of
person's opinion on something: they promised a country or region, usually its seat of govern-
to canvass all member clubs for their views. as- ment and administrative center.
certain (someone's opinion) through ques- [with adj.] a place associated more than any
tioning: opinions on the merger were canvassed. other with a specified activity or product:
try to obtain; request: they're canvassing sup- Milan is the fashion capital of Europe. 2 wealth
portamong shareholders. 2 [trans.] (often be in the form of money or other assets owned
canvassed) discuss thoroughly: the issues that by a person or organization or available or
were canvassed are still unresolved. • n. [usu. in contributed for a particular purpose such as
an act or process of attempting to secure
sing.] starting a company or investing: rates of return
votes or ascertain opinions: a house-to-house on invested capital were high.
canvass. the excess of a company's assets over its lia-
derivatives: can»vass«er n. bilities. people who possess wealth and use
caou*tchoUC 'kow.CHOOk; -,CHoo(k) | I
. n. it to control a society's economic activity,

unvulcanized natural rubber. considered collectively: a conflict of interest

ca*pa*ci0US ks'paSHss • adj. having a lot of
|
|
between capital and labor. [with adj.] a valu-
space inside; roomy: she rummaged in her ca- able resource of a particular kind: there is in-
pacious handbag. sufficient investment in human capital. 3
DERI VAT v E s ca»pa»cious»ly adv. ca»pa«
I : (also capital letter) a letter of the size and
cious*ness n. form used to begin sentences and names: he
ca*pac*i*tance ks'paesatans . n. the ability | I
wrote the name in capitals. • adj. 1 [attrib.] (of
to store an electric charge. an offense or charge) liable to the death pen-
the ratio of the change in an electric charge alty: murder was a capital crime. 2 of or relat-
in a system to the corresponding change in its ing to wealth: capital losses. 3 of greatest po-
electric potential. (Symbol: C) litical importance: the capital city. 4 [attrib.]

ca»pac*l»ty |
ka'paesate I
. n. (pi. -ies) 1 [in (of a letter of the alphabet) large in size and
sing.] the maximum amount that something of the form used to begin sentences and
can contain: the capacity of the freezer is 1.1 cu- names.
bic feet the stadium's seating capacity
I
the \
derivatives: cap»i«tal»ly adv.
room was filled to capacity. cap*i»ta|2 . n. (in architecture) the distinct,
[as adj.] fully occupying the available area or typically broader section at the head of a pil-
space: they played to a capacity crowd. the laror column.
amount chat something can produce: the com- cap*i*tal»ism |
'kaepstl.izam |
* n. an eco-
pany aimed to double its electricity-generating nomic and political system in which a coun-
capacity when running at full capacity, the
\
try's trade and industry are controlled by pri-
factory will employ 450 people. the total cyl- vate owners for profit, rather than by the
inder volume that is swept by the pistons in state.
an internal combustion engine. former DERI VAT V E s cap'i'taWst
I : n. cap»i»tal»is»
term for capacitance. 2 the ability or power tic adj.
to do, experience, or understand something: cap*i*ta*tion .kaepa'taSHsnl » n. the pay-
|

/ was impressed by her capacity for hard work ment of a fee or grant to a doctor, school, or
I
[with infinitive] his capacity to inspire trust in other person or body providing services to a
others \
their intellectual capacities. number of people, such that the amount paid
person's legal competence: cases
[in sing.] a is determined by the number of patients,

where a patient's testamentary capacity is in pupils, or customers: the increased capitation

 .

Capitol 60 caricature
enabled schools to offer pupils an enhanced cur- in foods (notably in breads, pastas, and other
riculum [as adj.] income capitation fees.
I
plant-based foods) and living tissues and
Cap*i*tol kaepstl (usu. the Capitol) 1 the
I |
including sugars, starch, and cellulose.
seat of the US Congress in Washington, DC. car*bun*cle 'kar,b3NGk3l . n. 1 a severe ab-
|
|

(capitol) a building housing a legislative as- scess or multiple boil in the skin, typically
sembly: 50,000 people marched on New Jersey's infected with bacteria. 2 a bright red gem, in
capitol. 2 the temple of Jupiter on the Capi- particular a garnet cut en cabochon.
toline Hill in ancient Rome. derivatives: car»bun»cu»lar |kar
ca»plt»u»late ks'piCHa.lat . V. [intrans.] cease
| I
'bsNGkysbrj adj.
to resist an opponent or an unwelcome de- car*ci*no*ma |
.karss'nomsl » n. (pi carci-
mand; surrender: the patriots had to capitu- nomas or carcinomata -'nomata |
|
) a can-
late to the enemy forces. cer arising in the epithelial tissue of the skin
derivatives: ca»pit«u«la»tion n. ca«pit« or of the lining of the internal organs.
u»la»tor |-'lat3r| n. ca»pit»u«la»to«ry adj. derivatives: car«ci«no»ma«tous | -'no-
ca»pric*ci*0 ks'preCHe.o; -cho . n. (pi. -os)
| i
maps |
adj.
a lively piece of music, typically one that is car*di*ac |'karde,aek| » adj. [attrlb.] 1 of or
short and free in form. relating to the heart: a cardiac arrest. 2 of or
a painting or other work of art representing relating to the part of the stomach nearest the
a fantasy or a mixture of real and imaginary esophagus. • n. a person with heart disease:
features. there 's a cardiac in room 1 06.
ca*price |
ka'pres I
. w. 1 a sudden and unac- car*di*nal 'kardnal; 'kardn-al
|
. w. a high |

countable change of mood or behavior: her priest of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardi-
caprices had made his life impossible ruled by
|
nals are nominated by the pope and form the
law and not by caprice. 2 another term for a Sacred College, which elects succeeding
musical capriccio. popes (now invariably from among their own
ca*pri*cioUS k3'prisH3s;-'pre- • adj. given
|
1 number).
to sudden and unaccountable changes of (also cardinal red) a deep scarlet color like
mood or behavior: a capricious and often bru- that of a cardinal's cassock. . adf [attrib.] 1 of
tal administration a capricious climate. |
the greatest importance; fundamental: two
DERI VAT I V E s ca*pri»cious»ly adv. ca»pri»: cardinal points must be borne in mind. 2 relat-
cious*ness n. ing to or denoting numbers that express an
cap*tion 'kaepSHsn » n. a title or brief expla-
|
\
amount, such as one, two, three, etc. Cf. or-
nation appended to an article, illustration, dinal.
cartoon, or poster. derivatives: car»di»nal«ate 'kardnabt; |

a piece of text appearing on a movie or tele- 'kardn-abt; -,lat| n. (in sense 1 of the noun).
vision screen as part of a movie or broadcast. car»di»naWy adv. car»di»nal»ship |
-,SHip |

the heading of a legal document. • v. [trans.] n. (in sense lof the noun).
(usu. be captioned) provide (an illustration) ca*reen ka'ren . z;. 1 [trans.] turn (a ship) on
|
I

with a title or explanation: the drawings were its side for cleaning, caulking, or repair.

captioned with humorous texts [with two objs.] \

[intrans.] (of a ship) tilt; lean over: a heavy

the photograph was captioned "Three little flood tide caused my vessel to careen dizzily.
maids." 2 [no obj., with adverbial of direction] move swift-
cap*tious 'ka£pSH3s . adj. (of a person)
I
|
ly and in an uncontrolled way in a specified
tending to find fault or raise petty objections. direction: an electric golf cart careened around
derivatives: cap»tious»ly adv. cap* the corner, [origin: influenced by the verb
tious*ness n. career.]
Cap»U*Chin 'kaep(y)3SH3n; k3'p(y)6o-| * n.
|
carreer ka'rir . v. [no obj., with adverbial of di-
| |

1 branch of the Fran-

a friar belonging to a rection] move swiftly and in an uncontrolled

ciscan order that observes a strict rule drawn way in a specified direction: the car careered
up in 1 529. 2 a cloak and hood formerly worn across the road.
by women. 3 (capuchin or capuchin mon- ca*reer*ist Ika'riristI person whose . a
key) a South American monkey (genus main concern is advance-
for professional
Cebus) with a cap of hair on the head that has ment, esp. one willing to achieve this by any
the appearance of a monk's hood. means: [as adj.] a careerist politician.
car*a*pace |'kaer3,pas| • «. the hard upper derivatives: ca»reerMsm |-,iz3m| n.
shell of a turtle or crustacean. car*et 'kaerat » n. a mark
|
a) placed below
\

car*a»van*sa«ry ,kaEr3'vaens9re| (also cara- |

the line to indicate a proposed insertion in a
vanserai i-s9,rii) • n. (pi. caravansaries or printed or written text.
caravanserais |-,nz|) 1 an inn with a cen- car*i«ca*ture 'kaerika.CHOOr; -CHsr] . n. a
|

tral courtyard for travelers and their animals picture, description, or imitation of a person
in the desert regions of Asia or North Africa. or thing in which certain striking characteris-
2 a group of people traveling together; a car- tics are exaggerated in order to create a comic
avan. or grotesque effect.
car«a*vel 'kaer3,vel; -val
|
(also carvel) . n. a |
the art or style of such exaggerated represen-
small, fast Spanish or Portuguese ship of the tation: th'ere are elements of caricature in the por-
15th-17th centuries. trayal of the hero. a ludicrous or grotesque
car*bo*hy*drate ,karb3'hi,drat| . n. any of a |
version of someone or something: he looked a
large group of organic compounds occurring caricature of his normal self. • v. [trans.] (usu.
caries 61 caruncle
be caricatured) make or givea comically or maintaining prices at a high level and restrict-
grotesquely exaggerated representation of ing competition: the development of an energy
(someone or something): he was caricatured cartel.
on the cover of Guide a play that carica- TV |
a coalition or cooperative arrangement be-
tures the legal profession. tween political parties intended to promote a
derivatives: car«i«ca»tur»al kseriks |
, mutual interest.
'CHOOral I
adj. car»i»ca»tur»ist -CH(50rist n. |
! derivatives: car«telnsm n. car«teW»za»
carries 'kerez| • n. decay and crumbling of
|
tion n.
a tooth or bone. Car*te*sian |kar'teZH3n| » adj. of or relating
car«min*a*tive kar'minstiv; 'karm3,nativ| |
to the 17th-century French thinker Rene
• adj. (chiefly of a drug) relieving flatulence. Descartes and his philosophical or mathe-
• n. a drug of this kind. matical ideas. • n. a follower of Descartes.
Car*nage 'kamij . w. the killing of a large
|
|
derivatives: Came»sian»ism |-,niz3m|
number of people or animals: the carnage at n.
Antietam. car*ti*lage 'kartl-ij . n. firm, whitish, flexi-
|
|

Car*nal 'kaml • adj. relating to physical,

| |
ble connective tissue found in various forms
esp. sexual, needs and activities: carnal desire. in the human larynx and respiratory tract, in
derivatives: car«nal»i»ty | kar'nEebte | n. structures such as the external ear, and in the
car»nal»ly adv. articulating surfaces of joints. It is more wide-
car*nal know«ledge • n. sexual intercourse. spread in the infant skeleton, being replaced
car*niv»0»r0US |
kar'nivarss • adj. (of an an- I
by bone during growth. Some fish, including
imal) feeding on other animals. sharks, have skeletons of cartilage.
(of a plant) able to trap and digest small ani- a particular structure made of this tissue.
mals, esp. insects. derivatives: car»ti»lagn«noid |
ikartl'aejs
derivatives: car»niv»ore car»niv*o» n. ,noid I
adj. car»ti»lag»i»nous adj.
rous'ly adv. car«niv»o»rous»ness n. car»tog*ra*phy kar'tagrafel • ^z. the science |

ca*rouse Iks'rowzl *v. [intrans,] drink plenti- or practice of drawing maps.

ful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with derivatives: car»tog«ra»pher |-f3r| n.
others in a noisy, lively way: they danced and car»to»graph»ic .karta'grsefik adj. ca.vto» | |

caroused until the drink ran out [as n.] \

graphM'cal |
,kart3'graefik9l |
adj. car«to«
(carousing) a night of carousing. • n. a noisy, graph»i«cal»ly |
,kart3'graefik(3)le |
adv.
lively drinking party: a three-day carouse. cartomancy |
'kart3,mgense| »n. fortune-
derivatives: ca«rous»al |-Z3l| n. ca» telling by interpreting a random selection of
rous'er n. playing cards.
carp • V. complain or find fault con-
[intrans.] car*tOOn |kar'toon| * n. 1 a simple drawing
tinually, typically about trivial matters: / showing the features of its subjects in a hu-
won't carp about the way you did it he was \
morously exaggerated way, esp. a satirical one
carping at me.
constantly in a newspaper or magazine.
derivatives: carp»er n. a comic strip. a simplified or exaggerated
Car*pal 'karpsll • n. any of the eight small
|
version or interpretation of something: this
bones forming the wrist. movie is a cartoon of rural life [as adj.] Dolores \

any of the equivalent bones in an animal's becomes a cartoon housewife, reading glossy mag-
forelimb. • adj. of or relating to these bones. azines in a bathrobe. 2 a motion picture using
car*pe* di»em ,karpe 'de,em| » exclam. |
computer graphics or a photographed se-
used to urge someone to make the most of quence of drawings rather than real people or
the present time and give little thought to objects. Cf. animation. 3 a full-size drawing
the future. made by an artist as a preliminary design for
car«pet»bag»ger |
'karp3t,baEg3r| • n. apoHt- a painting or other work of art. • v. [trans.]
icalcandidate who seeks election in an area (usu. be cartooned) make a drawing of
where they have no local connections. (someone) in a simplified or exaggerated
a person from the Northern states who went way: she has a face with enough character to be
to the South after the Civil War to profit from cartooned.
the Reconstruction. They carried their pos- derivatives: car«toon»ish adj. car»toon«
sessions in bags made from carpet, hence the ist I
-ist I
n. car»toon»y adj.
name. a person perceived as an unscrupu- car*tOUChe kar'tooSH | |
• «. a carved tablet or
lous opportunist. drawing representing a scroll with rolled-up
car»rel 'kaersl|
. n. a small cubicle with a I
ends, used ornamentally or bearing an in-
desk for the use of a reader or student in a li- scription.
brary. an oval or oblong figure enclosing a group of
a small enclosure or study in a cloister. Egyptian hieroglyphs, typically representing
car»ri*on |
'kseresn |
• n. the decaying flesh of the name and title of a monarch.
dead animals, car»un«Cle Ika'raNOksl; 'k£er,3NG-| » n. a
carte blanche I'kart 'blaNSH; 'blancH| . n. fleshy outgrowth, in particular:
complete freedom to act as one wishes or a wattle of a bird such as a turkey. the red
thinks best: we were given carte blanche to prominence at the inner corner of the human
redecorate. eye.
car*tel kar'tel • w. an association of manu-
|
i
derivatives: ca»run«cu«lar Ika'rsNckya-
facturers or suppliers with the purpose of brl adj.
caryatid 62 catacomb
car*y*at«id |
,k£ere'aet3d; 'k£ere3,tid| » n. (pi. herit exclusive privileges or are perceived as
caryatids or caryatides ,kaere'aet3,dez ) a | |
socially distinct: those educated in private
stone carving of a draped female figure, used schools belong to a privileged caste. (in some
as pillar to support the entablature of a Greek social insects) a physically distinct individual
or Greek-style building. The male equivalent with a particular function in the society: the
is an atlas (pi. atlantes). caste of worker bees.
caS'Cade jkaes'kadl • w. 1 a small waterfall,
There are four basic classes, or vamas, in
typically one of several that fall in stages
Hindu society: Brahman
Kshatriya (priest),
down a steep rocky slope. (warrior), Vaishya (merchant or farmer), and
a mass of something that falls or hangs in co-
Shudra (laborer).
pious or luxuriant quantities: a cascade ofbou-
gainvillea. a large number or amount of cas*teHat*ed |
'kaesta.latidi * adj. 1 having
something occurring or arriving in rapid suc- battlements: a castellated tower.
cession: a cascade of antiwar literature. 2 a (of a nut or other mechanical part) having
process whereby something, typically infor- grooves or slots on its upper face. 2 having a
mation or knowledge, is successively passed castle or several castles: the castellated hills
on: [as adj.] the greater the number of people who along the east bank. Cf. crenellations.
are well briefed, the wider the cascade effect. cas*ti*gate 'kaest3,gat|
|
»v. [trans.] repri-
a succession of devices or stages in a process, mand (someone) severely: he was castigated
each of which triggers or initiates the next. for not setting a good example.
• V. ^ [no obj., with adverbial of direction] (of wa- derivatives: cas*ti»ga»tion .kaests'ga- |

ter) pour downward rapidly and in large SHanI n. cas»ti»ga»tor |-,gat3r| n. cas»ti«
quantities: water was cascading down the ga»to»ry |-g3,t6re| adj.
stairs. Cas*til«ian ka'stilysn »n. ^ a native of the
|
\

fall or hang in copious or luxuriant quanti- Spanish province (formerly, the kingdom) of
ties: blonde hair cascaded down her back. Castile. 2 the dialect of Spanish spoken in
2 [trans.] arrange (a number of devices or Castile, which is standard Spanish. • adj. of
objects) in a series or sequence. or relating to Castile, Castilians, or the
arrange (windows on a computer monitor) Castilian form of Spanish.
to overlap partially, so that a part of each is cas«U*al*ty 'kaezH(3)w3lte; 'kaezH3l-| . n. (pi.
|

visible. -ies) a person killed or injured in a war or ac-

case*mate |'kas,mat| • n. a small room in cident.
the thickness of the wall of a fortress, with a person or thing badly affected by an event
embrasures from which guns or missiles can or situation: the building industry has been
be fired. one of the casualties of the recession. (chiefly
an armored enclosure for guns on a war- in insurance) an accident, mishap, or dis-
ship. aster.
case*ment 'kasmant » n. a window or part
| \
cas*U*ist 'kaezH3W3st
I
• w. a person who I

of a window set on a hinge so that it opens uses clever but unsound reasoning, esp. in re-
like a door: [as adj.] casement windows. lation to moral questions; a sophist.
any window. the sash of a sash window. a person who resolves moral problems by the
cash*ier . v. [trans.] (usu. be cashiered) dis- application of theoretical rules to particular
miss someone from the armed forces in dis- instances.
grace because of a serious misdemeanor: he derivatives: cas«uMS»tic |
,kaezH3'wistik|
was found guilty and cashiered [as adj.] \
adj. cas«u»is»ti»cal |
.kaezHa'wistikal |
adj.
(cashiered) a cashiered National Guard ma- cas»u»is»ti»caWy |
,kaeZH3'wistik(3)le j
adv.
jor. cas»u»ist»ry n.
suspend or dismiss someone from an office, ca*SUS beHi I'kasas 'bele; 'kasas 'bel,i| • n.
position, or membership: the team owner had (pi. same) an act or situation provoking or jus-
been cashiered for consorting with a gambler. tifying war.
casque |
kaeskj ' n. 1 a helmet. 2 a helmetlike cat»a*chre*sis .kaep'kresis . n. (pi cat-
| i

anatomical structure, such as that on the bill achreses) the use of a word in a way that is
of a hornbill or the head of a cassowary. not correct, for example, the use of mitigate
Cas*san*dra ks'sasndra • a daughter of
|
I
for militate.
the legendary Trojan king Priam, who was derivatives: cat«a»chres»tic |-'krestik|
given the gift of prophecy by Apollo. When adj.
she cheated him, however, he turned this into cat*a*clysm 'kseta.klizami »n. a large-scale
|

a curse by causing her prophecies, though and violent event in the natural world.
true, to be disbeheved. a sudden violent upheaval, esp. in a political
[as n.] (a Cassandra) a prophet of disaster, or social context: the cataclysm of the First
esp.one who disregarded. is World War.
caste kaest I
• n. each of the hereditary
I
derivatives: cat«a»clys»mic adj. cat»a»
classes of Hindu society, distinguished by rel- clys»mi«cal»ly adv.
ative degrees of ritual purity or pollution and cat»a*COmb |'kaep,kom| *n. (usu. cata-
of social status: members of the lower castes a \
combs) an underground cemetery consist-
man of high caste. ing of a subterranean gallery with recesses
the system of dividing society into such for tombs, as constructed by the ancient
classes. any class or group of people who in- Romans.
 |

catafalque 63 eater-cornered
such a cemetery.
a single crypt or gallery in the denouement of a drama, esp. a classical
an underground construction resembling tragedy.
or compared to such a cemetery. derivatives: cat»a«stroph»ic adj. cat»a»
cat*a*faique 'kaEt3,f6(l)k; -,faelk| . n. a dec-
|
stroph»i«cal»ly adv.
orated framework supporting the coffm of a ca*taS*tro*phism ks'taestra.fizsm . n. the | I

distinguished person during a funeral or theory that changes in the earth's crust
while lying in state. during geological history have resulted
cat*a*lep»sy |
'kaetl,epse| • n. a medical con- chiefly from sudden violent and unusual
dition characterized by a trance or seizure events. Often contrasted with uniformitari-
with a loss of sensation and consciousness ANISM.
accompanied by rigidity of the body. derivatives: ca«tas»tro»phist n. & adj.
derivatives: cat«a«lep»tic ksetl eptik |
, ' cat»a»tO»ni*a .ksep' tones »n. abnormality
|
|

adj. & n. cat»a«lep»ti»cal»ly adv.
ca*ta*logue ral«son«ne |kaetl,6g ,raz3'na
-,ag| • n. (pi. catalogues raisonnes 'kaetl
,6g(z) ,raz3'na -,ag(z)
of works of art with explanations and schol-
arly comments: a catalogue raisonne of Mird's
work.
cat^aHyst |'kaetl-3st| • a substance that
increases the rate of a chemical reaction
(causes catalysis) without itself undergoing
any permanent chemical change.
a person or thing that precipitates an event:
the governor's speech acted as
of movement and behavior arising from a dis-
turbed mental state (typically schizophrenia).
|
It may involve repetitive or purposeless over-
|) a descriptive catalog activity, or catalepsy, resistance to passive
movement, and negativism.
a state of immobility and stupor.
derivatives: cat»a»ton»ic adj.
catch-22 ' n. a dilemma or difficult circum-
stance from which there is no escape because
of mutually conflicting or dependent condi-
tions.
cat*e»chet*ics ,k£et9'ketiks| 'plural|
n.
a catalyst for de- [treated as the branch of theology that
sing.]

bate. deals with the instruction given to Christians

cat*a*lyt«ic ',kaetridik| • adj. relating to or
|
before baptism or confirmation.
involving the action of a catalyst. religious teaching in general, typically that
derivatives: cat»a»lytM»cal»ly |-ik(3)le| given to children in the Roman Catholic
adv. Church.
cat*a*mite 'kaeta.mit • n. a boy kept for ho-
| I
derivatives: cat»e»chetMC adj. cafe*
mosexual practices; the younger partner in a chet»i«cal adj. cat*e»chetM»cal«ly adv.
homosexual relationship, esp. the passive cat»e*chlsm 'kEeta.kizsm • w. a summary of
| I

partner in anal intercourse. the principles of Christian religion in the

cat*a*pult 'kgeds.pslt; -.pCJOltj
I
• n. a device form of questions and answers, used for in-
in which accumulated tension is suddenly struction.
released to hurl an object some distance, in a series of fixed questions, answers, or pre-
particular: cepts used for instruction in other situations.
an ancient military machine worked by a derivatives: cat»e»chis»mal |
.kaep'kizs-
lever and ropes for hurling large stones or mall adj.
other missiles. a mechanical device for cat*e*chize rkaet3,kiz| 'V. [trans.] instruct
launching a glider or other aircraft, esp. from (someone) in the principles of Christian reli-
the deck of a ship. chiefly Brit, a slingshot. • v. gion by means of question and answer, typi-
[with obj. and adverbial of direction] hurl or launch cally by using a catechism.
(something) in a specified direction with or put questions to or interrogate (someone).
as if with a catapult: the explosion catapulted the derivatives: cat»e»chiz»er n.
car 30 yards along the road their music cata- \
cat*e«Chu*men ,kaet3'kyoom9n| i
. «. a
pulted them to the top of the charts. Christian convert under instruction before
[no obj., with adverbial of direction] move sud- baptism.
denly or at great speed as though hurled by a a young Christian preparing for confirma-
catapult: the horse catapulted away from the tion.
fence. cat«e»nar*y 'kaets.nere; 'kaetn,ere| • n. (pi.
|

cat»a«ract 'kaet3,ra£kt • n. 1 a large water-

| I
-ies) a curve formed by a wire, rope, or chain
fall. Cf. CASCADE. hanging freely from two points that are on the
a sudden rush of water; a downpour: the rain same horizontal level.
enveloped us in a deafening cataract. 2 a medi- forming such a curve.
a wire, rope, or chain
cal condition in which the lens of the eye • adj. having the form of, involving, or
[attrib.]

becomes progressively opaque, resulting in denoting a curve of this type.

blurred vision: she had cataracts in both eyes. cat»e*nat«ed 'kaeta.natid; 'kaetn,atid • adj.
|
|

ca^tarrh jka'tarl »n. excessive discharge or connected in a chain or series: catenated mol-
buildup of mucus in the nose or throat, asso- ecules. Cf. CONCATENATE.
ciated with inflammation of the mucous derivatives: cat»e»na»tion ,kset3 |

membrane. 'naSHan; ,kaetn'aSH3n I

n.
derivatives: ca»tarrh»al Ika'tarall adj. cat»er-COr*nered I'kaete ,k6rn3rd; 'kaetarl
ca*tas«tro»phe ka'taestrafe . n. an event
| |
(also eater-corner or catty-cornered or
causing great and often sudden damage or kitty-corner) • adj. & adv. situated diago-
suffering; a disaster: a national economic catas- nally opposite someone or something: [as adj.]
trophe leading inexorably to catastrophe.
1
a restaurant eater-cornered from the movie
caterwaul 64 cavalry
theater \
[as adv.] motorcyclists cut eater- a meeting of such a group. • v. (caucused,
cornered across his yard. caucusing) [intrans.] hold or form such a
cat*er«waul 'kaet3r,w61| »v. |
[intrans.] [often group or meeting.
as n.] (caterwauling) make a shrill howling cau*dal 'kodl . adj. of or like a tail.
| |

or wailing noise: the caterwauling of a pair of at or near the tail or the posterior part of the
bobcats [as adj.] (caterwauling) a cater-
I
body.
wauling guitar. • n. a shrill howling or wailing derivatives: cau'daWy adv.
noise. caul I
kol I
• n. 1 the amniotic membrane
ca»thar»sis the process of
|
ka'THarsis |
• n. enclosing a fetus.
releasing, and thereby providing or obtaining part of this membrane occasionally found on
relief relief from, strong or repressed emo- a child's head at birth, thought to bring good
tions. luck. 2 a woman's close-fitting indoor head-
ca*the*dral ka'XHedral . n. the principal
|
I
dress or hairnet, as worn in former times.
church of a diocese, with which the bishop is caus*al 'kozal • adj. of, relating to, or act-
I I

officially associated: [in names] St. John's Ca- ing as a cause: the causal factors associated with
thedral. Cf. BASILICA illness.

ca*thex*is ka'THeksis . n. the concentra-

|
I
expressing or indicating a cause: a causal con-
tion of mental energy on one particular per- junction.
son, idea, or object (esp. to a pathological de- DERI VAT IVES: caus«al»ly adv.
gree). cau»saH»ty |k6'zaebte| . n. 1 the relation-
derivatives: ca»thec«tic adj. ship between cause and effect.
cath*0*lic I
'kaeTH(9)lik| 'adj. (of tastes, in- the fact or state of acting as a cause. 2 the
terests, including a wide variety of
etc.) principle that everything has a cause.
things; all-embracing: birds that are catholic in cause ce*le*bre 'koz S9'leb(r3); 'koz . n. | |

choice of habitat. (pi. causes celebres pronunc. same) a contro-

derivatives: cath»o»licM»ty |
,kaeTH(3) versial issue that attracts a great deal of pub-
'lisate I
n. ca»thoWc»ly adv. lic attention.
cat's-paw . n. used by an-
a person who is cau*se*rie |,koz(3)'re .n. (pi. -ies pronunc. |

other, typically to carry out an unpleasant or same) an informal article or talk, typically
dangerous task. one on a literary subject.
Cau*ca*sian iko'kazHsnl »adj. 1 of or relat- caus*tic 'kostiki • adj. able to burn or cor-
I

ing to one of the traditional divisions of hu- rode organic tissue by chemical action: a
mankind, covering a broad group of peoples caustic cleaner.
from Europe, western Asia, and parts of India sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way: the
and North Africa, [origin: so named be- players were making caustic comments about the
cause the German physiologist Johann Blu- referee. (of an expression or sound) expres-
menbach (1752-1840) believed that it origi- sive of such sarcasm: a caustic smile.
nated in the Caucasus region of southeastern derivatives: caus«ti»cal»ly |-ik(3)le|
Europe.] adv. caus»tic»i»ty |
ko'stisate |
n.
white-skinned; of European origin. 2 of or cau*ter*ize 'k6t3,riz . v. [trans.]|
the |
bum
relating to the Caucasus. 3 of or relating to a skin or flesh of (a wound) with a heated in-
group of languages spoken in the region of strument or caustic substance, typically to
the Caucasus, of which thirty-eight are stop bleeding or prevent the wound from
known, many not committed to writing. The becoming infected.
most widely spoken is Georgian. • n. a Cau- DERI VAT I V E s cau»terM«za«tion .kotars :
|

casian person. 'zaSH3n| n.

a white person; a person of European origin. cav*al*cade .kaevarkad . a formal pro-
|
|

usage: In the racial classification as devel- cession of people walking, on horseback, or

riding in vehicles.
oped by anthropologists in the 19th century,
a large group of people with some shared
Caucasian (or Caucasoid) included peo-
characteristic: / refuse to be one of your caval-
ples whose skin color ranged from light (in
northern Europe) to dark (in parts of North cade of doting admirers.
Africa and India). Although the classifica- cav»aHier |,kaev3'lir| . n. (Cavalier) a sup-
porter of King Charles I in the English Civil
tion is outdated and the categories are now
not generally accepted as scientific, the term War (1642-49).
Caucasian has acquired a more restricted a courtly gentleman, esp. one acting as a
meaning. It is now used as a synonym for
lady's escort. horseman, esp. a cavalry-
a

'white or of European origin,' as in: the police

man. • adj. showing a lack of proper concern;
are looking for a Caucasian male in his for-
offhand: irritated by his cavalier attitude.
ties.
D E R I VAT I V E s cav»a»lier»ly adv. :

cav«al*ry |
'kaevalre |
• n. (pi. -ies) [usu.
cau*CUS 'kokas I
• n. (pi. caucuses) 1 aI
treated as pi ] formerly, soldiers who fought
meeting of the members of a legislative body on horseback.
who are members of a particular political a branch of an army made up of such sol-
party, to select candidates or decide policy. diers. modern soldiers who fight in
the members of such a body. 2 a group of armored vehicles.
people with shared concerns within a politi- derivatives: cav»al»ry»man |-m3n| n.
cal party or larger organization. (pi. -men) .
 a -

caveat 65 Cenozoic
ca*ve*at a warning or
|'kaeve,at; 'kav-| • «. ceHuHoid |
'sely3,loid| » n. a transparent
proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or flammable plastic made in sheets from cam-
limitations. phor and nitrocellulose, formerly used for
a legal notice, esp. in a probate proceeding, cinematographic film.
that certain actions may not be taken without motion pictures as a genre: having made the
informing the person who gave the notice. leap from theater to celluloid, she can now make
ca*ve*at emp»tor 'emp,t6r| • n. the princi- |
more money.
ple that the buyer alone is responsible for cel*IU*lose 'selya.los; -,loz| • n. 1 an insolu-
|

checking the quality and suitability of goods ble substance that is the main constituent of
before a purchase is made. plant cell walls and of vegetable fibers such as
cav*il 'kgeval • V. [intrans.] make petty or un-
I I
cotton. It is a polysaccharide consisting of
necessary objections: they caviled at the cost. chains of glucose monomers. 2 paint or lac-
• n. an objection of this kind. quer consisting principally of cellulose ace-
DERIVATIVES cav»il»er n. : tate or nitrate in solution.
cay ke; ka • «. a low bank
I I
or reef of coral, derivatives: ceWu»lo«sic ]
.selya'losik;
rock, or sand. 'loziki adj.
cede sed I
V. [trans.] give up (power or terri-
I
• Cel*Si*US I
(abbr.: C) • adf
'selseas; 'selsH3s|
tory): they have had to cede control of the [postpositive when used
with a numeral] of or
schools to the government Poland ceded land to \
denoting a scale of temperature on which wa-
Russia and Prussia. ter freezes at 0° and boils at 1 00° under stan-
cei*lidh |'kale| • w. a social event at which dard conditions. . n. (also Celsius scale)
there is Scottish or Irish folk music and of temperature.
this scale
singing, traditional dancing, and storytelling.
usage: Celsius rather than centigrade is
cel*a*don 'seb.dan • a willow-green
|
|

the standard accepted term when giving

color: [as adj.] paneling painted in celadon
temperatures: use 25° Celsius rather than
green. 25° centigrade.
a gray-green glaze used on pottery, esp. that
from China. pottery made with this glaze. Celt I
kelt; selt |
• n. (also Kelt) a member of a
cel*e*brant 'sebbrant • n. 1 a person who| |
group of peoples inhabiting much of Europe
performs a rite, esp. a priest at the Christian and Asia Minor in pre-Roman times. Their
Eucharist. 2 a person who celebrates some- culture developed in the late Bronze Age
thing. around the upper Danube, and reached its
ce»ler*l»ty ss'lerste • n. swiftness of move-
|
I
height in the LaTene culture (5th to 1st cen-
ment. turies Bc) before being overrun by the
ce*les*ta ss'lesta . n. (also celeste) a small
| |
Romans and various Germanic peoples.
keyboard musical instrument in which felted a native of any of the modern nations or
hammers strike a row of steel plates sus- regions in which Celtic languages are (or
pended over wooden resonators, giving an were until recently) spoken; a person of Irish,
ethereal bell-like sound. Highland Scottish, Manx, Welsh, Breton, or
ce*les*tial isa'lescHslI 'adj. [attrib.] posi- Cornish descent.
tioned in or relating to the sky, or outer space Celt*lc 'keltik; 'sel- • adj. of or relating to
I
1

as observed in astronomy: a celestial body. the Celts or their languages, which constitute
belonging or relating to heaven: the celestial a branch of the Indo-European family and in-
city.supremely good: the celestial beauty of clude Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
music. Manx, Cornish, and several extinct pre-
derivatives: ce«les»tial»ly adv. Roman languages such as Gaulish. • n. the
cel*i»bate I'sebbatI • adj. abstaining firom Celtic language group.
marriage and sexual relations, typically for derivatives: Celtn»cism |
'kelt3,siz3m;
religious reasons: a celibate priest. 'sel-i n. CeltM'cist |
'kelt3,sist; 'sel- 1 n.
having or involving no sexual relations: Pd usage: Celt and Celtic can be pro-
rather stay single and celibate. • n. a person
nounced either with an initial k- or s-, but
who abstains firom marriage and sexual rela-
in standard English the normal pronuncia-
tions.
tion is with a k-, except in the name of the
derivatives: ceW»ba»cy |-b3se| n. Boston basketball team.
ceMu*lar 'selyabr • adj. 1 of, relating
|
to, or |

consisting of living cells: cellular proliferation. cen»a«cle 'senikal . |

1 a group of people, I

2 denoting or relating to a mobile telephone such as a discussion group or literary clique.

system that uses a number of short-range ra- 2 the room in which the biblical Last Supper
dio stations to cover the area that it serves, the was held.
signal being automatically switched from one ce»no*blte 'sen3,bit| (also coenobite) • n. a
|

station to another as the user travels about. member of a monastic community.

3 (of a fabric item, such as a blanket or vest) derivatives: ce«no»bit»ic |
,sen3'bitik|
knitted so as to form holes or hollows that adj. ce»no«bitn»cal |
.sena'bitikal |
adj.
trap air and provide extra insulation. 4 con- ce*no*taph 'sena.taef n. a tomblike mon-
|
|
•

sisting of small compartments or rooms: cel- ument to someone buried elsewhere, esp. one
lular accommodations. commemorating people who died in a war.
derivatives: cel»lu»lar»i»ty sely |
, Ce«no»zo«lc |,sen3'zoik| (also Cainozoic)
'lerstel n. • adj. relating to or denoting the most recent
censer 66 certifiable
geologic era, following the Mesozoic era and cen»ten*ni»al isen'tenesll . adj. of or relating
comprising the Tertiary and Quaternary peri- to a hundredth anniversary: centennial cele-
ods. brations. • n. a hundredth anniversary: the

[as n.] (the Cenozoic) the Cenozoic era, or museum 's centennial.
the system of rocks deposited during it. such an anniversary.
a celebration of

The Cenozoic has lasted from about 65 mil- cen*ti*grade 'sent3,grad| » adj. [postpositive
|

lion years ago to the present day. It has seen

when used with a numeral] another term for
the rapid evolution and rise to dominance of Celsius.
mammals, birds, and flowering plants.
having a scale of a hundred degrees.
cen*trif»U»gal sen'trif(y)3g3l . adj. moving
|
|

cen«ser I'senssrl a container in which or tending to move away from a center. The
incense is burned, typically during a religious opposite of CENTRIPETAL.
ceremony: priests swinging censers. derivatives: cen»trif«u»gal»ly adv.
cen*SOr 'sensar • n. ^ an official who exam-
| |
cen*trlp«e*tal sen'tripatl • adj. moving or
| I

ines material that is about to be released, such tending to move toward a center. The oppo-
as books, movies, news, and art, and sup- site of CENTRIFUGAL.
presses any parts that are considered ob- derivatives: cen»trip»e»tal»ly adv.
scene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to ce*phal»ic |s9'faelik| 'adj. of, in, or relating
security. a person who exercises supervi- to the head.
sion or judgment over the conduct of morals cer*e«beMum l.sers'bebml (pi cere-
of others. bellums or cerebella -'beb ) the part of |
|

inFreudian psychology, an aspect of the su- the brain at the back of the skull in verte-
perego that is said to prevent certain ideas brates. Its function is to coordinate and reg-
and memories from emerging into con- ulate muscular activity.
sciousness, [origin: from a mistranslation derivatives: cer«e«beWar |-'bel3r| adf
of German Zensur 'censorship,' coined by ce*re*bral Iss'rebral; 'sersbrsll * adj. of the
Freud.] 2 (in ancient Rome) either of two cerebrum of the brain: a cerebral hemorrhage \

magistrates who held censuses and super- the cerebral cortex.

vised public morals. • v. [trans.] (often be intellectual rather than emotional or physi-
censored) examine (a book, movie, etc.) of- cal: criticism is a cerebral process.
ficially and suppress unacceptable parts of it: derivatives: ce»re«braMy adv.
my mail was being censored. cer«e»bra*tion ,ser3'braSH9n||
. n. the work-
derivatives: cen»so»ri«al |sen's6re3l| ing of the brain; thinking.
adj. derivatives: cer»e»brate |'ser3|brat| v.
usage: Both censor and censure are both ce*re»brum Isa'rebram; 'sera-l • n. (pi. cere-
verbs and nouns, but censor means 'to scru- bra) the principal and forward-most part of
tinize, revise, or cut unacceptable parts from
the brain in vertebrates, situated in the front
area of the skull and consisting of two hemi-
a book, movie, etc' or 'a person who does
spheres, left and right, separated by a fissure.
this,' while censure means 'to criticize
harshly' or 'harsh criticism:' a resolution of
cer*e*mo*ni*ai .sers'monesll » adj. 1 relat-
|

censure to express strong disapproval of the pres-

ing to or used for formal events of a religious
ident's behavior.
or public nature: ceremonial headgear cere- \

monial occasions. 2 (of a position or role)

cen»SO*ri*OUS sen'soress • adj.|
severely |
involving only nominal authority or power:
critical of others: charitable in his judgments originally a ceremonial post, it is now a position
and never censorious, Jim carried tolerance al- with executive power. • n. the system of rules
most too far. and procedures to be observed at a formal or
derivatives: cen»so»ri»ous»ly adv. cen» religious occasion: the procedure was conducted
so»ri»ous»ness n. with all due ceremonial.
cen»sure I'sencHsrl »v. [trans.] (often be a rite or ceremony: a ceremonial called the
censured) express severe disapproval of ghost dance.
(someone or something), typically in a formal derivatives: cer»e»mo»ni»alMsm |-,liz3m|
statement: a judge was censured in 1983 for n. cer»e»mo»ni»al»ist -list n. cer«e»mo»ni» | |

injudicious conduct. • n. the expression of for- al'ly adv.

mal disapproval: a resolution of censure against cer*e*mo*ni*OUS ,ser3'mone3s| • adj. relat-
|

the offenders. ing or appropriate to grand and formal occa-

DERI VAT v E s cen»sur»a«ble adj.
I : sions: a Great Hall where ceremonious and pub-
cen*SUS 'sensas • n. (pi. censuses) an
| |
offi- lic appearances were made.

cial count or survey of a population, typically excessively polite; punctilious: he accepted the
recording various details of individuals: pop- gifts with ceremonious dignity.
ulation estimates extrapolated from the 1981 cen- derivatives: cer»e»mo»ni«ous4y adv.
sus I
[as adj.] census data. cer»e»mo»ni»ous«ness n.
cen*ten*ar»y Isen'tensre; 'sentn,ere| chiefly ce*rise Iss'res; ss'rez] • n. a bright or deep
Brit. • n. (pi. -ies) the hundredth anniversary of red color: a vivid cerise lampshade. • adj. of a
a significant event; a centennial. bright or'deep red color.
a celebration of such an anniversary. • adj. cer»ti«fl»a»ble |
.sarts'fiabal |
• adj. 1 able or
of or relating to a hundredth anniversary; needing to be certified: encephalitis was a cer-
centennial. tifiable condition \
financial reports showed cer-
certify 67 chameleon
tifiable progress. 2 officially recognized as chaff |CH£ef| • n. the husks of grain or other

needing treatment for a mental disorder. seed separated by winnowing or threshing.

crazy: the world offashion is almost entirely in- chopped hay and straw used as fodder.
sane, the people who work in it mainly certifia- worthless things; trash. strips of metal foil
ble. released in the atmosphere from aircraft, or
derivatives: cer«ti»fi»a»bly |-ble| adj. deployed as missiles, to obstruct radar detec-
cer«ti«fy 'sarta.fil • v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] (of-
|
tion.
ten be certified) attest or confirm in a for- derivatives: c\\a.fi*y adj.
mal statement: the profits for the year had been Cha*grin SHs'grin • n. distress or embar-
|
|

certified by the auditors [with clause] the medi-

\
rassment at having failed or been humiliated:
cal witness certified that death was due to cere- Jeff, much to his chagrin, wasn 't invited. • v.
bral hemorrhage. (be chagrined) feel distressed or humili-
[often as adj.] (certified) officially recognize ated: he was chagrined when his friend poured
(someone or something) as possessing cer- scorn on him.
tain qualifications or meeting certain stan- chain |
CHan
n. (in measuring) a jointed
|
»

dards: a certified scuba instructor board cer- |

of linked metal rods.
line consisting
tified in obstetrics and gynecology. officially the length of such a measuring line (66 ft.).
declare insane. a measuring chain of ten yards, used in
ce*ru*le*an Isa'roolean] 'adj. deep blue in football in the determination of first downs.
color like a clear sky: cerulean waters and chaise longue snaz Iong . n. (pl.chaises | |

golden sands. • n. a deep sky-blue color. longues I

'SHaz '16ng(z) |
) a reclining chair
ce*ru»men sa'rooman • n. technical term
|
I
with a lengthened seat forming a leg rest.
for earwax. chal«ced»0*ny Ikgel'sedn.e; CHael-; 'kselsa
cervine |"s@:vVlNi *adj. of or relating to ,done; 'CHgelss- 1
• n. (pi. -ies) a type of quartz
deer; deerlike. in microscopic crystals occurring in several
ce*sar*e*an seC*tion a surgical opera-
. n. different forms, including onyx, agate, and
tion for delivering a child by cutting through jasper.
the wall of the mother's abdomen. derivatives: chal»ce»donnc |
,kaels3
ces»sa»tion Ise'sasnanl » n. a ceasing; an 'daniki adj.
end: the cessation of hostilities a cessation of \
Chal*ice |
'CHaebs • n. a large cup or goblet,\

animal testing of cosmetics. typically used in former times for drinking

a pause or interruption: a cessation of respira- wine.
tion requiring resuscitation. the wine cup used in the Christian Eucha-
ces*sion 'seSHsn • n. the formal giving up
| |
rist.
of rights, property, or territory by a state: the ChalHah |
hab; KHab |
. n. (pi challahs
cession of a coastal strip. 'habz; 'KHabz or chalot(h) ha'lot; KHa-;
I
|
|

Ce*ta*cean |si'taSH(e)3| • aci/'. belonging or -'los|) a loaf of white leavened bread, typi-
relating to an order (Cetacea) of marine cally braided in form, traditionally baked to
mammals that comprises the whales, dol- celebrate the Jewish sabbath.
phins, and porpoises. These have a stream- chal*lenged 'cnaebnjd • adj. [with submodi-
|
|

lined hairless body, no hind limbs, a hori- fier or in combination] (used euphemistically)
zontal tail fin, and a blowhole on top of the impaired or disabled in a specified respect:
head for breathing. . n. a member of this physically challenged.
order. lacking or deficient in a specified respect: to-
Chad»or 'cnadsr; 'CHad,6r| (also chadar or
|
day's attention-challenged teens.
chuddar) • n. a large piece of dark-colored usage: The use with a preceding adverb,
cloth, typically worn by Muslim women,
e.g.,physically challenged, originally in-
wrapped around the head and upper body to tended to give a more positive tone than
leave only the face exposed.
such terms as disabled or handicapped,
chafe |CHaf| 'V. 1 [trans.] (of something re-
arose in the US in the 1980s. Despite the
strictive or too tight) make (a part of the originally serious intention, the term rapidly
body) sore by rubbing against it: the collar
became stalled by uses whose intention was
chafed his neck. to make fian of the attempts at euphemism
[intrans.] (of a part of the body) be or become
and whose tone was usually clearly ironic:
sore as a result of such rubbing: shook hands examples include cerebraUy challenged,
until the skin chafed. [intrans.] (of an object)
follicularly challenged, etc.
rub abrasively against another object: the
grommet stops the cable from chafing on the Chal*lis 'SHasle » n. a soft lightweight cloth-
I
\

metal. 2 [trans.] rub (a part of the body) to re- ing fabric made from silk and wool.
store warmth or sensation. cha»me*le»on Iks'melyan; -lesnl (cliiefly Brit,
restore (warmth or sensation) in this way: he also chamaeleon) • n. a small slow-moving
chafed some feeling into his frozen hands. 3 be- Old World lizard with a prehensile tail, long
come or make annoyed or impatient because extensible tongue, protruding eyes that rotate
of a restriction or inconvenience: [intrans.] the independently, and a highly developed ability
bank chafed at the restrictions imposed upon it to change color.
I
[trans.] it chafed him to be confined like this. • n. IIa changeable or inconstant person, esp. one
wear or damage caused by rubbing: to prevent who adapts to a changed situation for per-
chafe the ropes should lie flat. sonal advantage.
chamois 68 chase
derivatives: cha«me»le»on«ic |k3,mele derivatives: chaotic adj. chaotically
'aniki adj. adv.
cham*ois 'SHseme • w. 1 (pi. same) an agile
| |
Chap*ar*ral n. vegetation con-
|
,SHaep3'r2el |
•

goat-antelope (genus Rupicapra) with short sisting chiefly of tangled shrubs and thorny
hooked horns, found in mountainous areas of bushes, characteristic of parts of the Ameri-
Europe from Spain to the Caucasus. 2 (pi. can Southwest.
same) (also chamois leather) soft pliable Chap*let 'cHaepbtl • n. 1 a garland or wreath
I

leather made from the skin of sheep, goats, or for a person's head. 2 a string of 55 beads
deer. (one third of the rosary number) for count-
a piece of such leather, or cloth treated to re- ing prayers, or used as a necklace.
semble it, used typically for washing windows derivatives: chap*let*ed adj.
or cars. chaps I
CHaeps; SHaeps |
• plural n. leather
Cham*paign |SHaem'pan| • open level pants without a seat, worn by a cowboy over
countryside. ordinary pants to protect the legs, as in chap-
Chan*cel |
• n. the part of a church
'cnaenssl |
arral conditions.
near the reserved for the clergy and
altar, char*ge d'aMaires ,sHar,zH9 da'fer | |
(also
choir, and typically separated from the nave charge) • n. (pi. charges d'affaires |
SHar
by steps or a screen. 'za(z) I
) a diplomatic official who temporar-
Chan»cel»ler»y 'cHaEns(3)bre • n. (pi. -ies) |
|
ily takes the place of an ambassador.
1 the position, office, or department of a a state's diplomatic representative in a minor
chancellor. country.
the official residence of a chancellor. 2 an of- charg«er • n. a large, flat dish; a platter.
fice attached to an embassy or consulate. cha»ris»ma ka'rizms • n. 1 compelling at-
| |

chan*ceHor 'cHaens(9)l3r| . w. a senior |

tractiveness or charm that can inspire devo-
state or legal official. tion in others: she enchanted guests with her
the head of the government in some Euro- charisma. 2 (pi. charismata |-,m9t3|) (also
pean countries, such as Germany. the pre- charism) a divinely conferred power or tal-
siding judge of a chancery court. the presi- ent.
dent or chief administrative officer of a Char«is»mat*ic .kaeraz'maetikl » adj. 1 exer- |

university. chiefly Brit, the nonresident honor- cising a compelling charm that inspires devo-
ary head of a university. a bishop's law of- tion in others: a charismatic leader. 2 of or
ficer. relating to the charismatic movement in var-
derivatives: chamceWor»ship |-,SHip| ious Christian churches, which emphasizes
n. talents held to be conferred by the Holy
Chan»cre |
'kaeNCkar; 'SHaeNG- 1
• a painless Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and heal-
ulcer, particularly one developing on the gen- ing of the sick (faith healing).
of syphilis.
itals as a result (of a power or talent) divinely conferred:
chan*dler 'cHaEn(d)br| . «. 1 (also ship
|
charismatic prophecy. • n. an adherent of the
chandler) a dealer in supplies and equip- charismatic movement.
ment for ships and boats. 2 a dealer in house- a person who claims divine inspiration.
hold items such as oil, soap, paint, and gro- derivatives: charMs»mat«i»cal»ly |-ik(3)-
ceries. le| adv.
a person who makes and sells candles, cha*ri«va*ri .SHiva're; 'sHiva.re (also shiva-
| |

changeling 'cnanjliNG . n. a |
|
child ree) • n. (pi. charivaris) a cacophonous
believed to have been secretly substituted by mock serenade, typically performed by a
fairies for the parents' real child in infancy. group of people in derision of an unpopular
any child secretly substituted for another in person or in celebration of a marriage.
infancy. a series of discordant noises.
Chan*nel |
'cHaenl • v. (channeled, chan-
|
charHa»tan 'sHarbtsn; 'sHarbtn • n. a per-
|
|

neling ; Brit, channelled, channelling) (in son falsely claiming to have a special knowl-
spiritualism) serve as a medium for (a spirit): edge or skill; a fraud: who could buy into this
she channels Ramtha, a 30,000-year-old spirit \
charlatan and his charade? Cf.: mountebank,
[as adj.] a channeling session. derivatives: char»la«tanMsm |-bt3,ni-
Chan*teuse |
.SHan'tOOz; 'toez \
* n. a female zsm; -btn.izsm |
n. char«la»tan»ry |
'SHarb-
singer of popular songs, esp. in a nightclub. tanre; -btnre |
n.
The male equivalent is a chanteur. char^nel CHarnl . n. (also charnel house)
| |

chant»ey sHaente (also chanty, shanty, or

|
|
a house or vault in which dead bodies or
sea chantey) » n. a song with alternating bones are piled. • adj. associated with death:
solo and chorus, of a kind originally sung by / gagged on the charnel stench of the place.
sailors while performing physical labor to- Char«y 'CHere • adj. (charier, chariest)
| |

gether. cautious; wary: most people are chary of allow-

cha*OS |'ka,as| • «. complete disorder and ing themselves to be photographed.
confusion. cautious about the amount one gives or
(in physics) behavior so unpredictable as to reveals: he was chary with specifics about the
appear random, owing to great sensitivity to script.
small changes in conditions. the formless D E r VA T V E s char»i»ly
I I : |
'cHersle |
adv.
matter supposed to have existed before the chase • v. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (chased) en-
creation of the universe. grave (metal, or a design on metal): a minia-
 |

chasm 69 chevron
ture container with a delicately chased floral de- one's own cause, group, or sex: a bastion of
sign. male chauvinism.
chasm 'kaezam |
a deep fissure in the |
. Chau*vin*ist 'SHovsnist • «. a person dis-
| |

earth, rock, or another surface. playing aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.

a profound difference between people, view- a person displaying excessive or prejudiced
points, feeUngs, etc.: the chasm between loyalty or support for a particular cause,
rich and poor. Cf. schism, group, or sex: gained a reputation as a religious
derivatives: chas»mic I'kaezmikl adj. chauvinist. (also male Chauvinist) a man
(rare). displaying a complacent belief in the superi-
Chas*se |
SHas'sa \
» n. a gliding step in danc- ority of the male sex: she wrote off all the local
ing in which one foot displaces the other. • v. males as hopeless chauvinists. • adj. showing or
(chassed, chasseing) [intrans.] make such a relating to such excessive or prejudiced sup-
step. port or loyalty: a chauvinist slur.
Chas*sis 'CHasse; 'SHaese • n. (pi. same) the
|
|
derivatives: chau'vinMsm n. chau»vin«
base frame of a motor vehicle or other is'tic I
,SHov3'nistik| adj. chau»vinns»ti»
wheeled conveyance. caWy I
,SHov3'nistik(3)le |
adv.
the outer structural framework of a piece of Chef-d'oeu*vre |sHa 'doev(r9); 'd3(r)v I

audio, radio, or computer equipment. (pi. chefs-d'oeuvre |'doev(r3); 'd3(r)v(z) |) a

chaste cnast • adj. abstaining from extra-
| |
masterpiece.
marital, or from all, sexual intercourse. Cf. Che»mo*ther*a»py |
.kemo'THerape; ,kemo-|
celibate; virgin. • the treatment of disease by the use of
n.
not having any sexual nature or intention: a chemical substances, esp. the treatment of
chaste, consoling embrace. without unneces- cancer by drugs that kill cells.

sary ornamentation; simple or restrained: the D E R VAT V E s che«mo*ther«a»peunic

I I : adj.
dark, chaste interior was lightened by tile-work. che»mo»ther»a»pist |-pist| n.
derivatives: chaste»ly adv. chastemess Che*nille sna'nel » n. a tufted velvety cord
| \

n.chas'ti'ty n. or yarn, used for trimming furniture and

Chas*ten I'cHassnl »v. [trans.] (usu. be making carpets and clothing.
chastened) (of a reproof or misfortune) fabric made from such yarn.
have a restraining or moderating effect on: cher»no*zem |
'CHern3,ZH6m; -,zem » n. a \

the director was somewhat chastened by his re- fertile black soil rich in humus, with a lighter
cent flop [as adj.] (chastening) a chastening
I
lime-rich layer beneath. Such soils typically
experience. occur in temperate grasslands such as the
(esp. of God) discipline; punish. Russian steppes and North American
derivatives: chas»ten«er cnas (a) nar |
' prairies.
n. Cher*ub CHerab . n. (pi cherubim) a
|
I

Chas*tise |CHaes'tiz| •V. [trans.] rebuke or winged angelic being described in biblical
reprimand severely: he chastised his colleagues tradition as attending on God. It is repre-
for their laziness. sented in ancient Middle Eastern art as a
punish, esp. by beating. lion or bull with eagles' wings and a human
derivatives: chas»tise»ment |CHaes'tiz- face, and regarded in traditional Christian
msnt; 'CH8est3z-| n. chas»tis*er |
'CHa£s,tiz- angelology as an angel of the second highest
3r| n. order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy. Cf.
Chas»ti»ty 'CHaestste • n. the state or prac-
| |
SERAPH.
tice of refraining from extramarital, or esp. (pi. cherubim 'CHer(y)9,bim or cherubs)|
|

from all, sexual intercourse: vows of chastity. a representation of a cherub in art, depicted
Chas*U*ble |
'CHaezabal; 'CHaeZH-; 'cHaes- 1
. n. as a chubby, healthy-looking child with
a sleeveless outer vestment worn by a priest wings. (pi. cherubs) a beautiful or
when celebrating Mass, typically ornate and innocent-looking child.
having a simple hole for the head. DERI VAT I V E s cherubic adj. :

Cha*toy«ant ISHa'toisnt] * adj. (ofagem, esp. Chest*y 'cneste • adj. 1 (of a sound) pro-
| |

when cut en cabochon) showing a band of duced deep in the chest: a chesty growl. 2 (of
bright reflected light caused by aligned impu- a woman) having large or prominent breasts.
rities in the stone. 3 conceited and arrogant.
derivatives: cha»toyance n. cha»toy derivatives: chestM»ly I'CHestalel adv.
an«cy -snse
| |
n. . chest»i»ness n.
Chat*tel 'CHaetl • n. (in general use) a per-
I
|
Chev»a»lier |,SHev3'lir| . «. a knight, esp.
sonal possession. when mounted on a horse.
an item of property other than real estate or a chivalrous a member of certain
man.
a freehold. (also Chattel slave) a human orders of knighthood or of modern French
being treated as a chattel. orders such as the Legion of Honor.
chau*tau*qua |sH3't6kw3| (also Chau- (Chevalier) Brit, the title of James (1688-
tauqua) • n. a cultural and educational pro- 1766) and Charles (1720-88) Stuart, pre-
gram of lectures, performances, etc., origi- tenders to the British throne.
nally held outdoors in the summer. chev»ron 'SHevrsn • «. a line or stripe in the
| |

Chau*vin*lsm 'SHova.nizam • n. exagger- | I

shape of a V or an inverted V, esp. one on the
ated or aggressive patriotism. sleeve of a uniform indicating rank or length
excessive or prejudiced loyalty or support for of service.
Chez 70 chinoiserie
(in heraldry) a shape in the form of a broad chiWo*nier ,SHif3'nir| . «. 1 a tall chest of
|

inverted V. drawers, often with a mirror on top. 2 Brit, a

Chez SHa . prep, at the home of (used in im-
I I
low cupboard, sometimes with a raised book-
itation of French, often humorously): / spent shelf on top.
one summer chez Grandma. Chi*gnon 'SHen.yan; SHen'yan • w. a knot or
|
|

Chi ke (also qi or ki) • n. the circulating life

I I
coil of hair arranged on the back of a woman's
force whose existence and properties are the head.
basis of much Chinese philosophy and med- Chil*blain 'cnil.blan . n. a painful, itching
|
|

icine. swelling on the skin, typically on a hand or

chi*a*ro«scu»ro |ke,ar3'sk(y)(3t)ro; ke,aer3-| foot, caused by poor circulation in the skin
• n. the treatment of light and shade in draw- when exposed to cold.
ing and painting. DERI VAT v e s chil*blained
I : adj.
an effect of contrasted light and shadow cre- Child*ish |
'cHildisH |
. adj. of, like, or appro-
ated by light falling unevenly or from a par- priate to a child: childish enthusiasm.
ticular direction on something: the chiaroscuro silly and immature: a childish outburst.
of cobbled streets. derivatives: child»ish»ly adv. child»ish»
Chi*as*mus |
ki'aezmas |
• w. a rhetorical or ness n.
literary figure in which words, grammatical Child*li[(e |'CHild,lik| 'adj. (of an adult) hav-
constructions, or concepts are repeated in re- ing good qualities associated with a child: she
verse order, in the same or a modified form; speaks with a childlike directness.
e.g. 'Poetry is the record of the best and hap- chil*i cHile (also Chili pepper or chile or
I I

piest moments of the happiest and best Brit.chilli) . n. (pi. chilies or chiles or Brit,
minds.' chillies) a small hot-tasting pod of a variety
derivatives: chi«as«tic |ki'aestik| adj. of capsicum (C. annuum), used chopped
chic SHek • adj. (chicer, chicest) elegantly
I I
(and often dried) in sauces, relishes, and
and stylishly fashionable: your outfit is tres spice powders. There are various forms with
chic! • n. stylishness and elegance, typically of pods of differing size, color, and strength of
a specified kind: biker chic. flavor, such as cascabels and jalapenos.
DERI VAT V E s chic'ly adv. I : short for chili powder, mixed from powdered
chi*cane . 1 an artificial
|SHi'kan; CHi-| chilies and other spices. short for chili con
narrowing or turn on a road or automobile came, a stew made with chilies, beans, and
racecourse. 2 (in card games) a hand without ground beef.
cards of one particular suit; a void. 3 chica- Chil*i*ad |'kile,aEd; -3d| • n. a thousand (of
nery. • V. employ trickery or chicanery. something).
Chi»can»er*y sni'kansre; CHi- the use of |
1
. w. a thousand years; a millennium.
trickery to achieve a political, financial, or le- Chil*i*ast |'kile,a£st| • n. another term for
gal purpose: political chicanery behind closed MILLENARIAN.
doors. derivatives: chil»i»as»tic adj. chil*i*asm
Chl*ca*no (fem. chicana)
Icni kano; SHi-| |-,aez3m| n.
• n. (pi. -os) a person of Mexican origin or de- chi*me*ra (also chimaera) • n.
|
ki'mirs; ka- 1

scent. 1 (Chimera) Greek mythology) a fire-

(in
breathing female monster with a hon's head,
usage: The term Chicano (derived from
a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.
the Mexican Spanish mexicano 'Mexican'),
denoting a Mexican-American male, and any mythical animal with parts taken from
the feminine form Chicana, became cur- various animals. 2 a thing that is hoped or
rent in the early 1960s. Sometimes spelled
wished for but in fact is illusory or impossi-

with a small c-. The plural forms are Chi- ble to achieve: the economic sovereignty you
claim to defend is a chimera. 3 an organism
canos, Chicanas. Hispanic is a more ge-
neric term denoting persons in the US of
containing a mixture of genetically different
Latin-American or Spanish descent. See tissues, formed by processes such as fusion of
also usage at Hispanic. See also Latino.
early embryos, grafting, or mutation: the
sheeplike goat chimera.
Chi*chi I
'SHeSHe; 'cHecHe
attempting |
• adj. a DNA molecule with sequences derived
stylish elegance but achieving only an overe- from two or more different organisms,
laborate affectedness: the chichi world of Man- formed by laboratory manipulation.
hattan cultural privilege. • n. pretentious and derivatives: chi«mer«ic |ki'mirik; ka-;
overelaborate refinement: the relentless chichi -'meriki adj. chi»mern»cal ki'meriksl; ka-; |

of late-eighties dining. -'mir- 1

adj. chi»merM»caWy |
ki'merik(3)le;
chicHe 'cHikal; 'cHikle • n. the milky latex
|
|
ka-; -'mir- 1 adv.
of the tropical American sapodilla tree, used Chin*less 'CHinlis |
adj. (of a person) lack-
|
•

to make chewing gum. ing a well-defined chin.

chide CHid . v. (past chided or archaic chid
I
|
lacking strength of character; ineffectual.
I
CHid ; past part, chided or archaic chidden
I
chi«noi*se»rie ,SHen,waz(3)'re; .SHen'waza-
|

I
'cHidn ) [trans.] scold or rebuke: she chided
I
re • w. (pi. -ies) the imitation or evocation of
I

him for not replying to her letters [with direct \

Chinese motifs and techniques in Western
speech] "You mustn't speak like that," she chided art, furniture, and architecture, esp. in the
gently. 1 8th century.

derivatives: chid«er n. chidnng«ly adv. objects or decorations in this style: a piece of

Chinook 71 choreography
chinoiserie |
one room has red velvet and chi- fluorine, typically gases used chiefly in refrig-
noiseries. erants and aerosol propellants. They are
chi»nook ISHa'nook; ch3-| » n. 1 (also Chi- harmful to the ozone layer in the earth's at-
nook wind) a warm dry wind that blows mosphere owing to the release of chlorine
down the east side of the Rocky Mountains atoms upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
at the end of winter. 2 (also Chinook chlo»ro»phyll 'klora.fil . n. a green pig- |
|

salmon) a large North Pacific salmon ment, present in all green plants and in
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) that is an im- cyanobacteria, responsible for the absorption
portant commercial food fish. of light to provide energy for photosynthesis.
Chlntz»y 'cnintsel • adj. (chintzier, chintz-
|
derivatives: chlo«ro»phyWous |
.klors
iest) 1 of, like, or decorated with chintz (a 'fibs I
adj.
printed, multicolored cotton fabric with a Cho»CO»la«tier |
,SH6k3la'tya; ,ch6- |
. n. (pi.

glazed surface): brighten the room with fresh or pronunc. same) a maker or seller of choco-
paint and chintzy fabrics. late.
brightly colorful but gaudy and tasteless. usage: Chocolatier is used primarily by
2 miserly: a chintzy salary increase. higher-priced sellers of chocolate.
D E R I VAT I V E s chintz«i»ly 'CHintssle adv. : | |

chintzn»ness n. choicer 'kabri • n. (in medieval science and

|

Chip*e*wy«an ,CHip9'wi9n • n. (pi. same or |

|
medicine) one of the four bodily humors,
Chipewyans) 1 a member of a Dene (native) identified with bile, believed to be associated
people of northwestern Canada. Do not con- with a peevish or irascible temperament.
fuse with Chippewa (Ojibwa). 2 the anger or irascibility.
Athabaskan language of this people. • adj. of ChoheHc 'kabrik; ks'lerik] * adj. bad- |

or relating to this people or their language. tempered or irritable.

chi*rog»ra*phy kl'ragrafe • n. handwriting, |
|
influenced by or predominating in the sup-
esp. as distinct from typography. Cf. callig- posed humor choler: a choleric disposition.
raphy. derivatives: chol»erM»caWy !-ik(3)le|
derivatives: chi»ro»graphMC |
ikirs'grEE- adv.
fikI adj. choHes»ter*Ol k9'lest9,r61; -,rol • n. a com- |
|

Chi*ro*man»cy the predic- |

tion of a person's future from the lines on the
palms of his or her hands; palmistry.
Chi*ro»prac*tic ,kir9'praektik| • n. a system
of nonscientific medicine based on the diag-
nosis and manipulative treatment of mis-
alignments of the joints, esp. those of the spi-
nal column, which are held to cause other
disorders by affecting the nerves, muscles,
and organs. Cf. osteopathy,
derivatives: chi«ro*prac»tor 'kira.praek-
tsrl n.
chit I
CHit I
• n.
'kir3,maense| • n. pound found in most body tissues, including
the blood and the nerves. Cholesterol and its
derivatives are important constituents of cell
|
membranes and precursors of other steroid
compounds, but high concentrations in the
blood (serum cholesterol) are thought to
promote atherosclerosis (clogging of the
arteries by fatty deposits).
Chonale Ikg'rael; -'ral| • 1 a musical com-
position (or part of one) consisting of or
|
resembling a harmonized version of a simple,
stately hymn tune. 2 a choir or choral society.
a short official note, memoran- chord kord • w. a group of (typically three
I I

dum, or voucher, typically recording a sum or more) musical notes sounded together, as
owed. a basis of harmony: the triumphal opening
chiWeHlngs |'cHitbnz| (also chitlins or chords a I
G
major chord. Cf. interval. • v.
chitlings) n. the smaller intestines of
• plural [intrans,] [usu. as n.] (chording) play, sing, or

a pig, cooked for food. arrange notes in chords.

chiv«al*rous 'snivalras . adj. (of a man or |
I
derivatives: chord'al |'k6rdl| adj.
his behavior) courteous and gallant, esp. ChO*re*a k9're9 * n. a neurological disorder
| \

toward women. characterized by jerky involuntary move-

of or relating to the historical notion of chiv- ments affecting esp. the shoulders, hips, and
alry. face. Huntington's chorea involves progres-
derivatives: chiv«al«rous»ly adv. sive degeneration of brain cells. Sydenham's
Chiv»al»ry 'snivalre . n. the medieval
| |
chorea (also called ^r. Vitus 's dance) is a neu-
knightly system with its religious, moral, and rological form of rheumatic fever.
social code. cho*re»og«ra»phy ,k6re'agr9fe| |
• n. the se-
knights, noblemen, and horsemen collec- quence of steps and movements in dance or
cream of French chiv-
tively: I fought against the figure skating, esp. in a ballet or other staged
alry. the combination of qualities expected dance: the lively choreography reflects the themes
of an ideal knight, esp. courage, honor, cour- of the original play.
tesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak. the art or practice of designing such
courteous behavior, esp. that of a man sequences. the written notation for such a
toward women: their relations with women were sequence. arrangement, as of an event or
models of chivalry and restraint. ritual: the masterful choreography of the conven-
DERI VAT V E s chi»val*ric sna' vaelrik adj.
I : |
|
tion.
chlo»ro»fluor*o»car*bon ,kl6ro,flooro'kar- |
DERI VAT V e s cho«re»o*graph»icI :
|
-9'grae-
ban (abbr.: CFG) • n. any of a class of com-
I
fik| adj. cho»re»o»graphn»cal»ly |-9'grae-
pounds of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fik(9)le I
adv.
chorography 72 cicatrix
ChO»rog»ra»phy ks'ragrafe . w. the system-
|
|
chron«i*cle 'kraniksl • w. a factual written | |

atic description and mapping of regions or account of important or historical events in

districts. the order of their occurrence.
derivatives: cho*rog»ra»pher |-f3r| n. a work of fiction or nonfiction that describes
cho«ro«graph»ic |
.kors'grasfik |
adj. a particular series of events. • v. [trans.] rec-
chres*tom*a»thy |
kre'stamsxHe |
. n. (pi. ord (a related series of events) in a factual and
-ies) a selection of passages from an author detailed way: his work chronicles 20th-century
or authors, designed to help in learning a lan- displacement and migration.
guage. derivatives: chronM'cler |-ikl3r| n.
chrism 'krizsm . n. a mixture of oil and bal-
|
I
Chro«nol*0*gy kra'nabje • n. (pi. -ies) the | I

sam, consecrated and used for anointing at study of historical records to establish the
baptism and in other rites of CathoUc, Ortho- dates of past events.
dox, and Anglican churches. the arrangement of events or dates in the
ChriS'Om 'krizam . w. a white robe put on
|
I
order of their occurrence: the novel abandons
a child at baptism. the conventions of normal chronology. a table
Chris*tian 'kriscnanl . adj. of, relating to, or
|
or document displaying such an arrange-
professing Christianity or its teachings: the ment.
Christian Church. derivatives: chron»o*log»i*cal adj.
having or showing qualities traditionally chro»nol»o»gist i-jist| n.
associated with Christians, esp. those of de- chro*nom*e*try kra'namatre w. the |
!
. sci-
cency, kindness, and fairness. of or relating ence of accurate time measurement.
to places, etc., dominated by Christianity: derivatives: chron»o»met»ric .krans |

Christian lands. • n. a person who has re- 'metrik; ,kro-| adj. chron»o«met«ri»cal
ceived Christian baptism or is a believer in I
.krana'metrikal; ,kro- adj. chron»o»met» 1

Jesus Christ and his teachings. ri'caWy |

,kran3'metrik(3)le |
adv.
derivatives: Chris»tianM«za*tion |
,kris- Chrys*a«lis 'krissbs • n. (pi. chrysalises) a | |

CHsna'zaSHsnl n. Chris'tianMze |-,niz| v. quiescent insect pupa, esp. of a butterfly or

Chris»tian»ly adv. moth.
Chro»nnat»ic |kro'maetik| * adj. 1 relating to the hard outer case of this, esp. after being
or using notes not belonging to the diatonic discarded. preparatory or transitional a
scale of the key in which a musical passage is state: she emerged from the chrysalis of self-
written. conscious adolescence.
(of a scale) ascending or descending by half chthon*ic i
THanik |
(also chthonian) . adj.
tones. (of an instrument) able to play all the concerning, belonging to, or inhabiting the
notes of the chromatic scale. Cf. diatonic. underworld: a chthonic deity.
2 of, relating to, or produced by color. Churl*ish 'cHarliSH • adj. rude in a mean- | |

derivatives: chro»matn»cal»ly |-ik(3)- spirited and surly way: it seems churlish to com-
le| adv. chro»mat»i»cism |-3,siz3m| n. plain.
chrome krom | |
• n. a decorative or protective derivatives: churWsh»ly adv. churl*
finish on motor-vehicle fittings and other ish*ness n.
objects made from the lustrous metallic ele- churn |cH3rn| »v. [trans.] (of a broker) en-
ment chromium: [as adj.] a chrome bumper. courage frequent turnover of (investments)
[as adj.] denoting compounds or alloys of in order to generate commissions.
chromium: chrome dyes. Chutz*pah 'hootspa; 'KHOOtspa; -spa (also I |

chro*mo*Some 'kroma.som | I
. n. Biology a Chutzpa or hutzpah or hutzpa) • n. shame-
threadlike structure of or and DNA RNA less audacity; impudence.
protein found in the nucleus of most living chyle I
kil i
• n. a milky fluid consisting of fat
cells, carrying genetic information in the droplets and lymph. It drains from minute
form of genes. vessels in the small intestine into the lym-
derivatives: chro»mo»so»mal |
.kroma phatic system during digestion.
'somall adj. derivatives chylous : |'kibs| adj.
chronHc |'kranik| 'adj. (of an illness) per- chyme kim the pulpy acidic fluid that
| |
. n.
sisting for a long time or constantly recurring: passes from the stomach to the small intes-
chronic bronchitis. Cf. acute. tine, consisting of gastric juices and partly
(of a person) having such an illness: a chronic digested food.
asthmatic. (of a problem) long-lasting and derivatives: chy»mous |'kim3s| adj.
difficult to eradicate: the school suffers from cia*0 CHOW • exclam. used as a greeting at
I I

chronic overcrowding. (of a person) having a meeting or parting.

particular bad habit: a chronic liar. ci«bo*ri*um sa'boream • n. (pi ciboria | |

derivatives: chron»i«caWy |-ik(3)le| I

-re3 1
shaped like a shrine or
) 1 a receptacle
adv. chro»nic»i»ty |
kra'nisate |
n. a cup with an arched cover, used in the Chris-

usage: Chronic is often used to mean 'ha- tian Church for the reservation of (a portion

bitual, inveterate,' e.g., a chronic liar. Some of) the Eucharist. 2 a canopy over an altar in

consider this use incorrect. The precise a church, standing on four pillars.
cic»a«trix 'sika.triks (also cicatrice) • n. (pi.
meaning of chronic is 'persisting for a long | |

cicatrices .sika'trisez; s9'katr9|Sez ) the

time,' and it is used chiefly of illnesses or |
|

scar of a healed wound.

other problems.
a scar on the bark of a tree. a mark on a
 |

cicerone 73 citadel
plant stem left after a leaf or other part has derivatives: cir»cum»am»bi»ence n.
become detached. cir»cum»am»bi»en»cy n.
derivatives: cic»a»tri*cial |
.siks'triSHal cir*cum*cise 's9rk3m,siz| 'V. [trans.] cutoff
|

adj. the foreskin of (a young boy or man, esp. a

cic»e*ro*ne |,sis3'rone; ,CHeCH3-| . n. (pi. baby) as a religious rite, esp. in Judaism and
ciceroni -ne pronunc. same) a guide who
|
|
Islam, or as a medical treatment.
gives information about antiquities and cut off the clitoris, and sometimes the labia,
places of interest to sightseers. of (a girl or young woman) as a traditional
CiC*e*ro»ni»an ,sis3'rone3n| »adj. charac-
|
practice among some peoples.
teristic of the work and thought of Cicero derivatives: cir»cum»ci»sion n.
(1st cent. Bc).The Roman politician and or- Cir*cum*flex ssrkam.fleks . n.
|
(also cir- i

ator. cumflex accent) a mark (") placed over a

(of a piece of speech or writing) in an elo- vowel in some languages to indicate contrac-
quent and rhythmic style similar to that of tion, length, or pitch or tone. • adj. (of a body
Cicero. part) bending around something else;
Ci-de*vant ,se daVaN . adj. [attrib.] from or
|
|
curved: circumflex coronary arteries.
in an earlier time (used to indicate that some- cir*Cum»lo*CU«tion ,s9rk3m,lo'kyoosH3n| |

one or something once possessed a specified • n. the use of many words where fewer would

characteristic but no longer does so): her ci- do, esp. in a deliberate attempt to be vague or
devant pupil, now her lover. evasive: his admission came after years of cir-
Cinc*ture 'siNG(k)CH3r| .
|
1 a girdle or cumlocution he used a number of poetic cir-
I

belt. 2 (in architecture) a ring at either end of cumlocutions. Cf. PERIPHRASIS.

a column shaft. derivatives: cir»cum»loc»u»to»ry |-'lak-
cin«e«ast |
'sine.aest |
(also cineaste or ya.torel adj.
cineaste) • n. a filmmaker. cir*cum*scribe rs9rk3m,skrib| 'V. [trans.]
an enthusiast for or devotee of movies or (often be circumscribed) 1 restrict (some-
filmmaking. thing) within limits: their movements were
Cin«enar«i*um .sina'reream . n. |
(pi I
strictlymonitored and circumscribed. 2 draw (a
cinerariums) a place where the ashes of the figure) around another, touching it at points
crem.ated dead are kept. but not cutting it.
derivatives: cin»e«rar»y |'sin3,rere| adj. derivatives: cir»cum»scrib»er n. cir*
ci»ne»re»OUS Isa'niressI 'adj. (esp. of hair or cum»scrip»tion iSarkam'skripSHsn n. |
|

feathers) ash-gray. cir*cum*spect 'sarkam.spektl 'adj. wary |

cin«que«cen*to .cHiNokwi'cHento |
|
• n. and unwilling to take risks: the officials were
(the cinquecento) the 1 6th century as a pe- very circumspect in their statements.
riod of Italian art, architecture, or literature, derivatives: cir»cum»spec»tion i
.ssr-
with a reversion to classical forms. kamz'peksHsn I
n. cir»cum«spect»ly adv.
ci*pher |
sifarl (also cypher) . w. 1 a secret cir*CUm*Stan*tial .sarksm'staenCHsl; ',s3r- |

or disguised way of writing; a code: cryptic k3m'staen(t)SH3l • adj. 1 (of evidence or a le-
|

notes in a cipher \
the information may be given gal case) pointing toward proof by inference
in cipher. from known facts rather than by introduction
a thing written in such a code. a key to such of direct evidence. 2 (of a description) con-
a code. 2 a zero; a figure 0. taining ftill details: the picture was circumstan-
a person or thing of no importance, esp. a tial and therefore convincing.
person who does the bidding of others and DERI VAT V E s I : cir»cum»stan«ti»al»i«ty
seems to have no will of his or her own. 3 a I
-.staenCHe'aebte |
n. cir*cum»stan«tiaWy
monogram. • v. 1 [trans.] put (a message) into adv.
secret writing; encode. 2 [Intrans.] do arith- cir»cum»vent .sarkam'venti • v. [trans.] find
|

metic. a way around (an obstacle).

Cir«ca»di»an Issr'kadesnl 'adj. (of biological overcome (a problem or difficulty), typically
processes) recurring naturally on a twenty- in a clever and surreptitious way: terrorists
four-hour cycle, even in the absence of fluc- found the airport checks easy to circumvent.
tuations of light: a circadian rhythm. deceive; outwit: he circumvented them with
clr«CU*l»tOUS |s3r'kyoo3t3s| 'adj. (of a route one of his stories.
or journey) longer than the most direct way: derivatives: cir»cum»ven»tion |
.sarkam
the canal followed a circuitous route a circuitous \
'venCH3n| n.
line of reasoning. cirque |s3rk| • «. 1 a half-open steep-sided
derivatives: cir»cu»i»tous»ly adv. cir« hollow at thehead of a valley or on a moun-
cu»i»tous»ness n. tainside, formed by glacial erosion. 2 a ring,
cir*CUit rid»er a clergyman who traveled
. n. circlet, or circle.
on horseback from church to church, esp. cir»rhO*sis sa'rosss | |
• w. a chronic disease of
within a rural Methodist circuit in the 19th marked by degeneration of cells, in-
the liver
cent. flammation, and fibrous thickening of tissue. It
a public official or service provider required is typically a result of alcoholism or hepatitis.
to travel extensively within an area. derivatives: cir«rhot»ic |s3'ratik| adj.
Cir»cum»am*bi*ent .sarkam aembeantl |
Cit*a*del |
'sipdl; 'sida.dell • n. a fortress, typ-
• adj. surrounding: he could not see them clearly ically on high ground, protecting or domi-
by reason of the circumambient water. nating a city.
citation 74 clangor
Ci»ta*tion sI'tasHan • w. 1 a quotation from
| |
speech: / hope we can treat each other with ci-
or reference to a book, paper, or author, esp. vility and respect.
in a scholarly work. (civilities) polite remarks used in formal
a mention of a praiseworthy act or achieve- conversation: she was exchanging civilities with
ment in an official report, esp. that of a his mother.
member of the armed forces in wartime. a civ*illaw • n. the system of law concerned
note accompanying an award, describing with private relations between members of a
the reasons for it: the Nobel citation noted that community rather than criminal, military, or
the discovery would be useftd for energy conver- religious affairs.
sion technology. a reference to a former Cla*dis*tics Ikb'distiksi *pluraln. [treated as
tried legal case, used as guidance in the try- sing.] a method of classification of animals and

ing of comparable cases or in support of an plants according to the proportion of meas-

argument. 2 a legal summons: a traffic cita- urable characteristics that they have in com-
tion. mon. It is assumed that the higher the pro-
cite sit . V. [trans.] (often be cited) 1 quote
I I
portion of characteristics two organisms
(a passage, book, or author) as evidence for share, the more recently they diverged from a
or justification of an argument or statement, common ancestor.
esp. in a scholarly work. derivatives: clad*ism i'klad,iz3m| n.
mention as an example: medics have been cited cla«dis»tic adj.
as a key example of a modern breed of technical Clair»au«di»ence kler'odeans | |
. n. the sup-
expert. praise (someone, typically a member posed faculty of perceiving, as if by hearing,
of the armed forces) for a courageous act in what is inaudible.
an official dispatch. 2 summon (someone) to derivatives: clair»au«di«ent adj. & n.
appear in a court of law: the summons cited four Clair»VOy»ance kler'voians 'n. the sup-
| |

defendants. • n. a citation. posed faculty of seeing things or events in the

derivatives: cit»a«ble adj. future or beyond normal sensory contact: she
Cit«i*zen 'sitizan; -san • «. a legally recog- |
stared at the card as if she could contact its writer
|

nized national or subject of a state or nation, by clairvoyance.

either native or naturalized. keenness of mental perception; exceptional
an inhabitant of a particular town or city: the insight.
citizens of Los Angeles. derivatives: clair»voy»ant n. adj. ,

derivatives: citM»zen*ry |-re| n..- a body Cla*mant 'klamant; 'klaem-i • adj. forcing it-
|

of citizens; citizens collectively. cit«i»zen» self urgently on the attention: the proper use of
ship I
- ,SHip
I
n. biotechnology has become a clamant question.
Clt»ron 'sitrani • n. a shrubby Asian tree (Czr-
I
DERI VAT v E s cla«mant»ly adv.
I :

rus medica) that bears large fruits similar to Clam»my 'klame • adj. (clammier, clam-
| |

lemons, but with less acid flesh and thicker, miest) unpleasantly damp and sticky or
more fragrant peels. slimy to touch: his skin felt cold and clammy.
the fruit of this tree. (of air or atmosphere) damp, cool, and un-
cit»ron»eHa |,sitr3'neb| . n. 1 (also citro- pleasant: the clammy atmosphere of the cave.
nella oil) a fragrant natural oil used as an DERIVATIVES: clam»mi4y klaemale adv. |
' |

insect repellent and in perfume and soap clam»mi«ness n.

manufacture. 2 the South Asian grass {Cym- usage: Clammy is sometimes confused
bopogon nardus) from which this oil is with muggy., which means ''warm and hu-
obtained. mid."
Civ*et 'siv3t . n. (also civet cat) a slender
I I

nocturnal carnivorous mammal (of the fam- Clam*or rklsemarl (Brit, clamour) * n. [in
ily Viverridae) with a barred and spotted coat sing.] a loud and confused noise, esp. that of

and well-developed anal scent glands, native people shouting vehemently: the questions rose
to Africa and Asia. to a clamor.
a strong musky perfume obtained from the a strongly expressed protest or demand, typ-
secretions of the civet's scent glands. ically from a large number of people: the
Civ*il 'sival
I
. adj. 1 [attrib.] of or relating to
I
growing clamor for more police on the beat.
ordinary citizens and their concerns, as dis- • V. [intrans.] (of a group of people) shout
tinct from military or ecclesiastical matters: loudly and insistently: the surging crowds
civil aviation. clamored for attention.
(of disorder or conflict) occurring between make a vehement protest or demand: scien-
citizens of the same country. (in law) relat- tists are clamoring for a ban on the pesticide.

ing to private relations between members of derivatives: clam»or»ous |-3r3s| adj.

a community; noncriminal: a civil action. clam«or»ous»ly l-arasle] adv. clam«or«
2 courteous and polite: zve tried to be civil to ous*ness l-arssnasi n.
him. 3 (of time measurement or a point in Clan«des*tine kla^n'destan; -,tm;
|
-,ten;
time) fixed by custom or law rather than be- 'klaendas-| 'adj. kept secret or done secre-
ing natural or astronomical: civil twilight starts tively, esp. because illicit: she deserved better
at sunset. than these clandestine meetings.
DERI VAT V E s I : civ«il«ly adv. derivatives: clan»des»tine»ly adv. clan*
Ci*vil*i*ty sa'vibte • n. (pi. -ies) conven-
| |
des»tin»i»ty |
,klaendes'tinite |
n.
tional politeness and courtesy in behavior or clang«or I
'klaeNGarl (Brit clangour) > n. [in
 |

claque 75 clement
sing.]a continuous loud banging or ringing Latin: a classical education. 2 (typically of a
sound: the deafing clangor of steam hammers. form of art) regarded as representing an ex-
derivatives: clang»or«ous 'klseNCaras |
emplary standard; traditional and long-
adj. clang«or»ous*ly 'klseNGsrasle adv. | |
established in form or style: a classical ballet.
claque klaek . n. a group of people hired to
|
I
3 of or relating to the first significant period
applaud (or heckle) a performer or public of an area of study: classical Marxism.
speaker. relating to or based upon concepts and the-
a group of sycophantic followers: the presi- ories in physics that preceded the theories of
dent was surrounded by a claque of scheming relativity and quantum mechanics; Newton-
bureaucrats. ian: classical physics.
c!ar«i*on 'klaerean
|
• n. a shrill, narrow-
|
derivatives: clas»si»caWsm |-,liz3m| n.
tubed war trumpet used in ancient times. clas»si»calM»ty .klaesa'kaebte |
|
n. clas»si»
an organ stop with a quality resembling that cal'ly |-ik(3)le| adv.
of such a trumpet. • adj. loud and clear: clar- Clas*si*cism |
'klaesa.sizam |
• n. the follow-
ion trumpeters. ing of ancient Greek or Roman principles
phrases: clarion call a strongly expressed and style in art and literature, generally asso-
demand or request for action: a clarion call to ciated with harmony, restraint, and adher-
young people to join the party. ence to recognized standards of form and
Clas*sic 'klsesikl • adj. judged over a period
I
craftsmanship, esp. from the Renaissance to
of time to be of the highest quality and out- the 18th century. Often contrasted with ro-
standing of its kind: a classic novel a classic \
manticism.
car. the following of traditional and long-
(of a garment or design) of a simple elegant estabhshed theories or styles.
style not greatly subject to changes in fash- Class*ism 'klaes,iz3m| n. prejudice against
|
•

navy blazer.
ion: this classic remarkably and or in favor of people belonging to a particu-
instructively typical: / had all the classic symp- lar social class.
toms offlu. • «. 1 a work of art of recognized derivatives: class*ist adj. &. n.

and established value: his books have become Clas*tic I

denoting rocks com-
'klaestiki • adj.
classics. posed of broken pieces of older rocks.
a garment of a simple, elegant, and long- Claus*tral 'klostral • adj. of or relating to a
| |

lasting style. a thing that is memorable and cloister or religious house: claustral buildings.
a very good example of its kind: yesterday's enveloping; confining: this claustral heat.
game remembered as a classic. 2 (usu.
will be claus*tro»pho*bi*a .klostra fobesl . w. ex- |

Classics) a school subject that involves the treme or irrational fear of confined places.
study of ancient Greek and Latin literature, DERI VAT V E s claus»tro«phobe 'klostra
I : |

philosophy, and history. I

fob n. claus»tro»pho»bic adj.
I

(usu. the classics) the works of ancient cleave |klev| 1(past clove |klov| or cleft
Greek and Latin writers and philosophers. kleftkleft or cleaved klevd
I
|
past part, clo- |
| ;

3 a major sports tournament or competition, ven 'klovan or cleft or cleaved) [trans.]

I
|

as in golf or tennis: the Bob Hope Desert Clas- split or sever (something), esp. along a natu-
sic. ral line or grain: a large ax used to cleave wood

usage: Traditionally, classic means 'typi- for the fire.

split (a molecule) by breaking a particular
cal; excellent as an example; timeless,' and
classical means 'of (esp. Greek or Roman) chemical bond. make a way through (some-
thing) forcefully, as if by splitting it apart: they
antiquity.'Thus: John Ford directed many clas-
The temple was built in the classical
sic Westerns.
watched a swan cleave the smooth water |

[intrans.] an unstoppable warrior clove through

style. Great art is considered classic, not
their ranks. [intrans.] (of a cell) divide: the egg
classical, unless it is created in the forms of
cleaves to form a cluster of cells.
antiquity. Classical music is formal and so-
phisticated music adhering to certain stylis-
DERIVATIVES: cleav«a»ble adj.

tic principles, esp.European symphonic and cleave^ . v. [intrans.] (cleave to) stick fast to:

chamber music of the late 18th and early Rose 's mouth was dry, her tongue cleaving to the

1 9th century, but a classic folk song is one that

roof of her mouth.

well expresses its culture. A classical educa- adhere strongly to (a particular pursuit or
belief):part of why we cleave to sports is that in
tion exposes a student to classical literature,
history, and languages (esp. Latin and
them excellence is so measurable. become very
strongly involved with or emotionally
Greek), but the study of Greek and Latin
languages and their literatures is also re- attached to (someone): it was his choice to
cleave to the Roosevelts.
ferred to as classics^ as in / majored in classics.
cleft jkleftl past participle of CLEAVE 1. • adj.
Clas*si*cal 'klsesikall . adj. 1 of or relating to
i
split, divided, or partially divided into two: a
ancient Greek or Latin literature, art, or cul- cleft chin. \
a cleft lip.

ture: classical mythology. clem»en*cy 'klemansel • n. mildness in thei

(of art or architecture) influenced by ancient exercise of authority or power; mercy; leni-
Greek or Roman forms or principles. (of ence: an appeal for clemency.
language) having the form used by the an- Clem*ent 'klemant . adj. 1 (of weather)
|
I

cient standard authors: classical Latin. mild. 2 (of a person or a person's actions)
based on the study of ancient Greek and merciful.
clerestory 76 cloister
clere»sto*ry |
'klir,st6re| (also clearstory) tion, event, or scene) exciting or thrilling and
• n. (pi. -ies) the upper part of the nave, choir, acting as a climax to a series of events: the
and transepts of a large church, containing a film 's climactic scenes.
series of windows. It is clear of the roofs of the DERIVATIVES: cli»mac»ti»caWy i-ik(3)le|
aisles and admits light to the central parts of adv.
the building. cli'mate 'klimit| n. the weather conditions
|
•

such a series of windows in a

church or sim- prevailing in an area in general or over a long
ilar windows another building.
in a raised period: our cold, wet climate.
section of roof running down the center of a a region with particular prevailing weather
railroad car, with small windows or ventila- conditions: vacationing in a warm climate.
tors. the prevailing trend of public opinion or of
Cler»ic 'klerik| • n. a priest or minister of a
|
another aspect of public life: the current eco-
Christian church. nomic climate.
a priest or religious leader in any religion. derivatives: cli«matMc |kli'mastik| adj.
Cler*i*cal I'kleriksll • adj. 1 (of a job or per- cli»mat»i»cal |
kli'mgetiksl |
adj. cli»mat»i»
son) concerned with or relating to work in an caWy I
kli'maetik(3)le |
adv.
office, esp. routine documentation and ad- clime klim • n. (usu. climes) a region con-
I I

ministrative tasks: she felt stifled by clerical sidered with reference to its climate: Florida
work. 2 of or relating to the clergy: attired in and other sunny climes.
his clerical outfit. Clin*ic 'klinikj • n. 1 a place or hospital de-
I

derivatives: clern«calMsm |-|liz3m| n. partment where outpatients are given medi-

(in sense 2). clerM'calnst |-ist|
2). cler«i»caWy |-ik(3)le| adv.
Cli*che Ikle'SHa kli-; 'kle,SHa| (also cliche)
• n. a phrase or opinion that is overused and
betrays a lack of original thought: the old cliche
"one man 's meat is another man 's poison."
a very predictable or unoriginal thing or per-
son.
Cli»ent 'klisnti » n. 1 a person or organiza-
I
n. (in sense cal treatment or advice, esp. of a speciahst na-
ture: a mental health clinic.
an occasion or time when such treatment or
advice is given: we're now holding regular clin-
ics. a gathering at a hospital bedside for the
teaching of medicine or surgery. 2 a confer-
ence or short course on a particular subject:
a ski clinic.
cli»ni*cian kb'nisHan • n. a doctor having
|
I

tion using the services of a lawyer or other direct contact with and responsibility for
professional person or company: insurance patients, rather than one involved with theo-
tailor-made to a client's requirements. retical or laboratory studies.
a person receiving social or medical services: clique klek; klik • ?2. a small group of peo-
|
|

a client referred for counseling. (also client ple with shared interests or other features in
state) a nation that is dependent on another, common who spend time together and do not
more powerful nation. 2 (in a network) a readily allow others to join them.
desktop computer or workstation that is ca- derivatives: cli«quish adj. cli»quish»
pable of obtaining information and applica- ness n.
tions from a server. Cllt»0*ri*dec*tO»my ,klid3r3'dekt3me| . n. |

(also client application or program) a pro- (pi. -ies) excision of the clitoris; female cir-

gram that is capable of obtaining a service cumcision.

provided by another program. 3 (in ancient clit»0*ris 'kliprss . w. a small sensitive and
I I

Rome) a plebeian under the protection of a erectile part of the female genitals at the front
patrician. end of the vulva.
a dependent; a hanger-on. derivatives: clit'OTal I'klitarsll adj.
DERIVATIVES cli»ent»ship |-,SHip| n.
: clO«a*ca Iklo'akal » n. (pi. cloacae |-,ke;
cll»en*tele |,kli3n,tel; ,kle-| • n. [treated as -,se ) a common cavity at the end of the di-
I

sing, or pi.] clients collectively: the doctor has an gestive tract for the release of both excretory
upscale clientele. and genital products in vertebrates (except
die customers of a shop, bar, or place of en- most mammals) and certain invertebrates.
tertainment: the dancers don 't mix with the cli- a sewer.
entele. derivatives: clo»a»cal adj.
Cli»mac*ter*ic Ikll'maektarik; ,kli,maEk'terik |
cloi*son»ne l.kloiza'na ,klwaz-| (also cloi-
• n. a critical period or event: the first real cli- sonne enamel) • n. enamelwork in which
macteric in twentieth-century poetry. the different colors are separated by strips of
the period of life when fertility and sexual ac- flattened wire placed edgewise on a metal
tivity are in decline; (in women) menopause. backing.
the ripening period of certain fruits such as clois*ter 'kloistarl • n. a covered walk in a
|

apples, involving increased metabolism and convent, monastery, college, or cathedral,

only possible while still on the tree. • adj.
having extreme and far-reaching implications
or results; critical: so climacteric a weapon as
nerve gas.
occurring at, characteristic of, or undergoing
the climacteric; (in women) menopausal.
(of a fruit) undergoing a climacteric.
Cli*mac»tlc kli'msektik; kb- . adj. (of an ac-
|
1 or as if in a convent or monastery: they clois-
typically with a wall on one side and a colon-
nade open to a quadrangle on the other.
(the cloister) monastic life: he was inclined
more to the cloister than the sword. a convent
or rrionastery. any place or position of se-
clusion: college is a cloister apart from the cares
of the world. • v. [trans.] seclude or shut up in
clone 77 cockney
tered their children in boarding schools \
she clois- gether and form one mass or whole: the pud-
ters herself at home. dles had coalesced into shallozv streams \

derivatives: clois'tered adj. clois*tral [with infinitive] the separate details coalesce to
I
'kloistrsl I
adj. form a body of scientific thought.
single
clone klon . n. a group of organisms or cells
I I
[trans.] combine (elements) in a mass or
produced asexually from one ancestor or whole: to help coalesce the community, they
stock, to which they are genetically identical. established an office.
an individual organism or cell so produced. derivatives co«a»les»cence : |-'les3ns| n.
a person or thing regarded as identical to co»a«les«cent |-'les3nt| adj.
another: successful women don't want to be male CO*a*ll*tlon . n. an alliance for
I
,ko3'lisH3n|
clones. a microcomputer designed to simu- combined temporary alliance of
action, esp. a
late exactly the operation of another, typically political parties or of states: a coalition of mod-
more expensive, model: an IBM PC clone. erate Republicans and disaffected Democrats |

• V. [trans.] propagate (an organism or cell) as [as adj.] a coalition government.

a clone. derivatives: co»a»li«tion»al adj. co»a»li«
make an identical copy of. replicate (a tion»ist |-nist| n.
fragment of DNA placed in an organism) so CO*ax*l*al ko'aekseal • adj. having a com-
I
|

that there is enough to analyze or use in pro- mon axis.

tein production.
codes from
ers as a way of obtaining free calls.
derivatives: clon«al |'klonl| adj.
illegally copy the security (of a cable or line) transmitting by means of
(a cell phone) to one or more oth- two concentric conductors separated by an
insulator.
DERI VAT V E s co«ax»i»al»ly adv.
I :

closed shop • n. a place of work where all CO-beHig»er*ent Ikobs'lijarant] »n. any of
employees must belong to a labor union. two or more nations engaged in war as allies.
closeted keeping something secret,
|
|
• adj. derivatives: co-bel«lig*er»ence n.
esp. the fact of being homosexual: among CO*ca 'koks • I
a tropical American shrub I

those who voted against it were some closeted (Erythroxylum coca)that is widely grown for
gays. he remained closeted through his twenties.
I
its leaves, which are the source of cocaine. Cf.

clo*SUre 'kloZHsrl • n. an act or process of

|
CACAO.
closing something, esp. an institution, thor- the dried leaves of this shrub, which are
oughfare, or frontier, or of being closed: road mixed with lime and chewed as a stimulant
closures \
hospitals that face closure. by native peoples of western South America.
a thing that closes or seals something, such COC*cyx I
'kaksiks |
• n. (pi. coccyges |
'kak,s3
as a cap or zipper. a resolution or conclu- ,
or coccyxes 'kaksiksiz ) a small, trian-
jez I
|
|

sion to a work or process: he brings moder- gular bone at the base of the spinal column in
nistic closure to his narrative. the state of humans and some apes, formed of fused ves-
arriving at a sense of completion, or of com- tigial vertebrae.
ing to terms with an emotional loss: he felt that derivatives: coc«cyg»e»al |kak'sije3l| adj.
he couldn't obtain closure without seeing her COCh*i»neal 'kaCHa.neal; 'ko-| • 1 a scar-
|

again. let dye used chiefly for coloring food.

CIO*tho 'kloTHol one of the three Fates of
I
the dried bodies of a female scale insect,
Greek mythology, the one who spins the which are crushed to yield this dye. a simi-
thread of Hfe. lar dye or preparation made from the oak ker-
clo»ture I'klocHsrl ^n. [mass noun] (in a legis- mes insect (see kermes). 2 (cochineal In-
lative assembly) a procedure for ending a de- sect) the scale insect (Dactylopius coccus) that
bate and taking a vote: [as adj.] a cloture motion. is used for cochineal, native to Mexico and
• V. [trans.] apply cloture to (a debate or formerly widely cultivated on cacti.
speaker) in a legislative assembly. COCk*a*ma*mie rkak3,mame; ,kak3'mame|
cloy kloi . V. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (cloying)
I I
(also COCkamamy) . adf ridiculous; implau-
disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sible.
sweetness, richness, or sentiment: a romantic, COCk*a*trice 'kakatris; -,tris * n. a mythical |
\

rather cloying story a curious bittersweetness \

reptile with a lethal gaze or breath; a basilisk.
that cloys the senses \
[intrans.] the first long sip a mythical animal depicted in heraldry as a
gives a malty taste that never cloys. two-legged dragon (wyvern) with a cock's
derivatives: cloy«ing»ly adv. head.
CO*ag*u*late |ko'agy3,lat| *v. [intrans.] (of a COCkHei I'kaksl] ' n. 1 an edible, burrowing
fluid, esp. blood) change to a solid or semi- bivalve mollusk (genus Cardium) with a
solid state: blood had coagulated around the strong ribbed shell. 2 (also cockleshell) a
edges of the wound. small shallow boat.
[trans.] cause (a fluid) to change to a solid or phrases: warm
the cockles of one's
semisolid state: epinephrine coagulates the heart give one comforting feeling of pleas- a
blood. ure or contentment.
derivatives: co»ag»u»la»ble l-bbsll adj. COCk»le2 . V. [intrans.] (of paper) bulge out in
co»ag»u»lant n. a substance that causes co- certain places so as to present a wrinkled or
agulation. co»ag«u»la»tion ko,segy9'laSH3n | |
creased surface; pucker.
n. co»ag»u«la*tive |-,lativ| adj. co»ag»u»la* COCk*ney 'kakne . n. (pi. -eys) a native of
|
I

tor |-,lat9r| n. East London.

CO*a*lesce |
.koa'les i
. V. [intrans.] come to- the dialect or accent typical of such people.
 |

cocoa 78 cognomen
• of or characteristic of cockneys or their
adj. CO*e*ter*nal |
,ko-i'tarnl| 'adj. equally eter-
dialect or accent: cockney humor. with something else eternally:
nal; existing
CO*COa I'kokol • n. a powder made from creation coeternal with God.
is not
roasted and ground cacao seeds. derivatives: co»e»ter»nal»ly adv. co«e»
a hot drink made from such a powder mixed ter»ni»ty n.
with milk or water. CO*e*val ko'eval • adj. having the same age
I I

CO*COtte (usu. en
Iko'kot; ka'kati • «. 1 or date of origin; contemporary: these lavas
cocotte) a heatproof dish or small casserole were coeval with the volcanic activity. • n. a
in which individual portions of food can be person of roughly the same age as oneself; a
both cooked and served. 2 a fashionable pros- contemporary: like his coevals, he yearned for
titute. stability.
CO*da 'koda • n. the concluding passage of
I i
derivatives: co»e»valM»ty |
,ko-e'vaelite
a piece of music or movement, typically n. co»e»val»ly adv.
forming an addition to the basic structure. CO«gen»e*ra*tion ,ko,jena'rasHan| . n. the |

' the concluding section of a dance, esp. of a
pas de deux or the finale of a ballet in which
the dancers parade before the audience.
concluding event, remark, or section: his new
novel is a kind of coda to his career.
COd*Cile 'kadi . V. [trans.] 1 treat in an indul-
I I
gent or overprotective way: / was coddled and
generation of electricity and useful heat
jointly, esp. the utilization of the steam left
a over from electricity generation for heating.
CO*gent |'kojant| »adj. (of an argument or
case) clear, logical, and convincing.
derivatives: co»gen»cy n. co»gent«ly adv.
COg*l»tate 'kaja,tat| . v. [intrans] think deeply
|

cosseted. 2 cook (an egg) in water below boil- about something; meditate or reflect: he
ing point. stroked his beard and retired to cogitate.
derivatives: cod*dler 'kadbr; 'kadl-arj |
derivatives: cogM»ta»tion ,kaja'tasHan| |

n. n. cog»i»ta»tive |-,tativ| adj. cog»i»ta»tor

CO»de*pend»en*cy .kods'pendanse (also | I
|-,tatar| n.
COdependence -dsns \) » n. excessive emo-|
COg*nate 'kag,nat • adj. 1 (of a word) hav-
|
|

tional or psychological reliance on a partner, ing the same linguistic derivation as another;
typically one with an illness or addiction who from the same original word or root (e.g.,
requires support. English is, German ist, Latin est from Indo-
derivatives: co»de«pend»ent |-d3nt| European esti.) 2 related; connected: cognate
adj. & n. subjects such as physics and chemistry.
CO*dex I
'ko,deks • n. (pi. codices
| |
'koda related to or descended from a common an-
,sez; 'kad-| or codexes) an ancient manu- cestor. • «. 1 a cognate word. 2 (in legal con-
script text in book form. texts) a blood relative.
an of medicines, chemicals, etc.
official list derivatives: cog«nate»ly adv. cog»nate»
COd*i*Cil 'kadsssl; -.sil • n. an addition or
I
|
ness n.
supplement that explains, modifies, or COg*ni*tion .kag'nisnan • n. the mental ac-
|
|

revokes a will or part of one. tion or process of acquiring knowledge and

derivatives: cod»i»ca»la»ry .kada |
understanding through thought, experience,
'sibrel adj. and the senses.
COd»i*fy I'kada.fi; 'kod-| » v. (-ies, -ied) a result of this; a perception, sensation, no-
[trans.] arrange (laws or rules) into a system- tion, or intuition.
atic code. derivatives: cog»ni»tion»al |-SHanl| adj.
arrange according to a plan or system: Virdi cog*ni»tive adj.
helped codify an international operatic culture. cog*ni*tive dis*so*nance . n. the state of
derivatives: cod»i»fi»ca»tion kadafa |
, having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or atti-
'kasHan; ,kod-| n. codM»fi«er 'kada.fiar; |
tudes, esp. as relating to behavioral decisions
'kod-| n. and attitude change.
CO»eMi*Cient ,koa'fisHant| • n. 1 a numeri-
|
psychological conflict resulting from irrec-
cal or constant quantity placed before and oncilable disparity from sensory imputs.
multiplying the variable in an algebraic ex- COg*ni*za*ble 'kagnazabal; kag'niz- . adj.
|
1

pression (e.g., 4 in 4x>'). 2 a multiplier or fac- 1 perceptible; clearly identifiable. 2 within

tor that measures some physical or dynamic the jurisdiction of a court of law.
property: coefficients of elasticity. COg*ni*zance 'kagnazans | I
• n. 1 knowledge,
CO*e*qual iko'ekwal] 'adj. equal with one awareness, or notice: he was deputed to bring
another; having the same rank or importance: the affair to the cognizance of the court.
coequal partners. • n. a person or thing equal the action of taking judicial notice. 2 a dis-
with another. tinctive heraldic device or mark, esp. an em-
derivatives: co»e»qualM«ty iko-i'kwal- |
blem or badge formerly worn by retainers of
itel n. a noble house.
CO»erce persuade (an un-
|ko'ars| • v. [trans.] DERI VAT V E s cog»ni»zant
I : adj.
willing person) to do something by using COg*no*men |kag'noman; 'kagnaman| • w.
force or threats: they were coerced into silence. an extra personal name given to an ancient
obtain (something) by such means: their con- Roman citizen, functioning rather like a nick-
fessions were allegedly coerced by torture. name and typically passed down from father
derivatives: co»er»ci»ble |ko'arsabal| to son:
adj. co«er«cion |
ko'arZHan; -SHan n. |
a name; a nickname.
 :

cognoscenti 79 collective
CO*gno«SCen«ti ,kanyo'SHente; ,kagn3-i |
derivatives: co»i»tal |
'koatl; ko'etl| adf
• plural n. people who are considered to be es- co»i*tus in»ter*rup*tus ima'rsptas . n. |
|

pecially well informed about a particular sub- sexual intercourse in which the penis is with-
ject: it was hailed by the cognoscenti as one drawn before ejaculation.
of the best golf courses in Europe. COl*ic I'kalik] • n. severe, often fluctuating
CO«hab*it |ko'haebiti 'V. (cohabited, co- pain in the abdomen caused by wind or ob-
habiting) [intrans.] 1 live together and have a struction in the intestines and suffered esp. by
sexual relationship without being married. babies.
2 live together (with); coexist: animals that d e r I VAT I v E s col»ick»y adj. :

can cohabit tuith humans thrive. COl*lab*0*rate Iks'laeba.ratI » v. [intrans.]

derivatives: co»habnt»ant n. co»habn« work jointly on an

produce or activity, esp. to
taction I
ko,h£eb3'taSH3n| n. co*hab«it«er w. create something: he collaborated with a
CO*here |ko'hir| 'V. [intrans.] 1 be united; distinguished painter on the designs.
form a whole: our mixed physical and spiritual cooperate traitorously with an enemy: during
natures cohere and mature. 2 (of an argument the war they collaborated with the Nazis.
or theory) be logically consistent: this view derivatives: coWab»o»ra»tion n. col*
does not cohere with their other beliefs. iab»o«ra»tive adj. col*lab»o»ra»tive»ly adv.
CO»her*ent ko'hirant . adj. 1 (of an argu-
|
I
coWab»o»ra*tor i-,rapr| n.
ment, theory, or policy) logical and consis- COl*[age |
• n. a form of art
ks'lazH; ko-; ko- \

tent: they failed to develop a coherent economic in which various materials such as pho-
strategy. tographs and pieces of paper or fabric are
(of a person) able to speak clearly and logi- arranged and stuck to a backing.
cally: shewas lucid and coherent and did not ap- a composition made in this way. a combi-
pear to be injured. 2 united as or forming a nation or collection of various things.
whole: divided into a number of geographically derivatives: coMagMst |-lazHist| n.
coherent kingdoms. 3 (in physics, of waves) COlHate Ika'lat; 'ko,lat; 'kal,at| ' v. [trans.]

having a constant phase relationship (rela- 1 collect and combine (texts, information, or
tionship in time between successive states or sets of figures) in proper order.
cycles). compare and analyze (texts or other data)
derivatives: co»her»ence n. co»her«en» these accounts he collated with
his own expe-
cy n. (rare) co»her«ent«ly adv. rience. printing) verify the order of
(in
CO*he«sion |ko'hezH3n| *n. the action or (sheets of a book) by their signatures (groups
fact of forming a united whole: the work at pre- of pages). 2 appoint (a clergyman) to a ben-
sent lacks cohesion. efice.
(in physics) the sticking together of particles DERIVATIVES : col«la»tor |-3r| n.
of the same substance. COlHat*er»al |
ks'laepral; ks'laetral |
• n.
derivatives: co»he»sive adj. 1 something pledged as security for repay-
CO*hort 'ko,h6rt •I
1 [treated as sing, or pi.]
I
ment of a loan, to be forfeited in the event of
an ancient Roman military unit, comprising a default. 2 a person having the same descent
six hundred men (six centuries), equal to one as another but by a different line. • adj.
tenth of a legion. 2 [treated as sing, or p!.] a 1 descended from the same stock but by a dif-
group of people banded together or treated as ferent line: a collateral descendant of John
a group: a cohort of civil servants patiently Adams. 2 additional but subordinate; second-
drafting legislation. meanings of a word.
ary: the collateral
a group of people with a common statistical situated side by side; parallel: collateral veins.
characteristic: the 1940-44 birth cohort of DERIVATIVES: coWat»er«alM»ty jka.lgep
women. 3 a supporter or companion: with his 'raelite |
col»lat»er»al*ly adv.
n.
cohorts he stormed the building. COlHa*tion ka'laSHsn; ko-; ka- .
|
1 the ac- 1

an accomplice or conspirator: his three tion of collating something: data management

cohorts each had pled guilty. and collation. informal meal.
2 a light,

usage: The co- in cohort is not a prefix (in the Roman

Catholic Church) a light
signifying a 'joint' or auxiliary relationship meal allowed during a fast.
(as in coauthor or codependency) The word .
COl*leagiJe 'kal,eg| • n. a person with whom
|

derives from the Latin cohors, an ancient Ro- one works, esp. in a profession or business.
man military unit, and also 'band of people COHec»ta*ne*a |
,kal,ek'tane3| • plural n. [-

also treated as passages, remarks, and

sing.]
with a common interest.' Careful writers will
restrict the use of cohort to numerous
other pieces of text collected from various
groups of a kind, as in a demographic con- sources.
text (the 1946-60 birth cohort), and will not COhleC'tive ks'lektiv • adj. done by or relat-
| |

use it, as is commonly done, to denote an in- ing to people or organizations acting as a
dividual. group: a collective protest collective security. \

belonging or relating to all the members of a

coign koin | |
• n. a projecting corner or angle group: ministers who share collective responsibil-
of a wall or building. ity. (esp. of feelings or memories) common
PHRASES coign of vantage : a favorable po- to the members of a group: a collective sigh of
sition for observation or action. relief from parents. taken as a whole; aggre-
CO*i»tUS 'koaps; ko'eps| (also coition)
I
• n. gate: the collective power of the workforce. • n. a
sexual intercourse. cooperative enterprise.
 .

collective noun 80 colored

a collective farm (the holdings of several COMo*qui*al Ika'lokweall » adf (of lan-
farmers run as a joint enterprise) or similar guage) used in ordinary or familiar conversa-
organization: an office collective. tion; not formal or literary.
DERI VAT I V E s col»lec«tive»ly adv. col'lec*
: DERI VAT I v E s col»lo«qui»al»ly adv.:

tive»ness n. col»lec»tiv«i«ty ka.lek'tivite; |

COl*IO*qui*al*ism ka'lokwea.lizam . n.
|
|

,kal,ek-| n. 1 colloquial style. 2 a colloquial expression.

COl*lec*tive noun . n. a count noun that CoMo*qui*um Iks'lokweamI . n. (pi. collo-
denotes a group of individuals (e.g., assembly, quiums or colloquia -kwea |
|
) an academic
family, crew) conference or seminar.
usage: Examples of collective noims in-
COl*IO*quy |
'kabkwe |
. n. (pi. -ies) 1 a dis-

clude group, crowd, family, committee, class, course or conversation: they broke off their col-
and crew. In American Enghsh collective loquy at once an evening of sophisticated collo-
\

noims are usually followed by a singular verb quy. 2 gathering for discussion of
a

{the crowd was nervous), while in Britain it is

theological questions.
more common to follow a collective noun COl*lude ka'lood . V. [intrans.] come to a se-
I I

verb (the band were late for their cret understanding for a harmful purpose;
with a plxaral
own concert). Notice that if the verb is singu- conspire: industry leaders colluded in price-
fixing the president accused his opponents of
lar, any following pronouns must also be sin- I

gular: The council is prepared to act, but not un-

colluding with foreigners.
til it has taken a poll. When preceded by the
DERI VAT I v e s coWud'cr : n.

definite article the, the collective noun num- COMu*sion ka'loozHsn | |

• n. secret or illegal

ber is usually treated as a singular {the num- cooperation or conspiracy, esp. in order to
ber of applicants was beyond belief), whereas it
cheat or deceive others: the armed forces were
istreated as a plural when preceded by the working in collusion with drug traffickers \

indefinite article a {a number ofproposals were collusion between media owners and political
leaders.
considered).
such cooperation or conspiracy between os-
COl*lec*tive un*COn«SCious . n. (in Jungian tensibleopponents in a lawsuit.
psychology) the part of the unconscious derivatives: coWu»sive |-siv; -ziv| adj.
mind that is derived fi-om ancestral memory col»lu»sive»ly |
-ivle; -zivle |
adv.
and experience and is common to all human- CO«lon»lc ko'lanik; ka- • adj. of, relating to,
I
1

kind or to some race or people, as distinct or affecting the colon. • n. an act or instance
from the individual's unconscious. of fluid cleansing (via the anus) of the colon
COl*le*giate ka'lejst . adj. 1 belonging or
i
|
(colonic irrigation), performed for its sup-
relating to or characteristic of a college or its posed therapeutic benefits.
students: collegiate life. 2 (of a university) col*on*nade |,kab'nad| -n. a row of
composed of different colleges. columns supporting a roof, an entablature, or
(of a church) in the joint charge of two min- arches. Cf. arcade.
isters. a row of trees or other tall objects.
COhlier |
'kalyarl • w. 1 a coal miner. 2 a ship derivatives: col«on»nad»ed adj.
carrying coal. COl*0*ra*tU*ra .kabra'tOOra; ,kal-| • n. elab-
|

derivatives: colliery n. a place where orate ornamentation of a vocal melody, esp.

coal is mined. in operatic singing by a soprano.
coMo*cate |'kal3,kat| *v. 1 [intrans.] (of a coloratura soprano) a soprano skilled
(also
word) be habitually juxtaposed with another in such singing.
with a frequency greater than chance: colored I'kabrdl (Brit, coloured) 'adj.
"maiden" collocates with "voyage." 2 [trans.] 1 having or having been given a color or col-
place side by side or in a particular relation: ors, esp. as opposed to being black, white, or
[as adj.] (coUocated) McAndrew was a collo- neutral: brightly colored birds are easier to see \

cated facility withArgentia Naval Station. • n. a peach-colored sofa.

[in combination]
a word that is habitually juxtaposed with an- imbued with an emotive or exaggerated
other with a frequency greater than chance: quality: highly colored examples were used
collocates for "mortgage" include "lend" and by both sides. 2 (also Colored) wholly or
"property." partly of nonwhite descent (now usually of-
COHoid |'kal,oid| • n. a homogeneous, non- fensive in the US). relating to people who
crystalline substance consisting of large mol- are wholly or partly of nonwhite descent: a
ecules or ultramicroscopic particles of one colored club.
substance dispersed uniformly through a sec- (also Coloured)S. African used as an ethnic

ond substance. Colloids include gels (semi- label people of mixed ethnic origin,
for
solids in liquid), sols (solids in liquid), and including African slave, Malay, Chinese, and
emulsions (liquids in liquid); the particles do white. • n. 1 (also Colored) (dated and usu-
not settle and cannot be separated out by or- ally offensive) a person who is wholly or
dinary filtering or centrifuging like those in a partly of nonwhite descent.
suspension. S. African a person of mixed ethnic origin

a substance of gelatinous consistency. • adj. speaking Afrikaans or English as his or her

[attrib.] of the nature of, relating to, or charac- mother tongue. 2 (coloreds) clothes, sheets,
terized by a colloid or colloids. etc., that are any color but white (used esp. in
derivatives: coHoi*dal |k3'loidl| adf the context of washing and color fastness).
 1

color-field painting 81 commination

usage: Colored referring to skin color is
COme»ly 'ksmle • adj. (comelier, comeli-
| |

est) (typically of a woman) pleasant to look

firstrecorded in the early 1 7th century and
at; attractive.
was adopted in the US by emancipated
agreeable; suitable.
slaves as a term of racial pride after the end
of the Civil War. For the term's later history,
derivatives: come*li*ness n.
CO*mes*ti«ble ka'mestsbsl . n. (usu. co-
see usage at black. |
I

mestibles) an item of food: a fridge groan-

col*or-field paint*ing (also colorfield) . n. a ing with comestibles. • adj. edible: comestible
style of abstract painting prominent from the plants.
late 1940s to the 1960s that features large COm»iC re^lief • n. comic episodes in a dra-
expanses of unmodulated color covering the matic or literary work that offset more seri-
greater part of the canvas. Barnett Newman ous portions.
and Mark Rothko were considered its chief a character or characters providing this.
exponents. comical episodes that serve to release ten-
COhoHst 'ksbristI (Brit, colourist) . n. an
I
sion in real life.

artist or designer who uses color in a special COm*i»ty 'kamite • n. (pi. -ies) 1 courtesy
|
\

or skillful way. and considerate behavior toward others. 2 an

a person who tints black-and-white prints, association of nations for their mutual ben-
photographs, or movies. a hairdresser who efit.

specializes in dyeing people's hair. comity of nations) the mutual recog-

(also
CO*IOS*sal ka'lasal • adj. extremely large: a
I
|
nitionby nations or other jurisdictions of the
colossal amount of mail a colossal mistake. \
laws and customs of others.
(of an arrangement of columns) having more COm»man«deer l.kaman'dirl *v. [trans.] offi-
than one story. (of a statue) at least twice cially take possession or control of (some-
life size. thing), esp. for military purposes: telegraph
derivatives: co»los»saWy adv. and telephone lines were commandeered by the
COlt*ish I
energetic but awk-
'koltisH I
• adj. generals.
ward in one's movements or behavior. take possession of (something) without au-
derivatives: colt»ish»ly adv. colt«ish« thority: he hoisted himself onto a table, com-
ness n. mandeering it as a speaker's platform.
[with
COl*U»brine rkal(y)3,brin » adj. of or be- |
obj. and Infinitive] enlist (someone) to help in a

longing to a snake; snakelike: colubrine coils. task, typically against the person's will: he
col»um»bar«i*um |
.kabm'beream |
• n. (pi commandeered the men to find a table. Cf. ap-
columbaria |-'bere3|) a room or building propriate.
with niches for funeral urns to be stored. com»me«dia deirar*te ks'madea dal arte |
I

CO*ma 'koma • w. a state of deep uncon-

I I
. n. an improvised kind of popular comedy in

sciousness that lasts for a prolonged or indef- Italian theaters in the 16th- 18th centuries,
inite period, caused esp. by severe injury or based on stock characters. Actors adapted
illness: the crash left him in a coma \
their comic dialogue and action according to
a similar apparent lack of consciousness: a a few basic plots (commonly love intrigues)
victim of a legislative coma. and to topical issues.
COm*a*tOSe I'koma.tos; 'kama-l » adj. of or COm*men»sal»ism Ika'mensa.lizaml • w. (in
in a state of deep unconsciousness (coma), biology) an association between two organ-
for a prolonged or indefinite period, esp. as a isms in which one benefits and the other de-
result of severe injury or illness: she had been rives neither benefit nor harm. Cf. symbiosis,
comatose for seven months lying in a comatose \
derivatives: commensal adj. commen-
state. sality n.
(of a person or thing) extremely exhausted, COm*men*SU*ra*ble |
ka'menssrsbal; ka
lethargic, or sleepy: the economy remains al- 'menCHsrabsl |
• adj. 1 measurable by the
most comatose. same standard: the finite is not commensu-
Com*bus*ti*ble kam'bastsbal . adj. able to| |
rable with the infinite. 2 [predic] (commen-
catch fire and burn easily: highly combustible surable to) proportionate to. 3 (of numbers)
paint thinner. in a ratio equal to a ratio of integers.
excitable; easily annoyed: combustible person- derivatives: com»men»su»ra»bil»i»ty
alities. combustible substance.
• n. a I
ka.mensara'bibte; -,menCH3-| n. com*
derivatives: com»bus»ti«bilM»ty Iksm men»su»ra»bly ka'menssrable; -'menCHa- |

.bssta'bilite |
n. adv.
COm*bus*tion kam'bascHan • n. the | |
COm»men«SU*rate |
ks'menssrat; - menCHa-
process of burning something: the combustion • adj. corresponding in size or degree; in pro-
offossil fuels. portion: salary will be commensurate with
rapid chemical combination of a substance experience such heavy responsibility must re-
\

with oxygen, involving the production of heat ceive commensurate reward.

and light. violent excitement or commo- derivatives: com»men»su»rate»ly adv.
tion. com»men»su»ra»tion n.
DERIVATIVES com»bus»tive |-'b3stiv| : adj. COm»mi»na*tion .kams'naSHsn . n. the ac- | I

com»e»dy of man*ners . n. a comedy that tion of threatening divine vengeance.

satirizes behavior in a particular social group, the recital of divine threats against sinners in
esp. upper-class society. the Anglican Liturgy for Ash Wednesday.
commingle
COm*min*gle ka'miNGgsl; ka- • V. mingle
|
together; mix; blend: [intrans.] the dust had
commingled ivith the rain [trans.] publicly
reproved for commingling funds.
com*mis«er»ate ka'mizs.rat . v. [intrans.]
express or feel sympathy or pity; sympathize:
she went over to commiserate -with Rose on
her unfortunate circumstances.
derivatives: com«mis»er»a»tion ka miza
'rasHsnl n. com»mis»er»a»tive |-r9tiv| adj.
COm»mis*sar I'kama.sar; ,kam3'sar|
officialof the Communist Party, esp. in the
former Soviet Union or present-day China,
responsible for political education and orga-
nization.
82 commune
1 is derived from custom and judicial prece-
dent rather than statutes.
\
the body of English law adopted, beginning
in the 1 770s, by all US states except Louisana
|
|
(which follows a form of civil law), and sub-
sequently adapted. Federal law has also
developed in this way. Compare with civil
LAW. [as adj.] (common-law) denoting a
| , partner in a marriage recognized under com-
mon law, not by a civil or ecclesiastical cere-
• n. an mony. Such marriages are now recognized in
only a few states of the US. [as adj.] denot-
ing a partner in a long-term relationship of
cohabitation.
COm*mon*place 'kam3n,plas • adj. not un-
|
|

a head of a government department (com- usual; ordinary: unemployment was common-

missariat) in the former Soviet Union before place in his profession.
1946. Ba or prescriptive figure of au-
strict not interesting or original; trite: the usual
thority: our academic commissars. commonplace remarks. • «. 1 a usual or ordi-
COm»mis*sar»i*at .kama'serestl . w. 1 a de- |
nary thing: bombing has become almost a com-
partment for the supply of food and equip- monplace of life there.
ment, esp. in the military. 2 a government de- a trite saying or topic; a platitude: it is a com-
partment of the USSR before 1946. monplace to talk of the young being alienated. 2 a
com*mis*sar»y 'kam3,sere • n. (pi. -ies) 1 a |
|
quotation copied into a commonplace book,
restaurant in a movie studio, military base, a collection of notable extracts from other
prison, or other institution. works for personal use.
a store that sells food and drink to soldiers derivatives: com»mon»place»ness n.
or other members of an organization. 2 a dep- COm*mon«weal 'kam3n,wel| |
. n. (the
uty or delegate. commonweal) the welfare of the public.
derivatives: com»mis»sarM»al |
.kama COm»mon»wealth 'kaman.welTH] . n. 1 an
|

'sereal |
adj. independent country or community, esp. a
COm«mit*tal ka'mitl | |
• n. 1 the action of democratic republic.
sending a person to an institution, esp. prison an aggregate or grouping of countries or
or a psychiatric hospital: his committal to other bodies. a community or organization
prison [as adj.] committal proceedings. 2 the
\
of shared interests in a nonpolitical field: the
burial of a corpse. 3 commitment. Christian commonwealth the commonwealth of
\

COm»mod*i«fy ka'mada.fi . V. (-ies, -ied)

| I
letters. a self-governing unit voluntarily
[trans.] turn into or treat as a commodity: [as grouped with the US, such as Puerto Rico.
adj.] (commodified) art has become commod- the formal title offour states of the US:
ified. Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and
derivatives: com»modM»fi«ca»tion |k3 Virginia. the title of the federated Austral-
.madafa'kaSHan I
n. ian states. (the Commonwealth) the re-
COm«mo«di*OUS Ika'modeasI > adj. 1 formal publican period of government in Britain be-
(esp.of furniture or a building) roomy and tween the execution of Charles I in 1 649 and
comfortable. 2 convenient. the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. 2 (the
derivatives: com»mo»di»ous*ly adv. Commonwealth) (in full the Common-
com»mo*di»ous*ness n. wealth of Nations) an international associa-
COm*mod*l*ty ka'madite . n. (pi. -ies) a
| |
tion consisting of the UK together with states
raw material or primary agricultural product that were previously part of the British Em-
that can be bought and sold, such as copper pire, and dependencies. The British monarch
or coffee. is the symbolic head of the Commonwealth.

a useful or valuable thing, such as water or 3 (the commonwealth) archaic the general
time. good.
COm*mon*aM*ty |
'kam9n,a£lite| * n. (pi COm*mu*nal ks'myoonl|
adj. 1 shared by I
.

-ies) 1 [in sing.] the state of sharing features all members of a community; for common

or attributes: a commonality of interest insures use: acommunal bathroom.

cooperation. or done by a community: com-
of, relating to,
a shared feature or attribute: we discern the munal pride. involving the sharing of work
commonalities between these writers. 2 (the and property: communal living. 2 (of conflict)
commonality) another term for common- between different communities, esp. those
alty. having different religions or ethnic origins:
COm»mon»al*ty I'kamanl-tel • w. [treated as violent communal riots.
pi.] (the commonalty) people without spe- derivatives: com»mu«nalM»ty |
.kamya
cial rank or position; common people: a peti- 'nselite n. com»mu«nal»ly adv.
|

tion by the earls, barons, and commonalty of the COm*mUnei |'kam,yoon| . w. 1 a group of
realm. people living together and sharing posses-
the general body of a group. sions and responsibihties.
COm»mon law • n. the part of English law that a communal settlement in a communist
commune 83 compass
country. 2 the smallest French territorial di- of some distance to and from one's place of
vision for administrative purposes. 3 (the work.
Commune) the group that seized the mu- derivatives com»mut»ern. (in sense 1). :

nicipal government of Paris in the French COm*pacti Iksm'paekt; kam-; 'kam,paekt|

Revolution and played a leading part in the • adj. closely and neatly packed together;
Reign of Terror until suppressed in 1794. dense: a compact cluster of houses.
(also the Paris Commune) the municipal having all the necessary components or fea-
government organized on communalistic tures neatly fitted into a small space: a com-
principles elected in Paris in 1871. It was pact car. (of a person or animal) small, solid,
soon brutally suppressed by government and well-proportioned. (of speech or writ-
troops. ing) concise in expression: a compact sum-
com*mune2 ks'myoon |
I
. V. [intrans.] mary of the play. • v. [trans.] (often be com-
1 (commune with) share one's intimate pacted) exert force on (something) to make
thoughts or feelings with (someone or some- it more dense; compress: the waste is com-

thing), esp. when the exchange is on a spiri- pacted before disposal [as adj.] (compacted) \

tual level: to commune with God. compacted paper.

feel in close spiritual contact with: com- [intrans.] (of a substance) become compressed

muning with nature on the bank of a stream. in this way: the snow hardened and compacted.
2 receive Holy Communion. derivatives: com»pac»tion Ikam'psek-
COm*mu*nism 'kamy3,niz9m| • n. (often
|
SHan I
n. com«pact«ly adv. com«pact»ness
Communism) 1 a political theory derived n. com»pac»tor kam'psektar; kam-; 'kam |

from Karl Marx, advocating class war and ipsektarl (also COm»pact»er) n.
leading to a society in which all property is COm*pact2 'kam,p£ekt • n. a formal agree-
I
|

publicly owned and each person works and is ment or contract between two or more par-
paid according to his or her abilities and ties. Ikam'paskt; kam-; 'kam,psekt|
• V.

needs. See also Marxism, Socialism. 2 a sys- [trans.] make

or enter into (a formal agree-
tem of society with property vested in the ment) with another party or parties: the Dem-
community and each member working for ocratic Party compacted an alliance with dissi-
the common benefit: the primitive communism dent groups.
of the tribe \
Shaker communism. COm*pa»dre ksm'padra | I
. n. (pi. com-
derivatives: com»mu»nist n. & adj. padres) a way of addressing or referring to a
com»mu»nis»tic |
.kamya'nistik |
adj. friend or companion.
COmmunitarianism ks.myoona'terea |
COm»pan«ion«a»ble |
ksm'psenyanabsl I

,niz9m • w. a theory or system of social or-

I
• adj. (of a person) friendly and sociable: a
ganization based on small self-governing companionable young man.
communities. (of a shared situation) relaxed and pleasant:
an ideology that emphasizes the responsibil- they walked in companionable silence.
ity of the individual to the community and derivatives: com»pan»ion«a»ble»ness n.
the social importance of the family unit. com»pan»ion»a«bly -ble adv. | |

derivatives: com»mu»ni»tarn»an adj. & COm»par*a»tive Ikam'psrstivl ^adj. 1 per-

n. . ceptible by comparison; relative: he returned
COm»mu»ta»tion \
.kamys'taSHsn I
. n. (in to the comparative comfort of his own home. 2 of
law) the action or process, or an instance, of or involving comparison between two or
commuting a judicial sentence: was sentenced more branches of science or subjects of
to life in prison but got a commutation. study: comparative religion. 3 (of an adjective
the conversion of a legal obligation or enti- or adverb) expressing a higher degree of a
tlement into another form, e.g., the replace- quality, but not the highest possible (e.g.,
ment of an annuity or series of payments by braver; more fiercely). Cf. positive, superla-
a singlepayment. tive.
COm*mute ka'myoot • z;. 1 [intrans.] travel
| I
(of a clause) involving comparison (e.g., my
some distance between one's home and place memory is not as good as it used to be) • n. a .

of work on a regular basis: she commuted comparative adjective or adverb.

fromWestport in to Grand Central. 2 [trans.] re- (the comparative) the middle degree of
duce (a judicial sentence, esp. a sentence of comparison.
death) to another less severe one: the governor com»part*men*tal»ize |
kam, part' mend, iz |

recently commuted the sentences of several women • V. [trans.] divide into sections or categories:
convicted of killing their husbands. he had the ability to compartmentalize his life.
(commute something for/into) change derivatives: com»part»men»tal«i»za»
one kind of payment or obligation for (an- tion I
k3m,part,mentl-3'zaSH3n I
n.

other). replace (an annuity or other series com*pass kampas » n. |

\
^ (also magnetic
of payments) with a single payment: if he had compass) an instrument containing a mag-
commuted some of his pension, he would have netized pointer that shows the direction of
received $330,000. 3 [intrans.] (of two mathe- magnetic north and bearings from it. 2 (also
matical operations or quantities) have a pair of compasses) an instrument for
commutative relationship (in which the or- drawing circles and arcs and measuring dis-
der of the quantities involved does not affect tances between points, consisting of two arms
the result of an operation, e.g., ax6 gives the linked by a movable joint, one arm ending in
same result as bx-a). • n. a regular journey a point and the other usually carrying a pen-
compatible 84 complement
cil or pen. 3 [in sing.] the range or scope of compensatory actions to keep the interest rate
something: the event had political repercussions constant.
beyond the compass of this book. COm*pHa*tion .kamps'lasHan |
. n. 1 the act |

the enclosing Umits of an area: this region had of putting together (compiling) independent
within its compass many types of agriculture. parts to form a whole: great care has been taken
the range of notes that can be produced by in the compilation of this guidebook. 2 a thing,
a voice or a musical instrument: the cellos were esp. a book, record, or broadcast program,
playing in a rather somber part of their compass. that is put together by assembling previously
• V. [trans.] 1 go around (something) in a cir- separate items: there are thirty-three stories in
cular course: the ship wherein Magellan com- this compilation [as adj.] a compilation album.
\

passed the world. Cf. ANTHOLOGY.

surround or hem in on all sides: they were COm*pla*cent Ikam'plassntI 'adj. showing
compassed with numerous fierce and cruel tribes. smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or
2 contrive to accomplish (something): he one's achievements: can't afford to be com-
compassed his end only by the exercise of violence. placent about security.
COm*pat*i«ble kam'paetabsl • adj. (of two
|
|
derivatives: com»pla«cen»cy n. com*
things) able to exist or occur together with- pla»cent»ly adv.
out conflict: the fruitiness ofBeaujolais is com- usage: Complacent means 'smugly self-
patible with a number of meat dishes. championships
satisfied:' y4/rer /our consecutive
(of two people) able to have a harmonious
the team became complacent. Complaisant, a
relationship: well-suited: it's a pity we're not much rarer word, means 'deferential, willing
compatible. one thing) consistent with
(of to please': Once released from the pen, the bark-
another: symptoms compatible with gastritis or a ing dogs become peaceful and complaisant. The
peptic ulcer. (of a computer, a piece of soft- noun complacence is a variant of the much
ware, or other device) able to be used with a more common complacency.
specified piece of equipment or software
without special adaptation or modification: COm*plai*sant jkam'plassntl . ac/y. willing to
[in combination] IBM-compatible laptops. please others; obliging; agreeable.
DERI VAT I v E s coin»pat»i»bil«i«ty
: kam |
derivatives: com*plai*sance n. com*
ipasta'bilite I
n. com»patM»bly |-ble| adv. plai«sant»ly adv.
COm«pa*tri*Ot ksm'patrest |
. «. a fellow cit-
I
COm*pleat kam'plet | I
• adj. & v. archaic spel-
izen or national of a country: Stich defeated his ling of complete.
compatriot Boris Becker in the quarterfinals. COm*ple*ment «. 'kamplamantj 1 a thing
• |

COm»peer 'kam,pir; kam'pirj » n. a person

|
that completes or brings to perfection: the li-
of equal rank, status, or ability: he was better bretto proved a perfect complement to the mu-
versed in his profession than his compeers. sic. 2 number or quantity of some-
[in sing.] a
COm*pel I
ksm'pel I
• V. (compelled, com- thing required to make a group complete: at
pelling) [with obj. and infinitive] force or oblige the moment we have a full complement of
(someone) to do something: a sense of duty staff.
compelled Harry to answer her questions. Cf co- . the number of people required to crew a
erce, IMPEL. ship: almost half the ship's complement of 322
[trans.] bring about (something) by the use of were wounded. geometry) the amount in
(in
force or pressure: they may compel a witness's degrees by which a given angle is less than
attendance at court by issue of a summons. 90°. (in mathematics) the members of a set
[with obj. and adverbial of direction] drive forci- that are not members of a given subset. 3 one
bly: by heav'n's high will compelVd from shore to or more words, phrases, or clauses governed
shore. by a verb (or by a noun or a predicative ad-
COm*pen*di*OUS |
kam'pendess |
• adj. con- jective) that complete the meaning of the
taining or presenting the essential facts of predicate. 4 a group of proteins present in
something in a comprehensive but concise blood plasma and tissue fluid that combine
way: a compendious study. with an antigen-antibody complex to bring
derivatives: com»pen»di»ous»ly adv. about the destruction of foreign cells. * v. \-
com»pen»di»ous»ness n. ,ment; -mant [trans.] add to (something) in a
|

COm*pen*di*um i
ksm'pendeam |
. n. (pi. way that enhances or improves it; make per-
compendiums or compendia |-de3|) a fect: a classic blazer complements a look that's
collection of concise but detailed information smart or casual.
about a particular subject, esp. in a book or add to or make complete: the proposals com-
other publication. plement the incentives already available.
a collection of things, esp. one systematically derivatives: com»ple»memtal j
,kampb
gathered: a compendium of documents from our 'mentlj adj.
archives.
com«pen«sa*to*ry k3m'pens3,t6re . adj.
usage: Complement and compliment
(and the related words complementary
|
|

providing compensation, in particular:

(of a payment) intended to compensate
someone who has experienced loss, suffer-
ing, or injury: $50
damages. reducing or offsetting the un-
pleasant or unwelcome effects of something:
and complimentary) are frequently con-
fused. Although pronounced alike, they have
quite different meanings. As a verb comple-
million in compensatory
ment means 'to add to (something) in a way
that completes, enhances, or improves,' as in

complex
The vice president's experience in military
foreign affairs complemented the president's ex-
pertise in domestic policy.
means admire and
*
praise (someone) for
something,' as in They complimented Janet on
her new necklace. Complementary means
'forming a complement or addition; com-
pleting': I purchased a suit with a complemen-
tary tie and handkerchief. It can be confused
with complimentary, for which one sense
is 'given freely, as a courtesy': You must pay
for the suit, but the tie and the handkerchief are
A
for remembering
complimentary. trick
which is which: complement is similar in
meaning to supplement, and there is always
an T in a compliment.
COm*plex Ikam'pleks; kam'pleks; 'kam
ipleks I
adj. 1 consisting of many different
•
and connected parts: a complex network of wa-
ter channels.
not easy to analyze or understand; compli-
cated or intricate: a complex personality the
situation is more complex than it appears. 2 (in
mathematics) denoting or involving numbers
or quantities containing both a real and an
imaginary part. 3 (in chemistry) denoting an
ion or molecule in which one or more groups
are linked to a metal atom by coordinate
bonds. • n. 'kam,pleks 1 a group of similar
\
|
buildings or facilities on the same site: a new
apartment complex a complex of hotels.
\
a group or system of different things that are
linked in a close or complicated way; a net-
work: a complex of mountain roads. 2 (in psy-
choanalysis) a related group of emotionally
significant ideas that are completely or partly
repressed and that cause psychic conflict lead-
ing to abnormal mental states or behavior.
a disproportionate concern or anxiety about
something: there's no point having a complex
about losing your hair. 3 an ion or molecule
in which one or more groups are linked to a
metal atom by coordinate bonds.
any loosely bonded species formed by the as-
sociation of two molecules: cross-linked pro-
tein-DNA complexes. • v. kam'pleks; kam \
'kam,pleks| [trans.] (usu. be com-
'pleks;
plexed) make (an atom or compound) form
a complex with another: the was com-
plexed with the nuclear extract [as adj.]
(complexed) the complexed metal ion.
[intrans.] form a complex: these proteins are ca-
pable of complexing with VP16.
derivatives: com*plex»a»tion |kam,plek
'saSH3n;k3m-| n. (Chemistry) com»plex»ly a^ft;.
COm*pli*ance ksm'plians » n. ^ the action
|
\
or fact of according with a wish or command:
they must secure each other's cooperation or com-
pliance.
(compliance wdth) the state or fact of ac-
cording with or meeting rules or standards:
all imports of timber are in compliance with
regulations. unworthy or excessive yielding;
giving in: the appalling compliance with the
governor's views shown by the commission.
COm*plic*it Iksm'plisit] * n. involved with
others in an illegal activity or wrongdoing:
.
85 compose
and of these people are complicit in some criminal
conspiracy.
Compliment DERI VAT v E s com»plic*i«ty n.
I :
COm*pli»ment • n. 'kampbmsnt \ |
a polite
expression of praise or admiration: she paid
me an enormous compliment.
an act or circumstance that implies praise or
respect: it's a compliment to the bride to dress up
on her special day. (compliments) congrat-
ulations or praise expressed to someone: my
compliments on your cooking. (compli-
ments) greetings or expressions of friendli-
ness, esp. when sent as a message. • v.
I
'kampb.menti [trans.] politely congratulate
or praise (someone) for something: he com-
plimented Erica on her appearance.
praise (something) politely.
usage: See usage at complement.
COm»po»nent Ikam'ponantI * n. 1 a part or
element of a larger whole, esp. a part of a ma-
chine or vehicle. • adj. [attrib.] constituting
\
part of a larger whole; constituent: purchase
component parts and assemble them.
COm*port kam 'port I
\
• v. ^ (comport one-
self) conduct oneself; behave: articulate stu-
dents who comported themselves well in television
interviews. 2 [intrans.] (comport with) accord
with; agree with: actions that comport with her
liberal views.
COm«posei Ikam'poz] 'V. [trans.] 1 write or
create (a work of art, esp. music or poetry):
he had composed the First Violin Sonata four
years earlier
write or phrase (a letter or piece of writing)
with care and thought: the first sentence is so
hard to compose. form (a whole) by ordering
or arranging the parts, esp. in an artistic way:
compose and draw a still life. order or arrange
(parts) to form a whole, esp. in an artistic
way: make an attempt to compose your images.
2 (usu. be composed) (of elements) consti-
tute or make up (a whole): the system is com-
posed of a group of machines. Of. comprise.
be (a specified mmiber or amount) of a whole:
Christians compose 40 percent of the population.
3 calm or setde (oneself or one's features or
thoughts): she tried to compose herself.
settle (a dispute): the king, with some difficulty,
DNA composed this difference. 4 prepare (a text) for
\
printing by manually, mechanically, or elec-
tronically setting up the letters and other
characters in the order to be printed.
set up (letters and characters) in this way.
usage: Compose and comprise are often
confused, but can be sorted out. The parts
compose (make up) the whole; the whole
comprises (contains) the parts. Citizens
who have been been chosen at random and
screened for prejudices compose a jury. Each
crew comprises a commander, a gunner, and a
driver.In passive constructions, the whole is
composed o/the parts, and the parts are com-
prised in the whole. (Compose = put to-
gether; comprise = contain, consist of.)
The usage "is comprised oP' is avoided by
careful speakers and writers.
all
compose 86 compromise
COm»pose2 kam'poz |
V. 1 write or
I
. [trans.] COm*po*SUre Iksm'poZHar] . n. the state or
create (a work of art, esp. music or poetry): feeling of being calm and in control of one-
he composed the First Violin Sonata four years self.
earlier. COm*pote I
'kam, pot • n. 1 fruit preserved or
I

write or phrase (a letter or piece of writing) cooked in syrup. 2 a bowl-shaped dessert dish
with care and thought: the first sentence is so with a stem.
hard to compose. form (a whole) by ordering COm«pre*hen»si«ble ,kampri'hens3b3l| |

or arranging the parts, esp. in an artistic way: (also comprehendible) • adj. able to be un-
compose and draw a still life. order or arrange derstood; (comprehended): clear and compre-
(parts) to form a whole, esp. in an artistic hensible English.
way: make an attempt to compose your images. DERI VAT V E s com»pre»hen»si»bilM«ty
I :

2 (usu. be composed) (of elements) consti- |-,hens3'bilite| n. com«pre»hen«si»bly

tute or make up (a whole): the system is com- |-ble| adv.
posed of a group of machines. COm«pre*hen*sive |
,kampri'hensiv| »adj.
be (a specified number or amount) of a complete; including all or nearly all elements
whole: Christians compose 40 percent of the or aspects of something: a comprehensive list
state's population. 3 calm or settle (oneself or of sources.
one's features or thoughts): she tried to com- of large content or scope; wide-ranging: a
pose herself. comprehensive collection of photographs. (of
archaic settle (a dispute) the king, with some : automobile insurance) providing coverage
difficulty, composed 4 prepare (a
this difference. for most risks, including damage to the pol-
text) for printingby manually, mechanically, icyholder's own vehicle: comprehensive and
or electronically setting up the letters and collision insurance. (also comprehensive
other characters in the order to be printed. examination or comp) an examination
set up (letters and characters) in this way. testing a student's command of a field of
usage: Compose and comprise are often knowledge.
confused, but can be sorted out. The parts DERIVATIVES: com«pre»hen»sive»ly adv.

compose (make up) the whole; the whole com»pre»hen»sive»ness n.

comprises (contains) the parts. Citizens Com»press . v. kam'pres [trans.] (often be

\ |

who have and

been been chosen at random
compressed) flatten by pressure; squeeze;
press: the skirt can be folded and compressed
screened for prejudices compose a jury. Each
crew comprises a commander, a gunner, and a into a small bag \
[as adj.] (compressed)
driver.In passive constructions, the whole is compressed gas.
composed o/the parts, and the parts are com- [intrans.] be squeezed or pressed together or
into a smaller space: the land sinking as the
prised in the whole. (Compose = put to- is

gether; comprise = contain, consist of.) soil compresses. squeeze or press (two things)
together: Violet compressed her lips grimly.
The usage "is comprised of" is avoided by
careful speakers and writers.
express in a shorter form; abridge: com-
press the main findings into summary form.
COm*pos*ite kam'pazst; |
kam- • 1 adj. alter the form of (computer data) to reduce
1 made up of various parts or elements. theamount of storage necessary. [as adj.]
(esp. of a constructional material) made up (compressed) having a narrow shape as if
of recognizable constituents: a new composite flattened, esp. sideways: most sea snakes have
—
material a blend of plastic and ceramic resins. a compressed tail. • n. 'kam,pres| a pad of \

(of a mathematical integer) being the prod- absorbent material pressed onto part of the
uct of two or more factors greater than one; body to relieve inflammation or stop bleed-
not prime. 2 (Composite) relating to or ing: a cold compress.
denoting a classical order of architecture con- DERIVATIVES: com»pressM»bil»i»ty jksm
sisting of elements of the Ionic and Corin- ipresa'bilite n. com«press»i»ble
|
adj. com*
thian orders. 3 relating to or denoting plants pres'sive i-'presiv| adj.
of the daisy family (Compositae or Aster- Com*prlse kam'pnz . V. [trans.] consist of;
| I

aceae), whose so-called flowers are com- be made up of: the country comprises fifty states
posed of many florets and surrounding and a federal district.
bracts. • «. 1 a thing made up of several parts make up; constitute: this single breed comprises
or elements: the English legal system is a com- 50 percent of Swiss cattle (be comprised of) \

posite of legislation and judicial precedent. documents are comprised of words.

a composite constructional material. 2 a usage: 1 On the differences between
plant of the daisy family (Compositae). comprise and compose, see usage at
3 (Composite) the Composite order of ar- compose.
chitecture. • V. [trans.] [usu. as n.] (com-
positing) combine (two or more images) to COm*pro*mise 'kampr3,miz| • n. an agree-
|

make a single picture, esp. electronically: pho- ment or a settlement of a conflict that is
tographic compositing by computer. reached by each side making concessions: an
derivatives: com»posMte»ly adv. com* ability to listen to two sides in a dispute, and de-
pos»ite»ness n. vise a compromise acceptable to both.
COm*pos*i*tor ikam'pazipr] • «. a person a middle state between conflicting opinions
who arranges type for printing or keys text or actions reached by mutual concession or
into a composing machine. modification: a compromise betiveen com-
comptroller 87 concertina
munism and private enterprise. the accept- derivatives: con»cave*ly adv. con»cav»i»
ance of standards that are lower than is desir- ty I
kan'kaevite |
n.
able: we should allow no compromise on reading COn«cede Iksn'sed] *v. 1 admit that some-
scores. • v. ^ [intrans.] settle a conflict by mu- thing is true or valid after first denying or
tual concession: in the end we compromised and resisting it: [with clause] / had to concede that
deferred the issue. I'd overreacted [trans.] that principle now seems
|

[trans.] settle (a dispute) by mutual conces- to have been conceded.

sion: I should compromise the matter with my fa- [trans.] admit (defeat) in a contest: he conceded

ther. 2 [trans.] weaken (a reputation or princi- defeat. [trans.] admit defeat in (a contest):

ple) by accepting standards that are lower ready to concede the semifinal. 2 [trans.] surren-
than is desirable: commercial pressures could der or yield (something that one possesses);
compromise safety. cede: to concede all the territory he'd won.
[intrans.] accept standards that are lower than grant (a right, privilege, or demand): their
is desirable: we were not prepared to compro- rights to redress of grievances were conceded once
mise on safety. bring into disrepute or dan- more. (in sports) fail to prevent the scoring
ger by indiscreet, foolish, or reckless behav- of (a goal or point) by an opponent: conceded
ior: situations in which our troops could be a field goal in the third quarter. allow (a lead
compromised. or advantage) to slip: he took an early lead that
derivatives: com»pro»mis*er n. he never conceded.
COmp»trohler Iksn'trobr; ,kam(p)'trobr; DERI vat I V e s con»ced«er n. :

'kam(p),trobr • n. a controller (used in the

I COn»celt ksn'set • n. ^ excessive pride in
I
\

title of some financial officers). oneself: he was puffed up with conceit. 2 a fan-
COm*pul*sion kam'pslsnan » n. A the ac-
|
|
ciful expression in writing or speech; an elab-
tion or state of forcing or being forced to do orate metaphor: the idea of the wind's singing is
something: constraint: the payment was made a prime romantic conceit.
under compulsion. 2 an irresistible urge to an artistic effect or device: the director's bril-
behave in a certain way, esp. against one's liant conceit was to film this tale in black and
conscious wishes: he felt a compulsion to babble white. a fanciful notion: the widespread con-
on about what had happened. ceit that he spent most of the 1980s drunk.
COm»pul*sive Ikam'palsivl » adj. 1 resulting COn«cen*tric Ikan'sentrik; kan-| • adj. of or
from or relating to an irresistible urge, esp. denoting or other shapes that
circles, arcs,
one that is against one's conscious wishes: share the center, the larger often com-
same
compulsive eating. pletely surrounding the smaller. Cf. eccen-
(of a person) acting as a result of such an tric.
urge: a compulsive liar. Cf. impulsive. 2 irre- derivatives: con»cen»tri«caWy |-ik(3)-
sistibly interesting or exciting; compelling: le| adv. con»cen»tric»i«ty |
,kan,sen'trisite |

this play is compulsive viewing. n.

derivatives: com»pul»si\e»ly adv. com* con*cep*tu*al*ism kan'sepcHawa.lizam | |

pul»sive«ness n. • n. (in philosophy) the theory that universal

COm«pul*SO»ry kam'pslssre | i
• adf required statements or categories can be said to exist,
by law or a rule; obligatory. but only as concepts in the mind.
involving or exercising compulsion; coer- derivatives: con»cep«tu»alMst n.
cive. COn*cert . n. 'kan,s3rt; 'kansart 1 a musical
\
|

derivatives: com»pul»so»ri»ly |-S3r3le| performance given in public, typically by

adv. com»pul»so»ri»ness n. several performers or of several separate
COm*punc*tion |k3m'p3NG(k)sH3n| *n. works: symphony concerts \
[as adj.] a concert
moral
[usu. with negative] a feeling of guilt or pianist.
scruple that accompanies or follows the do- [as adj.] of, relating to, or denoting the per-
ing of something bad: they used insider infor- formance of music written for opera, ballet,
mation without compunction. or theater on its own without the accompa-
derivatives: com»punc»tion»less adj. nying dramatic action: the concert version of
com«punc»tious -SHas adj. com»punc» |
|
Verdi's opera. 2 agreement, accordance, or
tious'ly I
-SHssle |
adv. harmony: critics' inability to describe with any
CO*na*tlon |ko'naSH3n| »n. (in philosophy precision and concert the characteristics of litera-
and psychology) the mental faculty of pur- ture. • V. Iksn'sartI [trans.] arrange (some-
pose, desire, or will to perform an action; vo- thing) by mutual agreement or coordination:
lition. they started meeting regularly to concert their
derivatives: con»a»tive adj. tactics.
con bri*0 kan 'breo; kon| |
• adv. (esp. as a COn*cert»ed Ikan'sartadI » adj. [attrib.] jointly
musical direction) with vigor. arranged, planned, or carried out; coordi-
COn»cat»e*nate |
k3n'kaetn,at| 'V. [trans.] link nated: determined to begin concerted action
(things) together in a chain or series: a pro- against them.
gramming function that concatenates text strenuously carried out; done with great ef-
strings. fort: would take a concerted effort.
it

derivatives: con»cat«e»na»tion n. COn*cer«ti*na pkansar'tena • |

a small mu- |

COn»cave kan'kav; 'kan,kav • acij. having an

|
|
sical instrument, typically polygonal in form,
outline or surface that curves inward like the played by stretching and squeezing between
interior of a circle or sphere. Cf. convex. the hands, to work a central bellows that
 )

concerto 88 concrete
blows air over reeds, each note being sounded COn«clu*sive Ikan'kloosiv; -zivi * adj. (of ev-
by a button. idence or argument) serving to prove a case;
[as adj.] opening or closing in multiple folds decisive or convincing.
or coils: concertina doors |
concertina wire. • v. (of a victory) achieved easily or by a large
(concertinas, concertinaed |-'ten9d| or margin.
concertina'd, concertinaing -'tena-iNG |
|
derivatives: con*clu*sive*ly adv. con*
[trans.] extend, compress, or collapse in sym- clu*sive*ness n.
metrical creased folds: [as adj.] (concerti- COn*COCt Ikan'kaktl » v. [trans.] make (a dish
naed) negotiations concertinaed into a week- or meal) by combining various ingredients.
long session. create or devise (said esp. of a story or plan).
COn*cer»tO kan'CHerto | |
• n. (pi. concertos derivatives: con*coct*er n. con*coc*
or concerti kan'CHerte |
|
) a musical compo- tion n.
sition for a solo instrument or instruments COn*COm»i»tant Ikan'kamstantI » adj. natu-
accompanied by an orchestra, esp. one con- rally accompanying or associated: she loved
ceived on a relatively large scale. travel, with concomitant worries. • n. a
all its
con»cer*to gros*so 'groso; 'groso . n. (pi. |
|
phenomenon that naturally accompanies or
concerti grossi 'grose; 'grose ) a musical
| |
follows something: pain is as concomitant of
composition for a group of solo instruments life.

accompanied by an orchestra. The term is DERI VAT v E s con*com*i*tant*ly adv.

I :

used mainly of baroque works. COn*COrd |'kaNG,k6rd; 'kan-| • n. 1 agree-

COn»ces»Sion Ikan'seSHsnl . n. 1 a thing that ment or harmony between people or groups:
is granted, esp. in response to demands; a a pact of peace and concord.
thing conceded. a treaty. 2 agreement between words in gen-
the action of conceding, granting, or yield- der, number, case, person, or any other gram-
ing something. (a concession to) a ges- matical category that affects the forms of the
ture, esp. a token one, made in recognition of words. 3 (in music) a chord that is pleasing or
a demand or prevailing standard: the hat was satisfactory in itself.
her concession to fashion. 2 a preferential allow- COn*COrd«ance Ikan'kordnsI . n. 1 an alpha-

ance or rate given by an organization: tax con- betical of the words (esp. the important
list

cessions. 3 the right to use land or other prop- ones) in a text, usually with citations of the
erty for a specified purpose, granted by a passages concerned: a concordance to the Bible.
government, company, or other controlling 2 agreement. • v. [trans.] [often as adj.] (con-
body: new logging concessions. cordanced) make a concordance of: the
a commercial operation within the premises value of concordanced information.
of a larger one, typically selling refreshments. COn*COrd*ant Ikan'kordntI 'adj. in agree-
derivatives: con»ces»sion«aire n. con* ment or harmony; consistent: the answers were
ces»sion»er n. roughly concordant.
COn*ces*Sive Ikan'sesivl » adj. 1 character- DERI VAT I v E s con*cord*ant*ly adv.
:

ized by, or tending to concession: we must look COn*COr»dat |k3n'k6r,d8et| . n. an agreement

for a more concessive approach. 2 (of a preposi- or treaty, esp. one between the Vatican and a
tion or conjunction) introducing a phrase or secular government relating to matters of
clause denoting a circumstance that might be mutual interest.
expected to make the action of the main COn*COUrse |
'kan,k6rs; 'kaNG-| • w. 1 a large
clause impossible, but does not (e.g., in spite open area inside or in front of a public build-
of, although). ing, as in an airport or train station: the do-
(of a phrase or clause) introduced by a con- mestic arrivals concourse. 2 a crowd or assem-
cessive preposition or conjunction. bly of people: a vast concourse of learned
COn*cierge IkoN'syerzH; ,kanse'erZH| » n. men.
1 (esp. in France) a caretaker of an apartment COn»crete »adj. |kan'kret; 'kan,kret; kan
complex or a small hotel, typically one living 'kret| 1 existing in a material or physical
on the premises. 2 a hotel employee whose form; real or solid; not abstract: concrete
job is to assist guests by arranging tours, mak- objects like stones \
it exists as a physically con-
ing theater and restaurant reservations, etc. crete form.
COn»cil*i*a»tO*ry ksn'silea.tore . adj.
|
in- I
any concrete
specific; definite: I haven't got
tended or likely to placate or pacify: a concil- proof. noun) denoting a material ob-
(of a
iatory approach. ject as opposed to an abstract quality, state,
derivatives: con«cil»i«a»tive adj. con* or action. 2 formed by cohesion of parts into
cil*i*a*to*ri*ness n. a mass; solidified.
COn*cise ksn'sis • adj. giving a lot of infor-
| |
(of music) constructed by mixing recorded
mation clearly and in a few words; brief but sounds. (of poetry) in which meaning is
comprehensive: a concise account of the coun- conveyed visually, by means of patterns of
try's history. words and letters and other typographical
derivatives: con*cise*ly adv. con*cise* devices. • w. |
'kan.kret; kan'kret |
a heavy,
ness n. con*ci*sion -'sizHan n. | |
rough building material made from a mixture
COn*clave 'kan,klav| • n. a private meeting.
|
of broken stone or gravel, sand, cement, and
(in the Roman Catholic Church) the assem- water, that can be spread or poured into
bly of cardinals for the election of a pope. molds and that forms a stonelike mass on
the meeting place for such an assembly. hardening: slabs of concrete \
[as adj.] the
concretion 89 condominium
concrete sidewalk. • v. 'kan,kret; kan'kret|
|
the conversion of a vapor or gas to a liquid.
(often be concreted) 1 cover (an area)
[trans.] (also condensation reaction) a chemical
with concrete: the precious English countryside reaction in which two molecules combine to
may soon be concreted over. form a larger molecule, producing a small
[with obj. and adverbial of place] fix in position molecule such as as a by-product. (in
with concrete: the post is concreted into the psychology) the fusion of two or more
ground. 2 form (something) into a mass; so- images, ideas, or symbolic meanings into a
lidify: the juices of the plants are concreted upon single composite or new image, as a primary
the surface. process in unconscious thought exemplified
make real or concrete instead of abstract: in dreams. 3 a concise version of something,
concreting God into actual form of man. esp. a text: a readable condensation of the recent
p H R A s E s be set in concrete (of a policy or
: literature.
idea) be fixed and unalterable: / do not regard COn*dense Iksn'densI • V. 1 [trans.] make
the Constitution as set in concrete. (something) denser or more concentrated:
derivatives: con»crete«ly adv. con* the limestones of the Jurassic age are condensed
crete»ness n. into a mere 11 feet [as adj.] (condensed) \

COn*cre»tion Ikan'kreSHsn; kan-| . n. a hard check that your printer can cope with wide text or
solid mass formed by the local accumulation condensed characters.
of matter, esp. within the body or within a [usu. as adj.] (condensed) thicken (a liquid)
mass of sediment. by reducing the water content, typically by
the formation of such a mass. boiling: condensed soup. express (a piece of
derivatives: con»cre»tion»ar»y |-sh3 writing or speech) in fewer words; make con-
,nere| adj. cise: he condensed the three plays into a three-
COn*CU*bine |
'kaNGky00,bin| . n. (in polyg- hour drama. 2 [intrans.] be changed from a gas
amous societies) a woman who
with a lives or vapor to a liquid: the vapor in the air con-
man but has lower status than his wife or denses into droplets of water.
wives. [trans.] cause (a gas or vapor) to be changed

a mistress. to a liquid: the cold air was condensing my

derivatives: con»cu»bin»age n. con»cu» breath.
bi»nar»y k3n'kyoob3,nere; kan- adj.
| 1
DERI VAT v e s con»den»sa»ble adj.
I :

COn*CU*pis*cence kan'kyoopasans; k9n-| |

COn»de*SCend ,kandi'send| 'V. [intrans.]
|

• n. strong sexual desire; lust. show feelings of superiority; patronize: take

derivatives: con»cu»pis»cent adj. care not to condescend to your reader.
COn»Clir Ikan'karl » v. (concurred, concur- [with infinitive] do something in a haughty way,
ring) [intrans.] 1 be of the same opinion; agree: as though it is below one's dignity or level of
the authors concurred ivith the majority \ importance: we'll be waiting for twenty minutes
they concurred in the creation of the disciplin- before she condescends to appear.
ary procedures \
[with direct speech] "That's derivatives: con»de«scend»ing adj. con*
right," thechairman concurred. de*scend*ing*ly adv. con*de*scend*ence
(concur with) agree with (a decision, opin- |-'send9ns| n. con*de*scen*sion |-'sen-
ion, or finding): we strongly concur with this rec- CH3n| n.
ommendation. 2 happen or occur at the same COn*dign ksn'din • adj. (of punishment or
| |

time; coincide. retribution)appropriate to the crime or

derivatives: con*cur»rence l-'karansi wrongdoing; fitting and deserved.
n.con»cur»ren«cy l-'karansel n. con»cur» derivatives: con*dign*ly adv.
ring adj. (of a judicial opinion) agreeing with COn*di*tion*al kan'disHanl • adj.
|
(of a |

the result of a case (but not with all of the ma- clause, phrase, conjunction, or verb form)
jority's reasoning). expressing a condition. • n. 1 a clause or log-
COn»CUr*rent Ikan'ksrantI » adj. existing, ical conjunction that expresses a condition
happening, or done at the same time: there are and in English typically begins with 'if.'
three concurrent art fairs around the city. a statement or sentence containing a condi-
(of two or more prison sentences) to be tional clause. 2 Grammar the conditional mood
served at the same time. (in mathematics, of a verb, for example should in if I should die.
of three or more lines) meeting at or tending derivatives: con*di*tion*al*i*ty jkan
toward one point. ,diSH3'nselite n. con*di*tion*al*ly adv.
|

derivatives: con»cur«rent»ly adv. COn»dO»min*i«um |

.kanda'mineam • n. (pi.
|

COn»CUS»sion kan'kasHsn » n. ^ temporary

| \
condominiums) 1 a building or complex of
unconsciousness caused by a blow to the buildings containing a number of individu-
head. The term is also used loosely of the ally owned apartments or houses.
aftereffects such as confusion or temporary (also condo) each of the individual apart-
incapacity. 2 a violent shock as from a heavy ments or houses such a building or com-
in
blow- the ground shuddered with the concussion plex. the system of ownership by which
of the blast, [as adj.] a concussion grenade. these operate, in which owners have full title
COn*den*sa*tion |
,kan,den'saSH3n; -dsn-l to the individual apartment or house and an
• water that collects as droplets on a cold
n. 1 undivided interest in the shared parts of the
surface when humid air is in contact with it. property. 2 the joint control of a country's or
2 the process of becoming more dense, in territory's affairs by other countries.
particular: a state so governed.
condone 90 conformist
COn*done |
kan'don I
. V. [trans.] [often with COn*fi*den*tial .kanfa'denCHslI • adj. in-
|

negative] accept and allow (behavior that is tended to be kept secret: knowledge that was
considered morally wrong or offensive) to privileged and confidential.
continue: the college cannot condone any behav- (of a person's tone of voice) indicating that
ior that involves illicit drugs. what one says is private or secret: he dropped

approve or sanction (something), esp. with his voice to a confidential whisper. [attrib.]

reluctance: the practice is not ojficially condoned entrusted with private or restricted informa-
by any airline. tion: a confidential secretary.
derivatives: con»don»a»ble adj. con*do« derivatives: con«fi»den«ti»al«i»ty -,den- |

na*tion |-'nasH3n; -do-| n. con«don«er n. CHe'selite i

con»fi»den»tial»ly adv.
n.
COn*duce k3n'd(y)oos • V. [intrans.] (con-
| I
COn*fig*U«ra»tion |k3n,fig(y)3'raSH3n| »n.
duce to) help to bring about (a particular sit- an arrangement of elements in a particular
uation or outcome): every care was taken that form, figure, or combination: the broad config-
could conduce to their comfort. uration of the economy.
COn*du*cive ik3n'd(y)oosiv| » adj. making a the fixed three-dimensional relationship of
certain situation or outcome likely or possi- the atoms in a molecule, defined by the bonds
ble: the harsh lights and cameras were hardly between them. the arrangement in which
conducive to a relaxed atmosphere. items of computer hardware or software are
COn«duc»tive Ikan'dsktivl »adj. having the interconnected. (in psychology) another
ability to serve as a channel or medium for term for gestalt.
something (esp. heat or electricity): to induce derivatives: con»fig»u»ra»tion«al |-SH3nl|
currents in conductive coils. adj. con»flg»u»ra»tion»al»ly |-SH3nl-e| adv.
of or relating to this process. con»fig»u»ra»tive -'fig(y)3r3tiv adj. |
|

derivatives: con»duc*tive»ly adv. com Con»fig*ure Ikan'figyarl » v. [trans.] (often be

duc'tivM'ty n. configured) shape or put together in a par-
COn*duit I
'kan,d(y)6o3t; 'kand(w)9t| * n. a ticular form or configuration: two of the air-
channel for conveying something, esp. water craft will be configured as VIP transports.
or another fluid: a conduit takes water to the (in computing) arrange or order (a com-
power plant the office acts as a conduit for ideas
\
puter system or an element of it) so as to fit
toflow throughout the organization. it for a designated task: expanded memory can

a tube or trough for protecting electric wir- be configured as a virtual drive.

ing: the gas pipe should not be close to any elec- DERI VAT V E s con*£ig«ur»a»ble
I : adj.
trical conduit. COn«fir»ma«tlon |
.kanfar'maSHanI . n. (in
COn*fab*u*late Ikan'faebya.latI [intrans.] the Christian Church) the rite at which a
1 engage in conversation; talk: on the telephone baptized person, esp. one baptized as an in-
confabulating with someone. 2 (in psychiatry) fant, affirms Christian belief and is admitted
fabricate imaginary experiences as compen- as a full member of the church.
sation for loss of memory. the Jewish ceremony of bar mitzvah or bat
derivatives: con»fab*u»la»tion |-,faeby3 mitzvah. [as adj.] a confirmation dress.
'lasH3n| n. con»fab»u«la»to»ry |-b,t6re| COn*firmed kan'fsrmd • adj. (of a person)
|
I

adj. firmly established in a particular habit, belief,

COn»fec»tion Ikan'feksnanl . «. 1 a dish or or way of life and unlikely to change: a con-
delicacy made with
sweet ingredients: a firmed teetotaler.
whipped chocolate and cream confection. COn«fiS»cate rkanf3,skat| *v. [trans.] take or
an elaborately constructed thing, esp. a friv- seize (someone's property) with authority:
olous one: the city is a confection of shimmering the guards confiscated his camera [as adj.] \

gold. 2 the action of mixing or compounding (confiscated) confiscated equipment.

something. seize private property with legal authority as
derivatives: con»fec»tion»ar«y |-,nere| a penalty against its owner: the government
adj. confiscated their truck.
COn»fed*er*ate • adj. kan'fedarat [attrib.] \
|
DERI VAT V E s I con»fis»ca»tion
: .kanfa |

joined by an agreement or treaty: confederate 'skaSH9n| con»fis»ca»tor |-|Skat3r| n.

n.
councils. con«fis»ca»to»ry k3n'fisk3,t6re adj. | |

(Confederate) of or relating to the Confed- COn«fla»gra»tlon ,kanfl3'graSH3n| . an |

erate States of America (1861-65): the Con- extensive fire that burns over a great deal of
federate flag. . «. 1 a person one works with, land or destroys much property.
esp. in something secret or illegal; an accom- COn*flate ksn'flat . v. [trans.] combine (two
| |

plice. 2 (Confederate) a supporter, soldier, or more texts, ideas, etc.) into one: the urban
etc., of the Confederate States of America. crisis conflates a number of different economic
' V. |-,rat| [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (confeder- and social issues.
ated) bring (states or groups of people) into DERIVATIVES: con»fla«tion |-'flaSH3n| n.

an alliance: Switzerland is a model for the new COn*flu*ence |

'kan,floo3ns; kan'flooansi • n.
confederated Europe. the junction of two rivers, esp. rivers of ap-
derivatives: con»fed»er»a«cy n. proximately equal width: here at the conflu-
con*fl»dant |
'kanfs.daEnt; -,dant |
(fern, confi- ence of the Laramie and North Platte rivers.
dante pronunc. same) • n. a person with whom an act or process of merging: a major conflu-
one shares a secret or private matter, trusting ence of the world's financial markets.
them not to repeat it to others. COn*form»ist Ikan'fdrmist] • n. a person who
conformity 91 conjugate
acts in accordance with accepted behavior or number of different things or parts that are
established practices. put or grouped together to form a whole but
Brit, a person who conforms to the practices remain distinct entities: the Earth is a special-
of the Church of England. • adj. (of a per- ized conglomerate of organisms.
son or activity) acting in accordance with [often with adj.] a large corporation formed
accepted behavior or established practices; by the merging of separate and diverse firms:
conventional. a media conglomerate. 2 (in geology) a coarse-
derivatives: con«formnsm |-,miz3m| n. grained sedimentary rock composed of
COn*form*i*ty kan'formite • n. compliance | |
rounded fragments embedded in a matrix of
with standards, rules, or laws: conformity to cementing material. • adj. of or relating to a
regulations the goods were in conformity
\
conglomerate, esp. a large corporation: con-
with the contract. glomerate businesses. * v. |-,rat| [intrans.]

behavior in accordance with accepted con- gather together into a compact mass.
ventions or standards: loyalty to one's party form a conglomerate by merging diverse
need not imply unquestioning conformity. Brit, businesses.
compliance with the practices of the Church derivatives: conglomeratic Iksn.glama
of England. similarity in form or type; 'raetiki adj. con»glom»er»a»tion jkaniglams
agreement in character: these changes are in- 'raSHanI n.
tended to ensure conformity between all pro- con*gre»ga»tion»al .kaNogrs'gasHsnll . adj.
|

cedures. 1 of or relating to an assembly of worshippers

COn*founcl |
ksn'fownd |
• v. [trans.] 1 cause (a congregation): congregational singing,
surprise or confusion in (someone), esp. by 2 (Congregational) of or adhering to Con-
acting against their expectations: the inflation gregationalism: the Congregational Church.
figure confounded economic analysts. COn*gru*ent ksn'groosnt; 'kaNGgrswantI
|

prove (a theory, expectation, or prediction) • adj. 1 in agreement or harmony: institutional

wrong: the rise in prices confounded expecta- and departmental objectives are largely congru-
tions. defeat (a plan, aim, or hope): we will ent the rules may not be congruent with the
I

confound these tactics by the pressure groups. requirements of the law. 2 (of geometrical fig-
overthrow (an enemy). 2 (often be con- ures) identical in form; coinciding exactly
founded with) mix up (something) with when superimposed.
something else so that the individual ele- derivatives: con»gru«ence n. con»gru»
ments become difficult to distinguish: "nuke" en»cy n. con»gru»ent»ly adv.
isnow a cooking term, as microwave radiation is CO*ni*fer 'kanafsr; ko- • n. a tree that bears
|
\

confounded with nuclear radiation. cones and usu. evergreen needlelike or scale-
derivatives: con»found»er n. hke leaves. Conifers are of major importance
COn*frere |
'kan.frer; kan'fi-er; koN'frerl (also as the source of softwood, and also supply
confrere) • n. a fellow member of a profes- resins and turpentine.
sion; a colleague. derivatives: co»nif»er»ous Ika'nifarasI
COn»fute Ikan'fyootl . V. prove (a per-
[trans.] adj.
son or an assertion) to be wrong: those who COn»]ec*ture ksn'jekCHsr |
» n. an opinion or \

sought to confute this view were accused of igno- conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete
rance. information: conjectures about the new-
derivatives: con«fu»ta»tion |
.kanfyoo comer were many and varied] the purpose of the
'taSHan |
n. con»fut»er n. structure is open to conjecture.
COn*geal |
kan'jel |
• v. [intrans.] solidify or co- an unproven mathematical or scientific the-
agulate, esp. by cooling: the bloodhad con- orem. the suggestion or reconstruction of a
gealed into blobs |
[as adj.] (congealed) con- reading of a text not present in the original
gealed egg white. source. • v. [trans.] form an opinion or suppo-
take shape or coalesce, esp. to form a satisfy- sition about (something) on the basis of in-
ing whole: the ballet failed to congeal as a single complete information: he conjectured the exis-
oeuvre. tence of an otherwise unknown feature \
[with
derivatives: con«geal»a»ble adj. con* clause] many conjectured that she had a second
gel»a»tion n. husband in mind.
COn*gen*ial kan'jenyal . adj. pleasant or
| I
(in textual criticism) propose (a reading).
agreeable because well suited to one's own derivatives: con»jec»tur»a»ble adj. con*
taste or inclination: he went back to a climate jec*tur»er n.
more congenial to his cold stony soul. COn*join kan'join; kan-
|
1
• v. [trans.] join;
good-natured; amiable. combine: an approach that conjoins theory and
derivatives: con»ge»ni»aH«ty |
-, jene'ael- method.
ite n. con«gen»ial»ly adv.
I
COn*joint |
ksn'joint; kan- i
• adj. [attrib.] com-
COn*gen*i*tal Iksn'jenstll 'adj. (esp. of a dis- bining all or both people or things involved:
ease or physical abnormality) present from conjoint family therapy.
birth. derivatives: con»joint*ly adv.
(of a person) having a particular trait from con*ju*gate . rkanj3,gat| 1 [trans.] give the
birth or by firmly established habit: a congen- different forms of (a verb in an inflected lan-
ital liar. guage) as they vary according to voice, mood,
derivatives: con»gen»i»tal»ly adv. tense, number, and person. 2 [intrans.] (of
COn*glom«er«ate |
kan'glamarat |
1 a bacteria or unicellular organisms) become
conjunctive 92 conscious
temporarily united in order to exchange ge- COn»no»ta»tion .kana'tasHan . w. an idea or
|
|

netic material. feeling that a word invokes for a person in ad-

(of sex cells)become fused. 3 [trans.] (in dition to its literal or primary meaning (de-
chemistry) be combined with or joined to re- notation): the word "discipline" has unhappy
versibly: bilirubin is conjugated by liver connotations of punishment and repression.
enzymes. * adj. |
'kanjigst; -j3,gat |
coupled, (in philosophy and logic) the abstract mean-
connected, or related. • w. 'kanjigst; -j3,gat |

|
ing or intension of a term, which forms a
a thing that is conjugate or conjugated, in principle determining which objects or con-
particular: cepts it applies to.
a chemical substance formed by the reversi- COn»note Ika'not] *v. [trans.] (of a word) im-
ble combination of two or more others. a ply or suggest (an idea or feeling) in addition
mathematical value or entity having a recip- to the literal or primary meaning: the term
rocal relation with another. "modern science" usually connotes a complete
derivatives: con«ju»ga*cy I'kanjagasel openness to empirical testing.
n. con«ju»ga»tion n. con»ju»ga»tive 'kanja
|
(of a fact) imply as a consequence or condi-
,gativ| adj. tion: in that period a log cabin connoted hard
COn*junc*tive |k3n'j3NG(k)tiv| - adj. serving luck.
to join; connective: the conjunctive tissue. derivatives: con»no«ta»tive |
'kana.takh
involving the combination or co-occurrence tiv| adj.
of two or more conditions or properties: con- usage: Connote does not mean the same
junctive hypotheses are simpler to process than
as denote. Denote refers to the literal, pri-
negative or disjunctive ones. of the nature of mary meaning of something; connote refers
or relating to a grammatical conjunction. • n. to other characteristics suggested or implied
a word or expression acting as a conjunction.
by that thing. Thus, one might say that
a
derivatives: con»iunc«tive»ly adv.
word like mother denotes 'a woman who a is
COmjure 'V. 1 I'kanjsr; 'kan-l [trans.] make parent' but connotes qualities such as protec-
(something) appear unexpectedly or seem- tion and affection. Connotate is a needless
ingly from nowhere as if by magic: Anne con-
variant of connote that, if anything, only
jured up a most delicious stew. adds to the confusion: avoid it.
call (an image) to mind: she was no longer able
to conjure up the image of her mother's face. COn«nu«bl«al k3'n(y)oobe3l
|
. adj. of or I

(of a word, sound, smell, etc.) cause some- relating to marriage or the relationship of
one to feel or think of (something): one scent husband and wife; conjugal: their connubial
can conjure up a childhood summer beside a bed.
lake. call upon (a spirit or ghost) to appear, derivatives: con«nu»bi»aln»ty |
ka
by means of a magic ritual: they hoped to con- ,n(y)oobe'aelite |
n. con»nu»bi«al»ly adv.
jure up the spirit of their dead friend. 2 kan |
COn*san*guin*e*OUS |
,kan,saENG'gwineas I

'joorl [with obj. and infinitive] arcliaic implore • adj. relating to or denoting people
(someone) to do something. descended from the same ancestor: consan-
derivatives: con«jur«er con»ju»ror n. guineous marriages.
COn*nate 'kan.at; ka'nati • adf (esp. of ideas
|
derivatives: con*san»guin»i»ty |-'gwin-
or principles) existing in a person or thing ite| n.

from birth; innate. COn*SCience 'kanCHans] • n. an inner feel-

|

of the same or similar nature; aUied; conge- ing or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the
nial. rightness or wrongness of one's behavior: he
COn«nat*U»ral |
k3'naeCH(3)r3l; ka- 1
• adj. be- had a guilty conscience about his desires \

longing naturally; innate: religion is connatural Ben was suffering a pang of conscience.
with man. derivatives: con»science»less adj.
DERI VAT V E s con»nat«u«ral»ly adv.
I : COn«SCi*en*tiOUS ,kanCHe'enCHas| » adj.|

COn*niv*ance ka'nivans • n. willingness

| |
to (of a person) wishing to do what is right,
secretly allow or be involved in an immoral or esp. to do one's work or duty well and thor-
illegal act: this infringement of the law had taken oughly.
place with the connivance of officials. (of work or a person's manner) showing such
COn*nive Ika'mvl 'V. [intrans.] (connive an attitude: a conscientious look on her face.
at/in) secretly allow (something considered relating to a person's conscience, conscien-
immoral, illegal, or harmful) to occur: you tious beliefs.
have it in your power to connive at my escape. derivatives: con»sci»en»tious»ly adv.
conspire to do something considered im- con»sci»en»tious»ness n.
moral, illegal, or harmful: the government had COn'SCious |'kanCHas| » adj. aware of and
connived with security forces in permitting responding to one's surroundings; awake.
murder \
[as adj.] (conniving) a conniving having knowledge of something; aware: we
partner. are conscious of the extent of the problem.
derivatives: con»niv«er n. (conscious of) painfully aware of;
[predic]
COn»nols*seur .kans'sar; -'sOOrl • n. an ex-
|
sensitive to: he was very conscious of his ap-
pert judge in matters of taste: a connoisseur pearance. [in combination] concerned with or
of music. worried about a particular matter: they were
derivatives: con»nois»seur»ship |-,SHipi growing increasingly security-conscious. (of an
n. action or feeling) deliberate and intentional:
conscript
a conscious effort to walk properly. (of the
mind or a thought) directly perceptible to
and under the control of the person con-
cerned, n. (in psychology) the conscience
mind. Cf. subconscious, unconscious, pre-
CONSCIOUS.
derivatives: con»scious»ly adv.
COn«script . Ikan'skriptl [trans.] (often be
conscripted) enhst (someone) compulso-
rily, typically into the armed services: they
were conscripted into the army. • n. 'kan
,skript| a person enlisted compulsorily.
derivatives: con»scrip»tion
COn»se»crate 'kansi,krat| . V. [trans.] (usube
|
consecrated) make or declare (something,
typically a church) sacred; dedicate formally
to a religious or divine purpose: the present
Holy was consecrated in 1845
Trinity church
[as adj.] (consecrated) consecrated ground.
(in Christian belief) make (bread or wine)
into the body or blood of Christ: [as adj.]
(consecrated) they received the host but not the
consecrated wine. ordain (someone) to a sa-
cred office, typically that of bishop: [with
and complement] 1969 he was consecrated
in
bishop of Northern Uganda. devote (some-
thing) exclusively to a particular purpose:
they'd decided to consecrate all their energies
to this purposeful act.
derivatives: con»se»cra»tion ,kansi
'kraSH3n| con«se«cra«tor |-|krat3r| n.
n.
con«se«cra«to»ry -kr3,t6re adj. | |
COn*sec»U»tlve Iksn'sekyativl » adj. follow-
ing continuously: five consecutive months of se-
rious decline.
in unbroken or logical sequence. (in gram-
mar) expressing consequence or result: a con-
secutive clause. (in music) denoting intervals
of the same kind (esp. fifths or octaves) oc-
curring in succession between two parts or
voices. (of two or more prison sentences) to
be served one after the other. Cf. concur-
rent.
derivatives: con»sec»u»tive«ly acfz;. con*
sec»u»tive»ness n.
COn*sen«SU*al Iksn'sencHswall 'adj. relat-
ing to or involving consent, esp. mutual con-
sent: he admitted to having consensual sex with
two women.
relating to or involving consensus: all
decision-making was consensual.
derivatives: con»sen»su»al»ly adv.
COn*sen*SUS ksn'sensss • n. [usu. in sing.]
|
I
general agreement: a consensus of opinion
among judges [as adj.] a consensus view.
\
COn«se»quent 'kansikwsm; -,kwent| 'adj.
|
following as a result or effect: labor shortages
would be created with a consequent increase in
wages. Cf. subsequent.
(of a stream or valley) having a direction or
character determined by the original slope of
the land before erosion. logically consis-
tent. ' n. ^ a thing that follows another.
(in logic) the second part of a conditional
proposition, whose truth is stated to be im-
plied by that of the antecedent. the second
term of a mathematical ratio.
COn»se*quen*tial ,kans3'kwenCH3l| 'adj.
|
93 consideration
1 following as a result or effect: a loss of confi-
dence and a consequential withdrawal of funds.
(in law) resulting from an act, but not imme-
diately and directly: consequential damages.
2 of great consequence; important; signifi-
cant.
derivatives: con»se«quen»ti»aW»ty |
,kan-
s3,kwenCHe'aelite |
n. con»se»quen«tial»ly
adv.
COn»serv«an*cy Ikan'sarvansel 'n. (pi. -ies)
\
[in names] a body concerned with the preser-
vation of natural resources: the Nature Conser-
n. vancy.
COn»serv»a*tlve Ikan'sarvativ; -V3,tiv| 'adj.
holding to traditional attitudes and values
and cautious about change or innovation,
typically in relation to politics or religion.
\
(of Jews and Judaism) between Orthodox
and Reform with regard to observation of tra-
ditional religious law and obligation. • n. a
person who is averse to change and holds to
traditional values and attitudes, typically in
relation to politics.
obj. (Conservative) a supporter or member of
the Conservative Party of Great Britain or a
similar party in another country.
derivatives: con»serv«a«tism [ksn'ssrva
,tiz9m| n. con»serv»a»tive»ly adv. con*
serv»a»tive»ness n.
|
COn»ser*va*tor Iksn'sarvapr; k3n's3rv3,t6r;
'kans3r,vapr ' n. a person responsible for
I
the repair and preservation of works of art,
buildings, or other things of cultural or envi-
ronmental interest.
a guardian or protector:
the court appointed
handle the couple's affairs.
a conservator to
derivatives: con»serv»a»to»ri*al adj.
con»ser»va»tor»ship n.
COn*serv*a*tO«ry kan'sarva.tore |
|
• n. (pi.
-ies) 1 a college for the study of classical mu-
sic or other arts. 2 a room with a glass roof
and walls, attached to a house, typically at
one side, and used as a greenhouse or a sun
parlor.
COn*serve kan'sarv
|
. v. [trans.] protect
|
(something, esp. an environmentally or cul-
turally important place or thing) from harm
or destruction: the funds raised will help con-
serve endangered meadowlands.
prevent the wasteflil or harmful overuse of (a
resource) industry should conserve more water.
:
(in physics) maintain (a quantity such as
energy or mass) at a constant overall total.
(usu. be conserved) retain (a particular
amino acid, nucleotide, or sequence of these)
unchanged in different protein or DNA mol-
ecules. preserve (food, typically fi-uit) with
sugar. |'kan,S3rv| a sweet food made by
' n.
preserving fi-uit with sugar; jam.
con*sid*er»a»tion |k3n,sid3'rasH3n| • «.
1 careful thought, typically over a period of
time: a long process involving a great deal of
careful consideration.
a fact or a motive taken into account in
deciding or judging something: the idea was
motivated by political considerations. thought-
fulness and sensitivity toward others: compa-
nies should show more consideration for their
consign 94 constitution
employees. 2 a payment or reward: j^ow can buy COn»spec»tUS kan'spektss • n. a summary
|
\

the books for a small consideration. or overview of a subject: five of his works give
(in a contractual agreement) anything given a rich conspectus of his art.
or promised or forborne by one party in ex- COn*spiC*U*OUS kan'spikyawas . adj.
|
|

change for the promise or undertaking of an- standing out so as to be clearly visible: a con-
other. 3 importance; consequence. spicuous Adam 's apple.
COn«sign Ikan'smI • z;. [trans.] dehver (some- attracting notice or attention: conspicuous
thing) to a person's custody, typically in or- bravery.
der for it to be sold: he consigned three paint- derivatives: con»spi»cuM«ty ,kanspi |

ings to Sotheby's. 'kyooitel con»spic»u»ous»ly adv. con*

n.
send (goods) by a public carrier. (consign spic»u»ous»ness n.
someone/something to) assign; commit COn»spir«a»cy |kan'spirase| • n. (pi. -ies) a
decisively or permanently: she consigned the secret plan by a group to do something un-
letter to the wastebasket. lawful or harmful: a conspiracy to destroy evi-
derivatives: con»sign«ee .kansa'ne; |
dence.
,kan,si'ne; kan.si'nel n. con»sign»ment n. the action of plotting or conspiring.
con»sign«or [ksn'sinarl n. COn»Sta*ble 'kanstabal| .
|
1 a peace offi-
Con«slst.t'. Ikan'sistI [intrans.] 1 (consist of) cer with limited policing authority, typically
be composed or made up of: the exhibition in a small town.
consists of 180 drawings. Brit, a police officer. 2 the governor of a royal

(consist in) have as an essential feature: his castle.

duties consist in taking the condition of the ba- formerly, the highest-ranking official in a
rometer. 2 (consist with) be consistent with: royal household.
the information perfectly consists with our COn*Stab»U*lar»y i
kan'staebya,lere |
• n. (pi.

friend's account. • n. (in railroading) the set of -ies) the constables of a district, collectively.
cars following the locomotive and making up an armed police force organized as a military
a train. unit. a police force covering a particular
COn«SO»nance 'kanssnans • n. agreement
|
I
area or city. • adj. [attrib.] of or relating to a
or compatibility between opinions or actions: constabulary.
consonance between conservation measures and COn*Ster*na»tion |
.kanstar'nasnan |
. n. feel-
existing agricultural practice. ings of anxiety or dismay, typically at some-
the recurrence of similar sounds, esp. conso- thing unexpected: / let the lawn grow long,
nants, in close proximity (chiefly as used in much to the consternation of the neighbors.
prosody), "combination of musical notes COn»Stit*U*en*cy |
kan'stiCHawanse I
• n. (pi

that are in harmony with each other owning -ies) a body of voters in a specified area who
to the relationship between their frequencies. elect a representative to a legislative body: the
COn*SO*nant 'kansananti • n. a basic speech
|
politician who wishes to remain in the good graces
sound in which the breath is at least partly of his constituency.
obstructed and which can be combined with the area represented in this way. a body of
a vowel (made with relatively unobstructed customers or supporters: a constituency of rac-
breath) to form a syllable. ing fans.
a letter representing such a sound. • adj. Con»stit*u*ent |kan'sticHawant| 'adj. [attrib.]
1 [attrib.] denoting or relating to such a sound 1 being a part of a whole: the constituent min-
or letter: a consonant phoneme. 2 [predic] (con- erals of the rock. 2 being a voting member of
sonant with) in agreement or harmony with: an organization and having the power to ap-
the findings are consonant with other research. point or elect: the constituent body has a right
(in music) making a harmonious interval or of veto.
chord: the bass is consonant with all the upper able to make or change a political constitu-
notes. tion: a constituent assembly. • «. 1 a member
derivatives: con*so*nan*tal ,kans3 |
of a constituency. 2 a component part of
'naentl adj. con»so«nant»ly adv.
|
something: the essential constituents of the hu-
COn»SOrti • n. 'kan,s6rt a wife, husband, or
\
|
man diet.
companion, in particular the spouse of a COn*sti*tute 'kansta,t(y)oot • v.
|
|
[trans.] 1 be
reigning monarch. » v. ksn'sort; 'kan.sort | |
(a part) of a whole: single parents constitute a
[intrans ] (consort with) habitually associate great proportion of the poor.
with (someone), typically with the disap- (of people or things) combine to form (a
proval of others: you chose to consort with the whole): there were enough members present to
enemy. constitute a quorum. be or be equivalent to
COn*SOrt2 |'kan,s6rt| » n. a small group of (something): his failure to act constituted a
musicians performing together, typically breach of duty. 2 (usu. be constituted) give
playing instrumental music of the Renais- legal or constitutional form to (an institu-
sance period: a consort of viols. tion); establish by law.
COn»SOr*ti»um ksn'sorteam; -'s6rSH(e)3m
| |
COn»Sti*tu»tion ,kansta't(y)ooSHan| . n. 1 a
|

• n. consortia -'sortes; -'s6rsH(e)3 or

(pi. |
1 body of fundamental principles or estab-
consortiums) 1 an association, typically of lished precedents according to which a state
several companies. 2 (in law) the right of as- or other organization is acknowledged to be
sociation and companionship with one's hus- governed.
band or wife. a written record of this: the preamble to the
constitutional 95 contagion
constitution of UNESCO.
(the Constitu- chitecture and design, [origin: Russian
tion) the basic written set of principles of fed- konstruktivizm.]
eral government in the US, which came into derivatives: con»struc»tivnst adj.
operation in 1789 and has since been modi- COn*Strue Ikan'strool 'V. (construes, con-
fied by twenty-seven amendments. 2 the strued, construing) [trans (often be con- ]

composition of something: the genetic consti- strued) interpret (a word or action) in a par-
tution of a species. ticular way: his words could hardly be
the forming or establishing of something: the construed as an apology.
constitution of a police authority. 3 a person's analyze the syntax of (a text, sentence, or
physical state with regard to vitality, health, word): both verbs can be construed voith ei-
and strength: pregnancy had weakened her con- ther infinitive. translate (a passage or au-
stitution. thor) word for word, typically aloud.
a person's mental or psychological makeup. derivatives: con»stru»a»ble adj. con*
COn»Sti»tu»tion*al ,kanst9't(y)oosH3nl |
I
stru*al |-'stroo3l| n.
• adj. 1 of or relating to an established set of COn»SUe*tude 'kansw9,t(y)ood| • n. estab-
|

principles governing a state: a constitutional lished custom, esp, when having legal force.
amendment. DERI VAT I v e s con«sue*tud»i«nal adj. con*
:

in accordance with or allowed by such prin- sue*tu*di*nar»y ,kansw3't(y)oodn,ere adj.

| |

ciples: a constitutional monarchy actions that \

COn*SUl 'kansal • n. ^ an official appointed
I
\

were ruled not constitutional. 2 of or relating to by a government to live in a foreign city and
someone's physical or mental condition: a protect the government's citizens and inter-
constitutional weakness. • n. a walk, typically ests there (as distinguished from an ambassa-
one taken regularly to maintain or restore dor, who represents one country's interests in
good health. another, and is usually stationed in the sec-
DERI VAT v E s
I : con»sti«tu»tion»al»i«ty ond country's capital). 2 (in ancient Rome)
I
- ,t(y)oosH3'naelite |
n. con»sti«tu»tion»aWy one of the two annually elected chief magis-
adv. trates who jointly ruled the republic.
COn*Sti*tU»tive |
'kanst3,t(y)ootiv; kan any of the three chief magistrates of the first
'stiCHstiv I
• having the power to estab-
adj. 1 French republic (1799-1804).
lish or give organized existence to something: DERI VAT I V E s con*su*lar
: 'kans(y)3br | |

the state began to exercise a new and constitutive adj. con*sul»ship |

-,SHip |
n.
function. 2 forming a part or constituent of COn*SlJm»er»ism Ikan'sooms.rizsmI • n.
something; component: poverty is a constitu- 1 the protection or promotion of the interests
tive element of a particular form of economic of consumers. 2 in economics, the idea that
growth. ever increasing growth in the consumption of
forming an essential element of something: goods is viable and beneficial. 3 the preoccu-
language is constitutive of thought. 3 (in bi- pation of society with the acquisition of con-
ochemistry) relating to an enzyme or enzyme sumer goods.
system that is continuously produced in an derivatives: con*sum»erMSt adj. & n.
organism, regardless of the needs of cells. con«sum*erns»tic k3n,soom3'ristik| |
adj.
derivatives: con»sti«tu»tive»ly adv. con*SUm*mate ^v. |'kans3,mat| [trans.]

COn*strain ksn'stran . v. [trans.] (often be

| |
make (a marriage or relationship) complete
constrained) severely restrict the scope, ex- by having sexual intercourse: refused to con-
tent, or activity of: agricultural development is summate their marriage, which subsequently was
constrained by climate. annulled.
compel or force (someone) toward a partic- complete (a transaction or attempt); make
ular course of action: [with obj. and infinitive] perfect: their scheme of colonization was con-
work in the way the
children are constrained to summated through bloodshed. • adj. \
'kansa-
book dictates. [usu. as adj.] (constrained) mat; kan'samati showing a high degree of
cause to appear unnaturally forced, typically skill and flair; complete or perfect: she dressed
because of embarrassment: he was acting in a with consummate elegance.
constrained manner. confine forcibly; im- derivatives: con»sum»mate»ly |
'kan-
prison. bring about (something) by com- samatle; kan'samatle] adv. con»sum»ma«
pulsion. tion n. con«sum»ma«tor 'kansa matar n. |

derivatives: con»strain*a»ble adj. con* COn«SUmp*tive |kan'sam(p)tiv| •adj. 1 af-

strain»ed»ly |
-nadle |
adv. fected with a wasting disease, esp. pulmonary
COn^Straint Ikan'strantI * n. a hmitation or tuberculosis (formerly called consumption)
restriction: the availability of water is the main •.from birth he was sickly and consumptive. 2 of
constraint on food production time con- \
or relating to the using up of resources: tour-
straints make it impossible to do everything. ism represents an insidious form of consumptive
inhibition in relations between people: they activity. • n. a person with a wasting disease,
would be able to talk without constraint. esp.pulmonary tuberculosis.
COn*Struc»tiv»ism Iksn'strskti.vizaml . n. a derivatives: con»sump«tive«ly adv.
style or movement in art in which assorted COn*ta*gion kan'tajan • n. the communica-
|
|

mechanical objects are combined into ab- tion of disease fi-om one person to another by
stract mobile structural forms. The move- close contact: the rooms held no risk of conta-
ment originated in Russia in the 1920s and gion.
has influenced many aspects of modern ar- a disease spread in such a way. the spread-
 .

contagious 96 contextual ism

ing of a harmful idea or practice: the contagion its officers: several unions were held to be in
of disgrace. contempt and were fined.
COn*ta*gious kan'tajas • adj. (of a disease)
|
|
COn*tempt*i*ble k3n'tem(p)t3b3l • adj. |
|

spread from one person or organism to an- 1 deserving contempt; despicable: a display of
other by direct or indirect contact; commu- contemptible cowardice. 2 displaying con-
nicable: a contagious infection. Cf. infectious tempt; contemptous: a contemptible sneer.
(of a person or animal) likely to transmit a derivatives: con«temptM»bly |-ble| adv.
disease by contact with other people or ani- COn*temp*tU*OUS k3n'tem(p)CH3W3S . adj. | I

mals. (of an emotion, feeling, or attitude) showing contempt; scornful: she was intoler-
likely to spread to and affect others: her enthu- ant and contemptuous offellow students.
siasm is contagious. derivatives: c on»temp»tu»ous»ly adv.
derivatives: con»ta»gious«ly adv. con* con»temp»tu»ous«ness n.
ta»gious»ness n. con*tend Ikan'tendl »v. 1 [intrans.] (contend
usage: Contagious and infectious (not- vk^th/against) struggle to overcome (a diffi-
misused. In the culty or danger) she had to contend with his un-
infectuous) are often
:
strict
certain temper.
medical sense, a contagious disease is

transmitted by direct physical contact, (contend for) engage in a competition or

whereas an infectious disease is carried by campaign in order to win or achieve (some-
thing): the local team should contend for a divi-
germs in air or water, or by a specific kind of
physical contact (as with venereal diseases).
sion championship \
[as adj.] (contending) dis-

In figurative, nontechnical senses, conta- putes continued between the contending parties.

gious may describe the spread of things 2 [with clause] assert something as a position
good or bad, such as laughter and merri- in an argument: he contends that the judge was
ment, or corruption, violence, panic, etc.: wrong.
The chief's paranoia had a contagious effect on derivatives: con«tend»er n.

the officers. Infectious, in figurative senses,

COn*ten«tious kan'tenCHas • adj. causing
| |

usually refers to the spread of only pleasant, or likely to cause an argument; controversial:

positive things, such as good humor, opti- a contentious issue.

involving heated argument: the subject of con-
mism: Sharon's infectious enthusiasm for the
tentious debate. (of a person) given to argu-
project attracted many volunteers.
ing or provoking argument. (in law) relat-
COn*tam«i*nate ksn'tasma.nat » v. [trans.]|
|
ing to or involving differences between
(often be contaminated) make (something) contending parties.
impure, often dangerous, by exposure to or derivatives: con»ten»tious»ly adv. con*
addition of a poisonous or polluting sub- ten»tious»ness n.
stance: the site was found to be contaminated by COn»ter*mi»nouS |kan't3rm3n3s;k3n-| » adj.
radioactivity the juice has been contaminated
\
sharing a common boundary: the forty-eight
with fine rust flakes the entertainment industry
\
conterminous states.
is able to contaminate the mind of the public [as \
having the same area, context, or meaning: a
adj.] (contaminated) contaminated blood genealogy conterminous with the history of the
products. US. Cf. coterminous.
derivatives: con«tam»i«nant |-'t£em3- derivatives: con»ter»mi»nous»ly adv.
nantl n. con»tamM»na»tion |-,taem3'na- con»ter»mi«nous»ness n.
SH3n| con«tam»i»na»tor |-napr! n.
n. con»tes»ta*tlon ,kan,t3s'tasH3n| . «. formal
|

COn*te koNt • n. a short story as a form of

I I
the action or process of disputing or arguing.
literary composition. COn»text 'kan,tekst • «. the circumstances
I
|

a medieval narrative tale. that form the setting for an event, statement,
COn*temn Ikan'temj » V. [trans.] treat or re- or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully
gard with contempt. understood and evaluated: the decision was
derivatives: con»tem«ni»ble adj. con* taken within the context ofplanned cuts in spend-
temn»er, contemnor |-'tem(n)3r| n. ing.
con»tem»pona*ne*ous k3n,temp3'rane3s | |
the parts of something written or spoken
• adj. existing or occurring in the same period that immediately precede and follow a word
of time: Pythagoras was contemporaneous or passage and clarify its meaning: word pro-
xvith the Buddha. cessing is affected by the context in which words
DERI vat I V e s con«tem»po»ra»ne»i»ty -ra
: |
appear.
'neite; -ra'naite con»tem»po«ra»ne«ous*
|
n. derivatives: con»text»less adj. con»tex»
ly adv. con»tem»po«ra»ne»ous»ness n. tu*al kan'teksCHawal adj. con»tex«tu»al»
I I

COn»tempt k3n'tem(p)t
|
the feeling that I
. n. ly kan'tekscHawale adv.
I I

a person or a thing is not worthy of consider- COn*tex»tu»al*ism kan'teksCHawa.lizam | |

ation, worthless, or deserving scorn: he • «. 1 a philosophical doctrine that empha-

showed his contempt for his job by doing it very sizes theimportance of the context of inquiry
badly. in a particular question. 2 the theory that
disregard for something that should be taken works of art and literature should be viewed
into account: an arrogant contempt for the and judged with reference to the social, polit-
wishes of the majority. (also contempt of ical, and cultural context in which they were
court) the offense of being disobedient to or made.
disrespectful of a court of law, its orders, or DERI VAT v E s con»tex»tu»aWst n.
I :
 |

context ua ize I 97 contraband

con«tex*tu«aHze ikan'teksCHawa.lizI 'V. a state of stability and the absence of disrup-
[trans.] place or study in context: the book con- tion. (often continuity between/with) a
textualizes Melville's short fiction and poetry. connection or line of development with no
derivatives: con«tex«tu»aln»za«tion sharp breaks: woven blanket designs that pro-
k3n,teksCH3W9b'zaSH3n n.
I
|
vide continuity with the past. 2 the mainte-
COn*tig*U*OUS kan'tigyawss • adj. sharing a
|
|
nance of continuous action and self-
common border; touching: Maine and New consistent detail in the various scenes of a
Hampshire are contiguous states. movie or broadcast: [as adj.] a continuity error.
next or together in sequence: five hundred the linking of broadcast items, esp. by a spo-
contiguous dictionary entries. ken commentary.
derivatives: con»ti»gu»i»ty n. con»tig»u» COn*tin*u*0 kan'tinys.wo|
(also basso |

ous'ly adv. con«tig»u»ous«ness n. continuo) • n. (pi. -os) (in baroque music) an

COn«ti*nent • adj. 1 able to control move-
ments of tlie bowels and bladder. 2 exercising
self-restraint, esp. sexually.
derivatives:
nent'ly adv.
accompanying part that includes a bass line
and harmonies, typically played on a key-
board instrument and with other instruments
con»ti»nence n. con»ti» such as cello or bass viol.
COn«tin«U*OUS ksn'tinyawas • adf 1 form-|
|

COn*ti«nen«tal |
.kantn'entl |
'adj. 1 [attrib.] ing an unbroken whole; without interruption:
coming from or characteristic of mainland the whole performance is enacted in one continu-
Europe: traditional continental cuisine. 2 (also ous movement.
Continental) pertaining to the 13 original forming a series with no exceptions or rever-
colonies of the US; colonial: in 1783 the offi- sals: there have been continuous advances in de-
cers and men of the continental forces had little to sign and production. 2 denoting an aspect or
celebrate. • an inhabitant of mainland
n. 1 tense of a verb that expresses an action in
Europe, as distinguished from Britain and progress.
Ireland. 2 (Continental) a member of the co- derivatives: con«tin«u»ous«ly adv. con»
lonial army in the American Revolution. tin»u»ous«ness n.
COn»tin»gen«cy ksn'tinjanse | I
. n. (pi. -ies) a
usage: In precise usage, continual means
future event or circumstance that is possible
'frequent, repeating at intervals' and con-
but cannot be predicted with certainty: a tinuous means 'going on without pause or
detailed contract that attempts to provide for all
interruption': suffered from the continual
contingencies.
attacks of mosquitoes. The waterfall's contin-
a provision for such an events or circum-
uous flow creates an endless roar. Continu-
stance: [as adj.] a contingency reserve. an in- ous is the word to use in decribing spatial
cidental expense: allow an extra fifteen percent
relationships, as in a continuous (not con-
in the budget for contingencies. the absence of tinual) series of rooms; a continuous plain
certainty in events: the island's public affairs
of arable land. Avoid using continuous or
can be invaded by contingency. (in philoso-
continuously as a way of describing some-
phy) the absence of necessity; the fact of be- thing that occurs at regular or seasonal inter-
ing so without having to be so.
vals: Our holiday ceremony has been held con-
COn*tin*gent kan'tinjant • adj. 1 subject to
|
|

tinuously (should be annually) since 1925.

chance: the contingent nature of the job.
(of losses, habilities, etc.) that can be antici- COn*tin*U*um kan'tinyswsm . n. (pi. con-
|
|

pated to arise if a particular event occurs: tinua -yaws I) [usu. in sing.] a continuous
I

businesses need to be aware of their liabilities, both sequence in which adjacent elements are not
actual and contingent. verifiable by observa- perceptibly different from each other, al-
tion, without reference to logical necessity: though the extremes are quite distinct.
Cf. empirical. 2 [predic] (contingent on/ COn*tort ksn'tort . V. twist or bend out of
I I

upon) occurring or existing only if (certain its normal shape: [trans.] a spasm of pain con-
other circumstances) are the case; dependent torted his face [intrans.] her face contorted with
|

on: resolution of the conflict was contingent on the anger |

[as adj.] (contorted) contorted limbs \

signing of a cease-fire agreement. a contorted version of the truth.

DERI VAT I v E s con»tin»gent»ly adv.
: derivatives: con»tor«tion kan'torSHsn |

COn*tin«U*al kan'tinyswsl • adj. frequently

|
|
n.
recurring; always happening: the city capitu- COn»tor*tion*ist Ikan'torSHanistI • n. an en-

lated after continual attacks. tertainer who and bends his or her
twists
having no interruptions: some patients need body into strange and unnatural positions.
continual safeguarding. COn*tra*band 'kantra.baend • n. something
|
|

DERIVATIVES: con»tin»u»aWy adv. that has been imported or exported illegally:

usage: For the difference between con- the police looked for drugs, guns, and other con-

tinual and continuous, see usage at con- traband.

tinuous. trade in smuggled goods: the government has
declared a nationwide war on contraband.
COn*ti*nu«i»ty ,kanm'(y)oo3te| . n. (pi. -ies)
|
(also contraband of war) goods forbidden
1 the unbroken and consistent existence or to be supplied by neutrals to those engaged
operation of something over a period of time: in war. • adj. imported or exported illegally,
pension rights accruing through continuity of em- either in defiance of a total ban or without
ployment. payment of duty: contraband cigarettes.
contrabass 98 controvert
relating to traffic in illegal goods: the contra- • adj. opposing or rejecting popular opinion;
band market. going against current practice.
derivatives: con»tra«bandMst |-ist| n. derivatives: con«trar»i»an»ism |
- , niz-
COn*tra*bass 'kantra.basl |
• n. another term 3m| n.
for double bass, the largest and lowest mem- con*tra»ri*e*ty ,kantr3'n3te| . n. opposition |

ber of the violin family. • adj. [attrib.] denoting or inconsistency between two or more things:
a musical instrument with a range an octave questions that involved much contrariety of opin-
lower than the normal bass range: a contra- ion.
bass clarinet. COn«tra»vene ,kantr9'ven| |
. V. [trans.] violate
COn*tract*a*ble |
kan'traektabsl |
• adj. (of a the prohibition or order of (a law, treaty, or
disease) able to be caught. code of conduct): this would contravene the rule
COn*tract»i»ble kan'traektsbal . adj. able to |
i
against hearsay.
be shrunk or capable of contracting. conflict with (a right, principle, etc.), and
COn*trac»tile Iksn'trsktsl; -,til| *adj. capa- thereby compromise it.
ble of or producing muscular contraction: the DERI VAT V E s con»tra»ven«er n.
I :

contractile activity of the colon. COn*tre*danse 'kantrs.dsens; .koNtra'daNsI |

derivatives: con«trac»tiW»ty |
,kan,traek • n. (pi. same) a French form of country
'tilitel n. dance, originating in the 1 8th century and re-
COn«trac*tion kan'traeksnsn » n. the | |
lated to the quadrille.
process of becoming smaller: the general con- music for such a dance. another
a piece of
traction of the industry did further damage to term contradance.
for
morale. COn»tre*temps 'kantra.taN; .koNtra'taNl |

the process in which a muscle becomes or is » n. (pi. same |-,taN(z); -'taN(z)l) an unex-
made shorter and tighter: neurons control the pected and unfortunate occurrence.
contraction of muscles repeat the exercise, hold- |
a minor dispute or disagreement.
ing each contraction for one second. (usu. COn»trib«U«tony Ikan'tribys.torel * adj.

contractions) a shortening of the uterine 1 playing a part in bringing something about:

muscles occurring at intervals before and smoking is a contributory cause of lung cancer.
during childbirth. a word or group of words 2 (of a pension or insurance plan) operated
resulting from shortening an original form: by means of a fund into which people pay:
"goodbye" is a contraction of "God be with you." contributory benefits.
the process of shortening a word by combi- COn*trlte [kan'tntl • adj. feeling or expressing
nation or elision. remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.
COn*tra*dance 'kantrs.daensl • n. a country
|
derivatives: con»trite»ly aJt;. con»trite«
dance in which the couples form lines facing ness n.
each other. COn*tri»tion kan'triSHan |
» n. the state of |

con*tra»dis*tinc*tion ikantrada'stiNck- |
feeling remorseful and penitent.
SHsn • n. distinction made by contrasting
I
(in the Roman Catholic Church) the repent-
the different qualities of two things: the bacte- ance of past sins during or after confession.
rium is termed "rough " in contradistinction COn*triv*ance kan'tnvans »n. a thing that | \

to its ordinary smooth form. is created skillfully and inventively to serve a

COn*tra«in*di*cate ,kantr3'ind3,kat| 'V. |

particular purpose: an assortment of electronic
[trans.] (usu. be contraindicated) (of a con- equipment and mechanical contrivances.
dition or circumstance) suggest or indicate the use of skill to bring about something or
that (a particular technique or drug) should create something: the requirements of the sys-
not be used in the case in question: dosages tem, by happy chance and some contrivance, can
over 500 mg are contraindicated in the presence be summed up in an acronym. a device, esp.
of hypertension. in literary or artistic composition, that gives
derivatives: con«tra»in»di»ca«tion i
-,in- a sense of artificiality.
ds'kasHsn] n. COn*trol kan'trol • h. (in science, medicine,
I
|

COn«tral*tO kan'traelto • n. (pi. -os) the low-

| |
etc.) a group or individual used as a standard
est female singing voice: the voice was a round, of comparison for checking the results of a
full contralto. survey or experiment: they saw no difference
a singer with such a voice. a part written between the cancer patients and the controls. • v.
for such a voice. [intrans.] (control for) take into account (an

COn*tra»po»si«tion .kantrspa'zisHan . n.
|
|
extraneous factor that might affect results)
conversion of a logical proposition from all A when performing an experiment: no attempt
is B to all not-B is not-A. was made to control for variations [as adj.] \

derivatives: con»tra«pos«i«tive |-'paz- (controlled) a controlled trial.

ativ I
adj. & n. derivatives: con»troWa»bil«i«ty Ikan
COn»tra»pun»tal .kantra'pand] • adj. of or in |
.trob'bilite n. con»trol*la»ble adj. con*
I

musical counterpoint. trol»la«bly adv.

(of a piece of music) with two or more inde- COn»troHer Ikan'trobrI • n. (in institutions,
pendent melodic lines. etc.) a person in charge of an organization's
derivatives: con»tra»pun»tal*ly adv. finances.
con»tra»pun«tist |-tist| n. derivatives: con»trol»ler*ship |
-,SHip |
n.

COn«trar»l»an Iksn'trerean; kan-! * n. a per- COn»tro*vert 'kantra.vart; .kantra'vart * v.

|

son who opposes or rejects popular opinion. [trans.] deny or contradict the truth of (some-
contumacious 99 conversion
thing): subsequent work from the same labora- one less formal than a treaty. 3 a large meet-
tory controverted these resuks. ing or conference, esp. of members of a polit-
argue about (something) the views : in the ar- ical party or a particular profession: a conven-
have been controverted.
ticle tion of retail merchants.
derivatives: con«tro»vert»i»ble adj. an assembly of the delegates of a political
COn*tU*ma*cioUS ,kant(y)3'maSH3s| •adj. |
party to select candidates for office. an
stubbornly or willfully disobedient to author- organized meeting of enthusiasts for a televi-
ity, esp. legal authority. sion program, movie, or literary genre: a Star
derivatives: con«tu»ma»cy n. con»tu» Trek convention. a body set up by agreement
ma»cious»ly adv. to deal with a particular issue, the convention
Con»tu»me«ly k3n't(y)oom3le; |
'kant(y)3 is a UN
body responsible for the regulation of sea
,mele; 'kan,t(y)oomle |
• n. (pi. -ies) insolent dumping.
or insulting language or treatment: elderly COn»ven*tlon*al kanVencHanl | |
. adj. based
neighbors should not be exposed to gossip and on or in accordance with what is generally
contumely. done or believed.
derivatives: con»tu»me»li»ous adj. (of a person) behaving in a way that is gen-
COn*tU*Sion kan'tooZHan • n. a region of
1 |
erally held to be acceptable, at the expense of
injured tissue or skin in which blood capillar- individuality and sincerity. (of a work of art
ies have been ruptured; a bruise. or literature) following traditional forms and
CO*nun*drum ks'nsndram • n. (pi. conun-
| |
genres: conventional love poetry. (of weapons
drums) a confusing and difficult problem or or power) nonnuclear: agreement on reducing
question: one of the most difficult conundrums conventional forces in Europe. (of a bid in
for the experts. bridge) intended to convey a particular
a question asked for amusement, typically meaning according to an agreed upon con-
one with a pun in its answer; a riddle. vention.
COn*ur«ba»tion .kanar'baSHanI > n. an |
derivatives: con»ven»tion»aWsm |-,iz-
extended urban area, typically consisting of am| n. con»ven»tion»al«ist |-isti n. con*
several towns merging with the suburbs of ven»tion»aln«ty -,venCHa'naelite n. con* |
|

one or more cities. ven*tion*al»ize |-,iz| v. con*ven*tion»al»ly

COn«va*lesce .kanva'les • v. [intrans.] re-
|
|
adv.
cover one's health and strength over a period con»verge |
kan'varj !
• v. [intrans.] (of several
of time after an illness or operation: he spent people or things) together from differ- come
eight months convalescing after the stroke. ent directions so as eventually to meet: con-
derivatives: con»va»les«cence n. con* voys from several eastern ports converged in the
va»les*cent adj. , n. Atlantic two people whose lives converge briefly
|

COn«vec»tlon kanVekSHan .
|
1 the move- | from time to time.
ment caused within a fluid by the tendency of (converge on/upon) come from different
hotter and therefore less dense material to directions and meet at (a place): half a million
rise, and of colder, denser material to sink un- sports fans will converge on the capital. (of a
der the influence of gravity, which conse- number of things) gradually change so as to
quently results in transfer of heat. 2 the up- become similar or develop something in
ward movement of atmospheric properties. common: two cultures converged as the French
Cf. ADVECTION. settledVermont. (of lines) tend to meet at a
derivatives: con«vect v. con»vec«tion«al point: lines of longitude are parallel at the equa-
|-SH3nl| adj. con»vec»tive Ikan'vektiv] adj. tor but converge toward the poles.
COn»ve*nance 'kanvanans • n. (also con-
|
I
COn»ver«sant |
kan'varsant I
. adj. [predic] fa-
venances) conventional social propriety: miliar with or knowledgeable about some-
adhered to the convenances of colonial society. thing: fully conversant with the principles of
Con«vene kan'ven . V. [trans.] call people to-
|
I
word processing.
gether for (a meeting) convened a secret meet- : derivatives: con»ver*sance n. con*ver*
ing samcy |
-sanse |
n.
assemble or cause to assemble for a common COn*ver*sion |
kan'varznan |
. w. 1 (in reli-
purpose: [trans.] convened a group of well-known gion) the fact of changing one's faith or
scientists and philosophers [intrans.] the commit- \
beliefs or the action of persuading someone
tee had convened for its final plenary session. else to change theirs: my conversion to the
derivatp'es: con»ven»a»ble adj. con* Catholic faith.
vemer w. con»ve»nor |-'venar| n. (in Christian theology) repentance and
COn»ven*tion |kan'vencHan| * n. 1 a way in change to a godly life. 2 (in law) the chang-
which something is usually done, esp. within ing of real into personal property, or of joint
a particular area or activity: the conventions of into separate property, or vice versa. 3 (in
children 's literature. psychiatry) the manifestation of a mental dis-
behavior that is considered acceptable or po- turbance as a physical disorder or disease: [as
lite most members of a society: an upholder
to adj.] conversion disorders.
of convention and correct form. (in bridge) an the transposition of the subject and predi-
artificial bid by which a bidder tries to con- cate of a logical proposition according to
vey specific information about the hand to his certain rules to form a new proposition by
or her partner. 2 an agreement between inference. 4 the illegal action of wrongflilly
countries covering particular matters, esp. dealing with goods in a manner inconsistent
convertible 100 corbeil
with the owner's rights: the conversion of tonic plates. a violent social or political up-
clients' monies. heaval: the convulsions of 1939- 45.
COn»verW*ble jkanVartabsl] . adj. able to be DERI VAT v e s convulsc
I : V.

changed in form, function, or character: a liv- COn*VUl*Sive adj. producing or

Ikan'vslsivl •

ing room that is convertible into a bedroom. consisting of convulsions: a convulsive disease
(of a car) having a folding or detachable roof: I
she gave a convulsive sob.
a white convertible Mercedes. (of currency) DERI VAT I v E s con»vul»sive«ly adv. :

able to be converted into other forms, esp. co»op*er«a*tive |ko'ap(3)r3tiv| (also co-
into gold or US dollars. (of a bond or stock) operative) • adj. involving mutual assistance
able to be converted into ordinary or prefer- in working toward a common goal.
ence shares. (of logical terms) synonymous. willing to be of assistance: they have been ex-
• «. 1 a car with a folding or detachable roof. tremely considerate, polite, and cooperative. (of
2 (usu. convertibles) a convertible security. a farm, dwelling, business, etc.) owned and
derivatives: con»vertM»biln»ty |-,v9rt- run jointly by its members, with profits or
sbilite I
n. benefits shared among them. • n. a farm,
COn*vex kanVeks; |
'kan.veks; kan'veks |
• adj. business, dwelling, or other organization that
1 having an outline or surface curved like the is owned and run jointly by its members, who
exterior of a circle or sphere. Cf. concave. share the profits or benefits.
2 (of a polygon) not having any interior derivatives: co«op«er»a«tive»ly adv.
angles greater than 180°. co-opt Iko'apt; 'k6,apt| »v. [trans.] (often be
derivatives: con*vexM«ty | kan'veksite; co-opted) appoint to membership of a com-
ksn- n. con»vex»ly adv.
1 mittee or other body by invitation of the exist-
COn»vlc»tion kan'viksHsn | |
. n. 1 a formal ing members.
declaration that someone is guilty of a crimi- divert to or use in a role different from the
nal offense, made by judicial procedure, esp. usual or original one: [with obj. and infinitive]
by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a social scientists were co-opted to work with the
judge in a court of law: a previous conviction development agencies. adopt (an idea or pol-
for a similar offense. 2 a firmly held belief or icy) for one's own use: they have had most of
opinion: [with clause] his conviction that the their ideas co-opted by bigger parties.
death was no accident she takes pride in stat-
\
derivatives co-op»tion |,ko'apSH3n| n. :

ing her political convictions. co-op»tive |-'aptiv| adj.

the quality of showing that one is firmly con- CO*pa*cet*ic .kopa'setikl » adj. satisfactory
vinced of what one believes or says: his voice and in good order: don 't worry everything
|

—
lacked conviction. is copacetic.
COn»vlv*i*al kan'viveal; kan'vivysl . adj. (of
|
|
Co»per*ni«can sys*tem n. 1 a model of the
an atmosphere or event) friendly, lively, and solar system in which the planets orbit in cir-
enjoyable. cles around the sun (as proposed by Nicolaus
(of a person) cheerful and friendly; jovial. Copernicus 1473-1543). Cf Ptolemaic sys-
derivatives: con»vivn«alM»ty Iksn.vive tem.
'selite n. con»viv»i«al»ly adv.
I
CO*pi*OUS 'kopeasi • adj. abundant in sup-
I

COn*VO*ca*tion ,kanv3'kasH3n| • n. 1 a large

|
ply or quantity: she took copious notes.
formal assembly of people. profuse in speech or ideas: / had been a little
a formal ceremony at a college or university, too copious in talking of my country.
as for the conferring of awards and degrees. derivatives: co»pi»ous«ly adv. co»pi»
2 the action of calling people together for a ous'ness n.

large formal assembly: the convocation of the COp*pice 'kapss • n. an area of woodland in
I I

first congress. which the trees or shrubs are, or formerly

derivatives: con»vo«ca»tion»al |-SH3nl| were, periodically cut back to ground level to
adj. stimulate growth and provide firewood or
COn*VO*lut»ed 'kanvs.lootadl » adj. (esp. of
|
timber. • v. [trans.] cut back (a tree or shrub)
an argument, story, or sentence) extremely to ground level periodically to stimulate
complex and difficult to follow: its convoluted growth: [as adj.] (coppiced) an oak wood with
narrative encompasses all manner of digressions. some coppiced hazel and ash.
intricately folded, twisted, or coiled: walnuts copse kaps •I
a small group of trees.
I

come hard and convoluted shells.

in COp*u*late 'kapy3,lat| • v. [intrans.] have sex-
I

derivatives: con»vo»lut»ed»ly adv. con* ual intercourse.

vo»lu»tion n. derivatives: cop»u»la»tion .kapya |

COn«VUl»sion kan'valsnan . n. (often con-

| |
'laSHsnl cop»u»la»to»ry |-b,t6re| adj.
n.
vulsions) a sudden, violent, irregular move- COp«y»writ«er |'kapi,rit3r| »n. a person who
ment of a limb or of the body, caused by in- writes the text of advertisements or publicity
voluntary contraction of muscles and material.
associated esp. with brain disorders such as derivatives cop»y«writMng : |-,ritiNG| n.
epilepsy, the presence of certain toxins or CO»quet*ry |
'kokatre; ko'ke-tre| • n. flirta-
other agents in the blood, or fever in children. tious behavior or a flirtatious manner.
(convulsions) uncontrollable laughter: the CO»quette |ko'ket| • n. a woman who flirts.

audience collapsed in convulsions. an earth- derivatives: co*queftish adj. co»quet»

quake or other violent or major movement of tish'ly adv. co»quet»tish»ness n.
the earth's crust: the violent convulsions of tec- COr*beil 'korbal; kor'ba
|
• n. (in architec- |
 |

corbel 101 corporal

ture) a representation in stone of a basket of COr»mo»rant 'kormsranti • n. a large diving
|

flowers. bird (genus Phalacrocorax) with a long neck,

COr«bel * n. a projection jutting out
|
'korbsl \
long hooked bill, short legs, and mainly dark
from support a structure above it.
a wall to plumage. It typically breeds on coastal chffs
. V. (corbeled, corbeling; chiefly Brit, cor- and is noted for its voracious appetite.
belled, corbelling) [trans] (often be cor- an insatiably greedy person or thing.
beled out) support (a structure such as an COr*nice I'kornisl • 1 an ornamental
arch or balcony) on corbels. molding around the wall of a room just below
COrd*age 'kordij » n. cords or ropes, esp.
|
\
the ceiling.
in a ship's rigging. 2 a quantity of wood a horizontal molded projection crowning a
divided into cords. building or structure, esp. the uppermost
COr*dial I'korjall 'adj. warm and friendly. member of the entablature of an order, sur-
strongly felt: / earned his cordial loathing. • n. mounting the frieze. 2 an overhanging mass
1 another term for liqueur. 2 a comforting or of hardened snow at the edge of a mountain
pleasant-tasting medicine. precipice.
derivatives: cor«diaW»ty |
,k6rje'aelite derivatives: cor»niced adj. cor»nic«ing
n. cor»dial»ly adv. n.
COr*dll*le*ra ,k6rdr(y)er3| • n. a system or
|
COr«niche 'komisH; kor'neSH • n. a road
|
\

group of parallel mountain ranges together running along a coast with scenic views, esp.
with the intervening plateaus and other fea- one cut into the edge of a cliff.
tures, esp. in the Andes or the Rockies. COr*nu*CO»pi*a ,k6rn(y)3'kope3| • ft. a sym-
|

COr^don bleu .kordon 'bloe . adj. (of cook-

| I
bol of plenty consisting of a goat's horn over-
ing) of the highest class: a cordon bleu chef. flowing with flowers, fruit, and grains.
[postpositive] denoting a dish consisting of an an ornamental container shaped like such a
escalope of veal or chicken rolled, filled with horn. an abundant supply of good things of
cheese and ham, and then fried in bread- a specified kind: the festival offers a cornuco-
crumbs. • n. a cook of the highest class. pia of pleasures.
COr^don sa»ni*talre IkordoN ,sane'ter| »n. derivatives: cor»nu»co«pi«an adj.
(pi. cordons sanitaires pronunc. same) a COr*oHar*y |'k6r3,lere; 'kara-i » n. (pi. -ies)
guarded line preventing anyone from leaving a proposition that follows from (and is often
an area infected by a disease and thus spread- appended to) one already proved.
ing it. a direct or natural consequence or result: the
a measure designed to prevent communica- huge increases in unemployment were the corol-
tion or the spread of undesirable influences: lary of spending cuts. • adj. forming a propo-
these rules help to reinforce the cordon sanitaire sition that follows from one already proved.
around the Pentagon. associated; supplementary.
co-re*spond*ent ,ko ri'spandsnti (also co- |
CO*ro*na ks'rons • n. (pi. coronae ks
|
I
|

respondent) • n. a person cited in a divorce 'rone; -,ni ) 1 the rarefied gaseous envelope
|

case as having committed adultery with the of the sun and other stars. The sun's corona
RESPONDENT. is normally visible only during a total solar

Co*rin*thi»an ka'rinXHean . adj. 1 relating | |

eclipse, when it is seen as an irregularly
to or denoting the lightest and most ornate of shaped pearly glow surrounding the dark-
the classical orders of architecture (used esp. ened disk of the moon.
by the Romans), characterized by flared cap- (also corona discharge) (in physics) the
itals with rows of acanthus leaves. 2 given to glow around a conductor at high potential.
luxurious indulgence. 3 involving or display- a small circle of light seen around the sun
ing the highest standards of sportsmanship: a or moon, due to diffraction by water droplets.
club embodying the Corinthian spirit. • n. ^ a 2 crownlike anatomical structure.
native of Corinth. (in botany) the cup-shaped or trumpet-
a wealthy amateur in sports. 2 the Corin- shaped outgrowth at the center of a daffodil
thian order of architecture. or narcissus flower. 3 a part of an exterior
cork kork . n. the buoyant, light brown sub-
I I
CORNICE having a broad vertical face.
stance obtained from Ae outer layer of the DERI VAT I V E s cor»o»nal adj. :

bark of the cork oak: [as adj.] cork tiles. COr*0*nar*y rk6r3,nere; 'kar-| 'adj. relating
a bottle stopper, esp. one made of cork. a to or denoting the arteries that surround and
piece of cork used as a float for a fishing line supply blood to the heart.
or net. a protective layer of dead cells im- relating to or denoting a structure that encir-
mediately below the bark of woody plants. cles a part of the body.• n. (pi. -ies) short for

• V. [trans.] (often be corked) 1 close or seal coronary thrombosis, a thrombosis in a coro-

(a bottle) with a cork. nary artery.
[as (corked) (of wine) spoiled by tannin
adj.] COr»0*net ,k6r3,net; ,kar-
|
\
• n. a small or rel-
from the cork. 2 draw with burnt cork. 3 illi- atively simple crown, esp. as worn by minor
citly hollow out (a baseball bat) and fill it with royalty and nobles.
cork to make it lighter. a circular decoration for the head, esp. one
derivatives: cork'like i-,lik| adj. made of flowers.
COrk*age 'korkij • «. a charge made by
|
|
a derivatives: cor»o»net«ed adj.
restaurant or hotel for serving wine that has COr*po»ra|i |
'k6rp(3)r3li . n. a rank of non-
been brought in by a customer. commissioned officer in the US Army or
corporal 102 corsage
Marine Corps, above lance corporal or pri- COr*pus de*llc»ti da'lik.ti; -te | I
. n. die facts
vate first class and below sergeant. and circumstances constituting a breach of a
COr*po*ra|2 . adj. of or relating to the human law.
body: corporal punishment. Cf. corporeal. concrete evidence of a crime, esp. a corpse.
DERI VAT V E s cor»po«raMy adv.
I : COr*rec»tlon ka'rekSHsn . n. (in law) pun-
| |

COr*po*rate 'k6rp(3)r3t • adj. of or relating

|
|
ishment, esp. that of criminals in prison in-
to a large company or group: airlines seeking tended to rectify their behavior.
to enhance their corporate image. corrections the practice, profession, meth-
(of a large company or group) authorized to ods, etc. of punishing criminals: [as adj.] a
act as a single entity and recognized as such corrections officer.
in law. of or shared by all the members of a COr*rec»tion»al |
ka'reksHanl i
. adj. of or
group: the service emphasizes the corporate re- relating to the punishment of criminals in a
sponsibility of the congregation. way intended to rectify (correct) their behav-
derivatives: cor«po»rate»ly adv. ior: a correctional institution.
COr*po«ra»tion .korpa'raSHan • «. a large |
|
COr*rec»ti»tude k3'rekt3,t(y)ood . n. cor- | I

group of people, company, or group of com- rectness, esp. conscious correctness in one's
panies given an existence disctinct from the behavior.
individuals who compose it, authorized to act COr*re*la*tion .kora'laSHanI . n. a mutual
|

as a single entity and recognized as such in relationship or connection between two or

law. more things: research showed a clear correla-
a group of people elected to govern a city, tion between recession and levels of property
town, or borough. a large abdomen; crime.
paunch. (in statistics)interdependence of variable
COr»po»rat*ism 'k6rp(3)r3,tiz3m| »n. the |
quantities. measuring the extent
a quantity
control of a state or organization by large in- of such interdependence. the process of
terest groups. establishing a relationship or connection be-
derivatives: cor»po»ratMst adj. & n. tween two or more things.
Cor*po*ra*tive rk6rp(3)r3tiv| *adj. relating derivatives: cor«rel»a»tive adj. cor»re»
to or denoting a state, typically a fascist one, la«tion»al |-SH3nl| adj.
organized into corporations representing both COr*ri*gi»ble 'korajabal • adj. capable of be-
|
|

employers and employed in various spheres. ing corrected, rectified, or reformed. Cf. in-
derivatives cor»po»ra»tiv»ism -p(3)r3- :
|
corrigible.
ta.vizsm n. cor»po»ra»tiv»ist
|
-p(3)r3t3v- |
derivatives: cor»ri»gi»bil»i»ty ]
ikorajs
ist I
adj. & n. . 'bilitel n.
COr»po*re*al Ikor'poreal] adj. of or relating * cor*rob«o*rate Ika'raba.ratl 'V. [trans.] con-
to the body, esp. as opposed to the spirit: he firm or give support to (a statement, theory,
was frank about his corporeal appetites. or finding): the witness had corroborated the
having a body: a corporeal God. (in law) boy's account of the attack.
consisting of material objects; tangible: corpo- derivatives: cor»rob«o»ra«tion Ika.raba
real property. 'raSHanI n. cor»rob»o»ra»tive |-'rab(a)-
derivatives: cor*po*re»alM»ty |k6r,p6re rativl adj. cor»rob»o»ra»tor |-,ratar| n. cor*
'aelite |
cor»po»re»al«ly adv.
n. rob«o»ra»to»ry -'rab(a)ra,t6re adj. |
|

corps de bal*let ,k6r da b^'la . n. [treated COr«rode ka'rod |

• v. [trans.] destroy or dam- |
| I

as sing, or pi.] the members of a ballet company age (metal, stone, or other materials) slowly
who dance together as a group. by chemical action: acid rain poisons fish and
the members of the lowest rank of dancers in corrodes buildings.
company.
a ballet [intrans.] (of metal or other materials) be
COr«pu*lent 'korpyabnti |
* adj. (of a person) destroyed or damaged in this way: over the
fat. years copper tubing corrodes. destroy or
derivatives: cor»pu»lence n. cor»pu» weaken (something) gradually: the self-
len»cy n. centered climate corrodes ideals and concerns
COr*pus I
'korpss -para I
• n. (pi. corpora | |
about social justice.
or corpuses) 1 a collection of written texts, derivatives: cor«rod»i»ble adj. corro-
esp. the entire works of a particular author or sion n.
a body of writing on a particular subject: the cor»ro*sive |ka'rosiv; -ziv| » adj. tending to
Darwinian corpus. corrode. harmful and destructive of integ-
a collection of written or spoken material, rity: a corrosive desire. extremely sarcastic or
esp. in electronic form, assembled for the caustic: corrosive criticism. • n. a corrosive
purpose of studying linguistic structures, fre- substance.
quencies, etc. 2 the main body or mass of an derivatives: cor»ro»sive»ly adv. cor«ro»
anatomical structure. sive»ness n.
COr*pus*cle |'k6r,p3S3l| *n. a minute body COr»ru»gate |
contract or cause
'kora.gat |
• v.

or cell in an organism, esp. a red or white cell to contract into wrinkles or folds: [intrans.]
in the blood of vertebrates. Micky's brow corrugated in a simian frown as \

a minute particle formerly regarded as the [adj.] corrugated iron.

basic constituent of matter or light. COr«sage Ikor'siiZH; -'saj • 1 a spray of I

derivatives: cor»pus»cu«lar Ikor'pas- flowers worn pinned to a woman's clothes.

kyalarl adj. 2 the upper part of a woman's dress.
corsair 103 counselor
COr*sair |
'k6r,ser| . w. 1 a pirate. derivatives: cos»mo»logM»cal |
.kazma
a privateer, esp. one operating along the 'lajikal |
adj. cos»mol»o»gist |
-jist |
n.
southern coast of the Mediterranean in the COS*mop*0*lis kaz'mapabs • n. a city I
|

1 7th century. 2 a pirate ship. inhabited by people from many different

COr*tege ikor'teZH 'k6r,tezH| • n. a solemn countries.
procession, esp. for a funeral. COS*mo*poH»tan |
,kazm3'pabtn| * adj. fa-
a person's entourage or retinue. miliar with and at ease in many different
COr*ti*SOne 'k6rt3,son » n. a hormone pro-
|
\
countries and cultures: his knowledge of
duced by the adrenal cortex. It is also made French, Italian, and Spanish made him genu-
synthetically for use as an anti-inflammatory inely cosmopolitan.
and anti-allergy agent. including people from many different coun-
Cor*US*cate 'kors.skat; |
'kar- 1
• v. [intrans.] tries:immigration transformed the city into a
(of light) flash or sparkle: the light was corus- cosmopolitan capital. having an exciting and
cating through the walls. glamorous character associated with travel
derivatives: cor»us»ca»tion |
pkor'ska- and a mixture of cultures: their designs became
SHsn] n. a byword for cosmopolitan chic. (of a plant or
COr»vee |'k6r,va kor'val * n. (in the feudal animal) found all over the world. • n. a cos-
system) a day's unpaid labor owed by a vas- mopolitan person.
sal to his lord. a cosmopolitan plant or animal.
forced labor exacted in lieu of taxes, in par- derivatives: cos»mo»poln»tanMsm |-|iz-
ticular labor on public roads. 3m n. cos»mo»poW»tan*ize |-,iz| v.
I

an unpleasant duty or onerous task. COS»mop»oHite |kaz'map3,lit| » n. a cosmo-

COr*vette kor'vet * n.
|
a small warship \
pohtan person.
designed for convoy escort duty. COS*mos 'kazmss; -,mos; -,mas • n. (the
I I

a sailing warship with one tier of guns. cosmos) the universe seen as a well-ordered
COS*met*ic |kaz'metik| » adj. involving or whole: investigating the design of the cosmos.
relating to treatment intended to restore or a system of thought: the new gender-free intel-
improve a person's appearance: cosmetic sur- lectual cosmos.
gery. C0S*sack I
'kas,aek;-3k| • n. a member or sol-
designed or serving to improve the appear- dier of a people of southern Russia, Ukraine,
ance of the body, esp. the face: lens designs can and Siberia, long noted for their horseman-
improve the cosmetic effect of your glasses. af- ship and military skill. Under the czars they
fecting only the appearance of something were allowed considerable autonomy in re-
rather than its substance: the reform package turn for protecting the frontiers. • adj. of,
was merely a cosmetic exercise. • n. (usu. cos- relating to, or characteristic of the Cossacks.
metics) a product applied to the body, esp. COS*set 'kasat • V. (cosseted, cosseting)
I I

the face, to improve its appearance. [trans.] care for and protect in an overindul-

derivatives: cos»metM»caWy |-ik(3)Ie| gent way.

adv. COS*tal 'kastsl • adj. of or relating to the
I I

COS*me»ti*Clan ,kazm3'tiSH3n| • n. a person

|
ribs.
who sells or applies cosmetics as an occupa- CO*te*rie I'kopre; ,kot3're| » n. (pi. -ies) a
tion. small group of people with shared interests or
COS»me*tol*0*gy .kazma'tabjel . n. the |
tastes, esp. one that is exclusive of other peo-
professional skill or practice of beautifying ple: a coterie offriends.
the face, hair, and skin. CO»ter»mi*nous ko'tarmsnas . adj. 1 hav- |
I

derivatives: cos«me«to»logM»cal |-p ing the same boundaries or extent in space,

'lajiksll adj. cos»me»tol»o«gist |-jist| n. time, or meaning: the southern frontier was co-
COS*nnic 'kazmik| . adj. of or relating to the
|
terminous with the French Congo colony.
universe or cosmos, esp. as distinct from the 2 meeting precisely at the ends. Cf. conter-
earth: cosmic matter. minous.
inconceivably vast. sweeping in grasp or DERI VAT I v E s co«ter»mi»nous»ly adv. :

intent; grandiose (often used ironically): the CO*tiHion Ika'tilysnl • n. 1 a dance with elab-
lyrics to this song are cosmic! orate steps and figures, in particular:
derivatives: cos*mi»cal a(i/. cos»mi»cal» 8th-century French dance based on the
an 1

ly I
-ik(3)le |
adv. contredanse. a quadrille. 2 a formal ball,
COS*mog»0*ny Ikaz'magsnel • n. (pi. -ies) a esp. one at which debutantes are presented.
theory or story regarding the origin of the Cou*e»ism koo'a.izsm • n. a system of self- |
|

universe, esp. the solar system: in their cosmog- improvement using optimistic autosugges-
ony, the world was thought to be a square, flat sur- tion that enjoyed popularity in the 1920s.
face. COU*lee I
'koolel • n. a deep ravine.
derivatives: cos«mo«gon»ic .kazma |
COU»loir kool'war • n. a steep, narrow gully
I I

'ganiki adj. cos»mo»gonM»cal ikazms'gan- |

on a mountainside.
ikall adj.cos»mog»o»nist |-nist| n. coun*ci«lor 'kowns(3)br| (also councillor) |

COS»mol»0»gy kaz'mabje . n. (pi. -ies) the

|
|
• n. a member of a council.
science of the origin and development of the derivatives: coun»ci«lor»ship i-,SHip|
universe. n.
an account or theory of the origin of the uni- coun*se»lor |
'kowns(3)br| (also counsel-
verse. lor) • n. 1 a person trained to give guidance
countenance 104 coup de grace
on personal, social, or psychological prob- another, according to fixed rules, esp. those
lems: a marriage counselor. that began to develop in western music in the
[often with adj.] a person who gives advice on 1 5th century.

a specified subject: a debt counselor. 2 a per-
son who supervises children at a camp. 3 a
trial lawyer. 4 a senior officer in the diplo-
matic service. 5 a school or university official
who advises students.
a melody played in conjunction with an-
other. 2 an argument, idea, or theme used to
create a contrast with the main element: /
have used my interviews with parents as a coun-
terpoint to a professional judgment. • v. [trans.]

usage: a counselor is someone who gives 1 add counterpoint to (a melody): the orches-

advice or counsel, esp. an attorney. A coun- tra counterpoints the vocal part. 2 (often be
cilor is a member of a council, such as a counterpointed) emphasize by contrast: the
town or city council. Conftision arises be- cream walls and maple floors are counterpointed
cause many counselors sit on councils, and by black accents.
councilors are often called on to give coimsel.
compensate for: fanciful excesses that are coun-
terpointed with some unsentimental dialogue.
COUn»te*nance 'kowntn-ans • n. 1 a per-
| |
COUn»ter»poise |
'kowntar.poiz I
• n. a factor,
son's face or facial expression: his impenetra- force, or influence that balances or neutral-
ble eyes and inscrutable countenance give little izes another: money can be a counterpoise to
away. 2 support: she was giving her specific beauty.
countenance to the occasion. • v. [trans.] admit a state of equilibrium. a counterbalancing
as acceptable or possible; allow: he was reluc- weight. • V. [trans.] have an opposing and bal-
tant to countenance the use offorce. ancing effect on: our ideals are often counter-
COUn*ter*blast rkownt9r,blaest| a poised by the actual human condition we are in.
strongly worded reply to someone else's bring into contrast: the stories counterpoise a
views: a counterblast to the growing propa- young recruit with an old-timer.
ganda of the extreme Right. Coun»ter-Ref»or*ma*tion the reform of the
COUn«ter»CUl*ture 'kowntsr.kalCHsrl .n. a
|
Church of Rome in the 1 6th and 1 7th cen-
way of life and set of attitudes opposed to or turies that was stimulated by, and opposed
at variance with values of the prevailing cul- the spread of, the Protestant Reformation. It
ture: the idealists of the 60s counterculture. was spearheaded by the Jesuit order.
coun«ter»es*pi*o*nage .kowntar'espia |
COUn*ter*sign rkownt3r,sm| *v. [trans.] add
,nazH; -,naj • n. activities designed to pre-
|
a signature to (a document already signed by
vent or thwart spying by an enemy. another person): each check had to be signed
COUn*ter*feit 'kownt9r,fit| . adj. made in ex-
|
and countersigned. a signal or password • n.
act imitation of something valuable or impor- given in reply to a soldier on guard.
tant with the intention to deceive or defraud: derivatives: coun»ter»sig»na»ture |,kown-
passing counterfeit $50 bills. tar'signaCHsr; -|CHOt)r I
n.
pretended; sham: the filmmakers created a COUn*ter*sink 'kownt3r,siNGk| »v. (past and
|

counterfeit world using smoke and mirrors. • n. past part, -sunk i-,s3NGk|) [trans.] enlarge and
a fraudulent imitation of something else; a bevel the rim of (a drilled hole) so that a
forgery: he knew the tapes to be counterfeits. • v. screw, nail, or bolt can be inserted flush with
[trans.] imitate fraudulently: my signature is ex- the surface.
tremely hard to counterfeit. drive (a screw, nail, or bolt) into such a hole.
pretend to feel or possess (an emotion or COUn*ter*ten*or 'kowntar.tenarl »n. the |

quality): no pretense could have counterfeited highest male adult singing voice (sometimes
such resemble closely: sleep counter-
terror. distinguished from the male alto voice by its
feited Death forgery,
so well. Cf. strong, pure tone).
derivatives: coun»ter»feit»er n. a singer with such a voice.
coun*ter»in*tel*li«gence .kowntarin'teb- |
COun»ter»vail .kowntarVall * v. [trans.]
|

jans • n.
I
another term for counterespio- [usu. as adj.] (countervailing) offset the ef-
nage. fect of (something) by countering it with
COUn»ter»mand • v. ,kownt3r'm£end; 'kown- \
something of equal force: the dominance of
t3r,maend| [trans.] revoke (an order): an order the party was mediated by a number of counter-
to arrest the strike leaders had been counter- vailing factors.
manded. coup koo . I I
n. (pi. coups I
kooz |
) 1 (also
cancel an order for (goods) she decided she : coup d'etat) a sudden, violent, and illegal
had been extravagant and countermanded the seizure of power from a government: a democ-
outfit. revoke an order issued by (another racy overthrown by an army coup. 2 a notable
person): they were already countermanding her. or successful stroke or move: it was a coup to
COUn*ter*part 'kowntsr.parti • n. 1 a person
|
get such a prestigious contract.
or thing holding a position or performing a an unusual or unexpected but successfial tac-
function that corresponds to that of another tic in card play. 3 (among North American
person or thing in a different area: the officials Indians) an act of touching an armed enemy
held talks with their French counterparts. 2 one in battle as a deed of bravery, or an act of first
of two copies of a legal document. touching an item of the enemy's in order to
COUn*ter*point 'kownt3r,point . n. 1 the
|
|
claim it.

art or technique of setting, writing, or play- coup de grace |

,koo da 'gras |
• n. (pi. coups
ing a melody or melodies in conjunction with de grace pronunc, same) a final blow or shot
coupe de maitre 105 cower
given to kill or animal: he
a wounded person being born, as though he were physically af-
administered the coup de grace with a knife \
fected by the birth.
the party won another term and delivered the COV*en 'kavan • n. a group or gathering of
I
|

coup de grace to socialism. witches who meet regularly.

coup de maWre |
,koo da 'met(r3) I
. n. (pi. a secret or close-knit group of associates:
coups de maitre same) a master pronunc. covens of militants within the party.
stroke; an outstanding skillful and opportune COV*e*nant |'kavanant| • n. an agreement.
act. a legal contract drawn up by deed. a clause
coup d'e»tat |
,koo da'ta • n. (pi. coups d'e-
|
in such a contract: restrictive covenants based
tat I
-'ta(z) I
pronunc. same) another term for on race. (in monotheistic religion) an agree-
COUP (sense 1). ment that brings about a relationship of com-
COUpe^ koop (also coupe koo'pa ) .
I I
a| |
n. 1 mitment between God and his people. The
car with a fixed roof, two doors, and a slop- Jewish faith is based on the biblical covenants
ing rear that is shorter than a sedan of the made with Abraham, Moses, and David. • v.
same model. 2 a four-wheeled enclosed agree, esp. by lease, deed, or other le-
[intrans.]

horse-drawn carriage for two passengers and gal [with infinitive] the landlord
contract:
a driver. covenants to repair the property.
COUpe^ I
koop I
• w. a shallow glass or glass phrases: Old Covenant (in Christianity)
dish, typically with a stem, in which desserts the covenant between God and Israel in the
or champagne are served. Old Testament. New Covenant (in Christi-
a dessert served in such a dish. anity) the covenant between God and the fol-
COU*plet I'kspbtl • n. a pair of successive lowers of Christ.
lines of verse, typically rhyming and of the derivatives: cov«e»nan«tal ,kava |

same length. 'naentl |

cov»e»nant»er (also chiefly Law
adj.
COuH*er 'koorear; 'karearl • «. a messenger
|
cov*e*nan*tor) n.
who transports goods or documents, in par- cov*er charge . n. (also cover) a flat fee paid
ticular: for admission to a restaurant, bar, club, etc.
a company or employee of a company that It differs from a minimum, which is the
transports commercial packages and docu- required purchase of, typically, a minimum
ments: the check was dispatched by courier [as \
amount of food or drink.
adj.] a courier service. a messenger for an un- COV^er crop • n. a crop grown for the protec-
derground or espionage organization. • v. tion and enrichment of the soil, esp. one
[trans.] (often be couriered) send or trans- grown outside the normal growing season.
port (goods or documents) by courier. convert 'adj. 'kovart; ko'vart; 'kavart| not I

course kors • |
1 (in architecture) a con-
|
openly acknowledged or displayed: covert
tinuous horizontal layer of brick, stone, or operations against the dictatorship \
covert long-
other material in a building. 2 (in hunting) a ing for change. • n. 'kavar(t); 'kovart 1 a I
|

pursuit of game (esp. hares) with greyhounds shelter or hiding place.

by sight rather than scent. • v. [trans.] pursue a thicket in which game can hide. 2 coverts
(game, esp. hares) with greyhounds using the feathers covering the bases of the main
sight rather than scent: many of the hares flight or tail feathers of a bird.
coursed escaped unharmed [intrans.] she would \
derivatives: co»vert»ly | 'kovartle; ko
course for hares with her greyhounds. 'varde; 'kavartle |
adv. co»vert»ness n.
derivatives: courser n. a person who COV*er»ture |
.kavar.CHOOr; -CHar| • w. 1 pro-
hunts with hounds by sight. 2 under com-
tective or concealing covering.
COUr*te»san |
'kortazan; 'kartazan |
• n. a mon law, the legal status (now abolished by
prostitute, esp. one with wealthy or aristo- statute) of a married woman, considered to
cratic clients. be under her husband's protection and au-
COUr*ti»er I'kortear; 'k6rCHar| » n. a person thority.
who attends a royal court as a companion or COV»et 'kavat • V.
I
(coveted, coveting) I

adviser to the king or queen. [trans.] yearn to possess or have (something):

a person who fawns and flatters in order to the president-elect covets time for exercise and
gain favor or advantage. fishing I
[as adj.] (coveted) she won the coveted
couth kooTH . adj. [predic] cultured, re-
I I
Booker Prize for fiction.
fined, and well mannered: it is more couth to derivatives: cov»et»a»ble adj.
hold your shrimp by the tail. • n. good man- COV*et*OUS having or show-
I
'kavatas |
• adj.
ners; refinement: their hockey team had more ing a great desire to possess something, typi-
talent but less couth. cally something belonging to someone else:
COU*ture koo'tOt)(a)r; -'tYr| • n. the design
|
fingered the linen with covetous hands a grin |

and manufacture of fashionable clothes to a that seemed entirely covetous.

client's specific requirements and measure- derivatives: cov»et»ous«ly adv. cov»et»
ments. ous*ness n.
such clothes: they were dressed in printed-silk COW • V. (usu. be cowed) cause (some-
[trans.]

couture. one) to submit to one's wishes by intimida-

derivatives: cou»tu»ri»er n. tion: the intellectuals had been cowed into si-
COU*vade koo'vad • n. the custom | |
in some lence.
cultures in which a man takes to his bed and COW*er I
kowar I
• V. [intrans.] crouch down in
goes through certain rituals when his child is fear.
coy 106 crepe
coy koi I
adj. (coyer, coyest) (esp. of a
I
• charist before they are consecrated: a credence
woman) making a pretense of shyness or table.
modesty that is intended to be alluring but is cre»den*za Ikra'denzaj • n. a sideboard or
often regarded as irritating: she treated him to cupboard.
a coy smile of invitation. cred*i«ble able to be
I'kredabal] * adj.
reluctant to give details, esp. about some- believed; convincing: few people found his story
thing regarded as sensitive: he is coy about credible a credible witness.
\

his age. quiet and reserved^ shy. capable of persuading people that something
derivatives: coy»ly adv. coy»ness n. will happen or be successful: a credible threat.
COZ»en 'kszsn • V. [trans.] trick or deceive: do
I I
derivatives: cred«i»bil»i»ty n. cred»i«bly
not think to cozen your contemporaries. |-ble| adv.
obtain by deception: he was able to cozen a cred»it«a»ble |
'kredipbsl |
. adj. (of a perfor-
profit. mance, effort, or action) deserving public ac-
derivatives: coz«en«age | -nij | n. coz« knowledgment and praise but not necessarily
en»er n. outstanding or successful: a very creditable 4-
crabbed kraebad • adj. 1 (of handwriting)
|
I
2 loss.

ill-formed and hard to decipher. derivatives: cred»it»a»bil«i»ty kredits |

,

(of style) contorted and difficult to under- 'bilitel n. cred»it»a»bly I'kredipblel adv.
stand: crabbed legal language. 2 ill-humored: a cred*i*tor |'kredipr| • w. a person or com-
crabbed, unhappy middle age. pany to whom money is owed.
DERI VAT V E s crab'bed'ly adv. crab'bed* I : cre*dO 'kredo; 'krado| • n. (pi. -os)
|
a state-
ness n. ment of the aims that guide some-
beliefs or
crape krap • n. archaic spelling of crepe.
|
|
one's actions: he announced his credo in his first
DERIVATIVES: crap»y adj. editorial.
crap*U»lent 'kraepyabntl • adj. of or relating |
(Credo) a creed of the Christian Church in
to the drinking of alcohol or drunkenness. Latin. (Credo) a musical setting of the
derivatives: crap»u»lence n. crap»u» Nicene Creed, typically as part of a mass.
lous -yabs adj.
I |
cre*du*li*ty krs 'd(y) oolite »n. a tendency
| |

cra*que*lure ikras'kloor; 'kraek.loor » n. a |

to be too ready to believe that something is
network of fine cracks in the paint or varnish real or true.
of a painting. cred»U*lous 'krejsbsi • adj. having or show-
|

crass I
lacking sensitivity, refine-
krass I
. adj. ing too great a readiness to believe things.
ment, or intelligence: the crass assumptions DERI VAT I V E s cred»u»lous»ly adv. cred«u« :

that men make about women the crass commer- \

lousmess n.
cialization of historic sites. creed kred | |
• w. a system of religious belief;
derivatives: cras»si»tude 'krasss |
a faith: people of many creeds and cultures.
,t(y)ood n. crass'ly adv. crass»ness n.
I
(often the Creed) a formal statement of
cra*ven 'kravsnl • adj. contemptibly lacking
|
Christian beliefs, esp. the Apostles' Creed or
in courage; cowardly: a craven abdication of his the Nicene Creed. a set of behefs or aims
moral duty. • n. archaic a cowardly person. that guide someone's actions: liberalism was
derivatives: cra»ven*ly adv. cra»ven» more than a political creed.
ness n. Cren»eHa*tions ,krenraSH3nz| 'plural n. |

craze kraz • v. (often be crazed) produce

| |
the battlements of a castle or other building.
a network of fine cracks on (a surface): the cren*u»lated I'krenyabt; -y3,lat| (also
lake was frozen over but crazed with cracks. crenulate) • adj. having a finely scalloped or
[intrans.] develop such cracks. notched outline or edge.
crease kres . v. [trans.] (of a bullet) graze
| |
derivatives: cren«u»la»tion i
.krenya'la-
(someone or something), causing little dam- SHsnl n.
age: a bullet creased his thigh. Cre*ole 'kre,ol (also Creole) . «. 1 a person
| |

cre*a*tion*ism |kre'aSH3,niz3m| . the be- of mixed European and black descent, esp. in
lief that the universe and living organisms the Caribbean.
originate from specific acts of divine creation, a descendant of Spanish or other European
as in the biblical account, rather than by nat- settlers in the Caribbean or Central or South
ural processes such as evolution. America. a white descendant of French or
derivatives: cre«a»tionnst n. & adj. Spanish settlers in Louisiana and other parts
creche kreSH • w. 1 a representation of the
| |
of the southern US. 2 a mother tongue
Christian nativity scene. 2 Brit, a nursery formed from the contact of two languages
where babies and young children are cared through an earlier pidgin stage: a Portuguese-
for during the working day. based Creole. • adj. of or relating to a Creole
cre*dence 'kredns • «. 1 belief in or ac- | |
or Creoles.
ceptance of something as true or valid: crepe (also crape, crepe) . w. 1 krap a |
|

psychoanalysis finds little credence among lay- light, thin fabric with a wrinkled surface: [as
men. adj.] a crepe bandage.
the likelihood of something being true; plau- (also crepe rubber) hard-wearing wrinkled
sibility: being called upon by the media as an ex- rubber, used esp. for the soles of shoes.
pert lends credence to one's opinions. 2 [usu. 2 krap black silk or imitation silk, formerly
I
|

as adj.] a small side table, shelf, or niche in a used for mourning clothes.
church for holding the elements of the Eu- a band of such fabric formerly worn around
crepitate 107 Cro-Magnon man
a person's hat as a sign of mourning. 3 |
krap; thing may be judged or decided: the launch
kxep a thin pancake.
i
came too close to violating safety criteria.
derivatives: crep^ey adj. derivatives: cri»te»ri«al |-'tire3l| adj.
crep«i»tate I'krepa.tatj »v. [intrans.] make a usage: Strictly speaking, the singular form
crackling sound: the night crepitates with an (following the original Greek) is criterion
airy, whistling cacophony [as adj.] (crepitat- \
and the plural form is criteria. It is a com-
ing) spidery fingers of crepitating electricity. mon mistake to use criteria as if it were a
derivatives: crepn»tant I'krepapntI singular, as in a further criteria needs to be
adj. crep»i»ta»tioii n.
considered.
cre»pus»CU»lar jkra'paskyabr] » adj. of,
resembling, or relating to twilight. criWc 'kritiki • w. 1 a person who expresses
I

(of an animal) appearing or active at twilight. an unfavorable opinion of something: critics

cre*scen*do kra'snendo • n. 1 (pi.
| |
say many schools are not prepared to handle the
crescendos or crescendi -de ) a gradual |
|
influx of foreign students. 2 a person who
increase in loudness in a piece of music. judges the merits of literary, artistic, or musi-
a passage of music marked to be performed cal works, esp. one who does so profession-
in this way. the loudest point reached in a ally: a film critic.
gradually increasing sound: Deborah's voice crit«i«cal 'kritikal . adj. 1 (of a published ht-
|
I

was rising to a crescendo. a progressive in- erary or musical text) incorporating a

crease in force or intensity: a crescendo of mis- detailed and scholarly analysis and commen-
ery. the most intense point reached in this; tary: a critical edition 2 (of a of a Bach sonata.
a climax: the negative reviews reached a cre- situation or problem) having the potential to
scendo in mid-February. • adv. & adj. (in become disastrous; at a point of crisis: the
music) with a gradual increase in loudness: flood waters had not receded, and the situation
[as adj.] a short crescendo kettledrum roll. • v. was still critical.

(-oes, -oed) [intrans.] increase in loudness or (of a person) extremely ill and at risk of
intensity: the reluctant cheers began to crescendo. death: he had been in critical condition since
cres»cent 'kresanti • adj. 1 [attrib.] having the
|
undergoing surgery. having a decisive or cru-
shape of a curved sickle (a crescent): a cres- cial importance in the success or failure of
cent moon. 2 growing, increasing, or develop- something: temperature is a critical factor in
ing. successful fruit storage. 3 [attrib.] (in mathemat-
cresWahlen sad and dis-
|
'krest,f6bn| . adj. ics and physics) relating to or denoting a
appointed; dejected; abashed: he came back point of transition from one state to another.
empty-handed and crestfallen. Cf. chapfallen. (of a nuclear reactor or fuel) maintaining a
cre»tin 'krem| • n. a stupid person (used as
|
self-sustaining chain reaction: the reactor is
a general term of abuse). due to go critical in October.
(in former medical use) a person who is de- derivatives: crit»i»cal«i»ty |
, krip ' kael-
formed and mentally handicapped (suffers ite I
n. (in senses 2 and 3). crit«i»cal»ly |
'kri-
cretinism) because of congenital thyroid defi- tik(3)le| adv. [as submodifier] he's critically ill.

ciency. critn»cal»ness n.
derivatives cre»tin»ous : |-3s| adj. crit»i*cal mass • n. (inphysics) the minimum
cre*vasse |
kri'vaes I
• a deep open crack, amount of fissile material needed to maintain
esp. one ina glacier. a nuclear chain reaction.
a breach in the embankment of a river or the minimum size or amount of something
canal. required to start or maintain a venture or ac-
crev«ice |'krev3s| »n. a narrow opening or tivity.
fissure, esp. in a rock or wall. cri*tique detailed analysis and
|
kri'tekj . n. a
crlm*i*naWze |
'krimanl.izl 'V. [trans.] turn assessment of something, esp. a literary, phil-
(an activity) into a criminal offense by mak- osophical, or political theory. • v. (critiques,
ing it illegal: the law that criminalizes assisted critiqued, critiquing) [trans.] evaluate in a
suicide. detailed and analytical way: the authors cri-
turn (someone) into a criminal by making tique the methods and practices used in the re-
their activities illegal: these measures would search.
criminalize migrant workers for their way of life. cro*chet handicraft in which
|
kro'SHa \
» n. a
derivatives: crimM»naW»za»tion |
ikri- a patterned fabric created by looping yarn is

manl-a'zaSHsn |
n. with a single hooked needle: [as adj.] a crochet
cringe |
krinj |
• v. (cringing) [intrans.] bend hook.
one's head and body in fear or in a servile fabric or items made in such a way. • v.
manner: he cringed away from the blow [as \
(crocheted |-'sHad|, crocheting |-'SHa-
adj.] (cringing) we are surrounded by cringing iNG ) [trans.] make (a garment or piece of fab-
I

yes-men and sycophants. ric) in such a way: she crocheted the shawl \

experience an inward shiver of embarrass- [intrans.] her mother crochets.

ment or disgust: I cringed at the speaker's stu- derivatives cro»chet«er : |-'sHa3r| n.
pidity. • n. an act of cringing in fear. crois^sant |k(r)wa'sant; -'saN| • n. a French
a feeling of embarrassment or disgust. crescent-shaped roll made of sweet flaky pas-
DERI VAT I V E s cring'cr n. : try.
cri*te*ri«on kn'tirean • n. (pi. criteria -'ti-
| | |
Cro-Mag»non man kro'maegnan; 'msenysn | |

res ) a principle or standard by which some-

I
. n. the earliest form of modern human in
cronyism 108 cubit
Europe. Their appearance c. 35,000 years ago raw vegetables served as an hors d'oeuvre,
marked the beginning of the Upper Paleo- typically with a dip.
lithic and the apparent decline and disap- cru«et |'kroo3t| • «. 1 a small container for
pearance of Neanderthal man; the group per- salt, pepper, oil, or vinegar for use at a dining
sisted at least into the Neolithic period. table. 2 (in Christian church use) a small con-
cro*ny*ism krone, izsm • n. the appoint-
!
'
|
tainer for the wine or water to be used in the
ment of friends and associates (cronies) to celebration of the Eucharist.
positions of authority, without proper regard crustacean krs'stasHsn a member of a
| |

to their qualifications. large group of mainly aquatic arthropods (the

crop»per I'krapar] • n. Crustacea) that include crabs, lobsters,
phrases: come a cropper fall heavily. shrimps, wood lice, barnacles, and many
suffer a defeat or disaster: the team's challenge minute forms. They are very diverse, but
for the championship has come a cropper. most have four or more pairs of limbs and
cross-hatch 'kr6s,haecH| »v. [trans.] [often
|
several other appendages.
as n.] (crosshatching) (in drawing or graph- derivatives: crus«ta»ceous |-SH3s| adj.
ics) shade (an area) with intersecting sets of crux kraks; krOOks • n. (pi. cruxes or cru-
I
|

parallel lines. ces |'kroo,sez|) (the crux) the decisive or

cross*0*ver 'kr6s,ov3r . n. 1 the process of
|
|
most important point at issue: the crux of the
achieving success in a different field or style, matter is that attitudes have changed.
esp. in popular music: [as adj.] a jazz-classical a particular point of difficulty: both cruces can
crossover album. 2 sl person who votes for a be resolved by a consideration of the manuscripts.
candidate in a different political party than cry*0*gen*ics .kns'jeniks » plural n. |
|

the one he or she usually supports: [adj.] cross- [treated as sing.] the branch of physics dealing
over voters. 3 [as adj.] relating to or denoting with the production and effects of very low
trials of medical treatment in which experi- temperatures.
mental subjects and control groups are another term for cryonics.
exchanged after a set period: a crossover study. derivatives: cry«o»gen»ic adj. cry»o»
cross*patch 'kr6s,paecH| » n. a |
bad- genM'caWy |-ik(3)le| adv.
tempered person. cry*on*lcs ikri'aniks| * plural n. [treated as
crotch»et 'kraCHst • «. 1 (in music) a quar-
| |
sing.]the practice or technique of deep-
ter note. 2 a perverse or unfounded belief or freezing the bodies of those who have just
notion: the natural crotchets of inveterate bach- died of an incurable disease, in the hope of
elors. reviving them if and when a cure is devel-
croup*i«er 'kroope.a; -pearl • n. the person
|
oped.
in charge of a gambling table, gathering in DERI VAT v E s cry»on«ic I : adj.
and paying out money or tokens. crypt I
an underground room or
kript |
• «.
cro'zier |'krozH3r| (also crosier) * n. a vault beneath a church, used as a chapel or
hooked staff carried by a bishop as a symbol burial place.
of pastoral office. crypt»a»nal*y»sis ,kript3'naebs3s . the !
|

cru*Cial 'krooSHslI • adj. decisive or critical,

|
art or process of deciphering coded messages
esp. in the success or failure of something: without the aid of the key.
negotiations were at a crucial stage. derivatives: crypt»an»a»lyst ,krip'taenl- |

of great importance: this game is crucial to 3st| n. crypt»aii«a«lyt»ic -,taenl'itik adj. |

|

our survival. crypt»an»a»lyt»i»cal -.taenritikal adj. |

derivatives: cru^ci^aW'ty |
,la-oosHe'ael- cryp*tic 'kriptik| . adj. 1 having a meaning
|

ite I
n. cru*cial»ly adv. that is mysterious or obscure: he found her
utterances too cryptic.
usage: Crucial is used in formal contexts
(of a crossword puzzle) having difficult clues
to mean 'decisive, critical,' e.g.. The testimony
that indicate the solutions indirectly. 2 (of
of the only eyewitness was crucial to the case. Its
coloration or markings) serving to camou-
broader use to mean 'very important,' as in
flage an animal in its natural environment.
It is crucial to get good light for your pho-
tographs, should be restricted to informal derivatives: cryp»ti»caWy |-ik(3)le|
adv.
contexts.
cryp»tog*ra*phy krip'tagrafe |
|
. w. the art of
Cru»ci*ble I'kroossbsll • n. a ceramic or writing or solving codes.
metal container in which metals or other sub- derivatives: cryp«tog»ra«pher |-f9r| n.
stances may be melted or subjected to very crypno'graphMc ,kript3'graefik adj. i |

high temperatures. cryp»to»graph»i«cal«ly |

.kripta
a place or occasion of severe test or trial: the 'graefik(a)le I
adv.
crucible of combat. a place or situation in CUb*ism 'kyoo,bizam| * n. an early 20th-
I

which different elements interact to produce century style and movement in art, esp.
something new: the crucible of the new Roman- painting, in which perspective with a single
tic movement. viewpoint was abandoned and use was made
cru*ci*form 'kroosa.form • adj. having the
|
|
of simple geometric shapes, interlocking
shape of a cross: a cruciform sword. planes, and, later, collage.
of or denoting a church having a cross- derivatives: cub'ist n. & adj. cub'is'tic
shaped plan. I
kyoo'bistik] adj.
cru«di*tes |,krood3'ta| • plural n. assorted CU*bit I
'kyoobiti • n. an ancient measure of
cuckold 109 curriculum
length, approximately equal to the length of CU»muHa*tive I'kyoomyabtiv; -,lativ| » adj.
a forearm. It was typically about 18 inches or increasing or increased in quantity, degree, or
44 cm, though there was a long cubit of force by successive additions: the cumulative
about 21 inches or 52 cm. effect of two years of drought. (of interest or
CUCk*Old I
'kskald; -old |
• n. the husband of dividends) accruing in value until paid, even
an adulteress, often regarded as an object of if not paid when due.

derision. • v. [trans.] (of a man) make (an- derivatives: cu»mu*la»tive»ly adv. cu»
other man) a cuckold by having a sexual re- mu»la»tive»ness n.
lationship with his wife. CU*ne*i»form kyoo'ne3,f6rm; 'kyoon(e)3-| |

(of a man's wife) make (her husband) a • adj. denoting or relating to the wedge-
cuckold. shaped characters used in the ancient writing
DERIVATIVES cuck«old»ry : |-dre| n. systems of Mesopotamia, Persia, and Ugarit,
cues*ta 'kwests • n. (in geology) a ridge
I I
surviving mainly impressed on clay tablets: a
with a gentle slope (dip) on one side and a cuneiform inscription.
steep slope (scarp) on the other. denoting three bones of the tarsus (ankle)
CUi bo*no? kwe 'bono • exclam. who
| |
between the navicular bone and the
stands, or stood, to gain (typically, from a metatarsals. (in biology) wedge-shaped: the
crime, and so might have been responsible for eggs are cuneiform. • n. cuneiform writing.
It)? CU»pid»i*ty kyoo'pidite • n. greed for
|
|

CUi*rass kwi'raes; kyOOr'aes • n. 1 a piece of

|
|
money or possessions.
medieval armor consisting of breastplate and CU»pre*OUS rk(y)oopre9S • adj. of or like |

backplate fastened together. 2 an artificial copper.

ventilator that encloses the body, leaving the CU»ratei 'kyOOrat; -,rat| . n. (also assistant
|

limbs free, and forces air in and out of the
lungs by changes in pressure.
cul-de-sac 'kal di ,S£ek| • n. (pi. cul-de-sacs
|
or culs-de-sac 'k3l(z) pronunc. same) a
street or passage closed at one end; a dead
end.
a route or course leading nowhere: the pro-
democracy forces found themselves in a political
cul-de-sac. (in anatomy) a vessel, tube, or
curate) chiefly Brit, a member of the clergy en-
gaged as assistant to a vicar, rector, or parish
priest.
| |
a minister with pastoral responsibility.
CU»rate2 |'ky00,rat| * V. [trans.] (usu. be cu-
rated) select, organize, and look after the
items in (a collection or exhibition): both
exhibitions are curated by the museum's direc-
tor.

sac, e.g., the cecum, open at only one end. derivatives: cu»ra»tion |ky3'raSH9n| n.
CU*li»nar*y I'ksb.nere; 'kyoob-l 'adj. of or CUr*a»tive I'kyOOrativl »adj. able to cure
for cooking: culinary skills. something, typically disease: the curative prop-
derivatives: cu«li»nar»i»ly |-,ner3le| erties of herbs. * n. a medicine or agent of this
adv. type.
Clll*mi*nate 'k9lm3,nat • v. [intrans.] reach a
|
|
DERI VAT I V E s cur»a»tive«ly adv. : .

climax or point of highest development: the CU»ra»tor 'kyOOr.atsr; kyOO'rapr; 'kyOOrspr

| |

tensions and disorders that culminated in • n. a keeper or custodian of a museum or

World War II. other collection.
[trans.] be the climax or point of highest de- derivatives: cu*ra»to»ri«al |
.kyoors
velopment of: her book culminated long 'toresl cu«ra»tor»ship -,SHip n.
I
adj. |
|

researches on the symmetry studies of Escher. curd kard • n. (also curds) a soft, white
I
|

derivatives: cul»mi»na»tion n. substance formed when milk coagulates,

CUi*pa*ble I'kslpaball » adj. deserving used as the basis for cheese.
blame: sometimes you're just as culpable when derivatives: curd»y adf
you watch something as when you actually par- CU*ret*tage .kyCOrs'taZHi *n. the use of a
|

ticipate. curette (a scoop-shaped surgical knife), esp.

derivatives: cul»pa»biW»ty |
.kslpa'bil- on the lining of the uterus.
ite| n. cul»pa»bly |-ble| adv. Cu*ri*a 'kyOOrea the papal court at the Vat-
|
|

CUl*ti*var |
'kalta.varl • a plant variety that
n. ican, by which the Roman Catholic Church
has been produced in cultivation by selective is governed.
breeding. derivatives: Cu»ri»al adj.
CUHured I'kslCHardl • adj. (of tissue cells, CU»ri»0 'ky(50re,o| • n. (pi. -os) a rare, unu-
I

bacteria, etc ) grown or propagated in an ar- sual, or intriguing object.

tificial medium. CU»ri»0*Sa ,ky0t)re'os3; -'oz3|
|
* plural n.

(of a pearl) formed around a foreign body curiosities, esp. erotic or pornographic books
inserted into an oyster. or articles.
cum»ber«some I
'ksmbarssmI (also cum- CUr«mudg»eon kar'majan . n. a bad- | I

brous) • adj. large or heavy and therefore dif- tempered or surly person.
ficult to carry or use; unwieldy: cumbersome derivatives: cur»mudg»eon»li»ness n.
diving suits. cur»mudg«eon»ly adj.
slow or complicated and therefore ineffi- CUr*riC*U»lum ka'rikyabm . |
|
n. (pi. curric-
cumbersome hierarchi-
cient: organizations with ula i-b| or curriculums) the subjects
cal structures. comprising a course of study in a school or
derivatives: cum«ber*some»ly adv. college.
cum*ber*some*ness n. derivatives cur*ric»u»lar : |-br| adj.
curriculum vitae 110 Cyrillic

CUr*ric*U*lum vi*tae k3'rik(y)9bm 've,ti; |

states, when a person or thing is poised be-
'vite| (abbr.: curricula vitae CV) » n. (pi. tween the two or just about to move from
|-'rik(y)3l3|) a brief account of a person's one to the other: those on the cusp of adult-
education, qualifications, and previous oc- hood.
cupations; typically sent with a job applica- DERIVATIVES: cus*pate 'kaspat; -,pat| I

tion. adj. cusped adj. cus»pi»date |'kaspa,dat|

cur*ry . v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] 1 groom (a adj.
horse) with a rubber or plastic curry-comb. CUS*pi*dor |
'kaspa,d6r |
• n. a pot for spitting
2 treat (tanned leather) to improve its prop- into; spittoon.
erties. cy*an |
'si,aEn; 'sian |
• w. a greenish-blue
thrash; beat. color,which is one of the primary colors
phrases: curry favor ingratiate oneself arrived at by selectively filtering parts of the
with someone through obsequious behavior: spectrum, and is complementary to red.
a wimpish attempt to curry favor with the cy*ber*naut 'sibar.not; -,nat] • n. a person
|

new bosses, [origin: alteration of Middle who wears sensory devices in order to expe-
English curry favel, firom the name (Favel or rience VIRTUAL REALITY.
Fauvel) of a chestnut horse in a 14th-cent. a person who uses the Internet.
French romance who became a symbol of cy*ber*net*ics |
,sibar'netiks |
• plural n.
cunning and hence 'to rub down duplicity; [treated as the science of communica-
sing.]

Favel' meant to use the curming that he per- tions and automatic control systems in both
sonified.] machines and living things.
cur*slve written with the char-
|
'ksrsiv I
. adj. derivatives: cy»ber»netnc adj. cy»ber«
acters joined: cursive script. • n. writing with ne»ti»cian |-na'tiSHan| n. cy»ber»net»i»cist
such a style. |-'netasast| n.
derivatives: cur«sive«ly adv. cy*ber*space |
'sibar,spas| . the notional
CUr*SO*ry 'karssre • adj. hasty and there-
| |
environment in which communication over
fore not thorough or detailed: a cursory glance computer networks occurs: my last message got
at the figures. lost in cyberspace.
derivatives: cur«so«ri«ly I'karsaralel cy*borg |
'si,b6rg| • n. a fictional or hypothet-
adv. cur»so»ri»ness n. icalperson whose physical abilities are
cur*tail ksr'tal . v.
|
[trans.] (often be cur- |
extended beyond normal human limitations
tailed) reduce in extent or quantity; impose by mechanical elements built into the body.
a restriction on: civil liberties were further cur- cyg*net 'signati • n. a young swan.
|

tailed. Cym»ric 'kamrik • adj. Welsh in language or

| |

derivatives: cur»tail»ment Iksr'tal- culture. • n. the Welsh language.

mantl n. cyn»ic |'sinik| • n. 1 a person who believes
CUr*tal I
'kartl I
• adj. shortened, abridged, or that people are motivated purely by self-
curtailed. interest rather than acting for honorable or
cur*vet I
• n. a graceful or energetic
kar'vet |
unselfish reasons: some cynics thought that the
leap. (curvetted,
• V.curvetting or controversy was all a publicity stunt.
curveted, curveting) [intrans.] leap grace- a person who questions whether something
fully or energetically. will happen or whether it is worthwhile: the
Cur*vHin*e*ar .karva' linear » adj. con- |
|
cynics were silenced when the factory opened.
tained by or consisting of a curved line or 2 (Cynic) a member of a school of ancient
lines: these designs employ flowing: curvilinear Greek philosophers (which flourished in the
forms. Cf. rectilinear, 3rd cent, bc and revived in the 1st cent.
derivatives: cur»vi»lin»e»ar»i»ty n. cur» ad) founded by Antisthenes, marked by an os-
vi»lin»e»ar»ly adv. tentatious contempt for ease and pleasure.
CUSh»y I'kODSHel » adj. (cushier, cushiest) The movement stressed virtue as its own re-
1 (of a job, task, or situation) undemanding, ward. Cf. stoic.
easy, or secure: cushy jobs that pay you to ski. derivatives: cynn»cal adj. cynn»caWy
2 (of furniture) comfortable. adv. cyn»i»cism |
'sina.sizam |
n.

DERI VAT V E s cusliM'ness I : n. cy*no»SUre |

'sina.SHOOr; 'sin-| . n. [in sing.] a
cusp kasp •
I
1 a pointed end where two
I
person or thing that the center of attention is

curves meet, in particular: or admiration: the queen was the cynosure of all
a projecting point between small arcs in eyes.
Gothic a cone-shaped prominence
tracery. Cyr*e*na*ic |,sira'naik| » adj. of or denoting
on the surface of a tooth, esp. of a molar or the hedonistic school of philosophy, which
premolar. a pocket or fold in the wall of the was founded c. 400 bc by Aristippus the Elder
heart or a major blood vessel that fills and dis- of Gyrene (in North Africa) and which holds
tends if the blood flows backward, so form- that pleasure is the highest good and that vir-
ing part of a valve. a point at which the di- tue is to be equated with the ability to enjoy.
rection of a geometric curve is abruptly • n. a follower of this school of philosophy. Cf.

reversed. each of the pointed ends of a cres- HEDONISM.

cent, esp. of the moon. 2 the initial point of derivatives: Cyr»e»na«i»cism |-'naa,si-
an astrological sign or house: he was Aries on zam n. I

the cusp with Taurus. Cy*riHic |sa'rilik| » adj. denoting the alpha-
a point between two different situations or bet used by many Slavic peoples, chiefly
cyst 111 damask
those with a historical allegiance to the Or- of a parasitic worm or the resting stage of an
thodox Church. Ultimately derived from organism.
Greek uncials (script), it is now used for Rus- czar zar; (t)sar (also tsar or tzar) . n. an
I |

sian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Ukrainian, and emperor of Russia before 19 17: [as title] Czar
some other Slavic languages. • n. the Cyrillic Nicholas II.

alphabet. a South Slav ruler in former times, esp. one

cyst I
sist an animal or plant, a thin-
I
• n. in reigning over Serbia in the 14th century.
walled, hollow organ or cavity containing a [usu. with adj.] a person with great author-
liquid secretion; a sac, vesicle, or bladder. ity or power in a particular area: America's
in the body, a membranous sac or cavity of new drug czar.
abnormal character containing fluid. a derivatives: czar»dom I'-damI n. czar*
tough protective capsule enclosing the larva ism I
- ,iz3m |
n. czar*ist |
-ist |
n. & adj.

Dd
da ca*po da i
'kapo I
. adv. (as a musical di- about) infatuated with: we were all daft about
rection) repeat from the beginning. Cf. dai. him.
SEGNO. da»guerre*o«type Ida'gers.tipl (also da-
da*Cha |
'daCHs country |
(also datcha) • n. a guerrotype) • n. a photograph taken by an
house or cottage in Russia, typically used as early photographic process employing an
a second or vacation home. iodine-sensitized silvered plate and mercury
dac*tyl 'dasktl • «. a metrical prosodic foot
I I
vapor.
consisting of one stressed syllable followed by dai*myo |
dimyol (also daimio) • n. (pi. -os)
two unstressed syllables or (in Greek and (in feudal Japan) one of the great lords who
Latin) one long syllable followed by two short were vassals of the shogun.
syllables. dal*li*ance 'dseleans; 'dselyansl • n. a casual
|

Da*da 'dada |
(also dada) • n. an early 20th-
|
romantic or sexual relationship.
century international movement in art, liter- brief or casual involvement with something:
ature, music, and film, repudiating and college was my last dalliance with the educa-
mocking artistic and social conventions and tion system.
emphasizing the illogical and absurd. the dal se*gno |
dal 'sanyo I
• adv. (esp. as a mu-
products of this movement: an exhibition of sical direction) repeat from the point marked
Dada. an example or the atmosphere of il- by a sign. Cf. da capo.
logicality and absurdity: the whole evening was Dam»a*scene 'dsem3,sen; .daema'senl » adj.
|

dada. of or relating to the city of Damascus (Syria).

derivatives: Da»da»ism |-,iz3m| n. Da* of, relating to, or resembling the conversion
da*ist I
-ist I
n. & adj. Da*daMS»tic |
,dada of St. Paul on the road to Damascus: a trans-
'istik| adj. formation of Damascene proportions. of or
da*do 'dado . n. (pi. -os) the lower part of
I I
relating to Damascus steel (which had a wavy
the wall of a room, below about waist height, hammer- welded pattern) or its manufacture.
if it is a different color or has a different cov- (often damascene) relating to or denoting
ering than the upper part. a process of inlaying a metal object with gold
short for dado rail; a decorative molding at or silver decoration. • n. a native or inhabit-
waist height, which protects the wall of a ant of Damascus.
room from damage. a groove cut in the face DERI VAT v E s dam»a«scened
I : adj.
of a board, into which the edge of another dam*ask I'daemask] . n. 1 a figured woven
board is fixed. the part of a pedestal be- fabric with a pattern visible on both sides,
tween the base and the cornice. typically used for table linen and upholstery.
dae*moni |
demsn |
(also daimon) . n. 1 (in a tablecloth made of this material. 2 short for
ancient Greek belief) a divinity or supernat- damask rose (Rosa damascena, a sweet-scented
ural being of a nature between gods and old pink or light red variety (or hybrid) used
humans. for attar. 3 (also damask steel) another term
an inner or attendant spirit or inspiring for Damascus steel, a steel with welded iron
force.2 archaic spelling of demon. parts and a wavy surface pattern, used in
derivatives dae»monnc : idi'manik| adj. weapons and once marketed, if not made, in
dae*mon2 (also demon) • n. computing) (in Damascus. • adj. made of or resembling
a background process that handles requests damask.
for services such as print spooling and file having the velvety pink or light red color of
transfers, and is dormant when not required. a damask rose. • v. [trans.] weave with figured
daft |daeft| • adj. silly; foolish: don't ask such designs.
daft questions. decorate with or as if with a variegated pat-
crazy: have you gone daft? [predic] (daft tern.
dame 112 deacon
dame dam | |
. n. 1 (Dame) (in the UK) the media. (in philosophy) things known or as-
title given to a woman equivalent to the rank sumed as facts, making the basis of reasoning
of knight. or calculation.
a woman holding this title. 2 a woman: every
usage: Data was originally the plural of
guy on the block was watching this dame. the Latin word datum, 'something (e.g., a
an elderly or mature woman. piece of information) given.' Data is now
damn daem • V. [trans.] (in Christian belief)
|
I
used as a singular where it means 'informa-
(of God) condemn (a person) to suffer eter- tion': This data was preparedfor the conference.
nal punishment in hell: be forever damned with It is used as a plural in technical contexts and
Lucifer.
when the collecion of bits of information is
(be damned) be doomed to misfortune or
stressed: All recent data on hurricanes are be-
failure: the enterprise was damned. condemn, ing compared. Avoid datas and datae, which
esp. by the public expression of disapproval: are false plurals, neither English nor Latin.
intellectualswhom he damns as doctrinaire ide-
alists, "curse (someone or something): she da*tive |
'dativ| . adj. (in Latin, Greek, Ger-
cleared her throat, damning it for its huskiness \
man, and other languages) denoting a case of
damn him for making this sound trivial. • infor- nouns and pronouns, and words in grammat-
mal expressing anger, surprise, or frustration: ical agreement with them, indicating an indi-
Damn! I completely forgot! • adj. [attrib.] used rect object or recipient. • n. a noun or other
for emphasis, esp. to express anger or frustra- word of this type.
damn thing off! [as submodifier]
tion: turn that |
(the dative) the dative case.
damn silly!
don 't be so da*tum 'daetam; 'da- • n. (pi. data -ta ) 1 a
1
1
|
|

derivatives: damnable adj. damnation single piece of information.

n.
dam«na*tO*ry 'daEmn3,t6re • adj. convey-
ing or causing censure or damnation: the case
against him was most damnatory.
an assumption or premise from which infer-
| I
ences may be drawn. 2 a fixed starting point
of a scale or operation.
daub dob • V. [trans.] coat or smear (a sur-
I I

Dam*0*Cles 'daema.klezi ^a legendary |

face) with a thick or sticky substance in a
courtier who extravagantly praised the happi- carelessly rough or liberal way: she daubed
ness of Dionysius I, ruler of Syracuse. To her face with cold cream.
show him how precarious this happiness was, spread (a thick or sticky substance) on a sur-
Dionysius seated him at a banquet with a face in such a way: a canvas with paint
sword hung by a single hair over his head. daubed on it. paint (words or drawings)
phrases: sword of Damocles a precarious on a surface in such a way: they daubed graf-
situation. on the walls. • n. 1 plaster, clay, or another
fiti
dan»deri I'dasndarl • n. (in phrase get/have substance used for coating a surface, esp.
one's dander up) lose one's temper. when mixed with straw and applied to laths
dan*der2 • n. skin flakes in an animal's fur or or wattles to form a wall: square huts, mostly
hair. daub and wattle.
dan*dle 'daendl . V. [trans.] move (a baby or
|
I
a patch or smear of a thick or sticky sub-
young child) up and down in a playfial or af- stance: a daub of paint. 2 a painting executed
fectionate way. without much skill.

move (something) lightly up and down: dan- derivatives: daub*er n. 1 an implement

dling the halter rope, he gently urged the pony's used for daubing. 2 a crude or inartistic
head up. painter.
dank |
dseNCk |
• adj. disagreeably damp, daunt dont; dant • v. [trans.] (usu. be
I
|

musty, and typically cold: a dank cellar daunted) make (someone) feel intimidated
derivatives: dank*ly adv. dank*ness n. or apprehensive: some people are daunted by
danse ma*ca*bre 'dans ma'kabral • n. an- |
technology.
other term for the Dance of Death an alle- phrases: nothing daunted without having
gorical representation of Death leading peo- been made fearful or apprehensive: nothing
ple in the dance to the grave, popular in the daunted, the committee set to work.
Middle Ages. daunHess |
'dontlis; 'dant- 1
• adj. showing
dan*seur dan'ssr • n. | |
a male ballet dancer. fearlessness and determination: a dauntless
dan*seuse |dan'sOOz| • n. a female ballet hero.
dancer. derivatives: daunt*less*ly adv. daunt*
dark*ling 'darkliNC . adj. of or relating to
| |
less«ness n.
growing darkness: the darkling sky. dau*phin 'dofin . «. the eldest son of the
| |

das*tard 'daestard • n. a dishonorable or

| \
king of France, used as a title from 1 349 to
despicable person. 1830.
da*ta I
'daets; 'dap |
• n. facts and statistics dea*COn 'dekani • n. (in Catholic, Anglican,
|

collected together for reference or analysis. and Orthodox churches) an ordained minis-
See also datum. ter of an order ranking below that of priest.
the quantities, characters, or symbols on (in 'some Protestant churches) a lay officer
which operations are performed by a com- appointed to assist a minister, esp. in secular
puter, being stored and transmitted in the affairs. (in the early church) an appointed
form of electrical signals and recorded on minister of charity. • v. [trans.] appoint or or-

magnetic, optical, or mechanical recording dain as a deacon.

deadhead 113 Decalogue
derivatives: deaconate n. deaconry n. bout of excessive indulgence in sensual plea-
dea»con«ship |-,SHip| n. sures, esp. eating and drinking.
dead*head 'ded,hed (also dead-head) . n.
| |
the habit or practice of such indulgence; de-
1 (Deadhead) and follower of the rock
a fan bauchery: his life had been spent in debauch.
group The Grateful Dead: 2 a passenger or derivatives: de»bauch*er n.
member of an audience with a free ticket. de«bauch«er«y di'boCHsre . n. excessive | |

a boring or unenterprising person. 3 a indulgence in sensual pleasures.

sunken or partially submerged log. • v. de*biH*tate di'bib.tat; de'bib,tat|
|
*v.
1 [intrans.] (of a commercial driver, etc.) travel [trans.] [often as adj.] (debilitating) make
a route with no paying passengers or freight: (someone) weak and infirm: a debilitating dis-
trucks deadheading into California to pick up ease I
(debilitated) she had felt chron-
[as adj.]

outbound loads. and unwell for years.

ically debilitated
ride in a plane or other vehicle without pay- hinder, delay, or weaken: [adj.] the debilitating
ing for a ticket: the westbound crew boarded the effects of underinvestment.
deadhead to Boston. 2 [trans.] remove
red-eye to derivatives: de»biW»tatnng»ly adv. de»
dead flowerheads from (a plant): weeding and biln»ta»tion |
di.bib'taSHan |
n. de»bilM»ta*
deadheading the roses. tive |di,bib,tativ| adj.
deadlock |
'ded,lak| . n. [in sing.] a situation, deb*0*nair .deba'ner |
|
• adj. (of a man) con-
typically one involving opposing parties, in fident, stylish, and charming.
which no progress can be m.ade: an attempt to derivatives: deb»o»nair»ly adv.
break the deadlock. • v. [trans ] (usu. be de*b0UCh di'bowCH; 'booSH |
• v. [no obj., |

deadlocked) cause (a situation or opposing with adverbial of direction] emerge fi-om a narrow
parties) to come to a point where no progress or confined space into a wide, open area: the
can be made because of fundamental disa- soldiers debouched from their jeeps and dispersed
greement: the jurors were deadlocked on six among the trees \
the stream finally debouches
charges. into a silent pool.
cause (a contest or game) to be in a tie: Pur- derivatives: de»bouch»ment n.
due deadlocked the game with a third-period field de*bride*ment di'bredmant . the re- |
I

goal. moval of damaged tissue or foreign objects

dead*pan 'ded,paen • adj. deliberately im-
|
|
from a wound.
passive or expressionless: deadpan humor. de*brief |de'bref| • v. [trans.] question (some-

• deadpan manner. • v. (-panned,

adv. in a one, typically a soldier or spy) about a com-
-panning) [witii direct speecti] say something pleted mission or undertaking: together they
amusing while affecting a serious manner: debriefed their two colleagues [as n.] (debrief- \

"Fm an undercover dentist," he deadpanned. ing) during his debriefing he exposed two Rus-
dead reck*on*ing • n. the process of calcu- sian spies. • n. a series of questions about a
lating one's position, esp. at sea, by estimat- completed mission or undertaking.
ing the direction and distance traveled rather derivatives: de»brief»er n.
than by using landmarks, astronomical de*bris da'bre; ,da-
|
• n. scattered fi^ag- 1

observations, or electronic navigation meth- ments, typically of something broken down

ods. or destroyed: the streets were littered with debris
dearth darXH • n. [in sing.] a scarcity or lack
| | from the explosion.
of something: a dearth of evidence a \
loose natural material consisting esp. of bro-
dearth of good teachers. ken pieces of rock: planets, comets, and debris
de*ba*cle di'baekal; 'bakal • n. a sudden
|
|
orbiting the sun. dirt or refuse: clean away
and ignominious failure; a fiasco: the economic any collected dust or debris.
debacle that became known as the Great Depres- debt*or I'deprI . n. a person or institution
sion. that owes a sum of money.
de*bar |de'bar| • V. (debarred, debarring) (in the biblical sense) a person who has
[trans.] (usu. be debarred) exclude or pro- offended or sinned against another.
hibit (someone) officially from doing some- dec*a*dence 'deksdans • n. moral or cul-
| |

thing: people declaring that they were HIV- tural decline, esp. after a peak or culmination
positive could be debarred from the country. Cf. of achievement: he denounced Western deca-
DISBAR. dence.
DERI VAT V E s de«bar»ment n.
I : behavior reflecting such a decline: the rituals
de*base |di'bas| 'V. [trans.] reduce (some- of grief had become so ornate as to verge on dec-
thing) in quality or value; degrade: commer- adence. luxurious self-indulgence.
cialism has debased the meaning of the holiday \
derivatives: dec»a»dent adj. dec»a»
[as adj.] (debased) the debased traditions of dent'ly adv.
sportsmanship. de*cal*CO»ma*ni*a Ide.kselka'maneal . n. the

lower the moral character of (someone): war
debases people. lower the value of (coinage)
by reducing the content of precious metal.
DERIVATIVES: de«base«ment
n.
de*bauch |di'b6cH| *v. [trans.] destroy or de-
base the moral purity of; corrupt.
seduce: he debauched several schoolgirls. • «. a
process of transferring designs (decals) from
prepared paper to glass, china, metal, etc.
a technique used by some surrealist artists
n. de»bas»er that involves pressing paint between sheets of
paper.
Dec*a*logue I'deka.log; ,lag| * n. (usu. the
Decalogue) the biblical Ten Command-
ments.
decant 114 decompose
de*cant |di'kaent| »v. [trans.] gradually pour succeed in understanding, interpreting, or
(liquid, typically wine or a solution) from one identifying (something): an expression she
container into another, esp. without distur- could not decipher.
bing the sediment: the wine was decanted one derivatives: de»ci»pher«a»ble adj. de*ci»
hour before being served. pher»ment n.
empty out; move as if by pouring: the bus dec«la*ma*tion .dekls'maSHsnl •n. the ac-
j

broke down and we were decanted into another tion or art of speaking aloud or reciting with
vehicle. studied rhetorical expression (declaiming):
de*cap*i«tate di'kaepi,tat . V. [trans.] cut off
| I
Shakespearean declamation \ declamations of
the head of (a person or animal) the guillotine : patriotism.
decapitated its victims [as adj.] (decapitated)
\
a rhetorical exercise or set speech. forth-
a decapitated body. right or distinct projection of words
set to
cut the end or top from (something). at- music: a soprano soloist with wonderfully clear
tempt to undermine (a group or organiza- declamation.
tion) by removing its leaders. derivatives: declamatory adj.
derivatives: de»cap»i»ta»tion |di,k£epi de*clas*se |,dakla'sa| (also declassee)
'taSHsnl n. de»capn»ta»tor |-,tat3r| n. • having fallen in social rank or position:
adj.
de*ce*dent di'sednt
| |
• n. (in legal use) a de- his parents were now poor and declasse.
ceased person: the decedent's property passed to of inferior status: a declasse restaurant.
his children. de*clen*sion |di'klenSH3n| . w. 1 (in die
de*cel*er*ate de'sel3,rat . v. [intrans.] (of a
|
|
grammar of Latin, Greek, and other lan-
vehicle, machine, or process) reduce speed; guages) the variation of the form of a noun,
slow down: international growth rates deceler- pronoun, or adjective, by which its grammat-
ated in the early 1970s. ical case, number, and gender are identified.
[trans.] cause to move more slowly: gravity the class to which a noun or adjective is
decelerates the cosmic expansion. assigned according to the manner of this var-
derivatives: de»cel»er»a»tion |-,seb'ra- iation. 2 a condition of decline or moral de-
SH3n| n. de»cel»er»a»tor |-,rat3r| n. terioration: the declension of the new generation.
dec*i*bel i'des3,b3l| (abbr.: dB) » n. a unit derivatives: de»clen»sion«al |-SH3nl|
used to measure the intensity of a sound or the adj.
power level of an electrical signal by compar- dec*li*na*tion .dekb'naSHsn . n. 1 the an-
|
|

ing it with a given level on a logarithmic scale. gular distance of a point north or south of the
(in general use) a degree of loudness: his celestial equator.
voice went up several decibels. the angular deviation of a compass needle
de*cid*U*OUS |di'sij6o3s| . adj. (of a tree or from true north (because the magnetic north
shrub) shedding its leaves annually. Cf. ever- pole and the geographic north pole do not co-
green; CONIFER. incide). 2 formal refusal: in the face of this dec-
(of a tree or shrub) broad-leaved. denoting lination of the proposition.
the milk teeth of a mammal, which are shed derivatives: dec»li»na«tion»al |-SH3nl|
after a time. adj.
derivatives: de«cid»u»ous«ly adv. de» de»cliv*i*ty |di'klivite| (pi. -ies) a down- • n.

cid»u*ous»ness n. ward slope: a thickly wooded declivity.

dec*i*mate 'des3,mat
|
[trans.] (often be
|
• v. derivatives: de«cliv»i«tous -tss adj. |
|

decimated) 1 kill, destroy, or remove a large de»COCt idi'kaktl 'V. [trans.] extract the es-
percentage of: the project would decimate the sence from (something) by heating or boiling
fragile wetland wilderness a population deci-\
it.

mated by plague. derivatives: de»coc»tion n.

drastically reduce the strength or eff"ective- de*COlle*tage |da,kab'taZH .dekab-l » n. a
ness of (something): p/a«r viruses that can dec- low neckline on a woman's dress or top.
imate yields. 2 kill one in every ten of (a group de*COlle*te Ida.kals'ta ,dek3b-| *adj. (also
of soldiers or others) as a punishment for the decolletee) (of a woman's dress or top) hav-
whole group. ing a low neckline. • n. a low neckline on a
derivatives: decM»ma»tion .desa'ma- |
woman's dress or top.
SH3n| n. dec»i«ma»tor |-,mat3r| n. de*COm»pose ,dek3m'poz||
. v. [intrans.] (of a

usage: Historically, the meaning of the dead body or other organic matter) decay;
word decimate is 'kill one in every ten of (a become rotten: leaves stuffed in plastic bags do
not decompose [as adj.] (decomposed) the
group of people). 'This sense has been super- \

seded by the later, more general sense 'kill or
destroy (a large percentage of),' as in the vi-
rus has decimated the population. Some tra-
ditionalists argue that this and other later
senses are incorrect. Decimate should not
be used to mean 'defeat
de*ci*pher Idi'slfsrl 'V.
body was badly decomposed.
[trans.] cause (something) to decay or rot:
dead plant matter can be completely decomposed
by microorganisms. [intrans.] (of a chemical
compound) break down into component ele-
utterly.
ments or simpler constituents: many chemi-
cals decompose rapidly under high temperature.
[trans.] convert (a [trans.] break down (a chemical compound)

text written in code, or a coded signal) into into its component elements or simpler con-
normal language: enable the government to de- stituents: to decompose the compound by means
cipher coded computer transmissions. of an acid. [trans.] (in mathematics) express
deconstruction 115 defeatist
(a number or function) as a combination of de*duce |
di'd(y)oos I
• V. [trans.] arrive at (a
simpler components. fact or a conclusion) by reasoning; draw as a
derivatives: de»com»pos«a»ble de» adj. logical conclusion: little can be safely deduced
com»po»si»tion de.kampa'ziSHan n. |
| from [with clause]
these figures \
they deduced
de»COn»Struc*tion ,dek9n'str9kSH3n| »n. a |
that the fish died because of water pollution.
method of of philosophical
critical analysis trace the course or derivation of: he cannot
and literary language that emphasizes the in- deduce his descent wholly by male heirs.
ternal workings of language and conceptual derivatives: de»duc»i»ble l-sabal] adj.
systems, the relational quality of meaning, de*duct Idi'daktl » v. [trans.] subtract or take
and the assumptions implicit in forms of ex- away (an amount or part) from a total: tax has
pression. been deducted from the payments.
DERI VAT V E s de»con»struc«tion*ism - ni-
I : |
, de»duC»tion di'dakSHan • n. ^ the action of | \

Z3m| n. de«con*struc«tion»ist |-ist| adj. & deducting or subtracting something: the div-
n. idend will be paid without deduction of tax.
Clec*0*r0US 'dekaras; di'koras
|
• adj. in |
an amount that is or may be deducted from
keeping with good taste and propriety; polite something, esp. from taxable income or tax to
and restrained: dancing with decorous space be- be paid: tax deductions. 2 the inference of par-
tween partners. ticular instances by reference to a general law
derivatives: dec»o»rous»ly adv. dec»o» or principle: ifyou are not a citizen, then by de-
rous»ness n. duction I can list legal hurdles you may encoun-
de»CO*rum di'koram |
I
• n. behavior in keep- ter
ing with good taste and propriety: you exhibit a conclusion that has been deduced.
remarkable modesty and decorum. de*fal*cate |di'f£elkat; 'f61-| 'V. [trans.] em-
etiquette: he had no idea of funeral decorum. bezzle (funds with which one has been
(usu. decorums) a particular requirement entrusted) the : officials were charged with defal-
of good taste and propriety. suitability to cating government money.
the requirements of a person, rank, or occa- derivatives: de»fal«ca»tion |
.defaerka-
sion. SH3n; de»fal»ca»tor -kapr n.
fol- 1 n. |
|

de*COU*page .dakoo'pazH . n. the decora-

|
|
de»fame di'fam • v. [trans.] damage the
| |

tion of the suriface of an object with paper good reputation of (someone); slander or li-
cutouts. bel: he claimed that the article defamed hisfam-
dec*re*ment 'dekramsnt • w. a reduction
| |
ily.

or diminution: relaxation produces a decrement derivatives: def»a»ma»tion |

.defa'ma-
in sympathetic nervous activity. SH3n| n. de»fam»a»to»ry | -'faema.tore |
adj.
an amount by which something is reduced or de»fam«er n.
diminished: the dose was reduced by 10 mg de*fault di'folt
I
. n. 1 failure to fulfill an I

weekly decrements. (in physics) the ratio of obligation, esp. to repay a loan or appear in
the amplitudes in successive cycles of a a court of law: the company will have to re-
damped oscillation. • v. [trans.] cause a dis- structure its debts to avoid default. 2 a prese-
crete reduction in (a numerical quantity): the lected option adopted by a computer pro-
instruction decrements the accumulator by one. gram or other mechanism when no
de*crep*it |di'krepit| 'adj. elderly and in- alternative specified by the user or pro-
is

firm: a decrepit old drunk. grammer: the default is 10-point type [as adj.] \

worn out or ruined because of long use or defauh settings. • v. [intrans.] 1 fail to fulfill an
neglect; dilapidated: centuries-old buildings, obligation, esp. to repay a loan or to appear
now decrepit and black with soot. in a court of law: some had defaulted on stu-
derivatives: de«crepM»tude |-,t(y)ood| dent loans.
n. [trans.] declare (a party) in default and give

de»cre*tal di'kretl • |
a papal decree con- |
judgment against that party: the possibility that
cerning a point of canon law. • adj. of the na- plaintiffs would be defaulted and the case dis-
ture of a decree. missed. 2 (default to) (of a computer pro-
de*crim*i*nal*ize |de'krimin9,riz| 'V. [trans.] gram or other mechanism) revert automati-
cease to treat (something) as illegal: they ar- cally to (a preselected option): when you start
gue that we should decriminalize drugs, not legal- a fresh letter the system will default to its own
ize them. style.
derivatives: de»crim«i»naW»za»tion phrases: by default because of a lack of
I
"ikriminsli'zaSHsn I
n. opposition: they won the third round by default.
de«cry |di'kri| . v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] publicly through lack of positive action rather than
denounce: they decried human rights abuses. conscious choice: legislation dies by default if
DERI VAT V E s de»cri»er n.
I : the governor fails to act on it.
de*cus*sate 'deka.sat; di'kssati »v. [recipro-
|
de*fea*sance di'fezsns • n. (in legal use) | |

cal] (of two or more things) cross or intersect the action or process of rendering something
each other to form an X: the fibers decussate in null and void.
the collar. • adj. shaped like an X. a clause or condition that, if fulfilled, renders
(of leaves) arranged in opposite pairs, each a deed or contract null and void.
pair being at right angles to the pair below. de*feat»ist |
di'fetist |
• n. a person who
derivatives: de»cus»sa«tion ,dek3'sa- |
expects or is excessively ready to accept fail-
SH3n| n. ure. • adj. demonstrating expectation or
 |

defecate 116 defoliate

acceptance of failure: we have a duty not to he book or other text) the most authorita-
(of a
so defeatist. of its kind: the definitive biography of Harry
tive
DERIVATIVES de*feat»ism |-tiz3m| n. : Truman. • n. a definitive postage stamp.
def*e*cate |'def3,kat| .f. [intrans.] discharge derivatives: de»finM»tive»ly adv.
feces from the body.
usage: Definitive in the sense 'decisive,
derivatives: def«e»ca»tion |
.defa
unconditional, final' is sometimes confused
'kaSHsni n. def»e«ca»tor |-,kat3r| n. def»e» with definite. Definite means 'clearly
ca«to«ry |-k3,t6re| adj. defined, precise, having fixed limits,' but de-
de»fect di'fekt . V. [intrans.] abandon one's
I I

finitive goes further, meaning 'most com-

country or cause in favor of an opposing one: plete, satisfying all criteria, most authorita-
he defected to the Soviet Union after the war.
tive,' as in Although some critics found a few
derivatives: de»fec»tion |di'feksH3n| n. definite weak spots in the author's interpreta-
de»fec»tor di'fektar n. | |

tions, his book was nonetheless widely regarded

de*fen»es*tra*tion Ide.fens'strasHanI . «. as the definitive history of the war. A defin-
the action of throwing someone out of a win- ite decision is simply one that has been
dow. made clearly and is without doubt, whereas
derivatives: de»fen»es»trate -'fena.strat |

a definitive decision is one that is not only

V.
conclusive but also carries the stamp of au-
def*er»ence 'defarans • n. humble submis-
|
I

thority or is a benchmark for the future, as

sion and respect: he addressed her with the def-
in a Supreme Court ruling.
erence due to age.
de*fib*riHa«tor Ide'fibra.laprl . a device deHa*grate |'defl3,grat! • f bum away or .

used to restore normal rhythm to a heart in cause (a substance) to burn away with a sud-
fibrillation by application of an electric cur- den flame and rapid, sharp combustion:
rent to the chest wall or heart. [trans.] the current will deflagrate some of the par-

derivatives: de»fib»ril»late |-,lat| v. dc» ticles.

fib»ril»la«tion de,fibr9'lasH3n n. |
|
derivatives: def«la*gra*tion n. def»la»
de*fllei |di'fil| »v. [trans.] make dirty or foul; gra«tor |-t3r| n.
sully, mar, or spoil: the land was defiled by a de*flate |di'flat| »v. 1 [trans.] let air or gas out
previous owner of (a tire, balloon, or similar object): he
desecrate or profane (something sacred): the deflated one of the tires.
tomb had been defiled and looted. violate the [intrans.] be emptied of air or gas: the balloon

chastity of (a woman). deflated. 2 cause (someone) to suddenly lose

derivatives: de»file»ment n. de»fil»er n.
de»file2 di'fil; 'de.fil • n. a steep-sided, nar-
| I
row gorge or passage (originally one requir-
ing troops to march in single file) • v. [no
obj., with adverbial of direction] (of troops) march
in single file: we emerged after defiling through
the mountainsides.
confidence or feel less important: [as adj.]
(deflated) the news left him feeling utterly
deflated.
. reduce the level of (an emotion or feeling):
her anger was deflated. 3 bring about a general
reduction of price levels in (an economy).
DERIVATIVES de«fla»tor |-pr| n.
:

de*fine di'fin . v. [trans.] 1 state or describe

| |
de*fla*tion di'flasnsn . «. 1 the action or
| |

exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of: the process of deflating or being deflated: defla-
contract will seek to define the client's obligations. tion of the illusion that the 1 960s were a perpet-
give the meaning of (a word or phrase), esp. ual party. 2 a contraction of available money
in a dictionary. make up or establish the or credit resulting in a reduction of the gen-
character of: for some, the football team defines eral level of prices in an economy.
their identity. 2 mark out the boundary or lim- DERIVATIVES: de»fla»tion«ar»y |-,nere|
its of: [as adj.] (defined) clearly defined bound- adj. de«fla»tion»ist |
-ist |
n. & adj.
aries. de*flect I
[with obj., and usu. with
di'flekt i
. V.

make clear the outline of; delineate: she adverbial of cause (something) to
direction]

defined her eyes by applying eyeshadow. change direction by interposing something;

derivatives: de»fin»a»ble adj. de»fin«er turn aside ft-om a straight course: the bullet
n. was deflected harmlessly into the ceiling.
def«i»nite 'defaniti . adj. clearly stated or de-
|
[no obj., with adverbial of direction] (of an object)

cided; not vague or doubtful: we had no defi- change direction after hitting something: the
nite plans. pebble deflected off the windshield. cause
clearly true or real; unambiguous: no definite (someone) to deviate from an intended pur-
proof has emerged. [predic] (of a person) cer- pose: she refused to be deflected from any-
tain or sure about something: j^owVe very def- thing she had set her mind on. cause (some-
inite about that! clear or undeniable (used thing) to change orientation: the compass
for emphasis): video is a definite asset in the needle is deflected from magnetic north by
classroom. having exact and discernible metal in the aircraft.
physical limits or form. de«flOW»er Ide'flowar] . V. [trans.] 1 deprive (a
derivatives: def«i«nite»ness n. woman) of her virginity. 2 [usu. as adj.]
de»fin*i»tive |di'finitiv| *adj. (of a conclu- (deflowered) strip (a plant or garden) of
sion or agreement) done or reached deci- flowers: deflowered rose bushes.
sively and with authority: a definitive diagno- de*fo*li»ate |de'fole,at| "V. [trans.] remove
sis. leaves from (a tree, plant, or area of land) for
deform 117 degree
agricultural purposes or as a military tactic: DERIVATIVES: de»gemer»a»cy |-r3se| n.
the area was defoliated and napalmed many de»gen»er«ate»ly |-ritle| adv.
times. deg*ra*da*tion .degra'dasnan . n. the con-|
|

derivatives: de«fo»li»ant n. de«fo»li»a« dition or process of degrading or being

tion |de,foli'asH3n| n. degraded: a trail of human misery and degra-
de»form di'form
|
. V. [trans ] distort the
I
dation.
shape or form of; make misshapen: [as adj.] the wearing down of rock by disintegration.
(deformed) deformed hands. de*grade di'grad »v. ^ [trans.] treat or re-
|
\

[intrans.] become distorted or misshapen; un- gard (someone) with contempt or disrespect:
dergo deformation: the suspension deforms she thought that many supposedly erotic pictures
slightly on corners. degraded women.
derivatives: de»form»a»ble adj. defor- lower the character or quality of: devices that
mation n. clean up and amplify the degraded signal. re-
de«form»i*ty |
di'formite I
. n. (pi. -ies) a de- duce (someone) to a lower rank, esp. as a
formed part, esp. of the body; a malforma- punishment: he was degraded from his high es-
tion: children born with deformities. tate. 2 break down or deteriorate chemically:

the state of being deformed or misshapen: [intrans.] when exposed to light, the materials will

respiratory problems caused by spinal deformity. degrade [trans.] the bacteria will degrade hydro-
\

de*fray |di'fra| *v. [trans.] provide money to carbons.

pay (a cost or expense): the proceeds from the [trans.] reduce (energy) to a less readily con-
help to defray the expenses of the evening.
raffle vertible form. [trans.] wear down (rock) and
derivatives: de«fray»a»ble adj. de»fi-ay» cause it to disintegrate.
al |-'fra3l| n. de»firay»ment n. derivatives: de»grad»a»bil»i»ty |
di grad-
,

deft deft • adj. neatly skillful in one's move-

I I
a'bilitel n. de»grad»a»ble
deg»ra»da» adj.
ments: a deft piece offootwork. tive 'degr9,dativ adj. de»grad»ed adj. de»
I |

demonstrating skill and cleverness: the script grad'er n. de»grad»ing adj.

was both deft and literate. de«gree di'gre • «. 1 [in sing.] the amount,
|
|

derivatives: deft»ly adv. deft»ness n. level, or extent to which something happens

de*funct di'faNokt • adj. no longer existing
| |
or present: a degree of caution is probably
is

or functioning: the now defunct Communist wise a question of degree. 2 a unit of measure-
I

common market. ment of angles, (one three-hundred-and-

de»ga*ge ,daga'ZHa • adj. unconcerned or
|
unconstrained; relaxed. • n. (pi. pronunc. same)
(in ballet) a movement
shifted from one foot
tion for the execution of a step.
de*gauss de'gows • v. [trans.] [often as n.]
|
|
(degaussing) remove unwanted magnetism
from (a television or monitor) in order to cor-
rect color disturbance.
neutralize the magnetic field of (a ship) by
encircling it with a conductor carrying elec-
tric currents.
DERI VAT V E s de«gauss»er
I :
de«gen»er»ate . adj.
the physical, mental, or moral qualities con-
sidered normal and desirable; showing evi-
dence of decline: a degenerate form of a higher
civilization. 2 lacking some property, order, or
distinctness of structure previously or usually
present, in particular:
(in mathematics) relating to or denoting an
example of a particular type of equation,
curve, or other entity that is equivalent to a
simpler type, often occurring when a variable
or parameter is set to zero. (in physics)
relating to or denoting an energy level that
corresponds to more than one quantum
state. (in physics) relating to or denoting
matter at densities so high that gravitational
contraction is counteracted. (in biology)
having reverted to a simpler form as a result
of losing a complex or adaptive structure pre-
sent in the ancestral form. • n. an immoral or
corrupt person. • v. di'jena.rat [intrans.] de-
cline or deteriorate physically, mentally, or
morally: the quality of life had degenerated] the
debate degenerated into a brawl.
|
sixtieth) of the circumference of a circle: set
at an angle of 45 degrees. (Symbol: °) 3 a stage
in which weight is in a scale or series, in particular:
to the other in prepara- a unit in any of various scales of tempera-
ture, intensity, or hardness: water boils at 100
degrees Celsius. (Symbol: °) [in combination]
each of a set of grades (usually three) used
to classify burns according to their severity,
from first-degree (least serious) to third-degree
(most serious) [in combination] a legal grade
of crime or offense, esp. murder: second-
degree murder. [often in combination] a step
n. in direct genealogical descent: second-degree
\
di'jensrit |
1 having lost relatives. a position in a musical scale,
counting upward from the tonic or funda-
mental note: the lowered third degree of the
scale. the class into which a mathematical
equation falls according to the highest
power of unknowns or variables present: an
equation of the second degree. any of the
three steps on the scale of comparison of
gradable adjectives and adverbs, namely
positive, comparative, and superlative. a
thing placed like a step in a series; a tier or
row. 4 an academic rank conferred by a col-
lege or university after examination or after
completion of a course of study, or con-
ferred as an honor on a distinguished per-
son: a degree in zoology.
social or official rank: persons of unequal de-
gree. a rank in an order of freemasonry.
phrases: by degrees a little at a time; grad-
ually: rivalries and prejudice were by degrees fad-
\ |
ing out. to a degree to some extent: to a de-
gree, it is possible to educate oneself to the nth
degree to the utmost: tested our patience to the
nth degree.
 |

dehisce 118 deliquesce

de*hisce di'his • v. [intrans.] (of a pod or
| |
ate (written or printed matter), esp. by draw-
seed vessel, or of a cut or wound) gape or ing a line through it or marking it with a
burst open: after the anther lobes dehisce, the delete sign: the passage was deleted. * n. a. com-
pollen is set free. mand or key on a computer that erases text.
derivatives: de»his»cence |-'his3ns| n. remove (data) from a computer's memory.
de»his»cent i-'hisantj adj. (be deleted) (of a section of genetic code,
de«i*fy 'dea.fi . V. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] (usu.
| I
or its product) be lost or excised from a
be deified) worship, regard, or treat (some- nucleic acid or protein sequence: if one impor-
one or something) as a god: she was deified by tant gene is deleted from an animal's DNA, other
the early Romans as a fertility goddess. they \
genes can stand in. remove (a product, esp.
virtually deify efficiency. a recording) from the catalog of those availa-
derivatives: deM»fi»ca»tion |
.deafi'ka- ble for purchase: their EMI release has already
SH3n| n. been deleted.
deign dan • v. [no obj., with infinitive] do
| |
del*e*te*ri*OUS .deli'tireasi ^adj. causing
|

something that one considers to be beneath harm or damage: divorce is assumed to have
one's dignity: she did not deign to answer the deleterious effects on children.
maid's question. derivatives: del»e»te»ri»ous«ly adv.
[trans.] condescend to give (something): he de*lib*er*ate 'adj. Idi'libaritI done con-
deigned no apology. sciously and intentionally: a deliberate attempt
de*ism 'deizam • n. belief in the existence
| |
to provoke conflict.
of a supreme being, specifically of a creator ftilly considered; not impulsive: a deliberate

who does not intervene in the universe. The decision. done or acting in a carefial and
term is used chiefly of an intellectual move- unhurried way: a careful and deliberate worker.
ment of the 17th and 18th centuries that • V. -,rat
I
[intrans.] engage in long and care-
I

accepted the existence of a creator on the ba- ful consideration: she deliberated over the
sis of reason but rejected belief in a supernat- menu.
ural deity who interacts with humankind. Cf. [trans.] consider (a question) carefully: jurors
theism. deliberated the fate of those charged |
[with
derivatives: de»ist n. de»is»tic d€ istik | ' clause] deliberating what she should do.
adj. de»is*ti»cal |de'istik9l| adj. derivatives: de«lib»er»ate»ly |
-ritle |

de*ja VU ,dazHa 'voo . n. the illusion of hav-

|
1
adv. de»lib»er»ate»ness |-ritnis| n. de»lib«
ing already experienced the present situation. er»a»tor -.rapr n. |
|

something tediously familiar. de*lict di'likt • n. (in civil law systems) a vi-
I I

de ju*re di 'jOOre; da 'jOOra • adv. according

|
I
olation of the law; a tort: an international
to rightful entitlement or claim; by right; ac- delict.
cording to law. • adj. denoting something or De*li*lah |di'lib| a seductive and treacherous
someone that is rightfully such: he had been de woman; a temptress (from the biblical
jure king since his father's death. woman who betrayed Samson to the
de*le 'dele . V. (deled, deleing) [trans.] de-
I I
Philistines [Judges 1 6] by revealing to them
leteor mark (a part of a text) for deletion. • n. that the secret of his strength lay in his long
a proofreader's sign indicating matter to be hair).
deleted. de*lim*it di' limit . V. (delimited, delimit-
|
I

de*lec*ta«ble |
di'lektabal |
• adj. (esp. of food ing) [trans.] determine the limits or bound-
or drink) delicious; delightful: delectable aries of: agreements delimiting fishing zones.
handmade chocolates. derivatives: de»lim»i»ta»tion - limi | ,

extremely beautiful or attractive: the delecta- 'tasHsn n. de»lim«it»er n.

I

ble Ms. Davis. de*lin*e*ate di'line.at • v. [trans.] describe

|
|

derivatives: de«lec»ta«bil«i«ty - lekta |

, or portray (something) precisely: the law
'bilite n. de»lec»ta»bly
I
-ble adv. | |
should delineate and prohibit behavior that is so-
de*lec*ta*tion ,delek'tasH3n| *n. pleasure |
cially abhorrent.
and delight: a box of chocolates for their de- indicate the exact position of (a border or
lectation. boundary).
del*e*gate • n. 'deligit a person sent or au- \
|
derivatives: de«lin«e«a*tion |-,line'a-
thorized to represent others, in particular an SH3n| de»lin*e»a«tor |-,apr| n.
n.
elected representative sent to a conference. de*lin«quent Idi'liNckwant] * adf (typically
a member of a committee. • v. 'deb, gat \ |
of a young person or that person's behavior)
[trans.] entrust (a task or responsibility) to an- showing or characterized by a tendency to
other person, typically one who is less senior commit crime, particularly minor crime: de-
than oneself: he delegates routine tasks the \
linquent children.
power delegated to him must never be misused. in arrears; past due: delinquent accounts.
I
[intrans.] her chief strength as a boss is that she failing in one's duty: delinquent in caring for
delegates well. his elderly parents. • n. a delinquent person:
[with obj. and infinitive] send or authorize juvenile delinquents.
(someone) to do something as a representa- derivatives: de»lin»quen»cy n. de«lin«
tive: Edward was delegated to meet new arrivals. quent'ly adv.
derivatives: del»e»ga»ble |-g3b3l| adj. deH*quesce |,deli'kwes| » v. [intrans.] (of or-
del*e»ga«tor |-|gat3r| n. ganic matter) become liquid, typically during
deplete |di'let| *v. [trans.] remove or obliter- decomposition.
 |

delude 119 democracy

(of a solid) become liquid by absorbing de*mean*or Idi'menarj (Brit demeanour)
moisture from the air. waste away; dissolve: • outward behavior or bearing: his de-
n.
the melody seemed to deliquesce rather than end. meanor was quiet and somber.
de*lude di'lood . v. [trans.] impose a mis-
| |
de»men»tia di'menSHa • |
a chronic or |

leading belief upon (someone); deceive; fool: persistent disorder of the mental processes
too many theorists have deluded the public [as \
caused by brain disease or injury and marked
adj.] (deluded) the poor deluded creature. by memory disorders, personality changes,
derivatives: de»lud»ed»ly adv. de»lud»er and impaired reasoning.
n. de*mesne |di'man| *n. 1 (in the feudal sys-
del*uge 'del(y)ooj
i
\
» n. a. severe flood. tem) land attached to a manor and retained
(the Deluge) the biblical Flood (recorded for the owner's own use.
in Genesis 6-8). a heavy fall of rain: an April the lands of an estate. a region or domain:
deluge hit the plains. a great quantity of she may one day queen it over that fair demesne.
something arriving at the same time: a deluge 2 possession of real property in one's own
of complaints. • v. [trans.] (usu. be deluged) right.
inundate with a great quantity of something: phrases: held in demesne (of an estate)
he has been deluged -with offers of work. occupied by the owner, not by tenants.
flood: vacation cottages were deluged by the dem*i*god |'deme,gad| ' n. (fern, demigod-
heavy rains. dess -,gadis ) a being
I |
with partial or lesser
de*lu*sion Idi'looznanl »n. an idiosyncratic divine status, such as a minor deity, the off-
belief or impression that is firmly maintained spring of a god and a mortal, or a mortal
despite being contradicted by what is gener- raised to divine rank.
ally accepted as reahty or rational argument, a person who is greatly admired or feared.
typically a symptom of mental disorder: the dem»i»john I'demejani » n. a bulbous,
delusion of being watched. narrow-necked bottle holding from 3 to 10
the action of deluding someone or the state gallons of liquid, typically enclosed in a
of being deluded: what a capacity television has wicker cover.
for delusion. dem*i*monde 'deme.mand I |
(also demi-
phrases: delusions of grandeur an exag- monde) » n. (in 19th-century France) the
gerated impression of one's own importance. class of women considered to be of doubtful
derivatives: de«lu»sion»al i-ZH3nl| adj. morality and social standing.
de»lll*sive |di'loosiv| • adj. giving a false or a group of people considered to be on the
misleading impression: the delusive light of fringes of respectable society: the demimonde
Venice. of arms dealers.
derivatives: de»lu»sive»ly adv. de»lu» derivatives: demM»mon»daine n.
sive»ness n. de*mlse di'miz • n. [in sing.] 1 a
|
i
person's
dem*a*gogue |'dem3,gag| »n. a political death: Mr. Grisenthwaite's tragic demise.
leader who seeks support by appealing to the end or failure of an enterprise or institu-
popular desires and prejudices rather than tion: the demise of the record industry. 2 (in le-
through rational argument. gal use) conveyance or transfer of property or
(in ancient Greece and Rome) a leader or or- a title by demising. . v. [trans.] (in legal use)
ator who espoused the cause of the common convey or grant (an estate) by will or lease.
people. transmit (a sovereign's title) by death or ab-
derivatives: dem«a»gognc .dems'gajik; |
dication.
'gagik; 'gojik| adj. dem»a»gogu»er»y 'dema |
de*mit |di'mit| • V. (demitted, demitting)
.gagarej n. dem«a«go»gy 'dem3,gaje; .gojel |
resign from (an office or position):
[trans.]

n. arguments within his congregation led to his

de«mar*ca*tion ,demar'kaSH3n| . n. the ac-
|
demitting his post.
tion of fixing the boundary or limits of some- derivatives: de«mis*sion |-'miSH3n| n.
thing: the demarcation of the maritime border. dem»i*urge 'deme.srj . n. a being respon-
|
|

a dividing line: a horizontal band that pro- sible for the creation of the universe, in par-
duces a distinct demarcation two inches from the ticular:
top. (in Platonic Maker or Crea-
philosophy) the
derivatives: demarcate v. demarcative tor of the world. Gnosticism and other (in
adj. de»mar»ca»tor di'markapr |
|
n. theological systems) a heavenly being, subor-
de*marche da'marSH | |
• a political step or dinate to the Supreme Being, that is consid-
initiative: foreign policy demarches. ered to be the controller of the material world
de*meani |di'men| *v. [trans.] [often as adj.] and antagonistic to all that is purely spiritual.
(demeaning) cause a severe loss in the dig- derivatives: dem«i«ur»gic ,deme'3rjik |

nity of and respect for (someone or some- adj. dem»i»ur»gi«cal ,deme'3rjik9l adj. | |

thing): he has demeaned the profession the \

de*moc*ra»cy Idi'makrase] 'n. (pi. -ies) a
poster was not demeaning to women. system of government by the whole popula-
(demean oneself) do something that is be- tion or all the eligible members of a state, typ-
neath one's dignity: he demeaned himself by ically through elected representatives: capital-
accepting a bribe. ism and democracy are ascendant as the 21st
de*mean2 . v. (demean oneself) conduct century begins.
oneself in a particular way: no man demeaned a state governed in such a way: a multiparty
himself so honorably. democracy. control of an organization or
democrat 120 denizen
group by the majority of its members: the in- de*mul*cent Idi'molsonti adj. (of a sub- »

tended extension of union democracy. the stance) relieving inflammation or irritation.

practice or principles of social equality: • n. a substance that relieves irritation of the
demands for greater economic democracy. mucous membranes in the mouth by forming
dem*0*crat 'dem3,kra:t| » n. 1 an advocate
|
a protective film.
or supporter of democracy. 2 (Democrat) a de»mur Idi'marl » V. (demurred, demur-
member of the Democratic Party. ring) doubts or objections or
(inlrans.) raise
a member of any other political party styled show reluctance: normally she zvould have
'democratic' accepted the challenge, but here she demurred.
derivatives: democratic, Democratic (in legal use) put forward a demurrer. • n.
adj. [usu. with negative] the action or process of
dem»0»graph»lcs |
,demo'gra^fiks |
. plural n. objecting to or hesitating over something:
statisticaldata relating to the population and they accepted this ruling luithout demur.
particular groups within it: the demographics of n R va r v V: s de*mur*ral n.
I- I 1 :

book buyers. de»mure |di'myOt)r| »adj. (demurer, de-

conditions reflected by these data: the demo- murest) (of a woman or her behavior) re-
graphics just didn V keep the business afloat. served, modest, and shy.
DKRi v.'K ri vi-:s : demographic adj. demo- (of clothing) lending such an appearance.
graphically adv. sober, grave, and composed: awaiting the in-
de»mog»ra»phy |di'magrofe| • «. the study tervieiv with demure calm.
of statistics such as births, deaths, income, or DKRiVAiTVi'S: de»mure«ly aJw de«mure»
the incidence of disease, which illustrate the ness n.
changing structure of human populations. de»mur*rer Idi'msrsrI • n. an objection.
the composition of a particular human pop- (in law) an objection that an opponent's
demography is changing.
ulation: Europe's point is irrelevant or invalid, while grant-
ni;RiVAriVHs: de«mog«ra«pher |-for| n. ing the factual basis of the point: on de-
de*mon 'dem^n |
or devil,
|
• «. 1 an evil spirit murrer it was held that the plaintiff's claim
esp. one thought to take possession of a per- succeeded.
son or act as a tormentor in hell. de»mys»ti»fy 'V. (-ies, -ied)
|de'mist3,fi|
a cruel, evil, or destructive person or thing. [trans.] make or esoteric subject)
(a difficult
a mischievous child: / was a little demon, I clearer and easier to understand: this book
can tell you. [often as adj.] a forceful, fierce, attempts to demystify astronomy.
or skilllPul performer of a specified activity: 1) E R VA T V Is de»mys»ti»fi»ca»tion -,mis-
I !•: :
|

a friend of mine is a demon cook a demon \

tofi'kasHonl //.

for work. 2 another spelling for daemon' de»my»thol»o»gize |

,demi'THai3,jiz| 'V.
(sense 1). [trans.] reinterpret (a subject or text) so that it

de»mon«e»tize |de'mani,tiz| »v. ftrans.) (usu. is free of mythical or heroic elements: he

be demonetized) deprive (a coin or pre- undertakes to demythologize the man who has
cious metal) of its status as money. been for many the modern counterpart of St.
DHRiVATivi-s: de»mon«e»ti«za»tion |-,man- Augustine.
iti'zasH3n| n. reinterpret what are considered to be myth-
de»mo»ni*ac |di'mone,ark| 'adj. of, like, or ological elements of (the Bible).
characteristic of a demon or demons: a god- de»na»ture |de'nacHor| [trans.] [often as

dess with both divine and demoniac qualities \

adj.] (denatured) take away or alter the nat-

demoniac rage. • n. a person believed to be ural qualities of: empty verbalisms and dena-
possessed by an evil spirit. tured ceremonies.
D H R V A TI v H s de»mo*ni»a»cal .dema'nia-
I :
|
make (alcohol) unfit for drinking by the ad-
kal I
adj. de»mo»ni»a»caWy |
,dem3'ni9k(9)- dition of toxic or foul-tasting substances.
le I
adv. destroy the characteristic properties of (a
de*mon*ic |di'manik| 'adj. of, resembling, protein or other biological macromolecule)
or characteristic of demons or evil spirits: de- by heat, acidity, or other effects that disrupt
monic possession \
her laughter was demonic. its molecular conformation. [intrans.J (of a

fiercely energetic or frenzied: in a demonic substance) undergo this process.

hurry. derivatives: de»na»tur«a»tion |dc,na-
derivatives: de«monM»cal»ly |-ik(3)le| CH3'rasH3n| n.
adv. den»i»grate |'deni,grat| »v. [trans.] criticize
de*mot»ic |di'matik| » adj. relating to or unfairly, defame, or disparage: an attempt to
denoting the kind of language used by ordi- denigrate his opponent's character \
there is a
nary people; popular or colloquial: a demotic tendency to denigrate the poor.
idiom. I) E R va I t I v i: s : denM«gra»tion |
,deni'gra-
relating to or denoting the form of modern SHonl n. den»i»gra«tor |-,graior| )i. den«i»
Greek used in everyday speech and writing. gra»to»ry |-gr3,t6re| adj.
relating to or denoting a simplified, cursive den*l»zen I'denazanI • n. an inhabitant or
form of ancient Egyptian script, dating from occupant of a particular place: denizens offield
C.650 Bc: and replaced by Greek in the Ptole- and forest.
maic period (323-30 Bc). • n. ordinary collo- a foreigner allowed certain rights in the
quial speech. adopted country.
demotic Greek. demotic Egyptian script. DERiVAiTVEs: den*i*zen*ship |-,SHip| n.
denominate 121 deposition
de»nom»i*nate |di'nam3,nat| »v. 1 (be de*pend»ent Idi'pendantI •adj. 1 [predic]
denominated) (of sums of money) be (dependent on/upon) contingent on or de-
expressed in a specified monetary unit: the termined by: the various benefits will be depen-
amounts borrowed were denominated in US dent on length of service. 2 requiring someone
dollars. 2 [with obj. and complement] call; name: or something for financial, emotional, or
the plane was denominated a supersonic trans- other support: an economy heavily dependent
port. on oil exports households with dependent chil-
\

de»nom»i»na*tion |
di,nam3'nasH3n |
. n. 1 a dren.
distinctive, generally recognized autonomous unable to do without: dependent on drugs
branch of the Christian Church. Cf. sect. I
[in combination] welfare-dependent families.
a group or branch of any religion: Jewish Grammar (of a clause, phrase, or word) sub-
clergy of all denominations. 2 the face value of ordinate to another clause, phrase, or word.
a banknote, a coin, or a postage stamp: a hun- • n. 2l person who relies on another, esp. a

dred dollars in small denominations. family member, for financial support: a single
the rank of a playing card within a suit, or of man with no dependents, dependent variable
a suit relative to others: two cards of the same (in mathematics) having a value depending
denomination. 3 a characteristic name or des- on that of another variable.
ignation, esp. one serving to classify a set of derivatives: de»pend«ent»ly adv.
things. de*pict di'pikt • V. [trans ] show or represent
I I

the action of naming or classifying some- by a drawing, painting, or other art form.
thing: denomination of oneself as a career portray in words; describe: youth is depicted
woman. as a time of vitality and good health.
de»no»ta»tion .deno'tasnan . «. the literal
| i
derivatives: de«pict»er n. de»pic»tion
or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to |-'piksH3n| n.
the feelings or ideas that the word suggests: de^plete |di'plet| »v. [often as adj.] (de-
beyond their immediate denotation, the words pleted) use up the supply of; exhaust the
have a connotative power. abundance of: fish stocks are severely depleted.
the action or process of indicating or refer- [intrans.] diminish in number or quantity: sup-
ring to something by means of a word, sym- plies are depleting fast. exhaust: avoid getting
bol, etc. (in philosophy) the object or con- depleted and depressed.
cept to which a term refers, or the set of derivatives: de«ple«tion |-'pleSH3n| n.
objects of which a predicate is true. Cf. con- de»plor*a*ble Idi'ploraball 'adj. deserving
notation. strong condemnation: the deplorable conditions
derivatives: de»no»ta»tion»al |-SH3nl| in which most prisoners are held.
adj. . shockingly bad in quality: her spelling was de-
de»note |
di'not |
• v. [trans.] be a sign of; indi- plorable.
cate: thismark denotes purity and quality. derivatives: de»plor»a«bly |-ble| adv.
(often be denoted) stand as a name or sym- de*plore |di'pl6r| ^v. [trans.] feel or express
bol for: the level of output per firm, denoted by strong disapproval of (something): we deplore
X. this act of cowardice.
derivatives: de»no«ta«tion n. de»no»ta» DERI VAT V E s de»plor»ing«ly adv.
I :

tive I
'deno.tativ; di'noptiv] adj. de*po»nent di'ponant . adj. (of a verb,
| I
esp.

usage: For the difference between denote
and connote, see usage at connote.
de*noue*ment ,danoo'maN . w. the final
part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the
strands of the plot are drawn together and
in Latin or Greek) passive or middle (recip-
rocal or reflexive) in form but active in mean-
ing. • «. 1 a deponent verb. 2 (in legal use) a
|
|
person who makes a deposition or affidavit
under oath.
de-port di'port »v. ^ [trans.] expel (a for-
I
\

matters are explained or resolved. eigner) from a country, typically on the

the climax of a chain of events, usually when grounds of illegal immigration status or for
something is decided or made clear: / waited having committed a crime: he was deported to
by the eighteenth green to see the denouement. his native Argentina.
de*nounce di'nowns • v. [trans.] publicly
| |
exile (a native) to another country. 2 (de-
declare to be wrong or evil: the mayor port oneself) conduct oneself in a specified
denounced the use of violence he was widely \
manner: he has deported himself with great dig-
denounced as a traitor. nity.
inform against: some of his own priests derivatives: de«port»a»ble adj. de»por»
denounced him for heresy. taction I
,dep6r'tasH3n n. \

derivatives: de»nounce»ment n. de« de»pose |

di'poz • v. [trans.] |
1 remove from
nounc*er de»nun»ci»a«tion n.
n. office suddenly and forcefully: the president
de nouveau .da noo'vo |
• adv. starting |
had been deposed by a military coup. 2 (in legal
again from the beginning; anew. use) testify to or give (evidence) on oath, typ-
de no*VO da 'novo; de |
• adv. & adj. starting |
ically in a written statement: every affidavit
from the beginning; anew: [as adv.] in a pure shall state which of the facts deposed to are
meritocracy, everyone must begin de novo [as \
within the deponent's knowledge.
adj.] a general strategy for de novo protein design. dep»0*si*tion .depa'zisHan »n.^ the action |
\

De«0 VO*len»te 'dao va'lente . adv. God | |

of deposing someone, esp. a monarch:
wiUing; if nothing prevents it. Edward V's deposition. 2 (in legal use) the
 a

depravity 122 derision

process of giving sworn evidence: the deposi- severe recession in an economy or market: the
tion of four expert witnesses. depression in the housing market.
a formal, usually written, statement to be (the Depression or the Great Depres-
used as evidence: they took her deposition the sion) the financial and industrial slump in
next day. 3 the action of depositing some- the United States and other countries that
thing: pebbles formed by the deposition of cal- began with the stock market crash in October
cium in solution. 4 (the Deposition) the tak- 1929, and lasted through the 1930s. 3 the
ing down of the body of Christ from the lowering or reducing of something: the depres-
Cross. sion of prices.
de*prav»i*ty di'praevite . n. (pi. -ies) moral
| I
the action of pressing down on something:
corruption: a tale of wickedness and deprav- depression of the plunger delivers two units of in-
ity sulin. a sunken place or hollow on a surface:
a wicked or morally corrupt act. (in Chris- the original shallow depressions were slowly con-
tian theology) the innate corruptness of hu- verted to creeks. (in astronomy) the angular
man nature, due to original sin. distance of an object below the horizon or a
derivatives: de»praved adj. horizontal plane. (in meteorology) a region
dep*re*cate |
[trans.] 1 express
'depr3,kat| . v. of lower atmospheric pressure, esp. a cyclonic
disapproval of: [as adj.] (deprecating) he weather system.
sniffed in a deprecating way. 2 another term for de*pro*gram Ide'prograemj • z;. (depro-
DEPRECIATE (sense 2): he deprecates the value of grammed, deprogramming or depro-
children 's television. gramed, deprograming) [trans] release
DERI VAT v E s dep»re»cat»ing»ly adv. dep*
I : (someone) from apparent brainwashing
re»ca»tion |
,depr3'kasH3n |
n. dep»re»ca* (programming), typically that of a religious
tive |-,kativ| adj. dep»re»ca»tor |-,kat3r| n. cult, by the systematic reindoctrination of

usage: The of spelling and

similarity
conventional values.
meaning of deprecate and depreciate, de*rac*in*ate |di'rass3n,at| 'V. [trans.] tear
though they are etymologically unrelated, (something) up by the roots.
has led to confusion in their use. Depre- uproot (someone) from his or her culture or
cate, 'to express disapproval of,' has environment.
encroached on the meanings of depreciate, derivatives: de»rac«i»nat»ed adj. de»
'to lessen the value of; belittle.' Deprecate
racM»na»tion -.raesan'aSHsn n.
|
|

(originally from Latin deprecari, 'to try to

denange |di'ranj| 'V. [trans.] [usu. as adj.]

avert by prayer,' was the opposite of 'pray

(deranged) cause (someone) to become in-

for,' just as depreciate was the opposite of

sane: a deranged soldier.

appreciate, 'to increase in value.' Self-depre-

throw (something) into confusion; cause to
cating, an old and common error (should act irregularly: stress deranges the immune sys-

be self-depreciating), has become the most tem. intrude on; interrupt: / am sorry to have
prevalent way of saying 'modest, self- deranged you.
effacing,'
derivatives: de»range»ment n.
de*reg»U*late |de'regy3,lat| ^v. [trans.] re-
de«pre*ci*ate |di'preSHe,at| . v. 1 [intrans.] di- move regulations or restrictions from: a law
minish in value over a period of time: the that would deregulate cable TV fees.
pound is expected to depreciate against the derivatives: de»reg»u»la»tion - regy |
,

dollar. 'laSHsnl de»reg»u»la»to»ry |-b,t6re| adj.

n.

reduce the recorded value in a company's der*e«lict |'der3,likt| 'adj. in a very poor
books of (an asset) each year over a predeter- condition as a result of disuse and neglect: the
mined period: the computers would be depreci- cities were derelict and dying.
ated at 50 percent per annum. 2 [trans.] dispar- (of a person) shamefully negligent in not
age or belittle (something): she was already having done what one should have done: he
depreciating her own aesthetic taste. was derelict in his duty to his country. » n. a
derivatives: de«pre»ci«a»to«ry |
-SHea person without a home, job, or property: dere-
.tore I
adj. licts who could fit all their possessions in a paper

dep*re*da*tion .depra'dasHan] . n. (usu.

|
bag
depredations) an act of attacking or plun- a piece of property, esp. a ship, abandoned
dering: protecting grain from the depredations of by the owner and in poor condition.
rats and mice. der»e»lic*tion |
• n. the state of
.ders'liksnani
derivatives: dep»re»da»tor n. dep»re» having been abandoned and become dilapi-
da»to»ry adj. dated: the empty house had started the slow slide
de*pres*sion |di'preSH3n| • w. 1 severe de- to dereliction.
spondency and dejection, typically felt over a (usu. dereliction of duty) the shameful
period of time and accompanied by feelings failure to fulfill one's obligations.
of hopelessness and inadequacy. de ri*gueur |,d3 ri'gsr] »adj. required by
a condition of mental disturbance character- custom, etiquette, or current fashion: it was
ized by such feelings to a greater degree than de rigueur for band members to grow their hair
seems warranted by the external circum- long
stances, typically with lack of energy and dif- de*ri*sion |di'rizH9n| • n. contemptuous rid-
ficulty inmaintaining concentration or inter- icule or mockery: my stories were greeted with
est in life: clinical depression. 2 a long and derision.
derisive 123 desensitize
derivatives: de»risn«ble l-'rizaball adj. (derive something from) base a concept
de»ri»sive |di'risiv| 'adj. expressing con- on a logical extension or modification of (an-
tempt or ridicule: painfully derisive comments. other concept): Marx derived his philosophy of
derivatives: de»ri»sive»ly adv. de»ri« history from Hegel. [intrans.] (derive from)

sive»ness n. (of a word) have (a specified word, usually of

de*ri*SO«ry Idi'nssre; riz-| •adj. 1 ridicu-
lously small or inadequate: they were given a
derisory pay rise. 2 another term for derisive:
his derisory gaze.
another language) as a root or origin: the word
"punch" derives from the Hindustani "pancha"
I
(be derived from) the word "man" is
derived from the Sanskrit "manas." [intrans.]

usage: Although the words derisory and (derive from) arise from or originate in (a
specified source) words whose spelling derives
derisive share similar roots, they have dif- :

ferent core meanings. Derisory usually
means 'ridiculously small or inadequate,' as
in a derisory pay offer or the security arrange-
ments were derisory. Derisive, on the other
hand, is used to mean 'showing contempt,'
as in he gave a derisive laugh.
der*i*va*tion ,der3'vaSH3n|
|
1 the
obtaining or developing of something from a
source or origin: the derivation of scientific
laws from observation.
the formation of a word from another word
or from a root in the same or another lan-
from Dr. Johnson 's incorrect etymology. (be
derived from) (in linguistics, of an expres-
sion in a natural language) be linked by a set
of stages to (its underlying abstract form).
(be derived from) (of a substance) be
formed or prepared by (a chemical or physi-
cal process affecting another substance):
strong acids are derived from the combustion of
fossil fuels. obtain (a mathematical function
or equation) from another by a sequence of
logical steps, for example by differentiation.
derivatives: de»riv»a»ble adj.
der*o*gate 'ders.gat ^v. ^ [trans.] detract
|
\

guage. (in generative grammar) the set of from or disparage (someone or something): it
stages that link the abstract underlying struc- is typical of Pirandello to derogate the powers of
ture of an expression to its surface form. (in reason. 2 [intrans.] (derogate from) detract
mathematics) a sequence of statements from: this does not derogate from his duty to act
showing that a formula, theorem, etc., is a honestly and faithfully. 3 [intrans.] (derogate
consequence of previously accepted state- from) deviate from (a set of rules or agreed
ments. (in mathematics) the process of form of behavior): one country has derogated
deducing a new formula, theorem, etc., from fromthe Rome Convention.
previously accepted statements. 2 origin; ex- derivatives: de*rog«a»tive |di'rag3tiv|
traction: music of primarily Turkish derivation. adj.
something derived; a derivative: the deriva- de*rog*a*tO*ry di' rags, tore • adj. showing
| |

tion "sheepish " has six definitions. a critical or disrespectful attitude: derogatory
derivatives: derM»va»tion»al |-SH3nl| remarks.
adj. derivatives: de«rog»a»to«ri»ly |-|t6r3le|
de*riv*a*tive Idi'rivativj » adj. (typically of adv.
an artist or work of art) imitative of the work der»vish |
'dsrviSH |
. n. a Muslim (specifi-
of another person, and usually disapproved of cally Sufi) religious has taken vows man who
for that reason: an artist who is not in the slight- of poverty and austerity. Dervishes first
est bit derivative. appeared in the 12th century; they were
originating from, based on, or influenced by: noted for their wild or ecstatic rituals and
Darwin's work is derivative of the moral were known as dancing, whirling, or howl-
philosophers. [attrib.] (of a financial product) ing dervishes according to the practice of
having a value deriving from an underlying their order.
variable asset: equity-based derivative products. des*cant . n. 'deskaent an independent tre-
\ |

• n. something that is based on another ble melody usually sung or played above a
source: a derivative of the system was chosen for basic melody.
the Marine Corps 'V-22 tilt rotor aircraft. a melodious song. a discourse on a theme
(often derivatives) an arrangement or in- or subject: his descant of deprivation. • v. des \

strument (such as a future, option, or war- 'kaenti [intrans.] talk tediously or at length: /
rant) whose value derives from and is depen- have descanted on this subject before.
dent on the value of an underlying asset: [as de*scry |di'skri| • v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] catch
adj.] the derivatives market. aword derived sight of: she descried two figures in the distance.
from another or from a root in the same or discover by observation; perceive: / could not
another language. a substance that is descry his intent.
derived chemically from a specified com- des*e*crate |
'desi,krat |
. v. [trans.] (often be
pound: crack is a highly addictive cocaine deriv- desecrated) treat (a sacred place or thing)
ative. (in mathematics) an expression rep- with violent disrespect; violate: many graves
resenting the rate of change of a function with were desecrated.
respect to an independent variable. derivatives: des»e»cra»tion |
idesi'kra-
derivatives: de»riv»a»tive»ly adv. SHsnl n. des»e»cra»tor |-,krat3r| n.
denive |di'riv| •v. [trans.] (derive some- de»sen»si»tize |de'sensi,tiz| •v. [trans.] make
thing from) obtain something from (a spec- less sensitive: a substance to desensitize the skin
ified source): they derived great comfort from at the site of the injection. the treatments should \

this assurance. desensitize you to cat dander.

 .

desert 124 determinism

make (someone) less likely to feel shock or derivatives: de»spond»ence l-dsnsj n.
distress at scenes of cruelty, violence, or suf- despondent adj. despondendy adv.
fering by overexposure to such images: [as des*pot 'despst • w. a ruler or other person
I
|

adj.] (desensitized) people who view such who holds absolute power, typically one who
movies become desensitized to violence. exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way.
free (someone) from a phobia or neurosis derivatives: des»potnc |di'spatik| adj.
by gradually exposing the person to the thing des'pot'i'caWy di'spatik(3)le adv. |
|

that is feared. des»pot*ism 'desp3,tiz3m . n. the exercise

| I

derivatives: de»sen«si»ti»za»tion |de of absolute power, esp. in a cruel and oppres-

,sensiti'zaSH3n de»sen»si*tiz»er «.
I
n. sive way: the King's arbitrary despotism.
desert dizsrt |
n. (usu. deserts) a person's
|
• a political system inwhich the ruler holds
worthiness or entitlement to reward or pun- absolute power.
ishment; what one deserves: the penal system des*ti»tute 'desti,t(y)oot| * adj. without the
|

fails to punish offenders in accordance with their basic necessities of life: the charity cares for des-
deserts. titute children.
Cle*sex |de'seks| •v. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] [predic] (destitute of) not having: towns des-
(desexed) deprive (someone) of sexual
1 of commerce.
titute
qualities or attraction: he portrays feminists as derivatives: des»ti»tu«tion |
,desti't(y)oo-
shrill, humorless, and desexed. 2 castrate or spay SH3n| n.
(an animal). des*ue*tude i
'deswi,t(y)ood |
• a state of
des*ic*cate |'desi,kat| »v. [trans.] [usu. as disuse: the docks fell into desuetude.
adj.] (desiccated) remove the moisture from des*ul*tO*ry 'dessl.tore . adj. lacking a
|
|

(something, esp. food), typically in order to plan, purpose, or enthusiasm: surfing the net
preserve it: desiccated coconut. in a desultory fashion.
[as (desiccated) lacking interest, pas-
adj.] (of conversation or speech) going constantly
sion, or energy: a desiccated history of ideas. from one subject to another in a halfhearted
derivatives: des»ic»ca»tion |-'kasH3n| way; unfocused: the desultory conversation
n. des«ic»ca»tive |-,kativ| adj. faded. occurring randomly or occasionally:
de*Sid*er«a*tive jdi'sidarativ; ,rativ| *adj. desultory passengers.
(in Latm and other inflected languages) derivatives: des»ul»to»ri»ly i-,t6r3le|
denoting a verb formed from another and adv. des»ul»to»ri»ness n.

expressing a desire to do the act denoted by de*tente da'tant |

(also detente) . n. the |

the root verb (such as Latin esurire 'want to easing of hostility or strained relations, esp.
eat,' from edere 'eat') between countries: a serious effort at detente
having, expressing, or relating to desire. • n. with the eastern bloc. Cf. entente.
a desiderative verb. de*ten*tlon di'tensnan • n. xht action of
| |

de*sid*er«a*tum di.sids'rapm . n. (pi de- |

siderata -'rata I) something that is needed
I
or wanted: integrity was a desideratum.
des*0*late • adj. 'desalit] (of a place) emp-
tied of people and in a state of bleak and dis-
mal emptiness: a desolate moor.
feeling or showing misery, unhappiness, or
loneliness: I suddenly felt desolate and bereft.
• V.
I
'des3,lat| [trans.]
and depressingly empty or bare:
that desolated the dry plains.
(usu. be desolated) make (someone)
utterly wretched and unhappy: he was deso-
lated by the deaths of his friends.
derivatives: des»o*late«ly
|
detaining someone or the state of being
detained in official custody, esp. as a political
prisoner: he committed suicide while in police de-
\
tention.
the punishment of being kept in school after
hours: made students fear after-school detention
I
arbitrary after-school detentions.
de»ter»mi*nate Ids'tarmanitj »adj. having
make (a place) bleakly exact and discernible limits or form: the
the droughts phrase has lost any determinate meaning.
(of a flowering shoot) having the main axis
feel ending in a flower bud and therefore no
longer extending in length, as in a cyme.
derivatives: de»ter«nii»na»cy |-min3se|
adv. des*o» n. de»ter»nii»nate»ly adv. de*ter»mi»nate»

late*ness |-litnis| n. des»o»la»tor |-|lapr| ness n.

n.
des»pi*ca*ble di'spikabal • adj. deserving|
hatred and contempt; to be despised: a despi-
cable crime.
derivatives: des»pi»ca»bly |-ble| adv.
de*spoil Idi'spoili 'V. [trans.] (often be
despoiled) steal or violently remove valuable
de*ter»min*er jdi'tarminarj »n. 1 a person
I
or thing that determines or decides some-
thing. 2 (in grammar) a modifying word that
determines the kind of reference a noun
or noun group has, for example a, the.,
every.
de*ter*mln*ism di'tarms.nizam . w. the | I

or attractive possessions from; plunder: the doctrine that all events, including human ac-
church was despoiled of its marble wall cover- tion, are ultimately determined by causes ex-
ing. ternal to the will. Some philosophers have
derivatives: de»spoil»er n. de»spoil» taken determinism to imply that individual
ment n. de»spo«li»a»tion -,spole'aSH3n n. |
|
human beings have no free will and cannot be
de*spond*en*cy di'spandanse . n. a state i I
held morally responsible for their actions.
of low spirits caused by loss of hope or cour- derivatives: de»ter»min»ist n. & adj. de»
age; despond: he hinted at his own deep de- ter«minMs*tic | -.tarms'nistik |
adj. de«ter»
spondency. niinMS»ti«cal»ly |
-,t3rm3'nistik(3)le |
adv.
 | |

deterrent 125 devolve

de*ter«rent Idi'tsrantI . n. a thing that dis- de*vi*a*tion ,deve'asHan| . n. 1 the action of
|

courages or is intended to discourage some- departing from an established course or

one from doing something. accepted standard: deviation from a norm \

a weapon or weapons system regarded as de-
terring an enemy from attack. • adj. able or
intended to deter: the deterrent effect of heavy
prison sentences.
derivatives: de»ter de«ter»rence n.
de*tract di'trsekt »v. 1 [intrans.] (detract
| \
from) reduce or take away the worth or value
sexual deviation 2 (in statistics) the amount by
which a single measurement differs from a
fixed value such as the mean. 3 the deflection
of a vessel's compass needle caused by iron in
v. the vessel, which varies with the vessel's head-
ing.
derivatives: de»vi»a»tion»ism |

- , nizam
of: these quibbles in no way detract from her n.de»vi»a»tionnst |-ist| n.
achievement. dev*irs ad»VO*cate . n. a person who
[trans.] deny or take away quality or (a expresses a contentious opinion in order to
achievement) so as to make
subject seem its provoke debate or test the strength of the
less impressive: it detracts not one iota from the opposing arguments: we will play devil's ad-
credit due to them. 2 [trans.] (detract some- vocate to put the other side's case forward.
one/something from) divert or distract an official appointed by the Roman Catho-
(someone or something) away from: the com- licChurch to challenge a proposed beatifica-
plaint was timed to detract attention from the eth- tion or canonization, or the verification of a
ics issue. miracle.
derivatives: de*trac«tion | -'traeksHan de*vi*OUS 'deveas • adj. 1 showing a skillful
| |

n. de»trac*tive |-'trgektiv| adj. use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals:

deWi»men«tal .detrs'mentll »adj. tending |
devious ways of making money. 2 (of a route or
to cause harm (detriment) releasing the docu- : journey) longer and less direct than the most
ments would be detrimental to national secu- straightforward way.
rity moving her could have a detrimental ef-
I
derivatives: de»vi»ous»ly adv. de»vi»
fect on her health. ous'ness n.
derivatives: det»ri«men»tal»ly adv. de^vise di'viz| • v. [trans.] 1 plan or invent (a
|

de*tri*tUS |
di'tntss |
• n. waste or debris of complex procedure, system, or mechanism)
any kind. by careful thought: a training program should
gravel, sand,silt, or other material produced be devised a complicated game of his own
\

by erosion. organic matter produced by the devising. 2 leave (real estate) to someone by
decomposition of organisms. the terms of a will. • n. a clause in a will leav-
derivatives: de»tri»tal |-t3l| adj. ing real estate to someone.
de trop da 'tro • adj. not wanted; superflu-
I I
derivatives: de«vis»a»ble adj. de»vi»see
ous: she had no grasp of the conversation and felt I
di.vi'ze I
n. (in sense 2). de»vis»er n. de»vi»
herself de trop. sor |-'vizar! n. (in sense 2).
de»tu»mes»cence ,det(y)oo'mes3ns . n. |
I
de*void diVoid | |
• adj. [predic] (devoid of)
the process of subsiding from a state of ten- entirely lacking or free from: Lisa kept her
sion, swelling, or (esp.) sexual arousal. voice devoid of emotion.
derivatives de»tu»mesce |-'mes| v. dc* : de«VOir dav'war • n. a person's duty: you
|
I

tu»mes«cent adj. . have done your devoir right well.

de*US ex ma*Chi*na daas eks makana; |
(pay one's devoirs) pay one's respects for-
'meek- • an unexpected power or event
1 mally.
saving a seemingly hopeless situation, esp. as dev*0*lu«tion |
,deva'looSHan |
• n. the trans-
a contrived plot device in a play or novel. fer or delegation of power to a
lower level, esp.
de*val*ue de'vselyoo • V. (devalues, de-
| I
by central government to local or regional ad-
valued, devaluing) [trans.] reduce or under- ministration.
estimate the worth or importance of: people descent or degeneration to a lower or worse
seem to devalue my achievement. state: thedevolution of the gentlemanly ideal
(often be devalued) reduce the official into a glorification of drunkenness. the legal
value of (a currency) in relation to other cur- transfer of property from one owner to an-
rencies: the dinar was devalued by 20 percent. other. (in biology) evolutionary degenera-
derivatives: de»val»u»a»tion |
,dev£elyoo tion.
'asHanI n. derivatives: dev»o»lu»tion»ar»y |-,nere|
de*vi*ant 'deveant • adj.
|
departing from i
adj. dev»o«lu»tion»ist |-ist| n.

usual or accepted standards, esp. in social or de*VOlve |di'valvi •v. [trans.] transfer or del-
sexual behavior: deviant behavior a deviant \
egate (power) to a lower level, esp. from cen-
ideology. • n. a deviant person or thing. tral government to local or regional adminis-
derivatives: de»vi»ance n. de«vi»an»cy tration: measures to devolve power to the
n. provinces [as adj.] (devolved) devolved and
\

de*vi»ate . v. 'deve.at [intrans.] depart from

\ I
decentralized government.
an established course: you must not deviate [intrans.] (devolve on/upon/to) (of duties or

from the plan. responsibility) pass to (a body or person at a

depart from usual or accepted standards: lower level): his duties devolved on a comrade.
those who deviate from society's values. • n. [intrans.] (devolve on/upon/to) (of prop-
& old-fashioned term for deviant,
adj. erty) be transferred from one owner to
derivatives: de»vi»a»tor |-,atar| n. (another), esp. by inheritance. [intrans.]
 |

devotee 126 diaphanous

(devolve into) degenerate or be split into: the di»ag*no*sis |
.dlag'nosis |
• n. (pi. diagnoses
Empire devolved into separate warring states. |-,sez|) 1 the identification of the nature of
D K R VATi V E s de»volve«ment n.
I : an illness or other problem by examination of
dev«0*tee ,dev3'te; 'ta| • n. a person who is
|
the symptoms: early diagnosis and treatment
very interested in and enthusiastic about are essentiala diagnosis of Crohn 's disease was
\

someone or something: a devotee of Chinese made. Cf. prognosis. 2 the distinctive char-
culture. acterization in precise terms of a genus, spe-
a strong behever in a particular religion or cies, or phenomenon.
god: devotees of Krishna devotees thronged the \
di*ag*nos*tic .dlag'nastikl 'adj. 1 con- |

temple. cerned with the diagnosis of illness or other

de*VOUt |di'vowt| 'adj. having or showing problems: a diagnostic tool.
deep religious feeling or commitment: a de- (of a symptom) distinctive, and so indicat-
vout Catholic. ing the nature of an illness: there are a num-
totally committed to a cause or belief: the ber of infections that are diagnostic of AIDS.
most devout environmentalist. 2 characteristic of a particular species, ge-
derivatives: de»vout«ly adv. de»vout» nus, or phenomenon: the diagnostic character
ness n. of having not one but two pairs of antennae.
dew point • n. the atmospheric temperature • n. 1 a distinctive symptom or character-
(varying according to pressure and humidity) istic.

below which water droplets begin to con- a computer program or routine that helps a
dense and dew can form. user to identify errors. 2 (diagnostics) the
dex*ter I'dekstarl * adj. [attrib.] of, on, or practice or techniques of diagnosis: advanced
toward the right-hand side (in a coat of arms, medical diagnostics.
from the bearer's point of view, i.e., the left as derivatives: di»ag»nos«ti«cal»ly |-ik(3)-
it is depicted). The
opposite of sinister. Ie| adv. di*ag*nos*ti*cian -,nas'tiSH3n n. |
|

dex«ter»OUS dekstaras (also dextrous)

|
|
di*a*lect 'di3,lekt • n. a particular form of a
|
|

• adj. demonstrating skill and adroitness with language that is peculiar to a specific region
the hands: dexterous accordion playing. or social group: this novel is written in the dia-
mentally adroit; clever: power users are dexter- lect of Trinidad.
ous at using software, rather than creating it. a particular version of a computer program-
derivatives: dex»terM»ty dek'sterite n. | | ming language.
dex«ter»ous»ly adv. dex»ter«ous»ness n. DERI vat v e s di»a»lec»tal .dia'lektal adj.
I :
| |

dex*tral 'dekstrsl . adj. of or on the right

i i
di*a»lec*tic ,di9'lektik| . n. (also dialectics)
|

side or the right hand, in particular: [usu. treated as sing.] 1 the art of investigating
right-handed. (in geology) relating to or or discussing the truth of opinions. 2 inquiry
denoting a strike-slip fault in which the mo- into metaphysical contradictions and their
tion of the block on the farther side of the solutions.
fault from an observer is toward the right. the existence or action of opposing social
(of a spiral mollusk shell) with whorls ris- forces, concepts, etc. • adj. (also dialectical)

ing to the right and coiling in a counterclock- of or relating to dialectic or dialectics.

wise direction. • n. a right-handed person. derivatives: di«a»lec»ti»cian n.
derivatives: dex»tral»i«ty | dek ' straelite di*a*logue I'dia.lag; ,I6g| (also dialog) •n.
n. dex»tral»ly adv. conversation between two or more people as
dhar*ma 'darma • w. 1 (in Hinduism) the
| |
a feature of a book, play, or movie: the book
principle of cosmic order. consisted of a series of dialogues passages of di- \

virtue, righteousness, and duty, esp. social alogue.

and caste duty in accord with the cosmic or- a discussion between two or more people or
der. 2 (in Buddhism) the teaching or religion groups, esp. one directed toward exploration
of the Buddha. of a particular subject or resolution of a prob-
one of the fundamental elements of which lem: the US would enter into a direct dialogue
the world is composed. with Vietnam interfaith dialogue. • v. [intrans.]
\

diabolic l.dia'baliki (also diabolical) • ac//. take part in a conversation or discussion to

relating to or characteristic of the devil: the resolve a problem: he stated that he wasn 't go-
darkness of a diabolic world. ing to dialogue with the guerrillas.
di*a»crit»ic ,di3'kritik| . n. a sign, such as an
|
[trans.] provide (a movie or play) with a dia-
accent or cedilla, which when written above logue.
or below a letter indicates a difference in pro- di*al»y*sis |
di'aebsis |
. n. (pi. dialyses
nunciation from the same letter when I
-sezthe separation of particles in a liquid
I
)

unmarked or differently marked. • adj. (of a on the basis of differences in their ability to
mark or sign) indicating a difference in pro- pass through a membrane.
nunciation. (also hemodialysis) the clinical purifica-
derivatives: di»a»crit«i«cal adj. di»a« tion of blood by this technique, as a substi-
crit»i«cal«ly |
-ik(3)le |
adv. tute for the normal function of the kidneys.
di*a*dem 'di3,dem • w. a jeweled crown or
|
|
derivatives: di»a»lyt»ic |,di3'litik| adj.
headband worn as a symbol of sovereignty. di«a«lyze v.

(the diadem) the authority or dignity sym- di*aph*a*nous Idi'aefanasI 'adj. (esp. of fab-
bolized by a diadem: the princely diadem. ric) light, delicate, and translucent: a diapha-
DERI vat v e s di*a*demed adj.
i : nous dress of pale gold.
diaphoretic 127 diffraction
di»a»phO*ret*lc .diafa'retikl •adj. (chiefly of
|
tion as an ulterior motive: a didactic novel that
a drug) inducing perspiration. set out to expose social injustice.
(of a person) sweating heavily. in the manner of a teacher, particularly so as
DERI VAT V E s di»a»pho»re*sis n.
I : to treat someone in a patronizing way: slow-
di*a*phragm *n. 1 a dome-
|
'di3,fraem| paced, didactic lecturing.
shaped, muscular partition separating the derivatives: di»dac«ti»cal»ly |-ik(3)le|
thorax from the abdomen in mammals. It adv. di«dac»ti»cism -ta.sizsm n. |
|

plays a major role in breathing, as its contrac- (jj*er*e*sis |di' erasis (also diacrGSis) • n.
|

tion increases the volume of the thorax and (pi. diereses |-,sez|) 1 a mark ([nfuml])
so inflates the lungs. 2 a thin sheet of mate- placed over a vowel to indicate that it is
rial forming a partition. sounded separately, as in nave, Bronte.
a taut, flexible membrane
mechanical or in the division of a sound into two syllables,
acoustic systems. a thin contraceptive cap esp. by sounding a diphthong as two vowels.
fitting over the cervix. 3 a device for varying 2 a natural rhythmic break in a line of verse
the effective aperture of the lens in a camera where the end of a metrical foot coincides
or other optical system. with the end of a word.
derivatives: di»a»phrag*mat»ic |
, di 3- die*sel dezsl; ssl • n. (also diesel engine)
|
|

fraeg'maetikl adj. an internal combustion engine in which heat

di»ar*rhe»a .dia res (Brit diarrhoea) • n. a
| |
produced by the compression of air in the
condition in which feces are discharged from cylinder is used to ignite the fuel: [as adj.] a
the bowels frequently and in a liquid form. diesel locomotive. In a diesel-electric en-
DERI VAT I V E s di»ar»rhe»al adj. di»ar»rhe«
: gine, electric motors are powered by current
ic I
-'reiki adj. from a generator that is driven by a diesel
di*as*po*ra Idl'aespsrsl • n. (often the Dias- engine.
pora) Jews living outside Israel. a heavy petroleum fraction (component)
the dispersion of the Jews beyond Israel. used as fuel in diesel engines: eleven liters of
the dispersion of any people from their diesel.
original homeland: the diaspora of boat people derivatives: die^seWze |-,liz| v. diesel-

from Asia. the people so dispersed: the ing the action of an internal combustion
n.
Ukrainian diaspora flocked back to Kiev. engine that continues to run after the ignition
The main diaspora began in the 8th-6th is turned off.

centuries bc, and even before the sack of di*et . n. a legislative assembly in certain
countries.
Jerusalem in ad 70 the number of Jews dis-
a regular meeting of the states of a confeder-
persed by the diaspora was greater than that
ation. (in Scots law) a meeting or session of
living in Israel. Thereafter, Jews were dis-
a court.
persed even more widely throughout the Ro-
man world and beyond. dif»fer«en*tlal .difa'rensnal . adj. [attrib.] of,
|
|

showing, or depending on a difference; dif-

di*a*ton»ic |,di3'tanik| • adj. (of a musical fering or varying according to circumstances
scale, interval, involving only notes
etc.) or relevant factors: the differential achievements
proper to the prevailing key without chro- of boys and girls.
matic alteration. Cf. chromatic. constituting a specific difference; distinctive:
(of a melody or harmony) constructed from the differential features between benign and ma-
such a scale. lignant tumors. (in mathematics) relating to
DERI VAT v E s di»a«ton»i»cal»ly
I : adv. infinitesimal differences or to the derivatives
di*a*tribe 'di3,trib . «. a forceful and bitter
|
|
of functions. of or relating to a difference in
verbal attack against someone or something: a physical quantity: a differential amplifier. • n.

a diatribe against the Roman Catholic Church. a difference between amounts of things: the
di»Chot»0»my Idi'katamel . n. (pi. -ies) [usu. differential between gasoline and diesel
in sing.] a division or contrast between two prices.
things that are or are represented as being (in mathematics) an infinitesimal difference
opposed or entirely different: he argued that between successive values of a variable.
there was a rigid dichotomy between science (also differential gear) a set of gears allow-
and mysticism. ing a vehicle's driven wheels to revolve at dif-
(in botany) repeated branching into two ferent speeds when going around corners.
equal parts. derivatives: dif»fer»en«tial»ly adv.
derivatives: di»chot»o»mize v. di»chot» dif»fi«dent 'difidanti • adf modest or shy be-
|

o'mous adj. cause of a lack of self-confidence: a diffident

dic«tum 'diktsmI n. (pi dicta -t3| ordic-
I
.
|
youth.
tums) a formal pronouncement from an au- derivatives: dif»fi«dence n. dif»fi»dent«
thoritative source: the Politburo's dictum that ly adv.
the party will become a "left-wing parliamentary dif*frac»tion |di'fraeksH9n| . «. the process
party." by which a beam of light or other system of
a short statement that expresses a general waves is spread out as a result of passing
truth or principle: the old dictum "might through a narrow aperture or across an edge,
makes right." typically accompanied by interference be-
di*dac*tic |di'daektik| • adj. intended to tween the wave forms produced.
teach, particularly in having moral instruc- derivatives: diffract v. difTractive adj.
 . c

diffuse 128 dlletante

dif*fu«0 .7'. I
(iriyoft/, I
n|Uf(i<l or ( dime m <ll»Krc(»»*lvc»ly |
'(/trt)ivlr| ,i,li<

'i|>f(!i(| nvci widr (Men

>i ui (iinuMu (i Itiry*- «lvr*iic««i I
'j/ioiivni'i I
//

tiiiMiIxT (»( propir (itilrnriR |

liu linitln^ni \ ih//n\r diko IdiP I
fiilnodyko; • // I >i lout^ wull oi . in
ni/iiill\> I
(tfnfir, | fhr /iroh/ctn n hmn lo <li//ir.i biinhnriii built lo prcvrtil lloo<liti(/ lioni di<
luinu'i 71)11 lion f < rciinnn tinnti liv. urn
hceornc or cuuftc fluid, kmh, iikIivkIiimI |ollrti in |)ln(,n ri(i(ririr;| n low wtill ot rnilliwotl»
(iKtm, cic.) lo hctoinr inicrminiilrd wiili ii urt viny \\n ii boiiiidiity ot drfrnnr; ( >//ii\ Ihhf
mihuUiru r by rtKtvrmcui, lypii ully in spri ii i 11 ( iiimrwtiy tin init iimon of i^nroii't to( \i

lird dim lion or ni <«pr( ilird nprrd: |lnlrnrm |

(iillin(/ III t(i*4'« rKinlin(/ oltitlii. < ,f mm 2 ti

(»» vy;i'n ninlfi iili'<, tlif/iiMf tn tnnM llir nii Kihnnif dill II Ol wniro oiit'ir • y |tri)rit;
|
|oftrn iiij itdj
|

I
(Irdfi';
I
f.:ii\ n (lilluftf<l inlu llir hlinldn ^dikrdj piovidr rliind) Willi ii wiill oi rm
Itriirir)
I
(iiiiFir Hi^liU ><• tclow hiinlly liy <li<i b;inl'tiiriit to ptrvrtil lloodin(/

pcrnint; il in niiiny dirri iioiiN. * ailf. |di i'iil(AM''i: put oMc'n fliiurr In (lie <llkr iii

'(yno«| Kprcjid oui over ii hirac nrr(i; not < mi trmpt n» nlrni llir iidviiiK r ol ';oni< iliinti "ii
( cnlrHird; ihr iIiUhm' < unnmnniv rmnril on i ///<• d.'Ullill.lr

I Iniri II I
llir lifflii i\ iHorr ilillnw. dl»lnp«l»dnl»od | di'lupi.diind |
.//<// ^.1 n
ful Av.rwA ) m»l |(»< tili/rd in llir hody: di//n\r biiildiiiK Ol ob)c( 1; in II filiilr ol diuH piiii oi
li\i/>ii I'liiMii ljt( Piny < Iniiiy of < oniiitcncNH nun a', :i khiiIi o| nyr ot tir|/l< ( I

till- \nitH(l oiyiniii tii i; nnnr tli//u\c dll*n*tn*tlon |

.dibt'iflMUn; ,di |
• // hnmrd
uri'iVAiivf". (Iif'*rim('*ly |
'lyoonlrl ,i,h< II inr iind pliyoioloKy; llir pro( rnti ol In om <

<lir*riiwe*nr«iH |
'lyi^onnr; |
n in(/ diliiird

llir IK lion ol diltiiin^ ti vrnnrl or o()niinu. m

vcrhn difTuMC Miid dcrtiMr lite
Koiind hui liuve diflcrcnl iTtnininK".
t«lrnil(ir
diliiird ptiti of II hollow ot(£(in ot vcnnrl,

Din'imc inrjum, l)romJly» "di«pcrnr'; dcfiiMr dl*lntO I

'dl.lfll, dl'Ini I
•7/. 1 ttitikr or bnoitic
nii dii'; If iriovr ifir four Irofn bomb, rrdiit
Willi I, liii|/ri, <if tnorr oprn: (lrilrttfi«! |
her pven
ti

Ihr <l(inj/.< f nr ic-nmon ifi "I'liint doofu-r iw

liihihil imlli liomn \\U\m llir \
\
iiioiiiiiu ililnft^il

III ) homhI'. 2 |iiilr;itir! '^dilnle ott) npriil' ot

a<.%%lullv ililfum>(l ilh Minoiion ii< wfonji, wnd I

(
'idofwr su( I f-::/nHv t/t'fufti'il ilii' tilmiiion in
Willi- III Iriiylli on fn iinb)rt \)
iM'in VA iiVM'i; (fl*lMl*fi*ble mlj. dl*lM*(lon
riKhi.
Idi'lnMun n. I

fllMu»«lori Idi'lyoo/ii^n I
• //. ili< lipn jidmj/ dihn"1n*tlon ,dil.>'in'iii.»ti, |
,di |
• // ihr
<>l iMiiK ihiiiu inorr wiilrly: ilo- ili/fnuon of pioi <•!;!; ol bci otnin(/ diltilnl
looinlidyr ill)' 111 lion ol dil(ilin(/ II v<'<)i;r| or oprnin|/ ii

iIm (k lion ol Hpn ;i(|in^. ili< Imimi h Iik'*' d piiit ol

diliili hollow II ot|jiin ot vrtiorl
•ioori »• rvrnly no ;i'; lo icdin < kIi'ic jiikI Ii;u!;Ii dll»n"1o"ry rihl.i.ioic |
.,/,// tjow lo iki;
tiliiidowt! llir iiitrtniin(;lin(/ ol imbttKUK nj III hiiil hi I II ililiiiiii \i III iii>iiiuiiiiiif' ii ./iiihi»t

by liir tDiliirdI rnovrnirni oi ilini piirlKlrn. iiiiiii

llif nih' oj ililluMon of (I nm. llir dinurniinji inirndrd lo ( muhc ilrlwy: ilwv tfuiticil lo ililn
lion of rictnrnm of Culliirr lo (inollirr rruion lorv fitoi cilurol liiilii%, Ion inn n /unl/uniciHi'm.
'»! people. I » r I' I VA I iv I ', dll*ii«to*ri*lv |
,dil I'loi .ilr |

oi l' I VA I IVKM cllf'fu'dlve I

)»iv| '/'// iiili' <lll*»i*lo*rl*iirn«i II

dlg«lt*lll I'diiitll ' mil. 1 rrhilinu to •» iiuiiii/ dl*lorn*rnn Idrimi.tl • //. n Minniion m wIik It

,\Vt\;\h, <it inlor niiilioii o ptrt;) nl<-d by dm II dilhi iill I hoii r hiin lo In- niiidf In iwn n iwti
( r*'i«- viilii'-t; ((f II pliynn 111 ipitinlily niK li tr; Ol nioii iill< I n;iliv< '1, I lip <'i|iiiilly iindi i.iiiiblr
volinK*' ot ninnnriK polMri/Hiion; tlii/iiol 71' on» '.

( )llrn f «»filfnnlrd Willi AKAl oo II dilln nil mlniilion oi pioblrin ilir iir.nliililr

» i\()(.\t ot wnli li; nliowini/ llir iiriir by ilih'Hiniii of iiilolru rnt f. f iti loyic ; tin Hit/ii

ttirdtit; (if dinpltiyrd di|2iltt lotli'-r lluiii liiindi; nirnl lot< iiiu nil opponriii lo i liooor rillin of
or ti poifiirr, 2 of ot tchilitin to ;i liti^' t ot liti two iinliivof (iblf iiln i niilivrtj

V,ctfi.
H i AO
DllrttitnM i^hotild he rcHcrvcd foi
I' .

I VA » V
I' I' I I I I' ', (liK*it*Hl*ly Olio
rrfcrrtK r to m prrdi<mnrtit in whn h difli ti

fJlg»HI»grnfJo I
'diini.ytnd |
• oJ/ rol « mnin ( nil ltoi( r tniinl br tnndr brlwt-rn (indftiii
<

OKil; not
'//:ill'iM|/ oti Itn tort) Mtld Iciik liitif. di'
tiblr tilln tiMlivrt), HI; Iti Von wr hn iIiIvhiihiu' //
'Hind Willi lIti lirrh, tin H dou, tHi, ot tod< ni //«• how one, hit riu/f nii/fhi m-'urr lor^iiiv hnn; </
I

fJlgnil«1nr»y rdiKni,irrr| . «. fpl p. ii i

htt iho%f iht: other, hf'il hrcnh liii nioihtir't
«(iit;idrfrd lo br iirip' lu
Wr/.'I'lir wnitrtird me of <lilriiiitiii lo
;'>ii ' ir I iiMl i n(|!;< (,(

IiikIi f mil' Ol i»lf|( »•

ptob
tncuii diitipiy 'ii dIf'fK nit niiitiiiion ot
dl'graph |
'di.Krtcf I
• n >* < oiiiliin;iii'>ii ol two Ictti,' (It) nnolnhic iltlvtutnti n/
in tln> uilnli-.
I' tn tn trprrnrni jti(( otir Mtiind, '.f, in /<// mid nhoiild br iivoidrd

H I luifn* Irr < oni;|!;litil/ ol tv/o )om< d l< llrf ft; u dll*0t«1nr)l(f |,diiriiinl| -n dllrlliiiill
ll(/lllllt'- ;it; If I
ir I
Ol (lil«'M(iiilr«; ii priDon who i nil iviih i-.

or I' r VA I / VI", «ll«Krnph»lf |

drytu'lil' |
nJ/ iin iitrii ol inl'-trttl, Dill h un llir iittti, willioni
dl»yr«lllt Idrytri; I
. /, liiitniiin I
|rnv<- llir nidlti trill ( otntnilnirnl or knowlrd|/rr (ut) tid) |
u ,hl

!.iib)' f I I'-Mipotiii ily in i.p< < < Il ot wmniy, I rlliiiilr ii/ifitoiii II III uii'inr
Inriif (liun'ititvtl n Inilr ftrntu oiv unilnii II p< (tion with iin iitniili ni inl< K-nl in thr iiilti

IM',!* I VA MV I' '. t\\*y^tv%%»vr II iU*\irv**%\*tt% I I I I' I VA II V I dll*i'l*(Mii*tUli iiilf dll««'l»

l-'tfrcKlMnl n. dl*Kreii*«lv« |
'urcttivl >"// IdllCioill I
,0/ nil I
//
 . |

diligent 129 disappear

dil*i*gent 'dibpnt • adj. having or showing
|
| derivatives: diph*thon*gaI |difTHaNG-
care and conscientiousness in one's work or gal; dip-;'thong- adj. |

duties: many caves are located only after a dili- di*plo*ma»cy di'plomsse . n. the profes-
|
|

gent search. sion, activity, or skill of managing interna-

derivatives: diln»gence n. dil»i«gent»ly tional relations, typically by a country's rep-
adv. resentatives {diplomats) abroad: an extensive
di*lute I
di'loot; di- 1
. v. [trans.] (often be round of diplomacy in the Middle East.
diluted) make thinner or weaker
(a liquid) the art of dealing with people in a sensitive
by adding water or another solvent to it: and effective way: he handled social difficulties
bleach can be diluted with cold water. with diplomacy.
make (something) weaker in force, content, derivatives: dip»lo»mat»ic adj. dip»lo»
or value by modifying it or adding other ele- mat»i»cal»ly adv.
ments to it: the reforms have been diluted. re- dip*SO*ma*ni*a .dipsa'manes . n. alcohol- |
1

duce the value of (a shareholding) by issuing ism, specifically in a form characterized by

more shares in a company without increasing intermittent bouts of craving for alcohol.
the values of its assets. • adj. (of a liquid) derivatives: dip«so»ma»ni»ac -ne aek |
,
,

made thinner or weaker by having had water n. dip»so»ma»ni»a»cal l-ma'niakall adj. .

or another solvent added to it. dire 'dir| • adj. (of a situation or event) ex-
|

(of a chemical solution) having a relatively tremely serious or urgent: dire consequences.
low concentration of solute: a dilute solution of (of a warning or threat) presaging disaster:
potassium permanganate. (of color or light) she cautioned us with dire warnings about
weak or low in concentration: a short measure breathing the fumes.
of dilute sun. derivatives: dire»ly adv. diremess n.
derivatives: di»lu»ent adj.,n. di»lut«er n. di*rect di'rekt; di- • adj. 1 (of evidence or
|
1

di»min»U*en»dO |
di.minys'wendo I
. n. (pi. proof) bearing immediately and unambigu-
diminuendos or diminuendi) (in music) a ously upon the facts at issue: there is no direct
decrease in loudness: the sudden diminuendos evidence that officials accepted bribes. Cf. cir-
are brilliantly effective. cumstantial. 2 (of government) conducted
a passage to be performed with such a de- by the people or electorate without interme-
crease. • adv. & adj. (esp. as a direction) with diaries: the direct democracy of the town meet-
a decrease in loudness: [as adj.] the diminuendo ing. Cf. representative.
chorus before the final tumult. • v. (-os, -oed) di^rect ob*ject • n. a noun, pronoun, or
[intrans.]decrease in loudness or intensity: the phrase denoting a person or thing that is the
singers left and the buzz diminuendoed. recipient of the action of a transitive verb, for
dim*i*nu*tion ,dim3'n(y)ooSH9n . n. a re-
| I
example the dog in Jimmy fed the dog.
duction in the size, extent, or importance of dirge darj • n. a lament for the dead, esp.
|
|

something: a permanent diminution in value \

one forming part of a funeral rite.
the disease shows no signs of diminution. a mournful song, piece of music, or poem:
di*min*U*tive Idi'minyativl 'adj. extremely singers chanted dirges.
or unusually small: a diminutive figure dressed derivatives: dirge»ful |-f9l| adj.
in black. dir*i*gi*ble |
da'rijabal; 'dirs- 1
• a power-
(of a word, name, or suffix) implying small- driven aircraft that is kept buoyant by a body
ness, either actual or imputed in token of af- of gas (usu. helium) that is lighter than air;
fection, scorn, etc. (e.g., teeny, -let, -kins). • n. airship. • adj. capable of being steered,
a smaller or shorter thing, in particular: guided, or directed: a dirigible spotlight.
a diminutive word or suffix. a shortened dis*a*buse ,dis3'byooz| •|
v. [trans.] persuade
form of a name, typically used informally: (someone) that an idea or belief is mistaken:
"Nick" is a diminutive of "Nicholas." he quickly disabused me of my fanciful
derivatives: di»min»u»tive»ly adv. di* notions.
min»u»tive»ness n. dis*ad*van«taged |
,dis3d'vaentijd |
. adj. (of
di*o*cese 'dissis; ,ses • n. (pi. dioceses) a
|
|
a person or area) in unfavorable circum-
district under the pastoral care of a bishop in stances, esp. with regard to financial or social
the Christian Church. opportunities: disadvantaged groups such as
derivatives: di»oc»e«san adj. the elderly and unemployed [as plural n.] (the \

DI«o»ny*sian .dia'nisean; 'niSHsn (also Di-

| |
disadvantaged) measures to help the disad-
onyslac) • adj. 1 (in Greek mythology) of or vantaged.
relating to Dionysus, the god of wine. 2 of or dis«af»fect*ed .disa'fektid • adj.
|
dissatis- I

relating to the sensual, spontaneous, and fied with the people in authority and no
emotional aspects of human nature: Diony- longer willing to support them: a military plot
sian music. by disaffected elements in the army.
diph*thong 'dif,THaNG; 'dip-; THONG . n. a
|
,
|
derivatives: dis«af»fect»ed«ly adv. dis»
sound formed by the combination of two af»fec»tion n.
vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound dis*ap*pear |,dis3'pir| 'V. (in coded politi-
begins as one vowel and moves toward an- cal language) intrans. be killed: the family dis-
other (as in coin, loud, and side). appeared after being taken into custody, [trans.]
a digraph representing the sound of a diph- kill and conceal or destroy the body of (some-

thong or single vowel (as in feat). a com- one): critics of the regime were disappeared by
pound vowel character; a ligature (such as ce) paramilitary units.
disarray 130 discount
dis*ar*ray |
,dis3'ra| • n. a state of disorgani- (discombobulated) he is looking a little

zation or untidiness: her gray hair was in dis- pained and discombobulated.
array his plans have been thrown into dis-
I
dis»COm»fit |dis'k3mfit| "V. (discomfited,
array. • V. [trans.] 1 throw (someone or discomfiting) [trans ] (usu. be discomfited)
something) into a state of disorganization or make (someone) feel uneasy, uncertain, or
untidiness: the inspection disarrayed the usual embarrassed: he was not noticeably discomfited
schedule. 2 strip (someone) of clothing: at- by her tone.
tendant damsels to help to disarray her. derivatives: dis»com»fi*ture Idis'kamfi
dis*a*VOW ,dis3'vow| • v. [trans.] deny any re-
|
,CH(5Dr| n.
sponsibility or support for: he disavowed the dis»COm*fort Idis'kamfartI » n. lack of phys-

remarks attributed to him. ical comfort: the discomforts of too much sun in
derivatives: dis»a»vow»al |-'vow3l| n. summer.
dis'band dis'baend • V. [trans.] (usu. be dis-
|
! slight pain: the patient complained of discom-
banded) cause (an organized group) to fort in the left calf. a state of mental unease:
break up. his remarks caused her discomfort. • v. [trans.]
[intrans ] (of an organized group) break up make (someone) feel uneasy: she liked to dis-
and stop functioning as an organization. comfort my mother by her remarks.
derivatives: dis«band«ment n. [often as adj.] (discomforting) cause
diS'bar |dis'bar| (disbarred, disbar-» V. (someone) slight pain: the patient's condition
ring) 1 (usu. be disbarred) expel (a
[trans.] has discomforting symptoms.
lawyer) from the bar, so that he or she no dis*COn*cert |
.diskan'sartl » v. [trans.] dis-
longer has the right to practice law. 2 ex- turb the composure of; unsettle: the abrupt
clude (someone) from something: competi- change of subject disconcerted her [as adj.] (dis- \

tors wearing rings will be disbarred from concerted) she was amused to see a discon-
competition. certed expression on his face.
D E R VAT v E s dis»bar»ment n.
I I : derivatives: dis»con»cert»ed»ly adv.
dis*burse Idis'barsI . V. [trans.] (often be dis- dis«con»cert«ing adj. dis«con»cer»tion
bursed) pay out (money from a fund): 167 -'ssrSHan n. dis»con»cert»ment n.
I
|

million of the pledged aid had already been dis- dis*COn*SO«late |dis'kans3lit| 'adj. without
bursed. consolation or comfort; unhappy: he'd met the
derivatives: dis»bur«sal |-S3l| n. dis» man 's disconsolate widow.
burse»ment n. dis«burs»er n. (of a place or thing) causing or showing a
dis*cern Idi'sarn] • V. [trans.] perceive or rec- complete lack of comfort; cheerless: solitary,
ognize (something): / can discern no difference disconsolate clumps of cattails.
between the two policies [with clause] students \
derivatives: dis»con»so»late»ly adv. dis*
quickly discern what is acceptable to the teacher. con»so«late»ness n. dis*con*so*la*tion
distinguish (someone or something) with I
-,kans3'lasH3n I
n.
difficulty by sight or with the other senses: she dis*COrd 'diskord • w. 1 disagreement be-
|
I

could faintly discern the shape of a skull. tween people: a prosperous family who showed
derivatives: dis«cern»er n. dis»cernM« no signs of discord.
ble adj. dis»cern»i»bly |
-able |
adv. lack of agreement or harmony between
dis*cern*ing di'sarniNO • | |
adj. having or things: the discord between indigenous and West-
showing good judgment: the restaurant ern cultures. 2 lack of harmony between mu-
attracts discerning customers. sical notes sounding together: the theme faded
derivatives: dis«cern«ing«ly adv. in discord.
dis*claim |dis'klam| »v. [trans.] refuse to ac- chord that (in conventional harmonic
a
knowledge; deny: the school disclaimed any re- terms) is regarded as unpleasing or requiring

sponsibility for his death. resolution by another. any interval except a

renounce a legal claim to (a property or ti- unison, an octave, a perfect fifth or fourth, a
tle). major or minor third and sixth, or their
dis*claim*er Idis'klamsrI . a statement octaves. note dissonant with an-
a single
that denies something, esp. responsibility: the other. . V.(of people) disagree: we
[intrans.]

novel carries the usual disclaimer about the char- discorded commonly on two points.
no relation to living persons.
acters bearing (of things) be different or in disharmony: the
an act of repudiating another's claim
(in law) party 's views were apt to discord with those of
or renouncing one's own. the leading members of the administration.
dis*close |dis'kloz| •v. [trans.] make (secret D R VA T V E s discordance n. discordant
i: I I :

or new information) known: they disclosed adj. discordantly adv.

her name to the press \
[with clause] the maga- dis*COUnt • n. 'diskownt a deduction from \ |

zine disclosed that he had served a prison sen- the usual cost of something, typically given
tence for fraud. for prompt or advance payment or to a spe-
allow (something) to be seen, esp. by uncov- cial category of buyers: many stores will offer a
ering it: he cleared away the grass and disclosed discount on bulk purchases.
a narrow opening descending into the darkness. a percentage deducted from the face value of
D V: R VA T V E s dis»clos»er n.
I I : promissory note when it
a bill of exchange or
dis*com*bob»uHate ,disk3m'baby3,lat| ^v. |
changes hands before the due date. • v.
[trans ] disconcert or confuse (someone): her I
'diskownt; dis'kownt| [trans 1 deduct an ]

question totally discombobulated him [as adj.] \

amount from (the usual price of something):
discountenance 131 discrimination
[as adj.] (discounted) existing users qualify for derivatives: dis»crep«ant |-p3nt| adj.
a discounted price. dis»crete |
dis'kret I
• adj. individually sepa-
reduce (a product or service) in price: mer- rate and distinct: now let us treat the New Eng-
chandise that was deeply discounted up to 50 — land states as six discrete communities.
percent [as adj.] (discounted) discounted
\
derivatives: dis»crete»ly adv. dis«crete»
books. buy or sell (a bill of exchange) before ness n.
its due date at less than its maturity value. dis*cre*tion |dis'kreSHan| . n. 1 the quality
2 regard (a possibility, fact, or person) as be- of behaving or speaking in such a way as to
ing unworthy of consideration because it avoid causing offense or revealing private in-
lacks credibility: I'd heard rumors but dis- formation: she knew she could rely on his discre-
counted them. • adj. 'diskownt (of a store or
\
|
tion. 2 the freedom to decide what should be
business) offering goods for sale at dis- done in a particular situation: it is up to local
counted prices: a discount drugstore chain. authorities to use their discretion in setting
at a price lower than the usual one: a discount the charges a pass-fail grading system may be
\

flight. used at the discretion of the department.

derivatives: dis«count«a»ble |dis'kown- phrases: discretion is the better part of
tabsll adj. dis»count»er |
'diskowntar |
n. valor it is better to avoid a dangerous situa-
dis*coun*te*nance |dis'kowntn-3ns| »v. tion than to confront it.
[trans.] (usu. be discountenanced) 1 refuse dis*cre*tion*ar*y |dis'kreSH3,nere| »adj.
to approve of (something): alcohol consump- available for use at the discretion of the user:
tion was discountenanced in their home. 2 dis- rules are inevitably less flexible than a discretion-
turb the composure of: Amanda was not dis- ary policy.
countenanced by the accusation. denoting or relating to investment funds
dis*COUrse • n. 'dis.kors written or spoken
\ I
placed with a broker or manager who has dis-
communication or debate: the language of po- cretion to invest them on the client's behalf:
litical discourse an imagined discourse between
\
discretionary portfolios.
two people traveling in France. phrases: discretionary income income
a formal discussion of a topic in speech or remaining after deduction of taxes, other
writing: a discourse on critical theory. (in lin- mandatory charges, and expenditure on
guistics) a connected series of utterances; a necessities.
text or conversation. » v. |dis'k6rs| [intrans.] dis»crlm«i*nant Idis'krimansntI . n. an
speak or write authoritatively about a topic: agent or characteristic that enables things,
she could discourse at great length on the his- people, or classes to be distinguished from
tory of Europe. one another: anemia is commonly present in
engage in conversation: he spent an hour dis- patients with both conditions, and is therefore not
coursing with his supporters in the courtroom. a helpful discriminant.
diS'CredHt |dis'kredit| * v. (discredited, dis*crim*i*nate |dis'krim3,nat| »v. [intrans.]

discrediting) [trans.] harm the good reputa-
tion of (someone or something): his remarks
were taken out of context in an
him [as adj.] (discredited) a
I
1 recognize a distinction; differentiate: babies
can discriminate between different facial
effort to discredit expressions of emotion.
discredited for- [trans.] perceive or constitute the difference in

mer governor. or between: bats can discriminate a difference in

cause (an idea or piece of evidence) to seem echo delay of between 69 and 98 millionths of a
false or unreliable: recent attempts to discredit second features that discriminate this species
\

evolution. or lack of reputation or re-

• n. loss from other gastropods. 2 make an unjust or
spect: they committed crimes that brought dis- prejudicial distinction in the treatment of dif-
creditupon the administration. ferent categories of people or things, esp. on
a person or thing that is a source of disgrace: the grounds of race, sex, or age: existing em-
the house is a discredit to the neighborhood. ployment policies discriminate against
dis*creet |dis'kret| » adj. (discreeter, dis- women.
creetest) careful and circumspect in one's derivatives: dis»crim»i»nate»ly |-nitle|
speech or actions, esp. in order to avoid caus- adv. dis»crimM«na»tive |-,nativ| adj.
ing offense or to gain an advantage: we made dis*crlm»i*naWng |dis'krim3,natiNG| * adj.
some discreet inquiries. (of a person) having or showing refined taste
intentionally unobtrusive: a discreet cough. or good judgment: a discriminating collector
derivatives: dis'crcefly adv. dis»creet» and patron of the arts.
ness n. derivatives: dis«crimn«natMng»ly adv.
dls«crim*i*na»tion Idis.krima'naSHsnl »n.
usage: The words discrete and discreet
1 the unjust or prejudicial treatment of differ-
are pronounced in the same way and share
the same origin but they do not mean the ent categories of people or things, esp. on the
same thing. Discrete means 'separate, dis-
grounds of race, age, or sex: victims of racial
tinct,'while discreet means 'careful, judi- discrimination \
discrimination against
homosexuals. 2 recognition and understand-
cious, circumspect.'
ing of the difference between one thing and
dis*crep*an*cy |dis'krep9nse| • n. (pi. -ies) a another: discrimination between right and
lack of compatibility' or similarity between wrong I
young children have difficulties in mak-
two or more facts: there's a discrepancy be- ing fine discriminations.
ttveen your account and his. the ability to discern what is of high quality;
discursive 132 disinterested
good judgment or taste: those who could afford zation, esp. a country's national church) of its
tobuy showed little taste or discrimination. (in official status.
psychology) the ability to distinguish be- DERI VAi v E s dis*es*tab*lish*ment n.
I :

tween different stimuli: [as adj.] discrimination
learning. 3 (in electronics) the selection of a
signal having a required characteristic, such
as frequency or amplitude, by means of a dis-
criminator that rejects
diS«CUr»sive Idis'karsivl passing rap-
dis«fa*vor |dis'fav9r| (Brit disfavour) . «.
disapproval or dislike: the headmaster regarded
her with disfavor.
the state of being disliked: raises could be
all unwanted signals. taken away if an employee fell into disfavor.
» adj. 1 • V. [trans.] regard or treat (someone or some-

idly or indiscriminately from subject to sub- thing) with disfavor: the hypothesis was favored
ject: students often write dull, secondhand, dis- and disfavored by approximately equal numbers
cursive prose. of scientists.
(of a style of speech or writing) fluent and dis*fig»ure Idis'figyarl > v. [trans.] spoil the
expansive rather than formulaic or abbrevi- attractiveness of: litter disfigures the country-
ated: the short story is concentrated, whereas the side I
[as adj.] (disfiguring) a disfiguring
novel is discursive. 2 of or relating to discourse birthmark.
or modes of discourse: the attempt to transform derivatives: dis»flg»u»ra»tion |-,figy3
utterances from one discursive context to another. 'raSHan dis»fig»ure»ment n.
|
n.
3 proceeding by argument or reasoning dis*grun*tled Idis'grsntldl 'adj. angry or
rather than by intuition. dissatisfied: judges receive letters from disgrun-
derivatives: dis»cur»sive»ly adv. dis» tled members of the public.
cur«sive»ness n. D E R VA r v E s dis»grun»tle»ment n.
I I :

dis*dain |dis'dan| the feeling that some-

• n. dis*ha*bille ,dis3'bel (also deshabille)
| |

one or something is unworthy of one's con- • n. the state of being only partly or scantily

sideration or respect; contempt: her upper lip clothed: the paintings of Venus all shared the
curled in disdain \
an aristocratic disdain for same state of dishabille.
manual labor. • v. [trans.] consider to be un- dls»heart«en |dis'hartn| ^v. [trans.] (often be
worthy of one's consideration: gamblers dis- disheartened) cause (someone) to lose de-
dain four-horse races. termination or confidence: the farmer was dis-
refuse or reject (something) out of feelings of heartened by the damage to his crops.
pride or superiority: she remained standing, derivatives: dis»heart«enMng»ly adv.
pointedly disdaining his invitation to sit down \
dis»heart»en»ment n.
[with infinitive] he disdained to discuss the matter dis*in*cli*na*tion |dis,iNGkb'nasH9n| »n.
further. [in sing.] a reluctance or lack of enthusiasm:
dis*em*bod*ied .disem'baded . adj. sepa-
|
|
Lucy felt a strong disinclination to talk about
rated from or existing without the body: a dis- her engagement.
embodied ghost. derivatives: dis»in»clined adj.
(of a sound) lacking any obvious physical diS*in*gen«U*OUS |
,disin'jeny3W3s| 'adj.
source: a disembodied voice at the end of the not candid or sincere, typically by pretending
phone. that one knows less about something than
dis*em*bogue |,disem'bog| 'V. (disem- one really does.
bogues, disembogued, disemboguing) derivatives: disMn»gen»u»ous»ly adv.
(of a river or stream) emerge or be
[intrans.] dis»in«gen«u»ous*ness n. dis«in»ge»nu»i»ty
discharged in quantity; pour out. n.
dis*en*chant ,disen'cHaent| . V. [trans.] (usu.
|
dis»in*her*it i
.disin herit |
'V. (disinher-
be disenchanted) free (someone) from illu- ited, disinheriting) [trans change one's will
]

sion; disappoint: he may have been disen- or take other steps to prevent (someone)
chanted by the loss of his huge following [as adj.] \
from inheriting one's property.
(disenchanted) he became disenchanted derivatives: dis»in»herM»tance |-'heri-
with his erstwhile ally. tsns I
n.

DERI VATIVE.S dis»en»chant«ing«ly

: adv. dis»in*te«grate |dis'int3,grat| »v. [intrans.]
dis«en»chant»ment n. break up into small parts, typically as the re-
dis*en»fran»chise |
.disen fraencmz |
(also sult of impact or decay: when the missile struck,
disfranchise) • v. [trans.] deprive (someone) the car disintegrated in a sheet of searing flame.
of the right to vote: the law disenfranchised (of a society, family, or other social group)
some 3,000 voters on the basis of a residence weaken or break apart: the marriage disinte-
qualification. grated amid allegations that she was having an
[as adj.] (disenfranchised) deprived of affair. deteriorate mentally or physically: /
power; marginalized: a hard core of kids who thought that when I finished working on the book
are disenfranchised and don't feel connected to I would disintegrate. (in physics) undergo or
the school. deprive (someone) of a right or cause to undergo disintegration at a suba-
privilege: the move would disenfranchise the dis- tomic level: [intrans.] a meson can spontaneously
abled from using the town center. deprive disintegrate [trans.] it has become a relatively
\

(someone) of the rights and privileges of a easy matter to disintegrate almost any atom.
free inhabitant of a borough, city, or country. derivatives: disintegration n. dis»in»te»

derivatives: dis»en»fran»chise»ment n. gra'tive |-,grativ| adj. dis*in»te»gra«tor

dls*es*tab*lish ,disi'sta£blisH| *v. [trans.]
|
|-,grat3r| n.
(usu. be disestablished) deprive (an organi- dis»in*ter»est»ed |dis'int3,restid; tristidi
disjointed 133 dispensation
• adj. not influenced by considerations of
1 derivatives: dis»man«tle»ment n. dis»
personal advantage: a broker is under an obli- man«tler |-t(3)l3r| n.
gation to give disinterested advice. 2 having or dis*miss dis'mis • V. [trans.] order or allow
|
I

feeling no interest in something: her father was to leave; send away: she dismissed the taxi at the
so disinterested in her progress that he only vis- corner.
ited the school once. discharge from employment or office, typi-
derivatives: dis»in»ter»est«ed»ly adv. callyon the grounds of unsatisfactory perfor-
dis»in»ter»est»ed»ness n. mance or dishonorable behavior: he dismissed
usage: Nowhere have the battle lines been fivemembers of his Cabinet. treat as unwor-
thy of serious consideration: it would be easy
more deeply drawn in usage questions than
to dismiss him as all brawn and no brain.
over the difference between disinterested
deliberately cease to think about: he sus-
and uninterested. Disinterested, to for-
pected a double meaning in her words, but dis-
means 'not having a personal inter-
malists,
est, impartial': juror must be disinterested
missed the thought. [intrans.] (of a group
in the case being tried. Uninterested means assembled under someone's authority) dis-
perse: he told his company to dismiss. refuse
'not interested^ indifferent': On the other
hand, a juror must not be uninterested. further hearing to (a legal case) the judge dis- :

missed the case for lack of evidence. (in sports)

dis*joint*ed |dis'jointid| • adj. lacking a co- defeat or end the turn of (an opponent).
herent sequence or connection: piecing to- derivatives: dis*miss*al |-3l| n. dis»
gether disjointed fragments of information. miss»i»ble adj. dis«mis»sive adj.
derivatives: dis»joint»ed»ly adv. dis* dis*par*age |
dis'pasrij represent
|
• v. [trans.]

joint»ed»ness n. or regard as being of little worth: he never

diS*junct |dis'j3NGkt| » adj. disjoined and missed an opportunity to disparage his competi-
distinct from one another: these items of evi- tors [as adj.] (disparaging) disparaging
I

dence are just phrases and clauses, often wildly remarks.

disjunct. derivatives: dis«par*age»ment n. dis»
of or relating to the movement of a melody par»ag»ing»ly adv.
from one note to another by a leap. • n. dis*pa*rate 'disparit;
|
dis'paerit • adj. essen- |

I
'disjsNGktl 1 (in logic) each of the terms of kind; not allowing compar-
tially different in
a disjunctive proposition. 2 another term for ison: they inhabit disparate worlds of thought.
sentence adverb, an adverb that expresses the containing elements very different from one
speaker's attitude toward the sentence. another: a culturally disparate country. • n.
dis*junc*tion dis'jaNGksHsn
|
. 1 the |
(disparates) things so unlike that there is no
process or an act of putting apart (disjoin- basis for comparison.
ing), or an act of disjoining; separation: the derivatives: dis»pa»rate»ly adv. dis»pa«
Indians emphasized the disjunction between rate»ness n.
themselves and the invaders. dis*par*i«ty Idis'paeritel • n. (pi. -ies) a great
a lack of correspondence or consistency: difference: economic disparities between
there is a disjunction between the skills different regions of the country the great dispar- \

taught in schools and those demanded in the la- ity of weight between the sun and the planets.
bor market. 2 (in logic) the relationship be- diS*pas*sion*ate dis'pseSHsnit . adj. not |
!

tween two distinct alternatives. influenced by strong emotion, and so able to

a statement expressing this relationship (esp. be rational and impartial: she dealt with life's
one using the word "or."). disasters in a calm, dispassionate way.
dis*junc*tive Idis'jswGktivl 'adj. 1 lacking DERI VAT V E s dis»pas«sion -SHan
I : | |
n. dis»
connection: the novel's disjunctive detail. 2 (of pas»sion»ate»ly adv. dis«pas»sion*ate»ness
a conjunction) expressing a choice between n.
two mutually exclusive possibilities, for ex- dis*pel |dis'pel| 'V. (dispelled, dispelling)
ample or in zvas he going or staying? [trans.] make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) dis-

(of a proposition in logic) expressing alter- appear: the brightness of the day did nothing to
natives. • n. a disjunctive conjunction or dispel Elaine 's dejection.
other word. drive (something) away; scatter: sprinkle cat-
a disjunctive proposition. nip tea to dispel beetles from garden plants.
derivatives: dis»junc»tive»ly adv. DERI VAT v E s
I : dis'pel'ler n.
disHo»ca*tlon ,dislo'kaSH3n| »n. disturb-
|
dls*pen*sa»ry dis'pensare . n. (pi. -ies) 1 a
| I

ance from a proper, original, or usual place or room where medicines are prepared and pro-
state: he fell prey to loneliness and a wrenching vided. 2 a clinic provided by public or chari-
sense of dislocation the social dislocations
\
table funds.
caused by government policies. dlS»pen»sa*tion .dispan'sasnan; pen-| » n.
i

injury or disability caused when the normal 1 exemption from a rule or usual require-
position of a joint or other part of the body is ment: although she was too young, she was given
disturbed: dislocation of the hip a specialist \
special dispensation to play in the games they \

dealing with fractures and dislocations.
dis*man*tle |dis'm£entl| 'V. [trans.] (often be
dismantled) take to pieces; pull down: the
sheds were dismantled and the beams piled in a
heap the old regime was dismantled.
I
were given a dispensationto take most of the first
week off.
permission to be exempted from the laws or
observances of a church: he received papal
dispensation to hold a number of benefices. 2 a
disperse 134 dissect
system of order, government, or organization the vector representing such a component.
of a nation, community, etc., esp. as existing the flux density of such an electric field.
at a particular time: sJioLirship is convcycJ lo dis»port dis'port . V. enjoy oneself unre-
i I

ii JuJictuc than unJcr the olJ Jispctisarion.

•iviJcr strainedly; frolic: a painting of lords and ladies
{in Christian theology a divinely ordained disportitig thetuselves by a lake. • diver-
order prevailing at a particular period of his- sion from work or serious matters; recreation
tory: the Mosali dispensation. Han act of di- or amusement.
Nine prov idence: the Um's to tchich the creator in a pastime, game, or sport.
all his Jispensariofis eonfornis. 3 the action of dis»pos»a»ble Idis'pOzoboll . adj. 1 (of an ar-
distributing or supplying something: fvc"/«-'- ticle) intended to be used, t>i"iically once, and
tions eonrrollint: Jispensarion ot nieiiiearions. then thrown away: disposable diapers a dis- \

n I- R vA
I r 1 \ !• s : dis«pen»sa»rion»al |
-SH^nl |
posable razor.
adj. (of a person or idea) able to be dispensed
diS'perse jdis'p^rsl • [trans ] distribute or ;•. with; easily dismissed: disposable personnel.
spread over a wide area: storms can disperse 2 (chiefly of financial assets) readily available
.^eeds at ahirndes |
eaniping sites eonld he for the owner's use as required. • /;. an arti-
dispersed aniottg as to be out of sight.
trees so cle designed to be thrown away after use:
go or cause to go in ditTerent directions or to doti't buy disposables, such as razors, cups, and
dift'erent destinations: [intrans ] the enncd dis- plates.
persed i
[trans ] the police used tear gas to disperse (disposable income) income remaining
the protesters. cause (gas, smoke, mist, or after deduction of taxes and other mandatory
cloud) to thin out and eventually disappear: charges.
zcinds dispersed the radioactive cloud liigh in the ni- RivA rivi s: dis»pos«a«biH»ty |-,poz;j
antiosphere. [intrans ] thin out and disappear: 'bilitei
the earlier niisr had dispersed. [trans ]
(in phys- dls*pos*sess r,disp3'zes| 'V. [trans] (often
ics) divide (light) into constituents of ditTer- be dispossessed) deprive (someone) of
ent wavelengths. (in chemistry)
• adj. [attrib ]
something that they own, tN-pically land or
denoting a phase dispersed
another phase, in property: they were dispossessed of lands
as in a colloid: emnlsions should he examined af- and properties at the time of the Reformation |

ter storage for droplet size of the disperse phase. [as plural n.) (the dispossessed) a champion of
DERiv.M ivi- s : ciis«pers»er n. dis»pers»i* the poor and the dispossessed.
ble adj. dis»per»sive |
-siv |
adj. dis'per* oust (a person) from a dwelling or position:
sion ;/. he used to dispossess his tenants as the spirit
dls»pir«it Idis'piritl 'V. [trans.] (often be moved him.
dispirited) cause (someone) to lose enthusi- OFRivA ivi- s dis*pos*ses*sion |-'zeSH3n|
i :

asm or hope: the army tras dispirited hv tlie se- n.

vere ii'inter conditions [as adj.] (dispiriting) \

dis»pro«por»tion»ate .dispr^'porsHanitl |

if teas a dispiriting occasion. • adj. too large or too small in comparison

DF.Riv.-\Ti VFS dis«pir»it»ed»ly adv. dis*
: with something else: sentences disproportionate
pir»it»ed»ness //. dis«pir»it«ing»ly adv. to the offenses committed.
dis»place«ment Idis'plasmontl » n. 1 the D H R VAT V E s
I I : dis»pro»por»tion»ate«ly
moving of something from its place or posi- adv. dis»pro«por«tion»ate»ness n.

tion: vertical displacement of the shoreline. diS*pu*ta*tious ,dispyc"5D',tasHos| * adj. (of a |

the removal of someone or something by person) fond of ha\'ing heated arguments: a

someone or something else that takes their congenial hangout for disputatious academics.
place: males may he able to resist displacement (of an argument or situation) motivated by
by other males. the enforced departure of or causing strong opinions: disputatious coun-
people from their homes, typically because of cil meetings.
war, persecution, or natural disaster: the dis- n R VA
I- r \- s dis«pu«ta»tious«ly adv. dis»
1 1
1- :

placement offarmers. the amount by which a pu«ta»tious»ness //.

thing is moved from its normal position: a dis- dis»qui»et |dis'kwi-it| • a feeling of anxiety
placement of 6.8 meters alotig the San Andreas or worry: public disquiet about animal testing.
Fault. 2 the occupation by a submerged body • V. [trans.] [usu. as adj (disquieted) make ]

or part of a body of a volume that would oth- (someone) worried or anxious.

erwise be occupied by a fluid. n F R VA r V s dis«qui»e»tude
1 I I' :

the amount or weight of fluid that would fill dis*qui*si*tion .diskwi'zisHan . ;/. a long or |
|

such a volume in the case of a floating ship, elaborate essay or discussion on a particular
used as a measure of the ship's size: the suh- subject.
tnarine has a smface displacement of 2,185 tons. nVR I \ A r 1 \' 1- s : dis*qui*si*tion*al |
-SH^nl |

the volume of the space moved through by adj.

the piston of a reciprocating system, as in a dis*sect Idi'sekt; di-| * v. [trans.] (often be
pump or engine. 3 the unconscious transfer dissected) methodically cut up (a body,
of an intense emotion from its original object part, or plant) in order to study its internal
to another one: this phobia teas linked with the parts.
displacement of fear of his father. 4 (in physics) analyze (something) in minute detail: novels
the component of an electric field due to free that dissect our obsession with urban angst.
separated charges, regardless of any polariz- ni:RiVATiVFS: dis»sec»tion |-'sekSHon|
ing effects. dis'sec'tor |-3r| //.
 .

dissemble 135 dissolve

dis*sem»ble di scnUxil . r. (mtrans ] con- ergy"* to be lost, typically by cotuertmg it to
ceal one's true motives, teelmg>J, or beliets: heat
ij« hi^'ust, y.'n.vn- fiv>iv« Mi' nccJ w Jtssc:- iM-KiVAi ivi s: dis»si»pa»tive -,pativ jj.-.
hU: dis»si*pa»tor -,pai,ir ^'^Ij^^^^ dis*si»pat*er"

[trans ]
disgviise or conceal leelini: or uueti-
tion): shi smik\i. dss^^ifftrltHt: r.^-r rrtu- irtuTion. dis»si»pat»ed dis,i,p.md • j J/. i,of a person
n F R V AT V b s dis»sem»blance
I 1 : I
-blons n, or w av of lite"* overindulging in sensual plea-
dis«scm»blcr -b^^oMor sures: .::ss:f^.!:eJ cehavior.
dis»sem»i»nate di'seiiio.nat .;. [trans] dis»si»pa»tion dis,VpasH,Mi . 1 a disso-

spread or disperse (^something, esp. uit'ornia- lute manner of living; immoderation and lax-
rion'i widely: hijJrh ..luthonru-s shouLi conctv;- ity: a deseen: into drunkenness a>td sexual dtssi-

f\nion. 2 squandering of money, energj-, or

[usu. as ad! ] disseminated'* spread resources: f)i«f dissipatimt of the ixnmtry's tniti-
throiiiihout an orijan or the body: Jisscrn:- eraJ icealth.
ruiU'J co/ivi ciruit: 1,111 physics"* loss of energy, esp. by its com-er-
Dii RiVA riVF s
dis»sem»i'na»tion -,senio
: sion into heat. scattering or dispersion: the
'nASHon dis»scm»i»na»tor -,ni\tv"5r ,0";f .V.'c- J:ss:pa:son of pa:>it funtes.
diS»sen*sion di sensuon • n. disaiireenient dis»so»ci»ate di'sosncat; sc^se- . r. [tr,ins ]

that loads to discord: this »u}ru'ii:Y> .\]n<i\i J;s- 1 disconnect or separate t,used esp. m ab-
sc'isw: i. ttfttn fcmintsr nirtf:<. stract contexts"*: opinions should not hi disso-
diS'Sent di'sent • r. hold or express
[intrans ) ciati'ti ftXiTTt their social context.
opinions that are at variance with those pre- vdissoeiate oneself from^ declare that one
viously, commonly, or otlicially expressed: is not connected with or a supporter of
mx> Wc'm^<•>> liissettted fixtm Oic *t\wnTy vsomeone or something"*: he tooic paitss to dis-
[as adi \^disscntinsi'» then- avir ^^niy j .of^r.V
l
sociate himself ftvnt relictous rad:ca^s. [mtrans.]

1^/ disscrtn 'vWc.v become separated or disconnected: the n\cton

separate trom an established or orthodox dissociate fi\itTt the country. ^usu.
church because ot" doctrinal disaceenient. be dissoeiated"* ^in psychiatry"* split otY i^a
• ti. the expression or holding ot opinions at component of mental activity"* to act as an in-
variance with those previously, commonly, or dependent part of niental life. 2 ^usu. be dis-
otticiallv held: :hcn- Jtssftit /r\yrti :hts sociated"* (,in chemistry"* cause (,a molecule"*
to split into separate smaller atoms, ions, or
(.also Dissent"* refusal to accept the doc- molecules, esp. reversibly: these co>Kf\'unds are
trines an established or orthodox church;
ot" dissociated hy solar txtdtation :o y.e'.d atoms of
noncv>nt"ori'nitv. chlorine.
dis«sen»tient di'sensvKmt . in opposi- [intrans.] ^'•"'f molecule^ undergo this
tion to a maionty or otVicial opinion: Jiss^ri- pre>cess.
DKRIVATIV I s : dis'so«ci*a»tive - .lti\ . sn,i-
cmrs. • n. a person who opposes a maiorit\- or Sivl adi.
ot"licial opinion. dis»SO»lute i
'diSv3,lo»Ot . adj. hw m moi-als; li-
dis»ser«ta»tion disor tasium
lone es- .'. a centious; a dissolute, drunken, distrputable
say on a particular subieet, esp. one written n\cue.
as a reqvnrement tor the Doctor of Philoso- l^v RlVA ri\ I- s : dis»so'lute*ly dis»so»
phy degree: hi hjJ •, ':ritis: JiV-
, ,
• ^ . , . :. lute»ness ';.
hmil Ji^si't uiiu^n Of; K. dis»so»lu»tion ,dis,i'U\\«vH,in • 'i. 1 the clos-
a long discourse: ., ,j .issscui- . ing down or dismissal of an assembly, part-
lion on her family's An-t- iV Ini^irui. nership, or otlicial body: the dissolution of their
nFR A r1
\- 1
\- s dis»ser»ta»tion»al -SH,->nl
1- : marriasx Henry 1 7// declan\i the abbey's dis-
I

solution in l>40.
djs*sim»U»late di'sinu^lat . [trans con- ] the action or process of dissoK or being mg
ceal or disguise ^.one's thoughts, feelmg^^, or dissolved: mineraL< susceptsHe to d:ssohit:ot;.
chanicterV ,i CiHinny c^-nrh-ftum icho Jisstrnn- breaking down; disintegration; decomposi-
laics his iiyahh ^c•^^^.•''; '..Cv'/ /^»/Anvf>- tion: the dissoiunon of the flesh. death.
[intrans.] ttotv that they r>»cv no lon^t^cr . .
•
, 2 debauched li\-ing; dissipation: an advanced
ncid to JissimnJati. state of dissoli4tion.
I'll" Ki VA 11 V I" s dis»siin»ii*la*tion
: -,simyvi dis'solve di'/iilvi .v. 1 [mtrans] (,ofasolid">
'laSHv^n dis*sim»u»la»tor -.Ultor >t. become incorporated iiuo a liquid so as to
dis»si»pate 'dis,->,pat . r. 1 [mtrans.] disperse form a solution: ducose dissolves easily in ica-
or scatter: chi clouJ of stnokc JissipatcJ,
vof a feeling or other intangible thing"* disap- [trans ] cause i,a solid"* to become incorpo-
pear or be dispelled: the i\>^^vr»; shc'J uit for rated into a liquid m
this way: ,/;.v.<o/iv a bouil-
him had vJiolly dissipate J. [trans] cause (,a lon cube in a pint of hot icater. (,of something

feeling or other iiitangible thing"* to disappear abstract, esp. a feeling"* disappear: my couni^^e
or disperse: he a'anted to dissif^ate his an^c^''- dissolved. deteriorate or degenerate: the
2 [trans.] squander or fritter away i^money, en- community px-'licy could dissolve into chaos.
ergy, or resoua-es"*: he had dissipated his entttv subside uricontrv">llably into i,an expression
fornine. of stUMig feelings"): she suddenly dissolved
(usu. be dissipated"* ^i" physics"* cause ^,en- into tliwis of tears. (in a moWe"* change
dissonant 136 dithyramb
gradually to (a different scene or picture): tion, or other processing: you 're distorting the
dissolve to side view, looking down the street. sound by overloading amp. the
2 [trans.] close down or dismiss (an assembly derivatives: dis»tort«ed«ly adv. dis»
or official body): the country's president can dis- tort»ed»ness n. dis»tor«tion |-'t6rSH3n| n.
solve parliament under certain circumstances. dis»tor»tion»al |-'t6rSH3nli adj. dis'tor*
annul or put an end to (a partnership or mar- tion'less -'torSHanbs adj.|
|

riage) it only takes 28 days to dissolve a domes-

: dis*train dis'tran • V. [trans.] seize (some-
|
I

tic partnership. • n. (in a film) an act or in- one's property) in order to obtain payment of
stance of moving gradually from one picture rent or other money owed: legislation has
to another. restricted the right to distrain goods found on the
DERI VAT I V E s dis»solv»a«ble adj. dis»solv»
: premises. Cf. confiscate.
er n. seize the property of (someone) for this pur-
dis«SO»nant 'disansnt • adj. (in music)
|
I
pose: the government applied political pressure
lacking harmony: irregular, dissonant chords. by distraining debtors.
vmsuitable or unusual in combination; clash- derivatives: dis»train*er n. dis»train»
ing: Jackson employs both harmonious and dis- ment n.
sonant color choices. dis*trait |
dis'tra I
. adj. (fern, distraite
derivatives: dis*so*nance n. dis»so» I
-'trat I ) [predic] distracted or absentminded:
nant'ly adv. he seemed oddly distrait.
dis*suade da'swad • v.
|
[trans.] persuade |
dis*traught |dis'tr6t| »adj. deeply upset and
(someone) not to take a particular course of agitated: a distraught woman sobbed and
action: his friends tried to dissuade him from screamed for help he appeared on television, |

flying. grief-ravaged and distraught.

derivatives: dis»suad»er n. dis*sua*sion dis*tressed |dis'trest| »adj. suffering from
|di'swazH3n| dis»sua»sive |-'swasiv| adj.
n. anxiety, sorrow, or pain: / was distressed at the
dis*taff side • n. the female side of a family: news of his death.
the family title could be passed down through the impoverished: women in distressed circum-
distaff side. The opposite of spear side. stances. (of furniture, leather, or clothing)
the female members of a group: this fascina- having simulated marks of age and wear: a
tion was not limited to the distaff side of society. distressed leather jacket.
dis*tem*peri |dis'temp9r| »n. 1 a viral dis- dis»trib*u»tar»y dis'triby(50,tere • n.
|
(pi. |

ease of some animals, esp. dogs, causing fe- -ies) a branch of a river that does not return
ver, coughing, and catarrh. 2 political disor- to the main stream after leaving it (as in a
der: an attempt to illuminate the moral roots of delta), rather distributes part of its water.
the modern world's distemper. dis*tri»bu»tive Idis'tribyativl 'adj. 1 con-
dis»tem*per2 . n. a kind of paint using glue or cerned with the supply of goods to stores and
size instead of an oil base, for use on walls or other businesses that sell to consumers: trans-
for scene-painting. portation and distributive industries.
a method of mural and poster painting using concerned with the way in which things are
this. • V. [trans.] [often as adj.] (distempered) shared among people: the distributive effects of
paint (something) with distemper: the distem- public expenditure distributive justice. 2 (of a\

pered roof timbers. grammatical determiner or pronoun) refer-

dis*tend dis'tend • V. [trans.] cause (some-
|
I
ring to each individual of a class, not to the
thing) to swell by stretching it from inside: air class collectively, e.g., each, either. 3 (of a
is introduced into the stomach to distend it [as \
mathematical operation) fulfilling the condi-
adj.] (distended) a distended belly. tion that, when it is performed on two or
[intrans.] swell out because of pressure from more quantities already combined by another
inside: the abdomen distended rapidly. operation, the result is the same as when it is

derivatives: dis»ten»si»bilM»ty |-,tens3 performed on each quantity individually and

'bilite I
n. dis«ten»si»ble |
-'tensabal |
adj. the products then combined. • n. a distribu-
dis»ten»sion |-'tenSH3n| n. tive word.
dis*tich 'distiki • n. a pair of verse
I
lines; a DERI VAT I V E s dis«trib«u«tive»ly adv.:

couplet. dith*er I'dirasrl *v. [intrans.] 1 act hesitantly;

dis«tin*gue |
,distseNG'ga |
• adj. (fern, distin- be indecisive: he was dithering about how to
guee pronunc. same) having a distinguished vote. 2 [trans.] display or print (a computer im-
manner or appearance: he was lean and distin- age) without sharp edges so that there appear
gue, with a small goatee. to be more colors in it than are really availa-
dis*tort dis'torti • V. [trans.] pull or twist out
I
ble: [as adj.] (dithered) dithered bit maps. • n.
of shape: a grimace distorted her fine mouth \
1 indecisive behavior: after months of dither

[as adj.] (distorted) his face was distorted they had still not agreed. 2 [in sing.] a state of
with rage. agitation: buses are jammed and dirty and eve-
[intrans.] become twisted out of shape: the pipe ryone in a dither over taxis.
is

will distort as you bend it. give a misleading derivatives: dith»er»er n. dith»er»y adj.
or false account or impression of: many fac- dlth*y*ramb 'diTH3,raem . n. a wild choral
| I

tors can distort the results [as adj.] (distorted) \

hymn of ancient Greece, esp. one dedicated
his report gives a distorted view of the meeting. to Dionysus.
change the form of (an electrical signal or a passionate or inflated speech, poem, or
sound wave) during transmission, amplifica- other writing.
 .

diuretic 137 divine

derivatives: dith«y«ram»bic |
, diraa attention from something more important: a
'r£embik| adj. raid was carried out on a nearby airfield to cre-
di*U»reWc |
.diys'retikl » adj. (chiefly of ate a diversion.
drugs) causing increased passing of urine. d invert di'vart; di- • v. [trans.] 1 cause (some-
|
1

• n. a diuretic drug. one or something) to change course or turn

di*ur*nal dl'arnl • adj. 1 of or during the
| |
from one direction to another: a scheme to di-
day. vert water from the river to irrigate agricul-
(of animals) active in the daytime. (of flow- tural land.
ers) open only during the day. 2 daily; of each [intrans.] (of a vehicle or person) change
day: diurnal rhythms. course: an aircraft has diverted and will be with
of or resulting from the daily rotation of the you reallocate (something, esp,
shortly.
earth. money or resources) to a different purpose:
derivatives: di»ur»naMy adv. more of their advertising budget was diverted
di*va 'dev3 I
• n. a famous female opera
1 into promotions. 2 distract (someone or their
singer: 3;owr average opera isn't over till the diva attention) from something: public relations
trills her high notes. policies are sometimes intended to divert attention
a female singer who has enjoyed great pop- away from criticism.
ular success: a chance to create a full-blown pop [usu. as (diverting) draw the attention
adj.]

diva. an admired, glamorous, or distin- of (someone) away from tedious or serious

guished woman: the former director of the asso- concerns; entertain or amuse: a diverting book
ciation is still a downtown diva. a haughty, I
nursery rhymes can calm and divert all but the
spoiled woman. most fractious child.
di*va*gate rdiv3,gat| 'V. [intrans.] wander derivatives: di»vert»er n. di»vert«ing»ly
about; stray; digress: Yeats divagated into Vir- adv.
gil's territory only once. dl»ver*ti»men»tO di.varta'mento |
. n. (pi. |

derivatives: di«va»ga»tion diva ga- |

,
'
diver timenti - ,te or divertimentos) a
| |

SH9n| n. light and entertaining musical composition,

di»var*i*cate di'vsera.kat; di-| »v. [intrans.]
|
typically one in the form of a suite for cham-
stretch or spread apart; diverge widely: her ber orchestra.
crow's feet are divaricating like deltas. • adj. dl«ver*tisse«ment Idi'vartismantI *n. a mi-
I
(of a tree branch)
-kit; ,kat |
coming off the nor entertainment or diversion: as a Sunday
stem almost at a right angle. divertissement Wittgenstein would play Schubert
derivatives: di»varn»ca»tion |-,v£er3'ka- quartets.
SHan n. I
a short dance within a ballet that displays a
di*ver*gent di'varjant; di- . adj. 1 tending
|
1 dancer's technical skill without advancing the
to be different or develop in different direc- plot or character development.
tions: divergent interpretations varieties of |
di»vest di'vest; di-
I
• v. [trans.] deprive
1

English can remain astonishingly divergent (someone) of power, rights, or possessions:

from one another. men are unlikely to be divested of power with-
(of thought) using a variety of premises, esp. out a struggle.
unfamiliar premises, as bases for inference, deprive (something) of a particular quality:
and avoiding common limiting assumptions he has divested the original play of its charm.
in making deductions. 2 (of a mathematical rid oneself of something that one no
series) increasing indefinitely as more of its longer wants or requires, such as a business
terms are added; not convergent. interest or investment: it appears easier to
derivatives: di»ver»gemcy n. di»ver» carry on in the business than to divest the gov- \

gent'ly adv. ernment's policy of divesting itself of state

di*vers 'divsrzl |
. adj. [attrib.] of varying types; holdings. relieve (someone) of something
several: in divers places. being worn or carried: she divested him of his
d inverse |
di'vsrs; di- 1
• adj. showing a great coat.
deal of variety: a culturally diverse population. div«i»dend 'divi,dend| • n. 1 a sum of money
|

(of two or more things) markedly different paid regularly (typically annually) by a com-
from one another: subjects as diverse as archi- pany to its shareholders out of its profits (or
tecture, language teaching, and paleobotany. reserves)
derivatives: di»verse»ly adv. diverse- a payment divided among a number of peo-
ness n. ple, e.g., members of a cooperative or credi-
di*ver*sion IdiVarZHsn; di-l » n. 1 an in- tors ofan insolvent estate. an individual's
stance of turning something aside from its share of a dividend. (dividends) a benefit
course: a diversion of resources from defense to from an action or ^o\\cy: persistence pays div-
basic research. idends. 2 a number to be divided by another
an alternative route for use by traffic
Brit, number.
when the usual road is temporarily closed; div*i»na*tion .divs'naSHan • n. the practice
| I

detour: the road was closed and diversions put of seeking knowledge of the future or the un-
into operation. 2 an activity that diverts the known by supernatural means (divining).
mind from tedious or serious concerns; a rec- derivatives: di»vin»a«to»ry |di'vin9
reation or pastime: our chief diversion was read- .torei adj.
ing di*vinei |di'vin| 'adj. (diviner, divinest)
something intended to distract someone's 1 of, from, or like God or a god: heroes with
divine 138 doldrums
divine powers paintings of shipwrecks being
\
party, or other group: the doctrine of predesti-
prevented by divine intervention. nation.
devoted to God; sacred: divine liturgy. 2 ex- a stated principle of government policy,
cellent; delightful: that succulent pastry tasted mainly in foreign or military affairs: the Mon-
divine he had the most divine smile. •
\
1 a roe Doctrine.
cleric or theologian. 2 (the Divine) provi- dOC»U*ment ^n. I'dakyamsntI a piece of
dence or God. written, printed, or electronic matter that
derivatives: di»vine»ly adv. di»vine» provides information or evidence or that
ness n. serves as an official record. • v. 'dakys \

dl»vine2 . v. [trans.] discover (something) by ,ment [trans.] record (something) in written,

|

guesswork or intuition: his brother usually photographic, or other form: the photographer
divined his ulterior motives [with clause] they \
spent years documenting the lives of miners.
had divined that he was a fake. support or accompany with documentation.
have supernatural or magical insight into derivatives: doc«u»ment»a«ble |
.dakys
(future events): claimed to divine the future in 'mentabal |
adj. doc»u»ment»al ,daky9 |

chicken 's entrails. discover (water) by dows- 'mentll adj. doc»u»ment»er |-,ment3r| n.
ing, as with a divining rod. dOC»U*men*tany |
.dakys'mentsrel 'adj.
derivatives: di«vin»er n. consisting of pieces of written, printed, or
di*VUlge |
di'vslj; di- 1
. V. [trans.] make known other matter, esp. official materials: his book is
(esp. private or sensitive information): / am based on documentary sources.
toomuch of a gentleman to divulge her age. (of a movie, a television or radio program, or
derivatives: div»ul«ga«tion |
.divsl'ga- photography) using pictures or interviews
SHanl n. di«vul»gence |-j3ns| n. with people involved in real events to provide
DNA • n. deoxyribonucleic acid,
a self- a factual record or report: he has directed doc-
replicating material present in nearly all liv- umentary shorts and feature films. • n. (pi. -ies)
ing organisms as the main constituent of a movie or a television or radio program that
chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic in- provides a factual record or report.
formation. Cf. RNA. derivatives: documentarist, docu-
Each molecule of DNA consists of two mentarian n. a person who produces docu-
strands coiled around each other to form a mentaries.
double helix, a structure like a spiral ladder. doc*U«men*ta»tlon |
,daky3men'taSH3n| *n.
1 material that provides official information
Each rung of the ladder consists of a pair of
chemical groups called bases (of which there or evidence or that serves as a record: 3;om will
are four types), which combine in specific
have to complete the relevant documentation.
pairs so that the sequence on one strand of
the written specification and instructions
the double helix is complementary to that on accompanying a computer program or hard-
the other. It is the specific sequence of bases ware. 2 the process of classifying and anno-
tating texts, photographs, etc.: she arranged
that constitutes the genetic information.
the collection and documentation of photographs.
dO*cent I'dosantI • 1 a person who acts doge doj • n. the chief magistrate in the for-
I I

as a guide, typically on a voluntary basis, in mer republics of Venice or Genoa.

a museum, art gallery, or zoo. 2 (in certain dog*ger*el 'dogsral; 'dag-| • n. comic verse
|

universities and colleges) a member of the composed in irregular rhythm.

teaching staff immediately below professo- verse or words that are badly written or
rial rank. expressed: the last stanza deteriorates into dog-
Do*ce*tism do'se.tizam; 'dosi- • n. the doc-
|
1 gerel.
trine, important in Gnosticism, that Christ's dog*ma 'dogma] • «. a principle or set of
|

body was not human but either a phantasm principles laid down by an authority as incon-
or of real but celestial substance, and that his trovertibly true: the Christian dogma of the
sufferings were therefore, only apparent. Trinity \
the rejection of political dogma.
derivatives: Do»ce«tist n. dog*mat»ic |d6g'm£etik| 'adj. inclined to lay
dOC*ile 'dasal • adj. ready to accept control
I
|
down principles as incontrovertibly true: he
or instruction;submissive: a cheap and docile gives his opinion without trying to be dogmatic.
work force. derivatives: dog»mat»i«caWy |-ik(3)le|
derivatives: doc»ile»ly adv. do«cil*i»ty adv.
|da'silite| n. dol*ce vi»ta ,dolcHa 'vep • n. [in sing.] (usu.
|
|

dOC*tri»nalre ,daktr3'ner| » adj. seeking to

|
la dolce vita) a life of heedless pleasure and
impose a doctrine in all circumstances with- luxury.
out regard to practical considerations: a doc- dohdrums |
'doldramz; 'dal-; 'd61-| • plural n.
trinaire socialist. • n. a person who seeks to (the doldrums) low spirits; a feeling of bore-
impose a theory in such a way. dom or depression: color catalogs will rid you of
derivatives: doc'trimairnsm |-,iz3m| February doldrums.
n. a period of inactivity or a state of stagnation:
dOC*tri»nal 'daktrsnl . adj. concerned with
| |
the mortgage market has been in the dol-
a doctrine or doctrines: doctrinal disputes. drurns for three months. an equatorial re-
derivatives: doc»tri»naWy adv. gion of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans with
dOC*trine |'daktrin| • n. a belief or set of pronounced calms, sudden storms, and light
beliefs held and taught by a church, political unpredictable winds.
doleful 139 donnybrook
doie*ful 'dolfal
I
• adj. expressing sorrow;
I
place that a person treats as his or her perma-
mournful: a doleful look. nent home, or lives in and has a substantial
causing grief or misfortune: doleful conse- connection with.
quences. a person's residence or home: the builder I've
derivatives: dole»ful»ly adv. dole«ful» hired to renovate my new domicile. the place
ness n. at which a company or other body is regis-
doM*cho*ce*phaHc |
,dalikos3faelik| * adj. tered, esp. for tax purposes. [with adverbial
• v.

having a relatively long skull (typically with ofplace] (be domiciled) treat a specified
the breadth less than 80 (or 75) percent of the country or place as a permanent home: the
length). Often contrasted with brachy- tenant domiciled in the United States.
is

CEPHALIC. reside; be based: he was domiciled in a frame

derivatives: doW«cho»ceph»a«ly |-'sef- house on the outskirts of town.
3le| n. dom*i*nant |
'damanant |
• adj. most impor-
dol*men 'dolman; 'dal- • w. a megalithic
|
1 tant, powerful, or influential: they are now in
tomb with a large flat stone laid on upright an even more dominant position in the market.
ones, found chiefly in Britain and France. Cf. (of a high place or object) overlooking oth-
MENHIR. ers. relating to or denoting heritable char-
do*lor I'dobrl (Brit, dolour) • n. a state of acteristics controlled by genes that are ex-
great sorrow or distress: they squatted, hunched pressed in offspring even when inherited
in visible dolor. from only one parent. denoting the pre-
dO*main do'man • «. an
| |
area of territory dominant species in a plant (or animal)
owned or controlled by a ruler or govern- community. in decision theory, (of a
ment: French domains of the
the southwestern choice) at least asgood as the alternatives in
Plantagenets. Cf. eminent domain. all circumstances, and better in some: a
an estate or territory held in legal possession dominant strategy. * n. dominant thing, in sl

by a person or persons. a specified sphere particular:

of activity or knowledge: the expanding do- a dominant a dominant spe-
trait or gene.
main of psychology visual communication is
\
cies in a plant (or animal) community. the
the domain of the graphic designer. (in fifth note of the diatonic scale of any musical
physics) a discrete region of magnetism in key, or the key based on this, considered in
ferromagnetic material. a distinct subset of relation to the key of the tonic.
the Internet with addresses sharing a com- derivatives: dom»i»nant«ly adv.
mon suffix, such as the part in a particular dom*l«na*trix .dama natriks . n. (pi. dom-
|
|

country or used by a particular group of inatrices |-tra,sez| or dominatrixes) a

users. (in mathematics) the set of possible dominating woman, esp. one who takes the
values of the independent variable or vari- sadistic role in sadomasochistic sexual activ-
ables of a function. (domaine) a vineyard. ities.
DERI VATI YES do»ma»ni»al : |-ne3l| adj. dom*i»neer |,dama'nir| • v. [intrans.] [usu. as
do»mes*tic Ida'mestikI of or relating » adj. 1 adj.] (domineering) assert one's will over an-

to the running of a home

or to family rela- other in an arrogant way: they had survived
tions: domestic chores domestic violence. \
years with a gruff, domineering father.
of or for use in the home rather than in an DERI VAT I v E s dom«i»neernng»ly adv. :

industrial or office environment: domestic dO«min«ion |da'minyan| • n. 1 sovereignty;

appliances. (of a person) fond of family life control: man's attempt to establish dominion
and running a home: she was not at all domes- over nature. 2 (usu. dominions) the terri-
tic. (of an animal) tame and kept by tory of a sovereign or government: the
humans: domestic cattle. 2 existing or occur- Angevin dominions.
ring inside a particular country; not foreign (Dominion) each of the self-governing ter-
or international: Korea's domestic affairs. • n. ritories of the historical British Common-
1 (also domestic worker or domestic help) wealth: the Dominion of Canada. 3 (domin-
a person who is paid to do menial tasks such ions) (in Christianity) another term for
as cleaning. 2 a product not made abroad. domination, the fourth highest order of angel.
DERIVATIVES: do»mes»ti»caWy |-ik(3)le| dom*i»no eMect • n. the effect of the domino
adv. domesticity n. the quality or state of be- theory, which, in politics, holds that events in
ing domestic, esp. (attachment to) home life. one country will cause similar events in
do*mes*ti*caie |d3'mesti,kat| 'V. [trans.] neighboring countries, like a falling domino
(usu. be domesticated) tame (an animal) causing a row of upended dominos to fall in
and keep it as a pet or for farm produce: turn.
mammals were first domesticated for their milk. don*a»tive 'donativ; 'dan-|
1
• a donation,
cultivate (a plant) for food. make (some- esp. one given formally or officially as lar-
one) fond of and good at home life and the gesse. •given as a donation.
adj.
tasks thatit involves: you've finally domesti- don*jon |
• n. the great tower
'danjan; 'dan- 1

cated him [as adj.] (domesticated) he

I
is thor- or innermost keep of a castle.
oughly domesticated. don*nee da'na (also donne) * n. ^ a sub-
|
|

derivatives: do»mes»ti»ca»ble l-ksbal] ject or theme of a narrative. 2 a basic fact or

adj.do«mes»ti»ca»tion -.mesti'kaSHsn n. |
|
assumption.
dom«i»cile I'dama.sil; 'do-; 'damssall (also don*ny*brook 'dane, brook . n. a scene of |

domicil) • n. (in legal use) the country or uproar and disorder; an uproarious meeting.
doppelganger 140 Down syndrome
a heated argument: raucous ideological donny- phrase open to two interpretations, one of
brooks. which usually risque or indecent.
is

dop*pel*gang»er j
'dap3l,gaeNG3r| . n. an ap- humor
using such words or phrases.
parition or double of a living person. d0U*ble ]eop*ard»y . n. (in law) the prosecu-
Dor*ic 'dorik; 'dar- • adj. 1 relating to or
I
1 tion of a person twice for the same offense.
denoting a classical order of architecture risk or disadvantage incurred from two
characterized by a plain, sturdy column and sources simultaneously: he is in double
a thick square slab (abacus) resting on a jeopardy, unable to speak either language ade-
rounded molding. 2 relating to or denoting quately.
the ancient Greek dialect of the Dorians. d0U*blet I
'dabbtl . n. 1 either of a pair of
(of a dialect) broad; rustic. • n. 1 the Doric similar things, in particular:
order of architecture. 2 the ancient Greek di- either of two words of the same historical
alect of the Dorians. source but with two different stages of entry
a broad or rustic dialect, esp. the dialect spo- into the language, for example regal and royal,
ken in northeastern Scotland. yard and garden. (doublets) the same num-
dork dork • «. a dull, slow-witted, or so-
I I
ber on two dice thrown at once. 2 a man's
cially inept person. short close-fitting padded jacket, commonly
the penis. worn from the 1 4th to the 1 7th century.
DERI VAT IVES: dork'y adj. dou*ble*think 'dabaljHiNCkl .n. the ac- i

dor*mant 'dormant 'adj. (of an animal) |

|
ceptance of or mental capacity to accept con-
having normal physical functions suspended trary opinions or beliefs at the same time, esp.
or slowed down for a period of time; in or as as a result of political indoctrination.
if in a deep sleep: dormant butterflies. dour I
dowr I
• adj. relentlessly severe, stern,
in a state of rest or inactivity: the event evoked or gloomy in maimer or appearance: a hard,
memories that she would rather had lain dor- dour, humorless fanatic harsh weather in a dour \

mant. (of a plant or bud) alive but not ac- landscape.

tively growing. (of a volcano) temporarily DERIVATIVES: dour'ly adv. dour»ness n.
inactive. (of a disease) causing no symp- douse dows (also dowse) • v. [trans.] pour
I I

toms but not cured and liable to recur. a liquid over; drench: he doused the car with
[usu. postpositive] (in heraldry, of an animal) gasoline and set it on fire.
depicted lying with its head on its paws. extinguish (as a fire or light) stewards appeared :

derivatives: dor»man»cy n. and the fire was doused nothing could douse her \

dor^mer 'dormarl (also dormer window)

I
sudden euphoria. lower (a sail) quickly.
• n. a window that projects vertically from a dOW*a»ger 'dowajar] • n. a widow with a ti-
|

sloping roof. tle or property derived from her late hus-

the projecting structure that houses such a band: [as adj.] the dowager duchess [postpositive] \

window: the windowed dormer above the sink. the queen dowager.
Cf. gable. a dignified elderly woman.
dor*sal 'dorsal • adj. of, on, or relating to
| |
dow*dy I
'dowde |
« adj. (dowdier, dowdi-
the upper side or back of an animal, plant, or est) (of a person, typically a woman, or their
organ: a dorsal view of the body the dorsal \
clothes) unfashionable and without style in
aorta, a dorsal fin broke the surface. Cf. ven- appearance: her casual chic made other women
tral. around her look dowdy. • n. (pi. -ies) (also
DERI VAT I V E s dor»sal»ly adv. : dowd) a woman who is unfashionably and
dos*si*er 'dose, a; 'das-| • n. a collection of
j
unattractively dressed.
documents about a particular person, event, derivatives: dow»di«ly |'dowdale| adv.
or subject: vje have a dossier on him a dos- \
dow»di«ness n.

sier of complaints. doW*er |

'dowar| • n. a widow's share for life

dot*age 'dotij • n. [in sing.] the period of life

|
|
of her husband's estate.
in which a person is old and weak: you could a dowry. • v. [trans.] give a dowry to.
live here and look after me in dotage. my dOwn*beat 'down, bet »adj. pessimistic; |

the state of having the intellect impaired, gloomy: the assessment of current economic
esp. through old age; senility. prospects is downbeat. • n. (in music) an
dO*tard 'dotard • n. an old person, esp. one
|
I
accented beat, usually the first of the bar.
who has become weak or senile. Down syn»drome (also Down's syndrome)
dote dot • V. [intrans.] 1 (dote on/upon) be
I I
• n. a congenital disorder arising from a chro-
extremely and uncritically fond of: she doted mosome defect, causing intellectual impair-
on her two young children [as adj.] (doting) \
ment and physical abnormalities including
she was spoiled outrageously by her doting father. short stature and a broad facial profile. It
2 be silly or feebleminded, esp. as a result of arises from a defect involving chromosome
old age: the parson is now old and dotes. 21, usually an extra copy (trisomy-21).
D E R VAT V E s dofcr n. dot«ing«ly adv.
I I :
usage: Of relatively recent coinage, Down
dOU*ble-blind . adj. [attrib.] denoting a test or
syndrome is the accepted term in modern
trial, esp. of a drug, in which any information
use, and former terms such as mongol,
that may influence the behavior of the tester
Mongoloid, and mongolism, which are
or the subject is withheld until after the test.
likely tocause offense, should be avoided.
dou*ble en»ten»dre lan'tandra] . n. (pi See also usage at Mongoloid.
double entendres pronunc. same) a word or
dowsing 141 dualism
dOWS*ing dowziNC • n. a technique for
| \
speak tediously in a dull monotonous tone:
searching for underground water, minerals, or he reached for another beer while Jim droned
anything invisible, by observing the motion of on. [with adverbial of direction] move with a
a pointer (traditionally a forked stick, now of- continuous humming sound: traffic droned up
ten paired bent wires) or the changes in direc- and down the street. • 1 a low continuous
tion of a pendulum, supposedly in response to humming sound: he nodded off to the drone of
unseen influences: [as adj.] a dowsing rod. the engine.
derivatives: dowse v. dows»er n. a monotonous speech: only twenty minutes of
d0X«0l*0*gy Idak'sabje] » n. (pi. -ies) a the hour-long drone had passed. a continuous
Christian liturgical formula of praise to God. musical note, typically of low pitch. a mu-
DERI VAT I V E s dox»o»log»i»cal ,daks3 :
I
sical instrument, or part of one, sounding
'lajiksll adj. such a continuous note, in particular (also
dOX»y I
'dakse |
• n. (pi. -ies) a lover or mis- drone pipe) a pipe in a bagpipe or (also
tress. drone string) a string in an instrument such
a prostitute. as a hurdy-gurdy or a sitar. 2 a male bee in a
doy«en Idoi'en; 'doi-en| • n. (fern, doyenne) colony of social bees, which does no work but
the most respected or prominent person in a can fertilize a queen.
particular field: the doyen of academic critics. a person who does no useful work and lives
dra«CO*ni»an dra'konean; dra- • adj. (of |
1 off others. 3 a remote-controlled pilotless air-
laws or their application) excessively harsh craft or missile.
and severe. drop*sy 'drapse • n. (pi. -ies) old-fashioned
|
|

derivatives: dra»con»ic |-'kanik| adj. or less technical term for edema.

drag draeg • n. (of dress) clothing more con-
| I
DERI VAT I V E s drop'si'cal adj. :

ventionally worn by the opposite sex, esp. dross dros; dras • n. something regarded as
I
|

women's clothes worn by a man: a fashion worthless; rubbish: there are bargains if you
show, complete with men in drag [as adj.] a \
have the patience to sift through the dross.
live drag show, a drag queen. foreign matter, dregs, or mineral waste, in
drag»0*man 'drsegamsn n. (pi. drago- | I
• particular scum formed on the surface of
mans or dragomen) an interpreter or guide, molten metal.
esp. in countries speaking Arabic, Turkish, or DERI VAT I V E s dross'y adj. :

Persian. Dru*id 'drooid • n. a priest, magician, or

I
\

dra*goon dra 'goon | |

• n. a member of any of soothsayer in the ancient Celtic religion.
several cavalry regiments in the household a member of a present-day group claiming to
troops of the British army. represent or be derived from this religion.
a mounted infantryman armed with a short derivatives: DruMdnc |droo'idik| adj.
rifle or musket. • v. [trans.] coerce (someone) Dru«id»i»cal |
droo'idikal |
adj. Dru'idMsm
into doing something: she had been dra- |-,izam| n.
gooned into helping with the housework. Druze |
(also Druse) • n. (pi. same,
drooz |

dram*a*tis per*SO*nae dramatis par'sone |

I
Druzes, or Druses i-ziz|) a member of a
. plural n. the characters of a play, novel, or political and religious sect of Islamic origin,
narrative. living chiefly in Lebanon and Syria. The
the participants in a series of events. Druze broke away from the (Shiite) Ismaih
dram*a*tur*gy 'drama, tarje . n. the theory | I
Muslims in the 11th century; they are
and practice of dramatic composition: studies regarded as heretical by the Muslim commu-
of Shakespeare's dramaturgy. nity at large.
derivatives: dram»aHur»gic |-jik| adj. dry dri
I
. adj. (drier, driest) (of a joke or
I

dram»a»tur»gi«cal |
,drama'tarjikal |
adj. sense of humor) subtle, expressed in a
dram»a»tur»gi»caWy |
,drama'tarjik(a)le |
matter-of-fact way, and having the appear-
adv. ance of being unconscious or unintentional:
dregs the remnants of a liquid
|
dregz |
• n. he delighted his friends with a dry, covert sense of
left in a container, together with any sedi- humor.
ment or grounds: coffee dregs. Cf. dross. Dry*ad 'dri,asd; ad| (also dryad) » n. (in
|

the most worthless part or parts of some- folklore and Greek mythology) a nymph
thing: the dregs of society. inhabiting a forest or a tree, esp. an oak tree.
derivatives dreg'gy : |'drege| adj. dry*ly 'dnle (also drily) • adv. 1 in a matter-
|
i

dres*sage |dra'sazH| • the art of riding of-fact or ironically humorous way: "How
and training a horse in a manner that devel- very observant," he said dryly. 2 in a dry way or
ops obedience, flexibility, and balance. condition: Evans swallowed dryly.
dri*ly • adv. variant spelling of dryly. du*al*lsm 'd(y)ooa,lizam . n. 1 the division
|
|

droll drol • adj. curious or unusual in a way

I I
of something conceptually into two opposed
that provokes dry amusement: his unique or contrasted aspects, or the state of being so
brand of droll self-mockery. » n. a jester or hu- divided: a dualism between man and nature.
morous entertainer; a buffoon. (in philosophy) a theory or system of
derivatives: droll»er»y |'drolare| n. thought that regards a domain of reality in
droll»ness n. drol'ly adv. terms of two independent principles, esp.
drone dron | |
• v. [intrans.] make a continuous mind and matter (Cartesian dualism). Cf.
low humming sound: in the far distance a ma- idealism, MATERLU.ISM, and MONISM. the re-
chine droned. ligious doctrine (as in Manichaeism) that the
dubiety 142 dynamic
universe contains opposed powers of good DERIVATIVES: dul»ci«fi»ca«tion |
,d9ls3fi
and evil, esp. seen as balanced equals. in 'kaSHsnj n.
Christian theology, the heresy that in the in- dumb«found I'dsm.fowndl (also dum-
carnate Christ there were two coexisting per- found) . V. [trans ] (usu. be dumbfounded)
sons, human and divine. 2 the quality or con- greatly astonish or amaze: they were dumb-
dition of being dual; duality. founded at his popularity.
derivatives: du*al*ist n. & adj. du»al»is« du*pliC*i*ty d(y)oo'phsite n. 1 the quality
|
|
.

tic I
,d(y)oo3'listik| adj. du»alMS»ti»caWy of instance of being deceitful; double-
1
,d(y)ooa'listik(3)le |
adv. dealing. 2 doubleness.
du*bi*e*ty d(y)6o'biite . the state or
|
|
du*ress |d(y)ot)r'es| • n. threats, violence,
quality of being doubtful; uncertainty: his constraints, or other action brought to bear
enemies made much of the dubiety of his pater- to force someone to do something against his
nity. or her will or better judgment: confessions
du*bi*OUS 'd(y)oobe3s| • adj. 1 hesitating or
I
extracted under duress.
doubting: Alex looked dubious, but complied. (in legal use) constraint illegally exercised to
2 not to be relied upon; suspect: extremely du- force someone to perform an act. forcible
bious assumptions. restraint or imprisonment.
morally suspect: timesharing has been brought dut*i*ful 'd(y)oot3f3l • adj. conscientiously
I I

into disreputeby dubious sales methods. of or obediently fulfilling one's duty: a dutiful
questionable value: she earned the dubious dis- daughter.
tinction of being the lowest-paid teacher in the motivated by duty rather than desire or en-
county. thusiasm: dutiful applause a dutiful visit. \

DERI VAT v E s du»bi»ous»ly I : adv. du»bi»os» DERIVATIVES: du»ti»ful»ly adv. du»ti»ful»

i«ty n. du*bi«ous«ness n. ness n.
duc*tile I
(of a metal) able to
'daktl; ,til i
• adj. dwarf dworf • n. (pi. dwarfs or dwarves
I I

be drawn out into a thin wire. dworvz ) 1 (in folklore or fantasy literature)
1
I

able to be deformed without losing tough- a member of a mythical race of short, stocky
ness; phable, not brittle. (of a person) able humanlike creatures who are generally skilled
to be led or drawn; docile or gullible. in mining and metalworking.
derivatives: duc»til»i»ty |d3k'tilite| n. an abnormally small person. Cf. midget.
dude dood I
a man; a guy: if some
I
informal • n. [as adj.] denoting something, esp. an animal
dude smacked me, smack him back. I'd or plant, that is much smaller than the usual
a stylish, fastidious man: cool dudes. a city- size for its type or species: a dwarf conifer.
dweller, esp. one vacationing on a ranch in 2 (also dwarif star) a star of relatively small
the western US. » v. [intrans.] (dude up) dress size and low luminosity, including the major-
up elaborately: [as adj.] (duded) my brother ity of main sequence stars. • v. [trans.] cause
was all duded up in silver and burgundy. to seem small or insignificant in comparison:
DERI VAT I V E s dud*ish adj. : the buildings surround and dwarf All Saints
dudg*eon |
'dajan |
• w. a feeling of offense or Church.
deep resentment: the manager walked out in stunt the growth or development of: [as adj.]
high dudgeon. (dwarfed) the dwarfed but solid branch of a
duen*de doo'enda j
I
• n. a quality of passion tree.

and inspiration; charisma. derivatives: dwarf'ish adj.

demon.
a spirit or
usage: As applied to a person, both dwarf
due proc*ess (also due process of law) • n. and midget are normally considered offen-
fair treatment through the normal judicial
sive. A dwarf has generally been defined as
system, esp. as a citizen's entitlement. In a very small person who is not well-
American law, procedural due process is
proportioned, while a midget is merely very
proper adherence to rules and principles by small.
courts. Substantive due process is proper
relation of laws to legitimate government dy*ad |
'diaed I
• n. something that consists of
objectives; it protects against arbitrary treat- two elements or parts: the mother-child dyad.
ment of individuals. Due process is guaran- derivatives: dy»ad»ic |di'aedik| adj.
teed under the 5th and 14th Amendments to dyb*buk dibOOkl . n. (pi dybbuks or dyb-
|

the U.S. Constitution, bukim di'b(5t)kim ) (in Jewish folklore) a

I I

du jour da 'zH(3t)r; ,doo • adj. [postpositive]

I
|
malevolent wandering spirit that enters and
(of food in a restaurant) available and being possesses the body of a livmg person until
served on this day: what is the soup du jour? exorcized.
used to describe something that is enjoying dy*nam*ic |di'naemik| ' adf 1 (of a process
great but probably short-lived popularity or or system) characterized by constant change,
publicity: attention deficit is the disorder du activity, or progress: a dynamic economy.
jour. (of a person) positive in attitude and full of
dul*cet i'dalsit] * adj. (esp. of sound) sweet energy and new ideas: a dynamic new leader.
and soothing (often used ironically): record (of a thing) stimulating development or
the dulcet tones of your family and friends. progress: the dynamic forces of nature. (in
dul*ci*fy 'dalsa.fi . v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.]
I
|
physics) of or relating to forces producing
sweeten: cider pap dulcified with molasses. motion. Cf. static. (of a verb) expressing
calm or soothe: his voice dulcified the panic. an action, activity, event, or process. Cf.
 |

dynamics 143 earthy

STATIVE. (of an electronic memory device) succession of leaders or winners in any
needing to be refreshed by the periodic ap- sphere: the Yankee dynasty led by Ruth and
phcation of a voltage. 2 relating to the vol- Gehrig.
ume of sound produced by an instrument, DERIVATIVES: dy»nas»tic |di'n£estik| adj.
voice, or recording: an astounding dynamic dy«nas»ti»caMy i
di'naestik(3)le |
adv.
range. • n. 1 a force that stimulates change dys»func»tion«al Idis'faNGksHsnll 'adj. not
or progress within a system or process: operating normally or properly: a dysfunc-
evaluation is part of the basic dynamic of the tional economy.
project. 2 (in music) another term for dynam- deviating from the norms of social behavior
ics. in a way regarded as bad: dysfunctional fami-
derivatives: dy»nam»i»cal adj. dy»nam» lies.

i»caWy |-ik(3)le| adv. derivatives: dys»func»tion«al«ly adv.

dy*nam*ics Idi'nasmiks] » plural n. 1 [treated dys«gen*ic |
dis'jenik] exerting a detri-
• adj.
as sing.] the branch of mechanics concerned mental effect on later generations through
with the motion of bodies under the action of the inheritance of undesirable characteris-
forces. Cf. statics. tics: dysgenic breeding. Cf. eugenics.
[usu. with adj.] the branch of any science in dys«lex*l»a Idis'leksesI • n. a general term for
which forces or changes are considered: disorders that involve difficulty in learning to
chemical dynamics. 2 the forces or properties read or interpret words, letters, and other
that stimulate growth, development, or symbols, but that do not affect general intel-
change within a system or process: the dynam- ligence.
ics of changing social relations. 3 the varying derivatives: dys»lec»tic |-'lektik| adj. &
levels of volume of sound in different parts of n. dys»lex»ic |-'leksik| adj. & n.

a musical performance. dys*pep»tic |dis'peptik| » adj. of or having

derivatives: dy»nam»i»cist | -'nsemasist indigestion (dyspepsia) or consequent irrita-
n. (in sense 1). bility or depression. • «. a person who suffers
dy*na*mism 'din3,miz3m • n. 1 the quality
|
|
from indigestion or irritability.
of being characterized by vigorous activity dys»pha«sia |dis'fazH3| »n. language disor-
and progress: the dynamism and strength of the der marked by deficiency in the generation of
economy. speech, and sometimes also in its compre-
the quality of being dynamic and positive in hension, owing to brain disease or damage.
attitude: he was known for his dynamism and derivatives: dys»pha»sic |-'fazik| adj.
strong views. 2 (in philosophy) the theory that dys*phe«mism |
deroga-
'disf9,miz3m| . «. a

phenomena of matter or mind are due to the tory or unpleasant term used instead of a
action of forces rather than to motion or mat- pleasant or neutral one, such as "loony bin"
ter. for "mental hospital." Cf euphemism.
DERI VAT v E s dy»na»mist
I : n. dys»phO»ri»a dis'forea . w. a state of unease
|
I

dy*nast |'di,n£Est; nasti • n. of a a member or generahzed dissatisfaction with life. Cf.

powerful family or dynasty, esp. a hereditary euphoria.
ruler. derivatives: dys'phornc |-'f6rik| adj. &
dy»nas*ty |
'dinsste |
• n. (pi. -ies) a line of he- n.

reditary rulers of a country: China 's Tang dy- dys*tO»pi*a dis'topea

|
»n. an imagined
I

nasty. place or state in which everything is unpleas-

a succession of people from the same family ant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environ-
who play a prominent role in business, poli- mentally degraded one. Cf Utopia,
tics, or another field: the Guinness dynasty. a derivatives: dys»to»pi»an adj. & n.

Ee
earth*bound '3rTH,bownd| |
• adj. 1 attached tence as distinct from a spiritual or heavenly
or restricted to the earth: a flightless earth- one: all earthly happiness is but vanity.
bound bird. derivatives: earth»li«ness n.
attached or limited to material existence as earth*y I'snnel > adj. (earthier, earthiest)
distinct from a spiritual or heavenly one: her resembling or suggestive of earth or soil: an
earthbound view of the sacrament. lacking in earthy smell.
imaginative reach or drive: an earthbound per- (of a person) direct and uninhibited; hearty:
formance. 2 moving toward the earth: an the storefront is given over to a young, earthy
earthbound spaceship. crowd. (of humor) somewhat coarse or
earth*ly 'arrale • adj. of or relating to the
| |
crude: an earthy story that shocked some listen-
earth or human life on the earth: water is liq- ers.

uid at normal earthly temperatures. derivatives: earth»i»ly adv. earth»i»ness

of or relating to humankind's material exis- n.
east 144 econometrics
east I
est I
• n. (usu. the east) (in geography ferentiated by position in battle or by func-
and of the world or
politics) the eastern part 2 a formation of troops,
tion: the rear echelon.
of a specified country, region, or town: a fac- ships, aircraft, or vehicles in parallel rows
tory in the east of the city. with the end of each row projecting farther
(usu. the East) the regions or countries ly- than the one in front. • v. [trans.] arrange in
ing to the east of Europe, esp. China, Japan, an echelon formation: [as n.] (echeloning)
and India: the mysterious East. The Near the echeloning of equipment.
East, originally Balkan states of SE Europe, ech*0*la»li»a |,eko'lale3| • n. meaningless
is now generally regarded as including the repetition of another person's spoken words
countries of SW
Asia between the Mediterra- as a symptom of psychiatric disorder.
nean and India. The Middle East, in SW repetition of speech by a child learning to
Asia and N
Africa, includes the Arabian Pen- talk.
insula and stretches to Pakistan. The Far echt I
ekt I
• adj. authentic and typical: the
East includes China, Japan, and other E film 's opening was an echt pop snob event. • adv.
Asian countries. (usu. the East) the former [as submodifier] authentically and typically: such
communist states of eastern Europe. echt-American writers as Hawthorne and
derivatives: east»ern, East»ern adj. Cooper and Mark Twain.
ebb eb • n. (usu. the ebb) the movement of
I I
e*clair*cisse*ment |a,klerses'mant| »n. an
the tide out to sea: / knew the tide would be on enlightening explanation of something, typi-
the ebb [as adj.] the ebb tide. • v. [intrans.] (of
\
cally someone's conduct, that has been hith-
tidewater) move away from the land; recede: erto inexplicable.
the tide began to ebb. e*clat |a'kla| • n. brilliant display or effect: s/ze
(of an emotion or quality) gradually lessen came into prominence briefly but with eclat.
or reduce: my enthusiasm was ebbing away. social distinction or conspicuous success:
phrases: at a low ebb in a poor state: the such action bestows more eclat upon a warrior
country was at a low ebb due to the recent war. than success by other means.
ebb and flow a recurrent or rhythmical pat- ecHec»tiC |i'klektik| • adj. 1 deriving ideas,
tern of coming and going or decline and style, or taste from a broad and diverse range
regrowth. of sources: her musical tastes are eclectic. 2 (Ec-
eb*on 'ebsn • n. dark brown or black; eb-
I
|
lectic) of, denoting, or belonging to a class of
ony: [as adj.] the dark shadows of the mountains ancient philosophers who did not belong to
gave the river an ebon hue. or found any recognized school of thought
e*buMient |
i'bOOlyant; i'balysnti • adj. but selected such doctrines as they wished
1 bubbling over with enthusiasm or excite- from various schools. • n. a person who
ment; exuberant: she sounded ebullient and derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and
happy. 2 (of liquid or other matter) boiling or diverse range of sources.
agitated as if boiling: misted and ebullient seas. derivatives: ec«lec»ti«cal»ly adv. ec«lec»
derivatives: e«bul«lience n. e»bul«lient» ti'cism I
i'klekti,siz3m I
n. : an architect
ly adv. known for his eclecticism.
ec»cen»tric |ik'sentrik| » adj. 1 (of a person e*clipse i' klips
|
• w. an obscuring of the light
|

or personal behavior) unconventional or from one celestial body by the passage of an-
odd: a whimsical, sometimes eccentric style of other between it and the observer or between
dressing. 2 (of a thing) not placed centrally or it and its source of illumination: an eclipse of

not having its axis or other part placed cen- the sun.
trally. a loss of significance, power, or prominence
(of a circle) not centered on the same point in relation to another person or thing: the elec-
as another. (of an orbit) not circular. • n. tion result marked
the eclipse of the party's right
1 a person of unconventional and slightly wing. . (often be eclipsed) (of a ce-
V. [trans.]

strange views or behavior: he enjoys a colorful lestial body) obscure the light from or to (an-
reputation as an engaging eccentric. 2 a disc or other celestial body): as the last piece of the sun
wheel mounted eccentrically on a revolving was eclipsed by the moon.
shaft in order to transform rotation into obscure or block out (light): a sea of blue sky
backward-and-forward motion, e.g., a cam in violently eclipsed by showers. deprive (some-
an internal combustion engine. one or something) of significance, power, or
derivatives: ec»cen»tri»cal»ly adv. ec» prominence: health care has eclipsed the envi-
cen»tric»i»ty n. ronment as the main issue.
ec*cle*si*as*ti*cal li.kleze'aestikall (also ecHogue |
'ek,16g; 'ek,lag| • n. a short poem,
ecclesial, ecclesiastic) • adj. of or relating esp. a pastoral dialogue.
to the Christian Church or its clergy: the ec- e*col*0*gy li'kabjel »n. the branch of biol-
clesiastical hierarchy. ogy that deals with the relations of organisms
derivatives: ec»cle»si»as»ti«caWy adv. to one another and to their physical sur-
ec*dys*l*ast |
ek'dezesst I
• w. a striptease roundings.
performer. derivatives: ec»o»logM«cal |
.eks'lajskal;
derivatives: ec*dys»i*asm n. .eks'lajskal I
adj. ec»o»logM»cal«ly adv. e»
ech»e»lon 'esHa.lan • n. 1 a level or rank in
|
! col»o«gist li'kabjisti n.
an organization, a profession, or society: the e*COn*0»met*rics |i,kan3'metriks| » plural n.
upper echelons of the business world. [treated as sing.] the branch of economics
[often with adj.] a part of a military force dif- concerned with the use of mathematical
 i

economic 145 effect

methods (esp. statistics) in describing eco- abnormal place or position. . n. an ectopic
nomic systems. pregnancy, in which a fetus develops outside
derivatives: e»con»o»met«ric adj. e»con» the womb, typically in a Fallopian tube.
o»met»ri»cal adj. e»con»o»me»tri»cian ec*tO*plasm 'ekt3,pl2ez3m| ' n. 1 the vis-
|

I
iikanama'triSHsn n. e»con»o»met*rist I
cous, clear outer layer of the material in some
I
i.kana'metrast I
n. cells (e.g., in the amoeba). 2 a supernatural
ec»0»nom*lc |,ek9'namik; ,ek3-| * adj. of or viscous substance that is supposed to exude
relating to economics or the economy: the from the body of a medium during a spiritu-
government's economic policy species of great \
alistic trance and form the material for the
economic importance. manifestation of spirits.
(of a subject) considered in relation to trade, derivatives: ec»to«plas*mic |
.ekts'plaez-
industry, and the creation of wealth: economic mik| adj.
history. ec»U*men*i*cal |
'.ekya'menikall • adj. repre-
USAGE Economic means
: 'concerning ec- senting a number of different Christian
economic churches.
onomies': He's rebuilding a solid
base for the country's future. Economical is
promoting or relating to unity among the
world's Christian churches: ecumenical dia-
commonly used to mean 'thrifty; avoiding
logue.
waste': Small cars should be inexpensive to buy
and economical to run.
derivatives: ec»u»men»i»cal»ly adv.
ec»U*me«nism 'eky3m9,niz3m; e'kyOOma |

ec»0»nom*i*cal ,ek9'namik3l; .eka'namikal | |

,niz3m I
• n. the principle or aim of promot-
• adj. giving good value or service in relation ing unity among the world's Christian
to the amount of money, time, or effort spent: churches.
a small, economical car. e*da*ciOUS i'daSHss i
|
. adj. of, relating to, or
(of a person or lifestyle) careful not to waste given to eating.
money or resources. using no more of voracious; greedy.
something than is necessary: this chassis is ec- derivatives: e«dac«i»ty la'daessde; e
onomical in metal and therefore light in weight. 'dassade |
n.
justified in terms of profitability: many orga- e*de*ma li'dema] (Brit, also oedema) »n. a
nizations must become larger if they are to remain condition characterized by an excess of wa-
economic. tery fluid collecting in the cavities or tissues
e*COn*0*mism |
i'kana.mizam |
• n. belief in of the body. Also called dropsy.
the primacy of economic causes or factors. derivatives: e»dem*a»tous la'demsdssi
e«con*0*my li'kaname] . «. (pi. -ies) 1 the adj.
wealth and resources of a country or region, ed«i«fice |
'edsfis |
• a building, esp. a large,
esp. in terms of the production and consump- imposing one.
tion of goods and services. a complex system of beliefs: the concepts on
a particular system or stage of an economy: which the edifice of capitalism was built.
a free-market economy the less-developed \
ed»i*fy 'eds.fi
|
. v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] in- |

economies. 2 careful management of available struct or improve (someone) morally or intel-

resources: effects on heat distribution and fuel lectually.
economy. e*duce |i'd(y)oos| 'V. [trans.] bring out or de-
sparing or careful use of something: economy velop (sometiiing latent or potential): out of
of words. (usu. economies) a financial sav- love obedience is to be educed.
ing: there were many economies to be made by infer (something) from data: more informa-
giving up our offices in Manhattan. (also tion can be educed from these statistics.

economy class) the cheapest class of air or derivatives: e»ducM»ble | e'd(y)oos3b3l;

rail travel: we flew economy. • adj. [attrib.] (of a 'd(y)oos-| e«duc»tion i'dakSHanI n.
adj. |

product) offering the best value for the Ed*ward*i*an ed'wordean; -'war- • adj. of, |
1

money: [in comb.] an economy pack. relating to, or characteristic of the reign
designed to be economical to use: an econ- (1901-10) of Edward VII of England: the
omy car. Edwardian era a fine Edwardian house. • n. a \

ec*0*sys*tem 'eko,sist3m; 'eko-| • n. a bio-

|
person who lived during this period.
logical community of interacting organisms ee»rie |'ire| » adj. (eerier, eeriest) strange
and their physical environment. andfrightening: an eerie green glow in the sky.
ec*ru 'ekroo • n. the light fawn color of
I
|
derivatives: ee»ri»ly adv. [as submodifler] it
unbleached linen. was eerily quiet. ee»ri»ness n.

ec»Sta»sy 'ekstase |
I
• n. (pi. -ies) 1 an over- eMace |
i'fas erase (a mark) from
|
»v. [trans.]

whelming feeling of great happiness or joyful a surface; cause (something) to disappear:

excitement. 2 an emotional or religious fren- with time, the words are effaced by the frost and
zy or trancelike state, originally one involving the rain his anger was effaced when he stepped
\

an experience of mystic self-transcendence. into theopen air.

ec»tO*morph 'ekt3,m6rf • n. a person with
|
|
(efface oneself) make oneself appear insig-
a lean and delicate body build. Cf. endo- nificant or inconspicuous.
morph; mesomorph. derivatives: ef»face»ment n.

derivatives: ec»to»mor»phic |
.ekta'mor- eMect I
i'fekt I
• n. 1 a change that is a result
fik adj. ec»to»morph»y n.
I
or consequence of an action or other cause:
ec»top*ic 1
ek'tapik |
• adj. (in medicine) in an the lethal effects of hard drugs.
effective 146 effuse
used to refer to the state of being or becom- derivatives: ef»fer«vesce v. ef«fer»ves«
ing operative: they succeeded in putting their cence n.
strategies into effect. the extent to which eWete |i'fet| < adj. 1 affected, overrefined,
something succeeds or is operative: wind and ineffectual: effete trendies from art college.
power can be used to great effect. [with adj.] no longer capable of effective action: the au-
a physical phenomenon, typically named af- thority of an effete aristocracy began to dwindle.
ter its discoverer: the Doppler effect. an im- 2 no longer fertile; past producing offspring.
pression produced in the mind of a person: derivatives: ef»fete«ness n.
gentle music can have a soothing effect. 2 [often eWi»ca*cious ,efi'kasH3s| . adf |
(typically of
in pi.] (effects) the lighting, sound, or sce- something inanimate or abstract) successful
nery used in a play, movie, or broadcast: the in producing a desired or intended result; ef-
production relied too much on spectacular ef- fective: the vaccine has proved both efficacious
fects. and safe.
(special effects) illusions created for derivatives: ef»fi»ca»cious»ly adv. ef»fi»
movies and television by props, camerawork, ca»cious»ness n.
computer graphics, etc. 3 (effects) personal eWi*ca»cy I'efikasel . n. the ability to pro-
belongings: the insurance covers personal effects. duce a desired or intended result: there is

• V. [trans.] (often be effected) cause (some- little information on the efficacy of this treat-
thing) to happen; bring about: budget cuts that ment.
were quietly effected over four years. ef*fi*cient ji'fiSHsnti • adj. (esp. of a system
usage: For the differences in use between or machine) achieving maximum productiv-
ity with minimum effort or expense: fluores-
effect and affect, see usage at affect.
cent lamps are efficient at converting electricity
eWeC'tlve |i'fektiv| *adi. 1 successful in into light.
producing a desired or intended result: effec- (of a person) working in a well-organized
tive solutions to environmental problems. and competent way: an efficient administrator.
(esp. of a law or policy) operative; in force: [in combination] preventing the wasteful use
the agreements will be effective from Novem- of a particular resource: an energy-efficient
ber. 2 [attrib.] fulfilling a specified function in heating system.
fact, though not formally acknowledged as derivatives: ef»fi»cien»cy n. ef»fi»cient«
such: the companies were under effective govern- ly adv.
ment control. eMIeunage |,efl3'raZH| . «. a form of
assessed according to actual rather than face massage involving a circular stroking move-
value: an effective price of $176 million. mak- ment made with the palm of the hand. • v.
ing a strong impression; striking: an effective massage with such a circular stroking
[trans.]

finale. • n. a soldier fit and available for serv- movement: effleurage the shoulders and press
ice. gently.
derivatives: ef»fec»tive»ness n. ef»fec« eWlonesce I.efls'resI 'V. 1 [intrans.] (of a
tiv»i»ty I
,efek'tivite; ,efek'tivite I
n. substance) lose moisture and turn to a fine
ef*fec*tu*al |
i'fekCHswal I
. adj. (typically of powder upon exposure to air.
something inanimate or abstract) successful (of salts) come to the surface of brickwork,
in producing a desired or intended result; ef- rock, or other material and crystallize there.
fective: tobacco smoke is an effectual protection (of a surface) become covered with salt par-
against the mosquito. ticles. 2 reach a peak of development; blos-
(of a legal document) valid or binding. som: simple concepts that effloresce into test-
derivatives: ef»fec»tu«aln»ty |i,fekcH3 able conclusions.
'waelite |
n. ef»fec»tu»al»ly adv. ef»fec*tu«al» derivatives: ef»flo«res»cence |-'res3ns|
ness n. n.ef»flo*res«cent adj.
eMec»tu«ate |
i'fekcH3,wat |
. v. [trans.] put ef»flu*ent 'eflswsnti • n. liquid waste or sew-
|

into force or operation: school choice would ef- age discharged into a river or the sea: the bay
fectuate a transfer of power from government to was contaminated with the effluent from an in-
individuals. dustrial site. . adj. that flows forth or out.
derivatives: ef»fec«tu»a»tion |i,fekcH3 eWlu»vi*um i'floovesm . n. (pi. effluvia
i I

'waSHsn I
n. i'flooves ) an unpleasant or harmful odor,
I I

eWem*i*nate li'femsnati »adj. (of a man) secretion, or discharge: the unwholesome efflu-
having or showing characteristics regarded as via of decaying vegetable matter.
typical of a woman; unmanly. eHron*ter«y i'frsntsre • n. insolent or im-
| |

derivatives: ef«fem»i»na»cy li'femana- pertinent behavior: had the effrontery to

se n. ef«fem»i«nate»ly adv.
I
challenge the coroner's decision.
ef«fer«ent |
'efarant I
• adj. (in physiology) ef*ful»gent li'fooljsnt; i'faljsnti 'adj. shining
conducted or conducting outward or away brightly; radiant.
from something (for nerves, the central nerv- (of a person or personal expression) ema-
ous system; for blood vessels, the organ sup- nating joy or goodness.
plied). derivatives: ef»ful»gence n. ef»ful»gent«
ef*fer»ves*cent .efsrVessnt • adj. (of a liq-
|
|
ly adv.
uid) giving off bubbles; fizzy. eWuse . v.
I
i'fyooz; i'fyoos |
[trans.] give off (a
(of a person or personal behavior) vivacious liquid, light, smell, or quality).
and enthusiastic. [intrans.] talk in an unrestrained, excited man-
 )

effusion 147 eke

ner: this was the type of material that they effused talkingand thinking about oneself excessively
about. because of an undue sense of self-
derivatives: ef»fu»sive adj. importance: in his arrogance and egotism, he
eMu»sion |i'fyoozH3n| • n. an instance of underestimated others.
giving off something such as a hquid, Ught, or derivatives: e»go»tist n. e»go»tis»tic
smeU: a massive effusion of poisonous gas. |-,tistik| adj. e»go»tis»ti«cal |
'tistikal] adj. e»
an escape of fluid into a body cavity. Cf. in- go»tis»ti»caWy |
'tistik(3)le |
adv. e»go»tize
fusion. an act of talking or writing in an un- 1
'ega.tiz I
V.

restrained or heartfelt way: literary effusions. e«gre*gious i'grejss • adj. 1 outstandingly

|
|

e»gal*i»tar*i*an iigaeb'terean
i
. adj. of, I
bad; shocking: egregious abuses of copyright.
relating to, or believing in the principle that 2 remarkably good.
all people are equal and deserve equal rights derivatives: e»gre»gious»ly adv. e«gre»
and opportunities: a fairer, more egalitarian so- gious'ness n.
ciety. • n. a person who advocates or supports e*gress |
'e,gres |
. n. the action of going out
such a principle. of or leaving a place: direct means of access and
derivatives: e»gal»i»tar»i»an»ism n. egress for passengers.
e*go 'ego • n. (pi. -os) a person's sense of
I I
a way out: a narrow egress. another term for
self-esteem or self-importance: a boost to my emersion (the reappearance of a celestial ob-
ego. ject after its eclipse). • v. [trans.] go out of or
(in psychoanalysis) the part of the mind that leave (a place): they'd egress the area by head-
mediates between the conscious and the un- ing southwest.
conscious and is responsible for reality test- ei*det*ic |i'detik| • adj. relating to or denot-
ing and a sense of personal identity. Cf. id ing mental images having unusual vividness
and superego. an overly high opinion of and detail, as if actually visible: eidetic mem-
oneself: some major players with really big egos. ory. • n. a person able to form or recall eidetic
(in metaphysics) a conscious thinking sub- images.
ject. derivatives: ei»det»i»cal»ly adv.
derivatives: e»go»less adj. ei*dO«lon |i'dobn| • n. (pi. eidolons or
e*go*cen*trlC ,ego'sentrik| • adj. thinking
|
eidola |i'dol3|) 1 an idealized person or
only of oneself, without regard for the feel- thing. 2 a specter or phantom.
ings or desires of others; self-centered: an ego- ei*dOS 'Idas; 'adas • n. (pi. eide 'ide; 'ada
I
|
| |

centric tendency to think of oneself as invulnera- the distinctive expression of the cognitive or
ble. intellectual character of a culture or social
centered in or arising from a person's own group.
existence or perspective: egocentric spatial per- e*jac»uHate . v. i'jgekyajat 1 [intrans.] (of a \
|

ception. • n. an egocentric person. male) eject semen from the body at the mo-
derivatives: e»go»cen»tric»aWy |-(3)le| ment of sexual climax. 2 [with direct speech] say
adv. e»go»cen»tric»i»ty |
,egosen'trisite |
n. something quickly and suddenly: "Indeed?"
e«go»cen»trism |
,ego'sentriz3m |
n. ejaculated the stranger. » n. - ,lit semen that | |

e*go*lsm |
'eg3,wiz3m I
• an ethical theory
w. has been ejected from the body.
that treats self-interest as the foundation of derivatives: e»jac»u»la»tion |i,j£eky3
morality. 'laSH3n| n. e»jac»u»lanor i-,lad3r| n. e»jac*
another term for egotism, u»la»to»ry -la, tore adj. |

derivatives: e»goMSt n. e»go»is»tic e»ject i'jekt • V. [trans.] (often be ejected)

I I

|-'wistik| adj. e»go»is»ti»cal |-'wistik3l| adj. force or throw (something) out, typically in a
e»gons»ti»cal»ly adv. violent or sudden way: many types of rock are

usage: The words egoism and egotism ejected from volcanoes as solid, fragmentary
material.
are frequently confused, as though inter-
changeable, but there are distinctions worth compel (someone) to leave a place: angry
demonstrators were forcibly ejected from the
noting. Egotism denotes an excessive sense
court. dismiss (someone), esp. from politi-
of self-importance, too-frequent use of the
word 'I,' and general arrogance and boastful- cal office: he was ejected from office in July.
emit; give off: plants utilize carbon dioxide in
ness. Egoism, a more subtle term, is per-
the atmosphere that animals eject [as adj.]
haps best left to ethicists, for whom it \

(ejected) ejected electrons. [intrans.] (of a pi-

denotes a iew or theory of moral behavior
v
lot) escape from an aircraft by being explo-
in which sell -interest is the root of moral
sively propelled out of it.
conduct. An egoist, then, might devote con-
siderable attention to introspection, but
derivatives: e»jec»tion |i'jekSH3n| n.
eke ek 'V. [trans ] (eke something out)
could be modest about it, whereas an ego- I I

manage to support oneself or make a living

tist would have an exaggerated sense of the
importance of his or her self-analysis, and with difficulty: they eked out their livelihoods
would have to tell everyone. from the soil.

make an amount or supply of something last

e*go*ma»ni*a |,ego'mane3| • obsessive longer by using or consuming it frugally: the
egotism or self-centeredness. remains of yesterday's stew could be eked out to
derivatives: e»go»ma»ni«ac |-ne,£ek| n. make another meal. obtain or create, but just
e»go»ma»ni»a»cal l-ms'niakall adj. barely: Tennessee eked out a 74-73 overtime vic-
e*go«tism |'eg3,tiz3m| *n. the practice of tory.
 |

elaborate 148 elide

e*lab*0»rate involving *adj. |i'laeb(3)rit| in electronic engineering. 2 of or relating to
many carefully arranged parts or details; electrons. 3 relating to or carried out using a
detailed and complicated in design and plan- computer or other electronic device, esp. over
ning: elaborate security precautions elaborate \
a network: electronic banking.
wrought-iron gates. derivatives: e»lec»tronM»caWy |-(3)le|
(of an action) lengthy and exaggerated: he adv.
made an elaborate pretense of yawning. • v. e*lec»tron*ics |
ilek'traniks; ,elek- 1 . plural n.

I
i'lEeba.rat develop or present (a the-
|
[trans.] [usu. treated as the branch of physics
sing.]

ory, policy, or system) in detail: the key idea of and technology concerned with the design of
the book is expressed in the title and elaborated in circuits using transistors and microchips, and
the text. with the behavior and movement of electrons
[intrans.] add more detail concerning what has in a semiconductor, conductor, vacuum, or
already been said: he would not elaborate on gas: electronics is seen as a growth industry [as \

his news. adj.] electronics engineers.

derivatives: e»lab»o»rate»ly adv. e«lab» [treated as pi.] circuits or devices using tran-

o»rate«ness n. e»lab»o«ra»tion li.laeba'ra- sistors, microchips, and other components.

SH9n| n. e»lab»o»ra»tive i'lasba.rativl adj. |
el»ee*mos*y*nar*y |
,el3'mas3,nere; .elea-i
e«lab»o»ra»tor n • adj. of, relating to, or dependent on charity;
e*lan a'lan; a'laen • n. energy, style, and en-
|
|
charitable.
thusiasm: a rousing march, played with great el«e*gi*ac .eb'jisk; e'leje,2:k| . adj. (esp. of a
|

elan. work of art) having a mournful quality: the

e*las*tic i'lasstiki • adj. (of an object or ma-
|
movie score is a somber effort, elegiac in its ap-
terial) able to resume its normal shape spon- proach.
taneously after contraction, expansion, or (of a poetic meter) used for elegies. • plural
distortion. n. (elegiacs) verses in an elegiac meter.
able to encompass variety and change; flexi- derivatives: el»e»gi»a»cal»ly adv.
ble and adaptable: the definition of nationality el*e*gy 'ebje • n. (pi. -ies) 1 a poem of se-
|
|

is elastic in this cosmopolitan country. springy rious reflection, typically a lament for the
and buoyant: Annie returned with beaming eyes dead. Cf. eulogy.
and elastic step. (of demand or supply) sen- a piece of music in a mournful style. 2 (in
sitive to changes in price or income: the labor Greek and Roman poetry) a poem written in
supply is elastic the somewhat more elastic de- \
elegiac couplets, as notably by Catullus and
mand for lawn services. (in physics, of a col- Propertius.
lision) involving no decrease of kinetic en- el*e*phan*tine ,eb'f£enten;-,tm; 'ebfan.ten;
|

ergy. • n. cord, tape, or fabric, typically -,tin . adj. of, resembling, or characteristic
I

woven with strips of rubber, that returns to of an elephant or elephants, as in being large,
its original length or shape after being clumsy, or awkward; in strength; or in sup-
stretched. posed power of memory: there was an elephan-
derivatives: e»las*ti»caWy |-(3)le| adv. tine thud from the bathroom. elephantine recall \

e»las»ticM»ty i,l£e'stisite; e.lae- n. e»las*ti» |

1
of detail.
cize I
i'laest3,siz| v. eHlc*it |i'lisit| »v. (elicited, eliciting) [trans ]
e«late |
i'lat |
. v. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (elated) evoke or draw out (a response, answer, or
make (someone) ecstatically happy: / felt fact) from someone in reaction to one's own
elated at beating Dennis. • adj. in high spirits; actions or questions: they invariably elicit
exultant or proud: the ladies returned with elate exclamations of approval from guests.
and animated faces. draw forth (something that is latent or po-
DERI VAT v E s e»lat»ed»ly i'latidle adv. e»
I : | |
tential) into existence: a corrupt heart elicits in
lat«ed»ness n. an hour all that is bad in us.
el*dritch |'eldriCH| »adj. weird and sinister derivatives: e»licM*ta»tion | i.lisi'tasHan
or ghostly: an eldritch screech. n.e»licM«tor |-it3r| n.
e'lect i'lekt • V. [trans.] (in Christian theol-
I I
e*lide |i'lid| . v. [trans.] omit (a sound or syl-
ogy, of God) choose (someone) in preference lable) when speaking: [as adj.] (elided) these
to others for salvation. • adj. chosen by God marks indicate elided consonants or vowels.
for salvation. join; merge: whole periods of time are elided
e»lec*tor*al i'lektaral • adj. of or relating to
|
I
into a few seconds of screen time [intrans.] the \

elections or electors: electoral reform. two things elided in his mind.

derivatives: e«lec»tor»al»ly adv. usage: The standard meaning of the verb
e*lec*tron i'lektran • n. (in physics) a stable
|
I

elide is most frequently used as a

'omit,'
subatomic particle with a charge of negative
term to describe the way that some sounds
electricity, found in all atoms and acting as
or syllables are dropped in speech, as for ex-
the primary carrier of electricity in solids.
ample in contractions such as I'll or he's.
e*lec»tron*ic ilek'tranik; ,elek- • adj. 1 (of a |
1

The result of such omission (or elision) is

device) having, or operating with the aid of,
that the two surrounding syllables are
many small components, esp. microchips and merged; this fact has given rise to a new
transistors, that control and direct an electric
sense, with the meaning
merge,' as in 'join;
current: an electronic calculator.
the two things elided in his mind. This new
(of music) produced by electronic instru-
sense is now common in general use.
ments. of or relating to electronics: a degree
elite 149 embalm
eHite Is'let; a'let| • n. 1 a group of people E«ly*Sian i'liznan; i'lezHan
|
. adj. of, relat- |

considered to be the best in a particular soci- ing to, or characteristic of heaven or paradise:
ety or category, esp. because of their power, Elysian visions.
talent, or wealth: China's educated elite \
[as phrases: the Elysian Fields another
adj.] an combat force. 2 a size of letter in
elite name for Elysium (in Greek mythology, the
typewriting, with 12 characters to the inch home of the blessed after death).
(about 4.7 to the centimeter). e»ma*ci«ate |i'masHe,at| 'V. [trans.] [usu. as
D E R VAT V E s c'litMst
I I : adj. , n. adj.] (emaciated) make abnormally thin or

e«liHsm a'letizam • n. ^ advocacy or exis-

| \
weak, esp. because of illness or a lack of food:
tence of an elite as a dominating element in a she was so emaciated she could hardly stand.
system or society. 2 the attitude or behavior derivatives: e»ma»ci»a»tion |i,masHe'a-
or a person or group who regard themselves SHan n. I

as belonging to an elite. em*a»nate |'ema,nat| 'V. [intrans.] (emanate

e«lix»ir |i'liks3r| a magical or medicinal
• w. from) (of something intangible but percep-
potion: an elixir guaranteed to induce love. tible, or abstract) issue or spread out from (a
a preparation that was supposedly able to source): warmth emanated from the fireplace \

change metals into gold, sought by al- she felt an undeniable charm emanating from
chemists. (also elixir of life) a preparation him.
supposedly able to prolong life indefinitely. originate from; be produced by: the proposals
a medicinal solution of a specified type: the emanated from a committee. [trans.] give out

cough elixir is a natural herbal expectorant. or emit (something intangible or abstract but
el*lipse |i'lips| ' n. a regular oval shape, perceptible): he emanated a powerful brooding
traced by a point moving in a plane so that air.

the sum of its distances from two other points derivatives: em»a»na»tive |-,nativ| adj.
(the foci) is constant, or resulting when a em«a»na»tor |-,natar| n.
cone is cut by an oblique plane that does not em»a*na«tion ,ema'naSHan • n. an intangi-
|
|

intersect the base. ble or abstract but perceptible thing that is-
eHip*siS |i'lipsis| »n. (pi. ellipses |i'lipsez|) sues or originates from a source: she saw the
the omission from speech or writing of a word insults as emanations of his own tortured person-
or words that are superfluous or able to be ality. the fetid emanation from a pile of old
I

understood from contextual clues. clothes.

a set of dots indicating such an omission.
eMip*ti*cal (also elliptic) |i'liptik| . adj. 1 of,
relating to, or having the form of an ellipse.
2 (usu. elliptical) (of speech or writing) lack-
ing a word or words, esp. when the sense can
be understood from contextual clues.
difficult to understand because not clearly or
fully expressed; cryptic.
derivatives: eMip»ti»caMy
el*0»CU*tion ,eb'kyoosH9n| » n. the skill of
|
clear and expressive speech, esp. of distinct
pronunciation and articulation.
the action or process of issuing from a
source: the risk of radon gas emanation. a ten-
uous substance or form of radiation given off
by something: vaporous emanations surround
the mill's foundations. a radioactive gas
formed by radioactive decay of a solid. a
body or organization that has its source or
takes its authority from another: the commis-
|-(3)le| adv. sion is an emanation of the state. (in various
mystical traditions) a being or force that is a
manifestation of God.
e*man*ci*pate i'maensa.pat • v. [trans.] set|
|

a particular style of speaking. Cf. locution, free, esp. from legal, social, or political re-
derivatives: el»o»cu«tion»ar«y |-,nere| strictions: the citizen must be emancipated
adj. el»o»cu»tionMst |-ist| n. from the obsessive secrecy of government \
[as
el*o*quence I'ebkwansI • «. fluent or per- adj.] (emancipated) emancipated young
suasive speaking or writing: a preacher of great women.
power and eloquence. (in law) set (a child) free from the authority
the art or manner of such speech or writing. of father or parents.
its free from slavery: it
derivatives: el»o»quent adj. el»o»quent» is estimated that he emancipated 8,000 slaves.

ly adv. DERI VAT I V E s e»man«ci»pa»tion i,maensa

:
|

e*lu*ci*date |i'loosi,dat| • v. [trans.] make 'paSHanI e»man»ci»pa»tor |-,patar| n. e«

n.
(sometJiing) clear; explain: a work that helps to man»ci«pa»to«ry -pa, tore adj. |
|

elucidate this issue [with clause] in what follows

\
e*mas*CU*late |i'maeskya,lat| 'V. [trans.]
I shall try to elucidate what I believe the problems make person, idea, or piece of legislation)
(a
to be [Intrans.] they would not elucidate further.
I
weaker or less effective: our winner-take-all
derivatives: e«lu»ci«da»tion |i,loosi elections emasculate third parties.
'dasHanI n. e«lu»ci*da»tive |-,dativ| adj. e» [usu. as adj.] (emasculated) deprive (a man)
lu«ci«da»tor |-,dat9r| n. e»lu»ci»da»to«ry of his male role or identity: he feels emascu-
I
-da, tore I
adj. lated, because he cannot control his sons' behav-
e*lu*sive |i'loosiv| (also elusory) . adj. diffi- ior. castrate (a man or male animal). re-
cult to find, catch, or achieve: success will be- move the anthers from a flower.
come ever more elusive. DERIVATIVES: e«mas»cu»la»tion |i,maes-
difficult to remember or recall: the elusive kya'laSHanl n. e«mas»cu«la*tor |-,latar| n.

thought he had had moments before. e»mas»cu»la»toTy -la, tore adj. |

|

derivatives: e»lu*sive»ly adv. e»lu»sive» em»balm em'ba(l)m . V. [trans.] 1

i I
[often as
ness n. n.] (embalming) preserve (a corpse) from
embargo 150 embryo
decay, originally with spices and now usually em*blem 'emblem |
device or |
. //. a heraldic
by arterial injection of a preservative: the symbolic object as a distinctive badge of a na-
Egyptian method of embalming. tion, organization, or family: America's na-
preserve (someone or something) in an unal- tional emblem, the bald eagle.
tered state: the hand zuas all about embalming (emblem of) a thing serving as a symbolic
the legacy of certain pop greats. 2 give a pleas- representation of a particular quality or con-
ant fragrance to: the sweetness of the linden trees cept: our child zvould be a dazzling emblem of
embalmed all the air. our love.
DERiVAriVEs: em«balm»er n. em»balm« n E R VAT V H s
1 I : em*blem*at*ic |
,emblo
ment n. 'mietikl adj. em»blem«at»i»cal adj. em«
em»bar*go |em'bargO| • n. (pi. -oes) an offi- blem*at*i»cal«ly adv.
cial ban on trade or other commercial activ- em»bod*i*ment em'biidemont; im- • //. a |
|

ity with a particular country: an embargo on tangible or visible form of an idea, quality, or
grain sales the oil embargo of 1973.
\
feeling: she seemed a living embodiment of vital-
an official prohibition on any (specified) ac- ity.

tivity. an order of a state forbidding foreign the representation or expression of some-

ships to enter, or any ships to leave, its ports. thing in such a form: it zuas in Germany alone
a stoppage, prohibition, or impediment. that his hope seemed capable of embodiment.
• V. (-oes, -oed) [trans.] 1 (usu. be embar- em»bO»lism 'embo,lizr)m| • «. obstruction |

goed) impose an official ban on (trade or a of an artery, typically by a clot of blood or an

country or commodity): the country has been air bubble.
virtually embargoed since the 1 960s. em*bon*point .awboN'pwa^N . «. the |
|

officially ban the publication of: documents of plump or fleshy part of a person's body, in
national security importance are routinely particular a woman's bosom.
embargoed. 2 seize (a ship or goods) for state plumpness.
service. em*boss em'bos; |
-'biis |
• v. [trans.] [usu. as
em*bed em bed |
I
(also imbed) . v. (embed- adj.] (embossed) carve or mold a design on
ded, embedding) [trans.] (often be embed- (a surface) so that it stands out in relief: an
ded) fix (an object) firmly and deeply in a embossed brass dish.
surrounding mass: there was shrapnel embed- decorate (a surface) with a raised design.
ded in his chest. Di'Ri VA ri YES : em»boss»er n. em«boss»
implant (an idea or feeling) within some- ment n.

thing else so it becomes an ingrained or es- em»bou*chure |

,ambcTO'sHcTOr| . «. 1 the
sential characteristic of it: the Victorian values way which a player applies the mouth to
in
embedded in Tennyson 's poetry. place (a the mouthpiece of a brass or wind musical in-
phrase or clause) within another clause or strument.
sentence. incorporate (a text or code) the mouthpiece of a flute or a similar in-
within the body of a computer file or docu- strument. the quality of a brass or wind
ment. (often as adj.] (embedded) design player's lip or mouth control: trying to get his
and build (a microprocessor) as an integral embouchure back. 2 the mouth of a river or
part of a computer system or device. valley.
D H R VA i V s em«bed«ment n.
I i 1- : em*bra*sure lem'brazn^rl » n. the beveling

em«beMish |em'belisH| ^v. [trans.] make or splaying of a wall at the sides of a door or
(something) more attractive by the addition window.
of decorative details or features: blue silk a small opening in a parapet of a fortified
embellished with golden embroidery. building, splayed on the inside.
make (a statement or story) more interesting n i; R VA T V i; s em»bra»sured adj.
I I :

or entertaining by adding extra details, esp. em»bro«ca»tion |

,embro'kasHon| . n. a liq-
ones that are not true: she had difficulty telling uid used for rubbing on the body to relieve
the truth because she liked to embellish things. pain from sprains and strains,
DHRiVA ri VH s em»beWish»er n. em»bel»
: n R VA r v s em»bro»cate v.
!•; 1 i !•: :

lish*ment n. em-broil |em'broil| 'V. [trans.) (often as adj.]

em*bez*zle em'bezal . v. [trans.] steal or
| |
(embroiled) involve (someone) deeply in an
misappropriate (money placed in one's trust argument, conflict, or difficult situation: she
or belonging to the organization for which became embroiled in a dispute with her land-
one works): she had embezzled $5,600,000 in lord.
company funds. bring into a state of confusion or disorder,
Di- RI VAII viis : em«bez«zle»ment n. em» nR VA r V n s em»broil»ment n.
i; I I :

bez'zler |em'bezbr| n. em»bry»o 'embre,o| . n. (pi. -os) an unborn

|

em*bla»ZOn |em'blazn| . v. [with obj. and ad- or unhatched offspring in the process of de-
verbial of place) (often be emblazoned) con- velopment.
spicuously inscribe or display (a design) on an unborn human baby, esp. in the first eight
something: T-shirts emblazoned with the weeks from conception, after implantation
names of baseball teams. but before the organs are developed. Cf.
all

depict (a heraldic device): the Queen's coat of EE TUS. the part of a seed that develops into
arms is emblazoned on the door panel. cele- a plant, consisting (in the mature embryo of
brate or extol publicly. a higher plant) of a plumule, a radicle, and
DERI VAT I V E s em«bla«zon»ment n.: one or two cotyledons. a thing at a rudi-
 .

embryonic 151 emphatic

mentary stage that shows potential for devel- sphere or profession: one of the world's most
opment: a simple commodity economy is merely eminent statisticians.
the embryo of a economy. capitalist used to emphasize the presence of a positive
em*bry*on*ic ,embre'anik| •adj. (also |
quality: the guitar's eminent suitability for
embryonal) of or relating to an embryo. recording-studio work.
(of a system, idea, or organization) in a rudi- derivatives: emn»nenfly adv. [as sub-
mentary stage with potential for fijrther de- modifier] an eminently readable textbook.
velopment: the plan is still in its embryonic usage: Eminent means 'outstanding; fa-
stages.
mous': The book was written by an eminent
DERI VAT V E s em»bry»onn«caWy
I :
|
-(9)le |
authority on folk art. Imminent means
adv.
'about to happen': People brushed aside the
e*mend i'mend . V. [trans.] make correc-
|
I
possibility that war was imminent. Imma-
tions and improvements to (a text) nent, often used in religious or philosophi-
alter (something) in such a way as to correct
cal contexts, means 'inherent': He believed in
it: the year of his death might need to be emended
the immanent unity of nature taught by the
to 652 [with clause] he hesitated and quickly
I

Hindus.
emended what he had said.
derivatives: e»mend»a»ble adj. e»men» em»i»nent do*main • n. (in law) the power of
da*tion |
.eman'daSHan; ,em3n-| n. e» a government or its agent to expropriate pri-
mend»er n. vate property for public use, with payment of
e*mer«i*tus li'merstssi . (fern, emerita) adf compensation. In the US it is used of federal
(of the former holder of an office, esp. a uni- and state governments.
versity professor) having retired but allowed em*is*sar*y |'em3,sere| • n. (pi. -ies) a per-
to retain his or her title as an honor: emeritus son sent on a special mission, usually as a dip-
professor of microbiology \
[postpositive] the gal- lomatic representative.
lery 's director emeritus. e»mol*lient ii'malyanti » adj. having the
e»met»ic |i'metik| » adj. (of a substance) quality of softening or soothing the skin: an
causing vomiting. emollient cream.
nauseating or revolting: the emetic music attempting to avoid confrontation or anger;
played in department stores. . n. a medicine or soothing or calming: the president's emollient
other substance that causes vomiting. approach to disputes. • n. a preparation that
em*i»grate |'emi,grat| ^v. [intrans.] leave softens the skin: formulated with rich emollients.
one's own country in order to settle perma- derivatives: e«mol»lience n.
nently in another: Rose's parents emigrated e*mol*U*ment li'malyamanti • n. (usu.
to Australia. emoluments) a salary, fee, or profit from
derivatives: emM»gra»tion lemi'gra- |
employment or office: the directors' emolu-
SHanl n. ments.

usage To emigrate
: is to leave a country,
e»mo«tive i'motiv • adj. arousing or able to
|
i

esp. one's own, intending to remain away. To arouse intense feeling: an emotive subject the |

issue has proved highly emotive.

immigrate
to remain there. From the point of view of
the receiving country, one might say:
aunt emigrated from Poland and
grated into Canada.
is to enter a country, intending
expressing one's feelings rather than being
neutrally or objectively descriptive: the com-
My
parisons are emotive rather than analytic.
immi-
derivatives: e»mo»tive»ly adv. e»mo»
tive«ness n. e»mo»tiv»i»ty ,emo'tivite n. |
|

e*mi*gre |
'emi.gra |
• a person who has left usage: The words emotive and emo-
their own country in order to settle in an- tional share similarities but are not inter-
other, usually for political reasons.
changeable. Emotive is vised to mean
em*i*nence 'emsnansi |
• n. 1 fame or recog- 'arousing intense feeling,' while emotional
nized superiority, esp. within a particular tends to mean 'characterized by intense feel-
sphere or profession: her eminence in cinema- ing.' Thus an emotive issue is one likely to
tography.
arouse people's passions, while an emo-
an important, influential, or distinguished
tional response is one that is itself fiall of pas-
person: they canvassed the views of various le- sion.
gal eminences. « (His/Your Eminence) a ti-
tle given to a Roman Catholic cardinal, or em»pa*thy 'empsTHe • n. the ability to un-
| i

used in addressing him: His Eminence, John derstand and share the feelings of another.
Cardinal O'Connor. 2 a piece of rising Cf. SYMR-^THY.
ground: an eminence commanding a view of the derivatives: em»pa«thet«ic ,emp3 |

river. 'xHetikl adj. em»pa»thetM»caWy ,emp3 j

a slight projection from the surface of a part 'THetik(3)le adv. em»pathnc |em'p£eTHik|
I

of the body. adj. em»pathM«caWy |

em'paeTHik(3)le |

eminence grise r.emanans ',grez| . n. (pi em»pa»thize v.

adv.
eminences grises pronunc. same) a person em*phat*ic |em'f£etik| showing or giv-
'adj.
who exercises power or influence in a certain ing emphasis; expressing something forcibly
sphere without holding an official position. and clearly: the children were emphatic that
em»i*nent 'emanant • adj. (of a person) fa-
|
I
they wanted to go with us an emphatic move-
\

mous and respected within a particular ment of his hand.

 .

empirical 152 endemic

(of an action or event or its result) definite en»Clit*ic |en'klitik| . n. (in linguistics) a
and clear: he walked stiffly, with an emphatic word pronounced with so little emphasis that
limp. (of word or syllable) bearing the it is shortened and forms part of the preced-

stress. ing word, e.g., n't in can't. • adj. denoting or

em»pir«l»cal em'piriksl|
. adj. based on, I
relating to such a word.
concerned with, or verifiable by observation derivatives: en«clitn»cal»ly |-(3)le| adv.
or experience rather than theory or pure en*CO»mi»ast en'kome,aest • n. a person
|
|

logic: they provided considerable empirical evi- who publicly praises or flatters someone else.
dence to support their argument. derivatives: en«co«mi»as»tic |en,kome
derivatives: em«pir»i»cal»ly adv. 'aestiki adj. en»co«mi»as»ti»cal»ly |en,kome
em*pir»i*cism em'pir3,siz9m . n. the the-
| I
'astik(9)le |
adv.
ory that all knowledge is derived from sense- en*CO»mi»um len'komeami • n. (pi. encomi-
experience. Stimulated by the rise of experi- ums or encomia -mea ) a speech or piece |
|

mental science, it developed in the 1 7th and of writing that praises someone or something
18th centuries, expounded in particular by highly.
John Locke, George Berkeley, and David en*COm»pass len'kampasi » V. 1 [trans.] sur-
Hume. round and have or hold within: a vast halo
practice based on experiment and observa- encompassing the Milky Way galaxy.
tion. formerly, ignorant or unscientific include comprehensively: no studies encom-
practice; quackery. pass all aspects of medical care. 2 cause (some-
derivatives: em»pirM«cist n. & adj. thing) to take place: an act designed to encom-
em*po*ri*um em'poresm • n. (pi. empori-
i
|
pass the death of the king.
ums or emporia |em'p6re9|) a large retail derivatives: en»com»pass*ment n.
store selling a wide variety of goods. en*croach en'kroCH . v.
|
[intrans.] (en- |

a business establishment that specializes in croach on/upon) intrude on (a person's ter-

products or services on a large scale (often ritory or a thing considered to be a right): he
used for humorously formal effect): a Chinese didn 't want his privacy encroached upon.
food emporium. a principal center of com- advance gradually and in a way that causes
merce; a market. damage: the sea has encroached all around the
em*py*re»an lem'piresn; .empa'reanl (also coast.
empyreal) • adj. belonging to or deriving derivatives: en»croach»er n. en»
from heaven. • n. (the empyrean) heaven, croach«ment n.
in particular the highest part of heaven. en*crypt |en'kript| [trans.] convert (infor-
» V.

the visible heavens; the sky. mation or data) into a cipher or code, esp. to
em«uHate I'emya.latl »v. [trans.] match or prevent unauthorized access.
surpass (a person or achievement), typically (encrypt something in) conceal informa-
by imitation: lesser men trying to emulate his tion or data in something by this means.
greatness. derivatives: en«cryp»tion |-'kripsH3n|
not a hairstyle I wish to emulate.
imitate: hers is n.
derivatives: em»u»la»tion .emya'la- |
en*cum*ber len'ksmbsri »v. [trans.] (often
SHsnl n. em»u»la»tive |-,lativi adj. em»u» be encumbered) restrict or burden (some-
la'tor |-,lat3r| n. in such a way that free ac-
one or something)
e*mul*sion i'malsnan • n. a fine dispersion
| |
tion movement is difficult: she was
or
of minute droplets of one liquid in another in encumbered by her heavy skirts they had \

which it is not soluble or miscible. arrived encumbered with families.

a light-sensitive coating for photographic saddle (a person or estate) with a debt or
films and plates, containing crystals of a sil- mortgage: an estate heavily encumbered
ver compound dispersed in a medium such as with debt. or block up (a place): we
fill

gelatin. tripped over sticks and stones, which encumber

derivatives: e»mul»si«fy v. e»mul»si»fi» most of the trail.
er n. e»mul»si»fi»ca»tion n. e»mul»sive derivatives: en»cum»brance n.
|-siv| adj. en*cy*clo*pe*dic |en,sikl3'pedik| (also chiefly
en«am«or li'naemarl (chiefly Brit, enamour) Brit, encyclopaedic) • adj. comprehensive in

(be enamored of7with/by) be filled with a terms of information: he has an almost ency-
feeling of love for: it is not difficult to see why clopedic knowledge offood.
Edward is enamored of her. relating to or containing names of famous
be charmed or delighted by: she was truly people and places and information about
enamored of New York. words that is not simply linguistic: a diction-
en»ceinte • adj. pregnant. ary with encyclopedic material.
en«clave |'en,klav; 'aNG-| • n. a portion of DERI VAT v E s en»cy»clo«pe»di«cal*ly adv.
I :

territory within or surrounded by a larger ter- en»dem«lc |en'demik| 'adj. 1 (of a disease or
ritory whose inhabitants are culturally or eth- condition) regularly found among particular
nically distinct. people or in a certain area: areas where ma-
a place or group that is different in character laria is endemic complacency is endemic in
\

from those surrounding it: the engineering de- industry today. 2 (of a plant or animal) native
partment is traditionally a male enclave. • v. or restricted to a certain country or area: a
[trans.] surround and isolate; make an enclave marsupial endemic to northeastern Australia.
of. • n. an endemic plant or animal.
 . .

endocrine 153 engorge

an endemic disease. en»er»glze renarjiz] *v. [trans.] give vitality
derivatives: en«dem»i«caWy |-(3)le| and enthusiasm to: people were energized by his
adv.en»de«micn«ty .ends' misite n. en» |
|
ideas.
de'mism 'end3,miz3m n. (in sense 2 of
|

| supply energy, typically kinetic or electrical

t±ie adjective) energy, to (something).
usage: On the difference between en- derivatives: en»er»giz«er n.

demic, epidemic, and pandemic, see us- en»er»vate |'en3r,vat| 'V. [trans.] cause
age at EPIDEMIC. (someone) to feel drained of energy or vital-
ity; weaken. • adj. lacking in energy or vital-
en*do*crine 'endakrin • adj. of, relating to,
|
I
ity: the enervate slightness of his frail form.
or denoting glands that secrete hormones or derivatives: en»er»va»tion .enar'va- |

other products directly into the blood: the en- SH3n| n. en«er»va»tor |
-,vat3r| n.
docrine system. • n. an endocrine gland: the pi- en»fant ter*ri*ble |aN,faN te'rebl(3)| . n. (pi.
tuitary is sometimes called the "master gland" of enfants terribles pronunc. same) a person
the endocrines. whose unconventional or controversial be-
en*dog*a»my en'dagsme | i
• n. the custom of havior or ideas shock, embarrass, or annoy
marrying only within the limits of a local others.
community, clan, or tribe. Cf. exogamy. en*fi*lade 'enfa.lad; -,lad . w. 1 a volley of
|
|

of reproductive
(in biology) the fusion cells gunfire directed along a line from end to end.
from related individuals; inbreeding; self- 2 a suite of rooms with doorways in line with
pollination. each other. • v. [trans.] direct a volley of gun-
derivatives: en»do«gam»ic ,endo'g£em- |
fire along the length of (a target).
ik adj. en»dog»a»mous -gamas adj.
I | |
en»fran*chise |en'fra£n,CHiz| »v. [trans.] give
en*dog»e*nous len'dajanasi • aci/'. having an the right to vote to: a proposal that foreigners
internal cause or origin: the expected rate of in- should be enfranchised for local elections.
fection is endogenous to the system. Cf. exoge- (in British history) give (a town) the right to
nous. be represented in Parliament. free (a slave).
growing or originating from within an or- DERI VAT I V E s en»fran»chise»ment n.
:

ganism: endogenous gene sequences. (of a dis- en*gage en'gaj » v. 1 [trans.] occupy, attract,
|
|

ease or symptom) not attributable to any ex- or involve (someone's interest or attention):
ternal or environmental factor: endogenous he plowed on, trying to outline his plans and en-
depression. confined within a group or so- gage Sutton's attention.
ciety. (engage someone in) cause someone to be-
DERI VAT V E s en»dog»e»nous»ly
I : adv. come involved in (a conversation or discus-
en»do*morph a person |
'enda.morf |
• n. 1 sion). arrange to employ or hire (someone):
with a soft round body build and a high pro- she was engaged as a copywriter. [with infinitive]
portion of fat tissue. Cf. ectomorph, meso- pledge or enter into a contract to do some-
MORPH. 2 a mineral or crystal enclosed within thing: he engaged to pay them $10,000 against
another. a bond. reserve (accommodations, a place,
derivatives: en»do»mor»phic ,end3 |
etc.) in advance: he had engaged a small boat.
'morfiki adj. en»do»mor«phy 'end3,m6rfe| |
2 [intrans.] (engage in) participate or become
n. involved in: organizations engage in a variety of
en*do*plasm 'endo,plaez9m . n.
|
|
Biology, activities \
(be engaged in) some are actively
dated the more fluid, granular inner layer of engaged in crime.
the cytoplasm in amoeboid cells. Cf. ecto- (engage with) establish a meaningful con-
plasm (sense 1). tact or connection with: all our branches need
en*dor*phin en'dorfin • n. any of a group
| |
to engage with local communities. (of a part of
of hormones secreted within the brain and a machine or engine) move into position so
nervous system and having a number of phys- as to come into operation: the clutch will not
iological functions. They are peptides (amino engage. [trans.] cause (a part of a machine or

acid compounds) that activate the body's opi- engine) to do this. [trans.] (of fencers or

ate receptors and inhibit pain. swordsmen) bring (weapons) together prepa-
en»dorse en 'dors (also indorse) . v. [trans.]
| |
ratory to fighting. [trans.] enter into conflict

1 declare one's public approval or support of: or combat with (an adversary)
the report was endorsed by the college. en*ga*ge ,aNGga'ZHa • adj. (of a writer, art-
|
|

recommend (a product) in an advertise- ist, or works) morally committed to a partic-

ment. 2 sign (a check or bill of exchange) on ular aim or cause.

the back to make it payable to someone other en*gen»der jan'jendarl 'V. [trans.] cause or
than the stated payee or to accept responsi- give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition):
bility for paying it. the issue engendered continuing controversy.
(usu. write (a comment)
be endorsed on) (of a father) beget (offspring). [intrans.]

on the front or back of a document. come into being; arise.

DERI VAT V E s en»dors»a»ble adj. en»dors«
I : en*gorge en'gorj • t;. 1 [trans.] cause to swell
|
|

er n. with blood, water, or another fluid: the river

en*due |en'd(y)oo| 'V. (endues, endued, was engorged by a day-long deluge.
enduing) [trans.] endow or provide with a [intrans.] become swollen in this way. 2 (en-

quality or ability: our sight would be endued gorge oneself) eat to excess.
with a far greater sharpness. derivatives: en»gorge»ment n.
engram 154 ensign
en*gram |
'engraem I
. n. a hypothetical per- opposed or hostile to
feeling of being actively
manent change in the brain accounting for someone or something: enmity between Protes-
the existence of memory; a memory trace. tants and Catholics family feuds and enmities. \

derivatives: en»gram»mat»ic |
,engr3 en*ne»ad 'ene,aed . n. a group or set of
| I

'maetikl adj. nine.

en*gross en'gros |
[trans.] 1 absorb all the |
• v. en«no»ble en'nobal . V. [trans.] give (some-
|
I

attention or interest of: the notes totally one) a noble rank or title.
engrossed him. lend greater dignity or nobility of character
gain or keep exclusive possession of (some- to: the theater is an instrument to ennoble the
thing): the country had made the best of its po- mind \
[as adj.] (ennobling) ennobling acts of
sition to engross trade. [ORIGIN: from Old charity.
French en gros, from medieval Latin in grosso derivatives: en»no*ble«ment n.
'wholesale.'] 2 produce (a legal document) in en*nui an'we • «. a feeling of listlessness
|
I

its final or definitive form. and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of oc-
reproduce document, etc.) in larger letters
(a cupation or excitement.
or larger format, [origin: from Anglo- e*nor*ml»ty |
i'normite I
. n. (pi. -ies) 1 (the
Norman French engrosser, medieval Latin enormity extreme scale, se-
of) the great or
ingrossare (from Old French grosse, medieval riousness, or extent of something perceived
Latin grossa 'large writing').] as bad or morally wrong: a thorough search dis-
derivatives: en»gross»ment n. closed the full enormity of the crime.
en*hance en'hsens . V. [trans.] intensify,
|
I
in- (in neutral use) the large size or scale of
crease, or further improve the quality, value, something: the enormity of his intellect. See US-
or extent of: his refusal does nothing to enhance age below. 2 a grave crime or sin: the enormi-
his reputation \
computer techniques that en- ties of the Hitler regime.
hance images. usage: This word is imprecisely used to
derivatives: en*hance*ment n. en* mean 'great size,' as in it is difficult to compre-
hanc'er n. hend the enormity of the continent, but the
e*nig*ma i'nigma |
|
• n. (pi. enigmas or original and preferred meaning is 'extreme
enigmata -map person or thing that is
| |
) a
wickedness,' as in the enormity of the mass
mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to under- murders.
stand.
a riddle or paradox. e*nor«mous i'normas • adj. very large in
|
I

derivatives: e»nig»mat»ic adj. size, quantity, or extent: her enormous blue eyes
en*joln en 'join . V. [with obj. and infinitive]
|
I
in- I
the possibilities are enormous.
struct or urge (someone) to do something: the derivatives: e»nor«mous»ly adv. [as sub-
code enjoined members to trade fairly. modifier] she has been enormously successful. e«
[trans.] prescribe (an action or attitude) to be nor»mous»ness n.
performed or adopted: the charitable deeds en plein air |
aN plen 'er |
. adv. (chiefly with
enjoined on him by religion. [trans.] (enjoin reference to painting) in the open air: the
someone from) (in law) prohibit someone young girls were posed en plein air.
from performing (a particular action) by is- en*quire |en'kwir| •v. alternate spelling for
suing an INJUNCTION. inquire.
derivatives: emjoin«er n. en*join*ment derivatives: en»quir«er n.
n. en«rap*ture len'raepCHsrl »v. [trans ] (usu.be
en*light»en en'litn . v. [trans.] give (some-
| |
enraptured) give intense pleasure or joy to:
one) greater knowledge and understanding Ruth was enraptured by the child who was sleep-
about a subject or situation. ing in her arms so peacefully.
give (someone) spiritual knowledge or in- en*sconce en'skans . V. [with obj. and adver-
|
I

sight. illuminate or make clearer (a problem bial of place] establish or settle (someone) in a

or area of study): this will enlighten the studies
of origins of myths
(an object).
derivatives: en«light«en«er n.
enHight*en«ment len'lltnmanti »n. 1 the
action of enlightening or the state of being
enlightened: Robbie looked to me for enlighten-
ment.
the action or state of attaining or having
attained spiritual knowledge or insight, in
particular (in Buddhism), awareness that
comfortable, safe, or secret place: Agnes
and symbols. shed light on ensconced herself in their bedroom.
en«shrine |en'SHrin| • v. [with obj. and adver-
bial of place] (usu. be enshrined) place (a
revered or precious object) in an appropriate
receptacle: relics are enshrined under the altar.
preserve (a right, tradition, or idea) in a form
that ensures it will be protected and
respected: the right of all workers to strike was
enshrined in the new constitution.
DERI VAT I V E s en«shrine«ment n. :

frees a person from the cycle of rebirth. 2 (the en*sign • n. ^ 'enssn; 'en, sin a flag or stan-
\ i

Enlightenment) European intellectual a dard, esp. military or naval, indicating nation-

movement of the late 1 7th and 1 8th centuries ality. .

emphasizing reason and individualism rather a sign or emblem of a particular thing: all the
than tradition. ensigns of our greatness.'ens3n| the lowest 2 \

en masse an 'maes • adv. in a group; all to-

|
I
rank of commissioned officer in the Navy US
gether: the board of directors resigned en masse. and Coast Guard, ranking above chief war-
en»mi»ty 'enmite • n. (pi. -ies) the state or
|
I
rant officer and below lieutenant.
ensure 155 entropy
formerly, the lowest rank of commissioned tinct and independent existence: church and
infantry officer in the British army. a empire were fused in a single entity.
standard-bearer. existence; being: entity and nonentity.
en*sure en'SHOOr . v.
| |
[trans.] make certain DERIVATIVES: eu'ti'ta'tive - tativ adj. | ,
|

that (something) will occur or be the en»tO«mol»0»gy .ents'mabje . n. the | I

case: [with clause] the client must ensure that ac- branch of zoology concerned with the study
curate records are kept. of insects.
make certain of obtaining or providing DERIVATIVES: en»to*mo»log»i»cal |-m3
(something): [with two objs.] would ensure him a en«to»mol»o«gist |'jist| n.
'lajikall adj.
place in society. [intrans.] (ensure against) en»tr'acte 'an,traekt; an'traekt] • n. an inter-
|

make sure that (a problem) does not occur. val between two acts of a play or opera.
a piece of music or a dance performed dur-
usage: On the difference between ensure
ing such an interval.
and insure, see usage at insure.
en»trap en'trgep . V. (entrapped, entrap-
| I

en*tab*ia*ture |en'ta£bb,cH(3t)r| . w. the ping) [trans ] catch (someone or something)

upper part of a classical building supported in or as in a trap: she was entrapped by family
by columns or a colonnade, comprising the expectations.
architrave, frieze, and cornice. trick or deceive (someone), esp. by inducing
en*tail en'tal
|
• v. [trans.] 1 involve (some-
|
them to commit a crime in order to secure
thing) as a necessary or inevitable part or their prosecution.
consequence: a situation that entails considera- derivatives: en«trap»ment n. en»trap»
ble risks. per n.
have as a logically necessary consequence. en»treat en 'tret » v. A ask someone ear-
| \

2 (in law) settle the inheritance of (property) nestly or anxiously to do something: [with obj.
over a number of generations so that owner- and infinitive] his friends entreated him not to go.
ship remains within a particular group, usu- ask earnestly or anxiously for (some-
[trans.]

ally one family: her father's estate was entailed thing): a message had been sent, entreating aid
on a cousin. for the Navajos. 2 [with obj. and adverbial] treat
cause to experience or possess in a way per- (someone) in a specified manner: the King, I
ceived as permanent or inescapable: / cannot fear, hath ill entreated her.
get rid of the disgrace that you have entailed derivatives: en»treat»ing»ly adv. en*
upon us. • n. 'en.tal (in law) a settlement
\ |
treat»ment n.
of the inheritance of property over a number en*tre*Chat i.antrs'sHal *n. (in ballet) a
of generations so that it remains within a fam- vertical jump during which the dancer re-
ily or other group. peatedly crosses the feet and beats them to-
a property that is bequeathed under such gether.
conditions. en*tree |'an,tra ,an'tra| (also entree) *n.
derivatives: en»tail»ment n. 1 the main course of a meal.
en»tente an'tant • n. (also entente cor-
| |
a dish served between the fish and meat
diale) a friendly understanding or informal courses at a formal dinner. 2 the right to en-
alliance between states or factions: the grow- ter a domain or join a particular social group:
ing entente between former opponents. Cf. an actress with an entree into the intellectual so-
DETENTE. ciety of Berlin.
en*thrall |en'THr61| (Brit, also enthral) •v. an entrance, esp. of performers onto a stage.
(enthralled, enthralling) [trans ] (often be en»tre*p6t 'antra, po . «. a port, city, or
| I

enthralled) capture the fascinated attention other center to which goods are brought for
of: she had been so enthralled by the adventure import and export, and for collection and dis-
that she had hardly noticed the cold [as adj.] \
tribution.
(enthralling) an enthralling best seller. en*tre«pre*neur ,antr3pr3'nODr; ,antr3pr9 |

(also inthrall) enslave. 'narj • n. a person who organizes and oper-

DERI VAT v E s en»thrall»ment
I : (Brit also en* ates up a business or businesses, taking on
thrahment) n. greater than normal financial risks in order to
en*tice |
en'tis |
. v. [trans.] attract or tempt by do so.
-
offering pleasure or advantage: a show that derivatives: en»tre»pre»neur«i»al | ' nar-
should entice a new audience into the theater \
eal; -'n(30re3l| en»tre»pre«neur«i«al»
adj.
[with obj. and
infinitive] the whole purpose of bribes ism |-'n3re3,liz3m; -'nODrea.lizsm n. en* |

is governments to act against the public

to entice tre*pre*neur*i*al*ly l-'nareale; 'nOOreslel
interest [as adj.] (enticing) the idea of giving
|
adv. en*tre*pre*neur*ism |-,iz3m| n. en*
up sounds enticing but would be a mistake. tre*pre*neur*ship |-,SHip| n.
DERIVATIVES: en»tice»ment n. en»tic»er en*tro*py 'entrspe • n. (in physics) a ther-
| I

n. en«tic«ing»ly -siNGle adv. | |

en»ti*tle»ment en'titlmant . n. the fact of
having a right to something: full entitlement
to fees and maintenance should be offered you
should be fully aware of your legal entitlements.
the amount to which a person has a right: an-
nual leave entitlement.
en»ti*ty 'entite • n. (pi. -ies) a thing with dis-
|
I
modynamic quantity representing the
| |
unavailability of a system's thermal energy for
conversion into mechanical work, often inter-
\
preted as the degree of disorder or random-
ness in the system. (Symbol: S)
lack of order or predictability; gradual de-
cline into disorder: a marketplace where en-
tropy reigns supreme. a logarithmic measure
enumerate 156 epic
of the rate of transfer of information in a par- derivatives: en«zy»mat»ic iCnza'mset- |

ticular message or language. ikl adj. en»zy«matM*caWy lenzs'maEt- |

derivatives: en«tro»pic |en'trapik| adj. ik^a)!^! adv. en»zy»mic en'zimik; -'zimik| |

en»tro»pi»cal»ly en'trapik(3)le adv. |

|
adj. en»zy»nii«cal»ly en'zimik(3)le; -zim-| |

e»nu»mer»ate |i'n(y)oom3,rat| »v. [trans.] adv.

mention (a number of things) one by one: E*0»cene |'e3,sen| * adj. of, relating to, or
there is not space to enumerate all the possibilities. denoting the second epoch of the Tertiary pe-
establish the number of: the 1981 census enu- riod, between the Paleocene and Oligocene
merated 19,493,000 households. epochs.
derivatives: e«nu»mer»a»ble adj. e»nu» [as n.] (the Eocene) the Eocene epoch or
mer«a»tion i,n(y)oom3'rasH9n n. |
|
e»nu» the system of rocks deposited during it.
mer»a»tive -rativ; i'n(y)oom3,rativ adj. e»
| |

The Eocene epoch lasted fi-om 56.5 million

nu»mer«a»tor n. to 35.4 miUion years ago. It was a time of ris-
e*nun*ci*ate li'nanse.atl 'V. [trans.] say or ing temperatures, and there was an abun-
pronounce clearly: she enunciated each word dance of mammals, including the first
slowly.
horses, bats, and whales.
express (a proposition or theory) in clear or
definite terms: a written document enunciating e»on 'esn; 'e,an| (chiefly Brit, also aeon) • n.
i

this policy. state publicly; proclaim: a prophet (often eons) an indefinite and very long pe-
enunciating the Lord's wisdom. riod of time, often a period exaggerated for
derivatives: e»nun»ci»a»tion |i,n3nse'a- humorous or rhetorical effect: they haven't
SH3n| n. e»nun»ci»a»tive |i'n3nse3tiv;-,ativ| won the pennant in eons his eyes searched her \

adj. e»nun»ci»a»tor |-, atari n. face for what seemed like eons.
en»ure |i'n(y)(5t)r| *v. 1 [intrans.] (enure (in astronomy and geology) a unit of time
for/to) (in law, of a right or other advantage) equal to a billion years. a major division of
belong or be available to. 2 variant spelling of geological time, subdivided into eras: the Pre-
INURE. cambrian eon. (in Neoplatonism, Plato-
en»U*re*sis |
.enys'resis I
• n. involuntary uri- nism, and Gnosticism) a power existing from
by children at night.
nation, esp. eternity; an emanation or phase of the su-
derivatives: en»u»retMC |-'retik| adj.&n. preme deity.
en*vl*a*ble 'enveabsl • adj.
|
arousing or |
derivatives: e»o»ni»an (also aeonian) adj.
likely to arouse envy: an enviable reputation for epa»ter . v. (in phrase epater les bourgeois)
academic achievement. shock people who are conventional or com-
derivatives: en»vi»a»bly |-3ble| adv. placent.
en«vi*OUS 'enveas • adj. feeling or showing
| |
e*phebe |
'efeb;i'feb| • n. (in ancient Greece)
envy: I'm envious of their happiness an en- \
a young man 18-20 years old undergoing
vious glance. military training.
derivatives: en»vi»ous»ly adv. derivatives: e»phe»bic |i'febik; e'febik|
en*vi*ron»ment en'virsnmsnt; -Vim- • n.
|
1 adj.
1 the surroundings or conditions in which a e*phem*er*a |3'fem(3)r3| * plural n. (sing,
person, animal, or plant lives or operates. ephemeron -9, ran
) things that exist or are
| |

[usu. with adj.] the setting or conditions in used or enjoyed for only a short time.
which a particular activity is carried on: a items of collectible memorabilia, typically
good learning environment. 2 (the environ- written or printed ones, that were originally
ment) the natural world, as a whole or in a expected to have only short-term usefulness
particular geographical area, esp. as affected or popularity: Mickey Mouse ephemera.
by human activity. e»phem»er»al 3'fem(3)r3 . adj. lasting for a
1
1

en*vi*rons len'viranz; -'virnz| plural n. the

» very short time: fashions are ephemeral.
surrounding area or district: the picturesque (chiefly of plants) having a very short life cy-
environs of the lake. cle. • n. an ephemeral plant.
en*vis*age enVizij |
|
. v. [trans.] contemplate derivatives: e»phem»er»aW»ty |9,fem3
or conceive of as a possibility or a desirable 'raelite n. e»phem»er»al»ly adv. e«phem»
|

future event: the North American Free Trade er«al»ness n.

Agreement envisaged free movement across bor- ep»ic 'epik| • n. a long poem, typically one
I

ders. derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating

form a mental picture of (something not yet the deeds and adventures of heroic or legend-
existing or known): he knew what he liked but ary figures or the history of a nation.
had difficulty envisaging it. the genre of such poems: the romances display
en»zyme 'enzim » n. a substance produced
| \
gentler emotions not found in Greek epic. a
by a living organism that acts as a catalyst to long film, book, or other work portraying he-
bring about a specific biochemical reaction. roic deeds and adventures or covering an

Most enzymes are large complex molecules extended period of time: a Hollywood biblical
epic. • adj. of, relating to, or characteristic of
whose action depends on their particular
molecular shape. Some enzymes control an epic or epics: England's national epic poem
reactions within cells and some, such as the Beowulf
enzymes involved in digestion, reactions heroic or grand in scale or character: his epic
outside them. journey around the world a tragedy of epic pro- \

portions.
 |

epicene 157 epistemic

derivatives: epn»cal I'epiksll adj. ep»i» the surface epithelium of the skin of an ani-
cal»ly |-(3)le| adv. mal, overlying the dermis. the outer layer of
ep*i*cene |'epi,sen| • adj. having character- tissue in a plant, except where it is replaced
istics of both sexes or no characteristics of ei- by periderm (a corky secondary layer).
ther sex; of indeterminate sex: the epicene derivatives: epM»der«mal l-'dsrmall
beauty of certain children. adj. ep»i»der«mic |-'d3rmik| adj. ep»i»der*
lacking mascuHne character; effeminate; ef- moid |-'d3r,moid| adj.
fete: the actor infused the role with an epicene ep«l*du*rai ,epi'd(y)00r3l| »adj.
|
on or
languor. (of a noun or pronoun) denoting around the dura mater, in particular (of an
either sex without change of gender. • n. an anesthetic), introduced into the space around
epicene person. the dura mater of the spinal cord. • n. an ep-
ep*j*cen*ter 'epi.sentarl * n. the point on
|
idural anesthetic, used esp. in childbirth to
the earth's surface directly above the focus of produce loss of sensation below the waist.
an earthquake. ep»i*gram 'epi,graem| • n. a pithy saying or
|

the central point of something, typically a remark expressing an idea in a clever and
difficult or unpleasant situation: this region is amusing way.
at the epicenter of the growing conflict. a short poem, esp. a satirical one, having a
derivatives: ep»i*cen«tral .epi'sentral |
witty or ingenious ending.
adj. derivatives: e»pi«gram»mat»ic adj. e»pi»
ep*i*CUre |
person who takes
'epi.kyOOrl • n. a gram»mat»i»cal adj. ep»i*gram»ma»tist
particular pleasure in fine food and drink. I
.epi'grsematist |
n. ep«i»gram»ma«tize
derivatives: ep«i»cur»ism |-,riz3m; ,epi I
,epi'graEm3,tiz |
v.

'kyOO-| n. ep*l*graph |
'epi,graef |
• n. an inscription on
Ep«i*CU»re*an |
.epikys'rean; .epi'kyOOrean |
a building, statue, or coin.
• n. a disciple or student of the Greek philos- a short quotation or saying at the beginning
opher Epicurus (341-270 bc), who held that of a book or chapter, intended to suggest its
the highest good is pleasure. theme.
(epicurean) a person devoted to sensual en- ep*i*logue |
epa.log; -,lag| (also epilog) . n.
joyment, esp. that derived from fine food and a section or speech at the end of a book or
drink. • adj. of or concerning Epicurus or his play that serves as a comment on or a conclu-
ideas: Epicurean philosophers. sion to what has happened.
(epicurean) relating to or suitable for an ep- ep*i*neph*rine ,epi'nefrin| . |
a hormone
icure: epicurean feasts. secreted by the adrenal glands, esp. in condi-
ep*i*dem«ic |,epi'demik| . «. a widespread tions of stress, increasing rates of blood cir-
occurrence of an infectious disease in a com- culation, breathing,and carbohydrate metab-
munity at a particular time: a flu epidemic. olism and preparing muscles for exertion.
a disease occurring in such a way. a sud- Also called adrenaline.
den, widespread occurrence of a particular e*piph«a»ny i'pifane . n. (pi -ies) (Epiph-
|
|

undesirable phenomenon: an epidemic of vio- any) the manifestation of Christ to the Gen-
lent crime. • adj. of, relating to, or of the tiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew
nature of an epidemic: shoplifting has reached 2:1-12).
epidemic proportions. Cf. endemic and pan- the festival commemorating this on January
demic. 6. a manifestation of a divine or supernatu-

usage: a disease that quickly and severely ral being. a moment of sudden revelation or
insight.
affects a large number of people and then
subsides is an epidemic: Throughout the
derivatives: ep*i»phan»ic |
,ep3'faenik|
adj.
Middle Ages, successive epidemics of the plague
ep*i*pliyte 'ep9,fit . a plant that grows
killed millions. Epidemic is also used as an |
|

adjective: She studied the causes of epidemic

on another plant but is not parasitic, such as
cholera. A disease that is continually present the numerous ferns, bromeliads, air plants,
in an area and affects a relatively small num- and orchids growing on tree trunks in tropi-
cal rain forests.
ber of people is endemic: Malaria is en-
demic in (or to) hot, moist climates. A pan- derivatives: ep»i«phyt»al |,ep3'fitl| adj.

demic is a widespread epidemic that may ep»i»phyt»ic |,ep3'fitik| adj.

affect entire continents or even the world, as

in The influenza pandemic of 1918 ushered in
a period of frequent epidemics of gradually
diminishing severity.
ep»i»de*mi*ol»0»gy ,epi,deme'al3jei . n. the
branch of medicine that deals with the inci-
dence, distribution, and possible control of
diseases and other factors relating to health.
derivatives: ep«i»de«mi»o»log»i»cal
e*pis»CO»pa*llan li.piska'paleanl * adj. oi or
advocating government of a church by bish-
ops.
of or belonging to an episcopal church.
(Episcopalian) of or belonging to the Epis-
|
copal Church. • n. an adherent of episcopacy
(the government of a church by bishops).
(Episcopalian) a member of the Episcopal
Church.
|-3 derivatives: e»pis»co»pa»liannsm |-,ni-

'lajikal i
adj. ep»i«de»mi»ol*o«gist |
-jist |
n. Z3m| n.

ep«i»der*mis |
.epi'darmis I
. n. the outer ep»i*Ste*mic .eps'stemik; -'ste-| 'adj. of or
|

layer of cells covering an organism, in partic- relating to knowledge or to the degree of its
ular: validation.
epistemiology 158 equinox
derivatives: ep»i»ste«mi»caWy |-(9)le| lowed by a shorter one. 2 the third section of
adv. an ancient Greek choral ode, or of one divi-
e*pis*te*mol«0*gy i.pista'mabje . n. the i
|
sion of such an ode. Cf. strophe and anti-
branch of philosophy that deals with knowl- strophe.
edge, esp. with regard to its methods, valid- ep*0*nym |
'eps.nim |
• «. a person after
ity, and scope. whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is

derivatives: e*pis»te»mo»logM»cal |-m3 named or thought to be named.

'lajikall adj. e»pis»te»mo«log«i«cal»ly j-ma a name or noun formed in such a way.
'lajik(3)le| adv. e«pis»te»mol«o»gist |-jist| derivatives: ep»on»y»mous adj.
n. eq*ua*ble |
'ekwabal |
• adj. (of a person) not
e*pis*tle |i'pis3l| . n. a letter. easily disturbed or angered; calm and even-
a poem or other literary work in the form of tempered.
a letter or series of letters. (also Epistle) a not varying or fluctuating greatly: an equable
book of the New Testament in the form of a climate.
letterfrom an Apostle: St. Paul's episde to the derivatives: eq»ua»biW»ty |
.ekwa'bili-
Romans. an extract from an Epistle (or an- te eq»ua»bly -ble adv.
I
n. | |

other New Testament book not a Gospel) e»qua»nim»i»ty .ekwa'nimite; ,ekw3-| . «. |

that is read in a church service. mental calmness, composure, and evenness

e*pis*tO»lar*y |i'pist3,lere| * adj. relating to of temper, esp. in a difficult situation: she
or denoting the writing of letters or literary accepted both the good and the bad zvith equa-
works in the form of letters: an epistolary nimity.
novel. derivatives: e*quanM*mous ji'kwana-
ep*i*taph |
'epi,ta£f| • n. a phrase or statement masl adj.
written inmemory of a person who has died, e»ques»tri»an li'kwestreani 'adj. of or relat-
esp. asan inscription on a tombstone. ing to horse riding: his amazing equestrian
ep»i*the«li»um .epa'THeleam . n. (pi. epi- |
|
skills.

thelia -lea ) the thin tissue forming the

|
|
depicting or representing a person on horse-
outer layer of a body's surface and lining the back: an equestrian statue. • ri. (fern, equestri-
alimentary canal and other hollow structures. enne -'en ) a rider or performer on horse-
I I

derivatives: ep»i«the«li»al |-le3l| adj. back.

ep*i»thet 'epa.XHet • n. an adjective or de-
| I
e*quii*i«brate i'kwil3,brat| »v. [trans.] bring
|

scriptive phrase expressing a quality charac- into or keep in equilibrium.

teristic of the person or thing mentioned: old [intrans.] approach or attain a state of equilib-

men are often unfairly awarded the epithet rium.

"crotchety." derivatives: e»quil«i«bra»tion |i,kwib
such a word or phrase as a term of abuse: he 'brasHanI n.
feltan urge to hurl epithets in her face. a de- e*quHib*ri*um ,ekwa'libream; ,ekwa-| . n. |

scriptive title: the epithet "Father of Waters" (pi.equilibria |-'librea|) a state in which
used for the Mississippi River. opposing forces or influences are balanced:
derivatives: epM»thet«ic |-'THetik| adj. the maintenance of social equilibrium.
ep»i«thet»i»cal |
-'XHetikal |
adj. ep»i«thet»i» a state of physical balance: / stumbled over a
caMy I
-'THetik(3)le I
adv. rock and recovered my equilibrium. a calm
e»pit»0»me i'pitame -n. A (the epitome
|
\
state of mind: his intensity could unsettle his
of) a person or thing that is a perfect exam- equilibrium. chemistry) a state in which
(in
ple of a particular quality or type: she looked a process and
reverse are occurring at
its

the epitome of elegance and good taste. 2 a sum- equal rates so that no overall change is taking
mary of a written work; an abstract. place: ice is in equilibrium with water. (in
a thing representing something else in mini- economics) a situation in which supply and
ature. demand are matched and prices stable.
derivatives: e»pit«o»mist |-mist| n. e» derivatives: e»qui»lib»ri»al - |
' libreal |
adj.
pit»o»mize v. e*qulne I'ekwin; 'e,kwin| 'adj. of, relating
ep«OCh 'ep3k I
M. a period of time in history
I
• to, or affecting horses or other members of
or a person's life, typically one marked by no- the horse family: equine infectious anemia.
table events or particular characteristics: the resembling a horse, esp. facially: her some-
Victorian epoch. what equine features. • n. a horse or other
the beginning of a distinctive period in the member of the horse family.
history of someone or something: reimmigra- e*qui*noc*tial .ekwa'naksnal; ,ekwa- . adj.
|
1

tion to Palestine marked an epoch in the history happening at or near the time of an equinox.
ofJewry. (in geology) a division of time that of or relating to equal day and night. at or
is a subdivision of a period and is itself sub- near the equator. • n. (also equinoctial line
divided into ages: the Pliocene epoch. (in as- or equinoctial circle) another term for celes-
tronomy) an arbitrarily fixed date relative to tial equator, the projection into space of the
which planetary or stellar measurements are earth's equator.
expressed. e*qui»nox 'ekwa.naks; 'ekwa- • n. the time
|
1

ep«OCh»al 'epakal • adj. forming or charac-

|
|
or date (twice each year) at which the sun
terizing an epoch; epoch-making. crosses the celestial equator, when day and
ep'Ode I'epodI • w. 1 a form of lyric poem night are of equal length (about September
written in couplets, in which a long line is fol- 22 and March 20).
 . |

equipage 159 erratum

eq*ui*page |
'ekwapij |
• 1 the equipment (of a language) possessing this case. (in
for a particular purpose. 2 a carriage and English) denoting verbs that can be used
horses with attendants. both transitively and intransitively to de-
e*qui*poise |'ekw3,poiz| . n. balance of scribe the same action, with the object in the
forces or interests: this temporary equipoise of former case being the subject in the latter, as
power. in / boiled the water and the water boiled. • n.
a counterbalance or balancing force: capital an ergative word.
flows act as an equipoise to international (the ergative) the ergative case.
imbalances in savings. • v. [trans.] balance or derivatives: er«ga»tiv»i»ty srga |
, ' tivite
counterbalance (something) n.
eq*ui*ta«ble 'ekwitabsl • adj. | |
1 fair and im- er»go*nom*icS .args'namiksl 'plural n. |

partial: an
equitable balance ofpower. 2 (in law) [treated as sing.] the study of people's effi-
valid in equity as distinct from law: the bene- ciency, comfort, and well-being in their work-
ficiaries have an equitable interest in the prop- ing environment.
erty. derivatives: er»go»nom»ic |-'namik|
derivatives: eq»ui»ta»bilM»ty ,ekwip j
er«gon*o»mist ar'ganamist n.
adj. |
|

'bilite I
n. eq»ui»ta»ble»ness n. eq»ui»ta«bly e»rode i'rod • v. [trans.] (often be eroded)
| |

I
-able I
adv. (of wind, water, or other natural agents)
eq*ui*ty |
'ekwite| • n. (pi. -ies) 1 the quality gradually wear away (soil, rock, or land) the :

of being fair and impartial: equity of treatment. cliffs have been eroded by the sea.
a branch of law that developed alongside [intrans.] (of soil, rock, or land) be gradually
common law in order to remedy some of its worn away by such natural agents. gradu-
defects in fairness and justice by allowing re- ally destroy or be gradually destroyed: [trans.]
course to general principles of justice, for- this humiliation has eroded what confidence Jean
merly administered in special courts. (Eq- had [intrans.] profit margins are eroding.
I
(of
uity) (in the US, Britain, and several other a disease) gradually destroy (bodily tissue).
countries) a trade union to which profes- derivatives: e»rodn»ble li'rodsball adj.
sional actors belong. 2 the value of the shares e»ro»sion n. e»ro»sive adj.
issued by a company: he owns 62% of the e«rog*e*nous i'rajanas adj. (of a part of | I
•

group's equity. the body) sensitive to sexual stimulation:

(equities) shares that carry no fixed inter- erogenous zones.
est. 3 the value of a mortgaged property after E*ros 'eras; 'iras| 1 (in Greek mythology)
I

deduction of charges against it: they're build- the god of love, son of Aphrodite. Roman
ing equity in their house month by month. equivalent Cupid
e*quiv»0*cal i'kwivakal . adj. open to more
|
I
sexual love or desire. Cf. agape (in Freud-
than one interpretation; ambiguous: the ian theory) the life instinct. Often contrasted
equivocal nature of her remarks an equivocal |
with Thanatos, the death instinct. (in Jun-
expression. gian psychology) the principle of personal
uncertain or questionable in nature: the relatedness in human activities, associated
of the investigation were equivocal.
results with the anima.
derivatives: e»quiv»o«caH»ty |i,kwiv3 e*rot*ic i'ratik • adf of, relating to, or tend-
| |

'kaelitel n. e»quiv»o»cal»ly adv. e»quiv«o» ing to arouse sexual desire or excitement. Cf.
cal*ness n. Platonic.
e*quiv*o«cate |i'kwiv9,kat| »v. [intrans.] use derivatives: e»rot«i»cal»ly | -ik(3)le | adv.
ambiguous language so as to conceal the eroticism n. eroticist n.
truth or avoid committing oneself: [with direct e*rot*l»ca |i'ratik9| » n. literature or art in-
speech] "Not that we are aware of," she equivo- tended to arouse sexual desire.
cated. er»rant I'erantl 'adf 1 [attrib.] erring or stray-
derivatives: e»quiv»o»ca»tion |i,kwiv3 ing from the proper course or standards: a
'kasHsnl e»quiv*o»ca«tor |-,kat9r| n. e»
n. novel about errant husbands and unfaithful
quiv»o»ca»to»ry i'kwivaks.tore adj. | |
wives. 2 [often postpositive] traveling in search
e*rad*i»cate i'rasdi,kat . V. [trans.] destroy
| I
of adventure: a knight errant.
completely; put an end to: this disease has been derivatives: er»ran»cy I'eransel n. (in
eradicated from the world. sense 1) er»rant*ry |-tre| n. (in sense 2).
derivatives: e»rad»i»ca»ble l-kaball adj. er*rat*ic i'raetik • adf not even or regular in
|
I

e»rad»i»cant |-kant| n. e»radM»ca»tion pattern or movement; unpredictable: her

|i,raedi'kasH3n| n. e»radM»ca»tor |-,kat3r| breathing was erratic.
n. deviating from the normal or conventional in
er*e*mite |
'era.mltl • n. a Christian hermit or behavior or opinions: neighbors were alarmed
recluse. by this increasingly erratic behavior. • n. (also
derivatives: er»e»mit«ic |
.ers'mitik |
adj. erratic block or boulder) a rock or boulder
er»e»mit»i»cal .era'mitikal adj. | |
that differs from the surrounding rock and is
er*ga*tive I'argativl 'adj. relating to or believed to have been brought from a dis-
denoting a case of nouns, in some languages, tance by glacial action.
e.g.,Basque and Eskimo, that identifies the derivatives: er»ratn»cal»ly adv. er»rat»i»
subject of a transitive verb and is different cism ii'raeti,siz3m| n.
from the case that identifies the subject of an er»ra»tum li'rapm; -'ra-; 'raet-| . «. (pi. er-
intransitive verb. rata -t3 ) an error in printing or writing.
I 1
erroneous 160 esplanade
(errata) a list of corrected errors appended es*CUtch*eon i'skscnan »n. ^ a shield or
| |

to a book or published in a subsequent issue emblem bearing a coat of arms. 2 (also es-
of a journal. cutcheon plate) a flat piece of metal for pro-
er»ro*ne*OUS i'roneas • adj. containing |
I
tection and often ornamentation, around a
errors or based on errors; wrong; incorrect: keyhole, door handle, or light switch.
employers sometimes make erroneous assump- phrases: a blot on one's escutcheon a
tions. stain on one's reputation or character.
derivatives: er»ro»ne«ous»ly adv. er»ro» derivatives: es*cutch*eoned adj.
ne*ous»ness n. Es«ki*mo 'esk3,mo • n. (pi. same or -os)
|
|

er*satz I'er.sats; -,zats; er'zatsj 'adj. (of a 1 a member

of an indigenous people inhab-
product) made or used as a substitute, typi- iting northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland,
cally an inferior one: ersatz coffee. and eastern Siberia, traditionally living by
not real or genuine: ersatz emotion. hunting (esp. of seals) and by fishing. 2 ei-
erst arst • adv. long ago; formerly: the friends
I I
ther of the two main languages of this
whom you knew.
erst people (Inuit and Yupik), forming a major
erstwhile r3rst,(h)wil| [attrib.] former: »adj. division of the Eskimo-Aleut family. • adj.
his erstwhile formerly: Mary
rivals. • adv. of or relating to the Eskimos or their lan-
Anderson, erstwhile the queen ofAmerica's stage. guages.
e*ruc»ta«tion irsk'tasnan . «. a belch. | |

usage: 1 In recent years Eskimo has come

er*U*dite 'er(y)9,dit| • adj. having or show-
|

to be regarded as offensive because of one of

ing great knowledge or learning.
its possible etymologies (Abnaki askimo
derivatives: er»u«dite»ly adv. er»u«di» 'eater of raw meat'), but this descriptive
tion ,er(y)00'diSH3n| n.
I

name is accurate since Eskimos traditionally

es*ca*pade 'esk3,pad • n. an act or inci-
|
|

derived their vitamins from eating raw meat.

dent involving excitement, daring, or adven- This dictionary gives another possible ety-
ture.
mology above, but the etymological problem
es*cap*ism |
i'skap.izam I
• n. the tendency
is still unresolved.
to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant 2 The peoples inhabiting the regions firom
realities, esp. by seeking entertainment or en- northwestern Canada to western Greenland
gaging in fantasy. call themselves Inuit (see usage at Inuit),
derivatives: es*cap«ist n. & adj.
and that term is also used by many in Alaska,
es»carp*ment li'skarpmanti • «. a long, but Eskimo is the only term that can be
steep slope, esp. one at the edge of a plateau
properly applied to all of the peoples as a
or separating areas of land at different whole, and it is still viddely used in anthro-
heights.
pological and archaeological contexts. The
es*cha*toho»gy .eska'tabje . w. the part of | I

broader term Native American is some-

theology concerned with death, judgment, times used to refer to Eskimo and Aleut peo-
and the final destiny of the soul and of hu- ples in the US. See usage at Native Amer-
mankind. ican.
derivatives: es«cha»to»logM«cal |e,skaetl
'ajikal; es»cha»to«log»i«cal*ly
,esk3tl-| adj. es*0*ter*ic ,es3'terik| • adj. intended for or
|

adv. es»cha»tol»o»gist |-jist| n. likely tobe understood by only a small num-

es*Cheat es'CHet • n. the reversion of prop-
| |
ber of people with a specialized knowledge or
erty to the state, or (in feudal law) to a lord, interest: esoteric philosophical debates. Cf. ar-
on the owner's dying without legal heirs. cane; recondite.
an item of property affected by this. • v. derivatives: es»o»terM»caWy |-(3)le|
[intrans.] (of land) revert to a lord or the state adv. es«o»terM»cism -'tera.sizsm |
|
n. es«o»
by escheat. ter»i«cist t-'ter3sist| n.
[trans.] [usu. as adj.] (escheated) hand over es*0*ter*i*ca .ess'terika . n. esoteric or
| I

(land) as an escheat. highly specialized subjects or publications.

eS'Chew |es'CHoo| »v. [trans.] deliberately es*pal*ier i'spaelyar; -ya
|
• n. a fruit tree or |

avoid using; abstain from: he appealed to the ornamental shrub whose branches are
crowd to eschew violence. trained to grow flat against a wall, supported
DERI VAT V E s es»chew»al I : n. on framework of stakes.
a lattice or a
es*cri*toire ,eskri'twar| • n. a small writing
|
a lattice or framework of this type. • v. [trans.]
desk with drawers and compartments. train (a tree or shrub) in such a way.
es*crow 'eskro • n. (in law) a bond, deed,
| |
Es*pe*ran*tO .espa'ranto . n. an artificial
|
|

or other document kept in the custody of a language devised in 1 887 as an international

third party, taking effect only when a speci- medium of communication, based on roots
fied condition has been fulfilled. from the chief European languages.
[usu. as adj.] a deposit or fund held in trust derivatives: Es»pe»ran»tist |-tist| n.
or as a security: an escrow account. the state es*pi*o*nage 'espea.nazH . n. the practice
|
|

of being kept in custody or trust in this way: of spying or of using spies, typically by gov-
the board holds funds in escrow. • v. [trans.] ernments to obtain political and military in-
place in custody or trust in this way. formation.
es«CU»lent I'eskyabntI formal » adj. fit to be es*pla*nade 'espb,nad; -,nad| »n. along,
|

eaten; edible. • n. a thing, esp. a vegetable, open, level area, typically beside the sea,
that is fit to be eaten. along which people may walk for pleasure.
espouse 161 ethics
an open, level space separating a fortress es*ti*vate rests.vati (also aestivate) »v.
from a town. (of an animal, particularly an insect,
[intrans.]
es*pouse |i'spowz| 'V. [trans.] 1 adopt or or amphibian) spend a hot or dry period
fish,
support (a cause, belief, or way of life): her in a prolonged state of torpor or dormancy.
writings espoused world communism. 2 marry: Cf. hibernate.
Edward had espoused the lady Grey. es*top*pel e'stapal . n. (in law) the princi-
I
|

(be espoused to) (of a woman) be engaged ple that precludes a person from asserting
to (a particular man). something contrary to what is implied by a
derivatives: espousal n. es«pous»er n. previous action or statement of that person or
es*prit de corps e.spre da 'kor • n. a feel-
| I
by a previous pertinent judicial determina-
ing of pride, fellowship, and common loyalty tion.
shared by the members of a particular group. derivatives: es»top v.

es*quire 'eskwiar; i'skwir| • n. 1 (Esquire)

I
es*trange [trans.] cause (some-
|
i'stranj |
• v.

(abbr.: Esq.) a title appended to a lawyer's one) to be no longer close or affectionate to

surname. someone; alienate: are you deliberately seeking
in Britain, a polite title appended to a man's to estrange your readers? \
[as adj.] (estranged)
name when no other title is used, typically in his estranged wife.
the address of a letter or other documents: J. DERI vat v e s es»trange»ment n.
I :

C. Pearson Esquire. 2 a young nobleman who, es*trus 'estrasl (also estrum or oestrus)
I

in training for knighthood, acted as an at- • n. a recurring period of sexual receptivity

tendant to a knight. and fertility in many female mammals; heat:
an officer in the service of a king or noble- a mare in estrus.
man. [as title] a landed proprietor or coun- derivatives: esnrous (also oestrous)
try squire. I
'estras |
adj.
es*say • n. |
'esa |
1 a short piece of writing on es«tu*ar*y |
'esCH3,were| . n. (pi. -ies) the
a particular subject. 2 an attempt or effort: a tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide
misjudged essay in job preservation. * v. e'sa |
|
meets the stream.
[trans.] attempt or try: Donald essayed a smile. derivatives: es»tu*ar»i»al |
,escH3'wer-
Es*sene |i'sen; 'esen| • n. a member of an eal es»tu«a»rine -wa.rin; -ws.ren adj.
I
adj. | |

ancient Jewish ascetic sect of the 2nd century e»ta»gere (also etagere) . n. (pi. same or
BC-2nd century ad in Palestine, who lived in etageres) a piece of furniture with a number
highly organized groups and held property in of open shelves for displaying ornaments.
common. The Essenes are widely regarded as e*the*re»al [i'THireslI »adf 1 extremely del-
the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls. icate and light in a way that seems too perfect
es*sen*tial*ism |i'senSH3,liz9m| » n. abehef for this world: ethereal beauty an ethereal \

that things have a set of characteristics that voice.

make them what they are, and that the task of heavenly or spiritual: ethereal, otherworldly
science and philosophy is their discovery and visions. 2 (of a solution) having diethyl ether
expression; the doctrine that essence is prior as a solvent.
to existence. Cf. existentialism. derivatives: e»theTe»aW»ty |i,THire3
the view that all children should be taught on 'aelitel n. e«the*re«aWze |-|iz| v. e»the»re»
traditional lines the ideas and methods al»ly adv.
regarded as essential to the prevalent culture. eth»ic I'eTHikI . n. [in sing.] a set of moral
the view that categories of people, such as principles, esp. ones relating to or affirming a
women and men, or heterosexuals and specified group, field, or form of conduct: the
homosexuals, or members of ethnic groups, puritan ethic was being replaced by the hedonist
have intrinsically different and characteristic ethic. . adj. of or relating to moral principles
natures or dispositions. or the branch of knowledge dealing with
derivatives: es'semtiaWst n. & adj. these.
es*teem i'stem • n. respect and admiration,
| |
derivatives: eth»i»cal adj.
typically for a person: he was held in high es- eth»ICS I'eTHiksl » plural n. 1 [usu. treated as
teem by colleagues. • v. [trans.] (usu. be pi.] moral principles that govern a person's or
esteemed) respect and admire: many of these group's hehavior: Judeo-Christian ethic;.
qualities are esteemed by managers [as adj., \
the moral correctness of specified conduct:
with submodifieil (esteemed) a highly esteemed the ethics of euthanasia. 2 [usu. treated as sing.]
scholar. the branch of knowledge that deals with
consider; deem: [with two objs.] / should esteem moral principles.
it a favor if you could speak to them. Schools of ethics in Western philosophy can
es*ter 'estsri • n. an organic chemical com-
|
be divided, very roughly, into three sorts.
pound made by replacing the hydrogen of an The first, drawing on the work of Aristotle,
acid by an alkyl or other organic group. Many holds that the virtues (such as justice, char-
naturally occurring fats and essential oils ity,and generosity) are dispositions to act in
(distilled oils with the characteristic odor of ways that benefit both the person possessing
the plant or other source from which they are them and that person's society. The second,
extracted) are esters of fatty acids. defended particularly by Kant, makes the
es*ti*val estaval; e'sti-;
|
(also aestival) |
concept of duty central to morality: humans
• adj. technical belonging to or appearing in
are bound, from a knowledge of their duty as
summer.
 |

ethnic 162 euphuism

rational beings, to obey the categorical im- derivatives: e«ti»o»log»ic |
,ete3'lajik

perative to respect other rational beings. e«ti»o»logM»cal ,ete3'la)ik3l adj. e»ti»

adj. | |

Thirdly, utilitarianism asserts that the guid- o»logM«cal»ly |ete3'lajik(3)le adv. I I

ing principle of conduct should be the great- et*y»mol*0*gy .ets'mabje . n. (pi. -ies) the |
|

est happiness or benefit of the greatest num-

study of the origin of words and the way in
ber.
which their meanings have changed through
time.
derivatives: eth»i»cist |'eTHisist| n. word and the historical devel-
the origin of a
eth*nic • adj. of or relating to a pop-
|
'eXHnik |
opment of its meaning.
ulation subgroup (within a larger or domi- derivatives: et»y»mo«logM»cal l-ma'laji-
nant national or cultural group) with a com- kall adj. et«y«mo»log»i»cal»ly adv. cfy
mon national or cultural tradition: leaders of mol«o»gist |-jist| n.

ethnic communities. Eu*Cha*rist |

'yookarast |
. n. the Christian
of or relating to national and cultural ori- ceremony commemorating the Last Supper,
gins: we recruit our employees regardless of eth- in which bread and wine are consecrated and
nic origin. denoting origin by birth or de- consumed.
scent rather than by present nationality: the consecrated elements, esp. the bread.
ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. characteristic derivatives: Eu»cha«ris»tic |
.yooka'ris-
of or belonging to a non- Western cultural tikl adj. Eu»cha»ris»ti»cal j
,yook3'ristik3l |

tradition: folk and ethnic music. neither adj.

Christian nor Jewish; pagan or heathen. • n. eu»gen»lcs yoo'jeniks | I
• plural n. [treated as
a member of an ethnic group, esp. a mi- sing.]the science of improving a population by
nority. controlled breeding to increase the occur-
derivatives: eth«ni»cal»ly |-(3)le| adv. rence of desirable heritable characteristics.
[sentence adverb] Denmark is ethnically Scandi- Developed largely by Francis Galton (1822-
navian. 1911) as a method of improving the human
eth*no»cen*tric ,eTHno'sentrik| 'adj. eval- |
race, it fell into disfavor after the perversion
uating other peoples and cultures according of its doctrines by the Nazis.
to the standards of one's own culture. derivatives: eu«gen»ic |-'jenik| adj. eu»
DERI VAT V E s eth»no»cen«tri«cal«ly
I : genM»cal»ly |
-ik(3)le |
eu«gen«i«cist
adv.
|-(3)le| adv. eth»no*cen»tric«i»ty |-,sen'tri- |-'jenisist| n. & adj. eu»gen»ist |-'jenist| n.
site I
eth»no«cen»trism -.trizam n.
n. |
|
& adj.
eth»nog*ra*phy eTH'nagrafe • n. the scien- |
|
eu*kar*y*Ote |yoo'k£ere,ot; -'kere-; -e3t|
tific description of the customs of individual (also eucaryote) • n. an organism consisting
peoples and cultures. of a cell or cells in which the genetic material
derivatives: eth»nog*ra«pher |-f3r| n. is DNA in the form of chromosomes con-

eth«no»graphMC |
,eTHn9'graefik| adj. eth« tained within a distinct nucleus. Eukaryotes
no»graphn»cal |

',eTHn3'graefik9l i
adj. eth» include all living organisms other than the
no«graph»i«cal»ly |
' ,eTHn3'graefik(3)le |
eubacteria and archaea. Cf. prokaryote.
adv. derivatives: eu»kar«y«ot»ic yoo ksere |
,

eth*nol«0»gy eXH'nabje . the study of

| I
'atik; -,kere- 1
adj.
the characteristics of various peoples and eu*IO«gy 'yoobje • n. (pi. -ies) a speech or
| I

the differences and relationships between piece of writing that praises someone or
them. something highly, typically someone who has
derivatives: eth»no»log»ic |
.eTHns'lajikj just died: his good friend delivered a brief eulogy.
adj. eth»no»log»i»cal .eTHna'lajikal adj. | |
Cf. ELEGY.
eth»no»logM»cal»ly ,eTHn3'lajik(3)le adv. |
|
derivatives: eu»lo«gist n. eu»lo»gize v.
eth»nol»o»gist |-jist| n. eu*phe*mism 'yoof3,miz3m • n. a mild or |
|

e»thol»0»gy e'THabje . n. the science of an-

| I
imal behavior.
the study of human behavior and social or-
ganization from a biological perspective.
DERI VAT V E s e*tho»log»i»cal
I ,eTH3
'lajikall adj. e»thol«o»gist |-jist| n.
e*thoS 'exHas • n. the characteristic spirit of
I I
a culture, era, or community as manifested in
its beliefs and aspirations: a challenge to the
indirect word or expression substituted for
one considered to be too harsh or blunt when
referring to something unpleasant or embar-
rassing: "downsizing" as a euphemism for
:
|
job cuts. Cf. dysphemism.
eu*pho*ni*OUS lyoo'fonessi »adj. (of sound,
esp. speech) pleasing to the ear: the candidate
delivered a stream of fine, euphonious phrases.
DERI vat I V e s eu»pho«ni»ous»ly adv. :

ethos of the 1 960s. eu«phO*ny 'yoofsne . n. (pi. -ies) the qual-

| I

e*ti*0l*0*gy ,ete'abje| (Brit, aetiology) • n.

|
ity of being pleasing to the ear, esp. through
1 the cause, set of causes, or manner of cau- a harmonious combination of words.
sation of a disease or condition: a disease of the tendency to make phonetic change for
unknown etiology a group of distinct diseases \
ease of pronunciation.
with different etiologies. DERIVATIVES eu»phon»ic : |yoo'fanik| adj.
the causation of diseases and disorders as a eu'phomize |-,niz| v.
subject of investigation. 2 the investigation or eu*pho«ri»a yoo'forea » n. a feeling or state
|
\

attribution of the cause or reason for some- of intense excitement and happiness: the eu-
thing, often expressed in terms of historical phoria of success.
or mythical explanation. eu»phu*ism 'yoofySpWizam |
|
. w. an artifi-
 .

Eurocentric 163 exact

cial, highly elaborate way of writing or speak- Church's mission to evangelize and declare the
ing, faith.
derivatives: eu»phunst n. eu»phuns»tic derivatives: e»van»ge»li»za»tion |

i
, vaen-
I
.yoofys'wistiki adj. eu«phuns«ti»caWy jsh'zasHsnl e»van»ge»liz»er n.
n.

I
,yoofy3'wistik(3)le |
adv. e«va«sive |i'vasiv| 'adj. tending to avoid
Eu»ro*cen»tric |
lyaro'sentrik; ,yooro-| •adj. commitment or self-revelation, esp. by
focusing on European culture or history to responding only indirectly: she was evasive
the exclusion of a wider view of the world; im- about her positions when interviewed.
plicitly regarding European culture as preem- directed toward avoidance or escape: they de-
inent. cided to take evasive action.
derivatives: Eu»ro«cen»tric«i»ty |-,sen derivatives: e»va«sive»ly adv. e*va»sive»
'trisite Eu«ro»cen»trism -'sen.trizam n.
|
n. |
|
ness n.
eu*Sta*sy 'yoostase (also Eustacy) . n. a
1 I
e*ven«tu»ate |i'venCH3,wat| 'V. [intrans.] oc-
change of sea level throughout the world, cur as a result: you never know what might
caused by fluctuations in the total volume of eventuate.
water in the oceans (esp. those caused by (eventuate in) lead to as a result: circum-
changes in the size of the ice caps), or by the stances that eventuate in crime.
changes in volume of the ocean basins. derivatives: e»ven»tu»a»tion |i,venCH3
derivatives: eu«sta»tic |yoo'staetik| adj. 'wasHsnl n.
eu*tha*na*sia .yooTHs'nazHsl . n. the pain-
|
e»vince i'vins • v. [trans.] reveal the presence
| |

less of a patient suffering from an

killing of (a quality or feeling) his letters evince the ex- :

incurable and painful disease or in an irre- citement he felt at undertaking this journey.
versible coma. be evidence of; indicate: man's inhumanity to
DERI VAT V E s eu*tha*nize
I : v. man as evinced in the use of torture.
eu»troph*i»ca»tlon yoo.trafi'kasHsn . n.
|
|
e*vis*cer*ate i'visa.rat • v. [trans.] disem-
|
|

excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or bowel (a person or animal): the goat had been
other body of water, frequently due to runoff skinned and neatly eviscerated.
from the land, which causes a dense growth deprive (something) of its essential content:
of plant life, killing animal life by depriving it myriad concessions that would eviscerate the
of oxygen. project. (in surgery) remove the contents of
derivatives: eutrophic adj. rich in or- (a body organ).
ganic material, etc. eu»trophn»cate |yoo derivatives: e»vis«cer«a»tion |i,vis3'ra-
'trafi,kat| V. SH3n| n.
ev*a»nes»cent ,ev3'nes3nt| • adj. soon pass-
|
e*voke |i'vok| 'V. [trans.] 1 bring or recall to
ing out of sight, memory, or existence; the conscious mind: the sight of autumn asters
quickly fading or disappearing: a shimmering evokes pleasant memories of childhood.
evanescent bubble. elicit (a response): the awkward kid who
(in physics) denoting a field or wave that evoked giggles from his sisters. 2 call on; invoke
extends into a region where it cannot propa- (a spirit or deity)
gate and whose amplitude therefore derivatives: ev»o»ca»tion ,evo'kaSH9n; |

decreases with distance. ,ev3- 1 n. e»vok»er n.

derivatives: ev»a»nesce v. ev»a«nes» e*VOlve |i'valv| • V. 1 develop gradually, esp.
cence n. ev»a»nes»cent»ly adv. from a simple to a more complex form:
e»van»gehi»cal .iveen'jelikal . adj. of or ac-
| I
[intrans.] the company has evolved into a ma-

cording to the teaching of the gospel or the jor chemical manufacturer the Gothic style \

Christian religion. evolved steadily and naturally from the

of or denoting a tradition within Protestant Romanesque \
[trans.] each school must evolve its

Christianity emphasizing the authority of the own way of working.

Bible, personal conversion, and the doctrine (with reference to an organism or biological
of salvation by faith alone. zealous in advo- feature) develop over successive generations,
cating something. • n. a member of the evan- esp. as a result of natural selection: [intrans.] the
gelical tradition in the Christian Church. populations are cut offfrom each other and evolve
derivatives: e»van»geHc |-'jelik| adj. independently. 2 [trans.] Chemistry give off (gas or
van»gel»i»cal'ism |
-izam |
n. e»van»gel»i» heat).
cal«ly adv. derivatives: e«volv»a*ble |-3b3l| adj. e»
e*van*ge*list li'vaenjslisti • w. 1 a person volve»ment n.
who seeks to convert others to the Christian ex»ac*er*bate ig'zaes3r,bat • v. [trans.] make
|
|

faith, esp.by public preaching. (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling)

a layperson engaged in Christian missionary worse: the forest fire was exacerbated by the lack
work. a zealous advocate of something: he is of rain.
an evangelist ofjunk bonds. 2 the writer of one derivatives: ex*ac»er»ba»tion |ig,zaes9r
of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, 'basHsn I
n.

or John): St. John the Evangelist. usage: On the difference between exac-
derivatives e»van»ge»lis»tic i,vaenj3'lis-
:
|
erbate and exasperate, see usage at exas-
tik| adj. perate.
e*van*ge»lize |i'v£Enj9,liz| . v. [trans.] convert
or seek to convert (someone) to Christianity. ex*act I
ig'zEekt I
• v. demand and ob-
[trans.]

[intrans.] preach the Christian gospel: the tain (something, esp. a payment) from some-
 . '

exalt 164 execute

one: tributes exacted from the Slav peoples \
[usu. as adj.] (excised) charge excise on
William '5 advisers exacted an oath of obedience (goods) excised goods.
:

from the clergy. ex*com*mu»ni*cate . v. ,eksk9'myooni,kat \ |

inflict (revenge) on someone: a frustrated [trans.] exclude (someone) from par-

officially
woman bent on exacting a cruel revenge for his ticipation in the sacraments and services of
rejection. the Christian Church. • adj. excommuni-
derivatives: ex»act»a»ble adj. ex»ac»tor cated: all violators were to be pronounced excom-
I
-tar I
n. municate. • n. an excommunicated person.
ex*alt ig'zolt • V.
I
[trans.] hold (someone or
I
derivatives: ex»com»mu»ni»ca»tion
something) in very high regard; think or 1
,eksk3,myooni'kaSH3n n. ex»com»mu»ni» I

speak very highly of: the party will continue to captive |-,kadiv| adj. ex»com«mu»ni»ca»
exalt its hero. tor |-,kat3r| n. ex»com»mu»ni»ca»to»ry
raise to a higher rank or a position of I
-k9, tore I
adj.
greater power: this naturally exalts the peasant ex*CO*ri»ate |ik'sk6re,at| 'V. [trans.] 1 cen-

above his brethren in the same rank of society. sure or criticize severely: the papers that had
make noble in character; dignify: romanti- been excoriating him were now lauding him.
cism liberated the imagination and exalted the 2 (in medicine) damage or remove part of the
emotions. surface of (the skin).
ex*a*men |ig,zam3n| »n. a formal examina- derivatives: ex»co»ri«a»tion |ik,sk6re'a-
tion of the soul or conscience, made usually SH3n| n.
daily by Jesuits and some other Roman ex«cres*cence ik'skresans a distinct
|
I
.

Catholics. outgrowth on a human or animal body or on

ex»as»per*ate |ig'zaesp3,rati »v. [trans.] irri-
tate intensely; infuriate: this futile process exas-
perates prison officials [as adj.] (exasperated)
she grew exasperated with his inability to notice
anything [as adj.] (exasperating) they suf-
\
fered a number of exasperating setbacks.
derivatives: ex»as»per»at»ed*ly adv. ex*
as»per»atMng«ly |-,ratiNGle| adv. ex»as*
per»a«tion ig,z£esp3'raSH3n n. |
usage: The verbs exasperate and exac-
erbate are sometimes confused. Exasper-
ate, the more common of the two, means 'to
irritate or annoy to an extreme degree,' {He
calls me three times a day asking for money. It's
exasperating.^;
a plant, esp. one that is the result of disease
or abnormality.
I
an unattractive or superfluous addition or
feature: removing an architectural excrescence.
ex*cre*tion |ik'skreSH3n| . n. (in living
organisms and cells) the process of eliminat-
ing or expelling waste matter.
a product of this process: bodily excretions.
|
derivatives: ex»crete v. ex«cre»tive adj.
ex»cre»to»ry adj.
ex»cru»Cl»aHng iik'skrooSHe,atiNG| 'adj.
intensely painful: excruciating back pain.
mentally agonizing; very embarrassing, awk-
ward, or tedious: excruciating boredom.
exacerbate means 'to in-
derivatives: ex»cru»ci»atnng»ly adv. [as

crease the bitterness or severity' of some- submodifier] the sting can prove excruciatingly
painful.
thing (The star shortstop's loud self-
ex*CUl*pate 'ekskal.pati »v. [trans.] show or
|

congratulation only exacerbated his teammates

resentment)
declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrong-
doing: the article excidpated the mayor.
ex ca«the»dra ,eks ka'THedrs . adv. & adf| i
derivatives: ex»cul«pa»tion eksksl' pa- |
,

with the full authority of office (esp. of the SH9n I

n. ex»cul»pa»to»ry |
,eks'k3lp3,t6re |

pope's infallibihty as defined in Roman Cath- adf

an encyclical to be in-
olic doctrine): [as adv.] for ex»CUr»Sive ik'sksrsiv . adf of the nature of
|
I

fallible thepope must speak ex cathedra. an excursion; ranging widely; digressive: an

ex*cept |ik'sept| • V. [trans.] specify as not excursive piece of writing.
included in a category or group; exclude: he derivatives: ex»cur»sive»ly adv. ex«cur»
excepted from his criticism a handful of distin- sive«ness n.
guished writers. ex«e*cra»ble 'eksikrabal . adf extremely
|
I

[intrans.] make objection (against); object bad or unpleasant: execrable cheap wine.
(to). derivatives ex»e«cra»bly i-ble| adv. :

ex»cep«tion ik'sepsnan • w. a person or

|
|
ex»e»crate I'eksi.kratl »v. [trans.] feel or
thing that is excluded from a general state- express great loathing for: they were execrated
ment or does not follow a rule: the drives be- as dangerous and corrupt.
tween towns are a delight, and the journey to [intrans.] curse; swear.

Graz is no exception while he normally shies |

derivatives: ex»e»cra«tion |
.eksi'lcra-
away from introducing resolutions, he made an SHsnl n. ex»e»cra»tive |-,krativ| adj. ex»e»
exception in this case. cra»to»ry |-kr3,t6re| adj.
(in law) an objection made to a ruling of the ex*e»CUte 'eksi,kyoot| 'V. [trans.] 1 carry out
|

court during the course of a trial, e.g., to the or put into effect (a plan, order, or course of
admission of evidence. action): the corporation executed a series of fi-
ex«cise |
'ek.siz |
• n. [usu. as adj.] a tax levied nancial deals.
on certain goods and commodities produced produce (a work of art): she designs and exe-
or sold within a country or state and on cutes detailed embroideries. perform (an ac-
licenses granted for certain activities: excise tivity or maneuver requiring care or skill):
taxes on cigarettes. » v. |ik'siz; ek-| [trans.] they had to execute their dance steps with the
executor 165 exiguous
greatest precision. make (a legal instrument) rites; obsequies: he attended the exequies for the
valid by signing or sealing it. carry out (a ju- dead pope.
dicial sentence, the terms of a will, or other ex*er»tion ig'zarSHan . n. 1|
physical or I

order): police executed a search warrant |

sen- mental effort: she was panting with the exertion
tence was executed on November 5th. 2 (often 1
a well-earned rest after their mental exertions.
be executed) carry out a sentence of death 2 the application of a force, influence, or
on (a legally condemned person): he was con- quality: the exertion of authority.
and executed.
victed of treason ex*fo»li*ate |eks'fole,at| . V. [intrans.] (of a ma-
(someone) as a political act.
kill terial)come apart or be shed from a surface
ex*ec*U*tor • 1 ig'zekyatsr (in law) a per- j |
in scales or layers: the bark exfoliates in papery
son or institution appointed by a testator to flakes.
carry out the terms of a will: my father named [trans.] cause to do this: salt solutions exfoliate
me as his executor. rocks on evaporating. [intrans.] (of a tree)
a who
person executes a particular plan or throw off layers of bark: the plane tree exfoliates
command: a literary executor. 2 |
'eksa most noticeably. [trans.] wash or rub (a part of

,kyoopr| a person who produces something the body) with a granular substance to re-
or puts something into effect: the makers and move dead cells from the surface of the skin:
executors of policy. exfoliate your legs to get rid of dead skin. [trans.]

derivatives: ex»ec*u»to»ri«al lig.zekya (often be exfoliated) shed (material) in

'toreall ex»ec«u«tor»ship lig'zekyatsr
adj. scales or layers.
,SHip ex»ec»u»to»ry ig'zeky9,t6re adj.
I
n. | |
DERIVATIVES; ex»fo»li»ant n. this cream is
ex*e*ge«sis ,eksi'jesis| »n. (pi. exegeses |
an effective exfoliant. ex»fo»li»a«tion eks,fole |

I
-sez ) critical explanation or interpretation
I
'aSH9n| n. ex»fo»li«a»tive i-|ativ| adj. ex«fo«
of a text, esp. of scripture: the task of biblical li»a»tor n. .

exegesis \
an exegesis of Marx. ex*haus*tive |ig'z6stiv| » adj. examining,
DERIVATIVES ex»e»getMC : |-'jetik| adj. ex« including, or considering all elements or
e»get»i»cal adj. aspects; fully comprehensive: she has under-
ex»em*plar |
ig'zempbr; -plar| » n. a person gone exhaustive tests since becoming ill.
or thing serving as a typical example or excel- DERIVATIVES: ex»haus»tive»ly adv. ex*
lent model: he became the leading exemplar of haus»tive»ness n.
conservative philosophy. ex»hi«bi»tion«ism ,eks3'biSH3,niz3m| . n.
|

ex*em»pla»ry ig'zempbre . adj. 1 serving | I

extravagant behavior that is intended to at-
as a desirable model; representing the best of tract attention to oneself.
its kind: an award for exemplary community a mental condition characterized by the
service. compulsion to display one's genitals in pub-
characteristic of its kind or illustrating a gen- lic.

exemplary of certain fem-

eral rule: her works are DERIVATIVES: ex»hi»bi»tionMst n. ex»hi»
inist arguments. 2 (of a punishment) serving bi«tionns»tic | -,biSH9'nistik |
adj. ex»hi»bi»
as a warning or deterrent: exemplary sentenc- tion»is»ti»cal«ly | -,biSH3',nistik(3)le |
adv.
ing may discourage the ultraviolent minority. ex«hil*a*rate |ig'zib,rat| 'V. (usu. be exhil-
of damages) exceeding the amount
(in law, arated) make (someone) feel very happy, an-
needed for simple compensation, and imated, or elated: the children were exhilarated
awarded to mark disapproval of the defend- by a sense of purpose [as adj.] (exhilarated) \

ant's conduct. (Also called punitive dam- this fresh mountain air makes me feel exhilarated
ages) .
I
[as adj.] (extiilarating) riding was one of the
DERI VAT V E s ex»em»pla*ri»ly -rale adv.
I : | |
most exhilarating experiences he knew.
ex*em»pla»ri»ness |-renis| n. ex»em»plar» derivatives: ex»hil»a*rat»ing»ly l-.ra-
i»ty I
legzem'plaerite; -'pier- 1 n. tiNGlel adv. ex»hil»a»ra»tion |ig,zib'ra-
ex*em»pli»fy ig'zempb,fi |
|
. v. (-ies, -ied) SH3n| n.
[trans.] be a typical example of: rock bands that ex*hort |
ig'zort |
• v. [with obj. and infinitive]

exemplify the spirit of the age. strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do

give an example of; illustrate by giving an something: they've been exhorting people to turn
example. out for the demonstration [with direct speech] |

DERIVATIVE o: ex»em»pli«fi»er n. ex»em» "Come on, you guys" exhorted Linda.

pli»fi«ca»tion 1
ig.zempbfi'kaSHsn |
n. derivatives: ex»hor»ta»tion n. ex-hort*
ex*em*plum ig'zempbm |
|
• n. (pi. exempla active |-t3tiv| adj. ex«horfa»to»ry |-t3

I
-pb I
) an example or model, esp. a moraliz- ,t6re ex»hort«er n.
I
adj.
ing or illustrative story. ex»i»gen»cy 'eksijsnse; ig'zijanse . n.
|
(pi. |

ex*empt |ig'zem(p)t| . adj. free from an ob- -ies) urgent need or demand: women worked
ligation or liability imposed on others: these long hours when the exigencies of the family econ-
exempt from all charges they are
patients are \
omy demanded it \
he put financial exigency be-
not exempt from criticism. Cf. immune. • v. fore personal sentiment.
[trans.] free (a person or organization) from an ex»i*gent 'eksijanti • adj. pressing;
|
demand-
obligation or liability imposed on others: they ing: the exigent demands of the music took a toll

were exempted from paying the tax. • n. a on her voice.

personwho is exempt from something, esp. ex»lg*U*OUS jig'zigyswas; ik'sig-| » adj. very
thepayment of tax. small in size or amount: my exiguous musical
ex*e*quy |'eksikwe| ' n. (exequies) funeral resources.
 |

existential 166 expedient

derivatives: ex«i*gu»i«ty |
,eksi'gyOOite (often be exorcised) rid (aperson or place)
n. ex»ig»u»ous«ly adv. ex»ig»u»ous»ness n. of anevil spirit: infants were exorcised prior to
ex*is*ten*tial ,egzi'stencH3l| »adj. of or
|
baptism.
relating to existence. ex*0*sphere |,ekso'sfir| the outermost
(in philosophy) concerned with existence, region of a planet's atmosphere.
esp. human existence as viewed in the theo- derivatives: ex»o«spher»ic |
,ekso'sfirik;
ries of existentialism. (of a logical proposi- -'sferiki adj. .

tion) affirming or implying the existence of a ex«0*ter»ic ,eks3'terik| 'adj. (esp. of a doc-
|

thing. trine or mode of speech) intended for or

derivatives: ex»is»ten»tial»ly adv. likely to be understood by the general pubhc:
ex*IS»ten»tiaHsm ,egzi'stencH3,liz3m| »n.
|
an exoteric, literal meaning and an esoteric, in-
a philosophical theory or approach that ner teaching. Cf esoteric.
emphasizes the existence of the individual relating to the outside world; external: the
person as a free and responsible agent deter- exoteric and esoteric aspects of life. current or
mining his or her own development through popular among the general public.
acts of the will. ex»Ot*IC ig.zatik
i
• adj. originating in or
|

characteristic of a distant foreign country: ex-

Generally taken to originate with Kierke-
otic birds the exotic scenery of Patagonia.
gaard and Nietzsche, existentialism tends to I

attractive or striking because colorful or out

be atheistic, to disparage scientific knowl-
edge, and to deny the existence of objective of the ordinary: an exotic outfit [as n.] (the \

exotic) there was a touch of the exotic in her ap-

values, stressing instead the reality and sig-
nificance of human freedom and experience.
pearance. of a kind not used for ordinary
The approach was developed chiefly in purposes or not ordinarily encountered: ex-
otic elementary particles as yet unknown to sci-
20th-century Europe, notably by Martin
ence. • n. an exotic plant or animal: we planted
Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus,
and Simone de Beauvoir. exotics in a sheltered garden. a thing that is
imported or unusual: the market in exotics has
derivatives: exMs»ten«tialMst n. & adj. gone crazy with speculators.
ex oMI»ci*0 I'eks 3'fiSHeol 'adv. & adj. by derivatives: ex»ot»i»cal»ly !-(3)le| adv.
virtue of one's position or status: [as adj.] an ex»ot»i»cism |
ig'zap.sizam |
n.

ex ojficio member of the committee. ex par»te |eks 'parte |

'adj. & adv. (in law)
ex*og«a*my ek'sagsme • n. (in anthropol-
| I
with respect to or in the interests of one side
ogy) the custom of marrying outside a com- only or of an interested outside party: an
munity, clan, or tribe. Cf. endogamy. exparte hearing.
(in biology) the fusion of reproductive cells ex*pa*ti*ate |ik'spaSHe,at| 'V. [intrans.] speak
from distantly related or unrelated individu- or write at length or in detail: she expatiated
als; outbreeding; cross-pollination. on working-class novelists.
derivatives: ex«og«a*mous |-m3s| adj. derivatives: ex»pa»ti»a»tion |ik,spaSHe
ex»og»e*nous ek'sajanas adj. of, relating
| I
. 'aSH3n| n.
to, or developing from external factors. Cf. ex»pa*tri»ate n. |eks'patreit| a person who
.

ENDOGENOUS. lives outside his or her native country: Amer-

growing or originating from outside an or- ican expatriates in London.
ganism: an exogenous hormone. (of a disease, (in earlier use) a person exiled from his or
symptom, etc.) caused by an agent or organ- her native country. • adj. [attrib.] (of a person)
ism outside the body: exogenous depression. living outside one's native country: expatriate
relating to an external group or society: workers.
exogenous marriage. expelled from one's native country. • v. eks \

derivatives: ex»og«e«nous«ly adv. 'patre,at| [intrans.] settle oneself abroad: can-

ex*on«er»ate ig'zana.rat . V. [trans.] 1 (esp.

| I
didates for the position should be willing to expa-
of an official body) absolve (someone) from triate.
blame for a fault or wrongdoing, esp. after derivatives: ex»pa»tri»a»tion |eks,patre
due consideration of the case: the court- 'aSH3n| n.
martial exonerated her \
they should exonerate ex*pec*tO»rant lik'spektsranti 'n. a medi-
men from
these this 2 (exonerate
crime. cine that promotes the secretion of sputum
someone from) release someone from (a (saliva and mucus) by the air passages, used
duty or obligation). esp. to treat coughs.
derivatives: ex»on«er«a»tion |ig,zan3 ex*pec»tO«rate |ik'spekt3,rat| 'V. [intrans.]

'raSH3n| n. ex»on»er»a*tive |-,rativ| adj. cough or spit out phlegm from the throat or
ex«or*bi»tant |ig'z6rbit3nt| 'adj. (of a price lungs.
or amount charged) unreasonably high: the [trans.] spit out (phlegm) in this way.
exorbitant price of tickets. derivatives: ex»pec«to»ra»tion |ik,spek-
derivatives: ex»or»bi«tance leg'zorba- ts'rasHsn |
n. ex«pec»to«rant n.

tns I
n. ex»or»bi»tant»ly adv. ex»pe*di»ent lik'spedeanti 'adj. (of an ac-
ex*or*cise |
'eks6r,siz; 'eks3r-| (also -ize) • v. tion) convenient and practical, although pos-
[trans.]drive out or attempt to drive out (as an sibly improper or immoral: either side would
evil spirit) from a person or place: an attempt break the agreement if it were expedient to do so.
to exorcise an unquiet spirit inflation has been \
(of an action) suitable or appropriate in the
exorcised. circumstances, or for the matter at hand:
expedite 167 expropriate
holding a public inquiry into the scheme was not bold or daring feat: the most heroic exploits of
expedient. • n. a means of attaining an end, the war.
esp. one that is convenient but considered im- derivatives: ex»ploifa»ble adj. ex»ploi»
proper or immoral: the current policy is apolit- ta»tion I
,eksploi'taSH3n| ex»ploit»a»tive
n.
ical expedient. |ik'sploit3tiv| adj. ex»ploit»er ik'sploitar | |

derivatives: ex»pe»di»ence n. ex»pe»di» n. ex'ploitMve |

ik'sploitiv |
adj.
en»cy n. ex«pe*di»ent«ly adv. ex»po«nent lik'sponant; 'eksponanti • n. ^ a
ex*pe*dite I'ekspa.ditl 'V. [trans.] make (an person who
believes in and promotes the
action or process) happen sooner or be ac- truth or benefits of an idea or theory: an
complished more quickly: he promised to expe- early exponent of the teachings of Thomas
diteeconomic reforms. Aquinas.
derivatives: ex»pe»dit»er (also ex*pe*dl« a person who has and demonstrates a partic-
tor) n. ex»pe»di«tion n. ular skill, esp. to a high standard: the world's
ex*pe*di*ti0US .ekspa'diSHas • adj. done
| I
leading exponent of country rock guitar. 2 (in
with speed and efficiency (expedition): an ex- mathematics) a quantity representing the
peditious investigation. power to which a given number or expression
derivatives: ex»pe»di»tious»ly adv. ex» is be raised, usually expressed as a raised
to
pe»di»tious»ness n. symbol beside the number or expression
ex*peni*en»tial |ek, spire 'encnall 'adj. in- (e.g., 3 in 23 = 2 X 2 X 2).
volving or based on experience and observa- ex»po»nen*tial ,eksp3'nenCH3l| » adj. of or
|

tion: the experiential learning associated with expressed by a mathematical exponent: an ex-
employment. ponential curve.
derivatives: ex«pe»ri»en»tial»ly adv. (of an increase) becoming more and more
ex*per»tise .ekspsr'tez; -'tes • n.
|
expert |
rapid: the military budget was rising at an expo-
skill or knowledge in a particular field: techni- nential rate.
cal expertise. derivatives: ex»po»nen»tial«ly adv.
ex»pi»ate |'ekspe,at| . t;. [trans.] atone or ex*po*sl»tion .ekspa'ziSHan . n. 1 a com-
| i

make amends for (guilt or sin): their sins must prehensive description and explanation of an
be expiated by sacrifice. idea or theory: an exposition and defense of
derivatives: ex»pi»a»ble I'ekspesball Marx's writings.
adj.ex*pi»a»tion ,ekspe'aSH3n n. ex»pi»a» |
|
(in music) the part of a movement, esp. in so-
tor |-,apr| n. ex»pi»a»to»ry 'ekspes.tore |

|
nata form, in which the principal themes are
adj. first presented. the part of a play or work of
ex*ple»tive 'eksplitiv] • n. 1 an oath or swear
|
fiction in which the background to the main
word. 2 a word or phrase used to fill out a sen- conflict is introduced. 2 a large public exhi-

tence or a line of verse without adding to the bition of art or trade goods.
sense. • adj. (of a word or phrase) serving to the action of making public; exposure: the
fill out a sentence or line of verse. country squires dreaded the exposition of their
ex»pli»cate 'ekspli,kat| 'V. [trans.] analyze
|
rustic conversation.
and develop (an idea or principle) in detail: derivatives: ex»po»si»tion»al |-zisH3nl|
attempting to explicate the relationship between adj.
crime and economic forces. ex*pos*l»tor lik'spazipr] * n. a person or
analyze (a literary work) in order to reveal its thing that explains complicated ideas or the-
meaning. ories: a lucid expositor of difficult ideas.
derivatives: ex«pli«ca»tion leksph'ka- |
ex post fac»tO |',ek,spost '.faektoi » adf &
SHsnl n. ex»pli»ca«tive |-,kativ| adj. ex»pli» adv. with retroactive effect or force: [as adj.] ex
ca»tor |-,kapr| n. ex«pli»ca»to»ry lik'spliks post facto laws, which punish actions of long ago.
,tore adj.
I
ex»pos*tu*late |ik'spascH9,lat| 'V. [intrans.]

ex*plic*it ik'splisit • adj. stated clearly and

I I
express strong disapproval or disagreement: /
in detail, leaving no room for confusion or expostulated with him in vain.
doubt: the speaker's intentions were not made derivatives: ex»pos»tu»la«tion iik.spas-
explicit. CHs'laSHanl n. ex»pos»tu«la»tor |-lat3r| n.
(of a person) stating something in such a ex»pos»tu»la»to»ry ik,spasCH3b,t6re adj. |
|

way: let me be explicit. describing or repre- ex*pres*Sion»ism iik'spreSHa.nizamI . a

senting sexual activity in a graphic fashion: style of painting, music, or drama in which
explicit photos. the artist or writer seeks to express emotional
derivatives: ex»plic»it»ly adv. ex»plic»it» experience rather than impressions of the ex-
ness n. ternal world.
ex*ploit . V. I
ik'sploit I
[trans.] make full use of derivatives: ex»pres»sionnst n. & adj.

and derive benefit from (a resource): 500 ex»pres»sion»is»tic ik,spresH3'nistik adj.| |

companies sprang up to exploit this new technol- ex»pres»sion«is»ti»cal«ly ik.spreSHs'nistsk- i

ogy. (3)le| adv.

use (a situation or person) in an unfair or ex»pro*prl»ate ,eks'propre,at|
• V. [trans.] I

selfish way: the company was exploiting a legal (esp. of the state) take away (property) from
loophole. benefit unfairly from the work of its owner: government plans to expropriate

(someone), typically by overworking or farmland.

underpaying them: making money does not al- dispossess (someone) of property: the land
ways mean exploiting others. • n. |'ek,sploit| a reform expropriated the Irish landlords.
expunge 168 extrinsic
DERI VAT V E s I : ex»pro»pri»a»tion ,eks |
derivatives: ex»tort»er n. ex»tor»tive
ipropre'aSHan I
n. ex»pro«pri«a»tor |-|at3r| |-tiv| adj.
n. ex»tor«tion ik'storSHsn . n. the practice or
|
I

ex*punge ik'spanj • v. [trans.] erase or

|
|
re- crime of obtaining something, esp. money,
move completely (something unwanted or through force or threats.
unpleasant): he asked that his statement be derivatives: ex»tor»tion«er n. ex»tor»
expunged from the record. tionMst |-3st| n.
derivatives: ex»punc»tion ik'sp3NG(k)- | ex*tra*di*tion .ekstra'diSHsnl . n. the action
|

SH3n| n. ex*punge»ment n. ex»pung»er n. of delivering (extraditing) a person to another

ex*pur*gate 'ekspsr.gat . v. [trans.] [often as
|
|
state or country where he or she has been
adj.] (expurgated) remove matter thought to accused or convicted of a crime: they fought to
be objectionable or unsuitable from (a book prevent his extradition to the US |
extraditions
or account) : efforts to expurgate several works by of drug suspects.
Mark Twain. derivatives: ex»tra*dite v. ex«tra«dit«a*
derivatives: ex»pur*ga»tion .ekspar |
ble adj.
'gaSHanI n. ex»pur»ga«tor |-,gat3r| n. ex« ex*tra*dOS 'ekstr3,das • n. (in architecture)
| I

pur»ga»to»ry ik'sp3rg3,t6re adj. | |

the upper or outer curve of an arch.
ex*tant I'ekstsnt; ek'staent| » adj. (esp. of a ex»tra*ne*OUS ik'straness . adj. irrelevant |
I

document) still in existence; surviving: the or unrelated to the subject being dealt with:
original manuscript is no longer extant are your \
one is obliged to wade through many pages of ex-
grandparents extant? traneous material.
ex*tem»po»ra*ne*OUS ik.stempa'raneas | I
of external origin: when the transmitter pack is
• adj. spoken or done without preparation: an turned off, no extraneous noise is heard. sepa-
extemporaneous speech. rate from the object to which it is attached:
derivatives: ex»tem»po»ra»ne*ous»ly other insects attach extraneous objects or material
adv. ex*tem»po»ra»ne«ous»ness n. to themselves.
ex»tem«po»rar»y ik'stemp3,rere . adj. an- | I
derivatives: ex»tra»ne»ous«ly adv. ex*
other term for extemporaneous, tra»ne»ous»ness n.
derivatives: ex»tem»po»rarM»ly |ik ex*trap»o»late ik'straepa.lat . v. [trans.] ex-
|
|

iStemps'rerale adv. ex»tem»po»rar«i»ness

|
tend the application of (a method or conclu-
I
- .rerenis |
n. sion, esp. one based on statistics) to an un-
ex»tem»po*re ik'stempsre . adj. & adv. | I
known situation by assuming that existing
spoken or done without preparation: [as adj.] trends will continue or similar methods will
extempore public speaking |
[as adv.] he recited be applicable: the results cannot be extrapolated
the poem extempore. to other patient groups [intrans.] it is always \

ex*ten*U*ate iik'stenya.wati »v. [trans.] dangerous to extrapolate from a sample.

1 [usu. as adj.] (extenuating) make (guilt or estimate or conclude (something) in this
an offense) seemless serious or more forgiv- way: attempts to extrapolate likely human can-
able: were extenuating circum-
there cers from laboratory studies. (in mathematics)
stances that tended to help the defendants. extend graph, curve, or range of values) by
(a
2 [usu. as adj.] (extenuated) make (some- inferring unknown values from trends in the
one) thin: drawings of extenuated figures. known data: [as adj.] (extrapolated) a set of
derivatives: ex»ten«u»a»tion lik.stenya extrapolated values.
'waSHanI n. ex»ten»u»a»to»ry |-W3,t6re| adj. derivatives ex«trap»o»la*tion :
|
ik,strsep-
ex»ter*nal*ize lik'stama.lizl 'V. [trans.] (usu. s'laSHsnl ex«trap»o»la»tive
n. |-,lativ| adj.
be externalized) give external existence or ex»trap»o*la»tor |-,lat3r| n.
form to: elements of the internal construction ex*tra«sen*so*ry per*cep»tion .ekstra'sen- |

were externalized onto the fagade. S3re| (abbr.: ESP) • n. the supposed faculty
express (a thought or feeling) in words or of perceiving things by means other than the
actions: an urgent need to externalize the expe- known senses, e.g., by telepathy or clairvoy-
rience. project (a mental image or process) ance: twins often seem connected by extrasensory
onto a figure outside oneself: such neuroses are perception.
externalized as interpersonal conflicts. ex»treme unc»tion . n. (in the Roman Cath-
derivatives: ex»ter»nal»i»za«tion |
ik olic Church) a former name for the sacra-
jStarnsli'zaSHan |
n. ment of anointing of the sick, esp. when
ex«tir»pate 'ekstsr.pat . v. [trans.] root out
|
|
administered to the dying.
and destroy completely: the dream of extirpat- ex»trl*cate 'ekstri.kat . v. [trans.]
|
free I

ing racism. (someone or something) from a constraint or

derivatives: ex»tir»pa«tion ekstar |
, difficulty: they raced to extricate him from the
'pasH9n| n. ex»tir»pa»tor |-,pat9r| n. car I
he was trying to extricate himselffrom
ex«tOl ik'stol
I
. V. (extolled, extolling)
I
official duties.
[trans.] praise enthusiastically: he extolled the derivatives: ex»tri»ca»ble i
ek'striksbsl;
virtues of the Russian peoples. ik-l ex»tri»ca»tion .ekstri'kaSHan n.
adj. |
|

DERI VAT I V E s cx'toWcr n. ex»tol»ment n. : ex*trin*SlC ik'strinzik; -sik| • adj. not part of
|

ex*tort |ik'st6rt| » V. obtain (something) by the essential nature of someone or something;

force, threats, or other unfair means: he was coming or operating from outside: extrinsic
convicted of trying to extort S3 million from a de- factors that might affect budgets the idea that |

veloper. power is extrinsic to production and profits.

extrovert 169 facilitate
derivatives: ex»trin»si»caMy |-(3)lei derivatives: ex»u»ber»ance n. ex»u»ber»
adv. ant»ly adv.
ex«tro»vert I'ekstra.vart (also extravert) |
ex*ude ig'zood • v. [trans.] discharge (mois-
|
|

• n. an outgoing, overtly expressive person. ture or a smell) slowly and steadily: the beetle
(in psychology) a person predominantly exudes a caustic liquid.
concerned with external things or objective [intrans.] (of moisture or a smell) be dis-
considerations. Cf. introvert. • adj. of, charged by something in such a way: slime
denoting, or typical of an extrovert: his extro- exudes from the fungus. (of a person) dis-
vert personality made him the ideal host. play (an emotion or quality) strongly and
derivatives: ex»tro»ver»sion |
,ekstr3 openly: they exuded friendship and goodwill.
'vsrzHan |
n. ex»tro»vert»ed adj. [intrans.] (of an emotion or quality) be dis-

usage: The original spelling extravert is played by someone in such a way: sexuality
now rare in general use but is found in tech- exuded from him. (of a place) have a
nical use in psychology.
strong atmosphere of: the building exudes an
air of tranquility.
ex*trude |ik'strood| *v. [trans.] (usu. be derivatives: ex»u»da»tion |
.eksyoo'da-
extruded) thrust or force out: lava was being SHan; ,eks3- 1 n. ex»u»da»tive |
ig'zoodativ;
extruded from the volcano. 'eks3,dativ; 'eksyoo- !
adj.
shape (a material such as metal or plastic) by ex*ult ig'zslt . V. [intrans.] show or feel ela-
I I

forcing it through a die: [ as adj.] extruded plas- tion or jubilation, esp. as the result of a suc-
tic forms. cess: exulting in her escape, Leonora closed the
derivatives: ex»trud»a»ble |-9b3l| adj. door behind her.
ex»tru»sile lik'stroosal; -|Sil| adj. ex»tru» derivatives: ex»ul»ta»tion eksal ta- |
, '

sion ik'strooZHan n.
I
|
SHsn; ,egz3l- n. ex»ult»ing»ly adv. 1

ex*U»ber«ant lig'zoobaranti 'adj. filled with ex*urb 'ekssrb • «. a district outside a city,
|
I

or characterized by a lively energy and excite- esp. a prosperous area beyond the suburbs.
ment: giddily exuberant crowds flamboyant \
derivatives: ex»ur»ban lek'ssrbani adj.
and exuberant architectural invention. ex»ur»ban»ite |ek's3rb3,nit| n. &. adj.

growing luxuriantly or profusely: exuberant ey*rie |

'ere; 'ire |
• n. variant spelling of aerie.
foliage.

Ff
fab*li*au 'faeble.ol > n. (pi. fabliaux |-oz|)a
I
derivatives: fac»et»ed |'f£es3tid| adj. [in
story in verse form, typically a bawdily hu- combination] multifaceted.
morous one, of a type found chiefly in early fa*ce*ti*ae Ifa'seSHe.e; -SHe,i| 'plural n.

French poetry. 1 pornographic literature. 2 humorous or

fab*ri*cate 'fsebra.kat . V. [trans.] invent or
| I
witty sayings.
concoct (something), typically with deceitful fa»ce*tioUS fa'seSHss • adj. treating serious
| |

intent: officers fabricated evidence. issues with deliberately inappropriate humor;

construct or manufacture (something, esp. flippant.
an industrial product), esp. from prepared derivatives: fa»ce»tious«ly adv. fa»ce»
components: you will have to fabricate an ex- tious*ness n.
haust system. fac*ile 'faesal adj. 1 (esp. of a theory or ar-
I I
.

derivatives: fab»ri»ca»tion |
ifaebra'ka- gument) appearing neat and comprehensive
SHanl n. fab»ri»ca»tor |-,kat3r| n. only by ignoring the true complexities of an
fab»uHISt 'fasbysbstl • person who com-
I
n. a issue; superficial.
poses or relates fables. having or revealing a superficial or simplis-
a liar, esp. a person who invents elaborate tic knowledge or approach: a facile and shal-
dishonest stories. low intellect. 2 (of success, esp. in sports) eas-
fa*cade fa 'sad (also fa9ade) • n. the face of
|
|
ily achieved; effortless: a facile victory.
a building, esp. the principal front that looks acting or done in a quick, fluent, and easy
onto a street or open space. manner: he was revealed to be a facile liar.
an outward appearance that is maintained to derivatives: fac»ile»ly rfaes3l(l)e| adv.
conceal a less pleasant or creditable reahty: fac«ile«ness n.

her flawless public facade masked private de- fa«cil»l»tate |f9'sib,tat| - v. make (an action

spair. or process) easy or easier: schools were located

fac»et I
'fa£S3t I
• n. one side of a many-sided on the same campus to facilitate the sharing of
thing, esp. of a cut gem. resources.
a particular aspect or feature of something: act as a catalyst to (a conversation, discus-
participation by the laity in all facets of church sion, conference, etc.) without leading it.
life. derivatives: fa»ca»i»ta»tive |

- tativ
,
|
adj.
facsimile 170 farceur
fa»ciH»ta»tor |-,tat3r| n. fa»ciW»ta»to»ry fal»la»cious»Iy fa'laSHssle | |
adv. fal*la«
1
fa'sibts.tore |
adj. cious*ness fa'lasHssnss n. | |

fac*sim*i*le fsek'simale • «. an exact copy, | |

fal*li*ble 'faebbal
|
adj. capable of making |
•

esp. of written or printed material. • v. (fac- mistakes or being erroneous: experts can be
similed, facsimiieing) [trans.] make a copy fallible.
of: the ride was facsimiled for Disney World. DERI VAT v E s I : fal«li«biln»ty |
.faeb'bibte |

faC'tion 'faeksHan • n. a small, organized,

| \
n. fal»li»bly |
-ble |
adv.
dissenting group within a larger one, esp. in fal*IOW I'faelol 'adj. (of farmland) plowed
politics: the left-wing faction of the party. and harrowed but left unsown for a period in
a state of conflict within an organization; dis- order to restore its fertility as part of a crop
sension. rotation or to avoid surplus production:
D H R I VAT I V E s : fac*tion*al adj. fac»tion»al« incentives forfarmers to let land lie fallow in or-
ism n. der to reduce grain surpluses.
fac*tious I
'faeksHas |
• adj. relating or inclined inactive or uncreative: long fallow periods
to a state of faction: a factious country. when nothing seems to happen. • «. a piece of
D E R VAi V E s fac»tious«ly adv. fac»tious»
I I : fallow or uncultivated land. • v. [trans.] leave
ness n. (land) fallow for a period after it has been
fac*ti*tious fsek'tiSHss . adj. artificially cre- |
I
plowed and harrowed.
ated or developed: a largely factitious national derivatives: fal*low*ness n.
identity. fal*seWo Ifol'setol . n. (pi. -os) a method of
derivatives: fac»ti»tious«ly adv. fac»ti« voice production used by male singers, esp.
tious»ness n. tenors, to sing notes higher tlian their normal
faC*toid 'faek,toid • n. a brief or trivial item
I
\
range: he sang in a piercing falsetto he was \

of news or information. singing falsetto in this role.

an assumption or speculation that is re- a singer using this method. a voice or
ported and repeated so often that it becomes sound that is unusually or unnaturally high.
accepted as fact. fal'ter i'foltsri » v. [intrans.] start to lose
fac»tO*tum faek'totam . n. (pi factotums) i
|
strength or momentum: her smile faltered and
an employee who does all kinds of work: he then faded [as adj.] (faltering) his faltering
|

was employed as the general factotum. career.

fac*ul*ty 'faekalte . n. (pi. -ies) 1 an inherent
I
|
speak in a hesitant or unsteady voice: [with
mental or physical power: her critical faculties. speech] "A-Adam?" he faltered, "move
direct

an aptitude or talent for doing something: unsteadily or in a way that shows lack of con-
the author's faculty for philosophical analysis. fidence: he faltered and finally stopped in mid-
2 the teaching staff of a university, college, or stride.
school or of one of its departments or divi- derivatives: fal»ter»er n. fal»ter»ing»ly
sions, viewed as a body. adv.
a group of university departments con- fan*fa»ron«ade |
,fgen,fer3'nad| • w. arrogant
cerned with a major division of knowledge: or boastful talk.
the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. 3 a license or fan*ta*sia |faen'tazH3;fiEnt3'ze3| . w. a musi-

authorization, esp. from a Church authority. cal composition with a free form and often an
fa»er»le 'fere (also faery) . n. the imaginary
|
|
improvisational style.
world of fairies. a musical composition that is based on sev-
a fairy. [as adj.] imaginary; mythical: faerie eral familiar tunes. a thing that is composed
dragons. of a mixture of different forms or styles: the
fa»lence • n. glazed ceramic ware,
|
fi'ans; fa- 1 theater is a kind of Moorish and Egyptian fan-
in particular decorated tin-glazed earthen- tasia.
ware of the type that includes delftwarc and fan*tas»tic |faen'taestik| » adj. (in literature,
maiolica. etc.) imaginative or fanciful; remote from re-
fai»ne«ant adj. idle or ineffective.
|
'faneant |
• ality: novels are capable of mixing fantastic and
fait ac*COm*pli akam'ple; 'fat . n. [in |
'fet |
realistic elements.
sing.] a thing that has already happened or (of a shape or design) bizarre or exotic;
been decided before those affected hear seeming more appropriateto a fairy tale than
about it, leaving them with no option but to to reality or practical use: visions of a fantas-
accept: the results were presented to shareholders tic, mazelike building.
as a fait accompli. derivatives: fan«tas»ti»cal |-k3l| adf .

fa*kir fa'kir; 'fakar (also faquir) . n. a Mus-

| |
fan»tas»ti»caW»ty |
,faen,ta£Sto'kaEl3te |
n. .

lim (or, loosely, a Hindu) religious ascetic fan«tas»ti«cal»ly |

-k(3)le |
adv.
who lives solely on alms. Cf. dervish. farce fars » n. a comic dramatic work using
| \

fal»la»cy 'faebse . n. (pi. -ies) a mistaken be-

| |
buffoonery and boisterous play and typically
lief, esp. one based on unsound argument or including crude characterization and ludi-
information. crously improbable situations.
a failure in reasoning that renders an argu- the genre of such works. an absurd event:
ment illogical and invalid. faulty reasoning; the debate turned into a drunken farce.
misleading or unsound argument: the poten- dI'RIVATivi-s: far»ci«cal adj. far»ci»calM»
tial for fallacy that lies behind the notion of self- ty n. far»ci«cal"ly adv.
esteem. far»ceur |far's3r| • n. a writer of or performer
derivatives: faWa»cious |f3'lasH3s| adj. in farces.
farouche 171 fealty
H a joker or comedian. fas*tig*i*ate |fa'stijeat| » adj. (of a tree or
fanouche jfa'rooSHl »adj. sullen or shy in shrub) having the branches more or less par-
company. Cf. diffident allel to the main stem: fastigiate poplars.
far«ra»go fa'rago; -'ra- . n. (pi. -oes) a con-
|
1 fa*tal*ism I'fatl.izaml . n. the belief that all
fused mixture: a farrago offact and myth about events are predetermined and therefore inev-
Abraham Lincoln. itable.
derivatives: far»ragM»nous Ifa'rasjanss |
a submissive attitude to events, resulting
adj. from such a belief.
far»ri*er |
'faerear; 'fer- 1
• «. a blacksmith who derivatives: fa»taWst n. fa»taWs»tic
shoes horses. l.fatl'istikl adj. fa«taWs»ti»caWy |
,fat^is-
DERI VAT I V E s far»ri«er»y n. : tik(^)le| adv.
far«ther rfarraarl »adv. (also further 'far- |
Fata Morgana I'fata mor'ganaj • n. a mi-
mar 1)1 at, to, or by a greater distance (used rage.
to indicate the extent to which one thing or fath*om I
'fseTHam I
• a unit of length equal
person is or becomes distant from another): to six feet (1.8 meters), chiefly used in refer-
the farther away you are from your home, the bet- ence to the depth of water: according to our lat-
ter you should behave his action pushes Haiti \
est sonar readings, we're in eighteen fathoms.
even farther away from democratic rule. 2 over • V. [trans.] 1 [usu. with negative] understand (a
a greater expanse of space or time; for a difficult problem or an enigmatic person) af-
longer way: the stream fills the passage, and only ter much thought: he could scarcely fathom the
a cave diver can explore farther people were try- \
idea that people actually lived inLas Vegas.
ing to get their food dollars to go farther. • adj. 2 measure the depth of (water): an attempt to
more distant in space than another item of fathom the ocean.
the same kind: the farther side of the mountain. derivatives: fath»om»a»ble adj. fath«
more remote from a central point: the farther om*less adj.
stretches of the diocese. fat*U*OUS 'fseCHawas . adj. silly and point- I
|

usage: Traditionally, farther and far- less: a fatuous comment a fatuous young man. \

thest were used in referring to physical dis- derivatives: fanuM'ty | fa't(y)ooate | n.

(pi. -ies) fat»u»ous»ly adv. fat»u»ous»ness n.
tance: the falls were still tzvo or three miles far-
ther up the path. Further and furthest were
faun fon I I
• n. (in classical mythology) one of
a class of lustful rural gods, represented as a
restricted to figurative or abstract senses: we
decided to consider the matterfurther. Although
man with a goat's horns, ears, legs, and tail.

farther and farthest are still restricted to DERI vat V e s fau*nal I : adj.

measurable distances, further and furthest fau*na |

'fona; 'fana| • n. (pi. faunas |
'fonaz;
'fanaz or faunae 'f6,ne ) the animals of a
are now common in both senses: put those |
| |

particular region, habitat, or geological pe-

plants the furthest from the window.
riod: the flora and fauna of Siberia. Cf.
fas*ces |'faes,ez| 'plural n. (in ancient FLORA.
Rome) bundle of rods with a projecting ax
a a book or other work describing or listing the
blade, carried by attendants (lictors) of chief animal life of a region.
magistrates as a symbol of a magistrate's derivatives: fau*nal |
'fonl; 'fanl| adj.
power. fau»nis»tic |-'nistik| adj.
(in Fascist Italy) such items used as emblems Faus»tl»an • n. 1 involving the sacrifice of
of authority. morals for power or material gain. 2 involv-
fas*ci»cle faesikal | |
. n. 1 (also fascicule ing spiritual torment.
I
-|kyool I
) a separately published installment fauv*ism |'fo,vizam| • n. a style of painting
of a book or other printed work. 2 (also fas- with vivid expressionistic and exaggerated
ciculus fa'sikyabs ) a bundle of structures,
I |
use of color that flourished in Paris from
such as nerve or muscle fibers or conducting 1905 and, although short-lived, had an im-
vessels in plants. portant influence on subsequent artists, esp.
derivatives: fas»ci»cled adj. fas«cic»u» the German expressionists. Matisse was
lar I
fa'sikyabr I
adj. fas«cic»u»late Ifa'sikya regarded as the movement's leading figure.
,lat; -yaliti adj. derivatives: fauve fauvMst n. & adj.
n.

fas*cism |
'f£esH,izam I
(also Fascism) . n. an faux pas I
fo 'pa I
• n. same) an embar-
(pi.

authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing rassing or tactless act or remark in a social sit-
system of government and social organiza- uation. Cf. GAFFE.
tion. fawn . V. [intrans.] (of a person) give a servile
(m
general use) extreme right-wing, author- display of exaggerated flattery or affection,
views or practice.
itarian, or intolerant typically in order to gain favor or advantage:
derivatives: fas»cist n. & adj. fa»scis»tic congressmen fawn over the President.
I
fae'SHistikI adj. (of an animal, esp. a dog) show slavish devo-
fas»tid*i*OUS |
fses'tideas |
• adj. very attentive tion, esp. by crawling and rubbing against
to and concerned about accuracy and detail: someone.
he chooses his words with fastidious care. derivatives: fawn»ing»ly adv.
very concerned about matters of cleanliness: fay I
fa I
> n. literary term for a fairy.
fastidious about getting her fingers sticky or dirty. fe*al*ty |
'felte |
• n. a feudal tenant's or vas-
derivatives: fasnidn»ous«ly adv. fas* sal's sworn loyalty to a lord: they owed fealty
tid»i«ous«ness n. to the Earl rather than the King.
feasible 172 feminize
allegiance or fidelity to any authority: The feint |fant| » n. a deceptive or pretended
unions have lost their ability to command fealty blow, thrust, or other movement, esp. in box-
from the Democratic party. ing or fencing: a brief feint at the opponent's
fea»si*ble 'fezabsl • adj. possible to do eas-
| | face.
ily or conveniently: it is not feasible to put most a mock attack or movement in warfare, made
finds from excavations on public display. in order to distract or deceive an enemy. • v.

likely; probable: the most feasible explanation. make a deceptive or distracting movement,
DERIVATIVES fea»si»bly |-Z3ble| adv. : typically during a fight: he feinted left, drawing
usage: The primary meaning of feasible a punch and slipping it.

feist»y 'fiste • adj. (feistier, feistiest) hav-

is 'capable of being done, effected.' There is I I

rarely a need to use feasible to mean 'likely' ing or showing exuberance and strong deter-
or 'probable' when those words can do the mination: a feisty, outspoken, streetwise teen-
ager.
job. There are cases, however, in which a
careful writer finds that the sense of likeli- touchy and aggressive: got a bit feisty as
reporters continued their questions.
hood or probability (as with an explanation
or theory) is more naturally or idiomatically derivatives: feisfi'ly |'fist3le| adv.

expressed with feasible than with possible or feist«i»ness 'fistenis n. | |

probable. They've settled on the Libertarians as

fe«lic*i«tate fa'liss.tat . v.
| i
[trans.] congratu-
their only feasible ally.
late: the award winner was felicitated by the cul-
tural association.
feb*ri*fuge 'febra.fyooj |
|
• w. a medicine fe*lic*i*tOUS Ifa'lisatasI . adj. well chosen or
used to reduce fever. suited to the circumstances: a felicitous phrase.
derivatives: fe»brif»u»gal |
,f9br3'f(y)oo- pleasing and fortunate: the view was the
gsll adj. room 's only felicitous feature.
fe*brlle |'feb,ril; 'fe,bril| » adj. having or derivatives: fe»lic»i»tous»ly adv. fe»lic»i»
showing the symptoms of a fever: a febrile ill- tous'ness n.
ness. fe«lic*i*ty fs'lisate
|
• n. (pi. -ies) 1 intense |

having or showing a great deal of nervous ex-
citement or energy: a febrile imagination.
derivatives:
fe*cal feksl (Brit, faecal) • adj. consisting of
I I
or pertaining to waste matter (feces, Brit.
faeces) discharged from the bowels after
happiness: domestic felicity. 2 the ability to find
appropriate expression for one's thoughts:
fe»bril»i»ty |fe'bribte| n. speech which pleased by its felicity.
a particularly effective feature of a work of
literature or art: the King James version, with
its felicities of language.

food has been digested. fe«line 'fe.lin . adj. of, relating to, or affect-
|
|

feck*less 'feklas • adj. (of a person) lacking

|
I
ing cats or other members of the cat family:
in efficiency or vitality: a feckless mama's boy. feline leukemia.
unthinking and irresponsible: the feckless ex- catlike, esp. in beauty or slyness: feline ele-
ploitation of the world's natural resources. gance feline in her grace » n. a cat or other
derivatives: feck»less»ly adv. feck»less» member of the cat family.
ness n. derivatives fe»linM«ty |fe'lin3te| n. :

fec*U»lent 'fekysbnt • adj. of or containing

|
|
fell /fel/ • adj. of terrible evil or ferocity; dead-
dirt, sediment, or waste matter: their feet were ly: sorcerers use spells to achieve their fell ends.

forever slipping on feculent bog. phrases: in (or at) one fell swoop all at

derivatives: fec»u»lence |-l3ns| n. one time: seeking to topple the government in one
fe«cund 'feksnd; 'fe- • adj. producing or ca-
|
1 fell swoop.
pable of producing an abundance of offspring feMa*ti*0 |f3'laSH(e),o| » n. oral stimulation
or new growth; fertile: a lush and fecund gar- of a man's penis.
den a fecund imagination.
I
derivatives: feWa»tor |'fel,apr| n.
(of a woman or women) capable of becom- fel*0*ny 'febne • n. (pi. -ies) a crime, typi-
| |

ing pregnant and giving birth. cally one involving violence, regarded as
derivatives: fe»cun«di«ty jfe'ksndate; fi more serious than a misdemeanor and typi-
'ksn-l n. cally punished by imprisonment for at least
fed*er»ate . rfed3,rati [intrans.] (of a num- one A felon is one who has committed
year.
ber of states or organizations) form a single a felony: he pleaded guilty to six felonies an ac- \

centralized unit, within which each keeps cusation of felony \

[as adj.] felony assault. Cf.
some internal autonomy. misdemeanor.
[trans.] [usu. as adj.] (federated) form (states derivatives: fe*lo»ni»ous adj.
or organizations) into such a centralized unit: fem*l*nism 'fem3,niz3m • n. the advocacy
| I

the establishment of 20 federated states in Min- of women's rights on the grounds of political,
danao. • adj. of or relating to such an ar- social, and economic equality to men.
rangement: federate armies. Cf. CONFEDERATE. fem*i»nist 'femsnist |
' n. a person who \

derivatives: fed»er»a»tive |
'feda.rativ; advocates or supports feminism. • adj. of,
-r3|tiv| adj. relating to, or supporting feminism: feminist
feign |
fan |
• v. [trans.] pretend to be affected literature.
by (a feeling, state, or injury): she feigned nerv- fem*i*nize |'fem3,niz| »v. [trans.] make
ousness. (something) more characteristic of or associ-
archaic invent (a story or excuse). [intrans.] ar- ated with women: as office roles changed, cleri-
cliaic indulge in pretense. cal work was increasingly feminized.
fenestration 173 fetish
derivatives: fem»i»m»za»tion |
,fem3ni derivatives: fer*ven«cy |-V3nse| n. fer*
'zaSH3n| n. vent'ly adv.
fen*eS«tra*tion |
.fens'strasHan |
(in ar- fer*vid 'farvid • adj. intensely enthusiastic
|
I

chitecture) the design and arrangement of or passionate, esp. to an excessive degree: an

windows in a building. expression offervid devotion. Cf. perfervid.
feng Shul 'fsNO 'snwe; -SHwa . n. (in Chi-
|
i
burning, hot, or glowing.
nese thought) a system of laws considered to DERI VAT I v E s fer»vid«ly adv. :

govern spatial arrangement and orientation fer*VOr 'farvar (Brit.fervour) . n. intense and
|
|

in relation to the flow of energy (chi), and passionate feeling: he talked with all the fervor
whose favorable or unfavorable effects are of a new convert.
taken into account when siting and designing intense heat.
buildings and their surroundings and fur- fes*tal 'festal . adj. of, like, or relating to a
I I

nishings. Cf. GEOMANCY. celebration or festival: he appeared in festal ar-

fe»ral |
'firal; 'feral of an animal) |
. adj. (esp. ray.
in a wild state after escape from captivity or DERIVATIVES: fes»taWy |'festale| adv.
domestication: a feral cat. fes*ter |
'festar I
. V. [intrans.] (of a wound or
resembling or pertaining to a wild animal: a sore) become septic; suppurate: I developed a
feral snarl. tropical sore that festered badly \
[as adj.] (fes-
fer*ment • v. far'ment 1 [intrans.] (of a sub-
\
I
tering) a festering abscess.
stance) undergo fermentation, the conver- (of food or garbage) become rotten and of-
sion of carbohydrates, esp. sugars, to alcohol fensive to the senses: a gully full of trash that
and carbon dioxide by the action of enzymes. festered in the sun. (of a negative feeling or a
[trans.] cause the fermentation of (a sub- problem) become worse or more intense, esp.
stance). 2 [trans.] incite or stir up (trouble or through long-term neglect or indifference:
disorder): the politicians and warlords who are anger that festers and grows in the heart. (of a
fermenting this chaos. Cf. foment. person) undergo physical and mental deteri-
[intrans.] (of a negative feeling or memory) oration in isolated inactivity: / might be fes-
fester and develop into something worse: it tering in jail now.
had been fermenting in my subconscious for a fes»tive 'festiv| • adj. of or relating to a fes-
|

while. ' n. ^ agitation and excitement among tival: parties are held and festive food is served.
a group of people, typically concerning ma- cheerful and jovially celebratory: the somber
jor change and leading to trouble or violence: atmosphere has given way to a festive mood.
Germany at this time was in a state of religious DERIVATIVES: fes»tive»ly adv. fes'tive*
ferment. ness n.
derivatives: fer»ment»a»ble Ifsr'men- fes»tOOn I
fes'toon I
• n. a chain or garland of
tabsl I
adj. fer*men«ta*tion n. flowers, leaves, or ribbons, hung in a curve as
fer*rous |
'ferssi • adj. (chiefly of metals) con- a decoration.
taining or consisting of iron. a carved or molded ornament representing
fer»rule 'feral] • n. a ring or cap, typically a
|
such a garland. • v. [trans.] (often be fes-

metal one, that strengthens the end of a han- tooned with) adorn (a place) with chains,
dle, stick, or tube and prevents it from split- garlands, or other decorations: the classroom
ting or wearing. was festooned with balloons and streamers.
a metal band strengthening or forming a fete fat; fet (also fete) . n. a celebration or
I |

joint. festival. A fete champetre is a rural, outdoor

fer*tile |
'fartl |
• adj. (of soil or land) produc- festival. A fete galante is a representation of
ing or capable of producing abundant vege- this in art. • v. [trans.] (usu. be feted) honor
tation or crops: fields along the fertile flood or entertain (someone) lavishly: she was an in-
plains of the river stant celebrity, feted by the media.
similarly productive in social, intellectual, fe«ti*cide 'feta,sid| • n. destruction or abor-
|

etc. fields: Germany in the 1920s and 30s was tion of a fetus.
fertile ground for such ideas. fet»id 'fetid (Brit, also foetid) . adj. smelling
I I

(of a seed or egg) capable of becoming a new extremely unpleasant: the fetid water of the
individual. (of a person, animal, or plant) marsh.
able to conceive young or produce seed: DERIVATIVES: fet'id'ly adv. fet'id'ness n.
Karen carefully calculated the period when she fet^ish 'fetiSH •I
an inanimate object wor- I

was most fertile. (of a person's mind or imag- shiped for its supposed magical powers or be-
ination) producing many new and inventive cause it is considered to be inhabited by a
ideas with ease. (of a situation or subject) spirit.
being fruitful and productive in generating a course of action towhich one has an exces-
new ideas: a series of fertile debates within the siveand irrational commitment: he had a fe-
social sciences. (in physics, of nuclear mate- tish for writing more opinions each year than
rial)able to become fissile by the capture of any other justice. a form of sexual desire in
neutrons. which gratification is linked to an abnormal
derivatives fer»tilM«ty jfar'tibtel n. : degree to a particular object, item of cloth-
fer*vent • adj. having or displaying
|
'fsrvant |
ing, part of the body, etc.: Victorian men devel-
a passionate intensity: a fervent disciple of tax oped fetishes focusing on feet, shoes, and boots.
reform. derivatives: fet-ishnsm |-,izam| n. fef
burning, hot, or glowing. ish'ist n. fetnsh'is'tic |
,feti'sHistik |
adj.
fetter 174 filament
feWer |
'fetarl • n. (usu. fetters) a chain or an arbitrary order: the appraisal dropped the
manacle used to restrain a prisoner, typically value from $75,000 to $15,000, rendering it
placed around the ankles: he lay bound with worthless by bureaucratic fiat.
fetters of iron. fi*bril*late 'fibra.latl . v. [intrans.] 1 (of a mus-
|

a restraint or check on someone's freedom to cle, esp. in the heart) make a quivering move-
do something, typically one considered un- ment due to uncoordinated contraction of in-
fair or overly restrictive: the fetters of discipline dividual small fibers (fibrils): the atria ceased
and caution. • v. [trans.] restrain with chains or to fibrillate when the temperature was reduced.
manacles, typically around the ankles: [as adj.] 2 (of a fiber) split up into smaller subdivisions
(fettered) a ragged and fettered prisoner. (fibrils).
(often be fettered) restrict or restrain [trans.] break (a fiber) into fibrils.
(someone) in an unfair or undesirable fash- derivatives: fi»bril»la»tion .fibra'la- |

ion: he was not fettered by tradition. SHsn I

Cf. defibrillator
n.
fet*tle 'fed • n. condition: the team is in fine
I I
fick*le 'fikal • adj. changing frequently, esp.
I I

fettle. as regards one's loyalties, interests, or affec-

fe*tUS 'feps I
nontechnical use) also I
(Brit, (in tion: Web users are a notoriously fickle lot, bounc-
foetus) • n. (pi. fetuses) an unborn or ing from one site to another on a whim the \

unhatched offspring of a mammal, in partic- weather at this time of year is fickle.

ular an unborn human baby more than eight derivatives: fick*le*ness n. fick»ly 'fik- |

weeks after conception. Cf. embryo. (3)le| adv.

feud fyood • «. a state of prolonged mutual
I I
fic*ti*tious fik'tiSHss • adj. not real or true,
I I

hostility, typically between two families or having been fabricated with the intent to de-
communities, characterized by murderous ceive: she pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of
assaults in revenge for a previous injuries: the taxpayer dollars by having a fictitious employee
incident rekindled a long-term feud between two on her payroll.
ethnic groups. of, relating to, or denoting the imaginary
a prolonged and bitter quarrel or dispute: characters and events found in fiction: the
one of the most volatile feuds that currently rock people in this novel are fictitious; the background
the scientific community. • v. [intrans.] take part of public events is not.
in such a quarrel or violent conflict: Hoover derivatives: fic»ti»tious»ly adv. fic»ti»
feuded with the CIA for decades. tious*ness n.
derivatives: feudist n. a person who fic*tive 'fiktivl • adj. creating or created by
I

takes part in a feud. imagination: the novel's fictive universe.

feu*dal |'fy<5odl| adj. according to, resem- » derivatives: fic»tive»ness n.
bling, or denoting the system of feudalism: f i»del»i*ty fs'debte • n. 1 faithfulness to a
1 |

feudal barons. person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by

absurdly outdated or old-fashioned: his views continuing loyalty and support: he sought only
are more than old-fashioned- they're positively — the strictest fidelity to justice.
feudal. sexual faithfulness to a spouse or partner.
DERI VAT V E s feu»dal»i»za»tion I :
|
.fyoodli the degree of exactness with which some-
'zasHanI n. feu'daWze |'fyoodl,izl v. feu* thing is copied or reproduced: the 1949 re-
daWy I
'fyoodl-e |
adv. cording provides reasonable fidelity.
feu*dal*ism 'fyoodl.izami • n. the dominant |
fl*du*ci*ar»y fa'dooSHe.ere; -SHsre • adj. (in |
|

social system in medieval Europe, in which legal matters) involving trust, esp. with regard
the nobility held lands from the Crown in ex- to the relationship between a trustee and a
change for military service, and vassals were beneficiary: the company has a fiduciary duty
in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peas- to shareholders.
ants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on (of a paper currency) depending for its value
their lord's land and give him homage, labor, on securities (as opposed to gold) or the rep-
and a share of the produce, notionally in ex- utation of the issuer. Cf. convertible. • n. (pi.

change for military protection. -ies) a trustee.

DERIVATIVES. feu*dal*ist n. feu»dalMS»tic fief |fef| . n. (also, fiefdom) 1 an estate of
I
.fyoodl'istikl adj. land, esp. one held on condition of feudal
fey fa • adj. giving an impression of vague service. 2 a person's sphere of operation or
I I

unworldliness: his mother was a strange, fey control.

woman. fifth COl»umn • n. a group within a country at
having supernatural powers of clairvoyance. war who are sympathetic to or working for its
fated to die or at the point of death: now he enemies.
is fey, he sees his own death, and I see it too. DERI VAT v E s I : fifth col«umn»ist n.
derivatives: fey»ly adv. fey»ness n. fig*ur«a»tive departing
|
'fig(y)3r3tiv| »adj. 1
fi*as»CO fe'aesko • n. (pi. -os) a thing that is
I
|
from a literal use of words; metaphorical:
a complete failure, esp. in a ludicrous or hu- gold, in the figurative language of the people, was
miliating way: the event, not carefully organized, "the tears wept by the sun." 2 (of an artist or
turned into a fiasco. work of art) representing forms that are rec-
fl»at 'feat; 'fe,at| * n. a formal authorization
I
ognizably derived from life.
or proposition; a decree: adopting a legislative derivatives: fig»ur»a»tive»ly adv. fig»ur»
review program, rather than trying to regulate by a»tive»ness n.
fiat. fll»a*ment 'fibmant | |
• «. a slender thread-
filet 175 fiscal
like object or fiber, esp. one found in animal of the finger: our aforesaid merchant filliped a
or plant structures: a filament of cellulose. nut sharply against his bullying giant.
a conducting wire or thread with a high melt- strike (someone or something) slightly and
ing point, forming part of an electric bulb and smartly: he filliped him over the nose. stimu-
heated or made incandescent by an electric late or urge (someone or something): pour,
current. that the draft may fillip my remembrance.
DERI VAT V E s fil»a»men»ta«ry ,fil3'men-
I :
|
fils I
fesused after a surname to distin-
I
• n.
tsre I
adj. fil»a«ment»ed adj. £il»a»men»tous guish a son from a father of the same name:
|-,ment3s| adj. Alexandre Dumas fils. Cf. pere.
fi*let |fi'la; Tilal • n. ^ French spelling of fil- fin*an*cier • n. |
.finan'sir; f3'naen,sir| a per-
let, used esp. in the names of French or son concerned with the management of large
French-sounding dishes: filet de boeuf. 2 a amounts of money on behalf of governments,
kind of net or lace with a square mesh. corporations, banks, or other large organiza-
fil«i*al I
'fileal; 'filyall . adj. of or due from a tions. . V. [intrans.] manage large amounts of
son or daughter: a display of filial affection. money.
DERI VAT V E s I : £il»i«al«ly adv. fin de Sie*cle ,faen da se'3kl(3) . adj. relat- |
|

fiH»bus*ter 'fib,b3St3r| »n. 1 an action

|
ing to or characteristic of the end of a cen-
such as a prolonged speech that obstructs tury, esp. the 1 9th century: fin-de-siecle art.
progress in a legislative assembly while not decadent: there was a fin-de-siecle air in the
technically contravening the required proce- club last night. • n. the end of a century, esp.
dures: the bill was defeated by a Senate filibus- the 1 9th century.
ter in June. 2 a person engaging in unautho- f i*nesse fa'nes * n. ^ intricate and refined
| \

rized warfare against a foreign country. • v. delicacy: orchestral playing of great finesse.
[intrans.] [often as n.] (filibustering) act in an artful subtlety, typically that needed for tact-
obstructive manner in a legislature, esp. by ful handling of a difficulty: action that calls for
speaking at inordinate length: several measures considerable finesse. subtle or delicate ma-
were killed by Republican filibustering. nipulation: a certain amount of finesse is

[trans.] obstruct (a measure) in such a way. required to fine-tune the sound system. 2 (in
fil*i»gree |Tib,gre| • n. ornamental work of bridge and whist) an attempt to win a trick
fine (typically gold or silver) wire formed into with a card that is not a certain winner. • v.
delicate tracery: [as adj.] silver filigree earrings. [trans.] 1 do (something) in a subtle and deli-

a thing resembling
work: a wedding cake of gold and white filigree.
DERI VAT V E s filigrccd adj.
I :
fiHet .n. 1 (also filet) |fi'la; 'fila| a fleshy
boneless piece of meat from near the loins or
the ribs of an animal: a chicken breast fillet
roast fillet of lamb.
(also filletSteak) a beef steak cut from the
lower part of a sirloin. a boned side of a fish.
such fine ornamental cate manner: his third shot, which he attempted
to finesse, failed.
slyly attempt to avoid blame or censure when
dealing with (a situation or action): the ad-
ministration's attempts to finesse its mishaps.
\
2 bridge and whist) play (a card that is not
(in
a certain winner) in the hope of winning a
trick with it: the declarer finesses fj.
f in»i»al 'fineal * n.a. distinctive section or or-
| \

2 'filit a band or ribbon worn around the

I I
nament at the apex of a roof, pinnacle, can-
head, esp. for binding the hair. opy, or similar structure in a building.
a narrow flat band separating two architec- an ornament at the top, end, or corner of an
tural moldings. a small band between the object: ornate curtain poles with decorative
flutes of a column. a plain or decorated line finials.
impressed on the cover of a book. a roller fl*nite I
'finitl • adj. 1 having limits or bounds:
used to impress such a line. 3 'filit a |

|
every computer has a finite amount of memory.
roughly triangular strip of material that not infinitely small: one's chance of winning
rounds off an interior angle between two sur- may be small, but it is finite. 2 (of a verb form)
faces: a splayed mortar fillet at the junction of the having a specific tense, number, and person.
roof with the chimney stack [as adj.] a fillet \
derivatives: fi*nite«ly adv. fi»nite»ness
weld. • V. I
fi'la; 'fila |
(filleted, fiUeting, also n. finitude n.
filet, fileted. fileting) [trans.] remove the flr»ma»ment |
'farmamanti . n. the heavens or
bones from (a fish). the sky, esp. when regarded as a tangible thing.
cut (fish or meat) into boneless strips. a sphere or world viewed as a collection of
DERI VAT V E s fiMefer I : n. people: one of the great stars in the American
fil*llp I
'fibpl . n. 1 something that acts as a golfing firmament.
stimulus or boost to an activity: the halving of derivatives: fir»ma»men»tal |
,farma
the title fees would provide a fillip to sales. 2 ar- 'mentl |
adj.
chaic a movement made by bending the last fis«cal I
'fiskal I
• adj. of or relating to govern-
joint of a finger against the thumb and sud- ment revenue, esp. taxes: monetary and fiscal
denly releasing it; a flick of the finger: the policy.
Prince, by a fillip, made some of the wine fly in of or relating to financial matters: the domes-
Oglethorpe's face. ticfiscal crisis. used to denote a 1 2-month
a slight smart stroke or tap given in such a accounting period that is not synchronous
way: she began to give him dainty fillips on the with the calendar year: the company's fiscal
nose with a soft forepaw. • v. (filliped, fillip- 1996 begins on Oct. 1, 1995.
ing) [trans.] propel (a small object) with a flick derivatives fis'caWy : |'fiskale| adv.
 |

fissile 176 flamboyant

fis*sile I
'fisal; 'fis,il |
• adj. (of an atom or el- DERIVATIVES: flac»cidn»ty | fl£e(k)'sid3te
ement) able to undergo nuclear fission: a fis- n.flac»cid»ly adv.
sile isotope. flack^ |fl£ek| » n. a publicity agent: a public
(chiefly of rock) easily split: flat-bedded and relations flack. • v. [trans.] publicize or pro-
very highly fissile shale. mote (something or someone): a crass
derivatives: fis»silM»ty |fi'sibte| n. ambulance-chaser who flacks himself in TV
fis*sion 'fisHan; 'fizHanI » n. the action of
I
commercials [intrans.] the local news media
\

dividing or splitting into two or more parts: shamelessly flack for the organizing committee.
the party dissolved into fission and acrimony. DERIVATIVES flack»er«y |-are| n. : .

(also nuclear fission) the splitting of an 1\ack^ • n. variant spelling of flak.

atomic nucleus into lighter atoms as a source flac*on 'flaekan; flae'koN • n. (pi. flacons pro-
I
|

of energy. Cf. fusion reproduction by nunc. same) a small stoppered bottle, esp. one
means of a cell or organism dividing into two for perfume. Cf. flagon
or more new cells or organisms. • v. [intrans.] flag*el*late 'flsja.lati . v. [trans.] flog (some-
|

(chiefly of atoms) undergo fission: these heavy one), either as a religious discipline or for sex-
nuclei can also fission. ual gratification. The medieval sects who
f it*f ul
'fitfal
I
• adj. active or occurring spas-
I
practiced this as a religious discipline were
modically or intermittently; not regular or called the Flagellants: heflagellated himself
steady: a few hours 'fitful sleep business was fit- \
with branches.
ful. derivatives: flag*el*la*tion .flaeja'la- |

DERI VAT V E s I : fit»ful»ly adv. fit«ful*ness n. SHanI n. flag»el«la»tor |-,lat3r! n. flag»el»

fix«a*tion |
fik'saSHsn • w. 1 an obsessive in-
|
la»to»ry fla'jeb.tore adj.
| |

terest in or feeling about someone or some- f la*gi*tiOUS fla'jiSHas • adj. (of a person or
|
|

thing: his fixation on the details of other peo- their actions) extremely wicked; criminal; vil-
ple's erotic lives \
our fixation with diet and lainous.
fitness. derivatives: fla»gi»tious»ly adv. fla»gi»
(in psychoanalysis) the arresting of part of tious*ness n.
the libido at an immature stage, causing an flag*on I'flaeganI • n. a large container in
obsessive attachment: fixation at the oral phase which drink is served, typically with a handle
might result in dependence on others a mater- \
and spout: there was a flagon of beer in his vast
nal fixation. 2 the action of making something fist.

firm or stable: sand dune fixation. the amount of

liquid held in such a con-
the process by which some plants and tainer. a similar container used to hold the
microorganisms combine chemically with at- wine for the Eucharist. a large bottle in
mospheric nitrogen to form stable com- which wine or cider is sold, typically holding
pounds that are available in soil as plant 1.13 liters (about 2 pints). Cf. flacon
nutrients: his work on nitrogen fixation in fla*grant 'flagrant • adj. (of something con-
|
|

plants. the process of preserving or stabiliz- sidered wrong or immoral) conspicuously or

ing (a specimen) with a chemical substance obviously offensive: his flagrant bad taste a \

prior to microscopic or other examination: bi- flagrant violation of the law.

opsy specimens were placed in cassettes before fix- derivatives: fla»gran»cy |-granse| n.
ation in formalin. fla»grant»ly adv.
flx»a*tive I'fiksativl . 1 a chemical sub- flair |fler| . n. 1 [in sing.] a special or instinc-
stance used to preserve or stabilize biological tive aptitude or ability for doing something
materia! prior to microscopic or other exam- well: she had a flair for languages none of us \

ination: an alcoholic fixative ten double drops |

had much artistic flair. 2 stylishness and orig-
offixative. inality: she dressed with flair.
a substance used to stabilize the volatile flak flaek (also flack) . n. antiaircraft fire.
I |

components of perfume. a liquid sprayed strong criticism: you must be strong enough to
on to a pastel or charcoal drawing to fix col- take the flak if things go wrong.
ors or prevent smudging. 2 a substance used flambe |flam'ba| . adj. 1 [postpositive] (of food)
to keep things in position or stick them to- covered with liquor and set alight briefly:
gether: the bird glues these thin twigs to a wall crepes flambe. 2 denoting or characterized by
using its own saliva as a fixative. • adj. (of a a red copper-based porcelain glaze with pur-
substance) used to fix or stabilize some- ple streaks. • v. (flambes, flambeed flam |

thing. 'bad , flambeing) [trans.] cover (food) with

I

fjord Ife'ord; fy6rd| (also fiord) . n. a long, and

liquor set it alight briefly.
narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high flam*beau |
'flaem.bo |
. n. (pi. flambeaus or
cliffs, as in Norway, typically formed by sub- flambeaux |-,boz|) a flaming torch, esp.
mergence of a glaciated valley. one made of several thick wicks dipped in
flac*cid I
'flae(k)s9d |
. adj. (of part of the wax.
body) soft and hanging loosely or limply, esp. a large candlestick with several branches.
so as to look or feel unpleasant: she took his flam*boy*ant |flaem'boiant| . adf 1 (of a per-
flaccid hand in hers. son or personal behavior) tending to attract
(ofplant tissue) drooping or inelastic attention because of exuberance, confidence,
through lack of water. lacking force or ef- and stylishness: a flamboyant display of aero-
fectiveness: the flaccid leadership of the cam- batics she is outgoing and flamboyant, contin-
I

paign was causing concern. uously talking and joking.

 .

flammable 177 florid

(esp. of clotJiing) noticeable because brightly a soft warm fabric with a texture similar to
colored, highly patterned, or unusual in style. sheep's wool, used as a lining material. a
2 of or denoting a st\'le of French Gothic ar- jacket or other garment made from such a
chitecture marked by wavy flamelike tracery fabric. Heraldry a representation of a fleece
and ornate decoration. suspended from a ring. . v. [trans ] 1 obtain a
derivatives: flam»boy»ance n. flam* great deal of money from (someone), typi-
boy»an»cy - boisnse |
n. flam»boy»ant»ly cally by overcharging or swindling them:
adv. authorities say he fleeced well-to-do acquain-
f lam*ma»ble i
'flsemabal I
• adj. easily set on tances. 2 cover as if with a fleece: the sky was
fire: the use of highly flammable materials. Cf. half blue, halffleeced with white clouds.
INFL-WIMABLE. D E R I V AT I V e s fleeced adj. :

derivatives: flam»ma«bil»i»ty i
.flaems f lesh*ly 'fleSHle . adj.
I
(fleshlier, fleshli- !

'bibte! n. est) 1 of or relating to human desire or bod-

flap*per i
'flsepari . n. (in the 1920s) a fash- ily appetites; sensual: fleshly pleasures. 2 hav-
ionable young woman intent on enjoving her- ing an actual physical presence.
self and flouting conventional standards of fleshly 'fleSHe . adj. (fleshier, fleshiest)
I

behaWor. 1 (of a person or part of the body) ha\dng a

flat»U*lent rflaeCHabntI » adj. suffering from substantial amount of flesh; plump: her torso
or marked by an accumulation of gas in the was full, fleshy, and heavy.
alimentary canal: treat flatulent cozes with (of plant or fruit tissue) soft and thick: fleshy,
caustic soda. gree?ty-gray leaves. (of a wine) full-bodied.
related to or causing this condition: the flat- 2 resembling flesh in appearance or texture.
ulent effect of beans. inflated or pretentious DERIVATIVES fleshn»ness : |-enisi n.
in speech or writing: the days of flatident ora- flim*flam |
'flim,flaem| nonsensical or in-
• ft.

tory are gone. sincere talk: / suppose that you suspect me of

derivatives: flat»u»lence n. flat»u»len» pseudointellectual flimflam.
cy n. flat»u»lent»ly adv. a confidence game: flimflams perpetrated
fla*tUS 'flaps • n. gas in or from the stom-
!
; agai?ist usby our elected officials. • v. (flim-
ach or intestines, produced by swallowing air flammed, flimflamming) [trans] swindle
or by bacterial fermentation. (someone) with or as wixh a confidence
flaunt flont; flant • v. [trans.] display (some-
! 1
game: the tribe was flimflammed out of its land.
thing) ostentatiously, esp. in order to pro- derivatives: £lim«flam»mer n. flim*
voke envy or admiration or to show defi- flam»mer»y -.flsemare ' n.

ance: nezvly rich consumers eager to flaunt their flint*y 'flinte: *adf (flintier, flintiest) of,
prosperity. containing, or reminiscent of flint: flinty soil.
(flaunt oneself) dress or behave in a sexu- (of a person or their expression) very hard
ally provocative way. and unyielding: a flinty stare.
derivatives: flaunt«er n. flaunt»y adj. D E r I \' A T I V E s flint«i»ly flintl-e adv. : ! '
|

flint«i»ness -tenis n.
usage: Flaunt and flout may sound sim- j
i

have meanings. flip»pant 'flipant (also flip) . adj. not show-

ilar but they different j |

ing a serious or respectful attitude: a flippant

Flaunt means 'display ostentatiously,' as in
remark.
visitors tvho liked to flaunt their zvealth, while
flout means 'openly disregard (a rule or con-
derivatives: flip»pan«cy I'flipansej n.

flip»pant»ly adv.
vention),' as in netv recruits gro-wing their hair
fl0C*CU*lent 'flaky^abntl 'adj. having or
and flouting convention. i

resembling tufts of wool: the first snows of win-

fledge flej |
• ^'. 1 [intrans.] (of ayoimg bird) ter lay thick and flocculent.
develop wing feathers that are large enough having a loosely clumped texture: a brown
for flight. flocculent precipitate.
[trans.] bring up (a young bird) until its wing derivatives: floc«cu«lence n.

feathers are developed enough for flight. floe !

flo I
(also ice floe) • n. a sheet of float-
[as adj.] (fledged) ha\-ing developed feathers ing ice: seated on a floe [as adj.] floe ice. |

sufficient for flight. flO*ra I

'flora n. (pi. floras or florae
I
. 'flor.e; i

(fully fledged) fully trained and properly 'fl6r,i j

) the plants of a particular region, hab-
qualified. 2 [trans.] pro\ide (an arrow) with itat, or geological period: the desert flora give
feathers. way to oak woodlatids \
the river's flora and
fledgeling rflejlixGi (also fledgeling) ^n. a fauna have been inventoried and protected. Cf
young bird that has just fledged. FAUNA.
[usu. as adj.] a person or organization that is a treatise on or list of such plant life.
immature, inexperienced, or underdevel- flor»id 'florid; 'flarid
'
. adf 1 having a red |

oped: the fledgling democracies of eastern or flushed complexion: a stout man with a
Europe. 2 elaborately or excessively intri-
florid face.
fleece fles » n. ^ the woolly covering of a
! \
cate or complicated: florid operatic-stymie music
sheep or goat: as the sheep came on board, we was out.
grabbed their long shaggy fleeces. (of language) using unusual words or com-
the amount of wool cut (shorn) from a sheep plicated rhetorical constructions: the florid
in a single piece at one time. 2 a thing resem- prose of the nineteenth century. 3 (of a disease
bling a sheep's woolly covering, in particular: or its m.anifestations) occurring in a fully
florilegium 178 fluorescent
developed form: florid symptoms of psychiatric writing or scrollwork: spiky gothic letters with
disorder. an emphatic flourish beneath them. 2 a fanfare
derivatives: flo»ridn»ty Ifla'ridatel n. played by brass instruments: a flourish of
flor»id«ly adv. flor»id«ness n. trumpets.
flO*rHe*gi*um |
.flore'lejesmi »n. (pt. flori- an ornate musical passage. an improvised
legia l-'lejeal or florilegiums) a collection addition played esp. at the beginning or end
of literary extracts; an anthology. of a composition.
flonu'lt 'fldrawatl (abbr.: fl. or flor.) * v.
I
DERI VAT I v E s flour«ish»er n. :

used in conjunction with a specified period or flout flowt • V. [trans.] openly disregard (a
I I

set of dates to indicate when a particular his- rule, law or convention): these same companies
torical figure lived, worked, or was most ac- still flout basic ethical practices.
tive. • n. such a period: they place Meander's mock;
[intrans.] scoff: the women pointed and
floruit in the middle of the2nd century BC. flouted at her.
flot*sam 'flatsam • n. the wreckage of a ship
I
|

USAGE: Flout and flaunt do not have the

or its cargo found floating on or washed up same meaning: see usage at flaunt.
by the sea. Cf. jetsam.
people or things that have been rejected and fluc«tu»ate I
'fl3kcH3,wat| 'V. [intrans.] rise
are regarded as worthless: the room was cleared and fall irregularly in number or amount:
of boxes and other flotsam. trade with other countries tends to fluctuate from
phrases: flotsam and jetsam useless or year to year \
[as adj.] (fluctuating) a fluctu-
discarded objects, ating level of demand.
flounce' flowns »v. go or move in an exag-
I
|
DERI VAT I v E s fluc»tu»a»tion :
|
.flakcHs' wa-
geratedly impatient or angry manner: he stood SHsni n.
up in a fury and flounced out. flu*ent 'flooant • adj. (of a person) able to
I
|

move with exaggerated motions: she flounced express oneself easily and articulately: a flu-
around, playing the tart and flirting. • n. fin ent speaker and writer on technical subjects.
sing.] an exaggerated action, typically in- (of a person) able to speak or write a partic-
tended to express one's annoyance or impa- ular foreign language easily and accurately:
tience: she left the room with a flounce. she became fluent in French and German.
flounce^ • n. a wide ornamental strip of ma- (of a foreign language) spoken accurately
terial gathered and sewn to a piece of fabric, and with facility: he spoke fluent Spanish. (of
typically on a skirt or dress; a frill. • v. [as adj.] speech, language, movement, or style)
(flounced) trimmed with a flounce or smoothly graceful and easy: his style of play
flounces: a flounced skirt. was fast and fluent. able to flow freely; fluid:
derivatives: flounc'y |'flownse| adj. a fluent discharge from the nose.
floun»der 'flowndsri • v. [intrans.] struggle or
|
derivatives: flu»en*cy n. flu«enfly adv.
stagger helplessly or clumsily in water or flume floom • w. a deep narrow channel or
i I

mud: he was floundering about in the shal- ravine with a stream running through it.
low offshore waters. an artificial channel conveying water, typi-
struggle mentally; show or feel great confu- cally used for transporting logs or timber. a
sion: she floundered, not knowing quite what to water chute ride at an amusement park.
say. be in serious difficulty: many firms are flum*mer*y |
'flamare |
. n. (pi. -ies) 1 empty
floundering. compliments; nonsense: she hated the flum-
DERI VAT v E s floun»der«er
I : n. mery of public relations. 2 a sweet dish, typi-
cally made with beaten eggs, sugar, and fla-
usage: See usage at founder.
vorings.
flOUr*ish 'flarisH ^v.^ [intrans.] (of a person,
I
\
flum«mox 'flamaks • v. [trans.] (usu. be
I
|

animal, or other living organism) grow or de- flummoxed) perplex (someone) greatly; be-
velop in a healthy or vigorous way, esp. as the wilder: he was completely flummoxed by the
result of a supportive environment: wild question.
plants flourish by the lake. flun*ky 'flaNGke (also flunkey) . n. (pi -ies
I |

develop rapidly and successfully: the organi- or -eys) a person who performs relatively
zation has continued to flourish. [with adver- menial tasks for someone else, esp. obsequi-
bial] (of a person) be working or at the height ously.
of one's career during a specified period: the derivatives flun»ky«ism |-,izam| n. :

caricaturist and wit who flourished in the early fluones»cence |floo(a)'resans; flor'esansi
years of the 20th century. 2 [trans.] (of a person) • the visible or invisible radiation produced
n.
wave (something) around to attract the atten- from certain substances as a result of incident
tion of others: "Happy New Year!" he yelled, radiation of a shorter wavelength such as X-
flourishing a bottle.• 1 a bold or extrava- rays or ultraviolet light.
gant gesture or action, made esp. to attract the property of absorbing light of short
the attention of others: with a flourish, she wavelength and emitting light of longer wave-
ushered them inside. length.
an instance of suddenly performing or devel- derivatives: fluo»resce v.

oping in an impressively successful way: the fluo»res»cent |

,fl(50(a)'resant; fl6r'esant|
Bulldogs produced a late second-half flourish. • substance) having or showing flu-
adj. (of a
an elaborate rhetorical or literary expres- orescence: a fluorescent dye.
sion. an ornamental flowing curve in hand- containing a fluorescent tube, which radiates
fluting 179 foreboding
when phosphor on its inside
light surface is necessary person or thing on: don't let anyone
made to flouresce by ultraviolet radiation foist inferior goods on you.
from mercury vapor: fluorescent lighting. Cf. someone/something into) intro-
(foist
INCANDESCENT. vividly colorful: a fluorescent duce someone or something surreptitiously
T-shirt. • n. z fluorescent tube or lamp. or unwarrantably into: he attempted to foist a
flut*ing flootiNG . n. (in architcture and de-
I I
new delegate into the conference.
sign) a groove or set of grooves forming a sur- io*\\*3Xe * adj. I
'foleat; -,at| decorated with
face decoration: a hollow stem with verticalflut- leaves or leaflike motifs: foliate scrolls. • v.
ings pieces decorated with fluting.
I 1
'fole.at I
[trans.] 1 decorate with leaves or
flu*vi*ai 'flooveal . adj. of or found in a ri-
I I
leaflike motifs: the dome is to be foliated.
ver. Cf. RIPARIAN 2 number the leaves of (a book) rather than
flux flaks • w. 1 the action or process of flow-
I I
the pages.
ing or flowing out: the flux of people entering fo*li*0 I
'fole,o I
• n. (pi. -os) an individual leaf
and leaving the theater. of paper or parchment, numbered on the
an abnormal discharge of blood or other recto or front side only, occurring either loose
matter from or within the body. (usu. the as one of a series or forming part of a bound
flux) diarrhea or dysentery. 2 continuous volume.
change: the whole political system is in a state the leaf number or page number in a printed
of flux. 3 (in physics) the rate of flow of a book. a sheet of paper folded once to form
fluid, radiant energy, or particles striking an two leaves (four pages) of a book. a size of
area. book made up of such sheets: copies in folio.
the amount of radiation or particles striking a book or manuscript made up of sheets of
on an area in a given time. the total electric paper folded in such a way; a volume of the
or magnetic field passing through a surface. largest standard size: old vellum-bound folios \

4 a substance mixed with a solid to lower its [as adj.] a folio volume.
melting point, used esp. in soldering and fo»ment rfo,ment; fo'ment| » v. [trans.] insti-
brazing metals or to promote vitrification in gate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sen-
glass or ceramics. timent or course of action): they accused him
a substance added to a furnace during metal offomenting political unrest.
smelting or glassmaking that combines with DERI VAT I V E s fo»ment»er n. :

impurities to form slag. • v. [trans.] treat (a foOt*print 'foot, print • n. (in figurative use)
|
|

metal object) with a flux to promote melting. the area covered by something, in particular:
fo*gey 'foge (also fogy) • n. (pi. -eys or
| |
the area in which a broadcast signal from a
-ies) a person, typically an old one, who is particular source can be received. the space
considered to be old-fashioned or conserva- taken up on a surface by a piece of computer
tive in attitude or tastes: a bunch of old hardware. the area beneath an aircraft or a
fogeys. land vehicle that is affected by its noise or
derivatives: fo»gey»dom |-d3m| n. fo» weight. the area taken up by the ground
gey»ish adj. fo»gey»ism |
,-iz3m |
n. level of a building.
foi*ble 'foibal • n. A 2l minor weakness or
I I
for*ay 'f6r,a; 'far,ai . n. a sudden attack or
|

eccentricity in someone's character: they incursion, esp. into enemy territory, to obtain
have to tolerate each other's little foibles. 2 the something; a raid: the garrison made a foray
weaker part of a fencing sword blade, from against Richard's camp \
he made anotherforay
the middle to the point. Compare with to the bar.
FORTE 1, sense 2. an attempt to become involved in a new ac-
foi*deur frwa'dsr • n. coolness or reserve
|
I
tivityor sphere: my firstforay into journalism.
between people. • V. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] make or go

foi|i I
foil I
• V. [trans.] prevent (something con- on a foray: the place into which they were forbid-
sidered wrong or undesirable) from succeed- den to foray.
ing: a brave policewoman foiled the robbery. DERIVATIVES: for»ay er n.

frustrate the efforts or plans of: Errol Flynn is for*bear«ance for'berans; far- . n. patient
|
1

a dashing Mountie foiling Nazi agents. self-control; restraint and tolerance: for-
foi|2 . n. 1 metal hammered or rolled into a bearance from taking action.
thin flexible sheet, used chiefly for covering the action of refraining (forbearing) from
or wrapping food: aluminum foil. 2 a person exercising a legal right, esp. enforcing the
or thing that contrasts with and so empha- payment of a debt.
sizes and enhances the qualities of another: for»Ci«ble 'forssbal • adj. done by force:
|
I

the earthy taste of grilled vegetables is a perfect signs offorcible entry.

foil for the tart bite of creamy goat cheese, vigorous and strong; forceful: they could only
a thin leaf of metal placed under a precious be deterred by forcible appeals.
stone to increase its brilliance. derivatives: for»ci»bly |-ble| adv.
foil^ . n. a light fencing sword without cutting fore*bod*ing for'bodiNC • n. fearful appre-
| |

edges and with a blunt point. hension; a feeling that something bad will
the sport of fencing with a foil: in epee and happen: with a sense of foreboding she read the
foil, hits must be made with the point. note. . adj. implying or seeming to imply that
DERI VAT I V E s foil'ist -ist n. :
I
j
something bad is going to happen: when the
foist foist • v.
I
[trans ] (foist someone/ I
doctor spoke, his voice was dark and foreboding.
something on) impose an unwelcome or un- DERI VAT I v E s fore»bodnng»ly adv. :
 |

forecastle 180 forthwith

fore«cas»tle I'foksal; 'f6r,kaes3l| (also the theater) a symbolic and stylized manner
fo'c's'le) the forward part of a ship
• n. of production. the treatment of mathemat-
below the deck, traditionally used as the ics as a manipulation of meaningless sym-
crew's living quarters. bols.2 a description of something in formal
a raised deck at the front of a ship. mathematical or logical terms.
fO»ren*siC Ifa'renzik; -sik| * adj. of, relating derivatives: for»maHst n. for»maHs*
to, or denoting the application of scientific tic |-'listik| adj.
methods and techniques to the investigation for«mal*i»ty |f6r'mslate| (pi. -ies) the
of crime: a forensic psychologist forensic ev- |
rigid observance of rules of convention or et-
idence. iquette: the formality of his social background
of or relating to courts of law. • n. (foren- inhibited him.
sics) scientific tests or techniques used in stiffiiess of behavior or style: with disconcert-
connection with the detection of crime. ing formality the brothers shook hands. (usu.
derivatives: fo«ren»si»caWy |-(3)le| adv. formalities) a thing that is done simply to
fore*Short*en for'sHortn . v. [trans.] portray
| |
comply with requirements of etiquette, regu-
or show (anobject or view) as closer than it lations, or custom: legal formalities. Cf. proto-
is or as having less depth or distance, as an ef- col (a formality) something that is done
fect of perspective or the angle of vision: seen as a matter of course and without question;
from the road, the mountain is greatly foreshort- an inevitability: her saying no was just a formal-
ened. ity, and both of them knew it.

prematurely or dramatically shorten or re- for»mi*ca»tion ,f6rmi'kasHan| »n. a sensa- |

duce (something) in time or scale: [as adj.] tion like insects crawling over the skin.
(foreshortened) foreshortened careers. for*mi*da«ble 'formadabal; for'midabal: far |

fore*Skin i'f6r,skin| . n. the retractable roll 'mid- • adj. inspiring fear or respect through
1

of skin covering the end of the (uncircum- being impressively large, powerful, intense, or
cised) penis. Also called prepuce. capable: a formidable opponent.
fore*WOrd |
'for, ward |
' n. a short introduc- derivatives: for»mi»da»ble»ness n. for*
tion to a book, typically by a person other mi»da»bly |-able| adv.
than the author. Cf. preface. for*mu*la»ic ,f6rmya'laik| »adj. constitut- |

forfeit I
'forfitl 'V. (forfeited, forfeiting ing or containing a verbal formula or set form
I'forfitiNGi) [trans.] lose or be deprived of of words: a formulaic greeting.
(property or a right or privilege) as a penalty produced in accordance with a slavishly fol -
for wrongdoing: those unable to meet their taxes lowed rule or style; predictable: much roman-
were liable to forfeit their property. Cf. waive, tic fiction is stylized, formulaic, and unrealistic.
CONFISCATE. derivatives: for»mu»lan«caWy |

'
(a)le
lose or give up (something) as a necessary adv.
consequence of something else: she didn't for«ni*cate 'f6rni,kat| . V. [intrans.] have sex-
|

mind forfeiting an extra hour in bed to get up and ual intercourse with someone one is not mar-
clean the stables. • n. a fine or penalty for ried to.
wrongdoing or for a breach of the rules in a derivatives: for»ni»ca»tion |
,f6rni'ka-
club or game. The loss of a game owing to SHan| n. for«ni»ca»tor |-,katar| n.
breach of the rules, failure to field a team, or foreswear |f6r'swer| *v. (past forswore
the like. |-'sw6r| ; past part, forsworn 'sworn |) [trans.]
|

an item of property or a right or privilege lost agree to give up or do without (something):

as a legal penalty. the action of forfeiting he would never forswear the religion of his people.
something. • adj. [predic] lost or surrendered (forswear oneselfTbe forsworn) swear
as a penalty for wrongdoing or neglect: the falsely: / swore that I would lead us safely home
lands he had acquired were automatically forfeit. and I do not mean to be forsworn.
DERI VAT I v E s for»feit»a»ble 'forfsdsbsl
: |
|
for*tei I
'f6r,ta; f6rt| . n. 1 [in sing.] a thing at
adj. for»feit»er I'forfitarl n. for»fei»ture which someone was not his excels: small talk
I
'forfaCHar I
n. forte. 2 the stronger part of a fencing sword
for»ger»y 'forjare . n. (pi. -ies) the action of
|
|
blade, from the hilt to the middle. Compare
producing a copy of a document, signature, with foible.
banknote, or work of art with the intention of for»te2 'f6r,ta • adv.
I
ad], (in music, esp. as
I
&
profiting by presenting it as genuine. Cf. a direction) loud or loudly. • n. a passage per-
COUNTERFEIT formed or marked to be performed loudly.
a document, signature, banknote, or work of forth»com«ing forrH'kamiNO; 'forra.kam- |

art produced in this way. iNG . adj. 1 planned for or about to happen
i

derivatives: forge v. forg»er n. in the near future: the forthcoming Broadway

for*mahism |
'forma, lizam| • n. 1 excessive season. 2 [predic] [often with negative] (of some-
adherence to prescribed forms: academic dry- thing required) ready or made available when
ness and formalism. wanted or needed: financial support was not
the use of forms of worship without regard forthcoming.
to inner significance. the basing of ethics on (of a person) willing to divulge information:
the form of the moral law without regard to their daughter had never been forthcoming about
intention or consequences. concern or ex- her time in Europe.
cessive concern with form and technique DERI VAT v E s forth»com»ing»ness n.
I :

rather than content in artistic creation. (in forth*with |

forrH'wixH |
. adv. (esp. in official
fortitude 181 fraudulent
use) immediately; without delay: we under- tion granted by a government or company to
take to pay forthwith the money required. an individual or group enabling them to carry
for»ti*tude forts, tood . n. courage in pain
|
'
| out specified commercial activities, for exam-
or adversity: she endured her illness with great ple, providing a broadcasting service or act-
fortitude. ing as a dealer in a company's products.
for«tU»i*tOUS for'toosps . adj. happening
I I
a business or service given such authoriza-
by accident or chance rather than design: the tion to operate. an authorization, given by
similarity between the paintings may not be sim- a league, to own a sports team. a profes-
ply fortuitous. sional sports team. (also franchise player)
happening by a lucky chance; fortunate: from a star player on a team, usually regarded as
a cash standpoint, the company's timing is fortu- the most important. 2 (usu. the franchise)
itous. See usage below. the right to vote.
DERI VAT IVES: for»tu»i»tous«ly adv. for»tu» the rights of citizenship. . v. [trans.] grant a
i*tous*ness n. franchise to (an individual or group).
grant a franchise for the sale of (goods) or
usage: Theetymological traditional,
meaning of fortuitous 'happening by is
the operation of (a service): all the catering was
chance': a fortuitous meeting is a chance franchised out. Cf. enfranchise
meeting, which might turn out to be either a derivatives: fran»chis»a»ble adj. fran*

good thing or a bad thing. In modern uses,

chis»a»bil«i»ty fran«chi»see ,fraEn,CHi n. |

however, fortuitous tends to be often used 'ze| n. fran»chis»er (also fran»chi*sor) n.

to refer only to fortunate outcomes, and the
Fran»cis*can |
fraen'siskan |
• «. a friar, sister,

word is regarded by many as a synonym for or lay member of a Christian religious order,
'lucky' or 'fortunate.'
originally mendicant, founded in 1209 by St.
Francis of Assisi or based on its rule, and
found»er . v. [no obj., with adverbial] (of a ship) noted for its preachers, teachers, and mis-
with water and sink: six drowned when the
fill sionaries. • adj. of, relating to, or denoting
yacht foundered off the Florida coast. St. Francis or the Franciscans.
(of a plan or undertaking) fail or break fran*co*phone 'fraeNGka,fon (also Fran- | I

down, typically as a result of a particular cophone) • adj. French-speaking: a summit

problem or setback: the talks foundered on offrancophone countries Ontario's francophone \

the issue of reform. (of a horse or its rider) minority. • n. a person who speaks French.
stumble or fall from exhaustion, lameness, or fran*gi*ble 'fraenjabal . adj. able to be bro-
| I

because of uneven or boggy ground. ken; fragile; brittle.

usage: It is easy to confuse the words
frap'pe frae'pa • adj. [postpositive] (of a drink)
|
|

iced or chilled: a crime de menthe frappe. • n.

founder and flounder, not only because
a drink served with ice or frozen to a slushy
they sound similar but also because the con-
consistency.
texts in which they are used tend to overlap.
(usu. frappe) frasp (chiefly in New Eng-
Founder means, in its general and extended | |

land) a milkshake, esp. one made with ice

use, 'fail come to nothing; sink out of
or
sight' as in the plan foundered because of lack
cream.
frat»er*nize 'frastar,mz • v. [intrans.] associ-
of organizational backing. Flounder, on the |
|

ate or form a friendship with someone, esp.

other hand, means 'struggle; move clumsily;
be in a state of confusion,' as in new recruits
when one is not supposed to: fraternizing with
the enemy.
floundering in their first week.
DERI VAT I V E s frat»er»niz«er n. frat»er«ni»
:

foundHing |'fowndliNG| »n. an infant that za'tion .frsetarni'zaSHan n.

|
|

has been abandoned by its parents and is dis- frat»rl*cide 'frastra,sid| »n. the killing of
|

covered and cared for by odiers. Cf. change- one's brother or sister. The killing of one's sis-
ling ter is, less commonly, also called sororicide.
foy»er 'foiar; 'foi,a| • n. an entrance hall or
|
a person who kills his or her brother or sis-
other open area in a building used by the ter, "the accidental killing of one's own
public, esp. a hotel or theater. forces in war.
an entrance h^W in a house or apartment. DERI VAT I V E s frat«ri»cid»al adj. :

fra*cas 'frakas; 'fraek- . n. (pi. fracases) a

|
1 fraud frod . n. wrongful or criminal decep-
I I

noisy disturbance or quarrel. tion intended to result in financial or per-

frac*tious 'fraekSHas • adj. easily irritated;
| |
sonal gain: he was convicted offraud\ prosecu-
bad-tempered: they fight and squabble like frac- tions for social security frauds.
tious children. person or thing intended to deceive others,
a
(of an organization) difficult to control; un- by unjustifiably claiming or being
typically
ruly: the fractious coalition of populists. credited with accomplishments or qualities:
derivatives: frac»tious»ly adv. frac* mediums exposed as tricksters and frauds.
tious*ness n. fraud»U»lent 'frojalant • adf obtained,
|
|

fraihty 'fralte . n. (pi. -ies) the condition of

|
I
done by, or involving deception, esp. criminal
being weak and delicate: the increasing frailty deception: fraudulent copying of the company's
of old age. software.
weakness in character or morals: all drama unjustifiably claiming or being credited with
begins with human frailty. particular accomplishments or qualities: he
fran*chise |
'fraen,CHiz| • «. 1 an authoriza- unmasked fraudulent psychics.
fraught 182 frieze
1) I K I VA I I V ! s : fraud»u»Icncc //. fraud'u* system and institutions of the breemasoiis, a
lent'ly mhi worldwide secret society of iiien dedicated to
fraught adj. 1 |prodic.| (frauf^ht with)
|f"rot( » mutual support and the promotion of l^rolti-
(of a situationor course of action) fillctl with erly love. 2 instinctive sympathy or fellow
or destined to result in (somethini^ undesira- feeling between people with something in
ble): markcfirifiany ticiv produa is fraught ruiih common: the unshcduihle freemasonry of actors
danifcr.2 causing or alTectcd by great anxiety a crisis.
in
or stress: a fraught silence she sounded a hit \
fre»net»lc |fro'nelik| ' adj. fast and energetic
frauj^'ht. 111 a wild and uncontrolled way: a frenetic pace

freak |frek| • «. 1 a very unusual and unex- 0/ actnnty.

pected event or situation: the accident zuas a to- Dl'KlVAll Vlis: fre»nefi»cal»ly |
ik(.-))le|

tal freak I
|as adj.| </ /rc(/A' .s7(;rw. (uh>.
(also freak of nature) a person, animal, or fre»quen»ta»tlve lre'kwentotiv| 'adj. (of a |

plant with an unusual physical abnormality verb or verbal form) expressing frequent rep-
a person regarded as strange because of un- etition or intensity of action. • w. a verb or

usual appearance or behavior. (with adj.] a verbal form of this type, e.g., chatter in ling-
person who is obsessed with or unusually en- lish.
thusiastic about a specified interest: a fitness fres'CO I'freskol • «. (pi. -oes or -os) a
freah. |usu. with ad).| a person addicted to a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet
drug of a particular kind: the twins were co- plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors
caine freaks. an uncotiveniional person, esp. penetrate the plaster and become flxeti as it
a hippie: a community of late-sixties freaks. 2 a dries.
sudden arbitrary change ofmind; a whim: fol- this method of |\iinting, used esp. in Roman
l()7v this way or that, as the freak takes you. • 71. limes and by the masters of the Italian Ren-
1 behave in a wild anil irra-
|intrans.| react or aissance. • ti (trans ]
|)aini in f resco: four scenes
because of the effects of
tional way, typically h(ui been frescoed on the loall \
(as ad).] frescoed
extreme emotion, mental illness, or drugs: / ceilings.
could have freaked out and started smashing fresh'et |'fresnot| . «. the flooil of a river
the place up. from heavy rain or melted snow.
[trans in such a way: he freaks
] cause to act a rush of fresh water flowing into the sea.
guest stars out onshow day. 2 (trans fleck or |
Freud»l»an 'froide.in • relaling to or |

streak randomly: the while pink and the pansy lulliienceil by Sigmund I-'reud ami his meth-
freaked ruith jet. ods of psychoanalysis, esp. wilh reference to
free»base rfre,bas| (also freebase co- the importance of sexuality in human be-
caine) • n. cocaitie that has been converted havior.
from its salt to base form by heating with its susceptible to analysis in terms of uncon-
ether or boiling with sodium bicarbonate, scious desires: he wasn sure 7vhether his pas- 't

taken by inhaling the fumes or smoking the sion for water power had some deep Freudian .sig-
residue. • v. (trans, prepare or take (cocaine) j
nificance. • n. a follower of I-'reud or his
in such a way. methods.
free*bOOt»er |
'fVe.boolor |
. n. a pirate or law- Di' KiVA ivi's: I'rcud»i»an»ism
1 -,ni/,.-»m| //. |

less adventurer. fri»a«ble 'frinb.il .(/J/, easily crumbled: ///c

|

Di'KiVA I ivi:s: free«boot |

'l'rC,b(")ol |
71. soil was friable hetrveen her fingers.
free*hold |
'f're,h()ld |
• n. permanent and ab- Di' KiVA rivi' S: fri»a»bil»i»ty ,frlo'bil.-)ie n. |
|

solute tenure of land or property with free- fri«a»ble»ness n.

dom to dispose of it at will. Often contrasted frl»ar |'frl.ir| • //. a member of any of certain
with leasehold, tenure under the terms of a religious orders of men, esp. the four origi-
lease. nally mendicant Roman (Catholic orders
(the freehold) the ownership of a piece of (Augustiniaiis, ( larmelites, I )omii)icans, and
land or property by such tenure. a piece of I'Vanciscans).
land or properly held by such tenure. • adj. frlc»a«tive |'frik.itiv| ^ ad/, denoting a type of

held by or having the status of freehokl. consonant made by the friction of brealh in a
Di'.KiVA frce«hold»er //. i ivi:s: narrow opening, producing a turbulent air
free mar«ket n. an economic system in • flow. • n. a consonant made in this way, e.g.,
which prices are determined by unrestricted fi\m\ th. ( A. iM.osivi'
competition between privately ownetl busi- fric'tion 'friksH.-)!! . //. the resistance that
I I

nesses. OIK- surface or ob)ecl encounters when mov

I) VA
!•: v S free mar»ket»eer (also free-
i< I I I I' : ing over another: a lubrication system that
mar«ket»eer) //. reduces frictioti.

ii'.A'.i : 'I'lic free t»iarket i>. often '.pollen one surface or object rubbing
the action of
(.1 :r 'Im '
'

ln,i,i ill- . II' . r, .>l ;-iv. iiiiii' iil .n

another: the friction of braking.
agaiiu;l con-
Ml r. IM M IMll.lll.MI-, fJit or animosity caused by a clash of wills,
t
II. .11 I. |„ I. |, | , 1,1- llv

;il I' I
I il I
|i I
I I
111! t
I il MM .1 1 , ,ih ,|i l|( >l 1 I 'CVV
lemperamenls, or opinions: frictutn he-
I

f; . i M , '..mmI.I, Imi 11, r,,|,, txvevn /atlicr and son.

aw;iy vviili l.iw, n > ii > 1 1 iii)' < < i| .\ i ij-l 1 1 mi
I VA
) v KS fric'tioirless ad/.
I' i< I I I :

tr;i<liin;iih,.
frieze |fre/,| • //. a broacf lion/ontal band of
s( nipicd or painted deioration, esj). on a wall

Free»ma»son»ry |
'frc-'masonre |
• //. 1 the near the eilin^'.. (
 .

frigid 183 fulminate

a horizontal paper strip mounted on
a wall which a plan or project
is realized: the plans
to give a similar effect. the part of an entab- have come to fruition sooner thati expected.
lature betu'een the architrave and the cor- [in sing.]the realization of a plan or project:
nice. the fruition of years of research. 2 the state or
frig*id |
'frijidi • adj. very cold in temperature: action of producing fruit.
frigid ZL'aier. frus»trate * v. !'fras,trat| [trans.] prevent (a
(esp. of a woman) unable
or unwilling to be plan or attempted action) from progressing,
sexually aroused and responsive. showing succeeding, or being fulfilled: his attempt to
no friendliness or enthusiasm; stiff or formal frustrate the merger.
in behavior or st>ie: Henrietta looked back zvith prevent (someone) from doing or achieving
a frigid calm. something: an increasingly popidar :vay to frus-
DERiv.ATiVES fri»gid»i«ty : Ifra'jidatel n. trate car thieves. cause (someone) to feel up-
frig»id«ly adv. £rig»id»ness set or annoyed, typically as a result of being
frip«per*y |
'fripare [
. n. (pi. -ies) showy or unable to change or achieve something: [as
unnecessary ornament in architecture, dress, adj.] (frusti-ating) it can be very frustrating to

or language. find that the size you zvant isn 't there. • adj. ar-
a tawdry or frivolous thing. chaic frustrated.
friS»SOn j'fre'soNl » n. a sudden strong feel- DERIVATIVES: frus»trat»er frus»trat»
ing of excitement or fear; a thrill: a frisson of ing'ly adv. [as submodifier] progress turned out to
excitement. be frustratingly slozv. frus»tra»tion //.
friv»0»l0US I'frivabsl » adj. not having any fu»ga*cious '|
fy^oo'gaSHss !
. adj. tending to
serious basis, purpose, or value: rules to stop disappear; fleeting: the fugacious years of
frivolous lazvsuits. youth.
(of a person) carefree and not serious. DERIVATIVES: fu»ga»cious«ly adv. fu»ga»
derivatives: fri»volM«ty |fri'val3te| n. cious*ness
friv»o»lous»ly adv. friv»o«lous»ness //. fugue f\'OOg
I
• 1 a musical contrapuntal
I

froWage jfr6'taZH| » n. 1 the technique or composition in counterpoint in which a short

process of taking a rubbing from an uneven melody or phrase (the subject) is introduced
surface to form the basis of a work of art. by one part and successively taken up by oth-
a work of art produced in this way. 2 the ers and developed by interweaving the parts.
practice of touching or rubbing against the 2 (in psychiatry) a state or period of loss of
clothed body of another person in a crowd as awareness of one's identity-, often coupled
a means of obtaining sexual gratification. with flight from one's usual emironment,
DERIVATIVES frot'teur -'tar n. (pi. same) :
I I
associated with certain forms of hysteria and
(in sense 2). frot'teurnsm i-'t9r,iz9m| n. epilepsy.
(in sense 2). derivatives: fu*gal adf fuguMSt I'fyoo-
frou*f rou 'fToo,froo (also frou-frou) . n. a
| |
gistl
rustling noise made by someone walking in a fiihner 'fyoorarl (also fuehrer) .
|
a (ruth-
dress. or tyrannical) leader.
less
frillsor other ornamentation, particularly of fuhcrum 'foolkram; 'fbl-l •
i
(pi. fulcra or

women's clothes: [as adj.] a little froufrou skirt. fulcrums) the point on which a lever rests or
fro«ward 'fro(w)3rd . adj. (of a person) dif-
|
|
issupported.
ficult to deal with; contrary. a thing that plays a central or essential role
D E R \ AT v E s fro»ward»ly adv. fro»ward»
I I : in an activity, event, or situation: research is the
ness n. fulcrum of the universlry coiiiiintnity.
frowz»y I'frowzel (also frowsy) 'adj. ful»gu*ra*tion ,f(3olgLv)o'raSH9nl .
|
1 (in
(frowzier, frowziest) scruff\' and neglected medicine) the therapeutic destruction of
in appearance. small growths or areas of tissue using direct
ding\- and stuffy: a fraiczy nightclub. application of heat. 2 a flash like that of light-
DERIVATIVES frowz»i»ness : |-zenis| ning.
fruc»ti*fy rf-r3kt3,fi| »v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] derivatives: ful»gu»rant f(5Dlg(y) srsnt j

'
|

make (something) fruitful or productive. adj. (insense 2). ful»gu«rate 'f(5Dlg(y)3,rat | |

[intrans ] bear productive. iruit or become V. (in sense 2). ful»gu»rous 'f00lg(y)3r3s |

D E R \" A v E s fruc»tif»er«ous adj.

I
1-
1 : adj. (in sense 2)
fruC*tU*OUS 'fr3kCH9W3s; 'frOoK-j . adj. full
I
fu*lig*i*nous jfv^oo'lijsnssl » adj. sooty;
of or producing a great deal of fruit. dusky: the hut's fuliginous interior.
fru*gal 'froogsl] • adj. sparing or economical
|
full /fODl . V. [trans.] [often as n.] (fulling)
with regard to money or food: he led a remark- clean, shrink, and felt (cloth) by heat, pres-
ably frugal existence. sure,and moisture.
simple and plain and costing little: a frugal DERI VAT V E s full'er
I :

meal. ful*ml«nant 'foolmansnt; 'fal- • adj. (of a

|
1

DERI VAT I
\' Es : fru»gal»i»ty |
froo'gsebte |
disease or symptom) severe and sudden in
fru»gal«ly adv. fru«gal»ness n. onset.
fruit»ar»i«an froo'terean . ;/. a person who | |
ful»ml*nate |
'foolm3,nat; 'fal-l 'V. [intrans.]

eats only fruit.: (as adj.) a fruitarian diet. express vehement protest: they fulminated
D E R VA r V E s fruifar»i«an»ism - ,niz3m
I I :
i ]
against the nc:v curriculum.
explode violently or flash like lightning:
fru»i»tion |froo'iSH9n| * n. 1 the point at thunder fulminated around the house. [usu. as
fulsome 184 furtive
(fulminating) (of a disease or symptom)
adj.] funeral: Lincoln's funereal gloominess was leg-
develop suddenly and severely: fulminating endary.
appendicitis. DERI VAT I V E s fu»ne»re»al»ly adv. :

derivatives: ful»mi«na»tion n. ful'mi* fun»gi*ble 'fsnjsbsl • adj.

|
(esp. of goods |

na»tor n. ful*mi»na»to»ry adj. contracted for without an individual speci-

ful*SOme I
'f(5Dls3m I
• adj. 1 complimentary men being specified) able to replace or be
or flattering to an excessive degree: they are replaced by another identical item; mutually
almost embarrassingly fulsome in their apprecia- interchangeable.
tion. 2 of large size or quantity; generous or DERI VAT I V E s fumgi»bil«i«ty :
|
.fanja'bib-
abundant: a fulsome harvest. te| n.
derivatives: ful»some»ly adv. ful*some« fu*nic«U»lar IfycSO'nikysbrj » adj. 1 (of a rail-
ness n. way, esp. one on a mountainside) operating
usage: The earliest recorded use of ful- by cable with ascending and descending cars
some, in the 13th century, had the meaning counterbalanced. 2 of or relating to a rope or
its tension. • «. a railway operating in such a
'abundant,' but in modern use this is held by
many to be incorrect. The correct current way.
meaning is 'disgusting because overdone; funk' |f3NGk| informal . w. 1 (also blue funk)
excessive,' The word is still often used to
[in sing.] a stateof depression: /5af absorbed in
mean 'abundant; copious,' but this use can my own blue funk.
a state of great fear or panic: are you in a funk
give rise to ambiguity: the possibility that
while for one speaker fulsome praise will about running out of things to say? 2 chiefly Brit, a
be a genuine compliment, for others it will coward. • v. [trans.] cfiiefly Brit, avoid (a task or
be interpreted as an insult.
thing) out of fear: / could have seen him this
morning but I funked it.
ful«vous I
'f(50lv3s; 'fal-l . adj. reddish yellow; funk2 . n. 1 a style of popular dance music of

tawny. black origin, based on elements of blues and

fu*mi*gate 'fyoom3,gat| • v. [trans.] apply the
|
soul and having a strong rhythm that typically
fumes of certain chemicals to (an area) to dis- accentuates the first beat in the bar.
infect it or to rid it of vermin. a style of jazz music that is uncomplicated,
derivatives: fu«mi»gant |-g3nt| n. fu» soulful, and blues-infused. 2 [in sing.] a strong
mi«ga»tion |
,fyoom3'gaSH3n |
n. fu«mi»ga» musty smell of sweat or tobacco.
tor |-,gat3r| n. funk*y faNGke . adj. (funkier, funkiest) in-
I
|

fu*nam*bu*list IfyOO naembyabstl » n. a formal 1 (of music) having or using a strong

tightrope walker. dance rhythm, in particular that of funk: some
func*tion*al*ism fsNGksHsnl.izam . n. be-
|
|
excellent funky beats.
lief in or stress on the practical application of (of jazz music) incorporating earthy, bluesy
a thing, in particular: elements. modern and stylish in an uncon-
(in the arts) the doctrine that the design of ventional or earthy way: she likes wearing
an object should be determined solely by its funky clothes. 2 strongly musty: cooked greens
function, rather than by aesthetic considera- make the kitchen smell really funky.
tions, and that anything practically designed DERIVATIVES funk'i'ly |-k3le| adv. funk* :

will be inherently beautiful. (in the social i»ness -kenis n.

| |

sciences) the theory that all aspects of a soci- fur*be»low 'farbs.lo . a gathered strip or
| I

ety serve a function and are necessary for the pleated border of a skirt or petticoat.
survival of that society. (in the philosophy (furbelows) showy ornaments or trim-
of mind) the theory that mental states can be mings: frills and furbelows just made her
sufficiently defined by their cause, their effect look stupid. • V. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (furbe-
on other mental states, and their effect on be- lowed) adorn with trimmings.
havior. fur*lough 'farlo . n. leave of absence,
| |
esp.
derivatives: func»tion»alnst n. & adj. that granted to a member of the armed ser-
fun»da*ment 'fandsmsnt ^n.^ the founda-
| \
vices: a six-week furlough in Guam.
tion or basis of something. 2 a person's but- a temporary release of a convict from prison:
tocks or anus. after three years they were allowed weekend fur-
fun*da*men«tai*ism ,f3nd3'mend,iz3m| |
loughs. a layoff, esp. a temporary one, from
• n. a form of Protestant Christianity that a place of employment. • v. [trans.] grant such
upholds belief in the strict and literal inter- leave of absence to.
pretation of the Bible, including its narra- lay off (workers), esp. temporarily: President
tives, doctrines, prophecies, and moral laws. Reagan furloughed "nonessential" employees \

strict maintenance of ancient or fundamen- [as adj.] (furloughed) factories are apt to recall
tal doctrines of any religion or ideology, no- some furloughed workers.
tably Islam. funor rfy(3Dr,6r; 'fyODrarl (also chiefly Brit,

derivatives: fun«da»mennaHst n. & furore) • n. [in sing.] an outbreak of public an-

adj. ger or excitement: the article raised a furor
fu*ner*ar»y 'fyoons.rere • adj. relating to a
| I
among mathematicians.
funeral or the commemoration of the dead: archaic a wave of enthusiastic admiration; a
funerary ceremonies. craze.
f U*ne»re*al fya'nerisl . adj.
|
having the I
f ur*tive |
'fsrtiv |
. adj. attempting to avoid no-
mournful, somber character appropriate to a tice or attention, typically because of guilt or
 |.

fuscous 185 gait

a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; fus«ty I'fastel 'adj. (fustier, fustiest)
day together he
secretive: they spent a furtive \
smelling stale, damp, or stuffy: the fusty odor
stolea furtive glance. of decay.
suggestive of guilty nervousness: the look in old-fashioned in attitude or style: grammar m
his eyes became furtive. the classroombecame a fusty notion.
derivatives: fur»tive»ly adv. fur»tive« derivatives: fus«ti«ly I'fastslel adv. fus«
ness n. ti»ness 'fsstenis n. | |

flJS*COUS I
'faskas |
• adj. dark and somber in fu«tile 'fyootl; 'fyoo.til
I
. adj. incapable of I

color. producing any useful result; pointless: a futile

fu*se*lage |
'fy6os9,laZH; -Z3-| . n. the main attempt to keep fans from mounting the stage.
body of an aircraft. derivatives: fu»tile»ly adv. fu»tilM»ty
fu*sil*lade 'fyoosa.lad; -,lad . w. a series, as
|
|
I
'fyoo'tibte I
n.
of shots fired or missiles thrown all at the fu*tur*ism 'fyooCHa.rizam • n. concern
|
|

same time or in quick succession: marchers with events and trends of the future or which
had to dodge a fusillade of missiles a fusillade \
anticipate the future.
of accusations. (Futurism) a short-lived artistic movement
fu*sion 'fyoozHan • n. the process or result
I
|
begun in Italy in 1909, and also influential in
of joining two or more things together to Russia, which violently rejected traditional
form a single entity: a fusion of an idea from forms so as to celebrate and incorporate into
anthropology and an idea from psychology \
art the energy and dynamism of modern
malformation or fusion of the three bones in the technology. more broadly, futuristic ten-
middle ear. dencies in any sphere; belief or interest in hu-
Physics (also nuclear fusion) a nuclear reac- man progress.
tion in v/hich atomic nuclei of low atomic fu»tur»is«tic ,fyooCH3'ristik| • a^f;. having or
|

number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with involving modern technology or design: a
the release of energy. The union of atomic swimming pool and futuristic dome.
nuclei to form a heavier nucleus as a source (of a film or book) set in the future, typically
of energy. Cf fission the process of causing
. in a world of advanced or menacing tech-
a material or object to melt with intense heat, nology.
esp. so as to join with another: the fusion of derivatives: fu»tur»is»ti»cal«ly | -ik(3)le
resin and glass fiber in the molding process. adv.
music that is a mixture of different styles, f U*tU«ri»ty |
fycJO'tOOrste; -CHOOrate |
. n. (pi.

esp. jazz and rock. -ies) the ftiture time: the tremendous shadows
derivatives fu»sion»al |-ZH3nl| adj. : futurity casts upon the present.
fus*tian 'fssCHsn |
. n. 1 thick, durable |
a future event. renewed or continuing ex-
twilled cloth with a short nap, usually dyed in istence: the snowdrops were a promise offuturity.
dark colors. 2 pompous or pretentious speech (also futurity race, futurity stake) a horse
or writing: a smoke screen of fustian and fan- race held long after its entrants are nomi-
tasy. nated.

Gg
gab*ar*dine 'gsebar.den (chiefly Brit, also
| |
tor; a blunder: an unforgivable social gaffe. Cf
gaberdine) a smooth, durable twill-
. n. FAUX PAS
woven cloth, typically of worsted or cotton. gage^ |gaj| archaic • a valued object de-
Brit, a raincoat made of such cloth. (usu. posited as a guarantee of good faith.
gaberdine) a loose long upper garment, a pledge, esp. a glove, thrown down as a sym-
worn particularly by Jewish men. bol of a challenge to fight. Cf. gauntleti.
ga*ble 'gabsl . n. the part of a wall that |
. V. [trans.] offer (a thing or one's life) as a
|

encloses the end of a pitched roof. guarantee of good faith.

(also gable end) a wall topped with a gable. gage^ &:v. variant spelling of gauge.
» n.

a gable-shaped canopy over a window or gain*say .gan'sa; 'gan,sa . v. (past and past
|
|

door. Cf. dormer. part, -said -'sed; -,sed ) [trans.] [with negative]
| |

derivatives: gambled adj. deny or contradict (a fact or statement): the

gad*fly |
'gaed,fli |
• n. (pi. -flies) an annoying impact of the railroads cannot be gainsaid.
person, esp. one who provokes others into ac- speak against or oppose (someone).
tion by criticism. derivatives: gain»say»er n.
gaffe |gaef|an unintentional act or re-
• w. gait gat » n.
I
person's manner of walking:
\
a.

mark causing embarrassment to its origina- the easy gait of an athlete.

Galahad 186 gamut
the paces of an animal, esp. a horse or dog. gal*li*vant [no obj., with ad-
|
'g£el3,v£ent |
• v.

• V. [intrans.] (of a dog or horse) walk in a verbial] go around from one place to another in

trained gait, as at a show: the dogs are gaiting the pursuit of pleasure or entertainment: she
in a circle. quit her job to go gallivanting around the globe.
derivatives: gait*ed adj. (in combina- gal*van*ic Igsel'vaenikl » adj. 1 relating to or
tion): double-gaited. involving electric currents produced by
Gal*a*had gaEb.hasd . n. (also Sir Gala-
| I
chemical action. 2 sudden and dramatic:
had) the noblest of King Arthur's legendary hurry with awkward galvanic strides.
knights; renowned for immaculate purity and derivatives: gal'vami'caWy |-ik(3)le|
destined to find the Holy Grail. adv.
a man characterized by nobility, courtesy, in- gal*va«nlze 'gselva.mzl . v. [trans.] 1 shock or |

tegrity, etc. excite (someone), typically into taking ac-

gal*ax«y 'gaebkse • n. (pi. -ies) a system of
|
|
tion: the urgency of his voice galvanized them
millions or billions of stars, together with gas into action. 2 [often as adj.] (galvanized)
and dust, held together by gravitational at- coat (iron or steel) with a protective layer of
traction. zinc: an old galvanized bucket.
(the Galaxy) the galaxy of which our solar derivatives: gal«va»ni»za»tion |
.gselvani
system is a part; the Milky Way. a large or 'zasHan gal»va»niz»er n.
I
n.
impressive group of people or things: a gal- gam*ba*do Igsem'bado; -'ba-| (also gam-
axy ofyoung talent. bade -'bad; -'bad ) • «. (pi. -os or -oes) a
I |

DERI VAT V E s ga*lac*tic

I : adj. leap or bound on a horse, esp. an exaggerated
ga*lere Igse'ler |
• n. a (usu. undesirable) one. any sudden or fantastic action.
group or coterie: the repulsive galere o/Lolita's gam*bit 'gasmbiti • n. (in chess) an opening
|

admirers. in which a player makes a sacrifice, typically

gain gol I I
• «. 1 bold, impudent behavior: the of a pawn, for the sake of some compensating
bank had the gall to demand a fee. 2 the con- advantage.
tents of the gallbladder; bile (proverbial for its a device, action, or opening remark, typically
bitterness). one entailing a degree of risk, that is calcu-
an animal's gallbladder. used to refer to lated to gain an advantage: his resignation was
something bitter or cruel: accept life's gall a tactical gambit.
without blaming somebody else. gam*bol gsemball ' V.
I
(gamboled, gam-
gal|2 . n. 1 annoyance; irritation: he imagined boling; gambolled, gambolling) [no
Brit,

Linda 's gall as she found herself still married and obj., usu. with adverbial] run or jump about
not rich. 2 (esp. of a horse) a sore on the skin playfully: the mare gamboled toward Connie.
made by chafing. • v. [trans.] 1 make (some- • n. [usu. in an act of running or jump-
sing.]

one) feel annoyed: he knew he was losing, and ing about playfully.
it galled him. 2 make sore by rubbing: the gam*brei gaembral (also gambrel roof)
| I

straps galled their shoulders. • roof with two sides, each of which has a
n. a
gall^ an abnormal growth formed in re-
• n. shallower slope above a steeper one.
sponse to the presence of insect larvae, mites, a hip roof with a small gable forming the
or fungi on plants and trees, esp. oaks. upper part of each end. Cf. mansard
[as adj.] denoting insects or mites that pro- gam^ete 'gaemet; ga'met • w. a mature hap-
|
|

duce such growths: gall flies. loid (having a single set of unpaired chromo-
gal*lant*ry 'gaebntre . n. (pi. -ies) 1 coura-
|
|
somes) male or female germ cell that is able
geous behavior, esp. in battle: a medal awarded to unite with another of the opposite sex in
for outstanding gallantry during the raid. 2 po- sexual reproduction to form a zygote (a fer-
lite attention or respect given by men (some- tilized ovum).
times called gallants) to women. derivatives: ga«metMC |g3'metik| adj.
(gallantries) actions or words used when gam*ine 'gaemen • «. a girl with mischie-
|
!

paying such attention. vous or boyish charm.

gal*le»on 'gselesn; 'gaelyan •
|
a sailing ship |
a female street urchin. • adj. characteristic
in use (esp. by Spain) from the 1 5th through of or relating to such a girl.
17th centuries, originally as a warship, later gam*mon 'gasman • n. ham that has been |
|

for trade. Galleons were mainly square- cured or smoked like bacon.
rigged and usually had three or more decks the bottom piece of a side of bacon, includ-
and masts. ing a hind leg.
galHIard 'gaelyard • «. a lively dance of for-
|
|
gam*ut gaemat • n. (the gamut) 1 the
|
|

mer times in triple time for two people, complete range or scope of something: the
involving complicated turns and steps. whole gamut of human emotion. 2 a complete
Gal*ll*clsm 'gasli,siz3m| • n. a French ex-
|
scale of musical notes; the compass or range
pression, esp. one adopted by speakers of an- of.a voice or instrument.
other language. a scale consisting of seven overlapping six-
a (typically) French characteristic, custom, note scales (hexachords), containing all the
or outlook. recognized notes used in western medieval
gal«li*mau*fry .gaeb'mofre . n. (pi. -ies) a |
|
music, covering almost three octaves from
confused jumble or medley of things. bass G
to treble E. the lowest note in this
a dish made from diced or minced meat, esp. scale.
a hash or ragout. phrases: run the gamut experience, dis-
 .

ganglion 187 Gaullism

play, orperform the complete range of some- ative, esp. on
matters: Polonius is por-
trivial
thing: wines that run the gamut from dry to trayed as a foolish, garrulous old man.
sweet. derivatives: gar»ru»li»ty |g3'roolite| n.
usage: Do not confuse run the gamut gar»ru»lous»ly adv. gar»ru»lous»ness n.

withrun the gauntlet (see gauntlet^). gas*COn*ade |

.gaeska'nad I
. n. extravagant
boasting.
gan*gli*on |
'gasNOglean |
• n. (pi. ganglia gas*ket 'gaeskit • n. 1 a shaped piece or ring
|
|

I
or ganglions) 1 a structure contain-
-glea I
of rubber or other material sealing the junc-
ing a number of nerve cell bodies, typically tion between two surfaces in an engine or
linked by synapses, and often forming a swell- other device. 2 a cord securing a furled sail of
ing on a nerve fiber. a sailing vessel.
a network of cells forming a nerve center in phrases: blow a gasket 1 lose one's tem-
the nervous system of an invertebrate. a per. 2 suffer a leak in a gasket of an engine.
well-defined mass of gray matter within the gas»tro*nome |
'g£estr3,nom • n. \
a gourmet.
central nervous system. 2 (in medicine) an gauche |
goSH |
• adj. lacking ease or grace;

abnormal benign swelling on a tendon unsophisticated and socially awkward.

sheath. derivatives: gauche»ly adv. gauche*
derivatives: gan»gli«onnc |
,gaeNGgle'an- ness n.
ik| adj. gau*Che*rie |,goSH3're| »n. awkward,
Gan*y*mede |
'gsena.med |
a legendary
» n. embarassing, or unsophisticated ways: she
Trojan youth who was so beautiful that he had long since gotten over gaucheries such as
was carried off by Zeus to be the cupbearer blushing.
for the Olympic gods. gau*cho 'gowCHo • n. (pi. -os) a cowboy of
|
|

a cupbearer. a boy retained for sexual pur- the South American plains (pampas)
poses. gaud*y 'gode • adj. (gaudier, gaudiest)
|
|

gar»bol*0»gy |
the study of a
gar'balaje I
. n. extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as
community or culture by analyzing its waste. to be tasteless: silver bozvs and gaudy ribbons.
derivatives gar»bol»o»gist |-jist| : n. derivatives: gaudn»ly |-d3le| adv.
garde*robe 'gard,rob| • n. a toilet in |
a me- gaud»i»ness n.
dieval building. gauge |
gaj |
(also gage) » n. ^ an instrument
a wardrobe or small storeroom, esp. in a me- ordevice for measuring the magnitude,
dieval building. amount, or contents of something, typically
gar*gan*tu*an gar'gEenCHawan • adj. enor- | I
with a visual display of such information.
mous: a gargantuan appetite. o a tool for checking whether something con-
gar*goyle 'gargoil » n. a grotesque carved
|
\
forms to a desired dimension. a means of
human or animal face or figure project- estimating something; a criterion or test: em-
ing from the gutter of a building, typically igration is perhaps the best gauge of public un-
acting as a spout to carry water clear of a ease. 2 the thickness, size, or capacity of
wall. something, esp. as a standard measure, in
derivatives: gar»goyled adj. particular:
gar*ish |
'gerisH |
• adj. obtrusively and un- the diameter of a string, fiber, tube, etc.: [as
pleasantly bright and showy; lurid: garish adj.] a fine 0. 018-inch gauge wire. [in combina-
shirts in all sorts of colors. tion] a measure of the diameter of a gun bar-

derivatives: gar»ish»ly adv. garnsh* rel, or of its ammunition, expressed as the

ness n. number of spherical pieces of shot of the
gar*ner I'garnarl » V. [trans.] gather or collect same diameter as the barrel that can be made
(something, esp. information or approval): from 1 lb (454 g) of lead: [as adj.] a 12-gauge
the police struggled to garner sufficient evidence. shotgun. [in combination] the thickness of
store; deposit: the crop was ready to be reaped sheet metal or plastic: [as adj.] 500-gauge pol-
and garnered. • n. a storehouse; a granary. yethylene. the distance between the rails of
gar*nish 'gamisn . v.|
[trans.] 1 decorate or |
a line of railroad track: the line was laid lo a
embellish (something, esp. food): salad gar- gauge of 2 ft. 9 in. 3 (usu. the gage) the posi-
nished with an orange slice. 2 serve notice of tion of a sailing vessel to windward (weather
seizure of (a person's) money to settle debt or gage) or leeward (lee gage) of another. • v.
claim. [trans.] 1 estimate or determine the magni-

seize (money, esp. part of a person's salary) tude, amount, or volume of: astronomers can
to settle a debt or claim: the IRS garnished his gauge the star's intrinsic brightness.
earnings. • n. a decoration or embellishment form judgment or estimate of (a situation,
a
for something, esp. food: the custard is served mood, etc.): she was unable to gauge his mood.
with a garnish offresh mint. 2 measure the dimensions of (an object) with
DERI VAT v E s gar»nish»ment I : n. a gauge: when dry, the assemblies can be gauged
gar»rote |
ga'rat; -'rot ga- I
(also garrotte or exactly and platted to width.
rotte) . v. (someone) by strangula-
[trans.] kill [as adj.] (gauged) made in standard dimen-
tion, typically with an iron collar or a length sions: gauged sets of strings.
of wire or cord: he had been garroted with piano derivatives: gauge»a»ble adj. gaug»er n.
wire. • n. a wire, cord, or apparatus used for Gaull*ism |'g6,liz3m| • «. the principles and
such a killing. policiesof French statesman Charles de
gar*ru*lous 'gaerabs • adj. excessively talk-
|
|
Gaulle (1890-1970), characterized by their
gaunt 188 gender
conservatism, nationalism, and advocacy of showy,' once common in speech and litera-
centralized government. ture, are much less frequent. The word gay
derivatives: Gaullnst n. & adj. cannot be readily used unselfconsciously to-
gaunt gont • adj. (of a person)
|
|
lean and day in these older senses without sounding
haggard, esp. because of suffering, hunger, or old-fashioned or arousing a sense of double
age. entendre, despite concerted attempts by
(of a building or place) grim or desolate in some to keep diem alive.
appearance. Gay its modern sense typically refers to
in
DERI VAT I V E s gaunt'ly adv. gaunt*ness n.
:
men (lesbian being the standard term for
gaunHet^ |
'gontlit; 'gant-| • n. a stout glove homosexual women) but in some contexts it
with a long loose wrist. can be used of both men and women.
an armored glove, as worn by a medieval
knight. the part of a glove covering the ga*ze*bo ga'zebo . n. (pi. -OS or -oes) a
|
|

wrist. roofed structure that offers an open view of

phrases: take up (or throw down) the the surrounding area, typically used for relax-
gauntlet accept (or issue) a challenge. ation or entertainment.
gaunt*let2 (also gantlet) . n. (in phrase run gaz»et«teer ,gaez3'tir| . n. a geographical in-
|

the gauntlet) 1 go through an intimidating dex or dictionary.

or dangerous crowd, place, or experience in geek gek • «. 1 an unfashionable or socially
|
|

order to reach a goal: they had to run the gaunt- inept person.
let of television cameras. 2 undergo the former [with adj.] a person with an obssesive devo-
military punishment of receiving blows while tion to a particular interest esp. one con-
running between two rows of men with sticks. nected with technology: a computer geek. 2 a
Do not confuse with run the gamut (see carnival performer who does wild or disgust-
gamut). ing acts.
gauze goz » n. a thin translucent fabric of
|
\
derivatives: geek»y adj.
silk, linen, or cotton. ge*gen*schein 'gag9n,sHin » n. a patch of
|
\

(also wire gauze) a very fine wire mesh. very faint nebulous light sometimes seen in
(in medicine) thin, loosely woven cloth the night sky opposite the position of the sun.
used for dressing and swabs. [in sing.] a It is thought to be the image of the sun
transparent haze or film: they saw the grass- reflected from gas and dust outside the atmo-
lands through a gauze of golden dust. sphere.
derivatives: gauzM«ly |-Z3le| adv. gauz* gei*sha gasHs; ge- (also geisha girl) . n. (pi.
| 1

i»ness n. gauz«y |
-ze i
adj. same or geishas) a Japanese hostess trained to
ga*vage Iga'vaznl • n. die administration of entertain men with conversation, dance, and
food or drugs by force, esp. to an animal, typ- song. (loosely) a Japanese prostitute.
ically through a tube leading down the throat gel jel * n. a jellylike substance containing a
I i

to the stomach. cosmetic, medicinal, or other preparation: try

ga*VOtte gaVat • «.
|
a medium-paced
|
rubbing some teething gel onto sore gums.
French dance, popular in the 18th century. a substance of this consistency used for set-
a piece of music accompanying or in the ting the hair. (in chemistry) a semisolid col-
rhythm of such a dance, composed in -^/^ time loidal suspension of a solid dispersed in a liq-
beginning on the third beat of the bar. uid. a semirigid slab or cylinder of an
gay ga • adj. (gayer, gayest) 1 (of a person,
|
|
organic polymer used as a medium for the
esp. a man) homosexual: that friend of yours, separation of macromolecules. • v. (gelled,
is he gay? gelling) [intrans.] (in chemistry) form into a
relating to or used by homosexuals: feminist, gel: the mixture gelled at 7 degrees Celsius.
black, and gay perspectives. 2 lighthearted and [trans.] treat (the hair) with gel.

carefree: Nan had a gay disposition and a very geld geld • V. [trans.] castrate (a male ani-
I I

pretty face. mal).

characterized by cheerfulness or pleasure: we deprive of vitality or vigor: the English version
had a gay old time. brightly colored; showy; of the book has been gelded.
brilliant: a gay profusion of purple and pink derivatives: gelding n. a castrated male
sweet peas. 3 foolish; stupid: making students animal, esp. a horse.
wait for the light is kind of a gay rule. • n. a ho- gel*id 'jelid • adj. icy; extremely cold: the
| i

mosexual, esp. a man: straights and gays alike gelid pond she gave a gelid reply. \

spoke out against intolerance. gen«darme 'zHandarm . n. an armed po- | |

derivatives: gaily adv. with cheerfulness, lice officer in France and other French-
pleasure, etc.; brightly, showily. gay»ness n. speaking countries.
usage: Gay meaning 'homosexual,' dating derivatives: gen»dar»me»rie n. a force of
gendarmes.
back to the 1930s (if not earlier), became
established in the 1960s as the term pre-
gen*der 'jendar • n. 1 (in languages such as
|
|

Latin, Greek Russian, and German) each of

ferred by homosexual men to describe them-
the classes feminine, (typically masculine,
selves. It is now the standard accepted term
throughout the English-speaking world. As a
common, neuter) of nouns and pronouns
distinguished by the different inflections that
result, the centuries-old other senses of gay
they have and require in words syntactically
meaning either 'carefree' or 'bright and
associated with them. Grammatical gender is
genealogy 189 gentile
only very loosely associated with natural dis- are able to generate all and only the permis-
tinctions of sex. sible sequences of a language.
the property (in nouns and related words) ge«ner«ic Ija'nerikI » adf 1 characteristic of
of belonging to such a class: adjectives usually or relating to a class or group of things; not
agree with the noun in gender and number. specific: chevre is a generic term for all goats'
2 the state of being male or female (typically milk cheese.
used with reference to social and cultural (of commercial products, esp. medicinal
differences rather than biological ones): tra- drugs) having no brand name; not protected
ditional concepts of gender [as adj.] gender \
by a registered trademark: generic aspirin. 2 of
roles. or relating to a biological genus. • n. a con-
the members of one or other sex: differences sumer product having no brand name or
between the genders. trademark: substituting generics for brand-name
usage: The word gender has been used drugs.

since the 14th century primarily as a gram- derivatives: ge»nerM»caMy |-ik(3)le|

matical term, referring to the classes of novm adv.
in Latin, Greek, German, and other lan- gen*e*sis 'jenssis . n. [in sing.] the origin or
|
|

guages designated as masculine, feminine, or mode of formation of something: this tale had
neuter. It has also been used since the 14th its genesis in fireside stories.

century in the sense 'the state of being male ge*ni«al |

'jenyal; -neal |
. adj. friendly and
or female,' but this did not become a stan- cheerful: waved to them in genial greeting.

dard use until the mid 20th century. Al- (esp. of air or climate) pleasantly mild and
though the words gender and sex both have warm.
the sense 'the state of being male or female,' derivatives: ge»ni»al«i»ty ,jene'aelite| n. |

they are topically used in slightly different gen»ial«ly adv.

ways: sex tends to refer to biological differ- gen*i*tive |'jenitiv| 'adj. relating to or de-
ences, while gender tends to refer to cul- noting a case of nouns and pronouns (and
tural or social ones. words in grammatical agreement with them)
indicating possession or close association.
ge*ne»al*0*gy IJene'abje; -'ael-l . n. (pi. • n. a word in the genitive case.

-ies) a line of descent traced continuously (the genitive) the genitive case.
from an ancestor: combing through the birth DERIVATIVES genn»ti»val Jeni'tival adj. :
| |

records and genealogies. gen»i«ti»val»ly jeni'tivale adv. |

|

the study and tracing of lines of descent or ge*ni*US IO»ci |

'jeneas 'losi; -ki| » n. [in sing.]
development. a plant's or animal's line of the prevailing character or atmosphere of a
evolutionary development from earlier place.
forms. the presiding of a place. god or spirit
DERIVATIVES ge«ne»al»o»gist : |-jist| n. ge» gen*0»clde the deliberate kill-
|
'jena,sid I
• n.
ne»al»o»gize |-,jiz| v. ing of a large group of people, esp. those of a
gen*er»al*is»si*mo Jenara'lisa.mo] » n. (pi.
|
particular ethnic group or nation.
-os) the commander of a combined military derivatives: gen»o»cid*al |,jena'sldl|
force consisting of army, navy, and air force adj.
units. ge»nome |
'jenom| • n. a single set of chro-
gen»er*al*ist 'jenaralist • n. a person com-
|
|
mosomes in a gamete or microorganism, or
petent in several different fields or activities: in each cell of a multicellular organism.
with a generalist's education and some specific the complete set of genes or genetic material
skills. • adj. able to carry out a range of activ- present in a cell or organism: the human
ities, or adapt to different situations: a gener- genome.
alist doctor. derivatives: ge»no»mic je'namik; -'no-; |

gen*er*aH*ty |
Jens'raelitej . n. (pi. -ies) 1 a ji-l adf
statement or principle having general rather gen*0«type 'jena,tip; 'jen- • n. (in biology)
|
1

than specific validity or force: he confined his the genetic constitution of an individual or-
remarks to generalities. ganism. Often contrasted with phenotype.
the quality or state of being general: policy derivatives: gen»o*typMc |jena'tipik|
should be formulated at an appropriate level of adj.
generality. 2 (the generality) the majority: gen»re 'znanra . w. a category of artistic
| |

appropriate to the generality of laymen. composition, as in music or literature, char-

Gen«er»a*tion X (also Gen X) . n. the gener- acterized by similarities in form, style, or sub-
ation born after that of the baby boomers ject matter: a master in the genre offilm noir.
(roughly from the early 1960s to mid 1970s), (also genre painting) a style of painting
often perceived to be disaffected and direc- depicting scenes of ordinary life.
tionless. gen*teel jen'tel • adj. polite, refined, or re-
|
|

derivatives: Gen»er«a«tion X»er |

'ek- spectable, often in an affected or ostentatious
S3r n. Gen X»er n.
I
way. Cf. GENTILITY
gen»er*a«tive |
'jenarativ; -,rativ; |
. adj. of or derivatives: gen»teeWy adv. gen«teel*
relating to reproduction. ness n.
able to produce: the generative power of the life gen*tiie |
'jentil |
• adj. (Gentile) not Jewish:
force. applying principles of generative Christianity spread from Jewish into Gentile cul-
grammar, which aims to formulate rules that tures.
gentility 190 germinate
(of a person) not belonging to one's own re- to geodesy, esp. as appUed to land survey-
ligious community. (in the Mormon ing.
church) non-Mormon. • n. (Gentile) a per- ge*0*man*cy |
'jea.maense I
• n. divination
son who is not Jewish. from configurations seen in a handful of earth
gen»til»i*ty jen'tiUte • n. social superiority
|
|
thrown on the ground, or by interpreting
as demonstrated by genteel manners, behav- lines or textures on the ground. Cf. feng
ior, or appearances: her grandmother's preten- SHUI.
sions to gentility. derivatives: ge»o»man»cer |-S3r| n. ge»
genteel manners, behavior, or appearances. o*man»tic jea'maentik adj.
| |

gen«tri*fy 'jentr3,fi . v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.]

|
|
ge*0»metnlc Jea'metrikl » adj. 1 of or relat-
|

renovate and improve (esp. a house or dis- ing to geometry, or according to its methods.
trict) so that it conforms to middle-class 2 (of a design) characterized by or decorated
taste. with regular lines and shapes: traditional Hopi
adj.] (gentrifled) make (someone or
[usu. as geometric forms.
way of life) more refined or dignified.
their (Geometric) of or denoting a period of
derivatives: gen»tri«fi»ca»tion Jentrafi |
Greek culture (around 900-700 bc) charac-
'kaSHanI gen»tri«fi»er «.
n. terized by geometrically decorated pottery.
gen*try |
• n. (often the gentry) peo-
'jentre |
derivatives: ge»o»met»ri»cal adj. ge»o»
ple of good social position, specifically (in met»ri»cal«ly |
-ik(3)le |
adv.
Britain) the class of people next below the no- ge*o*met»ric pro*gres*sion . n. a progres-
bility in position and birth: a member of the sion of numbers with a constant ratio be-
landed gentry. tween each number and the one before (e.g.,
[with adj.] people of a specified class or each subsequent number is increased by a
group: a New Orleans family of Creole gentry. factor of 3 in the progression /, 3, 9, 27, 81).
gen»U»flect |
'jeny3,flekt| 'V. [intrans.] lower geor*gic 'jorjik • «. a poem or book dealing
| i

one's body briefly by bending one knee to the with agriculture or rural topics.
ground, typically in worship or as a sign of re- (Georgics) the title of a didactic poem on
spect: she genuflected and crossed herself farming by the Roman poet Virgil (70-19
[with adverbial] show deference or servility: BC). • ati;'. rustic; pastoral.
politicians had to genuflect to the far left to ad- ge»o*ther*mal Jeo'xHarmall (also geo- |

vance their careers. thermic) • adj. of, relating to, or produced by

derivatives: gen»u»flec«tion jenya |
the internal heat of the earth: some 70% of Ice-
'fleksH3n| n. (also gen»u»flex*ion archaic) land's energy needs are met from geothermal
gen»u»flec»tor |-t3r| n. sources.
ge*nus |
'jenss |
• n. (pL genera |
'jenara |
or ger«i»at*ric |
,jere'£etrik| » adj. [attrib.] of or
genuses) (in biology) a grouping of organ- relating to old people, esp. with regard to
isms having common characteristics distinct their health care: a geriatric hospital. • n. an
from those of other such groupings. The ge- old person, esp. one receiving special care: a
nus is a principal taxonomic category that rest home for geriatrics.
ranks above species and below family, and is usage: Geriatric is the normal, semioffi-
denoted by a capitalized Latin name, e.g., cial term used in the and Britain when US
Leo.
referring to the health care of old people (a
(in philosophical and general use) a class of geriatric ward; geriatric patients). When used
things that have common characteristics and outside such contexts, it typically carries
that can be divided into subordinate kinds.
overtones of being worn out and decrepit
ge*0»cen*trlc Jeo'sentrikl » adj. having or
|
and can therefore be offensive if used with
representing the earth as the center, as in for- reference to people.
mer astronomical systems. Cf. heliocentric.
measured from or considered in relation to ger*mane Ijar'man] • adj. relevant to a sub-
the center of the earth. ject under consideration: that is not germane

derivatives: ge»o»cen*tri«caWy |-tri- to our theme. Cf. pertinent, apropos,

k(3)le| adv. ge»o»cen»trism |-triz3m| n. derivatives: ger»mane»ly adv. ger*
ge»0*des*lc Ijea'desik; -'de-| » adj. 1 of, mane»ness n.

relating to, or denoting the shortest possible ger*mi*nal 'jarmanl . adj. [attrib.] relating to
| i

linebetween two points on a sphere or other or of the nature of a germ cell or embryo.
curved surface. 2 another term for geodetic. in the earliest stage of development. pro-
• n. a geodesic line or structure. viding material for future development: the
phrases: geodesic dome a dome con- subject was revived in a germinal article by
structed of short struts following geodesic Charles Ferguson. Cf. seminal
lines and forming an open framework of tri- d.e r VAT I v E s ger»mi»nal»ly adv.
I :

angles or polygons. The principles of its con- ger«mi»nate I'jarma.natI »v. [intrans.] (of a
struction were described by Buckminster seed or spore) begin to grow and put out
Fuller (1895-1983). shoots after a period of dormancy.
ge»od»e*sy Ije'adasel » n. the branch of [trans.] cause (a seed or spore) to sprout in

mathematics dealing with the shape and area such a way. come or bring into existence
of the earth or large portions of it. and develop: the idea germinated and slowly
derivatives: ge»od»e«sist |-sist| n. grew into an obsession. the group is constantly \

ge»0»det*ic IJea'detikl » adj. of or relating germinating new proposals.

gerontology 191 gird
derivatives: gerTni»na»ble |
-nabal |
adj. ghoul gool • n. an evil spirit or phantom,
I I

ger»mi»na»tion |
jsrma'nasHsn n. ger»mi» | esp. one supposed to rob graves and feed on
na»tive |-,nativ| adj. ger»mi»na»tor |-,na- dead bodies.
t3r| n. a person morbidly interested in death or dis-
ger»on»tOl»0*gy jeran'tabje • w. the scien-| I
aster, "a grave robber: 19th-century medical
tific study of old age, the process of aging, students were sometimes accused of being ghouls.
and the particular problems of old people. derivatives: ghoulnsh adj. ghoul»ish«ly
derivatives: ge»ron«to«logn»cal [js adv. ghoul*ish*ness n.
.rantl'ajikall adj. ger»on»tol»o»gist |-jist| n. gib*ber 'jibsr . v. [intrans.] speak rapidly and
|
|

ger»ry*man»der 'jere.maendari *v. [trans.] |

unintelligibly, typically through fear or shock:
[often as n.] (gerrymandering) manipulate they shrieked and gibbered as flames surrounded
the boundaries of (an electoral district) so as them [as adj.] (gibbering) a gibbering idiot.
I

to favor one party or class. gib*bet 'jibit| • n. a gallows.|

achieve (a result) by such manipulation: a an upright post with an arm on which the
freedom to gerrymander the results they want. bodies of executed criminals were left hang-
• n. an instance of such a practice. ing as a warning or deterrent to others. (the
DERI VAT I V E s ger»ry»man«der«er n. : gibbet) execution by hanging: sentenced to the
ger*und 'jerand . n. a word form that is
| I
gibbet. • V. (gibbeted, gibbeting) [trans.]
derived from a verb but that functions as a hang up (a body) on a gibbet.
noun, in English ending in -ing, e.g., asking in execute (someone) by hanging. hold up to
do you mind my asking you?. contempt: poor Melbourne is gibbeted in the
DERIVATIVES: ge»run»dive adj. Times.
ge*stalt Igs'sHtalt; -'sHt61t| (also Gestalt) gib*bOUS 'gibas • adj. (of the moon) having
|
|

• n. (pi. -stalten -tn or -stalts) (in psychol-

| |
ogy) an organized whole that is perceived as
more than the sum of its parts.
phrases: Gestalt therapy a psychothera-
peutic approach developed by Fritz Perls
(1893-1970). It focuses on insight into
gestalts in patients and their relations to the
world, and often uses role-playing to aid the
resolution of past conflicts.
derivatives: ge»staltMsm
ge«stalt»ist |-tist|
the illuminated part greater than a semicircle
and less than a circle.
convex or protuberant: gibbous eyes.
derivatives: gib»bosM»ty |gi'basite| n.
gib'bous'ly adv. gib»bous«ness n.
gibe |jib| (also jibe) *n. an insulting or
mocking remark; a taunt: a gibe at his old
rivals. • v. [intrans.] make insulting or mock-
ing remarks; jeer: some cynics in the media
|-,tiz3m| n. might gibe.
n. gi*gan*tism ji'gsentizam . n. unusual or ab- |
|

ges*ta*tion Ije'staSHan] • n. the process of normal largeness in living things.

carrying or being carried in the womb be- excessive growth due to hormonal imbal-
tween conception and birth. ance. excessive size in plants due to expres-
the duration of such a process. the devel- sion of excess chromosomes.
opment of something over a period of time: gig*0*lo 'jiga.lo • n. (pi. -os) a young man
|
|

various ideas are in the process of gestation. paid or financially supported by an older
derivatives: ges»tate v. ges»ta»tion»al woman to be her escort or lover.
|-SH3nl| adj. a professional male dancing parmer or es-
ges*tlc*u*late »v. [intrans.] use
|
je'stiky3,lat| cort.
gestures, dramatic ones, instead of
esp. gild gild • V. [trans.] cover thinly with gold.
I I

speaking or to emphasize one's words: they give a specious or false brilliance to: the use-
were shouting and gesticulating frantically at less martyrs' deaths of the pilots gilded the opera-
driverswho did not slow down. tion.
derivatives: ges»tic»u»la»tion Ije.stikya phrases: gild the lily try to improve what
'laSH3n| n. ges»tic»u»la»tive |-,lativ| adj. already beautiful or excellent.
is

ges»tic»u»la»tor |-,lat3r| n. ges»tic»u«la»to» derivatives: gild»er n.

ry -b, tore adj.
I
I
gimHet 'gimlit| . «. 1 a small T-shaped tool
|

gey*ser |
'glzsr |
. n. a hot spring in which wa- with a screw-tip for boring holes. A gimlet
ter intermittently boils, sending a tall column (or gimlety) eye a sharp, piercing, often is

of water and steam into the air. skeptical eye or glance: she greeted the sugges-
a jet or stream of liquid: the pipe sent up a tion with the gimlet eye. 2 a cocktail of gin (or
geyser of sewer water into the street. • v. [no sometimes vodka) and lime juice.
obj., with adverbial of direction] (esp. of water or gird gard . V. (past and past part, girded or
| I

steam) gush or burst out with great iorct: yel- girt gsrt ) [trans.] encircle (a person or part
I I

low smoke geysered upward. of the body) with a belt or band: a young man
gheMo 'geto • n. (pi. -OS or -oes) a part of
I I
was to be girded zvith the belt of knighthood.
a city, esp. a slum
area, occupied by a minor- secure (a garment or sword) on the body
itygroup or groups. with a belt or band: a white robe girded with a
a former designation for the Jewish quarter magenta sash. surround; encircle: the moun-
in a city: the Warsaw Ghetto. an isolated or tains girding Kabul.
segregated group or area: the relative security phrases: gird (up) one's loins prepare
of the gay ghetto. and strengthen oneself for what is to come,
derivatives: ghet»to»ize v. rental practices gird oneself for prepare oneself for (dan-
had the effect of ghettoizing Hispanics. gerous or difficult future actions).
gist 192 glom
gist jist • n. [in sing.] 1 the substance or es-
I I
flash of light, esp. as reflected a shiny from
sence of a speech or text: she noted the gist of surface: the glint of gold in his teeth.
each message. 2 the real point of a legal action: [in sing.] a brightness in someone's eyes seen
damage is the gist of the action and without it the as a sign of enthusiasm or a particular emo-
plaintiff must fail. tion: the glint of excitement in his eyes.
giz*zard 'gizard » n. a muscular, thick-
|
\
glls*sade gh'sad; sad |
|
• 1 a way of sliding
walled part of a bird's stomach for grinding down a steep slope of snow or ice, typically
food, typically with grit. on the feet with the support of an ice ax. 2 a
a muscular stomach of some fish, insects, ballet movement, typically used as a joining
mollusks, and other invertebrates. a per- step, in which one leg is brushed outward
son's stomach or throat. from the body, which then takes the weight
gla*brous 'glabras • adf (chiefly of the skin |
|
while the second leg is brushed in to meet it.
or a leaf) free from hair or down; smooth. • V. [intrans.] slide down a steep slope of snow

gla*ce |gl£e'sa| 'adj. [attrib.] 1 (of fruit) hav- or ice with the support of an ice ax.
ing a glossy surface due to preservation in glis*san*do |gli'sando| » n. (pi. glissandi
sugar: a glace cherry. 2 (of cloth or leather) -de or glissandos) a continuous slide up-
I I

smooth and highly polished. • v. [trans.] glaze ward or downward between two musical
with a thin sugar-based coating: [as adj.] notes.
glaceed orange slices. glitch IgliCHi informal • n. a sudden, usually
gla*cial 'glasHsl • adj. relating to, resulting
|
|
temporary malfunction or irregularity of
from, or denoting the presence or agency of equipment: a draft version was lost in a com-
ice, esp. in the form of glaciers: thick glacial puter glitch.
deposits a glacial lake. I
an unexpected setback in a plan: the first real
extremely cold: glacial temperatures. gave \
glitch they've encountered. (in astronomy) a
him a glacial look. extremely slow (like the brief irregularity in the rotation of a pulsar.
movement of a glacier): described progress in • V. [intrans.] suffer a sudden malfunction or ir-

the talks as glacial. regularity: her job involves troubleshooting when

DERI VAT V E s I : gla«cial»ly adv. systems glitch.
gla*cis 'glasis; 'glaes- • n. (pi. same -sez or
|
1
| |
derivatives: glitch»y adj.
glacises) a gently sloping bank, in particular gilt*te*ra*tl plural n. the fash-
|
,glit3'rate I
.

one that slopes down from a fort, exposing
attackers to the defenders' missiles.
glas*nost
ionable set of people engaged in show busi-
ness or some other glamorous activity.
|
'glaez.nost; 'glass-; 'glaz-; 'glas-| giitz*y 'glitse • adj. (glitzier, glitziest) os-
I
|

» n. (in the former Soviet Union) the policy tentatiously attractive (often used to suggest
or practice of more open consultative govern- superficial glamour): I wanted something glitzy
ment and wider dissemination of informa- towear to the launch party. \
a glitzy group of
tion, initiated by leader Mikhail Gorbachev movie bigwigs.
from 1985. derivatives: glitz»i»ly |-S3le| adv. glitz*
glass cell*lng • n. [usu. in sing.] a barrier to i'ness n.
advancement in a profession that affects only gloam*lng |
'glomiNC |
• n. (the gloaming)
a particular group, such as women. twilight; dusk.
glau*COUS |
'glokas |
. adj. 1 of a dull grayish- gloat I
glot I
• V. [intrans.] contemplate or dwell
green or blue color. 2 covered with a powdery on one's own success or another's misfortune
bloom like that on grapes. with smugness or malignant pleasure: his ene-
glean glen • |
|
v. extract (information)
[trans.] mies gloated over his death. • n. [in sing.] an
from various sources: the information is act of gloating. Cf. schadenfreude
gleaned from press clippings. derivatives: gloat»er n. gloat«ing»ly adv.
collect gradually and piece by piece: objects glob*al*lst I'globalistI »n. a person who
gleaned from local markets. gather (leftover advocates the interpretation or planning of
grain or other produce) after a harvest: [as economic and foreign policy in relation to
n.] (gleaning) the conditions of farm workers in events and developments throughout the
the 1890s made gleaning essential. world.
derivatives: glean»er n. glean*ing n. a person or organization advocating or prac-
glen*gar*ry glen'gaere • n. (pi. -ies) a brim- |
|
ticing operations across national divisions.
less boat-shaped hat with a cleft down the derivatives: glob»alnsm |-,liz3m| n.
center, typically having two ribbons hanging glob*U*lar I'glabysbrl *adj. 1 globe-shaped;
at the back, worn as part of Scottish Highland spherical. 2 composed of globules.
dress. glob*ule 'glabyool . w. a small round parti-
| I

glib glib • adj. (glibber, glibbest) (of words

I I
cle of a substance; a drop: globules of fat.
or the person speaking them) fluent and vol- derivatives: glob»u»lous |-y3bs| adf
uble but insincere and shallow: she was care- glom I
glam • V.
I
(glommed, glomming)
ful not to sound too glib. 1 [intrans.] (glom onto) take possesion of
DERI VAT I v e s glib'ly adv. glib*ness : n. something in a peremptory way, denying oth-
glint glint • V.
I
[intrans.] give out or reflect I
ers' access: she glommed onto me as soon as I
small flashes of light: her glasses were glinting walked into the room. become stuck or
in the firelight. attached to: The molecules glom onto the virus
(of a person's eyes) shine with a particular and destroy it. 2 steal: / thought he was about to
emotion: his eyes glinted angrily. * n. a small glom my wallet.
 .

gloss 193 godhead

gloss Iglas; gl6s| • n. shine or luster on a
1
smooth surface: hair with a healthy gloss.
(also gloss paint) a type of paint that dries
to a bright shiny surface.
ficially attractive
beneath the gloss of success lay a tragic private
life.• V. [trans.] apply a cosmetic gloss to.
apply gloss paint to. (gloss over) try to
conceal or disguise (something embarrassing
graphic symbol that appears as part of a com-
puter screen display. Cf. icon an alphabetic
or other character that is printed or displayed
[in sing.] a super- as a single unit. 2 an ornamental carved
appearance or impression: groove or channel, as on a Greek frieze.
derivatives: glyph'ic I'glifikl adj.
glyp*tic I'gliptikI 'adj. of or concerning
carving or engraving, esp. on stones.
gnarled narld . adj. knobbly, rough, and
| |

or unfavorable) by treating it briefly or repre- twisted, esp. with age: the gnarled old oak tree.
senting it misleadingly: the social costs of this gnarhy |
'narle |
• adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 gnarled.
growth are glossed over. 2 difficult, dangerous, or challenging: she bat-
derivatives: gloss»er n. tled through the gnarly first sequence.
gloss^ • n. a translation or explanation of a unpleasant; unattractive: bus stations can be
word or phrase. pretty gnarly places.
an explanation, interpretation, or para- gnath*ic 'naeTHik • adj. of or relating to the
|
I

phrase: the chapter acts as a helpful gloss on jaws.

Pynchon 's general method. • v. [trans.] (usu. be gnome^ |nom| n. a legendary dwarfish •

glossed) provide an explanation, interpreta- creature supposed to guard the earth's treas-
tion, or paraphrase for (a text, word, etc.). ures underground.
glOS*SO*la*li*a .glasa'lalea; ,gl6- . n. the |
1 a small ugly person. a person regarded as
phenomenon of (apparently) speaking in an having secret or sinister influence, esp. in fi-
unknown language during religious worship. nancial matters: the gnomes of Zurich.
(Also called speaking in tongues) derivatives: gnomMsh adj.
a similar phenomenon as a symptom of men- gnome^ . n. a short statement encapsulating

tal illness. a general truth; a maxim.

derivatives: glos»so»la»lic |-,lalik| adj. gno*mic 'nomik • adj. expressed in or of
| |

glow»er |
have an angry
'glowarl . v. [intrans.] the nature of short, pithy maxims or apho-
or sullen look on one's face; scowl: she glovo- risms: that most gnomic form, the aphorism.
ered at him suspiciously. • n. [in sing.] an an- enigmatic; ambiguous: / had to have their
gry or sullen look. gnomic response interpreted for me.
derivatives: glow»er»ing adj. glow»er» derivatives: gno»mi»cal»ly |-ik(3)le| adv.
ing«ly adv. gno*mon 'noman • «. 1 the projecting| |

glut gbt • n. an excessively abundant sup-

I I
piece on a sundial that shows the time by the
ply of something: there is a glut of cars on the position of its shadow.
market. • v. (glutted, glutting) [trans.] (usu. a structure, esp. a column, used in observing
be glutted) supply or fill to excess: the paper the sun's meridian altitude. 2 the part of a
recycling plants are glutted \
he was glutting parallelogram left when a similar parallelo-
himself on junk food. gram has been taken from its corner.
archaic satisfy fully: he planned a treacherous derivatives: gno*monMC |no'manik|
murder to glut his desire for revenge. adj.
glu*ten 'glootn • n. a substance present in
|
|
gno*sis |
'nosis |
• n. knowledge of spiritual
cereal grains, esp. wheat, that is responsible mysteries.
for the elastic texture of dough. Intolerance Gnos*tic . n. relating to a prominent heretical
to it is the chief factor in celiac (small intes- movement (Gnosticism) of the 2nd-century
tine) disease. Christian Church, partly of pre-Christian or-
glu*te*us glooteas (also gluteus muscle)
I I
igin.Gnostic doctrine taught that the world
• n. (pi. glutei |-te,i|) any of three muscles was created and ruled by a lesser divinity, the
(informally called the glutes) in each buttock demiurge, and that Christ was an emissary of
that move the thigh, the largest of which is the the remote supreme divine being, esoteric
maximus.
gluteus knowledge (gnosis) of whom enabled the re-
derivatives: glu»te»al I'glooteall adj. demption of the human spirit.
glu*ti*nous I'glootn-ssl 'adj. like glue in goad god I
|
• w. a spiked stick used for driving
texture; sticky: glutinous mud. cattle.
derivatives: glu»ti»nous»ly adv. glu«ti» a thing that stimulates someone into action:
nous*ness n. for him the visit was a goad to renewed effort. • v.
glut*ton I
'gbtn I
• n. an excessively greedy [trans.] provoke or annoy (someone) so as to

eater. stimulate some action or reaction: he goaded

a person who is excessively fond of or always her on to more daring revelations.
eager for something: a glutton for adventure. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] drive or urge
derivatives: glut'tonnze |-,iz| v. glut* (an animal) on with a goad.
ton*ous |-3s| adj. glut«ton»ous»ly |-3sle| gob*bet 'gabit . |
a piece or lump of flesh, |

adv. food, or other matter: they lobbed gobbets of

glyph I
glif I
• «. 1 a hieroglyphic character or fresh bonito off the side of the boat.
symbol; a pictograph: walls painted with eso- god*head 'gad.hed • n. (usu. |
|
the God-
teric glyphs. head) God.
strictly, a sculptured symbol (e.g., as form- divine nature. an adored, admired, or in-
ing the ancient Mayan writing system). a fluential person; an idol.
gofer 194 gourmand
go*fer I'gofarl (also gopher) » n. a person 3 (also gospel music) a fervent style of black
who runs errands, esp. on a movie set or in an evangelical religious singing, developed from
office. spirituals sung in Southern Baptist and Pen-
Gol*COn«da igal'kandal « «. a source of tecostal churches: [as adj.] gospel singers.
wealth, advantages, or happiness: posters call- gos*sa*mer 'gasamar |
a fine, filmy sub- |
« n.
ing emigrants from Europe to the Golconda of the stance consisting of cobwebs spun by small
American West. spiders, which is seen esp. in autumn when
gold brick • n. a thing that looks valuable, but dew is clinging to it.
is in fact worthless. used to refer to something very light, thin,
(also goldbrick or goldbricker) a con man. and insubstantial or delicate: in the light from
a lazy person: [as adj.] tzco goldbrick watch- the table lamp, his hair was gossamer. • adj.
men sat drinking in the shed.. • v. (usu. gold- [attrib.] made of or resembling gossamer: gos-

brick) [intrans.] invent excuses to avoid a task; samer zvings.

shirk: he zvasn 't goldbricking; he was really sick. derivatives: gos»sa»mer«y adj.
[trans ] swindle (someone). Goth gaxH I
!
. «. 1 a member of a Germanic
go*lem |
'gobm |
• n. (in European Jewish people that invaded the Roman Empire from
legend) a clay figure brought to life by magic. the east between the 3rd and 5th centuries.
an automaton or robot. The eastern division, the Ostrogoths, found-
gon»fa»lon 'ganfsbn n. a banner or pen-
l I
• ed a kingdom in Italy, while the Visigoths
nant, esp. one with streamers, hung from a went on to found one in Spain. 2 (goth) a
crossbar. style of rock music derived from punk, typi-
a pennant awarded to baseball league cham- cally with apocalyptic or mystical lyrics.
pions. a member of a subculture favoring black
derivatives: gon»fa»lonner |
.ganfab clothing, white and black makeup, and goth
'nir| n. music.
gon*if 'ganaf (also goniff) • n. a disreputa-
I I
Goth»ic 'gaiHik . adj. 1 of or relating to the
1
|

ble or dishonest person (often used as a gen-
eral term of abuse).
gon*ZO 'ganzo • adj. informal of or associated
I
with journalistic writing of an exaggerated,
subjective, and
bizarre or crazy: the
or stoned.
Gor*di»an knot 'gordean • «. an extremely
difficult or involved problem.
phrases: cut the Gordian knot solve or
remove a problem in a direct or forceful way,
rejecting gentler or more indirect methods.
Gor»gon 'gorgsn (also gorgon) • n. each of
[ i
three sisters of Greek mythology, Stheno, Eu-
Goths or their extinct East Germanic lan-
guage, which provides the earliest manu-
I
script evidence of any Germanic language
(4th-6th centuries ad). 2 of or in the style of
fictionalized style. architecture prevalent in western Europe in
woman was either gonzo the 12th-16th centuries, characterized by
pointed arches, rib vaults, and flying but-
|
|
tresses, together with large windows and
elaborate tracery. The Gothic revival of the
mid 18th through the early 20th centuries fo-
cused again on this style. 3 belonging to or
redolent of the Dark Ages; portentously
gloomy or horrifying: / 9th-century Gothic hor-
ror. 4 (of lettering) of or derived from the an-

ryale, and Medusa, with snakes for hair, who gular style of handwriting with broad vertical
had the power to turn anyone who looked at downstrokes used in western Europe from
them to stone. Medusa was killed by Perseus. the 3th century, including black-letter type-
1

a fierce, frightening, or repulsive woman. faces. 5 (gothic) of or relating to goths or

gorm*less 'gormlis • adj. chiefly Brit, lacking
l |
their rock music. • n. 1 the language of the
sense or initiative; foolish. Goths. 2 the Gothic style of architecture.
derivatives: gorm»less»ly adv. gorm* 3 Gothic type.
lessmess n. derivatives: Goth»i»cal»ly |-ik(3)le|
gos*pel 'gaspal I I
• n. 1 the teaching or reve- adv. GothM'cism 'gaTH3,siz3m |
|
n.

lation of Christ: it is the Church's mission to gouache IgwaSH; goo'aSH] . n. a method of

preach the gospel. painting using opaque pigments ground in
(also gospel truth) a thing that is absolutely water and thickened with a gluelike sub-
true: they say it's sold out, but don 't take that as stance.
gospel. a set of principles or beliefs: the new paint of this kind; opaque watercolor. a
economics unit has produced what it intends to be picture painted in this way. Cf. tempera
the approved gospel. 2 (Gospel) the record of gour«mand igOOr'mandl • «. a person who
Jesus' life and teaching in the first four books enjoys eating and often eats too much.
of the New Testament. a connoisseur of good food. See usage be-
each of these books. a portion from one of low. Cf epicure
these read at a church service. derivatives: gour»man»dise n.: they
spent their days in gourmandise and drinking.
The four Gospels ascribed to St. Matthew,
St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John all give an
gour«man«dism 'glOOrman.dizam j

|
n.

account of the ministry, crucifixion, and re- usage: The words gourmand and gour-
surrection of Christ, although the Gospel of met overlap in meaning but are not identi-
John differs greatly from the other three. cal. Both mean 'a connoisseur of good food'
There are also several later, apocryphal but gourmand more usually means 'a per-
accounts that are recorded as Gospels. son who enjoys eating and often overeats.'
gourmet 195 graffiti

gour*met |
,g6r'ma; ,g(50r- • «. a connoisseur 1 within the woodpecker family, there is a grada-
of good food; a person with a discerning tion of drilling ability.
palate. a stage or change in a such a scale or series:
[as of a kind or standard suitable for a
adj.] minute gradations of distance. a minute
gourmet: a gourmet meal. change firom one shade, tone, or color to an-
gout gowt • n. 1 a disease in which defec-
I I
other: amorphous shapes in subtle gradations of
tive metabolism of uric acid causes arthritis, green and blue. (in historical linguistics) an-
esp. in the smaller bones of the feet and other term for ablaut.
episodes of acute pain. 2 poetic/literary a drop or derivatives: gra»date v. gra»da»tion»al
spot, esp. of blood, smoke, or flame: ^owte of |-SH9nl| adj. gra»da«tion»aWy |-SH3nl-e|
flame and phlegm. adv.
derivatives: gout»i»ness |-tenisi n. gra»di»ent 'gradeant • w. 1 an inclined part
| I

gout»y adj. of a road or railway; a slope: fail-safe brakes for

goy goi • n. (pi. goyim 'goi-im or goys) a
I I |
|
use on steep gradients.
Jewish name (generally derogatory) for a the degree of such a slope: the path becomes
non-Jew. very rough as the gradient increases. the de-
derivatives: goy»ish adj. gree of steepness of a plotted graph at any
grace gras * n. ^ simple elegance or refine-
|
\
point. 2 an increase or decrease in the mag-
ment of movement: she moved through the wa- nitude of a property (e.g., temperature,
ter with effortless grace. pressure, or concentration) observed in
courteous goodwill: at least he has the grace to passing from one point or moment to an-
admit his debt to her. (graces) an attractively other.
polite manner of behaving: she has all the so- the rate of such a change.
cial graces. 2 (in Christian belief) the free grad*U»ate • n. |
'grsejawit I
a person who has
and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in successfully completed a course of study or
the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of training, esp. a person who has been awarded
blessings. an undergraduate academic degree.
a divinely given talent or blessing: the graces a person who has received a high school di-
of the Holy Spirit. the condition or fact of ploma: she is 19, a graduate of Lincoln High.
being favored by someone: he fell from grace • V. I
'graEj3,wat |
1 [intrans.] successfully com-
because of drug use at the Olympics. 3 (also plete an academic degree, course of training,
grace period) a period officially allowed for orhigh school: I graduated from West Point
payment of a sum due or for compliance with in 1939.
a law or condition, esp. an extended period [transconfer a degree or other academic
]
'
granted as a special favor: another three days qualification on: the school graduated more
grace. 4 a short prayer of thanks said before than one hundred arts majors in its first year.
or after a meal: before dinner the Reverend New- (graduate to) move up to (a more ad-
man said grace. 5 (His, Her, or Your Grace) vanced level or position): he started with
used as forms of description or address for a rummy and graduated to high-stakes poker.
duke, duchess, or archbishop: His Grace, the 2 [trans.] arrange in a series or according to a
Duke ofAtholl. • v. [with obj. and adverbial] do scale: [as adj.] (graduated) a graduated tax.
honor or credit to (someone or something) by mark out (an instrument or container) in
one's presence: she bowed out from the sport she degrees or other proportionate divisions: the
has graced for two decades. stem was graduated with marks for each hour \

[trans.] (of a person or thing) be an attractive
presence in or on; adorn: Ms. Pasco has graced
the front pages of magazines like Elle and Vogue.
phrases: the (Three) Graces
ogy three beautifulgoddesses (Aglaia, Thalia,
and Euphrosyne), daughters of Zeus. They
were believed to personify and bestow charm,
grace, and beauty.
gra*cious 'grasnas • adj. 1 courteous, kind,
| |
[as adj.] graduated cylinders. 3 [trans.] change
(something, typically color or shade) gradu-
ally or step by step: the color is graduated from
Greek Mythol- the middle of the frame to the top. • adj. [attrib.]
relating to graduate school (postgraduate)
education: the graduate faculty.
having graduated from a school or academic
program: a graduate electrical engineer.

usage: The traditional use is "to be grad-

and pleasant, esp. toward someone of lower uated from": She will be graduated from med-
social status: smiling and gracious in defeat.
ical school in June. It is now more common
elegant and tasteful, esp. as exhibiting
to say "graduate from": He will graduate from
wealth or high social status: the painter spe-
high school next year Avoid using graduate
cialized in gracious Victorian interiors gra-
\

as a transitive verb, as in "He graduated high

cious living. 2 (in Christian belief) showing school last week."
divine grace: / am saved by God's gracious in-
tervention on my behalf. 3 Brit, a polite epithet graf»fi*ti |
grs'fete (sing, graffito
|
• plural n.
used of royalty or their acts: the accession of I
-to I )
or pi.] writing or draw-
[treated as sing,

Her present gracious Majesty. • exclam. ex- ings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly
pressing polite surprise. on a wall or other surface in a public place:
derivatives: gra»cious«ly adv. gra* the walls were covered with graffiti [as adj.] a \

cious*ness n. graffiti artist. • v. [trans.] 1 write or draw graf-

gra*da*tion gra'dasHsn • a scale or a se-
|
|
fiti on (something): he and another teenager

ries of successive changes, stages, or degrees: graffitied an entire train.

graft 196 gra vitas
write (words or drawings) as graffiti. accusation is found to be supported by facts
derivatives: graf»fi»tist |-tist| n. meriting a trial, the grand jury issues an
usage: In Italian the word graffiti is a plu-
indictment. The case may then be heard by
a petit (or petty) jury, or by a judge, at
ral noun, and singular form is graffito.
its
trial.
Traditionally, the same distinction has been
maintained in English, so that graffiti, be- grand mal |
,graen(d) 'mal; 'mael| • n. a seri-
ing plural, would require a plural verb: the ous form of epilepsy with muscle spasms and
graffiti were all over the wall. By the same
prolonged loss of consciousness. Cf. petit
token, the singular would require a singular MAL.
verb: there was a graffito on the wall. The
an epileptic seizure of this kind.
most common modern use is to treat graf-
gran*ite 'graenit| • n. a very hard, granular,
|

crystalline, igneous rock consisting mainly of

fiti as if it were a mass noun, similar to a
word like writing. In this case graffiti takes quartz, mica, and feldspar and often used as
a singular verb, as in the graffiti was all over a building stone.

the wall. Such uses are now widely accepted

used in similes and metaphors to refer to
as standard and may be regarded as part of something very hard and impenetrable: [as
the natural development of the language, adj.] a man with granite determination.
rather than as mistakes. derivatives: gra»nitMC Igra'nitik] adj.
gran*it«oid |
'graeni,toid |
adj. & n.
graft grseft
1
|
1 a shoot or scion inserted
|
• graph*ic 'graefiki • adj. 1 of or relating to vis-
|

into a slit of rooted stock, from which it ual art, esp. involving drawing, engraving, or
receives sap. lettering: his mature graphic work.
an instance of inserting a shoot or scion in giving a vivid picture with explicit detail: a
this way. 2 a piece of living tissue that is trans- graphic description of the torture. (in com-
planted surgically. puting) of, relating to, or denoting a visual
a surgical operation in which tissue is trans- image. 2 of or in the form of a graph. 3 [attrib.]
planted. • V. [with obj. and adverbial] 1 insert (a of or denoting rocks having a surface texture
scion) as a graft: graft different varieties onto a resembling cuneiform writing. • n. a graphi-
single tree trunk. cal item prepared for reproduction in print-
insert a graft on (a stock). 2 transplant (liv- ing a graphical item displayed on a screen
ing tissue) as a graft: they can graft a new hand or stored as data.
onto the arm. derivatives: graph»i»caWy |-ik(3)le|
insert or fix (something) permanently to adv.graph»ic»ness n.
something else, typically in a way considered graph«ol»o»gy |graeTabje| . n. 1 the study of
inappropriate: western-style government could handwriting, for example as used to infer a
not easily be grafted onto a profoundly differ- person's character. 2 the study of written and
ent country. printed symbols and of writing systems as a
graft^ . n. practices, esp. bribery, used to se- discipline of linguistics.
cure illicit gains in politics or business; cor- derivatives: graph«o»logn»cal |
,graef3
ruption: measures to curb official graft. 'lajikali adj. graph«ol»o»gist |-jist| n.
such gains: grow fat off bribes and graft. • v. grat*i*fy rgr£et3,fi| ^v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.]
[intrans.] make money by shady or dishonest (often be gratified) give (someone) pleasure
means. or satisfaction: / was gratified to see the cover-
DERI VAT v E s graft'cr n.
I : age in May's issue [as adj.] (gratifying) the \

gran*deur 'graenjsr; 'grsendyObr • n. splen-

| I
results were gratifying.
dor and impressiveness, esp. of appearance or indulge or satisfy (a desire): not all the sexual
style: the austere grandeur of mountain scenery. impulses can be gratified.
high rank or social importance: for all their derivatives: grat»i»fi»ca«tion grsetsfi | ,

grandeur, the chancellors were still officials of the 'kaSH3n| n. grat»i»fi»er n. gra»ti»fy»ing»ly
household. adv.
gran*dil*0*quent |
graen'dibkwant |
• adj. grat*is 'greeds • adv. without charge; free: a
i
|

pompous or extravagant in language, style, or monthly program was issued gratis. • adj. given
manner, esp. in a intended to im- way that is or done for nothing; free: gratis copies.
press: a grandiloquent celebration of Spanish gra»tU»i»tOUS |gr3't(y)ooit3s| 'adj. 1 un-
glory. called for; lacking good reason; unwarranted:
DERIVATIVES: gran»dil»o»quence n. gran* gratuitous violence. 2 given or done free of
dil»o»quent«ly adv. charge: gratuitous legal advice.
gran*di*OSe |

'graende.os; ,graEnde'os| • adj. derivatives: gra»tun»tous«ly adv. gra»

impressive or magnificent in appearance or tu»i»tous«ness n.
style, esp. pretentiously so: the court's grandi- gra»tu»i*ty gr3't(y)ooite • n. (pi.
|
-ies) |

ose facade. money given in return for some service or fa-

excessively grand or ambitious: grandiose vor, in particular:
plans to reform the world. a tip given to a waiter, taxicab driver, etc.
derivatives: gran»di»ose»ly adv. gran* grav»id 'grsevid
|
• adj. pregnant; carrying |

di«osn»ty |
,graende'asite |
n. eggs or young.
grand ju»ry • n. a jury, normally of twenty- full of meaning or a specified quality: the
three jurors, selected to examine the vahdity scene is gravid with unease.
of a criminal accusation prior to trial; if the grav«i*tas 'grsevi.tas • n. dignity, serious-
| I
gravitate 197 grovel
ness, or solemnity of manner: a post for which a grimace of pain. • v. [intrans.] make a grim-
he has the expertise and the gravitas. ace: I sipped the coffee and grimaced.
grav*i*tate 'graEvi,tat| . t;. [no obj., with adver-
|
DERIVATIVES: grim»ac»ing»ly adv.
bial] move toward or be attracted to a place, grin*go |
'griNOgo |
• n. (pi. -os) a sometimes
person, or thing: they gravitated to the Catho- term for a white person from an
offensive
faith in their hour of need.
lic English-speaking country (used in Spanish-
move, or tend to move, toward a center of speaking communities).
gravity or other attractive force. archaic de- grip grip •I
an assistant in a theater; a
I

scend or sink by the force of gravity. stagehand.

DERI VAT V E s grav»i»ta»tion n. gravn»ta»
I : a member of a camera crew responsible for
tion«al adj. moving and setting up equipment.
grav*r*ty 'graevite |
the force that |
. 1 grippe grip • n. old-fashioned term
|
|
for in-
attracts a body toward the center of the earth, fluenza.
or toward any other physical body having • n. a method of paint-
gri*saille |gri'zi;-'zal|
mass. ing in gray monochrome, typically to imitate
the degree of intensity of this, measured by sculpture.
acceleration. 2 extreme or alarming impor- a painting or stained-glass window in this
tance; seriousness: crimes of the utmost gravity. style.
seriousness or solemnity of manner: has the gristly |
'grizle |
• adj. (grislier, grisliest)
poet ever spoken with greater eloquence or grav- causing horror or disgust: the town was shaken
ity? by a series of grisly crimes.
green*mail |'gren,mal| • «. the practice of derivatives: gris»li»ness n.
buying enough shares in a company to grist I
grist I
• n. grain that is ground to make
threaten a takeover, forcing the company's flour.
owners to buy them back at a higher price in malt crushed to make mash for brewing.
order to retain control. useful material, esp. to back up an argu-
derivatives: green»mail«er n. ment: the research provided the most sensational
gre»gar*i»OUS Igri'gereasI »adj. (of a person) opponents of tobacco.
grist for
fond of company; sociable: a popular and gre- phrases: grist for the mill useful experi-
garious man. ence, material, or knowledge.
(of animals) living in flocks or loosely orga- gro*tesque |gro'tesk| * adj. comically or re-
nized communities: gregarious species forage in pulsively ugly or distorted: grotesque facial dis-
(of plants) grow-
flocks from colonies or roosts. tortions.
ing in open clusters or without intervention incongruous or inappropriate to a shocking
of other species. degree: a lifestyle of grotesque luxury. • n. a
derivatives: gre»gar»i»ous»ly adv. gre» very ugly or comically distorted figure, crea-
gar»i«ous»ness n. ture, or image: the cups are carved in the form
grid*IOCk 'grid.lakl
|
• n. 1 a traffic jam affect- of a series of grotesques.
ing a whole network of intersecting streets, (the grotesque) that which is grotesque:
esp. because vehicles entering one or more images of the macabre and the grotesque. a
intersections are unable to leave them (as, by style of decorative painting or sculpture con-
turning through oncoming traffic). 2 another sisting of the interweaving of human and an-
term deadlock.
for imal forms with flowers and foliage.
DERI VAT V E s grid*locked adj.
I : derivatives: gro»tesque»ly adv. gro»
griev*ance 'grevans • m. a real or imagined
|
|
tesque«ness n.
wrong or other cause for complaint or pro- ground ze*ro . n. [in sing.] the point on the
test, esp. unfair treatment: failure to redress earth's surface directly above or below an
genuine grievances. exploding nuclear bomb.
an official statement of a complaint over a starting point or base for some activity: if
something believed to be wrong or unfair: you 're starting at ground zero in terms of knowl-
three pilots have filed grievances against the com- edge, go to the library.
pany. [as adj.] are they following grievance
I
group'think rgroop,THiNGk| *n. the prac-
procedures? a feeling of resentment over tice of thinking or making decisions as a
something believed to be wrong or unfair: he group in a way that discourages creativity or
was nursing a grievance. individual resonsibility: there's alzoays a dan-
grift grift . V. [intrans.] engage in petty swin-
I I
ger of groupthink when two leaders are so alike.
dling. . n. a petty swindle. grov*el gravsl; 'gr3-| • v. (groveled, grov-
|

DERI VAT I V E s grift'cr n. : eling ; Brit, grovelled, grovelling) [intrans ] lie

grille gril (also grill) . n. a grating or screen
| |
or move abjectly on the ground with one's
of metal bars or wires, placed in front of face downward: she was groveling on the floor
something as protection or to allow ventila- in fear.
tion or discreet observation. act in an obsequious manner in order to ob-
a grating at the front of a motor vehicle tain someone's forgiveness or favor: everyone
allowing air to circulate to the radiator to cool expected me to grovel with gratitude \
[as adj.]

it. (groveling) his groveling references to "great"

grim*ace 'grimss • n. an ugly, twisted ex-
|
|
historians and their "brilliant" works.
pression on a person's face, typically express- derivatives: grov»el»er ti. grov»el»ing*ly
ing disgust, pain, or wry amusement: she gave adv.
grudging 198 gumption
grudg*ing 'grajiNC • adj. given, granted, or
|
|
guard*i*an I'gardeanI • «. a defender, pro-
allowed only reluctantly or resentflilly: a tector, or keeper: self-appointed guardians of
grudging apology. public morality.
(of a person) reluctant or resentfully unwill- a person who looks after and is legally re-
ing to give, grant, or allow something: Oliver sponsible for someone {ward) who is unable
zvas grudging about accepting Wickham '5 inno- to manage his or her own affairs, esp. a child
cence. whose parents have died. the superior of a
derivatives: grudg»ing«ly adv. grudg* Franciscan convent.
ing*ness n. derivatives: guardM»an»ship |-,SHip| n.
gruel*ing grooaliNC (Brit gruelling) . adj.
i |
guer*don I'gardn] • «. a reward or recom-
extremely tiring and demanding: a grueling pense. • V. [trans.] give a reward to (someone):
schedule. there might come a time in which he should guer-
derivatives: gruel'ing'ly adv. don them.
grunge granj • «. 1 grime; dirt. 2 (also
|
|
gul*don |
'gidn |
• a pennant that narrows
grunge rock) a style of rock music charac- to a point or fork at the free end, esp. one used
terized by a raucous guitar sound and lazy vo- as the standard of a light cavalry regiment.
cal delivery. guild I
gild I
(also gild) • n. a medieval asso-
the fashion associated with this music, ciation of craftsmen or merchants, often hav-
including loose, layered clothing and ripped ing considerable power.
jeans. an association of people for mutual aid or the
derivatives: grun»gi»ness n. grun«gy adj. pursuit of a common goal. a group of spe-
gua*no 'gwano • n. (pi. -os) the excrement
|
|
cies that have similar requirements and play
of bats or seabirds, occurring in thick a similar role within an ecosystem.
deposits notably in caves or on the islands off guile gil • n. sly or cunning intelligence: he
I I

Peru and Chile, and used as fertilizer. used all his guile to free himselffrom the muddle
an artificial fertilizer resembling natural he was in.
guano, esp. one made from fish. derivatives: guile»ful |-f3l| adj. guile*
guar*an»tee .geran'te • n. |
|
a formal promise fuMy |-f3le| adv.
or assurance (typically in writing) that certain guileHess 'gillis • adj. devoid of guile; in-
|
|

conditions will be fulfilled, esp. that a prod- nocent and without deception: a youthful face,
uct will be repaired or replaced if not of a so open and guileless.
specified quality and durability: we offer a 10- derivatives: guile»less»ly adv. guile*
year guarantee against rusting. less'ness n.
something that gives a certainty of outcome: guise |giz| • n. an external form, appearance,
past performance is no guarantee of future or manner of presentation, typically conceal-
results. variant spelling of guaranty. less ing the true nature of something: he visited in
common term for guarantor, a person who the guise of an inspector telemarketing un- \

makes or gives a guarantee. • v. (guaran- der the guise of market research.

tees, guaranteed, guaranteeing) [intrans ] Gu*lag 'goolagi • n. [in sing.] a system of la-
I

provide a formal assurance or promise, esp.
that certain conditions will be fulfilled relat-
ing to a product, service, or transaction: [with
infinitive] the con artist guarantees that the dirt pile
will yield at least 20 ounces of gold.
[trans.] provide such an assurance regarding
(something, esp. a product) the repairs will be
guaranteed for three years [as adj.] (guaran-
teed) the guaranteed bonus is not very high.
[trans.] provide financial security for; under-
write: a demand that $100,000 be deposited to
bor camps maintained in the Soviet Union
from 1930 to 1955 in which many people
died.
(gulag) a camp in this system, or any polit-
ical labor camp: the imprisonment of dissidents
in a massive gulag.
: gull • V. [trans.] fool or deceive (someone):
\
workers had been gulled into inflicting poverty
upon themselves. • n. a person who is fooled or
deceived.
gul*li*ble 'gsbbal . adj. easily persuaded to
|
|

guarantee their costs. [trans.] promise with believe something; credulous: persuade a gul-
certainty: no one can guarantee a profit on lible public to spend their money.

stocks. DERI vat i v e s guMi»bil»i»ty ,g3b'bilite :

| |

n. gul»li»bly -ble adv.

usage: Guarantee and guaranty are in- | |

terchangeable for both noun and verb, al- gum*bO 'gambo • n. (pi. -os) 1 okra, esp. the
|
|

though the latter is now rare as a verb. War- gelatinous pods used in cooking.
(in Cajun cooking) a spicy chicken or sea-
ranty is widely used in their place. Warrantee
means 'person to whom a warranty is made';
food soup thickened typically with okra or
rice. 2 (Gumbo) a French-based patois spo-
it is not a spelling variant of loarranty.
ken by some blacks and Creoles in Louisiana.
guar*an»ty I
guarantee) . n.
'geran.tel (also 3 a fine, clayey soil that becomes sticky and
(pi. pay another per-
-ies) a formal pledge to impervious when wet. 4 a type of Cajun mu-
son's debt or to perform another person's sic consisting of a lively blend of styles and
obligation in the case of default. a person sounds.
who acts in this capacity (also called a guar- gump*tion 'gampSHan • n. shrewd or spir- |
|

antor). and resourcefulness: she had

ited initiative
a thing serving as security for a such a the gumption to put her foot down and stop
pledge. Cf. WARRANTY. those crazy schemes.
gung-ho 199 gyre
gung-ho |
'gaNC 'ho |
. adj. unthinkingly en- DERIVATIVES: gym»na«si»al |-ze3l| adj.
thusiastic and eager, esp. about taking part in (in sense 2).
fighting or warfare: the gung-ho soldier who gym*nas»tics jim'nsestiksj * plural n. [also
|

wants all the big military toys. treated as sing.] exercises developing or dis-
gun*sel |
'gansal \
• n. h criminal carrying a playing physical agility and coordination. The
gun. modern sport of gymnastics typically involves
_
gu^ru 'gOOroo;I
gOO'roo I
• n. (in Hinduism exercises on uneven bars, balance beam,
and Buddhism) a spiritual teacher, esp. one floor, and vaulting horse (for women), and
who imparts initiation. horizontal and parallel bars, rings, floor, and
each of the ten first leaders of the Sikh reli- pommel horse (for men).
gion. an influential teacher or popular ex- [with adj.] other physical or mental agility of
pert: a management guru. a specified kind: these vocal gymnastics make
gus*sy 'gase . V. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] (gussy
I I
the music unforgettable.
someone/something up) make more at- gym*no*sperm |
'jimna.sparml * n. a plant
tractive, esp. in a showy or gimmicky that has seeds unprotected by an ovary or
way: shopkeepers gussied up their window dis- fruit. Gymnosperms include the conifers,
plays. cycads, and ginkgo.
guS*ta»tO»ry adj. concerned |
'gasta.tore I
• derivatives: gym»no*sper»mous
with tasting or the sense of taste: gustatory jimns'spsrmas adj.
I |

delights. Cf. culinary gy»ne*col»o»gy .gms'kalsje; jins-l (Brit, gy-|

gus*tO 'g9sto • n. (pi. -OS or -oes) enjoy-

I I
naecology) • n. the branch of physiology
ment or vigor in doing something; zest: she and medicine that deals with the functions
sang it with gusto. and diseases specific to women and girls, esp.
[in sing.] a relish or liking: he had a particular those affecting the reproductive system. Cf.
gusto for those sort of performances. obstetrics.
gilSt*y I
'g9Ste • adj. (gustier, gustiest)
I
derivatives: gyn»e»co»logMC |-k3'lajik|
1 characterized by or blowing in gusts: a gusty adj. gyn»e»co»logn»cal | -ka'lajikal |
adf
morning. 2 having or showing gusto: gusty fe- gyn»e»co»logM»caWy |
-k3'Iajik(3)le |
adv.
male vocals. gy»ne»col»o«gist i-jist| n.
derivatives: gust»i»ly I'gastalel adv. gyp I
jip I
(gypped, gypping)
informal . v.

gust»i»ness n. [trans.] cheat or swindle (someone): that's

gut*ta-per»Cha ,g3t3 'parens . n. a hard, |
|
salesmanship, you have to gyp people into buy-
tough thermoplastic substance that is the ing stuff they don't like. • n. (also gip) an act
coagulated latex of certain Malaysian trees of cheating; a swindle.
(genus Palaquium) It consists chiefly of a hy- . gyp»sy |
'jipse |
(also gipsy) . n. (pi. -ies) a
drocarbon isomeric with rubber and is now member of a traveling people with dark skin
used chiefly in dentistry and for electrical in- and hair who speak the Indo-European lan-
sulation, having been replaced in many other guage Romany and traditionally live by sea-
uses by synthetics. sonal work, itinerant trade, and fortune-
guWer 'gapri . v. 1 [intrans.] (of a candle or
I telling. Gypsies are now found mostly in
flame) flicker and burn unsteadily: the can- Europe, parts of North Africa, and North
dles had almost guttered out. 2 [trans.] chan- America, but are believed to have originated
nel or furrow with something such as in the Indian subcontinent.
streams or tears: my cheeks are guttered with the language of the gypsies; Romany. a per-
tears. son who leads an unconventional life. a per-
[intrans.] (gutter down) stream down: the son who moves from place to place as
raindrops gutter down her visage. required by employment. (also gypsy cab)
gut*tur*al |
'gataral I
• adj. (of a speech sound) an unlicensed taxi, or one licensed to do busi-
produced in the throat; harsh-sounding. ness only by telephone or in certain areas of
(of a manner of speech) characterized by the a large city. • adj. (of a business or business
use of such sounds: his parents 'guttural central person) nonunion or unlicensed: gypsy truck-
European • n. a guttural consonant
accent. ing firms.
or other speech sound.
(e.g., k, g) DERI VAT v E s gyp«sy»ish adj.
I :

DERI VAT V E s gut»tur»al»ly adv.

I : gy*rate • v. 'jirat move or cause\
to move in |

gym»kha*na ijim'kana] » n. 1 an equestrian a circle or spiral, esp. quickly: [intrans.] their

day event comprising races and other com- wings gyrate through the water like paddle
petitions on horseback, typically for children. wheels.
2 (in India) a public place with facilities for [intrans.] dance in a wild or suggestive man-
track and field. ner: strippers gyrated on a low stage.
gym»na*si«um |jim'nazeam| » n. (pi. gym- derivatives: gy»ra»tion |ji'raSH3n| ri. gy»
nasiums or gymnasia -zes ) 1 a room or |
|
ra»tor |-,rat3r| n.
building equipped for gymnastics, games, gyre 'jir • v. [intrans.] whirl; gyrate: a swarm
|
|

and other physical exercise. 2 |gim'naze of ghosts gyred around him. • n. a circular
,00m a school in Germany, Scandinavia, or
I
movement; spiral; or a vortex.
central Europe that prepares pupils for uni- a circular pattern of currents in an ocean ba-
versity entrance. sin: the central North Pacific gyre.
 Hh
ha*be*as cor*pus rhabea'skorpssl •n. (in the neck or saddle of a domestic cock or other
law) a writ requiring a person under arrest to bird.
be brought before a judge or into court, esp. wound around a fishing fly so that
a feather
to secure the person's release unless lawfiil its filaments are splayed out. such feathers
grounds are shown for his or her detention. collectively. a bunch of feathers in a military
the legal right to apply for such a writ. headdress. 3 a steel comb for separating flax
ha*blH*ment Ihs'bibmsntI . n. (usu. habil- fibers. • V. [trans.] dress or comb with a
iments) clothing, an outfit appropriate for hackle.
an office or occasion, armor, or equipment: hack*ney 'haekne • n. (pi. -eys) a horse or
|
I

the habiliments of war. pony of a light breed with a high-stepping

ha*bil*i*tate |h3'bib,tat| »v. [trans.] fit out; trot, used in harness.
equip. [usu. as adj.] a horse-drawn vehicle kept for
clothe; dress. [intrans.] qualify for office. hire: a hackney coach.
derivatives: ha»bil»i«ta»tion |h3,bib'ta- DERI VAT V E s hack*neyed adj.
I :

SHan I
n. Ha*des |'hadez| » n. (in Greek mythology)
hab*it*a*ble |
'haebitabal I
. adj. suitable or the underworld; the abode of the spirits of the
good enough to live in. dead.
derivatives: hab»it»a»bilM»ty |
.hsebsds the god of the underworld, one of the sons of
'bibtel n. the Titan Cronus. Also called Pluto.
hab*i*tant i
'hsebitant; 'hsebstnt |
• n. 1 [often derivatives: Ha»de»an I'hadesnl adj.
as an early French settler in Canada (esp.
adj.] haec»ce*i»ty haek'seate • n. (in philosophy)
| |

Quebec) or Louisiana: the habitant farmhouses that property or quality of a thing by virtue of
of old Quebec. 2 an inhabitant. which it is unique or describable as "this
ha*bit*U»al hs'bicnawal • adj. done or do-
| |
(one)."
ing constantly or as a habit: a habitual late the property of being a unique and individ-
sleeper this pattern of behavior can become ha-
\
ual thing.
bitual. hag*gard 'haegard • adj. 1
|
looking ex- I

regular; usual: his habitual dress. hausted and unwell, esp. from fatigue, worry,
derivatives: ha»bit»u»al»ly adv. or suffering: He trailed on behind, haggard and
ha*bit*U*ate ih3'biCH3,wat| make or be- disheveled. 2 (of a hawk) caught for training as
come accustomed or used to something: a wild adult of more than twelve months. • n.
[trans.] she had habituated the chimps to hu- a haggard hawk.
mans. derivatives: hag»gard»ly adv. hag»gard»
derivatives: ha»bifu»a»tion n. ness n.
ha*bit*U*e ha'bicHa.wa » n. a resident of or
|
\
hag»i»og»ra«phy |
,h£ege'agr3fe; ,hage-| • n.
frequent visitor to a particular place: his uncle the writing of the lives of saints.
was a habitue of the French theater. adulatory writing about another person. a
ha»ci*en»da |,hase'end3| • n. (in Spanish- biography idealizing its subject.
speaking regions) a large estate or plantation derivatives: hagM»o»graphMC |
.haegea
with a dwelling house. 'graefik; .hagea-] adj. hag»i»o»graph«i«cal
the main house on such an estate. a factory i
,haegea'graefakal; ,hagea- |
adj.
or other works on such an estate. hai*ku I
'hi.koo; ,hi'koo |
(also hokku) • n. (pi.
hack hsek • n. 1 a writer or journalist pro-
I I
same or haikus) a Japanese poem of seven-
ducing dull, unoriginal work: [as adj.] a hack teen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and
scriptwriter. five, traditionally evoking images of the natu-
a person who does dull routine work. 2 a ral world.
horse for ordinary riding. an English imitation of this.
a good-quality lightweight riding horse, esp. hail-fel»low-well-met • adj. showing exces-
one used in the show ring. a ride on a horse. sive familiarity: We grew accustomed to hail-
an inferior or worn-out horse. a horse fellow-well-met salesmen.
rented out for riding. 3 a taxicab. • v. [intrans.] hajj I
haej I
(also ha]) • n. the Muslim pilgrim-
[usu. as n.] (hacking) ride a horse for pleas- age to Mecca
that takes place in the last
ure or exercise. month of the year, and that all Muslims are
derivatives: hack»er»y I'haeksrel n. (in expected to make at least once during their
sense 1) lifetime. A haji (also hajji) is a Muslim who
hack*le (hackles) erectile
I'haekall » n. 1 has made this pilgrimage.
hairs along the back of a dog or other animal hal*cy*on 'haelsean • adj. denoting a period
! |

that rise when it is angry or alarmed. of tinje in the past that was idyllically happy
the hairs on the back of a person's neck, and peaceful: the halcyon days of the mid-
thought of as being raised when the person is 1980s, when profits were soaring. • w. 1 a trop-
angry or hostile: off-road vehicles have long icalAsian and African kingfisher (genus Hal-
raised the hackles of environmentalists. cyon) with brightly colored plumage. 2 a
2 (often hackles) a long, narrow feather on mythical bird said by ancient writers to breed
hale 201 harlequin
in a nest floating at sea at the winter solstice, derivatives: hap»haz»ard*ly adv. hap*
charming the wind and waves into calm, haz»ard*ness n.
hale^ hal • adj. (of a person, esp. an elderly
I
|
hap*less 'haeplis . adj. (esp. of a person)
| I

one) strong and healthy: only just sixty, very unfortunate: if you're one of the many hapless
hale and hearty. car buyers who've been shafted.
hale^ . V. [with obj. and adverbial of direction] drag derivatives: hap»less»ly adv. hap»less«
or draw forcibly: he haled an old man out of the ness n.
audience. the suspect was haled into court.
\
ha*ra-ki*ri l.hara 'kire; .haera-; ,here 'kere|
halhmark |
'hoi, mark |
• a mark stamped • suicide by disembowelment with a
n. ritual
on articles of gold, silver, or platinum in sword, formerly practiced in Japan by samu-
Britain, certifying their standard of purity. rai as an honorable alternative to disgrace or
a distinctive feature, esp. one of excellence: execution. Also called seppuku.
the tiny bubbles are the hallmark of fine cham- ostentatious or ritualized self-destruction:
pagnes. • V. [trans.] stamp with a hallmark. you may wonder why you find this software hard
designate as distinctive, esp. for excellence. to navigate, painfully slow, and prone to hara-
hal*IOW I
'haelo i
• V. [trans.] honor as holy: the kiri.

Ganges hallowed as a sacred, cleansing river

is \
hanangue |
hs'raeNC |
• a lengthy and ag-
[as adj.] (hallowed) hallowed ground. gressive speech. • v. [trans.] lecture (some-
make holy; consecrate. [as adj.] (hallowed) one) at length in an aggressive and critical
greatly revered or respected: in keeping with a manner: the kind of guy who harangued total
hallowed American tradition. • n. a saint or about PCB levels in fish.
strangers
holy person. derivatives: ha»rangu»er n.
haMu*ci*nate Iha'loosan.atl *v. [intrans.] ex- ha*rass lha'raes; 'hseras; 'her-| 'V. [trans.]

perience a seemingly real perception of subject to aggressive pressure or intimida-

something not actually present, typically as a tion: a warning to men harassing women at
result of a mental disorder or of taking drugs: work.
people sense themselves going mad and halluci- make repeated small-scale attacks on (an en-
nate about spiders. emy): the squadron's task was to harass retreat-
[trans.] experience a hallucination of (some- ing enemy forces. [as adj.] (harassed) feeling
thing): / don't care if they're hallucinating pur- or looking strained by having too many
ple snakes. demands made on one.
derivatives: haWu«ci»nant |-S3n3nt| derivatives: ha»rass»er n. ha*rassnng»
adj. & n. haWu»ci»na«tion
hal»lu»ci»na» n. ha»rass»ment n.
ly adv.
tor -.atari n. hal»lu«ci»na»to»ry a^^.
I
har«bin*ger 'harbsnjar n. a person or
|
|
.

hal»lu*ci»no*gen ha'loosanajan . n. a drug | I

thing that announces or signals the approach
that causes hallucinations, such as LSD. of another: witch hazels are the harbingers of
derivatives: haWu»ci»no»gen»ic |h3 spring.
iloosans'jeniki adj. a forerunner of something: these works were
ha*lo 'halo . n. (pi. -oes or -os) a disk or cir-
I I
not yet opera but they were the most important
cle of light shown surrounding or above the harbinger of opera.
head of a saint or holy person to represent his har*bor I'harbarl (Brit, harbour) » v. [trans.]
or her holiness. 1 keep (a thought or feeling, typically a neg-

the glory associated with an idealized per- ative one) in one's mind, esp. secretly: she
son or thing: he has long since lost his halo for started to harbor doubts about the wisdom of their
many ordinary Russians. a circle or ring of journey. 2 give a home or shelter to: woodlands
something resembling a halo: their frizzy that once harbored a colony of red deer.
haloes of hair. a circle of white or colored shelter or hide (a criminal or wanted per-
light around the sun, moon, or other lumi- son). carry the germs of (a disease).
nous body caused by refraction through ice 3 [intrans.] (of a ship or its crew) moor in a har-
crystals in the atmosphere. a tenuous bor.
sphere of hot gas and old stars surrounding derivatives: har»bor»er n.
a spiral galaxy. (-oes, -oed) [trans.] (usu.
• v. hard core . n. the most active, committed, or
be haloed) surround with or as if with a doctrinaire members of a group or move-
halo. ment: always a hard-core of trusty stal-
there is

hahyard |
'haelyard I
• n. a rope used for rais- warts I
a hard core following.
[as adj.]

ing and lowering a sail, spar, flag, or yard on popular music that is experimental in na-
a sailing ship. ture and typically characterized by high vol-
ham»a*dry*ad |
.haema'dnad |
. w. 1 (also ume and aggressive presentation. pornog-
Hamadryad) (in Greek & Roman mythol- raphy of an explicit kind: [as adj.] hard-core
ogy) a nymph who dies lives in a tree and porn.
when the tree dies. 2 another term for king har*em 'heram . n. 1 the separate part of a
| I

cobra. Muslim household reserved for wives, con-

ha»mar»ti»a Ihs'marteal . n. a fatal flaw lead- cubines, and female servants. 2 the wives (or
ing to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine. concubines) of a polygamous man.
hap*haz*ard .haep'haezard • adj.
|
lacking |
a group of female animals sharing a single
any obvious principle of organization: the mate.
kitchen drawers contained a haphazard collec- har*le*quin •harlak(w)an| > n. (Harlequin)
|

tion of silver souvenir spoons. a mute character in traditional pantomime.

harmonic 202 heath
typically masked and dressed in a diamond- Jewish sect in Palestine in the 3rd and 2nd
patterned costume. centuries BC that opposed Hellenizing influ-
a stock comic character in Italian commedia ences on their faith and supported the Mac-
deWarte. a mischievous buffoon. • adj. in cabean revolt. 2 an adherent of Hasidism.
varied colors; variegated. derivatives: Ha»sidnc |KHa'sedik; has-
har*mon*ic |har'manik| * adj. 1 of, relating edik| adj.
to, or characterized by musical harmony: a has*SOCk |
'hsesski . «. 1 a thick, firmly pad-
harmonic sequence.
basic four-chord ded cushion, in particular:
(in music) relating to or denoting a har- a footstool. a cushion for kneeling on in
monic or harmonics. 2 (in mathematics) of or church. 2 a firm clump of grass or matted
relating to a harmonic progression. vegetation in marshy or boggy ground.
(in physics) of or relating to component fre- haugh*ty hote . adj. (haughtier
|
ho- | |

quencies of a complex oscillation or wave. dear haughtiest) arrogantly superior and

| ,

(in astrology) using or produced by the ap- disdainful: a look of haughty disdain a \

plication of a harmonic: harmonic charts. • n. haughty aristocrat.

1 (in music) an overtone accompanying a derivatives: haugh»ti4y |-t3le| adv.
fundamental tone at a fixed interval, pro- haugh»ti»ness n.
duced by vibration of a string, column of air, haute bour*geoi«sie |,ot boozHwa'zel »n.
etc., in an exact fraction of its length. (the haute bourgeoisie) [treated as sing, or
a note produced on a musical instrument as pi.] the upper middle class.

an overtone, e.g., by lightly touching a string haute COU*ture |,ot ,koo'tOOr| »n. the de-
while sounding it. 2 (in physics) a component signing and making of high-quality fashiona-
frequency of an oscillation or wave. ble clothes by leading fashion houses, esp. to
(in astrology) a division of the zodiacal cir- order.
cle by a specified number, used in the inter- fashion houses that engage in such work.
pretation of a birth chart. clothes of this kind.
DERI VAT I V E s har»mon»i»cal»ly -ik(9)le
:
| |
haute CUi«sjne ,ot ,kw3'zen . n. the prepa- |
|

adv. ration and cooking of high-quality food fol-

har*mo*ni*um |
har'moneam
key- |
• n. a lowing the style of traditional French cuisine.
board instrument in which the notes are pro- food produced in such a way.
duced by air driven through metal reeds by hau'teur ho'tar • n. haughtiness of man-
| |

foot-operated bellows. ner; disdainflil pride.

harp harp . V. [intrans ] talk or write persist-
I I
haut monde o 'moNd; o 'mand • n. (the | |

ently and tediously on a particular topic: guys haut monde) fashionable society. Cf. beau
who are constantly harping on the war. MONDE, DEMIMONDE.
har^py 'harpe . n. (pi. -ies) (in Greek & Ro-
i I
haut-re*lief ,o ri'lef • n. another term for
|
|

man mythology) a rapacious monster sculptural high relief (see relief).

described as having a woman's head and a sculpture or carving in high relief.
body and a bird's wings and claws or depicted hav*er*sack 'haevarisaekl • «. a small, sturdy
|

as a bird of prey with a woman's face. bag carried on the back or over the shoulder,
a grasping, unscrupulous woman. used esp. by soldiers and hikers.
har«ri*dan 'haeridn; 'heridn
|
• «. a strict, |
head*y 'hede • adj. (headier, headiest)
| |

bossy, or belligerent old woman: a bullying old 1 (of liquor) potent; intoxicating: several bot-
harridan. tles of heady local wine.

har»rl*eri • n. a hound of a breed used for having a strong or exhilarating effect: the
hunting hares. heady days of the birth of the women 's movement
a cross-country runner. I
a heady, exotic perfume. 2 impetuous; vio-
har*ri*er2 . n. a long-winged, slender-bodied lent; passionate; headstrong.
bird of prey (genus circus) with low quarter- derivatives: head»i«ly |'hedl-e| adv.
ing flight. head»i»ness n.
har»ry 'haere; 'here • v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.]
|
|
hear*say |'hir,sa| »n. information received
persistently carry out attacks on (an enemy or from other people that one cannot ade-
an enemy's territory). quately substantiate; rumor: according to hear-
persistently harass: he bought the house for say,Bob was about to be promoted.
Jenny, whom he harries into marriage [as adj.] \
(in law) the report of another person's words
(harried) harried reporters are frequently forced by a witness, usually disallowed as evidence
to invent what they cannot find out. in court, primarily because it is not suscepti-
derivatives: har»ri»er n. ble to cross-examination: everything they had
har«um-scar*um |
heram skeram |
. adj. told him would have been ruled out as hearsay \

reckless; impetuous: she shall be frightened out [as adj.] hearsay evidence.
of her wits by your harum-scarum ways. • n. heath hexH • «. 1 an area of open unculti-
| |

such a person. • adv. in a harum-scarum vated land, esp. in Britain, with characteristic
manner: the tables were scattered harum-scarum vegetation of heather, gorse, and coarse
around a small room. grasses.
Ha*sid iKHa'sed; 'KHasid; 'hasid| (also vegetation dominated by dwarf shrubs of the
Chasid, Chassid, or Hassid) • n. (pi heath family: [as adj.] heath vegetation. 2 a
Hasidim ,KHase'dem;
|
KHasedim; ha dwarf shrub (Erica and related genera) with
'sedim ) 1 a member of a strictly orthodox
|
small leathery leaves and small pink or pur-
heathen 203 helix
pie bell-shaped flowers, characteristic of he*don*ism 'hedn,iz3mi • n. the pursuit of
|

heathland and moorland. pleasure; sensual self-indulgence.

DERI VAT V E s heath-y adj.
I : the ethical theory that pleasure (in the sense
heath»en 'hemsn . n. a person who does
|
|
of the satisfaction of desires) is the highest
not belong to a widely held religion (esp. one good and proper aim of human life.

who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim) as derivatives: he»don»ist he»don»is»tic

n.
regarded by those who do: bringing Christian- I
',hedn'istik| adj. he»don«is»ti«cal«ly ,he- |

ity to the heathens. dn'istik(^)le |

adv.
a follower of a polytheistic religion. (the heed*less 'hedlis adj. showing a reckless
| |
•

heathen) heathen people collectively, esp. lack of care or attention: "Elaine!" she shouted,
(in biblical use) thosewho did not worship heedless of attracting unwanted attention \
his
the God of Israel.
an unenlightened person; heedless impetuosity.
a person regarded as lacking culture or moral derivatives: heed»less»ly adv. heed*
principles. • adj. of or relating to heathens: less'ness n.
heathen gods. he*gem*0*ny i
hs'jemane; 'hej3,mone |
• n.

unenlightened or uncivilized. leadership or dominance, esp. by one coun-

derivatives: heath»en»dom |-d3m| n. try or social group over others: Germany was
heath«en*ishadj. heath»en»ism - ,niz3m |
|
united under Prussian hegemony after 1871.
n. DERI VAT V e s he»gem»o»nist n.
I :

heav*y wa*ter n. water in which the hydro- . He*gi*ra Ihs'jirs; 'hejsraj (also Hejira or
gen in the molecules is partly or wholly Hijra) • n. Muhammad's departure from
replaced by the isotope deuterium, used esp. Mecca to Medina in ad 622, prompted by the
as a moderator in nuclear reactors. opposition of the merchants of Mecca and
heb»dom*a*dal Iheb'damadlj 'adj. weekly marking the consolidation of the first Muslim
(used esp. of organizations that meet weekly): community.
hebdomadal clubs hebdomadal journals. \ the Muslim era reckoned from this date: the
heb*e*tude 'heb3,t(y)ood| . n. the state of
i
second century of the Hcgira. Muslim dates are
being dull or lethargic. computed in the year of the Hegira: a Koran
hec'tare |'hek,teri (abbr.: ha) » n. a metric dated 586 ah. (hegira) an exodus or migra-
unit of square measure, equal to 100 ares tion.
(2.471 acres or 10,000 square meters). hei*nous 'hanas • adj.
|
(of a person or |

derivatives: hec»tar»age 'hektarij n. |

|
wrongful act, esp. a crime) utterly odious or
hec»tic I'hektikI 'adj. 1 full of incessant or wicked: a battery of heinous crimes.
frantic activity: a hectic business schedule. derivatives: hei«nous»ly adv. hei«nous*
2 relating to, affected by, or denoting a regu- ness n.
larly recurrent fever typically accompanying heir ap*par*ent . n. (pi heirs apparent
tuberculosis, with flushed cheeks and hot, I
,e(3)rz a'perant] ) an heir whose claim can-
dry skin. • n. a hectic fever or flush. not be set aside by the birth of another heir.
a patient suffering from such a fever. An heir presumptive may have his or her
derivatives: hec»ti»cal«ly |-tik(3)le| adv. claim thus set aside.
hec*tor 'hektarl |
• v. [trans.] (someone)
talk to a person who is most likely to succeed to the
in a bullying way: she hectored him into taking place of another: he was once considered heir
violin lessons. |
[as adj.] (hectoring) a brusque, apparent to the chairman.
hectoring manner. hel*i*cal 'helikal; 'he-
|
• adj. having the 1

derivatives: hec»tor»ing«ly |

'hekt(3)r- shape or form of a helix; spiral: helical mole-

iNGlel adv. cules.
hedge |
hej |
• n. a contract entered into or as- derivatives: heH'caWy |-ik(9)le| adv.
set held as a protection against possible finan- he*li*0*cen*tric ,hele3'sentrik| . adj. having |

cial loss: inflation hedges such as real estate and or representing the sun as the center, as in the
gold I
[as adj.] a hedge fund. accepted astronomical model of the solar sys-
a word or phrase used to allow for additional tem.
possibilities or to avoid overprecise commit- (in astronomy) measured from or consid-
ment, for example, etc. , often., usually, or some- ered in relation to the center of the sun: heli-
times. • V. [ti'ans.] 1 limit or qualify (some- ocentric distance.
thing) by conditions or exceptions: experts derivatives: he«li»o»cen«tri»cal»ly |-tri-

usually hedge their predictions, just in case. k(3)le| adv.

[intrans.] avoid making a definite decision, he»lix 'heliks • n. (pi. helices 'heb.sez ) an
I
| | |

statement, or commitment: she hedged object having a three-dimensional shape like

around the one question she wanted to ask. that of a wire wound uniformly in a single
2 protect (one's investment or an investor) layer around a cylinder or cone, as in a cork-
against loss by making balancing or com- screw or spiral staircase.
pensating contracts or transactions: the com- (in geometry) a curve on a conical or cylin-
pany hedged its investment position on the fu- drical surface that would become a straight
tures market. line if the surfacewere unrolled into a plane.
phrases: hedge one's bets avoid commit- an extended spiral chain of atoms in a pro-
ting oneself when faced with a difficult tein, nucleic acid, or other polymeric mole-
choice. cule. (in architecture) a spiral ornament.
DERI VAT V E s hedg»erI : n. the rim of the external human ear.
Hellenistic 204 heretic
HeHen»is*tic ,heb'nistik| * adj. of or relat-|
armorial bearings or other heraldic symbols.
ing to Greek history, language, and culture colorful ceremony: all the pomp and heraldry
from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 provided a splendid pageant.
BC to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark derivatives: her»aldMst I'hersldistl n.
Antony by Octavian in 3 1 bc. During this pe- her*ba*ce0US (h)3r'baSH3s| de- |
* adj. of,
riod Greek culture flourished, spreading noting, or relating to herbs (in the botanical
through the Mediterranean and into the Near sense), especially plants not forming a woody
East and Asia and centering on Alexandria in stem but dying down to the root each year.
Egypt and Pergamum in Turkey. herb*al '(h)3rb3l| • adj. relating to or made
i

hel*Ot 'hebt • «. a member of a class of serfs

I I
from herbs, esp. those used in cooking and
in ancient Sparta, intermediate in status be- medicine: herbal remedies. • n. a book that
tween slaves and citizens. describes herbs and their culinary and me-
a serf or slave. dicinal properties.
derivatives: hel»ot«age |
'heb,tij |
n. hel* her*bar»i*um (h)3r'bere3m . n. (pi. her- | I

ot'ism -,tiz3m n. hel«ot»ry

I
| |
'hebtre |
n. baria -'beres ) a systematically arranged
I |

helve helv • n. the handle of

I I
a weapon or collection of dried plants.
tool. a room or building housing such a collec-
hem»i«dem»l*sem»i*qua»ver |
,heme,deme tion. a box, cabinet, or other receptacle in
'seme,kwav3r n. a musical note with the
I
» which dried plants are kept.
time value of half a demisemiquaver; a sixty- herb*i»cide |
'(h)3rb3,sidi . n. a substance
fourth note. that is toxic to plants and is used to destroy
Hem*ing*way*esque 'hemiNGg,waesk| |
unwanted vegetation.
• adj. in the syle or tradition of Ernest DERI VAT v E s herb«i»ci»dal I : adj.
(Miller) Hemingway (1899-1961), US nov- Her*CU*le*an hsr'kyoolesn |
.harkys'lean; |

elist, short-story writer, and journalist, noted • adj. requiring great strength or effort: a Her-
for the terseness of his writing and for his culean task.
concern witli manliness and vigor. (of a person) muscular and strong.
hem*or*rhage |
'hem(3)rij |
(Brit haemor- he*red*i*tar*i«an |h3,redi'terer3n| » adj. of
rhage) • n. an escape of blood from a rup- or relating to the theory that heredity is the
tured blood vessel, esp. when profuse. primary influence on human behavior, intel-
a damaging loss of valuable people or re- ligence, or other characteristics. • n. an advo-
sources suffered by an organization, group, or cate of such a view.
country: a hemorrhage of highly qualified teach- derivatives: he»red»i»tar»i»an»ism | - .iz-

ers. • V. [intrans.] (of a person) suffer a hemor- 3m| n.

rhage: he had begun hemorrhaging in the night. he«red*i*tar*y |h3'redi,tere| » adj. (of a title,
[trans.] expend (money) amounts in in large office, or right) conferred by or based on in-
a seemingly uncontrollable manner: the busi- heritance: members of the Polish aristocracy had
ness was hemorrhaging cash. hereditary right to elect the king.
hem»or*rhoid 'hem(3),roid| (Brit haemor- |
[attrib.] (of a person) holding a position by in-

rhoid) • n. (usu. hemorrhoids) a swollen heritance: / am the hereditary chief of the Pis-
vein or group of veins in the region of the cataway people. (of a characteristic or dis-
anus. Also (collectively) called piles. ease) determined by genetic factors and
derivatives: hem»or»rhoi»dal ,hem(3) |
therefore able to be passed on from parents
'roidl I
adj. to their offspring or descendants: cystic fibro-
hen»di*a»dys hen'dlsdas • n. (in rhetoric)| |
sis is our most common fatal hereditary disease.

the expression of a single idea by two words Cf. congenital. of or relating to inheri-
connected with "and," e.g., nice and warm, tance: a form of hereditary succession and dy-
when one could be used to modify the other, nastic rule became standard practice. (of a
as in nicely warm. mathematical set) defined such that every el-
hen»0«the»ism 'henoTHe,iz3m; ,heno'THe-| |
ement that has a given relation to a member
• n. adherence to one particular god out of of the set is also a member of the set.
several, esp. by a family, tribe, or other group. derivatives: he»red»i»tarM»ly |h3,redi
her*ald |
'herald |
• n. 1 an official formerly 'terslel adv. he»redn«tar«i»ness |h3,redi
employed to oversee state ceremony, prece- 'terenis |
n.
dence, and the use of armorial bearings, and her*e*sy |
'hersse |
• n. (pi. -ies) belief or
to make proclamations, carry ceremonial opinion contrary to orthodox religious (esp.
messages, and oversee tournaments. 2 a per- Christian) doctrine: Huss was burned for her-
son or thing viewed as a sign that something esy the doctrine was denounced as a heresy by
I

is about to happen: they considered the first the pope.

primroses as the herald of spring. • v. [trans.] be opinion profoundly at odds with what is gen-

a sign that (something) is about to happen: erally accepted: the politician's heresies became
the speech heralded a change in policy. the conventional wisdom of the day.
(usu. be heralded) acclaim: the band has her*e*tic 'her3,tiki • n. a person beheving in
|

been heralded as the industrial supergroup of or practicing religious heresy.

the '90s. a person holding an opinion at odds with
her*ald«ry 'hersldre • n. the system by
|
I
what is generally accepted.
which coats of arms and other armorial bear- derivatives he»ret»i»cal lha'retikall adj. :

ings are devised, described, and regulated. he»retn«cal«ly |h3'retikle| adv.

 . |

heritable 205 heuristic

her«it»a«ble |
'heritsbal I
. adj. able to be wall in the groin area. An umbilical hernia
inherited, in particular: involves protrusion in the area of the umbili-
(of a characteristic) transmissible from par- cus (navel).
ent to offspring. (of real property) capable derivatives: her»ni«al adj.
of being inherited by heirs-at-law (heirs by her»pe*tol*0*gy .harps'tabje 'U. the | I

right of blood) branch of zoology concerned with reptiles

derivatives: hernt»a»bil»i»ty |
,herip and amphibians.
herMt»a»bly |-ble| adv.
'biltel n. derivatives: her»pe»to»logM»cal |-t9'laj-
herm harm |
• w. a squared stone pillar with
I
akal !
adj. her»pe»tol»o»gist |
-jist |
n.
a carved head on top (typically of the god Hes*sian boot mercenary soldier from
• n. a
Hermes), used in ancient Greece as a bound- the German state of Hesse, esp. one who
ary marker or a signpost. fought for the British during the American
her»maph*ro»dite hsr'maefradit . a per- | |
Revolution.
son or animal having both male and female a military hireling; mercenary.
sex organs or other sexual characteristics, ei- het*er*0*Clite |
'hetara.kllt »adj. abnormal
|

ther abnormally or (in the case of some or irregular. • n. an abnormal thing or per-
organisms) as the natural condition. son.
a plant having stamens and pistils in the an irregularly declined word, esp. a Greek or
same flower. a person or thing combining Latin noun.
opposite qualities or characteristics. • adj. of derivatives: het«er»o»clitnc |
,het3r9'kli-
or denoting a person, animal, or plant of this tiki adj.
kind: hermaphrodite creatures in classical sculp- het*er*0*dOX 'hetara.daks • adj. not con-
|
|

ture. forming with accepted or orthodox standards

derivatives: her«maph»ro«ditnc jhar or beliefs: heterodox views.
,masfr3',ditik| adj. her»maph»ro»dit»i»cal DERI VAT V E s het»er»o«dox»y
I : n.
] har'imaefra'iditiksl I
adj. her»maph»ro»dit» het*er*0*ge*ne*OUS .hepra'jeneas . adj.
| I

ism har'maefradiitizam n.
I I
diverse in character or content: a large and
her«me»neu»tic ,h3rm3'n(y)ootik| » adj. |
heterogeneous collection.
concerning interpretation, esp. of the Bible or (in chemistry) of or denoting a process
literary texts. • n. a method or theory of in- involving substances in different phases
terpretation. (solid, liquid, or gaseous) (in mathematics) .

derivatives: her»me»neu«ti»cal | -tisksl incommensurable through being of different

adj. her»me»neu»ti»cal«ly adv.
|
-tik(3)le |
kinds, degrees, or dimensions.
her»meHc lhar'metiki 'adj. (of a seal or1 derivatives: het»er«o»ge»ne»i»ty l-ja'ne-
closure) complete and airtight: a hermetic seal 3te I
n. het»er»o»ge»ne»ous»ly adv. het»er»o»
that ensures perfect waterproofing. ge»ne»ous«ness n.

insulated or protected from outside influ-

usage: The correct spelling is heteroge-
ences: a hermetic society. 2 (also Hermetic) of
neous but a fairly common misspelling is
or relating to an ancient occult tradition heterogenous. The reason for the error
encompassing alchemy, astrology, and theos- probably relates to the pronunciation,
ophy. which, in rapid speech, often leaves out the
esoteric; cryptic: obscure and hermetic poems. extra e. (The word heterogenous, used in
derivatives: her»metM»caWy Ihar'meti- specialized medical and biological senses,
kle; -ik(3)le I
adv. her»met»i»cism lhar'meti means 'originating outside the organism,'
iSizam |
n.
but that is a different word, altered from
her*mit 'harmit . w. a person living in soli-
|
I

heterogeneous.)
tude as a religious discipline.
any person living in solitude or seeking to do het«er*0»nym 'het3r3,nim »n. ^ each of |
\

so. two or more words that are spelled identically

derivatives: her»mitMC |h3r'mitik| adj. but have different sounds and meanings, such
her«mit*age 'harmstij » |
\
n. ^ the dwelling of as tear meaning "rip" and tear meaning "liq-
a hermit, esp. when small and remote. 2 (the uid from the eye." Cf. homonym, homo-
Hermitage) a major art museum in St. phone. 2 each of two or more words that are
Petersburg, Russia, containing among its col- used to refer to the identical thing in differ-
lections those begun by Catherine the Great. ent geographical areas of a speech commu-
3 (the Hermitage) estate near Nashville, nity, such as submarine sandwich, hoagie, and
Tennessee, the former home of U.S. Presi- grinder. 3 each of two words having the same
dent Andrew Jackson (1767-1845). meaning but derived from unrelated sources,
her»ni*a 'hsmea • n. (pi. hernias or her-
| |
for example preface and foreword. Cf. paro-
niae -ne,e ) a condition in which part of an
| |
nym.
organ is displaced and protrudes through the derivatives: hefer»o»nymMc |
.hetars
wall of the cavity containing it (often involv- 'nimiki adj. hefer»on»ymous |
.heta'ran-
ing the intestine at a weak point in the ab- smas I
adj.
dominal wall). A hiatus (or hiatal) hernia heu»ris*tic |hyoo'ristik| . adj. enabling a per-
involves part of the stomach protruding son to discover or learn something for him-
through the esophagus and against the dia- self or herself: a "hands-on" or interactive heu-
phragm. In an inguinal hernia, part of the ristic approach to learning.
intestine protrudes through the abdominal (in computing) proceeding to a solution by
hew 206 hippocampus
trial and error or by rules that are only loosely or Episcopal church; the religious authori-
defined. • n. a heuristic process or method. ties. (in Christian theology) the traditional
(heuristics) [usu. treated as sing.] the study system of orders of angels and other heavenly
and use of heuristic techniques. beings.
derivatives: heu»ris*ti»cal»ly |-ik(3)lei derivatives: hi»er»ar»chic ,hi(^)'ra^- |

adv. kik| hi»er»ar»chi»za»tion ,hi(3),rarki

adj. |

hew hyoo . V. (past part, hewn hyoon or

I I |
| 'zaSHsnl n. hi»er»ar»chize |-|kiz| v.
hewed) 1 [trans.] chop or cut (something, esp. hi«er«OC»ra*cy ,hi(3)'rakr3se| »n. (pi. -ies)
i

wood) with an ax, pick, or other tool: hauling rule by priests.

and hewing timber. a ruling body composed of priests.
(usu. be hewn) make or shape (something) derivatives: hi»er»o«crat»ic |
,hi(3)r3
by cutting or chopping a material such as 'krsetiki adj.
wood or stone: a seat hewn out of a fallen tree hi*er*0*glyph 'hi(3)r3,glif . n.
|
a stylized |

trunk. 2 [intrans.] (hew to) conform or adhere picture of an object representing a word, syl-
to: some artists took photographs that hewed to lable, or sound, as found in ancient Egyptian
more traditional ideas of art. and other writing systems.
hex»a«gram |
'heks3,grsem |
• «. a figure hl»er*0*glyph*ic ,hi(3)r3'glifik| . n. (hiero-
|

formed of straight lines, in particular: glyphics) writing consisting of hieroglyphs.

a star-shaped figure formed by two inter- enigmatic or incomprehensible symbols or
secting equilateral triangles. any of a set of writing: tattered notebooks filled with illegible
sixty-four figures made up of parallel whole hieroglyphics. • adj. of or written in hiero-
or broken lines, occurring in the ancient Chi- glyphs.
nese / Ching. (esp. in art) stylized, symbolic, or enigmatic
hi*a*tus |hi'at3s| • n. (pi. hiatuses) [usu. in in effect.
sing ] a pause or gap in a sequence, series, or derivatives: hi«er»o«glyph«i»cal adj. hi*
process: there was a brief hiatus in the war with er»o*glyph»i»cal«ly -ik(3)le adv. |
|

France. high*brow |'hi|brow| »adj. scholarly or rar-

(inprosody and grammar) a break between efied in taste: their art had a mostly highbrow
two vowels coming together but not in the following. • n. a person of this type.
same syllable, as in the ear and cooperate. high*fa*lu«tin ,hif9'l(5&tn |
(also highfalu- i

DERIVATIVES : hi»a»tal i-'apl| adj. ting -'lOOtiNG ) . adj. (esp. of speech, writ-
I |

hi»ber*nate 'hibar.nat . v. [intrans.] (of an

|
|
ing, or ideas) pompous or pretentious: you
animal or plant) spend the winter in a dor- don 't want any highfalutin jargon.
mant state. High Mass • n. (in the Roman Catholic
(of a person) remain inactive or indoors for Church) formerly, a mass with full ceremo-
an extended period: pilots who have been nial, including music and incense and typi-
hibernating during the winter months get their cally having the assistance of a deacon and
gliders out again. subdeacon.
DERI VAT V E s I hi»ber»na»tion .hibar'na-
:
|
hi*lar*i*ty |
ha'lerite |
• n. extreme amuse-
SH3n| n. hi»ber»na*tor |-,nat3r| n. ment, esp. when expressed by laughter: his in-
Hi»ber«ni»an Ihl'bsmeanl »adj. of or con- credulous expression was the cause of much hilar-
cerning Ireland (now chiefly used in names):
the Royal Hibernian Academy. • n. a native of boisterous merriment: the noisy hilarity of the
Ireland (now chiefly used in names): the An- streets.

cient Order of Hibernians. hin*ter»land hintar.lasndl

|
(also hinter-
hi*dal*go hi'dalgo • n. (pi. -os) (in Spanish-
|
|
lands) • n. the often uncharted areas beyond
speaking regions) a gentleman. a coastal district or a river's banks: early set-
hi*dro«sis |hi'dros3s; hi-| . «. (in medicine) tlers were driven from the coastal areas into the

sweating.
derivatives: hi»drotnc
adj.
hi«er*ar*chi*cal ,hi(3)'rarkik3l » adj. of the
|
nature of a hierarchy; arranged in order of
rank: the hierarchical bureaucracy of local
govenment.
D E R va it v s hi»er»ar«chi»cal*ly adv.
I I-; : and ominous.
hi«er*ar*chy |
'hi(3),rarke
tem or organization in which people or
groups are ranked one above the other ac-
cording to status or authority.
(the hierarchy) the upper echelons of a hi-
erarchical system; those in authority: the mag-
azine was read quite widely even by some of the
hierarchy. an arrangement or classification
of things according to relative importance or
hinterland.
|hi'dratik; hi-| an area surrounding a town or port and
served by it: a city had grown prosperous by
|
exploiting its western hinterland. the remote
areas of a region: the mountain hinterland. an
area lying beyond what is visible or known: in
the hinterland of his mind these things rose, dark
|
. n. (pi. -ies) a sys- hip-hop • n. a style of popular music of
African-American and Hispanic origin, fea-
turing rap with an electronic backing.
a subculture defined by its adherence to
this music, graffiti art, and characteristic
styles in clothing and dance, esp. break
danciiig. • adj. of or relating to hip-hop mu-
sic or subculture.
hip*po*cam*pus .hipo'kaempasl • «. (pi|

inclusiveness: a taxonomic hierarchy of phyla, hippocampi |-'kacm,pi; -'kaem,pe|) the

classes, orders, families, genera, and species. elongated ridges on the floor of each lateral
(the hierarchy) the clergy of the Catholic ventricle of the brain, thought to be the cen-
hippodrome
terof emotion, memory, and the autonomic
nervous system.
hip«po«drome 'hipa.drom . n. 1 an arena
used for equestrian or other sporting events.
2 (in ancient Greece or Rome) a course for
chariot or horse races.
hir»cine 'hsr.sin; -san ' adj. of or resem-
blmg a goat.
hi reeling person employed to
'hlrhNC . a
undertake menial work, esp. on a casual
basis.
hir«SlJte 'h3r,soot; har'soot; 'hir,soot
having rough or shaggy hair; hairy:
sute chests.
derivatives: hir«sute»ness n.
His*pan«iC hi'spanik • aii/'. of or relating to
Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries, esp.
those of Latin America.
of or relating to Spanish-speaking people or
their culture, esp. in the US. • n. a Spanish-
speaking person living in the US, esp. one of
Latin American descent.
derivatives: His»pann»cize
,S1Z V.
usage: In the US, Hispanic
dard accepted term when referring to
Spanish-speaking people Uving in the US.
Other, more specific, terms such as Latino
and Chicano are also used where occasion
demands. See also usage at Chicano.
his«tor»ic hi'stonk; -'star- • adj. 1 famous
or important in history, or potentially so: zee
are standing on a historic site a time of historic
change.
of or concerning histor>'; of the past: erup-
tions in historic times. 2 (of a tense) used in the
narration of past events, esp. Latin and Greek
imperfect and pluperfect.
USAGE In general, historic means 'nota-
:
ble in histor\', significant in history,' as in a
Supreme Court decision, a battlefield, or a
great discovery. Historical means 'relating
to history or past events,' as in an historical
society or document.To write historic instead
of historical may imply a greater signifi-
cance than is warranted: an historical lec-
ture may simply tell about something that
happened, whereas an historic lecture
would in some way change the course of hu-
man events. It would be correct to say, Pro-
fessor Suarez's historical lecture on the Old
Southicest zvas given at the historic mission
church. Note also that both of these words,
preceded by a, are now often
traditionally
used with an: a historic moment, an historic
moment.
his»tor»i«cal historiksl; -'star-
concerning concerning past events:
histor\';
the historical background to such studies.
belonging to the past, not the present:/amoi/5
historical figures. (esp. of a novel or movie)
set in the past. (of the study of a subjea)
based on an analysis of its development over
a period: for the Danvinians, biogeography be-
came a historical science.
his*tor*i*cism i
hi'stori.sizam;
207 hoary
1the theory that social and cultural phenom-
ena are determined by history.
the belief that historical events are governed
by laws. 2 the tendency to regard historical
development as the most basic aspect of hu-
man existence. 3 (in artistic and architectural
contexts) excessive regard for past styles.
D E R I VAT I v E s his»tor«i»cist n.
:
his»tO«ri»og«ra«phy hi, store 'agrafe; -star-!
• n. the study of historical writing.
the writing of historv*.
• adj. DERIVATIVES: his«to«ri»og»ra»pher -'ag-
their hir- rafar n.his»to*ri»o»graph»ic -a'greefik
adj. his»to«ri»o»graphn«cal -a'graefikal
adj.
his*tri*on*ic .histre'anik . overly theat-
rical or melodramatic in character or style: a
histrionic outburst.
of or concerning actors or acting: histrionic
talents. (in psychiatrv') denoting a personal-
ity- disorder marked by shallow, volatile emo-
tions and attention-seeking behavior. • n.
'hi'spasni 1 (histrionics) exaggerated dramatic behav-
ior designed to attract attention: discussions
is the stan- around the issue have been based as much in
histrionics as in history.
dramatic performance; theater. 2 an actor.
derivatives: his»tri»on»i»cal«ly
-ik(a)le adv.
:
hoar hor . adj. gra\ish white; gray or gray-
haired with age. • n. hoarfirost (a cr\-stalline
water-vapor deposit formed in clear, still
freezing weaather on vegetation, etc.).
hoard hord • n. a stock or store of money or
valued objects, typically one that is secret or
carefully guarded: he came back to rescue his lit-
tle hoard of gold.
an ancient store of coins or other valuable
artifacts: a hoard of Romano-British bronzes.
an amassed store of useful information or
facts, retained for future use: a hoard of se-
cret information about the vjork. • v. [trans.]
amass (money or valued objects) and hide or
store away: thousands of antiques hoarded by a
compulsive collector.
accumulate a supply of (something) in a
time of scarcity" many of the boat people had
hoarded rations. reserv^e in the mind for fu-
ture use: [as adj.] (hoarded) a year's worth of
hoarded resentments and grudges.
derivatives: hoard»er n.
usage: The words hoard and horde have
some similarities in meaning and are pro-
nounced the same; so they are therefore
sometimes confused. A hoard is 'a secret
stock or store of something,' as in a hoard
of treasure, while a horde is a disparaging
word for 'a large group of people,' as in
• adj. of or hordes offans descended on the stage, or, in an
old cliche, the Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan.
hoar*frost 'h6r,fi:6st; -,fi:ast . n. a grayish-
white crystalline deposit of fi-ozen water va-
por formed in clear still weather on vegeta-
tion, fences, etc.
hoar*y \'hore • adj. (hoarier, hoariest)
1 grayish-white: hoary cobwebs.
-star- • n. (of a person) having gray or white hair; aged:
hoax 208 homage
a hoary old fellow with a face of white stubble. derivatives: ho*list adj. & n.
[attrib.] used in names of animals and plants hO«liS*tic |ho'listik| ' adj. (in philosophy)
covered with whitish fur or short hairs, e.g., characterized by comprehension of the parts
hoary bat, hoary cress. 2 old and trite: that of something as intimately interconnected
hoary notion that bigger is better. and explicable only by reference to the whole.
derivatives: hoar»i»ly I'horalel adv. (in medicine) characterized by the treatment
hoar*i*ness n. of the whole person, taking into account
hoax hoks I
n. a humorous or malicious de-
I
• mental and social factors, rather than just the
ception: they recognized the plan as a hoax [as \
physical symptoms of a disease.
adj.] he was accused of making hoax calls. • v. derivatives: ho»lis»ti»cal«ly |-ik(9)le| adv.
[trans.] deceive with a hoax. hol*0*caust I'hab.kost; 'hob-| • n. 1 de-
DERI VAT V E s hoax'cr n.
I : struction or slaughter on a mass scale, esp.
hob*ble*de*hoy 'hab9lde,hoi| • n. a clumsy |
caused by fire or nuclear war: a nuclear holo-
or awkward youth. • adj. awkward or clumsy: caust the threat of imminent holocaust.
I

his hobbledehoy hands. (the Holocaust) the mass murder of Jews

hodge*podge rhaj,paj| (Brit, hotchpotch) under the German Nazi regime during the
• n. conflised mixture: a hodge-
[in sing.] a period 1941-45. More than 6 million Euro-
podge of modern furniture and antiques. pean Jews, as well as members of other
hoi pol*loi 'hoi pa.loi • plural n. (usu. the
I
|
persecuted groups, such as gypsies and
hoi polloi) the masses; the common people: homosexuals, were murdered, most at con-
avoid mixing with the hoi polloi. centration camps. 2 a Jewish sacrificial offer-
ing that is burned completely on an altar.
usage: 1 Hoi is the Greek word for the,

and the phrase hoi polloi means 'the many.' Hol*0*cene 'hab.sen; 'hob- . adj. (in geol-
|
1

Ttiis has led some traditionalists to insist

ogy) of, relating to, or denoting the present
thathoi polloi should not be used in Eng- epoch, which is the second epoch in the Qua-
with the, since that would be to state the
lish
ternary period and followed the Pleistocene.
word the twice. Such arguments miss the Also called recent.
[as n.] (the Holocene) the Holocene epoch
point: once established in English, expres-
sions such as hoi polloi are treated as a fixed
or the system of deposits laid down during
this time.
unit and are subjea to the rules and con-
ventions of English. Evidence shows that use The Holocene epoch has lasted from about
with the has now become an accepted part 10,000 years ago to the present day. It cov-
of standard English usage. ers the period since the ice retreated after the
2 Hoi polloi is sometimes used incorrectly last glaciation and is sometimes regarded as
to mean 'upper class,' i.e., the exact opposite just another interglacial period.
of its normal meaning. It seems likely that
the confusion arose by association with the
hol*0*gram 'hab.graem; 'hob- • «. a three-
|
1

similar-sounding but otherwise unrelated dimensional image formed by the interfer-

word hoity-toity. ence of light beams from a laser or other co-
herent light source.
hoi»ty-toi»ty 'hoite 'toite . adj. 1 haughty;
| |
a photograph of an interference pattern that,
snobbish: hoity-toity models. 2 frolicsome. when suitably illuminated, produces a three-
Hoharc*tic |hararktik;ho'lark-;-'artik| 'adj. dimensional image.
of, relating to, or denoting a zoogeographical hol*0*graph 'hab,graef; 'hob- • «. a manu-
|
1

region comprising the Nearctic and Palearc- script handwritten by the person named as its
tic regions combined (i.e. all the cold and author: [as adj.] a holograph letter by Abraham
temperate zones of the Northern Hemi- Lincoln.
sphere). The two continents have been linked hol*og*ra*phy |
ho'lagrafe I
. the study or
intermittently by the Bering land bridge, and production of holograms.
the faunas are closely related. derivatives: hol»o»graph v. hol»o«
[as n.] (the Holarctic) the Holarctic region. graph«ic |
,hab'graefik; ,hob- 1
adj. hol»o«
hoHi«ness 'holenis • n. the state of being
|
I
graphM'caWy .hab'graefikle; ,hob- adv. |
1

holy: a life of holiness and total devotion to God. ho*loph«ra*sis Ihs'lafrssisI • «. the expres-
(His/Your Holiness) a title given to the sion of a whole phrase in a single word, for
pope, Orthodox patriarchs, and the Dalai example howdy for how do you do.
Lama, or used in addressing them. the learning of linguistic elements as whole
hoHism 'hol.izsm • n. the theory that parts
|
|
chunks by very young children acquiring
of a whole are in intimate interconnection, their first language, for example it's all gone
such that they cannot exist independently of learned as allgone. Cf polysynthetic.
the whole, or cannot be understood without derivatives: hol»o»phrase 'hab,fraz; |

reference to the whole, which is thus 'hob- n. hol«o«phras»tic

1 .hab'fraestik; |

regarded as greater than the sum of its parts. hob- 1

adj.
Holism is often applied to mental states, lan- hom*age |
'(h)amij |
• n. special honor or re-
guage, and ecology. Cf. atomism. spect publicly: they paid
shown homage to
(in medicine) the treating of the whole per- the local boy who became president \
a masterly
son, taking into account mental and social work written in homage to Beethoven.
factors, rather than just the physical symp- formal public acknowledgment of feudal al-
toms of a disease. legiance: doing homage to his personal lord.
homely 209 homonym
home»ly 'homle | |
• adj. (homelier, homeli- hom»i»nid |'ham3,nid| * n. a primate of a
est) 1(of a person) unattractive in appear- family (Hominidae) that includes humans
ance. 2 Brit, (of a place or surroundings) sim- and their fossil ancestors.
ple but cozy and comfortable, as in one's own hom*i*noid 'ham3,noid| • n. a primate of a
|

home; homey: a modern hotel with a homely at-
mosphere.
unsophisticated and unpretentious: homely
pleasures.
derivatives: home»li»ness n.
ho*me*op»a»thy ,home'ap3THe
group that includes humans, their fossil
ancestors, and the great apes.
•Superfamily Hominoidea: families Hominidae
(hominids) and Pongidae. • adj. of or relating
to primates of this group; hominid or pongid.
| I
(Brit, also hO»mo*e*rot*ic ,homo-i'ratik| • adf con-
|

homoeopathy) a system of nonscientific . n. cerning or arousing sexual desire centered on

medicine in which disease is treated by a person of the same sex: homoerotic images.
minute doses of natural substances that in a derivatives: ho»mo«e»rotn»cism j-.si-

healthy person would produce symptoms of Z3m| n.

disease. Cf. allopathy, ho*mo«ge»ne*OUS .homa'jeneas 'adj. of i |

derivatives: ho«me»o»path»ic |
.homea the same kind; alike: timbermen prefer to deal
'psexHik I
adj. ho«me»o»path»i»cal*ly |
,ho- with homogeneous woods.
me3'paETHik(3)le I
adv. consisting of parts all of the same kind: cul-
ho*me*o»sta*sis .homes' stasis . «. (pi. |
|
turally speaking the farmers constitute an ex-
homeostases) the tendency toward a rela- tremely homogeneous group. (in mathemat-
tively stable equilibrium between interde- ics) containing terms of the same degree.
all

pendent elements, esp. as maintained by derivatives: ho»mo»ge»ne»i»ty ,hom9j3 |

physiological processes. 'neite; ho»mo»ge»ne»ous»ly

.hama- 1 n. adv.
derivatives: ho»me»o»stat»ic |-'staetik| ho»mo»ge»ne»ous»ness n.
adj.
usage: Homogeneous, 'of the same
Ho*mer»ic ho'merik| • adj. of or in the style
|
kind,' should not be confused with the more
of Homer or the epic poems (the Iliad and the specialized biological term homogenous,
Odyssey) ascribed to him. 'having a common descent.' Homogenous
of Bronze Age Greece as described in these should be left to the biologists and geneti-
poems: the mists of the Homeric age. epic and cists. See also usage at heterogeneous.
large-scale: we will have to exert a Homeric ef-
fort. ho»mog*e»nize |h9'maj3,mz| ^v. [trans.]

home*Stead 'hom,sted| • 1 a house, esp.

|
1 subject (milk) to a process in which the fat
a farmhouse, and outbuildings. 2 an area of droplets are emulsified and the cream does
land (in 19th-century U.S. history usually not separate: [as adj.] (homogenized) homog-
1 60 acres) granted to a settler as a home. Ur- enized milk.
ban homesteading is the practice, under a (in biology) prepare a suspension of cell con-
federal program, of taking over and rehabili- stituents from (tissue) by physical treatment
tating housing in poverty-stricken city areas, in a liquid. 2 make uniform or similar.
agreeing to live there for a certain period of derivatives: ho»mog«e»ni»za»tion |h3
time. .majani'zaSHsn |
n. ho»mog»e»niz»er n.

derivatives: home»stead»er n. home* hom»0»graph 'hama.graef; 'homa-

|
. n. 1

steadying n. each of two or more words spelled the same

hom*i*cide 'hama.sld; 'homs- . w. the kill-
|
1 but not necessarily pronounced the same and
ing of one person by another: he was charged having different meanings and origins (e.g.,
with homicide two thirds of homicides in the
\
bow 'arrow-firing weapon' and bow 'front of a
county were drug-related. Justifiable homi- ship').
cide incurs neither blame nor criminal liabil- derivatives: hom»o«graphMC |
'
.hams
ity because it is commited in the execution of 'graefik; 'ihoma- 1
adj.
one's duties. Other kinds include excusable ho*mol*0»gous |ho'mabg3s;h3-| hav- . ac//'.

homicide, brought about in self-defense or ing the same relation, relative position, or
by accident, and various grades of criminal structure, in particular:
homicide including murder and man- (of organs) similar in position, structure, and
slaughter. evolutionary origin but not necessarily in
(often Homicide) the police department function: a seal's flipper is homologous with
that deals with such killings: a man from Ho- the human arm. Cf. analogous. (of chro-
micide. a killer; a murderer. mosomes) pairing at meiosis and having the
hom»l»let»ic .hama'letiki » adj. of the nature
|
same structural features and pattern of genes.
of or characteristic of a homily: homiletic liter- (of a series of chemical compounds) having
ature. • n. (homiletics) the art of preaching the same functional group but differing in
or writing sermons: the teaching of homiletics. composition by a fixed group of atoms.
hom*i*ly 'hamale • n. (pi. -ies) a religious hom*0*nym 'ham3,nim • n. each of two or |
| | |

discourse that is intended primarily for spir- more words having the same pronunciation
itual edification rather than doctrinal instruc- but different meanings, origins, or spelling
tion; a sermon. (e.g., to, too, and two); a homophone.
a tedious moralizing discourse: she delivered each of two or more words having the same
her homily about the need for patience. spelling but different meanings and origins
derivatives homn«list : |-ist| n. (e.g., pole 'a piece of wood' and pole 'place on
homophobia 210 hortatory
the earth's surface'); a homograph. (in bi- high status, politeness, or respect: he will be
ology) a Latin name that is identical to that able to put the honorific after his name: licenci-
of a different organism, the newer of the two ado, "college graduate."
names being invalid. derivatives: hon»orMf»i»cal»ly |ik(3)le|
DERI VAT V E s hom»o»nymnc
I :
|
,hom9 adv.
'nimik| adj. ho»mon»y»mous Iho'mans- ho»no«ris cau*sa |a'n6ros 'koza; 'kows3|
mss] adj. ho»mon»y*my |ho'man3me| n. • adv. (esp. of a degree awarded without ex-

ho»mo*pho«bi«a .homaTobea • n. an ex- | I

amination) as a mark of esteem: the artist has
treme and irrational aversion to homosexual- been awarded the degree honoris causa.
ity and homosexual people. hoOSe»gow 'hooS|gow| • n. informal a jail: the
|

derivatives: hoTno«phobe 'horns, fob |

i
sheriff gotoV Loney in the hoosegow.
n. ho«mo»pho»bic |-'fobik| adj. hope»ful»ly 'hopfsle . adv. 1 in a hopeful
|
|

ho*mo*phone 'hama.fon; 'homa- • n. each

|
1 manner: he rode on hopefully. 2 [sentence adverb]
of two or more words having the same pro- it is to be hoped that: hopefully it should be fin-

nunciation but different meanings, origins, or ished by next year.

spelling, e.g., new and knew.
usage: The traditional sense of hope-
each of a set of symbols denoting the same fully, 'in a hopeful manner,' has been used
sound or group of sounds. since 1593. The first recorded use of hope-
ho*mo*phon*ic .hamsTanik; ,hom3- • adj.
|
1

fully as a sentence adverb, meaning 'it is to

1 (in music) characterized by the movement be hoped that' (as in hopefully, we'll see you
of accompanying parts same rhythm as in the
tomorrow), appears in 1702 the Magnalia
the melody. Cf. polyphonic. 2 another term
Christi Americana, written by the Massa-
for HOMOPHONOUS.
chusetts theologian and writer Cotton
derivatives: ho»mo»phon«i«cal»ly |-ik- Mather (1663-1728). This second use is
(3)le; ',hom3',fan3k(3)le I adv.
now much commoner than the first use.
hO*moph*0»nouS Iho'mafanss; hs-l 'adj. The use as a sentence adverb, however, is
(of a word or words) having the same pro-
widely held to be incorrect. It is not only
nunciation as another or others but different hopefully that has the power to annoy, but
meaning, origin, or spelling. the use of sentence adverbs in general
derivatives: ho«moph»o»ny |-'maf3ne| {frankly, honestly, regrettably, seriously), a
n.
construction foimd in EngUsh since at least
hon»cho 'hanCHo informal . n. (pi. -os) a
I I
the 1600s, but more common in recent
leader or manager; the person in charge: the decades. Attentive ears are particularly
company's head honcho. • v. (-oes, -oed) bothered when the sentence that follows
[trans.] be in charge of (a project or situation):
does not match the promise of the intro-
the task at hand was to honcho an eighteen-
ductory adverb, as when "Frankly" is fol-
wheeler to St. Louis.
lowed not by honesty but by a self-serving
hone hon I I
• V. [trans.] sharpen with a whet- "spin" or twist. Follett's Modern American
stone.
Usage points out that in sentence adverbs
(usu. be honed) make sharper or more fo-
the point of view is obscured: "they fail to
cused or efficient: their appetites were honed by tell us who does the hoping, the sorrowing,
fresh air and exercise. * n. a. whetstone, esp. or the being thankful."
one used to sharpen razors.
the fine-grained stone of which whetstones horde hord | |
• m. 1 a large group of people:
are made. he was surrounded by a horde of tormenting
hon*ky 'haNOke; 'hawNGke • n. (pi. -ies) a
|
|
relatives.
derogatory term used by black people for a an army or tribe of nomadic warriors: Tartar
white person or for white people collectively. hordes. 2 (in anthropology) a loosely knit
hon»0»raH»um .ana reream] . n. (pi hono- |
small social group typically consisting of
rariums or honoraria -'rerea ) a payment |
|
about five families.
given for professional services that are ren- usage: The words hoard and horde are
dered traditionally, or officially, without quite distinct; see usage at hoard.
charge.
hon*or*ar*y I'ans.rerel » adj. 1 conferred as ho»rol*0*gy ha'rabje|
. the study and |

an honor, without the usual requirements or measurement of time.

functions: an honorary doctorate. the art of making clocks and watches.
(of a person) holding such a title or position: derivatives: ho»rol»o«ger |-j3r| n. hor»
an honorary member of the club. 2 Brit, (of an of- o»log»ic I
adj. hor«o»log»i«cal
,h6r3'lajik|
fice or its holder) unpaid: Honorary Secretary I
.hora'lajikal ho«rol»o»gist |-jist| n.
I
adj.
of the Association. hors d'oeuvre |6r 'darvl -n. (pi. same or
hon*or*if*lc .ana'rifik • adj. given as a mark
| i
hors d'oeuvres 'darv; 'dsrvz]) a small |

of respect: an honorific awardfor military valor. savory dish, typically one served as an appe-
(of an office or position) given as a mark of tizer at the beginning of a meal.
respect, but having few or no duties: the post horse lat*i*tudes • plural n. a belt of calm air
is merely honorific. denoting a form of ad- and sea occurring in both the northern and
dress showing high status, politeness, or re- southern hemispheres between the trade
spect: an honorific title for addressing women. winds and the westerlies.
• n. a title or word implying or expressing hor*ta«tO»ry |
'horta.tore |
• adj. tending or
 |

horticulture 211 humbug

aiming to exhort: the central bank relied on hor- secution at the hands of the Catholic major-
tatory messages and voluntary compliance. ity, and many thousands emigrated from
derivatives: hor»ta»tion |
,h6r'tasH3n France.
n. hor»ta»tive |
'hortstiv |
adj. hu»mane (h)yoo'man . adj. 1 having or
| I

hor»ti«CuHure |
'h6rt3,k3lCH3r| *n. the art showing compassion or benevolence: regula-
or practice of garden cultivation and manage- tions ensuring the humane
treatment of animals.
ment. inflicting minimum
of pain: humane
the
derivatives: hor»ti»cul«tur»al ,h6rt3 |
methods of killing. 2 (of a branch of learning)
'kalcHaral hor»ti»cul»tur»al»ist .horts
|
adj. j
intended to have a civilizing or refining effect
'.kalCHaraUstl n. hor»ti»cul»tur»ist ,h6rt3' j
on people: the center emphasizes economics as a
ikslCHsristI n. humane discipline.
hOS*pice I
'haspis I
• a home providing care derivatives: hu«mane«ly adv. hu»mane«
for the sick, esp. the terminally ill. ness n.
a lodging for travelers, esp. one run by a re- hu*man*ism '(h)yoom9,niz3m| * n. an out-
|

ligious order. look or system of thought attaching prime

host • n. (usu. the Host) (in Christianity) the importance to human rather than divine or
bread consecrated in the Eucharist: the eleva- supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress
tion of the Host. the potential value and goodness of human
hOS*tel 'hastl
I
• n. an establishment that I
beings, emphasize common human needs,
provides cheap food and lodging for a specific and seek solely rational ways of solving hu-
group of people, such as students, workers, or man problems.
travelers, esp. those on foot or bicycle. (often Humanism) a Renaissance cultural
an inn providing accommodation. movement that turned away from medieval
hos*tel*ry 'hastlre . n. (pi. -ies) older term
|
I
scholasticism and revived interest in ancient
for an inn (providing lodging and entertain- Greek and Roman thought. (among some
ment). contemporary writers) a system of thought
hos*tile wit«ness • n. (in law) a witness who criticized as being centered on the notion of
is antagonistic to the party calling him or her the rational, autonomous self and ignoring
and, if the court permits, may be cross- the unintegrated and conditioned nature of
examined by that party. the individual.
hos*tler |
'(h)asl9r| (also ostler) . n. a person derivatives: hu«manMst n. & adj. hu»
employed to look after the horses of people man»isnic ,(h)yoom3'nistik | |
adj. hu»
staying at an inn. man»is»ti»cal»ly | ,
(h)yoom3 ' nistik(9) le |

a person employed to service vehicles or adv.

other machinery when it is not in use. hu»man*i*tar«l*an (h)yoo,maen3'tere3n | |

ho*te*lier ,6terya; ho'telysri • n. a person • adj. concerned with or seeking to promote

|

who owns or manages a hotel. human welfare: groups sending humanitarian

hoy*den 'hoidn • ?z. a boisterous girl.
| |
aid a humanitarian organization. • n. a per-
I

DERI VAT I V E s hoy»den»ish adj. : son who seeks to promote human welfare; a
hu*bris (h)yoobris • n. excessive pride or
|

'
|
philanthropist.
self-confidence. derivatives: hu»man»i»tar«i»an«ism
(in Greek tragedy) excessive pride toward or I
- ,niz3m
i
n.
defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis. usage: Sentences such as this is the worst
derivatives: hu»bris»tic (h)yoo'bristik | i
humanitarian disaster this country has seen
adj.
are a loose use of the adjective humanitar-
huck^Ster |
'hakstarl . n. a person who sells
ian to mean 'human.' This use is quite com-
small items, either door-to-door or from a mon, on but
esp. in "live reports" television,
stall or small store.
is not generally considered good style.
a mercenary person eager to make a profit
out of anything. a publicity agent or adver- hu*man*i*ty (h)yoo'maenite • n.
|
(pi. -ies) |

tising cop3writer, esp. for radio or television.
Cf. flacrI . V. [trans.] promote or sell (some-
. appalling crimes against humanity.
thing, typically a product of questionable
value).
[intrans.] bargain; haggle.
derivatives: huck»sternsm
hue and cry • n.
cry.
a loud cry calling for the pursuit and capture
of a criminal. In former English law, the cry
had to be raised by the inhabitants of a hun-
dred (a subdivision of a county or shire) in
1the human race; human beings collectively:
the fact or condition of being human; human
nature: a few moments when Soviets and Cana-
dians shared their common humanity. 2 hu-
-izsm n. | | maneness; benevolence: he praised them for
a loud clamor or public out- their standards of humanity, care, and dignity.
3 (humanities) learning or literature con-
cerned with human culture, esp. literature,
history, art, music, and philosophy: a curric-
ulum based on the humanities.
hu*man*oid '(h)yoom3,noid| 'adj. having
|

which a robbery had been committed, if they an appearance or character resembling that
were not to become liable for the damages of a human. • n. (esp. in science fiction) a be-
suffered by the victim. ing resembling a human in its shape.
Hu*gue*not 'hyoog3,nat| • n. a French Prot- |
hum*bug 'ham, bag • w. deceptive or false
|
|

estant of the 16th-17th centuries. Largely talk or behavior: the manufacturer's claims are
Calvinist, the Huguenots suffered severe per- sheer humbug.
humectant 212 hydroelectric
a hvpocrite: voM see what a humbug I am. v. • sources) economically; conserve: the need to
(humbugged, humbugging) [trans] de- husband his remaining strength.
humbug his humble neighbors was
ceive; trick: to derivatives: hus*band«er n.
not difficult. hus*band*man 'hazbandman |
|
•n. (pi.

[intrans.] act like a fraud or sham. -men) a person who cultivates the land; a
derivatives: hum»bug«ger»y |-,b3g(3)rel farmer.
n. hus*band*ry 'hazbandre . «. 1 the care, |
I

hu*mec«tant (h)yoo'mekt3nt . adj. retain- | I

cultivation, and breeding of crops and ani-
ing or preserving moisture. • n. a substance, mals: crop husbandry. 2 management and
esp. a skin lotion or a food additive, used to conservation of resources.
reduce the loss of moisture. hus*sar |ha'zar| . n. (in the 15th century) a
hu*mid '(h)yoomid • adj. marked by a rela-
I
|
Hungarian light horseman.
tively high level of water vapor in the atmo- a soldier in a light cavalry regiment in vari-
sphere: a hot and humid day. ous European armies that had adopted a
derivatives: hu»midn»ty n. hu«mid»ly dress uniform modeled on that of the Hun-
adv. garian hussars.
hu*mld*i«ty (h)yoo'midite . n. (pi. -ies) the
|
|
hy*brid 'hi.brid ' n. a thing made by com-
|
\

state or qualit\' of being humid. bining two different elements; a mixture: the
a quantitv' representing the amount of water final text is a hybrid of the stage play and the
vapor in the atmosphere or a gas: the temper- film.
ature is seventy-seven, the humidity in the low (in biology) the offspring of two plants or
thirties. atmospheric moisture. (relative animals of different species or varieties, such
humidity) the amount of water vapor present as a mule (a hybrid of a donkey and a horse):
in the air expressed as a percentage of the a hybrid of wheat and rye. a person of
amount needed for saturation at the same mixed racial or cultural origin. a word
temperature. formed from elements taken from different
hu»mil*l*ty (h)yoo'milite » n. a modest or
|
|
languages, for example television (tele- from
low view of one's own importance; humble- Greek, vision from Latin). • adj. of mixed
ness. character; composed of mixed parts: Mexico's
hum*mock i
'hamaki • n. a hillock, knoll, or hybrid culture.
mound. bred as a hybrid from different species or
a hump or ridge in an ice field. (also ham- varieties: a hybrid variety \
hybrid offspring.
mock) piece of forested ground rising
a DER I N AT V e s hy'bridnsm 'hibra.dizam
I :
|
|

above a marsh or plain. n. hy«brid»i»ty |hi'bridite| n.

derivatives: hum»mock«y adj. Hy»dra 'hidra 1 (in Greek mythology) a

|
I

hu*mor '(h)yoom3r| (Brit.humour) . «. 1 the

|
many-headed snake whose heads grew again
quality of being amusing or comic, esp. as were cut off, killed by Hercules.
as they
expressed in literature or speech: his tales are [as n.j (hydra) a thing that is hard to over-
full of humor. come or resist because of its pervasive or
the ability to perceive or express humor or enduring quality or its many aspects.
to appreciate a joke: their inimitable brand of hy*drate • n. 'hi, drat a compound, typically
\
|

humor she has a great sense of humor. 2 a

\
a crystalline one, in which water molecules
mood or state of mind: her good humor are chemically bound to another compound
vanished the clash hadn't improved his hu-
\
or an element. • v. [trans.] cause to absorb
mor water.
an inclination or whim. 3 (also cardinal combine chemically with water molecules:
humor) (in medieval theory) each of the [as adj.] (hydrated) hydrated silicate crystals.
four chief fluids of the body (blood, phlegm, derivatives: hydrat«a«ble adj. hydra*
yellow bile (choler), and black bile (melan- tion |hi'drasHan| hy«dra»tor |-tar| n.
choly)) that were thought to determine a hy»drau«lic |hi'dr61ik| »adj. 1 denoting, re-
person's physical and mental qualities by the lating to, or operated by a liquid moving in a
relative proportions in which they were pre- confined space under pressure: hydraulic fluid
sent. • V. [trans.] comply with the wishes of hydraulic lifting gear. 2 of or relating to the
I

(someone) in order to keep them content, science of hydraulics. 3 (of cement) harden-
however unreasonable such wishes might be: ing under water.
she was always humoring him to prevent trou- derivatives: hy»drau«li»cal»ly |-ik(a)le|
ble. adv.
adapt or accommodate oneself to (some- hy*drau*lics |
hi'droliks |
• plural n. 1 [usu.
thing). treated as the branch of science and
sing ]

derivatives: hu»mor«less adj. hu*mor» technology concerned with the conveyance

less'ly adv. hu»mor»less«ness n. of liquids through pipes and channels, esp. as
hu*mor*esque ,(h)yoom9'resk| n. a short, !
. a source of mechanical force or control. 2 hy-
lively pieceof music. Cf. c.-^price. draulic" systems, mechanisms, or forces.
hu*mus |'(h)yoom3s| » n. the organic com- hy*dro*e*lec*trlc ',hidroa'lektrik| * adj. re- !

ponent of soil, formed by the decomposition lating to or denoting the generation of elec-
of leaves and other plant material by soil tricity using flowing water (topically from a
microorganisms. reservoir held behind a dam or other barrier)
hus*band 'hazband • v. [trans.] use (re-
|
|
to drive a turbine that powers a generator.
hydrofoil 213 hypostasis
DERI VAT IVES: hy»dro»e»lec»tricn»ty |
-slek cone with a plane at a smaller angle with its
'trisite |
n. axis than the side of the cone.
hy»dro*foil |
'hidra.foil |
. «. a boat whose hull (in mathematics) the pair of such curves
is fitted underneath with shaped vanes (foils) formed by the intersection of a plane with
that the hull clear of the water to increase
lift two equal cones on opposites of the same ver-
the boat's speed. tex.
another term for foiU the shaped vane used hy*per«bo»le hi'psrbale
|
• n. exaggerated |

by such a boat. statements or claims, typically not meant to

hy*drog»ra*phy hi'dragrafe • n. the science | I
be taken literally.
of surveying and charting bodies of water, derivatives: hyper»boM»cal |
.hipsr'ba-
such as seas, lakes, and rivers. likal hy»per»bol»i*caMy ,hip3r'bal-
I
adj. |

derivatives: hy«drog»ra«pher |-f3r| n. ik(3)le adv. hy«per«bo»lism

!
- ,liz3m n. | |

hy»dro»graphMC ihidra'graefik | |
adj. hy» hy*per*SOn*ic ,hip9r'sanik| * adj. 1 relating
|

dro»graph»i»cal ihidrs'graefikal adj. hy | |

to or attaining speeds of more than five times
dro»graph»i»cal»ly ,hidr3'gr2efik(9)le adv. |
|
the speed of sound (Mach 5). 2 relating to
hy»drol»0*gy Ihi'drabjel »n. the branch of sound frequencies above about a thousand
science concerned with the properties of the million hertz.
earth's water, esp. its movement in relation to derivatives: hy»per»son»i»caWy | -ik(3)-
land. le I
adv.
derivatives: hy»dro»logMC |
,hidr3'lajik| hy*per*space 'hip3r,spas| |
*n. space of
adj. hy»dro»log»i«cal adj. hy»dro»log»i»cal» more than three dimensions.
ly I
,hidr3'lajik(3)le |
adv. hy»drol»o»gist (in science fiction) a notional space-time
|-jist| n. continuum in which it is possible to travel
hy»drop*a*thy Ihi'drapaXHel the treat- faster than light.
ment of illness through the use of water, ei- derivatives: hy 'per 'spa'tial |,hip3r'spa-
ther internally or through external means SH3l| adj.
such as steam baths (not now a part of ortho- hy»per*ten«sion .hlpar'tenSHsn |
|
. n. abnor-
dox medicine). mally high blood pressure.
DERI VAT V E s hy»dro»path»ic
I ,hidr3 :
|
a state of great psychological stress.
'pseTHikj adj. hy»drop»a»thist |-THist| n. hy*per*ven*tHate |
,hip3r'vend,at| ^v. [in-

hy*dro*pho*bi*a .hidra'fobes . n. extreme |

|
trans.] breathe at an abnormally rapid rate, so
or irrational fear of water, esp. as a symptom increasing the rate of loss of carbon dioxide:
of rabies in humans. she started to hyperventilate under stress.
rabies, esp. in humans. [trans.] (usu. be hyperventilated) cause to

hy*dro*plane 'hidra.plani . w. 1 a light fast |

breathe in such a way: the patients were hyper-
motorboat designed to skim over the surface ventilated for two minutes. [intrans.] become

of water. 2 a finlike attachment that enables unnecessarily or exaggeratedly excited or agi-

a moving submarine to rise or fall in the wa- tated: now don't start hyperventilating until I
ter. 3 a seaplane. * v.^ (also, aquaplane) (of explain the rest of the conditions. [as adj.]
a vehicle or its tires) slide uncontrollably on (hyperventilated) inflated or pretentious in
the wet surface of a road: a motorist whose car style; overblown: hyperventilated prose.
hydroplaned and crashed into a tree. 2 (of a derivatives: hy«per»ven»ti*la«tion |-,ven-
boat) skim over the surface of water with its tl'asHsnl n.
hull hfted. hyp*na*gog*ic |
.hipns'gajik; -'go-| (also
hy*dro*pon*ics .hidra'paniks
|
. plural n. |
hypnogogic) . adj. of or relating to the state
[treated as sing.] the process of growing plants immediately before falling asleep.
in sand, gravel, or liquid, with added nutri- hy»po»Chon»drl»a .hipa'kandrea |
|
• n. ab-
ents but without soil. normal anxiety about one's health, esp. with
derivatives: hy»dro»ponMC adj. hy»dro» an unwarranted fear that one has a serious
pon»i«cal»ly |
-,panik(3)le |
adv. disease.
hy«men |
'himsn . n. a membrane that par-
|
derivatives: hypo»chon»dri»ac n. hy»
tially closes the opening of the vagina and po»chon»dri»a*cal adj.
whose presence is traditionally taken to be a hy»po*gly*ce»mi*a .hipogli'semea (Brit,
|
|

m.ark of virginity. hypoglycaemia) deficiency of glucose in • n.

derivatives: hy»men*al I'himanll adj. the bloodstream. The opposite of hypergly-
hy«me*ne*al ,him3'ne3l •
|
|
adj. of or con- cemia.
cerning marriage. derivatives: hy«po»gly»ce»mic |-'semik|
hype hip informal • n. extravagant or intensive
I I
adj.
publicity or promotion: she relied on hype and hy«pos*ta*siS hl'pastasis • n. (pi.
|
|

headlines to build up interest in her music. hypostases |-,sez|) 1 (in medicine) the ac-
a deception carried out for the sake of pub- cumulation of fluid or blood in the lower
licity. • V. [trans.] promote or publicize (a parts of the body or organs under the influ-
product or idea) intensively, often exaggerat- ence of gravity, as occurs in cases of poor cir-
ing its importance or benefits: an industry culation or after death. 2 (in philosophy) an
quick to hype its products. underlying reality or substance, as opposed to
hy«per*bO*la Ihi parbab] * n. (pi hyperbo- attributes or that which lacks substance.
las orhyperbolae -bale |
|
) a symmetrical (in Christian theology) each of the three per-
open curve formed by the intersection of a sons of the Trinity, as contrasted with the
hypothermia 214 ideate
unity of the Godhead. [in sing.] the single proposition of the logical form ifp then q. • n.
person of Christ, as contrasted with his dual (usu. hypotheticals) a hypothetical proposi-
human and divine nature. tion or statement: Finn talked in hypotheticals,
hy*po*ther*mi*a .hipa xHermea * n.
|
the |
tossing what-if scenarios to Rosen.
condition of having an abnormally low body derivatives: hy»po»thefi»caWy |-ik(3)-
temperature, typically one that is dangerously le adv. [sentence adverb] hypothetically, varying
I

low. The opposite of hyperthermia. interpretations of the term are possible.

hy*poth»e»sis hi paxHssis . n. (pi. hypoth-
| |
hys*te*ri«a Ihi'sterea; -'stiresi • n. exagger-
eses |-,sez|) a supposition or proposed ex- ated or uncontrollable emotion or excite-
planation made on the basis of limited evi- ment, esp. among a group of people: the mass
dence as a starting point for further hysteria that characterizes the week before
investigation: professional astronomers attacked Christmas.
him for popularizing an unconfirmed hypothesis. a psychological disorder (not now regarded
(in philosophy) a proposition made as a ba- as a single definite condition) whose symp-
sis for reasoning, without any assumption of toms include conversion of psychological
its truth. stress into physical symptoms (somatiza-
hy*po*thet*i«cal |
.hipa'THetikal |
. adj. of, tion), selective amnesia, shallow volatile emo-
based on, or serving as a hypothesis: that op- tions,and overdramatic or attention-seeking
tion merely hypothetical at this juncture.
is behavior. The term has a controversial his-
supposed but not necessarily real or true: a tory as it was formerly regarded as a disease
hypothetical cure. denoting or containing a specific to women.

li
l*am*bi (also iambus) • n. a metrical foot i»COn*0*Clast |i'kan3,kla£st| » n. 1 a person
consisting of one short or unstressed followed who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions.
by one long or stressed syllable. 2 a destroyer of images used in religious wor-
DERI VAT I v E s i»am»bic adj.: ship, in particular:
i*chor 'i.korl • n. (in Greek mythology) the
I
a supporter of the 8th- and 9th-century
fluid that flows like blood in the veins of the movement in the Byzantine Church that
gods. sought to abolish the veneration of icons and
any bloodlike fluid: tomatoes drooled ichor other religious images. a Puritan of the 1 6th
from their broken skins. a watery, fetid dis- or 17 th century.
charge from a wound. derivatives: i»con»o»clas»tic li.kana
DERIVATIVES i«chor»ous I'lkarasl adj.
: 'klaestikl adj. i«con«o»clas»ti*cal»ly |i,kan3
ich*thy»0l*0*gy ,ikTHe'abje| . n. the branch
|
'klaestik(3)le |
adv.
of zoology that deals with fishes. ic*tus 'iktas • n. (pi. same or ictuses) 1 (in
I I

derivatives: ich«thy«o«logM«cal |-3'laji- prose or poetry) a rhythmical or metrical

kall adj. ich«thy»ol»o»gist i-jist| n. stress. 2 (in medicine) a stroke or seizure.
l»COn I
'i,kan| • n. (also, in religious use, ikon) id id » n. (in Freudian psychology) the part
I I

a painting of Christ or another holy figure, of the mind in which innate instinctive
typically in a traditional style on wood, ven- impulses and primary processes are manifest.
erated and used as an aid to devotion in the Cf. EGO and superego.
Byzantine and other Eastern Churches. i*de*al*ism |i'de(3),liz3m| . 1 the practice
a person or thing regarded as a representa- of forming or pursuing ideals, esp. unrealisti-
tive symbol of something: this iron-jawed icon cally: the idealism of youth. Cf. realism.
of American manhood. a symbol or graphic (in art or literature) the representation of
representation on a video display terminal of things in ideal or idealized form. Cf. realism.
a computer program, option, or window, esp. 2 any of various philosophical systems in
one of several for selection. Cf. glyph. (in which the objects of knowledge are held to be
linguistics) a sign whose form directly reflects in some way dependent on the activity of
the thing it signifies, for example, die word mind. Cf. realism; conceptualism; nominal-
snarl pronounced in a snarling way. ism.
i*COn*ic ii'kaniki • adj. of, relating to, or of derivatives: i»de»aWst n. i»de»aWs«tic
the nature of an icon: language is not in general |i,de*(3)'Iistik| adj. i»de»alMS»ti»caWy |i
an iconic sign system. ,de(3)'listik(3)le| adv.
(of a classical Greek statue) depicting a vic- i«de*ate 'ide,at . v. [trans.]
|
[often as adj.]
|

torious athlete in a conventional style. (ideated) form an idea of; imagine or con-
derivatives: i«conM»caWy |-ik(3)le| ceive: the arc whose ideated center is a nodal
adv. i»co»nic»i»ty |
.ika'nisite i
n. (esp. in lin- point in the composition.
guistics). [intrans.] form ideas; think.
 . |

ideogram 215 \\k

derivatives: i»de»a»tion n. id*i*Otro»plc • adj. relating to or characterized

jd*e*o*gram 'ides.grasm; 'idea- (also ideo-
| 1
by introspection.
graph) . n. a written character symbolizing id*i»Ot sa«vant . n. (pi. idiot savants or
the idea of a thing without indicating the idiots savants pronunc. same) a person who is
sounds used to say it, e.g., numerals and Chi- considered to be mentally handicapped but
nese characters. displays brilliance in a specific area, esp. one
i»de*0»logue ride3,16g; -,lag; 'ides- » n. an 1 involving memory.
adherent of an ideology, esp. one who is un- i*dol*a*try |i'dabtre| • n. worship of idols.
compromising and dogmatic: a Nazi ideo- extreme admiration, love, or reverence for
logue. something or someone: we must not allow our
i*de»0l*0»gy ,ide'abje; ,ide- . n. 1 (pi. -ies)
|
1 idolatry of art to obscure issues of political signif-
a system of ideas and ideals, esp. one that icance.
forms the basis of economic or political the- derivatives: i»dolater n. idolatrous adj.
ory and policy: the ideology of republicanism. i«dyll I
'idl I
(also idyl) • n. an extremely
the ideas and manner of thinking character- happy, peaceful, or picturesque episode or
istic of a group, social class, or individual: a scene, typically an idealized or unsustainable
critique of bourgeois ideology. archaic visionary one: the rural idyll remains strongly evocative in
speculation, esp. of an unrealistic or idealistic most industrialized societies.
nature. 2 archaic the science of ideas; the study a short description in verse or prose of a pic-
of their origin and nature. turesque scene or incident, esp. in rustic life.
derivatives: i»de»o«logM»cal |-3'lajik3l| derivatives: i»dyl»lic adj. i»dyl«list n. i«
adj.i«de»o»logn»cal»ly | -3'lajik(3)le |
adv. i« dyl'lize v.

de»ol«o«gist -jist n. I
|
ig*ne*OUS I'igneasI 'adj. (of rock) having
ides !
idz I
. plural n. (in the ancient Roman solidified from lava or magma. Cf. metamor-
calendar) a day falling roughly in the middle PHic; sedimentary.
of each month (the 1 5th day of March, May, relating to or involving volcanic processes:
July, and October, and the 13th of other igneous activity.
months) from which other dates were calcu- ig*nis fat*U*US 'ignas 'faeCHawas . n. (pi. |
|

lated. Cf. NONES, CALENDS. ignes fatui 'ignez 'faeCHa,wi ) a phospho- | |

id*i*0»graph*ic .ides' grsefikl » adj. of or |

rescent light seen hovering or floating at night
relating to the study or discovery of particu- on marshy ground, thought to result from the
lar scientific facts and processes, as distinct combustion of natural gases. (Also called
from general laws. will-o'-the-vv^isp)
id*i»om 'ideam » n. ^ a group of words es-
I
|
something deceptive or deluding.
tablished by usage as having a meaning not ig«no*ble ig'nobal • adj. (ignobler, igno-
|
|

deducible from the meaning of the individ- blest) 1 not honorable in character or pur-
ual words (e.g., rain cats and dogs, see the pose: ignoble feelings of intense jealousy. 2 of
light). humble origin or social status: igttoble tillers of
a form of expression natural to a language, the soil.

person, or group of people: a feeling for phrase derivatives: ig»no»bilM»ty |

,igno'bilite
and idiom. the dialect of a people or part of n. ig»no«bly |
-ble |
adv.
a country: the idiom ofNewYork City. 2 a char- ig»no*min*i*OUS ,igna'mineas • adj. de- | I

acteristic mode of expression in music or art: serving or causing public disgrace or shame:
a neo-Impressionist idiom. ignominious defeat.
id*i*0*mat*ic ,ide3'mastik| 'adj. 1 using,
|
derivatives: ig»no«niinn«ous»ly ac/?;. ig»
containing, or denoting expressions that are no«min»i«ous»ness n.
natural to a native speaker: idiomatic dialogue. ig«no»min*y 'igna,mine; |
ig'namine |
. n.

2 appropriate to the style of art or music asso- public shame or disgrace: the ignominy of be-
ciated with a particular period, individual, or ing imprisoned.
group: a short Bach piece containing idiomatic il»e»um 'ileam' • n. (pi. ilea 'ilea ) the third
I
| |
|

motifs. portion of the small intestine, between the je-

derivatives: idM»o»matM»caWy |-ik(3)- junum and the cecum. Ileitis is inflamma-
le I
adv. tion of the ileum.
id*i«0*path»ic .idea'paeXHikl 'adj. relating
|
derivatives: il»e«ac i-,£ek| adj. il«e»al
to or denoting any disease or condition that I
-all adj.
arises spontaneously or for which the cause is il*i*um I
'ileam |
• n. (pi. ilia |
'ilea |
) the large
unknown. broad bone forming the upper part of each
id*i*0*syn*cra»sy .ides'siNOkrase . n. (pi. | I
half of the pelvis.
-ies) (usu. idiosyncrasies) a mode of be- ilk ilk ' n. [in sing.] a type of people or things
I I

havior or way of thought peculiar to an indi- similar to those already referred to: the veiled
vidual: one of his little idiosyncrasies was always suggestions that reporters of his ilk seem to be so
having to be in the car first. good at fascists, racists, and others of that ilk.
I

a distinctive or peculiar feature or charac-

usage: In modern use, ilk is used in
teristic of a place or thing: the idiosyncrasies
phrases such as of his ilk, of that ilk, to
of the prison system. an abnormal physical mean 'type' or 'sort.' The use arose out of a
reaction by an individual to a food or
misunderstanding of the earlier, Scottish use
drug.
in the phrase of that ilk, where it means 'of
derivatives: id»i»o»syn»cra»tic adj.
 |

illegal 216 immaculate

thesame name or place.' For this reason, derivatives: il»Iu«so»ri«ly |-rale| adv. il»

some traditionalists regard the modern use lu»so»ri»ness n.

as incorrect. It is, however, the only common im*ag*ism |

'imajizam |
• n. a movement in
current use and is now part of standard Eng- early 20th-century English and American po-
lish.
etry that sought clarity of expression through
the use of precise images. The movement
il*le*gai |i(l) 'legal] • adj. contrary to or for- derived in part from the aesthetic philosophy
bidden by law, esp. criminal law: illegal drugs. of T. E. Hulme and involved Ezra Pound,
• n. an illegal immigrant. James Joyce, Amy Lowell, and others.
derivatives: a»le»gaW»ty ,i(l)li'ga£lite |
derivatives: im»ag«ist n. im»ag«is»tic
n. (pi. -ies) il»le»gaWy adv. I
,ima'jistik| adj.
IHic*lt |i(l)'lisit| •adj. forbidden by law, i*ma*go |i'mago; i'ma-| • n. (pi. imagos,
rules, or custom: illicit sex. imagoes, or imagines -ga.nez ) 1 the final | |

DERI VAT V E s U'lic'it'ly adv. il«licnt«ness

I : and fully developed adult stage of an insect,
n. typically winged. Cf. larva; metamorphosis;
il*lit*er*ate |i(l)'lit3rit| unable to read
'adj. PUPA. 2 an unconscious, idealized mental im-
or write: his parents were illiterate. Cf. INNU- age of someone, esp. a parent, ttiat influences
MERATE. a person's behavior.
[with submodifier] ignorant in a particular sub- i*mam i'mam • n. the person who leads
| |

ject or activity: the extent to which voters are po- prayers in a mosque.
litically illiterate. uncultured or poorly edu- (Imam) a title of various Muslim leaders,
cated: an ignorant, illiterate Town Council. esp. of one succeeding Muhammad as leader
(esp. of a piece of writing) showing a lack of of Shiite Islam.
education, esp. an inability to read or write D e R I V AT I V E s i»mam«ate |-,mat| n. :

well. • n. a person who is unable to read or im»be*cile 'imbasal; -,sil • 1 n. a stupid per-
|

write. son. 2 formerly, a classification for an adult

phrases: functionally illiterate lacking with the mental age of a young child. • adj.
the literacy necessary for coping with most [attrib.] stupid; idiotic: try not to make imbecile

jobs and many everyday situations. remarks.

derivatives: il»lit«er«a»cy |-3se| n. il»lit» derivatives: im»be»cilMC |
,imba'silik|
er»ate»ly adv. il»lit«er»ate»ness n. adj. im»be»cilM»ty |
.imba'silite |
n. (pi. -ies).
IHo*CU*tion ,il3'kyoosH3n| * n. an action
I
im*bibe |im'bib| 'V. [trans.] drink (alcohol):
performed by saying or writing something, they were imbibing far too many pitchers of beer
ordering, warning, or promising.
e.g., I
[intrans.] having imbibed too freely, he fell over.
derivatives: il»lo»cu»tion»ar»y |-,nere| absorb or assimilate (ideas or knowledge):
adj. the Bolshevist propaganda which you imbibed in
il*lu»mi»na*ti i,loom3'nate . plural n. peo-
| I
your youth. (esp. of seeds) absorb (water)
ple claiming to possess special enlightenment into ultramicroscopic spaces or pores. place
or knowledge of something: some mysterious (seeds) in water in order to absorb it.

standard known only to the illuminati of the or- derivatives: im»bib«er n. im»bi»bi»tion
ganization. I
,imba'biSHan n. |

(illuminati) a sect of 16th-century Spanish im*bri«cate rimbri,kat| •v. [usu. as adj.]

heretics who claimed special religious en- (imbricated) arrange (scales, sepals, plates,
lightenment. (Illuminati) a Bavarian secret etc.) so thatthey overlap like shingles: these
society founded in 1776, organized like the molds have spherical bodies composed of imbri-
Freemasons. Cf. Gnostic, cated triangular plates.
derivatives: il»lu»mi«nism |i'loom3,ni- [intrans.] [usu. as adj.] (imbricating) overlap:

zam n. il»lu»mi»nist i'loomanist n.

I i
|
a coating of imbricating scales. • adj. (of scales,
iMu*sion |i'loozH3n| . n. a false idea or belief: sepals, plates, etc.) having adjacent edges
he had no illusions about the trouble she was in. overlapping.
a deceptive appearance or impression: the il- derivatives: im«bri«ca«tion |
,imbri
lusion offamily togetherness. a thing that is or 'kaSHanI n.
is likely to be wrongly perceived or inter- im*bro*gliO im'brolyo . n. (pi. -os) an ex-
| I

preted by the senses: Zollner's illusion makes tremely confused, complicated, or embar-
parallel lines seem to diverge by placing them on rassing situation: the Watergate imbroglio.
a zigzag-striped background. Cf. allusion; de- im*brue im'broo (also embrue em- \) » v.
|
|
i

lusion. (imbrues, imbrued, imbruing) [trans.]

phrases: be under the illusion that be- stain (something, esp. one's hands or sword):
lieve mistakenly that: the world is under the il- they were unwilling to imbrue their hands in his
lusion that the original painting still hangs in the blood.
Winter Palace, be under no illusion (or illu- im*bue im'byoo . V. (imbues, imbued,
| I

sions) be fully aware of the true state of imbuing) [trans (often be imbued with) in- ]

affairs. permeate with a feeling or quality: he

spire or
derivatives: il*lu*sion*al |-ZH3nl| adj. was imbued with a deep Christian piety.
illusionary adj. im«mac*uHate |i'm£ekyalit| 'adj. (esp. of a
il*lu*SO*ry i'loosare; -zare . adj. based on il-
| i
person or clothes) perfectly clean, neat, or
lusion; not real: she knew the safety of her room tidy: an immaculate white suit.
was illusory. free from flaws or mistakes; perfect: an
immanent 217 impale
immaculate safety record. (in tJie Roman
usage: See usage at a.moral.
Catholic Church) free from sin. (in botony
and zoology) uniformly colored without im»mune li'myoom » adj. resistant to a par-
spots or other marks. ticular infection or toxin owing to the pres-
derivatives: im»mac»u»la»cy |-bse| n. ence of specific antibodies or sensitized white
im»mac»u«late»ly adv. im»mac»u»late« blood cells: they were naturally immune to
ness n. hepatitis B.
im*ma«nent I'imansntI • adj. existing or protected or exempt, esp. from an obligation
operating within; inherent: the protection of lib- or the effects of something: they are immune
erties is immanent in constitutional arrange- from legal action. Cf. exe.mpt. [predic] not
ments. affected or influenced by something: no one is
(of God) permanently pervading and sus- immune to his immense charm. [attrib.] of or
taining the universe. Often contrasted with relating to immunity: the body's immune system.
TRANSCENDENT. derivatives: im»mu»nize v. im*mu»ni»

derivatives: im«ma«nence n. im»ma» za'tion n.

nen»cy n. im»ma»nentnsm |-,tiz3mi n. im»mu«ni*ty i'myoonite • n. (pi. -ies) the
|
!

im»ma»nent»ist |-tist| n. ability of an organism to resist a particular in-

fection or toxin by the action of specific anti-
usage: See usage at eminent.
bodies or sensitized white blood cells: im-
im*ma»te*ri»al ,i(m)m3'tire3li * adj. 1 un-
|
munity to typhoid seems to have increased
important under the circumstances: so long as spontaneously.
the band kept the beat, what they played was im- protection or exemption from something,
material. esp. an obligation or penalty: the rebels were
(in law) not consequential: the evidence, while given immunity from prosecution. offi-
relevant, adds nothing to the case, and may be ciallygranted exemption from legal proceed-
excluded as immaterial. 2 spiritual, rather than ings. (immunity to) lack of susceptibility,
physical: we have immaterial souls. esp. to something unwelcome or harmful:
derivatives: im»ma»te»ri»aln»ty |
-,tire products must have an adequate level of immu-
'aelite |
n. im»ma»te»ri«al»ly adv. nity to interference.

usage: Immaterial and irrelevant are im*mure |i'my(50r| •v. [trans.] (usu. be im-
familiar in legal, esp. courtroom, use. Im-
mured) enclose or confine (someone) forci-
bly: her brother was immured in a lunatic asylum.
material means 'unimportant because
not adding anything to the point.' Irrele- derivatives: immuration n. im»mure«
vant, a much more common word, means ment n.

'beside the point; not speaking to the point.' im»mu*ta*ble |

i'myoopbal |
» adj. unchang-
Courts have long since ceased to demand ing over time or unable to be changed: an im-
precise distinctions, and e\idence is often
mutable fact.
objected to with the blanket formula "im- derivatives: im»mu»ta«biln»ty [i,myoo-
ts'bilite n. im»mu»ta«bly -ble adv.
material, irrelevant, and incompetent ('of-
i
|
i

fered by a witness who is not qualified to im*pact • n. 'im.paekt the action of one ob-
I
i

ject coming forcibly into contact with an-

offer it')."
other: bullets that expand on impact.
im*me«mo»ri*al ,i(m)m3'm6re3l . adj.
| i
the effect or influence of one person, thing,
originating in the distant past; very old: an or action, on another: the measures have had a
immemorial custom. significant impact on unemployment. » v. \mi
derivatives: im»me»mo»ri»al»ly adv. 'p£ekt| 1 [intrans.] come into forcible contact
im»mi»grate 'imi,grat • v. [intrans.] come to
|
|
with another object: the shell impacted twenty
live permanently in a foreign country: the yards away.
Mennonites immigrated to western Canada in [trans.] come into forcible contact with: an as-

the 1870s. teroid impacted the earth some 60 million years

usage: See usage at e.migr.'^te.

ago. have a strong effect: high interest rates
have impacted on retail spending [trans.] the \

im*mi*nent I'imsnantI *adj. about to hap- move is not expected to impact the company's em-
pen: they were in imminent danger of being swept ployees. 2 [trans.] press firmly: the animals'feet do
away. not impact and damage the soil as cozvs' hooz'es do.
derivatives: im»mi»nence n. im»mi» usage The phrasal verb impact on,
: as in
nent«ly adv. when produce always impacts on the
is lost, it

usage: See usage at e.minent. bottom line, has been in the language since
the 1960s. xVlany people disapprove of it de-
im*moHate |
'ims.lati . v. [trans.] kill or offer spite its relative frequency, sa\ing that make
by burning.
as a sacrifice, esp.
an impact on or other equivalent wordings
derivatives: im»mo»la»tion .ims'la- |

should be used instead.

SHanl n. im»mo»la»tor |-,lapr| n.
im*mor*al |i(m) 'moral; -'maral] » adj. not im*pair [im'peri . r. [trans.] weaken or dam-
conforming to accepted standards of moral- age (esp. a human faculty or function): drug
ity: an immoral and unzvinnable war. use that impairs job performance.
derivatives: im»mo*raln»ty |
lima'rsel- im*pale im'pal |
|
• v. [trans.] 1 pierce or trans-
ite; ,im6-| n. (pi. -ies) im»mor»al»ly adv. fix with a sharp instrument: his head was
impalpable 218 Imperious
impaled on a pike and exhibited for all to see. im*pede |im'ped| 'V. [trans.] delay or prevent
2 display (a coat of arms) side by side with (someone or something) by obstructing
another on the same shield, separated by a them; hinder: the sap causes swelling that can
vertical line: [as adj.] (impaled) the impaled impede breathing.
arms of her husband and her father. im*ped*i*ment lim'pedamanti » n. a hin-
(of a coat of arms) adjoin (another coat of drance or obstruction in doing something: a
arms) in this way. serious impediment to scientific progress.
derivatives: im»pale«ment n. im«pal»er (also speech impediment)
a defect in a
n. person's speech, such as a lisp or stammer.
im«pal»pa»ble im'paelpsbal . adf unable to
|
|
derivatives: im»pedM«men»tal |-,ped3
be felt by touch: an impalpable ghost. Cf. im- 'mentl adj. |

material. usage: See usage impedance.

at
not easily comprehended: something so impal-
pable as personhood. im*ped*l*men*ta lim.peds'mental • plural n.
derivatives: im«pal»pa»bilM«ty l-.paslps equipment for an activity or expedition, esp.
'bilite I
n. im»pal»pa»bly |
-ble |
adv. when considered as bulky or an encum-
im*par*tial |
im'parSHal I
. adj. treating all brance.
parties equally; not partial; fair and just: inde- im«pel I
(impelled, impelling)
im'pel I
• V.

pendent and impartial advice. [trans.] (someone) to do

drive, force, or urge
derivatives: im»par»ti»alM»ty |-,parSHe something: financial difficulties impelled him
'aelite n. im»par»tial»ly adv.
|
to desperate measures [with obj. and infinitive] a \

im*passe 'im.paes; im'paes • n. a situation

|
\
lack of equality impelled the oppressed to
in which no progress is possible, esp. because fight.
of disagreement; a deadlock: the current polit- drive forward; propel: vital energies impel him
ical impasse. in unforeseen directions.
im*pas«sioned im'paeSHand . adj. filled | I
im*pend im'pend • V. [intrans.] [usu. as adj.]
| I

with or showing great emotion: she made an (impending) be about to happen: my im-
impassioned plea for help. pending departure.
im»pas*Sive |im'paesiv| » adj. not feeling or (of something bad) loom: danger of collision
showing emotion: impassive passersby ignore impends.
the performers. im*per*a*tive lim'perativl . adj. 1 of vital im-
derivatives: im»pas»sive»ly adv. im» portance; crucial: immediate action was imper-
pas«sive»ness n. im»pas»siv*i»ty |
.imps ative [with clause] it is imperative that stan-
I

'sivitel n. dards be maintained. 2 giving an authoritative

im*peach |
im'pecH |
. v. [trans.] call into command; peremptory: the bell pealed again,
question the integrity or validity of (a prac- a final imperative call.
tice or action): there is no basis to Searle's mo- grammar denoting the mood of a verb that ex-
tion to impeach the verdict. presses a command or exhortation, as come in
charge (the holder of a public office) with come here! • 1 an essential or urgent thing:

misconduct: Presidents Andrew Johnson and free movement of labor was an economic impera-
Bill Clinton were both impeached, but neither was tive.
convicted on any charge. Brit, charge with a factor or influence making something nec-
treason or another crime against the state. essary: the change came about through a finan-
derivatives: im»peach«a»ble adj. im» cial imperative. a thing felt as an obligation:
peach'ment n. the moral imperative of aiding Third World devel-
im*pec*ca*ble lim'peksbsll »adj. (of behav- opment. 2 a verb or phrase in the imperative
ior,performance, or appearance) in accord- mood.
ance with the highest standards of propriety; (the imperative) the imperative mood.
faultless: a man
of impeccable character. derivatives: im»per»a»ti»val |-,per3
Theology not liable to sin. 'tivsl adj. im»per»a»tive»ly adv. im»per«a«
I

derivatives: im»pec*ca»bil»i»ty l-.peka tive»ness n.

'bilite im»pec»ca»bly -ble adv.
I
n. | |
im»per*cep»ti»ble .impsr'septabsll 'adj. |

im*pe*CU*nl«OUS .imps'kyooneas • adj.

|
|
impossible to perceive: his head moved in an
having little or no money: a humble and impe- almost imperceptible nod.
cunious family. DERI VAT I v E s im»per»cep*ti«bilM*ty
: |
- ,
sep-
derivatives: im»pe»cu»ni«os»i«ty -,kyoo- | im»per»cep»ti»bly |-ble| adv.
ts'bilitel n.
ne'asitel n. im»pe»cu»ni»ous«ness n. im*pe*ri*al*ism |im'pire3|liz3m| • n. a policy
Im*ped*ance im'pedns • n. the effective re-
|
|
of extending a country's power and influence
sistance of an electric circuit or component to through diplomacy or military force (or, by
alternating current, arising from the com- extension, through other forms of power).
bined effects of ohmic resistance and reac- rule by an emperor.
tance. DERIVATIVES: im»pe»ri«alMst n. im«pe»ri«
aHs'tic -ipirea'listiki adj. im»pe»ri»alMS«
usage: Impedance is a specialized electri- I

cal term, while impediment is an everyday

ti'caWy -,pire3'listik(3)le adv.
|
|

im«pe»ri»OUS im'pireas • adj. assuming

term meaning hindrance or obstruction,'
'a
|
|

power or authority without justification;

e.g., interpreting his handwriting was an im-
arrogant and domineering: his imperious de-
pediment to getting business done.
mands.
impermeable 219 imply
derivatives: im»pe«ri»ous«ly adv. im» im*pli*cate I'impli.katl ^v. [trans.] 1 show
pe»ri»ous»ness n. (someone) to be involved in a crime: police
Im»per»me*a*ble |
im'parmeabsl |
»adj. not claims implicated him in many more killings.
allowing fluid to pass dirough: an impermea- (be implicated in) bear some of the respon-
ble membrane. Cf. impervious. sibility for (an action or process, esp. a crim-
not liable to be affected by pain or distress; inal or harmful one): a chemical implicated in
not susceptible or not perturbable: women ozone depletion. involve (something) in a
who appear impermeable to pain. necessary way: cable franchise activities plainly
DERI VAT I V e s im»per»me»a»biln»ty - psr-
: |
,
implicate FirstAmendment interests. 2 convey
mea'bilitel n. (ameaning or intention) indirectly through
im*per»ti«nent im'partn-ant • adj. 1 not |
|
what one says, rather than stating it explicitly;
showing proper respect; rude: an impertinent imply: by saying that coffee would keep her
question. Cf. insolent, irreverent. 2 not per- awake, Mary implicated that she didn't want
tinent to a particular matter; irrelevant: talk any. • n. a thing implied.
of "rhetoric" and "strategy" is impertinent to derivatives: im»pli»ca»tive 'impli,kakh |

this process. tiv; im'plikativl im»pli»ca»tive»ly adv.

adj.
D e R I VAT I V E s im«per»ti»nence : n. im»per» im*pli*ca*tion ,impli'kaSH3n|
. 1 the con-
|

ti»nent«ly adv. clusion that can be drawn from something, al-

im»per»vi»OUS im'parvess adj. not allow-
| I
. though it is not explicitly stated: the implication
ing anything to pass through: an impervious is that no one person at the bank is responsible.

layer of basaltic clay. Cf. impermeable. a likely consequence of something: a victory

[predic] (impervious to) unable to be af- that had important political implications. 2 the
fected by: he worked on, apparently impervious action or state of being involved in some-
to the heat. thing: our implication in the problems.
derivatives: im«per»vi»ous»ly adv. im» derivatives: im«pli»ca»tion»al |-SH3nl|
per»vi»ous»ness n. adj.
im*pet*U*OUS im'peCHawas • adj. acting or
|
|
im*plic*it |im'phsit| » adj. 1 implied though
done quickly and without thought or care: her not plainly expressed: comments seen as im-
friend was headstrong and impetuous. plicit criticism of the policies.
moving forcefully or rapidly: an impetuous [predic] (implicit in) essentially or very
but controlled flow of water. closely connected with; always to be found in:
derivatives: im»pet»u«osn»ty |-,peCH3 the values implicit in the school ethos. 2 with no
'wasite n. im»pet»u»ous»ly adv. im»pet»u»
|
qualification or question; absolute: an implicit
ous*ness n. faith in God. 3 (of a mathematical function)
im*pe*tUS 'impitas . n. the force or energy
| I
not expressed directly in terms of indepen-
with which a body moves: hit the booster coil dent variables.
before the flywheel loses all its impetus. Cf. mo- derivatives: im»plicMfly adv. im»plic»
mentum. it«ness n.
the force that makes something happen or im*ploCle im'plod • v. collapse or cause to
|
|

happen more quickly: the crisis of the 1860s collapse violently inward: [intrans.] the windows
provided the original impetus for the settle- on both sides of the room imploded [trans.] these \

ments. forces would implode the pellet to a density 1 00

im«pinge im'pinj |
|
• v. (impinging) [intrans.] times higher than that of lead.
have an effect or impact, esp. a negative one: [intrans.] suffer sudden economic or political

Nora was determined that the tragedy would collapse: can any amount of aid save the repub-
impinge as little as possible on Constance's life. lic from imploding?
advance over an area belonging to someone DERIVATIVES im»plo»sion : |-ZH3n| n. im»
or something else; encroach: the site plo'sive |-siv| adj.
impinges on a conservation area. (im- im*plore |im'pl6r| •v. beg someone ear-
pinge on/upon) come into forcible contact nestly or desperately to do something: he
with; strike: the gases impinge on the surface of implored her to change her mind "Please don't \

the liquid. talk that way," Ellen implored.

derivatives: im«pinge»ment n. im» [trans.] beg earnestly for: / implore mercy.

ping»er n. derivatives: im»plor»ing»ly adv.

im*plac*a*ble im'plsekabal . adj. unable to
| I
Im»ply |im'pli| 'V.-ied)
(-ies,
[trans.]

be placated: he was an implacable enemy of strongly suggest the truth or existence of

Ted's. (something not expressly stated): salesmen
relentless; unstoppable: the implacable ad- who use jargon to imply superior knowledge |

vance of the enemy. [with clause] the report implies that two million
derivatives: im»plac»a«bil»i»ty |-,pl£ek3 jobs may be lost.
'bilitel im»plac»a»bly |-ble| adv.
n. (of a fact or occurrence) suggest (some-
im*plau*Si*ble im'plozsbsl »adj. (of an ar- | |
thing) as a logical consequence: the predicted
gument or statement) not seeming reasona- traffic increase implied more roads and more air
ble or probable; failing to convince: a bla- pollution.
tantly implausible claim your suggested solution I

usage Imply and

: infer do not mean the
is implausible.
same thing and should not be used inter-
derivatives: im»plau»si*biln»ty |-,pl6z3
changeably: see usage at infer.
'bilite I
n. im»plau»si»bly |
-ble |
adv.
impolitic 220 imprimatur
im*poW*tlc I
im'pali.tik I
•adj. failing to pos- im»prac»ti«cal im'praektikal • adj. 1 (of an |
|

sess or display prudence; unwise: it was impol- object or course of action) not adapted for
itic to pay the slightest tribute to the enemy. use or action; not sensible or realistic: imprac-
derivatives: im«pol»i»tic»ly adv. ticalhigh heels his impractical romanticism. \

lm*por»tU»nate |im'p6rCH3nit| . adj. persist- (of a person) not skilled or interested in

ent, esp. to the point of annoyance or intru- practical matters: Paul was impractical and
sion: importunate creditors. dreamy. 2 impossible to do; impracticable.
derivatives: im«por»tu«nate»ly adv. im» derivatives: im»prac»ti«cal»i»ty |-,praek-
por»tu»ni«ty |
,imp6r't(y)oonite |
n. (pi. ti'kselite |
n. im»prac»ti»cal»ly |
-ik(3)le |

-ies). adv.
im*por*tune ,imp6r't(y)oon; im'p6rCH3n|
|
Im*pre*cate |'impri,kat| 'V. [trans.] utter (a
• V. ask (someone) pressingly and per-
[trans.] curse) or invoke (evil) against someone or
sistently for or to do something: if he were alive something.
now, I should importune him with my questions. derivatives: im»pre»ca»tion |
,impri'ka-
approach (someone) to offer one's services SHan I
n. im«pre«ca«tor n. im»pre»ca»to»ry
as a prostitute. I
'imprik3,t6re |
adj.
inn*post 'im.post • n. a tax or similar com-
|
|
im«preg*na*ble im'pregnsbsl . adj. (of a |
|

pulsory payment. fortified position)unable to be captured or

im*pos*tlire lim'pasCHari • n. an instance of broken into: an impregnable wall of solid sand-
pretending to be someone else in order to de- stone the companies are impregnable to take-
\

ceive others. overs.

im*po*tent 'impatnti
|
adj. 1 unable to take • unable to be defeated or destroyed; unas-
effective action; helpless or powerless: he was sailable: the case againstSimpson would have
seized with an impotent anger. 2 (of a man) ab- been almost impregnable.
normally unable to achieve a sexual erection. derivatives: im»preg»na»biln»ty - preg- |

(of a male animal) unable to copulate. n. im«preg»na«bly

na'bilite |
-ble adv. | |

derivatives: im»po»tence n. im»po»ten« im«preg*nate im'preg,nat 'v. [trans.] |

|

cy n. im»po»tent»ly adv. 1 make (a woman or female animal) preg-

im*pound im'pownd • V. [trans.] 1 seize and
| I
nant.
take legal custody of (something, esp. a vehi- fertilize (a female reproductive cell or
cle, goods, or documents) because of an in- ovum). 2 (usu. be impregnated with) soak
fringement of a law or regulation: vehicles or saturate (something) with a substance:
parked in the zone will be impounded. 2 shut up wood that had been impregnated with preserva-
(domestic animals) in a pound or enclosure. tive.
(of a dam) hold back or confme (water): the imbue with feelings or qualities: an atmo-
dam impounds the Feather River. sphere impregnated with tension.
derivatives: im»pound»a»ble adj. im» derivatives: im«preg»na»tion |
, impreg
pound»er n. im»pound«ment n. 'naSHan n. |

im*pov*er*ish |im'pav(3)riSH| ^v. [trans.] im*pre*sa*ri*0 ,impr3'sare,o; -'ser-| • n. (pi. |

make (a person or area) poor: they discourage
and impoverish their people [as adj.]
investment
(impoverished) impoverished peasant farm-
ers.
exhaust the strength, vitality, or natural fer-
was impoverished by overplant-
tility of: the soil
ing [as adj.] (impoverished) an impover-
I
ished and debased language.
derivatives: im»pov»ernsh»ment
im»prac»ti«ca»ble im'praektikabal • adj. (of
-os) a person who organizes and often
\
finances concerts, plays, or operas.
formerly, the manager of a musical, theatri-
cal, or operatic company.
im*press • v. [trans.] force (someone) to serve
in an army or navy: a number of Poles, impressed
into the German army.
commandeer (goods or equipment) for pub-
n. lic service.
|
|
DERI VAT V e s im»press»mentI : n.

a course of action) impossible in practice to lm*pres*sion*ism |

im'preSH3,niz3m I
. n. a
do or carry out: it was impracticable to widen style or movement in painting originating in
the road here an impracticable suggestion.
\
France in the 1860s, characterized by a con-
derivatives: im»prac»ti«ca»bil»i»ty cern with depicting the visual impression of
I
-iPraektika'bilite n. im»prac«ti»ca»bly I
the moment, esp. in terms of the shifting ef-
|-ble| adv. fect of light and color.
a literary or artistic style that seeks to cap-
usage: Impracticable and impractical
ture a feeling or experience rather than to
are sometimes confused. Impracticable
achieve accurate depiction. Music a style of
means 'impossible to carry out' and is nor-
composition (associated esp. with Debussy)
mally used of a specific procedure or course
in which clarity of structure and theme is
of action, as in poor visibility made the task dif-
subordinate to harmonic effects, characteris-
ficult, even impracticable. Impractical, on
tically using the whole-tone scale. Cf. expres-
the other hand, tends to be used in more
sionism.
general senses, often to mean simply 'unre-
Im»pri«ma*tur .impra'mapr; -'mapri • n.
aUstic' or 'not sensible,' as in in windy weather |

an official license granted by the Roman

an umbrella is impractical. Impractical
Cathohc Church to print an ecclesiastical or
may be used in describing a person, but not
religious book.
impracticable.
[in sing.] a person's acceptance or guarantee
imprint 221 inanimate
that something of a good standard: the orig-
is nent: he could have strangled this impudent up-
inal LP enjoyed the imprimatur of the composer. start impudent remarks from the children. Cf.
I

im»print »v. |im'print| 1 [trans.] (usu. be insolent.

imprinted) impress or stamp (a mark or derivatives: im«pu»dence n. im«pu»
outhne) on a surface or body: tire marks were dent'ly adv.
imprinted in the snow. im*pugn im'pyoon . V. [trans.] dispute the
| I

make an impression or mark on (some- truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or

thing): clothes imprinted with the logos of motive); call into question: the father does not
sports teams. fix (an idea) firmly in some- impugn her capacity as a good mother defend- \

one's mind: he would always have this ghastly ant's lawyer impugned this testimony.
image imprinted on his mind. 2 [intrans.] (im- derivatives: im»pugn»a»ble adj. im«
print on) Zoology (of a young animal) come to pugn»ment n.
recognize (another animal, person, or thing) im*pul*sive jim'palsivl 'adj. 1 acting or
as a parent or other object of habitual trust. done without advance planning or thought:
• n. 'imprint 1 a mark made by pressing
I
|
they had married as impulsive teenagers per- \

something on to a softer substance so that its haps he's regretting his impulsive offer. 2 (in
outline is reproduced: the signet ring left its physics) acting as an impulse: impulsive forces.
imprint in the sealing wax. derivatives: im»pul»sive»ly adv. im»pul»
a lasting impression or effect: years in the sive»ness n. im»pul»siv»i»ty |
.impal'sivite |

colonies had left 2 a printer's or

their imprint. n.
publisher's name, address, and other details im»pu*ni*ty |im'pyoonite| » n. exemption
in a book or other printed item. from punishment or freedom from the inju-
a brand name under which books are pub- rious consequences of an action: the impu-
name of a former pub-
lished, typically the nity enjoyed by military officers |
protesters
hshing house that is now part of a larger burned flags on the streets with seeming im-
group. punity.
im*promp«tu |im'pram(p),t(y)oo| 'adj. & im*pute im'pyoot I
. V. [trans.] representI

adv. done without being planned, organized, (something, esp. something undesirable) as
or rehearsed: [as adj.] an impromptu press con- being done, caused, or possessed by some-
ference I
he spoke impromptu. • n. (pi.
[as adv.] one; attribute: the crimes imputed to Richard.
impromptus) a short piece of instrumental assign (a value) to something by inference
music, esp. a solo, that is reminiscent of an from the economic value of the products or
improvisation. processes to which it contributes: [as adj.]
im»pro»pri*e*ty .impra'pnite . n. (pi. -ies)
|
|
(imputed) recovering the initial outlay plus
a failure to observe standards or show due imputed ascribe a moral quality or
interest.
honesty or modesty; improper behavior or attribute to someone by
virtue of a similar
character: she was scandalized at the impropri- quality in another: Christ's righteousness has
ety of the question there are no demonstrable \
been imputed to us.
diplomatic improprieties. derivatives: im»put»a»ble adj. im»pu»
im*prov»i*dent im'pravidant . adj. not | I
taction limpya'taSHsn n.
I I

having or showing foresight; spendthrift or in«ad»vert«ent .inad'vsrtntl 'adj. not re-

|

thoughtless: improvident and undisciplined be- sulting from or achieved through deliberate
havior. Cf. PROVIDENT. planning: inadvertent spread of species through
derivatives: im»prov»i»dence n. im» trade.
prov»i»dent»ly adv. (of a mistake) made through lack of care: an
im*pro»vise rimpr3,viz| ^v. [trans.] create inadvertent omission.
and perform (music, drama, or verse) spon- derivatives: in«ad»vert»ence n. in»ad»
taneously or without preparation: the ability to vert»en»cy in»ad»vert»enfly adv.
n.
improvise operatic arias in any given style \
in»al*len*a»ble lin'alesnsball . adj. unable to
[intrans.] he was improvising over guitar chords. be taken away from or given away by tlie pos-
Cf. AD LIB. sessor; not alienable: freedom of thought, the
produce or make (something) from what- most inalienable of all human rights.
ever is available: / improvised a costume for my- derivatives: in»alMen»a*biln»ty |-, alc-

self out of an old blue dress [as adj.] (impro- \

ana 'bilite n. in»al»ien«a»bly -ble adv.
I
| |

vised) we camped out, sleeping on improvised in»am«0*ra*ta in.aema'rata . n. a person's

|
|

beds. female lover. The male is inamorato.

derivatives: im»provn»sa«tion |im in*ane i'nan • adj. without sense or mean-
| |

,pravi'zaSH3n| n. im»provM«sa»tion»al |im ing; silly; stupid: don constantly badger people 't

iPravi'zaSHanl adj. im»prov»i»sa*to«ri»al

|
with inane questions.
I
im,praviz3't6re3l adj. im»pro»vi»sa»to»ry |
derivatives: in»ane»ly adv. in»ane»ness
I
im'praviz3,t6re im«pro«vis»er n. |
adj. in»anM»ty |i'naenite| n. (pi. -ies)
n. .

im«pru*dent im'proodnt • adj. not showing

| I
in*an*i*mate in'senamit . adj. not alive, esp.
|
I

care for the consequences of an action; rash: not in the manner of animals and humans:
it would be imprudent to leave your coat behind. inanimate objects like stones.
derivatives: im»pru»dence n. im»pru» showing no sign of life; lifeless: he was com-
dent'ly adv. pletely inanimate and it was difficult to tell if he
im»pu»dent 'impy3d(9)nt| 'adj. not show-
|
was breathing.
ing due respect for another person; imperti- derivatives: in»an»i»mate«ly adv.
inarticulate 222 incident
in»ar«tlc«U»late |
,inar'tiky3lit| . adj. 1 unable sent (a deity or spirit) in human form: the idea
to speak distinctly or express oneself clearly: that God incarnates himself in man.
he was inarticulate with abashment and regret. put (an idea or other abstract concept) into
not clearly expressed or pronounced: inartic- concrete form: a desire to make things that will
ulate complaints of inadequate remuneration. incarnate their personality. (of a person) be
having no distinct meaning; unintelligible: the living embodiment of (a quality): the
lurching up and down uttering inarticulate cries. woman who incarnates the suffering of all her
not expressed; unspoken: inarticulate resent- people.
ment. 2 without joints or articulations. in*cen*di*ar»y in'sende,ere . adj. (of a de-
| I

derivatives: in«ar«tic»u»la»cy |-bse| n. vice or attack) designed to cause fires: incen-

in»ar»tic»u»late«ly adv. in»ar»tic»u*late» diary bombs I
an incendiary raid.
ness n. tending to stir up conflict: incendiary rheto-
in*aus*pi*cious ,in6'spiSH9s| »adj. not |
ric. very exciting: an incendiary live per-
conducive to success; unpromising: an inaus- former. . n. (pi. -ies) an incendiary bomb or
picious beginning Cf. auspicious, device.
derivatives: in»aus»pi»cious»ly adv. in* a person who starts fires, esp. in a military
aus«pi»cious»ness n. context. who stirs up conflict.
a person
in»born 'in'bdrn • adj. existing from birth:
| |
derivatives: in«cen»di«a«rism |-de9,ri-
an inborn defect in breathing capacity. Z3m| n.
natural to a person or animal: people think in*cense |in'sens| •v. [trans.] (usu. be
doctors have inborn compassion. incensed) make very angry: she was incensed
in*bred 'in, bred • adj. 1 produced by the
| I
by the accusations.
interbreeding of closely related individuals in*cen*tive in'sentiv| • «. a thing that moti-
|

(inbreeding): a classic inbred English aristocrat. vates or encourages one to do something: give
2 existing in a person, animal, or plant from farmers an incentive to improve their land.
birth; congenital: inbred disease resistance in a payment or concession to stimulate greater
crops. output or investment: tax incentives for invest-
in cam»er»a • adv. in private, esp. in the ing in depressed areas [as adj.] incentive pay-
\

chambers of a judge: the court retired to con- ments.

sider the motion in camera. derivatives: incentivize v. incentiviza-

in»can*des*cent .inkan'dessnti »adj. emit- |

tion n.
ting light as a result of being heated: plumes of in*cep*tion in'sepsHsn . n. [in sing.] the es-
| I

incandescent liquid rock. tablishment or starting point of an institution

(of an electric light) containing a filament or activity: she has been on the board since its in-
that glows white-hot when heated by a cur- ception two years ago.
rent passed through it. of outstanding and In»cer»ti*tude in's3rti,t(y)ood . w. a state of
| I

exciting quality; brilliant: an incandescent per- uncertainty or hesitation: some schools broke
formance. down under the stresses of policy incertitude.
derivatives: in»can»des»cence n. in* in«ces*sant lin'sessntj ^adj. (of something
can«des»cent«ly adv. regarded as unpleasant) continuing without
in»can»ta*tion linkaen'taSHsn] |
• n. a series of pause or interruption: the incessant beat of the
words said as a magic spell or charm: an in- music.
cantation to raise the dead. derivatives: in«ces»san»cy n. in«ces»
the use of such words: there was no magic in sant'ly adv. in»ces»sant»ness n.
such incantation incantations of old slogans.
\
i nicest 'in,sest| • n. sexual relations between
|

derivatives: in»can»ta»to»ry l-'ksenta people classed as being too closely related to

,t6re I
adj. marry each other.
in*ca*pac«i*tate ,ink3'paesi,tat . v. [trans.]| I
the crime of having sexual intercourse with
prevent from functioning in a normal way: he a parent, child, sibling, or grandchild.
was incapacitated by a heart attack. in*ces*tll*OUS in'sesCHawss • adj. 1 involv-
| |

deprive (someone) of their legal capacity.
derivatives: in»ca«pacM»tant |-'pses-
3tnt| n. in»ca»pacM»ta»tion -.paesi'tasHsn
?i.
in»car»cer»ate |in'kars3,rat| 'V. [trans.] (usu.
be incarcerated) put in jail or prison: many
are incarcerated for property offenses.
confine (someone) in a particular place: he
ing or guilty of incest: the child of an incestu-
ous relationship. 2 (of human relations gener-
|
|
ally) excessively close and resistant to outside
influence: the incestuous nature of literary jour-
nalism.
derivatives: in»ces»tu»ous»ly adv. in«
ces»tu»ous«ness n.
ln*cho*ate • adj. in'ko-it; -at just begun and
\ |

spent a long evening incarcerated in his study. so not fully formed or developed; rudimen-
derivatives: in»car»cer»a»tion |-,kars3 tary: a still inchoate democracy.
'raSHsnl n. in«car»cer»a»tor |-,rat3r| n. confused or incoherent: inchoate political pro-
in«car«nate |in'karnit;-,nat| * adf [often post- test. (of an offense, such as incitement or
positive] (esp. of a deity or spirit) embodied in conspiracy) anticipating a further criminal
flesh; in human form: Krishna incarnate he \
act.
chose to be incarnate as a man. derivatives: in«cho»ate»ly adv. in»cho«
[postpositive] represented in the ultimate or ate»ness n.
most extreme form: here is capitalism incar- in*ci»dent I'insidsntI • «. 1 an event or oc-
nate. . V. -,natI
[trans.] 1 embody or repre-
I
currence: several amusing incidents.
 | 1

incidental 223 incorporate

a violent event, such as a fracas or assault: one (often incivilities) an impolite or offensive
person was stabbed in the incident. a hostile comment.
clash between forces of rival countries. (in- in«clem*ent lin'klemsml » adj. (of the
cident of) a case or instance of something weather) unpleasantly stormy, cold, or wet;
happening: a single incident of rudeness does not not clement.
support a finding of contemptuous conduct. the derivatives: in»clem»en«cy n. (pi. -ies) .

occurrence of dangerous or exciting things: in*COg*nl«tO |

,inkag'neto; in'kagni,to| • adj.
the winter passed without incident. a distinct & adv. (of a person) having one's true iden-
piece of action in a play or a poem. 2 (in law) tity concealed: [as adj.] in order to observe you
a privilege, burden, or right attaching to an have to be incognito \
[as adv.] operating incog-
office, estate, or other holding. • adj. nito. • n. (pi. -os) an assumed or false iden-
1 [predic] (incident to) liable to happen be- tity.

cause of; resulting from: the changes incident to in*CO*her»ent |

.inko'hirsnt; -'her-; ,iNG-
economic development. • adj. 1 (of spoken language) or written
(in law) attaching to: the costs properly incident expressed in an incomprehensible or confus-
to a suit for foreclosure or redemption. 2 (esp. of ing way; not coherent; unclear: he screamed
light or other radiation) falling on or striking some incoherent threat.
something: when an ion beam is incident on (of a person) unable to speak intelligibly.
a surface. (of an ideology, policy, or system) internally
of or relating to incidence: the incident angle. inconsistent; illogical: the film is ideologically
in»ci»den*tal |
.insi'dentl |
• adj. 1 accompa- incoherent. 2 (of light or electromagnetic
nying but not a major part of something: in- waves) having no definite or stable phase re-
cidental expenses. lationship.
occurring by chance in connection with derivatives: in»co»her»ence n. in»co»
something else: the incidental catch of dolphins her«en«cy n. (pi. -ies) in«co»her»ent»ly adv.
in the pursuit of tuna. 2 [predic] (incidental in»COm*mu*ni*ca»dO |
,ink3,myooni'kado I

to) liable to happen as a consequence of (an • adj. & adv. not able, wanting, or allowed to
activity): the ordinary risks incidental to a fire- communicate with other people: they were
man's job. • n. (usu. incidentals) an inciden- and detained incommunicado trying
separated |

tal detail, expense, event, etc.: meals, taxis, and toarrange a few days incommunicado.
other incidentals. in»COm»pat*i*ble linksm paepbal; ,iNG-| |

derivatives: incidentally adv. • adj. (of two things) so opposed in character

in»cip*l*ent lin'sipesnti * adj. in an initial as to be incapable of existing together; not

stage; beginning to happen or develop: could compatible: cleverness and femininity were seen
feel incipient anger building up\ an incipient as incompatible.
black eye. (of two people) unable to live together har-
(of a person) developing into a specified type moniously. [predic] (incompatible with)
or role: we seemed more like friends than incipi- (of one thing or person) not consistent or
ent lovers. able to coexist with (another): long hours are
derivatives: in»cipn«ence n. in»cipM» simply incompatible with family life. (of
en»cy n. in*cip«i»ent»ly adv. equipment, machinery, computer programs,
in*cise |in'siz| 'V. [trans.] (usu. be incised) etc.) not capable of being used in combina-
mark or decorate (an object or surface) with tion.
a cut or a series of cuts: a button incised with derivatives: in«com»patM»bilM»ty l-.paet-
the letter G. a'bilite n. in«com»pafi»bly -ble adv.
| | |

cut (a mark or decoration) into a surface: fig- in»COn»gru»OUS in'kaNCgrawas . adf not i
|

ures incised on upright stones. cut (skin or in harmony or keeping with the surroundings
flesh) with a surgical instrument: the wound or other aspects of something.
was incised and drained. derivatives: in»con»grun»ty ,ink3n |

in»ci»sive |in'sisiv| * adj. (of a person or 'grooite; ,iNGkaNG-| n. (pi. -ies) in»con»gru»
mental process) intelligently analytical and ous'ly adv.
clear-thinking: she was an incisive critic. ln*COn*ti»nent in'kantsnant; -'kanm-3nt|
|

(of an account) accurate and sharply fo- . adj. 1 having no or insufficient voluntary
cused: the songs offer incisive pictures of Ameri- control over urination or defecation. 2 lack-
can ways. ing self-restraint; uncontrolled: the incontinent
derivatives: in»ci»sive»ly adv. in»ci» hysteria of the fans.
sive»ness n. derivatives: in«con»ti»nence n. in»con«
In*cite |in'sit| » V. [trans.] encourage or stir up ti»nent«ly adv.
(violent or unlawfial behavior): the offense of in«COn*tro*vert*i»ble iUikantravartsbal | I

inciting racial hatred. • adj. not able to be denied or disputed; not

urge or persuade (someone) to act in a vio- possible to controvert: incontrovertible proof.

lent or unlawftil way: he incited loyal subjects derivatives: in»con»tro»vert»i»bil»i»ty
to rebellion. I
-.varp'bilite n. in»con»tro*vert*i«bly
I

derivatives: in»ci»ta»tion ,insi'tasH3n | I

-ble I
adv.
n. in«cite»ment n. in«cit»er n. in»COr*po»rate »v. |in'k6rp3,rat| [trans.]

in«ci*vil»i»ty .insiVilite . n. (pi. -ies) rude or

| I
1 put or take in (something) as part of a
unsociable speech or behavior; lack of civility whole; include: he has incorporated in his
or politeness. proposals a large number of measures territo- |
incorporeal 224 indelible
ries that had been incorporated into the Jap- tivechange in a variable quantity or function.
anese Empire. Cf. decrement.
contain or include (something) as part of a DERI VAT v E s in»cre«men»tal
I .iNGkra
:
|

whole: the guide incorporates all the recent 'mentl;,in-| adj. in»cre»men«taWy |
.iNGkra
changes in legislation. combine (ingredients) 'mentl-e; ,in- 1 adv.
into one substance: add the cheeses and butter in»crim*l*nate |in'krim3,nat| »v. [trans.]

and process briefly to incorporate them. 2 (often make (someone) appear guilty of a crime or
be incorporated) constitute (a company, wrongdoing; strongly imply the guilt of
city, or other organization) as a legal corpo- (someone): he refused to answer questions in or-
ration. » adj. |-'k6rp(9)rit| 1 (also incorpo- der not to incriminate himself [as adj.] (in- \

rated) (of a company or other organization) criminating) incriminating evidence.

formed into a legal corporation. 2 having a derivatives: in»crim»i»na»tion |-,krim3
bodily form; embodied. 'nasH3n| n. in«crimn»na»to»ry |-n3,t6re|
derivatives: in»cor»po«ra»tion |-,k6rp3 adj.
'raSHsnl n. in*cor»po»ra«tor |-,rat3r| n. in*CU*bate |
'inkys.bat; 'iNG- 1
• v. [trans.] (of a
in*COr»po*re*al .inkor'poreal . adj.
|
not i
bird) on (eggs) in order to keep them
sit
composed of matter; having no material exis- warm and bring them to hatching.
tence: millions believe in a supreme but incorpo- (esp. in a laboratory) keep (eggs, cells, bac-
real being they call God. Cf. immaterial. teria, embryos, etc.) at a suitable temperature
(in law) having no physical existence: incor- so that they develop: the samples were incu-
poreal hereditaments such as rights of way. bated at 80°C for 3 minutes. (be incubating
derivatives: in»cor»po*re*alM«ty |-,p6re something) have an infectious disease devel-
'selite n. in»cor»po»re»al«ly adv. in»cor»po«
I
oping inside one before symptoms appear: the
re«i«ty |-p9'reite| n. possibility that she was incubating syphilis.
in*COr»ri»gl»ble in'korijsbal • adj. (of a per-
|
|
[intrans.] develop slowly without outward or

son or their tendencies) not able to be cor- perceptible signs: unfortunately the bug incu-
rected, improved, or reformed: she's an incor- bates for around three years.
rigible flirt. • n. a person of this type. Cf. derivatives: in»cu»ba»tion n. in»cu»ba»
recalcitrant, refractory, tive adj.
derivatives: in«cor»ri»gi»bil»i»ty -,k6ri- | in*CU*bus 'iNGkysbas; 'in-| • «. (pi incubi
I

ja'bilite in»cor»ri»gi»bly adv. [as submodi-

|
n. - ,bi ) a male demon believed to have sexual
I I

fier] the incorrigibly macho character of news- intercourse with sleeping women.
gathering operations. a cause of distress or anxiety: debt is a big in-
in*cred«i*ble in'kredsbal . adj. 1 impossi-
|
I
cubus in developing countries. Cf. SUCCUBUS.
ble to believe: an almost incredible tale of in*CUl*cate |
in'ksl.kat; 'inksl- 1
. V. [trans.] in-
triumph and tragedy. 2 difficult to believe; still(an attitude, idea, or habit) by persistent
extraordinary: the noise from the crowd was in- instruction: the failures of the churches to incul-
credible. cate a sense of moral responsibility.
amazingly good or beautiful: she looked so in - teach (someone) an attitude, idea, or habit
credible. by such instruction: they will try to inculcate
derivatives: in»cred»i»ban«ty |-,kred3 you with a respect for culture.
'bilitel n. derivatives: in»cul«ca»tion |
.inkarka-
SHsnl n. in»cul«ca»tive adj. in»cul»ca«tor
usage: The adjective incredible means
|-,kat3r| n.
'unbelievable' or 'not convincing' and can be
applied to a situation, statement, policy, or in*CUl*pate in'ksl.pat; 'inksl- . v. [trans.] ac-
|
1

threat to a person, e.g., I find this testimony

cuse or blame.
incriminate: someone placed the pistol in your
incredible. Incredulous means 'disinclined
to believe; skeptical' the opposite of credu-— room in order to inculpate you. Cf. exculpate,
lous, gullible —
and is usually applied to a per- derivatives: in«cul»pa»tion linkal'pa-
SHsn n. in»cul»pa»to»ry in'k3lp3,t6re adj.
|

son's attitude, e.g.. You shouldn't be surprised I | |

that I'm incredulous after all your lies.

in»cum«bent lin'kambanti * adj. 1 [predic]
(incumbent on/upon) necessary for (some-
in«cre»du«li»ty .inkrs' d(y) oolite *n. the
|
|
one) as a duty or responsibility: it is incumbent
state of being unwilling or unable to believe on all decent people to concentrate on destroying
something: he stared down the street in incredu- this evil. 2 [attrib.] (of an official or regime) cur-
lity. rently holding office: the incumbent president
in*cred*U*IOUS in'krejabs . adj. (of a per-
| I
had been defeated.
son or their manner) unwilling or unable to denoting a company having a relatively
believe something: an incredulous gasp. greater franchise or share of a market: power-
derivatives: in»cred»u»lous«ly adv. in* ful incumbent airlines. • n. the holder of an of-
cred»u»lous»ness n. fice or post.
in*cre*ment 'iNokrsmant • n. an increase
| |
in«de«fat»i»ga*ble .inds'fEetigabal . adj. (of |
|

or addition, esp. one of a series on a fixed a person or personal efforts) persisting tire-
scale: the inmates' pay can escalate in five- lessly: an indefatigable defender of human rights.
cent increments to a maximum of 90 cents an derivatives: in»de«fafi»ga«bil»i«ty |-,faet-

hour. igs' bilitelin»de»fafi«ga»bly |-ble| adv.

n.
a regular increase in salary on such a scale. in*del*i*ble in'debbsl . adj. (of ink or a
|
I

(in mathematics) a small positive or nega- pen) making marks that cannot be removed.
 |

indelicate 225 Indigenous

not able to be forgotten or removed: the story ing to India or to the subcontinent compris-
made an indelible impression on me. ing India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. • n.
derivatives: in»deW»biln»ty |-,del3'bil- 1 an American Indian. 2 a native or national
ite| n. in»deH»bly |-ble| adv. of India, or a person of Indian descent.
in*del*i*cate |in'delikit| 'adj. having or derivatives: In»di»ann»za»tion |
,inde-
showing a lack of sensitive understanding or 3ni'zaSH3n| n. In*di»anMze |-,niz| v. In»di«
tact: forgive me asking an indelicate question, but an*ness n.
how old are you?
usage: Indian, meaning 'native of Amer-
slightly indecent: an earthy, often indelicate
ica before the arrival of Europeans,' is
sense of humor.
objected to by many who now favor Native
derivatives: in«deH«ca»cy i-k3se| n. (pi.
American. There are others (including
-ies) in»del»i»cate»ly adv.
many members of these ethnic groups),
in»dem»nl»fy in'demns.fi • V. (-ies, -ied)
| I
however, who see nothing wrong with In-
[trans.] compensate (someone) for harm or
dian or American Indian, which are long-
loss: the amount of insurance that may be car-
established terms, althougli the preference
ried to indemnify the owner in the event of a loss.
where possible is to refer to specific peoples,
secure (someone) against anticipated loss or as Apache, Mohawk,, and so on. The terms
liability: a clause to indemnify the landlord Amerind and Amerindian, once proposed
against third-party claims.
as alternatives to Indian, are used in linguis-
derivatives: in«dem*ni»fi«ca»tion ticsand anthropology, but have never gained
-idemnafi'kaSHan n. in»dem»ni»fi»er n.
I
|

widespread use. Newer alternatives, not

in*dem*ni*ty in'demnite • n. (p!. -ies) secu-
| |

widely used or established, include First

rity or protection against a loss or other finan-
Nation (esp. in Canada) and the more ge-
cial burden: no indemnity will be given for loss
neric aboriginal peoples. It should be
of cash. noted that Indian is held by many not to in-
security against or exemption from legal lia-
clude some American groups, for example,
bility or anticipated loss: a deed of indemnity \

prehistoric groups like the Anasazi, and the

even warranties and indemnities do not provide
complete protection. a sum of money paid as
compensation, esp. a sum exacted by a victor
in war as one condition of peace.
in*den*ture |in'denCH3r| . n. a formal legal
agreement, contract, or document, in partic-
ular:
formerly, a deed of contract of which copies
were made for the contracting parties with
the edges indented for identification. a for-
mal list, certificate, or inventory. an agree-
ment binding an apprentice to a master: the
30 apprentices have received their indentures on
completion of their training. the fact of being
bound to service by such an agreement: men
in their first year after indenture to the Com-
pany. • V. [trans.] (usu.
bind (someone) by an indenture as an ap-
prentice or laborer.
derivatives: in»den«ture»ship
n.
A
modern Aleut and Inuit. further consider-
ation is that Indian also (and in some con-
texts primarily) refers to inhabitants of India
or their descendants, who may be referred to
as "Asian Indians" to prevent misunder-
standing. See also usage at Native Ameri-
can.
in*dic»a*tive |in'dik3tiv| »adj. 1 serving as a
sign or indication of something: having recur-
rent dreams is not necessarily indicative of any
psychological problem. 2 denoting a mood of
verbs expressing simple statement of a fact.
Cf. SUBJUNCTIVE. • n. a verb in the indicative
mood.
(the indicative) the indicative mood.
be indentured to) derivatives: in»dic»a»tive»ly adv.
in»di»Ci*a |in'diSH(e)3| » plural n. signs, indi-
cations, or distinguishing marks: learned foot-
|-,SHip| notes and other indicia of scholarship.
in*dict in'dit . V. [trans.] (usu. be indicted)
I I

in»de»ter*mi*nate .indi'tsrmsnit . adj. not

|
|
formally accuse or charge (someone) with a
certain, known, or established: the date of serious crime: his former manager was in-
manufacture is indeterminate. dicted for fraud. In American law, indict-
\

left doubtful; vague: the ending rendered the ments are issued by a grand jury. Cf. ar-
story incomplete, or at least indeterminate. (of raign.
a judicial sentence) such that the convicted derivatives: indictability n. indictable
person's conduct determines the date of re- adf indictor, in«dict»ee |
,indi'te |
n. in*
lease. (of a quantity in mathematics) hav- dict»er n. indictment n.
ing no definite or definable value. (of a in»diMer*ent in'dif(3)r9nt
|
. adj. 1 having
|

medical condition) from which a diagnosis no particular interest or sympathy; uncon-

of the underlying cause cannot be made: in- cerned: she seemed indifferent rather than
determinate colitis. (of a plant shoot) not angry indifferent to foreign affairs. 2 nei-
\

having all the axes terminating in a flower ther good nor bad; mediocre: attempts to dis-
bud and so producing a shoot of indefinite tinguish between good, bad, and indifferent
length. work.
derivatives: in»de»ter»mi«na»cy -nase | not especially good; fairly bad: several indif-
n. in»de«ter»mi»nate»ly adv. in»de«ter»mi« ferent watercolors.
nate«ness n. derivatives: in»dif»fer»ent»ly adv.
In*di*an 'indean • adj. 1 of or relating to the
| |
in«dig*e*nous in'dijanss • adj. originating
|
|

indigenous peoples of America. 2 of or relat- or occurring naturally in a particular place;

indigent 226 induction
native: the indigenous peoples of Siberia |
cori- (esp. of an ulcer) slow to develop, progress,
ander is indigenous to southern Europe. Cf. or heal; persistent.
ABORIGINAL. derivatives: in«do»lence n. in»do»lent»
derivatives: in«dig*e»nous»ly adv. in* ly adv.
dig«e»nous»ness n. ln*dom»i»ta»ble |
in'damitabal . adj. impos- |

in»dl»gent 'indijsnt • adj. lacking the neces-

|
|
sible to subdue or defeat: a woman of indomi-
sities of life; poor; needy. • n. a needy person. table spirit.
derivatives: in«di»gence n. in»di»gent» derivatives: in»dom»i»ta»bil»i«ty |-,dam-
ly adv. ip' bilite |
n. in»dom»i»ta»ble»ness n. in*
in»dlg«na*tlon |
,indig'naSH3n I
. anger or
n. dom»i»ta»bly |
-ble |
adv.
annoyance provoked by what is perceived as in«dU«bl»ta»ble |in'd(y)oobit3b3l| *adj. im-
injustice or unfair treatment: the letter filled possible to doubt; unquestionable: an indubi-
Lucy with indignation. table truth.
in*dig«ni*ty in'dignite . n. (pi. -ies) treat-
| I
derivatives: in»du»bi«ta»bly i-ble| adv.
ment or circumstances that cause one to feel [sentence adverb] indubitably, liberalism parades
shame or to lose one's dignity: the indignity of under many guises.
needing financial help he was subjected to all \
in*duce in'd(y)6os . V. [trans.] 1 [with obj.
| I

manner of indignities. and infinitive] succeed in persuading or influ-

in*dis»cre»tion ,indi'skresH3n| . n. behavior |
encing (someone) to do something: the pick-
or speech that displays a lack of prudence or ets induced many workers to stay away. 2 bring
good judgment; indiscreet talk or actions: he about or give rise to: none of these measures
knew himself all too prone to indiscretion sex- \
induced a change of policy.
ual indiscretions. produce (an electric charge or current or a
in*dis*crim«i*nate |
.indi'skrimsnit |
. adj. magnetic state) by proximity to an already
done random or without careful judgment:
at charged object (induction). [usu. as adj.]
terrorist gunmen engaged in indiscriminate kill- (induced) cause (radioactivity) by bombard-
ing. ment with radiation. 3 bring on (childbirth or
(of a person) not using or exercising discrim- abortion) artificially, typically by the use of
ination: she was indiscriminate with her affec- drugs.
tions. bring on childbirth in (a pregnant woman)
derivatives: in»dis»crimn»nate»ly adv. in this way. bring on the birth of (a baby) in
in«dis»crim»i»nate»ness n. in»dis»crim»i» this way. 4 derive by inductive reasoning.
na*tion -,skrim3'naSH3n n.
|
|
derivatives: in«duc»er n. in«ducM*ble
in»dis*pen*sa*ble .indi'spensabali » adj. |
adj.
unable to be dispensed with or done without; in*duct lin'daktl • v. [trans.] admit (someone)
absolutely necessary: he made himself indis- formally to a position or organization: each
pensable to the parish priest. worker, ifformally inducted into the Mafia, is
DERI VAT v E s in»dis»pen»sa»bil*i«ty
I : known as a "soldier."
I
-,spens3'biliten. in«dis»pen«sa»ble»ness I
formally introduce (a member of the clergy)
n. in»dis»pen»sa»bly -ble adv. | |
into possession of a benefice. enlist (some-
in*dite |in'dit| »v. [trans.] write; compose: /ze one) for military service. (induct some-
indites the wondrous tale of Our Lord. one in/into) introduce someone to (a diffi-
in»di»vid«u*ate .inda'vijs.wati 'V. [trans.] i
cult or obscure subject): my master inducted
distinguish from others of the same kind; sin- me into the skills of magic.
gle out: it is easy to individuate and enumerate derivatives: in*duc»tee l.indak'tel n.
the significant elements. in»duc«tion in'dsksHsn . «. 1 the action or
|
I

derivatives: in»di»vid»u»a»tion |-,vij3 process of inducting someone to a position or

'waSHsn I
n. organization: the league's induction into the
in»di»vis*l»ble .indaVizabsIl • adj. unable to
|
Baseball Hall of Fame.
be divided or separated: privilege was indivis- [usu. as adj.] a formal introduction to a new
ible from responsibility. job or position: an induction course. formal
(of a number) unable to be divided by an- entry into military service. 2 the process or
other number exactly without leaving a re- action of bringing about or giving rise to
mainder. something: isolation, starvation, and other
derivatives: in»di»vis»i»bil»i»ty |-,viz3 forms of stress induction.
'bilite in*di»vis»i»bly -ble adv.
I
n. |
i
the process of bringing on childbirth or
in«d0C«tri»nate in'daktra.nat . V. [trans.] | I
abortion by artificial means, typically by the
teach (a person or group) to accept a set of use of drugs. 3 (in logic) the inference of a
beliefs uncritically: broadcasting was a vehicle general law from particular instances. Cf. de-
for indoctrinating the masses. duction.
teach or instruct (someone): he indoctrinated (induction of) the production of (facts) to
them in systematic theology. prove a general statement. (also mathe-
derivatives: in»doc«tri»na»tion i-,dak- matical induction) a means of proving a the-
tra'nasHanl in»doc«tri»na»tor |-,nat3r|
n. orem by showing that if it is true of any par-
n. in»doc»tri»na»to»ry -n3,t6re adj. | |
ticular case, it is true of the next case in a
in»do*lent I'indslantI 'adj. 1 wanting to series,and then showing that it is indeed true
avoid activity or exertion; lazy. 2 (of a disease in one particular case. 4 (in physics) the pro-
condition) causing little or no pain. duction of an electric or magnetic state by the
 |

indulge 227 infamous

proximity (without contact) of an electrified than," or < "less than." a symbolic expres-
or magnetized body. sion of the fact that two quantities are not
the production of an electric current in a equal.
conductor by varying the magnetic field ap- in*eq*ui*ty in'ekwite . n. (pi. -ies) lack of
i
|

plied to the conductor. 5 the stage of the fairness or justice: inequities in school financ-
working cycle of an internal combustion en- _
ing
gine in which the fuel mixture is drawn into ln*ert li'nsrti 'adj. lacking the ability or
the cylinders. strength to move: she lay inert in her bed.
in*dulge |
in'dalj |
• v. [intrans.] (indulge in) lacking vigor: an inert political system.
allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of: we chemically inactive: inert ingredients.
indulged in a hot fudge sundae. derivatives: in«ert»ly adv. in»ert»ness n.
become involved in (an activity, typically one In»er*tia tendency to do
li'narSHa] . w. 1 a
that is undesirable or disapproved of): I don't nothing or to remain unchanged: the bureau-
indulge in idle gossip. allow oneself to enjoy cratic inertia of government. 2 a property of
a particular pleasure, esp. that of alcohol: / matter by which it continues in its existing
only indulge on special occasions. [trans.] sat- state of rest or uniform motion in a straight
isfy or yield freely to (a desire or interest): she line, unless that state is changed by an exter-
was able to indulge a growing passion for litera- nal force.
ture. [trans.] allow (someone) to enjoy a [with adj.] resistance to change in some other
desired pleasure: / spent time indulging myself physical property: the thermal inertia of the
with secret feasts. oceans will delay the full rise in temperature for a
DERI VAT I v E s indulgent adj. in«dulg»er n.
: few decades.
in*du*rate 'ind(y)3,rat| *v. [trans.] [usu. as
i
derivatives: inertial adj. in»er»tia»less
adj.] (indurated) harden; solidify: a bed of adj.
indurated clay a heart indurated from years of
\
in»es»ti»ma»ble in'estamabal • adj. too |
I

struggle. great to calculate: a treasure of inestimable

derivatives: in»du»ra»tion |ind(y)^'ra- |
value.
SH^ni n. in»du»ra»tive |-,rativ| adj. derivatives: in»es»ti»ma»bly |-ble| adv.
In*e*bri*ate . y. !i'nebre,at| [trans.] [often as in»ev*i*ta»ble in'evipbal • adj. certain to |
|

adj.] (inebriated) make drunk; intoxicate. happen; unavoidable: war was inevitable.
• n. |-bre-it| a drunkard. • a(i/'. drunk; intox- so frequently experienced or seen that it is
icated. completely predictable: the inevitable letter
derivatives: in«e»bri«a«tion |i,nebre'a- from the bank. • n. (the inevitable) a situa-
SHsn in»e»bri»e»ty ,ini'bri-ite n.
I
n. |
|
tion that is unavoidable: trying to hold off the
in*ef*fa*ble in'efabsl • adj. too great or ex-
i I
inevitable.
treme to be expressed or described in words: derivatives: in»evM»ta«bilM»ty |-,evit3
the ineffable beauty of the Everglades. 'bilite in»ev«i«ta»bly -ble adv. [sentence
I
n. | |

not to be uttered: the ineffable Hebrew name adverb] inevitably, she turned her experiences into
that gentiles write as Jehovah. a book.
d e r vat V e s
I I : in»ef»fa»bil»i»ty |
-efa'bilite |
in«ex*0*ra*ble in'eksarabal ' adj. impossi- | |

n. in»ef»fa»bly |-ble| adv. ble to stop or prevent: the seemingly inexorable

in*ef*fec*tive ,ini'fektiv . adj. not produc-
|
|
march of new technology.
ing any or the desired effect: a weak and inef- (of a person) impossible to persuade by re-
fective president. quest or entreaty: the doctors were inexorable,
derivatives: in»ef»fec»tive»ly adv. in«ef» and there was nothing to be done.
fec»tive*ness n. derivatives: in»ex»o»ra«biW»ty |-,eks3r3
in»ef«fec«tu*al ,ini'fekcH9W3l| 'adj. not
|
'bilite n. in«ex»o»ra»bly
I
-ble adv. i
|

producing any or the desired effect: an inef- In«ex*pli*ca*ble .inek'splikabsl; in'ekspli- |

fectual campaign. kabsl • adj. unable to be explained or ac-

I

(of a person) lacking the ability or qualities counted for: for some inexplicable reason her
to cope with a role or situation: she was ne- mind went completely blank.
glectful and ineffectual as a parent. derivatives: in»ex»pli»ca»bil»i»ty 'inek |

DERI VAT I V e s in»ef»fec»tu»al«i»ty -fek-

: |
iSpliks'bilite I
n. in»ex«pli»ca»bly |-ble| adv.
CH3'wa£lite n. in»ef»fec»tu»al»ly adv. in«ef»
|
[sentence adverb] inexplicably, the pumps started
fec»tu»al»ness n. malfunction.
to
In*ept |i'nept| 'adj. having or showing no in*fal*li»ble in'faebbal i
|
• adj. incapable of
skill; clumsy: the inept handling of the threat. making mistakes or being wrong: doctors are
DERIVATIVES: in*eptM»tude | -ti,t(y)ood not infallible.
n. in«ept»ly adv. in»ept»ness n. never always effective: infallible cures.
failing;
in»e*qual»i»ty ,ini'kwalite| . n. (pi. -ies) dif-
|
(in the Roman
Catholic Church) credited
ference in size, degree, circumstances, etc.; with papal infallibility, the doctrine (pro-
lack of equality: social inequality the widen- \
mulgated in 1870) that in specified circum-
ing inequalities in income. stances the Pope is incapable of error in pro-
lack of smoothness or regularity in a surface: nouncing dogma: for an encyclical to be
the inequality of the ground hindered their foot- infallible the pope must speak ex cathedra.
ing. (in mathematics) the relation between derivatives: in»fal«li»bil»i«ty n. in»fal»li»
two expressions that are not equal, employ- ble»ness n. in»fal»li»bly |
-ble |
adv.
ing a sign such as "not equal to," > "greater in»fa*mous |
'infamas I
• adj. well known for
 .

infantilism 228 infirmity

some bad quality or deed: an infamous war CHsl I
adj. in»fer»en»tiaWy |
.infs'renCHsle |

criminal. Cf. notorious. adv.

shamefully wicked; abominable: the medical in«fer»nal |
in'farnl |
• adj. 1 of, relating to, or
council disqualified him for infamous miscon- characteristic of hell or the underworld: the
duct. (in former times, of a person) de- infernal regions the infernal heat of the forge.
\

prived of all or some citizens' rights as a 2 [attrib.] irritating and tiresome (used for em-
consequence of conviction for a serious phasis) 3;om 're an infernal nuisance.
:

crime. derivatives: in»fer»nal»ly adv.

derivatives: in»fa»mous»ly adv. in«fa» in*fi*del a person who
I'infsdl; -|del|
• n.

my -me n. (pi. -ies)

I
|
. does not believe in religion or who adheres
in»fan*tiHsm I'infsnd.izam; in'faen-| . n. to a religion other than one's own: [as plural
childish behavior. n.] (the infidel) they wanted to secure the Holy

(in psychology) the persistence of infantile Places from the infidel. • adj. adhering to a
characteristics or behavior in adult life. religion other than one's own: the infidel
in*farc*tion in'farksHsn
|
. n. the obstruc- | foe.
tion of the blood supply to an organ or region in«fi*del«i«ty ,infi'delite . n. (pi. -ies) 1 the
i i

of tissue, typically by a thrombus or embolus, action or state of being unfaithfiil to a spouse

causing local death of the tissue. or other sexual partner: her infidelity continued
in*fec*tious in'feksHas . adj. (of a disease
|
I
after her marriage I ought not to have tolerated
\

or disease-causing organism) liable to be his many infidelities. 2 unbelief in a particular

transmitted to people, organisms, etc., religion, esp. Christianity.
through the environment. in*fiHrate |
'infil,trat; in Til- 1
. v. [trans.] 1 en-
liable to spread infection: the dogs may still be ter or gain access to (an organization, place,
infectious. likely to spread or influence oth- etc.) surreptitiously and gradually, esp. in or-
ers in a rapid manner: her enthusiasm is infec- der to acquire secret information.
tious. permeate or become a part of (something) in
DERI VAT I v E s : in»fec«tious«ly adv. in*fec» this way: computing has infiltrated most profes-
tious*ness n. sions now. (of a tumor, cells, etc.) spread
into or invade (a tissue or organ). 2 (of a liq-
usage: On the differences in meaning be-
uid) permeate (something) by filtration: vir-
tween infectious and contagious, see us-
tually no water infiltrates deserts such as the
age at CONTAGIOUS.
Sahara.
ln»fe»liC»i»tOUS .infa'lisips . adj.
|
1 un- I
introduce (a liquid) into something in this
happy or unfortunate. 2 not appropriate: his way: lignocaine was infiltrated into the
illustration is singularly infelicitous. wound. • n. an infiltrating biochemical sub-
derivatives: in«fe»lic«i»tous»ly adv. stance or a number of infiltrating cells.
in»fer lin'fsri •v. (inferred, inferring) derivatives: in«fil«tra»tion |
.infil'tra-
[trans.] deduce or conclude (information) SH3n| n. in«fil»tra»tor |-,trapr| n.
from evidence and reasoning rather than in*fi*nite |
'infanit] • adj. 1 limitless or endless
from explicit statements: [with clause] from in space, extent, or size; impossible to meas-
these facts we can infer that crime has been ure or calculate: the infinite mercy of God \
the
increasing. infinite number of stars in the universe.
derivatives: in»fer»a«ble (also infer- very great in amount or degree: he bathed the
rable) adj. wound with infinite care. (in mathematics)
greater than any assignable quantity or
usage: There is a distinction in meaning
between infer and imply. In the sentence countable number. (of a mathematical se-
ries) able to be continued indefmitely. 2 (in
the speaker implied that the general had been
a traitor, implied means that something in grammar) another term for nonfinite, 'not
the speaker's words suggested that this man limited by tense, person, or number.' Cf. fi-
nite. . n. (the infinite) a space or quantity
was a traitor (though nothing so explicit was
that is infinite.
actually stated). However, in we inferred
(the Infinite) God.
from his words that the general had been a trai-
tor, inferred means that something in the
derivatives: in»fi»nite»ly adv. [as submodi-

speaker's words enabled the listeners to de-

fier] the pay is infinitely better. in«fi»nite»ness
n.
duce that the man was a traitor. The two
in»fin*i*tes»i»mal ,infini'tes(3)m9l . adj.
words infer and imply can describe the |
|

same event, but from diifferent angles. Mis- extremely small: an infinitesimal pause. • n. an
indefinitely small quantity; a value approach-
takes occur when infer is used to mean im-
ply, as in are you inferring that I'm a liar?
ing zero.
(instead of are you implying that I'm a liar?)
derivatives: in»fin*i»tes»i«mal»ly adv.
usa'ge: Although this long word is com-
in»fer»ence 'inf(3)r9ns • n.
|
a conclusion |

monly assumed to refer to large numbers,

reached on the basis of evidence and rea- infinitesimal describes only very small size.
soning. While there may be an infinite number of
the process of reaching such a conclusion: his grains of sand on the beach, a single grain
emphasis on order and health, and by infer- may be said to be infinitesimal.
ence cleanliness.
derivatives: in»fer»en»tial |
.infs'ren- in»f lr»mi»ty |
in'farmite I
. n. (pi. -ies) the state
in flagrante delicto 229 ingenuous
or an aspect of physical or mental weakness: In*fran*gi«ble |
in'fraenjabal |
»adj. unbreak-
the infirmities of old age. able.
In fla*gran«te de«lic*to |,in fla'granta da unable to be infringed; inviolable.
'likto; fla'grsente (also in flagrante) . adv. in
|
derivatives: in«fran«gi»bil«i»ty |-,fraEnj3
the very act of wrongdoing, esp. in an act of 'bilite in»fran«gi»bly -ble adv.
I
n. | |

sexual misconduct: he had been caught in ln»fra*Struc»ture 'infra.strakcHarl . n. theI

flagrante with Joe's wife. basic physical structures and facilities (e.g.,
In*flam*ma*ble in'flaemabsl . adj. easily set
|
I
buildings, roads, and power supplies) need-
on fire: inflammable and poisonous gases. ed for the operation of a society or enter-
likely to provoke strong feelings. prise.
D E R V AT V E s in»flam»ma»bil»i«ty - flsem-
I I : |
, The underlying structure of a system or or-
s'bilite n. in»flam»ma«ble»ness n. in •flam*
I
ganization.
ma»bly |-ble| adv. derivatives: in»fra»struc»tur»al |
.infra
'strakCHaral adj.
usage: Both inflammable and flamma- !

ble mean 'easily set on fire.' The opposite is In»frlnge |in'frinj| *v. [trans.] actively break
the terms of (a law, agreement, etc.): making
nonflammable Where there is a danger .

that inflammable could be understood to

an unauthorized copy would infringe copyright.
act so as to limit or undermine (something);
mean its opposite, that is, 'not easily set on
fire,' flammable should be used to avoid
encroach on: his legal rights were being infringed
[intrans.] / wouldn 't infringe on his privacy.
confusion. Inflammable is usually used fig- 1

uratively or in nontechnical contexts (in-

derivatives: in»fringe«ment n. in»£ring»
flammable temper). er n.
In*fuse in'fyooz . V. [trans.] 1 fill; pervade:
I I

ln»fla»tlon |
the action of
in'flaSHan |
. 1 her work is infused with an anger born ofpain
inflating something or the condition of being and oppression.
inflated: the inflation of a balloon \
the gross in- quality) in someone or something:
instill (a
flation of salaries. he did his best to infuse good humor into his
(in some theories of cosmology) a very brief voice. allow (a liquid) to flow into a patient,
exponential expansion of the universe postu- vein, etc.: saline was infused into the aorta.
lated to have interrupted the standard linear 2 soak (tea, herbs, etc.) in liquid to extract the
expansion shortly after the big bang. 2 (in ec- flavor or healing properties: infuse the dried
onomics) a general increase in prices and fall flowers in boiling water.
in the purchasing value of money: policies [intrans.] (of tea, herbs, etc.) be soaked in this

aimed at controlling inflation \

[as adj.] high in- way: allow the mixture to infuse for 15 minutes.
flation rates. Cf. deflation; stagflation, Cf. SUFFUSE.
derivatives: inflationary adj. in»fla» derivatives: in»fus»er n.
tion'ism -.nizam |
|
n. in»fla»tion«ist |
-nist |
ln»fu»slon in'fyooZHan * n. ^ a drink, rem-
I
\

n. & adj. edy, or extract prepared by soaking the leaves

ln«flec»tlon |in'fleksH3n| (chiefly Brit, also of a plant or herb in liquid.
Inflexion) • 1 a change in the form of a the process of preparing such a drink, rem-
word (typically the ending) to express a edy, or extract. 2 the introduction of a new el-
grammatical function or attribute such as ement or quality into something: an infusion
tense, mood, person, number, case, and gen- of youthful talent.
der. the slow injection of a substance into a vein
the process or practice of inflecting words. or tissue.
2 the modulation of intonation or pitch in the ln*gen*lous in'jenyas • adf (of a person)
|
|

voice: she spoke slowly and without inflection \

clever, original, and inventive: he was inge-
the variety of his vocal inflections. nious enough to overcome the limited budget.
the variation of the pitch of a musical note. (of a machine or idea) cleverly and originally
3 a change of curvature from convex to con- devised and well suited to its purpose.
cave at a particular point on a curve. derivatives: in»genMous»ly adv. in»gen»
derivatives: in»flec»tion«al |-SH9nl| adj. ious*ness n.
in»flec»tion«al«ly |-SH3nl-e| adv. in»flec»
usage Ingenious and ingenuous
: are of-
tion'less adj.
ten confused. Ingenious means 'clever,
In*f lo»res«cence ,infl6'res3ns; -fla- . the skillful, or resourceful,' (an ingenious device)^
1
|

complete flowerhead of a plant including while ingenuous means 'artless' or 'firank,'

stems, stalks, bracts, and flowers.
(charmed by the ingenuous honesty of the child.)
the arrangement of the flowers on a plant.
the process of flowering. In*ge»nue 'aenja,noo; 'anZH- • «. an inno-
i
|

ln*form*er lin'formarl • n. 2l person who cent or unsophisticated young woman.

informs on another person to the pohce or a part of this type in a play. an actress who
other authority. plays such a part.
ln*frac«tlon in'frsekSHan • |
a violation or |
in*ge«nu»l*ty ,inja'n(y)ooite • n. the quality
|
I

infringement of a law, agreement, or set of of being clever, original, and inventive.

rules. in*gen»U*OUS |in'jenyawas| * adj. (of a per-
derivatives: in»frac»tor |-t3r| n. son or action) innocent and unsuspecting.
In*fra dig • adj. [predic] beneath one; demean- derivatives: in»gen»u*ous»ly adv. in*
ing. gen»u»ous»ness n.
 |

inglorious 230 in medias res

in»glo*ri«ous in'gloreas • adj. (of an action|
|
in«iq*ui*ty i'nikwite . n. (pi. -ies) immoral
| |

or situation) causing shame or a loss of or grossly unfair behavior: a den of iniquity \

honor: the events are inglorious and culminate iniquities committed on our own doorstep.
in ostracism. derivatives: in*iq*ui*tous |-wit3s| adj.
not famous or renowned. in«iq«ui»tous»ly |-wit3sle| adv. in»iq»ui»
derivatives: in«glo»ri»ous»ly adv. in» tous*ness |-wit3sn3s| n.
glo»ri«ous«ness n. in*i*ti*ate *v. [trans.] 1 cause (a
|i'nisHe,at|
in*grate 'in,grat • n. an ungrateful person.
|
|
process or action) to begin: he proposes to ini-
• ungrateful.
adj. tiate discussions on planning procedures. 2 admit
In*gra»ti*ate |in'graSHe,at| *v. (ingratiate (someone) into a secret or obscure society or
oneself) bring oneself into favor with some- group, typically with a ritual: she had been for-
one by flattering or trying to please: a social mally initiated into the movement.
climber who had tried to ingratiate herself [as plural n.] (the initiated) a small group of
xvith the city gentry. people who share obscure knowledge: he flies
derivatives: in»gra»ti»a»tion |-,grasHe over an airway marker beacon, known as a fix"
'asH3n| n. ingratiatory at//. to the initiated. (initiate someone in/into)
in*her*ent in'hirant; -'her- • adj. existing in
|
1 introduce someone to a particular activity or
something as a permanent, essential, or char- skill, esp. a difficult or obscure one: they were
acteristic attribute: any form of mountaineering initiated into the mysteries of mathematics. • n.
has its inherent dangers \
the symbolism inherent a person who has been initiated into an orga-
in all folk tales. Cf. immanent. nization or activity, typically recently: initiates
vested in (someone) as a legal right or privi- of the Shiva cult.
lege: the president's inherent foreign affairs derivatives: inM»ti»a»tion | i , nisHe a- '

power. SH3n| n. inn»ti»a«to»ry |-3,t6re| adj.

derivatives: in»her«ence n. in»her»ent« in»i«ti«a«tive |i'nisH(e)3tiv| . «. 1 the ability
ly adv. to take the first step independently, or to lead:
in*hib*it in hibit . V.
|
(inhibited, inliibit- I
use your initiative, imagination, and common
ing) [trans.] hinder, restrain, or prevent (an sense.2 [in sing.] the power or opportunity to
action or process): cold inhibits plant growth. act or take charge before others do: we have
prevent or prohibit someone from doing lost the initiative and allowed our opponents to
something: the rule inhibited some retirees dictate the subject.3 an act or strategy intended
from working. make (someone) self- to resolve a difficulty or improve a situation;
conscious and unable to act in a relaxed and a fresh approach to something: a new initia-
natural way: his mother's strictures would always tive against crime.
inhibit him. (chiefly of a drug or other sub- a proposal made by one nation to another in
stance) slow down or prevent (a process, re- an attempt to improve relations: diplomatic
action, or function) or reduce the activity of initiatives to end the war. 4 the right of citizens
(an enzyme or other agent). (in ecclesiasti- outside the legislature to originate legislation.
cal law) forbid (a member of the clergy) to ex- a piece of legislation proposed in this way.
ercise clerical functions. Cf. referendum.
derivatives: in«hib»i»tive |-div| adj. in* in*junc*tion in'j3NG(k)SH3n »n. |
author- \

hibM»to»ry |
- ,t6re
|
adj. itative warning or order.
in«hl«bi»tlon ,in(h)i'biSH3n| . n. a feeling
|
a judicial order that restrains (enjoins) a per-
that makes one self-conscious and unable to son from beginning or continuing an action
act in a relaxed and natural way. that threatens or invades the legal right of an-
a psychological restraint on the direct ex- other, or an order that compels a person to
pression of an instinct. the action of inhibit- carry out a certain act, e.g., to make restitu-
ing, restricting, or hindering a process. the tion to an injured party.
slowing or prevention of a process, reaction, derivatives: in»junc»tive -'j3NG(k)tiv |

or function by a particular substance. adj.

in*hu*man |in'(h)yoom3n| 'adj. 1 lacking in*ju*ri*OUS in'jooress adj. causing or
| I
.

human qualities of compassion and mercy; likely to cause damage or harm.

cruel and barbaric. 2 not human in nature or (of language) maliciously insulting; libelous.
character. derivatives: in»ju»ri»ous»ly adv. in«ju«
derivatives: in«hu»man»ly adv. ri»ous»ness n.
in*hu*mane ,in(h)yoo'man| » adj. without
|
ink*ling |
• «. a slight knowledge or
'iNCkliNC |

compassion for misery or suffering; cruel. suspicion; a hint: the records give us an inkling
derivatives: in»hu»mane»ly adv. of how people saw the world.
in«im»i»cal li'nimikall 'adj. tending to ob- in lO'CO pa»ren*tis in ,loko pa'rentis . adv. |
I

struct or harm: actions inimical to our inter- & adj. (of a teacher or other adult responsi-
ests. ble for- children) in the place of a parent: [as
unfriendly; hostile: an inimical alien power. adv.] he zuas used to acting in loco parentis.
derivatives: in»imn»cal«ly |-ik(3)le| adv. in*ly 'inle • adv. inwardly: inly stung with an-
I
|

in»im*i*ta*ble so good or |
i'nimitabal |
• adj. ger and disdain.
unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique: in me*di»as res 'medeas 'res; 'made, as
|
in |

the inimitable ambience of the Vanguard. • middle of a narrative;

adv. into or in the
derivatives: in»im»i»ta»biM»ty |i,nimit3 without preamble: having begun his story in
'bilite I
n. in»im»i»ta»bly |
-ble |
adv. medias res, he then interrupts it.
innate 231 insinuate
into or in the midst of things. 1 542 the papal Inquisition was reinstituied to
in*nate |
i'nat |
• adj. inborn; present at birth; combat Protestantism, eventually becoming
natural: her innate capacity for organization. an organ of papal government. The Spanish
originating in the mind naturally rather than Inquisition, established in 1478 and
as a result of experience. directed originally against converts from Ju-
derivatives: in»nate»ly adv. in»nate» daism and Islam, later also against Protes-
ness n. tants, and noted for its severity, was not sup-
in»noc»U*OUS i'nakyswss • adj. not harm-
|
pressed until the early 1 9th century.
|

ful or offensive: it was an innocuous question. derivatives: in»qui«si»tion«al |-SH3nl|

derivatives: in»noc»u»ous«ly adv. in* adj.
noc»u»ous«ness n. in*road 'in, rod • n. 1 [usu. in pi ] progress;
|
|

in»no*va*tive |'in3,vativ| • adj. (of a product, an advance: make inroads in reducing

idea, etc.) featuring new methods; advanced spending.
and original: innovative designs \
innovative an instance of something being affected,
ways to helpunemployed people. encroached on, or destroyed by something
(of a person) introducing new ideas; original else: serious inroads had now been made into
and creative in thinking: an innovative thinker. my pitiful cash reserves. 2 a hostile attack; a
in*nu*en*do ,iny3'wendo| ' n. (pi. -oes or
|
raid.
-os) an allusive or oblique remark or hint, in*sa*tia*ble in'saSHsbal . adj. (of an appe-
| |

typically a suggestive or disparaging one: she's tite or desire) impossible to satisfy: an insatia-
always making sly innuendoes a torrent of in- |
ble hunger for success.
nuendo, gossip, lies, and half-truths. Cf insinu- . (of a person) having an insatiable appetite or
ate. desire for something, esp. sex.
In*nu»mer«ate i'n(y)oom3rit . adj. without
|
|
derivatives: in»sa»tia«bil»i»ty |-,saSH3
a basic knowledge of mathematics and arith- 'bilitel n. in»sa»tia»bly |-ble| adv.
metic. • n. a person lacking such knowledge. in*sa*ti*ate |in'saSHe-it| » adj. never satis-
Cf. illiterate. fied: your strong desire is insatiate.
derivatives: in»nu»mer»a»cy |-r3se| n. derivatives: insatiety n. insatiately adv.
in*OC»U*late |i'naky3,lat| » v. [trans.] treat (a in»SCru*ta»ble lin'skrootsbsll 'adj. impossi-
person or animal) with a vaccine to produce ble to understand or interpret: her inscrutable
immunity against a disease. A substance handwriting.
effecting this is an inoculum or inoculant: derivatives: in»scru»ta»biln*ty | - ,skroo-

he inoculated his tenants against smallpox. ta'bilite |

n. in«scru«ta»bly |
-ble |
adv.
Cf. VACCINATE. in*sen*sate in 'sen, sat; -sit|
• adj. lacking I

introduce (an infective agent) into an organ- physical sensation: a patient who was perma-
ism: it can be inoculated into laboratory ani- nently unconscious and insensate.
mals. introduce (cells or organisms) into a lacking sympathy or compassion; unfeeling.
culture medium. completely lacking sense or reason: insen-
derivatives: in»oc»u»la»ble l-labal] adj. sate jabbering.
in»oc»u»la»tion i,naky3'laSH3n n. in»oc»u» i
|
derivatives: in»sen«sate»ly adv. in»sen»
la»tor |-,latar| n. sate»ness n.
in*op*por*tune ,inap3r't(y)oon • adj. oc- | I
in*sen*si*ble lin'sensabsll 'adj. 1 [usu. as
curring at an inconvenient time; not appro- complement] without one's mental faculties,
priate: he spoke up at an inopportune moment. typically a result of violence or intoxication;
derivatives: in»op»por»tune»ly adv. in« unconscious: insensible with drink.
op«por»tune«ness n. (esp. of a body or bodily extremity) numb;
jn*or*di*nate 'n6rdn-it • adj. unusually or
| |
without feeling: the horny and insensible tip of
disproportionately large; excessive: inordinate the beak. 2 [predic] (insensible of7to) una-
amount of time. ware of; indifferent to: they slept on, insensible
derivatives: in»or»di»nate»ly adv. [as sub- to the headlight beams.
an
modifier] inordinately expensive business. without emotion; callous. 3 too small or
in*quest |'ia,kwest; 'iNG-| • n. a judicial in- gradual to be perceived; inappreciable: vary-
quiry to ascertain the facts relating to an in- ing by insensible degrees.
cident, such as a death: the coroner's inquest. derivatives: in«sen»si»bilM»ty n. in«sen»
in*qui*e«tude |in'kwi3,t(y)ood| *n. physical si'bly I
-ble |
adv.
or mental restlessness or disturbance. Cf. dis- in*sen»ti«ent |in'senSH(e)3nt| 'adj. inca-
quiet. pable of feeling or understanding things;
in»qui»Si»tion ,inkwi'ziSH3n; ,iNG-| . n. 1 a
|
inanimate: it's arrogant to presume animals to
period of prolonged and intensive question- be insentient.
ing or investigation: she relented in her deter- derivatives: in»sen»ti»ence n.

mined inquisition and offered help. in*sid«i*OUS adf proceeding in a

|
in'sidess I
.

in former times, a judicial or official inquiry.
the verdict or finding of an official inquiry.
2 (the Inquisition) an ecclesiastical tribunal
established by Pope Gregory IX c. 1232 for
the suppression of heresy.
in northern Italy and southern France,
becoming notorious for the use of torture. In
gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects.
full of wiles or plots; treacherous; crafty: tan-
gible proof of an insidious alliance.
derivatives: in»sid»i»ous»ly adv. in»sid»
It was active chiefly i»ous»ness n.
in»sin»U*ate |in'siny9,wat| 'V. [trans.] 1 sug-
gest or hint (something bad or reprehensible)
 |

insipid 232 insure

in an indirect and unpleasant way: [with tion, esp. as a cleric: his sons were instituted
clause] he rvas insinuating that she slept her way to the priesthood [with complement] a testator
\

to the top.2 (insinuate oneself into) maneu- who has instituted his daughter heir.
ver oneself into (a position of favor or office) in*Sti*tu»tion ,insti't(y)oosH3n . n. 1 a soci-
| I

by subtle manipulation: she seemed to be tak- ety or organization founded for a religious,
ing over, insinuating herself into the family. educational, social, or similar purpose: a cer-
[with obj. and adverbial of direction] slide (oneself tificate from a professional institution.
or a thing) slowly and smoothly into a posi- an organization providing residential care
tion: the bugs insinuate themselves between one's for people with special needs: an institution for
skin and clothes. the severely handicapped. an established offi-
derivatives: in»sin*u«at»ing»ly adv. in* cial organization or company having an im-
sin»u»a»tive adj. in»sin»u»a»tion n. in»sin» portant role in the life or economy of a cotm-
u»a»tor |-,wat3r| n. try, such as a bank, church, or legislature: the
In»sip»id jin'sipidl 'adj. lacking flavor: mw^5 institutions of democratic government \
capital-
of insipid coffee. ist institutions. 2 an established law, practice,
lacking vigor or interest: many artists contin- or custom: the institution of marriage.
ued to churn out insipid, shallow works. a well-established and familiar person, cus-
derivatives: in«si«pidM«ty |
,ins3'pidite tom, or object: the event soon became something
n. imsip»id»ly adv. in»sip«id»ness n. of a national institution. 3 the action of insti-
in Si*tu I
,in 'sitoo; 'se- 1
• adv. & adj. in its tuting something: a delay in the institution of
original place: [as adv.] mosaics and frescoes proceedings.
have been left in situ \
[as adj.] a collection of in in*SUb«or«di*nate ,ins3'b6rdn-it . adj. de- |
|

situ pumping engines. fiant Of authority; disobedient to superiors or

in position: [as adv.] her guests were all in situ. tlieir orders: an insubordinate attitude.
in*SO*lent 'insabnt • adj. showing a rude
|
I
derivatives: in»sub«or»di»nate«ly adv.
and arrogant lack of respect: the insolent tone in»sub«or»di»na»tion -.bordn'aSHan n. |
|

of his voice. in*suf*flate 'ins3,flat . v. [trans.] 1 blow (air,

|
|

derivatives: in»so»lence n. in»so»lent»ly gas, or powder) into a cavity of the body.

adv. blow something into (a part of the body) in
in*SOl*U*ble in'salysbal . adj. 1 impossible
|
|
this way. 2 blow or breathe on (someone, as
to solve. 2 (of a substance) incapable of be- at baptism) to symbolize spiritual influence.
ing dissolved: insoluble in water. derivatives: in«suf«fla»tion i
linsa'fla-
derivatives: in»sol»u»biW«ty |-,saly3 SHsnl n.
'bilitel n. in»sol»u»bilMze |-,liz| v. in«sol«u* in*SU*lar 'ins(y)9l9r| » adj. 1 ignorant of or
|

bly |-ble| adv. uninterested in cultures, ideas, or peoples

in»SOl»vent |in'salv3nt| 'adj. unable to pay outside one's own experience: a stubbornly in-
debts owed: the company became insolvent. sular farming people.
relating to insolvency: insolvent liquidation. lacking contact with other people: people liv-
• n. an insolvent person. ing restricted and sometimes insular existences.
D E R VAT V E s in»sol»ven»cy n.
I I : 2 of, relating to, or from an island: the move-
in»SOm»ni»a lin'samnesi *n. habitual sleep- ment of goods of insular origin.
lessness; inability to sleep. (of climate) equable because of the influence
DERIVATIVES: in»som»ni»ac |-ne,a£k| n. & of the sea. 3 Anatomy of or relating to a region
adj. of the brain at tlie base of the cerebrum (the
in*sou*ci*ance in'sooseans; laeNsoo'syaNs
| |
insula).
• n. casual lack of concern; indifference. derivatives: in»su»lar«i»ty ,ins(y)^'laer- |

derivatives: in*sou*ci*ant adj. in»sou» ite; -'ler- in»su»lar«ly adv.

i
n.
ci»ant»ly adv. in*SU*per*a*ble in'soop(3)r3b3l • adj. (of a
|
|

in»Sti*gate I'insti.gatl »v. [trans.] bring about difficulty or obstacle) impossible to over-
or initiate (an action or event): they instigated come: insuperable financial problems.
a reign of terror instigating legal proceedings.
\
derivatives: in«su»per»a«bilM»ty |-,soo-
(instigate someone to do something) in- p(3)r3'bilite in»su»per»a»bly |-ble| adv.
I
n.
cite someone to do something, esp. some- in*sure |in'sH00r| »v. [trans.] arrange for
thing bad: instigating men to refuse allegiance to compensation in the event of damage to or
the civil powers. loss of (property), or injury to or the death
derivatives: in»sti»ga«tion n. in»sti»ga« of (someone), in exchange for regular ad-
tor |-,gat3r| n. vance payments to a company or govern-
in*sti*tute 'insti,t(y)oot • n. [usu. in names]
| I
ment agency: the table should be insured for
1 a society or organization having a particu- $2,500\ the company had insured itself
lar object or common factor, esp. a scientific, against a fall of the dollar [intrans.] business- \

educational, or social one: a research institute. es can insure against exchange rate fluctua-
2 (usu. institutes) a commentary, treatise, or tions.
summary of principles, esp. concerning law. provide insurance coverage with respect to:
• V. [trans.] 1 set in motion or establish (some- up to insure the risks of a group
subsidiaries set
thing, esp. a program, system, or inquiry) the : of companies. (insure someone against)
award was instituted in 1900. secure or protect someone against (a possible
begin (legal proceedings) in a court. 2 (often contingency): by appeasing Celia they might in-
be instituted) appoint (someone) to a posi- sure themselves against further misfortune \
insurgent 233 integument
[intrans.] such changes could insure against fur- sary to be complete: the first integral recording
ther violence and unrest. of the ten Mahler symphonies. 2 of or denoted
derivatives: in»sur»a»bilM»ty |-,SH(50r3 by a positive or negative number, or zero (an
'bilite I
n. in»sur«a»ble adj. in»sur»er n. integer).
involving only integers, esp. as coefficients of
usage: There considerable overlap be-is
a function.
tween the meaning and use of insure and
ensure. In both American and British Eng- derivatives: in»te«gral»i»ty ,inti'grael- |

ite in»te»gral»ly adv.

n.
lish, the primary meaning of insure is the I

in*te«grate . l'inti,grat| [trans.] 1 combine

commercial sense of providing financial
compensation in the event of damage to
property; ensure is not used at all in this
sense. For the more general senses, ensure
is more likely to be used, but insure and en-
sure are often interchangeable, particularly
in American English, e.g., bail is posted to in-
sure that the defendant appears for trial; the
system is run to ensure that a good quality of
service is maintained.
in*SUr«gent lin'sarjanti *adj.
active revolt: alleged links with insurgent groups.
of or relating to rebels: a series of insurgent
(one thing) with another so that they become
a whole: transportation planning should be
integrated ivith energy policy.
combine (two things) so that they become a
whole: the problem of integrating the two
approaches. [intrans.] (of a thing) combine
with another to form a whole: the stone will
blend with the environment and integrate into
the landscape. 2 bring into equal participation
in or membership of society or an institution
[attrib.] rising in or body: integrating children with special
needs into neighborhood schools.
[intrans.] come into equal participation in or

attacks. • n. (usu. insurgents) a rebel or rev- membership of society or an institution or

olutionary. body: she was anxious to integrate well into
derivatives: in»sur»gence n. in»sur» her husband's family. 3 end segregation (a
gen'cy n. (pi. -ies) . school, neighborhood, etc.) esp. racially: there
in«SUr*rec*tion ,ins3'rekSH9n| » n. a violent
|
was a national campaign under way to integrate
uprising against an authority or government. the lunch counters.
derivatives: in»sur»rec»tion»ar»y |-|ner- DERI VAT IVES: in«te»gra»bil»i»ty .intigrs |

e| adj. in»sur»rec«tion»ist |-nist| n. & adj. 'bilite n. in»te«gra»ble

I
-grabal adj. in«te»
| |

in*ta*glio in'taelyo; -'tal- • n. (pi. -os) a de-

|
1 gra»tive |-,grativ| adj.
sign incised or engraved into a material: the in*te*gra»tion .inti'graSHsn|
. n. 1 the ac- |

dies bore a design in intaglio. tion or process of integrating: economic and

a gem with an incised design. any printing political integration \
integration of individual
process in which the type or design is etched countries into trading blocs.
or engraved, such as photogravure or dry- the intermixing of people or groups previ-
point. . V. (-oes, -oed) [trans.] [usu. as adj.] ously segregated. 2 Mathematics the finding of
(intaglioed) engrave or represent by an en- an integral or integrals: integration of an ordi-
graving: a carved box with little intaglioed nary differential equation mathematical inte- \

pineapples on it. grations. 3 the coordination of processes in

in*tan*gi*ble in'taenjsbal . adj. unable to be
|
|
the nervous system, including diverse sen-
touched or grasped; not having physical pres- sory information and motor impulses: visuo-
ence. motor integration.
difficult or impossible to define or imder- (in Freudian psychology) the process by
stand; vague and abstract. (of an asset or which a well-balanced psyche becomes
benefit) not constituting or represented by a whole as the developing ego organizes the
physical object and of a value not precisely id. the state that results from this or that
measurable: intangible business property like treatment seeks to create or restore by coun-
trademarks and patents. • n. (usu. intangi- tering the fragmenting effect of defense
bles) an intangible thing. mechanisms.
derivatives: in»tan«gi»bil»i»ty |-,taenj3 DERIVATIVES in»te»gra»tion»ist |-nist| n.
:

'bilite n. in»tan»gi»bly i-ble| adv. in*teg*ri*ty . n. 1 the quality of

in'tegrite
I | I

in«tar«si«a in'tarses . n. [often as adj.] 1 a

|
I
being honest and having strong moral princi-
method of knitting with a number of colors, ples; moral uprighmess: he is known to be a
in which a separate length or ball of yarn is man of integrity. 2 the state of being whole and
used for each area of color. 2 an elaborate undivided: upholding territorial integrity and
form of marquetry using inlays in wood, esp. national sovereignty.
as practiced in 1 5th-century Italy. the condition of being unified, unimpaired,
similar inlaid work in stone, metal, or glass. or sound in construction: questions about the
in*te*gral • adj. \
'intigr3l;in'teg- 1 1 necessary building's structural integrity. internal con-
to make whole complete; essential or fun-
a sistency or lack of corruption in electronic
damental: sports are an integral part of the data: [as adj.] integrity checking.
school's curriculum systematic training should \
in»teg*U»ment lin'tegysmant] » n. a tough
be integral to library management. outer protective layer, esp. that of an animal
[attrib.] included as part of the whole rather or plant.
than supplied separately: the unit comes com- derivatives: in»teg«u»men»tal |-,tegy9
plete with integral pump and heater. [attrib.] 'mentll adf in»teg»u»men»ta»ry j-.tegya
having or containing all parts that are neces- 'mentarel adj.
intellect 234 interdict
in»tel«lect |
'intl.ekt |
. n. the faculty of rea- tensive farming. 2 [usu. in combination] (typically
soning and understanding objectively, esp. in business and economics) concentrating on
with regard to abstract or academic matters. or making much use of a specified thing:
the understanding or mental powers of a computer-intensive methods. 3 Grammar (of an
particular person: her keen intellect. an intel- adjective, adverb, or particle) expressing in-
ligent or intellectual person. tensity; giving force or emphasis. • n. an in-
in»teMec»tlon ,ind'ekSH3n| »n. the action
|
tensive adjective, adverb, or particle; an
or process of understanding, as opposed to intensifier.
imagination. derivatives: in»ten»sive»ly adv. in»ten»
DERIVATIVES in»tel»lec»tive |-tiv| adj. : sive«ness n.
in*teMec»tU*al ,ind'ekCH3W3l| •adj. of or |
in»ter | (interred, interring)
in' tar] 'V.
relating to the intellect: children need intellec- [trans.] (usu. be interred)
place (a corpse) in
tual stimulation. a grave or tomb, typically with funeral rites:
appealing to or requiring use of the intellect: he was interred with the military honors due to
the movie zvasn 't very intellectual. possessing him.
a highly developed intellect. • n. a person DERI VAT IVES: in»ter»ment n.
possessing a highly developed intellect. usage Interment, which means 'burial,'
:

a person whose interests and pursuits tend

should not be confused with internment,
toward the analytical, rational, philosophical, which means 'imprisonment.'
aesthetic, etc., as contrasted with what are
generally perceived to be the interests of 'av- in*ter a*li*a 'intar alea; alea|
• adv. among |

erage' people. other things: the study includes, inter alia, com-
derivatives: in»teWec»tu»aW»ty |-3,lek- puters, aircraft, and pharmaceuticals. Cf. INTER
CHa'waelite |
n. in»tel»lec*tu»al*ly adv. SE.
in*teHec»tu»aHze ,ind'ekcH3W3,lizi|
'V. in*ter*ca*lar*y |in'tarka,lere; ,intar'k£elare |

[trans.] 1 give an intellectual character to. • day or a month) inserted in the cal-
adj. (of a
2 [intrans.] think intellectually:
talk, write, or endar to harmonize it with the solar year, e.g.,
people who intellectualize about fashion. February 29 in leap years.
derivatives: in«tel»lec»tu«al»i»za»tion of the nature of an insertion: elaborate inter-
I
-,ekcH3W3h'zaSH3n |
n. calary notes and footnotes.
in*tel«li«gence in'telijans • n. (in govern- |
|
In»ter»ca»late in'tarka,lat . v. [trans.] 1 in-
|
|

ment) the collection of information of mili- terpolate (an intercalary period) in a calen-
tary or political value: the chief of military in- dar. 2 (usu. be intercalated) insert (some-
telligence [as adj.] the intelligence department.
I
thing) between layers in a crystal lattice,
people employed in this, regarded collec- geological formation, or other structure.
tively: British intelligence has been able to secure derivatives: in»ter»ca»la»tion |-,tarka
numerous local informers. information col- 'lasHanI n.
lected in this way. information in general; in*ter*cede ,intar'sed| [intrans.] • v. intervene
|

news. on behalf of another: / begged him to intercede

in*teHi*gent*si*a |in,teli'jentse9| »n. (usu. for Theresa but he never did a thing.
the intelligentsia) [treated as sing, or pi.] derivatives: in«ter»ced«er n. in»ter»ces»
intellectuals or highly educated people as a sion n.
group, esp. when regarded as possessing cul- in*ter*ces*sion ,intar'seSHan! . n. the ac- |

ture and political influence. tion of intervening on behalf of another:

jn»tem*per*ate in'temp(3)rit • adj. having |
|
through the intercession of friends, I was able to
or showing a lack of self-control; immoder- obtain her a sinecure.
ate: intemperate outbursts concerning global con- the action of saying a prayer on behalf of an-
spiracies. other person: prayers of intercession.
given to or characterized by excessive indul- derivatives: in»ter»ces*sor intar sesar |
' ,
|

gence, esp. in alcohol: an intemperate social oc- n. in«ter»ces»so»ry |-'sesare| adj.

casion. In»ter*dlct • n. 'intar, dikt an authoritative
\
|

derivatives in«tem»per»ance : |-r3ns| n. prohibition: an interdict against marriage of

in»tem«per»ate«ly adv. in»tem»per»ate» those of close kin.
ness n. (in the Roman Church) a sentence
Catholic
in«ten»si«fi*er *n. (in gram-
|in'tens3,fi3r| barring a person, or esp. a place, from eccle-
mar) an adverb used to give force or empha- siastical functions and privileges: a papal in-
sis, for example really in my feet are really cold. terdict. *v. ,intar'dikt| [trans.] 1 prohibit or
I

in»ten»slon in'tensHan . «. 1 (in logic) the

\
I
forbid (something): society will never interdict
internal content of a concept. Often con- sex.
trasted with extension 'the range of a term or (interdict someone from) prohibit some-
concept as measured by the objects it denotes one from (doing something): / have not been
or contains.' 2 resolution or determination. interdicted from consuming alcoholic beverages.
derivatives: in»ten»sion»al -SHsnl adj. |
|
2 intercept and prevent the movement of (a
in«ten»sion»aWy |-SH3nl-e| adv. prohibited commodity' or person): the police
in»ten*sive in'tensiv . adj. 1 (of agricul-
| |
established roadblocks for interdicting drugs.
ture) aiming to achieve the highest possible impede (an enemy force), esp. by aerial
level of production within a limited area, esp. bombing oflines of communication or sup-
by using chemical and technological aids: in- ply.
interface 235 interpose
derivatives: in»ter«dic»tion |
.intsr'dik- in*ter*mez*ZO .intar'metso . n. (pi. inter-
| I

SH3n| n. mezzi |-'metse| or intermezzos) a short

in*ter«face 'intar.fas • |
1 a point where|
connecting instrumental movement in an op-
tw'O systems, subjects, organizations, etc., era or other musical work.
meet and interact: the interface between ac- a similar piece performed independently. a
countancy and the law. short piece for a solo instrument. a light
a surface forming a common boundary be- dramatic, musical, or other performance
tween two portions of matter or space, for ex- inserted between the acts of a play.
ample between two immiscible liquids: the in*ter«mi*na*ble in'tarmanabal . adj. end- | 1

surface tension of a liquid at its air/liquid inter- less (often used hyperbohcally): interminable
face. 2 a device or program enabling a user to discussions.
communicate with a computer. DERI VAT v e s in»ter»mi«na»bil»i»ty
I :
|
-,t3r-
a device or program for cormecting two msns'bilite |
n. in»ter»mi»na»ble»ness n. in*
items of hardware or software so that they can ter»mi«na»bly |-ble| adv.
be operated jointly or communicate with in*ter«mit*tent |
,int3r'mitnt |
•adj. occurring
each other. • v. [intrans.] (interface with) at irregular intervals; not continuous or
1 interact with (another system, person, or- steady: intermittent rain.
ganization, etc.): his goal is to get people inter- derivatives: in»ter»mit»tence n. in«ter«
facing with each other. 2 connect with (another mit»ten»cy in»ter»mit»tent«ly adv.
n.
computer or piece of equipment) by an inter- In*tern • n. 'in, tarn a recent medical gradu-
\
I

face. ate receiving supervised training in a hospital

usage: The word interface is relatively and acting as an assistant physician or sur-
new, having been in the language (as a noun) geon.
a student or trainee who works, sometimes
since the 1 880s. However, in the 1 960s it be-
came widespread in computer use and, by without pay, at a trade or occupation in order
to gain work experience: the garden's summer
analog^', began to enjoy a vogue as both a
interns. • v. in 'tarn 1 [trans.] confine (some-
noim and a verb in all sorts of other spheres. \ |

Traditionalists object to it on the grounds one) as a prisoner, esp. for political or mili-
tary reasons. 2 [intrans.] serve as an intern.
that there are plenty of other words that are
more exact and sound less like "vogue jar- derivatives: in»tern»ment n. (in sense 1
gon."The verb interface is best restricted to of the verb).
technical references to computer systems, in*ter«naHze |in't3rnl,iz| »v. [trans.] 1 make
etc.
(attitudes or behavior) part of one's nature by
learning or unconscious assimilation.
in*ter«fer*on ,int3r'fir,an| » n.
|
a protein acquire knowledge of (the rules of a lan-
released by animal cells, usually in response guage). 2 incorporate (costs) as part of a pric-
to the entry of a virus, that has the property ing structure, esp. social costs resulting from
of inhibiting virus replication. the manufacture and use of a product. Cf. ex-
in*ter*im 'intaram] • n. the intervening time;
|
TERN.-UJZE.
the meantime: in the interim I'll just keep my derivatives: in»ter»naln»za*tion |in,t3-
fingers crossed. • adj. in or for the intervening rnl-i'zaSHan I
n.
period; provisional or temporary: an interim In»ter»ne«cine .intar'nesen; -'nesen; -sin|
|

arrangement. • adj. destructive to both sides in a conflict:

relating to less than a full year's business ac- the region history of internecine zvarfarc.
's

tivity: an interim divideyid \

interim profit. of or relating to conflict within a group or or-
in*ter»jec»tion .intar'jeksHan .
|
an ab- I
ganization: the party shrank from further inter-
rupt remark, made esp. as an aside or inter- necine strife.
ruption. in*tern»ist |in'tarnist; 'intar-| • n. a specialist
an exclamation, esp. as a part of speech, e.g., in internal medicine.
ah! or dear me! or oh, man! in»ter*po«late |in'tarpa,lat| 'V. [trans.] insert
derivatives: in»ter«jec»tion»al |-SH3nl| (something) between fixed points: illustra-
adj. tions were interpolated in the text.
in*ter*lard i
(interlard
.intar'lard I
. V. [trans ] insert (words) in a book or other text, esp. in
something with) intersperse or embellish order to give a false impression as to its date.
speech or writing with different material: a make such insertions in (a book or text).
compendium of advertisements and reviews, interject (a remark) in a conversation. in-
interlarded with gossip. sert (an intermediate value or term) into a se-
in»teHoc*U»tor .intsr'lakyaprl . w. a per- |
ries of numbers by estimating or calculating
son who takes part in a dialogue or conversa- it from surrounding known values.

tion. derivatives: in»ter»po»la»tion i-,tarpa

derivatives: in«ter«lo»cu»tion j-b'k>'oo- 'laSHanI n. in«ter»po«la»tive |-,lativ| adj.
SHan I
n. in»ter»pose ,intar'poz . v. 1 [trans.] place or
|
i

in«ter»lop»er |
'intsr.lopar; ,int3r'lop3r| . n. a insert between one thing and another: he
person who becomes involved in a place or interposed himself between the child and the
situation where he or she is not wanted or top of the stairs. 2 [intrans.] intervene between
considered to belong. parties: [with infinitive] the legislature interposed
derivatives: in»ter»lope |
'intar.lop; ,in- to suppress these amusements.
tar'lopl V. [trans.] say (words) as an interruption: if I may
 |

interregnum 236 intractable

interpose a personal remark
exer- here. [trans.] ing 3-0 at the interval. 3 a space between two
cise or advance (a veto or objection) so as to things; a gap.
interfere: the memo interposes no objection to is- the difference in pitch between two musical
suing a discharge. sounds. two sounds of different pitch
derivatives: in«ter«pos»a»ble adj. in»ter» played simultaneously (a harmonic inter-
pos»er n. val) or in succession (a melodic interval) .

in»ter*reg*num ,int3r'regn3m|
i
(pi.in- Cf. CHORD.
terregnums or interregna -ns |
|
) a period derivatives: in»ter»val»lic |
.intarVaehk
when normal government is suspended, esp. adj.
between successive reigns or regimes. in»ter«vene |,int3r'ven| »v. [intrans.] 1 come
(the Interregnum) the period in English between so as to prevent or alter a result or
history from the execution of Charles I in course of events: he intervened in the dispute
1 649 to the Restoration of Charles II in 1 660. I
[with infinitive] their forces intervened to halt the
an interval or pause: the interregnum between attack.
the discovery of radioactivity and its detailed un- (of an event or circumstance) occur as a de-
derstanding. lay or obstacle to something being done:
in»ter»ro*gate in'tera.gat |
. v. [trans.] ask |
Christmas intervened and the investigation was
questions of (someone, esp. a suspect or a suspended. interrupt verbally. interpose in
prisoner) closely, aggressively, or formally. a lawsuit as a third party. 2 [usu. as adj.]
obtain data from (a computer file, database, (intervening) occur in time between events:
storage device, or terminal). (of an elec- to occupy the intervening months she took a job
tronic device) transmit a signal to (another in a hospital.
device, esp. one on a vehicle) to obtain a re- be situated between things: they heard the
sponse giving information about identity, sound of distant gunfire, muffled by the interven-
condition, etc. ing trees.

derivatives: interrogation n. in»ter»ro» derivatives: in»ter»ven»er n. in»ter»ven»

ga»tor |-,gapr| n. ient |-'veny3nt| adj. in«ter»ve»nor |-'ve-
in«ter»rog*a*to»ry .ints' rags, tore |
. adj. | nsrl n.
conveying the force of a question; question- in*tes*tate |
in'testat; -tit |
. adj. [predic] not
ing: the guard moved away with an interrogatory having made a will before one dies: he died in-
stare. • n. (pi. -ies) a written question that is testate.
formally put to one party in a legal case by [attrib.] of or relating to a person who dies

another party and that must be answered: without having made a will: intestate heirs.
interrogatories must be filed by 5 p. m. Tuesday. • a person who has died without having
in*ter se I'intsr 'se; 'sa| 'adv. between or made a will.
among themselves: agreements entered into by derivatives: in»tes»ta«cy |-t3se| n.
all the shareholders inter se. Cf inter alia. . in*ti*mate 'inta.mat |
. V. [trans.] imply or I

In*ter»sperse .intsr'spars |
v. [trans.] (often |
. hint: [with clause] he intimated that he might not
be interspersed) scatter among or between be able to continue.
other things; place here and there: inter- state or make known.
spersed between tragic stories are a few songs derivatives: in»ti«ma»tion |
.inta'ma-
supplying comic relief. SH3n| n.
diversify (a thing or things) with other things in»tlm*i»date |in'timi,dat| »v, frighten or
at intervals: a patchwork of open fields inter- overawe (someone), esp. in order to make
spersed with pine woods. him or her do what one wants: he tries to inti-
derivatives: in»ter»sper»sion |-'sp3r- midate his rivals [as adj.] (intimidating) the
\

ZH3n| n. intimidating defense lawyer.

in»ter*stice in'tarstis
|
• n. (usu. inter- |
derivatives: in»tim»i»dat»ing»ly adv. in*
stices) an intervening space, esp. a very small tim»i»da»tion |-'dasH3n| in»tim»i«da«
n.
one: sunshine filtered through the interstices of tor |-,dat3r| n. in»tim»i»da»to»ry -da |

the arching trees. it6re| adj.

in*ter«Sti*tial |
.intar'stiSHal I
. adj. of, form- in*tO*na*tion .inta'naSHsn; -to- . n. 1 the
|
1

ing, or occupying interstices: the interstitial manner of utterance of the tones of the voice
space. in speaking; accent: she spoke English with a
(of minute animals) living in the spaces be- German intonation.
tween individual sand grains in the soil or the action of intoning or reciting in a singing
aquatic sediments: the interstitial fauna of ma- voice. 2 accuracy of pitch in playing or sing-
rine sands. ing: poor woodwind intonation at the opening.
derivatives: in»ter»sti»tiaMy adv. 3 the opening phrase of a plainsong melody.
in*ter*val 'intarval
|
«. 1 an intervening
I
• derivatives: in»to»na«tion»al |-SH3nl|
time or space: after his departure, there was an adj.
interval of many years without any meetings \
in*tone |
in 'ton |
• v. [trans.] say or recite with

the intervals between meals were very short. 2 a little rise and fall of the pitch of the voice: he
pause; a break in activity: an interval of intoned a prayer.
mourning. DERI VAT v e s in»ton»er
I : n.

Brit, an intermission separating parts of a the- in*trac«ta»ble in'traektabal • adj.|

hard to |

atrical or musical performance. Brit, a break control or deal with: intractable economic prob-
between the parts of an athletic contest: lead- lems.
intransigent 237 Inuit

(of a person) difficult; stubborn. Cf. recal- mental and emotional processes: quiet intro-
citrant. spection can be extremely valuable.
derivatives: in»trac»ta»bil«i»ty |-,traekt3 D E R VAT V E s in*tro»spec»tive
I I :
|
-'spektiv |

'bilite I
n. in»trac»ta»ble»ness n. in«trac»ta» adj. in»tro»spec»tive»ly -'spektavle adv. |
|

bly |-ble| adv. in»tro»spec»tive»ness - spektivnis n. i

|

in»tran*si*gent • adj. un- in'traensijant; -zi- 1 in*tro*vert ^n. 'intra, vart| a shy, reticent,|

change one's views or to

willing or refusing to and typically self-centered person.
agree about something. • n. an intransigent a person predominantly concerned with his
person. or her own thoughts and feelings rather than
derivatives: in«tran»si»gence n. in* with external things, [as adj.] introvert tenden-
tran»si»gen«cy n. in»tran»si»gent«ly adv. cies. Cf. EXTROVERT.

in»tran*si*tlve in'trsensitiv; -zi- . adj. (of a

|
1 DERIVATIVES: in«tro«ver»sion |-,varZHan|
verb or a sense or use of a verb) not taking a n. in«tro»ver»sive |-,varsiv| adj. intro-
direct object, e.g., look in look at the sky.ThQ verted adj.
opposite of transitive. • n. an intransitive in»tu»it I
in't(y)oo-it| • v. [trans.] understand
verb. or work out by instinct: / intuited his real iden-
derivatives: in»tran»si»tive»ly adv. in» tity.

tran»si»tiv»i»ty |
-,traensi'tivite; -zi- 1 n. derivatives: in»tuMt»a»ble adj.
in*tra»pre«neur |
.intrsprs'nsr; -'nO&r| . n. a in*tU»i*tion ,int(y)oo'iSHan| . n. the ability
|

manager within a company who promotes in- to understand something immediately, with-
novative product development and mar- out the need for conscious reasoning: we shall
keting. allow intuition to guide us.
derivatives: in»tra»pre»neu»ri»al |-e9l| a thing that one knows or considers likely
adj. from instinctive feeling rather than conscious
in»tra»ve»nous .intrsVenss (abbr.: IV) | |
reasoning: your insights and intuitions as a na-
• adj. or taking place within, or
existing tive speaker are sought.
administered into, a vein or veins: an intrave- derivatives: in»tu»i»tion«al |-'iSHanl|
nous drip. adj. in»tun»tion»aWy |-'isHanl-e| adv.
DERI VAT I V E s in»tra»ve»nous»ly adv.: in*tu*i*tive |in't(y)ooitiv| •adj. using or
in*trep*id in'trepid |
• adj. fearless; adven- I
based on what one feels to be true even with-
turous (often used for rhetorical or humor- out conscious reasoning; instinctive: / had an
ous effect): our intrepid reporter. intuitive conviction that there was something un-
derivatives: in»tre»pidM»ty |
.intra'pid- sound in him.
ite I
n. in»trep»id»ly adv. in»trep»id»ness n. (chiefly of computer software) easy to use
in»tri*cate 'intrikit • adj. very complicated
| |
and understand. (of a person) possessing
or detailed: an intricate network of canals. intuition, esp. to a notable or unusual degree:
derivatives: in«tri»cate»ly adv. she is truly intuitive.
in*trigue ^v. |in'treg| (intrigues, in- derivatives: in»tun»tive»ly adv. in»tu»i«
trigued, intriguing) 1 [trans.] arouse the cu- tive»ness n.
riosity or interest of; fascinate: / was intrigued in«tu*mesce |
,int(y)oo'mes I
. V. [intrans.]

by your question [as adj.] (intriguing) the food

\
bubble up.
swell or
is an intriguing combination of German and derivatives: in»tu»mes«cence |
'mes-
French. 2 [intrans.] make secret plans to do ans n. in«tu»mes»cent adj.
I

something illicit or detrimental to someone: ln»U«it I

'in(y)oo-it| • n. 1 (pi. same or -its) a
intriguing for their own gains. • n. 'in|treg| \
member of an indigenous people of northern
1 the secret planning of something illicit or Canada and parts of Greenland and Alaska.
detrimental to someone: a nest of intrigue. 2 the family of languages of this people, one
a secret love affair. 2 a mysterious or fasci- of the three branches of the Eskimo-Aleut
nating quality: within the region's borders is a language family. It is also known as Inupiaq
wealth of interest and intrigue. (from inuk 'person' + piaq 'genuine') or, esp.
derivatives: in»tri»guer n. in»tri»guing« toits speakers, as Inuktitut. • adj. of or relat-
ly adv. ing to the Inuit or their language.
in»trin*sic in'trinzik; -sik • adj. belonging
usage: The
|
i

peoples inhabiting the regions

naturally; essential: access to the arts is intrin-
from northwestern Canada to western
sic to a high quality of life.
Greenland speak Inuit languages (Inuit in
(of a muscle) contained wholly within the or-
Canada, Greenlandic in Greenland) and
gan on which it acts. Cf. extrinsic,
call themselves Inuit, not Eskimo, and In-
derivatives: in»trin»si»cal»ly |-ik(3)le|
uit now has official status in Canada. By
adv.
analogy Inuit is also used in the US, usually
in«tro*jec*tion , intra 'jeksnsn . «. the un-
an attempt to be politically correct, as a
|
|

in
conscious adoption of the ideas or attitudes
general s>Tionym for Eskimo. This, how-
of others.
ever, is inaccurate because there are no In-
DERIVATIVES : in«tro»ject |-'jekt| v.
uit in Alaska and Inuit therefore cannot in-
in»tro»mis*sion the ac- .intra misnanl * n.
clude people from Alaska (who speak
|

tion or process of inserting the penis into the

vagina in sexual intercourse.
Inupiaq (from inuk 'person' + piaq 'genu-
ine'), which is closely related to Inuit, or
in»tro»spec*tion .intra 'speksnanl » n. the
Yupik, which is also spoken in Siberia).
|

examination or observation of one's own

inundate 238 involuntary

Since neither Inupiaq nor Yupik is in com- (of a feeling or habit) long-established and
mon US usage, only Eskimo includes all of unlikely to change: her inveterate optimism.
these peoples and their languages. derivatives in«vet»er»a»cy |-r3se| n. in* :

vet»er«ate«ly adv.
in*un*date I'inan.datl .•y. [trans.] (usu.be in*vid*i*OUS in'videss • adj. (of an action or
| |

inundated) cover with water; flood: the situation) likely to arouse or incur resent-
islands may be the first to be inundated as sea lev- ment or anger in others: she'd put herself in an
els rise. invidious position.
overwhelm (someone) with things or people (of a comparison or distinction) unfairly dis-
to be dealt with: zve've been inundated with criminating; unjust: it seems invidious to make
complaints. special mention of one aspect of his work.
derivatives: in»un»da»tion |
.inan'da- derivatives: \n»\\d»\»o\xs»\y adv. in*vid»
SH3n| n. i»ous»ness n.
In*ure |i'n(y)(50r|enure) 'v. [trans.]
(also in»vin*ci*ble inVinsabal • adj. too powerful
|
I

(usu. be inured to) accustom (someone) to to be defeated or overcome: an invincible war-

something, esp. something unpleasant: these rior.

children have been inured to violence. derivatives: in»vin»ci»bilM»ty |-,vins3

derivatives: in»ure«ment n. 'bilite in»vin»ci»bly -ble adv.
I
n. | |

in U*ter*0 |
in 'yoopro I
• adv. & adj. in a in*vi*0*la*b!e inVisbbal • adj. never to be
| |

woman's uterus; before birth. broken, infringed, or dishonored: an inviola-

ln*vaW*date |in'vaEh,dat| »v. [trans.] 1 make ble rule of chastity.
(an argument, statement, or theory) unsound derivatives: in*vi»o»la»bil»i»ty |-,vi3l9
or erroneous: these errors invalidate the entire 'bilite I
in»vi»o»la»bly |-ble| adv.
n.
thesis. 2 deprive (an official document or pro- in»vi*0*late inVlsht . adj. free or safe from
| |

cedure) of legal efficacy because of contra- injury or violation: an international memorial

vention of a regulation or law. that must remain inviolate.
derivatives: in»val«i«da»tion |-,vaeli derivatives: in«vi»o»la»cy |-bsei n. in*
'dasHanI n. in»valn»da»tor |-,dat3r| n. vi»o»late»ly adv.
in*val*U*a*ble inVselyawabal • adj. beyond
|
|
in vi*tro in 've.tro • adj. & adv. (of processes
|
I

valuation; extremely useful; indispensable. or reactions) taking place in a test tube, cul-
derivatives: in»val«u»a«ble«ness n. in» ture dish, or elsewhere outside a living organ-
val»u»a»bly |-blei adv. ism: [as adj.] in vitro fertilization.
in*vec*tive |in'vektiv| • n. insulting, abusive, in vi*VO in 'vevol • adv. & adj. (of biological
I

or highly critical language: a stream of invec- processes) taking place in a living organism.
tive. The opposite of in vitro.
In*veigh |in'va| »v. [intrans.] (inveigh in»vo*ca»tion .inva'kasHsnl |
the action
against) speak or write about (something) of invoking something or someone for assis-
with great hostility: Marx inveighed against the tance or as an authority: the invocation of new
evils of the property-owning classes. disciplines and methodologies.
in»vei*gle in'vagal . v. [with obj.
|
|
and adver- the summoning of a deity or the supernatu-
bial]persuade (someone) to do something by ral: invocation of the ancient mystical powers.
means of deception or flattery: zue cannot in- an incantation used for this. (in the
veigle him into putting pen to paper. Christian Church) a form of words such as
(inveigle oneself or one's way into) gain "In the name of the Father" introducing a
entrance to (a place) by using such methods. prayer, sermon, etc.
Cf. CAJOLE. DERI VAT I v e s in«voc»a»tive adj. in«voc»a»
:

derivatives: in«vei»gle»nient n. to»ry iin'vaka.torel adj.

in»ver»te»brate lin'vsrtabrit; -,brat| n. an . in*VOke |in'vok| »v. [trans.] cite or appeal to
animal lacking a backbone, such as an arthro- (someone or something) as an authority for
pod, mollusk, annelid, coelenterate, etc. The an action or in support of an argument: the
invertebrates constitute an artificial division antiquated defense of insanity is rarely invoked
of the animal kingdom, comprising 95 per- today.
cent of animal species and about 30 different call on
(a deity or spirit) in prayer, as a wit-
phyla. • adj. of, relating to, or belonging to ness, or for inspiration. call earnestly
this division of animals. for: she invoked his help against this attack.
irresolute; spineless: so invertebrate is today's summon (a spirit) by charms or incan-
Congress regarding foreign policy responsibilities. tation. give rise to; evoke: explain the ac-
in»ves»tl»ture inVesti.CHOOr; -CH3r|
|
» n. cident without invoking his wrath. cause
1 the action of formally investing a person (a computational procedure) to be carried
with honors or rank: the investiture of bishops. out.
a ceremony at which honors or rank are for- derivatives: in«vok»er n.
mally conferred on a particular person. 2 the in*VOl»un*tar*y in'vabn.tere . adj. 1 done | I

action of clothing or robing. without conscious control: she gave an invol-

a thing that clothes or covers. untary shudder.
in*vet»er»ate in'vetsrit • adj. [attrib.] having
| |
(esp. of muscles or nerves) concerned in
a particular habit, activity, or interest that is bodily processes that are not under the con-
long-established and unlikely to change: an trol of the will. caused unintentionally, esp.
inveterate gambler. through negligence: involuntary homicide.
involute 239 irrefrangible
2 done against someone's will; compulsory: a pression of one's meaning by using language
policy of involuntary repatriation. that normally signifies the opposite, typically
derivatives: in»voI»un»tarn»ly |in,val3n for humorous or emphatic effect: "Don't go
'tersle; -'vabn.ter- 1 adv. in«vol«un»tar«i« overboard with the gratitude," he rejoined with
ness n. irony.
in*VO*lute |'inv3,loot| •adj. 1 involved; a state of affairs or an event that seems de-
entangled; intricate: the art novel has grown in- liberately contrary to what one expects and is
creasingly involute. 2 curled spirally. often amusing as a result. (also dramatic or
(of a shell) having the whorls wound closely tragic irony) a literary technique, originally
around the axis. (of a leaf or the cap of a used in Greek tragedy, by which the full sig-
fungus) rolled inward at the edges. nificance of a character's words or actions are
in*VO»lu»tion .inva'looSHan . 1 |
the |
clear to the audience or reader although un-
shrinkage of an organ in old age or when known to the character. Cf. Socratic irony,
inactive, e.g., of the uterus after childbirth. derivatives: ironist n.
2 a mathematical function, transformation, lr*0»quol*an 'ir3,kwoi3n| . w. a language
i

or operator that is equal to its inverse. 3 the family of eastern North America, including
process of involving or complicating, or the the languages of the Five Nations (Iroquos
state of being involved or complicated: peri- Confederacy), Tuscarora, Huron, Wyandot,
ods of artistic involution. and Cherokee. With the exception of Chero-
derivatives: in»vo»lu«tion»al |-SH3nli kee, members are extinct or nearly so.
all its
adj. in»vo»lu»tion»ar»y -,nere adj. | |
• of or relating to the Iroquois people or
adj.
in»vul*ner»a»ble in'v3ln9r3b3l • adf im- | |
the Iroquoian language family.
possible to harm or damage. lr»0*quoiS 'ir3,kwoi| • n. (pi. same) 1 a mem-
|

derivatives: in»vul»ner»a»bil»i»ty |-|V3l- ber of a former confederacy of North Amer-

nsrs'bilite n. in«vul»ner»a»bly
|
-ble adv. | |
ican Indian peoples originally comprising the
i*0*ta |i'ot3| . n. [in sing.] [usu. with negative] Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and
an extremely small amount: nothing she said Seneca peoples (known as the Five Nations),
seemed to make an iota of difference. and later including also the Tuscarora (thus
ip*se Clix*it 'ipse 'diksit • n. a dogmatic and
|
|
forming the Six Nations). 2 any of the Iro-
unproven statement. quoian languages. • adj. of or relating to the
ip»SO fac*tO 'ipso 'faekto • adv. by that very
I
|
Iroquois or their languages.
fact or act: the enemy of one's enemy may be ipso ima*di*ate |i'rade,at| 'V. [trans.] 1 (often be
facto a friend. irradiated) expose to radiation.
i»ras»ci*ble i'raesabsl • adj. (of a person)
|
I
expose (food) to gamma rays (electromag-
easily made
angry. netic radiation of shorter wavelength than x-
characterized by or arising from anger: their rays) to kill microorganisms. 2 illuminate
rebukes got progressively more irascible. (something) by or as if by shining light on it:
derivatives: i»ras»ci»bil»i»ty i,raes3'bil- | sunlight streamed down through stained glass,
ite n. i»ras»ci»bly
I
-ble adv. | |
irradiating the faces offamily and friends.
i*rate I'rat • adj. feeling or characterized by
| |
derivatives: ir»ra»di«a»tion n. ir«ra»di»
great anger: a barrage of irate letters. active ac/y. ir»ra«di»a»tor |-,apr| n.
derivatives: i»rate»ly atft;. i«rate«ness n. ir*ra*t!On»al |
i'raeSHsnl |
. adj. 1 not logical or
i*ren»lc I'renik; i're-
|
(also eirenic) . adj. 1
reasonable.
aiming or aimed at peace. Cf. pacific. • n. not endowed with the power of reason. 2 (of
(irenics) a part of Christian theology con- a number, quantity, or expression) not ex-
cerned with reconciling different denomina- pressible as a ratio of two integers, and hav-
tions and sects. ing an infinite and nonrecurring expansion
derivatives: i»renn»cal adj. i»ren»i«cal» when expressed as a decimal. Examples of ir-
ly |-ik(3)le| adv. i»renM»cism |-ni,siz3m| n. rational numbers are the number tt and the

Ir»i«des*cent showing lu-

|
,iri'des3nt| 'adj. square root of 2. • n. IVIathematics an irrational
minous colors that seem to change when seen number.
from different angles. derivatives: ir»ra»tion»alM»ty |i,r£eSH3
derivatives: ir»i»des»cence n. ir»i»des» 'naelitel n. ir»ra»tion»aWze |-,iz| v. ir«ra«
cent'ly adv. tion«al*ly adv.
irk*SOme 'arksami • adj. tending to irritate
|
ir«re»duc»i«ble ,iri'd(y)oos3b3l |
• adj. not |

(irk), esp. because repeated; tiresome. able to be reduced or simplified.

derivatives: irk»some»ly adv. irk'some* not able to be brought to a certain form or
ness n. condition: the imagery remains irreducible to
{•ron*iC |i'ranik| • a(i/'. using or characterized textual structures.
by irony: his mouth curved into an ironic smile derivatives: ir»re»duc»i«bil»i»ty
I
an ironic commentator. I
-,d(y)oos3'bilite I
n. ir«re«ducM«bly |-ble|
happening in a way opposite to what is adv.
expected, and typically causing wry amuse- ir«ref*ra«ga«ble li'refrsgabsll ^adj. notable
ment because of this: [with clause] it was ironic to be refuted or disproved; indisputable.
that now that everybody had high-powered cars, derivatives: ir«ref»ra»ga»bly -ble adv. | |

they spent all their time sitting in traffic. ir«re*fran»gi»ble .irs'frEenjabslI ^adj. (of a
l

DERI VAT I V E s i»ron»i»cal : adj. rule) inviolable: an irrefrangible law of country

i»ro*ny I'lrsne; 'iarnel * n. (pi. -ies) the ex- etiquette.
 .

irregardless 240 iterate

lr*re*gard»less |
.iri'gardbs |
. adj. & adv. re- (of a river or stream) supply (land) with wa-
gardless. ter. apply a continuous flow of water or liq-
usage: Irregardless, with its illogical
uid medication to (an organ or wound)
negative prefix, is widely heard, perhaps aris- DERI VAT I V E s ir«ri«ga«ble -gabsl adj. ir» :
| |

ing under the influence of such perfectly cor- ri»ga»tion .iri'gasHsn n. ir»ri»ga»tor |
|

|-,gat3r| n.
rect forms as irrespective. Irregardless is _

avoided by careful users of English. Use re- i*so*bar 'is3,bar • «. 1 Meteorology a line on a
| I

gardless to mean 'without regard or consid- map connecting points having the same at-
eration for' or 'nevertheless': / go walking mospheric pressure at a given time or on av-
every day regardless of season or weather. erage over a given period.
(in physics) a curve or formula representing
ir«reg»U»lar li'regyabri 'adj. 1 [attrib.] (of a physical system at constant pressure. 2 each
troops) not belonging to regular or estab- of two or more isotopes of different elements,
lished army units. 2 (of a verb or other word) with the same atomic weight.
having inflections that do not conform to the derivatives: i»so»barnc .isa'baerik; |

usual rules. • n. (usu. irregulars) a member -'bar-; -'ber- 1

adj.
of a military force not under the control of a l»SO»met«ric ,is3'metrik| 'adj. 1 of or hav- |

legitimate or ruling government. ing equal dimensions. 2 of, relating to, or

DERI VAT I v E s ir»reg»u»lar»ly adv. : denoting muscular action in which tension
ir«rel»e»vant i'relsvant . adj. not connected
| |
is developed without contraction of the
with or relevant to something. muscle.
derivatives: ir»rel*e«vance n. ir»rel»e» denoting a form of exercise (isometrics) in
van»cy n. (pi. -ies) ir«rel«e»vant»ly adv. which muscles are strenthened by acting in
usage: See usage at immaterial.
equal opposition to each other. 3 (in techni-
cal or architectural drawing) incorporating a
ir*re*li*giOUS |
,ira'lijas |
. adj. indifferent or method of showing projection or perspective
hostile to religion: an irreligious world. in which the three principal dimensions are
derivatives: ir»re«li»gion |-'lij3n| n. ir» represented by three axes 120° apart.
re»li«gious»ly adv. ir»re»li»gious»ness n. DERI VAT I V E s i»so»met»ri»cal»ly -ik(3) le :
| |

ir*rep»a»ra*ble ir'rep(3)r3b3l . adj. (of an |

|
adv.
injury or loss) impossible to rectify or repair: i»so»mor*phlc |
,is3'm6rfik| (also isomor-
irreparable damage to the heart and lungs. phous I
-fas I
) • adj. corresponding or similar
derivatives: ir •rep'a'ra'bil'i'ty i |
in form and relations.
,rep(9)r3'bilite I
n. ir»rep»a»ra»bly |-ble| having the same crystalline form.
adv. derivatives: i»so»mor»phism |-,fiz3m|
Ir»re*press«i«ble .ira'pressbal »adj. not | |
n.
able to be repressed, controlled, or re- i«SOS*ta*sy ^n. the equilibrium
|i'sast3se|
strained: a great shout of irrepressible laughter. that exists between parts of the
earth's crust,
derivatives: ir»re»press»i»bil»i»ty - pres- |
,
which behaves as if it consists of blocks float-
a'bilite ir»re«press«i«bly -ble adv.
|
n. | |
ing on the underlying mantle, rising if mate-
ir*res*0*lute |i(r)'rez3,loot| »adj. showing or rial (such as an ice cap) is removed and sink-
feeling hesitancy; uncertain: she stood irreso- ing if material is deposited.
lute outside his door. derivatives: i»so»stat»ic |
,is3'sta£tik| adj.
derivatives: ir«res«o»lute«ly adv. ir»res» i«SO*tope 'isa.top • n. each of two or more
I I

o»lute»ness n. ir»res»o*lu»tion |-,rez9'loo- forms of the same element that contain equal
SH9n| n. numbers of protons but different numbers of
ir«re»spec«tive ,iri'spektiv| »adj. [predic] |
neutrons in their nuclei, and hence differ in
(irrespective of) not taking (something) relative atomic mass but not in chemical
into account; regardless of: child benefit is paid properties; in particular, a radioactive form of
irrespective of income levels. an element.
DERI VAT I V E s ir«re«spec»tive»ly adv.: DERIVATIVES i«so»topnc l.isa'tapiki adj. :

jr*rev*er*ent |i'rev(3)r3nt| »adj. showing a i»so»top»i»cal»ly |

,is9'tapik(3)le |
adv. i»sot«
lack of respect for people or things that are o«py I
'is3,tope; I'satape |
n.
generally taken seriously. is*sei 'e(s),sa| » n. (pi. same) a Japanese im-
I

DERI VAT I V E s ir»rev»er»ence n. ir»rev»er»

: migrant to North America. Cf. nisei and san-
en*tial i,rev9'rensH3l adj. ir»rev«er»ent»ly
| |
SEI.
adv. isth*mus 'ismas • n. (pi. isdimuses) a nar-
I
|

ir*re*vers*i*bie .irsVarsabal . adj. not able | I

row strip of land with water on either side,
to be undone or altered; not reversible. forming a link between two larger areas of
derivatives: ir«re»vers»i«bil«i»ty -|V3rs3 | land.
'bilitel ir«re»versM»bly |-ble| adv.
n. (pl."istiimi I
-mi | ) (in anatomy) a narrow or-
ir*rev*0*ca*ble .i'revakabsll 'adj. not able |
gan, passage, or piece of tissue connecting
to be changed, reversed, or recovered; final. two larger parts.
derivatives: ir»rev»o»ca»biW»ty li.rev- it»er*ate 'its, rat |
|
• v. [trans.] perform or utter
aks'bilitel n. ir»rev»o»ca»bly |-ble| adv. repeatedly.
ir*ri*gate I'irigati 'V. [trans ] supply water to make repeated use of a mathemati-
[intrans.]

(land or crops) to help growth, typically by cal orcomputational procedure, applying it

means of channels. each time to the result of the previous appli-
 |

iteration 241 japan

cation; perform iteration. • n. Mathematics a i*tln«er«ar»y |i'tin3,rere; i'tin- . n. (pi. -ies) a
1

quantity arrived at by iteration. planned route or journey.

it«er»a»tion .ip'raSHsn . w. the repetition of
|
|
a travel document recording these.
a process or utterance. its its
I
• possessive adj. belonging to or asso-
I

repetition of a mathematical or computa- ciated with a thing previously mentioned or

tional procedure applied to the result of a easily identified: turn the camera on its side.
previous application, typically as a means belonging to or associated with a child or an-
of obtaining successively closer approxima- imal of unspecified sex: a baby in its mother's
tions to the solution of a problem. a new womb.
version of a piece of computer hardware or usage: Its is the possessive form of it (the
software.
dog licked its paw), while it's is the contrac-
it»er»a»tive |
'it9,rativ;-r3tiv| * adj. relating to
tion of it is (Look, it's a dog licking its paw) or
or involving iteration, esp. of a mathematical it has (It's been licking its paw). The apostro-
or computational process. phe in it's never denotes a possessive. The
denoting a grammatical rule that can be ap- confusion is at least partly understandable
plied repeatedly. another term for frequen- since other possessive forms (singular
tative, in grammar.
nouns) do take an apostrophe + s, as in the
DERI VAT I V E s it»er»a»tive»ly adv. :
girl's bike; the president's smile.
i»tin»er»ant I'tinarant; i'tin- • adj. traveling
|
1

from place to place: itinerant traders. • n. a i*VO»ry tOW*er • n. a state of privileged seclu-
person who travels from place to place. sion or separation from the facts and practi-
derivatives: i«tin»er»a»cy |-r3se| n. i» calities of the real world: the ivory tower ofac-
tin»er»an»cy n. i*tin»er»ant*ly adv. ademia.

Jj
jab*ber»WOCk*y 'jabar.wake . n. (pi. -ies) | I
Jac*0*bite 'j£ek3,bit| • n. a supporter of the
|

invented or meaningless language; nonsense. deposed James II and his descendants in their
• adj. meaningless; nonsensical. claim to the British throne after the Revolu-
jack*al 'jaeksl
I
• w. a slender, long-legged
I
tion of 1688. Drawing most of their support
wild dog that feeds on carrion, game, and from Catholic clans of the Scottish High-
fruit and often hunts cooperatively, found in lands, Jacobites made attempts to regain the
Africa and southern Asia. throne in 1689-90, 1715, 1719, and 1745-6,
a person who acts like a jackal, esp. one who finally being defeated at the Battle of Cullo-
serves or does subordinate preparatory work den in 1746.
or drudgery for another. derivatives: Jac»o»bitM»cal jaeka'biti- |

jack*a*napes 'jaeka.naps • n. 1 an imperti-

| I
kal adj. Jac»o»bit«ism -bit.izam n.
I |
|

nent person. 2 a tame monkey. jac*quard |'j£e,kard; ja'kardj * n. an appa-

jack*ieg 'j£ek,leg
|
» n. an incompetent, |
ratus with perforated cards, fitted to a loom
unskillful, or dishonest person: [as adj.] a jack- to facilitate the weaving of figured and bro-
leg carpenter. A person employed to break a caded fabrics.
strike: jackleg laborers. Cf. scab. a fabric made on a loom with such a device,
Jac*0*be»an jEeks'besn • a^f/'. of or relating
|
|
with an intricate variegated pattern.
to the reign (1406-37) of James I of England: jad*eci jadid . adj. tired, bored, or lacking
I I

a Jacobean mansion. enthusiasm, typically after having had too

(of furniture) in the style prevalent during much of something: meals to tempt the most
the reign of James I, esp. being the color of jaded appetites.
dark oak. • n. a person who lived during this DERI VAT I V E s jad»ed«ly adv. jad*ed*ness n.
:

period. jal*OU*sie |'j£el3,se| • «. a blind or shutter

Jac»0*bin 'jaekaban » n. ^ a. member of a
|
|
made of a row of angled slats.
democratic club established in Paris in 1789. Ja*nus 'janas » n. an ancient Italian deity,
I i

The Jacobins were the most radical and ruth- guardian of doorways and gates and protec-
less of the political groups formed in the wake tor of the state in time of war. He is usually
of the French Revolution, and in association represented with two faces, so that he looks
with Maximilien Robespierre they instituted both forward and backward. • adj. (also
the Terror of 1793-4. jan US-faced) having a dual function, pur-
an extreme political radical. 2 a Dominican pose, attitude, etc.: a Janus aspect.
friar. hypocritical; two-faced.
derivatives: Jac»o«bin»ic |
jseka'binik ja*pan Ija'psenj * n. a hard, dark, enamellike
adj. Jac»o»bin«i»cal |
.jseks'binikal |
adj. Jac« varnish containing asphalt, used to give a
o'binMsm |-,niz3m| n. black gloss to metal objects.
jape 242 jihad
a kind of varnish in which pigments are ing from being on trial for a criminal offense.
ground, typically used to imitate lacquer on Cf. DOUBLE JEOPARDY.
wood. articles made in a Japanese style, esp. DERI VA T v E s jeopardize v. I :

when decorated with lacquer or enamellike jer*e*ml*ad Jers'miad • n. a long, mourn- | I

varnish. • v. (japanned, japanning) [trans ] ful complaint or lamentation; a list of

cover (something) with a hard black varnish: woes.
[as adj.] (japanned) a japa.nned tin tray. Jes*U*it 'jeZHawit; 'jez(y)3-| . n. a member
I

jape jap I I
• w. a practical joke: the childish jape of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic or-
of depositing a stink bomb in her locker. • v. der of priests founded by St. Ignatius Loyola,
[intrans.] say or do something in jest or mock- St. Francis Xavier, and others in 1 534, to do
ery: children japing at policemen. missionary work. The order was zealous in
DKRIVATIVES: jap«er»y i'jap(3)re| n. opposing the Reformation.
jar*gon |
'jargan I
• n. special words or expres- jet»sam 'jetsam • n. unwanted material or
|
|

sions that are used by a particular profession goods that have been thrown overboard from
or group and are difficult for others to under- a ship and washed ashore, esp. material that
stand: legal jargon. has been discarded to lighten a vessel in dis-
a form of language regarded as barbarous, tress. Cf. flotsam; Lagan.
debased, or hybrid. jet*ti*SOn 'jetisan; -zan • v. [trans.] throw or|
|

derivatives: jar«gon«is»tic Jargs'nis- |

drop (something) from an aircraft or ship: six
tik| adj. jar'gon'ize |-,niz| v. bombers jettisoned their loads in the sea.
jaun*dice a medical condition
|
'jondis |
• w. abandon or discard (someone or something
with yellowing of the skin or whites of the that is no longer wanted): he's ready to jettison
eyes, arising from excess of the pigment his politics. • n. the action of jettisoning some-
bilirubin and typically caused by obstruction thing.
of the bile duct, by liver disease, or by exces- jeu d'es*prit ,ZHa da'spre; ,ZHoe . n. (pi. |
|

sive breakdown of red blood cells. jeux d'esprit pronunc. same) a lighthearted
bitterness, resentment, or envy. display of wit and cleverness, esp. in a work
jaun*diced 'j6ndist| • adj. having or affected
|
of literature.
by jaundice, in particular unnaturally yellow Jew I
joo I
• n. a member of the people and
in complexion. cultural community whose traditional reli-
affected by bitterness, resentment, or envy: gion is Judaism and who trace their origins
they looked on politicians with a jaundiced eye. through the ancient Hebrew people of Israel
jaun*ty 'jonte • adj. (-ier, -iest) having or
|
|
Abraham.
to
expressing a lively, cheerful, and self- Jew*ry 'joore |
|
. n. (pi. -ies) 1 Jews collec-

confident manner: there was no mistaking that tively. 2 a historical Jewish quarter in a town
jaunty walk. or city.
DERI VAT IVES jaun«ti»ly |-t3le| adv. jaun* : Je*ze*bei jeza,bel; -bal » n. (Jl. 9th century
|

'
|

ti»ness n. BC), a Phoenician princess, traditionally the

jeal*OUS 'jebs • adj. feeling or showing envy
I I
great-aunt of Dido and in the Bible the wife
of someone or their achievements and advan- of Ahab, king of Israel. She was denounced
tages: he grew jealous of her success. by Elijah for introducing the worship of Baal
feeling or showing suspicion of someone's into Israel (1 Kings 16:31, 21:5-15, 2 Kings
unfaithfulness in a relationship: a jealous boy- 9:30-7).
friend. fiercely protective or vigilant of one's [as n.] (a Jezebel) a shameless or immoral
rights or possessions: Howard is still a little woman.
jealous of his authority they kept a jealous eye \
jib' I
jib I
» n. ^ (in sailing) a triangular sail set
over their interests. (of God) demanding forward of the forwardmost mast. 2 the pro-
faithfulness and exclusive worship. jecting arm of a crane.
DERI VAT V E s jeal»ous»ly adv.
I : jib2 . V. (jibbed, jibbing) [intrans.] (of an ani-
je*june |ji'joon| * adj. 1 naive, simplistic, mal, esp. a horse) stop and refuse to go on: he
and superficial: their entirely predictable and jibbed at the final fence.
usually jejune opinions. 2 (of ideas or writ- (of a person) be unwilling to do or accept
ings) dry and uninteresting: the poem seems something: he jibs at paying large bills.
rather jejune. DERI VAT v E s jib'ber n. I :

DERI VAT v E s je'june'ly adv. je»june»ness

I : jibe' jib • n. & V. variant spelling of gibe.
I I

n. jlbe2 (Brit, gybe) . v. [intrans.] (in sailing)

jell I
jel I
(of jelly or a similar sub-
• V. [intrans.] change course by swinging a fore-and-aft sail
stance) set or become firmer: the stew is jelling. across a following wind: they jibed, and headed
(of a project or idea) take a definite shape; closer to shore.
begin to work well: everything seemed to jell for ] swing (a sail or
[trans boom) across the wind
the magazine. insuch a way. (of a sail or boom) swing or
je ne sais quo! ,zh3 na sa 'kwa • «. a qual- |
|
be swung across the wind: [as adj.] (jibing) the
itythat cannot be described or named easily: skipper was hit by a jibing boom. • n. an act or
that je ne sais quoi that makes a professional. instance of jibing.
jeop*ard»y 'jeparde • n. danger of loss,
| I
jibe^ . V. [intrans.] be in accord; agree: the ver-
harm, or failure: Michael's job was not in dict does not jibe with the medical evidence.
jeopardy. ji*had ji'hadi • n. a holy war undertaken by
I

(in law) danger (of imprisonment, etc.) aris- Muslims against unbelievers.
 .

jingoism 243 jugular

a single-minded or obsessive campaign: the compete closely for superiority: the guerrillas
quest for greater sales became a jihad. joustedfor supremacy. • n. a medieval sport-
jin*go*ism 'jiNCgo.izam • n. extreme patri- |
|
ing contest in which two opponents on horse-
otism, esp. in the form of aggressive or war- back fought with lances.
like foreign policy. derivatives: joust»er n.
derivatives: jin»goMst n. jin«goMS»tic jO*vi*al 'joveal • adj. cheerful
I I
and friendly:
1
,jiNGgo'istik| adj. she was in a jovial mood.
Jinn (alsodjinn orjinni |ji'ne;'jine|)« w.
|jin| derivatives: jo«vi»aH»ty |
,jove'£elite | n.
(pi. same or jinns) (in Arabian and Muslim jo»vi»al*ly adv.
mythology) an intelligent spirit of lower rank ju*bi*lee I'jooba.le; jooba'Iel » n. a special
than angels, able to appear in human and an- anniversary of an event, esp. one celebrating
imal forms and to possess humans. twenty-five or fifty years of a reign or activ-
jive jiv • n. 1 a lively style of dance popular
I I
ity: [as adj.] jubilee celebrations.
esp. in the 1940s and 1950s, performed to (inJewish history) a year of emancipation
swing music or rock and roll. and restoration, observed every fifty years.
swing music. 2 (also jive talk) a form of (in full Jubilee Year) a period of remission
slang associated with black American jazz from the penal consequences of sin, granted
musicians. by the Roman Catholic Church under cer-
a thing, esp. talk, that is deceptive or worth- tain conditions for a year, usually at intervals
less: a single image says more than any amount of twenty-five years. • adj. [postpositive] (of
of blather and jive. • v. 1 [intrans.] perform the desserts) flambe: cherries jubilee.
jive or a similar dance to popular music. ju*di«ca»ture 'joodika.CHOOr; -.kaCHarl » n.
|

2 [trans.] taunt or sneer at: Willy kept jiving him the administration of justice.
until Jimmy left. (the judicature) judges collectively; the ju-
[intrans.] talk nonsense: he wasn't jiving about diciary.
that. • adj. deceitful or worthless: jive talk. derivatives: ju»di«ca»to»ry |-k3,t6re| adj.
DERI VAT I v E s )iv*er n. jiv«ey adj.
: ju*di*cial Ijoo'disnalj » adj. of, by, or appro-
jo*COSe I
jo'kos I
• adj. playful or humorous: a priate to a law court or judge: a judicial inquiry
jocose allusion. into the allegations \
a judicial system.
derivatives: jo»cose»ly adv. jo»cose» DERI VAT V E s I : ju»di»cial»ly adv.
ness n. jo»cos»i»ty |-'kasite| n. (pi. -ies). usage: Judicial means 'relating to judg-
jOC*U*lar 'jakyabri • adj. fond of or charac-I

ment and the administration of justice': the

terized by joking; humorous or playful: she
judicial system; judicial robes. Do not confuse
sounded in a jocular mood his voice was jocu- \

it with judicious, which means 'prudent,

lar.
reasonable': getting off the highway the minute
derivatives: joc»u»larM»ty |
jakyaiaerite;
you felt tired was a judicious choice. Judiciary,
-'ler- 1 n. joc»u»lar»ly adv. usually a noun and sometimes an adjective,
joC*und 'jakand; 'jo- • adj. cheerful
I
1 and refers to the judicial branch of government,
lighthearted: a jocund wedding party.
the court system, or judges collectively.
derivatives: jo»cun»di»ty Ijo'kanditel n.
(pi. -ies) joc«und»ly adv. ju*di*Ci*ar»y |
joo'diSHe,ere;-'diSH3re| » n. (pi.
joie de Vi»vre ,ZHwa da 'vevra . n. exuber- | I
-ies) (usu. the judiciary) the judicial
ant enjoyment of life. authorities of a country; judges collectively.
join*der 'joindar • n. (esp. in law) the action
| I
usage: See usage at judicial.
of bringing parties together; union.
jol*li»ty 'jalite • n. (pi. -ies) lively and cheer-
I
|
ju*di*CiOUS joo'disHas • adj. having, show-
I I

ful activity or celebration: a night of riotous jol- ing, or done with good judgment or sense: the
lity. efficient and judicious use of pesticides.
the quality of being cheerful: he was full of derivatives: ju»di»cious»ly adv. ju»di»
false jollity. cious*ness n.
joS'tle 'jassl V. [trans.]
I
push, elbow, or I
. ju*do 'joodo • n. a sport of unarmed com-
I I

bump against (someone) roughly, typically in bat derived from jujitsu and intended to train
a crowd: he was jostled in the subway and had the body and mind. It involves using holds
his pocket picked. [intrans.] people jostled |
and leverage to unbalance the opponent.
against us. derivatives: ju'donst |-ist| n.
[intrans.] (jostle for) struggle or compete jug*ger*naut 'jagar.not . a huge, power-
i
|

forcefully for: a jumble of images jostled for at- ful, and overwhelming force or institution: a
tention. • n. the action of jostling. juggernaut of secular and commercial culture.
jour»ney*man |
'jamemsn • n. (pi. -men) a|
jug*U*lar I'jagyabr] * adj. 1 of the neck or
trained worker who is employed by someone throat. 2 (of fish's pelvic fins) located in front
else. of the pectoral fins. • n. short for jugular vein,
a worker or professional athlete who is relia- which conveys blood from the face and scalp
ble but not outstanding: [as adj.] a journeyman (external jugular vein) or from the face, neck,
infielder. and brain (internal jugular vein)
joust jowst . V. [intrans.] [often as n.] (joust-
I I
phrases: go for the jugular be aggressive
ing) (of a medieval knight) engage in a sport- or unrestrained in making an attack: once
ing contest in which two opponents on horse- stock prices started to drop, the corporate raiders
back fight with lances. decided to go for the jugular.
jujitsu 244 juxtapose
juojit*SU I
joo'jitsool (also jiujitsu or jujut- ju»ror 'joorar; -or • w. a member of a jury.
I
|

SU) • n. a Japanese system of unarmed com- Cf. JURIST.

bat and physical training. a person taking an oath, esp. one of alle-
junc*ture 'j3NG(k)cH9r| . w. a particular
|
giance.
point in events or time: it is difficult to say at jus*sive I
'jssivl . adj. (of a form of a verb)
this juncture whether this recovery can be sus- expressing a command.
tained. jus*ti»fy 'j3st9,fi . V. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] (in
I I

a place where things join: the plane crashed at printing) adjust (a line of type or piece of
the juncture of two mountains. the set of fea- text) so that the print fills a space evenly or
tures in speech that enable a hearer to detect forms a straight edge at the margin.
a word or phrase boundary, e.g., distinguish- DERIVATIVES: jus»ti»fi»ca»tion |
Jastafi
ing I scream from ice cream. 'kaSHsnl n.
jun*ket I
'jsNGkitl • «. 1 a dish of sweetened ju»ve»nes*cence joova'nesans •n. the |
|

and flavored curds of milk, often served with period of being young.
state or
fruit. 2 an extravagant trip or celebration, in derivatives: ju»ve»nes»cent adj.
particular one enjoyed by a government offi- ju*ve»nilei 'joovs.ml; -vanl . adj. of, for, or
|
|

cial at public expense. • v. (junketed, jun- relating to young people: juvenile entertain-
keting) [intrans.] [often as n.] (junketing) at- ment.
tend or go on such a trip or celebration. childish; immature: she's bored with my juve-
DERIVATIVES jun»ke»teer :
|
,j3NGki'tir| n. nile conversation. of or denoting a theatrical
jun*ta 'hOOnta; 'jsntsi • n. 1 a military or po-
I
or film role representing a young person: the
group that rules a country after taking
litical romantic juvenile lead. of or relating to young
power by force: the right-wing military junta. birds or other animals. • n. a young person.
2 a deliberative or administrative council in a person below the age at which ordinary
Spain or Portugal. criminal prosecution is possible (18 in most
jun*tO 'janto • n. (pi. -os) a political or eco-
I I
countries): [as adj.] juvenile justice, juvenile
nomic grouping or faction, esp. in 1 7th- and courts. a young bird or other animal. an
18th-century Britain and America: the Essex actor who plays juvenile roles.
Junto. ju*ve*nile2 Joovs'nilite • «. 1 youthfulness;
| I

ju*ris*dic*tion |
joOris'dikSHanI . n. the offi- juvenile manner, quality, or character. 2 (pi.
cial power to make legal decisions and judg- -Ies) a juvenile characteristic, act, or idea.
ments: federal courts had no jurisdiction 3 young people collectively.
over the case the District of Columbia was
\
derivatives: ju»ve»nil»i«ty n.
placed under the jurisdiction of Congress. ju*ve»niH*a joova'nilea » plural n. works
|
|

the extent of this power: the claim will be produced by an author or artist while still
zvithin the jurisdiction of the military police. young.
a system of law courts; a judicature. the ju»ve«niHze I'joovanl.izl »v. [trans.] make or
territory or sphere of activity over which the keep young or youthftil; arrest the develop-
legal authority of a court or other institution ment of.
extends. [as (juvenilized) (of an insect or part of
adj.]

derivatives: ju»ris»dic»tion»al |-SH3nl| one) having a juvenile appearance or physiol-

adj. ogy; showing arrested or reversed develop-
ju*ris*pru*dence ,j(50ris'proodns . n. the |
|
ment.
theory or philosophy of law. jux*ta*pose |
'jaksta.poz; ,j3kst3'po7 1
. v.

a legal system: American jurisprudence. place or deal with close together; as for
[trans.]

DERI VAT I V E s ju»ris*pru»dent adj. & n. ju»

: contrasting effect: black-and-white photos of
ris»pru»den»tial | -proo'denCHsl adj. |
slums were starkly juxtaposed with color
ju*rist I
'joorist I
• n. an expert in or writer on images.
law. derivatives: jux»ta»po«si»tion jakstapa |

a lawyer or a judge. 'ziSHanI n. jux»ta«po»si»tion«al |

jakstapa
DERIVATIVES: ju»ris«tic I
jOO'ristikI adj. 'ziSHanll adj.
 | |

Kk
Kab*ba*lah 'kaebsb; ka'ba- (also Kabbala, | 1
kar«a»0»ke |,kaere'oke; ,ker-| . n. a form of
Cabala, Cabbala, or Qabalah) • n. the an- entertainment, offered typically by bars and
cient Jewish tradition of mystical interpreta- clubs, in which people take turns singing
tion of the Bible, first transmitted orally and popular songs into a microphone over prere-
using esoteric methods (including ciphers). It corded backing tracks.
reached the height of its influence in the later kar*at |
'kgerat; 'ker- 1
(chiefly Brit, also carat) . n.

Middle Ages and remains significant in a measure of the purity of gold, pure gold be-
Hasidism. ing 24 karats: an ounce of 21 -carat gold.
derivatives: Kab»ba»lism |
'kaebs.lizsm kar»ma I'karmal • n. (in Hinduism and
n. Kab»ba«list |-list| n. Kab»ba»lis»tic Buddhism) the sum of a person's actions in
I
ikaeba'hstiki adj. this and previous states of existence, viewed
ka*bu*kl ks'booke . w. a form of traditional
I I
as deciding his or her fate in future exis-
Japanese drama with highly stylized song, tences.
mime, and dance, now performed only by destiny or fate, following as effect from
male actors, using exaggerated gestures and cause.
body movements to express emotions, and derivatives: kar»inic |-mik| adj. kar*
including historical plays, domestic dramas, mi»cal»ly -mik(3)le adv. |
|

and dance pieces. karst karst

I
. n. landscape underlain by
I

kaMee*klatsch |
'kafe,klacH; -,klaeCH; 'k6fe| limestone that has been eroded by dissolu-
• n. an informal social gatheringat which cof- tion, producing ridges, towers, fissures, sink-
fee served.
is holes, and other characteristic landforms: [as
talking or gossip at such gatherings. adj.] karst topography it was strange country, \

KaWlr 'kaefarl . n. chiefly S. African an insulting

I
broken into hummocks and karsts and mesas.
and contemptuous term for a black African. derivatives: kars»tic |'karstik| adj.
kaMi«yeh |k3'fe(y)3| (also kefflyeh) »n. a kars»tif»i»c action |
,karst3fi'kaSH3n |
n.

Bedouin Arab's kerchief worn as a headdress. kars»ti»fy |'karst3,fi| v. (-ies, -ied) .

kaf^lr 'kaefsr • n. a person who is not a Mus-

I
|
kat*a*bat*lc ,kaep'b£etik| »adj. (of a wind)
|

lim (formerly used by Muslims). caused by local downward motion of cool air.
Kaf*ka*esque |,kafk3'esk| •adj. characteris- The opposite (upward, warm) movement is
ticor reminiscent of the oppressive or night- called anabatic.
marish qualities of the fictional world of keel*haul 'kel,h61| . v. [trans.] punish (some-
|

Franz Kafka (1883-1924). one) by dragging him or her through the wa-
ka»hu«na ka'hoona . n. (in Hawaii) a wise
|
I
ter under the keel of a ship, either across the
man or shaman. width or from bow to stern.
an important person; the person in charge. punish or reprimand severely.
very large wave.
(in surfing) a ker«a«tm 'keratin »n. a fibrous protein
|
|

kai*ser n. the German emperor, the

|
'klzar |
• forming the main structural constituent of
emperor of Austria, or the head of the Holy hair, feathers, hoofs, claws, horns, etc.
Roman Empire: [as title] Kaiser Wilhelm. derivatives: ke»ratn»nous | ka'raetn-as
derivatives: kai»ser*ship |-SHip| n. adj.
Ka*ma Su*tra I'kams 'sootral an ancient ker*mes 'kermez . w. 1 a red dye used, esp.
|
I

Sanskrit treatise on the art of love and sexual formerly, for coloring fabrics and manu-
technique. scripts.
ka*mi*ka*ze |,kami'kaze| •n. (in World War the dried bodies of a female scale insect,
II) a Japanese aircraft loaded with explosives which are crushed to yield this dye. 2 (oak
and making a deliberate suicidal crash on an kermes) the scale insect (kermes illicis) that is
enemy target. used for this dye, forming berrylike galls on
the pilot of such an aircraft. • adj. [attrib.] of the kermes oak.
or relating to such an attack or pilot. ker«mls 'karmis |
I
. a summer fair held in
reckless or potentially self-destructive: he towns and villages in the Netherlands.
made a kamikaze run across three lanes of traf- a fair or carnival, esp. one held to raise
fic. money for a charity.
ka*nak*a ks'naks . w. a native of Hawaii.
| |
kerni |k9rn| 'V. [trans.] 1 [usu. as n.] (kern-
formerly, a Pacific Islander employed as an ing) adjust the spacing between (letters or
indentured laborer in Australia, esp. in the characters) in a piece of text to be printed.
sugar and cotton plantations of Queensland. make (letters) overlap. 2 design (metal type)
kan*ga*roo court . n. an unofficial court with a projecting part beyond the body or
held by a group of people in order to try shank. • n. the part of a metal type project-
someone regarded, esp. without good evi- ing beyond its body or shank.
dence, as guilty of a crime or misdemeanor. kern2 (also kerne) . n. 1 a light-armed Irish
any unfair or irregular court. foot soldier. 2 a peasant; a rustic.
ka*put ks'pOOt; ka- . adj. [predic] broken
I
1 ketch keCH •
I
a rwo-masted, fore-and-aft-
|

and useless; no longer working or effective. rigged sailboat with a mizzenmast stepped
key 246 knickerbocker
forward of the rudder and smaller than the (of a work of art) depending on movement
foremast. for its effect.
key • n. a low-lying island or reef, esp. in the derivatives: ki«net«i»caWy |-ik(3)le|
Caribbean. Cf. cay. adv.
Keynesian 'kanzeani • adj. n. of or per-
|
& ki*OSk 'ke,ask| • n. a small open-fronted hut
I

taining to the English economist John May- or cubicle from which newspapers, refresh-
nard Keyes (1883-1946) or his economic ments, tickets, etc., are sold.
theories, esp. regarding state control of the telephone kiosk) Brit, a telephone
(usu.
economy through money and taxes. booth. (in Turkey and Iran) a light open pa-
derivatives: KeynesM'anMsm |
'kanzea vilion or summerhouse.
,nizam| n. kis»met I'kizmit; -,met| • n. destiny; fate:
key»note 'ke,not| |
a prevailing tone or • «. 1 what chance did I stand against kismet?
central theme, typically one set or introduced kltch*en cab*i*net . n. a group of unofficial
at the start of a conference: individuality was advisers to the holder of an elected office
the keynote of the nineties [as adj.] he delivered \
(esp. the president) who are considered to be
the keynote address at the launch. 2 (in music) unduly influential.
the note on which a key is based. kite kit . V. [trans.] write or use (a check, bill,
I I

DERI VAT I V E s key»not«er n. : or receipt) fraudulently.

key*Stone |'ke,ston| a central stone at kith kiTH . n. (in phrase kith and kin or
I I

the summit of an arch, locking the whole to- kith or kin) one's friends, acquaintances,
gether. and relations: a widow without kith or kin.
[usu. in sing.] the central principle or part of kitsch kicH . n. art, objects, or design con-
I I

a policy, system, etc., on which all else sidered to be in poor taste because of exces-
depends: cooperation remains the keystone of the sive garishness or sentimentality, but some-
government's security policy. times appreciated in an ironic or knowing
khan kan • «. a title given to rulers and offi-
| |
way: the lava lamp is an example of sixties
cials in central Asia, Afghanistan, and certain kitsch I
[as adj.] kitsch decor.
other Muslim countries. derivatives: kitsch*i*ness n. kitsch*y
any of the successors of Genghis Khan adj.
(1 162-1227), supreme rulers of the Turkish, klatch klaCH; klaeCH (also klatsch) • n. a so-
I |

Tartar, and Mongol peoples and emperors of cial gathering, esp. for food and conversation.
China in the Middle Ages. Cf. KAFFEEKLATSCH.
derivatives: khan»ate |'kanat| n. klep*tO*ma*ni»a .klepta'manea; -'manyal |

kib*butz I
ki'bOOts |
. n. (pi kibbutzim |
ki • n. urge to steal, typically with-
a recurrent
.boot'sem I
) a communal settlement in Israel, out regard for need or profit.
typically a farm. derivatives: klep»to»ma»ni«ac |-'mane
kib*itz I
'kibits I
. V. [intrans.] look on and offer .aekl n. & adj.
unwelcome advice, esp. at a card game. klutz kbts I
\
• n. a clumsy, awkward, or fool-
speak informally; chat: she kibitzed with ish person.
friends. derivatives: klutz»i»ness n. klutz»y adj.
DERI VAT V E s kib»itz»er I : n. knave nav • n. | |
a dishonest or unscrupulous
^
ki*bosh Ika'baSH; 'ki,baSH| • n. (in phrase man.
put the kibosh on) put an end to; dispose of another term for jack in cards.
decisively: he put the kibosh on the deal. derivatives: knav»er«y |-V3re| n. (pi.
kln»dred 'kindrid • n. [treated as pi.] one's
|
I
-ies) knavish adj. knav»ish»ly adv. knav*
.

family and relations. ish*ness n.

relationship by blood: ties of kindred. • adj. knee-jerk • n. a sudden involuntary reflex

[attrib.] similar in kind; related: books on kin- kick caused by a blow on the tendon just be-
dred subjects. low the knee. • adj. [attrib.] (of a response) au-
ki»ne*SlCS ka'nesiks; -ziks * plural n. [usu.
|
|
tomatic and unthinking: a knee-jerk reaction.
treated as sing.) the study of the way in which (of a person) responding in this way: knee-
certain body movements and gestures serve jerk conservatives.
as a form of nonverbal communication. knell nel . n. the sound of a bell, esp. when
I I

[usu. treated as pi.] certain body movements
and gestures regarded in such a way.
ki*ne»si*0l»0»gy Ika.nese'abje; -ze-| * n. the
study of the mechanics of body movements.
derivatives: ki»ne»si*o»log*i»cal |-se9
'lajikal adj. ki»ne»si»ol»o»gist -jist
|
n.
kin*es«the«sia ,kin3s'THezH3| (Brit, kinaes-
thesia) • n. awareness of the position and
rung solemnly for a death or funeral.
used with reference to an announcement,
event, or sound that is regarded as a solemn
warning of the end of something: the decision
will probably toll the knell for the facility. • v.
|
|
[intrans.] (of a bell) ring solemnly, esp. for a
|
death or funeral.
[trans.] proclaim (something) by or as if by a

movement of the parts of the body by means knell.

of sensory organs (proprioceptors) in the knick»er«bOCk«er nikar.bakarl »n. |

muscles and joints. 1 (knickerbockers) loose-fitting trousers

derivatives: kin»es»thet»ic |-'THetik| gathered at the knee or calf. 2 (Knicker-

adj. bocker) a New Yorker.
ki*net»ic ka'netik • adj. of, relating to, or
| |
a descendant of the original Dutch settlers
resulting from motion. in New York.
 |

knockoff 247 lachrymal

derivatives: knick»er»bock«ered adj. (the Kremlin) the citadel in Moscow. the
knock*off 'nak,6f I I
(also knock-off) . n. a Russian or (formerly) Soviet government
copy or imitation, esp. of an expensive or housed within this citadel.
designer product: [as adj.] knockoff merchan- ku*dos I
'k(y)oo,dos; -,doz; -,das| • n. praise
dise. and honor received for an achievement.
knurl I
nsrl I
. n. a small projecting knob or USAGE: Kudos comes from Greek and
ridge, esp. in a series around the edge of means Despite appearances, it is not
'glory.'
something. a plural form. This means that there is no
derivatives: knurled adj. singular form kudo and that use as a plural,
kO*sher 'koSHsr • adj. (of food,
| |
or premises
as in the following sentence, is, strictly, in-
in which food is sold, cooked, or eaten) satis-
correct: he received many kudos for his
fying the requirements of Jewish law: a kosher work (correct use is he received much ku-
kitchen.
dos . . .).
(of a person) observing Jewish food laws.
genuine and legitimate: do you really think ku*lak |koo'l£ek; -'lak| • n. a peasant in Rus-
this deal is kosher? • v. [trans.] prepare (food) sia wealthy enough to own a farm and hire la-
according to the requirements of Jewish law. bor. Emerging after the emancipation of serfs
give (something) the appearance of being le- in the 19th century, the kulaks resisted
gitimate: see them scramble to kosher illegal ev- (1920s-30s) Stalin's forced collectivization,
idence. and millions were arrested, exiled, or killed.
phrases: keep (or eat) kosher observe the kvetch k(3)veCH; kfeCH . n. a person who
I
|

Jewish food regulations (kashruth). complains a great deal.

kow*tOW I'kow'towl 'V. [intrans.] kneel and a complaint. • v. [intrans.] complain: stop
touch the ground with the forehead in wor- kvetching, already!
ship or submission as part of Chinese cus- Kwan*zaa I
'kwanza |
(also Kwanza) . n. a
tom. secular festival observed by many African
act in an excessively subservient manner: she Americans from December 26 to January 1

didn 't have to koiutow to a boss. • n. an act of as a celebration of their cultural heritage and
kneeling and touching the ground with the traditional values.
forehead in such a way. kwash«i*or»kor ,kwaSHe'6rk6r; -karj * n. a |

DERI VAT I V E s kow»tow»er n. : form of malnutrition caused by protein defi-

krem*lin |'kremlin| • w. a citadel within a ciency in the diet, typically affecting young
Russian town. children in the tropics.

LI
la*bl*a I
'labes I
• plural n. (in anatomy) the in- maze: a labyrinth of passages and secret
ner and outer folds of the vulva, at either side chambers.
of the vagina. an intricate and confusing arrangement: a
Ia*bl*al 'labeal . adj. 1 of or relating to the
I
|
labyrinth of conflicting laws and regulations.
lips. 2 a complex structure in the inner ear that
(of the surface of a tooth) adjacent to the contains the organs of hearing and balance.
lips. (in zoology) of, resembling, or serving It consists of bony cavities (the bony laby-
as a lip, liplike part, or labium (fused mouth- rinth) filled with fluid and lined with sensi-
part of an insect). 2 (of a consonant) requir- tive membranes (the membranous laby-
ing complete or partial closure of the lips rinth).
(e.g., p, b,f, V, m, w), or (of a vowel) requir- derivatives: lab»y»rin»thi«an |
.laebs'rin-
ing rounded lips (e.g., oo in moon). • n. a la- THgan] lab»y»rin»thine
adj. .laebs'rin |

bial sound. ,THen; -'rinTHin; -'rinjHin adj. |

derivatives: la»bi»aWze |-,liz| v. (in Iac*er*ate 'l£ES3,rat| • v. [trans.] tear or deeply

|

sense 2). la»bi»al»ly adv. cut (something, esp. flesh or skin): the point
Ia*blle I
'la,bil;-b3l| • adj. 1 liable to err or sin. had lacerated his neck [as adj.] (lacerated) his \

2 liable to change; easily altered. lacerated hands.

of or characterized by emotions that are eas- (of feelings or emotions) wound or injure.
ily aroused or freely expressed, and that tend derivatives: lac»er»a»tion |
,l£es3'raSH3n
to alter quickly and spontaneously; emotion- n.
ally unstable. (in chemistry) easily broken Lach*e*sls |'laek3sis| in Greek mythology,
down or displaced. one of the three Fates, who measures the
derivatives: la»biln»ty | la'bibte; b- 1 n. length of the thread of life.

Iab*y»rinth ri£eb(3),rinTH| . «. 1 a compli- Iach*ry»mal leekramal (also lacrimal or

|
i

cated irregular network of passages or paths lacrymal) • adj. 1 connected with weeping or
in which it is difficult to find one's way; a tears. 2 (usu. lacrimal) concerned with the
lachrymose 248 lament
secretion of tears: lacrimal cells. • n. (usu. la*goon |b'goOn| • n. a stretch of salt water
lacrimal or lacrimal bone) a small bone separated from the sea by a low sandbank or
forming part of the eye socket. coral reef.
lach*ry*mose 'laekrs.mos; -,moz| * adj. |
the enclosed water of an atoll. a small
tearful or given to weeping: she was pink-eyed freshwater lake near a larger lake or river. an
and lachrymose. artificial pool for the treatment of effluent or
inducing tears; sad: a lachrymose children's to accommodate an overspill from surface
classic. drains during heavy rain.
DERI VAT V E s lach»ry«mose»ly I : adv. lach* derivatives: la^goomal |-'goonl| adj.
ry«mosM»ty ,laekr3'mas9te n. |
|
Ia*ic I
'laik I
• adj. of or pertaining to a layper-
Iack*a*dai*si*cal .Iseka'dazikal] . adj. lacking |
son or the laity; nonclerical; lay. • n. a layper-
enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy. son; a noncleric.
DERI VAT I V E s lack»a»dai»si»caWy adv. : DERI VAT I V E s la*i*cal -ikal adj. la»i»cal» : |
|

Iack»ey 'laeke • n. (pi. -eys) a servant, esp. a

| |
ly |-(3)le| adv.
liveried footman or manservant. laird lerd . n. (in Scotland) a person who
j I

a person who is obsequiously willing to obey owns a large estate.

or serve another person or group of people. DERIVATIVES: laird'ship |-,SHip| n.
Cf. SYCOPHANT. . V. (also lacquey) (-eys, Iais*sez-al*ler . n. absence
|
,lesa a'la; ,leza |

-eyed) [trans.] behave servilely to; wait upon of restraint; unconstrained freedom.
as a lackey. Iais*sez-falre ,lesa 'fer; ,leza • w. a policy
|
|

iack*ius*ter lacklustre) riaek,bst9r|) Brit or attitude of leaving things to take their own
• adj. lacking in vitality, force, or conviction; course, without interfering.
uninspired or uninspiring: no excuses were abstention by governments from interfering
made for the lackluster performance. in the workings of the free market: [as adj.]
(of the hair or the eyes) not shining; dull. laissez-faire capitalism.
la*COn*lc |b'kanik| 'adj. (of a person, derivatives: lais*ser-faire*ism |
'fer
speech, or style of writing) using very few ,iz3m| n.
words: the laconic reply suggested a lack of inter- Ia»i«ty I
'laate (the la- |
. n. [usu. treated as pi.]

est in the topic. ity) lay people, as distinct from the clergy.
D E R V AT V E s la»con»i»caWy
I I : |-(3)le| adv. ordinary people, as distinct from profession-
la»conM»cism b'kans.sizam |
|
n. lac»o» als or experts.
nism 'lacks, nizsm n.
I
|
Ia*ma 'lamai • n. 1 an honorific title applied
|

lac*ta*tion Isek'tasHsn . «. the secretion of

| |
to a spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism,
milk by the mammary glands. whether a reincarnate lama (such as the Dalai
the suckling of young; the period of milk se- Lama) or one who has earned the title in life.
cretion normally following childbirth. 2 a Tibetan or Mongolian Buddhist monk.
DERIVATIVES: lac»ta»tion»al |-'taSH3nl| Ia*ma*ser*y 'lama, sere • n. (pi. -ies) a mon-|
|

adj. astery of lamas.

lac*to»veg»e»tar*i»an |
'lEekto.vejs'teresn |
Iam*baste |laem'bast; -'baest| (also lambast
• n. a person who abstains from eating meat -'baest )"^« V. [trans.] beat or thrash soundly;
I I

and eggs, but who eats dairy products. An criticize (someone or something) harshly.
ovolactovegetarian also eats eggs. Iam*bent I'laembaml * adf (of light or fire)
la«CU*na |l3'k(y)oon3| . n. (pi. lacunae |-ni; glowing, gleaming, or flickering with a soft
-ne or lacunas) an unfilled space or inter-
I
radiance: the magical, lambent light of the
val; a gap: the journal has filled a lacuna in Mid- north.
dle Eastern studies. (of wit, humor, etc.) lightly brilliant: a touch
a missing portion in a book or manuscript. of the lambent bitterness that sometimes surfaced
(in anatomy) a cavity or depression, esp. in in him.
bone. derivatives: lam»ben»cy |-banse| n.
derivatives: la»cu»nal b'k(y)oonl adj. |
|
lam«bent»ly adv.
lac»u»nar»y 'laekys.nere; b'k(y)oon3re | |
Ia*me lae'ma; la- |
• n. fabric with interwoven 1

adj. la»cu»nate |-,nat;-nit; 'l£eky3,nat| adj. gold or silver threads. • adj. (of fabric or a
la*cu«nose 'lEekya.nos; -,noz adj. |

|
garment) having such threads.
la»CUS»trine b'kastrin . adj. of, relating to, |
I
Ia*ment b'ment . w. a passionate expres-
|
I

or associated with lakes: lacustrial vegetation. sion of grief or sorrow: a song full of lament and
lade lad . v. (past part, laden 'ladn ) [trans.]
I I
|
|
sorrow.
load (a ship or other vessel). a song, piece of music, or poem expressing
ship (goods) as cargo. [Intrans.] (of a ship) such emotions. an expression of regret or
take on cargo. disappointment; a complaint: there were con-
Iag*gard 'Isegard • n. a person who makes
|
\
stant laments about work conditions. • v. [trans.]

slow progress and falls behind others: there mourn (a person's loss or death).
was no time for laggards. • adj. slower than [intrans.] (lament for/over) express one's
desired or expected: a bell to summon laggard grief passionately about. express regret or
children to school. disappointment over something considered
derivatives: lag»gard»ly adj. & adv. lag* unsatisfactory, unreasonable, or unfair:
gard*ness n. [trans.] she lamented the lack of bookstores in the

Ia*gnlappe |
.lasn'yaep; iaen.yaep |
• n. some- town [with direct speech]
I
Jefferson later
thing given as a bonus or extra gift. lamented, "Heaven remained silent."
lamina 249 lascivious
derivatives: lam*en*ta*tion |
,laem3n (of a person) tall and lean; lanky.
'tasHan I
n. la«ment»er n. derivatives: lank*ly adv. lank«ness n.
Iam*i»na 'laemana • n. (pi. laminae -,ne;
| |
|
Ian*yard 'lanyard • n. |
a rope threaded |

-,ni ) a thin layer, plate, or scale of sedimen-

I
through a pair of wooden blocks, used to ad-
tary rock, organic tissue, or other material. just the tension in the rigging of a sailing ves-
derivatives: lamn»nal adj. lamn«nar Cf. halyard.
sel.

adj. lamM»nose -,nos; -,noz adj. | |

a cord passed around the neck, shoulder, or
Iam*i*nate v. 'laema.nat [trans.] [often as
.
\ |
wrist for holding a knife, whistle, or similar
adj.] (laminated) overlay (a flat surface, esp. object. a cord attached to a breech mech-
paper) with a layer of plastic or some other anism for firing a gun.
protective material. La*od*i*ce*an lla.ada'seani 'adj. lukewarm
manufacture by placing layer on layer. split or halfhearted, esp. with respect to religion
into layers or leaves. beat or roll (metal) or politics. • n. a person with such an atti-
into thin plates. • n. -nit; -,nat a laminated \
|
tude.
structure or material, esp. one made of layers lap»a»ros*CO»py |
.lEepa'raskapej • n. (pi.

fixed together to form a hard, flat, or flexible -ies) a surgical procedure in which a fiber-
material. • adj. -nit; -,nat in the form of a \
|
optic instrument is inserted through the ab-
lamina or laminae. dominal wall to view the organs in the abdo-
derivatives: lam»i*na»ble l-nsbal] adj. men or to perform minor surgery.
lam«i»na«tion ,laem3'naSH3n n. lam»i»na» |
|
derivatives: lap»a»ro»scope |
'laep(3)r3
tor |-,nat9r| n. ,skop I
n. lap»a»ro»scop»ic |
,l£ep(3)r3'skap-
lam*poon Isem'poon • V. [trans.] publicly
| I
ik| adj. lap»a»ro«scopM»caWy |
,laep(3)r3
criticize (someone or something) by using 'skapik(3)le| adv.
ridicule, irony, or sarcasm. » n. a. speech or Iap»i*dar*y |
'l£ep3,dere I
• adj. (of language)
text criticizing someone or something in this engraved on or suitable for engraving on
way: a lampoon of student life. stone and therefore elegant and concise: a
derivatives: lam»poon»er n. lam»poon» lapidary statement intended to grace his own
ist l-ist| n. gravestone.
Ian*cet |'laensit| two- • 1 a small, broad, of or relating to stone and gems and the work
edged surgical knife or blade with a sharp involved in engraving, cutting, or polishing.
point. 2 a lancet arch or window (high and • n. (pi. -ies) a person who cuts, polishes, or

narrow, with an acutely pointed head). engraves gems. the art of cutting, polishing,
[as adj.] shaped like a lancet arch: a lancet or engraving gems.
clock. Iar*ce*ny 'lars(9)ne . n. (pi. -ies) theft of
|
|

derivatives: lan»cet»ed |-tid| adj. personal property. Under various statutes, it

Ian*guid 'leeNOgwid • adj. 1 (of a person,
|
|
may be defined as grand larceny (of items
manner, or gesture) displaying or having a above a specified dollar value) or petty lar-
disinclination for physical exertion or effort; ceny (of items of lesser value).
slow and relaxed: they turned with languid derivatives: lar«ce«nist |-nist| n. lar»
movements from back to front so as to tan evenly. ce»nous |-n3s| adj.
(of an occasion or period of time) pleasantly Iar*es ria,rez; 'lerez| * plural n. gods of the
lazy and peaceful: languid days in the Italian household worshiped in ancient Rome. Cf.
sun. 2 weak or faint from illness or fatigue. PENATES.
derivatives: lan»guid»ly adv. lan»guid» phrases: lares and penates the home.
ness n. Iar*gesse |
lar'znes; -'jes |
(also largess) . n.

Ian*guish 'IseNOgwisH . v. [intrans.] 1 (of a

|
|
generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon
person or other living thing) lose or lack vi- others.
tality; grow weak or feeble: dormant plants money or gifts given generously.
may appear to be languishing. lar*go • adv.
|
adj. (as a musical di-
'largo |
&
fail to make progress or be successful: many rection) in a slow tempo and dignified in
Japanese works still languish unrecognized in style. . n. (often Largo) (pi. -os) a passage,
Europe. pine with love or grief: she still lan- movement, or composition marked to be per-
guished after Richard. assume or display formed in this way.
a sentimentally tender or melancholy expres- Iar»va |
'larval . (pi. larvae | -ve; -,vi |
) the
sion or tone: when a visitor comes in, she smiles active immature form of an insect, esp. one
and languishes. 2 be forced to remain in an un- that differs greatly from the adult and forms
pleasant place or situation: has been languish- the stage between egg and pupa, e.g., a cater-
ing in a Mexican jail since 1 974. pillar or grub. Cf. nymph.
derivatives: lan»guish»er n. lan*guish* an immature form of other animals that un-
ing»ly adv. dergo some metamorphosis, e.g., a tadpole.
lan*guor 'laeNG(g)3r . w. 1 the state or feel-
|
|
derivatives: lar»val |-v3l| adj. lar»vi»
ing, often pleasant, of tiredness or inertia. cide |-,sid| n.
2 an oppressive stillness of the air: las*civ*i*OUS b'siveas • adj. (of a person, |
I

derivatives: lan»guor»ous |-g(3)r3s; manner, or gesture) feeling or revealing an

'laeNGarasI adj. lan»guor»ous«ly |-g(3)r9sle; overt and often offensive sexual desire: he
'laeNGsrssle I
adv. gave her a lascivious wink.
lank I
lasNGk I
• adj. (of hair) long, limp, and derivatives: las»civ»i»ous«ly adv. las*
straight. civ»i»ous»ness n.
lassitude 250 laurel
las*si«tude 'l£es3,t(y)ood|
. n. a state of I
acceptable contrast: a film with a latitude that
physical or mental weariness; lack of energy. is outstanding.
Ia*ten*cy ,latn 'se see latent period.
|
|
derivatives: latM«tu«di»nal |
,laet3',t(y)oo-
Ia*tent |'latnt| 'adj. (of a quality or state) dn-9l; -'t(y)oodn3l I
adj. latM»tu*di«nal»ly
existing but not yet developed or manifest; I
|laet3't(y)oodn-3le; -'t(y)<5odn3le |
adv.
hidden; concealed: discovering her latent talent Iat*i*tu*di«nar»i»an |
,laEt3,t(y)oodn'ere3n |

for diplomacy. • allowing latitude in religion; showing no

adj.
(of a plant bud, resting stage, etc.) lying dor- preference among varying creeds and forms
mant or hidden until circumstances are suit- of worship. • n. a person with a latitudinar-
able for development or manifestation. (of ian attitude.
a disease) in which the usual symptoms are derivatives: lat»i»tu«di»nar»i»annsm
not yet manifest. (of a microorganism, esp. |-,niz3m| n.
a virus) present in the body without causing Iat»ter |'laepr| * adj. [attrib.] 1 situated or oc-

disease, but capable of doing so at a later curring nearer to the end of something than
stage or when transmitted to another body. to the beginning: the latter half of 1 989.
derivatives: la«tent»ly adv. belonging to the final stages of something,
Ia«tent pe*rl«od . n. 1 Medicine (also latency esp. of a person's life: heart disease dogged his
period) the period between infection with a latter years. recent: the project has had low
virus or other microorganism and the onset cashflows in latter years. 2 (the latter) denot-
of symptoms, or between exposure to radia- ing the second or second mentioned of two
tion and the appearance of a cancer. 2 Physiol- people or things: the Russians could advance
ogy (also latency) the delay between the re- into either Germany or Austria they chose the —
ceipt of a stimulus by a sensory nerve and the latter option.
response to it.
usage: Latter means *the second-
Iat»er*al |
'Isetsral; 'lEetral toward,
|
. adj. of, at,
mentioned of two.' Its use to mean 'the last-
or firom the side or sides: the plant takes up wa- mentioned of three or more' is common, but
ter through its lateral roots.
is considered incorrect by some because lat-
situated on one side or other of the body or
ter means 'later' rather than 'latest.' Last or
of an organ, esp. in the region farthest from last-mentioned is preferred where three or
the median plane. The opposite of medial.
more things are involved.
(of a disease or condition) affecting the
side or sides of the body, or confined to one laud lod • V. [trans.] praise (a person or his
I I

side of the body. (in physics) acting or or her achievements) highly, esp. in a public
placed at right angles to the line of motion context: the obituary lauded him as a great
or of strain. (of a consonant, esp. /, or its statesman and soldier [as adj., with submodifier] \

articulation) formed by or involving partial (lauded) her much lauded rendering of Lady
closure of the air passage by the tongue, Macbeth. • n. praise: all glory, laud, and honor
which is so placed as to allow the breath to tc^hee.
flow on one or both sides of the point of Iau*da*num 'lodn-am; 'lodnam • n. an al-
| i

contact. • K. 1 a side part of something, esp. coholic solution containing morphine, pre-
a shoot or branch growing out from the side pared from opium and formerly used as a
of a stem. 2 (in phonetics) a lateral conso- narcotic painkiller.
nant. 3 (in football) a pass thrown either laud*a»tO*ry 'loda.tore . adj. (of speech or
|
|

sideways or backward from the position of writing) expressing praise and commenda-
the passer. • v. [trans.] throw (a football) in a tion.
sideways or backward direction: he tried to Iaun*der I'londar; 'Ian- 1 *v. [trans.] (in fi-

lateral the return but fumbled. nance) conceal the origins of (money
[intrans.] throw a lateral pass: he faked a hand- obtained illegally) by transfers involving for-
off and then lateraled to the tailback. eign banks or legitimate businesses.
DERI vat I V e s lat»er»aMy adv. : alter (information) to make it appear more
La*ti*no |b'teno; lae-| • n. (pi. -os) a Latin acceptable: we began to notice attempts to laun-
American inhabitant of the United States. der the data.
Cf. Hispanic; Chicano. • adj. of or relating derivatives: laun»der»er n.
to these inhabitants. Iau*re*ate '16re-it; 'lar- . w. a person who is
|
1

Iat*l*tude 'laet9,t(y)ood| • n. 1 the angular

I
honored with an award for outstanding crea-
distance of a place north or south of the tive or intellectual achievement: a Nobel lau-
earth's equator, or of the equator of a celes- reate.
tial object, usually expressed in degrees and (short for poet laureate) an eminent poet
minutes: at a latitude of 51° N \
lines of lati- appointed to, or regarded unofficially as
tude. holding, an honorary representative position
(latitudes) regions, esp. with reference to in a country, region, or group. The first offi-
their temperature and distance from the cial American poet laureate was Robert Penn
equator: temperate latitudes northern lati- \
Warren. • adj. wreathed with laurel as a mark
tudes. 2 scope for freedom of action or of honor.
thought: journalists have considerable latitude in (of a crown or wreath) consisting of laurel.
criticizing public figures. derivatives: lau»re»ate»ship |-,SHip| n.

(inphotography) the range of exposures for launel |

'16r3l;'lar- 1
. n. (usu. laurels) the fo-
which an emulsion or printing paper will give liage of the bay tree woven into a wreath or
 ) .

lavage 251 left wing

crown and worn on the head as an emblem by the action of percolating liquid, esp. rain-
of victory or mark of honor in classical times. water: the nutrient is quickly leached away.
honor: she has rightly won laurels for her first [no obj., with adverbial of direction] (of a soluble
novel. (laureled, laureling; Brit, lau-
• V. chemical or mineral) drain away from soil,
reUed, laurelling) [trans.] adorn with or as if ash, etc., in this way: coats of varnish prevent
with a laurel: they banish our angerforever when the dye leaching out. [trans.] subject (soil, ash,

they laurel the graves of our dead. etc.) to this process.

phrases: look to one's laurels be carefiil Iead*ed |
'ledid |
• adj. 1 (of windowpanes or
not to lose one's superior position to a rival, a roof) framed, covered, or weighted with
rest on one's laurels be so satisfied with lead: Georgian-style leaded windows. 2 (of gas-
what one has already achieved that one oline) containing tetraethyl lead: leaded fuel.
makes no further effort. 3 (of type) having the lines separated by
Ia*vage b'vaZH; 'Isvij • n. washing out of a
|
|
leads.
body cavity, such as the colon or stomach, league • n. a former measure of distance by
with water or a medicated solution. land, usually about three miles.
Iav*ish 'laeviSH • adj.
I
sumptuously rich, |
Iech*er 'leCHsrI • n. a man of lewd and pro-
|

elaborate, or luxurious: a lavish banquet. miscuous sexual desires or behavior.

(of a person) very generous or extravagant: derivatives: lech»er«ous adj. lech»er»
he was lavish with his hospitality. spent or ous'ly adv. lech»er»y n.
given in profusion: lavish praise. • v. [trans.] Iec»tern 'lektsrn • a tall stand with a slop-
|
I

(lavish something on) bestow something in ing top to hold a book or notes, and from
generous or extravagant quantities upon: the which someone, typically a preacher or lec-
media couldn 't lavish enough praise on the film. turer, can read while standing up.
(lavish something with) cover something lec*tion 'lekSHsnj . n. 1 a reading of a text
|

thickly or liberally with: she lavished her son found in a particular copy or edition. 2 an ex-
with kisses. tract from a sacred book, appointed to be
DERI VAT I V E s lav«ish»ly adv. lav»ish»ness : read at religious services; a lesson.
n. lec*tlon»ar«y 'lekSH3,nere| »n. (pi. -ies) a |

lax I
laeks I
• adj. 1 not sufficiently strict or se- list or book of portions of the Bible appointed

vere: lax security arrangements at the airport \

to be read at a church service.
they've been lax about discipline in school lately. lee le • n. shelter from wind or weather
I i

careless: why do
software developers do little given by a neighboring object, esp. nearby
more than parrot their equally lax competitors? land: we pitch our tents in the lee of a rock.
2 (of the limbs or muscles) relaxed: (also lee side) the sheltered side; the side
(of the bowels) loose. (of a speech sound, away from the wind: ducks were taking shelter
esp. a vowel) pronounced with the vocal mus- on the lee of the island. The opposite of the
The opposite of tense.
cles relaxed. windward or weather side.
derivatives: lax»i»ty I'lasksstel n. lax»ly leech leCH • I
1 an aquatic or terrestrial
|

adv. lax«ness n. annelid worm with suckers at both ends.

layi la . V. (past
I I
and past part, laid |
lad |
Many species are bloodsucking parasites,
usage The
verb lay means, broadly, 'put
:
esp. of vertebrates,and others are predators.
something down,' as in they are going to lay 2 a person who extorts profit from or
the carpet. The past tense and the past parti-
sponges on others: they are leeches feeding off
the hardworking majority. • v. [intrans.] habitu-
ciple of this verb is laid, as in they laid the
ally exploit or rely on: he's leeching off the
groundwork or she had laid careful plans. Tho:
verb lie, on the other hand, means 'be in a abilities of others.
horizontal position to rest,' as in why don't lees I
lez • plural
I
n. the sediment of wine in
you lie on the floorPThe past tense of this verb the barrel.
is lay )he lay on the floor) and the past parti-
dregs; refuse: the lees of the city's underworld.
ciple is lain )she had lain on the bedfor hours) Iee*ward 'lewsrd; 'loosrd • adj. & adv. on or
|
|

Thus, in correct use, lay can be either the toward the side sheltered from the wind or
past tense of He or the base form of lay. In toward which the wind is blowing; down-
practice many speakers make the mistake of wind: [as adj.] the leeward side of the house [as \

using lay, laying, and laid as if they meant we pitched our tents leeward of a hill. • n.
adv.]

lie, lying, lay, and lain. Examples of incor- the side sheltered or away from the wind: the
rect use: why don hyou lay on the bed (correct ship was drifting to leezvard.
form is lie); she was laying on the bed (cor- Iee*way rie,wa| »n. 1 the amount of free-
rect form is lying); he had laid on the floor for dom to move or act that is available: Congress

hours (correct form is lain). had several months' leeway to introduce reforms.
margin of safety: there is little leeway if any-
Iay2 . adj. [attrib.] 1 not ordained into or be- thing goes wrong. 2 the sideways drift of a ship
longing to the clergy: a lay preacher. 2 not hav- or an aircraft to leeward of the desired course:
ing professional qualifications or expert the leeway is only about 2°.
knowledge, esp. in law or medicine: lay and left wing • n. (the left wing) (in politics) the
professional views of medicine. liberal, socialist, or radical section of a party
leach I
lecH |
. [with obj. and adverbial of direc-
v. or system. • adj. liberal, socialist, or radical:
tion] make (a soluble chemical or mineral) left-wing activists.
drain away from soil, ash, or similar material derivatives: left-wing»er n.
 .

legacy 252 lesion

leg»a*cy |
'legase |
• n. (pi. -ies) an amount of War I, suchas the American Legion. 2 (a le-
money or property left to someone in a gion/legions of) a vast host, multitude, or
will. number of people or things: legions of photog-
a thing handed down by a predecessor: the raphers. • adj. [predic] great in number: her
legacy of centuries of neglect. a student or fans are legion.
potential student who may be favored by a Ie*git*i«mate • adj. li'jitamit conforming to \ |

college or school as the child or relative of a the law or to rules: claims to legitimate author-
graduate, esp. one likely to make financial ity.

gifts. • adj. denoting computer software or able to be defended with logic or justifica-
hardware that has been superseded but is dif- tion: a legitimate excuse for being late. (of a
ficult to replace because of its wide use. child) born of parents lawfully married to
derivatives: leg«a»tee n. one who each other. (of a sovereign) having a title
receives a legacy. based on strict hereditary right: the last legiti-
Ie*gal*ism 'Ieg3,liz3m| |
• n. excessive adher- mate Anglo-Saxon king. constituting or
ence to law or formula. relating to serious drama as distinct from mu-
(in theology) dependence on moral law sical comedy, revue, etc.: the legitimate theater.
rather than on personal religious faith. • V. -,mat [trans.] make legitimate; justify or
I I

derivatives: le»gal»ist n. adj. le«gaWs» & make lawful: the regime was not legitimated by
tic ,leg3'listik| adj. le»galns»ti«cal«ly .legs
j
|
popular support.
'listik(3)le I
adv. derivatives: le»gitM»ma»cy i-masel n.
le*gaHze |'leg3,liz| »v. [trans.] make (some- le»gitM»mate«ly |-mitle| adv. le»git»i»ma»
thing that was previously illegal) permissible tion |li,jit3'ma.SH3n| n. le«git«i«ma»tize
by law: a measure legalizing gambling in Dead- |-m3,tiz| V.

wood. Cf. decriminalize, Ie*glt*i«mism |li'jit3,miz3m| • «. support for

derivatives le«galn*za»tion -.legab'za- : | a ruler whose claim to a throne is based on
SHan; -,li'za- n. 1 direct descent.
Ieg*ate 'legit • n. 1 a member of the Roman
|
|
derivatives: le«git«i»inist n. & adj.
Catholic clergy, esp. a cardinal, representing leit*mo*tif 'htmo.tef (also leitmotiv) . n. a
| |

the pope. recurrent theme throughout a musical or lit-

an ambassador or messenger. 2 a general or erary composition, associated with a particu-
governor of an ancient Roman province, or lar person, idea, or situation.
his deputy: the Roman legate of Syria. Iem*ma 'lema • n. (pi. lemmas or lem-
| |

derivatives: leg»ate»ship |-,SHip| n. leg* mata 'lemataD 1 a subsidiary or interme-

I

a*tme |
'legs, ten; -,tin |
adj. diate theorem in an argument or proof. 2 a
le»ga«tion |
li'gaSHan |
. «. 1 a diplomatic heading indicating the subject or argument of
minister, esp. one below the rank of ambas- a literary composition, an annotation, or a
sador, and his or her staff. dictionary entry.
the official residence of a diplomatic minis- Ie*ni*ent 'leneant; 'lenyant • adj. 1 (of pun-
|
|

ter. 2 the position or office of legate; a legate- ishment or a person in authority) permissive,
ship. merciful, or tolerant. 2 having the quality of
the sending of a legate, esp. a papal legate, on softening; emollient.
a mission. derivatives: le*ni*ence n. le»ni»en»cy n.

Ie*ga«t0 |
music) in a
li'gato |
• adv. & adj. (in le»ni»ent»ly adv.
smooth, flowing manner, without breaks be- Ien*i»tive I'lenativ] » adj. (of a medicine)
tween notes. Cf. staccato. • n. performance loosening the bowels; gently laxative. • n. a
in this manner. medicine of this type.
ieg*end 'lejand • 1 a traditional story
|
|
Ien»i»ty 'lenate • n.
|
kindness; gentleness. |

sometimes popularly regarded as historical le*0*nine 'lea.nin . adj. of or resembling a

| I

but unauthenticated. 2 an extremely famous lion or lions: a handsome, leonine profile.

or notorious person, esp. in a particular field: lep*i*dop*ter«ist ,lep3'daptarist| . w. a per- |

a living legend a Wall Street legend. 3 an in- \

son who studies or collects butterflies and
scription, esp. on a coin or medal. moths, (members of the order Lepidoptera)
a caption: a picture of a tiger with the legend derivatives: lep»i»dop»ter»ol*ogy n. lep«
"Go ahead, make my day." the wording on a i»dop»ter«y n.
map or diagram explaining the symbols used: Iep*re«chaun |
'lepra, kan;-,k6n| » n. (in Irish
see legend to Fig. 1. 4 the story of a saint's life. folklore) a small, mischievous sprite.
• adj. [predic] very well known: his speed was Ies*bi«an |'lezbean| *n. a homosexual
legend. woman. of or relating to homosexual
• adj.
Ieg*er*de*main .lejarda'man; 'lejsrds.man | I
women or to homosexuality in women: a les-
• use of one's hands when perform-
n. skillful bian relationship.
ing conjuring tricks. derivatives: les»bi»an»ism |-,nizam| n.

deception; trickery. lese maj»es*ty |

,lez .maja'sta; ,lez; 'maejaste|
le*gion 'lejsn . «. 1 a unit of 3,000-6,000
|
|
. n. the insulting of a monarch or other ruler;
men {legionaries) in the ancient Roman army. treason.
(the Legion) the French Foreign Legion. le*sion |
'leznanl . n. a region in an organ or
(the Legion) any of the national associa- tissue that has suffered damage through in-
tions of former servicemen and service- jury or disease, such as a wound, ulcer, ab-
women {Legionnaires) instituted after World scess, tumor, etc.
 |

less 253 lexis

less I
les I
• adj. & pron. a smaller amount; not Ps. 74:14), and with the Devil (after Isa.
as much. 27:1).
a very large aquatic creature, esp. a whale: the
usage: In standard English less should
great leviathans of the deep. a thing that is
only be used with uncountable things )less
very large or powerful, esp. a ship. an auto-
money, less tt'me). With countable things it is
incorrect to use less )less people and less
cratic monarch or state.
Iev*i*tate 'leva, tat . v. [intrans.] rise and
words); strictly speaking, correct use is fewer |
|

people and fevoer words.

hover in the air, esp. by means of supernatu-
ral or magical power: he seems to levitate about
Ies*see |le'se| • «. a person who holds the three inches off the ground.
lease of a property; a tenant or leaseholder. [trans.] cause (something) to rise and hover in

DERIVATIVES les«see»ship : |-,SHip| n. such a way.

les*SOr I
'les, or; le'sor |
• a person who leas- derivatives: levn»taHion .leva'tasHsn |

es or lets a property to another; a landlord. lev»i»ta»tor |'-,tat9r| n.

n.
Ie*thal 'lexHsl I
• adj. sufficient to cause I
Iev»l*ty 'lev3te| • n. humor or frivolity, esp.
I

death: a lethal cocktail of alcohol and drugs. the treatment of a serious matter with humor
harmful or destructive. or in a manner lacking due respect: as an at-
derivatives: le»thaln»ty le'xHaebte n. | | tempt to introduce a note of levity, the words were
le»thal»ly adv. a disastrous flop.
Ieth*ar*gy i'leXHsrjel a lack of energy • Ie»vy 'leve . V. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] 1 (often
I I

and enthusiasm: periods of weakness and leth- be levied) impose (a tax, fee, or fine): a new
argy, [in sing.] tax could be levied on industry to pay for clean-
a pathological state of sleepiness or deep ing up contaminated land.
unresponsiveness and inactivity. impose a tax, fee, or fme on: there will be pow-
derivatives: le»thar»gic adj. ers to levy the owner. [intrans.] (levy on/upon)

leWered 'leprd • adj. formally educated:

|
|
though not lettered, he read widely.
of or pertaining to learning, learned people,
or literary culture: a man of lettered tastes.
leWer of marque mark . n. (usu. letters
of marque) a license to fit out an armed ves-
sel and use it in the capture of enemy mer-
chant shipping and to commit acts that
would otherwise have constituted piracy.
a ship carrying such a license; a privateer.
Iev*eei 'leve •
|
a reception or assembly of
|
people, in particular:
a formal reception of visitors or guests. in
Britain an afternoon assembly for men held
at court and often attended by the monarch.
a reception of visitors just after rising from
bed.
Iev*ee2 . n. an embankment built to prevent
the overflow of a river.
a ridge of sediment deposited naturally
seize (property) to satisfy a legal judgment:
there were no goods to levy upon. 2 enlist (some-
one) for military service: he sought to levy one
man from each parish for service.
| |
begin to wage (war). • n. (pi. -ies) 1 an act
of levying a tax, fee, or fine: union members
were hit with a 2 percent levy on all pay.
a tax so raised. a sum collected for a spe-
cific purpose, esp. as a supplement to an
existing amount pledged to an organization.
an item or set of items of property seized to
satisfy a legal judgment. 2 an act of enlisting
troops.
(usu. levies) a body of troops that have been
enlisted: lightly armed local levies.
derivatives: lev»i»a»ble adj.
tewd lood • adj. crude in a sexual way:
I I
she
began to gyrate to the music and sing a lewd song.
derivatives: lewd»ly adv. lewd»ness n.
Iex*i*cal 'leksikal . adj. of or relating to the
| |

alongside a river by overflowing water. a words or vocabulary of a language: lexical

landing place; a quay. a ridge of earth sur- analysis.
rounding a field to be irrigated. relating to or of the nature of a lexicon or dic-
Iev*er*age |
'lev(3)rij; 'lev(3)rij I
. n, 1 the ex- tionary: a lexical entry.
ertion of force by means of a lever or an ob- derivatives: lexM»cal«ly |ik(3)lei adv.
ject used in the manner of a lever: my spade lex*i*COg»ra«phy ,leks3'kagr3fe| |
• n. the
hit something solid that wouldn 't respond to lev- practice of compiling dictionaries.
erage. derivatives: lexn»cog»ra»pher n. lexn*
mechanical advantage gained in this way: use co'graphnc |-k3'graefik| adj. lexn»co«
a metal bar to increase the leverage. the power graph«i»cal | -ka'graefikal i
adj. lexM»co»
to influence a person or situation to achieve graphM'caWy | -k3'graefik(3)le |
adv.
a particular outcome: the right wing had lost lex*i»COn 'leksi,kan; -kan] • n. (pi. lexicons
|

much of its political leverage in the Assembly. or lexica -ka ) 1 the vocabulary of a person,
|
|

2 of a company's loan
(in finance) the ratio language, or branch of knowledge: the size of
capital (debt) to the value of its ordinary the English lexicon.
shares (equity). • v. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] a dictionary, esp. of Greek, Hebrew, Syriac,
(leveraged) use borrowed capital for (an in- or Arabic: a Greek-Latin lexicon. 2 the com-
vestment), expecting the profits made to be plete set of meaningful units (words, etc.) in
greater than the interest payable: a leveraged a language (without definitions).
takeover bid. Iex«ls 'leksis • n. the total stock of words in
I I

Ie»vi*a»than b'viaxHsn . n. (in biblical use)

| | a language: a notable loss of English lexis.
a sea monster, identified in different passages the level of language consisting of vocabu-
with the whale and the crocodile (e.g.. Job 41, lary, as opposed to grammar or syntax.
lex loci 254 libretto

lex lO'Ci 'leks 'losi; -,se; -,ke; -,ki . n. the law

I
|
2 (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) bring a
of the country in which a transaction is per- suit against (someone).
formed, an act is committed, or a property is derivatives: li»bel»er n. li«bel»ous adj.
situated. Iib*er*al |
'lib(3)r3l| be- • adj. 1 open to new
Ii*a*bil*i*ty |
,li3'bibte |
. n. (pi. -ies) 1 the havior or opinions and willing to discard tra-
state of being responsible for something, esp. ditional values: liberal views on marriage and
by law: the partners accept unlimited liability divorce.
for any risks they undertake. favorable to or respectful of individual rights
(usu. liabilities) a thing for which someone and freedoms: liberal citizenship laws. (in a
isresponsible, esp. a debt or financial obliga- political context) favoring maximum individ-
tion: valuing the company's liabilities and assets. ual liberty in political and social reform: a lib-
2 [usu. in sing.] a person or diing whose pres- eral democratic state. (Liberal) of or charac-
ence or behavior is likely to cause embarrass- teristic of Liberals or a Liberal Party. (in
ment or put one at a disadvantage: he has be- theology) regarding many traditional beliefs
come a political liability. as dispensable, invalidated by modern
Ii*a*ble |'li(3)b3l| »adj. [predic] 1 responsible thought, or liable to change. 2 [attrib.] (of ed-
by law; legally answerable: the supplier of goods ucation) concerned mainly with broadening
or services can become liable for breach of con- a person's general knowledge and experi-
tract in a variety of ways. 2 [with infinitive] likely ence, rather than with technical or profes-
to do or be somediing: patients were liable
to sional training. 3 (esp. of an interpretation of
up too suddenly.
to faint if they stood a law) broadly construed or understood; not
(liable to) likely to experience (something strictly literal or exact. 4 given, used, or oc-
undesirable): areas liable to flooding. curring in generous amounts: liberal amounts
usage: Liable is commonly used to mean of wine had been consumed.
'likely (to do something undesirable),' e.g., (of a person) giving generously: Sam was too
without his glasses he's liable to run the car into liberal with the wine. • n. a person of liberal
views.
a tree. Precisely, however, liable means 'le-
gally obligated,' as in if he runs into another
(Liberal) a supporter or member of a Lib-
eral Party.
car, he may be liable for damages.
derivatives: lib»er»alMsm |-,liz3m| n.
Ii«aise |le'az| •v. [intrans.] establish a working lib«er»al»ist |-r3list| n. lib»er»al»is»tic
relationship, typically in order to cooperate I
,lib(3)r3'listiki adj. lib»er»al»ly acff. lib»er»
on a matter of mutual concern: she will liaise al*ness n.
with teachers across the country. Iib»er»al arts • plural n. academic subjects
li*ai*SOn 'le3,zan; le'a- • w. 1 communica-
i
1 such as literature, philosophy, mathematics,
tion or cooperation that facilitates a close and social and physical sciences as distinct
working relationship between people or orga- from professional and technical subjects.
nizations: the department works in close liaison Iib»er»al»i»ty |
,lib3'r£ebte |
. «. 1 the quality
with public relations. of giving or spending freely. 2 the quality of
a person who acts as a link to assist commu- being open to new ideas and free fi^om preju-
nication or cooperation between groups of dice: liberality toward bisexuality.
people. a sexual relationship, esp. one that Iib*er»tar»i*an .libsr'terean • (in philoso-
|
|
.

is secret and involves unfaithfulness to a part- phy) a person who holds to the doctrine of
ner. 2 the binding or thickening agent of a the feedom of the will, as opposed to that of
sauce, often based on egg yolks. 3 (in French necessity: [as adj.] libertarian philosophy. Cf.
and other languages) the sounding of a con- necessitarian, determinism.
sonant that is normally silent at the end of a a person who advocates civil liberty, esp. in
word because the next word begins with a opposition to the state action.
vowel. Iib«er*tine 'libar.ten . «. 1 a person, esp. a
| I

li*ba*tion lI'basHsn • |
a drink poured out
|
man, who behaves without moral principles
as an offering to a deity. or a sense of responsibility, esp. in sexual mat-
the pouring out of such a drink-offering: ters. 2 a person who rejects accepted opinions
wine was poured in libation. a drink: free food in matters of religion; a freethinker. • adj.
and libations. 1 characterized by a disregard of morality,
Ii»bel I
'liball . n. 1 (in law) a published false esp. in sexual matters: his more libertine
statement that damaging
to a person's
is impulses. 2 freethinking in matters of religion.
reputation; a written defamation. Cf. slan- derivatives: lib»er»tin»age |-,tenij| n.
der. lib»er»tin»ism - .nizsm n. | |

the action or crime of publishing such a li*bid*i*nous b'bidn-as . adj. showing ex-
|
I

statement. a false and malicious statement cessive sexual drive; lustful.

about a person. a thing or circumstance derivatives: li»bid«i«nous«ly adv. li»bid»
that brings undeserved discredit on a person i«nous*ness n.
by misrepresentation. 2 (in admiralty and ec- li*bi*do b'bedo . n. (pi. -os) sexual desire.
I
|

clesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declara- (in psychoanalysis) the energy of the sexual
tion. . V. (libeled, libeling; Brit, libelled, li- drive as a component of the life instinct.
belling) [trans.] 1 defame (someone) by derivatives: li»bidM»nal |-'bidn-9l| adj.
pubhshing a libel. Cf. defame. li»bidM»naWy |-'bidn-3le| adv.
make a false and malicious statement about. li'breWo b'breto . n. (pi. libretti
| 1 |
-'brete |
license 255 linear
or librettos) the text of an opera or other li*ga*tion h'gasHan • «. 1 the surgical pro-
| |

long vocal work. cedure of closing off a blood vessel or other

derivatives: li»bret«tist |-'bretist| n. duct or tube in the body by means of a liga-
Ii*cense 'Hsansl • n. licence) a permit
|
(Brit, ture or clip. 2 the joining of two strands DNA
from an authority to own or use something, or other molecules by a phosphate ester link-
do a particular thing, or carry on a trade (esp. age.
in alcoholic beverages): a gun license [as adj.] \
Ii*ga»ture I'ligaCHar; -,CH(50r| • n. 1 a thing
vehicle license fees. used for tying or binding something tightly.
formal or permission to do some-
official a cord or thread used in surgery, esp. to tie
thing: logging permitted under license from the
is up a bleeding artery. 2 (in music) a slur or tie,
Forest Service. a writer's or artist's freedom joining notes to be played without an inter-
to deviate from fact or from conventions such val. 3 (in printing) a character consisting of
as grammar, meter, or perspective, for effect: two or more joined letters, e.g., ce,fl.
artistic license. freedom to behave as one a stroke that joins adjacent letters in writing
wishes, esp. in a way that results in excessive or printing. • v. [trans.] bind or connect with
or unacceptable behavior: the government was a ligature.
criticized for giving the army too much license. LiHi*pu*tian .hb'pyooSHan . adj. trivial or
|
|

• V. (Brit, also licence) [trans.] (often be li- very small: America's banks look Lilliputian in
censed) grant a license to (someone or comparison with Japan 's. • n. a trivial or very
something) to permit the use of something or small person or thing.
to allow an activity to take place: brokers must !im*bOi 'limbo • n. 1 (also Limbo) (in some
I I

be licensed to sell health-related insurance [with \

Christian beliefs) the supposed abode of the
obj. and infinitive] he ought not to have been souls of unbaptized infants, and of the just
licensed to fly a plane [as adj.] (licensing) a \
who died before Christ's coming. 2 an uncer-
licensing authority. tain period of awaiting a decision or resolu-
authorize the use, performance, or release of tion; an intermediate state or condition: the
(something). give permission to (someone) fate of the hostages is now in limbo.
to do something. a state of neglect or oblivion: children left in
derivatives: li»cens»a»ble adj. li*cens»er an emotional limbo.
n. li»cen»sor |-S3r; ,lis9n's6r| n. lim*bo2 . n. (pi. -os) a West Indian dance in
li«cen*tious H'senSHss • adj. 1 promiscuous| |
which the dancer bends backward to pass un-
and unprincipled in sexual matters. 2 disre- der a horizontal bar that is progressively low-
garding accepted rules or conventions, esp. in ered to a position just above the ground. • v.
grammar or literary style. [intrans.] dance in such a way.

derivatives: li»cen»tious»ly adv. li»cen» limn lim »v. [trans.] depict or describe in
I I

tious*ness n. painting or words.

Ii*chen 'likan • n. 1 a simple slow-growing
| |
sufftise or highlight (something) with a
plant that typically forms a low crustlike, leaf- bright color or light: a crescent moon limned
like, or branching growth on rocks, walls, and each shred with white gold.
trees. DERI VAT I v E s Um'ttcr n. a painter, esp. of
:

portraits or miniatures, and usu. regarded as

Lichens are complex plants consisting of a
fungus that contains photosynthetic algal not of the highest aesthetic standards.
cells. They obtain their water and nutrients
iinch*pin linen, pin (also lynchpin) . «. 1 a
| |

from the atmosphere and can be sensitive pin passed through the end of an axle to keep
a wheel in position. 2 a person or thing vital
indicators of atmospheric pollution.
to an enterprise or organization: regular
2 [usu. with adj.] a skin disease in which small brushing is the linchpin of all good dental hy-
round hard lesions occur close together. giene.
derivatives: U'chened adj. (in sense 1) Iin«e*age 'line-ij • n. 1 lineal descent from
|
|

li»chen«ol»o»gy ,lik3'nabje n. (in sense 1) |

|
an ancestor; ancestry or pedigree.
li»chen»ous |-n3s| adj. (in sense 2). a social group tracing its descent from a sin-
liC'it I'hsitI * adj. not forbidden; lawful: licit gle ancestor. 2 (in biology) a sequence of spe-
and illicit drugs. cies each of which is considered to have
derivatives: lic»it»ly adv. evolved from its predecessor: the chimpanzee
lie I
lie I
• V. See usage note at lay^. and gorilla lineages.
liege jlej; leZH| historical » adj. [attrib.] con- asequence of cells in the body that devel-
cerned with or relating to the relationship be- oped from a common ancestral cell: the
tween a feudal superior and a vassal: an oath myeloid lineage.
of fealty and liege homage. • n. (also liege Iin*e*al 'lineal • adj. 1 in a direct line of de-
| I

lord) a feudal superior or sovereign. scent or ancestry: a lineal descendant. 2 of,

a vassal or subject: the king's lieges. relating to, or consisting of lines; linear.
lien 'le(3)n • n. (in law) a right to keep pos-
i I
derivatives: lin*e»al»ly adv.
session of property belonging to another per- Iin*e»ar * adj.
|
1 arranged in or
'linear |

son until a debt owed by that person is dis- extending along a straight or nearly straig^it
charged: put a lien on something. line: linear arrangements linear in shape lin- \ \

lieu I
phrase in lieu) instead: the
loo I
• n. (in ear movement.
company issued additional shares in lieu of a consisting of or predominantly formed using
cash dividend. lines or outhnes: simple linear designs. (in
lineation 256 literal

physics) involving one dimension only: linear derivatives limteled : (Brit. Iin*telled) adj.
elasticity. (in mathematics) able to be repre- li*on*ize 'li3,niz . v. [trans.] give a lot of pub-
|
|

sented by a straight line on a graph; involving lic attention and approval to (someone); treat

or exhibiting directly proportional change in as a celebrity: the media lionize modern athletes.
two related quantities: linear functions linear \
derivatives: li»on»i»za»tion .liana |

relationship. 2 progressing from one stage to 'zaSHan n. li«on«iz»er n.

|

another in a single series of steps; sequential: Iip*id 'lipid

I
• n. any of a class of organic I

a linear narrative. compounds that are fatty acids or their deriv-

doing this without adequately considering atives and are insoluble in water but soluble
ideas or data that do not fit into the sequence: in organic solvents. They include many natu-
linear thinking. ral oils, waxes, and steroids.
derivatives: lin»e»arM«ty |
.line'aerate; lip*0*SUC*tion 'lipo.sakSHsn; 'li-| . n. a tech- |

-'er- n. lin»e»ar»ly adv.

1 nique in cosmetic surgery for removing ex-
lin*e*a*tion ,line'aSH3n| . «. the action or
|
cess fat from under the skin by suction.
process of drawing lines or marking with Iiq»ue»fy riikw3,fi| (also liquify) »v. (-ies,
lines. -ied) make or become liquid: [trans.] the min-
a line or linear marking; an arrangement or imum pressure required to liquefy a gas [intrans.] \

group of lines: magnetic lineations. a contour as the fungus ripens, the cap turns black and liq-
or outline. the division of text into lines: the uefies.
punctuation and lineation are reproduced accu- convert (solid food) into a liquid or puree,
rately. typically by using a blender.
Iin*ge*rie ,lanzH9'ra; -ja- • n. women's un-
|
1 D E r I VAT I V E s liq»ue»fac»tion .likwa'faek- :
|

derwear and nightclothes. SH3n| n. liq«ue«fac«tive .likwa'faektiv adj. | |

Iin*gua fran»ca 'liNCgwa 'fraeNCka . n. (pi. |

|
liq»ue«fi»a»ble adj. liq»ue»fi«er n.
lingua francas) a language that is adopted Ii*queur li'kar; -'k(y)(50r * n. a strong, sweet
|
\

as a common language among speakers flavored alcoholic liquor, usually drunk after
whose native languages are different. a meal. Cf. aperitif.
a mixture of Italian with French, Greek, Ar- Iiq*ui*date 'likw3,dat| • v. [trans.] 1 wind up
|

abic, and Spanish, formerly used in the East- the affairs of (a company or firm) by ascer-
ern Mediterranean. taining liabilities and apportioning assets.
iin*gual 'liNOgwal |
|
. adj. 1 of or relating to [intrans.] (of a company) undergo such a
the tongue. process. convert (assets) into cash: apian to
formed by the tongue.
(of a sovind) (in liquidate $10,000,000 worth of property over
anatomy) near or on the side toward the seven years, "pay off (a debt). 2 eliminate,
tongue. 2 of or relating to speech or language: typically by violent means; kill: enemies of the
his demonstrations of lingual dexterity. • n. a state have been liquidated.
lingual sound. derivatives: liq*ui*da*tion ilikwa'da- |

derivatives: lin»gual»ly adv. SHsnl n.

Iin*guist 'liNCgwistl • n. 1 a person skilled in
|
Iiq*uid«i»ty h'kwidate • n. (in finance) the
| |

foreign languages. 2 a person who studies lin- availability of liquid assets to a market or
guistics; linguistician. company.
Iin*guis*tic |liNG'gwistik| 'adj. of or relating liquid assets; cash. a high volume of activ-
to language or linguistics. ity in a market.
derivatives: lin»guis»ti»caWy |tik(3)le| lis*some |
'lisam (also chiefly Brit, lissom)
I

adv. • adj. (of a person or the body) thin, supple,

lin*guiS*tiCS liNC'gwistiks » plural n. [treat-
|
|
and graceful.
ed as sing.] the scientific study of language and derivatives: lis»some»ness n.
its structure, including the study of morphol- Iist*less |'Hs(t)Hs| » adj. (of a person or per-
ogy, syntax, phonetics, semantics. Specific sonal manner) lacking energy or enthusiasm.
branches of linguistics include sociolinguis- derivatives: list»less»ly adv. lisWess*
tics,dialectology, psycholinguistics, compu- ness n.
tational linguistics, historical-comparative Iit*a*ny 'lim-e • n. (pi. -ies) a series of sup-
| |

linguistics, and applied linguistics. plications for use in church services or pro-
derivatives: lin»guis»ti»cian |
.liNGgwa cessions, usually recited by the clergy and
'stiSHanI n. responded to in a recurring formula by the
Iin*i*ment |
'linsmsnti • n. a liquid or lotion, people.
esp. one made with oil, for rubbing on the a tedious recital or repetitive series: a litany
body to relieve pain. of complaints.
Lin*nae*an Ih'nean; -'na-| (also Linnean) Iit»er«a*cy 'litarase; 'litra- . n. the ability to
|
1

• of or relating to the Swedish naturalist

adj. read and write. Cf. illiterate.
Carolus Linnaeus (Carl von Linne, 1 707-78) competence or knowledge in a specified
or his classification sj^stem for plants and ani- area: wine literacy can 't be taught in three hours.
mals, which employs binomial nomencla- Iit«er»al 'litaral; 'litral . adj. 1 taking words |
|

ture: Linnaean name is Magnolia tomentosa.

its in their usual or most basic sense without
• n. a follower of Linnaeus. metaphor or allegory: 'dreadful' in its literal

Iin*tel 'lintl • «. a horizontal support of tim-

I I
sense, full of dread.
ber, stone, concrete, or steel across the top of free from exaggeration or distortion: you
a door or window. Cf. transom, mullion. shouldn't take this as a literal record of events.
 |

literary 257 locate

absolute (used to emphasize that a strong or the zone near a lake shore with rooted veg-
expression is deliberately chosen to convey etation: limpets and other littoral mollusks. • n.
one's feelings): years of literal hell. 2 (of a a region lying along a shore: irrigated regions
translation) representing the exact words of of the Mediterranean littoral.
the original text. the littoral zone.
(of a visual representation) exactly copied; 1 a form or for-
Iit«ur*gy 'litsrje . n. (pi. -ies)
|
|

realistic as opposed to impressionistic. 3 (also mulary according to which public religious

literal-minded) (of a person or perfor- worship, esp. Christian worship, is con-
mance) lacking imagination; prosaic. 4 of, in, ducted.
or expressed by a letter or the letters of the al- a religious service conducted according to
phabet: literal mnemonics. such a form or formulary. (the Liturgy) the
derivatives: lit»er»aWsm n. lit»er»al»i» Eucharistic service of the Eastern Orthodox
ty I
ilip'raebte I
lit»er»aWze |
'Iit3r3,liz; Church. 2 (in ancient Athens) a public office
'litra- 1 V. lit»er«al»ness n. or duty performed voluntarily by a rich
Iit»er«ar»y riit3,rere| 'adj. 1 [attrib.] concern- Athenian.
ing the writing, study, or content of literature, derivatives: lit«ur»gist I'lidarjssti n.
esp. of the kind valued for quality of form: Iiv*er*y 1 |
'liv(9)re . n. (pi. -ies) 1 special uni-
|

great literary works. form worn by a servant or official.

concerned with literature as a profession: it a special design and color scheme used on
was signed by such literary figures as Maya the vehicles, aircraft, racehorses, or products
Angelou. 2 (of language) associated with liter- of a particular company or owner. 2 short for
ary works or other formal writing; having a livery stable, a stable where horses are kept at
marked style intended to create a particular livery or let out for hire. 3 a provision of food
emotional effect. or clothing for servants.
DERI VAT v E s lit»er»ar»i»ly I 'lip'rersle :
| |
phrases: at livery (of a horse) kept for the
adv. lit»er»ar»i»ness n. owner and fed and cared for at a fixed charge.
Iit«e*ra«ti |,lip'rate| . p/wra/ n. well-educated derivatives: liv«erMed riiv(3)red| adj.
people who are interested in literature: a fa- (in sense 1).
vorite of the literati. Iiv*er»y2 . adj. resembling liver in color or
lithe I
lim |
(also lithesome) . adj. (esp. of a consistency: he was short with livery lips.
person's body) thin, supple, and graceful. liverish: port wine always makes you livery.
derivatives: lithe»ly adv. lithemess n. Iiv*id 'livid] • adj. 1 furiously angry: he was
I

Iith»i»um 'lixHesml • n. (in psychiatry) lith-

I
livid at being left out. 2 (of a color or the skin)
ium carbonate or another lithium salt, used having a dark inflamed tinge: his face went
as a mood-stabilizing drug. then purple.
livid,
li*thog»ra*phy li'XHagrafe » n. the process |
|
of a bluish leaden color: livid bruises.
of printing from a flat surface treated so as to derivatives li'vid'i'ty |b'vid3te| n.Mv :

repel the ink except where it is required for id'ly adv. liv»id»ness n.
printing. Iiv*ing will * n. a written statement detailing
(in electronics) an analogous method for a person's desires regarding medical treat-
making printed circuits. ment in circumstances in which he or she is
derivatives: li»thog»ra»pher |-f3r| n. no longer able to express informed consent,
Iit*i»gant |
'lipganti • n. a person involved in esp. an advance directive.
a lawsuit. • adj. [postpositive] involved in a law- lla*no I
'lano; 'ya- 1
• n. (pi. -os) (in South
suit: the parties litigant. America) a treeless grassy plain.
Iit*i*gate |
'lip, gat |
• v. [intrans.] be a party to loath I
Ioth; loTH (also loth) . adj. [predic,
I

a lawsuit. with infinitive] reluctant; unwilling: / was loath

[trans.] take (a claim or a dispute) to a court to leave.
of law. loathe loiH • V. [trans.] feel intense dislike or
I I

derivatives: lit»i»ga*tion |
.lip'gaSHan disgust for: she loathed him on sight [as n.] \

n. lit»i»ga»tive |
'lit3,gativ |
adj. lit»i»ga»tor (loathing) the thought filled him with loathing.
|-,gapr| n. Cf. abhor.
|j*ti*gious b'tijss I I
• adj. concerned with derivatives: loath»er n. loath*some adj.
lawsuits or litigation. lo»bot«o*mlze |b'bap,miz| • V. [trans.] (often
unreasonably prone to go to court to settle be lobotomized) perform a lobotomy on.
disputes. suitable to become the subject of reduce the mental or emotional capacity or
a lawsuit. ability to function of: couples we knew who had
derivatives: li»ti»gious»ly adv. li»ti» been lobotomized by the birth of their children.
gious*ness n. derivatives: lo«bot»o»mi»za»tion
li«tO*tes I
'lip,tez; 'lit-; li'totez] » n. ironical |-,bapm3'zash3n| n.
understatement in which an affirmative is IO»bOt«0»my |
b'bapme |
• n. (pi. -ies) a sur-
expressed by the negative of its contrary (e.g., gical operation involving incision into the
you won't be sorry, meaning 3;ot< '// be glad). prefrontal lobe of the brain, formerly used to
lit*tO*ral 'lipral . adj. of, relating to, or sit-
I I
treat mental illness.
uated on the shore of the sea or a lake: the lit- lo*cate I
'lo,kat;lo'kat| • v. [trans.] discover the
toral states of the Indian Ocean. exact place or position of: engineers were work-
of, relating to, or denoting the zone of the ing to locate the fault.
seashore between high- and low-water marks. [with obj. and adverbial of place] (usu. be
 1

locative 258 lollapalooza

located) situate in a particular place: these Logarithms can be used to simplify calcula-
apartments are centrally located. [with obj. and
tions because the addition and subtraction
adverbial] place within a particular context:
of logarithms is equivalent to multiplication
they locate their policies in terms of wealth crea-
and division, though the use of printed
tion. [no obj., with adverbial of place] establish tables of logarithms for this has declined
oneself or one's business in a specified place: with the spread of electronic calculators.
his marketing strategy has been to locate in small
They also allow a geometric relationship to
towns.
be represented conveniently by a straight
usage: In formal English one should avoid line. The base of a common logarithm is 10,
using locate to mean 'find' )it drives him out and that of a natural logarithm is the num-
of his mind when he can't locate something). In ber e (2.71828 .). . .

precise usage locate means 'fix the position

of, put in place' )the studio should be located on
derivatives: log»a»rith»mic adj.

a north-facing slope). loge I

lozH \
» n. a private box or enclosure in
a theater.
loc»a«tive I'lakstivl 'adj. relating to or the front section of the first balcony in a the-
denoting a case in some languages of nouns, ater. a similar section in an arena or sta-
pronouns, and adjectives, expressing loca- dium.
tion. (the locative) the locative case.
• n. log*lc I'lajikl » n. 1 reasoning conducted or
a word in the locative case. assessed according to strict principles of va-
loch lak; laKH . n. Scottish a lake. Cf. lough.
I
|
lidity: experience is a better guide to this than de-
(also sea loch) an arm of the sea, esp. when ductive logic he explains his move with simple I

narrow or partially landlocked. logic I

the logic of the argument is faulty.
IOCk*Step 'lak,step| • n. a way of marching
I
a particular system or codification of the
with each person as close as possible to the principles of proof and inference: Aristotelian
one in front: the trio marched in lockstep [as \
logic. the systematic use of symbolic and
adv.] hundreds marched lockstep into the stadium. mathematical techniques to determine the
close adherence to and emulation of an- forms of valid deductive argument. the
other's actions: they raised prices in lockstep quality of being justifiable by reason: there's
with those of competitors [as adj.] lockstep \
no logic in telling her not to hit people when that's
unity. what you 're doing. (logic of) tiie course of
lo»CU*tion lo'kyooSHsn . «. 1 a word or
I
|
action or line of reasoning suggested or made
phrase, esp. with regard to style or idiom. necessary by: if the logic of capital is allowed to
a person's style of speech: his impeccable locu- determine events. 2 a system or set of princi-
tion. 2 an utterance regarded in terms of its ples underlying the arrangements of elements
intrinsic meaning or reference, as distinct in a computer or electronic device so as to
from its function or purpose in context. Cf. perform a specified task.
ILLOCUTION, PERLOCUTION. logical operations collectively.
language regarded in terms of locutionary derivatives: logn»cal adj. logM»cal«i»ty
rather than illocutionary or perlocutionary adv. logM»cal«ly n. lo«gi»cian b'jiSHsn; lo- |

acts. n.
derivatives: lo»cu»tion»ar»y |-,nere| adj. IO*glS*tlcs b'jistiks; lo- plural n. [treated
I
1
•

lode lod » n. vein of metal ore in the earth.

I
\
a. as sing, or pi.] the detailed coordination of a
[in sing.] a rich source of something: a lode of complex operation involving many people,
crime. facilities, or supplies: the logistics and costs of a
lode*Star 'lod, star » n. a star that is used to
|
\
vaccination campaign.
guide the course of a ship, esp. Polaris. the organization of moving, housing, and
a person or thing that serves as a guide: she supplying military troops and equipment.
was his intellectual lodestar. IO*go 'logo • n. (pi. -os) a symbol or other
I I

lode*Stone I'lod.ston] *n. a piece of mag- small design adopted by an organization to

netite or other naturallymagnetized mineral, identify its products, uniform, vehicles, etc.:
able to be used as a magnet. the Olympic logo was emblazoned across the
a mineral of this kind; magnetite. a thing tracksuits.
that is the focus of attention or attrac- lo*gy 'loge . adj. (logier, logiest) dull and
I I

tion. heavy in motion or thought; sluggish.

loft-y I
'lofte; laf-l ' adj. (loftier, loftiest) loi*ter I'loitarl 'V. [no obj., with adverbial of
1 of imposing height: shaded by lofty palms. place] stand or wait around idly or without ap-
of a noble or exalted nature: an extraordinary parent purpose: she saw Mary loitering near the
mixture of harsh reality and lofty ideals. entrance to the building.
proud, aloof, or self-important: lofiy intellec- [with adverbial of direction] travel indolendy and
tual disdain. 2 (of wool and other textiles) with frequent pauses: they loitered along in the
thick and resilient. sunshine.
derivatives: loft»i»ly |-t3le| adv. loffi* DERI VAT v e s loi»ter»er n. I :

ness n. ioHa«pa*loo*za .labpa'loozsl |

(also lala-
log»a»rithm 'logs.riiHsm; 'lags-l
|
(abbr.: palooza or lollapaloosa) • n. a person or
log) • n. a quantity representing the power to thing that is particularly impressive or at-
which a fixed number (the base) must be tractive: it's a lollapalooza, just like your other
raised to produce a given number. books.
lollygag 259 ludicrous
loHy*gag riale,g£eg| (also lallygag) *v. low*er I'lowar; '63r| (also lour) • v. [intrans.]

(lollygagged, lollygagging) [intrans ] spend look angry or sullen; frown.

time aimlessly; idle: he sends her to Arizona (of the sky, weather, or landscape) look dark
every January to lollygag in the sun. and threatening: [as adj.] (lowering) lowering
[with adverbial of direction] dawdle: we're lolly- clouds. • n. a scowl.
gagging along a dark and gloomy appearance of the sky,
lon*gev*i«ty lon'jevste; Ian- |
1
. n. long life: weather or landscape.
the greater longevity of women compared with derivatives: low»er»ing»ly adv.
men. loy*al*ist 'loiahst . n. a person who remains
| |

long duration of service: her longevity in office
now appeared as a handicap to the party.
lon»gi»tU*di»nal ,lanj3't(y)oodn-3l; ,16n-;
-'t(y)oodn3l • adj. 1 rurming lengthwise
|
rather than across: longitudinal stripes longi-
tudinal extent.
(of research or data) involving information
about an individual or group gathered over a
long period of time: a longitudinal study. 2 of
or relating to longitude; measured from east
to west: longitudinal positions.
derivatives: lon»gi»tu»di»nal»ly adv.
loyal to the established ruler or government,
esp. in the face of a revolt.
|
(Loyalist) a colonist of the American revo-
lutionary period who supported the British
\
cause. (Loyalist) a supporter (typically
Protestant) of union between Great Britain
and Northern Ireland. (Loyalist) a sup-
porter of the republic and opposer of the fas-
cist general Francisco Franco's revolt in the
Spanish Civil War.
derivatives: loy»alMsm |-,liz3m| n.
Iu*au 'loo.ow • n. (pi. same or luaus) a Ha-
I I

long*shore '16NG,SH6r; 'laNC- • adj. [attrib.]

!
1 waiian party or feast, esp. one accompanied
existing on, frequenting, or moving along the by entertainment.
seashore: longshore currents. lu*bri*cious loo brisnas (also lubricous |
|

lon*gueur loNc'gsr; laNC- |

• n. a tedious 1
1
'loobrikas |
) • adj. 1 offensively displaying
passage in a book or other work: its brilliant or intended to arouse sexual desire.
comedy passages do not cancel out the occasional 2 smooth and slippery with oil or a similar
longueurs. substance.
tedious periods of time: the last act is some- derivatives: lu»bri»cious»ly adv. lu»
times marred by longueur. bric»i»ty |
-'brisite |
n.
IO*qua*cioUS lo'kwaSHss | |
• adj. given to Iu*cent 'loosanti • adj. glowing with or giv-
I

much talking; talkative. ing off light: the moon was lucent in the back-
derivatives: lo»qua«cious«ly adv. lo» ground.
qua*cious*ness n. lo*quac«i»ty |
'kwaesste |
DERI vat I V e s lu»cen»cy n. :

n. lu^cid 'loosidi • adj. 1 expressed clearly; easy

I

Lorelei ri6r3,li| a rock on the bank of the to understand: a lucid account write in a clear \

Rhine, held by legend to be the home of a si- and lucid style.

ren whose song lures boatmen to destruction. showing abihty to think clearly, esp. in the
the siren said to live on this rock. a danger- intervals between periods of confusion or in-
ously fascinating woman; a temptress or sanity: he has a few lucid moments every now
siren. and then. (of a dream) experienced with the
lor*gnette lom'yet (also lorgnettes) • n. a
| |
dreamer feeling awake, aware of dreaming,
pair of glasses or opera glasses held in front and able to control events consciously.
of a person's eyes by a long handle at one 2 bright or luminous:
side. derivatives: lu»cidM»ty |l6o'sid3te| n.
Lo*thar«l*0 |l6'THere,o; -'THar-| » n. (pi. -os) lu«cid«ly adv. lu»cid»ness n.
a man who behaves selfishly and irresponsi- Lu*ci»fer 'loosafsri • n. 1 another name for
|

bly in his sexual relationships with women. Satan. 2 the planet Venus when it rises in the
IO*tUS-eat«er • n. a person who spends time morning. 3 (lucifer) a match struck by rub-
indulging in pleasure and luxury rather than bing it on a rough surface.
dealing with practical concerns. Iu»cra«tive 'lookrativ • adj. producing a
| |

DERI VAT I v E s lo«tus-eat»ing adj. : great deal of profit: a lucrative career as a

louche looSH . adj. disreputable or sordid
I I
stand-up comic.
in a rakish or appealing way: the louche world derivatives: lu»cra»tive»ly adv. lu»cra»
of the theater. tive»ness n.
lough lak; laKH
I
. n. Anglo-Irish spelling of | Iu»cre I'lookarl • n. money, esp. when
LOCH. regarded as sordid or distasteftil or gained in
lour . V. see lower. a dishonorable way: officials getting their hands
lou'ver 'loovarl (also louvre) . n. 1 each of
I
grubby with filthy lucre.
a set of angled slats or flat strips fixed or hung lu»CU*brate 'look(y)3,brat • v. [intrans.] dis-
i
|

at regular intervals in a door, shutter, or course learnedly in writing.

screen to allow air or light to pass through. 2 a derivatives: lu»cu»bra»tor |-,brapr| n.
domed structure on a roof, with side open- lu»CU»bra»tion ,look(y)3'braSH3n| . n.
|

ings for ventilation. study; meditation.

DERI VAT I v E s lou'vcrcd adj. : (usu. lucubrations) a piece of writing, typ-
lOW'brow I
'adj. not highly intel-
'lo, brow I
ically a pedantic or over-elaborate one.
lectual or cultured: lozobrow tabloids. • n. a lu»di*crous 'loodakras • adj. so foolish, un-
|
i

person of such a type. reasonable, or out of place as to be amusing:

lugubrious 260 luxuriant
it's ludicrous that I have been fined \
every night Iu*nu*la 'loonyabi . n. (pi. lunulae -,le;
I |

he wore a ludicrous outfit. -,li I

) a crescent-shaped object or mark, in
derivatives: lu»di»crous«ly adv. [as sub- particular:
modifier] a ludicrously inadequate army. lu*di» the white area at the base of a fingernail.
crous*ness n. (in printing) one of a pair of parentheses.
lu*gu*bri*OUS b'g(y)oobre3S |
|
. adj. looking derivatives: lu«nu»lar |-br| adj. lu»nu«
or sounding sad and dismal. late -,lat; lit adj.
I |

derivatives: lu*gu«bri«ous»ly adv. lu» Iu*pine 'loo, pin • adj. of, like, or relating to
I I

gu»bri»ous»ness n. a wolf or wolves. fierce or ravenous as a

Ium*bar 'bmbar; -,bar| • adj. [attrib.] relating
|
wolf.
to the lower part of the back: pains in the lum- Iur*dan 'brdn (also lurdane) . n. an idle or
|
|

bar region. incompetent person. • adj. lazy; good-for-

Iu»ml«nar*y 'looma.nere . n. (pi. -ies) 1 a
|
|
nothing.
person who inspires or influences others, esp. Iu*rid 'lOOrid • adj. very vivid in color, esp.
I I

one prominent in a particular sphere: one of so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or im-

the luminaries of child psychiatry. 2 an artificial natural effect.
light. (of a description) presented in vividly shock-
a natural light-giving body, esp. the sun or ing or sensational terms, esp. giving explicit
moon. details of crimes or sexual matters: lurid
iu*mi*nes*cence .looms'nessns . n. the |
|
details of the murder.
emission of light by a substance that has not DERI vat I V e s lu»rid»ly adv. lu*rid*ness n. :

been heated, as in fluorescence and phospho- lus*cious 'bSHss . adj. (of food or wine) I I

rescence. having a pleasingly rich, sweet taste.

derivatives: lu»mi»nes»cent adj. richly verdant or opulent. (of a woman)
lu»ml»nos»i*ty |
.looma'nasste |
• n. (pi. -ies) very sexually attractive.
luminous quality: acrylic colors retain freshness derivatives: lus»cious»ly adv. lus»cious»
and luminosity. ness n.
the intrinsic brighmess of a celestial object Ius*ter I'bstarl (Brit, lustre) . «. 1 a gende
(as distinct fi-om its apparent brightness sheen or soft glow, esp. that of a partly reflec-
diminished by distance). (in physics) the tive surface: the luster of the Milky Way \
her
rate of emission of radiation, visible or other- hair had lost its luster.
wise. glory or distinction: an all-star to add luster
lu*mi*nous 'loomanss . adj. full of or shed-
| |
to the lineup. the manner in which the sur-
ding light; bright or shining, esp. in the dark: face of a mineral reflects light. 2 a substance
the luminous dial on his watch a luminous \
imparting or having a shine or glow, in par-
glow. ticular:
(of a person's complexion or eyes) glowing a thin coating containing unoxidized metal
with health, vigor, or a particular emotion: that gives an iridescent glaze to ceramics.
eyes luminous with joy. (of a color) very ceramics with such a glaze; lusterware. a
bright; harsh to the eye: he wore luminous green type of finish on a photographic print, less re-
socks. (in physics) relating to light as it is flective than a glossy finish. a fabric or yarn
perceived by the eye, rather than in terms of with a sheen or gloss. 3 a prismatic glass
its actual energy. pendant on a chandelier or other ornament.
derivatives: lu»ini»nous»ly adv. lu»mi» a cut-glass chandelier or candelabra.
nous*ness n. derivatives: lus»ter»less adj.
Ium*pen 'bmpan; |
'l(50m-| • adj. (in Marxist Ius*tral 'bstrsl • adj. relating to or used in
I I

contexts) uninterested in revolutionary ad- ceremonial purification.

vancement: the lumpen public is enveloped in a Ius*trate 'bs,trat| . v. [trans.] purify by expi-
|

culture of dependency. atory sacrifice, ceremonial washing, or some

boorish and stupid: growing ranks of lumpen, other ritual action: a soul lustrated in the bap-
uninhibited, denim-clad youth. • plural n. (the tismal waters.
lumpen) the lumpenproletariat. derivatives: lus»tra»tion |
,bs'traSH3n|
lum»pen»pro»le»tar*i»at |
bmpan.prob n.
'tereat; 'lOOm- 1
• n. [treated as sing, or pi.] luS*tr0US I
'bstras |
• adj. having luster; shin-
(esp. inMarxist terminology) the unorgan- ing: large, lustrous eyes.
ized and unpolitical lower orders of society DERI VAT IVES: lus»trous*ly adv. lus»trous»
who are not interested in revolutionary ad- ness n.
vancement. Ius*trum I'bstrsmI . n. (pi. lustra |-tr3| or
Iu*nar I'loonarl • adj. of, determined by, or lustrums) a period of five years.
resembling the moon: a lunar landscape. a \
Iux*ate 'bk,sat| . v. [trans.] (in medicine) dis-
I

totallunar eclipse. put out of joint.

locate;
having the character of the moon as opposed DERIVATIVES lux«a»tion |,bk'saSH3n| n. :

to tliat of the sun; not warmly bright; pale; luxe |bks; looks] • n. luxury: [as adj.] the luxe
pallid. life.

Iu*nate 'loo,nat • adj. crescent-shaped. • n.

|
|
Iux»u*ri*ant |
bg'zHOOreant; bk'sHOOr- . adj. 1

(also lunate bone) a crescent-shaped carpal (of vegetation, etc.) rich and profuse in
bone situated in the center of the wrist and growth; lush: forests of dark, luxuriant foliage \

articulating with the radius. luxuriant prose.

 a

luxuriate 261 macro

(of hair) thick and healthy. Ly*ce«um li'seam the garden at Athens in
|
I

derivatives: lux»u*ri»ance n. lux»u«ri» which Aristotle taught philosophy.

ant'ly adv. [as n.] (the Lyceum)
Aristotelian philoso-
usage: See usage at luxurious. phy and its [as n.] (a lyceum) a
followers.
literary institution, lecture hall, or teaching
Iux*u*ri*ate |bg'zHODre,at; bk'SH(30r-| . t;. place.
(often luxuriate in) enjoy oneself in
[intrans.] lymph jlimfl . ?7. 1 a colorless fluid contain-
a luxurious way; take self-indulgent delight: ing white blood cells, that bathes the tissues
luxuriating in a long bath. and drains through the lymphatic system into
iuX*U*ri*OUS bg'zHOOreas; bk'SHOOr- • adj.
I
1 the bloodstream.
extremely comfortable, elegant, or enjoyable, fluid exuding from a sore or inflamed tissue.
esp. in a way that involves great expense: a 2 poetic/literary pure water.
luxurious marble bathroom many of the leader- \
derivatives: lymph'ous |-f9s| adj.
ship led luxurious lives. Iyr*ic I'liriki (of poetry) expressing
» adj. 1

giving self-indulgent or sensuous pleasure: a the writer's emotions, usually briefly and in
luxurious wallow in a scented bath. stanzas or recognized forms.
derivatives: lux»u»ri«ous»ly adv. lux»u» (of a poet) writing in this manner. 2 (of a
ri»ous»ness n. singing voice) using a light register: a lyric so-
prano with a light, clear timbre. • n. (usu.
usage: Luxuriant and luxurious are
lyrics) 1 a lyric poem or verse.
sometimes confused. Luxuriant means
lyric poetry as a literary genre. 2 the words
'lush, profuse, prolific, ' {forests of dark luxu-
riant foliage-, luxuriant black eyelashes). Lux- of a song: she has published both music and
lyrics for a number of songs.
urious, a more common word, means 'sup-
Iyr*i»cal I'lirikall 'adj. 1 (of literature, art, or
plied with luxuries, extremely comfortable,'
(a luxurious mansion).
music) expressing the writer's emotions in an
imaginative and beautiful way: the poet's com-
ly«can*thro*py Ili'ksenTHrapel *n. the su- bination of lyrical and descriptive power.
pernatural transformation of a person into a (of poetry or a poet) lyric: Wordsworth's
wolf (werewolf), as recounted in folk tales. Lyrical Ballads. 2 of or relating to the words
a form of madness involving the delusion of of a popular song: the lyrical content of his
being an animal, usually a wolf, with corre- songs.
spondingly altered behavior. derivatives: lyrM«cal»ly |-ik(3)le| adv.
derivatives: ly»can»thropMC |
.liksn Iyr*i*cist person who writes
|
'lirssist |
• a
'THrapikI adj. the words to a popular song or musical.

ma»ca»bre ms'kabrs; -'kab • adj. distur-

|

bing and horrifying because of involvement

|
Mm • adj. cunning, scheming, and unscrupu-
1
advancing one's ca-
lous, esp. in politics or in
with or depiction of death and injury: a ma- reer. 2 of or relating to Niccolo Machiavelli
cabre series of murders. (1469 -1527), Italian political theorist who
mac*a*ron*ic ,m£ek3'ranik|
|
» adj. denoting wrote The Prince. • n. (also Machiavelli)
language, esp. burlesque verse, containing person who schemes in such a way.
words or inflections from one language intro- derivatives: Mach»i»a»vel»li»an« ism
duced into the context of another, • n. (usu. I
-,niz9m n. I

macaronics) macaronic verse, esp. that mach*l»nate |

'maeka.nat; 'maeSHa- 1
. v.

which mixes the vernacular with Latin. [intrans.] engage in plots and intrigues;
mac*er*ate 'm£es3,rat| . v. [trans.] 1 soften or
|
scheme.
break up (something, esp. food) by soaking in derivatives: machM»na»tion ,maeka |

a liquid. 'naSHan; ,maeSH3-| n. machn»na»tor

[intrans.] become softened or broken up by |-,nat3ri n.
soaking. 2 cause to grow thinner or waste ma*chis*mo Ims'CHezmo; ma'kezmol • w.
away, esp. by fasting. strong or aggressive masculine pride.
derivatives: mac«er»a»tion |
.msesa daring or bravado.
'raSHsnl n. mac»er»a»tor |-,rat3r| n. ma«ChO |'maCHo| » adf showing aggressive
Mach (also Mach number) . n. the ratio of pride in one's masculinity: one big macho
tliespeed of a body to the speed of sound in tough guy. • n. (pi. -os) a man who is aggres-
the surrounding medium. It is often used sively proud of his masculinity.
with a numeral (as Mach 1, Mach 2, etc.) to machismo.
indicate the speed of sound, twice the speed mac»ro 'maekro • n. (pi. -os) 1 (also macro
|
|

of sound, etc. instruction) (in computing) a single instruc-

Mach«i*a*veHi*an i
.maekea'velesn; ,mak-| tion that expands automatically into a set of
macrobiotic 262 magnum opus
instructions to perform a particular task. tion and other criminal methods. (usu.
2 short for macro lens, a lens suitable for mafia) a closed group of people in a particu-
taking photographs unusually close to the having a controlling influence: the in-
lar field,
subject. • adj. 1 large-scale; overall: the anal- ternational tennis mafia.
ysis of social events at the Often macro level. Ma«gi 'magi; -ji; -ge (the Magi) the "wise
| |

contrasted with micro. 2 relating to or used in
macrophotography.
mac»ro»bi»Ot»iC .maekrobi'atikl 'adj. con-
stituting, relating to, or following a diet of
whole pure prepared foods that
Taoist principles of the balance of yin and
men" from the East who brought gifts to the
infant Jesus (Matt. 2:1), said in later tradition
|
to be kings named Caspar, Melchior, and
Balthasar who brought gifts of gold, frankin-
is based on cense, and myrrh.
mag«is»te»ri«al .maejs'stireal . adj. 1 having
| i

yang. • plural n. (macrobiotics) [treated as or showing great authority: a magisterial pro-

sing.] the use or theory of such a diet. nouncement.
mac*ro*cosm 'maekrSikazsm (also macro- | |
domineering; dictatorial: he dropped his some-
COSmos) • n. the universe; the cosmos. what magisterial style of questioning. 2 relating
the whole of a complex structure, esp. as rep- to or conducted by a magistrate.
resented or epitomized in a small part of it- (of a person) holding the office of a magis-
self (a microcosm). trate.
derivatives: mac«ro»cos»mic .maekra |
derivatives: mag»is»te«ri»al»ly adv.
'kazmiki adj. mac»ro»cos»mi»cal»ly ,maek- |
Mag*na Car*ta .maegns 'kartal a charter of
|

r3'kazmik(3)le adv. I
liberty and political rights obtained from
mac*ro»ec»0*nom»lcs 'mffikro,ek3'namiks; |
King John of England by his rebellious
-,ek3-| 'plural n. [treated as sing.] the part of barons at Runnymede in 1215, which came
economics concerned with large-scale or to be seen as the seminal document of Eng-
general economic factors, such as interest lish constitutional practice.
rates and national productivity. Cf. microec- any similar document of rights: a Magna
onomics. Carta for alternative broadcasters.
derivatives: mac«ro*ec»o»nomMC |-'nam- mag*nan*i*mous maeg'naenamas |
• adj. |

ik| adj. mac»ro*e»con»o*mist | -i'kansmist |

very generous or forgiving, esp. toward a ri-
n. val or someone less powerful than oneself.
mad*ri*gal |
'maedrigal I
• w. a part-song for derivatives: mag»na«nim»i«ty .maegna |

several voices, esp. one of the Renaissance 'nimste n. mag»nann»mous«ly adv.

|

period, typically arranged in elaborate coun- mag*nate 'maeg,nat; 'maegnati • n. a wealthy

|

terpoint and without instrumental accompa- and influential person, esp. in business: a me-
niment. Originally used of a genre of 14th- dia magnate.
century Italian songs, the term now usually mag*ne*tO mseg'neto • n. (pi. -os) a small
| I

refers to English or Italian songs of the late electric generator containing a permanent
16th and early 17th c, in a free style strongly magnet and used to provided high-voltage
influenced by the text. pulses, esp. (formerly) in the ignition systems
derivatives: mad»ri»gaW»an |
,maedri of internal combustion engines.
'galeani adj. mad»ri«gal«ist |-ist| n. mag*nil*0*quent |maeg'nibkw3nt| 'adj.
mael*Strom |
'mal.stram; -strsmi > n. a pow- using high-flown or bombastic language.
erful whirlpool in the sea or a river. derivatives: mag»nil»o»quence n. mag*
a scene or state of confused and violent nil»o*quent»ly adv.
movement or upheaval: the train station was a mag»ni»tude 'maegna.tood . w. 1 the great
i
|

maelstrom of crowds a maelstrom of violence \

and recrimination.
mae*nad |
ancient Greece)
'me,naed
a female follower of Bacchus, thegod of wine,
traditionally associated with divine posses-
sion and frenzied rites.
derivatives: mae*nad*ic |me'naedik|
adj.
ma»es*tO»SO mi'stoso; |
(esp. as amusical direction) in a majestic
manner. • «. (pi. -os) a movement or passage
marked to be performed in this way.
maes*tro 'mistro • n. (pi. maestri -stre
| |
or maestros) a distinguished musician, esp.
a conductor of classical music.
a great or distinguished figure in any sphere:
a movie maestro.
Ma*fi*a 'mafea . n. (the Mafia) [treated as
| |
sing, or pi.] an organized international body of
criminals, operating originally in Sicily and
now esp. in Italy and the US and having a
size or extent of something: they may feel dis-
couraged at the magnitude of the task before
I
• n. (in them.
great importance: events of tragic magnitude.
2 size: electorates of less than average magnitude.
a numerical quantity or value: the magni-
tudes of all the economic variables could be de-
termined. An order of magnitude is a differ-
-'stozo I
• adv. & adj. ence between two quantities expressed as a power
of ten. 3 the degree of brightness of a star.
The magnitude of an astronomical object is
now reckoned as the negative logarithm of
|
|
the brightness; a decrease of one magnitude
(e.g., from magnitude 3 to magnitude 2)
represents an increase in brightness of 2.512
times:
the class into which a star falls by virtue of
its brightness. a difference of one on a scale
of brightness, treated as a unit of measure-
ment.
mag*num 0*pus 'msegnam 'opas . n. (pi.
| i

complex and ruthless behavioral code. magnum opuses or magna opera 'maeg- |

(usu. mafia) any similar group using extor- na 'opara; 'apara|) a large and important
maharaja 263 malefactor
work of art, music, or literature, esp. one legally considered a most con-
full adult, in
regarded as the most important work of an texts either 18 or 21. 3 the rank or office of
artistor writer. Cf. chef-d'ceuvri;. a major.
ma*ha»ra»]a ,mah3'raj3; -'razHs (also ma-
| |

usage: 1 Strictly speaking, majority

harajah) • n. an Indian prince ranking higher should be used with countable nouns to
than a rajah, esp. one wo ruled a Native State mean 'the greater number,' as in the majority
before independence (1947).
of cases. Use with uncountable nouns to
ma*ha*ri*shi .maha'resne; ms'haraSHel » n.
|

mean 'the greatest part,' as in I spent the ma-

a great Hindu sage or spiritual leader.
day reading or she ate the majority
jority of the
ma*hat*ma |m3'hatm3;-'ha£tm3| • «. (in the of the meah although common in informal
Indian subcontinent) a person regarded with contexts, is not considered good standard
reverence or loving respect; a holy person or English.
sage.
2 Majority means more than half: Fifty-one
(the Mahatma) Mahatma (Mohandas K.) out of 100 is a majority. A plurality is the
Gandhi (1869-1948), Indian nationalist and largest number among three or more: IfAnne
spiritual leader. (in some forms of theoso-
received 50 votes, Barry received 30, and Car-
phy) a person in India or Tibet said to have Anne received a plurality,
los received 20, then
supernatural powers. and no candidate won a majority; ifAnne got 35
Ma»ha»ya*na Lmahs yansl (also Mahayana votes, Barry 14, and Carlos 51, then Carlos won
Buddhism) • n. one of the two major tradi- both the plurality and the majority.
tions of Buddhism, now practiced in a variety
of forms esp. in China, Tibet, Japan, and ma*jus*CUle i
'maejas.kyooll • n. large letter-
Korea. The tradition emerged around the 1st ing, either capital or uncial, in which all the
century ad and is typically concerned with al- letters are usually the same height.
truistically oriented spiritual practice as a large letter. Cf. minuscule,
embodied in the ideal of the bodhisattva. Cf. derivatives: ma»jus»cu»lar Ima'jaskya-
Theravada. brl adj.
ma*ieu*tic ma'yootik| |
* adj. of or denoting mal*a*droit ,masb'droit | I
• adj. ineffective or
tlie Socratic mode of inquiry, which aims to bungling; clumsy.
bring a person's latent ideas into clear con- derivatives: mal«a«droit»ly adv. mal«a«
sciousness, 'plural n. (maieutics) [treated droit'ness n.
as sing.] the maieutic method. mal»a*dy 'maelsde • n. (pi. -ies) a disease or
|
I

maihiot mi'o . n. (pi. pronunc. same) 1 a pair

| |
ailment: an incurable malady the nation's \

of tights worn for dancing or gymnastics. maladies.

a woman's tight-fitting one-piece swimsuit. ma*iaise ma'laz; -'lez .
|
a general feeling I

2 a jersey or top, esp. one worn in sports such of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose
as cycling. exact cause is difficult to identify: a society
maim |
mam I
• V. [trans.] wound or injure afflicted by a deep cultural malaise a general \

(someone) so that part of the body is perma- air of malaise.

nently damaged: 100,000 soldiers were killed or mal»a*pert .mseb'psrti » adj. boldly disre-
|

maimed. person of higher standing. • n.

spectfiil to a
ma»iol*i*ca Imi'abka] • n. fine earthenware an impudent person.
with colored decoration on an opaque white mal*a*prop |
'maeb.prap i
(also malaprop-
tin glaze, originating in Italy during the Ren- ism) the mistaken use of a word in place
. n.
aissance. Cf. majolica. of a similar-sounding one, often with unin-
maHred'h6*tel .matrsdo'tel; ,metr3 (also | |
tentionally amusing effect, as in, for example,
maitre l.matrs 'de; ,mat3r|) » n. (pi.
d' "dance a flamingo'' (instead of flamenco).
maitres d'hotel pronunc. same or maitre d's) mal»ap*ro*pos ,mael,aepr3'po| » adv. in an |

the person in a restaurant who oversees the inopportune or awkward manner; inappro-
serving staff, and who typically handles reser- priately. • adj. inopportune; inappropriate:
vations. these terms applied to him seem to me malapro-
the manager of a hotel. pos. • n. (pi. same) something inappropriately
ma*jol*i*ca Ims'jalika] • n. a kind of earthen- said or done.
ware made in imitation of Italian maiolica, mal*COn*tent |
.maelkan'tem; 'mselkan.tent |

esp. in England during the 1 9th century. • n. a person who is dissatisfied and rebel-
ma*jor-dO»mo .majar 'domo • n. (pi. -os)
| I
lious.• adj. dissatisfied and complaining or

the chief steward of a large household. making trouble.

ma»jor*i*ty ma'jorste; -'jar- . n. (pi. -ies)
|
1 derivatives: mal»con»tent»ed adj.
1 the greater number: in the majority of mal»e*dic*tion ,mgeb'diksH3n . n. a magi- i i

cases all will go smoothly [as adj.] it was a ma- \

cal word or phrase uttered with the intention
jority decision. of bringing about evil; a curse. Cf. benedic-
the number by which votes for one candi- tion.
date in an election are more than those for derivatives: mal«e»dic«tive |-'diktiv|
all other candidates combined. Brit, the mal»e»dic»to»ry |-'dikt3re| adj.
adj.
number by which the votes for one party or mal»e*fac»tor 'maeb,faekt3r| * n. a person |

candidate exceed those of the next in rank. who commits a crime or some other wrong.
a party or group receiving the greater derivatives: mal*e»fac»tion ,m£eb'f£ek- |

number of votes. 2 the age when a person is SH3n| n.

 V

malefic 264 mandible

ma«lef«ic |m3'lefik| 'adj. causing or capable treatment, esp. by a medical practitioner, law-
of causing harm or destruction, esp. by super- yer, or public official: victims of medical mal-
natural means. practice.
relating to the planets Saturn and Mars, tra- mal«ver«sa*tion .maelvsr'sasHan . n.
|
cor- |

ditionally considered by astrologists to have rupt behavior in a position of trust, esp. in

an unfavorable influence. public office: ineptitude and malversation were
derivatives: ma»lefM»cence |-'lef3S3ns| major factors in the trouncing of the party 's can-
ma»lefM»cent |-'lef3S3nt| adj.
71. didates.
maHev*0»lent Ima'levabntI * adj. having or mam»mon |
'mseman |
(also Mammon) . n.

showing a wish to do evil to others: malevo- wealth regarded as an evil influence or false
lent eyessome malevolent force of nature. Cf.
\
object of worship and devotion. It was taken
BENEVOLENT. by medieval writers as the name of the devil
derivatives: nia»lev»o»lence n. ma»lev* of covetousness, and revived in this sense by
o»lent»ly adv. John Milton.
mal»fea»sance |
mael'fezns |
• n. wrongdoing, derivatives : mam»monMsm |-,iz9m| n.
esp. by a public official when it affects his or mam»monMst |-,ist| n.
her public duties. man*a*cle |
'masnikal |
• n. (usu. manacles)
D e R at I v E s mal»fea»sant
I : |-'feznt| n. & a metal band, chain, or shackle for fastening
adj. someone's hands or ankles: the practice of
mal*ice 'maebs |
I
• the intention or desire
n. keeping prisoners in manacles. • v. [trans.] (usu.
to do evil; ill will: / bear no malice toward any- be manacled) person or a part of
fetter (a
body. the body) with manacles: his hands were man-
(in law) wrongful intention, esp. as increas- acled behind his back.
ing the guilt of certain offenses. Malice ma*na*na man'yana |
• adv. in the indefinite
I

aforethought is the intention to kill or harm future (used to indicate procrastination): the
that is held to distinguish murder from other exhibition will be ready maiiana.
unlawful killing. man*da*ia 'maendab; 'man-l • n. a geomet-
|

ma*lign ma'lm |
nature or effect:
|
• adj. evil in ric figure representing the universe in Hindu
malevolent: she had a strong and malign influ- and Buddhist symbolism.
ence. (in Jungian psychology) such a symbol in a
(of a disease) malignant. Cf. benign. • v. dream, representing the dreamer's search for
[trans.] speak about (someone) in a spitefully completeness and self-unity.
critical manner: don 't you dare malign her in derivatives: man*da*lic maen'daelik; |

my presence. ,m3n-| adj.

derivatives: ma»lign»er n. ma»lig»ni»ty man«da*mus msen'damas * n. a judicial
| \

I
-'lignate ma»lign»ly adv.
|
n. writ issued as a command to an inferior court
ma»lig»nan»cy ma'lignanse . n. (pi. -ies) | I
or ordering a person to perform a public or
1 the state or presence of a malignant tumor; statutory duty: a writ of mandamus.
cancer: in the biopsy, evidence of malignancy man*da»rin |
maendarsn I
. «. 1 (Mandarin)
was found. the standard literary and official form of Chi-
a cancerous growth. a form of cancer: dif- nese based on the Beijing dialect, spoken by
fuse malignancies such as leukemia. 2 the qual- over 730 million people: [as adj.] Mandarin
ity of being malign or malevolent: her eyes Chinese. 2 an official in any of the nine top
sparkled with renewed malignancy. grades of the former imperial Chinese civil
ma«lig*nant Ima'lignantI »adj. 1 (of a dis- service.
ease) very virulent or infectious. [as adj.] (esp. of clothing) characteristic or
(of a tumor) tending to invade normal tissue supposedly characteristic of such officials: a
or to recur after removal; cancerous. Cf. be- red-buttoned mandarin cap. porcelain deco-
nign. 2 characterized by intense ill will; ma- rated with Chinese figures dressed as man-
levolent: in the hands of malignant fate. darins. a powerful official or senior bureau-
derivatives: ma»lig«nant»ly adv. crat, esp. one perceived as reactionary and
ma*iin«ger Ima'liNOgsrl . v. [intrans.] exagger- secretive: State Department mandarins.
ate or feign illness in order to escape duty or derivatives: man«da»rin»ate n. man*
work. Cf. GOLD brick, da»rin»ism n.
derivatives: ma»lin»ger»er n. man*da»tO»ry 'mEenda.tore • adj. required
|
|

maMe*a*ble rmael(y)3b3l; 'maelea-l » adj. by law or rules; compulsory: wearing helmets

(of a metal or other material) able to be ham- was made mandatory for cyclists.
mered or pressed permanently out of shape of or conveying a command: he did not want
without breaking or cracking. the guidelines to be mandatory.
easily influenced; pliable: Anna was shaken derivatives: man»da»to«ri»ly |-,t6r3le|
enough to be malleable. Cf. ductile; tensile, adv.
derivatives: mal»le»a»bilM»ty |,mael(y)- man*di*ble 'msendsbsl n. the jaw or a
|
I
•

s'bilate; ,maele9-| n. mal»le»a»bly |-ble| jawbone, esp. the lower jawbone in mammals
adv. and fishes.
mal*0*dor*OUS |
masl'odaras |
• adj. smelling either of the upper and lower parts of a bird's
very unpleasant. beak. either half of the crushing organ in an
mal*prac*tice Imael'praektasl • n. improper, arthropod's mouthparts. Cf. .maxilla
illegal, or negligent professional activity or derivatives: man«dib»u«lar |maen'dib-
 .
manege
ysbri adj. man»dib»u»late
adj.
ma*nege mse'neZH; ma-
|
• n. an arena,
school, or enclosed area in which horses and
riders are trained.
the movements of a trained horse. horse-
manship.
ma»neu*ver Ima'noovarj (Brit, manoeuvre)
• 1 a movement or series of moves requir-
/?.
ing skill and care: spectacular jumps and other
daring maneuvers.
a carefully planned scheme or action, esp.
one involving deception: shady financial ma-
neuvers. the fact or process of taking such
action: the economic policy provided no room
for maneuver. 2 (maneuvers) a large-scale
military exercise of troops, warships, and
other forces: the Russian vessel was on ma-
neuvers. • V. (maneuvered, maneuver-
ing) 1 perform or cause to perform a move-
ment or series of moves requiring skill and
care: [intrans.] the truck was unable to maneuver
comfortably in the narrow street [with obj. and
adverbial of direction] I'm maneuvering a loaded
tray around the floor. 2 [with obj. and adverbial]
carefully guide or manipulate (someone or
something) in order to achieve an end: they
were maneuvering him into a betrayal of his
countryman.
[intrans.] carefully manipulate a situation to
achieve an end: [as n.] (maneuvering) two
decades of political maneuvering.
derivatives: ma«neu»ver»er
ma*ni*ac |
'mane,£ek| • n. a
extreme symptoms of wild behavior, esp.
when violent and dangerous: a homicidal ma-
niac.
[with adj.] an obsessive enthusiast: a gambling
maniac. a former technical designation for
a person suffering from mental disturbance
characterized by great excitement, delusions,
or overactivity (mania)
derivatives: ma*ni*a*cal Ima'msksll
adj. ma»ni»a»cal«ly m3'ni3k(3)le adv. |
Man*i*chae*ism 'mana.keizaml (alsoMan-
I
icheism) • n. a dualistic religious system
with Christian, Gnostic, and pagan elements,
founded in Persia in the 3rd century by
Manes (c.216-c.276).The system was based
on a supposed primeval conflict between
light and darkness. It spread widely in the Ro-
man Empire and in Asia, and survived in Chi-
nese Turkestan until the 1 3th century.
religious or philosophical dualism.
man»i*festi 'maen3,fest • adj. clear or obvi-
I
|
ous to the eye or mind: the system's manifest
failings. • v. display or show (a quality
[trans.]
or feeling) by one's acts or appearance; dem-
onstrate: Ray manifested signs of severe depres-
sion.
(often be manifested in) be evidence of;
prove: bad industrial relations are often mani-
fested in disputes and strikes.
ailment) become apparent through
pearance of symptoms: a disorder that usually
manifests in middle age. [intrans.] (of a ghost
or spirit) appear: one deity manifested in the
form of a bird.
265 manipulate
|
maen'diby9,lat |
derivatives: man»i»fest»ly adv.
man*i*fest2 . n. a document giving compre-
i
hensive details of a ship and its cargo and
other contents, passengers, and crew for the
use of customs officers.
a list of passengers or cargo in an aircraft. a
list of the cars forming a freight train. • v.
[trans.] record in such a manifest: every passen-
ger is manifested at the point of departure.
man*i«fes*ta*tlon .maenafa'staSHan; -,fes
|
'tasHan » n. an event, action, or object that
|
clearly shows or embodies something, esp. a
theory or an abstract idea: the first obvious
manifestations of global warming.
the action or fact of showing something in
such a way: the manifestation of anxiety over the
upcoming exams. a symptom or sign of an
ailment: a characteristic manifestation of Lyme
disease. a version or incarnation of some-
thing or someone: Purity and Innocence and
Young Love in all their gentle manifestations.
an appearance of a ghost or spirit.
\
man«i*fes*tO .maena'festo • n. (pi. -os) a
|
|
public declaration of policy and aims, esp.
one issued before an election by a political
party or candidate.
man»i*fold 'm£ena,fold • adj. many and var-
| I
ious: the implications of this decision were man-
ifold.
having many different forms or elements: the
appeal of the crusade was manifold. • n. 1 [of-
ten with adj.] a pipe or chamber branching
n. into several openings: the pipeline manifold.
person exhibiting (in an internal combustion engine) the part
conveying air and fuel from the carburetor to
each cylinder, or that leading from the cylin-
ders to the exhaust pipe: the exhaust manifold.
2 something with many different parts or
forms, in particular:
(in mathematics) a collection of points
forming a certain kind of set, such as those
of a topologically closed surface or an ana-
log of this in three or more dimensions. (in
|
Kantian philosophy) the sum of the particu-
lars furnished by sense before they have
been imified by the synthesis of the under-
standing.
derivatives: manM«fold»ly adv. man«i»
fold*ness n.
man«l»kin msenikan (also mannikin) . n.
| |
1 a person who is very small, esp. one not oth-
erwise abnormal or deformed. 2 a jointed
model of the human body, used in anatomy
or as an artist's lay figure.
usage: See usage at mannequin.
ma*nip*U*late |ma'nipya,lat| 'V. [trans.]
1 handle or control (a tool, mechanism, etc.),
typically in a skillful manner: he manipulated
the dials of the set.
move (text or data) on a com-
alter, edit, or
puter. examine or treat (a part of the body)
[intrans.] (of an by feeling or moving it with the hand: a sys-
the ap- tem of healing based on manipulating the liga-
ments of the spine. 2 control or influence (a
person or situation) cleverly, unfairly, or un-
scrupulously: the masses were deceived and
manipulated by a tiny group.
 . —

manipulative 266 maraud

alter (data) or present (statistics) so as to tition) hand-to-hand: the exhilaration of the
mislead. mano-a-mano battle. • adv. in the manner of
DERI VAT V E s ma«nip»u»la«bil»i«ty
I :
|
-,nip- hand-to-hand combat or a duel: they want to
yab'bilatel ma»nip»u»la»ble l-laball adj.
n. settle this mano a mano. • n. (pi. -os) an intense
ma»nip»u»lat»a«ble |-,lat9b3l| adj. ma»nip* fight or contest between two adversaries; a
u»la»tion m3,nipy3'laSH3n n. ma«nip»u« I
duel: a real courtroom mano-a-mano.
la»tor -,lat3rj n. ma«nip»u»la»to»ry j-b man«or !
maenari . n. (also manor house) a
,t6re adj. large country house with lands; the principal
ma*nip»U«la*tive |
ma'nipyabtiv; -,lativ| house of a landed estate.
• adj. characterized by unscrupulous con-
1 (esp. formerly in England and Wales) a unit
trol of a situation or person: she u^as sly, self- of land, originally a feudal lordship, consist-
ish, and manipulative. 2 of or relating to ma- ing of a lord's demesne and lands rented to
nipulation of an object or part of the body: a tenants. (formerly in North America) an es-
manipulative skill. tate or district leased to tenants, esp. one
derivatives: ma«nip«u»la»tive»ly adv. granted by royal charter in a British colony or
ma»nip»u»la«tive«ness n. by the Dutch governors of what is now New
man«na 'm^na . n. (in the Bible) the sub-
[
York.
stance miraculously supplied as food to the DERI \ AT v E s ma»no»ri»al ms'noreal adj.
I : |
|

Israelites in the wilderness (Exod. 16).
an unexpected or gratuitous benefit: the
cakes were manna from heaven.
Christian contexts) spiritual nourishment,
man*que imaNG'ka] » adj. [postpositive] having
failed to become what one might have been;
(in unfulfilled: a poet manque.
man*sard msen, sard; -sard • «. (also man-
' |

esp. the Eucharist. sard roof) a roof that has four sloping sides,
man»ne*quin 'msenikanj • n. a dummy used each of which becomes steeper halfway
to display clothes in a store window. down.
a young woman or man employed to show a story or apartment under a mansard roof.
clothes to customers. Brit, another term for gambrel.
usage: Mannequin occurs about five man*slaugh«ter maen.slotar . n. the crime ! |

times more firequently than either of its rel- of kiUing a human being without malice
atives manakin, manikin, and mannikin.
aforethought, or otherwise in circumstances
The source for all three words is the Middle not amounting to murder: the defendant was
convicted of manslaughter.
Dutch mannekijn (modem Dutch man-
neken) 'little man,' 'httle doll.'
man«sue*tude 'maEnswi,tood; meen'sooa-l |

Mannequin the French spelling from the

is
• n. meekness; gentleness.
same Dutch source. One of its French mean- man»tic 'msentik • adj. of or relating to div- I

ination or prophecy.
from about 1830, is 'a young
ings, dating
woman hired to model clothes' (even though man«tra 'msemra; 'man-i '

• w. (originally in

the word means 'little man'). This sense

Hinduism and Buddhism) a word or sound
still current, but rare in English first — repeated to aid concentration in meditation.
a Vedic (early Hindu) hymn. a statement or
appears in 1902. The far more common
sense of 'a life-size jointed figure or dummy slogan repeated frequently: the environmental-
ist mantra that energy is too cheap.
used for displaving clothes' is first recorded
in 1939.
DERI VAT V E s mau'tric -trik adj.
I : |
|

Manikin has had the sense 'little man' (of- man»U»mit .maenya'mitl • v. (manumit- |

ten contemptuous) since the mid 16th cen- ted, manumitting) [trans.] release fi-om slav-
ery; set free.
tury. It occurs as a term of abuse in Shake-
-
speare's Twelfth Night (spelled manakin).
derivatives: man»u»mis»sion mi- |
'

Manikin's sense of 'an artist's lay figure' SHan man*u»mit»ter n.

!
n.

also dates from the mid 16th century (first

Mao*ism 'mow.izam • n. the communist I !

recorded with the Dutch spelling Man- doctrines of Mao Zedong (1893-1976) as
neken)
formerly practiced in China, having as a cen-
tral idea permanent revolution and stressing
unfortunate that manakin and manni-
It is
the importance of the peasantry, of small-
kin refer to birds of two different families.
scale industry, and of agricultural collec-
For the bird names manakin is the earlier
tivization.
spelling, dating firom the mid 18th century.
It has a variant spelling, manikin, identical derivatives Maonst : l'mowist| n.&adj.
with manikin. Mannikin dates fi-om about ma*qui»la»do»ra l
.msekib'dora » n. a fac- \

1875 and is merely a variant spelling of tory in Mexico run by a foreign company
(typically, American) and exporting its prod-
manikin. The more remote history of these
bird names is obscure: manakin may come
ucts (t3,pically, assembled from parts
from the Portuguese manaquim 'mannikin,' imported into Mexico) to the country of that
a variant of manequim 'mannequin'; or
company.
mannikin may come directly from the
ma*raud ma'rod . v. [intrans.] [often as adj.]
I
|

source of the Portuguese words, the Middle (marauding) roam in search of things to
Dutch mannekijn. steal or people to attack: marauding gangs of
looters.
ma*no a ma*no ,,mano a 'manoj (also [trans.] raid and plunder (a place).
mano-a-mano) • adj. (of combat or compe- derivatives: ma»raud»er n.
marchioness 267 masturbate
mar*chion*ess 'marSH(3)n3s |
|
. «. the wife marshaled into position. [trans.] correctly po-

or widow of a marquess. sition or arrange (rolling stock). [trans.]

a woman holding the rank of marquess in her guide or direct the movement of (an aircraft)
own right. on the ground at an airport. 2 (in heraldry)
mare's nest • «. 1 a complex and difficult sit- combine (coats of arms), typically to indicate
uation; a muddle; this dispute has become a marriage, descent, or the bearing of office.
mare's nest. 2 an illusory discovery: the mare's derivatives: mar»shal«er n. mar»shal»
nest of perfect safety. ship - ,SHip n.
I I

mar*gi*na*ll»a .marja'nalea • plural n. mar-

|
|
mar»SU*pi»al mar'soopeal • n. a mammal of|
\

ginal notes: among the marginalia are clues to an order (Marsupialia) whose members are
the author's identity. born incompletely developed and are typically
mar*gin«al*ize 'marjsna.liz . v. [trans.] treat|
|
carried and suckled
in a pouch on the moth-
(a person, group, or concept) as insignificant er's belly. of or relating to this order.
• adj.
or peripheral: attempting to marginalize those mar*tial 'marSHal • adj. of or appropriate to
| |

who disagree \
[as adj.] (marginalized) mem- war; warlike: martial bravery.
bers of marginalized cultural groups. derivatives: mar»tial»ly adv.
derivatives: mar»gin»al»i»za»tion |
,mar- mar*ti*net |,martn'et| » n. a strict discipli-
jsnab'zasHan n. I
narian, esp. in the armed forces.
mar»l»CUl«ture 'maeri.kalCHarl ]
. n. the culti- mar*tyr 'martsri » n. a person who is killed
|

vation of fish or other marine life for food. because of his or her religious or other behefs.
derivatives: marM»cul»tur»al adj. mar* a person who displays or exaggerates dis-
i»ciil»tur»ist n. comfort or distress to obtain sympathy or ad-
Mar*i»ol*a*try ,mere'abtre |
|
. n. idolatrous miration: she played the martyr. (martyr to)
worship of the Virgin Mary. a constant sufferer from (an ailment): I'm a
marque' mark I
\
• n. a make of car, as distinct martyr to migraines/ • v. [trans.] (usu. be mar-
from a specific model. tyred) kill (someone) because of his or her
marque^ • n. see letter of marque. beliefs: she was martyred for her faith.
mar*quee |mar'ke| • n. 1 a rooflike projec- cause great pain or distress to: there was no
tion over the entrance to a theater, hotel, or need to martyr themselves again.
other building. derivatives: mar«tyr«i*za«tion |
, mar-
[as adj.] leading; preeminent: a marquee pra'zaSHsnl n. mar«tyr»ize |'mart3,riz| v.

player. 2 a large tent used for social or com- mar»tyr»dom n.

mercial functions. Marx*ism 'mark,siz3m • n. the political and
|
|

mar*quess 'markwss • n. a British noble-

| |
economic theories of Karl Marx and Fried-
man ranking above an earl and below a duke. rich Engels, later developed by their follow-
Cf. marquis. ers to form the basis for the theory and prac-
mar«que*try markatre (also marqueterie
|
|
tice of communism.
or marquetery) • n. inlaid work made from
Central to Marxist theory is an explanation
small pieces of variously colored wood or
of social change in terms of economic fac-
other materials, used chiefly for the decora-
tors, according to which the means of pro-
tion of furniture.
duction provide the economic base, which in-
mar*quis mar'ke; 'markwss • n. (in some
|
|

fluences or determines the political and

European countries) a nobleman ranking ideological superstructure. Marx and Engels
above a count and below a duke. Cf. mar- predicted the revolutionary overthrow of
quess.
capitalism by the proletariat and the eventual
mar*quise |mar'kez| » n.^ the wife or widow attainment of a classless communist society.
of a marquis. Cf. marchioness.
a woman holding the rank of marquis in her derivatives: Marxnst 'marks3st| n. & adj. |

own right. 2 a finger ring set with a pointed masque maesk • n. a form of amateur dra-
|
I

oval gem or cluster of gems. 3 archaic term matic entertainment, popular among the no-
for marquee (sense 2) 4 a chilled dessert sim- . bility in 16th- and 17th-century England,
ilar to a chocolate mousse. which consisted of dancing and acting per-
mar*shal I'marSHslI • «. 1 an officer of the formed by masked players.
highest rank in the armed forces of some a masked ball.
countries, including France. derivatives mas«quer : I'maesksrl n.
a high-ranking officer of state. 2 a federal or mas*sif |mae'sef| • compact group of
«. a
municipal law officer. mountains, esp. one that is separate from
the head of a police department. the head other groups,
of a fire department. 3 an official responsible mast • n. the fruit of beech, oak, chestnut, and
for supervising public events, esp. sports other forest trees, esp. as food for pigs and
events or parades. • v. (marshaled, mar- wild animals.
shaling; chiefly Brit, marshalled, marshal- mas*ti*cate |
'maesti,kat |
* V. [trans.] chew
ling) [trans.] 1 arrange or assemble (esp. a (food).
group of people, such as soldiers) in order: the derivatives: mas«ti»ca»tion .maesti'ka- |

general marshaled his troops he paused for a \

SHsnl n. mas*ti»ca«tor |-,kapr| n. mas»ti«
moment, as if marshaling his thoughts. ca»to»ry 'mEestiks.tore adj.
| |

[with obj. and adverbial of direction] guide or mas*tur»bate |

'msst3r,bat| »v. [intrans.] sti-
usher (someone) ceremoniously: guests were mulate one's own genitals for sexual pleasure.
 .

mate 268 maven

[trans.] stimulate the genitals of (someone) to derivatives: mat*ri*cid*al |
,maetr9'sidl;
givethem sexual pleasure. ,ma-| adj.
derivatives: mas«tur»ba»tion |
, maestsr ma«tric«U*late ma'trikya.lat »v. 1 [intrans.]
|
\

'baSHsnl n. mas»tur»ba»tor |-,bat3r| n. be enrolled at a college or university: he

mas»tur»ba»to»ry |-b3,t6rei adj. matriculated at Yale.
ma»te 'ma,ta (also yerba mate) . n. 1 (also
| |
[trans.] admit (a student) to membership of a

mate tea or Paraguay tea) an infusion of the college or university. 2 [trans.] record (a coat
leaves of a South American shrub {Ilex para- of arms) in an official register. . n. a person
guariensis), which is high in caffeine and bit- who has been matriculated.
ter. derivatives: ma»tric»u»lant n. ma»tric»
the leaves of this shrub. 2 the South Ameri- u»la»tion m3,triky3'lasH3n n.I I

can shrub of the holly family that produces mat*rHin»e»al .matra' lineal; ma- 'adj. of
|
, 1

these leaves. or based on kinship with the mother or the fe-

ma»ter*fa»mll»i»as |
.maprfs'miless; ,ma- male line.
tsr-l * n. (pi.matresfamilias |
,ma,tras-; derivatives: mat»ri»lin»e»al»ly adv.
,mat9rz- ) 1
the female head of a family or mat»ri»lin»e»al»i»ty n.
household. ma*trix 'matriks • n. (pi. matrices 'matrs
| | |

ma*te*ri*aHsm Ims'tirea.lizsml 1 a ten- ,sez| or matrixes 'matriksiz ) 1 an envi- |

dency to consider material possessions and
physical comfort as more important than
spiritual, aesthetic, or cultural values.
a way of life based on material interests. 2 the
philosophical doctrine that nothing exists ex-
cept matter and its movements and modifi-
cations.
the doctrine that consciousness and will are
due wholly to material agency. See also ide-
ausm; mentalism.
derivatives: ma»te»ri»alMSt
ma«te»ri«alMS«tic
te»ri»al»is»ti»cal«ly
ma«te»ri»el |m3,tire'el| (also materiel) . «.
military materials and equipment: moving
material along muddy roads was a challenge.
ma«ter*nal ma'taml • adj. of or relating to
| |
a mother, esp. during pregnancy or shortly af-
ter childbirth: maternal age maternal care.
[attrib.] related through the mother's side of
the family: my maternal grandfather. denot-
ronment or material in which something de-
velops; a surrounding medium or structure:
free choices become the matrix of human life.
a mass of fine-grained rock in which gems,
crystals, or fossils are embedded. the sub-
stance between living cells or in which biolog-
ical structures are embedded. the tissue
from which a tooth, hair, feather, nail, etc.
arises. fine material: the matrix of gravel
paths is hoed regularly. 2 a mold in which
n. & adj. something, such as printing type or a phono-
|
m3,tire3'listik |
adj. ma« graph record, is cast or shaped. 3 a rectangu-
|
-tik(3)le |
adv. lar array of numerical quantities or expres-
sions in rows and columns that is treated as a
single entity and manipulated according to
particular mathematical rules.
an organizational structure in which two or
more lines of command, responsibility, or
\
communication may run through the same
individual.
ma»tron 'matrsn » n. A a married woman,
| |

ing feelings associated with or typical of a esp. a dignified and sober middle-aged one.
mother; motherly: maternal instincts. a female prison officer. 2 a woman in charge
DERIVATIVES ma»ter»naWsm : |-,iz3m| n. of domestic and medical arrangements at a
ma»ter»nalMst |
-ist |
adj. ma»ter«nal»is»tic boarding school or other establishment.
I
mSitarnl'istikl adj. ma'tevnahly adv. derivatives: ma»tron»hood |-,h00d| n.
mat»ins 'mastnz * n. a service of morning
| \
ma*tron»ly adj. (in sense 1 only)
prayer in various churches, esp. the Anglican matte maet (also matt or mat) . adj. (of a
1
|
I

(Episcopal) Church. color, paint, or surface) dull and flat, without

a service of the Western Christian Church, a shine: matte black. • «. 1 a matte color,
originally said (or chanted) at or after mid- paint, or finish: the varnishes are available in
night, but historically often held with lauds and matte. 2 a sheet of cardboard
gloss, satin,
on the previous evening. placed on the back of a picture, either as a
ma*tri»arch 'matre.ark » n. a woman who is
|
\
mount or to form a border around the pic-
the head of a family or tribe. ture. • V. (matted, matting) [trans.] (often
an older woman who is powerful within a be matted) give a matte appearance to
family or organization: a domineering matri- (something).
arch. matte^ . n. a mask used to obscure part of an
derivatives: ma»tri«ar*chal |
,matre'ar- image in a film and allow another image to be
ksl I
adj. substituted, combining the two.
ma«tri*ar»Chy rmatre,arke| . n. (pi. -ies) a maud*lin 1
'modlin |
. adj. self-pityingly or
system of society or government ruled by a tearfully sentimental, often through drunk-
woman or women. enness: the drink made her maudlin a maud- \

a form of social organization in which de- lin ballad. Cf. mawkish.

scent and relationship are reckoned through mau*SO*le*um l.moza'leam; ,m6s3-| . n. (pi.
the female line. the state of being an older, mausolea |-'le3| or mausoleums) a build-
powerful woman in a family or group. ing, esp. a large and stately one, housing a
mat»ri*cide 'msetrs.sid; 'ma- . n. the killing
|
1 tomb or tombs.
of one's mother: a man suspected of matricide. ma»ven 'mavan . n. [often with adj.] an ex-
| |

a person who kills his or her mother. pert or connoisseur: fashion mavens.
maverick 269 mediate
mav»er*ick 'maev(3)rik| . n. 1 an unortho-
|
(of a person) wander at random: kids mean-
dox or independent-minded person: a free- dered in and out. [intrans.] (of a speaker or

thinking maverick. text) proceed aimlessly or with little purpose:

a person who refuses to conform to a partic- a stylish offbeat thriller that occasionally mean-
ular party or group: the maverick Connecticut ders. • n. (usu. meanders) a winding curve
Republican. 2 an unbranded calf or yearling. or bend of a river or road: the river flows in
• adj. unorthodox: a maverick detective \
a sweeping meanders.
maverick approach to school financing. [in sing.] a circuitous journey, esp. an aimless
mawk*ish 'mokiSH • adj. sentimental in a
| |
one: a leisurely meander around the twisting
feeble or sickly way: a mawkish poem. coastline road. an ornamental pattern of
having a faint sickly flavor: the mawkish smell winding or interlocking lines, e.g., in a mo-
of beer. saic.
derivatives: mawk»ish»ly adv. mawk* me»di*a 'medea * n. ^ plural form of me-
| \

ish»ness n. dium. 2 (usu. the media) [treated as sing, or

max*il*la msk'sib . n. (pi. maxillae - sile;
| | |
pi.] the main means of mass communication

-'sil,i ) the jaw or jawbone, specifically the

I
(esp. television, radio, newspapers, and
upper jaw in most vertebrates. In humans it sometimes the Internet) regarded collec-
also forms part of the nose and eye socket. tively: [as adj.] the campaign won media atten-
(in many arthropods) each of a pair of tion.
mouthparts used in chewing. Cf. mandible. usage: The word media comes from the
max*im 'maeksim . n. a short, pithy state-
| |

Latin plural of medium. The traditional

ment expressing a general truth or rule of view is that it should therefore be treated as
conduct: the maxim that actions speak louder a plural noun in all its senses in English and
than words.
be used with a plural rather than a singular
ma*ya |
'mis; 'maya |
• n. the supernatural verb: the media have not follozved the reports
power wielded by Hindu gods and demons to (rather than 'has'). In practice, in the sense
produce illusions. 'television, radio, the press, and the Internet
the power by which the universe becomes
colleaively,' behaves as a collective noun
it
manifest. the illusion or appearance of the
(like stafif or clergy, for example), which
phenomenal world. means that it is now acceptable in standard
may»hem 'ma, hem • n. violent or damag-
|
|

English for it to take either a singular or a

ing disorder; chaos: complete mayhem broke
plural verb.
out.
a former designation for the crime of mali- me*di*a*cy |
'medease |
• n. the quality of be-
ciously injuring or maiming someone, origi- ing mediate.
nally so as to render the victim defenseless. me«dl»al |
'medeal |
. adf situated in the mid-
ma*2el tOV 'mazsl ,t6v; ,t6f| • exclam. a Jew-
|
dle, in particular:
ish phrase expressing congratulations or situated near the median plane of the body
wishing someone good luck. or the midline of an organ. The opposite of
me*a CUl*pa ,ma3 'k00l,p3; -,pa • n. an ac- | I
LATERAL. (of a spcech sound) in the middle
knowledgment of one's fault or error: [as of a word. (esp. of a vowel) pronounced in
exclam.] "Well, whose fault was that?" "Mea the middle of the mouth; central.
culpa!" Frank said. DERI VAT v E s me«di«al»ly adv.
I :

mean • n. 1 the quotient of the sum of several me*di»an 'medean . adj. [attrib.]
|
I
1 denoting
quantities and their number; an average: acid or relating to a value or quantity lying at the
output was calculated by taking the mean of all midpoint of a range of observed values or
three samples. An arithmetic mean is calcu- quantities, such that there is an equal proba-
lated by adding a set of numerical values to- bility of a value falling above or below it: the
gether and dividing them by the number of median duration of this treatment was four
terms in the set. A geometric mean is the months.
central number in a geometric progression denoting the middle term of a series
(e.g. 9 in 3, 9, 27), also calculable as the nth arranged in order of magnitude, or (if there is
root of a product of n numbers. no middle term) the average of the middle
the term or one of the terms midway be- two terms. For example, the median number
tween the first and last terms of a progres- of the series 55, 62, 76, 85, 93 is 76; of the se-
sion. 2 a condition, quality, or course of ac- ries 23, 27, 29, 32 it is 28. 2 situated in the
tion equally removed from two opposite middle, esp. of the body: the median part of the
(usually unsatisfactory) extremes: the mean sternum. * n. ^ the median value of a range of
between two extremes. • adj. [attrib.] 1 (of a values: acreages ranged from one to fifty-two
quantity) calculated as a mean; average: by with a median of twenty-four 2 (also median
1 989, the mean age at marriage stood at 24. 8 for Strip) the strip of land between the lanes of
women and 26. 9 for men. 2 equally far from opposing traffic on a divided highway. 3 a
two extremes: hope is the mean virtue between straight line drawn from any vertex of a trian-
despair and presumption. gle to the midpoint of the opposite side.
me*an*der Ime'eendsrl ' V. (of a river or DERIVATIVES: me»di«an»ly adv.
road) follow a winding course: a river that me*di*ate • rmede,at| 1 [intrans.] intervene
z;.

meandered gently through a meadow [as adj.] \

between people in a dispute in order to bring
(meandering) a meandering lane. about an agreement or reconciliation: Wilson
mediocre 270 Megillah
attempted to mediate between the powers to statebetween two extremes; a reasonable bal-
end the war. ance: you have to strike a happy medium
intervene in (a dispute) to bring about
[trans.] between looking like royalty and looking like a
an agreement. [trans.] bring about (an housewife. • adj. about halfway between two
agreement or solution) by intervening in a extremes of size or another quality; average:
dispute: mediate a peaceful resolution
efforts to John is six feet tall, of medium build \
medium-
of the conflict. Cf. arbitrate. 2 [trans.] bring length hair.
about (a result such as a physiological effect): (of cooked meat) halfway between rare and
the right hemisphere plays an important role in well-done: / wanted my burger to be medium.
mediating tactile perception of direction. derivatives: me»di»umMsm |-,miz3m|
be a means of conveying: this important min- n. (in sense 4). me»di»umMs«tic ,mede9 |

istry of mediating the power of the word. form 'mistiki adj. (in sense 4). me«di«um»ship
a connecting link between: structures that me- I
- ,SHip n. (in sense 4).
I

diate gender divisions. » adj. I'medestI con- med*ley 'medle . n. (pi. -eys) a varied mix-
| |

nected indirectly through another person or ture of people or things; a miscellany: a med-
thing; involving an intermediate agency: pub- ley offlavors.
lic law institutions are a type of mediate state ad- a collection of songs or other musical items
ministration. performed as a continuous piece: a medley of
derivatives: me»di»ate«ly |'mede3tle| Fats Waller songs. a swimming race in which
me»di»a»tion .mede'asHan n. me»di»
adv. |
|
contestants swim sections in different
a»tor I'mede.aprl n. me«di»a»to»ry strokes, either individually or in relay teams:
1
'medea.tore |
adj. the 4.00-meter individual medley. • adj. mixed;
me*di*0*cre .mede'okarl |
. adj. of only mod- motley: a medley range of vague and variable
erate quality; not very good: a mediocre actor. impressions. • v. (past and past part, -eyed or
derivatives: me»di»oc»ri»ty n. : the num- -ied) [trans.] make a medley of; intermix.
bering mediocrity of radio music neither candi- \
me*duMa ob*long«a*ta a.bloNG gapl . «. |

date is more than a mediocrity. me»di»o»cre»ly the continuation of the spinal cord within the
adv. skull, forming the lowest and most primitive
med*i*tate I'meda.tatI 'V. [intrans.] focus part of the brain and containing control cen-
one's mind for a period of time, in silence or ters for the heart and lungs.
with the aid of chanting, for religious or spir- Me*du*sa m3'd(y)oos3; -za the only mortal
|
|

itual purposes or as a method of relaxation. gorgon of Greek mythology, whom Perseus

(meditate on/upon) think deeply or care- Idlled by cutting off her head.
fully about (something): he went off to meditate (also medusa) a terrifying or ugly woman,
on the new idea. [trans.] plan mentally; con- meed med • «. a deserved share or reward:
| |

sider: they had suffered severely, and they began he must extract from her some meed of approba-
to meditate retreat. tion.
derivatives: medn»ta«tor |-,tat3r| n. meet • adj. suitable; fit; proper: it is a theater
med*i*ta*tion |
.meda'tasHan |
. the action meet for great events.
or practice of meditating: a life of meditation. derivatives: meet»ly adv. meet»ness n.

a written or spoken discourse expressing meg*a»lith 'meg9,liTH • n. a large stone that

|
|

considered thoughts on a subject: his later let- forms a prehistoric monument (e.g., a men-
ters are intense meditations on man 's exploi- hir) or part of one (e.g., a stone circle or dol-
tation of his fellows. men).
me*di*um |
'medesm I
• n. (pi. media |
'me- meg*aHith»ic ,meg3'liTHik| »adj. of, relat-
|

dea I
or mediums 'medesmz |
|
) 1 an agency ing to, or denoting prehistoric monuments
ormeans of doing something: using the latest made of or containing megaliths.
technology as a medium
forjob creation their \
(often Megalithic) of, relating to, or denot-
primitive valuables acted as a of ex- medium ing prehistoric cultures characterized by the
change. erection of megalithic monuments. massive
a means by which something is communi- or monolithic: since June, the committee has be-
cated or expressed: here the Welsh language is come megalithic.
the medium of instruction. 2 the intervening meg*a*lo»ma*ni*a |
.megalo'maneal • n. ob-
substance through which impressions are session with the exercise of power, esp. in the
conveyed to the senses or a force acts on ob- domination of others.
jects at a distance: radio communication needs delusion about one's own power or impor-
no physical medium between the two stations \
tance (typically as a symptom of psychiatric
the medium between the cylinders is a vacuum. disorder); delusions of grandeur.
the substance in which an organism lives or derivatives: meg«a»lo*manMC l-'masn-
is cultured: grow bacteria in a nutrient-rich me- ik[ adj.
dium. 3 a liquid (e.g., oil or water) with which meg*a»lop*0*lis .mega lapalasl » n. a very |

pigments are mixed to make paint. large, heavily populated city or urban com-
the material or form used by an artist, com- plex. Cf. conurbation; metroplex; metro-
poser, or writer: oil paint is the most popular politan AREA.
medium for glazing. 4 (pi. mediums) a person Me*gil*lah ma'gib one of five books of the
|
|

claiming to be in contact with the spirits of Hebrew Song of Solomon,

scriptures (the
the dead and to communicate between the Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and
dead and the living. 5 the middle quality or Esther) that are appointed to be read on cer-
megrim 271 memento mori
tain Jewish notable days, esp. the Book of a confused mass of people: the melee always
Esther, read at the festival of Purim. thronging the streets.
[as n.]the whole megillah) something
(also meHonate |
'melea.rati • v. another term for
in its esp. a complicated set of
entirety, ameliorate.
arrangements or a long-winded story. derivatives: meWo«ra»tion .melea'ra-|

me*grim 'megrim . «. 1 (megrims) de-

|
|
SH3n| n. mel»io»ra»tive |
'melep.rativ adj. |

pression; low spirits: /re5/z air and exercise, she mel*io*rism 'melea.rizsml * n. the belief
|

generally found, could banish most megrims. 2 a that the world can be made better by human
whim or fancy. 3 old-fashioned term for mi- effort. Cf. optimism.
graine. derivatives: meWo»rist n. & adj. mel*
mei*0*sis »n. (pi. meioses |-'o
|mi'os9s| io«ris»tic |
.melea'ristik |
adj.
,sez ) 1 a type of cell division that results in
I
meHiMu*OUS Ims'liflawasI •adj. (of a voice
two daughter cells each with half the chromo- or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear:
some number of the parent cell, as in the pro- the voice was mellifluous and smooth.
duction of sex cells. Cf. mitosis. 2 another derivatives: meMif»lu»ous*ly adv. mel»
term for litotes. lif»lu»ous»ness n.
derivatives: mei»otMC |mi'atik| adj. me«lod*ic |m9'ladik| . adj. of, having, or pro-
mei»ot«i«caWy |-ik(3)le| adv. ducing melody: melodic and rhythmic patterns.
mel«an*Cho*ll*a .mebn'koleal » n. deep |
pleasant-sounding; melodious: his voice was
sadness or gloom; melancholy: rain slithered deep and melodic.
down the windows, encouraging a creeping mel- derivatives: me«lod«i»caWy |-(3)le| adv.
ancholia. me*IO*di»OUS ma'lodess . adj. of, produc-
|
I

formerly, a mental condition marked by per- ing, or having a pleasant tune; tuneful: the me-
sistent depression and ill-founded fears. lodious chant of the monks.
derivatives: mel«an»cho»li»ac |-'kole- pleasant-sounding: a melodious voice.
£ek I
n. & adj. derivatives: me»lo»di»ous»ly adv. me*
mel»an»chol*y 'mebn.kalel a deep, | lo»di»ous»ness n.
pensive, and long-lasting sadness. mel*0*dra*ma i
'meb, drams I
• n. ^ a sensa-
another term for melancholia (as a mental tional dramatic piece with exaggerated char-
condition). another term for black bile, one acters and exciting events intended to appeal
of the four bodily humors (fluids) formerly to the emotions.
taken to be the foundation of character. • adj. the genre of drama of this type. language,
sad, gloomy, or depressed: the dog has a mel- behavior, or events that resemble drama of
ancholy expression. this kind: what little is known of his early life is
causing or expressing sadness; depressing: cloaked in melodrama. 2 a play interspersed
the study makes melancholy reading. with songs and orchestral music accompany-
derivatives: mel»an«chol«ic |
, mebn ' ka- ing the action, popular from the 17th to 19th
lik| adj. mel»an»choln«cal»ly |
.mebn'kal- cent.
3k(3)le| adv. derivatives: mel»o«dram»a«tist |
,meb
melange ima'lanji »n. a (also melange) 'dramatist! n. mel»o»dram»a»tize |
,meb
mixture; a medley: a melange of tender vegeta- 'dram3,tiz| v.

bles and herbs. mem'brane 'mem, bran |

|
. n. a pliable sheet-
mel*a*nln 'melanin • n. a dark brown to
|
I
boundary,
like structure acting as a lining, or
black pigment occurring in the hair, skin, and partition in an organism.
iris of the eye in people and animals. It is re- a thin pliable sheet or skin of various kinds:
sponsible for tanning of skin exposed to sun- the concrete should include amembrane to pre-
light. vent water seepage. (in biology) a micro-
mel*a*nism 'meb,niz3m . n. unusual dark-
| I
scopic double layer of lipids and proteins that
ening of body tissues caused by excessive pro- bounds cells and organelles and forms struc-
duction of melanin, esp. as a form of color tures within cells.
variation in animals. derivatives: mem«bra»na«ceous |
, mem-
derivatives: me»lannc |m3'l£enik| adj. bra 'naSH3s| adj. mem»bra*ne»ous jmem
mel»a»nis»tic |
,meb'nistik| adj. 'braneasi adj. mem»bra»nous 'membran- |

me!d> I
meld |
*v. blend; combine: [trans.] as; mem'branas I
adj.
Australia's winemakers have melded modern meme mem |
• n. an element of a culture or
\

science ivith traditional art \

[intrans.] the nylon system of behavior that may be considered
bristlesshrivel and meld together. • n. a to replicate by passing from one individual
thing formed by merging or blending: a meld to another by nongenetic means, esp. imita-
of many contributions. tion.
meld^ . V. [trans.] (in rummy, canasta, and derivatives: me»me«tic |me'metik;
other card games) lay down or declare (a ma- adj.1

combination of cards) in order to score me*men*tO ma'men,to |

. n. (pi. -OS or -oes)
I

points: my opponent melded four kings. » n. a an object kept as a reminder or souvenir of a

completed set or run of cards in any of these person or event: you can purchase a memento
games. of your visit.
me*lee I'ma.la; ma'lal (also melee) . a me«men»tO mo»rl ma'men,to 'more . n. (pi. |
|

confused fight, skirmish, or scuffle: several same) an object serving as a warning or re-
people were hurt in the melee. minder of death, such as a skull.
 1

menage a trois 272 meridian

me*nage a trois Ima'nazH a 't(r)wa; ma-l employees or students. . v. [trans.] to advise
. n. (pi. menages a troispronunc. same) an ar- or train (someone, esp. a younger colleague).
rangement in which three people share a sex- derivatives: men»tor»ship |-,SHip| n.
ual relationship, typically a domestic situa- me*phit*ic |m9'fitik| (also adf mephitical) .

tion involving a married couple and the lover (esp. of a gas or vapor) foul-smelling; nox-
of one of them. ious.
men*da*CiOUS not tell- |
men'daSHss |
. adj. mer*can*tile |
'm3rk3n,tel; -,til |
. adj. of or
ing the truth; lying: mendacious propaganda. relating to trade or commerce; commercial:
derivatives: men«da»cious«ly adv. men* the shift of wealth to the mercantile classes.
da*cious*ness n. of or relating to mercantihsm. • n. old term
men*dac»i*ty men'daesite |
|
(p!. -ies) • n.un- for a general store: we walked to the local mer-
truthfulness: a politician notorious for his men- cantile.
dacity the mendacities of advertising.
1
mer»can*til»ism |
msrksmi.lizam; -,te-; -,ti-
men*dl*cant |
'mendiksnt I
• adj. given to • n. belief in the benefits of profitable trading;
begging. commercialism.
of, belonging to, or denoting one of the reli- the economic theory, developed in the late
gious orders that originally relied solely on 18th cent., that trade generates wealth and is
alms: a mendicant friar. . n. a beggar. stimulated by the accumulation of profitable
a member of a mendicant order. balances, which a government should en-
DERIVATIVES men»di»can»cy |-k3nse| n. : courage by means of protectionism.
men*hir 'men,hir • n. a tall upright stone of
|
|
derivatives: mer»can»tilMst n. & adj.
a kind erected in prehistoric times in western mer»can»tilns»tic .markanti'listik; -,te-; |

Europe. -,ti-| adj.

me*ni*al I'menesll »adj. (of work) not mer*ce»nar«y 'm3rs9,nere • adj. (of a per-
|
|

requiring much skill and lacking prestige: me- son or personal behavior) primarily con-
nial factory jobs. cerned with making money at the expense of
• n. a person
[attrib.] (of a servant) domestic. ethics: nothing but a mercenary dealmaker. • n.
with a menial job. (pi. -ies) a professional soldier hired to serve

a domestic servant. in a foreign army.

derivatives: me»ni«al»ly adv. a person primarily concerned with material
me«nor»ah ma'nora . n. (the Menorah) a
i I
reward at the expense of ethics: the sport's most
sacred candleholder with seven branches infamous mercenary.
used in the Temple in Jerusalem, originally derivatives: mer»ce»nar«i»ly adv. mer*
that made by the craftsman Bezalel and ce»nar«i»ness n.
placed in the sanctuary of the Tabernacle mer«CU*ri*al |m3r,ky(50re9l| . adj. 1 (of a per-
(Exod. 37:17-24). son) subject to sudden or unpredictable
a candleholder used in Jewish worship, esp. changes of mood or mind: his mercurial tem-
one with eight branches and a central socket perament.
used at Hanukkah. (of a person) sprightly; lively. 2 of or con-
mensch |'menCH| • n. (p!. menschen taining the element mercury. • n. (usu. mer-
I
'menCHan or mensches) a person, esp. a
|
curials) a drug or other compound contain-
man, of integrity and honor. ing mercury.
men*Stru«ate 'menstra.wat; 'men, strati »v.
|
derivatives: mer»cu»ri»alM«ty Imar
[intrans.] (of a woman) discharge blood and ,ky(50re'aEl3de mer«cu»ri»al«ly adv.
|
n.
other material from the lining of the uterus mere • «. a lake, pond, or arm of the sea; of-
as part of the menstrual cycle (ovulation, or ten appearing in place names.
the usually monthly release of a reproduc- mer«e*tri»ciOUS mera'triSHas . adj. 1 ap-
|
I

tive egg or eggs [ovum or ova], followed by parently attractive but having in reality no
menstruation, which accompanies the elimi- value or integrity: meretricious souvenirs for the
nation of an unfertilized egg from the sys- tourist trade. 2 of, relating to, or characteris-
tem). tic of a prostitute.
men*SU*ral 'menssral; 'menCHsral; • adj. of
|
|
derivatives: mer»e«tri«cious»ly adv.
or involving measuring: mensural investiga- mer»e»tri»cious»ness n.
tions. me*rid»i*an |ma'ridean| • n. 1 a circle of con-
(in music) involving notes of definite dura- stant longitude passing through a given place
tionand usually a regular meter. on the earth's surface and the terrestrial
derivatives: men»sur»a«ble adj. men* poles.
su»ra«tion n. (also celestial meridian) (in astronomy) a
men»tal»i«ty men'taelite . n. (pi. -ies) 1 the
|
I
circle passing through the celestial poles and
characteristic attitude of mind or way of the zenith of a given place on the earth's sur-
thinking of a person or group: the yuppie men- face. 2 (in acupuncture and Chinese medi-
tality of the eighties. 2 the capacity for intelli- cine) each of a set of pathways in the body
gent thought. along which vital energy is said to flow. There
men*tor 'men, tor; -t3r| • n. an experienced
|
are twelve such pathways associated with spe-
and trusted, usu. older, adviser: he was her cific organs. • adj. [attrib ] relating to or situ-
friend and mentor until his death in 1915. ated at a meridian: the meridian moon.
an experienced person in a company, col- of noon. of the period of greatest splendor,
lege, or school who trains and counsels new vigor, etc.
meritocracy 273 metaphor
mer«l»tOC»ra*cy |
.mers'takrase I
. n. (pi. -ies) inspired by hope or belief in a messiah: the
government or the holding of power by peo- messianic expectations of that time. fervent or
ple selected on the basis of their ability. passionate: a messianic zeal to reform the prac-
a society governed by such people or in tice of politics.
which such people hold power. a ruling or derivatives: mes»si»a«nism |
'mesea
influential class of educated or skilled people. ,niz3m; ma'sia- n. 1

derivatives: merM»to»crat n. mer»i»to« mes*ti*ZO |me'stezo| . n. (pi. -os) (feminine

crat'ic |
,mer3t3'kr£etik| adj. mestiza) Latin America) a man of mixed
(in
mer»0»nym 'mer9,nim . n.
|
a term that I
race, esp. the offspring of European (primar-
denotes part of something but that is used to ily Spanish) and native parents. Cf. Metis.
refer to the whole of it, e.g., heads when used me*tab*0*lism ma'taeba.lizam
|
» n. the |

to mean people in some of the best heads in gov- chemical processes that occur within a living
ernment have considered the issue. Cf. METON- organism in order to maintain life.
YMY. Tv/o kinds of metabolism are often distin-
derivatives: mer»on»y»mous adj. mer* guished: constructive metabolism (for-
on»y»my ma'raname n. | |

merly called anabolism), the synthesis of the

me*sa 'mass] • n. a flat-topped hill or pla-
|
teau with steep sides, found in landscapes
with horizontal strata; a tableland. Cf. butte.
me*sal»li*ance .maza'lians; .ma.zael'yaNs
• n. a marriage with a person thought to be
unsuitable or of a lower social position.
mes*ca»line 'meskalin; -,len • |
a halluci-
proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that form
tissue and store energy, and destructive
metabolism (formerly called catabolism),
| |
the breakdown of complex substances and
the consequent production of energy and
waste matter.
|

nogenic and intoxicating compound present derivatives: met»a»boWc |

'mep'balik|
in mescal buttons from the peyote cactus. adj. met«a»bol»i»cal»ly |
,met3'balik(3)le |

me»shu*ga ma'sHOOgs (also meshugga or

| |
adv.
meshugah) • adj. (of a person) mad; idiotic: met«a*fic*tion 'meta.fikSHsn
|
n. fiction in I
.

eithera miracle is taking place, or we're all which the author self-consciously alludes to
meshuga. the artificiality or literariness of a work by
derivatives: me»shug«ge«ner adj. parodying or departing from novelistic con-
me*Shu*gaas maSHCOg'as • n. mad |
|
or idi- ventions (esp. naturalism) and traditional
otic ideas or behavior: there's method in this narrative teclaniques.
man's meshugaas. derivatives: met»a»fic»tion»al |
.mep
mes*mer*ism the ther- |
'mezm3,riz3m I
• n. 'fikSHanlj adj.
apeutic system of Austrian physician F. A. met*a*lan*guage 'met9,laeNG(g)wij |
|
. «. a
Mesmer (1734-1815), which was influential form of language or set of terms used for the
in the development of hypnotism. description or analysis of another language.
(in general use) hypnotism. (in logic) a system of propositions about
derivatives: mes»merMst |-ist| n. propositions.
mes*mer*iZ8 'mezm3,riz • v. [trans.] (often
|
|
met»a*mor*phic meta'morfikl »adj. 1 de-
|

be mesmerized) hold the attention of noting rocks or minerals that have undergone
(someone) to the exclusion of all else or so as transformation by heat, pressure, or other
to transfix: she was mesmerized by the blue eyes natural agencies, e.g., in the folding of strata
own
that stared so intently into her \
[as adj.] or the nearby intrusion of igneous rocks.
(mesmerizing) a mesmerizing stare. of or relating to such rocks or changes affect-
hypnotize (someone). ing them: metamorphic hardening. 2 of or
derivatives: mes»mer«i»za»tion ,mez- |
marked by metamorphosis: the shift from dead
mars'zaSHanl n. mes»mer»iz»er n. mes* calm to hurricane-force winds was as metamor-
mer»iz»ing»ly adv. phic as Jekyll to Hyde.
mesne |
men |
. adj. (in law) intermediate; derivatives: met»a»mor»phism n.
intervening: mesne process. met»a*mor*pho»siS ,mep'm6rf9S9S |
|
• n.
mes*0*morph |
'mez3,m6rf; 'me- 1 • n. a per- (pi. metamorphoses |-f3,sezi) (in an insect
son with a compact and muscular body build. or amphibian) the process of transformation
Cf. ectomorph;
endomorph. from an immature form to an adult form in
derivatives: mes«o»mor»phic |
,mez3 two or more distinct stages. Cf. imago, larva,
'morfik; ,me-| adj. PUPA.
Mes»Si»ah Ims'slsl »n. 1 (the Messiah) the a change of the form or nature of a thing or
promised deliverer of the Jewish nation person into a completely different one, by
prophesied in the Hebrew Bible. natural or supernatural means: his metamor-
Jesus regarded by Christians as the Messiah phosis from presidential candidate to talk-show
of the Hebrew prophecies and the savior of host.
humankind. 2 a leader or savior of a particu- met»a*noi»a |
.meta'nois • n. change in one's
I

lar group or cause: to Germany, Hitler was way of life resulting from penitence or spiri-
more a messiah than a political leader. tual conversion.
derivatives: mes»si*ah»ship |-,SHip| n. met*a*phor 'met3,f6r; -far
|
. n. a figure or
I

mes*si*an*ic |
,mese'aenik| • adj. (also Mes- styleof speech or writing in which a word or
sianic) of or relating to the Messiah: the mes- phrase is applied to an object or action to
sianic role of Jesus. which it is not literally applicable: "/ had
metaphysical 274 metis
fallen through the trapdoor of depression," said I
-sezthe supposed transmigration at death
I
)

Mark, who was fond of theatrical metaphors the \

of the soul of a human being or animal into a
poetry depends on suggestion and metaphor. new body of the same or a different species.
a thing regarded as representative or sym- derivatives: me»tem«psy»chot«ic |-'kat-
bolic of something else, esp. something ab- ik| adj. me»tem»psy»chot»i«cal»ly |-'kat-
stract: the amounts of money being lost by the ik(3)le| adv. me»tem»psy»cho»sist |-'ko-
company were enough to make it a metaphor sist| n.
for an industry that was teetering. Cf. simile, me*ter I'meprl (Brit, metre) *n. the funda-

derivatives: met*a»phornc |
'mep'fdr- mental unit of length in the metric system,
ikl adj. met»a«phor«i«cal ,met3'f6rik3l | |
equal to 100 centimeters or approximately
adj. met»a»phor»i»cal»ly imet3'f6rik(3)le | |
39.37 inches.
adv. ( meters) a race over a specified num-
met*a*phys*i*cal of or |
'meta'fizikal |
. adj. 1 ber of meters: he placed third in the 1,000
relating to metaphysics: the essentially meta- meters.
physical question of the nature of the mind. derivatives: me»ter«age |-ij| n.
based on abstract (typically, excessively ab- me«thod*i*cal ms'iHadiksl . adj. done ac-
| |

stract) reasoning: an empiricist rather than a cording to a systematic or established form of

metaphysical view of law. transcending phys- procedure: a methodical approach to the evalu-
ical matter or the laws of nature: Good and ation of computer systems.
Evil are inextricably linked in a metaphysical (of a person) orderly or systematic in
battle across space and time. 2 of or character- thought or behavior.
istic of the English poets of the 1 7th century DERI VAT I V E s me»thod»ic adj. me«thodn»
:

whose work exhibited subtlety of thought and caWy |-ik(3)le| adv.

complex imagery (the metaphysical poets). l\/leth*od*ist 'mexHadast • n. a member of a
| |

. n. (the Metaphysicals) the metaphysical Christian Protestant denomination originat-

poets. ing in the 18th-century evangelistic move-
derivatives: met«a»physM»caWy |-ik(9)- ment of Charles and John Wesley and George
le| adv. Whitefield.
met*a»phys*ics |
'met3,fiziks| » plural n.
The Methodist Church grew out of a reli-
[usu. treated as the branch of philoso- sing.]
gious society established within the Church
phy that deals with the first principles of of England, fi-om which it formally separated
things, including abstract concepts such as
in 1791. It is particularly strong in the US
being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, and now constitutes one of the largest Prot-
time, and space. estant denominations worldwide, with more
abstract theory or talk with no basis in real- than 30 million members. Methodism has a
ity: his concept of society as an organic entity is,
strong tradition of missionary work and con-
for market liberals, sim.ply metaphysics. cern with social welfare, and emphasizes the
derivatives: met»a»physi»cian l-fs'zi-
believer's personal relationship with God.
SHsnj n.
me*tas*ta*sis ms'taestasss • n. (pi. metas-
|
• adj. of or relating to Methodists or Method-
I

tases -|Sez ) the development of secondary

I I
ism: a Methodist chapel.
malignant growths at a distance from a pri- derivatives: Meth«odnsm |-,diz3m| n.
mary site of a cancer. Meth»odns»tic ,meTH3'distik| adj. Meth* |

a growth of this type. odns»ti»cal .meXHa'distikal adj. | |

derivatives: met»a»stat«ic |
, meta ' stst- meth»od»ol*o*gy .meTHa'dabjel • w. (pi. |

ik adj. me»tas»ta»size v.
I
me»tath*e*sis ma'taexHssss . n. (pi. me-
tatheses |-,sez|) 1 the transposition of
sounds or letters in a word, esp. one occur-
ring in the development of a language over
time. 2 (also metathesis reaction) a chem-
-ies) a system of methods used in a particu-
i I
lar area of study or activity: a methodology for
investigating the concept of focal points \
courses
in research methodology and practice.
derivatives: meth»od»o»log»i»cal |-d3
'lajiksl adj. meth»od»o»logM»caWy da'laj-
I |

ical reaction in which two compounds ex- ik(3)le| adv. meth»od»ol«o»gist |-'dabjist|
change ions, typically with precipitation of an n.
insoluble product. me»tiC*U*IOUS |
ms'tikyabs |
• adj. showing
derivatives: me«tath»e»size v. met*a» great attention to detail; very careful and pre-
thet'ic ,mep'THetik| I
adj. met*a«thet»i»cal cise: he had always been so meticulous about his

I
,met3THetik3l adj. |
appearance.
mete^ I
met] »v. [trans] (mete something derivatives: me«tic»u«lous«ly adv. me*
out) dispense or allot (justice, a punishment, tic»u«lous»ness n.
or harsh treatment): he denounced the mal- meatier me'tya; 'me,tya • n. a trade, profes-
| i

treatment meted out to minorities. sion, or occupation: those who work honestly at
(in biblical use) measure out: with what their metier.
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you an occupation or one is good at: activity that
again. was grand opera.
she decided that her real metier
mete^ . n. (usu. metes and bounds) a an outstanding or advantageous character-
boundary or boundary stone. istic: subtlety is not his metier. Cf. forte'.
me»tem*psy*cho*sis ,met3m,si'kos3s; ma |
me»tls |ma'tes| (also Metis) > n. (pi. same)
,temsi'kos9S I
» n. (pi. metempsychoses (esp. in western Canada) a person of mixed
metonymy 275 microcosm
American Indian and Euro-American ances- situation in a spirited and resilient way: the
try, in particular one of a group of such peo- team showed their true mettle in the second half.
ple who in the 19th century constituted the phrases: be on one's mettle be ready or
so-called Metis nation in the areas around forced to prove one's ability to cope well with
the Red and Saskatchewan rivers. « adj. demanding situation.
a
denoting or relating to such people. derivatives: met»tle»some j-samj adj.
me*ton»y*my ma'tansme • n. (pi. -ies) the | |
mews myooz . n. (pi. same) a row or street
I I

substitution of the name of an attribute or ad- of houses or apartments that have been con-
junct for that of the thing meant, for example verted from stables or built to look like for-
suit for business executive, or the track for horse mer stables.
racing. Cf. meronym. a group of stables, typically with rooms
derivatives: met»o»nym n. met«o»nym» above, built around a yard or along an alley.
ic ,met3'nimik| adj. met»o»nymM»cal
I
me*zu*zah Ima'zoozal (alsomezuza) . n. (pi.
I
,met3'nimik3l I
adj. met»o»nym»i»cal»ly mezuzahs or mezuzasor mezuzot ma |

I
,met3'nimik(3)le |
adv. 'zOOz,ot| or mezuzoth ms'zODz.ot ) a | |

met*rici |'metrik| » adj. 1 of or based on the parchment inscribed with religious texts and
meter as a unit of length; relating to the met- attached in a case to the doorpost of a Jewish
ric system: all measurements are given in metric house as a sign of faith.
form. a small case containing such a parchment,
using the metric system: we should have gone sometimes used as a personal item: she wore a
metric years ago. 2 (in mathematics and mezuzah around her neck.
physics) relating to or denoting a metric. • n. mez*za*nine |'mez3,nen; |mez9'nen| • a
1 a system or standard of measurement. low story between two others in a building,
(in mathematics and physics) a binary func- typically between the ground and second
tion of a topological space that gives, for any floors.
two points of the space, a value equal to the the lowest balcony of a theater, cinema, sta-
distance between them, or to a value treated dium, etc., or the front rows of the balcony.
as analogous to distance for the purpose of • adj. [attrib.] relating to or denoting unse-
analysis. 2 metric units, or the metric system: cured, higher-yielding loans that are subordi-
it's easier to work in metric. nate to bank loans and secured loans but rank
met»ric2 . adj. relating to or composed in a above equity.
poetic meter. » n. (metrics) [treated as sing.] mez*ZO I
'metso; 'medzo |
• n. (pi. -os) (also
the meter of a poem. mezzo-soprano) female singer with a
a
nfiet*ro*nome 'metra.nom • n. a device | I
voice pitched between soprano and contralto.
used by musicians (esp. pianists) that marks a singing voice of this type, or a part written
time at a selected rate by giving a regular tick. for one. • adv. half, moderately.
derivatives: met»ro»nom«ic metra |
, mez»ZO*tint I'metso.tint; 'medzo- . n. a 1

'namik adj. he appeared at my door with met-

|
: print made from an engraved copper or steel
ronomic regularly. met«ro»nom«i*cal»ly plate on which the surface has been partially
I
,metr3'namik(3)le adv. |
roughened, for shading, and partially
met*ro*plex 'metra.pleks • n. a very large
|
|
scraped smooth, giving light areas. The tech-
metropolitan area, esp. one that is an aggre- nique was much used in the 17th, 18th, and
gation of two or more cities. early 19th centuries for the reproduction of
{the Metroplex) popular name for the paintings.
Dallas-Fortli Worth area. Cf. conurbation; the technique or process of making pictures
megalopolis; metropolitan area. in this way. • v. [trans.] engrave (a picture) in
me»trop«0»liS ma 'trap (a) bs . n. the capital | |
mezzotint.
or chief city of a country or region. derivatives: mez»zo»tint»er n.
a very large and densely populated industrial mi«as*ma ml'aezms; me- • n. (pi. miasmas
|
1

and commercial city. or miasmata -mats ) a highly unpleasant

|
|

met*ro»poH»tan .metra'pabtnl |
» adj. 1 of, or unhealthy smell or vapor: a miasma of
relating to, or denoting a metropolis. 2 of, stale alcoholhung around him like marsh gas.
relating to, or denoting the parent state of a an oppressive or unpleasant atmosphere that
colony or dependency: metropolitan Spain. surrounds or emanates from something: a
3 of, relating to, or denoting a metropolitan miasma of despair rose from the black work-
or his see: a metropolitan bishop. • w. 1 a shops.
bishop having authority over the bishops of a derivatives: mi»as»mal adj. mi»as«mat»
province, in particular (in many Orthodox ic ,mi3z'm£etik| adj. mi»as»mic |-mik| adj.
I

Churches) one ranking above archbishop and mi»as«mic»al«ly |mik(3)le| adv.

below patriarch. 2 an inhabitant of a metrop- mi«crobe |'mi,krob| * n. a microorganism,
olis: the sophisticated metropolitan. Cf. cosmo- esp. a bacterium causing disease or fermen-
politan. tation. Cf. PATHOGEN, vector,
derivatives: me»tro»pol»i»tan»ate |-'pal- derivatives: mi»cro«bi*al |mi'krobe3l|
3tn,at I
n. (only of the noun). met»ro»pol»i« adj. mi»cro»bic |mi'krobik| adj.
tannsm |
-,pabtn,iz9m |
n. met»ro»po»litM» microcosm 'mikr3,kaz3m| (also microcos-
|

cal I
(only of the noun).
-pa'litikal |
adj. mos) • n. a community, place, or situation
meWIe 'metl • «. a person's ability to cope
| |
regarded as encapsulating in miniature the
well with difficulties or to face a demanding characteristic qualities or features of some-
microeconomics 276 militia

thing much larger: Berlin is a microcosm of derivatives: mif»fy adj.

Germany. mi*graine 'mi, gran • «. a recurrent throb- |
|

humankind regarded as the epitome of the bing headache that typically affects one side
universe. Cf. macrocosm, of the head and is often accompanied by nau-
derivatives: mi»cro»cos»mic .mikra |
sea and disturbed vision: such severe migraines
'kazmiki adj. mi»cro«cos»mi»caWy |-'kaz- that she could not work.
mik(3)le| adv. derivatives: mi«grain»ous |-,gran3s| adj.
mi*cro*ec*0*nom*ics ,mikro,ek3'namiks; |
mi*grate 'mi,grat| • v. [intrans.] (of an animal,
|

-,ek3-| 'plural n. [treated as sing.] the part of typically a bird or fish) move from one region
economics concerned with single factors and or habitat to another, esp. regularly according
the effects of individual decisions. Cf. macro- to the seasons: as autumn arrives, the birds mi-
economics. grate south.
derivatives: mi«cro»ec»o»nom*ic adj. (of a person) move from one area or country
mi*cro»man»age ,mikro'maenij| *v. [trans.] |
to settle in another, esp. in search of work: ru-
control every part, however small, of (an en- ral populations have migrated to urban areas.
terprise or activity): unable to delegate, he went move from one specific part of something
on micromanaging. to another: cells that can form pigment migrate
derivatives: mi»cro«man»age»ment beneath the skin. (in computing) change or
I
'maenijmanti n. mi«cro»man»ag»er n. cause to change from using one system to an-
mic*tu*rate |
'mikcH3,rat| [intrans.] urinate. other: we're planning to migrate from a stand-
derivatives: mic*tu»ri«tion |
,mikCH3'ri- alone to a networked environment. [trans.]

SHsnl n. transfer (programs or hardware) from one

mid^den |
'midn |
• «. a dunghill or refuse system to another.
heap. derivatives: mi«gra*tion |mi'grasH3n|
(also kitchen midden) a prehistoric refuse n. mi«gra»tion«al i
mi'graSHsnl |
adj. mi*
heap associated with a site of human habita- gra'tor |-,grat3r| n. mi»gra»to»ry |
'migra
tion, often a focus of scientific study. ,
tore I
adj.
mid*dle*brow i'midl'browl 'adj. (of art or mik'veh mikvs (also mikva or mikvah)
|
|

literature or asystem of thought) demanding • n. mikvehs or mikvahs or mikvoth

(pi.

or involving only a moderate degree of intel- i

mek'vot or mikvot mek'vot or mikvos
| | |

lectual application, typically as a result of not I

a bath in which certain Jewish
-V9z; -vos I
)

deviating from convention: middlebrow fiction, ritual purifications are performed.

only a step above mass appeal. • n. a person the action of taking such a bath.
who is capable of or enjoys only a moderate mi*la*dy ma'lade; mi- . n. (pi. -ies) used,
|
1

degree of intellectual effort. formerly or humorously, to address or refer

Mid*dle EngHish • n. the English language to a noblewoman or great lady: / went off to
from c. 1150 to c. 1470, reflecting the post- milady's boudoir.
conquest (post- 1066) influence of Norman mi*lieu Imil'yoo; -'y3(r) • «• (pl- milieux I

French on Old English. |miryoo(z); -'y3(r)(z)| or milieus mil |

mid*get 'mijit • n. an extremely or unusu-

|
|
'yoo(z); -'y9(r)(z)|)an environment, esp. a
ally small person, usu. one with normal pro- person's social environment: he grew up in a
portions. Cf. DWARF, manikin. • adj. [attrib.] military milieu.
very small: a midget submarine. mil*i»tant 'mibtsnt • adj. combative and | |

mid*Ship*man 'mid.smpmsn; mid'snip-i |

aggressive in support of a political or social
• n. (pi. -men) a cadet in the US Navy or stu- cause, and typically favoring extreme, vio-
dent at the US Naval Academy. lent, or confrontational methods: an uprising
a rank of officer in the (British) Royal Navy, by militant Islamic fundamentalists. » n. a per-
above naval cadet and below sublieutenant. son who is active in this way.
mid*wife 'mid.wlf • n. (pi. -wives) a person
|
|
derivatives: milM«tan»cy |-t3nse| n.
(typically a woman) trained to assist women mil*i»tant»ly adv.
in childbirth. mil*i«ta*rism 'mibts.rizam . n. the belief or |
|

a person or thing that helps to bring some- desire of a government or people that a coun-
thing into being or assists its development: he try should maintain a strong military capabil-
survived to be one of the midwives of the Refor- ity and be prepared to use it aggressively to
mation. • V. [trans.] assist (a woman) during defend or promote national interests.
childbirth. DERI VAT I V E s mil»i»ta*rist n. & adj. mil»i« :

bring into being: revolutions midwifed by new ta«ris«tic |

.milsta'ristik |
adj.
technologies of communication. mil*i*tate |'mib,tat| *v. [intrans.] (militate
derivatives: mid»wife»ry |
mid'wif(3)re; against) (of a fact or circumstance) be a
-'wif(3)re| n. powerful or conclusive factor in preventing:
mien men . w. a person's look or manner,
|
I
these fundamental differences will militate
esp. one of a particular kind indicating char- against the two communities coming together.
acter or mood: he has a cautious, academic usage: The verbs militate and mitigate
mien her mien was somber. Cf countenance.
\
.
are often confused. See usage at .mitigate.
miff |mif| . V. [trans.] (usu. be miflfed) put out
of humor; offend; annoy: she was slightly mi»ll*tia ms'liSHs . «. a military force that is
| |

miffed at not being invited. • n. a petty quarrel raised from the civil population to supple-
or fit of pique. ment a regular army in an emergency.
 .

milksop 277 ministration

a military force that engages in rebel or ter- mi*me*sis |
ma'mesis; mi- 1 . n. imitation, in
rorist activities, typically in opposition to a particular:
regvilar army. all able-bodied civilians eligi- representation or imitation of the real world
ble by law for military service. in art and literature. the deliberate imita-
milk*SOp 'milk, sap » n. a person who is in-
I
\
tion of the behavior of one group of people by
decisive and lacks courage. Cf. milquetoast. another as a factor in social change. another
mil*le*nar*i»an .mib'nerean . adj. relating | i
term for mimicry.
to or believing in the idea that Christ will re- mi«met*ic Ima'metikI » adj. relating to, con-
turn to earth and reign for one thousand stituting, or habitually practicing mimesis:
years, as suggested in Rev. 20:1-5. mimetic patterns in butterflies.
believing in the imminence or inevitability of derivatives: mi»metM«cal»ly |-ik(3)le|
a golden age of peace, justice, and prosperity: adv.
millenarian Marxists. denoting a religious or mim»ic*ry 'mimakre • n. (pi. -ies) the action
| |

political group seeking solutions to present or art of imitating someone or something,

crises through rapid and radical transforma- typically in order to entertain or ridicule: the
tion of politics and society. • n. a person who word was spoken with gently teasing mimicry \

believes in the Christian doctrine of the mil- mimicry of the techniques of realist writers.
lennium. the close external resemblance of an animal
derivatives: mil»le»nar»i»an»ism n. mil* or plant (or part of one) to another animal,
le»nar«y n. and adj. plant, or inanimate object, typically as an
mil«len»ni»um ma'leneam . n. (pi. millen-| |
evolved characteristic that haas survival
nia -63 or millenniums) a period of a
I
1 value.
thousand years, esp. when calculated from mi*na*cioUS |
ma'naSHas |
• adj. menacing;
the traditional date of the birth of Christ. threatening.
an anniversary of a thousand years: the mil- min*a*ret |,min3'ret| • n. a slender tower,
lennium of the city of Warsaw. (the millen- typically part of a mosque, with a balcony
nium) the point at which one period of a from which a muezzin calls Muslims to
thousand years ends and another begins. prayer.
(the millennium) the prophesied derivatives: min»a»ret»ed adj.
thousand-year reign of Christ at the end of min*a»tO*ry 'mins.tore; 'mi-| • adj. express-
|

the age (Rev. 20:1-5). (the millennium) a ing or conveying a threat: he is unlikely to be
Utopian period of good government, great deterred by minatory finger-wagging.
happiness, and prosperity. mince |
mins |
• v. [Intrans.] walk with an af-
derivatives: mil«len»ni»al |-e3l| adj. fected delicacy or fastidiousness, typically
mil»len»ni»al»ism n. with short quick steps: there were plenty of sec-
usage: The spelling of millennium is less retaries mincing about.
one remembers that it comes ulti-
difficult if
derivatives: minc«er n. minc*xn^»\y adv.

mately from two Latin words containing min»gy |

'minje (mingier, mingiest)
|
. adj.

double letters: mille, 'thousand,' and mean and stingy: you've been mingy with the
sunscreen.
awnum,'year.'
unexpectedly or undesirably small: a mingy
mll*li»ner 'mibnar • | |
n. a person who makes kitchenette tucked in the corner
or sells women's hats. derivatives: ming'i'ly I'minjalel adv.
derivatives: mil»li»ner»y n. min*i*mal*ism minama.lizam . 1 a |
|

miique*toast rmilk,tost| (also Milque- trend in sculpture and painting that arose in
toast) • n. a person who is timid or submis- the 1950s and used simple, typically massive,
sive: [as adj.] a soppy, milquetoast composer. Cf. forms. 2 an avant-garde movement in music
milksop. characterized by the repetition of very short
mime mim i
\
• n.^ the theatrical technique of phrases that change gradually, producing a
suggesting action, character, or emotion hypnotic effect.
without words, using only gesture, expres- derivatives: minn»mal«ist adj. and n.
sion, and movement. min»ion 'minyan . w. a follower or under-
|
|

a theatrical performance or part of a perfor- ling of a powerful person, esp. a servile or

mance using such a technique. an action or unimportant one. Cf. lackey, sycophant.
set of actions intended to convey the idea of mln*is*te»ri*al .mina'stireal • adj. 1 of or|
|

another action or an idea or feeling: she per- relating to a minister of religion. 2 of or relat-
formed a brief mime of someone fencing. a ing to a government minister or ministers: |

practitioner of mime or a performer in a ministerial officials. 3 acting as an agent, in-

mime. 2 (in ancient Greece and Rome) a sim- strument, or means in achieving a purpose:
ple farcical drama including mimicry. • v. those uses of conversation which are ministerial
[trans.] use gesture and movement without to intellectual culture.
words in the acting of (a play or role) of or relating to delegate authority: ministe-
convey an impression of (an idea or feeling) rial acts.
by gesture and movement, without using derivatives: min»is»te»ri»al«ly adv.
words; mimic (an action or set of actions) in min*is*tra»tion .mina'strasnanl »n. (usu. |

this way: he stands up and mimes throwing a ministrations) the provision of assistance or
spear. care: a kitchen made spotless by the ministra-
derivatives: mim*er n. tions of a cleaning lady.
 |

Minotaur 278 misconceive

the services of a minister of religion or of a to squirm in a mire of new allegations. a wet-
religious institution. the action of adminis- land area or ecosystem based on peat. • v.
tering a Christian sacrament. [trans.] (usu. be mired) cause to become
derivatives: minMS*trant 'minastrsnt |
stuck in mud: sometimes a heavy truck gets
n. min«is»tra»tive adj. mired down.
Min»0*taur rmin9,t6r; 'mi-| (in Greek (mire someone/something in) involve
mythology) a creature who was half man someone or something in (difficulties): the
and half bull, the offspring of Pasiphae and a economy is mired in its longest recession since
bull with which she fell in love. Confined in World War II.

Crete in a labyrinth made by Daedalus and mirth |

marra |
• n. amusement, esp. as
fed on human flesh, it was eventually slain expressed in laughter: his six-foot frame shook
by Theseus. with mirth.
min*Strel 'minstral • «. a medieval singer or
| |
DERI VAT IVES: mirth'ful |
-fal |
adj. mirth*
musician, esp. one who (in the tradition of ful'ly l-falel adv.
minstrelsy) sang or recited lyric or heroic mis*an*thrope I'misan.THrop; 'mizi (also
poetry to a musical accompaniment for the misanthropist mis'aenxnrapist ) • «. a per- | |

nobility. son who dislikes people and avoids human

a member of a band of entertainers with society.
blackened faces who (typically, in a minstrel derivatives: mis»an«throp»ic |
, misan
show) perform songs and music ostensibly of 'THrapikl adj. mis»an»throp«i»cal ,mis3n |

black American origin. 'THrapiksl adj. mis»an»throp«i»cal«ly

|

mi*nus*CUle 'min3,skyool; min'as.kydol

|

|
,mis3n'THrapik(3)le adv. mis«an»thro»py
I
|

• adj. 1 extremely small; tiny: a minuscule frag- n.

ment of cloth. mis*ap*pre*hen»sion |
,mis,aEpri'hensH3n |

so small as to be negligible or insufficient: the • n. a mistaken belief

about or interpretation
risk of infection was believed to be minuscule. 2 of of something: she must have been laboring un-
or in lowercase letters, as distinct from capi- der the misapprehension that I was in
tals or uncials. charge.
-
of or in a small cursive script of the Roman derivatives: mis»ap»pre»hen»sive | ' hen-
alphabet, developed in the 7th century ad. siv| adj.
• n. minuscule script. mis*be*got*ten l.misba'gami »adj. badly
a small or lowercase letter. Cf. majuscule, conceived, designed, or planned: a misbegot-
derivatives: mi«nus»cu»lar Ima'naskys- ten journey to Indianapolis.
br| adj. contemptible (used as a term of abuse):
usage: The correct spelling is minuscule you misbegotten hound! (of a child) illegiti-
rather than miniscule. The latter is a com- mate.
mon error, which has arisen by analogy with mis*car«riage 'mis,kerij; -.kaerijl . «. 1 the
|

other words beginning with mini-, where expulsion of a fetus from the womb before it
is able to survive independently, esp. sponta-
the meaning is similarly 'very small.'
neously or as the result of accident: his wife
mi*nute |
ml'n(y)oot; ma- 1
• adj. (minutest) had a miscarriage some pregnancies result in \

extremely small: a minute fraction of an inch. miscarriage. Cf. stillbirth. 2 an unsuccess-

so small as to verge on insignificance: he will ful outcome of something planned: the mis-
have no more than a minute chance of exercising carriage of the project.
significant influence. (of an inquiry or inves- mis»car»ry |mis'kere| 'V. (-ies, -ied)
tigation, or an account of one) taking the (of a pregnant woman) have a mis-
[intrans.] 1

smallest points into consideration; precise carriage: Wendy conceived, but she miscarried at
and meticulous: a minute examination of the four months. [trans.] an ultrasound scan showed
\

islands. that she had miscarried her baby. 2 (of some-

derivatives: mi»nute»ly adv. mi»nute» thing planned) fail to attain an intended or
ness n. expected outcome: such a rash crime, and one
mi»nu*ti»ae m3'n(y)oosHe,e; -SHe,i| (also
|
so very likely to miscarry!
minutia |-SHe,3; -SH3|) » plural n. the small, (of a letter) fail to reach its intended destina-
precise, or trivial details of something: the tion.
minutiae of everyday life. mis*ceg*e*na*tion |mi,sej3'nasH9n; .misa-
minx miNGks I I
• w. an impudent, cunning, or ja- 1
* n. the interbreeding of people consid-
boldly flirtatious girl or young woman. ered to be of different races.
DERI VAT I V E s minx*ish adj. : mis*ci*ble |'misabal| *adj. (of liquids) form-
min*yan 'minyan • n. (pi.
| I
minyanim ing a homogeneous mixture when combined:
I
.minya'nem ) a quorum of ten |
men over the is miscible with glycerol.
sorbitol
age of 1 3 required for traditional Jewish pub- derivatives: mis»ci»bilM»ty |
.misa'bil-
lic worship. ate| n.
a meeting of Jews for public worship, mis*COn*ceive |
,miskan'sev| »v. [trans.] fail

mire 'mir • n. a stretch of swampy or boggy

I
|
to understand correctly: she was frustrated by
ground. professors who consistently misconceived her
soft and slushy mud or dirt. a situation or essays.
state of difficulty, distress, or embarrassment (usu. be misconceived) judge or plan
from which it is hard to extricate oneself: left badly, typically on the basis of faulty under-
 )

misconstrue 279 mnemonic

standing: criticism of the trade surplus in Wash- ticof a missionary or a religious mission: mis-
ington is misconceived [as adj.] (miscon- \
sionary work they have lost the missionary zeal
I

ceived) misconceived notions about gypsies. they once had.

derivatives: mis«con»ceiv«er n. mis* mis»sive 'misiv| . n. a letter, esp. a long or
|

con»cep»tion n. official one: he hastily banged out electronic mis-

mis»COn»Strue ,misk3n'strooi * V. (mis- |
sives.
construes, misconstrued, misconstru- mis»tri*al 'mis,trl(a)l| •n. a trial rendered
|

ing) interpret (something, esp. a per-

(trans.] invalidthrough an error in the proceedings.
son's words or actions) wrongly: my advice an inconclusive trial, such as one in which
was deliberately misconstrued. the jury cannot agree on a verdict.
-
derivatives: mis»con»struc«tion strak- | ' mi*ter |'mitar| (Brit, mitre) * n. 1 a tall hat
SHsn n. I
worn by bishops and senior abbots as a sym-
mis*cre*ant 'miskresnti • n. a person who
|
bol of office, tapering to a point at front and
behaves badly or in a way that breaks the back with a deep cleft between.
law. a hat formerly worn by a Jewish high priest.
a heretic. • adj. (of a person) behaving badly a headband worn by women in ancient
or in a way that breaks a law or rule: her mis- Greece. 2 (also miter joint) a joint made be-
creant husband. tween two pieces of wood or other material
heretical. cut at 45° angles to form an angle of 90°.
nils«de*mean*or |
'misdi,men3r| (Brit mis- a diagonal seam of two pieces of fabric that
demeanour) • n. a minor wrongdoing: the meet at a corner joining. • v. [trans.] join by
defenseman can expect a lengthy suspension for means of a miter.
his latest misdemeanor. mit*i»gate |
'mita,gat |
. v. [trans.] make less se-
a crime regarded in the US (and formerly in vere, serious, or painful: he wanted to mitigate
the UK) as less serious than a felony, and typ- misery in the world.
ically punishable by fine or by imprisonment lessen the gravity of (an offense or mistake):
(usu. in a jail) for less than one year. [as adj.] (mitigating) he would have faced a
mis en scene ,mez ,aN 'sen • n. [usu. in |
|
prison sentence but for mitigating circum-
sing.] the arrangement of scenery and stage stances.
properties in a play. derivatives: mit»i»ga»ble |-gibal| adj.
the setting or surroundings of an event or ac- mit»i»ga»tion n. mit»i«ga»tive adj. mit»i«
tion. ga»tor |-,gatar| n. mitM»ga»to»ry |-ga,t6re|
mis»giv*ing |mis'giviNG| • n. (usu. misgiv- adj.
ings) a feeling of doubt or apprehension usage: The verbs mitigate and militate
about the outcome or consequences of some- do not have the same meaning although the
thing: misgivings about the way the cam-
similarity of the forms has led to them being
paign is being run \
a sense of misgiving at the often confused. Mitigate means 'make
prospect of retirement.
(something bad) less severe,' as in he wanted
mis*no*mer Imis'nomsrI • n. a wrong or tomitigate misery in the world, while mili-
inaccurate name or designation: "horseshoe
crab" is a misnomer
— these creatures are not
tate is nearly always used in constructions
with against to mean 'be a powerful factor
crustaceans at all.
in preventing,' as in these disagreements will
a wrong or inaccurate use of a name or term: militate against the two communities coming
to call this "neighborhood policing" would be a together.
misnomer.
mi«SOg*a*my ma'sagame | I
• n. the hatred of mi«tO*sis mi'tosas . n. (pi. mitoses -sez
I I
j
|

marriage. a type of cell division that results in two

derivatives: mi»sog»a»mist |-mist| n. daughter cells each having the same number
ml«SOg»y»ny Ima'sajsnel »n. the hatred of and kind of chromosomes as the parent nu-
women by men: she felt she was struggling cleus, typical of ordinary tissue growth. Cf.
against thinly disguised misogyny. MEIOSIS.
derivatives: mi«sog»y»nist adj. mi* derivatives: mi»tot»ic |mi'tatik| adj.
sog»y»nis«tic adj. mi«sog»y»nous |
-nas |
mix»Ol*0*gist |mik'salajist| • n. a person who
adj. is skilled at mixing cocktails and other drinks.

mis*sal |'misal| » n. a book containing the a bartender.

texts used in the Catholic Mass throughout derivatives: mix»ol»o»gy |-aje| n.
the year. miz»zen 'mizan (also mizen) . n. 1 (also
|
I

any book of prayers. mizzenmast) the mast immediately behind

mis*sile 'misal • n. an object that
| |
is forcibly a ship's mainmast. 2 (also mizzensail) the
propelled at a target, either by hand or from lowest sail on a mizzenmast.
a mechanical weapon. mne»mon«iC na'manik • a device such as | I

a weapon self-propelled or directed by

that is a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that
remote control, carrying a conventional or assists in remembering something. • adj. aid-
nuclear explosive. ing or designed to aid the memory: a mne-
mis«sion*ar*y 'misHa,nere| . n. (pi. -ies) a |
monic device.
person sent on a rehgious mission, esp. one of or relating to the power of memory.
sent to promote Christianity in a foreign derivatives: mne«monM»caWy |-ik(a)-
country. • adj. of, relating to, or characteris- le I
adv.
mobile 280 moiety
mo*bile I'mobal; -,bel; -,bil| » adj. able to facetiously or disparagingly denoting an
move or be moved freely or easily: he has a ultramodern style.
major weight problem and is not very mobile \
mod»em»ism |
'madar.nizsm |
• n. modern
highly mobile international capital. character or quality of thought, expression, or
(of the face or its features) indicating feelings technique: when he waxes philosophical, he
with fluid and expressive movements: her mo- comes across as a strange mix of nostalgia and
bile features working overtime to register shock modernism.
and disapproval. (of a store, library, or other a style or movement in the arts that aims to
service) accommodated in a vehicle so as to break with classical and traditional forms. a
travel around and serve various places. (of movement toward modifying traditional
a military or police unit) equipped and pre- beliefs in accordance with modern ideas, esp.
pared to move quickly to any place it is in the Roman Catholic Church in the late
needed: mobile army combat units. able or 19th and early 20th centuries.
willing to move easily or freely between occu- DERI VAT I V E s mod»ern»ist n. :

pations, places of residence, or social classes: mod*i*CUm |

'madiksm; 'mod- 1
• n. [in sing.]
an increasingly mobile and polarized society. a small quantity of a particular thing, esp.
• n. 'mo,bel 1 a decorative structure that is
I
|
something considered desirable or valuable:
suspended so as to turn freely in the air. his statement had more than a modicum of
mod*al 'modi • adj. 1 of or relating to mode
i I
truth.
or form as opposed to substance. 2 (in gram- mo»diSte mo'dest |
I
• n. a fashionable milli-
mar) of or denoting the mood of a verb. ner or dressmaker.
relating to a verb that expresses the mood of mod*U*late rmaj3,lat| »v. [trans.] exert a
an accompanying infinitive (a modal verb). modifying or controlling influence on: the
3 (in statistics) of or relating to a mode; oc- state attempts to modulate private business 's cash
curring most frequently in a sample or pop- flow.
ulation. 4 of or denoting music using vary the strength, tone, or pitch of (one's
melodies or harmonies based on modes other voice) we all modulate our voice by hearing it.
:

than the ordinary major and minor scales.
5 (of a logical proposition) in which the pred-
icate is affirmed of the subject with some
qualification, or which involves the affirma-
tion of possibility, impossibility, necessity, or
contingency. • n. a modal word or construc-
alter the amplitude or frequency of (an
electromagnetic wave or other oscillation) in
accordance with the variations of a second
signal, typically one of a lower frequency: ra-
dio waves are modulated to carry the analog in-
formation of the voice. [intrans.] (in music)

tion. change from one key to another: the first half

derivatives: mod»aWy I'modl-el adv. of the melody, modulating from E minor to
mo»daW»ty Imo'dasbtel . w. (pi. -ies) G. [intrans.] (modulate into) change from

1 modal quality: the harmony had a touch of one form or condition into (another): ideals
modality. 2 a particular mode in which some- and opinions are not modulated into authorita-
thing exists or is experienced or expressed. tive journalese.
a particular method or procedure: questions derivatives: mod»u«la«tion |
.majs'la-
concerning the modalities of troop withdrawals. SH3n| n. mod»u»la»tor |-,lat3r| n.
a particular form of sensory perception: the mod*uie 'majool • n. each of a set of stan-
|
|

visual and auditory modalities. dardized parts or independent units that can
mode mod • n. 1 a way or manner in which
I I
be used to construct a more complex struc-
sometlaing occurs or is experienced, ture, such as an item of furniture or a build-
expressed, or done: his preferred mode of travel ing.
was a kayak differences between language
\
[usu. with adj.] an independent self-
modes, namely speech and writing. contained unit of a spacecraft. (in comput-
an option allowing a change in the method ing) any of a number of distinct but interre-
of operation of a computer or other elec- lated units from which a program may be
tronic device: a camcorder in automatic built up or into which a complex activity may
mode. any of the distinct kinds or pat- be analyzed.
terns of vibration of an oscillating system. mo*dus op»e»ran*dl I
'modss .apa raende;
the character of a modal proposition in -,di| • n. (pi. modi operandi 'mo,de; 'mo
|

logic (whether necessary, contingent, possi- ,di I ) [usu. in sing.] a particular way or method
ble, or impossible). another term for of doing something, esp. one that is charac-
grammatical or logical mood. 2 a fashion or teristic or well-established: the volunteers were
style in clothes, art, literature, etc.: in the instructed to buy specific systems using our usual
Seventies, the mode for activewear took hold. modus operandi anonymously and with cash. —
3 the value that occurs most frequently in a the way something operates or works. Abbre-
given set of statistical data. Cf. median. 4 a viation: or m.o. MO
set of musical notes forming a scale and mo*gul 'mogal • n. an important or power-
I i

from which melodies and harmonies are ful person, esp. in the motion picture or me-
constructed. dia industry.
mo'derne ima'dern; ma-| » adj. of or relat- moi*e*ty 'moiate • n. (pi. -ies) each of two
| |

ing to a popularization of the art deco style parts into which a thing is or can be divided.
marked by bright colors and geometric each of two social or ritual groups into which
shapes. a people is divided, esp. among Australian
moire 281 Mongoloid
Aboriginals and some American Indians. a mon*ad 'mo,naed
|
» n. a single unit; the
\

part or portion, esp. a lesser share. a distinct number one. Cf. dyad; triad.
part of a large molecule: the enzyme removes (in the philosophy of Gottfried Leibniz,
the sulfate moiety. 1646-1716) an indivisible and hence ulti-
moire |m6'ra; mwa-; mwar| (also moire mately simple entity, such as an atom or a
I
mwa'ra; mo- ) • w. silk fabric that has been 1
person. a name formerly used for a single-
subjected to heat and pressure rollers after celled organism, esp. a flagellate protozoan,
weaving to give it a rippled appearance. • adj. or a single cell.
(of silk) having a rippled, lustrous finish. derivatives: mo*nad*ic jmo'naedik;
denoting or showing a pattern of irregular ma- adf mon*ad*ism |-,iz3m| n. (in phi-
1

wavy lines like that of such silk, produced by losophy).

the superposition at a slight angle of two sets mo*nad*nock |m9'naed,nak| » n. an isolated
of closely spaced lines. hillor ridge of erosion-resistant rock rising
mold*er 'moldsri (Brit, moulder) . v. [intrans.]
|
above a peneplain.
[often as adj.] (moldering) slowly decay or mo*nas»tic Ima'nasstikI 'adj. of or relating
disintegrate, esp. because of neglect: there was to monks, nuns, or others living under reli-
a mushroomy smell of disuse and moldering gious vows, or the buildings in which they
books / couldn't permit someone of your abili-
I
live: a monastic order.
ties to molder away in a backwater. resembling or suggestive of monks or their
mol*e*CUle 'mab,kyool • n. a group of
|
\
way of life, esp. in being austere, solitary, or
atoms bonded together, representing the celibate: a monastic student bedroom. • n. a
smallest fundamental unit of a chemical monk or other follower of a monastic rule.
compound that can take part in a chemical derivatives: mo»nas»ti»caWy |-ik(9)le|
reaction. mo»nas»ti»cism |-t3,siz3m| n.
adv.
DERI VAT I v E s mo«lec»u»lar : adj. mon*e»ta*rism 'manata.rizam; 'man- |
1
. n.
mol»li*fy 'mab,fi| • V. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] ap-
I
the theory or practice of controlling the sup-
pease the anger or anxiety of (someone): na- ply of money as the chief method of stabiliz-
ture reserves were set up around the power sta- ing the economy.
tions to mollify local conservationists. |
[as adj.] derivatives: mon»e»ta»rist n. & adj.
removal of riders to the bill had a mollifying ef- mon»e»tar»is»tic adj.
fect on critics. mon*e*tize |'mana,tiz| 'V. [trans.] convert
reduce the severity of (something); soften. into or express in the form of currency: must
derivatives: mol»li«fi»ca»tion mabfa |
, we monetize everything, even relaxation?
'kaSHan n. mol»li»fi»er n.
|
[usu. as adj.] (monetized) adapt (a society)
mol*ly*COd*dle 'male, kadi . v. [trans.] treat | I
to the use of money: a fully monetized society.
(someone) very indulgently or protectively. Cf. demonetize.
• n. an effeminate or ineffectual man or boy; DERI VAT I v E s mon»e»ti«za»tion .manada
:
]

a milksop. 'zasHan; ,mana,ti'zaSHan n. |

molt I
molt I
(Brit, moult) . v. [intrans.] (of an l\/lon*gol*Oid 'maNGga,loid . adj. 1 of or
| I

animal) shed old feathers, hair, or skin, or an relating to the broad and now somewhat
old shell, to make way for a new growth: the dated division of humankind including the
adult birds were already molting into their winter indigenous peoples of eastern Asia, South-
shades of gray [trans.] the snake molts its skin.
\
east Asia, and the Arctic region of North
(of hair or feathers) fall out to make way for America. 2 (mongoloid) (older and now
new growth: had
the last of his juvenile plumage considered offensive) affected with Down
molted. • plumage, skin, or hair,
n. a loss of syndrome. • n. 1 a person of a Mongoloid
esp. as a regular feature of an animal's life physical type. 2 offensive a person with Down
cycle. syndrome.
mohten 'moltn . adj. (esp. of materials with
| |

usage: 1 The terms Mongoloid, Ne-

a high melting point, such as metal and glass)
groid, Caucasoid, and Australoid were
liquefied by heat.
introduced by 19th-century anthropologists
mo*men*tOUS mo'men(t)3s; ma'- . adj. (of
|
1

attempting to classify human racial types,

a decision, event, or change) of great impor-
but today they are recognized as having lim-
tance or significance, esp. in its bearing on the
ited validity as scientific categories. Al-
future: a period of momentous changes in East-
though occasionally used when making
West relations.
broad generalizations about the world's pop-
derivatives: mo«men«tous»ly adv. mo» ulations, in most modern contexts they are
men»tous»ness n. potentially offensive, esp. when used of indi-
mo»men«tum mo'mentsm; ma- |
1 • n. (pi.
viduals. Instead, the names of specific peo-
momenta or momentums) 1 the quantity
ples or nationalities should be used wherever
of motion of a moving body, measured as a
possible.
product of its mass and velocity. 2 the impe-
2 The term mongol, or Mongoloid, was
tus gained by a moving object: the vehicle
adopted in the late 1 9th century to refer to a
gained momentum as the road dipped. person with Down syndrome, owing to the
the impetus and driving force gained by the
similarity of some of the physical symptoms
development of a process or course of events:
of the disorder with the normal facial char-
the investigation gathered momentum in the acteristics of eastern Asian people. In mod-
spring.
 V

moniker 282 monumental

ern English this use is now considered offen- mon»oHith |'manl-iTH| • n. 1 a large single
sive. It has been replaced in scientific as well upright block of stone, esp. one shaped into
as in most general contexts by the term or serving as a pillar or monument. Cf. dol-
Down syndrome (first recorded in the men; MENHIR.
early 1960$). a very large and characterless building: the
72-story monolith overlooking the waterfront.
mon«l«ker i
manikarl (also monicker) . n. a sunk in water, e.g.,
a large block of concrete
name or nickname. in the building of a dock. 2 a large and imper-
D K R v.-^T V E s mon«i»kered
I I : adj. sonal political, corporate, or social structure
mon*ism 'man.izam; 'mo,niz3m| • n. a the-
|
regarded as intractably indivisible and uni-
ory or doctrine that denies the existence of a form: states struggling to break away from the
distinction or duality in some sphere, such as Communist monolith.
that between matter and mind, or God and mon*0*ma»nl*a .mana'manesi • n. exagger-
|

the world. ated or obsessive enthusiasm for or preoccu-

the doctrine that only one supreme being pation with one thing.
exists. Cf. PLURAUSM. derivatives: mon»o»ma»ni«ac |-'mane
derivatives: mon*ist n. & adj. momis* ,aek| n. 8i adj. mon»o*ma«ni«a«cal l-ma'ni-
tic I
man'istik; mo'nistiki adj. 3k3l I
adj.
mo*ni*tion Ima'niSHanI • n. a warning of im- mo*nop*0*ly Ima'napalel * n. (pi. -ies) the

pending danger. exclusive possession or control of the supply

a formal notice from a bishop or ecclesiasti- or trade in a commodity or service: his likely
cal court admonishing a person not to do motive was to protect his regional monopoly on
something specified. furs. Horizontal monopoly is the control of
mon»i»tO»ry 'man3,t6re |
• adj. giving or |
all business at a certain level of production in

serving as a warning: the monitory wail of an a particular market or industry. Vertical

air-raid siren. • n. (pi. -ies) (in church use) a monopoly is control of at least one business
letter of admonition from the pope or a at each level of production in a market or in-
bishop. dustry.
mon»0»chro«mat«ic ,man9kro'm£etik| |
»adj. [usu. with negative] the exclusive possession,
containing or using only one color: monochro- control, or exercise of something: men don't
matic light. have a monopoly on unrequited love. a
lacking in variety; monotonous: her typically company or group having exclusive control
monochromatic acting style. over a commodity or service: areas where ca-
derivatives: mon»o«chro«mat»i»cal«ly ble companies operate as monopolies. a com-
|-ik(3)le| adv. modity or service controlled in this way: elec-
mon*0*COque i
'mana.kok; -|kak| • n. an air- tricity, gas, and water were considered to be

craft or vehicle structure in which the chassis natural monopolies.

is integral with the body. mo»not»0*ny ms'natn-e • n. lack of variety
| |

mon*0*CUl*ture 'mana.kalCHarl * n. the I

and interest; tedious repetition and routine:
cultivation of a single crop in a given area. you can become resigned to the monotony of
derivatives: mon«o»cul»tur»al |
,man3 captivity.
'kalCHaral |
adj. sameness of pitch or tone in a sound or ut-
mon*0»dy 'manadel • n. (pi. -ies) 1 an ode
|
terance: depression flattens the voice almost to
sung by a single actor in a Greek tragedy. 2 a monotony.
poem lamenting a person's death. 3 music mons pu*bis |
'manz 'pyoobasi » n. (pi.

with only one melodic line, esp. an early Ba- montes pubis) the rounded mass of fatty
roque style with one singer and continuo ac- tissue lying over the joint of the pubic
companiment. bones, in women typically more prominent
D E R at v E s mo'nod'ic |m9'nadik| adj.
I I : and also called the mons veneris ('Venus's
mon*o*dist |-dist| n. mount').
mo*nog*a»my ma'nagame | I
• n. the practice mon*tage man'tazn; mon-; moN- . «. the
|
1

or state of being married to one person at a process or technique of selecting, editing,

time. and piecing together separate sections of film
the practice or state of having a sexual rela- to form a continuous whole.
tionship with only one partner. (in zoology) a sequence of film resulting ft-om this: a
the habit of having only one mate at a time. dazzling montage of the movie's central banquet
Cf. big.-uiy; polygamy, scene. the technique of producing a new
derivatives: mo»nog«a»mist |-mist| n. composite whole from fragments of pic-
mo»nog»a»mous -m3S adj. mo»nog»a» |
|
tures, text, or music: the play often verged on
mous'ly |-m3sle| adv. montage.
mon»0»graph 'mana.graef • n. a detailed
| l
mon»u»men»tal .manya'mentl • adj. great
|
|

written study of a smgle specialized subject or in importance, extent, or size: it's been a mon-
an aspect of it: a series of monographs on music umental effort.
in late medieval and Renaissance cities. • v. (of a work of art) great in ambition and
[trans.] write a monograph on; treat in a mon- scope: the ballet came across as one of MacMil-
ograph. lan 's most monumental ivorks. of or serving as
derivatives: mo»nog«ra»pher Ima'nag- a monument: additional details are found in
rsfarl n. mo»nog«ra«phist ms'nagrafist |
|
n. monumental inscriptions.
mooch 283 morbid
derivatives: mon«u»men»taWsm n. individual's ambitions may get out of step with
mon*u»men»taW«ty .manya.men'taebte | |
the general moral code.
holding or manifest-
n. mon»u»men»tal»ly |-'mentl-e| adv. ing high principles for proper conduct: he is a
mooch mdoCH [trans.] ask for or ob-
I
\
»v. ^ caring, efficient, moral man. derived from or
tain (something) without paying for it: a based on ethical principles or a sense of these:
bunch ofyourfriends will show up, mooching food the moral obligation of society to do something
1
[intrans.] Vm mooching off you all the time. about the inner city's problems. [attrib.] exam-

2 [intrans ] (mooch around/about) loiter in a ining the nature of ethics and the foundations
bored or hstless manner: he didn 't want them of good and bad character and conduct:
mooching around all day. • n. (also moocher) moral philosophers. » n. ^ a lesson, esp. one
a beggar or scrounger: Frank was a mooch who concerning what is right or prudent, that can
got everything from his dad. be derived from a story, a piece of informa-
mood mood .
I
1 Grammar a category ofI
tion, or an experience: the moral of this
verb use, typically expressing fact (indicative story was that one must see the beauty in what
mood), command (imperative mood), ques- one has. 2 (morals) a person's standards of
tion (interrogative mood), wish (optative behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is
mood), or conditionality (subjunctive not acceptable to do: the corruption of public
mood). morals.
a form or forms of a verb in an in-
set of standards of behavior that are considered
flected language such as French, Latin, or good or acceptable: they believe addicts have no
Greek, serving to indicate whether it ex- morals and cannot be trusted.
presses fact, command, wish, or conditional- mor*ahist 'morabst » n.
|
a person who \

2 Logic any of the valid forms into which

ity. teaches or promotes morality.
each of the figures of a categorical syllogism a person given to moralizing. a person who
may occur. behaves in a morally commendable way.
moon moon I
\
* V. ^ [no obj., with adverbial] be- derivatives: mor»aWs»tic .mors'listik] |

have or move
and aimless man- in a listless adj. mor»aWs»ti»caWy ,m6r9'listik(3)le | |

ner: lying in bed eating candy, mooning around. adv.

act in a dreamily infatuated manner: Tim 's mor*al*l2e |
'm6r3,liz; 'mar- 1
» v. [intrans.]

mooning over her like a schoolboy. 2 [trans] [often as n.] (moralizing) comment on is-
expose one's buttocks to (someone) in order sues of right and wrong, typically with an
to insult or amuse them: Dan whipped around, unfounded air of superiority: the self-
bent over, and mooned the crowd. righteous moralizing of his aunt was ringing in
moon*y 'moone • adj. (moonier, mooni-
|
I
his ears.
est) (of a person) dreamy and unaware of [trans.] interpret or explain as giving lessons
one's surroundings, for example because one on good and bad character and conduct:
is in love: she's not drunk, but still smiling in the mythographers normally moralize Narcissus as
same moony way \
little girls go moony over the man who wastes himself in pursuing worldly
horses. goods. [trans.] reform the character and con-

moot moot I
• adj. subject to debate, dispute,
I
duct of: he endeavored to moralize an immoral
or uncertainty, and typically not admitting of society.
a final decision: whether the temperature rise derivatives: mor«aW»za«tion |
.morab
was mainly due to the greenhouse effect was a 'zaSHan; ,mar- n. mor«al»iz»er n. mor»al»
1

moot point. iz»ing»ly adv.

having no practical significance, typically be- mo«rass ma'raes; mo- . w. an area of muddy
|
1

cause the subject is too uncertain to allow a or boggy ground.

decision: it is moot whether this phrase should be a complicated or confused situation: lost in a
treated as metaphor or not. no longer rele- morass of lies and explanations.
vant, typically because of a change of circum- mor»a»tO*ri«um .mors'toream; ,mar- |
1
. n.
stances: what it's worth is moot because it's no (pi. moratoriums ,m6r3't6re3mz ormor- |
|

longer for sale. • v. [trans.] (usu. be mooted) atoria -ea ) a postponement or temporary
|
|

raise (aquestion or topic) for discussion; sug- prohibition of an activity: an indefinite mor-
gest (an idea or possibility): Sylvia needed a atorium on the use of drift nets.
vacation, and a trip to Ireland had been mooted. a legal authorization to debtors to post-
• n. 1 Brit, an assembly held for debate, esp. in pone payment. the period of this post-
Anglo-Saxon and medieval times. ponement.
a regular gathering of people having a com- mor*bid 'morbsd . adj. 1 characterized by
|
I

mon interest. 2 (also moot court) a mock or appealing to an abnormal and unhealthy
trial set up to examine a hypothetical case as interest in disturbing and unpleasant sub-
an academic exercise. jects, esp. death and disease: a morbid fascina-
mor*al 'moral; 'mar- • adf concerned with
|
1
tion with the horrors of warfare. 2 of the nature
the principles of right and wrong behavior of or indicative of disease: the treatment of mor-
and the goodness or badness of human char- bid obesity.
acter: the moral dimensions of medical interven- derivatives: mor»bid«i»ty |m6r'bid3te|
tion a moral judgment.
I n. 1 the quality or conditioning of being dis-
concerned with or adhering to the code of eased or ill. 2 prevalence of disease, esp. in a
interpersonal behavior that is considered given area. mor»bid*ly adv. mor»bid»ness
right or acceptable in a particular society: an n.
 1

mordacious 284 mosaic

mor*da*ciOUS |m6r'dasH3si * adj. 1 denot- mort*gage |
. n. the charging of
'morgij |

ing or using biting sarcasm or invective. 2 (of
a person or animal) given to biting.
derivatives: mor»da»ci»ty n.
mor*dant |'m6rdnt| *adj. (esp. of humor)
having or showing a sharp or critical quality;
biting: a mordant sense of humor. • n. a sub-
stance, typically
combines with a dye or stain and thereby
fixes it in a material.
an adhesive compound for fixing gold leaf.
real (or personal) property by a debtor to a
creditor as security for a debt (esp. one in-
curred by the purchase of the property), on
the condition that it shall be returned on
payment of the debt within a certain period.
a deed effecting such a transaction. a loan
an inorganic oxide, that obtained through the conveyance of prop-
erty as security: / put down a hundred thou-
sand in cash and look out a mortgage for the
rest. • v. [trans.] (often be mortgaged) con-

a corrosive liquid used to etch the lines on vey (a property) to a creditor as security
a printing plate. • v. [trans.] impregnate or on a loan: the estate was mortgaged up to the
treat (a fabric) with a mordant. hilt.

derivatives: mor»dan»cy |-dnse| n. expose to future risk or constraint for the

mor»dant»ly adv. sake of immediate advantage: some people
mor*dent 'm6rdnt| |
• n. a musical ornament worry that selling offfederal assets mortgages the
consisting of a rapid alternation of a written country's future.
note with the note immediately below or derivatives: mort»gage»a»ble adj.
above it in the scale (sometimes further dis- mort*ga*gee .morgs'je • n. the lender
|
! in a
tinguished as lower mordent and upper mortgage, typically a bank.
mordent). The term inverted mordent usu- mort*ga*gor |
,m6rgi',)6r; 'morgijarl » n. the
ally refers to the upper mordent. borrower in a mortgage, typically a home-
mones i'moriazi 'plural n. the essential or owner.
characteristic customs and conventions of a mor»ti*fy rmorta.fil ^v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.]
community: an offense against social mores. 1 (often be mortified) cause (someone) to

mor»i«bund 'mora, band; 'mar- • adj. (of

|
1 a feel embarrassed, ashamed, or humiliated:
person) point of death.
at the [with obj. and infinitive] she was mortified to see
(of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vital- wrinkles in the mirror \
[as adj.] (mortifying)

ity or vigor: the moribund farm property mar- he refused to accept this mortifying disgrace.
ket. 2 subdue (the body or its needs and desires)
derivatives: mor»i»bumdi»ty |
, mora by self-denial or discipline: return to heaven by
'bsndste; ,mar-| n. mortifying the flesh. 3 [intrans.] (of flesh) be
mo»ron |'m6r,an| . n. a stupid person. affected by gangrene or necrosis: the cut in
a formerly used classification fo an adult Henry's arm had mortified.
with a mental age of between 8 and 12. DERI VAT V E s mor»ti»fi«ca»tion .mortsfs
I :
|

derivatives: mo«ronMC ms'ranik; mo- | 'kaSHsn mor»ti«£y»ing«ly adv.

|
n.
adj. mo»ron»i»cal»ly m3'ranik(3)le; mo-j |
mor*tise 'mortss (also mortice) . n. a hole
|
|

adv. or recess cut into a part, designed to receive

morph • V. change or cause to change a corresponding projection (a tenon) on an-
smoothly from one image to another by small other part so as to join or lock the parts to-
gradual steps using computer animation gether. . V. [with obj. and adverbial] join se-
techniques: 3-D objects can be morphed into curely by using a mortise and tenon.
other objects you see her face morphing into the
\
[trans.] [often as adj.] (mortised) cut a mor-

creature's face. • n. an image that has been tise in or through: the mortised ports.
processed in this way. derivatives: mor«tis»er n.
an instance of changing an image in this mo«sa*ic |mo'za-ik| • «. 1 a picture or pat-
way. tern produced by arranging together small
mor*pheme 'm6r,fem » n. a meaningful |
\
colored pieces of hard material, such as
morphological unit of a language that cannot stone, tile, or glass: the mosaic shows the bap-
be ftirther divided (e.g., the three units in, tism of Christ [as adj.] a mosaic floor.
I

come, -ing, forming incoming).
a morphological element considered with
respect to its functional relations in a linguis-
ticsystem.
derivatives: mor»phe*mic mowr'fekh
mik adj.I
mor*phe»mi»cal»ly mor
'femik(3)le |
adv.
mor»phol»0»gy mor'fabje
study of the forms of things, in particular:
the branch of biology that deals with the
form of living organisms, and with relation-
ships between their structures. the study of
the forms of words.
derivatives: mor»pho«log»ic .morfa
decorative work of this kind: the walls and
vaults are decorated by marble and mosaic. a
colorful and variegated pattern: the bird's
plumage was a mosaic of slate-gray, blue, and
| brown. a combination of diverse elements
|
forming a more or less coherent whole: a
mosaic of competing interests. an arrange-
| I
. n. (pi. -ies) the ment of photosensitive elements in a televi-
sion camera. 2 an individual (esp. an animal)
composed of cells of two genetically different
types. 3 (also mosaic disease) a viral dis-
ease that results in leaf variegation in to-
bacco, corn, sugar cane, and other plants.
|
. V. (mosaicked, mosaicking) [trans.] deco-

'lajiki mor»pho»log»i*cal .morfs'laji-

adj. |
rate with a mosaic: [as adj.] (mosaicked) the
kal adj. mor«pho«log«i»cal«ly
I
.morfa'laji- j
mosaicked swimming pool.
k(3)le adv. mor»phol»o»gist -jist n.
I |
|
combine (distinct or disparate elements) to
mossback 285 muliebrity
form a picture or pattern: the digital data were in former times, a person who sold patent
combined, or mosaicked, to delineate counties. medicines in public places.
derivatives: mo»sa»i*cist mo'zaasist n. | |
DERiVAiiVES: mounne»bank«er»y
m0SS*back 'm6s,ba£k| • n. an old-fashioned | I
-ibaeNGkare I
n.
or extremely conservative person. moX'ie 'makse • n. force of character, de-
| |

derivatives: moss*backed adj. termination, or nerve: when you've got moxie,

mote mot • n. a tiny piece of something:
I I
the you need the clothes to match.
mote of dust. Cf. iota.
tiniest mu*Ci*lage 'myoos(3)lij • n. a viscous se- |
|

PHRASEs:a mote in someone's eye a fault cretion or bodily fluid.

in a person that is less serious than one in a polysaccharide substance extracted as a
someone else who is being critical. viscous or gelatinous solution from plant
mo*tet |mo'tet| • n. a short piece of sacred and used in medicines and
roots, seeds, etc.,
choral music, typically polyphonic and unac- adhesives.an adhesive solution; gum, glue.
companied. Cf. MADRIGAL. DERIVATIVES: mu«ci»lag»i»nous .myoosa |

mo*tif |mo'tef| . n. a decorative design or '

lee j anas |
adj.
pattern: T-shirts featuring spiral motifs. muck*rak*ing rmak.rakiNGl . n. the action
a distinctive feature or dominant idea in an of searching out and publicizing scandalous
artistic or literary composition: the nautical information about famous people, some-
motif of his latest novel. a short succession of times in an underhanded way: her candidacy
notes producing a single impression; a brief was threatened by her opponent's muckraking j

melodic or rhythmic formula out of which as [adj.] a muckraking journalist.

longer passages are developed: the motif in the DERIVATIVES: muck*rake |-,rak| v.

second violin is submerged by the first violin's muck»rak»er |-,rak3r| n.

countermelody. an ornament of lace, braid, mu*COUS 'myookas adj. relating to, pro-
I
|
•

etc., sewn separately on a garment. a dis- ducing, covered with, or of the nature of
tinctive sequence in a protein or DNA, hav- mucus.
ing a three-dimensional structure that allows DERIVATIVES mu»cosM«ty :
i
.myoo'kasate |

binding interactions to occur. n.

mo*tile 'motl; 'mo, til • adj. 1 (of cells) ca-
I I
mu*CUS I
'myookas |
• w. a slimy substance,
pable of motion: highly motile sperm cells. 2 of, secreted by mucous membranes and glands
relating to, or characterized by bodily for lubrication, protection, etc.
responses that involve muscular rather than a gummy substance found in plants; muci-
audiovisual sensations. lage.
DERIVATIVES: mo'tilM'ty |mo'tibte| n. mu*ez*zin |m(y)oo'ezan; 'mooazan| • n. a
mot juste ,mo ZHyst . n. (pi. mots justes
I I
man who callsMuslims to prayer from the
pronunc. same) the exact, appropriate word. minaret of a mosque.
motHey |'matle| 'adj. (motlier, motliest) muHii 'mafte • n. (pi. muftis) a Muslim le-
I
|

incongruously varied in appearance or char- gal expert who is empowered to give rulings
acter; disparate: a motley crew of discontents on religious matters.
and zealots. [usu. in sing.] an incongru-
• n. 1 muf*t|2 . n. plain clothes worn by a person
ous mixture: a motley of interacting interest who wears a uniform for his or her job, such
groups. 2 the multicolored costume of a as a soldier or police officer: / was an officer in
jester: life-size mannequins in full motley. mufti.
mot»tle 'matl . V. [trans.] (usu. be mottled)
I I
mug*wump rmag,wamp| »n. a person who
mark with spots or smears of color: the cow's remains aloof or independent, esp. from
coat was light red mottled with white \
[as adj.] party politics.
(mottled) a bird with mottled brown plumage. a Republican who in 1884 refused to sup-
• n. an irregular arrangement of spots or port James G. Blaine, the Republican nomi-
patches of color: the ship was a mottle of khaki nee for president.
and black. DERI VAT V E s mug»wump»er«y n. I :

(also mottling) a spot or patch forming mu*lat*tO |m(y)(3f)'lato; -'laetol • n. (pi. -oes
part of such an arrangement: the mottles on a or -os) a person of mixed white and black an-
trout I
white marble with mottlings of black and cestry, esp. a person with one white and one
gray. black parent. • adj. relating to or denoting a
mot^to 'mato • n. (pi. -oes or -os) a short
I I
mulatto or mulattoes. Cf. quadroon.
sentence or phrase chosen as encapsulating now
USAGE: This term is usually consid-
the behefs or ideals guiding an individual,
ered offensive and is rarely seen except in
family, or institution: the school motto, "Serve
historical contexts.
and obey" he soon adopted the motto "work
\

hard and play hard." mulct |malkt| »v. [trans.] extract money from
a phrase that recurs throughout a musical (someone) by fine or taxation: no government
work and has some symbolic significance. dared propose to mulct the taxpayer for such a
moue moo . n. a pouting expression used to
I I
purpose.
convey annoyance or distaste: she made a (mulct someone of) defraud (someone) of
moue at the suggestion that she clean the house. (money or possessions): he mulcted Shelly of
moun*te*bank 'mownti,b8eNGk| • a per- |
$75,000. • n. a fine or compulsory payment.
son who deceives others, esp. in order to trick mu*li«eb»ri»ty ,myoole'ebrate • n. womanly |
|

them out of their money; a charlatan. qualities; womanhood.

mull 286 muster
mul|i • V. [trans.] think about (a fact, proposal, mum»mer»y |
'mamsre |
• n. (pi. -ies) a per-
or request) deeply and at length: she began to formance by mummers (masked actors in a
mull over the various possibilities. mime show).
mul|2 . V. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (mulled) warm ridiculous ceremonial, esp. of a religious na-
(a beverage, esp.wine, beer, or cider) and add ture: that's all it is, mere mummery.
spices and sweetening to it: a tankard of mun*dane .man'dan |
|
• adj. 1 lacking inter-
mulled ale. est or excitement; dull: seeking a way out of a
muhlion 'malysnl • n. a vertical bar between
|
mundane existence. 2 of this earthly world
the panes of glass in a window. Cf. transom, rather than a heavenly or spiritual one: ac-
derivatives: mul*lioned adj. cording to Shinto doctrine, spirits of the dead can
mul*ti*dis*ci*pli*nar*y |
.mslti'disapli'nere; act upon the mundane world.
im3l,ti-| * adj. combining or involving sev- derivatives: mun»dane»ly adv. mum
eral academic disciplines or professional dane*ness n. mun»dan»i»ty |-'dan3te| n.
specializations in an approach to a topic or (pi. -ies) .

problem. mu»nlf*i*cent myOO'nifssant; mys- • adj.

|
1

mul*ti*far*i*OUS .malti'fereas . adj. many |

|
(of a gift or sum
of money) larger or more
and of various types: multifarious activities. generous than is usual or necessary: a munif-
having many varied parts or aspects: a vast icent gesture.
and multifarious organization. (of a person) very generous.
DERI VAT v E s mul»ti»far»i»ous»ly
I : adv. derivatives: mu»nifM»cence n. mu»iiif«
mul«ti»far»i»ous»ness n. i»cent«ly adv.
muHHat*er»al .malti'laepral |
|
* adj. agreed mu*ni»ment |
'myoonamanti • n. (usu. mu-

upon or participated in by three or more par- niments) a document or record, esp. one
ties, esp.the governments of different co\m- kept in an archive.
Xxics: multilateral negotiationsmultilateral nu- \
mu*ni«tion myOO'niSHsn; my9-| 'plural n.
|

clear disarmament. (munitions) military weapons, ammu-

having members or contributors from sev- nition, equipment, and stores: reserves of
eral groups, esp. several different countries: nuclear, chemical, and conventional munitions \

multilateral aid agencies. Cf. bilateral, uni- [as a munitions expert

adj.] [as adj.] munitions \

lateral. factories. • v. [trans.] supply with munitions.

derivatives: mul»tHat»er»alMsm |-,li- derivatives: mu»ni»tion»er n.
zam n. mul»ti»lat»er»al*ist -list adj.
I
|
|
& n. mur*rain 'msrsn • n. 1 any of various in-
| |

mul»ti»lat»er»al»ly adv. fectious diseases affecting cattle or other

mul*ti*plex 'mslti.pleks . adj. consisting of
| I
animals. 2 a plague, epidemic, or crop
many elements in a complex relationship: blight.
multiplex ties of work and friendship. Muse |myooz| » n. (in Greek and Roman
involving simultaneous transmission of sev- mythology) each of nine goddesses, the
eral messages along a single channel of com- daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who pre-
munication. (of a movie theater) having side over the arts and sciences.
several separate screens within one building. (muse) woman, or a force personified as a
a
• w. 1 a system or signal involving simultane- woman, who is the source of inspiration for a
ous transmission of several messages along a creative artist.
single channel of communication. 2 a movie
The Muses are generally listed as Calliope
theater with several separate screens. • v.
(epic poetry), Clio (history), Euterpe (flute
[trans.] incorporate into a multiplex signal or
playing and lyric poetry), Terpsichore (cho-
system. ral dancing and song), Erato (lyre playing
derivatives muMi»plex»er : (also mul*ti»
and lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragedy),
plex'Or) n. mid»ti*plexn»ty n. Thalia (comedy and light verse), Polyhym-
mul*ti«task*ing .mslti'txskiNC; ,m3l,ti-| . w.|
nia (hymns, and later mime), and Urania
the simultaneous execution of more than one
(astronomy).
program or task by a single computer pro-
cessor. muse myooz I I
• V. [intrans.] be absorbed in
Simultaneously undertaking two or more thought: he was musing on the problems he
activities, such as eating while watching tele- faced.
vision and talking on the telephone. (muse on) gaze thoughtfully at. • n. an in-
derivatives: mul»ti»task |
'm3lti,taesk; stance or period of reflection.
'm3l,ti-| V. derivatives: mus'ing'ly adv.
mul«ti«va*lent .mslti'vabnt; .msl.ti- . adj.
|
1 must! • n. grape juice before or during fer-
1 having or susceptible to many applications, mentation.
interpretations, meanings, or values: visually must2 . n. a musty state; dampness or mold:
complex and multivalent work. 2 (of an antigen a pervasive smell of must.
or antibody) having several sites at which at- must3 (also musth) . n. the frenzied state of
tachment to an antibody or antigen can oc- certain male animals, esp. elephants or
cur: a multivalent antiserum. Cf. polyvalent. camels, that is associated with the season:
3 (in chemistry) another term for polyva- a big old bull elephant in must. Cf. rut.
lent. • adj. (of a male elephant or camel) in such a

derivatives: mul»ti»va»lence n. mul»ti« state.

va»len»cy n. Brit. mus»ter I'mastar] 'V. [trans.] 1 assemble
musty 287 myopic
(troops), esp. for inspection or in preparation mu*tHate |'myOotl,ati -v. [trans.] (usu. be
for battle. mutilated) inflict a violent and disfiguring
[no obj., with adverbial] (of troops) come to- injury on: the leg was badly mutilated [as adj.] |

gether in this way: the cavalrymen mustered be- (mutilated) mutilated bodies.
side the other regiments. [no obj., with adverbial inflict serious damage on: the 14th-century
of place] (of a group of people) gather together: church had been partly mutilated in the 18th cen-
reporters mustered outside her house. 2 collect or tury. render imperfect by removing or se-
assemble (a number or amount): they could verely damaging a part: They couldn't suppress
not muster a majority. the book but they mutilated it almost beyond rec-

summon up (a particular feeling, attitude, or ognition.

response): he replied with as much dignity as derivatives: mu»ti»la»tion myootl a- |
, '

he could muster. • n. a formal gathering of SHan| mu»ti»la*tor l-,atar| n.

n.

troops, esp. for inspection, display, or exer- mu*ti*nous 'myootn-as • adj. (of a soldier
|
|

cise. or sailor) refusing to obey the orders of a su-

phrases: pass muster be accepted as ade- perior.
quate or satisfactory: a treaty that might pass willful or disobedient: the junior members
muster with the voters. seemed mutinous, but adhered to party policy in
mus»ty 'maste • adj. (mustier, mustiest)
I
|
the end.
having a stale, moldy, or damp smell: a dark derivatives: mu»ti«nous*ly adv.
musty library filled with old books. mu*ti*ny |
'myootn-e I
• n. (pL -ies) an open
having a stale taste: the beer tasted sour, thin, rebellion against the proper authorities, esp.
and musty. lacking originality or interest: by soldiers or sailors against their officers: a
when I read it again, the play seemed musty. mutiny by those manning the weapons could trig-
derivatives: mus«ti«ly I'msstalel adv. ger a global war mutiny at sea. • v. (-ies, \

mus»ti»ness n. -ied) [intrans.] refuse to obey the orders of a

mu*ta*ble I'myootsball 'adj. liable to person in authority.
change: the mutable nature offashion. muWsm 'my6ot,izam I
• «. inability to I

inconstant in one's affections: j'owr/z is said to speak, typically as a result of congenital deaf-
and mutable.
be fickle ness or brain damage.
DERI VAT V E s mu»ta»biln»ty
I :
|
.myoots'bil- (in full elective mutism) unwillingness or
ate n. mu«ta»bly adv.
I
refusal to speak, arising from psychological
mu*ta»gen 'myoopjan »n. an
i I
agent, such causes such as depression or trauma.
as radiation or a chemical substance, that mu*tu*al*ism 'myooCHawa,lizam . |
the |

causes genetic mutation. doctrine that mutual dependence is neces-

DERIVATIVES: muna»gen»e»sis |
,myoot3 sary to social well-being.
'jenasasi n. mu»ta»gen»ic |
,myoot3'jenik |
symbiosis that is beneficial to both organ-
adj. isms involved.
mu»ta»tion |myoo'taSH3n| . n. 1 the action derivatives: mu«tu»aWst n. & adj. mu«
or process of undergoing change (mutating): tu*aWs»tic ,myooCHawa'listik| adj. mu»tu»
I

the mutation of ethnic politics into nationalist al»is»ti»caWy |myooCHawa'listik(a)le adv. |

|

politics I
his first novel went through several muz»zy 'maze • adj. (muzzier, muzziest)
I
|

mutations. 2 the changing of the structure of 1 vmable to think clearly; confused: she was
a gene, resulting in a variant form that may shivering and her head felt muzzy from sleep.
be transmitted to subsequent generations, not thought out clearly; vague: society's
caused by the alteration of single base units muzzy notion of tolerance. 2 (of a person's eyes
in DNA, or the deletion, insertion, or re- or a visual image) blurred: a slightly muzzy
arrangement of larger sections of genes or picture.
chromosomes. (of a sound) indistinct: the bass and drums
a distinct form resulting from such a change. are,even on CD, appallingly muzzy.
3 uniform change of a sound when it occurs derivatives: muz»zi»ly |'mazale| adv.
adjacent to another, in particular: muz»zi«ness n.
(in Germanic languages) the process by my»COl*0*gy |mi'kalaje| » n. the scientific
which the quality' of a vowel was altered in study of fiingi.
certain phonetic contexts. (in Celtic lan- derivatives: my«co»log*i»cal |
,mika'laji-
guages) change of an initial consonant in a kal| adj. myco»log»i»cal»ly |
,mika'laji-
word caused (historically) by the preceding k(a)le I
adv. my»col«o«gist -jist |
|
n.

word. my*Ol*0*gy the study of the

|
mi'alaje |
. «.
derivatives: mu»ta»tion»al -SHanl adj. |
|
structure, arrangement, and action of mus-
mu«ta«tion»al«ly |-SH9nl-e| adv. mu»ta* cles.
tive I'myootativl adj. derivatives: myo»log*i»cal |
.mia'laji-
mu»ta*tis mu*tan*dis m(y)6o'tat3s m(y)oo
|
kal I
adj. my»ol»o»gist |
-jist |
n.
'tandas; -'tatas; -'taendas • adv. (used when
|
my»op*ic |mi'apik| 'adj. (of a person or their
comparing two or more cases or situations) eyes) affected by nearsighted (myopia).
making necessary alterations of detail while lacking imagination, foresight, or intellectual
not affecting the main point at issue: what is insight: a myopic attitude toward public spend-
true of undergraduate teaching in England is ing.
equally true, mutatis mutandis, of American derivatives: my»opM«cal»ly |-ik(a)le|
graduate schools. adv.
myriad 288 mythology
myr*i«ad 'miread • n. 1 a countless or ex-
|
I
concerned with the soul or the spirit, rather
tremely great number: networks connecting a than with material things: the beliefs of a more
myriad of computers. 2 (chiefly in classical mystical age.
history) a unit of ten thousand. • adj. count- derivatives :mys»ti«caWy |-ik(3)le| adv.
less or extremely great in number: the myriad mys»tl»clsm 'mist3,siz3m » n. 1 belief that
|

lightsof the city. union with or absorption into God or the

having countless or very many elements or
aspects: the myriad music scene.
usage: Myriad, derived from a Greek
word meaning 'ten thousand,' is best used as
an adjective (not as a noun)
'countless' or 'innumerable,' in reference to
a great but indefinite number. It should not
be used in the plural or take the preposition
absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of
knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may
be attained through contemplation and self-
surrender. 2 belief characterized by self-
in the sense of
delusion or dreamy confusion of thought,
esp. when based on the assumption of occult
qualities or mysterious agencies.
mys»tique mis'tek » n. a fascinating aura of
| \

mystery, awe, and power surrounding some-

of {myriad opporiunities, not myriads of oppor-
tunities).
one or something: the West is lately rethinking
its cowboy mystique the tiger has a mystique
\

mys*ta*gogue |'mist3,gag| *n. a teacher or that man has always respected and revered.
propounder of mystical doctrines. an air of secrecy surrounding a particular ac-
derivatives: mys»ta»gogM»cal adj. mys* tivity or subject that makes it impressive or
ta»go«gy |-,goje| n. baffling to those without specialized knowl-
mys*ter*y |
'mist (a) re I
. n. (pi. -ies) 1 some- edge: eliminating the mystique normally associ-
thing that is difficult or impossible to un- ated with computers. Cf. demystify.
derstand or explain: the mysteries of outer myth mixH
I
• ?7. 1 a traditional story, esp. one
I

space hoping that the inquest would solve the

I
concerning the early history of a people or
mystery. explaining some natural or social phenome-
the condition or quality of being secret, non, and typically involving supernatural
strange, or difficult to explain: much of her past beings or events. Cf. legend.
is shrouded in mystery. a person or thing such stories collectively: the heroes of Greek
whose identity or nature is puzzling or un- myth. 2 a widely held but false belief or idea:
known: "He's a bit of a mystery," said Nina |
he wants to dispel the myth that sea kayaking is
[as adj.] a mystery guest. 2 a novel, play, or too risky or too strenuous there is a popular \

movie dealing with a puzzling crime, esp. a myth that corporations are big people with lots of
murder. 3 (mysteries) the secret rites of money.
Greek and Roman pagan religion, or of any a misrepresentation of the truth: attacking the
ancient or tribal religion, to which only initi- party's irresponsible myths about privatization.
ates are admitted. a fictitious or imaginary person or thing.
the practices, skills, or lore peculiar to a par- an exaggerated or idealized conception of a
ticular trade or activity and regarded as baf- person or thing: the book is a scholarly study of
fling to those without specialized knowledge: the Kennedy myth.
the mysteries of analytical psychology. the myth*ic I'mixHikl •adj. of, relating to, or
Christian Eucharist. 4 a religious belief based resembling myth: we explain spiritual forces in
on divine revelation, esp. one regarded as be- mythic language.
yond human understanding: the mystery of exaggerated or idealized: a national hero of
Christ. mythic proportions. fictitious: a mythic land of
an incident in the life of Jesus or of a saint as plenty.
a focus of devotion in the Roman Catholic myth*i*cal |
'miTHiksl |
• adj. occurring in or
Church, each of those commemorated
esp. characteristic of myths or folk tales: one of
during recitation of successive decades of the Denmark's greatest mythical heroes.
rosary. idealized, esp. with reference to the past: a
mys*tic 'mistiki • n. a person who seeks by
|
mythical age of contentment and social order.
contemplation and self-surrender to obtain fictitious: a mythical customer whose name
unity with or absorption into God or the ab- appears in brochures.
solute, or who believes in the spiritual appre- derivatives myth»i«cal»ly |-ik(9)le| adv.
:

hension of truths that are beyond the intel- myth»l»ci2e |'miTH3,siz| »v. [trans.] turn into
lect. . adj. another term for mystical. myth; interpret mythically.
mys»ti*cal 'mistikall . adj. 1 of or relating to
|
derivatives: myth*i»cism |-,siz3m| n.

mystics or religious mysticism: the mystical ex- myth'i'cist |-sist| n.

perience. my*thol*0*gy ma'THabje . n. (pi. -ies) 1 a
| i

spiritually or symbolic; tran-

allegorical collection of myths, esp. one belonging to a
scending human understanding: the mystical particular religious or cultural tradition:
body of Christ. of or relating to ancient reli- Ganesa was the god of wisdom and success in
gious mysteries or other occult or esoteric Hindu mythology.
rites: the mystical practices of the Pythagoreans. a set of stories or beliefs about a particular
of hidden or esoteric meaning: a geometric person, institution, or situation, esp. when
figure of mystical significance. 2 inspiring a exaggerated or fictitious: in popular mythology,
sense of spiritual mystery, awe, and fascina- truckers are kings of the road. 2 the study of
tion: the mystical forces of nature. myths.
mythomania 289 nationalize
derivatives: my»thol»o«ger i-jarl n. myth»0»ma»ni»a .miTHa'maneal . n. an ab- |

myth'-o'logMc ,miTH3'lajik| adj. mjth«o« |

normai or pathological tendency to exagger-
logn'cal .miTHa'lajikal adj. myth»o»logM»
I |
ate or tell lies.
cal'ly ,miTH3'lajik(3)Ie
I
adv. my»thol»o» | derivatives: myth«o»ma«ni»ac |-'mane
gist |-jist| n. ,aek| w. & adj. myth»o«mane n.

Nn
na*bob 'nabab | |
• n. a Muslim official or gov- extreme selfishness, with a grandiose view of
ernor under the Mogul empire (16th- 19th one's own talents and a craving for admira-
cents.) in India. tion, as characterizing a personality type.
a person of conspicuous wealth or high sta- psychoanalysis) self-centeredness aris-
(in
tus. a person who returned from India to ing from failure to distinguish the self from
Europe with a fortune during the period (late external objects, either in very young babies
1 8th-early 20th cent.) of European, esp. Brit- or as a feature of mental disorder. Cf. autism
ish, colonization. derivatives: nar»cis»sist |'nars3S3st| n.
na*cre I'nakarl • n. mother-of-pearl. nar«cis«sis«tic '.narss'sistik adj. nar«cis»|

derivatives: na»cre»ous |-kre3s| adj. sis«ti«caWy ',nars3'sist3k(3)le adv.

|

na*dir 'nadar; 'nadir] n. [in sing.] the lowest

|
• nar»CO»lep»sy 'narka.lepse . w. a patholog-
| I

point in the fortunes of a person or organiza- ical condition characterized by an extreme

tion: they had reached the nadir of their despair. tendency to fall asleep whenever in relaxing
the point on the celestial sphere directly be- surroundings.
low an observer. The opposite of zenith. derivatives: nar»co»lep«tic .narka'lep- i

nai*ad 'naaed; -3d; ni- • n. (pi. naiads or

i
1 tik !
adj. & n.
naiades 3,dez ) 1 (also Naiad) (in classical
1
|
nar«CO*sis |
of stupor,
nar'kosis I
• a state
mythology) a water nymph said to inhabit a drowsiness, or unconsciousness produced by
river, spring, or waterfall. 2 the aquatic larva drugs. (nitrogen narcosis) a drowsy state
or nymph of a dragonfly, mayfly, or stonefly. induced by breathing air under pressure, e.g.,
3 a submerged aquatic plant, genus Najas, in deep-sea diving.
with narrow leaves and minute flowers. nar»COt*ic |nar'katik| » n. a drug or other
•Genus Najas, family Najadaceae. substance affecting mood or behavior and
na*if |ni'ef| (also naf) • adj. naive or ingenu- sold for nonmedical purposes, esp. an illegal
ous. • n. a naive or ingenuous person. one.
na*ive ni'ev| (also nave) • adj. (of a person
|
(in medicine) a drug that relieves pain and
or action) showing a lack of experience, wis- induces drowsiness, stupor, or insensibility.
dom, or judgment: the rather naive young man . adj. relating to or denoting narcotics or their

had been totally misled. effects or use: the substance has a mild narcotic
(of a person) natural and unaffected; inno- effect.
cent: Andy had a sweet, naive look when he derivatives: nar»cotM»caWy |-tik(3)le|
smiled. of or denoting art produced in a adv.nar»co»tism 'nark3,tiz3m n. |
|

straightforward style that deliberately rejects nas*cent 'nassnt; 'naessnt • adj. (esp. of a
|
|

sophisticated artistic techniques and has a process or organization) just coming into ex-
bold directness resembling a child's work, istence and beginning to display signs of fu-
typically in bright colors with little or no per- ture potential: the nascent space industry.
spective. (in chemistry, chiefly of hydrogen) freshly
derivatives: naMve»ly adv. na»ive»ness generated in a reactive form.
n. derivatives: nas»cence n. nas«cen»cy n.
na«ive»te |
,ni,ev(3)'ta; ni'ev(3),ta| (also na- na*tion»al*ism |
'naeSHana.lizam |
• n. feeling,
Yvete, Brit, naivety) . n. lack of experience, principles, or efforts devoted to one's nation.
wisdom, or judgment: the administration's an extreme form of this, esp. marked by a
naivete in foreign policy. feeling of superiority over other countries.
innocence or unsophistication: they took ad- advocacy of political independence for a
vantage of his naivete and deep pockets. particular country: Palestinian nationalism.
name*sake 'nam,sak • n. a. person or thing
|
\
derivatives: na»tion«aWst 7i. na»tion»
that has the same name as another: Hugh al»is»tic adj. na»tion«al»is»ti»cal»ly adv.
Capet paved the way for his son and namesake na«tion*al»ize 'naesHans.liz • v. [trans.]
|
|

to be crowned king of France. I've been \

1 major branch of industry or
transfer (a
researching my 18th-century ancestor and name- commerce) from private to state ownership
sake. or control. 2 make distinctively national; give
nar*cis*sism j
'narsa.sizsm I
. n. excessive or a national character to: in the 13th and 14th
erotic interest in oneself and one's physical centuries church designs were further national-
appearance. ized. 3 [usu. as adj.] (nationalized) natural-
Native American
ize (a foreigner): he
Frenchman.
derivatives: na»tion«aW«za»tion
SHsnsli'zaSHan |
n.
Na»tive A»mer»l»can . n. a member of any of
the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
• adj. of or relating to these peoples.
usage: Native American is now an
accepted term in many contexts. The term
American Indian is also used, by many
American Indians themselves, among oth-
ers. See usage at American Indian.
na*tiv*ism |
the policy of
'nati,viz9m|
protecting the interests of native-born or
established inhabitants against those of
immigrants: a deep vein of xenophobia and
nativism. 2 a return to or emphasis on tradi-
tional or local customs, in opposition to out-
side influences. 3 the theory or doctrine that
concepts, mental capacities, and mental
structures are innate rather than acquired or
learned.
derivatives: na»tivMst n. adj. na»tiv«
is'tic I
,nati'vistik| adj.
naWer |
'naepr] • V.
about unimportant matters; chatter: they
nattered away for hours. • n. [in sing.] a cas-
ual and leisurely conversation.
derivatives: nat»ter«er
nat»U»ral»ism |
'naeCHars.lizam
and literature) a style
tation based on the accurate depiction of de-
tail.
The name "Naturalism" was given to a
century artistic and literary movement,
influenced by contemporary ideas of science
and society, that rejected the idealization of
experience and adopted an objective and of-
ten uncompromisingly realistic approach to
art. Notable figures include the novelist
Emile Zola (1840-1902) and the painter
Theodore Rousseau (1812-1867).
2 a philosophical viewpoint according to
which everything arises from natural proper-
ties and causes, and supernatural or spiritual
explanations are excluded or discounted.
(in moral philosophy) the theory that ethical
statements can be derived from nonethical
ones. religion, esp. deism, based on reason
rather than on divine revelation. (Also called
natural religion) . disgusting, repellent, or offensive: this nau-
nat»ur»aMze I'naeCHars.lizI *v.
ten beAjecome naturalized) admit (a for-
eigner) to the citizenship of a country: he was
born in Germany and had never been natural-
ized [as adj.] (naturalized) a naturalized US
I
citizen born in Germany.
[intrans.] (of a foreigner) be admitted to the
citizenship of a country: the opportunity to nat-
uralize as American. alter (an adopted for-
eign word) so that it conforms more closely
to the phonology or orthography of the
adopting language: the stoccafisso of Liguria
was naturalized in Nice as stocoficada.
2 [trans.] (naturalized) establish
[usu. as adj.]
(a plant or animal) so that it lives wild in a re-
290 Neanderthal
is now a nationalized gion where not indigenous: native and
it is
naturalized species dandelions quickly became \
|
,nae- naturalized in America.
na*tion«al«iz«er n. establish (a cultivated plant) in a natural sit-
uation: this species of crocus naturalizes itself
very easily. [intrans.] (of a cultivated plant)
become established in a natural situation:
these perennials should be plantedwhere they can
naturalize. 3 regard as or cause to appear nat-
ural: although women do more child care than
men, feminists should beware of naturalizing that
fact.
explain (a phenomenon) as natural rather
» n. 1 than supernatural.
derivatives: na»t»ura»l»iz»ation |
, nse-
CHsrali'zaSHan n. |
nat»u»ral se*lec»tion . n. the biological
process whereby organisms better adapted to
their environment tend to survive and pro-
duce more offspring. The theory of its action
was first fully expounded by Charles Darwin
and is now believed to be the main process
that brings about evolution.
& na*tur*ism 'naCH3,riz3m . w. 1 the practice
| I
of wearing no clothes in a vacation camp or
[intrans.] talk casually, esp. for other leisure activities; nudism. 2 the wor-
ship of nature or natural objects.
derivatives: na»tur«ist n. & adj.
nau*se*a 'nozea; -ZH3 . «. a feeling of sick-
|
1
n. ness with an inclination to vomit.
|
• n. 1 (in art feelings of loathing; revulsion: his graphic ac-
and theory of represen- count induced a feeling of nausea.
nau*se*ate I'noze.at; - ZHe,at| • v. [trans.]
make (someone) feel sick; affect with nausea:
the thought of food nauseated her\ [as adj.]
1 9th-
(nauseating) the stench became nauseating.
fill (someone) with revulsion; disgust: / was
nauseated by the vicious comment.
derivatives: nau»se«atnng«ly adv.
usage: a distinction has traditionally been
drawn between nauseated, meaning 'af-
fected with nausea,' and nauseous, mean-
ing 'causing nausea.' Today, however, the
use of nauseous to mean 'affected with nau-
sea' is so common that it is generally con-
sidered to be standard.
nau«seous 'noSHss; -zhss; -eas • adj. 1 af-
|
|
fected with nausea; inclined to vomit: a ran-
cid odor that made him nauseous. 2 causing
nausea; offensive to the taste or smell: a nau-
seous smell of decay.
[trans.] 1 (of- seous account of a bloody case.
derivatives: nau»seous»ly adv. nau»
seous'ness n.
nave nav • n. the central part of a church
| |
building, intended to accommodate most of
the congregation. In traditional Western
churches it is rectangular, separated from the
chancel by a step or rail, and from adjacent
aisles by pillars.
ne na . adj. originally called; born (used be-
I I
fore the name by which a man was originally
known) Al Kelly, ne Kabish.
:
Ne»an»der»thal ne'sendarrHol • n. (also 1 |
Neanderthal man) an extinct species of hu-
man {Homo neanderthalensis) that was widely
neap 291 negative
distributed in ice-age Europe between ne«crol«0«gy |ne'krabje| . w. (pi. -ies) 1 an
c.120,000-35,000 years ago, with a reced- obituary notice. 2 a list of deaths.
ing forehead and prominent brow ridges. derivatives: ne»cro»logn»cal .nekra |

Neanderthals are now usually regarded as a 'lajiksll adj.

separate species from //. sapiens and proba- nec»ro*man*cy 'nekrs.maense • n. the sup- | I

bly at the end of a different evolutionary posed practice of communicating with the
line. dead, esp. in order to predict the future.
an uncivilized, unintelligent, or uncouth per- witchcraft, sorcery, or black magic in gen-
son, esp. a man. • adj. of or relating to this ex- eral.
tinct human species. derivatives: nec«ro»man«cer |-S3r| n.
(esp. of a man) uncivilized, unintelligent, or nec»ro»man»tic |
.nekra'maentik |
adj.
uncouth: your attitude to women is Neander- nec*ro*phil*i*a |
.nekra'filea I
. «. a morbid
thal. and esp. erotic attraction toward corpses.
neap nep |
|
• n. (usu. neap tide) a tide just sexual intercourse with a corpse.
after the first or third quarters of the moon derivatives: nec»ro»phile rnekr3,fil| n.
when the least difference between
there is nec»ro»philn»ac |-'file,aEk| n. nec»ro»phil«
high and low water. • v. (be neaped) (of a ic |-filik| adj. ne»crophn»lism Ine'krafa
boat) be kept aground or in harbor by a neap ,liz9m| ne»crophn»list ne'krafalist n,
n. | |

tide. ne*crop*0»lis Ine'krapalisI • n. a cemetery,

(of a tide) tend toward or reach the
[intrans.] esp. a large one belonging to an ancient city.
highest point of a neap tide. ne*cro*sis ne'krosis • |
the death of most I

neb*bish nebiSH (also nebbich) . n. a per-

|
|
or all of the cells in an organ or tissue due to
son, esp. a man, who is regarded as pitifrilly disease, injury, or failure of the blood supply.
ineffectual, timid, or submissive; a nobody; a derivatives: ne«crot«ic i-'kratik| adj.
nonentity: [as adj.] 50 zvhere's your nebbish nee na • adj. originally called; born (used
| |

brother? esp. in adding a woman's maiden name after

derivatives: neb«bish«y adj. her married name): Mary Toogood, nee John-
neb*U*la 'nebyab . n. (pi. nebulae -le or
|
| | |
son.
nebulas) 1 a cloud of gas and dust in outer ne*far*i*OUS ni'feress • adj. (typically of an
|
I

space, visible in the night sky either as an action or activity) wicked or criminal: the ne-
indistinct bright patch or as a dark silhouette farious activities of the organized-crime syndi-
against other luminous matter. cates.
(in general use) any indistinct bright area in derivatives: ne»farn»ous«ly adv. ne»far»
the night sky, e.g., a distant galaxy. 2 (in med- i»ous»ness n.
icine) a clouded spot on the cornea causing ne*gate |
na'gat |
• v. [trans.] 1 nullify; make
defective vision. Cf. cataract. ineffective: alcohol negates the effects of the drug.
neb»U»lar 'nebysbr • adj. of, relating to, or
|
|
2 make (a clause, sentence, or proposition)
denoting a nebula or nebulae: a vast nebular negative in meaning. 3 deny the existence of
cloud. (something): negating the political nature of ed-
neb»U»lous 'nebysbs • adj. in the form of a
|
|
ucation.
cloud or haze; hazy: a giant nebulous glow. ne«ga*t{on na'gaSHsn . w. 1 the contradic-
|
|

(of a concept or idea) unclear, vague, or ill- tion or denial of something: there should be
defined: nebulous concepts like quality of life.
—
confirmation or negation of the findings. —
another term for nebular, (in grammar) denial of the truth of a clause
derivatives: neb»u»losM«ty .nebya'las- |
or sentence, typically involving the use of a
ite n. neb»u»lous»ly adv. neb»u»lous«ness
I
negative word (e.g., not, no, never) or a word
n. or affix with negative force (e.g., nothing,
ne*ces*si*tar*i*an Ina.sess'tereanl »n. & non-). (in logic) a proposition whose asser-
adj. (in philosophy) another term for deter- tion specifically denies the truth of another
minist (see determinism). Cf. ubertarian. proposition: the negation of is, briefly, "not A
derivatives: ne»ces»si«tar«i»an«ism - ni- | , A." (in mathematics) inversion: these formu-
Z3m| n. las and their negations. 2 the absence or oppo-
ne*ces*si*tOUS Ina'sesitssI 'adj. (of a per- site of something actual or positive: evil is not
son) lacking the necessities of life; needy. merely the negation of goodness.
ne*ces*si*ty Ina'sesstel »n. (pi. -ies) 1 the derivatives: neg»a»toTy |'neg3,t6re| adf
fact of being required or indispensable: the neg*a*tive 'negativl • adj. 1 consisting in or
|

necessity of providing parent guidance the \

characterized by the absence rather than the
necessity for law and order. presence of distinguishing features.
unavoidability: the necessity of growing old. (of a statement or decision) expressing or
a state of things or circumstances enforcing implying denial, disagreement, or refusal:
a certain course: created more by necessity than that, I take it, was a negative answer. (of the
design. 2 an indispensable thing: a good book results of a test or experiment) indicating that
is a necessity when traveling. 3 (in philosophy) a certain substance is not present or a certain
the principle according to which something condition does not exist: 50 far all the patients
must be so, by virtue either of logic or of nat- have tested negative for TB. [in combination] (of
ural law. a person or their blood) not having a speci-
a condition that cannot be otherwise, or a fied substance or condition: HIV-negative.
statement asserting this. (of a person, attitude, or situation) not
negativism 292 neoclassicism
optimistic; harmful or unwelcome: the new insignificant: the additional costs were negligi-
tax was having a negative effect on car sales \
not ble.
all thenews is negative. denoting a complete derivatives: neg»li«gi»bilM»ty .negbja |

lack of something: they were described as hav- 'bilitel neg»li»gi»bly |-ble| adv.
n.
ing negative vulnerability to water entry. (of a ne*go*ti*a*ble ns'goSHsbal . adj. open to
|
|

word, clause, or proposition) expressing de- discussion or modification: the price was not
nial,negation, or refutation; stating or assert- negotiable.
ing that something is not the case. Contrasted (of a document) able to be transferred or
with ajfirmative and interrogative 2 (of a quan- assigned to the legal ownership of another
tity) less than zero; to be subtracted from oth- person. (of an obstacle or pathway) able to
ers or from zero. be traversed; passable: such walkways must be
denoting a direction of decrease or reversal: and negotiable for all users.
accessible
the industry suffered negative growth in 1992. derivatives: ne»go»ti»a»biln»ty |n9,go-
3 of, containing, producing, or denoting the SH3'bilite| n.
kind of electric charge carried by electrons. ne»gri*tude (also Negritude) . n. the quality
4 (of a photographic image) showing light or fact of being of black African origin.
and shade or colors reversed from those of the affirmation or consciousness of the value
the original. 5 (in astrology) relating to or of black or African culture, heritage, and
denoting any of the earth or water signs, con- identity: Negritude helped to guide Senegal into
sidered passive in nature. • w. 1 a word or independence with pride.
statement that expresses denial, disagree- Ne*gro 'negro • n. (pi. -oes) a member of a
| I

ment, or refusal: she replied in the negative.
(often the negative) a bad, unwelcome, or
unpleasant quality, characteristic, or aspect
of a situation or person: confidence will not be
instilled by harping solely on the negative the
dark-skinned group of peoples originally na-
tive to Africa south of the Sahara. • adj. of or
relating to such people.
usage: The word Negro was adopted
\

from Spanish and Portuguese and first

bus trip and the positive media have not had time
recorded from the mid 16th century. It
to turn his significant negatives around. (in
remained the standard term throughout the
grammar) a word, affix, or phrase expressing 17 th- 19th centuries and was used by such
negation. (in logic) another term for nega-
prominent black American campaigners as
tion. 2 a photographic image made on film
W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T.Washington in
or specially prepared glass that shows the the early 20th century. Since the Black
light and shade or color values reversed from
Power movement of the 1960s, however,
the original, and from which positive prints when the term black was favored as the term
can be made. 3 a result of a test or experiment to express racial pride, Negro (together with
indicating that a certain substance is not pre-
related words such as the feminine Negress)
sent or a certain condition does not exist: the has dropped out of favor and now seems out
percentage offalse negatives generated by the can-
of date or even offensive in both American
cer test was of great concern. 4 the part of an
and British English. Cf. African American,
electric circuit that is at a lower electrical po-
BLACK.
tential than another part designated as hav-
ing zero electrical potential. 5 a number less Ne*groid 'negroid • adj. of or relating to the
| I

than zero. • exclam. no (usually used in a mil- division of humankind represented by the in-
itary context): "Any snags, Captain?" "Nega- digenous peoples of central and southern
tive, she's running like clockwork." • v. [trans.] Africa.
1 reject; refuse to accept; veto: the bill was neg-
usage: The term Negroid belongs to a set
atived by 130 votes to 129.
of terms introduced by 19th-century
disprove; contradict: the insurer's main argu-
anthropologists attempting to categorize hu-
ments were negatived by Lawrence. 2 render man races. Such terms are associated with
ineffective; neutralize: should criminal law al-
outdated notions of racial types, and so are
low consent to negative what would otherwise be now potentially offensive and best avoided.
a crime? See also Mongoloid.
derivatives: neg»a*tive»ly adv. neg»a*
tive»ness n. neg»a*tivn»ty .negs'tivite n.
|
|
nem*e»sis |
'nemssis I
• n. (pi. nemeses
neg*a*tiv»ism 'negativ.izsm . n. the prac-
| I
|-,sez|) (usu. one's nemesis) the inescapa-
tice of being or tendency to be negative or ble or implacable agent of someone's or
skeptical in attitude while failing to offer pos- something's downfall: the balance beam proved
itive suggestions or views. to be the team 's nemesis.
derivatives: neg»a»tivMst n. & adj. neg» a downfall caused by such an agent: one risks
a»tiv»is»tic adj. nemesis by uttering such words. (often Nem-
neg*li*gence 'negbjans • n. failure to take
|
|
esis) retributive justice: Nemesis is notoriously
proper care in doing something: some of these slow.
accidents are due to negligence. ne*0*clas*si*cism |
,neo'kl£esi,siz3m| * n.

(in law) failure to use reasonable care, result- the revival of a classical style or treatment in
ing in damage or injury to another. Cf. con- art, literature, architecture, or music.
tributory; malpractice. As an aesthetic and artistic style this origi-
neg*ii*gi*ble 'neglijabsl • adj. so small or
|
|

nated in Rome in the mid- 18th century,

unimportant as to be not worth considering;
neocolonialism 293 neuritis

combining a reaction against the late ba- a religious order, or a newly ordained
priest.
roque and rococo with a new interest in an-
tiquity. In music, the term refers to a return
ne*0*ter*ic |,ne3'terik| » adj. recent; new;
by composers of the early 20th century to modern: another effort by the White House to
display its neoteric wizardry went awry. * n. a
the forms and styles of the 17 th and 18th
centuries, as a reaction against 1 9th-century modern person; a person who advocates new
ideas.
romanticism.
ne plus uWra I'ne ,pbs 'sltra; 'na .ploos
derivatives: ne»o»clas*si»cal adj. ne»o« 'ODltra I
. n. the perfect or most extreme ex-
clas»si»cist n. & adj. ample of its kind; the ultimate: he was the ne
ne*0*C0*l0*ni*ai*ism ,neok3'lone3,liz3m |
I
plus ultra of trombonists.
• n. the use of economic, political, cultural, or nep*0*tlsm 'nep3,tiz3m • n. the practice | I

other pressures to control or influence other among those with power or influence of
countries, esp. former dependencies. favoring relatives or friends, esp. by giving
derivatives: ne«o»co»lo»ni»al adj. ne»o» them jobs.
co»lo»ni*al*ist n. & adj. derivatives: nep»o»tist n. nep«o»tis»tic
ne*o*con*serv*a«tive .neokan'ssrvativl |
I
,nep3'tistik| adj.
• adj. of or relating to an approach to politics, Ne*re*id 'nireid . (also nereid) (in Greek
| |

literary criticism, theology, history, or any mythology) any of the sea nymphs, daughters
other branch of thought, that represents a re- of Nereus. They include Thetis, mother of
turn to a modified form of a traditional view- Achilles.
point, in contrast to more radical or liberal nerve*less |
'narvlis |
• adj. 1 lacking vigor or
schools of thought. • n. a person with neo- feeling; inert or lifeless: the knife dropped from
conservative views. Grant's nerveless fingers.
derivatives: ne»o»con»serv»a»tism |-ti- (of literary or artistic style) diffuse or insipid:
zamj n. Wilde and his art have been described as "nerve-
ne«o-lm«pres*sion«ism (also Neo-lmpres- less and effeminate." 2 not nervous; confident:
Sionism) • n. a late 19th-century movement with nerveless panache.
in French painting that sought to improve on derivatives: nerve«less»Iy adv. nerve*
Impressionism through a systematic ap- less»ness n.
proach to form and color, particularly using nerv*y 'narve • adj. (nervier, nerviest)
| |

technique. The movement's lead-

pointillist 1 bold or impudent: it was nervy of Billy to tell

ing figures included Georges Seurat, Paul him how to play. 2 chiefly Brit, easily agitated or
Signac, and Camille Pissarro. alarmed; nervous: he was nervy and on edge.
derivatives: ne«o-Im»pres»sionMst adj. 3 sinewy or strong.
& n. DERI VAT V E s nerv«i»ly I : |
-ale |
adv. nerv»i«
ne*0*lib*er*al .neo'libarall * adj. relating to
|
ness n.
or denoting a modified form of liberalism neS'Clent 'neSH(e)3nt • adj. lacking knowl-
| I

tending to favor free-market capitalism. • n. edge; ignorant: a product of nescient minds.

a person holding such views. derivatives: nescnence n.
DERI VAT I V E s ne»o»lib»er»al»ism n.
: neth»er 'nemar • adj. lower in
|
|
position: the
Ne»0*lith*iC ,ne3'liTHik| . adj. of, relating to,
|
ballast is suspended from its nether end.
or denoting the later part of the Stone Age, derivatives: neth»er«most |-,most| adj.
when ground or polished stone weapons and net*tle |
'netl |
• v. [trans.] irritate or annoy
implements prevailed. (someone) / was nettled by her tone of superi-
:

[as n.] (the Neolithic) the Neolithic period. ority.

(Also called New Stone Age.) net*tle*SOme 'netlsam . adf causing an- | |

In the Neolithic period farm animals were noyance or difficulty: complicated and nettle-
first domesticated, and agriculture was some regional disputes.

introduced. It began in the Near East by the neu*rai*gia |

n(y){50'raelj3 1
• n. intense, typi-
cally intermittent pain along the course of a
8th millennium bc and spread to northern
Europe by the 4th millennium bc. nerve, esp. in the head or face.
derivatives: neu«ral»gic |-jik| adj.
ne*ol*0*gism |ne'ab,jiz3m| » n. a newly neur*as*the»nl»a ,n(y)(50r3s'THene3| . n. an |

coined word or expression. ill-defined medical condition characterized

the coining or use of new words. by lassitude, fatigue, headache, and irritabil-
DERI VAT I V E s ne»o»log»i»cal adj. ne»ol»o«
: ity, associated chiefly with emotional disturb-
gist |-jist| n. ne»ol»o»gize |-,jiz| v. ance.
ne*0*na*tal ,neo'natl • adj. of or relating to
|
|
derivatives: neur«as»thennc |-'THenik|
newborn children. adj. & n.
derivatives: ne»o»na»tol«o»gist |-natal- neu*ri»tis . n. (in medicine) |n(y)0C»'ritis|
3)ist| n. ne»o»na»tol»o»gy |-na'tal9je| n. inflammation of a peripheral nerve or
ne*0*nate |
'nes.nat |
• a newborn child. nerves, usually causing pain and loss of
an infant less than four weeks old. function.
ne*0*phyte |
'nea.fit • «. a person who
|
is new (in general use) neuropathy (disease or dys-
to a subject, skill, or belief: four-day cooking function of one or more such nerves, typically
classes are offered to neophytes and experts. causing numbness and weakness).
a new convert to a religion. a novice in derivatives neu«ritMC : |-'ritik| adj.
 7

neurology 294 nihilism

neu*rol»0«gy n(y)00'rabje . n. the branch |
|
make (an acidic or alkaline substance)
of medicine or biology that deals with the chemically neutral. disarm (a bomb or sim-
anatomy, functions, and organic disorders of ilar weapon). (euphemistically) kill or de-
nerves and the nervous system. stroy, esp. in a covert or military operation:
derivatives: neu»ro»log«i«cal l-ra'laji- agents sent out to neutralize the opposition leader.
ksl I
neu»ro»log»i«cal»ly
adj. |
-r3'lajik(3)le |
derivatives: neu«traW»za»tion ,n(y)oo- |

adv. neu»rol«o»gist -jist n. |

|
trali'zaSHsnl neu»traWz»er n. n.
neu»ro*SiS |
n(y)(5C)'rosis I
• n. (pi. neuroses ne*VUS 'nevas (Brit, naevus) . n. (pi. nevi
I |

I
- ,sez
I
) a relatively mild mental illness that is -,vi ) a birthmark or a mole on the skin, esp.
I I

not caused by organic disease, involving a birthmark in the form of a raised red patch.
symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, ob- New Age • n. a broad movement character-

sessive behavior, hypochondria) but not a ized by alternative approaches to traditional

radical loss of touch with reality. Cf psycho- . Western culture, with an interest in spiritual-
sis. ity, mysticism, holism, and environmental-
(in nontechnical use) excessive and irra- ism: [as adj.] a New Age center.
tional anxiety or obsession: apprehension over derivatives: New Ag»er n. New Ag«ey
mounting debt has become a collective neurosis in adj.
the business world. new*speak |
'n(y)oo,spek| • n. ambiguous
neu»ter 'n(y)oot3r| • adj. 1 of or denoting a
|
euphemistic language used chiefly in political
gender of nouns in some languages, typically propaganda.
contrasting with masculine and feminine or New«tO*ni*an |n(y)oo'tone3n| •adj. relating
common: it is a neuter word in Greek. 2 (of an to or arising from the work of Sir Isaac New-
animal) lacking developed sexual organs, or ton (1642-1727), esp. in physics and optics.
having had them removed. formulated or behaving according to the
(of a plant or flower) having neither func- principles of classical physics.
tional pistils nor functional stamens. (of a nex*US 'neksas • n. (pi. same or
I
|
nexuses) a
person) apparently having no sexual charac- connection or series of connections linking
teristics; asexual. • n. 1 a neuter word. two or more things: the nexus between industry
(the neuter) the neuter gender. 2 a nonfer- and political power.
tile caste of social insect, esp. a worker bee or a connected group or series: a nexus of ideas.
ant. the central and most important point or
a castrated or spayed domestic animal. a place: the nexus of all this activity was the col-
person who appears to lack sexual character- lege campus.
istics. • V. [trans.] castrate or spay (a domestic ni*ce»ty 'nisite • n. (pi. -ies) (usu. niceties)
| |

animal): |
[as adj.] (neutered) a neutered tom- a fine detail or distinction, esp. one regarded
cat. as intricate and fussy: absorbed in the niceties of
render ineffective; deprive of vigor or force: Greek and Latin.
disarmament negotiations that will neuter their accuracy or precision: she prided herself on her
military power. nicety ofpronunciation. a minor aspect of po-
neu*tral 'n(y)ootr3l • adj. 1 not helping or
i
|
lite social behavior; a detail of etiquette: we

supporting either of two opposing sides, esp. were brought up to observe the niceties.
countries at war; impartial: during World War phrases: to a nicety precisely.
II,Portugal was neutral. nic»ti»tate 'nik,titat (also nictate) • v.
| I

belonging to an impartial party, country, or [intrans.] blink; wink.

group: on neutral ground. unbiased; disin- nig*gard*ly 'nigardle • adj. not generous;
|
|

terested: neutral, expert scientific advice. 2 hav- stingy: serving out fodder with a niggardly hand.
ing no strongly marked or
positive character- meager; scanty: their share is a niggardly 2.
istics or features: the tone was neutral, devoid of percent. • adv. in a stingy or meager manner.
sentiment a fairly neutral background will
|
derivatives: nig»gard»li»ness n.
make any small splash of color stand out. usage: This word, along with its noun
Chemistry neither acid nor alkaline; having a
form niggard, should be used only with
pH of about 7. electrically neither positive caution. Although the noun has been used
nor negative. • n. 1 an impartial and unin- since the fourteenth century, in recent years,
volved country or person: he acted as a neutral because of the similarity in sound of these
between the parties Sweden and its fellow neu- \

words and the highly inflammatory racial

trals.
epithet nigger, confusion or offense can re-
an unbiased person. 2 a neutral color or sult.
shade, esp. light gray or beige. 3 a disengaged
position of gears in which the engine is dis- nig*gling |
'nig(3)liNG| 'adj. troublesome or
connected from the driven parts: she slipped irritating in a slight but persistent way:
the gear into neutral. 4 an electrically neutral gripped by a niggling feeling of premonition \

point, terminal, conductor, or wire. niggling aches and pains.

derivatives: neu»traW»ty |n(y)oo trifling or petty: he picked up on the most nig-
'traelite n. neu«tral»ly adv.
|
gling, tedious details.
neu*tral*ize 'n(y)ootr3,liz| . v. [trans.] render
|
ni*hlWsm 'ni3,liz3m; 'ne- . w. the rejection
|
1

(something) ineffective or harmless by apply- of all religious and moral principles, often in
ing an opposite force or effect: impatience at the belief that life is meaningless.
his frailty began to neutralize her fear. (in philosophy) extreme skepticism main-
nil 295 nominal
taining that nothing in the world has a real ex- derivatives: noc»tur»nal«ly adv.
istence. the doctrine of an extreme Russian noc*turne 'naktarn . «. 1 a short musical
|
I

revolutionary party c. 1900, which found composition of a romantic or dreamy charac-

nothing to approve of in the established so- ter suggestive of night, typically for piano. 2 a
cial order. painting of a night scene.
derivatives: ni»hilMst n. ni»ha«is»tic noc*U*OUS 'nakyoowas • adj. noxious,I
|

I
.nis'listik; ,ne3- adj. 1
harmful, or poisonous.
nil nil
I
• n. zero, esp. as a score in certain
I
no*dus 'nodas • n. (pi, nodi -di ) a prob-
I
| |
|

games: they beat us three-nil. • adj. nonexistent: lem, difficulty, or complication.

his chances for survival were slim, almost nil. no*et*ic no'etik . adj. of or relating to men-
|
I

nim*bus 'nimbas • n. (pi. nimbi -,bi or

| |
i
! tal activity or the intellect.
nimbuses) 1 a luminous cloud or a halo sur- Noh no I I
(also No or No) • n. traditional Jap-
rounding a supernatural being or a saint. anese masked drama with dance and song,
a light, aura, color, etc., that surrounds evolved from Shinto rites.
someone or something. 2 a large gray rain noi'SOme 'noisam • adj. having an ex- |
I

cloud: [as adj.] nimbus clouds. tremely offensive smell: noisome vapors from
nlm*rod 'nimrad| • n. a skillful hunter.
|
smoldering waste.
nir*va»na nsr'vans; nir- • n. (in Buddhism)
|
1 disagreeable; unpleasant: involved in noisome
a transcendent state in which there is neither scandals. harmfial; noxious.
suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the derivatives: noi»some»ness n.
subject is released from the effects of karma no*lo COn*ten*de*re .noloksn'tendarel . n. |

and samsara. It represents the final goal of (also nolo) (in law) a plea by which a defend-
Buddhism. (in Hinduism) liberation of the ant in a criminal prosecution accepts convic-
soul from the effects of karma and from bod- tion as though a guilty plea had been entered
ily existence. but does not admit guilt.
a state of perfect happiness; an ideal or idyl- no*mad 'no,maEd • n. a member of a peo-
| I

lic place. Hollywood's dearest dream of small- ple having no permanent abode, and who
town nirvana. travel from place to place to find fresh pas-
ni»sei ne'sa; 'nesa (also Nisei) • n. (pL same
| |
ture for their livestock.
or niseis) a person born in the US or Canada a person who does not stay long in the same
whose parents were immigrants from Japan. place; a wanderer. • adj. relating to or char-
Cf. ISSEI, SANSEI. acteristic of nomads.
ni*si i
'nisi (of a legal de-
I
. adj. [postpositive] derivatives no«madMC |no'maedik| adj. :

having va-
cree, order, or rule) taking effect or no»mad»i»caWy no'maedikle adv. no« |
|

lidity only after certain specified conditions mad*ism 'nomae,diz3m n. |

are met: a decree nisi. nom de guerre ,nam da 'ger| • n. (pi. noms |

niv*e*OUS 'nivess • adj. snowy or resem-|

I
de guerre pronunc. same) an assumed name
bling snow. under which a person engages in combat or
no*ble nobsll . adj. (nobler, noblest) 1 be-
I
some other activity or enterprise,
longing to a hereditary class with high social nom de plume |,nam da 'ploom| • n. (pi.
or pohtical status; aristocratic: the Duchess of noms de plume pronunc. same) a name under
Kent and other noble ladies. 2 having or show- which a person write; a pen name.
ing fine personal qualities or high moral prin- no*men»cla«ture 'noman,klaCHar| »n. the |

ciples and ideals: the promotion of human rights devising or choosing of names for things, esp.
was a noble aspiration. in a science or other discipline: the Linnaean
of imposing or magnificent size or appear- system of binomial nomenclature.
ance: the building with its noble arches and mas- the body or system of such names in a par-
sive granite columns. of excellent or superior ticular field: the nomenclature of chemical com-
quality. • n. 1 (esp. in former times) a person pounds. the term or terms applied to some-
of noble rank or birth. 2 a former English one or something: "customers" was preferred to
gold coin. the original nomenclature "passengers."
derivatives: no»ble»ness n. no-bly -ble |
|
DERI VAT I V E s no«men»cla»tur»al no- :
|
,

adv. man 'klaCHaral adj. |

no*blesse no'bles xhe nobility. | \

» n. nom*i*nal 'naminal • adj. 1 (of a role or sta-
|
I

phrases: no'bles o noblesse oblige |

tus) existing in name only: Thailand retained
'blezHi the inferred responsibility of privi- nominal independence under Japanese occupa-
leged people to act with generosity and nobil- tion.
ity toward those less privileged; (the idea of, relating to, or consisting of names. (in
that) privilege entails responsibility: there was grammar) headed by, or having
relating to,
to being a celebrity a certain element of noblesse the function of a noun. 2 (of a price or
oblige. amount of money) very small; far below the
noc*tam*bu*[ist |
nak'taembyslist |
. w. a real value or cost: some firms charge only a
sleepwalker. nominal fee for the service. 3 (of a quantity or
derivatives: nocnam*bu»lism |-,liz3m| dimension, esp. of manufactured articles)
n. stated or expressed but not necessarily corre-
noc*tur*nal |
nak'tarnal |
• adj. done, occur- sponding exactly to the real value: legislation
ring, or active at night: most owls are noctur- allowed variation around the nominal weight
nal. Cf. diurnal, crepuscular. (that printed on each packet).
nominalism 296 norm
economics, of a rate or other figure)
(in derivatives: non»con»form»ism l-.mi-
expressed in terms of a certain amount, with- Z3m| n.
out making allowance for changes in real non»en*ti»ty |nan'entite| » n. (pi. -ies) 1 a
value over time: the nominal exchange rate. person or thing with no special or interesting
4 (chiefly in the context of space travel) func- qualities; an unimportant person or thing: a
tioning normally or acceptably. political nonentity. 2 the quality or state of not
derivatives: nom»i»nal»ly adv. existing: asserting the nonentity of evil.
nom«i«nal*ism 'namina.lizaml |
* n. The nones nonz • plural n. 1 in the ancient Ro-
| |

philosophical doctrine that universals or gen- man calendar, the ninth day before the ides
eral ideas are mere names without any corre- by inclusive reckoning, i.e., the 7th day of
sponding reality, and that only particular March, May, July, and October, or the 5th of
objects exist; properties, numbers, and sets other months. 2 (also none) a service of the
are thought of as merely features of the way Western Christian church, traditionally said
of considering the things that exist. Impor- (or chanted) at the ninth hour of the day (3
tant in medieval scholastic thought, nominal- p.m.)
ism is associated particularly with William of none*such |
'n3n,s3CH| (also nonsuch) . n.
Occam (ca 1 285-? 1349). Cf. realism, a person or thing that is regarded as perfect
derivatives: nomn»nal»ist n. nom»i» or unparalleled.
nalMS'tic |
.namsna'listiki adj. non»fea«sance |
nan'fezans I
• n. failure to
nom*i*na*tive I'namanativl adj. 1 relating » perform an act that is required by law. Cf.
to or denoting a case of nouns, pronouns, and malfeasance.
adjectives (as in Latin and other inflected lan- non»pa*reil .nanpa'rel • adj. having no | I

guages) used for the subject of a verb. Cf. match or equal; unrivaled: he is a nonpareil sto-
SUBJECTIVE. 2 |-,nativ| of or appointed by ryteller I
a film critic nonpareil. • n.
[postpositive]
nomination as distinct from election. • n. a an unrivaled or matchless person or thing.
word in the nominative case. non*plus nan'pbs I
|
• v.(nonplussed, non-
(the nominative) the nominative case. plussing) [trans ] (usu. be nonplussed) sur-
non*age |
'nanij; 'no- 1
• n. [in sing.] the period priseand confuse (someone) so much that
of immaturity or youth, they are unsure how to react: Diane was non-
nonce nans |
I
• adj. (of a word or expression) plussed by such an odd question. » n. a state of
coined for or used on one occasion: a nonce being surprised and confused in this way.
usage. non*re*sis*tance .nanri'zistsns • n. the |
|

phrases: for the nonce for the present; practice or principle of not resisting author-
temporarily: the room had been converted for the even when it is unjustly exercised.
ity,
nonce into a nursery. the practice or principle of not employing
non*cha*lant .nanSHs'lam • adj. (of a per-
|
|
force to resist authority, even when it is exer-
son or manner) feeling or appearing casually cised violently.
calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, in- non se*qui*tur |,nan 'sekwipri • n. a con-
terest, or enthusiasm: she gave a nonchalant clusion or statement that does not logically
shrug. follow from the previous argument or state-
derivatives: non*cha*lance n. non»cha» ment.
lant'ly adv. Nor*dic |
'nordik • adj. of or relating to Scan-
|

non*com*mis»sioned |
.nanks'misHsnd |
dinavia, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe
. adj. (of an officer in the armed forces) rank- Islands.
ing below warrant officer, as sergeant or petty relating to or denoting a physical type of
not holding a commision.
officer, northern European peoples characterized by
derivatives: non»com n. informal mili- tallstature, a bony frame, light coloring, and
taryterm for a noncommissioned officer. a dolichocephalic head. relating to or
non»COm»mit*tal .nanka'mitl *adj. (of a | |
denoting the disciplines of cross-country ski-
person or a person's behavior or manner) ing or ski jumping, as distinguished fi-om Al-
not expressing or revealing commitment to a pine, or downhill, skiing. • n. a native of
definite opinion or course of action: her tone Scandinavia, Finland, or Iceland.
was noncommittal, and her face gave nothing norm norm • n. 1 (the norm) something
|
I

away. that is usual, typical, or standard: this system

derivatives: non«com»mit»tal»ly adv. has been the norm in Germany for decades.
non COm*pos men»tls ,nan 'kampas 'men-
|
(usu. norms) a standard or pattern, esp. of
tis (also non compos)
I
• adj. not sane or in social behavior, that is typical or expected of
one's right mind. a group: the norms of good behavior in the civil
non*COn*form«lst .nanksn'formisti . n. 1 a |
service. a required standard; a level to be
person whose behavior or views do not con- complied with or reached: [with adj.] the 7%
form to prevailing ideas or practices. 2 (Non- pay norm had been breached again. 2 (in
conformist) a member of a Protestant mathematics) the product of a complex
church in England that dissents from the number and its conjugate, equal to the sum
established Anglican Church. • adj. 1 of or of the squares of its real and imaginary com-
characterized by behavior or views that do ponents, or the positive square root of this
not conform to prevailing ideas or practices. sum.
2 (Nonconformist) of or relating to Non- an analogous quantity used to represent the
conformists or their principles and practices. magnitude of a vector.
 |

normative 297 nubile

nor«ma»tive 'normstiv . adj. establishing,
| |
character and action with some degree of re-
relating to, or deriving from a standard or alism: the novels of Jane Austen.
norm, esp. of behavior. a book containing such a narrative: she was
derivatives: nor»ma»tive»ly adv. nor* reading a paperback novel. (the novel) the
ma«tive»ness n. literary genre represented or exemplified by
no*SOl*0*gy no'sabje . n. the branch of | I
such works: the novel is the most adaptable of all
medical science dealing with the classifica- literary forms.
tion of diseases. nov*e|2 . adj. new or unusual in an interesting
derivatives: nos»o»log»i»cal |
.nasa'laji- way: he hit on a novel idea to solve his financial
ksll adj. no»sol»o*gist |-jist| n. problems.
nos*tal*gia |na'staelj3;n3-| • n. a sentimental derivatives: nov»el»ly adv. nov»el«ty n.
longing or wistful affection for the past, typi- no*vel*la |
no'veb \
» n. a short novel or long
cally for a period or place with happy per- short story.
sonal associations. nov*el*ty 'navalte . n. (pi. -ies) 1 the qual-
| |

the evocation of these feelings or tendencies, ity of being new, original, or unusual: the nov-
esp. in commercialized form: an evening of TV elty of being a married woman wore off.
nostalgia. a new or unfamiliar thing or experience: in
derivatives: nos»tal«gic |-jik| adj. nos« 1914 air travel was still a novelty. [as adj.]
tal»gi»cal«ly |-jik(9)le| adv. nos*tal*gist denoting something intended to be amusing
|-jist| n. as a result of its new or unusual quality: a nov-
nos*trum |
'nastrsm |
• n. a medicine, esp. elty teapot. 2 a small and inexpensive toy or
one that is not considered effective, prepared ornament: he bought chocolate novelties to dec-
by an unqualified person, e.g., a quack. orate the Christmas tree.
a pet scheme or favorite remedy, esp. one for no*ve*na no'vena • n. (in the Roman Cath-
|
I

bringing about some social or political re- olic Church) a form of worship consisting of
form or improvement. special prayers or services on nine successive
no*tion*al 'nosnanal • adj. 1 existing only
| |
days.
in theory or as a suggestion or idea: notional nov*lce I
'navas |
• n. a person new to or inex-
budgets for community health services. perienced in a field or situation: he was a com-
existing only in the imagination. 2 (in lin- plete novice in foreign affairs.
guistics) denoting or relating to an approach a person who has entered a religious order
to grammar dependent on the defini-
that is and is under probation, before taking vows.
tion of terminology (e.g., "a verb is an action an animal, esp. a racehorse, that has not yet
word") as opposed to identification of struc- won a major prize or reached a level of per-
tures and processes. 3 (in language teaching) formance to qualify for important events.
denoting or relating to a syllabus that aims to no*vl«ti»ate no'visH(e)at; na- (also novici-
| 1

develop communicative competence. ate) • n. the period or state of being a novice,

derivatives: no»tion«al»ly adv. esp. in a religious order.
no«tO»ri»OUS |
na'toress; no'toreas |
. adj. fa- a place housing religious novices. a novice,
mous or well known, typically for some bad esp. in a religious order.
quality or deed: Los Angeles is notorious for nox*ious 'nakSHas • adj. harmful, poison-
I
|

its smog a notorious drinker and womanizer.

I
ous, or very unpleasant: they were overcome by
Cf. infamous the noxious fumes.
derivatives: no»to»ri«e»ty ,not3'ri3te |
derivatives: nox»ious»ly adv. nox*ious«
n. no*to»ri»ous»ly adv. ness n.
nou*me»non 'noom3,nan • n. (pi. nou- | I
no*yade |nwa'yad| • n. an execution carried
mena |
-na Kantian philosophy) a thing
| ) (in out by drowning.
as it is in itself, as distinct from a thing as it is nth enxH . adj. (in mathematics) denoting
I I

knowable by the senses through phenomenal an unspecified member of a series of num-

attributes. bers or enumerated items: systematic sampling
derivatives nou»me»nal |-n3l| adj. : by taking every nth name from the list.
nous noos; nows • n. ^ (in philosophy)
I
\
the (in general use) denoting an unspecified
mind or intellect. 2 chiefly Brit, common sense; item or instance in a series, typically the last
practical intelligence. or latest in a long series: for the nth time that
nou*veau riche 'noovo 'reSH . n. [treated | |
day they were forced to repeat the whole story.
as pL] (usu. the nouveau riche) people who phrases: to the nth degree to the utmost:
have recently acquired wealth, typically the gullibility of the electorate was tested to the nth
those perceived as ostentatious or lacking in degree by such promises.
good taste. • adj. of, relating to, or charac- nu*ance |
'n(y)oo,ans| . n. a subtle difference
teristic of such people: nouveau-riche social in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound:
climbers. the nuances of facial expression and body lan-
nou*velle cui*sine nooVel kwi'zen . a |
I
guage. . V. [trans.] (usu. be nuanced) give
modern style of cooking that avoids rich, nuances to: the effect of the music is nuanced by
heavy foods and emphasizes the freshness of the social situation of listeners.
the ingredients and the presentation of the nu*bile |
'n(y)oo,bil; -bal |
• adf (of a girl or
dishes. young woman) sexually mature; suitable for
nov*e|i I
'naval • ^z. a fictitious prose narra-
I
marriage.
tive of book length, typically representing (of a girl or young woman) sexually attrac-
nucleic acid 298 nutation
tive: he employed a procession of nubile young nul»li»fy I'nsb.fil * v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.]
secretaries. make legally null and void; invalidate: judges
derivatives: nu»bil»i»ty |
n(y)oo'bilite |
n. were unwilling to nullify government deci-
nu*cle*ic ac*id ]n(y)6o'kle-ik| »n. a com- sions.
plex organic substance present in living cells, make of no use or value; cancel out: insulin
esp. DNA
or RNA, whose molecules consist can block the release of the hormone and thereby
of many nucleotides (compounds) linked in nullify the effects of training.
a long chain. derivatives: nul«li»fi»er n.
nu*cle*US rn(y)ookle3s| » n. (pi. nuclei |-kle nul»li»ty I
'nslite I
. n. (pi. -ies) 1 an act or
,1 ) the central and most important part of an
1
thing that is legally void: the contract is a nul-
object, movement, or group, forming the ba- lity.

sis for its activity and growth: the nucleus of a the state of being legally void; invahdity, esp.
film-producing industry. of a marriage. 2 a thing of no importance or
(in physics) the positively charged central worth.
core of an atom, containing most of its nothingness.
mass. (in biology) a dense organelle pre- nu*men 'n(y)oom3n | I
. n. (pi. numina -ma- |

sent in most eukaryotic cells, typically a sin- ns the spirit or divine power presiding over
I
)

glerounded structure bounded by a double a thing or place.

membrane, containing the genetic material. nu»mer«ate 'n(y)oom(3)r3ti *adj. having a
|

astronomy) the soHd part of the head

(in good basic knowledge of arithmetic; able to
of a comet. (in anatomy) a discrete mass understand and work with numbers.
of gray matter in the central nervous sys- derivatives: nu»mer«a«cy n.
tem. nu*mer*0l*0«gy ,n(y)oom3'rabje . the | I

nud*nik |
'n(5t)d,nik| (also nudnick) . «. a branch of knowledge that deals with the oc-
pestering, nagging, or irritating person; a cult significance of numbers.
bore. derivatives: nu«mer»o»logn«cal |-r3
nu«ga*tO*ry 'n(y)oog3,t6re . adj.
|
of no |
'lajikall adj. nu»mer»ol»o»gist |-jist| n.
value or importance: a nugatory and pointless nu*mi*n0US 'n(y)oom3n3S •
| I
adj. having a
observation. strong religious or spiritual quality; indicat-
useless; futile. ing or suggesting the presence of a divinity
nui*sance 'n(y)oos3ns • n. a person, thing,
|
|
(numen): the strange, numinous beauty of this
or circumstance causing inconvenience or ancient landmark.
annoyance. nu*mis*mat*ics ,n(y)oom9z'maetiks;-m9s-| |

(also private nuisance)

an unlaw- (in law) 'plural n. [usu. treated as sing.] the study or
ful interference with the use and enjoyment collection of coins, paper currency, and
of a person's land, which may become the medals.
subject of a lawsuit. (also public nui- derivatives: nu»mis»ma»tist |n(y)do
sance) an act that interferes with the rights 'mizmatist; -'mis- n. 1

of the public generally, which may be prose- nun*ci»0 'nanse.o; 'nOOn- . n. (pi. -os) (in
|
1

cuted as a crime. the Roman Cathohc Church) a papal ambas-

nuit blanche ,nwe blaNSH . n. (pi nuits |
|
sador to a foreign court or government.
blanches pronunc. same) a sleepless night. nun*CU»pa*tive 'nsNGkys.pativl * adj. (of a |

null nsl . adj. 1 [predic] having no legal or

I I
will or testament) declared orally as opposed
binding force; invalid: the establishment of a to in writing, esp. by a mortally wounded sol-
new interim government was declared null and dier or sailor.
void. 2 having or associated with the value nur*ture I'nsrCHarl 'V. [trans.] care for and
zero. encourage the growth or development of:
(in mathematics, of a set or matrix) having nurturing her brood my father nurtured my love \

no elements, or only zeros elements. as of art.

lacking distinctive qualities; having no pos- cherish (a hope, belief, or ambition): for a
itive substance or content: his curiously null long time she had nurtured the dream of buying
life. » n. a zero. a shop. • n. the process of caring for and en-
a dummy letter in a cipher. (in electronics) couraging the growth or development of
a condition of no signal. a direction in someone or something: the nurture of ethics
which no electromagnetic radiation is and integrity.
detected or emitted. • v. [trans.] (in electron- upbringing, education, and environment,
ics) combine (a signal) with another in order esp as contrasted with inborn characteristics
to create a null; cancel out. (nature) as an influence on or determinant of
nuH[»fi*ca*tion |
.nsbfa'kasHsnl n. .1 (in personality.
US history) the refusal of a state to allow fed- derivatives nur»tur»er : n.
eral law to be enforced within its boundaries. nu«ta»tion |n(y)oo'tasH3n| • «. a periodic
2 (also jury nullification) the refusal of a jury variation in the inclination of the axis of a
to convict a defendant, disregarding its own rotating object.
findings of fact or the judge's instructions re- (in astronomy) a periodic oscillation of the
garding the law. earth's axis that causes the precession of the
nul*li*f id*i*an .nab'fidean . w. a person
| I
poles to follow a wavy rather than a circular
having no faith or religious belief. • adj. hav- path. (in botany) the circular swaying
ing no faith or religious belief. movement of the tip of a growing shoot.
nutrient 299 objective
nu»tri»ent 'n(y)ootre3nt| . n. a substance
|
an made to resemble the aquatic
artificial fly
that provides nourishment essential for nymph of an insect, used in fishing.
growth and the maintenance of life: fish is a derivatives: nymph»al I'nimfall adj.
source of many important nutrients, including nym»phe»an 'nimfean adj. nymph«like |
|

protein, vitamins, and minerals |

leaf mold and I
'nimf, Ilk! adj.
other soil nutrients. nym*phae»um |
nim'feam |
• n. (pi. nym-
nu»tri*ment 'n(y)ootr9m3nt|
|
• n. that which phaea - 'fes ) a grotto
|
|
or shrine dedicated
nourishes; sustenance. to a nymph or nymphs.
derivatives: nu*tri»men»tal |
,n(y)ootr3 nynfiph*et |
nim'fet; 'nimfit |
. an attractive
'mentll adj. and sexually mature young girl.
nyc»ta*IO*pi*a !
.nikts'lopeal • n. the inability nym*phO*ma*ni*a |
iHimfa'manea i
• n. un-
to see in dim light or at night. (Also called controllable or excessive sexual desire in a
night blindness.) woman.
nymph nimf | |
• n. 1 a mythological spirit of derivatives: nym«pho»ma«ni»ac | -'ma-
nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhab- ne, £ek| n. & adj. nym»pho<»ma»ni»a»cal
iting rivers, woods, or other locations. I
-ma'niaksl |
adj.
a beautiful young woman. 2 an immature nys*tag*mus na'staegmas • n. rapid invol- | I

form of an insect that does not change greatly untary movements of the eyes.
as it grows, e.g., a dragonfly, mayfly, or locust. derivatives nys»tag»mic |-mik| adj. :

Cf. LARVA.

oath oth . n. (pi. oaths oths; othz ) 1 a
I I
solemn promise, often invoking a divine wit-
ness, regarding one's future action or behav-
Oo
| |
(- or •^) used in ancient texts to mark a word
or passage as spurious, corrupt, or doubtful.
0*bese o'bes • adj. grossly fat or over-
| |

ior: they took an oath of allegiance to the state. weight.

a sworn declaration that one will tell the derivatives: o»be»si»ty |-site| n. o»bese»
truth, esp. in a court of law. 2 a profane or of- ness n.
fensive expression used to express anger or Ob*fuS*cate I'abfs.skatI 'V. [trans.] render
other strong emotions. obscure, unclear, or unintelligible: the spelling
ob*bli*ga*to ,abb'gat6| (also obligate) . n.
|
changes will obfuscate their etymological origins.
(pi. obbligatos or obbligati - 'gate
) [usu. |
|
bewilder (someone): it is more likely to obfus-
with or as adj.] an instrumental part, typically cate people than enlighten them.
distinctive in effect, that is integral to a piece derivatives: ob»fus»ca»tion ,abf^'ska- |

of music and should not be omitted in per- SH^n| n. ob»fus«ca«to»ry ab'f3sk3,t6re | |

formance. adj.
such a part played to accompany another in- ob*jec*ti*fy 3b')ekt3,fi • v.1
(-ies, -ied) |

strumental or vocal part. notes played in ac- [trans.] express (something abstract) in a con-

companiment: improvising obbligatos to the crete form: good poetry objectifies feeling.
lead of Miles Davis. degrade to the status of a mere object: a sex-
Ob*du*rate rabd(y)3rit| 'adj. stubbornly ist attitude that objectifies women. Cf. reifv

refusing to change one's opinion or course of derivatives: ob«jec»ti»fi«ca»tion lab

action. (jektafi'kaSHan I
n.
derivatives: ob»du»ra»cy |-r3se| n. ob» ob»jec»tive lab'jektivl * adj. 1 (ofa person or
du«rate»ly adv. ob»du»rate»ness n. his or her judgment) not influenced by per-
0*bei*sance lo'basans; o'be-| • w. deferen- sonal feelings or opinions in considering and
tial respect: they paid obeisance to the representing facts.
sheikh. not dependent on the mind for existence; ac-
a gesture expressing deferential respect, such tual: a matter of objective fact. 2 [attrib.] (in
as a bow or curtsy: she made a deep obeisance. grammar) of, relating to, or denoting a case
derivatives: o»bei»sant |o'bas3nt| adj. of nouns and pronouns used as the object of
ob*e*lisk |'ab3,lisk| * n. 1 a stone pillar, typ- a transitive verb or a preposition. • n. 1 a
ically having a square or rectangular cross thing aimed at or sought; a goal: the system has
section and a pyramidal top, set up as a mon- achieved its objective. 2 (the objective) (in
ument or landmark. grammar) the objective case. 3 (also objec-
a mountain, tree, or other natural object of tive lens) the lens in a telescope or micro-
similar shape. 2 another term for obelus. scope nearest to the object observed.
Ob*e*lus I'ababsl » n. (pi. obeli |-,li|) 1 a derivatives: ob»jec»tive»ly adv. ob»jec«
symbol (f) used as a reference mark in tivemess n. ob«jec»tiv»i«ty ,abjek'tivite n. |
|

printed matter, or to indicate that a person is ob»jec*ti»vi»za»tion 3b,jekt3vi'zaSH3n n. i

|

deceased. (Also called dagger.) 2 a mark ob»jec«tiv»ize |-,viz| v.

 |

objectivism 300 obsequies

ob*]ec»tiv*ism ab'jekta.vizsm . 1 the |
|
plied line; slanting: we sat on the settee oblique
tendency to lay stress on what is external to to the fireplace.
or independent of the mind. 2 (in philoso- not explicit or direct in addressing a point:
phy) the belief that certain things, esp. moral an oblique attack on the president. (of a line,
truths, exist independently of human knowl- plane figure, or surface) inclined at other
edge or perception of them. than a right angle. (of an angle) acute or ob-
derivatives: ob»jec»tivMst n. & adj. ob« tuse. (of a cone, cylinder, etc.) with an axis
jec»ti»vis«tic |
sbjekts'vistik |
adj. not perpendicular to the plane of its base.
ob*jet ob'zHa • 77. an object displayed or in-
I I
(esp. of a muscle) neither parallel nor per-
tended for display as an ornament. pendicular to the long axis of a body or limb.
Ob'jet d'art |,6bzHa 'dar| • n. (pi objets 2 (in grammar) denoting any case other than
d'art pronunc. same) a small decorative or ar- the nominative or vocative. • «. a muscle nei-
tistic object, typically when regarded as a col- ther parallel nor perpendicular to the long
lectible item. axis of a body or limb.
Ob»jur»gate |
'abjar.gatl • v. [trans.] rebuke se- derivatives: o»blique»ly adv. o»blique»
verely; scold. ness n. o»bliq»ui»ty a'blikwade; -wade n.
|
|

derivatives: ob»jur»ga»tion |
.abjar'ga- ob»lit»er*ate |3'blit3,rat| ^v. [trans.] destroy
SH3n| n. ob»jur»ga»tor |-gat3r| n. ob«jur» utterly; wipe out.
ga»to»ry 9b'j9rg3,t6re adj.
| |
completely get rid of from the mind: he
obHate* 'ab,lat; ,o'blat| . n. a person dedi-
|
from his memory.
obliterated the experience
cated to monastic or religious life or work. cause to become invisible or indistinct;
ob»late2 . adj. (of a spheroid) flattened at the blot out.
poles. derivatives: ob«lit*er»a«tion Is.blip'ra-
Ob»la*tlon s'blaSHan • w. a thing presented
| |
SH3n| ob»lit«er»a»tive |-|rativ| adj. o*
n.
or offered to God or a god. blit»er»a»tor |-,rat3r| n.
the presentation of bread and wine to God ob*liv*i»on la'blivesnl • n. the state of being
in the Eucharist. unaware or unconscious of what is happen-
derivatives: ob»la»tion»al -SHanl; -SHnsl | ing: they drank themselves into oblivion.
adj. ob»la»to»ry 'abb .tore adj. |
|
the state of being forgotten, esp. by the pub-
ob*li*gate • v. 'abli,gat 1 bind or compel \
|
lic: his name will fade into oblivion. extinc-
(someone), esp. legally or morally: the medical tion: only the levee stood between us and obliv-
establishment is obligated to take action in the ion.
best interest of the public. 2 [trans.] commit Ob*llv»i*OUS a'bliveas • adj. not aware of or
I
|

(assets) as security: the money must be obligated not concerned about what is happening
within 30 days. • adj. [attrib.] (in biology) around one: she became absorbed, oblivious to
restricted to a particular function or mode of the passage of time.
an obligate intracellular parasite.
life: derivatives: ob«livM»ous»ly adv. ob«liv«
DERI vati VES ob»li»ga»tor |-|gat3r| : n. i»ous»ness n.
0»blig*a*tO*ry |3'blig3,t6rei 'adj. required ob*lo*quy I'abbkwel n. strong public crit-
•

by a legal, moral, or other rule; compulsory: icism or verbal abuse: endured years of con-
use of seat belts in cars is now obligatory. tempt and obloquy.
so customary or routine as to be expected of disgrace, esp. that brought about by public
everyone or on every occasion: after the oblig- abuse: conduct to which no more obloquy could
atory remarks about the weather he got down to reasonably attach.
business. derivatives: ob«lo»qui»al |ab'lokwe3l|
derivatives: o»blig»a»to«ri»ly |-,t6r3le| adj. ob»lo»qui«ous |ab'lokwe3s| adj.
adv. ob*nox*ious lab'naksnasl » adj. extremely
0*blige a'blij • v. [withobj. and infinitive] make
|
|
unpleasant.
(someone) legally or morally bound to an ac- derivatives: ob»nox«ious«ly adv. ob»
tion or course of action: doctors are obliged by nox»ious«ness n.

law to keep patients alive while there is a chance Ob*SCene ab'sen • adj. (of the portrayal or
|
I

of recovery. description of sexual matters) offensive or

[trans.] do as (someone) asks or desires in or- disgusting by accepted standards of moral-
der to help or please them: oblige me by not ity and decency: obscene jokes \
obscene litera-
being sorry for yourself \
[intrans.] tell me what you ture.
want to know and I'll see if I can oblige. (be offensive to moral principles; repugnant:
obliged) be indebted or grateful: if you can using animals' skins for fur coats is obscene.
give me a few minutes of your time III be much derivatives: ob«scene«ly adv.
obliged. [trans.] bind (someone) by an oath, ob*SCen*i*ty |3b'senite| .n. (pi. -ies) the
promise, or contract. state or quality of being obscene; obscene be-
derivatives: o»blig»er n. havior, language, or images: the book was
0*blig*ing s'blijiNG • adj. willing to do a
| i
banned for obscenity.
service or kindness; helpful: an obliging driver an extremely offensive word or expression:
who dropped us at our door. the men scowled and muttered obscenities.
derivatives: o»blig«ing»ly adv. o»blig« something offensive to moral principles: the
ing*ness n. ultimate obscenity is war.
0*blique s'blek; o'bleki » adj. 1 neither par-
|
Ob*se*quieS |'abs3kwez| • plural n. funeral
allel nor at a right angle to a specified or im- rites.
obsequious 301 occult
ob*se*qui*OUS lab'sekwessi * adj. obedient a bit obtuse. 2 (of an angle) more than 90° and
or attentive to an excessive or servile degree: lessthan 180°.
they were served by obsequious waiters. not sharp-pointed or sharp-edged; blunt.
derivatives: ob«se*qui»ous*ly adv. ob» derivatives: ob»tuse»ly adv. ob»tuse»
se»qui«ous»ness n. ness n. ob»tu»si»ty -site n. | |

ob*ses*Sion ab'seSHsn |
the state of hav- I
. n. Ob*verse |'ab,v3rs| • [usu. in sing.] 1 the
ing the mind filled continually with someone side of a coin or medal bearing the head or
or something: caredfor him with a devotion bor- principal design; the opposite of reverse.
dering on obsession. the design or inscription on this side. 2 the
an idea or thought that continually preoccu- opposite or counterpart of a fact or truth: true
pies or intrudes on a person's mind: in the grip solitude is the obverse of true society. • adj. ab \

of an obsession he was powerless to resist. 'v3rs;ab-| [attrib.] 1 of or denoting the obverse

derivatives: ob»ses»sion«al |-SH3nl| adj. of a coin or medal. 2 corresponding to some-
ob»ses»sion»al»ly |
-SHanl-e |
adv. thing else as its opposite or counterpart. 3 (in
ob*SO*les*cent |
.absa'lesant |
• adj. becom- biology) narrower at the base or point of at-
ing obsolete; going out of use: the custom is tachment than at the apex or top: an obverse
now obsolescent. leaf
derivatives: ob«so»lesce v. existing sys- derivatives: ob»verse»ly lab'varsle; ab-|
tems begin to obsolesce. ob*so»les»cence n. adv.
Ob*SO*lete |,abs3'let| 'adj. 1 no longer pro- ob»vert sb'vsrt; ab- • v. [trans.] (in logic) al-
|
1

duced or used; out of date: the disposal of ob- ter proposition) so as to infer another
(a
solete machinery the phrase was obsolete after
\
proposition with a contradictory predicate,
1625. 2 (of a part or characteristic of an or- e.g., "no men are immortal" to "all men are
ganism) less developed than formerly or in a mortal."
related species; rudimentary; vestigial. • v. derivatives: ob»ver»sion |
sb'vsrZHan;
[trans.] cause (a product or idea) to be or be- ab- 1 n.
come obsolete by replacing it with something Ob»vi»ate |'abve,at| 'V. [trans.] remove (a
new: stimulating the business by obsoleting last need or difficulty): the Venetian blinds obviated
year's designs. the need for curtains.
derivatives: ob»so»lete»ly adv. ob»so» avoid; prevent: a parachute can be used to ob-
letemess n. ob»so«letMsm |-'le,tiz3m| n. viate disaster.
ob*Stet*rics |3b'stetriks;ab-| • plural n. [usu. derivatives: ob»vi»a*tion |abve'aSH9n|
treated as sing.] the branch of medicine and n. ob»vi»a»tor |-,at9r| n.
surgery concerned with childbirth and the Oc*ci»dent aksidant; -,dent| • n. (the Oc-
|

care of women giving birth. cident) the countries of the West, esp.
Ob»Stl»nate I'abstsnitI » adj. stubbornly Europe and the Americas. Cf. orient,
refusing to change one's opinion or chosen derivatives: oc»ci»den«tal adj., n.
course of action, despite attempts to per- OC*Clude 3'klood 'V. A [trans.] stop,
1 \
close
suade one to do so. up, or obstruct (an opening, orifice, or pas-
(of an imwelcome phenomenon or situation) sage): thick makeup can occlude the pores.
very difficult to change or overcome: the ob- shut (something) in: they were occluding the
stinate problem of unemployment. waterfront with a wall of buildings. cover (an
derivatives: ob«sti*na«cy |-n3se| n. ob» eye) to prevent its use: it is placed at eye level
sti»nate»ly adv. with one eye occluded. (of a solid) absorb and
Ob*Strep»er*OUS ab'streparss; ab-| 'adj.
| retain (a gas or impurity). 2 [intrans.] (of a
noisy and difficult to control: the boy is cocky tooth) close on or come into contact with an-
and obstreperous. other tooth in the opposite jaw.
derivatives: ob»strep«er«ous»ly aJz;. ob» OC*CUlt Is'kaltl ' n. (the occult) supernatu-
strep»er«ous«ness n. ral, mystical, or magical beliefs, practices, or
ob*trude ab'trood . v. [intrans.] become no-
|
I
phenomena: a secret society dabbling in the oc-
ticeable in an unwelcome or intrusive way: a cult. ' adj. 1 of, involving, or relating to su-
sound from the reception hall obtruded into his pernatural, mystical, or magical powers or
thoughts. phenomena: a follower of occult practices.
[trans.] impose or force (something) on some- beyond the range of ordinary knowledge or
one in such a way: / felt unable to obtrude my experience; mysterious: an occult sensation of
private sorrow upon anyone. having experienced the identical situation before.
derivatives: ob»trud»er n. ob»tru*sion communicated only to the initiated; eso-
|-'trooZH3n| n. teric: the occult language of the community. 2 (of
ob*tru*sive sb'troosiv; ab- . adj. noticeable
|
1 a disease or process) not accompanied by
or prominent in an unwelcome or intrusive readily discernible signs or symptoms.
way: high-powered satellites can reach smaller (of blood) abnormally present, e.g., in feces,
and less obtrusive antennas. but detectable only chemically or microscop-
derivatives: ob»tru»sive»ly a(iz;. ob«tru» ically. • V. [trans ] cut off from view by inter-
sive«ness n. posing something: a wooden screen designed to
Ob*tUSe 1
3b't(y)oos; ab- 1
• adj. 1 annoyingly occult the competitors.
insensitive or slow to understand: he wondered (of a celestial body) conceal (an apparently
if the doctor was being deliberately obtuse. smaller body) from view by passing or being
difficult to understand: some of the lyrics are in front of it.
oceanography 302 ogle
derivatives: oc»ciil»ta»tion |
.akal'ta- equivalent in girls being called the Electra
SH3n| n. oc'CultMsm |-,tiz3m| n. occulf complex.)
ist I
oc'cult'ly adv. oc»ciilt»ness n.
-tist I
n. derivatives: Oed*i*pal |-pal| adj.
0*cea«nog*ra*phy .oSHa'nagrafe . w. the |
|
oe*no»phlle i
'ena.fil |
• n. a connoisseur of
branch of science that deals with the physical wines.
and biological properties and phenomena of derivatives: oe»nophM»list le'nafalistj
the sea. Oceanology deals more specifically n.
with the technology and economics of human oeu*vre 'cevral • n. the works of a painter,
|

use of the sea. composer, or author regarded collectively: the

derivatives: o»cea»nog»ra»pher l-fsri complete oeuvre of Mozart.
n. o»cea»no»graph»ic ,oSH3n9'gr£efik adj. | |
a work of art, music, or literature: an early
o»cea*no»graphM«cal -ns'grgefskal adj. |
|
oeuvre.
OCh*loc*ra*cy ak'lakrase • n. government | |
0*fay I'Oifa I
• n. an offensive term for a white
by a mob; mob rule. person, used by black people: [as adj.] ofay so-
derivatives: och»lo»crat rakl3,kraet| n. ciety.
och»lo»cratMC |
.akls'krEetik |
adj. oMal 'ofal; 'afal
I
• n. the entrails and inter- |

OC*tave 'aktav; I
music) a se- 'ak.tav |
• n. 1 (in nal organs of an animal used as food.
ries of eight notes occupying the interval be- refuse or waste material. decomposing an-
tween (and including) two notes, one having imal flesh.
twice or half the frequency of vibration of the oMer*tO*ry i
'6far,t6re; 'afar- 1
. n. (pi. -ies)
other. 1the offering of the bread and wine at the
the interval between these two notes. each Christian Eucharist.
of the two notes at the extremes of this inter- prayers or music accompanying this. 2 an of-
val. these two notes sounding together. 2 a fering or collection of money made at a reli-
poem or stanza of eight lines; an octet. 3 the gious service.
eighth day after a church festival, inclusive of prayers or music accompanying this.
the day of the festival. of*fi*CiOUS a'fisHas • adj. assertive of au-
I
|

a period of eight days beginning with the day thority in an annoyingly domineering way,
of such a festival. esp. with regard to petty or trivial matters: a
OC»U»list 'akyabst • n. (in earlier use) a per-
I
|
policeman came to move them on, an officious,
son who specializes in the medical treatment spiteful man.
of diseases or defects of the eye; an ophthal- intrusively enthusiastic in offering help or
mologist. advice; interfering: an officious bystander.
an optometrist. derivatives: of»fi»cious»ly adv. of»fi»
0*de*um 'odeami • n. (pi. odeums or odea
l
cious*ness n.

I
'odea I) (also odeon) (esp. in ancient off-price a method of retailing in which
• n.
Greece or Rome) a building used for musical brand-name goods (esp. clothing) are sold for
performances. less than the usual retail or discount price: [as
0*di*OUS I
'odeas |
• adj. extremely unpleas- adj.] an off-price store. • adv. using this
ant; hateful; repulsive. method: selling goods off-price.
derivatives: o»di»ous»ly adv. o«di«ous» derivatives: ofF-pricer n.
ness n. off*Shore 'ofSHor; 'af-1 . adj. & adv. 1 situ-
|

0*di*um 'odeam • n. general or widespread

I
|
ated at sea some distance from the shore: [as
hatred or disgust directed toward someone, adj.] this huge stretch of coastline is dominated by

often as a result of his or her actions. offshore barrier islands [as adv.] we dropped an- \

disgrace over something hated or shameful; chor offshore.

opprobrium. (of the wind) blowing toward the sea from
0*dom«e*ter |o'damitar| » n. an instrument the land. of or relating to the business of
for measuring the distance traveled by a ve- extracting oil or gas from the seabed: offshore
hicle. drilling. Cf. ONSHORE. 2 made, situated, or
Od*ys*sey a Greek epic poem traditionally conducting business abroad, esp. in order to
ascribed to Homer, describing the travels of take advantage of lower costs or less stringent
Odysseus (Roman, Ulysses) during his ten regulation: [as adj.] huge deposits in offshore
years of wandering after the fall of Troy. He accounts.
eventually returned home to Ithaca and killed of, relating to, or derived from a foreign
the suitors who had plagued his wife Pene- country: [as adj.] offshore politics.
lope during his absence. 0*gee |o'je| ^adj. (in architecture) having a
(odyssey) any long, adventerous journey. double continuous S-shaped curve. • n. an
an extended process of developement or S-shaped line or molding.
change. DERI VAT V E s o'geed adj.
I :

derivatives: Od«ys»se»an adj. 0*give |o'jiv| • n. a pointed or Gothic arch.

Oed*i*pus COm*plex . n. (in Freudian psy- one of the diagonal groins or ribs of a vault.
choanalytic theory) the complex of emotions a thing having the profile of an ogive, esp.
aroused in a young child, typically around the the head of a projectile or the nose cone of a
age of four, by an unconscious sexual desire rocket.
for the parent of the opposite sex and a wish derivatives: o»gi»val |o'jiv9l| adj.
to exclude the parent of the same sex. (The 0*gle 'ogal • V. [trans.] stare at in a lecherous
I I

term was originally applied to boys, the imnner: he was ogling her breasts [intrans.] me« \
oily 303 onomatopoeia
who had turned up to ogle. • n. a lecherous om»ni»bus |
'amna.basl • n. 1 a volume con-
look. taining several novels or other items previ-
DERIVATIVES o'gler |'og(3)br| n. : ously published separately: an omnibus of her
oil»y 'oile • adj. (oilier, oiliest) 1 contain-
I I
first trilogy. 2 formerly, a bus. • adj. compris-
ing oil: oily fish such as mackerel and sardines. ing several items: Congress passed an omnibus
covered or soaked with oil: an oily rag. anti-crime package.
resembling oil in appearance or behavior: om*ni*COm*pe*tent |
,amni'kampitnt| » adj.
the oily swell of the river. 2 figurative (of a person able to deal with all matters or solve all prob-
or their behavior) unpleasantly smooth and lems.
ingratiating: his oily smile. (of a legislative body) having powers to leg-
derivatives: oilM»ness n. islate on all matters.
Old Eng*llsh . n. the language of the Anglo- derivatives: om»ni«com»pe«tence n.
Saxons (up to about 50), a highly inflected 1 1 om»nip*0»tent lam'nipatanti * adj. (of a de-
language with a largely Germanic vocabu- ity) having unlimited power; able to do any-
lary, very different from modern English. thing.
Also called Anglo-Saxon. having ultimate power and influence: an om-
0*le*ag»i*n0US ,ole'aej3n3s| » adj. rich in, |
nipotent sovereign.
• n. (the Omnipotent)
covered with, or producing oil; oily or greasy. God.
exaggeratedly and distastefully complimen- derivatives: om»nip»o»tence n. om*nip»
tary; obsequious: candidates made the usual o»tent»ly adv.
oleaginous speeches. om*nls*cient |
am'nisnant |
• adj. knowing
Ol»fac*to*ry arfsekt(3)re; ol- |
1
• adj. of or re- everything: the story is told by an omniscient
lating to the sense of smell: the olfactory organs. narrator.
derivatives: olfaction n. the action or derivatives: om»nis»cience n. om»nis»
capacity of smelling. cient'ly adv.
oW*gar«chy rali,garke; 'ol-| » n. (pi. -ies) a 0m»niv«0*r0US am'niv(3)r9s . adj. (of an | I

small group of people having control of a animal or person) feeding on food of both
country, organization, or institution: the rul- plant and animal origin.
ing oligarchy of military men around the presi- taking in or using whatever is available: an
dent. omnivorous reader.
a state governed by such a group: the English derivatives: om«ni»vore n. om»niv«o»
aristocratic oligarchy of the 19th century. gov- rous'ly adv. om»niv*o»rous»ness n.
ernment by such a group. om»pha»los 'amfabsl » n. (pi. omphaloi I

derivatives: ol»i»gar»chic |
,ali'garkik; 1
-loi ) the center or hub of something: this
I

,oli-| adj. ol»i*gar«chi»cal |

.ali'garkiksl; was the omphalos of confusion and strife.
,oli-| adj. oln«gar»chi»cal«ly |
,ali'garkik(3)- a rounded stone (esp. that at Delphi) repre-
le; ,oli- 1 adv. senting the navel of the earth in ancient
usage: See usage at aristocracy. Greek mythology.
0*nan*ism 'on3,niz3m| |
. n. 1 masturbation.
o!»i*gop*0»ly .ah'gapsle • n. (pi. -ies) a state
|
|
2 coitus interruptus.
of limited competition, in which a market is derivatives: o»nannst n. o»nan»is»tic
shared by a small number of producers or I
lOns'nistik |
adj.
sellers. on»COl*0*gy an'kabje; aNG- |
1
. «. the study
derivatives: oW»gop»o»list |-list| n. ol» and treatment of tumors.
i»gop»o«lis»tic ,ali,gap3'listik| adj. I
derivatives: on»co»log»ic adj. on«co»
o*li*o oleo (also olla podrida) . n. (pi -os)
I I
log'i'cal I
-ka'lajiksl I
adj. on»col«o»gist
a highly spiced stew of various meats and veg- |-jist| n.
etables, of Spanish and Portuguese origin. 0*nei*ric |o'mrik| .ajy. of or relating to
a miscellaneous collection of things. a va- dreams or dreaming.
riety act or show. 0*nel*ro*man«cy |o'nir3,maense| • n. the in-
om*budS*man |
'ambsdzman; -,b(30dz-| • n. terpretation of dreams in order to foretell the
(pi. -men) an official appointed to investigate future.
individuals' complaints against maladminis- on*er*OUS |
'onaras; 'anaras |
. adj. (of a task,
tration, esp. that of public authorities. duty, or responsibility) involving an amount
0*me*ga lo'maga; o'me-| » n. the twenty- of effort and difficulty that is oppressively
fourth, and last, letter of the Greek alphabet burdensome: he found his duties increasingly
(fi, w), transliterated as 'o' or 'o.' onerous.
the last of a series; the final development: [as (in law) involving excessively heavy obliga-
adj.] the omega point. See also alpha and omega at tions: an onerous lease.
alpha. derivatives: on»er»ous»ly adv. on«er«
©•men 'oman ' n. an event regarded as a
|
I
ous'ness n.
portent of good or evil: the ghost's appearance on*0*ma*si*ol»0*gy ,ana,mase'alaje; -.ma- |

was an ill omen a rise in imports might be an \

ze- . «. the branch of knowledge that deals
I

omen of recovery. with terminology, in particular contrasting

prophetic significance: the raven seemed a bird terms for similar concepts. Compare with
of evil omen. semasiology.
derivatives: ominous adj. ominously on*o*mat*0*poe»ia ,ana,maeta'pea;-,mata-| |

adv. ominousness n. . n. the formation of a word firom a sound

onshore 304 opprobrium
associated with what is named (e.g., cuckoo, a thing that soothes or stupefies. • v. [trans ]
sizzle). [often as adj.] (opiated) impregnate with
the use of such words for rhetorical effect. opium.
on*shore I'an'SHor; 'on- 1 • adj. & adv. situ- phrases: the opiate of the masses (or
ated or occurring on land : [as adj.] an onshore people) something regarded as inducing a
oilfield. false and unrealistic sense of contentment
(esp. of the direction of the wind) from the among people.
sea toward the land. Cf. offshore. 0*pine o'pin I I
• V. [reporting verb] hold and state
on*tic I'antikI philosophy) of or
• adj. (in as one's opinion: [with direct speech] "The man
relating to entities and the facts about them; isa genius" he opined [with clause] the critic \

relating to real as opposed to phenomenal ex- opined that the most exciting musical moment oc-
istence. curred when the orchestra struck up the national
on«tog»e»ny lan'tajanel »n. the branch of bi- anthem.
ology that deals with ontogenesis (the devel- 0*pln*ion«at*ed s'pinya.natid ^adj. con- | |

opment of an individual organism or anatom- ceitedly assertive and dogmatic in one's

ical or behavioral feature from the earliest opinons: an arrogant and opinionated man.
stage to maturity). Cf. phylogeny. op*por*tune ,ap3r't(y)oonl • adj. (of a time)
|

derivatives: on»to«gen«ic |
,ant3'jenik| well-chosen or particularly favorable or ap-
adj. on»to»gen«i»cal»ly i
,ant3'jenik(3)le j
propriate: he couldn't have arrived at a less op-
adv. portune moment.
on*tol*0*gy an'tabje . n. the branch of
|
|
done or occurring at a favorable or useful
metaphysics dealing with the nature of being. time; well-timed: the opportune use of humor to
derivatives: on»to»logM»cal ants' laji- |
, lower tension.
kall adj. on«to«log»i*cal»ly |
,ant3'lajik(3)le |
derivatives: op«por«tune»ly adv. op»
adv. on»tol»o»gist |-jist| n. por»tune»ness n.
0*nus 'onas • n. (usu. as the onus) a bur-
I I
op*por*tun»lst ,ap3r't(y)6onist| > n. a per-
|

den; one's duty or responsibility: the onus is son who exploits circumstances to gain im-
on you to show that you have suffered loss. mediate advantage rather than being guided
0*paque |o'pak| •adj. (opaquer, opaquest) by consistent principles or plans: most thefts
not able to be seen through; not transparent: are committed by casual opportunists. « adj. op-
the windows were opaque with steam. Cf trans- . portunistic: the calculating and opportunist pol-
lucent. itician.
(esp. of language) hard or impossible to un- derivatives: op»por«tun»ism |-,niz3m| n.
derstand; unfathomable: technical jargon that op*por«tun«is*tic ,ap3rt(y)oo'nistiki •adj. |

was opaque to her. exploiting chances offered by immediate cir-

derivatives: o»pacM«ty n. o»paque»ly cumstances without reference to a general
adv. o*paque*ness n. plan or moral principle: the change was cyni-
op art (also optical art) form of abstract • n. a cal and opportunistic.
art that gives the illusion of movement by the (of a plant or animal) able to spread quickly
precise use of pattern and color, or in which in a previously unexploited habitat. (in
conflicting patterns emerge and overlap. medicine, of a microorganism or an infection
op*er*ant I'aparantI 'adj. involving the caused by it) rarely affecting patients except
modification of behavior by the reinforcing or in unusual circumstances, typically when the
inhibiting effect of its own consequences (in- immune system is depressed.
strumental conditioning). • n. an item of be- derivatives: op»por»tunMS»ti«cal»ly |-ik-
havior that is initially spontaneous, rather (3)lei adv.
than a response to a prior stimulus, but op*press s'pres I
be op- I
• V. [trans.] (often
whose consequences may reinforce or inhibit pressed) keep (someone) in subservience
recurrence of that behavior. and hardship, esp. by the unjust exercise of
op*er*at*ic .apa'rsetikl » adj. of, relating to,
|
authority: a system that oppressed working peo-
or characteristic of opera: operatic arias. ple [as adj.] (oppressed) oppressed racial mi-
I

extravagantly theatrical; overly dramatic: she norities.

wrung her hands in operatic despair. cause (someone) to feel distressed, anxious,
derivatives: op»er»atn»cal»ly |-ik(3)le| or uncomfortable: he was oppressed by some se-
adv. cret worry. Cf. suppress, repress,
op*er*OSe |
'aps.ros |
• adj. involving or dis- derivatives: op»pres»sor la'presarl n.
playing much industry or effort. op»pro*brl*OUS |
s'probreas |
. adj. (of lan-
oph*thal*mol*0»gist . n. a medical doctor guage) expressing opprobrium.
who specializes in the study and treatment of disgraceful; shameful: their opprobrious con-
disorders and diseases of the eye. duct.
derivatives: oph»thal»mo«logM»cal l-ma DERI VAT I V E s op«pro*bri»ous»ly adv.
:

'lajikal adj. oph»thal»mol»o»gy n.

|
op*pro*bri«um a'probream • n. harsh crit-
|
|

0*pi»ate » adj. |'ope-it| relating to, resem- icism or censure: his films and the critical op-
bling, or containing opium: the use of opiate probrium they have generated.
drugs. the public disgrace arising from someone's
causing drowsiness or a dulling of the senses. shameful conduct: the opprobrium of being
• n. a drug with morphinelike effects, derived closely associated with gangsters. an occasion
from opium. or cause of reproach or disgrace.
 |

optician 305 ordnance

op*ti*cian |ap'tisH3n| » n. a person qualified theme, performed without the use of cos-
to make and supply eyeglasses and contact tumes, scenery, or action.
lenses for correction of vision. Cf. oph thal- or»a»tO*ryi |'6ra,t6re; 'ar-| . n. (pi. -ies) a
mOlogist; optometrist; ocuust. small chapel, esp. for private worship.
a person who makes or sells optical instru- or*a*tO»ry2 . n. the art or practice of formal
ments. speaking in public.
op*ti*mal 'aptamall • adj. best or most fa-
I
exaggerated, eloquent, or highly colored lan-
vorable; optimum: seeking the optimal solution. guage: learned discussions degenerated into
derivatives: op»ti»mal»i»ty apta masl- |
, ' pompous oratory.
ite| n. op»ti»mal»ly |-(3)le| adv. derivatives: or»a»tor«i»cal |
,6ra't6rikal
op»ti*mism 'apts.mizaml • n. 1 hopeful- |
adj.
ness and confidence about the future or the or«bic»U*lar or'bikyalar . adj. 1 having the
|
|

successful outcome of something: the talks shape of a flat ring or disk. 2 having a rounded
had been amicable, and there were grounds for convex or globular shape.
optimism. 2 (in philosophy) the doctrine, (of a rock) containing spheroidal igneous
esp. as set forth by G.W. Leibniz (1646- inclusions.
1716), that this world is the best of all possi- derivatives: or»bic»u»lar»i»ty |6r,bikye
ble worlds. n. or»bic»u»lar»ly adv.
'Igerite; -'ler- 1

the belief that good must ultimately prevail or*dain or'dan . V. [trans.] 1 make (some-
|
I

over evil in the imiverse. one) a priest or minister; confer holy orders
derivatives: op»ti»mist n. on. 2 order or decree (something) officially:
op*ti*mum 'aptamam • adj. most condu-
|
|
equal punishment was ordained for the two
cive to a favorable outcome; best: the optimum crimes.
childbearing age. or • n. (pi. optima |
-ma |
(esp. of God or fate) prescribe; determine
optimums) the most favorable conditions or (something): the path ordained by God.
level for growth, reproduction, or success. derivatives: or»dain»er n. or«dain»
op*tion*al 'apsnanl . adj. available to be
|
|
ment n.
chosen but not obligatory: a wide range of op- or»der*ly 'ordarle • n. (pi. -ies) 1 an attend-
| |

tional excursions is offered. ant in a hospital responsible for the nonmed-

derivatives: op»tion»aW»ty |
,apSHa'nael- ical care of patients and the maintenance of
ite I
n. op«tion*al»ly adv. order and cleanliness. 2 a soldier who carries
Op»tom*e*trist |ap'tamitrist| • n. a person out orders or performs minor tasks for an of-
who practices optometry, the occupation of ficer.
measuring eyesight, prescribing corrective derivatives: or»der»li»ness n.
lenses, and detecting eye disease. or*di*nal ordn-al] . n. 1 (also ordinal num-
|

op*U»lent I'apyalantI • adj. ostentatiously
rich and luxurious or lavish: the opulent com-
fort of a limousine.
wealthy: his more opulent tenants.
derivatives: op*u»lence
adv.
0*pus 'opas I
• n. (pi. opuses or opera
I
'ap(a)ra ) 1 (in music) a separate composi-
|
tion or set of compositions by a particular
composer, usually ordered by date of publi-
ber) any of the positive whole numbers defin-
ing a thing's position in a series (first, second,
third, etc.). Cf. cardinal. 2 in the Christian
Church, a service book, esp. one with the
n. op»u»lent»ly forms of service used at ordinations. • adj. of
or relating to a thing's position in a series: or-
I
dinal position of birth.
of or relating to an ordinal number. (in bi-
ology) of or relating to a taxonomic order.
or»dl»nance '6rdn-ans| . «. 1 a piece of leg-
|

cation: The Gambler was Prokofiev's sixth op- islation enacted by a municipal authority: a
era, despite its early opus number. 2 any ar- city ordinance. 2 an authoritative order; a de-
tistic work, esp. one on a large scale. cree. 3 a prescribed religious rite: Talmudic
or»a*cle |
'orakal I
• n. ^ a priest or priestess ordinances.
acting as a medium through whom advice or or*di»nate 'ordnit • n. (in a system of math-
| |

prophecy was sought fi-om the gods in class- ematical coordinates) the 3;-coordinate, rep-
ical antiquity. resenting the distance from a point to the
a place at which such advice or prophecy was horizontal or x-axis measured parallel to the
sought. a person or thing regarded as an in- vertical or j'-axis.
fallible authority or guide on something. 2 a or«di*na*tion ,6rdn'aSHan| . w. 1 the action
|

response or message given by an oracle, typ- of ordaining or conferring holy orders on

ically one that is ambiguous or obscure.
onac*U*lar |6'raekyalar| » adj. of or relating
to an oracle: the oracular shrine.
(of an utterance, advice, etc.) hard to inter-
pret; enigmatic: an ambiguous, oracular re-
mark. holding or claiming the authority of
an oracle: he holds forth in oracular fashion.
derivatives: o»rac»u»larM»ty
'laerite; -'ler- 1 n.
someone.
a ceremony in which someone is ordained.
2 the action of arranging in ranks or order;
the condition of being ordered or arranged.
a statistical technique in which data from a
large number of sites or populations are rep-
resented as points in a two- or three-
|6,raEkya dimensional coordinate frame.
o»rac»u»lar»ly adv. ordinance 'ordnans . n. 1 mounted guns;
| |

Or»a»tO«ri*0 -os) a
|
,6ra't6re,6; ,ar-| • n. (pi. artillery.
large-scale musical work for orchestra and military weapons, ammunition, and equip-
voices, typically a narrative on a religious ment used in connection with them. 2 a
ordonnance 306 ornate
branch of the armed forces dealing with the guide (someone) physically in a specified
supply and storage of weapons, ammunition, direction. 2 (orient oneself) find one's posi-
and related equipment. tion in relation to new and strange surround-
or»don*nance I'ordn-ans; |6do'naNs| • n. ings: there are no street names that would enable
the systematic or orderly arrangement of her to orient herself.
parts, esp. in art and architecture. o*ri*en*tal |,6re'end| (also Oriental) »adj.
or*dure I'drjar] • n. excrement; dung. 1 of,from, or characteristic of the Far East
something regarded as vile or abhorrent. (earlier, of all lands east of the Mediterra-
0»re*acl r6re,£ed| » n. (in Greek and Roman nean): oriental countries.
mythology) a nymph believed to inhabit of, from, or characteristic of the countries of
mountains. Asia. 2 (of a pearl or other jewel) orient. • n.
or*gan*elle |,6rg3'nel| • (in biology) any a person of East Asian (earler, of Asian, Ara-
of a number of organized or specialized struc- bian, or eastern Mediterranean) descent.
tures within a living cell. derivatives: o^ri^en'talMze -iz v. o«ri« | |

or*ga*non |
'orgs, nan |
• «. an instrument of en»tal«ly adv.
thought, esp. a means of reasoning or a sys- usage: The term Oriental, which has
tem of logic. many associations with European imperial-
or«gasm '6r,gaez3m • |
a climax of sexual I

ism in Asia, is regarded as offensive by many

excitement, characterized by feelings of Asians, esp. Asian Americans. Asian or, if
pleasure centered in the genitals and (in men) appropriate, East Asian is preferred.
experienced as an accompaniment to ejacu-
lation of semen. • v. [intrans.] experience an 0*ri*en*taHsm |
,6re'en(t)l,iz3m! . w. some-
orgasm. thing considered characteristic of the peoples
or*gas»mic |6r'gsezmik| • adj. of or relating and cultures of Asia.
to orgasm. the knowledge and study of these languages
(of a person) able to achieve orgasm. very and cultures.
enjoyable or exciting: the album is an orgasmic derivatives: 0»ri»en«talMSt |
,6re'en(t)l-
whirl of techno soundscapes. 3St| n.
derivatives: or«gas»mi»caWy |-mik(3)- 0*ri*en*tate 'oresn.tatl • v. another term for
|

le| adv. or»gas»tic |-'gaestik| adj. or»gas*ti* orient.

cal'ly I
-'gaestik(3)le I
adv. 0»rl*en»ta»tion ,6re3n'taSH3n| • n. the de-
|

or*gy '6rje| • n. (pi. -ies) a wild party, esp.

|
termination of the relative position of some-
one involving excessive drinking and unre- thing or someone (esp. oneself): the child's
strained sexual activity: the college had a repu- surroundings provide clues to help in orientation.
tation for drunken orgies. the relative physical position or direction of
excessive indulgence in a specified activity: something: two complex shapes, presented in dif-
an orgy of buying. (usu. orgies) secret rites ferent orientations. familiarization with
used in the worship of Bacchus, Dionysus, something: their training and orientation comes
and other Greek and Roman deities, cele- out of magazine and newspaper distribution. a
brated with dancing, drunkenness, and program of introduction for students new to
singing. a school or college: she attended freshman ori-
DERI VAT v E s or»gi»ast n.I or»gi»as»tic adj.
: entation. the direction of someone's interest
0»ri»el I
'oreal from the wall
I
• «. a projection or attitude, esp. political or sexual: a common
of a building, typically supported from the age of consent regardless of gender or sexual ori-
ground or by corbels. entation.
(also oriel window) window in such aa DERI VAT V e s o»ri«en»ta»tion«al adj.
I :

structure. a projecting window, often on an 0»ri»en»teer*ing ,6ri3n'tiriNG| . «. a com- |

upper story; a bay window. petitive sport inwhich participants find their
o*ri*ent . n. ore, ant] 1 (the Orient) the
|
way various checkpoints across rough
to
countries of Asia, esp. eastern Asia. In earlier country with the aid of a map and compass,
use, the countries of the eastern Mediterra- the winner being the one with the lowest
nean, including Asia Minor (modern Tur- elapsed time.
key), Arabia, and Egypt. Cf. Occident. 2 the derivatives: o»ri»en»teer n.,v.
special luster of a pearl of the finest quality. or*i»fice 'orafis • «. an opening, as of a pipe
| |

a pearl with such a luster. • adj. situated in or tube, or one in the body, such as a nostril
or belonging to the east; oriental. or the anus.
(of the sun, daylight, etc.) rising. (esp. of 0«rig»i*nal sin . n. (in Christian theology) the
precious stones) lustrous (with reference to tendency to sin innate in all human beings,
fine pearls firom the East). »v. r6re,ent| held to be inherited from Adam in conse-
1 [with obj. and adverbial] (often be oriented) quence of the Fall. The concept of original sin
align or position (something) relative to the was developed in the writings of St. Augus-
points of a compass or other specified posi- tine (d. C.604).
tions: the fires are oriented in direct line with the Or*i*SOn 'orisan; -zan; 'ar-j • «. a prayer.
|

midsummer sunset. or»nate or'nat • adj. made in an intricate

| |

adjust or tailor (something) to specified cir- shape or decorated with complex patterns.
cumstances or needs: magazines oriented to the (of literary style) using unusual words and
business community \
[as adj., in combination] complex constructions: ornate and metaphor-
(-oriented) market-oriented economic reforms. ical language. (of musical composition or
ornithology 307 osseous
performance) using many ornaments such as or«tho*dox*y 'orXHs.dakse . n. (pi.
|
-ies) |

grace notes and trills. 1 authorized or generally accepted theory,

derivatives: or»nate«ly adv. or 'nate* doctrine, or practice: monetarist orthodoxy he \

ness n. challenged many of the established orthodoxies.

Or*nl»thol»0»gy ,6rn3'THabje |
|
. the sci- Cf. fundamentalism.
entific study of birds. the quality of conforming to such theories,
derivatives: or»ni»tho*log«i»cal orni- |
, doctrines, or practices: writings of unimpeach-
THa'lajikal |
adj. or»ni»tho»log»i»cal»ly ,6r- |
able orthodoxy. 2 the whole community of Or-
niTH3'lajik(3)le |
adv. or»ni»thol»o»gist thodox Jews or Orthodox Christians.
|-jist| n. or*tho»pe*dics ,6rTH3'pediks| (Brit ortho- |

0»rog*e»ny |6'raj3ne| • (in geology) a paedics) 'plural n. [treated as sing.] the

process in which a section of the earth's crust branch of medicine dealing with the correc-
is folded and deformed by lateral compres- tion of deformities of bones or muscles.
sion to form a mountain range. derivatives: or*tho»pe»dic adj. or»tho«
a period of mountain building pe«di«cal«ly |-ik(3)le| adv. or»tho»pe»dist
derivatives: or«o»gen«e»sis |
,6r6'jen- |-dist| n.
3sis| n.or»o»gennc |,6ro'jenik| adj. or*thot»ics or'THatiks • plural n. [treated as
| |

0*rog*ra*phy o'ragrafe • n. the branch of

|
|
sing.]the branch of medicine that deals with
physical geography dealing with mountains. the provision and use of artificial devices such
derivatives: or»o»graphMC adj. or»o« as splints and braces.
graph»i»cal adj. or»o»graph*i»cal»ly adv. a treatment prescribing such a device, esp.
0*ro»tund |
'6r3,t3nd I
• adj. (of the voice or for the foot.
phrasing) hall, round, and imposing. (orthotic or orthosis, pi. -ses) a device
(of writing, style, or expression) pompous; used in such treatment.
pretentious. derivatives: or»thotMC adj. or»thotnst
derivatives: c'ro'tuii'di'ty lOra'tandi- |
n.
tej n._ os*cil*iate rass.lati .v. [intrans.] 1 move or
0r»phism |
'6r,fiz3m| • 1 a mystic religion swing back and forth at a regular speed: a pen-
of ancient Greece, originating in the 7th or dulum around its lowest point.
oscillates
6th century bc and based on poems (now [with waver between extremes of
adverbial]
lost) attributed to Orpheus, emphasizing the opinion, action, or quality: he was oscillating
necessity for individuals to rid themselves of betiveen fear and bravery. 2 (in physics) vary
the evil part of their nature by ritual and inmagnitude or position in a regular manner
moral purification throughout a series of around a central point.
reincarnations. 2 a short-lived art movement (of a circuit or device) cause the electric cur-
(c.1912) within cubism, pioneered by a rent or voltage running through it to behave
group of French painters (including Robert in this way.
Delaunay, Sonia Delaunay-Terk, and Fer- derivatives: os»ciMa»tion |
,as3'lasH9n|
nand Leger)and emphasizing the lyrical use n. os«cil»la»to»ry |
a 'sib, tore |
adj.
of color rather than the austere intellectual os*ci«ta*tion ,asi'tasH3n (also oscitancy)
| |

cubism of Picasso, Braque, and Gris. • n. 1 yawning; drowsiness. 2 inattention;

ort ort (usu. orts) • n. a scrap or remainder
I I
negligence.
of food from a meal. OS*CU*iate I'askya.Iatl » v. [trans.] 1 (of a
anything left over. curve or surface) touch (another curve or
or*tho*don*tics .orrHs dantiks (also or- | |
surface) so as to have a common tangent at
thodontia |-SH(e)3|) 'plural n. [treated as the point of contact: [as adj.] (osculating) the
sing.]the treatment of irregularities in the plotshave been drawn using osculating orbital
teeth (esp. of alignment and occlusion) and elements. 2 kiss.
jaws, including the use of braces. derivatives: os»cu»lant |-bnt| adj. os»
derivatives: or«tho»don»tic adj. or«tho» cu»la»tion |
.askya'laSHsn |
n. os»cu*la»to»ry
don»ti»caWy l-tik(3)le| adv. or»tho»don» I
-b, tore I
adj.
tist |-tist| n. OS»mic 'azmik I
|
• adj. relating to odors or the
or*tho»dox '6rTH3,daks| adj. 1 (of a person
|
• sense of smell.
or personal views, esp. religious or political derivatives: os»mi»cal»ly |-ik(3)le| adv.
ones, or other beliefs or practices) conform- OS»mo*slS az'mosis; as- • «. a process by
I
1

ing to what is generally or traditionally which molecules of a solvent tend to pass

accepted as right or true; established and through a semipermeable membrane from a
approved: the orthodox economics of today or- \
less concentrated solution into a more con-
thodox medical treatment orthodox Hindus. \
centrated one, thus equalizing the concentra-
(of a person) not independent-minded; con- tions on each side of the membrane.
ventional and unoriginal: a relatively orthodox the process of gradual or unconscious assim-
artist. 2 (of a thing) of the ordinary or usual ilation of ideas, knowledge, etc.: living in
type; normal: they avoided orthodox jazz Paris, she leartied French through osmosis.
venues. 3 (usu. Orthodox) (of the Jews or Ju- derivatives: os«mose v. os«motnc
daism) strictly keeping to traditional doctrine |-matik| adj. os»motn»cal»ly | -'matik(9)le |

and ritual. 4 (usu. Orthodox) of or relating adv.

to the Orthodox (Eastern Christian) Church. OS*se*OUS I'aseasI • adj. consisting of or
derivatives: or«tho«dox»ly adv. turned into bone; ossified.
ossify 308 overture
os*si*fy I
'as3,fi| • V. (-ies, -ied) [intrans.] turn forming an arch over something: the overar-
into bone or bony tissue: these tracheal carti- ching mangroves.
lages may ossify. comprehensive; all-embracing: a single over-
[often as adj.] (ossified) cease developing; be arching principle.
stagnant or rigid: ossified political institutions. 0»ver*bear»lng .ovar'beriNC • adj. unpleas-
|
|

derivatives: os«si»fi«ca»tion |
, asafi ka-
' antly or arrogantly domineering: an overbear-
SH3n| n. ing, sometimes ruthless corporate director.
OS»ten»si«ble a'stenssbal; 3'sten-| * adj.
|
derivatives: o»ver«bearMng»ly adv. o«
stated or appearing to be true, but not
[attrib.] ver»bear»ing»ness n.
necessarily so: the delay may have a deeper 0*ver*blown |,ov3r'blon| *adj. 1 excessively
cause than the ostensible reason. inflated or pretentious: overblown dreams of
derivatives: os»ten»si»biW»ty |-,stens3 glory and success. 2 (of a flower) past its prime:
'bilite I
n. os«ten*si»bly adv. an overblown rose.
0S»ten»ta*ti0US |
.astan'tasHas |
• adj. charac- 0«ver»head 'ovsr.hed [attrib.] (of a cost
. adj. \ I

terized by vulgar or pretentious display; or expense) incurred in the general upkeep or

designed to impress or attract notice: books running of a plant, commercial estabhsh-
that people buy and display ostentatiously but ment, or business, and not attributable to
never actually read. specific products or items. • n. 'ovar.hedl |

derivatives: os»ten»ta»tion n. os»ten»ta» overhead cost or expense: research conducted

tious'ly adv. os»ten»ta»tious«ness n. in space requires more overhead.
OS*te*op*a*thy ,aste'ap3THe| . n. a branch |
0*ver*ride • v. ,ov9r'rid (past -rode; past part,
\ |

of medical practice that emphasizes the treat- -ridden) [trans.] 1 use one's authority to re-
ment of medical disorders through the ma- ject or cancel (a decision, view, etc.): the leg-
nipulation and massage of the bones, joints, islature's ability to override budget vetoes.
and muscles. Cf. chiropractic, interrupt the action of (an automatic de-
derivatives: os»te*o»path |
'aste3,paETH |
vice), typically in order to take manual con-
n. os»te»o»path»ic |
,aste3'pasTHik| adj. os» trol :3'c>m can override the cut-out by releasing the
te»o»path»i»cal«ly |
,aste3'paeTHik(3)le |
adv. switch. be more important than: this plan
OS*te*0*po*ro*sis ,asteop9'rosis| »n. a |
overrides all other considerations. • n. 'ovsr \

medical condition in which the bones be- ,rid I

1 a device for suspending an automatic
come brittle and fragile from loss of tissue, function on a machine.
typically as a result of hormonal changes the action or process of suspending an auto-
(esp. among older women), or deficiency of matic function. 2 an excess or increase on a
calcium or vitamin D. budget, salary, or cost.
derivatives: os»te»o»po»rot»ic |-'ratik| a commission paid to a manager on sales
adj. made by a subordinate or representative. 3 a
OS*tra*cize exclude
|'astr3,siz| »v. [trans.] cancellation of a decision by exertion of au-
(someone) from a society or group: a group thority or winning of votes: the House vote in
who have been ridiculed, ostracized, and perse- favor of the bill was 10 votes short of the number
cuted for centuries. needed for an override.
(in ancient Greece) banish (an unpopular or 0«ver»shad*OW .ovar'sHaedo • v.
|
[trans.] |

too powerful citizen) from a city for five or ten tower above and cast a shadow over.
years by popular vote. cast a gloom over: tragedy overshadows his
derivatives: os»tra»cism |-,siz3m| n. story. appear much more prominent or im-
0*ti»OSe I
'oSHe,os; 'ote,os| • adj. serving no portant tiian: his competitive nature often over-
practical purpose or result: he did fuss, uttering shadows the other qualities. (often be over-
otiose explanations. shadowed) be more impressive or successful
indolent; idle. than (another person).
DERI VAT V E s o»ti»ose»ly adv. I : O'vert lo'vart; 'ovsrti » adj. done or shown
oust owst • V. [trans.] drive out or expel
I I
openly; plainly or readily apparent, not secret
(someone) from a position or place: he ousted or hidden: an overt act of aggression.
the incumbent by only 500 votes. derivatives: o«vert»ly adv. o»vert»ness
(in law) deprive (someone) of or exclude n.
(someone) from possession of something. 0*ver*tone |
'ovarjon |
. «. 1 a musical tone
OU*tre oo'tra • adj. unusual and startling: in that is harmonic series above a
a part of the
I I

1975 the suggestion was considered outre today — fundamental note, and may be heard with it.
it is orthodox. (in physics) a component of any oscillation
OUt*SOUrce I'owt.sorsl 'V. [trans.] obtain whose frequency is an integral multiple of the
(goods or a service) from an outside sup- fundamental frequency. 2 (often overtones)
plier, esp. in place of an internal source: a subtle or subsidiary quality, implication, or
outsourcing components from other coun- connotation: the decision may have political
tries [as n.] (outsourcing) outsourcing can
I
overtones.
dramatically lower total costs, especially person- 0»ver»ture |
'ov3r,CH(50r; -,CH3r| . n. 1 an in-
nel costs. troduction to something more substantial: the
contract (work) out: you may choose to out- talks were no more than an overture to a long de-
source this function to another company or do bate.
it yourself. (usu. overtures) an approach or proposal
0*ver»arch»ing |
.ovar'arCHiNCl 'adj. [attrib.] made to someone with the aim of opening
 .

overweening 309 pacify

negotiations or establishing a relationship.
2 an orchestral piece at the beginning of an
opera, suite, play, oratorio, or other extended
composition.
an independent orchestral composition in
one movement.
0*ver*ween*ing 'ovar'weniNC . adj. show-
ing excessive confidence or pride: overweening
female reproductive cell, esp. of a human or
other animal, that can divide to give rise to an
embryo usually only after fertilization by a
male cell.
OX*ide |'ak,sid| • n. (in chemistry) a binary
compound of oxygen with another element
| |
or group: iron oxide.
OX*i*dize 'aksi|diz| • V. combine or become
|

ambition. combined chemically with oxygen.

D E R I VAT I V E s
0*ver*wrought 'ova 'rot • adj. 1 in a state of |
nervous excitement or anxiety. 2 (of a piece
of writing or a work of art) too elaborate or
complicated in design or construction.
0*vine 'o,vin • adj. of, relating to, or resem-
|
|
: o»ver»ween»ing»ly adv. cover (metal) with a coating of oxide; rust.
|
(in chemistry) undergo or cause to undergo
a reaction in which electrons are lost to an-
other species.
derivatives: ox*i*dant n. ox«i»diz»a»ble
adj. ox»i»di»za»tion .aksidi'zaSHsn n. ox«i«|
|

bling sheep. diz«er n.

0»vip*a«r0US lo'viparas] »adj. (of a bird, OX*y*mo*ron ,aks3'm6r,an| • n. a figure of
|

etc.) producing young by means of eggs that speech in which apparently contradictory
are hatched after they have been laid by the terms appear in conjunction (e.g., faith un-
parent. Cf. viviparous and ovoviviparous. faithful kept him falsely true)
derivatives: ©•vi'parM'ty |-'paerite; derivatives: ox«y»mo»ronnc l-ma'ran-
-'per- 1 n. ik| adj.
0*V0*vi*vip*a*r0US o,vovi'vip(3)r9s • adj. |
|
0*zone 'o,zon • «. a colorless unstable toxic
I I

(of an animal) producing young by means of gas with a pungent odor and powerful oxi-
eggs that are hatched within the body of the dizing properties, formed from oxygen by
parent, as in some snakes. Cf. oviparous and electrical discharges or ultraviolet light. It dif-
VIVIPAROUS. fers from normal oxygen (O2) in having three
derivatives: o»vo«vi«vi»par«i«ty |-,viv9 atoms in its molecule (O3).
'paerite; -'per- 1 n. (also ozone layer) a layer in the earth's
OV»u»late 'ovya.lat; 'av-| » v. [intrans.] dis-
I
stratosphere at an altitude of about 6.2 miles
charge ova (seeovuM) or ovules (the structure (10 km) containing a high concentration of
in a flowering plant that contains gamete and ozone, which absorbs most of the ultraviolet
after fertilization becomes the seed) from the radiation reaching the earth from the sun.
ovary. fresh invigorating air, esp. that blowing
derivatives: ov»u«la»tion |
,ovy3'lasH9n; onto the shore from the sea.
-'laSHsnl n. ov»u»la»to»ry |-b,t6re| adj. DERIVATIVES o'zonMC : |o'zanik| adj.
0»vum 'ovam I I
• n. (pi. ova |
'ova |
) a mature

Pp
Pab*lum I
psebbm I
. n. (also pabulum) Pa»Clf»iC Rim the countries and regions bor-
bland or insipid intellectual fare, entertain- dering the Pacific Ocean, esp. the small
ment, etc.; pap. nations of eastern Asia.
(Pablum) trademark a soft breakfast cereal for pac*i*fism 'paesa.fizam . n. the belief that
|
|

infants. war and violence are unjustifiable under any

pace 1
'pa.se; 'pa,CHa • prep, with due respect |
circumstances, and that all disputes should
to (someone or an opinion), used to express be settled by peaceful means.
polite disagreement or contradiction: narra- the refusal to participate in war or military
tive history, pace some theorists, is not dead. service because of such a belief.
pach*y*derm 'paeka.darm • n. a very large
| I
derivatives: pac»i«fist n. & adj. pac'i*
mammal with thick skin, esp. an elephant, fis'tic I
,paes3'fistik| adj.
rhinoceros, or hippopotamus. pac»i»fy 'paes3,fi
I
. V. (-ies, -ied) [trans.]
I

a thick-skinned person; someone relatively quell the anger, agitation, or excitement of: he
insensitive to taunts, criticism, or the like. had to pacify angry spectators. I pacified the \

DERIVATIVES: pach»y«der»mal ,paek3 |

baby by singing.
'darmal adj. pach»y»der*ma*tous ,pa£k9
| j
bring peace to (a country or warring fac-
'darmspsi adj. pach»y»derm»ous adj. tions), esp. by the use or threatened use of
pach«y«der«mic .paeka'dsrmikl adj. |
military force: the general pacified northern
pa»Cif*lc Ipa'sifikI . adj. peaceftil in character Italy.
or intent: a pacific gesture. derivatives: pa«ci»fi«er n. pa«cif»i«ca«
DERIVATIVES: pa»cifn»caWy |-(3)le| adv. to»ry |p3'sifik3,t6re| adj.
 |

padre 310 pallid

pa*dre 'padra
|
n. father; the title of a priest
I
• ics)the range of colors or shapes available to
or chaplain in some regions. the user.
a chaplain in any of the armed forces. pal*imp*sest |
'paelimp,sest |
• n. a manu-
pa*dro»ne Ips'drona; ps'dronel • n. (pi. pa- script or piece of writing material on which
drones) a patron or master, in particular: the original writing has been effaced to make
a Mafia boss. an employer, esp. one who room for later writing.
exploits immigrant workers. (in Italy) the something reused or altered but still bearing
proprietor of a hotel. visible traces of its earlier form.
pae*an 'pean • w. a song of praise or tri-
|
|
derivatives: pal»imp»ses»tic | ,
paelimp
umph. 'sestiki adj.
a thing that expresses enthusiastic praise: his pal*in*clrome 'paelin.drom • n. a word,
|
|

books are paeans to combat. phrase, or sequence that reads the same back-
pa*gan 'pagan • n. a person holding reli-
|
|
ward as forward, e.g., madam or nurses run.
gious beliefs other than those of the main derivatives: pal»in»drom»ic .paelin |

world religions. 'dramiki adj. pa»lin«dro«mist Ips'lindrs-

a non-Christian. an adherent of neopa- mist| n.
ganism, a modern religious movement that pal*in*gen*e*sis ,paelin'jen3sis \^n.^ Biology |

seeks to incorporate beliefs or ritual practices the exact reproduction of ancestral charac-
firom traditions outside the main world reli- teristics during the developmental stages of a
gions, esp. those of pre-Christian Europe and particular organism. 2 rebirth or regenera-
North America. • adj. of or relating to such tion.
people or beliefs: a pagan god. derivatives: pal«in»ge«netMC |
ipaelinja
derivatives: pa*gan*ish adj. pa*gan* 'netiki adj.
ism |-,niz3m| n. pa»gannze |-,niz| v. pai*i*sade ,paeb'sad . n. a fence of wooden
| I

pal*a*din 'paebdin • n. any of the twelve

| I
stakes or iron railings fixed in the ground,
peers of Charlemagne's court, of whom the forming an enclosure or defense.
Count Palatine (a high official of the Holy a strong pointed wooden stake fixed deeply
Roman Empire) was the chief. in the ground with others in a close row, used
a knight renowned for heroism and chiv- as a defense. (palisades) a line of high
alry. cliffs.• V. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (palisaded) en-

pal*at*a*ble 'psebtabal . adj. (of food or

| I
close or provide (a building or place) with a
drink) pleasant to taste: a very palatable local pahsade.
red wine. palp pol • n. 1 a cloth spread over a coffm,
I I

(of an action or proposal) acceptable or sat- hearse, or tomb.

isfactory: a device that made increased taxation a dark cloud or covering of smoke, dust, or
more palatable. similar matter: a pall of black smoke hung over
derivatives: pal»at«a»bilM«ty .paebts |
the quarry. something regarded as envelop-
'bibtel n. pal»at»a»bly |-ble| adv. ing a situation with an air of gloom, heavi-
pal*a*tal |
'paebtl . adj. of or relating to the
I
ness, or fear: the attacks have cast a pall of ter-
palate: a palatal lesion. ror over the villages. 2 an ecclesiastical pallium.
pal*ate 'pselit
|
• w. 1 the roof of the mouth,
|
pal|2 . V. [intrans ] become less appealing or in-
separating the cavities of the nose and the teresting through familiarity: the novelty of the
mouth in vertebrates. 2 a person's apprecia- quiet life palled.
tion of taste and flavor, esp. when sophisti- pal*let • «. 1 a portable platform on which
cated and discriminating: a fine range of drink goods can be moved, stacked, and stored, esp.
for sophisticated palates. with the aid of a forklift. 2 a flat wooden blade
a person's taste or liking: the suggestions may with a handle, used to shape clay or plaster.
not suit everyone's palate. taste or flavor of 3 an artist's palette. 4 a projection on a ma-
wine or beer: a wine with a zingy, peachy pal- chine part, serving to change the mode of
ate. motion of a wheel.
pa*la*tial Ips'lasHal] 'adj. resembling a pal- paMi*ate I'paele.atl »v. [trans.] make (a dis-
ace in being spacious and splendid: her pala- ease or its symptoms) less severe or unpleas-
tial apartment in Chicago. ant without removing the cause: treatment
derivatives: pa»la»tial»ly adv. works by palliating symptoms.
pa»lav«er Ipa'laevar; -'lav-| • n. prolonged allay or moderate (fears or suspicions): this
and idle discussion: an hour of aimless pa- palliated the suspicions aroused by German
laver. unity. disguise the seriousness or gravity of
a parley or improvised conference between (an offense): there is no way to palliate his dirty
two sides. • v. [intrans.] talk unnecessarily at deed.
length: it's too hot to go on palavering. D£RIVATIVEs: pal»li«a»tion |
ipaele'aSHan
pal*ette |
'paelit I
• «. a thin board or slab on n. pal»li»a«tive n. and adj. pal»li»a»tor
which an artist lays and mixes colors. I
-, atari n.
the range of colors used by a particular art- pal*lid I
'peelid |
• adj. (of a person's face) pale,
ist or in a particular picture: / choose a palette typically because of poor health.
of natural, earthy colors. the range or variety feeble or insipid: an utterly pallid and charm-
of tonal or instrumental color in a musical less character.
piece: he commands the sort of tonal palette derivatives: pal»Iid»ly adv. pal»lid»ness
that this music needs. (in computer graph- n.
 |

pallium 311 papacy

paHi»um 'pseleaml * n. (pi pallia 'pseleai
I I
usage: On the difference between pan-
or palliums) 1 a woolen vestment conferred
demic, endemic, and epidemic, see us-
by the pope on an archbishop, consisting of a age at epidemic.
narrow, circular band placed around the
shoulders with a short lappet hanging from pan*de»mo*ni*um |
.psenda'moneam |
• )i.

front and back. 2 a man's large rectangular wild and noisy disorder or confusion; up-
cloak, esp. as worn by Greek philosophical roar.
and religious teachers in antiquity. pan*der |
'paendar |
. v. [intrans.] (pander to)

pal*lor I'pasbrl . n. [in sing.] an unhealthy gratify or indulge (an immoral or distasteful
pale appearance. desire, need, or habit or a person with such a
pal*pa*ble 'paelpabsl . adj. able to be| I
desire, etc.): candidates pander to interest
touched or felt: the palpable bump at the bridge groups. . n. a pimp.
of the nose. a person who baser urges or evil
assists the
(esp. of a feeling or atmosphere) so intense designs of others: the lowest panders of a venal
as to be almost touched or felt: a palpable sense press.
of loss. clear to the mind or plain to see: to Pan*dO*ra'S box • n. a process that generates
talk of victory in the circumstances is palpable many complicated problems as the result of
nonsense. unwise interference in something.
derivatives: pal*pa»biW»ty |
,paelp3'bil- pan»e«gyr»ic ,pa£n3'jirik| »n. a pubHc
|

ite I
pal«pa»bly -ble adv.
n. | |
speech or published text in praise of someone
pal*pate 'pael,pat • V. [trans.] examine (a
| I
or something: Vera's panegyric on friendship.
part of the body) by touch, esp. for medical derivatives: pan»e«gyr»i»cal |-'jirik3l|
purposes. pan»e»gyr»i»caWy
adj. | -'jirik(3)Ie |
adv.
derivatives: pal»pa»tion pael'paSHan |
| n. pan*0»ply 'psensple ' |
\
n. a complete or im-
pal*pi«tate 'paelpi,tat . V. [intrans.] [often as
| I
pressive collection of things: a deliciously in-
adj.] (palpitating) (of the heart) beat rap- ventive panoply of insults.
idly, strongly, or irregularly: a palpitating a splendid display: all the panoply of Western
heart. religious liturgy. a complete set of arms or
shake; tremble: palpitating with terror. suit of armor.
derivatives: pal»pi»ta»tion n. derivatives: pan«o«plied |-pled| adf
pal*sy 'poize • n. (pi. -ies) paralysis, esp.
I I
pan*the*ism 'paenTHe,iz3m| |
» n. ^ a doc-

that which is accompanied by involuntary trine that identifies God with the universe, or
tremors: regards the universe as a manifestation of
a condition of incapacity or helplessness. God. 2 worship that admits or tolerates all
• V. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] (often be palsied) gods.
affect with paralysis and involuntary tremors: derivatives: pan«the»ist n. pan»the«is»
the muscles on her face are palsied [as adj.] \
tic ipaenTHe'istikj adj. pan«the«is»ti«cal
I

(palsied) a palsied hand. I

iPeenTHe'istikal adj. pan«the«is«ti«cal»ly
I

pahter I'poltsrI »v. [intrans.] 1 equivocate or I

,paenTHe'istik(3)le |
adv.
prevaricate in action or speech. 2 (palter pan*the*on 'pseniHe.an; -XHeani • n. all the
|

with) trifle with: this great work should not be gods of a people or religion collectively: the
paltered with. deities of the Hindu and Shinto pantheons.
derivatives: pal»ter«er n. (esp. in ancient Greece and Rome) a temple
pal*try |
(paltrier, paltriest)
'poltre |
• adj. dedicated to all the gods. a building in
(of an amoiant) small or meager: a paltry which the distinguished dead of a nation are
$33. buried or honored. a group of particularly
petty; trivial: naval glory struck him as paltry. respected, famous, or important people: the
derivatives pal'trimess : |-trenis| n. pantheon of the all-time greats.
pa«lu»dal pa'loodl; 'paelyadl . adj.
I
(of a |
pan»tO«mime 'psent3,mim| • n. 1 a dramatic
|

plant, animal, or soil) living or occurring in a entertainment, originating in Roman mime,

marshy habitat. in which performers express meaning
pan*a»ce»a .psens'ses • n. a solution or |
|
through gestures accompanied by music.
remedy for all difficulties or diseases. an absurdly exaggerated piece of behavior:
derivatives: pan»a»ce«an |-'se3n| adj. he made a pantomime of checking his watch. a
pa*nache ps'naeSH; -'naSH . |
1 flamboy- |
ridiculous or confused situation or event: the
ant confidence of style or manner: he enter- drive to town was a pantomime. 2 Brit, a theat-
tained with panache. 2 a tuft or plume of rical entertainment, mainly for children, that
feathers, esp. as a headdress or on a helmet. involves music, topical jokes, and slapstick
pan*dect 'paen,dekt| • n. a complete body of
|
comedy and is based on a fairy tale or nur-
the laws of a country. sery story, usually produced around Christ-
(usu. the Pandects) compendium in 50 a mas. • V. [trans.] express or represent (some-
books of the Roman civil law made by order thing) by extravagant and exaggerated mime:
of Justinian in the 6th century. the clown candidates pantomimed different emo-
derivatives: pamdectnst |
paen'dektist tions.
n. derivatives: pan«to«mim*ic paenta | ,

pan*dem*ic |paen'demik| » adj. (of a disease) 'mimiki adf pan«to«mimnst n.

prevalent over a whole country or the world. pa»pa*cy 'papsse • n. (pi. -ies) (usu. the
|
|

• n. an outbreak of such a disease. papacy) the office or authority of the pope.

papal 312 parameter
the tenure of office of a pope: during the pa- son, or thing that combines contradictory
pacy of Pope John. features or qualities: a fascinating ecological
pa*pal 'papal • adj. of or relating to
I I
a pope paradox.
or to the papacy. derivatives: par»a»dox»i»cal adj. par»a«
DERI VAT V E s pa»pal»ly I : adv. dox»i»cal«ly adv.
pa*pa*raz*ZO |
.papa'ratso |
• n. (pi. paparaz- par*a*gon |
'paera.gan; -ganj • n. a person or
zi I
-se I ) (usu. paparazzi) a freelance pho- thing regarded as a perfect example of a par-
tographer who pursues celebrities to get pho- ticular quality: it would have taken a paragon
tographs of them. of virtue not to feel viciously jealous.
pa*pier ma*Che .papar ma'sHa . «. a mold- |
|
a person or thing viewed as a model of excel-
able mixture of paper and glue, or paper, lence: your cook a paragon. a perfect dia-
is

flour, and water, that becomes hard when mond of 100 carats or more.
dry: George made a crocodile out of papier par*a*le*gal .paers'legal
|
• n. a person |

mdche. [as adj.] a papier-mache tree.

|
trained in subsidiary legal matters but not
pa*pist 'papist • n. derogatory term for a
I i
fully qualified as a lawyer, typically employed
Roman Catholic. in a law firm. • adj. of or relating to auxiliary
another term for papalist, a supporter of the aspects of the law.
papacy, esp. an advocate of papal supremacy. par*al*lax 'paera.lseks
|
» n. the effect |

• adj. of, relating to, or associated with the whereby the position or direction of an object
Roman Catholic Church. appears to differ when viewed from different
derivatives: pa»pism |'pa,piz9m| n. pa* positions, e.g., through the viewfinder and
pis«ti«cal ps'pistaksl adj. pa»pist»ry 'pa-
I I
|
the lens of a camera.
pistrel n. the angular amount of this in a particular
par*a*bie • n. a simple story used
|
'paersbsl |
case, esp. that of a star viewed from different
to illustrate amoral or spiritual lesson, such points in the earth's orbit.
as those told by Jesus in the Gospels. derivatives: par»al»lac»tic .paers'laek- |

pa*rab*0»la Ips'rEebsbl *n. (pi. parabolas tikl adj.

I
pa'raebabz or parabolae -le ) a symmet- | |
|
par*al*lel*ism 'pseralel.izam . n. the state
|
|

rical open plane curve formed by the inter- of being parallel or of corresponding in some
section of a cone with a plane parallel to its way.
side. The path of a projectile under the influ- the use of successive verbal constructions in
ence of gravity follows a curve of this shape. poetry or prose that correspond in grammat-
derivatives: par«a«bol«ic adj. par«a»bol» ical structure, sound, meter, meaning, etc.
i'cal'ly adv. the use of parallel processing in computer
pa*rach*ro*nism |pe'r2Ekr3,niz3m| an systems.
error in chronology, esp. by assigning too late DERI vat V e s
I : par«al»lel*is»tic |
ipaeralel
a date. Cf. anachronism. 'istiki adj.
par*a*digm 'paer3,dim • ;t. 1 a typical ex- |
|
pa*ral*0*gism Ipa'raeb.jizaml • n. a piece of
ample or pattern of something; a model: there illogical or fallacious reasoning, esp. one that
is a new paradigm for public art in this country. appears superficially logical or that the rea-
a worldview underlying the theories and soner believes to be logical.
methodology of a particular scientific sub- derivatives: pa»ral»o*gist n.
ject: the discovery of universal gravitation be- pa*ram»e»ter Ipa'rsmitarl • «. a numerical
came paradigm of successful science. 2 a set
the or other measurable factor forming one of a
of linguistic items that form mutually exclu- set that defines a system or sets the condi-
sive choices in particular syntactic roles: Eng- tions of its operation: the transmission will not
lish determiners form a paradigm: we can say "a let you downshift unless your speed is within the

book" or "his book" but not "a his book." lower gear's parameters.
(in the traditional grammar of Latin, Greek, a numerical quantity whose value is selected
and other inflected languages) a table of all for the particular circumstances and in rela-
the inflected forms of a particular verb, noun, tion towhich other variable quantities may be
or adjective, serving as a model for other expressed. a numerical characteristic of a
words of the same conjugation or declension. population, as distinct from a statistic of a
derivatives: par«a«dig«mat»ic adj. sample. (in general use) a limit or bound-
par*a*d0X |
'paera,daks |
• n. a statement or ary that defines the scope of a particular
proposition that, despite apparently sound process or activity.
reasoning fi-om acceptable premises, leads to usage: Until recently, use of the word pa-
a conclusion that seems senseless, logically rameter was confined to mathematics and
unacceptable, or self-contradictory: a poten- related technical fields. Since around the
tially serious conflict between quantum mechan-
mid 20th century, however, it has been used
ics and the general theory of relativity known as
in nontechnical fields as a technical-
the information paradox.
soxmding word for 'a limit or boimdary,' as
a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory
in they set the parameters of the debate. This
statement or proposition that when investi- use, probably influenced by the word pe-
gated or explained may prove to be well rimeter, has been criticized for being a
founded or true: in a paradox, he has discov- weakening of the technical sense. Carefiil
ered that stepping back from his job has increased parameter to specialists in
writers will leave
the rewards he gleans from it. a situation, per-
paramilitary 313 parietal

mathematics, computer science, and other d E R VA V h s par»a»phras»a«ble adj. par*

I I I :

technical disciplines. As a loose synonym for a«phras»er par»a»phra«sis n. par«a»phras«

limit, boundary, guideline, framework, it is a tic I
ipaers'fraestikl adj.

vogue word that blurs more than it clarifies. par*a*ple*gi*a ,pa2r3'plej(e)3| »n. paraly- |

sis of the legs and lower body, typically

Perimeter is a different word, meaning
'border, outer boundary, or the length of caused by spinal injury or disease. Cf. quad-
such a boundary.' RIPLEGIA
derivatives: par»a»ple»gic |-jik| adj. &
par»a»mil»i»tar»y ,pa£r3'mib,tere adj. (of
|
|
» n.

an unofficial force) organized similarly to a par»a»psy»chol«o*gy |

.pserasi kabje |
* n.
military force: the drug cartels and their para- the study of mental phenomena that are ex-
military allies. • n. (pi. -ies) a member of an cluded from or inexplicable by orthodox sci-
unofficial paramilitary organization. entific psychology (such as hypnosis, telepa-
par*a*mour |
'paer3,m(50r| . n. a lover, esp. thy, clairvoyance, etc.).
the illicit partner of a married person. derivatives: par»a«psy»cho»logM»cal
par«a*noi*a 1 ipsera'noia I
• n. a mental condi- I
-.siks'lajikal I
adj. par»a»psy»chol»o»gist
tion characterized by delusions of persecu- |-jist| n.
tion,unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated par*a*site 'paera.slt . an organism that
| I

self-importance, typically worked into an or- lives in or on another organism (its host) and
ganized system. It may be an aspect of chron- benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's ex-
ic personality disorder, of drug abuse, or of a pense. Cf. EPIPHYTE
serious condition such as schizophrenia in a person who habitually relies on or exploits
which the person loses touch with reality. others and gives nothing in return.
suspicion and mistrust of people or their DERI VAT I V E s par»a»sit»ic adj. par«a»sit»i»
:

actions without evidence or justification: cal adj. par»a»sit»i«cal»ly adv.

global paranoia about hackers and viruses. par«a«tax*is .paera'taeksas • n. the placing
|
|

derivatives: par»a»noi»ac l-'noiaek; of clauses or phrases one after another, with-

-'noi-ik| adj. Sen. par»a»noi»a»cal»ly j-'noi- out words to indicate coordination or subor-
ik(3)le adv. par»a»no»ic -'noi-ik adj. par*
I
|
|
dination, as in Tell me, how are you? Con-
a»no«i»cal»ly -'noi-ik(3)le adv. |
par«a» |
trasted with hypotaxis, the subordination of
noid adj. one clause to another.
par*a*nor»mal |
ipasra'normal |
• adj. denot- DERIVATIVES par»a»tac»tic |-'taektik| adj.
:

ing events or phenomena such as telekinesis par»a»tac»ti»cal«ly -'taektik(3)le adv. i

|

or clairvoyance that are beyond the scope of pa*rens pa«tri*ae .peranz 'paetri-e . «. the | I

normal understanding: a mystic's

scientific government, or any other authority, regarded
paranormal powers [as n.] (the paranor- |
as the legal protector of citizens unable to
mal) an investigator of the paranormal. protect themselves.
derivatives: par«a«nor»mal»ly adv. the principle that political authority carries
par»a»pet 'paerspit . w. a low, protective
|
I
with it the responsibility for such protection.
wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, or bal- panen*the»sis |p3'renTH9,sis| • n. (pi. pa-
cony. rentheses |-sez|) a word, clause, or sen-
a protective wall or earth defense along the tence inserted as an explanation or after-
top of a trench or other place of concealment thought into a passage that is grammatically
for troops. complete without it, in writing usually
derivatives: par»a»pet«ed adj. marked off by curved brackets, dashes, or
par*a*pher«naHla ,paer3f3(r)'naly3| |
. commas.
[treated as sing, or pi.] miscellaneous articles, (usu. parentheses) one or both of a pair of
esp. the equipment needed for a particular marks () used to include such a word, clause,
activity: drills, saws, and other paraphernalia \
or sentence. an interlude or interval: the
drug paraphernalia. three months of coalition government were a la-
trappings associated with a particular insti- mentable political parenthesis.
tution or activity that are regarded as super- derivatives: par»en»thet»i»cal adj. par*
fluous: the rituals and paraphernalia of govern- en»thet»i«cal«ly adv.
ment. pa»ri*ah pa'na • «. 1 an outcast: they were
|
|

par*a*phil*i*a .paers'filea • n. (in psychia-

| I
treated as social pariahs. 2 in former times, a
try) a condition characterized by abnormal member of a low caste or of no caste in south-
sexual desires, typically involving extreme or ern India.
dangerous activities. pa*ri*e*tal ipa'riatall * adj. 1 of, relating to,
derivatives: par»a»philM*ac |-'file,£ek| attached to, or denoting the wall of the body
adj. & n. or of a body cavity or hollow structure.
par«a*phrase 'paera.fi-azi 'V. [trans.] express
|

of the parietal lobe of the brain: the parietal

the meaning of (the writer or speaker or cortex. 2 relating to residence in a college or
something written or spoken) using different university dormitory and esp. to visits from
words, esp. to achieve greater clarity: you can members of the opposite sex: parietal rules.
either quote or paraphrase literary texts. • n. 3 denoting prehistoric art found on rock
(alsoparaphrasis prons) a rewording of walls. . «. 1 a parietal structure, esp. the pa-
something written or spoken by someone rietal bone, forming the central side and upper
else. Cf. periphrasis back part of each side of the skull. 2 (pari-
parimutuel 314 parse
etals) dormitory rules governing visits from genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic
members of the opposite sex. effect.
par*i-mu*tu*el |
.paera 'myooCHawal (also |
an imitation or a version of something that
parimutuel) . n. [often as adj.] a form of bet- short of the real thing; a travesty: he
falls far
ting in which those backing the first three seems like a parody of a world leader. • v.
places (called win, place, and show) divide the (-ies, -ied) [trans.] produce a humorously
losers' stakes (less the operator's commis- exaggerated imitation of (a writer, artist, or
sion): pari-mutuel betting. genre): his specialty was parodying schoolgirl
a booth for placing bets under such a system. fiction.
par*i*ty 'paerite * n. ^ the state or condition
|
\
mimic humorously: he parodied his friend's
of being equal, esp. regarding status or pay: voice.
parity of income between farmworkers and those derivatives: pa»rodnc jpa'radiki adj.
in industrial occupations. par»o»dist i-dist| n.
the value of one currency in terms of an- pa*role pa'rol • «. 1 the release of a prisoner
|
|

other at an established exchange rate. a temporarily (for a special purpose) or perma-

system of providing farmers with consistent nently before the completion of a sentence,
purchasing power by regulating prices of on the promise of good behavior: he commit-
farm products, usually with government ted a burglary while on parole.
price supports. 2 (of a number) the fact of The period in which such an agreement is ef-
being even or odd. fective. a promise or undertaking given by
(in computing) a function whose being even a prisoner of war not to escape or, if released,
(or odd) provides a check on a set of binary to return to custody under stated conditions.
values: [as adj.] parity bits. 2 The password used by a military officer or
par*lance 'parbns • «. a particular way of
|
|
inspector of the guard. Cf. countersign. . v,
speaking or using words, esp. a way common [trans.] (usu. be paroled) release (a prisoner)
to those with a particular job or interest: med- on parole: he was paroled after serving nine
ical parlance. months.
par*lay |
'par, la; -le |
. v. [trans.] (parlay derivatives: pa»rol»ee |-,ro'le| n.
something into) turn an initial stake or win- par*0»no»ma*sia .paerano'mazHal »n. a |

nings from a previous bet into (a greater play on words; a pun.

amount) by gambling: it involved parlaying a par*0«nym 'paeranim • w. a word that is a
i
|

small bankroll into big winnings. derivative of another and has a related mean-
transform into (something greater or more ing: "wisdom " is a paronym of "wise."
valuable): he parlayed an inheritance into an a word formed by adaptation of a foreign
empire. • n. a cumulative series of bets in word: "preface" is a paronym of Latin "prefatio."
which winnings accruing from each transac- Cf. heteronym.
tion are used as a stake for a further bet. derivatives: par»o»nym«ic ,p£era I

par*ley |
'parle |
• n. (pi. -eys) a conference be- 'nimiki adj. pa»ron»y«mous |pa'ranamas|
tween opposing sides in a dispute, esp. a dis- adj. pa«ron»y»my |pa'raname| n.
cussion of terms for an armistice. • v. (-eys, par*OX»ysm 'pserak,sizam| • n. a sudden at-
|

-eyed) [intrans.] hold a conference with the tack or violent expression of a particular
opposing side to discuss terms: they disagreed emotion or activity: a paroxysm of weeping
over whether to parley with the enemy. I
a paroxysm of violence.
par*IOUS 'parlss • adj. full of danger or un-
I I
a sudden recurrence or attack of a disease; a
certainty; precarious: the parlous state of the sudden worsening of symptoms.
economy. • adv. greatly or excessively: she is derivatives: par»ox»ys»mal |
.paerak'siz-
parlous handsome. mall adj.
derivatives: par»lous»ly adv. par»lous» par*quet par ka |
|
» n. 1 (also parquet floor-
ness n. ing) flooring composed of wooden blocks
Par*nas*si*an |
par'naesean I
. adj. 1 relating arranged in a geometric pattern. 2 the ground
to poetry; poetic. 2 of or relating to a group floor of a theater or auditorium.
of French poets of the late 1 9th century who par*quet*ry 'parkitre . n. inlaid |
work of |

emphasized strictness of form, named from blocks of various woods arranged in a geo-
the anthology Le Parnasse contemporain metric pattern, esp. for flooring or furniture.
(1866). • n. a member of this group of par*ri*Cide 'pera,sid; 'psera- . w. the killing
|
1

French poets. of a parent or other near relative.

pa*ro*chi*al Ipa'rokeall 'adj. of or relating a person who commits parricide.
to a church parish: the parochial church coun- derivatives: par»ri«cid*al |
,pera'sidl;
cil. ,paera-i adj.
denoting a school operated by a church, dis- parse pars • v. [trans.] analyze (a sentence)
i
|

tinct from a public school or secular private into its component parts and describe their
school. syntactic roles.
having a limited or narrow outlook or scope. (in computing) analyze (captured or typed
derivatives: pa«ro»chi»al«ism |-,iz3m| input) into logical components, typically in
n. pa»ro«chi*aW»ty | -,roke'£elite |
n. pa»ro* order to test conformability to a logical gram-
chi»al»ly adv. mar or interpret instructions. examine or
par*0»dy 'paerade • n. (pi. -ies) an imitation
|
|
analyze minutely: he has always been quick to
of the style of a particular writer, artist, or parse his own problems in public. • n. an act of
 .

parsimonious 315 Passion

or the result obtained by parsing computer other, e.g., electrons, neutrinos, photons, and
input. alpha particles. [with negative] the least pos-
par*si*mo*ni»OUS .parsa'moneas • adj. un- |
|
sible amount: he agrees without hearing the
willing to spend money or use resources; least particle of evidence. (in mathematics) a
stingy or frugal: so parsimonious she only hypothetical object having mass but no phys-
bought dented canned goods. ical size. 2 (in grammar)
minor function a
derivatives: par«si»mo»ni»ous»ly adv. word that has comparatively little meaning
par*si»mo»ni»ous«ness n. and is not inflected, in particular:
par*si*mo*ny 'pars3,mone • n. extreme
|
|
(in English) any of the class of words such as
unwillingness to spend money or use in, up, off, used with verbs to make
over,
resources: a great tradition of public design has phrasal verbs. (in ancient Greek) any of the
been shattered by government parsimony. class of words such as de and ge, used for con-
phrases: principle (or law) of parsi- trast and emphasis.
mony the scientific principle that things are par*tic*U*late Ipar'tikyslit; -,lat| »adj. of,
usually connected or behave in the simplest relating to, or in the form of minute separate
or most economical way, esp. with reference particles: particulate pollution. • n. (particu-
to alternative evolutionary pathways. lates) matter in such a form.
par«the«no*gen*e»sis .parraano'jenasis | |
par»ti»san 'partszsn • «.
|
1 a strong sup- |

• n. reproduction fi-om an ovum without fer- porter of a party, cause, or person. 2 a mem-
normal process in some
tilization, esp. as a ber of an armed group formed to fight se-
and lower plants.
invertebrates cretly against an occupying force, in
derivatives: par«the»no»ge«netMC |-j3 particular one operating in enemy-occupied
'netiki adj. par»the»no»ge»netn»cal«ly l-ja Yugoslavia, Italy, and parts of eastern Eu-
'netik(9)le| adv. rope in World War II. • adj. prejudiced, or
par*tial |
*parSH3l |
• adj. 1 existing only in expressing prejudice, in favor of a particular
part; incomplete: a question to which we have cause: newspapers have become increasingly
only partial answers. 2 favoring one side in a partisan.
dispute above the other; biased: a distorted derivatives: par»ti»san«ship |-,SHip| n.
and partial view of the situation. par*tu*ri»ent |par't(y)00re3nt| »adj. (of a
[predic] (partial to) having a liking for: you woman or female mammal) about to give
know I'm partial to bacon and eggs. » n. a com- birth; in labor. • n. a parturient woman.
ponent of a musical sound; an overtone or par*tU«ri*tlon ,parCH(50'riSH3n| » n. the ac-
|

harmonic: the upper partials of the string. tion of giving birth to young; childbirth.
derivatives: par»ti»aH»ty n. par»tial»ly par»ve»nu 'parv3,n(y)oo . n. a person of
| i

adv. [as submodifier] a partially open door, par* obscure origin who has gained wealth, influ-
tial*ness n. ence, or celebrity: the social inexperience of a
usage: In the sense 'to some extent, not parvenu. • adj. having recently achieved, or
entirely,' partly to
traditionalists prefer associated with someone who has recently
partially: The piece was written partly in po- achieved wealth, influence, or celebrity de-
spite obscure origins: he concealed the details of
etry; What we decide will depend partly on the
his parvenu lifestyle. Cf. nouveau riche
amount of the contract. (Also, in certain con-
texts, the use of partly could prevent ambi-
pas*Chal 'paesksl . adj. 1 of or relating to
| I

Easter. 2 of or relating to the Jewish Passover.

guity:because partial can also mean 'biased,
taking sides'; something written partially in pas*chal lamb *n. ^ a lamb sacrificed at

poetry could be interpreted as biased verse.) Passover. 2 Christ.

The form partial, however, appears in many pas de deux ,pa ds 'dCOl . n. (pi. same) a
|

phrases as the adjectival form of part: par- dance for two people, typically a man and a
tial blindness, partial denture, partial paralysis,
woman.
partial payment, partial shade, partial vacuum, a relationship between two people tliat

requires finesse or close cooperation.

etc.Partially is therefore widely used, with
the same sense as partly: partially blind in pas*quin*ade ,paeskw3'nad » n. a satire or
|
\

one eye. lampoon, one displayed or deliv-

originally
ered publicly in a public place.
par»ti*ci«ple 'parts, sipal word formed
a pas*se Ipse'sal » adj. [predic] no longer fash-
from a verb
|

(e.g., going, gone, being, been)

• n.
and ionable; out of date: miniskirts are passe the —
used as an adjective (e.g., working woman, best skirts are knee-length.
burned toast) or a noun (e.g., good breeding). (esp. of a woman)
past one's prime.
In English, participles are also used to make pas»ser*ine 'psssrin; -,rin . adj. of, relat-
|
|

compound verb forms (e.g., is going, has ing to, or denoting birds of a large order dis-
been) tinguished by feet that are adapted for perch-
derivatives: par»ti«cip«i»al |
.parts ing, including all songbirds. • n. a passerine
'sipeal I
adj. par»ti«cip»i»al»ly | ,
parts bird; a perching bird.
'sipeslel adv. pas*Sim 'psesim • adv. (of allusions or ref-
|
I

par*ti*Cle 'partiksl . «. | I
1 a minute portion erences in a published work) to be found at
of matter: tiny particles of dust. various places throughout the text.
subatomic or elementary particle)
(also Pas*sion 'paesHsn |
. n. (the Passion) in I

any of numerous subatomic constituents of Christianity, the suffering and death of Jesus.
the physical world that interact with each a narrative of this from any of the Gospels.
 |

passive 316 patriarch

a musical setting of any of these narratives: -,t3rnristik| adj. pa»ter»nal«
ter»nal«is*tic |

Bach 's St. Matthew Passion. is*ti»caWy -,t3rnristik(3)le adv.

|
|

pas*Sive 'paesiv . adj.

| I
pa«ter*nos*ter 'pat3r,nast9r; 'paepr- • n.
|
1

(in grammar) denoting or relating to a voice (in the Roman Catholic Church) the Lord's
of verbs in which the subject undergoes the Prayer, esp. in Latin.
action of the verb (e.g., they were killed as any of a number of special beads occurring
opposed to he killed them). The opposite of at regular intervals in a rosary, indicating that
active. • n. a passive form of a verb. the Lord's Prayer is to be recited.
(the passive) the passive voice. pa*thet*ic Ipa'THetikI » adj. 1 arousing pity,
derivatives: pas«sive*ly adv. pas»sive« esp. through vulnerability or sadness: she
ness n. pas»siv»i»ty |
pae'sivite |
n. looked so pathetic that I bent down to comfort her.
Pass*0*ver 'paes,ov3r| • n. the major Jewish
|
miserably inadequate: their test scores in
spring festival that commemorates the liber- Chemistry were pathetic. 2 relating to the emo-
ation of the Israelites from Egyptian bond- tions.
age, lasting seven or eight days from the 15th derivatives: pa»thetM»cal»ly |-(3)le| adv.
day of Nisan; pesach. path*0»gen 'paeTH3,jen| . n. a bacterium, vi-
|

another term for paschal lamb. rus, or other microorganism that can cause
pas*tiche |p£e'steSH;pa-| • n. an artistic work disease.
in a style that imitates that of another work, derivatives: path*o«genMc i
,paeTH3'jen-
artist, or period: the operetta is a pastiche of ik I
path»o«ge»nic»i»ty ,paeTH9j9'nisite
adj. | |

18th century styles. n. pa»thog»e»nous ps'THajenss adj. | |

an artistic work consisting of a medley of path»o«log»l»cal .paeTHa'lajiksl (also path- | |

pieces taken from various sources. a con- ologic) • adj. involving, caused by, or of the
fused mixture or jumble: his speech is a pas- nature of a physical or mental disease.
tiche offalse starts and unfinished sentences. • v. compulsive; obsessive: a pathological gambler.
[trans.] imitate the style of (an artist or work): DERI VAT I v E s path»o»log»i»cal»ly adv.
:

Gauguin took himself to a Pacific island andpas- pa»thol*0*gy ps'THalaje • n. the science of
|
|

tiched the primitive art he found there. the causes and effects of diseases, esp. the
pas*tO*ral 'paestsrsl; paes'toral • adj. 1 (esp.
|
|
branch of medicine that deals with the labo-
of land or a farm) used for or related to the ratory examination of samples of body tissue
keeping or grazing of sheep or cattle: scattered for diagnostic or forensic purposes.
pastoral farms society was then essentially pas-
\
pathological features considered collec-
toral. tively; the typical behavior of a disease: the pa-
associated with country life: the view was pas- thology of Huntington 's disease. a pathologi-
toral, with rolling fields and grazing sheep. (of cal condition: the dominant pathology is
a work of art) portraying or evoking country multiple sclerosis. mental, social, or linguistic
life, typically in a romanticized or idealized abnormality or malfunction: the city's inabil-
form: decorated with pastorals featuring beauti- ity to cope with the pathology of a burgeoning un-
ful shepherdesses. 2 (in the Christian Church) derclass.
concerning or appropriate to the giving of derivatives: pa»thol»o»gist |-jist| n.
spiritual guidance: pa^rora/ and doctrinal issues pa*th0S I
'pajHas; -,th6s \
• n. a quality that
I
clergy doing pastoral work. • «. a work of lit- evokes pity or sadness.
erature portraying an idealized version of pat*i*na ipa'tena] • n. a green or brown film
country life: the story, though a pastoral, has an on the surface of bronze or similar metals,
actual connection with the life of agricultural produced by oxidation over a long period.
labor. a gloss or sheen on wooden furniture pro-
derivatives: pas»to»ralMsm 'paestara.li- |
duced by age and polishing. an acquired
zam n. pas»tor*al»ist n. pas»to»ral«ly adv.
I
change in the appearance of a surface: plank-
pas»tO*rale .passts'ral; -'rael . n. (pi. pas-
i i
ton added a golden patina to the shallow, slowly
torales or pastoral! ,paest3'rale ) 1 a slow | |
moving water. an impression or appearance
instrumental composition, usually with of something, esp. one deemed to be mislead-
drone notes in the bass. 2 a simple musical ing: the wedding ring gave her a patina of re-
play with a rural subject. spectability.
pat*ent • adj. 'patnt; 'pact- easily recogniza-
\ 1
derivatives: pafi»nat»ed | 'p£etn,atid
ble; obvious: she smiled with patent insincerity. adj. patM«na»tion
,paetn'asH3n n. |
|

derivatives: pafent»ly |
'paetntle; 'pa-| pa«tis«se*rie pa'tisare . «. a shop where
| I

adv. pastries and cakes are sold.

pa»ter»fa»mil«i*as |
.patarfa'mileas; ,pa- 1
. n. pastries and cakes collectively: French patis-
(pi. patresfamilias ,pat rezfa-; ,pa- | 1
) the serie.
male head of a family or household. pa't*OiS 'pae,twa; 'pa- • n. (pi. same) the dia-
I i

pa*ter*naHsm Ipa'taml.izaml »n. the pol- lect of the common people of a region, dif-
icy or practice on the part of people in posi- fering in various respects from the standard
tions of authority of restricting the freedom language of the rest of the country.
and responsibilities of those subordinate to the jargon or informal speech used by a par-
them in their supposed best interest: the arro- ticular social group: the patois of inner-city
gance and paternalism that underlies cradle-to- kids.
grave employment contracts. pa*tri*arch 'patre,ark| . «. 1 the male head
|

derivatives: pa»ter»nalMst n. & adj. pa* of a family or tribe. Cf. paterfamilias.

 |

patriarchy 317 pedagogic

a man who is the oldest or most venerable of by the addition of a prefix or suf-
tor, typically
a group: Hollywood's reigning patriarch. a Johnson, O'Brien, Ivanovich.
fix, e.g.,
man who behaves in a commanding manner. pa»troon ps'troon « «. a person given land
|
|

person or thing that is regarded as the

a and granted certain manorial privileges un-
founder of something: the patriarch of all spin der the former Dutch governments of New
doctors. 2 any of those biblical figures York and New Jersey.
regarded as fathers of the human race, esp. derivatives: pa»troon»ship n.
Abraham, and Jacob, their forefathers,
Isaac, pat«U»IOUS 'paecHabs . adj.
I
|
(esp. of the
or the sons of Jacob. 3 the title of a most se- branches of a tree) spreading.
nior Orthodox or Catholic bishop. derivatives: pat»u»lous»ly adv. pat»u»
pa«trl«arch«y 'patre,arke • n. (pi. -ies) a sys-
|
|
lousiness n.
tem of society or government in which the fa- pau*ci*ty 'posite . n. [in sing.] the presence
|
|

ther or eldest male is head of the family and of something only in small or insufficient
descent is traced through the male line. quantities or amounts; scarcity: a paucity of
a system of society or government in which information.
men hold the power and women are largely pa*vane pa'van | |
(also pavan) • n. a stately
excluded from it. a society or community slow dance, popular in the 16th and 17th
organized in this way. centuries and performed in elaborate cloth-
pa»tri*ate |'patre,at| ' V. [trans.] transfer con- ing.
trol over (a constitution) from a mother a piece of music for this dance.
country to its former dependency: the Cana- pa*ve pa'va; pae- . n. 1 a setting of precious
I
1

dian government moved to patriate the constitu- stones placed so closely together that no
tion from Great Britain. metal shows: a solid diamond pave. 2 a paved
pa*tri*cian Ips'triSHsnl • n. an aristocrat or street, road, or path.
nobleman. Pav»lov»i«an Ipsev'lovean; -'lav-| adj. of or .

a member of a long-established wealthy fam- relating to classical conditioning as described

ily. a member of a noble family or class in by Ivan R Pavlov ( 1 849- 1 936), Russian phys-
ancient Rome. • adj. belonging to or charac- iologist, esp. to the conditioned reflex, shown
teristic of the aristocracy: a proud, patrician in his experiment in which a dog ('Pavlov's
face. dog') could be trained to salivate at the sound
belonging to or characteristic of a long- of a bell it associated with food.
established and wealthy family. belonging pay*0*la Ipa'olal »n. the practice of bribing
to the nobility of ancient Rome. someone to use his or her influence or posi-
pat*ri*cide 'paEtr3,sid| . n. the killing of
|
tion to promote a particular product or inter-
one's father. est: if a record company spends enough money on
a person who kills his or her father. payola, it can make any record a hit.
derivatives: pafri»cid»al |
.psetra'sidl pec*ca»diMo ,peka'dilo • n. (pi. -oes or |
|

adj. -os) a small, relatively unimportant offense

pat»ri»lin»e*al |
,paetr3' lineal I
. adj. of, relat- or sin.
ing to, or based on relationship to the father pec*cant 'pekant| |
. adf 1 having committed
or descent through the male line: the inheri- a fault or sin; offending. 2 diseased or caus-
tance of land was patrilineal. Cf matrilineal . ing disease.
pat*rl*mo*ny 'paetr3,mone|
• n. (pi. -ies) |
derivatives: pec»can»cy I'pekansel n.
property inherited from one's father or male peck*ish 'pekiSH . adj. hungry: we were
|
|

ancestor. both feeling a bit peckish and there was nothing

heritage: our cultural patrimony. the estate to eat.
or property belonging by ancient endowment pec»tO»ral 'pektaral • adj. of or relating to
|
|

or right to a church or other institution. the breast or chest: pectoral development.

derivatives: pat«ri»mo»ni»al paetra | ,
worn on the chest: a pectoral shield. • n. (usu.
'moneall adj. pectorals) The four large muscles that cover
pa*tron*ize 'patr3,niz; 'pae- * v. ^ [often as
|
\
the fi-ont of the ribcage.
adj.] (patronizing) treat with an apparent (pectorals) the fins of a fish that correspond
kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority: to the forelimbs of other vertebrates. an or-
"She's a good-hearted girl" he said in a patron- namental breastplate, esp. one worn by a Jew-
izing voice she was determined not to be put
I
ish high priest.
down or patronized. 2 frequent (a store, thea- pec*U»late 'pekya.lat |
!
• v. [trans.] embezzle
ter, restaurant, or other establishment) as a or steal (money, esp. public ftmds).
customer: restaurants remaining open in the derivatives: pec»u»la«tion .pekya I

evening were well patronized. 'laSHsnl pec»u»la»tor |-,lapr| n.

n.
give encouragement and financial support to pe»CU»ni«ar*y pa'kyoone.ere • adj. of, relat- |
|

(a person, esp. an artist, or a cause): local ing to, or consisting of money: he admitted
churches and voluntary organizations were obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.
patronized by the family. Cf. FISCAL.
derivatives: pa»tronn»za»tion |
.patrsni derivatives: pe»cu»ni»ar«i«ly |p3,kyoone
'zaSHsn; ,pae- n. pa»tron»iz»er
1 n. pa»tron« 'erale |
adv.
iz»ing«ly - ,niziNGle adv.
| |
ped*a*gog*ic ,peda'gajik| » adj. of or relat- |

pat»ro*nym*ic .paetra'nimikl » n. a name

|
ing to teaching: they show great pedagogic skills.
derived from the name of a father or ances- of or characteristic of a pedagogue.
pedagogue 318 penal
derivatives: ped«a»gogM»cal adj. ped»a« 2 a person of the same age, status, or ability
gog»i«caWy |-(3)le| adv. as another specified person: he has incurred
ped*a*gogue I'peda.gagl • «. a teacher, esp. much criticism from his academic peers. • v.
a strict or pedantic one. make or become equal with or of the same
ped*a*go*gy 'ped3,gaje;-,goje| n. (pi. -ies)
|
. rank.
the method and practice of teaching, esp. as phrases: without peer unequaled; unri-
an academic subject or theoretical concept. valed: he is a goalkeeper without peer.
derivatives: ped»a«gog«ics ,ped3'gaj- |
derivatives: peer«less adj. (in sense 2).
iks| n. peer*age 'pirij . n. the title and rank of peer
i
|

ped*ant |
'pednt |
• «. a person who is exces- or peeress: he was given a peerage.
sively concerned with minor details and rules (the peerage) peers as a class; those hold-
or with displaying academic learning. ing a hereditary or honorary title: elevated to
derivatives: pe»dan»tic adj. pe»dan»ti« the peerage. a book containing a list of peers
cal'ly adv. ped»ant»ry -tre n. | |
and peeresses, with their genealogy and his-
ped»er»as»ty 'ped3,raeste • n. sexual activ-
| I
tory.
ity involving a man and a boy. peeve pev |
|
. v.[trans.] (usu. be peeved) an-

derivatives: ped»er»ast n. a man who noy; irritate: he was peeved at being left out of
indulges in pederasty. ped»er»as»tic |
,ped9 the cabinet [as adj.] (peeved) a somewhat
\

'raestiki adj. peeved tone. • n. a cause of annoyance: his pet

pe*des*tri*an pa'destrean . n.
|
a person I
peeve is not having answers for questions from
walking along road or in a developed area.
a players.
• adj. lacking inspiration or excitement; dull: peev*ish 'peviSH • adj. |
|
easily irritated, esp.
disenchantment with their pedestrian lives. by unimportant things: all this makes Steve
derivatives: pe«des»tri«an»ly adv. fretful and peevish.
pe»dic»u»lar ps'dikysbri (also pediculous)
i
querulous: a peevish, whining voice.
• adj. of, relating to, or infested with lice. derivatives: peev»ish»ly adv. peevish*
derivatives: pe»dic«u«lo»sis Ipa.dikys ness n.
'los3s| n. peign*oir |,pan'war| »n. a woman's light
ped*l*ment 'pedamsnt • n. the triangular
| I
dressing gown or negligee.
upper part of tlie front of a building in class- pe*jo*ra*tive Ipa'jorativ; 'peja.rativl * adj.
ical style, typically surmounting a portico of expressing contempt or disapproval: "permis-
columns. siveness " is used almost universally as a pejora-
a similar feature surmounting a door, win- tive term. • n. a word expressing contempt or
dow, front, or other part of a building in an- disapproval.
other style. a broad, gently sloping expanse derivatives: pe«jo»ra»tive»ly adv.
of rock debris extending outward from the pe*la*gi*an pa'lajean • adj. inhabiting the |
|

foot of a mountain slope, esp. in a desert. Cf. open sea. • n. an inhabitant of the open sea.
talus. pe*lag*ic pa'laejik • adj. of or relating to the
| I

derivatives: pedn»men»tal |
.peds'men- open sea.
tlI
adj. ped»i*ment»ed adj. (chiefly of fish) inhabiting the upper layers of
pe»dol*0*gy pa'dabje |
the branch of I
. «. the open sea.
science that deals with the formation, nature, pelf pelf • n. money, esp. when gained in a
I I

and classification of soil; soil science. dishonest or dishonorable way.

derivatives: ped»o»logM»cal .pedsiaji- |
pell-mell 'pel 'mel • adv.
|
in a confused, I

kall adj.pe»dol»o»gist |-jist| n. rushed, or disorderly manner: the contents

pe*dom*e«ter Ipa'damipr] ' n. an instru- were thrown pell-mell. • adj. recklessly hasty or
ment for estimating the distance traveled on disorganized; headlong: the pell-mell develop-
foot by recording the number of steps taken. ment of Europe. • n. [in sing.] a state of affairs
pe»do»phlle |
'ped3,fil i
(Brit paedophile) . n. or collection of things characterized by haste
a person, esp. a man, who is sexually attracted or confusion: the pell-mell of ascending gables
to children. and roof tiles.
derivatives: pe«do»philM»a n. pe»do» pel*lu*cid pa'loosid • adj. translucent;
I I

phil*ic adj. clear: mountains reflected in the pellucid waters.

peer • «. 1 a member of the nobility in Britain very lucid in style or meaning; easily under-
or Ireland, comprising the ranks of duke, stood: pellucid prose. (of music or other
marquess, earl, viscount, and baron. sound) clear and pure in tone: a pellucid
singing tone.
In the British peerage, earldoms and bar-
onetcies were the earliest to be conferred;
derivatives: peWu'cid'i'ty n. peWu*
dukes were created from 1337, marquesses cid*ness n. pel«lu»cid»ly adv.
from the end of the 14th century, and vis- pem*mi*can and |
'pemiksn |
. n. dried
counts from 1440. Such peerages are hered- pounded meat mixed with melted and fat

itary, although since 1958 there have also

other ingredients, originally made by North
been nonhereditary life peerages. Peers are American Indians and later adapted by Arc-
tic explorers.
entitled to a seat in the House of Lords and
exemption from jury service; they are de- pe*nal 'penal . adj. of, relating to, or pre-
| I

scribing the punishment of offenders under

barred from election to the House of Com-
;

mons. the legal system:

used or designated as a place of punishment:
penance 319 penultimate
a penal institution. (of an act or offense) pe*nile |
'penal; -nil |
• adj [attrib.] of, relating
punishable by law. to, or affecting the penis.
derivatives: pe»nal»ly adv. pen»i*tent 'penitnt| • adj. feeling or showing
|

pen^ance 'penans • «. 1 voluntary self-

|
|
sorrow and regret for having done wrong; re-
punishment inflicted as an outward expres- pentant: • n. a person who repents his or her
sion of repentance for having done wrong: he sins orwrongdoings and (in the Christian
had done public penance for those hasty Church) seeks forgiveness from God.
words. 2 a Christian sacrament in which a derivatives: penM»tence n. penn»tent»
member of the Church confesses sins to a ly adv.
priest and is given absolution. pen*i*ten*tia«ry |
,pena'tenSHare| . w. (pi.
a religious observance or other duty required -ies) 1 a prison for people convicted of serious
of a person by a priest as part of this sacra- crimes. 2 (in the Roman Catholic Church) a
ment to indicate repentance. • v. [trans.] im- priest charged with certain aspects of the ad-
pose a penance on: a hair shirt to penance him ministration of the sacrament of penance.
for his folly in offending. Cf. penitent an office in the papal court forming a tribu-
pe*na*tes Ipa'natez; -'na-| • plural n. house- nal for deciding on questions relating to pen-
hold gods worshiped in conjunction with ance, dispensations, and absolution.
Vesta and the lares by the ancient Romans. pen*non 'penan • n. a long triangular or
| I

pen*chant |
'penCHsnt |
• n. [usu. in sing.] a swallow-tailed flag, esp. as the military ensign
strong or habitual liking for something or ten- of lancer regiments.
dency to do something: a penchant for derivatives: pen«noned adj.
adopting stray dogs. pe«nol«0*gy Ipe'nalajei . n. the study of the
pend*ant 'pendant • «. 1 a piece of jewelry
| I
punishment of crime and of prison manage-
that hangs from a chain worn around the ment.
neck. derivatives: pe»no»log»i»cal |
.pena'laji-
a necklace with such a piece of jewelry. a kal I
adj. pe«nol»o»gist |
-jist |
n.
light designed to hang from the ceiling. the pen«see ,pan'sa • n. a thought or reflection
|
|

part of a pocket watch by which it is sus- put into literary form; an aphorism.
pended. 2 an artistic, literary, or musical pen*sile 'pen,sil; -sil| 'adj. hanging down;
|

composition intended to match or comple- pendulous: pensile nests.

ment another: the triptych's pendant will oc- pen*slve 'pensiv • adj. engaged in, involv-
| I

cupy the corresponding wall. • adj. hanging ing, or reflecting deep or serious thought: a
downward; pendent: pendant flowers on frail pensive mood.
stems. derivatives: pen«sive»ly adv. pen»sive»
pend^ent 1
'pendant I
• adj. 1 hanging down ness n.
or overhanging: pendent lichens. 2 undecided; pen»ta*Cle |
'pentakall • n. a talisman or mag-
pending: the use ofjurisdiction to decide pendent ical object, typically disk-shaped and
claims. 3 (esp. of a sentence) incomplete; not inscribed with a pentagram or other figure,
having a finite verb. and used as a symbol of the element of earth.
derivatives: pen»den»cy n. pen*ta*gram 'penta.grsem . «. a five- |
|

pend*ing pendiNG • adj. awaiting decision

|
|
pointed star that is formed by drawing a con-
or settlement: nine cases were still pending. tinuous line in five straight segments, often
(of a patent) having provisional status, and used as a mystic and magical symbol.
protected by law for one year, until a full pat- pen*tan*gle 'pen,taeNGgal . n. another | I

ent is obtained. about to happen; immi- term for pentagram.

nent: the pending disaster. • prep, until (some- Pen»ta*teuch 'penta,t(y)ook| the first five |

thing) happens or takes place: they were books of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis, Exo-
released on bail pending an appeal. dus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuterono-
pen*du*l0US i'penjabs; 'pendy9-| 'adj. my). Traditionally ascribed to Moses, it is
hanging down loosely: pendulous branches. now held by scholars to be a compilation
DERI VAT I v E s pen»du»lous»ly adv. : from texts of the 9th to 5th centuries bc. Cf.
pen*du*lum 'penjalam; 'pendya-
|
• n. a \
To RAH.
weight hung firom a fixed point so that it can derivatives: Pen»ta»teuch«al |-,t(y)ookh
swing freely backward and forward, esp. a rod kal| adj.
with a weight at the end that regulates the Pen»te*COS*tal ,penta'k6stl; -'kastll » adf |

mechanism of a clock. 1 of or relating to the Christian festival com-

used to refer to the tendency of a situation memorating the descent of the Holy Spirit on
or state of affairs to oscillate regularly be- the disciples (the Pentecost). 2 of, relating to,
tween one extreme and another: the pendulum or denoting any of a number of Christian
offashion. sects and individuals emphasizing baptism in
derivatives: pen»du*lar |-lar| adj. . the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in
pe*ne*plain rpena,plan| (also peneplane) tongues, prophecy, healing, and exorcism.
• n. a more or less level land surface produced . n. a member of a Pentecostal sect.

by erosion over a long period, undisturbed by derivatives: Pen»te«cos»talMsm |-,iz-

crustal movement. am I
n. Pen»te»cos»tal»ist |
-ist |
adf & n.

pen«e»tra*li*a ,peni'tralea| ' plural n. the in-

|
pe*nul*ti»mate |pe'naltamit| *adj. [attrib.]
nermost parts of a building; a secret or hid- second to last in a series of things: the penul-
den place. timate chapter of the book.
 1 |

penumbra 320 perfectionism

pe*num*bra Ipe'nsmbrsI • n. (pi. penum- per*di*tlon Ipsr'diSHanI • «. (in Christian
brae -,bre; -,bri or penumbras) the par-
|
|
theology) a state of eternal punishment and
tially shaded outer region of the shadow cast damnation into which a sinful and unpeni-
by an opaque object. tent person passes after death.
the shadow cast by the earth or moon over utter ruin or destruction.
an area experiencing a partial eclipse. the per*dur*a*ble |p3r'd(y)(5t)r3b3l| 'adj. en-
less dark outer part of a sunspot, surround- during continuously; imperishable.
ing the dark core. any area of partial shade. derivatives: per»dur»a«bil»i»ty - d (y) 00- | ,

derivatives: pe»num«bral | -brail adj. ra'bilitel n. per»dur«a»bly |-ble| adv.

pen*U*ry |
'penyare |
• n. extreme poverty; per*dure |p3r'd(y)(50r| »v. [intrans.] remain in
destitution. existence throughout a substantial period of
DERI VAT V E s pe»nu»ri»ous adj.
I : time; endure: bell music has perdured in Venice
pe«on 'pe,an; 'pean • «. 1 a Latin- American
I
|
throughout five centuries.
-
day laborer or unskilled farm worker. derivatives: per«dur»aiice | '
d (y) (SOrans
a debtor held in servitude by a creditor, esp. n.
formerly in the southern US and Mexico. a pere per |
|
• n. used after a surname to distin-
person who does menial work; a drudge: 2 (in guish a father from a son of the same name:
the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia) Alexandre Dumas pere. Cf. fils.
someone of low rank. per*e*gri*nate 'perigra.nat
|
*v. [no obj., |

derivatives: pe«on»age I'peanijI n. with adverbial] travel or wander around from

pep*tic 'peptik . adj. of or relating to diges-
I i
place to place.
tion, esp. that which takes place in the stom- D E R I VAT I V E s per«e»gri»na»tion .perigra
:
|

ach. 'naSH3n| n. per»e»gri»na«tor |-,nat3r| n.

per»ad*ven*ture |
.psrsd'vencHsr; ,per- per*emp*tO*ry Ipa'remptarel » adj. (esp. of a
• adv. perhaps: peradventure I'm not as wealthy person's manner or actions) insisting on im-
as he is. • n. uncertainty or doubt as to mediate attention or obedience, esp. in a
whether something is the case: that shows be- brusquely imperious way: "Just do it!" came
yond peradventure the strength of the econ- the peremptory reply.
omy. not open to legal appeal or challenge; final.
per*am*bu*late ps'rsembya.lat -v. [trans.] |
| derivatives: per»emp»to»ri»ly |-t3r9le|
walk or travel through or around (a place or adv. per«emp«to»ri«ness |-renis| n.
area), esp. for pleasure and in a leisurely way:
usage: Peremptory and preemptive
she perambulated the square.
can be confijsed, as both involve stopping
walk from place to place; walk about:
[intrans.]
something, A peremptory act or statement
he grew weary of perambulating over rough is absolute; it cannot be denied: He issued a
countryside.
peremptory order. A preemptive action is
derivatives: per«am»bu»la«tion |p3 one taken before an adversary can act: Pre-
,ra£mby3'lasH3n I
n. per«am»bu»la»to»ry emptive air strikes stopped the enemy from
I
-b, tore I
adj.
launching the new warship.
per«cen*tile Ipar'sen.till each of the 100
equal groups into which a population can be per»en*ni»al Ipa'renesll 'adj. lasting or
divided according to the distribution of val- existing for a long or apparently infinite
ues of a statistical variable. time; enduring: his perennial distrust of the
per»cept 'psrsept • w. an object of percep-
| i
media.
tion; somediing that is perceived. (of a plant) living for several years: cow pars-
a mental concept that is developed as a con- ley is perennial. Cf ANNUAL, biennial.
. (esp.
sequence of the process of perception. of a problem or difficult situation) continu-
per*chance par'cnaens • adv. by some |
|
ally occurring: perennial manifestations of ur-
chance; perhaps. ban crisis. [attrib.] (of a person) apparently

per*cip*i*ent Ipsr'sipesntI »adj. (of a per- permanently engaged in a specified role or

son) having a good understanding; percep- way of life: he's a perennial student. (of a
tive. • n. (esp. in philosophy or with reference stream or spring) flowing throughout the
to psychic phenomena) a person who is able year. • n. a perennial plant.
to perceive things. derivatives: per»en»ni»al»ly adv.
derivatives: per»cip«i»ence n. per«cipM» pe*re*Stroi*ka .pers'stroiksi
|
(in the for-
ent'ly adv. mer Soviet Union) the policy or practice of
per*CO*late i
'parks, lat| »v. (of a liquid or restructuring or reforming the economic and
gas) filter gradually through a porous surface political system. First proposed by Leonid
or substance: the water percolating through the Brezhnev in 1979 and actively promoted by
soil may leach out minerals. Mildiail Gorbachev, perestroika originally re-
(of information or an idea or feeling) spread ferred to increased automation and labor ef-
gradually through an area or group of people: ficiency,but came to entail greater awareness
this idea soon percolated into the Christian of economic markets and the ending of cen-
Church. be or become full of lively activity tral planning.
or excitement: the night was percolating with an per»fec*tion»ism par'fekSHs.nizsm . n. re-
| I

expectant energy. fusal to accept any standard short of perfec-

derivatives: per»co«la»tion |
.parks'la- tion.
SH3n| n. a philosophical doctrine holding that reli-
perfervid 321 peristalsis
gious, moral, social, or political perfection is a rhetorical period. 4 denoting a sentence
attainable, esp. the theory that human moral that creates anticipation or suspense by end-
or spiritual perfection should be or has been ing with its main clause, esp. one containing
attained. several clauses.
derivatives: per«fec»tionMst n. & adj. pe»ri»od*l»cal ,pire'adik3l • w. a magazine
|
|

per»fec»tionMS»tic -,feksH3n'istik| adj. | or newspaper pubhshed at regular intervals.

per*fer*vid par'fsrvid • adj. intense and im-
| I
• adj. [attrib.] occurring or appearing at inter-

passioned. vals; occasional: she took periodical gulps of her

derivatives: per»fer»vid«ly adv. tea.
per*fid*i*OUS par'fideas . adj. deceitful and
|
|
(of a magazine or newspaper) published at
untrustworthy; capable of treachery: a perfid- regular intervals: a periodical newsletter.
ious lover. derivatives: pe»ri«od»i»caWy adv.
derivatives: per»fid»i»ous»ly adv. per«fi» per«i*pa*tet*ic .perips'tetiki »adj. 1 travel-
|

dy n. ing from place to place, esp. working or based

per»fo*rate • v. 'parfa.rat [trans.] pierce and
\ I
in various places for relatively short periods:
make a hole or holes in: worms had perforated the peripatetic nature of military life. 2 (Peripa-
the pages [as adj.] (perforated) a perforated
\
tetic) of or belonging to the philosophical
appendix. school or Aristotle (384-322 bc); Aris-
make a row of small holes
in (paper) so that totelian. • n. 1 a person who travels from
a part may be
torn off easily. • adj. 'psrfsrit; \
place to place. 2 (Peripatetic) an Aristotehan
-,rat| perforated: a perforate shell. philosopher.
derivatives: per»fo»ra»tion n. per»fo» derivatives: per»i»pa»tet»i»cal*ly |-ik-
ra'tor |-,rapr| n. (3)le adv. per»i»pa»tetM»cism |-'teti,si-
I

per»force par'fors • adv. used to express

|
|
Z3m| n.
necessity or inevitability: amateurs, perforce, pe*riph*er*al Ipa'rifarall . a^'. of, relating to,
have to settle for less. or situated on die edge or periphery of some-
per»for»ma«tive psr'formativ . adj. relating |
|
thing: the peripheral areas of Europe.
to or denoting an utterance by means of of secondary or minor importance; mar-
which the speaker performs a particular act ginal: she will see their problems as peripheral
(e.g., / bet, I apologize). • n. a performative to her own. (of a device) able to be
[attrib.]

verb, sentence, or utterance. attached to and used with a computer, al-

per»f unc*tO«ry psr'faNGktsre . adj. (of an | I
though not an integral part of it. near the
action or gesture) carried out with a mini- surface of the body, with special reference to
mum of effort or reflection: the investigation the circulation and nervous system: lympho-
was merely perfunctory. cytes from peripheral blood. * n. a device con-
derivatives: per«>func»to»ri»ly |-'f3NGk- nected or connectable to a computer.
tsrale 1
adv. per»func»to»ri«ness |
-renis |
n. derivatives: pe»riph»er»aW»ty |-'r£el-
per*fuse Ipsr'fyoozl 'V. [trans.] permeate or ite| pe»riph»er»aW»za«tion Ipa.rifarali
n.
suffuse (something) with a liquid, color, 'zaSHsnl n. pe»riph»er»alMze |-,iz| v. pe»
quality, etc.: Glaser perfused the yellow light riph»er»al»ly adv.
with white \
such expression is perfused by rhet- peniph*er»y Ips'rifsrel • n. (pi. -ies) the
oric. outer limits or edge of an area or object: new
supply (an organ, tissue, or body) with a buildings on the periphery of the hospital
fluid, typicallyblood or a blood substitute, by site.

circulating it through blood vessels or other a marginal or secondary position in, or part
natural channels. or aspect of, a group, subject, or sphere of ac-
derivatives: per»fu«sion |-ZH9n| n. per* tivity: a shift in power from the center to the pe-
fu'sionMst |-ZH3nist| n. riphery. Cf. perimeter
per»i*gee 'persje • w. the point in the orbit
|
|
pe»riph*ra*sis Ipa'rifrasisl . w. (pi. periph-
of the moon
or a satellite at which it is near- rases - ,sez ) the use of indirect and circum-
I i

est to the earth. The opposite of apogee. locutory speech or writing.

pe*rim*e*ter |ps'rimit3r| • «. the continuous an indirect and circumlocutory phrase. the
line forming the boundary of a closed geo- use of separate words to express a grammat-
metric figure. ical relationship that is otherwise expressed
the length of such a line: the rectangle has a by inflection, e.g., did go as opposed to went
perimeter of 30 cm. the outermost parts or and more intelligent as opposed to smarter. Cf.
boundary of an area, concept, or object: the paraphrase
perimeter of the garden my presence on the pe- \
per«i*phras»tic ,per3'frastik| 'adj.
|
(of
rimeter of his life. a defended boundary of a speech or writing) indirect and circumlocu-
military position or base. Cf. periphery. See tory: the periphrastic nature of legal syntax.
usage at parameter. (of a case or tense) formed by a combination
derivatives: pern»met»ric |
jpera'met- of words rather than by inflection (such as did
rikj adj. go and of the people rather than went and the
pe*ri*od*ic |,pire'adik| 'adj. 1 appearing or people's).
occurring at intervals: the periodic visits she derivatives: per»i»phras»ti»cal»ly | -(a)-
made to herfather. 2 relating to the periodic ta- le I
adv.
ble of elements or the pattern of chemical per»i*Stal*siS .pera'stolsis . w.
|
the invol- I

properties that underlies it. 3 of or relating to untary constriction and relaxation of the
 |

peristyle 322 perquisite

muscles of the intestine or another canal, cre- cluding part of a speech, typically intended to
ating wavelike movements that push the con- inspire enthusiasm in the audience.
tents of the canal along. per*pe*trate 'parpa,trat| »v. [trans.] carry
|

DERI VAT V E s I : per«i«stal»tic |

-'stoltik |
adj. out or commit (a harmful, illegal, or immoral
per«i«stal»ti»caWy -'st61tik(3)le adv. |
|
action) : a crime has been perpetrated against a
per»l*Style 'peri, still • «. a row of columns
j
sovereign state.
surrounding a space within a building such as derivatives: per»pe»tra»tion ,parpa I

a courtyard or internal garden or edging a ve- 'traSHanj n. per»pe»tra»tor |-,tratar| n.

randa or porch. usage: To perpetrate something is to
an architectural space such as a courtyard or commit it: The gang perpetrated outrages
porch that is surrounded or edged by such against several citizens. To perpetuate some-
columns. thing is to cause it to continue or to keep
per*jure parjar|
|
• V. (perjure oneself) will-
happening: The stories only serve to perpetuate
fully tell a lie when giving evidence to a court;
the legend that the house is haunted.
commit perjury.
derivatives: per»jur»er n. per«pet*U«al par'pecnawal . adj. 1 never
j
|

per»ju»ry 'parjare • n. (pi. -ies) (in law) the

|
|
ending or changing: deep caves in perpetual
offense of willfully telling an untruth after darkness.
having taken an oath or affirmation, in court [attrib.] denoting a position, job, or trophy
or in a formal hering, etc. held for life rather than a limited period, or
the action or an act of taking a vow one does the person holding it: perpetual secretary of the
not intend to keep. society. (of an investment) having no fixed
derivatives: per«ju«ri«ous par'jOOreas |
maturity date; irredeemable: a perpetual bond.
adj. perjuriously adv. 2 occurring repeatedly; so frequent as to
peHo«CU*tion ,parb'kyooSHan| » n. an act
|
seem endless and uninterrupted: their perpet-
of speaking or writing that has an action as its ual money worries.
aim but that in itself does not effect or con- (of a plant) blooming or fruiting several
stitute the action, for example persuading or times in one season: he grows perpetual carna-
convincing. Cf. illocution. tions. • n. a perpetual plant, esp. a hybrid
derivatives: per«lo»cu*tion«ar»y -,nere | |
rose.
adj. derivatives: per«pefu»al«ly adv.
per»ma«frost 'parma, frost; -,frast
|
. n. a |
per»pet«u»ate parpecHa,wat • v.
|
[trans.] |

thick subsurface layer of soil that remains fro- make (something, typically an undesirable
zen throughout the year, occurring chiefly in situation or an unfounded belief) continue
polar regions. indefinitely: the law perpetuated the interests of
per*me»a*ble 'parmeabal • adj. (of a mate-
|
|
the ruling class.
rial or membrane) allowing liquids or gases preserve (something valued) from oblivion
to pass through it: a frog's skin is permeable or extinction: how did these first humans sur-
to water. vive to perpetuate the species?
per*me*ate |'parme,at| »v. [trans.] spread derivatives: per»pet»u»ance |-wans| n.
throughout (something); pervade: the aroma per»pet«u»a»tion patipeCHa'waSHan !
|
n.

of soup permeated the air [intrans.] his personal- \

per«pet«u»a«tor !-,watari n.
ity has begun to permeate through the whole
usage: See usage at perpetrate.
organization.
derivatives: per»me»a«tion |
.parme'a- per*pe«tu*i*ty ,parpi't(y)ooite . n. (pi. -ies)
|
I

SHan| n. 1 a thing that lasts forever or for an indefinite

per»mu»ta»tion ,parmy(50'taSHan| . n. a !
period, in particular:
way, esp. one of several possible variations, a bond or other security with no fixed matu-
in which a set or number of things can be rity date. (in law) a restriction making an
ordered or arranged: ahead
his thoughts raced estate inahenable perpetually or for a period
to fifty different permutations of what he must beyond certain limits fixed by law. an estate
do. so restricted. 2 the state or quality of lasting
the action of changing the arrangement, esp. forever: he did not believe in the perpetuity of
the linear order, of a set of numbers or other military rule.
items. PHRASEs:in(or for) perpetuity forever: the
derivatives: per»mu»ta»tion»al |-'ta- Bonapartes were banished from France in perpe-
SHanall adj. tuity.
per*ni*cious having a
|par'niSHas| 'adj. per«plex«i«ty |
par'pleksite |
. n. (pi. -ies)
harmfial effect, esp. in a gradual or subtle way: inability to deal with or understand some-
the pernicious influences of the mass media. thing complicated or unaccountable: she
derivatives: per«ni»cious«ly adv. per* paused in perplexity.
ni»cious»ness n. (usu. perplexities) a complicated or baf-
per«o*rate I'pera.ratl »v. [intrans.] speak at fling situation, aspect, or thing: the perplexities
length: in private he would perorate against his of international relations.
colleague. per*qui*site I'parkwazit] . n. (also, infor-
sum up and conclude a speech: the recapitu- mally perk) a benefit incidental to a particu-
which she perorates.
lation with or position.
lar job
per«0»ra»tion ,pera'raSHan| . n. the con-
I a thing regarded as a special right or privi-
 .

persecute 323 pervasive

lege enjoyed as a result of one's position: the thing nonhuman) : in the poem, the oak trees are
wife of a president has all the perquisites of star- personified. represent or embody (a quality,
dom. a thing that has served its primary use concept, or thing) in a physical form: he fairly
and then given to a subordinate or em-
is personifies trustworthiness.
ployee as a custom.ary right. DERI VAT V E s per»son«i»fi»ca»tion n. per*
I :

son«i«fi«er |-,fi(3)rl n.
usage: Perquisite and prerequisite are
sometimes confused. Perquisite usually per*spi*ca*cious ,p9rspi'kasH3s| . adj. hav- |

means 'an extra allowance or privilege' {he ing a ready insight into and understanding of
things: it offers quite a few facts to the perspica-
had all the perquisites of a movie star). Prereq-
cious reporter.
uisite means 'something required as a con-
dition' (passing the examination was one of the DERI VAT I V E s per»spi»ca»cious»ly adv.
:

prerequisites for a teaching position) per»spi»cac»i*ty |-'kaesite| n.

per*spic*U«OUS Ipar'spikyoowasI » adj. (of
per»se»CUte 'p3rs3,kyoot| »v. [trans.] (often
|
an account or representation) clearly
be persecuted) subject (someone) to hostil- expressed and easily understood; lucid: it pro-
ity and ill-treatment, esp. because of their vides simpler and more perspicuous explanations
race or political or religious beliefs: Jews who than its rivals.
had been persecuted by the regime. (of a person) able to give an account or
harass or annoy (someone) persistently: express an idea clearly.
Hilda was persecuted by some of the other girls. derivatives: per«spi»cun»ty |
.parspi
derivatives: per»se»cu»tion .parss'kyoo- |
'kyooite |
n. per»spic»u«ous»ly adv.
SH3n| n. per»se»cu»tor |-,kyoopr| n. per* pert part • adj. (of a girl or young woman)
I I

se»cu»to»ry | -ky(30,t6re |
adj. sexually attractive because lively or saucy: a
pert Belgian actress.
usage: Prosecute means 'to take legal ac-
tion against': they prosecuted him for trespass- (of a bodily feature or garment) attractive
ing. Persecute means 'to take hostile, gen-
because neat and jaunty: she had a pert nose
erally nonlegal or illegal, action against': they
and deep blue eyes. (of a young person or his
persecuted him for his religious views. or her speech or behavior) impudent: no need
to be pert, miss. another term for peart 'lively,
pensev*er»ate |
psr'sevs.rat |
• v. [intrans.] re- cheerful.'
peat or prolong an action, thought, or utter- derivatives: pert»ly adv. pert»ness n.
ance after the stimulus that prompted it has per*ti*na*ci0US .psrm'aSHas . adj. holding |
|

ceased. firmly to an opinion or a course of action: he

derivatives: per»sev«er»a»tion |p3r,sev3 worked with a pertinacious resistance to inter-
'raSH9n| n. ruptions.
per«si*flage 'parsa.flazH . n. light mockery
|
|
derivatives: per»ti»na»cious»ly adv.
or banter. per»ti»na»cious*ness n. per»ti«nac»i»ty
per*snlck»et«y ipsr'snikatel • adj. placing I
-'sesite |
n.
too much emphasis on trivial or minor per»ti*nent 'psrtn-snt . adj. relevant or ap-
|
|

details; fussy: persnickety gardeners \

she's per- plicable to a particular matter; apposite: very
snickety about her food. pertinent questions not pertinent to the inves-
\

requiring a particularly precise or careful ap- tigation.

proach: the film is persnickety and difficult to derivatives: per»ti«nence n. per«ti»nen»
use. cy n. per»ti»nent»ly adv.
per*SO*na Ipar'sonsI »n. (pi. personas or per*turb |
par'tsrb |
• v. [trans.] 1 (often be
personae -'sone ) the aspect of someone's
i |
perturbed) make (someone) anxious or un-
character that is presented to or perceived by settled: they were perturbed by her capricious be-
others: her public persona. havior. 2 subject (a system, moving object, or
a role or character adopted by an author or process) to an influence tending to alter its
an actor. normal or regular state or path: nudear
per*SOn«age 'psrsanij » n. a person (often
|
\
weapons used to perturb the orbit of asteroids.
used to express his or her significance, impor- derivatives: per»turb»a»ble adj. per*
tance, or elevated status): it was no less a per- tur»ba»tion n. per«tur»ba«tive 'partar.ba- |

sonage than the bishop. tiv;p3r't3rb3tiv| adj. (sense 2) per«turb«ing»

a character in a play or other work. ly adv.
per*son»al*ty |
'psrssnalte |
. n. personal pe«ruse Ips'roozl »v. [trans.] read thoroughly
property. The opposite of realty. or carefully.
per*SO*na non gra«ta Ipar'sona nan 'grap| examine carefully or at length.
•n. (pi. personae non gratae psr'sone nan |
derivatives: pe»rus»er n. pe»rus»al n.
'grate an unacceptable or unwelcome per-
|
)
usage: The verb peruse means 'read thor-
son: from now on, these scandal-seeking journal-
oughly and carefully.' It is sometimes mis-
ists can consider themselves personae non gratae.
takenly taken to mean 'read through quickly;
per*son»i»fy |p9r'san3,fi| ^v. (-ies, -ied)
glance over,' as in later documents will be
[trans.]represent (a quality or concept) by a perused rather than analyzed thoroughly.
figure in human form: public pageants and dra-
mas in which virtues and vices were personified. per*va»slve |
par'vasiv I
. adj. (esp. of an
(usu. be personified) attribute a personal unwelcome influence or physical effect)
nature or human characteristics to (some- spreading widely throughout an area or a
perverse 324 phallic
group of people: ageism is pervasive and sciousness without loss of posture. Cf. grand
entrenched in our society. MAL.
derivatives: per»va»sive»ly adv. per«va» an epileptic seizure of this kind.
sive»ness n. pet«ri*fy |
'petra.fi |
. v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.]

per*verse par'vars • adj.

i
(of a person or |
1 make (someone) so frightened as to be
personal actions) showing a deliberate and unable to move or think: his icy quietness pet-
obstinate desire to behave in a way that is un- rified her\ (petrified) the petrified
[as adj.]

reasonable or unacceptable, often in spite of child clung to her mother. 2 change (organic
the consequences: Kate's perverse decision not matter) into stony material by encrusting or
to cooperate. replacing its original substance with a cal-
contrary to the accepted or expected stan- careous or other mineral deposit.
dard or practice: in two general elections the out- [intrans.] (of organic matter) become con-
come was quite perverse. (of a verdict) against verted into stony material in such a way.
the weight of evidence or the direction of the deprive or become deprived of vitality or
judge on a point of law. sexually perverted. the capacity for change: [trans.] death merely
derivatives: per»verse»ly adv. per* petrifies things for those who go on living [in- |

verse»ness n. per»ver»si»ty -'varsite n. (pi. | |

trans.] the inner life of the communist parties pet-

-ies) . rified.
per»ver»sion parVsrZHan . M. the altera- | I
derivatives: pet»ri«fac*tion n. pet»ri»fi«
tion of something from its original course, caption n.
meaning, or state to a distortion or corrup- pet»ro»glyph 'petra.glif • n. a rock carving
|
|

tion of what was first intended: perversion of or drawing, esp. a prehistoric one.
the law. pet*ti*fog 'pete, fog; 'pete, fag
I
» v. (petti- |

sexual behavior or desire that is considered fogged, pettifogging) [intrans.] quibble about
abnormal or unacceptable. petty points.
per*vert . v.
\
(some-
par'vsrt I
[trans.] alter practice legal deception or trickery.
thing) from its meaning, or original course, derivatives: pet»ti»fog*ger»y ,pete'f6- |

state to a distortion or corruption of what was gare; ,pete'fagare |

n.
first intended: charged with conspiring to per- pet*ty I
'peteadf (pettier, pettiest) 1 of
I
•

vert the course ofjustice.
s lead (someone) away from what consid-
ered right, natural, or acceptable. • n.
I
'parvsrt a person whose sexual behavior is
|
regarded as abnormal and unacceptable.
derivatives: per»vert»er
per»vi*OUS 'parveas • adj. (of a substance)
|
allowing water to pass through; permeable:
pervious rocks.
derivatives: per»vi»ous»ness
pes*si*mism 'pes3,miz3m . n.
to see the worst aspect of things or believe
little importance; trivial: the petty divisions of
is party politics.
(of behavior) characterized by an undue
concern for trivial matters, esp. in a small-
minded or spiteful way: he was prone to petty
n. revenge on friends and family. 2 [attrib.] of sec-
|
ondary or lesser importance, rank, or scale;
minor: a petty official.
(of a crime) of lesser importance (usu. in
n. terms of money involved, as defmed by stat-
| I
a tendency ute): petty larceny.
derivatives pet»ti»ly |'petale| adv. pet*
:

that the worst will happen; a lack of hope or ti'ness 'petenas n.

|
|

confidence in the future. pet*U*iant |'pecHalant| » adj. (of a person or

(in philosophy) a belief that evil will ulti- personal manner) childishly sulky or bad-
mately prevail over good. tempered: he was moody and petulant a pet- |

derivatives: pes»si»mist n. ulant shake of the head.

pe*tard pi'tard • n. a small bomb made of a
| I
derivatives: pet»u»lance n. pet»u»lant«
metal or wooden box filled with powder, used ly adv.
to blast down a door or to make a hole in a pe*yo*te pa'yote • «.
|
a small, soft, blue- |

wall. green, spineless cactus {Lophophora william-

a kind of firework that explodes with a sharp sit), native to Mexico and the southern US.

report. Also called mescal.

phrases: hoist with (or by) one's own pe- a hallucinogenic drug prepared from this
tard have one's plans to cause trouble for cactus, containing mescaline.
others backfire on one. pha*lanx |
'falaeNcks; 'fael- 1
. «. 1 (pi. pha-
pet*lt I
'pete I
• adj. (of a crime) petty; of les- lanxes) a group of people or things of a sim-
ser importance: petit larceny. ilar type forming a compact body or brought
peHt bour*geois |
'pete boOr'zHwa; pa'te |
together for a common purpose: headed past
• of or characteristic of the lower middle
adj. the phalanx of waiting reporters.
class (the petit bourgeoisie), esp. with ref- a body of troops or police officers, standing
erence to a perceived conventionalism and or moving in close formation: six hundred
conservatism: the frail facade of petit bourgeois marchers set off, led by a phalanx of police. (in
respectability. • n. (pi. petits bourgeois pro- ancient Greece) a body of Macedonian infan-
nunc. same) a member of the lower middle try drawn up in close order with shields
class, esp. when perceived as conventional touching and long spears overlapping. 2 (pi.
and conservative. phalanges |fa'laenjez; fa'laenjez|) a bone of
pe*tlt mal 'pete 'mal • n. a mild form of ep-
|
|
the finger or toe.
ilepsy characterized by brief spells of uncon- phaHic I'faelikj -adf of, relating to, or
phallus 325 phloem
resembling a phallus or erect penis: a phallic derivatives: phe«no«typMC |
,fen3'tipik|
symbol. adj. phe»no«typM«cal |
.fena'tipikal |
adj.
of or denoting the genital phase in the phe«no»typ«i»cal«ly |
,fen3'tipik(9)le |
adv.
Freudian view of psychosexual development, phHan*der Ifa'laendsr] • v. [intrans.] (of a
esp. in males. man) readily or frequently enter into casual
DERI VAT V E s phal'li'caMy adv.
I : sexual relationships with women.
phalHus faebs I
• n. (pi. phalli | |
faeli |
or derivatives: phi»lan»der»er n.
phalluses) a penis, esp. when erect (typically phi*lan*thro*pist fa leeniHrapist . n. a per- | |

used with reference to male potency or dom- son who seeks to promote the welfare of oth-
inance). ers, esp. by the generous donation of money
an image or representation of an erect penis, to good causes.
typically symbolizing fertility or potency. phHan*thro*py Ifa'laeriTHrapel » n. the de-
derivatives: phal»li»cism |-,siz3m| n. sire promote the welfare of others,
to
phal«lism |
'faelizam |
n. expressed esp. by the generous donation of
phan*tasm • n. a figment of the
|
'fsentaszsm |
money to good causes.
imagination; an illusion or apparition. a charity.
an illusory likeness of something: every phan- derivatives: phil»an«throp»ic adj. phi*
tasm of a hope was quickly nullified. lan»thro»pism |-piz3m| n. phi»lan»thro»
derivatives: phan«tas«mal |fsen'taez- pize -piz V. I I

mall adj. phan»tas»mic faen't£ezmik| adj. |

phi«lat»e*ly |
fa'lsetl-e |
. w. the collection and
phan«tas»ma*go»rl»a fsen.taezms'gorea . n. | I
study of postage stamps.
a sequence of real or imaginary images like DERI VAT V E s phil'a'teWc I :
|
.fib'telik |
adj.
that seen in a dream: a phantasmagoria of hor- phil«a»teM»caWy |
,fib'telik(3)le |
adv. phi*
ror and mystery. lat»e»list I
fs'laetl-ist I
n.
derivatives: phan»tas»ma»gor»ic |-g6r- phHip*pic n. a bitter attack or de-
Ifa'lipikI »

ik adj. phan»tas»ma»gor»i»cal goriksl adj.

I | |
nunciation, esp. a verbal one.
Phar*i*see 'fser3,se » n. a member of an an-
|
\
Phil*is«tine |'fib,sten; 'fib,stin| • n. 1 a
cient Jewish sect, distinguished by strict ob- member of a non-Semitic people of south-
servance of the traditional and written law, ern Palestine in ancient times, who came
and commonly held to have pretensions to into conflict with the Israelites during the
superior sanctity. 12th and 11th centuries bc. 2 (usu. Philis-
a self-righteous person; a hypocrite. tine) a person who is hostile or indifferent to
derivatives: Pharn^sanc |
.fsers'saikl culture and the arts, or who has no under-
adj. Phar»i»saM*cal |
ifaers'saikal |
adj. standing of them: [as adj.] a philistine govern-
Pharn»sa»ism |-sa,iz3m| n. ment.
phar»ma*CO*poe»ia .farmska'pes | |
(also derivatives: phiWs»tin»ish adj. phil»is»
pharmacopeia) • n. a book, esp. an official tinnsm 'fibste,niz3m; fa'lista-
|
1 n.
pubHcation, containing a list of medicinal phi*log*y*nist fs'lajsnist • n. a person who |
\

drugs with their effects and directions for likes or admires women.
their use. derivatives: phi»log»y«ny |-'laj3ne| n.
a stock of medicinal drugs. phi«lol»0»gy ifs'labjel »n. the branch of
Pha*ros 'feros
|
a lighthouse, often consid- |
knowledge that deals with the structure, his-
ered one of the Seven Wonders of the World, torical development, and relationships of a
erected by Ptolemy II (308-246 bc) in c.280 language or languages.
BC on the island of Pharos, off the coast of literary or classical scholarship.
Alexandria, Egypt. derivatives: phil»o»lo»gi»an |
|fib'lo-
[as n.] (pharos) a lighthouse or a beacon to jean n. phil«o«log»i«cal
|
.fib'lajikal adj. | |

guide sailors. phil»o«log»i«cal»ly ,fib'lajik(3)le adv. phi* |

|

phe*nom*e»non f3'nam3,nan; -nan |

|
• n. (pi. lol'O'gist n.
phenomena fs'namans ) 1 a fact or situa-
|
|
phihter 'filtar (Brit, philtre) . n. a drink sup-
|
|

tion that observed to exist or happen, esp.

is posed to excite sexual love in the drinker.
one whose cause or explanation is in ques- phlegm flem . n. the thick substance
| |

tion: glaciers are unique and interesting natural secreted by the mucous membranes of the
phenomena. respiratory passages, esp. when produced in
a remarkable person, thing, or event. 2 (in excessive or abnormal quantities, e.g., when
philosophy) the object of a person's percep- someone is suffering from a cold.
what the senses or the mind notice.
tion; (in medieval science and medicine) one of

usage: The word phenomenon comes the four bodily humors, believed to be asso-
from Greek, and its plural form is phenom- ciated with a calm, stolid, or apathetic tem-
ena, as in these phenomena are not fully un- perament. calmness of temperament.
derstood. It is a mistake to treat phenomena DERI VAT V E s phlegm'y I : adj.

as if it were a singular form, as in this is a phleg«mat«ic |fleg'm£etik| ^adf (of a per-

strange phenomena. son) having an unemotional and stolidly calm
disposition.
phe*no*type |
'fens, tip |
• n. (in biology) the derivatives: phleg»matn»cal»ly |-3k(3)-
set of observable characteristicsof an individ- le I
adv.
ual resulting from the interaction of its geno- phlo*em 'flo,em| • n. the vascular tissue in
I

type with the environment. plants that conducts sugars and other meta-
 .

phlogiston 326 pianissimo

bolic products downward from the leaves. Cf other organisms use sunlight to synthesize
XYLEM. foods from carbon dioxide and water. Photo-
phlO*gis*ton |flo'jistan; -tan » n. a sub- I
synthesis in plants generally involves the
stance supposed by 1 8th-century chemists to green pigment chlorophyll and generates ox-
exist in all combustible bodies, and to be ygen as a byproduct.
released in combustion. derivatives: pho«to«syn«thet»ic |-,sin
pho*bi*a 'fobes » n. an extreme or irra-
I I
'THetikI adj. pho»to»syn»thetM«cal»ly |-,sin
tional fear of or aversion to something: he had 'THetik(3)le i
adv.
a phobia about being under water \
a snake phre»nol*0*gy |
fre'nabje I
. n. the detailed
phobia. study of the shape and size of the cranium as
derivatives: pho»bic |'fobik| adj. & n. a supposed indication of character and men-
pho*neme |'fonem| • n. any of the perceptu- tal abilities, popular in the 19th but largely
ally distinct units of sound in a specified lan- discredited by the early 20th cent..
guage that distinguish one word from an- derivatives: phre«no»log«i»cal .frens |

other, for example p, b, d, and t in the English 'lajikall adj. phre»nol»o»gist |-jist| n.
words pad, pat, bad, and bat. phy«lac*ter»y Ifi'lsektsrel • w. (pi. -ies) a
derivatives: pho»ne»mic Ifs'nemik; fo-i small leather box containing Hebrew texts,
adj. pho»ne«mics Ifa'nemiks; fo-| n. the worn by Jewish men at morning prayer as a
branch of linguistics that deals with reminder to keep the law.
phonemes. phy»log»e»ny .fi'lajsne . n. the branch of
|
|

phon*ics 'faniks • plural n. [treated as sing.]

I
|
biology that deals with phylogenesis (the ev-
a method of teaching people to read by cor- olutionary development and diversification
sounds with letters or groups of let-
relating of a species or group of organisms, or of a par-
an alphabetic writing system.
ters in ticular feature of an organism).
pho*noho*gy fs'nabje; fo- • n. the branch
|
1 derivatives: phy«lo«ge»net»ic adj. phy*
of linguistics that deals with systems of lo'genMc ,fiib'jenik| aci;. phy»lo*gen»i«cal«
I

sounds, esp. in a particular language. ly I

ifib'jenikle |
adv.
the system of relationships among the phy*lum 'fibm I
. n. (pi. phyla 'fib ) (in zo-
I
|
|

speech sounds that constitute the fundamen-
tal components of a language.
derivatives: pho«no«logn»cal
ikal I
pho»no«logM«cal»ly
adj. .fona'laji-
k(9)le| adv. pho«nol»o«gist |-3jist| n.
phos*phones»cence
lightemitted by a substance without combus-
tion or perceptible heat: the stones overhead
gleamed with phosphorescence.
(in physics) the emission of radiation in a
similar manner to fluorescence but on a
longer timescale, so that emission continues
after excitation ceases.
derivatives: phos«pho»res»cent
pho»tO«gen*ic |
of a
',fot3'jenik| 'adj. 1 (esp.
person) looking attractive in photographs or
on film. 2 (of an organism or tissue) produc-
ing or emitting light.
ology) a principal taxonomic category that
ranks above class and below kingdom.
|
ifons'laj- (in linguistics) a group of languages related
|
to each other less closely than those forming
a family, esp. one in which the relationships
|
,fasf3'res3ns! . w. are disputed or unclear.
phys*ics i'fiziksl * plural n. [treated as sing.]
the branch of science concerned with the na-
ture and properties of matter and energy. The
subject matter of physics, distinguished fi-om
that of chemistry and biology, includes me-
chanics, heat, light and other radiation,
sound, electricity, magnetism, and the struc-
adj. ture of atoms.
the physical properties and phenomena of
something: the physics of plasmas.
derivatives: physn»cist n.
phys*i*og»no»my ,fize'a(g)n3me| |
» n. (pi.

derivatives: pho»to»gen»i»cal»ly |-(3)le| -ies) a person's facial features or expression,

adv. esp. when regarded as indicative of character
pho*tO*re*aHsm 'foto'reajizsmi » n. 1 de-
|
or ethnic origin.
tailed and unidealized representation in art, the supposed art of judging character from
esp. of banal, mundane, or sordid aspects of facial characteristics. the general form or
life. 2 detailed visual representation, like that appearance of something: the physiognomy of
obtained in a photograph, in a nonphoto- the landscape.
graphic medium such as animation, painting, derivatives: phys»i»og«nom«ic |
.fizes
or computer graphics. 'namiki adj. physM»og»nomn»cal |
,fize9
derivatives: pho«to»re*aWst n. & adj. 'namikal |
adj. phys«i»og»nom»i«cal«ly
pho»to»re»al«is»tic |-istik| adj. I
,fize3'namik(3)le |
adv.
pho»tO«sen»si»tive ,fot3'sensitiv| *adj. |
phys»i»0l«0*gy . the branch of
|
,fize'abje |

having a chemical, electrical, or other re-
sponse to light: photosensitive cells photosen-
sitive drugs.
derivatives: pho»to»sen»si»tiv»i*ty
sa'tivite pho»to«sen«si»tize v. 1 initiate (a
|
n.
biology that deals with the normal functions
\
of living organisms and their parts.
the way in which a living organism or bodily
i - , sen- part functions: the physiology of the brain.
derivatives: phys«i»o»log»ic .fizes'laj- |

chemical change) by absorbing light energy ik| adj. phys»i»o«logM»cal .fizes'lajikal | |

and transferring it to a reactant. 2 make pho- adj. phys»i»o»log»i»cal«ly ,fize3'lajik(3)le | j

tosensitive. adv. phys»i*ol»o»gist |-jist| n.

phO*tO«syn*the*sis ,foto'sinTH3sis| . n. the |
pi*a*niS«Si*mo ,pe3'nisi,me| 'adv. & adj. |

process by which green plants and some (esp. as a musical direction) very soft or
 |

pianoforte 327 pious

softly. • n. pianissimos or pianissimi
(pi. (usu. Pilgrim) a of a group of Eng- member
|-,mi|) a passage marked to be performed lish Puritans fleeing religious persecution
very softly. who sailed in the Mayflower and founded the
pi«an»0*forte |pe',asno'f6rta; pe'aeno,f6rt colony of Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620.
• n. formal term for a piano. a person who travels on long journeys. a
pi«az*za Ipe'atsa; pe'aezal • n. 1 |pe'ats3| a person whose life is compared to a journey.
public square or marketplace, esp. in an Ital- • V. (pilgrimed, pilgriming) [no obj., with
ian town. 2 pe'aezs the veranda of a house.
I
|
adverbial of direction] archaic travel or wander like
pic»a*resque .pika'reski • adj. of or relating |
a pilgrim.
to an episodic style of fiction dealing with the derivatives: pil»grimMze |-,miz| v. (ar-

adventures of a rough and dishonest but ap- chaic).

pealing hero. • n. this style of fiction. pilHage |
'pilij |
• v. [trans.] rob (a place) using
pic»a»yune |,piki'yoon| »adj. petty; worth- violence, esp. in wartime.
less. « n. a small coin of little value, esp. a 5- steal (something) using violence, esp. in
cent piece. wartime: artworks pillaged from churches and
an insignificant person or thing. museums. • n. the action of pillaging a place
pic*tur*esque ,pikcH3'resk| 'adj. visually |
or property, esp. in wartime.
attractive, esp. in a quaint or pretty style: the DERI VAT v E s piWag'cr n. I :

picturesque covered bridges of New England. pil*lo»ry 'pibre . n. (pi.

I
-ies) in former I

(of language) unusual and vivid: picturesque times, a wooden framework with holes for
speech. the head and hands, in which an offender
derivatives: pic«tur»esque»ly adv. pic* was imprisoned and exposed to public
tur»esque»ness n. abuse. The stocks were similar, but with
pidg*in 'pijen • n. [often as adj.] a grammat-
|
|
holes for hands and feet, not for the head.
ically simplified form of a language, used for • v. (-ies, -ied) [trans.] put (someone) in the

communication between people not sharing pillory.

a common language. Pidgins have a limited figurative attack or ridicule publicly: he found

vocabulary, some elements of which are himself pilloried by members of his own party.
taken from local languages, and are not na- piHose I
'pilos I
(also pilous) . adj. covered
tive languages, but arise out of language con- with long soft hairs.
tact between speakers of other languages. Cf. derivatives: pi«los«i»ty |pi'lasite| n.
Creole. pince-nez 'paens.na; 'pins i I
• n. [treated as
pie*bald 'pi, bold • adj. (of a horse) having
|
|
or pi.] a pair of eyeglasses with a nose clip
sing,

irregular patches of two colors, typically instead of earpieces.

black and white. • n. a piebald horse or other pin*ion • n. the outer part of a bird's wing
animal. Cf. skewbald including the flight feathers.
pied pid • adj. having two or more different
I I
a bird's wing as used in flight. • v. [trans.] 1 tie

colors: pied dogs from the Pyrenees. or hold the arms or legs of (someone): he pin-
pied*mont 'pedmant • n. a gentle slope|
|
ioned the limbs of his opponents.
leading from the base of mountains to a re- bind (the arms or legs) of someone. 2 cut off
gion of flat land. the pinion of (a wing or bird) to prevent
(the Piedmont) a hilly region of the eastern flight.
US, between the Appalachians and the pin*na*Cle 'pinaksl . n. a high, pointed |

NW
|

coastal plain. a region of Italy, in the piece of rock.

foothills of the Alps. a small pointed tower built as an ornament
pie*ta ipea'ta (often Pieta) • n. a picture or
I |
on a roof. the most successful point; the
sculpture of the Virgin Mary holding the dead culmination: he had reached the pinnacle of
body of Christ on her lap or in her arms. his career. • v. [trans.] set on or as if on a pin-
pi*e*tism 'pii,tiz9m • n. pious sentiment,
|
|
nacle: a rustic cross was pinnacled upon the
esp. of an exaggerated or affected nature. makeshift altar.
(usu. Pietism) a 1 7th-century movement form the culminating point or example of.
for the revival of piety in the Lutheran derivatives: pin»na«cled adf
Church. pin»nate 'pinat; -it . adf
|
(of a compound I

derivatives: pi»e»tist n. pi»e«tis»tic |

,pi3 having leaflets arranged on either side of
leaf)
'tistiki adf pi»e»tis»ti»cal ,pi3'tistik3l adj. | |
the stem, typically in pairs opposite each
pi»e»tis»ti«caMy ,pi3'tistik(3)le adv. |
|
other.
pi»e*ty 'piate . n. (pi. -ies) the quality of be-
I
|
(esp. of an invertebrate animal) having
ing religious or reverent: acts ofpiety and char- branches, tentacles, etc., on each side of an
ity. axis.
the quality of being dutiful: filial piety. a be- derivatives: pin*nat»ed adj. pin»nate«ly
lief or point of view that is accepted with un- pin»na»tion pi'naSHsn
adv. |
|
n.

thinking conventional reverence: the accepted pi«OUS 'pi3s • adj. devoutly

I I
religious.
pieties of our time. making hypocritical display of virtue:
a
pi*[as*ter Ipa'laestarl » n. a rectangular col- there 'II be no pious words said over her. [attrlb.]

umn, esp. one projecting from a wall. (of a hope) sincere but unlikely to be fulfilled.
derivatives: pi»las«tered adj. (of a deception) with good or religious
pil*grim 'pilgram . «. a person who jour-
| I
intentions, whether professed or real. duti-
neys to a sacred place for religious reasons. ful or loyal, esp. toward one's parents.
 ) |

piquant 328 plague

derivatives: pi»ous»ly adv. pi*ous*ness derivatives: pit»i»a«ble»ness n. pit»i»a»
n. bly -able
I I
adv.
pi*quant 'pekant; -kant| (also piquante)
I
plx*e*late (also pixeilate or pix-
|
piksa.lat |

• adj. having a pleasantly sharp taste or appe- ilate) • V. divide (an electronic image)
[trans.]

tizing flavor. into pixels, typically for display or storage in

pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the a digital format.
mind. display an image of (someone or something)
derivatives: pi»quan»cy |-k3nse| n. pi» on television as a small number of large pix-
quant«ly adv. els, typically in order to disguise someone's
pique pek . w. a feeling of irritation or re-
I I
identity.
sentment resulting from a slight, esp. to one's derivatives: pix»e»la»tion |
.piksa'lasHsn
pride: he left in a fit of pique. • v. (piques n.

I
peks piqued pekt piquing 'pekiNG
I , | | , | |
pix*i*lat*ed I'piksa.latidl (Brit, also pixil-
1 [trans.] stimulate (interest or curiosity) you : lated) • adj. crazy; confused; whimsical.
have piqued my curiosity about the man. 2 (be derivatives: pixM»la»tion n.
piqued) feel irritated or resentful. pix*i*la*tion .piksa lasnan (Brit, also pixilla-
| |

pir*OU»ette |,pirOD'wet| • «. an act of spin- tion) • 1 a technique used in film whereby

ning on one foot, typically with the raised foot the movements of real people are made to ap-
touching the knee of the supporting leg. pear like artificial animations. 2 the state of
a movement performed in advanced dres- being crazy or confused (pixilated) 3 variant
sage and classical riding, in which the horse spelling of pixelation (see pixelate).
makes a circle by pivoting on a hind leg while pla*cate 'plakat . v. [trans.] make (someone)
|
|

cantering. • v. [intrans.] perform a pirouette. less angry or hostile: they attempted to placate
pis»ca»tO*ri*al .piska'toresl • adj. of or con- |
|
the students with promises.
cerning fishermen or fishing. derivatives: pla»cat»er n. pla»cat»ing»ly
pis*ci*CUl*ture 'pisi,k3lCH3r| . n. the con- |

I
pb'kadiNGle adv. pla*ca*tion Ipla'ka-
I

trolled breeding and rearing of fish. Cf. aqua- SH3n| n. pla»ca»to»ry |-k3,t6re; 'plaek3-|
culture; MARICUUrURE. adj.
derivatives: pis»ci»cul«tur«al |
ipisi'kal- pla«ce*bo jpb'sebol • n. (pi. -os) a harmless
CHarall adj. pis«ci»cul»tur»ist j
.pisi'kal- pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more
CHsristl n. for the psychological benefit to the patient
piS*Ci*na pi'sens; -'sina • n. (pi. piscinas or
|
|
than for any physiological effect: [as adj.] pla-
piscinae |-'sene; -'sinej) 1 a stone basin cebo drugs.
near the altar in Catholic and pre-Refor- a substance that has no therapeutic effect,
mation Christian churches for draining water used as a control in testing new drugs. a
used in the Mass. 2 (in ancient Roman archi- measure designed merely to calm or please
tecture) a pool or pond for bathing or swim- someone.
ming. plac*id 'plaesid • adj. (of a person or ani-
I
|

pis*cine 'pisen; 'pisin • adj. of or concern-

|
|
mal) not easily upset or excited: this horse has
ing fish. a placid nature.
pis*til I
'pistl• n. the female organs of a
I
(esp. of a place or stretch of water) calm and
flower, comprising the stigma, style, and peaceful, with little movement or activity.
ovary. derivatives: pla»cidM»ty Ipb'siditel n.
pit*e*OUS I
'piteas |
• adj. deserving or arous- plac»id»ly adv.
ing pity. pla*gia*rlze rplaj3,riz| ^v. [trans.] take (the
derivatives: pit»e«ous»ly adv. pit»e«ous» work or an idea of someone else) and pass it
ness n. own.
off as one's
pith pixH • ?7. 1 soft or spongy tissue in
I I
copy from (someone) in such a way.
plants or animals, in particular: derivatives: pla*gia*rism n. pla»gia»
spongy white tissue lining the rind of an or- rist pla»gia»riz«er n.
n.

ange, lemon, and other citrus fruits. the plague plag • n. a contagious bacterial dis-
|
|

spongy cellular tissue in the stems and ease characterized by fever and delirium, typ-
branches of many higher plants. spinal mar- ically with the formation of buboes (swollen
row. 2 the essence of something: the pith and inflamed lymph nodes in the groin or arm-
core of socialism. 3 forceful and concise ex- pit), thus bubonic plague) and sometimes
pression: he writes with a combination of pith infection of the lungs (pneumonic plague):
and exactitude. • v. [trans.] 1 remove the pith an outbreak ofplague they died of the plague. \

from. 2 pierce or sever the spinal cord of (an a contagious disease that spreads rapidly and
animal) so as to kill or immobilize it. kills many people. Cf. epidemic; pandemic.
DERI VAT I V E s pith*less adj. : an unusually large number of insects or ani-
pith»y 'piTHe . adj. (pithier, pithiest) (of
I I
mals infesting a place and causing damage: a
language or style) concise and forcefully ex- plague of fleas. [in sing.] a thing causing
pressive. trouble or irritation: staff theft is usually the
DERIVATIVES: pith»i»ly |'piTH9le| adv. plague of restaurants. a widespread afflic-
pith»i»ness |
-enis |
n. tion regarded as divine punishment: the
pit»i*a»ble |
'piteabal I
• adj. deserving or plagues of Egypt. [in sing.] used as a curse or
arousing pity. an expression of despair or disgust: a plague
contemptibly poor or small. on all their houses! • v. (plagues, plagued.
 )
|

plainsong 329 plead

plaguing) cause continual trouble or
[trans ] has been used too often to be interesting or
distress to: the problems that plagued the com- thoughtful: she began uttering liberal platitudes.
pany has been plagued by ill health.
I
Cf. bromide.
pester or harass (someone) continually: was the quality of being dull, ordinary, or trite:
plaguing her with questions. educators willing to violate the bounds of plati-
plain*SOng 'plan, song; -saNC • n. unac-|
|
tude.
companied church music sung in unison in derivatives: plat»i»tu»di»nize | ,
plaeti
medieval modes and in free rhythm corre- 't(y)oodn,iz |
v. plat»i»tu«di«nous | ,
plaeti
sponding to the accentuation of the words, 't(y)oodn-3s I
adj.
which are taken fi-om the liturgy. Pla»ton*lc Ipb'tanikI » adj. of or associated
plain*tive 'plantiv| • adj. sounding sad and
|
with the Greek philosopher Plato (427-347
mournful: a plaintive cry. Bc) or his ideas.
derivatives: plam»tive»ly adv. plain* (platonic) (of love or friendship) intimate
tive*ness n. and affectionate but not sexual. (platonic)
plan*gent |
'plaenjant I
• adj. (of a sound) confined to words, theories, or ideals, and not
and often melancholy.
loud, reverberating, leading to practical action.
derivatives: plan»gen»cy n. plan»gent« derivatives: pla«ton«i»cal»ly |-(3)lel
ly adv. adv.
plan*tar 'plaentsr . adj. of or relating to the
|
|
plau*ditS 'pl6dits| • plural n. praise: the net-
I

sole of the foot: plantar warts. work has received plaudits for its sports coverage.
plan*ti*grade 'plaenti.grad . adj. (of a | I
the applause of an audience: the plaudits for
mammal) walking on the soles of the feet, like the winner died down.
a human or a bear. plau*si*ble 'plozabsl • adj. (of an argument
|
|

plaque |
plaek an ornamental tablet,
|
• n. 1 or statement) seeming reasonable or proba-
typically of metal, porcelain, or wood, that is ble: a plausible explanation it seems plausible \

fixed to a wall or other surface in commem- that one of two things may happen.
oration of a person or event. 2 a sticky deposit (of a person) skilled at producing persuasive
on teeth in which bacteria proliferate. Cf. arguments, esp. ones intended to deceive: a
TARTAR. 3 (in medicine) a small, distinct, typ- plausible liar.

ically raised patch or region resulting from lo- derivatives: plau«si»biln»ty |

.ploza'bil-
cal damage or deposition of material, such as ite| plau»si»bly |-3ble| adv.
n.
a fatty deposit on an artery wall in atheroscle- plea pie • «. 1 a request made in an urgent
I I

rosis ('hardening of the arteries') or a site of and emotional manner: she made a dramatic
localized damage of brain tissue in plea for disarmament.
Alzheimer's disease. a claim that a circumstance means that one
(in microbiology) a clear area in a cell cul- should not be blamed for or should not be
ture caused by the inhibition of growth or de- forced to do something: her plea of a headache
struction of cells by an agent such as a virus. was not entirely false. 2 (in law) a formal state-
plas*ma 'plaezma (also plasm 'plaezsm
| | I |
ment by or on behalf of a defendant or pris-
•n. 1 the colorless fluid part of blood, lymph, oner, stating guilt or innocence in response to
or milk, in which corpuscles or fat globules a charge, offering an allegation of fact, or
are suspended. claiming that a point of law should apply: he
this substance taken from donors or donated changed his plea to not guilty.
blood for administering in transfusions. 2 an plead pled • V. (past and past part, pleaded or
I I

ionized gas consisting of positive ions and pled pled ) 1 [reporting verb] make an emo-
I |

free electrons in proportions resulting in little tional appeal: [intrans.] they pleaded with
or no overall electric charge, typically at low Carol to come home again [with direct speech] \

pressures (as in the upper atmosphere and in "Don't go," she pleaded [with infinitive] Anne
\

fluorescent lamps) or at very high tempera- pleaded to go with her. 2 [trans.] present and ar-
tures (as in stars and nuclear fusion reactors). gue for (a position), esp. in court or in an-
an analogous substance consisting of mobile other public context: using cheap melodrama to
charged particles (such as a molten salt or the plead the case for three prisoners.
electrons within a metal). 3 a dark green, [intrans.] address a court as an advocate on be-

translucent variety of quartz used in mosaic half of a party. [no obj., with complement] state
and for other decorative purposes. 4 (also formally in court whether one is guilty or not
called cytoplasm) the material within a liv- guilty of the offense with which one is
ing cell, excluding the nucleus. Cf. proto- charged: he pleaded guilty to the drug charge.
plasm. invoke (a reason or a point of law) as an ac-
derivatives: plas*mat«ic |
plaez'maetik cusation or defense: on trial for attempted mur-
adj. plas*mic |-mik| adj. der, she pleaded self-defense. offer or present
plat I
. n. a plot of land.
pl£et I
as an excuse for doing or not doing some-
a map
or plan of an area of land showing ac- thing: he pleaded family commitments as a rea-
tual or proposed features. • v. [trans.] plan out son for not attending.
or make a map of (an area of land, esp. a pro- derivatives: plead»er n. plead»ing»ly
posed site for construction): the town was adv.
plated in 1815.
usage: In a court of law a person can
plat*i«tude 'plaeti,t(y)ood » n. a remark or
|
\

plead guilty or plead not guilty (see also

statement, esp. one with a moral content, that
 ||

plebeian 330 pluralism

NOLO contendere). The phrase plead inno- dance: the farm boasts a plenitude of animals
cent, although commonly found in general and birds.

use, is not a technical legal term. Note that the condition of being full or complete: the
one pleads guilty to (not of) an offense, and plenitude of the pope's powers.
may be found guilty of an offense.
ple^num 'plenam; 'plenam • n. 1 an assem-
|
|

bly of all the members of a group or commit-

ple*be*ian |
pH'bean i
• n. (in ancient Rome) 2 (in physics) a space completely filled
tee.
a commoner. with matter, or the whole of space so
a member of the lower social classes. adj. • regarded.
of or belonging to the commoners of ancient ple*0»nasm 'plea.naezam • n. the use of |
|

Rome. more words than are necessary to convey

of or belonging to the lower social classes. meaning (e.g., see with one's eyes), either as a
lacking in refinement: he is a man of plebe- fault of style or for emphasis.
ian tastes. derivatives: ple»o»nas»tic |
.plea'naestik
pleb*i*SCite 'pleb3,sit . n. 1 the direct vote
|
|
adj. ple»o»nas«ti»cal»ly |
,ple3'naestik(3)le |

of all the members of an electorate on an im- adv.

portant public question such as a change in pleth*0«ra plexHsra . n. (a plethora of)
|
|

the constitution. an excess of (something): a plethora of com-

(in Roman history) a law enacted by the ple- mittees and subcommittees.
beians' assembly. an excess of a bodily fluid, particularly
derivatives: ple»bis»ci»tar»y Ipb'bisi blood.
,terei adj. derivatives: ple»thor»ic 'pleTHsrik; pb |

plec»trum |
'plektrsm I
• n. (pi. plectrums or 'THorikI adj.
plectra |
-trs |
) a thin flat piece of plastic, tor- plex*US 'pleksas • n. (pi. same or plexuses) |
I

toiseshell, or other slightly flexible material a network of nerves or vessels in the body.
held by or worn on the fingers and used to an intricate network or weblike formation.
pluck the strings of a musical instrument derivatives: plex»i»form 'pleks3,f6rm |

such as a guitar. adj.

the corresponding mechanical part that plight' IplitI " n. a dangerous, difficult, or
plucks the strings of an instrument such as a otherwise unfortunate situation: the plight of
harpsichord. children living in poverty.
ple*iad 'plead • w. an outstanding group of
| I
plight^ • V. [trans.] pledge or promise solemnly
seven people or things. (one's faith or loyalty).
Pleis*tO*cene 'plist3,sen| 'adj. (in geology) |

(be plighted to) be engaged to be married

of, relating to, or denoting the first epoch of to.
the Quaternary period, between the Pliocene plinth plinTH • «. a heavy base supporting a
I I

and Holocene epochs. statue or vase.

[as n.] (the Pleistocene) the Pleistocene ep- the lower square slab at the base of a column.
och or the system of deposits laid down dur- plO*sive 'plosiv • adj. denoting a consonant
I I

ing it. that is produced by stopping the airflow using

The Pleistocene epoch lasted from the lips, teeth, or palate, followed by a sudden
release of air. • n. a plosive speech soimd.
1,640,000 to about 10,000 years ago. It was
marked by great fluctuations in temperature The basic plosives in English are t, k, and p
(voiceless) and d, g, and b (voiced).
that caused the ice ages, with glacial periods
followed by warmer interglacial periods. derivatives: plo»sion n.
plu*per*fect ,ploo'perfikt| » adj. & n. (in
Several extinct forms of human, leading up |

to modern humans, appeared during this ep-

grammar) another term for past perfect,
och.
denoting an action completed before some
past point of time specified or implied,
ple*na*ry 'plenare • adj. 1 not deficient in
| I
formed in English by had and the past parti-
any respect; full; unqualified; absolute: cru- ciple, as in by three o'clock we had finished most
saders were offered a plenary indulgence by the of the recount.
pope. 2 (of a meeting) to be attended by all [as adj.] more than perfect: they have one plu-
participants at a conference or assembly, who perfect daughter and are expecting an ideal little

otherwise meet in smaller groups: a plenary brother for her.

session of theEuropean Parliament. • n. a meet- plu*ral*ism 'pl00r3,liz3m • «. 1 a condition
|
|

ing or session of this type. or system in which two or more states,

plen*i»po*ten*ti»ar»y .plenaps'tensHe.ere; |
groups, principles, sources of authority, etc.,
-a'tensHare • n. (pi. -ies) a person, esp. a
|
coexist.
diplomat, invested with the full power of in- a form of society in which the members of
dependent action on behalf of his or her minority groups maintain their independent
government, typically in a foreign country. cultural traditions. a political theory or sys-
• adj. having full power to take independent tem of power-sharing among a number of po-
action: [postpositive] he represented the Japanese litical parties. a theory or system of devolu-
government in Seoul as minister plenipotenti- tion and autonomy for individual bodies in
ary. preference to monolithic state control. (in
(of power) absolute. philosophy) a theory or system that recog-
plen»i*tude 'pleni,t(y)ood| |
* n. an abun- nizes more than one ultimate principle. 2 the
plurality 331 polarity
practice of holding more than one office or po*e*sy I
'poaze; -se |
• n. poetry.
church benefice at a time. the art or composition of poetry.
derivatives: plu»ralMst |-bst| n. & adj. po*et*as*ter 'poat.aestarl • «. a person
|
who
plu»ral»is*tic |-'hstik| adj. plu»ralMS»ti» writes inferior poetry.
cal'ly |-'Iist3k(3)le| adv. po«et lau*re*ate loreat . n. (p! poets lau- | |

plu*raM»ty |
plCJO'raehte |
• n. (pi. -ies) 1 the reate) a poet appointed to, or regarded unof-
fact or state of being plural: some languages ficially as holding, an honorary representative
add an extra syllable to mark plurality. position in a particular country, region, or
[in sing.] a large number of people
or things: group: the Ne7v York State poet laureate the \

a plurality of critical approaches. 2 the number poet laureate of young America.

of votes cast for a candidate who receives poign*ant 'poinyant . adj. evoking a keen
| I

more than any other but does not receive an sense of sadness or regret: a poignant reminder
absolute majority: he won with a plurality of of the passing of time.
slightly over 46%; of the vote. keenly felt: the sensation of being back at home
the number by which this exceeds the num- was most poignant in the winter. sharp or
ber of votes cast for the candidate who placed pungent in taste or smell.
second. 3 another term for plurausm (sense derivatives: poign*ance n. poign«an»cy
2). I
-yanse n. poign»ant»ly -yantle adv.
|
|
|

usage: On the difference between plural- poin*til*lism 'pwasNte,yizam » n. a tech-

|

ity and majority, see usage at majority.

nique of neo-Impressionist painting using
tiny dots of various pure colors, which be-
plu*tOC*ra*cy iploo'takrssel *n. (pi. -ies) come blended in the viewer's eye.
government by the wealthy. derivatives: poin»til»list |
.pwaeNte'yest;
a country or society governed in this way. 'pointl-ist| n. & adj. poin»til»list«ic
an elite or ruling class of people whose 1
ipwaeNte'yistik; ,pointristik| adj.
power derives from their wealth. poise poiz I
• n. 1 graceful and elegant bear-
I

derivatives: plu»to«cratMC |
,plood3 ing in a person: poise and good deportment can
'kraetiki adj. plu»to»crat»i«cal»ly |
,ploot3 be cultivated.
'krsetiklel adv. composure and dignity of manner: at least he
usage: See usage at aristocracy. had a moment to think, to recover his poise.
2 balance; equilibrium. • v. be or cause to be
plu*vi*al 'plooveal . adj. relating to or char-
I
|
balanced or suspended: [intrans.] he poised mo-
acterized by rainfall. • n. a period marked by tionless on his toes [trans.] the world was poised \

increased rainfall. between peace and war.

pneu»mat*ic |n(y)oo'maetik| 'adj. 1 con- (be poised) (of a person or organization) be
taining or operated by air or gas under pres- ready to do something: [with infinitive] teachers
sure: it's easier to work on cars if you've got a are poised to resume their attack on government
pneumatic lift. tests.

(chiefly of cavities in the bones of birds) con- poHar I

'polar I
* adj. 1 of or relating to the
taining (of certain body parts, esp. a
air. North or South Pole: the polar regions.
woman's breasts) large, as if inflated: she's the (of an animal or plant) living in the north or
one with the pneumatic lips and breasts. (of a south polar region. of or relating to the
woman) having large breasts. 2 of or relating poles of a celestial body. of or relating to a
to the spirit. • n. (usu. pneumatics) an item celestial pole. (in geometry) of or relating to
of pneumatic equipment. the poles of a sphere. (in biology) of or
derivatives: pneu«matn«cal»ly |n(y)oo relating to the poles of a cell, organ, or part.
'maEtik(3)le adv. |
pneu«ma»tic»i»ty 2 having electrical or magnetic polarity.
I
|n(y)oom3'tis3te n. |
(of a liquid, esp. a solvent) consisting of mol-
pneu»mo*nia n(y)oo'mone3; n(y)oo'mon-
|
ecules with a dipole moment. (of a solid)
ya I
• n. lung inflammation caused by bacte- ionic. 3 directly opposite in character or ten-
rial or viral infection, in which the air sacs fill dency: depression and its polar opposite, mania.
with pus and may become solid. Inflamma- . n. 1 (in geometry) the straight line joining

tion may affect botli lungs (double pneumo- the two points at which tangents ft-om a fixed
pneumonia).
nia) or only one (single point touch a conic section. 2 a variable bi-
derivatives: pneu»mon»ic n (y) oo man- | ' nary star that emits strongly polarized light,
ik| adj. one component being a strongly magnetic
po»di»a*try Ipa'distrel *n. the treatment white dwarf.
of the feet and their ailments. po«lar*i*ty Ipa'lerate; po-| » n. (pi. -ies) the
derivatives: po»di»a»trist |-tr3st| n. property of having poles or being polar: it
po«di*um 'podeami • n. (pi. podiums or po-
I
exhibits polarity when presented to a magnetic
dia -dea ) a small platform on which a per-
I I
needle.
son may stand to be seen by an audience, as the relative orientation of poles; the direction
when making a speech or conducting an or- of a magnetic or electric field: the magjietic field
chestra. peaks in strength immediately after switching po-
a lectern. a continuous projecting base or larity. the state of having two opposite or
pedestal under a building. a raised platform contradictory tendencies, opinions, or zs-
surrounding the arena in an ancient amphi- pecis: the polarity between male and female the \

theater. cold war's neat polarities can hardly be carried

 .

polarize 332 polyphonic

on. the tendency of living organisms or parts a piece of music for this dance or in its
to develop with distinct anterior and posterior rhythm.
(or uppermost and lowermost) ends, or to pol«ter*geist 'poltsr.gist . w.
|
a ghost or |

grow or orient in a particular direction. other supernatural being supposedly respon-

po*lar*ize |'pob,riz| . v. 1 [trans.] (in physics) sible for physical disturbances such as loud
restrict the vibrations of (a transverse wave, noises and objects flying.
esp. light) wholly or partially to one direc- pol*troon pal'troon • «. an utter coward.
I
|

tion: [as adj.] (polarizing) a polarizing micro- derivatives pol»troon»er«y : |

-'troonare |

scope. 2 [trans.] cause (something) to acquire n.pol»troon»ish adj.

polarity: the electrode is polarized in aqueous so- pol*y*clirome |'pali,krom| • adj. painted,
lution. 3 divide or cause to divide into two printed, or decorated in several colors. • n.
sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions varied coloring.
or beliefs: [intrans.] the cultural sphere has a work of art in several colors, esp. a statue.
polarized into two competing ideological posi- • V. [trans.] [usu. as adj.] (polychromed) exe-

tions [trans.] Vietnam polarized political opin-

I
cute or decorate (a work of art) in several col-
ion. ors.
derivatives: po»lar»iz»a»bil«i»ty ,pob i
po»lyg*a*my Ips'ligsmel • n. the practice or
iriza'bibte |
n. po»lar»iz»a«ble adj. po»lar«i» custom of having more than one wife (polyg-
za»tion |
iPobrs'zaSHsn |
n. po»lar«iz»er n. yny) or husband (polyandry) at the same
pole*cat I
'pol,kaet I
• n. a weasellike Eurasian time.
mammal with mainly dark brown fur and a (in zoology) a pattern of mating in which an
darker mask across the eyes, noted for its fetid animal has more than one mate of the oppo-
smell. site sex.
another term for skunk. a detested or im- derivatives: po»lyg»a»tnist |-mist| n.
moral person. po»lyg»a»mous adj.
po»lem»ic Ipa'lemik] . n. a strong verbal or pol*y*glot |'pali,glat| » adj. knowing or using
written attack on someone or something: a several languages: a polyglot diplomat.
polemic against the cultural relativism of the (of a book) having the text translated into
sixties a writer offeminist polemic.
I
several languages: polyglot and bilingual tech-
(usu. polemics) the art or practice of engag- nical dictionaries. who knows • n. a person
ing in controversial debate or dispute: the his- and is able to use several languages.
tory of science has become embroiled in religious derivatives: pol»y»glot»ism -,glat,iz3m |
|

polemics. • adj. of the nature of controversy; n.

controversial; polemical. pol»y*graph |
'paH,graef |
• n. a machine
derivatives: po»lem«i»cal adj. po'leitiM* designed to detect and record changes in
cist Ipa'lemasastI n. po»lemM»cize ips physiological characteristics, such as a per-
'lem3,siz| V. son's pulse and breathing rates, used esp. as
poH'tesse |
,pab'tes I
• n. formal politeness a lie detector.
or etiquette. a lie-detector test carried out with a machine
pol*i*tic I
an action) seem-
'pab,tik| • adj. (of of this type.
ing sensible and judicious under the circum- derivatives: pol»y»graph»ic |
ipali'grse-
stances: [with infinitive] / did not think it politic fikl adf
to express my reservations. pol*y«math 'pah,m£eTH
|
» n. a person of \

(also politick) (of a person) prudent and wide-ranging knowledge or learning.

sagacious. • v. (politicked, politicking) [in- D E R I VAT I v E s pol«y»mathMC
: ,pah |

[often as n.] (politicking) engage in po-

trans.] 'msexHikl adj. po»lym«a»thy Ips'limsTHe;
news of this unseemly politicking
litical activity: 'pali.maeXHe n. I

invariably leaks into the press. pol*y*mer |

'pabmsr
• w. a substance that I

derivatives: pol»i»tic«ly adv. (rare) has a molecular structure built up chiefly or

po»llt«i»clze |p3'lit3,siz| 'V. [trans.] [often as completely from a large number of similar
adj.](politicized) cause (an activity or event) units bonded together, e.g., many synthetic
to become
political in character: art was organic materials used as plastics and resins.
becoming politicized attempts to politicize \
DERIVATIVES: pol»y»mer»ic |,pab'merik|
America's curricula. adj.
make (someone) politically aware, esp. by pol»y«no«mi*al |
.pab'nomeal |
• adj. consist-
persuading him or her of the truth of views ing of several terms.
considered radical: we successfully politicized a (inmathematics) of, relating to, or denoting
generation of women. [intrans.] engage in or a polynomial or polynomials. • n. (in mathe-
talk about politics. matics) an expression of more than two alge-
derivatives: po»lit»i»ci»za»tion Ipa.litssi braic terms, esp. the sum of several terms that
'zasH3n| n. contain different powers of the same varia-
pol*i»ty 'pabte • n.
I
(pi. -ies) a form or |
ble(s).
process of civil government or constitution. (in biology) a Latin name with more than
an organized society; a state as a political en- two parts.
tity. pol*y*phon«ic ,pali'fanik| » adj. producing
|

pol»0*naise |
,pab'naz;,po-| • n. a slow dance many sounds simultaneously; many-voiced: a
of Polish origin in triple time, consisting 64-voice polyphonic sound module.
chiefly of an intricate march or procession. (esp. of vocal music) in two or more parts,
polysynthetic 333 portico
each having melody of its own; contrapun-
a Catholic Church) the office of pope or
tal. Cf. HOMOPHONic. (of a musical instru- bishop.
ment) capable of producing more than one the period of such an office: Pope Gregory
note at a time. VIII enjoyed only a ten-week pontificate.
DERI VAT V E s pol»y»phonM»cal»ly
I :
|
-ik(3)- derivatives: pon»tif»i»ca»tor |-,kat9r| n.
le| adv. pop*in*jay 'papsnja . «. a vain or con-
|
|

pol*y*syn*thet*ic ,palisin'THetik| • adj.

|
ceited person, esp. one who dresses or
denoting or relating to a language character- behaves extravagantly.
ized by complex words consisting of several pop*U*list 'papyabst • n. a member or ad-
I
|

morphemes, which a single word may

in
function as a whole sentence. Many Ameri-
can Indian languages are polysynthetic.
pol»y»un*sat*U»rat*ed ,pale3n'saeCH3,ratid
• adj. (of an organic compound, esp. a fat or
oil molecule) containing several double or
triple bonds between carbon atoms and
therefore capable of further reaction. Polyun-
saturated fats, which are usually of plant ori-
gin, are regarded as healthier in the diet than
saturated fats.
pol*y*va*lent ,pali'vabnt| •adj. (in chemis-
|
try) having a valence of three or more.
herent of a political party seeking to represent
the interests of ordinary people.
a person who holds, or who is concerned
| I
with, the views of ordinary people. (Popu-
list) a member of the Populist Party, a polit-
ical party formed in 1891 that advocated the
interests of labor and farmers, free coinage of
silver, a graduated income tax, and govern-
ment control of monopolies. • adj. of or
relating to a populist or popuHsts: a populist
leader.
derivatives: pop»u»lism |-,liz3m| n.
pop»u»lis*tic ipapya'listiki adj. I

(in medicine) having the property of coun- por*Cine 'por.sm . adj.

|
of, affecting, or |

teracting several related poisons or affording resembling a pig or pigs: his flushed, porcine
immunity against different strains of a micro- features.
organism. (of an antigen or antibody) hav- por*ta*men»tO |
,p6rt3'men,t6 1
• n. (pi. por-
ing several sites at which attachment to an an- tamentos or portamenti |
-'mente |
) 1 a
tibody or antigen can occur). (Also called slide from one note to another, esp. in singing
multivalent) having many different func-
. or playing abowed string instrument.
tions, forms, or facets: as emotion, love is poly- technique or style. 2 piano playing
this as a
valent. in a manner intermediate between legato and
DERI VAT v E s pol»y»va«lence
I : n. staccato: [as adj.] a portamento style.
pomp*OUS 'pampas I
\
• adj. affectedly and ir- por«tent 'p6r|tent| .
|
1 a sign or warning
ritatingly grand, solemn, or self-important: a that something, esp. something momentous
pompous ass who pretends he knows everything. or calamitous, is likely to happen: they believed
characterized by pomp or splendor: there that wild birds in the house were portents of death
were many processions and other pompous shows. I
JFK's political debut was a portent of the fame
DERI VAT I v E s pom»pos»i»ty pam'passte:
| |
tocome.
n.pomp«ous»ly adv. pomp»ous»ness n. future significance: an omen of grave portent
pon*der*OUS 'pandsrss • adj. slow and | I
for the tribe. 2 an exceptional or wonderful
clumsy because of great weight: her footsteps person or thing: what portent can be greater
were heavy and ponderous. than a pious notary?
dull, laborious, or excessively solemn: Liz por»ten»tOUS pdr'tentas • adj. of or like a
|
|

could hardly restrain herselffrom finishing all his portent: the envelope with its portentous con-
ponderous sentences. tents.
derivatives: pon»der»osM»ty panda | ,
done in a pompously or overly solemn man-
'ras3te| n. pon»der»ous«ly adv. pon»der» ner so as to impress: the author's portentous
ous*ness n. moralizings.
pon*tiff I
pantaf I
(also sovereign or su- derivatives: por»ten»tous»ly adv. por*
preme pontiff) n. the pope. . ten»tous»ness n.
pon*tif»i«cal pan'tifikal . adj.
|
1 (in the Ro- |
port«fO*li*0 |p6rt'f6le,o| » n. (pi. -os) 1 a
man Catholic Church) of or relating to the large, thin, flat case for loose sheets of paper
pope: a pontifical commission. 2 characterized such as drawings or maps.
by a pompous and superior air of infallibility. a set of pieces of creative work collected by
• n. (in the Roman Catholic Church) an of- someone to display their skills, esp. to a po-
fice book of the Western Church containing tential employer. a varied set of pho-
rites to be performed by the pope or bishops. tographs of a model or actor intended to be
(pontificals) the vestments and insignia of shown to a potential employer. 2 a range of
a bishop, cardinal, or abbot: a bishop in full investments held by a person or organization:
pontificals. better returns on its investment portfolio.
derivatives: pon»tifn»caWy |-ik(3)le| a range of products or services offered by an
adv. organization, esp. when considered as a busi-
pon*tif»i*cate . |pan'tifi,kat| [intrans.] 1 (in ness asset: an unrivaled portfolio of quality
the Roman Catholic Church) officiate as brands. 3 the position and duties of a minis-
bishop, esp. at Mass. 2 express one's opinions ter of state or a member of a cabinet: he took
in a way considered annoyingly pompous and on the Foreign Affairs portfolio.
dogmatic: pontificating about art and history. por»ti*CO |'p6rti,ko| • n. (pi. -oes or -os) a
• n. -kat (also Pontificate) (in the Roman
I I
structure consisting of a roof supported by
 )

portmanteau 334 posterior

columns at regular intervals,
attached as a porch to a building.
port*man*teau |p6rt'maento|
manteaus -toz or portmanteaux -toz
I I
a large trunk or suitcase, typically made of
stiff leather and opening into two equal parts.
[as adj.] consisting of or combining two or
more separable aspects or qualities: a port-
manteau movie composed of excerpts from his
most famous films.
port*man*teau word . n. a word blending
the sounds and combining the meanings of
two others, for example motel (from 'motor'
and hotel') or brunch (from 'breakfast' and
'lunch').
po*seur Ipo'zsrI • n. (also poser) a person
who poses for effect or adopts an affected
style or demeanor.
posh paSH • adj. elegant or stylishly luxuri-
I I
ous: a posh Ensenada hotel.
chiefly Brit, typical of or belonging to the upper
class of society: she had a posh accent. • adv.
Brit, in an upper-class way: trying to talk posh.
• n. Brit, tlie quality or state of being elegant,
stylish, or upper-class: we finally bought a color
TV, which seemed the height of posh.
derivatives: posh»ly
pos*it I
'pazit I
positing)
• v.
1 [trans.] assume as a fact; put forward as a ba-
sis of argument: the Confucian view posits a
perfectible human nature
posited that the world economy
typically electrons. 4 (of a photographic image) show-
ing lights and shades or colors true to the
. w. (pi port- original. 5 (of an adjective or adverb) express-
|
|
ing a quality in its basic, primary degree.
Contrasted with comparative and superlative
6 dealing only with matters of fact and expe-
rience; not speculative or theoretical. Cf. pos-
itivism (sense 1). 7 (of a quantity) greater
than zero. 8 (in astrology) of, relating to, or
denoting any of the air or fire signs, consid-
ered active in nature. • n. 1 a good, affirma-
tive, or constructive quality or attribute: take
your weaknesses and translate them into positives
I
to manage your way out of recession, accentu-
ate the positive. 2 a photographic image
showing lights and shades or colors true to
the original, esp. one printed from a negative.
3 a result of a test or experiment indicating
the presence of something: let us look at the
distribution of those positives. 4 the part of an
electric circuit that is at a higher electrical po-
tential than another point designated as hav-
ing zero electrical potential. 5 an adjective or
adverb in the positive degree. 6 a number
greater than zero.
derivatives: pos»i»tive»ness n. pos»i»tiv»
adv. posh*ness n. i»ty I
ipaza'tivate |
n.
(posited, pos*i»tive law . n. law created by a legisla-
ture, court, or other human institution and
which can take whatever form the authors
\
[with clause] he want.
is a system with pos*i*tiv*ism 'pazstiv.izam; 'paztiv- • n. 1 a
|
1

its own particular equilibrium. philosophical system that holds that every ra-
(posit something on) base something on tionally justifiable assertion can be scientifi-
the truth of (a particular assumption): these cally verified or is capable of logical or math-
plots are posited on a false premise about women 's ematical proof, and that therefore rejects
nature as inferior. 2 [with obj. and adverbial] put metaphysics and theism.
in position; place: the professor posits Cohen in humanistic religious system founded on
a
his second category of poets. • n. (in philoso- this.2 the theory that laws are to be under-
phy) a statement that is made on the assump- stood as social rules, valid because they are
tion that it will prove to be true. enacted by authority or derive logically firom
pos*i*tive 'pazativ; 'paztiv • adj. 1 consist-
I
|
existing decisions, and that ideal or moral
ing in or characterized by the presence or considerations (e.g., that a rule is unjust)
possession of features or qualities rather than should not limit the scope or operation of the
their absence. law. 3 the state or quality of being positive: in
(of a statement or decision) expressing or this age of illogical positivism, no one wants to
implying affirmation, agreement, or permis- sound negative.
sion: the company received a positive response derivatives: posM»tivMst n. & adj. pos«i»
from investors. (of the results of a test or ex- tivns'tic ipazap'vistiki adj. pos»i»tiv»is«ti»
I

periment) indicating the presence of some- caWy I

,paz3t3'vistik(3)leadv. |

thing: three players who had tested positive for pos*se I

'pase • n. z body of men, typically
\

cocaine use. constructive in intention or at- armed, summoned by a sheriff to enforce the
titude: there needs to be a positive approach to law.
young offenders. showing optimism and con- (also posse comitatus |
,kami'tat3s; -ta-
fidence: / hope you will be feeling very positive tas I
) the body of men in a county whom the
about your chances of success. showing pleas- sheriff could summon to enforce the law. a
ing progress, gain, or improvement: the elec- group of people who have a common charac-
tion result will have a positive effect because it will occupation, or purpose: he pompously
teristic,
restore people's confidence. 2 with no possibility ledaround a posse of medical students. a
of doubt; clear and definite: he made a positive gang of youths involved in (usually drug-
identification of a glossy ibis. related) crime.
convinced or confident in one's opinion; cer- pos*te*ri*or Ipa'stirear; po-| » adj. 1 farther
tain: "You are sure it was the same man?" "Pos- back in position; of or nearer the rear or hind
itive!" I
[with clause] / am positive that he is not end, esp. of the body or a part of it: the poste-
coming back. [attrib.] downright; complete rior part of the gut a basal body situated just \

(used for emphasis): it's a positive delight to see posterior to the nucleus. The opposite of an-
you. 3 of, containing, producing, or denoting terior.
an electric charge opposite to that carried by relating to or denoting presentation of a fe-
 |

posterity 335 potent

tus in which the rear or caudal end is nearest had postponed for some time
to be [with pre- \

the cervix and emerges first at birth: a poste- the judge postponed sentencing a
sent participle]
rior labor. 2 coming after in time or order; former government spokesman for fraud. Cf.
later: a date posterior to the first Reform Bill. adjourn.
• n. a person's buttocks. derivatives: post»pon»a«ble adj. post*
derivatives: pos»te»ri»or«i»ty |pa,stire pone»ment n. post»pon»er n.
'orate; po- n. pos»te»ri»or»ly adv.
1 post*pos«i*tive .post'pazativ] » adj. (of a |

pos»ter«i»ty pa'sterste . n. all ftature gener-

| I
word) placed after or as a suffix on the word
ations of people: the victims' names are recorded tliat it relates to. • n. a postpositive word.

for posterity. d E R vat V E s post»pos»i»tive»ly adv.

1 I :

[in sing.] the descendants of a person: God post»pran*di»al post'prsendeal . adj. dur- | I

offered Abraham a posterity like the stars of ing or relating to the period after dinner or
heaven. lunch: we were jolted from our postprandial tor-
pos*tern |
'postam; 'pas- 1
• «. a back or side por.
entrance: [as adj.] a small postern door. (in medicine) occurring after a meal.
post*haste 'post'hast adv. with great
|
|
. pos*tu*lant 'pascHabnt . a candidate,
I
|

speed or immediacy: she would go posthaste to esp. one seeking admission into a religious
England. order.
post hoc 'post 'hak| • adj. & adv. occurring
I
pos*tu*late* V. 'pascH3,lat| [trans.] 1 suggest
I

or done after the event: a post hoc justification or assume the existence, fact, or truth of
for the changes. (something) as a basis for reasoning, discus-
referring to the logical fallacy post hoc, sion, or belief: his theory postulated a rotatory
ergo propter hoc 'after this, therefore be- movement for hurricanes [with clause] he pos- \

cause of this': a rank example of post hoc rea- tulated that the environmentalists might have a
soning. case. 2 (in ecclesiastical law) nominate or
post*hu*mous I'pascHsmss; past'(h)yoo- elect (someone) to an ecclesiastical office
mas • adj. occurring, awarded,
I
or appearing subject to the sanction of a higher authority.
after the death of the originator: he was • n. 'pasCHalat
I
a thing suggested or as- |

awarded a posthumous Distinguished Service sumed as true as the basis for reasoning, dis-
Medal a posthumous collection of her articles.
\
cussion, or belief: perhaps the postulate of
(of a child) born after the death of its father. Babylonian influence on Greek astronomy is

derivatives: post»hu»mous«ly adv. incorrect.

post*mod»ern*ism Ipost'madar.nizaml • n. an assumption used as a basis for mathemat-
a late 20th-century style and concept in the ical reasoning.
arts, architecture, and criticism that repre- derivatives: pos»tu«la»tion |
.pasCHs'la-
sents a departure from modernism and has at SHanj n.
its heart a general distrust of grand theories po«ta*bie I
'popbal I
. adj. safe to drink;
and ideologies as well as a problematical re- drinkable: there is no supply of potable water
lationship with any notion of "art." available.

Typical features include a deliberate mixing derivatives: po»ta»ba»i«ty |

ipop'bibte
n.
of different artistic styles and media, the self-
conscious use of earlier styles and conven-
postage |p6'taZH| »n. thick soup.

tions, and often the incorporation of images

po»ta»tion Ipo'tasHsnl • n. a drink.
relating to the consimierism and mass com-
the action of drinking something, esp. alco-
hol: / intend to abstain from potation. (often
munication of late 20th-century postindus-
trial society.
potations) a drinking bout: the dreadful pota-
tions of his youth.
derivatives: post»mod«ern adj. post* po*ten*cy 'potnse . n. (pi. -ies) 1 power or
|
|

mod»ern»ist n. & adj. post»mod»er»ni»ty influence: a myth of enormous potency.

I
ipostma'darnate |
n. the strength of an intoxicant, as measured by
post*mor»tem |post'm6rtam| • n. (also the amount needed to produce a certain re-
postmortem examination) an examination sponse: the unexpected potency of the rum
of a body to determine the cause of death. Cf. punch. (in homeopathy) the number of
autopsy. times a remedy has been diluted and suc-
an analysis or discussion of an event held cussed (shaken vigorously), taken as a meas-
soon after it has occurred, esp. in order to de- ure of the strength of the effect it will pro-
termine why it was a failure: an election post- duce: she was given a low potency twice daily.
mortem on why the party lost. • adj. [attrib.] of (in genetics) the extent of the contribution
or relating to a postmortem: a postmortem re- of an allele toward the production of a phe-
port. notypic characteristic. (in biology) a capac-
happening after death: postmortem changes in ity in embryonic tissue for developing into a
the body [as adv.] assessment of morphology in
\
particular specialized tissue or organ. 2 a
nerves taken postmortem. male's ability to achieve an erection or to
post*par*tum Ipost'partamI » adj. following reach orgasm: medications that diminish sexual
childbirth or the birth of young. potency.
post*pone Ipost'pon] »v. [trans.] cause or po*tent 'potnti • adj. 1 having great power,
I

arrange for (something) to take place at a influence, or effect: thrones were potent symbols
time later than that first scheduled: the visit of authority a potent drug a potent argument.
| \
 .

potentate 336 precarious

2 (of a male) able to achieve an erection or to ing with language in use and the contexts in
reach an orgasm. which it is used.

derivatives: po»tence n. po»tent»ly adv. prag*ma«tism 'prsegma.tizsm • n. 1 a prag- |

|

po*ten*tate |'potn,tat| .n. a monarch or matic attitude or policy: ideology was tempered
ruler, esp. an autocratic one. with pragmatism. 2 (in philosophy) an ap-
po*ten*tial pa'tencnal . n. (in physics) the
|
|
proach that assesses the truth or meaning of
quantity determining the energy of mass in a theories or beliefs in terms of the success of
gravitational field or of charge in an electric their practical application.
field. derivatives: prag»ma»tist n. prag*ma*
po*ten*ti*ate |p9'tenCHe,at| *v. [trans.] in- tis'tic I
,pr£egm3'tistik| adj.
crease the power, effect, or likelihood of pran*di*al |
'praendeal |
• adj. [attrib.] during or
(something, esp. a drug or physiological reac- relating to dinner or lunch.
tion): the glucose will potentiate intestinal ab- (in medicine) during or relating to the eating
sorption of sodium. of food.
pot»pour»ri ,pop3're;pop00're| • n. (pi. pot-
|
prate prat . v. [intrans.] talk foolishly or at te-
|
|

pourris) a mixture of dried petals and spices dious length about something.
placed in a bowl or small sack to perfume DERI VAT I V E s prat'cr n. (rare) :

clothing or a room. prat*fall 'praet.fol • n. a fall on one's but- |

|

a mixture of things, esp. a musical or literary tocks (prat): he took a pratfall into the sand.
medley: a potpourri of tunes from Gilbert and a stupid and humiliating action: the first po-
Sullivan. litical pratfalls of the new administration.
poui*tice I
'poltas \
• n. a soft, moist mass of praMIe |
'praetl |
. v. [intrans.] talk at length in
material, typically of plant material or flour, a foolish or inconsequential way: she began to
applied to the body to relieve soreness and in- prattle on about her visit to the dentist. • n.
flammation and kept in place with a cloth. foolish or inconsequential talk: do you intend
• V. [trans.] apply a poultice to: he poulticed the tokeep up this childish prank?
wound. derivatives: prat'tler 'praetbr; |
'praetl-
prac*ti*ca*ble 'praektiksbal . adj. able to be
| I
3r| n.
done or put into practice successfully: the prax*is 'prseksas •
|
|
n. practice, as distin-
measures will be put into effect as soon as is rea- guished from theory: the divorce between the-
sonably practicable. ory and praxis of Marxism that ensued under
able to be used; useful: signal processing can Stalinism.
let you transform a signal into a practicable accepted practice or custom.
form. pre»am»ble 'pre,£emb3l • «. a preliminary
|
|

derivatives: prac»ti»ca»ba»i»ty |
.prask- or preparatory statement; an introduction: he
tiks'bibtel n. prac»ti»ca»bly |-ble| adv. could tell that what she said was by way of a pre-
prac*ti*cal I'prsektikall 'adj. 1 of or con- amble I gave him the bad news without pream-
I

cerned with the actual doing or use of some- ble.

thing rather than with theory and ideas: there (in law) the introductory part of a statute,
are two obvious practical applications of the re- constitution, deed, etc., stating its purpose,
search. aims, and justification. The preamble is not
(of an idea, plan, or method) likely to suc- technically part of a law, but may be consid-
ceed or be effective in real circumstances; fea- ered in determining the enactors' intent.
sible: neither of these strategies is practical for derivatives: pre»am»bu«lar Ipre'eem-
smaller businesses. suitable for a particular byabrl adj.
purpose: a practical, stylish kitchen. (of a per- Pre*cam*bri*an Ipre'kaembrean; -kam-|
son) sensible and realistic in approaching a • adj. of, relating to, or denoting the earliest

situation or problem: I'm not unfeeling, just
trying to be practical. (of a person) skilled at
manual tasks: Steve 'II fix
cal. 2 so nearly the case that it can be
regarded as so; virtual: it was a practical cer-
tainty that he would quickly spend more money.
prac*ti*cum 'prasktikam • n. (pi. practi-
|
geologic eon, preceding the Cambrian period
and the Phanerozoic eon. It is also called the
it
— he's quite practi- Cryptozoic ('period of hidden life'), as its
rocks contain few signs of organic maner.
[as n.] (the Precambrian) the Precambrian
eon or the system of rocks deposited during
|
it.

cums) a practical section of a course of

study.
prag*mat»ic |praeg'maetik| • adj. dealing with
things sensibly and realistically in a way that
is based on practical rather than theoretical
considerations: a pragmatic approach to poli-
tics.
relating to philosophical or political
tism. (in linguistics)
matics.
derivatives: prag»mat«i«cal»ly
lei adv.
prag*mat*iCS Ipraeg'maediksl * plural n. [usu.
treated as sing.] the branch of linguistics deal-
The Precambrian extended fi-om the origin
of the earth (believed to have been about
4,600 million years ago) to about 570 mil-
lion years ago, representing nearly ninety
percent of geological time.The oldest known
Precambrian rocks are about 3,800 million
years old, and the earliest living organisms
pragma- date firom the latter part of the eon. The Pre-
of or relating to prag- cambrian is now replaced in formal strati-
graphic schemes by the Archean, Protero-
|-ik(3)-
zoic, and (in some schemes) Priscoan eons.
pre»caH«OUS Ipri'kereasI * adj. 1 not se-
curely held or in position; dangerously likely
precatory 337 preconscious
tofall or collapse: a precarious ladder. 2 depen- cause (drops of moisture or particles of dust)
dent on chance; uncertain: she made a precar- to be deposited from the atmosphere or from
ious living by writing. a vapor or suspension. » adj. pri'sipatat | |

derivatives: pre»carn»ous»ly adv. pre* done, made, or acting suddenly or without

car»i»ous»ness n. careful consideration: / must apologize for my
prec»a*tO»ry 'preks.tore . adj. of, relating
| I
staff —their actions were precipitate.
to, or expressing a wish or request. (of an event or situation) occurring suddenly
(in a will) expressing a wish or intention of or abruptly: a precipitate decline in cultural lit-
the testator: a trust can be left in precatory eracy. • n. Ipri'sipatat; -3,tat| (in chemistry)
words. a substance precipitated from a solution.
prec»e*dence 'presadans; pri'sedns • n.
|
|
derivatives: pre»cip»i»ta»ble Ipri'sip-
the condition of being considered more im- ataball adj. pre«cipM«tate»ly |
pri'sipstatle |

portant than someone or something else; pri- adv. prccip'i'tate'ness |

pri'sipatatnas |
n.
ority in importance, order, or rank: his desire
usage: The adjectives precipitate and
for power soon took precedence over any precipitous are sometimes confused. Pre-
other consideration.
cipitate means 'sudden, hasty': a precipitate
the order to be ceremonially observed by decision; precipitate flight by the fugitive. Pre-
people of different rank, according to an cipitous means 'steep': the precipitous slope of
acknowledged or legally determined system: the moutain; a precipitous decline in stock prices.
quarrels over precedence among the Bonaparte
family marred the coronation. pre*cip*i*tOUS Ipri'sipatssI *adj. 1 danger-
prec*e*dent • n. 'pressdsnt an earlier event \ I
ously high or steep: the precipitous cliffs of the
or action that is regarded as an example or North Pacific coast.
guide to be considered in subsequent similar (of a change to a worse situation or condi-
circumstances: there are precedents for using in- tion) sudden and dramatic: a precipitous de-
teractive media in training, 'adj. Ipre'sednt; cline in exports. 2 (of an action) done suddenly
'prssadsnt preceding in time, order, or im-
|
and without careful consideration: precipitous
portance: a precedent occurrence. intervention.
pre*cept 'pre, sept • n. 1 a general rule in-
|
|
derivatives: pre»cip»i«tous»ly adv. pre*
tended to regulate behavior or thought: moral cip»i*tous»ness n.
precepts. 2 a writ or warrant. pre*Cis Ipra'se; 'prase • n. (pi. same) a sum-
|

derivatives: pre»cep»tive |pri'septiv| adj. mary or abstract of a text or speech. • v.

pre*cep*tor |
'pre,sept3r; pri'septsr] • n. a (precises pra'sez; 'prasez , precised |pra
| |

teacher or instructor. 'sed; 'prasedl, precising Ipra'seiNO; 'prase-

derivatives: pre»cep»to»ri»al |pri,sep iNG|) [trans.] make a precis of (a text or
'toreal; 'pre- 1
adj. pre«cep«tor»ship -,SHip | |
speech).
n. pre«clude |pri'klood| ^v. [trans.] prevent
pre»cinct |
'pre,siNGkt| • n. 1 a district of a from happening; make impossible: the secret
city or town as defined for police purposes. nature of his work precluded official recognition.
(also precinct house) the police station sit- (preclude someone from) (of a situation
uated in such a subdivision. an electoral or condition) prevent someone from doing
district of a city or town served by a single something: his difficulties preclude him from
polling place. 2 (usu. precincts) the area leading a normal life.

within the walls or perceived boundaries of a derivatives: pre*clu*sion |-'klooZH3n|

particular building or place: all strata of soci- n. pre»clu»sive | -'kloosiv; -ziv |
adj.
ety live within these precincts beyond the \
pre*CO*cious |pri'koSH3s| • adj. (of a child)
precincts of my own family, I am quite inhibited. having developed certain abilities or procliv-
an enclosed or clearly defined area of ground ities at an earlier age than usual: he was a pre-
around a cathedral, church, or college. cocious, solitary boy.
prec*i«plce |
'presspas I
• n. a very steep rock (of behavior or ability) indicative of such de-
face or cliff, typically a tall one. velopment: a precocious talent for mathematics.
a dangerous or hazardous situation: the coun- (of a plant) flowering or fruiting earlier than
try was teetering on the precipice of anarchy. usual.
pre*cip*i*tate |pri'sip3,tat| [trans.] derivatives: pre»co»cious»ly ac/z;. pre»co*
1 cause (an event or situation, typically one cious»ness n. pre*coc»i»ty |pri'kas9te| n.
that is bad or undesirable) to happen sud- pre«COg*nl»tion .prekag'nisHsn . n. fore-
| I

denly, unexpectedly, or prematurely: the inci- knowledge of an event, esp. foreknowledge of

dent precipitated a political crisis. a paranormal kind.
[with obj. and adverbial of direction] cause to move derivatives: pre»cog«ni«tive Ipre'kagna-
suddenly and with force: suddenly the ladder tiv| adj.
broke, precipitating them down into a heap. pre-Co»lum*bi*an Ika'bmbeanI 'adj. of or
(precipitate someone/something into) relating to the history and cultures of the
send someone or something suddenly into a Americas before the arrival of Columbus in
particular state or condition: they were precip- 1492.
itated into a conflict for which they were quite pre*COn»SCious pre'kanCHas . adj. (in psy-
i i

unprepared. 2 (usu. be precipitated) (in choanalysis) of or associated with a part of

chemistry) cause (a substance) to be the mind below the level of immediate con-
deposited in solid form from a solution. scious awareness, from which memories and
 |

precursor 338 prelude

emotions that have not been repressed can be appropriate (something) in advance: many
recalled: beliefs and values
thai are on a precon- tables were already preempted by family parties.
scious level. (one's/the preconscious)
• n. • n. Bridge a preemptive bid.
the part of the mind in which preconscious derivatives: pre»emp»tion n. pre«emp»
thoughts or memories reside. tive adj. pre*emp»tor -tar n. | |

D H R VAT V H s pre»con»scious«ness n.
I I : pref»ace 'prefas • «. an introduction to a
| i

pre»CUr*SOr 'pre,k3rs3r; pri'kar- • ». a per-

|
|
book, typically stating its subject, scope, or
son or thing that comes before another of the aims. Cf. foreword.
same kind; a forerunner: a three-stringed pre- the introduction or preliminary part of a
cursor of the violin \
[as adj.] preeursor cells. speech or event. (in the Christian Church)
(in biochemistry) a substance from which the introduction to the central part of the Eu-
another is formed, esp. by metabolic reaction: charist, historically forming the first part of
pepsinogen is the inactive precursor of pepsin. the canon or prayer of consecration. • v.
pre*da*cious |pri'dasH3s| (also preda- [trans.] provide (a book) with a preface: the

ceous) . adj. (of an animal) predatory: preda- book is prefaced by a brief remembrance of
cious insects. Faulkner.
derivatives: pre*da*cious*ness n. pre* (preface something withAjy) introduce or
dacn»ty |
pri'daesste |
n. begin (a speech or event) with or by doing
pred»a«tO»ry 'preda.tore adj. relating to
| I
. something: it is important to preface the debate
or denoting an animal or animals preying nat- with a general comment.
urally on others: predatory birds. derivatives: pref»a«to«ry 'prefajore |

seeking to exploit or oppress others: a life adj.

destroyed by predatory biographers and muck- pre»fect |
'pre.fekt • w. 1 a chief officer, mag-
|

raking journalists. istrate, or regional governor in certain coun-

derivatives: pred»a*to»ri«ly ,pred3't6- |
tries: the prefect
of police.
rale adv. pred»a»to»ri»ness n.
|
a senior magistrate or governor in the an-
pre»des»ti»na*tion |pre,dest3'nasH3n| . ». cient Roman world: Aviti4s was prefect of Gaul
(as a doctrine in Christian theology) the di- from AD439. 2 in some, esp. British, schools,
vine foreordaining of all that will happen, esp. a senior student authorized to enforce disci-
with regard to the salvation of some and not pline.
others. It has been particularly associated derivatives: pre»fec»tor«al Ipre'fektar-
with the teachings of St. Augustine of Hippo pre«fec»to»ri«al .prc.fek'toreal adj.
3l| adj. | |

and of Calvin. pre»fec»ture 'pre,fekCH3r . n. a district un-

i
|

pred»i*cate • n. 'predikat the part of a sen- \ I

der the government of a prefect.
tence or clause containing a verb and stating a prefect's office or tenure. the official res-
something about the subject (e.g., went home idence or headquarters of a prefect.
in John zvent home): [as adj.] predicate adjective. DERiVAriVEs: pre»fec»tur«al Ipre'fek-
(in logic) something that is affirmed or de- CHarall adj.
nied concerning an argument of a proposi- pre*hen*sile Ipre'hensal; -,sil| -adf (chiefly
tion. • V.
I
'pred3,kat |
[trans.] 1 affirm (some- of an animal's limb or tail) capable of grasp-
thing) about the subject of a sentence or an ing.
argument of proposition: a word that predi- derivatives: pre»hen»siH«ty |
pre, hen
cates something about its subject aggression is |
'sibtel n.
predicated of those zvho act aggressively. prel*ate |
'prebt |
• ^^. a bishop or other high
2 (predicate something on/upon) found or ecclesiastical dignitary.
base something on: the theory of structure on derivatives: pre«la«cy n. pre»latMC ipri
which later chemistry zvas predicated. 'la:tik| adj. pre»lat«i»cal |
pri'lsetikal |
adj.
derivatives: pred*i«ca»tion .preda'ka- |
pre«lit»er»ate IprC'litarat] -adj. of, relating
SH3n I
n. to, or denoting a society or culture that has
pre»dl»lec»tion .predl'eksHan; ,predl-| . n. a |
not developed the use of writing.
preference or special liking for something; a (of a child) at a stage of development before
bias in favor of something: my predilection acquiring literacy; pertaining to this stage.
for Asian food. • ;/. a preliterate person.

pre*em»i*nent Ipre'emansntI » adj. surpass- prel*ude 'prel,(y)(50d; 'pra,l(y)oOd • n. 1 an

| I

ing all others; very distinguished in some way: action or event serving as an introduction to
the world's preeminent expert on Australian va- something more important: education cannot
rietal wines. simply be a prelude to a career. 2 an introduc-
derivatives: pre»emM«nence n. tory piece of music, most commonly an or-
pre»empt |pre'empt| »v. [trans 1 ] take action chestral opening to an act of an opera, the
in order to prevent (an anticipated event) first movement of a suite, or a piece preced-
from happening; forestall: the government pre- ing a fugue.
empted a coup attempt. a short piece of music of a similar style, esp.
act in advance of (someone) in order to pre- for the piano. the introductory part of a
vent him or her from doing something: it poem or other literary work. • v. [trans ] serve
looked as if she \i ask him more, but Parr pre- as a prelude or introduction to: the bombard-
empted her. (of a broadcast) interrupt or re- ment preluded an all-out final attack.
place (a scheduled program) the violence pre- : derivatives: pre»lu»di»al pri'l(5Dde9l; |

empted regular programming. 2 acquire or pra-| adj.

 . |

premeditate 339 presbyopia

pre*med»i*tate |
pri'meda.tat; pre- 1
. v. pre*pos*sess*ing | ,
preps 'zcsing i
»adj. [of-
[trans] [usu. as adj.] (premeditated) think ten with negative] attractive or appealing in ap-
out or plan (an action, esp. a crime) before- pearance: he was not a prepossessing sight.
hand: premeditated murder. DERIVATIVES: pre»pos»ses»sion |-'zesH3n| n.
derivatives: pre«med»i»ta»tion |-,med3 pre*pos*ter*OUS pri'past(9)r3s . adj. con- |
|

'tasHsnl n. trary to reason or common

sense; utterly ab-
pre»mler |pre'm(y)ir; 'premear; 'pre,mir| surd or ridiculous: a preposterous suggestion.
• adj. [attrib.] first in importance, order, or derivatives: pre»pos»ter»ous»ly adv. pre*
position; leading: Germany's premier rock pos«ter«ous»ness n.
band. pre*pran»di«al Ipre'praendesll ' adj. doriQ or
of earliest creation: the premier issue of the taken before dinner: a preprandial glass of
quarterly. » n. a prime minister or other head sherry.
of government. (in medicine) before a main meal: urine test-
(in Australia and Canada) the chief minister ing results in the preprandial state.
of a government of a state or province. pre*puce 'pre,pyoos • n. ^ technical term
|
\

pre«miere Ipre'myer; -'mir| . n. the first per- for the male foreskin. 2 the fold of skin sur-
formance of a musical or theatrical work or rounding the clitoris.
the first showing of a movie. • v. [trans.] give derivatives: pre»pu»tial |
pre'pyooSHsl
the first performance of: his first stage play was adj.
premiered at the Arena stage.. Pre-Raph»a*el*ite I'raefea.lit; -rafe-; -'rafe-|
[intrans.] (of a musical or theatrical work or a . n. a member
of a group of English 1 9th-
film) have its first performance: the show pre- century including Holman Hunt,
artists,
miered in New York this week. John Everett Millais, and D. Gabriel Rossetti,
pre»mo»ni»tion |
.prema'niSHan; ,prem- 1
• n. who consciously sought to emulate the sim-
something is about to
a strong feeling that phcity and sincerity of the work of Italian
happen, esp. something unpleasant: he had a artists from before the time of Raphael
premonition of imminent disaster. (1483-1520). . adj. of or relating to the Pre-
DERI VAT v E s pre»monM»to»ry pre'mans
I :
|
Raphaelites.
,t6re I
adj. of a style or appearance associated with the
pre*pon«der»ance pri'pandsrsns . «. the |
|
later pre-Raphaelites or esp. with the women
quality or fact of being greater in number, they frequently used as models, with long,
quantity, or importance: the preponderance of thick, wavy auburn hair, pale skin, and a fey
women among older people. demeanor.
DERI VAT V E s pre»pon«der«ant
I : adj. derivatives: Pre-Raph»a»el»it»ism | -,lit

pre*pon*der*ate pri' panda, rat *v. [intrans.]

|
|
,iz3m| n.
be greater in number, influence, or impor- pre*req*ul»slte pre'rekwazat . «. a thing
|
|

tance: the advantages preponderate over this that is required as a prior condition for some-
apparent disadvantage. thing else to happen or exist: sponsorship is not
prep*0*Si»tion .preps'ziSHsnl • n. a word
|
a prerequisite for any of our courses. • adj.
governing, and usually preceding, a noun or required as a prior condition: the student must
pronoun and expressing a relation to another have the prerequisite skills.
word or element in the clause, as in "the man usage : See usage at perquisite.
on the platform," "she arrived after dinner,"
"what did you do it /or?" pre»rog»a»tlve |
pri'ragstiv; pa 'rag- \
» n. a
DERIVATIVES: prep»o»si»tion»al |-SH3nl| right or privilege exclusive to a particular in-
adj. prep»o»si»tion»al»ly |
-SHsnl-e |
adv. dividual or class: owning an automobile was still
the prerogative of the rich.
USAGE There : is a traditional view, first set
forth by the 1 7th-century poet and drama- a faculty or property distinguishing a person
or class: it's not a female prerogative to feel inse-
tist John Dryden, that it is incorrect to put a
preposition at the end of a sentence, as in cure. (also royal prerogative) the right of
where do you come from? or she's not a vjriter a sovereign,which in British law is theoreti-
cally subject to no restriction.
I've ever come across. The rule was formu-
lated on the basis that, since in Latin a prep- pres*age 'presij; pri'saj • v. [trans.] (of an
|
|

osition cannot come after the word it gov- event) be a sign or warning that (something,
erns or is linked with, the same should be typically something bad) will happen: the out-

true in English. The problem is that English come of the game presaged the coming year.
is not like Latin in this respect, and in many
(of a person) predict. • n. a sign or warning
cases (particularly in questions and with that something, typically something bad, will
phrasal verbs) the attempt to move the prep-
happen; an omen or portent: the fever was a
osition produces awkward, unnatural- somber presage of his final illness.
soimding a feeling of presentiment or foreboding: he
results. Winston Churchill fa-
mously objected to the rule, saying 'This is
had a strong presage that he had only a very short
time to live.
the sort of English up
zvith which I ivill not
put' In standard English the placing of a derivatives: pres»ag«er n. (archaic)

pres»by*0*pl»a ,prezbe'ope3; ,pres-| • n.

preposition at the end of a sentence is widely |

accepted provided the use sounds natural farsightedness caused by loss of elasticity of
and the meaning is clear. the lens of the eye.
derivatives: pres»by»opMC |-'apik| adf
presbyter 340 pretentious
pres«by«ter 'prczboior; 'pres- • n. an elder scribe is a much com rr '
'
.han pro-
or minister of the early f^hristian CJhurch. scribe .iU'l nm^i:. : medical
(m presbytenan churches; an elder. (in pre',cni;tiorj''jr r' .';;';r;'-,
'

episcopal churches) a minister of the second a-, ifi ///; Jof inr presLvihed araihio!: i'r';-
order, under the authority of a bishop; a scrihc r the other .hand, r, a for.;. :

priest. n. ,-iderjin or lorhid.' as m rumhlmf^

derivatives: pres»byfer»al Iprez'bipr- V l>r(}scrihed rJic uuijKjruu:;.
3l;pre8-| adj. pres»byt«er«ate prez'biia,rat;
pres-j n. pres»by»teTi»al .prezbD'tireol; pre«scrip^ive pn'skriptiv » adj. 1 of or
,pres- adj. pres»by»ter»ship -,snip n.
1
relating to the imposition or enforcement of
Pre8»by*te«ri»an«ism ,prezb:>'tire:),niz:)m; a rule or method: these guidelines are not in-
,prcs- • n. a fc)rm of J-'njtestant C'hurch gov- tended to be prescriptive.
ernment in which the C>hurch is administered attempting to imp(jse rules of ccjrrect usage
locally by the minister with a group of elected on the users of a language: a prescriptive gram-
elders oi equal rank, and regionally and na- mar hook. Often contrasted with descriptive.
ti(jnally by representative courts of ministers 2 (of a right, title, or institution; having be-
and ciders. come legally established or accepted by long
Prcsbytcrianjsm was fir.t ifiiroduced in
usage or the passage of time: a prescriptive
right of way.
f/cncva in 1541 und' r f' •;.!: ( .;<l-, ]n m th':

belief that jt bet T'-'y '

established by long-standing custom or
the 'Nirlv '
HJI' ii •J ii. ;
usage.
IJI-.IMVA ivhs: pre»scrip«tive»ly adv. pre*
I
1
ten L;jii' (j }<';l<;rincd
J. n(jt;jhly m the scrip»tive»nes8 n. pre*scrip»tiv»ism
'.
.'.-tliLiiai. : : :in(J in (.ountrics
-'skripto.vizsm n. pre«scrip»tiv«ist -vist

with whici riL links ''includ-

n. & ad).

in^ the L . .ii,ri Northern Ire-

pre«sid»i«um pri'sideam; pri-; -'zid- falso
i
1

praesidium; n. a standing executive com-

•
landj.
mittee in a communist country.
I'lVA i ivi.s: Pres»byteTi«an n.,adj. f Presidium; the committee of this type in

pres«by*ter»y 'prezbn.tere; 'pres-; -batre the former USSR, which functioned as the
. n. -icHj 1 (treated as sing or pi.] a body of legislative authority when the Supreme So-
church elders and ministers, esp. fin Presby- viet was n(jt sitting.
terian churches; an administrative body pre8*ti»dig»i*ta*tlon ,prest3,dij3'ta.sH3n :
. n.

(court) representing all the local congrega- magic tricks performed as entertainment.
tions of a district. OERIVA I ivi:s: pres«ti»digM»tate v. pres»
a represented by such a body of
district ti»dig«i«ta»tor -'dija.taisr j
n.
elders and ministers. 2 the house of a Roman pre«sump«tive pri'zamptiv . adj. of the na- |

Catholic parish priest. 3 the eastern part of a ture of a presumption; presumed in the ab-
church chancel beyond the choir; the sanc- sence of further information: a presumptive di-
tuary. agnosis.
pre«SCient 'presnCepnt; 'pre-| « adj. having fin law; giving grounds for the inference of
or showing knowledge of events before they a fact or of the appropriate interpretation
take place: a prescient vjarning. of the law. another term for FRiisuMPTU-
DHRiVATi VHS: prc'science l-ans! n. pre* ocs.
scient'ly adv. I; R VA'i v h s pre«sump»tive«ly adv.
!•; I I :

pre«scind |pri'sind| • v. [intrans Cprescind ]

pre«SUmp*tU«OUS prrzDmpCHf3w;3S 'adj.
from; leave out of consideration: we have pre- (of person or personal behavior; failing to
'd

scinded from many vexing issues. observe the limits of what is permitted or ap-
(trans. cut off or separate from something: his
J
pnjpriate: / hope I won 't be considered presump-
is an idea entirely prescinded from all of the oth- tuous if I offer some advice.
ers. derivatives: pre»sump*tu«ous»ly adv.
pre»scrlbe jpri'sknbl »v. (trans ]
f (if a medi- pre»sump»tu*ous»ness n.
cal practitioner; advise and authc)rize the use pre«tense 'pre, tens; pri'tensi fBrit, pre-
of fa medicine or treatment; for scjmeone, tence; • n. 1 an attempt to make something
esp. in writing: Dr. (ireene prescribed maf^ne- that is not the case appear true: his anger is

stum sulfate \
(with two objs J
he was prescribed a masked by the pretense that all is well they have j

course of antibiotics. finally abandoned their secrecy and pretense.

recommend fa substance or action; as some- a false display of feelings, attitudes, or inten-
thing beneficial: marriage is often prescribed as tions: he asked me questwns
without any pretense
a universal remedy. state authoritatively or as at politeness. the practice of inventing imag-
a rule that fan action or procedure; should be inary situations in play: before the age of two,
carried out: rules prescribing^ five acts for a play children start to engage in pretense. affected
are purely arbitrary (as adj.] f prescribed; t/o- \
and ostentatious speech and behavior.
ing things in the prescribed manner. 2 fpretense to; a claim, esp. a false or ambi-
D F R I VAT r v E s pre*scrib»er n. : tious cjne: he was quick to disclaim any pretense
to superiority.
i. s.'sot-. : The verbs prescribe and pro-
scribe do n(jt have the same meaning. Pre- pre*ten*tlou8 |pri'tencH3s| » adj. attempting
t(j impress by affecting greater importance.
preternatural 341 principal
talent, culture, etc., than is actually pos- relating to an early stage in development;
sessed: a pretentious literary device. primeval: primal hunting societies. (in psy-
derivatives: pre»ten»tious»ly adv. pre* chology) of, relating to, or denoting the
ten*tious*ness n. needs, fears, or behavior that are postulated
pre*ter»nat«U*ral ,pret3r'naeCH(3)r3l . adj. | I
to form the origins of emotional life: he preys
beyond what is normal or natural: autumn on people 's primal fears.
had arrived with preternatural speed. DERI VAT V e s pri»mal»ly
I : adv.
derivatives: pre»ter»nat»u»ral«ism pri*matei !
'pri.mat; primat]
• n. (in Christi-

I
-'n£eCH(9)r3,liz3m |
n. pre«ter»nat»u»ral*ly anity) the chief bishop or archbishop of a
adv. province.
pre*text |
reason given in jus-
'pre.tekst I
• w. a derivatives: pri»ma»tial |pri'masHaI|
tification of a course of action that is not the adj.
real reason: the rebels had the perfect pretext for pri»mate2 'pri.mat • «. a mammal of an or-
|
|

making their move. der (Primates) that includes the lemurs, bush
p H R A s E s on (or under) the pretext giving
: babies, tarsiers, marmosets, monkeys, apes,
the specified reason as one's justification: the and humans. They are distinguished by hav-
police raided Grand River on the pretext of ing hands, handlike feet, and forward-facing
looking for moonshiners. eyes, and, with the exception of humans, are
pre*vail |pri'val| *v. [intrans.] prove more typically agile tree-dwellers.
powerful than opposing forces; be victorious: pri«me»val pri meval (Brit, also primaeval)
| |

it is hard for logic to prevail over emotion. • adj. of the earliest ages in the history of the

be widespread in a particular area at a par- world: mile after mile of primeval forest.
ticular time; be current: an atmosphere of cri- (of feelings or actions) based on primitive in-
sis prevails [as adj.] (prevailing) the prevail-
\
stinct; raw and elementary: a primeval desire.
ing political culture. (prevail on/upon) derivatives: pri»me« val»ly adv.
persuade (someone) to do something: she was prim*i*tiv»ism 'primativ,izam| . n. 1 a belief
|

prevailed upon to sing. in the value of what is simple and unsophis-

derivatives: pre»vail»ing«ly adv. ticated, expressed as a philosophy of life or
prev*a»lent 'prevabnt • adj. widespread in
| I
through art or literature. 2 unsophisticated
a particular area at a particular time: the ills behavior that is unaffected by objective rea-
prevalent in society. soning.
predominant; powerful. derivatives: prim»i»tiv»ist n. & adj.
derivatives: prev»a«lence n. previa* pri«mo*gen»i«ture ,primo'jena,CHar; |

lent'ly adv. -,CH(5Dr| • n. the state of being the firstborn

pre*var»i»cate pri'vera.kat |
|
»v. [intrans.] child.
speak or act in an evasive way. (also riglit of primogeniture) the right of
derivatives: pre*varn»ca»tion |pri,ver3 succession belonging to the firstborn child,
'kaSHsnt n. pre»varn»ca»tor |-,kat3r| n. esp. the feudal rule by which the whole real
pri*ap*ic Ipri'sepik; -apik| (also priapean) estate of an intestate passed to the eldest son.
• adj. of, relating to, or resembling a phallus: derivatives: pri«mo»genn*tal |-'jenatl|
priapic carvings. adj. pri«mo»gen»i»tar»y -'jena,tere adj. |
[

of or relating to male sexuality and sexual ac- pri*mor*di«al |pri'm6rdeal| »adj. existing at
tivity. (of a male) having a persistently erect or from the beginning of time; primeval: the
penis. primordial oceans.
pri»a»pism |
'pri9,piz3m |
. n. persistent and (esp. of a state or quality) basic and funda-
painfiil erection of the penis, mental: the primordial needs of the masses. (of
prig prig .
I
a self-righteously moralistic
I
a cell, part, or tissue) in the earliest stage of
person who behaves as if superior to others. development.
derivatives: prig»ger«y I'prigare] n. derivatives: pri»mor»di»al»i»ty |
,pri
prig'gish adj. prig»gish»ly adv. prig»gish» ,m6rde'aElate n. pri»mor«di»al*ly adv.
|

ness n. prin*ci*pal 'prinsapal . adj. [attrib.] 1 first in

| I

pri*ma don»na .prima 'dans; iprema • n. |

|
order of importance; main: the country's prin-
the chief female singer in an opera or opera cipal cities. 2 (of money) denoting an original
company. sum invested or lent: the principal amount of
a very temperamental person with an in- your investment. • n. 1 the person with the
flated view of their own talent or importance. highest authority or most important position
derivatives: pri«ma don*na-ish |-isH| in an organization, institution, or group.
adj. the head of a school, college, or other educa-
pri*ma fa»ci*e prima |
'fasna; 'faSHe; 'faSHe.e |
tional institution. the leading performer in
• adj. & adv. (in law) based on the first im- a concert, play, ballet, or opera. the leading
pression; accepted as correct until proved player in each section of an orchestra. 2 a sum
otherwise: [as adj.] a prima facie case of profes- of money lent or invested on which interest is
sional misconduct [as adv.] the original lessee\
paid. 3 a person for whom another acts as an
prima facie remains liable for the payment of the agent or representative.
rent. (in law) the person directly responsible for a
pri*mal |
of first imortance; es-
'primal I
• adj. crime. each of the combatants in a duel
sential; fundamental: for me, writing is a pri- (who are supported by seconds).
mal urge. derivatives: prin«ci»pal»ship |-,SHipi n.
 |

prior 342 proboscis

usage: Principal means 'most important' such as that of blood, lease, or service: the par-
ties no longer have privity with each other.
or 'person in charge': my principal reason for
coming tonight; the high school principal. It also
priv»y 'prive . adj. [predic] (privy to) shar-
I
|

means 'a capital sum': the principal would be ing in the knowledge of (something secret or
private): he was no longer privy to her innermost
repaid in five years. Principle means 'rule,
thoughts.
basis for conduct': Her principles kept herfrom
stealing despite her poverty.
hidden; secret: a privy place. • n. (pi. -ies) 1 a
located in a small shed outside a house
toilet
pri*or 'pn(3)r| • n. a man who is head of a
I
or other building; outhouse. 2 (in law) a per-
house or group of houses of certain religious son having a part or interest in any action,
orders, in particular: matter, or thing.
the man next in rank below an abbot. the derivatives: privM'ly |'priv3le| adv.
head of a house of friars. prix fixe 'pre 'feks; 'fiks
|
• w. a meal con- |

derivatives: pri*or»ate I'priaratI n. pri» sisting of several courses, served at a fixed

or»ship -, snip n. I I
price.
pri«or*ess 'pnaras . «. a woman who is
| I
pro»ac*tive |pro'aektiv| » adj. (of a person,
head of a house of certain orders of nuns. policy, or action) creating or controlling a sit-
the woman next in rank below an abbess. uation by causing something to happen
prl*0*ry 'pnare • n. (pi. -ies) a small mon-
|
|
rather than responding to it after it has hap-
astery or nunnery that is governed by a prior pened: be proactive in identifying and prevent-
or prioress. ing potential problems.
pris*tine 'pris,ten; pri'sten • adj. in its orig-
|
|
derivatives: pro»ac»tion pro'sekSHsn |

inal condition; unspoiled: pristine copies of an n. pro»ac»tive»ly adv. pro»ac»tiv«i»ty ,pro |

early magazine. ,aek'tiv3te |

n.
clean and fresh as if new; spotless. prob«a*bl«lis«tic .prababa'listikl . a^/;". based
|

derivatives: pris«tine»ly adv. on or adapted to a theory of probability; sub-

pri*va*teer |,pnv3'tir| an armed ship ject to or involving chance variation: the main
owned and officered by private individuals approaches are either rule-based or probabilistic.
holding a government commission and derivatives: prob»a«bi»lism 'prababs |

authorized for use in war, esp. in the capture ,liz3m| n.

of enemy merchant shipping. pro*bate 'pro, bat
|
• n. the official proving
|

(also privateersman) a commander or (establishing genuineness and validity) of a

crew member of such a ship, often regarded will: the will was in probate [as adj.] a probate \

as a pirate. • v. [intrans.] engage in the activi- court.

ties of a privateer. a verified copy of a will with a certificate as
derivatives: pri«va»teer»ing n. handed to the executors. • v. [trans.] establish
pri»va*tion |
pri'vasnan |
• «. a state in which the validity of (a will).
things that are essential for well-being such as pro*ba*tion pro'basHan • n. (in law) the re-
|
|

food and warmth are scarce or lacking: years lease of an offender from actual or potential
of rationing and privation the privations of \
detention, subject to a period of good behav-
life at the front. ior under supervision: / went to court and was
the loss or absence of a quality or attribute put on probation.
that is normally present: cold is the privation of the process or period of testing or observing
heat. the character or abilities of a person in a cer-
priv*i*lege 'priv(3)lij . a special right, ad-
|
|
tain role, for example, a new employee: for an
vantage, or immunity granted or available initial period of probation, your manager will
only to a particular person or group of peo- closely monitor your progress.
ple: education is a right, not a privilege he has \
derivatives: pro»ba»tion»ar»y |-,nerel
been accustomed to wealth and privilege. adj.
something regarded as a rare opportunity pro»bi»ty 'probite| • n. the quality of having
|

and bringing particular pleasure: / have the strong moral principles; honesty and de-
privilege of awarding you this grant. (also ab- cency.
solute privilege) parhamentary con- (in a prob»lem«at*ic .prabb'maetikl > adj. consti-
|

text) the right to say or write something with- tuting or presenting a problem or difficulty:
out the risk of incurring punishment or legal the situation was problematic for teachers. • n. a
action for defamation. the right of a lawyer thing that constitutes a problem or difficulty:
or official to refuse to divulge confidential in- the problematics of artificial intelligence.
formation: the doctor-patient privilege. a derivatives: prob»lem«atM»cal adj.
grant to an individual, corporation, or place prob»lem«at*i»cal»ly i
-ik(3)le |
adv.
of special rights or immunities, esp. in the pro»bos»cis pra'basas; -'baskss |
• n. (pi. |

form of a franchise or monopoly. • v. [trans.] proboscises, proboscides -'basa.dez or |

|
,

grant a privilege or privileges to: English in- probosces -'basez ) the nose of a mammal,
|
|

heritance law privileged the eldest son. esp. when it is long and mobile, such as the
(usu. be privileged from) exempt (some- trunk of an elephant or the snout of a tapir.
one) from a liability or obligation to which (in many insects) an elongated sucking
others are subject. mouthpart that is typically tubular and flexi-
priv*i»ty 'privite . n. (pi. -ies) a relation be-
| I
ble. (in some worms) an extensible tubular
tween two parties that is recognized by law. sucking organ.
procedure 343 pro forma
pro»ce»dure an established or
Iprs'sejarl » n. prod«i»gy |
'pradaje |
• n. (pi. -ies) [often with
official way of doing something: the police are a person, esp. a young one, endowed with
adj.]

now reviewing procedures \

rules of procedure. exceptional qualities or abilities: a pianist who
formal steps to be taken in a le-
(in law) the was a child prodigy.
gal action; themode of conducting judicial an impressive or outstanding example of a
precedings, as distinguished from the law particular quahty: Germany seemed a prod-
involved. igy of industrial discipline. an amazing or
a series of actions conducted in a certain or- unusual thing, esp. one out of the ordinary
der or manner: the standard procedure for course of nature: omens and prodigies abound
informing new employees about conditions of in Livy's work.
work. a surgical operation: the procedure is pro»em |
'pro, em; -3m| • n. a preface or pre-
carried out under general anesthesia. amble book or speech.
to a
derivatives: pro»ce»dur«al |-j3r3l| adj. derivatives: pro*e*mi*al Ipro'emeal;
pro«ce*dur»aWy l-jsrslel adv. -'ameali adj.
pro*ces*sion*al Iprs'sesHsnll * adj. of, for, pro*fane prs'fan; pro- |
not relating 1
• adj. 1
or used in a religious or ceremonial proces- or devoted to that which sacred or biblical; is

sion: a processional cross.* n. a book contain- secular rather than religious: a talk that tack-
ing litanies and hymns for use in religious led topics both sacredand profane.
processions. (of a person) not initiated into religious rites
a hymn or other musical composition sung or any esoteric knowledge: he was an agnostic,
or played during a procession. a profane man. 2 (of a person or personal be-
pro*Cliv«i*ty ipro'klivate; prs-l » n. (pi. -ies) havior) not respectful of orthodox religious
a tendency to choose or do something regu- practice; irreverent.
larly; an inclination or predisposition toward (of language) blasphemous or obscene. • v.

a particular thing: a proclivity for hard work. [trans.] (something sacred) with irrever-
treat
pro*cras«ti*nate prs'krssta.nat; pro-i »v.
|
ence or disrespect: it was a serious matter to
[intrans.] delay or postpone action; put off do- profane a tomb.
ing something: it won 't be this price for long, so DERI VAT I v E s prof»a«na«tion .prafa'na- :
|

don 't procrastinate. SHsn; ipro-| n. pro»fane»ly adv. pro'fane*

derivatives: pro«cras*ti»na»tion [pra ness n. pro»fan*er n.
ikrassts'naSHsn; pro- n. pro»cras*ti»na«tor
1 pro»fan»i»ty |
prs'fsenate; pro- 1
. n. (pi. -ies)
i-,napr; pro-| n. pro»cras»ti»na»to»ry |-n3 blasphemous language: an outburst of profan-
,t6re I
adj. ity
pro*cre»ate I'prokre.atl *v. [intrans.] (of peo- obscene or vulgar language.
ple or animals) produce young; reproduce: a swear word; an oath. irreligious or irrev-
species that procreate by copulation. erent behavior.
derivatives: pro»cre»ant |-kre3nt| adj. proWer |
'prafsr I
. V. [trans.] hold out (some-
pro»cre»a»tion ,prokre'asH9n n. pro»cre»
|
|
thing) to someone for acceptance; offer: he
active |-,ativ| adj. pro«cre«a»tor |-,at3r| n. proffered his resignation. • n. an offer or pro-
pro»CUre Iprs'kyOOr; pro-| • f [trans.] 1 ob- . posal.
tain (something), esp. with care or effort: food pro»fi«cient pra'fiSHant • adj. competent or
| I

procured for the rebels. skilled indoing or using something: / was

obtain (someone) as a prostitute for another proficient at my job she felt reasonably pro- \

person: he was charged with procuring a minor. ficient in Italian. • n. a person who is profi-
2 [with obj. and infinitive] (in law) persuade or cient: he became a proficient in Latin and Greek.
cause (someone) to do something: he procured derivatives: pro»fi»cien»cy n. pro»fi«
his wife to sign the agreement. cient'ly adv.
derivatives: pro»cur»a»ble adj. pro* prof*it»eer |,praf3'tir| *v. [intrans.] make or
cure«ment n. pro»cur»er n. seek to make an excessive or unfair profit,
prod*i*gal |
'pradigsl |
• adj. 1 spending esp. illegally or in a black market: [as n.]
money or resources freely and recklessly; (profiteering) war profiteering. • n. a person
wastefully ext.ravagant: prodigal habits die who profiteers.
hard. 2 having or giving something on a lav- prof»li»gate 'prafligat; -b.gat • adj.
|
reck- i

ish scale: the dessert was prodigal with whipped lessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of
cream. • n. a person who spends money in a resources: profligate consumers of energy.
recklessly extravagant way. given to vice or indulgence; hcentious; disso-
(also prodigal son or daughter) a person lute: he succumbed to drink and a profligate life-
who leaves home and behaves in such a way, style. • n. a licentious, dissolute person.
but later makes a repentant return. derivatives: prof»li»ga«cy |'praflig3se|
DERI VAT I V E s prod«i»galM»ty
: .prada |
n. prof»li»gate*ly adv.
'gaebtel n. prod»i*gaWy |

'pradig(3)le |
adv. pro for*ma pro 'forms • adv. as a matter of
|
|

pro*di*gioUS |
pra'dijss |
• adj. 1 remarkably form or politeness: he nodded to him pro forma.
or impressively great in extent, size, or de- . adj. done or produced as a matter of form:

gree: the stoveconsumed a prodigious amount of pro forma reports.

fuel. 2 unnatural or abnormal: rumors of pro- denoting a standard document or
[attrib.]

digious happenings, such as monstrous births. form, esp. an invoice sent in advance of or
derivatives: pro«di«gious»ly adv. pro* with goods supplied. [attrib.] (of a financial

di*gious»ness n. statement) showing potential or expected

 a

profundity 344 prolific

income, costs, assets, or liabilities, esp. in re- impelled with great force.
lation to some planned or expected act or sit- pro»kar*y*ote |pro'kere,ot| (also procary-
uation. • n. a standard document or form or Ote) » n. a microscopic single-celled organ-
financial statement of such a type. ism that has neither a distinct nucleus with a
pro»fun*di*ty pra'fandste * n.
|
(pi. -ies) |
membrane nor other specialized organelles,
deep insight; great depth of knowledge or including the bacteria and cyanobacteria. Cf.
thought. EUKARYOTE.
great depth or intensity of a state, quality, or derivatives: pro«kar»y»ot»ic |pro,kere
emotion: the profundity of her misery. a state- 'atik! adj.
ment or idea that shows great knowledge or pro*late |'pro,lat| 'adj. (in geometry, of a
insight. spheroid) lengthened in the direction of a po-
pro*fuse Ipra'fyoos; pro-| • adj. (esp. of lar diameter.
something offered or discharged) exuber- prole prol ' n. a member of the working
I
\

antly plentiful; abundant: / offered my profuse class; a worker. • adj. working-class: prole sol-
apologies. diers.
(of a person) lavish; extravagant: they are pro*le»gom»e*non |
iprols'gams.nan; -nan I

profuse in hospitality. • n. (pi. prolegomena l-'gamansi) a critical

derivatives: pro»fuse»ly adv. pro»fuse« or discursive introduction to a book.
ness pro«fu»sion n.
n. derivatives: pro»le«gom»e»nous |-n3s|
pro*gen*i*tive Iprs'jenativ; pro-| 'adj. hav- adj.
ing the quality of producing offspring; having pro*lep*sis Ipro'lepsssi • n. (pi. prolepses

reproductive power. |-,sez|) 1 the anticipation and answering of

pro»gen*l*tor Ipra'jenspr; pro-| » n. a per-
son or thing from which a person, animal, or
plant is descended or originates; an ancestor
or parent: the progenitors of many of Scotland's
leading noble families.
a person who originates an artistic, political,
or intellectual movement:
modern jazz.
possible objections in rhetorical speech.
anticipation: in the first of the novella's three
parts Marlow gives a prolepsis of the climax.
2 the representation of a thing as existing be-
fore it actually does or did so, as in he was a
dead man when he entered.
the progenitor of derivatives: pro»lep»tic |-'leptik| adj.
pro»lep«ti»cal»ly -'leptik(3)le adv.
|
|

derivatives: pro»genn»to»ri»al |-,jen3 proHe«tar*i»at .prob'terestj •

|
[treated as
'toreall adj. sing, or pi.] workers or working-class people,

prog*e*ny |
'prajane I
• n. [treated as sing, or regarded collectively (often used with refer-
pi ] a descendant or the descendants of a per- ence to Marxism): the growth of the industrial
son, animal, or plant; offspring: the progeny of proletariat.
mixed marriages. the lowest class of citizens in ancient Rome.
prog»no*sis prag'nosas • n. (pi. prognoses
|
|
DERI VAT V E s pro«le*tar»i»an
I : adj.

I
-,sez ) the likely course of a disease or ail-
I
pro*lif»er*ate |pr3'lif3,rat| 'V. [intrans.] in-
ment: the disease has a poor prognosis. Cf. di- crease rapidly in numbers; multiply: the
agnosis. science-fiction magazines that proliferated in the
a forecast of the likely course of a disease or 1920s.
ailment: it is very difficult to make an accurate (of a cell, structure, or organism) reproduce
prognosis. a forecast of the likely outcome of rapidly: the Mediterranean faces an ecological
a situation: gloomy prognoses about overpopula- disaster if the seaweed continues to proliferate at
tion. its present rate. [trans.] cause (cells, tissue,

prog*nos»ti»cate |prag'nast3,kat| *v. [trans.] structures, etc.) to reproduce rapidly: electro-

foretell or prophesy: the economists were prog- magnetic radiation can only proliferate cancers
nosticating financial Armageddon. already present. [trans.] produce (something)
derivatives: prog«nos»ti«ca»tor |-,ka- in large or increasing quantities: the promise of
t3r| n. prog»nos»ti«ca*to«ry |-k3,t6re| adj. new technology proliferating options on every
pro*hib»i«tive |pr3'hibitiv;pro-| 'adj. 1 (of hand
price or charge) excessively high; diflficult or derivatives: pro«lif»er»a»tive |-,rativ|
impossible to pay: the costs were prohibitive \
adj. pro»lif»er»a«tor |-,rat3r| n.
prohibitive interest rates. 2 (esp. of a law or proHiWc Ipra'lifikI 'adj. 1 (of a plant, ani-
rule) forbidding or restricting something: mal, or person) producing much fruit or foli-
prohibitive legislation. age or many offspring: in captivity, tigers are
(of a condition or situation) preventing prolific breeders.
someone from doing something: a wind over (of an artist, author, or composer) produc-
force 5 is prohibitive. ing many works: he was a prolific composer of
derivatives: pro»hibn»tive»ly adv. pro* operas-. (of a sports player) doing or assist-
hib»i»tive»ness n. ing in much scoring: a prolific home-run hitter.
pro*jec«tile Ipra'jektl; -,til| . n. a missile 2 present in large numbers or quantities;
designed to be fired from a rocket or gun. plentiful: mahogany was once prolific in the
an object propelled through the air, esp. one tropical forests.
thrown as a weapon: they tried to shield John- (of a river, area, or season of the year) char-
son from the projectiles that were being thrown. acterized by plentiful wildlife or produce: the
• adj. [attrib.] of or relating to such a missile or prolific riversand lakes of Franklin County.
object: a projectile weapon. derivatives: pro»lifM»ca»cy |-ik3se| n.
prolix 345 propitious
pro»lif»i»cal»ly |-ik(3)le| adv. pro»lif«ic« pro*pae«deu*tic ,propi'd(y)ootik| ^adj. (of
|

ness n. an area of study) serving as a preliminary in-

proHix pro'liks • adj. (of speech or writing)
I
| struction or as an introduction to further
using or containing too many words; tedi- study.
ously lengthy: he found the narrative prolix and derivatives: pro»pae»deu«ti»cal adj.
discursive. prop*a*gate I'prapa.gatl »v. [trans.] 1 breed
derivatives: pro«lix»i»ty |-'liks3te| n. specimens of (a plant, animal, etc.) by natu-
pro»lix»ly adv. ral processes from the parent stock: propagat-
proHu*sion |
pro'looZHsn |
• n. a preliminary ing houseplants from cuttings.
action or event; a prelude. [intrans.] (of a plant, animal, etc.) reproduce

a preliminary essay or article. in such a way. cause (something) to in-

pro*mis*CU*OUS Iprs'miskyawasI 'adj. 1 (of
a person) having sexual relationships,
esp. transient ones: she's a wild, promiscuous
girl.
(of sexual behavior or a society) character-
ized by such relationships: they ran wild,
indulging in promiscuous sex and experimenting
with drugs. 2 demonstrating or implying an
undiscriminating or unselective approach;
indiscriminate or casual: the city fathers were
crease in number or amount: errors propa-
many gated during the process. 2 spread and pro-
mote (an idea, theory, knowledge, etc.)
widely: the French propagated the idea that
the English were violent and gluttonous drunk-
ards. 3 [with obj. and adverbial of direction] trans-
mit (motion, light, sound, etc.) in a particu-
lar direction or through a medium:
electromagnetic effects can be propagated at a fi-
nite velocity only through material substances \

promiscuous with their honors. [as adj.] (propagated) a propagated electrical

consisting of a wide range of different things: signal.
Americans are free to pick and choose from a pro- [intrans.] (of motion, light, sound, etc.) be
miscuous array of values and behavior. transmitted or travel in such a way: a hydrau-
derivatives: prom»is*cu»i»ty |
.prama lic fracture is generally expected to propagate in a

'skyooate; pr3,mis'kyoo- 1 n. promns»cu» vertical plane.

ous'ly adv. prom*is»cu»ous»ness n. derivatives: prop»a»ga»tion prapa ga- | , '

prom»is*SO*ry 'pram3,s6re • adj. (in law) |

|
SHsnl n. prop»a»ga»tive i-,gativ| adj. prop*
conveying or implying a promise: promissory a»ga«tor |-,gat3r| n.
words. pro»pel»lant pra'pebnt • n. a thing or sub-
| I

indicative of something to come; full of stance that causes something to move or be

promise: the glow of evening is promissory of driven forward or outward, in particular:
the days to come. an inert fluid, liquefied under pressure, in
prom*on»tO»ry 'pram3n,t6re • n. (pi. -ies) a | I
which the active contents of an aerosol are
point of high land that juts out into the sea or dispersed. an explosive that fires bullets
a large lake; a headland: a rocky promontory. from a firearm. a substance used as a rea-
a prominence or protuberance on an organ gent in a rocket engine to provide thrust.
or other structure in the body. pro»pen»si»ty pra'pensste . n. (pi. -ies) an
| I

prom*ul*gate 'pram9l,gat; pro'mal-l » v. |

inclination or natural tendency to behave in
[trans.] promote or make widely known (an a particular way: a propensity for violence \

idea or cause) these objectives have to be pro-

: [with infinitive] their innate propensity to attack
mulgated within the organization. one another.
put (a law or decree) into effect by official pro»phy«lac»tlc .profs' laektik| 'adj.
|
in-
proclamation: in 1852, the new constitution was tended to prevent disease: prophylactic mea-
promulgated. sures. • n. a medicine or course of action used
DERI VAT V E s I : prom»ul«ga»tion ,pram3l |
to prevent disease: / took malaria prophylac-
'gaSHan; ,prom3l- 1n. prom»ul»ga»tor -,ga- |
tics.

pr| n. a condom.
pro*nate 'pro,nat| . v. [trans.] put or hold (a
|
derivatives: pro»phylac»ti»cal«ly |-ik-
hand, foot, or limb) with the palm or sole (9)le| adv.
turned downward: [as adj.] (pronated) a pro«phy«lax*is profs 'leeksas
|
• n.
,
action |

pronated foot. The opposite of supinate. taken to prevent disease, esp. by specified
derivatives: pro«na«tion |pro'naSH3n| means or against a specified disease: the pro-
n. pro«na»tor n. phylaxis of angina pectoris.
prone pron |
. adj. 1 [predic]
|
(prone pro*pin*qui*ty Ipra'piNCkwatel • «. 1 the
to/prone to do something) likely to or lia- state of being close to someone or something;
ble to suffer from, do, or experience some- proximity: he was afraid propinquity might lead
thing, typically something regrettable or him into temptation. 2 close kinship.
unwelcome: years of logging had left the moun- pro*pl»ti»ate |pr9'pisHe,at| ' V. [trans.] win or
tains prone to mudslides he is prone to jump to \
regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person)
2 lying flat, esp. face downward or
conclusions. by doing something that pleases them: propi-
on the stomach: / was lying prone on a foam tiating the gods with sacrifices.
mattress a prone position.
|
derivatives: pro»pi»ti»a»tion n. pro»pi»
denoting the position of the forearm with the ti»a»tor |-,apr| n. pro»pi»ti«a»to«ry |-'pi-
palm of the hand facing downward. 3 with a SHe3,t6re| adj.
downward slope or direction. pro*pi*tious Ipra'piSHasI » adj. giving or
derivatives: prone*ness n. indicating a good chance of success; favora-
proponent 346 prospectus
ble: the timing Jar such a meeting seemed propi- prosceniums or proscenia -nea ; the part
tious. of a theater stage in frfjnt cjf the curtain.
favorably disposed toward someone: there Talso proscenium arch; an arch framing
vjeremoments in which she did not seem propi- the opening between the stage and the audi-
tious. torium in some theaters. the stage of an an-
m:R VA'f ivEs: pro»pi*tious»ly adv. pro*
; cient theater.
pi»tious*ness n. pro*SCrjbe pro'sknb . v. [trans ] forbid, esp. l

pro*po»nent pra'ponant • w. a person who I by law: strikes remained proscribed in the armed
adv(jcates a theory, proposal, or project. forces.
pro*pound pr^'pownd • V. ftrans] put for- denounce or condemn: certain practices that
ward ''an idea, theory, or point of view; for Church proscribed, such as polyg-
the Catholic
consideration by others: he propounded the yny. outlaw (^someone;.
idea of a "social monarchy.'' derivatives: pro»scrip»tion |-'skrip-
DFtRivA'r ivi-.s: pro»pound»er n. SHsn n. pro*scrip»tive
' -'skriptivi adj.
pro«pri»e^ar»y ,prr;3'pri3,tere: • adj. of or pro'scrip'ti ve»ly v /

relating to an owner or ownership: the com- Proscribe (io'j^ nor have the same
VS/\',h :

pany has a proprietary right to the property. meaning as prescribe: sec usage at I'KH-
Cof a product; marketed under and pro-
Sf.FJBl..
tected by a registered trade name: proprietary
brands of soap. behaving as if one were the pros*e«CUte 'prasi.kyoot 'V. [trans] 1 insti-

owner of someone or something: he looked tute legal proceedings against ( a person or or-
about htm with a proprietary air. • n. an owner; ganization ; they were prosecuted for obstructing
:

proprietor. the highvjay.

a grantee or owner of a colony who has been institute legal proceedings in respect of Ta
granted, as an individual or as part of a group, claim or offense): this was a case worth prose-
the full rights of self-government: the early cuting \
[intrans ] the company didn't prosecute
proprietaries of Maryland. because of his age. [intrans] fof a lawyer; ccm-
pro«prl»e^ prr;3'pri3te I
* n. rpl. -ies) the duct the case against the party being accused
state or quality of conforming to conven- or sued in a lawsuit: Mr. Ryan will be prosecut-
tional standards of behavior or morals: always ing this morning. 2 continue with (z course of
behaved with the utmost propriety. action; with a view to its completion: the gov-
Cproprieties; the details or rules of behav- ernment 's ability to prosecute the war.
ior conventionally considered to be correct: carry on fa trade or pursuit): waiting for per-
she's a great one for the proprieties. the condi- mission to prosecute my craft.
tion of being right, appropriate, or fitting: they n E k VA T v E s pros*e»cut»a»bIe adj.
I I :

questioned the propriety of certain investments pros*e«lyte '

'prasp,llti • n. a person who has

made by the unvnship. c(jnverted from one opinion, religion, or
pro«prl»0«cep^ive .proprea'septiv] »adj.
i
party to another, esp. recently.
relating to stimuli that are produced and per- a Gentile who has converted to Judaism. • v.
ceived within an organism, esp. those con- another term for hkosei.yhze.
nected with the position and movement of derivatives: pros»e»Iyt»ism |-b,tiz3ml
the bf)dy. n.

DKRiVATivf. pro»pri»o»cep»tion |-'sep-

', : pros»e«lyHze rprasab.tizl 'V. [trans] con-
Siion n. pro»pri»o«cep«tive»ly adv. pro*
! vert or attempt to convert (someone) from
pri»o»cep*tor n. one religion, belief, or opinion to another: the
pro-rate pro'rat; 'prO,rat| »v. [trans.] Cusu.be program did have a tremendous evangelical ef-
prorated; allocate, distribute, or assess pro- fect, proselytizing many I
[\v\r^ns,.\ proselytizing
portionally: bonuses are prorated over the life of for converts ("proselytizing; no
\
[as n ]

a player's contract. amount of proselytizing was going to change their

ij f, VA7 V f. s pro'ranion
/ [ :
|
prO'ra.S'H3n |
n. minds.
pro»rogue ip''r;p'rog! • v. f-rogues, advocate or promote (a belief or course of
-rogued, -roguing; [trans] discontinue a action).
session of fa parliament or other legislative D R vat V R s pro8»e»lyt*iz»er n.
i: I I :

assembly; without dissolving it: James pro- pros«0«dy 'prasnde . n. the patterns of
!
|

rogued this Parliament, never to call another rhythm and sound used in poetry.
one. the theory or study of these patterns, or the
[intrans ] (of such an assembly; be discontin- rules governing them. the patterns of stress
ued in this way: the House was all set to pro- and intonation in a language: early English
rogue. prosodies.
D R VAT v H s pro»ro»ga»tion ,pror3'ga-
F', I I :
|
DER*IVATIVRS : pro»8od»ic Iprp'sadik;
snan n. -zadiki or pro»sod»i»cal adj. pros»o»dist
pro»sa»ic |pro'zaik| • ad], having the style or I
'prassdist; 'praz- i
n.

diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty: prosaic pro«Spec*tU8 prn'spekt^s • n. Tpl prospec- i 1

language. tuses; a printed document that advertises or

commonplace; unromantic: prosaic concerns. describes a school, commercial enterprise,
i>t:H fVA pro»saH«cal«ly |-ik(a)Ie|
I I vi: s : forthcoming book, etc., in order to attract or
adv. pro»sa»ic*nes8 n. inform clients, members, buyers, or in-
pro»sce«nl»um ipr^'sCne^m; pro-| . n. rpl vestors.
 |

prostate 347 protract

pros*tate 'pras,tat (also prostate gland)
| |
tege) . n. a person who is guided and sup-
• n. a gland surrounding the neck of the blad- ported by an older and more experienced or
der in male mammals and releasing a fluid influential person: he was an aide and protege
component of semen. of the former Tennessee senator.
DERIVATIVES : pros»tat»ic |
pra'staetik |
adj. pro*tein 'pro, ten; 'protean . n. any of a class
|
|

pros*the»sis pras'xHesis • n. (pi. prosthe-

| I
of nitrogenous organic compounds that have
ses) 1 an artificial body part, such as a leg, a large molecules composed of one or more
heart, or a breast implant. 2 (also prothesis) long chains of amino acids and are an essen-
the addition of a letter or syllable at the be- tial part of all living organisms, esp. as struc-
ginning of a word, as in Spanish escribo tural components of body tissues such as
derived from Latin scribo. muscle, hair, collagen, etc., and as enzymes
DERI VATIVES pros»thetnc : |-'THetik| adj. and antibodies.
pros»thetM»cal»ly -'THetik(9)le adv. |
|
such substances collectively, esp. as a dietary
pros»trate . a^f/'. I'pras.tratl lying stretched component: a diet high in protein.
out on the ground with one's face downward. derivatives: pro»tein»a»ceous |
,pro,te
Cf. PRONE, SUPINE. 'naSH9s; ,protn'aSH3s |
adj.
[predic] completely overcome or helpless, pro tern pro 'tem . adv. & adj. for the time
| i

esp. with distress or exhaustion: his wife was being: [as adv.] a printer that Marisa could use
prostrate tvith shock. (in botany) growing pro tem [as adj.] a pro tem committee
\
[as post- \

along the ground. • v. [trans.] (prostrate positive adj.] the president pro tem of the Senate.

oneself) throw oneself flat on the ground so pro»tO*COl 'prop,k61; -,kal . I

1 the official |

as to be lying face downward, esp. in rever- procedure or system of rules governing

ence or submission: she prostrated herself on the affairs of state or diplomatic occasions: praro-
bare floor. col forbids the prince from making any public
(often be prostrated)(of distress, exhaus- statement in his defense.
reduce (someone) to extreme
tion, or illness) the accepted or established code of proce-
physical weakness: she was prostrated by a mi- dure or behavior in any group, organization,
graine. or situation: what is the protocol for intoducing
derivatives: pros»tra»tion Ipra'stra- guest speakers? (in computing) a set of rules
SH3n| n. governing the exchange or transmission of
pro*tag»0*nist Ipro'taeganist; pro-| • the data electronically between devices. 2 the
leading character or one of the major charac- original draft of a diplomatic document, esp.
ters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fic- of the terms of a treaty agreed to in confer-
tional text. ence and signed by the parties.
the main figure or one of the most prominent an amendment or addition to a treaty or con-
figures in a real situation: in this colonial strug- vention. 3 a formal or official record of scien-
gle, the main protagonists were Great Britain and tific experimental observations.
France. an advocate or champion of a par- a procedure for carrying out a scientific ex-
ticular cause or idea: a strenuous protagonist of periment or a course of medical treatment.
the new agricultural policy. pro*tO*plasm 'prot3,pl£ez3m| • n. the trans- |

usage: The sense of protagonist, as

first
lucent material comprising the living part of
originally used in cormection with ancient a cell, including the cytoplasm, nucleus, and
Greek drama, is 'the main character in a other organelles.
play.' In the early 20th century a new sense
derivatives: pro»to»plas»mic | ,
prop
arose meaning 'a supporter of a cause,' as in 'plaezmikl adj.
pro»tO*type 'prop, tip . n. a first or prelim-
a strenuous protagonist of the new agricul- |